There are impure and pure everything; similarly this devotional service is pure and impure also. What is pure and impure? What is pure? That definition you will find in our Nectar of Devotion. That definition is anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ (Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.1.11):
without any motive. Just like we sometimes go to God . . . naturally, generally you go to temple or church with a motive: "God, give us our daily bread." Or the Hindus or the Muslims they also go, "My dear Lord, I am in distress. Please give me relief." That is natural; there is a motive. But that, when one approaches God with a motive, that is not kevala; that is impure, when there is motive. Motiveless. One should approach God simply out of love; that is kevala bhakta, kevalayā bhaktyā.
Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ: no desire. I'm going to God not with a desire. Why you should desire? Why you should go to God? Suppose you are in distress, so why should you express, " My dear Lord, I am in distressed condition"? God does not know that you are in distressed condition? He is already within your heart:
- īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ
- hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati
- (BG 18.61)
He knows better than you. So why, what is the use of expressing yourself, making business: "Please, Sir, I am distress. I have come to offer You some flower and fruit—please get me release, from?" God also does that, but what is the use of?
So when one is in perfect knowledge of God, he does not ask anything. If he is put into difficulty, he says, tat te 'nukampāṁ su-samīkṣamāṇo (SB 10.14.8).
He takes that difficult position as mercy of God. That is kevala bhakta, pure devotion. A pure devotee . . . sometimes devotees are also put into the difficulties, because this is . . . this platform is the platform of difficulties. So there is no, I mean to say, hesitation to say that, "No, a devotee will not be in difficulty." No. Just like Arjuna, a personal friend of Kṛṣṇa, but he was in difficulty—there was a fight between him and his brothers. So this world is full of difficulties, as I have already explained. But the devotee, when he's in difficulty, he does not express it. Just like see Arjuna: Arjuna never requested Kṛṣṇa that "My dear Kṛṣṇa, You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and we are in so much difficulties. You cannot give us relief?" No, you will never find. You will never find. He is . . . 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.