Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila 20.142 Prabhupada: daridrya-nasa, bhava-ksaya,—premera ‘phala’ naya prema-sukha-bhoga—mukhya prayojana haya So by devotional service one should not expect, “My miserable material condition may be improved” or “I may be liberated from this material entanglement.” So that is also a kind of sense gratification. If I want that “Let me be free from this entanglement…” Just like the yogis and the jnanis, they try. They try to be free from this material entanglement. But in the devotional service there is no such desire, because it is pure love. There is no expectation that “I shall be profited in this way.” No. It is not a profitable commercial business, that “Unless I get in return something, oh, I shall not practice the devotional service in Krsna consciousness. There is no question of profit. Lord Caitanya prays to the Lord like this: na dhanam na janam na sundarim kavitam va jagad-isa kamaye mama janmani janmanisvare bhavatad bhaktir ahaituki tvayi “Oh,” He says, “My dear Lord, Jagadisa…” Jagadisa means the Supreme Lord, Krsna. Jagat, jagat means this world, material world or spiritual world, all worlds. Jagat. Jagat gacchati iti jagat: “Which is progressing, that is called jagat.” So Jagat-isa, the supreme master of this jagat, going concern. “Jagadisa, O the supreme master of this jagat, I pray unto You that I do not want,” na dhanam, “I do not want any wealth,” na janam, “I do not want any number of followers…” Na janam na dhanam na kavitam va jagadisa kamaye. Kavitam means very nice wife, poetical… “I do not want.” “Then what do You want?” Mama janmani janmanisvare. Janmani janmani means “birth after birth.” So He does not want liberation also. Because when we speak of liberation, there is no birth. Mad-gatva punar janma na vidyate: “One who reaches the kingdom of God, he hasn’t got to come back again to take birth here.” So here Lord Caitanya says, mama janmani janmani: “Birth after birth.” That means “I do not want liberation also.” Mama janmani janmani. “Then what do You want?” Isvare bhavatad bhaktir ahaituki: “My dear Lord, I may be put in any condition of My life, but please bestow this benediction, that I may not forget You. That’s all. I may not forget You. Because due to My forgetfulness I am suffering so much. So if I can remember You, I don’t mind in whatever condition I am.” He has to give the factual fact. Yam labdhva caparam labham. In the Bhagavad-gita in the Sixth Chapter we find in the yoga system, yam labdhva caparam labham manyate nadhikam tatah: “When one achieves that perfection of yoga,” yam labdhva, “by gaining that perfection,” yam labdhva caparam labham, “then he has no other desire to achieve.” Just like we achieve something in this material world, but that does not stop our desire to achieve something more. I may achieve millions of dollars, but that does not make me satisfied. I want further ten millions of dollars. And when I get further ten millions of dollars, then I desire for further hundred millions of dollars. There is no cessation. So here is a thing, Krsna consciousness. One who is perfect in that system, bhakti-yoga system, the Bhagavad-gita says, yam labdhva caparam labham manyate nadhikam. Adhikam means “greater than this.” We want, we desire something which is greater than what I possess now. Therefore I desire. I have got hundred millions dollars, and I want million millions of dollars, because that amount is greater than what I possess now. But one who possesses this devotional service, he does not think anything there is in the world which is more valuable than this. So why should he inquire? Why should he desire? He has got the sublime thing. Yam labdhva caparam labham. Labham means gain. Manyate na: “He does not think.” Na. What is that? Adhikam. Adhikam means greater. If I have got two dollars’ possession and if you offer me ten dollars, I think, “Oh, it is better.” So he possesses such a thing that nothing is greater than because he possesses devotional service. Krsna consciousness is not different from Krsna. So therefore he possesses Krsna, and what thing can be greater than Krsna? Therefore he is fully satisfied. yam labdhva caparam labham manyate nadhikam tatah yasmin sthito gurunapi duhkhena na vicalyate “And one who is situated in that condition, then gurunapi duhkhena, the severest type of miseries, offered to him, he is not shaken.” He is steady. He is steady. Just like a five-year-old boy, Prahlada Maharaja, and his father, atheist: “Oh, you rascal boy. You are chanting God’s name? Who is God? I am God. Why don’t you chant my name? If you don’t do that, then I shall throw you in the fire.” Oh, he is steady. He said, “Father, I cannot do that,” this little boy. “You nonsense, you cannot do that? How do you dare to speak before me like this? Even the demigods, they are afraid of me.” “Oh, yes, father. By the mercy of whom you are speaking so nicely, so by the mercy of Him I am speaking also like that.” “Oh, I don’t care for anyone’s mercy.” So this is… And so much wrath of his severe father, oh, he is not… Steady. Steady. So that is the characteristic of a pure devotee. Even in the greatest difficulty, even in the greatest danger, he is not shaken; he is steady. Yam labdhva. This is the perfection of yoga. When one is steady in every circumstances, that is the perfection of yoga. That can be achieved easily by this Krsna consciousness. yam labdhva caparam labham manyate nadhikam tatah yasmin sthito gurunapi duhkhena na vicalyate So here also we should not be aspiring after improving our material condition or liberation or anything. These are all desire, desires. They say that “desireless,” but desire cannot be