Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 2.7.46
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
Sometimes there are inquiries as to how one can surrender unto the Supreme Lord. In the Bhagavad-gītā (18.66) the Lord asked Arjuna to surrender unto Him, and therefore persons unwilling to do so question where God is and to whom they should surrender. The answer to such questions or inquiries is given herein very properly. The Personality of Godhead may not be present before one’s eyes, but if one is sincere in wanting such guidance the Lord will send a bona fide person who can guide one properly back home, back to Godhead. There is no need of material qualifications for making progress on the path of spiritual realization. In the material world, when one accepts some particular type of service, he is required to possess some particular type of qualification also. Without this one is unfit for such service. But in the devotional service of the Lord the only qualification required is surrender. Surrendering oneself is in one’s own hand. If one likes, he can surrender immediately, without delay, and that begins his spiritual life. The bona fide representative of God is as good as God Himself. Or, in other words, the loving representative of the Lord is more kind and more easy to approach. A sinful soul cannot approach the Lord directly, but such a sinful man can very easily approach a pure devotee of the Lord. And if one agrees to put himself under the guidance of such a devotee of the Lord, he can also understand the science of God and can also become like the transcendental pure devotee of the Lord and thus get his liberation back to Godhead, back home for eternal happiness.
So realization of the science of Godhead and relief from the unnecessary, useless struggle for existence are not at all difficult for the willing candidate. But they are very difficult for persons who are not surrendered souls but only simple, profitless speculators.
Not only those great persons but even lower persons have realized his powers. If they learn about the qualities of those devotees who have surrendered to the Supreme Lord, who takes great steps; if they learn about devotees who do not discriminate between high and low, they also know the powers of the Lord, even if they are swans, elephants, parrots or cranes (tiryag-janā). What then to speak of how quickly humans, who hear the name and form of the Lord from the mouth of a guru, can know the Lord?
- Balaram Shakti Pr SB 02-07-46-53 - Dharwad
- Pariksit Pr SB 02-07-46 - Surrendering to Krishna ensures Liberation - 2025-07-04 Harrisburg
- Prashant Mukunda Pr SB 02-07-46 Hindi - 2018-05-13 ISCKON Dwarka
- SDAP SB 02-07-46 - 2014-08-20 Austin
- SDAP SB 02-07-46 - 2016-12-09 Phoenix
- BCS SB 02-07-46 - 2007-10-22
- BCS SB 02-07-46 - The Uniqueness of Vedic Wisdom
- JPS SB 02-07-46 - Only qualification for devotional service surrender - 2005 Srirangam
- KKS SB 02-07-46 - 2014-03-14 ISKCON Melbourne
- Where do I quietly hold that some people are too 'lowly' for this path?
- Whom could I help bring closer to a pure devotee this week?
My note
Source: vedabase.io