Question: Should we keep our objective as serving Radha-Krishna and devotees without worrying about going back to Godhead, or should we aspire for this too?
Should we focus on whatever we do in Krishna consciousness (however small) and do it with our heart (as this will stay with me forever and Krishna will help me continue this) or should we focus on completion (of Krishna consciousness)?
For me, going to Krishna is the most difficult but simplest thing ever. It is more difficult to be simple than crooked. Since big big maharishis and sages found it difficult to follow the process of Bhakti, then how come person a like me could even think about it? It is the mercy of some devotees that I am getting the sankirtan and association. I am following some part of the process and aspiring to do better.
The fact is, whatever I do, my motive is “What is in it for me?” I am getting some unknown happiness and satisfaction by doing this. I need to set smaller goals for me than going back to Godhead (that thought scares me). What should I do?
Answer by Romapada Swami:
In advanced stages of pure devotion, the devotee feels so much transcendental satisfaction and bliss in serving Krishna that it doesn’t matter to him/her whether he/she is in hell or heaven or in a liberated position. This is the characteristic of pure devotional service that it makes even going to Vaikuntha seem insignificant. Or in other words, transcendental service to Krishna is NON-DIFFERENT from going back to Godhead, because through such service, a pure devotee experiences the direct presence of Krishna and His spiritual abode even while living in this world. There is a nice verse in Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu (1.2.187) that describes this as follows:
iha yasya harer dasye
karmana manasa gira
nikhilasv apy avasthasu
jivan-muktah sa ucyate
“A person acting in Krishna consciousness (or, in other words, in the service of Krishna) with his body, mind, intelligence and words is a liberated person even within the material world, although he may be engaged in many so-called material activities.”
But in the beginning stages, it is important and also recommended for a devotee to understand that this material world is a temporary place, and not fit for residence for any gentleman. Krishna does not want us to suffer here; He is anxious for the conditioned souls to come back to Him to His spiritual abode. Therefore, if we desire to go back to Him, that desire can also be a service to Krishna and is very pleasing to Him, like a father becomes happy to see his child desiring to come back to him. This aspiration to go back to our original, transcendental home where we can serve Krishna unencumbered by material tribulations is a good impetus to seriously take up the process of sadhana bhakti, to purify ourselves and continually improve the quality of our devotional service. (Also see Digest 0064 where we had discussed a related question).
This motivation for going back to Godhead is not simply to escape material miseries as the salvationists do, and one need not be all the time obsessed about reaching the final goal. Rather, our main focus should be on developing attachment to Krishna, His devotees and His devotional service, and simultaneously gradually decreasing one’s material attachments and absorption. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur’s famous statement: “We need not be eager to see God, but to act in such a way that God will be pleased to come and see us.” Yet at the same time, one should have proper sambandha- jnana and understand the reality of this material world and of our eternal nature and our original home. We should clearly understand our unnatural position in this material world, like a fish out of water. This will help the aspiring devotee to become fixed and steady, and not be disturbed by the ups and downs of the waves and whirlpools of material existence. Stated differently, without a clear conception of our spiritual nature and of Krishna’s transcendental position and abode, one could perform devotional service with material conceptions and could become swayed in course of time when there are obstacles on the path.
Having said that, I encourage you to continue to take one firm step at a time in your devotional service, and do so with all your heart, rather than being overly-concerned about the highest perfectional stages at this point.
It is something like a first-grade student being inspired by the idea of graduating high school or going to college — he/she knows this to be the goal and is not going to be satisfied with mastering the first grade, and yet for the moment he/she simply has to focus on learning her own lessons enthusiastically.
Please continue to take the association of devotees with an open and joyful heart, take every opportunity to render service and continue to patiently and faithfully hear the transcendental topics in such association — by this process, all the later stages will unfold sequentially.
