Submitted by: Damagosha Dasa
Gorakhpur Feb 16 1971
Compiled by damaghosa dasa
Srila Prabhupada: So as soon as you approach the Deity or the name, you should know fully well that Krsna is present. Krsna is… Therefore we should worship the Deity with great attention, as much as Krsna is present. And similarly, we should worship the holy name with great attention. We should not be inattentive.
Suppose Krsna personally comes, personally He is here. Suppose personally, as you think of personally, personally comes. If you do not become respectful, is that all right? No. You should be very much respectful. Even a respectable person, ordinary person, a big man or a rich man or a king comes, we become so much respectful. And what about Krsna when He’s present as arcā-mūrti or as the holy name? These are the realization point of view: Krsna, His name, His form, His quality, His pastimes. When you hear about Kṛṣṇa, that is also Kṛṣṇa. Actually, when you are reading Krsna book, Krsna is fighting with demons, that is also His pastime. So Kṛṣṇa is present.
So you should be very attentive and worship this hearing. Unless we come to this point, there is lack of realization what is Krsna. Gorakhpur Feb 16 1971
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Note- sometimes I get criticized by certain devotees for cutting and pasting Srila Prabhupadas words-which I take to be basically a criticism of Srila Prabhupada himself. Personally I have no realization but I do have respect for this hearing process which Prabhupada mentions above means- until we come to this point, of constantly wanting to hear from the spiritual master, we are lacking in realization.
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“One who understands and appreciates the disciplic succession is certainly advanced, and we should always be very careful to give full respect to those who have so carefully handled this Divine Fruit of transcendental knowledge before us. Even a slight change will spoil it. That is why I have always been so careful to give you only those things which I have heard from my Guru Maharaja.Vrndavana, India August 1967 Letter to: Devotee & Hamsaduta
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Conclusion- I have no worth myself, but the words of Srila Prabhupada have immense worth, and therefore are worthy of hearing by all of us conditioned souls.
Hare Krsna
damaghosa das