Stage of loving God

Expressions researched:
"stage of love of God" |"stages of love of godhead" |"stage of loving god" |"stage of love of godhead"

BG Chapters 7 - 12

This practice of bhakti-yoga, under the rules and regulations, with the direction of a spiritual master, will surely bring one to the stage of love of God

BG 12.9, Purport: To practice the regulative principles of bhakti-yoga one should, under the guidance of an expert spiritual master, follow certain principles: one should rise early in the morning, take bath, enter the temple and offer prayers and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, then collect flowers to offer to the Deity, cook foodstuffs to offer to the Deity, take prasādam, and so on. There are various rules and regulations which one should follow. And one should constantly hear Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam from pure devotees. This practice can help anyone rise to the level of love of God, and then he is sure of his progress into the spiritual kingdom of God. This practice of bhakti-yoga, under the rules and regulations, with the direction of a spiritual master, will surely bring one to the stage of love of God.

SB Preface and Introduction

By chanting the holy name of Kṛṣṇa one attains the stage of love of God

SB Introduction: Love of God is transcendental to liberation [mukti], and thus it is called the fifth stage of spiritual realization, above the stage of liberation. By chanting the holy name of Kṛṣṇa one attains the stage of love of God, and it was good that fortunately I was favored with the blessing."

Transcendental devotional service has five stages of reciprocation:

SB Introduction: Stage 5. And above this is the stage of conjugal love, and this stage is called the highest stage of love of God, although there is no difference in quality in any of the above stages. The last stage of conjugal love of God is called the mādhurya stage.

SB Canto 2

One can attain the stage of love of God by pure devotional service, or by "a learned labor of love,"

SB 2.2.31, Purport: One can attain the stage of love of God by pure devotional service, or by "a learned labor of love," for the sake of the devotee's lovable object, the Personality of Godhead. To be more clear, if one wants to attain the stage of love of Godhead, he must give up all desires for material enjoyment, he should refrain from worshiping any of the demigods, and he should devote himself only to the worship of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He must give up the foolish idea of becoming one with the Lord and the desire to have some wonderful powers just to get the ephemeral adoration of the world.

SB Canto 3

Vidura, an experienced devotee of the Lord confirmed Uddhava's perfectional stage of love of Godhead

SB 3.2.5, Purport: The symptoms of the highest order of devotional life were observed by Vidura, an experienced devotee of the Lord, and he confirmed Uddhava's perfectional stage of love of Godhead. Ecstatic bodily changes are manifested from the spiritual plane and are not artificial expressions developed by practice.

Rūpa Gosvāmī explains very nicely in Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu how this bhāva, or preliminary stage of love of God, is achieved

SB 3.27.6, Purport: When one knows that Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is the source of everything and that everything emanates from Him (ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ [Bg. 10.8]), then one understands the Vedānta aphorism janmādy asya yataḥ [SB 1.1.1] ("the original source of everything"), and then he can become absorbed in bhāva, or the preliminary stage of love of Godhead. Rūpa Gosvāmī explains very nicely in Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu how this bhāva, or preliminary stage of love of God, is achieved. He states that one first of all has to become faithful (śraddhayānvitaḥ).

SB Canto 4

Dhruva Mahārāja was very much afraid in his mind, for he had aspired after material benefit in discharging his devotional service and this was hampering him from reaching the stage of love of God

SB 4.9.19 Purport: The Lord is so merciful to His devotee that He immediately said to Dhruva Mahārāja, "Let there be all good fortune for you." The fact is that Dhruva Mahārāja was very much afraid in his mind, for he had aspired after material benefit in discharging his devotional service and this was hampering him from reaching the stage of love of God. In the Bhagavad-gītā (2.44) it is said, bhogaiśvarya-prasaktānām: those who are addicted to material pleasure cannot be attracted to devotional service. It was true that at heart Dhruva Mahārāja wanted a kingdom that would be far better than Brahmaloka. This was a natural desire for a kṣatriya. He was also only five years old, and in his childish way he desired to have a kingdom far greater than his father's, grandfather's or great-grandfather's.

SB Cantos 10.14 to 12 (Translations Only)

By chanting the holy name of the Supreme Lord, one comes to the stage of love of Godhead

SB 11.2.40 Translation: By chanting the holy name of the Supreme Lord, one comes to the stage of love of Godhead. Then the devotee is fixed in his vow as an eternal servant of the Lord, and he gradually becomes very much attached to a particular name and form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As his heart melts with ecstatic love, he laughs very loudly or cries or shouts. Sometimes he sings and dances like a madman, for he is indifferent to public opinion.