completely absent because I am living entity. So my desire should be not to forget Krsna. That’s all, that one desire. That is real desire. And all other desires, they are foolish. So we cannot be desireless, but we should desire only bona fide. Just like I am part and parcel of the Supreme. So if I desire to work in cooperation with the Supreme, that is my natural position. That is desirelessness. If you… Suppose in this material condition, if you desire to eat, oh, that is natural. So long you have got this body, you have to eat. If somebody says, “Oh, you are desiring eating…?” Nobody says like that. Similarly, what is natural desire, that is permitted. And what is not natural, that is called “become desireless.” Don’t desire like this, unnatural. So desirelessness means not to desire unnatural thing. But to desire Krsna’s remembrance, that is natural. Because I am part and parcel, how can I forget? This forgetfulness is the cause of my so many desires. And as soon as I desire Krsna, there will be no other desire. That is desirelessness. So prema-sukha-bhoga—mukhya prayojana haya. Prema-sukha. The happiness in the matter of our reciprocation as the whole and the part and parcel, that sense is the highest pleasure. That we should aspire after, not that by becoming Krsna consciousness we may desire some material profit. That is not. veda-sastre kahe sambandha, abhidheya, prayojana krsna, krsna-bhakti, prema,—tina maha-dhana Now, we are aspiring after possessing something, possessiveness. What we should possess? The possession is Krsna, and desire is reciprocation between Krsna and myself, and the ultimate end is love. That’s all. Just like we have got perverted reflection of that love here between the two lovers. They don’t want anything. He wants she, and she wants he. That’s all. That is desire and their reciprocation of loving affairs and the ultimate end, that they are peaceful in love. This is only perverted reflection of the real love, which is reciprocated with Krsna. Here there is no possibility of love. This is all lust. But we call it love because it is just a reflection. Just a real… That is real, and this is unreal. Just like shadow and reality. There is gulf of difference between the shadow and reality. So whatever love we see in this world, that love is only a perverted reflection of that real love with Krsna. vedadi sakala sastre krsna—mukhya sambandha tanra jnane anusange yaya maya-bandha So a devotee is not anxious for liberation because his intimate connection with Krsna means he is liberated. One cannot be in intimate touch with Krsna unless one is liberated. So liberation and intimate connection with Krsna, the same thing. yesam tv anta-gatam papam jananam punya-karmanam te dvandva-moha-nirmukta bhajante mam drdha-vratah [Bg. 7.28] Yesam… Have you got Bhagavad-gita here? Yes. Just try to find out this sloka. I don’t remember where it is. I think in the Eighth Chapter. yesam tv anta-gatam papam jananam punya-karmanam te dvandva-moha-nirmukta bhajante mam drdha-vratah [Bg. 7.28] Yesam. Yesam means those who are anta-gatam papam. Papam means sinful reactions. One who has surpassed all sinful reactions. Yesam anta-gatam papam jananam. Such persons, punya-karmanam, who have done never any sinful action but always engaged in the matter of pious activities, punya-karmanam, such persons can only devote himself fully in the service of the Lord, Krsna. (aside:) Have you got it? What is that? Devotee: “But those men of virtuous deeds whose sin has come to an end, freed from the delusion of dualities, worship Me, steadfastly avowed.” Prabhupada: Yes. So to worship Krsna steadfast means he is liberated from delusion. That is mukti. One who has got still some doubt—“Why shall I worship Krsna?”—that means still in delusion, and still the reaction of his sinful life is not finished. A slight doubt means there is slight tinge still. And one who is dvandva-moha-nirmukta, duality… Duality means “Whether I shall do it or not? Whether I shall stick up to this process of Krsna conscious or not?” This is called duality. So one who is free from all these sinful reactions, he has no more duality. He has firm faith: “Yes! Krsna worship is the final.” So Krsna worship means he is liberated already. Just like the same example: If a man is sitting on the high court bench, it is to be understood that he has passed all educational qualification, and he is a good lawyer. Therefore… There is no more necessity to ask, “Whether you have passed M.A. examination or law examination?” This is foolishness. Similarly, if one is, I mean to say, strictly in Krsna consciousness, then it is to be understood that he is liberated. Liberation, the definition of liberation, is in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, mukti…, svarupena vyavasthitih. Hitva… Muktir hitvanyatha rupam svarupena vyavasthitih. Mukti means hitva anyatha rupam. Now we are now represented in different kinds of formalities. You have got a different kinds of idea; I have got different kinds of idea; another man has different from others. There are difference; therefore we are clashing each other. This is the sign of bondage. And mukti means when we are liberated from these different kinds of ideas, and svarupena vyavasthitih, when we are situated in our constitutional position, that is called mukti, liberation. And what is our constitutional position? “Oh, I am the part and parcel of the Supreme, Krsna.” Then what is my duty? Duty, part’s duty, is to serve the whole. That’s all. Just like your hand, the part of your body. What is the duty of hand? To serve the body. It is very easy thing. If you are part and parcel of the Supreme, then what is your duty? Your duty is