Your shraddha must be protected from all varieties of inauspiciousness

(From "Bhakti Tattva Viveka" - click to read more from it.
You can also read the previous page: Violent Creatures of Lust, Anger and So Forth)

Now I will explain the gradual development of bhakti starting from its seed-form of shraddha.

It is to be understood clearly that as soon as the seed of shraddha is sown in the heart, immediately Bhakti-devi appears there.

Bhakti at the stage of shraddha is very delicate like a newborn baby girl.

From the very time of her appearance in a devotee’s heart she has to be very carefully kept in a healthy condition.

Just as a householder protects his very tender baby daughter from sun, cold, harmful creatures, hunger, and thirst, similarly the infant-like Shraddha-devi must be protected from all varieties of inauspiciousness.

Otherwise the undesirable association of jnana, karma, yoga, attachment to material objects, dry renunciation and so forth will not allow her to gradually blossom into uttama-bhakti and will instead make her grow into a different form.

In other words, the shraddha will not eventually develop into bhakti but will merely assume the form of anarthas.

The danger of disease remains up until the tender Shraddha-devi becomes free from the influence of anarthas and transforms into nishtha from being nurtured by the affectionate mother of the association of genuine devotees and from taking the medicine of bhajana.

Once she has reached the stage of nishtha, no anartha whatsoever can easily harm her.(from Part 1 – "The Intrinsic Nature of Devotion")

Another revelation, The Type of Jnana Directly Opposed to Bhakti. Check out the previous page too: Violent Creatures of Lust, Anger and So Forth. You will benefit from reading the whole work: Bhakti Tattva Viveka.

And now listen to this sound >>

Harih Om Tat Sat.