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By HH Sivarama Swami

Devotees often ask what the meaning of steadiness is: some consider
that chanting sixteen rounds a day and following the four regulative
principles means that one is steady, while others say it is steadiness
in one’s service; yet others give different variations of what they
consider steadiness to mean. But these things mentioned—regularly
chanting and regularity in serving—are physical symptoms that may or
may not indicate real steadiness.

Suddha-bhakti-cintamani deals with the subject of steadiness from
several different perspectives. What does real steadiness mean?
nasta-prayesv abhadresu nityam bhagavata-sevaya: “nasta-prayesu,” when
almost all the inauspicious things in the heart, which are of so many
variations, when they are more or less eradicated then there is
steadiness. And this “more or less,” Srila Prabhupada said “75%,” so
when 75% of impurities in the heart are eradicated, then the devotee
achieves a certain level of spiritual steadiness that enables him to
think about Krishna, to chant Krishna’s names, because his mind and
senses are no longer distracted from chanting, serving, and thinking
of Krishna. Why? Because the effect of the anarthas still remaining in
the heart is minimal when compared to the storehouse of devotional
energy that the devotee has acquired.

So when we speak of steadiness we speak of a certain degree of
purification of the heart which has its threefold symptoms, according
to Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura: steadiness of mind, speech, and
physical activities. These are listed in increasing order of
grossness; the most subtle form of unsteadiness is in the mind. A
devotee can determine how steady their mind is by how easy it is for
them to think about Krishna, to chant Hare Krishna and not allow their
mind to wander and be distracted. That may happen once in a while, but
overall they are able to focus on the holy name. With steadiness of
speech, one is able to avoid prajalpa, unnecessary and foolish talks.
And steadiness in bodily activities, this means sensual steadiness.

So these are the symptoms of steadiness, but real steadiness is that
75% purification of the heart. It is technically called nisthita
bhajana-kriya, when the kriya, the activities, of one’s bhajana are
unwavering, then that is steadiness, or, as Srila Prabhupada said,
“fixed up” in devotional activities. And by definition of the word
itself, bhajana kriya, the activities of bhajana will really indicate
how steadily one is situated in Krishna consciousness. For instance,
we will often see how someone is so fixed up in their service they
don’t even have time to chant sixteen rounds a day, and this is no
good. When that devotee is asked to just sit and chant and make up
their missing rounds, then we see that they cannot do so, their mind
is distracted.

Therefore, even though someone may appear very steady in terms of
their activities, it simply means they have some other qualification:
it may be that by nature they’re very dutiful persons. That someone is
dutiful does not necessarily indicate that they are steady in
devotional service. If someone is steady in devotional service, then
they will be dutiful, but the converse does not automatically apply.
As a good friend used to say, “I judge a man by his japa!”

So this is nistha bhajana kriya: chanting Hare Krishna, hearing
Srimad-Bhagavatam associating with Vaisnavas, worshipping the deity.
And when devotees have fixed attention to the performance of these
activities, a natural, observable taste for these activities of pure
devotion exists in the devotee. Even if it may appear that they are
not so steady in their duties, still this kind of devotee is superior
to those who may appear to be steady in their duties but who are not
steady in devotion. Because ultimately, even if one can imitate the
external activities, or if one has a particular karma or qualification
and therefore has the external symptoms of nistha, still if the
concomitant purification of the heart is not there, then one will not
advance to the next stage of devotional service, which is rucih.

The spiritual benefit of being steady in devotional activities means
that one actually focuses on the acts of sravanam kirtanam, when one
is not distracted. Therefore by being offenseless in those activities,
one achieves the full benefit. And that is rucih: param drstva
nivartate, one attains a higher taste, and when that happens one
becomes attached to Krishna Himself. This higher taste is attachment
to the acts of devotion, and those acts mature into an attachment to
Krishna, His form, His pastimes. That ultimately becomes the doorway
to transcendence.

So Vaisnavas really strive to achieve this purity of heart called
steadiness, because from that stage devotional service progresses
rapidly. There are no significant obstructions to one’s advancement in
Krishna consciousness and the devotee can really shoot forward, back
home, back to Godhead, without delay.

So let’s be conscientious in our bhajana kriya, even if we are not
nisthita, even if we are anisthita, unsteady, then by effort and good
association with devotees who are fixed, by avoiding bad habits, by
avoiding carelessness in devotional activities, by avoiding offenses,
then very quickly the process of chanting and hearing fructifies, and
one of the primary benefits of that maturing creeper of devotional
service is that it becomes steady. Just like a tree at a certain point
is no longer a sapling, it isn’t green and tender, prone to being
easily toppled, but it starts to develop a bark, it becomes brown and
strong and can stand on its own without any kind of support, so it is
with the creeper of devotional service when the stage of steadiness is
achieved. And this is, as Srila Prabhupada says, the stage of 75%
purification of the heart, purification from these unwanted habits.

Hare Krishna.