How can one recognize a devotee?

[Reply to Dr. Sheshadri Thiruvenkadam (Balaji).] A devotee is like a student. A student varies in his level of study starting from LKG[1] to PG[2] level. The level is important. Knowledge generates devotion and devotion generates practical service. The intensity in practical service indicates the intensity of devotion, which in turn indicates the level of knowledge. The extent of sacrifice in the practical service indicates the extent of real love for God. The real love for your child is indicated by your practical service to the child that you do through the sacrifice of work and the sacrifice of the fruit of work. Hanuman is considered to be the real and best devotee of God. Throughout the Valmiki Ramayana, there is not a single mention of Hanuman chanting the name of God or singing devotional songs etc., which constitute theoretical devotion. The Sundara Kanda[3] elaborates the practical service done by Hanuman in the work of God. The most important point is that Hanuman did all that practical service to His contemporary Human Incarnation, which was Lord Rama. He did not serve statues or pictures of past Human Incarnations like Vamana, Parashurama etc. Neither did He serve statues or pictures of energetic forms of God from the upper world like Vishnu, Shiva etc. The Gopikas also served Krishna, who was their contemporary Human Incarnation. They too did not serve the statue or picture of some past Human Incarnation like Rama. The Gopikas served Krishna by sacrificing the fruit of their work, which was butter. They buttered up Krishna with real butter and not through mere words and feelings (theoretical devotion)[4]! The practical service becomes meaningful only in the case of a living human form of God. It is meaningless in the case of inert statues and pictures because the fruit of the practical service goes to the priest and not to God directly. Hence, the devotee of the contemporary Human Incarnation alone is devoid of ego and jealousy towards the co-human form and such a devotee alone can be recognized as the real devotee. Devotion is to be judged by the logical basic knowledge and not by the extent of ignorant emotion.

[1] Lower Kindergarten.

[2] Postgraduate

[3] Chapter of Ramayana

[4] Shallow or hypocritical devotees merely butter up God by their prayers and songs to gain some favor from Him. They do not want to serve Him practically.