Category:Becoming Free From Material Desires
Theme Analysis
Śrīla Prabhupāda equates "material desires" primarily with the desire for personal sense gratification, identifying sex desire as the central knot of bondage. The analysis of these quotes reveals that one cannot simply repress these desires or satisfy them through fruitive activities. The only effective method is to engage with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Even if one approaches Kṛṣṇa with material motives, the association of the Lord is so potent that it purifies the heart, leading to the state of niṣkāma (freedom from desire). True liberation, or nirvāṇa, is described not as the cessation of all desire, but as the purification of desire—where one desires only to satisfy the senses of the Lord.
- The Root Principle: The basic principle of liberation is defined specifically as becoming free from sex desire, which is the foundation of material life.
- Purification by Association: Even if one has material desires, one should worship Kṛṣṇa. The example of Dhruva Mahārāja illustrates how approaching the Lord, even for gain, eventually purifies the devotee of all separate interests.
- The Power of Service: Serving the lotus feet of the Lord and His pure devotees is highlighted as the easiest way to untie the "hard-knotted" desires of the heart.
- The Definition of Nirvana: Perfection is not a void. It is the state where the mind has no other concern than to satisfy the desires of Kṛṣṇa.
- Explore the synthesized essence of this category in this Vanipedia article: Liberation Means Becoming Free from Material Desires.
Pages in category "Becoming Free From Material Desires"
The following 21 pages are in this category, out of 21 total.
A
- A person who goes to the Supreme Personality of Godhead for material gain is gradually purified in association with the Supreme Lord. Thus he becomes free from all material desires and is elevated to the platform of spiritual life
- A person who is not trained in Krsna consciousness cannot become completely free from the desire for sinful activities
- According to Patanjali, when one becomes free from all material desires he attains his real, transcendental situation, and realization of that stage is called spiritual power
- Actually, people beg to be initiated by householder brahmanas just to become successful in the varnasrama institution or to become free from material desires. It is therefore necessary for a spiritual master in the grhastha-asrama to be a strict Vaisnava
I
- If one gradually gives up his hereditary customs and duties and tries to serve the SP of Godhead in his natural position, he is gradually able to become free from these activities, and he attains the stage of niskama, freedom from material desires
- If one takes to Krsna's devotional service but still has material desires to fulfill, he may become free from all material desires, as Dhruva Maharaja did, but this may take some time
- If one who hears of the gopis' lusty behavior with Krsna becomes free from lusty desires, certainly the gopis who approached Krsna became free from all such desires
- If you become completely free from all material desires, or if you want that position, then come to Krsna; no other demigod. If you actually want freedom from this material bondage, then Krsna
- Instead of desiring to have the Lord come here and become one's son, one should desire to become free from all material desires (anyabhilasita-sunyam (Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 1.1.11)) and go back home, back to Godhead
O
- One who becomes a devotee, free from material desires and motives, regards all opportunities, both material and spiritual, as benedictions from the Lord, and in this way his service to the Lord is never hampered
- Only one who has become free from all material desires as well as lamentations can, by the grace of the Supreme, understand the glories of the soul (Katha Upanisad 1.2.20). BG 1972 purports
T
- The devotee has no other concern than to satisfy the desires of the Lord. That is the highest stage of perfection, called nirvana or nirvana-mukti. At this stage the mind becomes completely free from material desire
- The duty of everyone is to take shelter of the Supreme Lord and thus become free from all material desires. Regardless of the material condition in which one is situated, one can achieve this perfection
- The living entity is bitten by the wasps and drones of fruitive activity and thus suffers in material existence birth after birth. One cannot become free from material desires by following this process - of fruitive activities
- The Supreme Lord accepts these offerings when they are offered with love and devotion. In this way, one can become freed from material desires
- Thus controlling the mind, senses and intelligence, the tranecendentalist becomes free from desire, fear and anger. One who is always in this state is certainly liberated. BG 5.27-28 - 1972
- To become free, to become liberated means to become liberated from sex desire. That's all. This is the basic principle
- To get freedom from anger, one should learn how to forgive. To be free from unlawful desires one should not make plans