Characteristics of Pure Devotional Service 13

votees. If they can be engaged twenty-four hours each day in devo-
tional service they do not want anything else, not even the happiness
of liberation or of becoming one with the supreme.

In the Narada-pajicaratra it is also said that any person who has
developed even a small amount of devotional service doesn’t care
a fig for any kind of happiness derived from religiousness, economic
development, sense gratification, or the five kinds of liberation.
Any kind of happiness derived from religiousness, economic develop-
ment, liberation or sense gratification cannot even dare to enter
into the heart of a pure devotee. It is stated that as the personal
attendants and maidservants of a queen follow the queen with
all respect and obeisances, similarly the joys of religiousness, economic
development, sense gratification and liberation follow the devotional
service of the Lord. In other words, a pure devotee does not lack any
kind of happiness derived from any source. He does not want any-
thing but service to Krsna, but even if he should have another desire,
the Lord fulfills this without the devotee’s asking.

Rareness of Pure Devotional Service

In the preliminary phase of spiritual life there are different kinds
of austerities, penances and similar processes for attaining self-
realization. However, even if an executor of these processes is with-
out any material desire, he still cannot achieve devotional service.
And aspiring by oneself alone to achieve devotional service is also
not very hopeful because Krsna does not agree to award devotional
service to merely anyone. Krsna can easily offer a person material
happiness or even liberation, but He does not agree very easily to
award a person engagement in His devotional service. Devotional
service can in fact be attained only through the mercy of a pure
devotee. In the Caitanya-caritamrta it is said: ‘““By the mercy of the
spiritual master who is a pure devotee and by the mercy of Krsna one
can achieve the platform of devotional service. There is no other
way.”

The rarity of devotional service is also confirmed in the Tantra-
