Devotional Service in Attachment IIS

tional service as that of the residents of Vrajabhumi, and tries to follow in
their footsteps, he does not care for the restrictions or regulations of the re-
vealed Scriptures. That is the characteristic of discharging Raga Bhakti.

Devotional service with attachment is a natural inclination. One who has
been attracted by such a natural inclination does not accept any argument
against his conviction, even though such arguments are presented according
to Scriptural injunction. This natural inclination is also based on
injunction, and so a person who has attachment for that particular type of
devotional service toward the Supreme Lord is not required to change it
simply on the strength of Scriptural argument. In this connection we should
note that the class of so-called devotees known as Prakrita-sahajia follow their
own concocted ideas and represent themselves as Krishna and Radha, and
indulge in debauchery. This kind of devotional service and attachment is
false. They are actually gliding down the hellish path. This is not the standard
of Ragatmika, or devotion. This Prakrita sahajia community is actually cheated
and very unfortunate.

Devotional service with attachment can be executed in two ways: exter-
nally and internally. Externally, the devotee strictly follows the regulative
principles, beginning with chanting and hearing and other regulations, while
internally he always thinks of the attachment which attracts him to serve the
Supreme Lord. He always thinks of his special devotional service and attach-
ment. Such a real devotee’s attachment docs not violate the regulative prin-
ciples of devotional service, but he adheres to them strictly; and yet, within
his mind, he always thinks of his particular attachment.

All the inhabitants of Vrajabhumi, Vrindaban, are very dear to Krishna.
A devotee in attachment selects one of the inhabitants and follows in his
footsteps in order to be successful in his own devotional service. A pure devotee
in attachment always follows such a personality of Vrajabhumi within him-
self. It is advised in Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu that a pure devotee in devotional
service with attachment, should always remember the activities of a particular
inhabitant of Vraja, even though he is not able to live directly in Vrajabhumi
or Vrindaban. Thus he may always think of Vrajabhumi and Vrindaban.

Such confidential devotees in attachment are divided into several categories:
some of them are servants, some of them are friends, some of them are parents
and some of them are conjugal lovers. In devotional service with attachment
one has to follow a particular type of devotee of Vrajabhumi.

In the Srimad Bhagwatam, Third Canto, Twenty-fifth Chapter, it is stated:
“The word Matpara is used only for persons who are satisfied with the idea
