Chapter 13 - Sādhana-bhakti-tattva
The principle of devotional practice
Jñāna-miśra-bhakti Devotion Mixed with Knowledge
13.1
One who is situated in Brahman is joyful. He never laments nor hankers for anything. He is equally disposed toward every living being. In that state he attains pure devotional service unto Me.
(Bhagavad-gītā 18.58)
Karma-miśra-bhakti Devotion Mixed with Karma
13.2
O son of Kuntī, whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you offer or give away, as well as whatever austerities you perform should be done as an offering unto Me.
(Bhagavad-gītā 9.27)
13.3
The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Viṣṇu, is worshiped by the proper execution of prescribed duties in the system of varṇāśrama-dharma. There is no other way to satisfy Lord Viṣṇu. One must be situated in the one of the four varṇas and āśramas.
(Viṣṇu Purāṇa 3.8.9)
13.4
Work done as a sacnfice for Viṣṇu must be performed, otherwise work binds one to the material world. Therefore, O son of Kuntī, perform your prescribed duties for His satisfaction, and in that way you will always remain free from bondage.
(Bhagavad-gītā 3.9)
The Definition of Bhakti
13.5
Transcendental attachment to the Supreme Lord is called bhakti.
(Śāṇḍilya-bhakti-sūtra)
13.6
Pure devotional service is free from all impurities, beginning with karma and jñāna. In other words, it is devoid of all attempts to attain fulfillment through power and knowledge. Śuddha-bhakti is the favorable cultivation of service to Kṛṣṇa. In śuddha-bhakti a devotee constanly serves Kṛṣṇa's desires.
(Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, Pūrva-vibhāga 1.11)
13.7
Devotional service means engaging all our senses in the service of the Lord of the senses. By this one is liberated from all material designations and one's senses are purified.
(Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, Pūrva-vibhāga 1.12)
The Śrutis Glorify Bhakti
13.8
Bhakti leads the jīva to the Lord, and enables the soul to see the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Lord is controlled by bhakti. Bhakti is best of all.
(Mādhvācārya's commentary on Vedānta-Sūtra 3.3.53)
13.9
Bhakti has a nectarean form.
(Nārada-bhakti-sūtra 1.3)
13.10
On attaining divine love man attains perfection and immortality. He becomes thoroughly satisfied.
(Nārada-bhakti-sūtra 1.4)
13.11
Upon attaining love of God one neither hankers nor laments. He is freed from attachment and detachment, and takes no pleasure in material things.
(Nārada-bhakti-sūtra 1.5)
Two Kinds of Bhakti Vaidhī and Rāgānugā
13.12
Devotional service governed by the rules and regulations of the scriptures is also called maryāda-mārga, or the reverential path of devotion, the path of serving the Lord in opulence, by different scholars [such as Vallabhācārya].
(Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, Pūrva-vibhāga 2.269)
13.13
Rāga-bhakti is complete absorbtion in the Deity of one's choice; that absorbing devotion is here described as rāgātmikā-bhakti. In other words, spontaneous attraction for Kṛṣṇa while being completely absorbed in thoughts of Him with an intense desire of love.
(Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, Pūrva-vibhāga 2.272)
Vaidhī-bhakti
13.14
O sage amongst the demigods, Nārada, those activities prescribed in the revealed scriptures for satsifying the Supreme Personlality of Godhead, Lord Hari, are called the regulative principles of bhakti, (sādhana-bhakti), by practicing which one may attain the highest bhakti (prema).
(Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, Pūrva-vibhāga 2.13)
Rāga-bhakti
13.15
Social customs, scriptural injunctions, bodily demands, fruitive action, shyness, patience, bodily pleasures, self-gratification and the path of varnāśrama-dharma, which is difficult to give up the gopīs have forsaken all these, as well as their relatives and their punishment and scolding, for the sake of serving Lord Kṛṣṇa.
They render loving service to Him for the sake of His enjoyment. That is called firm attachment to the Lord. It is spotlessly pure, like a clean cloth that has no stain. Therefore lust and love are quite different. Lust is like dense darkness, but love is like the bright sun. Thus there is not the slightest taint of lust in the gopīs love. Their relationship with Kṛṣṇa is only for the sake of His enjoyment. The gopīs do not care for their own pleasures or pains. All their physical and mental activities are directed toward offering enjoyment to Kṛṣṇa. They renounced everything for Kṛṣṇa. They have pure attachment (anurāga) to giving Kṛṣṇa pleasure.
(Cc. Ādi 4.167-172, 174-175)
The Nine Limbs of Bhakti
13.16
Hearing and chanting about the transcendental holy name, form, qualities, paraphernalia and pastimes of Lord Viṣṇu, remembering them, serving the lotus feet of the Lord, offering the Lord respectful worship with sixteen types of paraphernalia, offering prayers to the Lord, becoming His servant, considering the Lord one's best friend, and surrendering everything unto Him (in other words, serving Him with the body, mind and words) these nine processes are accepted as pure devotional service.
(Bhāg. 7.5.23)
13.17
These nine are the processes of pure devotional service. One who has dedicated his life to the service of Kṛṣṇa through these nine methods should be considered most learned, for he has acquired full knowledge.
(Bhāg. 7.5.24)
13.18
The following devotees attained Kṛṣṇa and thus realized the ultimate goal of life by following one of the nine methods of devotional service: Mahārāja Parikṣita realized Kṛṣṇa through hearing about His glories (śravanam), Śukadeva Gosvāmī realized Kṛṣṇa through speaking the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam (kīrtanam). Prahlāda realized Him through devotional remembrance (smaraṇam). Lakṣmīdevī attained His mercy by serving His lotus feet (pāda-sevanam). Mahārāja Pṛthu attained Him through worship (arcanam). Akrūra attained Him through prayer (vandanam). Hanuman attained Him through personal service (dāsyam). Arjuna attained Him through friendship (sakhyam). Bali Maharaja attained Him through complete surrender of body, mind, and words (ātmā-nivedanam).
(Padyāvali 53)
Śravaṇa and Smaraṇa are Best
13.l9
O King, it is therefore essential that every human being hear about, glorify, and remember the Supreme Lord, the Personality of Godhead always and everywhere.
(Bhāg. 2.2.36)
Śravaṇa
13.20
O Kṛṣṇa, just hearing the nectar of Your words and the narrations of Your pastimes gives life to us, who are always suffering in the material world. This nectar is broadcast all over the world by great souls. It removes all sinful reactions. It is all-auspicious and filled with spiritual power. Those who spread this message of Godhead are certainlv doing the greatest relief work for human society; they are the most magnanimous welfare workers.
(Bhāg. 10.31.9)
13.21
Glorification of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is performed in the parampāra system; that is, it is conveyed from spiritual master to disciple. Such glorification is relished by those no longer interested in the false, temporary glorification of this cosmic manifestation. Descriptions of the Lord are the right medicine for all the conditioned souls undergoing repeated birth and death. Therefore, who will cease hearing glorification of the Lord except a butcher or one who is killing his self?
