Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Sri Caitanya Caritamrta

CC Madhya 22 Summary

CC Madhya 22.1: I offer my respectful obeisances unto Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He is an ocean of transcendental mercy, and although the subject matter of bhakti-yoga is very confidential, He has nonetheless manifested it so nicely, even in this Age of Kali, the age of quarrel.

CC Madhya 22.2: All glories to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu! All glories to Nityananda Prabhu! All glories to Advaitacandra! And all glories to all the devotees of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu!

CC Madhya 22.3: Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, "I have described one's relationship with Krsna in various ways. This is the subject matter of all the Vedas. Krsna is the center of all activities.

CC Madhya 22.4: "Now I shall speak about the characteristics of devotional service, by which one can attain the shelter of Krsna and His loving transcendental service.

CC Madhya 22.5: "A human being's activities should be centered only on devotional service to Lord Krsna. That is the verdict of all Vedic literatures, and all saintly people have firmly concludeded this.

CC Madhya 22.6: "'When the mother Vedas [sruti] is questioned as to whom to worship, she says that You are the only Lord and worshipable object. Similarly, the corollaries of the sruti-sastras, the smrti-sastras, give the same instructions, just like sisters. The Puranas, which are like brothers, follow in the footsteps of their mother. O enemy of the demon Mura, the conclusion is that You are the only shelter. Now I have understood this in truth.'

CC Madhya 22.7: "Krsna is the nondual Absolute Truth, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Although He is one, He maintains different personal expansions and energies for His pastimes.

CC Madhya 22.8: "Krsna expands Himself in many forms. Some of them are personal expansions, and some are separate expansions. Thus He performs pastimes in both the spiritual and the material worlds. The spiritual worlds are the Vaikuntha planets, and the material universes are the brahmandas, gigantic globes governed by Lord Brahma.

CC Madhya 22.9: "Expansions of His personal self -- like the quadruple manifestations of Sankarsana, Pradyumna, Aniruddha and Vasudeva -- descend as incarnations from Vaikuntha to this material world. The separated expansions are the living entities. Although they are expansions of Krsna, they are counted among His different potencies.

CC Madhya 22.10: "The living entities [jivas] are divided into two categories. Some are eternally liberated, and others are eternally conditioned.

CC Madhya 22.11: "Those who are eternally liberated are always awake to Krsna consciousness, and they render transcendental loving service at the feet of Lord Krsna. They are to be considered eternal associates of Krsna, and they are eternally enjoying the transcendental bliss of serving Krsna.

CC Madhya 22.12: "Apart from the ever-liberated devotees, there are the conditioned souls, who always turn away from the service of the Lord. They are perpetually conditioned in this material world and are subjected to the material tribulations brought about by different bodily forms in hellish conditions.

CC Madhya 22.13: "Due to his being opposed to Krsna consciousness, the conditioned soul is punished by the witch of the external energy, maya. He is thus ready to suffer the threefold miseries -- miseries brought about by the body and mind, the inimical behavior of other living entities and natural disturbances caused by the demigods.

CC Madhya 22.14-15: "In this way the conditioned soul becomes the servant of lusty desires, and when these are not fulfilled, he becomes the servant of anger and continues to be kicked by the external energy, maya. Wandering and wandering throughout the universe, he may by chance get the association of a devotee physician, whose instructions and hymns make the witch of the external energy flee. The conditioned soul thus gets into touch with devotional service to Lord Krsna, and in this way he can approach nearer and nearer to the Lord.

CC Madhya 22.16: "'O my Lord, there is no limit to the unwanted orders of lusty desires. Although I have rendered these desires so much service, they have not shown any mercy to me. I have not been ashamed to serve them, nor have I even desired to give them up. O my Lord, O head of the Yadu dynasty, recently, however, my intelligence has been awakened, and now I am giving them up. Due to transcendental intelligence, I now refuse to obey the unwanted orders of these desires, and I now come to You to surrender myself at Your fearless lotus feet. Kindly engage me in Your personal service and save me.'

CC Madhya 22.17: "Devotional service to Krsna is the chief function of the living entity. There are different methods for the liberation of the conditioned soul -- karma, jnana, yoga and bhakti -- but all are dependent on bhakti.

CC Madhya 22.18: "Without devotional service, all other methods for spiritual self-realization are weak and insignificant. Unless one comes to the devotional service of Lord Krsna, jnana and yoga cannot give the desired results.

CC Madhya 22.19: "'When pure knowledge is beyond all material affinity but is not dedicated to the Supreme Personality of Godhead [Krsna], it does not appear very beautiful, although it is knowledge without a material tinge. What, then, is the use of fruitive activities -- which are naturally painful from the beginning and transient by nature -- if they are not utilized for the devotional service of the Lord? How can they be very attractive?'

