Bhakti Vikasa Swami's Blog, page 151

What makes the guru happy

If by the grace of Lord Caitanya and the spiritual master a disciple attains the standard of pure devotional service, the spiritual master is very happy. The spiritual master is not actually happy if the disciple brings him money, but when he sees that a disciple is following the regulative principles and advancing in spiritual life, he is very glad and feels obliged to such an advanced disciple.

From Srila Prabhupada’s purport to Cc 1.7.91

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Devotees who leave will return

I am glad to hear new devotees are coming and do not be worried about some of our members leaving; they will come back. Krishna never forgets the service rendered to him by the devotee and once tasting the nectar of devotional service to the Lotus Feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, it is not possible to forget Him.

From a letter by Srila Prabhupada to Karandhara – 30 November, 1970

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Rogues and thieves in the guise of relatives

SB 7.13.33

Those who are considered materially powerful and rich are always full of anxieties because of governmental laws, thieves and rogues, enemies, family members, animals, birds, persons seeking charity, the inevitable time factor and even their own selves. Thus they are invariably afraid.

PURPORT by Srila Prabhupada

The word svasmat means “from one’s self.” Because of attachment for money, the richest person is even afraid of himself. He fears that he may have locked his money in an unsafe manner or might have committed some mistake. Aside from the government and its income tax and aside from thieves, even a rich man’s own relatives are always thinking of how to take advantage of him and take away his money. Sometimes these relatives are described as sva-janakhya-dasyu, which means “rogues and thieves in the guise of relatives.” Therefore, there is no need to accumulate wealth or unnecessarily endeavor for more and more money. The real business of life is to ask “Who am I?” and to understand one’s self. One should understand the position of the living entity in this material world and understand how to return home, back to Godhead.

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A warning about professional Bhagavatam speakers

We should not hear Bhagavatam from a professional man, who are observing the Bhagavata-saptaha. I know, in Bombay there is a big speaker of Bhagavatam. He preaches that “You remain in your family life very peacefully. This is the instruction of Bhagavata.” He never teaches that you have to give up this nonsense family life and you have to go back to home, back to Godhead. He never preaches that. There are so many examples. He comes to the conclusion that “You live peacefully,” as if to live peacefully in this material world is the highest achievement of life. They will never disclose the actual fact that nobody can live in this world peacefully. It is not possible at all. But they want money. So they’ll flatter, or they’ll go to Krsna’s rasa-lila, presenting Krsna as ordinary human being and the gopis are ordinary girls. So this is very palatable for us, kissing, embracing young girls. So Krsna is doing, but they take it that their embracing and kissing is supported by Krsna. This is going on. That is a different subject matter; they do not know that. Therefore the Krsna’s dealing with the gopis have been described in the middle of Tenth Canto. And nine cantos have been devoted, described, so that one may understand what is Krsna.

Srila Prabhupada /Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.3.25 – June 23, 1972, Los Angeles

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Sometimes there are quarrels among god-brothers

I can understand that previously there must have been some quarrel among you and that sometimes happens among god-brothers. Whatever is done is done; the main thing is we must not carry grudges or continue to quarrel among one another. So I am asking you to bury the hatchet and join together to push on this movement cooperatively. Whatever imperfections and discrepancies may exist, if you all agree to my directions and cooperate in the right spirit then everything will turn out, but it will require everyone involved to be responsible and cooperate in executing and following the instructions of the Spiritual Master.

From a letter by Srila Prabhupada to Gurukrpa and Yasodanandana – Los Angeles 25 December, 1973

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How husband and wife can be happy and make spiritual progress

SB 7.11.28:
A chaste woman should not be greedy, but satisfied in all circumstances. She must be very expert in handling household affairs and should be fully conversant with religious principles. She should speak pleasingly and truthfully and should be very careful and always clean and pure. Thus a chaste woman should engage with affection in the service of a husband who is not fallen.

