THE NECTAR OF DEVOTION CHAPTER 3

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THE NECTAR OF DEVOTION CHAPTER 3

HARE KRSNA - I though you would Like a Verse From Srila Prabhupada's

Translation, of The Bhakti-Rasamrta-Sindu -called

THE NECTAR OF DEVOTION

 

 

The Nectar of Devotion is a summary study of Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu,

which was written in Sanskrit by Srila Rupa Gosvami Prabhupada. He

was the chief of the six Gosvamis, who were the direct disciples of

Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

 

 

 

CHAPTER 3

 

ELIGIBILITY OF THE CANDIDATE

FOR ACCEPTING DEVOTIONAL SERVICE

 

 

On account of his association with mahatmas, or great souls one-

hundred-percent in the devotional service of the Lord, one may attain

a little bit of attraction for Sri Krsna. But at the same time one

may remain very much attached to fruitive activities and material

sense enjoyment and not be prepared to undergo the different types of

renunciation. Such a person, if he has unflinching attraction to

Krsna becomes an eligible

candidate for discharging devotional service.

This attraction for Krsna consciousness in association with pure devo­

tees is the sign of great fortune. It is confirmed by Lord Caitanya

that only the fortunate persons, by the mercy of both a bona fide

spiritual master and Krsna, will get the seed of devotional service.

In this connec­tion, Lord Krsna says in Srimad-Bhagavatam, Eleventh

Canto, Twen­tieth Chapter, verse 8, "My dear Uddhava, only by

exceptional fortune does someone become attracted to Me. And even if

one is not completely detached from fruitive activities, or is not

completely attached to devo­tional service, such service is quickly

effective."

Devotees may be divided into three classes. The devotee in the first

or uppermost class is described as follows. He is very expert in the

study of relevant scriptures, and he is also expert in putting

forward arguments in terms of those scriptures. He can very nicely

present conclusions with perfect discretion and can consider the ways

of devotional service in a decisive way. He understands perfectly

that the ultimate goal of life is to attain to the transcendental

loving service of Krsna and he knows that Krsna is the only object of

worship and love. This first-class devotee is one who has strictly

followed the rules and regulations under the train­ing of a bona fide

spiritual master and has sincerely obeyed him in accord with revealed

scriptures. Thus, being fully trained to preach and become a

spiritual master himself, he is considered first class. The first-

class devotee never deviates from the principles of higher authority,

and he

attains firm faith in the scriptures by understanding with

all reason and arguments. When we speak of arguments and

reason, it means argu­ments and reason on the basis of revealed

scriptures. The first-class devotee is not interested in dry

speculative methods meant for wasting time. In other words, one who

has attained a mature determination in the matter of devotional

service can be accepted as the first-class devotee.

The second-class devotee has been defined by the following symptoms:

he is not very expert in arguing on the strength of revealed

scripture, but he has firm faith in the objective. The purport of

this description is that the second-class devotee has firm faith in

the procedure of devo­tional service unto Krsna but he may sometimes

fail to offer arguments and decisions on the strength of revealed

scripture to an opposing party. But at the same time he is still

undaunted within himself as to his deci­sion that Krsna is the supreme

object of worship.

The neophyte or third-class devotee is one whose faith is not strong

and who, at the same time, does not recognize the decision of the

revealed scripture. The neophyte's faith can be changed by someone

else with strong arguments or by an opposite decision. Unlike the

second-class devotee, who also cannot put forward arguments and

evidences from the scripture, but who still has all faith in the

objective, the neophyte has no firm faith in the objective. Thus he

is called the neophyte devotee.

Further classification of the neophyte devotee is made in the

Bhagavad-gita. It is stated there that four classes of men - namely

those who are distressed, those who are in need of money, those who

are in­quisitive and those who are wise - begin devotional service and

come to the Lord for relief in the matter of their respective self-

satisfaction. They go into some place of worship and pray to God for

mitigation of ma­terial distress, or for some economic development, or

to satisfy their in­quisitiveness. And a wise man who simply realizes

the greatness of God is also counted among the neophytes. Such

beginners can be elevated to the second-class or first-class platform

if they associate with pure devotees.

An example of the neophyte class is Maharaja Dhruva. He was in need

of his father's kingdom and therefore engaged himself in devotional

ser­vice to the Lord. Then in the end, when he was completely

purified, he declined to accept any material benediction from the

Lord. Similarly, Ga­jendra was distressed and prayed to Krsna for

protection, after which he became a pure devotee. Similarly Sanaka,

Sanatana, Sananda and Sanat­kumara were all in the category of wise,

saintly persons, and they were also attracted by devotional service.

A similar thing happened to the assemblage in the Naimisaranya

Forest, headed by the sage Saunaka.

They were inquisitive and were always asking Suta Gosvami about Krsna

Thus they achieved the association of a pure devotee and became pure

devotees themselves. So that is the way of elevating oneself. In

whatever condition one may be, if he is fortunate enough to associate

with pure devotees, then very quickly he is elevated to the second-

class or first-class platform.

These four types of devotees have been described in the Seventh

Chapter of Bhagavad-gita, and they have all been accepted as pious.

Without becoming pious, no one can come to devotional service. It is

ex­plained in Bhagavad-gita .that only one who has continually

executed pious activities and whose sinful reactions in life have

completely

stopped can take to Krsna consciousness. Others cannot. The neophyte

devotees are classified into four groups-the distressed, those in

need of money, the inquisitive and the wise-according to their

gradations of pious activities. Without pious activities, if a man is

in a distressed condi­tion he becomes an agnostic, a communist or

something like that. Be­cause he does not firmly believe in God, he

thinks that he can adjust his distressed condition by totally

disbelieving in Him.

Lord Krsna, however, has explained in the Gita that out of these four

types of neophytes, the one who is wise is very dear to Him, because

a wise man, if he is attached to Krsna, is not seeking an exchange of

ma­terial benefits. A wise man who becomes attached to Krsna does not

want any return from Him, either in the form of relieving distress or

in gain­ing money. This means that from the very beginning his basic

principle of attachment to Krsna is, more or less, love. Furthermore,

due to his wisdom and study of sastras (scriptures), he can

understand also that Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

It is confirmed in Bhagavad-gita that after many, many births, when

one becomes actually wise, he surrenders unto Vasudeva, knowing per­

fectly well that Krsna (Vasudeva) is the origin and cause of all

causes. Therefore, he sticks to the lotus feet of Krsna and gradually

develops love for Him. Although such a wise man is very dear to Krsna

the others are also accepted as very magnanimous, because even though

they are distressed or in need of money,they have come to Krsna for

satisfaction.Thus they are accepted as liberal,broad-minded mahatmas.

Hare Krsna!Thank You!!All translations are done By His Divine Grace

Srila Prabhupada!

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