In plain words
What is Bhakti?
Through japa, dhyāna and the like, through pilgrimages, through hearing the scriptures, you cannot cross the ocean of worldly life. You must take part in service to society. Service is more important than japa, dhyāna and the like. Service is what gives God joy. If, without taking part in service, you merely go on hankering, ‘Bhakti, Bhakti...’, it is of no use. I do not want your Bhakti; I want your heart transformed. What is Bhakti, really? Recognise the truth, “This body is meant for the good of others”, and do work that is of use to many. You must dedicate your life to service. You must do actions that make your time worthwhile. Today many people, unable to understand what Bhakti is, are wasting their time. I am not telling you that you must do some great service to the whole world. If you install God in your heart and serve as far as your strength allows, that is enough. “Deho devālaya prokto jīvo devas sanātanaḥ”: the body is like a temple. The Ātma itself is the God within it. So whatever body you see, feel that you are seeing a temple. Believe that in that temple dwells the God called the Ātma.
“Sarva jīva namaskāraṃ keśavaṃ pratigacchati”: to whomever you bow, it reaches God Himself. Every man is God's own form; so you must not criticise anyone, you must not ridicule anyone, you must not hate anyone. You must recognise the truth that whomever you revile and whomever you hurt, these go to God Himself. There is no place where God is not. There is no form that is not God. “With hands and feet everywhere, with eyes, heads and faces everywhere, with ears everywhere in the world, He stands pervading all.” All is nothing but the form of God. So whatever work you do, do it to please God.
‘Conscience’ – ‘Consciousness’
This body is made of the five elements. Some day or other it must fall. But within this very body, which does not last, lies Caitanya, eternal and true. This is what has been called ‘conscience’. The Caitanya that pervades everywhere is what has been called ‘consciousness’. The two differ in ‘quantity’, but the ‘quality’ is one.