So ārto arthārthī. Arthārthī. Ārta and arthārthī, these two qualities are alleged to belong to the gṛhasthas. And jñānī or jijñāsuḥ, these qualities are supposed to be belonging to the tyāgīs. The bhogīs... The gṛhasthas are called bhogīs, and the tyāgīs are brahmacārīs and sannyāsīs. So jñānī, when he makes searching after God, there is no question of being put into distressed condition or in need of money. They are searching after God for God's sake, what is the nature of God. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. They are inquiring, inquisitive about Brahman, what is the nature of Brahman. They are called jñānī. And jijñāsuḥ, they are also within the category of the jñānīs. So the jñānīs and the jijñāsuḥ, inquisitive, they are better than the ārta and the arthārthī. Ārta means distress, and arthārthī means those who are in need of money. So even being ārta or even being distressed and in need of money, we approach Kṛṣṇa... Kṛṣṇa says mām. Not any other demigods. Catur-vidhā bhajante mām. Mām means, Kṛṣṇa says, mām means Kṛṣṇa. So four kinds of men, those who are leading pious life, sukṛtino 'rjuna... Because they have no other alternative than to approach God for mitigating their distress. Actually our inventions or so many distressed mitigating instruments... Just like medicine. Take for example. When a man is diseased, generally the counterpart is physician and good medicine. But śāstra says that actually they are not counteracting agents, because it is found that a man suffering from certain type of disease, although attended by the first-class physician and although offered first-class medicine, he dies. Why? Because there is no sanction of the Supreme Lord.
So our counteracting method, even though they are very efficient, still, unless it is sanctioned by Guru and God, they will not be effective. There are many such examples. Some years ago, perhaps you know, in America, they started one very strong and stout ship. It was known... I think it was named Titanic. So it was guaranteed that it will never be drowned; it is so well-looking. And all the important men of America started in that ship for the first time, and after few miles immediately it was drowned. So in spite of all scientific protection, in spite of all good brains behind the manufacture of this Titanic ship, it was drowned. So in this way we have to study that this ārta and arthārthī, because they are, their background is sukṛtina, pious activities, they know that without God's help we cannot mitigate any of our distressed condition or needy condition. Therefore the ārta and arthārthī whose background is pious life, they approach God: "Kṛṣṇa, please help me," although it is not pure devotion.
Pure devotion is without any desire for material benefits. Just like it is enjoined in the śāstras, samyak śubha-kriyā matiḥ pramāṇam. The chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra should not be taken as a mitigating agent for our distressed condition. No pure devotee will desire for any material benefit by worshiping Kṛṣṇa or chanting His holy name. That is also considered as one of the offenses of ten kinds of offense. Nāmno balād yasya hi pāpa-buddhiḥ. But in spite... Even they are not pure devotees... Purity of devotion, it takes time. But still, in the śāstra it is recommended that even if you have some material desires... Akāmaḥ sarva-kāmo vā mokṣa-kāma udāra-dhīḥ (SB 2.3.10). Akāma and sarva-kāma. Sarva-kāma, those who are ārtas, always in distressed condition, or mokṣa-kāma... Mokṣa-kāma means those who are desiring after liberation. They are also demanding something. Those who are mokṣa-kāmī, they are also demanding something. The siddhi-kāmīs, they are also demanding something. But the pure devotee does not demand anything. That is pure...
- anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ
- jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam
- ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānu-
- śīlanaṁ bhaktir uttamā
- (Brs. 1.1.11)
That sample of pure devotion is found in Vṛndāvana amongst the inhabitants of Vṛndāvana. And Kṛṣṇa was present. He was demonstrating His transcendental pastimes of Vṛndāvana. These gopīs and the cowherds boys, they were the best examples of becoming pure devotees.