Characteristics of Pure Devotional Service 9

a high character. One develops the highest character by becoming a
pure devotee of Krsna. The conclusion is that no one can truly have
any good qualities if he is lacking Krsna consciousness.

Happiness in Krsna Consciousness

Srila Ripa Gosvami has analyzed the different sources of happi-
ness. He has divided happiness into three categories, which are: 1)
happiness derived from material enjoyment, 2) happiness derived by
identifying oneself with the Supreme Brahman, and 3) happiness
derived from Krsna consciousness.

In the Tantra-sa3tra Lord Siva speaks to his wife, Sati, in this way:
“My dear wife, a person who has surrendered himself at the lotus
feet of Govinda and who has thus developed pure Krsna conscious-
ness can be very easily awarded all the perfections desired by the
impersonalists; and beyond this, he can enjoy the happiness achieved
by the pure devotees.”

Happiness derived from pure devotional service is the highest
because it is eternal. But the happiness derived from material
perfection or understanding oneself to be Brahman is inferior
because it is temporary. There is no preventing one’s falling down
from material happiness, and there is even every chance of falling
down from the spiritual happiness derived out of identifying oneself
with the impersonal Brahman.

It has been seen that great madyavadi (impersonalist) sannydsis
—very highly educated and almost realized souls—may some-
times take to political activities or to social welfare activities.
The reason is that they actually do not derive any ultimate tran-
scendental happiness in the impersonal understanding and _ there-
fore must come down to the material platform and take to such
mundane affairs. There are many instances, especially in India,
where these mayavadi sannyasis descend to the material platform
- again. But a person who is fully in Krsna consciousness will never
return to any sort of material platform. However alluring and
attracting they may be, he always knows that no material welfare
