Hare Krishna Society

Madhya 15.106-Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu replied, “Whoever chants the holy name of Kṛṣṇa just once is worshipable and is the topmost human being.

PURPORT-….A devotee who believes that the holy name of the Lord is identical with the Lord is a pure devotee, even though he may be in the neophyte stage. By his association, others may also become Vaiṣṇavas.

One is known as a materialistic devotee if he simply worships the Deity of Hari with faith but does not show proper respect to the devotees and to others. This is confirmed in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.2.47):arcāyām eva haraye pūjāṁ yaḥ śraddhayehate na tad-bhakteṣu cānyeṣu sa bhaktaḥ prākṛtaḥ smṛtaḥ

“Anyone who engages with faith in the worship of the Deity of Hari but does not show proper respect to the devotees and to others is known as a materialistic devotee.” However, by associating with a neophyte devotee who believes that the holy name of the Lord is identical with the Lord, one can become a devotee also.

It is thus concluded that even a neophyte devotee is superior to the karmīs and jñānīs because he has full faith in chanting the holy name of the Lord. A karmī or a jñānī, regardless of his greatness, has no faith in Lord Viṣṇu, His holy name or His devotional service. One may be advanced religiously, but if he is not trained in devotional service, he has very little credit on the transcendental platform. Even a neophyte devotee engaged in Deity worship in accordance with the regulations set forth by the spiritual master is in a position superior to that of the fruitive worker and speculative philosopher.

Adi 7.73–“Simply by chanting the holy name of Kṛṣṇa one can obtain freedom from material existence. Indeed, simply by chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra one will be able to see the lotus feet of the Lord.

PURPORT-The holy name and the Lord are identical. One who is completely free from the clutches of māyā can understand this fact.

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WINDOWS: Please enter your new password.

USER: cabbage

WINDOWS: Sorry, the password must be more than 8 characters.

USER: boiled cabbage

WINDOWS: Sorry, the password must contain 1 numerical character.

USER: 1 boiled cabbage

WINDOWS: Sorry, the password cannot have blank spaces.

USER: 50bloodyboiledcabbages

WINDOWS: Sorry, the password must contain at least one upper case character.

USER: 50BLOODYboiledcabbages

WINDOWS: Sorry, the password cannot use more than one upper case character consecutively.

USER: 50BloodyBoiledCabbagesShovedUpYourAssIfYouDon’tGiveMeAccessNow!

WINDOWS: Sorry, the password cannot contain punctuation.

USER: ReallyPissedOff50BloodyBoiledCabbagesShovedUpYourAssIfYouDontGiveMeAccessNow

WINDOWS: Sorry, that password is already in use.

The above is probably funny to most who use a computer-but actually it shows us how immune and jaded we have become with modern living. Right now I am watching out my window the cotton trees drop their fluffy seeds which sometimes look like small cotton balls. They fall so slowly and gracefully to the ground in their own time. Not some time dictated by a computer or high tech company. One devotee friend of mine wrote me recently that sometimes he doesnt even know what day of the week it is-and I had to laugh at that because I feel the same way at times. Actually for the soul there is no today and tomorrow because we are eternal, and Srila Prabhupada tells us that “today- tomorrow- or yesterday’s” consciousness is for one in the bodily concept of life. When we think in terms of yesterday or today it means we are in the world of duality which does not exist for the pure soul. The philosophy of simple living high thinking is meant for those who are thoughtful and not driven by the “speed” of modern life . Everyone is obsessed with higher and higher speed. Even in the cars they try to sell you with so much increased horsepower-you can still only drive the speed limit despite all those eager horses under your hood. Computers, I feel are the thermometer of modern mentality. They are always pushing the envelop for “more high speed internet”. And even if you go warp speed, you still will want more speed, which is characteristic of the mode of passion which only makes one more and more crazy and full of intense stress. We are desiring the wrong things if we are not trying to simplify our lives and understand our real purpose here. One who is influenced by the modes of ignorance and passion is still not getting the point. The entire world is so crazy right now, and the corona virus is only symptomatic of this deeper diseased mentality.

