The Unstoppable Flow of Devotional Service Without Hindrances
Śrīla Prabhupāda frequently explains that the spiritual energy of the Supreme Lord and the pure devotional service of His devotees cannot be checked by any material condition. When one acts under the direction of Kṛṣṇa, or when the Lord Himself acts, all material hindrances simply vanish.
The Unstoppable Potency of the Lord
The Supreme Personality of Godhead is the master of all energies, and His supreme will cannot be obstructed. Śrīla Prabhupāda describes how the Lord perceives everything from within the heart and how He expands Himself to accomplish His transcendental missions without any impediment.
- You are situated in every living entity's heart as the supreme director, and therefore You are aware of all endeavors by Your superior intelligence, without any hindrance whatsoever.
- The sruti mantras declare that although the Lord has no hands He can accept anything we offer Him with devotion, although He has no feet He can travel anywhere, and although He has no mundane eyes He can see anywhere and everywhere without hindrance.
- In the form of the Vamana incarnation, Lord Visnu, without hindrance, captured all the planets, extending from the root of the material world up to Satyaloka. Indeed, He caused every planetary system to tremble by the force of His steps.
- The Lord was so angry that Arjuna checked Him when He was moving towards Bhismadeva, but in spite of Arjuna's checking, He proceeded towards Bhismadeva as a lover goes to a lover, without caring for hindrances.
The Flow of Unalloyed Devotion
Pure devotional service is defined as being continuous and without motivation. Śrīla Prabhupāda uses the classic example of Queen Kuntī's prayer to illustrate how a devotee's affection for Kṛṣṇa should flow powerfully and without interruption.
- 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.
- Kuntidevi prays that just as the River Ganges flows toward the sea, her attraction will flow incessantly toward Krsna's lotus feet. This is called unalloyed devotion. Thus Kuntidevi prays that her attraction for Krsna will flow without hindrance.
- Happiness in complete perfection without hindrance can be achieved only by our devotional relationship with Him. And it is only by His association that we can get free of distressful material existence.
- This is called utsahan niscayad dhairyat tat-tat-karma-pravartanat, enthusiastically executing the regulative activities of devotional service with patience and confidence. In this way one can advance in devotional service without hindrance.
Success in Divine Duty
When a devotee works purely for the satisfaction of the Supreme Lord, the Lord Himself ensures the success of the endeavor. Śrīla Prabhupāda emphasizes that because the duty is ordained by Kṛṣṇa, all material obstacles are removed by His grace.
- Devotees of the Lord are engaged in the specific duty offered by the Lord, and such duties are successfully carried out without hindrance because they are ordained by the Lord. The credit of success goes not to the doer but to the Lord.
- Because you have got such deep personal interest with that engagement of work, you want to see that it is done nicely without any hindrance of selfish motivation, never mind all kinds of conditions of the material nature.
- I am sure Krishna Consciousness Movement will go forward without any hindrance. You have a strong governing body, all determined to push forward this movement and I am sure of success in the future.
- Without any reference to the particular custom of a country, one can be accepted to the Vaisnava cult spiritually, and there is no hindrance in the transcendental process.
Conclusion
The material world is characterized by constant impediments and frustrations, but the spiritual realm operates on the principle of unhindered love. Śrīla Prabhupāda concludes that the Supreme Lord acts with absolute freedom, accomplishing His pastimes without any restriction. Similarly, when a living entity awakens their dormant love for Kṛṣṇa, their devotional service flows like a mighty river, sweeping away all material obstacles. By working without selfish motivation and depending entirely on the mercy of the Lord, a devotee's endeavors in Kṛṣṇa consciousness are guaranteed to be successful and completely without hindrance.
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 Without Hindrances. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.