Çré Bhaktyäloka

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura

SIX FAULTS THAT DESTROY BHAKTI

Atyähära

Overeating or too much collecting

In his Çré Upadeçämåta, Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé has written the following verse:
atyähäraù prayäsaç ca    prajalpo niyamägrahaù
jana-saìgaç ca laulyaà ca    ñaòbhir bhaktir vinaçyati
"One's devotional service is spoiled when he becomes too entangled in the following six activities: (1) atyähära, eating more than necessary or collecting more funds than required; (2) prayäsa, overendeavoring for mundane things that are very difficult to obtain; (3) prajalpa, talking unnecessarily about mundane subject matters; (4) niyamägraha, practicing the scriptural rules and regulations only for the sake of following them and not for the sake of spiritual advancement, or rejecting the rules and regulations of the scriptures and working independently or whimsically; (5) jana-saìga, associating with worldly-minded persons who are not interested in Kåñëa consciousness; and (6) laulyaà, being greedy for mundane achievements."

It is most important to consider the deep meaning of this verse. For anyone who wants to engage in pure devotional service, it is especially necessary to follow the instructions of this verse. For one who neglects to follow these instructions, attaining devotion to Lord Hari is extremely rare. We are hereby elaborating the meaning of this verse for the benefit of those who have a strong desire to attain pure devotional service. In this verse six impediments to devotional service are mentioned-atyähära, prayäsa, prajalpa, niyamägraha, jana-saìga, and laulya. We will separately discuss each of these six items. In this small chapter only the meaning of the word atyähära is being discussed.
Many people may think that the word atyähära refers only to overeating, but this is not so. It is explained in the first verse of Upadeçämåta:

väco vegaà manasaù krodha-vegaà
jihvä-vegam udaropastha-vegam
etän vegän yo viñaheta dhéraù
sarväm apémäà påthivéà sa çiñyät

"A sober person who can tolerate the urge to speak, the mind's demands, the actions of anger, and the urges of the tongue, belly, and genitals is qualified to make disciples all over the world."
In this regard, the urge of the tongue is the desire to taste foodstuffs. The urge of the stomach is the desire to overeat. If we understand the word atyähära in the second verse as overeating, the fault of repetition occurs in this condensed collection of essential instructions. Therefore it is the duty of the learned readers to find other meanings for the word atyähära as used by the most grave Rüpa Gosvämé.
xliiAlthough bhojana, or eating, is the principle meaning of the word ähära, the word bhojana also means to enjoy the objects of the five senses. Form by the eyes, sound by the ears, smell by the nose, taste by the tongue, feeling of heat and cold, soft and hard by the touch-in this way, the five senses enjoy. This type of material enjoyment is compulsory for an embodied soul. Without enjoying the sense objects, a living entity cannot survive. As soon as the living entity gives up sense enjoyment, he leaves his body. Therefore, giving up sense enjoyment is only a figment of the imagination, it can never be applied in practice. Lord Çré Kåñëa instructed Arjuna in the Bhagavad-gétä (3.5-6):
na hi kaçcit kñaëam api    jätu tiñöhaty akarma-kåt
käryate hy avaçaù karma    sarvaù prakåti-jair guëaiù
karmendriyäëi saàyamya    ya äste manasä smaran
indriyärthän vimüòhätmä    mithyäcäraù sa ucyate
"Everyone is forced to act helplessly according to the qualities he has acquired from the modes of material nature; therefore no one can refrain from doing something, not even for a moment. One who restrains the senses of action but whose mind dwells on sense objects certainly deludes himself and is called a pretender."

Since maintaining one's life is not possible without action, one must work to maintain his life. If such activities are done in the mood of enjoyment, then one's qualification as a human is lost and he becomes like an animal. Therefore if one can transform all his bodily activities into activities favorable to the devotional service of the Lord, then that is bhakti-yoga. Again, the Lord says in the Gétä (6.16-17, 5.8-9):

näty-açnatas tu yogo 'sti    na caikäntam anaçnataù
na cäti-svapna-çélasya    jägrato naiva cärjuna
yuktähära-vihärasya    yukta-ceñöasya karmasu
yukta-svapnävabodhasya    yogo bhavati duùkha-hä
naiva kiïcit karométi    yukto manyeta tattva-vit
paçyaï çåëvan spåçaï jighrann    açnan gacchan svapan çvasan
pralapan visåjan gåhëann    unmiñan nimiñann api
indriyäëéndriyärtheñu    vartanta iti dhärayan 

"There is no possibility of one's becoming a yogi, O Arjuna, if one eats too much, or eats too little, sleeps too much, or does not sleep enough. He who is temperate in his habits of eating, sleeping, working, and recreation can mitigate all material pains by practicing the yoga system. A person in the divine consciousness, although engaged in seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, eating, moving about, sleeping, and breathing, always knows within himself that he actually does nothing at all. Because while speaking, evacuating, receiving, or opening or closing his eyes, he always knows that only the material senses are engaged with their objects and that he is aloof from them."
Although these instructions are effective for jïänés, still, their purport is favorable for devotional service. The concluding verse of Bhagavad-gétä explains about çaraëägati, or full surrender. Keeping this in mind, one should renounce fruitive activities and philosophical speculation and accept sense objects as the Lord's mercy. This is known as pure devotional service. Therefore Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé has said in the Bhakti-rasämåta-sindhu (2.255-256):
anäsaktasya viñayän    yathärham upayuïjataù
nirbandhaù kåñëa-sambandhe    yuktaà vairägyam ucyate
präpaïcikatayä buddhyä    hari-sambandhi-vastunaù
mumukñubhiù parityägo    vairägyaà phalgu kathyate
"When one is not attached to anything, but at the same time accepts everything in relation to Kåñëa, one is rightly situated above possessiveness. On the other hand, one who rejects everything without knowledge of its relationship to Kåñëa is not as complete in his renunciation."
The purport of these two verses is repeated in Çré Upadeçämåta by the instruction to reject atyähära. The purport is that if one accepts sense objects in the spirit of enjoyment, that is atyähära. But if sense objects are accepted as the Lord's mercy and only as far as required and favorable for devotional service, then it is not atyähära. If sense objects are honestly accepted as the Lord's mercy, then yukta-vairägya is easily attained. Çréman Mahäprabhu's order is to accept sense objects without attachment and chant Kåñëa's name. Don't endeavor for palatable foodstuffs and fine clothes. Accept the sanctified bhägavata-prasäda that is easily obtainable. This is the devotee's lifestyle. Whatever is required, take only that. Taking more or less will not yield auspicious results. If the practitioner takes or accumulates more than necessary, his spiritual life will be lost due to his being controlled by material mellows. If he does not properly accumulate, then the body, which is his means of worship, will not b protected.
The purport of the instruction to tolerate the urges of the tongue and belly mentioned in the first verse is this: The materialist easily becomes greedy to enjoy the finest tastes, and being afflicted by hunger, he becomes extremely agitated and enthusiastic to eat the available foodstuffs. This is a material urge. Whenever this type of urge will arise, it should be controlled by the cultivation of devotional service. The injunction to reject atyähära mentioned in the second verse is a constitutional rule for the practitioner. The injunction of the first verse is conditional, and the injunction of the second is constitutional.
There is one more thing to be said. All these instructions have two different types of applications-for the householders and for the renunciates. Householders can collect in order to maintain their family members. They should earn their livelihood and save according to religious principles. With this savings they should serve the Lord, the devotees, guests, family members, and themselves. If a householder collects more than his requirement, then this is an impediment in his devotional service and in his achieving the Lord's mercy. So saving too much and earning too much are both atyähära-there is no doubt. A renunciate will not collect at all. If he is not satisfied by the alms he obtains everyday, then he is guilty of atyähära. After getting nice foodstuffs, if he eats more than he needs, then he is guilty of atyähära. Therefore the householders and renunciates should consider these facts carefully, and after giving up atyähära, when they engage in devotional service they will attain Kåñëa's mercy.

Prayäsa

Overendeavoring

If prayäsa is not given up, devotion will never arise. The word prayäsa means endeavor, useless labor. Spiritual life is nothing other than pure devotion unto the Supreme Lord. Devotion cannot be defined by any symptoms other than full surrender and subordination unto the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord. Full surrender and subordination are the natural, eternal constitutional duties of the living entities. Therefore, only devotional service is the natural propensity or inherent occupation. In one's inherent occupation there is no need of prayäsa; still, in the living entity's conditioned state there is need for a small amount of prayäsa in order to cultivate devotional service. Except this little prayäsa, all other kinds of prayäsa are unfavorable for devotional service. Prayäsa is of two kinds-jnäna-prayäsa and karma-prayäsa. In jnäna-prayäsa the feeling of oneness, or kevalädvaita, arises. This is also known as säyujya, merging, or brahma-nirväëa, absorption in the Supreme. Jnäna-prayäsa is hostile to spirital life; this is explained in the Vedic literature, Muëòaka Upaniñad (3.2.3), in the following words:
näyam ätmä pravacanena labhyo
na medhasä na bahunä çrutena 
yam evaiña våëute tena labhyas
tasyaiña ätmä vivåëute tanuà sväm
"The Supreme Lord is not obtained by expert explanations, by vast intelligence, or even by much hearing. He is obtained only by one whom He Himself chooses. To such a person, He manifests His own form." Therefore devotion is the only way to attain the lotus feet of the Lord. In the Çrémad Bhägavatam (10.14.3) Brahmä says to Lord Kåñëa:
jïäne prayäsam udapäsya namanta eva
jévanti san-mukharitäà bhavadéya-värtäm
sthäne sthitäù çruti-gatäà tanu-väì-manobhir
ye präyaço 'jita jito 'py asi tais tri-lokyäm 
"Lord Brahmä said, O my Lord Kåñëa, a devotee who abandons [jïäna-prayäsa*] the path of empiric philosophical speculation aimed at merging in the existence of the Supreme and engages himself in hearing Your glories and activities from a bona fide sadhu, or saint, and who lives an honest life in the occupational engagement of his social life, can conquer Your sympathy and mercy even though You are ajita, or unconquerable."
In order to further clarify prayäsa, Lord Brahmä says:
çreyaù-såtià bhaktim udasya te vibho
kliçyanti ye kevala-bodha-labdhaye
teñäm asau kleçala eva çiñyate
nänyad yathä sthüla-tuñävaghätinäm
"'My dear Lord, devotional service unto You is the only auspicious path. If one gives it up simply for speculative knowledge or the understanding that these living beings are spirit souls and the material world is false, he undergoes a great deal of trouble. He only gains troublesome and inauspicious activities. His endeavors are like beating a husk that is already devoid of rice. One's labor becomes fruitless."
The philosophy of monism does not originate in the Absolute Truth; it is only a demoniac provision. Glorification of the knowledge of one's relationship with the Lord is often heard. That knowledge is pure and spontaneous-there is no need of prayäsa. The knowledge given in the Catuù-çloké [the four main Bhägavatam verses] is acintya bhedäbheda, inconceivably, simultaneously one and different. This knowledge is naturally dormant in the heart of the living entity. The Lord is like a spiritual sun, and the living entities are like molecular particles of the sun's rays. The living entity cannot remain in his constitutional form without being subordinate to the Lord, therefore servitorship of the Lord is his constitutional duty. Cultivation of this constitutional duty is the nature of the living entity. This is the spontaneous-devoid of prayäsa-dharma, or duty, of the living entity. Although in the conditioned state this dharma is almost dormant and is awakened by sädhana, or spiritual practice, still the prayäsa ound in devotional practices is not like that found in the paths of karma and jïäna. If one takes shelter of the holy name with some respect, then within a short time the obstacles due to ignorance are removed and one's constitutional happiness is reawakened. But if one gives a place to jnäna-prayäsa, then he has to suffer more. And if jnäna-prayäsa is renounced in the association of devotees, then that is a devotional endeavor. The Lord says in the Bhagavad-gétä (12.2-5):
mayy äveçya mano ye mäà    nitya-yuktä upäsate
çraddhayä parayopetäs    te me yuktatamä matäù
ye tv akñaram anirdeçyam    avyaktaà paryupäsate
sarvatra-gam acintyaà ca    küöa-stham acalaà dhruvam
sanniyamyendriya-grämaà    sarvatra sama-buddhayaù
te präpnuvanti mäm eva    sarva-bhüta-hite ratäù 
kleço 'dhikataras teñäm    avyaktäsakta-cetasäm
avyaktä hi gatir duùkhaà    dehavadbhir aväpyate
"The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: Those who fix their minds on My personal form and are always engaged in worshiping Me with great and transcendental faith are considered by Me to be most perfect. But those who fully worship the unmanifested, that which lies beyond the perception of the senses, the all-pervading, inconceivable, unchanging, fixed, and immovable-the impersonal conception of the Absolute Truth-by controlling the various senses and being equally disposed to everyone, such persons, engaged in the welfare of all, at last achieve Me. For those whose minds are attached to the unmanifested, impersonal feature of the Supreme, advancement is very troublesome. To make progress in that discipline is always difficult for those who are embodied."
In karma-prayäsa there is also no benefit. In the First Canto of the Çrémad Bhägavatam it is said:
dharmaù svanuñöhitaù puàsäà    viñvaksena-kathäsu yaù
notpädayed yadi ratià    çrama eva hi kevalam
"The occupational activities a man performs according to his own position are only so much useless labor, or prayäsa, if they do not provoke attraction for the message of the Personality of Godhead." Therefore karma-prayäsa is contrary to devotional principles in the same way as jnäna-prayäsa. The conclusion is that karma-prayäsa and jnäna-prayäsa are very detrimental. But a devotee who desires to properly pass his life still accepts his duties according to varëäçrama, as those duties are favorable to devotional service and counted as part of devotional service. All these activities are no longer called karma. In these activities, the svaniñöha devotees, or devotees addicted to their own line of devotion, bring karma and its results within the realm of devotional service. The pariniñöhita devotees, or devotees fully addicted to devotional service, perform pious activities that are not contrary to devotional principles only to attract people. The devotees who are nirapekña, or neutral, accept activities favorale for devotional service without caring for popular approval.
Jnäna-prayäsa and its resultant prayäsa for the liberation of merging with the Lord are extremely contrary to devotional principles. If añöäìga-yoga-prayäsa aims at mystic powers and liberation, then it is also extremely contrary to devotional principles. The rules for devotional practice and the knowledge of the living entities' relationship of simultaneous oneness and difference are most natural and therefore devoid of prayäsa. This type of activity and knowledge is only accepted as a means. If they are accepted as the goal, then they become the source of fault. I will explain this further under niyamägraha. The hard labor for activities like visiting holy places is prayäsa that is unfavorable for devotional service. If, however, one goes to the places of Kåñëa's pastimes with a greedy desire to awaken his ecstatic love for Kåñëa and to associate with the devotees, then this is certainly devotional service-not useless prayäsa. Following the vows of devotional service is not useless prayäsa, they are all accpted as part of the process of devotional service. The prayäsa for serving the Vaiñëavas is not prayäsa; for greed to associate with one's own peers destroys faults in the form of desires to associate with worldly-minded people. The prayäsa for temple worship is a spontaneous manifestation of the heart's emotions. The prayäsa for activities like saìkértana is only meant to open one's heart to chanting the Lord's holy names; it is therefore extremely natural.

There is no need for prayäsa in renunciation; because when devotion to Kåñëa arises in the heart, the living entity easily becomes disinterested in everything other than Kåñëa. The Çrémad Bhägavatam (1.2.7) says:
väsudeve bhagavati    bhakti-yogaù prayojitaù
janayaty äçu vairägyaà    jïänaà ca yad ahaitukam
"By rendering devotional service unto the Personality of Godhead, Çré Kåñëa, one immediately acquires causeless knowledge [or knowledge of eternally perfect servitorship of the Lord*] and detachment [or detachment free from prayäsa*] from the world." So when one gives up jïäna, karma, and vairägya prayäsa and engages in devotional practices, then the obstacles of jïäna, karma, yoga, and vairägya cannot pull one down. Therefore it is established in the Çrémad Bhägavatam (11.2.42): bhaktiù pareçänubhavo viraktir anyatra caiña trika eka-kälaù-"devotion, direct experience of the Supreme Lord, and detachment from other things-these three occur simultaneously for one who has taken shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead."

When a devotee humbly and without duplicity chants and remembers the holy names of Kåñëa, then real intelligence easily awakens in this way: "I am spiritual particle, servant of Kåñëa; Kåñëa is my eternal Lord; surrender to Kåñëa's lotus feet is my eternal nature; this world is like a traveler's rest-house; and to be attached to anything of this world will not give me eternal happiness." Like this, a practitioner soon attains all perfection. Jnäna-prayäsa, karma-prayäsa, yoga-prayäsa, mukti-prayäsa, as well as overendeavoring for material enjoyment, worldly achievements, and association with materialistic people are all hostile principles for one who has taken shelter of the holy name. By these different forms of prayäsa, one's devotional service is ruined. The prayäsa for attaining pratiñöhä, or fame, is the lowest of all kinds of prayäsa. Although it is the lowest, it is unavoidable for many. And that also should be given up by the simple process of devotional service. Therefore Sanätana Gosvämé has stated in the 
Hari-bhakti-viläsa, the concluding verse:

sarva tyäge 'py aheyäyäù    sarvänartha bhuvaç ca te
kuryuù pratiñöhäviñöhäyä    yatnam asparçane varam
"Even if one can give up all material desires, the desire for fame is very difficult to give up. This desire for fame, which is compared to stool, is the root cause of all anarthas. Therefore, one should carefully avoid touching this stool-like desire for fame." This instruction is extremely serious. The devotee should follow this exclusive duty with special care. 
A practicing devotee should pass his life in a natural occupation that is favorable to devotional service, and he should chant and remember the holy names with knowledge of his relationship with the Lord. This process of worship without prayäsa again has two different kinds of applications-for householders and for renunciates. Making varëäçrama favorable to devotional service, the householder should pass his life engaged in devotional service free from prayäsa. They should earn and save only to easily maintain the family members. If they always remember that worshiping Hari is the only purpose of life, then they will never fall into illusion. In happiness and distress, in good fortune and bad, in waking and sleep-in every condition-worshiping Hari will quickly be perfected. And the renunciate should not save at all. He should maintain his body by daily begging alms and thus engage in devotional service. They should not stay in any enterprise. By entering into enterprise, he is at fault. The more he worships te Lord with humility and simplicity, the more he will understand Kåñëa, by His mercy. As stated by Lord Brahmä in the Çrémad Bhägavatam (10.14.8):
tat te 'nukampäà susamékñamäëo
bhuïjäna evätma-kåtaà vipäkam 
håd-väg-vapurbhir vidadhan namas te
jéveta yo mukti-pade sa däya-bhäk

"My dear Lord, one who constantly waits for Your causeless mercy to be bestowed upon him and who goes on suffering the reactions of his past misdeeds, offering You respectful obeisances from the core of his heart. is surely eligible for liberation, for it has become his rightful claim." Nothing is achieved by jnäna-prayäsa, but one can know Kåñëa only by His mercy. Therefore Çrémad Bhägavatam (10.14.29) says:
athäpi te deva padämbuja-dvaya-
prasäda-leçänugåhéta eva hi 
jänäti tattvaà bhagavan-mahimno
na cänya eko 'pi ciraà vicinvan

"My Lord, if one is favored by even a slight trace of the mercy of Your lotus feet, he can understand the greatness of Your personality. But those who speculate to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead are unable to know You, even though they continue to study the Vedas for many years."
If one takes shelter of the holy names with humility, then by the mercy of the Lord-without prayäsa-all knowledge of the Absolute Truth that should be known awakens within the heart of the simple devotee. This knowledge is never attained by independent prayäsa.

Prajalpa

Idle talking

Talking with one another is called jalpana or prajalpa. Nowadays in this world godlessness is so prominent that conversing with others means godless talk. Therefore it is not profitable for a practicing devotee to engage in jalpana. There can, however, be many kinds of jalpana in the cultivation of devotional service. They are all auspicious for the devotees. Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé has written in his Kärpaëya-païjikä-stotra:
tathäpy asmin kadäcid    vämadhéçau näma-jalpini
avadya-vånda-nistäri-    nämäbhäsau prasédatam
Devotees recite the purport of this verse in the following words:
tathäpi e déna-jane,     yadi näma-uccäraëe,
nämäbhäsa karila jévane
sarva-doña-niväraëa,    duhuì-näma-saïjalpana,
prasäde praséda dui jane
"While chanting the holy name of the Lord, if a wretched person in his lifetime achieves nämäbhasa, or a glimpse of offenseless chanting, then all his faults are destroyed and Their Lordships become pleased with him."
Kértana, offering prayers, and reciting the scriptures are all jalpana; but when these are performed with a favorable mood and devoid of material desire, then they are all cultivation of Kåñëa consciousness. Therefore the conclusion is this: All prajalpas that are unfavorable to Kåñëa's service are adverse to devotional service. The practitioner should carefully give up prajalpa. There is no fault in the activities of the mahäjanas. The mahäjanas have respectfully engaged in prajalpa (favorable to devotional service), and this is our only duty. Sometimes puffed-up devotees advise that all types of prajalpa should be given up. But we are followers of Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé; being followers of Rüpa Gosvämé we will always stick to the path shown by the sadhus who are following his instructions. In the Bhakti-rasämåta-sindhu, as quoted from the Skanda Puräëa, it is said:
sa mågyaù çreyasäà hetuù    panthäù santäpa-varjitaù
anaväpta-çramaà pürve    yena santaù pratisthire

"One should strictly follow the easy path that the previous mahäjanas have accepted. That path bestows great auspiciousness and is devoid of all misery."
Our mahäjana's path is that which was shown by Çréla Vyäsadeva, Çukadeva Gosvämé, Prahläda Mahäräja, Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu, and His associates. We are not to leave aside that path to follow the instructions of new puffed-up devotees. All the mahäjanas have respected that prajalpa which nourishes devotion to Hari. We will discuss this in the appropriate place.
Godless prajalpas are impediments to devotional service. They are of many types. Useless talks, arguments, gossip, debates, fault-finding in others, speaking falsehoods, blaspheming devotees, and worldly talk are all called prajalpa.

Useless talk is extremely detrimental. Practicing devotees should discuss topics of Lord Hari in the 
association of other devotees and remember Hari's name, form, qualities, and pastimes in a secluded place without uselessly wasting time. In the Bhagavad-gétä (10.8-9) it is said:
ahaà sarvasya prabhavo    mattaù sarvaà pravartate
iti matvä bhajante mäà    budhä bhäva-samanvitäù
mac-cittä mad-gata-präëä   bodhayantaù parasparam
kathayantaç ca mäà nityaà    tuñyanti ca ramanti ca 
"I am the source of all spiritual and material worlds. Everything emanates from Me. The wise who perfectly know this engage in My devotional service and worship Me with all their hearts. The thoughts of My pure devotees dwell in Me, their lives are fully devoted to My service, and they derive great satisfaction and bliss from always enlightening one another and conversing about Me."
Also in the Gétä (9.14) it says:
satataà kértayanto mäà    yatantaç ca dåòha-vratäù
namasyantaç ca mäà bhaktyä    nitya-yuktä upäsate
"Always chanting My glories, endeavoring with great determination, bowing down before Me, these great souls perpetually worship Me with devotion." In this way the practicing devotee should cultivate unalloyed devotion. If they spend their days and nights uselessly talking with materialists, then the Lord's instruction, "always chanting My glories," will not be followed. In newspapers there is so much useless talk. For the practicing devotee to read newspapers is a great loss. But if there are topics about pure devotees described in the newspaper, then that can be read. After finishing their meal, mundane people normally smoke and engage in useless talk with other godless people. It is certainly difficult for them to become followers of Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé. Reading novels is the same. But if one gets a novel with a story like that of Puraïjana in the Çrémad Bhägavatam, then reading that is not an impediment, rather it is beneficial.

Argument is a prajalpa that is adverse to devotional service. All the arguments of the followers of nyäyä and vaiçeñika are simply godless quarrels. They do not yield any result other than wasting the mind's strength and increasing one's restlessness. In the Vedas (Kaöha Upaniñad 1.2.9) it is said: naiñä tarkeëa matir apaneyä-"This intelligence cannot be attained by argument." The living entity's proper discretion is eternally established in his natural intelligence. That discretion naturally flows towards the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord. But by arguing about directions, places, mistakes, and illusions, the heart becomes tough. Then natural discretion no longer remains. By accepting the Vedic Daçamüla instructions and arguing accordingly, one's mind does not become wicked. What is good, what is bad-when such deliberations are based on the Vedas, that is no longer prajalpa. That is why in the Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya 25.153) Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu has given the instruction: ataeva bhägavata karaha vicär-"Study Çrémad Bhägavatam very scrutinizingly." Discussions to establish the knowledge of one's relationship with the Lord are not prajalpa. Those who conquer the assembly by useless arguments do not reach any conclusion; therefore it is certainly one's duty to give up such logician's association. This is confirmed in the Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya 12.183) by Çré Väsudeva Särvabhauma, who said:
tärkika-çågäla-saìge bheu-bheu kari
sei mukhe ebe sadä kahi `kåñëa' `hari'
"In the association of the jackals known as logicians, I simply continued to bark a resounding `bheu bheu.' Now, from the same mouth I am chanting the holy names Kåñëa and Hari."
Those who are accustomed to discuss spiritual matters should remember the words of the Väräëasé sannyäsé as found in the Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya 25.43):
paramärtha-vicära gela, kari mätra `väda'
kähäì mukti päba, kähäì kåñëera prasäda
"The atheists, headed by the Mäyävädé philosophers, do not care for liberation or Kåñëa's mercy. They simply continue to put forward false arguments and counter-theories to atheistic philosophy, not considering or engaging in spiritual matters." Useless arguments arise from envy or pride, aversion or attachment to sense gratification, or foolishness or self-pride. Quarrelsome people also become intoxicated by useless arguments. While discussing topics of the Lord and His devotees the practicing devotee should always be careful to avoid useless arguments.

Talking without reason about other people is extremely adverse to devotional service. Many people talk about others to establish their own reputation. Being envious, some people are accustomed to discuss others' character. The minds of those who are busy in such topics can never be fixed on the lotus feet of Kåñëa. Talking about others should be rejected in all respects. But in the practice of devotional service there are many favorable topics that are faultless, even though they are about others. In order to completely renounce talking about others, one needs to live in the forest. The two different types of practicing devotees are the householders and the renunciates. Because the renunciates have no business whatsoever with sense enjoyment, they can give up talking about others in all respects. But because a householder is engaged in earning, saving, protecting, and maintaining the family, he cannot completely give up talking about others. It is best for him to live in a Kåñëa conscious family. When all ones material activities are related with Kåñëa, then even his unavoidable talk about others becomes sinless and a part of devotional practice in relation to Kåñëa. He should not talk about others in a way that is detrimental to anyone. He should talk about others only whatever little is necessary in his Kåñëa conscious family. He should not talk about others without reason. Moreover, when a guru enlightens his disciple on some topic, then unless he occasionally talks about others, his instruction may not be clear. When previous mahäjanas have talked about others in this way, there is merit in such talk, not fault. As Çukadeva Gosvämé said in Çrémad Bhägavatam (2.1.3-4):
nidrayä hriyate naktaà    vyaväyena ca vä vayaù
divä cärthehayä räjan    kuöumba-bharaëena vä
dehäpatya-kalaträdiñv    ätma-sainyeñv asatsv api
teñäà pramatto nidhanaà    paçyann api na paçyati

"The lifetime of such an envious householder is passed at night either in sleeping or in sex indulgence, and in the daytime either in making money or maintaining family members. Persons devoid of ätma-tattva do not inquire into the problems of life, being too attached to the fallible soldiers like the body, children, and wife. Although sufficiently experienced, they still do not see their inevitable destruction." Although Çukadeva Gosvämé talks about the materialists in order to instruct his disciple, he is not considered a prajalpé. Therefore such activities should be considered beneficial. Again, in order to instruct His own disciples, Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu spoke about pseudo-renunciates in the following words from the Caitanya-caritämåta (Antya 2.117, 120, 124):
prabhu kahe,-vairägé kare prakåti sambhäñaëa
dekhite nä päroì ämi tähära vadana
kñudra-jéva saba markaöa-vairägya kariyä
indriya caräïä bule `prakåti' sambhäñiyä
prabhu kahe,-mora vaça nahe mora mana
prakåti-sambhäñé vairägé nä kare darçana 

"The Lord replied: I cannot tolerate seeing the face of a person who has accepted the renounced order of life but who still talks intimately with a woman. There are many persons with little in their possession who accept the renounced order of life like monkeys. They go here and there engaging in sense gratification and speaking intimately with women. Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu said: My mind is not under My control. It does not like to see anyone in the renounced order who talks intimately with women."
Unless one speaks in this way while instructing and while concluding a subject, there is no benefit for oneself or others. Therefore when the previous äcäryas have personally set example and taught others, how will we be benefitted by acting contrary to their instruction? And if one discusses in this way the improper behavior current in a religious sect or amongst the general public, then such talk is not adverse to devotional service. Even if one sometimes talks about a particular person, there is no fault. In the Çrémad Bhägavatam (4.14.29) Maitreya Muni, the foremost devotee, spoke about Veëa Mahäräja in this way:
itthaà viparyaya-matiù    päpéyän utpathaà gataù
anunéyamänas tad-yäcïäà    na cakre bhrañöa-maìgalaù
"The great sage Maitreya continued: Thus the King, who became unintelligent due to his sinful life and deviation from the right path, became actually bereft of all good fortune. He could not accept the requests of the great sages, which the sages put before him with great respect, and therefore he was condemned." Çré Maitreya Åñi needed to speak about others in this way; he spoke to his audience to instruct them. This is not prajalpa. The practicing devotee normally discusses ancient history in the association of devotees. Occasionally they talk about nondevotees. Such talk is always auspicious and favorable to devotional service. But those who talk about others while influenced by devotional impediments like envy, hatred, pride, or distinction are offenders at the feet of Bhaktidevé.
Debate arises only from a desire for conquest. It is extremely abominable. Fault-finding arises only from imposing one's own bad habits on others. This should be given up in all respects. Speaking falsehoods is another form of useless talk. Worldly talk is completely rejected by renounced devotees. Householders may accept some worldly talk that is favorable to devotional service. If topics like archeology, zoology, astrology, and geography are devoid of God consciousness, they should be rejected. In the Çrémad Bhägavatam (12.12.49-50) Çré Çukadeva Gosvämé has said:
måñä giras tä hy asatér asat-kathä
na kathyate yad bhagavän adhokñajaù
tad eva satyaà tad u haiva maìgalaà
tad eva puëyaà bhagavad-guëodayam
tad eva ramyaà ruciraà navaà navaà
tad eva çaçvan manaso mahotsavam
tad eva çokärëava-çoñaëaà nåëäà
yad uttamaù çloka-yaço 'nugéyate

"Words that do not describe the transcendental Personality of Godhead but instead deal with temporary matters are simply false and useless. Only those words that manifest the transcendental qualities of the Supreme Lord are actually truthful, auspicious, and pious. Those words describing the glories of the all-famous Personality of Godhead are attractive, relishable, and ever fresh. Indeed, such words are a perpetual festival for the mind, and they dry up the ocean of misery."
Speech in the form of blaspheming sadhus is the source of great inauspiciousness. If one wants to attain devotion to Lord Hari, then he should make a vow like this: "In this life I will never blaspheme sadhus." Devotees are sadhus. By blaspheming them, all one's virtues are destroyed. By blaspheming the supremely pure Lord Mahädeva, Prajäpati Dakña, the best of ascetics, met with severe inauspiciousness. As stated in Çrémad Bhägavatam (10.4.46):
äyuù çriyaà yaço dharmaà    lokän äçiña eva ca
hanti çreyäàsi sarväëi    puàso mahad-atikramaù
"My dear King, when a man persecutes great souls, all his benedictions of longevity, beauty, fame, religion, blessings, and promotion to higher planets will be destroyed."
The conclusion of this essay is this: Whatever prajalpa is not favorable for devotional service should be carefully given up by Vaiñëavas who are cultivating bhakti. Amongst these instructions, the instruction to tolerate the urge to speak mentioned in the first verse-väco vegaà-is only a conditional urge. By giving up prajalpa, the urge to speak is permanently regulated. In order to pass one's life without sin, one should not speak anything more than whatever little is necessary. One need discuss only whatever is auspicious for oneself and others. If one wants to discuss topics of others, it will simply be useless speech. Therefore in the Çrémad Bhägavatam (11.28.2) Lord Kåñëa instructed Uddhava as follows:
para-svabhäva-karmäëi    yaù praçaàsati nindati
sa äçu bhraçyate svärthäd    asaty abhiniveçataù

"Whoever indulges in praising or criticizing the qualities and behavior of others will quickly become deviated from his own best interest by his entanglement in illusory dualities."

