Pure Devotional Service is the Perfectional Stage
Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that the ultimate culmination of all spiritual practices is not merging into a void or acquiring mystic powers, but returning to our original, active relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Reaching the perfectional stage means awakening pure, unalloyed love for Kṛṣṇa and acting exclusively for His pleasure. By studying Śrīla Prabhupāda's instructions, we can understand how to elevate our consciousness and achieve the highest success of human life.
The Ultimate Goal of Spiritual Practice
Many spiritual seekers mistakenly believe that liberation from material suffering is the final destination. However, Śrīla Prabhupāda clarifies that the preliminary stage of self-realization is just the beginning. The true perfectional stage is achieved when a pure devotee completely rejects impersonal mukti in favor of establishing a loving, eternal relationship with Kṛṣṇa.
- A pure devotee does not accept any kind of mukti. He wants only to serve Krsna in a transcendental relationship. This is the perfectional stage of spiritual life.
- When such a person reaches the perfectional stage, he returns home, back to Krsna, in his pure spiritual identity.
- Love of God involves the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the devotee, and the process of devotional service. Self-realization, the brahma-bhuta stage, is the beginning of spiritual life; it is not the perfectional stage.
- The inactive fool is in the state of foolish ignorance, whereas the self-satisfied atmanandi is transcendental to the material state of existence. This stage of perfection is attained as soon as one is fixed in irrevocable devotional service.
Submissive Hearing and Chanting
The most direct method to awaken this dormant love in the current age is the chanting of the holy names. Śrīla Prabhupāda stresses that when a sincere soul engages in the inoffensive chanting of the mahā-mantra, they are elevated to the platform of prema. This transcendental emotional stage, characterized by intense love and longing for the Lord, is the actual perfectional stage of chanting.
- When one becomes accustomed to inoffensive chanting, then his fruit is that he is promoted to the stage of pure Love of Godhead, or prema. This prema is the perfectional stage of consciousness and the most blissful by very far.
- Now the spiritual master is explaining, "Yes, this is the right result of chanting Hare Krsna. Unless You come to this emotional stage, transcendental emotional stage, You should know that You have not come to the perfectional stage of chanting."
- This (Siksastaka 7) is the perfectional stage of chanting the Hare Krsna mantra and eating the fruit of love of Godhead, as exhibited by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
- Tears are flowing from My eyes like torrents of rain, and I am feeling all vacant in the world in Your absence. This is the perfectional stage of chanting.
Following the Eternal Associates
To achieve this highly elevated state, mental speculation and artificial renunciation are insufficient. Śrīla Prabhupāda advises devotees to faithfully follow in the footsteps of the eternal associates of Vṛndāvana. By adopting the mood of pure servitors like the gopīs, whose minds are fully and constantly absorbed in Kṛṣṇa, one can ultimately be transferred to the spiritual world.
- By adopting the mood of the associates and friends of Radharani and following in their footsteps, one can ultimately achieve the perfectional stage of being transferred to Goloka Vrndavana, the transcendental abode of Krsna.
- The gopis are the epitome of this perfectional stage of knowledge. They are not simple mental speculators. Their minds are always in Krsna.
- One who wants to be elevated to the transcendental stage of perfection should follow in the footsteps of the damsels of Vraja as an assistant maidservant of the gopis.
- One need not externally change his dress. By following the mood of the associates and friends of Radharani, one can ultimately achieve the perfectional stage and be transferred to Goloka Vrndavana, the transcendental abode of Krsna.
Constant Vision of the Lord
The ultimate symptom of having reached the perfectional stage is the unbroken remembrance of the Supreme Lord. Śrīla Prabhupāda concludes that in the highest stage of bhakti-yoga, the cleansed mind is completely freed from all material desires. In this state of irrevocable devotional service, the pure devotee constantly sees the Supreme Personality of Godhead within their heart at every moment.
- The more you increase your service spirit, the more you increase your dormant love of God. And as soon as you are in the perfectional stage of love of God, you see God always, every moment. Twenty-four hours you can see.
- When the living entity is cleansed, he does not think of anything material. As the mind is completely cleansed, one attains the perfectional stage of mystic yoga, for then the yogi always sees the Supreme Personality of Godhead within his heart.
- The devotee, by development of pure love for Krsna, constantly sees the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is known as Syamasundara, within his heart. That is the perfectional stage of brahminical culture.
- In the spiritual energy, Krsna is perceived at every step, in all circumstances. This perfectional stage of understanding is represented by the gopis.
Beyond Mystic Yoga and Material Duty
Śrīla Prabhupāda carefully delineates that the perfectional stage cannot be accessed through mechanical processes. Merely practicing gymnastic yoga postures, engaging in fruitive activities, or fulfilling household duties are insufficient on their own. To attain the ultimate goal, a practitioner must move beyond these preliminary steps and enter the realm of pure, unmotivated devotion.
- No one in this age can attain the perfectional stage of yoga, but people indulge in practicing sitting postures, which is more or less a gymnastic process.
- Here (in SB 3.29.35) the Supreme Personality of Godhead Kapiladeva perfectly explains that the mystic yoga system, consisting of eight different kinds of yoga activities, has to be performed with the aim of coming to the perfectional stage of bhakti-yoga.
- The paths of fruitive activities, speculative knowledge and meditation do not lead one to the perfectional stage, but by the process of devotional service the Lord actually becomes approachable.
- No one can attain the perfectional stages simply by prosecuting the prescribed duties of householder life, or by becoming a great student of spiritual science, or by accepting severe austerity and penances for realization.
The Highest Ecstasy of Devotion
Ultimately, the perfectional stage is characterized by intense spiritual ecstasy and an overwhelming desire to serve the Lord. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that in this supreme state, the soul experiences the highest transcendental mellows of affection. This divine love completely annihilates all worldly formalities, liberating the devotee even while they remain in their present body.
- The transcendental mellow of affection has been accepted by authorities like Sridhara Svami as a perfectional stage of devotion.
- Prime state of ecstasy annihilated all other formalities and social conventions, and thus they (queens) escaped all stumbling blocks on the path of meeting the Lord. And that is the perfect stage of meeting the Lord of the soul, Sri Krsna.
- In the stage of perfection, one's heart becomes slackened and one becomes more and more attached to attaining the lotus feet of the Lord.
- When a person attains to the perfectional stage of love of Godhead, he becomes liberated even in his present body and realizes his constitutional position of immortality.
Conclusion
Śrīla Prabhupāda makes it abundantly clear that the perfectional stage of human life is not found in mundane achievements, impersonal liberation, or mystic powers. It is the awakening of pure, unmotivated love for Kṛṣṇa. By sincerely chanting the holy names, following the guidance of the spiritual master and the eternal residents of Vṛndāvana, and dedicating oneself to irrevocable service, a devotee's heart becomes completely cleansed. In this supreme state of consciousness, the soul realizes its eternal identity and constantly perceives the Lord, guaranteeing a safe return back home, back to Godhead.
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