258 Teachings of Lord Chaitanya

all kinds of devotional service according to the aptitude of each particular
devotee, and Krishna also responds to such a devotee in a reciprocal way.
For anyone who wants the relationship with Krishna of Master and servant,
He plays the part of the perfect Master. For anyone who wants Krishna as
his Son, in the parental relationship, Krishna plays the part of the perfect Son.
Similarly, if a devotee wants to worship Krishna in conjugal love, Krishna
plays the part of husband or paramour in perfection. But He has admitted that
His loving relationship with the damsels of Vraja in conjugal love is the highest
perfectional stage.

In Srimad Bhagwatam, Tenth Canto, 32nd Chapter, Krishna addressed the
Gopis and said, “My dear Gopis, your relationship with Me is completely
transcendental, and in exchange for your love, it is not possible for Me to offer
anything, even after many births. You have been able to give up all attachment
for material enjoyment, and you have searched after Me. I am unable to repay
your love; and therefore, be pleased with your own activities.”

Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Maharaj has remarked that
there is a class of common men who say as follows: Anyone and everyone
can worship the Supreme Lord according to his particular invention of some
mode of worship, and he will still achieve the Supreme Personality of God-
head. One may try to approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead, either
by fruitive activities or by speculative knowledge or by meditation or by
austerity—any one of the methods accepted will help one to reach the perfec-
tional stage. They generally give the example that if anyone wants to reach
a certain destination he can accept one of many different paths, and still reach
the same place. Similarly, they say the Supreme Absolute Truth may be wor-
shipped either as the Goddess Kali, or the Goddess Durga, or Lord Shiva,
or Ganesha, or Rama, or Hari, or Brahma—any way that the Absolute Truth
is addressed, it is all one and the same. They give an example in this connection
that a man might have different names, but if he is called by any of those names
he will answer.

Such explanations by mental concoction might be very pleasing to the
ordinary person, but they are full of misconceptions of transcendental life.
One who worships different demigods conducted by material lust cannot
achieve the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The external energy of the
Supreme Lord can award them some result for worshipping the particular
demigods, as is stated in the Bhagavad Gita: “One who does not worship the
Supreme Personality of Godhead directly cannot achieve His association by
worshipping the demigods.” The Supreme Personality of Godhead awards
