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TEXT 70
bhajanera madhye srestha nava-vidha bhakti
'krsna-prema', 'krsna' dite dhare maha-sakti
SYNONYMS
bhajanera madhyein executing devotional service; sresthathe best; nava-vidha bhaktithe nine prescribed methods of devotional service; krsna-premaecstatic love of Krsna; krsnaand Krsna; diteto deliver; dharepossess; maha-saktigreat potency.
TRANSLATION
"Among the ways of executing devotional service, the nine prescribed methods are the best, for these processes have great potency to deliver Krsna and ecstatic love for Him.
PURPORT
The nine kinds of devotional service are mentioned in Srimad-Bhagavatam (7.5.23):
sravanam kirtanam visnoh
smaranam pada-sevanam arcanam vandanam dasyam sakhyam atma-nivedanam These nine are hearing, chanting, remembering Krsna, offering service to Krsna's lotus feet, offering worship in the temple, offering prayers, working as a servant, making friendship with Krsna and unreservedly surrendering to Krsna. These nine processes of devotional service can grant one Krsna and ecstatic love for Him. In the beginning one has to discharge devotional service according to regulative principles, but gradually, as devotional service becomes one's life and soul, one achieves the most exalted position of ecstatic love for Krsna. Ultimately, Krsna is the goal of life. One need not have taken birth in an aristocratic brahmana family to attain the lotus feet of Krsna, nor is a person born in a low family unfit to achieve Krsna's lotus feet. In Srimad-Bhagavatam (3.33.7) Devahuti says to Kapiladeva:
aho bata sva-paco 'to gariyan
yaj-jihvagre vartate nama tubhyam tepus tapas te juhuvuh sasnur arya brahmanucur nama grnanti ye te "O my Lord, even a person born in a low family of dog-eaters is glorious if he always chants the holy name of the Lord. Such a person has already performed all types of austerities, penances and Vedic sacrifices, has already bathed in the sacred rivers, and has also studied all the Vedic literature. Thus he has become an exalted personality." Similarly, Kuntidevi says to Lord Krsna:
janmaisvarya-sruta-sribhir
edhamana-madah puman naivarhaty abhidhatum vai tvam akincana-gocaram "A person who is proud of his birth, opulence, knowledge and beauty cannot achieve Your lotus feet. You are available only to the humble and meek, not to the proud." (Bhag. 1.8.26.)
Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/cc/antya/4/70 Previous: Antya 4.69 Next: Antya 4.71
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