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becomes advanced on the path of liberation, and thereafter he is freed, and his attraction becomes fixed. Then
real devotion and devotional service begin.” (SB 3.25.25)

Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada comments: “The process of advancing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and devotional
service is described here. The first point is that one must seek the association of persons who are Kṛṣṇa conscious
and who engage in devotional service. Without such association one cannot make advancement. Simply by
theoretical knowledge or study one cannot make any appreciable advancement. One must give up the
association of materialistic persons and seek the association of devotees because without the association of
devotees one cannot understand the activities of the Lord. Generally, people are convinced of the impersonal
feature of the Absolute Truth. Because they do not associate with devotees, they cannot understand that the
Absolute Truth can be a person and have personal activities. This is a very difficult subject matter, and unless
one has personal understanding of the Absolute Truth, there is no meaning to devotion. Service or devotion
cannot be offered to anything impersonal. Service must be offered to a person. Nondevotees cannot appreciate
Kṛṣṇa consciousness by reading the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam or any other Vedic literature wherein the activities of
the Lord are described; they think that these activities are fictional, manufactured stories because spiritual life is
not explained to them in the proper mood. To understand the personal activities of the Lord, one has to seek the
association of devotees, and by such association, when one contemplates and tries to understand the
transcendental activities of the Lord, the path to liberation is open, and he is freed. One who has firm faith in the
Supreme Personality of Godhead becomes fixed, and his attraction for association with the Lord and the devotees
increases. Association with devotees means association with the Lord. The devotee who makes this association
develops the consciousness for rendering service to the Lord, and then, being situated in the transcendental
position of devotional service, he gradually becomes perfect.” (SB 3.25.25 – purport)

3-sreyah-kairava-candrika-vitaranam means the devotee’s life becomes completely auspicious. The Holy Name
of Lord Krishna is compared to the soothing rays of the moon that nourishes all the vegetables to grow and taste
succulent (Bg 15.12 – purport). Due to the pleasing effect of the moonshine one can come to understand that
he is living by the mercy of Lord Krishna. Everything becomes tasty by the Lord’s mercy that is felt through the
influence of the moon (Bg 15.13 - purport). The devotee’s life become auspicious by Krishna’s holy name
compared to the moon and his good fortune is further amplified by the mercy of the Vaisnavas which is
compared to the moonshine. When the merciful moonshine of the Vaisnava’s blessings touch the heart of the
devotee, he develops all good qualities such as humility and tolerance, and enthusiasm for chanting,
remembering Lord Krishna and serving the Vaisnavas.

He eagerly approaches the Vaisnavas to hear their discourses and ask questions as Arjuna and Maharaja Pariksit
did. Twenty-six amazing qualities are developed by the devotee who associates with genuine Vaisnavas.

kṛpālu, akṛta-droha, satya-sāra sama / nidoṣa, vadānya, mṛdu, śuci, akiñcana
sarvopakāraka, śānta, kṛṣṇaika-śaraṇa / akāma, anīha, sthira, vijita-ṣaḍ-guṇa
mita-bhuk, apramatta, mānada, amānī / gambhīra, karuṇa, maitra, kavi, dakṣa, maunī (Madhya 22. 78-80)

Devotees are always merciful, humble, truthful, equal to all, faultless, magnanimous, mild and clean. They are
without material possessions, and they perform welfare work for everyone. They are peaceful, surrendered
to Kṛṣṇa and desireless. They are indifferent to material acquisitions and are fixed in devotional service. They
completely control the six bad qualities-lust, anger, greed and so forth. They eat only as much as required, and

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