The 26 qualities of a devotee - Explored in depth

This topic is here to explore the 26 qualities of a devotee.

The qualities Krishnadas Kaviraja lists in CC 2.22.78-80 are originally derived from Bhag. 11.11.29-31, albeit slightly altered in sequence and wording. Sri Jiva has commented on the elements of the original verse in his Bhakti-sandarbha. Many of them are also demonstrated in the context of the 50 first qualities of Sri Krishna enlisted in Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu, as well as the 25 qualities of Radha presented in Ujjvala-nilamani.

I am in the middle of compiling documents of the sources given above, which will be posted shortly in this thread.

The original list of Chaitanya Caritamrita reads as follows:

1) kRpAlu - Merciful.
2) akRta-droha - Non-violent.
3) satya-sAra - Fully truthful.
4) sama - Equipoised.
5) nidoSa - Faultless.
6) vadAnya - Magnanimous.
7) mRdu - Gentle.
8) zuci - Pure.
9) akiJcana - Without possessions.
10) sarvopakAraka - The well-doer of all.
11) zAnta - Peaceful.
12) kRSNaika-zaraNa - Exclusively surrendered to Krishna.
13) akAma - Desireless.
14) anIha - Indifferent (towards the world).
15) sthira - Firm (in his devotion).
16) vijita-SaD-guNa - Has conquered over the six qualities.
17) mita-bhuk - Frugal.
18) apramatta - Not infatuated.
19) mAnada - Respectful.
20) amAnI - Modest.
21) gambhIra - Grave.
22) karuNa - Compassionate.
23) maitra - Friendly.
24) kavi - Intelligent.
25) dakSa - Expert.
26) maunI - Silent.

The attached document should be a helpful piece of reference material for all students of Vaishnava-nature. I will continue working on the parallel descriptions from BRS and UN tomorrow.

Dharmachakra brought up maunI, the devotee's being silent. Generally mauna, or the vow to not speak at all, is taken as a vow to speak only of topics in direct relation with Krishna, such as reading narrations about him from the scriptures, leaving aside all practical talks.

Some bhajananandi-saints who take a nAma-vrata, for example to chant 10.000.000 names in a month, completely refuse to speak of any day-to-day topics, and if there is anything that really cannot wait until the end of the month, then it is written on a piece of paper, not spoken.

Though the general mauna of a Krishna-bhakta is not as dramatic, the general advice is there from Mahaprabhu to avoid discussing worldly topics, or village talks (gramya-katha) as he put it, as such talks invariably bring our minds away from the feet of Radha and Krishna.

As you'll see from the document of the previous post, the original Bhagavata-verse delineating the qualities used the word "muni", often understood as a recluse, a hermit who minds his own business without mixing with the world. In the spirit of Mahaprabhu's advice to give up asat-sanga, the devotee, too, is a recluse of sorts, in that he avoids mixing with common people unless necessary for practical matters, rejoicing only the company of Krishna-bhaktas who relish the nectarine narrations of Hari's deeds.

kRSNaika-zaraNa - Exclusively surrendered to Krishna. That's said to be the defining characteristic (svarUpa-lakSaNa) of a devotee. Devoid of that, all of the other qualities put together wouldn't make a devotee.

We are all basically familiar with what exclusive surrender to Krishna means, if not in practice at least theoretically speaking. The other twenty-five qualities are there, too, as supplementary characteristics. Each one of them is pleasing to Krishna, the presence of each one of them indicates that the devotee is one step closer to godliness and one step further from worldliness.

Do any of the other twenty-five qualities strike you as being particularly important? Do any of them seem to be qualities that strike a chord, that awaken a particular feeling of fondness in the heart when seen in a devotee?

All of them. It is hard to pick a particular one, but looking at that list above I feel that I am attracted to the ones more to do with the personality of the VaiSNava, such as kRpAlu, vadAnya, mRdu, zAnta, amAnI, and karuNa. I feel that there is a distinction of sorts between these and the other qualities; those are qualities but the ones I have just listed are more intimately connected to the psychological makeup of the VaiSNava. I guess one of the most important things about a VaiSNava is his personality.

What does apramatta mean? I mean, what does being "maddened" imply?

Almost all of them describe the Vaishnava's personality. Would you like to outline those that don't?

Pramatta means maddened with the world; wanton for sense-objects and so forth. I'm open for alternative words that would better render it into English, I struggled with translating that one.

Kavi you have as intelligent, I thought it meant poet or connoisseur of poetry about Krsna. and Mita bhuk as restricted eating, I don't know about restricted, it sounds like a calory control diet. Frugal is one who simply eats little.
I hope that does'nt sound desputatious.

What about uninfatuated for apramatta?

I too, until I read Sridhar Svami's tika on the original verse outlining the qualities in question. Did you check out the attached file? He interprets it as follows:

Kavi. KaviH samyak jJAnI ity eSA. "He whose knowledge is comprehensive is intelligent."


