To Become a Real Devotee

“To become a devotee does not mean one has to abandon everything and go live in the forest. It means while having everything, one becomes attached to the Supreme Lord. In other words, while living in a house with family and friends, one can become a devotee. A devotee is one who chants the holy names of God, accepts an authentic Spiritual Master, and studies the ancient scriptures on a regular basis. Male or female, married or unmarried, everyone can become a devotee of Krishna provided they are able to perform devotional service. A sincere devotee feels Krsna is always with them. Just as a person addicted to tea gets a headache without their daily tea, similarly if one becomes anxious if they have missed their daily chanting, it is understood that saintly qualities have developed in them. This means a real devotee cannot live even for a moment without chanting the names of Krsna or hearing about Him.”

[Srimad-Bhagavatam, My Mission, KBS0026]