Sri Satvata Tantra-2
Patala Four
Bhakti-bheda
Varieties of Devotional Service
1 Sri Narada said: As I hear your nectar words my thirst to hear more and more remains unsatiated. The glory of the description of Lord Hari's avataras is the supreme auspiciousness.
2 Now that I have heard all this, I yearn to hear about the different kinds of devotional service the living entities render to the Supreme Lord.
3 O Lord Sadasiva, please describe to me the different kinds of devotional service to Lord Visnu. O Lord, by understanding the truth of devotional service, a person attains the same transcendental position as Lord Visnu.
4 Sri Siva said: O saintly one, it is good that you ask about this. This is a great secret I will not reveal to any but a devotee of the Lord.
5 Once, pleased at heart by my activities of meditation, all-powerful Lord Krsna spoke to me. At that time the merciful Lord forbade me to describe (devotional service) to the non devotees.
6 Then I bowed down before the Lord, placing my head at His feet. The Lord said: You should tell these things only to the devotees.
7 Then, pleased at heart, the Lord who is the goal of the saintly devotees said to me: O Siva, auspiciousness to you! Listen. I will tell this only to the saintly devotees.
8 O Mahadeva, know that they who intently meditate on Me, who consider Me their very life, who are eager to hear of My glories, and who are respectful to all living entities, are My devotees.
9 Pleased with them I describe the different kinds of devotional service along with the ways to attain them, O Siva, in this way the devotional service you perform will become perfect.
10 O Sadasiva, pleased at heart, I will describe these different kinds of devotional service, along with the ways to attain them, to anyone who has faith in your words.
11 Now I will describe to you the different kinds of devotional service, along with the ways to attain them. A person who is fond of glorifying the Lord is the best of devotees.
12 The love of the gopis is famous as "kama". Because it is unbroken, full of bliss and beyond the material modes, unalloyed devotional service is called "priti" by the wise.
13 Devotional service is of three kinds: 1. jnana, 2. kriya, 3. lila. O brahmana, now please hear of these from me.
14 1. Jnana Devotional Service
Jnana devotional service consists of unbroken meditation on Lord Hari, the Supersoul in everyone's heart. Untouched by the modes of material nature, jnana devotional service is better than impersonal liberation.
15 Kriya Devotional Service
Kriya devotional service consists of making the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Visnu, the goal of all sense activities by offering (the fruits) one's work to Him. Kriya devotional service mocks impersonal liberation.
16 Lila Devotional Service
Lila devotional service is manifested when by hearing Lord Hari's pastimes in the association of devotees one develops love for Him. The devotees should always perform this kind of devotional service. No other service is better than this.
17 O best of the devotees, now please hear the ways by which, step by step, one attains devotional service to Lord Hari.
18-21 By performing the duties of varnasrama prescribed according to one's own nature, by not harming others, by hearing about, seeing, touching , worshipping, offering prayers to, and offering obeisances to the Lord's Deity form and His other forms, by being detached from the objects of sense gratification, by serving one's spiritual master, by hearing scriptures that encourage renunciation, by being submissive to great souls, by being friendly to one's equals, by being kind to the poor and lowly, by meditating on the form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, by hearing and chanting His glories, and by seeing Him present as the Supersoul in all living entities, one attains devotional service that is not touched by the modes of material nature (nirguna-bhakti).
22 When one attains devotional service that is beyond the modes of material nature, he does not think impersonal liberation very valuable. For him liberation is love for the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
23 The first stage of this love is called bhava. When ecstatic symptoms, such as tears and hairs of the body standing erect, are even slightly manifested, it is called sattvika-bhava.
24 O best of the saintly devotees, please hear what a wise person should with all earnestness do to attain devotional service to the Lord.
25 Following his spiritual master's instructions, with his senses a person should earnestly serve the Supreme Lord's lotus feet.
26 With one's voice one should chant the holy names of Lord Hari. With one's ears one should hear of Lord Hari's activities. With one's hands one should serve the Deity and other forms of Lord Hari.
27 With one's tongue one should happily taste the foods offered to the Lord. With one's nose one should smell the fragrances offered to Lord Krsna's lotus feet.
28 When the scent of flowers offered to the Lord enters the nose, the prison cage of one's past sins suddenly breaks open.
29 One should place to one's head the flowers offered to the Lord's body. With one's eyes one should respectfully gaze on the Vaisnavas.