Prabhupada would use the example of a thermometer-if you are sick you have high fever, if you are well, you temperature is normal. So the real process is to reduce the temperature so we can return to “normal” life. What that “normal life” is, nobody knows, as even some of the devotees who are living in cities- pursuing their “careers”. As Prabhupada also once said, soon they will be “jobless”. And just this morning I heard on the news that 20% of Americans are now out of work. Who would have thought this could happen only 4 months ago? That is a lot of people who no means of supporting themselves right now. And what happens when unemployement insurance is no longer available? They also had a story of one woman who had a business that depended upon sporting and summertime events. She said, as she was packing up her belongings, being evicted from her home, that her next option was homelessness, like the thousands now occupying our streets in many American sities.

This is a very serious situation and is becoming worse day by day, despite what the Wall St moguls will say to us. So it really comes down to who are you going to listen to for concrete advice? The very gross materialists who admit they dont really know what is going to happen- or the Lords pure devotees? This material world is not meant for happiness, but for self realization. That is the real truth of the matter. Even if you can find some happiness here, it is still only very temporary, and then you have to deal with another situation again in the next birth. So trying again and again for this temporary so called happiness is really foolish behavior which always produces the same result-misery from repeated birth and death.

Consider just these two verses and purports from Srimad Bhagavatam by Srila Prabhupada…

SB 7.7.41-A materialistic person, thinking himself very advanced in intelligence, continually acts for economic development. But again and again, as enunciated in the Vedas, he is frustrated by material activities, either in this life or in the next. Indeed, the results one obtains are inevitably the opposite of those one desires.

PURPORT

No one has ever achieved the results he desired from material activities.On the contrary, everyone has been frustrated again and again. Therefore one must not waste his time in such material activities for sensual pleasure, either in this life or in the next. So many nationalists, economists and other ambitious persons have tried for happiness, individually or collectively, but history proves that they have all been frustrated. In recent history we have seen many political leaders work hard for individual and collective economic development, but they have all failed. This is the law of nature, as clearly explained in the next verse.

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Unlimited Soul Power: The Meaning of Liberation

By Narasimha das

When having a nightmare, it is generally easy to awaken oneself from the dream. Yet it is not so easy to immediately end the nightmare of material existence, although this can be done, in theory, as easily as awakening from a bad dream. The dream of false identity in material existence is no more real or substantial than a fleeting nightmare or hallucination. Nonetheless, this enduring illusion is difficult to overcome due to our longstanding habit of working hard for sense enjoyment in this material world.

“This divine energy of Mine, consisting of three modes of material nature, is very difficult to overcome. But those who have surrendered unto Me can easily cross beyond it.” (Bhagavad-gita 7.14)

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Hare Krsna_I have just finished reading SB canto 8 this morning, and it is interesting to note how many times Srila Prabhupada mentions bogus gurus, so called swamis and others like that. One should take serious caution when accepting someone as their “spiritual guide” for life. Granted there are actual holy men in every religion, but as the SB predicts and warns us-be careful who you accept !!

Or as the wonderful devotee Jayananda prabhu once told us-he accepted Srila Prabhupada and gave him his life and his life savings because he knew— “this man would not cheat me”

damaghosa das

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SB 8.24.49-Neither all the demigods, nor the so-called gurus nor all other people, either independently or together, can offer mercy that equals even one ten-thousandth of Yours. Therefore I wish to take shelter of Your lotus feet.

PURPORT… One should not, therefore, try to obtain benedictions from the demigods or false gurus. One should aspire only for the benediction offered by the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

SB 8.24.50-As a blind man, being unable to see, accepts another blind man as his leader, people who do not know the goal of life accept someone as a guru who is a rascal and a fool. But we are interested in self-realization. Therefore we accept You, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as our spiritual master, for You are able to see in all directions and are omniscient like the sun.

PURPORT-The conditioned soul, being wrapped in ignorance and therefore not knowing the goal of life, accepts a guru who can juggle words and make some display of magic that is wonderful to a fool.

SB 8.24.53 purport-Sometimes it is argued that people do not know who is a spiritual master and that finding a spiritual master from whom to get enlightenment in regard to the destination of life is very difficult. …It is difficult, however, to understand Bhagavad-gītā without the help of the guru. Therefore the guru appears in the paramparā system. In Bhagavad-gītā (4.34) the Supreme Personality of Godhead recommends:tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā upadekṣyanti te jñānaṁ jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ “Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized soul can impart knowledge unto you because he has seen the truth.” … Where, then, is the difficulty in finding a guru? If one is sincere he can find the guru and learn everything.

