Sadhana  Bhakti warnings from our Acarya-

NBS 13  P                  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 who

are not in  devotional service is the last word in maya’s allurements for causing a  devotee to fall down.

01212rc.ind                 Conversations                        sadacara 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  P –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 Srimad-Bhagavatam 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.

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 …..

Madhya  19.157– While the bhakti-lata 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-lata creeper. When  one associates with nondevotees, the maddened elephant is set loose.  Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has said: asat-sanga-tyaga,–ei  vaisnava-acara. The first business of a Vaisnava 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-sanga). 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 Krsna 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.

THE NECESSITY FOR PERFORMING  SADHANA BHAKTI

• Monetary matters are secondary. On principle, we should   better starve than neglect our rules and regulations.   04/11/1972 • Everyone must rise by 4:00 a.m. and attend mangal arati.   01/02/1974 • All the temple members, without exception, must rise by   4:00 a.m. and attend mangal arati. 01/02/1974 • My instruction is that   all of my disciples must attend the mangal arati and chant 16 rounds daily.   08/20/1974
II. THE RESULT OF NOT PERFORMING SADHANA   BHAKTI

• Follow the simple process or be victims of women and   wealth. 05/01/1974 • Please do not neglect to engage yourself in the   prescribed duties for maintaining your spiritual strength. Without keeping   spiritual strength there is no question of any accomplishment.   11/16/1970 • If we are not very careful to always stick to the point   of regulative principles and purest standards of high living, then everything   will spoil very quickly and the whole show will be a farce.   04/02/1972 • But if this our regular Krishna consciousness program is   allowed to slacken, then everything else we try will fail.   02/05/1972 • If we neglect even for a moment our routine work, if we   allow the regular program to become slack, then everything else we may try   will fail. 02/05/1972 • If you yourself remain always pure, then your   preaching will have effect. As soon as there is little impurity, the whole   thing will deteriorate and go to hell. 12/29/1972 • The smallest   neglect or inattention to these matters of routine practices will cause our   other programs to fail. 01/01/1972

III.  SADHANA AND TEMPLE PRESIDENT /  LEADERSHIP

• Managers must remain vigilant that everyone follow   sadhana. 2/22/1972 • All the presidents of our centers should see that   all the members are strictly observing the brahminical standards, such as   rising early, cleansing at least twice daily, reading profusely, attending   arati, like that. 05/03/1972 • You must be the perfect example of   Krishna conscious devotee. • If temple worship is not attended, better   to stop the press. 10/22/1971(?)
IV. OTHER

• And if you simply keep to our standard program…that   means chanting daily 16 rounds, rising early, attending mangal arati, like   that, if this program is strictly maintained amongst all the devotees, they   will remain pure, and if preaching is pure, automatically leaders, managers,   funds, everything will be given profusely by Krishna – without any doubt.   12/23/1972 • That is of utmost importance, do not fail to chant 16   rounds daily, rise early, come to mangal arati, come to classes, and follow   the four regulative principles. In this way, your life will become free from   all anxieties. 12/28/19(?) • I am also glad to hear that in your   temple no one misses mangal arati and that everyone is becoming steady and   peaceful in their service….Life will flourish. 12/28/1974

V. THE SUCCESS FORMULA

• In spiritual strength there will be no scarcity of   money. • If this routine work is always done nicely and never   neglected, then our all success is guaranteed in whatever we do.   02/05/1972 • I am confident that if you simply take our principles   very seriously and follow them rigidly, everything will come out successfully.   02/04/1971 • Make certain that your routine work is going nicely, then   all other programs will be successful. 12/23/1972 • And if you simply   keep to our standard program, …that means chanting daily 16 rounds, rising   early, attending mangal arati, like that, if this program is strictly   maintained amongst all the devotees, they will remain pure, and if preaching   is pure, automatically leaders, managers, funds, everything will be given   profusely by Krishna – without any doubt. Life will flourish.   02/03/1975

VI.THE FAIL FORMULA

• But if this our regular Krishna consciousness program   is allowed to slacken, then everything else we try will fail.   02/05/1972 • If we neglect even for a moment our routine work, if we   allow the regular program to become slack, then everything else we may try   will fail. 02/20/1970 • The smallest neglect or inattention to these   matters of routine practices will cause our other programs to fail.   01/10/1970

“Regarding your last  question about the ecstatic symptoms of chanting Hare Krishna, you  should know that the Hare Krishna Mantra has an equal effect upon all  devotees. Just like the sunshine has an equal effect on  everyone, but when it is covered, the sunshine has a different effect.  Similarly, the influence of the Hare Krishna Mantra becomes manifest when one is  no longer covered by the ten offenses to chanting. The more we become free  from the ten offenses, the more the effect of chanting becomes manifested  through us. Everyone can become a great devotee, being freed from the  offenses 100%, simply by one’s determination and  effort