CC Preface and Introduction

When one is situated on the transcendental stage, one attains the most coveted position -- the stage of loving God. Lord Caitanya taught that this is the highest stage of perfection for human beings

CC Adi Preface: On the basis of the sankhya philosophy of acintya-bhedabheda-tattva, which maintains that the Supreme Lord is simultaneously one with and different from His creation, Lord Caitanya taught that the most practical way for the mass of people to practice sankhya-yoga meditation is simply to chant the holy name of the Lord. He taught that the holy name of the Lord is the sound incarnation of the Lord and that since the Lord is the absolute whole, there is no difference between His holy name and His transcendental form. Thus by chanting the holy name of the Lord one can directly associate with the Supreme Lord by sound vibration. As one practices chanting this sound vibration, one passes through three stages of development: the offensive stage, the clearing stage and the transcendental stage. In the offensive stage of chanting one may desire all kinds of material happiness, but in the second stage one becomes clear of all material contamination. When one is situated on the transcendental stage, one attains the most coveted position -- the stage of loving God. Lord Caitanya taught that this is the highest stage of perfection for human beings.

CC Adi-lila

Religiosity, economic development, sense gratification and liberation are very insignificant in the eyes of a pure devotee who has developed bhava, the preliminary stage of love of Godhead.

CC Adi 7.84 Purport: While chanting the holy name of the Lord, one should not desire the material advancements represented by religiosity, economic development, sense gratification and ultimately liberation from the material world. As stated by Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the highest perfection in life is to develop one's love for Krsna (prema pum-artho mahan sri-caitanya-mahaprabhor matam idam). When we compare love of Godhead with religiosity, economic development, sense gratification and liberation, we can understand that these achievements may be desirable objectives for bubhuksus, or those who desire to enjoy this material world, and mumuksus, or those who desire liberation from it, but they are very insignificant in the eyes of a pure devotee who has developed bhava, the preliminary stage of love of Godhead.

Srila Jiva Gosvami, in his Priti-sandarbha (66), explains this stage of love of Godhead:

CC Adi 7.89-90, Purport: Srila Jiva Gosvami, in his Priti-sandarbha (66), explains this stage of love of Godhead: bhagavat-priti-rupa vrttir mayadi-mayi na bhavati. kim tarhi, svarupa-sakty-ananda-rupa, yad-ananda-paradhinah sri-bhagavan apiti. Similarly, in the 69th text he offers further explanation: tad evam priter laksanam citta-dravas tasya ca roma-harsadikam. kathancij jate 'pi citta-drave roma-harsadike va na ced asaya-suddhis tadapi na bhakteh samyag-avirbhava iti jnapitam. asaya-suddhir nama canya-tatparya-parityagah priti-tatparyam ca. ata evanimitta svabhaviki ceti tad visesanam. Transcendental love of Godhead is not under the jurisdiction of the material energy, for it is the transcendental bliss and pleasure potency of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu taught the people of the world how feelings of separation or meeting with Kṛṣṇa are different stages of love of Godhead

CC Adi 13.39, Purport: A person who is advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness always feels separation from Kṛṣṇa because such a feeling of separation excels the feeling of meeting Kṛṣṇa. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, in His last twelve years of existence within this world at Jagannātha Purī, taught the people of the world how, with a feeling of separation, one can develop His dormant love of Kṛṣṇa. Such feelings of separation or meeting with Kṛṣṇa are different stages of love of Godhead. These feelings develop in time when a person seriously engages in devotional service. The highest stage is called prema-bhakti, but this stage is attained by executing sādhana-bhakti. One should not try to elevate himself artificially to the stage of prema-bhakti without seriously following the regulative principles of sādhana-bhakti. Prema-bhakti is the stage of relishing, whereas sādhana-bhakti is the stage of improving in devotional service.

CC Madhya-lila

These are the signs of virakti (detachment) found in a person who has developed bhava, the preliminary stage of love of Godhead.

CC Madhya 23.25, Purport: These are the signs of virakti (detachment) found in a person who has developed bhava, the preliminary stage of love of Godhead. This verse is quoted from Srimad-Bhagavatam SB 5.14.43.

