saṃgha 1

Śrīmad Bhāgavatam
=Bhāgavata-Purāṇa [Kṛṣṇa/Bhakti-bible]

Canto 2 Chapter 3
Pure Devotional Service, the Change in Heart

Sri Shukadeva said:

(1)
For the intelligent among men, I have given you all the answers in response to the inquiring of your good Self about the human being on the threshold of death.

(2-9)
They who desire the luster of the Absolute, worship the master of the Vedas [Brihaspati].

Indra, the king of heaven, is there for the ones desiring the strength of the senses.

And the Prajapatis [the strong progenitors, voorouders] are there, for those who desire offspring.

The goddess Durga is there, for those who desire the beauty of the material world.

The Fire god is there, for the ones desiring power.

For wealth, there are the Vasus [a type of demigod].

And the incarnations of Rudra [Lord Shiva] are there, for those who wish strength and heroism.

For a good harvest, the mother of the demigods Aditi is worshiped.

Desiring heaven, one worships her sons.

For those desiring royal riches, there are the Vishvadeva demigods.

And to be of commercial success, there are the Sadhya gods.

The Ashvinis [two demigod brothers] are there, for the ones desiring longevity.

For a strong body, Mother Earth is worshiped.

And those who want to maintain their position and be renown, respect the goddesses of the Earth and the Heavens.

Aspiring beauty, there are the heavenly Gandharvas.

Those who want a good wife, seek the girls of the heavenly society [the Apsaras and Urvashis].

And anyone who wants to dominate others, is bound to the worship of Brahma, the head of the universe.

Yajna, the Lord of Sacrifice is worshiped for tangible fame.

And for a good bank balance, Varuna the treasurer is sought.

But those who desire to learn, worship Shiva himself.

While for a good marriage, his chaste wife Uma [Parvati] is honored.

For spiritual progress, the Supreme Truth [Lord Vishnu and His devotees] is worshiped.

For offspring and their care, one seeks the ancestral [the residents of Pitriloka].

Pious persons, are sought by those who seek protection.

While the demigods in general, are there for standing strong in life.

The godly Manus [14 fathers of mankind], are there for those desiring a kingdom.

But the demons, are sought for defeating enemies.

The ones desiring sense gratification, are bound to the moon [Chandra].

While those who are free from desire, worship the Supreme Personality in the beyond.

(10-12)

Whether one is free from desire, is full of it, or else desires liberation, someone of a serious consideration with all his heart in devotional service [bhakti-yoga] will honor the Original Supreme Personality. All these for sure develop - in their worship of the highest benediction in this life - unflinching [onwrikbare], spontaneous attraction to the Supreme Lord through association with His pure devotees.

The knowledge leading to the limit of the complete withdrawal from the whirlpool of the material modes, results in the satisfaction of the soul. In the transcendence of being detached from these modes, that satisfaction carries the blessings of the path of bhakti-yoga. Being absorbed in the narrations about the Lord, who would then not act upon this attraction?