Chapter Five

Purity of Devotional Service

All of the previous instructions imparted by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī in his
broad statements can be summarized thus: as long as one is materially
inclined or desirous of merging into the spiritual effulgence, one cannot
enter into the realm of pure devotional service. Next, Rūpa Gosvāmī states
that devotional service is transcendental to all material considerations and
that it is not limited to any particular country, class, society or
circumstance. As stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, devotional service is
transcendental and has no cause. Devotional service is executed without
any hope for gain, and it cannot be checked by any material circumstances.
It is open for all, without any distinction, and it is the constitutional
occupation of the living entities.
In the Middle Ages, after the disappearance of Lord Caitanya's great
associate Lord Nityānanda, a class of priestly persons claimed to be the
descendants of Nityānanda, calling themselves the gosvāmī caste. They
further claimed that the practice and spreading of devotional service
belonged only to their particular class, which was known as Nityānanda-
vaṁśa. In this way, they exercised their artificial power for some time, until
Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Thākur, the powerful ācārya of
the Gauḍīyaḍ Vaiṣṇḍ ava
ḍ sampradāya, completely smashed their idea. There
was a great hard struggle for some time, but it has turned out successfully,
and it is now correctly and practically established that devotional service is
not restricted to a particular class of men. Besides that, anyone who is
engaged in devotional service is already on the status of being a high-
class brāhmaṇa. ḍ So Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Thākur's struggle for
this movement has come out successful.
It is on the basis of his position that anyone can now become
a Gauḍīya
ḍ Vaiṣṇḍ ava,
ḍ from any part of the world or any part of the universe.
Anyone who is a pure Vaiṣṇḍ ava
ḍ is situated transcendentally, and therefore
the highest qualification in the material world, namely to be in the modes of
goodness, is already achieved by such a person. Our Kṛ ṣṛ ṛṇa ṛ consciousness
movement in the Western world is based on the above-mentioned
proposition of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Prabhupāda, our
spiritual master. On his authority, we are claiming members from all
sections of the Western countries. The so-called brāhmaṇ ḍas claim that one
who is not born into a brāhmaṇaḍ family cannot receive the sacred thread
and cannot become a high-grade Vaiṣṇḍ ava. ḍ But we do not accept such a
theory because it is not supported by Rūpa Gosvāmī nor by the strength of
the various scriptures.
Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī specifically mentions herein that every man has the
birthright to accept devotional service and to become Kṛ ṛṣ ṛṇa ṛ conscious. He
has given many evidences from many scriptures, and he has especially
quoted one passage from Padma Purāṇa, ḍ wherein the sage Vasiṣ ṛṭha ṛ tells
King Dilīpa, "My dear King, everyone has the right to execute devotional
service, just as he has the right to take early bath in the month
of Māgh [December-January]." There is more evidence in
the Padma Purāṇa, ṛ in the Kāśīkhaṇ ḍḍaḍ portion, where it is said, "In the
country known as Mayūradhvaja, the lower caste people who are
considered less than śūdras are also initiated in the Vaiṣṇḍ ava ḍ cult of
devotional service. And when they are properly dressed, with tilaka on their
bodies and beads in their hands and on their necks, they appear to be
coming from Vaikuṇ ṛṭha. ṛ In fact, they look so very beautiful that
immediately they surpass the ordinary brāhmaṇ ḍas."
Thus a Vaiṣṇḍ ava ḍ automatically becomes a brāhmaṇa. ḍ This idea is also
supported by Sanātana Gosvāmī in his book Hari-bhakti-vilāsa, which is
the Vaiṣṇḍ ava
ḍ guide. Therein he has clearly stated that any person who is
properly initiated into the Vaiṣṇḍ ava ḍ cult certainly becomes a brāhmaṇa, ḍ as
much as the metal known as kaṁsa (bell metal) is turned into gold by the
mixture of mercury. A bona fide spiritual master, under the guidance of
authorities, can turn anyone to the Vaiṣṇḍ ava ḍ cult so that naturally he may
come to the topmost position of a brāhmaṇa. ḍ
Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī warns, however, that if a person is properly initiated
by a bona fide spiritual master, he should not think that simply by the
acceptance of such initiation his business is then finished. One still has to
follow the rules and regulations very carefully. If after accepting the
spiritual master and being initiated one does not follow the rules and
regulations of devotional service, then he is again fallen. One must be very
vigilant to remember that he is the part and parcel of the transcendental
body of Kṛ ṛṣ ṛṇa,ṛ and that it is his duty as part and parcel to give service to the
whole, or Kṛ ṛṣ ṛṇa.ṛ If we do not render service to Kṛ ṛṣ ṛṇa ṛ then again we fall
down. In other words, simply becoming initiated does not elevate one to the
position of a high-class brāhmaṇa. ḍ One also has to discharge the duties and
follow the regulative principles very rigidly.
Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī also says that if anyone is regularly discharging
devotional service there will be no question of a falldown. But even if
circumstantially there is some falldown, the Vaiṣṇḍ ava ḍ need have nothing to
do with the prāyaścitta, the ritualistic ceremony for purification. If
someone falls down from the principles of devotional service, he need not
take to the prāyaścitta performances for reformation. He has simply to
execute the rules and regulations for discharging devotional service, and
this is sufficient for his reinstatement. This is the mystery of
the Vaiṣṇḍ ava ḍ (devotional) cult.
Practically there are three processes for elevating one to the platform of
spiritual consciousness. These processes are
called karma, j�āna and bhakti. Ritualistic performances are in the field
of karma. Speculative processes are in the field of j�āna. One who has
taken to bhakti, the devotional service of the Lord, need have nothing to do
with karma or j�āna. It has been already explained that pure devotional
service is without any tinge of karma or j�āna. Bhakti should have no
tinge of philosophical speculation or ritualistic performances.
In this connection Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī gives evidence from Śrīmad-
Bhāgavatam, Eleventh Canto, in which it is said by Lord Kṛ ṛṣ ṛṇa ṛ to Uddhava,
"The distinction between qualification and disqualification may be made in
this way: persons who are already elevated in discharging devotional
service will never again take shelter of the processes of fruitive activities or
philosophical speculation. If one sticks to devotional service and is
conducted by regulative principles given by the authorities
and ācāryas, that is the best qualification."
This statement is supported in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, First Canto,
5th Chapter, 17th verse, wherein Śrī Nārada Muni advises Vyāsadeva
thusly: "Even if one does not execute his specific occupational duty, but
immediately takes direct shelter of the lotus feet of Hari [Kṛ ṛṣ ṛṇa],ṛ there will
be no fault on his part, and in all circumstances his position is secure. Even
if, by some bad association, he falls down while executing devotional
service, or if he doesn't finish the complete course of devotional service and
dies untimely, still he is not at a loss. A person who is simply discharging
his occupational duty in varṇaḍ and āśrama, however, with
no Kṛ ṛṣ ṛṇa ṛ consciousness, practically does not gain the true benefit of human
life." The purport is that all conditioned souls who are engaged very
frantically in activities for sense gratification, without knowing that this
process will never help them to get out of material contamination, are
awarded only with repeated births and deaths.
In the Fifth Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is clearly stated by
Ṛṛṣabhadeva
ṛ to his sons, "Persons engaged in fruitive activities are
repeatedly accepting birth and death, and until they develop a loving feeling
for Vāsudeva, there will be no question of getting out from these stringent
laws of material nature." As such, any person who is very seriously engaged
in his occupational duties in the varṇ ḍas and āśramas, and who does not
develop love for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vāsudeva, is to be
understood as simply spoiling his human form of life.
This is confirmed also in the Eleventh Canto of Śrīmad-
Bhāgavatam, 11th Chapter, 32nd verse, in which the Lord says to Uddhava,
"My dear Uddhava, any person who takes shelter of Me in complete
surrender and follows My instructions, giving up all occupational duties, is
to be considered the first-class man." In this statement of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, it is understood that people who are generally
attracted to philanthropic, ethical, moral, altruistic, political and social
welfare activities may be considered nice men only in the calculation of the
material world. From Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and other authentic Vedic
scriptures we learn further that if a person simply acts
in Kṛ ṛṣ ṛṇa ṛ consciousness and discharges devotional service, he is considered
to be far, far better situated than all of those persons engaged in
philanthropic, ethical, moral, altruistic and social welfare activities.
