Bhakti Vikasa Swami's Blog, page 76

Krsna doesn’t accept anyone’s service directly

Tandera carana-sevi. Our service… Not directly Krsna. Because to serve Vaisnava is more than serving Krsna directly. Mad-bhakta-pujabhyadhika. Krsna likes that. He doesn’t accept anyone’s service directly. That is a gross mistake.

From Srila Prabhupada’s lecture on SB 1.7.44, Vrndavana, October 4, 1976

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Getting relief from the illusory energy

Although the ways of illusory energy are very stiff to overcome, one who surrenders unto the lotus feet of the Lord is set free by the order of the Supreme. This surrendering process is the remedial measure for getting relief from the bewildering ways of the illusory energy. The surrendering process is completed by the influence of association. The Lord has suggested, therefore, that by the influence of the speeches of saintly persons who have actually realized the Supreme, men are engaged in His transcendental loving service. The conditioned soul gets a taste for hearing about the Lord, and by such hearing only he is gradually elevated to the platform of respect, devotion and attachment for the Lord. The whole thing is completed by the surrendering process.

Srila Prabhupada, SB 1.7.5, purport

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Girls not thrown into the public street to search a husband

The selection of a good husband for a good girl was always entrusted to the parents. Here it is clearly stated that Manu and his wife were coming to see Kardama Muni to offer their daughter because the daughter was well qualified and the parents were searching out a similarly qualified man. This is the duty of parents. Girls are never thrown into the public street to search out their husband, for when girls are grown up and are searching after a boy, they forget to consider whether the boy they select is actually suitable for them. Out of the urge of sex desire, a girl may accept anyone, but if the husband is chosen by the parents, they can consider who is to be selected and who is not. According to the Vedic system, therefore, the girl is given over to a suitable boy by the parents; she is never allowed to select her own husband independently.

Srila Prabhupada’s purport to SB 3.21.27

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Reading Krsna book and Bhagavad-gita

The people who are reading Krsna book very seriously, and tries to understand Krsna, he will understand. Krsna is very kind. As soon as he begins reading Krsna book with a little faith and adherence, Krsna will be very much pleased. Srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah punya-sravana-kirtanah [SB 1.2.17]. As soon as Krsna is within your heart, so when you read Bhagavad-gita or Krsna book with little seriousness, then Krsna understands, “Now he is serious to understand Me.”

From Srila Prabhupada’s lecture on Bhagavad-gita 4.9 — March 29, 1974, Bombay

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Violating rules and regulations

Rules and regulations can be violated when there is urgent necessity of service, not whimsically or for one’s sense gratification

Srila Prabhupada, Mar 9, 1974, Mayapur

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A pure devotee does not live in the material world

A pure devotee of the Lord does not live on any planet of the material sky, nor does he feel any contact with material elements. His so-called material body does not exist, being surcharged with the spiritual current of the Lord’s identical interest, and thus he is permanently freed from all contaminations of the sum total of the mahat-tattva. He is always in the spiritual sky, which he attains by being transcendental to the seven-fold material covering by the effect of his devotional service. The conditioned souls are within the coverings, whereas the liberated soul is far beyond the cover.

Srila Prabhupada, Srimad Bhagavatam 1.13.55 Purport

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Elevated qualities and behavior essential

My dear King, I am very captivated by your elevated qualities and excellent behavior, and thus I am very favorably inclined toward you. You may therefore ask from Me any benediction you like. One who does not possess elevated qualities and behavior cannot possibly achieve My favor simply by performance of sacrifices, severe austerities or mystic yoga. But I always remain equipoised in the heart of one who is also equipoised in all circumstances.

Srila Prabhupada’s translation of SB 4.20.16

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Friendship with persons on equal level

A devotee … should also make friendship with persons who are on an equal level with himself or who have the same understanding that he does. For a devotee, there is no point in making friendships with ordinary persons; he should make friendship with other devotees so that by discussing among themselves, they may elevate one another on the path of spiritual understanding. This is called ista-gosthi.

In Bhagavad-gita there is reference to bodhayantah parasparam, “discussing among themselves.” Generally pure devotees utilize their valuable time in chanting and discussing various activities of Lord Krsna or Lord Caitanya amongst themselves. There are innumerable books, such as the Puranas, Mahabharata, Bhagavatam, Bhagavad-gita and Upanisads, which contain countless subjects for discussion among two devotees or more. Friendship should be cemented between persons with mutual interests and understanding. Such persons are said to be sva jati, “of the same caste.” The devotee should avoid a person whose character is not fixed in the standard understanding; even though he may be a Vaisnava, or a devotee of Krsna, if his character is not correctly representative, then he should be avoided. One should steadily control the senses and the mind and strictly follow the rules and regulations, and he should make friendship with persons of the same standard

Srila Prabhupada – SB 3.29.17, purport

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The sum and substance of devotional life

aham hare tava padaika-muladasanudaso bhavitasmi bhuyah
manah smaretasu-pater gunams te grnita vak karma karotu kayah

O my Lord, O Supreme Personality of Godhead, will I again be able to be a servant of Your eternal servants who find shelter only at Your lotus feet? O Lord of my life, may I again become their servant so that my mind may always think of Your transcendental attributes, my words always glorify those attributes, and my body always engage in the loving service of Your Lordship?

Purport: This verse gives the sum and substance of devotional life. One must first become a servant of the servant of the servant of the Lord (dasanudasa). Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu advised, and He also showed by His own example, that a living entity should always desire to be a servant of the servant of the servant of Krsna, the maintainer of the gopis (gopi-bhartuh pada-kamalayor dasa-dasanudasah [Cc. Madhya 13.80]). This means that one must accept a spiritual master who comes in the disciplic succession and is a servant of the servant of the Lord. Under his direction, one must then engage one’s three properties, namely his body, mind and words. The body should be engaged in physical activity under the order of the master, the mind should think of Krsna incessantly, and one’s words should be engaged in preaching the glories of the Lord. If one is thus engaged in the loving service of the Lord, one’s life is successful.

Srila Prabhupada, SB 6.11.24

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Civilization means to purify

Lord Caitanya says that in the Satya-yuga this incarnation of God in white color, He preached meditation, dhyana. Therefore meditation is for the Satya-yuga. Satya-yuga means when cent percent people are pure. That is called Satya-yuga. And Treta-yuga means 75% are pure, 25% impure. And Dvapara-yuga means 50%, 50% pure and 50%… And Kali-yuga means 75% impure and 25% may be pure. (laughter) This is Kali-yuga. And we are thinking we are advancing. Such a foolish civilization, they are less than 25% pure, they do not know what is purity, and they think that they are advancing in civilization. Civilization means to purify. The Aryans, Aryans means advance. And what way advance? Advance in eating? Advance in sleeping? No. Advance in purification. They are called Aryans. And the most advanced purified is called the brahmana. And less than that, the ksatriya.

Srila Prabhupada, Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.330-335 — New York, December 23, 1966

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