Nature of a Devotee of God - The Qualities of a Pure Vaiṣṇava
The path of spiritual realization is perfectly illuminated by the character of those who walk it. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that the nature of a pure devotee of God is defined by unalloyed love, profound humility, and deep compassion for all living entities suffering in the material world.
Constant Absorption in Kṛṣṇa
A true Vaiṣṇava does not treat spirituality as a part-time endeavor. Śrīla Prabhupāda points out that because their love is pure and spontaneous, great devotees cannot forget the Lord even for a second; they see His presence everywhere and constantly relish hearing His glories.
- As a great devotee of Krsna, he (Arjuna) could not forget Krsna even for a moment, because that is the nature of a devotee.
- "It is the nature of highly elevated devotees to see Krsna in everything," Lord Caitanya replied. "Whenever they see anything, they do not see the form of that particular thing. They see Krsna." This is confirmed in Srimad-Bhagavatam - SB 11.2.45.
- It is their (paramahamsa's) nature to talk only of Krsna at every moment, as if such topics were newer and newer. They are attached to such topics, just as materialists are attached to topics of women and sex - SB 10.13.2.
- With their words, they offer prayers to the Lord. With their minds, they always remember the Lord. With their bodies, they offer obeisances to the Lord. Despite all these activities, they are still not satisfied. This is the nature of pure devotees.
Profound Humility and Dependence
Materialists constantly try to artificially elevate themselves to the position of the supreme controller. Conversely, Śrīla Prabhupāda observes that the actual nature of an intelligent devotee is to remain flawlessly humble, strictly following superior guidance, and never falsely claiming to be God.
- This is the nature of a pure devotee; he always thinks himself to be the lowest, to be incompetent and unqualified.
- A Vaisnava is by nature very humble. He never says, "I am the Supreme; I have become God." Krsna says, "I am God. Worship Me." The Vaisnava says, - Krsna is God. Worship Krsna.
- Prahlada Maharaja simply followed the instructions of Narada Muni, his guru, and thus he always remained a stalwart devotee. This is the nature of an intelligent devotee.
- If Krsna offered him (Dhruva Maharaja) such a position, then he would accept it. That is the nature of a devotee. He may desire material gain, but he accepts it only if Krsna offers it.
Boundless Compassion
Those who are spiritually advanced cannot tolerate the distress of others. Śrīla Prabhupāda notes that a pure Vaiṣṇava is naturally sympathetic; they overlook the offenses of foolish people and are willing to undergo personal hardships just to alleviate the suffering of the conditioned souls.
- Pariksit Maharaja is a Vaisnava. So he did not appreciate the suffering of the human being in such a way (put into river of germs and mosquitoes, forced to embrace hot iron man or woman). That is a Vaisnava's nature.
- She (Draupadi) is disturbed, thinking of the position of Asvatthama's mother. Personally, she is not at all aggrieved. She's aggrieved, but she is thinking the grief of Asvatthama's mother more than her. This is Vaisnava.
- Demigods or devotees, are concerned with the welfare of all living beings. Srila Rupa Gosvami, for eg, left his ministership & went to Vrndavana for the benefit of the entire world (lokanam hita-karinau). This is the nature of a saintly person or demigod.
- The Lord's devotees do not mind the offenses of the foolish in their many gross and subtle bodily endeavors. The Lord's devotees continue to bestow the blessings of devotion upon all such offenders without hesitation. That is the nature of devotees.
Sacrifice and Ecstatic Emotion
The life of a devotee is entirely dedicated to the satisfaction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Śrīla Prabhupāda concludes that it is the natural disposition of such pure souls to sacrifice everything for the Lord, manifesting profound literary contributions and overwhelming symptoms of ecstatic love.
- It is the nature of a pure devotee to sacrifice his life for the transcendental loving service of the Lord.
- By spontaneous nature they (the raganuga devotees) become attracted to some of the eternal devotees such as Nanda or Yasoda, and they try to follow in their footsteps spontaneously.
- This is the nature of loving emotion of a devotee, that he sometimes laughs, sometimes dances, sometimes cries.
- We have given the list of qualification of a devotee. One of the qualification is poetic. Poetic means not write poetry. Poetic means literary man. They must give literature. Naturally they'll give. That is the nature of devotee.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the true nature of a devotee is defined by unalloyed, unconditional love for the Supreme Personality of Godhead. While materialists are endlessly absorbed in the pursuit of temporary sense gratification and false prestige, a pure Vaiṣṇava finds complete satisfaction solely in remembering, glorifying, and serving Lord Kṛṣṇa. This intense spiritual absorption naturally produces the highest moral qualities. A devotee is impeccably humble, never falsely claiming to be God, and always feeling unqualified despite their exalted status. Furthermore, this deep connection with the Supreme Lord engenders a boundless, causeless compassion for all suffering living entities. Rather than seeking revenge or harboring grievances, great devotees like Mahārāja Parīkṣit and Draupadī exemplify the Vaiṣṇava nature by forgiving offenders and sacrificing their own comfort to deliver others from material bondage. Ultimately, by exhibiting ecstatic love, profound humility, and absolute dedication to the welfare of the world, the pure devotees stand as the most glorious and essential benefactors of human society.
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Śrīla Prabhupāda lives within his instructions. This article is a summary of the profound truths found in the Vaniquotes category Nature of a Devotee of God. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.