By: HG Madan Gopal prabhu
Valentine’s Day is celebrated worldwide as a day to express love and affection, often focusing on romantic relationships. However, in the spiritual teachings of Krishna consciousness, we can understand love in a much deeper way through the principle of prema pumartho mahan, which means that pure love for God is the highest goal of life.
Prema pumartho mahan is a Sanskrit phrase that highlights pure love for Krishna as the ultimate purpose of human existence. This teaching comes from Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, who emphasized that the greatest fulfillment in life comes from developing selfless love for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna. Unlike material love, which is often based on personal desires and temporary connections, spiritual love is eternal, unconditional, and ever-increasing.
In material relationships, love is often accompanied by expectations and attachment, leading to temporary happiness or dissatisfaction. In contrast, spiritual love is about giving and serving without any selfish motives, as seen in the lives of great devotees like the residents of Vrindavan, who exemplify complete surrender to Krishna.
Valentine’s Day typically celebrates material love, focusing on physical attraction or emotional bonding. While these expressions may bring joy, they are transient and limited to the material world. Spiritual love, as taught in the Bhagavad Gita and other scriptures, transcends these limitations.
In the Bhagavad Gita (9.29), Krishna says:
"I am equal to all living beings. No one is My enemy, and no one is especially dear to Me. However, those who render devotional service to Me are in Me, and I am in them."
This verse reflects the selfless and eternal nature of Krishna’s love for His devotees. The highest expression of love is not about possession or control but about serving the beloved for their happiness. This is the essence of spiritual love.
Rather than dismissing Valentine’s Day as a materialistic celebration, we can use it as an opportunity to reflect on and deepen our understanding of true love. Here are some ways to align Valentine’s Day with the teachings of Krishna consciousness:
Express Love for Krishna: Dedicate time to chanting, reading scriptures, and offering prayers. Decorate your altar and offer Krishna special gifts like flowers or delicious food preparations.
Share Krishna’s Love: True love extends to all living beings. Distribute prasadam (sanctified food), share spiritual books, or inspire others by speaking about Krishna.
Strengthen Relationships: Build meaningful connections with others by appreciating their spiritual qualities. Valentine’s Day can be a time to express gratitude to family, friends, and spiritual mentors.
Learn from the Gopis’ Devotion: Meditate on the gopis of Vrindavan, whose love for Krishna was entirely selfless. Their lives teach us that true love means prioritizing Krishna’s happiness over everything else.
Spiritualize Romantic Relationships: For those in relationships, Valentine’s Day can serve as a reminder to center your bond on Krishna. By serving together and seeing your partner as a fellow devotee, your relationship becomes a source of spiritual growth.
Ultimately, Krishna is the Supreme Valentine, the eternal object of love for all living beings. Our souls are naturally drawn to Krishna, and by redirecting our love toward Him, we find lasting joy and fulfillment. Material relationships may provide temporary happiness, but only love for Krishna offers eternal bliss.
The Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu explains that the highest bliss comes from a loving relationship with Krishna, free from the dualities of the material world. By understanding this, we can transform Valentine’s Day into an occasion for spiritual reflection and growth.
Valentine’s Day, when viewed through the lens of Krishna consciousness, becomes more than a celebration of material love. It becomes a chance to remember that the highest form of love is prema pumartho mahan — pure love for Krishna. By cultivating this love and sharing it with others, we can transcend the temporary nature of material relationships and connect with the eternal joy of serving Krishna.
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