Nine Processes of Devotional Service
The nine islands of Navadvipa exactly resemble a lotus flower. O Devi, please listen as I describe the real form of Navadvipa where the Lord as Gaurasundara is eternally situated.
Antardvipa, Simantadvipa, Godrumadvipa, and Madhyadvīpa are situated on the east bank of the Ganges. And Koladvīpa, Rtudvipa, Jahnudvīpa, Modadrumadvīpa, and Rudradvīpa are situated on the western bank. Flowing in various places of Navadvipa are all auspicious rivers such as the Ganges, Yamuna, Godavari, Sarasvati, Narmadā, Sindhu, Kāverī, Tāmraparṇī, Payasvinī, Kṛtamālā, Bhīmā, Gomatī, and Dṛṣadvatī. Navadvīpa is always surrounded by these holy rivers.
(Sri Navadvipa-Dhama-Mahatmya, Chapter 4)
When Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu was a student, He asked whomever He met to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. In this way He inundated the whole town of Navadvīpa with the chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa.
PURPORT
The present Navadvīpa-dhāma is but a part of the whole of Navadvīpa. Navadvīpa means “nine islands.” These nine islands, which occupy an area of land estimated at thirty-two square miles, are surrounded by different branches of the Ganges. In all nine of those islands of the Navadvīpa area there are different places for cultivating devotional service. It is stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (SB 7.5.23) that there are nava-vidha bhakti, nine different activities of devotional service:
śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam
arcanaṁ vandanaṁ dāsyaṁ sakhyam ātma-nivedanam
There are different islands in the Navadvīpa area for cultivation of these nine varieties of devotional service. They are as follows: (1) Antardvīpa, (2) Sīmantadvīpa, (3) Godrumadvīpa, (4) Madhyadvīpa, (5) Koladvīpa, (6) Ṛtudvīpa, (7) Jahnudvīpa, (8) Modadruma-dvīpa and (9) Rudradvīpa. According to the settlement map, our ISKCON Navadvīpa center is situated on the Rudradvīpa island. Below Rudradvīpa, in Antardvīpa, is Māyāpur. There Śrī Jagannātha Miśra, the father of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, used to reside. In all these different islands, Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, as a young man, used to lead His saṅkīrtana party. He thus inundated the entire area with the waves of love of Kṛṣṇa.
(CC Adi 13.30 purport)
All the facilities suggested in this mantra can be easily obtained by constant contact with the personal feature of the Absolute Truth. Devotional service to the Lord consists essentially of nine transcendental activities: (1) hearing about the Lord, (2) glorifying the Lord, (3) remembering the Lord, (4) serving the lotus feet of the Lord, (5) worshiping the Lord, (6) offering prayers to the Lord, (7) serving the Lord, (8) enjoying friendly association with the Lord, and (9) surrendering everything unto the Lord. These nine principles of devotional service – taken all together or one by one – help a devotee remain constantly in touch with God. In this way, at the end of life it is easy for the devotee to remember the Lord. By adopting only one of these nine principles, the following renowned devotees of the Lord were able to achieve the highest perfection: (1) By hearing of the Lord, Mahārāja Parīkṣit, the hero of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, attained the desired result. (2) Just by glorifying the Lord, Śukadeva Gosvāmī, the speaker of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, attained his perfection. (3) By praying to the Lord, Akrūra attained the desired result. (4) By remembering the Lord, Prahlāda Mahārāja attained the desired result. (5) By worshiping the Lord, Pṛthu Mahārāja attained perfection. (6) By serving the lotus feet of the Lord, the goddess of fortune, Lakṣmī, attained perfection. (7) By rendering personal service to the Lord, Hanumān attained the desired result. (8) Through his friendship with the Lord, Arjuna attained the desired result. (9) By surrendering everything he had to the Lord, Mahārāja Bali attained the desired result.
