View source for To offer prayers to Him (Visnu), to become His servant and His friend, to sacrifice everything for His service - all these are varieties of devotional service. One who is engaged in such activities is understood to be educated to the topmost perfection

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{{terms|"to offer prayers to Him, to become His servant and His friend, to sacrifice everything for His service—all these are varieties of devotional service. One who is engaged in such activities is understood to be educated to the topmost perfection"}}
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{{compiler|Nabakumar}}
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[[Category:Offering Prayers to God]]
[[Category:Become]]
[[Category:God's Servants]]
[[Category:God's Friends]]
[[Category:Sacrifice]]
[[Category:Everything]]
[[Category:Serving God]]
[[Category:All These]]
[[Category:Varieties of Devotional Service to God]]
[[Category:One Who Is]]
[[Category:Engaging in God's Service]]
[[Category:In Such]]
[[Category:Activities]]
[[Category:Understand]]
[[Category:Educated]]
[[Category:Topmost]]
[[Category:Perfection]]
[[Category:Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila Chapter 08 Purports - Talks Between Ari Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Ramananda Raya]]
[[Category:Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila Purports]]
[[Category:Sri Caitanya-caritamrta - 62 Chapters, All Purports]]
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<h2>Sri Caitanya-caritamrta</h2>
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<h3>CC Madhya-lila</h3>
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According to Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (SB 7.5.23-24): This is a statement given by Prahlāda Mahārāja in answer to a question raised by his father. Prahlāda Mahārāja said, “To hear or chant about Lord Viṣṇu, to remember Him, to serve His lotus feet, to worship Him, to offer prayers to Him, to become His servant and His friend, to sacrifice everything for His service—all these are varieties of devotional service. One who is engaged in such activities is understood to be educated to the topmost perfection.”.
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[[Vanisource:CC Madhya 8.245|CC Madhya 8.245, Translation and Purport]]
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On one occasion the Lord inquired, “Of all types of education, which is the most important?” Rāmānanda Rāya replied, “No education is important other than the transcendental devotional service of Kṛṣṇa.”
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Texts 245 to 257 are all questions and answers between Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Rāmānanda Rāya. In these exchanges there is an attempt to show the difference between material and spiritual existence. Education in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is always transcendental and is the best of all forms of education. Material education aims at increasing the activities of material sense gratification. Beyond material sense gratification is another negative form of knowledge called brahma-vidyā, or impersonal transcendental knowledge. But beyond that brahma-vidyā, or knowledge of the impersonal Brahman, is knowledge of devotional service to the Supreme Lord, Viṣṇu. This knowledge is higher. And higher still is devotional service to Lord Kṛṣṇa, which is the topmost form of education. According to Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam ([[Vanisource:SB 4.29.49|SB 4.29.49]]), tat karma hari-toṣaṁ yat sā vidyā tan-matir yayā: “Work meant for pleasing the Supreme Lord is the best, and education that enhances one’s Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the best.” Also, according to Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam ([[Vanisource:SB 7.5.23-24|SB 7.5.23-24]]):

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:śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam
:arcanaṁ vandanaṁ dāsyaṁ sakhyam ātma-nivedanam
:iti puṁsārpitā viṣṇau bhaktiś cen nava-lakṣaṇā 
:kriyeta bhagavaty addhā tan manye ’dhītam uttamam
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This is a statement given by Prahlāda Mahārāja in answer to a question raised by his father. Prahlāda Mahārāja said, “To hear or chant about Lord Viṣṇu, to remember Him, to serve His lotus feet, to worship Him, to offer prayers to Him, to become His servant and His friend, to sacrifice everything for His service—all these are varieties of devotional service. One who is engaged in such activities is understood to be educated to the topmost perfection.”
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