# Identifying Pure Devotion In the Bhakti-rasamrita Sindhu, Rupa Goswami defines the characteristics of pure devotion. This verse, considered the *paribhasa-sutra* (emperor verse) of the entire text, outlines all the key elements of purity: *“When first-class devotional service develops, one must be devoid of all material desires, knowledge obtained by monistic philosophy, and fruitive action. The devotee must constantly serve Krishna favourably, as Krishna desires*.” ([CC Madhya 19.167](https://vedabase.io/en/library/cc/madhya/19/167/)) Vaisnava teachers have discussed these elements in depth, giving evidence from scriptures and referencing various stories and accounts from bygone ages. In essence, true, divine love is a tangible expression (*anusilanam*) of the desire to please Krishna (*anukulyena*), free from any selfish desire for personal gain (*anyabhilasita sunyam*). --- # Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter: ``` GET https://bhagavata.keshavaswami.com/canto-06/e.p.i.c/i-indra-and-vritrasura-7-13/upside-down/identifying-pure-devotion.md?ask= ``` The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.