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Notes from the Madhurya Kadambini

from the Second Shower of Nectar

Obstacles to the development of deeper faith

There are 2 symptoms which begin to manifest as one has begun on the path of devotional service. The first is klesaghni (relief from all kinds of material distress) and the second is called subhada( beginning of all auspiciousness).

There are 5 types of klesa which are destroyed by bhakti:

From these arise the tendency for right or wrong actions, causing religion or irreligion, and thus sinful and pious activities.

Bhakti eradicates klesa and simultaneously bestows subdha or auspiciousness which consists of such qualities as disintrest in material affairs, intrest in the Supreme Lord, friendliness, mercy, forgiveness, truthfulness, simplicity, equanimity, fortitude, gravity, respectfulness, humility and being pleasing to all.There is a difference in the rate at which the undesireable qualities disappear and the auspicious qualities appear.

Bhakti develops gradually in specific stages. The first stage is called sraddha(faith) which is to have firm trust in scripture or to be enthusiastic to follow the activities of scripture(sadhana).

Faith may be of 2 types:

Faith then leads one to a spiritual master. By following the instructions of the guru one obtains association of realized devotees.(sadhu-sanga).
Next comes bhajana-kriya in which different types of devotional activities are practiced.
This has 2 catergories:

Unsteady devotional service progresses in 6 stages: