MUKTI or MOKSHA or DEVOTIONAL SERVICE – WHAT IS THE TARGET OF DEVOTEES?
A Pure devotee derides even the destinations of Mukti & Moksha (Liberation & Back to Krishna).
Do you know? For the Pure devotees, though the happiness from Mukti is multiplied by One trillion, it will not match even the fraction of happiness derived from the devotional service! (Wow)
Surprising?
Why?
Because this is also a characteristic out of the six characteristics of Pure devotional service!
(READ WHAT THESE SIX CHARACTERISTICS OF PURE DEVOTIONAL SERVICE ARE HERE!)
Let us read these blissful facts as said by Srila Rupa Gosvami and Srila Prabhupada:
“Srila Rupa Gosvami says that if brahmananda, or the happiness of becoming one with the Supreme, is multiplied by one trillionfold, it still cannot compare to an atomic fraction of the happiness derived from the ocean of devotional service.
In the Hari-bhakti-sudhodaya, Prahlada Maharaja, while satisfying Lord Nrsimhadeva by his prayers, says:
“My dear Lord of the universe, I am feeling transcendental pleasure in Your presence and have become merged in the ocean of happiness. I now consider the happiness of brahmananda to be no more than the water in the impression left by a cow’s hoof in the earth, compared to this ocean of bliss.”
Similarly, it is confirmed in the Bhavartha-dipika, Sridhara Svami’s commentary on the Srimad-Bhagavatam:
“My dear Lord, some of the fortunate persons who are swimming in the ocean of Your nectar of devotion, and who are relishing the nectar of the narration of Your pastimes, certainly know ecstasies which immediately minimize the value of the happiness derived from religiousness, economic development, sense gratification and liberation. Such a transcendental devotee regards any kind of happiness other than devotional service as no better than straw in the street.”
(FIVE TYPES OF MUKTI (LIBERATION) AND CHOICE OF DEVOTEES! READ HERE!)
DOES A PURE DEVOTEE REQUEST FOR MUKTI or MOKSHA?
Srila Prabhupada, the founder of ISKCON, explains in NECTAR OF DEVOTION ABOUT MUKTI or MOKSHA – WHAT SHOULD BE THE TARGET OF DEVOTEES?:
A pure devotee never cares for liberation AND HE NEVER PRAYS FOR ANYTHING FROM KRISHNA. Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu prayed to Krsna, “My dear son of Nanda, I do not want any material happiness in the shape of many followers, nor immense opulence in wealth, nor any beautiful wife, nor do I want cessation from material existence. I may take birth many times, one after another, but what I pray from You is that my devotion unto You may always remain unflinching.”
(Also READ HERE : WHY PANDAVAS DID NOT GO TO VAIKUNTA or GOLOKA THOUGH KRISHNA WAS WITH THEM?)
MUKTI or MOKSHA or DEVOTIONAL SERVICE- WHAT IS THE TARGET OF DEVOTEES?
EXAMPLE – 1:
The attention of a pure devotee is so much attracted to glorification of the Lord’s pastimes, name, qualities, forms, etc., that the devotee does not care for mukti. Sri Bilvamangala Thakura has said, “If I am engaged in devotional service unto You, my dear Lord, then very easily can I perceive Your presence everywhere. And as far as liberation is concerned, I think liberation stands at my door with folded hands, waiting to serve me.” To pure devotees, therefore, liberation and spiritual emancipation are not very important things.
EXAMPLE – 2:
In this connection, in the Third Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam, Chapter Twenty five, verse 36, Kapiladeva has advised His mother, Devahuti, as follows: “My dear mother, My pure devotees are charmed by seeing My different forms, the beauty of My face, the structure of My body so enchanting. My laughing, My pastimes and My glance appear to them so beautiful that their minds are always absorbed in thoughts of Me and their lives are dedicated fully unto Me. Although such people do not desire any kind of liberation or any kind of material happiness, still I give them a place among My associates in the supreme abode.”
(Should the devotees aim to mingle one with Krishna? READ HERE!)
This evidence from Srimad-Bhagavatam gives assurance to the pure devotee of being elevated to association with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Srila Rupa Gosvami remarks in this connection that one who is actually attracted by the beauty of the lotus feet of Sri Krsna or His service, and whose heart, by such attraction, is always full with transcendental bliss, will naturally never aspire after the liberation which is so valuable to the impersonalists.
EXAMPLE – 3:
A similar passage is also there in the Third Canto, Fourth Chapter, verse 15, of the same book, wherein Uddhava addresses Lord Krsna and says, “My dear Lord, for persons who are engaged in Your transcendental loving service there is nothing worth obtaining from religiousness, economic development, sense gratification or liberation–although happiness from these different sources can be very easily had by them. In spite of such facilities, my dear Lord, I do not aspire to achieve any such results. My only prayer is that I may have unflinching faith and devotion unto Your lotus feet.”
(12 THINGS TO FOLLOW TO GO BACK TO KRISHNA’s GOLOKA AT THE END OF THIS BIRTH ITSELF! READ HERE!)
EXAMPLE – 4:
A similar passage appears in the Third Canto, Twenty-fifth Chapter, verse 34, wherein Kapiladeva instructs His mother and says, “My dear mother, devotees whose hearts are always filled in the service of My lotus feet and who are prepared to do anything for My satisfaction, especially those fortunate devotees who assemble together to understand My qualities, pastimes and form and thus glorify Me congregationally and derive transcendental pleasure therefrom, never desire to become one with Me. And what to speak of becoming one with Me, if they are offered a post like Mine in My abode, or opulence like Mine, or even personal association with Me with similar bodily features, they refuse to accept, because they are satisfied simply by being engaged in My devotional service.”
EXAMPLE – 5:
In Srimad-Bhagavatam, Fourth Canto, Ninth Chapter, verse 10, King Dhruva says, “My dear Lord, the transcendental pleasure derived by meditation upon Your lotus feet, which is enjoyed by the pure devotees, cannot be approached by the transcendental pleasure derived by the impersonalists through self-realization.
(How to understand if even the enemies killed by Krishna are also liberated? READ HERE!)
So how can the fruitive workers, who at most can aspire to promotion to the higher heavenly planets, understand You, and how can they be described as enjoying a happiness similar to the devotees’ happiness?”
NOW, THE CONCLUSION:
MUKTI or MOKSHA or DEVOTIONAL SERVICE- WHAT SHOULD BE THE TARGET OF DEVOTEES?
Therefore, a pure devotee will never ask anything from lord except His service and love wherever they are. I think , now, all of you would have understood why I am writing in my writings NOT TO REQUEST ANYTHING FROM LORD AND HE KNOWS ALL YOUR GENUINE NEEDS AND HE WILL OFFER WHATEVER BLESSINGS THAT WILL ELEVATE YOU.
Just Love Krishna and pray for His service. Enough.
SIX CHARACTERISTICS OF PURE DEVOTIONAL SERVICE CAN BE READ HERE!
OTHER FIVE CHARACTERISTICS OF PURE DEVOTIONAL SERVICE ARE:
How Devotional Service or Bhakti relieves from karma & material distress? READ HERE!
Why Krishna Consciousness Is All-auspicious & Capable to reform others? READ HERE!
Why the Only way to get Real Happiness is Krishna Consciousness? READ HERE!
Why Pure Devotional Service is Rare to achieve? READ HERE!
Why Krishna is attracted by Pure Devotional service only? READ HERE!