SB 1.2 Divinity and Divine Service,Section D- Verses 16- 22

-Section D- verse 16- 22 explains how bhakti progresses for a devotee

Verse	Theme	Level in Bhakti by VCT
1.2.16 - śuśrūṣoḥ śraddadhānasya vāsudeva-kathā-ruciḥ syān mahat- sevayā viprah puṇya-tīrtha-niṣevaṇāt	1.2.16 How to get affinity for hearing the Lord's message?  By serving pure devotees	satam krpa - the "mercy of devotees". Opportunity to serve arises from their causeless mercy- mercy is the first step mahat seva - "service to devotees" is second stage sraddha- faith. sraddhadhanasya- VCT explains this as a "for a man in whom faith has developed by serving devotees" gurupadasrayah- seeking shelter at the feet of Guru. VCT - punya tirtha nisevanat - tirtha means guru. a man in whom faith has developed must seek shelter at the feet of Guru. bhajanesu sprha - eagerness to worship. susrusoh means that a person who becomes eager to hear by taking shelter at the feet of Guru will eventually develop taste
1.2.17- śṛṇvatāḿ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ hṛdy antaḥ stho hy abhadrāṇi vidhunoti suhṛt satām	1.2.17 The Lord personally cleanses the desire for material enjoyment...... from the heart of that truthful devotee who has developed an urge to hear His messages	He removes abhadrani - anarthas-which cause unsteadiness.The six anarthas that initially cause unsteadiness are detailed here. This contains one stage -Bhajanesu sprha. From the desire to hear follows the practice of hearing, chanting and then remembering. So much therefore depends on our eagerness to hear and chant.
1.2.18 naṣṭa-prāyeṣv abhadreṣu nityaḿ bhāgavata-sevayā bhagavaty uttama-śloke bhaktir bhavati naiṣṭhikī	1.2.18 The Two Bhagavats that help a devotee overcome that which is troublesome	What occurs after we become eager to hear, which begins the clearing of material desires from our heart.3 stages:  Bhaktih-The phrase bhakti bhavati naishthiki contains the word bhakti- devotional service. Srila VCT makes no comment on this verse.   anarthapagamam - disappearance of obstacles. The phrase nasta prayesu abhadresu means that inauspicious things, including the namaparadhas are almost completely destroyed tatha nistha- then steadiness is achieved. Srila VCT explains that contained in the phrase bhaktir bhavati naishthiki is the word naishthiki which means nistha.
1.2.19 tadā rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ kāma-lobhādayaś ca ye ceta etair anāviddhaḿ sthitaḿ sattve prasīdat	From Unveiling His Lotus Feet:Text 19 states that when (tada) the effects of passion and ignorance(rajas tamo bhava) - lust , greeed and so on(kama lobhadayas ca ye ) no longer affect us(ceta etair anaviddham), we will become situated in goodness(sthitam sattve) and feel fully happy(prasidati) From the purport: "The soul's activity becomes adulterated in contact with matter, and as such the diseased activities are expressed in the form of lust, desire, hankering, inact[pivity, foolishness and sleep. The effect of devotional service becomes manifest by complete elimination of these effects of passion and ignorance. The devotee is fixed at once in the mode of goodness, and he makes further progress to rise to the position of Vāsudeva, or the state of unmixed sattva, or śuddha-sattva. Only in this śuddha-sattva state can one always see Kṛṣṇa eye to eye by dint of pure affection for the Lord."	What occurs after a devotee reaches nistha, steadiness? Text 19 indicates that it is difficult to advance under the grip of passion and ignorance. From passion comes distraction(viksepa), and from ignorance - sleepiness- laya. Adayah means "and more" negative qualities, such as anger, greed, envy and illusion. Srila VCT notes that Text 19 indicates two stages in the progression of bhakti- ruci and asakti. ruci- taste- He defines "the heart is not pierced by sense objects", by saying that one develops distaste(arucya) for sense objects. Thus one arrives at actual spiritual taste- ruci. although the word ruci was also mentioned in 1.2.16- vasudevah katha rucih, Srila VCT treated it only as a remote result of gurupadasrayah(taking shelter of Guru) and bhajanesu sprha(eagerness to worship) atha asakti - then firm attachment. Srila VCT explains that in "sthitam sattve prasidati"- sthitam means "fixed" means asaktam or firmly attached. Even in the stage of ruci- one's mind may wander. However we can drag it back under our control by the strength of our intelligence . The next stage , asakti(attachment) is different. If the mind does wander the stregth of our attraction to Krishna pulls it back.
1.2.20 evaḿ prasanna-manaso bhagavad-bhakti-yogataḥ bhagavat-tattva-vijñānaḿ mukta-sańgasya jāyate	From the purport:"Perfection of human life is attained when one can understand that he is not the product of matter but is in fact spirit. And as soon as one understands that he has nothing to do with matter, he at once ceases his material hankerings and becomes enlivened as a spiritual being. This attainment of success is possible when one is above the modes of passion and ignorance, or, in other words, when one is actually a brāhmaṇa by qualification."
1.2.21 bhidyate hṛdaya-granthiś chidyante sarva-saḿśayāḥ kṣīyante cāsya karmāṇi dṛṣṭa evātmanīśvare	From the purport:" This enlightenment perfectly enables the devotee to distinguish spirit from matter because the knot of spirit and matter is untied by the Lord. This knot is called ahańkāra, and it falsely obliges a living being to become identified with matter. As soon as this knot is loosened, therefore, all the clouds of doubt are at once cleared off. One sees his master and fully engages himself in the transcendental loving service of the Lord, making a full termination of the chain of fruitive action. ."