PULLING THE WEEDS FROM OUR HEARTS-MANY TYPES MENTIONED BELOW
Madhya 119.152-“When a person receives the seed of devotional service, he should take care of it by becoming a gardener and sowing the seed in his heart. If he waters the seed gradually by the process of śravaṇa and kīrtana [hearing and chanting], the seed will begin to sprout.PURPORT-….Bhakti-latā-bīja means “the seed of devotional service.” … This bhakti-latā-bīja is received from the spiritual master by the grace of Kṛṣṇa. Other seeds are called anyābhilāṣa-bīja, karma-bīja and jñāna-bīja. If one is not fortunate enough to receive the bhakti-latā-bīja from the spiritual master, he instead cultivates the seeds of karma-bīja, jñāna-bīja, or political and social or philanthropic bīja. However, bhakti-latā-bīja is different from these other bījas. Bhakti-latā-bīja can be received only through the mercy of the spiritual master. Therefore one has to satisfy the spiritual master to get bhakti-latā-bīja (yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ). Bhakti-latā-bīja is the origin of devotional service. Unless one satisfies the spiritual master, he gets the bīja, or root cause, of karma, jñāna and yoga without the benefit of devotional service. However, one who is faithful to his spiritual master gets the bhakti-latā-bīja. This bhakti-latā-bīja is received when one is initiated by the bona fide spiritual master. After receiving the spiritual master’s mercy, one must repeat his instructions, and this is called śravaṇa-kīrtana-hearing and chanting. One who has not properly heard from the spiritual master or who does not follow the regulative principles is not fit for chanting (kīrtana). This is explained in Bhagavad-gītā (2.41): vyavasāyātmikā buddhir ekeha kuru-nandana. One who has not listened carefully to the instructions of the spiritual master is unfit to chant or preach the cult of devotional service. One has to water the bhakti-latā-bīja after receiving instructions from the spiritual master.
SB 1.5.24 purport:Without being self-controlled, without being disciplined and without being fully obedient, no one can become successful in following the instructions of the spiritual master, and without doing so, no one is able to go back to Godhead.750919SB.VRN Lectures…So to forget Krsna and to become subjected to the condition of material nature, that is called material life. Material life means to give up the idea of going back to home, back to Godhead, but making plan here to be happy. This is called maya, or material life. see all the weeds I pulled today from this one flower garden
(Srila Prabhupada Morning Walk, Mayapur, March 11, 1976) The Drying or wetting process of Bhakti
Devotee: How does that work, that if somebody has the association of a pure devotee for only a lava, one-eleventh of a second, that he attains all perfection?
Prabhupada: If he is so sincere. Just like dried wood immediately ignites. And if it is moist, it does not. It is the quality of the wood. One takes three hundred years; one in three minutes. That’s it. One is dry from the material moist of contamination, he becomes immediately ignited in spiritual…
Devotee (2): What is that drying process?
Prabhupada: Drying process is for many, many years one has tried to become Kṛṣṇa conscious, for many, many lives, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante (BG 7.19). When he actually becomes man of knowledge he surrenders unto God. Otherwise he is lost. His drying process may take three minute or three millions’ years.
Devotee (3): But that knowledge that Kṛṣṇa is everything comes by Kṛṣṇa’s mercy, Śrīla Prabhupada?
Prabhupada: Kṛṣṇa’s mercy is already there, but if you are not able to take it…
Devotee (1): Then you don’t even have to hear from a self-realized soul. Simply by seeing him you can become completely purified.
