―Hare Kṛṣṇa‖ All Glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda
Dedicated to His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda Founder Ācārya of International Society for Krishna Consciousness
Special Thanks to H.G. Gaurānga Prabhu (RNS) and numerous devotees of Śrī Śrī Rādhā Gopīnāth Mandīr, Chowpatty, Mumbai
Based on the commentary by Śrīla Prabhupāda and Study Material Prepared by Anjana Suta Academy (www.jayarama.us), Vrindavana Institute of Higher Education (www.vihe.org), Vaiṣṇava Training & Education, UK, Mayapur Institute (www.mayapurinstitute.org) and by Bhakti Sastri Team of ISKCON Chowpatty (www.bhakticourses.com)
―We must cultivate philosophical knowledge in order to have a proper understanding by which we can proceed without being bewildered by the temptations of the world. To learn
simply for the sake of accumulating knowledge is one of the greatest obstacles to spiritual advancement.‖ His Holiness Radhanath Swami Maharaja
Contents Preface – The goal of Kṛṣṇa Consciousness and the means to attain it .................. 4 Summary of Preface ............................................... 4 Lesson One (Preface)............................................... 7 Miscellaneous Notes ................................................... 8 From Śraddhā to Prema in 11 Verses ........................................ 8 Key themes in the Nectar of Instructions ..................................... 9 Verses to Remember .................................................. 12 Text 1-7 Vaidhī Sādhana Bhakti .......................................... 12 Text 1-3 Śraddhā / Control Your Senses .................................. 12 Text 1: Controlling The Six Urges ...................................12 Text 2: Obstacles to Devotional Service ...............................27 Text 3 - Principles That Aid Devotional Service ..........................43 Text 4-6 Sādhu-Saṇgaḥ ............................................ 63 Text 4 - Six Loving Exchanges .....................................64 Text 5 - Association According to Levels of Advancement ...................74 Text 6 - Associating with the Pure Devotee – Avoid seeing with material vision .....86 Text 7 Bhajana-kriyā, Anartha-nivṛttiḥ, Niṣṭhā and Ruciḥ ...................... 95 Text 7 - Chanting The Holy Name / Practice devotional service not for its taste but for its healing potency ...............................................96 Text 8 Raganuga-sadhana / Āsaktiḥ ....................................... 107 Text 8 - Spontaneous Devotional Service in Practice / How Prabhupāda through ISKCON has implemented Rūpa Gosvāmī‘s Upadesha-sara? ................107 Text 9-11 Bhava-bhakti and Prema-bhakti / Spiritual Geography .................... 116 Text 9 - The Hierarchy of The Material and Spiritual Worlds / Understanding the reality and the glory of the spiritual world with its transcendental hierarchy ...........116 Text 10 - The Hierarchy of Different Types of Human Beings / The exalted love of Rādhārani ..................................................120 Text 11 - The Glories of Rādhā-Kunda / How love reigns supreme in Goloka Vrindavana125 Summary of Themes ................................................. 128 Selected Analogies from Sri Upadesamrita .................................. 129 Answers to Fill in the Blanks ........................................... 130 Q. 1 What is Śrīla Prabhupāda's title in ISKCON? What does it mean? Q. 2 How many Texts are there in NOI? HPS: Please read NOI and ISO in following order
Step 1 NOI Preface Step 2 NOI Text 1-3 Control Your senses Step 3 ISO Invocation and Mantra 1-6. Simple Living and High Thinking Step 4: Associate with devotees NOI Text 4-6 ISO 7-11 Step 5: NOI 7-8 - Back to the Process & NOI 9-11 - Rādhārani and Rādhā-Kunda Step 6: ISO 12-18
Preface – The goal of Kṛṣṇa Consciousness and the means to attain it What does a preface contains? The purpose of the book The Circumstances under which it is being produced. The qualification of the author Those expected of the reader The preface of NOI contains both preface and introduction to book. What does it introduce? It introduces the content of Text One, we must control the senses. HPS: Let's have a birthday party for NoI on this day, Visvarupa-mahotsava. Read the entire book. Sing songs. Fast until death. It's also the day of Śrīla Prabhupāda's Sannyasa. We feel this NoI is the perfect Parivrajaka-acharya-sannyasa scripture because it is so portable. Reread this Preface eternally. Memorize it. Use each instruction. Progressively learn and study the Siksastakam, other songs, bio-graphies.
Summary of Preface (1) To Reach perfection in Kṛṣṇa Consciousness (by teaching science of Kṛṣṇa) (2) one must follow the instructions of the six goswamis of Vrindavana (3) by controlling the mind and senses (4) as instructed by Śrīla Rupa Goswami in the Upadeśāmrita Goal of studying NOI
Means
We want to study so we can become pure Vaiṣṇavas and help Mahāprabhu in teaching world the science of Kṛṣṇa.
One must very seriously follow in the footsteps of the six Gosvāmīs and disciplic succession by controlling mind and senses as instructed in Upadeśāmrita.
The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is conducted under the supervision of Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī.
BACE: Spiritual Credentials of the Kṛṣṇa Consciousness Movement: o Is this movement new? No, it is conducted under supervision of Śrīla Rupa Goswami. o Prabhupāda is extremely humble here giving all credit of movement to Rupa Goswami. o Once when Lord Caitanya came out of an ecstatic mood after dancing during the night on the beach at Puri, He called the devotees together and said that He would explain the essence of Kṛṣṇa Consciousness. That was the Upadeśāmrita.
o Śrīla Rupa Goswami‘s hand writing was like rose petals. He wrote the prayers and stuck the palm leaf on roof. He went for bath, Lord Caitanya saw that. How can he understand My mind? How has he become so intimate and understood the core of my heart? Svarupa Das Goswami: You bestowed Your mercy upon him. Lord Caitanya: Yes, at prayaga. o Similarly Śrīla Prabhupāda understood mind of his spiritual master. He said everything that I wanted to give I gave in first two cantos. They were composed in Rādhā Damodara Mandir in front of Samadhi of Śrīla Rupa Goswami. He would daily get mercy of Śrīla Rupa Goswami.
o Why Prabhupāda went to USA? Because Rupa Goswami came in his dream and told him to do so. rūpa-raghunātha-pade ha-ibe ākuti kabe hāma bujhaba se yugala-pīriti "When I am eager to understand the literature given by the Gosvāmīs, then I shall be able to understand the transcendental loving affairs of Rādhā and Krishna." (Narottam Das Thakura) Caitanya Carana Prabhu (CCP): Lotus feet of devotees manifest through their instructions. (1) (goal of study-we learn to teach) Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu appeared in order to bestow upon human society the benediction of the science of Krishna. (2) To understand the mission of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and follow in His footsteps, (means to reach the goal) one must very seriously follow in the footsteps of the six Gosvāmīs. a. (Śrīla Prabhupāda glorifies Upadeśāmrita by putting it on the same level as the Siksastakam) To guide our activities he gave us this Upadeśāmrita to follow. As Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu left behind Him the eight verses known as Śikshāshtaka, (again the goal of study in mentioned) Rūpa Gosvāmī gave us Upadeśāmrita so that we may become pure Vaiṣṇavas. b. (Hanumatpreksa Swami (HPS): memorize text 1 and 3 of siksastaka. In a professional survey in England in 1987 the experts concluded that NOI was the best book we have for introducing KC and making devotee.) c. (CCP: How do we know science of Kṛṣṇa? By looking at lives of greatest devotees. Who are greatest devotees – the Gopīs and mañjarīs are their associates. Goswamis were mañjarīs, so they know the science of Kṛṣṇa). d. (HPS: How shall we learn? Śrīla Prabhupāda Mentions a disciplic succession. He mentions Lord Kṛṣṇa, Srimati Rādhārani, Lord Caitanya, Rupa Goswami, Six Goswamis, Narottam Das Thakura, Gaudiya Vaiṣṇavas, Us.) e. BACE: Śrīla Prabhupāda: You cannot become a pure devotee by your own effort; you can become a pure devotee only when you are guided by another pure devotee. f. HPS: NOD is the Complete Science of Bhakti-yoga, and NOI is its summary? LM and VMadhava constitute the demonstrations of the Science? Rupa Goswami Prabhupāda begins NOD citing, sarvopadi vinir muktam... hrsikena hrsikesa sevanam... Here we find in Text One Rupa Goswami is starting with the same thing: Bhakti-yoga means to occupy the senses in the service of Kṛṣṇa. Also, in his commentary on Caitanya-bhāgavata, Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Prabhupāda mentions that this first Text is also in the Hansa-giti of the Mahabharata. (3) (Śrīla Prabhupāda starts to introduce the contents of NOI) In all spiritual affairs, one‘s first duty is to control senses. (amazing statement, BG10.10 says the same thing) One must promote himself to the platform of goodness, sattva-guna, by following the instructions of Rūpa Gosvāmī, and then everything concerning how to make further progress will be revealed.
