- evaṁ pralobhyamāno 'pi
- varair loka-pralobhanaiḥ
- ekāntitvād bhagavati
- naicchat tān asurottamaḥ
- (SB 7.9.55)
So this is conclusion of Nārada Muni, that this boy, although born in asura family . . . Asura means those who are too much materially . . . Not too much; only materially interested—they are called asuras. Different types of material enjoyment. Karma, jñāna, yoga, they are all material enjoyment. Karma, karmīs, generally we see everywhere. They are working so very hard, making plans how to improve material enjoyment. So they are called karmīs. And jñānīs, their demand is also very great: to become one with the Supreme, to become God. These are material desires. And then yoga, to display, demonstrate magic: "I can prepare gold. I can travel in the sky. I can walk on the water. I can eat broken glasses." Yes. People will gather. "I can remain without any breathing underneath the ground." These things are demonstrated. So people like it, something wonderful. And he says, "I am Bhagavān," and the rascals accept. So these things are loka-pralobhanaiḥ. Loka-pralo . . . These things can mislead the people in general, but they are not very much attractive to the devotees. Devotees they are not attracted.
In the history of the devotees there was one devotee of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Īśāna. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu wanted to give him some benediction. He was very poor man. Even his roof, thatched roof, that was not properly . . . There were so many holes. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, "My dear Īśāna, if you like, you can take some benediction."
"No, why I shall take benediction?"
"No, you have no roof even on your thatched house."
He said, "Why? There are many birds; they are living on the tree. There is no roof at all. I have got roof with some holes, that's all. And they have no roof at all, so how they are living? For this purpose I shall ask You benediction? No, no, no."
In this way he refused. So that is pure devotion, that "I shall not take any benediction from the Lord, but I shall give everything to God." This is. There is competition. The Lord wants to give the devotee all opulences, and the devotee refuses to accept it. He wants to give his life and soul to the Lord. This is perfection. The gopīs, the gopīs, the ideal, the topmost devotees, they gave their everything to Kṛṣṇa, but they did not ask anything from Kṛṣṇa. Their honor, their body, their life—everything, sacrificed everything. Therefore Kṛṣṇa said to the gopīs that "I have no power to repay your debt. You be satisfied with your own activity. I cannot give you anything."
So this is the ideal devotion. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu recommended, ramya kaścid upāsanā vraja-vadhu-varga-vīrya kalpita: "There is no more better, sublime upāsana, worship, than it was conceived by the gopīs." They did not want anything. They simply wanted to see Kṛṣṇa, how He is satisfied. Kṛṣṇa is away from home in the forest, and they are thinking, "In the forest there are so many crags, so many stone chipped, and Kṛṣṇa's feet is so soft. How He is walking in the forest?" In this way they are crying. This is gopī, always Kṛṣṇa conscious, and how Kṛṣṇa is happy or not, that is their business.