(Bhāg. l0.l.4)
The Gradation of What is Obtained by Śravaṇa
13.22
Hearing of the name, form, qualities, and pastimes of the Lord and His devotees is called śravaṇa. The practice of sādhana-bhakti depends on hearing the holy name. It begins with śravaṇa, which purifies the heart of the devotee. This hearing process purifies the heart and gives liberation from the filthiness of sense gratification. In this way, by hearing transcendental sound about the form of Kṛṣṇa, gradually the complete form of the Lord awakens within the heart. Then gradually the qualities of the Lord arise within the heart. As His qualities fully manifest themselves, the different specific aspects of His service and pastimes gradually awaken. In this way, the holy name gradually reveals the Lord's form, qualities, and pastimes in all their splendor and beauty and in all their different branches. Of all kinds of hearing, Śrīmad Bhāgavatam is the best.
(Krama Sandarbha 7.5.18)
The Glories of Śravaṇa
13.23
Those who drink through their ears the nectarean topics of Kṛṣṇa who is dear to His devotees cleanse themselves of filthy desires for material pleasures and attain the shelter of the Lord's lotus feet.
(Bhāg. 2.2.37)
13.24
Śrī Kṛṣṇa, as the Supersoul within everyone's heart and the friend of the truthful, cleanses the desire for material enjoyment from the hearts of those who have developed the urge to hear His messages, which are in themselves virtuous when properly heard and chanted.
(Bhāg. 1.2.17)
13.25
Those who always seriously listen to Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and who apply its teachings will soon realize the Supreme Lord within their heart of hearts.
(Bhāg. 2.8.4)
The Meaning of the Word Kīrtana
13.26
Kīrtanam is defined as loudly giving voice to the glories of the Lord, beginning with the names, pastimes, and qualities of Kṛṣṇa.
(Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, Pūrva-vibhāga 2.145)
The Material Senses Cannot Appreciate the Transcendental Nature of Hearing and Chanting About Kṛṣṇa
13.27
You should know that bhakti is not the activity of your senses, mind and body. Bhakti is completely transcendental and full of bliss and certainly beyond the modes of nature.
(Bṛhad-bhāgavatāmṛta, Pūrva-vibhāga 2.3.133)
13.28
Therefore, [because the name of Kṛṣṇa is identical with Himself, and is beyond the senses] the name; form, qualities, associates, and pastimes of Kṛṣṇa are beyond the senses. When, however, a devotee engages the senses, beginning with the tongue, in the service of the Lord, Kṛṣṇa reveals Himself to the purified senses of that devotee.
(Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, Pūrva-vibhāga 2.234)
Kīrtana
13.29
What was attained by meditation in Satya-yuga, by sacrifice in Tretā-yuga, and by Deity worship in Dvāpara-yuga is attained in Kali-yuga by hari-kīrtana.
(Bhāg. 12.3.52)
The Glories of Kṛṣṇa-kīrtana
13.30
One who vibrates the two syllables Ha-ri without offense attains liberation from repeated birth and death. He never again has to walk the path of material bondage.
(Padma-Purāṇa, Uttara-khaṇḍa 80.161)
13.31
What was realized in Satya-yuga by meditation, in Tretā-yuga by sacrifice, and in Dvāpara-yuga by worship, may be realized in Kali-yuga by Kṛṣṇa-kīrtana.
(Padma-purāṇa, Uttara-khaṇḍa 42)
Kīrtana Describing the Lord's Qualities is the Aim of All Knowledge
13.32
One's advancement of knowledge is furthered by austerities, study of the Vedas, sacrifice, chanting of hymns, and charity. Those who are wise, however, have concluded that knowledge finds its culmination in the transcendental descriptions of the Lord, who is glorified with selected verses.
(Bhāg. 1.5.22)
13.33
O sage! Persons who hear from a spiritual master with great labor and for a longtime must hear from the mouths of pure devotees the glorification of the character and activities of pure devotees. Pure devotees always think within their hearts of the lotus feet of the Personality of Godhead, who awards liberation to His devotees.
(Bhāg. 3.13.4)
The Glories of the Qualities of the Supreme Lord
13.34
All varieties of ātmārāmās, especially those established on the path of self-realization, though freed from all kinds of material bondage, desire to render unalloyed devotional service to the Personality of Godhead. This means the Lord has transcendental qualities and therefore can attract everyone, including even liberated souls.
(Bhāg. 1.7.10)
Nāma-kīrtana is the Best
13.35
O Gopa Kumāra! If you desire to have the eternal association of the lotus feet of the Lord then you should perform pure devotional service which is prominent in chanting of the holy name.
(Bṛhad-bhāgavatāmṛta 2.3.144)
Nāma-kīrtana is the Only Way in Kali-yuga
13.36
The name of Hari, the name of Hari, the name of Hari is absolutely the only way, the only way, the only way in this age of Kali. There is absolutely no other way.
(Cc. Ādi 17.21)
The Harināma Verse Explained
13.37
In this age of Kali, the holy name of the Lord, the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, is the incarnation of Kṛṣṇa. Simply by chanting these names, one associates with the Lord directly. Anyone who does this is certainly delivered. This verse repeats the word eva (certainly) three times for emphasis. It also repeats three times the words harer nāma just to make common people understand. The use of the word kevala (only) prohibits all other processes, such as cultivation of knowledge, practice of mystic yoga, and performance of austerities and fruitive activities.
(Cc. Ādi 17.22-25)
Smaraṇa
13.38
The highest perfection of human life, achieved either by complete knowledge of matter and spirit, by practice or mystic powers, or by perfect discharge of occupational duty, is to remember the Personality of Godhead at the time of death.
(Bhāg. 2.1.6)
The Results of Remembering Material Subjects vs. that of Remembering Kṛṣṇa
13.39
One who meditates on the objects of the senses becomes attached to those things. One who remembers Me, however, becomes absorbed in Me.
(Bhāg. 11.14.27)
The Results of Remembering Kṛṣṇa
13.40
For one who remembers the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, all inauspiciousness soon disappears, and one's good fortune expands. In other words, one becomes free from all material contamination, one attains liberation from repeated birth and death and one's real spiritual life begins. As one's heart becomes gradually purified, one's devotion for the Lord within the heart awakens, and one realizes the Paramatma. Thus one gradually develops knowledge (jñāna), realization (vijñāna), and renunciation (vairāgya).
(Bhāg. 12.12.55)
Kīrtana is Better than Śravaṇa and Smaraṇa
13.41
Even though in the age of Kali one may perform the above eight branches of bhakti, nevertheless, one must perform kīrtana as the principle way of advancing in sādhana-bhakti. The Śrīmad Bhāgavatam says, yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyair yajanti hi sumedhasaḥ, "Those who are intelligent in this age of Kali will worship the Lord through the performance of saṅkīrtana". On account of this it is determined from an objective point of view, that of all processes of devotional service, nāma-saokīrtana is the best.
