Live Caitanya Caritamrta · CC Ādi 8.17
Devotional Service Is Rare
“By cultivating philosophical knowledge one can understand his spiritual position and thus be liberated, and by performing sacrifices and pious activities one can achieve sense gratification in a higher planetary system, but the devotional service of the Lord is so rare that even by executing hundreds and thousands of such sacrifices one cannot obtain it.”
What the purport teaches
- By cultivating philosophical knowledge, one can understand one’s spiritual position and become liberated.
- Sacrifices and pious activities can bring sense gratification in a higher planetary system.
- Devotional service to the Lord is so rare that even hundreds and thousands of such sacrifices cannot obtain it.
Try this today
Take a moment today to express your desire to serve the Lord rather than seek enjoyment.
Ask yourself
Am I seeking enjoyment or liberation, or do I desire devotional service to the Lord?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
The study points are short summaries drawn from Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport; the practice and question are plain words for trying the verse today.