Prabhupada: Yes. Both required. The matches must be also all right, and the wood must be also. Then there is fire. If one of them is defective, then it will not… But when you go to the fire, you become dry. But willfully we put again water. This nonsense business makes us late. This process is already there, how to become dry. But instead of taking the process, we put water. Then how it will be ignited? The rules and regulations is the drying process. But without following the rules and regulation, if you again become a victimized by māyā, then there is water, and again dry it. So this is going on: watering and drying, watering and drying. No straightforward process for drying. That will help. But difficulty is that we dry, and again water.
june 27 1976 New VrndavanaWhen I was in India I heard it that if you go to see an important businessman, his secretary, while talking with that man, the secretary gives you a card that “This Mr. such and such cannot spare more than two minutes.” Is it a fact? Huh? Anyway, we should not waste our time, either you act materially or spiritually. But materially we have no business, although we have taken it the material business as very important and spiritual business has no meaning. This is the sum and substance of modern civilization. But so far we are concerned, not only we, everyone, the human life is only meant for spiritual purpose. Not for material purpose.
BG 5.2 purport-Fruitive activities (seeking sense gratification) are cause for material bondage. As long as one is engaged in activities aimed at improving the standard of bodily comfort, one is sure to transmigrate to different types of bodies, thereby continuing material bondage perpetually.
So others may criticize you, that ‘These American Vaiṣṇavas, they do not know how to do this, how to do that.’ Let them criticize. But Kṛṣṇa says bhaktyā. You remain perfect devotee. Then your life is perfect. Kṛṣṇa does not say that the Indian devotee who discriminates between touchable and untouchable and big, big paṇḍitas or deva-gosvāmī, not dāsa-gosvāmī… Kṛṣṇa does not discriminate like that. Kṛṣṇa says bhaktyā, yo me bhaktyā prayacchati.Kṛṣṇa wants to see how much sincere devotee you have become. That is His business.” (Srila Prabhupada Lecture, Mayapur, June 17, 1973
June 13 1976 Detroit conversationsDevotee (2): …of devotional service in the modes of material nature, there’s no such thing.Prabhupāda: No. Means if you do not follow the regulative principles, then it is mixed.Satsvarūpa: Sometimes devotees think that in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, when Lord Kapila teaches there is devotional service in ignorance and in passion and in goodness, that that may mean your own disciples too. But then some devotees say “No, we’re above that designation. It’s not mixed devotional service, even though we’re neophytes.”Prabhupāda: If you voluntarily do not follow, then you fall down. That is in ignorance.Devotee (2): So where that is described in the Third Canto, Part Four, where it is described about devotional service in ignorance, passion, and goodness, and so forth, that has nothing to do with your disciples then?Prabhupāda: Who is my disciple? First of all let him follow strictly the disciplined rules.Devotee (2): As long as one is following, then he is…Prabhupāda: Then he is all right.Devotee (2): …above those lower levels.Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Otherwise, why there is need of regulative principles? He is immediately liberated. If he thinks that “Because I have taken to, I am liberated,” then why the rules and regulations?Devotee (2): But as long as he follows the rules and regulations.Prabhupāda: Yes.Devotee (2): [break] …the brahma-bhūtaḥ platform, brahma-bhutaḥ prasannātmā [Bg. 18.54], immediately?Prabhupāda: Yes. Bhagavad-gītā it is said māṁ ca yo ‘vyabhicāreṇa [Bg. 14.26], unalloyed. Bhakti-yogena sevate, then he’s liberated. If it is vyabhicāreṇa, sometimes falls down, sometimes…, then it is within sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. The word is māṁ ca yaḥ avyabhicāreṇa bhakti-yogena, pure bhakti.Hari-śauri: Without any falldown.Devotee (2): Falldown means deviation from the orders of the spiritual master.Prabhupāda: Yes, that is vyabhicāreṇa, that is not avyabhicāreṇa. If you are subjected to the attraction of māyā, that is vyabhicāreṇa.Devotee (2): If somebody is following the instructions, but if there’s attraction for māyā…Prabhupāda: That cannot be. Maybe in the beginning due to past habits, but that must be nil very soon. Otherwise he’s not following. Just like fan switched off may move for a little, but not that it will go on moving. Must stop. Switch is off. And if it is going on, then the switch is not yet off. [break]Devotee (2): A devotee is sometimes subject to hankering or lamentation. That is material though, isn’t it?Prabhupāda: Yes.