CC Madhya 22.20: "'Those who perform severe austerities and penances, those who give away all their possessions out of charity, those who are very famous for their auspicious activity, those who are engaged in meditation and mental speculation, and even those who are very expert in reciting the Vedic mantras are not able to obtain any auspicious results, although they are engaged in auspicious activities, if they do not dedicate their activities to the service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. I therefore repeatedly offer my respectful obeisances unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, whose glories are always auspicious.'

CC Madhya 22.21: "Speculative knowledge alone, without devotional service, is not able to give liberation. On the other hand, even without knowledge one can obtain liberation if one engages in the Lord's devotional service.

CC Madhya 22.22: "'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. His labor becomes fruitless.'

CC Madhya 22.23: "'This divine energy of Mine, consisting of the three modes of material nature, is difficult to overcome. But those who have surrendered unto Me can easily cross beyond it.'

CC Madhya 22.24: "The living entity is bound around the neck by the chain of maya because he has forgotten that he is eternally a servant of Krsna.

CC Madhya 22.25: "If the conditioned soul engages in the service of the Lord and simultaneously carries out the orders of his spiritual master and serves him, he can get out of the clutches of maya and become eligible for shelter at Krsna's lotus feet.

CC Madhya 22.26: "The followers of the varnasrama institution accept the regulative principles of the four social orders [brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya and sudra] and four spiritual orders [brahmacarya, grhastha, vanaprastha and sannyasa]. However, if one carries out the regulative principles of these orders but does not render transcendental service to Krsna, he falls into a hellish condition of material life.

CC Madhya 22.27: "'From the mouth of Brahma, the brahminical order has come into existence. Similarly, from his arms the ksatriyas have come, from his waist the vaisyas have come, and from his legs the sudras have come. These four orders and their spiritual counterparts [brahmacarya, grhastha, vanaprastha and sannyasa] combine to make human society complete.

CC Madhya 22.28: "'If one simply maintains an official position in the four varnas and asramas but does not worship the Supreme Lord Visnu, he falls down from his puffed-up position into a hellish condition.'

CC Madhya 22.29: "There are many philosophical speculators [jnanis] belonging to the Mayavada school who consider themselves liberated and call themselves Narayana. But their intelligence is not purified unless they engage in Krsna's devotional service.

CC Madhya 22.30: "'O lotus-eyed one, those who think they are liberated in this life but do not render devotional service to You must be of impure intelligence. Although they accept severe austerities and penances and rise to the spiritual position, to impersonal Brahman realization, they fall down again because they neglect to worship Your lotus feet.'

CC Madhya 22.31: "Krsna is compared to sunshine, and maya is compared to darkness. Wherever there is sunshine, there cannot be darkness. As soon as one takes to Krsna consciousness, the darkness of illusion (the influence of the external energy) will immediately vanish.

CC Madhya 22.32: "'The external illusory energy of Krsna, known as maya, is always ashamed to stand in front of Krsna, just as darkness is ashamed to remain before the sunshine. However, that maya bewilders unfortunate people who have no intelligence. Thus they simply boast that this material world is theirs and that they are its enjoyers.'

CC Madhya 22.33: "One is immediately freed from the clutches of maya if he seriously and sincerely says, 'My dear Lord Krsna, although I have forgotten You for so many long years in the material world, today I am surrendering unto You. I am Your sincere and serious servant. Please engage me in Your service.'

CC Madhya 22.34: "'It is My vow that if one only once seriously surrenders unto Me, saying "My dear Lord, from this day I am Yours," and prays to Me for courage, I shall immediately award courage to that person, and he will always remain safe from that time on.'

CC Madhya 22.35: "Due to bad association, the living entity desires material happiness, liberation or merging into the impersonal aspect of the Lord, or he engages in mystic yoga for material power. If such a person actually becomes intelligent, he takes to Krsna consciousness by engaging himself in intense devotional service to Lord Sri Krsna.

CC Madhya 22.36: "'Whether one desires everything or nothing, or whether he desires to merge into the existence of the Lord, he is intelligent only if he worships Lord Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, by rendering transcendental loving service.'

CC Madhya 22.37: "If those who desire material enjoyment or merging into the existence of the Absolute Truth engage in the Lord's transcendental loving service, they will immediately attain shelter at Krsna's lotus feet, although they did not ask for it. Krsna is therefore very merciful.

