Bhakti-yoga can be applicable to any one of these form, either Krsna or Rama or Visnu or Narayana, so many forms. Generally, Vaisnavas worship the form of Krsna, Radha-Krsna, and Laksmi-Narayana. In our conditional stage, we cannot worship Radha-Krsna

Expressions researched:
"bhakti-yoga can be applicable to any one of these forms" |"Generally, Vaiṣṇava worship the form of Kṛṣṇa, Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa" |"In our conditional stage we cannot worship Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa" |"and Laksmi-Narayana" |"either Krsna or Rama or Visnu or Narayana, so many forms"

General Lectures

Bhakti-yoga can be applicable to any one of these form, either Kṛṣṇa or Rāma or Viṣṇu or Nārāyaṇa, so many forms. Generally, Vaiṣṇavas worship the form of Kṛṣṇa, Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, and Lakṣmī-Nārāyaṇa. In our conditional stage, we cannot worship Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa-sevā is for them who has developed spontaneous love for God.

Lecture -- Los Angeles, January 15, 1969:

So bhakti-yoga can be applicable to any one of these forms, either Kṛṣṇa or Rāma or Viṣṇu or Nārāyaṇa, so many forms. Generally, Vaiṣṇava worship the form of Kṛṣṇa, Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, and Lakṣmī-Nārāyaṇa. In our conditional stage we cannot worship Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa-sevā is for them who has developed spontaneous love for God. For them. Spontaneous.

The spontaneous love . . . the example is given: just like a young man, young girl, without any acquaintance, when they see each other, there is some loving propensity. That is called spontaneous. Not that one has to learn how to love. Simply very sight will invoke some loving propensity. That is called spontaneous. When we are advanced in the matter of loving God, so much so that as soon as you see or remember anything about God, immediately you become ecstatic, that is spontaneous. Just like Lord Caitanya, when He entered the temple of Jagannātha, as soon as He saw Jagannātha, immediately fainted, "Here is My Lord."

So this spontaneous love, those who have developed this spontaneous love, there is a stage. By practice one will come to that stage. Because that spontaneous love is eternal. It is not artificial. We have got, but it is now covered by our material association. So it has to be uncovered. And when you come to that stage, spontaneous, without any paraphernalia.

Here we are trying to love Kṛṣṇa with so many paraphernalia. We must have a nice temple, nice dress, everything very favorable. Then we have some spiritual, ecstatic love. We have to create the groundwork. But spontaneous, there is no necessity of groundwork. Immediately one remembers of Kṛṣṇa, he becomes ecstatic. So that is the highest perfection of love of Godhead: spontaneous, without any external influence.

Now, we are teaching devotional service by the order of spiritual master, "Our spiritual master has said this; we must follow." That is required—routine, practice. Just like in India, formerly, the boys and girls were married at very early age. So I was also married very early age. My wife was only eleven years old. So I have heard my mother-in-law was married, she was seven years old and my father-in-law was eleven years old. So this marriage was performed, but it is not that the husband and wife live together unless they are mature, grown-up.

So there was a system to, in order to . . . because premixing is still not allowed in India, but the husband and wife . . . the wife by the elderly members was asked that, "Just take this foodstuff, tiffin, to your husband." So she comes, offers little foodstuff, pān. In this way they gradually develop their relationship, loving relationship. But actually, when that love is mature, there is no need of introduction. In the beginning it is required.

So devotional service is divided into two portions. Vidhi. Vidhi-mārga, rāga-mārga.

Vidhi means by following the regulative principles according to the sastra, according to the order of the spiritual master. Then, when it is fully developed, then no more vidhi. Automatically one will be anxious to serve Kṛṣṇa, "How I shall make nice dress. How I shall serve Kṛṣṇa. How I shall cleanse the temple." There is no question of ordering. Spontaneous love. By rendering service, he feels transcendental bliss. That is spontaneous.