Q: Is only Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa’s love pure, and is every other love in this world materialistic?
A: Good question. Love between devotees in this world is also not materialistic. When one is able to see others in relation to Bhagavān, one naturally develops love for everyone.
Q: So is a husband and wife’s love materialistic?
A: If they see each other as devotees of Bhagavān, then their love is not materialistic. The husband will have great love for his wife, and vice versa, because they see each other in relation to Bhagavān.
If their love is based only on their relationship as husband and wife, without any relation to Bhagavān, then it is materialistic.
If one does not yet have the vision to see others in relation to Bhagavān, that is okay. Such vision will develop in proportion to one’s advancement in sādhana. But we should not then unnecessarily criticize love in this world as materialistic, because we ourselves are materialistic and in no position to criticize others.
We live in this world, and we have to relate to others. It is a sign of immaturity to criticize worldly relationships as materialistic while being unable to transcend material attachments ourselves. Such an attitude can create havoc in husband-wife relationships and prevent us from performing sādhana peacefully.
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