Chapter 10. The Opulence
of the Absolute
TEXT 9
mac-citta mad-gata-prana
bodhayantah parasparam
kathayantas ca mam nityam
tusyanti ca ramanti ca
SYNONYMS
mat-cittah--minds
fully engaged in Me; mat-gata-pranah--lives devoted to the service
of Krsna; bodhayantah--preaching; parasparam--among themselves;
kathayantah ca--talking also; mam--about Me; nityam--perpetually;
tusyanti--are pleased; ca--also; ramanti--enjoy transcendental
bliss; ca--also.
TRANSLATION
The thoughts
of My pure devotees dwell in Me, their lives are surrendered to Me, and
they derive great satisfaction and bliss enlightening one another and conversing
about Me.
PURPORT
Pure devotees,
whose characteristics are mentioned here, engage themselves fully in the
transcendental loving service of the Lord. Their minds cannot be diverted
from the lotus feet of Krsna. Their talks are solely on the transcendental
subjects. The symptoms of the pure devotees are described in this verse
specifically. Devotees of the Supreme Lord are twenty-four hours daily
engaged in glorifying the pastimes of the Supreme Lord. Their hearts and
souls are constantly submerged in Krsna, and they take pleasure in discussing
Him with other devotees.
In the preliminary
stage of devotional service they relish the transcendental pleasure from
the service itself, and in the mature stage they are actually situated
in love of God. Once situated in that transcendental position, they can
relish the highest perfection which is exhibited by the Lord in His abode.
Lord Caitanya likens transcendental devotional service to the sowing of
a seed in the heart of the living entity. There are innumerable living
entities traveling throughout the different planets of the universe, and
out of them there are a few who are fortunate enough to meet a pure devotee
and get the chance to understand devotional service. This devotional service
is just like a seed, and if it is sown in the heart of a living entity,
and if he goes on hearing and chanting, Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna,
Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare, that seed fructifies,
just as the seed of a tree fructifies with regular watering. The spiritual
plant of devotional service gradually grows and grows until it penetrates
the covering of the material universe and enters into the brahmajyoti
effulgence in the spiritual sky. In the spiritual sky also that plant grows
more and more until it reaches the highest planet, which is called Goloka
Vrndavana, the supreme planet of Krsna. Ultimately, the plant takes shelter
under the lotus feet of Krsna and rests there. Gradually, as the plant
grows fruits and flowers, that plant of devotional service also produces
fruits, and the watering process in the form of chanting and hearing goes
on. This plant of devotional service is fully described in the Caitanya-caritamrta.
It is explained there that when the complete plant takes shelter under
the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord, one becomes fully absorbed in love
of God; then he cannot live even for a moment without being in contact
with the Supreme Lord, just as a fish cannot live without water. In such
a state, the devotee actually attains the transcendental qualities in contact
with the Supreme Lord.
The Srimad-Bhagavatam
is also full of such narrations about the relationship between the Supreme
Lord and His devotees; therefore the Srimad-Bhagavatam is very dear
to the devotees. In this narration there is nothing about material activities,
sense gratification or liberation. Srimad-Bhagavatam is the only
narration in which the transcendental nature of the Supreme Lord and His
devotees is fully described. Thus the realized souls in Krsna consciousness
take continual pleasure in hearing such transcendental literatures, just
as a young boy and girl take pleasure in association.
  
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