Devotional Service in Attachment iid
always thinks of himself as the most wretched, and he is only satisfied that
someday or other Krishna will be kind enough to favor him by engaging him
in devotional service. In the Padma Purana another instance of the pure devotee
is found, where the king, although the best of all human beings, was begging
from door to door and was even praying to the lowest of human society,
the Chandala.

Sri Sanatan Goswami later composed the following verse: “I am low in
love of Godhead, and I haven’t any asset for hearing about devotional service.
Neither do I have any understanding of the science of devotional service,
nor do I have any cultivation of knowledge, nor any righteous activities be-
hind me; nor am I born of high family. But, O Darling of the damsels of Braja,
still I maintain a hope for achieving You, and that hope is disturbing me.”
So a devotee, being touched deeply by such strong desire, always chants
Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/Hare Rama, Hare
Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

In this connection a nice verse by Bilvamongal appears in Krishna Karna-
mrita: “O Player of the nice flute, Krishna, the beauty of Your boyhood
activities is very wonderful in this world. You know the agitation of my mind,
and I know what You are. Nobody knows how confidential our relationship
is. Now my eyes are anxious to see You and Your face, but I cannot see You.
Please—let me know what I shall do.” A similar passage appears in Bhakti
Rasamrita Sindhu, by Rupa Goswami, which states: “O Govinda! this young
girl with tears in her eyes is crying in a sweet voice, chanting Your Glories.”
Such pure devotees are always anxious to describe the Glories of Krishna, and
to live in a place where Krishna exhibited His Pastimes.

A similar verse appears again in Krishna Karnamrita: “This Body of
Krishna is so nice, His Face is so nice—everything about Him is only sweet
and fragrant.” A similar passage also appears in the Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu:
“O Lotus-eyed One, when shall I be able to always chant Your Holy Name,
and being agitated in that chanting, when shall I be able to dance on the bank
of the Yamuna?”

All the above descriptions made by Lord Chaitanya to Sanatan Goswami
are called symptoms of the Bhava stage of devotional service. Next He proceeds
to describe the symptoms of actual love for Krishna. He says that nobody
can understand a person who has developed love of Krishna—neither his words,
his activities, nor his symptoms. Even if one is very learned, it is very difficult
for him to understand a pure devotee in love of Godhead. This is confirmed
in Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu also.

A person engaged in devotional service becomes slackened in his heart