Teachings of Lord Caitanya

When one is situated on the transcendental stage, he attains the most coveted position—the stage of loving God. Lord Caitanya taught that this is the highest stage of perfection for human beings

Teachings of Lord Caitanya Preface: Lord Caitanya taught this philosophy through the chanting of the holy name of the Lord. He taught that the holy name of the Lord is the sound incarnation of the Lord and that since the Lord is the absolute whole, there is no difference between His holy name and His transcendental form. Thus by chanting the holy name of the Lord one can directly associate with the Supreme Lord by sound vibration. As one practices this sound vibration, he passes through three stages of development: the offensive stage, the clearing stage and the transcendental stage. In the offensive stage one may desire all kinds of material happiness, but in the second stage one becomes clear of all material contamination. When one is situated on the transcendental stage, he attains the most coveted position—the stage of loving God. Lord Caitanya taught that this is the highest stage of perfection for human beings.

In this way one can become firmly fixed in devotion, increase his taste for it, become attached and feel ecstasy. This ecstasy occurs in the preliminary stage of love of Godhead

Teachings of Lord Caitanya 1: There are three stages of devotional service: The first is the beginning stage of cultivation, the second is the realization of service, and the third, the supreme stage, is the attainment of love of Godhead. There are nine different methods of cultivating devotional service—such as hearing, chanting, remembering, etc.—and all these processes are employed in the first stage. If one is engaged in chanting and hearing with devotion and faith, his material misgivings gradually become vanquished. As his faith in devotional service gradually increases, he becomes assured of a higher perfectional position. In this way one can become firmly fixed in devotion, increase his taste for it, become attached and feel ecstasy. This ecstasy occurs in the preliminary stage of love of Godhead. Attainment of ecstasy is produced by execution of devotional service. When one continues the process of hearing and chanting, attachment grows and assumes the name of love of Godhead.

After one makes further progress, he attains the state called bhāva, which is permanent. When such love of God increases, it reaches the highest stage of love of Godhead

Teachings of Lord Caitanya 13: This process is summarized by Rūpa Gosvāmī in Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu (1.4.15-16): The first requirement is faith; it is due to faith that one associates with pure devotees, and, by such association, develops devotional service. As devotional service develops, one's misgivings diminish. Then one is situated in firm conviction, and from that conviction he develops a taste for devotional service and advances to the stage of attachment, whereby he follows the regulative principles of devotional service. After that point, after one makes further progress, he attains the state called bhāva, which is permanent. When such love of God increases, it reaches the highest stage of love of Godhead."

Thus the Lord described the ultimate stage of love of Godhead

Teachings of Lord Caitanya 14: After receiving the prayers of Sanātana Gosvāmī, Lord Caitanya placed His feet on the head of Sanātana and gave him His benedictions so that all His instructions would develop fully. Thus the Lord described the ultimate stage of love of Godhead. Lord Caitanya said that such a description cannot be given very elaborately but that He had informed him as far as possible. The conclusion is that anyone who attentively hears these discourses and instructions of Lord Caitanya to Sanātana Gosvāmī very soon attains to Kṛṣṇa consciousness and engages in devotional service to the Lord.

One need not attain all five of these items; if one is expert in just one of them, he will, without fail, be elevated to the stage of love of Godhead

Teachings of Lord Caitanya 16: The Lord then told Sanātana Gosvāmī that the association of good devotees, engagement in the transcendental service of the Lord, the understanding of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the chanting of the holy name of the Lord, and residence in a holy place like Vṛndāvana or Mathurā are all very important for elevation to the transcendental plane. One need not attain all five of these items; if one is expert in just one of them, he will, without fail, be elevated to the stage of love of Godhead. One who is actually intelligent gives up all material desires and engages in the transcendental service of Kṛṣṇa. The influence of devotional service is such that when a person engages in it, he gives up all material desires and becomes fully attached to Kṛṣṇa, being inspired by the transcendental qualities of the Lord. Such is the beauty of the Lord in the eyes of His devotee.

