64 Principles that Strengthen Devotional Service
Last November 2020, I got an opportunity to attend 3-Day Spiritual Trip to Vraj Dham with group of ISKCON Delhi NCR devotees . It was a wonderful experience by walking barefoot passing through some sandy areas, pebble areas, villages and few small temples surrounding Giriraj.
In this blog, I want to share one of the Learning experience from Day 2 of our camp. It was early morning session taken by HG Sarvamangal Gaur Dasa Prabhuji. Topic of the session was on 64 Limbs of devotional service.
Srila Rupa Goswami has given 64 limbs of devotional service, starting from Guru pad ashraya, taking shelter of the lotus feet of a bona-fide spiritual master and so on, in his book Sri Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu. One should engage their body, mind and words in the performance of these various bhakti dayini activities, the givers of bhakti.
These 64 principles (limbs) of devotional service are as below:
- Accepting the shelter of the lotus feet of a bona fide spiritual master
2. Becoming initiated by the spiritual master and learning how to discharge devotional service from him
3. Obeying the orders of the spiritual master with faith and devotion
4. Following in the footsteps of great acaryas under the direction of the spiritual master
5. Inquiring from the spiritual master how to advance in Krishna consciousness
6. Being prepared to give up anything material for the satisfaction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead
7. Residing in a sacred place of pilgrimage like Dvaraka or Vrndavana
8. Accepting only what is necessary or dealing with the material world only as far as necessary.
9. Observing the fasting day on Ekadasi
10. Worshipping sacred trees like the banyan tree
11. One should rigidly give up the company of nondevotees.
12. One should not instruct a person who is not desirous of accepting devotional service.
13. One should not be very enthusiastic about constructing costly temples or monasteries.
14. One should not try to read too many books, nor should one develop the idea of earning his livelihood by lecturing on or professionally reciting Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam or Bhagavad-gītā.
15. One should not be neglectful in ordinary dealings.
16. One should not be under the spell of lamentation in loss or jubilation in gain.
17. One should not disrespect the demigods.
18. One should not give unnecessary trouble to any living entity.
19. One should carefully avoid the various offenses in chanting the holy name of the Lord or in worshiping the Deity in the temple.
20. One should be very intolerant toward the blasphemy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, or His devotees.
21. One should decorate the body with tilaka, which is the sign of the Vaiṣṇavas. (The idea is that as soon as a person sees these marks on the body of the Vaiṣṇava, he will immediately remember Kṛṣṇa. Lord Caitanya said that a Vaiṣṇava is he who, when seen, reminds one of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore, it is essential that a Vaiṣṇava mark his body with tilaka to remind others of Kṛṣṇa.)
22. In marking such tilaka, sometimes one may write Hare Kṛṣṇa on the body.
23. One should accept flowers and garlands that have been offered to the Deity and the spiritual master and put them on one’s body.
24. One should learn to dance before the Deity.
25. One should learn to bow down immediately upon seeing the Deity or the spiritual master.
26. As soon as one visits a temple of Lord Kṛṣṇa, one must stand up.
27. When the Deity is being borne for a stroll in the street, a devotee should immediately follow the procession. (In this connection it may be noted that in India, especially in Viṣṇu temples, the system is that apart from the big Deity who is permanently situated in the main area of the temple, there is a set of smaller Deities which are taken in procession in the evening. In some temples it is the custom to hold a big procession in the evening with a band playing and a nice big umbrella over the Deities, who sit on decorated thrones on the cart or palanquin, which is carried by devotees. The Deities come out onto the street and travel in the neighborhood while the people of the neighborhood come out to offer prasāda. The residents of the neighborhood all follow the procession, so it is a very nice scene. When the Deity is coming out, the servitors in the temple put forward the daily accounts before Them: so much was the collection, so much was the expenditure. The whole idea is that the Deity is considered to be the proprietor of the whole establishment, and all the priests and other people taking care of the temple are considered to be the servants of the Deity. This system is very, very old and is still followed. So, therefore, it is mentioned here that when the Deity is on stroll the people should follow behind.)
28. A devotee must visit a Viṣṇu temple at least once or twice every day, morning and evening. (In Vṛndāvana this system is followed very strictly. All the devotees in town go every morning and evening to visit different temples. Therefore during these times there are considerable crowds all over the city. There are about five thousand temples in Vṛndāvana city. Of course it is not possible to visit all the temples, but there are at least one dozen very big and important temples which were started by the Gosvāmīs and which should be visited.)
