38 The Nectar of Devotion

Brahma down to the insignificant ant, no living entities are meant for
enjoying the material opulences. They are simply meant for offering
everything to the supreme proprietor, the Personality of Godhead.
By doing so, they automatically enjoy the benefit. The example can
be cited again of the different parts of the body collecting foodstuffs
and cooking them so that ultimately a meal may be offered to the
stomach. After it has gone to the stomach, all the parts of the body
equally enjoy the benefit of the meal. So, similarly, everyone’s duty
is to satisfy the Supreme Lord, and then automatically everyone will
become satisfied.

A similar verse is found in the Eighth Canto, 3rd Chapter, of
Srimad-Bhagavatam, verse 20. Gajendra says there, “My dear Lord, I
have no experience in the transcendental bliss derived from Your de-
votional service, so therefore I have asked from You some favor. But
I know that persons who are pure devotees and have, by serving the
lotus feet of great souls, become freed from all material desires, are
always merged in the ocean of transcendental bliss and, as such, are
always satisfied simply by glorifying Your auspicious characteristics.
For them there is nothing else to aspire to or pray for.”

In the Ninth Canto of the Bhagavatam, 4th Chapter, 49th verse,
the lord of Vaikuntha replies to Durvasa Muni thusly: ‘“My pure devo-
tees are always satisfied being engaged in devotional service, and
therefore they do not aspire even after the five liberated stages,
which are 1) to be one with Me, 2) to achieve residence on My plan-
et, 3) to have My opulences, 4) to possess bodily features similar to
Mine and 5) to gain personal association with Me. So, when they are
not interested even in these liberated positions, you can know how
little they care for material opulences or material liberation.”

There is a similar prayer by the nagapatni (wives of the K4liya ser-
pent), inthe Tenth Canto of Srimad-Bhazavatam, 16th Chapter, verse
33. The nagapatni say there, ‘“My dear Lord, the dust of Your lotus
feet is very wonderful. Any person who is fortunate enough to achieve
this dust does not care for heavenly planets, lordship over all the plan-
etary systems, the mystic perfections of yoga or even liberation from
material existence. In other words, anyone who adores the dust of
Your lotus feet does not care a fig for all other perfectional stages.”
