Live Caitanya Caritamrta · CC Antya 9.69
Serve for the Lord’s Satisfaction
“Kāśī Miśra continued, “If one engages in devotional service for Your satisfaction, this will result in his increasingly awakening his dormant love for You. But if one engages in Your devotional service for material purposes, he should be considered a number-one fool.”
What the purport teaches
- Devotional service performed for the Lord’s satisfaction increasingly awakens dormant love for Him. Service performed for material purposes is described as foolish.
- Religious dress, preaching, books, worship and collecting donations can become a show when used for personal sense gratification. Such schemes cheat people who do not understand pure devotional service.
- True devotional service leads to eternal servitude to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, a position greater than that of Brahmā and other demigods. The purport emphasizes the perpetual pleasure of this service.
Try this today
Do one small act of devotional service today solely for the Lord’s satisfaction, without seeking payment or recognition.
Ask yourself
What would change in my service if the Lord’s satisfaction were my only aim?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
The study points are short summaries drawn from Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport; the practice and question are plain words for trying the verse today.