Devotee (1): A devotee becomes more surrendered because the influence of the modes, the three modes, becomes diminished, or is the influence just changed from ignorance and passion to goodness?

Prabhupāda: The surrender means surrender to whom?

Devotee (1): To Kṛṣṇa and to Your Divine Grace.

Prabhupāda: So that surrender means to accept his orders. The spiritual master trains the disciple in the way of goodness quality. So if you do not abide the orders of spiritual master, what is the use of your surrender? Surrender means ānukūlyasya saṅkalpaḥ prātikūlyasya varjanam. Anukūla, favorable things, should be accepted. And you do not know. Therefore spiritual master will direct you, "This is favorable. This is unfavorable. Don't smoke—this is unfavorable." But if you don't accept the instruction, what is the meaning of surrender? Simply by offering obeisances, falling flat for the time being, that is not surrender.

(Lecture on Srimad Bhagavatam----------Surat).

Jñānagamya: A devotee is only supposed to want service, and sometimes he very much wants to be liberated to be finished with all this difficulty, isn't it?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Jñānagamya: Is it very contaminating?

Prabhupāda: Not contaminating, not in the highest stage. That is not contaminating. If the devotee wants liberation, then they're in the lower stage. Actually, a devotee, he is already liberated. Why he shall aspire after liberation?

(Room conversation---------Tehran).

Devotee (2): A devotee is sometimes subject to hankering or lamentation. That is material though, isn't it?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Devotee (2): In other words, if, at that moment, if he desires something other than Kṛṣṇa, that's a material desire.

Prabhupāda: Then he has to learn it. So long one is not competent in that position, he's subjected, he may fall down.

(Morning walk--------Detroit).

Devotee (2): But he may have some demoniac qualities?

Prabhupāda: Yes. That, if he is seriously devotee, that demonic qualities will disappear very soon. Kṣipraṁ bhavati dharmātmā. Api cet su-durācāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ (B.G.9:30), kṣipraṁ bhavati dharmātmā. Just like electric fan is moving, and you make the switch off. Still you will find, it is moving. But that movement will stop very soon because switch is off. Similarly, a devotee, if it is sometimes found that he is demonic, that demonic, if he is sincerely a devotee, that demonic qualities will go very soon.

kṣipraṁ bhavati dharmātmā

śaśvac-chāntiṁ nigacchati

kaunteya pratijānīhi

na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati

(B.G.9:31)

So if one is strongly a devotee, then, gradually—it may take little time—all good qualities will be manifest in his body.

(Lecture on Bhagavad-Gita---------South Africa).