29. One must circumambulate the temple building at least three times. (In every temple there is an arrangement to go around the temple at least three times. Some devotees go around more than three times — ten times, fifteen times — according to their vows. The Gosvāmīs used to circumambulate Govardhana Hill.) One should also circumambulate the whole Vṛndāvana area.
30. One must worship the Deity in the temple according to the regulative principles. (Offering ārati and prasāda, decorating the Deity, etc. — these things must be observed regularly.)
31. One must render personal service to the Deities.
32. One must sing.
33. One must perform sańkīrtana.
34. One must chant.
35. One must offer prayers.
36. One must recite notable prayers.
37. One must taste mahā-prasāda (food from the very plate offered before the Deities).
38. One must drink caraṇāmṛta (water from the bathing of the Deities, which is offered to guests).
39. One must smell the incense and flowers offered to the Deity.
40. One must touch the lotus feet of the Deity.
41. One must see the Deity with great devotion.
42. One must offer ārati (ārātrika) at different times.
43. One must hear about the Lord and His pastimes from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Bhagavad-gītā and similar books.
44. One must pray to the Deity for His mercy.
45. One should remember the Deity.
46. One should meditate upon the Deity.
47. One should render some voluntary service.
48. One should think of the Lord as one’s friend.
49. One should offer everything to the Lord.
50. One should offer a favorite article (such as food or a garment).
51. One should take all kinds of risks and perform all endeavors for Kṛṣṇa’s benefit.
52. In every condition, one should be a surrendered soul.
53. One should pour water on the tulasī tree.
54. One should regularly hear Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and similar literature.
55. One should live in a sacred place like Mathurā, Vṛndāvana or Dvārakā.
56. One should offer service to Vaiṣṇavas (devotees).
57. One should arrange one’s devotional service according to one’s means.
58. In the month of Kārttika (October and November), one should make arrangements for special services.
59. During Janmāṣṭamī (the time of Kṛṣṇa’s appearance in this world) one should observe a special service.
60. One should do whatever is done with great care and devotion for the Deity.
61. One should relish the pleasure of Bhāgavatam reading among devotees and not among outsiders.
62. One should associate with devotees who are considered more advanced.
63. One should chant the holy name of the Lord.
64. One should live in the jurisdiction of Mathurā.
More takeaways from this session :
Bhakti is logical. It is not whimsical , emotional or sentimental.
The five yamas ( Self-Restraint) are ahimsa (non-violence), satya (truthfulness), asteya (non-stealing), brahmacharya (abstinence) and aparigraha (non-grasping).
1. Misbehaving with somebody is ‘harming’. ‘Ahimsa’ is a practice to not harm.
2. Thinking something & telling something else is ‘lying’. ‘Satya’ is don’t lie.
3. Taking something without the owner’s intention is ‘stealing’. ‘Asteya’ is don’t steal.
4. Act just to fulfill the need of physical senses is ‘indulgence’. ‘Brahmacharya’ is don’t indulge.
5. Desiring to get more than what actually needed is ‘possessiveness’. ‘Aparigraha’ is non-possessiveness.
Niyama is a duty. Tasks and habits that will help you live well and healthy. Niyamas are habits that you need to inculcate in your behavior to become self-realized and live consciously.
- Shaucha :
Shaucha is purification. Impurity in mind and surroundings is detrimental to development in the spiritual path. It obscures your path to wisdom.
2. Samtosha :
Samtosha is contentment/satisfaction. It is an attribute that makes you happy with what you have and not crave for something that does not belong to you.
3. Tapas :
Tapas is austerity. It is disciplining yourself and developing a willpower that will help you do the necessary to bring positivity in your life even when you do not want to do it.
4. Svadhyaya :
Svadhyaya is self-study. It helps you realize what you truly are. It mirrors your flaws and weaknesses and helps you fix them and then move past them.
5. Ishvara Pranidhana :
It is deity worship with devotion and self-surrender. It is the dedication, devotion, and surrender of the fruits of one’s practice to a higher power.
Out of all 64 limbs 5 are more important:
- Association of devotees
- Chanting Hare Krsna Mahamantra
- Listening to Srila Prabhupada lectures
- Visiting dham (Mathura/Vrindavan)
- Deity worship
Out of this 5 again, Chanting Hare Krsna Mahamantra is the most important one . Let’s chant the Hare Krsna Mahamantra :
Hare Rāma Hare Rāma
Rāma Rāma Hare Hare
Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa
Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare
At the end , I would like to express my gratitude to Prabhuji for this enlightening lecture. Jai Srila Prabhupada.
Interested to have such sublime experience with devotees , stay in touch with your nearest ISKCON center.
