B H A K T I (DEVOTIONAL SERVICE). part 7.

kṛṣṇa-bhakti — abhidheya, sarva-śāstre kayaataeva muni-gaṇa kariyāche niścayaA human being's activities should be centered only on devotional service to Lord Kṛṣṇa. That is the verdict of all Vedic literatures, and all saintly people have firmly concludeded this. (CC-2:22:5).'nitya-mukta' — nitya kṛṣṇa-caraṇe unmukha'kṛṣṇa-pāriṣada' nāma, bhuñje sevā-sukhaThose who are eternally liberated are always awake to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and they render transcendental loving service at the feet of Lord Kṛṣṇa. They are to be considered eternal associates of Kṛṣṇa, and they are eternally enjoying the transcendental bliss of serving Kṛṣṇa.(CC-2:22:11).kṛṣṇa-bhakti haya abhidheya-pradhānabhakti-mukha-nirīkṣaka karma-yoga-jñānaDevotional service to Kṛṣṇa is the chief function of the living entity. There are different methods for the liberation of the conditioned soul — karma, jñāna,yoga and bhakti — but all are dependent on bhakti. (CC-2:22:17).ei saba sādhanera ati tuccha balakṛṣṇa-bhakti vinā tāhā dite nāre phalaWithout devotional service, all other methods for spiritual self-realization are weak and insignificant. Unless one comes to the devotional service of Lord Kṛṣṇa, jñāna and yoga cannot give the desired results. (CC-2:22:18).kevala jñāna 'mukti' dite nāre bhakti vinekṛṣṇonmukhe sei mukti haya vinā jñāneSpeculative knowledge alone, without devotional service, is not able to give liberation. On the other hand, even without knowledge one can obtain liberation if one engages in the Lord's devotional service. (CC-2:22:21).tāte kṛṣṇa bhaje, kare gurura sevanamāyā-jāla chuṭe, pāya kṛṣṇera caraṇaIf the conditioned soul engages in the service of the Lord and simultaneously carries out the orders of his spiritual master and serves him, he can get out of the clutches of māyā and become eligible for shelter at Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet. (CC-2:22:25).kṛṣṇa — sūrya-sama; māyā haya andhakārayāhāń kṛṣṇa, tāhāń nāhi māyāra adhikāraKṛṣṇa is compared to sunshine, and māyā is compared to darkness. Wherever there is sunshine, there cannot be darkness. As soon as one takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the darkness of illusion (the influence of the external energy) will immediately vanish.(CC-2:22:31).'kṛṣṇa, tomāra hańa' yadi bale eka-bāramāyā-bandha haite kṛṣṇa tāre kare pāraOne is immediately freed from the clutches of māyā if he seriously and sincerely says, 'My dear Lord Kṛṣṇa, although I have forgotten You for so many long years in the material world, today I am surrendering unto You. I am Your sincere and serious servant. Please engage me in Your service.' (CC-2:22:33).bhukti-mukti-siddhi-kāmī 'subuddhi' yadi hayagāḍha-bhakti-yoge tabe kṛṣṇere bhajayaDue to bad association, the living entity desires material happiness, liberation or merging into the impersonal aspect of the Lord, or he engages in mystic yoga for material power. If such a person actually becomes intelligent, he takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness by engaging himself in intense devotional service to Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa. (CC-2:22:35).kṛṣṇa kahe, — 'āmā bhaje, māge viṣaya-sukhaamṛta chāḍi' viṣa māge, — ei baḍa mūrkhaKṛṣṇa says, 'If one engages in My transcendental loving service but at the same time wants the opulence of material enjoyment, he is very, very foolish. Indeed, he is just like a person who gives up ambrosia to drink poison. (CC-2:22:38).kāma lāgi' kṛṣṇe bhaje, pāya kṛṣṇa-rasekāma chāḍi' 'dāsa' haite haya abhilāṣeWhen someone engages in Lord Kṛṣṇa's devotional service for the satisfaction of the senses and instead acquires a taste for serving Kṛṣṇa, he gives up his material desires and willingly offers himself as an eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa. (CC-2:22:41).sādhu-sańge kṛṣṇa-bhaktye śraddhā yadi hayabhakti-phala 'prema' haya, saḿsāra yāya kṣayaBy associating with a devotee, one awakens his faith in devotional service to Kṛṣṇa. Because of devotional service, one's dormant love for Kṛṣṇa awakens, and thus one's material, conditioned existence comes to an end. (CC-2:22:49).mahat-kṛpā vinā kona karme 'bhakti' nayakṛṣṇa-bhakti dūre rahu, saḿsāra nahe kṣayaUnless one is favored by a pure devotee, one cannot attain the platform of devotional service. To say nothing of kṛṣṇa-bhakti, one cannot even be relieved from the bondage of material existence. (CC-2:22:51).'