In the kingdom of Krishna everyone always carry the desire to serve Krishna. And we also see that Krishna too loves to serve his devotees.
If we read scriptures and the life of great devotees, we find that they carry only one desire in their heart and their desire is to become servant of Krishna. What to talk about the pure devotees, even the first expansion of the Supreme Lord, Lord Balarama, wants to become a humble servant of Krishna.
Śrī Advaita Ācārya considers himself a servant
In Chaitanya lila, we see that Śrī Advaita Ācārya always considered himself a servant of Lord Chaitanya.
When Lord Chaitanya appeared then Śrī Advaita Ācārya was 60 years old, old enough to be grandfather of Lord Chaitanya. And so, Lord Caitanya would give him respect. But Śrī Advaita Ācārya did not like this. So, once he enacted a pastime and he started preaching Mayavada philosophy.
When Lord Caitanya heard about this, he became extremely angry, and he started beating Śrī Advaita Ācārya. Śrī Advaita Ācārya wife, Srimati Sita Thakurani started begging Lord Caitanya to stop beating an elderly person else he will die.
But Śrī Advaita Ācārya was enjoying it. He wanted to convey to the whole world that see although Lord Caitanya considers me an acharya and gives me respect but actually Lord Caitanya is the real acharya and we all should serve him.
Śrī Advaita Ācārya thinks, “Lord Caitanya considers Me His spiritual master, yet I feel Myself to be only His servant.” Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta,Ai-līlā, 6.52
Śrī Advaita Ācārya is an incarnation of Mahā-Viṣṇu and Sadasiva. He came here to propagate pure devotion to Krishna and to teach us that our only goal of life should be to always serve Krishna.
Cultivating desire to serve Krishna
Even in Vrindavan we see that mood is of servitorship. Everyone wants to serve Krishna – Nanda Maharaja, Mother Yashoda, gopis, gopas, cows, peacocks, river Yamuna, in fact everyone serves Krishna.
The gopis would always consider themselves as Krishna’s maidservants.
“O Uddhava! It is indeed regrettable that Kṛṣṇa resides in Mathurā. Does He remember His father’s household affairs and His friends, the cowherd boys? O great soul! Does He ever talk about us, His maidservants? When will He lay on our heads His aguru-scented hand?” Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (Bhāgavata Purāṇa) 10.47.21
In this this world we see that everyone wants to become masters but in the kingdom of Krishnan everyone wants to serve Krishna. There no one wants to enjoy with Krishna but everyone wants to give joy to Krishna. And while doing so they experiences unlimited bliss.
Today is the appearance day of Śrī Advaita Ācārya. Let us pray at his lotus feet to purify our heart and give us benediction so that we also cultivate the desire to always serve Krishna’s lotus feet.
Note: This article is based on the Srimad Bhagavatam class given by HG Acharya Ratna Prabhu @Iskcon Newtown, Kolkata on 16th Feb 2024 on the auspicious occassion of Śrī Advaita Ācārya appearance day.
