Hare Krsna,
https://vedabase.io/en/library/sb/3/25/32/
https://prabhupadavani.org/transcriptions/741202sbbom/
This verse (SB 3.25.32) is one of the most profound verses I have encountered because it places bhakti higher than liberation. Because of my Indian background, I am familiar with the prevailing understanding of the four purusarthas in India – dharma (religion), artha (economic development), kama (sense gratification), moksha (liberation). Usually, liberation is quite sought after by all sects and faiths. Every sect has its own definition of liberation. To the impersonalists, liberation means merging into the Brahman effulgence and achieve oneness with impersonal God. Buddhists believe in nirvana concept of liberation. Christians understand ultimate salvation as liberation. Even in bhakti tradition that believes in the personal conception of the Lord, liberation means getting free from material entanglement and going back home back to Godhead.
What I find profound in Gaudiya Vaisnava theology is that liberation is considered inferior to pure devotional service. Of course, we all desire liberation from material entanglement. But Lord Kapiladeva emphasizes that engaging the mind and senses in devotional service to the Personality of Godhead, without any motive, is far better even than salvation.
“Lord Kapila said: The senses are symbolic representations of the demigods, and their natural inclination is to work under the direction of the Vedic injunctions. As the senses are representatives of the demigods, so the mind is the representative of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The mind’s natural duty is to serve. When that service spirit is engaged in devotional service to the Personality of Godhead, without any motive, that is far better even than salvation.” (SB 3.25.32)
With that goal in mind – that one should strive for pure devotional service to the Supreme Lord – we must engage our senses and mind accordingly. Lord Kapiladeva takes the Sankhya philosophy – understanding of the matter and spirit – even further by teaching us that ultimately everything has to be engaged in the service of the Lord. Why? This is because the senses and the mind have natural propensity to serve. The choice is for us to decide whether we want to engage them in our own sense gratification or for the pleasure of the Supreme Lord. Such an engagement of devotional service must be done in a spirit of animitta – without any personal and material motives. Srila Prabhupada says in his lecture on this verse that “This bhakti-yoga, one who is actually employed, engaged in pure devotional service…, animittā, without any motive, without any material purpose, that is real spiritual service.”
The gist of Srila Prabhupada lecture is animittā bhāgavatī bhaktiḥ siddher garīyasī. Pure devotional service through the engagement of the mind and senses without any material motives is better than siddhi (liberation). This animittā bhāgavatī bhaktiḥ is not something that can be manufactured by ordinary men. It is given to us through pure disciplic succession and which Lord Kapiladeva is also propagating.
If we study this verse, Srila Prabhupada’s purport, and his lecture on this verse very carefully, we will be able to understand the true meaning of 4th text of Siksastaka
na dhanaṁ na janaṁ na sundarīṁ
kavitāṁ vā jagad-īśa kāmaye
mama janmani janmanīśvare
bhavatād bhaktir ahaitukī tvayi
“O Lord of the universe, I do not desire material wealth, materialistic followers, a beautiful wife or fruitive activities described in flowery language. All I want, life after life, is unmotivated devotional service to You.” (CC Antya 20.29)
I want to thank our teachers for sharing this beautiful lecture of Srila Prabhupada. I have read and heard it multiple times and every time I find something new and profound to take away.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
Krsna Katha 