Breaking Attachments

[Guest guest]

The relationships one has with his wife, children, kinsmen, and friends are

temporary, just like the experiences of a dream. While dreaming, one comes

in contact with various objects and people, but when he wakes up, all of

these vanish. As long as one maintains attachment for such perishable

objects, one cannot become steady on the transcendental platform of

devotional service, and thus cannot relish the actual flavor of eternal

happiness. One who remains attached to the bodily concept of family and

friends cannot possibly give up the false egoism of “I” and “mine.”

Unless a householder worships child Krsna, his attachment for his children

will remain strong. As long as the Lord’s pastimes in madhurya rasa do not

become the subject of one’s meditation, one will continue to think of his

wife as the reservoir of all pleasure. Unless one becomes a pure devotee of

the Lord, accepting Lord Krsna as one’s only friend, just like Sridama, one

will not be able to give up the hankering for temporary and superficial

material relationships. Until one’s propensity for rendering devotional

service to Lord Krsna is awakened, one will continue to foolishly demand

service from others. An intelligent person realizes there is no actual

pleasure or satisfaction for the soul on either this planet or any other

material planet. Therefore, like a weary traveler exhausted from his

journey, he should go back home, back to Godhead, for eternal peace as the

faithful servant of Lord Sri Krsna.

(Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, purport to Uddhava-gita)