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THE RARENESS OF PURE DEVOTIONAL SERVICE

Pure devotional service is rarely achieved.

Kṛṣṇa is all-attractive, but pure devotional service attracts even Him. This means that pure devotional service is even transcendentally stronger than Kṛṣṇa Himself, because

Pure devotional service is the beginning of all auspiciousness.

Pure devotional service is the only means to attract Kṛṣṇa.

Pure devotional service automatically puts one in transcendental pleasure.

Those in pure devotional service deride even the conception of liberation.

In the above statement by Kapiladeva from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the actual position of a pure devotee is described, and the primary characteristics of devotional service are also defined. Further characteristics of devotional service are described by Rūpa Gosvāmī with evidences from different He states that there are six characteristics of pure devotional service, which are as follows:

Pure devotional service brings immediate relief from all kinds of material distress.

even if an executor of these processes is without any material desire, he still cannot achieve devotional And aspiring by oneself alone to achieve devotional service is also not very hopeful, because Kṛṣṇa does not agree to award devotional service to merely anyone. Devotional service can in fact be attained only through the mercy of a pure devotee. devotee, and by the mercy of Kṛṣṇa, one can achieve the platform of devotional service.

Actually, a pure devotee does not aspire after any of these perfections, because the happiness derived from devotional service in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is so transcendental and so unlimited that no other happiness Thus, any person who has developed even a little quantity of pure devotional service can very easily

personal efforts or by the instructions of higher authorities one cannot attain to the stage of devotional One must become blessed by the dust of the lotus feet of a pure devotee, who is completely freed from

and 13, Śrīla Kapiladeva, while instructing His mother, has given the following characteristics of pure devotional service: “My dear mother, those who are My pure devotees, and who have no desire for material

That is the characteristic of pure devotion.

Happiness derived from pure devotional service is the highest, because it is eternal.

the Nārada Pañcarātra it is also said that any person who has developed even a small amount of devotional economic development, liberation or sense gratification cannot even dare to enter into the heart of a pure the joys of religiousness, economic development, sense gratification and liberation follow the devotional In other words, a pure devotee does not lack any kind of happiness derived from any source.

wife, a person who has surrendered himself at the lotus feet of Govinda and who has thus developed pure perfections desired by the impersonalists; and beyond this, he can enjoy the happiness achieved by the pure

He was quite happy in his present position and wanted only to gain unflinching faith and devotion unto That is the position of pure devotees. If they can be engaged twenty-four hours each day in devotional service they do not want anything else

How Kṛṣṇa becomes attracted by the devotional service of His devotees is described by Nārada in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja was appreciating the qualities of Prahlāda, and that is one symptom of a pure devotee A pure devotee never thinks himself great; he always thinks that other devotees are greater than himself