জ্ঞানতঃ সুলভা মুক্তির্ভুক্তির্যজ্ঞাদিপুণ্যতঃ ।
সেয়ং সাধনসাহস্রৈর্হরিভক্তিঃ সুদুলর্ভা ॥ ১৭ ॥
jnanatah-by cultivation of knowledge; su-labha-easily obtainable; muktih-liberation; bhuktih-sense enjoyment; yajna-adi-performance of sacrifices, etc.; punyatah-and by performing pious activities; sa-that; iyam-this; sadhana-sahasraih-execution of thousands of sacrifices; hari-bhaktih-devotional service; sudurlabha-is very rare.
"By cultivating philosophical knowledge one can understand his spiritual position and thus be liberated, and by performing sacrifices and pious activities one can achieve sense gratification in a higher planetary system, but the devotional service of the Lord is so rare that even by executing hundreds and thousands of such sacrifices one cannot obtain it."
Prahlada Maharaja instructs:
matir na krsne paratah svato va
mitho 'bhipadyeta grha-vratanam
naisam matis tavad urukramaṅghrim
sprsaty anarthapagamo yad arthah
mahiyasam pada-rajo 'bhisekam
niskincananam na vrnita yavat
These slokas are to be discussed. Their purport is that one cannot obtain Krsna-bhakti, or the devotional service of the Lord, by official execution of the Vedic rituals. One has to approach a pure devotee. Narottama dasa Thakura sings, chadiya vaisnava-seva nistara payeche keba: "Who has been elevated without rendering service to a pure Vaisnava?" It is the statement of Prahlada Maharaja that unless one is able to accept the dust from the lotus feet of a pure Vaisnava there is no possibility of his achieving the platform of devotional service. That is the secret. The above-mentioned Tantra-vacana, quoted from the Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, is our perfect guidance in this connection.