Devoid of Material Desires

Tirisilex · June 1, 2007

What does being devoid of material desires actualy mean??

theist · June 1, 2007

What does being devoid of material desires actualy mean??

A material desire is any desire for for pleasure apart from Krsna's pleasure. We can easily see how wanting mansions Rolls Royce money and woman are material desires but such desires are also more subtle. Even the desire to stop suffering is a material desire. Of course from our level it is helpful to want to end suffering in this world of birth death old age and disease. Krsna even says in thee Gita that real knowledge is to perceive the evil of those four suffering conditions so we cultivate that perception.

Eventually though the devotee advances to the point where Krsna awards the devotee liberation and freedom from the desire to be free from suffering. From this liberated platform real spiritual bhakti takes place.

As beginners we cannot immediately be free from material desires artifically so we try to avoid those desires that bring us down and degrade the mind and consciousness and practice those habits and fulfill those desires that elevate the mind. IOW all that brings us more in line with Krsna's desires for how we should live we accept as we can.

Different paths all aagree on the necessity for becoming free of material desires. The Buddhists and other impersonalists struggle hard to be free of material desires but they do not have the realization that spiritual desires exist in relation to Krsna and that therein is where true bliss in life exists. The devotees are the only ones who are trying to replace material desires with the spiritual desire to please Krsna which is the positive appraoch to desires.

Desires are natural and come from the soul. A dead rock desires nothing. Only living beings have the life symptom of desire. So now it is only a question of us learning to desire properly. Instead of our desires to exploit matter and others we need to learn to love and serve Krsna and others.

Hare Krsna

gHari · June 1, 2007

PrabhupAda: Oh, for KRSNa he can have anything. That is a different thing. Not for himself. For himself, he should be satisfied whatever KRSNa offers. That's all. But for KRSNa he'll try to... Just like the example is Hanuman. Hanuman, he fought with RAvaNa. Why? Not for his personal sake. He did not fight with RAvaNa to take the kingdom of RAvaNa, become king there. No. He fought for RAma. So the KRSNa consciousness person's endeavor should be to give everything to RAma. Not... But for himself he's completely dependent on KRSNa whatever position he may keep. It doesn't matter. He has no such perception, "Whether I'm..." He's always happy. KRSNa's service is so nice that he has no other idea what is happiness except KRSNa's service. So why shall he desire this or that?

Naturally, he has no desire because he's already fulfilled his desire being in KRSNa consciousness. But those who are thinking that "Becoming KRSNa conscious I shall become very rich, I shall become one of the richest men," that is his foolishness. That means he's not in KRSNa consciousness. He still requires to be more advanced. But actually one who is KRSNa conscious, that very consciousness is so happy that he doesn't want anything more. That very consciousness is happiness. Ahaituky apratihatA. There is no other cause.

A real KRSNa conscious person does not become KRSNa conscious for any other purpose. That KRSNa consciousness is his purpose. That is the end. That is the means. It is not a means to achieve some thing else. Bhakti is such thing. Therefore bhakti is transcendental. It is not material, that... In the material world, in exchange of something you get something else, but in the spiritual world the endeavor and the achievement the same thing. So actually, a person who is in KRSNa consciousness, he has no such desire.

AnyAbhilASitA-zUnyam [brs. 1.1.11]. The exact definition you'll find in the Bhakti-rasAmRta-sindhu: anyAbhilASitA-zUnyam. SUnyam means completely devoid of any other desires. AnyAbhilASitA-zUnyaM jJAna-karmAdy-anAvRtam [Cc. Madhya 19.167]. And uncovered by the activities of knowledge or fruitive action. AnukUlyena kRSNAnuzIlanam. Simply acting in favor of KRSNa: "KRSNa wants this, I shall do it.KRSNa wants this fight"--Arjuna did it. Not for himself. We shall keep always in mind that Arjuna was engaged into fight not for his personal self. For his personal self he denied: "Oh, what shall I do with this kingdom by fighting with my brothers and grandfather? No. KRSNa, excuse me. I cannot fight." But when he understood that the fight is to be done for KRSNa, he took all the responsibility. Similarly, a KRSNa conscious person will not aspire anything for his sense gratification, but he will aspire for all the world for KRSNa's service. Is that clear? Yes. Yes?