Liberation Within the Body – Engaging Our Body in Devotional Service to God
The attainment of spiritual perfection does not require the rejection of the physical form, but rather its complete spiritualization. Śrīla Prabhupāda teaches that when the body, mind, and words are dovetailed with the desires of Kṛṣṇa, the living entity transcends the laws of material nature. This process of engagement is the defining test of a devotee and the most intelligent use of the human form of life. By shifting our activities from sense enjoyment to the service of the Lord, we can experience the platform of bhakti and achieve liberation even while situated within the material body. This article examines the definition of a dedicated soul, the scientific basis of liberation through activity, and the practical examples of great devotees like Emperor Ambarīṣa.
Definition and Test of a Devotee
The primary characteristic of a devotee is the total dedication of their individual existence to the Supreme. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that a person who devotes their mind, body, and speech to the Lord—even if they are currently undergoing the results of past misdeeds—is a bona fide candidate for liberation. This dedication is the "test" of a devotee. Whether one is born in a high-class family or a family of dog-eaters, the act of engaging these three faculties for Kṛṣṇa places them in a superior spiritual position.
- A devotee means one who has dedicated his body, mind and words for Krsna. That is the test of devotee, whether he has engaged these three things to the service of the Lord.
- SB 10.14.8: One who engages always in Your (God's) devotional service with his mind, words and body, and who always offers obeisances to You is certainly a bona fide candidate for liberation.
- Prahlada Maharaja says he (a devotee) may be born in a family of the dog-eaters, but because he has engaged his body, mind and words for service of Krsna, then he is better, he is in superior position than the so-called brahmin.
- "A person who devotes his mind, body and speech to the service of the Lord, even though in the midst of a miserable life fraught with past misdeeds, is assured of liberation." Bhattacarya changed the word mukti (liberation) to bhakti - devotional service.
Scientific Liberation in the Material World
A person who acts in the service of Kṛṣṇa is considered liberated even before they leave their physical body. Śrīla Prabhupāda frequently cites Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī’s Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, which states that one who engages their body, mind, and words in service is a liberated soul (jīvan-mukta). This spiritualized activity transforms the very nature of one's existence. Just as we create sinful reactions through bodily work, we can be elevated by engaging the same body in cleansing the temple, decorating the śrī-vigraha (deity), or preaching the glories of the Lord.
- Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 1.2.187, "A person acting in the service of Krsna with his body, mind and words is a liberated person, even within the material world." Therefore, one is forbidden to regard the guru as an ordinary human being.
- Srila Rupa Gosvami says that if a person is always engaged in the service of the Lord with his body, words and mind, he is to be considered liberated, although living in the material world.
- As we create sinful reaction of life by our body, by our words, by our intelligence, similarly, by our body, by our intelligence, by our work we can be elevated also. Just like we have engaged our body in cleansing this temple.
- This deity is called sri-vigraha. Aradhana: worshiping the sri-vigraha. Decorating, cleansing the temple, tan-mandira-marjanadau. So we can engage our bodily activities in that way.
Practical Application: The Example of Emperor Ambarīṣa
The standard for engaging the body is perfectly illustrated by the life of Emperor Ambarīṣa. He utilized every limb and sense in the service of the Lord: his mind in thinking of Kṛṣṇa, his words in offering prayers, and his hands in cleaning the temple. Most notably, he engaged his body in touching and associating with the pure devotees of the Lord. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that such association—sitting and eating together—makes physical contact with pure souls inevitable, which in turn purifies the senses and leads to perfect success in spiritual life.
- Emperor Ambarisa adopted all the nine items (of devotion), and he attained perfect success. It was he who engaged his body in touching the bodies of the devotees, his nostrils in smelling the flowers offered to the Lord.
- Sukadeva said, "He (Ambarisa) engaged his body in associating with the pure devotees of the Lord. - When you associate with someone you have to sit down together, eat together, etc. - and in this way the touch of your body with their body is inevitable."
- Everyone's aim should be to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead by engaging his mind in thinking always of Krsna, his words in always offering prayers to the Lord or preaching about the glories of the Lord, and his body in executing the service required to satisfy the Lord.
Avoiding False Renunciation and Neglect
A common misconception in spiritual life is that the body should be neglected because it is "material." Śrīla Prabhupāda clarifies that the body of a devotee, when fully engaged in Kṛṣṇa's service, should not be viewed as material. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī warns that neglecting such a body is a form of false renunciation (phalgu-vairāgya). A Vaiṣṇava knows that while they are not the body, they must take very nice care of it so that it may be utilized as a sacred instrument. Wasting the body's time on any purpose other than devotional service is a squandering of the rare human form of life.
- Srila Rupa Gosvami instructs, prapancikataya buddhya hari-sambandhi-vastunah. The body fully engaged in Krsna's service should not be neglected as material. One who does neglect it is false in his renunciation.
- The Vaisnava who knows that he is not this body, he does not therefore neglect his body, but he takes very nice care so that he may utilize his body in the service of Krishna.
- One should not use the body for any other purpose (than advancing in devotional service). One must know that if he uses the body for any other purpose he is simply wasting time, for as soon as the time is ripe, the soul will automatically leave the body.
- The three rods, or tridanda, indicate that a Vaisnava sannyasi vows to render service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead by his body, mind and words.
Conclusion
Engaging the body in devotional service is the practical path to transcendence. Śrīla Prabhupāda’s instructions illuminate how every physical act—from the movement of our limbs in the temple to the words we speak in preaching—can be transformed into an offering of love. By dedicating our body, mind, and words to Kṛṣṇa, we move beyond the false ego of being the "doer" and become instruments of the Lord's internal energy. This active dedication ensures that our time is not wasted and that we remain eternally situated in a state of liberation, regardless of our physical location in the material universe.
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 Engaging Our Body in Devotional Service to God. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.