Post number six on 10th September 2014 From The Nectar of Devotion By his Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. ATTRACTING KRISHNA Srila Rüpa Gosvämi has stated that devotional service attracts even Kåñëa. Kåñëa attracts everyone, but devotional service attracts Kåñëa. The symbol of devotional service in the highest degree is Rädhäräëé. Kåñëa is called Madana-mohana, which means that He is so attractive that He can defeat the attraction of thousands of Cupids. But Rädhäräëé is still more attractive, for She can even attract Kåñëa. Therefore devotees call Her Madana-mohana-mohiné—the attractor of the attractor of Cupid. To perform devotional service means to follow in the footsteps of Rädhäräëé, and devotees in Våndävana put themselves under the care of Rädhäräëé in order to achieve perfection in their devotional service. In other words, devotional service is not an activity of the material world; it is directly under the control of Rädhäräëé. In Bhagavad-gétä it is confirmed that the mahätmäs, or great souls, are under the protection of daivé prakåti, the internal energy—Rädhäräëé. So, being directly under the control of the internal potency of Kåñëa, devotional service attracts even Kåñëa Himself. This fact is corroborated by Kåñëa in the Eleventh Canto of Çrémad-Bhägavatam, Fourteenth Chapter, verse 20, where He says, “My dear Uddhava, you may know it from Me that the attraction I feel for devotional service rendered by My devotees is not to be attained even by the performance of mystic yoga, philosophical speculation, ritualistic sacrifices, the study of Vedänta, the practice of severe austerities or the giving of everything in charity. These are, of course, very nice activities, but they are not as attractive to Me as the transcendental loving service rendered by My devotees.” How Kåñëa becomes attracted by the devotional service of His devotees is described by Närada in Çrémad-Bhägavatam, Seventh Canto, Tenth Chapter, verses 48 and 49. There Närada addresses King Yudhiñöhira while the King is appreciating the glories of the character of Prahläda Mahäräja. A devotee always appreciates the activities of other devotees. Yudhiñöhira Mahäräja was appreciating the qualities of Prahläda, and that is one symptom of a pure devotee. A pure devotee never thinks himself great; he always thinks that other devotees are greater than himself. The King was thinking, “Prahläda Mahäräja is actually a devotee of the Lord, while I am nothing,” and while thinking this he was addressed by Närada as follows: “My dear King Yudhiñöhira, you [the Päëòava brothers] are the only fortunate people in this world. The Supreme Personality of Godhead has appeared on this planet and is presenting Himself to you as an ordinary human being. He is always with you in all circumstances. He is living with you and covering Himself from the eyes of others. Others cannot understand that He is the Supreme Lord, but He is still living with you as your cousin, as your friend and even as your messenger. Therefore you must know that nobody in this world is more fortunate than you.” In Bhagavad-gétä when Kåñëa appeared in His universal form Arjuna prayed, “My dear Kåñëa, I thought of You as my cousin-brother, and so I have shown disrespect to You in so many ways, calling You ‘Kåñëa’ or ‘friend.’ But You are so great that I could not understand.” So that was the position of the Päëòavas; although Kåñëa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the greatest among all greats, He remained with those royal brothers, being attracted by their devotion, by their friendship and by their love. That is the proof of how great this process of devotional service is. It can attract even the Supreme Personality of Godhead. God is great, but devotional service is greater than God because it attracts Him. People who are not in devotional service can never understand what great value there is in rendering service to the Lord.
Posted on: Wed, 10 Sep 2014 19:08:41 +0000
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