Verse 2.23.516

Bengali text, Devanagari and Unicode transliteration of verse 2.23.516:

হেন `ভক্তি’ বিনে ভক্ত সেবিলে না হয অতএব ভক্ত-সেবা সর্ব-শাস্ত্রে কয ॥ ৫১৬ ॥

हेन `भक्ति’ विने भक्त सेविले ना हय अतएव भक्त-सेवा सर्व-शास्त्रे कय ॥ ५१६ ॥

hena `bhakti’ vine bhakta sevile nā haya ataeva bhakta-sevā sarva-śāstre kaya || 516 ||

hena `bhakti’ vine bhakta sevile na haya ataeva bhakta-seva sarva-sastre kaya (516)

English translation:

(516) Such devotional service cannot be attained without serving the devotees. Therefore all the scriptures glorify the service of the devotees.

Commentary: Gauḍīya-bhāṣya by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura:

There is no alternative for a living entity to become liberated from the conditioned state other than exclusively following and serving the devotees. This is the ultimate word in all education.

One should discuss the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam verses beginning rahūgaṇaitat tapasā na yāti and naiṣāṃ matis tāvad [rahūgaṇaitat tapasā na yāti, ne cejyayā nirvapanād gṛhād vāna cchandasā naiva jalāgni- sūryair, vinā mahat-pāda-rajo-’bhiṣekam, “My dear King Rahūgaṇa,

unless one has the opportunity to smear his entire body with the dust of the lotus feet of great devotees, one cannot realize the Absolute Truth simply by observing celibacy (brahmacarya), strictly following the rules and regulations of householder life, leaving home as a vānaprastha, accepting sannyāsa, or undergoing severe penances in winter by keeping oneself submerged in water or surrounding oneself in summer by fire and the scorching heat of the sun. There are many other proccesses to understand the Absolute Truth, but the Absolute Truth is only revealed to one who has attained the mercy of a great devotee.” (Bhāg. 5.12.12), naiṣāṃ matis tāvad urukramāṅghriṃspṛśaty anarthāpagamo yad- arthaḥmahīyasāṃ pāda-rajo-’bhiṣekaṃniṣkiñcanānāṃ na vṛṇīta yāvat, “Unless they smear upon their bodies the dust of the lotus feet of a Vaiṣṇava completely freed from material contamination, persons very much inclined toward materialistic life cannot be attached to the lotus feet of the Lord, who is glorified for His uncommon activities. Only by becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious and taking shelter at the lotus feet of the Lord in this way can one be freed from material contamination.” (Bhāg.

7.5.32)].