Neither karma or expert performance of it , as in perfect Varna Ashram activities, or developments of strong accademic jnana are the essential ingredients for Bhakti Bliss and realised knowledge of Divinity , rather those qualities automatically accompany the Bhakti process and a heart if melted . Karma alone and its benefits without Bhakti brings great pride and a strong academic approach to Bhakti through the jnana process minus the bhakti makes one hard hearted .Bhakti is bliss and is independent and causeless , although it’s situated in the heart of the devotee .

The principle of Bhakti as given by Sri Caitanya Mahāprabhu is first Bhakti is installed in the heart by association by one who has it in his or her heart , then the tendency for Karma and jnana that would ordinarily delay the development of devotion are superceded by this Bhakti and gradually purified . Krishna being kind immediately accepts our Bhakti, even though initially full of faults, these superficial faults are overlooked as much as parents adore the broken and imperfect speech of a young child .
In this way also the principle of being forgiving of others as we are of forgiving ourselves can be incorporated .

The Krishna of Gaudia Vaisnavism who is situated in Vraja cannot be understood outside of Gaudia Vaisnavism, specifically Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu , and at the same time the Gaudia Vaisnava understands Krishna in Mathura, in Dwarka , in Vaikuntha and all the ” functional ” forms who facilitate the conditioned souls or those liberated in the spiritual light of Brahman.