(Click to enlarge painting of Krishna and the cowherd boys in Vrindavan)
"By chanting the mantra, Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12): gradually we become cleansed of all dirty things within our heart. Thus our mind becomes purified. And in the purified condition of the mind we can think of Kṛṣṇa rightly. In this way, Kṛṣṇa becomes practically dependent on the devotees. Kṛṣṇa is the master, controller of everything, but to the pure devotee He becomes dependent. So why the pure devotee will ask for anything else?
Adurlabham ātma-bhaktau. For a devotee, Kṛṣṇa is within the palms of a devotee. Ajita, jito 'py asau. Although Kṛṣṇa is not conquerable, but He likes to be conquered by His devotee. That is the position. Just like He willingly placed Himself to be conquered by Mother Yaśodā, to be conquered by Rādhārāṇī, to be conquered by His friends. Kṛṣṇa became defeated, and He has to take His friend on the shoulder. Practically sometimes we see that a king keeps a joker amongst his associates, and sometimes the joker insults the king, and the king enjoys.
The joker sometimes... Just like there is a famous joker, Gopal Ban, in Bengal. So one day the king asked him, 'Gopal, what is the difference between you and an ass?' So he immediately measured the distance from the king. He said, 'It is three feet only, sir. The difference is only three feet.' (laughter) So everyone began to laugh. And the king enjoyed that insult. Because sometimes it is required.
So Kṛṣṇa also... Everyone praises Him in exalted position. Everyone. That is Kṛṣṇa's position—the Supreme Lord. In Vaikuṇṭha, there is only praising. There is no such thing. But in Vṛndāvana, Kṛṣṇa is free to accept insult from His devotee. The people do not know that, what is Vṛndāvana life. So devotees are so exalted. Rādhārāṇī orders, 'Don't allow Kṛṣṇa to come here,' Kṛṣṇa cannot come in. He flatters the other gopīs: 'Please allow Me to go there.' 'No. No, no. There is no order. You cannot go.' So Kṛṣṇa likes that.
But the Māyāvādīs, they cannot understand that the Supreme Absolute Truth can be controlled by the devotee. They want to become one. But here the Vaiṣṇava, pure Vaiṣṇava, they become so exalted that there is no question of becoming one. Daivena phalati divya-kiśora-mūrtiḥ, bhaktis tvayi sthiratarā yadi bhagavān syād (Kṛṣṇa-karṇāmṛta 107).
Bilvamaṅgala Ṭhākura says. Daivena phalati divya-kiśora-mūrtiḥ muktiḥ mukulitāñjali sevate asmān. 'Mukti, oh, she's standing with folded hand, "What can I do for you, sir?" ' Dharmārtha-kāma mokṣa samaya pratīkṣāḥ. They're just like attendants, servants. Dharma-artha-kāma (SB 4.8.41, CC Ādi 1.90).
So for a devotee, the position is so exalted. They don't care for all this dharma, artha, kāma, mokṣa. They simply absorbed in thoughts of Kṛṣṇa. Always thinking, satato..., smārtavyaḥ satato viṣṇu. Kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ... Always, twenty-four hours. Even in sleeping. That is perfection. Always thinking of Kṛṣṇa."
(Srila Prabhupada Lecture, Calcutta, January 30, 1973)
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