(Sri Isopanisad 17)
Mahārāja Parīkṣit attained the highest perfection, shelter at Lord Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet, simply by hearing about Lord Viṣṇu. Śukadeva Gosvāmī attained perfection simply by reciting Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Prahlāda Mahārāja attained perfection by remembering the Lord. The goddess of fortune attained perfection by massaging the transcendental legs of Mahā-Viṣṇu. Mahārāja Pṛthu attained perfection by worshiping the Deity, and Akrūra attained perfection by offering prayers unto the Lord. Vajrāṅgajī [Hanumān] attained perfection by rendering service to Lord Rāmacandra, and Arjuna attained perfection simply by being Kṛṣṇa’s friend. Bali Mahārāja attained perfection by dedicating everything to the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa.
(CC Madhya 22.136 purport)
Prahlāda Mahārāja said: Hearing and chanting about the transcendental holy name, form, qualities, paraphernalia and pastimes of Lord Viṣṇu, 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 Kṛṣṇa through these nine methods should be understood to be the most learned person, for he has acquired complete knowledge.
(SB 7.5.23-24)
“Be always engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is the success of your life.” And how to discharge this Kṛṣṇa consciousness? He advises, śravaṇa kīrtana, smaraṇa vandana, pāda-sevana dāsya re. You can adopt out of the nine ways of devotional service any one. If you can adopt all of them, that’s very nice. If not, you can adopt eight of them. You can adopt seven of them, six of them, five of them, four of them. But even if you adopt only one of them, your life will be successful. What are those nine methods? Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam. Hearing from authoritative sources. And chanting. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam. Smaraṇam. Memorizing. Vandanam, prayers. Śravaṇa kīrtanaṁ, smaraṇaṁ vandana, pāda-sevanam. Offering service to His lotus feet as eternal servant. Pūjana sakhī-jana. Or just try to love Kṛṣṇa as your friend. Ātma-nivedana. Or give up everything for Kṛṣṇa. That is the way of devotional service, and Govinda dāsa is aspiring after that Kṛṣṇa consciousness business.
(Prabhupada 0376 – Bhajahu Re Mana Purport)
Whichever method is possible by you, you can adopt and you can become perfect. Not that you have to execute all the methods. Even one method, if you perfectly do, you’ll become perfect. You’ll be transferred to the spiritual kingdom.
(000000 – Lecture SB 02.01.05 – Unknown)
There are nine different processes. So you can adopt either all the nine processes, as Ambarīṣa Mahārāja accepted all the nine processes: Sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayor vacāṁsi vaikuṇṭha-guṇānuvarṇane (SB 9.4.18). So we can do that. Or eight. Or seven. Or six. Or five. Or four. At least one. At least one. Some way or other, become connected with Kṛṣṇa.
(The Nectar of Devotion — Bombay, January 7, 1973)
Mahārāja Ambarīṣa always engaged his mind in meditating upon the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, his words in describing the glories of the Lord, his hands in cleansing the Lord’s temple, and his ears in hearing the words spoken by Kṛṣṇa or about Kṛṣṇa. He engaged his eyes in seeing the Deity of Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa’s temples and Kṛṣṇa’s places like Mathurā and Vṛndāvana, he engaged his sense of touch in touching the bodies of the Lord’s devotees, he engaged his sense of smell in smelling the fragrance of tulasī offered to the Lord, and he engaged his tongue in tasting the Lord’s prasāda. He engaged his legs in walking to the holy places and temples of the Lord, his head in bowing down before the Lord, and all his desires in serving the Lord, twenty-four hours a day. Indeed, Mahārāja Ambarīṣa never desired anything for his own sense gratification. He engaged all his senses in devotional service, in various engagements related to the Lord. This is the way to increase attachment for the Lord and be completely free from all material desires.
(SB 7.5.23-24)
Somehow or other you have to engage your mind at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore so many paraphernalia how to engage your mind. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ: hearing about Kṛṣṇa, chanting about Kṛṣṇa, thinking of Kṛṣṇa, worshiping Kṛṣṇa, talking about Kṛṣṇa, writing about Kṛṣṇa, selling the books about Kṛṣṇa, eating Kṛṣṇa prasādam. In this way you become Kṛṣṇaized. All-around Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
(Lecture on BG 7.1 — Melbourne, June 29, 1974)
Prabhupāda: Śravaṇam kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇam (SB 7.5.23)—this is bhāgavata-mārga. And arcanaṁ vandanaṁ dāsyaṁ sākhyam ātmā-nivedanam—that is pañcarātrika, arcanam.
