Devotional service is not a matter of sentimental speculation or imaginative ecstasy. Its substance is practical activity
Expressions researched:
"Devotional service is not a matter of sentimental speculation or imaginative ecstasy. Its substance is practical activity"
|"Devotional service is not a sentimental activity"
Other Books by Srila Prabhupada
Nectar of Instruction
Devotional service is not a matter of sentimental speculation or imaginative ecstasy. Its substance is practical activity. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, in his Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu (1.1.11), has defined devotional service as follows:
- anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ
- jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam
- ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānu-
- śīlanaṁ bhaktir uttamā
- (CC Madhya 19.167)
"Uttamā bhakti, or unalloyed devotion unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, involves the rendering of devotional service in a way that is favorable to the Lord. This devotional service should be free from any extraneous motive and devoid of fruitive karma, impersonal jñāna and all other selfish desires."
Bhakti is a sort of cultivation. As soon as we say "cultivation," we must refer to activity. Cultivation of spirituality does not mean sitting down idly for meditation, as some pseudo-yogīs teach. Such idle meditation may be good for those who have no information of devotional service, and for this reason it is sometimes recommended as a way to check distracting materialistic activities. Meditation means stopping all nonsensical activities, at least for the time being. Devotional service, however, not only puts an end to all nonsensical mundane activities, but also engages one in meaningful devotional activities.
Page Title: | Devotional service is not a matter of sentimental speculation or imaginative ecstasy. Its substance is practical activity |
Compiler: | Labangalatika |
Created: | 19 of May, 2011 |
Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=1, Lec=0, Con=0, Let=0 |
No. of Quotes: | 1 |