Srila Bhakti Rakshaka Sridhar Dev Goswami Maharaj’s explanation of Srimad Bhagavatam sloka
śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ,
smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam
arcanaṁ vandanaṁ dāsyaṁ,
sakhyam ātma-nivedanam.
iti puṁsārpitā viṣṇau,
bhaktiś cen nava-lakṣaṇā
kriyeta bhagavaty addhā
tan manye ‘dhītam uttamam
“Hearing about Kṛṣṇa, chanting Kṛṣṇa’s glories, remembering Kṛṣṇa, serving Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet, worshipping Kṛṣṇa’s transcendental form, offering prayers to Kṛṣṇa, becoming Kṛṣṇa’s servant, considering Kṛṣṇa as one’s best friend, and surrendering everything to Kṛṣṇa – these nine processes are accepted as pure devotional service.” (S-B, 7.5.23-24)
“Hearing, speaking about, and remembering Kṛṣṇa, serving His lotus feet, worshipping His Deity form, praying, becoming His servant, cultivating His friendship, and surrendering to Him utterly are the nine processes of devotion. One who cultivates these nine processes of devotion, offering himself completely to Kṛṣṇa, can easily attain the ultimate goal of life.”
What are the forms of sādhana? What are the means to attain kṛṣṇa-bhakti? How can we revive our innate love for Kṛṣṇa? We are told to hear about Him, to talk about Him, to meditate upon Him, to praise Him, and so on. But in his commentary on this verse, Śrīdhara Swāmī has explained that we should not anticipate what benefit we shall derive from śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ, hearing or talking or thinking about Kṛṣṇa. Rather we should pray: “May whatever service I do go to my Lord. I am not the enjoying party – He is the sole proprietor.”
All these functions (śravaṇaṁ, kīrtanaṁ etc.) will be considered devotion only if one condition is fulfilled; otherwise, they may be karma, jñāna, yoga, or anything else. They may even be vikarma, polluted misdeeds. One condition must be there to ensure that all these different forms of devotional activity are actually bhakti: We are His property; we are not the owners of any wealth or property. We must think: “My Lord is the possessor and I am in His possession. Everything is His property.” (LSFTLS, p 14-5) + (see also śloka 13)
All these things are advised; a thousand details may be necessary. (SGAHG, p 11)
Śrīla Śrīdhara Swāmī in his commentary about this verse has said that if everything is dedicated to Him then all these things can be recognised as bhakti, otherwise it is all bogus. If I hear, chant, etc. to fulfill my own purposes then it is no longer bhakti. Whatever I shall do, it is for Him. Then whatever will be done, will be accepted as bhakti. It is the foundation on which bhakti stands.
Without śaraṇāgati, all karma, jñāna, yoga, will not be bhakti. Bhakti means that the result will go to the Lord. I am a slave to my Lord. I have got no independent personality to keep any independent property. I am wholly His servant. Whatever I shall acquire, everything I own is His. He has got the right to do anything with me that He likes, according to His sweet will. With this feeling, whenever we perform kīrtana, or smaraṇaṁ, etc., that will be devotional activity. When that is withdrawn, everything will go to hell. Just as when the stage, where the dancing is performed, is drawn away, then the whole thing comes down. Śaraṇāgati means self-dedication. Then the activity of the dedicated self will be bhakti. We must do everything on behalf of Kṛṣṇa, keeping Kṛṣṇa in sight, having no separate interest. Consciousness of separate interest has made us separate from Kṛṣṇa. Only when the common interest of everything is with Kṛṣṇa, then it will be bhakti. Śravaṇaṁ, kīrtanaṁ, etc., are mere forms, not life. In order to have a living devotion śaraṇāgati must be there. (GOD, p 17-8)
Prahlāda was requested by his father: “Please tell me what progress you are making in your gurukula study. What have you learned to be the best thing in life?”
Prahlāda answered (with these verses – S-B, 7.5.23-24): “I think the best study is this: to hear, chant, and serve – all in relation to Viṣṇu. That is the best utility of time for everyone in the world. This is what I consider to be the best thing I have learned.”
Prahlāda’s trouble began from here. His father replied: “Viṣṇu is my enemy eternally, and who has taught you that to cultivate love for Him in different ways is the best understanding of human life?” The torture began. We must also be prepared for that torture. Torture will increase our enthusiasm in an indirect way. Anything may come, anything may go on. Wherever that impetus, that intense tendency to serve Kṛṣṇa is to be found, there we must go. But it is nowhere, it is unknown and unknowable, and in this way transcendental. (GOD, p 23)
To give oneself is the substance of all devotional activity. This is also stated by Śrī Śrīdhara Swāmīpāda in his commentary of the nine basic devotional practices (śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ, etc.). If devotional hearing, chanting, etc., is already dedicated to Him, only then will it get recognition as devotion, bhakti. Otherwise, everything is bogus. If I hear to fulfill my mundane purpose, then it is no longer bhakti. If I perform kīrtana or speak Hari-kathā to make some money, then it will not be bhakti. “Whatever I shall do, it is for Him.” That sort of bond must first be ‘signed’ and then whatever will be done on that basis will be recognised as bhakti. (SOTGOD, v 1, p 128-9)
The nine islands of Navadwīpa represent the nine fundamental processes of Devotional Service. Śrī Navadwīpa Dhāma – The Holy abode of the līlā of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu in West Bengal, is envisaged as a lotus flower. In the central island of the lotus is Antardvipa within its perimeter of ten miles, is Māyāpura, the Birthplace of Mahāprabhu who appeared under a Nima tree, hence the Name Nimāi. The center of the lotus represents ātma-nivedanam or self-surrender. One has to first surrender, and then all the practices of Devotion follow. The petals of the lotus represent śravaṇam, kīrtanam, smaraṇam, pādasevanam, arcanam, vandanam, and dāsyam (hearing, chanting, remembering, serving the Lord’s feet, worship, prayer, and servitorship). Sakhyam (friendship) is situated half on one side of the Ganges and half on the other. In this way, the nine islands of Navadwīpa are represented as a lotus flower embodying the Nine Standard Practices of Devotion. (SOTGOD, v 2, p 97-8)
