42
The Nectar of Devotion
dear Lord, O Supreme Personality of Godhead, I do not want any resultant benediction from my religious life, nor do I want any economic development, nor do I want to enjoy sense gratification, nor liberation. I simply pray to be an eternal servant at Your lotus feet. Kindly oblige me and give me this benediction.”
In the same  Hayaśīrṣa Purāṇa , after Nṛsimhadeva wanted to give benediction to Prahlāda Mahārāj, Prahlāda did not accept any material benediction and simply asked the favor of the Lord to remain His eternal devotee. In this connection, Prahlāda Mahārāj cited the example of Hanumān, the eternal servitor of Lord Rāmacandra, who also set an example by never asking any material favor from the Lord. He always remained engaged in His service. That is the ideal character of Hanumān, for which he is still worshiped by all devotees. Prahlāda Mahārāj also offered his respectful obeisances unto Hanumān. There is a well-known verse spoken by Hanumān in which he says, “My dear Lord, if You like You can give me salvation from this material existence, or the privilege of merging into Your existence, but I do not wish any of these things. I do not want anything which diminishes my relationship with You as master and servant, even after liberation.”
In a similar passage in  Nārada-pañcarātra  it is stated, “My dear Lord, I do not wish any perfectional stage by performing the ritualistic religious ceremonies or by economic development or by sense gratification or liberation. I simply pray that You grant me the favor of keeping me under Your lotus feet. I do not wish any kind of liberation such as  sālokya , to reside on Your planet, or  sārūpya , to have the same bodily features as You. I simply pray for Your favor that I may be always engaged in Your loving service.”
Similarly, in the Sixth Canto, 14th Chapter, 4th verse of  Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam , Mahārāj Parīkṣit inquires from Śukadeva Gosvāmī, “My dear  brāhmaṇa , I understand that the demon Vṛtrāsura was a great sinful person and that his mentality was completely absorbed in the modes of passion and ignorance. How did he develop to such a perfectional stage of devotional service to Nārāyaṇa? I have heard that even great persons who have undergone severe austerities and who are liberated with full knowledge must strive to become