definition / recognizing

The purport is that, when a person shows his love for God and his friendship for the devotees and his mercy for the innocent and his reluctance to the non-devotees, he becomes in the category of a pure devotee. Such a person, by developing devotional service, can perceive that every living entity is part and parcel of the Supreme. In each and every living entity he can see the Supreme Person, and therefore he becomes highly developed in Krishna Consciousness. At this stage he does not make any distinction as to who is a devotee and who is a non-devotee. He sees everyone in the service of the Lord. A pure devotee, however, continues to develop all great qualities in his body, while engaged in Krishna Consciousness and devotional service. It is stated in Srimad Bhagwatam, Fifth Canto, Chapter Eighteen [12], that anyone who has attained pure unalloyed devotional service to the Supreme Lord develops all the good qualities of the demigods; whereas a person who hasn't developed pure devotional service to the Lord, in spite of his being materially qualified, is sure to go astray as he hovers on the mental plane. Therefore, his material qualification is valueless. (More...)

When Lord Caitanya met Srila Ramananda Raya of Kavaur on the bank of Godavari, the Lord developed all these symptoms, but because of the presence of some nondevotee brahmanas who were attendants of the Raya, the Lord surpressed these symptoms. So sometimes they are not visible even in the body of the first-class devotee for certain circumstantial reasons. Therefore real steady bhava is definitely displayed in the matter of cessation of material desires (ksanti), utilization of every moment in the transcendental loving service of the Lord (avyartha-kalatvam), eagerness for glorifying the Lord constantly (nama-gane sada ruci), attraction for living in the land of the Lord (pritis tad-vasati sthale), complete detachment from material happiness (virakti), and pridelessness (manasunyata). One who has developed all these transcendental qualities is really possessed of the bhava stage, as distinguished from the stone-hearted imitator or mundane devotee. (More...)

A pure devotee never thinks himself as great; he always thinks that other devotees are greater than himself.

How Krsna becomes attracted by the devotional service of His devotees is described by Narada in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, Seventh Canto, 10th Chapter, verse. There Narada addresses King Yudhisthira while the King is appreciating the glories of the character of Prahlada Maharaj. A devotee always appreciates the activities of other devotees. Yudhisthira Maharaj was appreciating the qualities of Prahlada, and that is one symptom of a pure devotee. A pure devotee never thinks himself as great; he always thinks that other devotees are greater than himself. The King was thinking, "Prahlada Maharaj is actually a devotee of the Lord, while I am nothing," and while thinking this he was addressed by Narada as follows: "My dear King Yudhisthira, in this world you [the Pandava brothers] are the only fortunate people. The Supreme Personality of Godhead has appeared on this planet and is presenting Himself to you as an ordinary human being. He is always with you in all circumstances. He is living with you and covering Himself from the eyes of others. Others cannot understand that He is the Supreme Lord, but He is still living with you as your cousin, as your friend and even as your messenger. Therefore you must know that nobody in this world is more fortunate than you." (More...)

The definition of a pure devotee, as given by Rupa Gosvami in Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, can be summarized thus: his service is favorable and is always in relation to Krsna.

The definition of a pure devotee, as given by Rupa Gosvami in Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, can be summarized thus: his service is favorable and is always in relation to Krsna. In order to keep the purity of such Krsna conscious activities, one must be freed from all material desires and philosophical speculation. Any desire except for the service of the Lord is called material desire. And philosophical speculation refers to the sort of speculation which ultimately arrives at a conclusion of voidism or impersonalism. This conclusion is useless for a Krsna conscious person. Only rarely by philosophical speculation can one reach the conclusion of worshiping Vasudeva, Krsna. This is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita itself. The ultimate end of philosophical speculation, then, must be Krsna, with the understanding that Krsna is everything, the cause of all causes, and that one should therefore surrender unto Him. If this ultimate goal is reached, then philosophical advancement is favorable, but if the conclusion of philosophical speculation is voidism or impersonalism, that is not bhakti. (More...)