How do we attain devotional service?

If we wish to attain devotional service, we should first take shelter of a spiritual master. This is the principal limb of the sixty-four limbs of devotional service. Unless we surrender to a spiritual master, we can never become eligible to execute devotional service. Hearing and chanting about the Lord cannot produce good results unless we subordinate ourselves to a guru. If we attempt to practice devotion without submitting to a guru, we will accumulate piety but will not learn to perform pure devotional service.

We get a bona fide spiritual master only by good fortune and Krsna’s mercy. Those who completely surrender everything to their spiritual master’s lotus feet are initiated into krsna-mantras and Lord Krsna’s teachings. Partial surrender does not bring a complete result.