The Kingdom of God.
By Radheshyam Dasa
Freedom from painful impediments
In Kingdom of God, there is no hunger, thirst, birth and death, old age, disease, etc. Thus without these sufferings that draw our consciousness in the material world, keeping us absorbed in sorting out problems of life in material world, one can simply focus on service to Supreme Lord without any impediments.
Freedom from material desire
The Vaikuntha residents while travelling in their Airplanes condemn the fragrance of Madhavi flowers in ponds, which indicates that they don’t care for insignificant sense gratification in comparison to the joy they derive in Lord’s service. The only desire the Vaikuntha-vasis have in their hearts is eternal loving service to Lord and nothing else. They have no desire even for Mukti, what to speak of Bhukti or Siddhi. Such purity of desire renders one’s heart clean, fit and offerable to Supreme Lord.
Freedom from craving for opposite sex
Sex life is eulogized as the ultimate in the material world and it is being promoted everywhere especially in the modern times through media, bill-boards, sensuous movies, love songs, romantic novels etc. Even though the devotees of God practice devotional service and develop higher taste, still the attraction for opposite sex keeps lingering in one’s consciousness thus weakening one’s determination to serve the Supreme Lord whole-heartedly. In Kingdom of God, though Vaikuntha men and women are extraordinarily beautiful, they have no attraction for sex life due to attraction for Lord’s service. This is a great hope to aspire for a sadhaka.
Freedom from envy
Material world is characterized by Envy, cut-throat competition, craving after position power and political influence over money, followers, property etc. Such mentality burns the heart of living entity creating enmity between man and man, family and family, state and state, one country and another. In Vaikuntha, all living beings joyfully serve the Supreme Lord without any envy for Him and without any malice for the special living entities like Tulasi or Bumble bee who attract Lord’s special mercy. Even as practicing devotees envy, like a disease of heart, does not allow us to appreciate other devotees’ good qualities. Vaikuntha gives us hope for a healthy heart devoid of envy and prejudice.
Easy benedictions in lord’s service
In Vaikuntha, one gets an Airplane made of Lapiz lazuli simply by bowing down to Lord only once! On the other hand, if a man in the material world wants to give up a scooter and go for purchasing a Santro car, one has to do some hardwork to earn money. There are kalpa vriksha desire trees in spiritual world which provide anything one may desire to engage in Lord’s service. Thus spiritual world is a great hope to give up futile hard material endeavours that one is forced to do in material world, for making two ends meet. Lord’s service is the only activity and all facility is provided for it.
No prestige or status issue
Even beautiful goddess Laxmi, dressed and decorated with costly garments and ornaments, engages in sweeping marble floors, while twirling lotus on her other hand. This she does, to gain the favor of Lord Visnu, to please Him. In the material world everybody wants to show off their greatness, as someone possessing money, position or influence. Spiritual world is filled with people, whose hearts swell with love for Lord’s service without any reservations, even upto Laxmiji, who is Lord’s consort. Such freedom from false prestige, renders our minds free of burden of want for respect from others. Thus one can remain happy, joyful and peaceful in Lord’s service without material ambitions.