bhajanera madhye Ĺreᚣášha nava-vidhÄ bhakti
'kášášŁáša-prema', 'kášášŁáša' dite dhare mahÄ-Ĺakti
bhajanera madhye - in executing devotional service; Ĺreᚣášha - the best; nava-vidhÄ bhakti - the nine prescribed methods of devotional service; kášášŁáša-prema - ecstatic love of KášášŁáša; kášášŁáša - and KášášŁáša; dite - to deliver; dhare - possess; mahÄ-Ĺakti - great potency.
The nine kinds of devotional service are mentioned in ĹrÄŤmad-BhÄgavatam (7.5.23):
Ĺravaášaáš kÄŤrtanaáš viᚣášoḼ smaraášaáš pÄda-sevanam
arcanaáš vandanaáš dÄsyaáš sakhyam Ätma-nivedanam
These nine are hearing, chanting, remembering KášášŁáša, offering service to KášášŁášaâs lotus feet, offering worship in the temple, offering prayers, working as a servant, making friendship with KášášŁáša and unreservedly surrendering to KášášŁáša. These nine processes of devotional service can grant one KášášŁáša and ecstatic love for Him. In the beginning one has to discharge devotional service according to regulative principles, but gradually, as devotional service becomes oneâs life and soul, one achieves the most exalted position of ecstatic love for KášášŁáša. Ultimately, KášášŁáša is the goal of life. One need not have taken birth in an aristocratic brÄhmaáša family to attain the lotus feet of KášášŁáša, nor is a person born in a low family unfit for achieving KášášŁášaâs lotus feet. In ĹrÄŤmad-BhÄgavatam (3.33.7) DevahĹŤti says to Kapiladeva:
aho bata Ĺva-paco âto garÄŤyÄn
yaj-jihvÄgre vartate nÄma tubhyam
tepus tapas te juhuvuḼ sasnur ÄryÄ
brahmÄnĹŤcur nÄma gášášanti ye te
âO my Lord, even a person born in a low family of dog-eaters is glorious if he always chants the holy name of the Lord. Such a person has already performed all types of austerities, penances and Vedic sacrifices, has already bathed in the sacred rivers, and has also studied all the Vedic literature. Thus he has become an exalted personality.â Similarly, KuntÄŤdevÄŤ says to Lord KášášŁáša:
janmaiĹvarya-Ĺruta-ĹrÄŤbhir edhamÄna-madaḼ pumÄn
naivÄrhaty abhidhÄtuáš vai tvÄm akiĂącana-gocaram
âA person who is proud of his birth, opulence, knowledge and beauty cannot achieve Your lotus feet. You are available only to the humble and meek, not to the proud.â (BhÄg. 1.8.26.)