It must be remembered that devotion has a natural unfolding. The true use of a strong man's strength, or a learned man's knowledge, lies in applying that strength or knowledge rightly to the duties of life. Through a person's whimsy, strength or knowledge may lose their worth. In precisely the same way, devotion's proper use lies in employing it to achieve life's aims; everyone ought to draw upon devotion according to the capacity of their mind while going about their natural work and station. God is truth, goodness, and love—and God's love naturally manifests in life as truth, goodness, and love. The pursuit of this truth, goodness, and love is the only fitting dharma for mankind. Otherwise, people do nothing more than place faith in certain doctrines and paths, or become members of some particular sect, or mindlessly participate in religious rituals—though true devotion bears little relation to any of these. People claim to be devotees without ever understanding what devotion truly is.
The simple and natural expression of devotion is to hold the spirit of the devotee in one's heart, to be guided by it, and thereby to acquire the character of a virtuous, just lover of God. When this natural process encounters no obstruction, devotion always gives birth to holiness in a person's life and keeps the devotee dependent upon God in all things and obedient to His ordinances. Such obedience is the chief key to peace and progress. In this way, the power of devotion helps a person fulfill their duty without needlessly wasting the tender sentiments of the devotee's heart.
Though there be no difference in quality, the measure of devotion varies from life to life, and for this reason variations in holiness occur. Where devotion is meagre, holiness becomes merely a dry performance of duty or a barren principle. The devotee then behaves virtuously not from the heart's inclination, but from fear of and force exerted by hostile, violent enforcers of dharma. Then desire and duty do not unite; rather, a stronger sense of duty merely suppresses desire and worldly inclination. This is the holiness of children in the realm of religion; and by the turn of events, it is also what the world generally calls and honors as holiness. Many people thus find themselves coerced by those around them to practice holiness. Many people in this world do not practice their faith—they are forced to do so. There are plenty in this society who give no thought to their own liberation, yet busily concern themselves with another's, such is the measure of their worthlessness.
The true devotee gradually transcends this budding stage of holiness. Slowly, God's love grows within them, and with it, the person ripens and matures. Holiness then becomes no longer a matter of harsh discipline, but rather the simple and natural expression of character. When any good deed comes to meet the devotee upon their life's path, they perform it with enthusiasm and joy; and they find life's highest happiness in the unforced and authentic development of their intellect, conscience, heart, and soul. Because they come to possess the divine vision that God dwells in all creatures, no inclination ever arises in the devotee's mind to wrong anyone or behave toward them with impropriety. Even when called to sacrifice their own interests for another's welfare, the devotee finds in this the deepest contentment.
Whatever is harsh and painful becomes easy and pleasant to the devotee. The devotee possesses a strength of mind far greater than that of ordinary people. Within the devotee's heart, the conflict between desire and the sense of duty dissolves of itself. For this reason, the devotee's physical and mental capacities are correspondingly enhanced. When the helpless poor face oppression and cruelty, they turn their gaze toward the devotee's face, and the devotee, impelled by conscience, exerts himself with all his being to alleviate their suffering. In the lives of those who cultivate holiness, devotion takes on precisely this form.
Among Hindus, Christians, Buddhists, Muslims, Jews, Jains, Sikhs, and all the religious communities of civilization, devotees of this order are to be found. Within the family, they are affectionate; in society, they possess a generous character. Their worldly conduct is beyond question admirable, and their life as a whole is supremely beautiful and worthy of emulation. Whether in the serious business of worldly life or in leisure—in games, conversation, and fellowship—their devotion expresses itself with humility and modesty. In all kinds of endeavor, whether social, religious, or political, the spirit of devotion manifests itself clearly throughout their lives.
