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When human beings begin to realize their mistakes, become aware of their suffering and disappointments, and understand that they are still mortal and can do nothing to change this fact, they turn towards God: "God, help, please." When such love awakens in the heart, one becomes a bhakta. "Bhakta" means devotee. It means you are devoted to that One who is higher, who possesses the highest knowledge—the Brahma-niṣṭha and śrotriya, the knower of the Supreme and the speaker who can inspire and guide you, or what you call the God-incarnation. God says, "I don't need anything. Nothing is impossible for me in this universe, but I have one weak point: that's love. I cannot disobey the love of a devotee." There are thousands of stories of how God comes to his bhaktas, to his devotees. If you have real love for him, he is so dependent on you. You can even close him in the bathroom and lock it. "Stay there till I come back in the evening." He will do it, because that is a lock of love, devotion, pure love. And a bhakta knows that without God, he cannot escape this circle of rebirth and death, rebirth and death. Therefore, a bhakta gives his life into the hands of God. "O Lord, O God, now I have given all the burden of my life into your hands." How nice, and how poor is God, the innocent one, you know. He is not guilty at all, but you gave all the burden to him. It is not easy to be God, you know. "Lord, I have given my life totally into your hands, my responsibility into your hands. All burdens I give to you. Lord, if I will be successful or not, if I will be the winner or the loser, now it is in your hands." It is in your hands because I gave it to your hands. Then it is in his hands. Either he kills you or leaves you. He liberates you or does not liberate you. Then there is bhakti; a devotee has no words, should not say no. There are three kinds of devotees: uttam, madhyam, and kaniṣṭha. The utmost devotee is that one who, if he comes to know something that is needed or wanted, immediately does that thing without asking. Madhyam is that one waiting till he is asked, "Can you do this or this and that?" Parents tell children, "Can you do this, please?" "Okay, if you want, I will do it," you know. That is medium quality. And the worst quality, the third quality, is that even if you ask, they always try to say, "Well, can't you tell someone else to do this? Must I always do this? Can't we do it tomorrow?" Like this. They try to avoid or push the things onto somebody else. That kind of devotee God does not like. God says, "I am devoted to them who are devoted to me." And he or she is one with me; we are one. Like this morning I told you, water in waves and waves in water. Water in the ocean and ocean in the water. That is the oneness, the relation of a devotee to God. That's bhakti yoga. Without any conditions, complete surrender to God, then God will take all into his hands. Recording location: USA, Washington, Seminar