Kṛṣṇa is always with Arjuna, but you'll never find they have requested, "Kṛṣṇa, I am Your friend, and I am in so much difficulty." This is pure devotion, kevalayā bhakta. I love God. God may give me any kind of trouble—I don't mind; I will suffer patiently. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's Śikṣāṣṭaka (8), those who have read.
- āśliṣya vā pāda-ratāṁ pinaṣṭu mām
- marma-hatāṁ karotu vā
"My dear Lord, You trample me down as You like, or You embrace me as You like, or You make me broken-hearted, not being present before me, because I want to see You. I don't mind." Yathā tathā vā vidadhātu lampaṭo. Just like a debauched husband treats his wife very neglectfully. So He's using this very word: lampaṭo. Lampaṭo means debauched. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu offering this prayer, in the role of Rādhārāṇī. There were sometimes spoils between Kṛṣṇa and Rādhā, as that is possible in love affairs. So in the position of Rādhārāṇī He is requesting Kṛṣṇa, "My dear Kṛṣṇa, You can treat me in any way You like, either You love me or You trample me, You kick me, but I cannot forget You are my always unconditionally the Lord." This is pure love, not that "Kṛṣṇa, give me such and such things then I shall love You," condition. No. No condition: "I love you." That is love. So that is required. If you become situated in that pure love, without any motive, anyābhilāsita-sūnyam jñāna-karmādy-anāvrtam (CC Madhya 19.167).
Jñāna, jñāna means knowledge. If you want to know Kṛṣṇa by knowledge that, "I shall see Kṛṣṇa whether He is God or not," that is knowledge. "I want to understand Kṛṣṇa"—that also should be finished. I do not wish to know Kṛṣṇa what He is, whether He is God or whatever what He is, but I love Kṛṣṇa. That is the position of Vṛndāvana. They never try to understand what is Kṛṣṇa, but they love Kṛṣṇa. That's all. The gopīs, the cowherds boys, they did not know whether Kṛṣṇa is God or . . . never cared to know it. But their love, profound love for Kṛṣṇa.
So jñāna-karma. Karma means that if we think that, "I am doing for Kṛṣṇa so much, so I must have this here," Kṛṣṇa will give you; but that is called karma. Karma means these people, these worldly people are working hard, they are called karmīs, because they are expecting some good result for sense enjoyment. That is called karma. They are not working hard for nothing. They expect something, reward. Similarly, you should not expect something in return of your love for God. That is called jñāna-karma. Ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānu-śīlanaṁ (Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu. 1.1.11). Ānukūlyena means simply you have to satisfy Kṛṣṇa. That is the platform of the Vṛndāvana. They simply wanted to see that "Kṛṣṇa is very satisfied by my service," that's all.
- ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānu-
- śīlanaṁ bhaktir uttamā
- (Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu. 1.1.11)
This is pure devotion. So if you somehow or other become trained up to this pure devotional platform, then your problem is solved. All problem is solved. Ārādhito yadi haris tapasā tathā kim. These are being from tapasā, austerities. If you have developed your love for Kṛṣṇa there is no more necessity of austerities or this or that. Everything will automatically come. Therefore it is recommended kevala-bhakta, kecit kevalayā-bhaktyā.