The same thing is still more emphatically confirmed in the Śrīmad-
Bhāgavatam, Eleventh Canto, 5th Chapter, 37th verse, in which
Karabhājana Muni addresses Mahārāj Nimi as follows: "My dear King, if
someone gives up his occupational duties as they are prescribed for the
different varṇ ḍas and āśramas, but takes complete shelter, surrendering
himself unto the lotus feet of the Lord, such a person is no more a debtor,
nor has he any obligation to perform the different kinds of activities we
render to the great sages, ancestors, living entities and family and society
members. Neither has he any need to bother executing the five kinds
of yaj�ās [sacrifices] for becoming free from sinful contamination. Simply
by discharging devotional service he is freed from all kinds of obligations."
The purport is that as soon as a man takes his birth, he is immediately
indebted to so many sources. He is indebted to the great sages because he
profits by reading their authoritative scriptures and books. For example, we
take advantage of the books written by Vyāsadeva. Vyāsadeva has left for us
all the Vedas. Before Vyāsadeva's writing, the Vedic literature was simply
heard, and the disciples would learn the mantras quickly by hearing and
not by reading. Later on, Vyāsadeva thought it wise to write down
the Vedas, because in this age people are short-memoried and unable to
remember all the instructions given by the spiritual master. Therefore, he
left all the Vedic knowledge in book form, such as the Purāṇ ḍas, Vedānta,
Mahābhārata and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
 There are many other sages, like
Śaṅkarācārya, Gautama Muni and Nārada Muni, etc.,to whom we are
indebted because we take advantage of their knowledge. Similarly, we are
obliged to our forefathers because we take our birth in a particular family,
where we take all advantages and inherit property. Therefore, we are
indebted to the forefathers and have to offer them piṇ ḍḍaḍ (prasādam) after
they are dead. Similarly, to the people in general we are also indebted, as
well as to our relatives, friends and even animals such as cows and dogs
who render us so much service.
In this way, we are indebted to the demigods, to the forefathers, to the
sages, to the animals and to society in general. It is our duty to repay them
all by proper discharge of service. But by the one stroke of devotional
service, if someone gives up all obligations and simply surrenders unto the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, he is no longer a debtor, nor obliged to
any other source of benefit.
In the Bhagavad-gītā also the Lord says: "Give up all your occupations
and just become surrendered unto Me. I give you assurance that I shall give
you protection from all sinful reactions." One may think that because he is
surrendering unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he will not be able
to perform all of his other obligations. But the Lord says repeatedly, "Don't
hesitate. Don't consider that because you are giving up all other
engagements there will be some flaw in your life. Don't think like that. I will
give you all protection." That is the assurance of Lord Kṛ ṣṛ ṛṇa ṛ in
the Bhagavad-gītā.
There is additional evidence in the Agastya-saṁhitā: "As the regulative
principles of scripture are not required by a liberated person, similarly a
person who is engaged duly in the service of Lord Rāmacandra is also not
required to discharge the ritualistic principles which are indicated in the
Vedic supplementaries." In other words, the devotees of Lord Rāmacandra,
or Kṛ ṛṣ ṛṇa,ṛ are already liberated persons and are not required to follow all the
regulative principles mentioned in the ritualistic portions of the Vedic
literature.
Similarly, in the Eleventh Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, 5th Chapter,
Karabhājana Muni addresses King Nimi and says, "My dear King, a person
who has given up the worship of the demigods and has completely
concentrated his energy in the devotional service of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead has become very, very dear to the Lord. As such, if
by chance or mistake he does something which is forbidden, there is no
need for him to perform any purificatory ceremonies. Because the Lord is
situated within his heart, He takes compassion for the devotee's accidental
mistake and corrects him from within." It is also confirmed in
the Bhagavad-gītā in many places that the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, Kṛ ṛṣ ṛṇa,ṛ takes a special interest in His devotees and declares
emphatically that nothing can cause His devotees to fall down. He is always
protecting them.

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