Page 16 - THE FOURTH DIMENSION

As stated above, the Vedic social system (varnasrama dharma), which prescribes many purifying ritual
performances, is meant for gradual purification of the mind and heart. However, the initial effect of chanting
Hare Krishna progressively accomplishes this arduous task quickly and easily if performed in the company of
sincere and rightfully situated devotee teachers. It is said:

kṛṣṇa-bhakta—niṣkāma, ataeva ‘śānta’
bhukti-mukti-siddhi-kāmī—sakali ‘aśānta’

“Because a devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa is (materially) desireless, he is peaceful. Fruitive workers desire material
enjoyment, jñānīs desire liberation, and yogīs desire material opulence; therefore, they are all lusty and cannot
be peaceful.” (CC Madhya 19.49)

The unique desire of the pure devotee is to serve Lord Krishna life after life without even asking for liberation.
Others like fruitive strivers (self-interested karma yogis) desire increased enjoyment of sensual pleasures. The
jnanis seek Vedic knowledge and renunciation by which they may merge into the eternal existence of the
Brahmajyoti impersonal effulgence emanating from the Lord. The mystic yogis through great sacrifice acquire
yoga siddhis (mystical powers), and amazing material opulence. All these nondevotees are self-interested
because they desire something for themselves. They never attain real peace.

The karmis, jnanis and yogis experience temporary fulfillment of their desires and an unending upsurge of more
desires because they achieve their personal goals without genuine attainment of love for Lord Krishna. Only the
pure devotees are niskama (without desires for personal gain). They are fully satisfied by service and love for
the Lord. Real desirelessness is the desire to satisfy or please Lord Krishna. Detachment from matter and
attachment to Krishna are one and the same. The satisfaction experienced by serving the Lord protects the
devotee from a fall down. The devotee is convinced that the Lord is the supreme enjoyer and beneficiary of all
kinds of sacrifices and austerities. The purpose of these is to attain the steady devotional service of the Lord,
who is the beneficiary of all sacrifices and austerities (1), the proprietor of everything in existence (2) and the
benefactor and well-wisher of all living entities (3). Realizing these three essential truths, the devotee becomes
desireless (niskama) and feels unadulterated peace because he offers the result of all activities to the Lord.

The psychological basis of the devotee’s uninterrupted peacefulness is the assurance Krishna gives that he will
always remain his friend and protector. The Lord gives His unflinching promise:

kaunteya pratijānīhi / na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati
“O son of Kunti (Arjuna), declare it boldly that My devotee never perishes.” (Bg 9.31)

Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada writes: “Since Kṛṣṇa gives this assurance, the devotee lives in Kṛṣṇa and has
no desire for personal benefit. The background for the devotee is the all-good Himself (Krishna). Why should the
devotee aspire for something good for himself? His only business is to please the Supreme by rendering as much
service as possible. A kṛṣṇa-bhakta has no desire for his own personal benefit. He is completely protected by the
Supreme. Avaśya rakṣibe kṛṣṇa viśvāsa pālana - Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura says that he is desireless because Kṛṣṇa
will give him protection in all circumstances. It is not that he expects any assistance from Kṛṣṇa; he simply
depends on Kṛṣṇa just as a child depends on his parents. The child does not know how to expect service from his
parents, but he is always protected nevertheless. This is called niṣkāma (desirelessness).” (CC Madhya 19.49 –
purport)

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