(Krama-Sandarbha commentary to Bhāg. 7.5.23-24)
Pāda-sevana
13.42
By the inclination to serve the lotus feet of the Lord, suffering humanity can immediately cleanse the dirt accumulated in their minds during innumerable births. Like the Ganges, which emanates from the lotus feet of the Lord, such a process immediately cleanses the mind, and thus Kṛṣṇa consciousness gradually increases.
(Bhāg. 4.21.31)
13.43
A pure devotee of the Lord whose heart has once been cleansed by the process of devotional service never relinquishes the lotus feet of the Lord, for they fully satisfy him, as a traveler is satisfied at home after a troubled journey.
(Bhāg. 2.8.6)
13.44
In this verse, the words, pāda-sevanam indicates through bhakti. On account of this, there is the formal or proper fondness of service. Being intensely attached to thinking of the Lord's lotus feet is called pāda-sevanam. When one is particularly adherent to the process of pāda-sevanam, this gradually includes other processes, such as seeing the form of the Lord, touching the form of the Lord, circumambulating the Deity or the temple of the Lord, visiting such holy places as Jagannātha Purī, Dvārakā, and Mathurā to see the Lord's form, and bathing in the Ganges or Yamunā, and serving the devotees is also known as tadīya-upāsanam, or worshiping those things in connection with Kṛṣṇa. This is also considered to be a branch of pāda-sevanam.
(Krama-Sandarbha commentary on Bhāg. 7.5.23-24)
Result of Pāda-sevana
13.45
I shall cross over the ocean of material existence, which is extremely difficult to cross by becoming fixed in serving the lotus feet of Mukunda and by taking complete shelter of Him. This is approved by the previous great saints and sages who were fixed in devotion to the Supreme Lord.
(Bhāg. 11.23.57)
Note: Śrī Viṣṇuswāmī considered accepting sannyāsa as parātma-niṣṭhām, being fixed in the service of Paramātmā.
13.46
Lord Caitanya approved the purport of the above verse on account of the determination of the mendicant devotee to engage in the service of Lord Mukunda. He gave His approval of this verse, indicating that it was very good. The real purpose of sannyāsa is to dedicate oneself to the service of the lotus feet of Mukunda. By serving Mukunda, one can actually be liberated from the bondage of material existence.
(Cc. Madhya 3.7-9)
Arcana
13.47
As by pouring water on the root of a tree the leaves and branches are satisfied, and as supplying food to the stomach the entire body is satisfied, simply by worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead, all worship is automatically performed and the entire universe is satisfied.
(Bhāg. 4.31.14)
13.48
If Lord Hari, the Supreme master of all demigods, who holds a conch and disc is worshiped properly even if by water, He grants the suitable result.
(Śrī Kṛṣṇāmṛta-mahārṇava Mādhvācarya)
13.49
Śrīla Prabhupāda paraphrases this passage from Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī's Krama-Sandarbha:
"Especially for gṛhasthas who have money, the path of Deity worship is strongly recommended. An opulent householder who does not engage his hard-earned money in the service of the Lord is called a miser.
One should not engage paid brāhmaṇas to worship the Deity. If one does not personally worship the Deity but engages paid servants to do so he is considered lazy. His worship of the Deity is called artificial and devoid of faith. An opulent householder can collect luxurious paraphenalia for Deity worship, and consequently for householder devotees the worship of the Deity is compulsory.
[In our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement there are brahmacārīs, gṛhasthas, vānaprasthas, and sannyāsīs, but the Deity worship in the temple should be performed expecially by the householders. The brahmacārīs can go with the sannyāsīs to preach, and the vānaprasthas should prepare themselves for the next status of renounced life, sannyāsa]
Gṛhastha devotees, however, are generally engaged in material activities, and therefore if they do not take to Deity worship, their falling down is positively assured.
Deity worship means following the rules and regulations precisely. That will keep one steady in devotional service. Gṛhasthas must adopt the arcana-viddhi, or Deity worship according to the suitable arrangements and directions given by the spiritual master. Deity worship should be continued along with hearing and chanting.
Therefore every mantra is preceded by the word namaḥ. In all the mantras there are specific potencies, of which the gṛhastha must take advantage. There are many mantras preceded by the word namaḥ, but if one chants the holy name of the Lord, he receives the result of chanting namaḥ many times. By chanting the holy name of the Lord, one can reach the platform of love of Godhead.
One might ask, then, what is the necessity of being initiated?
The answer is that even though the chanting of the holy name is sufficient to enable one to progress in spiritual life to the standard of love of Godhead, one is nonetheless susceptible to contamination because of having a material body, consequently special stress is given to arcana-viddhi. One should therefore regularly take advantage of both the bhāgavata process and the pāñcarātrikī process.
(Krama Sandarbha commentary Bhāg. 7.5.23)
13.50
If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, a fruit or some water, I will accept it with similar love and devotion.
(Bhagavad-gītā 9.26)
13.51
The most auspicious course for householders of the twice-born caste is that they devoutly worship the Deity form of the Supreme Person by sacrifices performed with honestly earned wealth.
(Bhāg. 10.84.37)
Vandana
13.52
When those who are devoted to Lord Hari's lotus feet offer respects to Him with their body, mind, or words, this is called vandanam by learned devotees.
(Hari-bhakti-kalpa-latikā 9.1)
13.53
What need is there to perform the different yoga systems, which are difficult to perfect even in a hundred births? What need is there to struggle to attain transcendental knowledge? I shall offer my respectful obeisances to Lord Kṛṣṇa, for simply by offering obeisances to Him, one may get free from the bonds of karma, and attain the supreme spiritual world.
(Hari-bhakti-kalpa-latikā 9.2)
The Glories of Vandana
13.54
O Lord, one who seeks Your mercy, while tolerating all kinds of adversities due to past karma, who always serves You in devotion with his body, mind, and words, and who goes on offering prayers and obeisances to You from within the core of his heart despite all hardships, liberation is his rightful inheritance.
(Bhāg. 10.14.8)
13.55
O my Lord Hari! I don't pray at Your lotus feet to be saved from the duality of existence or to escape this grim hell of boiling tribulations. Nor do I pray to enjoy the soft-skinned beautiful women who reside in the garden of heaven. I pray to You only to develop love for You within my heart of hearts, birth after birth.
(Mukunda-mālā-stotram 4)
Dāsyam
13.56
When the work performed by the body, intelligence, senses, voice, and mind, the pious activities, enjoyment and wealth, are offered with love to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, that is called dāsyam, service.
