Always Serve The Vaishnavas

Shrila Prabhupada's lotus feet.

naishammatis tavad urukramanghrim
sprisaty anarthapagamo yad-arthah
mahiyasampada-rajo-'bhishekam
nishkincananamnavrinitayavat

TRANSLATION

Unless they smear upon their bodies the dust of the lotus feet of a Vaishnavacompletely freed from material contamination, persons very much inclined toward materialistic life cannot be attached to the lotus feet of the Lord, who is glorified for His uncommon activities. Only by becoming Krishnaconscious and taking shelter at the lotus feet of the Lord in this way can one be freed from material contamination.

- Srimad Bhagavatam 7.5.32

"One cannot obtain Krsna-bhakti, or the devotional service of the Lord, by official execution of the Vedic rituals. One has to approach a pure devotee. Narottama dasa Thakura sings, chadiya vaisnava-seva nistara payeche keba: "Who has been elevated without rendering service to a pure Vaishnava?" It is the statement of Prahlada Maharaja that unless one is able to accept the dust from the lotus feet of a pure Vaishnava there is no possibility of achieving the platform of devotional service. That is the secret."

- Sri Caitanya Caritamrta Adi 8.17 Purport

"The person who has not at any time received upon his head the dust from the feet of a pure devotee of the Lord is certainly a dead body."

- Sri Caitanya Caritamrita Madhya 2.31 Purport

"The dust of the feet of a devotee, the water that has washed the feet of a devotee, and the remnants of food left by a devotee are three very powerful substances. By rendering service to these three, one attains the supreme goal of ecstatic love for Krishna. In all the revealed scriptures this is loudly declared again and again. Therefore, my dear devotees, please hear from me, for I insist again and again: please keep faith in these three and render service to them without hesitation. From these three one achieves the highest goal of life — ecstatic love of Krishna. This is the greatest mercy of Lord Krishna. The evidence is Kalidasa himself.

- Sri Caitanya Caritamrta Antya 16.60-63