48 Beyond Birth and Death

and which arise due to the body and are always
changed when the body is changed, one can attain
to bhakti. Bhakti is realizing that one is pure spirit
and not matter at all. Our real identity is not this
body, which is simply a covering of the spirit, but
our real identity is dasa, servant of Krsna. When one
is situated in his real identity and is rendering service
to Krsna, he is a bhakta, Hrsikena hrsikesa sevenam:
when our senses are free from material designations,
we will utilize them in the service of the master of
the senses, Hrsikesga, or Krsna.

As Rupa Gosvami points out, we have to serve
Krsna favorably. Generally we want to serve God for
some material purpose or gain. Of course one who
goes to God for material gain is better than one who
never goes, but we should be free from desire for
material benefit. Our aim should be to understand
Krsna. Of course Krsna is unlimited, and it is not
possible to understand Him, but we have to accept
what we can understand. Bhagavad-gitd is specifically
presented for our understanding. Through receiving
knowledge in this way, we should know that Krsna
is pleased, and we should serve Him favorably accord-
ing to His pleasure. Krsna consciousness is a great
science with immense literatures, and we should
utilize them for the attainment of bhakti,

Purusah sa parah: In the spiritual sky, the Supreme
Lord is present as the Supreme Person. There are
innumerable self-luminous planets there, and in each
one an expansion of Krsna resides. They are four-
armed, and have innumerable names. They are all
persons—they are not impersonal. These purusahs or