Niyamägraha

Too much attachment to, or too much neglect of, rules and regulations

Niyamas, or rules, are of two kinds-vidhis, or prescriptions, and niñedhas, or prohibitions. Whatever is enjoined as one's duty is a prescribed rule. Whatever is enjoined as restricted is a prohibited rule. Both kinds of rules are auspicious for the living entities.
Conditioned souls are eligible to attain a very exalted position from a very low position. Between these two positions there are many other positions. Each position is a gradual step. Each gradual step is a distinct level of advancement. Each and every gradual step has different prescriptions and prohibitions. Whenever a living entity steps to one level and stays there, he is obliged to follow the prescriptions and prohibitions of that step. By following those enjoined prescriptions and prohibitions, one becomes eligible to attain the next step. If one is unable to attain the next step, he falls down to a lower step. This is called degradation. Attaining the higher step is called advancement.
To properly follow the precepts of one's own level is called "one's prescribed duties" or steadiness in one's own position. Steadiness in one's own position is piety, and deviation from one's position is impiety. There is no other piety and impiety than this. Therefore in the Çrémad Bhägavatam (11.21.2-7) Lord Kåñëa spoke these instructions to Uddhava:
sve sve 'dhikäre yä niñöhä    sa guëaù parikértitaù
viparyayas tu doñaù syäd    ubhayor eña niçcayaù
deça-kälädi-bhävänäà    vastünäà mama sattama
guëa-doñau vidhéyete    niyamärthaà hi karmaëäm

"Steadiness in one's own position is declared to be actual piety, whereas deviation from one's position is considered impiety. In this way the two are definitely ascertained. O saintly Uddhava, in order to restrict materialistic activities, I have established that which is proper and improper among all material things, including time, space, and all physical objects."
Prescribed and prohibited rules are further divided into two categories-conditional and constitutional. The living entity is pure spirit. The prescriptions and prohibitions in the living entity's constitutional position are consititutional rules. But when the living entity is separated from his transcendental position, he accepts the designations given by the illusory energy and is entangled in this world-these are false designations. These designations are of many varieties, but the constitutional situation is one without second.

In the eternal state of the living entity, prema is the only prescription and envy is the only prohibition. This prescription and prohibition is subordinate to the living entity's eternal nature. The living entity imbued with prema and devoid of envy is the shelter of eternal rasa. Although rasa is of five varieties, still they are one undivided spiritual truth. The rules of that position are not to be discussed here. We must know only that this state is the eternal condition of the living entity.

Although in the conditional state the rules are of different types, still all the steps are divided into three principle categories. According to the Vedas, Bhagavad-gétä, and all the småtis, three principle divisions are found-karma, jïäna, and bhakti. In each division certain prescriptions and certain prohibitions are enjoined. In the karma division, the rules of varëäçrama and the ten supplementary saàskäras as well as regulative prayers are prescribed. Sins and bad habits are prohibited. In the jïäna division, sannyäsa, renunciation, detachment, and discussing matter and spirit are prescribed. Fruitive activities, forbidden activities, and attachment to sense enjoyment are prohibited. In the bhakti division, indifference, performance of activities favorable to devotion, following the prescriptions and prohibitions of the jïäna division, and cultivating devotional service with the help of those prescriptions and prohibitions are prescribed. All activities opposed to the Lord, jïäna, renunciation, attachmen to sense enjoyment, conclusions opposed to devotional service, and giving up action are prohibited.

When the conditioned soul advances by giving up his illicit activities, or low-class character, then he attains the level of karma-kaëòa. Such a person should remain in varëäçrama-dharma and aspire to attain the level of jïäna. This is his duty. He should remain in varëäçrama until he attains detachment from material activities by discussing the difference between matter and spirit and analyzing the nature of false ego, otherwise he becomes sinful. When that detachment is attained, then his higher qualification destroys his attachment to fruitive activities. But if that person still remains inclined to the rules of karma-kaëòa, then he cannot make advancement.
The duty of one who has attained the level of jïäna-kaëòa is to remain fixed in knowledge. Until he attains a taste for devotional service, he should remain under the rules of jïäna-kaëòa. As soon as the qualification for devotional service manifests, he should give up his attachment for jïäna-kaëòa, otherwise he is guilty of niyamägraha and will not make advancement. As stated in the Çrémad Bhägavatam (11.20.9):
tävat karmäëi kurvéta    na nirvidyeta yävatä
mat-kathä-çravaëädau vä    çraddhä yävan na jäyate
"As long as one is not satiated by fruitive activity and has not awakened his taste for devotional service by çravaëaà kértanaà viñëoù, one has to act according to the regulative principles of the Vedic injunctions." Çraddhä, or faith, is the only qualification for bhakti. As stated in the Çrémad Bhägavatam (11.20.31):
tasmän mad-bhakti-yuktasya    yogino vai mad-ätmanaù
na jïänaà na ca vairägyaà    präyaù çreyo bhaved iha
"Therefore, for a devotee engaged in My loving service, with mind fixed on Me, the cultivation of knowledge and renunciation is generally not the means of achieving the highest perfection within this world."

The temple of kåñëa-prema is situated on the highest peak of Goloka Våndävana. In order to reach that peak one has to cross the fourteen planetary systems of karma-kaëòa, the Virajä-Brahmaloka of the jïäna-kaëòa, and then rise above Vaikuëöha. By gradually giving up attachment to the stages of karma and jïäna, one becomes eligible for bhakti. After crossing the various stages of bhakti, one reaches the temple door of prema.
Çraddhä is the only rule for people established on the level of bhakti. As anarthas, or unwanted habits, are destroyed by the power of devotional service performed under the shelter of sadhu and guru, that çraddhä transforms into devotional service with niñöha, or firm faith. As the anarthas are further destroyed, one progresses from the level of niñöha to ruci, or taste; from ruci to äsakti, or attachment; and from äsakti to bhäva, or emotion. When bhäva, in the form of rati, or affection, is mixed with the appropriate ingredients, it becomes rasa. In the Çrémad Bhägavatam (11.14.26) it is said:
yathä yathätmä parimåjyate 'sau
mat-puëya-gäthä-çravaëäbhidhänaiù
tathä tathä paçyati vastu sükñmaà
cakñur yathaiväïjana-samprayuktam

"When a diseased eye is treated with medicinal ointment it gradually recovers its power to see. Similarly, as a conscious living entity cleanses himself of material contamination by hearing and chanting the pious narrations of My glories, he regains his ability to see Me, the Absolute Truth, in My subtle spiritual form."
Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé clarifies the sequence in his Bhakti-rasämåta-sindhu as follows:
ädau çraddhä tataù sädhu-    saìgo 'tha bhajana-kriyä
tato 'nartha-nivåttiù syät   tato niñöhä rucis tataù
athäsaktis tato bhävas    tataù premäbhyudaïcati
sädhakänäm ayaà premëaù    prädurbhäve bhavet kramaù
"In the beginning one must have a preliminary desire for self-realization. This will bring one to the stage of trying to associate with persons who are spiritually elevated. In the next stage one becomes initiated by an elevated spiritual master, and under his instruction the neophyte devotee begins the process of devotional service. By execution of devotional service under the guidance of the spiritual master, one becomes free from all material attachment, attains steadiness in self-realization, and acquires a taste for hearing about the Absolute Personality of Godhead, Çré Kåñëa. This taste leads one further forward to attachment for Kåñëa consciousness, which is matured in bhäva, or the preliminary stage of transcendental love of God. Real love for God is called prema, the highest perfectional stage of life."
In the process of sädhana-bhakti there are four stages-çraddhä, niñöhä, ruci, and äsakti. After passing these four stages one comes to the level of bhäva, which is the doorstep of prema. According to the degree of faith, each level has different rules. As one leaves behind one level and progresses to the next, he should honor the rules of the latter and leave aside those of the former. Those who do not give up the rules of the previous level are bound by those rules like chains that do not allow him to proceed to the next level.

In the process of devotional service, whatever rules are prescribed for each level are all subordinate to one principle rule. That general rule is given in the Padma Puräëa as follows:
smartavyaù satataà viñëur    vismartavyo na jätucit
sarve vidhi-niñedhäù syur    etayor eva kiìkaräù
Remembering Kåñëa is the eternal duty. All other prescriptions mentioned in the çästras have arisen from this main prescription. Forgetting Kåñëa is never allowed. All other prohibitions mentioned in the çästras have arisen from this main prohibition. Keeping this main prescription in mind while advancing, the practitioner should give up his attachment for the prescriptions of the previous level and accept the prescriptions of the next level. Otherwise he will be guilty of niyamägraha and weak in reaching the next level. The practitioner of devotional service must always remember this point. In the conclusion of Hari-bhakti-viläsa a special instruction is given in this regard:
kåtyänyetäni tu präyo    gåhiëäà dhaninäà satäm
likhitäni na tu tyakta-    parigraha mahätmanäm
"Whatever activities are written in Hari-bhakti-viläsa are mostly all meant for householders and rich devotees. There are no rules written for the renunciates."
Also in the conclusion of the Hari-bhakti-viläsa it is stated:
avaçyaà täni sarväëi    teñäà täd åktva siddhaye
präg apekñyäëi bhaktir hi    sadäcäraika sädhanä
"Although the rules for renunciates are avoided in this book, still renunciates should follow those rules in order to perfect their position." The behavior exhibited by the renunciate sadhus is proper behavior in this connection. That alone is to be followed.
The first symptom of one who has attained çraddhä is surrender to the feet of Lord Kåñëa. That surrender is of two types-for the householders and for the renunciates. Çré Hari-bhakti-viläsa mentions only those rules that are meant for householders. That is why observances such as Çiva-caturdaçé are given therein. The surrendered renunciate should follow whichever observances are appropriate for renunciates. Both the householder and the renunciate become unalloyed surrender souls while advancing on the path of sädhana. Then their rules are only slightly different. At that stage they attain ultimate surrender due to advancement in sädhana. It is said in the Çrémad Bhägavatam (11.18.28), the Hari-bhakti-viläsa (20th viläsa), and the Çrémad Bhägavatam (11.20.36):
jïäna-niñöho virakto vä    mad-bhakto vänapekñakaù
sa-liìgän äçramäàs    tyaktvä cared avidhi-gocaraù
"A learned transcendentalist dedicated to the cultivation of knowledge and thus detached from external objects, or My devotee who is detached even from desire for liberation-both neglect those duties based on external rituals or paraphernalia. Thus their conduct is beyond the range of rules and regulations.
ekäntitäà gatänäntu    çré-kåñëa-caraëäbjayoù
bhaktiù svataù pravartteta    tad vighnaiù kià vratädibhiù
"When one becomes a pure devotee of the Lord, then devotion is spontaneously established in his heart. What then is the need to observe rituals that simply obstruct one's devotional service?
na mayy ekänta-bhaktänäà    guëa-doñodbhavä guëäù
sädhünäà sama-cittänäà    buddheù param upeyuñäm
"Material piety and sin, which arise from the good and evil of this world, cannot exist with My unalloyed devotees, who, being free from material hankering, maintain steady spiritual consciousness in all circumstances. Indeed, such devotees have achieved Me, the Supreme Lord, who am beyond anything that can be conceived by material intelligence."
In the Hari-bhakti-viläsa it is stated:
evam ekäntinäà präyaù    kértanaà smaraëaà prabhoù
kurvatäà parama-prétyä    kåtyam anyan na rocyate
vihiteñv eva nityeñu    pravartante svayaà hi te
ityädy ekäntinäà bhäti    mähätmyaà likhitaà hi tat
The devotees whose minds are fixed on chanting and remembering Kåñëa's glories in pure love have no taste for activities prescribed for lower stages. Although they are not attached or bound to follow the prescribed rules of the scriptures, they sometimes follow out of their own accord. This is nicely explained in the eighth verse of the Upadeçämåta. These are the glories of the pure devotees; that is, their glories are not diminished by neglecting other's prescribed rules.

The purport is that exalted devotees follow whatever rules of the lower stages they like. The jïänés follow the varëäçrama-dharma of the karmis by their own will, not by rule or obligation. Similarly the devotees, out of their sweet will, also follow the rules of the karmis and jïänés for some purpose. This means that although they are not obliged to follow the prescriptions and prohibitions, they do so on their own accord. The topmost pure devotees are also not considered overly attached to regulations when they follow the rules of karma, jïäna, and ordinary sädhana-bhakti. Independently they are engaged in the unalloyed devotional service of Lord Kåñëa. The practicing devotee who gives up niyamägraha but spontaneously follows the rules achieves auspicious results.
The conclusion is that the practitioner attains a higher level as a result of following the rules prescribed according to his qualification. He should not maintain attachment for the rules of his previous level. Keeping this instruction always in mind, he should always engage in chanting and remembering Lord Kåñëa and thus continue advancing to higher levels.

Jana-saìga

Association with worldly-minded persons

The word jana means both male and female human beings. Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé has written in the Bhakti-rasämåta-sindhu: sadho saìgaù svato vare-"a devotee should associate with devotees who are more advanced." Generally the practicing devotees are superior to karmis and jïänés in all respects. In the Bhagavad-gétä (7.28) it is said:
yeñäà tv anta-gataà päpaà    janänäà puëya-karmaëäm
te dvandva-moha-nirmuktä    bhajante mäà dåòha-vratäù
"Persons who have acted piously in previous lives and in this life and whose sinful actions are completely eradicated are freed from the dualities of delusion, and they engage themselves in My service with determination." Therefore devotees are naturally pure. There is no possibility for them to commit sin. They are not less intelligent like the karmis and jïänés, because they have taken shelter at the lotus feet of the omniscient Supreme Lord. Faith in the devotional service of Lord Kåñëa is achieved as a result of many lifetimes of pious activities. So there is no doubt that the devotees' activities are pure. From faith, the desire to associate with devotees naturally arises. By associating with devotees, everything is achieved. The glories of sädhu-saìga is mentioned in the Ädi Puräëa as follows:
ye me bhakta-janäù pärtha    na me bhaktäç ca te janäù
mad-bhaktänäà ca ye bhaktäs    te me bhakta-tamä matäù
 
"O Partha, those who claim to be My devotees are actually not My devotees, but those who are the devotees of My devotees are actually My devotees."
Regarding the need to associate with devotees, it is said:
darçana sparçanäläpa    sahaväsädibhiù kñaëät
bhaktäù punanti kåñëasya    säkñäd api ca pukkaçam
"Even an outcaste becomes completely pure by seeing, touching, conversing with, or living with Kåñëa's devotee for even a moment." The Çrémad Bhägavatam (7.5.32) states:
naiñäà matis tävad urukramäìghrià
spåçaty anarthäpagamo yad-arthaù
mahéyasäà päda-rajo-'bhiñekaà
niñkiïcanänäà na våëéta yävat 

"Unless they smear upon their bodies the dust of the lotus feet of a Vaiñëava completely freed from material contamination, persons very much inclined toward materialistic life cannot be attached to the lotus feet of the Lord, who is glorified for His uncommon activities. Only by becoming Kåñëa conscious and taking shelter at the lotus feet of the Lord in this way can one be freed from material contamination."
The scriptures often state that without the association of the Lord's devotees, Bhaktidevi does not manifest in the heart. It is most necessary for sädhakas to associate with devotees. Therefore, in this context, the word jana-saìga is understood to mean persons who are devoid of devotion. That is why Çréla Rüpa Prabhu has included the instruction to give up worldly association as one of the limbs of devotional service. In the Bhakti-rasämåta-sindhu (1.2.43) it is said: saìga tyägo vidureëa bhagavad vimukhair janaiù-"One who desires to attain devotion to Kåñëa should carefully give up the association of worldly people." That means the devotees should not engage in the activities mentioned in the fourth verse of the Upadeçämåta with worldly people. Activities like talking with worldly people in the course of one's work is not considered association. When the same activities are done with affection for someone, then that is considered association with that person.
Every practicing devotee should know the various kinds of worldly people. Therefore we are hereby most unwillingly enumerating these people. These worldly people are of seven kinds: (1) Mäyävädés and atheists, (2) sense enjoyers, (3) those who fond of the sense enjoyers, (4) women, (5) womanizers, (6) the hypocritically devout, and (7) the ill-behaved foolish outcastes.
The Mäyävädés do not accept the eternal name, form, qualities, and pastimes of the Supreme Lord. They consider the living entity as a product of mäyä; therefore in their opinion the living entity has no eternal existence. They do not consider devotional service eternal; rather, they consider it a temporary method to cultivate knowledge. All the Mäyävädé conclusions are opposed to the principles of devotional service. Therefore by associating with Mäyävädés, one's devotion gradually disappears. Çré Svarüpa Dämodara gave the following instruction in Caitanya-caritämåta (Antya 2.94-95):
buddhi bhrañöa haila tomära gopälera saìge
mäyäväda çunibäre upajila raìge
vaiñëava haïä yebä çäréraka-bhäñya çune
sevya-sevaka-bhäva chäòi' äpanäre `éçvara' mäne

"You have lost your intelligence in the association of Gopäla, and therefore you are eager to hear the Mäyäväda philosophy. When a Vaiñëava listens to the Çäréraka-bhäñya, the Mäyäväda commentary upon the Vedänta-sütras, he gives up the Kåñëa conscious attitude that the Lord is the master and the living entity is His servant. Instead, he considers himself the Supreme Lord."
Those who do not accept the Supreme Lord, who is glorified by the Vedas, are called nästikas, or atheists. Their minds have been polluted by false arguments; therefore one's devotion is lost in their association.
Association with sense enjoyers is harmful. Those who are always busy associating with sense enjoyment are filled with blasphemy, envy, and violence. Quarrel, argument, and hankering for sense enjoyment is their life. The more they enjoy, the more their thirst for sense enjoyment increases. The sense enjoyers do not get time to speak or hear topics of Kåñëa. Whether they engage in pious activities or sinful activities, the sense enjoyers always remain far from knowledge of the self. Therefore in the Caitanya-caritämåta (Antya 6.278) Çréla Raghunätha däsa Gosvämé has said:
viñayéra anna khäile malina haya mana
malina mana haile nahe kåñëera smaraëa
"When one eats food offered by a materialistic man, one's mind becomes contaminated, and when the mind is contaminated, one is unable to think of Kåñëa properly." Those persons who externally engage in sensual activities and accept sense objects just to maintain body and soul together but internally engage in their constitutional position as servants of Kåñëa are not counted amongst the sense enjoyers, who are attached the fruits of their activities.

The sense enjoyers and persons fond of sense enjoyers are both worldly-minded. Persons who are fond of sense enjoyers are themselves also sense enjoyers, because they always think of sense enjoyment within their hearts. There are some people who are not themselves sense enjoyers, but they take pleasure in associating with sense enjoyers. Their association should also be renounced, because they will soon become sense enjoyers and bad association themselves. There are two types of sense enjoyers-those who are extremely attached to sense enjoyment and devotees who are attached to sense enjoyment. Associating with those who are extremely attached should be totally rejected. The devotees who are attached to sense enjoyment are also of two types-those who have included the Lord as a part of their sense enjoyment and those who have kept the Lord in the center of their sense enjoyment. Association with the latter type is preferable to association with the former. Although those who engage in sense enjoyment accordingto religious codes are better than the sinful sense enjoyers, still the practicing devotee should not associate with them until they become devotees. Simply by wearing the dress of a renunciate one does not become a devotee free from sense gratification, because renunciates often collect and save objects of sense enjoyment. On the other hand, many persons resemble sense enjoyers but utilize everything in the worship of Lord Hari in the mood of detachment. Considering all this, the practicing devotee should give up the association of sense enjoyers and those fond of them and engage in devotional service in a secluded place or, if he is fortunate, in the association of genuine devotees.
Do not associate with women. On the other hand, when a woman is engaged in sädhana-bhakti, she should not associate with men. Associating with the opposite sex is very inauspicious for the advancing devotee. There are two types of men and women. When a man and woman are married according to religious principles, there is no sin in their touching and talking with each other; rather, this touching and talking is beneficial because of the scriptural sanction. There is, however, no provision for illusory activities other than the execution of reciprocal duties. If they are illusioned by each other and they engage in activities other than prescribed duties, then that is called stré-saìga and puruña-saìga, or association with the opposite sex. For those who are engaged in worshiping Kåñëa, such association yields inauspicious results. If either one is guilty of such association, then they become an obstacle for the other party. If the wife is helpful in the discharge of devotional service, then the fault of stré-saga does not arise. But if the wife is an impediment in the discharge of devotional service, then one should carefully give up her association. We should consider the behavior of the great Vaiñëava äcärya, Çrémad Rämänujäcärya<$FÇrémad Rämänujäcärya sent his wife to her parent's home after she offended his guru's wife. He then took sannyäsa.>, in this connection. When there is no marital relationship and one converses with a woman with evil intentions, then this is stré-saìga. That is sinful and detrimental to devotional service. Considering these points, the practicing devotee should very carefully give up the association of women and persons fond of women. As stated in Çrémad Bhägavatam (3.31.35):
na tathäsya bhaven moho    bandhaç cänya-prasaìgataù
yoñit-saìgäd yathä puàso    yathä tat-saìgi-saìgataù 

"The infatuation and bondage which accrue to a man from attachment to any other object is not as complete as that resulting from attachment to a woman or to the fellowship of men who are fond of women." For a householder devotee, touching and speaking to his wife in the above mentioned manner is not detrimental to devotional service; but for a renunciate there cannot be any type of talking or touching a woman, otherwise his practice of devotional service will be completely spoiled. Association with such a deviated person should be totally rejected.

One should give up the association of dharmadvajés, the hypocritically devout, with special care. Those who accept the external signs of dharma but do not actually follow dharma are called dharmadvajés. There are two types of dharmadvajés-the hypocrites and the fools, or the cheaters and the cheated. Such hypocrisy in jïäna-kaëòa and karma-kaëòa is also condemned. In devotional service this hypocrisy ruins everything. Better associate with sense enjoyers, for in this whole world there is no worse association than the dharmadvajé. The deceitful dharmadvajés accept the signs of dharma with a desire to cheat the world, and to fulfill their crooked desires they cheat the foolish by helping them in their rascaldom. Some of them become gurus and others become disciples, and by trickery they accumulate wealth, women, false-prestige, and material assets. If one gives up the association of crooked hypocrites, then he can honestly engage in devotional service. Honest worship is the only way to attain Kåñëa's mercy. As tated in Çrémad Bhägavatam (1.3.38):
sa veda dhätuù padavéà parasya
duranta-véryasya rathäìga-päëeù
yo 'mäyayä santatayänuvåttyä
bhajeta tat-päda-saroja-gandham

"Only those who render unreserved [without hypocrisy*], uninterrupted, favorable service unto the lotus feet of Lord Kåñëa, who carries the wheel of the chariot in His hand, can know the creator of the universe in His full glory, power, and transcendence." Again in Çrémad Bhägavatam (2.7.42) Lord Brahmä tells Närada:
yeñäà sa eña bhagavän dayayed anantaù
sarvätmanäçrita-pado yadi nirvyalékam
te dustaräm atitaranti ca deva-mäyäà
naiñäà mamäham iti dhéù çva-çågäla-bhakñye
"But anyone who is specifically favored by the Supreme Lord, the Personality of Godhead, due to unalloyed [without hypocrisy*] surrender unto the service of the Lord, can overcome the insurmountable ocean of illusion and can understand the Lord. But those who are attached to this body, which is meant to be eaten at the end by dogs and jackals, cannot do so."
Externally exhibiting the symptoms of a Vaiñëava while internally remaining a Mäyävädé is actually pseudo-Vaiñëavism, or hypocrisy. In Çré Caitanya-caritämåta (Antya 13.93, 109-110) there is a description of Rämadäsa Viçväsa, who was externally a great Vaiñëava, devoted to Lord Rämacandra:
añöa-prahara räma-näma japena rätri-dine
sarva tyaji' calilä jagannätha-daraçane
rämadäsa yadi prathama prabhure mililä
mahäprabhu adhika täìre kåpä nä karilä
antare mumukñu teìho, vidyä-garvavän
sarva-citta-jïätä prabhu-sarvajïa bhagavän

"Rämadäsa had renounced everything and was going to see Lord Jagannätha. While traveling, he chanted the holy name of Lord Räma twenty-four hours a day. When Rämadäsa Viçväsa met Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu, the Lord did not show him any special mercy, although this was their first meeting. Within his heart, Rämadäsa Viçväsa was an impersonalist who desired to merge into the existence of the Lord, and he was very proud of his learning. Being the omniscient Supreme Personality of Godhead, Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu can understand the heart of everyone, and thus He knew all these things."
Çréla Narottama däsa Öhäkura, in his great humility, has stated:
käma, krodha chaya jane,     laïä phire nänä sthäne,
viñaya bhuïjäya nänä mate.
haiyä mäyära däsa,    kari nänä abhiläña,
tomära smaraëa gela düre
artha-läbha-ei äçe,    kapaöa-vaiñëava-veñe,
bhramiyä bulaye ghare ghare.
"The six enemies, beginning with lust and anger, are taking me here and there to enjoy various forms of sense gratification. Being a servant of Mäyä, I have unlimited desires and have therefore forgotten You. Hoping to gain wealth, I wander from house to house in the dress of a pseudo-Vaiñëava."
Unless one gives up the association of this type of dharmadvajé, one cannot purely engage in devotional service. Most of the people in the world are of this type. Therefore until one gets the opportunity to associate with a pure devotee, he should pass his life engaged in devotional service in a solitary place.
The worship of Kåñëa is not enhanced by associating with ill-behaved, foolish outcastes. They are naturally attached to eating meat and drinking wine, and they are not situated in varëäçrama-dharma. Their character is always unregulated. By associating with ill-behaved persons, the mind becomes polluted. But if those persons become faithful in devotional service by associating with a Vaiñëava and they gradually get a taste for worshiping Kåñëa with a pure heart, then their association is auspicious. Even if they commit abominable actions for some time due to their former nature, still they are sadhus. In Bhagavad-gétä (9.30-31) it is said:
api cet su-duräcäro    bhajate mäm ananya-bhäk
sädhur eva sa mantavyaù    samyag vyavasito hi saù
kñipraà bhavati dharmätmä    çaçvac-chäntià nigacchati
kaunteya pratijänéhi    na me bhaktaù praëaçyati

"Even if one commits the most abominable action, if he is engaged in devotional service he is to be considered saintly because he is properly situated in his determination. He quickly becomes righteous and attains lasting peace. O son of Kunté, declare it boldly that My devotee never perishes."
The purport is this: If the outcastes attain faith in unalloyed devotional service by some good fortune, then it can be said that they have attained the genuine path. There is no doubt that in a short time they too will become pure and peaceful by following the footsteps of Haridäsa Öhäkura. Ill-behavior, due to one's nature, necessarily remains for some time. Even then, such association cannot be called bad. In the Çrémad Bhägavatam (11.20.27-29) the symptoms of such persons are described as follows:
jäta-çraddho mat-kathäsu    nirviëëaù sarva-karmasu
veda duùkhätmakän kämän    parityäge 'py anéçvaraù
tato bhajeta mäà prétaù    çraddhälur dåòha-niçcayaù
juñamäëaç ca tän kämän    duùkhodarkäàç ca garhayan
proktena bhakti-yogena    bhajato mäsakån muneù
kämä hådayyä naçyanti    sarve mayi hådi sthite

"Having awakened faith in the narrations of My glories, being disgusted with all material activities, knowing that all sense gratification leads to misery, but still being unable to renounce all sense enjoyment, My devotee remains happy and worships Me with great faith and conviction. Even though he is sometimes engaged in sense enjoyment, My devotee knows that all sense gratification leads to a miserable result, and he sincerely repents such activities. When an intelligent person engages constantly in worshiping Me through loving devotional service as described by Me, his heart becomes firmly situated in Me. Thus all material desires within the heart are destroyed."
The conclusion is that the association of pious and sinful persons who are bereft of Kåñëa consciousness is undesirable. On the other hand, the association of persons who are sinful, yet devoted to the Lord, is desirable. The Bhakti-rasämåta-sindhu (1.2.51) quotes the following verse spoken by Mahäåñi Kätyäyana in the Kätyäyana-saàhitä:
varaà huta-vaha-jvälä-    païjaräntar-vyavasthitiù
na çauri-cintä-vimukha-    jana-saàväsa-vaiçasam
"It is better to accept the miseries of being encaged within bars and surrounded by burning flames than to associate with those bereft of Kåñëa consciousness. Such association is a very great hardship."
While practicing devotional service one should carefully understand this subject and act accordingly.

Laulya

Ardent longing or greed

The meaning of the word laulya is restlessness, greed, and desire. Restlessness is of two kinds-restlessness of the mind and restlessness of the intelligence. The citta, or mind, has the propensity for following the dictates of the senses. When the mind follows the dictates of the senses and becomes absorbed in a particular subject, attachment or aversion arise. Therefore restlessness of the mind is of two types-restlessness due to attachment and restlessness due to aversion. In Bhagavad-gétä (2.67) it is said:
indriyäëäà hi caratäà    yan mano 'nuvidhéyate
tad asya harati prajïäà    väyur nävam ivämbhasi
"As a boat on the water is swept away by a strong wind, even one of the roaming senses on which the mind focuses can carry away a man's intelligence." Again in the Bhagavad-gétä (3.34) it is said:
indriyasyendriyasyärthe    räga-dveñau vyavasthitau
tayor na vaçam ägacchet    tau hy asya paripanthinau
"There are principles to regulate attachment and aversion pertaining to the senses and their objects. One should not come under the control of such attachment and aversion, because they are stumbling blocks on the path of self-realization." In order to regulate laulya, in the form of restlessness of the mind, one has to take shelter of goddess Bhaktidevé. The instruction of Bhaktidevé is this: When the cause of the mind's restlessness is sense gratification and this restlessness is the main obstacle in the practice of devotional service, then all sensual activities should be dovetailed in the service of the Lord and the attachment to sense gratification should be transformed into attachment for the Lord. Then the mind becomes fixed in devotional service by taking shelter of that attachment. The eyes, the ears, the nose, the tongue, and the sense of touch are called knowledge acquiring senses. The hands, the legs, the anus, and so on are the working senses. When the objects of all these senses are associated wth in a devotional mood, then the mind becomes fixed on the Lord. Taste, form, smell, touch, and sound-these are the objects of the senses. One has to arouse a mood of devotion in all these objects, and enjoy them, then devotional service is cultivated. Among the objects of the senses, aversion should be applied on any that are unfavorable for devotional service and attachment should be applied on any that are favorable for devotional service. But until the restlessness of the intelligence is vanquished, how will the restlessness of the mind be checked? When the restlessness of the intelligence is vanquished, the mind can regulate attachment and aversion for sense objects by the strength of the intelligence.