CC Madhya 22.38: "Krsna says, 'If one engages in My transcendental loving service but at the same time wants the opulence of material enjoyment, he is very, very foolish. Indeed, he is just like a person who gives up ambrosia to drink poison.

CC Madhya 22.39: "'Since I am very intelligent, why should I give this fool material prosperity? Instead I shall induce him to take the nectar of the shelter of My lotus feet and make him forget illusory material enjoyment.'

CC Madhya 22.40: "'Whenever Krsna is requested to fulfill one's desire, He undoubtedly does so, but He does not award anything which, after being enjoyed, will cause one to petition Him again and again to fulfill further desires. When one has other desires but engages in the Lord's service, Krsna forcibly gives one shelter at His lotus feet, where one will forget all other desires.'

CC Madhya 22.41: "When someone engages in Lord Krsna's devotional service for the satisfaction of the senses and instead acquires a taste for serving Krsna, he gives up his material desires and willingly offers himself as an eternal servant of Krsna.

CC Madhya 22.42: "[When he was being blessed by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Dhruva Maharaja said:] 'O my Lord, because I was seeking an opulent material position, I was performing severe types of penance and austerity. Now I have gotten You, who are very difficult for the great demigods, saintly persons and kings to attain. I was searching after a piece of glass, but instead I have found a most valuable jewel. Therefore I am so satisfied that I do not wish to ask any benediction from You.'

CC Madhya 22.43: "The conditioned souls are wandering throughout the different planets of the universe, entering various species of life. By good fortune one of these souls may somehow or other be delivered from the ocean of nescience, just as one of the many big logs in a flowing river may by chance reach the bank.

CC Madhya 22.44: "'"Because I am so fallen, I shall never get a chance to see the Supreme Personality of Godhead." This was my false apprehension. Rather, by chance a person as fallen as I am may get to see the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Although one is being carried away by the waves of the river of time, one may eventually reach the shore.'

CC Madhya 22.45: "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 Krsna is awakened.

CC Madhya 22.46: "'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 topmost devotees and the Lord of the universe.'

CC Madhya 22.47: "Krsna is situated in everyone's heart as the caittya-guru, the spiritual master within. When He is kind to some fortunate conditioned soul, He personally gives him lessons so he can progress in devotional service, instructing the person as the Supersoul within and the spiritual master without.

CC Madhya 22.48: "'O my Lord! Transcendental poets and experts in spiritual science could not fully express their indebtedness to You, even if they were endowed with the prolonged lifetime of Brahma, for You appear in two features -- externally as the acarya and internally as the Supersoul -- to deliver the embodied living being by directing him how to come to You.'

CC Madhya 22.49: "By associating with a devotee, one awakens his faith in devotional service to Krsna. Because of devotional service, one's dormant love for Krsna awakens, and thus one's material, conditioned existence comes to an end.

CC Madhya 22.50: "'Somehow or other, if one is attracted to talks about Me and has faith in the instructions I have set forth in the Bhagavad-gita, and if one is neither falsely detached from material things nor very much attracted to material existence, his dormant love for Me will be awakened by devotional service.'

CC Madhya 22.51: "Unless one is favored by a pure devotee, one cannot attain the platform of devotional service. To say nothing of krsna-bhakti, one cannot even be relieved from the bondage of material existence.

CC Madhya 22.52: "'O King Rahugana, without taking upon one's head the dust from the lotus feet of a pure devotee [a mahajana or mahatma], one cannot attain devotional service. Devotional service is not possible to attain simply by undergoing severe austerities and penances, by gorgeously worshiping the Deity, or by strictly following the rules and regulations of the sannyasa or grhastha order; nor is it attained by studying the Vedas, submerging oneself in water, or exposing oneself to fire or scorching sunlight.'

CC Madhya 22.53: "'Unless human society accepts the dust of the lotus feet of great mahatmas -- devotees who have nothing to do with material possessions -- mankind cannot turn its attention to the lotus feet of Krsna. Those lotus feet vanquish all the unwanted, miserable conditions of material life.'

CC Madhya 22.54: "The verdict of all revealed scriptures is that by even a moment's association with a pure devotee, one can attain all success.

CC Madhya 22.55: "'The value of a moment's association with a devotee of the Lord cannot be compared even to the attainment of the heavenly planets or liberation from matter, and what to speak of worldly benedictions in the form of material prosperity, which is for those who are meant for death.'

CC Madhya 22.56: "Krsna is so merciful that simply by aiming His instructions at Arjuna, He has given protection to the whole world.

