“A pure devotee is naturally qualified with all good qualities. Automatically it comes as he becomes... Just like as a man suffering from fever decreases the degree of fever—he becomes healthy—similarly, with the increase of our degree of devotional service, naturally all the good qualities that is constitutionally existing in the pure soul... Pure soul, being part and parcel, it is naturally very pure“ Bg 6.3 lecture
1. A DEVOTEE IS KIND
“He who sees everything in relation to the Supreme Lord, who sees all living entities as His parts and parcels, and who sees the Supreme Lord within everything, never hates anything nor any being.” Sri Iso6
"So the Vaisnava is so kind that suhrdam sarva-dehinäm. He is kind not only to the human being: to the cats, dogs, to the trees, to the plants, to the insects. A Vaisnava will hesitate to kill even one mosquito." --SB 3.25 lecture, 11/21/74, Bombay
2. DOES NOT QUARREL
“Because we are all individuals sometimes there is disagreement between devotees. When non-devotees quarrel they cannot stop and end up killing each other. But the devotees' disagreement does not last long because they patch it up for Krsna's sake, because they are all working for the same end--Krsna's service.”--letter 3/10/73, Calcutta
"When King Rahügana chastised the exalted devotee Jada Bharata with harsh words, that peaceful, saintly person tolerated it all and replied properly." --SB 5.10.14
“A devotee engaged in chanting the holy name of the Lord should practice forbearance like that of a tree. Even if rebuked or chastised, he should not say anything to others to retaliate. For even if one cuts a tree, it never protests, and even if it is drying up and dying, it does not ask anyone for water."--CC Adi 17.27-28
3. IS TRUTHFUL
"Satyam, truthfulness, means that facts should be presented as they are, for the benefit of others. Facts should not be misrepresented... The truth should be spoken in a straightforward way, so that others will understand actually what the facts are...Truthfulness demands that the facts be presented as they are for the benefit of others. That is the definition of truth." -SB 10.4-5p
"One should not distort the truth for some personal interest. In Vedic literature there are some difficult passages, but the meaning or the purpose should be learned from a bona fide spiritual master. That is the process for understanding the Vedas. Sruti means that one should hear from the authority. One should not construe some interpretation for his personal interest." --Bg 16.1-3p
"One should be so straightforward that he can disclose the real truth even to an enemy." -Bg 13.8-12p
"Although bereft of his riches, fallen from his original position, defeated and arrested by his enemies, rebuked and deserted by his relatives and friends, although suffering the pain of being bound and although rebuked and cursed by his spiritual master, Bali Mahäräja, being fixed in his vow, did not give up his truthfulness. It was certainly with pretension that I spoke about religious principles, but he did not give up religious principles, for he is true to his word."--SB8.22.29-30
4. IS EQUAL TO EVERYONE
"The humble sages, by virtue of true knowledge, sees with equal vision a learned and gentle brähmana, a cow, an elephant, a dog and a dog-eater [outcaste]." Bg 5.18
"Why one should be treated as enemy and as friend? Everyone is servant of God."--morning walk, 11/10/75, Bombay
"Actually, even if one is serving mäyä, in a higher sense he is also a servant of Krishna. Because mäyä is the servant of Krishna, anyone serving mäyä serves Krishna indirectly." --CC Antya 13.133p
5. IS FAULTLESS
"A devotee should be blameless because any offense by the devotee is a scar on the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The devotee’s duty is to be always conscious in his dealings with others, especially with another devotee of the Lord.” SB 3.16.5 purport
Interviewer: How would I recognize a true follower of the Krishna consciousness movement by his behavior? What would his traits be? What would his outward expressions be?
