Category:Becoming a Great Devotee of God
Theme Analysis
The attainment of pure devotion is the highest perfection of human life. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that becoming a great devotee, or a mahātmā, is not dependent on one's material background, birth, or even previous sinful activities. History is replete with examples of individuals who achieved this exalted status from seemingly impossible starting points: Prahlāda Mahārāja was born into a family of demons, Vidura was born of a kept wife, and a cruel hunter was transformed simply by the association of Nārada Muni. Even those who were already situated in impersonal Brahman realization, like Śukadeva Gosvāmī and the four Kumāras, only found ultimate satisfaction when they became great devotees of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
The catalyst for this transformation is invariably the mercy and association of pure devotees. As Prahlāda Mahārāja stated, one cannot become a perfect devotee without touching the dust of the lotus feet of a great, niṣkiñcana devotee. Simply by accepting the remnants of food from great sages, the son of a maidservant became the exalted Nārada Muni. In the modern age, Śrīla Prabhupāda notes that people are astonished to see Westerners—Europeans and Americans—becoming great devotees. This miraculous transformation occurs because they have taken the spiritual information seriously, proving that the bhakti movement operates entirely on the transcendental platform, far above varṇāśrama-dharma.
While the path is open to everyone, Śrīla Prabhupāda issues strict warnings about the mentality required to sustain greatness. A great devotee must never become proud. He cites the example of King Citraketu, who, despite becoming a great devotee of Lord Saṅkarṣaṇa, became somewhat proud and criticized Lord Śiva, a mistake that is never tolerated in Vaiṣṇava culture. Furthermore, Śrīla Prabhupāda condemns the imitation of ecstatic symptoms (like shivering) and the false pride of those who retreat to a solitary place in Vṛndāvana, thinking they have become great devotees while ignoring the Lord's order to preach. True greatness is demonstrated by executing the Lord's mission faithfully, even if it requires fierce action, as seen when Arjuna fought the Kauravas and Hanumān burned Laṅkā.
- Universal Accessibility: Becoming a great devotee is not restricted by material disqualifications, birth, or past karma; anyone can achieve this status through proper association and determination.
- The Power of Association: The transformation into a mahātmā is triggered by hearing from, serving, and touching the lotus feet of exalted, pure devotees.
- Dynamic Service Over Stagnation: True greatness is proven by actively executing the order of Kṛṣṇa—even if it involves fighting or missionary work—rather than proudly remaining stagnant in solitary chanting.
- The Danger of Pride: A pure Vaiṣṇava must remain forever humble; false pride and the imitation of ecstatic symptoms are direct causes of spiritual falldown.
- Explore the synthesized essence of this category in this Vanipedia article: Becoming a Great Devotee of God - The Path of Pure Service and Humility.
Pages in category "Becoming a Great Devotee of God"
The following 47 pages are in this category, out of 47 total.
A
- A pure devotee must execute the order of the Lord and must not gratify his senses by remaining stagnant in one place, falsely proud, thinking that because he does not leave Vrndavana but chants in a solitary place he has become a great devotee
- All of these great sages (Sanaka, Sananda, Sanatana and Sanat) became great devotees, for without devotional service to the Personality of Godhead one cannot achieve success in any activity of spiritual value
- Although the hunter formerly took great pleasure in half-killing animals, since he became a great devotee of the Lord, he was not prepared to give pain even to an ant
- Ambitious for Krsna, everyone should be ambitious: "How I shall become a great devotee?" That is very good
- Appearing as Vamana and begging Bali Maharaja for three feet of land, the Lord took possession of the entire three worlds. Thus Bali Maharaja became a great devotee of Lord Vamana
- Arjuna was in the beginning not willing to fight. That was his personal satisfaction. He was considering in terms of his personal satisfaction. But later on, the same Arjuna, he wanted to satisfy Krsna, and he fought and he became a great devotee
- As for Prahlada Maharaja, he was initiated by Narada Muni, and therefore it was possible for him to become a great devotee, although he was born in a family of demons. For Vrtrasura, however, Indra could not detect such causes
- As stated by Prahlada Maharaja: One cannot become a perfect devotee of the Lord without having touched the lotus feet of a great devotee. One who has nothing to do with this material world is called niskincana
F
- Fighting is not very good business, killing. But sometimes, by killing, one can become a great devotee of Krsna. He (Arjuna) was a warrior, fighter. His business was to fight, but he fought for Krsna. Then he became a devotee