CC Madhya 22.57-58: "'Because you are My very dear friend, I am speaking to you My supreme instruction, the most confidential knowledge of all. Hear this from Me, for it is for your benefit. Always think of Me and become My devotee, worship Me and offer your homage unto Me. Thus you will come to Me without fail. I promise you this because you are My very dear friend.'

CC Madhya 22.59: "Although Krsna previously explained the proficiency of executing Vedic rituals, performing fruitive activity as enjoined in the Vedas, practicing yoga and cultivating jnana, these last instructions are most powerful and stand above all the others.

CC Madhya 22.60: "If the devotee has faith in the strength of this order, he worships Lord Krsna and gives up all other activities.

CC Madhya 22.61: "'As long as one is not satiated by fruitive activity and has not awakened his taste for devotional service by sravanam kirtanam visnoh [SB 7.5.23], one has to act according to the regulative principles of the Vedic injunctions.'

CC Madhya 22.62: "Sraddha is confident, firm faith that by rendering transcendental loving service to Krsna one automatically performs all subsidiary activities. Such faith is favorable to the discharge of devotional service.

CC Madhya 22.63: "'By pouring water on the root of a tree, one automatically satisfies the trunk, branches and twigs. Similarly, by supplying food to the stomach, where it nourishes the life air, one satisfies all the senses. In the same way, by worshiping Krsna and rendering Him service, one automatically satisfies all the demigods.'

CC Madhya 22.64: "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.

CC Madhya 22.65: "One who is expert in logic, argument and the revealed scriptures and who has firm faith in Krsna is classified as a topmost devotee. He can deliver the whole world.

CC Madhya 22.66: "'One who is expert in logic and in understanding the revealed scriptures, and who always has firm conviction and deep faith that is not blind, is to be considered a topmost devotee in devotional service.'

CC Madhya 22.67: "One who is not very expert in argument and logic based on the revealed scriptures but who has firm faith is considered a second-class devotee. He also must be considered most fortunate.

CC Madhya 22.68: "'He who does not know scriptural argument very well but who has firm faith is called an intermediate or second-class devotee.'

CC Madhya 22.69: "One whose faith is soft and pliable is called a neophyte, but by gradually following the process he will rise to the platform of a first-class devotee.

CC Madhya 22.70: "'One whose faith is not very strong, who is just beginning, should be considered a neophyte devotee.'

CC Madhya 22.71: "A devotee is considered superlative or superior according to his attachment and love. In the Eleventh Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam, the following symptoms have been given.

CC Madhya 22.72: "'A person advanced in devotional service sees within everything the soul of souls, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna. Consequently he always sees the form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead as the cause of all causes and understands that all things are situated in Him.

CC Madhya 22.73: "'An intermediate, second-class devotee shows love for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is friendly to all devotees and is very merciful to neophytes and ignorant people. The intermediate devotee neglects those who are envious of devotional service.

CC Madhya 22.74: "'A prakrta-bhakta, or materialistic devotee, does not purposefully study the sastra and try to understand the actual standard of pure devotional service. Consequently he does not show proper respect to advanced devotees. He may, however, follow the regulative principles learned from his spiritual master or from his family who worships the Deity. He is to be considered on the material platform, although he is trying to advance in devotional service. Such a person is a bhakta-praya [neophyte devotee], or bhaktabhasa, for he is a little enlightened by Vaisnava philosophy.'

CC Madhya 22.75: "A Vaisnava is one who has developed all good transcendental qualities. All the good qualities of Krsna gradually develop in Krsna's devotee.

CC Madhya 22.76: "'In one who has unflinching devotional faith in Krsna, all the good qualities of Krsna and the demigods are consistently manifest. However, he who has no devotion to the Supreme Personality of Godhead has no good qualifications because he is engaged by mental concoction in material existence, which is the external feature of the Lord.'

CC Madhya 22.77: "All these transcendental qualities are the characteristics of pure Vaisnavas, and they cannot be fully explained, but I shall try to point out some of the important qualities.

CC Madhya 22.78-80: "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 Krsna and desireless. They are indifferent to material acquisitions and are 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.

CC Madhya 22.81: "'Devotees are always tolerant, forbearing and very merciful. They are the well-wishers of every living entity. They follow the scriptural injunctions, and because they have no enemies, they are very peaceful. These are the decorations of devotees.'

CC Madhya 22.82: "'It is the verdict of all sastras and great personalities that service to a pure devotee is the path of liberation. By contrast, association with materialistic people who are attached to material enjoyment and women is the path of darkness. Those who are actually devotees are broadminded, equal to everyone and very peaceful. They never become angry, and they are friendly to all living entities.'