SB 8.24.56-While sitting in the boat, King Satyavrata, accompanied by the great saintly persons, listened to the instructions of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in regard to self-realization. These instructions were all from the eternal Vedic literature [brahma]. Thus the King and sages had no doubt about the Absolute Truth.

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Srimad-Bhagavatam warns of kali-yuga panditas

Translation-

A person’s spiritual position will be ascertained merely according to external symbols, and on that same basis people will change from one spiritual order to the next. A person’s propriety will be seriously questioned if he does not earn a good living. And one who is very clever at juggling words will be considered a learned scholar. SB 12.2.4

Srimad-Bhagavatam precicts the situation of greedy sannyasis in kali yuga

TRANSLATION-

The brahmacārīs will fail to execute their vows and become generally unclean, the householders will become beggars, the vānaprasthas will live in the villages, and the sannyāsīs will become greedy for wealth SB 12. 2. 33

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Can a neophyte devotee– be a pure devotee of the Lord??

Dec 14 1972 letter to Tusta Krsna

Your next question, after leaving this material realm does the devotee remain forever with his spiritual master? The answer is yes. But I think you have got the mistaken idea in this connection. You speak of pure devotee, that he is saktyavesa avatara, that we should obey him only—these things are the wrong idea. If anyone thinks like that, that a pure devotee should be obeyed and no one else, that means he is a nonsense. We advise everyone to address one another as Prabhu. Prabhu means master, so how the master should be disobeyed? Others, they are also pure devotees. All of my disciples are pure devotees. Anyone sincerely serving the spiritual master is a pure devotee, it may be Siddhasvarupa or others, a-Siddhasvarupa. This must be very clearly stated. It is not only that your Siddhasvarupa is a pure devotee and not others. Do not try to make a faction. Siddhasvarupa is a good soul. But others should not be misled. Anyone who is surrendered to the spiritual master is a pure devotee, it doesn’t matter if Siddhasvarupa or non-Siddhasvarupa. Amongst ourselves one should respect others as Prabhu, master, one another. As soon as we distinguish here is a pure devotee, here is a non-pure devotee, that means I am a nonsense. Why you only want to be in the spiritual sky with Siddhasvarupa? Why not all? If Siddhasvarupa can go, why not everyone? Siddhasvarupa will go, you will go, Syamasundara will go, all others will go. We will have another ISKCON there. Of course, Mr. Nair must stay.

Madhya 15.106-Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu replied, “Whoever chants the holy name of Kṛṣṇa just once is worshipable and is the topmost human being.

PURPORT-Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura says that simply by chanting the holy name of Kṛṣṇa once, a person becomes perfect. Such a person is understood to be a Vaiṣṇava. With such faith and belief, one may begin a life of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, but an ordinary person cannot chant the holy name of Kṛṣṇa with such faith.

A devotee who believes that the holy name of the Lord is identical with the Lord is a pure devotee, even though he may be in the neophyte stage. By his association, others may also become Vaiṣṇavas.

One is known as a materialistic devotee if he simply worships the Deity of Hari with faith but does not show proper respect to the devotees and to others. This is confirmed in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.2.47): arcāyām eva haraye pūjāṁ yaḥ śraddhayehate na tad-bhakteṣu cānyeṣu sa bhaktaḥ prākṛtaḥ smṛtaḥ

“Anyone who engages with faith in the worship of the Deity of Hari but does not show proper respect to the devotees and to others is known as a materialistic devotee.” However, by associating with a neophyte devotee who believes that the holy name of the Lord is identical with the Lord, one can become a devotee also. .

Adi 7.73–“Simply by chanting the holy name of Kṛṣṇa one can obtain freedom from material existence. Indeed, simply by chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra one will be able to see the lotus feet of the Lord.

PURPORT-The holy name and the Lord are identical. One who is completely free from the clutches of māyā can understand this fact.

Adi 7.51-“The Māyāvādī sannyāsīs are all criticizing Your Holiness. We cannot tolerate hearing such criticism, for this blasphemy breaks our hearts.”

