The Devotee 109
of the Supreme Lord is always the essence of everything. Remembrance of
the Supreme Personality of Godhead always within one’s heart is the practical
action of devotional service. In that performance of devotional service there
is no regulative principle. There are no do’s and don’t’s.

Generally, in devotional service, one should accept the following prin-
ciples: 1. One is to take shelter of a bona fide spiritual master. 2. It is necessary
to be initiated by the spiritual master; 3. to serve the spiritual master; 4. to
inquire and to learn love from the Spiritual Master; 5. to follow in the foot-
steps of holy persons devoted to the transcendental loving service of the Lord.
6. For the satisfaction of Krishna one should be prepared to give up all kinds
of enjoyment and miseries. 7. One should live in a place where Krishna had
His Pastimes. 8. One should be satisfied with whatever is sent by Krishna for
maintenance of his body and should not be anxious to receive more than
that. 9. One should observe fasting on Ekadasee day, the eleventh day after
the full moon and the eleventh day after the new moon, when no grains,
cereals or beans are eaten. Simple vegetables and milk are taken in moderate
amounts, and chanting of Hare Krishna, reading Scripture, etc. is increased.
10. One should show respect to devotees, the cow and trees such as the banyan
tree.

These ten items are essential for a neophyte devotee who is beginning
to follow the path of devotional service. The next stage is as follows: 11.
One should try to avoid offenses in the service to the Lord, and in chanting
the Holy Names of the Lord. There are ten kinds of offenses in chanting the
Holy Name and they should be avoided. The offenses are: 1. Blaspheming
a devotee of the Lord; 2. Considering the Lord and the demigods on the samé
level, or to think that there are many Gods; 3. To neglect the orders of the
spiritual master; 4. To minimize the authority of Scriptures (the Vedas);
5. To interpret the Holy Names of God; 6. To commit sin on the strength
of chanting; 7. To instruct the Glories of the Lord’s Name to the unfaithful;
8. To compare the Holy Name with material piety; 9. To be inattentive while
chanting the Holy Name; 10. To remain attached to material things in spite
of chanting the Holy Names. 12. One should avoid the association of unholy
non-devotees. 13. One should not attempt to have many disciples. 14. One
should not take the trouble of understanding various books or to understand
partially any particular book, and one should avoid discussing different doc-
trines. 15. One should be equipoised both in gain and loss. 16. One should not
be subject to any kind of lamentation. 17. One should not disrespect demigods,
or other Scriptures. 18. One should not tolerate blaspheming the Supreme
