The First Stages of Devotion
I. Classification of Devotional Service
• Three Categories (per Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu):
1. Devotional Service in Practice
• Involves employing the senses and mind in service to Kṛṣṇa
• Naturally developed as each living entity already possesses an innate instinct for Kṛṣṇa consciousness
2. Devotional Service in Ecstasy
• Characterized by four distinct qualities (details to be explained by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī)
3. Devotional Service in Pure Love of Godhead
• Encompasses six qualities, representing the highest form of devotional engagement
⸻
II. Continuity of Devotional Service
• Past-Life Connection:
• Devotional service is a continual process across lives
• Even partial practice in one life carries over into the next
• Role of Spiritual Taste:
• A natural inclination toward scriptural study (e.g., Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam) makes devotional service easier than mere intellectual speculation
⸻
III. The Nature of Devotional Practice (Sādhana-Bhakti)
• Definition and Analogy:
• “Practice” here means using one’s sensory and mental faculties—similar to a child learning to walk
• This is not an artificial development; it is the innate capacity of every living entity
• Activation Through Prescribed Methods:
• Specific processes, known as sādhana-bhakti, help awaken the dormant capacity for devotional service
• Such practices include morning maṅgala-ārati (Deity worship), observance of certain material prohibitions, and obeisances to the spiritual master
⸻
IV. Sickness of Material Involvement vs. Spiritual Remedy
• Conditioned Soul’s State:
• The conditioned soul is described as “mad” due to engagement in material activities (vikarma)
• True spiritual nature is joyful and eternal but obscured by material contamination
• Cure Through Sādhana-Bhakti:
• Just as a psychiatrist treats mental illness, sādhana-bhakti cures the soul’s material madness by fixing the mind on Kṛṣṇa
⸻
V. Two Phases of Sādhana-Bhakti
1. Regulative (Vaidhī-Bhakti):
• Service carried out strictly by the instructions of a bona fide spiritual master or authoritative scriptures
• Involves following set rules and regulations without question
2. Spontaneous (Rāgānugā-Bhakti):
• Once attachment to Kṛṣṇa develops, service becomes naturally loving and spontaneous
• Actions such as decorating the Deity or planning enhanced worship arise from genuine affection
⸻
VI. Scriptural Support and Practical Directives
• Instruction from Śukadeva Gosvāmī to Mahārāja Parīkṣit:
• Emphasis on chanting and hearing about Kṛṣṇa as a way to overcome the fear of death
• Kṛṣṇa is described as the Supreme Controller (īśvara) and the sarvātmā (Supersoul) in everyone’s heart
• Importance of a Singular Focus:
• Devotees are advised to always remember and fix their minds on Kṛṣṇa, as this is the foundational regulative principle
• Other rules and regulations serve to support this primary injunction
⸻
VII. Application Across Social and Spiritual Orders
• Varṇas and Āśramas:
• The principles of devotional service apply to all sections of society (brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas, vaiśyas, śūdras) and all stages of life (brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsī)
• Each group has its own prescribed duties (e.g., preaching for brāhmaṇas, protection for kṣatriyas)
• Goal for Society:
• When each individual performs his prescribed duty with Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the whole society is uplifted
• This leads to a harmonious condition where all necessities of life are met and the world is gradually transformed into a spiritual abode
⸻
VIII. Conclusion: The Universal Appeal of Kṛṣṇa Consciousness
• Inclusive Worship:
• The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement encourages every individual to worship the Supreme Lord through their own occupation
• The result is a society where devotional service, in its regulated and spontaneous forms, brings true and complete happiness
• Ultimate Outcome:
• As all beings engage in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, both worldly life and spiritual life are perfected, ensuring eternal joy and peace
⸻
This outline captures the major points of Chapter Two, highlighting the nature, phases, and practical implications of initiating devotional service, as well as its profound impact on both the individual and society.