The intelligence is that which discriminates between the mind's good and bad propensities. That intelligence is of two types-resolute and many-branched. There is one type of resolute intelligence, and there are unlimited types of many-branched intelligence. As stated in Bhagavad-gétä (2.41):
vyavasäyätmikä buddhir    ekeha kuru-nandana
bahu-çäkhä hy anantäç ca    buddhayo 'vyavasäyinäm
"Those who are on the spiritual path are resolute in purpose, and their aim is one. O beloved child of the Kurus, the intelligence of those who are irresolute is many-branched." Disturbances such as lust, desire to attain the heavenly planets, increasing activities that produce enjoyment and opulence, and rejection of the spiritual world all arise from the many-branched intelligence of irresolute persons. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gétä (2.44) it is stated:
bhogaiçvarya-prasaktänäà    tayäpahåta-cetasäm
vyavasäyätmikä buddhiù    samädhau na vidhéyate

"In the minds of those who are too attached to sense enjoyment and material opulence, and who are bewildered by such things, the resolute determination for devotional service to the Supreme Lord does not take place." Those whose intelligence is fixed in samädhi are transcendentally situated and have steady minds. Their symptoms are given in the Bhagavad-gétä (2.55-56) as follows:
prajahäti yadä kämän    sarvän pärtha mano-gatän
ätmany evätmanä tuñöaù    sthita-prajïas tadocyate
duùkheñv anudvigna-manäù    sukheñu vigata-spåhaù
véta-räga-bhaya-krodhaù    sthita-dhér munir ucyate
"The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: O Pärtha, when a man gives up all varieties of desire for sense gratification, which arise from mental concoction, and when his mind, thus purified, finds satisfaction in the self alone, then he is said to be in pure transcendental consciousness. One who is not disturbed in mind even amidst the threefold miseries or elated when there is happiness, and who is free from attachment, fear, and anger, is called a sage of steady mind." These two verses from the Gétä clarify the process of tolerating the urges of speech, mind, and anger as recommended in the first verse of Çré Upadeçämåta.

Now it should be known that there are two types of intelligence. The propensity to discriminate between good and bad under the dictation of the mind is called mundane intelligence, and the intelligence to discriminate between good and bad under the dictation of the soul is called spiritual intelligence. That is why in the Bhagavad-gétä (3.42) it is said:
indriyäëi paräëy ähur    indriyebhyaù paraà manaù
manasas tu parä buddhir    yo buddheù paratas tu saù
"The working senses are superior to dull matter; mind is higher than the senses, because the senses work under the dictation of the mind's propensities; intelligence is still higher than the mind, for intelligence is the propensity of the soul and therefore the master of the mind; and he [the soul] is even higher than the intelligence." The intelligence also pervertedly accepts materialism only when under the control of the false ego. When under the control of the pure ego, in the form of identifying oneself as the servant of Kåñëa, the intelligence is always naturally pure. Therefore the Vedas establish that the knower of the body is intelligent. That spirit soul is higher than the intelligence, because intelligence is only the soul's propensity.

When a living entity realizes himself as a pure spiritual particle, then his spiritual ego, in the form of identifying himself as the servant of Kåñëa, naturally arises. At that time the intelligence in its pure form rejects materialism and accepts spiritualism. At that time a living entity has no desire other than the service of Kåñëa, and he rejects material desires as insignificant. In this position the living entity is known as sthita-prajïa, transcendentally situated, or sthita-dhé, steady-minded. Being empowered by spiritual potency, the intelligence then becomes steady and controls the mind and heart by regulating them. Then the mind, under the direction of the intelligence, controls the senses by regulating them, and a favorable mood for devotional service manifests in the sense objects (indriyasya arthe). This is called indriya nigraha, controlling the senses in devotional service. Whatever arrangements are there for controlling the senses in the paths of dry knowledge and renunciation does not propely control the senses. In Bhagavad-gétä (2.59) it is said:
viñayä vinivartante    nirähärasya dehinaù
rasa-varjaà raso 'py asya    paraà dåñövä nivartate 

"The embodied soul may be restricted from sense enjoyment, though the taste for sense objects remains. But, ceasing such engagements by experiencing a higher taste, he is fixed in consciousness." This is real sense control. One should spiritualize the senses and control them with the mind, and one should spiritualize the mind and control it with the intelligence. By this process, laulya, in the form of restlessness of the intelligence and mind, is vanquished. When the intelligence is restless, the mind cannot be fixed. The restless intelligence wanders-sometimes in karma, sometimes in yoga, sometimes in dry renunciation, and sometimes in dry knowledge. To fix the intelligence in bhakti by giving up restlessness, the Çrémad Bhägavatam (11.20.32-34) prescribes:
yat karmabhir yat tapasä    jïäna-vairägyataç ca yat
yogena däma-dharmeëa    çreyobhir itarair api
sarvaà mad-bhakti-yogena    mad-bhakto labhate 'ïjasä
svargäpavargaà mad-dhäma    kathaïcid yadi väïchati
na kiïcit sädhavo dhérä    bhaktä hy ekäntino mama
väïchanty api mayä dattaà    kaivalyam apunar-bhavam

"Everything that can be achieved by fruitive activities, penance, knowledge, detachment, mystic yoga, charity, religious duties, and all other means of perfecting life is easily achieved by My devotee through loving service unto Me. If somehow or other My devotee desires promotion to heaven, liberation, or residence in My abode, he easily achieves such benedictions. Because My devotees possess saintly behavior and deep intelligence, they completely dedicate themselves to Me and do not desire anything besides Me. Indeed, even if I offer them liberation from birth and death, they do not accept it. The devotees naturally enjoy the pleasure of My service."
Considering all this, the practicing devotee should give up laulya in the form of restlessness and attain fixed intelligence in devotional service.
Another meaning of the word laulya is greed. If greed is directed to other objects, then how can it be applied in relation with Kåñëa? Greed should be carefully engaged in the service of Kåñëa. Greed for material enjoyment should be conquered by the above-mentioned method. That is why it is said that persons who are overcome by lust and greed cannot become as pure through the process of yoga (beginning with yama) as they can by serving Kåñëa. As stated in the Çrémad Bhägavatam (1.6.36):
yamädibhir yoga-pathaiù    käma-lobha-hato muhuù
mukunda-sevayä yadvat    tathätmäddhä na çämyati
"It is true that by practicing restraint of the senses by the yoga system one can get relief from the disturbances of lust and greed, but this is not sufficient to give satisfaction to the soul, for this [satisfaction] is derived from devotional service to the Personality of Godhead;" because çamo man-niñöhatä buddheù-"absorbing the intelligence in Me constitutes mental equilibrium." (Bhäg. 11.19.36) By developing greed for Kåñëa's service, the Vaiñëava's service, and chanting the holy names, there will be no greed for inferior things. One who becomes greedy by seeing the Vrajaväsé's service to Kåñëa is very fortunate. By the mercy of that greed, he attains the qualification for räga-bhakti. One's material greed is vanquished in proportion to the development of greed for rägätmikä service. If one has greed for nice foodstuffs, drinks, sleeping, smoking, and drinking wine, then one's devotion diminishes. Greed for wine, wealth, and women is most contrary to devotional principles. Those who have a desire for ataining pure devotional service should carefully give up such things. Whether for auspicious things or sinful things, greed for anything not related to Kåñëa is most despicable. Greed only in relation to Kåñëa is the cause of all auspiciousness. The greed attained by the mahäjanas for topics of Kåñëa is mentioned in the Çrémad Bhägavatam (1.1.19) as follows:
vayaà tu na vitåpyäma    uttama-çloka-vikrame
yac-chåëvatäà rasa-jïänäà    svädu svädu pade pade 
"We never tire of hearing the transcendental pastimes of the Personality of Godhead, who is glorified by hymns and prayers. Those who have developed a taste for transcendental relationships with Him relish hearing of His pastimes at every moment." Another name for greed in relation to Kåñëa is ädara, or respect. We will discuss this in detail later.

Another meaning of laulya is desire. Desires are of two types-desire for material enjoyment and desire for liberation. Unless one gives up these two types of desires, one can not practice devotional service. Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé has written in the Bhakti-rasämåta-sindhu (1.2.15):
bhukti-mukti-spåhä yävat    piçäcé hådi vartate
tävad bhakti-sukhasyätra    katham abhyudayo bhavet
"The material desire to enjoy the material world and the desire to become liberated from material bondage are considered to be two witches, and they haunt one like ghosts. As long as these witches remain within the heart, how can one feel transcendental bliss? As long as these two witches remain in the heart, there is no possibility of enjoying the transcendental bliss of devotional service."
There are two types of material enjoyments-worldly and heavenly. Wealth, women, children, opulences, kingdom, victory, good food, good sleep, associating with women for sense enjoyment, good birth, and other pleasures are all worldly enjoyments. Going to heaven and drinking nectar there, as well as sense gratification free of old age are all heavenly enjoyments. When the heart is filled with the desire to enjoy, one cannot selflessly worship Kåñëa. Therefore unless the desire for enjoyment is completely uprooted from the heart, one's progress in devotional service will be obstructed. In this regard, there is one thing to be said: If all these material enjoyments are favorable to devotional service, then householders can accept them without sin. In that case all these enjoyments are not called enjoyments, but rather they are means of progress in a devotee's life. Çrémad Bhägavatam (1.2.9-10) has stated:
dharmasya hy äpavargyasya    närtho 'rthäyopakalpate
närthasya dharmaikäntasya     kämo läbhäya hi småtaù
kämasya nendriya-prétir    läbho jéveta yävatä
jévasya tattva-jijïäsä    närtho yaç ceha karmabhiù

"All occupational engagements are certainly meant for ultimate liberation. They should never be performed for material gain. Furthermore, according to sages, one who is engaged in the ultimate occupational service should never use material gain to cultivate sense gratification. Life's desires should never be directed toward sense gratification. One should desire only a healthy life, or self-preservation, since a human being is meant for inquiry about the Absolute Truth. Nothing else should be the goal of one's works." Another name of dharma, or occupational service, is yukta-vairägya.
Desire for liberation must be rejected. There are five type of liberation; namely, sälokya-living on the same planet; särñöi-having the same opulence; sämépya-to be a personal associate; särüpya-having the same bodily features; and säyujya-oneness. Säyujya, liberation in the form of merging with the Lord, is hated by the practitioner of devotional service. Although sälokya, särñöi, sämépya, and särüpya are devoid of the desire for enjoyment, still they are undesirable. As soon as a living entity becomes free from material bondage by the strength of devotion, he immediately attains liberation. That liberation, however, is not the principle fruit of bhakti. The pure love for Kåñëa attained by liberated souls is the principle fruit of sädhana-bhakti. In this regard, the statement of Çré Särvabhauma Bhaööäcärya is appropriate. From Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya 6.267-269):
`sälokyädi' cäri yadi haya sevä-dvära
tabu kadäcit bhakta kare aìgékära
`säyujya' çunite bhaktera haya ghåëä-bhaya
naraka väïchaye, tabu säyujya nä laya
brahme, éçvare säyujya dui ta' prakära
brahma-säyujya haite éçvara-säyujya dhikkära
"If there is a chance to serve the Supreme Personality of Godhead, a pure devotee sometimes accepts the sälokya, särüpya, sämépya, or särñöi forms of liberation, but never säyujya. A pure devotee does not like even to hear about säyujya-mukti, which inspires him with fear and hatred. Indeed, the pure devotee would rather go to hell than merge into the effulgence of the Lord. There are two kinds of säyujya-mukti-merging into the Brahman effulgence and merging into the personal body of the Lord. Merging into the Lord's body is even more abominable than merging into His effulgence."
The purport is that the liberation of a devotee, in the form of freedom from bondage, is easily attained by the will of Kåñëa. That is why one should not pollute his endeavor for devotional service with desires.
It is the essential duty of the practicing devotee to carefully give up materialistic laulya.

Six qualities that enhance Bhakti

Utsäha

Enthusiasm

In his Çré Upadeçämåta, Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé has described atyähära, prayäsa, prajalpa, niyamägraha, jana-saìga, and laulya as detrimental to devotional service. We have already separately described these six items. Now, in the third çloka he mentions the six items favorable for devotional service:
utsähän niçcayäd dhairyät    tat-tat-karma-pravartanät
saìga-tyägät sato våtteù    ñaòbhir bhaktiù prasidhyati
"There are six principles favorable to the execution of pure devotional service: (1) utsäha, being enthusiastic; (2) niçcaya, endeavoring with confidence; (3) dhairya, being patient; (4) tat-tat-karma-pravartana, acting according to regulative principles [such as çravaëaà kértanaà viñëoù smaraëam-hearing, chanting and remembering Kåñëa]; (5) saìga-tyäga, abandoning the association of nondevotees; and (6) sato våtteù, or sädhu-våtti, following in the footsteps of the previous äcäryas. These six principles undoubtedly assure the complete success of pure devotional service."
Now we should discuss these six items separately. Therefore first I am speaking about the conclusions regarding utsäha.

Without utsäha, one becomes negligent in his worship. Negligence is born out of inactivity, apathy, or indifference. Laziness and inertia are called inactivity. When utsäha is generated, laziness and inertia cannot remain. The absence of desire to work is inertia. This inertia is opposite to the nature of spirit. If one allows this inertia to remain in his body or heart, then how can he perform devotional service? The state of apathy develops from carelessness. One should practice devotional service without deviation. This is instructed in the Bhagavad-gétä (6.23) in the following words:
taà vidyäd duùkha-saàyoga-    viyogaà yoga-saàjïitam
sa niçcayena yoktavyo    yogo 'nirviëëa-cetasä 

"This indeed is actual freedom from all miseries arising from material contact. One should engage oneself in the practice of yoga with determination and faith and not be deviated from the path." In his commentary on this verse, Çréla Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa Mahäçaya has said: ätmanya yogyatva-mananaà nirvedas tad rahitena cetasä-"one becomes indifferent to whatever work he feels unqualified for." Devotional service should be performed in this mentality. Regarding bhakti-yoga, it is said in the Çrémad Bhägavatam (11.20.7-8):
nirviëëänäà jïäna-yogo    nyäsinäm iha karmasu
teñv anirviëëa-cittänäà    karma-yogas tu käminäm
yadåcchayä mat-kathädau    jäta-çraddhas tu yaù pumän
na nirviëëo näti-sakto    bhakti-yogo 'sya siddhi-daù

"Among these three paths, jïäna-yoga, the path of philosophical speculation, is recommended for those who are disgusted with material life and are thus detached from ordinary, fruitive activities. Those who are not disgusted with material life, having many desires yet to fulfill, should seek perfection through the path of karma-yoga. If somehow or other by good fortune one develops faith in hearing and chanting My glories, such a person, being neither very disgusted with nor attached to material life, should achieve perfection through the path of bhakti-yoga." The purport is this: For those who have attained indifference for material activities but have not yet realized spiritual activities, what can remain in their hearts besides indifference? For them the undifferentiated brahma-jïäna is the topmost achievement. For those who have not attained indifference for material activities due to lack of spiritual realization, there is no way to cleanse the heart other than karma-yoga. Those who have realized spiritul activities and understood that material activities are insignificant attain indifference for all material activities. They accept some material activities as a support for their spiritual awakening, but they have no attachment for such activities. In proportion to the degree that they discuss spiritual topics in devotion, freedom from material association is awakened as an extraneous fruit. The symptoms of a devotee are given in Çrémad Bhägavatam (11.20.27-8) as follows:
jäta-çraddho mat-kathäsu    nirviëëaù sarva-karmasu
veda duùkhätmakaà kämän    parityäge 'py anéçvaraù
tato bhajeta mäà prétaù    çraddhälur dåòha-niçcayaù
juñamäëaç ca tän kämän    duùkhodarkäàç ca garhayan

"Having awakened faith in the narrations of My glories, being disgusted with all material activities, knowing that all sense gratification leads to misery, but still being unable to renounce all sense enjoyment, My devotee should remain happy and worship Me with great faith and conviction. Even though he is sometimes engaged in sense enjoyment, My devotee knows that all sense gratification leads to a miserable result, and he sincerely repents such activities." Karma arises from lust, jïäna arises from indifference, and bhakti arises from faith in the Supreme Lord. The person who has attained faith is naturally disgusted with material activities. He accepts without attachment only those activities that are favorable for increasing his faith in the Lord. Without the material body one cannot cultivate devotional service. So there is no benefit if one renounces the activities that are needed to maintain the physical body, thinking them to be the source of misery and lust. The fruits of those activities, which arethe source of misery for others, are therefore enjoyed by the devotees, who condemn them as insignificant. They worship Kåñëa with devotion and firm faith while enjoying the fruits of their work as they fulfill the necessities of life. Those who enjoy the results of material activities with ardent affection are called attached. Those who neglect the results of karma, but accept only what is favorable to devotional service are called unattached. Although they are unattached to material activity, they work enthusiastically in devotional life. The process of advancement for the practitioner of devotional service is stated in the Çrémad Bhägavatam (11.20.29-30, 35) as follows:
proktena bhakti-yogena    bhajato mäsakån muneù
kämä hådayyä naçyanti    sarve mayi hådi sthite

bhidyate hådaya-granthiç    chidyante sarva-saàçayäù
kñéyante cäsya karmäëi    mayi dåñöe 'khilätmani
nairapekñyaà paraà prähur    niùçreyasam analpakam
tasmän niräçiño bhaktir    nirapekñasya me bhavet
"When an intelligent person engages constantly in worshiping Me through loving devotional service as described by Me, his heart becomes firmly situated in Me. Thus all material desires within the heart are destroyed. The knot in the heart is pierced, all misgivings are cut to pieces, and the chain of fruitive actions is terminated when I am seen as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is said that complete detachment is the highest stage of freedom. Therefore, one who has no personal desire and does not pursue personal rewards can achieve loving devotional service unto Me." The purport is this: It is useless trying independently to destroy ignorance and lust in the heart. But ignorance, lust, fruitive activities, all doubts, and material bondage are destroyed by the mercy of the Lord in the course of cultivating devotional service. The endeavor of karmis and jïänés does not yield such results. Therefore when one becomes neutral by giving up other desires and hopes, he attains pure devotional service to Kåñëa
.
We should not lose enthusiasm because we have no strength to destroy the reactions of karma. In the very beginning of devotional service the sädhaka must have faith with full enthusiasm. One pure Vaiñëava äcärya has written that the process of bhajana-kriya, devotional practice, is of two types-niñöhitä, fixed, and aniñöhitä, flickering. With faith, one should learn devotional service under the merciful direction of a sadhu; and when he attains the stage of firm faith, he engages in niñöhitä, fixed, devotional service. Until he attains this fixed devotional service, his service remains flickering. In this stage of devotional service there are six symptoms: utsäha-mayé, false confidence; ghana-taralä, sporadic endeavor; vyüòha-vikalpä, indecision; viñaya-saìgarä, struggle with the senses; niyamäkñamä, inability to uphold vows; and taraìga-rangiëé, enjoying the facilities offered by bhakti.

In Çré Hari-bhakti-viläsa carelessness is counted among the offenses against the holy name. In that scripture the word pramäda is described as inattentiveness. Çré Hari-näma-cintämaëi has further divided this inattentiveness in three ways. Apathy, inactivity, and distraction are the three types of inattentiveness. Until one gets free from these three types of inattentiveness, one cannot perform devotional service at all. Even if one gives up all other nämäparädhas, if he is still inattentive, he can never have attraction for the holy names. If one has enthusiasm in the beginning of devotional service, and that enthusiasm does not become cold, then one will never become apathetic, lazy, or distracted in chanting the holy names. Therefore enthusiasm is the only support for all types of devotional service. By enthusiastically performing devotional service one can give up aniñöhitä service in a very short time and thus attain niñöhä. Therefore Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé has said:
ädau çraddhä tataù sädhu- saìgo 'tha bhajana-kriyä
tato 'nartha-nivåttiù syät tato niñöhä rucis tataù

By the awakening of faith, one becomes eligible for devotional service. When this eligiblity is attained, one achieves the association of devotees. By the association of devotees, one is engaged in the execution of devotional service. In the beginning there is no niñöhä, or firm faith, in that service because various types of anarthas keep crushing the heart. All anarthas are vanquished, however, by performing devotional service with enthusiasm. The more anarthas are vanquished, the more niñöhä is awakened.
The word çraddhä is certainly faith, but enthusiasm is the life of çraddhä. Faith without enthusiasm is meaningless. Many people think they have faith in God, but because they have no enthusiasm, their faith has no meaning. Therefore, due to lack of sädhu-saìga, they do not perform devotional service.

Niçcaya

Confidence

In his Upadeçämåta, Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé has instructed the practitioners of devotional service to be confident. Until this confidence is achieved, one will remain doubtful. Doubtful persons never have auspiciousness. How then will they have faith in unalloyed devotional service when they are doubtful at heart? It is said in Bhagavad-gétä (4.40):
ajïaç cäçraddadhänaç ca    saàçayätmä vinaçyati
näyaà loko 'sti na paro    na sukhaà saàçayätmanaù

"But ignorant and faithless persons who doubt the revealed scriptures do not attain God consciousness; they fall down. For the doubting soul there is happiness neither in this world nor in the next." One who has faith is certainly without doubts, because the word faith means firm conviction. As long as doubts are there, firm conviction cannot remain in the heart. Therefore faithful living entities are always doubtless. Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu has ordered all Vaiñëavas to first understand three truths-sambandha, abhidheya, and prayojana. There are ten principle subjects in these three truths. The first is that Vedic literatures are the only authority. In order to ascertain the truth, one must accept authority. There are nine realities, which can only be known through the Vedic authority. Different scriptures have defined different authorities. Some say pratyakña, or direct understanding, some say anumäna, or hypothetical understanding, and some say upamäna, or analogies, are authorities. And others include othr subjects as authorities. All other authorities, however, are considered auxiliary authorities by the Vaiñëava literatures propounded by Çréman Mahäprabhu. Therefore the self-perfect authority received through the disciplic succession is the only principle authority to be accepted. All the natures that exist in this world are divided into two categories-some are inconceivable and some are conceivable. 
The material natures are conceivable because they automatically awaken in the course of thinking. Spiritual nature is inconceivable because it is not perceivable by people's poor fund of knowledge. Inconceivable natures cannot be known without self-realization. Therefore there is no entrance into inconceivable subjects for authorities like pratyakña, which are included in the category of argument. That is why Çré Bhakti-rasämåta-sindhu (as quoted from the Mahäbhärata, Udyoga-parva) says:
acintyäù khalu ye bhävä na täàs tarkeëa yojayet
prakåtibhyaù paraà yac ca tad acintyasya lakñaëam

"The state of acintya cannot be ascertained by argument. It is that which is beyond the twenty-four elements of material nature." There is no entrance for pratyakña and anumäna in that state. In order to know the inconceivable nature, self-realization is the only means. Self-realization is almost impossible for ordinary people. Seeing people's terrible madness, the most merciful Supreme Lord manifested the Vedic literatures. In the Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya 20.122, 124, 125) Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu has said:
mäyä-mugdha jévera nähi svataù kåñëa-jïäna
jévere kåpäya kailä kåñëa veda-puräëa
veda-çästra kahe-`sambandha' `abhidheya' `prayojana'
`kåñëa'-präpya sambandha, `bhakti'-präptyera sädhana
abhidheya-näma `bhakti' `prema'-prayojana
puruñärtha-çiromaëi prema mahä-dhana
"The conditioned soul cannot revive his Kåñëa consciousness by his own effort. But out of causeless mercy, Lord Kåñëa compiled the Vedic literature and its supplements, the Puräëas. The Vedic literatures give information about the living entity's eternal relationship with Kåñëa, which is called sambandha. The living entity's understanding of this relationship and acting accordingly is called abhidheya. Returning home, back to Godhead, is the ultimate goal of life and is called prayojana. Devotional service, or sense activity for the satisfaction of the Lord, is called abhidheya because it can develop one's original love of Godhead, which is the goal of life. This goal is the living entity's topmost interest and greatest wealth. Thus one attains the platform of transcendental loving service unto the Lord."

To know the inconceivable nature, the Vedic authority alone should be accepted. There is one other consideration in this regard. The Vedic knowledge received through the guru-paramparä is called ämnäya. There are so many subjects in the Vedas, and there are various instructions for different qualifications. Among all qualifications, the qualification for devotional life is the topmost. By the strength of their devotional service, the previous mahäjanas have awakened to self-realization and thereby separately written instructions regarding the qualifications for devotional service as mentioned in the Vedas. Therefore the Vedic statements ascertained by the previous mahäjanas as relating to the qualifications for devotion are all called ämnäya, and it is necessary to learn them. It is impossible to enter into the inconceivable nature without receiving the full mercy of the spiritual master. The instruction of Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu in this regard is given in Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya 20.127-136):
ihäte dåñöänta-yaiche daridrera ghare
`sarvajïa' äsi' duùkha dekhi' puchaye tähäre
"The following example may be given. Once a learned astrologer came to the house of a poor man and, seeing his distressed condition, questioned him.
tumi kene duùkhé, tomära äche pitå-dhana
tomäre nä kahila, anyatra chäòila jévana
"The astrologer asked: Why are you unhappy? Your father was very wealthy, but he did not disclose his wealth to you because he died elsewhere.
sarvajïera väkye kare dhanera uddeçe
aiche veda-puräëa jéve `kåñëa' upadeçe
"Just as the words of the astrologer Sarvajïa gave news of the poor man's treasure, Vedic literatures advise one about Kåñëa consciousness when one is inquisitive to know why he is in a distressed material condition.
sarvajïera väkye müla-dhana anubandha
sarva-çästre upadeçe, `çré-kåñëa'-sambandha
"By the words of the astrologer, the poor man's connection with the treasure was established. Similarly, Vedic literature advises us that our real connection is with Çré Kåñëa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
bäpera dhana äche-jïäne dhana nähi päya
tabe sarvajïa kahe täre präptira upäya
"Although being assured of his father's treasure, the poor man cannot acquire this treasure by such knowledge alone. Therefore the astrologer had to inform him of the means whereby he could actually find the treasure.
ei sthäne äche dhana-yadi dakñiëe khudibe
`bhémarula-barul' uöhibe, dhana nä päibe 
"The astrologer said: The treasure is in this place, but if you dig toward the southern side, the wasps and drones will rise, and you will not get your treasure.
`paçcime' khudibe, tähä `yakña' eka haya
se vighna karibe,-dhane häta nä paòaya
"If you dig on the western side, there is a ghost who will create such a disturbance that your hands will not even touch the treasure.
`uttare' khudile äche kåñëa `ajagare'
dhana nähi päbe, khudite gilibe sabäre
"If you dig on the northern side, there is a big black snake that will devour you if you attempt to dig up the treasure.
pürva-dike täte mäöé alpa khudite
dhanera jhäri paòibeka tomära hätete
"However, if you dig up a small quantity of dirt on the eastern side, your hands will immediately touch the pot of treasure.
aiche çästra kahe,-karma, jïäna, yoga tyaji'
`bhaktye' kåñëa vaça haya, bhaktye täìre bhaji 
"Revealed scriptures conclude that one should give up fruitive activity, speculative knowledge, and the mystic yoga system and instead take to devotional service, by which Kåñëa can be fully satisfied."
When a person who desires spiritual perfection hears the conclusions regarding the soul from the spiritual master, then his heart becomes pure and he proceeds towards the lotus feet of Kåñëa. Ämnäya is the only authority regarding the goal of life. One should consider the other nine realities through this authority, and this understanding manifests in the pure heart on the strength of ämnäya. This is called self-realization, and this is the basis of life's goal.
Regarding the first reality, the ämnäya says the Supreme Brahman, Çré Hari, is the only worshipable Lord. His impersonal conception is called Brahman, which is nothing but His bodily effulgence. That Supreme Lord Hari in one of His expansions becomes the Supersoul or controller who creates, maintains, and destroys the universes. Lord Hari is none other than Kåñëa, the Supersoul is none other than Viñëu, and His bodily effulgence is none other than Brahman. By discussing the truth about the omni-potent Lord Hari, all one's doubts regarding the Supreme Lord are cleared. Until these doubts are cleared, one cultivates knowledge by discussing impersonal Brahman as opposite to material knowledge. Again, in order to understand the Supersoul, the expansion of the Lord, añöäìga-yoga is conceived. Only when one is freed from all doubts does he attain unflinching devotion to Kåñëa.
According to the knowledge of ämnäya, the second reality is considered as follows: The Supreme Lord Hari is naturally full of inconceivable potencies. Through one of His potencies He is manifested as indistinct Brahman. This is His impersonal potency. Again, through His unlimited potencies, including Brahman and Paramätmä, He manifests His supremacy as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Although the impersonal and personal potencies are contained in Him, still, the personal potencies are predominant. As stated in the Çvetäçvatara Upaniñad:
paräsya çaktir vividhaiva çrüyate
sväbhäviké jïäna-bala-kriyä ca
"His potencies are multifarious, and thus His deeds are automatically performed as a natural sequence." The spiritual potencies known as sandhiné, samvit, and hlädiné-the Lord's potencies of eternal existence, cognizance, and bliss-are known by the pure devotees.
About the third reality, the ämnäya says that the Supreme Lord Çré Kåñëa is full of spiritual rasas, or mellows. By the power of that rasa, both the spiritual and material worlds become maddened. That is the constitution of Lord Kåñëa. Therefore Lord Kåñëa has said: "I am the source of Brahman." Due to the power of that supreme rasa, there are unlimited varieties in both the spiritual and material worlds. The rasa in the spiritual world is pure; the rasa of this material world is His shadow. Again, by the Lord's inconceivable potency the unlimited rasas of the spiritual world have been manifested in the Våndävana pastimes of this world. The pure spirit soul is eligible for spiritual rasa. To attain that supreme rasa is the living entity's dharma , or duty. A living entity attains that on the strength his devotional service. Attaining the Supreme Brahman is devoid of rasa, or dry. That is never to be strived for. There is no manifestation of rasa in the realization of Paramätmä. Only devotional service to Kåñë is full of rasa.
While considering the fourth reality, the ämnäya says that the living entities are minute particles of the spiritual sun, Kåñëa, and they are innumerable. As the spiritual world is manifested by Kåñëa's cit, or spiritual, potency and as the material world is manifested by the inferior illusory energy, similarly the living entities are manifested by a portion of the spiritual energy. Kåñëa's spiritual form has all qualities in full, and those qualities are naturally present in the living entities in minute quantity. The independent nature of Kåñëa is found insignificantly in the living entities. For this reason the living entities claim to be independent. As a result, all living entities have developed different propensities. By one propensity the living entity searches for his own happiness, and by another propensity he searches for Kåñëa's happiness. Thus living entities are divided into two groups-those searching for their own happiness and those searching for Kåñëa's happiness. Those who search for Kåñëa'shappiness are called nitya-mukta, and those who search for their own happiness are called nitya-baddha. In this regard, all inconceivable natures are under the subordination of spiritual time. 
The time factor of the spiritual nature is a state of eternal present. But in the inferior illusory energy there are three states of existence-past, present, and future. So whatever considerations arise in this regard, if related with the spiritual time factor, then no doubts will remain; but if seen otherwise, then doubts will remain. Why did a pure spirit soul search for his own happiness? If one puts forward such a question, then doubts arising from the material time factor will manifest. If one can give up such doubts then he can perform devotional service, otherwise there will only be a series of arguments. If arguments are related to the inconceivable nature, then anarthas arise.

