Material Enjoyment Is Not the Goal of Devotional Service to God
The human form of life offers many different paths and goals, ranging from mundane economic development to the pursuit of impersonal liberation. However, Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that pure devotional service stands completely apart from all these inferior pursuits. The true follower of Kṛṣṇa consciousness understands that the supreme perfection of existence cannot be measured by material success or the cessation of suffering. Instead, it is measured by the awakening of an eternal, loving relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
The Rejection of Inferior Goals
The initial stages of spiritual life are often clouded by material desires, but pure devotion quickly burns them away. Śrīla Prabhupāda clarifies that the results of devotional service are certainly not material benefits or liberation from material bondage; rather, the goal of devotional service is to be eternally situated in the loving service of the Lord and to enjoy spiritual bliss from that service. Therefore, material achievements are not the ultimate goal of devotional service; the ultimate goal of devotional service is love of Godhead. Even if people initially approach Kṛṣṇa with mixed motives, because they engage themselves in the devotional service of the Lord they ultimately come to understand that material enjoyment is not the goal of devotional service. Those who completely misunderstand this and aspire after liberation attempt to merge into the impersonal Brahman can never dream of returning home, back to Godhead, because there is a gulf of difference between the goal of dharma, artha, kāma and mokṣa and the goal of devotional service.
- The results of devotional service are certainly not material benefits or liberation from material bondage. The goal of devotional service is to be eternally situated in the loving service of the Lord and to enjoy spiritual bliss from that service.
- Material achievements are not the ultimate goal of devotional service. The ultimate goal of devotional service is love of Godhead.
- Because they (those who are ambitious to derive material benefit from devotional service) engage themselves in the devotional service of the Lord they ultimately come to understand that material enjoyment is not the goal of devotional service.
- Such people (who aspire after liberation attempt to merge into the impersonal Brahman) can never dream of returning home, back to Godhead. There is a gulf of difference between the goal of dharma, artha, kama and moksa and the goal of devotional service.
Love of Godhead as the Supreme Destination
The unanimous conclusion of all authorized scriptures is that pure love for Kṛṣṇa is the supreme necessity. Śrīla Prabhupāda states simply and powerfully that the ultimate goal of devotional service is love of Godhead. In all Vedic literatures we find that the attainment of this loving relationship between the living entity and the Supreme Lord is the goal of devotional service. Confirming this, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu continued, "Now hear, O Sanātana, about the result of devotional service, which is love of Godhead, life’s ultimate goal. One who hears this description will be enlightened in the transcendental mellows of devotional service." Furthermore, the Caitanya-caritāmṛta declares, rati-prema-tāratamye bhakta-tāratama; attraction and love for God are the ultimate goal of devotional service, and the degrees of such attraction and love distinguish the different stages of devotion—neophyte, intermediate, and perfectional.
- Ultimate goal of devotional service is love of Godhead.
- In all Vedic literatures we find that the attainment of this loving relationship between the living entity and the Supreme Lord is the goal of devotional service.
- Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu continued, "Now hear, O Sanatana, about the result of devotional service, which is love of Godhead, life’s ultimate goal. One who hears this description will be enlightened in the transcendental mellows of devotional service."
- 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.
Reaching the Spiritual World
When this love awakens, the soul naturally returns to its original spiritual home. Śrīla Prabhupāda describes this growth using the analogy of a creeper, explaining that after attaining this position, the plant of devotional service produces fruit, which is known as the fruit of love of Godhead. This plant even penetrates the brahmajyoti and gradually enters the planet known as Goloka Vṛndāvana, where the plant takes shelter at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa; that is the ultimate goal of devotional service. The great saint Vidura was successful in approaching such a spiritual master like Maitreya, and he got the ultimate goal of life: bhakti unto Govinda. Thus there was nothing to be known further about spiritual progress. Finally, the fourth chapter of the Vedānta-sūtra describes the result of such devotional service, confirming that this ultimate goal of life is to go back home, back to Godhead, as indicated by the words anāvṛttiḥ śabdāt.
- After attaining this position (of ultimate goal of devotional service), the plant (of devotional service) produces fruit, which is known as the fruit of love of Godhead.
- The plant (of devotional service) even penetrates this brahmajyoti and gradually enters the planet known as Goloka Vrndavana. There the plant takes shelter at the lotus feet of Krsna. That is the ultimate goal of devotional service.
- Vidura was successful in approaching such a spiritual master like Maitreya, and he got the ultimate goal of life: bhakti unto Govinda. Thus there was nothing to be known further about spiritual progress.
- The fourth chapter of the Vedanta-sutra describes the result of such devotional service (prayojana-jnana). This ultimate goal of life is to go back home, back to Godhead. The words anavrttih sabdat in the Vedanta-sutra indicate this ultimate goal.
The Process of Achieving the Goal
The path to this supreme destination requires steadfast practice and internal remembrance. Śrīla Prabhupāda states that one may execute one, two, three or all the different processes of devotional service, and at the ultimate end he will achieve the desired goal of being established in devotional service. For example, if one is attached simply to hearing about the Lord, and another is attached to chanting the glories of the name, both will achieve their desired goal in devotional service, as explained in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta. Through these practices, the core objective is to fix the mind on the Lord, because remembrance of the Supreme Personality of Godhead within one's heart is the goal of devotional service. Conversely, those who attempt spiritual life without genuine devotion inevitably fail; because they cannot reach the point of devotional service, they fail to achieve the goal and again come back to material activities, such as philanthropic work, political agitation, etc.
- One may execute one, two, three or all the different processes of devotional service, and at the ultimate end he will achieve the desired goal of being established in devotional service.
- For example, if one is attached simply to hearing about the Lord, and another is attached to chanting the glories of the name, both will achieve their desired goal in devotional service. In the Caitanya-caritamrta this has been explained.
- Remembrance of the Supreme Personality of Godhead within one's heart is the goal of devotional service.
- However, because they (so-called renouncers) cannot reach the point of devotional service, they fail to achieve the goal and again come back to material activities, such as philanthropic work, political agitation, etc.
Conclusion
Śrīla Prabhupāda meticulously dismantles the misconception that spiritual life is meant to award material facilities or a painless, impersonal existence. He establishes that pure devotional service is a completely independent and supreme process, possessing its own unique destination: unalloyed love for Kṛṣṇa. Any aspiration for economic development, heavenly enjoyment, or liberation creates a vast gulf of difference between the practitioner and the true spiritual goal. By steadily engaging in the authorized processes of hearing, chanting, and remembering the Supreme Lord, the devotional creeper flourishes, ultimately piercing the boundaries of the material universe and taking shelter at Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet in Goloka Vṛndāvana. Therefore, the ultimate perfection of human life is not to acquire anything mundane, but to simply serve the Lord with pure love, returning back home, back to Godhead.
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