….751027SB.NAI                   Lectures                 

devotional service, especially this sravanam, kirtanam  and arcanam,

arcanam, worshiping the Deity, and sravanam kirtanam.  Even if you

follow one, that is sufficient, but there are nine  different

processes. As far as possible, we shall execute  everything, and, at

least, sravanam kirtanam visnoh smaranam  pada-sevanam, arcanam. Arcana

is very important. For kanistha-adhikari,  devotee in the lower  stage,

arcana is very, very important.

( So for those of us who are wearing the brahmana  thread or who have been given gayatri mantra, this is not a cheap title, it has to be earned. And  we may wonder why tears do not

appear in our eyes while hearing or chanting??Ok, now  back to the original lecture….. )

Although the devotee in the higher stage, he also offers worship, but Krsna is everywhere.  For a neophyte devotee Just like some  people say that “Why you should go to the

temple? Krsna is everywhere.” Who was asking that  question? “Krsna

cannot be served…” Here, last night. I think those  girls, svarna(?)

girls. Krsna is everywhere, that is a fact, but that is  for the

paramhamsa, one who is very very advanced. For the  kanistha-adhikari,

he cannot He, like parrot, he can say, “Krsna is everywhere.” He must

be educated, “Here is Krsna in the temple.” Otherwise  it is simply

blaspheme, that “Krsna is everywhere.” That’s a  fact, but where is

your realization? Krsna is within your heart.  Have you got that

realization? Isvarah sarva-bhutanam hrd-dese ‘rjuna tisthati. Have  you

got that realization, that Krsna is within your heart? Can you talk

with Krsna?  He says, Krsna says, “I talk.” Buddhi yogam-dadami tam.

Krsna gives intelligence. Krsna is giving, but have  you got that

realization?

   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. So  therefore, for kanistha-adhikari, he has to  raise

himself.

…                          arcayam eva haraye

                       yah pujam sraddhayehate

                       na tad-bhaktesu canyesu

                      sa bhaktah prakrtah smrtah

By executing this arca-vigraha, arcanam, gradually you  advance. But if

you simply remain in the arcana-viddhi or arcana process,  and you

cannot understand who is a bhakta and what to do with  others… That

is also a bhakta’s duty, not that simply we shall  remain engaged in

arcana. We must know how to respect devotee, how to do  some service to

others also. That is madhyama-adhikari. Simply if you  become

satisfied, that “Now I am initiated and I am offering  arcana. I have

become perfect,” no, the perfection is still awaiting.  You have to

understand who is a devotee. You have to  understand how to give

service to the innocent. If you do not know  that, then if you simply

become packed up by arca-vigraha-seva, arcana,  then you will remain in

the material platform. Na  tad-bhaktesu canyesu sa bhaktah prakrtah

smrtah. Prakrtah means material. He is trying to go to  the spiritual

platform, but if he  simply remains in the arcana and does not preach,

this is na tad-bhaktesu canyesu. Anyesu. Anyesu means  those who are

innocent. That is madhyama-adhikari, middle  stage.

                         isvare tad-adhinesu

                         balisesu  dvisatsu ca

                        prema-maitri-krpopeksa

                       yah karoti sa madhyamah

Isvara. Then, by arca-vigraha worship, by  sravana-kirtana, by making

your properly advanced you will understand what is the  position of

Krsna, isvara.

Some conclusions–

This bhakti yoga is a gradual process. Practically  speaking, everyone begins from the material platform and if he or she follows the actual process of sadhana  bhakti, then they will come eventually to the spiritual platform. As  Srila Prabhupada  describes, there are 4 platforms of realization. The sensual, the mental  the intellectual and eventually the spiritual platform. To actually come to the spiritual platform requires  austerity or purification of the senses. We all know what this means.

In the above segments Srila Prabhupada clearly explains  that the neophyte or materialistic bhakta must perfrom Arcana or daily worship  of the Vigraha Form of the Lord. This is not  optional  if one wants  to eventually  within his heart, see or talk with the Lord. If one is  satisfied with just knowing he or she is doing some spiritual activity daily,  then he or she can just chant Hare Krsna or read the books. This is good, but is  not the final goal. The end goal is to have the realization of the Lord in  one’s own heart where you and He can talk with each other, as Srila Prabhupada  explains above. And that level of realization will develop, he says with Arcana,  or daily worship of the Lord, and of course this is along with the chanting of  Hare Krsna maha mantra.

Srila Prabhupada gives the proof of the materialistic  bhakta in this lecture by saying

…”He is trying to go to the spiritual platform, but if he simply remains in the arcana and does not  preach…”this  is na tad-bhaktesu canyesu.

So we can see by the above statement, what has to be  individually done.

And all along that path it is just like biting into some  sugar-because wherever you bite, you will always taste sweetness-Krsna  !!

Hari bol

Damaghosa das