CC Madhya 1.33 (1975)
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
TEXT 33
- nānā śāstra āni' kailā bhakti-grantha sāra
- mūḍha adhama-janere teṅho karilā nistāra
SYNONYMS
nānā śāstra—different types of scriptures; āni'-collecting; kailā—compiled; bhakti-grantha—of books on devotional service; sāra—the essence; mūḍha—rascals; adhama-janere—and fallen souls; teṅho—they; karilā nistāra—delivered.
TRANSLATION
Both Rūpa Gosvāmī and Sanātana Gosvāmī brought various scriptures to Vṛndāvana and collected the essence of these by compiling many scriptures on devotional service. In this way they delivered all rascals and fallen souls.
PURPORT
Śrīla Śrīnivāsa Ācārya has sung:
- nānā-śāstra-vicāraṇaika-nipuṇau sad-dharma-saṁsthāpakau
- lokānāṁ hita-kāriṇau tri-bhuvane mānyau śaraṇyākarau
- rādhā-kṛṣṇa-padāravinda-bhajanānandena mattālikau
- vande rūpa-sanātanau raghu-yugau śrī-jīva-gopālakau
The six Gosvāmīs, under the direction of Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī and Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī, studied various Vedic scriptures and picked up the essence of them, the devotional service of the Lord. This means that all the Gosvāmīs wrote many scriptures on devotional service with the support of the Vedic literature. Devotional service is not a sentimental activity. The essence of Vedic knowledge is devotional service, as confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā (15.15): vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ. All the Vedic literature aims at understanding Kṛṣṇa, and how to understand Kṛṣṇa through devotional service has been explained by Śrīla Rūpa and Sanātana Gosvāmīs, with evidence from all the Vedic scriptures. They have put it so nicely that even a rascal or first-class fool can be delivered by devotional service under the guidance of the Gosvāmīs.