PURPORT-This is a manifestation of real love for Kṛṣṇa and Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. There are three categories of Vaiṣṇavas: kaniṣṭha-adhikārīs, madhyama-adhikārīs and uttama-adhikārīs. The kaniṣṭha-adhikārī, or the devotee in the lowest stage of Vaiṣṇava life, has firm faith but is not familiar with the conclusions of the śāstras. The devotee in the second stage, the madhyama-adhikārī, is completely aware of the śāstric conclusion and has firm faith in his guru and the Lord. He, therefore, avoiding nondevotees, preaches to the innocent. However, the mahā-bhāgavata or uttama-adhikārī, the devotee in the highest stage of devotional life, does not see anyone as being against the Vaiṣṇava principles, for he regards everyone as a Vaiṣṇava but himself. This is the essence of Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s instruction that one be more tolerant than a tree and think oneself lower than the straw in the street (tṛṇād api su-nīcena taror iva sahiṣṇunā). However, even if a devotee is in the uttama-bhāgavata status he must come down to the second status of life, madhyama-adhikārī, to be a preacher, for a preacher should not tolerate blasphemy against another Vaiṣṇava. Although a kaniṣṭha-adhikārī also cannot tolerate such blasphemy, he is not competent to stop it by citing śāstric evidences. Therefore Tapana Miśra and Candraśekhara are understood to be kaniṣṭha-adhikārīs because they could not refute the arguments of the sannyāsīs in Benares. They appealed to Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu to take action, for they felt that they could not tolerate such criticism although they also could not stop it.

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Hare Krsna-This is a special pastime by Vamana Dev with Bali maharaja regarding many points but this one pertains to material opulences. Prabhupada explains that material opulences may be due to past pious acts or devotional activity and Krsna may or may not take something away from His devotee-just to increase his devotion for the Lord and to disentangle him from maya.

damaghosa das

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SB 8.22.17-Material opulence is so bewildering that it makes even a learned, self-controlled man forget to search for the goal of self-realization. But the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Nārāyaṇa, the Lord of the universe, can see everything by His will. Therefore I offer my respectful obeisances unto Him.

PURPORT-The words ko vicaṣṭe gatim ātmano yathā indicate that when one is puffed up by the false prestige of possessing material opulence, he certainly neglects the goal of self-realization. This is the position of the modern world. Because of so-called scientific improvements in material opulence, people have entirely given up the path of self-realization. Practically no one is interested in God, one’s relationship with God or how one should act. Modern men have altogether forgotten such questions because they are mad for material possessions. If this kind of civilization continues, the time will soon come when the Supreme Personality of Godhead will take away all the material opulences. Then people will come to their senses.

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May 31 1974 geneva.…Let everyone, all over the world, give chance to the people of this śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam. All the problems of the world will be solved. That’s a fact. Anarthopaśamaṁ sākṣāt. Directly you’ll have. And you can realize from your own life how many, how much anarthas were accompanying with you. Now they are all subsided. Sākṣāt.What is the means? This chanting. Now you enjoyed chanting, dancing. But people will not take to it. This is the only means. Because you have been attracted by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra and dancing, you are no more interested. This morning time, in every house, you can go. Either they are sleeping or they are drinking bed tea, without washing mouth, and all the germs are going within the tea, and they are being infected within the intestines, and they are getting so many diseases. But they will not understand. But here, and the bhakti-yogam, everyone rises early in the morning and then washes himself, takes bath, becomes cleansed, and chant HareKṛṣṇamantra, read book. This is bhakti-yoga. Automatically everything will be… Hygienic principle, health question, economic question, and social, political—everything will be solved. It is not joking. Anarthopaśamaṁ sākṣād bhakti-yogam adhokṣaje [SB 1.7.6]. Why the anartha is created? How? That is explained in the previous verse.

SB 3.25.18-In that position of self-realization, by practice of knowledge and renunciation in devotional service, one sees everything in the right perspective; he becomes indifferent to material existence, and the material influence acts less powerfully upon him.

PURPORT-As the contamination of the germs of a particular disease can influence a weaker person, similarly the influence of material nature, or illusory energy, can act on the weaker, or conditioned, soul but not on the liberated soul. Self-realization is the position of the liberated state. One understands his constitutional position by knowledge and vairāgya, renunciation. Without knowledge, one cannot have realization. The realization that one is the infinitesimal part and parcel of the Supreme Spirit makes him unattached to material, conditional life. That is the beginning of devotional service. Unless one is liberated from material contamination, one cannot engage himself in the devotional service of the Lord. In this verse, therefore, it is stated, jñāna-vairāgya-yuktena: when one is in full knowledge of one’s constitutional position and is in the renounced order of life, detached from material attraction, then, by pure devotional service, bhakti-yuktena, he can engage himself as a loving servant of the Lord. paripaśyati means that he can see everything in its right perspective. Then the influence of material nature becomes almost nil. This is also confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā: [Bg. 18.54] when one is self-realized he becomes happy and free from the influence of material nature, and at that time he is freed from lamentation and hankering. The Lord states that position as mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām [Bg. 18.54], the real state of beginning devotional service.

