The Mercy of The Vaishnavas and Lord Krishna
Our own endeavours can only take us to a certain level but ultimate goal will be attained only by the mercy of Vaishnavas and mercy of Krishna.
Grace of The Spiritual Master
By the grace of the spiritual master the cloud of the mercy of the Personality of Godhead is brought in, and then only, when the rains of Krishna consciousness fall, can the fire of material existence be extinguished.
Srimad Bhagavatam 3.21.17,
Srila Prabhupada.
Lord’s Mercy
A devotee is always begging the Lord for His mercy.
Causeless Mercy of Lord Visnu
The causeless mercy of Lord Vishnu is unparalleled, and such mercy is perceived by the devotees only by the grace of the Lord.
Srimad Bagavatam 1.6.31,
Srila Prabhupada.
Significance of The Mercy of A Pure Devotee
Krishna does not agree to award devotional service to merely anyone. Krishna can easily offer a person material happiness or even liberation, but He does not agree very easily to award a person engagement in his devotional service. Devotional service can in fact be attained only through the mercy of a pure devotee. — The Nectar of Devotion, Page 14.
A Fortunate Living Entity
Out of many millions of wandering living entities, one who is very fortunate gets an opportunity to associate with a bonafide spiritual master by the grace of Krishna. By the mercy of both Krishna and the spiritual masters, such a person receives the seed of the creeper of devotional service.