Devotional service

[Guest guest]

Hare Krsna Prabhu's please accept my humble obeisances; all glories to

Guru Maharaja and H.D.G. Srila Prabhupada.

 

 

 

In the preliminary stage of devotional service the devotee's relish the

transcendental pleasure from the service itself, and in the mature stage

they are actually situated in love of God. Once situated in that

transcendental position, they can relish the highest perfection which is

exhibited by the Lord in His abode.

 

Lord Caitanya likens transcendental devotional service to the sowing of a

seed in the heart of the living entity. There are innumerable living

entities traveling throughout the different planets of the universe, and out

of them there are a few who are fortunate enough to meet a pure devotee and

get the chance to understand devotional service. This devotional service is

just like a seed, and if it is sown in the heart of a living entity, and if

he goes on hearing and chanting, Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare

Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare, that seed fructifies, just

as the seed of a tree fructifies with regular watering.

 

The spiritual plant of devotional service gradually grows and grows until it

penetrates the covering of the material universe and enters into the

brahmajyoti effulgence in the spiritual sky. In the spiritual sky also that

plant grows more and more until it reaches the highest planet, which is

called Goloka Vrndavana, the supreme planet of Krsna. Ultimately, the plant

takes shelter under the lotus feet of Krsna and rests there. Gradually as

the plant grows fruits and flowers, that plant of devotional service also

produces fruits, and the watering process in the form of chanting and

hearing goes on. This plant of devotional service is fully described in the

Caitanya-caritamrta (Madhya-lila, Chapter Nineteen). It is explained there

that when the complete plant takes shelter under the lotus feet of the

Supreme Lord, one becomes fully absorbed in love of God; then he cannot live

even for a moment without being in contact with the Supreme Lord, just as a

fish cannot live without water. In such a state, the devotee actually

attains the transcendental qualities in contact with the Supreme Lord.

 

 

ys.

vd.