Prahlāda Mahārāja says, śvapacaṁ variṣṭham—because one has dedicated his life . . . because without dedication one’s life to the transcendental loving service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, all other qualification, material qualification they are acquiring, they are simply laboring hard. That’s all.
There is no benefit. As soon as this body is finished, whatever I acquired by my material qualification, that is all finished. But if we have got a tinge of spiritual qualification, that will go with you, because you are spirit soul, you are eternal. Therefore whatever spiritual activities you do, that is also eternal.
Now the question is that does it mean that Kṛṣṇa is hankering after your service? We are advising everyone, "Just become a servant of Kṛṣṇa or His representative." Kṛṣṇa and His representative is identity . . . identical. That is explained in the Guruvaṣṭakam: saṁsāra-dāvānala-līḍha (Śrī Śrī Gurv-aṣṭaka 1).
You chant these songs, in the last verse that is sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstrair. The representative of Kṛṣṇa is not different from Him. That is the way of dealing, even in the material field. Anyone’s representative is as good as the proprietor. Even our ordinary canvasser, he comes to book some order from you, but as soon as he signs on behalf of such-and-such company, then the company is responsible for his signature, because he is representative.
Even if he has transacted some business at a loss, the company has to bear it. Even if there is no profit, the company cannot refuse the contract, because it has been signed by a representative. Is it not a fact? What do you think? This business—this is business dealing. As soon as a man signs for such-and-such company, it doesn’t matter.
Just like representative, ordinary policeman, he comes with a paper, "Here is a warrant for you. You have to go immediately." What does the . . . (indistinct) . . . say: "What you are? You are non-significant." No. He’s the representative of government—therefore you have to abide by his rule, abide by his order.
So in the material world also, the representative’s value is there. Similarly, sākṣād-dharitvena samasta: the spiritual master is representative of Kṛṣṇa. And Viśvanātha Cakravārtī advises that in all the scriptures it is stated that spiritual master is identical with the Supreme Lord. Sākṣād-dharitvena. Sākṣād means "exactly the same." Sākṣād. Not that indirect. Sākṣād means "directly," just like face to face.