Bhakti-r asmrta -sindhu (1.4.15-16) ( This verse is found in Bhagavadgita 4.

10 purport)

dau raddh tatah sdhu-

sago 'tha bhajana-kriy
tato 'nartha-nivrttih syt
tato nist h

r ucis
t atah

athsaktis tato bhvas

tatah prembhyudacati
sdhaknm a yam p remnah

prdurbhve bhavet k ramah

"In the beginning one must have a preliminary desire for self-realization. This will bring one to
the stage of trying to associate with persons who are spiritually elevated. In the next stage one
becomes initiated by an elevated spiritual master, and under his instruction the neophyte devotee
begins the process of devotional service. By execution of devotional service under the guidance
of the spiritual master, one becomes free from all material attachment, attains steadiness in
self-realization, and acquires a taste for hearing about the Absolute Personality of Godhead, r
Krs n a . This taste leads one further forward to attachment for Krs n a consciousness, which is
matured in bhva, or the preliminary stage of transcendental love of God. Real love for God is
called prema, the highest perfectional stage of life."

Bhakti-r asmrta -sindhu (1.1.11), has defined devotional service as follows: (From NOI, Text 3
purport also found in CC [Madhya 19.167] )

anybhilsit-
nyam
jna-karmdy-anvrtam
nuklyena krs n nu-

lanam bhaktir uttam
"Uttam bhakti, or unalloyed devotion unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, r K rs n a ,
involves the rendering of devotional service in a way that is favorable to the Lord. This
devotional service should be free from any extraneous motive and devoid of fruitive karma,
impersonal jna and all other selfish desires."
rmad Bhgavatam 10.14.8

tat te 'nukampm su-samksamn o

bhujna evtma-krtam vipkam
hrd-vg-vapurbhir
vidadhan namas t e
jveta yo mukti-pade sa dya-bhk
My dear Lord, one who earnestly waits for You to bestow Your causeless mercy upon him, all the
while patiently suffering the reactions of his past misdeeds and offering You respectful
obeisances with his heart, words and body, is surely eligible for liberation, for it has become his
rightful claim.