śraddhā'-śabde — viśvāsa kahe sudṛḍha niścayakṛṣṇe bhakti kaile sarva-karma kṛta hayaŚraddhā is confident, firm faith that by rendering transcendental loving service to Kṛṣṇa one automatically performs all subsidiary activities. Such faith is favourable to the discharge of devotional service. (CC-2:22:62).kṛṣṇa-bhakti-janma-mūla haya 'sādhu-sańga'kṛṣṇa-prema janme, teńho punaḥ mukhya ańgaThe root cause of devotional service to Lord Kṛṣṇa is association with advanced devotees. Even when one's dormant love for Kṛṣṇa awakens, association with devotees is still most essential. (CC-2:22:83).ānukūlyasya sańkalpaḥprātikūlyasya varjanamrakṣiṣyatīti viśvāsogoptṛtve varaṇaḿ tathāātma-nikṣepa-kārpaṇyeṣaḍ-vidhā śaraṇāgatiḥThe six divisions of surrender are the acceptance of those things favorable to devotional service, the rejection of unfavorable things, the conviction that Kṛṣṇa will give protection, the acceptance of the Lord as one's guardian or master, full self-surrender, and humility.(CC-2:22:100).tavāsmīti vadan vācātathaiva manasā vidantat-sthānam āśritas tanvāmodate śaraṇāgataḥOne whose body is fully surrendered takes shelter at the holy place where Kṛṣṇa had His pastimes, and he prays to the Lord, "My Lord, I am Yours." Understanding this with his mind, he enjoys spiritual bliss. (CC-2:22:101).śaraṇa lañā kare kṛṣṇe ātma-samarpaṇakṛṣṇa tāre kare tat-kāle ātma-samaWhen a devotee thus fully surrenders unto Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet, Kṛṣṇa accepts him as one of His confidential associates.(CC-2:22:102).kṛti-sādhyā bhavet sādhya-bhāvā sā sādhanābhidhānitya-siddhasya bhāvasyaprākaṭyaḿ hṛdi sādhyatāWhen transcendental devotional service, by which love for Kṛṣṇa is attained, is executed by the senses, it is called sādhana-bhakti, or the regulative discharge of devotional service. Such devotion eternally exists within the heart of every living entity. The awakening of this eternal devotion is the potentiality of devotional service in practice. (CC-2:22:105).śravaṇādi-kriyā — tāra 'svarūpa'-lakṣaṇa'taṭastha'-lakṣaṇe upajāya prema-dhanaThe spiritual activities of hearing, chanting, remembering and so forth are the natural characteristics of devotional service. The marginal characteristic is that it awakens pure love for Kṛṣṇa. (CC-2:22:106).nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-prema 'sādhya' kabhu nayaśravaṇādi-śuddha-citte karaye udayaPure love for Kṛṣṇa is eternally established in the hearts of the living entities. It is not something to be gained from another source. When the heart is purified by hearing and chanting, this love naturally awakens. (CC-2:22:107).It is a fact that every living entity is eternally a servant of Kṛṣṇa. This is forgotten due to the influence of māyā, which induces one to believe in material happiness. Being illusioned by māyā, one thinks that material happiness is the only desirable object. This material consciousness is like a chain around the neck of the conditioned soul. As long as he is bound to that conception, he cannot get out of māyā's clutches. However, if by Kṛṣṇa's mercy he gets in touch with a bona fide spiritual master, abides by his order and serves him, engaging other conditioned souls in the Lord's service, he then attains liberation and Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa's shelter.Wherever there is light, there cannot be darkness. When a living entity becomes Kṛṣṇa conscious, he is immediately relieved of all material lusty desires. Lusty desires and greed are associated with rajas and tamas, passion and darkness. When one becomes Kṛṣṇa conscious, the modes of passion and darkness immediately vanish, and then the mode of goodness (sattva-guṇa) remains. When one is situated in the mode of goodness, he can make spiritual advancement and understand things clearly. This position is not possible for everyone. When a person is Kṛṣṇa conscious, he continuously hears about Kṛṣṇa, thinks about Him, worships Him and serves Him as a devotee. If he remains in Kṛṣṇa consciousness in this way, the darkness of māyā certainly will not be able to touch him.