Some Conclusions–Many times Srila Prabhupada explains that spiritual life is like a razors edge. If we are serious, then we have to find out what he means by this statement. Its not that one just chants Hare Krsna mantra and then when leaving his body, goes back to Godhead, automatically. He replies above that first determine- who is my disciple? Big point to understand
BG 7.14 purport…The words mām eva are also significant. Mām means unto Kṛṣṇa (Viṣṇu) only, and not Brahmā or Śiva. Although Brahmā and Śiva are greatly elevated and are almost on the level of Viṣṇu, it is not possible for such incarnations of rājo-guṇa (passion) and tamo-guṇa (ignorance) to release the conditioned soul from the clutches of māyā. In other words, both Brahmā and Śiva are also under the influence of māyā. Only Viṣṇu is the master of māyā; therefore He can alone give release to the conditioned soul. The Vedas confirm this in the phrase tvam eva viditvā or “Freedom is possible only by understanding Kṛṣṇa.” Even Lord Śiva affirms that liberation can be achieved only by the mercy of Viṣṇu. Lord Śiva says: mukti-pradātā sarveṣāṁ viṣṇur eva na saṁśayaḥ. “There is no doubt that Viṣṇu is the deliverer of liberation for everyone.Srila Prabhupāda: Yes. If you don’t follow the instruction of guru, then you are fallen down immediately. That is the way. Otherwise why you sing, yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādo **. It is my duty to satisfy guru. Otherwise I am nowhere. So if you prefer to be nowhere, then you disobey as you like. But if you want to be steady in your position, then you have to follow strictly the instruction of guru. Morning Walk —
February 3, 1975, Hawaii SB 4.18.5–A foolish person who manufactures his own ways and means through mental speculation and does not recognize the authority of the sages who lay down unimpeachable directions is simply unsuccessful again and again in his attempts.PURPORT–at the present moment it has become fashionable to disobey the unimpeachable directions given by the ācāryas and liberated souls of the past. Presently people are so fallen that they cannot distinguish between a liberated soul and a conditioned soul. A conditioned soul is hampered by four defects: he is sure to commit mistakes, he is sure to become illusioned, he has a tendency to cheat others, and his senses are imperfect. Consequently we have to take direction from liberated persons.
madhya 16.72...Intermingling the spiritual with the material causes one to look on transcendence as material and the mundane as spiritual. This is all due to a poor fund of knowledge.
Antya 20.52-“I do not mind My personal distress. I only wish for the happiness of Kṛṣṇa, for His happiness is the goal of My life. However, if He feels great happiness in giving Me distress, that distress is the best of My happiness.Purport-Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura says that a devotee does not care about his own happiness and distress; he is simply interested in seeing that Kṛṣṇa is happy, and for that purpose he engages in various activities. A pure devotee has no way of sensing happiness except by seeing that Kṛṣṇa is happy in every respect. If Kṛṣṇa becomes happy by giving him distress, such a devotee accepts that unhappiness as the greatest of all happiness. Those who are materialistic, however, who are very proud of material wealth and have no spiritual knowledge, like the prākṛta-sahajiyās, regard their own happiness as the aim of life. Some of them aspire to enjoy themselves by sharing the happiness of Kṛṣṇa. This is the mentality of fruitive workers who want to enjoy sense gratification by making a show of service to Kṛṣṇa.Antya 20.55-“Why does a woman continue to live who knows that Kṛṣṇa’s heart is unhappy but who still shows her deep anger toward Him? She is interested in her own happiness. I condemn such a woman to be struck on the head with a thunderbolt, for We simply want the happiness of Kṛṣṇa.Purport-A devotee who is satisfied only with his own sense gratification certainly falls down from the service of Kṛṣṇa. Being attracted by material happiness, he later joins the prākṛta-sahajiyās, who are considered to be nondevotees.
Feb 25 1977 Mayapur room conversation
Prabhupāda: Yes, that’s it. Then, if the heart is little cleansed, then they will understand. It will be effective, but when it is done properly it will give real effect. Outsider, those who are chanting, we don’t discourage him.
Rāmeśvara: We want then to chant more.Prabhupāda: Yes. But we must… They must know the science also.Rāmeśvara: Just like this Alice Coltrane. She has done her small part. She made this record album with Govinda Jaya Jaya and Hare Kṛṣṇa.Prabhupāda: That is… That will be a good thing. But when he does it properly it will be more effective, because there is… If one does not chant in the process, then gradually it degrades. The offense will increase. There is chance.
KB 2-31…”It is said that Your Lordship, sitting in the heart of a devotee, gives him direction by which he can very quickly come back to home, back to You. This direct dictation by You reveals Your existence within the heart of the devotee. Only a devotee can immediately appreciate Your existence within his heart, whereas for a person who has only a bodily conception of life and is engaged in sense gratification You always remain covered by the curtain of yogamāyā. Such a person cannot realize that You are very near, sitting within his heart.
ISO 16 purport-… Those who are not as perfect as the pure devotees-namely, those who have realized only the Brahman or Paramātmā features of the Lord-cannot appreciate the activities of the perfect devotees.The Lord always helps the pure devotees by imparting necessary knowledge within their hearts, and thus out of His special favor He dissipates all the darkness of ignorance. The speculative philosophers and yogīs cannot imagine this, because they more or less depend on their own strength. As stated in the Kaṭha Upaniṣad (1.2.23), the Lord can be known only by those whom He favors, and not by anyone else. Such special favors are bestowed upon His pure devotees only. Śrī Īśopaniṣad thus points to the favor of the Lord, which is beyond the purview of the brahmajyoti.
SB 1.13.27 purport-.. One may live in the darkest jungle alone out of home, but a steadfast devotee knows very well that he is not alone. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is with him, and He can protect His sincere devotee in any awkward circumstance. One should therefore practice devotional service at home, hearing and chanting the holy name, quality, form, pastimes, entourage, etc., in association with pure devotees, and this practice will help one awaken God consciousness in proportion to one’s sincerity of purpose. One who desires material benefit by such devotional activities can never depend on the Supreme Personality of Godhead, although He sits in everyone’s heart. Nor does the Lord give any direction to persons who worship Him for material gain. Such materialistic devotees may be blessed by the Lord with material benefits, but they cannot reach the stage of the first-class human being, as above mentioned.
Sept 16 1976…Pṛthivīte āche yata nagarādi. That is His mission. It is not that “Become a big Vaiṣṇava and sit down and imitate.” This is all rascaldom. So don’t follow this thing. So at least we cannot advise you in that way. We have learned from our Guru Mahārāja that preaching is very, very important thing, and when one is actually an experienced preacher, then he is able to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra without any offense. Before that, this so-called chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, you may practice without any offenses…And giving up all other business to make a show of a big Vaiṣṇava, that is not required. Thank you very much. (end)
Feb 11 1976 Mayapur
Real life is to become mahā-bhāgavata.You cannot become a mahā-bhāgavata all of a sudden, but from kaniṣṭha-adhikārī,arcāyām eva harayeyaḥ pūjāṁ śraddhayehatena tad-bhakteṣu cānyeṣusa bhaktaḥ prākṛtaḥ smṛtaḥPrākṛtaḥ stage, so prakṛtaḥ stage means just like we are worshiping The Deity, but not only we shall worship Deity but we make advancement. What is that advancement? To become gradually a preacher. That is madhyama-adhikārī, second stage, preacher. Preacher means that,īśvare tad-adhīneṣubāliśeṣu dviṣatsu caprema-maitrī-kṛpā upekṣāḥyaḥ karoti sa madhyamaḥWhen you become fully Kṛṣṇa conscious by worshiping the Deity regularly, as we have got prescription to rise early in the morning, offer maṅgala-ārati, then kīrtana, then class, in this way practicing, practicing. When you become advanced Kṛṣṇa conscious, then your natural tendency will be how to preach. So long you do not develop this tendency for preaching, simply remain in kaniṣṭha-adhikārī, you do not know how to deliver others, na tad-bhakteṣu cānyeṣu, you do not know how to receive elevated, one elevated devotee, you do not know how to do good to others. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s mission is not to keep one in the kaniṣṭha-adhikārī, especially those who are born in India.