Prabhupäda: Yes. His behavior, he's a perfect gentleman. That's all. You cannot find any fault in him. That is perfect Krishna consciousness.--TV Interview, 7/29/71, Gainesville
"We are following Krishna, the supreme perfect. I may be imperfect. That's a fact. I am imperfect. Just like a child is imperfect. That's a fact. But so long he follows the father, catching his hand, he is perfect. He is perfect." SB 1.15.40 lecture, 12/18/73, LA
6. IS MAGNANIMOUS
"A person who does not actually utilize his human intelligence to get out of the clutches of mäyä, the cycle of birth and death, is accepted as miserly. The exact opposite of miserly is udära, 'very magnanimous.' A brähmana is called udära because he utilizes his human intelligence for spiritual realization. He uses that intelligence to preach Krishna consciousness for the benefit of the public, and therefore he is magnanimous.' --SB 3.31.17p
7. IS MILD
"Lord Caitanya then replied to Gopinätha Äcärya that it was due to a devotee's favor that a stonelike man could be transformed into a mild, flowerlike devotee. Actually Gopinätha Äcärya had sincerely wished that his brother-in-law, Bhattäcärya, would become a devotee of the Lord. He had sincerely desired that the Lord favor Bhattäcärya, and he was glad to see that his desire was fulfilled by Lord Caitanya. ".-TLC 26
"So what is the difference between a demon and devotee? A demon is puffed up. That's all. Falsely. That is demon. And a devotee is submissive, meek and mild. This is the difference."- SB 1.15.34, 12/12/73, LA
8. IS CLEAN
"This is also required. Cleanliness. You should take bath, twice, thrice, at least once. That is hygienic. Bähyäbhyantara-sucih. One should be cleansed. Bähya means externally, and abhyantara, internally. Externally, you take soap, water, soda, and cleanse yourself, body. Take bath, cleanse, keep your clothing very cleansed. Unclean habit will not help you, unclean habit. Cleanliness is godliness. " SB 6.1.13-14, 7/27/71, NY
9. IS WITHOUT FALSE PROPRIETORSHIP
“In fact, Lord Krishna deserves to receive everything that we possess, since He is the ultimate proprietor of everything, including ourselves.” SB 10.74.33
"[The gopis think:] 'I have offered this body to Lord Krsna. He is its owner, and it brings Him enjoyment. Krsna finds joy in seeing and touching this body.' It is for this reason that they cleanse and decorate their bodies.
"'O Arjuna, there are no greater receptacles of deep love for Me than the gopis, who cleanse and decorate their bodies because they consider them Mine.'" --CC Adi 4.182-184
10. WORKS FOR EVERYONE'S BENEFIT
"Some people are genuinely merciful or, like parents, naturally affectionate. Such persons, who devotedly serve even those who fail to reciprocate with them, are following the true, faultless path of religion, and they are true well-wishers." -SB 10.32.18
"The word ätmaupamyena refers to thinking others to be like oneself. One can very intelligently conclude that without devotional service, without becoming Krishna conscious, one cannot be happy. Therefore the duty of all devotees is to preach Krishna consciousness everywhere all over the world, because all living entities without Krishna consciousness are suffering the pangs of material existence. To preach Krishna consciousness is the best welfare activity. Indeed, it is described by Sri Caitanya Mahäprabhu as para-upakära, work for the true benefit of others." SB 7.7.53
"The members of the Krishna consciousness movement are not at all interested in so-called meditation in the Himalayas or the forest, where one will only make a show of meditation, nor are they interested in opening many schools for yoga and meditation in the cities. Rather, every member of the Krishna consciousness movement is interested in going door to door to try to convince people about the teachings of Bhagavad-Gita As It Is, the teachings of Lord Caitanya. That is the purpose of the Hare Krishna movement." SB 7.9.44
11. SATISFIED
"The process of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is very wonderful. One who is intelligent should accept that process and be satisfied with whatever comes, favorable or unfavorable, by His supreme will." SB 4.8.29
"When suffering reversed conditions, the devotee always considers that the reverse conditions are the Lord's concessions. He is never angry with his master; he is always satisfied with the position his master offers. In any case, he continues performing his duty in devotional service." SB5.10.14p
12. IS SURRENDERED TO KRISHNA
“The spiritual science becomes revealed to the devotee from within the heart according to the degree of his surrender to Krishna” -letter, 7/25/70, LA
“The secret of surrendering to Krishna is that such surrendered devotee sees that everything is a part of Krishna’s plan. Whatever is meant to be I am doing. Let me do it with my fullest attention to every detail. Let me become absorbed in such service, never mind what it is. Let all other considerations be forgotten and only my desire to do the thing best for Krishna’s alone pleasure is my motive.”-- letter, 12/19/72
“The living entity, by his constitutional position, is not independent. He must surrender, either unto the Lord or unto material nature.”--SB 2.6.36p
“One is immediately freed from the clutches of mäyä if he seriously and sincerely says, ‘My dear Lord Krishna, although I have forgotten You for so many long years in the material world, today I am surrendering unto You. I am Your sincere and serious servant. Please engage me in Your service.’ Madhya 22.33
“‘It is My vow that if one only once seriously surrenders unto Me, saying “My dear Lord, from this day I am Yours,” and prays to Me for courage, I shall immediately award courage to that person, and he will always remain safe from that time on.’ Madya 22.34