The teachings of ämnäya regarding the fifth reality is this: The living entities who are searching for their own happiness accept Mäyä, who is situated nearby, and thus enjoy happiness and distress under the grip of material time. Karma is nothing but a blind wheel created by Mäyä. Those who have not contacted Mäyä have no connection with karma. The living entities who are searching for their own pleasure receive from the wheel of Mäyä gross and subtle bodies as a means to enjoy. This blind wheel is found in unlimited forms, but just as it was easy for a living entity to enter, it will be easy to leave at the time of liberation.
The living entities who are under the blind wheel of Mäyä are called nitya-baddha. In this regard, the word nitya is applied in regard to material time. When by the touch of spiritual substance the spiritual time factor is awakened, then their conditioned nature is seen as temporary. By the mercy of sadhus, mahäjanas, and Kåñëa, and by the strength of many lifetimes of pious activities in devotional service, the conditioned soul achieves auspiciousness. As stated in Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya 22.45) and the Çrémad Bhägavatam (10.51.53):
kona bhägye käro saàsära kñayonmukha haya
sädhu-saìge tabe kåñëe rati upajaya 
bhaväpavargo bhramato yadä bhavej
janasya tarhy acyuta sat-samägamaù
sat-saìgamo yarhi tadaiva sad-gatau
parävareçe tvayi jäyate ratiù
"By good fortune, one becomes eligible to cross the ocean of nescience, and when one's term of material existence decreases, one may get an opportunity to associate with pure devotees. By such association, one's attraction to Kåñëa is awakened. O my Lord! O infallible Supreme Person! When a person wandering throughout the universes becomes eligible for liberation from material existence, he gets an opportunity to associate with devotees. When he associates with devotees, his attraction for You is awakened. You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the highest goal of the supreme devotees and the Lord of the universe." By the association of sadhus, material distress is vanquished; by the mercy of Kåñëa, one attains firm faith.
 Then by the strength of his devotional service and Kåñëa's mercy, a living entity cuts the bondage of Mäyä and attains Kåñëa's service. By the mercy of Kåñëa, the baddha-mukta-jévas (those who achieve freedom from bondage) easily attain sälokya, the abode of Kåñëa, with those who have ever entered into Mäyä because of searching for Kåñëa's happiness.
The conclusion of ämnäya regarding the sixth reality is this: Lord Kåñëa and all other things are connected by a relationship of acintya bhedäbheda, inconceivably simultaneously one and different. That is why the Vedas have many statements supporting oneness and many supporting difference. In the conclusions of those ignorant of the truth, only a portion of the Vedas are accepted. In the conclusions of the knowers of the truth, the purport of all the Vedas is accepted. Those who have a thirst for worshiping the Lord learn from the teachings of ämnäya that Lord Kåñëa is all-pervading and one without a second. Çré Kåñëa is the Absolute Truth. That Absolute Truth possesses all energies. Although the living entities and the material world are manifested by His energies, still He remains without a second. The ingredients are constitutionally nondifferent from Kåñëa; but in the material creation, everything other than Kåñëa is a transformation of His energy and therefore eternally separate from Him. This eternal onness and difference is naturally inconceivable because it is beyond the range of the living entity's material intelligence. When the living entity's spiritual intelligence is awakened, pure knowledge of the inconceivable oneness and difference is aroused.

 Keeping firm faith in the statements of ämnäya, by the mercy of Kåñëa the devotees can clearly see the truth of the inconceivable oneness and difference. If we use material consideration to understand this, it becomes theoretical. When one achieves knowledge of these seven realities through self-realization by the strength of ämnäya, then it may be said that one has sambandha-jïäna, knowledge of one's relationship with the Lord. In reply to Çréla Sanätana Gosvämé's questions, Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu has elaborately spoken on the science of one's relationship with the Lord. As given in Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya 20.102):
ke ämi, kene ämäya järe täpa-traya
ihä nähi jäni, kemane hita haya
"Who am I? Why do the threefold miseries always give me trouble? If I do not know this, how can I be benefited?" Those persons who want the greatest benefit, in the form of achieving devotion to Kåñëa, should all ask these questions to their spiritual master. By hearing the proper answers to these questions from the mouth of one's guru, all one's doubts will be cleared and firm faith will awaken. Do not give up deliberation as useless. As stated in Caitanya-caritämåta (Ädi 2.117):
siddhänta baliyä citte nä kara alasa
ihä ha-ite kåñëe läge sudåòha mänasa
"A sincere student should not neglect the discussion of such conclusions, considering them controversial, for such discussions strengthen the mind. Thus one's mind becomes attached to Çré Kåñëa."
Now see, among ten realities, the first eight are related with the authority and one's relationship with the Lord. One will receive all information from Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu's answer to Sanätana Gosvämé.
Regarding authority, Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu's statement is given in Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya 20.124):
veda-çästra kahe-`sambandha' `abhidheya' `prayojana'
"The Vedic literatures give information about sambandha, the conditioned soul's relationship with Kåñëa, abhidheya, the regulated activities of the conditioned soul for reviving that relationship, and prayojana, the ultimate goal of life."
Regarding the second basic truth, Caitanya Mahäprabhu has said in Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya 20.152, 155, 157):
kåñëera svarüpa-vicära çuna, sanätana
advaya-jïäna-tattva, vraje vrajendra-nandana
svayaà bhagavän kåñëa, `govinda' para näma
sarvaiçvarya-pürëa yäìra goloka-nitya-dhäma
jïäna, yoga, bhakti,-tina sädhanera vaçe
brahma, ätmä, bhagavän-trividha prakäçe
"O Sanätana, please hear about the eternal form of Lord Kåñëa. He is the Absolute Truth, devoid of duality, but present in Våndävana as the son of Nanda Mahäräja. The original Supreme Personality of Godhead is Kåñëa. His original name is Govinda. He is full of all opulences, and His eternal abode is known as Goloka Våndävana. There are three kinds of spiritual processes for understanding the Absolute Truth-the processes of speculative knowledge, mystic yoga, and bhakti-yoga. According to these three processes, the Absolute Truth is manifested as Brahman, Paramätmä, and Bhagavän."
Regarding Kåñëa's energies, Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu has stated in the Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya 20.111):
kåñëera sväbhävika tina-çakti-pariëati
cic-chakti, jéva-çakti, ära mäyä-çakti
"Lord Kåñëa naturally has three energetic transformations, and these are known as the spiritual potency, the living entity potency, and the illusory potency."
Kåñëa is full of rasa. As explained by Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu in Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya 20.153):
sarva-ädi, sarva-aàçé, kiçora-çekhara
cid-änanda-deha, sarväçraya, sarveçvara
"Kåñëa is the original source of everything and the sum total of everything. He appears as the supreme youth, and His whole body is composed of spiritual bliss. He is the shelter of everything and master of everyone."
The instruction of Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu regarding the constitutional position of the living entity is given in Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya 20.108-109):
jévera `svarüpa'-haya kåñëera `nitya-däsa'
süryäàça-kiraëa, yaiche agni-jvälä-caya 
"The living entity's constitutional position is to be an eternal servant of Kåñëa. He is like a molecular particle of sunshine or fire."
Regarding conditioned living entities, Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu gives the following description in Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya 22.10, 20.117):
sei vibhinnäàça jéva-dui ta' prakära
eka-`nitya-mukta', eka-`nitya-saàsära'
kåñëa bhuli' sei jéva anädi-bahirmukha
ataeva mäyä täre deya saàsära-duùkha
"The living entities [jévas] are divided into two categories. Some are eternally liberated, and others are eternally conditioned. Forgetting Kåñëa, the living entity has been attracted by the external feature from time immemorial. Therefore the illusory energy [mäyä] gives him all kinds of misery in his material existence."
Concerning the liberated living entities, the Lord says in the Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya 22.11):
`nitya-mukta'-nitya kåñëa-caraëe unmukha
`kåñëa-päriñada' näma, bhuïje sevä-sukha
"Those who are eternally liberated are always awake to Kåñëa consciousness, and they render transcendental loving service at the feet of Lord Kåñëa. They are to be considered eternal associates of Kåñëa, and they are eternally enjoying the transcendental bliss of serving Kåñëa."
Regarding simultaneous oneness and difference, the Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya 20.108) says:
kåñëera `taöasthä-çakti' bhedäbheda-prakäça
"The living entity is the marginal energy of Kåñëa and a manifestation simultaneously one and different from the Lord."
When the living entities' relationship with the Lord is revived by the association of ämnäya, then abhidheya is understood. Devotional service to Çré Kåñëa is that abhidheya. The purport is that whatever the scriptures specify as one's prime duty is called abhidheya. In this regard Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu says in the Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya 22.17-18):
kåñëa-bhakti haya abhidheya-pradhäna
bhakti-mukha-nirékñaka karma-yoga-jïäna
ei saba sädhanera ati tuccha bala
kåñëa-bhakti vinä tähä dite näre phala
"Devotional service to Kåñëa is the chief function of the living entity. There are different methods for the liberation of the conditioned soul-karma, jïäna, yoga, and bhakti-but all are dependent on bhakti. But for devotional service, all other methods for spiritual self-realization are weak and insignificant. Unless one comes to the devotional service of Lord Kåñëa, jïäna and yoga cannot give the desired results."
Sädhana-bhakti is called abhidheya. That sädhana-bhakti is divided into two-vaidhi and rägänugä. Vaidhi-sädhana-bhakti is of many varieties. In some places sixty-four limbs are given, and in some places nine limbs are given. The preaching of ninefold devotional service is given in the Çrémad Bhägavatam (7.5.23):
çravaëaà kértanaà viñëoù smaraëaà päda-sevanam
arcanaà vandanaà däsyaà sakhyam ätma-nivedanam
"Prahläda Mahäräja said: Hearing and chanting about the transcendental holy name, form, qualities, paraphernalia, and pastimes of Lord Viñëu, remembering them, serving the lotus feet of the Lord, offering the Lord respectful worship with sixteen types of paraphernalia, offering prayers to the Lord, becoming His servant, considering the Lord one's best friend, and surrendering everything unto Him (in other words, serving Him with the body, mind, and words) these nine processes are accepted as pure devotional service."

When a conditioned living entity engages his mind at the lotus feet of Kåñëa with his mind, body, and words, that is called bhakti. The differences in bhakti from karma and jïäna are very subtle. Many times the limbs of bhakti and karma appear similar. When those limbs are connected with separate desires, they turn into limbs of karma. When those limbs are connected with dry thoughts of Brahman, they turn into limbs of jïäna. In some limbs there is neither karma or jïäna involved. The fruits of karma that lead one to the service of Kåñëa alone are called limbs of bhakti. The fruits of karma that lead one to his own enjoyment are called karma. The karma that leads one to merge with the Lord is called impersonal jïäna. Therefore Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé has given the symptoms of bhakti in the Bhakti-rasämåta-sindhu (1.1.9) as follows:
anyäbhiläñitä-çünyaà jïäna-karmädy-anävåtam
änukülyena kåñëänu- çélanaà bhaktir uttamä

"One should render transcendental loving service to the Supreme Lord Kåñëa favorably and without desire for material profit or gain through fruitive activities or philosophical speculation. That is called pure devotional service."
To perform the limbs of devotional service according to the dictation of vidhi, or prescribed rules, is called vaidhi-sädhana-bhakti. The service performed out of spontaneous attachment to Kåñëa is called räga-bhakti. The devotion of the Vrajaväsés is called rägätmikä, and imitation of their devotional service is called rägänugä-bhakti. Vaidhi-bhakti starts from çraddhä and proceeds up to rati, when it becomes one with rägänugä-bhakti. Rägänugä-bhakti is always forceful. This is the ninth principle.
According to the statements of ämnäya, the tenth principle is that prema is the prayojana, or supreme goal. The stages from sädhana-bhakti up to the attainment of prema are described in the Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya 23.9-13) by Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu as follows:
kona bhägye kona jévera `çraddhä' yadi haya
tabe sei jéva `sädhu-saìga' ye karaya
"If, by good fortune, a living entity develops faith in Kåñëa, he begins to associate with devotees.
sädhu-saìga haite haya `çravaëa-kértana'
sädhana-bhaktye haya `sarvänartha-nivartana'
"When one is encouraged in devotional service by the association of devotees, one becomes free from all unwanted contamination by following the regulative principles and chanting and hearing.
anartha-nivåtti haile bhaktye `niñöhä' haya
niñöhä haite çravaëädye `ruci' upajaya
"When one is freed from all unwanted contamination, he advances with firm faith. When firm faith in devotional service awakens, a taste for hearing and chanting also awakens.
ruci haite bhaktye haya `äsakti' pracura
äsakti haite citte janme kåñëe préty-aìkura
"After taste is awakened, a deep attachment arises, and from that attachment the seed of love for Kåñëa grows in the heart.
sei `bhäva' gäòha haile dhare `prema'-näma
sei premä-`prayojana' sarvänanda-dhäma 
"When that ecstatic emotional stage intensifies, it is called love of Godhead. Such love is life's ultimate goal and the reservoir of all pleasure."
Those who have doubts in these ten principle teachings of Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu are not qualified for devotional service. When doubts arise, one's devotional service becomes corrupted, desires are polluted, unwanted results are achieved, and thus everything is ruined. Therefore those who have a desire for pure devotional service should perform devotional service with firm confidence.

Dhairya

Patience

For the practitioner of devotional service, dhairya, patience, is extremely necessary. Those who possess the quality of dhairya are called dhéra, sober. Due to lack of this quality, men become restless. Those who are impatient cannot do any work. By the quality of dhairya, a practitioner controls first himself and then the whole world. In the first verse of Çré Upadeçämåta the symptoms of dhairya are explained:
väco vegaà manasaù krodha-vegaà
jihvä-vegam udaropastha-vegam
etän vegän yo viñaheta dhéraù
sarväm apémäà påthivéà sa çiñyät
"A sober person who can tolerate the urge to speak, the mind's demands, the actions of anger, and the urges of the tongue, belly, and genitals is qualified to make disciples all over the world."
There are six types of urges: namely, the urges of speech, mind, anger, belly, tongue, and genitals. With a desire to speak more, a person becomes talkative. If speech is not regulated, then enmity arises from talking about others. To speak uselessly is the business of a fool; but out of a desire to unnecessarily engage in speech the materialists always waste time and face so many distresses. Pious people observe mauna-vrata, or silence, in order to get rid of this disturbance. That is why the åñis have made provisions for observing various vows like mauna-vrata.
 The practitioners of devotional service should not speak unnecessarily. If you do have to speak unnecessarily, better to keep quiet. Besides topics regarding Kåñëa, all other topics are unnecessary. But to speak about the subjects favorable to devotional service is not unnecessary. Therefore devotees should speak only on topics about Lord Hari or those favorable to such topics. All other topics will be counted in the category of the urge to speak. On who is able to control the urge to speak is a sober person.
It is the duty of a sober person to tolerate the urge of the mind. Until one is habituated to control the urge of the mind, how can one perform devotional service with attention? A materialist sits in the chariot of the mind and never gets relief from its various urges, except during sleep. Even during sleep many thoughts such as good and bad dreams come. In order to regulate the urges of the mind, åñis have propounded añöäìga-yoga and räja-yoga.

 But the Lord's prescription is that one should regulate the mind from the inferior tastes by giving it a higher taste. Those who are on the path of devotional service can easily regulate the mind. The mind cannot remain without urges. If urged towards spiritual subjects, the mind is properly engaged and it will not hanker for insignificant subjects. Many people think that without añöäìga-yoga there is no alternative to regulate the mind. But Pataïjali Muni has accepted that just as añöäìga-yoga regulates the mind, bhakti-yoga can also. Meditation on the Supreme Lord as propounded by Pataïjali is not pure devotional service, rather it is sakäma-bhakti, or motivated. If devotional service is performed for the purpose of regulating the mind, then it is certainly not devoid of material desires. Favorable cultivation of devotional service in relationship to Kåñëa is the real meaning of pure bhakti. Therefore whenever pure devotional service is performed, joyfulness of the mind automatically arises from amongst extraneous fruits. Çrémad Bhägavatam (7.1.32) states: tasmät kenäpy upäyena manaù kåñëe niveçayet-"Somehow or other, one must consider the form of Kåñëa very seriously." If one follows this instruction, then the mind will be engaged at the lotus feet of Kåñëa and it will not easily wander into other subjects. For the practitioner, the urge of the mind is regulated by pure cultivation of favorable devotional service in relationship to Kåñëa. By carefully meditating on this subject, one can know the inherent differences between yoga and bhakti.
To restrain the urge of anger is compulsory for those who are thirsty for devotional service. Anger arises when a man's lust is unfulfilled. When one is angry the result gradually leads one to ruination. It is said in Çré Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya 19.149): kåñëa-bhakta-niñkäma, ataeva `çänta'-"Because a devotee of Lord Kåñëa is desireless, he is peaceful." No insignificant lust can remain in the heart of one who relishes pure devotional service. Therefore there is no possibility of anger arising in his mind. Those whose devotional service is motivated cannot conquer anger.
 It is not possible to conquer anger by intelligence alone. In a very short time attachment for sense enjoyment overcomes the function of the intelligence and gives anger a place in its kingdom. It is seen in the song of the Avanti brähmaëa from the Çrémad Bhägavatam (11.23.33-35, 37, 40) that he was able to quickly control anger.
taà vai pravayasaà bhikñum avadhütam asaj-janäù
dåñövä paryabhavan bhadra bahvébhiù paribhütibhiù
"O kind Uddhava, seeing him as an old, dirty beggar, rowdy persons would dishonor him with many insults.
kecit tri-veëuà jagåhur eke pätraà kamaëòalum
péöhaà caike 'kña-sütraà ca kanthäà céräëi kecana
pradäya ca punas täni darçitäny ädadur muneù
"Some of these persons would take away his sannyäsé rod, and some the waterpot which he was using as a begging bowl. Some took his deerskin seat, some his chanting beads, and some would steal his torn, ragged clothing. Displaying these things before him, they would pretend to offer them back but would then hide them again.
annaà ca bhaikñya-sampannaà bhuïjänasya sarit-taöe
mütrayanti ca päpiñöhäù ñöhévanty asya ca mürdhani
"When he was sitting on the bank of a river about to partake of the food that he had collected by his begging, such sinful rascals would come and pass urine on it, and they would dare to spit on his head.
kñipanty eke 'vajänanta    eña dharma-dhvajaù çaöhaù
kñéëa-vitta imäà våttim    agrahét sva-janojjhitaù
"They would criticize and insult him, saying: This man is just a hypocrite and a cheat. He makes a business of religion simply because he lost all his wealth and his family threw him out.
evaà sa bhautikaà duùkhaà    daivikaà daihikaà ca yat
bhoktavyam ätmano diñöaà    präptaà präptam abudhyata
"The brähmaëa understood that all his suffering-from other living beings, from the higher forces of nature, and from his own body-was unavoidable, being allotted him by Providence."
That Avanti mendicant then spoke the following verse in the Çrémad Bhägavatam (11.23.57):
etäà sa ästhäya parätma-niñöhäm
adhyäsitäà pürvatamair mahadbhiù
ahaà tariñyämi duranta-päraà
tamo mukundäìghri-niñevayaiva
"I shall cross over the insurmountable ocean of nescience by being firmly fixed in the service of the lotus feet of Kåñëa. This was approved by the previous äcäryas, who were fixed in firm devotion to the Lord, Paramätmä, the Supreme Personality of Godhead."
This parätma-niñöä, being firmly fixed in the service of the lotus feet of Kåñëa, is sometimes followed by householders like Janaka and sometimes by sannyäsés like Sanaka and Sanätana. In both circumstances the parätma-niñöä is the same. Without this parätma-niñöä one cannot cross the insurmountable ocean of nescience. Service to Lord Mukunda is the only shelter; one will be delivered by accepting that. We can clearly see from this song of the Avanti brähmaëa that it is impossible to cross the material ocean by the process of yoga. By unflinching devotion to Kåñëa, everything is achieved. One who can control the urges of speech, mind, and anger by devotional service is called dhéra.
It is everyone's duty to subdue the urge of the tongue. Materialistic persons are always busy trying to enjoy the six kinds of tastes by chewing, sucking, and so on. "Today I will enjoy spiced rice with non-veg, today I will endeavor for kitri, today I will enjoy the finest drinks." Hankering like this, the materialist always wanders. The more the tongue eats, the more its hankering increases. For those who wander for the pleasure of the tongue, attaining Kåñëa is very difficult. Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu has said in the Caitanya-caritämåta (Antya 6.225-227):
vairägé haïä kare jihvära lälasa
paramärtha yäya, ära haya rasera vaça
vairägéra kåtya-sadä näma-saìkértana
çäka-patra-phala-müle udara-bharaëa
jihvära lälase yei iti-uti dhäya
çiçnodara-paräyaëa kåñëa nähi päya

"If a renunciate is eager for his tongue to taste different foods, his spiritual life will be lost, and he will be subservient to the tastes of his tongue. The duty of a person in the renounced order is to chant the Hare Kåñëa mantra always. He should satisfy his belly with whatever vegetables, leaves, fruits, and roots are available. One who is subservient to the tongue and who thus goes here and there, devoted to the genitals and the belly, cannot attain Kåñëa."
One should fill his belly with whatever is easily available. By offering Kåñëa foods in the mode of goodness and honoring them as prasäda, the tongue is satisfied and service to Kåñëa is cultivated. If palatable prasäda is easily available, then the tongue's greed will gradually be controlled rather than increased.
The urge of the belly is a disturbance. The requirement of the stomach is to eat for the maintenance of the life and mitigation of hunger. Those who are thirsty for devotional service should maintain their life by moderate eating. Those who endeavor to overeat are called gluttons. One of the qualities of devotees is mita-bhuk, eating what is necessary. By eating less, the body remains healthy and does not disturb one's devotional service. Those who have no strength to tolerate the urge of the stomach are always greedy to eat. Those who are firmly convinced that nothing can be eaten besides kåñëa-prasäda are especially able to tolerate the urge of the belly. Restrictions like fasting on prescribed days are also models of instruction for controlling the urge of the stomach.
The urge of the genital is formidable for persons who are averse to the Lord. In the Çrémad Bhägavatam (11.5.11) it is said: loke vyaväyämiña-madya-sevä nityä hi jantor na hi tatra codanä-"In this material world the conditioned soul is always inclined to sex, meat-eating, and intoxication. Therefore religious scriptures never actually encourage such activities." The purport of this statement from the Çrémad Bhägavatam is confidential. Those who possess a material body made of flesh and blood are always inclined to associate with women. To minimize this inclination, the marriage ceremony is recommended. Those who wish to get free from the codes of marriage are almost like animals. But those who have crossed beyond the rules of this natural inclination by the association of devotees and the strength of their service and have thus attained attraction for spiritual subject matters, for them associating with the opposite sex is very insignificant. Persons who are filled with attachment for material enjoyment can nver tolerate the urge of the genital. Many of them engage in illicit activities. Regarding this propensity, those who thirst for devotional service are divided into two groups. Those whose attraction has been purified by the strength of sädhu-saìga give up the association of women altogether and continually engage in devotional service. Persons in this group are known as renounced Vaiñëavas. Those whose propensity for associating with women has not been destroyed accept the codes of marriage and remain as householders while engaging in devotional service. Associating with women as prescribed in the scriptures means to control the urge of the genitals.

When one properly tolerates the above mentioned six urges, that is favorable for his devotional service. And when those urges are strong, that is unfavorable for one's devotional service. To subdue these six urges is called dhairya. As long as one has a material body these propensities cannot be totally uprooted, but by properly engaging them in their appropriate subjects they no longer remain faulty. Therefore Çré Narottama däsa Öhäkura has written in his Prema-bhakti-candrikä as follows:
käma, krodha, lobha, moha,    mada, mätsarya, dambha-saha
sthäne sthäne niyukta kariba
änanda kari' hådaya,    ripu kari' paräjaya,
anäyäse govinda bhajiba.
`käma' kåñëa-karmärpaëe,    `krodha' bhakta-dveñé jane,
`lobha' sädhu-saìge hari-kathä
`moha' iñöa-läbha vine,    `mada' kåñëa-guëa-gäne,
niyukta kariba yathä tathä.
"I will engage lust, anger, greed, illusion, madness, envy, and pride in appropriate ways, and by defeating these enemies I will feel happiness in my heart as I peacefully worship Govinda. I will engage lust by offering it in Kåñëa's service. Anger I will direct towards those who are envious of the devotees. I will be greedy to hear the topics of Hari in the association of devotees. I will feel illusioned without achieving my worshipable Lord. I will be maddened while singing the glories of Kåñëa. In this way I will engage these enemies in their proper places."

The confidential meaning of this song is that the duty of an intelligent person is to direct these urges away from their respective subjects and make them favorable to devotional service. That can only be done with patience.
There is another meaning applicable to the word dhairya. Those who engage in sädhana desire to attain the results. Karmis hope to attain heavenly happiness by fruitive activities; jïänés hope to attain liberation by speculative knowledge, and devotees hope to please Kåñëa by their devotion. Being impatient due to prolonged sädhana, some people fall from the path to the ultimate goal; therefore a practicing devotee who desires to achieve his goal attains that result only when he becomes patient. "Kåñëa must be merciful to me either today or after one hundred years or in some other birth. I will take shelter of His lotus feet with determination and never leave." This type of dhairya, patience, is most desirable for the practitioners of devotional service.

Tat-tat-karma-pravartana

Various activities favorable for devotional service

Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé has enjoined the system of tat-tat-karma-pravartanat, acting according to the regulative principles, for those aspiring to perform devotional service. In the Upadeçämåta, activities by which pure devotional service is cultivated are called tat-tat-karma, prescribed duties. Çré Kåñëa tells Uddhava in the Çrémad Bhägavatam (11.19.20-24):
çraddhämåta-kathäyäà me    çaçvan mad-anukértanam
pariniñöhä ca püjäyäà    stutibhiù stavanaà mama
ädaraù paricaryäyäà    sarväìgair abhivandanam
mad-bhakta-püjäbhyadhikä    sarva-bhüteñu man-matiù
mad-artheñv aìga-ceñöä ca    vacasä mad-guëeraëam
mayy arpaëaà ca manasaù    sarva-käma-vivarjanam
mad-arthe 'rtha-parityägo    bhogasya ca sukhasya ca
iñöaà dattaà hutaà japtaà    mad-arthaà yad vrataà tapaù
evaà dharmair manuñyäëäm    uddhavätma-nivedinäm
mayi saïjäyate bhaktiù    ko 'nyo 'rtho 'syävaçiñyate
"Firm faith in the blissful narrations of My pastimes, constant chanting of My glories, unwavering attachment to ceremonial worship of Me, praising Me through beautiful hymns, great respect for My devotional service, offering obeisances with the entire body, performing first-class worship of My devotees, consciousness of Me in all living entities, offering of ordinary, bodily activities in My devotional service, offering words to describe My qualities, offering the mind to Me, rejection of all material desires, giving up wealth for My devotional service, renouncing material sense gratification and happiness, and performing all desirable activities such as charity, sacrifice, chanting, vows, and austerities with the purpose of achieving Me-these constitute actual religious principles, by which those human beings who have actually surrendered themselves to Me automatically develop love for Me. What other purpose or goal could remain for My devotee?"

Based on these instructions of the Lord, Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé has divided these activities into sixty-four items in his Bhakti-rasämåta-sindhu. Çréla Kåñëadäsa Kaviräja Gosvämé has written about those activities in the Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya 22.115-129) as follows:
guru-pädäçraya, dékñä, gurura sevana
sad-dharma-çikñä, påcchä, sädhu-märgänugamana
"On the path of regulative devotional service, one must observe the following items: (1) One must accept a bona fide spiritual master. (2) Accept initiation from him. (3) Serve him. (4) Receive instructions from the spiritual master and make inquiries in order to learn devotional service. (5) Follow in the footsteps of the previous äcäryas and follow the directions given by the spiritual master.
kåñëa-prétye bhoga-tyäga, kåñëa-térthe väsa
yävan-nirväha-pratigraha, ekädaçy-upaväsa
"The next steps are as follows: (6) One should be prepared to give up everything for Kåñëa's satisfaction, and one should also accept everything for Kåñëa's satisfaction. (7) One must live in a place where Kåñëa is present-a city like Våndävana or Mathurä or a Kåñëa temple. (8) One should acquire a livelihood that is just sufficient to keep body and soul together. (9) One must fast on Ekädaçé day. 
dhätry-açvattha-go-vipra-vaiñëava-püjana
sevä-nämäparädhädi düre visarjana
"One should worship dhätré trees, banyan trees, cows, brähmaëas, and devotees of Lord Viñëu. One should avoid offenses against devotional service and the holy name.
avaiñëava-saìga-tyäga, bahu-çiñya nä kariba
bahu-grantha-kaläbhyäsa-vyäkhyäna varjiba
"The twelfth item is to give up the company of nondevotees. (13) One should not accept an unlimited number of disciples. (14) One should not partially study many scriptures just to be able to give references and expand explanations.
häni-läbhe sama, çokädira vaça nä ha-iba
anya-deva, anya-çästra nindä nä kariba
"Fifteen: The devotee should treat loss and gain equally. (16) The devotee should not be overwhelmed by lamentation. (17) The devotee should not worship demigods, nor should he disrespect them. Similarly, the devotee should not study or criticize other scriptures. 
viñëu-vaiñëava-nindä, grämya-värtä nä çuniba
präëi-mätre manoväkye udvega nä diba
"Eighteen: The devotee should not hear Lord Viñëu or His devotees blasphemed. (19) The devotee should avoid reading or hearing newspapers or mundane books that contain stories of love affairs between men and women or subjects palatable to the senses. (20) Neither by mind nor words should the devotee cause anxiety to any living entity, regardless how insignificant he may be.
çravaëa, kértana, smaraëa, püjana, vandana
paricaryä, däsya, sakhya, ätma-nivedana
"After one is established in devotional service, the positive actions are (1) hearing, (2) chanting, (3) remembering, (4) worshiping, (5) praying, (6) serving, (7) accepting servitorship, (8) becoming a friend, and (9) surrendering fully.
agre nåtya, géta, vijïapti, daëòavan-nati
abhyütthäna, anuvrajyä, tértha-gåhe gati
"One should also (10) dance before the Deity, (11) sing before the Deity, (12) open one's mind to the Deity, (13) offer obeisances to the Deity, (14) stand up before the Deity and the spiritual master just to show them respect, (15) follow the Deity or the spiritual master, and (16) visit different places of pilgrimage or go see the Deity in the temple. 
parikramä, stava-päöha, japa, saìkértana
dhüpa-mälya-gandha-mahäprasäda-bhojana
"One should (17) circumambulate the temple, (18) recite various prayers, (19) chant softly, (20) chant congregationally, (21) smell the incense and flower garlands offered to the Deity, and (22) eat the remnants of food offered to the Deity. 
ärätrika-mahotsava-çrémürti-darçana
nija-priya-däna, dhyäna, tadéya-sevana
"One should (23) attend ärati and festivals, (24) see the Deity, (25) present what is very dear to oneself to the Deity, (26) meditate, and (27) serve those related to the Lord.
`tadéya'-tulasé, vaiñëava, mathurä, bhägavata
ei cärira sevä haya kåñëera abhimata
"Tadéya means the tulasé leaves, the devotees of Kåñëa, the birthplace of Kåñëa, Mathurä, and the Vedic literature Çrémad Bhägavatam. Kåñëa is very eager to see His devotee serve tulasé, Vaiñëavas, Mathurä, and Bhägavatam.
kåñëärthe akhila-ceñöä, tat-kåpävalokana
janma-dinädi-mahotsava laïä bhakta-gaëa
"Thirty-one: One should perform all endeavors for Kåñëa. (32) One should look forward to His mercy. (33) One should partake of various ceremonies with devotees, ceremonies like Lord Kåñëa's birthday or Rämacandra's birthday. 
sarvathä çaraëäpatti, kärtikädi-vrata
`catuù-ñañöi aìga' ei parama-mahattva
"Thirty-four: One should surrender to Kåñëa in all respects. (35) One should observe particular vows like kärtika-vrata. These are some of the sixty-four important items of devotional service.
sädhu-saìga, näma-kértana, bhägavata-çravaëa
mathurä-väsa, çré-mürtira çraddhäya sevana
"One should associate with devotees, chant the holy name of the Lord, hear Çrémad-Bhägavatam, reside at Mathurä, and worship the Deity with faith and veneration.
sakala-sädhana-çreñöha ei païca aìga
kåñëa-prema janmäya ei päïcera alpa saìga
"These five limbs of devotional service are the best of all. Even a slight performance of these five awakens love for Kåñëa."
Aspiring devotees should first take shelter of the lotus feet of a bona fide guru. Without taking shelter of a guru, one cannot achieve anything auspicious. There are two types of people-one has developed intelligence and one has undeveloped intelligence. Those whose intelligence is undeveloped are absorbed in the so-called happiness of this world. If by chance they get the association of a mahäjana, then they also become intelligent. Then they consider, "How unfortunate I am! I'm always engaged in sense gratification. I'm passing my days hankering for material enjoyment." 
This initial association with a great soul is also called association with the guru by hearing. By good fortune, at this time faith is awakened. When faith is awakened, one endeavors for devotional service. Then it is essential for one to take shelter of the lotus feet of a guru. In this way by good fortune persons with undeveloped intelligence become intelligent and take shelter of the lotus feet of a guru.

