Please find attached the second issue of our monthly newsletter.

There are two types of devotees—bhajanānandīs and goṣṭhy-ānandīs. Bhajanānandīs worship the Lord for their personal benefit, while goṣṭhy-ānandīs try to elevate all others to Kṛṣṇa consciousness so that they may be saved:

“There are goṣṭhy-ānandī and bhajanānandī. Bhajanānandī is interested for his own welfare, or they think it that he is not competent enough to preach; therefore he does not go for preaching work. Sva-vimukti-kāmā: “Let me look after my own affairs.” “Oil your own machine.”So this is another stage, and other stage is a devotee taking all risk, preaching for the benefit of the whole human society. He is called goṣṭhy-ānandī, increasing the number of devotees. That is preferred by Kṛṣṇa. It is said in the Bhagavad-gītā, ya imaṁ paramaṁ guhyaṁ mad-bhakteṣv abhidhāsyati: “Anyone who is engaged in preaching this confidential science of Bhagavad-gītā,” na ca tasmān manuṣyeṣu kaścid me priya-kṛttamaḥ, “nobody is dearer to Me than he is.” So if you want very quickly recognition by Kṛṣṇa, go on preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Even if it imperfectly done, but because you are sincere in your capa…, whatever capacity you have got, if you preach, then Kṛṣṇa will be very much pleased. I have seen practically.”

(Śrīla Prabhupāda’s Lecture on Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.9.44 — Delhi, March 26, 1976)

“So my Guru Mahārāja, Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, he was goṣṭhyānandī. He wanted to increase the number of devotees. And the more you increase the number of devotees, the more you become very much recognized by Kṛṣṇa. It is Kṛṣṇa’s business. Kṛṣṇa personally comes as He is, Kṛṣṇa, to spread this bhakti cult. Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). He’s canvassing personally.”

(Śrīla Prabhupāda’s Lecture on Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta » Ādi-līlā 1.13 — Mayapur, April 6, 1975) 

“Prabhupāda: Bhajanānandī is not so important than goṣṭhyānandī. Bhajanānandī is doing for himself, and goṣṭhyānandī is doing for all living being. If you prepare some rasagullā for you, and if you prepare rasagullā for mass of people, then who is better? Rasagullā is good, but if you prepare for yourself only, then that is also good. But one who is preparing for so many hundreds and thousands is better.”

(Śrīla Prabhupāda’s Morning Walk — January 20, 1976, Mayapura)

The importance of approaching a self-realized soul:

In the Bhagavad-gita, Lord Krishna instructs Arjuna, “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 to you because he has seen the truth.” (Bhagavad-gita As It Is, 4.34) In Chapters 6 and 7 of the Gita, Lord Krishna describes the symptoms of a liberated soul. The Bhagavad-gita, Srimad Bhagavatam, and all revealed scriptures teach that a genuine spiritual master must be a fully liberated soul. Why? Srila Prabhupada offers a commonsense explanation: “A man bound by the hands and feet cannot free himself—he must be helped by a person who is unbound. Because the bound cannot help the bound, the rescuer must be liberated.” (Bg.7.14, Purport)

In Vedic culture even common people understood that a spiritual master must be a liberated soul. To this day in India such understanding is still not uncommon. For that reason, unscrupulous men sometimes try to imitate liberated persons for the sake exploiting the sentiments of uneducated spiritual seekers. Srila Prabhupada said that his mission to spread the teachings of Lord Krishna and Lord Chaitanya was made more challenging due to the propaganda of upstarts and deviants who pose as gurus and/or self-realized souls. False “gurus” and their misguided followers generally ignore or distort scriptural conclusions for selfish motives. They contradict the instructions of the genuine teachers of Krishna consciousness (acharyas). Ignorant people are lured to follow the personality cults of false teachers, who flatter their followers for the sake of extracting money and services. Those who pervert or neglect fundamental principles of Vedic religion, or varnashrama-dharma, mislead others by their bad examples. Such posers concoct their own paths and practices in defiance of scriptures and the genuine Vaishnava acharyas.

“A person who doesn’t have knowledge of devotional service may think himself liberated but actually he is not. Aruhya krcchrena param padam tatah patanty adho ‘nadrta-yusmad-anghrayah: such people may approach the impersonal Brahman effulgence, but they fall down again into material enjoyment because they have no knowledge of devotional service.” (SB.5.5.5, Purport)

Srila Prabhupada often quotes this Sanskrit verse mentioned above. It specifically refers to transcendentalists who practice severe austerities for the sake of attaining Brahman realization. Usually, due to incomplete realization, such people return to material life and take up some political or social cause. Sometimes they imitate devotional activities for the sake of gaining wealth and followers.  Even those who approach the bona fide spiritual master and the mission of Krishna consciousness—but for ulterior motives–may fail to achieve liberation for many lifetimes.

