Live Caitanya Caritamrta · CC Madhya 23.106-107
Be a Kind Friend to All
“ ‘One who is not envious but is a kind friend to all living entities, who does not think himself a proprietor and is free from false ego, who is equal in both happiness and distress, who is always satisfied, forgiving and self-controlled, and who is engaged in devotional service with determination, his mind and intelligence dedicated to Me — such a devotee of Mine is very dear to Me.
What the purport teaches
- A devotee should not be jealous of people of other castes or nations. Anyone can become a Vaiṣṇava, not only Indians or brāhmaṇas.
- The bhakti teachings should be spread all over the world. Those who spread them should be equally friendly to everyone.
- Kṛṣṇa holds dear the devotee who is free from possessiveness and false ego, forgiving, satisfied, and self-controlled. Such a devotee remains steady in happiness and distress, with mind and intelligence dedicated to Him in determined devotional service.
Try this today
Offer one concrete act of kindness to someone from a different background, without considering them less eligible for devotion.
Ask yourself
Do I treat people from different backgrounds as equally welcome in devotional life?
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.