Devotional service is not a matter of sentimental speculation or imaginative ecstasy. Its substance is practical activity. Srila Rupa Gosvami, in his Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu (1.1.11), has defined devotional service as follows:

Bhakti is a sort of cultivation. As soon as we say cultivation, we must refer to activity. Cultivation of spirituality does not mean sitting down idly for meditation, as some pseudo-yogis teach. Such idle meditation may be good for those who have no information of devotional service, and for this reason it is sometimes recommended as a way to check distracting materialistic activities. Meditation means stopping all nonsensical activities, at least for the time being. Devotional service, however, not only puts an end to all nonsensical mundane activities, but also engages one in meaningful devotional activities. Sri Prahlada Maharaja recommends:

Sravanam, or hearing, is the first step in acquiring transcendental knowledge. One should not give aural reception to unauthorized persons, but should approach the proper person, as recommended in Bhagavad-gita (4.34):

It is further recommended in the Mundaka Upanisad, tad-vijnanartham sa gurum evabhigacchet: [MU 1.2.12] To understand that transcendental science, one must approach a bona fide spiritual master. Thus this method of submissively receiving transcendental confidential knowledge is not merely based on mental speculation. In this regard, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu told Rupa Gosvami:

One should accept this opportunity to return home, back to Godhead, very enthusiastically. Without enthusiasm, one cannot be successful. Even in the material world one has to be very enthusiastic in his particular field of activity in order to become successful. A student, businessman, artist or anyone else who wants success in his line must be enthusiastic. Similarly, one has to be very enthusiastic in devotional service. Enthusiasm means action, but action for whom? The answer is that one should always act for Krsnakrsnarthakhila-cesta (Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu).

In all phases of life one has to perform devotional activities under the direction of the spiritual master in order to attain perfection in bhakti-yoga. It is not that one has to confine or narrow ones activities. Krsna is all-pervading. Therefore nothing is independent of Krsna, as Krsna Himself states in Bhagavad-gita (9.4):

Endeavor executed with intelligence in Krsna consciousness is called utsaha, or enthusiasm. The devotees find the correct means by which everything can be utilized in the service of the Lord (nirbandhah krsna-sambandhe yuktam vairagyam ucyate). The execution of devotional service is not a matter of idle meditation but practical action in the foreground of spiritual life.

These activities must be executed with patience. One should not be impatient in Krsna consciousness. Indeed, this Krsna consciousness movement was started single-handedly, and in the beginning there was no response, but because we continued to execute our devotional activities with patience, people gradually began to understand the importance of this movement, and now they are eagerly participating. One should not be impatient in discharging devotional service, but should take instructions from the spiritual master and execute them with patience, depending on the mercy of guru and Krsna. The successful execution of Krsna conscious activities requires both patience and confidence. A newly married girl naturally expects offspring from her husband, but she cannot expect to have them immediately after marriage. Of course, as soon as she is married she can attempt to get a child, but she must surrender to her husband, confident that her child will develop and be born in due time. Similarly, in devotional service surrender means that one has to become confident. The devotee thinks, avasya raksibe krsna: Krsna will surely protect me and give me help for the successful execution of devotional service. This is called confidence.

As already explained, one should not be idle but should be very enthusiastic about executing the regulative principlestat-tat-karma-pravartana. Neglect of the regulative principles will destroy devotional service. In this Krsna consciousness movement there are four basic regulative principles, forbidding illicit sex, meat-eating, gambling and intoxication. A devotee must be very enthusiastic about following these principles. If he becomes slack in following any of them, his progress will certainly be checked. Srila Rupa Gosvami therefore recommends, tat-tat-karma-pravartanat: One must strictly follow the regulative principles of vaidhi bhakti. In addition to these four prohibitions (yama), there are positive regulative principles (niyama), such as the daily chanting of sixteen rounds on japa-mala beads. These regulative activities must be faithfully performed with enthusiasm. This is called tat-tat-karma-pravartana, or varied engagement in devotional service.

Furthermore, in order to be successful in devotional service one must give up the association of undesirable people. This includes karmis, jnanis, yogis and other nondevotees. Once Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was asked by one of His householder devotees about the general principles of Vaisnavism, as well as the general routine activities of the Vaisnava, and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu immediately replied, asat-sanga-tyaga,ei vaisnava-acara: Characteristically, a Vaisnava is one who gives up the association of worldly people, or nondevotees. Srila Narottama dasa Thakura has therefore recommended, tandera carana sevi bhakta-sane vasa: one has to live in the company of pure devotees and execute the regulative principles laid down by the previous acaryas, the six Gosvamis (namely, Sri Rupa Gosvami, Sri Sanatana Gosvami, Sri Jiva Gosvami, Sri Raghunatha dasa Gosvami, Sri Gopala Bhatta Gosvami and Sri Raghunatha Bhatta Gosvami). If one lives in the association of devotees, there is little chance of associating with nondevotees. The International Society for Krishna Consciousness is opening many centers just to invite people to live in the company of devotees and practice the regulative principles of spiritual life.