“After many births and deaths, he who is actually in knowledge surrenders unto Me, knowing Me to be the cause of all causes and all that is. Such a great soul is very rare.” (Bg.7.19)

“In the lowest stage of devotional life, one is not an unalloyed devotee. Anyabhilasita-sunyam jnana-karmady-anavrtam: to be an unalloyed devotee one must be freed from all material desires and untouched by fruitive activity and speculative knowledge.” (SB.5.5.7, Purport)

All revealed scriptures and Vaishnava acharyas emphasize that students of Krishna consciousness should accept a self-realized pure devotee as spiritual master or diksa-guru. Therefore, serious students must first learn the characteristics of a “highly elevated paramahamsa”. Lord Rishabhadeva instructs His sons: “O My sons, you should accept a highly elevated paramahamsa, a spiritually advanced spiritual master. In this way, you should place your faith in Me, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.” (SB.5.5.10) Previously, in Vedic society, most people recognized the obvious differences between a liberated person and a non-liberated person. It was common knowledge that only a liberated soul can act as a genuine spiritual master. Unfortunately, people in India and around the world are losing interest in religion and the path of liberation. If one has any interest at all, he (or she) is often misled by pretenders.

“Presently people are so fallen that they cannot distinguish between a liberated soul and a conditioned soul.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 4.18.5, Purport)

Characteristics of a liberated person:

It is surely important to understand the symptoms of a liberated person. Srila Prabhupada has often explained that only a liberated person, or “unbound” person, can help the “bound”, the conditioned soul, become free from the cycle of birth and death. “Without such superior help, one cannot be freed from the bondage of material nature.” (Bg.7.14, Purport) Charlatan “gurus” may fool people who don’t understand the symptoms of a liberated soul, or a jivan-mukta.

“By the slight association of a devotee, one can be freed from the clutches of maya. Without the mercy of the pure devotee, one cannot get freedom by any means.” (SB. 5.3.14, Purport)

In the Srimad-Bhagavatam we find numerous descriptions of self-realized souls and the paths such great souls followed.  For instance, in Fifth Canto of Bhagavatam we find descriptions of Maharaja Nabhi, the father of Lord Rishabhadeva. Maharaja Nabhi was a great Vaishnava king, a raja-rishi. He carefully followed the varanashrama way of living throughout his life and finally retired with his wife to Bhadrikashrama in the Himalayas. King Nabhi attained liberation, or full Krishna consciousness (samadhi-yoga), and was promoted to the spiritual world, Vaikuntha. In the fourth chapter, citing recognized authorities, Srila Prabhupada presents a detailed description of a person who is already liberated, even while living in this world:

“This is the way of Vedic life. One must stop the process of repeated birth and death and return home, back to Godhead. The words tan–mahimānam avāpa are significant in this regard. Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī says that mahimā means liberation in this life. We should act in such a way in this life that after giving up this body, we will become liberated from the bondage of repeated birth and death. This is called jīvan–mukti. Śrīla Vīrarāghava Ācārya states that in the Chāndogya Upaniṣad there are eight symptoms of a jīvan–mukta, a person who is already liberated even when living in this body. The first symptom of one so liberated is that he is freed from all sinful activity (apahata–pāpa). As long as one is under the clutches of māyā in the material energy, one has to engage in sinful activity. Bhagavad-gītā describes such people as duṣkṛtinaḥ, which indicates that they are always engaged in sinful activity. One who is liberated in this life does not commit any sinful activities. Sinful activity involves illicit sex, meat-eating, intoxication and gambling. Another symptom of a liberated person is vijara, which indicates that he is not subjected to the miseries of old age. Another symptom is vimṛtyu. A liberated person prepares himself in such a way that he does not take on any more material bodies, which are destined to die. In other words. he does not fall down again to repeat birth and death. Another symptom is viśoka, which indicates that he is callous to material distress and happiness. Another is vijighatsa, which indicates that he no longer desires material enjoyment. Another symptom is apipātā, which means that he has no desire other than to engage in the devotional service of Krishṇa, his dearmost pursuable Lord. A further symptom is satya–kāma, which indicates that all his desires are directed to the Supreme Truth, Kṛishṇa. He does not want anything else. He is satya–saṅkalpa. Whatever he desires is fulfilled by the grace of Krishna. First of all, he does not desire anything for his material benefit, and secondly if he desires anything at all, he simply desires to serve the Supreme Lord. That desire is fulfilled by the Lord’s grace. That is called satya–saṅkalpa. Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī points out that the word mahimā means returning to the spiritual world, back home, back to Vaikuṇṭha. Śrī Śukadeva says that the word mahimā means that the devotee attains the qualities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is called sadharma, or “the same quality.” Just as Kṛishna is never born and never dies, His devotees who return to Godhead never die and never take birth within the material world.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 5.4.5, Purport)

In this Fifth Canto of Bhagavatam, Srila Prabhupada confirms that the purpose of varnashrama-dharma is to help people attain liberation—even in this lifetime. In this age, wherein false preachers and bogus gurus are rampant, it is especially important to understand the characteristics of truly liberated souls like Maharaja Nabhi. By this understanding, people can avoid getting cheated and learn to hear from and follow Srila Prabhupada, who perfectly represents the teaching of Lord Krishna and Lord Chaitanya and Their great devotees. Srila Prabhupada encouraged his disciples to make their lives perfect in this lifetime. “We should act in such a way in this life that after giving up this body, we will become liberated from the bondage of repeated birth and death.” (SB.5.4.5, Purport)

“Although we may be engaged in the Lord’s devotional service in the temple, material conditions are so tough and inevitable that we may forget the Lord at the time of death due to a diseased condition or mental derangement. Therefore we should pray to the Lord to be able to remember His lotus feet without fail at the time of death, when we are in such a precarious condition…” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 5.3.12, Purport)

[Note: All book quotes cited are from Srila Prabhupada’s authorized original editions (AOE).]