a. BACE: Example of plane coming to runway. Runway is like mode of goodness. We have to use this body to launch to Goloka. So this mode of goodness has to be cultivated. (4) (means to reach the goal) Advancement in Krishna consciousness depends on the attitude of the follower. To achieve the highest success in life by becoming a Gosvāmī (master of senses) and then a pure devotee of the Lord, one must follow the instructions known as Upadeśāmrita, which have been given by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī. Upadeśāmrita constitutes the first instructions for neophyte devotees. One should follow these instructions very strictly. Then it will be easier to make one's life successful. a. SB: Lord is conquered by the love of those who have conquered their senses. b. CCP: Easier means otherwise it is very difficult. c. HPS: Love is beyond the law. The four principles are for you baby devotees. We advanced devotees smoke marijuana and enjoy rasa-lila with lusty young maidens because we are enjoying the higher rasas.' Someone actually told me this. My mind tries to tell me this on odd occasions. So here is the exact quotation to fight it. d. HPS: The airplane has pitch, roll and yawl. These three make the 'attitude' of the airplane, or its orientation to the environment. This is 'buddhi', not 'manasa' nor 'indriya', gross action. Buddhi means the perspective or attitude on which we think, feel and will (Manas). You can read the NoI with your lips, you can read it with your mind, you can understand it rationally or speculatively, as we are doing here, you can contemplate your understanding of what you have read, and you can love it. We must go up the ladder of karma-yoga, dhyanayoga, jnana-yoga, buddhi-yoga to come to bhakti-yoga. This Yoga-ladder will come up again and again. There is a lot more that needs to be said but here Prabhupāda is making it obvious that we have to have the proper attitude to advance. In the BG Kṛṣṇa says: 'jitatmana prasantasya paramatma saṁhitā, Once the Mind, Atma, is conquered the Supersoul is reached/ e. HPS: Also, we have seen that so many problems in ISKCON are resolved just from NoI. This would indicate that ISKCON is largely an organization of neophytes. Well, why not? ISKCON is a preaching movement. Let it be filled with many neophytes, but progressive Lesson One (Preface) 1. Who is Śrīla Rupa Goswami? 2. Which are the most exalted of Krishna's pastimes? How can we understand them? 3. The Kṛṣṇa Consciousness movement is conducted under the supervision of __________ ______________. 4. To understand the mission of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahāprabhu and follow in His footsteps, one must very seriously _____________ __ ____ __________________ __ ___ ____ 5. One must promote himself to the platform of ________________ by following the instructions of Rupa Goswami, and then everything concerning how to make further progress ____ ___ ____________________________.
6. Advancement in Kṛṣṇa consciousness depends on the _________________ ___ ____ _________________. 7. What date was the NOI completed? Where? 8. What is Lord Caitanya's mission? How can we understand the mission of Lord Caitanya and follow in his footsteps? 9. Just as Lord Caitanya left us the eight verses known as ____________, Rupa Goswami has left us Upadeśāmrita. 10. List the names of the six Goswamis 11. In all spiritual affairs what is one's first duty?
Miscellaneous Notes HG Narayani Mataji says that Prabhupāda dictated the NOI purports in 1973 to HG Hrsikesananda Das and she typed them. Śrīla Prabhupāda: Distribute NOI like BG. Devotees: But this is for devotees. Śrīla Prabhupāda: It is must because it teaches how to control mind and senses. CCP: Śrīla Prabhupāda: Lord Caitanya gave four orders to the goswamis. New Temple and new books are signs of success. Whenever a book is published, I feel like winning an empire. Third sign is number of people joining. CCP: Vrindavana devotees gave philosophical books and Bengali associates of Lord Caitanya gave His pastimes books (Caitanya Bhāgavata, Caitanya Mangala, etc.). The two heritages were synthesized into Caitanya Caritamrta. SKDKG grew up in company of Bengali Vaiṣṇavas and later was systematically trained by the Goswamis of Vrindavana. When Goswamis would write pastimes too, they will write from the point of view of explaining the siddhanta. E.g. Brihad Bhagavatamrita.
From Śraddhā to Prema in 11 Verses Text 1-7 vaidhī sadhana bhakti Text 1-3 śraddhā Text 4-6 sādhu-saṇgaḥ Text 7 bhajana-kriyā, anartha-nivṛttiḥ, niṣṭhā and ruciḥ Text 8 raganuga-sadhana / āsaktiḥ Text 9-11 bhava-bhakti and prema-bhakti
Key themes in the Nectar of Instructions 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.
Mind & sense control Attitude ISKCON‘s Purpose Guru and Disciple Sadhu-sanga Devotees (Kinds, Behavior & qualifications) Bhakti (Stages & Development)
Verses to Remember 1, 2, 3, 4
Text 1-7 Vaidhī Sādhana Bhakti Text 1-3 Śraddhā / Control Your Senses Text 1 says that we must control the senses by engaging them in the service of the master of the sense, Kṛṣṇa, Hrisikesa. Text 2-3 give six things that will make it hard and six things that will make it easy to practice what is instructed in text 1. Text 1: Controlling The Six Urges vāco vegaṁ manasaḥ krodha-vegaṁ jihvā-vegam udaropastha-vegam etān vegān yo viṣaheta dhīraḥ sarvām apīmāṁ pṛthivīṁ sa śiṣyāt A sober person who can tolerate the urge to speak, the mind's demands, the actions of anger and the urges of the tongue, belly and genitals is qualified to make disciples all over the world. Overview Para 1 to 2 - What is the use of atonement without sense control? Para 3 - Real Atonement Para 4 - Vaco-vegam Para 5 - mano-vega Para 6 - krodha vega Para 7 - jihvā uddar-vega Para 8 - upastha Para 9 - Conclusion: Saḥ śiṣyāt Para 10-18 – Anurvtti Para 10 – Three kinds of urges Para 11-12 Vaco-vegam Para 13 Mana-vegam Para 14-18 - Jihvā, uddar, upastha vegam Para 19 - Conclusion: sah śiṣyāt Explanation
CCP: Vega – urge. It is urgent. Difference between urge and desire. Desire can wait, but urge cannot. CCP: Why guru is mentioned first? (1) Because for starting spiritual advancement a seeker has to find a guru. So qualities of guru are mentioned first. (2) It is expected that a seeker will become a seer. So he is told what qualifications he has to develop. It shows the direction in which Śrīla Rupa Goswami will lead us to. First he describes negative thing – control. Later positive things. This verse elaborates on the prerequisites for spiritual life described in the third main point of the Preface — the necessity of controlling the mind and senses.
HPS: Also, in his commentary on Caitanya-bhāgavata, Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Prabhupāda mentions that this first Text is also in the Hansa-giti of the Mahabharata. Varutthapa Prabhu found this citation: The Mahabharata, Book 12: Santi Parva: Mokshadharma Parva: Section CCC. Also see CC 3.4.103 (para 1) Mahārāja Parīkṣit: ―Why do people undergo atonement if they cannot control their senses?‖ Four examples follow: o Three types of people: Analogy: Thief Intelligent: Gathers experience by hearing. Hears stealing is not good and refrains. Less Intelligent: Gathers experience by seeing. Has to be arrested and punished for stealing to learn to stop stealing. Foolish: May have the experience of both hearing and seeing and may even be punished, but still he continues to steal. If punishment in jail is considered atonement, what is the benefit of such atonement? o (para 2) Analogy: This is like elephant‘s bathing. o Nāmno balād yasya hi papa-buddhiḥ: Committing sinful activities on the strength of chanting the Hare-Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. Many people do this. o Analogy Christian confessionevery Saturday get relieved from weekly sins. Maharaja Parīkṣit condemns this kind of atonement. Śukadeva Gosvāmī confirms his statement. CCP: Some people asks advance confession because he is going to commit the sin next week too. This makes complete mockery of the process. o A sinful activity cannot be counteracted by a pious activity. (HPS: Devotional service destroys sins even in their seed stage-NOD). o BACE: What is the use of punishment if one will break rules again and again? Park vehicle in no parking, get towed and fined and then again park there only. o BACE: Same question by Arjuna to Kṛṣṇa. ―I don‘t want to commit sinful activities, but still by some force I‘m forced only, why?‖ Kṛṣṇa ―It is lust
only‖, the propensity to enjoy separate from Kṛṣṇa and what will we enjoysenses. We control senses because if we serve senses we cannot serve Kṛṣṇa. o BACE: Caitanya Mahāprabhu said I can tolerate everything except hypocrisy. Showing ourselves to be very religious but having ulterior motives. We can be forgiven for fall down due to previous conditioning if we are not committing sin purposefully. If Kṛṣṇa doesn‘t forgive, at least Rādhārani will forgive. The purity of intention in heart is more important. (Para 3): Real prāyaścitta, atonement, is the awakening of our dormant Krishna consciousness. Real atonement involves coming to real knowledge, and for this there is a standard process. o Analogy: When one follows a regulated hygienic process, he does not fall sick. BACE: Doctors go about in hospital wards and do not catch diseases. Because they keep themselves very hygienic. These temples are like hospitals. Prabhupāda: If you have no determination it means you are animal. Anyone who criticizes Vaiṣṇavas, his heart becomes contaminated. o A human being is meant to be trained according to certain principles to revive his original knowledge. Such a methodical life is described as tapasya. o Standard way of tapasyā: (1) Austerity and celibacy (2) controlling the mind (saman) (3) by controlling the senses (daman) (4) by giving charity (5) by being truthful (6) by keeping clean and (7) by practicing yoga-āsanas. (Slow process). (Remember Yoga ladder – step by step and elevator) CCP: Mind control is better because if mind is controlled senses will not be agitated. Room and thief analogy. In room there is jewel of Kṛṣṇa and outside is thief of māyā. Keep the door shut (i.e. control the mind) so thief is not come inside. But if door is kept opened, the thief will come inside and we will have to fight. But it will be difficult. Similarly mind can be agitated, but we can fight the sinful desires so senses are not affected. CCP: They are helpful in bhakti, but in itself they are not spiritual. Brahmacārī doesn‘t simply mean celibate, but one who if trying to dwell in Brahman. o (fast process) If one is fortunate enough to get the association of pure devotee, he can easily surpass all the practices for controlling the mind by the mystic yoga process simply by following the four regulative principles of Kṛṣṇa Consciousness and by engaging in the service of the Supreme Lord under the direction of the bona fide spiritual master. This easy process is being recommended by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī. (Even SB 6.2.11 recommends this process). BP (Bhurijana Prabhu): One is immediately brought to step of bhajana kriya by association. BACE: Pancaratrika vidhi automatically includes above slow processes, but is easier. Austerity: Serving under guru‘s guidance. Waking early in morning. Devotee: Why do you criticize Christians?