13. HAS NO MATERIAL HANKERING
"O virtuous one, you have only once seen My person, and this is just to increase your desire for Me, because the more you hanker for Me, the more you will be freed from all material desires."---SB 1.6.22
“Detachment from material activities can be effected by spiritual activities, not by material inertia. Material inertia is the negative side of material action, but spiritual activity is not only the negation of material action but the activation of our real life.” SSR1
“There is no stronger obstruction to one’s self-interest than thinking other subject matters to be more pleasing than one’s self-realization.” SB 4.22.32
14. IS SIMPLE
"Everything is going on perfectly, under the control of the Supreme. Sun and moon rise exactly at same time, etc. We simply must cooperate with the plan that is already there. Actually nothing is wanting. We simply have to act according to the directions of the Supreme." --4/19/66 NY lecture
Prabhupäda: Just like these boys, they are practiced to sit down. We have kept two chairs for the visitors. (laughter) We don’t require. We can lie down on the floor. We can use only one or two cloths, that’s all, throughout the whole year. We have no demands, only bare necessities. We don’t smoke, don’t drink. There is no expenditure. Don’t go to cinema, don’t read newspaper or ordinary magazines, nothing. We have got reading matter. Practically we are noncooperating." -rm conversation, 4/23/76, Melbourne
"Generally people do not like to accept plain living and high thinking. That is their unfortunate position....True religion, however, instructs people to be satisfied with the bare necessities of life while cultivating Krishna consciousness." -NOI 2
"An intelligent man in human society should make his own program very simple. If there are suggestions from his friends, children, parents, brothers or anyone else, he should externally agree, saying, "Yes, that is all right," but internally he should be determined not to create a cumbersome life in which the purpose of life will not be fulfilled. " SB 7.14.6
15. IS FIXED
“Steadiness in one’s own position is declared to be actual piety, whereas deviation from one’s position is considered impiety. In this way the two are definitely ascertained.”--SB11.21.2
“To those who are constantly devoted to serving Me with love, I give the understanding by which they can come to Me.” Bg 10.10
“Krsna consciousness means the same hardship we shall take, but take for Krishna.” Bg1.30 lecture, 7/23/73, London
16. CONTROLS HIS SENSES
“Pious life means gradually decreasing the unnecessary bodily demands. That is pious life. That is the sum and substance.” -Bg 7.16 lecture, 4/7/71, Bombay
“One can understand the reality of spiritual life by following strict regulative principles and by controlling the senses. To have control it is necessary that one be nonviolent and truthful, refrain from stealing, abstain from sex life and possess only that which is absolutely necessary for keeping the body and soul together.” -SB 3.29.18p
"In the pursuit of self-realization, one has to follow many rules and regulations to control the mind and the senses and to concentrate the mind on the self. All these procedures are very difficult, bitter like poison, but if one is successful in following the regulations and comes to the transcendental position, he begins to drink real nectar, and he enjoys life.' -Bg 18.37p
17. DOES NOT EAT MORE THAN NECESSARY
“Too much eating means eating more than is required to keep the body and soul together. There is no need for men to eat animals, because there is an ample supply of grains, vegetables, fruits and milk. Such simple foodstuff is considered to be in the mode of goodness according to the Bhagavad-gitä. Animal food is for those in the mode of ignorance. Therefore, those who indulge in animal food, drinking, smoking and eating food which is not first offered to Krsna will suffer sinful reactions.”---Bg6.16 purport
18. IS SOBER
"The mode of goodness, which is the clear, sober status of understanding the Personality of Godhead and which is generally called väsudeva, or consciousness, becomes manifest in the mahat-tattva." -SB 3.26.21
“Death is not at all pleasing, and since everyone is exactly like a condemned man being led to the place of execution, what possible happiness can people derive from material objects or the gratification they provide?”SB 11.10.20
"It is customary throughout the world that a condemned man is offered a sumptuous last meal. For the condemned man, however, such a feast is a chilling reminder of his imminent death, and therefore he cannot enjoy it. Similarly, no sane human being can be satisfied in material life, because death is standing near and may strike at any moment. If one is sitting in one's living room with a deadly snake at one's side, knowing that at any moment the poisonous fangs might pierce the flesh, how can one sit peacefully and watch television or read a book? Similarly, unless one is more or less crazy, one cannot be enthusiastic or even peaceful in material life. Knowledge of the inevitability of death should encourage one to become determined in spiritual life." -SB 11.10.20p
"As the embodied soul continuously passes, in this body, from boyhood to youth to old age, the soul similarly passes into another body at death. A sober person is not bewildered by such a change." --
19. IS RESPECTFUL
"The next day Mukunda Datta informed Sri Caitanya Mahäprabhu, 'Brahmänanda Bhärati' has come to see You.' Mukunda Datta then asked the Lord, 'Shall I bring him here?'
