26 qualities of a devotee

8/3/2019 26 Qualities of a Devotee

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The Twenty Six Qualities of a Devotee

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Hare Krishna!By seriously pursuing the ultimate self-realization pathway of

Krishna bhakti (devotion to Lord Krishna) one will automatically

develop all saintly qualities. However if one will also consciously striveto develop the saintly qualities of a devotee this will speed up one'sspiritual advancement. These twenty-six qualities of a devotee areunderstood as follows:

(1) A devotee is very kind to everyone because he is the well-wisher ofall living entities. He is not only a well-wisher of human society, but awell-wisher of animal society as well. The devotee of the Lord ismerciful to everyone -- the cats, dogs, trees, etc. He treats all living

entities in such a way that they can ultimately get salvation from thismaterial entanglement.

(2) A devotee does not consider anyone to be his enemy. If someonetreats him in an inimical way he does not blame that person. He simplythinks that whatever mistreatment he may receive is a result of hisown past sinful activities and does not become disturbed.

(3) A devotee is truthful because he knows that the highest truth isKrishna and dedicates his entire life for spreading the truth of Krishna

all over the world.

(4) A devotee is equal to everyone because by virtue of his trueknowledge he sees that in spite of so many different types of bodieseveryone is a spirit-soul in quality one with God.

(5) No one can find any fault in a devotee. Even if there are some

residual defects still remaining from his past activities before headopted a life of devotion, these should not be taken seriously because

very soon these faults we will completely removed from his heart bythe purifying power of devotional service. If someone is the showerscrubbing away we cannot criticize him for being dirty.

(6) A devotee is magnanimous, which means "great-souled." WhenKrishna comes as a devotee in form of Lord Caitanya He displays thesupreme magnanimous nature. The Lord's magnanimity is very mucheulogized in the following prayer by Srila Rupa Goswami:

namo maha-vadanyaya krsna-prema-pradaya te

krsnaya krsna-caitanya-namne gaura-tvise namah

"My obeisances unto Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who is the most

magnanimous incarnation because He is giving freely what was neverdistributed before, pure love of God." According to this prayer, Lord

Caitanya is the most magnanimous of all benefactors because He isdistributing the ultimate gift, of love of God, without any conditions.


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"Here is love of God. Take it." The devotees who spread Krishnaconsciousness on the order of Lord Caitanya are magnanimousbecause they purely represent the magnanimity of the Lord.

(7) A devotee is mild because by being developed in self-realization isno longer disturbed by the three modes of nature: goodness, passion,and ignorance.

(8) A devotee is always clean externally by regular bathing andinternally by absorbing his entire life in chanting the Hare Krishnamantra:

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna, Hare HareHare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare

(9) A devotee is without possessions in the sense that he only acceptswhatever possessions are necessary for his service to Krishna andshuns anything beyond that as an unnecessary encumbrance.

(10) A devotee works for everyone's benefit by dedicating his entirelife for inundating the world in a tidal wave of Krishna consciousness.

(11) A devotee is very peaceful because he is no longer at war with theLord.

(12) A devotee is always surrendered to Krishna because whateverKrishna instructs him to do he unhesitatingly carries out.

(13) A devotee has no material desires because all of his desires are

spiritual.

(14) A devotee is very meek because he does not consider himselfgreat.

(15) A devotee is steady because he is solidly fixed in Krishna

consciousness.

(16) A devotee controls his senses because he only utilizes them inKrishna's service, not otherwise.

(17) A devotee does not eat more than required because he iscompletely satisfied by eating only the remnants of foodstuffs offeredto the Lord (Krishna prasadam.)

(18) A devotee is not influenced by the Lord's illusory energy because

he is fully under the protection of the Lord's divine nature.

(19) A devotee offers respect to everyone because he sees everyone


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as part and parcel of the Supreme Personality of Godhead with theSupreme Lord situated in their heart.

(20) A devotee does not desire any respect for himself because he is

fully satisfied simply by offering all respect the Lord and to all otherliving beings.

(21) A devotee is very grave because he is always deeply absorbed inblissful remembrance of Lord Sri Krishna.

(22) A devotee is merciful because he cannot tolerate to see another'sdistress.

(23) A devotee is friendly because he always acts as representative of

Lord Sri Krishna, the best friend of all living entities.

(24) A devotee is naturally poetic because he is always glorifyingUttamasloka, the Supreme Lord Krishna, Who is praised with thechoicest poetic words.

(25) A devotee is expert in everything he does because he wants toplease Krishna at every second by his thoughts, words, and deeds.

(26) A devotee is silent because He only talks about Krishna. He nevertalks nonsense.

May you have all success in developing these twenty-six qualities!

26 qualities of a devotee

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