Lecture [partially recorded] – March 27, 1972, Bombay

720327LE-BOMBAY [17:26 Minutes]

So why there are so many religions?

Prabhupada: …ignorance, this is ignorance. Therefore jnana and vairagya is stressed here. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Sri Krsna.... Sri Krsna, our original father, aham bija-pradaḥ pita [Bg 14.4], He is not very happy to see that we are struggling very hard within this material world for sense gratification. Only our objective is sense gratification. Therefore He comes out of compassion: yada yada hi dharmasya glanir bhavati [Bg 4.7].

As soon as people forget the principles of religion, dharmasya glanir bhavati…, abhyutthanam adharmasya, as soon as people become irreligious, then as soon as the people become without any religion, the irreligious principles flourish, abhyutthanam adharmasya tadatmanam srjamy aham [Bg 4.7]. At that time Krsna, God, comes: paritranaya sadhūnam vinasaya ca duskrtam [Bg 4.8]. Now this vinasaya and paritranaya, both contradictory.

He is killing the demons and He is giving protection to the devotees, but the result is one. The killing devotees means that they are also being promoted to the spiritual world. Anyone who is killed by God, Krsna, he immediately gets liberation from material bondage. Therefore Krsna's killing and Krsna's petting, there is no difference. Advayam: they are the same.

So Krsna comes when there is discrepancies in the religious principles. He comes down. In this age, the Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Krsna directly ordered this sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg 18.66], but we could not take it very nicely. Avajananti mam mūḍha [Bg 9.11]. Even a great philosopher, he says that "This is too much. Why Krsna says that sarva-dharman parityajya?"

He says sophist. But actually that is not the fact. Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He has the right to ask like that: sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja. That He is asking. Just like father can ask, can oblige, can ask very strongly his son, "You must do it." But it is up to the son to do it or not to do it. That choice is always there. Similarly, Krsna says that "You have created so many religions, but real religion, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja."

The other day some gentleman was asking me, "So why there are so many religions?" The reply is that so many... Religion is one. God is one; religion is one, because religion means the codes, the law given by God. So this law is this, that: sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja. So therefore religion is one, but because we are disobedient to the orders of God, or Krsna, we have manufactured so many religions. So they are not actually religions. They are concoctions, a kind of faith. That will not help us. Therefore we have already explained, sa vai pumsam paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhoksaje [SB 1.2.6].

Again the same thing is repeated:

Therefore we should take this principle, bhakti-yoga, vasudeve, krsne[?]. Vasudeva means Krsna. So Lord Caitanya appeared. He is Krsna, but He appeared as a devotee. Krsna, when He saw that "I ordered the world to give up all other engagements and simply surrender unto Me, but they could not take it properly. They misunderstood," therefore He came again as Caitanya Mahaprabhu, as a devotee: bhakta-rūpam-bhaktakhyam namami bhakta-saktikam . He came as a devotee. Because Krsna appearing as a devotee and teaching us how to approach Krsna, that is Lord Caitanya's vision. This is confirmed in the Vedic literature:

This is the definition given in the Vedic literature, that in this age, Kali-yuga, krsna-varnam tvisakrsnam. Krsna-varnam means either you say who is always describing Krsna-varnaite[?], always describing Krsna, or he belongs to the same category. Varnam means "category" also. There is vipra-varna, sūdra-varna, like that.

So krsna-varnam mukti sarva[?], He is Krsna Himself, always describing Krsna, and tvisakrsnam, but His bodily complexion is not like Krsna; it is yellowish. That is also mentioned in the sastras. Idanim krsnatam gataḥ. Suklo raktas tatha pita idanim krsnatam gataḥ [SB 10.8.13]. Gargamuni, when he made horoscope of Krsna at Nanda Maharaja's house, he said, "Nanda Maharaja, your this son formerly was sometimes white and sometimes red, sometimes yellow, and now He has appeared as black." Suklo raktas tatha pita idanim krsnatam gataḥ.

So this pita color is Caitanya Mahaprabhu, or Krsna. He is Krsna, but He is fair complexion. That is also mentioned in the sastra. These slokas were very nicely explained by Jiva Gosvami. So we follow the footsteps of Jiva Gosvami. So this verse recommends that in this age:

This form of God, Krsna, Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, dancing with His associates, sahgopahgastra-parsadam… He has got His associates, five as…, four associates; including Himself, five: panca-tattvatmakam krsnam. Panca-tattva. He is associated with Lord Nityananda, Advaita Prabhu, Gadadhara and Srivas."