30 With one's mind one should meditate on the Lord's form. With one's head, chest, arms, feet, and other parts of one's body one should offer dandavat obeisances to the Lord. One should always use one's wealth and possessions to advance the Lord's purpose.
31 By regularly performing these activities of sadhana, one should serve the Lord's feet. In this way devotion to Lord Krsna (bhagavati bhakti), the eternal Supreme Personality of Godhead, will quickly become manifest.
32 When all the senses are engaged in (serving) Lord Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, it is considered that one has attained spontaneous love for the Lord.
33 O brahmana, a person ardently engaged in devotional service does not think the four goals of life (material piety, economic development, sense gratification, and impersonal liberation) are very valuable. For him all happiness is in devotional service.
34 Impersonal liberation is easily attained by the philosophical speculation. Sense gratification is easily attained by performing yajnas and other pious deeds. Devotion to Lord Hari is not attained by thousands of such activities.
35 Very wonderful mystic powers, sense gratification, eternal liberation, and eternal transcendental bliss come from devotional service to Lord Govinda.
36 O best of brahmana, please hear how with steady intelligence one attains the faith that brings loving devotional service.
37 By the instruction of a bona fide spiritual master one attains the association of devotees. Then one respectfully hears from them the four kinds of Lord Visnu's transcendental activities.
38 Then one glorifies the Lord and remembers him in one's heart. Then with one's voice one praises the great devotees of the Lord.
39 If one does not have the ability to glorify the Lord or always remember him, then one should always chant the Lord's holy names.
40 Only with great endeavour do human beings attain success in remembering Lord Krsna. However, merely by moving their lips they can attain success in chanting the Lord's holy name.
41 O Narada, the holy names of Lord Hari always stay only in the mouth of one who in hundreds of previous births worshipped Lord Vasudeva.
42 One who with unwavering love acts in this way day after day quickly attains devotion to Lord Krsna. He is honoured by the devotees.
43 In this way he attains love for the Lord. He becomes free from the cycle of repeated birth and death and he attains the peace that brings great transcendental bliss.
44 The devotees attain forms, noble character, virtues, and actions that are like the Lord's. Without devotion to Lord Krsna, the deliverer from evils, one cannot attain these things.
45 Here someone may protest: If by performing activities other than these one tirelessly engages in some other kind of devotional service there is no fault, for that person is engaged in service to Lord Hari.
46 That protest is answered with these words: A person attains devotional service according to his faith in devotional service. The results of performing devotional service may thus be different according to one's faith, but the activities (sadhana) of devotional service are not different.
47 One by one I have explained the different kinds of devotional service and the ways (sadhana) to attain them. Devotional service performed without material desires brings eternal results beginning with the happy state of liberation from the world.
48 O brahmana, devotional service performed with material desires and according to the modes of material nature has already been elaborately described by the great sages. What more shall I describe. Tell me, O best of the brahmanas.
49 Sri Narada said: O best of the demigods, you have described to me all that should be done. What are the forbidden activities, which hinder devotional service?
50 O Mahadeva, to me, who have faith in devotional service, please describe both the obstacles on the path of devotional service and the most important activities (sadhana) by which one attains devotional service.
51 Sri Siva said: So-called activities of devotional service (sadhana) to the Supreme Personality of Godhead that are different (from what I have described) are forbidden.
52 O best of the brahmanas, for a person who has faith in devotional service the sense gratification of the material body is the greatest obstacle to devotional service.
53 In this way I have summarised for you what are the obstacles and what is prohibited. Now please hear how humankind should completely avoid those things that destroy devotional service.
54 In nirguna bhakti (devotional service beyond the modes of material nature) it is doing harm to other living entities. In bhagavati bhakti (devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead) it is false ego. In premamayi bhakti (devotional service performed out of love) it is hostility to the great devotees. These are the things that destroy devotional service.
55 A person who out of hatred disrespects the words of his spiritual master breaks all the rules of devotional service. Even though engaged in devotional service, he goes to hell.
56 One who see fault in his spiritual master commits an offense. He will suffer the result of that offense. One who sees his spiritual master as an ordinary man has all his endeavours become like the bathing of an elephant.
Note: After bathing an elephant's first act is to sprinkle its body with dust, thus negating the effect of its bath.