Prabhupāda: It is six o clock and they are sleeping. Prabhupāda: ―Anyone who takes cold water bath for 14 years, whatever he speaks will be perfect.‖ Don‘t sleep after bath, attend morning program. Morning program contains 48 of 64 items of devotional service. How much to sleep – 5 to 7 hrs. And wake up in brahma muhurta. Same activity in temple gives six times multiplied. Prabhupāda: Our austerity is feasting and dancing.
(para 4) Vaco-vegam o 1st problem: If we do not speak about Kṛṣṇa Consciousness, we speak about all sorts of nonsense. o Analogy: toad in field invites snake by croaking. Comparable to talking of materialistic men and impersonalist Māyāvādīs who always speak nonsense and invite death. BACE: Camus, French philosopher, said ―Don‘t try to teach me, I may not follow you. Don‘t try to follow me, I may not be able to lead you.‖ Big books. Nonsense. CCP: Time‘s flow is different when we do prajalpa. Miscellaneous: One of the differences between frog and toad – frog lives mostly in water, toad mostly on land. Śrīla Prabhupāda uses perfect word. Ref http://www.diffen.com/difference/Frog_vs_Toad nd o 2 problem: Does not mean we have to remain silent. Helpful for some time, but ultimately it proves a failure. BACE: E.g. Mauni baba – after 1 yr. ―bed bumpy.‖ 2nd yr. –―nasty mosquitoes.‖ 3rd year – ―I quit.‖
o Solution: Real controlled speech is the positive process of kṛṣṇa-kathā – glorifying name, form, qualities and pastimes of Lord. o Significance: The preacher of kṛṣṇa-kathā is always beyond the clutches of death. o Miscellaneous: HPS: Study shows that the average men produces 2000 words per day, and the average women produces 7000 words per day. (para 5) mano-vega o 1st Problem: Restlessness or fickleness of the mind o Solution: Controlled when one can fix his mind on the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa--sūrya-sama…….adhikāra. If one always thinks of Kṛṣṇa and how to serve Kṛṣṇa best, one‘s mind will naturally be controlled. o (BP: Think of Kṛṣṇa favourably, not unfavourably, e.g. Kamsa Sisupala. Gopīs were not envious of Rādhārani because nature of envy is desiring harm of other. Gopīs didn‘t desired harm of Rādhārani. Anger is there is spiritual world, not envy.) o CCP: It is not mechanical process, we have to fill the mind with thoughts of Kṛṣṇa. How to do that? Each one of is unique, we ourselves have to find. Some might like to read philosophy, some deity worship, some talking to devotees, etc. Ultimately my spiritual advancement is my responsibility, not of Kṛṣṇa, spiritual master or counsellor. Yes spiritual master gives instructions, but it our duty to follow the instructions. Spiritual master only gives all facility for that. Take our spiritual inventory and find what attracts us. nd o 2 Problem: Wrong Understanding: To try to create a vacuum in the mind is artificial. The vacuum will not remain. (para 6) krodha vega o Problem: Cannot stop anger altogether. o Solution: Controlled when we become angry with those who blaspheme the Lord or the devotees of the Lord. E.g. Hanuman in Lanka, Sri Caitanya Mahāprabhu with Jagai and Madhai and Arjuna. o One should be ready to tolerate all insults to one‘s own self, but when Kṛṣṇa or His pure devotee is blasphemed, a genuine devotee becomes angry and acts like fire against the offender. o CCP: The only anartha which everyone agrees is wrong – even materialist. In all devotional literature there are very few examples of using anger in Kṛṣṇa‘s service, so better focus on controlling it. There is very thin line between us using anger for Kṛṣṇa‘s service or anger using us in maya‘s service. Even Hanuman Ji was repentant for his anger. Mostly our motivations in getting angry are not pure and even if our intention may be pure, other person may not be able to take the anger. Sometimes we have to speak assertively so that people take us seriously. Show fang, don‘t bite. When we are firm, we are in control, but when we are angry, anger is in control.
For sadhakas, experiencing spiritual anger is very difficult, it will only be material anger. Even in dealing with atheists, we have to be very careful. E.g. Daksa Yajña got ruined due to curses and counter curses. We have to counter by defeating their arguments. Each devotional principle is integrated with other devotional principles. Principle rule – always remember Kṛṣṇa and never forget Kṛṣṇa and help others come close to Kṛṣṇa. All rules are subservient to it. Our response to blasphemy should be according to this rule. We should refute them vehemently. This way atheists may not change, but those affected by those atheists will appreciate us. o BP: What if devotees criticize another devotee? If devotee is blaspheming, it should be treated same way, but mostly devotees don‘t hate each other so badly and hence their harsh words don‘t hurt the same way. While preaching and managing criticism is inevitable, but one should not allow envy to enter heart. (para 7) jihvā uddar-vega o Problem: Urge of the tongue and belly to eat. o Not allow the tongue to eat according to its choice. Do not eat in restaurants or sweetmeat shops. o Solution: Controlled by supplying prasāda at scheduled times. o BP: Being a vegetarian is not enough. One should offer nice dishes for Kṛṣṇa‘s pleasure because you are offering to Kṛṣṇa with love. o BACE: We should not eat prasāda, we should honour prasāda. Śrīla Prabhupāda would take prasāda slowly tasting it in a secluded place. He would take about 45 minutes. What is full satisfaction? Satisfaction of stomach. (para 8) upastha o Problem: The sex impulse. o Solution: Genital should be used to beget a Kṛṣṇa conscious child, otherwise they should not be used. Marriage not for satisfaction of genitals but for begetting of Kṛṣṇa conscious children. o BACE: Śrīla Prabhupāda married 3 couples before making 1st sannyasa. Conclusion: Saḥ śiṣyāt (para 9) When one is fully practiced in the methods of Kṛṣṇa conscious control, he can become qualified to be a bona fide spiritual master.
