Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī Prabhupāda therefore comments on the words sarvatra sarvadā in the sense that the principles of bhakti-yoga, or devotional service to the Lord, are apt in all circumstances; i.e., bhakti-yoga is recommended in all the revealed scriptures, it is performed by all authorities, it is important in all places, it is useful in all causes and effects, etc. As far as all the revealed scriptures are concerned, he quotes from the Skanda Purāṇa on the topics of Brahmā and Nārada as follows:
- saṁsāre 'smin mahā-ghore
- janma-mṛtyu-samākule
- pūjanaṁ vāsudevasya
- tārakaṁ vādibhiḥ smṛtam
In the material world, which is full of darkness and dangers, combined with birth and death and full of different anxieties, the only way to get out of the great entanglement is to accept loving transcendental devotional service to Lord Vāsudeva. This is accepted by all classes of philosophers.
Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī also quotes another common passage, which is found in three Purāṇas, namely the Padma Purāṇa, Skanda Purāṇa and Liṅga Purāṇa. It runs as follows:
- āloḍya sarva-śāstrāni
- vicārya ca punaḥ punaḥ
- idam ekaṁ suniṣpannaṁ
- dhyeyo nārāyaṇaḥ sadā
"By scrutinizingly reviewing all the revealed scriptures and judging them again and again, it is now concluded that Lord Nārāyaṇa is the Supreme Absolute Truth, and thus He alone should be worshiped."
The same truth is also indirectly described in the Garuḍa Purāṇa as follows:
- pāraṁ gato 'pi vedānāṁ
- sarva-śāstrārtha-vedy api
- yo na sarveśvare bhaktas
- taṁ vidyāt puruṣādhamam
"Even though one may have gone to the other side of all the Vedas, and even though one is well versed in all the revealed scriptures, if one is not a devotee of the Supreme Lord, he must be considered the lowest of mankind." Similarly, it is also stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (SB 5.18.12) indirectly as follows:
- yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā
- sarvair guṇais tatra samāsate surāḥ
- harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇā
- mano-rathenāsati dhāvato bahiḥ
One who has unflinching devotion unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead must have all the good qualities of the demigods, and contrarily one who is not a devotee of the Lord must be hovering in the darkness of mental speculation and thus must be engaged in material impermanence. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (SB 11.11.18) says:
- śabda-brahmaṇi niṣṇāto
- na niṣṇāyāt pare yadi
- śramas tasya śrama-phalo
- hy adhenum iva rakṣataḥ
"One may be well versed in all the transcendental literature of the Vedas, but if he fails to be acquainted with the Supreme, then it must be concluded that all of his education is like the burden of a beast or like one's keeping a cow without milking capacity."
Similarly, the liberty of discharging loving transcendental service to the Lord is invested in everyone, even the women, the śūdras, the forest tribes, or any other living beings born in sinful conditions.
- te vai vidanty atitaranti ca deva-māyāṁ
- strī-śūdra-hūṇa-śabarā api pāpa-jīvāḥ
- yady adbhuta-krama-parāyaṇa-śīlaśikṣās
- tiryag-janā api kimu śruta-dhāraṇā ye
- (SB 2.7.46)
The lowest of human beings can be elevated to the highest stage of devotional life if they are trained by the bona fide spiritual master well versed in the transcendental loving service of the Lord. If the lowest can be so elevated, then what to speak of the highest, who are well versed in the Vedic knowledge? The conclusion is that devotional service to the Lord is open for all, regardless of who they are. That is the confirmation of its application for all kinds of performers of the service.