Purification of Lusty Desires

The material world is characterized by the living entity's struggle to fulfill various desires for sense gratification, power, and prestige. These "lusty desires" often bind the soul to the cycle of birth and death. However, the science of bhakti-yoga reveals that if one directs their worship toward the Supreme Personality of Godhead, even with material motives, they can achieve complete purification and eventual satisfaction.

Material Motivation in Devotion

In the beginning stages of spiritual life, a person may approach God not out of pure love, but to fulfill personal ambitions. The history of Dhruva Mahārāja serves as a classic example of a devotee who initially sought the Lord's shelter to satisfy a desire for a kingdom greater than that of his forefathers and to exact revenge for an insult.

• Dhruva Maharaja did not desire in the beginning to engage in the service of the Lord, but he wanted an exalted position better than his great-grandfather's. This is more or less not service to the Lord but service to the senses.
• Dhruva Maharaja was strongly determined to fulfill his desire, and it was for that purpose that he had left his home and palace.
• Dhruva Maharaja gave this example to Narada Muni. He said that his heart, having been pierced by the arrows of his stepmother's harsh words, felt so broken that nothing seemed valuable but his desire to counteract her insult.
• At heart Dhruva Maharaja wanted a kingdom that would be far better than Brahmaloka. This was a natural desire for a ksatriya.

Process of Purification

Even though a devotee may harbor material desires, the act of worshiping the Supreme Lord is inherently purifying. Unlike the worship of demigods, which may yield immediate material results but offers no spiritual benefit, approaching Kṛṣṇa or Viṣṇu ensures that one is gradually cleansed of contamination.

• If one goes to Krsna even for material advantages, the day will come when he forgets material desires, just like Dhruva Maharaja.
• Dhruva Maharaja felt fully assured that Narada Muni could fulfill his desire, even though the desire was very extraordinary.
• Narada Muni therefore advised Dhruva Maharaja to take shelter of Vasudeva, Lord Krsna, and engage himself in the way that his mother had advised, for that would help him fulfill his desire.
• Dhruva Maharaja, being cognizant of his desire for material benefit, wanted protection from the Lord so that he might not be misled or deviated from the path of devotional service by material desires.

Broken Glass vs. Valuable Gems

The ultimate result of approaching the Lord is the cessation of material hankering. When a devotee finally realizes the presence of the Supreme Lord, they understand the futility of their previous desires. They see that they were searching for insignificant fragments of broken glass, while in reality, they have found the most valuable gem: the Lord Himself.

• Even great demigods and sages have difficulty in seeing You (Krsna). Now I (Dhruva Maharaja) am pleased, & all my desires are satisfied. I do not want anything else. I was searching for some broken glass, but instead I have found a great & valuable gem.
• After achieving perfection by self-realization and seeing the Supreme Personality of Godhead face to face, Dhruva Maharaja was completely freed from all contamination of material desire.
• Dhruva Maharaja went to worship God to gain something, but when he actually came in contact with God he did not want anything from the Lord. The Lord, however, awarded Dhruva Maharaja both benefits - that is, the Lord fulfilled his desires.
• Dhruva Maharaja was in this category (a paramahamsa), and due to his determination he achieved, the result he desired, but still when he returned home he was not very pleased.

Conclusion

The teachings of Śrīla Prabhupāda regarding lusty desires emphasize that one need not wait to be perfectly desireless before approaching God. The example of Dhruva Mahārāja proves that the Supreme Lord is the ultimate purifier. By engaging in devotional service, even with a heart full of material ambition, one is eventually elevated to the platform of pure devotion, where the only remaining desire is to serve the Lord eternally.

Dive Deeper into Śrīla Prabhupāda's Vani

Śrīla Prabhupāda lives within his instructions. This article is a summary of the profound truths found in the Vaniquotes category Lusty Desires. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.