People Mostly Practice Mishra-Bhakti (Mixed Devotion)

(From "Bhakti Tattva Viveka" - click to read more from it.
You can also read the previous page: Uttama-Bhakti or Topmost Devotion)

Uttama-bhakti means the stage where the devotional creeper is in its completely pure or uncontaminated form.

For example, uncontaminated water means pure water, meaning that in this water there is no colour, smell or adulteration of any kind caused by the addition of another substance.

Similarly, the phrase uttama-bhakti refers to bhakti which is devoid of any contamination, adulteration or attachment to material possessions and which is performed in an exclusive manner.

The usage of these qualifying adjectives here teaches us that we should not accept any sentiments which are opposed to bhakti.

The negation of sentiments which are opposed to bhakti inevitably directs us towards the pure nature of bhakti itself.

Perhaps by merely using the word bhakti alone this meaning is indicated, since the word bhakti already contains within it all these adjectives anyway.

Then has bhakti-rasacarya Srila Rupa Goswami specifically employed the qualifying adjective uttama (topmost) for no reason? No — just as when desiring to drink water people generally ask, “Is this water uncontaminated?” similarly, in order to describe the attributes of uttama-bhakti, our previous acaryas considered it necessary to indicate that people mostly practice mishra-bhakti or mixed devotion.

In reality, rasacarya Srila Rupa Goswami is aiming to describe the attributes of kevala-bhakti or exclusive devotion.

Chala-bhakti, pratibimba-bhakti, chaya-bhakti (a shadow of devotion), karma-mishra-bhakti, jnana-mishra-bhakti and so on are not shuddha-bhakti.

They will all be examined in sequence later on.(from Part 1 – "The Intrinsic Nature of Devotion")

Another revelation, Only When The Activities Are Executed For The Pleasure of Krsna It Is Called Bhakti. Check out the previous page too: Uttama-Bhakti or Topmost Devotion. You will benefit from reading the whole work: Bhakti Tattva Viveka.

And now listen to this sound >>

Harih Om Tat Sat.