How can one recognize a devotee?

[dattaswami]

How can one recognize a devotee?

Ans. A devotee is like a student. A student varies in his level of study starting from LKG to PG level. The level is important. The knowledge generates devotion and devotion generates practical service. The intensity in the practical service indicates the intensity of the devotion, which in turn indicates the level of the knowledge. The extent of sacrifice in the practical service indicates the extent of real love on God. The real love on your child is indicated by your practical service to the child done through sacrifice of work and sacrifice of fruit of work. Hanuman is considered to be the real and best devotee of God. Throughout the Valmiki Ramayana, there is no single mention of chanting the name of God or singing devotional songs etc. which constitute the theoretical devotion. Sundara Kanda elaborates the practical service done by Hanuman in the work of God. The most important point is that Hanuman did all the practical service to his contemporary human incarnation, which was Rama. He did not serve the statues and photos of the past human incarnations like Vamana, Parashurama etc. or the statues and photos of the energetic forms of the upper world like Vishnu, Shiva etc.

 

Gopikas also served Krishna who was their contemporary human incarnation and did not serve the statue or photo of the past human incarnation like Rama. Gopikas served Krishna by sacrificing the fruit of their work, which was butter. They buttered Krishna through the real butter and not through words and feelings (theoretical devotion)! The practical service becomes meaningful in the case of live human form of God only. It is meaningless in the case of inert statues and photos because the fruit of the practical service goes to the priest and not to the God directly. Hence the devotee of the contemporary human incarnation alone is devoid of ego and jealousy towards the co-human form and such a devotee alone can be recognized as the real devotee. Devotion is to be judged by the logical basic knowledge and not by the extent of ignorant emotion.