NoI 1: A sober person who can tolerate the urge to speak, the mind's
demands, the actions of anger and the urges of the tongue, belly and
genitals is qualified to make disciples all over the world.
NoI 2: One's devotional service is spoiled when he becomes too
entangled in the following six activities: (1) eating more than
necessary or collecting more funds than required; (2) overendeavoring
for mundane things that are very difficult to obtain; (3) talking
unnecessarily about mundane subject matters; (4) Practicing the
scriptural rules and regulations only for the sake of following them
and not for the sake of spiritual advancement, or rejecting the rules
and regulations of the scriptures and working independently or
whimsically; (5) associating with worldly-minded persons who are not
interested in Krishna consciousness; and (6) being greedy for mundane
achievements.
NoI 3: There are six principles favorable to the execution of pure
devotional service: (1) being enthusiastic, (2) endeavoring with
confidence, (3) being patient, (4) acting according to regulative
principles (such as sravanam kirtanam vishnoh smaranam [SB 7.5.23] --
hearing, chanting and remembering Krishna), (5) abandoning the
association of nondevotees, and (6) following in the footsteps of the
previous acaryas. These six principles undoubtedly assure the complete
success of pure devotional service.
NoI 4: Offering gifts in charity, accepting charitable gifts,
revealing one's mind in confidence, inquiring confidentially,
accepting prasada and offering prasada are the six symptoms of love
shared by one devotee and another.
NoI 5: One should mentally honor the devotee who chants the holy name
of Lord Krishna, one should offer humble obeisances to the devotee who
has undergone spiritual initiation [diksha] and is engaged in
worshiping the Deity, and one should associate with and faithfully
serve that Pure devotee who is advanced in undeviated devotional
service and whose heart is completely devoid of the propensity to
criticize others.
NoI 6: Being situated in his original Krishna conscious position, a
pure devotee does not identify with the body. Such a devotee should
not be seen from a materialistic point of view. Indeed, one should
overlook a devotee's having a body born in a low family, a body with a
bad complexion, a deformed body, or a diseased or infirm body.
According to ordinary vision, such imperfections may seem prominent in
the body of a pure devotee, but despite such seeming defects, the body
of a pure devotee cannot be polluted. It is exactly like the waters of
the Ganges, which sometimes during the rainy season are full of
bubbles, foam and mud. The Ganges waters do not become polluted. Those
who are advanced in spiritual understanding will bathe in the Ganges
without considering the condition of the water.
NoI 7: The holy name, character, pastimes and activities of Krishna
are all transcendentally sweet like sugar candy. Although the tongue
of one afflicted by the jaundice of avidya [ignorance] cannot taste
anything sweet, it is wonderful that simply by carefully chanting
these sweet names every day, a natural relish awakens within his
tongue, and his disease is gradually destroyed at the root.
NoI 8: The essence of all advice is that one should utilize one's full
time -- twenty-four hours a day -- in nicely chanting and remembering
the Lord's divine name, transcendental form, qualities and eternal
pastimes, thereby gradually engaging one's tongue and mind. In this
way one should reside in Vraja [Goloka Vrindavana dhama] and serve
Krishna under the guidance of devotees. One should follow in the
footsteps of the Lord's beloved devotees, who are deeply attached to
His devotional service.
NoI 9: The holy place known as Mathura is spiritually superior to
Vaikuntha, the transcendental world, because the Lord appeared there.
Superior to Mathura-Puri is the transcendental forest of Vrindavana
because of Krishna's rasa-lila pastimes. And superior to the forest of
Vrindavana is Govardhana Hill, for it was raised by the divine hand of
Sri Krishna and was the site of His various loving pastimes. And,
above all, the superexcellent Sri Radha-kunda stands supreme, for it
is overflooded with the ambrosial nectarean prema of the Lord of
Gokula, Sri Krishna. Where, then, is that intelligent Person who is
unwilling to serve this divine Radha-kunda, which is situated at the
foot of Govardhana Hill?
NoI 10: In the sastra it is said that of all types of fruitive
workers, he who is advanced in knowledge of the higher values of life
is favored by the Supreme Lord Hari. Out of many such people who are
advanced in knowledge [jnanis], one who is practically liberated by
virtue of his knowledge may take to devotional service. He is superior
to the others. However, one who has actually attained prema, pure love
of Krishna, is superior to him. The gopis are exalted above all the
advanced devotees because they are always totally dependent upon Sri
Krishna, the transcendental cowherd boy. Among the gopis, Srimati
Radharani is the most dear to Krishna. Her kunda [lake] is as
profoundly dear to Lord Krishna as this most beloved of the gopis.
Who, then, will not reside at Radha-kunda and, in a spiritual body
surcharged with ecstatic devotional feelings [aprakritabhava], render
loving service to the divine couple Sri Sri Radha-Govinda, who perform
Their ashtakaliya-lila, Their eternal eightfold daily pastimes.
Indeed, those who execute devotional service on the banks of Radha-
kunda are the most fortunate people in the universe.
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