Cutting Off Ties of Affection
179
pray for supplies of material things so that they can maintain their status quo. This is called material attachment. Although in one sense, of course, it is good that people go to God to secure their material position, that is not actually desirable. Rather than worship God to increase one's opulence in the material world, one should become free from material attachment. For  bhakti-yoga , therefore, we should be detached.
Our suffering is due to our attachment. Because we are materially attached, we desire so many material things, and therefore Kṛṣṇa gives us the opportunity to enjoy whatever material facilities we want. Of course, one must deserve these facilities. First deserve, then desire. Suppose I want to become king. I must have pious activities behind me so that I can become king.
Kṛṣṇa can give us whatever we want, even  mukti , liberation, but  bhakti  is a special consideration because when He gives someone  bhakti  He becomes purchased by the  bhakta  and becomes a tool in the hands of the  bhakta , even though He is the supreme powerful. Rādhārāṇī, the symbol of the topmost  bhakti , is so powerful that She has purchased Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Vaiṣṇavas take shelter of the lotus feet of Rādhārāṇī, for if She recommends, "Oh, here is a nice devotee," Kṛṣṇa must accept him.
To become a devotee of the Lord, one must be completely cleansed of all material attachment. This qualification is called  vairāgya . Upon becoming a student of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya wrote one hundred verses praising Him. Two of those verses are mentioned in the  Caitanya-caritāmṛta , and one of them is this statement:
vairāgya-vidyā-nija-bhakti-yoga- 
    śikṣārtham ekaḥ puruṣaḥ purāṇaḥ 
    śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya-śarīra-dhārī 
    kṛpāmbudhir yas tam ahaṁ prapadye
"Let me take shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, who has descended in the form of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu to teach us real knowledge, His devotional service, and detachment from whatever does not foster Kṛṣṇa consciousness. He has descended because He is an ocean of transcendental mercy. Let me surrender unto His lotus feet." (Cc.  Madhya  6.254) Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya thus offered his prayer to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who had now assumed the form of Caitanya Mahāprabhu just to teach people how to develop knowledge, become detached, and become pure devotees of Kṛṣṇa.