The spiritual master creates austerities for us by giving us instructions which we must follow. If we strictly follow those instructions, then we become qualified for more instructions, but if we do not strictly follow, we will never be able to understand. Devotional service will simply continue to remain a mystery and even though one may be living in the society of devotees, Srila Prabhupada explains here that one will be a disciple in name only.
February 12, 1998, Almaty