"Sri Caitanya Mahäprabhu said, 'Brahmänanda Bhärati is like My spiritual master. It is better that I go to him.'” Madhya 10.151-152
20. IS HUMBLE
“Humility means that one should not be anxious to have the satisfaction of being honored by others. The material conception of life makes us very eager to receive honor from others, but from the point of view of a man in perfect knowledge‹who knows that he is not this body, anything, honor or dishonor, pertaining to this body is useless." Bg 13.8-12
"In the Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu, the word dainya (humility) is explained as follows: "When unhappiness, fearfulness and the sense of having offended combine, one feels condemned. This sense of condemnation is described as dinatä, humility". - CC Madhya 2.35
21. IS GRAVE
““Dear mountain, you are very generous. By your gravity only, the whole crust of this earth is properly maintained, although because you are discharging your duties very faithfully, you do not know how to move. Because you are so grave, you do not move hither and thither, nor do you say anything. Rather, you always appear in a thoughtful mood. It may be that you are always thinking of a very grave and important subject matter, but we can guess very clearly what you are thinking of. We are sure that you are thinking of placing the lotus feet of Syämasundara on your raised peaks, as we want to place His lotus feet on our raised breasts.”--KB90
22. IS COMPASSIONATE
"My dear Lord Nrsimhadeva, I see that there are many saintly persons indeed, but they are interested only in their own deliverance. Not caring for the big cities and towns, they go to the Himalayas or the forest to meditate with vows of silence [mauna-vrata]. They are not interested in delivering others. As for me, however, I do not wish to be liberated alone, leaving aside all these poor fools and rascals. I know that without Krsna consciousness, without taking shelter of Your lotus feet, one cannot be happy. Therefore I wish to bring them back to shelter at Your lotus feet".--SB7.9.44
“A Vaisnava is para-duhkha-duhkhi; in other words, he has no personal troubles, but he is very unhappy to see others in trouble. Prahläda Mahäräja said, 'My Lord, I have no personal problems, for I have learned how to glorify Your transcendental qualities and thus enter a trance of ecstasy. I do have a problem, however, for I am simply thinking of these rascals and fools who are busy with mäyä-sukha, temporary happiness, without knowledge of devotional service unto You.' This is the problem faced by a Vainsava. Because a Vaisnava fully takes shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he personally has no problems, but because he is compassionate toward the fallen, conditioned souls, he is always thinking of plans to save them from their hellish life in this body and the next.”--SB 6.1.6 purport
And Vasudeva Dhatta prayed,"My dear Lord, let me suffer perpetually in a hellish condition, accepting all the sinful reactions of all living entities. Please finish their diseased material life.” CC Madhya 15.163
23. IS FRIENDLY
"A sädhu is not a friend of a particular class, particular community or particular country. No. A sädhu, a saint, is he who is friend of all, not only of human being, even of animals and less than animals. --Bhagavad-gita lecture, 07-20-66, New York
“You are all My friends, and you have properly executed the duties of friends by bringing Me her to Jagannatha Puri and giving me a chance to see Lord Jagannatha in the temple. “Madya 7.10
24. IS POETIC
“Krishna is so merciful that not only did He give the highest benediction to the inhabitants of the earth, but He empowered great saintly persons such as Vyäsadeva to describe His pastimes with beautiful poetic verses.”--11.1.6 purport
"Among the twenty-six qualities of a devotee, one is that he is a kavi, or poet. The subject of a devotee’s chanting and hearing comprises the superexcellent name, form, qualities, and pastimes of Krishna. The qualified kavi receives Krishna consciousness faithfully in paramparä and renders it into excellent poems and discourses." Mukunda Stotra52
25. IS EXPERT
"Your program for training everyone in the proper form of Deity worship and other temple activities is very, very good. We want that all our men shall be able to do everything in Krsna Consciousness—a devotee is expert in all things."- letter 11/13/70, Bombay
Srila Prabhupäda: "A devotee is expert. This means that he is willing to do anything. He does not say because he is a brähmana he cannot do a menial task."
