Bhakti Vikasa Swami's Blog, page 75

Utilize your energy for Krsna

Even by fighting, you can be a great devotee, just like Arjuna. He was not chanting on the beads, but he was fighting. But still, bhakto ‘si priyo ‘si me [Bg. 4.3]. Krsna says, “Oh, you are My great devotee.” Now people, may say that “He was not chanting. He was fighting. How he became a great devotee?” But Krsna says, bhakto ‘si priyo ‘si me: “You are My dear friend. You are My devotee. Because you are utilizing your energy for Me.” So bhakti means you utilize your energy for Krsna. Then your life is perfect.

From Srila Prabhupada’s lecture on Bhagavad-gita 1.15 — London, July 15, 1973

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When temple worship might not be required

Devotee (1): Srila Prabhupada, if Krsna is everywhere, why do we stress the importance of living a very strict life in the temple atmosphere?

Prabhupada: But have you got the eyes to see Krsna everywhere?

Devotee (1): No, Srila Prabhupada.

Prabhupada: Then you must attention give to temple. When you have got the eyes to see Krsna everywhere, you may not require temple worship. But why do you try to imitate that? You have no eyes to see that.

June 26, 1974, Melbourne

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If one is surrendered, why should Krsna give him trouble?

Satsvarupa: Someone might say, “But if one is surrendered, why should Krsna give him trouble?”

Prabhupada: Yes, it is because he is always free. Why do you make Krsna dependent on your so-called goodwill, that “Krsna must give me always pleasure”? This is sense gratification. This is sense gratification, that you approach Krsna for your comfort, sense gratification. That is not bhakti. That is sense gratification. Prahlada Maharaja was given suffering by his father so harshly, but he never said, “Oh, I am devotee of Krsna and giving me so much trouble? Oh! Give it up.” He never said that. Neither he asked Krsna to come and save him. That is krsna-bhakti. The Pandavas… The Pandavas, they were always with Krsna, and they were suffering. They never asked Krsna that “You are the Supreme, and why we are suffering?” Never said. Never said. That is krsna-bhakti.

Giriraja: “Because You are the Absolute Truth, there is no difference between Your mercy and punishment.”

Prabhupada: Yes. This is to be understood. If we understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Absolute Truth, then this is understanding, that either suffering or enjoying, it is all Krsna’s mercy. There must be some purpose. When Krsna puts me into suffering, there must be some purpose. So we should welcome, because it is Krsna’s mercy. Tat te ‘nukampam susumiksamano bhunjana evatma-krtam vipakam [SB 10.14.8]. [Hindi] [break] “…misdeeds. It is Krsna’s mercy that He is reforming me, slightly suffering. I would have suffered very greatly on account of my past deeds, but He is kindly accommodating me by giving little suffering. That’s all.”

Morning Walk — May 1, 1974, Bombay

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Chanting everywhere, even in the toilet

I am very glad to learn also that you are feeling joy while chanting the mantra Hare Krishna. Yes, it is exactly like this. If anyone chants this mantra in good faith and in simple understanding, then surely this transcendental vibration will act immediately in spiritual bliss. Please therefore continue to chant this mantra as many times as possible throughout the day and night. I do not think there is any inconvenience or loss on your part if you do so all the time. Even when you are walking, you can softly chant Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, or even when you are on the bus going to somewhere you can also chant. When you are working with your hands you can also chant and when you are resting or going to take rest you can also chant. Even in your toilet room while taking bath you can also chant. In this way there is no limitation or restriction for chanting this Holy Name of God, Krishna, and His Energy, Hara. In doing this business there is no loss, but there is very great gain which is transcendental realization.

From Srila Prabhupada’s letter to Minoru, Kenji — Los Angeles 22 April, 1970

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Be a very careful pilot

The same example as I gave sometime, that you learn how to drive aeroplane. So you go high in the sky. But if you are in danger, no other aeroplane can help you. You are finished. Therefore you must be a very careful pilot to take care of yourself.

Similarly, in this material world everyone individually has to take care of himself, how he can be saved from the clutches of maya. That is Krsna consciousness movement. A teacher can give you hints. The acarya can give you hints that “You can be saved in this way.” But the execution of the duties, that is in your hand. If you perform the spiritual duties rightly, then you are saved. Otherwise, even acarya gives you instruction, if you don’t follow, so how he can save you? He can save you by instruction, by his mercy, as much as possible. But you have to take it in your hands seriously.