(Hari-bhakti-kalpa-latikā 10.1)
13.57
Just as the universes enter the transcendental body of Lord Vāsudeva, and just as the ten directions enter the sky, in the same way, all different forms of bhakti enter into service.
(Hari-bhakti-kalpa-latika 10.2)
13.58
The devotional processes of hearing about the Lord, glorifying Him, remembering Him, serving His lotus feet, worshiping Him, offering obeisances to Him, surrendering everything to Him, and befriending Him, all rest on service to Him.
(Hari-bhakti-kalpa-latika 10.3)
The Different Branches of Dāsya
13.59
My devotees take great care and respect in rendering Me service, offering obeisances with all their bodily limbs, and above all worshiping My devotees. They see all living beings as related to Me.
(Bhāg. 11.19.21)
13.60
For Me they engage the entire energy of their bodies. They use their words to describe My qualities; they offer their minds to Me; and they reject all material desires. Thus are My devotees characterized.
(Bhāg. 11.19.22)
The Prayer of the Servant of the Lord
13.61
O my Lord, there is no limit to the unwanted orders of lusty desires. Although I have rendered them so much service, they have not shown any mercy upon me. I have not been ashamed to serve them, nor have I even desired to give them up. O my Lord, O head of the Yadu dynasty, recently, however, my intelligence has been awakened and now I am giving them up. Due to transcendental intelligence, I now refuse to follow the unwanted orders of these desires. Now I come to You to surrender myself at Your fearless lotus feet. Kindly engage me in Your personal service and save me.
(Cc. Madhya 22.16)
The Definition of Sakhya
13.62
A very faithful devotee's love for Lord Vāsudeva, who is an ocean of bliss, in the mood of friendship is called sakhyam, friendship.
(Hari-bhakti-kalpa-latikā 11.1)
Two Divisions of Sakhya: Based on Faith and Based on Friendly Affection.
13.63
The wise have determined that sakhya, friendship, has two divisions: sakhyam that is a generic sense of friendship based on faith [that "God is my friend" in sadhana-vaidhi-bhakti] and a highly refined and developed sakhyam based on the temperament of friendly feelings [as in the case of the cowherd boys in Vṛndāvana.
(Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, Pūrva-vibhāga 2.188)
Generic Sakhyam, Based on Faith
13.64
When the living entity is covered by the mode of ignorance, he does not understand the individual living being and the supreme living being. His mind is immersed in fruitive activity. Until he is "friendly" or affectionate towards Lord Vāsudeva, he is certainly not delivered from having to accept a material body again and again.
(Bhāg. 5.5.6)
Sakhyam Based on Intimate Feelings of Friendship
13.65
What good fortune was Nanda Mahārāja's! What good fortune was bestowed upon the gopas, and all the other residents of Vraja! Their good fortune is beyond limits, because the eternally blissful Personality of Godhead is their friend.
(Bhāg. 10.14.32)
The Definition of Atmā-nivedanam
13.66
Free from false ego and a false sense of proprietorship, a pure devotee surrenders his body to the Lord. The natural inclination of such a devotee's mind is called ātmā-nivedanam surrendering everything.
(Hari-bhakti-kalpa-latika 12.1)
13.67
Whatever might be my situation with regard to the body and worldly conditions; whatever might be the type of character I am endowed with I dedicate here and now my entire self to You.
(Stotra-ratnam 49)
Śaraṇāgati
13.68
O King, one who has given up all material desires and has taken full shelter of the lotus feet of Mukunda, who offers shelter to all, is not indebted to the demigods, great sages, ordinary living beings, relatives, friends, mankind, or even one's forefathers who have passed away. Since all such classes of living beings are part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, one who has surrendered to the Lord's service has no need to serve such persons separately.
(Bhāg. 11.5.41)
13.69
Abandon all varieties of religion and surrender unto Me. I shall protect you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear.
(Bhagavad-gītā 18.66)
Duties and Religious Principles (Dharma) Favorable to Bhakti
13.70
A sincere disciple should shun all material conceptions and associate with sādhus, by showing kindness to subordinates, friendship to peers, and reverence to superior devotees.
(Bhāg. 11.3.23)
13.71
A sincere disciple should shun all material conceptions by remaining clean, austere, tolerant, quiet, studious, simple, celibate, non-violent, and unbewildered by duality.
(Bhāg. 11.3.24)
13.72
One should realize that souls are all-pervading and that the Lord is the Supreme controller of the universe. In this way, he should live in solitude, free from attachment to wife, family, home, and society. He should wear ragged cloth or tree bark and remain contented with whatever he gets without endeavor.
(Bhāg. 11.3.25)
13.73
He should have firm faith in scriptures that glorify the Lord, but should not blaspheme other scriptures. He should control his mind, words, and deeds. He should always remain truthful and keep his senses controlled.
(Bhāg. 11.3.26)
13.74
One should listen to, glorify, and meditate upon the wonderful births, pastimes, and qualities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śrī Hari. One should also dedicate all his acts for the pleasure of the Lord.
(Bhāg. 11.3.27)
13.75
One should perform sacrifice, charity, and penance only for the pleasure of the Lord. One should also chant mantras and hymns in praise of the Lord. All one's religious duties should be done for Him. One also should offer to the Lord whatever gives one pleasure.
(Bhāg. 11.3.28)
13.76
Enthusiasm, determination, patience, acting according to the principles of devotional service, giving up the association of non-devotees and following in the footsteps of the previous ācāryas these six things are favorable to the cultivation of devotional service.
(Upadeśāmṛta 3)
Detachment is Favorable for Bhakti
13.77
Sometimes a devotee has awakened faith in hearing about Me, but even though he is disgusted with karmic life and knows the miseries that sensual pleasures bring, he is unable to give up his attachment to sense gratification.
(Bhāg. 11.20.27)
13.78
Such a devotee should worship Me with affection, faith, determination and conviction, even while engaging in sense gratification, knowing that such sense gratification leads to misery, and all the while hating his attachments to material pleasures. In this way, sincerely lamenting his attachments to material pleasures, he should go on worshiping Me with affection and conviction. Gradually his material attachments will disappear.
(Bhāg. 11.20.28)
13.79
In this way, an intelligent person will constantly worship Me in bhakti-yoga and will find that gradually all the material desires in his heart disappear, as I become firmly situated in his heart.
(Bhāg. 11.20.29)
13.80
That renunciation in which there is no attachment for the objects of the senses, but in which everything is seen in relationship to Kṛṣṇa and all things are engagcd in His service is called yukta-vairāgya, or practical renunciation.
(Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, Pūrva-vibhāga 2.125)
13.81
The embodied soul may be restricted from sense enjoyment, though the taste for sense objects remain, but ceasing such engagements by experiencing a higher taste, he is fixed in consciousness.