- From out of these fallen trees came Nalakuvara and Manigriva, who had by then become great devotees of the Lord
H
- Hanuman become engaged in fighting with Ravana, but he became the greatest devotee of Lord Ramacandra. Arjuna also became engaged with, in fighting with the Kauravas, and he is the greatest
- Hanuman, the great servitor of Lord Rama, exhibited his wrath by burning the golden city of Ravana, but by doing so he became the greatest devotee of the Lord
- He (Silhana Misra) wrote a book named Santi-sataka, and later, by the mercy of Lord Krsna and the Vaisnavas, he became a great devotee. Thus he became famous as Bilvamangala Thakura Gosvami
- He further did not attempt to talk with Him. He went away, and the Mother Sarasvati advised him that, "You surrender unto Him. That will be your nice role." Yes. So later on, he became a great devotee of Lord Caitanya, Kesava Kasmiri
I
- I shall now narrate the story of how a hunter became a great devotee by the association of such an exalted personality as Narada Muni. From this story, one can understand the greatness of association with pure devotees
- If even a great atheist hears Sri Caitanya-mangala, he immediately becomes a great devotee
- If one understands this, that Krsna is Para-brahman - vasudevah sarvam iti - He's also Paramatma, He's also impersonal Brahman - sa mahatma sudurlabhah: He becomes the great mahatma
- If you simply do this missionary work and say that, "Krsna is the Supreme Personality," then you become a great devotee. You become a guru. Why people do not do so? It is not very difficult task
- In any position and anywhere in the world, he (a person) can perform this devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead and thus become actually mahatma, a great soul. BG 1972 purports
- In spite of Vidura's birth from the womb of a kept wife, because he had otherwise high parentage and great connection he inherited the highest talent of becoming a great devotee of the Lord
- In the beginning, Dhruva Maharaja was interested in the kingdom of his father, but later he became a great devotee, maha-bhagavata, and had no interest in material enjoyment. The perfection of life can be achieved only by devotees
- Indirectly, the words of Suruci were a benediction for Dhruva Maharaja, for because of the influence of his stepmother's words, he became a great devotee
- It was admitted by Sukadeva Gosvami that although he was liberated from within the very womb of his mother, it was only after relishing Srimad-Bhagavatam that he became a great devotee
L
- Lord Balarama is the original Visnu; therefore anyone remembering these pastimes of Lord Balarama in the morning and evening will certainly become a great devotee of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and thus his life will be successful in all respects
- Lord Siva is Lord Siva. He is very powerful demigod. He can give. He has got the power. But in spite of being favored by Lord Siva, in spite of his (Ravana) becoming the great devotee of Lord Siva, why he is described as raksasa? That is the point
S
- Simply by associating with them & accepting the remnants of foodstuff left by the sages, the son of the maidservant got the chance to become the great devotee & personality Naradadeva. These are the miraculous effects of the association of Bhagavatas
- Srila Jiva Gosvami remarks in this connection that every child, if given an impression of the Lord from his very childhood, certainly becomes a great devotee of the Lord like Maharaja Pariksit
- Sukadeva Gosvami heard Srimad-Bhagavatam by the mercy of his father, Vyasadeva, and he was consequently attracted to Krsna and became a great devotee
- Sukadeva Gosvami is the son of Vyasadeva. He was a brahmacari fully conscious of Brahman realization, but later he became a great devotee of Lord Krsna. He narrated Srimad-Bhagavatam to Maharaja Pariksit
T
- The difficulty was that Citraketu, having become a great devotee of Lord Visnu, Sankarsana, was somewhat proud at having achieved Lord Sankarsana's favor and therefore thought that he could now criticize anyone, even Lord Siva
- There are many instances in history. Simply by tasting the tulasi leaves offered to the lotus feet of the Lord, great sages like Sanatkumara became great devotees. BG 1972 purports
- This kind of pride (of becoming a great devotee of Lord Visnu) in a devotee is never tolerated. A Vaisnava should always remain very humble and meek and offer respect to others
- To become a great devotee means to finish all miserable conditions of materialistic life
V
W
- We should not imitate such shivering to show to the public that "I have become a great devotee," but we should execute devotional service nicely and faithfully; then that stage will come automatically, shivering
- What devotion we can offer to Krsna? He's unlimited. He's kindly accepting our little service. That's all. Don't be proud of becoming a great devotee. That is the cause of falldown
- When persons with a small fund of intelligence, after endeavoring hard for many, many lives to understand the supreme cause, are finally in actual knowledge of Krsna, Vasudeva, they surrender unto Him. Thus they become great mahatmas, perfect souls