Devotional service means transcendental activities. On the transcendental platform there is no contamination by the three modes of material nature. This is called visuddha-sat-tva, the platform of pure goodness, or goodness free from contamination by the qualities of passion and ignorance. In this Krsna consciousness movement we require everyone to rise early in the morning, by four A.M.,and attend mangala-arati, or morning worship, then read Srimad-Bhagavatam, perform kirtana, and so forth. Thus we hold continuous activities in devotional service twenty-four hours daily. This is called sato vrtti, or following in the footsteps of the previous acaryas who expertly filled every moment of time with Krsna conscious activities.

If one strictly follows the advice given in this verse by Srila Rupa Gosvaminamely, being enthusiastic, being confident, being patient, giving up the association of unwanted persons, following the regulative principles and remaining in the association of devoteesone is sure to advance in devotional service. In this regard Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura remarks that the cultivation of knowledge by philosophical speculation, the collection of mundane opulence by the advancement of fruitive activities, and the desire for yoga-siddhis, material perfections, are all contrary to the principles of devotional service. One has to become thoroughly callous to such nonpermanent activities and turn his intention instead to the regulative principles of devotional service. According to Bhagavad-gita (2.69):

Engagement in the devotional service of the Lord is the life and soul of the living entity. It is the desired goal and supreme perfection of human life. One has to become confident about this, and one also has to be confident that all activities other than devotional servicesuch as mental speculation, fruitive work or mystic endeavorwill never yield any enduring benefit. Complete confidence in the path of devotional service will enable one to attain his desired goal, but attempting to follow other paths will only succeed in making one restless. In the Seventh Canto of the Srimad-Bhagavatam it is stated: One must be calmly convinced that those who have given up devotional service to engage in severe austerities for other purposes are not purified in their minds, despite their advanced austerities, because they have no information of the transcendental loving service of the Lord.

It is further stated in the Seventh Canto: Although mental speculators and fruitive actors may perform great austerities and penances, they still fall down because they do not have information about the lotus feet of the Lord. The devotees of the Lord, however, never fall down. In Bhagavad-gita (9.31), the Supreme Personality of Godhead assures Arjuna, kaunteya pratijanihi na me bhaktah pranasyati: O son of Kunti, declare it boldly that My devotee never perishes.

Again in Bhagavad-gita (2.40) Krsna says:

Devotional service is so pure and perfect that once having begun, one is forcibly dragged to ultimate success. Sometimes a person will give up his ordinary material engagements and out of sentiment take shelter of the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord and thus begin the preliminary execution of devotional service. Even if such an immature devotee falls down, there is no loss on his part. On the other hand, what is the gain of one who executes the prescribed duties according to his varna and asrama but does not take to devotional service? Although a fallen devotee may take his next birth in a low family, his devotional service will nonetheless resume from where it left off. Devotional service is ahaituky apratihata; it is not the effect of any mundane cause, nor can it be terminated by any mundane cause or permanently curtailed by any material interruption. Therefore a devotee should be confident about his engagement and should not be very interested in the activities of the karmis, jnanis and yogis.

There are certainly many good qualities among fruitive actors, philosophical speculators and mystic yogis, but all good qualities automatically develop in the character of a devotee. No extraneous endeavor is needed. As confirmed by Srimad-Bhagavatam (5.18.12), all the good qualities of the demigods manifest progressively in one who has developed pure devotional service. Because a devotee is not interested in any material activity, he does not become materially contaminated. He is immediately situated on the platform of transcendental life. However, one who engages in mundane activitybe he a so-called jnani, yogi, karmi, philanthropist, nationalist, or whatevercannot attain the higher stage of mahatma. He remains a duratma, or cripple-minded person. According to Bhagavad-gita (9.13):

Since all the devotees of the Lord are under the protection of His supreme potency, they should not deviate from the path of devotional service and take to the path of the karmi, jnani or yogi. This is called utsahan niscayad dhairyat tat-tat-karma-pravartanat, enthusiastically executing the regulative activities of devotional service with patience and confidence. In this way one can advance in devotional service without hindrance.