GREAT HOPE The strong conviction that one will certainly receive the favor of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is called in Sanskrit āśā-bandha. Āśā-bandha means to continue to think, “Because I’m trying my best to follow … Read More
PRIDELESSNESS When a devotee, in spite of possessing all the qualities of pure realization, is not proud of his position, he is called prideless. In the Padma Purāṇa it is stated that King Bhagīratha was the … Read More
DETACHMENT The senses are always desiring sense enjoyment, but when a devotee develops transcendental love for Kṛṣṇa his senses are no longer attracted by material desires. This state of mind is called detachment. There is a … Read More
PERSEVERANCE When a person is undisturbed even in the presence of various causes of disturbance, he is called reserved and perseverant. An example of this perseverance and reservation is found in the behavior of King Parīkṣit, … Read More
UTILIZATION OF TIME An unalloyed devotee who has developed ecstatic love for Kṛṣṇa is always engaging his words in reciting prayers to the Lord. Within the mind he is always thinking of Kṛṣṇa, and with his … Read More
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN Character of One In Ecstatic Love Rūpa Gosvāmī next describes the characteristics of a person who has actually developed his ecstatic love for Kṛṣṇa. The characteristics are as follows: 1. He is always anxious to … Read More
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN Ecstatic Love By the process of executing regulated devotional service, one is actually elevated to the transcendental stage, beyond the material modes of nature. At that time one’s heart becomes illuminated like the sun. … Read More
PARENTHOOD OR FRIENDSHIP Devotees who are attracted to Kṛṣṇa as parents or as friends should follow in the footsteps of Nanda Mahārāja or Subala respectively. Nanda Mahārāja is the foster father of Kṛṣṇa, and out of … Read More
CONJUGAL LOVE Devotional service following in the footsteps of the gopīs of Vṛndāvana or the queens at Dvārakā is called devotional service in conjugal love. This devotional service in conjugal love can be divided into two … Read More
ELIGIBILITY FOR SPONTANEOUS DEVOTIONAL SERVICE Persons desiring to follow in the footsteps of such eternal devotees of the Lord as the Vṛṣṇis and Vṛndāvana denizens are called rāgānugā devotees, which means that they are trying to … Read More
CHAPTER SIXTEEN Spontaneous Devotion Further Described RELATIONSHIP In the attitude of the denizens of Vṛndāvana, such as Nanda Mahārāja and mother Yaśodā, is to be found the ideal transcendental concept of being the father and mother … Read More
SENSUAL ATTRACTION This extreme desire to serve the Lord is manifest in the transcendental land of Vraja. And it is specifically manifested among the gopīs. The gopīs’ love for Kṛṣṇa is so elevated that for our … Read More
CHAPTER FIFTEEN Spontaneous Devotional Service Examples of spontaneous devotional service can easily be seen in Kṛṣṇa’s direct associates in Vṛndāvana. The spontaneous dealings of the residents of Vṛndāvana in relationship with Kṛṣṇa are called rāgānugā. These … Read More
CHAPTER FIFTEEN Spontaneous Devotional Service Examples of spontaneous devotional service can easily be seen in Kṛṣṇa’s direct associates in Vṛndāvana. The spontaneous dealings of the residents of Vṛndāvana in relationship with Kṛṣṇa are called rāgānugā. These … Read More
CHAPTER FOURTEEN Devotional Qualifications Some scholars recommend that knowledge and renunciation are important factors for elevating oneself to devotional service. But actually that is not a fact. Actually, the cultivation of knowledge or renunciation, which are … Read More
CHAPTER THIRTEEN Five Potent Forms of Devotional Service Rūpa Gosvāmī has stated that five kinds of devotional activities – namely, residing in Mathurā, worshiping the Deity of the Lord, reciting Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, serving a devotee and chanting … Read More
LIVING IN MATHURĀ In the Padma Purāṇa there is a statement about the importance of living at holy places like Mathurā or Dvārakā. It is stated there, “To travel to different places of pilgrimage means to … Read More
CHANTING THE HOLY NAME OF THE LORD The importance of chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare is very strongly stressed in the Second Canto, first … Read More
ASSOCIATING WITH ADVANCED DEVOTEES The importance of discussing Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam in the society of pure devotees was explained by Śaunaka Muni during the meeting at Naimiṣāraṇya, in the presence of Sūta Gosvāmī. Sūta Gosvāmī confirmed that if … Read More
RECITATION OF ŚRĪMAD-BHĀGAVATAM AMONG DEVOTEES Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the desire tree of Vedic wisdom. Veda itself means “the aggregate of knowledge.” And whatever knowledge is required for human society is perfectly presented in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. There are different … Read More