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Tuesday, May 19, 2020 Mayapur, West Bengal, Bharata Bhumi time

Srila Vrindavana dasa Thakura avirbhava tithi [appearance day]

Srila Prabhupada explains the unique position of Srila Vrindavana dasa Thakura, in the Gaudiya Sampradaya
compiled by Yasoda nandana dasa

On the left side, the original Gaura-Nitai deities worshiped by Sri Vrindavana dasa Thakura
On the right side the Radha-Krsna deities installed by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura

Srila Prabhupada: The readers of this small description of the life and precepts of Lord Caitanya will profit much to go through the books of Śrīla Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura (Śrī Caitanya-bhāgavata) Continue reading →

I was sitting on my bench a couple days ago while chanting, and noticed these pea plants getting themselves attached to the wrong steel. You can see in the foreground of the picture that the pea plant has sent out its tendrils to find support on the tomato cage-instead of the wire mesh I put behind it. The problem is –that when this plant gets taller, growing only on the tomato cage, it wont have the support of the steel mesh behind it (which is 5 feet high) and will be just floating in space-and will then fall down due to its own weight. This is not what we want. We want the plant to grow straight and tall and then produce the peas. So I was noticing, while chanting, similarities between this plant and the bhakta lata bija-the creeper of devotion which when cultivated properly with take one back to the Spiritual world. When this happens there are no more “fall downs”

BG 2.62-While contemplating the objects of the senses, a person develops attachment for them, and from such attachment lust develops, and from lust anger arises.

BG 2.63-From anger, delusion arises, and from delusion bewilderment of memory. When memory is bewildered, intelligence is lost, and when intelligence is lost, one falls down again into the material pool.

So we can see both from Bhagavad gita and the pea plant that if we attach ourselves to the wrong thing, we will fall down into the material pool. Many times as devotees we will think, “I can still chant Hare Krsna maha mantra AND do what I want in this material world and there will be- “no problemo”. But this is not what Krsna nor our practical experience tells us.

You can see from both pictures below that the pea plant is sending out its tendrils, but they are going down and not up on the steel mesh. They have deviated from natures way of going up, and having no proper support are looking elsewhere-but in the wrong way, so they are “lost” and will fall down eventually. They are “bewildered” and have lost their “intelligence”

BG 3.39 purport...Advancement of material civilization on the basis of sense gratification means increasing the duration of the material existence of a living entity. Therefore, this lust is the symbol of ignorance by which the living entity is kept within the material world. While one enjoys sense gratification, it may be that there is some feeling of happiness, but actually that so-called feeling of happiness is the ultimate enemy of the sense enjoyer.

June 20 1972 class

So Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura advises, “Never mind, you are in distress or happiness, but go on chanting this mahā-mantra.” Māyā-jāle baddha ho’ye, ācho miche kāja lo’ye. You are entrapped by the network of illusory energy, māyā-jāle baddha ho’ye, just like the fisherman catches from the sea all kinds of creatures within the network. Similarly we are also within the net of illusory energy, and because we have no freedom, therefore all our activities are useless. Action in freedom has got some meaning, but when we are not free within the clutches of māya, within the network of māyā, then our so-called freedom has no value. Therefore, whatever we are doing is simply defeat. Without knowing our constitutional position, if you are forced to do something by the pressure of the illusory energy, it is simply useless waste of time.

BG 5.11 purport-…A person acting in Kṛṣṇa consciousness (or, in other words, in the service of Kṛṣṇa) with his body, mind, intelligence and words is a liberated person even within the material world, although he may be engaged in many so-called material activities. …This is the perfect stage of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Madhya 19.160-“If one does not distinguish between the bhakti-latā creeper and the other creepers, the sprinkling of water is misused because the other creepers are nourished while the bhakti-latā creeper is curtailed.