So therefore our method is bhakti-yoga. Everything is bhakti-yoga: vasudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ [SB 1.2.7], the bhakti-yoga through Lord Caitanya. Because Krsna Himself is teaching how to approach Him by bhakti-yoga.

So if we follow the path of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, then it is very easy, very easy, because the master Himself teaching how to approach the master. Just like a teacher takes the pen from the student and he instructs, "Hold it; do like this. This is like…, this is A, this is A."

So the master is not student, that he is writing A-B-C-D, but he is teaching the student, "Write A-B-C-D like that." Similarly, Caitanya Mahaprabhu is the master, Krsna Himself. That was detected by Sri Rūpa Gosvami:

He could understand. When he first met Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu at Prayag he said, "Sir, You are maha-vadanyaya. You are so magnanimous." Why? Krsna-prema-pradaya te: "You are distributing krsna-prema, love for Krsna, which is very, very difficult." Krsna says, manusyanam sahasresu kascid yatati [Bg 7.3]. Nobody can understand Krsna, and what to speak of krsna-prema. It is very, very difficult. But Caitanya Mahaprabhu distributed this krsna-prema just like anything: "Take krsna-prema." Factually you see. Because this Krsna consciousness movement is being pushed on in the line of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, how easily and quickly these European and American boys are taking it, because through the mercy of Caitanya Mahaprabhu it has become possible. Krsna-prema-pradaya te: by simply chanting His name:

Quick, I mean to say, entrance in the krsna-prema. Krsna-prema-pradaya te.

So Caitanya Mahaprabhu is described by Rūpa Gosvami: namo maha-vadanyaya krsna-prema-pradaya te. Krsnaya: and they could detect also, Rūpa Gosvami, that "You are no other than Krsna. Otherwise who could give krsna-prema so easily? If Krsna Himself can give it, so You are giving it." So Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu, never He disclosed Himself that He is Krsna Himself.

Although He was detected many times by His expert devotees like Sanatana Gosvami, Rūpa Gosvami, but He never said that "I am Krsna." He never said. Sometimes in Vrndavana some Vrndavana residents, they came to eulogize Him, that "Sir, You are Krsna. We can understand." So He closed His ears like this: "Don't say like that. Oh, it is great offense to speak a common man as Krsna." Yes.

So this is a teaching of Lord Caitanya, that to accept Krsna as ordinary man is also offense, and similarly to accept an ordinary man as Krsna, or God, that is also offense. He taught us that. That is going on nowadays. Any common man, he is declaring himself that "I am God," and people are accepting. This is offense. We should understand who is actually Krsna from the direction of the sastra, not that any bogus man comes before us and declares himself that "I am Krsna and God," and we shall accept.

This is not good. But at the present moment there is no protection of the ruler. Everybody can go on like everything; there is no check. But this was not possible when there were ksatriya kings in this country, in Bharata-varsa. Nobody could pretend as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In Krsna's time also, one king, he pretended himself that "I am Vasudeva." So he was killed by Krsna. So that is another story.

So our process, as recommended by Sūta Gosvami, that: vasudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ [SB 1.2.7]. We should render devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vasudeva: om namo bhagavate vasudevaya. Then this process will elevate us. Janayaty asu [SB 1.2.7]. Asu means "very soon," "without delay."

Asu vairagyam, that is required. Vairagyam: we must be detestful of this material world. We should not be very much optimistic. Pessimistic. But when you are spiritually advanced, then there is no difference between this material world and spiritual world. That is another stage. But in the beginning we should be detestful. Param drstva nivartate [Bg 2.59]. We should try to find out the better position of spiritual life.

If we entangle ourself with this materialistic way of life, we can gratify our senses for the time being, but that will not help us. The sastra condemns: "This kind of sense gratification is there in the life of dogs and hogs." So we should not waste our time simply by sense gratification like dogs and hogs. We should take to the principles of bhakti-yoga and make our life successful by developing real knowledge, jnana, and become detached to this material world.