(Bhagavad-gītā 2.59)
Gṛhastha Conduct is Favorable for Bhakti
13.82
O sage, one who aspires for devotional service should perform all activities, whether Vedic or mundane, in a way that is favorable for the service of Lord Hari.
(Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, Pūrva-vibhāga 2.200, from Nārada-Pañcarātra)
Fasting on Ekādaśī is Favorable for Bhakti
13.83
One should worship Tulasī, the banyan and amalā trees, and everything else that is in relation to the Lord. One should be faithful to the Lord's abode. One should fast on Ekādaśī and Janmāṣṭamī, but should avoid fasting on mixed Ekādaśī, such as when part of the Ekādaśī falls on the tenth day of the moon. One should also avoid practicing mixed Janmāṣṭamī, such as when it partly falls on the seventh day of the moon.
(Prameya-ratnāvalī 8.9)
13.84
When there is a doubt about the correct fasting day for Edādaśī or vrata due to many opposing scriptural statements, one should fast on dvādaśī and break the fast on trayodaśī.
(Hari-bhakti-vilāsa 12.279, from Nāradīya Purāṇa)
What Destroys Bhakti
13.85
Over-eating or over-collecting, over endeavoring for mundane things, useless idle talk, neglecting scriptural rules or only formally following them, mundane association, and greed these six things destroy devotion to Kṛṣṇa.
(Upadeśāmṛta 4)
The Dust and Water From a Devotee's Feet, and His Remnants all Have the Power to Bestow Prema
13.86
The remnants of food offered to Kṛṣṇa is called mahā-prasāda. After this mahā-prasāda is taken by a devotee, the remnants are mahāmahā-prasāda. The dust of the feet of a devotee, the water that has washed the feet of a devotee, and the remnants of food left by a devotee are very powerful. By service to these three, one attains the supreme goal of ecstatic love for Kṛṣṇa. In all the revealed scriptures this is declared again and again. Therefore, my dear devotees, please hear from me, for I insist again and again; please keep faith in these three and serve to them without hesitation.
(Cc. Antya 16.59-62)
The Glories of Mahā-prasāda
13.87
O brāhmaṇas, those foodstuffs and beverages that are offered to Kṛṣṇa for His pleasure are transcendental and one should never try to distinguish them as eatables and non-eatables.
(Hari-bhakti-vilāsa 9.403)
13.88 and 89
O brāhmaṇas, the offerings to Śrī Hari are transcendental, incorruptible, and nondifferent from Viṣṇu. Those who have a perverted mentality, and who thinks them to be material will develop leprosy, be devoid of children, wife, and family, and go to the deepest darkest regions of hell from which he will never return.
(Hari-bhakti-vilāsa 9.404,405)
13.90
Mahā-prasāda destroys all sins. Even if it has been touched by the lips of a dog or has fallen on the ground, it will still be relished by brāhmaṇas. Then what to speak if it is touched by others.
(Skanda Purāṇa, Puri Māhātmya 2.2.38.17)
13.91
Even if one is in unclean state of body or mind, engaged in irreligious acts, he should eat mahā-prasāda whenever it is available to him. There is no need to deliberate on this.
(Skanda Purāṇa, Puri Māhātmya 2.5.3.14)
Attachment to Wife and Home is Antagonistic to Developing Bhakti
13.92
Because of their uncontrolled senses, persons addicted to materialistic life progress toward hellish conditions and repeatedly chew the chewed. Their inclinations toward Kṛṣṇa are never aroused, either by the instruction of others, by their own efforts or by a combination of both.
(Bhāg 7.5.30)
13.93
Persons entrapped by the consciousness of enjoying material life, and who have therefore accepted as their leader or guru a similar blind man attached to external sense objects, cannot understand that the goal of life is to return home, back to Godhead and engage in the service of Lord Viṣṇu. As blind men guided by another blind man miss the right path and fall into a ditch, materially attached men led by another materially attached man are bound by the ropes of fruitive labor, which are very strong. They continue again and again in materialistic life, suffering the threefold miseries.
(Bhāg 7.5.31)
Things Unfavorable to Devotional Service
13.94
Whoever considers the Deity of the Supreme Lord to be dead matter made out of wood, stone or metal, or the spiritual master, who is an eternal associate of the Supreme Lord, to be an ordinary man, who is prone to die, or the Vaiṣṇava to be coming from some caste, or the water that washes the feet of the pure devotee or the Supreme Personality of Godhead to be ordinary water, although such water has the potency to destroy all the evils of the age of Kali, or considers the holy name of the Supreme Lord or mantras dedicated to Him, which are able to destroy all sin to be ordinary sounds , or thinks the Supreme Lord of all, Lord Viṣṇu, to be on the same level as demigods, has a hellish mentality. Whoever thinks in this way is certainly a resident of hell.
(Padma Purāṇa)
Bad Association Destroys Bhakti
13.95
Therefore an intelligent person should dissociate himself from evil company and associate with saintly persons, for the wise and pious saints sever one's deep attachment to material existence and one gets liberation by their teachings.
(Bhāg. 11.26.26)
13.96
Association with a devotee, the mercy of Kṛṣṇa, and the nature of devotional service all help one to give up undesirable association and gradually attain elevation to the platform of love of Godhead.
(Cc. Madhya 24.104)
13.97
Cheating oneself and cheating others is called kaitava. The association of cheaters is called duḥsaṇga, bad association. Those who desire things other than Kṛṣṇa's service are also called duḥsaṇga, bad association.
(Cc. Madhya 24.99)
13.98
For a person seriously desiring to cross the material ocean and engage in the transcendental loving service of the Lord without material motives, seeing a materialist engaged in sense gratification and seeing a woman who is similarly interested in more abominable than drinking poison willingly.
(Caitanya-candrodaya-naṭaka 8.23)
13.99
The essential behavior of a Vaiṣṇava is that he gives up unholy association. In other words, he avoids the company of non-devotees and men who are addicted to women and devotes himself to Kṛṣṇa.
(Cc. Madhya 22.87)
Prohibitions and Strictures Regarding Behavior that Destroys Bhakti
(1) Renouncing Bad Association
13.100
It is better to live in a cage of fire than to invite ruin by living with those who are averse to thinking about Śrī Kṛṣṇa.
(Kātyāyana Saṃhitā)
(2) Avoid Attachment to Accepting Too Many Disciples and Over Endeavoring
13.101
A sannyāsī must not present allurements of material benefit to attract many disciples. He should not initiate unqualified disciples in order to expand the number of his followers for prestige and material gain. He should not unnecessarily read many books, nor should he lecture on scriptures such as the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam as a way of making his livelihood. He must not attempt to increase material opulence unnecessarily. He must renounce endeavors for things which are beyond his means and which cannot be attained even at the expense of great time and energy
(Mahārambha). (Bhāg. 7.13.8)
(3) Remaining Undisturbed by Material Misfortunes
13.102
If one fails to get the necessities of life, or if one loses everything, one's recourse is to always mediate within oneself upon the Lord, with an undisturbed mind.
(Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, Pūrva-vibhāga 2.114)
(4) Avoiding Lamentation
13.103
How can Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa appear in the heart of a person who is governed by emotions like sorrow and anger?
(Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, Pūrva-vibhāga 2.115)
(5) Prohibitions on Worshiping Other Gods
13.104
One should always worship Lord Hari, who is the Supreme Controller of all gods, but one should not show contempt for the demigods like Brahmā, Rudra, and others.
(Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, Pūrva-vibhāga 2.116)
(6) One Should Avoid Giving Pain to Other Living Beings
13.105
Just as an affectionate father never gives any cause for fear and pain in his dealings with his children, so Lord Hṛṣīkeśa, is very quickly pleased with those pure-minded souls who are compassionate to all creatures and who avoid being a source of pain and harassment, fear and anxieties to them.
(Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, Pūrva-vibhāga 2.117)
Bhakti is Superior to False Renunciation
13.106
That renunciation which is practiced by those desirous of impersonal liberation and which rejects things in connection with Lord Hari, thinking them to be material, is called phālgu-vairāgya, external or false renunciation.
(Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, Pūrva-vibhāga 2.126)
Things Opposed to Bhakti Reside in 5 Places
13.107
Mahārāja Parīkṣita, having thus been petitioned by Kali, sin personified, gave him permission to reside wherever gambling, drinking, prostitution, and animal slaughter are performed.
(Bhāg. 1.17.38)
13.108
The personality of Kali asked for something more, and because of his begging, the King gave him permission to live where there is gold, because, wherever there is gold there is also falsity, intoxication, lust, envy, and enmity.
(Bhāg. 1.17.39)
13.109
Thus the personality of Kali, by the directions of Mahārāja Parīkṣita, the son of Uttara, was allowed to live in those five places.
(Bhāg. 1.17.40)
13.110
Therefore, whoever desires progressive well-being, especially kings, religionists, public leaders, brāhmaṇas, and sannyāsīs, should never come in contact with the four above-mentioned irreligious principles
(Bhāg. 1.17.41)
The Different Kinds of Bad Association that Destroys Bhakti
13.111
The names of sahajiyā saṃpradāyas are as follows: āula, (a mendicant sect following a very easy course of worship) bāula ( a sect of mendicants who wander about singing sweet melodies about the pastimes of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa while engaging in abominable practices), karttābhajā ( a sect of "followers" of Śrī Gaurāṇga in Bengal), neḍā (Literally: "shaven-headed." Used to sarcastically refer to devotees whose greatest religious principle is their shaven heads. The word also means bald or barren and connotes someone who represents himself as a devotee while his so-called religious life is barren of genuine realization.)
Daraveśa (A Muslim mendicant. This word has also been used by Śrīla Prabhupada to mean "hippie."), sāñi (literally means "religious instructor"), sahajiyā (literally means "easy-ist." indicates one who takes the pastimes of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa cheaply.), sakhībhekī (One who imagines himself a gopī, and adopts the dress of a woman), smārta, (formalistic and materialistic brāhmaṇas), jāta-gosāṇi (caste gosvāmīs), ativāḍī (proud devotees), cūḍādhārī (Those whose only religious principle consists in shaving the head and maintaining a tuft of hair, marking themselves as Vaiṣṇavas), and gaurāṇga-nāgarī (Those who consider that it is the position of Śrī Caitanya to be the enjoyer of women, when in fact as a sannyāsi in His ācārya-līlā Śrī Caitanya avoided all association with women). One should avoid associating with these different classes of imitation devotees.
Association with Women Destroys Bhakti
13.112
One should not sit on the same seat even with one's own mother, sister, or daughter, for the senses are so strong that even though one is very advanced in knowledge, he may be attracted by sex.
(Bhāg. 9.19.17)
Remembrance of Sex Pleasure Condemned
13.113
Since I have been engaged in the transcendental loving service of Kṛṣṇa, realizing ever-new pleasure in Him, whenever I think of sex pleasure, my lips curl with distaste and I spit at the thought.
(Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, Dakṣiṇa-vibhāga, 5.72 quoted from Yamunācārya)
The Power of a Woman to Attract the Mind
13.114
So strongly do the senses adhere to the objects of their enjoyment that indeed a wooden statue of a woman (daru-prakṛti) attracts the mind of even a great saintly person.
(Cc. Antya 2.118)
One Should Completely Give Up all Association With Women
13.115
[One who takes the path of unrighteousness, gets corrupted by bad association and becomes involved in the pursuit of sex and the pleasures of the tongue.] He becomes devoid of truthfulness, cleanliness, mercy, gravity, spiritual intelligence, shyness, austerity, fame, forgiveness, control of the mind, control of the senses, fortune and all such opportunities.
(Bhāg. 3.31.33)
13.116
One should not associate with a coarse fool who is bereft of the knowledge of self-realization and who is no more than a dancing dog in the hands of a woman.
(Bhāg. 3.31.34)
Gṛhamedhi-dharma Condemned
13.117
Sex is compared to the rubbing of two hands to relieve an itch. Gṛhamedhis, so called gṛhasthas, who have no spiritual knowledge, think this itching is the greatest platform of happiness. Actually it is the source of distress. The kṛpaṇas, the fools who are just the opposite of brāhmaṇas, are not satisfied by repeated sense enjoyment. Those who are dhīra, however, who are sober and who tolerate this itching, are not subjected to the suffering of fools and rascals.
(Bhāg. 7.9.45)
Tamasic and Rajasic Foods are Antagonistic to Bhakti
13.118
Foods that are too bitter, too sour, salty, hot, pungent, dry, and burning are dear to those in the mode of passion. Such foods cause distress, misery, and disease.
(Bhagavad-gītā 17.9)
13.119
Foods prepared more than three hours before being eaten, food that is tasteless, decomposed, and putrid, and food consisting of remnants and untouchable things is dear to those in the mode of darkness.
(Bhagavad-gītā 17.10)
Meat-eating Destroys Bhakti
13.120
Those wicked persons who do not know the real nature of dharma, who are proud and stubborn, who consider themselves righteous and who mercilessly slaughter animals will, in their next life, be eaten by the very beasts they kill.
(Bhāg. 11.5.14)
13.121
Whoever eats the meat of someone, he is called the eater of the meat of that entity. But a fish eater is considered as eater of all meats. Therefore one should not eat fish.
(Manu-saṃhitā 5.15)
The Senses are Like Wives, and the Tongue is the Most Powerful
13.122
My dear Lord, O infallible one, my position is like that of a person who has many wives, all trying to attract him in their own way. For example, the tongue is attracted to palatable dishes, the genitals to sex with an attractive woman, and the sense of touch to contract with soft things. The belly, although full, still wants to eat more, and the ear, not attempting to hear about You, is generally attracted to mundane songs and music. The sense of smell is attracted by sweet fragrances, the eyes are attracted by beautiful forms, and the active senses are attracted elsewhere. In this way, I am certainly embarrassed.