CC Madhya 22.83: "The root cause of devotional service to Lord Krsna is association with advanced devotees. Even when one's dormant love for Krsna awakens, association with devotees is still most essential.

CC Madhya 22.84: "'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 topmost devotees, and the Lord of the universe.'

CC Madhya 22.85: "'O devotees! O you who are free from all sins! Let me inquire from you about that which is supremely auspicious for all living entities. Association with a pure devotee for even half a moment in this material world is the greatest treasure for human society.'

CC Madhya 22.86: "'The spiritually powerful message of Godhead can be properly discussed only in a society of devotees, and it is greatly pleasing to hear in that association. If one hears from devotees, the way of transcendental experience quickly opens, and gradually one attains firm faith that in due course develops into attraction and devotion.'

CC Madhya 22.87: "A Vaisnava should always avoid the association of ordinary people. Common people are very much materially attached, especially to women. Vaisnavas should also avoid the company of those who are not devotees of Lord Krsna.

CC Madhya 22.88-90: "'By association with worldly people, one becomes devoid of truthfulness, cleanliness, mercy, gravity, spiritual intelligence, shyness, austerity, fame, forgiveness, control of the mind, control of the senses, fortune and all opportunities. One should not at any time associate with a coarse fool who is bereft of the knowledge of self-realization and who is no more than a toy animal in the hands of a woman. The illusion and bondage that accrue to a man from attachment to any other object are not as complete as that resulting from association with a woman or with men too much attached to women.'

CC Madhya 22.91: "'It is better to accept the miseries of being encaged within bars and surrounded by burning flames than to associate with those bereft of Krsna consciousness. Such association is a very great hardship.'

CC Madhya 22.92: "'One should not even see those who are bereft of devotional service in Krsna consciousness and who are therefore devoid of pious activities.'

CC Madhya 22.93: "Without hesitation, one should take exclusive shelter of Lord Krsna with full confidence, giving up bad association and even neglecting the regulative principles of the four varnas and four asramas. That is to say, one should abandon all material attachment.

CC Madhya 22.94: "'After giving up all kinds of religious and occupational duties, if you come to Me, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and take shelter, I shall give you protection from all of life's sinful reactions. Do not worry. [Bg. 18.66]'

CC Madhya 22.95: "Lord Krsna is very kind to His devotees. He is always very grateful and magnanimous, and He possesses all abilities. A learned man does not give up Krsna to worship anyone else.

CC Madhya 22.96: "'My dear Lord, You are very affectionate to Your devotees. You are also a truthful and grateful friend. Where is that learned man who would give You up and surrender to someone else? You fulfill all the desires of Your devotees, so much so that sometimes You even give Yourself to them. Still, You neither increase nor decrease by such activity.'

CC Madhya 22.97: "Whenever an experienced person develops real knowledge of Krsna and His transcendental qualities, he naturally gives up all other engagements and renders service to the Lord. Uddhava gives evidence concerning this.

CC Madhya 22.98: "'Oh, how wonderful it is! Putana, the sister of Bakasura, wanted to kill Krsna by smearing deadly poison on her breasts and having Krsna take it. Nonetheless, Lord Krsna accepted her as His mother, and thus she attained the destination befitting Krsna's mother. Of whom should I take shelter but Krsna, who is most merciful?'

CC Madhya 22.99: "There are two kinds of devotees -- those who are fully satiated and free from all material desires and those who are fully surrendered to the lotus feet of the Lord. Their qualities are one and the same, but those who are fully surrendered to Krsna's lotus feet are qualified with another transcendental quality -- atma-samarpana, full surrender without reservation.

CC Madhya 22.100: "'The six divisions of surrender are the acceptance of those things favorable to devotional service, the rejection of unfavorable things, the conviction that Krsna will give protection, the acceptance of the Lord as one's guardian or master, full self-surrender, and humility.

CC Madhya 22.101: "'One whose body is fully surrendered takes shelter at the holy place where Krsna had His pastimes, and he prays to the Lord, "My Lord, I am Yours." Understanding this with his mind, he enjoys spiritual bliss.'

CC Madhya 22.102: "When a devotee thus fully surrenders unto Krsna's lotus feet, Krsna accepts him as one of His confidential associates.

CC Madhya 22.103: "'The living entity who is subjected to birth and death attains immortality when he gives up all material activities, dedicates his life to the execution of My order, and acts according to My directions. In this way he becomes fit to enjoy the spiritual bliss derived from exchanging loving mellows with Me.'

CC Madhya 22.104: "My dear Sanatana, please now hear about the regulative principles for the execution of devotional service. By this process, one can attain the highest perfection of love of Godhead, which is the most desirable treasure.

