The Process of Devotional Service

This quotation from the Vedic literature was spoken to the Lord by great sages.

The Lord has many potencies, and He is nondifferent from all these potencies. Because the potencies and the potent cannot be separated, they are identical. Kṛṣṇa is described as the source of all potencies, and He is also identified with the external potency, the material energy. Kṛṣṇa also has internal potencies, or spiritual potencies, which are always engaged in His personal service. His internal potency is different from His external potency. Kṛṣṇa’s internal potency and Kṛṣṇa Himself, who is the potent, are always identical.

The personal expansions are known as viṣṇu-tattva, and the separated expansions are known as jīva-tattva. Although the jīvas (living entities) are part and parcel of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, they are still counted among His multipotencies. This is fully described by Lord Kṛṣṇa in the Bhagavad-gītā (7.5):

“Besides this inferior nature, O mighty-armed Arjuna, there is another, superior energy of Mine, which comprises the living entities who are exploiting the resources of this material, inferior nature.”

Although the living entities are Kṛṣṇa’s parts and parcels, they are prakṛti, not puruṣa. Sometimes prakṛti (a living entity) attempts to imitate the activities of the puruṣa. Due to a poor fund of knowledge, living entities conditioned in this material world claim to be God. They are thus illusioned. A living entity cannot be on the level of a viṣṇu-tattva, or the Personality of Godhead, at any stage; therefore it is ludicrous for a living entity to claim to be God. Advanced spiritualists would never accept such a thing. Such claims are made to cheat ordinary, foolish people. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement declares war against such bogus incarnations. The bogus propaganda put out by people claiming to be God has killed God consciousness all over the world. Members of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement must be very alert to defy these rascals, who are presently misleading the whole world. One such rascal, known as Pauṇḍraka, appeared before Lord Kṛṣṇa, and the Lord immediately killed him. Of course, those who are Kṛṣṇa’s servants cannot kill such imitation gods, but they should try their best to defeat them through the evidence of śāstra, authentic knowledge received through the disciplic succession.

An explanation of verses 8 through 15 is given by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura in his Amṛta-pravāha-bhāṣya. The Lord is spread throughout the creation in His quadruple expansions and incarnations. Kṛṣṇa is fully represented with all potencies in each and every personal extension, but the living entities, although separated expansions, are also considered one of the Lord’s energies. The living entities are divided into two categories — the eternally liberated and the eternally conditioned. Those who are ever liberated never come in contact with māyā, the external energy. The ever-conditioned souls are always under the clutches of the external energy. This is described by Lord Kṛṣṇa in the Bhagavad-gītā (7.14):

“This divine energy of Mine, consisting of the three modes of material nature, is difficult to overcome.”

The nitya-baddhas are always conditioned by the external energy, and the nitya-muktas never come in contact with the external energy. Sometimes an ever-liberated personal associate of the Supreme Personality of Godhead descends into this universe just as the Lord descends. Although working for the liberation of conditioned souls, the messenger of the Supreme Lord remains untouched by the material energy. Generally ever-liberated personalities live in the spiritual world as associates of Lord Kṛṣṇa, and they are known as kṛṣṇa-pāriṣada, associates of the Lord. Their only business is enjoying Lord Kṛṣṇa’s company, and even though such eternally liberated persons come within this material world to serve the Lord’s purpose, they enjoy Lord Kṛṣṇa’s company without stoppage. The ever-liberated person who works on Kṛṣṇa’s behalf enjoys Lord Kṛṣṇa’s company through his engagement. The ever-conditioned soul, provoked by lusty desires to enjoy the material world, is forced to transmigrate from one body to another. Sometimes he is elevated to higher planetary systems, and sometimes he is degraded to hellish planets and subjected to the tribulations of the external energy.

Due to being conditioned by the external energy, the conditioned soul within this material world gets two kinds of bodies — a gross material body and a subtle material body composed of mind, intelligence and ego. Due to the gross and subtle bodies, he is subjected to the threefold miseries (ādhyātmika, ādhibhautika and ādhidaivika), miseries arising from the body and mind, other living entities and natural disturbances caused by demigods from higher planetary systems. The conditioned soul subjected to the threefold material miseries is ceaselessly kicked by māyā, and this is his disease. If by chance he meets a saintly person who works on Kṛṣṇa’s behalf to deliver conditioned souls, and if he agrees to abide by his order, he can gradually approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa.

