Prabhupada, New York, November 29, 1966: […] That bhakti, that process of devotional service, is very dear to the actual transcendentalist, very dear. Bhaktih punati man-nistha. Man-nistha. To know simply “I believe in God,” that is not sufficient. The ultimate goal is to attain very intimate relationship or love of Godhead.
That is required. Of course, to know, to believe in God, to accept God, that is all right. It is better than the atheist. But that is not end. You must develop yourself. You must… You should not simply make God as your order-supplier, but you should be order- supplier. When I become order-supplier to God, that is my perfection.
And so long I keep God as my order-supplier, that is not bhakti. Generally, people keep God as his order-supplier: “O God, give us our daily bread,” “O God, I am in distress, “O God, I am in difficulty, “O God, I am…”
God supplies them. God is supplying. Eko bahunam vidadhati kaman. But that is not ultimate goal. The ultimate goal is that you should supply God. God will be dependent on you. That is bhakti.
Just like Yasodamayi. Yasodamayi, she was so advanced in devotion that God became dependent on her. God appeared as her child. As the child always remains dependent on the mercy of the mother, similarly Krishna before His foster mother Yasodamayi just remained just like dependent. Mother said, “My dear child, if You become more naughty, then I shall chastise You.”
And God is crying. You see? These are the relationship between God and the devotee. You see? One who chastises the whole universe, whole creation, He is afraid of His mother. He becomes dependent as He likes. It is said in the sastra that “When My devotee thinks Me dependent on him, oh, I like that. I like that.”
People always worship God as the sublime, but the devotee, they do not worship. They want to serve God as dependent. Just like mother serves the child as dependent. There is no purpose. The mother is satisfied simply by keeping the child in perfect order. Yes. There is no purpose.
Similarly, when we shall be inclined to see that He is always satisfied, that is devotion. Then you can have God in your grip. You see? God is so kind, Krishna is so kind, that He becomes just… Ajito ’pi. Nobody can conquer Him, but He becomes conquered by this kind of devotional service.
You see? Ajito ’pi jito ’py asi. He becomes conquered. This is the process of conquering. What is the use of becoming one with God? You can conquer Him. You can have Him within your grips. Such is the process, devotional service. It is stated here. Ataeva. Therefore, Lord Caitanya concludes, ataeva ‘bhakti’— krsna-praptyera upaya. Therefore, if you want Krishna, then bhakti, the devotional service, is the only way.
ataeva ‘bhakti’—krsna-praptyera upaya ‘abhidheya bali’ tare sarva-sastre gaya
Abhidheya means that is the transaction.
So in this life, while we are in the material world, so we have our material body. So this devotional service, Krishna consciousness, doing everything in Krishna consciousness, this is just like, what is called, apprenticeship to reach that highest stage.
The same thing will be there in your liberated stage in the spiritual kingdom. But here, by the order of the sastra, by the guidance of the spiritual master, you are being trained up as apprentice. This is called abhidheya, abhidheya, practice, practice. But even in practice you will feel that “I am making progress.” It is such a thing. ‘Abhidheya’ bali’ tare sarva-sastre gaya. And,
dhana paile yaiche sukha-bhoga phala paya sukha-bhoga haite duhkha apani palaya
taiche bhakti-phale krsne prema upajaya prema krsnasvada haile bhava nasa paya
Very important passage. Just note it carefully. Now, by apprenticeship, by practice, if one sincerely follows this practice, then what is the result? Dhana paile yaiche sukha-bhoga phala paya. Just like a poor man, if he gets sufficient money, then at once his all distress is over, at once, immediately.
Simultaneously, as soon as the sun is in the sky, at once the darkness is gone. Just in the morning, a little, not sun directly, but even there is sunshine far away, immediately the darkness goes away. I am in distress; I am in poverty-stricken. Suppose I get immediately some large amount of money.
Immediately my distress gone. So exactly like that, dhana paile yaiche sukha-bhoga phala paya, then automatically he becomes happy, a poor man when he gets money.
Similarly, as soon as we have little taste of this devotional service, at once all our miserable life becomes happy at once. Yes. Sukha-bhoga haite duhkha apani palaya. And if there is happiness, where is the question of misery? If there is light, where there is question of darkness?
So a person in Krishna consciousness, he cannot be in distress of material miseries. Full Lecture
Speak Your Mind