Anuvrtti: Almost, if not all, of the second half of the Śrīla Prabhupāda‘s purports seem to be a summary of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Thakura Prabhupāda‘s commentary on the Upadeśāmrita, the Anuvrtti. (para 10) Material identification creates three kinds of urges – the urge of speak, the urge of mind and the demands of the body. o When a living entity falls victim to these three types of urges, his life becomes inauspicious. o One who practices resisting these urges is called tapasvī. o By such tapasyā one can overcome victimization by the material energy. o HPS: A gosvāmī serves Kṛṣṇa with his words, mind and body. (para 11-12) Vaco-vegam o Useless talking, such as that of Mayavadi philosophers, karma kandis or materialistic people. Volumes of such books, all useless. Pilgrimage place for crows. o To counteract this tendency, we have to divert our talking to the subject of Kṛṣṇa. Ṣastric support: SB 1.5.10-11. Even if imperfectly done, still wonderful. Use speaking power only to realize Kṛṣṇa Consciousness. o BACE: SB 1.5.11 predicts Śrīla Prabhupāda‘s appearance. o CCD:
One social commentator said that news is old things happening to new people. Devotees should not be oblivious, but aware of basic things happening outside, which are essential for sustenance. Never before in history has been information diversed from function. Point is not to condemn GK, but to connect information to function. Same case with devotees. Many people scriptures only for getting information. Scriptures don‘t have just information value, its purpose is to transform. At the end of BG, Arjuna said Kṛṣṇa I would do what you say. (para 13) Mana-vegam o Of two types: o Avirodha-prīti or unrestricted attachment Adherence to the philosophy of Māyāvādīs, Belief in the fruitive results of karma-vādīs Belief in plans based on materialistic desires BACE: Q. ―Why a devotee falls down? Śrīla Prabhupāda replied in 3 words, ―I like it.‖ BACE: many plans to be happy – insurance, etc. When they are baffled, anger arises. o Virodha-yukta-krodha or anger arising from frustration Frustration of material desires produces anger. HPS: Mechanical tricks for stopping anger won‘t work. Give up attachment for the object. BACE: Even Śrīla Prabhupāda would get angry on disciples. If I do not chastise them, they would develop bad character. E.g. temple installation ceremony - an ingredient missing – angry – hippy said chant Hare Kṛṣṇa – Śrīla Prabhupāda accepted the instruction because he was not angry for himself, but for Kṛṣṇa – he thought Kṛṣṇa spoke through this person. BACE: Anger is called younger brother of lust – kamanuja. Viswamitra was first lusty with Menaka and when 2nd apsara came he was angry. Nara Narayana was not affected by anything. Lord Siva was not affected by lust, but was affected by anger. (para 14-18) Jihvā, uddar, upastha vegam o Tongue, belly and genital are in a straight line. o Bodily demands begin with tongue. o If one can restrain the demands of the tongue by limiting its activities to the eating of prasāda, the urges of the belly and the genital can automatically be controlled. Then it is possible to get free from maya‘s victimization. CCD: Control variety, quantity and frequency of food you take. o Sarira avidya-jala……kathina samsara……daka Caitanya Nitai. CCD: Thanking God just that He provided food is thanking at animal level. CCD: The whole point of these prayers is to thank Kṛṣṇa that how mercifully He has appeared in form of prasāda.
o There are six kinds of rasas (tastes), and if one is agitated by any one of them, he becomes controlled by the urges of the tongue. Urge to eat things produced by semina and blood and eaten in form of dead bodies – meat, fish, eggs, etc.(tamo) Urge to eat spices like chilly or tamarind (rajo) Urge to eat vegetables, creepers, spinach or milk products (sattva) BACE: Śrīla Prabhupāda said we are not vegetarians, we are Krishantarians. Even monkeys are vegetarians. Urge to eat intoxications like pan, haritaki, betel nuts, various spices used in pan making, tobacco, LSD, marijuana, opium, liquor, coffee and tea. (mahā tamo) BACE: People do fasting, but drinking tea on same day. Prabhupāda asked a person, ―What do you do in morning?‖ Ans ―I wake up, read newspaper and drink tea.‖ Prabhupāda ―Even dogs do not do that.‖ Urge to eat palatable prasāda. Don‘t offer palatable dishes to the Deity with the intention of eating such nice food. (Prasāda) BACE: Prabhupāda doesn‘t leave even devotees too who eat only prasāda. There are pitfalls in eating prasāda too. BACE: Prasad should always be palatable, but should not be with intention of we want to eat palatable food. BACE: proper diet – half fill with full, one fourth with water and one fourth with air. Choice between to eat or to not eat – don‘t eat. o CCD: How do we know what is 50%? Different for each person, each one learns by his/her experience. CCD: Making a habit of eating opulent prasāda is wrong. On feasting days on festivals it is ok. Urge to accept invitation of a rich man with the idea of receiving palatable food. (Prāsād – mansion) Prasāda is transcendental, but our consciousness is passionate. Prasāda is transcendental, but we are not. Pizza prasāda – culture shock for Indians. Prasāda is not a cultural commodity, but a spiritual principle. The cultural translation of spiritual principle will depend on time and place. Prasāda should not be seen as rajasic or tamasic or Indian, Italian, Chinese, etc. (except for functional purposes.) o What to offer to Lord? Vegetables, grains, fruits, milk products and water. o CC Antya 6.227 and 6.236. o When we desire to overeat we automatically create many inconveniences in life. Solution: If we observe fating days like Ekādaśī and Janmaṣṭamī, we can restrain the demands of the belly. CCD: Kulashekhara Maharaja: If while fasting if we are not remembering Kṛṣṇa, then it is simply a fat reducing activity. We should not fast and remember food. Don‘t become proud of
your fasting (see how others are eating, see what can I do) – else body is fasting and ego is feasting. Purpose of fast is to fix our thoughts on Kṛṣṇa. Parīkṣit Maharaja was not troubled by hunger and thirst; he was so much absorbed in Kṛṣṇa Katha. Nirjala fasting is not recommended by Ayurveda due to health reasons. water fasting juice fasting fruit fasting taking raw foods eating once eating twice eating thrice. We have to restrict quantity and frequency of diet. o CCD: Greek proverb: The one third of what you eat maintains you and balance two third maintains your physician. o CCD: Controlling tongue today is very difficult because marketing of sold food taking place is unprecedented. o CCD: Torturous situation – people want both – eat food and look thin to look good. Most material desires are insatiable (can‘t win the game) and irresistible (can‘t quit the game). Problem for both devotees and non-devotees. o CCD: Śrīla Prabhupāda didn‘t gave just philosophy, but gave culture – dress, cuisine, songs, etc. But by that bridge cultural items from other parts are coming to India – e.g. Chowmin Prasāda. We have to see what suits us most to remember Kṛṣṇa. o Urges of genitals – proper and improper, or legal and illicit sex. Definition of legal sex: A mature man can marry according to rules and regulations of śāstras and use his genitals for begetting nice children. Definition of illicit sex: One indulges in illicit sex life, as defined by the śāstras, either by (1) thinking, (2) planning, (3) talking about (4) actually having sexual intercourse or (5) by satisfying the genitals by artificial means. By doing so he is caught in the clutches of māyā. Jagadannanda Pandita recommends Not to listen to talks about ordinary worldly things Not to talk about worldly things while meeting others Not to think of women even in dreams Do not associate with women Always remember the incident of Chhota Haridasa Not dressing nicely Nor eating nicely Always remain humble and Serve Their Lordship Sri Sri Rādhā-Krishna in the core of hearts CCD: Vedic culture doesn‘t says sex to be so bad, it considers it so sacred that it is used only for getting new life. It gives us opportunity to become co-creator with God. Modern civilization trivializes something so important to something just for physical release. The point is not on deprive (no, no), the point is to retrieve (this activity has purpose, who for that only) Para 19 - Conclusion: sah śiṣyāt
o One who can control these six items – speech, mind, tongue, belly and genitals-is to be called a svāmī or Gosvāmī. o Swami is not a political post. o You can serve only one master –Kṛṣṇa (Goswami) or senses (godāsa or adānta-go, which refers to one whose senses are not controlled. He cannot become a servant of Kṛṣṇa.) o Ṣastric Support: SB 7.5.30 o HPS: Men may take the formal title and ashrama of sannyasa but ladies, children, everyone must become a Gosvāmī in fact. o CCD: This verse should make us sober, not afraid. Lesson Two (Text One) 1. What is Maharaja Pariksit's question to Śukadeva Goswami? 2. What types of persons are compared to croaking toads? 3. Who is qualified to make disciples all over the world? Ans. A sober person who can tolerate the urge to speak, the mind¡¦s demands, the actions of anger and the urges of the tongue, belly and genitals is qualified to make disciples all over the world. 4. What are the six urges? Ans. The six urges are as follows: - Urge to speak - Urge of the mind (demands of the mind) - Urge of anger (actions of anger) - Urge of tongue - Urge of belly - Urge of genitals 5. How many types of intelligence are there? Explain giving example of the thief. Ans. Three types of intelligence are there: First class: learns from law books and scriptures and from other‘s experience Second class: learns from his own experience Third class: does not learn either from law books, other‘s experience or his own experience The example of thief (i) one who possess first class intelligence when hears from law books and hears from others that a thief was caught and punished, he refrains from theft. (ii) one who have second class intelligence (or less intelligence) may first have to be arrested and punished for stealing to learn to stop stealing (iii) one who has third class intelligence (rascal and fool) even after being arrested and punished repeatedly still continues to steal he does not learn. 6. What is the real atonement?