PURPORT-If one chants the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra while committing offenses, these unwanted creepers will grow. One should not take advantage of chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra for some material profit. As mentioned in verse 159:

‘niṣiddhācāra’, ‘kuṭīnāṭī’, jīva-hiṁsana’ ‘lābha’, ‘pūjā’, ‘pratiṣṭhādi’ yata upaśākhā-gaṇa

The unwanted creepers have been described by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura. He states that if one hears and chants without trying to give up offenses, one becomes materially attached to sense gratification. One may also desire freedom from material bondage like the Māyāvādīs, or one may become attached to the yoga-siddhis and desire wonderful yogic powers. If one is attached to wonderful material activities, one is called siddhi-lobhī, greedy for material perfection. One may also be victimized by diplomatic or crooked behavior, or one may associate with women for illicit sex. Others may make a show of devotional service like the prākṛta-sahajiyās, or one may try to support his philosophy by joining some caste or identifying himself with a certain dynasty, claiming a monopoly on spiritual advancement. Thus with the support of family tradition, one may become a pseudo guru or so-called spiritual master. One may become attached to the four sinful activities-illicit sex, intoxication, gambling and meat eating, or one may consider a Vaiṣṇava to belong to a mundane caste or creed. One may think, “This is a Hindu Vaiṣṇava, and this is a European Vaiṣṇava. A European Vaiṣṇava is not allowed to enter the temples.” In other words, one may consider Vaiṣṇavas in terms of birth, thinking one a brāhmaṇa Vaiṣṇava, a śūdra Vaiṣṇava, a mleccha Vaiṣṇava and so on. One may also try to carry out a professional business while chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra or reading Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, or one may try to increase his monetary strength by illegal means. One may also try to be a cheap Vaiṣṇava by chanting in a secluded place for material adoration, or one may desire mundane reputation by making compromises with nondevotees, compromising one’s philosophy or spiritual life, or one may become a supporter of a hereditary caste system. All these are pitfalls of personal sense gratification. Just to cheat some innocent people, one makes a show of advanced spiritual life and becomes known as a sādhu, mahātmā or religious person. All this means that the so-called devotee has become victimized by all these unwanted creepers and that the real creeper of bhakti-latā-bīja has been stunted.

the picture below is what we want-attachment to the steel tomato cage or the Lotus feet of our spiritual master without which we will become attached to so much maya in this world. If we stick to his lotus feet then our bhakti lata bija, or creeper of devotion will grow and penetrate the universal shell and attach itself to Lord Krsna In Vaikuntha.

July 11 1976 lecture….

Prabhupāda: Cittete kariyā aikya. Now this is the determination. We must approach the real guru, empowered guru, with power of attorney. Then if we take his word... Guru-mukha-padma-vākya, cittete kariyā, āra nā kariyā mane… **. Don’t try don’t manufacture ideas. Then if you take up that seriously, then your life is successful. Guru-mukha-padma, cittete, āra nā kariyā mane. Don’t spoil yourself by manufacturing ideas. Take word from him. You carry it out. Don’t bother whether you’ll be spiritually advanced or not, but take the word of the spiritual master and carry it. Then everything is guaranteed. Guru-mukha-padma-vākya, cittete koriyā aikya, āra nā koriyā mane āśā **. Then?

Dhṛṣṭadyumna: Śrī-guru-caraṇe rati…

Prabhupāda: Śrī-guru-carane rati, ei sei uttama-gati. You want advancement in spiritual consciousness, but it is possible only—śrī-guru-caraṇe rati. If you keep your faith only on the lotus feet of your guru, then you’ll make advance. There is no doubt about it. Then?

Dhṛṣṭadyumna: Ye prasāde pūre sarva āśā.

Prabhupāda: Ye prasāde pūre… We have got so many desires, but if we have got strong faith at the lotus feet of guru, everything will be fulfilled automatically. Ye prasāde pūre sarva āśā. Then?

Dhṛṣṭadyumna: Cakhudāna dilo yei…

Prabhupāda: Cakhudāna dilo yei, janme janme prabhu sei. Guru’s business is cakhudāna. We are kept in the darkness of this material existence, and guru’s business is to open it, bring him to light. That is guru, not to keep him again in the darkness. Cakhudāna dila yei janma janma prabhu sei. Prabhu means master. Then?

Dhṛṣṭadyumna: Divya-jñāna hṛde prokāśito.

