Only most purified devotional service free from Jnana and Karma, executed without envy can bring one to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead
Characteristics of such devotional service (ananya-bhakti) are:
1‘Mad-bhaktah’ — Engages in My pure devotional service (Nine processes)
Either perform all nine or at least one – That will make life perfect
2‘Sanga varjitah’ — Free from contaminations of fruitive acts and mental speculation
Disassociate from persons against Krishna and Bhakti-yoga
Definition of pure devotional service – Ref Bhakti-rasamtra-sindhu 1.1.11 – “anya bhilasita...”
Free from all material desires
Free from fruitive acts and mental speculation (Karma and Jnana)
‘Think of Krishna’ and act for Krishna ‘favourably’ – e.g. Not like Kamsa who was always thinking of Krishna, but unfavourably
Accept favourable and reject unfavourable (Hari-Bhakti Vilasa – “anukulasya...”)
A pure devotee does not even want Goloka – only wants to serve Krishna
3‘Mat-karma Krt’ — Works for ‘Me’ – without attachment to the results (with mentality of Krishna as proprietor) –
Krishna-karma – Implies that no work should be done except in relationship with Krishna
e.g. Businessman offering money to Krishna or Constructing a big temple for Krishna
Accept remnants of Krishna’s offering as Prasadam
Even poorest man can perform – e.g. Clean temple / Cultivate garden for flowers and tulasi (Bg. 9.26 – “patram pushpam...”)
4‘Mat-paramo’ — Makes ‘Me’ the Supreme Goal of Life
Considers Krishna’s association in Supreme abode as the highest perfection of life
No wish to elevate to Higher planets like Brahmaloka etc.
Not even satisfied with Brahmajyoti but only Krishna loka
Because he has full knowledge of that planet
5‘Nirvairah sarva-bhutesu’ — Friendly to all living beings
Because he knows Krishna consciousness as the only solution to all problems
Has personally experienced all this
Therefore wants to introduce Krishna consciousness in human society
Takes all risk to spread e.g. Jesus Christ / Prahlada Maharaja / Haridas Thakur
Krishna Conscious person knows the cause of suffering – “forgetfulness of eternal relationship with Krishna”
Highest benefit is ‘‘to relieve the neighbour from material problems’’
For whom – For conditioned souls who are engaged in Lording over and do not know real spiritual life
Purpose – To show how to understand spiritual existence and eternal relationship with Supreme Personality of Godhead and how to go Back to Godhead
Process – Given in 11.55 – Work for Krishna (Devotional Service)
How to Work – Transfer all energy entirely to Krishna conscious acts e.g. Yukta-vairagya
bThe Lord is very merciful to a person engaged according to 11.55 — Such a person reaches the highest planet
cConclusion / Purport of Chapter 11 –
Form of Krishna is Essential and Supreme
Krishna exhibits ‘Universal Form’ which is temporary
‘Form of Time’ which devours all
Even ‘Vishnu’ form which is four-handed
Thus Krishna is the origin of all
Krishna’s Form can only be understood by ‘His unalloyed devotees’
For a devotee, only two-handed ‘Syamasundara’ form is important
Who can see the Lord? – Eyes anointed with ‘Love of God’ (Brahma Samhita 5.39)
End of chapter 11
Bhagavad Gita Notes 1 Chapter 11 Appendix CHAPTER 11 Appendix Selected Texts extracted from “Surrender unto Me”