Question: Where should we desire to go to? Some say to desire Goloka Vrndavana, and some say not to desire to go anywhere. I am really confused.
Answer by Romapada Swami:
Pure devotees of Krishna do not desire anything for themselves. They simply desire to serve Krishna, from whichever place that Krishna wants to send them to. They do not make conditions that they will serve Krishna only if He will give them liberation and take them to Goloka. This is however a very, very advanced and pure stage of devotion. In our beginning stages of devotion, it is wonderful to desire to leave this illusory material world and go back to Godhead, to Goloka Vrndavana. Such an aspiration gives impetus for progress. This strong desire will help us overcome the pulling of other kinds of desires in the heart.
Everyone has desires, even among spiritualists. The jnanis want liberation and yogis want mystic siddhis. But as long as one desires something for himself/herself apart from Krishna, one cannot be peaceful. When a devotee wants to go back to Godhead, not simply to get out of the difficulties of the material world, but to become pure and serve Radha and Krishna, then this is not a selfish desire. It is the pure nature of the soul to want to enjoy with Krishna, by serving Him.
As our relationship with Krishna is revived and grows stronger and stronger, service to Krishna becomes more important than going to Krishna’s abode, because it is through devotional service that we are connected to Krishna. The pure devotee actually feels Krishna’s presence everywhere.
Therefore we say that pure devotees like Prabhupada carry Vrndavana in their heart. Srila Prabhupada left Vrindavana and came to New York City! But his consciousness was always in Vrndavana. Until we come to such a stage of constant connection with Krishna, we are recommended to cultivate the desire, even greed, for `going back to Godhead’.