(Lecture on SB 6.2.24-25 — Gorakhpur, February 13, 1971)
Therefore the quick development process is to execute devotional service in the association of devotees, sādhu-saṅga (CC Madhya 22.83).
- sādhu-saṅga, sādhu-saṅga—sarva-śāstre kaya
- lava-mātra sādhu-saṅge sarva-siddhi haya
- (CC Madhya 22.54)
Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that sādhu-saṅga, association of devotees, is very, very important.
(Morning Walk — June 11, 1974, Paris)
Antardvipa : Ātma-nivedanam : Full Surrender : Bali Mahārāja
Ātmā means self, and nivedana means surrender
(Purport to Bhajahu Re Mana — San Francisco, March 16, 1967)
Ātma-nivedanam means offering Kṛṣṇa everything, including one’s body, mind, intelligence and whatever one may possess…..The word Ātma-nivedanam refers to the stage at which one who has no motive other than to serve the Lord surrenders everything to the Lord and performs his activities only to please the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
(SB 7.5.23-24 purport)
Simantadvipa : Śravaṇam : Hearing : Parīkṣit Mahārāja
But for all devotional service, the main pillar is śravaṇam, hearing. Without hearing, other processes of devotional service will not be perfect. Therefore hearing is most important. Hearing, according to our Vaiṣṇava philosophy, especially Lord Caitanya’s, this hearing and chanting are two main pillars for devotional service.
(Lecture on BG 3.18-30 — Los Angeles, December 30, 1968)
So the easiest process is simply hearing. Hearing of this Bhagavad-gītā or Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam from the realized person, that will train up oneself, one, into the thoughts of the Supreme Being twenty-four hours, which will lead one ultimately, anta-kāle, to remember the Supreme Lord, and thus leaving this body, he will have a spiritual body, a spiritual body, just fit for association with the Lord.
(Lecture on BG Introduction — New York, February 19-20, 1966)
So if you simply hear sincerely and submissively, then you will understand Kṛṣṇa
(Lecture on BG 6.13-15 — Los Angeles, February 16, 1969)
You remain in your place. It doesn’t matter what you are, but if you simply hear about Kṛṣṇa, then you become devotee. It is so nice. You don’t require any education. You don’t require any money, don’t require anything. You simply hear. That is also confirmed in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
(Lecture on BG 13.15 — Bombay, October 9, 1973)
These are nine processes of devotional service, of which śravanam, hearing, is most important. Without hearing, nobody can understand the science of God. Therefore the Vedic mantras are called śruti. Śruti means it is to be heard. It is not to be experimented in the laboratory. It is simply to be heard. Therefore it is called śruti.
(Janmastami Lord Sri Krsna’s Appearance Day — Montreal, August 16, 1968)
“Oh, I… People are hearing so many things daily. They are going to the college, schools, and meetings and assembly and association. They are all hearing, śravaṇam. They are practicing yoga?” No. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ: you have to hear and preach and chant of Kṛṣṇa, nothing more. Not that simply by hearing any nonsense things you become yogi.
(Lecture on BG 7.1 — Los Angeles, March 12, 1970)
Godrumadvipa : Kīrtanam : Chanting : Śukadeva Gosvāmi
Kīrtanam means chanting. Kīrtanam actually means describing. You can describe with music. You can describe with words. You can describe in speeches. Any sort of describing, that is called kīrtana.
(661130 – Lecture BG 09.15 – New York)
Whenever we glorify the Lord, that is called kīrtana. The Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam reading is also kīrtana.
(Janmastami Lord Sri Krsna’s Appearance Day — Montreal, August 16, 1968)
If you hear about Kṛṣṇa, if you chant about Kṛṣṇa, then gradually, your heart will be cleansed. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇam (CC Antya 20.12). By chanting and hearing, the dirty things within the heart will be cleansed. Then you will understand what is your position in relationship with God.