57 Of all the activities of sadhana the most important is service to the spiritual master. By that service, devotion to the Supreme Personality of Godhead is quickly, easily, and happily attained.
58 Therefore one should very carefully respect the spiritual master's words. They should all be followed. They increase one's devotion to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
59 One should always reject the words of they who have no devotion for their spiritual master, for sacred mantras, for Lord Visnu, or for the all-pervading Supersoul.
60 They whose faith is situated in nirguna bhakti (devotional service beyond the modes of material nature) should always be kind to other living entities. They whose faith is situated in bhagavati bhakti (devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead) should always engage their mind, body and words in the Lord's service.
61 They whose faith is situated in premamayi bhakti (devotional service performed with love) should with love hear the glories of the Lord. o best of the brahmanas, thus I have described to you the most important activities (sadhana) by which one attains devotional service.
62 Taking shelter of Lord Krsna's feet is the root from which all the activities of devotional service (grow). Trying to perform devotional service without it is like trying to drink water from an unbaked earthen pot.
63 Sri Narada said: O wise one, please describe to me the activity of taking shelter of Lord Krsna's lotus feet, without which a person performs devotional service in vain.
64 Sri Siva said: With one's body, words and mind to take shelter of Lord Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is called surrender.
65 O best of brahmanas, they who know the Vedas say that surrender to the Lord is of three kinds: 1. the initial stage, 2. the intermediate stage, and 3. the highest state. O sage, now please hear of these, one by one.
66 The conviction that following religious principles, going on pilgrimages, and surrender to the Lord will protect me from (the reactions of past) sins is considered the initial stage of surrender to Lord Krsna.
67 The conviction that I shall give to Lord Krsna my wife, children, friends, wealth, cows and other things that are my property, is considered the intermediate stage of surrender to Lord Krsna.
68 The conviction that I shall place at Lord Krsna's lotus feet my self, my body and everything that is mine, is called the highest stage of surrender to Lord Krsna.
69 Saying with one's voice, "I am Yours", thinking that one's mind, and with one's body taking shelter of the Lord's holy place, a person who surrenders to the Lord becomes happy.
70 Aside from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, (the devotees) who surrender to Him, and His path of religion (devotional service), such a person sees nothing else of which he can take shelter.
71 Such a person, who surrenders to the Lord, who is filled with devotion for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and who carries the infallible Lord in his heart, purifies all the worlds.
72 Only such a devotee is dear to Lord Visnu. Nothing else is dear to Him. What are the Lord's blissful potencies and opulences in comparison to that devotee?
73 O king of brahmanas, please hear some other symptoms of surrender. The six divisions of surrender are the acceptance of things favourable for devotional service, the rejection of unfavourable things, the conviction that Krsna will give protection, the acceptance of the Lord as one's guardian or master, full self-surrender, and humility.*
74 Sri Narada said: O best of the demigods, please describe to me the characteristics of the devotees so I can understand them and show my affection for them.
75 Sri Siva said: O sage, ordinary men cannot understand the devotees. Only other devotees can understand them, as only another snake can understand how a snake walks.
76 Still, O best of the sages, because you yourself are a devotee of Lord Visnu, I will tell you the essence of the extraordinary nature of the devotees.
77 The devotees are pure in heart, free of false ego, free of material possessiveness, followers of the scriptures, peaceful, and friends of all embodied souls.
78 They do not harm anyone, even if others try to harm them. These are the symptoms of liberated souls who are beyond the modes of material nature and are devoted to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
79 Only service to Lord Hari is dear to them. Nothing else is dear to their heart. They have dedicated their body, home, and senses to the service of Lord Vasudeva.
80 They are free from attachment, aversion and other material feelings. They are indifferent to honour and dishonour. They are always satisfied at heart. Such persons are considered devotees of the Lord.
81 They are affectionate to the devotees, full of faith in the Vedas' descriptions of the Lord's glories, and averse to associating with they who love to talk of the three goals (of economic development, material piety and sense gratification).
82 They are truthful, their hearts yearn to hear Lord Krsna's glories, and they are full of love for Lord Hari. Such persons are devotees of the Lord. All the worlds bow down to offer respects to them.
83 In this way (I have) summarily described the nature of the devotees. Now hear of the three kinds of spiritual awareness.
