The Gift of True Love: When Devotion Asks for Nothing in Return

Understanding the Sacred Difference Between Desire and Divine Love

Apr 11, 2025

The Gift of True Love: When Devotion Asks for Nothing in Return

A true devotee cannot live without love.

When you’re enchanted by a beautiful scene in nature, you don’t ask it for anything—yet it fills you with peace. True love is the same. It gives without seeking, it exists without condition.

In its purest form, love holds no demands.

Once, a king ventured deep into a forest and encountered a wandering sage. Moved by the sage’s wisdom and serene presence, the king offered him a gift.

But the sage refused, saying,

“The forest leaves are enough for me. Mountain springs provide clear water. The trees shelter me, the caves house me. Why would I need anything from you?”

Still, the king persisted:

“Please, accept something—if only to bless me. Come with me to my palace.”

After repeated requests, the sage agreed and followed the king to his capital.

Before presenting his offering, the king began his daily prayer:

“O Lord, bless me with more wealth, healthy children, a stronger kingdom, a longer life…”

But before he could finish, the sage quietly rose and left the room.

Startled, the king ran after him, “Why are you leaving? You haven’t accepted my gift!”

The sage turned, his gaze calm and unwavering:

“You beggar! I don’t ask alms from those who themselves are begging. You, who pray for boons—what can you possibly give me? I cannot accept anything from a beggar. Do not follow me.”

This moment reveals the sacred contrast between true lovers of the Divine and those who only seek favours.

To beg—even for freedom—is not the language of love.

True love desires nothing. It gives only to give. It exists simply because the heart cannot live without it.

Think of how a beautiful mountain or a starry sky makes you feel. You don’t expect anything from it, yet it fills your spirit with lightness, awe, and peace. That’s the essence of real love. It uplifts, not because it promises something, but because it connects you to something greater than yourself.

This is the first truth of sacred love: Love, but never expect. Give, but never demand.

If you love God or anyone because you’re afraid or seeking reward, it’s not love—it’s a transaction. And love, true love, is never a transaction. It is the purest offering of the soul.

Feel the Essence of Love

Love has no rivals. In love, the lover becomes the ideal, the inspiration, the goal. To say “I love” is not enough—love must be felt, grown, and lived.

Love is the language of the soul, and its only purpose is to be given freely.

In a world where love is often measured by what we gain from it, this story reminds us that real love is found in giving without condition. May we learn to love like the mountains—quiet, constant, and full of grace.

With love,

Neha