Frugal sounds good, however is it a very commonly used word?



That's good, thank you.

Monier Williams on Kavi:



Furthermore, CL Goswami translates the word Adi Kavaye (unto Lord Brahma) in the opening verse of the Bhagavata as 'Unto the first seer'.....

Kavi as 'poet' seems incompatible with Mahaprabhu's rejection in Siksastakam verse 4 na dhanam na janam na sundarim kavitam.........

The fourth meaning in M-W is: singer, bard, poet (in this sense without any technical application in the Veda). Of course, it is customary that primary meanings are given first.


I wonder if it's as simple as that, given the rich tradition of poetry in our sampradaya, and even Mahaprabhu's own words to Rupa Goswami, aiche kavitva vinu nahe rasera pracAra. Then, we have the famous eight Kavirajas, or however many you will, all renown poets. Krishnadas Kaviraja himself, I believe, received the title on the merit of his wondrous poetic abilities.

Unfortunately, Krishnadas Kaviraja himself doesn't provide comments on the purport of word as he cites the shloka in Chaitanya Caritamrita. Sri Ananta Das Babaji's tika doesn't comment on the word at all. Bhaktivinoda's Sanmodana-bhasya glosses the word as restricting mundane poetry, not aprAkRta-kavya, or poetry related to Krishna.

The 26 qualities are each virtues of sainthood, whereas the poet does the saint not make. The wise man, however, does the saint make. And as you admitted, the first 3 meanings in MW did refer to wisdom rather than poetry, and they are the mukhya artha...........

In my edition Adi kavi is the Primal poet.

Moreover, is Sriman Gaurasundara rejecting wisdom then in Siksastaka?

All in the best possible humour

Does Frugal being a common word make it inappropriate?

Lord knows where, but I've heard different interpretations of na sundarim kavitam where kavitam modifies the sundarim (now there is a great thought in itself!), e.g.

beautiful and poetic women
beautiful women as described in poetry

Perhaps by kavitam* in Siksastaka is meant wordly refined aesthetics, that may ordinarily be desired as one might desire beautiful women, affluence and society of friends. But let's not forget almost every book we read in the original is the highst class of poetry with full and abundant retorical devices literary embelishments and astounding poetic imagery.

* Bhaktipridipa Tirtha Maharaja rendered it as posey.

No, kavitA is poetry. Kavitva could be taken as the state of being wise, but kavitA has only poetry as a dictionary meaning.



No, I'm saying: I wonder if that's a common enough word, because I had to look it up in a dictionary.

Very interesting indeed. I just noticed that this translation is given in the Sarasvata Gaudiya Math edition of CC Antya 20.29 - ami dhana, jana, va sundari kavita kamana kori na. (Sundari here being the female adjective of the female word kavita). And KDK writes in his Bengali translation in CC Antya 20.30 - dhana, jana nahi magon, kabita sundari - I dont want wealth, people (followers?) and beautiful poetry (or beautiful poetic women). Very well, that solves the issue, as far as the Siksastakam verse is concerned. Still, the most logical explanation in the context of the 26 symptoms of sainthood remains 'wisdom', because, while many saints may be poets, not half every poet is a saint........

I think it may be a much more common word in the US due to the books and TV series by The Frugal Gourmet. Prior to the 1980's, I'm sure most Americans would have had to look up the word as well.

Just for fun,

Sir, I admit your general rule,
That every poet is a fool;
But you yourself may serve to show it,
That every fool is not a poet.

Pope to one of his critics.

Perhaps in ancient times poet and wise-man would have been more synonimous. Anyway it seems I'm playing the involentary purvapaksin here. Is there anything in a docter, Kaviraja? I heard that's what they call the local GP.

I like the word Frugal as it is an exact renedering in one word. It's certainly commonly understood here, but not commonly used.

As I looked it up, I realized that in our Bhakta-tattva-vijnana kavi has been translated as "poet". The BBT-version also has it as "poetic".

* * *

Medicine, poetry & wisdom all-in-one package:

nivRtta-tarSair upagIyamAnAd
bhavauSadhAc chrotamanobhirAmAt
ka uttama-zloka-guNAnuvAdat
pumAn virajyeta vinA pazughnAt

The virtues of the Lord
who is glorified in the greatest poetry
are sung by those who know no thirst for material pleasure;
it is the medicine for the material disease
and is a joy to hear for all but the soul-killers.
Who then will care nothing for them? (BhP 10.1.3, Jagat.)

trNAdapi sunIcitA sahajasaumyamugdhAkRtih
sudhAmadhurabhASitA viSayagandha-thut thut kRtih/
haripraNayavihvalA kimapi dhIranAlambitA
bhavanti kila sadguNA jagati gaurabhAjAmamI//

translation to follow after brakefast

More humble and lowly than a blade of grass;
of most naturally charming and gentle disposition;
of sweet ambrosial discourse; disgusted by
the mere scent of indulgence in sense pleasure,
and motion as if to spit upon it; who are stired and
tossed by passionate love for Hari, and have no other
refuge than him. All these most excellent virtues
are exhibited to the greatest extent in this world
only by the voteries of lord Gaurahari.

rough rendering C.Candramrta 24

Are these qualities supposed to be self manifesting, or are they developed by the devotee? By 'self manifesting', I mean do they naturally come about in the sadhaka as they progress further and further along the path. By 'developed' I mean the devotee actively move towards these qualities in themselves.

