Caitanya Mahāprabhu recommended ramyā kācid upāsanā vraja-vadhū-vargeṇa yā kalpitā. Kṛṣṇa displayed everything so to attract us, that "You are captivated by this material jaḍa-rasa, material rasa." There is rasa, otherwise why a man is working so hard to maintain the family? Unless there is some ānanda, why he is taking? Nobody is taking so much hard responsibility for others. But children, wife, family, they take. There is . . . unless there is some ānanda, how he can take? So the relationship has got ānanda. But this ānanda is flickering, illusion. Ato gṛha-kṣetra-sutāpta-vittair janasya moho 'yam (SB 5.5.8). This is moha. It will not stay; it is temporary, illusion.
So don't be attached to this illusion. Tamasi mā. Tamasi means ignorance. In ignorance, if we accept somebody as son or wife or friend, that is darkness. It is not actual fact. It is ignorance. Tamasi mā jyotir gama: "Go to the light." Have real friendship, real fatherhood, real lover, real beloved, real son. So if . . . and another point is that a devotee, real devotee, he doesn't want to be the son of Godhead. He wants to be the father of Godhead. Why? The father means he will simply give to the son. And son means he will simply take. So just like in the Christian philosophy it is said: "O God, give us our daily bread." This is one philosophy. That's a fact. God is giving. Eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). God is feeding everyone. That's a fact. But a devotee does not want to take anything from God. He does not worship God for his daily bread. One who asks daily bread from God, they are pious, but they are not devotees.
- catur-vidhā bhajante māṁ
- . . . sukṛtino 'rjuna
- ārto arthārthī jijñāsu
- jñānī ca bharatarṣabha
- (BG 7.16)
Kṛṣṇa says there are four kinds of beginners of devotional service. Four kinds. What are . . . who are they? Ārtaḥ. Ārtaḥ means one who is distressed; artha-arthī, one who is in want of money; ārto ar . . . jijñāsuḥ, one who is searching after knowledge; and jñānī, and wise man. So out of these, ārto and arthārthī, they are low-grade worshiper. Those who are jñānī and jijñāsuḥ, they are higher grade. Generally, they are lower grade. But they are not pure devotee.