View source for In the system of Vaisnava activities, the first duty is to accept a devotee as spiritual master and then to render service unto him

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[[Category:System]]
[[Category:Vaisnava]]
[[Category:Activities]]
[[Category:First]]
[[Category:Duty]]
[[Category:Accept]]
[[Category:Devotee]]
[[Category:Spiritual Master]]
[[Category:Then]]
[[Category:Render Service]]
[[Category:The Nectar of Devotion Chapter 12 - Revealed Scriptures]]
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<h2>Other Books by Srila Prabhupada</h2>
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<h3>Nectar of Devotion</h3>
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In the Ādi Purāṇa there is the following statement by Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself, addressed to Arjuna: "My dear Pārtha, one who claims to be My devotee is not so. Only a person who claims to be the devotee of My devotee is actually My devotee." No one can approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead directly. One must approach Him through His pure devotees. Therefore, in the system of Vaiṣṇava activities, the first duty is to accept a devotee as spiritual master and then to render service unto him.
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[[Vanisource:NOD 12 (1970)|Nectar of Devotion, 12]]
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In the Skanda Purāṇa there is a similar statement: "Persons whose bodies are marked with tilaka, symbolizing the conchshell, wheel, club and lotus—and who keep the leaves of tulasī on their heads, and whose bodies are always decorated with gopī-candana—even seen once, can help the seer be relieved from all sinful activities."

A similar statement is found in the [[Vanisource:SB 1.19.33|First Canto, 19th Chapter, 30th verse]], of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: "There is no doubt about one's becoming freed from all reactions to sinful activities after visiting a devotee or touching his lotus feet or giving him a sitting place. Even by remembering the activities of such Vaiṣṇavas, one becomes purified, along with his whole family. And what, then, can be said of rendering direct service to him?"

In the Ādi Purāṇa there is the following statement by Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself, addressed to Arjuna: "My dear Pārtha, one who claims to be My devotee is not so. Only a person who claims to be the devotee of My devotee is actually My devotee." No one can approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead directly. One must approach Him through His pure devotees. Therefore, in the system of Vaiṣṇava activities, the first duty is to accept a devotee as spiritual master and then to render service unto him.

Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī affirms that all the quotations given in the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu from different scriptures are accepted by the great ācāryas and devotees of the Lord.

In the Padma Purāṇa there is a statement that one should perform the ceremonies for the Lord according to one's financial position. Everyone should observe the different ceremonies and celebrations of the Lord by all means. One of the most important of these ceremonial functions is called Ūrja-vrata. Ūrja-vrata is observed in the month of Kārttika (October-November); especially in Vṛndāvana, there is a specific program for temple worship of the Lord in His Dāmodara form. Dāmodara refers to Kṛṣṇa's being bound with rope by His mother, Yaśodā. It is said that just as Lord Dāmodara is very dear to His devotees so the month known as Dāmodara or Kārttika is also very dear to them.

The execution of devotional service during Ūrja-vrata in the month of Kārttika is especially recommended to be performed at Mathurā. This system is still followed by many devotees. They go to Mathurā or Vṛndāvana and stay there during the month of Kārttika specifically to perform devotional services during this period.

In the Padma Purāṇa it is said: "The Lord may offer liberation or material happiness to a devotee, but after some devotional service has been executed, particularly in Mathurā during the month of Kārttika, the devotees want only to attain pure devotional service unto the Lord." The purport is that the Lord does not award devotional service to ordinary persons who are not serious about it. But even such unserious persons who execute devotional service according to the regulative principles during the month of Kārttika, and within the jurisdiction of Mathurā in India, are very easily awarded the Lord's personal service.
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