Bhaktisiddhanta Swami
The Lord Will Never Leave the Heart of His Devotee
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.31.20;
apahata-sakalaiṣaṇāmalātmany aviratam edhita-bhāvanopahūtaḥ
nija-jana-vaśa-gatvam ātmano ’yan na sarati chidravad akṣaraḥ satāṁ hi
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. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, knowing Himself to be controlled by His devotees, does not leave them for a second, just as the sky overhead never becomes invisible.
(partial purport) “The pure devotee is always absorbed in the thought of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As stated, śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ [SB 1.2.17]. By always thinking of Kṛṣṇa, the pure devotee’s heart is freed from all kinds of desires. In the material world, the heart of the living entity is filled with material desires. When the living entity is cleansed, he does not think of anything material. As the mind is completely cleansed, one attains the perfectional stage of mystic yoga, for then the yogī always sees the Supreme Personality of Godhead within his heart (dhyanāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ [SB 12.13.1]). As soon as the Lord is seated within the heart of the devotee, the devotee cannot be contaminated by the material modes of nature. As long as one is under the control of the material modes, he desires so many things and makes so many plans for material sense enjoyment, but as soon as the Lord is perceived in the heart, all material desires vanish. When the mind is completely free from material desire, the devotee can think of the Lord constantly.”
Śrī Nārada reveals this mystery(the Lord’s constant presence in the heart of His devotee) to the Pracetās; and infers that devotion can control God even if you get knocked down(become forgetful). God will not leave one, whose heart is free from materialistic desires, the longing for sense objects. However, from the ant to Lord Brahmā, there are three kinds of affection or desires, which make the Lord hide Himself, covering an external devotee.
The first obstacle is the desire for prestige, and respect. Who is there in this world that does not aspire for one’s own respect? No one is free from this imperfection.
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.31.20;
apahata-sakalaiṣaṇāmalātmany aviratam edhita-bhāvanopahūtaḥ
nija-jana-vaśa-gatvam ātmano ’yan na sarati chidravad akṣaraḥ satāṁ hi
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. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, knowing Himself to be controlled by His devotees, does not leave them for a second, just as the sky overhead never becomes invisible.
(partial purport) “The pure devotee is always absorbed in the thought of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As stated, śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ [SB 1.2.17]. By always thinking of Kṛṣṇa, the pure devotee’s heart is freed from all kinds of desires. In the material world, the heart of the living entity is filled with material desires. When the living entity is cleansed, he does not think of anything material. As the mind is completely cleansed, one attains the perfectional stage of mystic yoga, for then the yogī always sees the Supreme Personality of Godhead within his heart (dhyanāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ [SB 12.13.1]). As soon as the Lord is seated within the heart of the devotee, the devotee cannot be contaminated by the material modes of nature. As long as one is under the control of the material modes, he desires so many things and makes so many plans for material sense enjoyment, but as soon as the Lord is perceived in the heart, all material desires vanish. When the mind is completely free from material desire, the devotee can think of the Lord constantly.”
Śrī Nārada reveals this mystery(the Lord’s constant presence in the heart of His devotee) to the Pracetās; and infers that devotion can control God even if you get knocked down(become forgetful). God will not leave one, whose heart is free from materialistic desires, the longing for sense objects. However, from the ant to Lord Brahmā, there are three kinds of affection or desires, which make the Lord hide Himself, covering an external devotee.
The first obstacle is the desire for prestige, and respect. Who is there in this world that does not aspire for one’s own respect? No one is free from this imperfection.
The second desire is that for property or money. Who is free from this? Then there is the desire to see the beautiful/handsome form of a woman/man. Who in this world is not fascinated by this?
Bring any example of anyone whose mind has not been stolen in this way, everyone comes under this influence, even Lord Śiva and Lord Brahmā are in this category, coming under the influence of this māyā, Brahmā was attracted to his daughter Sarasvatī, and Lord Śiva was fascinated by Mohinī. So bring any example, this is a challenge, what to speak of the condition of aspiring sadhus like us.
Only that person is protected from illusion, whom God protects. It is not that just anyone can be protected from māyā.
By eradicating these three types of materialistic desires, then the mind becomes purified. These things have entered our mind, so how can our intellect be purified? The impure mind is contaminated whether we accept it or not, whether we understand it or not, it just unclean. The heart of one who thirsts for these things, respect, sense objects, and properties, is polluted, and not cleansed, whether he is educated, scholarly, or detached. The presence of these three materialistic desires means definite adulteration. That’s why Sage Nārada says;
apahata-sakalaiṣaṇāmalātmany aviratam edhita-bhāvanopahūtaḥ
When all three kinds of material desires are destroyed, only then can you truly call upon God, then God will come in your heart, and even if you try to push Him away, He will not leave you. This is the ‘mystery’, which Nārada discloses to the Pracetās.
Bring any example of anyone whose mind has not been stolen in this way, everyone comes under this influence, even Lord Śiva and Lord Brahmā are in this category, coming under the influence of this māyā, Brahmā was attracted to his daughter Sarasvatī, and Lord Śiva was fascinated by Mohinī. So bring any example, this is a challenge, what to speak of the condition of aspiring sadhus like us.
Only that person is protected from illusion, whom God protects. It is not that just anyone can be protected from māyā.
By eradicating these three types of materialistic desires, then the mind becomes purified. These things have entered our mind, so how can our intellect be purified? The impure mind is contaminated whether we accept it or not, whether we understand it or not, it just unclean. The heart of one who thirsts for these things, respect, sense objects, and properties, is polluted, and not cleansed, whether he is educated, scholarly, or detached. The presence of these three materialistic desires means definite adulteration. That’s why Sage Nārada says;
apahata-sakalaiṣaṇāmalātmany aviratam edhita-bhāvanopahūtaḥ
When all three kinds of material desires are destroyed, only then can you truly call upon God, then God will come in your heart, and even if you try to push Him away, He will not leave you. This is the ‘mystery’, which Nārada discloses to the Pracetās.
Comments