Affection for God Grows Into Loving Service in Every Relationship
Affection for God is not something foreign imposed upon the soul; it is the soul's natural condition. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that this affection has been covered by ignorance, but it can be revived through devotional service and the mercy of the Lord. When love for Kṛṣṇa awakens, the living being no longer seeks satisfaction in temporary objects. The heart gradually learns to serve the Supreme Lord in a personal, affectionate relationship.
Natural Affection for the Lord Is Covered but Not Lost
The living being is eternally related to the Supreme Lord, and therefore affection for Him is already present within the heart. Material ignorance blocks that flow, just as a covering may hide fire without destroying its potency. Spiritual culture, association, and sincere practice revive this dormant love until the soul again turns naturally toward Kṛṣṇa.
- All of us living beings are differentiated expansions of the Lord, but our affection for the Lord is submerged within us, artificially covered by the material quality of ignorance.
- If despite this opportunity (for spiritual realization) for human life we are unable to revive our natural affection for the Lord, we must know that we are wasting our life for nothing.
- Spiritual culture is meant to revive natural affection of the living being for the Lord. The ingredients of fire are already present in safety matches, and only mild friction is needed to ignite a fire.
- The ingredients of fire are already present in safety matches, and only mild friction is needed to ignite a fire. Similarly, our natural affection for the Lord has to be revived by a little culture.
Loving Service Invites the Lord's Guidance
Affection for God becomes real when it expresses itself through service. The devotee does not merely admire the Lord from a distance, but offers thought, words, actions, and simple gifts with love. Śrīla Prabhupāda shows that Kṛṣṇa responds to such affection by accepting the devotee's offering and giving direction from within the heart.
- Anyone who serves the Lord sincerely with love and affection is certainly instructed by the Lord from within.
- If any devotee offers Him even a small leaf, or a flower or water, if it is offered with love and affection, the Lord accepts it and is pleased.
- The devotees are engaged in devotional service with love and affection from the very beginning, and therefore the Lord personally directs them so that they can approach Him without difficulty or deviation.
- When we give service to the Lord in affection, in love, then God reveals.
Affection Develops Through Devotional Relationships
Love of God is not static; it unfolds through personal relationships with the Supreme Lord. The devotee may serve in dāsya, friendship, parental affection, or deeper forms of spiritual love. These stages show that bhakti is a living exchange, where affection matures into more intimate service.
- At dasya-rati stage, there is an awakening of natural affection, such as is felt by a son who grows up and begins to appreciate his father's benedictions. At this stage the living entity wants to serve the Supreme Lord instead of serving maya, illusion.
- In the fourth stage, called vatsalya-rati, the fraternal affection evinced in the preceding stage develops into paternal affection. At this time the living entity tries to be the parent of God.
- Servitude, friendship, parental affection and conjugal love for the Supreme Personality of Godhead are the basis of the four kinds of devotional activities.
- Self-realization with a sense of servitude for the Lord is certainly transcendental, but when a sense of fraternity is added the relationship develops, and as affection increases, this relationship develops into parenthood and conjugal love.
Vraja Shows Affection in Its Most Natural Form
In Vṛndāvana, affection for Kṛṣṇa appears with extraordinary intimacy and sweetness. Nanda Mahārāja, Mother Yaśodā, the gopīs, the cows, and the residents of Vraja love Him so deeply that they do not calculate His majesty. Their affection reveals the special glory of Goloka, where God is served not only with reverence but with natural love.
- Essentially there is no material difference between Goloka and Vaikuntha, but in Vaikuntha God is served in unlimited opulence, whereas in Goloka God is served in natural affection. This love of God is awakened by the association of pure devotees of God.
- Because of intense affection, Nanda Maharaja could not understand Krsna as He is. Garga Muni was able to know everything, past, present and future, by studying the Vedas, but Nanda Maharaja could not understand Krsna directly.
- Out of their great affection for Krsna, and being unaware of the extent of His potencies, they (the inhabitants of Vrndavana) became overwhelmed with grief and anxiety because they had nothing dearer than Krsna.
- They (the pure devotees who inhabit Vrndavana) are fully dedicated to the service of the Lord in sublime affection, prema.
Material Affection Must Be Redirected Toward God
The heart cannot live without affection, but misplaced affection binds the living being to temporary bodies and repeated birth. When love is directed toward animals, family, possessions, or matter without relation to God, it can carry the soul into further bondage. The proper use of affection is to increase love for the Supreme Personality of Godhead and see all relationships through Him.
- Due to their affection for their cats and dogs, they (who are not spiritually advanced) have to take the same bodily forms in the next life unless they clearly increase their affection and love for the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
- Even such an exalted personality as Bharata, who had attained loving affection for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, fell down from his position due to his affection for some animal. Consequently he had to accept the body of a deer in his next life.
- Ratih means affection, affinity, attachment for the Lord. Now we have got attachment for the matter. So as we make progress, we gradually become freed from material attachment and come to the platform, complete attachment for God.
- The Lord is the center of all the affection of all living beings, who are all His parts and parcels. When the flow of natural affection for the Lord is clogged by desires to imitate His Lordship, one is said to be in maya, or illusion.
Pure Affection Is Transcendental and Ever-Increasing
Unalloyed affection for the Lord is never material lust, because it is free from selfish exploitation. As devotion matures into bhāva and prema, the devotee tastes a happiness that is not broken by time, fear, or death. The Lord and His devotee are bound by love, and that affectionate bond is the perfection of spiritual life.
- In the liberated state of affairs, the full-fledged affection for the Lord is awakened. As such, there is an unlimited flow of everlasting happiness, without the fear of its being broken as we have experienced here in the material world.
- The word bhava is significant here. This bhava stage is attained after one has transcendental affection for the Lord.
- Unalloyed affection for the Lord is never to be compared to mundane lust. It is purely transcendental.
- The love and affection which bind the Lord and devotee are exhibited in the case of Bhismadeva.
Conclusion
Affection for God grows into loving service because the soul is meant for personal exchange with the Supreme Lord. The heart's natural love may be covered or misdirected, but it is never destroyed; through devotional culture it awakens again and becomes fixed on Kṛṣṇa. Śrīla Prabhupāda reveals that this revived affection is the essence of spiritual life, carrying the devotee from material attachment into eternal service, intimacy, and love.
Dive Deeper into Śrīla Prabhupāda's Vani
Śrīla Prabhupāda lives within his instructions. This article is a summary of the profound truths found in the Vaniquotes category Affection for God. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.