Sharanagati

If something is very easy that you do as devotional service, usually this is your desire. If you have to sacrifice something, if it is difficult, if you have to surrender to a job – then it’s closer to the divine will.

But this is the question: what are the criteria for devotional service? If something is recommended by shastra, by guru, by sadhu or by Paramatma. This is one criteria. And what is the second criteria? Love, dedication that we add to the service. Because this service is a qualified service, this is DEVOTIONAL service. Devotion, dedication should be there. So we can summarize that the two qualities of devotional service are that I’m under instruction and I’m doing it with my full heart and soul. If you have these sources to consult, then you can be sure that this is devotional service. Because according to our teachers, even studying the shastras is NOT devotional service if it is not recommended by spiritual master. It’s quite strict.