advancement / levels
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Attachment for the Supreme can be increased by practicing devotional service, inquiring about the Supreme Personality of Godhead, applying bhakti-yoga in life, worshiping the Yogesvara, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and by hearing and chanting about the glories of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. These actions are pious in themselves.
(More...) These devotees are also divided into three categories: the associates, those perfected in devotional service, and those newly engaged in devotional service. These two kinds of devotees also are divided into three categories: the associates, those in the perfection of devotional service, and those newly-engaged in devotional service. Newly engaged devotees can be divided into two: ones who have already attained an attachment for the Lord, and others who have not attained such attachment for the Lord. And, according to the two divisions of devotional service, namely the regulative principles and attachment by transcendental love, all these four classes of devotees become eight in number. By following the regulative principles of devotion, the perfect associates of the Lord are divided further into four classes: the servants, the friends, the parental superiors, and the fiancees.
(More...) Just as devotees are sometimes perfected by devotional service, so some of them are eternally perfect. In the regulative principle of devotional service, according to the advanced standard and the beginner's standard, there are sixteen kinds of devotees in transcendental loving service of the Lord. Therefore, such Atmaramas can be considered to exist in 32 divisions. If you apply the words Muni, Nirgrantha, Cha and Api in the 32 classes, then it becomes a description of 58 different types of devotees. All these devotees can be sheltered by one word: Atmarama. Just as in the forest, there may be different kinds of trees, but only by saying that there are trees there, the meaning is understood.
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