desiring happiness

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QUESTION:

 

"Anandmayobhyasat, every living entity is looking for ananda. But in the

conditoned state we mistakenly search for this ananda in serving material

objects; which are temporary and can never satisfy our hankering for ananda.

Only the ananda derived from serving Krsna can satisfy us fully. Being

influenced by illusory potency, we feel pleasure in servingmatter, which

acually is poisonous and we don't feel any pleasure in serving Krsna, the

reservoir of all pleasure. Thus we should beg to our spiritual master and to

the holy name to kindly cure our disease so tthat we again revive our

original taste in the service with love and affection.

 

But the pure love is said to be unconditional, unmotivated. In the above

mentioned proposition there is motivation behind serving Krsna and that is

the ananda derived from it. Then what is actually meant by unmotivated

devotional service? Does pure love mean, there is not the slightest thought

of one's own ananda at material or spiritual platform?

 

But then we talk of bhakti-rasa, i.e. a mellow enjoyed in relationship with

Krsna. Also Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu says - "Nayanam galadasru ...." So is

such hankering outside the scope of pure love?

 

Ultimately what should be our prayer - When will be able to derive great

pleasure in serving you so that I will be driven to serve you in great

enthusiasm? Or when will I develop a great desire to please you with no

consideration of my pleasure? The second option seems inconceivable in our

present conditioned state because we have no experience of such selfless

service. To pray Lord at this platform will be a great austerity. But if it

is desired then we should be ready to take up that austerity.

 

So, please tell what is correct understanding?"

 

REPLY:

 

It is the constitutional propensity of the jiva to seek ananda, for

anandamaya is his natural state. Actual ananda is inherent in the jiva's

unmotivated attitude of service towards Krishna. When he serves Krishna

without motivation then ananda is automatically experienced. Even though a

pure devotee is attached to serving the Lord rather than to his own

happiness, happiness is the inseparable result of such an attitude. Pure

love means there is not the slightest thought of one's own ananda; one in

such consciousness experiences the highest ananda.

 

In the conditional state the foolish jiva tries to enjoy separately from

Krishna. Because his consciousness is polluted he is induced to serve the

Lord with the promise of achieving actual happiness. Gradually he comes to

perceive that by serving Him without personal motive, he experiences a

quality of ananda previously unimaginable to him. As he becomes increasingly

purified, his desire to enjoy conversely decreases and his actual happiness

increases. That happiness is not to be rejected as is the false happiness of

sense enjoyment. That happiness may be purely enjoyed, for Krishna's

happiness is derived from performing joyful pastimes with His devotees.

Krishna likes to be happy with His devotees. He does not like them to be

unhappy. This has to be understood very carefully. Misunderstanding can lead

to the sahajiya mentality of materially gratifying one's senses in the name

of devotional service.

 

Prayers such as "Nayanam galadasru..." are not made with a motive to enjoy;

rather the devotee hankers for the stage of attachment to Krishna in which

such manifestations take place.

 

In the neophyte stage a devotee is urged to surrender to Krishna and to give

up all attachments. A pure devotee can do anything for Krishna without

consideration of personal happiness or distress. However a neophyte devotee

is warned not to imitate the stage of pure devotees.

 

> Ultimately what should be our prayer - When will be able to derive great

> pleasure in serving you so that I will be driven to serve you in great

> enthusiasm?

 

Srila Yamunacarya has recited this verse in his Stotra-ratna (43):

bhavantam evanucaran nirantarah

prasanta-nihsesa-manorathantarah

kadaham aikantika-nitya-kinkarah

praharsayisyami sanatha-jivitam

"By serving You constantly, one is freed from all material desires and is

completely pacified. When shall I engage as Your permanent eternal servant

and always feel joyful to have such a fitting master?" (quoted in SB 9.8.24

purport)

 

 

>Or when will I develop a great desire to please you with no

> consideration of my pleasure? The second option seems inconceivable in our

> present conditioned state because we have no experience of such selfless

> service.

 

We may pray to develop a desire to desire so. The two attitudes you have

mentioned are not incompatible. They only seem so due to our polluted

miscomprehension of the nature of enjoyment.