117 - Characteristics of a Devotee | Swami Tattwamayananda

12th chapter: verse 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15<br /><br />In the 8th through 11th verses of the 12th chapter, Lord Krishna describes the spiritual journey of a seeker in descending order of evolution.<br /><br />8th verse: “You fix your mind and intellect on Me. There upon, you will always live in Me.”<br /><br />When we identify with a higher ideal, both mentally and intellectually, we live in that ideal and that ideal lives in us. This is the highest state of devotional evolution.<br /><br />For seekers who have not reached this highest state, Lord Krishna provides alternative options in the 9th-11th verses.<br /><br />9th verse: “If you cannot fix your mind and intellect on Me, then you can reach the higher goal through Abhyasa-Yoga (uniting with God through repeated practice, such as Navadha Bhakti).”<br /><br />10th verse: “If you are incapable of doing Abhyasa-Yoga, then do all your work as My work.”<br /><br />11th verse: “If you are unable to do your work as My work, then offer the fruits of your actions to Me.”<br /><br />In the 13th and 14th verse, Lord Krishna describes eleven characteristics of an ideal devotee.<br /><br />He says that the devotee who is dear to Him has the following characteristics. (1) He does not have animosity or ill-feeling towards anyone (2) He is a friend of everyone (3) He is sympathetic towards everyone (4) He is free from ideas of possession (5) He looks upon happiness and unhappiness with equanimity of mind (6) He is forgiving (7) He is contented (8) He is always connected with the divine (9) He is self-controlled (10) He is strong-willed in pursuing his ideal (11) His mind and intellect are fixed on God.<br /><br />When speaking about the characteristics of a devotee, Lord Krishna does not mention rituals or going to a temple. He essentially says that all genuine devotees are good human beings.<br /><br />In the Vishnu Purana, there is a verse, which says: “Those who utter God’s name mechanically, but do not practice ethical and moral values, and do not do their duties – the