What type of guru one should take shelter of is explained in the çästras. One who has conquered the six enemies beginning with lust, one who is pure, one who performs devotional service on the path of räga, one who is brahminical, one who knows the clear path of the Vedas, one who sadhus can respect as guru, one who is able to control the senses, one who is merciful to all living entities, one who is cultured, one who is without duplicity, and one who is truthful-this type of householder is fit to be a guru.
 All these qualities are considered in two ways. The principle quality of a guru is attachment to Kåñëa and detachment for what is not related with Kåñëa. All other qualities are secondary. That is why Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu has said in the Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya 8.127):
kibä vipra, kibä nyäsé, çüdra kene naya
yei kåñëa-tattva-vettä, sei `guru' haya
"Whether one is a brähmaëa, a sannyäsé, or a çüdra-regardless of what he is-he can become a spiritual master if he knows the science of Kåñëa."
If one possess this principle symptom of a guru, then he is eligible to be guru even though he lacks one or two secondary symptoms. Being a brähmaëa and being a householder are counted as secondary symptoms. It is good if a person possesses these two secondary symptoms along with the principle qualification. But those who are defective in the principle symptom are unqualified to be guru even though they possess the other two. As stated in Çré Padma Puräëa:
mahäbhägavata çreñöho    brähmaëo vai gurur nånäm
sarveñäm eva lokänäm    asau püjyo yathä hariù
mahäkula prasüto `pi    sarva yajïeñu dékñitaù
sahasraçäkhädhyäyé ca    na guruù syäd avaiñëavaù
"Among all human beings the brähmaëa who is a mahä-bhägavata, or great devotee, is topmost and qualified as guru. He is as worshipable as Lord Hari. A non-Vaiñëava is never fit to be guru even if he has taken birth in a great family, performed all sacrifices, and studied many branches of the Vedas." After finding a qualified guru, a faithful disciple should serve him with firm conviction and without duplicity. One should accept initiation and kåñëa-mantra after pleasing the guru. Those who are averse to taking initiation and only make a drama of pseudo-kértana while advertising themselves as Vaiñëavas certainly cheat themselves. It is not the duty of materialistic persons to renounce the process of initiation because a few great souls like Jaòa Bharata did not take initiation. Initiation is a constitutional injunction for every birth of the living entity.

 If initiation is not seen in the life of a perfected soul, it should not be taken as an example. General rules are not changed because something happens to  particular person in a special situation. Çré Dhruva Mahäräja went to Dhruvaloka in his material body; seeing that, should one waste time hoping for the same? The general rule is a living entity gives up his material body and goes to Vaikuëöha in his spiritual body. General rules should be accepted by people in general. Whenever and whatever is desired by the Lord, who is full of inconceivable potencies, that only happens. Therefore we should never transgress the general rules. After pleasing the guru by serving him without duplicity, one should receive from him instructions on the Absolute Truth and initiation into chanting the holy name of the Lord.
After receiving initiation and instructions from a bona fide guru, a fortunate disciple should follow the path of the previous sadhus. Those who are proud neglect the previous mahäjanas and create new paths. As a result, they soon proceed on their inauspicious path and ruin themselves. It is said in the Skanda Puräëa:
sa mågyaù çreyasäà hetuù    panthäù santäpa-varjitaù
anaväpta-çramaà pürve    yena santaù pratasthire
"One should strictly follow the easy path which the previous mahäjanas have accepted. That path bestows great auspiciousness and is devoid of all misery." By discussing the path of the previous sadhus, one gets determination, courage, and satisfaction. When we discuss the path of devotional service exhibited by Çré Rüpa, Çré Sanätana, Çré Raghunätha, and Çré Haridäsa Öhäkura, then we feel such happiness that it cannot be described. When the miscreant Mohammedans tortured Haridäsa Öhäkura, he said:
khaëòa khaëòa hai' deha yäya yadi präëa
tabu ämi vadane nä chäòi hari-näma
e saba jévere kåñëa! karaha prasäda
mora drohe nahu e sabära aparädha
"Even if my body is cut into pieces and I loose my life, I will never give up chanting the Lord's holy name. O Kåñëa, please be merciful upon these poor souls, kindly excuse them for their offense of torturing me."
Maintaining this type of determination and being compassionate to all living entities while always chanting the holy name of Kåñëa is the path of devotional service exhibited by the previous mahäjanas. A path cannot be manufactured. Whatever path is there should be accepted by sadhus. Those who are proud and want fame try vigorously to discover new paths. Those who have good fortune from past lives give up pride and respect the established path. Those who are unfortunate promenade on a new path and thus cheat the world. Regarding such persons the Bhakti-rasämåta-sindhu (1.2.46-47) quotes the Brahma-yämala as follows:
çruti-småti-puräëädi-    païcarätra-vidhià vinä
aikäntiké harer bhaktir    utpätäyaiva kalpate
bhaktir aikäntikéveyam    avicärät pratéyate
vastu tastu tathä naiva    yad açästréyatekñyate
"Devotional service of the Lord that ignores the authorized Vedic literatures like the Upaniñads, Puräëas, and Närada-païcarätra is simply an unnecessary disturbance in society. Such activities are born out of speculation and therefore they only superficially resemble unalloyed devotion because they are disrespectful to the Vedic injunctions. Disrespecting Vedic injunctions falls in the category of atheism. Whenever there is disrespect for the scriptures, which are the Lord's instructions, that cannot be devotional service."
The purport is that although the path of devotion is of two kinds-vaidhi and rägänugä-the previous mahäjanas have clearly prescribed them according to one's qualification. These paths are explained in the scriptures such as the çruti, småti, and païcarätra. Rejecting these paths, the new paths discovered by Lord Buddha and Dattatreya ultimately create disturbance. Due to improper consideration these new paths are advertised as unalloyed devotional service to Kåñëa, although they are not actually so. The proper path is exhibited in the Vedic literatures. Nowadays many new paths are discovered, and they ultimately disappear along with their propounder.
Inquiring about sad-dharma, eternal religious principles, is one of the disciple's devotional duties. Therefore Bhakti-rasämåta-sindhu (1.2.47) quotes the following statement from the Çré Näradéya Puräëa:
sad-dharmasyävabodhäya    yeñäà nirbandhiné matiù
aciräd eva sarvärthaù    sidhyaty eñäm abhépsitaù
"Those who are anxious to awaken their spiritual consciousness, who have unflinching intelligence, and who are not deviated, certainly attain the desired goal of life." As fortunate persons wish to follow the characteristics of the sadhus' devotional service, they similarly desire to know their duty. Unfortunate proud persons act just the opposite. As they search paths different from those of the sadhus, they disrespect the sadhus' determined conclusions while respecting their own. They do not care to preach the teachings of Mahäprabhu to the people of this world, rather they preach doctrines contradictory to those of Mahäprabhu.
 They do not know how much misfortune they are creating by this. Those who are simple endeavor to properly learn the teachings of the Lord from Çré Caitanya-caritämåta. The Lord's teachings are our only life. Sad-dharma lies in this alone. The bona fide disciple especially tries to understand sad-dharma. If he cannot understand on his own, then he prays at the feet of his sikña-guru ad learns from him. Those who have this kind of determination to know sad-dharma quickly achieve their desired goal. The Bhakti-rasämåta-sindhu (1.1.9) says:
anyäbhiläñitä-çünyaà    jïäna-karmädy-anävåtam
änukülyena kåñëänu-    çélanam bhaktir uttamä
"One should render transcendental loving service to the Supreme Lord Kåñëa favorably and without desire for material profit or gain through fruitive activities or philosophical speculation. That is called pure devotional service." As long as this pure devotional symptom, in the form of understanding sad-dharma, has not clearly manifest in the heart of an inquisitive person, his heart remains covered with darkness and he cannot know what is pure devotional service. If one depends on his own speculation, then unalloyed devotional service will not manifest in his heart. We meet many so-called paëòitas who think they have understood the constitution of bhakti by their knowledge and intelligence. Some of them have concluded that devotional service mixed with jïäna is pure bhakti, and some of them have concluded that devotional service mixed with karma is pure bhakti. They are so proud that if they hear the teachings of Çré Caitanya-caritämåta, they say, "Everyone can make their own conclusion. What is the need fortaking the conclusion of Caitanya-caritämåta?" These people never come in touch with sad-dharma because they have no desire to know it. The result of performing their own concocted new process of devotional service is they can never relish pure devotion. 
It is the duty of a sädhaka to give up personal enjoyment for the sake of Kåñëa. Sense gratification is called enjoyment. Dovetailing one's lust for sense gratification in the service of Kåñëa is renunciation of enjoyment. When one converts his world of enjoyment into what is favorable for devotional service, thus giving up the spirit of enjoying those objects and accepting everything as kåñëa-prasäda, then this is called renunciation of enjoyment.
To reside in a holy place related with Kåñëa is also a limb of sädhana. If one resides in Çré Dvärakä, Çré Mathurä, on the bank of the Ganges, or at pastimes sites of the Lord, then one naturally remembers Kåñëa. What greater gain can there be than this?
At every stage of life one should accept only as much wealth as needed for the practice of devotional service. By desiring more than needed, bhakti will disappear. If wealth is not accepted according to one's need, however, then the practice of devotional service will be hampered.
One should carefully respect çré hari-väsara, Ekädaçé. By observing Ekädaçé all the supporting principles of devotional service are practiced. The practice of devotional service becomes continuous by giving up all enjoyment and practicing devotional service once every fortnight.
For one who worships and meditates on the earth, banyan trees, tulasé, cows, brähmaëas, and Vaiñëavas, all his sinful reactions are diminished. By these activities one can please Kåñëa, because these objects are auspicious for the world.
These ten limbs of devotional service are the preliminary activities for worshiping the Lord. For those who neglect these ten limbs, attaining devotional service and Kåñëa is very difficult.
Therefore those who are aspiring for devotional service should first take shelter of Çré Guru, take initiation and instruction from him, and serve him. They should also follow the behavior of the sadhus and learn the conclusions taught by the sadhus. In order to make one's life Kåñëa conscious, one should reside in a sacred place related to Kåñëa and give up the enjoyment of sense gratification for the service of Kåñëa. In one's ordinary dealings one should only accept the wealth that is necessary to favorably maintain Kåñëa's business. To practice devotional service one should observe fast days like Ekädaçé and Janmäñöamé. One should respect banyan trees in order to maintain the glories of this world, which is one of the Lord's opulences. These ten rules must be followed. And the following ten rules must be rejected, otherwise the practice of devotional service cannot be steady.
One should not associate with persons who are averse to the Lord's service. One will have to meet such people in his ordinary dealings, but one should deal with them only until the work is finished. After the work is finished one should not deal with them. Those who have not had loving devotion to Kåñëa awakened in their heart are always proud of remaining under the shelter of jïäna and karma. Therefore they are called bhagavad-bahirmukha, averse to Kåñëa. Those who worship many gods, those who are Mäyävädés and thirsty for impersonal jïäna, and those atheists who defy Vedic literatures are all bhagavad-bahirmukha, averse to Kåñëa.
One whose faith in pure devotional service has not developed should not be accepted as a disciple, otherwise the disciplic chain of devotional service will be polluted. One should give up the endeavor for starting new big projects, because it diminishes one's devotion to Kåñëa.
One should not read or explain various types of books, except those which lead to the advancement of devotional service. One should discuss those scriptures wherein devotional service is instructed and explained, such as the Vedas, småtis, Puräëas, Païcarätra, and the writings of the mahäjanas. From books with other opinions, only useless arguments are learned.
The endeavor for food and clothing must always remain, either in household life or in renounced life. Therefore there is a need of generosity in such dealings. According to the Padma Puräëa:
alabdhe vä vinañöe vä    bhakñyäcchädana-sädhane
aviklava-matir bhütvä    harim eva dhiyä smaret
"The mind of one who has taken shelter of the holy name is undisturbed even if food and clothes are not easily obtained or if they are obtained but then lost. Leaving behind all material attachments, he takes complete shelter of Govinda." The purport is that whether a sädhaka stays at home or in the forest, he will have to endeavor for food and clothing. A householder should find out his food and clothing through agriculture or business, protecting the citizens, or by serving others. A renunciate should accomplish this by begging alms. In those activities a devotee should not be agitated if food and clothing are not obtained or if they are obtained and then lost. He should peacefully remember Kåñëa.
Householders lament if they lose their wife, children, etc. But a practitioner of devotional service should not maintain this lamentation very long. They should quickly give up their lamentation and engage in the cultivation of Kåñëa consciousness. A renunciate should not lament if he does not possess a quilt, a waterpot, or other alms, or if these things are stolen by man or animal. A practicing Vaiñëava should give up all urges like lamentation and anger, otherwise there will be obstacles in his constant remembrance of Kåñëa. It is explained in the Padma Puräëa:
çokämarñädibhir bhävair    äkräntaà yasya mänasam
kathaà tasya mukundasya    sphürttiù sambhävanä bhavet
"Within the heart of one who is full of anger or pride, or lamentation on the state of his wife or sons, there is no possibility of Kåñëa being manifest."
Those who endeavor for devotional service should only worship Kåñëa. They should not worship various demigods. But they should not also disrespect the demigods or the scriptures. When coming before a demigod, one should offer respect, knowing them to be Kåñëa's servant. In the Padma Puräëa it is said:
harir eva sadärädhyaù    sarva-deveçvareçvaraù
itare brahma-rudrädyä    nävajïeyäù kadäcana
"Kåñëa, or Hari, is the master of all demigods, and therefore He is always worshipable. But this does not mean that one should not offer respect to the demigods headed by Brahmä and Çiva." The purport is that the Supreme Lord is one, and others (Brahmä and Çiva) are His qualitative incarnations (guëävataras). Particular demigods are worshiped by people according to their qualifications. But Lord Viñëu is the only worshipable Lord for people who are in the mode of goodness. After worshiping various demigods for many lifetimes, one's life becomes auspicious when he comes to the point of accepting Viñëu as the only Supreme Lord. Lord Çré Kåñëa is the topmost manifestation of viñëu-tattva. When a living entity transcends the three modes by worshiping in the mode of goodness, he attains the service of Lord Kåñëa.

One should be merciful and not cause anxiety to any living entity. The heart should always be filled with compassion for others. Exhibiting mercy to all living entities is one of the limbs of devotional service. A person aspiring for devotional service should carefully practice this characteristic.
It is most essential for an aspiring devotee to give up the ten offenses in chanting and the offenses in the matter of serving the Lord. For ordinary devotees there is some consideration of offenses in serving the 

Deity of the Lord. It is not possible to give up all the offenses in serving the Lord, but one must give up some of the offenses before entering the temple room. The ten offenses in chanting have been discussed in many places. The practitioner should carefully give up those offenses. For those who are negligent in this regard, endeavoring for devotional service becomes useless. It is written in the Padma Puräëa:
sarväparädha kåd api    mucyate hari saàçrayaù
harer apy aparädhän yaù    kuryäd dvi-pada päàsanaù
nämäçrayaù kadäcit syät    taraty eva sa nämataù
nämno hi sarva suhådo    hy aparädhät pataty adhaù
The purport is that if one takes shelter of Lord Hari, then all his offenses are vanquished. All offenses committed in the service of the Lord are destroyed by taking shelter of the holy names. The holy name alone delivers the Vaiñëavas. But those who have taken shelter of the holy names must give up the ten offenses in chanting. Otherwise they will surely fall down even though they have taken shelter of the holy names.
A practitioner should not allow blasphemy of Kåñëa or the Vaiñëavas to enter his ears. Wherever such blasphemy is taking place, he should leave. Those with weak hearts who tarry out of social etiquette to hear blasphemy of Kåñëa or the Vaiñëavas are gradually distracted from devotional service.
By careful practice of the above mentioned twenty limbs one's bhäva, devotional sentiment, is awakened. The mercy of Kåñëa is the root cause of awakening bhäva. Without sädhu-saìga, one cannot achieve the mercy of Kåñëa. The principle forms of sädhu-saìga are taking shelter of the lotus feet of the spiritual master, taking initiation from him, and serving him.
Among the other limbs of devotional service mentioned after these, accepting the symbols of a Vaiñëava up to meditation come under the category of arcana. One should practice all these limbs of bhakti to the best of one's capacity after receiving them from the spiritual master. Servitude, friendship, and complete surrender are the activities for awakening bhäva. In reality, these activities themselves become bhäva. Only in the stage of sädhana are they counted as sädhana-bhakti.
Whatever one's most cherished items are in this world and whatever is very dear should be offered to Kåñëa-this statement has several meanings. The purport is that one should not enjoy anything just because it is very dear to oneself, but one should offer it to Kåñëa and enjoy it as His prasäda. 
Whatever ordinary and spiritual endeavors are there, when done for the sake of Kåñëa, they become auspicious. It is said in the Närada Païcarätra and quoted in the Bhakti-rasämåta-sindhu:
laukiké vaidiké väpi    yä kriyä kriyate mune
hari-sevänukülaiva    sa käryä bhaktim icchatä
"One should perform only those activities, either worldly or prescribed by Vedic rules and regulations, which are favorable for the cultivation of Kåñëa consciousness."
Marriage and other purificatory ceremonies of the smärtas are vaidiké, or prescribed Vedic regulations, and social and bodily activities performed to maintain one's status quo are laukiké, or worldly. Marriage is for the establishment of Kåñëa's family; producing children is for increasing Kåñëa's servants; offering oblations to the forefathers is for the satisfaction of Kåñëa's servants; feasting is for the gratification of Kåñëa's living entities-all these activities should be dovetailed in the favorable service of Kåñëa. Then one will not fall into the grip of unfavorable fruitive activities. The body, house, and everything else belongs to Kåñëa-thinking in this way one should protect the body, the house, and the community. This is called Kåñëa's family.
The whole life of a practitioner should be decorated with full surrender. Six types of surrender are explained in many places in the devotional scriptures. The life of a living entity is useless without surrender. The living entity should always worship Kåñëa with full surrender.
Items that are related to Kåñëa are called tadéya. Serving tulasé is the primary form of tadéya-sevä. It is said in the Skanda Puräëa:
dåñöä spåñöä tathä dhätä    kértitä manitä çrutä
ropitä sevitä nityaà    püjitä tulasé çubhä
navadhä tulaséà devéà    ye bhajanti dine dine
yuga koöi sahasräëi    te vasanti harer gåhe
"Tulasé is auspicious in all respects. Simply by seeing, simply by touching, simply by remembering, simply by praying to, simply by bowing before, simply by hearing about, simply by sowing, simply by offering water to, or simply by worshiping tulasé there is always auspiciousness. Anyone who comes in touch with the tulasé tree in the above-mentioned nine ways lives eternally in the Vaikuëöha world."
Literatures that substantiate devotion to Kåñëa are counted among tadéya. Çrémad Bhägavatam is the topmost amongst them. In the same way, Çré Caitanya-caritämåta commands similar respect. Those who regularly read and hear these devotional scriptures are glorious.
Holy places associated with Lord Kåñëa, such as Mathurä, are appropriate residences for a practitioner. Among such places, residence in Mathurä is the topmost. Residing in Çrédhäma Navadvépa is as good. It is written in Çré Brahmäëòa Puräëa:
çrutä småtä kértitä ca    väïcitä prekñitä gatä
spåñöäçritä sevitä ca    mathuräbhéñöadäyiné
"One who hears about, remembers, glorifies, desires to achieve, sees from a distance, comes near, touches, accepts as one's shelter, and serves Mathurä achieves fulfillment of all desires."
The devotees of Kåñëa are also counted among tadéya. It is written in the Ädi Puräëa:
ye me bhakta-janäù pärtha    na me bhaktäç ca te janäù
mad-bhaktänäà ca ye bhaktäs    te me bhakta-tamä matäù 
"Lord Kåñëa said to Arjuna: Those who are My direct devotees are actually not My devotees, but those who are the devotees of My devotees are factually My devotees."
In regard to serving devotees, Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé has quoted the following verse from the Ädi Puräëa in his Bhakti-rasämåta-sindhu:
yävanti bhagavad bhakter    aìgäni kathitänéha
präyastävanti tad bhakta    bhakter api budhä vidhuù
The purport is that almost all the above mentioned limbs of serving Kåñëa are accepted in the service of His devotees. The reason for the use of the word "almost" is that the devotees should be worshiped by offering them kåñëa-prasäda. All other limbs such as offering obeisances remain the same.
The practitioner should hold festivals according to his capacity. Organizing festivals in the association of devotees is a prominent activity. However, one should be careful not to associate with nondevotees in the course of holding such festivals.
There is a need of organizing festivals on the occasion of the Lord's appearance day. One should maintain love and devotion while serving the Deity. Being attached to the impersonal aspect of the Lord, foolish people without proper consideration disrespect the Deity. But if they associate with devotees and properly consider, then they will see the need for serving the Deity.
One should relish devotional scriptures like Çrémad Bhägavatam with advanced devotees. If one relishes devotional scriptures with rationalists, people fond of argument, and dry speculators, then one's heart becomes dry and the awakening of transcendental mellows does not take place.
It is necessary to associate with devotees. Jïänés and karmis are not counted amongst devotees due to their illicit desires. A practitioner of devotional service should associate with more advanced persons who are affectionate and on the same path. Otherwise his heart will not take shelter of pure devotional service. In the Hari-bhakti-sudhodaya (8.51) it is written:
yasya yat saìgatiù puàso    maëivat syät sa tad guëaù
svakularddhyai tato dhimän    svayüthäny eva saàçrayet
"As the qualities of a nearby object are reflected in a crystal, one similarly takes on the qualities of a person with whom he associates. Therefore, in order to increase one's devotional sentiment in his own line, a wise person should take shelter of those who have the same temperament." One should be particularly careful in this regard. Association with sahajiyäs and bäulas yields unfavorable results. But if one associates with pure Vaiñëavas who are followers of Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé, then pure love for Kåñëa is awakened. Among all limbs of devotional service, association with devotees is one of the main limbs.

Among all the above mentioned limbs of devotional service, the following five principle items are the best of all: worshiping the Deity, relishing the purport of Çrémad Bhägavatam with advanced devotees, associating with more advanced devotees who are affectionate and in the same line, congregational chanting of the holy names, and residing in Mathurä. If we further summarize, then chanting the holy names and serving the Vaiñëavas are the topmost. It is written in the Padma Puräëa:
yena janma-sahasräëi    väsudevo niñevitaù
tan mukhe hari-nämäni    sadä tiñöhanti bhärata
"O descendant of Bhärata! One who has worshiped the Deity of the Lord for thousands of lifetimes can always chant the holy name of Hari." Also from the Padma Puräëa and quoted in the Bhakti-rasämåta-sindhu (1.2.108-109):
näma cintämaëiù kåñëaç    caitanya-rasa-vigrahaù
pürëaù çuddho nitya-mukto    'bhinnatvän näma-näminoù
ataù çré-kåñëa-nämädi    na bhaved grähyam indriyaiù
sevonmukhe hi jihvädau    svayam eva sphuraty adaù
"The holy name of Kåñëa is transcendentally blissful. It bestows all spiritual benedictions, for it is Kåñëa Himself, the reservoir of all pleasure. Kåñëa's name is complete, and it is the form of all transcendental mellows. It is not a material name under any condition, and it is no less powerful than Kåñëa Himself. Since Kåñëa's name is not contaminated by the material qualities, there is no question of its being involved with mäyä. Kåñëa's name is always liberated and spiritual; it is never conditioned by the laws of material nature. This is because the name of Kåñëa and Kåñëa Himself are identical. Therefore material senses cannot appreciate Kåñëa's holy name, form, qualities, and pastimes. When a conditioned soul is awakened to Kåñëa consciousness and renders service by using his tongue to chant the Lord's holy name and taste the remnants of the Lord's food, the tongue is purified, and one gradually comes to understand who Kåñëa really is." This is the independent mercy of the Absolute Truth.
Çré Mathurä-maëòala, the holy names of the Lord, devotional scriptures like Çrémad Bhägavatam, pure devotees, and Deities-these five items are transcendental. By associating with them, a devotee quickly attains bhäva, transcendental emotions, and Kåñëa.
In the process of sädhana-bhakti, these types of vaidhi-bhakti are explained. Again, rägänugä-sädhana-bhakti is very powerful in the process of sädhana. When one practices devotional service by following the footsteps of the residents of Våndävana, that is called rägänugä-bhakti. Persons who are endeavoring for devotional service should follow the activities of the Vrajaväsés with their body, mind, and speech. According to his qualification, a practitioner should engage in whatever activities are mentioned in either the process of vaidhi-sädhana-bhakti or rägänugä-sädhana-bhakti.
Someone may attain the highest result by practicing one of the limbs, and someone may attain the highest result by practicing several limbs. The unalloyed devotion of those who have exclusively taken shelter of the service of the holy names and the Vaiñëavas does not find taste in other limbs. Therefore the practitioner should work in devotion with full surrender, enthusiasm, firm confidence, and patience.

Saìga-tyäga

Giving up the association of nondevotees

In his Çré Upadeçämåta, Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé has said that one's devotion is enhanced by utsähä, niçcayä, dhairya, tat-tat-karma-pravartana, saìga-tyäga, and sad-våtti (the devotee's lifestyle or propensities). Out of these items, utsähä, niçcayä, dhairya, and tat-tat-karma-pravartana have already been separately discussed in the previous essays. Now I will try to discuss the meaning of the word saìga-tyäga.
There are two types of saìga-association and attachment. Association is of two types-with nondevotees and with women. Similarly, attachment is also of two types-attachment for prejudices and attachment for assets. Those mahatmas who wish to attain perfection in devotional service should carefully give up saìga in the form of association and attachment. Otherwise this saìga will gradually and surely ruin everything. As stated in the Bhagavad-gétä (2.62-63):
saìgät saïjäyate kämaù    kämät krodho 'bhijäyate
krodhäd bhavati sammohaù    sammohät småti-vibhramaù
småti-bhraàçäd buddhi-näço    buddhi-näçät praëaçyati

"From attachment lust develops, and from lust anger arises. From anger, complete delusion arises, and from delusion bewilderment of memory. When memory is bewildered, intelligence is lost, and when intelligence is lost one falls down again into the material pool." A practitioner should always remember this instruction of the Lord. If a practitioner engages in prohibited association, then gradually his attachment increases. The more this attachment increases, the more his firm faith in the supreme goal diminishes. The purport is that the living entity is spiritual; being conditioned by mäyä and falsely proud due to ignorance, the living entity has forgotten his constitutional position.

 In his pure state the living entity does not associate with mäyä, rather he remains fully spiritual. In the spiritual world all the association of the living entity is spiritual, therefore the eternal saìga of the living entities in that state is desirable. The saìga in the conditioned state of a living entity is polluted. That aìga, being polluted with nescience in the form of association with nondevotees and women and attachment for family and assets, is unfavorable for one's advancement. Spiritual saìga of the living entities is compatible, and mundane saìga is incompatible. To get free from this incompatible saìga is the living entity's liberation. Now we will be considering incompatible saìga.
First we will consider the association of nondevotees. Who is a nondevotee? Those who are not subordinate to the Lord are called nondevotees. The jïänés are never subordinate to the Lord. They think that they can become one with the Lord on the strength of their knowledge. They think, "Jïäna is the topmost object; the Lord cannot keep one who attains jïäna under His control; the Lord became Supreme by the strength of this jïäna, and I too will become Supreme." Therefore all the endeavors of the jïänés are to become independent of the Lord. The Lord's power does not act on one who achieves liberation in the form of merging with the Lord, which is attained by jïäna.

 This is the attempt of the jïänés! The jïänés and mundane scholars do not depend on the mercy of the Lord. They try to achieve everything on the strength of their knowledge and reasoning, they do not care for the Lord's mercy. Therefore jïänés are nondevotees. Although some jïänés accept devotional service as their process of sädhana, at the time ofperfection they discard it. In all their activities there are no symptoms of eternal serving mood or subordination to the Lord. Such are the symptoms of the jïäné-sampradäya, or philosophical speculators. They only get a glimpse of real knowledge. That real knowledge is only a different aspect of pure devotional service. Only pure devotees, by the mercy of the Lord, can attain that. Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu instructs Çréla Sanätana Gosvämé in the Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya 22.29) as follows:
jïäné jévan-mukta-daçä päinu kari' mäne
vastutaù buddhi `çuddha' nahe kåñëa-bhakti vine
"There are many philosophical speculators [jïänés] belonging to the Mäyäväda school who consider themselves liberated and call themselves Näräyaëa. However, their intelligence is not purified unless they engage in Kåñëa's devotional service." Therefore those who are attached to philosophical speculation are counted amongst the nondevotees. There is a fruit called mukti, and that is the supreme goal of their sädhana. It is not the purpose of their life to attain the Lord's mercy through His service. People who have faith in fruitive rituals are not devotees. Therefore they are also nondevotees. If anyone performs karma in order to achieve the mercy of Kåñëa, then that karma is called bhakti. That karma which yields mundane results or mundane knowledge is adverse to the Lord.
 Karmis do not exclusively search for the mercy of Kåñëa. Although they respect Kåñëa, their main purpose is to attain some kind of happiness. Karma is nothing but selfish activities, therefore karmis are also called nondevotees. Yogis someimes search for liberation, the fruit of jïäna, and sometimes they search for vibhüti, or opulence, the fruit of karma. Hence, they too are called nondevotees. Due to lack of full surrender, worshipers of the demigods are also called nondevotees.

