{"id":75618,"date":"2026-03-04T01:33:11","date_gmt":"2026-03-04T05:33:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.isvara.org\/archive\/?p=75618"},"modified":"2025-08-16T08:53:10","modified_gmt":"2025-08-16T03:23:10","slug":"important-devotional-services","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.isvara.org\/archive\/important-devotional-services\/","title":{"rendered":"Important Devotional Services"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Important Devotional Services<\/span><\/h1>\n

 <\/p>\n

Question<\/span><\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

In addition to chanting the Maha Mantra, is there another service among the many that you recommend as very favorable to offer to Sri Krishna?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Answer<\/span><\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

Sri Prahlada Maharaja mentions nine main devotional services. We find them in Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.9.43<\/span><\/p>\n

Srila Rupa Gosvami, in his Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu mentions sixty-four.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The most important item in devotional service is declared in the Padma Purana:<\/span><\/p>\n

smartavya<\/span>\u1e25<\/span> satata<\/span>\u1e41<\/span> vi<\/span>\u1e63\u1e47<\/span>u<\/span>\u1e25<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

vismartavyo na j\u0101tucit<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe should always remember Lord Vi<\/span>\u1e63\u1e47<\/span>u;<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

we should never forget Lord Visnu.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Srila Prabhupada mentions this verse in his purport to the Srimad-Bhagavatam verse 6.16.53 and 54.<\/span><\/p>\n

Anything done with the body, the tongue, and the mind that makes us remember Krishna is favorable, but the best is chanting Hare Krishna.<\/span><\/p>\n

nama cintamanih krsnas\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

caitanya rasa vigraha<\/span><\/p>\n

purna suddha nitya mukta\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

abhinnatvad nama naminoh.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe holy name of\u00a0Krishna\u00a0is transcendentally blissful. It bestows all spiritual benedictions, for it is\u00a0Krishna\u00a0Himself, the reservoir of all pleasure.\u00a0Krishna’s name is complete, and it is the form of all transcendental mellows. It is not a material name under any condition, and it is no less powerful than\u00a0Krishna\u00a0Himself. Since\u00a0Krishna’s name is not contaminated by the material qualities, there is no question of its being involved with\u00a0maya.\u00a0Krishna’s name is always liberated and spiritual; it is never conditioned by the laws of material nature. This is because the name of Krishna and Krishna Himself are identical.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

This verse also is from the Padma Purana. It is also mentioned in Caitanya Caritamrita Madhyalila 17.33 and in Srimad-Bhagavatam Tenth Canto, Chapter 1.22.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Next in the line of importance is Jnana-Vijnana.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cA sincere devotee must, therefore, be prepared to hear the Vedic literature like the Upani<\/span>\u1e63<\/span>ads, Ved\u0101nta, and other literature left by the previous authorities or Gosv\u0101m\u012bs for the benefit of his progress. Without hearing such literature, one cannot make actual progress. And without hearing and following the instructions, the show of devotional service becomes worthless and therefore a sort of disturbance on the path of devotional service.\u201d<\/span>
\n<\/span>(Excerpt from the purport to \u015ar\u012bmad-bh\u0101gavatam 1.2.12)<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWithin the past five hundred years, many erudite scholars and acaryas like Jiva Gosvami, Sanatana Gosvami, Visvanatha Cakravarti, Vallabhacarya, and many other distinguished scholars, even after the time of Lord Caitanya, made elaborate commentaries on the Bhagavatam. And the serious student would do well to attempt to go through them to better relish the transcendental messages.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

(Srimad-Bhagavatam, 1.1.1, Srila Prabhupada purport)<\/span><\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Studying is important. If you don\u2019t study, not only you wouldn\u2019t be able to preach at the proper standard, but after some time you\u2019ll forget why are you chanting Hare Krishna.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Some may object: \u201cif you just chant mantras, transcendental knowledge will automatically manifest in your heart.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

About this, I would ask:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSo, why have Srila Vyasadeva and all the great Acarya of our Sampradaya spent so much time and effort to write so many books?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The answer to this question should be enough as a conclusion (siddhanta) to answer your objection (purvapaksa).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Then, Deity worship.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSimply by worshiping K<\/span>\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47<\/span>a one can easily achieve all the results of heavenly opulence, liberation, supremacy over the planetary systems of the universe, all the opulences of this material world and the mystic power of performing the yoga system.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

(Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.81.19)<\/span><\/p>\n

By arcanam (worship of the Deities) we develop a personal conception of Krishna. In this way we learn that He is not just an idea or a sound but a person to dress, to cook for, etc.<\/span><\/p>\n

Worshiping Tulasi Devi is particularly important.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Also, the association with the devotees.<\/span><\/p>\n

This is so important\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2019s\u0101dhu-sa<\/span>\u1e45<\/span>ga\u2019, \u2018s\u0101dhu-sa<\/span>\u1e45<\/span>ga\u2019\u2014sarva-\u015b\u0101stre\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

kaya lava-m\u0101tra s\u0101dhu-sa<\/span>\u1e45<\/span>ge sarva-siddhi haya<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe verdict of all revealed scriptures is that by even a moment of association with a pure devotee, one can attain all success.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Of course, the word sadhu refers to very advanced devotees or pure devotees. It is our sacred duty to become pure devotees so that people can benefit from our association.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

However, any devotee can be of inspiration, even if that person is not a pure devotee.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Other important devotional services are:<\/span><\/p>\n

-Living in or visiting the Holy places.<\/span><\/p>\n

-Respecting the Holy days such as \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Janmastami, Ratha Yatra tithi, and Ekadasi.<\/span><\/p>\n

-Offering and respecting the prasadam (The food offered to Krishna).<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

We could go on and on.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

This is a section of the book \u201cA Sidelong Glance\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

To buy the complete book,\u00a0<\/span><\/span>click above<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Important Devotional Services   Question In addition to chanting the Maha Mantra, is there another service among the many that you recommend as very favorable to offer to Sri Krishna?\u00a0   Answer Sri Prahlada Maharaja mentions … Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":115,"featured_media":46101,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,189],"tags":[229],"class_list":["post-75618","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-english","category-kadacha-eng","tag-a-sidelong-glance-eng"],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-04-17 18:55:38","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.isvara.org\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/75618","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.isvara.org\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.isvara.org\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.isvara.org\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/115"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.isvara.org\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=75618"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.isvara.org\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/75618\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.isvara.org\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/46101"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.isvara.org\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=75618"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.isvara.org\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=75618"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.isvara.org\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=75618"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}