Ans. Real atonement (prāyaścitta) is the awakening of our dormant Krishna consciousness. It involves coming to real knowledge and for this there is a standard process. 7. What are the two methods recommended for awakening dormant Krishna consciousness? Explain. Ans. Two methods (i) Vedic method and (ii) Vaishnava method. Vedic Method Real knowledge or Krishna consciousness can be awakened by practicing austerity and celibacy (brahmacarya) which is possible by controlling mind and by controlling senses. Senses can be controlled by giving up one‘s possession in charity, by being avowedly truthful, by keeping clean and by practicing yoga-āsanas. Vaishnava method By following regulative principles viz. refraining from illicit sex, meat eating, intoxication and gambling and by engaging in the service of the Supreme Lord under the direction of the bona-fide spiritual master. 8. What is tapasya (austerity)? Ans. Tapasya or austerity is such methodical life by which one can gradually become elevated to the standard of real knowledge or Krishna consciousness. 9. Who is a tapasvī according to Śrīla Bhakti Siddhanta Sarasvatī? Ans. One who practices resisting the demands of mind, body and speech is called a tapasvī according to Anuvrtti explanation of NOI by Śrīla Bhakti Siddhanta Sarasvatī. 10. How the urges of different senses can be controlled? Ans. Urge of speech can be controlled by speaking subjects/glories of Lord Krishna Urge of mind can be controlled by fixing the mind on the lotus feet of Krishna Urge of anger can be controlled by becoming angry with those who blaspheme the Lord and devotees such as mayavadis, atheists Urge of belly and tongue can be controlled by honouring Krishna prasāda Urge of genitals cab be when not used unnecessarily other than for begetting Krishna conscious children 11. What are the three kinds of urges created by material identification? What are its effects? Ans. Material identification creates three kinds of urges - the urge to speak, the urge or demands of the mind and the demands of the body. When one fall victim to these three types of urges, his life becomes inauspicious. 12. What are the two divisions of the flickering mind? Explain. Ans. The flickering mind has two divisions
(i) Avirodha-prīti or unrestricted attachment - adherence to the philosophy of the Mayavadis, belief in the fruitive results of karma-vādīs and belief in plans based on materialistic desires are called Avirodha-prīti. (ii) Virodha yukta krodha or anger arising from frustration - Jnanis, karmīs and materialistic plan makers generally attract the attention of conditioned soul, but when the materialists cannot fulfil their plans and when their devices are frustrated, they become angry. This is called virodha yukta krodha. Frustration of material desires produces anger. 13. What are the different demands of the body? How to control them? Ans. Demand of the body can be divided into three categories (i) demand of the tongue (ii) demand of the belly and (iii) demand of the genitals. By controlling the demand of the tongue demands of the belly and genitals are automatically controlled. Demand of the tongue can be controlled by limiting its activities to the eating of prasāda. 14. What are the different urges of the tongue? Ans. (i) Urge to eat product of semina and blood like meat, fish, crabs, eggs etc. (ii) Urge to eat vegetables, creepers, and spinach and milk products. (iii)Urge to eat pan, haritaki, betel nuts, various spices used in pan making, tobacco, LSD, marijuana, opium, liquor, coffee and tea. (iv) Urge to eat more than necessary for gratification of tongue. (v) Urge to offer palatable dishes to Deity with the intention of eating nice food. (vi) Urge to accept invitation of rich man with the idea of receiving palatable food. 15. How one becomes controlled by the urges of the tongue? What is the effect? Ans. There are six kinds of rasas (tastes) and if one is agitated by any one of them, he becomes controlled by the urge of the tongue. The person who is controlled by the demands of the tongue keeps running here and there seeking to gratify his palate and always attached to the desires of his tongue, belly and genitals. He can never attain Krishna. 16. What is the solution to uncontrolled tongue? Ans. The ultimate solution to the uncontrolled tongue is that one should practice only to accept the remnants of food offered to Krishna and eat as per necessity. Observe fasting on days like Ekādaśī and Janmaṣṭamī. 17. What is proper or legal sex? Ans. Proper or legal or religious sex is that when a man is properly mature, he gets married in accordance with the rules and regulations of the scriptures and uses his genital for begetting nice Krishna conscious children. 18. What is improper or illicit sex? List different types and effects? Ans. Engaging in sex life by defying the law of scripture and outside marriage is improper or illicit sex. Thinking, planning, talking about, actually having sexual intercourse, satisfying
genitals by artificial means are different types of illicit sex. Person indulging in these different illicit sexual activities becomes caught in the clutches of māyā. 19. What are the different instructions/suggestions given by Sri Jagadannanda Pandita to the people in the renounced order of life? Ans. In his book Prema Vivarta, Chapter VII, Sri Jagadannanda Pandita gives the following instructions/suggestions to the people in the renounced order of life: (i) not to listen to talks about ordinary worldly things (ii) not to talk about worldly things while meeting others (iii) not to think of women even in dreams (iv) if desire to associate CM, must always remember the incident of Chhota Haridasa and how he was rejected by the Lord. (v) Not to eat luxurious dishes or dress in fine garments (vi) always remain humble and serve Their Lordship Sri Sri Rādhā-Krishna in the core of hearts 20. Who is a Gosvāmī? Ans. One who can control the six items (urges) - speech, mind, anger, tongue, belly and genitals is called a svāmī or Gosvāmī - the master of senses. 21. Who is godāsa or adānta-go? What is his fate? Ans. Those whose senses are not in their control and those who are engaged in the service of their senses or the material world are called godāsa or adānta-go. People with uncontrolled senses can never become servant of Krishna. Rather they will be dragged by the unbridled senses in to the darkest region of the ignorance and thus they madly engage in what is called ―chewing the chewed‖. 22. The talking of materialistic men and impersonalist Mayavadi philosophers may be compared to ____ _____________________ ____ ____________. 23. Controlled speech means to engage exclusively in ____________-______________. 24. Kṛṣṇa is just like ____ _______, and māyā is just like _____________. 25. If one thinks of Kṛṣṇa and how to serve Kṛṣṇa best, one‘s ________ will naturally be _____________. 26. One who resists the three kinds of urges is called a ____________. 27. Krodha, anger, cannot be stopped, but it can be applied rightly. Give an example: _________ is a good example of setting fire to __________ _____-________. 28. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement encourages marriage only for ___________. 29. Write out the Sanskrit and the English translation of Text 1 of the Nectar of Instruction, beginning with ―vaco vegam.‖
30. Discuss the importance of controlling the 6 urges as described in Sri Upadesamrita Text 1. What practical steps are you taking to control these 6 urges? Give appropriate reference to Sri Upadesamrita Text 1, verse and purport, in your response. (Open book) Text 2: Obstacles to Devotional Service atyāhāraḥ prayāsaś ca prajalpo niyamāgrahaḥ jana-saṅgaś ca laulyaṁ ca ṣaḍbhir bhaktir vinaśyati ―One's devotional service is spoiled when he becomes too entangled in the following six activities: (1) eating more than necessary or collecting more funds than required; (2) overendeavoring for mundane things that are very difficult to obtain; (3) talking unnecessarily about mundane subject matters; (4) Practicing the scriptural rules and regulations only for the sake of following them and not for the sake of spiritual advancement, or rejecting the rules and regulations of the scriptures and working independently or whimsically; (5) associating with worldly-minded persons who are not interested in Krishna consciousness; and (6) being greedy for mundane achievements.‖ Connection to 1st verse: VTE: Text Two describes the implications of not controlling the mind and senses. HPS: Now we will see six things that will make it difficult to perform Text One, engage the senses in the service of the Master of the Senses, Hrsikesa. Overview
Para 1 –Human life is meant for plain living and high thinking. Para 2 and 3 - mahātmā refers to those who are broadminded, not cripple-minded Para 4 – Threefold miseries Para 5, 6, 14, 15, 8, 9, 10, 11, 19, 20, 21, 22 – atyāhāra Para 7 – Prayasa Para 12 - prajalpa – unnecessary talking Para 13, 17 - Jana-sanga Para 16 - niyama-āgraha Para 18 - greed (laulyaṁ) Para 23 – Conclusion Para 24 – Purpose of ISKCON
Explanation
HPS: Of the six faults, we see that Śrīla Prabhupāda focuses again and again on atyāhāra, over-collecting or over eating. VTE: By his own choice, the conditioned soul has fallen under the jurisdiction of the material energy of the Lord. Under its influence, he has to meet the demands of the body, which is a product of this energy. Text Two further explains how to meet these basic demands in a way that fosters spiritual progress rather than material entanglement. BACE: In material world, maintaining body, making some effort, speaking, following some rules, associating with people and wanting some achievements is inevitable. So we have to know where we are. HPS: In general, this NOI Text Two is G-R-E-A-T for teaching in economics classes and so forth. We really have fundamental content and direction to offer even Nobel Laureates in economics. Our perspective is that economically this world is complete and everyone has a quota -- Invocation and Text One of the Isopanisad. BP: All these problems mainly begin from Jana-sangha. Para 1 –Human life is meant for plain living and high thinking. o HPS - Śrīla Prabhupāda starts with a very universal statement of the purpose of human life, high thinking and simple living. He declares this again later in the Text. We should use this essential slogan again and again. o CCD: Simple living saves us from being entangled in bahiranga Shakti and high thinking gets us to antaranga Shakti. o CCD: 6 things in this verse tell us how to implement simple living and high thinking.