A devotee is always expert because he fully knows the essence of all activities of life and he is convinced of the authoritative scriptures. Bg 12.16p
26. IS SILENT
“Silence does not mean a devotee does not speak; silence means a devotee does not speak nonsense.”-SB 3.27.7
“Silence means that one is always thinking of self-realization. The person in Krishna consciousness observes perfect silence in this sense.” Bg 17.16p
"We have facility for mixing. But don’t take advantage of this assembly and talk all nonsense- "What is the politics?" "What is this?" What is that?" that is called prajalpa. This is the secret. Always talk of Krsna, and you must know you are saving yourself. You are not dying. Because talking of Krsna means you will understand Krsna. And Krsna says,'Anyone who understands Me rightly, then after giving up this body he comes to Me" ... You are going to live forever." SP lecture LA 6/12/72
THE CRITERIA FOR PROGRESS
“Devotee does not mean a rascal, at the same time, a devotee. No. As soon as you become devotee, the test is that all those twenty-six qualities will develop. You have to test yourself, 'Out of the twenty-six qualities, how much I have developed?' If I am lacking, then you must know that you are not developing. This is the test.” --Madhya 20 lecture
PREREQUISITE TO UNDERSTANDING RASA
“The stage of a devotee, which attracts the transcendental affection of the Lord, does not develop unless one has developed the qualities of a brähmana... Those who are less than a brähmana by qualification cannot establish any relation with the Lord, just as fire cannot be kindled from the raw earth unless there is wood, although there is a relation between wood and the earth. “ SB 1.14.34
ACQUIRED BY TRANSCENDENTAL ASSOCIATION
“By study of scripture, you can develop these qualities. That is called scripture. That is authorized scripture. Just like you study some book, and you develop some quality after reading that book, similarly, when you actually have scripture, then you develop all these qualities. And guru, spiritual master, means who teaches you all these things.” CC Madhya lila 20.119-121
DIVINE QUALITIES ALSO LISTED IN GITA 16.1-3:
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: Fearlessness; purification of one's existence; cultivation of spiritual knowledge; charity; self-control; performance of sacrifice; study of the Vedas; austerity; simplicity; nonviolence; truthfulness; freedom from anger; renunciation; tranquillity; aversion to faultfinding; compassion for all living entities; freedom from covetousness; gentleness; modesty; steady determination; vigor; forgiveness; fortitude; cleanliness; and freedom from envy and from the passion for honor — these transcendental qualities, O son of Bharata, belong to godly men endowed with divine nature.
- fearlessness; surrendered to Krishna
- purification of one's existence; humble
- cultivation of spiritual knowledge; equal to everyone
- charity; magnanimous
- self-control; controls his senses
- performance of sacrifice; works for everyone's benefit
- study of the Vedas; poetic
- austerity; does not eat more than necessary
- simplicity; simple
- nonviolence; kind
- truthfulness; truthful
- freedom from anger; no quarrel
- renunciation; is without false proprietorship
- tranquillity; grave
- aversion to faultfinding; faultless
- compassion for all living entities; compassionate
- freedom from covetousness; satisfied
- gentleness; mild
- modesty; sober
- steady determination; fixed
- vigor; expert
- forgiveness; respectful
- fortitude; silent
- cleanliness; clean
- and freedom from envy; friendly
- and from the passion for honor; no material hankering