Lord Caitanya told Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī that the holy name of Kṛṣṇa, called the mahā-mantra (great chanting), enables anyone who chants it to attain the stage of love of Godhead, or intensified bhāva

Teachings of Lord Caitanya 19: The transcendental ecstatic attachment for Kṛṣṇa which results from perfectly understanding that Kṛṣṇa's person and name are identical is called bhāva. One who has attained bhāva is certainly not contaminated by material nature. He actually enjoys transcendental pleasure from bhāva, and when bhāva is intensified, it is called love of Godhead. Lord Caitanya told Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī that the holy name of Kṛṣṇa, called the mahā-mantra (great chanting), enables anyone who chants it to attain the stage of love of Godhead, or intensified bhāva. Such love of Godhead is the ultimate human necessity, for when one compares it with other necessities (namely religion, economic development, sense gratification and liberation), these other so-called necessities seem most insignificant.

It is very good that You have attained such a perfectional stage of love of Godhead. Because of Your attainment, I am very much obliged to You

Teachings of Lord Caitanya 19: Lord Caitanya said that His spiritual master told Him: "It is very good that You have attained such a perfectional stage of love of Godhead. Because of Your attainment, I am very much obliged to You." The father becomes more enlivened when he sees his son advance beyond himself. Similarly, the spiritual master takes more pleasure in seeing his disciple advance than in advancing himself. Thus Lord Caitanya's spiritual master blessed Him, telling Him to "dance, sing, propagate this saṅkīrtana movement, and by instructing people about Kṛṣṇa, try to deliver them from nescience." Lord Caitanya's spiritual master also taught Him the following verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam SB 11.2.40:

Even if one is born in a low family, like a family of caṇḍālas (dog-eaters), one can become filled with transcendental symptoms through realization of the supreme stage of love of Godhead

Teachings of Lord Caitanya 23: By studying Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, we can obtain information about our eternal relationship with the Supreme Lord, understand the procedure by which the Lord can be attained and receive the ultimate realization, which is love of Godhead. In explaining to Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī how one can achieve the Supreme Personality of Godhead by devotional service, Lord Caitanya quoted a verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.14.21) in which the Lord says that He can be realized only through devotional service executed with faith and love. Indeed, it is devotional service alone which purifies the heart of the devotee and elevates him to the ultimate realization by which he, established in faith, renders service unto the Supreme Lord. Even if one is born in a low family, like a family of caṇḍālas (dog-eaters), one can become filled with transcendental symptoms through realization of the supreme stage of love of Godhead.

The relationship with Kṛṣṇa in conjugal love is accepted as the highest perfectional stage of love of God

Teachings of Lord Caitanya 29: When one is freed from all material contaminations, any one of the relationships with Kṛṣṇa is transcendentally relishable. Unfortunately, those who are inexperienced in the transcendental science cannot appreciate the different relationships with the Supreme Lord. They think that all such relationships arise from māyā. Caitanya-caritāmṛta states that earth, water, fire, air and ether (the five gross elements) are developed from subtle forms to grosser forms. For example, sound is found in ether, but in air there is sound and touch. When fire is added, there is sound, touch and form as well. When water is added, there is sound, touch, form and taste, and when earth is added, there is sound, touch, form, taste and smell. Just as various characteristics develop in the progression from ether down to earth, so the five characteristics of devotion develop and are all found in the relationship of conjugal love. Thus the relationship with Kṛṣṇa in conjugal love is accepted as the highest perfectional stage of love of God.

Nectar of Devotion

You never took the trouble to undergo severe austerities, and still, how wonderful it is that you have been situated in the most perfect stage of love of Godhead

Nectar of Devotion 25: When the wives of the brāhmaṇas were favored by Lord Kṛṣṇa and immediately attained the ecstasy of love of Godhead, their husbands said, "How wonderful it is that although these women have undertaken no reformatory performances such as accepting the sacred thread, have not resided in the monasteries of the spiritual master, have not observed the strict principles of celibacy, have not undergone any austerities and have not philosophized upon the observance of ritualistic ceremonies, they still have attained the favor of Kṛṣṇa, which is aspired after even by great mystics! How wonderful it is that these women have attained such perfection, while we, although brāhmaṇas who have performed all the reformatory activities, cannot attain to this advanced stage!" There is a similar statement by Närada, addressed to Çukadeva Gosvämé: "My dear Çukadeva Gosvämé, you never took the trouble to reside under the care of a spiritual master, and yet you have attained such a great status of transcendental knowledge. You never took the trouble to undergo severe austerities, and still, how wonderful it is that you have been situated in the most perfect stage of love of Godhead."

