25 / Devotees of Krsna

A person who is always absorbed in Krsna consciousness is called a
devotee of Krsna. Srila Ripa Gosvami says that all the transcendental
qualities discussed above are also found in the devotees of Krsna. The
devotees of Krsna can be classified into two groups: those who are
cultivating devotional service in order to enter into the transcendental
kingdom, and those who are already in the perfectional stage of devo-
tional service. .

A person who has attained the stage of attraction for Krsna and
who is not freed from the material impasse, but who has qualified
himself to enter into the kingdom of God, is called sédhaka. Sadhaka
means one who is cultivating devotion in Krsna consciousness. The
description of such a devotee is found in the Eleventh Canto, 2nd
Chapter, 45th verse, of Srimad-Bhagavatam. It is said there that a per-
son who has unflinching faith in and love for the Personality of God-
head, who is in friendship with devotees of Krsna, and who is very
merciful to the ignorant, raising them to the standard of devotional
service, and who is uninterested in nondevotees, is considered to be
situated in the position of cultivating devotional service.

When one is found shedding tears by hearing of the pastimes of the
Lord, it is to be understood that the blazing fire of material existence
will be extinguished by such watering. When there is shivering of the
body and the hairs of the body stand up, it is to be understood that
the devotee is nearing perfection. An example of a sddhaka cultivating
devotional service is Bilvamangala Thakur.

When a person is never tired of executing devotional service and is
always engaged in Krsna conscious activities, constantly relishing the

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