Merciful Krishna (How He changes Sakama Bhakta into Akama Bhakta)

In the purport to Srimad Bhagavatam 5.19.27, Srila Prabhupada writes "One who engages in the service of the Lord with some motive is called a sakama-bhakta, and one who serves the Lord without any motives is called an akama-bhakta. Krishna is so merciful that He turns a sakama-bhakta into an akama-bhakta. A pure devotee, an akama-bhakta, who has no material motives, is satisfied simply to serve the lotus feet of the Lord. This is confirmed in BHAGAVAD-GITA (6.22). Yam labdhva caparam labham manyate nadhikam tatah: if one engages in the service of the lotus feet of the Lord, he does not want anything more. This is the highest stage of devotional service. The Lord is so kind even to a sakama-bhakta, a motivated devotee, that He satisfies his desires in such a way that one day he becomes an akama-bhakta, a devotee without any desires except serving Krishna."

Madhya 22.33
TRANSLATION
"One is immediately freed from the clutches of Maya if he seriously and sincerely says, `My dear Lord Krishna, although I have forgotten You for so many long years in the material world, today I am surrendering unto You. I am Your sincere and serious servant. Please engage me in Your service.'

b) Madhya 22.34
TRANSLATION
"`It is My vow that if one only once seriously surrenders unto Me, saying "My dear Lord, from this day I am Yours," and prays to Me for courage, I shall immediately award courage to that person, and he will always remain safe from that time on.'

PURPORT
This verse from the Ramayana (Yuddha-kanda 18.33) was spoken by Lord Ramacandra.

c) Madhya 22.35
TRANSLATION
"Due to bad association, the living entity desires material happiness, liberation or merging into the impersonal aspect of the Lord, or he engages in mystic yoga for material power. If such a person actually becomes intelligent, he takes to Krishna consciousness by engaging himself in intense devotional service to Lord Sri Krishna."

d) Madhya 22.36
TRANSLATION
"`Whether one desires everything or nothing, or whether he desires to merge into the existence of the Lord, he is intelligent only if he worships Lord Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, by rendering transcendental loving service.'

PURPORT
This is a verse from Srimad-Bhagavatam (2.3.10).

e) Madhya 22.37
TRANSLATION
"If those who desire material enjoyment or merging into the existence of the Absolute Truth engage in the Lord's transcendental loving service, they will immediately attain shelter at Krishna 's lotus feet, although they did not ask for it. Krishna is therefore very merciful."

f) Madhya 22.38
TRANSLATION
"Krishna says, `If one engages in My transcendental loving service but at the same time wants the opulence of material enjoyment, he is very, very foolish. Indeed, he is just like a person who gives up ambrosia to drink poison."

g) Madhya 22.39
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-kami. 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 karmi, jnani or yogi somehow contacts a devotee and renders devotional service, Krishna 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 Krishna. If a person wants material profit from devotional service, Krishna condemns such materialistic desires. To desire material opulence while engaging in devotional service is foolish. Although the person may be foolish, Krishna, 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 Krishna, our only desire should be to satisfy Krishna. That is pure Krishna consciousness. Surrender means not that we demand something from the Lord but that we completely depend on His mercy. If Krishna 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.

h) Madhya 22.40
TRANSLATION
"`Whenever Krishna is requested to fulfill one's desire, He undoubtedly does so, but He does not award anything which, after being enjoyed, will cause one to petition Him again and again to fulfill further desires. When one has other desires but engages in the Lord's service, Krishna forcibly gives one shelter at His lotus feet, where one will forget all other desires.'

PURPORT
This is a quotation from Srimad Bhagavatam (5.19.27).

i) Madhya 22.41
TRANSLATION
"When someone engages in Lord Krishna 's devotional service for the satisfaction of the senses and instead acquires a taste for serving Krishna, he gives up his material desires and willingly offers himself as an eternal servant of Krishna.

j) Madhya 22.42
TRANSLATION
"[When he was being blessed by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Dhruva Maharaja said:] `O my Lord, because I was seeking an opulent material position, I was performing severe types of penance and austerity. Now I have gotten You, who are very difficult for the great demigods, saintly persons and kings to attain. I was searching after a piece of glass, but instead I have found a most valuable jewel. Therefore I am so satisfied that I do not wish to ask any benediction from You.'

PURPORT
This verse is from the Hari-bhakti-sudhodaya (7.28).

k) Madhya 22.43
TRANSLATION
"The conditioned souls are wandering throughout the different planets of the universe, entering various species of life. By good fortune one of these souls may somehow or other be delivered from the ocean of nescience, just as one of the many big logs in a flowing river may by chance reach the bank.

PURPORT
There are unlimited conditioned souls who are bereft of Lord Krishna 's service. Not knowing how to cross the ocean of nescience, they are scattered by the waves of time and tide. However, some are fortunate to contact devotees, and by this contact they are delivered from the ocean of nescience, just as a log floating down a river accidentally washes upon the bank.