Bhavananda: (reading) "The attention of a pure devotee is so much attracted to glorification of the pastimes, name, qualities, forms, and so forth of the Lord that the devotee does not care for mukti. Sri Bilvamangala Thakura has said, 'If I am engaged in devotional service unto You, my dear Lord, then very easily can I perceive Your presence everywhere. And as far as liberation is concerned, I think liberation stands at my door with folded hands, waiting to serve me.' "

Prabhupada: Yes. By chanting the mantra, Hare Krsna mantra, ceto-darpana-marjanam [Cc. Antya 20.12], gradually we become cleansed of all dirty things within our heart. Thus our mind becomes purified. And in the purified condition of the mind we can think of Krsna rightly. In this way, Krsna becomes practically dependent on the devotees. Krsna is the master, controller of everything, but to the pure devotee He becomes dependent. So why the pure devotee will ask for anything else? Adurlabham atma-bhaktau. For a devotee, Krsna is within the palms of a devotee. Ajita, jito 'py asau. Although Krsna is not conquerable, but He likes to be conquered by His devotee. That is the position. Just like He willingly placed Himself to be conquered by Mother Yasoda, to be conquered by Radharani, to be conquered by His friends. Krsna became defeated and He has to take His friend on the shoulder. Practically sometimes we see that a king keeps a joker amongst his associates, and sometimes the joker insults the king, and the king enjoys. The joker sometimes... Just like there is a famous joker, Gopala Bon, in Bengal. So one day the king asked him, "Gopala, what is the difference between you and an ass?" So he immediately measured the distance from the king. He said, "It is three feet only, sir. The difference is only three feet." So everyone began to laugh. And the king enjoyed that insult. Because sometimes it is required.

Bhavananda: "To pure devotees, therefore, liberation and spiritual emancipation are not very important things."

Prabhupada: That's not very important. They are, they think that moksa is very exalted position. Therefore Sridhara Swami says moksa, moksa-vancha paryantam nirastam. Moksa-vancha paryantam nirastam. Dharmah projjhita-kaitavo atra paramo nirmatsaranam satam vastava vastu vedyam atra [SB 1.1.2]. So in Bhagavata says that "This Srimad-Bhagavatam is meant by the, meant for the paramahamsas, not for ordinary man." Ordinary man, they are after dharma, artha, kama, moksa. First of all, nowadays, even they do not care for dharma. They're animals. Really human life begins when they take to religious principles. Dharmena hina pasubhih samanah. So dharma-artha-kama-moksa, gradually improvement, and devotional service is above moksa. Therefore dharmah projjhita-kaitavo atra [SB 1.1.2]. Kaitavo, cheating. As soon as there is some motive, that is cheating religion. But bhakti, there is no such thing, dharma, artha, kama, moksa. It is above, transcendental. Therefore it is meant for the paramo nirmatsaranam satam. Nirmatsara. Nirmatsara means envious..., not envious. Matsarata. Para utkarsanam asahanam (?), Sridhara Swami says. If in, if somebody is advancing, somebody is making improvement, his neighbors, his friends, even most intimate friends, they also become envious: "Oh, this man is advancing so much. This man is becoming so rich, so popular." Envious. So Vaisnava is not envious. If somebody advances more than him, he appreciates: "Oh, he's so nice that he has advanced more than me. I could not serve Krsna in such a nice way." That is Vaisnavism. And if one is envious"Oh, this man is going so fast. Let him, let us put some impediments on this path"he's not Vaisnava; he's hinasya jantuh. He's animal. Vaisnava cannot be envious. Therefore Vaisnava cult... This is paramo nirmatsaranam [SB 1.1.2]. No matsarata, no enviousness. Satam, devotees. Devotees means he must be nirmatsara. Go on.

