142
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
[Canto 6, Ch. 9]
the original cause of all causes. A pure devotee is aware that since nothing is unknown to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He need not be informed of a devotee's conveniences and inconveniences. A pure devotee knows that there is no need to ask the Absolute Truth for any material necessities. Therefore, while informing the Supreme Lord about their distress in being attacked by Vṛtrāsura, the demigods apologized for offering prayers for their safety. A neophyte devotee, of course, approaches the Supreme Lord for relief from distress or poverty, or for speculative knowledge of the Lord.  Bhagavad-gītā  (7.16) mentions four kinds of pious men who begin devotional service to the Lord—one who is distressed ( ārta ), one in need of money ( arthārthī ), one who is inquisitive ( jījñāsu ) and one who is searching for the Absolute Truth ( jñānī ). A pure devotee, however, knows that since the Lord is omnipresent and omniscient, there is no need to offer prayers or worship Him for one's personal benefit. A pure devotee always engages in the service of the Lord without demanding anything. The Lord is present everywhere and knows the necessities of His devotees; consequently there is no need to disturb Him by asking Him for material benefits.
TEXT 43
अत एव स्वयं तदुपकल्पयास्माकं भगवतः परमगुरोस्तव चरणशतपलाशच्छायां विविधवृजिनसंसारपरिश्रमोपशमनोमुपसृतानां वयं यत्कामेनोपसादिताः ॥४३॥
ata eva svayam tad upakalpayāsmākam bhagavataḥ parama-guros tava caraṇa-śata-palāśac-chāyām vividha-vṛjina-saṁsāra- pariśramopaśamanīm upasṛtānām vayam yat-kāmenopasāditāḥ.
ata eva —therefore;  svayam —Yourself;  tat —that;  upakalpaya — please arrange;  asmākam —of us;  bhagavataḥ —of the Supreme Per- sonality of Godhead;  parama-guroḥ —the supreme spiritual master;  tava —of You;  caraṇa —of the feet;  śata-palāśat —like lotus flowers with hundreds of petals;  chāyām —the shade;  vividha —various;  vṛjina — with dangerous positions;  saṁsāra —of this conditioned life;  pariśrama —the pain;  upaśamanīm —relieving;  upasṛtānām —the devo- tees who have taken shelter at Your lotus feet;  vayam —we;  yat —for