84 A person who knows that Lord Hari is present in the hearts of all, who is devoted to the Lord's service, and who loves everyone equally and hates no one, has the best spiritual knowledge.
85 A person who knows that Lord Visnu is present everywhere and who loves in different degrees they who are exalted, middle, or lowly, is in the intermediate stage of spiritual knowledge.
86 A person who loves only the Deity and other like forms of Lord Hari, but not the all-pervading Supersoul, and who at least refrains from hurting others, is a materialistic devotee.
87 A person filled with spontaneous love for Lord Hari and engaged in serving Him with all his senses, is called a great devotee (maha-bhagavata), and the highest devotee (uttama).
88 A person who loves Lord Visnu and serves Him with his senses is called a middle devotee (madhyama).
89 A person who without love serves Lord Krsna with his senses and at least remains free from illicit sense gratification is a materialistic (prakrta) devotee.
90 A person who with love always hears the recitation of Lord Hari's pastimes is a great devotee (maha-bhagavata), the highest devotee (uttama). He purifies the worlds.
91 A person who with love hears and chants the glories of Lord Visnu regularly day after day is a middle devotee (madhyama).
92 A person who with love from time to time hears and chants the glories of Lord Hari for perhaps a single yama, and who does not hate the other devotees of Lord Visnu, is called a materialistic (prakrta) devotee.
93 O best of the devotees, many great saints have described many other symptoms of the different kinds of devotees. Still, you can understand the status of the devotees by seeing the degree of their faith.
94 O best of brahmanas, love for the Lord is caused by association with faithful devotees.
95 Love for the devotees who are beyond the modes of material nature feel for the Lord is a great good fortune that is very difficult to attain. Now I will describe that love.
96 You should always love they who are devoted to hearing Lord Hari's pastimes. In that way your devotion to Lord Hari will never perish.
97 O brahmana in this way I have described the natures of the different kinds of devotees. By loving the devotees the people in general become liberated (from the world of birth and death).
98 O child, I have thus described the different kinds of devotional service and the ways (sadhana) they are attained. Devotional service purifies all the varnas and rescues all the asramas from the hard labour (of material life).
99 Devotional service should always be performed. It is eternal. It brings perfection to the people of all countries. In each of the four yugas it makes one dear to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Bhakti-bheda
Varieties of Devotional Service
1 Sri Narada said: As I hear your nectar words my thirst to hear more and more remains unsatiated. The glory of the description of Lord Hari's avataras is the supreme auspiciousness.
2 Now that I have heard all this, I yearn to hear about the different kinds of devotional service the living entities render to the Supreme Lord.
3 O Lord Sadasiva, please describe to me the different kinds of devotional service to Lord Visnu. O Lord, by understanding the truth of devotional service, a person attains the same transcendental position as Lord Visnu.
4 Sri Siva said: O saintly one, it is good that you ask about this. This is a great secret I will not reveal to any but a devotee of the Lord.
5 Once, pleased at heart by my activities of meditation, all-powerful Lord Krsna spoke to me. At that time the merciful Lord forbade me to describe (devotional service) to the non devotees.
6 Then I bowed down before the Lord, placing my head at His feet. The Lord said: You should tell these things only to the devotees.
7 Then, pleased at heart, the Lord who is the goal of the saintly devotees said to me: O Siva, auspiciousness to you! Listen. I will tell this only to the saintly devotees.
8 O Mahadeva, know that they who intently meditate on Me, who consider Me their very life, who are eager to hear of My glories, and who are respectful to all living entities, are My devotees.
9 Pleased with them I describe the different kinds of devotional service along with the ways to attain them, O Siva, in this way the devotional service you perform will become perfect.
10 O Sadasiva, pleased at heart, I will describe these different kinds of devotional service, along with the ways to attain them, to anyone who has faith in your words.
11 Now I will describe to you the different kinds of devotional service, along with the ways to attain them. A person who is fond of glorifying the Lord is the best of devotees.
12 The love of the gopis is famous as "kama". Because it is unbroken, full of bliss and beyond the material modes, unalloyed devotional service is called "priti" by the wise.
13 Devotional service is of three kinds: 1. jnana, 2. kriya, 3. lila. O brahmana, now please hear of these from me.
14 1. Jnana Devotional Service
Jnana devotional service consists of unbroken meditation on Lord Hari, the Supersoul in everyone's heart. Untouched by the modes of material nature, jnana devotional service is better than impersonal liberation.
