The true nature of soul explained in gist.
Śrī Bhakti Siddhānta Vāṇī
Translated from a Bengali editorial
published in Śrī Gauḍīya Darśan,
Volume 11, Issue 2,
Monday, 13 September 1965.
1) Dharma is one; it is not two or various.
2) The soul has only one dharma, and that dharma’s name is Vaiṣṇava-dharma.
3) Vaiṣṇava-dharma alone is the eternal dharma of the soul.
4) Unconditional, eternal, unalloyed devotion to the Lord is known as pure Vaiṣṇava-dharma, the eternal dharma, the soul’s dharma, Bhāgavat dharma, spiritual dharma, and the supreme dharma.
5) In the world, two different dharmas pass in the name of Vaiṣṇava-dharma: pure Vaiṣṇava-dharma and vitiated Vaiṣṇava-dharma.
6) Pure Vaiṣṇava-dharma is one, non-dual, and eternal.
7) There are two types of vitiated Vaiṣṇava-dharma: that vitiated by exploitation (karma) and that vitiated by renunciation (jñān).
8) The artificial worship of Viṣṇu found in the conception of the materialistic followers of the smṛti scriptures (smārtas) and in the conception of the seekers of non-differentiated spirit who worship five deities [Viṣṇu, Śiva, Devī, Gaṇeś, and Sūrya] is not worthy of being called pure Vaiṣṇava dharma or eternal dharma.
9) All the forms of dharma that have developed from the pursuit of Brahma and Paramātma are incidental—they have arisen from the causes of either the desire for release from bondage or desire for the pleasure of meditation (samādhi).
10) Pure Vaiṣṇava-dharma is not something that has been created at random or contrived by man; it is the eternal propensity of the true nature of all pure souls.
11) Therefore, regardless of whether some accept it and some do not, in truth everyone is a Vaiṣṇava.
12) Through good fortune, souls awaken to their true self and immerse themselves in the eternal activities of their eternal, perfected nature—in the joy of eternal service.
13) Therefore, Vaiṣṇava-dharma alone is the one and only universal and all-inclusive eternal dharma.