How can Bhakti Yoga be practiced?

SB 10.2.37
"Even while engaged in various activities, devotees whose minds are completely absorbed at Your lotus feet, and who constantly hear, chant, contemplate and cause others to remember Your transcendental names and forms, are always on the transcendental platform, and thus they can understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead."

Purport:
How bhakti-yoga can be practiced is explained in this verse. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī has said that anyone who has dedicated his life to the service of the Lord (īhā yasya harer dāsye) by his activities, his mind and his words (karmaṇā manasā girā) may stay in any condition of life (nikhilāsv apy avasthāsu) and yet is no longer actually conditioned but is liberated (jīvan-muktaḥ sa ucyate). Even though such a devotee is in a material body, he has nothing to do with this body, for he is transcendentally situated. Nārāyaṇa-parāḥ sarve na kutaścana bibhyati: because a devotee is engaged in transcendental activities, he is not afraid of being materially embodied. (Bhāg. 6.17.28) Illustrating this liberated position, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu prayed, mama janmani janmanīśvare bhavatād bhaktir ahaitukī tvayi: "All I want is Your causeless devotional service in My life, birth after birth." (Śikṣāṣṭaka 4) Even if a devotee, by the supreme will of the Lord, takes birth in this material world, he continues his devotional service. When King Bharata made a mistake and in his next life became a deer, his devotional s

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ervice did not stop, although some slight chastisement was given to him because of his negligence. Nārada Muni says that even if one falls from the platform of devotional service, he is not lost, whereas nondevotees are lost entirely because they are not engaged in service. Bhagavad-gītā (9.14) therefore recommends that one always engage at least in chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra:
satataḿ kīrtayanto māḿ

yatantaś ca dṛḍha-vratāḥ

namasyantaś ca māḿ bhaktyā

nitya-yuktā upāsate

"Always chanting My glories, endeavoring with great determination, bowing down before Me, the great souls perpetually worship Me with devotion."
One should not give up the process of devotional service, which is performed in nine different ways (śravaṇaḿ kīrtanaḿ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaḿ pāda-sevanam, etc. [SB 7.5.23]). The most important process is hearing (śravaṇam) from the guru, sādhu and śāstra — the spiritual master, the saintly ācāryas and the Vedic literature. Sādhu-śāstra-guru-vākya, cittete kariyā aikya. We should not hear the commentaries and explanations of nondevotees, for this is strictly forbidden by Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī, who quotes from the Padma Purāṇa:
avaiṣṇava-mukhodgīrṇaḿ

pūtaḿ hari-kathāmṛtam

śravaṇaḿ naiva kartavyaḿ

sarpocchiṣṭaḿ yathā payaḥ

We should strictly follow this injunction and never try to hear from Māyāvādīs, impersonalists, voidists, politicians or so-called scholars. Strictly avoiding such inauspicious association, we should simply hear from pure devotees. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī therefore recommends, śrī-guru-padāśrayaḥ: one must seek shelter at the lotus feet of a pure devotee who can be one's guru. Caitanya Mahāprabhu advises that a guru is one who strictly follows the instructions of Bhagavad-gītā: yare dekha, tare kaha, 'kṛṣṇa' — upadeśa (Cc. Madhya 7.128). A juggler, a magician or one who speaks nonsense as an academic career is not a guru. Rather, a guru is one who presents Bhagavad-gītā, Kṛṣṇa's instructions, as it is. Śravaṇa is very important; one must hear from the Vaiṣṇava sādhu, guru and śāstra.
The word kriyāsu, meaning "by manual labor" or "by work," is important in this verse. One should engage in practical service to the Lord. In our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, all our activities are concentrated upon distributing Kṛṣṇa literature. This is very important. One may approach any person and induce him to read Kṛṣṇa literature so that in the future he also may become a devotee. Such activities are recommended in this verse. Kriyāsu yas tvac-caraṇāravindayoḥ. Such activities will always remind the devotees of the Lord's lotus feet. By fully concentrating on distributing books for Kṛṣṇa, one is fully absorbed in Kṛṣṇa. This is samādhi.

How does a devotee accept distress - sees it as an opportunity to grow

From Srila Prabhupada's purport to SB 10.2.28:

Those who are truly vipaścit, learned, are those who have reached the platform of understanding and observing the Supreme Personality of Godhead in any condition of life. premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti (Brahma-saḿhitā 5.38). Learned devotees accept even conditions of distress as representing the presence of the Supreme Lord. When a devotee is in distress, he sees that the Lord has appeared as distress just to relieve or purify the devotee from the contamination of the material world. While one is within this material world, one is in various conditions, and therefore a devotee sees a condition of distress as but another feature of the Lord. Tat te'nukampāḿ susamīkṣamāṇaḥ (Bhāg. 10.14.8). A devotee, therefore, regards distress as a great favor of the Lord because he understands that he is being cleansed of contamination. Teṣām ahaḿ samuddhartā mṛtyu-saḿsāra-sāgarāt (Bg. 12.7). The appearance of distress is a negative process intended to give the devotee relief from this material world, which is called mṛtyu-saḿsāra, or the constant repetition of birth and death. To save a surrendered soul from repeated birth and death, the Lord purifies him of contamination by offering him a little distress. This cannot be understood by a nondevotee, but a devotee can see this because he is vipaścit, or learned. A nondevotee, therefore, is perturbed in distress, but a devotee welcomes distress as another feature of the Lord. Sarvaḿ khalv idaḿ brahma. A devotee can actually see that there is only the Supreme Personality of Godhead and no second entity. Ekam evādvitīyam. There is only the Lord, who presents Himself in different energies.

