Monday, September 1, 2008

They still love

To inquire about Krishna is knowledge. And pure devotion is transcendental to knowledge. Love does not depend on the greatness. If a boy loves a girl or the girl loves a boy, even in this material field, it does not depend on the greatness of the boy. Of course, here everything is on material consideration. But actual love is without any consideration, what He is or what He isn't. That is real love. That is the perfectional stage of love, without inquiring how great He is or what He is. But for the neophytes it is necessary to know about Krishna. Because we have no love, so if we understand that Krishna is so great, then gradually we can love. Therefore Caitanya-caritāmrta, it is said that siddhānta boliya citte na kara ālasa: "Try to understand about Krishna." Just like Krishna is explaining in Bhagavad-gītā that "I am this amongst the trees. I am this. I am this planet. Amongst this, I am this. I am this." So just to impress upon the neophyte devotees about the greatness...

And those who are advanced devotees, they do not want to see whether Krishna is great or small. They simply love Him. That's all. That is pure love. In Vrndāvana, at least these gopīs, they never saw Krishna's any jugglery or any greatness. But they still love, pure love.

Pure love means;

anyābhilāśitā-śūnyam jñāna-karmādy-anāvrtam
ānukūlyena krsnānu śilanam bhaktir uttamā
- Bhakti rasrmita Sindhu -

Without any cultivation of knowledge, without any activities of fruitive action, without any desire, simply to love Krishna in order to please Him—that is the highest perfectional stage of devotion. There is no consideration "Whether Krishna is God or not, whether we are getting benefit or not." "Simply we love Krishna." That is the perfectional stage. ACBSP