15 Kriya Devotional Service
Kriya devotional service consists of making the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Visnu, the goal of all sense activities by offering (the fruits) one's work to Him. Kriya devotional service mocks impersonal liberation.
16 Lila Devotional Service
Lila devotional service is manifested when by hearing Lord Hari's pastimes in the association of devotees one develops love for Him. The devotees should always perform this kind of devotional service. No other service is better than this.
17 O best of the devotees, now please hear the ways by which, step by step, one attains devotional service to Lord Hari.
18-21 By performing the duties of varnasrama prescribed according to one's own nature, by not harming others, by hearing about, seeing, touching , worshipping, offering prayers to, and offering obeisances to the Lord's Deity form and His other forms, by being detached from the objects of sense gratification, by serving one's spiritual master, by hearing scriptures that encourage renunciation, by being submissive to great souls, by being friendly to one's equals, by being kind to the poor and lowly, by meditating on the form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, by hearing and chanting His glories, and by seeing Him present as the Supersoul in all living entities, one attains devotional service that is not touched by the modes of material nature (nirguna-bhakti).
22 When one attains devotional service that is beyond the modes of material nature, he does not think impersonal liberation very valuable. For him liberation is love for the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
23 The first stage of this love is called bhava. When ecstatic symptoms, such as tears and hairs of the body standing erect, are even slightly manifested, it is called sattvika-bhava.
24 O best of the saintly devotees, please hear what a wise person should with all earnestness do to attain devotional service to the Lord.
25 Following his spiritual master's instructions, with his senses a person should earnestly serve the Supreme Lord's lotus feet.
26 With one's voice one should chant the holy names of Lord Hari. With one's ears one should hear of Lord Hari's activities. With one's hands one should serve the Deity and other forms of Lord Hari.
27 With one's tongue one should happily taste the foods offered to the Lord. With one's nose one should smell the fragrances offered to Lord Krsna's lotus feet.
28 When the scent of flowers offered to the Lord enters the nose, the prison cage of one's past sins suddenly breaks open.
29 One should place to one's head the flowers offered to the Lord's body. With one's eyes one should respectfully gaze on the Vaisnavas.
30 With one's mind one should meditate on the Lord's form. With one's head, chest, arms, feet, and other parts of one's body one should offer dandavat obeisances to the Lord. One should always use one's wealth and possessions to advance the Lord's purpose.
31 By regularly performing these activities of sadhana, one should serve the Lord's feet. In this way devotion to Lord Krsna (bhagavati bhakti), the eternal Supreme Personality of Godhead, will quickly become manifest.
32 When all the senses are engaged in (serving) Lord Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, it is considered that one has attained spontaneous love for the Lord.
33 O brahmana, a person ardently engaged in devotional service does not think the four goals of life (material piety, economic development, sense gratification, and impersonal liberation) are very valuable. For him all happiness is in devotional service.
34 Impersonal liberation is easily attained by the philosophical speculation. Sense gratification is easily attained by performing yajnas and other pious deeds. Devotion to Lord Hari is not attained by thousands of such activities.
35 Very wonderful mystic powers, sense gratification, eternal liberation, and eternal transcendental bliss come from devotional service to Lord Govinda.
36 O best of brahmana, please hear how with steady intelligence one attains the faith that brings loving devotional service.
37 By the instruction of a bona fide spiritual master one attains the association of devotees. Then one respectfully hears from them the four kinds of Lord Visnu's transcendental activities.
38 Then one glorifies the Lord and remembers him in one's heart. Then with one's voice one praises the great devotees of the Lord.
39 If one does not have the ability to glorify the Lord or always remember him, then one should always chant the Lord's holy names.
40 Only with great endeavour do human beings attain success in remembering Lord Krsna. However, merely by moving their lips they can attain success in chanting the Lord's holy name.
41 O Narada, the holy names of Lord Hari always stay only in the mouth of one who in hundreds of previous births worshipped Lord Vasudeva.
42 One who with unwavering love acts in this way day after day quickly attains devotion to Lord Krsna. He is honoured by the devotees.
43 In this way he attains love for the Lord. He becomes free from the cycle of repeated birth and death and he attains the peace that brings great transcendental bliss.
44 The devotees attain forms, noble character, virtues, and actions that are like the Lord's. Without devotion to Lord Krsna, the deliverer from evils, one cannot attain these things.