From Srila Prabhupada’s lecture on Bhagavad-gita 1.26–27 – July 21, 1973, London

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Increasing our love for Krsna

We repeat “Krsna” — Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare / Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. Why we repeat? The more we repeat means we learn to love. That is required.

Anything which you do not love, you cannot repeat. It will be disgusting. Anything, any other word you take, if you simply repeat, you’ll feel disgusted. Sometimes those who are not in the Krsna conscious life, they also feel this repetition as disgusting, hackneyed, because they have not developed love.

Rupa Gosvami says that “What shall I chant with one tongue, and what shall I hear with two ears? If millions of tongue I would have possessed, then I could chant little.” And they’re tasting… Because they have got love for Krsna, they are tasting the nectarean of chanting. They cannot give up. In the material world also there are many slogans. We repeat because we love.

So real thing is to develop love for Krsna. That is the Vrndavana standard. In Vrndavana, Nanda Maharaja and Yasoda-mayi, Radharani, gopis, the cowherdsmen, boys, cows, calves, trees, they do not know that Krsna is God. You have read in Krsna book, sometimes when Krsna does something wonderful, they take Him as a wonderful child, boy, that’s all, or child. They do not know that Krsna is God.

But they love Krsna more than anything. They do not know except Krsna. That is wanted. Not very much philosophy. Whether Krsna is God or not, whether the symptoms of God are there or not, the Vrndavana-vasi, inhabitants, they do not care for it. Krsna may be God or a man, but they love Him. That’s all. That is wanted.

We have to increase our love for Krsna; therefore this worship, temple worship. If you always be engaged in Krsna’s service, naturally you develop love for Krsna. That is wanted.

From Srila Prabhupada’s lecture on February 10, 1969, Los Angeles

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The price to see Krsna

You must be very, very eager to see the lotus feet of Krsna in this very life. You must be very eager to talk with Krsna in this very life. But not to become sahajiya. By service. You must find out always some opportunity how to render service to Krsna. That is the qualification. It doesn’t matter what you are. You may be this or that. It doesn’t matter. But this eagerness for service can be acquired by anyone, simply by sincerity. That is the price.

From Srila Prabhupada’s lecture on Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila 7.91-2 — March 13, 1974, Vrndavana

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Human life begins with varnasrama

You cannot change. Simply by acting in devotional service, bhagavata dharma, anyone can be raised to the highest position. Kirata-hunandhra-pulinda-pulkasa abhira sumbha yavanah khasadayah ye ‘nye ca papa (SB 2.4.18). Papa, these are papa. Papa means very abominable life. Even they can be raised to the highest perfection. Mam hi partha vyapasritya ye ‘pi syuh papa-yonayah (BG 9.32). The papa-yoni. Papa-yoni, there are different types of papa-yoni. Except civilized human being, advanced human being, those who are called Aryan. Aryan means those who are advanced. Below that position they are all papa-yoni. In the Aryan civilization there is a system of four divisions of social order and four division of spiritual order. Social order is brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya and sudra. And spiritual order: brahmacari, grhastha, vanaprastha and sannyasa. Therefore what is going on at the present moment as Hindu… This word you won’t find in the Vedic literature. Varnasrama. This is real Vedic system, varnasrama. And human life begins when one observes the varnasrama regulations. Varnasrama. Human life means to elevate oneself to spiritual consciousness or God consciousness.

Srila Prabhupada; Lecture on SB 7.6.3 — Toronto, June 19, 1976

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Devotee: tolerant, liberal, kind, gentleman

But never mind there is any discomfort of the body. We shall not be very much concerned for that. Devotee means he is able to tolerate all kinds of discomfort and whims of the material nature, and because he is so much absorbed in serving Krishna, he takes no time to become angry or take offense with others or find out some fault, no. Devotee means very liberal and kind to everyone, always gentleman under all kinds of conditions of life.

From Srila Prabhupada’s letter to Hansadutta, Dec 10, 1972

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Qualification to enter into Krsna’s place

bhaktya mam abhijanati / yavan yas casmi tattvatah
tato mam tattvato jnatva / visate tad-anantaram

If you want to know Krsna in truth, then you have to take this devotional line. Then gradually Krsna will be attracted by your devotion, and then you will know Krsna and you’ll be allowed to enter into Krsna’s place.

From Srila Prabhupada’s lecture on Bhagavad-gita 2.25, Hyderabad, November 29, 1972

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