How to overcome envy?

From Srila Prabhupada's purport to SB 9.11.23:


Here in this material world, everyone is envious of someone else. Even in religious life, it is sometimes found that if one devotee has advanced in spiritual activities, other devotees are envious of him. Such envious devotees are not completely freed from the bondage of birth and death. As long as one is not completely free from the cause of birth and death, one cannot enter the sanātana-dhāma or the eternal pastimes of the Lord. One becomes envious because of being influenced by the designations of the body, but the liberated devotee has nothing to do with the body, and therefore he is completely on the transcendental platform. A devotee is never envious of anyone, even his enemy. Because the devotee knows that the Lord is his supreme protector, he thinks, "What harm can the so-called enemy do?" Thus a devotee is confident about his protection. The Lord says, ye yathā māḿ prapadyante tāḿs tathaiva bhajāmy aham: [Bg. 4.11] "According to the proportion of one's surrender unto Me, I respond accordingly." A devotee must therefore be completely free from envy, especially of other devotees. To envy other devotees is a great offense, a vaiṣṇava-aparādha. A devotee who constantly engages in hearing and chanting (śravaṇa-kīrtana) is certainly freed from the disease of envy, and thus he becomes eligible to go back home, back to Godhead.

Qualities of Sita Devi

SB 9.10.55: Mother Sītā was very submissive, faithful, shy and chaste, always understanding the attitude of her husband. Thus by her character and her love and service she completely attracted the mind of the Lord.

Ambarisa Maharaj overlooks offenses by Durvasa Muni and forgives him

Ambarisa Maharaj prays to the Sudarshan Chakra to offer shelter and protection to Durvasa Muni - and because of his prayers the Sudarshan Chakra becomes peaceful and stops burning Durvasa Muni.

On seeing this attitude of Ambarisa Maharaj wherein he protects Durvasa Muni from the Chakra even when Durvasa Muni had created a fiery demon to kill him, Durvasa Muni si amazed and thus able to fathom the greatness of the devotees of the Lord.

He says:


SB 9.5.14: Durvāsā Muni said: My dear King, today I have experienced the greatness of devotees of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, for although I have committed an offense, you have prayed for my good fortune.

SB 9.5.15: For those who have achieved the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the master of the pure devotees, what is impossible to do, and what is impossible to give up?

SB 9.5.16: What is impossible for the servants of the Lord? By the very hearing of His holy name one is purified.

SB 9.5.17: O King, overlooking my offenses, you have saved my life. Thus I am very much obliged to you because you are so merciful.

SB 9.5.20: Durvāsā Muni said: I am very pleased with you, my dear King. At first I thought of you as an ordinary human being and accepted your hospitality, but later I could understand, by my own intelligence, that you are the most exalted devotee of the Lord. Therefore, simply by seeing you, touching your feet and talking with you, I have been pleased and have become obliged to you.

Forgiveness is one of the greatest quality of a devotee. Ambarisa Maharaj did not take offense even when Durvasa Muni created a fiery demon to kill him, then do I even have any right to feel offended in anmy situation.
 
If I can see everything as a mercy of the Lord and maintain the mood of service towards the Vaishnavas I would be protected from committing offenses to Vaishnavas and also never feel offended.

Devotees are special - The Lord is purchased by His devotees

In the pastime of Maharaj Ambarisha and Durvasa Muni - Durvasa Muni gets angry on Maharaj ambarisha for taking water to break his fast before offering Durvasa Muni any prasad to eat. He creates fiery demon to mill Ambarish Maharaj. However Ambarish Maharaj being an unalloyed devotee of the Lord does not get distrubed by the demon and the Lord's Sudarshana Chakra kills the fiery demon and then attacks Durvasa Muni.

To protect himself, Durvasa Muni starts running with the Sudarshan Chakra following him. He goes to Lord BRahma and Lord Shiva for protection but they say that they are also completely dependent upon Lord Vishnu and cannot do anything to stop the attack of the Sudarshan Chakra on him and they ask him to go to Lord Vishnu.

