That which is performed with enthusiasm solely for the satisfaction of the senses of the Supreme Truth — eternal, absolute, and ever-existent; the ultimate, transcendent reality, Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa — accompanied by a favorable inclination toward Him, and rooted in the desire to please Him — that alone is Śuddhā-bhakti (pure devotion). In such Bhakti, there is no longing for objects that are not related to Kṛṣṇa, no activities (karma) which is rooted in the desire for enjoyment, no knowledge (jñāna) rooted in the aspiration for liberation, and no pursuit of mystic perfections as sought through yoga and other methods. In the concluding two verses of the sixth chapter of the Gītā, Bhakti-yoga alone is declared to be the supreme path.
Ṭhākura Śrīla Bhaktivinoda, in his explanation, has written — "A sakāma-karmī (fruitive worker with material desires) is not referred to as a Yogī. The niṣkāma karmī (desireless worker), the jñānī (followers of path of knowledge only), the aṣṭāṅga-yogī (practitioner of the eightfold path of Dhyāna-yoga), and the follower of bhakti-yoga — all of these are Yogīs. Yoga is a specific path made up of progressive steps. By taking shelter of that path, the living entity ascends toward the path of Brahman. Niṣkāma-karma-yoga is the first step of this ladder. When it is combined with knowledge and renunciation, it becomes jñāna-yoga, the second step. Again, when that is further combined with meditation on the Supreme Lord, it becomes aṣṭāṅga-yoga, the third step. When that in turn becomes infused with love for the Lord, it becomes bhakti-yoga, the fourth step. ………. Those whose sole objective is eternal welfare take shelter of the process of Yoga. But ascending each step, having attained firm faith in one stage, they must ultimately relinquish attachment to that stage and move onward to the next higher stage. Whoever remains confined to a particular stage becomes identified with that partial form of Yoga, therefore, someone becomes known as a karma-yogī, another as a jñāna-yogī, another as an aṣṭāṅga-yogī, and yet another as a bhakti-yogī. Hence, O Pārtha, he whose ultimate goal is exclusive devotion to Me is superior to the other three types of Yogīs. You should become such a Yogī — that is, a bhakti-yogī. Through niṣkāma-karma comes jñāna (knowledge); through that, dhyāna-yoga (meditation on the Lord); and ultimately, bhakti-yoga, rooted in love for the Lord, becomes attainable for the living entity."
Śrīla Cakravartī Ṭhākura has written — karmmī jñānī ca tyāgī mataḥ, aṣṭāṅga yogī yogitaraḥ, śravaṇakīrttanādi bhaktimāṁstu yogitama ityarthaḥ. i.e. “the karmī, the jñānī, and the tyāgī (renunciant) are considered of one category; the aṣṭāṅga-yogī is superior to them as a yogī; but the one who is devoted to śravaṇa (hearing), kīrtana (chanting), and other limbs of Bhakti — he is the highest yogī. That is the intended meaning.”
It is also stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam —
"muktānām api siddhānāṁ nārāyaṇa-parāyaṇaḥ sudurlabhaḥ praśāntātmā koṭiṣv api mahā-mune" (Bhāgavatam 6.14.5)
Meaning: O great sage, among millions and millions of the liberated and perfected beings, a person who is exclusively devoted to Nārāyaṇa, with a peaceful and composed heart, is extremely rare.
In Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, Chapter 19, in the section of Śrī-rūpa-śikṣā, it is stated: The living entities are of two kinds — nitya-mukta (eternally liberated) and nitya-baddha (eternally conditioned). The nitya-baddha souls are again divided into two categories — sthāvara (stationary) and jaṅgama (moving). The conscious yet immobile beings such as trees and plants are categorized as sthāvara, while birds, aquatic creatures, and terrestrial animals are categorized as jaṅgama. Among terrestrial beings, the human species is extremely rare. Among humans, excluding the mlecchas, pulindas, and śabaras, we get the veda-niṣṭha (those adhering to the Vedas) humans. Among the veda-niṣṭhas, half of them only accept the Vedas verbally, but in practice are devoted to sinful acts condemned by the Vedas and thus fall into irreligion. The other half may follow religious conduct, yet many among them are merely karma-niṣṭha (devoted to ritualistic action). Among millions of such karma-niṣṭhas, only one may become jñāna-niṣṭha (devoted to knowledge). Among millions of jñāna-niṣṭhas, one person, free from materialistic intelligence, may attain liberation. In this way, among millions upon millions of liberated souls, a devotee of Kṛṣṇa is extremely rare. Up to the stage of liberation, everyone remains filled with desires — either gross or subtle. The karma-niṣṭhas desire material and heavenly pleasures in this world and the next, and are therefore seekers of enjoyment (bhukti-kāmī). The jñāna-niṣṭhas desire liberation (mukti-kāmī), and the yoga-niṣṭhas desire mystic powers (siddhi-kāmī). As long as these three types of desires — bhukti, mukti, and siddhi — remain in the heart of the living entity, he remains unpeaceful. A devotee of Kṛṣṇa alone is truly peaceful, because in kṛṣṇa-bhakti the desire to gratify one’s own senses is completely replaced by the sole desire to satisfy Kṛṣṇa’s senses — kṛṣṇa-bhakta niṣkāma, ataeva śānta, bhukti-mukti-siddhi-kāmī sakali aśānta; “The devotee of Kṛṣṇa is desireless, therefore peaceful. The seekers of enjoyment, liberation, and mystic powers are all unpeaceful.”
