The Twenty-Six Qualities of a Devotee

[Bhava dasa (ACBSP)]

The Twenty-Six Qualities of a Devotee

kṛpālu, akṛta-droha, satya-sāra sama
nidoṣa, vadānya, mṛdu, śuci, akiñcana
sarvopakāraka, śānta, kṛṣṇaika-śaraṇa
akāma, anīha, sthira, vijita-ṣaḍ-guṇa
mita-bhuk, apramatta, mānada, amānī
gambhīra, karuṇa, maitra, kavi, dakṣa, maunī

“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 Kṛṣṇa 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 22.78-80]

[28. Books by ISKCON Devotees / Gītā-nagarī Press - Satsvarūpa dāsa Goswāmī / The Twenty-Six Qualities of a Devotee / TQD Introduction]

1. A devotee is merciful, kṛpālu.
2. A devotee is not defiant, akṛta-droha
3. A devotee is truthful, satya-sāra
4. A devotee is equal to everyone, sama
5. A devotee is faultless, nidoṣa
6. A devotee is magnanimous, vadānya
7. A devotee is mild, mṛdu
8. A devotee is clean, śuci
9. A devotee is without material possessions, akiñcana
10. A devotee performs welfare work for everyone, sarvopakāraka
11. A devotee is peaceful, śanta
12. A devotee is surrendered to Kṛṣṇa, kṛṣṇa-śaraṇa
13. A devotee is desireless, akāma
14. A devotee is indifferent to material acquisitions, anīha
15. A devotee is fixed, sthira
16. A devotee completely controls the six bad qualities, vijita-ṣaḍ-guṇa
17. A devotee eats only as much as required, mita bhuk
18. A devotee is without inebriation, apramatta
19. A devotee is respectful, mānada
20. A devotee is without false prestige, amānī
21. A devotee is grave, gambhīra
22. A devotee is compassionate, karuṇa
23. A devotee is a friend, maitra
24. A devotee is a poet, kavi
25. A devotee is expert, dakṣa
26. A devotee is silent, maunī

[28. Books by ISKCON Devotees / Gītā-nagarī Press - Satsvarūpa dāsa Goswāmī / The Twenty-Six Qualities of a Devotee ]