(Bhāg. 7.9.40)
13.123
Even if a person has conquered every sense other than the tongue, he cannot be said to have subjugated his senses until he has conquered the tongue and the sense of taste. The sense of taste is the strongest sense; it is the most difficult to control, especially when it becomes more acute as a result of hunger.
(Bhāg. 11.8.21)
13.124
One who is subservient to the demands of the tongue and who thus runs here and there devoted to the genitals and the belly, cannot attain Kṛṣṇa.
(Cc. Antya 6.227)
Misconceptions to be Avoided in Sādhanā-bhakti
13.125
If a devotee commits an offense at the feet of a Vaiṣṇava while cultivating the creeper of devotional service, his offense is compared to a mad elephant that uproots the creeper and breaks it. In this way the leaves of the creeper dry up. The gardener must defend the creeper by fencing it all around so that the powerful elephant of offenses may not enter. Sometimes unwanted creepers, such as the creepers of desires for material enjoyment and liberation from the material world, grow along with the creeper of devotional service. The varieties of such unwanted creepers are unlimited. Some unnecessary creepers growing with the bhakti creeper are the creepers of behavior unacceptable for those trying to attain devotional perfection, diplomatic behavior, animal killing, mundane profiteering, mundane adoration, and mundane importance. All these are unwanted creepers. If one does not distinguish between the bhakti-latā creeper and the other creepers, the sprinkling of water is misused, because the other creepers are nourished while the bhakti-latā creeper is curtailed.
(Cc. Madhya 19.156-160)
To View Devotees Externally is Antagonistic to Bhakti
13.126
All the scriptures agree that a devotee should never be seen in terms of his birth. Birth does not a Vaiṣṇava make. Those sinner bg-skys who see a devotee in terms of his birth will themselves be born in the wombs of inferior species life after life.
(Cb. Madhya 10.100,102)
Conceptions of Good and Bad are Antagonistic to Bhakti
13.127
In the material world, conceptions of good and bad are all mental concoctions. Therefore, saying, "This is good" and "This is bad" is all a mistake.
(Cc. Antya 4.176)
Materialistic Persons and their Reading of Bhāgavatam are Condemned
13.128
The so-called Bhaṭṭācāryas, Cakravartīs, Miśras, and others who make a business out of the scriptures have no realization of the scriptures at all. All their study of scripture is simply fruitive activity. Whoever hears from them will be bound by the ropes of Yamarāja and dragged down to hell at the time of death. Although they study the Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, no explanations of bhakti ever issue forth from their lips. Vaiṣṇavas can see no worse misery than the sufferings of these wretched souls who are bewildered by the illusions of māyā and who wander within the worlds of repeated birth and death. The Vaiṣṇavas think of how all souls can be delivered from drowning in the ocean of material existence. The devotees tell everyone to chant, but some people simply cannot take the holy name, especially the so-called learned professors, who, being proud of their academic education endlessly boast of their knowledge [but who cannot be saved].
(Cb. Ādi 1.39)
Fake, Show-bottle, and Professional Bhāgavatam Reciters
13.129
Those who are unable to understand the Vedas go on to study the dharma-śāstras. Failing to understand the dharma-śāstras, they turn to the Purāṇas. Unable to grasp the real purport of the Purāṇas, they become farmers. Those who can not do anything else become professional Bhāgavatam reciters, although they have no real understanding of the Bhāgavatam .
(Atri Saṃhitā 375)
Attempts at Liberation Beginning With Vows of Silence Austerity, Śāstric Study, and so on, Will Not Lead to Bhakti
13.130
O Supreme Personality of Godhead, there are ten prescribed methods on the path of liberation to remain silent, not to speak to anyone, to observe vows, to amass all kinds of Vedic knowledge, to undergo austerities, to study the Vedas and other Vedic literature, to execute the duties of varṇāśrama-dharma, to explain the śāstras, to stay in a solitary place, to chant mantras silently, and to be absorbed in trance.
These different methods of liberation are generally only a professional practice and means of livelihood for those who have not conquered the senses. Because such persons are falsely proud, these procedures may not be successful.
(Bhāg. 7.9.46)
Desires of Enjoyment and Liberation Destroy Bhakti
13.131
The darkness of ignorance is called kaitava, the way of cheating, which begins with religiosity, economic development, sense gratification, and liberation. The foremost process of cheating is to desire liberation by merging into the Supreme, for this causes the permanent disappearance of loving service to Kṛṣṇa. All kinds of activities, both auspicious and inauspicious, that are detrimental to the discharge of transcendental loving service to Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa are actions of the darkness of ignorance.
(Cc. Ādi 1.90,92,94)
The Senses are Useless if Not Used in Kṛṣṇa's Service
13.132
Do the trees not live? Do the bellows of the blacksmith not breathe? All around us, do the beasts not eat and discharge semen?
(Bhāg. 2.3.18)
13.133
Men who live like dogs, hogs, camels, and asses praise those men who never listen to the transcendental pastimes of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the deliverer from all evils.
(Bhāg. 2.3.19)
13.134
One who has not listened to the messages about the prowess and marvelous acts of the Supreme Person and has not sung or chanted loudly the worthy songs about Him is considered to possess earholes like the holes of snakes and a tongue like the tongue of a frog.
(Bhāg. 2.3.20)
13.135
The upper portion of the body, though crowned with a silk turban, is only a heavy burden if not bowed down before the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who can award liberation. And the hands, although decorated with glittering bangles, are like those of a dead man if not engaged in the service of Śrī Hari.
(Bhāg. 2.3.21)
13.136
Those eyes that do not look at the form of the Supreme Lord are like those printed on the plumes of a peacock, and the legs which do not move to the holy places are like tree trunks.
(Bhāg. 2.3.22)
13.137
The person who has not received the dust of the feet of the Lord's pure devotee upon his head is certainly a dead body. And, although breathing, the person who has never experienced the aroma of the Tulasī leaves from the lotus feet of the Lord is also a dead body.
(Bhāg. 2.3.23)
Without the Mercy of Gaurāṅga it is Impossible to Control the Senses or Practice Bhakti
13.138
Now it is the age of Kali. My enemies, the senses, are very strong. The beautiful path of bhakti is spiked with countless thorns. My spirit is weak. My senses are powerful and agītāted. O what shall I do? Where shall I go? O Lord Caitanya-candra, if you do not grant me Your mercy, what shall I do to save myself?
(Caitanya-candāmṛta 125)
The 6 Kinds of Śaraṇāgati
13.139
The six divisions of surrender are to accept those things favorable for devotional service, to reject unfavorable things, the conviction that Kṛṣṇa will give all protection, to accept the Lord as one's guardian or master, full self-surrender, and humility.
