A Devotee Fixed in Loving Service
Purifies the Entire Universe
Śrī Kṛṣṇa says to Uddhava:
vāg gadgadā dravate yasya cittaṁ rudaty abhīkṣṇaṁ hasati kvacic ca vilajja udgāyati nṛtyate ca mad-bhakti-yukto bhuvanaṁ punātiA devotee whose speech is sometimes choked up, whose heart melts, who cries continually and sometimes laughs, who feels ashamed and cries out loudly and then dances—a devotee thus fixed in loving service to Me purifies the entire universe. (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 11.14.24)
Sent in by Goloka Vrindavana dasa
This is very nice Goloka Prabhu. Here are some nice quotes from Srila Prabhupada talking about LOVING SERVICE; Real love is not a sentimental feeling it is based on practical loving service for the pleasure of Guru and Krsna!
Love means bhajanti, render loving service. That is love.
I have explained in the beginning of Krsna Book that love is practical exhibition.
SP Morning Walk — April 12, 1974, Bombay
Love is actually exhibited. Then “Let me serve Krsna in this way, in that way, that way, that way.” You see? Fully engaged. This is the process. You cannot say that “Let my love be stagnant in my heart. There is no exhibition.” No. There must be exhibition. That is the symptom of love.
SP Morning Walk — April 12, 1974, Bombay
Guest (2): If I feel I have love for Krsna, is that enough to be a devotee.
Prabupada: So here it is said, ye bhajanti tu. Bhajanti means render service in love. When there is question of love, there is service. Without service… We have got practical experience.
Suppose if I love somebody and if I don’t give him something, don’t eat something or give him something eatable, then what kind of love it is? That is not love. Love means bhajanti, render service. That is love.
SP Lecture Bhagavad-gita 9.27-29 — New York, December 19, 1966
Prabhupada: But you must show how you love… Simply if you say… Suppose, anywhere in this material world, if you say somebody that “I love you,” but there is no symptoms of love, then what kind of love? Love symptoms means dadati, giving. First symptom.
Just like when a boy goes to love a girl, he brings something. That is ordinary etiquette. So first beginning of love is dadati, pratigrhnati. If I love you, I must give you. And if you offer me, I will take it, I will take something. Pratigrhnati. Exchange, giving and taking. Dadati pratigrhnati, bhunkte bhojayate.
If you love somebody, give him to eat, and whatever he gives you, you also eat. Dadati pratigrhnati bhunkte bhojayate, guhyam akhyati prcchati. And if you love somebody then you disclose your mind to him and try to understand him also.
By these six processes the symptoms of love is there. But if you say that “I love you,” but there is no action…
SP Room Conversation — September 19, 1973, Bombay
Prabhupada: Love is not definition; love is the action. Yes, love. I love God. Love is my activity. …. love is not just based on sentimentality. Love is also practical. Just like in this world, when there is relationship between man and woman, there is a practical exchange of love. It is not simply that love is only based on words. Also, love is based on actions. We can judge how much a man is developing love by what his activities are.
SP Morning Walk — April 22, 1974, Hyderabad
I have explained in the beginning of Krsna Book that love is practical exhibition. It is not theoretical. We cannot keep love within the heart. If actually it is within the heart, it must be expressed practically…
SP Morning Walk — April 12, 1974, Bombay
Guru Maharaja is the embodiment of this….. thanks for sharing!
Dear Goloka Vrndavan prabhu,
Great find. Great.
Gurudeva ki-jaya!
Is this not an apt description of our Gurudeva!
YS
NPdasa