So next verse is said... [end]

720330LE-BOMBAY [31:07 Minutes]

Prabhupada: Eating is taken as enjoyment, and the enjoyer is the Supreme Lord. So, when we decide to enjoy ourselves imitating God then we are forced to come to this material world. krsna-bahirmukha hana bhoga-vancha kare [Cc. Madhya 13.80], there is no difficulty in understanding this. For example, a servant is working for a very rich man but one such servant thinks " Oh, I am stuck as mere servant of this person, wish I could get all of his wealth." Such an attitude is but natural. Due to the minute independence the living entity has, he tends to think that way but actually, his constitutional position is to be the servant of the Supreme Lord. The jiva is eternally the servant of Krsna but when he refused to act in such servitorship thinking "Why should I be servant of Krsna? I shall become Krsna myself."

This goes on here as well. Those who… na mam duskrtino mūḍhaḥ prapadyante naradhamaḥ [Bg. 7.15] those who are engrossed in sinful activities continuously they are known as duskrtinah. Krti means those who have a good brain. Those people who have good brain substance. But is not enough just to have a fertile brain. One has to engage his brain in good deeds. We may see very big, big thieves and smugglers who are agreeably ingenious but they need to engage their brains in good deed. Brain can be used in whichever activity we wish to engage The material nature has provided us with all the facilities. If one wishes to become a thief then he will become the greatest of all thieves and if you wish to become a devotee then the nature will provide you a brain with which you can become greater than the creates devotees. This is all up to you.

So, as soon as we decide to not engage our intelligence in the service of God and wish to employ it for our own enjoyment then we are forced to come down to this material world. This we should understand. If anyone asks why we are thrown in his world? This material world is the world of miseries and the miseries are like this-we are forced to constantly work hard. For this reason the Supreme Lord named it duḥkhalayam: the house of all miseries [Bg. 8.15]. For enjoying whatever little happiness we do, we have to suffer to achieve it. To earn money, even if we do earn a lot of money then also, after enjoying it for ten, twenty, fifty years, somehow we may enjoy… now we can lose all that wealth while trying to enjoy. Or else, we have to give up this body anyway. The money will be left just where is was. Then you will have to take up another body according to your past activities, karma. That body can be of a man or even of a dog. This depends on one's own karma.

That is why the desire to enjoy in this material world is maya for there is no happiness here. Krsna says, duḥkhalayam asasvatam that this is a place for miseries. One may think that never mind I may enjoy or suffer, I have earned so much money and made this big house, let me enjoy here. But that will also not be allowed by material nature. Not more than ten, twenty or fifty years. Therefore, it is called asasvatam, not eternal. This is a place for those who wish to enjoy by imitating the Supreme Lord for a few days. But the real bhokta, enjoyer is the Supreme Lord. Just like there is rasa lila within the pastimes of Krsna and the greatest fools are those who try to imitate this rasa lila.

So, the desire to imitate God and try to become God brings us to this material world. And according to one's ability, known as karma in this case, people are able to achieve different abilities to enjoy. Just like this city of Bombay, the soil of this city Bombay and the air of this city of Bombay are the same for everyone but someone becomes a millionaire whereas others don't even have a place to stay. They go to the seashore, bathe in a little water and wash their clothes in it. They have no fixed residence. The place is the same, Mumbai but everyone is enjoying according to their own karma, some people are enjoying more and others less.

This is how this world is, we have come to this material nature. And beginning from Brahma down to the worm in the stool everyone is trying to enjoy according to his past activities. And what are they trying to enjoy? They are trying to enjoy these material things such as earth, water, air, mind, intelligence, ego-these are the eight things both subtle and gross gorss. The subtle material elements are mind, intelligence and false ego whereas, earth, water, fire and air all of these are gross elements. So, there are five types of gross material object and three types of subtle material object and this is what constitutes our objects of enjoyment?

Bhūmir apo 'nalo vayuḥ kham mano buddhir eva ca ahahkara itiyam me bhinna prakrtir [Bg. 7.4] but all of these elements are God's property. The water belongs to God; fire belongs to God and God, Krsna is saying bhinna prakrtir astadha [Bg. 7.4] And mind, the mind also belongs to God. So, if one ponders on it that their body, the body is made of five types of gross elements fir gross and other subtle elements such as the mind, intelligence and false ego and all of this belongs to the Supreme Lord. So, what do you won? Therefore, those who are thoughtful they surrender unto the feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna thinking that whatever I wish to enjoy all of that is the property of the Supreme Lord.