45 Here someone may protest: If by performing activities other than these one tirelessly engages in some other kind of devotional service there is no fault, for that person is engaged in service to Lord Hari.
46 That protest is answered with these words: A person attains devotional service according to his faith in devotional service. The results of performing devotional service may thus be different according to one's faith, but the activities (sadhana) of devotional service are not different.
47 One by one I have explained the different kinds of devotional service and the ways (sadhana) to attain them. Devotional service performed without material desires brings eternal results beginning with the happy state of liberation from the world.
48 O brahmana, devotional service performed with material desires and according to the modes of material nature has already been elaborately described by the great sages. What more shall I describe. Tell me, O best of the brahmanas.
49 Sri Narada said: O best of the demigods, you have described to me all that should be done. What are the forbidden activities, which hinder devotional service?
50 O Mahadeva, to me, who have faith in devotional service, please describe both the obstacles on the path of devotional service and the most important activities (sadhana) by which one attains devotional service.
51 Sri Siva said: So-called activities of devotional service (sadhana) to the Supreme Personality of Godhead that are different (from what I have described) are forbidden.
52 O best of the brahmanas, for a person who has faith in devotional service the sense gratification of the material body is the greatest obstacle to devotional service.
53 In this way I have summarised for you what are the obstacles and what is prohibited. Now please hear how humankind should completely avoid those things that destroy devotional service.
54 In nirguna bhakti (devotional service beyond the modes of material nature) it is doing harm to other living entities. In bhagavati bhakti (devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead) it is false ego. In premamayi bhakti (devotional service performed out of love) it is hostility to the great devotees. These are the things that destroy devotional service.
55 A person who out of hatred disrespects the words of his spiritual master breaks all the rules of devotional service. Even though engaged in devotional service, he goes to hell.
56 One who see fault in his spiritual master commits an offense. He will suffer the result of that offense. One who sees his spiritual master as an ordinary man has all his endeavours become like the bathing of an elephant.
Note: After bathing an elephant's first act is to sprinkle its body with dust, thus negating the effect of its bath.
57 Of all the activities of sadhana the most important is service to the spiritual master. By that service, devotion to the Supreme Personality of Godhead is quickly, easily, and happily attained.
58 Therefore one should very carefully respect the spiritual master's words. They should all be followed. They increase one's devotion to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
59 One should always reject the words of they who have no devotion for their spiritual master, for sacred mantras, for Lord Visnu, or for the all-pervading Supersoul.
60 They whose faith is situated in nirguna bhakti (devotional service beyond the modes of material nature) should always be kind to other living entities. They whose faith is situated in bhagavati bhakti (devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead) should always engage their mind, body and words in the Lord's service.
61 They whose faith is situated in premamayi bhakti (devotional service performed with love) should with love hear the glories of the Lord. o best of the brahmanas, thus I have described to you the most important activities (sadhana) by which one attains devotional service.
62 Taking shelter of Lord Krsna's feet is the root from which all the activities of devotional service (grow). Trying to perform devotional service without it is like trying to drink water from an unbaked earthen pot.
63 Sri Narada said: O wise one, please describe to me the activity of taking shelter of Lord Krsna's lotus feet, without which a person performs devotional service in vain.
64 Sri Siva said: With one's body, words and mind to take shelter of Lord Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is called surrender.
65 O best of brahmanas, they who know the Vedas say that surrender to the Lord is of three kinds: 1. the initial stage, 2. the intermediate stage, and 3. the highest state. O sage, now please hear of these, one by one.
66 The conviction that following religious principles, going on pilgrimages, and surrender to the Lord will protect me from (the reactions of past) sins is considered the initial stage of surrender to Lord Krsna.
67 The conviction that I shall give to Lord Krsna my wife, children, friends, wealth, cows and other things that are my property, is considered the intermediate stage of surrender to Lord Krsna.
68 The conviction that I shall place at Lord Krsna's lotus feet my self, my body and everything that is mine, is called the highest stage of surrender to Lord Krsna.
69 Saying with one's voice, "I am Yours", thinking that one's mind, and with one's body taking shelter of the Lord's holy place, a person who surrenders to the Lord becomes happy.
70 Aside from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, (the devotees) who surrender to Him, and His path of religion (devotional service), such a person sees nothing else of which he can take shelter.
