20.119
bhayam dvitiyabhinivesatah syad
isad apetasya viparyayo ’smrtih
tan-mayayato budha abhajet tam
bhaktyaikayesam guru-devatatma
SYNONYMS
bhayam—fear; dvitiya-abhinivesatah—from the misconception of being a product of material energy; syat—arises; isat—from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna; apetasya—of one who has withdrawn (the conditioned soul); viparyayah—reversal of the position; asmrtih—no conception of his relationship with the Supreme Lord; tat-mayaya—because of the illusory energy of the Supreme Lord; atah—therefore; budhah—one who is wise; abhajet—must worship; tam—Him; bhaktya—by devotional service; ekaya—undiverted to karma and jnana; isam—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; guru—as the spiritual master; devata—the worshipable Lord; atma—the Supersoul " ’When the living entity is attracted by the material energy, which is separate from Krsna, he is overpowered by fear.
Because he is separated from the Supreme Personality of Godhead by the material energy, his conception of life is reversed.
In other words, instead of being the eternal servant of Krsna, he becomes Krsna’s competitor.
This is called viparyayo ’smrtih.
To nullify this mistake, one who is actually learned and advanced worships the Supreme Personality of Godhead as his spiritual master, worshipful Deity and source of life.
He thus worships the Lord by the process of unalloyed devotional service.’
PURPORT
This is a quotation from Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.2.37).
It is an instruction given by Kavi Rsi, one of the nine saintly personalities called the nine Yogendras.
When Vasudeva, Krsna’s father, asked Devarsi Narada in Dvaraka about devotional service, it was mentioned that previously King Nimi, who was the King of Videha, was instructed by the nine Yogendras.
When Sri Narada Muni discoursed on bhagavata-dharma, devotional service, he indicated how a conditioned soul can be liberated by engaging in the loving transcendental service of the Lord.
The Lord is the Supersoul, spiritual master and worshipable Deity of all conditioned souls.
Not only is Krsna the supreme worshipful Deity for all living entities, but He is also the guru, or caitya-guru, the Supersoul who always gives the living entity good counsel.
Unfortunately the living entity neglects the Supreme Person’s instructions.
He thus identifies with material energy and is consequently overpowered by a kind of fear resulting from accepting himself as the material body and considering paraphernalia related to the material body to be his property.
All types of fruitive results actually come from the spirit soul, but because he has forgotten his real duty, he is embarrassed by many material consequences such as fear and attachment.
The only remedy is to revert to the service of the Lord and thus be saved from material nature’s unwanted harassment.