118 Teachings of Lord Chaitanya

Lord Chaitanya next described the symptoms of a person who has devel-
oped from faith to the stage of Bhava. He is characterized as follows: he is
never agitated even if there are causes for agitation. The next characteristic
is that he does not waste his time for a moment. He is always anxious to do
something for Krishna Consciousness. Even if he has no engagement, he’ll
find some work to do for Krishna’s satisfaction. The next characteristic is that
he does not like anything which is not connected with Krishna. He never
hankers after personal respect. Although he is in the best position, still he does
not hanker after being honored by others. And he is confident in his task.
He is never under the impression that he is not making progress or achieving
the Supreme goal of life or going back to Godhead, going back to Home.
He is fully convinced that he is making progress toward that site. As such,
with more and more confidence, he is always very busy to achieve that highest
goal of life. He is very much attached to the gratification of the Lord, or chant-
ing, or hearing about the Lord. At all times he is always attached to describing
the transcendental qualities of the Lord. He wants to live in such places as
Mathura, Vrindaban, or Dwarka. These symptoms are all visible in a person
who has developed to the stage of Bhava.

This state of Bhava is described in connection with King Parikshit, when
he was sitting on the bank of the Ganges to meet his death because of being
cursed by a Brahmin boy. He spoke as follows: “All the Brahmins present
here, as well as Mother Ganges, may know that I am a soul completely sur-
rendered to Krishna. I do not mind even if I am immediately bitten by the
snake sent by the Brahmin boy. Let the snake bite me as it likes, but I shall
be pleased if all of you present here go on chanting the message of Krishna.”
Such a devotee is always anxious to see that his time is not wasted in anything
which is not connected with Krishna. As such, desires derived from fruitive
activities, or from yogic meditation, or by the cultivation of knowledge are
not liked by him. He is simply attached to favorable words in relation with
Krishna. Such pure devotees of the Lord always go on praying to the Supreme
Lord with tears in their eyes, and their minds are always engaged in recollecting
the activities of the Lord, and with their bodies they offer obeisances. Thus
they are satisfied. Any devotee who is acting in such devotional service dedi-
cates his life and body for that purpose.

King Bharata was also a pure devotee, and under his name India is called
Bharatvarsa. He left his household life and kingdom at an early age. He left
his devoted, beautiful wife, his son and friends and kingdom and everything
just as if they were stool. Such are the symptoms of persons who have devel-
oped Bhava in their devotional service. Such a person in devotional service