71 Such a person, who surrenders to the Lord, who is filled with devotion for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and who carries the infallible Lord in his heart, purifies all the worlds.
72 Only such a devotee is dear to Lord Visnu. Nothing else is dear to Him. What are the Lord's blissful potencies and opulences in comparison to that devotee?
73 O king of brahmanas, please hear some other symptoms of surrender. The six divisions of surrender are the acceptance of things favourable for devotional service, the rejection of unfavourable things, the conviction that Krsna will give protection, the acceptance of the Lord as one's guardian or master, full self-surrender, and humility.*
74 Sri Narada said: O best of the demigods, please describe to me the characteristics of the devotees so I can understand them and show my affection for them.
75 Sri Siva said: O sage, ordinary men cannot understand the devotees. Only other devotees can understand them, as only another snake can understand how a snake walks.
76 Still, O best of the sages, because you yourself are a devotee of Lord Visnu, I will tell you the essence of the extraordinary nature of the devotees.
77 The devotees are pure in heart, free of false ego, free of material possessiveness, followers of the scriptures, peaceful, and friends of all embodied souls.
78 They do not harm anyone, even if others try to harm them. These are the symptoms of liberated souls who are beyond the modes of material nature and are devoted to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
79 Only service to Lord Hari is dear to them. Nothing else is dear to their heart. They have dedicated their body, home, and senses to the service of Lord Vasudeva.
80 They are free from attachment, aversion and other material feelings. They are indifferent to honour and dishonour. They are always satisfied at heart. Such persons are considered devotees of the Lord.
81 They are affectionate to the devotees, full of faith in the Vedas' descriptions of the Lord's glories, and averse to associating with they who love to talk of the three goals (of economic development, material piety and sense gratification).
82 They are truthful, their hearts yearn to hear Lord Krsna's glories, and they are full of love for Lord Hari. Such persons are devotees of the Lord. All the worlds bow down to offer respects to them.
83 In this way (I have) summarily described the nature of the devotees. Now hear of the three kinds of spiritual awareness.
84 A person who knows that Lord Hari is present in the hearts of all, who is devoted to the Lord's service, and who loves everyone equally and hates no one, has the best spiritual knowledge.
85 A person who knows that Lord Visnu is present everywhere and who loves in different degrees they who are exalted, middle, or lowly, is in the intermediate stage of spiritual knowledge.
86 A person who loves only the Deity and other like forms of Lord Hari, but not the all-pervading Supersoul, and who at least refrains from hurting others, is a materialistic devotee.
87 A person filled with spontaneous love for Lord Hari and engaged in serving Him with all his senses, is called a great devotee (maha-bhagavata), and the highest devotee (uttama).
88 A person who loves Lord Visnu and serves Him with his senses is called a middle devotee (madhyama).
89 A person who without love serves Lord Krsna with his senses and at least remains free from illicit sense gratification is a materialistic (prakrta) devotee.
90 A person who with love always hears the recitation of Lord Hari's pastimes is a great devotee (maha-bhagavata), the highest devotee (uttama). He purifies the worlds.
91 A person who with love hears and chants the glories of Lord Visnu regularly day after day is a middle devotee (madhyama).
92 A person who with love from time to time hears and chants the glories of Lord Hari for perhaps a single yama, and who does not hate the other devotees of Lord Visnu, is called a materialistic (prakrta) devotee.
93 O best of the devotees, many great saints have described many other symptoms of the different kinds of devotees. Still, you can understand the status of the devotees by seeing the degree of their faith.
94 O best of brahmanas, love for the Lord is caused by association with faithful devotees.
95 Love for the devotees who are beyond the modes of material nature feel for the Lord is a great good fortune that is very difficult to attain. Now I will describe that love.
96 You should always love they who are devoted to hearing Lord Hari's pastimes. In that way your devotion to Lord Hari will never perish.
97 O brahmana in this way I have described the natures of the different kinds of devotees. By loving the devotees the people in general become liberated (from the world of birth and death).
98 O child, I have thus described the different kinds of devotional service and the ways (sadhana) they are attained. Devotional service purifies all the varnas and rescues all the asramas from the hard labour (of material life).
99 Devotional service should always be performed. It is eternal. It brings perfection to the people of all countries. In each of the four yugas it makes one dear to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
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