Krishna is my eternal master; I am Krishna’s eternal servant

Class was on one of Srila Prabhupada’s most quoted Srimad-Bhagavatam verses, 6.1.15. It describes that ultimately only by the performance of kevala bhakti, pure unalloyed devotional service to Krishna, can the weeds of sinful actions be destroyed, without any possibility of their arising again. Niharam iva bhaskarah?just as the sun dissipates the fog. He told us that simply countering one type of karma with another type of karma will not help. It is only when we engage in unmotivated service to Lord Krishna that we get the chance to become perfect and free. “If you simply hear and chant, then you will be purified,” he said. As if in answer to any doubt as to whether this alone is sufficient he assured us it was. “If you argue that ‘somebody is hearing for so many years,’ so then there is question of offense. Ten kinds of offense. So even if one is in offense, still, if he continues hearing and chanting he will be purified. It is so nice thing. This is kevala bhakti.” He went on to say that by simply fixing our minds on rendering service to Krishna without any motive, we are immediately liberated. “Unless he changes his decision. Even one is mukta, liberated, he can also be fallen down unless he is very strong in his determination. Maya is always there. But if one is determined that ‘I shall stick to the service of Krishna,’ maya will not touch. … “As soon as one comes to this conclusion that ‘Krishna is mine, and I am Krishna’s,’ by this consciousness automatically all reaction of sinful life becomes washed. When there is fog you try so many ways; it cannot go. Then, somehow or other if the sun rises, immediately finished. Immediately clear. That is our motto in the Back to Godhead magazine?’Godhead is light and nescience is darkness. Where there is Godhead, there is no jurisdiction of darkness.’ ” Although severe tapasya, celibacy and charity has been recommended in the previous verses, he explained that in this age these things were almost impossible to practice. Therefore, he concluded that the best thing is to take to Krishna consciousness. “Simply this understanding that ‘Krishna is my eternal master; I am Krishna’s eternal servant. So let us exchange our feelings of master and servant.’ Then I shall be perfect.”