Renunciation Through Wisdom

Once faith becomes steady, all mental agitations and doubts clear up due to constant worship of the Lord. One then practices bhajana (chanting meditation) of a very esoteric and elevated nature, and this leads one to the stage of love of Godhead

Renunciation Through Wisdom 5.1: When Kṛṣṇa conscious topics, which are both very potent and nectarean to the ears and heart, are heard and discussed in the association of saints, then faith in the Supreme Lord gradually increases, along with attraction and devotion to Him. Faith inspires initial surrender, and later, by the powerful influence of saintly association, one's faith deepens and becomes steady. Once faith becomes steady, all mental agitations and doubts clear up due to constant worship of the Lord. One then practices bhajana (chanting meditation) of a very esoteric and elevated nature, and this leads one to the stage of love of Godhead. To attain this state, saintly association is imperative; there is no substitute. Therefore it is said:

'sädhu-saìga', 'sädhu-saìga'-sarva-çästre kaya

lava-mātra sādhu-saṅge sarva-siddhi haya

The verdict of all revealed scriptures is that by even a moment's association with a pure devotee, one can attain all success. CC Madhya 22.54

Narada-bhakti-sutra (sutras 1 to 8 only)

Since God is supremely pure, one cannot rise to the highest perfectional stage of love of God without being purified.

Narada Bhakti Sutra 2, Purport: Since God is supremely pure, one cannot rise to the highest perfectional stage of love of God without being purified. In the Bhagavad-gītā (10.12), when Arjuna accepted Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Lord, he said, pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān: "You are the purest of the pure." The Lord is the purest, and thus anyone who wants to serve the Supreme Lord must also be pure. Unless a person is pure, he can neither understand what the Personality of Godhead is nor engage in His service in love, for devotional service, as stated before, begins from the point of self-realization, when all misgivings of materialistic life are vanquished.

Foolish persons cannot be elevated to the highest stage of love of Godhead.

Narada Bhakti Sutra 2, Purport: In the Bhagavad-gītā Lord Kṛṣṇa stresses in many verses that He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. But despite Lord Kṛṣṇa's stressing this point, many so-called scholars and commentators still deny the personal conception of the Lord. One famous scholar wrote in his commentary on the Bhagavad-gītā that one does not have to surrender to Lord Kṛṣṇa or even accept Him as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but that one should rather surrender to "the Supreme within Kṛṣṇa." Such fools do not know what is within and what is without. They comment on the Bhagavad-gītā according to their own whims. Such persons cannot be elevated to the highest stage of love of Godhead. They may be scholarly, and they may be elevated in other departments of knowledge, but they are not even neophytes in the process of attaining the highest stage of perfection, love of Godhead. Niṣṭhā implies that one should accept the words of Bhagavad-gītā, the words of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as they are, without any deviation or nonsensical commentary.

By constant reciprocation with the Lord, the devotee is elevated to the highest stage of love of Godhead, prema.

Narada Bhakti Sutra 2, Purport: If a person is fortunate enough to vanquish all misgivings caused by material existence and rise up to the stage of niṣṭhā, he can then rise to the stages of ruci (taste) and āsakti (attachment for the Lord). Āsakti is the beginning of love of Godhead. By progressing, one then advances to the stage of relishing a reciprocal exchange with the Lord in ecstasy (bhāva). Every living entity is eternally related to the Supreme Lord, and this relationship may be in any one of many transcendental humors. At the stage called āsakti, attachment, a person can understand his relationship with the Supreme Lord. When he understands his position, he begins reciprocating with the Lord. By constant reciprocation with the Lord, the devotee is elevated to the highest stage of love of Godhead, prema.

When a person attains to the perfectional stage of love of Godhead, he becomes liberated even in his present body and realizes his constitutional position of immortality.

Narada Bhakti Sutra 3, Purport: When a person attains to the perfectional stage of love of Godhead, he becomes liberated even in his present body and realizes his constitutional position of immortality. In the Bhagavad-gītā (4.9), the Lord says,

janma karma ca me divyam evaṁ yo vetti tattvataḥ

tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti so 'rjuna

Here the Lord says that any person who simply understands His transcendental activities and His appearance and disappearance in this material world becomes liberated, and that after quitting his present body he at once reaches His abode. Therefore it is to be understood that one who has attained the stage of love of God has perfect knowledge, and even if he may fall short of perfect knowledge, he has the preliminary perfection of life that a living entity can attain.

