Hare Krsna to all
Pranams
All glories to Srila Prabhupada
After sending out this quote (below) yesterday about liberation (pure devotional service) I began to think more about it and realized that hearing what Srila Prabhupada said might seem un-attainable for many of us average folks. Then I remembered another statement he made in a purport in SB and thought this one would go nicely to the first one as an explanation of HOW we ( the common man ) , can actually become liberated persons and thereby regain our natural constitutional position. So please re read this again and see how it can be done.
Hare Krsna
Damaghosa das
Lectures : Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures : Canto 7: Lectures : SB 7.9: Lectures : Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.9.28 — Mayapur, March 6, 1976 : 760306SB.MAY :
So “How it can be zero? I am a living being. How it can be zero? I am always thinking, planning. I have got so many desires,” they say. One who does not know what is the position of a living being,they say that “Give up desires. Desireless.” That is not possible. Desirelessness is not possible. Because I am a living being, I must desire. Therefore desires may be purified. That is wanted. You cannot make the desires zero. That is not possible. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam[Cc. Madhya 19.170]. Now our desires are there according to my designated position. “I am Hindu,” “I am Muslim. Why shall I take Kṛṣṇa consciousness?” Because I am designated, I have taken this designation, “I am Hindu,” “I am Muslim,” “I am Christian.” Therefore we cannot take Kṛṣṇa consciousness. “Oh, this is… Kṛṣṇa is Hindu God. Kṛṣṇa is Indian. Why shall I take Kṛṣṇa?” No. “You have to be desireless” means you have to purify your this false understanding that “I am Hindu,” “I am Muslim,” “I am Christian,” “I am Indian,” “I am this.” This has to be purified. One has to understand that “I am gopī-bhartur pada-kamalayor dāsa. I am the servant of the servant of the servant of Kṛṣṇa [Cc. Madhya 13.80].” That is purification. Then desire. Then you’ll not desire anything except Kṛṣṇa’s service. That is perfection. When you come to that platform, that you desire nothing but to serve Kṛṣṇa, always, twenty-four hours, then you are liberated. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam[Cc. Madhya 19.170]. Then you become nirmalam, without any material tinge. In that position only, hṛṣīkena hṛṣīkeśa-sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate. Then… My senses will be there; not that I become senseless nonsense. No. My senses are there. They will act. They’ll act for simply to serve Kṛṣṇa. That is wanted. So that can be possible when you are trained up by the servant of Kṛṣṇa. Otherwise it is not possible.
| SB3.29.8 purport To act under the direction of a bona fide spiritual master with a motive to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead is pure devotional service. But if one has a motive for personal sense gratification, his devotional service is manifested differently. |
Srila Prabhupada used to give as an example many times that when an apprentice works under the direction of a master electrician, then even though he knows practically nothing about
electricity, because he exactly follows the directions of the “master”, then his neophyte work is as good as the masters because it is done under his direction. This is the key to pleasing the Lord, and being properly situated under His lotus feet thru the blessings of a bona fide spiritual master.
