Attraction for God - The Ultimate Goal of Devotional Service
Human society is highly active, with individuals dedicating immense energy to their families, careers, and philanthropic duties. However, the Vedic literatures provide a profound metric for evaluating the actual success of all these endeavors. Śrīla Prabhupāda reveals that the ultimate purpose of every human activity is to awaken our dormant attraction for God, and without achieving this transcendental connection, all our worldly labor remains fundamentally useless.
The True Test of Occupational Duties
The Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam establishes the highest standard of religion (dharma). It boldly declares that ritualistic performances and occupational duties are futile if they do not spiritualize one's consciousness. Śrīla Prabhupāda frequently cites this principle to remind us that the goal of life is not to simply become a good materialistic worker, but to develop a deep, loving attraction for the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
- It is stated in Srimad-Bhagavatam (SB 1.2.8): "Duties (dharma) executed by men, regardless of occupation, are only so much useless labor if they do not provoke attraction for the message of the Supreme Lord."
- The occupational activities a man performs according to his own position are only so much useless labor if they do not provoke attraction for the message of the Personality of Godhead - Srimad Bhagavatam 1.2.8.
- One may prosecute the Vedic injunctions of offering sacrifices and other fruitive activities, but if by such activities one does not develop attraction for Visnu, they are useless labors.
- One should try to engage in the service of the Lord everything for which one has specific attraction. That is the way of peace and prosperity, and that is the remedial measure for all the miseries of material existence.
Awakening Attraction Through Practical Service
Because the conditioned soul's spiritual senses are covered by material illusion, the attraction for Kṛṣṇa must be gradually awakened through practical devotional engagement. Śrīla Prabhupāda engineered the International Society for Krishna Consciousness to provide these exact facilities—such as the distribution of prasādam and the construction of gorgeously decorated temples—to naturally draw the minds of the people back to the Supreme Lord.
- Since there is no prominent Krsna-Balarama temple in Vrndavana, we are attempting to construct one so that people will be attracted to Krsna-Balarama, or Nitai-Gauracandra. Vrajendra-nandana yei, saci suta haila sei.
- The conclusion is that those who are rich men in society should construct beautiful temples and arrange for the worship of Visnu, so that people may be attracted to visit such temples and thereby be offered the opportunity of dancing before the Lord.
- The Deities of Radha and Krsna, Laksmi and Narayana, Rama and Sita are very attractive to devotees, so much so that when they see the statue decorated in the temple of the Lord they become fully absorbed in thought of the Lord. That is the state of liberation.
- If the owners give their laborers and office staff prasadam, then both the givers and the receivers will gradually become purified and more attracted to the Supreme Lord.
The Role of the Pure Devotee
One cannot arbitrarily force the mind to become attracted to the Absolute Truth. The most potent catalyst for spiritual awakening is the association of those who already possess that love. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that by seeking the mercy of a pure devotee and submissively hearing the transcendental pastimes of the Lord from their lips, a neophyte practitioner is rapidly infected with the same divine attraction.
- One should be more serious about seeking the mercy of the devotee than that of the Lord directly, and by one's doing so (by the good will of the devotee) the natural attraction for the service of the Lord will be revived.
- The neophyte devotee becomes practically enriched with the transcendental qualities of the pure devotee, which means attraction for the Personality of Godhead's name, fame, quality, pastimes, etc.
- The Lord has innumerable forms and names and devotees may meditate upon a particular form and chant the holy name according to his attraction. The best course is to hear of the holy name, form and so on from a pure devotee of the same standard as oneself.
- By cultivating such knowledge (of God's pastimes and activities) one gradually becomes advanced on the path of liberation, and thereafter he is freed, and his attraction becomes fixed. Then real devotion and devotional service begin.
The Unstoppable Flow of Pure Devotion
When the attraction for the Supreme Lord matures, it becomes an unstoppable force. Queen Kuntī famously prayed that her attraction for Kṛṣṇa would flow continuously, just as the river Ganges flows to the sea. Śrīla Prabhupāda teaches that in this perfectional stage, the devotee's loving attention is never diverted by material conditions, culminating in the highest degrees of spiritual ecstasy.
- Rati-prema-taratamye bhakta-taratama - Attraction and love for God are the ultimate goal of devotional service. The degrees of such attraction and love distinguish the different stages of devotion - neophyte, intermediate and perfectional - CC Madhya 22.71.
- O Lord of Madhu, as the Ganges forever flows to the sea without hindrance, let my attraction be constantly drawn unto You without being diverted to anyone else.
- The flow of the Ganges water cannot be stopped by any condition; similarly, a pure devotee's attraction for the transcendental name, form and pastimes of the Supreme Godhead cannot be stopped by any material condition.
- This natural attraction for the Lord is the perfectional stage of self realization.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the entire scope of Vedic knowledge and occupational duty is meant to serve a single, sublime purpose: developing an unbreakable attraction for God. Śrīla Prabhupāda masterfully illustrates that without this transcendental affection, all material successes are empty. By actively engaging in devotional service, constructing and visiting temples, and earnestly seeking the mercy of pure devotees, anyone can revive their dormant love and achieve the perfectional stage where their consciousness flows eternally and uninterruptedly toward the lotus feet of Lord Kṛṣṇa.
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 Attraction for God. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience the teachings in their direct, verbatim form.