View source for To perform devotional service means to follow in the footsteps of Radharani, and devotees in Vrndavana put themselves under the care of Radharani in order to achieve perfection in their devotional service

<div id="compilation">
<div id="facts">
{{terms|"To perform devotional service means to follow in the footsteps of Rādhārāṇī, and devotees in Vṛndāvana put themselves under the care of Rādhārāṇī in order to achieve perfection in their devotional service"}}
{{notes|}}
{{compiler|HanumanIC}}
{{complete|ALL}}
{{first|2017-04-29T03:34:16Z}}
{{last|2017-04-29T03:34:16Z}}
{{totals_by_section|BG=0|SB=0|CC=0|OB=1|Lec=0|Con=0|Let=0}}
{{total|1}}
{{toc right}}
[[Category:Performing Devotional Service to God]]
[[Category:Devotional Service to God Means]]
[[Category:Following in the Footsteps of Krsna's Associates]]
[[Category:Footsteps of a Pure Devotee of God]]
[[Category:Radharani's Footsteps]]
[[Category:Achievements of a Devotee of God]]
[[Category:Vrndavana]]
[[Category:Put]]
[[Category:Themselves]]
[[Category:Under]]
[[Category:Care]]
[[Category:In Order To]]
[[Category:Devotees of God in Vrndavana Put Themselves Under the Care of Radharani In Order To Achieve Perfection in Their Devotional Service]]
[[Category:Perfection of a Devotee of God]]
[[Category:Devotional Service of a Devotee of God]]
[[Category:Achieving Perfection]]
[[Category:Achieving Devotional Service to God]]
[[Category:Devotional Service to God and Perfection]]
[[Category:The Nectar of Devotion Chapter 01 - Characteristics of Pure Devotional Service]]
[[Category:The Nectar of Devotion Chapters 01 to 51]]
</div>
<div id="section">
<h2>Other Books by Srila Prabhupada</h2>
</div>
<div id="sub_section">
<h3>Nectar of Devotion</h3>
</div>
<div class="quote">
<div class="quote_heading">
To perform devotional service means to follow in the footsteps of Rādhārāṇī, and devotees in Vṛndāvana put themselves under the care of Rādhārāṇī in order to achieve perfection in their devotional service. In other words, devotional service is not an activity of the material world; it is directly under the control of Rādhārāṇī.
</div>

<div class="quote_link">
[[Vanisource:NOD 1 (1970)|Nectar of Devotion, 1]]
</div>
<div class="text">
In the Hari-bhakti-sudhodaya Prahlāda Mahārāj, while satisfying Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva by his prayers, says: "My dear Lord of the universe, I am feeling transcendental pleasure in Your presence and have become merged in the ocean of happiness. I now consider the happiness of brahmānanda to be no more than the water in the impression left by a cow's hoof in the earth, compared to this ocean of bliss." Similarly, it is confirmed in the Bhāvārtha-dīpikā, Śrīdhara Svāmī's commentary on the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: "My dear Lord, some of the fortunate persons who are swimming in the ocean of Your nectar of devotion, and who are relishing the nectar of the narration of Your pastimes, certainly know ecstasies which immediately minimize the value of the happiness derived from religiousness, economic development, sense gratification and liberation. Such a transcendental devotee regards any kind of happiness other than devotional service as no better than straw in the street."
'''Attracting Kṛṣṇa'''

Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī has stated that devotional service attracts even Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa attracts everyone, but devotional service attracts Kṛṣṇa. The symbol of devotional service in the highest degree is Rādhārāṇī. Kṛṣṇa is called Madana-mohana, which means that He is so attractive that He can defeat the attraction of thousands of Cupids. But Rādhārāṇī is still more attractive, for She can even attract Kṛṣṇa. Therefore devotees call Her Madana-mohana-mohanī—the attractor of the attractor of Cupid.

To perform devotional service means to follow in the footsteps of Rādhārāṇī, and devotees in Vṛndāvana put themselves under the care of Rādhārāṇī in order to achieve perfection in their devotional service. In other words, devotional service is not an activity of the material world; it is directly under the control of Rādhārāṇī. In Bhagavad-gītā it is confirmed that the mahātmās, or great souls, are under the protection of daivī prakṛti, the internal energy—Rādhārāṇī. So, being directly under the control of the internal potency of Kṛṣṇa, devotional service attracts even Kṛṣṇa Himself.

This fact is corroborated by Kṛṣṇa in the Eleventh Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, [[Vanisource:SB 11.14.20|12th Chapter, 1st verse]], where He says: "My dear Uddhava, you may know it from Me that the attraction I feel for devotional service rendered by My devotees is not to be attained even by the performance of mystic yoga, philosophical speculation, ritualistic sacrifices, the study of Vedānta, the practice of severe austerities or the giving of everything in charity. These are, of course, very nice activities, but they are not as attractive to Me as the transcendental loving service rendered by My devotees."

How Kṛṣṇa becomes attracted by the devotional service of His devotees is described by Nārada in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, [[Vanisource:SB 7.10.48|Seventh Canto, 10th Chapter, 37th verse]]. There Nārada addresses King Yudhiṣṭhira while the King is appreciating the glories of the character of Prahlāda Mahārāj. A devotee always appreciates the activities of other devotees. Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāj was appreciating the qualities of Prahlāda, 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, "Prahlāda Mahārāj is actually a devotee of the Lord, while I am nothing," and while thinking this he was addressed by Nārada as follows: "My dear King Yudhiṣṭhira, in this world you (the Pāṇḍava 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."
</div>
</div>
</div>