Copyright © r The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, Inc.His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Founder Ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness
| Madhya-līlā | Chapter 9: Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's Travels to the Holy Places |
Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrī Caitanya Caritāmrita Madhya 9.362
ei kali-kāle āra nāhi kona dharma
vaishnava, vaishnava-śāstra, ei kahe marma
SYNONYMS
ei kali-kāle — in this Age of Kali; āra — other; nāhi kona — there is not any; dharma — religious principle; vaishnava — devotee; vaishnava-śāstra — devotional literature; ei kahe marma — this is the purport.
TRANSLATION
In this Age of Kali there are no genuine religious principles other than those established by Vaishnava devotees and the Vaishnava scriptures. This is the sum and substance of everything.
PURPORT
One must have firm faith in the process of devotional service and the scriptures that support it. If one hears the activities of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu with this faith, he can be freed from his envious position. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is meant for such nonenvious persons (nirmatsarānām satām). In this age a person should not envy Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's movement but should chant the holy names of Hari and Krishna, the mahā-mantra. That is the sum and substance of the eternal religion, known as sanātana-dharma. In this verse the word vaishnava refers to a pure devotee and fully realized soul, and the word vaishnava-śāstra refers to śruti, or the Vedas, which are called śabda-pramāna, the evidence of transcendental sound. One who strictly follows the Vedic literature and chants the holy name of the Supreme Personality of Godhead will actually be situated in the transcendental disciplic succession. Those who want to attain life's ultimate goal must follow this principle. In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.19.17), it is said:
śrutih pratyaksham aitihyam anumānam catushtayam
pramāneshv anavasthānād vikalpāt sa virajyate
"Vedic literature, direct perception, history and hypothesis are the four kinds of evidential proofs. Everyone should stick to these principles for the realization of the Absolute Truth."
Copyright © r The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, Inc.
His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Founder Ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness