The Infallible Path - Following Devotional Service to God
The ultimate goal of human life cannot be achieved by mechanical endeavors or mental gymnastics; it can only be realized through the path of unalloyed devotion. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that bhakti-yoga (devotional service) is the supreme religious system because it alone empowers the conditioned soul to directly contact, please, and ultimately capture the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa.
Supreme and Most Accessible Path
While mundane scholars sometimes falsely accuse the path of devotion of being meant only for the less intelligent, Śrīla Prabhupāda clarifies that it is actually followed by the greatest authorities, such as the Six Gosvāmīs and Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Furthermore, bhāgavata-dharma (devotional service) is entirely transcendental to material qualifications. Whether one is born in a high or degraded family, anyone who agrees to follow this path under the guidance of a bona fide spiritual master can achieve complete perfection.
- In the path of devotional service there are no impediments due to degraded birth and occupation. The path is open for everyone who agrees to follow it.
- A person be full of desires or have no desires, he may follow this path of infallible bhakti-yoga for complete perfection.
- Mayavadis generally allege that the bhakti path is for women and illiterates. This is a groundless accusation. The bhakti path is followed by the most learned scholars, such as the Gosvamis, Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Ramanujacarya.
- Bhagavata-dharma is called sarvotkrsta, the best of all religious systems, because those who follow bhagavata-dharma are not envious of anyone.
Capturing the Supreme Personality
The Absolute Truth manifests differently depending on the process used to approach Him. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that mental speculators only realize the impersonal Brahman, and mystic yogīs realize the localized Supersoul. However, those who practice pure devotional service realize the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Kṛṣṇa cannot be attained by the speed of the mind or any mechanical machine; He is only captured by the pure love and devotion of His followers.
- Those who follow the process of knowledge realize Him as impersonal Brahman; those who follow the process of yoga realize Him as the localized Supersoul; and those who follow the process of Devotional Service realize Him as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna.
- No one can reach the abode of the Lord by any mechanical means of the mind or machine, but one can reach the abode of the Vaikunthalokas simply by following the process of bhakti-yoga because the Lord can be realized only through the bhakti-yoga process.
- Krsna cannot be captured even by great yogis traveling at the speed of the mind. He can be captured only by those who follow the path of devotional service, and Kalayavana was not practiced in devotional service.
- Lord Sri Krsna, the son of Srimati Yasoda, is not easily available to those following the principles of mental speculation but is easily available to all kinds of living beings who follow the path of devotional service.
Necessity of Sādhana-Bhakti
To awaken one's dormant love for Kṛṣṇa, one must undergo systematic training. Śrīla Prabhupāda emphasizes that one cannot artificially jump to the highest stages of spontaneous love (prema-bhakti). First, the candidate must strictly practice sādhana-bhakti (or vaidhī-bhakti)—following the regulative principles under the direct guidance of the scriptures and the spiritual master. This includes rising early, attending maṅgala-ārati, and constantly chanting the holy names.
- To come to this platform of confidence or Krsna consciousness, there is training. That training is called viddhi-marga, regulative principles, following the regulative principles.
- To act under the direction of spiritual master... Spiritual master directs means he knows sastra. According to the direction of sastra or acaryas, he gives direction. And if we follow, that is called sadhana-bhakti.
- One should not try to elevate himself artificially to the stage of prema-bhakti without seriously following the regulative principles of sadhana-bhakti.
- They (pure devotees) should regularly chant the Hare Krsna maha-mantra on their beads, follow the devotional process, rise early in the morning, attend mangala-arati and recite Srimad-Bhagavatam and the Bhagavad-gita regularly.
Purification and Perfection
The practice of devotional service acts as a powerful purifying agent. Śrīla Prabhupāda states that by following the instructions of Rūpa Gosvāmī—executing the process with enthusiasm, patience, and conviction—the devotee reaches the stage of anartha-nivṛtti, where all material contamination is vanquished. By carefully fencing in the "creeper of devotion" with the regulative principles and the association of pure devotees, the ultimate result of ecstatic love is guaranteed.
- Rupa Gosvami instructs in Upadesamrta that one should execute devotional service with great enthusiasm, patience and conviction and follow the rules and regulations, keep oneself clean from material contamination and stay in the association of devotees.
- In following the regulative principles of devotional service, there is a stage called anartha-nivrtti, which means the disappearance of all material contamination.
- One should be very careful to defend the (bhakti) creeper by fencing it in - that is, by following the regulative principles and associating with pure devotees.
- One who patiently follows the regulative principles of devotional service, the time will undoubtedly come when he will achieve the desired result, just as the females reap results by becoming pregnant.
Conclusion
The path of devotional service is the most direct, potent, and joyful method of spiritual realization. By abandoning all speculative endeavors and simply submitting to the regulative principles of sādhana-bhakti, any sincere soul can become completely purified. As Śrīla Prabhupāda continually reassures us, Kṛṣṇa is not looking for material perfection; He is simply looking for our sincere devotion. By patiently and enthusiastically following the process, the supreme destination is absolutely assured.
Dive Deeper into Śrīla Prabhupāda's Vani
The instructions of the pure devotee are our eternal guide. This article is a summary of the profound truths found in the Vaniquotes category Following Devotional Service to God. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience the teachings in their direct, verbatim form.