 Those who are attached to discussing dry logic are also adverse to the Lord. And what to speak of those who conclude that the Lord is only a figment of the imagination. Those who are attached to sense gratification and thus have no opportunity to remember the Lord are also counted among the nondevotees. If one associates with these nondevotees, then in a very short time one's intelligence is polluted and one's heart is overcome by their propensities. If anyone desires to attain pure devotional service, then he should carefully give up the association of nondevotees.
Second is association of women. Association with women is detrimental. In the Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya 22.87) Çré Caitanya instructs Çréla Sanätana Gosvämé as follows:
asat-saìga-tyäga,-ei vaiñëava-äcära
`stré-saìgé'-eka asädhu, `kåñëäbhakta' ära
"A Vaiñëava should always avoid the association of ordinary people. Common people are very much materially attached, especially to women. Vaiñëavas should also avoid the company of those who are not devotees of Lord Kåñëa."
There are two types of Vaiñëavas-the householders and the renunciates. Renunciates are forbidden from speaking with any woman. By the instruction to give up the association with women, they have been forbidden from conversing with women. As stated by Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu in the Caitanya-caritämåta (Antya 2.120):
kñudra-jéva saba markaöa-vairägya kariyä
indriya caräïä bule `prakåti' sambhäñiyä
"There are many persons with little in their possession who accept the renounced order of life like monkeys. They go here and there engaging in sense gratification and speaking intimately with women."
Regarding Vaiñëavés, the Caitanya-caritämåta (Antya 12.42) says:
pürvavat prabhu kailä sabära milana
stré-saba düra ha-ite kailä prabhura daraçana
"Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu received them all, just as He had in previous years. The women, however, saw the Lord from a distance." This is the prescription in regard to householder Vaiñëavas. Householders should not associate with others' wives or prostitutes. They should not indulge in any association other than with their own wives according to religious scriptures. One should give up the uxorious mentality of being excessively fond of one's wife. The instructions of the scriptures regarding the smärtas is given in the Caitanya-caritämåta (Ädi 15.27) as follows:
na gåhaà gåham ity ähur gåhiëé gåham ucyate
tayä hi sahitaù sarvän puruñärthän samaçnute
"Merely a house is not a home, for it is a wife who gives a home its meaning. If one lives at home with his wife, together they can fulfill all the interests of human life." There are four kinds of human interests for people in general-religiousity, economic development, sense gratification, and liberation. The prescriptions of the scriptures regarding varëa and äçrama are called religion. Whatever is prohibited in the scriptures is called irreligion. A householder should follow all those prescriptions and give up all those prohibitions with the help of his wife. Whatever is achieved by following religious principles is called artha, economic development. Assets of the house, sons, daughters, cows, and animals are all artha.
 For enjoying those objects there is käma. Dharma, artha, and käma-these three are called trivarga, the pursuits of human life. Practicing these three vargas is the life of a conditioned living entity who is wandering in the cycle of fruitive activities. It is the duty of the smärta househlder to practice trivarga with one's wife. A householder should practice trivarga with his wife day and night. The wife can accompany one while visiting holy places. Until one endeavors for the supreme goal of life, what else is there except pursuing trivarga? Liberation is the living entities' fourth human interest. There are two types of liberation-relief from extreme distress and attaining spiritual happiness. Those whose religious lives are regulated by dry knowledge or impersonalism, for them relief from extreme distress is the prime goal.
 Those whose hearts are filled with pure knowledge ultimately search for transcendental happiness and do not remain bound in simply gaining relief from extreme distress. A Vaiñëava, whether a householder or a renunciate, is desirous of transcendental happiness. A householder Vaiñëava always works together with his wife with the aim of achieving transcendental happiness. Although engaged in all work in this way, he never becomes uxorious. In this way he remains free fromwomen's association throughout his life. He totally gives up illicit intimate speaking with women and the mundane uxorious mood in licit association with his wife. In the Çrémad Bhägavatam (1.2.9-10, 13-14), Süta Gosvämé has briefly explained the rules for a gåhastha Vaiñëava as follows:
dharmasya hy äpavargyasya    närtho 'rthäyopakalpate
närthasya dharmaikäntasya    kämo läbhäya hi småtaù
"All occupational engagements are certainly meant for ultimate liberation. They should never be performed for material gain. Furthermore, according to sages, one who is engaged in the ultimate occupational service should never use material gain to cultivate sense gratification.
kämasya nendriya-prétir    läbho jéveta yävatä
jévasya tattva-jijïäsä    närtho yaç ceha karmabhiù
"Life's desires should never be directed toward sense gratification. One should desire only a healthy life, or self-preservation, since a human being is meant for inquiry about the Absolute Truth. Nothing else should be the goal of one's works.
ataù pumbhir dvija-çreñöhä    varëäçrama-vibhägaçaù
svanuñöhitasya dharmasya    saàsiddhir hari-toñaëam
"O best among the twice-born, it is therefore concluded that the highest perfection one can achieve by discharging the duties prescribed for one's own occupation according to caste divisions and orders of life is to please the Personality of Godhead.
tasmäd ekena manasä    bhagavän sätvatäà patiù
çrotavyaù kértitavyaç ca    dhyeyaù püjyaç ca nityadä
"Therefore, with one-pointed attention, one should constantly hear about, glorify, remember and worship the Personality of Godhead, who is the protector of the devotees." The purport is that in twenty religious scriptures there are mainly instructions about trivarga. For the welfare of the karmis, the merciful sages have composed twenty religious scriptures that are suitable for karmis. In the Çrémad Bhägavatam (11.20.9) it is said:
tävat karmäëi kurvéta    na nirvidyeta yävatä
mat-kathä-çravaëädau vä    çraddhä yävan na jäyate
"As long as one is not satiated by fruitive activity and has not awakened his taste for devotional service by çravaëaà kértanaà viñëoù, one has to act according to the regulative principles of the Vedic injunctions." For the karmis mentioned by the Lord in this verse, trivarga is the only prescribed occupation. Those who have become indifferent and attained jïäna, for them there is no longer a need for trivarga activities. They give up those activities and become eligible for sannyäsa with dry knowledge. 
Those who are faithful in hearing the topics of the Lord after receiving His mercy on the strength of their accumulated pious activities from many lifetimes are no longer attached to karma. They are called Vaiñëavas. Among them, those who are gåhasthas enjoy whatever artha they obtain while practicing dharma  for the purpose of liberation, not for the purpose of sense gratification; rather, this artha helps them purely maintain their lives in the favorable cultivation of Kåñëa consciousness with the purpose o understanding the Absolute Truth. In this, the difference between karma and spiritual activities can be seen. Therefore, to attain the mercy of the Lord, a gåhastha Vaiñëava should accept the divisions of varëäçrama and along with his wife practice dharma , artha, käma, and mokña in order to maintain his life. Whenever his house becomes unfavorable for this purpose, he should give it up out of disgust.

 Thus by properly performing the activities of trivarga, the gåhastha Vaiñëava's character becomes pure. With such pure characteristics, he should hear, chant, and remember the names, forms, qualities, and pastimes of the Lord with full surrender. The wife should also always endeavor for spiritual perfection with the help of subordinate women such as her sister and daughter. There is no illicit conduct in this, so there will not be any association with women. Therefore, whether one is a householder or a renunciate-all practitioners should totally give up the association with women. The devotees should carefullygive up the above mentioned saìga in the form of association.
Now let us consider saìga in the form of attachment. Attachments are of two kinds-attachment for prejudices and attachment for assets. First I will discuss the attachment for prejudices. There are two types of prejudice-ancient and current. The conditioned living entity has been performing fruitive activities and endeavoring for knowledge since time immemorial, and the prejudices that have developed in his subtle body as a result are called ancient prejudices. Those prejudices are known as one's nature. As stated in the Bhagavad-gétä (5.14):
na kartåtvaà na karmäëi    lokasya såjati prabhuù
na karma-phala-saàyogaà    svabhävas tu pravartate

"The embodied spirit, master of the city of his body, does not create activities, nor does he induce people to act, nor does he create the fruits of action. All this is enacted by the modes of material nature." Çréla Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa comments: anädi pravåttä pradhäna väsanätra svabhäva çabdenokta-prädhänika dehädimän jévaù kärayitä karttä ceti na viviktasya tattvam iti-"The primordial material desire that is active since time immemorial is called one's nature. Due to such a desire the living entity is supplied with material bodies and other paraphenelia. False identification with the bodies causes one to act and causes others to act, although this is not the pure soul's real constitution or nature."
Again from the Bhagavad-gétä (18.60):
svabhäva-jena kaunteya    nibaddhaù svena karmaëä
kartuà necchasi yan mohät    kariñyasy avaço 'pi tat
"Under illusion you are now declining to act according to My direction. But, compelled by the work born of your own nature, you will act all the same, O son of Kunté."
Regarding the bondage of the prejudice of knowledge, the Bhagavad-gétä (14.6) says:
tatra sattvaànirmalatvät    prakäçakam anämayam
sukha-saìgena badhnäti    jïäna-saìgena cänagha
"O sinless one, the mode of goodness, being purer than the others, is illuminating, and it frees one from all sinful reactions. Those situated in that mode become conditioned by a sense of happiness and knowledge." Çréla Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa comments: `jïäny ahaà,' `sukhy aham' ity abhimänas tena puruñaà nibadhnati-"`I am wise.' `I am happy.' By this pride, the living entity is bound by goodness."
People's association with karma and jïäna is the result of attachment born from the prejudices of one's nature that are produced from past karma and jïäna. In the previous verse, the Mäyävädé's bondage of jïäna is displayed. Regarding the karmis, the Bhagavad-gétä (3.26) says:
na buddhi-bhedaà janayed    ajïänäà karma-saìginäm
joñayet sarva-karmäëi    vidvän yuktaù samäcaran 
"So as not to disrupt the minds of ignorant men attached to the fruitive results of prescribed duties, a learned person should not induce them to stop work. Rather, by working in the spirit of devotion, he should engage them in all sorts of activities [for the gradual development of Kåñëa consciousness]."
From ancient prejudices one develops association with karma and jïäna. Association with these ancient prejudices is inevitable. Despite all attempts, up to suicide, one cannot give up one's prejudices.
The prejudices or attachments for good and bad attained in this life due to association are called modern prejudices.
 Everyone in the world is under the control of these two kinds of prejudices. When a living entity is not bound by mäyä, then by nature he is a servant of Kåñëa. Being bound by mäyä, a living entity cannot give up ancient and modern wicked prejudices. At that time ancient wicked prejudices become his second nature. Only sädhu-saìga can reform the attachment to prejudices. Sädhu-saìga is the only remedy for this disease. Unless one reforms his attachment to prejudices, one cannot attain perfection in devotional service by any means. As stated in the Çrémad Bhägavatam (3.23.55):
saìgo yaù saàsåter hetur    asatsu vihito 'dhiyä
sa eva sädhuñu kåto    niùsaìgatväya kalpate
"Association for sense gratification is certainly the path of bondage. But the same type of association, performed with a saintly person, leads to the path of liberation, even if performed without knowledge."
Due to association with materialistic people, the living entity is bound in the cycle of birth and death. Even if one unknowingly associates with a materialist, the result must come. And if one unknowingly associates with a real sadhu, he attains freedom from material association. Again in Çrémad Bhägavatam (11.12.1-2) it says:
no rodhayati mäà yogo    na säìkhyaà dharma eva ca
na svädhyäyas tapas tyägo    neñöä-pürtaà na dakñiëä
vratäni yajïaç chandäàsi    térthäni niyamä yamäù
yathävarundhe sat-saìgaù    sarva-saìgäpaho hi mäm
"The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: My dear Uddhava, by associating with My pure devotees one can destroy one's attachment for all objects of material sense gratification. Such purifying association brings Me under the control of My devotee. One may perform the añöäìga-yoga system, engage in philosophical analysis of the elements of material nature, practice nonviolence and other ordinary principles of piety, chant the Vedas, perform penances, take to the renounced order of life, execute sacrificial performances and dig wells, plant trees and perform other public welfare activities, give in charity, carry out severe vows, worship the demigods, chant confidential mantras, visit holy places, or accept major and minor disciplinary injunctions, but even by performing such activities one does not bring Me under his control."
Association with prejudices is very dangerous. By affectionately associating with pure devotees of the Lord, one's association with prejudices, in the form of karma and jïäna, is destroyed. Due to this association with prejudices a living entity's propensity for ignorance and passion becomes stronger. Whatever propensities for goodness, passion, and ignorance are seen in people's eating, sleeping, and sensual activities are all due to association with prejudices. Karmis and jïänés disrespect Vaiñëavas only due to this attachment for prejudices. Until the attachment to prejudices is destroyed, the ten offenses in chanting will not be uprooted. Offenses at the feet of sadhus is due to being proud of one's karma and jïäna. The offense in chanting in the form of blaspheming devotees enters the heart of the nondevotee and takes up residence there. Worldly attachment is contrary to acceptance of Kåñëa's undisputed supremacy, and it therefore does not allow the unfortunate living entity to fully surrender to the Lor. 

Thus disobeying the spiritual master, blaspheming the Vedic literatures, interpreting the holy name, considering the chanting of the holy names as equal to the pious activities offered in the Vedas, committing sinful activities while pretending to chant the holy name, aversion due to conceptions of I and mine, selling the holy names to unfit persons-all these offenses against the holy names continue. In such a condition, how can one be benefitted? Therefore it is said: 
asadbhiù saha saìgas tu    na kartavyaù kadäcana
yasmät sarvärtha häniù syäd    adhaù pätaç ca jäyate
One should never associate with materialistic persons, for by doing so all one's assets are lost and he falls from his position.
It has been seen that many fortunate souls have given up attachment for prejudices by the association of pure Vaiñëavas. From the scriptures it is well known that by the association of Çré Närada Muni the hunter (Mågäri) and Ratnäkara (Välméki) attained auspiciousness. The foremost instruction of Çré Rämänujäcärya is this: "If you cannot purify yourself by any endeavor whatsoever, then just go sit with the Vaiñëavas and you will achieve all auspiciousness." By observing the pure characteristics of a devotee, in a very short time a person's mind is changed, his attachment for sense enjoyment decreases, and the seedling of bhakti sprouts in the heart. One even gradually develops a taste for the Vaiñëavas' food and behavior. We have seen how by associating with Vaiñëavas, people have given up many anarthas-taste for associating with women, thirst for wealth, desire for sense enjoyment and liberation, inclination for karma and jïäna, eating meat and fish, drinking wine, smoking tobacco, and the desire to chew pan By observing a Vaiñëava's quality of not uselessly wasting time, many people have easily given up anarthas such as laziness, oversleeping, useless talk, urge of speech, etc. We have also seen that by associating with Vaiñëavas for some time someone's cheating propensity and desire for fame have been destroyed.
 We have seen with our own eyes that by associating with Vaiñëavas with a little affection all other association, such as attachment for prejudices, has been vanquished. Those who are attached to winning fights, those who are expert at attaining dominion, those who are eager to accumulate great wealth-all such types of people have attained devotional service by being purified in the association of Vaiñëavas. Even the hearts of persons who think, "I will defeat the world by my arguments and attain supremacy," have been pacified. Without the association of Vaiñëavas there is no alternative for rectifying the attachment for prejudices.
One should carefully give up attachment for material assets. People in general have spontaneous attachment for house, household paraphernalia, clothes, ornaments, wealth, wife and children's health, their own health, eatables, trees, and animals. Some people are so addicted to smoking, chewing pan, eating fish and meat, and drinking alcohol that their practice of spiritual life is obstructed. Many people do not respect the Lord's remnants out of great attachment to eating things like fish. Because of the desire to constantly smoke, many people's study of devotional scriptures, relish for hearing and chanting, and remaining long in temples is obstructed. Attachment for these things is averse to the constant practice of devotional service. If one does not carefully give up these things then he cannot get happiness from his devotional service. Attachment for these things is easily destroyed by the association of devotees. Still, one should try to destroy these petty attachments by fully engaging in devotional sevice. By observing vows approved in devotional service, those attachments are vanquished.
By properly observing hari-väsara, Ekädaçé, and appearance days of the Lord, those attachments are vanquished. The rules of such vows are the provisions for diminishing one's attachments. There are prescriptions for practicing devotional service while giving up all types of enjoyment on those days. There are two types of eatables-those which sustain one's life and those which gratify the senses. Eating grains and drinking are life sustaining. Fish, meat, pan, intoxicants, and smoking are all for gratifying the senses. On days of vows, unless one totally gives up sense gratifying items, it is not a vow. As far as possible, life sustaining items should also be given up. According to the prescribed needs of one's bodily condition one must try as far as possible to reduce the acceptance of life sustaining eatables. There is no prescription for acceptance of sense gratifying items, the only prescription is to reject them. One of the limbs of a vrata is to diminish the devotee's propensity for enjoyment. If one thiks, "Today somehow or other I will renounce, but tomorrow I will enjoy profusely," then the purpose of the vow will not be successful.
 The reason is that vows have been prescribed to give up the association of such items by gradual practice. Vows are usually for three days. First by practicing vows for three days, then by practicing for one month, then by practicing for four months (Cäturmäsya)-in this way gradually one should completely uproot the attachment for sense gratifying items and leave them forever. For those who cannot remember the statements of Bhagavad-gétä: kñipraà bhavati dharmätmä-"He quickly becomes righteous," in regard to the observance of vows, their renunciation is temporary like the bathing of an elephant.
For those who desire to attain pure devotional service, the association of nondevotees and women is meant to be given up. It is extremely necessary for them to associate with sadhus in order to give up the attachment for prejudices. They must follow all vows meant for Vaiñëavas in order to give up the attachment for material objects. One should not be negligent in these practices. One should follow these instructions with great care and respect. If one does not follow carefully, then cheating in the form of duplicity renders the whole endeavor useless. For those who do not have respect in this regard, attaining devotion to Çré Hari becomes very rare, even after hearing for many births.
What is association and giving up association? Many people have doubts about this. Doubts may be there, because if just by coming close to a materialist or material object is consider associating with them, then there is no way to give up this association. As long as the material body is there, how can one give up the proximity of these things? How can a gåhastha Vaiñëava give up his family members? One cannot give up the association of deceitful persons, even if they are renunciates. One will have to come across materialists in one's life, whether one is a gåhastha or a renunciate. Therefore the limit for giving up the association of materialists is prescribed in Çré Upadeçämåta as follows:
dadäti pratigåhëäti    guhyam äkhyäti påcchati
bhuìkte bhojayate caiva    ñaò-vidhaà préti-lakñaëam
"Offering gifts in charity, accepting charitable gifts, revealing one's mind in confidence, inquiring confidentially, accepting prasäda and offering prasäda are the six symptoms of love shared by one devotee and another."
O sädhakas! One must accept proximity with both bad and good people as one passes his life. This equally applies to householders and renunciates. Proximity must be there, nevertheless one should not engage in bad association. Giving in charity, accepting charity, revealing one's mind, hearing one's mind, accepting foods, and giving foods-if done with love, these are called saìga, or association. Giving some foodstuffs to a hungry person and accepting some charity from a pious man is done out of duty, not out of love.
 Even if they are materialists, this type of engagement is not considered association. But if they are pure devotees, then such activities are performed out of love. When acts are performed out of love, then it is association. Therefore giving charity to pure Vaiñëavas and accepting items or wealth from them becomes sat-saìga. Giving charity to a materialist or accepting charity from one, if done out of love, becomes asat-saìga. When a materialist approaches you, whatever is required to be done shuld be done only out of duty. One should not speak confidentially with a materialist. Generally there is some love involved in confidential speaking, therefore it is association. While meeting a materialistic friend, one should speak only what is extremely necessary. At that time it is better not to exhibit heartfelt love. But if that friend is a proper Vaiñëava, then one should accept his association by speaking to him with love. This type of behavior with relatives and friends creates no hostility. There is no association in ordinary talk. One should behave with ordinary people as one externally behaves with a stranger while buying something in the market. The same dealings with a pure devotee of the Lord should be done out of love. If one is obliged to feed hungry people, needy people, and teachers, he should do so as a host dutifully cares for his guest, there is no need to exhibit love. Care for them, but not out of love. One should feed pure Vaiñëavas with love, and when required accept the remnants givn by them with love. If one can behave in this way while giving in charity, accepting charity, speaking confidentially, hearing confidentially, feeding, and accepting food with one's wife, children, servants, maidservants, strangers, and whoever else one meets, there will no unholy association, only good association. There is no hope of achieving devotion to Kåñëa until one gives up unholy association in this way. 

A renunciate Vaiñëava should accept whatever alms he receives by mädhukaré, or begging, at the house of a honest householder with the above mentioned consideration. He should always remember the difference between gross begging and mädhukaré. A gåhastha Vaiñëava should accept prasäda-grains and drinks-in the house of another gåhastha who has pure character. One should always be cautious about taking prasäda in the house of a nondevotee and one with bad character. There is no need to speak further about this. Due to their pious activities, those who have developed faith in devotional service have a lttle intelligence by the mercy of Kåñëa. Due to that intelligence they can easily understand the essence of the äcäryas' instructions. Therefore only a few words are needed to instruct them. Those who have no pious credits have no faith. Even if they are given volumes of instruction, they will not understand a thing. Therefore Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé has given only a few words of instruction in Çré Upadeçämåta.

