Category:Attracted to Devotional Service to God
Theme Analysis
To become genuinely attracted to the devotional service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is a rare and exalted achievement. The Vedic literatures confirm that those who are heavily addicted to material pleasures or who are solely engaged in fruitive sacrifices for heavenly elevation cannot easily develop this attraction. A foundational requirement is to lead a sinless life, which can be fostered through pure agrarian activities like agriculture and cow protection. However, the absolute catalyst for awakening this attraction is the causeless mercy of pure devotees. As Prahlāda Mahārāja instructed his atheistic father, without being favored by the dust of the lotus feet of a pure Vaiṣṇava, one cannot even touch the path of devotional service.
The awakening of this attraction follows a scientific progression. By associating with pure devotees and receiving the mercy of Kṛṣṇa, a practitioner gradually eliminates the obstacles and sins within their heart (anartha-nivṛtti). As the heart is cleansed, the devotee achieves steadiness (niṣṭhā) and develops a genuine taste (ruci) for spiritual topics. Only after this does profound attraction (āsakti) to devotional service fully manifest, eventually leading to transcendental emotion (bhāva) and pure love of God.
The potency of devotional service is so absolute that it attracts even those who are already fully liberated. Impersonalists who have realized the Brahman effulgence and are completely free from material contamination, such as the four Kumāras and Śukadeva Gosvāmī, still find themselves inexplicably drawn to the transcendental qualities and service of Lord Kṛṣṇa.
At the highest echelon of this spiritual awakening lies spontaneous attraction, technically known as rāgānugā-bhakti. When an advanced devotee hears about the intimate pastimes of the residents of Vṛndāvana, they naturally become attracted to a specific mellow (rasa)—such as servitorship, friendship, parental affection, or conjugal love. While continuing to execute their routine devotional duties externally, they inwardly cultivate this intense, spontaneous attraction, completely absorbing their minds in the loving service of the Lord.
- Rarity and Prerequisites: Genuine attraction to devotional service is extremely rare and cannot be achieved by sinful or materialistic persons; it strictly requires a pure life and the mercy of advanced devotees.
- The Progressive Path: Attraction (āsakti) is a specific stage that blossoms only after one has eliminated internal obstacles and developed steadiness and taste through association.
- Captivating the Liberated: The transcendental nature of devotional service is proven by its ability to effortlessly attract even fully liberated souls who have already conquered material desires.
- Spontaneous Love (Rāgānugā-bhakti): The ultimate perfection of this attraction is a spontaneous, intense desire to serve Kṛṣṇa in a specific, intimate relationship, mirroring the eternal residents of Vṛndāvana.
- Explore the synthesized essence of this category in this Vanipedia article: Attracted to Devotional Service to God - The Awakening of Spiritual Desire.
Subcategories
This category has only the following subcategory.
Pages in category "Attracted to Devotional Service to God"
The following 26 pages are in this category, out of 26 total.
A
- After the elimination of all sins or obstacles on the path of devotional service, one can become attracted, one can have steadiness, one can have perfect taste, one can have transcendental emotions, and one can be situated in loving service of the Lord
- Agriculture and cow protection are the way to become sinless and thus be attracted to devotional service. Those who are sinful cannot be attracted by devotional service
- All these stages (elimination of obstacles, becoming attracted, steadiness, perfect taste, transcendental emotions, & being situated in loving service to God) develop by the association of pure devotees, and that is the purport of this stanza - SB 1.5.25
B
- By cultivating such knowledge one gradually becomes advanced on the path of liberation, and thereafter he is freed, and his attraction becomes fixed. Then real devotion and devotional service begin
- By the mercy of Krsna and by the association of devotees, one increases his attraction to and intelligence for pure devotional service; therefore one gives up everything and engages himself at the lotus feet of Krsna and His pure devotees
D
- Devotee should externally execute his routine devotional service in a regular way but should always inwardly think of the particular mellow in which he is attracted to the service of the Lord
- Devotional service is transcendental attraction for the Supreme on account of His being the source of all pleasing humors
- Devotional service with attachment is natural, and one who has been attracted by it does not argue with those who oppose him, even though others may argue by presenting scriptural injunctions
I
- If a living entity takes to those ritualistic activities by which pure devotional service to the Lord is developed in the association of pure devotees, then one's mind naturally becomes attracted to devotional service
- It is very good news that your Temple has attracted so many sincere, intelligent and enthusiastic devotees. Please see them all trained nicely in devotional service and let them continue to follow the regulative principles and work on patiently
S
- Similarly, Sanaka, Sanatana, Sananda & Sanat-kumara were all in the category of wise, saintly persons, and they were also attracted by devotional service. A similar thing happened to the assemblage in the Naimisaranya forest, headed by the sage Saunaka
- Since Lord Visnu is the fountainhead of auspiciousness, anyone who is attracted by the devotional service of Lord Visnu can render the greatest service to human society
T
- The Lord's activities in confidential love are very rarely disclosed to the general devotees who are attracted by devotion mixed with knowledge and mysticism. Such activities are the inconceivable pastimes of the Lord
- The Lord's desire to appear was born from two reasons: the Lord wanted to taste the sweet essence of the mellows of love of God, and He wanted to propagate devotional service in the world on the platform of spontaneous attraction
- Those who are addicted to material pleasure cannot be attracted to devotional service
W
- When all misgivings and personal deficiencies are removed, there is a standard faith in transcendental matter and the taste for it increases in greater proportion. This stage leads to attraction and after this there is bhava
- When an advanced, realized devotee hears about the affairs of the devotees of Vrndavana - in the mellows of santa, dasya, sakhya, vatsalya and madhurya - he becomes inclined in one of these ways, and his intelligence becomes attracted
- When one approaches pure devotional service after realizing Brahman, one becomes attracted by pure devotional service. At such a time, by rendering devotional service, one gets a spiritual body with purified senses
- When the atheist Hiranyakasipu asked his son Prahlada Maharaja how it was he became attracted to devotional service, he replied, As long as one is not favored by the dust of the feet of pure devotees, he cannot even touch the path of devotional service