Bhakti Is The Only Means To Realise God
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Paramhamsa Vani
Apr 6, 2026, 12:07:02 AM (13 days ago) Apr 6
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Sree Sree Guru Gaurangau Jayatah!
Certain souls obtain freedom from the grip of Prakrti. Krishnaika-sharana, or surrender to Lord Krishna, is the only means of crossing over the ocean of birth and death (samsara). Performance of one's duty, simple morality, development of bodily or mental powers, acquisition of material knowledge, detachment from material things, or even the knowledge that one is a spiritual being cannot bring about realization of God. Vision of God is proportionate to the degree of bhakti or love for Him in one's heart. Lord Krishna says in the Bhagavad-gita (18.55):
bhaktya mam abhijanati
yavan yas casmi tattvatah
tato mam tattvato jnatva
visate tad-anantaram
"One can understand Me as I am, as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, only by devotional service. And when one is in full consciousness of Me by such devotion, he can enter into the kingdom of God."
To possess bhakti or love for God means to have come in contact with a vaisnava—a lover of God. This comes about due to sukrti or past tendencies towards spiritual culture. If one holds ice near one's body, he becomes cold. If one holds a flame near one's body, he becomes hot. If one associates with a devotee—a vaisnava—he becomes devoted to God. Prahlad Maharaj was a great devotee who, when he was only a young boy, spoke of nine processes which, if executed with sincerity, are sure to reinstate one's original position as an eternal servitor of the Lord. He says in the Srimad-Bhagavatam (7.5.23-24):
sravanam kirtanam visnoh
smaranam pada-sevanam
arcanam vandanam dasyam
sakhyam atma-nivedanam
iti pumsarpita visnau
bhaktis cen nava-laksana
kriyeta bhagavaty addha
tan manye 'dhitam uttamam
"Hearing and chanting about the transcendental Holy Name, form, qualities, paraphernalia, and pastimes of Lord Visnu, remembering them, serving the lotus feet of the Lord, offering the Lord respectful worship with sixteen types of paraphernalia, offering prayers to the Lord, becoming His servant, considering the Lord one's best friend, and surrendering everything unto Him (in other words, serving Him with the body, mind, and words) these nine processes are accepted as pure devotional service. One who has dedicated his life to the service of Krishna through these nine methods should be understood to be the most learned person, for he has acquired complete knowledge."
---Jagad-guru His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Goswami Maharaj
Certain souls obtain freedom from the grip of Prakrti. Krishnaika-sharana, or surrender to Lord Krishna, is the only means of crossing over the ocean of birth and death (samsara). Performance of one's duty, simple morality, development of bodily or mental powers, acquisition of material knowledge, detachment from material things, or even the knowledge that one is a spiritual being cannot bring about realization of God. Vision of God is proportionate to the degree of bhakti or love for Him in one's heart. Lord Krishna says in the Bhagavad-gita (18.55):
bhaktya mam abhijanati
yavan yas casmi tattvatah
tato mam tattvato jnatva
visate tad-anantaram
"One can understand Me as I am, as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, only by devotional service. And when one is in full consciousness of Me by such devotion, he can enter into the kingdom of God."
To possess bhakti or love for God means to have come in contact with a vaisnava—a lover of God. This comes about due to sukrti or past tendencies towards spiritual culture. If one holds ice near one's body, he becomes cold. If one holds a flame near one's body, he becomes hot. If one associates with a devotee—a vaisnava—he becomes devoted to God. Prahlad Maharaj was a great devotee who, when he was only a young boy, spoke of nine processes which, if executed with sincerity, are sure to reinstate one's original position as an eternal servitor of the Lord. He says in the Srimad-Bhagavatam (7.5.23-24):
sravanam kirtanam visnoh
smaranam pada-sevanam
arcanam vandanam dasyam
sakhyam atma-nivedanam
iti pumsarpita visnau
bhaktis cen nava-laksana
kriyeta bhagavaty addha
tan manye 'dhitam uttamam
"Hearing and chanting about the transcendental Holy Name, form, qualities, paraphernalia, and pastimes of Lord Visnu, remembering them, serving the lotus feet of the Lord, offering the Lord respectful worship with sixteen types of paraphernalia, offering prayers to the Lord, becoming His servant, considering the Lord one's best friend, and surrendering everything unto Him (in other words, serving Him with the body, mind, and words) these nine processes are accepted as pure devotional service. One who has dedicated his life to the service of Krishna through these nine methods should be understood to be the most learned person, for he has acquired complete knowledge."
---Jagad-guru His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Goswami Maharaj
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