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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.

The three categories of devotional service which Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī describes in Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu are listed as devotional service in practice, devotional service in ecstasy and devotional service in pure love of Godhead. Generally it is understood that in the category of devotional service in practice there are two different qualities, devotional service in ecstasy has four qualities, and devotional service in pure love of

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.

If one can gradually advance his status in devotional service, this is understood to be due to the causeless If a person is completely detached from material enjoyment and has developed pure ecstatic devotion, Lord, even if sometimes found to be accidentally deviated from pure devotional characteristics, should still be counted among the pure. in the activities of devotional service.

The authorized descriptions of bhakti, or devotional service, following in the footsteps of previous devotional service. Pure devotional service should be free from the desire for any material benefit or for sense gratification Pure devotional service must always be free from such fruitive activities and philosophical speculations One has to learn Kṛṣṇa consciousness, or pure devotional service, from the authorities by spontaneous

Such shadow attachment or parā attachment can develop if one associates with a pure devotee or visits or Mathurā, and if an ordinary man develops such attachment for Kṛṣṇa and fortunately performs devotional activities in the association of pure devotees, he can also rise to the platform of pure devotional powerful that if such attachment is seen manifested even in some common man, by the association of a pure for Kṛṣṇa cannot be invoked in a person without his being sufficiently blessed by the association of pure

Here is a general description of devotional service given by Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī in his Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu Previously, it has been stated that devotional service can be divided into three categories – namely, devotional service in practice, devotional service in ecstasy and devotional service in pure love of Now Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī proposes to describe devotional service in practice.

In the Nārada Pañcarātra pure, unalloyed devotional service is explained as being without any motive If a devotee is continuously in love with Lord Kṛṣṇa and his mind is always fixed upon Him, that devotional other words, a Vaiṣṇava who is incessantly thinking of the form of Lord Kṛṣṇa is to be known as a pure

This relishing of transcendental mellow in discharging devotional service cannot be experienced by all As explained above, association with pure devotees is the beginning of faith in devotional service. Only by developing such faith in the association of a pure devotee, or by having in one’s previous life executed devotional activities, can one actually relish the mellow of devotional service. extraordinarily fortunate as to be in association with devotees or to be continuing his previous birth’s devotional

to associate with such societies, his advancement to pure devotional service is rapid. This is the first stage of association with pure devotees. service under the guidance of the pure devotee and accepts him as the spiritual master. service, then attachment, then ecstasies, and in the last stage there is pure love of Godhead. These are the different stages of the development of pure love.

This karmādi (fruitive work) consists of activities that are unable to help one attain to pure devotional Many forms of so-called renunciation are also not favorable to Kṛṣṇa conscious devotional service.