Bhakti Vikasa Swami's Blog, page 71

Tolerate things instead of becoming agitated

SB 4.19.34
We should always remember that if something happens by providential arrangement, we should not be very sorry. The more we try to rectify such reversals, the more we enter into the darkest region of materialistic thought.

Purport by Srila Prabhupada: Sometimes the saintly or very religious person also has to meet with reversals in life. Such incidents should be taken as providential. Although there may be sufficient cause for being unhappy, one should avoid counteracting such reversals, for the more we become implicated in rectifying such reversals, the more we enter into the darkest regions of material anxiety. Lord Krsna has also advised us in this connection. We should tolerate things instead of becoming agitated.

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“Don’t worry. I shall save you”

If anyone surrenders unto Krsna, catches His lotus feet very strongly, “Krsna, save me,” Krsna promises, “Yes, I’ll save you.” Aham tvam sarva-papebhyo moksayisyami ma sucah. “Don’t worry. I shall save you.”

From Srila Prabhupada’s lecture on, The Nectar of Devotion, Vrndavana, November 11, 1972

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Krsna gave Srila Prabhupada the credit

Krsna wanted to preach Krsna consciousness in the Western countries, so He gave me the chance to take the credit, that’s all. It is Krsna’s arrangement. But He liked that one of His devotee may take the credit. That’s all.

Srila Prabhupada, Morning Walk, April 9, 1976, Vrndavana

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Greed

TRANSLATION
The strong bodily desires and needs of a person disturbed by hunger and thirst are certainly satisfied when he eats. Similarly, if one becomes very angry, that anger is satisfied by chastisement and its reaction. But as for greed, even if a greedy person has conquered all the directions of the world or has enjoyed everything in the world, still he will not be satisfied.

PURPORT
In Bhagavad-gita (3.37) it is stated that lust, anger and greed are the causes of the conditioned soul’s bondage in this material world. Kama esa krodha esa rajo-guna-samudbhavah. When strong lusty desires for sense gratification are unfulfilled, one becomes angry. This anger can be satisfied when one chastises his enemy, but when there is an increase in lobha, or greed, which is the greatest enemy caused by rajo-guna, the mode of passion, how can one advance in Krsna consciousness?

If one is very greedy to enhance his Krsna consciousness, this is a great boon. Tatra laulyam ekalam mulam. This is the best path available.

SB 7.15.20, rendered by Srila Prabhupada

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Srila Prabhupada warns about dhama aparadha

Dhama aparadha. The greatest offence is to live in Vrndavana and have illicit sex. The greatest offence.. And other things also. These things are prohibited, no illicit sex, no intoxication, no gambling, no meat-eating.

So such function is most offensive in Vrndavana. In other places it may be excused but here it is the greatest offence. In Vrndavana dhama what ever you do the result is 100 times increased.

If you do devotional work then your devotion will be increased 100 times. In other places if you do 1% devotional that is 1%. If you do here 1% it will be 100%. Similarly if you do sinful activities 1% here, it will increase 100%. Vrndavana’s business is to increase, so better increase your devotional service than increase your material activities. That is Vrndavana. Suppose if you’re gambling, say 100 times increase. Which way will we shall try to 100 times? To get profit, or lose it? Hundred times loser, or 100 times gainer which is your business?

Gainer. So, you do, ah? Even if you live for one day or two days and simply engaged in devotional service that will be 100 times increased. Therefore ordinary men is advised not to live in holy places more than three days. Because they are accustomed to do sinful activities, ah? As soon as they become a little acclimatised then they will begin sinful activities. It is better don’t live here more than three days. Go away.

Morning Walk — February 11, 1974, Vrndavana

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Being anxious for Krsna

Satsvarupa: Prabhupada, we are only neophytes. How we can know if our anxiety is still material when we feel anxiety in devotional service?

Prabhupada: No, no. If you feel anxiety for Krsna, then it is not material. That anxiety is not… That is love. That is pure love, that… Why you become anxious for our children? Because there is love. So whole scheme is that you have to transfer your attachment to Krsna. Mayy asakta-manah partha yogam yunjan [Bg. 7.1]. This is called bhakti-yoga. Mayy asakta. The asakti, the attachment, is for so many things. Now we have to concentrate it on Krsna. This is bhakti-yoga. Mayy asakta manah partha yogam yunjan mad-asrayah. Simply by this concentration of an attraction to Krsna, you become liberated. This is the process.

