CC Madhya 22.39 (1975)
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Below is the 1996 edition text, ready to be substituted with the 1975 one using the compile form.
TEXT 39
- āmi—vijña, ei mūrkhe ‘viṣaya’ kene diba?
- sva-caraṇāmṛta diyā ‘viṣaya’ bhulāiba
SYNONYMS
āmi—I; vijña—all-intelligent; ei mūrkhe—unto this foolish person; viṣaya—material enjoyment; kene diba—why should I give; sva-caraṇa-amṛta—the nectar of shelter at My lotus feet; diyā—giving; viṣaya—the idea of material enjoyment; bhulāiba—I shall make him forget.
TRANSLATION
“‘Since I am very intelligent, why should I give this fool material prosperity? Instead I shall induce him to take the nectar of the shelter of My lotus feet and make him forget illusory material enjoyment.’
PURPORT
Those who are interested in material enjoyment are known as bhukti-kāmī. One who is interested in merging into the effulgence of Brahman or perfecting the mystic yoga system is not a devotee at all. Devotees do not have such desires. However, if a karmī, jñānī or yogī somehow contacts a devotee and renders devotional service, Kṛṣṇa immediately awards him love of God and gives him shelter at His lotus feet, although he may have no idea how to develop love of Kṛṣṇa. If a person wants material profit from devotional service, Kṛṣṇa condemns such materialistic desires. To desire material opulence while engaging in devotional service is foolish. Although the person may be foolish, Kṛṣṇa, being all-intelligent, engages him in His devotional service in such a way that he gradually forgets material opulence. The point is that we should not try to exchange loving service for material prosperity. If we are actually surrendered to the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, our only desire should be to satisfy Kṛṣṇa. That is pure Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Surrender means not that we demand something from the Lord but that we completely depend on His mercy. If Kṛṣṇa likes, He may keep His devotee in a poverty-stricken condition, or if He likes He may keep him in an opulent position. The devotee should not be concerned in either case; he should simply be very serious about trying to satisfy the Lord by rendering Him service.