Service mood

Expressions researched:
"service mood" |"mood of service" |"moods of pure servitude" |"mood of a servitor" |"mood of loving service" |"mood of servitorship"

SB Canto 2

Therefore, the Lord can be known only by the sincere mood of eagerness for service, and not by any amount of material qualification as scientist or speculative philosopher or by attainment of mystic powers.

SB 2.6.35, Purport: Brahmājī could understand the Lord to a little extent only when he was trying to serve Him by the eagerness of his heart (hṛdautkaṇṭhyavatā), which is the devotional service mood. Therefore, the Lord can be known only by the sincere mood of eagerness for service, and not by any amount of material qualification as scientist or speculative philosopher or by attainment of mystic powers.

But failing in devotional service, one remains still imperfect because even in that position of self-realization one cannot factually know the Supreme Lord.

SB 2.6.35, Purport: Only self-realization, by attainment of the above high qualifications of Vedic wisdom, austerity, etc., can help one on the path of devotional service. But failing in devotional service, one remains still imperfect because even in that position of self-realization one cannot factually know the Supreme Lord. By self-realization, one is qualified to become a devotee, and the devotee, by service mood (bhaktyā) only, can gradually know the Personality of Godhead.

Brahmājī could understand the Lord to a little extent only when he was trying to serve Him by the eagerness of his heart (hṛdautkaṇṭhyavatā), which is the devotional service mood.

SB 2.6.35, Purport: Brahmā, the greatest of all living creatures within the universe, is admitting his failure to know the Supreme Lord despite his vast learning in the Vedic wisdom, despite his austerity, penance, mystic powers and self-realization, and despite being worshiped by the great Prajāpatis, the forefathers of the living entities. So these qualifications are not sufficient to know the Supreme Lord. Brahmājī could understand the Lord to a little extent only when he was trying to serve Him by the eagerness of his heart (hṛdautkaṇṭhyavatā), which is the devotional service mood.

CC Madhya-lila

Then Śrīla Rāmānanda Rāya explained unalloyed devotional service, love of Godhead, and serving the Lord in the moods of pure servitude, fraternity and parental love.

CC Madhya 8: First of all, Śrīla Rāmānanda Rāya enunciated the system of the varṇāśrama institution. He recited various verses about karmārpaṇa, stating that everything should be dedicated to the Lord. He then spoke of detached action, knowledge mixed with devotional service, and finally the spontaneous loving service of the Lord. After hearing Śrīla Rāmānanda Rāya recite some verses, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu accepted the principle of pure devotional service devoid of all kinds of speculation. After this, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu asked Rāmānanda Rāya to explain the higher platform of devotional service. Then Śrīla Rāmānanda Rāya explained unalloyed devotional service, love of Godhead, and serving the Lord in the moods of pure servitude, fraternity and parental love.

Renunciation Through Wisdom

Those who possess true knowledge of the Absolute can render service to Lord Kṛṣṇa in the mood of a servitor, a friend, and so on.

Renunciation Through Wisdom 2.13: Those who possess true knowledge of the Absolute can render service to Lord Kṛṣṇa in the mood of a servitor, a friend, and so on. Their hearts are always absorbed in thoughts of Lord Kṛṣṇa, and they yearn to perceive and relish His eternal, transcendental pastimes.

The impersonalist falls back down to the material world because of not having developed the mood of loving service to the Supreme Lord.

Renunciation Through Wisdom 4.5: Just as the most sinful wretch lives in a ghostly body after death and moves about in the ether, having been denied a gross body, so the impersonalist, although rising to the point of liberation in the transcendental position, falls back down to the material world because of not having developed the mood of loving service to the Supreme Lord. Therefore the severe austerities and penances the impersonalist performs are not equivalent to the eternal religion of devotional service.

Sri Isopanisad

The Personality of Godhead, who is perceived as the impersonal, blissful Brahman by the jñānīs, who is worshiped as the Supreme Lord by devotees in the mood of servitorship.

Sri Isopanisad 15, Purport: "The Personality of Godhead, who is perceived as the impersonal, blissful Brahman by the jñānīs, who is worshiped as the Supreme Lord by devotees in the mood of servitorship, and who is considered an ordinary human being by mundane people, played with the cowherd boys, who had attained their position after accumulating many pious activities."

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

So the service mood is going on everywhere.

Lecture on SB 2.2.5 -- Los Angeles, December 2, 1968: The nice name is pet dog, but it is serving. The mother serves the child. So one who has no child, he takes the cat as her child and serves. So the service mood is going on everywhere. But the highest perfection of service is when we learn to serve the Supreme Absolute Lord.

We have to change this mood of service to serve Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 5.5.3 -- Hyderabad, April 15, 1975: Nobody wants to serve anyone. He wants to serve himself. That is the position, real position. So in this way, if we spoil, spoil our life We are serving, but serving our senses, lusty desires. We have to change this mood of service to serve Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Then you will be deceived. In a submissive way, of course, you have got right to place questions, and with service mood.

Lecture on Teachings of Lord Caitanya -- Seattle, September 25, 1968: What is my position?" This is paripraśna, inquiry. Surrender, inquiry, and sevayā. That answer should be received in service mood. So these are three formulas. Simple questions will not help us. The question should be put to a person where you have got full surrender and you have got the service mentality. You cannot ask spiritual master or any person whom you think is greater than you in a challenging spirit. Then you will be deceived. In a submissive way, of course, you have got right to place questions, and with service mood.

General Lectures

That service mood, that loving spirit, goes with you, either you become Hindu or Muslim or Christian.

Lecture to College Students -- Seattle, October 20, 1968, Introduction by Tamala Krsna: Your eternal characteristic, what is that eternal characteristic? You want to love somebody, and therefore you want to serve. That is your characteristic. You want your society... You love your society, you love your family, you love your country, you love your community. Because you love, therefore you serve. That is your characteristic. Either you are Christian or either you are Muhammadan, either you are Hindu, this characteristic will go on. Suppose today you are Christian, tomorrow you become Hindu. That service mood, that loving spirit, goes with you, either you become Hindu or Muslim or Christian. Therefore that service spirit and love, the tendency to love and service spirit, is your characteristic, and that is your religion.