In plain words
Three kinds of Prema
Man himself passes his life with a sādhana of three kinds. Selfish Prema is one. Collective Prema is one, Prema set on the Supreme is one. He loves God only through the qualities of these three. What is selfish Prema? His own happiness, his own joy, his own ‘comfort’: he looks to these for himself alone. But in what is called mutual Prema, he hopes that he himself, his own people and his relatives, one and all, will be well. Prema for others' sake means this: with the broad feeling, lokā samastā sukhino bhavantu, that all must be well, he loves God. This selfish Prema is like a ‘light’ fitted in one room. But the light fitted in that room can give light to that room alone. To another room, to yet another room, it gives no light at all. Mutual Prema is like the light of the moon. This moonlight is seen on every side. But it is not seen clearly. It leaves room for a certain kind of darkness. Seeing a rope, it takes it for a snake. Seeing a log, it takes it for a man. There is light, but it is not a bright light. This, precisely, is mutual Prema. Prema for others' sake is the light of the sun. It makes every form plainly visible, on every side and in every region. Only when we gain such Prema for others' sake need we no longer suffer from these selfish and mutual kinds of Prema. But unfortunately, Prema today has gone on taking shape as selfish Prema. Apart from himself, apart from his own happiness, apart from his own well-being, he does not wish at all for the well-being of others. Through just such Prema man falls prey to hardships and losses of many kinds. And what joy is there in mutual Prema? He limits himself to himself, his family and his relatives alone.