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Transcendental Knowledge
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devotional life. The last stage of the devotional life is called  bhāva , or transcendental love of Godhead.
According to  Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu , the science of devotional service:
ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅgo ’tha bhajana-kriyā tato ’nartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt tato niṣṭhā rucis tataḥ athāsaktis tato bhāvas tataḥ premābhyudañcati sādhakānām ayaṁ premṇaḥ prādurbhāve bhavet kramaḥ.
“In the beginning one must have a preliminary desire for self-realization. This will bring one to the stage of trying to associate with persons who are spiritually elevated. In next stage one becomes initiated by an elevated spiritual master, and under his instruction the neophyte devotee begins the process of devotional service. By execution of devotional service under the guidance of the spiritual master, one becomes free from all material attachment, attains steadiness in self-realization, and acquires a taste for hearing about the Absolute Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa. This taste leads one further forward to attachment for Kṛṣṇa consciousness, which is matured in  bhāva , or the preliminary stage of transcendental love of God. Real love for God is called  premā , the highest perfectional stage of life.” In the  premā  stage there is constant engagement in the transcendental loving service of the Lord. So, by the slow process of devotional service, under the guidance of the bona fide spiritual master, one can attain the highest stage, being freed from all material attachment, from the fearfulness of one’s individual spiritual personality, and from the frustrations resulting from void philosophy. Then one can ultimately attain to the abode of the Supreme Lord.
TEXT 11
ये यथा मां प्रपद्यन्ते तांस्तथैव भजाम्यहम् । मम वत्मानुवर्तन्ते मनुष्याः पार्थ सर्वशः ॥११॥
ye yathā māṁ prapadyante tāṁs tathaiva bhajāmy aham mama vartmānuvartante manuṣyāḥ pārtha sarvaśaḥ
ye —all of them;  yathā —as;  mām —unto Me;  prapadyante —surrender;  tān —unto them;  tathā —so;  eva —certainly;  bhajāmi —do I reward;  aham —I;