credit for compilation Balarama dasa [Australia]
“bhakti means you utilize your energy for Kṛṣṇa”
EXCERPT:
“…In the Upaniṣads it is said that God is also a person like me, you. Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām [Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13]. But His personality is different from your personality, from my personality. What is that difference? Eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān: “He supplies all the necessities of all other personalities.” That is the difference. God is supplying us food. This conception is there in the Bible = “God, give us our daily bread.” This is nice. Accepting that you are getting all supplies from God, this is sukṛti, this is puṇyavat.
If one, anyone says, “Oh, what God? We are creating our own food”—just like the Communist says—they are duṣkṛtina, rascals. But if anyone even goes to the church and temple for asking something to God, he is pious. At least, he has approached God. So one day, when he will be advanced devotee, he will not ask anymore. He knows that “Why shall I bother God? He is supplying everyone food, so why shall I ask Him food? My food is also there. Let me serve me [Him].” That is his higher intelligence….
….. So how the energy should be utilized? For the master, not for his sense gratification.
This is perfection of life. You produce anything by your energy, but you cannot use it for your sense gratification. Then you become perfect. And if you want to do it, then Hṛṣīkeśa, the master of the senses, will give you intelligence how to do it. Just like He is giving Arjuna intelligence; therefore He is mentioned as Hṛṣīkeśa. How to win victory. How to utilize his energy for Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa wanted the battle. Arjuna was a military man. He utilized his military strength for Kṛṣṇa’s purposes. That is the perfection of life.
So whatever you have got, if you utilize it for Kṛṣṇa’s sake, hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-sevanaṁ bhakti [Cc. Madhya 19.170], that is bhakti. Even by fighting, you can be a great devotee, just like Arjuna. He was not chanting on the beads, but he was fighting. But still, bhakto ‘si priyo ‘si me [Bg. 4.3], Kṛṣṇa says. “Oh, you are My great devotee.”
Now people may say that “He was not chanting. He was fighting. How he became a great devotee?” But Kṛṣṇa says, bhakto ‘si priyo ‘si me: “You are My dear friend. You are My devotee. Because you are utilizing your energy for Me.” So bhakti means you utilize your energy for Kṛṣṇa. Then your life is perfect.
Thank you very much.”
Devotees: All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda. [end]
Bhagavad-gītā 1.15
London, July 15, 1973
Audio for this lecture: https://prabhupadavani.org/transcriptions/730715bglon/