Continuing Devotional Service letters on surrender
…”So when we are put into difficulties while discharging Krishna Conscious duties, it is to be understood that Krishna puts us in a field of austerities and penances which help us making progress towards realization of our goal of life.“
…”There is a word in Sanskrit; bhava grahi janardana: This means the Lord accepts service in devotional emotion.“
…”One who can show the whole cosmic manifestation within the hole of His mouth, what service can we render unto Him? “
…”The secret of success in Krishna Consciousness is to render service to Krishna to the best of our capacity. There is no other alternative to this.”
..”Knowledge means to know Him, and success means to please Him. And how He is pleased, that can be known through the transparent medium of His confidential servant.“
May 8 1969 letter Jaya Govinda
Regarding your future status in Germany, Krishna will save you; don’t bother yourself about it. For the time being, engage yourself in His service, and I think it is the desire of Krishna that you live in Germany and be engaged in His service. I understand from Krishna Das’s letter that there is great possibility of pushing our movement in Germany, so it is a great advantage for you to be there. I understand that you had some difficulty in reaching Hamburg, travelling for two weeks, but do not mind this trouble, because you underwent it for Krishna’s sake. I was on the sea for one month and ten days continually, and that was a horrible account. Perhaps you have read it in my diary which you collected in Vrindaban. So let us forget our past difficulties and in Krishna Consciousness, if anyone faces difficulties, it is considered as blessings, because without tapasya, or voluntarily accepting some inconveniences, nobody can realize the Transcendence. So when we are put into difficulties while discharging Krishna Conscious duties, it is to be understood that Krishna puts us in a field of austerities and penances which help us making progress towards realization of our goal of life.
May 25 1965 lertter Mandal bhadra
I am writing to Ananda also, and you may kindly hand over to him the letter enclosed herewith. Ananda has good experience, and you also have seen how we worship the Deities in the temple and offer prasadam, so you may kindly follow in the same way. But in everything we do devotion and sincerity are the real things. There is a word in Sanskrit; bhava grahi janardana: This means the Lord accepts service in devotional emotion. If we are sincere in offering something to the Lord in devotional love, He will accept it. The procedure may not be very right, but the desire being sincere, He accepts our offering. This is also confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita that He accepts foodstuffs from devotees because they are offered to Him in complete love and affection. That is required.
June 16 1969 letter Visala
Your final question is how can you become a pure devotee, and the answer to this is given in Bhagavad-gita. Krishna instructs Arjuna that the mahatma, the pure devotee, is he who has fully surrendered himself unto the spiritual nature. And how can we tell if one is completely surrendered unto the spiritual nature? He is always fully engaged in devotional service to Krishna. So this is the process of becoming a pure devotee. We have to engage all of our words, thoughts, and activities in Krishna Consciousness under the direction of the Spiritual Master. Therefore, at every moment you should be busy in some way in serving Krishna and His pure devotees, and automatically you will become purified in Krishna Consciousness. Krishna is always willing to shower His mercy upon His devotees, so we have simply to become receptive to this mercy by devotional service, and then the path is very easy. I hope this will sufficiently answer your questions.
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