Page 25 - Lekha-mala (English)
P. 25
Posts to BVKS Sanga 15
Prayers such as nayanam galadasru … are not made with a
motive to enjoy; rather the devotee hankers for the stage of
attachment to Krishna in which such manifestations take place.
In the neophyte stage a devotee is urged to surrender to
Krishna and to give up all attachments. A pure devotee can
do anything for Krishna without consideration of personal
happiness or distress. However a neophyte devotee is warned
not to imitate the stage of pure devotees.
Ultimately what should be our prayer – ”When will I be able
to derive great pleasure in serving you so that I will be driven
to serve you in great enthusiasm?”
Srila Yamunacarya has recited this verse in his Stotra-ratna (43):
bhavantam evanucaran nirantarah
prasanta-nihsesa-manorathantarah
kadaham aikantika-nitya-kinkarah
praharsayisyami sanatha-jivitam
“By serving You constantly, one is freed from all material
desires and is completely pacified. When shall I engage as Your
permanent eternal servant and always feel joyful to have such
a fitting master?” (quoted in SB 9.8.24 purport)
Or when will I develop a great desire to please you with no
consideration of my pleasure? The second option seems
inconceivable in our present conditioned state because we
have no experience of such selfless service.
We may pray to develop a desire to desire so. The two attitudes
you have mentioned are not incompatible. They only seem
so due to our polluted miscomprehension of the nature of
enjoyment.