PURPORT by Srila Prabhupada

According to the injunction of Yajnavalkya, an authority on religious principles, asuddheh sampratiksyo hi mahapataka-dusitah. One is considered contaminated by the reactions of great sinful activities when one has not been purified according to the methods of the dasa-vidha-samskara. In Bhagavad-gita, however, the Lord says, na mam duskrtino mudhah prapadyante naradhamah: “Those miscreants who do not surrender unto Me are the lowest of mankind.” The word naradhama means “nondevotee.” Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu also said, yei bhaje sei bada, abhakta-hina, chara. Anyone who is a devotee is sinless. One who is not a devotee, however, is the most fallen and condemned. It is recommended, therefore, that a chaste wife not associate with a fallen husband. A fallen husband is one who is addicted to the four principles of sinful activity-namely illicit sex, meat-eating, gambling and intoxication. Specifically, if one is not a soul surrendered to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he is understood to be contaminated. Thus a chaste woman is advised not to agree to serve such a husband. It is not that a chaste woman should be like a slave while her husband is naradhama, the lowest of men. Although the duties of a woman are different from those of a man, a chaste woman is not meant to serve a fallen husband. If her husband is fallen, it is recommended that she give up his association. Giving up the association of her husband does not mean, however, that a woman should marry again and thus indulge in prostitution. If a chaste woman unfortunately marries a husband who is fallen, she should live separately from him. Similarly, a husband can separate himself from a woman who is not chaste according to the description of the sastra. The conclusion is that a husband should be a pure Vaisnava and that a woman should be a chaste wife with all the symptoms described in this regard. Then both of them will be happy and make spiritual progress in Krsna consciousness.

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Quality in chanting

Quality, you’ll understand, first of all come to the quality. Without having quality, how he’ll understand the quality? You follow the instruction of your spiritual master, of the sastra. That is your duty. Quality, no quality – it is not your position to understand. When the quality comes there is no force. You will have a taste for chanting. You will desire at that time, “Why sixteen round? Why not sixteen thousand rounds?” That is quality. That is quality. It is by force. You’ll not do it; therefore at least sixteen rounds. But when you come to the quality, you will feel yourself, “Why sixteen? Why not sixteen thousand?” That is quality, automatically.

Srila Prabhupada/ Morning Walk Conversation – November 2, 1975, Nairobi

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Inattentiveness or carelessness may cause falldown

In the Upanisads it is stated that the path of spiritual realization is just like the sharp edge of a razor. The example is very appropriate. One shaves his cheeks with a sharp razor very nicely, but as soon as his attention is diverted from the activity, he immediately cuts his cheek because he mishandles the razor. Not only must one come to the stage of pure Krsna consciousness, but one must also be very careful. Any inattentiveness or carelessness may cause falldown. This falldown is due to false ego.

Srila Prabhupada/ SB 3.26.23-24 purport

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Forgetting, becoming a dog

Satsvarupa: Sometimes people say, “I don’t mind if this transmigration if I become a cat or a dog, because if I forget so completely, it doesn’t matter. I won’t even suffer.”

Prabhupada: But it doesn’t matter, but if I say that “I will turn you immediately into a dog,” will you agree to become?

Satsvarupa: No.

Prabhupada: Why? You’ll forget.

Satsvarupa: Fearful.

Prabhupada: If I say that “I can turn you immediately to become a dog…” That is possible, but will you agree to become a dog?

Madhavananda: No.

Prabhupada: Why? You will forget. That is foolishness. “Because I shall forget, therefore I don’t care for it” – this is childish, foolish proposal. If I say, “I will turn you immediately to this grass, and you will stay here for one hundred years,” will you agree to stand like that for hundred years? Hare Krsna. In the Western countries actually there is no philosophy.

(Morning Walk – June 20, 1974, Germany)

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Vigilance

One should be vigilant only that he is not diverting from Krsna consciousness. One has to follow the footprints of the great acaryas then everything is all right.

Srila Prabhupada, letter, 10 Mar 1969

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