The Process of Fixed Devotional Service

The topmost process of devotional service is to worship the Lord with body and mind, giving up desires for fruitive activities and mental speculation. One should serve Lord Kṛṣṇa in the association of devotees without worshipping any demigods.

The essence of sādhana bhakti is to carefully consider and follow the path displayed by the previous and the present mahājanas (great personalities). One should not neglect the practice of remembering the pastimes of the Lord, for devotional service should be performed with the mind as well as the body.

O my dear brothers, always give up the bad association of the karmīs and jñānīs from a distance, and give up the attachment for singing songs not related to Kṛṣṇa. Associate only with the devotees and merge in topics of the loving pastimes of Kṛṣṇa in Braja.

Please give up the association of the yogīs, sannyāsīs, karmīs, jñānīs, meditators, and the worshippers of the demigods. Also abandon attachment for all varieties of fruitive activities, religious duties, distresses, lamentations and material objects. Just worship Kṛṣṇa, the lifter of Govardhana Hill.

Travelling to the holy places is a waste of energy and born from illusion, for the lotus feet of Śrī Govinda are the perfection of one’s life. Therefore, one should give up pride and envy and with firm determination in the heart, one should always worship the Lord without deviation.

The best process of devotional service is to hear, chant, worship, glorify and meditate with faith on the names, forms, qualities and pastimes of Kṛṣṇa in the association of the devotees of Kṛṣṇa through the nine forms of bhakti.

I will serve Govinda with all my senses and I will not worship demigods and goddesses. This is the highest principle of devotional service. All other processes are simply born of pride and I feel great pain in my heart by seeing them.

The six enemies—lust, anger, greed, illusion, pride and envy and the five senses of sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch reside in my body but I am unable to control them. Although I hear and understand repeatedly that one should serve Kṛṣṇa with all his senses, still I cannot accept this fact with firm determination.

I will engage lust, anger, greed, illusion, envy and pride in their proper places. In this way, I will defeat the enemies and with ecstacy in my heart, I will worship Govinda without difficulty.

I will engage my lust in eagerness to serve Kṛṣṇa and I will use my anger against those who are envious of the devotees. I will be greedy to hear the topics of Hari in the association of the devotees. I will be illusioned if I fail to achieve my worshipable Lord and I will feel proud to chant the glories of Kṛṣṇa. In this way, I will engage them in their respective duties.

Otherwise, independent lusty desires, which are the source of all unwanted things will always disturb the path of devotional service. What harm can lusty desires and anger do to a practioner of devotional service if he associates with devotees?

Anger spoils everything. Therefore, I will always give up anger, greed and illusion. I will control the six enemies with the help of my mind while remembering Lord Kṛṣṇa.

All the enemies will run away by hearing the sound vibration of Govinda’s name just as elephants flee upon hearing the roar of a lion. One who performs unalloyed devotional service will feel great happiness and all his dangers will be vanquished.

Therefore my dear mind, do not endeavour for bad association, profit, adoration and distinction, but always remember the lotus feet of Govinda. Please engage in loving devotional service with great happiness and all your dangers will be destroyed.

Please give up all duplicity, illusory activities and the search for bodily happiness. Do not be attached to the worship of various demigods. Mundane love and affection for material relationships attracts everyone to their respective illusions and thus advancement on the path of devotional service is checked.

O dear brother, my mind, be continuously engaged on the path of devotional worship and be attached to glorifying the pastimes of Śrī Kṛṣṇa in Vṛndāvana. This process of devotional service is known as steady devotional service. The prime example of this is Hanumān.

As spoken by Sri Hanumān, “Although Śrī Nārāyaṇa, the Husband of Lakṣmīdevī and Śrī Rāma, the Husband of Sītadevī are both the Supersoul, still the lotus-eyed Śrī Rāma is my all in all.”

Those who worship Their Divine Lordships Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, float in the ocean of ecstatic love, and the inhabitants of all the three worlds worship such persons. The demigods and the forefathers become greatly pleased and shower their blessings saying, “well done, well done.”

One should not reside in ordinary places and enjoy material objects which are full of miseries, but should live in Braja and serve Śrī Govinda. The names and topics of Śrī Kṛṣṇa are actually the reservoir of all pleasures and one should constantly glorify Them in the association of the residents of Braja.

"Whether I live in Vṛndāvana or at home, whether I live in the prison or I sit on a golden throne, whether I am awarded the post of Indra or go to hell, there is no happiness anywhere without the worship of Kṛṣṇa."