Madhya 7.130-At whosoever’s house Śrī Caitanya accepted His alms by taking prasāda, He would convert the dwellers to His saṅkīrtana movement and advise them just as He advised the brāhmaṇa named Kūrma.
PURPORT-The cult of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is explained here very nicely. One who surrenders to Him and is ready to follow Him with heart and soul does not need to change his location. Nor is it necessary for one to change status. One may remain a householder, a medical practitioner, an engineer or whatever. It doesn’t matter. One only has to follow the instruction of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra and instruct relatives and friends in the teachings of the Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.One has to learn humility and meekness at home, following the instructions of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and in that way one’s life will be spiritually successful. One should not try to be an artificially advanced devotee, thinking, “I am a first-class devotee.” Such thinking should be avoided.It is best not to accept any disciples.One has to become purified at home by chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra and preaching the principles enunciated by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Thus one can become a spiritual master and be freed from the contamination of material life.
Note –here is the order above to become ritvik-acting on behalf of Srila Prabhupada-he specifically says it is best NOT to accept ones own disciples.
[Cc. Ādi 9.41]
This is principle, para-upakāra, because everyone is suffering. So in the lower stage, everyone should take part very diligently in the worship of the Deity, śrī-vigrahārādhana-nitya-nānā-sṛṅgāra-tan-mandira-mārj anādau **. One should be engaged, everyone should be engaged, śrī-vigrahārādhanam, with Deity worship. What is that Deity worship? Sri, śrī-vigrahārādhana-nitya-nānā-śṛṅgāra **. To decorate the Deity very, very nicely, śṛṅgāra. Tan-mandira-mārjanādau, and to keep the temple, all through, very clean. This kaniṣṭha-adhikārī should be fully engaged in these things, then he becomes gradually, I mean to say, elevated in the madhyama-adhikārī……And uttama-adhikārī, that is very rarely attained, this stage. Uttama-adhikārī, has only equal, one vision, samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu mad-bhaktiṁ labhate. The uttama-adhikārī, he does not think that “He is envious,” or “he is this,” or “he is that,” he sees that everyone is engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is not to be imitated. That Prahlāda Mahārāja is like that. He did not know who is his enemy and who is friend. No, he did not know. He is uttama-adhikārī, mahā-bhāgavata. “Everyone is eligible for the supreme destination. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (SB 2.4.18) it is stated that even the lowest, who are called caṇḍālas (dog-eaters), can be purified by association with a pure devotee. Therefore devotional service and the guidance of a pure devotee are so strong that there is no discrimination between the lower and higher classes of men; anyone can take to it. The most simple man taking shelter of the pure devotee can be purified by proper guidance.” (Bhagavad-gīta As It Is 9.32, Purport)
Yasyāprasādān na gatiḥ kuto ‘pi. If you displease him, then you are nowhere.
February 27-29, 1972, Mayapura :
Prabhupāda: You have to carry out his order. That’s all. God’s representative is guru. So he’s asking you to do this, to do that. If you do that, that is pleasing. Yasyāprasādān na gatiḥ kuto ‘pi. If you displease him, then you are nowhere. Therefore we worship guru. Sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstrair uktas tathā bhāvyata eva sadbhiḥ **. A guru should be accepted as God. That is the injunction of all śāstras.One who takes āśraya, shelter of a devotee, Kṛṣṇa does not give him up. Kṛṣṇa accepts him.” Yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ… **. Because if that person who is giving shelter, if he’s pleased, Kṛṣṇa is immediately… If he recommends a fool, “Oh, Kṛṣṇa, here is a devotee,” Kṛṣṇa will accept immediately. It doesn’t matter whether he’s a fool or rascal. Because he is recommended by representative, he will be accepted. Yasya pra… This is the meaning of yasya prasādad bhagavat-pra… Without his recommendation there is no entry in Kṛṣṇa’s kingdom. Yasya-prasādad na gatiḥ kuto ‘pi. If he displeases Kṛṣṇa’s representative he has no entrance to the Kṛṣṇa’s kingdom, however learned he may be or whatever he may be. Immediately rejected. In a business office, suppose a secretary is there. A clerk does not accept the order of the secretary. Immediately he should be dismissed. In my personal experience, when I was young manager in a big chemical concern, one correspondent clerk, he disobeyed me. I reported to the head boss. He immediately came and he said, “Get out immediately from the office.” And he wanted to plead in so many ways. He said, “No, I don’t want. If you don’t go out, then I shall call my doorman. He will forcibly get you out. Get out.” I was sorry because this man is dismissed immediately, but he took. Disobedient… “Obedience is first discipline.” So if Kṛṣṇa’s representative is disobeyed—”Get out immediately.” Kṛṣṇa is very strict.
Here is what happens when we disobey the bona fide spiritual master
Read all the books or fall down-also do deity worship
Madhya 25.278 : PURPORT :
All the devotees connected with this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement must read all the books that have been translated (Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Bhagavad-gītā and others); otherwise, after some time, they will simply eat, sleep and fall down from their position. Thus they will miss the opportunity to attain an eternal, blissful life of transcendental pleasure.
NoD 35 Neutral Love of God 175614/530501Without worshiping the arca-vigraha, the form or Deity of the Lord,one cannot understand such literature as Bhagavad-gita andSrimad-Bhagavatam.
751030SB.NAI Lectures 223477/530501So the temple worship is essential. So those who are against templeworship, Deity worship, they are not very intelligent class of men,foolish, mudha.
NoD 35 Neutral Love of God 175614/530501…In this way the bhakti-lata shrivels up. Such an offense is especially created when one disobeys the instructions of the spiritual master. This is called guru-avajna. The devotee must therefore be very careful not to commit offenses against the spiritual master by disobeying his instructions. As soon as one is deviated from the instructions of the spiritual master, the uprooting of the bhakti-lata begins, and gradually all the leaves dry up. (CC Mad. 19.156) When a mad elephant enters a garden, it ruins all the creepers, flowers and trees. Similarly, if a devotee properly executing his devotional service becomes an offender at the lotus feet of his spiritual master or another Vaishnava, his devotional service is spoiled.
(CC Antya 3.213) But even one who has a nice guru cannot remain Krishna conscious if he is determined to remain in this material world. If my determination is to remain in this material world to enjoy material life, then for me Krishna consciousness is impossible. (Topmost Yoga System) 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. (Nectar of Devotion, pg. 48)
May 6 1973 LA--That’s the fact. That is the fact. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā: yo me bhaktyā prayacchati.Patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati [Bg. 9.26]. Kṛṣṇa says that “A little flower, little water, little fruit, that’s all, if somebody offers Me with devotion and love, then I eat.”Kṛṣṇa is not hungry. Kṛṣṇa is not hungry. He is self-satisfied, pūrṇa. But if His devotee offers Him something with love and affection, then He accepts.So do not think that “We have made such nice, sumptuous plate for Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa must eat.” No. There is no such thing, “must.” You cannot make Kṛṣṇa must. That is not possible. So Kṛṣṇa will see how much you have love for Him. Then He will accept. Otherwise He’ll reject…Therefore, it is forbidden, those who are nondevotee, those who are not initiated, those who are not chanting regularly, their offering to Kṛṣṇa will not be accepted. We must be very careful. We must know our position, whether I am sincerely following the principles of devotional service. Then Kṛṣṇa will accept. Yo me bhaktyāprayacchati. The real thing is bhakti. So either you offer Kṛṣṇa prayers or you offer foodstuff, everything must be along with bhakti, devotion, love. Then Kṛṣṇa will accept.
