Characteristics of a devotee

Today Swami continued discussing the 12th chapter, Bhakti Yoga. Here is one shloka;

'Anapeksha sucir daksha, udasino gatavyathah,
Sarvarambha parityagi, yo mad bhaktah sa me priyah.'

The Lord gives the characteristics, or 'lakshanas,' or a devotee. It says, 'free from supports, pure, skillful in action, non-partial, and free from anxiety, that devotee that renounces all desire-based actions is dear to Me.'
Here, the Lord uses the word 'anapeksha.' Our devotion is usually not like this; it depends on many external supports. For example, a person goes to the temple, is full of devotion before the image, but as soon as he steps down, what happens? He loses that inner feeling; the bhakti dissapears. The same happens in the presence of a Mahatma. We feel devotion in their presence, sraddha, longing, etc. As soon as we leave that presence, all those high feelings dissapear. This devotion is not 'anapeksha'; it depends on external things.
However, the Lord says that the characteristic of a real devotee is 'anapeksha' - this bhakti is not 'time-table devotion.' It isn't there and then not there; it is constant.
Then the Lord says another characteristic; 'sucih' - cleanliness. This is both outer and inner. Inner 'sucitvam' is the freedom from negative emotions like anger and lust. External 'sucitvam' is also necessary. Some may say, 'we are devotees, so we don't need external cleanliness.' When this is said, the person is comparing themself to the highest level of devotion, where the external world is entirely forgotten. While having not reached there, the person pretends this, and out laziness, says 'I don't need cleanliness.' So, this is needed.
Then 'daksha' - this means external skillfulness in action; to act with sraddha, interest, and care. This is also something some devotees say; Swami rellated a story; once a brahmacari who was the cook started cooking without care, leaving no salt, sometimes too much, etc. When they asked him why this happened, he said, 'I'm a devotee. This is all I can do.'
A real devotee, according to the Lord, is not like this. They will perform the actions that are necessary with care and attention.

Piyush,
July 11, 2007