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The Householder Devotee

The Householder Devotee

Bali Maharaj continued, “Please show me such mercy that my mind and heart desire to be engaged in the service of Your lotus feet; belonging to Whom great sages that have no material motives search for. By taking shelter of Your lotus feet, that are the shelter for the whole world, I can escape the blind well of family life and make my sole engagement to be under the shelter of Your lotus feet and thus peacefully wander alone freely or in the company of pure devotees, without the anxiety of livelihood.”

tannah prasida nirapeksa vimrgya yusmat-
padaravinda dhisananya grhandha-kupat
nriskramya visva-srananghry-upalabdha vrttih
santo yathaika uta sarva-sakhais carami


PURPORT BY SRI KRSNA BALARAM SWAMIJI

Great sages are called pure devotees because they have no material motives and have wholeheartedly dedicated their lives to Lord Krsna. They don’t think of anything other than Lord Krsna and do everything to please Him. Although Bali Maharaja was born into a demoniac dynasty, he was aware of devotional life and was a householder devotee. He knew that household life is like a dark well because in that life a person forgets spiritual life or makes spiritual life secondary. It is true that while living in family life one becomes fully convinced that his/her duty is to love and take care of their family and associate with kith and kin, thus forgetting the real goal of human life to serve Lord Krsna. However, family life where the whole family engages in Lord Krsna’s service, following all the required spiritual principles, keeping a strong connection with a pure devotee and giving charity is not called a dark well because their aim is to serve the Supreme Lord.

Bali Maharaj’s desire to resign from family life and wander freely taking some fruits from trees and keeping the company of pure devotees is because he feels that, that really is a peaceful lifestyle. As Srimad Bhagavatam states, pravrttir esam hi bhutanam nirvrttesu maha-phalam, “There is a chance to receive liberation by remaining in family life, but a person who resigns from it and takes up renounced life has a guarantee of liberation.”

[Srimad Bhagavatam, 10.85.45, KBS0055]

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