The Twenty Six Qualities of a Devotee

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 strive to develop the saintly qualities of a devotee this will speed up one's spiritual advancement. These twenty-six qualities of a devotee are understood as follows: (1) A devotee is very kind to everyone because he is the well-wisher of all living entities. He is not only a well-wisher of human society, but a well-wisher of animal society as well. The devotee of the Lord is merciful to everyone -- the cats, dogs, trees, etc. He treats all living entities in such a way that they can ultimately get salvation from this material entanglement. (2) A devotee does not consider anyone to be his enemy. If someone treats him in an inimical way he does not blame that person. He simply thinks that whatever mistreatment he may receive is a result of his own past sinful activities and does not become disturbed. (3) A devotee is truthful because he knows that the highest truth is Krishna 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 true knowledge he sees that in spite of so many different types of bodies everyone 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 he adopted a life of devotion, these should not be taken seriously because very soon these faults we will completely removed from his heart by the purifying power of devotional service. If someone is the shower scrubbing away we cannot criticize him for being dirty. (6) A devotee is magnanimous, which means "great-souled." When Krishna comes as a devotee in form of Lord Caitanya He displays the supreme magnanimous nature. The Lord's magnanimity is very much eulogized 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 never distributed before, pure love of God." According to this prayer, Lord Caitanya is the most magnanimous of all benefactors because He is distributing the ultimate gift, of love of God, without any conditions.

The Twenty Six Qualities of a Devotee

"Here is love of God. Take it." The devotees who spread Krishna consciousness on the order of Lord Caitanya are magnanimous because they purely represent the magnanimity of the Lord. (7) A devotee is mild because by being developed in self-realization is no longer disturbed by the three modes of nature: goodness, passion, and ignorance. (8) A devotee is always clean externally by regular bathing and internally by absorbing his entire life in chanting the Hare Krishna mantra: Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare (9) A devotee is without possessions in the sense that he only accepts whatever possessions are necessary for his service to Krishna and shuns anything beyond that as an unnecessary encumbrance. (10) A devotee works for everyone's benefit by dedicating his entire life 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 the Lord. (12) A devotee is always surrendered to Krishna because whatever Krishna 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 himself great. (15) A devotee is steady because he is solidly fixed in Krishna consciousness. (16) A devotee controls his senses because he only utilizes them in Krishna's service, not otherwise. (17) A devotee does not eat more than required because he is completely satisfied by eating only the remnants of foodstuffs offered to 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

The Twenty Six Qualities of a Devotee

as part and parcel of the Supreme Personality of Godhead with the Supreme 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 other living beings. (21) A devotee is very grave because he is always deeply absorbed in blissful remembrance of Lord Sri Krishna. (22) A devotee is merciful because he cannot tolerate to see another's distress. (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 glorifying Uttamasloka, the Supreme Lord Krishna, Who is praised with the choicest poetic words. (25) A devotee is expert in everything he does because he wants to please Krishna at every second by his thoughts, words, and deeds. (26) A devotee is silent because He only talks about Krishna. He never talks nonsense. May you have all success in developing these twenty-six qualities!