[Spoken by Srila Gurudeva on January 13th, 1998, Australia, published as part of the Bhakta Bandhav Anthology, Volume 23]
Srila Gurudeva: In other forms, as Krsna or Rama, He cut the heads of lakhs and lakhs people who were against Him. But in this lila, what did He do? He did a miracle. He never cut down any heads. He went in their heart and He changed and purified their heart. Those who were not qualified, He gave them qualification, and gave what? That vraja-prema. This is the speciality of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. That is why He came. In this connection, in Caitanya-caritamrta, I will explain some verses. Then I want to tell you about the sadhana. If our object is finalized, if we have a final destination or a goal of our life and bhajana, then what kind of sadhana-bhajana should we adopt for this? If I want water, I should not go towards fire. If you will go towards fire, you will never get water. In a desert, in barren lands, no water is there. You will not find water there. You will have to go to any river or any pond. If you are feeling so much cold, then you should try to go to fire or in the heat of the sun. Then you will be satisfied, otherwise not. So, in Caitanya-caritamrta, Srila Krsnadasa Gosvami has finalized the goal of life and the sadhana to attain it. So what kind of sadhana-bhajana we should adopt, it will be explained. He will explain all these things in Sanatana-siksa, Srila Rupa Gosvami siksa and in the dialect between Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Raya Ramananda. Then we can enter in sadhana-bhajana and then gradually, adau sraddha tatah sadhu-sango ’tha bhajana-kriya (Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 1.4.15-16).
This is the gradual development of bhakti. Then anyone can realize these things and they can have a real mood, that is rati, and after that they can have prema. Otherwise not. If a man is not adopting all these things and is only engaged in policy, duplicity, hypocrisy, and in the requirements of the world, that is the three M’s or W’s, wealth, women, and wine, then how can he realize all these things? We should try to give up all these things and try to realize all these things. Beginning from sadhu-sanga, then second class of sadhu-sanga, then hari-katha, then accepting Gurudeva, then visrambhena guror-seva, intimate service to Gurudeva like a bosom friend. But you should know that in arcana-marga, we should not do this. But we should know the inner motive of our Gurudeva and try to fulfill it. This is such a high class of service. Then, hearing and hearing, serving him, then all kinds of anarthas, aparadha, even nama-abhasa will go away. Then suddha-nama will come and it will dance on your tongue and it will make your heart dance. Krsna will dance there with all of His associates. So this is the progression of entering into the realm of bhakti.