CC Madhya 22.105: "'When transcendental devotional service, by which love for Krsna is attained, is executed by the senses, it is called sadhana-bhakti, or the regulative discharge of devotional service. Such devotion eternally exists within the heart of every living entity. The awakening of this eternal devotion is the potentiality of devotional service in practice.'

CC Madhya 22.106: "The spiritual activities of hearing, chanting, remembering and so forth are the natural characteristics of devotional service. The marginal characteristic is that it awakens pure love for Krsna.

CC Madhya 22.107: "Pure love for Krsna is eternally established in the hearts of the living entities. It is not something to be gained from another source. When the heart is purified by hearing and chanting, this love naturally awakens.

CC Madhya 22.108: "There are two processes of practical devotional service. One is regulative devotional service, and the other is spontaneous devotional service.

CC Madhya 22.109: "Those who have not attained the platform of spontaneous attachment in devotional service render devotional service under the guidance of a bona fide spiritual master according to the regulative principles mentioned in the revealed scriptures. According to the revealed scriptures, this kind of devotional service is called vaidhi bhakti.

CC Madhya 22.110: "'O descendant of Bharata! O Maharaja Pariksit! The Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is situated in everyone's heart as Paramatma, who is the supreme controller, and who always removes the miseries of the living entities, must always be heard about from reliable sources, and He must be glorified and remembered by one who wishes to become fearless.'

CC Madhya 22.111: "'From the mouth of Brahma, the brahminical order has come into existence. Similarly, from his arms the ksatriyas have come, from his waist the vaisyas have come, and from his legs the sudras have come. These four orders and their spiritual counterparts [brahmacarya, grhastha, vanaprastha and sannyasa] combine to make human society complete.

CC Madhya 22.112: "'If one simply maintains an official position in the four varnas and asramas but does not worship the Supreme Lord Visnu, he falls down from his puffed-up position into a hellish condition.'

CC Madhya 22.113: "'Krsna is the origin of Lord Visnu. He should always be remembered and never forgotten at any time. All the rules and prohibitions mentioned in the sastras should be the servants of these two principles.'

CC Madhya 22.114: "I shall say something about the various practices of devotional service, which is expanded in so many ways. I wish to speak briefly of the essential practices.

CC Madhya 22.115: "On the path of regulative devotional service, one must observe the following items: (1) One must accept a bona fide spiritual master. (2) One must accept initiation from him. (3) One must serve him. (4) One must receive instructions from the spiritual master and make inquiries in order to learn devotional service. (5) One must follow in the footsteps of the previous acaryas and follow the directions given by the spiritual master.

CC Madhya 22.116: "The next steps are as follows: (6) One should be prepared to give up everything for Krsna's satisfaction, and one should also accept everything for Krsna's satisfaction. (7) One must live in a place where Krsna is present -- a city like Vrndavana or Mathura or a Krsna temple. (8) One should acquire a livelihood that is just sufficient to keep body and soul together. (9) One must fast on the Ekadasi day.

CC Madhya 22.117: "(10) One should worship dhatri trees, banyan trees, cows, brahmanas and devotees of Lord Visnu. (11) One should avoid offenses against devotional service and the holy name.

CC Madhya 22.118: "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.

CC Madhya 22.119: "(15) 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.

CC Madhya 22.120: "(18) The devotee should not hear Lord Visnu 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.

CC Madhya 22.121: "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.

CC Madhya 22.122: "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.

CC Madhya 22.123: "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.

CC Madhya 22.124: "One should (23) attend arati and festivals, (24) see the Deity, (25) present what is very dear to oneself to the Deity, (26) meditate on the Deity, and (27-30) serve those related to the Lord.

CC Madhya 22.125: "Tadiya means the tulasi leaves, the devotees of Krsna, the birthplace of Krsna (Mathura), and the Vedic literature Srimad-Bhagavatam. Krsna is very eager to see His devotee serve tulasi, Vaisnavas, Mathura and Bhagavatam.

CC Madhya 22.126: "(31) One should perform all endeavors for Krsna. (32) One should look forward to His mercy. (33) One should partake of various ceremonies with devotees -- ceremonies like Lord Krsna's birthday or Ramacandra's birthday.

CC Madhya 22.127: "(34) One should surrender to Krsna in all respects. (35) One should observe particular vows like kartika-vrata. These are some of the sixty-four important items of devotional service.

CC Madhya 22.128: "One should associate with devotees, chant the holy name of the Lord, hear Srimad-Bhagavatam, reside at Mathura and worship the Deity with faith and veneration.

