348 Sri Caitanya-caritamrta [Madhya-lila, Ch. 19

PURPORT

There are different types of material perfection known as_ siddhi-vraja,
brahminical qualifications, yogic trance and merging into the Supreme. All these
are certainly very attractive for a mundane person, but their brilliance exists only
as long as one does not take to devotional service. Devotional service can control
the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the supreme controller of all univer-
sal affairs. The five rasas (mellows) in the transcendental world are practiced by
the inhabitants of Goloka Vrndavana in neutrality, servitorship, friendship, pater-
nal affection and conjugal love. All these please the Lord so much that He is con-
trolled by the devotees. For instance, mother YaSoda was so advanced in devo-
tional service that Krsna agreed to be controlled by her stick. In other words, the
five principal mellows are so great and glorious that they are able to control the
Supreme Personality of Godhead. In the material world, however, the so-called
siddhis, or perfections, manifest their brightness only as long as one is not in-
terested in devotional service. In other words, the perfection of the karmis, jfanis,
yogis and others remains attractive only as long as one does not come to the
point of devotional service, which is so great and significant that it can control the
supreme controller, Krsna.

TEXT 166

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‘Suddha-bhakti’ haite haya ‘prema’ utpanna
ataeva Suddha-bhaktira kahiye ‘laksana’

SYNONYMS

suddha-bhakti—pure devotional service without material contaminations;
haite—from; haya—is; prema—love of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; ut-
panna—produced; ataeva—therefore; suddha-bhaktira—of pure devotional ser-
vice; kahiye—let me explain; laksana—the symptoms.

TRANSLATION

“When one is situated in pure devotional service, he develops love of God-
head; therefore let me describe some of the symptoms of pure devotional ser-
vice.

PURPORT

In Bhagavad-gita (18.55) it is said: bhaktya mam abhijanati yavan yas casmi tat-
tvatah. One cannot understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead in truth un-
less he takes to devotional service.
