Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.8.48
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Los Angeles, May 10, 1973
So for a devotee there is no such distinction: "Here is hell" or "Here is heaven," "Here is Vṛndāvana" or "Here is Los Angeles," "Here is..." No. Because Kṛṣṇa is everywhere. Wherever He gets the opportunity of serving Kṛṣṇa, that he wants. That's all. Nothing more. Mama janmani janmanīśvare [Cc. Antya 20.29, Śikṣāṣṭaka 4]. Janmani janmani, it doesn't matter. What kind of janma will be... Of course, from the śāstras we can understand that śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe yoga-bhraṣṭo 'bhijāyate [Bg. 6.41]. To take birth by a devotee is different little than another's. Because one who has dedicated to Kṛṣṇa, He is under Kṛṣṇa's control, direct. Ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi [Bg. 18.66]. So that bhakti means he is sinless, spotless. So therefore there is no possibility of his taking birth in lower animal group. That is not. He will get birth; that is assured—śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe—either in a very rich family or in a pure brāhmaṇa's family. Because he will get another chance of developing his devotional service in a pure brāhmaṇa family or pure Vaiṣṇava family. Vaiṣṇava is greater than a brāhmaṇa. That is a great opportunity. Because the father, mother, they are engaged in devotional service. Just like these children who were born amongst our devotees, they are not ordinary children.
Because from the very beginning they are getting chance of devotional service: dancing, chanting, seeing the Deity, offering a flower, offering obeisances to the spiritual master. These things will not go in vain. Don't think. Every account is kept. Every account. Therefore the Deity worship is recommended—why? If somebody comes, consciously or unconsciously, and offers obeisances, he gets immediately credit certi..., credit note, yes. Immediately. In this way, when the credit notes are so much, oh, it is a big amount. It is a big amount. Then he can purchase Kṛṣṇa. This is bhakti. Even... Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt. Even little of it can save you from the greatest danger. Bhakti is so nice. Svalpam api. Just like Ajāmila. Ajāmila, he was the greatest sinful person. But at the time of death, he uttered "Nārāyaṇa," and he was protected by Kṛṣṇa. Immediately Nārāyaṇa's soldiers came and protected him from the Yamarāja's soldiers. Ajāmila uddhāra.
So Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja is very advanced devotee. He says that paśyata ajñānam: "Just see my ignorance. I have killed so many soldiers simply for this body." Paśyata ajñānaṁ me hṛdi rūḍhaṁ durātmanaḥ: "And this ignorance is deeply rooted in my heart." People are... Every step, they are being baffled; still, they will do the same thing. Punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām [SB 7.5.30]. No sense is coming. No sense is coming. Durātmanaḥ. Not mahātmanaḥ. Mahātmanaḥ means he is no more interested in this kind of business. That is called mahātmanaḥ. Those who are repeatedly engaged in this kind of business, they are called durātmanaḥ. Only for the body's sake working very hard. So if you analyze, the whole world is doing that. Durātmanaḥ.