That is why in the scripture yajna, sacrifice is recommended. To engage is yajna means to recognize what God has given you. "My dear Lord this is your property that you have so kindly given to us to use, therefore we thank you." This is called yajna and in the scriptures this process of sacrifice, yajna is recommended. Yajna means, Visnu, Lord Visnu another meaning is yajnapati, that which we sacrifice in yajna then the Supreme Enjoyer, God, described as: bhoktaram yajna-tapasam [Bg. 5.29] whatever austerities we perform the enjoyer of that is the Supreme Lord. Whatever we earn by performing hard labor, yes, the enjoyer of all of that is God. All of those who are thoughtful they can understand and this is called Krsna consciousness.

So, work karmany evadhikaras te ma phalesu kadacana [Bg. 2.47], we should work and give the result to Krsna. Just like Arjuna, he knew how to fight but he gave the result of that fighting to Krsna. He did not wish to fight for himself. Therefore, it has been said anasritaḥ karma-phalam karyam karma karoti yaḥ sa sannyasi [Bg. 6.1], now who is a sannyasi? Those who engage in work but don't take shelter of the fruits of the work performed. One should endeavor one may be a businessman and has made millions of rupees but the resulting profits should be given to God. Anasritaḥ karma-phalam, we should not take shelter of the result of the work performed, sa sannyasi such a person is known as a sannyasi.

Just a dress doesn't make anyone a sannyasi those who give the results of their work to Krsna, he is a renouncer, a sannyasi and a yogi. Such a person may be a big businessman, a factory owner but if he gives the result of his business to God then the is the greatest greatest yogi, greatest jnani and the greatest karmi. And why do we say that? It is because the original owner is God. Just like when we employ a mason to construct his house and we give him money and including that we give him material for construction such as bricks and lime. So, when the mason builds a very nice house and then says that the house belong to him for he has constructed it, then? This is not desirable. Why? The property belongs to his employer and supplier.

So, if Krsna says that these gross elements such as bhūmir apo analo vayuḥ [Bg. 7.4]. All that we make is just a combination of earth, water, fire, air and ether. And we transform them is different ways for our enjoyment. But in the end everything belongs to God. Regardless, of which way and how many times you modify that, who we remain the proprietor? If everything belongs to God? It will be God, obviously. So, this is the concept. And those htose who don't understand this he claims himself to be the owner is actually a thief. stena eva sa ucyate bhunjate te tv agham papa ye pacanty atma-karanat ye pacanty atma-karanat [Bg. 3.13]. Yajna-sistasinaḥ santo mucyante sarva-kilbisaiḥ [Bg. 3.12]: see, anything we do in this practical world, there is some sin we commit with it. Even though we may not wish to.

Say, when we walk on the street then without our knowing or wanting we kill thousands of ants under our feet. When we drink water from the pot then we kill various insects upon putting it down. Many Jain brothers of ours keep their mouths covered so that no living being may enter their mouth and die. But killing goes on. One may do it willingly or not, while eating, sleeping or walking it keeps on happening. Regardless of our wishes some insects die.

Therefore, because sin is committed by such five kinds of activities, the householders are recommended to perform five kinds of sacrifices panca suna yajn. So, and not only the panca suna yajnas but there are many such sacrifices mentioned in the scriptures yajnarthat karmano' nyatra lokoyam karma bandhanah [Bg. 3.9] whoever doesn't work for yajna will become bound to this material world.

So, one should try to get free from this bondage. And what is this bondage? This body is the bondage, now we have this human form of life and if we don't utilize this properly and we get the next body of a dog or some other such.. one gets the body out of the 8,400,000 different species depending upon his or her actions in the human form of life. Sometimes, we get the body of Lord Brahma or sometimes just some dog. Sometimes we become a brahmana and sometimes just a sudra and this keeps going on. All the living beings wandering throughout the universe go through this.

Therefore, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, brahmanḍa bhramite kona bhagyavan jiva [Cc. Madhya 19.151], this universe within which we are wandering in different species, sometimes we go up the heavenly planets, sometimes down even to the hellish planets and subterranean planets. Sometimes we get a human form of life, sometimes that of a demigod or sometimes that of an ant, this is going on.

