English

1.  BEAUTIFUL BODILY FEATURES Any comparison of the different parts of the Lord’s body to different material objects cannot factually be a complete comparison. Ordinary persons, who cannot understand how exalted are the bodily features of the … Read More

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE Qualities of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Personal features can be divided into two: one feature is covered and the other feature is manifested. When Kṛṣṇa is covered by different kinds of dress, His personal feature is … Read More

ASSOCIATION WITH PURE DEVOTEES Although many different processes for developing love of Godhead have been explained so far, Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī now gives us a general description of how one can best achieve such a high … Read More

THE LORD’S EXTRAORDINARY MERCY When a devotee is found to be always associated with the Lord in ecstatic love, it is to be understood that such a position has been awarded by the Lord Himself out … Read More

ECSTASY Ecstatic love of Godhead can be potently invoked simply by following the rules and regulations of devotional service as they are prescribed in scriptures, under the direction of a bona fide spiritual master. In the … Read More

CHAPTER NINETEEN Devotional Service In Pure Love of God When one’s desire to love Kṛṣṇa in one’s particular relationship becomes intensified, this is known as pure love of Godhead. In the beginning a devotee is engaged … Read More

ATTRACTION FOR LIVING IN A PLACE WHERE KṚṢṆA HAS HIS PASTIMES In the book Padyāvalī by Rūpa Gosvāmī there is the following statement about Vṛndāvana: “In this place the son of Mahārāja Nanda used to live … Read More

EAGERNESS TO DESCRIBE THE LORD’S TRANSCENDENTAL QUALITIES Attachment for chanting the glories of the Lord is also expressed in the Kṛṣṇa-karṇāmṛta as follows: “What shall I do for Kṛṣṇa, who is pleasing beyond all pleasurable conceptions, … Read More

ATTACHMENT TO CHANTING THE HOLY NAMES OF THE LORD In the same Kṛṣṇa-karṇāmṛta there is another statement about the chanting of Rādhārāṇī. It is said by one of the associates of Rādhārāṇī, “O Lord Govinda, the … Read More

EAGERNESS FOR ACHIEVING THE DESIRED SUCCESS When one is sufficiently eager to achieve success in devotional service, that eagerness is called samutkaṇṭhā. This means “complete eagerness.” Actually this eagerness is the price for achieving success in … Read More

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