Compiled by,

Narasimha dasa

Srila Prabhupada : Good government can exist when the relationship between the citizens and the government is like that exemplified by Lord Rāmacandra and His citizens. Lord Rāmacandra ruled His kingdom ex- actly as a father takes care of his children, and the citizens, being obliged to the good government of Lord Rāmacandra, accepted the Lord as their father. Thus the relationship between the citizens and the government should be exactly like that between father and son….🌟👑
Simply enforcing laws and ordinances cannot make the citizens obedient and lawful. That is impossible…..🚫
People must be trained according to the different varṇāśrama occupational duties. As confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (4.13), cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ: the four varṇas must be established according to varying qualities and work……🎓🌍

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam » Canto 9 » Chapter 10 » Text 50 | 1977 Edition :

अग्रहीदासनं भ्रात्रा प्रणिपत्य प्रसादित: ।प्रजा: स्वधर्मनिरता वर्णाश्रमगुणान्विता: ।जुगोप पितृवद् रामो मेनिरे पितरं च तम् ॥ ५० ॥
agrahīd āsanaṁ bhrātrāpraṇipatya prasāditaḥprajāḥ sva-dharma-niratāvarṇāśrama-guṇānvitāḥjugopa pitṛvad rāmomenire pitaraṁ ca tam 👑🤝

Synonyms:

agrahīt — accepted; āsanam — the throne of the state; bhrātrā — by His brother (Bharata); praṇipatya — after fully surrendering unto Him; prasāditaḥ — having been pleased; prajāḥ — and the citizens; sva-dharma-niratāḥ — fully engaged in their respective occupational duties; varṇāśrama — according to the system of varṇa and āśrama; guṇa-anvitāḥ — all of them being qualified in that process; jugopa — the Lord protected them; pitṛ-vat — exactly like a father; rāmaḥ — Lord Rāmacandra; menire — they considered; pitaram — exactly like a father; ca — also; tam — Him, Lord Rāmacandra.

TRANSLATION
Being pleased by the full surrender and submission of Lord Bharata, Lord Rāmacandra then accepted the throne of the state. He cared for the citizens exactly like a father, and the citizens, being fully engaged in their occupational duties of varṇa and āśrama, accepted Him as their father.

PURPORT
People are very fond of the pattern of Rāma-rājya, and even today politicians sometimes form a party called Rāma-rājya, but unfortunately they have no obedience to Lord Rāma. It is sometimes said that people want the kingdom of God without God. Such an aspiration, however, is never to be fulfilled. Good government can exist when the relationship between the citizens and the government is like that exemplified by Lord Rāmacandra and His citizens. Lord Rāmacandra ruled His kingdom ex- actly as a father takes care of his children, and the citizens, being obliged to the good government of Lord Rāmacandra, accepted the Lord as their father. Thus the relationship between the citizens and the government should be exactly like that between father and son. When the sons in a family are well trained, they are obedient to the father and mother, and when the father is well qualified, he takes good care of the children. As indicated here by the words sva-dharma-niratā varṇāśrama-guṇān-vitāḥ, the people were good citizens because they accepted the institution of varṇa and āśrama, which arranges society in the varṇa divisions of brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaisya and sudra and the asrama divisions of brahmacarya, gṛhastha, vānaprastha and sannyāsa. This is actual human civilization. People must be trained according to the different varṇāśrama occupational duties. As confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (4.13), cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ: the four varṇas must be established according to varying qualities and work. The first principle for good government is that it must institute this varṇāśrama system. The purpose of varṇāśrama is to enable people to become God conscious. Varṇāśramācāravatā puruṣeṇa paraḥ pumān viṣṇur ārādhyate. The entire varṇāśrama scheme is intended to enable people to become Vaiṣṇavas. Viṣṇur asya devatā. When people worship Lord Vişņu as the Supreme Lord, they become Vaiṣṇavas. Thus people should be trained to become Vaiṣṇavas through the system of varṇa and āśrama, as they were during the reign of Lord Rāmacandra, when everyone was fully trained to follow the varṇāśrama principles.