This verse is also quoted in the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu (3.2.35). When we chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra we are saying, “Hare! O energy of the Lord! O my Lord Kṛṣṇa!” In this way we are simply addressing the Lord and His spiritual potency, represented as Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, Sītā-Rāma or Lakṣmī-Nārāyaṇa. The devotee always prays to the Lord and His internal energy (consort) so that he may engage in Their transcendental loving service. When the conditioned soul attains his real spiritual energy and fully surrenders unto the Lord’s lotus feet, he tries to engage in the Lord’s service. This is the real constitutional position of the living entity.

In the Vedic scriptures, stress is sometimes given to fruitive activity, speculative knowledge and the mystic yoga system. Although people are inclined to practice these processes, they cannot attain the desired results without being touched by kṛṣṇa-bhakti, devotional service. In other words, the real desired result is to invoke dormant love for Kṛṣṇa. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.2.6) states:

“The supreme occupation [dharma] for all humanity is that by which men can attain to loving devotional service unto the transcendent Lord. Such devotional service must be unmotivated and uninterrupted to completely satisfy the self.” Karma, jñāna and yoga cannot actually awaken love of Godhead. One has to take to the Lord’s devotional service, and the more one is inclined to devotional service, the more he loses interest in other so-called achievements. Dhruva Mahārāja went to practice mystic yoga to see the Lord personally, face to face, but when he developed an interest in devotional service, he saw that he was not being benefited by karma, jñāna and yoga.

This is a quotation from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.5.12). Even after writing many Vedic literatures, Vyāsadeva felt very morose. Therefore his spiritual master, Nāradadeva, told him that he could be happy by writing about the activities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Up to that time, Śrīla Vyāsadeva had written the karma-kāṇḍa and jñāna-kāṇḍa sections of the Vedas, but he had not written about upāsanā-kāṇḍa, or bhakti. Thus his spiritual master, Nārada, chastised him and advised him to write about the activities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore Vyāsadeva began writing Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

This is also a quotation from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (2.4.17).

One cannot attain liberation simply by speculative knowledge. Even though one may be able to distinguish between Brahman and matter, one’s liberation will be hampered if one is misled into thinking that the living entity is as good as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Indeed, one falls down again onto the material platform because considering oneself the Supreme Person, the Supreme Absolute Truth, is offensive. When such a person comes in contact with a pure devotee, he can actually become liberated from material bondage and engage in the Lord’s service. A prayer by Bilvamaṅgala Ṭhākura is relevant here:

“O my Lord, if one engages in Your pure devotional service with determination, You become visible in Your original transcendental youthful form as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As far as liberation is concerned, she stands before the devotee with folded hands waiting to render service. Religion, economic development and sense gratification are all automatically attained without separate endeavor.” (Kṛṣṇa-karṇāmṛta 107)

This is a verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.14.4).

This is a quotation from the Bhagavad-gītā (7.14).

It is a fact that every living entity is eternally a servant of Kṛṣṇa. This is forgotten due to the influence of māyā, which induces one to believe in material happiness. Being illusioned by māyā, one thinks that material happiness is the only desirable object. This material consciousness is like a chain around the neck of the conditioned soul. As long as he is bound to that conception, he cannot get out of māyā’s clutches. However, if by Kṛṣṇa’s mercy he gets in touch with a bona fide spiritual master, abides by his order and serves him, engaging other conditioned souls in the Lord’s service, he then attains liberation and Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s shelter.

One may be a brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya or śūdra, or one may perfectly follow the spiritual principles of brahmacarya, gṛhastha, vānaprastha and sannyāsa, but ultimately one falls down into a hellish condition unless one becomes a devotee. Without developing one’s dormant Kṛṣṇa consciousness, one cannot be factually elevated. The regulative principles of varṇāśrama-dharma in themselves are insufficient for attainment of the highest perfection. That is confirmed in the following two quotations from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.5.2-3).

This verse is quoted from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.2.32).

In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (2.9.34) it is stated:

“What appears to be truth without Me is certainly My illusory energy, for nothing can exist without Me. It is like a reflection of a real light in the shadows, for in the light there are neither shadows nor reflections.”

Wherever there is light, there cannot be darkness. When a living entity becomes Kṛṣṇa conscious, he is immediately relieved of all material lusty desires. Lusty desires and greed are associated with rajas and tamas, passion and darkness. When one becomes Kṛṣṇa conscious, the modes of passion and darkness immediately vanish, and then the mode of goodness (sattva-guṇa) remains. When one is situated in the mode of goodness, he can make spiritual advancement and understand things clearly. This position is not possible for everyone. When a person is Kṛṣṇa conscious, he continuously hears about Kṛṣṇa, thinks about Him, worships Him and serves Him as a devotee. If he remains in Kṛṣṇa consciousness in this way, the darkness of māyā certainly will not be able to touch him.

