Execution of Devotional Service According to Regulative Principles
The execution of devotional service according to the regulative principles constitutes the foundational stage of bhakti-yoga, known as sādhana-bhakti or vaidhī-bhakti. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that because the conditioned soul is initially covered by material impurities, they do not possess a spontaneous taste for serving Kṛṣṇa. Therefore, one must agree to be governed by the rules and regulations enjoined in the śāstras and directed by the spiritual master. This disciplined practice serves as the training ground that purifies the senses and gradually revives the soul's dormant, natural love for the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Definition of Sādhana-bhakti
Śrīla Prabhupāda defines sādhana-bhakti strictly as the performance of devotional service guided by scriptural injunctions rather than personal whim. In this stage, the devotee acts because it is the order of the authorities, utilizing their senses in the service of the Lord to transform their consciousness.
- For the word sadhana-bhakti there is only one meaning, the execution of devotional service according to regulative principles.
- There are ten meanings for the word 'bhakti' ('devotional service'). One is sadhana-bhakti, execution of devotional service according to the regulative principles, and the other nine are varieties of prema-bhakti, ecstatic love of Godhead.
- There is devotional service performed according to the direction of the spiritual master and the injunctions and regulative principles of sastra, and there is devotional service in the spiritual world, rendered directly in association with the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Necessity for Neophyte Devotees
For those new to the path of spiritual realization, strict adherence to the rules is mandatory to avoid deviation. Śrīla Prabhupāda uses the analogy of a stone doll to illustrate that without the life-force of pure principles, one remains material; however, when worship is performed according to regulations, the Deity is realized as Kṛṣṇa Himself.
- In the beginning one has to render service strictly according to the regulative principles set forth by the revealed scriptures and the spiritual master.
- Neophyte devotees worship the Lord according to the pancaratrika-vidhi, or the regulative principles enjoined in the Narada-pancaratra.
- Same thing, just like a stone doll, when it is worshiped according to the regulative principles - Krsna. And the same doll, kept in the sculptor's showroom, it is stone. So if we keep our movement pure, then you are as strong as Krsna.
Regulating Material Activities
The scope of regulative principles extends beyond the temple and into all aspects of human existence, including eating, sleeping, and family life. Śrīla Prabhupāda confirms that even householders can attain perfection if their daily necessities are regulated by varṇāśrama-dharma and centered on satisfying the Lord.
- He (one who is engaged in devotional service) has to eat krsna-prasada. He has to sleep according to regulated principles. The principle is to reduce the duration of sleep and to reduce eating, taking only what is needed to keep the body fit.
- If one is thoroughly trained in household life, he finds all facilities for human life-eating, sleeping, mating and defending. Everything is there if it is executed according to regulative principles.
- One should not enjoy his senses according to his lusty desires, but should restrict himself according to the regulative principles given in the Vedas.
Transition to Spontaneous Love
The regulative principles are not the ultimate end but the means to reach the platform of rāgānuga-bhakti, or spontaneous love. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that by faithfully executing the duties of sādhana, one's original attachment to Kṛṣṇa is awakened, allowing service to flow naturally without force.
- Spontaneous service is not artificial. One simply has to come to that platform by rendering devotional service according to the regulative principles.
- By executing ds in that way (according to regulative principles given by the spiritual master), he gradually becomes attached to Krsna, and when his original dormant love for the Lord becomes manifest, he spontaneously serves the Lord without any motive.
- Thus one is freed from all unwanted habits and becomes firmly fixed in devotional service. Thereafter, one develops taste and attachment. This is the way of sadhana-bhakti, the execution of devotional service according to the regulative principles.
Warning Against Premature Spontaneous Worship
Śrīla Prabhupāda strongly warns against jumping to the stage of rāgānuga-bhakti without passing through the discipline of the regulative principles. He clarifies that intimate worship of Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa is reserved for advanced devotees, while neophytes must strictly follow the path of vidhi-mārga to avoid becoming sahajiyās (cheap imitators).
- Without serving Krsna according to the vidhi-marga regulative principles of the pancaratrika-vidhi, unscrupulous persons want to jump immediately to the raga-marga principles. Such persons are called sahajiya.
- Radha-Krsna cannot be approached by the neophyte devotees; temple worship according to regulative principles is offered to Laksmi-Narayana.
- According to the regulative principles we cannot worship Radha-Krishna now. Radha-Krishna worship is meant for persons who have already developed spontaneous love of God.
Conclusion
The execution of devotional service according to the regulative principles is the indispensable method for purifying the conditioned soul and reviving their eternal relationship with God. Śrīla Prabhupāda teaches that one cannot bypass this stage of discipline; it is the fire that burns away material attachment. By strictly following the instructions of the spiritual master and the scriptures, the devotee moves from the platform of duty to the platform of spontaneous, ecstatic love for Kṛṣṇa, which is the ultimate goal of all spiritual endeavor.
Dive Deeper into Śrīla Prabhupāda's Vani
Śrīla Prabhupāda lives within his instructions. This article is a summary of the profound truths found in the Vaniquotes category According to the Regulative Principles. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.