Absorption

Simultaneous to being managers and organisers, these saintly kings lived with a very deep realisation of eternity. They were absorbed in devotional service. We hear of how Ambarish engaged all his senses in the service of the Lord: “Maharaja Ambarish always engaged his mind in meditating upon the lotus feet of Krishna, his words in describing the glories of the Lord, his hands in cleansing the Lord’s temple, and his ears in hearing the words spoken by Krishna or about Krishna. He engaged his eyes in seeing the deity of Krishna, Krishna’s temples and Krishna’s places like Mathura and Vrindavana, he engaged his sense of touch in touching the bodies of the Lord’s devotees, he engaged his sense of smell in smelling the fragrance of tulasi offered to the Lord, and he engaged his tongue in tasting the Lord’s prasada. He engaged his legs in walking to the holy places and temples of the Lord, his head in bowing down before the Lord, and all his desires in serving the Lord, twenty-four hours a day. Indeed, Maharaja Ambarish never desired anything for his own sense gratification. He engaged all his senses in devotional service, in various engagements related to the Lord. This is the way to increase attachment for the Lord and be completely free from all material desires.” (SB 9.4.18-20). We also see the example of Pariksit Maharaja, who humbly accepted the curse upon himself, seeing it as an opportunity for spiritual advancement and perfection. He had no regrets or remorse, but saw that Krishna had personally come to him in another form.