to serve Him. You have no other duty. So one who understands this firmly and convincingly, he is liberated. He is liberated. Oh, how can I say liberated? “He is also now going to the office. He is dressing like ordinary man. What do you mean?” Mukti means he will dress like something else or he will have four hands or eight legs? No. Simply change of consciousness, that’s all. So Krsna consciousness means change of your consciousness. I am thinking, “I am this matter. I have got so many duties with this material world.” So when you change this consciousness—“No, I belong to Krsna. I am part and parcel of Krsna; therefore whole energy should be for Krsna,” this is Krsna consciousness. Now I am applying all my energy to this material conception of life. When you apply your energy, your transcendental energy, to Krsna, then you are liberated. Therefore a devotee of Krsna, pure devotee of Krsna, they are not hankering after Krsna…, mukti. They say, muktih mukulitanjali sevate asman: “Oh, the mukti lady is standing with folded hands, ‘My dear sir, what can I do for you?’ ” And devotee doesn’t care. “Oh, what can I (you) do for me? I don’t want your help.” There is a nice verse of Bilvamangala Thakura. He lived for seven hundred years in Vrndavana, and he became a great devotee of Krsna. In the beginning he was an impersonalist. His life is very nice. It is better to cite his life. He was a South Indian brahmana, a very rich man and very much sensuous. He kept one prostitute, prostitute. So he was so much, I mean to say, devoted to the prostitute that he was performing his father’s death ceremony and he was asking the priest, “Please, haste. Please make haste. I have to go. I have to go.” Means prostitute’s house. So he was very rich man. Priestly, anyway, he finished that business. Then there was ceremony. He took very nice foodstuff in a bag, and he was going to that prostitute’s house. But when he came out of his home, oh, it was raining torrently. You see? So he never cared for that raining. He went to the riverside. Oh, there was no boat, and it was, river was waving. The waves were very furious. And he thought that “How can I go to the other side?” He was daily going to the other side of the river. Then, anyway, he swimmed over, crossed over by swimming. Then the prostitute thought, “Oh, it is today raining, and he may not come.” So he (she) blocked the door and went to sleep. And when he came to the house he saw, “Oh, the door is blocked,” and it was raining still. “So how can I go?” So he crossed over the wall by catching one snake. Just see how much intensely he was attached. And he went to the prostitute, and she was astonished: “Well, Bilvamangala”—his name was Bilvamangala—“how do you dare to come here like this?” Oh, he described, “Yes. I did this, I did this, I did this, I did this.” Oh, the prostitute was astonished. Her name was Cintamani. So the prostitute said, “My dear Bilvamangala, if you have got so intense love for me, oh, had it been for God, for Krsna, how would have been, your life, sublime.” Oh, that struck him: “Yes.” He at once left and went away: “Yes, you are right.” Then he was (going to) Vrndavana. He saw another beautiful woman because he was practiced to that habit. So he was going behind. Although he determined, “Now I am going to Vrndavana,” on the way he was again attracted by another woman. So he followed that woman. That woman belonged to a respectable family. So he came, and the woman said to her husband, “Oh, this man is following me. Please ask, ‘What is the idea?’ ” So the husband asked, “My dear sir, you appear to be very nice gentleman, and you belong to very aristocratic family. From your appearances I understand. What do you want? Why you are following my wife?” He said, “Yes, I am following wife because I want to embrace her.” “Oh, you want to embrace? Come on. Embrace. Come on. You are welcome. Come on.” So the wife also… She (he) ordered, “Oh, here is a guest. He wants to embrace you and kiss you. So please decorate yourself nicely so that he may enjoy.” So the wife also followed the instruction of the husband because wife’s duty is to follow the instruction. And when Bilvamangala came inside before the woman, he said, “My dear mother, will you kindly give your hairpins?” “Yes. Why?” “I have got some business.” Then he took the hairpin and at once pierced his eyes: “Oh, this eye is my enemy.” And he became blind. He became blind. Then all of them… “That’s all right. Now no more I shall be disturbed.” So in that blindness he was penancing, austerity in Vrndavana. So by the grace of Krsna, Krsna came like a boy. “Oh, my dear sir, why you are starving? Why don’t you take some milk?” “Oh, who are You, my dear boy?” “Oh, I am a boy of this village. I am a cowherd boy. If you like, I can give you daily some milk.” “All right.” So Krsna supplied him milk. So there was friendship. And he has written that bhakti is such a thing that muktih mukulitanjali sevate asman: “Mukti, mukti is nothing for me.” So this is his verse, muktih mukulitanjali sevate asman: “So we have no desire for mukti. When Krsna comes to supply milk, oh, then what is the use of my mukti?” You see? That’s a great soul, Bilvamangala Thakura. It is worth to remember his name. For seven hundred hears he lived in Vrndavana, and he has written a nice book which is Krsna-karnamrta. That is a very authoritative book, Krsna-karnamrta. Lord Caitanya picked up this book, and He recommended all His devotees to read that Krsna-karnamrta book. Thank you very much. Kirtanananda: Do you have it here? Prabhupada: Yes. Kirtanananda: Is it in English? (end)
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
New York, November 30, 1966