CC Madhya 22.129: "These five limbs of devotional service are the best of all. Even a slight performance of these five awakens love for Krsna.

CC Madhya 22.130: "'With love and full faith one should worship the lotus feet of the Deity.

CC Madhya 22.131: "'One should taste the meaning of Srimad-Bhagavatam in the association of pure devotees, and one should associate with the devotees who are more advanced than oneself and who are endowed with a similar type of affection for the Lord.

CC Madhya 22.132: "'One should congregationally chant the holy name of the Lord and reside in Vrndavana.'

CC Madhya 22.133: "'The power of these five principles is very wonderful and difficult to understand. Even without faith in them, a person who is offenseless can awaken his dormant love of Krsna simply by being a little connected with them.'

CC Madhya 22.134: "When one is firmly fixed in devotional service, whether he executes one or many processes of devotional service, the waves of love of Godhead will awaken.

CC Madhya 22.135: "There are many devotees who execute only one of the nine processes of devotional service. Nonetheless, they get ultimate success. Devotees like Maharaja Ambarisa execute all nine items, and they also get ultimate success.

CC Madhya 22.136: "'Maharaja Pariksit attained the highest perfection, shelter at Lord Krsna's lotus feet, simply by hearing about Lord Visnu. Sukadeva Gosvami attained perfection simply by reciting Srimad-Bhagavatam. Prahlada Maharaja attained perfection by remembering the Lord. The goddess of fortune attained perfection by massaging the transcendental legs of Maha-Visnu. Maharaja Prthu attained perfection by worshiping the Deity, and Akrura attained perfection by offering prayers unto the Lord. Vajrangaji [Hanuman] attained perfection by rendering service to Lord Ramacandra, and Arjuna attained perfection simply by being Krsna's friend. Bali Maharaja attained perfection by dedicating everything to the lotus feet of Krsna.'

CC Madhya 22.137-139: "'Maharaja Ambarisa always engaged his mind at the lotus feet of Krsna, his words in describing the spiritual world and the Supreme Personality of Godhead, his hands in cleansing and washing the Lord's temple, his ears in hearing topics about the Supreme Lord, his eyes in seeing the Deity of Lord Krsna in the temple, his body in embracing Vaisnavas or touching their lotus feet, his nostrils in smelling the aroma of the tulasi leaves offered to Krsna's lotus feet, his tongue in tasting food offered to Krsna, his legs in going to places of pilgrimage like Vrndavana and Mathura or to the Lord's temple, his head in touching the lotus feet of the Lord and offering Him obeisances, and his desires in serving the Lord faithfully. In this way Maharaja Ambarisa engaged his senses in the transcendental loving service of the Lord. As a result, he awakened his dormant loving propensity for the Lord's service.'

CC Madhya 22.140: "If a person gives up all material desires and completely engages in the transcendental loving service of Krsna, as enjoined in the revealed scriptures, he is never indebted to the demigods, sages or forefathers.

CC Madhya 22.141: "'One who has given up all material duties and taken full shelter at the lotus feet of Mukunda, who gives shelter to all, is not indebted to the demigods, great sages, ordinary living beings, relatives, friends, mankind or even his forefathers who have passed away.'

CC Madhya 22.142: "Although the pure devotee does not follow all the regulative principles of varnasrama, he worships the lotus feet of Krsna. Therefore he naturally has no tendency to commit sin.

CC Madhya 22.143: "If, however, a devotee accidentally becomes involved in a sinful activity, Krsna purifies him. He does not have to undergo the regulative form of atonement.

CC Madhya 22.144: "'One who has given up everything and taken full shelter at the lotus feet of Hari, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is very dear to Krsna. If he is involved in some sinful activity by accident, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is seated within everyone's heart, removes his sins without difficulty.'

CC Madhya 22.145: "The path of speculative knowledge and renunciation is not essential for devotional service. Indeed, good qualities such as nonviolence and control of the mind and senses automatically accompany a devotee of Lord Krsna.

CC Madhya 22.146: "'For one who is fully engaged in My devotional service, whose mind is fixed on Me in bhakti-yoga, the path of speculative knowledge and dry renunciation is not very beneficial.'

CC Madhya 22.147: "'O hunter, good qualities like nonviolence, which you have developed, are not very astonishing, for those who are engaged in the Lord's devotional service are never inclined to give pain to others because of envy.'

CC Madhya 22.148: "My dear Sanatana, I have now in detail described devotional service according to the regulative principles. Now hear from Me about spontaneous devotional service and its characteristics.

