Bhakti Vikasa Swami's Blog, page 152

Response to welfare workers

Acyutananda: When people are starving and they have no clothing, then how can they take to Krsna consciousness? First give them food, then clothing and education, and then Krsna consciousness.

Prabhupada: Those who are Krsna conscious, are they starving? Then why they not become Krsna conscious?

Acyutananda: They said because first they had to give them food so that they could have time to…

Prabhupada: No. Those who have taken to Krsna consciousness, practically, we are not starving. In India there are many persons whose stomach is already filled up, but he’s not chanting Hare Krsna. That is not a condition, that because the stomach is filled up, therefore one will chant Hare Krsna. Ahaituky apratihata. Chanting of Hare Krsna mantra is not caused by anything. Ahaituky apratihata [SB 1.2.6]. It cannot be checked by any condition. Your chanting of Hare Krsna mantra cannot be checked because one is poor. No. That is not a fact. Any condition, one can chant Hare Krsna. Now, a poor man is suffering without chanting Hare Krsna. So what is the harm if he chants Hare Krsna? There are many poor men, they’re not chanting Hare Krsna and they’re suffering. But, in that condition, if they’re induced to chant Hare Krsna, what is the harm if there is some benefit?

Pancadravida: Well, these welfare workers say, “We have a positive solution. We believe the answer is by providing food and shelter. Or if you will offer…”

Prabhupada: But you cannot… You have not done this. There are so many men without shelter, without food. What you have done for them? The Ramakrishna Mission began for daridra-narayana seva. They have got so much big, big buildings, institution. And why the daridra-narayana is lying on the street? What they are doing? Why do they not take the daridra-narayanas in the big, big building they have got? Their mission is daridra-narayana seva. Why they are not doing that?

(27 Jan 1973)

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All answers are in Srimad-Bhagavatam

As stated in the beginning of the Srimad-Bhagavatam, this great transcendental literature is the ripened fruit of the tree of Vedic knowledge, and therefore all questions that can be humanly possible regarding the universal affairs, beginning from its creation, are all answered in the Srimad-Bhagavatam.

Srila Prabhupada; SB 2.9.46, Purport

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Pure devotees are better than demigods

The demigods are called sakama devotees, or devotees with material desires in mind, while the pure devotees are called niskama devotees because they have no desires for their personal interests. The sakama devotees are self-interested because they do not think of others, and therefore they are not able to satisfy the Lord perfectly, whereas the pure devotees take the missionary responsibility of turning nondevotees into devotees, and they are therefore able to satisfy the Lord more than the demigods.

Srila Prabhupada; SB 3.912 Purport

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Presenting ourselves in true perspective

Our program for Krsna consciousness is solid and backed by most authoritative literature-Bhagavad-gita, and Srimad-Bhagavatam; there is no question of our not being popular to the world. Simply we have to present ourselves in true perspective.

From a letter from Srila Prabhupada — 7 Feb 1968

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Better than Ganga!

mala-nirmocanam pumsam
jala-snanam dine dine
sakrd gitamrta-snanam
samsara-mala-nasanam

“One may cleanse himself daily by taking a bath in water, but if one takes a bath even once in the sacred Ganges water of Bhagavad-gita, for him the dirt of material life is altogether vanquished.” (Gita-mahatmya 3)

(Quoted in Srila Prabhupada’s introduction to Bhagavad-gita As It Is)

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Srila Prabhupada’s prayer

We were in Detroit at the newly acquired Fisher mansion, probably the finest, most luxurious property that ISKCON ever has or will acquire: beautiful marble floors, pillars, everywhere like a palace out of the Arabian Nights. That night, after the day’s activities, a couple of us were sitting with His Divine Grace by his desk. Srila Prabhupada looked at us very seriously and expressed his gratitude that by the grace of Krsna we were supplied such a facility. He ended by very gravely saying that “I pray to Krsna every night that I may not fall down.” He then stood up and without another word, entered his bedroom to take rest.

(From an email from Pradyumna Prabhu to myself, BV Swami)

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How are we so lucky?

Devotee: Prabhupada, before this movement came here we were so caught up in sinful activities. How is it that we were so fortunate to be benedicted with this great Hare Krsna movement?

Prabhupada: It is Krsna’s mercy. Caitanya Mahaprabhu wanted to give you. Now He has come here. You take advantage of it. Caitanya Mahaprabhu is kind to everyone. He has no discrimination that this cult should be spread only in India or amongst the Hindus or amongst the brahmanas. No. He wanted to spread this movement to all living being, never mind. Prthivite ache yata nagaradi. That is Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s mission. So now He has come. If you want, accept Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s order, “Simply chant Hare Krsna.” That is sufficient. But if you want to know more, further, through philosophy, through science, we have got already thirty or fifty books. Read them. Everything is there. Either you accept directly, or if you want to accept through science, through philosophy, through knowledge, there are books. Both ways, Caitanya Mahaprabhu is ready to help you. Now you take advantage of it.

(March 2, 1975, Atlanta)

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Offenses block prema

If one is infested with the ten offenses in the chanting of the Hare Krsna maha-mantra, despite his endeavor to chant the holy name for many births, he will not get the love of Godhead that is the ultimate goal of this chanting.

Srila Prabhupada’s translation of Cc Adi 8.16

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To become spiritual master is not very difficult

We have become guru, spiritual master, not with a false position, that “I have become God.” No. We are servant, simply servant, ordinary servant. Just like post peon. Not very high salaried servant. Ordinary, third-class servant. What is our business? To deliver the letter. That’s all. “Here is your letter, sir.” So to become spiritual master is not very difficult. Any ordinary man can become, provided he becomes a pure servant, delivering the letter: “Here is Krsna’s message, sir. You surrender to Krsna.” Krsna says, “Surrender unto Me.” We, spiritual master, we say, “Surrender to Krsna.” Where is my difficulty?

Srila Prabhupada/ Talk on Bhagavad-gita 18.67-69 — December 9, 1972, Ahmedabad

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Real tapasya

I haven’t got to manufacture things by high meditation and tapasya. This is tapasya, simply to become a faithful servant of Krsna. That’s all. So where is the difficulty? This is tapasya, that “I shall not speak anything beyond what Krsna has spoken.” This is tapasya. But if I want to adulterate, “Oh, I am bigger than Krsna. I am greater than Krsna. I am Krsna,” then you spoil the whole thing.

From Srila Prabhupada’s lecture on Bhagavad-gita 18.67-69 — December 9, 1972, Ahmedabad

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