To conceive of oneself as being one with the Supreme is the greatest misconception of self-realization, and this misconception prevents one from rising to the highest stage of love of God. But a person who understands his subordinate position can attain the highest stage of loving service to the Lord. Although the Lord and the living entities are qualitatively one, the living entities are limited, while the Lord is unlimited. This understanding, called amṛta-svarūpa, makes one eligible for being eternally situated.

Even if a devotee of the Lord has not yet reached the perfectional stage of love of Godhead, his devotional service is considered immortal.

Narada Bhakti Sutra 3, Purport: Upon attaining love of God, a person immediately becomes immortal and no longer has to change his material body. But even if a devotee of the Lord has not yet reached the perfectional stage of love of Godhead, his devotional service is considered immortal. Any action in the stage of karma or jñāna will be finished with the change of body, but devotional service, even if not executed perfectly, will continue into the next life, and the living entity will be allowed to make further progress.

These are six negatives, or "do-nots," for the devotee; therefore one who wants to attain the perfectional stage of love of Godhead refrains from these things.

Narada Bhakti Sutra 5, Purport: Finally, a devotee should not be greedy (laulyam), nor should he mix with ordinary materialistic men (jana-saṅga).

These are six negatives, or "do-nots," for the devotee; therefore one who wants to attain the perfectional stage of love of Godhead refrains from these things.

Similarly, there are six positive items for advancing in devotional service.

By discharging pure devotional service one attains the highest stage of love of Godhead and is freed from all other obligations, such as those mentioned in the karma-kāṇḍa, jñāna-kāṇḍa, and yoga-kāṇḍa sections of the Vedas.

Narada Bhakti Sutra 8, Purport: In a verse in the Lalita-mādhava (5.2), Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī describes renunciation in devotional service:

ṛddhā siddhi-vraja-vijayitā satya-dharmā samādhir

brahmānando gurur api camatkārayaty eva tāvat

yāvat premṇāṁ madhu-ripu-vaśīkāra-siddhauṣadhīnāṁ

gandho 'py antaḥ-karaṇa-saraṇī-pānthatāṁ na prayāti

"Activities such as mystic trance, becoming one with the Supreme, and the religious principles of brahminism, such as speaking the truth and tolerance, have their own respective attractions, but when one becomes captivated by love of Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, all attraction for mystic power, monistic pleasure, and mundane religious principles becomes insignificant."

In other words, by discharging pure devotional service one attains the highest stage of love of Godhead and is freed from all other obligations, such as those mentioned in the karma-kāṇḍa, jñāna-kāṇḍa, and yoga-kāṇḍa sections of the Vedas. One who engages in pure devotional service has no desire to improve himself—except in the service of the Lord. In such devotional service there cannot be any worship of the impersonal or localized features of the Supreme Lord. The devotee simply performs activities that satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead and thus attains pure love for the Lord.

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Bhāva means just the immediate stage before the stage of love of Godhead

Lecture on BG 4.10 -- Bombay, March 30, 1974: So anyone who will follow these principles, how to come the stage of bhāva... Budhā bhāva-samanvitāḥ. There is process. Rūpa Gosvāmī has said how to come to the stage of bhāva. Bhāva means just the immediate stage before the stage of love of Godhead. That is the perfection. Premā pum-ārtho mahān. Caitanya Mahāprabhu has taught us to become mad after God, Kṛṣṇa. That is perfection of love. That is perfection. Just... Caitanya Mahāprabhu showed by His example how He was mad after Kṛṣṇa. He's Kṛṣṇa Himself, but He's teaching us how to become bhāva, budhā bhāva-samanvitāḥ. He taught us.

So this bhāva, the ecstatic stage of devotional service, one has to reach. That is the perfection, or that, the priority stage of love of Godhead

Lecture on BG 4.28 -- Bombay, April 17, 1974: First of all śraddhā, faith. Then association with the devotee. Atha bhajana-kriyā tato 'nartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt tato niṣṭhā rucis tataḥ, athāsaktis tato bhāvaḥ. Bhāva. So we have to come to the stage of bhāva. Budhā bhāva-samanvitāḥ. Kṛṣṇa says,

ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo

mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate

iti matvā bhajante māṁ

budhā bhāva-samanvitāḥ

[Bg. 10.8]

So this bhāva, the ecstatic stage of devotional service, one has to reach. That is the perfection, or that, the priority stage of love of Godhead.

