Hare Krishna,Please accept my humble obeisances.All glories to Sri Guru & Gauranga.All glories to Srila Prabhupada.Any person, in any status of life, if they are in devotional service, then to the extent they are performing devotional service, they are on the transcendental platform, "Shuddha Sattva Guna". Even a Grihastha taking care of the family in a Krishna conscious way, treating the family members as devotees of Krishna, and all interactions directed towards serving Krishna better, such a person is not in a lower stage of life, that is Bhakti.Examples are many many... Maharaja Ambarisha - king of the planet, obviously with family and army and full government to run, pure devotee. Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura, 10 children family, district magistrate, pure devotee. Dhruva Maharaja, king of the planet, pure devotee. Arjuna, king, husband, warrior, pure devotee.Karma Yoga is that which is purely performed for the pleasure of Krishna, is one of the components of Bhakti. which actually translates to "LOving devotional service" - there is no real devotion without service.Rupa Gosawmi says:anaasaktasya vishayaanyathaarham upayunjatahnirbandhah krishna-sambandheyuktam vairaagyam ucyatepraapancikatayaa buddhyaahari-sambandhi-vastunaahmumukshubhih parityaagovairaagyam phalgu kathyate"When one is not attached to anything, but at the same time accepts everything in relation to Krishna, one is rightly situated above possessiveness. On the other hand, one who rejects everything without knowledge of its relationship to Krishna is not as complete in his renunciation." (Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu 2.255-256)- Please read "Nectar of Devotion" by Srila Prabhupada.It is a summary study of Bhakti Rasamrta Sindhu by Rupa Goswami.Your servant,Mahabhagavat Das
Comments