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Real pure devotee

Bhagavad-gita As It Is

BG Chapters 7 - 12

Free from all contaminations of material desires, the distressed, the inquisitive, the penniless and the seeker after supreme knowledge can all become pure devotees. But out of them, he who is in knowledge of the Absolute Truth and free from all material desires becomes a really pure devotee of the Lord.
BG 7.17, Translation and Purport:

Of these, the one who is in full knowledge and who is always engaged in pure devotional service is the best. For I am very dear to him, and he is dear to Me.

Free from all contaminations of material desires, the distressed, the inquisitive, the penniless and the seeker after supreme knowledge can all become pure devotees. But out of them, he who is in knowledge of the Absolute Truth and free from all material desires becomes a really pure devotee of the Lord. And of the four orders, the devotee who is in full knowledge and is at the same time engaged in devotional service is, the Lord says, the best. By searching after knowledge one realizes that his self is different from his material body, and when further advanced he comes to the knowledge of impersonal Brahman and Paramātmā. When one is fully purified, he realizes that his constitutional position is to be the eternal servant of God. So by association with pure devotees the inquisitive, the distressed, the seeker after material amelioration and the man in knowledge all become themselves pure. But in the preparatory stage, the man who is in full knowledge of the Supreme Lord and is at the same time executing devotional service is very dear to the Lord. He who is situated in pure knowledge of the transcendence of the Supreme Personality of God is so protected in devotional service that material contamination cannot touch him.

Conversations and Morning Walks

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Caitanya also says He does not desire that. He is.... "Let me remain perpetually here, but be engaged in Your service." That is real, pure devotee. He doesn't want even promotion.
Morning Walk -- May 3, 1976, Fiji:

Guru-kåpä: Prabhupäda, what about these people that perform so-called bhakti-yoga but their aim is to merge?

Prabhupäda: Hmm? That is not bhakti-yoga. That is not bhakti-yoga. Who says that is bhakti-yoga?

Guru-kåpä: I said "so-called" bhakti-yoga.

Prabhupäda: That, that is not.... Cheating! That is another cheating. (Hindi) There is the same example. "Now I am serving the master. Just as soon as the master will be somewhere, I'll take everything." That kind of servant. Servant serving the master, but the intention is that "As soon as master is away, I'll take everything." (laughter) "I'll become Näräyaëa. Let me serve now Näräyaëa, and as soon as there is the opportunity, I shall become Näräyaëa." They are thieves, rogues, these duñkåtino müòhäù narädhamäù. Very faithful servant. He's planning how to usurp everything belonging to the master, and saying, "I am very faithful servant." Caitanya Mahäprabhu is teaching mama janmani janmanéçvare bhavatäd bhaktir ahaituké tvayi (Cc. Antya 20.29, Çikñäñöaka 4). "Life after life, let me serve You." That's all. Never willing to become master. That is Mäyäväda. (break) ...don't want even salvation. Therefore He says, janmani janmani, "life after life."

Puñöa Kåñëa: (break) ...go back to Godhead can be sense gratification?

Prabhupäda: Yes, that is also a contaminated desire. Otherwise why Caitanya will say mama janmani, to go? Kåñëa says, yad gatvä na nivartante tad dhäma paramam (BG 15.6). If one goes to Vaikuëöha he does not come. But Caitanya also says He does not desire that. He is.... "Let me remain perpetually here, but be engaged in Your service." That is real, pure devotee. He doesn't want even promotion. That is also mentioned now: déyamänaà na gåhëanti. Déyamänam, even Kåñëa says, "Come immediately to Vaikuëöha," "Sir, that is for..." Just like Prahläda Mahäräja. Prahläda Mahäräja was offered, "Whatever you like, you take." "Sir, do not make me a bäniyä (indistinct)." (break) But if anyone wants in exchange of service, then he's not a devotee, he's a bäniyä (merchant).

Guru-kåpä: Is that a merchant?

Prabhupäda: Huh? Merchant, yes.

na dhanaà na janaà na sundaréà

kavitäà vä jagadéça kämaye

mama janmani janmanéçvare

bhavatäd bhaktir ahaituké tvayi

(Cc. Antya 20.29, Çikñäñöaka 4)

This is prayer. No exchange. Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura: kéöa-janma hau jathä tuwä däs. "If You want that I shall continue, yes, that's all right." That is full surrender. And on condition, "Sir, You'll take me to Vaikuëöha; therefore I'm surrendered." That is conditioned, that is bäniyä (indistinct).

Guru-kåpä: So actually back to home, back to Godhead, means just back to devotional service.

Prabhupäda: Yes. Because a devotee is always in Vaikuëöha. Sa guëän samatétyaitän brahma-bhüyäya kalpate (BG 14.26). He is already in Vaikuëöha. Why he shall for that, Vaikuëöha? He's not in this material world. Muktiù svayaà mukulitäïjali sevate 'smän. This is called mukti. "The mukti? Why shall I accept mukti? Mukti is standing on my door: 'What shall I do, sir?' So why shall I ask for mukti?" (break) Anyäbhiläñitä-çünyam. First make all desires zero. That is the beginning of bhakti.

anyäbhiläñitä-çünyaà

jïäna-karmädy-anävåtam

änukülyena kåñëänu-

çélanaà bhaktir uttamä

(Brs. 1.1.11)

Why should you desire anything?

Guru-kåpä: Then they say, "Why you desire to serve Kåñëa?"

Prabhupäda: Huh? That is not desire. It is a natural. That is natural. Obedience to Kåñëa, that is my natural business. Servant's business is always ready: "What can I do, sir?" This is not desire. This is natural position. He's not desiring anything. He's simply ready, "What can I do?" Änukülyena kåñëänuçélanam (CC Madhya 19.167). That is, he's not desiring anything. Desire means when I want something for my satisfaction, that is desire. (break) ...mukha-padma-väkya, cittete koriyä aikya. He's simply expecting what spiritual master will order. Citta. Ära nä koriho... He has no other desire. That is desirelessness. (break) Desireless means a wooden stone. It has no mind, how it can de.... But every living entity has got mind, so this is desirelessness, that "I'll wait for the order of my master and immediately execute." That is desirelessness. .... (break) stop functioning, then what is the meaning of guru-mukha-padma-väkya, cittete koriyä aikya **? That means awaiting the order from the mouth of guru. Ära nä koriho mane. He has no other desires. That is to be under.... (break) Nirväëa, nirväëa means that you give up all material desires. Not that "But he did not say anything more than that." Because it was meant for the fourth-class men, so he did not say. He simply asked that you finish this material desire.

Page Title:Real pure devotee
Compiler:Laksmipriya, Visnu Murti
Created:01 of Dec, 2008
Totals by Section:BG=1, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=1, Let=0
No. of Quotes:2