The Nectar of Devotion - 1970 ISKCON press edition ... - Prabhupada

Characteristics of Pure Devotional Service 13votees. If they can be engaged twenty-four hours each day in devotionalservice they do not want anything else, not even the happinessof liberation or of becoming one with the supreme.In the Niirada-paiicariitra it is also said that any person who hasdeveloped even a small amount of devotional service doesn't carea fig for any kind of happiness derived from religiousness, economicdevelopment, sense gratification, or the five kinds of liberation.Any kind of happiness derived from religiousness, economic development,liberation or sense gratification cannot even dare to enterinto the heart of a pure devotee. It is stated that as the personalattendants and maidservants of a queen follow the queen withall respect and obeisances, similarly the joys of religiousness, economicdevelopment, sense gratification and liberation follow the devotionalservice of the Lord. In other words, a pure devotee does not lack anykind of happiness derived from any source. He does not want anythingbut service to Kra, but even if he should have another desire,the Lord fulfills this without the devotee's asking.Rareness of Pure Devotional ServiceIn the preliminary phase of spiritual life there are different kindsof austerities, penances and similar processes for attaining selfrealization.However, even if an executor of these processes is withoutany material desire, he still cannot achieve devotional service.And aspiring by oneself alone to achieve devotional service is alsonot very hopeful because Kra does not agree to award devotionalservice to merely anyone. Krwa can easily offer a person materialhappiness or even liberation, but He does not agree very easily toaward a person engagement in His devotional service. Devotionalservice can in fact be attained only through the mercy of a puredevotee. In the Caitanya-caritiimrta it is said: "By the mercy of thespiritual master who is a pure devotee and by the mercy of Kra onecan achieve the platform of devotional service. There is no otherway. "The rarity of devotional service is also confirmed in the Tantra-