Devotional Service

Bhakti Yoga, pure devotional service to Lord Krisna, is the highest and most logical means for attaining pure love for Krisna, which is the ultimate goal of spiritual existence. Those who follow this higher path develop divine qualities in themselves.
WHAT DOES THE SOUL WANT?
The yoga ladder goes up the steps where the seeker of Truth experiences different levels of pleasure. In treatises it is believed that in the material world there are two main types of material pleasures: earthly pleasures and heavenly pleasures.
Earthly pleasures include: wealth, children, power, success, good nutrition, good sleep, the opposite sex, and other similar phenomena. And paradise pleasures include: freedom from the influence of all these passions, the ability to get out of their pressure, the ability to be independent of them. At the earthly level, this is a very high degree of pleasure, which prepares our consciousness for spiritual pleasures. A person is not able to immediately feel spiritual bliss, his consciousness will simply tear to pieces from such unearthly experiences, so there is no way to do without a preliminary stage.

TEXT 1


arjuna uvcha 
evam satata-yukta ye 
bhaktas tvam paryupasate 
ye chapi aksaram avyaktam 
tesam ke yoga-wittamah
arjunah uvaca - Arjuna said; evam - like that; satata - always; yuktah - employed; ye - which; bhaktah - the devotees; tvam - to you; paryupasate - are worshiped properly; ye - which; ca — also; api - after all; aksaram - beyond the reach of the senses; avyaktam - to the unmanifest; tesam - them; ke — which; yoga-vit-tamah - more advanced in the science of yoga.
Arjuna asked: Who is more successful in yoga - those who always faithfully serve You, or those who worship the impersonal Brahman, the unmanifest and indestructible?

TEXT 2


sri-bhagavan 
uvcha mayy avesya mano ye mam 
nitya-yukta upasate 
sraddhaya parayopetas 
te me yuktatama matah
sri-bhagavan uvaca - the Supreme Lord said; mayi - on Me; avesya - by concentrating; manah - the mind; ye - which; mam - to me; nitya - always; yuktah - employed; upasate - worship; sraddhaya - by faith; paraya - of the spiritual; upetah - endowed with; those are they; me - mine; yukta-tamah - who have attained the highest perfection in yoga; matah - understood.
The Supreme Lord said: Those whose mind is focused on My personal image and who always worship Me with deep spiritual faith, I consider to have reached the highest level of perfection.

TEXTS 3 - 4


ye tv aksaram anirdeshyam 
avyaktam paryupasate 
sarvatra-gam acintyam ca 
kuta-stham acalam dhruvam
sanniyamyendriya-gram gram 
sarvatra sama-buddhayah 
te prapnuvanti mam eva 
sarva-bhuta-hite ratah
ye - which; tu - but; aksaram - inaccessible perception of feelings; anirdesyam - to the indefinite; avyaktam - to the unmanifest; paryupasate - fully consecrate; sarvatra-gam - the omnipresent; acintyam - to the incomprehensible; ca - i; kuta-stham - to the unchanging; achalam - motionless; dhruvam - to the constant; sanniyamya - subjugating; indriya-gramam — the totality of the senses; sarvatra - everywhere; sama-buddhayah - impartial; those are they; prapnuvanti - reach; mam - Me; eva - without fail; sarva-bhuta-hite - for the benefit of all living entities; ratah - employed.
Those who care about the common good and, having bridled all their feelings and treat all living beings equally, devote themselves entirely to the worship of the unmanifest, indefinite, inaccessible perception of the senses, the omnipresent, incomprehensible, unchanging, constant and motionless - impersonal aspect of the Absolute Truth - they finally reach Me.

TEXT 5


klesho 'dhikataras tesam 
avyaktasakta-cetasam 
avyakta hi gatir duhkham 
dehavadbhir avapyate
klesah - difficulty; adhika-tarah - the greatest; tesam - them; avyakta - on the unmanifest; asakta - concentrated; cetasam — those whose mind; avyakta - unmanifest; hi - unconditionally; gatih - advancement; duhkham - difficult; deha-wadbhih - embodied; avapyate - is achieved.
It is very difficult for those whose mind is focused on the unmanifest, impersonal aspect of the Almighty to follow the path of spiritual development. For embodied living beings, every step along this path is given with great difficulty.

