Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura
Six qualities that enhance Bhakti
Sadhu-vrtti
Following in the footsteps of the previous acaryas
The need for a pure heart is described in the Caitanya-caritamrta (Madhya 15.274) as follows:
sahaje nirmala ei `brahmana'-hrdaya
krsnera vasite ei yogya-sthana haya
"The heart of a brahmana is by nature very clean; therefore it is a proper place for Krsna to sit."
One must give up envy, or the distress arising from seeing other's prosperity. In the Caitanya-caritamrta (Madhya 15.275) this is described as follows:
`matsarya'-candala kene ihan vasaile
parama pavitra sthana apavitra kaile
"Why have you allowed jealousy to sit here also? Because of this, you have become like a candala, the lowest of men, and you have also contaminated a most purified place-your heart."
One must be a staunch follower of Lord Caitanya. As described in the Caitanya-caritamrta (Madhya 16.148):
prabhu lagi' dharma-karma chade bhakta-gana
bhakta-dharma-hani prabhura na haya sahana
"All the devotees would abandon all kinds of duties for Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's sake, yet the Lord did not like the devotees' giving up their promised duties."
The need to completely abandon faults is described in the Caitanya-caritamrta (Madhya 20.91) as follows:
se kene rakhibe tomara sesa visaya-bhoga?
roga khandi' sad-vaidya na rakhe sesa roga
"Why should Krsna allow you to maintain a last bit of material attachment? After vanquishing a disease, a good physician does not allow any of the disease to remain."