Hare Krsna to all
Pranams
All glories to Srila Prabhupada

Below are a few concise points about the beginnings of Bhakti-
We all know we have to hear and chant, but then what? Srila
Prabhupada gives us the answer. And he states it 4 times !

Hari bol
damaghosa das

760318SB.MAY Lectures
Although He can eat… Krsna can eat fire also or anything, all devour. But Krsna prescribes for us
that “You can give Me this in bhakti, with devotion and faith, then
you’ll be benefited.” If Krsna eats from your hand, then your life is
successful. If Krsna accepts any bit of service from you, then your
life is successful. Immediately you become liberated, because bhakti
is not for the conditioned soul. As soon as… Krsna therefore adds
this word. Krsna is not hungry for eating anything from your hand.
He’s not hungry. But He wants to teach you how to become a bhakta.
Mad-bhaktah. Man-mana bhava mad-bhaktah. He wants you to become His
devotee. Then your life’s problem is solved.

(Ok, we have offered some food to Krsna, we think we are now liberated? Below is the qualifications needed)

710210SB.GOR Lectures

Prabhupada: The change is taking place in this material world. There

all tastes are fixed up, rasa, eternal, eternal rasa. Every one of us

has a different taste of associating with Krsna, and that will be

realized when one is liberated.

Hamsaduta: So that’s fixed already.

Prabhupada: Yes. When you are liberated, you will understand in which

way you are related with Krsna. That is called svarupa-siddhi. But

that is attained when you are actually perfect in devotional service

710116SB.ALL Lectures

Prabhupada: Another side is when you become liberated the chanting

will give you transcendental pleasure so that you cannot cease. You

cannot cease chanting. That is another side. That is liberated stage,

just like Rupa Gosvami, Haridasa Thakura. You cannot imitate Haridasa

Thakura …

760318SB.MAY Lectures
Just begin your service. Surrender. Give Me something eatable.” Patram puspam phalam toyam yo me bhaktya prayacchati. This is the beginning. The Deity worship is the beginning
of devotional service.
Therefore arcana, the Deity worship, very essential. Everyone
should try. The system is: anyone comes to the temple, he brings
something, patram puspam phalam toyam, just to offer to the Deity. It
is the beginning. That is the beginning of love, dadati, give
something. Dadati pratigrhnati bhunkte bhojayate caiva. This is the
beginning of love. If I love you, I must give you something, and
whatever you’ll give me I shall accept it. Dadati pratigrhnati. So
give something to Krsna and take His instruction. Dadati pratigrhnati.
This is beginning of love. Therefore the Deity is there. The
instruction is here. If people take advantage, automatically he
becomes a devotee, a lover of Krsna. That is the success of life.
Thank you very much. (end)

751027SB.NAI Lectures

So these are all facts, that Krsna is everywhere, Krsna is within

your heart, Krsna is within the atom. Andantara

stha-paramanu-cayantara-tham. That’s a fact, but where is your

realization? Therefore you have to begin realization by arcana. That

is very essential. Then more you become expert in arcana, ye yatha mam

prapadyante, the more you become realized, then more you become

advanced.

731212mw.la Conversations
Prabhupada: The Deity worship program is meant for us to keep us safe.
If we neglect Deity worship, we shall also fall. But that is not the
all duty finished. Arcayam eva haraye pujam yah sraddhayehate. Arca
means Deity. If anyone is worshiping the Deity very nicely, but na
tad-bhaktesu canyesu, but he does not know anything more, who is
devotee, who is non-devotee, what is the duty to the world, sa bhaktah
prakrtah smrtah, he is material devotee. He is material devotee. So we
have to take the responsibility to understand who is actually a pure
devotee and what is our duty to the people in general, and then you
make advancement. Then you become madhyama-adhikari.
Madhyama-adhikari, advanced devotee. Just like these people, either in
India or here, they remain simply churchianity, going to the church
without any understanding. Therefore it is failing. It is now…
Churches are being closed. Similarly, if you do not keep yourself fit
to preach, then your temples will be all closed in due course of time.
Without preaching, you’ll not feel enthused to continue the temple
worship. And without temple worship, you cannot keep yourself pure and
clean. The two things must go on, parallel. Then there is success.

SB 4.28.34 Unless one is an advanced devotee, he cannot fix his

eyes on the Deity in the temple.

760312SB.MAY Lectures
Krsna says, “He’s first-class yogi.” Who? “Who is always trying to see
Krsna within the heart.” So it is very difficult task? In our
bhakti-yoga we can teach this art of seeing Krsna within the core of
the heart in one minute. It is so simple. You are seeing Krsna here.[referring to the temple deity]
You must have impression and try to keep that impression within your
heart always. Then you become first-class yogi. Why so much gymnastic
and pressing the nose? No. Take directly. If you are engaged
twenty-four hours in the service of the Deity, you cannot see except
the Deity. This bhakti-yoga practice is so simple. Therefore kanistha
adhikari, those who are neophyte, they must take to Deity worship. By
Deity worship he is elevated to the position of seeing the Lord within
the heart. This is very important thing. You can see–He is there–but
you have no knowledge, or even if you have knowledge, you are not
competent to see Him. But if you practice Deity worship…
Therefore it is the duty of guru to engage the neophyte devotee
always in Deity worship.

Bg Introduction

The Lord therefore tells Arjuna that he need not give up his occupation, but while he is engaged in his occupation he should remember Krsna (mam anusmara). If he doesn’t

practice remembering Krsna while he is struggling for existence, then

it will not be possible for him to remember Krsna at the time of

death. Lord Caitanya also advises this. He says, kirtaniyah sada

harih: one should practice remembering the Lord by chanting the names

of the Lord always

TLK Vs 41 It is indicated herein that the cycle of birth and death cannot be

stopped unless one is a pure devotee of the Supreme Lord. It is said,

harim vina naiva srtim taranti. One cannot surpass the cycle of birth

and death unless one is favored by the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

CONCLUSION– Follow the orders of the Acarya- A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada and be able to see and remember the Lord at the time of our death !!

Hare Krsna