D e v o t i o n a l - s e r v i c e
Different processes of self-realization such as fruitive activity, speculative knowledge; mystic power and union with the Supreme can gradually lead one to the ultimate perfection of life, which is devotional service to the Supreme Lord. If one, sincerely and without selfish motives, sacrifices some fruits of his activity to God or cultivates knowledge to understand God or acquires mystic power to perceive God or tries to unite with God, then he can gradually become eligible to perform pure devotional service to God. One can serve God in numerous ways; however, pure devotional service with love and affection through complete surrender to the will of God is the highest perfection of human life.
Ultimately therefore, in the Holy Qur’an, everything else is refuted and devotional service to the Supreme Lord is established:
Bala man ‘aslama wajha-hu lillahi wa huwa muhsinun falahu ‘ajruhu ‘inda Rabbih / wa la khawfun ‘alayhim wa la hum yahzanun: “Whoever surrenders his whole self to Allah while doing good, he will get his reward with his Lord; there shall no fear come upon them neither shall they grieve.” (2.112)
At-ta-’ibunal-’abidunal-hami-dunas-sa-’ihunar-raki-’u-nas-saji-dunal-’ami runa bil-ma ‘rufi wana-huna ‘anil-munkari wal-hafizuna li-hudu-dillah: “(Triumphant) are those who turn repentant (to Allah), those who serve Him, those who praise Him, those who fast, those who bow down, those who fall prostrate in worship, those who enjoin the right and who forbid the wrong and those who observe the limits set by Allah.” (9.112)
Alla ta’budu ‘illal-lah: “Serve none but Allah.” (11.2)
Qulid-’ullaha ‘awid-’ur-Rahman / ‘ayama tad-’u fala-hul-’asma-’ul-husna / wa la tajhar bi-salatika wa la tukhafit biha wabtagi bayna zalika sabila: “Say: ‘Call upon Allah, or call upon Rahman (Beneficent), by whatever name you call upon Him (it is well). For to Him belong the Most Beautiful Names. Neither speak your prayer aloud, nor speak it in a low tone, but seek a middle course between.” (17.110)
Wa ‘innallaha Rabbi wa Rabbukum fa-buduh / haza siratum-mustaqim: “Verily Allah is my Lord and your Lord. So serve Him. That is the right path.” (19.36)
Inna-lazina ‘inda Rabbika la yastak-biruna ‘an ‘iba-datihi wa yusabi-hunahu wa lahu yas-judun: “Those who are with your Lord are not too proud to do Him service, but they praise Him and adore Him.” (7.206)
Innani ‘anallahu la ‘ilaha ‘illa ‘ana fa-budni wa ‘aqimis-salata li-zikri: “Verily, I am Allah. There is no god but I. So serve Me and establish worship for My remembrance.” (20.14)
Ya-’ibadiyallazina ‘amanu ‘inna ‘arzi wasi-’atun-fa-’iyyaya fa-budun: “O My servants who believe! Truly, My earth is spacious. Therefore serve Me only.” (29.56)
Fruitive activity, speculative knowledge, mystic power and desire to merge into the existence of the Supreme cannot lead one to the goal of perfection. Fruitive work, in which almost all people in general are engaged, is always painful either in the beginning or at the end. It can be fruitful only when made subservient to the devotional service of the Lord. The result of such furtive work must be offered for the service of the Lord, otherwise it leads to material bondage. The bona fide enjoyer of fruitive work is the Supreme Lord, and thus when it is engaged for the sense gratification of the living beings, it becomes an acute source of trouble.
One should know that Allah is the friend of everyone, whether he be an ordinary worker, an empiric philosopher, or even a mystic - and what to speak of the transcendentalists who are unselfish servitors of God. The Supreme Lord always does good for one and all by empowering His devotees to preach and propagate the transcendental process of devotional service to God everywhere, in accord with the specific time, place, and audience. The Lord is therefore called the prime cause of all causes and the reservoir of all blessings. And the people in general can attain perfect peace and tranquillity when they come to know Him by the gradual process of devotional service with transcendental results.
The highest summit of spiritual perfection is knowledge of the Supreme Lord. Unless one is firmly convinced of the different opulences of the Supreme Lord, he cannot engage in devotional service. Generally people know that Allahu Akbar or Allah is Great, but they do not know in detail how Allah is Great. If one knows factually how Allah is Great, then naturally he becomes a surrendered soul and engages himself in the devotional service of the Lord. When one factually knows the opulence of the Supreme, there is no alternative but to surrender to Him. This factual knowledge can be known from the descriptions of the bona fide Scriptures.
With our present materialized senses we cannot perceive anything of the transcendental Lord. Our present senses are to be rectified by the process of devotional service, and then the Lord reveals Himself to us. The transcendental Lord can be perceived only by pure devotional service. So it is confirmed in the Holy Qur’an that only devotional service can lead one to the side of Allah and that only devotional service can reveal Him. The Lord is always visible to the devotees whose eyes have been anointed with the tinge of devotional service. So we have to take information of the transcendental form of the Lord from persons who have actually seen Him with perfect eyes smeared with devotional service. In the material world also we do not always see things with our own eyes; we sometimes see through the experience of those who have actually seen or done things. If that is the process for experiencing a mundane object, it is more perfectly applicable in matters transcendental. So only with patience and perseverance can we realize the transcendental subject matter regarding the Absolute Truth. He is formless to the neophytes, but He has a transcendental form for the expert servitor.
