A devotee is naturally developed . . . developing the twenty-six good qualities, but even if he does not develop those qualities . . . of course, that very quality, that he is a devotee of Krsna, that is sufficient

Expressions researched:
"a devotee is naturally developed . . . developing the twenty-six good qualities, but even if he does not develop those qualities . . . of course, that very quality, that he is a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, that is sufficient"

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Now somebody may say that, "If a devotee is engaged in the service of the Lord, that's all right, but if his behavior is not up to the standard, then what happens to him?" Of course, a devotee is naturally developed . . . developing the twenty-six good qualities, but even if he does not develop those qualities . . . of course, that very quality, that he is a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, that is sufficient. But still, if somebody is not up to the point, but he is unflinching, mean to say, not moving, he is perfect devotee of Kṛṣṇa, then Lord Kṛṣṇa says, api cet su-durācāraḥ. Api cet su-durācāraḥ. Durācāraḥ means his conduct is not good, and su-durācāraḥ means still further.

661221 - Lecture BG 09.29-32 - New York

Ye tu bhajanti māṁ prītyā: "Anyone who is engaged in devotional service of Me, so for him I have got special attention." Ye tu mām . . . ye bhajanti tu māṁ bhaktyā mayi te teṣu cāpy aham: "As he is always, constantly engaged in My service, similarly, I am also engaged always in his service," the Lord says.

Here one passage is quoted by a great commentator, Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa, that bhagavān bhakta-bhaktimān. Just like we become devoted, similarly, God also becomes devoted to us. You don't think that one-sided devotion. No. Just like love is never one-sided. Love is reciprocation. Reciprocation. Similarly, although God is great, He becomes a devotee of the devotee. He takes pleasure in that way. It is clearly stated that, "I also try to devote Myself for his service." As we take pleasure in serving God, similarly, God also takes pleasure by serving the devotee. That is reciprocation. Now, this śloka we have already discussed the last day. Next śloka is:

api cet su-durācāro

bhajate mām ananya-bhāk

sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ

samyag vyavasito hi saḥ

(BG 9.30)

So now somebody may say that, "If a devotee is engaged in the service of the Lord, that's all right, but if his behavior is not up to the standard, then what happens to him?" Of course, a devotee is naturally developed . . . developing the twenty-six good qualities, but even if he does not develop those qualities . . . of course, that very quality, that he is a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, that is sufficient. But still, if somebody is not up to the point, but he is unflinching, mean to say, not moving, he is perfect devotee of Kṛṣṇa, then Lord Kṛṣṇa says, api cet su-durācāraḥ. Api cet su-durācāraḥ. Durācāraḥ means his conduct is not good, and su-durācāraḥ means still further.

So api cet su-durācāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk. Ananya-bhāk means "Without deviating his attention to any other demigod or any other business, if one is simply cent percent engaged in My service, but his character is . . . general activities are not so to the point, still," the Lord says, sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ. Sādhu means a pious man or a religious man. Sādhu means the honest man and all good qualities.