The entire world is bewildered because people are thinking, “This is my land,” “America is mine,” “India is mine.” Not knowing the real value of life, people think that the material body and the land where it is produced are all in all. This is the basic principle behind nationalism, socialism and communism. Such thinking, which simply bewilders the living being, is nothing but rascalism. It is due to the darkness of māyā. But as soon as one becomes Kṛṣṇa conscious, he is immediately relieved from such misconceptions. This verse is quoted from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (2.5.13). There is also another appropriate verse in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (2.7.47):

“What is realized as the Absolute Brahman is full of unlimited bliss without grief. That is certainly the ultimate phase of the supreme enjoyer, the Personality of Godhead. He is eternally devoid of all disturbances, fearless, completely conscious as opposed to matter, uncontaminated and without distinctions. He is the principal, primeval cause of all causes and effects, in whom there is no sacrifice for fruitive activities and in whom the illusory energy does not stand.”

This verse was spoken by Lord Brahmā when he was questioned by the great sage Nārada. Nārada was surprised to see the creator of the universe meditating, for this indicated there might be someone greater than Lord Brahmā. While answering the great sage Nārada, Lord Brahmā described the position of māyā and the bewildered living entities. This verse was spoken in that connection.

This verse from the Rāmāyaṇa (Yuddha-kāṇḍa 18.33) was spoken by Lord Rāmacandra.

This is a verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (2.3.10).

Those who are interested in material enjoyment are known as bhukti-kāmī. One who is interested in merging into the effulgence of Brahman or perfecting the mystic yoga system is not a devotee at all. Devotees do not have such desires. However, if a karmī, jñānī or yogī somehow contacts a devotee and renders devotional service, Kṛṣṇa immediately awards him love of God and gives him shelter at His lotus feet, although he may have no idea how to develop love of Kṛṣṇa. If a person wants material profit from devotional service, Kṛṣṇa condemns such materialistic desires. To desire material opulence while engaging in devotional service is foolish. Although the person may be foolish, Kṛṣṇa, being all-intelligent, engages him in His devotional service in such a way that he gradually forgets material opulence. The point is that we should not try to exchange loving service for material prosperity. If we are actually surrendered to the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, our only desire should be to satisfy Kṛṣṇa. That is pure Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Surrender means not that we demand something from the Lord but that we completely depend on His mercy. If Kṛṣṇa likes, He may keep His devotee in a poverty-stricken condition, or if He likes He may keep him in an opulent position. The devotee should not be concerned in either case; he should simply be very serious about trying to satisfy the Lord by rendering Him service.

This is a quotation from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (5.19.27).

This verse is from the Hari-bhakti-sudhodaya (7.28).

There are unlimited conditioned souls who are bereft of Lord Kṛṣṇa’s service. Not knowing how to cross the ocean of nescience, they are scattered by the waves of time and tide. However, some are fortunate to contact devotees, and by this contact they are delivered from the ocean of nescience, just as a log floating down a river accidentally washes upon the bank.

This verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.38.5) was spoken by Akrūra.

Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura explains this point. Is this bhāgya (fortune) the result of an accident or something else? In the scriptures, devotional service and pious activity are considered fortunate. Pious activities can be divided into three categories: pious activities that awaken one’s dormant Kṛṣṇa consciousness are called bhakty-unmukhī sukṛti, pious activities that bestow material opulence are called bhogonmukhī sukṛti, and pious activities that enable the living entity to merge into the existence of the Supreme are called mokṣonmukhī sukṛti. These last two awards of pious activity are not actually fortunate. Pious activities are fortunate when they help one become Kṛṣṇa conscious. The good fortune of bhakty-unmukhī is attainable only when one comes in contact with a devotee. By associating with a devotee willingly or unwillingly, one advances in devotional service, and thus one’s dormant Kṛṣṇa consciousness is awakened.

This is a quotation from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.51.53).

This is a verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.29.6). It was spoken by Uddhava after he had been instructed in yoga by Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

This verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.20.8) was spoken by Kṛṣṇa at the time of His departure from this material world. It was spoken to Uddhava.

