Devotee (3): Even within spiritual life one can desire to be a great spiritualist, or one can desire to be a best devotee or best at doing this or being closest to the spiritual master, and things like that.
Prabhupāda: That is not material desire.
Devotee (3): That is not material desire?
Prabhupāda: No. Material desire means sense gratification: I shall eat more, I shall sleep more, I shall have sex life more, I shall defend more—these are material desires. I shall serve more Kṛṣṇa—that is not material. I shall try my best for serving Kṛṣṇa—these are not material desires. These are spiritual desires. Desire you cannot stop. That is not possible. So long you are, your desires are there. Desire should be purified. When I desire to gratify my senses, that is material. When I desire to satisfy Kṛṣṇa, that is spiritual. The desire is there. Not to stop desire. But desire for some personal sense gratification, that is material. And desire for satisfying Kṛṣṇa, that is spiritual. So you have to understand how you are desiring. Are you desiring for your personal gratification, or you are desiring to satisfy Kṛṣṇa? That anyone can understand. If you are in doubt, then ask your spiritual master that, "I am desiring like this. Whether it is material or spiritual?" That's all. General definition is, desiring for personal gratification is material; desiring for Kṛṣṇa's satisfaction is spiritual. Now, because we are not experienced, we may commit mistake, one for the other. Therefore, whenever there is doubt, refer the matter to your spiritual master. So Māyāvādī philosopher says that, "Don't desire." That is not possible. "Don't desire" is not possible. Desire must be there, but I have to see whether I am desiring for my personal gratification or I am desiring for Kṛṣṇa. That is to be seen. And if you are in doubt, then ask your spiritual master. Is it clear?