Pure Devotion And Satisfaction
By: Babhru Dasa (BVKS)
In this world everyone is looking for satisfaction. Generally most people are striving for satisfaction via the achievement of accomplishing goals, obtaining material objects, or acquiring “love” from children, wife, friends, family etc. In the material world there are many different types of satisfaction but they always fall short of our expectations. Simply put, one can never be satisfied in this material world. One is always induced to search after “new and exciting,” material sense pleasures.
“If we are to enjoy real happiness, then we have to transcend these bodily pleasures. Happiness is there because I am spirit soul. Actually I am full of pleasure, but because my sense of happiness is being manifested through this matter, therefore we are being frustrated in deriving real pleasure. So those who are in the, advanced in spiritual life, they are called yogis. Yoginah. Ramante yoginah anante. Those who are spiritualists, they also enjoy. But they enjoy in the real happiness which has no end. Any happiness which is ended at a certain point, that is not happiness. That is, rather, source of distress. Ady-antavantah kaunteya na tesu ramate budhah. Budhah means who is learned. A learned person does not enjoy such flickering or transient happiness which is derived by sense touching.” – Srila Prabhupada 8/31/1966 BG. 5.22-29
So we can understand objectively that since one can never be completely satisfied within this world, in other terms, dissatisfaction is all-pervasive and is a constant of the material paradigm. When the materialistic person feels dissatisfied, depression, lamentation, sorrow, hopelessness, anger, and other negative emotions are always following shortly behind.
“While contemplating the objects of the senses, a person develops attachment for them, and from such attachment lust develops, and from lust anger arises.” -BG. 2.62
In this quote we can see that anger is the the result of not having attained the objects of the senses which we are attached to.
“Even if a greedy person has conquered all the directions of the world or has enjoyed everything in the world, still he will not be satisfied.” -Srimad-bhagavatam 7.15.20
In order to cope with these sufferable emotions, one foolishly re-doubles their efforts to attain satisfaction via different mediums and “avenues.” At this point one usually hears a voice in their head saying, “don’t worry, things didn’t work out last time, but this time it will be different! Look at the opportunity ahead! You will surely achieve all your interests very soon!” In this way the mind perpetually tricks us throughout billions of lifetimes. By accepting the agent of illusion (our mind) as being truthful, we simply fall into the vicious cycle of increasing our own suffering. In this way we continue to try and replace, forget about, or fill the void of our heart with material sense pleasures in the form of the above mentioned attainments and items.
“Force or not force, one who is controlled by the mind, he’s a rascal. He’s a rascal. Manorathenāsati dhāvato bahiḥ harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇā manorathenāsati (SB 5.18.12). They are driven by the chariot of mind—useless. No intelligence. No benefit. But all these rascal scientists, philosophers, they are going on the chariot of the mind, “I think.” “In my opinion,” This is their… Manorathena, on the mental platform. So they’re all foolish. They have no value. Mental concoction, useless.” -Srila Prabhupada BG 9.34 Lecture
This type is dissatisfaction is based completely off each individual persons striving to pursue their material self-interest and this is the real root of the problem. When a person initiates any pursuit from the platform of ego-centricity, the only possible outcome is suffering.
On the other hand the spiritualist or servant of God aspires to put their self-interest away and act only for the interest of God and love for Him. As it is described in the vedas, “every manifestation in the corrupted material world has a divine and completely pure origin in the spiritual realm.” So this means there is also a type of spiritual dissatisfaction.
“The present Krsna consciousness movement is an attempt to keep Krsna in the center, for if this is done all activities will automatically become beautiful and blissful.” -SB pp.10.13.8
It is very common in this world to hear “so-called” spiritualists, yogis, and religionists say, “I am already fully devoted to God, I am doing everything I can for God, I am already fully in love with God, I serve God every second of my life.” We hear many such statements which we will call outright “bogus.” Why do we say these are bogus statements? There are many obvious reasons and self-evident discrepancies with such claims and the people making them but in order to stick to the main topic of this article we will only address one of these evidences.
The very plain and simple fact is that an advanced servant of God never thinks in any of the above mentioned ways. The advanced spiritualist always considers himself to not being doing enough for God. Due to his extreme humility the devotee always considers himself to be very fallen and incapable of properly rendering service to God. Even if a devotee renders some amazing and extraordinary service in this world, still, they will always feel as if they have done practically nothing and that they should have done much more.