Pious activities bring about material opulence, but one cannot acquire devotional service by any amount of material pious activity — not by giving charity, opening big hospitals and schools or working philanthropically. Devotional service can be attained only by the mercy of a pure devotee. Without a pure devotee’s mercy, one cannot even escape the bondage of material existence. The word mahat in this verse means “a pure devotee,” as Lord Kṛṣṇa confirms in the Bhagavad-gītā (9.13):

“O son of Pṛthā, those who are not deluded, the great souls, are under the protection of the divine nature. They are fully engaged in devotional service because they know Me as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, original and inexhaustible.”

One has to associate with such a mahātmā, who has accepted Kṛṣṇa as the supreme source of the entire creation. Without being a mahātmā, one cannot understand Kṛṣṇa’s absolute position. A mahātmā is rare and transcendental, and he is a pure devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Foolish people consider Kṛṣṇa a human being, and they consider Lord Kṛṣṇa’s pure devotee an ordinary human being also. Whatever one may be, one must take shelter at the lotus feet of a devotee mahātmā and treat him as the most exalted well-wisher of all human society. We should take shelter of such a mahātmā and ask for his causeless mercy. Only by his benediction can one be relieved from attachment to the materialistic way of life. When one is thus relieved, he can engage in the Lord’s transcendental loving service through the mercy of the mahātmā.

This verse appears in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (5.12.12). Jaḍa Bharata herein tells King Rahūgaṇa how he attained the paramahaṁsa stage. Mahārāja Rahūgaṇa, the King of Sindhu-sauvīra, had asked Jaḍa Bharata how he had attained the paramahaṁsa stage. The King had called him to carry his palanquin, but when the King heard from paramahaṁsa Jaḍa Bharata about the supreme philosophy, he expressed surprise and asked Jaḍa Bharata how he had attained such great liberation. At that time Jaḍa Bharata informed the King how to become detached from material attraction.

This verse appears in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (7.5.32). When the great sage Nārada was giving instructions to Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, he narrated the activities of Prahlāda Mahārāja. This verse was spoken by Prahlāda Mahārāja to his father, Hiraṇyakaśipu, the king of demons. Prahlāda Mahārāja had informed his father of the nine basic processes of bhakti-yoga, explaining that whoever takes to these processes is to be considered a highly learned scholar. Hiraṇyakaśipu, however, did not like his son to talk about devotional service; therefore he immediately called Prahlāda’s teacher, Ṣaṇḍa. The teacher explained that he had not taught devotional service to Prahlāda but that the boy was naturally inclined that way. At that time Hiraṇyakaśipu became very angry and asked Prahlāda why he had become a Vaiṣṇava. In answer to this question, Prahlāda Mahārāja recited this verse to the effect that one cannot become the Lord’s devotee without receiving the mercy and blessings of another devotee.

According to astronomical calculations, a lava is one eleventh of a second.

This is a quotation from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.18.13). This verse concerns the Vedic rites and sacrifices performed by the great sages of Naimiṣāraṇya, headed by Śaunaka Ṛṣi. The sages pointed out that association with a devotee for even less than a second is beyond comparison to a thousand Vedic rituals and sacrifices, elevation to heavenly planets or merging into the existence of the Supreme.

This is a quotation from the Bhagavad-gītā (18.64-65).

This is a quotation from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.20.9).

Firm faith and confidence are called śraddhā. When one engages in the Lord’s devotional service, he is to be understood to have performed all his responsibilities in the material world. He has satisfied his forefathers, ordinary living entities, and demigods and is free from all responsibility. Such a person does not need to meet his responsibilities separately. It is automatically done. Fruitive activity (karma) is meant to satisfy the senses of the conditioned soul. However, when one awakens to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he does not have to work separately for pious activity. The best achievement of all fruitive activity is detachment from material life, and this detachment is spontaneously enjoyed by the devotee firmly engaged in the Lord’s service.

This is a quotation from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (4.31.14).

The word śraddhāvān (faithful) means understanding Kṛṣṇa to be the summum bonum — the eternal truth and absolute transcendence. If one has full faith in Kṛṣṇa and confidence in Him, one becomes eligible to discharge devotional service confidentially. According to one’s faith, one is a topmost, intermediate or inferior devotee.

This verse appears in the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu (1.2.17), by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī.

This verse appears in the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu (1.2.18).

This verse also appears in the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu (1.2.19).

Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has stated that if one has developed faith in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he is to be considered an eligible candidate for further advancement in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Those who have faith are divided into three categories — uttama, madhyama and kaniṣṭha (first class, second class and neophyte). A first-class devotee has firm conviction in the revealed scriptures and is expert in arguing according to the śāstras. He is firmly convinced of the science of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The madhyama-adhikārī, or second-class devotee, has firm conviction in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, but he cannot support his conviction by citing śāstric references. The neophyte devotee does not yet have firm faith. In this way the devotees are typed.

