Text 23] The Transcendental Qualities of Vrtrasura 207
Vrtrasura were certainly devotees of the Lord, although Indra took in-
structions from Visnu to kill Vrtrasura. The Lord was actually more
favorable to Vrtrasura because after being killed by Indra’s thunderbolt,
Vrtrasura would go back to Godhead, whereas the victorious Indra would
rot in this material world. Because both of them were devotees, the Lord
awarded them the respective benedictions they wanted. Vrtrasura never
wanted material possessions, for he knew very well the nature of such
possessions. To accumulate material possessions, one must labor very
hard, and when he gets them he creates many enemies because this ma-
terial world is always full of rivalry. If one becomes rich, his friends or
relatives are envious. For ekdnta-bhaktas, unalloyed devotees, Krsna
therefore never provides material possessions. A devotee sometimes
needs some material possessions for preaching, but the possessions of a
preacher are not like those of a karmi. A karmi’s possessions are achieved
as a result of karma, but those of a devotee are arranged by the Supreme
Personality of Godhead just to facilitate his devotional activities. Because
a devotee never uses material possessions for any purpose other than the
service of the Lord, the possessions of a devotee are not to be compared to
those of a karmi.
TEXT 23
aafiarratrararead-
qa = ge we
aqnsgya == aNacqarat
A ZarisPeaaiasea: 112311
trai-vargikdydasa-vighatam asmat-
patir vidhatte purusasya sakra
tato ‘numeyo bhagavat-prasado
yo durlabho *kificana-gocaro ‘nyaih
trai-vargika—for the three objectives, namely religiosity, economic

development, and satisfaction of the senses; dydsa—of endeavor:
vighatam—the ruin; asmat—our; patih—Lord: vidhatte—performs:
purusasya—of a devotee; sakra—O Indra; tatah—whereby:
anumeyah—to be inferred; bhagavat-prasadah—the special mercy of