Sädhu-våtti

Following in the footsteps of the previous äcäryas

I have already written separate essays regarding utsähä, niçcayä, dhairya, tat-tat-karma-pravartana, and saìga-tyäga. Now I am writing this essay on sädhu-våtti. There are two kinds of sadhus-householders and renunciates. I will separately describe the våtti, or occupation, of each. Although householders and renunciates have different occupations, there are some they have in common. These will be discussed separately. There are two meanings of the word occupation-propensity and lifestyle. Propensity means one's nature, or svabhäva.
 Those natural propensities are the living entity's dharma . It is said in the Çrémad Bhägavatam (7.11.31):
präyaù sva-bhäva-vihito    nåëäà dharmo yuge yuge
veda-dågbhiù småto räjan    pretya ceha ca çarma-kåt
"My dear King, brähmaëas well conversant in Vedic knowledge have given their verdict that in every age [yuga] the conduct of different sections of people according to their material modes of nature is auspicious both in this life and after death."
By passing life in one's natural occupation, one can attain devotional service free from the modes of nature. Otherwise one will fall into irreligion and be unable to make gradual advancement. It is said in the Çrémad Bhägavatam (7.11.32):
våttyä sva-bhäva-kåtayä    vartamänaù sva-karma-kåt
hitvä sva-bhäva-jaà karma    çanair nirguëatäm iyät 
"If one acts in his profession according to his position in the modes of nature and gradually gives up these activities, he attains the transcendental position." Nirguëatä, or the transcendental position, means devotion to Kåñëa. As stated in the Çrémad Bhägavatam (11.25.33):
tasmäd deham imaà labdhvä    jïäna-vijïäna-sambhavam
guëa-saìgaà vinirdhüya    mäà bhajantu vicakñaëäù
"Therefore, having achieved this human form of life, which allows one to develop full knowledge, those who are intelligent should free themselves from all contamination of the modes of nature and engage exclusively in My loving service." It has been ascertained by the Lord's use of the two words nirguëaà and mad upäçrayaà<$FThese two words are used by the Lord in Çrémad Bhägavatam (11.25.29) just previous to the quoted verse.> that whatever is performed out of devotion is called nirguëa, or transcendental. The Çrémad Bhägavatam (11.25.34-35) states:
rajas tamaç cäbhijayet    sattva-saàsevayä muniù
sattvaà cäbhijayed yukto    nairapekñyeëa çänta-dhéù
"He should conquer the modes of passion and ignorance by engaging himself only with things in the mode of goodness. Then, being fixed in devotional service, the sage should also conquer the material mode of goodness by indifference toward the modes." Therefore people can become free from the modes of nature if they pass their lives dovetailing everything-sättvika objects, activities, time, and place-with the devotional service of the Lord.
 Only human beings are eligible for propensities in the mode of goodness, and remaining in that state they gradually become free from the modes. The general propensities of human beings in the mode of goodness are described in the Çrémad Bhägavatam (7.11.8-12) as follows: satya-speaking the truth without distortion or deviation; dayä-sympathy to everyone suffering; tapaù-austerities (such as observing fasts at least twice in a month on the day of Ekädaçé); çauca-cleanliness (bathing regularly at least twice a day-morning and evening-and remembering to chant the holy name of od); titikñä-toleration (being unagitated by seasonal changes or inconvenient circumstances); ikñä-distinguishing between good and bad; çama-control of the mind (not allowing the mind to act whimsically); dama-control of the senses (not allowing the senses to act without control); ahiàsä-nonviolence (not subjecting any living entity to the threefold miseries); brahmacarya-continence or abstaining from misuse of one's semen (not indulging in sex with women other than one's own wife and not having sex with one's own wife when sex is forbidden, like during the period of menstruation); tyäga-giving in charity at least fifty percent of one's income; svädhyäya-reading of transcendental literatures like Bhagavad-gétä, Çrémad Bhägavatam, Rämäyaëa and Mahäbhärata; saralatä-simplicity (freedom from mental duplicity); santoña-being satisfied with that which is available without severe endeavor; samadarçi-janera-sevä-rendering service to saintly persons who make no distinctions between one living being and another and wh see every living being as a spirit soul; grämya-ceñöä haite nivåtti-not taking part in so-called philanthropic activities; viparyayehekñä-distinguishing unnecessary activities; våthäläpa-nivåtti (maunam)-being grave and silent; ätma-vimarçana- research into the self (as to whether one is the body or the soul); annädira-vibhäga-equal distribution of food and drink; sakala-loke bhagavat-sambandha-buddhi-accepting all living entities as related to the Lord; as well as çravaëa-hearing; kértana-chanting; smaraëa-remembering (His words and activities); sevä-service; ijyä-worship; nati-offering obeisances; däsya-accepting the service; sakhyam-to consider as a friend; atma-nivedana-surrendering one's whole self. According to the differentiations of these thirty characteristics, the four varëas-brähmaëa, kñatriya, vaiçya, and çüdra-and the four äçramas-brahmacäré, gåhastha, vänaprastha, and sannyäsa-are born. In the Çrémad Bhägavatam (11.18.42) it is said:
bhikñor dharmaù çamo 'hiàsä    tapa ékñä vanaukasaù
gåhiëo bhüta-rakñejyä    dvijasyäcärya-sevanam
"The main religious duties of a sannyäsé are equanimity and nonviolence, whereas for the vänaprastha austerity and philosophical understanding of the difference between the body and soul are prominent. The main duties of a householder are to give shelter to all living entities and perform sacrifice, and the brahmacäré is mainly engaged in serving the spiritual master." The life occupations of the four varëas are stated as follows: Study, teaching, worship, teaching worship, giving charity, and accepting charity-these six are the brähmaëas' occupations; out of these they should maintain their life by teaching, teaching worship, and accepting worship. The kñatriyas' occupations are protecting the prajä by punishing miscreants and maintaining the life by taxation. Farming, protecting cows, and business are the vaiçyas' occupations; only serving brähmaëas is the livelihood of the çüdras. The traditional occupation of those who are lower than çüdras are their means of livelihood.
From all these conclusions of Çrémad Bhägavatam it should be understood that performing devotional service to Çré Hari is the only purpose of life, there is no other purpose. Unless one makes the gross and subtle bodies favorable for devotional service, one cannot engage in such. There is a need for some arrangements in order to attain a favorable condition in those two bodies. First in order to maintain the gross body there is a need to accumulate a house, household items, grains, and drinks. For the prosperity of the subtle body one needs proper knowledge and a proper occupation. In order to make the bodies completely favorable for devotional service, there is a need to situate them above the modes of nature.
 Due to the results of fruitive activities from time immemorial, whatever nature and desires a living entity develops is certainly a mixture of goodness, passion, and ignorance. By first enriching the mode of goodness, one should diminish and defeat passion and ignorance and make goodness prominent. Whe the mode of goodness is completely under the control of devotional service, then it becomes nirguëa. By following this gradual process one's body, mind, and environment become fit for devotional service.
There is a need for varëäçrama-dharma while a human remains in the stage of piety and impiety that are born of his nature. The main purpose of varëäçrama-dharma is this: By gradually following varëäçrama-dharma a human being will become eligible to perform devotional service. Çréman Mahäprabhu has quoted the following verses from Çrémad Bhägavatam (11.5.2-3) to Sanätana Gosvämé:
mukha-bähüru-pädebhyaù    puruñasyäçramaiù saha
catväro jajïire varëä    guëair viprädayaù påthak
ya eñäà puruñaà säkñäd-    ätma-prabhavam éçvaram
na bhajanty avajänanti    sthänäd bhrañöäù patanty adhaù
"'From the mouth of Brahmä, the brahminical order has come into existence. Similarly, from his arms the kñatriyas have come, from his waist the vaiçyas have come, and from his legs the çüdras have come. These four orders and their spiritual counterparts [brahmacarya, gåhastha, vänaprastha, and sannyäsa] combine to make human society complete. If one simply maintains an official position in the four varëas and äçramas but does not worship the Supreme Lord Viñëu, he falls down from his puffed-up position into a hellish condition." Çréla Rämänanda Räya said that the process for achieving the supreme goal of life is given in the Viñëu Puräëa as follows:
varëäçramäcäravatä    puruñeëa paraù pumän
viñëur ärädhyate panthä    nänyat tat-toña-käraëam
"One can worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viñëu, by proper discharge of the principles of varëa and äçrama. There is no alternative to pacifying the Lord by execution of the principles of the varëäçrama system." Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu, however, rejected this process as external and requested him to give a higher conclusion. The purport of Çré Caitanya's statement is this: "O Rämänanda! Varëäçrama-dharma is meant to regulate the gross and subtle bodies. If someone is satisfied only in that, without engaging in devotional service of Kåñëa, then what is his gain? Therefore, although the process of varëäçrama is the only means of purification for a conditioned soul, still it is external." As stated in Çrémad Bhägavatam (1.2.8):
dharmaù svanuñöhitaù puàsäà    viñvaksena-kathäsu yaù
notpädayed yadi ratià    çrama eva hi kevalam
"The occupational activities a man performs according to his own position are only so much useless labor if they do not provoke attraction for the message of the Personality of Godhead." From this one should not conclude that Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu has ordered us to discard varëäçrama-dharma. If that would have been the case, then He would not have instructed all living entities through His pastimes of completely following the orders of gåhastha and sannyäsa. 
As long as one has a material body the system of varëäçrama-dharma must be followed, but it should remain under the full control and domination of bhakti. Varëäçrama-dharma is like the foundation of one's supreme occupational duty. When one's supreme occupational duty is matured and one achieves his goal, then the process is gradually neglected. Again, it is also abandoned at the time of death.
In the last half of the verse quoted by Çréla Rämänanda Räya, it says: viñëur ärädhyate panthä nänyat tat-toña-käraëam-"One should know that without following the process of varëäçrama-dharma, a materialist has no alternative to pass his life favorably for the service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viñëu." This is the only way to achieve the life of a devotee.
Human beings are divided according to their nature into the following divisions: brähmaëa, kñatriya, vaiçya, çüdra, saìkara, and antyaja. Even though the system of varëäçrama is not clearly present in some countries, still it exists in a seedling form. According to one's nature, he develops his occupation and, accordingly, his means of livelihood. By accepting the livelihood and occupation of others, one meets with misfortune. What to speak of misfortune, it especially obstructs one's devotional service. Birth is not the only criteria; the only criteria is one's nature. In the Çrémad Bhägavatam (7.11.35) it is stated:
yasya yal lakñaëaà proktaà    puàso varëäbhivyaïjakam
yad anyaträpi dåçyeta    tat tenaiva vinirdiçet
"If one shows the symptoms of being a brähmaëa, kñatriya, vaiçya, or çüdra, as described above, even if he has appeared in a different class, he should be accepted according to those symptoms of classification." In his commentary, Çrédhara Swami has written: çamädibhir eva brähmaëädi vyavahäro mukhyaù, na jäti mäträd ity äha-yasyeti. yad yadi anyatra varëäntare 'pi dåçyeta tad varëäntaraà tenaiva lakñaëa nimittenaiva varëena vinirddiçet, na tu jäti nimittenety arthaù-"The brähmaëas' main characteristics are qualities such as peacefulness, not birth. If these main characteristics are seen in persons other than those born as brähmaëas, then such persons should be considered brähmaëas. They should not be considered according to their caste by birth."
 This kind of eternal varëäçrama-dharma is always to be followed. It is often useful for devotional service. Members of the four varëas and the lower castes should be eager to progress their sättvic nature. If an outcaste becomes fortunate due to his pious deeds, the he should progress his cultivation of goodness while following the conduct of a çüdra. Everyone should give prominence to devotional service and progress the cultivation of goodness to the platform of nirguëa, transcendence, by the mercy of the devotees. These are the stages of sanätana-dharma. With devotion, the member of any varëa is considered the best of the brähmaëas; without devotion, the life of a brähmaëa fixed in goodness is useless.
For example, let us consider the statement: Some mahatma has said (Çréla Narottama däsa Öhäkura from Prema-bhakti-candrikä): mahäjanera yei patha, tä 'te ha 'ba anurata, pürväpara kariyä vicära-"I will be attached to the path chalked out by the previous and later mahäjanas." The åñis and mahatmas who have taught conduct before the appearance of Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu are counted among the previous mahäjanas. The conduct seen in the mahäjanas after the appearance of Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu is the conduct of later mahäjanas. The conduct of the later mahäjanas is superior and should be adopted. The conduct of Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu and His followers is meant to teach people, so that conduct should be followed in all respects.
What is proper occupation? To know this, one should see the behavior of Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu's followers. As far as possible I will try to briefly compile them in this essay. First I will write about the behavior and occupation of the gåhastha, as found in the character of Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu and His devotees.
As a support for his devotional service, a householder should find a suitable wife. In the Caitanya-caritämåta (Ädi 15.26-27) the Lord says:
gåhastha ha-iläma, ebe cähi gåha-dharma
gåhiëé vinä gåha-dharma nä haya çobhana
"Since I am remaining at home it is My duty to act as a gåhastha. Without a wife, there is no meaning to householder life."
While maintaining religious family life with one's wife, sons and daughters are born in the form of Kåñëa's servants and maidservants; to nourish them is called maintaining the family. In these activities there is a need for piously accumulating wealth. In this regard Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu has said in the Caitanya-bhägavata (Antya 5.41) and Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya 15.96):
prabhu bale,-parivära aneka tomära
nirväha kemate tabe haibe sabära?
`gåhastha' hayena iìho, cähiye saïcaya
saïcaya nä kaile kuöumba-bharaëa nähi haya
"The Lord said, There are so many members in your family. How will you maintain everyone? Being a householder, one needs to save some money. Because he is not doing so, it is very difficult for him to maintain his family."
One must be educated at a proper age. But he should not study atheistic literatures. In the Caitanya-bhägavata (Ädi 12.49 and Madhya 9.241-242) the Lord says:
paòe kene loka?-kåñëa bhakti jänibäre
se yadi nahila, tabe vidyäya ki kare?
viñaya-madändha saba kichui nä jäne
vidyä-made, dhana-made vaiñëava nä cine
bhägavata paòiyäo kä 'ro buddhi näça
"Why do people study? Education is only for understanding devotional service of Lord Kåñëa. If you miss this point, then what is the use of your education? Everyone is blinded by pride and sense gratification. Being proud of their education and wealth, they fail to recognize a Vaiñëava. If one studies Çrémad Bhägavatam improperly his intelligence is polluted."
Serving guests is the principle duty of a gåhastha-this is the Lord's instruction. In the Caitanya-bhägavata (Ädi 14.21, 26) it is stated:
gåhasthere mahäprabhu çikhäyena dharma
atithira sevä-gåhasthera müla-karma
akaitave citta-sukhe yä 'ra yena çakti
tähä karilei bali atithite bhakti
"In this way the Lord satisfied all His guests and taught the world how to behave as a perfect householder. The foremost duty of a householder is to serve his guests. If a householder happily serves his guests without duplicity and according to his ability he is considered hospitable."
A gåhastha should act with simplicity in his dealings with people; he should not allow any kind of cheating or duplicity in his heart. In the Caitanya-bhägavata (Ädi 14.142) the Lord says:
ataeva gåhe tumi kåñëa bhaja giyä
kuöénäöé parihari' ekänta haiyä
"Therefore go back to your home and worship Lord Kåñëa with full attention, giving up all duplicity."
It is the principle duty of a gåhastha to serve senior persons. In the Caitanya-caritämåta (Ädi 15.21) the Lord says:
gåhastha ha-iyä kariba pitä-mätära sevana
ihäte-i tuñöa habena lakñmé-näräyaëa
"Later I shall become a householder and thus serve My parents, for this action will very much satisfy Lord Näräyaëa and His wife, the goddess of fortune."
A householder should take the principles of renunciation to heart; but he should not simply dress as a renunciate. As stated by the Lord in the Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya 16.237-239):
sthira haïä ghare yäo, nä hao vätula
krame krame päya loka bhava-sindhu-küla
markaöa-vairägya nä kara loka dekhäïä
yathä-yogya viñaya bhuïja' anäsakta haïä
antare niñöhä kara, bähye loka-vyavahära
acirät kåñëa tomäya karibe uddhära
"Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu said: Be patient and return home. Don't be a crazy fellow. By and by you will be able to cross the ocean of material existence. You should not make yourself a showbottle devotee and become a false renunciate. For the time being, enjoy the material world in a befitting way and do not become attached to it. Within your heart, you should keep yourself very faithful, but externally you may behave like an ordinary man. Thus Kåñëa will soon be very pleased and deliver you from the clutches of mäyä."
A householder is duty-bound to work for the benefit of everyone. In the Caitanya-caritämåta (Ädi 9.41, 7.92) the Lord said:
bhärata-bhümite haila manuñya-janma yära
janma särthaka kari' kara para-upakära
näca, gäo, bhakta-saìge kara saìkértana
kåñëa-näma upadeçi' tära' sarva-jana
"One who has taken his birth as a human being in the land of India (Bhärata-varña) should make his life successful and work for the benefit of all other people. My dear child, continue dancing, chanting, and performing saìkértana in association with devotees. Furthermore, go out and preach the value of chanting kåñëa-näma, for by this process You will be able to deliver all fallen souls."
In this practice of devotional service, duplicitous association has been prohibited. Even in street saìkértana one should chant and dance in the association of pure devotees. One should not chant in the association of nondevotees.
A householder should fully depend on the will of the Lord in all his activities. The Lord says in the Caitanya-bhägavata (Madhya 28.55):
çuna mätä, éçvarera adhéna saàsära
svatantra haite çakti nähika kähära
"Listen, dear mother, the whole world is under the control of the Lord. No one has the power to become independent."
A householder should cautiously give up the association of nondevotees, women, and uxorious people. In the Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya 22.87) the Lord said:
asat-saìga-tyäga,-ei vaiñëava-äcära
`stré-saìgé'-eka asädhu, `kåñëäbhakta' ära
"A Vaiñëava should always avoid the association of ordinary people. Common people are very much materially attached, especially to women. Vaiñëavas should also avoid the company of those who are not devotees of Lord Kåñëa."
By following his prescribed duties a gåhastha Vaiñëava should accumulate wealth for his maintenance. He should not accumulate wealth by sinful means. Lord Nityänanda Prabhu has stated in the Caitanya-bhägavata (Antya 5.685-688):
çuna dvija, yateka pätaka kaili tui
ära yadi nä karis, saba nimu muïi
parahiàsä, òäkä, curi-saba anäcära
chäòa giyä, ihä tumi nä kariha ära
dharma pathe giyä tumi laha hari-näma
tabe tumi anyere karibä pariträëa
yata saba dasyu, cora òäkiyä äniyä
dharma-pathe sabäre laoyäo tumi giyä
"Now listen carefully, O brähmaëa. I will take responsibility for all your previous misdeeds if you do not repeat them. No more aggression, violence, looting, or murder; give them up forever. Lead a religious life and chant the holy names of the Supreme Lord. Then later you can also save others. Go and meet other dacoits and murderers and bring them to the path of pure religious life."
A householder should not hanker for another's wife or prostitutes. This is exhibited in the Lord's dealings with Kåñëadäsa in the Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya 9.227-228):
gosäïira saìge rahe kåñëadäsa brähmaëa
bhaööathäri-saha tähäì haila daraçana
stré-dhana dekhäïä täìra lobha janmäila
ärya sarala viprera buddhi-näça kaila
"Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu was accompanied by His servant, Kåñëadäsa. He was a brähmaëa, but he met with the Bhaööathäris there. With women the Bhaööathäris allured the brähmaëa Kåñëadäsa, who was simple and gentle. By virtue of their bad association, they polluted his intelligence."
The Lord protected that brähmaëa from the women's clutches by pulling him by the hair. The words sarala vipra mean a weak-hearted young brähmaëa.
He is a real householder who chants one hundred thousand names every day. Pure devotees should accept prasäda in the houses of such gåhasthas. In the Caitanya-bhägavata (9.121-2) the Lord said:
prabhu bale,-jäna, `lakñeçvara' bali käre? 
prati-dina lakña-näma ye grahaëa kare
se janera näma ämi bali `lakñeçvara'
tathä bhikñä ämära, nä yäi anya ghara
"The Lord replied: Do you know who is a lakñeçvara? He is someone who chants one lakña, or one hundred thousand, holy names everyday. I call such a person a lakñeçvara. I only take meals in that person's house, no one else."
There is no difference between smärtas and Vaiñëavas regarding following the codes of religion. The Lord has said in the Caitanya-bhägavata (Antya 9.388-9):
adhama janera ye äcära, yena dharma
adhikäri vaiñëaveo kare sei karma
kåñëa kåpäye se ihä jänibäre päre
e saba saìkaöe keha mare, keha tare
"Sometimes an exalted Vaiñëava exhibits the same activities as a materialistic person. One can understand this by the mercy of Kåñëa; otherwise in this dilemma one may be liberated or destroyed."
The purport is that the conviction in the heart of a Vaiñëava is independent. If one is a Vaiñëava, then he can understand the conviction in the heart of another Vaiñëava who is engaged in the same activities as those of the smärtas. One who cannot understand this cannot respect Vaiñëavas, and he thereby goes to hell.
The Lord has explained the duties of householders in the Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya 15.104):
prabhu kahena-`kåñëa-sevä', `vaiñëava-sevana'
`nirantara kara kåñëa-näma-saìkértana' 
"Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu replied: Without cessation continue chanting the holy name of Lord Kåñëa. Whenever possible, serve Him and His devotees, the Vaiñëavas."
It is the duty of a gåhastha to constantly chant the holy names of the Lord and serve the Vaiñëavas and the Lord with the help of his relatives and by the wealth he has earned through his pious life. Regarding serving the Vaiñëavas, one should know that there are three types of nonduplicitous devotees. Serving such Vaiñëavas is called vaiñëava-sevä. There is no need to gather many Vaiñëavas by invitation. Whenever a Vaiñëava comes for any purpose he should be properly served with care. By gathering many Vaiñëavas, one may commit offenses. As stated in the Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya 15.198):
bahuta sannyäsé yadi äise eka öhäïi
sammäna karite näri, aparädha päi
"If all the sannyäsés come together, it would not be possible for me to pay them proper respects. Therefore I would be an offender."
It is the duty of a gåhastha Vaiñëava to show mercy on the poor and fallen. As stated in Caitanya-caritämåta (Antya 3.238):
déne dayä kare,-ei sädhu-svabhäva haya
"It is a characteristic of all saintly persons to be kind toward the poor and fallen."
A gåhastha Vaiñëava should not desire to give up his body merely out of some sentiment or anger. As stated by the Lord in Caitanya-caritämåta (Antya 4.57):
deha-tyägädi yata, saba-tamo-dharma
tamo-rajo-dharme kåñëera nä päiye marma
"Acts such as suicide are influenced by the mode of ignorance, and in ignorance and passion one cannot understand who Kåñëa is."
There is no consideration of superior or inferior status due to social position in regard to worshiping Kåñëa. In worldly occupations there are different activities according to the different social divisions, which are due to superior and inferior grades of intelligence. There are no such distinctions in the process of devotional service. As confirmed by the Lord in Caitanya-caritämåta (Antya 4.66-67):
néca-jäti nahe kåñëa-bhajane ayogya
sat-kula-vipra nahe bhajanera yogya
yei bhaje sei baòa, abhakta-héna, chära
kåñëa-bhajane nähi jäti-kulädi-vicära 
"A person born in a low family is not unfit for discharging devotional service to Lord Kåñëa, nor is one fit for devotional service simply because he is born in an aristocratic family of brähmaëas. Anyone who takes to devotional service is exalted, whereas a nondevotee is always condemned and abominable. Therefore in the discharge of devotional service to the Lord, there is no consideration of the status of one's family."
Also in the Caitanya-caritämåta (Antya 5.84) it is said:
sannyäsé paëòita-gaëera karite garva näça
néca-çüdra-dvärä karena dharmera prakäça
"To vanquish the false pride of so-called renunciates and learned scholars, He spreads real religious principles, even through a çüdra, or lowborn fourth-class man."
A gåhastha Vaiñëava should feel satisfied with whatever food and clothing he gets without difficulty. As stated in the Caitanya-bhägavata (Antya 4.293):
sabä' haite bhägyavanta-çré çäka, vyaïjana
punaù punaù yähä prabhu karena grahaëa
"The spinach and vegetables are the most fortunate of all, for the Lord accepts them again and again."
A gåhastha Vaiñëava should perform devotional service with undeviated attention, knowing Kåñëa as the Lord of all. He should not disrespect the demigods worshiped by the smärta-sampradäya. As stated in Çré Caitanya-bhägavata (Antya 2.243):
nä mäne' caitanya-patha, boläya `vaiñëava'
çivere amänya kare vyartha tä 'ra saba
"If one claims to be a Vaiñëava, but he disrespects Lord Siva and does not strictly follow the path exhibited by Lord Caitanya, all his efforts are futile."
It is the duty of a gåhastha to work for the benefit of others even by giving up his own self-interest. In the Caitanya-bhägavata (Antya 3.365) it is said:
äpanära bhäla hau yete jana dekhe
sujana äpanä chäòiyäo para räkhe
"Some people expect only benefits for themselves, but a gentleman cares for others while giving up his own interest."
A gåhastha Vaiñëava should respect and worship tulasé. As stated in Çré Caitanya-bhägavata (Antya 8.159-160):
saìkhyä näma laite ye sthäne prabhu vaise
tathäi räkhena tulasére prabhu päçe
tulasére dekhena, japena saìkhyä-näma
e bhakti-yogera tattva ke bujhibe äna?
"Wherever the Lord sits to chant His rounds, He keeps tulasé before Him. He gazes at tulasé while He chants His rounds. Who can understand the science of devotional service?"
A householder with devotion is glorious, while a householder without devotion is insignificant. Whatever social dealings a householder has to perform should be done while taking shelter of the holy name of Kåñëa. Regarding the character of the mahäjana Çré Kalidäsa, the Caitanya-caritämåta (Antya 16.6-7) states:
mahä-bhägavata teìho sarala udära
kåñëa-näma-`saìkete' cäläya vyavahära
kautukete teìho yadi päçaka kheläya
`hare kåñëa' `kåñëa' kari' päçaka cäläya
"Kälidäsa was a very advanced devotee, yet he was simple and liberal. He would chant the holy name of Kåñëa while performing all his ordinary dealings. When he used to throw dice in jest, he would throw the dice while chanting Hare Kåñëa."
Everyone is prohibited from corrupt earning or spending, and workers are prohibited from accepting bribes. As stated by the Lord in the Caitanya-caritämåta (Antya 9.90, 142-144):
räjära vartana khäya, ära curi kare
räja-daëòya haya sei çästrera vicäre
`vyaya nä kariha kichu räjära müla-dhana'
räjära müla-dhana diyä ye kichu labhya haya
sei dhana kariha nänä dharme-karme vyaya
asad-vyaya nä kariha,-yäte dui-loka yäya
"One who serves the government but misappropriates the government's revenue is liable to be punished by the king. That is the verdict of all revealed scriptures. Do not spend any of the King's revenue. First you should pay the revenue due the King, and then you may spend the balance for religious and fruitive activities. Don't spend a farthing for sinful activities for which you will be the loser both in this life and the next." 
A gåhastha should accept a spiritual master who is full of devotion and of pure character. As stated in Çré Caitanya-bhägavata (Madhya 21.65):
guru yathä bhakti-çünya, tathä çiñyagaëa "As the guru is without devotion, so are the disciples."
A householder should be particularly careful not to commit offenses against the Vaiñëavas. In the Caitanya-bhägavata (Madhya 22.33) the Lord says:
ye vaiñëava-sthäne aparädha haya yä 'ra
punaù sei kñamile se ghuce, nahe ära
"When someone offends a Vaiñëava, he is not relieved until he is forgiven by that same Vaiñëava." 
Serving devotees is a householder's main duty. As stated in the Caitanya-caritämåta (Antya 16.57, 60):
vaiñëavera çeña-bhakñaëera eteka mahimä
kälidäse päoyäila prabhura kåpä-sémä 
bhakta-pada-dhüli ära bhakta-pada-jala
bhakta-bhukta-avaçeña-tina mahä-bala
"Taking the remnants of the Vaiñëavas' food is so valuable that it induced Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu to offer Kälidäsa His supreme mercy. The dust of the feet of a devotee, the water that has washed the feet of a devotee, and the remnants of food left by a devotee are three very powerful substances."
In the Çrémad Bhägavatam (11.20.27-8) Lord Kåñëa describes how a householder should act until his natural propensity for enjoying sense objects is overcome and he fully attains the characteristics of a pure devotee:
jäta-çraddho mat-kathäsu    nirviëëaù sarva-karmasu
veda duùkhätmakän kämän    parityäge 'py anéçvaraù
tato bhajeta mäà prétaù    çraddhälur dåòha-niçcayaù
juñamäëaç ca tän kämän    duùkhodarkäàç ca garhayan
"Having awakened faith in the narrations of My glories, being disgusted with all material activities, knowing that all sense gratification leads to misery, but still being unable to renounce all sense enjoyment, My devotee remains happy and worships Me with great faith and conviction. Even though he is sometimes engaged in sense enjoyment, My devotee knows that all sense gratification leads to a miserable result, and he sincerely repents such activities."
When a householder has faith, he should take initiation into the chanting of the Hare Kåñëa mahä-mantra. As stated in the Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya 22.64):
çraddhävän jana haya bhakti-adhikäré
`uttama', `madhyama', `kaniñöha'-çraddhä-anusäré
"A faithful devotee is a truly eligible candidate for the loving service of the Lord. According to one's faith, one is classified as a topmost devotee, an intermediate devotee, or an inferior devotee."
A gåhastha Vaiñëava must gradually acquire all the qualities mentioned in Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya 22.78-80):
kåpälu, akåta-droha, satya-sära sama
nidoña, vadänya, mådu, çuci, akiïcana
sarvopakäraka, çänta, kåñëaika-çaraëa
akäma, anéha, sthira, vijita-ñaò-guëa 
mita-bhuk, apramatta, mänada, amäné
gambhéra, karuëa, maitra, kavi, dakña, mauné
"Devotees are always merciful, humble, truthful, equal to all, faultless, magnanimous, mild, and clean. They are without material possessions, and they perform welfare work for everyone. They are peaceful, surrendered to Kåñëa, and desireless. They are indifferent to material acquisitions and fixed in devotional service. They completely control the six bad qualities-lust, anger, greed, and so forth. They eat only as much as required, and they are not inebriated. They are respectful, grave, compassionate, and without false prestige. They are friendly, poetic, expert, and silent."
A gåhastha Vaiñëava should be eager to associate with advanced devotees. In the Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya 22.83) it is stated:
kåñëa-bhakti-janma-müla haya `sädhu-saìga'
"The root cause of devotional service to Lord Kåñëa is association with advanced devotees."
Out of all the processes of devotional service, one should give earnest attention to the five limbs mentioned in Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya 22.128-129) as follows:
sädhu-saìga, näma-kértana, bhägavata-çravaëa
mathurä-väsa, çré-mürtira çraddhäya sevana
sakala-sädhana-çreñöha ei païca aìga
kåñëa-prema janmäya ei päïcera alpa saìga
"One should associate with devotees, chant the holy name of the Lord, hear Çrémad-Bhägavatam, reside at Mathurä, and worship the Deity with faith and veneration. These five limbs of devotional service are the best of all. Even a slight performance of these five awakens love for Kåñëa."
Gradually one should diminish the following of prescribed rules out of obligation and cultivate spontaneous attachment. When spontaneous attachment to the Lord is awakened, many prescriptions are automatically discarded and atonement becomes needless. The difference is described in the Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya 22.140, 142-143) as follows:
käma tyaji' kåñëa bhaje çästra-äjïä mäni'
deva-åñi-piträdikera kabhu nahe åëé 
vidhi-dharma chäòi' bhaje kåñëera caraëa
niñiddha päpäcäre tära kabhu nahe mana 
ajïäne vä haya yadi `päpa' upasthita
kåñëa täìre çuddha kare, nä karäya präyaçcitta
"If a person gives up all material desires and completely engages in the transcendental loving service of Kåñëa, as enjoined in revealed scriptures, he is never indebted to demigods, sages, or forefathers. Although the pure devotee does not follow all the regulative principles of varëäçrama, he worships the lotus feet of Kåñëa. Therefore he naturally has no tendency to commit sin. If, however, a devotee accidentally becomes involved in a sinful activity, Kåñëa purifies him. He does not have to undergo the regulative form of atonement."
A gåhastha Vaiñëava should not endeavor for any knowledge or renunciation other than knowledge of one's relationship with the Lord in devotional service and renunciation born from devotional service. If one begins the worship of Kåñëa with special care and eagerness, then he achieves all auspiciousness. As stated in the Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya 22.145):
jïäna-vairägyädi-bhaktira kabhu nahe `aìga'
ahiàsä-yama-niyamädi bule kåñëa-bhakta-saìga
"The path of speculative knowledge and renunciation is not very essential for devotional service. Indeed, good qualities such as nonviolence and mind and sense control automatically accompany a devotee of Lord Kåñëa."
The gradations of devotion to Lord Kåñëa are stated in the Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya 23.10-13). One should cultivate them as follows:
sädhu-saìga haite haya `çravaëa-kértana'
sädhana-bhaktye haya `sarvänartha-nivartana'
anartha-nivåtti haile bhaktye `niñöhä' haya
niñöhä haite çravaëädye `ruci' upajaya
ruci haite bhaktye haya `äsakti' pracura
äsakti haite citte janme kåñëe préty-aìkura
sei `bhäva' gäòha haile dhare `prema'-näma
sei premä-`prayojana' sarvänanda-dhäma 
"When one is encouraged in devotional service by the association of devotees, one becomes free from all unwanted contamination by following the regulative principles and chanting and hearing. When one is freed from all unwanted contamination, he advances with firm faith. When firm faith in devotional service awakens, a taste for hearing and chanting also awakens. After taste is awakened, a deep attachment arises, and from that attachment the seed of love for Kåñëa grows in the heart. When that ecstatic emotional stage intensifies, it is called love of Godhead. Such love is life's ultimate goal and the reservoir of all pleasure."
A gåhastha Vaiñëava should constantly chant the holy names while carefully giving up the ten offenses. As stated in the Caitanya-caritämåta (Antya 4.70-71):
bhajanera madhye çreñöha nava-vidhä bhakti
`kåñëa-prema', `kåñëa' dite dhare mahä-çakti 
tära madhye sarva-çreñöha näma-saìkértana
niraparädhe näma laile päya prema-dhana
"Among the ways of executing devotional service, the nine prescribed methods are the best, for these processes have great potency to deliver Kåñëa and ecstatic love for Him. Of the nine processes of devotional service, the most important is to always chant the holy name of the Lord. If one does so, avoiding the ten kinds of offenses, one very easily obtains the most valuable love of Godhead."
A householder should accept pure devotional service that is not based simply on religious sentiments. In the Caitanya-bhägavata (Madhya 23.41) the Lord states:
mora nåtya dekhite uhära kon çakti?
payaù pän karile ki mote haya bhakti?
"What qualification does he have to watch My dancing? By drinking milk can one attain devotion for Me?"
The mood of servitude is proper for a living entity, and the mood of being lord is detrimental. As stated in the Caitanya-bhägavata (Madhya 23.480, 482):
udara-bharaëa lägi' ebe päpé saba
laoyäya `éçvara ämi'-müle jaradgava
kukkurera bhakñya deha-ihäre laiyä
balaye `éçvara' viñëu-mäyä mugdha haiyä
"All sinful persons claim to be God in order to fill their bellies, although factually they are idiots. Accepting the material body, which is meant to be eaten by the dogs, they call themselves God under the influence by Lord Viñëu's external energy."
A gåhastha Vaiñëava should model his character after that of Lord Caitanya and His followers. A householder should follow the ways of life and obtain his means of livelihood as exhibited by Lord Caitanya and His followers. If one desires Kåñëa in all his activities, then those activities are auspicious. By endeavoring to gratify one's senses and attain irrelevant fruits, one becomes a materialist. For a devotee, to remain a householder or to become a renunciate is the same thing. Çréla Rämänanda Räya, Çré Puëòaréka Vidyänidhi, Çré Çréväsa Paëòita, Çré Çivänanda Sena, Çré Satyaräja Khän, and Çré Advaita Prabhu were all gåhasthas and have shown us the way of faultless living. The difference between a householder and a renunciate is due to their different means of livelihood. 

If the home is favorable for a devotee's devotional service, then he should not leave. It is his duty to remain a gåhastha with detachment. But when the home becomes unfavorable for his service, he then becomes eligible to leave home. At tht time the detachment he develops for his house through his devotional service is accepted. For this reason, Çrévasa Paëòita did not leave home. For this reason, Svarüpa Dämodara took sannyäsa. All genuine devotees have remained either at home or in the forest due to this consideration. Whoever has left home due to this consideration is called a genuine renunciate. He is always careful not to commit offenses against the holy name. Now let us consider the occupation of a renunciate. In the Caitanya-caritämåta (Antya 6.222-227, 236-237) Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu spoke to the renunciate Raghunätha däsa Gosvämé as follows:
bhäla kaila, vairägéra dharma äcarila
"Raghunätha däsa has done well, he has acted suitably for a person in the renounced order.
vairägé karibe sadä näma-saìkértana
mägiyä khäïä kare jévana rakñaëa 
"A person in the renounced order should always chant the holy name of the Lord. He should beg some alms to eat, and he should sustain his life in this way.
vairägé haïä yebä kare paräpeksä
kärya-siddhi nahe, kåñëa karena upekñä
"A vairägé [a person in the renounced order] should not depend on others. If he does so, he will be unsuccessful, and he will be neglected by Kåñëa.
vairägé haïä kare jihvära lälasa
paramärtha yäya, ära haya rasera vaça
"If a renunciate is eager for his tongue to taste different foods, his spiritual life will be lost, and he will be subservient to the tastes of his tongue.
vairägéra kåtya-sadä näma-saìkértana
çäka-patra-phala-müle udara-bharaëa
"The duty of a person in the renounced order is to chant the Hare Kåñëa mantra always. He should satisfy his belly with whatever vegetables, leaves, fruits, and roots are available.
jihvära lälase yei iti-uti dhäya
çiçnodara-paräyaëa kåñëa nähi päya"
"One who is subservient to the tongue and who thus goes here and there, devoted to the genitals and the belly, cannot attain Kåñëa.
grämya-kathä nä çunibe, grämya-värtä nä kahibe
bhäla nä khäibe ära bhäla nä paribe
"Do not talk like people in general or hear what they say. You should not eat very palatable food, nor should you dress very nicely.
amäné mänada haïä kåñëa-näma sadä la'be
vraje rädhä-kåñëa-sevä mänase karibe 
"Do not expect honor, but offer all respect to others. Always chant the holy name of Lord Kåñëa, and within your mind render service to Rädhä and Kåñëa in Våndävana.
A sannyäsé or a renunciate should not live in his village with his relatives. As stated in the Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya 3.177):
sannyäséra dharma nahe-sannyäsa kariïä
nija janma-sthäne rahe kuöumba laïä 
"After accepting sannyäsa, it is not the duty of a sannyäsé to remain at his birthplace, encircled by relatives."
A renunciate should not meet a king or woman. In the Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya 11.7) the Lord said:
virakta sannyäsé ämära räja-daraçana
stré-daraçana-sama viñera bhakñaëa
"Since I am in the renounced order, it is as dangerous for Me to meet a king as to meet a woman. To meet either would be just like drinking poison."
A renunciate should remain faultless. As stated in the Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya 12.51, 53):
çukla-vastre masi-bindu yaiche nä lukäya
sannyäséra alpa chidra sarva-loke gäya 
prabhu kahe,-pürëa yaiche dugdhera kalasa
surä-bindu-päte keha nä kare paraça
"As soon as the general public finds a little fault in the behavior of a sannyäsé, they advertise it like wildfire. A black spot of ink cannot be hidden on a white cloth. It is always very prominent. Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu then said: There may be much milk in a big pot, but if it is contaminated by a drop of liquor, it is untouchable."
The behavior of a renunciate is explained in the Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya 17.229):
preme garagara mana rätri-divase
snäna-bhikñädi-nirväha karena abhyäse
"His mind was absorbed in great ecstatic love day and night. He ate and bathed simply out of habit."
The symptoms of a psuedo-renunciate are stated by the Lord in the Caitanya-caritämåta (Antya 2.117-118, 120, 124, 5.35-36):
prabhu kahe,-vairägé kare prakåti sambhäñaëa
dekhite nä päroì ämi tähära vadana
durvära indriya kare viñaya-grahaëa
däravé prakåti hare muner api mana
kñudra-jéva saba markaöa-vairägya kariyä
indriya caräïä bule `prakåti' sambhäñiyä
prabhu kahe,-mora vaça nahe mora mana
prakåti-sambhäñé vairägé nä kare darçana
ämi ta' sannyäsé, äpanäre virakta kari' mäni
darçana rahu düre, `prakåtira' näma yadi çuni
tabahiì vikära päya mora tanu-mana
prakåti-darçane sthira haya kon jana?