TEXTS 6 - 7


ye tu sarvani karmani 
mayi sannyasya mat- 
parah ananyenaiva 
yogena mama dhyayanta upasate
tesam aham samuddharta 
mrtyu-samsara-sagarat 
bhavami na cirat partha 
mayi avesita-cetasam
ye - which; tu - same; sarvani - everything; karmani - action; mayi - in Me; sannyasya - by refusing; mat-parah — being attached to Me; ananyena - undivided; eva - without fail; yogena - by bhakti-yoga; mam — upon Me; dhyayantah - meditators; upasate - worship; tesam - them; aham - I; samuddharta - the deliverer; mrtyu - of death; samsara - in material life; sagarat - from the ocean; bhavami - I become; na - not; cirat - for a long time; partha - O son of Prtha; mayi - on Me; avesita - concentrated; cetasam - those whose mind.
But those who worship Me, completely surrendering to Me and devoting all their actions to Me, those who engage in devotional service and constantly reflect on Me, concentrating their mind on Me, are such people, O son of Prtha, I immediately rescue me from the ocean of birth and death.

TEXT 8


may eva mana adhatsva 
mayi buddhim niveshaya 
nivasisyasi mayy eva 
ata urdhvam na samsayah
mayi - on Me; eva - without fail; manah - the mind; adhatsva - focus; mayi - into Me; buddhim - the mind; niveshaya - by introducing; nivasisyasi - you will live; mayi - in Me; eva - unconditionally; atah urdhvam - from now on; na - no; samsayah - doubts.
Focus your mind on Me, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, direct all your mind on Me. So you will always live in Me, and there can be no doubt about it.

TEXT 9


atha chittam samadhatum 
na shaknoshi maya sthiram 
abhyasa yogena tato 
mam ichchaptum dhananjaya
atha - if; chittam - the mind; samadhatum - to concentrate; na shaknoshi - you cannot; mayi - on Me; sthiram - constantly; abhyasa-yogena - by devotional service; tatah - then; mam - Me; iccha - desire; aptum - to achieve; dhanam-jaya - O Arjuna, the conqueror of wealth.
O Arjuna, the conqueror of wealth, if you cannot keep your mind constantly focused on Me, then follow the rules and regulations of bhakti yoga. So you will develop in yourself the desire to reach Me.

TEXT 10


abhyase 'pi asamartho' si 
mat-karma-paramo bhava 
mad-artham api karmani 
kurvan siddhim avapsyasi
abhyase - in the classroom; api - if; asamarthah - not capable; asi - you are; mat-karma — activities for My sake; paramah - to the initiates; bhava - become; mat-artham - for My sake; api - even; karmani - action; kurvan - performing; siddhim - perfection; avapsyasi - you will attain.
If you are not able to follow the rules and regulations of bhakti-yoga, just work for Me, for by serving My cause you will also achieve perfection.

TEXT 11


athaitad apy ashakto 'si 
cartum mad-yogam ashritah 
sarva-karma-phala-tyagam 
tatah kuru yatatmavan
atha - if; etat is; api - even; asaktah - incapable; asi - you are; kartum - perform; mat - to Me; yogam - for devotional service; asritah - one who has resorted to; sarva-karma - of all activities; phala - from the results; tyagam - renunciation; tatah - then; kuru - do; yata-atma-van - focused on the soul.
If you cannot work in the name of Me, then try to renounce the fruits of your labor and find satisfaction in yourself.

TEXT 12


Shreyo hi jnanam abhyasaj 
jnanad dhyanam visishyate 
dhyanat karma-phala-tyagas 
tyagach chantir anantaram
sreyah — better; hi - unconditionally; jnanam - knowledge; abhyasat - than practice; jnanat - than knowledge; dhyanam - meditation; visisyate - is considered better; dhyanat - than meditation; karma-phala-tyagah - renunciation of the results of fruitive activities; tyagat - through renunciation; shantih - peace; anantaram - then.
If you cannot do this, then make your efforts to gain knowledge. However, meditation is preferable to knowledge, and renunciation of the fruits of one's labor is preferable to meditation, for a person who has renounced the fruits of his labor finds peace.

