Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 9.4.24
Mukti· LiberationDesire Loving Service, Not Heavenly Happiness
“The citizens of the state of Mahārāja Ambarīṣa were accustomed to chanting and hearing about the glorious activities of the Personality of Godhead. Thus they never aspired to be elevated to the heavenly planets, which are extremely dear even to the demigods.”
What the purport teaches
- Ambarīṣa’s citizens were trained to chant and hear about the Lord’s glorious activities. They did not aspire for heavenly planets, though these are dear even to the demigods.
- Devotees solely engaged in the Lord’s service do not fear any condition of life. Heaven, liberation and hell are alike to them because their concern is devotional service.
- A devotee is called akāma, or desireless, because there is nothing to desire except transcendental loving service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Such a devotee is always situated in the spiritual world.
Try this today
Spend five minutes hearing or chanting about the Lord, with the intention of serving Him rather than asking for material happiness.
Ask yourself
Is my devotional practice directed toward loving service or toward gaining a more comfortable condition of life?
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.