(Lecture on BG 2.18 — Hyderabad, November 23, 1972)
Kirtana means both lecturing and chanting with music. The chanting with music is specially attractive for the mass of people, but talking from philosophical point of view on Krishna Consciousness is also chanting.
(680814 – Letter to Upendra written from Montreal)
Kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya mukta-saṅgaḥ paraṁ vrajet: (SB 12.3.51) simply by chanting the holy name of Kṛṣṇa, one is liberated and returns home, back to Godhead. Therefore, even if one is able to perform other processes of devotional service, one must adopt the chanting of the holy name as the principal method of advancing in spiritual life.
(SB 7.5.23-24 purport)
While chanting the holy name of the Lord, one should be careful to avoid ten offenses. ….There is no way to atone for any of these offenses. It is therefore recommended that an offender at the feet of the holy name continue to chant the holy name twenty-four hours a day. Constant chanting of the holy name will make one free of offenses, and then he will gradually be elevated to the transcendental platform on which he can chant the pure holy name and thus become a lover of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
(SB 7.5.23-24 purport)
Madhyadvipa : Smaraṇaṁ : Remembering : Prahlāda Mahārāja
If we cannot understand Kṛṣṇa by reading Bhagavad-gītā and śāstra, Kṛṣṇa therefore giving us the very easiest method. “All right, you cannot understand Me? You are drinking water every day, four times, three times. You just remember, ‘This taste is Kṛṣṇa.’ ” That’s all. Smaraṇam. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇam (SB 7.5.23). Because you’ll remember Kṛṣṇa, you life will be successful, simply by drinking water.
(Lecture on BG 4.24 — Bombay, April 13, 1974)
Smaraṇam, thinking of Kṛṣṇa. Anyone can think of Kṛṣṇa. Here is Kṛṣṇa’s form. You see and get the form within your heart and think of Kṛṣṇa, meditate. Where is the difficulty?
(Lecture on SB 6.1.15 — Auckland, February 22, 1973)
Meditation, if you meditate upon the Supreme Lord, that is also bhakti, devotional service. Smaraṇam.
(Lecture on BG 4.6-8 — New York, July 20, 1966)
According to different relationships with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, there are varieties of nāmānukīrtanam, chanting of the holy name, and thus according to different relationships and mellows there are five kinds of remembering. These are as follows: (a) conducting research into the worship of a particular form of the Lord, (b) concentrating the mind on one subject and withdrawing the mind’s activities of thinking, feeling and willing from all other subjects, (c) concentrating upon a particular form of the Lord (this is called meditation), (d) concentrating one’s mind continuously on the form of the Lord (this is called dhruvānusmṛti, or perfect meditation), and (e) awakening a likening for concentration upon a particular form (this is called samādhi, or trance). Mental concentration upon particular pastimes of the Lord in particular circumstances is also called remembrance. Therefore samādhi, trance, can be possible in five different ways in terms of one’s relationship.
(SB 7.5.23-24 purport)
Koladvipa : Pāda-sevanam : Serving the lotus feet : Lakṣmī
Pāda-sevanam means to serve, giving service, rendering service to the lotus feet of the Lord, just like devotees do. They bring flowers, tulasī, and offer to the lotus feet of the Lord. The worshiping of the Lord begins from the leg, from the lotus feet, not directly to the head. That is the way.
(Lecture on SB 7.5.22-30 — London, September 8, 1971)
Those who are engaged in the service of this temple, they are discharging devotional service, pāda-sevanam.
(Lecture on BG 3.18-30 — Los Angeles, December 30, 1968)
pāda-sevanam means engaging oneself in serving the lotus feet of the Lord according to the time and circumstances.
(SB 7.5.23-24 purport)
Pāda-sevanam means to rise early in the morning, open the door of temple and wipe it out, all the dust, and give some light.