Morning Walk — May 1, 1974, Bombay

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Misconceived progress

In America especially, they are never satisfied. They are manufacturing another machine, another machine, another machine. That hankering after another, another, they think it is really progress.

Srila Prabhupada, Conversation regarding philosopher Kierkegaard

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Lapsed Aryans

We all belong to the Aryan family. Historical reference is there, Indo-European family. So Aryan stock was on the central Asia. Some of them migrated to India. Some of them migrated to Europe. And from Europe you have come. So we belong to the Aryan family, but we have lost our knowledge. So we have become non-Aryan practically. Because we do not give importance to the spiritual side of life. The Aryan means one who gives importance to the spiritual side of life.

Srila Prabhupada, Talk on Bhagavad-gita 10.4-5 – New York, January 4, 1967

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Srila Prabhupada’s civil suicide (sannyasa)

Prabhupada: Before leaving my family life I wanted to get my all sons and daughters married, but some of them disagreed, some of them… My wife disagreed. Let them go to hell, I don’t care. Time is up. Never mind you are married or not married. Then see [to] your own business.

Then who will take care of the marriage of your daughter? Suppose you die immediately? Then who will take care?

Guest (1): God will give them.

Prabhupada: Then why don’t you do that now? God will take care. It is called, my Guru Maharaja used to say, civil suicide. Civil suicide. Just like if you commit suicide, that is criminal. But this is voluntarily committing suicide: “Now I am dead. Whatever you like, you do.” So we have to commit civil suicide if we are actually attached to Krsna. Sarva-dharman parityajya… [Bg 18.66]. That is grha-dharma. But Krsna says, “Give up that.” But that attachment is there. I do not think… Suppose I die immediately. Who will take care of my daughter? At that time we say “God.” And why not now?

Conversation – December 26, 1976, Bombay

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Haridasa Thakura and vaisnava-aparadha

bhakta-svabhava,-ajna-dosa ksama kare
krsna-svabhava,-bhakta-ninda sahite na pare

Translation: A characteristic of a pure devotee is that he excuses any offense by an ignorant rascal. A characteristic of Krsna, however, is that He cannot tolerate blasphemy of His devotees.

Purport: The characteristic of a Vaisnava and the characteristic of the Lord mentioned in this verse are very significant. In His Siksastaka (3) Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has taught the characteristics of a Vaisnava:

trnad api su-nicena taror iva sahisnuna
amanina mana-dena kirtaniyah sada harih
[Cc. Adi 17.31]

A Vaisnava strictly follows this principle of being humbler than the grass and more tolerant than a tree, expecting no honor from others but offering honor to everyone. In this way, a Vaisnava is simply interested in chanting about the Supreme Personality of Godhead and glorifying Him. Haridasa Thakura epitomized this foremost order of Vaisnavism.

Krsna, however, cannot tolerate any insults or blasphemy against a Vaisnava. For example, Prahlada Maharaja was chastised by his father, Hiranyakasipu, in so many ways, but although Prahlada tolerated this, Krsna did not. The Lord therefore came in the form of Nrsimhadeva to kill Hiranyakasipu. Similarly, although Srila Haridasa Thakura tolerated the insult by Gopala Cakravarti, Krsna could not. The Lord immediately punished Gopala Cakravarti by making him suffer from leprosy. While instructing Srila Rupa Gosvami about the many restrictive rules and regulations for Vaisnavas, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has very vividly described the effects of offenses at the lotus feet of a Vaisnava. Yadi vaisnava-aparadha uthe hati mata (Madhya 19.156). Offending or blaspheming a Vaisnava has been described as the greatest offense, and it has been compared to a mad elephant. When a mad elephant enters a garden, it ruins all the creepers, flowers and trees. Similarly, if a devotee properly executing his devotional service becomes an offender at the lotus feet of his spiritual master or another Vaisnava, his devotional service is spoiled.

Srila Prabhupada, Cc Antya 3.213

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