Simply enforcing laws and ordinances cannot make the citizens obe-dient and lawful. That is impossible. Throughout the entire world there are so many states, legislative assemblies and parliaments, but still the citizens are rogues and thieves. Good citizenship, therefore, cannot be enforced; the citizens must be trained. As there are schools and colleges to train students to become chemical engineers, lawyers or specialists in many other departments of knowledge, there must be schools and col-leges to train students to become brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas, vaiśyas, śūdras, brahmacāris, gṛhasthas, vānaprastha and sannyāsīs. This will provide the preliminary condition for good citizenship (varnāśrama-guṇān- vitāḥ). Generally speaking, if the king or president is a rājarṣi, the rela-tionship between the citizens and the chief executive will be clear, and there will be no possibility of disruption in the state, because the number of thieves and rogues will decrease. In Kali-yuga, however, because the varṇāśrama system is neglected, people are generally thieves and rogues. In the system of democracy, such thieves and rogues naturally collect money from other thieves and rogues, and thus there is chaos in every government, and no one is happy. But here the example of good govern-ment is to be found in the reign of Lord Rāmacandra. If people follow this example, there will be good government all over the world. 🌟🏛

“Bhakti” means spontaneous loving service. When a servant renders service to his master in consideration of monetary exchange, it is no loving service neither this hired service can come within the category of “Bhakti“. When a friend renders service to a fellow friend in consideration of obligation or in expectation of reward or as a matter of gratitude, it is no longer spontaneous loving service and therefore cannot be called “Bhakti”. When a father loves his son in expectation of future reward or self satisfaction or a son loves his father in consideration of gain or gratitude, it is no longer a spontaneous loving service and it is out of the operation of “Bhakti“. Similarly when a wife loves her husband with a view to the inflated pocket of the husband or a husband loves the skin and complexion of his wife or in consideration of duty towards each other, it is no longer a spontaneous loving service. During our stay in the material world we have to maintain a relation between a material thing and its owner; between a master and a servant; between a friend and a friend between a father or a mother and a child or between a husband and a wife or such similar extended relation between man to man, man to beast or man to nature and none of these categories of different relations can be termed as “Bhakti“. No relation within this mundane affair is possible without a motive behind it and even though apparently we may meet some relativities without any motive behind them, by deep analysis it will be possible to see behind them some sort of motive, may be in a lower or higher degree. As such “Bhakti” or spontaneous loving service cannot be applied to any object within the world of three dimension but it is a thing which is absolute monopoly of the Personality of Godhead.

When there is a question of service, there is automatically the acceptance of one who is served and also a servant. The Master or the Almighty Godhead being omnipresent, His service or His servants are also omnipresent and as such “Bhakti” is also omnipresent. Omnipresent as the Personality of Godhead is “Bhakti” is a term which is transcendental to all mundane ideas of service with its ineffectiveness or inebrieties. The service of the mundane world has its selfishness, insufficiency, and ineffectiveness but “Bhakti” is completely different from all such mundane ideas. “Bhakti” is self-sufficient eternal and independant. Nothing is helpful for attainment of “Bhakti” and nothing is determinative for discharge of “Bhakti“. She is herself the means and herself the end, in her pure state.

This “Bhakti” which is applicable to Godhead only is unalloyed devotion without any desire for reward. Service of Godhead with a view to gain something is not unalloyed “Bhakti“. It is quite possible that the devotee while within the modes of material nature, will as a matter of course, perform his services to Godhead with some form or other desire. These desires are divided into the modes of darkness, passion and goodness. Service of Godhead, with a desire of envy, pride, enmity, anger etc. which are the products of differentiation, is alloyed “Bhakti” in the mode of darkness. The example of such mixture of “Bhakti” in the mode of darkness, is set by those who offer prayers to Godhead for the annihilation of their enemies. Godhead need not be prayed specifically for the annihilation of one’s enemies, for even though there is no prayer for such specific purpose, Godhead is always with his pure devotee to protect him from the hands of the enemies. The Personality of Godhead declares most emphatically in the Bhagwat Geeta that His devotee is never vanquished in all circumstances. Admixture of “Bhakti” in the modes of passion is evident when one renders service to Godhead with a view to accumulate wealth, fame and name which are the products of the modes of passion. And an admixture of “Bhakti” in the modes of goodness is found when one renders service to Godhead as a matter of duty towards the Supreme. But pure “Bhakti” is transcendental to all such material modes of goodness, passion or darkness. This “Bhakti” is a spontaneous response to a call of transcendental service. A tinged apparent spontaneous love is visible amongst the younger section of man and woman. A young man as soon as meets a young woman, spontaneously desires from his heart to associate with the young woman and in the same way the young woman’s heart also desires the association of the young man with equal promptness and inclination. Apart from the genuineness of this lusty desires of the young man and the young woman, as set forth above, the promptness, natural inclination and the mode of spontaneity when awakened for the transcendental service of Godhead without personal gain whatsoever-are but genuine signs of love of Godhead, which springs up from pure spiritual plane as opposed to mental or physical actions. “Bhakti” when devoid of all mental and physical actions, is called unalloyed. She is unalloyed in the sense that she has not the slightest tinge of the modes of goodness, passion or darkness as these modes are limited within the spheres of mental and physical plane. Such unalloyed devotion free from the tinges of all designations of mental and physical plane, when engaged in the transcendental service of Sree Krishna the Personality of Godhead with a view to satisfy His senses only, is called pure “Bhakti“. According to Kaviraj Goswami, the author of Chaitanya Charitamrita, the symptoms of unalloyed devotion are as follows. There can be no desire except a determination to make progress in (transcendental realisation of) the devotion of Godhead. There is no other worship than that of the Personality of Godhead neither there is any desire to worship the Impersonal feature of Godhead such as “Brahman” or “Paramatma”. There can be no tendency for knowing for the sake of knowledge nor for working for the sake of fruitive results. Freed from all these, when one tries to take no more than what he requires for the sake of livelihood and for the culture of transcendental service of Godhead with heart and soul-it is called pure unalloyed devotion “Bhakti“.

