Prabhupada, New York, November 29, 1966: […] That is bhakti: taiche bhakti-phale krsne prema upajaya. If you execute the devotional service, then you develop that love. And as soon as krishna-prema asvada haile, bhava nasa paya..
And as soon as you develop, the more the proportionate way of, you develop love of Krishna, love of God, proportionately, you are free from this material contamination. When you are perfectly in Krishna love, you are perfectly free from material contamination. This is the way of liberation.
daridrya-nasa, bhava-ksaya,—premera ‘phala’ naya prema-sukha-bhoga—mukhya prayojana haya
So one should not think that “Now I am materially happy. My all distress, my all poverty, has gone by Krishna, by devotional service of Krishna,” or “I have become liberated.” No. These are by-products. To become liberated and to become materially happy by prosecution of Krishna consciousness is a by-product.
You have to attempt further thing. And what is that? Prema-sukha-bhoga: you shall be absorbed in love of Krishna. That is the… That is here recorded that that should be your ultimate goal of life. So we should not stop: “Oh, now I am very happy. Now I have no material miseries,” or “I am liberated. Now this material contamination does not affect me.” No. When you will be so much absorbed in love of God, just like Lord Caitanya showed… Caksusa pravrsayitam sunyayitam jagat sarvam govinda-virahena me, govinda-virahena me: “Oh, I am crying.
Just My tears coming, just torrents of rain from My eyes.” Sunyayitam jagat sarvam: “I am seeing everything vacant.” Why? Govinda-virahena me: “In separation of Govinda.” That is highest stage of life. Govinda-virahena me. Just like in this material world, if you love somebody and if he is dead and passed and gone, you see everything vacant.
That is a test of that govinda viraha. But we are foolish. We know that everything will be finished here. Why should I give so much attachment to this nonsense? Give your attachment to Krishna. He will never be finished. So that is love of Krishna. We have to attain that stage. Yes. That is the perfection of life.
Thank you. (end)
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila 20.137-142
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
New York, November 29, 1966
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