Here someone may ask: Is it not so that if a person falls down from this path of devotional service, then a horrible fate awaits him?
Fearing that someone would ask this question, the author speaks the following sutra.
Sutra 39
A devotee will not fall down, even if he has not attained perfection in renunciation and devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Commentary by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura
Even if he has not attained perfection in renunciation and devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, a devotee, unlike the materialists, will not fall down. Neither will a devotee take birth in a degraded situation. In Bhagavad-gita (6.40) the Supreme Personality of Godhead explains:
"O son of Prtha, a transcendentalist engaged in auspicious activities does not meet with destruction wither in this world or in the spiritual world. One who does good, My friend is never overcome by evil."
In Bhagavad-gita (6.25-26) the Supreme Personality of Godhead again explains:
"Gradually, step by step, with fill conviction, one should become situated in trance by means of intelligence, and thus the mind should be fixed on the Self alone, should think of nothing else."
"From whatever and wherever the mind wanders due to its flickering and unsteady nature, one must certainly withdraw it and bring it back under the control of the Self."
In Bhagavad-gita (6.44) the Supreme Personality of Godhead again explains:
"By virtue of the divine consciousness of his previous life, he automatically becomes attracted to the yogic principles, even without seeking them. Such an inquisitive transcendentalist , striving for yoga, stands always above the ritualistic principles of the scriptures."
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THREE SIMPLE QUESTIONS
Let me ask you a few simple questions: Do you exist at this moment? Did you exist five years ago? Are you your body? Most people would answer “yes” to all three questions. But if you identify your body as yourself, and simultaneously accept that you exist now and also existed five years ago, then you have a problem: The body you had five years ago does not exist today. There is a dynamic turnover of atoms and molecules which make up your body. There isn’t a single particle of matter—not one atom—present in your body today that was present five years ago. The body you have today is not the same body you had five years ago. It’s not that the body you had still exists but has now changed somewhat. No. The body you had is gone. That collection of atoms appearing as flesh, bone, blood, hair, and so on no longer exists. Yet you still exist.
Siddhaswarupananda - Jagad Guru Speaks
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In Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu (1.2.261), Srila Rupa Gosvami explains:
"A Krsna conscious person, being naturally purified, has no need of developing any other purificatory process of thought or action. On account of his being highly elevated in Krsna consciousness, he has already acquired all the good qualities and is following the rules and regulations prescribed for the mystic yoga process."
In Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu (1.3.43, 1.3.46 and 1.3.54), Srila Rupa Gosvami again explains:
"Even ordinary devotees cannot have such pure attachment for Krsna. Therefore, how is it possible for success to be achieved by persons whose hearts are contaminated by the actions and reactions of fruitive activities and who are entangled by various types of mental speculation?"
"Sometimes it is found that a person actually attached to material enjoyment or salvation has the good fortune to associate with pure devotees while they are engaged in chanting the holy name of the Lord. By the good grace of the Lord one may also co-operate and join in the chanting. At that time simply by the association of such pure devotees, the moonlike rays from their hearts reflect on him, and by the influence of the pure devotees, he may show some likeness of attachment caused by inquisitiveness."
