Gaudia vaisnava tradition is very peculiar because even though there were many different traditions in India, which considered bhakti as the main path of spiritual realization, nowhere else the analysis of bhakti was done so minutely. Our school of bhakti is aiming at the highest possible type of bhakti, suddha bhakti. Only this type of bhakti is making us capable of achieving the highest possible goal. Bhakti is very powerful, it can fulfill any desire. But, on the other hand, it does not fulfill all our desires, and the reason is that we do not practice bhakti as we are supposed to. Bhakti is powerful, but the impurities in bhakti make it weak.

Three types of bhakti: aropa-siddha bhakti, sanga-siddha-bhakti and svarupa-siddha-bhakti. Svarupa-siddha-bhakti means pure devotional service. Aropa-siddha-bhakti means we do something and we call it bhakti, but in itself it has nothing to do with bhakti.

Three types of aropa-siddha bhakti: 1) vaidhika-karma, or ritualistic activity prescribed by the Vedas; 2) daily activities; 3) some bad activities. Difference between aropa-siddha-bhakti and ordinary karma: 1) the results will be much greater; 2) ordinary karma may give us some purification, especially if it is Vedic karma, but it also gives us extra attachment to the same karma. If we do the same karma and turn it into aropa-siddha-bhakti, the good effect will remain, but attachment will not increase. Aropa-siddha-bhakti should have a very limited place in our life. Sanga-siddha-bhakti is more subtle, so it is a little closer to pure bhakti. It becomes bhakti because of the association with bhakti.

Sanga-siddha-bhakti is better because it’s an activity which is directly connected with our practice of bhakti and with God. But both aropa-siddha bhakti and sanga-siddha-bhakti may have some place in our life, however they can become deviations on the path of pure bhakti. We cannot be completely dedicated to the suddha-bhakti because: 1) we may have a certain desire that we want to fulfill; 2) we do not have complete faith in the process of bhakti. Aropa-siddha bhakti and sanga-siddha-bhakti are acceptable if we have a very clear goal and our motivation is pure, and if we are under the guidance of a spiritual master.

Pure bhakti is the activity that appears in the mind as soon as we hear about the qualities of Krishna. We should perform devotional service, and it becomes pure when it is fortified by very strong faith in Krishna. Sraddha, a little respect for devotional service and devotees is an important first step, but by associating with devotees and getting initiation, going through the mechanics of devotional service, which is bhajana-kriya, which is not yet bhajan, but the shadow of bhajan, we purify our heart from anarthas. When our heart is purified from anarthas, at this stage of our spiritual development, when we reach nistha, the initial stage of pure devotional service may appear within the heart. Strong faith can only be achieved by the process of association.

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