294, The Nectar of Devotion

sonality of Godhead. Negation of material existence is only one of
the subjects of the Upanisads. The next subject concerns becoming
situated in the impersonal realization. And then, after penetrating
through the impersonal Brahman, when one comes to the platform
of associating with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one reaches
the ultimate goal in studying the Upanisads.

Those who are situated on the platform of santa-rasa get their im-
petus for advancement in devotional service by smelling the tulasi of-
fered at the lotus feet of the Lord, by hearing the sound of His
conchshell, by seeing a sanctified place in some mountain or hill, by
observing a forest like the ones in Vrndavana, by going to a place of
pilgrimage, by visiting the course of the Ganges River, by being vic-
torious over the dictations of bodily demands (i.e., eating, sleeping,
mating and defending), by understanding the devastation of eternal
time, and by constantly associating with devotees engaged in Krsna
consciousness. All these different items are favorable in elevating
saintly persons situated in sdnta-rasa to the advanced stage of devo-
tional service.

In the Third Canto, 15th Chapter, 43rd verse of S rimad-Bhagavatam
there is a statement by the four saintly persons known as Catuhsana,
headed by Sanaka-kumara. They went to visit the Lord of Vaikuntha-
loka in the spiritual sky, and when they bowed down before the
Lord, the aroma of the tulasi, mixed with saffron, entered their nos-
trils and immediately attracted their minds. Although these four
saintly persons were always absorbed in the thought of impersonal
Brahman, from association with the Lord and from smelling the
tulasi leaves, the hairs on their bodies immediately stood up. This
shows that even a person who is situated in Brahman realization, if
he is put into association with devotees in pure devotional service,
will immediately become attracted to the personal feature of the
Lord.

There are certain symptoms of great sages who are situated in
Sdnta-rasa devotional service, and these symptoms are exhibited as
follows: they concentrate their eyesight on the tip of the nose, and
they behave just like an avadhita. Avadhita means a highly elevated
mystic who does not cre for any social, religious or Vedic conven-
