3 / Eligibility of the Candidate
for Accepting Devotional Service

Qn account of his association with mahatmas, or great souls one
hundred percent in the devotional service of the Lord, one may at-
tain a little bit of attraction for Sri Krsna. But at the same time one
may remain very much attached to fruitive activities and material
sense enjoyment and not be prepared to undergo the different types
of renunciation. Such a person, if he has unflinching attraction to
Krsna, becomes an eligible candidate for discharging devotional
service.

This attraction for Krsna consciousness in association with pure
devotees is the sign of great fortune. It is confirmed by Lord Caitanya
that only the fortunate persons, by the mercy of both a bona fide
spiritual master and Krsna, will get the seed of devotional service. In
this connection, Lord Krsna says in Srimad-Bhagavatam, Eleventh
Canto, 20th Chapter, verse 8: ““My dear Uddhava, only by excep-
tional fortune does someone become attracted to Me (Krsna).
And even if one is not completely detached from fruitive activities,
or is not completely attached to devotional service, such service is
quickly effective.”

Devotees can be divided into three classes. The first or uppermost
class is described as follows: one is very expert in the study of rele-
vant scriptures, and he is also expert in putting forward arguments in
terms of those scriptures. He can very nicely present conclusions
with perfect discretion and can consider the ways of devotional ser-
vice in a decisive way. He understands perfectly that the ultimate
goal of life is to attain to the transcendental loving service of Krsna,
and he knows that Krsna is the only object of worship and love. This

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