The Real Thing is Bhakti

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Srila Prabhupada, Bombay, December 20, 1975 – […] So what is the difficulty to secure a little water, a leaf, or a small flower? Patram puspam phalam toyam. The real thing is bhakti. Patram puspam phalam toyam. So, mad-bhakta, if you are poorest of the poor you can become a devotee. Ahaituky apratihata yayatma suprasidati. If you want to become a devotee of Krishna, there is no impediment throughout the three worlds within the universe.

You can become a devotee, it is so easy. If you want to be a rich man it requires so much trouble. Rather, so long you do not desire to become a rich man, you are peaceful. And as soon as you desire to become a rich man, it will be all activities: how to acquire money this way or that way, this way…

Everyone tries to become rich man because generally one thinks that at old age I’ll get some income and I shall sit down very peacefully. So you are already sitting down peacefully. Why you take another means?

Of course these things we are not going to discuss, but bhakti means no desire. Anyabhilasita-sunyam [BRS 1.1.11]. Then bhakti is very easy. Anyabhilasita-sunyam jnana-karmady-anavrtam [Madhya 19.167]. People are very busy for knowledge and fruitive activities. Everyone in Bombay is working so hard day and night to get some result, and the jnanis, when they are disgusted, they try to become jnani.

Jnani generally means one who wants liberation, mukti, by merging into the existence. Bhakti is above this jnana-karmady-anavrtam [Madhya 19.167]. If you want to become a bhakta then you have to disregard the process of fruitive activities and the speculative method of understanding God, jnana-karmady-anavrtam [Madhya 19.167]. Then what I have to do? Anukulyena krsnanusilanam bhaktir uttama.

Simply you have to be ready to execute the order of Krishna, Bhagavan. Anukulyena, what Krishna says, you have to do that, just like a servant. Servant faithfulness is, as soon as the master orders something, he is ready. You have to become.

So to become ready to serve Krishna does not require much knowledge or very advanced in fruitive activities. These are material things. Spiritually, when you understand that you are eternal servant of God, Krishna, and if you become fully convinced and do the needful, then you are liberated immediately.

Mukti means, it is described in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, muktir hitvanyatha rupam svarupena vyavasthitih. If you understand that you are eternal servant of Krishna, that is mukti. And so long you are thinking that you are master of something, that is bondage. This is the difference between mukti and bondage.

Bondage means to think of becoming master, “I am the lord of this universe,” or “I am trying to become a lord or master,” this is bondage. And when you fully understand Krishna and become engaged in His service, that is mukti.

So for a devotee, there is no question of mukti. A devotee is already mukta. Why? Krishna says aham tvam sarva-papebhyo moksayisyami: “Immediately as soon as you surrender to Me, immediately I give you protection.” You are awaiting some fruitive result of your past karma, that is bondage.

You have to take birth and you have to serve according to that karma. Then from that position you are immediately liberated. Aham tvam sarva-papebhyo moksayisyami… Then you are mukta. So if you remain in the position to serve Krishna then you are always mukta. Muktih mukulitanjali sevate asman.

A great devotee, Bilvamangala Thakura, he said this muktih mukulitanjali, “With folded hands she is standing at my door, ‘What can I do for you?’ ” Maidservant. So devotee is not after mukti, because they are already muktas.

Sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam tat-paratvena nirmalam [Cc. Madhya 19.170]. He is already nirmala, without a tinge of material motive. Therefore he is able to serve Krsna. Hrsikena hrsikesa-sevanam bhaktir ucyate.
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