CC Madhya 22.149: "The original inhabitants of Vrndavana are attached to Krsna spontaneously in devotional service. Nothing can compare to such spontaneous devotional service, which is called ragatmika bhakti. When a devotee follows in the footsteps of the devotees of Vrndavana, his devotional service is called raganuga bhakti.

CC Madhya 22.150: "'When one becomes attached to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, his natural inclination to love is fully absorbed in thoughts of the Lord. That is called transcendental attachment, and devotional service according to that attachment is called ragatmika, or spontaneous devotional service.'

CC Madhya 22.151: "The primary characteristic of spontaneous love is deep attachment for the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Absorption in thought of Him is a marginal characteristic.

CC Madhya 22.152: "Thus devotional service which consists of raga [deep attachment] is called ragatmika, spontaneous loving service. If a devotee covets such a position, he is considered to be most fortunate.

CC Madhya 22.153: "If one follows in the footsteps of the inhabitants of Vrndavana out of such transcendental covetousness, he does not care for the injunctions or reasonings of sastra. That is the way of spontaneous love.

CC Madhya 22.154: "'Devotional service in spontaneous love is vividly expressed and manifested by the inhabitants of Vrndavana. Devotional service that accords with their devotional service is called raganuga bhakti, or devotional service following in the wake of spontaneous loving service.'

CC Madhya 22.155: "'When an advanced, realized devotee hears about the affairs of the devotees of Vrndavana -- in the mellows of santa, dasya, sakhya, vatsalya and madhurya -- he becomes inclined in one of these ways, and his intelligence becomes attracted. Indeed, he begins to covet that particular type of devotion. When such covetousness is awakened, one's intelligence no longer depends on the instructions of sastra [revealed scripture] or on logic and argument.'

CC Madhya 22.156-157: "There are two processes by which one may execute this raganuga bhakti -- external and internal. When self-realized, the advanced devotee externally remains like a neophyte and executes all the sastric injunctions, especially those concerning hearing and chanting. But within his mind, in his original, purified, self-realized position, he serves Krsna in Vrndavana in his particular way. He serves Krsna twenty-four hours a day, all day and night.

CC Madhya 22.158: "'The advanced devotee who is inclined to spontaneous loving service should follow the activities of a particular associate of Krsna's in Vrndavana. He should execute service externally as a regulative devotee as well as internally from his self-realized position. Thus he should perform devotional service both externally and internally.'

CC Madhya 22.159: "Actually the inhabitants of Vrndavana are very dear to Krsna. If one wants to engage in spontaneous loving service, he must follow the inhabitants of Vrndavana and constantly engage in devotional service within his mind.

CC Madhya 22.160: "'The devotee should always think of Krsna within himself and should choose a very dear devotee who is a servitor of Krsna in Vrndavana. One should constantly engage in topics about that servitor and his loving relationship with Krsna, and one should live in Vrndavana. If one is physically unable to go to Vrndavana, he should mentally live there.'

CC Madhya 22.161: "Krsna has many types of devotees -- some are servants, some are friends, some are parents, and some are conjugal lovers. Devotees who are situated in one of these attitudes of spontaneous love according to their choice are considered to be on the path of spontaneous loving service.

CC Madhya 22.162: "'My dear mother, Devahuti! O emblem of peace! My weapon, the disc of time, never vanquishes those for whom I am very dear -- for whom I am the Supersoul, son, friend, spiritual master, well-wisher, worshipable Deity and desired goal. Since the devotees are always attached to Me, they are never vanquished by the agents of time.'

CC Madhya 22.163: "'Let me offer my respectful obeisances again and again to those who always eagerly meditate upon the Supreme Personality of Godhead as a husband, son, friend, brother, father or intimate friend.'

CC Madhya 22.164: "If one engages in spontaneous loving service to the Lord, his affection for the lotus feet of Krsna gradually increases.

CC Madhya 22.165: "In the seed of affection, there is attachment which goes by two names, rati and bhava. The Supreme Personality of Godhead comes under the control of such attachment.

CC Madhya 22.166: "That by which one can attain loving service to the Lord I have described in detail as the execution of devotional service, called abhidheya.

CC Madhya 22.167: "My dear Sanatana, I have briefly described the process of devotional service in practice, which is the means for obtaining love of Krsna. It cannot be described broadly."

CC Madhya 22.168: Whoever hears this description of the process of practical devotional service very soon attains shelter at the lotus feet of Krsna in love and affection.

CC Madhya 22.169: Praying at the lotus feet of Sri Rupa and Sri Raghunatha, always desiring their mercy, I, Krsnadasa, narrate Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, following in their footsteps.

Copyright (c) The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, Inc.
His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness