SB 4.24.75-In this material world there are different types of achievement, but of all of them the achievement of knowledge is considered to be the highest because one can cross the ocean of nescience only on the boat of knowledge. Otherwise the ocean is impassable.
PURPORT
Actually everyone is suffering within this material world due to ignorance. Every day we see that a person without knowledge commits some criminal act and is later arrested and punished, despite the fact that he actually may not have been conscious of his sinful activity. Such ignorance prevails throughout the world. People do not consider how they are risking their lives in an attempt to have illicit sex life, kill animals to satisfy their tongue, enjoy intoxication and gamble. It is very regrettable that the leaders of the world do not know of the effects of these sinful activities. They are instead taking things very easily and are succeeding in making the ocean of nescience wider and wider.
Opposed to such ignorance, full knowledge is the greatest achievement within this material world. We can practically see that one who has sufficient knowledge is saved from many dangerous pitfalls in life. As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (7.19), bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate: “When one actually becomes wise, he surrenders unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead.” Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ: “Such a great soul is very rarely to be found.”
This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is determined to open wide the eyes of the so-called leaders, who are full of ignorance, and thus save them from the many pitfalls and dangerous conditions of life. The greatest danger is the danger of getting a body lower than that of a human being.It was with great difficulty that we attained this human form of life just to take advantage of this body and reestablish our relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Govinda. Lord Śiva advises, however, that those who take advantage of his prayers will very soon become devotees of Lord Vāsudeva and thus will be able to cross the ocean of nescience and make life perfect.
(see current garden photos at the end)
Adi 8.15 : PURPORT :
Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvati Ṭhākura comments in this connection that people in general, in their narrow-minded conception of life, create many different types of humanitarian activities, but the humanitarian activities inaugurated by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu are different. For logicians who want to accept only that which is proven through logic and argument, it is a fact that without logic and reason there can be no question of accepting the Absolute Truth. Unfortunately, when such logicians take to this path without the mercy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, they remain on the platform of logic and argument and do not advance in spiritual life. However, if one is intelligent enough to apply his arguments and logic to the subtle understanding of the fundamental spiritual substance, he will be able to know that a poor fund of knowledge established on the basis of material logic cannot help one understand the Absolute Truth, which is beyond the reach of imperfect senses. The Mahābhārata therefore says: acintyāḥ khalu ye bhāvā na tāṁs tarkeṇa yojayet. (Mahābhārata, Bhīṣma-parva 5.22) How can that which is beyond the imagination or sensory speculation of mundane creatures be approached simply by logic? Logic and argument are very poor in spiritual strength and always imperfect when applied to spiritual understanding. By putting forward mundane logic one frequently comes to the wrong conclusion regarding the Absolute Truth, and as a result of such a conclusion one may fall down to accept a body like that of a jackal.
NOD 5-Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī warns, however, that if a person is properly initiated by a bona fide spiritual master, he should not think that simply by the acceptance of such initiation his business is then finished. One still has to follow the rules and regulations very carefully. If after accepting the spiritual master and being initiated one does not follow the rules and regulations of devotional service, then he is again fallen. One must be very vigilant to remember that he is the part and parcel of the transcendental body of Kṛṣṇa, and that it is his duty as part and parcel to give service to the whole, or Kṛṣṇa. If we do not render service to Kṛṣṇa then again we fall down. In other words, simply becoming initiated does not elevate one to the position of a high-class brāhmaṇa. One also has to discharge the duties and follow the regulative principles very rigidly.
Madhya 15.108 purport…
According to the Vaiṣṇava regulative principles, one must be initiated as a brāhmaṇa. The Hari-bhakti-vilāsa (2.6) quotes the following injunction from the Viṣṇu-yāmala:
adīkṣitasya vāmoru kṛtaṁ sarvaṁ nirarthakam paśu-yonim avāpnoti dīkṣā-virahito janaḥ
“Unless one is initiated by a bona fide spiritual master, all his devotional activities are useless. A person who is not properly initiated can descend again into the animal species.”
Hari-bhakti-vilāsa (2.10) further quotes: ato guruṁ praṇamyaivaṁ sarva-svaṁ vinivedya ca gṛhṇīyād vaiṣṇavaṁ mantraṁ dīkṣā-pūrvaṁ vidhānataḥ
“It is the duty of every human being to surrender to a bona fide spiritual master. Giving him everything-body, mind and intelligence-one must take a Vaiṣṇava initiation from him.”
(If anybody wants the conclusions of all of Srila Prabhupadas Knowledge/teachings go to our website for this book we published
called Srila Prabhupada Siddhanta
Some Conclusions from above– Srila Prabhupada kindly explains how knowledge is the highest thing one can attain in this human form of life because with it, one can easily cross over the ocean of ignorance or illusion. And after obtaining initiation and service from such a bona fide spiritual master if one does not take advantage of this great advantage, he remains a fallen soul. He also quotes that if one likes to speculate about spiritual matters that person can fall down to the life in a jackals body. And finally if one likes the idea of spiritual life and tries to approach Lord Krsna but does not take initiation from Lord Krsna‘s pure and authorized spiritual master or representative then ALL his devotional activities are useless AND he also can descend once again into some animal species.
Srila Prabhupada many times described spiritual life as like a razors edge. If one is not careful it will cut us up….. And here are some of those warnings which will cut….
Hare Krsna
damaghosa das
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Garden #1–hundreds of potato plants coming up-Yukons, Yellow finns, Purple majesty and some Reds
The other section next to the greenhouse is gradually filling up with Brassicas-cauly, brussel sprouts, cabbage and brocoli
80 various determinate tomato plants in greenhouse plus about 18 sweet banana pepper plants and a couple basil
plants and two screens full of peas……..we had some asparagus plus these peas a couple days ago steamed-WOW
they were so sweet and melted in your mouth……once we eat like this-there is NO going back to store bought food.
the hoop house with around 50 pepper plants-we will show the other two gardens shortly…basil, corn squash etc