Therefore, to save oneself from this situation one should use his human form of life. There are scriptures such as the this Bhagavad gita that Krsna has left behind, this is for us to understand. But we think we don't have time. We may have time to engage in the works of dogs and hogs just by working hard all day long and after eating a couple chapatis go to sleep and then give birth to a couple of kinds and die. This is going. Ahara-nidra-bhaya-maithunam samanyam etad pasubhiḥ naranam. Therefore, all these scriptures such as the vedas are to wake us human beings, that now that you have a human form of life use it to avoid the ongoing cycle of birth, death, old age and disease.

this is the real duty of the human form of life. In the scriptures it has been said nayam deho deha-bhajam nr-loke kastan kaman arhate viḍ-bhujam [SB 5.5.1]: this human form of life that you have attained is not meant for working hard to arrange for sense gratification same as a hog. Here the word, 'hog' is used. Yes, you all of have seen, that hogs work all day long, just to find our where stool this is what they do. And as soon as they get some bodily strength, they start to gratify their senses. And the cubs of the hogs they don't even discriminate between their mothers others when it comes to sense gratification. They don't have any knowledge, that is why the word hog is used which is an abusive word meant for those humans who are bereft of all knowledge and are just interested in working hard to achieve sense gratification. And if the human beings are interested in only working hard and enjoying their senses then what will be the benefit of having the human for of life?

That is why the scriptures say, ayam deha this body in the human society, nr-loke, kastan kaman arhate, taking extreme troubles just for kaman. Kaman means eating, sleeping, mating and defending. These are the needs of the body. The body needs to eat without eating we cannot survive and after eating we need some rest. Yes, so there is eating and sleeping then we also have things we fear, for that we need to have some bank balance, either we should have some money or some other arrangement. Especially, the householders need such arrangement, not sannyasis such as ourselves. We may go anywhere, stay if we find a place to eat if somebody gives to. Ultimately, God is the ultimate giver and those who work for God they don't have any scarcity.

Now, when I went to America I had only forty rupees. Yes, and this Sumati Morarji here gave me the ticket to go there. In such a condition I went to America and now we have about ninety branches all over the world and our total expenditure is seven to eight hundred thousand rupees per month. And God provides for it, there is no problem. If someone serves God then God arranges for everything, now you see, we have made this pandal, a lot of money will be needed but it is managed nicely. So, to put our trust in God keeps all problems at bay. Yoga-ksemam vahamy aham [9.22], the Lord says it is not like I send someone to care for my devotees, I personally go and provide them what they need.

So, if we go to an ordinary person and work for him then even he will give us some money for our maintenance and if we take up job for the Supreme Lord then is He a fool to make us starve? He will give for sure, one should be ready to tolerate and He actually provides will all that we need. The Supreme Lord feeds everyone, eko bahūnam yo vidadhati kaman, even though he has many mouths to feed. There are innumerable living entities and God feeds each and everyone. So, those who are personal servants of the Supreme Lord, His devotee he will not have any scarcity, he will be surely provided for.

This we should try to understand that everything belongs to the Supreme Lord. This has been confirmed in the Vedas and Upanishads; isavasyam idam sarvam yat kinca jagatyam jagat , whatever is there is thing world not just this planet all the planets of the entire universe all of them are the property of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And whatever is produced from that property is for our gratification. God has created this ocean, the sand, trees and the Lord doesn't come here from Vaikuntha to eat. Everything here is meant for our enjoyment but one should always remember how merciful the Supreme Lord is. We have forgotten Him and gathered here to enjoy, we are committing offense still the Lord is providing for us.

Yes, and is it too hard to think this way? This is called Krsna Consciosuness, that's it. We should try to understand when the Lord says bhūmir apo 'nalo vayuḥ kham mano buddhir eva ca [Bg. 7.4]. Whatever there is, present within the nature is His property. We are taking and using it. We should think that we are enjoying the property of the Lord and using it, let's offer some of it back to Him. What is the difficulty? This is called sacrifice.

Property is of the Supreme Lord, you take a coconut, cut it up and after cleaning it thoroughly place it in front of the Lord and say "My Lord this is a little coconut water, please relish it." And yes, the Lord drinks it, and there is no doubt about it but because He is perfect then even after His drinking the coconut remains as it was. Pūrnasya pūrnam adaya pūrnam evavasisyate , so what is your loss in that? The thing is created by the Lord for you to eat what is the loss in keeping it in front of God? But they still don't do it. This is called Krsna Consciousness. How fools they have become. They are such sinful people that they cannot do even that.

