Nowadays the haṭha-yoga is very popular. Sometimes the fat ladies go there to reduce their fat, and . . . (laughter) Some bodily . . . here also they practice yoga to keep the digestive system regular. So people like this kind of yoga, gymnastics. But real yoga is ādhyātmika. Ādhyātmika means to awaken the soul to his proper position. That is real yoga. So that is not a manufactured, novel concoction. That is purāṇa. As the soul is purāṇa, śāśvataḥ purāṇaḥ, similarly his business is also śāśvataḥ purāṇaḥ. That business is to reconnect his lost relationship with Kṛṣṇa.
So Kapiladeva says that, "The same yoga system which I previously spoke to the great ṛṣis, who were very eager to hear . . ." Ṛṣīṇāṁ śrotu-kāmānām. This is one of the qualification for spiritual advancement: one must be eager to hear. Because the spiritual life begins by hearing.
- ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi
- na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ
- sevonmukhe hi jihvādau
- svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ
- (CC Madhya 17.136)
This is the statement of śāstra, that with our these blunt material senses it is not possible to appreciate or to understand śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi—Kṛṣṇa, His name, His form, His quality, His pastimes, His paraphernalia, His abode, so many things. Kṛṣṇa is not alone, but Kṛṣṇa begins from the name. Then there is form. Generally, for the beginners, neophytes, these two things are essential—to hear the name, to hear the qualities, and see the form of the Lord, to offer worship. That is the instruction of Kṛṣṇa personally. Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65).
So here Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa is present. Even a child comes and offers his respect, it is taken into account that, "Here is a devotee." He does not know anything. Simply by seeing the chanting and dancing—you'll see practically—even a small child, he dances, he claps, he enjoys. He takes part. So the temple means to give chance to everyone, even to the child, to advance one step to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. One step. Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt (BG 2.40). Even little is accepted and is done, it becomes into account. Just like if you deposit even two annas in the bank, it is kept on your account. It will increase with interest. Similarly, devotional service even done very little, it is not lost. It is not lost. In the śāstra it is said that even it is lost . . . not lost. Suppose some reason a man comes and joins this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, and in the middle he falls down, he does not make further progress because he falls down. But whatever he has done, that is permanent credit. That will never be lost. Even he stops, then from that point, again he will begin as soon as there will be chance. But whatever he has done, that is a permanent credit. That is the instruction of śāstra.
Therefore it is said in the Bhagavad-gītā, śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe yoga-bhraṣṭo sañjayate (BG 6.41). Yoga-bhraṣṭaḥ. Bhraṣṭa means he was executing devotional service, but some way or other, being allured by māyā or some . . . some other causes, even if he falls down, so that credit is there. Therefore he has to begin next life . . . he is given chance next life. What is that? Śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe. He takes birth in two families. What is that? Śucīnām. Śucīnām means brāhmaṇa, śuci. Śuci means brāhmaṇa: always clean and pure. Therefore they are called śuci. And muci. Muci means cobbler, just the end. That is the lowest, and this is the highest, śuci and muci. There is a Bengali poetry: śuci haya muci haya yadi kṛṣṇa tyaje, muci haya śuci haya yadi kṛṣṇa bhaje. If somebody takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, even born in the family of cobbler, muci, he becomes śuci. He becomes more than a Brāhmiṇ. And muci haya śuci haya. If one is born in the family of a brāhmaṇa, but he . . . but if he gives up Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then he becomes a muci.
So a devotee, whoever he may be, everyone, for everyone, the path of devotion is open. Māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ (BG 9.32). Kṛṣṇa says personally. It doesn't matter, pāpa-yoni, low-grade family, pāpa-yonayaḥ, if he takes shelter of Kṛṣṇa . . . striyo vaiśyās tathā śūdrās te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim. And Śukadeva Gosvāmī says, kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ ye 'nye ca pāpā, ye anye ca pāpā yad-apāśrayāśrayāḥ śudhyanti (SB 2.4.18). Kṛṣṇa consciousness is so nice. It is all-embracing. There are many . . . tyaktvā sva-dharmaṁ caraṇāmbujaṁ hareḥ (SB 1.5.17), patet tato yadi, bhajann apakvo 'tha. Tyaktvā sva-dharmam. Sva-dharmam means everyone has got his occupational duty, sva-dharma. Generally, we consider brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. They have got their sva-dharma. Brāhmaṇa has got his duties, kṣatriya has got his duty. Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā-sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). So sva-dharma means . . . suppose one gives up his occupational duty and takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, tyaktvā sva-dharmaṁ caraṇāmbujaṁ hareḥ, and takes to the shelter of Kṛṣṇa, but bhajann apakvaḥ, could not mature his devotional service, bhajann apakvo 'tha patet tato yadi, and he falls down . . . this is Nārada's statement. So he says: "What is the loss even if he falls down? By sentiment he comes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and even if he falls down, still, where is the loss? And contrary to this, a man who is performing very perfectly his sva-dharma but has no Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then what is the gain?" There is no gain.