Text 10

The symptoms of advancement in unmotivated devotional service are given in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.2.42):

भक्तिः परेशानुभवो विरक्तिर् अन्यत्र चैष त्रिक एक-कालः
प्रपद्यमानस्य यथाश्नतः स्युस् तुष्टिः पुष्टिः क्षुद्-अपायो’नु-घासम्

bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir anyatra caiṣa trika eka-kālaḥ
prapadyamānasya yathāśnataḥ syus tuṣṭiḥ puṣṭiḥ kṣud-apāyo’nu-ghāsam

With each morsel of food a hungry person eats, he simultaneously experiences satisfaction, nourishment and relief from hunger. Similarly, a surrendered devotee, who is engaged in the performance of bhakti, simultaneously realises his worshipable deity, strengthens his relationship with that deity and becomes detached from this temporary world and material relationships.

भक्त-जने सम-माने युगपद् उदय
भक्ति, ज्ञान, विरक्ति, तिन जानह निश्चय

bhakta-jane sama-māne yugapad udaya
bhakti, jñāna, virakti, tina jānaha niścaya

चिद्-अचिद्-ईश्वर सम्बन्ध-ज्ञाने ज्ञान
कृष्णेतरे अनासक्ति विरक्ति-प्रमाण

cid-acid-īśvara sambandha-jñāne jñāna
kṛṣṇetare anāsakti virakti-pramāṇa

ये रूप भजने तुष्टि पुष्टि प्रतिग्रासे
क्षुधार निवृत्ति एइ तिन अनायासे

ye rūpa bhajane tuṣṭi puṣṭi pratigrāse
kṣudhāra nivṛtti ei tina anāyāse

Commentary: Bhajana-rahasya-vṛtti:

The symptoms observed in a sādhaka who has directly experienced the sweetness of the Supreme Lord are described in this Text. In such devotees, three symptoms are simultaneously visible: attainment of service to the Lord, realisation of all knowledge related to bhakti, and detachment from matters unrelated to Śrī Kṛṣṇa. The sādhaka develops detachment from those items of enjoyment that are not useful in the service of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, but he does not develop detachment from that which can be used in His service. Because he does not consider using such objects for his own pleasure, there is no need for him to renounce them.

When, due to humility, Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī resolved to give up his life by throwing himself under the wheel of Lord Jagannātha’s chariot, Śrī Gaurasundara, who resides in everyone’s heart as the Supersoul, told him that a person cannot attain Śrī Kṛṣṇa merely by giving up his body. Kṛṣṇa is only attained through bhajana; that is, through fulfilling the inner desire of one’s guru (mano’bhīṣṭa sevā).

When the sādhaka surrenders to śrī guru’s lotus feet, the guru becomes the owner of the sādhaka’s body. Therefore, when one acknowledges his body to be his guru’s property, it is necessary to take care of it. In the same mood, the vraja-devīs decorate their bodies with clothes, ornaments, cosmetics, etc.–only for service to Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

Indifference to material objects develops according to the extent of one’s realisation of Śrī Bhagavān. This indifference gives one the qualification to attain the direct service of the Supreme Lord.

Śrīla Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī states in Vilāpa-kusumāñjali (6):

वैराग्य-युग् भक्ति-रसं प्रयत्नैर् अपाययन् माम् अनभीप्सुम् अन्धम्
कृपाम्बुधिर् यः पर-दुःख-दुःखी सनातनं तं प्रभुम् आश्रयामि

vairāgya-yug bhakti-rasaṃ prayatnair apāyayan mām anabhīpsum andham
kṛpāmbudhir yaḥ para-duḥkha-duḥkhī sanātanaṃ taṃ prabhum āśrayāmi

I surrender to the lotus feet of my master, Śrī Sanātana Gosvāmī, who is the bestower of sambandha-jñāna. He is an ocean of mercy, and his heart always becomes distressed upon seeing the suffering of others. Although due to the darkness of ignorance I had no desire to taste bhakti-rasa imbued with renunciation, he forced me to taste it and thereby gave me knowledge of my relationship with Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

Ignorant people honour artificial renunciation and praise those who accumulate dry knowledge. Such knowledge and renunciation, being devoid of the inclination to serve, simply result in mundane talk and deception of the public. There is no pure bhakti in them.