That is why Krsna says na mam duskrtino mūḍhaḥ prapadyante naradhamaḥ, those who are great sinners duskrtina and mūḍhas who are simply the greatest rascals and naradhamas those who are lowest of mankind na mam prapadyante mayaya apahrt jnana. They are big big scientists and if we ask them "how is the coconut made?" just explain expalin with your science from where the water is supplied within it? If you wish to raise a little water then you have to get a pipe and a motor now you tell where is the pipe in this coconut tree arrangement and where the pump is? This should be understood

Therefore, those who are duskrtinah and great sinners they will not be able to understand. It will be understood only by the devotee of Lord. He will see the artistry which he continuously witnesses that it is all designed by the Supreme Lord. If he sees a flower he sees the expertise of God in it and even in a fruit he sees the same artistry. That is why even he cannot find anything he still honors a fruit or flower after offering it first to the Supreme Lord

Everything belongs to the Supreme Lord but if one offers him with devotion... One can say the Lord, O my dear Lord you have created this and given for us to eat. So, please taste a little yourself, you yourself first tate it then we will honor it, what is the difficulty in doing this way? This is called bhakti, this is called Krsna consciousness, that's all. Even someone is poorer than the poorest wherever he may be still he can give to the Supreme Lord a little patram puspam phalam toyam, the Lord here doesn't ask for luchi, puri, kacori, whatever one has he should give. Can you not arrange for a little leaf or a flower from somewhere? You surely can.

Still, it comes back to those who are duskrtinah those who are continuously engaged in sinful activities and mūḍhas those who are rascals, those who are naradhamas the lowest of the human society and mayaya apahrt jnana those whose knowledge has been stolen by illusion. These people cannot surrender unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is the verdict of the scriptures. Therefore, it is nothing ordinary when the Supreme Lord Himself explains. But this also is neglected by us. And if it is spoken on then there will be so many nonsensical arguments which means that these speakers are demons for they wish to remove God from His word.

That's all. They wish to kick out God and become God themselves. They are all big-big readers of Gita and they all have the common goal to kill God, kill Krsna, and this is going on. So, what is the use of reading the Bhagavad gita in such a way? Krsna said it clearly: Bhūmir apo 'nalo vayuḥ kham mano buddhir eva ca, all these things that we are trying to enjoy all of this belongs to the Lord, then why don't you accept Him? Such people are called duskrtinah, mūḍhaḥ, rascals. Everything belongs to the Supreme Lord, janasya moho 'yam aham mameti [SB 5.5.8] of me an mine.

So, we are the living entities and we are parts and parcels of the Supreme Lord mamaivamso jiva-loke, we belong to the Supreme Lord. And things that we have received it also belongs to the Supreme Lord. Therefore, everything present in this world belongs to God and including ourselves Īsavasyam idam sarvam Whoever recognizes that he belongs to the Supreme Lord he is liberated because he has understood his real nature svarūpa and in one's real constitutional position svarūpena vyavasthitiḥ: [SB 2.10.6], liberated state means when one is situated in their eternal constitutional position muktir hitvanyatha-rūpam. Now, that we are acting one this material platform we may think that we are Indians, we are American or we belong to some other country. All such people are stuck in anyatha-rūpam anyatha-rūpam means that they have forgotten the real thing and has misunderstood oneself as something else.

Therefore, sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam as soon as we become free from all designations, sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam tat-paratvena nirmalam hrsikena hrsikesa-sevanam bhaktir ucyate [Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 1.1.12], real bhakti or pure devotional service means that which is free from all such designations that we are America, we are Chinese, we are Japanese, we are Africans but we needs to understand that what is our original position. Those who have given up such designations they don't consider if they are Americans, Englishmen, African or Chinese. All such positions are impossible for him. And why they are sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam? Tat-paratvena nirmalam because they are engaged in service of the Supreme Lord. They are engaged in chanting His holy names, this is why they have become purified sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam tat-paratvena nirmalam hrsikena hrsikesa-sevanam hrsika means the senses, when one gives up all designations then the service of the Lord by such purified senses is called bhakti devotional service, this is the meaning of the word bhakti, bhakti doesn't mean just closing one's eyes and producing some tears out of some sentiment. No, after giving up materialistic designations when has properly understood the Supreme Personalty of Godhead and oneself as His eternal servant and his duty to serve Him that is called bhakti.

Thank you very much. Hare Krsna.