(Cc. Madhya 22.100, from Vaiṣṇava Tantra)
Without Śaraṇāgati There Can be no Auspiciousness
13.140
O my Lord, the people of the world are embarrassed by material anxieties they are always afraid. They always try to protect wealth, body, and friends. They are filled with lamentation and unlawful desires and paraphernalia; and they avariciously base their undertakings on the perishable conceptions of "my" and "mine". As long as they do not take shelter of Your safe lotus feet, they are full of such anxieties.
(Bhāg. 3.9.6)
13.141
Now I am confused about my duty and have lost all composure due to weakness. In that condition I am asking You to tell me clearly what is best for me. Now I am Your disciple and soul surrendered unto You. Please instruct me.
(Bhagavad-gītā 2.7)
13.142
This divine energy of Mine, consisting of the three modes of nature, is difficult to overcome, but those who have surrendered unto Me can easily cross beyond it.
(Bhagavad-gītā 7.14)
13.143
Anyone who is specifically favored by the Supreme Lord, due to unalloyed surrender to the service of the Lord, can overcome the insurmountable ocean of illusion and can understand the Lord. But those who are attached to the body, which is meant to be eaten by dogs and jackals cannot do so.
(Bhāg. 2.7.42)
13.144
But those who are always attached to Me, who worship Me with devotion, meditating on My transcendental form to them I carry what they have and preserve what they lack.
(Bhagavad-gītā 9.22)
13.145
Drinking the nectar of Kṛṣṇa-bhakti-rasa, the living being forgets the gross and subtle material bodies and becomes absorbed in transcendence. The body of such a devotee, although material, attains the qualities sat, cit, and ānanda, or eternity, knowledge, and bliss.
(Bṛhad-bhāgavatāmṛta 2.3.45)
13.146
When a devotee fully surrenders to Kṛṣṇa, offering his very self, at that time Kṛṣṇa accepts the devotee to be as good as His very self. (That is, the Lord accepts Him as one of his own personal associates.)
(Cc. Madhya 22.102)
13.147
Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, "The body of a devotee is never material. It is considered transcendental, full of spiritual bliss. At the time of initiation, when a devotee fully surrenders unto the service of the Lord, Kṛṣṇa accepts him to be as good as Himself. When the devotee's body is thus transformed into spiritual existence, the devotee, in that transcendental body, renders service to the lotus feet of the Lord.
(Cc. Antya 4.191-193)
13.148
Taking a straw in my teeth I fall at your feet hundreds of times and implore you with sweet words, saying, "O noble soul! Please throw out everything you have learned and cultivate attachment to the lotus feet of the moonlike Śrī Gaurāṅga.
(Caitanya-candāmṛta 120)
Humility
13.149
My dear friends, I have not the slightest tinge of love of Godhead within my heart. When you see me crying in separation, I am only making a false show of devotion. The proof that I have no love for Kṛṣṇa is the fact that while not seeing His beautiful face as He plays His flute I continue to maintain My fly like existence.
(Cc. Madhya 2.45)
The Value of Association With a Pure Devotee
13.150
O sinless ones! We therefore inquire from you about that which is supremely auspicious for all living beings, for in this world association with saints even for a half a moment is the most valuable treasure in human society.
(Bhāg. 11.2.30)
13.151
Elevation to the heavenly planets and liberation from material existence cannot be compared to even a moment's association with a pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa. What then can be said of material benedictions, which are for those who are destined to die?
(Bhāg. 1.18.13)
13.152
Fear arises when a living entity misidentifies himself as the material body because of absorption in the external, illusory energy of the Lord. When the living entity thus turns away from the Supreme Lord, he also forgets his own constitutional position as a servant of the Lord. This bewildering, fearful condition is effected by the potency for illusion, called māyā. Therefore, an itelligent person should engage unflinchingly in the unalloyed devotional service of the Lord, under the guidance of a bona fide spiritual master, whom he should accept as his worshipable deity and as his very life and soul.
(Bhāg. 11.2.37)
The Śrutis Identify the Worship of Devotees and Association with Saints as the Only Thing Worth Doing
13.153
A person wishing to attain divine opulence should worship one who is ātmajña, self-realized. That is, he should worship a devotee of Śrī Hari, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
(Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad 3.1.10)
Sādhu-saṇga is the Only Way
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My dear King Rahūgaṇa, unless one has the opportunity to smear his 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, by worshiping the Deity, by taking sannyāsa, by perfectly following the rules of the gṛhastha āśrama, nor can one attain the truth by accepting severe penances and austerities, by studying the Vedas, nor by worshiping the gods of water and sun. Only by bathing in the dust of the lotus feet of a pure devotee is the Absolute Truth revealed.
(Bhāg. 5.12.12)
Those Who Have Few Pious Credits Cannot Get the Association of Great Souls
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Those whose austerity is meager can hardly obtain the service of the pure devotees, who are progressing on the path back to the kingdom of God, Vaikuṇṭha. Pure devotees engage one hundred percent in glorifying the Supreme Lord, who is the Lord of the demigods and the controller of all living entities.
(Bhāg. 3.7.20)
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Unless they smear upon their bodies the dust of the lotus feet of a Vaiṣṇava completely free from material contamination, persons very much inclined toward materialistic life cannot be attached to the lotus feet of the Lord. Only in this way can one be free from material contamination.
(Bhāg. 7.5.32)
A Devotee Has all Good Qualities; a Non-devotee Has None
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All demigods and their exalted qualities, such as religious knowledge and renunciation, become manifest in the body of one who has developed unalloyed devotion for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vāsudeva. On the other hand, a person devoid of devotional service and engaged in material activities has no good qualities. Even if he is adept at the practice of mystic yoga, or the honest endeavor of maintaining his family and relatives, he must be driven by his own mental speculations and must engage in serving the Lord's external energy. How can there be any good qualities in such a person?
(Bhāg. 5.18.12)
From Sādhu-saṇga Comes Faith, Devotional Attachment, and Prema-bhakti
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In the association of pure devotees, discussion of the pastimes and activities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is very pleasing and satisfying to the ear and the heart. By cultivating such knowledge one gradually becomes advanced on the path of liberation. Thereafter he is freed, and his attraction is fixed. Then real devotion and devotional service begin.
(Bhāg. 3.25.25)
With Humility and Hankering for Kṛṣṇa,a Devotee Prays as Follows
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O almighty Lord, I have no desire to accumulate wealth, nor do I desire beautiful women, nor do I want any number of followers, nor do I care for the fame of a poet, or the poetically glorified position of impersonal liberation I only want Your causeless devotional service birth after birth.
(Śikṣāṣtakam 4)
Thus ends the Thirteenth Jewel of the Gauḍīya Kaṇṭhahāra, entitled Sādhana-bhakti-tattva.