Kṛṣṇa awards devotional service even to ambitious devotees, but elsewhere in sastra, it is said that Krsna eagerly awards material enjoyment and liberation to His devotees but generally hides His devotional service from them. How are these two statements reconciled?

Sometimes people make a show of worshiping Kṛṣṇa while internally wanting Him to give them religiosity, economic development, sense gratification, and liberation. Śāstra states that “as one surrendres to the Lord, He rewards him accordingly.” This means that the Lord deceives him by bestowing upon him the insignificant objects he desires. He never awards such hypocrites pure devotional service.

But if out of ignorance a devotee prays to the Lord for material happiness, then the Lord mercifully awards that ignorant yet sincere person the opportunity to hear hari-katha from pure devotees or attracts him with His charming sweetness. In this way, He belittles the devotee’s desires. The main point is that Lord Kṛṣṇa never awards hypocrites who only make a show of worshiping Him the rarely achieved loving devotional service. Rather, He deceives them by giving them material enjoyment and liberation. The Lord certainly awards pure devotional service to ignorant but sincere devotees through the via media of the spiritual master.