Category:Desiring for God

A common misconception among impersonalists and voidists is that spiritual perfection requires the complete annihilation of all desire. However, Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that because the soul is eternally conscious, desire cannot be negated. The actual distinction between material and spiritual life lies solely in the object of one's desire. Material life means harboring lusty desires to gratify one's own senses, whereas spiritual life means possessing the transcendental desire to serve the senses of the Supreme Lord. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement teaches its followers how to purify their desires, shifting them from selfish exploitation to loving service.

The ultimate currency for entering the kingdom of God is laulyam, an intense, ardent eagerness to associate with and serve the Supreme Personality of Godhead. A pure devotee is completely free from material desires, yet they are irresistibly attracted by the desire to hear about Kṛṣṇa and associate with Him. The Lord, being fully cognizant of the hearts of His devotees, perfectly reciprocates with this eagerness. Kṛṣṇa sits on the lotus heart of the devotee in the exact form the devotee desires to worship, and He expertly orchestrates circumstances to fulfill their transcendental ambitions, as seen in His dealings with Advaita Ācārya and His intimate friends.

The ultimate standard of Kṛṣṇa consciousness is "first deserve, then desire." A devotee begins with the sincere desire to serve Kṛṣṇa, and the Lord gradually grants them the opportunity to do so based on their sincerity. Great personalities like Mahārāja Ambarīṣa represent the pinnacle of this process, as he engaged all of his desires and ambitions exclusively in the devotional service of the Lord, proving that a life full of spiritual desire is the highest perfection of existence.

• The Nature of Desire: Desire cannot be artificially killed; it must be purified by shifting the focus from personal sense gratification to the satisfaction of the Supreme Lord.
• The Price of Admission: The only requirement to enter the spiritual world is an intense, ardent eagerness (laulyam) to associate with and serve Kṛṣṇa.
• The Lord's Reciprocation: Kṛṣṇa intimately understands and flawlessly fulfills the pure, transcendental desires of His unalloyed devotees.
• The Perfect Example: Engaging all of one's desires and ambitions in the Lord's service, like Mahārāja Ambarīṣa, is the standard of pure devotional service.

• Explore the synthesized essence of this category in this Vanipedia article: Desiring for God - The Price of Transcendental Eagerness.