This form of attachment, characterised by a certain lack of freedom, is manifested in Mathura and the spiritual planets. In these places of residence of the Lord, the exchange of spiritual love is restricted, whereas in Gokula Vrindavana, the major planet where Krishna Himself resides, it has free rein. Even though the girls and shepherds of Vrindavana know that Krishna is God, the Supreme Person, they do not show Him much respect or veneration because of the immeasurable intimacy that marks their relationship with Him.

Within the five main spiritual relationships, respect and veneration sometimes obscure the true greatness of the Lord, and sometimes even hinder the service offered to Him. But where friendship, parental affection and conjugal love prevail, respect and veneration are minimized.

For example, when Krishna appeared as the son of Vasudeva and Devaki, His parents prayed to Him with reverence and veneration, knowing well that the Supreme Lord, Krishna or Visnu, had appeared to them as their beloved child. Though appearing as their child, Devaki and Vasudeva immediately offered prayers to Him, knowing that He was God, the Supreme Person.

And similarly, when Arjuna saw the universal form of the Lord, fear seized him, so much so that he begged Krishna's forgiveness for having often behaved cavalierly towards Him as an intimate friend.

The Lord teaches that His advent and deeds are purely spiritual, and that any living being fortunate enough to know its sublime nature can at once become free from the shackles of matter and qualify to return to Him in His absolute and eternal kingdom.

In truth, knowing the absolute nature of Lord Krishna's advent and deeds is enough to attain liberation. Unless one serves Krishna, God, the Supreme Person with love and devotion, no one can find real satisfaction. The individual being distinct from God that each of us really is, is the eternal servant of the Eternal Master, Krishna, God, the Supreme and Sovereign Person.

Such is the natural and eternal relationship between them. The Lord has multiplied Himself into innumerable separate beings in order to accept loving service from them, and only this exchange can satisfy both the Lord and the separate beings.

After liberation, which is the last of the four principles of seeking wealth, sense pleasure and salvation based on acts of piety, the being adopts the practice of pure devotional service, and is then on the level of spiritual realization where he finally finds full satisfaction.

But this satisfaction is in itself only the beginning of spiritual bliss. One must therefore first make some progress in this relative world, that of matter, by attaining equanimity or equality of soul, in order to then establish oneself in the sublime loving service of the Lord.