Bhavananda: "In this connection, in the Third Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam, Chapter Twenty-five, verse 23, Kapiladeva has advised His mother, Devahuti, as follows: 'My dear mother, My pure devotees are charmed by seeing My different forms, the beauty of My face, the structure of My body so enchanting. My laughing, My pastimes and My glance appear to them so beautiful that their minds are always absorbed in thoughts of Me, and their lives are dedicated fully unto Me. Although such people do not desire any kind of liberation or any kind of material happiness, still, I give them a place amongst My associates in the supreme abode.' "

Prabhupada: Therefore this arcana-marga, sri-vigraharadhana-nitya-nana-srngara-tan-mandira-marj anadau yuktasya bhaktams ca niyunjato 'pi **. This is the first duty of the spiritual master, to engage the devotees in arcana-marga. Sri-vigraharadhana-nitya. Cleansing the temple, dressing the Deity, decorating with flowers, ornaments and... So that devotees, as soon as (they) see smiling Krsna, pleasing Krsna, they become pleased. They become pleased by seeing Krsna pleased. They do not want to be pleased independently. That is not devotee. Devotee's pleasure is seeing Krsna is pleased. Krsna is also pleased when He sees the devotees are pleased. This is competition. This is competition. Krsna wants to see that His devotees are pleased, and the devotees want to see that Krsna is pleased. Dui lage hura huri (?). This is the competition going on between Krsna and Radharani. By Radharani, seeing the Radharani's beauty, Krsna becomes pleased, and Radharani, when She sees that Krsna is very pleased, She becomes pleased. She becomes more beautiful. And Krsna wants to see. In this way there is competition. This is radha krsna-pranaya vikrtir hladini saktir asmad ekatmanav api deha-bhedam gatau tau [Cc. Adi 1.5]. This is the exchange of Krsna's pleasure potency. Srimati Radharani is the manifestation of pleasure potency of Krsna.

Bhavananda: "This evidence from Srimad-Bhagavatam gives assurance to the pure devotee of being elevated to association with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Srila Rupa Gosvami remarks in this connection that one who is actually attracted by the beauty of the lotus feet of Sri Krsna or His service and whose heart, by such attraction, is always full with transcendental bliss will naturally never aspire after the liberation which is so valuable to the impersonalists."

Prabhupada: Yes. Liberation, a devotee never... Why liberation? Prabodhananda Sarasvati, he says... Liberation means kaivalya. Kaivalyam narakayate. What is this liberation? It is as good as the hell. Kaivalyam narakayate. Tri-dasa-pur akasa-puspayate (Caitanya-candramrta 5). The persons, they are hankering after being elevated to the heavenly planet. So for a devotee, this is will o' the wisp, phantasmagoria, it has no value. Kaivalyam narakayate tri-dasa-pur akasa-puspayate indriya-kala-sarpa-patali protkhata-damstrayate. And the yogis... Karmis, jnanis, yogis. Karmis are after heavenly planet; jnanis are after kaivalya, liberation; yogis are after controlling the senses. So senses are very dangerous. Everyone knows. Our senses are very strong. Therefore the yoga system is recommended for them who are very much in bodily concept of life. Therefore they are advised to exercise the body to come to the point of spiritual platform. But those who are above bodily concept of life, those senses have been purified.

Bhavananda: "A similar passage is also there in Third Canto, Fifteenth Chapter, of the same book, wherein Uddhava addresses Lord Krsna and says, 'My dear Lord, for persons who are engaged in Your transcendental loving service there is nothing worth obtaining from religiousness, economic development, sense gratification or liberation, although happiness from these different sources can be very easily had by them.' "

Prabhupada: Therefore devotee's another name is niskincana, akincana. Niskincanasya bhagavad-bhajanonmukhasya. Niskincana. He doesn't possess anything, don't want to possess anything material. These are all material things. What are those? Sense gratification, economic development, liberation. They are all different stages of material existence. And Krsna is not for the persons who are hankering after material possessions. Krsna is far away. Therefore in the Kunti-stotra in Srimad-Bhagavata it is said, niskincanasya gocarah: "You, Krsna, You are understood by persons who have become niskincana." Niskincana. So niskincanasya bhagavad-bhajanonmukhasya. The qualification of devotion is to become a niskincana. Means one should not try to possess anything material. He should simply try to possess Krsna. There must be some possession. The Mayavadi philosophy, to dispossess material things, will not help him. He must possess something positive. Otherwise he'll fall down. That is our... Because we want something. Param drstva nivartate [Bg. 9.59]. So we simply, we try, that "Let me become sannyasi, niskincana." That is not possible. You must take to the service of Krsna. Then when you are fully satisfied that "I possess Krsna. Krsna is within my heart," then you can give up all this nonsense, kick out: "I don't want." Otherwise not possible. So the two things: Niskincanasya bhagavad-bhajano..., param paro jivesa (?). Those who have become ni..., what is this liberation for them? Nothing. The four things, dharma-artha-kama-moksa. So when one takes to this shelter of Krsna's lotus feet, that is the highest dharma, topmost. That is the topmost yoga. So why he should hanker after dharma-artha-kama-moksa [SB 4.8.41, Cc. Adi 1.90]? It is so nice thing. That is the statement of Uddhava. One who has become pure devotee... One who has possessed... Svantah-sthita gadabhrta. He has become purified. But don't imitate. Actually see whether you are always thinking of Krsna. Then it is all right.