TEXTS 13 - 14


advesta sarva-bhutanam 
maitrah karuna eva ca 
nirmamo nirahankarah 
sama-duhkha-sukhah ksami
santustah satatam yoga 
yatatma drdha-nishchayah 
mayi arpita-mano-buddhir 
yo mad-bhaktah sa me priyah
advesta - not envy and enmity; sarva-bhutanam - of all living entities; maitrah - friendly; karunah - benevolent; eva - unconditionally; ca — also; nirmamah - devoid of possessive feelings; nirahankarah - devoid of false ego; sama — the same; duhkha - and in sorrow; sukhah - one who is in happiness; ksami - forgiving; santustah - satisfied; satatam - always; yogis - engaged in devotional service; yata-atma - self-controlled; drdha-niчайcayah - with firm determination; mayi - on Me; arpita - concentrated; manah - and the mind; buddhih - whose mind; yah - which; mat-bhaktah - My devotee; sah — that; me - me; priyah - dear.
One who does not envy anyone and is friendly to all living beings, who has got rid of possessive instinct and false ego, who remains calm in joy and sorrow, who is patient and always satisfied, who, having restrained feelings and focusing his mind and mind on Me , with determination gives himself to devotional service - such a person is very dear to Me.

TEXT 15


yasman nodvijate loko 
lokan nodvijate ca yah 
harshamarsa-bhayodvegair 
mukto yah sa ca me priyah
yasmat - from which; na udvijata - they are not disturbed; lokah - people; lokat - from people; na udvijata - is not disturbed; ca — also; yah - which; harsa - by happiness; amarsa - grief; bhaya - by fear; udvegaih - and anxieties; muktah - liberated; yah - which; sah — that; ca — also; me - Mine; priyah - dear.
He who does not cause trouble to anyone and always remains calm, who is calm in joy and sorrow, who does not know fear and anxiety, are very dear to Me.

TEXT 16


anapeksah suchir daksha 
udasino gata-vyathah 
sarvarambha-parityagi 
yo mad-bhaktah sa me priyah
anapeksah - detached; joking - pure; daksah - experienced; udasinah - carefree; gata-vyathah - one whose anxieties are gone; sarva-arambha - from all attempts; parityagi - the renounced; yah - which; mat-bhaktah - My devotee; sah — that; me - Mine; priyah - dear.
A devotee, independent of external circumstances, pure, skillful, serene, unencumbered and not striving for the results of his work, is very dear to Me.

TEXT 17


yo na hrishyati dwesti on shochati 
on kanksati 
subhashubha-parityagi 
bhaktiman yah sa me priyah
yah - which; na hrsyati - does not rejoice; on dwesti - does not grieve; na shochati - he does not grieve; na kanksati - does not wish; subha - from good; asubha - and of the bad; parityagi - the renounced; bhakti-man - a devotee; yah - which; sah — that; me - Mine; priyah - dear.
One who does not rejoice and does not become discouraged, who does not grieve for anything and wants nothing, for whom there is neither good nor bad, such a devotee is very dear to Me.

TEXTS 18 - 19


samah satrau ca mitre ca 
tatha manapamanayoh 
sitosna-sukha-duhkhesu 
samah sanga-vivarjitah
tulya-ninda-stutir mouni santushto 
yena kenachit 
aniketeh sthira-matir 
bhaktiman me priyo narah
samah - the same; satrau - to the enemy; ca — also; miter - to a friend; ca - i; tatha - in this way; mana - in high esteem; apamanayoh - and in dishonor; sita - from the cold; earna - and from the heat; sukha — in happiness; duhkhesu - and in misery; samah - balanced; sanga-vivarjitah - giving up all association; tulya - the same; ninda - and in dishonor; stutih - one who is in glory; mauni - silent; santustah - satisfied; yen kenachit - whatever; aniketah - homeless; sthira - firm; matih - one whose determination; bhakti-man - devoting himself to devotional service; me - Mine; priyah - dear; narah - man.
One who looks at friends and enemies alike, who equally welcomes honor and dishonor, cold and heat, happiness and suffering, glory and shame, who never comes into contact with what defiles, always remains silent and satisfied with everything, who does not worry about a refuge who has unshakably established himself in knowledge and faithfully serves Me, is very dear to Me.

TEXT 20


ye tu dharmamritam idam 
yathoktam paryupasate 
sraddadhana mat-parama 
bhaktas te 'tiva me priyah
ye - which; tu - but; dharma - religion; amritam - the eternal; idam - this; yatha - how; uktam - it is said; paryupasate - surrender completely; sraddadhanah - possessing faith; mat-paramah - who consider that I, the Supreme Lord, are everything; bhaktah - the devotees; those are they; ativa - extremely; me - mine; priyah - dear ones.

Those who, having unshakable faith, walk the eternal path of devotional service, making Me their highest goal, are very, very dear to Me.