Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 3.32.40
Mukti· LiberationApproach Devotion Without Ulterior Motives
“It is not to be instructed to persons who are too greedy and too attached to family life, nor to persons who are nondevotees and who are envious of the devotees and of the Personality of Godhead.”
What the purport teaches
- Excessive greed, attachment to family life and envy of the Lord or His devotees prevent understanding of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Those who plan harm to others cannot enter transcendental loving service.
- Artificial submission to a spiritual master and the pursuit of name, fame or material gain do not lead to understanding devotional service. Religious practice should not be merely a social decoration.
- Kṛṣṇa consciousness is not a sectarian religious faith but a teaching process for understanding the Supreme Lord and our relationship with Him. One must approach without prejudice and with interest in His service.
Try this today
Before a devotional activity today, check your motive and consciously set aside the wish for praise or material gain.
Ask yourself
Am I approaching devotional service to serve the Lord, or to gain recognition or some other advantage?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
The study points, practice and question are short summaries drawn from Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport. Read the full purport to go deeper.