Live Caitanya Caritamrta · CC Madhya 22.115
The nine processes of bhaktiAccepting servitorship
“On the path of regulative devotional service, one must observe the following items: (1) One must accept a bona fide spiritual master. (2) One must accept initiation from him. (3) One must serve him. (4) One must receive instructions from the spiritual master and make inquiries in order to learn devotional service. (5) One must follow in the footsteps of the previous ācāryas and follow the directions given by the spiritual master.
What the purport teaches
- On the path of regulative devotional service, one must accept a bona fide spiritual master and receive initiation from him.
- One must serve the spiritual master, receive his instructions and make inquiries to learn devotional service.
- One must follow in the footsteps of the previous ācāryas and follow the spiritual master’s directions.
Try this today
Sakhyam's forerunner: place yourself under the Lord's orders. Before your first decision today, ask in one sentence what the Lord would like you to do with this hour.
Ask yourself
Did I act today as a servant, or as the owner of my time?
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.