Pradyumna: (reading:) "So when our senses are engaged for the actual proprietor of the senses, that is called devotional service. In our conditional state, our senses are engaged in serving these bodily demands. When the same senses are engaged in executing the order of Krsna, it is called bhakti."
Prabhupada: Hrsikena hrsikesa-sevanam bhaktir ucyate [Cc. Madhya 19.170]. Bhakti, it is very simple thing. Our relationship with Krsna is natural. Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita, mamaivamsa jiva-bhutah. We are part and parcel of Krsna; therefore our only duty is to serve Krsna. That is natural. There is no question about it. Part and parcel means helping the whole. As we have several times explained that this finger is the part and parcel of my body, so it is the duty of the finger always serve the body, whole body. It has no other occupation. As soon as I desire, "Finger, you come to this place," immediately it comes. "Finger, you come to this place," it immediately comes. So we can study. What is the meaning of part and parcel? Part and parcel means to serve the whole. Krsna is the Absolute Truth. We are relative truth. Therefore it is our duty to serve Krsna. That is our natural position.
But at the present moment, we are engaging our senses, ourself, in designation. I am thinking, "I am American," I am thinking, "I am Hindu," I am thinking, "I am brahmana" or "I am sannyasi." So many designations. Caitanya Mahaprabhu presented Himself, how to become designationless, sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam [Cc. Madhya 19.170]. He said, "I am not a brahmana. I am not a sudra. I am not a ksatriya. I am not a brahmacari." He denied. At last He said, gopi-bhartuh pada-kamalayoh dasa-dasanudasah [Cc. Madhya 13.80]. This is our position. We are not Indian; we are not American; we are not Hindu; we are not Muslim. These are all designations. Therefore (the) Krsna consciousness movement is to make people free from designation. Just like, actually, you see. Here are American, European boys and girls. They have forgotten that they are American or European or they come from Christian group or Jewish group. Similarly, we should also forget that "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," or "I am brahmana," "I am sudra," "I am ksatriya." No. This is the only platform, Krsna consciousness, where we can unite on spiritual platform. We cannot be united by resolutions. Just like the United Nations: they are trying for the last thirty years to become united -- simply resolution. On that platform we cannot be united. On political platform or social platform, that is not possible, because the designations are there. When we are free from designation, sarvopadhi-virnirmuktam tat-paratvena nirmalam, when we are purified, then we can unite in the service of the Lord, Krsna. That is real unity. Hrsikena hrsikesa-sevanam... [Cc. Madhya 19.170]. That is Vaikuntha platform. Just like in Vaikuntha, the Vaikunthesvara, Narayana, or Krsna, He's the central point of service. Just like in Vrndavana... The Vrndavana... The animals, the birds, the beasts, the water, the trees, the flowers, the cowherds boy -- everyone -- center is Krsna. That is Vrndavana. They did not know that Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but they loved Krsna with their heart and soul. That is Vrndavana. So if we come to this point of Krsna consciousness and simply learn how to love Krsna, then we can create the whole world as Vrndavana. Unfortunately, even in the Vrndavana, at the present moment, because our desires have been something else other than serving Krsna, there are so many factions. The center is missing.
So Krsna consciousness movement means to purify our senses from the designation and engage the senses in the service of the Lord. Hrsikena hrsikesa-sevanam bhaktir ucyate [Cc. Madhya 19.170]. That is described here. That is wanted. It is called bhakti. "In our conditional state our senses are engaged in serving these bodily demands. When the same senses are engaged in executing the order of Krsna, it is called bhakti." This is bhakti. Just like Arjuna. Arjuna served Krsna by his talent. He was a soldier; he knew how to fight. So by, for his personal consideration, he was thinking not to fight, not to kill the other side, because the other side happened to be his kinsmen, his grandfather, his brother, his nephews. So he was thinking in terms of his own sense gratification, because "The other side, if they are killed, I'll be unhappy." That was his consideration. Therefore he was not willing to fight. And to induce him to become Krsna conscious, the whole Bhagavad-gita was explained. And at the end Krsna asked Arjuna, "What is your decision?" Yathecchasi tatha kuru [Bg. 18.63]. "You can do whatever you like. I have given you instruction, full instruction. Now whatever you like, you can do." This means every living entity has got a little independence. Krsna, or God, does not interfere with that independence. Yathecchasi tatha kuru. At the last, also, Krsna says, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. "You do it." Krsna can instruct us, "You do it." If I don't do it, that is my option. That option is always there. Krsna does not oblige me. Otherwise, what is the difference between me and the stone? The stone has no independence. But I am a living entity; I have got my independence. So do you... Krsna does not interfere with my independence. Voluntarily, if we surrender to Krsna, voluntarily if we serve Him, then our life is successful. Voluntarily. Hitva anyatha-rupam svarupena vyavasthitih [SB 2.10.6]. We can become immediately liberated if we give up our designated post. If we simply come to the platform of Krsna consciousness, then immediately we become liberated. So many sages and saintly persons are trying to become liberated, mukta, to merge into the existence of impersonal Brahman. But because they have no information of Krsna, or they do not like to surrender to Krsna, they fall down. Aruhya krcchrena param padam tatah patanty adhah [SB 10.2.32].
So we must stick to Krsna consciousness without any designative ideas. We must stand on the transcendental platform. Sa gunan samatityaitan brahma-bhuyaya kalpate [Bg. 14.26]. Transcendental platform means above the three modes of material nature, which is called brahma-bhutah. So this position, brahma-bhutah's position... Without being in brahma-bhutah position, liberated stage, nobody can be engaged in devotional service.
brahma-bhutah prasannatma
na socati na kanksati
samah sarvesu bhutesu
mad-bhaktim labhate param
[Bg. 18.54]
Bhakti begins when is..., one is actually liberated from the influence of the modes of material nature. That is real bhakti.
The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 2, 1972
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