Selfless Service - The Wants of a Devotee of God
The nature of a pure devotee is distinguished by his complete lack of personal desire. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that while the entire material world is driven by the struggle for sense gratification, the devotee of Kṛṣṇa wants nothing for himself. His only "want" is to satisfy the senses of the Lord. This selfless attitude is the definition of pure devotional service (anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam). Even when offered liberation or material opulence by the Supreme Lord, the pure devotee declines, preferring instead the opportunity to serve, life after life.
Beyond Liberation and Opulence
A common misconception is that devotees worship God to gain material benefits or liberation from suffering. However, Śrīla Prabhupāda clarifies that a pure devotee rejects even the five kinds of liberation (mokṣa). The devotee is satisfied in any condition—whether in heaven or hell—as long as he can remember Kṛṣṇa. This level of satisfaction is unique to the Vaiṣṇava, who has no desire for personal aggrandizement.
- A devotee does not want mystic powers or liberation or material prosperity. He is satisfied in any condition of life, as long as he is constantly engaged in the service of the Lord.
- A devotee does not want even salvation. Why Lord Caitanya says: "birth after birth"? The salvationists, they want to stop; the voidists, they want to stop this material way of life.
- Vaisnavas never want to merge into the existence of the Supreme; rather, they want to be everlastingly servants of the Lord to render loving service unto Him.
- Suppose in next life I become some demigod like Lord Brahma or the Moon or the Sun. They are all demigods. Or Vayu, Varuna. The Vaisnava says, - No, we don't want this.
The Example of Dhruva and Prahlāda
The scriptures provide powerful examples of this desirelessness. Dhruva Mahārāja initially approached the Lord with a desire for a kingdom greater than his father's. However, upon seeing Lord Viṣṇu, all his material desires vanished, and he famously declared, svāmin kṛtārtho 'smi varaṁ na yāce: "I do not want any benediction." Similarly, Prahlāda Mahārāja refused to enter the spiritual world alone, preferring to stay back to deliver the fallen souls.
- 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.
- When Lord appeared before Dhruva Maharaja to give him benediction he refused it by saying, svamin krtartho'smi varam na yace - Now I am fully satisfied. I do not want any material benediction. (Hari-bhakti-sudhodaya 7.28) This is the perfection of life.
- He (Prahlada) refused to go into the kingdom of God without taking all the fallen souls with him. This is a Vaisnava. Nanyam tvad asya saranam bhramato 'nupasye: "I simply want to teach them how to surrender unto You (God). That's all. That is my goal.
Satisfying Kṛṣṇa's Senses
The core of a devotee's "want" is the pleasure of Kṛṣṇa. Unlike the karmīs who work for their own sense gratification, the bhakta works solely for Kṛṣṇa's satisfaction. Arjuna provides the classic example: he did not want to fight because it would cause him personal pain to kill his kinsmen, but he fought anyway because it was Kṛṣṇa's desire. This alignment of one's own will with the will of the Lord is the perfection of yoga.
- Arjuna did not want to fight for his own sense satisfaction, but when he became fully Krsna conscious he fought because Krsna wanted him to fight.
- He simply wants success in the progress of devotional service. For a devotee, there cannot be worship of others or demigod worship. A pure devotee does not engage himself in such pseudo devotional service. He is interested only in satisfying Krsna.
- The pure devotee only wants to please the Supreme Lord, and so the Lord says that for anyone who is unflinchingly devoted to Him, He is easy to attain.
Compassion for All
Finally, the want of a devotee extends to all living beings. Because he sees everyone as part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, he desires their happiness. A true Vaiṣṇava is para-duḥkha-duḥkhī—he is unhappy to see others suffering in material existence. His only ambition is to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness so that everyone can become happy.
- This is the test. Sarve sukhino bhavantu. A devotee wants to see that everyone is happy. It doesn't matter whether he is a Hindu or a Muslim or a Christian. It doesn't matter. We want to see that everyone is happy.
- A learned person sees everyone equally on a spiritual basis, and a learned person, a devotee, wants to see everyone developed in Krsna consciousness.
- He (a Vaisnava) knows that "Everywhere I will be protected by Krsna," so he has no problem. Therefore real Vaisnava, he wants to deliver all these fallen souls from this miserable condition of life.
Conclusion
The wants of a devotee of God are paradoxical to the material mind. By wanting nothing for himself, the devotee gains everything. By seeking only to serve Kṛṣṇa and His parts and parcels, he attains a state of complete satisfaction (yenātmā samprasīdati) that no amount of material accumulation can provide. To be a devotee means to exchange the poverty of selfish desire for the wealth of selfless service.
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 Wants of a Devotee of God. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.