Devotional service to Krishna instantly qualifies the sincere candidate, transcending all austerities and tests of material life.Listen — Srila Prabhupada Uvaca
Prabhupāda: ...I.A.S. civil service examination before one man is posted in some responsible office. Similarly, to be recognized by Kṛṣṇa, as He says, na ca tasmān manuṣyeṣu [Bg 18.69], one has to pass examination, severe test of examination. All the big, big devotees we see. Nārada Muni, before becoming Nārada Muni, he had to pass through severe examination, test.
So that chance is there in the human form of life, to pass the examination, test. But they are passing this human life with ordinary animal propensities. They are not trained up to pass the examination and be recognized by God. That civilization is lost, Vedic civilization, to prepare the human beings for passing the test, examination for being recognized by God. tapasā brahmacaryeṇa śamena ca damena vā tyāgena satya-śaucābhyāṁ yamena niyamena vā [SB 6.1.13] Where he has gone? Hari-śauri: He's at the top of the... Prabhupāda: These things are required, tapasā brahmacaryeṇa. Ātreya Ṛṣi: To pass the examination, one must follow a strict, austere life. Prabhupāda: Yes.
Tapasā brahmacaryeṇa, beginning tapasyā, austerity. Brahmacarya, celibacy. Tapasā brahmacaryeṇa śamena damena [SB 6.1.13], controlling the senses, controlling the mind. Tyāgena, by renunciation.
Satya-śaucābhyām, by following truthfulness and cleanliness. Yamena niyamena vā, by practicing yoga, yama, niyama. These are the different items of being qualified. But all these things can be done by one stroke, kevalayā bhaktyā, by engaging oneself in devotion, vāsudeva-parāyaṇāḥ. kecit kevalayā bhaktyā vāsudeva-parāyaṇāḥ aghaṁ dhunvanti kārtsnyena nīhāram iva bhāskaraḥ [SB 6.1.15] One becomes qualified by one stroke of bhakti to Vāsudeva.
Just like the sunrise immediately dissipates the fog. Aghaṁ dhunvanti kārtsnyena nīhāram iva bhāskaraḥ. In the Kali-yuga, this one item of bhakti can make one perfectly fit candidate to pass the examination. Aghaṁ dhunvanti kārtsnyena nīhāram iva bhāskaraḥ.
What is this nonsense life? There is no tapasyā, no spiritual culture; simply like cats and dogs. Last night I was reading, Vāmanadeva created a planet, Sutala, in which Viśvakarmā was ordered to construct big, big houses, palaces, better than in the heavenly planet. And these rascals are going and seeing simply rocks and sand.
And what about these palaces and...? Ātreya Ṛṣi: In Koran it is described that there is a very dangerous bridge that one has to pass. Prabhupāda: Which is described in the Vedas, Vaitaraṇī, cross from the material to the spiritual world. Ātreya Ṛṣi: Yes. And it is fire in both sides, and it is like a razor edge, it could be very thin. And the saintly persons close their eyes and pass it. Kṛṣṇa makes them pass. Prabhupāda: Similar description is there, bhavāmbudhir vatsa-padaṁ paraṁ padaṁ padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadāṁ na teṣām [SB 10.14.58].