Natural Affection - Eternal Bond Between the Soul and the Supreme
The eternal relationship between the living entity and the Supreme Lord is built entirely on unconditional love. Just as fire is dormant within a matchstick, Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that this natural affection lies dormant within the heart of every conditioned soul, waiting to be awakened through the purifying process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Reviving the Dormant Fire of Love
The living entity is constitutionally a part and parcel of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, which means that love for God is eternally present within. The entire purpose of human life and spiritual culture, as Śrīla Prabhupāda points out, is to apply the mild friction of devotional service to ignite this dormant, natural affection.
- 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 Supreme Lord, Purusottama, or Sri Krsna, is the maintainer of all, in both the transcendental and material worlds. He is the life and friend of all because there is eternally natural affection and love between the living entities and the Lord.
- 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.
Redirecting Misplaced Attachments
In the conditioned state, the soul's innate loving propensity is misdirected toward temporary bodily relationships, such as family and the opposite sex. When this natural flow of love is purified from the illusions of māyā, Śrīla Prabhupāda assures us that it naturally glides back toward its original and ultimate object: the Supreme Lord.
- 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.
- For detachment from children, wife and home, it is not meant that one should have no feeling for these. They are natural objects of affection, but when they are not favorable to spiritual progress then one should not be attached to them.
- In the Skanda Purana there is a statement by devotees praying to the Lord, "My Lord, I know that young girls have natural affection for young boys, and that young boys have natural affection for young girls."
- As soon as one does this (purify the heart), the flow of one's natural affection begins to glide toward the Lord, and with the progress of this flow one becomes more and more self-realized in various relations with the Lord.
The Awakening of Service and Devotion
As spiritual realization matures, the living entity develops a profound appreciation for the Lord's causeless mercy. This appreciation awakens a spontaneous desire to serve God—not out of obligation or fear, but out of pure, unalloyed love (dāsya-rati).
- 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.
- When the Personality of Godhead appeared before them (flowers, waterfalls, trees, fruits, hills, caves, birds, beasts, and human beings) they all became spiritually inclined, and by natural affection they wanted to serve the Almighty in various capacities.
- He (Pariksit) was a chaste devotee of the Lord, and when he further heard from Srila Sukadeva Gosvami that one should worship the Lord only and no one else, even though full of all desires or desireless, his natural affection for Krsna was strengthened.
The Lord's Reciprocation
Although the Supreme Personality of Godhead is completely neutral and equal to everyone, He naturally favors His pure devotees. This partiality is not a material defect; rather, it is a divine display of His reciprocal love for those who have fully surrendered their hearts to Him.
- Although the He (the Supreme Personality of Godhead) is equal to everyone, because of natural affection He favors His devotees.
- This (God is equal to everyone, because of natural affection He favors His devotees) partiality of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is natural. A person cares for his children not because of partiality but in a reciprocation of love.
- The actions of the Lord to favor His devotees are not disqualifications but signs of His natural affection.
- Natural affection of God. Not that because some of His sons are gone astray God is, God has become poorer. No. He can produce millions and trillions of sons by His desire. And why He's hankering after one son? That is His affection.
Spontaneous Love in Goloka
The highest perfection of spiritual life is found in Goloka Vṛndāvana. Unlike the Vaikuṇṭha planets where the Lord is worshipped with awe and reverence, the residents of Goloka interact with Lord Kṛṣṇa with intimate, spontaneous affection, treating Him as their dearest friend, beloved child, or fiancé.
- 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.
- Although generally people worship God with reverence, the Lord is more pleased when a devotee thinks of Him as his pet son, personal friend or most dear fiance and renders service unto Him with such natural affection.
- Sometimes, by thinking of Krsna, they became so confident of being out of all danger that they would lie down at night in the courtyards of their houses. This is an instance of dizziness in ecstatic love due to natural affection for Krsna.
- As her (Yasoda's) natural feeling of affection increased, she decided to herself, Now let this incident be forgotten. I do not mind. Here is my son. Let me kiss Him.
Conclusion
The philosophy of natural affection reveals the true, underlying dynamic of all existence: the eternal, loving bond between the living entities and the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In the material world, this innate propensity to love is misdirected toward temporary bodily relations, resulting in the illusions of māyā. However, as Śrīla Prabhupāda continually emphasizes, through the culture of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the heart is purified, and the soul's dormant affection naturally glides back toward the Lord. As this love awakens, it transforms into an eagerness to serve, perfectly reciprocated by the Lord, who naturally favors His pure devotees just as a father cares for his children. The ultimate destination of this spiritual revival is Goloka Vṛndāvana, where awe and reverence are entirely replaced by spontaneous, intimate affection. By reviving this natural affection, any living entity can end their material conditioning and return to their eternal life of blissful devotion.
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Śrīla Prabhupāda lives within his instructions. This article is a summary of the profound truths found in the Vaniquotes category Natural Affection. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.