Radhe Radhe!

Nothing, in and of itself, is self manifesting rather a result of the merciful nature of the Vaisnavas, Sri Gauranga, Sri Yugala Kishor and the Holy Name. With that being said I think this is what you were getting at. These qualities are a result of these blessings and the development of the aspirant. As one advances these qualities manifest but at the same time one needs to be cognizant of these qualities and work to develop them especially in areas where ones disposition or conditioning is in direct conflict. So to answer your question it is a bit of both. They naturally develop by the mercy of the Vaisnavas, Sri Gauranga, Sri Yugala Kishor and the Holy Name while being dependent on the individuals desire and effort to develop them.

Rasaraja dasa

One point I'd like to add to that. If we indeed do notice a burning lack of a certain quality, or perhaps even a lack of a good many qualities, how do we undertake their cultivation? While the details of how exactly one cultivates such qualities may also be an interesting topic, what's of the utmost importance is understanding why one wishes to pay attention to their development.

The 26 qualities listed are not cultivated because they should be cultivated, or because a devotee is supposed to have them. If one attempts to cultivate them with the desire of let me be a devotee, in other words let others see I am a devotee, the cultivation will feed off our pratiSTha (desire for pride) and awaken envy in our hearts towards those who have such qualities in a greater quantity.

However if one develops a desire to cultivate such qualities simply because the said qualities are pleasing to guru, Vaishnavas and Bhagavan, and therefore having such qualities is a service to them -- in contrast to fostering our myriads of evil qualities that delay their bestowing their grace upon us in full -- then one is on the right track.

Reading about and appriciating those virtues should help. But the special thing is they are the natural qualities of the Hari bhakta, as it is said in the Bhagavat yasyAtsi bhaktir bhagavatyakincana* sarvairgunaistatra samAsate sura..etc. that is for one posessed of Bhagavata bhakti all the excellent virtues of the gods or godly virtues manifest in him ( of their own accord).

Maybe gradually

No.9 Akincana. This is a fascinating quality, the have-nots, the disposessed or those who have nothing that they consider worth possessing except the lotus feet of Sri Hari. Or who have no sense of proprietorship over anything related to the body and it's effects. It is so very often repeated in the Bhagavata as if it were almost the formost quality.

You could probably divide the list according to kAyik, mAnasik and vAcik, ie., bodily, mental and verbal. And I suppose akincana would be a mAnasic quality refering to the mental disposition.

I'd be interested to hear any insights on karuNa as I sometimes feel Buddhists and Christians as persons are more developed in this area than devotees, who do not emphasise so much the spiritual aspects of ministering to the needs of the sick and helpless etc.

I have heard the analogy that people are in the burning building of samsara, so we should not be so interested in building hospitals etc within that realm to help them materially. But this seems a bit heartless to me (especially when I have the flu or something and can temporarily identify a little with those who are suffering materially in poor countries or cancer hospices etc.).

So what does karuNa mean in the life of an aspiring bhakta? It seems very elusive...

I don't know much about karuna, but I guess it would be a genuine sense of compassion, and to know what 't is to pity and be pitied. For what though? Because as jivas in worldly existance we forget him and remain apathetic? It's a pity that I needlessly suffer aversion to the supreme lord and get entangled in the endless sojourn of birth, growth, reproduction, rearing offspring, decay and death.
Thakura Bhaktivinoda observes that when real auspisciouness dawns on the jiva, two things are very noticable in him, ie., nAma ruci and jIve dayA or an unprecedented relish and appriciation for Hari nama and a genuine sense of compasion for all jivas.

You may find these relevant.

Humanitarian Work and Krishna Consciousness

Is the Golden Rule a Vaishnava Principle

However, I sympathize with your worry. In fact, I posted another article by Joseph O'Connell here on GD in which he discusses the change in character that Vaishnava religious principles had on behavior and the resultant social benefits in Bengal. Without these effects on human behavior, it is unlikely that nay religious movement could enjoy longterm success. Religions form new social groupings with dynamics of cohesion based on trust, etc.

In other words, devotees like to hang out with each other because they like and trust other devotees, who are developing ideal human qualities through their desire to please Krishna. Kanistha consciousness, of course, limits their social consciousness to other devotees. But, then, charity DOES begin at home. If devotees cannot help other devotees, then what is the point of ministering to others?