गोविन्द भाष्य (श्रील बलदेव विद्याभूषण - अचिन्त्यभेदाभेद वेदान्त ब्रह्मसूत्र भाष्य सटीक)

Saṁśaya (doubt): Is the worship of saintly devotees a cause of liberation or is it
not?
Pūrvapakṣa (the opponent speaks): Liberation is already available by the mercy
of the spiritual master and the worship of the Supreme Lord. What need is there to
worship the saintly devotees?
Siddhānta (conclusion): In the following words the author of the sūtras gives
His conclusion.
Sūtra 51
anubandhādibhyaḥ
anubandha—repeated instructions; ādibhyaḥ—beginning with.
Because of many instructions.
Purport by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa
The word "anubandha" here means, "because of many instructions declaring
that one should worship the saintly devotees". The Taittirīya Upaniṣad's phrase,
"treat him as if he were a visiting demigod" means "worship him". This is so
because by the mercy of great devotees one attains liberation. If this were not so
then the Taittirīya Upaniṣad would not have spoken in this way. Many great sages
who know the truth have also taught this in the Smṛti-śāstra. In Śrīmad-
Bhāgavatam (5.12.12), Jaḍa Bharata explains:
rahūgaṇaitat tapasā na yāti
na cejyayā nirvapaṇād gṛhād vā
na cchandasā naiva jalāgni-sūryair
vinā mahat-pāda-rajo-'bhiṣekam
"My dear King Rahūgaṇa, unless one has the opportunity to smear his entire
body with the dust of the lotus feet of great devotees, one cannot realize the
Absolute Truth. One cannot realize the Absolute Truth simply by observing
celibacy (brahmacarya), strictly following the rules and regulations of householder
life, leaving home as vanaprastha, accepting sannyāsa, or undergoing severe
penances in winter by keeping oneself submerged in water or surrounding oneself
in summer by fire and the scorching heat of the sun. There are many other