Bhakti Vikasa Swami's Blog, page 29

How pure devotees react to difficulties

Sometimes a representative of the Lord engaged in preaching work meets various so-called difficulties. This was exhibited by Lord Nityananda when He delivered the two fallen souls Jagai and Madhai, and similarly Lord Jesus Christ was crucified by the nonbelievers. But such difficulties are gladly suffered by the devotees in preaching because in such activities, although apparently very severe, the devotees of the Lord feel transcendental pleasure because the Lord is satisfied. Prahlada Maharaja suffered greatly, but still he never forgot the lotus feet of the Lord. That is because a pure devotee of the Lord is so purified in his heart that he cannot leave the shelter of Lord Krsna in any circumstances. There is no self-interest in such service. The process of culturing knowledge by the jnanis or the bodily gymnastics by the yogis are ultimately given up by the respective performers, but a devotee of the Lord cannot give up the service of the Lord, for he is ordered by his spiritual master. Pure devotees like Narada and Nityananda Prabhu take up the order of the spiritual master as the sustenance of life. They do not mind what becomes of the future of their lives. They take the matter very seriously as the order comes from the higher authority, from the representative of the Lord, or from the Lord Himself.

Srila Prabhupada, Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.8.6 purport

The symptom of mukti

When we speak about the Krsna consciousness movement, which is meant to make people intelligent, the conditioned living entity therefore misunderstands it. He is so engrossed in the material concept of life that he does not think there can be any activities that are actually based on intelligence beyond the construction of skyscrapers and big roads and the manufacturing of cars. This is proof of mayayapahrta-jnana, or loss of all intelligence due to the influence of maya. When a living entity is freed from such misconceptions, he is called liberated. When one is actually liberated he no longer identifies with the material world. The symptom of mukti (liberation) is that one engages in spiritual activities instead of falsely engaging in material activities.

Srila Prabhupada, CC Adi 7.118, ppt.

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Jiva Gosvami, famous for his learning, was also very kind

Jiva Gosvami was very kind to the Gaudiya Vaisnavas, the Vaisnavas from Bengal. Whoever went to Vrndavana he provided with a residence and prasadam.

From Srila Prabhupada’s purport to Cc Adi 10.85

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Happy New Year in the spiritual world

This material world is a reflection of the spiritual world. The material world is but a shadow of reality. In the shadow there is no reality or substantiality, but from the shadow we can understand that there are substance and reality. In the desert there is no water, but the mirage suggests that there is such a thing as water. In the material world there is no water, there is no happiness, but the real water of actual happiness is there in the spiritual world.

From Srila Prabhupada’s Introduction to Bhagavad-gita As It Is

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Srila Prabhupada quotes Locana Dasa Thakura

Candanacarya: Srila Prabhupada, you once said that if someone is not attracted to chanting Hare Krsna, that he is being punished by Yamaraja.

Prabhupada: Yes. Apana karama bhunjaye samana kahaye locana dasa. [Locana Dasa Thakura; Gaura-Nityanandera daya].

Morning Walk – June 8, 1976, Los Angeles

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Hanuman’s policy

Our policy is to take away the money from the atheist and employ it to the service of Ramacandra. Just like Hanuman. Hanuman was fighting not for his personal. He was trying to recover Sita from the hands of Ravana to bring her again to the side of Ramacandra. That was his policy. So devotee’s policy should be that “These atheists, materialists, karmis, they have taken Sita, all the goddess of fortune, money, for their sense gratification, and we, following the footstep of Hanuman, the great devotee, Vajrangaji, we have to fight with this atheist class of men, and snatch from him Sita and place her again on the side of Ramacandra.”

Srila Prabhupada, July 5, 1971, Los Angeles

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Various forms of kirtana

We perform kirtana with khol, karatala, this is also krsna-kirtana. And to write books, that is also krsna-kirtana. And to read books, that is also krsna-kirtana. Not that simply this kirtana is kirtana. If you write books about Krsna, if you read books about Krsna, if you talk about Krsna, you think of Krsna, you worship Krsna, you cook for Krsna, you eat for Krsna — so that is krsna-kirtana.

Srila Prabhupada – March 17, 1974, Vrndavana

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Chant Hare Krsna and dance

Ramesvara: They have given too much power to the people, so the people demand so many things.

Prabhupada: Therefore they’re suffering. Ordinary people, what they’ll do? Anarthas. Actually it is anartha. They have created so many things.

Ramesvara: They are very much afraid if we close down the gambling houses and the prostitution houses that there will be no more enjoyment. Life will be boring.

Prabhupada: “What we’ll do?” (laughter) So we shall give you opportunity to chant Hare Krsna and dance here. What is this nonsense?

January 11, 1977: Conversation

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Don’t divert your mind

Your report of the book distribution there is very encouraging. Make program to distribute our books all over the world. Our books are being appreciated by learned circles, so we should take advantage. Whatever progress we have made, it is simply to distributing these books. So go on, and do not divert your mind for a moment from this. I have full confidence in you.

From Srila Prabhupada’s letter to Ramesvara: 11 October, 1974

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Education to become a bigger fool

In the education circles they are made fools. Education means he’s a more fool, that’s all. That is education. Mudha. Mayayapahrta-jnana. These fools and rascals, their actual knowledge is taken away, and they are coming out as educated. That we are protesting.

Srila Prabhupada; “Life Comes From Life” Slideshow Discussions – July 3, 1976, Washington, D.C.

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