"The Lord replied: I cannot tolerate seeing the face of a person who has accepted the renounced order of life but who still talks intimately with a woman. So strongly do the senses adhere to the objects of their enjoyment that indeed a wooden statue of a woman attracts the mind of even a great saintly person. There are many persons with little in their possession who accept the renounced order of life like monkeys. They go here and there engaging in sense gratification and speaking intimately with women. Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu said: My mind is not under My control. It does not like to see anyone in the renounced order who talks intimately with women. I am a sannyäsé, and I certainly consider Myself renounced.
 But not to speak of seeing a woman, if I even hear the name of a woman, I feel changes in My mind and body. Therefore who could remain unmoved by the sight of a woman? It is very difficult."
Again, detachment in the heart of a householder is greatly appreciated. In the Caitanya-caritämåta (Antya 5.80) the Lord says:
`gåhastha' haïä nahe räya ñaò-vargera vaçe
`viñayé' haïä sannyäsére upadeçe
"Although Rämänanda Räya was a householder, he was not under the control of the six kinds of bodily change. Although apparently a pounds-and-shillings man, he advised even persons in the renounced order."
A renunciate should not eat foods or accept goods from materialistic people, nor should he invite other renunciates to eat foods or accept goods from such people. In the Caitanya-caritämåta (Antya 6.274-275) Çréla Raghunätha däsa Gosvämé concludes as follows:
viñayéra dravya laïä kari nimantraëa
prasanna nä haya ihäya jäni prabhura mana
mora citta dravya la-ite nä haya nirmala
ei nimantraëe dekhi,-`pratiñöhä'-mätra phala
"I invite Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu by accepting goods from materialistic people. I know that the Lord's mind is not satisfied by this. My consciousness is impure because I accept all these goods from people who are interested only in pounds, shillings, and pence. Therefore by this kind of invitation I only get some material reputation."
The Lord replied in Caitanya-caritämåta (Antya 6.278-279):
viñayéra anna khäile malina haya mana
malina mana haile nahe kåñëera smaraëa
viñayéra anna haya `räjasa' nimantraëa
dätä, bhoktä-duìhära malina haya mana
"When one eats food offered by a materialistic man, one's mind becomes contaminated, and when the mind is contaminated, one is unable to think of Kåñëa properly. When one accepts an invitation from a person contaminated by the material mode of passion, the person who offers the food and the person who accepts it are both mentally contaminated."
It is not proper for a renunciate to expect unasked for charity. In the Caitanya-caritämåta (Antya 6.284, 286) it says:
prabhu kahe,-bhäla kaila, chäòila siàha-dvära
siàha-dväre bhikñä-våtti-veñyära äcära
chatre yäi yathä-läbha udara-bharaëa
anya kathä nähi, sukhe kåñëa-saìkértana"
"Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu said: He has done very well by no longer standing at the Siàha-dvära gate. Such begging of alms resembles the behavior of a prostitute. If one goes to the booth where free food is distributed and fills his belly with whatever he obtains, there is no chance of further unwanted talk and one can very peacefully chant the Hare Kåñëa mahä-mantra."
A renunciate should not construct big temples or residences. By doing so, he becomes entangled in household activities. He should meditate on the service of worshiping govardhana-çilä. In the Caitanya-caritämåta (Antya 6.296-297) it is stated:
eka kuïja jala ara tulasé-maïjaré
sattvika-seva ei-suddha-bhave kari
dui-dike dui-patra madhye komala maïjaré
ei-mata añöa-maïjaré dibe çraddhä kari'
"For such worship, one needs a jug of water and a few flowers from a tulasé tree. This is worship in complete goodness when performed in complete purity. With faith and love, you should offer eight soft tulasé flowers, each with two tulasé leaves, one on each side of each flower."
Devotees accept the sannyäsa order of life only in special situations; it is not always required. A Vaiñëava born in a brähmaëa's family can take such sannyäsa when he leaves home, but he should not accept the limbs that are averse to his devotional service. Regarding the characteristics of Svarüpa Dämodara Prabhu, it is stated in the Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya 10.107-108):
`niçcinte kåñëa bhajiba' ei ta' käraëe
unmäde karila teìha sannyäsa grahaëe
sannyäsa karila çikhä-sütra-tyäga-rüpa
yoga-paööa nä nila, näma haila `svarüpa'
"He was very enthusiastic to worship Çré Kåñëa without disturbance; therefore it was almost in madness that he accepted the sannyäsa order. Upon accepting sannyäsa, Puruñottama Äcärya followed the regulative principles by giving up his tuft of hair and sacred thread, but he did not accept the saffron colored dress. Also, he did not accept a sannyäsé title but remained as a naiñöhika-brahmacäré."
Someone may accept sannyäsa in the form of minimizing his needs. In the Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya 20.78, 81) there is the following statement regarding the character of Çré Sanätana Gosvämé:
tabe miçra purätana eka dhuti dilä
teìho dui bahirväsa-kaupéna karilä
sanätana kahe,-ami mädhukaré kariba
brähmaëera ghare kene ekatra bhikñä laba?
"When Tapana Miçra gave Sanätana Gosvami a used dhoti, Sanätana immediately tore it in pieces to make two sets of outer cloth and underwear. Sanätana replied: I shall practice the process of mädhukaré. Why should I accept full meals in the house of a brähmaëa?"
The Lord's response is found in the Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya 20.92):
tina mudrära bhoöa gäya, mädhukaré gräsa
dharma-häni haya, loka kare upahäsa
"It is contradictory to practice mädhukaré and at the same time wear a valuable blanket. One loses his spiritual strength by doing this, and one will also become an object for jokes."
Regarding the association of a Vaiñëava sannyäsé, the character of Çré Madhavendra Puri is described in the Caitanya-bhägavata (Antya 4.419-421, 423-424, 426, 428):
viñëu-mäyä vaçe loka kuchui nä jäne
sakala jagat baddha mahä tamo-guëe
"People were conditioned by the mode of ignorance and had lost all knowledge due to the influence of viñëu-mäyä.
loka dekhi' duùkha bhäve çré mädhavapuré
hena nähi, tilärddha sambhäñä yä're kari
"Çréla Mädhavendra Puré was deeply pained by the godlessness of the people, and he found no one to speak to.
sannyäséra sane vä karena sambhäñaëa
seha äpanäre mätra bale `näräyaëa'
"Sometimes he would speak to the sannyäsés, but to his dismay he found that they claimed to be Näräyaëa.
jïäné, yogé, tapasvé, sannyäsé' khyäti yä'ra
kä'ra mukhe nähi däsya mahimä pracära
"Jïänés, yogis, tapasvés, and famous sannäyés never spoke about the glories of serving the Supreme Lord.
yata adhyäpaka saba tarka se väkhäne
tä'rä saba kåñëera vigraha nähi mäne'
"All the teachers and professors were only interested in logic and argument. They refused to accept the spiritual form of Lord Kåñëa.
loka madhye bhrami kene vaiñëava dekhite
kothäo `vaiñëava' näma nä çuni jagate
"Çréla Mädhavendra Puré thought: Why am I roaming amongst people searching for a Vaiñëava? Wherever I go I don't even hear the word `Vaiñëava'.
eteke se, vana bhäla e saba haite
vane kathä nahe avaiñëavera sahite
"Therefore he considered it better to stay in the forest where he did not have to speak with nondevotees."
A Vaiñëava sannyäsé should give up the use of Mäyävädé markings. Concerning the character of Çré Brahmananda Bharati, the Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya 10.154) says:
brahmänanda pariyäche måga-carmämbara
tähä dekhi' prabhu duùkha päilä antara
"When Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu and His devotees approached him, they saw that he was covered with a deerskin. Seeing this, Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu became very unhappy."
Regarding the pure gåhastha Vaiñëavés, the lady devotees, the Caitanya-caritämåta (Antya 12.42) describes the procedure for seeing a sannyäsé:
pürvavat prabhu kailä sabära milana
stré-saba düra ha-ite kailä prabhura daraçana
"Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu received them all, just as He had in previous years. The women, however, saw the Lord from a distance."
A renunciate Vaiñëava is prohibited from all kinds of enjoyment. As stated in the Caitanya-caritämåta (Antya 12.108):
prabhu kahe,-sannyäséra nähi taile adhikära
tähäte sugandhi taila-parama dhikkära!
"The Lord replied: A sannyäsé has no use for oil, especially perfumed oil such as this. Take it out immediately."
A renunciate Vaiñëava is forbidden from hearing the singing of a woman. As described in the Caitanya-caritämåta (Antya 13.78, 80, 83-85):
eka-dina prabhu yameçvara-öoöä yäite
sei-käle deva-däsé lägilä gäite
düre gäna çuni' prabhura ha-ila äveça
stré, puruña, ke gäya-nä jäne viçeña
stré gäya' bali' govinda prabhure kailä kole
stré-näma çuni' prabhura bähya ha-ilä
prabhu kahe,-govinda, äji räkhilä jévana
stré-paraça haile ämära ha-ita maraëa
"One day when the Lord was going to the temple of Yameçvara, a female singer began to sing in the Jagannätha temple. Hearing the song from a distance, Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu immediately became ecstatic. He did not know whether it was a man or a woman singing. Just then Govinda caught the Lord in his arms and cried: It is a woman singing! As soon as He heard the word `woman,' the Lord became externally conscious. My dear Govinda, He said, you have saved My life. If I had touched the body of a woman, I would certainly have died."
Concerning a renunciate's bedding, the Caitanya-caritämåta (Antya 13.5-7, 10, 12, 14-15, 17-19) states as follows:
kalära çaraläte, çayana, ati kñéëa käya
sahite näre jagadänanda, såjilä upäya
sükñma vastra äni' gaurika diyä räìgäilä
çimuléra tulä diyä tähä püräilä
tulé-bälisa dekhi' prabhu krodhäviñöa ha-ilä
govindere kahi' sei tüli düra kailä
prabhu kahena,-khäöa eka änaha päòite
jagadänanda cähe ämäya viñaya bhuïjäite
sannyäsé mänuña ämära bhümite çayana
ämäre khäöa-tüli-bälisa mastaka-muëòana
svarüpa-gosäïi tabe såjilä prakära
kadaléra çuñka-patra änilä apära
nakhe ciri' ciri' tähä ati sükñma kailä
prabhura bahirväsa duite se saba bharilä
ei-mata dui kailä oòana-päòane
aìgékära kailä prabhu aneka yatane

"The Lord was very thin, and He would lay down to rest on the dry bark of plantain trees. Jagadänanda could not tolerate this, so he devised a remedy. He acquired some fine cloth and colored it with red oxide. Then he filled it with cotton from a çimula tree. When Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu saw the quilt and pillow, He was immediately very angry. The Lord asked Govinda to put aside the quilt and pillow. Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu said: You should bring a bedstead here for Me to lie on. Jagadänanda wants Me to enjoy material happiness. I am in the renounced order, and therefore I must lie on the floor. For Me to use a bedstead, quilt, or pillow would be very shameful. Then Svarüpa Dämodara Gosvämé devised another method. First he secured a large quantity of dry banana leaves. He then tore the leaves into very fine fibers with his nails and filled two of Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu's outer garments with the fibers. In this way, Svarüpa Dämodara made some bedding and a pillow, and after much endeavor by the devotees, Çré aitanya Mahäprabhu accepted them."

Regarding a renunciate's food, the Lord has said in the Caitanya-caritämåta (Antya 8.84-85):
prabhu kahe,-sabe kene purére kara roña? 
`sahaja' dharma kahe teìho, täìra kibä doña?
yati haïä jihvä-lämpaöya-atyanta anyäya
yatira dharma,-präëa räkhite ähära-mätra khäya
"Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu replied: Why are all of you angry at Rämacandra Puré? He is expounding the natural principles of sannyäsa life. Why are you accusing him? For a sannyäsé to indulge in satisfying the tongue is a great offense. The duty of a sannyäsé is to eat only as much as needed to keep body and soul together."
All the above mentioned items are accepted as the proper occupations of renunciate Vaiñëavas.
Now the proper occupations for all Vaiñëavas-householders and renunciates-will be explained. There is no duty in the age Kali other than chanting the holy names and mantras of Kåñëa. It is necessary for everyone to take initiation into the chanting of the holy name of Kåñëa. As stated in the Caitanya-caritämåta (Ädi 7.73-74, 97 and 17.30, 75):
kåñëa-mantra haite habe saàsära-mocana
kåñëa-näma haite päbe kåñëera caraëa
"Simply by chanting the holy name of Kåñëa one can obtain freedom from material existence. Indeed, simply by chanting the Hare Kåñëa mantra one will be able to see the lotus feet of the Lord.
näma vinu kali-käle nähi ära dharma
sarva-mantra-sära näma, ei çästra-marma
"In this Age of Kali there is no religious principle other than the chanting of the holy name, which is the essence of all Vedic hymns. This is the purport of all scriptures.
kåñëa-näme ye änanda-sindhu-äsvädana
brahmänanda tära äge khätodaka-sama 
"Compared to the ocean of transcendental bliss that is tasted by chanting the Hare Kåñëa mantra, the pleasure derived from impersonal Brahman realization [brahmänanda] is like the shallow water in a canal.
sadä näma la-iba, yathä-läbhete santoña
eita äcära kare bhakti-dharma-poña
"One should strictly follow the principle of always chanting the holy name, and one should be satisfied with whatever he gets easily. Such devotional behavior solidly maintains one's devotional service.
jïäna-karma-yoga-dharme nahe kåñëa vaça
kåñëa-vaça-hetu eka-prema-bhakti-rasa
"By following the paths of speculative philosophical knowledge, fruitive activity, or mystic yoga to control the senses, one cannot satisfy Kåñëa, the Supreme Lord. Unalloyed devotional love for Kåñëa is the only cause for the Lord's satisfaction."
The proper procedure and proper instruction for accepting a spiritual master is given in the Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya 8.128, 221, 229) as follows:
kibä vipra, kibä nyäsé, çüdra kene naya
yei kåñëa-tattva-vettä, sei `guru' haya
rägänuga-märge täìre bhaje yei jana
sei-jana päya vraje vrajendra-nandana
siddha-dehe cinti' kare tähäìïi sevana
sakhé-bhäve päya rädhä-kåñëera caraëa

"Whether one is a brähmaëa, a sannyäsé, or a çüdra-regardless of what he is-he can become a spiritual master if he knows the science of Kåñëa. If one worships the Lord on the path of spontaneous love and goes to Våndävana, he receives the shelter of Vrajendra-nandana, the son of Nanda Mahäräja. After thinking of Rädhä and Kåñëa and Their pastimes for a long time and after getting completely free from material contamination, one is transferred to the spiritual world. There the devotee attains an opportunity to serve Rädhä and Kåñëa as one of the gopés."

One needs to always associate with devotees. One should associate with affectionate devotees who are more advanced, yet of the same temperament. As explained in the Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya 8.251):
çreyo-madhye kona çreyaù jévera haya sära? 
kåñëa-bhakta-saìga vinä çreyaù nähi ära
"Out of all auspicious and beneficial activities, which is best for the living entity? Rämänanda Räya replied: The only auspicious activity is association with the devotees of Kåñëa."
Although a Vaiñëava comes from a bona fide sampradäya, his association should be considered according to the Lord's statements in the Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya 9.276-277):
prabhu kahe,-karmé, jïäné,-dui bhakti-héna
tomära sampradäye dekhi sei dui cihna
sabe, eka guëa dekhi tomära sampradäye
satya-vigraha kari' éçvare karaha niçcaye 
"Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu said: Both the fruitive worker and the speculative philosopher are considered nondevotees. We see both elements present in your sampradäya. The only qualification that I see in your sampradäya is that you accept the form of the Lord as truth."
One should not remain in a place where incompatible mixtures of mellows or contradictions in the conclusions of devotional service are presented. The Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya 10.113) has the following statement:
bhakti-siddhänta-viruddha, ära rasäbhäsa
çunite nä haya prabhura cittera ulläsa
"Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu was never pleased to hear books or verses opposed to the conclusive statements of devotional service. The Lord did not like hearing rasäbhäsa, the overlapping of transcendental mellows."
One should carefully gather the good qualities needed for devotional service. The nature of a devotee is described in Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya 7.72) as follows:
mahänubhävera cittera svabhäva ei haya
puñpa-sama komala, kaöhina vajra-maya
"This is the nature of the mind of an uncommon personality. Sometimes it is soft like a flower, but sometimes it is as hard as a thunderbolt."
The welfare activities of a devotee are described in the Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya 8.39) as follows:
mahänta-svabhäva ei tärite pämara
nija kärya nähi tabu yäna tära ghara
"It is the general practice of all saintly people to deliver the fallen. Therefore they go to people's houses, although they have no personal business there."
In the Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya 11.4) the Lord gives an example of how a devotee should pledge:
prabhu kahe,-kaha tumi, nähi kichu bhaya
yogya haile kariba, ayogya haile naya
"The Lord gave the Bhaööäcärya assurance that he could speak without fear, but added that if his statement was suitable He would accept it, and if it were not, He would reject it."
The benefits of dealing affectionately with a devotee are described in the Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya 11.26) as follows:
prabhu kahe,-tumi kåñëa-bhakata-pradhäna
tomäke ye préti kare, sei bhägyavän
"Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu then said: My dear Rämänanda Räya, you are the foremost of all the devotees of Kåñëa; therefore whoever loves you is certainly a very fortunate person."
Firm determination for one's attachment is described in the Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya 12.31) as follows:
kintu anurägé lokera svabhäva eka haya
iñöa nä päile nija präëa se chäòaya
"Still, isn't it the nature of an attached man to give up his life if he does not attain his desired object?"
Teaching others by one's good example is described in the Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya 12.117) as follows:
tumi bhäla kariyächa, çikhäha anyere
ei-mata bhäla karma seho yena kare
"The Lord would say: You have done well. Please teach this to others so that they may act in the same way."
The need for care and eagerness in the execution of devotional service is described in the Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya 24.171) as follows:
yatnägraha vinä bhakti nä janmäya preme
"Without sincere endeavor in devotional service, one cannot attain love of Godhead." The need for giving up the association of logicians is described in the Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya 12.183) as follows:
tärkika-çågäla-saìge bheu-bheu kari
sei mukhe ebe sadä kahi `kåñëa' `hari'
"In the association of the jackals known as logicians, I simply continued to bark a resounding `bheu bheu.' Now, from the same mouth I am chanting the holy names Kåñëa and Hari."
An example of unhappiness by seeing the distress of others is given in the Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya 15.162-163) as follows:
jévera duùkha dekhi' mora hådaya bidare
sarva-jévera päpa prabhu deha' mora çire
jévera päpa laïä muïi karoì naraka bhoga
sakala jévera, prabhu, ghucäha bhava-roga
"My Lord, my heart breaks to see the sufferings of all conditioned souls; therefore I request You to transfer the karma of their sinful lives upon my head. My dear Lord, let me suffer perpetually in a hellish condition, accepting all the sinful reactions of all living entities. Please finish their diseased material life."
The need for a pure heart is described in the Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya 15.274) as follows:
sahaje nirmala ei `brähmaëa'-hådaya
kåñëera vasite ei yogya-sthäna haya
"The heart of a brähmaëa is by nature very clean; therefore it is a proper place for Kåñëa to sit."
One must give up envy, or the distress arising from seeing other's prosperity. In the Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya 15.275) this is described as follows:
`mätsarya'-caëòäla kene ihäì vasäile
parama pavitra sthäna apavitra kaile
"Why have you allowed jealousy to sit here also? Because of this, you have become like a caëòäla, the lowest of men, and you have also contaminated a most purified place-your heart."
One must be a staunch follower of Lord Caitanya. As described in the Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya 16.148):
prabhu lägi' dharma-karma chäòe bhakta-gaëa
bhakta-dharma-häni prabhura nä haya sahana 
"All the devotees would abandon all kinds of duties for Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu's sake, yet the Lord did not like the devotees' giving up their promised duties."
The need to completely abandon faults is described in the Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya 20.91) as follows:
se kene räkhibe tomära çeña viñaya-bhoga? 
roga khaëòi' sad-vaidya nä räkhe çeña roga
"Why should Kåñëa allow you to maintain a last bit of material attachment? After vanquishing a disease, a good physician does not allow any of the disease to remain."
The devotee's faith in the conclusions of devotional service is described in the Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya 22.62) as follows:
`çraddhä'-çabde-viçväsa kahe sudåòha niçcay
kåñëe bhakti kaile sarva-karma kåta haya
"By rendering transcendental loving service to Kåñëa, one automatically performs all subsidiary activities. This confident, firm faith, favorable to the discharge of devotional service, is called çraddhä."
The need for total surrender is described in the Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya 22.102) as follows:
çaraëa laïä kare kåñëe ätma-samarpaëa
kåñëa täre kare tat-käle ätma-sama
"When a devotee thus fully surrenders unto Kåñëa's lotus feet, Kåñëa accepts him as one of His confidential associates.
One must give up atheistic philosophies with repentance as described in the Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya 25.43):
paramärtha-vicära gela, kari mätra `väda'
kähäì mukti päba, kähäì kåñëera prasäda
"The atheists, headed by the Mäyävädé philosophers, do not care for liberation or Kåñëa's mercy. They simply continue to put forward false arguments and counter-theories to atheistic philosophy, not considering or engaging in spiritual matters."
A devotee should always be neutral. As described in the Caitanya-caritämåta (Antya 3.23):
`nirapekña' nahile `dharma' nä yäya rakñaëe
"Without being neutral one cannot protect religious principles."
The devotee should be afraid of insulting other Vaiñëavas. As stated in the Caitanya-caritämåta (Antya 3.164):
mahäntera apamäna ye deça-gräme haya
eka janära doñe saba deça ujäòaya
"Wherever an advanced devotee is insulted, for one man's fault the entire town or place is afflicted."
The devotees' duty is to practice forgiveness and show mercy. As stated in the Caitanya-caritämåta (Antya 3.213, 237) and the Caitanya-bhägavata (Ädi 13.182):
bhakta-svabhäva,-ajïa-doña kñamä karedéne dayä kare,-ei sädhu-svabhäva haya
prabhu bole,-vipra saba danta parihari'
bhaja giyä kåñëa, sarvabhüte dayä kari'
"A characteristic of a pure devotee is that he excuses any offense by an ignorant rascal. It is a characteristic of all saintly persons to be kind toward the poor and fallen. The Lord said: O brähmaëa! Give up all pride and serve Kåñëa by showing mercy to all."
The devotee's duty is to preach by setting a good example. As explained in the Caitanya-caritämåta (Antya 4.103):
`äcära', `pracära',-nämera karaha `dui' kärya
tumi-sarva-guru, tumi jagatera ärya
"You simultaneously perform both duties in relation to the holy name by your personal behavior and by your preaching. Therefore you are the spiritual master of the entire world, for you are the most advanced devotee in the world."
The devotee's duty is to follow Vaiñëava etiquette. As stated in the Caitanya-caritämåta (Antya 4.130):
tathäpi bhakta-svabhäva-maryädä-rakñaëa
maryädä-pälana haya sädhura bhüñaëa
"Still, it is the characteristic of a devotee to observe and protect Vaiñëava etiquette. Maintenance of Vaiñëava etiquette is the ornament of a devotee."
One should consider a Vaiñëava's body spiritual. In the Caitanya-caritämåta (Antya 4.191) it is said:
prabhu kahe,-vaiñëava-deha `präkåta' kabhu naya
`apräkåta' deha bhaktera `cid-änanda-maya'
"Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu said: The body of a devotee is never material. It is considered to be transcendental, full of spiritual bliss."
There is a need for worshiping Kåñëa in a solitary place after completing one's activities of household life and sense gratification. In the Caitanya-caritämåta (Antya 4.214-216) it is described:
eka-vatsara rüpa-gosäïira gauòe vilamba haila
kuöumbera `sthiti'-artha vibhäga kari' dila
gauòe ye artha chila, tähä änäilä
kuöumba-brähmaëa-devälaye bäìöi' dilä
saba manaù-kathä gosäïi kari' nirvähaëa
niçcinta haïä çéghra äilä våndävana
"Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé was delayed in Bengal for a year because he was dividing his money among his relatives to situate them in their proper positions. He collected whatever money he had accumulated in Bengal and divided it among his relatives, the brähmaëas, and the temples. Thus after finishing all the tasks he had on his mind, he returned to Våndävana fully satisfied."
The devotee must give up the desire for fame. As stated in the Caitanya-caritämåta (Antya 5.78):
mahänubhavera ei sahaja `svabhäva' haya
äpanära guëa nähi äpane kahaya
"This is a natural characteristic of those advanced in devotional service. They do not personally speak of their own good qualities."
A devotee should have no faith in worldly poetry. As described in the Caitanya-caritämåta (Antya 5.107):
grämya-kavira kavitva çunite haya `duùkha'
vidagdha-ätméya-väkya çunite haya `sukha'
"Hearing the poetry of a person who has no transcendental knowledge and who writes about the relationships between man and woman simply causes unhappiness, whereas hearing the words of a devotee fully absorbed in ecstatic love causes great happiness."
It is an offense to disobey the order of the spiritual master. The result is described in the Caitanya-caritämåta (Antya 8.99):
guru upekñä kaile, aiche phala haya
krame éçvara-paryanta aparädhe öhekaya
"If one's spiritual master rejects him, one becomes so fallen that he, like Rämacandra Puré, commits offenses even to the Supreme Personality of Godhead."
A devotee should give up the desire for liberation and pride of learning. As described in the Caitanya-caritämåta (Antya 13.109-110):
rämadäsa yadi prathama prabhure mililä
mahäprabhu adhika täìre kåpä nä karilä
antare mumukñu teìho, vidyä-garvavän
"When Rämadäsa Viçväsa met Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu, the Lord did not show him any special mercy, although this was their first meeting. Within his heart, Rämadäsa Viçväsa was an impersonalist who desired to merge into the existence of the Lord, and he was very proud of his learning."
Humility is essential for a devotee. In the Caitanya-caritämåta (Antya 20.28) it is described:
premera svabhäva-yähäì premera sambandha
sei mäne,-`kåñëe mora nähi prema-gandha'
"Wherever there is a relationship of love of Godhead, the natural symptoms are that the devotee does not think himself a devotee, but always thinks that he has not even a drop of love for Kåñëa."
A devotee should give up the desire for conquest. As stated in the Caitanya-bhägavata (Ädi 13.173):
`dig-vijaya kariba'-vidyära kärya nahe
éçvare bhajile, sei vidyä `satya' kahe
"Conquering the world by means of material education is not desirable. If one engages himself in devotional service, his education is perfected."
A devotee should know the Lord is one without a second and understand His relationship with all living entities. In the Caitanya-bhägavata (Ädi 16.76-78, 80-81) it is said:
çuna, bäpa, sabärai ekai éçvara
näma-matra bheda kare hinduye yavane
paramärthe `eka' kahe koräëe puräëe
eka çuddha nitya-vastu akhaëòa avyaya
paripürëa haïä vaise sabära hådaya
se prabhura näma-guëa sakala jagate
balena sakale mätra nija-çästra mate
ye éçvara, se punaù sabära bhäva laya
hiàsä karilei se, tähäna hiàsä haya
"My dear Sir, there is only one God for all living entities. The difference between the Moslem God and the Hindu God is in name only. According to all scriptures-Koran or Puräëa-God is one. He is the nondual, eternal, transcendental Absolute Truth, infallible and perfectly complete, and in that capacity He resides in everyone's heart. The Supreme Lord's transcendental name and qualities are glorified throughout the world according to the respective scriptures. The Lord accepts everyone's individual mood of surrender. By committing violence to others, you commit violence to Him." 
How a devotee should be always firmly fixed on the path of devotional service is seen in the following verse from Caitanya-bhägavata (Ädi 16.94):
khaëòa khaëòa hai' deha yäya yadi präëa
tabu ämi vadane nä chäòi hari-näma
"Even if my body is cut into pieces and I loose my life, I will never give up chanting the Lord's holy name."
How a devotee should deal with an enemy is described in the Caitanya-bhägavata (Ädi 16.113):
e saba jévere kåñëa! karaha prasäda
mora drohe nahu e sabära aparädha
"O Kåñëa! Be merciful on these living entities! Forgive their offense of torturing me."
A devotee must give up the symptoms of pride such as desire for fame and cheating. In the Caitanya-bhägavata (Ädi 16.228-229) it is said:
baòa loka kari' loka jänuka ämäre
äpanäre prakaöäi dharma-karma kare
e sakala dämbhikera kåñëe préti näi
akaitava haile se kåñëa-bhakti päi
"He is presenting himself as a important person by imitating some religious sentiments. Actually this arrogant and deceitful brähmaëa has no love for Kåñëa. To achieve the devotional service of Lord Kåñëa one has to be free from duplicity."
A devotee must reject caste consciousness in his spiritual life. In the Caitanya-bhägavata (Ädi 16.238-239) it is stated:
adhama kulete yadi viñëu-bhakti haya
tathäpi se-i se püjya-sarva-çästre kaya
uttama kulete janmi' çré kåñëe nä bhaje
kule tära ki karibe, narakete maje
"If a devotee of the Lord is born in a low-class family, he is still worthy of worship; that is the injunction of the scriptures. And if someone is born in a high-class family but does not worship the lotus feet of Çré Kåñëa, then his high birth is useless and he falls to hell."
The benefits of loud congregational chanting of the holy names is described in the Caitanya-bhägavata (Ädi 16.284-286) as follows:
japa karttä haite ucca-saìkértana-käré
çata-guëa adhika se puräëete dhari
çuna vipra! mana diyä ihära käraëa
japi' äpanäre sabe karaye poñaëa
ucca kari' karile govinda saìkértana
jantu-mätra çuniïäi päya vimocana
"The Puräëas say that a person who chants the Lord's name loudly is a hundred times more pious that the person who chants to himself. O brähmaëa, listen carefully to the reason behind this. One who chants softly liberates only himself, but one who loudly chants the names of Govinda liberates himself along with all living entities who hear him."
A devotee should not carry the burden of the scriptures like an ass; rather, he should understand their purport. The Caitanya-bhägavata (Madhya 1.158) confirms this in the following words:
çästrera nä jäne marma, adhyäpanä kare
garddabhera präya yena çästra bahi' mare
"One who teaches the scriptures without knowing their purport is like an ass carrying the load of all the scriptures."
How a devotee should give up enviousness is explained in the Caitanya-bhägavata (Madhya 1.240) as follows:
bhakti-héna karma kona phala nähi päya
sei karma bhakti-héna-parahiàsä yäya
"Activities that are devoid of bhakti produce no result. Such activities result in violence to others."
A devotee should give up sevä-aparädhas, or offenses in serving the Deity. As stated in the Caitanya-bhägavata (Madhya 5.121):
sevä-vigrahera prati anädara yä `ra
viñëu-sthäne aparädha sarvathä tähära
"One who has no respect for the Deity form of the Lord is constantly committing offenses at the lotus feet of Lord Viñëu."
If a person is internally situated as a Vaiñëava even though externally he maintains attachment for sense gratification, then he is counted as a devotee. As described in the Caitanya-bhägavata (Madhya 7.22, 38):
viñayéra präya täì 'ra paricchada saba
cinite nä päre keha tiìho ye vaiñëava
äsiyä rahila navadvépe güòharüpe
parama bhogéra präya sarvaloke dekhe
"Puëòaréka Vidyänidhi dressed like a materialistic. No one was able to recognise that he was a great Vaiñëava. He came to Nabadvépa and remained there incognito. Everyone saw him as a grossly materialistic person."
A devotee should not maintain false pride due to material education and so on. In the Caitanya-bhägavata (Madhya 9.234) it is explained:
ki karibe vidyä, dhana, rüpa, yaça, kule
ahaìkära bäòi' saba paòaye nirmüle
"What is the use of education, wealth, beauty, fame, and high birth? They only increase one's pride to the point of his falldown."
A devotee should remain fixed in the principles of Vaiñëavism, he should not support various opinions for social reasons. As stated in the Caitanya-bhägavata (Madhya 10.185, 188, 192):
kñane dante tåëa laya, kñane jäöhi märe
o khaòa jäöhiyä veöä nä dekhibe more
prabhu bale,-o veöä yakhana yathä yäya
sei mata kathä kahi' tathäi miçäya
bhakti-sthäne uhära haila aparädha
etake uhära haila daraçana bädha
"Sometimes he takes straw in his mouth, and sometimes he beats Me with a stick. Therefore he is not fit to see Me. The Lord continued: Wherever he goes, he mixes with those people and talks like them. He is an offender at the feet of Bhakti, that is why he is forbidden to see Me."
The fault of taking sides against a Vaiñëava is described in the Caitanya-bhägavata (Madhya 13.160) as follows:
ye päpiñöha eka vaiñëavera pakña haya
anya vaiñëavere ninde, sei yäya kñaya
"A sinful person who takes the side of one Vaiñëava and condemns another is vanquished."
A devotee should not commit sinful activities after accepting the holy name of the Lord. As stated in the Caitanya-bhägavata (Madhya 13.225):
prabhu bale,-torä ära nä karis päpa
jagäi mädhäi bale,-ära näre bäpa
"The Lord said: Do not commit further sins. Jagai and Madhai replied: Never again, O Lord."
How a devotee should remain aloof from the rules and regulations is explained in the Caitanya-bhägavata (Madhya 16.144, 147):
yata vidhi, niñedha-sakalai bhakti däsa
ihäte yähära duhkha, sei yäya näça
viñaya madändha saba e marma nä jäne
suta dhana kula-made vaiñëava nä cine
"All the rules and regulations are servants of Bhakti. One who has trouble accepting this is destroyed. One who is blinded by false pride can never understand this secret. Being proud of his children, wealth, and high birth, he fails to recognize a Vaiñëava."
A devotee should avoid conversing with an atheist. As stated in the Caitanya-bhägavata (Madhya 17.19):
nagare haila kibä päñaëòi sambhäña
ei vä käraëe nahe prema parakäça
"Did I speak with an atheist in town? Is that why love of God is not manifesting today?"
Giving up relationships with nondevotees is most essential; Çréla Advaita Prabhu gives the following statement in the Caitanya-bhägavata (Madhya 19.175):
yadi mora putra haya, haya vä kiìkara
vaiñëaväparädhé muïi nä dekhoì gocara
"Even if he is My son or servant, I will never see the face of a person who offends Vaiñëavas."
There is no comparison between bhakti and pious activities. As explained in the Caitanya-bhägavata (Madhya 23.54):
prabhu bale,-tapaù kari nä karaha bala
viñëu-bhakti sarva-çreñöha jänaha kevala
"The Lord said: Don't think you have become powerful by performing austerities. Know for certain that devotion to Lord Viñëu is the highest goal."
The hypocrites and cheaters sometimes advertise themselves as incarnations and thus increase their pride. A devotee should cautiously avoid their company. As stated in the Caitanya-bhägavata (Ädi 14.82-83):
madhye madhye mätra kata päpi-gaëa giyä
loka nañöa kare äpanäre laoyäiyä
udara bharaëa lägi' päpiñöha sakale
`raghunätha' kari' äpanäre keha bale
"Sometimes a group of evil persons would try to mislead people in general from the spiritual path with wrong advice. These sinners simply cheat people in order to fill their bellies by claiming to be Lord Räma."
Devotees should constantly take shelter of the holy names while passing their lives without duplicity or sin. Their is no greater religious principle than this. The Caitanya-bhägavata (Ädi 14.139-140) gives the following conclusion:
ataeva kali-yuga näma-yajïa sära
ära kona dharma kaile nähi haya pära
rätri dina näma laya khäite çuite
tähära mahimä vede nähi päre dite
"Therefore, in Kali-yuga chanting the holy name is the essential religious principle; no other religious practice can help one cross the material ocean of nescience. Even the Vedas are unable to sufficiently glorify one who chants the Lord's holy name day and night in all situations."
Human beings should worship Kåñëa by considering the natural qualities and accepting the livelihoods of the previous and later mahäjanas. Pure devotional service is proportionately enhanced by following a proper occupation, otherwise it is never achieved.