The following are just a few examples of how does one become a sincere soul:
- A definite consideration is to combine our head and heart.
- Do not practice or preach religion without philosophy, without science.
- Do not be a sentimental fanatic.
- Do not practice or preach blind faith.
- Do not be bluffed by cheaters.
- Do not be a cheater and bluff others.
- Chant your daily rounds of the Holy Name.
- Follow the four regulative principles.
Please remember the following advice of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura from his “Bhakti Tattva Viveka”, which applies to the rubber-stampers, the blind followers, and the ritviks; all with principles opposed to bhagavad bhakti, (bhakti to Bhagavan, Lord Krishna), or against suddha bhakti, (bhakti in the mode of goodness).
Bhakti Tattva Viveka Chapter One the Intrinsic Nature of Devotion:
“Those who propagate that bhagavad bhakti is the highest dharma yet behave against the principles of suddha bhakti and instruct others against the principles of suddha bhakti can be especially harmful to us. In the name of bhakti, they instruct us against the principles of bhakti and ultimately lead us onto a path, which is totally opposed to bhagavad bhakti.
Unfortunately, in present day society in the name of shuddha-bhakti, various types of mixed devotion such as karma-mishra, (mixed with fruitive action), jnana-mishra, (mixed with speculative knowledge), and yoga-mishra, (mixed with various types of yoga processes), as well as various polluted and imaginary conceptions, are spreading everywhere like germs of a plague.
People in general consider these polluted and mixed conceptions to be bhakti, they respect them as such, and thus remain deprived of shuddha-bhakti.
These polluted and mixed concepts are our greatest enemies.
Some people say that there is no value in bhakti, that God is an imaginary sentiment only, that man has merely created the image of a God in his imagination, and that bhakti is just a diseased state of consciousness which cannot benefit us in any way.
These types of people, though opposed to bhakti, cannot do much harm to us because we can easily recognize them and avoid them.
But those who propagate that bhagavad-bhakti is the highest dharma, yet behave against the principles of shuddha-bhakti, and also instruct others against these principles, can be especially harmful to us.
In the name of bhakti, they instruct us against the actual principles of bhakti and ultimately lead us onto a path which is totally opposed to bhagavad-bhakti.
Therefore, with great endeavor, our previous acharyas have defined the svarupa or intrinsic nature of bhakti, and have repeatedly cautioned us to keep ourselves away from polluted and mixed concepts.”
This approach, of discerning between authentic suddha bhakti and the pretend version, is hard work; but nothing short of hard work, is going to get us to our goal anyway. God did not give us intelligence so that we can forego its use. Rather He has promised to give us more of it when He sees that we have used up what we already have, so we can approach Him. Simply we have to use fully what we already have and we will get more. Krishna promises this, and you can count on Krishna always keeping his promises.