Such pure “Bhakti” is undying and ever increasing as opposed to material dying lust. Material lust which wrongly passes as love is satiable and dying.

We have examples of thousand and one cases of divorce of so called love affairs after the satiation of physical lust, but spiritual love of Godhead is never satiated. On the contrary, such unalloyed love of Godhead increases the spiritual propensity without a pause for a moment. These are some of the acid tests of spiritual love of Godhead and a devotee must be always on his guard against an undue analogy of material lust and spiritual love. There is a gulf of difference between the two.

By attainment of this transcendental love of Godhead, one becomes perfect immortal and satisfied of all material hankerings. Perfection, satisfaction or immortality are never achieved by a method which is itself imperfect, mortal and insufficient. There can not be any experiment with the Absolute Truth. The Absolute Truth has to be attained first by the Absolute method and then only absolute perfection immortality and satisfaction are attained. Vivid example of such completeness is Dhruba Moharaj. He began his penance with the purpose of material gain but at the end of penance and meditation when he met the Absolute Personality of Godhead, he saw himself completely satisfied of all his material hankerings. When the Personality of Godhead wanted to reward him with whatever he might desire, he declined to have anything as he thought that there was nothing valuable than the Personality of Godhead’s presence before him which was never to be attained even by severest penances of many many ages. He felt himself to have got the most valuable jewel while he was searching after an insignificant stone. So by the attainment of the Absolute Truth, no one desires for anything but the Absolute only. The Absolute method for attaining such stage is to rouse the latent spontaneous love of Godhead, known as loving service “Bhakti” which is also Absolute.

By attainment of “Bhakti” or loving service of Godhead, the devotee-

(1) Does not wish for any other engagement.

(2) Does not fear from anything.

(3) Does not envy any object.

(4) Does not enjoy sensually.

(5) Does not endeavour for anything mundane.

A pure devotee or transcendental servitor of the Personality of Godhead having rejected himself completely under the direction of Godhead, has no other engagement whatsoever. Therefore his attainments, gain or loss are never to be considered as the results of his own works but they are all the awards of the Personality of Godhead. It is not to be considered that only he who works most diligently for his own benefit enjoys all pleasures in this world and the devotee as he simply engages himself in the transcendental service of Godhead-suffers from all sorts of material wants. The devotee having fully engaged himself in the service of Godhead, naturally thinks of Him in every moment of his life and whatever he does for the maintenance of the body and soul together are always done with a view to the transcendental service. Godhead rewards such sincere devotees sufficiently even materially and protects His devotee from all encounters. Such is the mission of the Personality of Godhead in the BhagavatGita (Bg. 9.22).

Ananya chintayanto mam jo janaparyupasate.
Tesam nityavijuktanam jogakshemam bahami aham.

The Personality of Godhead takes pleasure in maintaining and subsidizing His devotees as an ordinary man takes pleasure in maintaining his family even at a personal sacrifice. It is not that the pure devotee wants anything from the Personality of Godhead but the Personality of Godhead Himself out of His own accord looks after the necessities of His pure devotee and protects everything belonging to such devotee. Outwardly it may seem that the activities of a pure devotee is similar to the activities of an ordinary man but there is a gulf of difference between the two class of activities. The devotee’s activities are performed automatically being inspired by the Personality of Godhead while the activities of an ordinary man is done dictated by centralised or extended personal aims. The special benefit of the devotee is that his gains for such inspired activities are all but the Grace of the Almighty Godhead but the gains of an ordinary worker, however great, are the results of his own activities. Grace of Godhead is a source of permanent and transcendental pleasure and gains by personal endeavours are temporary transient and reactionary in the modes of nature. The former is liberation while the later is bondage. The devotee by the Grace of Godhead approaches nearer to the kingdom of Godhead and ordinary worker in due course glides down again in the field of material activities bound up by the modes of nature. The Personality of Godhead although remains neutral and silent in respect of all activities of conditioned soul, he derives pleasure in rewarding His devotees in these activities of unalloyed transcendental service for the Personality of Godhead. In this respect there is no offense on the part of the devotee because he does not want anything for his own benefit but it is the Personality of Godhead who takes pleasure in rewarding the devotee.

