SRIMAD BHAGAVATAM - Prabhupada

Text 24] Prahlida, the Saintly Son of Hiryaka8ipu 249One's sincere endeavor to perform these nine processes of devotionalservice is technically called bhakti. The word addhii means "directly."One should not be like the karmis, who perform pious activities and thenformally offer the results to KrJ.la. That is karma-ka'J4a. One should notaspire for the results of his pious activities, but should dedicate oneselffully and then act piously. In other words, one should act for the satisfactionof Lord ViJ).U, not for the satisfaction of his own senses. That is themeaning of the word addhii, "directly."anyabhiita-silnyamjnana-karmiidy-anavrtamanukillyena kn;'fJiinusilanarilbhaktir uttamd"One should render transcendental loving service to the Supreme LordKrJ.la favorably and without desire for material profit or gain throughfruitive activities or philosophical speculation. That is called pure devotionalservice." One should simply satisfy l(rJ).a, without being influencedby fruitive knowledge or fruitive activity.The Gopala-tapani Upan says that the word bhakti means engagementin the devotional service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead,not of anyone else. This Upani§ad describes that bhakti is the offering ofdevotional service unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead. To performdevotional service, one should be relieved of the bodily conception of lifeand aspirations to be happy through elevation to the higher planetarysystems. In other words, work performed simply for the satisfaction ofthe Supreme Lord, without any desire for material benefits, is calledbhakti. Bhakti is also called ni§karma, or freedom from the results offruitive activity. Bhakti and ni§karma are on the same platform, althoughdevotional service and fruitive activity appear almost the same.The nine different processes enunciated by Prahlada Maharaja, wholearned them from Narada Muni, may not all be required for the executionof devotional service; if a devotee performs only one of these ninewithout deviation, he can attain the mercy of the Supreme Personality ofGodhead. Sometimes it is found that when one performs one of theprocesses, other processes are mixed with it. That is not improper for adevotee. When a devotee executes any one of the nine processes (nava-