Since all conditioned living beings are under the control of the Lord's third energy, this material world is designed so that one is obliged to work. Being subordinate as eternal servants of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the jīvātmās, or atomic living entities, must remain under the control of either the internal or external potency. When they are under the control of the internal potency, they display their natural, constitutional activity — namely, constant engagement in the devotional service of the Lord. mahātmānas tu mām pārtha daivīm prakritim āśritāh bhajanty ananya-manaso jñātvā bhūtādim avyayam o HPS: He goes back to Vegam, we are all pushed to work, but how? There is a detailed scientific answer in Paragraphs One to Four by explaining the bahiranga-shakti. (Para 2) mahātmā refers to those who are broadminded, not cripple-minded. o Cripple-minded persons, always engaged in satisfying their senses, sometimes expand their activities in order to do good for others through some "ism" like nationalism, humanitarianism or altruism. They may reject personal sense gratification for the sense gratification of others, like the members of their family, community or society — either national or international. Actually all this is extended sense gratification, from personal to communal to social. This may all be very good from the material point of view, but such activities have no spiritual value. The basis of such activity is sense gratification, either personal or extended. Only when a person gratifies the senses of the Supreme Lord can he be called a mahātmā, or broadminded person. o (Para 3) daivīm prakritim refer to the control of the internal potency, or pleasure potency, of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. o This pleasure potency is manifested as Śrīmatī Rādhārānī, or Her expansion Lakshmī, the goddess of fortune. o When the individual jīva souls are under the control of the internal energy, their only engagement is the satisfaction of Krishna, or Vishnu. This is the position of a mahātmā. If one is not a mahātmā, he is a durātmā, or a cripple-minded person. Such mentally crippled durātmās are put under the control of the Lord's external potency, mahāmāyā. o Para 4 – HPS - After diverting to a more detailed definition of external energy Prabhupāda returns to his first statement. o All living entities within this material world are under the control of mahāmāyā, whose business is to subject them to the influence of threefold miseries: adhidaivika-kleśa (sufferings caused by the demigods, such as droughts, earthquakes and storms), adhibhautika-kleśa (sufferings caused by other living entities like insects or enemies), and adhyātmika-kleśa (sufferings caused by one's own body and mind, such as mental and physical infirmities). Daiva-bhūtātma-hetavah: the conditioned souls, subjected to these three miseries by the control of the external energy, suffer various difficulties.
o Para 5 HPS: the main Klesa, Vegam or push. What is it? Birth, death, disease and old-age. Fear of these pushes us to work. The same things explained in more detail in Nectar of Devotion (NOD). It‘s a science. o The main problem confronting the conditioned souls is the repetition of birth, old age, disease and death. BACE: from this situation we have to become mahatma. (atyāhāra) In the material world one has to work for the maintenance of the body and soul, but how can one perform such work in a way that is favorable for the execution of Krishna consciousness? o BP: This body must be doomed. So putting all your effort in maintaining it is foolish. You have to endeavor but not over-endeavor. o Everyone requires possessions such as food grains, clothing, money and other things necessary for the maintenance of the body, but one should not collect more than necessary for his actual basic needs. If this natural principle is followed, there will be no difficulty in maintaining the body. o (para 6) According to nature's arrangement, living entities lower on the evolutionary scale do not eat or collect more than necessary. Consequently in the animal kingdom there is generally no economic problem or scarcity of necessities. Analogy: If a bag of rice is placed in a public place, birds will come to eat a few grains and go away. A human being, however, will take away the whole bag. He will eat all his stomach can hold and then try to keep the rest in storage. According to scriptures, this collecting of more than necessary (atyāhāra) is prohibited. Now the entire world is suffering because of it. o (para 14) Philosophy: Too much endeavor to acquire knowledge on the part of mental speculators or dry philosophers falls within the category of atyāhāra (collecting more than needed). The endeavor of philosophical speculators to write volumes of books on dry philosophy devoid of Krishna consciousness is entirely futile. The work of karmīs who write volumes of books on economic development also falls within the category of atyāhāra. Those who have no desire for Krishna consciousness and who are simply interested in possessing more and more material things — either in the shape of scientific knowledge or monetary gain — are all included under the control of atyāhāra. BACE: Śrīla Prabhupāda discouraged his disciples reading books of other devotees other than him. Gita Govinda, books of his god brothers. That was also atyāhāra. (para 15) Karmīs labor to accumulate more and more money for future generations only because they do not know their future position. Interested only in getting more and more money for their sons and grandsons, such foolish persons do not even know what their position is going to be in the next life. Once a great karmī accumulated a vast fortune for his sons and grandsons, but later, according to his karma, he took his birth in a cobbler's house located near the building which in his previous life he had constructed for his children. It so happened
that when this very cobbler came to his former house, his former sons and grandsons beat him with shoes. Unless the karmīs and jñānīs become interested in Krishna consciousness, they will simply continue to waste their life in fruitless activities. BACE: Another story – story of Kailash. A former PM of India became dog in Scandinavia. BP: o Prabhupāda saw a big tree in Australia covering a building. He saw this tree and said this tree was owner of this building in last life. o In Japan Prabhupāda stayed in apartment of an Indian man. Prabhupāda asked him one of the apartments to be used as temple. He refused. After leaving Prabhupāda said that this man will become a rat in this house. (para 8) Human life is meant for God realization, and the human being is given higher intelligence for this purpose. Those who believe that this higher intelligence is meant to attain a higher state should follow the instructions of the Vedic literatures. By taking such instructions from higher authorities, one can actually become situated in perfect knowledge and give real meaning to life. BACE: One devotee wanted to read Hari Bhakti Vilasa and Śrīla Prabhupāda said ―you will to hell. There are so many rules that practically you will not come out of bathroom and then you will judge devotees.‖ Simple for simple – E.g. Ratnaranjini Mataji and Kunti Devi Dasi of New Vrindavana. Rādhānath Swami Maharaja - if you read 1 hour of some other author‘s book, read Śrīla Prabhupāda‘s books 4 times. o Religion: (para 9) In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.2.9) Śrī Sūta Gosvāmī describes the proper human dharma in this way: dharmasya hy āpavargyasya nārtho 'rthāyopakalpate nārthasya dharmaikāntasya kāmo lābhāya hi smritah "All occupational engagements [dharma] are certainly meant for ultimate liberation. They should never be performed for material gain. Furthermore, one who is engaged in the ultimate occupational service [dharma] should never use material gain to cultivate sense gratification." (para 10) The first step in human civilization consists of occupational engagements performed according to the scriptural injunctions. The higher intelligence of a human being should be trained to understand basic dharma. In human society there are various religious conceptions characterized as Hindu, Christian, Hebrew, Mohammedan, Buddhist and so on, for without religion, human society is no better than animal society. (para 11) Religion is meant for attaining emancipation, not for getting bread.