A pure devotee is not afraid of anything. In all circumstances he keeps himself fit and steady. According to Sreemad Bhagavat fear of a conditioned soul is due to his intimate association with the material nature the external separated energy of the Personality of Godhead. The conditioned soul thinks always perversely due to his forgetfulness of Godhead, and therefore there is always an anxiety as to what is going to happen next moment. But the devotee is always fearless because he knows well that nothing can happen without the sanction of Godhead directly or indirectly and as such everything that comes from Him is considered by the devotee as His grace. Even in the most reverse position he (the devotee) stands without any fear and accepts all odds as His blessings in different forms. Pralhad Moharaj was put to many such odds even by his father HiranyaKasipu but Pralhadmoharaj stood all such tests with firmness and without fear. The devotees who are always absorbed in the service of Narayana the Lord is never afraid of anything whatsoever. He looks equally on both the hell and the heaven.

A pure devotee has no object to envy. In the Bhagwat Gita it is stated that prior to ones attaining the plane of devotional service, one has to make himself identified with the quality of Brahman the Supreme, when such liberated soul becomes ever cheerful. He has at that time nothing to lament for neither anything to envy.

Brahmabhuta Prasannaatmanasochati na kankshati:
Sama Sarbesu bhutesumadbhakti lavate param.
(Bg. 18.54)

Na prahinshyat priyamprapyanodbijet prapya chapriayam.
Sthirabuddhi assammodha Brahmabid Brahmani sthitha.
(Bg. 5.19)

Jamhina byathaeneta purusham Purusarsava
Samadukham sukham dheera saamritatataya Kalpate.
(Bg. 2.15)

(To be continued).

Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/btg/2/2e

“…So the purpose was that this material world is only a manifestation, exhibition, of one-fourth energy of Kṛṣṇa. And within this material world, there are so many universes. And each and every universe, there are so many planets. So this is one of the planets, in which we are living. And in this planet, there are so many cities—Calcutta, Bombay, Madras, Delhi, Paris, London, and so many, hundreds and thousands. And each and every city, there are newspapers. And each newspaper is publishing three, four editions daily. So this is the most insignificant planet, still, there are so many news to hear. Therefore it is said here, śrotavyādīni rājendra nṛṇāṁ santi sahasraśaḥ [SB 2.1.2] = “Millions and millions subject matter for hearing.”

This is a fact. Every paper is publishing three, four editions daily, especially in the Western countries. So if they have got so much news in the material world in this insignificant planet, just imagine how much news are there in the three-fourth manifestation of His energy.

So my Guru Mahārāja said that “You are surprised, Mr. Marabhya, that we are publishing a paper daily. So we can publish every minute a paper. Unfortunately, there is no customer.” They have customer for news in this newspaper, but our news, we have to canvass, “Will you kindly take this? Will you kindly take this?” They are not interested. They’re interested in this material news—radio, paper, magazine, edition after edition. Therefore it is said… This is the meaning of śrotavyādīni rājendra nṛṇāṁ santi sahasraśaḥ [SB 2.1.2].

So they have no time to read a little news we are giving about God in the Back to Godhead. They have no… Why? Now, apaśyatām ātma-tattvam [SB 2.1.2]. They do not know what is ātmā, what is the active principle of all these activities. They do not know…”

An Excerpt from the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 2.1.2

Paris, June 11, 1974

Audio for this lecture: https://prabhupadavani.org/transcriptions/740611sbpar/

Compiled by,

Balarama dasa

I share that yesterday I saw a video of Srila Prabhupada that spoke of swans and crows, this is very interesting, pure devotees of God or Krishna are compared to swans, swans have the ability to extract from a mixture of milk and water only milk and leave the water, likewise the pure devotees of God or Krishna have the ability to extract the spiritual part of everything and leave the material part, swans like to live in clean places, with clear water full of lotus flowers, likewise pure devotees of God or Krishna like good philosophy, take food offered to God or Krishna, go to temples where there is a peaceful atmosphere with incense, crows do not like that, People who are like crows do not like that, they go to dirty places, where meat, fish and eggs are eaten, nightclubs, where there is alcohol and drugs, it is a practical fact that birds of the same plumage fly together, crows they don’t go where the swans, they don’t like it, and swans don’t go where crows are, they don’t like it, another difference between people who are like swans and those who are like crows is that pure devotees of God or Krishna are free from lust and of greed, and those who are like ravens, are full of lust and greed.

Once some reporters went to do an interview with Srila Prabhupada, one of them told him that all great spiritual personalities like you do great miracles, what miracles you have done, Srila Prabhupada was surrounded by his disciples and he replied that you see all these people Before coming to Krishna consciousness they were addicted to all kinds of sinful activities, they ate meat, fish and eggs, they were addicted to alcohol and drugs, they played games of chance and they also had illicit sex, they were like crows, now They are swans, now they only eat prasada or food offered to God or Krishna, they only drink pure water, they do not play games of chance because they are completely satisfied with what they have, and if they marry they only have sex to procreate and if not they practice celibacy, Turning crows into swans seems a little miracle.

