In this verse that Caitanya Mahaprabhu has quoted from Srimad-Bhagavatam (2.7.42), the meaning of Sri Krsna's statement is explained. Krsna bestowed His causeless mercy upon Arjuna just to get him out of the bodily conception. This was done at the very beginning of the Second Chapter of the Bhagavad-gita (2.13), where Krsna says, dehino 'smin yatha dehe kaumaram yauvanam jara. In this body, there is an owner, and one should not consider the body to be the self. This is the first instruction to be assimilated by a devotee. If one is under the bodily conception, he is unable to realize his true identity and engage in the loving devotional service of the Lord. Unless one comes to the transcendental position, he cannot expect the causeless mercy of the Supreme Lord, nor can he cross over the vast ocean of material nescience. This is also confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita (7.14): mam eva ye prapadyante mayam etam taranti te. Without surrendering unto the lotus feet of Krsna, one cannot expect release from the clutches of maya, the illusory energy. According to Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.2.32), Mayavadi sannyasis who falsely think of themselves as liberated from the clutches of maya are called vimukta-maninah. Actually, they are not liberated, but they think that they have become liberated and have become Narayana Himself. Although they have apparently realized that they are not the material body but spirit soul, they nonetheless neglect the duty of the spirit soul, which is to render service to the Supreme Soul. Therefore their intelligence remains unsanctified. Unless one's intelligence is sanctified, one cannot apply it to understanding devotional service. Devotional service begins when the mind, intelligence and ego are completely purified. Mayavadi sannyasis do not purify their intelligence, mind and ego, and consequently they cannot engage in the service of the Lord or expect the causeless mercy of the Lord. Although they rise to a very high position by executing severe austerities and penances, they still hover in the material world without the benediction of the lotus feet of the Lord. Sometimes they rise to the Brahman effulgence, but because their minds are not completely purified, they must return to material existence.

The karmis are fully under the bodily conception of life, and the jnanis, although theoretically understanding that they are not the body, also have no information about the lotus feet of the Lord because they overly stress impersonalism. Consequently both karmis and jnanis are unfit for receiving the mercy of the Lord and becoming devotees. Narottama dasa Thakura therefore says, karma-kanda jnana-kanda, kevala visera bhanda: those who have taken to the process of karma-kanda (fruitive activity) and jnana-kanda (speculation on the science of transcendence) have simply eaten from poisoned pots. They are condemned to remain in material existence life after life until they take shelter of the lotus feet of Krsna. This is confirmed in Srimad Bhagavad-gita (7.19):