Progressing Steadily Rather Than Imitating

2010-10-16 
Srimad Bhagavatam 09.04.65 - Progressing Steadily Rather Than Imitating (download mp3)
by Yudhisthira Prabhu at ISKCON Chowpatty
www.iskcondesiretree.net





 SB 9.4.65
ye daragara-putrapta-
pranan vittam imam param
hitva mam saranam yatah
katham tams tyaktum utsahe

Translation:
Since pure devotees give up their homes, wives, children, relatives, riches and even their lives simply to serve Me, without any desire for material improvement in this life or in the next, how can I give up such devotees at any time?

Purport:
The Supreme Personality of Godhead is worshiped by the words brahmanya-devaya go-brahmana-hitaya ca. Thus He is the well-wisher of the brahmanas. Durvasa Muni was certainly a very great brahmana, but because he was a nondevotee, he could not sacrifice everything in devotional service. Great mystic yogis are actually self-interested. The proof is that when Durvasa Muni created a demon to kill Maharaja Ambarisa, the King stayed fixed in his place, praying to the Supreme Personality of Godhead and depending solely and wholly on Him, whereas when Durvasa Muni was chased by the Sudarsana cakra by the supreme will of the Lord, he was so perturbed that he fled all over the world and tried to take shelter in every nook and corner of the universe. At last, in fear of his life, he approached Lord Brahma, Lord Siva and ultimately the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He was so interested in his own body that he wanted to kill the body of a Vaisnava. Therefore, he did not have very good intelligence, and how can an unintelligent person be delivered by the Supreme Personality of Godhead? The Lord certainly tries to give all protection to His devotees who have given up everything for the sake of serving Him.

Another point in this verse is that attachment to daragara-putrapta home, wife, children, friendship, society and love is not the way to achieve the favor of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. One who is attached to hearth and home for material pleasure cannot become a pure devotee. Sometimes a pure devotee may have a habit or attraction for wife, children and home but at the same time want to serve the Supreme Lord to the best of his ability. For such a devotee, the Lord makes a special arrangement to take away the objects of his false attachment and thus free him from attachment to wife, home, children, friends and so on. This is special mercy bestowed upon the devotee to bring him back home, back to Godhead.