Written by,

Haripada dasa

When a soul does not surrender to God or Krishna, he lives full of ignorance and acts in the false ego possessed by the illusion of “I” and “mine”. Such a person is considered a mean rogue, because he is believing that he is the creator, that the world is his, that he is the creator of his destiny and the enjoyer of the fruits of his activities; that he is his own protector and maintainer; that these are his wife, brothers, son and daughters, and that by his own effort he will be able to achieve all perfection and glory. Such people are proud of the power of their knowledge; not considering the control of the Lord, they believe that by their own brain they can increase and expand the arts and science.

In Srimad Bhagavatam it is said that one should not to be a father, mother, public leader and spiritual master, if you are not able to free your dependents from the cycle of birth and death. The cause of all the violence in the world on a personal and collective level is the false ego.

These people, if they can hear the glories of the Name of God or Krishna, they do not believe them but they do so out of social custom. Being hypocrites and cheaters, they may chant the shadowed Name, but they will never attain prema or pure love for God or Krishna. This offense is due to being strongly attached to maya or ignorance, and liberation is very difficult.

Believe the creator, the giver, the protector; possessor of a body and a house, offspring and a wife; feeling like a brahmana or priest or sudra or worker, husband or wife, king or citizen, all these have to be rejected. Ego means identity or personality and when we identify with something that we are not, that is called a false ego. The false ego is what binds us to this material world, now one can ask how I detach myself from the false ego? 

When one serves a representative of God with faith, love, attachment and gratitude, the false ego disappears and one is situated in the true ego, and becomes an expert in happiness. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura always said that the false ego is very subtle, and the subtlest thing about the false ego is identification with religion, everyone says I am a Christian, I am a Muslim, I am a Jew, I am a Hindu, I am Hare Krishna , etc., but everything is pure hypocrisy. Nobody practices anything. The true ego is that I am an eternal spiritual soul, eternal loving servant of God and His devotees, and when one is situated in his constitutional position he is happy. If not, one lives in sheer ignorance there will be much suffering. One’s egoism must be aimed at going back to Godhead.

Written by,

Haripada dasa

Srila Prabhupada Initiation lecture:

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.16.35

Honolulu, Jan. 28, 1974

Audio for this lecture: https://prabhupadavani.org/transcriptions/740128sbhon/

EXCERPT:

“….Puruṣottama is the Supreme Person, and the Supreme Person by His expansion as the Supersoul is present in everyone’s heart. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānām. He’s guiding, as friend. He’s guiding as friend, but He speaks directly with the living entity as soon as we are purified by devotional service. Teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam [Bg. 10.10].

That if…, that qualification we have to attain, then Kṛṣṇa, puruṣottama, will speak from within, just like He spoke from within of Brahma = tene brahma hṛdā ādi-kavaye [SB 1.1.1].

We have to become qualified to talk with the Supreme Person, and He will give us advice. He’s giving us advice. He’s ready to give us advice from within and from without—from within as Supersoul and from without as the spiritual master. Therefore it is said, guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpāya bhakti-latā-bīja [Cc. Madhya 19.151]. Both things are required—guru and Kṛṣṇa.

If we are sincere, if we actually want Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa is within your heart. He will help you in meeting the spiritual master, His representative. And by the instruction of the spiritual master, you will develop more and more your Kṛṣṇa consciousness, your original position. This is called devotional service, or bhakti-latā. Bhakti-latā-bīja…”

Compiled by,

Balarama dasa

Eleven times in a single verse, SB 4.20.25, it is said that

initiation occurs by “hearing from the mouth of A PURE DEVOTEE”.

.

SB 4.20.25

1.the transcendental vibration from the mouths of great devotees

.

2.the opportunity to hear from the mouth of Your pure devotee.

.

3.one has to hear glorification of the Lord from the mouth of A PURE DEVOTEE.

.

4.The transcendental vibration from the mouth of A PURE DEVOTEE

.

5.This awakening voice comes through the mouth of A PURE DEVOTEE. .

.

6. Although when A PURE DEVOTEE speaks the articulation of his voice may resemble the sound of this material sky, the voice is spiritually very powerful because it touches the particles of saffron dust on the lotus feet of the Lord.

.

7. As soon as a sleeping living entity hears the powerful voice

emanating from the mouth of A PURE DEVOTEE,

.

8. For a conditioned soul, therefore, it is very important

to hear from the mouth of A PURE DEVOTEE,

.

9. The process of hearing from A PURE DEVOTEE

.

10. but if one hears from the mouth of A PURE DEVOTEE,

.

11. Therefore, this process of hearing from the mouth of A PURE DEVOTEE

.

Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/sb/4/20/25

“hearing from the mouth of A PURE DEVOTEE”.

.

SB 4.20.25

1. from the mouths of GREAT DEVOTEES

.

2. from the mouth of Your PURE DEVOTEE.

.

3. from the mouth of A PURE DEVOTEE.

.

4. from the mouth of A PURE DEVOTEE

.