(Lecture on BG 9.2-5 — New York, November 23, 1966)
One obtains the perfection of remembering when one constantly thinks of the lotus feet of the Lord. Being intensely attached to thinking of the Lord’s lotus feet is called pāda-sevanam. When one is particularly adherent to the process of pāda-sevanam, this process gradually includes other processes, such as seeing the form of the Lord, touching the form of the Lord, circumambulating the form or temple of the Lord, visiting such places as Jagannātha Purī, Dvārakā and Mathurā to see the Lord’s form, and bathing in the Ganges or Yamunā. Bathing in the Ganges and serving a pure Vaiṣṇava are also known as tadīya-upāsanam. This is also pāda-sevanam. The word tadīya means “in relationship with the Lord.” Service to the Vaiṣṇava, Tulasī, Ganges and Yamunā are included in pāda-sevanam. All these processes of pāda-sevanam help one advance in spiritual life very quickly.
(SB 7.5.23-24 purport)
Ritudvipa : Arcanaṁ : Worshipping the Deity : Pṛthu Mahārāja
Arcanam means the offering ārātrika, offering bhoga, cleansing the Deity room and dressing the Lord, changing the flowers. These are called arcanam.
(Lecture on SB 7.5.22-30 — London, September 8, 1971)
These are the process of devotional service, that we worship the Deity, śrī-vigraha, nicely dressed, nicely worshiped, first-class food offered. This is called śrī-vigrahārādhana, worshiping, arcanam.
(Lecture on BG 16.8 — Hawaii, February 4, 1975)
Arcana is very important. For kaniṣṭha-adhikārī, devotee in the lower stage, arcana is very, very important.
(Lecture on SB 3.28.18 — Nairobi, October 27, 1975)
Arcanam. Therefore for every gṛhastha… Because gṛhasthas are busy in so many ways, they have no opportunity to preach. But they must take to arcana. Every house, every householder, they must… What is the difficulty? Just like we have got in this platform, Deity of Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, everyone can install Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa Deity at home and under the instruction of spiritual master and shastric regulations.
(Lecture on BG 7.1 — Ahmedabad, December 13, 1972)
Jahnudvipa : Vandanaṁ : Praying : Akrūra
Vandanam, those who are offering prayers, they are engaged in devotional service. Just like in Christian church or mosque, they have no Deity, but they offer prayer. That is devotional service.
(Lecture on BG 3.18-30 — Los Angeles, December 30, 1968)
The vandanam, offering prayers. Everyone goes to the temple, to the church, offers prayer. That is also bhakti.
(Lecture on SB 6.1.15 — Auckland, February 22, 1973)
vandanam means offering respectful obeisances. Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). Vandanam means namaskuru—offering obeisances or offering prayers.
(SB 7.5.23-24 purport)
Modadrumadvipa : Dāsyaṁ : Becoming a servant : Hanumān
dāsyam: to become servant of God, to cleanse the temple, to work for God, for Kṛṣṇa, dāsyaṁ.
(Lecture on SB 6.1.15 — Auckland, February 22, 1973)
Dāsyam means to work as menial servant of the Lord.
(Lecture on SB 7.5.22-30 — London, September 8, 1971)
Rudradvipa : Sakhyam : Being a friend : Arjuna
considering the Lord one’s best friend (SB 7.5.23-24)
One should have complete faith in the words of Kṛṣṇa, who says that He is the great well-wishing friend of everyone (suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānām (BG 5.29)). A devotee considers Kṛṣṇa the only friend. This is called sakhyam. (SB 7.5.23-24 purport)
sakhyam means being a well-wisher of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa wants everyone to surrender unto Him because everyone is constitutionally His servant. Therefore, as a sincere friend of Kṛṣṇa, one should preach this philosophy, requesting everyone to surrender unto Kṛṣṇa. (SB 7.5.23-24 purport)
Friendship, therefore, is better than servitude. In the stage above dāsya-rasa, the devotee accepts the Supreme Personality of Godhead as a friend. This is not at all astonishing, for when a devotee is pure in heart the opulence of his worship of the Deity diminishes as spontaneous love for the Personality of Godhead is manifested.
(SB 7.5.23-24 purport)