Category:Material Desires of a Devotee of God
Theme Analysis
The path of bhakti-yoga is unique because it welcomes everyone, regardless of their material motivation. While the ultimate standard of a pure devotee is anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam—being devoid of all material desires—Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that one need not wait to be perfectly purified to approach the Supreme Lord. The quotes in this category illustrate the dynamic relationship between a devotee's desires and Kṛṣṇa's mercy. Whether one is sakāma (with material desires) or akāma (without material desires), the instruction is to worship Kṛṣṇa. The Lord, acting as the supreme purifier, gradually cleanses the heart, burning material contamination to ashes and elevating the devotee from interested worship to spontaneous love.
- The Standard of Purity: A pure devotee is defined by total freedom from material designations and desires, acting solely for the pleasure of the Supreme Lord without personal motivation.
- The Process of Purification: Unlike other paths where material desire is a disqualification, in bhakti, the very act of worshiping Kṛṣṇa acts as a fire that consumes the seeds of material enjoyment.
- The Intelligent Approach: Even if one possesses distinct material aspirations, the Vedas recommend approaching Kṛṣṇa rather than demigods, for Kṛṣṇa offers benedictions that eventually free the soul from the need to ask for anything more.
- The Example of Dhruva Mahārāja: The journey of Dhruva Mahārāja serves as the archetypal example of how intense devotional service transforms a material desire for a kingdom into a spiritual desire for the Lord's audience.
- Explore the synthesized essence of this category in this Vanipedia article: Freedom from Material Desires of a Devotee of God.
Subcategories
This category has the following 15 subcategories, out of 15 total.
D
P
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Pages in category "Material Desires of a Devotee of God"
The following 27 pages are in this category, out of 27 total.
A
- A pure devotee is always free from any kind of material desires. In the material world, one's material desires are all most demonic
- A pure devotee is completely free from all kinds of material desire
- After achieving perfection by self-realization and seeing the Supreme Personality of Godhead face to face, Dhruva Maharaja was completely freed from all contamination of material desire
- Although born of a materialistic father, because he (Prahlada Maharaj) was a devotee he had no material desires (anyabhilasita-sunyam) - Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 1.1.11
B
- Because of his (the devotee's) intense devotional service, his ignorance, material consciousness and all kinds of material desires are completely burnt to ashes
- Being completely cleansed of all material desires, the devotees are freed from all mental contamination. Thus they can always think of the Lord constantly and address Him very feelingly
- Bhakti is called sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam (CC Madhya 19.170), indicating that a devotee is freed from all material designations, and anyabhilasita-sunyam (Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 1.1.11), situated in a transcendental position, free from all material desires
- By worshiping Lord Visnu one can get whatever he desires, but a pure devotee never asks Lord Visnu for any material profit. Instead he serves Lord Visnu without material desires and is therefore ultimately transferred to the spiritual kingdom
I
- If a devotee has a particular motive, the Lord directly or indirectly knows it, and therefore He does not leave the devotee's material desires unfulfilled. These are some of the special favors by the Lord to a devotee
- If one goes to Krsna even for material advantages, the day will come when he forgets material desires, just like Dhruva Maharaja
- 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
- It is not that only sannyasis, vanaprasthas and brahmacaris can reach Krsna. A grhastha, a householder, can also reach Krsna, provided he becomes a pure devotee without material desires. An example of this is cited in the next verse - SB 7.15.68
T
- The demigods are called sakama devotees, or devotees with material desires in mind, while the pure devotees are called niskama devotees because they have no desires for their personal interests
- The Lord is so kind that He takes away their (devotees who aspire for material benedictions) material desires and gives them the highest benediction
- The particular form of the Lord exhibited to a devotee is not mundane, even though the devotee may retain material desire, nor is it manifest under the influence of material energy, as is foolishly considered by the impersonalists
- The Supreme Personality of Godhead fulfills the material desires of a devotee who approaches Him with such motives, but He does not bestow benedictions upon the devotee that will cause him to demand more benedictions again
- There are two kinds of devotees - those who are fully satiated and free from all material desires and those who are fully surrendered to the lotus feet of the Lord
- They (saintly devotees) are also absolute because they have no other desires. Being freed from the dualities of material desire, they are called sreyas-kamah
- Those who approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead with desires for material enjoyment are called sakama, and those devotees who have no material desires for sense gratification but serve the Supreme Lord out of spontaneous love are called akama
W
- We have actually seen that many sannyasis who accept sannyasa prematurely, not having satisfied their material desires, fall down because they are disturbed. Therefore the general process is to go through grhastha life and vanaprastha life
- Whether one is a pure devotee and is free from all material desires, or is full of material desires, or desires liberation from material contamination, he should in all cases surrender to Vasudeva and worship Him