Sadhana bhakti-warnings from our Acarya
NBS 13 Narada-bhakti-sutra
If a diseased person is being cured of the symptoms of his disease
but does not care for the principles of healthy living, there is every
possibility of a relapse. Similarly, the neophyte devotee serious
about advancing in devotional service must carefully follow the
principles of regulative devotional service; otherwise there is every
possibility of his falling down. Strictly speaking, if a devotee
ignores the regulative principles and acts according to his whims–if,
for example, he does not eat krsna-prasadam but eats anywhere and
everywhere, such as in restaurants–there is every possibility of his
falling down. If he accumulates money without spending it for
devotional service, there is every possibility of his falling down. If
he applies his energy not in the service of the Lord but in some
material activity, there is every possibility of his falling down. If
the devotee does not engage himself always in hearing and chanting the
topics of Krsna and His activities but instead indulges in idle talk,
there is every chance of his falling down. If a neophyte devotee does
not follow the orders of the spiritual master and simply officially
sticks to the principles, or if he does not strictly follow the
principles, there is every possibility of his falling down. To become
greedy is another cause of falldown. And to associate with persons whoare not in devotional service is the last word in maya’s allurements
for causing a devotee to fall down.
On the other hand—if we follow the process this is what happens
SB 3.5.4 P–The bhakti process, as performed under the regulative principles of vaidhi-bhakti, or devotional service following the prescribed rules and regulations, is defined by the revealed scriptures and confirmed by great acaryas. This practice can help the neophyte devotee to rise to the stage of raga-bhakti,in which the Lord responds from within... when such a
nondualist comes to sense that the Lord is worshipable and that the devotee is simultaneously one with and different from the Lord, then only can he surrender …..
Dec 12 1970Therefore, anyone who wants to make progress in spiritual life, he must be sadācāra. His behavior must be very regulated. Asadācārī, unclean, nonregulated, cannot make any progress. If somebody says that “Whatever you like, you can do. There is no difference. You can imagine your own way…” This is going on nowadays. “Whatever you like, you can do. You can imagine your own way of self-realization.” But that is not recommended in the Vedic literatures. One must be sadācāra. This is the beginning of sadācāra, to rise early in the morning, to cleanse, then chant, or chant the Vedic mantras or, simplified as in the present age, Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, mahā-mantra. This is the beginning of sadācāra. So sadācāra means to become freed from sinful reaction. Unless one follows the regulative principles he cannot be freed. And unless one is fully freed from sinful reaction he cannot understand what is God.
SB 2.9.31 purport–Therefore, one cannot understand the Personality of Godhead unless one becomes a devotee and discharges devotional service. This mystery is love of Godhead. Therein lies the main qualification for knowing the mystery of the Personality of Godhead. And to attain the stage of transcendental love of Godhead, regulative principles of devotional service must be followed. The regulative principles are called vidhi-bhakti, or the devotional service of the Lord, and they can be practiced by a neophyte with his present senses. Such regulative principles are mainly based on hearing and chanting of the glories of the Lord. And such hearing and chanting of the glories of the Lord can be made possible in the association of devotees only. Lord Caitanya therefore recommended five main principles for attaining perfection in the devotional service of the Lord. The first is association with devotees (hearing); second is chanting the glories of the Lord; third, hearing Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam from the pure devotee; fourth, residing in a holy place connected with the Lord; and fifth, worshiping the Deity of the Lord with devotion. Such rules and regulations are parts of devotional service.
