Devotional service must be without ulterior motives; then material conditions cannot check it

Expressions researched:
"devotional service must be without"

CC Madhya-lila

One has to render such service out of love only. Ahaitukī, apratihatā. Devotional service must be without ulterior motives; then material conditions cannot check it. Gradually one can rise to the platform of spontaneous loving service.

CC Madhya 22.109, Translation and Purport:

“Those who have not attained the platform of spontaneous attachment in devotional service render devotional service under the guidance of a bona fide spiritual master according to the regulative principles mentioned in the revealed scriptures. According to the revealed scriptures, this kind of devotional service is called vaidhī bhakti.

In the beginning, one has to hear from a bona fide spiritual master. This is favorable for advancing in devotional service. According to this process, one hears, chants, remembers and engages in Deity worship, acting under the directions of the spiritual master. These are the essential primary activities of devotional service. Devotional service must not be executed for some material purpose. One should not even have a desire to merge into the Absolute Truth. One has to render such service out of love only. Ahaitukī, apratihatā. Devotional service must be without ulterior motives; then material conditions cannot check it. Gradually one can rise to the platform of spontaneous loving service. A child is sent to school by force to receive an education, but when he gets a little taste of education at an advanced age, he automatically participates and becomes a learned scholar. One cannot force a person to become a scholar, but sometimes force is used in the beginning. A child is forced to go to school and read and write according to the instructions of his teachers. Such is the difference between vaidhī bhakti and spontaneous bhakti. Dormant love for Kṛṣṇa exists in everyone's heart, and it simply has to be awakened by the regulative process of devotional service. One has to learn to use a typewriter by following the regulative principles of the typing book. One has to place his fingers on the keys in such a way and practice, but when one becomes adept, he can type swiftly and correctly without even looking at the keys. Similarly, one has to follow the rules and regulations of devotional service as they are set down by the spiritual master; then one can come to the point of spontaneous loving service. This love is already there within the heart of everyone (nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-prema).

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

We should serve Kṛṣṇa without any cause, not that by serving Kṛṣṇa I shall improve my material position and so many causes maybe. But real service, real devotional service must be without cause. That is pure devotional service.

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- New Vrindaban, September 5, 1972:

Adhokṣaja means we cannot perceive Kṛṣṇa by direct sense perception but He is so kind, so merciful that He appears before us as we can perceive Him directly.

That yato bhaktir adhokṣaje, and that bhakti, that devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, should be ahaituki. This is first-class, this is their system. Because the enquiry was where is now dharma. So he is describing what is the nature of dharma. The nature of dharma is that bhāgavata is the topmost knowledge. He is giving directly the topmost religious system. The topmost religious system is devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead Who is not perceived by direct senses. And that devotional service should be ahaituki. No hetu. Hetu means cause. I am going to the temple with some cause. For mitigation of some difficulties, I shall pray to... That is also nice, but that is haituki, there is some hetu, or cause. We should serve Kṛṣṇa without any cause, not that by serving Kṛṣṇa I shall improve my material position and so many causes maybe. But real service, real devotional service must be without cause. That is pure devotional service.

anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ

jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam

ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānu-

śīlanaṁ bhaktir uttama

(Brs. 1.1.11)

There are different stages of bhakti. The first-class bhakti is anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ, without any material desires, ahaituki. Apratihatā and cannot be checked by any material condition. Bhakti, or devotional service is not such a thing which can be checked. "Sir, I was feeling very sick, therefore I could not chant." No, that is not bhakti. We are subjected to all these tribulations utterly, but bhakti... Just like Haridāsa Ṭhākura, he was going to die, or he's change his body, he's going to Vaikuṇṭha. Caitanya... He was chanting daily 300,000s. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu advised him, "Now you are sick-willed, you can reduce your chanting." Haridāsa Ṭhākura said, "No, sir. That I cannot do." That is Haridāsa Ṭhākura. We cannot imitate Haridāsa Ṭhākura. Even at the point of death he was chanting 300,000s of Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. Apratihatā, this is called apratihatā, without being checked by any material condition. So if you want to become a devotee, no material condition can check you. It is so nice, so easy, ahaituki apratihatā yayātmā suprasīdati. The real thing is that we want satisfaction of our self, so if we want actually satisfaction of self then we shall take to this devotional service without being checked by any material condition or for without any material reason, then you shall be happy. Thank you very much.

1976 Correspondence

It is said in Srimad-Bhagavatam, "ahaituki apratihata". Devotional service must be without any material ambition and there is no material impediment which can check advancement in devotional service.

Letter to Jitadusana -- Vrindaban 20 November, 1976:

Devotional service does not depend on material assessment. It is said in Srimad-Bhagavatam, "ahaituki apratihata". Devotional service must be without any material ambition and there is no material impediment which can check advancement in devotional service. Srila Gaura Kisora das Babaji was unable to sign his name, and yet he became the spiritual master of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Maharaja, the most erudite learned scholar of His time. We should begin our devotional service in whichever position we are. It isn't that we have to learn something extra for advancing in devotional service.

sa vai pumsam paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhoksaja

ahaituky apratihata yayatma suprasidati

(SB 1.2.6)

vasudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogah prayojitah

janyayaty asu vairagyam jnanam ca yad ahaitukam

(SB 1.2.7)

If one is materially well equipped it is welcome but devotional service does not depend on material qualifications.