The Gosvāmīs, when they gave up their family life . . . it is described by Śrīnivāsa Ācārya, tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati-śreṇiṁ sadā tucchavat (Śrī Śrī Ṣaḍ-gosvāmy-aṣṭaka 4). Maṇḍala-pati, big, big leaders, maṇḍala-pati. Big, big leaders, zamindars, big, big, big men. He was minister. Who can become his friend unless he is also a very big man? So Rūpa Gosvāmī gave up their company. As soon as Rūpa Gosvāmī and Sanātana Gosvāmī became acquainted with Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, immediately they decided that, "We shall retire from this ministership and join Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu to help Him." To serve Him, not to help Him. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu doesn't require anyone's help. But if we try to associate and try to serve Him, then our life becomes successful.
Just like Kṛṣṇa says . . . Kṛṣṇa came to preach Bhagavad-gītā. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). That was His mission that, "These rascals have become servant of so many things: society, friendship, love, religion, this, that, so many things, nationality, community. So these rascals should stop all this nonsense business." Sarva-dharmān parityajya: "Give up all this nonsense. Simply just become surrendered unto Me." This is religion. Otherwise, how Kṛṣṇa is advising that sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66): "You give up all religious system"? He came—dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya (BG 4.8) — He came to reestablish the principles of religion. Now He says, sarva-dharmān parityajya: "Give up all." That means anything without Kṛṣṇa consciousness, without God consciousness, they are all cheating religion. They are not religion.
Religion means dharmāṁ tu sākṣat bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19), the order of the Supreme Lord. If we do not know who is the Supreme Lord, if we do not know what is the order of the Supreme Lord, then where is religion? That is not religion. That may go on in the name of religion, but that is cheating. So the Bhagavad-gītā ends: sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). And Bhāgavata begins from that point.
Therefore Bhagavad-gītā is the preliminary study of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Bhāgavata begins, dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavaḥ atra (SB 1.1.2): "Now, in this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, all cheating type of religions are rejected, projjhita." So there is link. Real religion means to love God. That is real religion. Therefore Bhāgavata says, sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje (SB 1.2.6): "That is first-class religion." It doesn't mean that you follow this religion or that religion. You may follow any religion, it doesn't matter, either Hindu religion or Christian religion or Muhammadan religion, anything you like.
But we have to test. Just like a student who has passed M.A. examination. Nobody inquires, "From which college you have passed your examination?" You have passed M.A. examination? That's all right. And we are concerned, whether you are graduate, postgraduate. That's all. Nobody inquires, "From which college, from which country, from which religion you have passed your M.A. examination?" No. Similarly, nobody should inquire, "To which religion you belong?" One must see whether he has learned this art, how to love God. That's all. That is religion.