Bhūḥ, Bhuvaḥ, Svaḥ, Mahaḥ, Jana, Tapaḥ, and Satya — these are the seven higher planetary systems; and Tala, Atala, Vitala, Nitala, Talātala, Mahātala, and Sutala — these are the seven lower or subterranean worlds. These seven upper and seven lower realms together constitute the fourteen worlds of the universe. While wandering throughout this universe of fourteen planetary systems, only the fortunate souls — that is, those endowed with sukṛti (spiritual merit) — by the mercy of Guru and Kṛṣṇa, attain śraddhā (faith), which is the seed of the creeper of devotion. Only when, in some way, one engages in service to Viṣṇu and the Vaiṣṇavas does the awakening of bhakty-unmukhī sukṛti (piety inclined toward devotion) take place. This sukṛti alone diminishes the soul’s attachment to the material world, which is rooted in the thirst for enjoying temporary happiness. It awakens the longing for the association of sādhus, who cultivate the pursuit of the true eternal substance. By continuously hearing kṛṣṇa-kathā (narrations about Kṛṣṇa) flowing from the mouths of sādhus, śraddhā arises in the heart of the living entity — faith rooted in firm conviction that “kṛṣṇe bhakti karile sarvakarma siddha haya” i.e. by performing devotion unto Kṛṣṇa, all other duties are fulfilled. Sowing this seed of śraddhā into the field of the heart, and beginning the work of watering it by hearing kṛṣṇa-kathā from sādhus and by chanting/discussing those topics, the seed gradually sprouts and takes up the form of the creeper of devotion. Gradually, crossing beyond the Virajā River and Brahmaloka, the creeper reaches the paravyoma, and ascending further, it reaches the desire tree of Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet situated in Goloka Vṛndāvana. There, it bears the ultimate desired fruit known as prema.
Bhakti is amṛta — that is, it is of the nature of supreme bliss. When a living entity attains it, he becomes fully satisfied and considers his life to be completely successful. It brings the highest fulfillment. In his heart, there remains no trace of grief, delusion, fear, or desire. From within, he becomes completely indifferent to the cravings for bhukti, mukti, and siddhi. There remains no scope for malice, violence, envy, criticism of others, or idle gossip. No temptation, such as that of wealth, sensual attraction, or fame, can allure his heart. He continuously engages in the cultivation of hearing, chanting, and remembering the names, forms, qualities, and pastimes of his most beloved Śrī Kṛṣṇa. His only action is that which pleases the Lord. Apart from knowledge related to sambandha (relationship), abhidheya (means), and prayojana (goal) — that is, knowledge conducive to devotion — no other kind of knowledge finds place in his heart. No path other than bhakti-yoga holds any importance or enters the field of his contemplation. In a heart that is tormented by joy upon union with mundane objects and distress upon separation from them, how can there be any place for the pure love of Kṛṣṇa?
Only by the exclusive grace of Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s bliss-bestowing potency does the living entity become eligible to receive such wealth of devotion. Through the good fortune of associating with such a devotee who has received the mercy of the hlādinī-śakti (the internal pleasure potency), other living beings also become inheritors of that devotion and thus attain the supreme fulfillment of life. For this reason, it has been said that the association of kṛṣṇa-bhaktas — devotees of Kṛṣṇa — is the very root cause of the birth of devotion to Kṛṣṇa. By hearing kṛṣṇa-kathā in the association of sādhus, śraddhā arises, and the person endowed with that śraddhā becomes eligible to inherit the wealth of devotion to Kṛṣṇa. Therefore, it is necessary to always remain eager for the attainment of sādhu-saṅga. Just as a person desiring material wealth must go to the assembly of the wealthy and strive for riches, so too must a person seeking spiritual wealth go to the assembly of sādhus who are rich in such spiritual wealth, and there strive for that treasure. He must hear the instructions of the sādhus and make an effort to follow them — becoming firmly determined in his resolve.