Lord Vishnu also says that he cannot help him as nothing in the world is greater to Him than his devotee.In the verses SB 9.4.63-9.4.71 Lord Vishnu speaks very highly of the surrendered devotees and also about His love for them. Since the devotees are so selflessly engaged in loving service to the Lord , the Lord is purchased by them and offers complete protection to them. Since Durvasa Muni acted out of consideration for himself and pride the Lord did not offer him the same level of protection as He offers to Ambarisha Maharaj

1. I am under the control of My devotees SB 9.4.63  the Lord says :"I am completely under the control of My devotees. Indeed, I am not at all independent. Because My devotees are completely devoid of material desires, I sit only within the cores of their hearts. What to speak of My devotee, even those who are devotees of My devotee are very dear to Me." - the Lord indicates to Durvasa Muni that Ambarisha Maharaj is a devotee and one who becomes a devotee of a devotee is also very special to him- the right thing for Durvasa Muni to do would be to honor and respect Ambarish Maharaj. Also Srila Prabhupada says in the purport "** if one very sincerely serves the spiritual master, Kṛṣṇa certainly becomes favorable to such a devotee. Following the instructions of a devotee is more valuable than following the instructions of the Supreme Personality of Godhead directly." So we must first learn to surrender to devotees if we can do that then we can surrender to the Spiritual Master and then Krishna.
2. I wish to be surrounded by saintly persons always SB 9.4.64 : "O best of the brāhmaṇas, without saintly persons for whom I am the only destination, I do not desire to enjoy My transcendental bliss and My supreme opulences." Krishna is so personal!
3. Since they are selflessly working for My pleasure- I must be with them SB 9.4.65: "Since pure devotees give up their homes, wives, children, relatives, riches and even their lives simply to serve Me, without any desire for material improvement in this life or in the next, how can I give up such devotees at any time?" The Lord gives all protection to the devotees because they are trying to serve Him incessantly.How can the Lord then not give Ambarisa Maharaj protection?
4. I am in control of My devotees SB 9.4.66 : "As chaste women bring their gentle husbands under control by service, the pure devotees, who are equal to everyone and completely attached to Me in the core of the heart, bring Me under their full control."
5. Do not hurt My devotees - it pains Me :SB 9.4.68: "The pure devotee is always within the core of My heart, and I am always in the heart of the pure devotee. My devotees do not know anything else but Me, and I do not know anyone else but them." - Srila Prabhupada says " The Lord's feelings are like those of a father, who feels pain when his child is in pain. Therefore, offenses at the lotus feet of a devotee are serious. Caitanya Mahāprabhu has very strongly recommended that one not commit any offense at the lotus feet of a devotee. "
6. I will forgive you, if you ask for forgiveness from Ambarisa Maharaj SB 9.4.69 : "O brāhmaṇa, let Me now advise you for your own protection. Please hear from Me. By offending Mahārāja Ambarīṣa, you have acted with self-envy. Therefore you should go to him immediately, without a moment's delay. One's so-called prowess, when employed against the devotee, certainly harms he who employs it. Thus it is the subject, not the object, who is harmed." Srila Prabhupada writes in the purport :"harmful activities directed against the devotee gradually become the ultimate cause of the performer's falldown. Even such a great brāhmaṇa and mystic yogī as Durvāsā was in a most dangerous situation because of his offense at the lotus feet of Mahārāja Ambarīṣa, a pure devotee"

Devotional service includes Austerity

In the SB 9.4 Maharaj Ambarishes Qualities are described.In SB 9.4.27 it is described how by the performance of devotional service Maharaaj Ambarish thus also practiced severe austerities.

Srila Prabhupada's purport to this verse is very wondeful

SB 9.4.26: The king of this planet, Mahārāja Ambarīṣa, thus performed devotional service to the Lord and in this endeavor practiced severe austerity. Always satisfying the Supreme Personality of Godhead by his constitutional activities, he gradually gave up all material desires."

Srila Prabhupada's purport:

"Severe austerities in the practice of devotional service are of many varieties. For example, in worshiping the Deity in the temple there are certainly laborious activities. Śrī-vigrahārādhana-nitya-nānā śṛńgāra-tan-mandira-mārjanādau **. One must decorate the Deity, cleanse the temple, bring water from the Ganges and Yamunā, continue the routine work, perform ārati many times, prepare first-class food for the Deity, prepare dresses and so on. In this way, one must constantly be engaged in various activities, and the hard labor involved is certainly an austerity. Similarly, the hard labor involved in preaching, preparing literature, preaching to atheistic men and distributing literature door to door is of course an austerity (tapo-yuktena). Tapo divyaḿ putrakā. Such austerity is necessary. Yena sattvaḿ śuddhyet. By such austerity in devotional service, one is purified of material existence (kāmān śanair jahau). Indeed, such austerity leads one to the constitutional position of devotional service. In this way one can give up material desires, and as soon as one is freed from material desires, he is free from the repetition of birth and death, old age and disease."

Devotional service is about pleasing Lord Krishna.Performance of devotional service involves austeirities. If on just performs devotional service properly then he would also be performing austerities - activities which are pleasing to Krishna. Thus a devotee engaged nicely in devotional service does not have to separately perform austerities.