Unmotivated Service to God - That Is Love
In the material world, the word "love" is frequently misused to describe temporary, self-serving relationships. To clear up this widespread misconception, Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that true love is fundamentally different from material lust. Real love is eternal, completely unmotivated, and can only be genuinely experienced when it is directed toward the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Distinguishing Lust from Pure Devotion
Worldly affection is almost entirely conditional, lasting only as long as both parties satisfy each other's physical or economic desires. Clarifying this illusion, Śrīla Prabhupāda points out that these temporary sentiments are simply expressions of lust. Genuine love must be reposed in Kṛṣṇa, completely free from the demands of mutual sense gratification.
- We should discriminate between lust and love. Love cannot be accepted unless it is reposed in Krsna. That is love. And all other, everything, that is lust.
- To be frank enough, a wife loves husband so long he is nicely earning, and the husband loves the wife so long she is beautiful. That's all. This is the love. It is not love; it is lust. Love is different thing.
- We love our beloved, our child or husband or wife. That is also not love. That is a temporary sentiment. Actual love is possible with Krsna. That is actual love.
- The boy wants to enjoy the girl, the girl wants to enjoy the boy, and that is going on in love. Love is not like that. Love means, "I enjoy or not enjoy, I love you." That is love.
Unmotivated and Unconditional
In pure devotion, there is absolutely no negotiation or expectation of a return on investment. The highest standard of affection, as Śrīla Prabhupāda teaches, requires loving God without any reason or impediment. A pure devotee serves the Lord unconditionally, without even asking Him for their daily bread.
- Pure love means there is no reason. "Why I am loving Krsna? Oh, there is no reason. I love Krsna. I want Krsna." This is love.
- Love is without reason. Even God does not supply me daily bread, I'll love God. That is love.
- Love means without any return, without any sense gratification, without any consideration. That is love.
- Love of Krsna cannot be stopped by any material reason. That is love. Nobody can say that "For this reason I could not love Krsna." There is no reason. There is no impediment for anyone. Any circumstances.
Eagerness to Serve
Love is not merely a theoretical feeling or an empty formality; it requires practical action. Explaining the true symptom of devotion, Śrīla Prabhupāda notes that love means bhajanti—the eager rendering of service. True love is demonstrated by a constant desire to satisfy the senses of Kṛṣṇa with the choicest offerings.
- Symptom of love means when one is eager to render some service to the beloved. That is love.
- Love means bhajanti, render service. That is love.
- Whenever you try to satisfy Krsna's senses, that is love.
- When you offer something best, choicest, that is your love only. Suppose you offer a fruit to Krsna. Can you manufacture fruit? Oh, it is manufactured by Krsna. It is God's gift.
Universal Compassion Through God
Many mundane philosophers advocate for universal brotherhood without acknowledging the Supreme Father. However, Śrīla Prabhupāda reveals that one can only love everyone perfectly if they first love God. Because every living entity is intimately connected to Kṛṣṇa, serving Him naturally distributes love to all of His parts and parcels.
- If you love God, then you love everyone. That is perfect love.
- If we reestablish our relationship, or our original relationship with Krsna, and Krsna is for everyone, therefore I become for everyone. That is real universal love.
- When you love your father, naturally you love your brothers also, because you know, "My father will be pleased." So this is love. That universal love can be possible when you actually love God.
- A little love for God can save you from the greatest danger of life. That is real love. So if you love Krsna, then you can love with everyone.
The Perfection of Separation
The ultimate perfection of spiritual love transcends even the joy of direct association. Highlighting the sublime mood of viraha, Śrīla Prabhupāda describes how the intense anxiety and crying in separation from Govinda represents the absolute pinnacle of affection, perfectly exemplified by the eternal devotion of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī.
- Viraha means separation. "On account of separation." So this should be the only cause, that you cannot tolerate the separation of Govinda. That is love.
- Just like Radharani's love to Krsna. She does not require any return. You see? Krsna left Vrndavana, Radharani, and their whole life remained simply crying for Krsna. Krsna never returned. But still, they loved Krsna. That is love.
- If you feel anxiety for Krsna, then it is not material. That is love. That is pure love that, . . . why you become anxious for our children? Because there is love. So whole scheme is that you have to transfer your attachment to Krsna.
- That is Radha-Krsna. That is real love. There is no separation. There is no cheating. There is no divorce. There is no sex attraction. Simply for love's sake, loving, that is real love.
Conclusion
The distinction between material lust and spiritual devotion is a fundamental principle of Vedic philosophy. As Śrīla Prabhupāda repeatedly emphasizes, attempting to find true love in the temporary material world always ends in frustration because such relationships are based on mutual exploitation. However, when the living entity transfers their affection back to Kṛṣṇa, they discover an eternal, unmotivated reality. This pure love manifests as a selfless eagerness to serve the Lord and an ecstatic anxiety in His separation. By cultivating this genuine love for God, a person automatically develops perfect universal compassion and realizes the highest ecstasy of the soul.
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 That is Love. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.