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We may sometimes think that spiritual realization is all or nothing, that unless we become pure devotees, we will never be accepted by Kṛṣṇa. Reality, however, is more nuanced. It is more like a relationship developing. A relationship does not start the day we decide to marry someone. Normally, it evolves through multiple stages.
Kṛṣṇa makes this point clear when He mentions that “four kinds of pious men begin to render devotional service unto Me – the distressed, the desirer of wealth, the inquisitive, and he who is searching for knowledge of the Absolute.” Then, shortly afterward, He adds: “All these devotees are undoubtedly magnanimous souls.”
Here, Kṛṣṇa describes four classes of devotees who approach Him with some interest. None of them is completely pure, but this does not mean Kṛṣṇa rejects them. Just the opposite, Kṛṣṇa acknowledges them and helps them to progress.
What are these four classes of pious persons who approach Kṛṣṇa with some interest, but are still accepted by Him?
The first is the Ārtaḥ (the distressed). This is someone who is generally absorbed in material activities, trying to obtain happiness by working and making different material arrangements. As long as everything goes well, he may feel no particular need to approach God. However, when a seriously distressing situation appears, and ordinary means fail to solve the problem, he may pray or come in contact with pure devotees. The baseline is that one has some preliminary form of faith or devotion to God, but the helplessness is the trigger that makes him finally approach Kṛṣṇa and begin devotional service.
The point is that distress itself is not what makes him pious. An ordinary person in distress may beg from powerful people or demigods, or try to solve his problems by working hard. However, pious souls remember God when they face difficulties, recognizing Him as the ultimate shelter. The distress brings him toward Kṛṣṇa instead of away from Him, and when they come in contact with devotees, this search for shelter can evolve into genuine inquisitiveness and foster a genuine attitude of devotional service.
An example of ārtaḥ is Gajendra, the celestial elephant, whose story is described in the Eighth Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. He was bathing in a lake when a strong crocodile bit his leg. He fought for a long time, but was gradually overpowered by the crocodile, who was fighting in his natural habitat. In great distress, Gajendra took a lotus flower with his trunk and started offering it to Lord Viṣnu, fully surrendering to Him. Gajendra was previously King Indradyumna, who was cursed to become an elephant. In this animal body, he forgot about his devotional service and became absorbed in sensual enjoyment, but when a distressful situation appeared, he remembered his previous devotion, even in an animal body.
The second is the Jijñāsuḥ (the inquisitive). This is someone who has become frustrated with material life and begins to inquire about what is beyond. He realizes that ordinary material pursuits cannot give a satisfactory answer to deeper existential questions, and therefore seeks spiritual knowledge and the association of devotees to understand what is beyond.
His original motivation is curiosity or inquiry, and not devotion itself. He simply wants to know what happens after death, what the purpose of life is, how to put an end to material suffering, and so on. The baseline is this existential inquiry, and previous piety makes him come to devotees instead of mental speculators.
Thousands of years ago, Śaunaka Rṣi heard from great devotees about self-realization. He heard the Mundaka Upaniṣad from Angirasa, Puranas from Romaharṣaṇa, and so on. When he enquired from Angirasa, his initial question was, “Knowing what does everything become known?” However, by the time he came to inquire from Suta Gosvāmi, he was already eager to directly hear about Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa, the Personality of Godhead, and His incarnations.
The third is the Artha-arthī (one who desires material gain). The point is that until we become fixed in the platform of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, we have many material desires, and one who is pious may come to worship Kṛṣṇa for that. Again, this is not pure devotion, but it is still positive, because Kṛṣṇa reciprocates in such a way that he gives the material blessings one may ask in ways that purify the devotee of material contamination, solving the root cause of the problem.
The perfect example is Dhruva Maharaja. As a prince, Dhruva was expected to inherit the kingdom of his father, Uttānapāda. However, his stepmother deprived him of this right. Instructed by His mother, and later by Nārada Muni, Dhruva practiced great austerities in the forest with the goal of satisfying Lord Viṣnu and obtaining a kingdom greater than his father’s. As He practiced, his heart was purified, and by the time Lord Viṣnu appeared to grant him the kingdom of earth for 36,000 years and after that sovereignty over his own Vaikuṇṭha planet, Dhruva already wanted nothing apart from serving the Lord.
This is the main difference between approaching Kṛṣṇa and approaching demigods. A demigod, just like any powerful person, may give what we ask for, but this will be very impermanent, because tomorrow we will need something else. When we ask Kṛṣṇa, he solves the underlying problem by bringing us to the platform of devotional service.
The last is the Jñānī (one who knows things as they are). There are different classes of jñanis, which go all the way from an ordinary mental speculator to a niṣkāma-sannyāsī (a renunciant free from material desires) who has attained Brahman or Paramātmā realization. In both cases, the baseline is the frustration with material life and search for spiritual realization and liberation, and the trigger is a dissatisfaction with the dry philosophical process, that may lead one to associate with devotees and thus approach Kṛṣṇa. As in the other cases, the intention is initially not completely pure. One approaches Kṛṣṇa to obtain knowledge or liberation, but spiritual practice gradually makes one pure.
There are many examples of dry philosophers becoming devotees after becoming dissatisfied with the process, and also examples of high-class jñānīs approaching Kṛṣṇa, as in the case of the four Kumāras. They were initially Brahmavādīs, attracted to the impersonal aspect of the absolute truth. However, they were attracted to the worship of Lord Viṣnu simply by the aroma of the tulasī leaves offered to Him. Attaining perfect realization, they later instructed King Pṛthu, as described in the Fourth Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
We usually start from one of these four categories. We initially come to Kṛṣṇa looking for something else, but as we progress, we gradually come to the point of desiring nothing else apart from Him. This realization usually comes as the realization of transcendental knowledge. He describes this elevated stage of realization in the next verses:
“All these devotees are undoubtedly magnanimous souls, but he who is situated in knowledge of Me I consider to be just like My own self. Being engaged in My transcendental service, he is sure to attain Me, the highest and most perfect goal. After many births and deaths, he who is actually in knowledge surrenders unto Me, knowing Me to be the cause of all causes and all that is. Such a great soul is very rare.”
Here, Kṛṣṇa describes the goal: we may start from any of the previous categories, but the goal is to become a pure devotee who understands Kṛṣṇa and is always situated in devotional service.
Everyone wants something from Kṛṣṇa. One may even desire prema with an idea of personal satisfaction, understanding that devotees who have it enjoy the highest bliss. The perfect devotee avoids all these traps. Situated in knowledge, he wants nothing apart from Kṛṣṇa Himself. Such a devotee doesn’t want to enjoy Kṛṣṇa, but simply offers his sincere loving service unto Him. Kṛṣṇa makes an extraordinary statement: “I consider him to be just like My own self” and reassures that “he is sure to attain Me, the highest and most perfect goal.”
This potential multi-life progression is acknowledged by Kṛṣṇa in 7.19 with the words bahūnāṁ janmanām ante (after many births and deaths). However, one can come to Krsna at any of the four stages, and Krsna will help him or her to advance and come to the ultimate goal. Prabhupāda makes the point that one can become fully Kṛṣṇa conscious even in one second; it’s all about accepting our eternal position as loving servants of Kṛṣṇa. It is just that often we take time to fully understand this simple point.
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Prabhu ji ,🙏