Bhavananda: "In spite of such facilities, my dear Lord, I do not aspire to achieve any such results. My only prayer is that I may have unflinching faith and devotion unto Your lotus feet."

Prabhupada: This is the only thing. If we have got unflinching faith and devotion to the lotus feet of Krsna, then we can automatically become niskincana, liberated, developed in economic condition. That is not important thing for a devotee. They come automatically. Yoga-ksemam vahamy aham [Bg. 9.22]. Krsna says. Why he should try for economic development? Krsna personally comes. "You want this. Take it." That is devotee. Why he should hankering after economic development? No. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu teaches: na dhanam na janam na sundarim kavitam va jagadisa kamaye [Cc. Antya 20.29, Siksastaka 4]. There is no need of hankering. Krsna knows what he requires, "How My devotee will be satisfied." Krsna knows... If Krsna sees that this devotee has got little desire for some material enjoyment, Krsna will give.

Bhavananda: "A similar passage appears in the Third Canto, 25th Chapter, 31st verse, wherein Kapiladeva instructs His mother and says: 'My Dear Mother, devotees whose hearts are always filled in the service of My lotus feet, and who are prepared to do anything for my satisfaction, especially those who assemble together to understand My qualities, pastimes and form, and thus glorify Me congregationally and derive transcendental pleasure therefrom, such fortunate devotees never desire to become one with Me.' "

Prabhupada: Yes. Go on.

Bhavananda: " 'And not to speak of becoming one with Me, if they are offered a post like Mine in My abode, or opulence like Mine, or even personal association with Me with similar bodily features, they refuse to accept because they are satisfied simply by being engaged in My devotional service.' "

Prabhupada: Yes. All kinds of mukti, sarupya-mukti, sa, sa... Sayujya-mukti, no devotee desires, kicked out. There is no question of sayujya-mukti. But other four kinds of muktis, sarupya-mukti, salokya-mukti, these muktis are desired by the inhabitants of Vaikuntha. Vaikunthesvara. Especially in South India, they worship the Vaisnava, Venkatesa. Venkatesa means Vaikunthesa, the Lord of Vaikuntha. So the, the associates, the devotees of the Lord in Vaikuntha, they desire sarupya-mukti, to have similar feature of the body, four-handed. Visnuduta. And salokya, the same as Narayana is living in Vaikuntha, they also live in Vaikuntha. This is also in the bhakti-marga. But a, a higher advanced devotee, even he does not want all these things. Even... Wherever Krsna puts him, that's all right. It doesn't matter. Yatha tatha vidadhatu lampato mat-prana-nathas tu sa eva naparah. You can, whatever You like, can do. It doesn't matter. I don't want any exchange. I don't want to do business with You. That is pure devotee. Go on.

Bhavananda: "In the Srimad-Bhagavatam, Fourth Canto, 9th Chapter, 10th verse, King Dhruva says, My dear Lord, the transcendental pleasure derived by meditation upon Your lotus feet, which is enjoyed by the pure devotees, cannot be approached by the transcendental pleasure derived by the impersonalists through self-realization. So how can the fruitive workers who at most can desire to promotion to the higher, heavenly planets understand You, and how can they be described as enjoying a happiness similar to the devotees' happiness.' "

Prabhupada: So there are three kinds of happinesses described, material happiness, spiritual happiness and devotional happiness. Three kinds of happinesses are very nicely described in this chapter.