13 Dec 2025 morning – Bhakti Is Something Very Valuable (English) – San Jose, Costa Rica

– Bhakti means the tendency to serve Krishna, and the root cause of Krishna-bhakti is association with the sadhu.
– Sloka: bhaktis tu bhagavad-bhakta… (Brhan-naradiya Purana, 4.33).
– The difference between punya-karma (pious activities) and sukrti (spiritual pious activities).
– Trees also feel cold, heat, and pain, but they can’t do anything about it.
– The states of consciousness of the soul are: acchadita-cetana (covered, as in plants), sankucita-cetana (contracted, as in animals and ignorant humans), mukulita-cetana (humans at the beginning of spiritual awakening, consciousness is like a flower bud), vikasita-cetana (humans with expanded consciousness), purna-vikasita-cetana (completely expanded consciousness, this happens from the bhava stage).
– Mahabharata-katha: story of Karna, who is at the top of the list of great proud donors, therefore he was called Dana Karna.
– Those who practice suddha-bhakti are not ordinary people and have received the mercy of the Lord, Bhagavat-krpa.
– Those who are in Krishna Consciousness are extremely fortunate.
– Understand what stage of consciousness you are in; devotees who wear tilaka and practice sadhana are very close to attaining the Lord.
– Example of a sadhu who was almost at the top of a mountain and felt discouraged from continuing.
– Sloka: utsāhān niścayād dhairyāt… (Upadeśāmṛta 3).
– Always think that you will reach your goal of perfection, you are in Krishna Consciousness, this is not something ordinary.
– Bhakti is something very elevated!
– The many definitions of bhakti and the ultimate definition.
– Sloka: anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ… (Brs. 1.1.11).