Madhya 19.157 purport–While the bhakti-latā creeper is growing, the devotee must protect it by fencing it all around. The neophyte devotee must be protected by being surrounded by pure devotees. In this way he will not give the maddened elephant a chance to uproot his bhakti-latā creeper. When one associates with nondevotees, the maddened elephant is set loose. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has said: asat-saṅga-tyāga,-ei vaiṣṇava-ācāra. The first business of a Vaiṣṇava is to give up the company of nondevotees. A so-called mature devotee, however, commits a great offense by giving up the company of pure devotees. The living entity is a social animal, and if one gives up the society of pure devotees, he must associate with nondevotees (asat-saṅga). By contacting nondevotees and engaging in nondevotional activities, a so-called mature devotee will fall victim to the mad elephant offense. Whatever growth has taken place is quickly uprooted by such an offense. One should therefore be very careful to defend the creeper by fencing it in-that is, by following the regulative principles and associating with pure devotees.If one thinks that there are many pseudo devotees or nondevotees in the Kṛṣṇa Consciousness Society, one can keep direct company with the spiritual master, and if there is any doubt, one should consult the spiritual master. However, unless one follows the spiritual master’s instructions and the regulative principles governing chanting and hearing the holy name of the Lord, one cannot become a pure devotee. By one’s mental concoctions, one falls down. By associating with nondevotees, one breaks the regulative principles and is thereby lost.
Prabhupada: My Guru Mahārāja used to say, “When our men will be sahajiyā, he will be more dangerous.”Devotee: Our own men.
Prabhupada: Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, he said that “When our men will be sahajiyā, oh, they’ll be more dangerous.” So our men are becoming, some of them, sahajiyās. This very word he said, that “When our men will be sahajiyās he’ll be more dangerous.”
(Srila Prabhupada Conversation, Bhuvanesvara, January 24, 1977)
“This is sahajiyā-vāda. He is thinking, ‘Oh I have become liberated. I don’t require any direction of my guru. I’m liberated.’ Then he’s rascal. Why this Gauḍīya Maṭha failed? Because they tried to become more than guru. He, before passing away, he gave all direction and never said that ‘This man should be the next ācārya.‘ But these people, just after his passing away, they began to fight, who shall be ācārya. That is the failure.”
(Srila Prabhupada Conversation, Bombay, August 16, 1976)
Madhya 1.271–Thus Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu chastised all the devotees, telling them not to show impudence and spoil the entire world by becoming independent.PURPORT–Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu warned all His followers not to become independent or impudent. Unfortunately, after the disappearance of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, many apa-sampradāyas (so-called followers) invented many ways not approved by the ācāryas. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has described them as the āula, bāula, kartābhajā, neḍā, daraveśa, sāni sahajiyā, sakhībhekī, smārta, jāta-gosāñi, ativāḍī, cūḍādhārī and gaurāṅga-nāgarī.The āula-sampradāya, bāula-sampradāya and others invented their own ways of understanding Lord Caitanya’s philosophy, without following in the footsteps of the ācāryas. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu Himself indicates herein that all such attempts would simply spoil the spirit of His cultTLC-Ch.18-On the other hand, there are many so-called devotees who think Vedānta is not meant for devotees. Such people are ignorant of the fact that Vedānta is the only platform of pure devotees. All the great ācāryas of the four Vaiṣṇava sampradāyas have made commentaries on the Vedānta-sūtra, but the so-called devotees known as prākṛta-sahajiyā carefully avoid the study of Vedānta-sūtra. The prākṛta-sahajiyā mistakenly take the pure devotees and Vaiṣṇava ācāryas to be mental speculators or fruitive actors. Consequently they themselves become Māyāvādīs and leave the service of the Supreme Lord.
Hare Krsnadamaghosa das———————————————-
Realization means you should write.Every one of you, what is your realization? What for this Back to Godhead is? You write your realization, what you have realized about Kṛṣṇa. That is required. It is not passive. Always you should be active. Whenever you find time, you write. Never mind, two lines, four lines, but you write your realization. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam, writing or offering prayers, glories. This is one of the function of the Vaiṣṇava. You are hearing, but you have to write also.Then write means smaraṇam, remembering what you have heard from your spiritual master, from the scripture. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ:[SB 7.5.23] about Viṣṇu, not for others. Don’t write any nonsense thing for any nonsense man. Useless waste of time. Viṣṇu. Write about Viṣṇu, Kṛṣṇa. This is cultivation of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Hear, write, remember, try to understand. Don’t be dull, dull-headed. Very intelligent. (Sri Brahma-samhita, Verse 32 Excerpt — Los Angeles, August 14, 1972)