Bhakti begins after liberation, not before—it is the supreme achievement requiring pure devotional service to Krishna.Listen — Srila Prabhupada Uvaca
ANaQaaeRPaXaMa& Saa+aaḤi¢-YaaeGaMaDaae+aJae ) l/aek-SYaaJaaNaTaae ivŪa&ê§e- SaaTvTaSa&ihTaaMa( )) 6 )) Prabhupāda: anarthopaśamaṁ sākṣād bhakti-yogam adhokṣaje lokasyājānato vidvāṁś cakre sātvata-saṁhitām [SB 1.7.6] This is a description of Vyāsadeva. Vidvān. Even from literary point of view, if you see the contribution of Vyāsadeva, it is not possible in any age. So many books.
Four Vedas, Vedānta-sūtra, Upaniṣads, Purāṇas, and the most important contribution is the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. That is his last contribution. Under the instruction of his spiritual master, Nārada Muni, he contributed Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, amalaṁ purāṇam. Amalaṁ purāṇam means there is no material contamination. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
Dharma-artha-kāma-mokṣa [SB 4.8.41, Cc. Ādi 1.90], there are material contaminations. But above this is the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Therefore in the beginning of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Vyāsadeva introduces dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo 'tra paramo nirmatsarāṇāṁ satāṁ vāstavaṁ vastu vedyam atra [SB 1.1.2]. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam... Dharma-artha-kāma-mokṣa.
There are some contamination, cheating. But all these things are thrown away, projjhita. Prakṛṣṭa-rūpena ujjhita. So Śrīdhara Svāmī has given his comment on this: atra mokṣa-vāñchā api nirastam.
Mokṣa-vāñchā, to become one with the Supreme, that is also another cheating. So Śrīdhara Svāmī has given his comment, very elaborate comment. So dharma-artha-kāma-mokṣa. People are busy, at least those who are human beings, dharmeṇa hīnāḥ paśubhiḥ samānāḥ, beginning with dharma.
Economic development, artha. Dharma-artha-kāma, sense gratification. And at the end, mokṣa. Above mokṣa is bhakti.
Mokṣa is described in the Bhagavad-gītā, brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām [Bg 18.54] Without being on the platform mokṣa, nobody can enter into the bhakti. It is a misconception that bhakti helps mokṣa. Somebody says; it is not the opinion of the śāstra. Bhakti begins when one is already liberated.