That is pure love of God. When we come to that stage of loving God, then we'll find, oh, all, full of pleasure

Lecture on BG 6.6-12 -- Los Angeles, February 15, 1969: Caitanya Mahāprabhu says like that: āśliṣya vā pāda-ratāṁ pinaṣṭu mām [Cc. Antya 20.47]. "Either You embrace me or you trample me down on Your feet. Or You never come before me, I become brokenhearted without seeing you. Still I love You." That is pure love of God. When we come to that stage of loving God, then we'll find, oh, all, full of pleasure. As God is full of pleasure, you are also full of pleasure. That is the perfection.

When we come to the real stage of loving God, then at that time our life becomes perfect

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Sydney, February 16, 1973: We are loving also, in this fallen state, but not God, all non-God or some pseudo God. But when we come to the real stage of loving God, then at that time our life becomes perfect, and it is said in the Brahma-saṁhitā, premāñjana cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti [Bs. 5.38]. When you develop your love of God, Kṛṣṇa, then you see God every moment, every step. Santaḥ sadaiva. Sadaiva means always. If you say, "Can you show me God?" there is no need of showing God. You qualify yourself, and God will be visible in every step of your life. Then your life will be successful.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

In this way, there will be āsakti and bhāva. Then you attain the perfectional stage. That is called ecstatic stage of love of Godhead

Lecture on SB 3.25.15 -- Bombay, November 15, 1974: So this is the process, and we have to learn it by sādhu-saṅga [Cc. Madhya 22.83]. Ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅgo 'tha bhajana-kriyā tato 'nartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt tato niṣṭhā rucis tataḥ athāsaktiḥ... [Cc. Madhya 23.14-15]. In this way, there will be āsakti and bhāva. Then you attain the perfectional stage. That is called ecstatic stage of love of Godhead. And then you cannot remain with Kṛṣṇa. And then that bhāva increases. Just like mahābhāva. That mahābhāva is not possible in the ordinary human being, but it is possible for the gopīs, for Rādhārāṇī. They cannot live without Kṛṣṇa. That is the highest stage of perfection or liberation.

A householder mahātmā has only one aim: how to attain the perfectional stage of love of God

Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- London, September 17, 1969: A householder mahātmā has only one aim: how to attain the perfectional stage of love of God. That is the aim. Generally, a householder in the modern civilization, they are simply trying to accumulate money, increase the bank balance and make the society, friendship and love as the aim and object of life, and they have no other business. But a person who is mahātmā, his aim is different. His aim is "How to make my life perfect in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. How to please Kṛṣṇa, how to make friendship with Kṛṣṇa."

When we are always absorbed in thought of Kṛṣṇa in ecstasy, that is the immediate previous stage of love of Godhead, love of Kṛṣṇa

Lecture on SB 6.3.25-26 -- Gorakhpur, February 18, 1971: Bhāva-yoga... Bhāva-yoga and bhakti-yoga, the same thing, as Śrīdhara Svāmī has explained. Bhāva. Bhāva means the previous state of pure love for God. Tato bhāvas tataḥ... After bhāva, when we are always absorbed in thought of Kṛṣṇa in ecstasy, that is the immediate previous stage of love of Godhead, love of Kṛṣṇa. And bhakti-yoga means to invoke our dormant love for God, the same thing. Therefore bhāva-yoga and bhakti-yoga—the same thing. And another name of bhakti-yoga is buddhi-yoga. Actually yoga means bhakti, but because yoga system has been used in so many other ways, therefore buddhi-yoga, bhāva-yoga, and bhakti-yoga, these terms are used. Budhā bhāva-samanvitāḥ. Without bhāva-yoga, nobody can worship Kṛṣṇa.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Now this connection of Kṛṣṇa and with the gopīs, apparently it is abominable, but in the spiritual sense, it is the highest, highest perfectional stage of love of Godhead

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.391-405 -- New York, January 2, 1967: So Kṛṣṇa is always pure, always pure, perfect. So sarvaiśvarya-prakāśe. There is pūrṇatama, the fullest expression of God. Now this connection of Kṛṣṇa and with the gopīs, apparently it is abominable, but in the spiritual sense, it is the highest, highest perfectional stage of love of Godhead. So this world is perverted reflection. There... There is such psychological things that a married woman wants to mix with his, with her friend, or a married man wants to mix with another. Wherefrom this idea comes, this psychological...? It comes from God. In God there is. But there, it is in perfect order. Here it is contaminated. Here, it is contaminated. So we should not imitate the perfect thing in the contaminated place.

