Divinity and Divine Service
Building upon the foundation established in the first chapter, Suta Goswami now elaborates on the nature of divinity itself and what it truly means to engage in divine service. The sages had asked about the highest duty of humanity, and Suta begins his answer by defining what dharma (religious duty or virtue) actually is. He explains that dharma is not merely following rituals, traditions, or social customs, though these may have their place. True dharma must satisfy two essential criteria: it must be unmotivated (ahaituki) and uninterrupted (apratihata). This means genuine spiritual practice should not be performed with the expectation of material rewards - not for wealth, fame, power, or even heavenly pleasures - but purely out of love for God and the desire to serve Him. Furthermore, it should be practiced consistently throughout one's life, not just when convenient or when one needs something from God.
Suta Goswami explains that the Supreme Lord possesses infinite qualities and manifestations. In Vedic literature, God is described by many names - Brahman (the all-pervading spirit), Paramatma (the Supersoul present in everyone's heart), and Bhagavan (the Supreme Personality possessing all divine qualities). These are not three different gods but three aspects or features of the same Absolute Truth, understood according to the level of realization of the seeker. Just as the sun can be understood as sunshine (the general light), the sun disc (seen from a distance), or the sun globe itself (if one could actually reach it), the Absolute Truth is realized in three progressive stages. Those who focus on impersonal meditation realize Brahman - the formless, all-pervading spiritual energy. Those who engage in meditation on God within the heart realize Paramatma - the localized aspect of God present in all beings. But those who engage in pure devotional service realize Bhagavan - the complete, personal form of God with infinite attributes, beauty, power, knowledge, renunciation, and fame.
The chapter addresses a critical question: if God is all-powerful and complete, why would He need or want our worship and service? Suta explains that God has no needs whatsoever - He is atmarama, completely self-satisfied. The purpose of divine service is not to benefit God but to benefit us. Just as a lamp doesn't need to be seen to exist but we need to see it to benefit from its light, God doesn't need our worship, but we need to worship Him to purify our consciousness and awaken our dormant love for Him. When we engage in devotional service - hearing about God, chanting His names, remembering Him, serving Him - we are not doing Him a favor. Rather, we are taking advantage of the opportunity He has given us to reconnect with our true nature as His eternal servants and children. This service purifies the heart of all material contamination - lust, anger, greed, envy, and illusion - which are the real causes of suffering.
Suta Goswami describes the transformative power of devotional service through a beautiful metaphor. He compares material desires and attachments to knots in the heart. These knots bind the living entity to material consciousness and prevent the experience of spiritual joy. When one regularly engages in hearing and chanting about the Lord, these knots gradually loosen and eventually dissolve completely. As the knots disappear, spiritual realization dawns, and the soul experiences its natural state of eternal joy (ananda) and knowledge (vijnana). This is not merely emotional satisfaction or psychological comfort, but the awakening of the soul's true nature, which has been dormant under layers of material conditioning accumulated over countless lifetimes. The process is compared to the rising sun gradually dispelling the darkness of night - devotional service similarly dispels the darkness of ignorance and reveals the eternal truth.
The chapter emphasizes that devotional service should be the primary focus of human life, more important than pursuing material success, power, knowledge, or even liberation itself. While the Vedas prescribe various paths - karma-yoga (the path of proper action), jnana-yoga (the path of philosophical knowledge), and dhyana-yoga (the path of meditation) - these are ultimately preparatory or auxiliary practices. They help purify the consciousness and create the foundation for bhakti-yoga (the path of devotional service). However, bhakti-yoga is unique because it is both the means and the end. While other yogas aim at some goal outside themselves - karma-yoga aims at purification, jnana-yoga aims at knowledge, dhyana-yoga aims at self-realization - bhakti-yoga is valuable both as a practice and as the eternal state of the liberated soul. Even in the spiritual world, after liberation, the soul continues to engage in devotional service, not out of obligation but out of pure love. This chapter thus establishes that divine service is not merely a religious duty but the very essence and purpose of existence, the natural and eternal activity of the soul, which brings complete fulfillment both in this life and eternally in the spiritual realm.