Sometimes human society manufactures a system of so-called religion aimed at material advancement, but that is far from the purpose of true dharma. Religion entails understanding the laws of God because the proper execution of these laws ultimately leads one out of material entanglement. That is the true purpose of religion. Unfortunately people accept religion for material prosperity because of atyāhāra, or an excessive desire for such prosperity. True religion, however, instructs people to be satisfied with the bare necessities of life while cultivating Krishna consciousness. Even though we require economic development, true religion allows it only for supplying the bare necessities of material existence. If our endeavor (prayāsa) is not to inquire about the Absolute Truth, we will simply increase our endeavor to satisfy our artificial needs. o Welfare Work: (para 19) Modern warfare waged between capitalists and communists is due to their avoiding the advice of Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī regarding atyāhāra. BP: Communism was due to envy of labourers towards capitalists. In communism all profit is given to state for distributing it equally to all, but thee clever politicians keep it all themselves. While common men lived in abject poverty, the communist dictator lived in palaces. Nothing can be solved by placing wealth in the hands of the communists or the capitalists. Analogy: If a hundred-dollar bill is lying on the street, someone may pick it up and put it in his pocket. Such a man is not honest. Another man may see the money and decide to let it remain there, thinking that he should not touch another's property. Although this second man does not steal the money for his own purposes, he is unaware of its proper use. The third man who sees the hundred-dollar bill may pick it up, find the man who lost it and deliver it to him. This man does not steal the money to spend for himself, nor does he neglect it and let it lie in the street. By taking it and delivering it to the man who has lost it, this man is both honest and wise. (para 20) Simply transferring wealth from capitalists to communists cannot solve the problem of modern politics, for it has been demonstrated that when a communist gets money, he uses it for his own sense gratification. The wealth of the world actually belongs to Krishna, and every living entity, man and animal, has the birthright to use God's property for his maintenance. When one takes more than his maintenance requires — be he a capitalist or a communist — he is a thief, and as such he is liable to be punished by the laws of nature. (para 21) The wealth of the world should be used for the welfare of all living entities, for that is the plan of Mother Nature. Everyone has the right to live by utilizing the wealth of the Lord. When people learn the art of scientifically utilizing the Lord's property, they will no longer encroach upon one another's rights. Then an ideal society can be formed. īśāvāsyam idam sarvam yat kiñca jagatyām jagat
tena tyaktena bhuñjīthā mā gridhah kasya svid dhanam (para 22) Krishna conscious devotees know very well that this material world is designed by the complete arrangement of the Lord to fulfil all the necessities of life for all living beings, without their having to encroach upon the life or rights of one another. This complete arrangement affords the proper quota of wealth for everyone according to his real needs, and thus everyone may live peacefully according to the principle of plain living and high thinking. Unfortunately, materialists who have neither faith in the plan of God nor any aspiration for higher spiritual development misuse their God-given intelligence only to augment their material possessions. They devise many systems — such as capitalism and materialistic communism — to advance their material position. They are not interested in the laws of God or in a higher goal. Always anxious to fulfil their unlimited desires for sense gratification, they are conspicuous by their ability to exploit their fellow living beings. BACE: E.g. of a person who went to a sadhu to learn about bhoga and tyaga. He stayed for 3 days. 1 day he ate the offering (bhoga), 2nd day he threw it away (artificial tyaga) and 3rd day he kept some and gave balance back (yukta vairagya). (Para 7) prayāsa: Collecting and eating more than necessary also causes prayāsa, or unnecessary endeavor. o Anyone in any part of the world can live very peacefully if he has some land and a milk cow. There is no need for man to move from one place to another to earn a livelihood, for one can produce food grains locally and get milk from cows. That can solve all economic problems. o (Then what to do with our intelligence?) Fortunately, man has been given higher intelligence for the cultivation of Krishna consciousness, or the understanding of God, one's relationship with Him, and the ultimate goal of life, love of God (Sambandha, abhideya, prayojana). o Unfortunately, so-called civilized man, not caring for God realization, utilizes his intelligence to get more than necessary and simply eat to satisfy the tongue. By God's arrangement there is sufficient scope for the production of milk and grains for human beings all over the world, but instead of using his higher intelligence to cultivate God consciousness, so-called intelligent men misuse their intelligence to produce many unnecessary and unwanted things. Thus factories, slaughterhouses, brothels and liquor shops are opened (CCP: over-endeavor requires relief, so these things are opened. This is so because their life is so imbalanced). If people are advised not to collect too many goods, eat too much or work unnecessarily to possess artificial amenities, they think they are being advised to return to a primitive way of life. Generally people do not like to accept plain living and high thinking. That is their unfortunate position. o BACE: Prayāsa in life of devotee, e.g. I‘ll study hard to settle in USA and this way my bhakti will be peaceful. Bhaktivinoda Thakura says that the worst
kind of prayāsa for a devotee is prayāsa for fame. Solution: Worship Lord with humility and simplicity. By that you‘ll get mercy of Lord, and then no prayāsa is required. E.g. Srivasa Thakura. When you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Take care for your socio-economic condition. (para 12) prajalpa – unnecessary talking o CCD: Vaco Vegam and Prajalpa may be similar, but they are presented in different frame of analysis. 1st is presented at bodily level and as a general analysis applicable to all, but 2nd is presented more specifically for devotees. Bhisma talks to Yudhisthira about speech. How should a person speak? He gives a hierarchy – Lord, pleasing speeches, truthful speeches, useless speeches and blasphemous speeches. Last 2 are prajalpa. BG – austerity of speech is ―that truthful, pleasing and beneficial.‖ For devotees useless speech is blasphemous (doesn‘t matter if they are true or false) and rumour based speeches. Every devotee has challenges and difficulties. Imagine a warrior going war and is wounded, he should be sent to hospital. But if he is sent to jail, are we being compassionate. Very less devotees come with an intention of being hypocritical. If we can help devotees, it is good, else we should not speak. We can at best try to learn from it. Don‘t gossip about people. Internet has made rumour mongering very easy. –ve things stay longer in mind. One sannyasi fell and sent his danda to Prabhupāda. His secretary spread news all over. Prabhupāda was angrier with him than the sannyasi. We have come to this movement to become conscious of Kṛṣṇa, not to become conscious of faults of people. ISKCON is like desire tree, you will get you want – pride, money, controversy, but then purpose of coming to this society will be lost. Fall down is not new – ―Don‘t be surprised who leaves, be surprised who stays.‖ Advaita Acharya‘s sons became Mayavadis. Disease metaphor – in a hospital a new compounder and a top doctor both can become infected by germs if they do not take precaution. Of course in this metaphor he is victim, while for fall down we are morally responsible. We are being Kṛṣṇa Unconscious if we gossip about how others fell down. For educational purpose, a responsible senior devotee might talk maturely. If a person falls, it doesn‘t mean the process is wrong. Don‘t discuss with uninformed people. o If we must talk, we should talk about the Krishna consciousness movement. o Those outside of the Krishna consciousness movement are interested in reading heaps of newspapers, magazines and novels, solving crossword puzzles and doing many other nonsensical things. In this fashion people simply waste their valuable time and energy. BP: NOI was completed in 1974 and published in 1975. By now Prabhupāda has complete grasp of western culture – how they waste their time. Crossword puzzle is simply filling gaps between birth and death.
o In the Western countries old men, retired from active life, play cards, fish, watch television and debate about useless socio-political schemes. All these and other frivolous activities are included in the prajalpa category. BP: Even 20-30 yrs. ago in old age people used to became religious due to fear of death. They saw everyone around them dying and hence became intelligent to pray. Old people today live like goat. A goat sees other goat being slaughtered and the goat behind thinks – phewww! That was close. o Intelligent persons interested in Krishna consciousness should never take part in such activities. (para 13) Jana-sanga - associating with persons not interested in Krishna consciousness. o BP: HK told Prahlada Maharaja that when crystal is placed near an object, it takes colour of that object. Similarly heart. Asat sanga tyaga yehi Vaisnava sadachara. In 1974 Śrīla Prabhupāda was asked, how can I become sincere? Ans. If you want to become sincere, associate those who are sincere. o One should strictly avoid such association. o Śrīla Narottama dāsa Thākura has therefore advised us to live only in the association of Krishna conscious devotees (bhakta-sane vāsa). o (What to do in such association?) One should always engage in the service of the Lord in the association of the Lord's devotees. o Purpose of ISKCON: Association with those engaged in a similar line of business is very conducive to advancement in that business. Consequently materialistic persons form various associations and clubs to enhance their endeavors. For example, stock exchange and chamber of commerce. Similarly, we have established the International Society for Krishna Consciousness to give people an opportunity to associate with those who have not forgotten Krishna. BP: Prabhupāda said in a temple there should be nothing except service to Kṛṣṇa. BP: It is the great responsibility of devotees to be worthy of associating with for upliftment. o (para 17) One should also avoid association with Māyāvādīs, who simply blaspheme Vaiṣṇavas (devotees). Bhukti-kāmīs, who are interested in material happiness, mukti-kāmīs, who desire liberation by merging in the existence of the formless Absolute (Brahman), and siddhi-kāmīs, who desire the perfection of mystic yoga practice, are classified as atyāhārīs. To associate with such persons is not at all desirable. o BACE: E.g. Bharat Maharaja and Ajamila. It is better to tolerate misery of being surrounded by bars and blazing flames than to associate with nondevotees. Refer 1st purpose of ISKCON out of 7 conceived by Śrīla Prabhupāda. Some devotees are always fearful of what others will say by seeing their devotional practice. This is jana sanga at subtle level. Some still have more intimate and trusted friends among karmī. Śrīla Prabhupāda gave story of monkey and crocodile. Heart should be given just to devotees, not to materialist. o CCD: Attachment and association are symbiotic. We should spiritualize both. Here the word sanga mostly refers to association. Association is not just physical proximity. Fly might sit on body of spiritual master. But it has no spiritual benefit. Association essentially means emotional
