(Srila Prabhupada and disciples chanting and dancing, London 1969)
"So pure devotional service is rarely achieved. But by chance, guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpāya pāya bhakti-latā-bīja (CC Madhya 19.151), if we somehow or other come in contact with bona fide guru and Kṛṣṇa... Kṛṣṇa is already there. We are already in touch. And if we are serious, then by grace of Kṛṣṇa, we get niṣkiñcana, devotee, and by his grace we achieve to the platform of devotional service. Otherwise it is very difficult. Not by executing karma, jñāna, yoga. No. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). Simply you have to take pure devotional service.
Therefore it is very difficult. People do not wish to come to the pure devotional service. They want hodgepodge: something this, something that, something that. No. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam... (BG 18.66). That is the beginning of pure devotional service. No other engagement. Simply Kṛṣṇa. That is pure devotional service. But that is very difficult to achieve. People will not accept the simple thing. You give them big, big formulas, yoga system, aṣṭāṅga-yoga, they'll like it: 'It is something.' Just like in homeopathic medicine, because it has no taste, there is no trouble to drink, people do not believe in it. But if you give them some very bitter, pungent medicine, 'Oh, it is something.'
Similarly, if you give the simple process, as Caitanya Mahāprabhu has given us, harer nāma harer nāma harer nāma eva kevalam, kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā (CC Adi 17.21), they'll not take it very seriously. 'Oh, simply by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, one will be liberated, and he'll to go back...? Oh, this is exaggeration,' they will say. But if you give them some difficult job, that 'You press your nose in this way, you make your head downwards, and you exercise in this way, do...,' they'll think, 'Yes, it is something.'
So things are very easy, and one can achieve very easily, but they are reluctant to take the easiest process given by Kṛṣṇa, given by Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Kṛṣṇa is giving the easiest process, that 'You surrender unto Me. I give you all possible help.' We are not prepared to do that. Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that 'You simply chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. You'll achieve the highest perfection.' Not we are prepared. Therefore it is said, 'Pure devotional service is rarely achieved.' People will not accept the simple thing. They want to make something very difficult; then it is all right."
(Srila Prabhupada Lecture, Vrindavan, November 3, 1972)
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