Prabhupāda: Divya-jñāna hṛde prokāśito. What is that divya-jñāna? Divya-jñāna is that we are all servant of Kṛṣṇa, and our only business is to serve Kṛṣṇa. Divya-jñāna. This is divya-jñāna. It is not difficult at all. Simply we have… We have become servant of so many things—servant of society, servant of community, servant of country, servant of wife, servant of children, servant of dog and so many. “Now let me become servant of Kṛṣṇa.” This is divya-jñāna. Dīkṣā. Dīkṣā means from this divya-jñāna. That is dī. And kṣā means kṣapayati, expands. Then?

Dhṛṣṭadyumna: Prema-bhakti yāhā hoite….

Prabhupāda: Prema bhakti yāhā hoite, avidyā vināśa yāte.

Dhṛṣṭadyumna: Vede gāy yāṅhāra…

Prabhupāda: Vede gāy yāṅhāra carito. You should understand this. So by the mercy of guru, by the favor of guru, we get prema-bhakti. There are vidhi-bhakti. In the beginning we have to discharge devotional service according to the rules and regulations of the śāstra, the instruction of guru, śāstra-vidhi. Yaḥ śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya vartate kāma-kārataḥ, na siddhim avāpnoti [Bg. 16.23]. Kṛṣṇa says, “This śāstra-vidhim, the vidhi-mārga, if one gives up the śāstra-vidhi and manufactures his own way,” na siddhiṁ sāvāpnoti, “he does not get success,” na sukham, “neither happiness,” na parāṁ gatim, “and what to speak of going back to Godhead?” Forget all this. Śāstra-vidhi. So this is minimized. So when we are practiced to vidhi-mārga, then we gradually get love of Godhead. That is ultimate. Premā pumartho mahān. Just like in India formerly they… Very small, minor-aged boy and girl are married, especially the girl, ten, twelve years, married. So how she can love her husband? She does not know. But there is vidhi-mārga. Vidhi-mārga, the elderly people of the—”Now, just to give your husband this refreshment.” So she gives. In this way, gradually, when she’s grown-up, she does not require any instruction; she knows how to serve her husband. That is prema. That is the bha… But the beginning must be regulative principle. Prema, vidhi prema. Prema-bhakti yāhā hoite, avidyā vināśa yāte. Prema-bhakti, avidyā… Unless we are free from this nescience of material existence, there is no question of Kṛṣṇa prema. Two things cannot go. Viraktir anyatra syāt. If you actually advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then naturally you’ll be averse to this material enjoyment. Viraktir… Bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir anyatra syāt [SB 11.2.42]. Just like if you are eating, naturally you are satisfying your appetite. So kṛṣṇa-bhakti means we are satisfying automatically all our desires. That is Kṛṣṇa-bhakti. The more we advance in Kṛṣṇa-bhakti, you’ll have no more material desires. Then?

Dhṛṣṭadyumna: Śrī-guru kāruṇa-sindhu.

Prabhupāda: Śrī-guru kāruṇa-sindhu, adhama janāra bandhu.

Dhṛṣṭadyumna: Lokanātha lokera jīvana.

Prabhupāda: Lokanātha lokera jīvana. Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura’s guru’s name was Lokanātha Gosvāmī. You have seen, those who have gone to Vṛndāvana. There is Lokanatha Gosvāmī’s tomb. So, then?

Dhṛṣṭadyumna: Hā hā prabhu koro dayā…

Prabhupāda: Hā hā prabhu koro dayā.

Devotees: …deho more pada-chāyā.

Prabhupāda: So this, the one, that… We should seek the shelter of the lotus feet of guru. Then everything… And vede gāya yāṅhāra carita. It is not that it is sentiment that one has to become very strong devotee of guru. Therefore Narottama dāsa Tha…, vede gāya yāṅhāra carita. Not that I am talking something nonsense. It is because… Śruti-pramāṇam. Whatever we talk, it must be supported by Vedic injunction. Then it is right. Just like we sometimes challenge these big, big scientists and others, and what is our strength? I am not a scientist, but how I can challenge? The Veda gāya. We have got evidence from the Vedas. Just like so many people are thinking that the moon planet is first. We are challenging, “No, moon planet is second.” What is the strength? The strength is Vedic knowledge. We cannot accept it. So vede gāya yāṅhāra carita. Vedic knowledge is so perfect that you can challenge so many scientists. Yes. If it is not in accordance to the Vedic knowledge, then it is… We do not accept. If it is not to the Kṛṣṇa’s instruction, we reject immediately. Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ [Bg. 7.15]. As soon as we see that one man is not Kṛṣṇa conscious, then we immediately group him in four classes: duṣkṛtina, mūḍha, narādhama, māyayāpahṛta-jñānā. Finished, that’s all. “No, I am learned, and you are nothing. You have not… You have no degrees of university. I have got degrees.” “Yes, that is all right, but your degrees and knowledge have been taken away by māyā. You remain in darkness. Ye timire jeti (?). You remain in the darkness.” That’s all.