“Thinking oneself to be even lower and more worthless than insignifcant grass which has been trampled beneath everyone’s feet, being more tolerant than a tree, being prideless, and offering respect to all others as befits their respective positions, one should continuously chant the holy name of Lord Hari.” – Sri Sikshastakam
In this way spiritual dissatisfaction makes its appearance and it should be understood that it is actually an authentic symptom of an advanced spiritualist. However, it should be thoroughly understood that this type of dissatisfaction is completely and categorically different from its perverted and material counterpart. Spiritual dissatisfaction is based on the devotee feeling they have fallen short in their pursuit to serve God, whereas material dissatisfaction stems from a persons falling short to serve ones own self-interest. It is surely a remarkable and difficult to understand concept for the common man. However we should try our best to see the difference so we can properly discern between genuine and ill-legitimate spiritualists.
As one advances they simply feel the urge and strong desire to do more and more for Krsna, they never once think, “I am doing enough,” or “I have done enough.” This spiritual dissatisfaction is actually one of the major factors which leads to an increase in divine loving bliss.
It is very easy to see this philosophy practically applied by our dear Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. At the ripe age of 69 left the most spiritual place on the planet, Sri Vrndavana Dham to come to USA. Why did he do this? Because he deeply wanted to execute the order of his spiritual master for preaching in the western world. Even though he was already fully self-realized and in a very nice situation, he gave it all up to do more service. It should be known that his physical conditions in USA were not easy at all, especially for the first two years.
By attempting to understand this concept we can also start to realize how the spiritual realm, service to Krsna, and the divine loving ecstasy therein are eternally increasing. This transcendental dissatisfaction is actually the basis from which the devotees loving sentiments, bliss, and service are always increasing. If one could be satisfied in the spiritual world then there would be no meaning to the term “ever-increasing.”
“Pure love of God manifests as the most subtle consciousness, devoid of material qualities and material desires, increasing at every moment and never interrupted.” -Narada-bhakti-sutra, text 54
It is not that simply one gets to see Krsna in the spiritual realm and then they are fully satisfied. No. Even while seeing Krsna the devotees are in anxiety that they will soon be separated (temporarily) from Him. In this way they are always contemplating new and exciting ways to keep His supremely sweet association. It is not that the gopis make one wonderful flower garland and think, “oh that is good enough, I have done my service.” Simply thinking like this makes us laugh at its absurdity!
The residents of the spiritual realm know the only way to please and “satisfy” Krsna is by giving their love to Him. In this way they strive to associate with Him and do as much service for Him as possible. Wether this means wrestling with him as a cowherd boy, dancing with Him as a gopi, or feeding Him as a parent etc. There are unlimited ways to try and satisfy Krsna. Although the most wonderful thing is that Krsna can never be satisfied! In this way He eternally hankers after the experience of having new and fresh loving dealings with all of His pure devotees.
This is easy to understand by seeing Krsna’s behavior in Vrindavan and also understanding other universal affairs. For example, there are always more and more souls manifesting from Krsna’s divine energy. Why? Because his divine pleasure potency is always increasing, therefore each soul can give a completely unique and wonderful type of pleasure to Krsna.
Another interesting point to consider is that if a spiritualist feels “satisfied” in their service to Krsna then this gives way for the dangerous anartha of complacency to set in. In this way the devotee gets snared by maya and thinks themselves to be very happy and comfortable in their situation. This is a major stumbling block for the advancing devotee and all should be very cautious of its tricky nature.
In this regard the following metaphor based on the power of magnets can be used. For example, there is the positive magnet, and then the negative. Due to the power that the negative magnet has it will attract the positive accordingly. Similarly, when the devotee is absolutely screaming out for Krsna’s love and mercy, Krsna is that much impelled to give Himself to that person.
“Even the topmost devotees feel they are inadequate in their service to the Lord. So it is good to feel inadequate, and to try harder to please Krishna with better service. But one should never feel, oh, I have seen Krishna, and so I am reached perfection—this is not Krishna Consciousness.” -Srila Prabhupada letter to Hamsaduta Dasa 1968