The standard of devotion is also categorized in the same way. A neophyte believes that only love of Kṛṣṇa or Kṛṣṇa consciousness is very good, but he may not know the basis of pure Kṛṣṇa consciousness or how one can become a perfect devotee. Sometimes in the heart of a neophyte there is attraction for karma, jñāna or yoga. When he is free and transcendental to mixed devotional activity, he becomes a second-class devotee. When he becomes expert in logic and can refer to the śāstras, he becomes a first-class devotee. The devotees are also described as positive, comparative and superlative in terms of their love and attachment for Kṛṣṇa.

It should be understood that a madhyama-adhikārī, a second-class devotee, is fully convinced of Kṛṣṇa consciousness but cannot support his convictions with śāstric reference. A neophyte may fall down by associating with nondevotees because he is not firmly convinced and strongly situated. The second-class devotee, even though he cannot support his position with śāstric reference, can gradually become a first-class devotee by studying the śāstras and associating with a first-class devotee. However, if the second-class devotee does not advance himself by associating with a first-class devotee, he makes no progress. There is no possibility that a first-class devotee will fall down, even though he may mix with nondevotees to preach. Conviction and faith gradually increase to make one an uttama-adhikārī, a first-class devotee.

This is a quotation from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.2.45).

This is also a quotation from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.2.46). This statement was made by the great sage Nārada while he was speaking to Vasudeva about devotional service. This subject was originally discussed between Nimi, the King of Videha, and the nine Yogendras.

This verse is also from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.2.47). Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura says that one who has full love for the Supreme Personality of Godhead and who maintains a good friendship with the Lord’s devotees is always callous to those who envy Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa’s devotees. Such a person is to be considered an intermediate devotee. He becomes a first-class devotee when, in the course of advancing in devotional service, he feels an intimate relationship with all living entities, seeing them as part and parcel of the Supreme Person.

This was spoken by Prahlāda Mahārāja and his followers, who were offering prayers to Nṛsiṁhadeva (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 5.18.12).

This is a quotation from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (3.25.21). When the sages, headed by Śaunaka, inquired about Kapiladeva, the incarnation of Godhead, Sūta Gosvāmī, who was the topmost devotee of the Lord, quoted talks about self-realization between Vidura and Maitreya, a friend of Vyāsadeva’s. During these talks the topic of Lord Kapila had come up, and at that time Maitreya had repeated Kapiladeva’s discussions with His mother, wherein the Lord states that attachment to material things is the cause of conditioned life. When a person becomes attached to transcendental things, he is on the path of liberation.

This verse is from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (5.5.2).

This is a quotation from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.51.53).

This is a quotation from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.2.30).

This is a quotation from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (3.25.25). For an explanation see Ādi-līlā 1.60.

These verses, quoted from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (3.31.33-35), were spoken by Kapiladeva, an incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, to His mother. Herein Kapiladeva discusses pious and impious activities and the symptoms of those who are devoid of devotional service to Kṛṣṇa. Generally people do not know about the miserable conditions within the womb of a mother in any species of life. Due to bad association, one gradually falls into lower species. Association with women is greatly stressed in this regard. When one becomes attached to women or to those who are attached to women, one falls down into the lower species.

“The living entity in material nature thus follows the ways of life, enjoying the three modes of nature. This is due to his association with that material nature. Thus he meets with good and evil among various species.” (Bhagavad-gītā 13.22)

According to Vedic civilization, one’s association with women should be very much restricted. In spiritual life there are four āśramas — brahmacarya, gṛhastha, vānaprastha and sannyāsa. The brahmacārī, vānaprastha and sannyāsī are completely forbidden to associate with women. Only gṛhasthas are allowed to associate with women under certain very much restricted conditions — that is, one associates with women to propagate nice children. Other reasons for association are condemned.

This is a quotation from the Kātyāyana-saṁhitā.

This is a quotation from the Bhagavad-gītā (18.66) spoken by Lord Kṛṣṇa. For an explanation, refer to Madhya-līlā 8.63.

An intelligent person gives up the company of those who are attached to women and bereft of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. One should be free from all kinds of material attachment and should take full shelter under the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is very kind to His devotees. He is always grateful, and He never forgets the service of a devotee. He is also completely opulent and all-powerful. Why, then, should one take shelter of a demigod and leave Lord Kṛṣṇa’s shelter? If one worships a demigod and leaves Kṛṣṇa, he must be considered the lowest fool.

This is a verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.48.26).