Hare Krsna

damaghosa das

SB 8.19.21-–The Personality of Godhead said: O my dear King, even the entirety of whatever there may be within the three worlds to satisfy one’s senses cannot satisfy a person whose senses are uncontrolled.

PURPORT-The material world is an illusory energy to deviate the living entities from the path of self-realization. Anyone who is in this material world is extremely anxious to get more and more things for sense gratification. … The purpose of controlling the senses is to stop one’s implication in the cycle of birth and death. … Therefore the Vedic culture or brahminical culture teaches one how to be satisfied with possessing the minimum necessities in life.

To teach this highest culture, varṇāśrama-dharma is recommended. The aim of the varṇāśrama divisions—brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, brahmacarya, gṛhastha, vānaprastha and sannyāsa—is to train one to control the senses and be content with the bare necessities. Here Lord Vāmanadeva, as an ideal brahmacārī, refuses Bali Mahārāja’s offer to give Him anything He might want. He says that without contentment one could not be happy even if he possessed the property of the entire world or the entire universe….The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is therefore establishing various farms, especially in America, to show how to be happy and content with minimum necessities of life and to save time for self-realization, which one can very easily achieve by chanting the mahā-mantra—Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare.

SB 8.19.22-If I were not satisfied with three paces of land, then surely I would not be satisfied even with possessing one of the seven islands, consisting of nine varṣas. Even if I possessed one island, I would hope to get others.

SB 8.19.23-We have heard that although powerful kings like Mahārāja Pṛthu and Mahārāja Gaya achieved proprietorship over the seven dvīpas, they could not achieve satisfaction or find the end of their ambitions.

SB 8.19.24--One should be satisfied with whatever he achieves by his previous destiny, for discontent can never bring happiness. A person who is not self-controlled will not be happy even with possessing the three worlds.

PURPORT-If happiness is the ultimate goal of life, one must be satisfied with the position in which he is placed by providence. This instruction is also given by Prahlāda Mahārāja: sukham aindriyakaṁ daityā deha-yogena dehinām sarvatra labhyate daivād yathā duḥkham ayatnataḥ

“My dear friends born of demoniac families, the happiness perceived with reference to the sense objects by contact with the body can be obtained in any form of life, according to one’s past fruitive activities. Such happiness is automatically obtained without endeavor, just as we obtain distress.” (Bhāg. 7.6.3) This philosophy is perfect in regard to obtaining happiness.

Real happiness is described in Bhagavad-gītā (6.21): sukham ātyantikaṁ yat tad

“In the spiritually joyous state, one is situated in boundless transcendental happiness and enjoys himself through transcendental senses. Established thus, one never departs from the truth.” One has to perceive happiness by the supersenses. The supersenses are not the senses of the material elements. Every one of us is a spiritual being (ahaṁ brahmāsmi), and every one of us is an individual person. Our senses are now covered by material elements, and because of ignorance we consider the material senses that cover us to be our real senses. The real senses, however, are within the material covering. Dehino’smin yathā dehe: [Bg. 2.13] within the covering of the material elements are the spiritual senses. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam: [Cc. Madhya 19.170] when the spiritual senses are uncovered, by these senses we can be happy. Satisfaction of the spiritual senses is thus described: hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate. When the senses are engaged in devotional service to Hṛṣīkeśa, then the senses are completely satisfied. Without this superior knowledge of sense gratification, one may try to satisfy his material senses, but happiness will never be possible. One may increase his ambition for sense gratification and even achieve what he desires for the gratification of his senses, but because this is on the material platform, he will never achieve satisfaction and contentment.

According to brahminical culture, one should be content with whatever he obtains without special endeavor and should cultivate spiritual consciousness. Then he will be happy. The purpose of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to spread this understanding.

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