Yet the unfolding of devotion does not end here. Through devotion, the seeker gains ever greater fulfillment. His attachment to the good of truth and to the spirit of love deepens continually. Devotion to God becomes ever more manifest in his very being. What dwells within as devotion expresses itself outwardly as principle and holiness. According to the quality and measure of devotion within, the holiness without naturally increases in quality and measure alike. Thus devotion of the highest order, merged with principle of the highest order, will inevitably be felt as love for the world. The devotee no longer serves merely his own kin and kinsmen or his native land alone; rather, his love expands to encompass all humanity, indiscriminately and without exception. This profound and passionate concern for human welfare, no longer confined within the narrow bounds of daily routine, transcends all limits of individual life and, like the waters of a flood, drenches the dry fields of every life with the nectarine essence of love.
Where once the devotee was content to fulfill his appointed duties, he now busies himself in the search for duties yet undone. Where once he stood prepared to undertake good works, he now cannot rest unless he is engaged in them. Where once the devotee performed whatever good work came before his eyes, he now actively ventures forth in search of such work! Thus does he labor greatly to disseminate the truth, the spirit of good, love, and devotion that he has attained through his character into the whole world. In this way, conscious devotion manifests itself clearly in the devotee's daily life as ceaseless endeavor for the welfare of all beings.
This is how devotion naturally expresses itself. Put simply, when devotion unfolds of its own accord, it takes precisely this form. Just as in spring flowers of various hues bloom, the cuckoo calls—a matter so easy and natural—even so, for the truly devout soul it is easy and natural to attain a character both auspicious and infinitely beautiful. As a river flowing from an eternal spring increases the verdure of the fields, adorning them with abundant grain, so too does the stream of devotion flowing eternally nourish the love-force within the devotee's heart and adorn the field of his life with countless beneficent deeds. Thus devotion itself fulfills its own God-beloved duties and works.
The devotee then no longer squanders his days in lamentation, with a contorted face and despairing heart, anxiously pondering the fate of his own soul. Instead, he fearlessly applies himself to the grave responsibilities of his life's calling. Should his mind and spirit become stained by some inadvertent transgression or willful sin, hardened and parched—he then moistens and revives himself with the tears of simple repentance, sowing within that ground the seeds of new life. And by God's grace, soon enough, in that long barren and infertile field, the flowers of heaven bloom forth in magnificent profusion.
Thus gradually his spiritual life attains unbroken freedom, and the devotee can no longer confine himself within any form of conventional, methodical thought, action, or feeling. Whatever his own mind determines to be true, whatever his conscience designates as good, whatever his heart desires to embrace as beautiful, and whatever his own soul recognizes as sacred—all this he accepts, casting aside all else from his thoughts. He bows his head to no one, neither to the world's ancient and acknowledged scriptures nor even to the commands of the saints. Yet moved by the prompting of his own soul, understanding the right moment, he prostrates himself fully. His devotion does not bind him to the service of men, but grants him freedom in God. He serves all beings in the knowledge of God. The toys and fairy tales of the religious world he regards simply as toys and fairy tales, never believing them to possess any deeper meaning or power. His conduct and speech are restrained, his bearing pleasant to behold, and he never does anything that might provoke the laughter of others.
When one follows this natural and simple path, devotion advances of its own accord. Just as a person performs the functions of his various senses according to life's needs without dwelling excessively upon them or creating needless complications, so too does the devotee apply himself to fulfilling the duties of his life without wasting time and energy in futile lament over his soul and dharma. Yet his soul grows silently, like the banyan tree. He becomes ever more firmly established in truth and goodness.
His love of the Divine and his love of humanity grow steadily deeper and more profound, and each of his innate faculties develops and unfolds day by day into fuller being. His intellect forever adheres to the sovereign law of truth; his conscience remains eternally bound to the universal principles of good; his heart and soul engage themselves in the pursuit of their own sovereign ends—and thus the devotee, moving through the proper channels of these four faculties, attains the truth, goodness, love, and holiness of the Creator, growing mighty in divine power. The devotee's work is to serve of his own accord, not to compel others into service.