So this bhakti, it is not simply sentiment, but it is to understand actually what is God. It is science of God. Otherwise, how it is said in the Bhagavad-gītā that brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā? One who has understood the Supreme, the Absolute, he is called brāhmaṇa, brahma-bhūtaḥ. And the symptom is that . . . how can I understand that he is a brahmin and has understood Brahman?
The immediate answer is brahma-bhūtaḥ. The test is, one who is completely in knowledge of Brahman, the symptom will be prasannātmā: he will be always cheerful. There is no question of anxiety for him. That is brahma-bhūtaḥ. Prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati. There is no lamentation; there is no desire. That is brahma-bhūtaḥ stage. There is no desire.
Even a hundred years, or, say, about 150 years before, there was, in Bengal, there was a nice king, Rājā Kṛṣṇa Chandra. He went to a learned brahmin, and he wanted to help him, that "Can I help you?" So the brahmin says: "Oh, I don't require any help. Oh, I am very happy. I have got this tamarind tree. My wife takes some tamarind leaves and makes some soup, and some of my disciples give me some rice. So I have got everything, plenty. Why shall I take your help?"
Formerly the brahmins, real brahmins, they refused to take any charity from others, even up to this date. Because according to Vedic system, when charity was to be given, it is to be given to the brahmins or the sannyāsīs. That is real charity. Dātavyam. They should be given. Because they are always engaged in Brahman, therefore charity given to a brahmin or a sannyāsī goes to Brahman. That is the idea.
At the present moment the advertisement is daridra, daridra-nārāyaṇa: "Charity should be given to the daridra, or the poor." But the Vedas, why they recommended that charity should be given to the brahmins? And the brahmins, they do not require. They are so satisfied, but still, people persisted: "The brahmins should take some charity," because the idea is, if the brahmins accept the charity, that money goes directly to Brahman, or God. That is the idea.
So brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā (BG 18.54). When one is situated in that position, that he has no lamentation, no demand, no anxiety, that is called brahma-bhūtaḥ stage. And next, by becoming into brahma-bhūtaḥ stage, what are other symptoms? Samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu: "Oh, he is equal to everyone." Then, when one has attained this perfection of life, then he can execute devotional service. Mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām. And by that devotional service, one can understand what is God.