Devotees of God Show Affection by Serving Kṛṣṇa and His Devotees
The affection of a devotee is not passive feeling; it becomes active service. Śrīla Prabhupāda shows that devotees express love by serving Kṛṣṇa, caring for His devotees, protecting devotional relationships, and remembering the Lord with affection. Such love may appear as parental concern, friendship, reverence, or service, but its center is always the Supreme Lord. When affection remains fixed on Kṛṣṇa, it becomes a powerful force for liberation and loving exchange.
Devotional Affection Expresses Itself Through Service
A devotee's affection naturally moves toward action, because love wants to serve the beloved. The Lord is complete and never hungry, yet He accepts offerings made with sincere affection because He values the devotee's heart. This is the mystery of bhakti: service performed with love becomes the meeting place between Kṛṣṇa and His devotee.
- A profusion of such selected words comes from a devotee who is fully absorbed in affection and love for the devotional service of the Lord.
- Devotees are so affectionate toward the Personality of Godhead.
- On the platform of love and affection, it is the duty of the devotee to do one thing first and other things later. The proper intuition by which to do this is given by Krsna - in BG 10.10.
- The Lord is never hungry, nor does He require any food to fill His empty stomach. He is complete in Himself. Yet He always mercifully eats the foods offered by His devotees in sincere affection.
Affection for Devotees Shows Spiritual Advancement
Love for Kṛṣṇa naturally extends toward those connected with Him. Affection for Godbrothers, advanced devotees, and even other living beings shows that the heart is becoming softened by devotional realization. Śrīla Prabhupāda presents such affection as a sign of maturity, because Kṛṣṇa-centered love does not remain narrow or selfish.
- Affection for God-brothers is nice, it is a good sign. Affection for God-brothers as well as for all other living entities, even they are not God-brothers, these signs are seen in the advanced devotees.
- One should taste the meaning of Srimad-Bhagavatam in the association of pure devotees, and one should associate with the devotees who are more advanced than oneself and who are endowed with a similar type of affection for the Lord.
- Because Arjuna was the Lord's affectionate devotee, the Lord did all this Himself without personal anxiety by Arjuna. That is the way of the devotional service to the Lord.
- Because such persons are very much affectionate toward Krsna, they cannot be defeated by demons like the associates of Kamsa (or by the internal enemies, the senses) - SB 10.8.18.
The Devotee Loves Kṛṣṇa in Many Relationships
Devotional affection is personal and varied, not abstract or impersonal. Some devotees serve Kṛṣṇa in reverence, some in friendship, some in parental love, and some in conjugal devotion. These relationships are spiritual rasas, revealing that love of God matures through intimate and specific service.
- All unalloyed devotees are sakti-tattvas, or potencies of the Lord. Some of them are situated in conjugal love and others in filial affection, fraternity and servitude.
- Four kinds of devotees are the receptacles of the four kinds of mellows in love of God, namely servitude, friendship, parental affection and conjugal love.
- Devotees such as Maharaja Pariksit and Uddhava are all situated in ecstatic attraction on the basis of affection, and in that state of affection a feeling of friendship becomes manifest.
- Other pure devotees, who are more or less attached to Sri Nityananda Prabhu and Advaita Prabhu, are attracted by other transcendental relationships, such as parental affection, friendship and servitorship.
Parental Affection Makes the Lord Appear Dependent
Parental devotees love the Lord so deeply that they think first of His safety, comfort, and nourishment. Mother Yaśodā, Nanda Mahārāja, Vasudeva, and Devakī reveal how affection can cover awareness of the Lord's unlimited power. In this vātsalya-rasa, Kṛṣṇa accepts care, fear, embraces, feeding, and even binding from those who love Him as their child.
- Although Krsna cannot be killed, Vasudeva, as the father of Krsna, was trembling because in affection he thought that Kamsa would immediately come and kill his son.
- Because of full affection, to stop Krsna from leaving the house, she (mother Yasoda) wanted to bind Him with rope.
- Mother Yasoda embraced Krsna, allowed Him to sit down on her lap, and began to look upon the face of the Lord with great love and affection. Because of her intense affection, milk was flowing from her breast - SB 10.9.5.
- When the Supreme Personality of Godhead (Krsna) became the son of Nanda Maharaja and Yasoda, they maintained continuous, unswerving devotional love in parental affection - SB 10.8.51.
Vraja Shows Affection Centered Completely on Kṛṣṇa
The residents of Vraja love Kṛṣṇa so completely that their whole life is organized around Him. Even when affection appears directed toward calves, children, or family members, Kṛṣṇa remains the real center because He expands Himself and draws all love toward Himself. This is why the affection of Vṛndāvana is spiritually absolute, not ordinary family attachment.
- Although the gopis and all the other inhabitants of Vrndavana had the affection and attachment for husband and home, their central affection was for Krsna in some transcendental relationship.
- Although the cowherd men and cowherd women previously had more affection for Krsna than for their own children, now, for one year, their affection for their own sons continuously increased, for Krsna had now become their sons - SB 10.13.26.
- What is this wonderful phenomenon? The affection of all the inhabitants of Vraja, including Me (Rama), toward these boys and calves is increasing as never before, just like our affection for Lord Krsna, the Supersoul of all living entities - SB 10.13.36.
- The gopis automatically achieved the highest perfection (by serving Krsna with great love). Therefore Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu recommended the affection of the gopis, either in maternal affection or in conjugal love, as the highest perfection in life.
Misplaced Affection Can Disturb Devotional Progress
Affection is powerful, and therefore it must be protected from material diversion. Bharata Mahārāja's attachment to the deer shows that even one who has attained spiritual affection can become disturbed if the heart shifts toward possessive concern outside Kṛṣṇa's service. Devotional affection must remain purified by remembrance, association, and steady service to the Lord.
- 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.
- Even though he (Bharata) was engaged in worshiping the Deity, his mind was restless due to his inordinate affection. While trying to meditate, he would simply think of the deer, wondering where it had gone.
- Out of affection, King Bharata accepted the small deer as if it were a prince. This is called moha. Due to his anxiety over the deer's absence, the King addressed the animal as though it were his son. Out of affection, anyone can be addressed as anything.
- Arjuna's deep affection for community and family members is exhibited here (in BG 1.32-35) partly due to his natural compassion for them. He is therefore not prepared to fight.
Conclusion
Devotees of God show affection by serving Kṛṣṇa and those connected with Him. Their love becomes visible in offerings, association, protection, remembrance, and the many spiritual relationships by which the Lord is pleased. Śrīla Prabhupāda also warns that affection must remain Kṛṣṇa-centered, for the same power that deepens devotion can bind the heart when it is misplaced. Pure affection reaches perfection when it serves the Supreme Lord and expands naturally toward His devotees.
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Śrīla Prabhupāda lives within his instructions. This article is a summary of the profound truths found in the Vaniquotes category Affection of a Devotee of God. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.