In Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu it is written that the devotee in raga-marga is situated in two kinds of service at the same time – in his sadhana-deha and in his siddha-deha.
seva sadhaka-rupena
siddha-rupena catra hi
tad-bhava-lipsuna karya
vraja-lokanusaratah
The advanced devotee inclined to spontaneous loving service must follow the activities of a particular associate of Krishna in Vrndavana. Externally he must perform the service as a regulated devotee and internally in his position as a realized soul. Therefore, he performs devotional service both externally and internally.
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu indicates the public sentiment and behavior of the devotee in raga-marga in the following words (quoted from CC 2.1.211):
para-vyasanini nari
vyagrapi grha-karmasu
tad evasvadayaty antar
nava-sanga-rasayanam
If a woman is attached to another man who is not her husband, we see her very busy doing her household duties, but she always has in her heart the desire to join her lover.
In this raga-marga state, a person’s state of mind is evidently characterized by an attachment to reside in a place dear to Krishna. As it is described in Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu:
kadaham yamuna-tire
namani tava kirtayan
udbaspah pundarikaksa
racayisyami tandavam
Oh Lord Pundarikaksa, when will I dance in ecstasy on the banks of the Yamuna as I chant Your holy name with tears in my eyes?
In its eternal form, the living entity is Krishna’s servant. In the conditioned state it is covered by ignorance. By serving Krishna favorably, the original consciousness is easily revived. One’s duty is to serve Krishna favorably without ambiguity. Except for those who truly desire Krishna-prema, the emotions exhibited by those whose hearts are hardened by offense are impure and therefore artificial. According to Srimad Bhagavatam (2.3.24):
tad asma-saram hrdayam batedam
yad grhyamanair hari-nama-dheyaih
na vikriyetatha yada vikaro
netre jalam gatra-ruhesu harsah
He certainly has a heart of steel who, after chanting the holy name of the Lord with great concentration, does not manifest any transformation of the heart, despite his hairs standing upright and tears springing from his eyes under the effect of ecstasy.
Krishna-karnamrta (107) says that the youthful form of Krishna manifests itself easily as attachment to the holy name develops:
bhaktis tvayi sthiratara bhagavan yadi syad
daivena nah phalati divya-kisora-murtih
muktih svayam mukulitanjalih sevate ‘sman
dharmartha-kama-gatayah samaya-pratiksah
If I constantly engage in Your devotional service, my dear Lord, I can easily perceive Your young transcendental form. And, as for liberation, I think she stands at my door with folded hands waiting to serve me, and all the material comforts of dharma, artha and kama are with her.
This is a section of the book “Bhajana Rahasya”, by Bhaktivinode Thakura.
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