much; teshaam for them; avyakta – that which is manifest; asaka – that which is keen; chetasaam – those who have the mind; avyakta – the unmanifest; piipuku – certainly; gatih – movement; duhkha – with difficulty; dehavadnih – inaccessible to the body – is achieved.
Progress is difficult for those whose minds are interested in the unmanifest, formless nature of the Supreme Lord. Progressing in that way is a blessing for those in the body.
Explanation: The formless attribute of God, which is inconceivable and unmanifest.
The group of spiritualists who follow this path are called Jnana Yogis. Those who are fully conscious of Krishna and engaged in devotional service to the Lord are called Bhakti Yogis. Now the difference between Jnana Yogi and Bhakti Yogis is being clearly explained here. The Jnana Yogi system can achieve the same goal, but it is difficult to achieve. On the other hand, the path of Bhakti Yogis is easy and natural for the body-dweller because it is the system of direct service to the Lord. The individual living entity has been a body-dweller since time immemorial. It is very difficult for him to understand that he is not the body. That is why the Bhakti Yogi accepts the form of Lord Krishna as something to be worshipped. Because the body-consciousness that is firmly rooted in the mind can be used in that way. However, worshipping the Lord in the form of a deity in a temple is not idol worship. There is evidence in the Vedic literature that worship can be either qualitative or non-qualitative, that is, worshipping God with or without qualities. Worship of the deity in a temple is considered qualitative worship. Because in it, God is represented with material qualities. But the form of God, whether represented in material qualities as a stone, stick, or oil-painted picture, is not actually material. That is the complete nature of God.
Here we can give a simple analogy. We see post boxes on the road. If we put our letters in those boxes, they naturally go to their destination without any fuss. But if we find any old or fake one that is not recognized by the post office, it will not work. Similarly, God has a common representation in the form of an idol called Archavigraha. This offering is the incarnation of God.
is powerful in power. That is why he accepts the services of a devotee through the incarnation of an Archavigraha to benefit a person in his mortal life.
There is no difficulty for a devotee in approaching God quickly and directly. But for those who adopt the formless method of spiritual realization, the path is difficult. They have to understand the unmanifest form of God through Vedic literature like the Upanishads, they have to learn the language. They have to understand the invisible feelings. They have to experience all these methods. It is not easy for an ordinary person. But a person who is established in Krishna consciousness, by the instructions of the authentic Guru, by regularly bowing down to the deity, by hearing the glories of the Lord, and by eating the food offered to the Lord, can experience that God very easily by engaging in devotional service. There is no doubt that the immaterialists unnecessarily take the arduous path with the danger of not being able to experience the ultimate reality, but the materialist approaches God directly without any danger, difficulty or effort. Such a verse is found in the Srimad Bhagavatam. When a person needs to take refuge in God in order to escape (if he does not take refuge in God, it is called devotion), if he takes up the difficulty of knowing what is Brahman and what is not Brahman, if he spends his whole life in that way, the result will be painful. Therefore, since the final result is uncertain, he is advised not to take up this painful path of self-realization.
The living entity is eternally an individual soul. If he wants to merge in the Absolute Principle, he can experience the aspects of his eternal nature, knowledge. But the aspect of bliss is not experienced. However, such a spiritualist who is very advanced in the process of knowledge-yoga can come to the stage of devotional service by the grace of a devotee. At that time, because he cannot give up his thoughts, his eternal practice of the formless also becomes a cause of suffering. Therefore, the embodied living entity is confused with the unmanifested principle both during practice and during experience. Every living entity has a conscious independence; he must know that this unmanifested experience is contrary to his spiritual blissful nature. He should not take up this process at all. The process of Krishna consciousness, which makes one