Sri Isopanisad Lectures

The more you increase your service spirit, the more you increase your dormant love of God. And as soon as you are in the perfectional stage of love of God, you see God always, every moment

Lecture on Sri Isopanisad, Mantra 13-15 -- Los Angeles, May 18, 1970: So devotion. So this is the way of understanding God. By service, by enhancing love... This love can be increased only by service. Otherwise there is no possibility. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau [Brs. 1.2.234]. The more you increase your service spirit, the more you increase your dormant love of God. And as soon as you are in the perfectional stage of love of God, you see God always, every moment. Twenty-four hours you can see.

Initiation Lectures

Actual aim of spiritual life—to come to the stage of loving God. That is real spiritual life.

Initiation Lecture -- Los Angeles, July 13, 1971: Prabhupāda: Actual aim of spiritual life—to come to the stage of loving God. That is real spiritual life. If one wants to take to spiritual life for some other gain, that is not. That is offense, that "I will chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. So my income is now one thousand dollar. It will be three thousand dollar." Not like that. It may be reduced (laughter) sometime.

General Lectures

If you come to the stage of love of Godhead, then naturally you forget all this nonsense. Naturally

Lecture -- Seattle, October 18, 1968: A businessman, when he's failure, so much disturbance. He tries to forget him by drinking. But this is artificial way. This is not actually the remedy. How long you can forget? Sleep—how long you can sleep? Again wake up, again you are in the same position. That is not the way. But if you come to the stage of love of Godhead, then naturally you forget all this nonsense. Naturally. Paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate [Bg. 9.59]. If you find out something more palatable, more relishable, you give up nonsense things which is not so nice to taste.

1969 Correspondence

The recommended means of attaining the mature stage of Love of God in the present age of "Kali," or quarrel, is to chant the Holy Name of the Lord

Letter to Unknown -- Tittenhurst 1 October, 1969: KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS: THE SANKIRTANA MOVEMENT

The International Society for Krishna Consciousness is a bona fide religious society strictly following the principles described in the Vedic scriptures and practiced in India for thousands of years. Our basic beliefs are as follows:

1) The Absolute Truth is contained in all the great Scriptures of the world; the Bible, Koran, Torah, etc. However, the oldest known Revealed Scriptures in existence are the Vedic literatures, most notably the BHAGAVAD GITA which is the literal record of God's actual Words.

2) God, or KRISHNA is eternal, all-knowing, omnipresent, all-powerful and all attractive, the seed-giving Father of man and all living entities. He is the sustaining energy of all life, nature and the cosmic situation.

3) Man is actually NOT his body, but is eternal spirit soul, part and parcel of God, and therefore eternal.

4) That all men are brothers can be practiced only when we realize God as our common ultimate Father.

5) All our actions should be performed as a sacrifice to the Supreme Lord . . . "all that you do, all that you eat, all that you offer and give away, as well as all austerities that you may perform, should be done as an offering unto Me." (Bhagavad-gita, IX, 27)

6) The food that sustains us should always be offered to the Lord before eating. In this way He becomes the Offering, and such eating purifies us.

7) We can, by sincere cultivation of bona fide spiritual science attain to the state of pure, unending blissful consciousness, free from anxiety in this very lifetime.

8) The recommended means of attaining the mature stage of Love of God in the present age of "Kali," or quarrel, is to chant the Holy Name of the Lord. The easiest method for most people is to chant the Hare Krishna mantra: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare.

The next stage in the process of elevation to love of God is sādhu-saṅga [Cc. Madhya 22.83], association with persons already in the highest stage of love of God.

Narada Bhakti Sutra 2, Purport: Thus love of God begins with the firm faith that one who engages in full devotional service has attained perfection in all these processes. The next stage in the process of elevation to love of God is sādhu-saṅga [Cc. Madhya 22.83], association with persons already in the highest stage of love of God. One who avoids such association and simply engages in mental speculation or so-called meditation cannot be raised to the perfectional platform. But one who associates with pure devotees or an elevated devotional society goes to the next stage—bhajana-kriyā, or acceptance of the regulative principles of worshiping the Supreme Lord. One who associates with a pure devotee of the Lord naturally accepts that person as his spiritual master, and when the neophyte devotee accepts a pure devotee as his spiritual master, the duty of the spiritual master is to train the neophyte in the principles of regulated devotional service, or vaidhi-bhakti.