Permanent Assets Accumulated in Devotional Service

According to the teachings of Śrīla Prabhupāda, human life is a critical junction where the living entity decides between two types of accumulation: the temporary and the eternal. In the material concept of life, influenced by the mode of passion, society is driven by an insatiable urge to accumulate wealth, property, and prestige. However, the Vedic scriptures warn that these material acquisitions are fleeting; they are stripped away at death, leaving the soul to carry only the heavy burden of accumulated reactions to their actions.

In contrast, Śrīla Prabhupāda emphasizes the accumulation of spiritual assets—sukṛti or devotional credits. This article explores the nature of these permanent assets. While material dust in the heart binds one to the cycle of birth and death, the performance of devotional service acts as a cleansing process, washing away lifetimes of contamination. Ultimately, we learn that even a small amount of service rendered to Lord Kṛṣṇa is never lost; it accumulates in a transcendental account, eventually maturing into the supreme fortune of personal association with the Lord.

Burden of Accumulated Material Contamination

Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that the conditioned soul is suffering due to a vast stockpile of material impurities gathered over countless lifetimes. This "dirt" within the heart consists of lust, anger, greed, and the false identification with the body, which blinds the living entity to their true spiritual identity.

• Abhadra means the nasty things which we have accumulated within our heart since time immemorial. The beginning is that, "I am this body," this conception. This is animal conception - I am this body.
• Due to our material association since time immemorial, we have accumulated heaps of dirty things in our minds. The total effect of this takes place when a living entity identifies himself with his body.
• We have accumulated many inauspicious things within our hearts due to our material contamination during the course of many, many births. Many, many births - not only this birth, but past births as well.
• When we begin hearing topics about Him, the dust which has accumulated on our minds due to so many years of material contamination becomes gradually cleaned. Krsna is a friend to everyone, but He is a special friend to His devotees.

Futility of Material Accumulation

The modern world is obsessed with economic development and the hoarding of resources, yet Śrīla Prabhupāda reminds us of the harsh reality that all such efforts are ultimately defeated by time. No matter how large a bank balance or how many estates one acquires, nothing material can be taken beyond death; only the reactions to the work remain.

• Even if we accumulate a million dollars, we must leave it all behind when we leave this body. We need to come to understand that in the material world whatever we are doing is being defeated by the influence of material nature.
• One may accumulate a large bank balance or an expensive home, a wife, children, and so many amenities, and he may think, "I am living very peacefully," but at any day he may be told - Please get out.
• If one has finished fifty percent of the process (of Krsna consciouness) in one life, in the next life he begins at fifty-one percent. Whatever material assets we accumulate in our life, however, are all annihilated at death, for we cannot take material opulence with us.

Cleansing the Heart: The Process of Purification

To counteract the accumulated contamination of the material world, Śrīla Prabhupāda prescribes the potent medicine of saṅkīrtana and hearing kṛṣṇa-kathā. This process is described as ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam—cleansing the mirror of the heart—which removes the layers of dust and allows the soul to perceive its relationship with God.

• Caitanya Mahaprabhu also says, ceto-darpana-marjanam: (CC Antya 20.12) the process of hearing and chanting the glories of the Supreme Lord washes away the dirty things accumulated in the core of the heart.
• This Hare Krsna chanting is the process of wiping out the dust accumulated on the mirror of my mind.
• Simply bodily cleanliness may help to some extent, but cleanliness of the mind is necessary, and it is effected by glorifying the Supreme Lord. No one can cleanse the accumulated mental dust without glorifying the Supreme Lord.
• The first installment of this bliss is the clearance of the layer of dust that has accumulated in our hearts due to millions of years of material association.

Eternal Value of Spiritual Assets

Unlike material endeavors, any service rendered to the Supreme Lord is an imperishable asset. Śrīla Prabhupāda assures us that devotional service is never vanquished; it is stored in a spiritual account that continues to grow, life after life, until one reaches full maturity in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

• Anything done on account of the Lord is a permanent asset and accumulates in the form of unseen piety for gradual promotion to the unalloyed devotional service of God.
• Transcendental service rendered unto the Personality of Godhead accumulates birth after birth, and when the devotee is fully matured, the total service counted together makes him eligible to enter into the association of the Personality of Godhead.
• Accumulation of God's service is never vanquished, but increases till fully matured.
• Something done in Krsna consciousness, knowing or not knowing, it will have its effect. These children who are bowing down, or trying to vibrate "Krsna", or clap, these things are being accumulated in bank account of Krsna consciousness.

Ultimate Perfection: Kṛta-puṇya-puñjāḥ

The culmination of accumulated spiritual activities is the direct association of the Supreme Lord. Śrīla Prabhupāda frequently cites the example of the cowherd boys of Vṛndāvana, noting that their position as Kṛṣṇa's intimate playmates is the result of heaps of pious activities—kṛta-puṇya-puñjāḥ—accumulated over many lifetimes.

• The cowherd boys, having accumulated the results of pious activities for many lives, were able to associate in this way with the Supreme Personality of Godhead (Krsna). How can one explain their great fortune - SB 10.12.7-11.
• Vyasadeva is describing the cowherds boy."Oh, these cowherds boy, they are krta-punya-punjah. They accumulated many millions of births' pious activities, and now they are allowed to play with Krsna as His friend."
• Only after accumulating many pious activities in various births does one get the opportunity to personally associate with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Since only the pure can reach Him, He is the supreme pure.

Conclusion

Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings provide a clear choice regarding what we choose to accumulate in this rare human form of life. We can continue to amass material objects and karma, which serves only to thicken the dust on the mirror of the heart and perpetuate our bondage in the material world. Alternatively, we can engage in the process of bhakti-yoga—specifically chanting the holy names—to cleanse this accumulated contamination. By doing so, we begin to accumulate permanent spiritual assets. These assets are the only true wealth, for they follow the soul eternally and ultimately purchase the highest perfection: an eternal life of bliss and knowledge in the association of Lord Kṛṣṇa.

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 Accumulate. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.

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