5. through the mouth of A PURE DEVOTEE. .

.

6. when A PURE DEVOTEE speaks …the voice is spiritually very powerful

.

7. from the mouth of A PURE DEVOTEE,

.

8. from the mouth of A PURE DEVOTEE,

.

9. from A PURE DEVOTEE

.

10. from the mouth of A PURE DEVOTEE,

.

11. from the mouth of A PURE DEVOTEE

——————————————————————–

SB 4.20.25-Translation

My dear Lord, You are glorified by the selected verses uttered by great personalities.

.

Such glorification of Your lotus feet is just like saffron particles.

.

When the transcendental vibration from the mouths of great devotees carries the aroma of the saffron dust of Your lotus feet, the forgetful living entity gradually remembers his eternal relationship with You.

.

Devotees thus gradually come to the right conclusion about the value of life.

.

My dear Lord, I therefore do not need any other benediction but the opportunity to hear from the mouth of Your PURE DEVOTEE.

————————————————————————

SB 4.20.25-Purport

It is explained in the previous verse that

one has to hear glorification of the Lord from the mouth of A PURE DEVOTEE.

.

This is further explained here.

.

The transcendental vibration from the mouth of A PURE DEVOTEE is so powerful that

it can REVIVE the living entity’s memory of

his eternal relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

————————————————————————

SB 4.20.25-Purport

In our material existence,under the influence of illusory māyā,

we have almost forgotten our eternal relationship with the Lord,

exactly like a man sleeping very deeply who forgets his duties.

.

In the Vedas it is said that

every one of us is sleeping under the influence of māyā.

.

We must get up from this slumber and engage in the right service,

for thus we can properly utilize the facility of this human form of life.

.

As expressed in a song by Ṭhākura Bhaktivinoda,

Lord Caitanya says, jīva jāga, jīva jāga.

.

The Lord asks every sleeping living entity to get up and engage in devotional service so that his mission in this human form of life may be fulfilled.

.

This awakening voice comes through the mouth of A PURE DEVOTEE.

————————————————————————

SB 4.20.25-Purport

A PURE DEVOTEE always engages in the service of the Lord, taking shelter of His lotus feet, and therefore he has a direct connection with the saffron mercy-particles that are strewn over the lotus feet of the Lord.

.

Although when A PURE DEVOTEE speaks

the articulation of his voice may resemble the sound of this material sky,

the voice is spiritually very powerful

because it touches the particles of saffron dust on the lotus feet of the Lord.

.

As soon as a sleeping living entity hears

the powerful voice emanating from the mouth of A PURE DEVOTEE,

he immediately remembers his eternal relationship with the Lord,

although up until that moment he had forgotten everything.

.

For a conditioned soul, therefore, it is very important

to hear from the mouth of A PURE DEVOTEE,

who is fully surrendered to the lotus feet of the Lord

without any material desire, speculative knowledge

or contamination of the modes of material nature.

————————————————————————

SB 4.20.25-Purport

Every one of us is kuyogī because

we have engaged in the service of this material world,

FORGETTING our eternal relationship with the Lord as His eternal loving servants.

.

It is our duty to rise

from the kuyoga platform to become suyogīs, perfect mystics.

.

The process of hearing from A PURE DEVOTEE

is recommended in all Vedic scriptures,

especially by Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

.

One may stay in his position of life—it does not matter what it is—

but if one hears from the mouth of A PURE DEVOTEE,

he gradually comes to the understanding of

his relationship with the Lord and thus engages in His loving service,

and his life becomes completely perfect.

.

Therefore, this process of

hearing from the mouth of A PURE DEVOTEE

is very important for making progress in the line of spiritual understanding.

.

Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/sb/4/20/25

————————————————————————

Note-This is initiation.

(1) CAUSE- (2) EFFECT RELATIONSHIP

“(1)When the transcendental vibration from the mouths of great devotees

carries the aroma of the saffron dust of Your lotus feet,

(2)the forgetful living entity gradually remembers his eternal relationship with You.”

——————-

“(1)The transcendental vibration from the mouth of A PURE DEVOTEE is so powerful that

(2)it can REVIVE the living entity’s memory

of his eternal relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead.”.

——————-

“(2)This awakening voice comes (1) through the mouth of A PURE DEVOTEE.”

——————-

“(1) As soon as a sleeping living entity hears

the powerful voice emanating from the mouth of A PURE DEVOTEE,

(2) he immediately remembers his eternal relationship with the Lord,

although up until that moment he had forgotten everything.”

——————-

“(1) if one hears from the mouth of A PURE DEVOTEE,

(2) he gradually comes to the understanding of

his relationship with the Lord and thus engages in His loving service,

and his life becomes completely perfect.”

————————————————————————

NOTE- But who is a pure devotee?.

“A PURE DEVOTEE,

who is fully surrendered to the lotus feet of the Lord

without any material desire, speculative knowledge

or contamination of the modes of material nature.”

(SB 4.20.25-Purport)

By,

Caitanya Priya Das