exchanges. Some employees come to temple for 25 yrs. or there might be neighbours. But their hearts do not change. Because there is no transfer of emotion, effectively there is no association even though there might be physical proximity. Bad association affects desire (e.g. Kala Kṛṣṇa Dasa), intelligence (e.g. Ajamila. In today‘s context this can happen when we are attacked intellectually – e.g. if God provides rain due to Yajña, then why are there rains over ocean? An unclean room do not prove absence of designer, but a clean room more strongly supports existence of a designer.) and faith (e.g. Kaikeyi. Today this can happen by internet. Faith is like tree, takes years to grow, but minutes to cut.) (para 16) Accepting some of the scriptural rules and regulations for immediate benefit, as utilitarians advocate, is called niyama-āgraha, and neglecting the rules and regulations of the śāstras, which are meant for spiritual development, is called niyama-āgraha. o Āgraha means "eagerness to accept," and agraha means "failure to accept." o BACE: ―failure to accept‖ – failure to offer obeisances, mood of reverence is gone, appreciation of devotee association is gone, we consider it as our right to accept service from devotees. E.g. brahmana and brahmana patni in Kṛṣṇa Lila. Gaurānga Prabhu was in Nrsmiha Abhishek in Mayapur. He gave honey to Pankajanghiri Prabhu. Pankajanghiri Prabhu thought it is not honey, so he tasted it before offering to Lord behind closed doors. It was not honey. Something else. If this news spreads and printed as norm as deity worship manual. Both letter of law and spirit of law should be understood. Practically for 2-3 yrs. in early years in west, there was no morning program. If spirit of law is there, even if letter of law is missing – it is ok, but if letter is there, but spirit if not there, then it is not ok. A simple thing – offering obeisances. It means offering your life and soul and complete surrender in devotion. Once Prabhupāda was in Bhaktivedanta Manor. Mic was just coming down. Prabhupāda called a devotee and told him to take off his brahmana thread. He used brahmana thread to tie mic. Devotional service is practical activity, it is not just about rules and regulations. We should avoid both smarta mentality and sahajiya mentality. Silavati Devi serving hot chapatis to Lord in Los Angeles, as was done was Srutakirti P to Śrīla Prabhupāda. Prabhupāda became very angry – ―changes will ruin everything.‖ Earlier, Śrīla Prabhupāda – ―eat till your neck is full.‖ Later – ―control.‖ First deity installation ceremony was with candles, now it will be offense. He introduced all rules very slowly. Śrīla Rupa Goswami has given everything in these 11 verses. It is like condensed sweet rice. Our relationship with a devotee should be based on service only. Then we‘ll not take him lightly. o Those interested in Krishna consciousness should not be eager to accept rules and regulations for economic advancement, yet they should very faithfully
accept scriptural rules and regulations for the advancement of Krishna consciousness. They should strictly follow the regulative principles by avoiding illicit sex, meat-eating, gambling and intoxication. o CCD: Rules are road, principles are like compass. Rules are the best way to follow principles. Principle – always remember Kṛṣṇa and never forget Kṛṣṇa. Rule – chant on your beads in an audible voice. What if a person has throat infection or is dumb? Can‘t he remember Kṛṣṇa? No the rule can be changed for him. So rules can be changed, but principles not. There are strict rules for constructing temples, but Prabhupāda made store fronts into temples. Desa, kala, vibhaga. This comes twice in Bhagavatam. When he was on arrow-bed Bhisma pitamaha offered respects to sages mentally. Dhruva Maharaja improvised since he had no deities. Another example – birth right spoiled everything in Vedic culture – I deserve respect because I was born in brahmana family. Most conversions to other religions happened from lower castes, because neither were they respected nor the brahmanas cared for their conversion. Can you underline Prabhupāda‘s books? 2 views – yes or no. Some say they are like deities, they should not be marking. Others say we are not marking, we are decorating them. This is matter of preference, not of principles. One should not be fanatical. There cannot be rule for everything. Devotee: How much food to children in gurukula? Prabhupāda: May be three. Some devotees made that into rule, they won‘t give more. Silly. You should know what to adopt and what to adapt. In some ways Śrīla Prabhupāda did very distinctly from his guru. SBBST wore shirt pants many times even in India. Prabhupāda always wore traditional dresses. His dress was so attractive for hippies that they became attracted and started adopting. When circumstances changes, presentation has to change. But principles can‘t change. In BG there is no discussion whether God exists or not, karma exists or not, etc. But in our BG courses we have to first give session for God and karma exists and then actual contents can of BG can be discussed. Paying obeisances is etiquette, but in some countries due to earlier practice of slavery, paying obeisances was sign of being a slave. o CCD: E.g. though very broad minded, Śrīla Prabhupāda taught Indian cuisine and ―INDIAN‖ dresses. Some dresses increase body consciousness and some dresses decrease body consciousness. Serious devotees should wear dresses conducive for spiritual consciousness. These are general principles, but there are always exceptions. Some may be in spiritual consciousness in western dresses, while some maybe material in spiritual dresses. But that doesn‘t change the general rule. By following rules, our attraction for Kṛṣṇa increases. (para 18) greed (laulyaṁ): Desires to expand the mind by perfecting mystic yoga, merging in the existence of Brahman, or attaining whimsical material prosperity are all included within the category of greed (laulyaṁ). All attempts to acquire such material benefits or so-called spiritual advancement are impediments on the path of Krishna consciousness.
o BACE: Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Thakura explains laulyaṁ as greed, desire and restlessness. Restless is 2 kinds – mind (cita) and intelligence. When mind follows dictates of senses it leads to attachment and aversion. So restlessness of minds is of these 2 types. To check this restlessness one should take shelter of bhakti devi. Hrsikena Hrisikesa sevaya. Intelligence discriminates between good and bad. It is either resolute or irresolute. BG 2nd chapter explains sthita pragya. See inter-relation between BG, NOI and ISO. 2 types of intelligence – material and spiritual. One should realize his position as eternal servant of the Lord and in this way his intelligence will be spiritualized and his mind will become steady. o CCD: Atyāhāra is subtle, but laulyaṁ is more explicit. o CCD: For new devotees, māyā attacks explicitly – there are enjoyments in world, you can enjoy. For serious devotees, it attacks subtly – don‘t throw Kṛṣṇa out of life, but don‘t be fanatical about it, there are some other priorities too. Then Kṛṣṇa goes down in our priority list and māyā takes stage. So Kṛṣṇa should always be our first priority whenever we make schedule, etc. (para 23 - Conclusion) When human society gives up these elementary faults enumerated by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī (atyāhāra, etc.), all enmity will cease between men and animals, capitalists and communists, and so forth. In addition, all problems of economic or political maladjustment and instability will be solved. This pure consciousness is awakened by the proper spiritual education and practice offered scientifically by the Krishna consciousness movement. o BP: Carl Marx wrote in Communist Manifesto, ―The spectra hovering over Europe is the spectra of communism.‖ Right now communism might be down, but it or any other competition to capitalism will soon arise. (Para 24 - Purpose of ISKCON): This Krishna consciousness movement offers a spiritual community that can bring about a peaceful condition in the world. Every intelligent man should purify his consciousness and rid himself of the abovementioned six hindrances to devotional service by taking wholehearted shelter of this Krishna consciousness movement. Lesson Three (Text Two – first half) and Four (Text Two-second half) Q.1. How one‘s devotional service is spoiled? Ans. When becomes too entangled in the following six activities his devotional service is spoiled. (i) eating more than necessary or collecting more funds than required (ii) over endeavouring for mundane things that are very difficult to obtain (iii) talking unnecessarily about mundane subject matters (iv) practicing the scriptural rules and regulations only for the sake of following them and not for the sake of spiritual advancement, or rejecting the rules and regulations of the scriptures and working independently or whimsically (v) associating with worldly-minded persons who are not interested in Krishna consciousness and (vi) being greedy for mundane achievements Q.2. Explain the three primary energies or potencies of the Lord. Ans. The Supreme Personality of Godhead has three primary energies or potencies which are as follows: (i) Antaranga-shakti (internal potency) – it is the pleasure potency of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is manifested as Srimati Rādhārani or Her expansions Lakshmi, the goddess of
fortune. When the jivas are under the control of this energy of the Lord, their only engagement is the satisfaction of Krishna or Viṣṇu. (ii) Tatastha-shakti (marginal potency) – living entity constitute marginal potency and they are situated between the internal and external potencies. Being subordinate as eternal servant of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the jīvātmās or atomic living entities must remain under the control of either the internal or external potency. When they are under the control of the internal potency, they display their natural, constitutional activity – namely, constant engagement in the devotional service of the Lord (mahātmānas to mam pārtha, daivīm prakritim āśritāh, bhajanty ananya-manaso jñātvā bhūtādim avyayam) (Bg.9.13) (iii) Bahiranga-shakti (external potency) – manifested as mahāmāyā or Durga, whose business is to subject the jivas under her control to the influence of the three fold miseries viz. adhidaivika-kleśa (suffering caused by the demigods, such as droughts, earthquakes and storms); adhibhautika-kleśa (suffering caused by other living entities like insects or enemies); and adhyātmika-kleśa (suffering caused by one‘s own body and mind, such as mental and physical infirmities). Q.3. Who is a mahatma? What are his attributes? Ans. Mahatma is one who under the shelter/control of internal potency or pleasure potency of the Supreme Personality of Godhead (mahātmānas tu mam pārtha daivīm prakritim āśritāh). Mahatma also refers to those who are broad minded, not crippled-minded. Only when a person gratifies the senses of the Supreme Lord can he be called a mahatma or broad-minded person. Mahatmas are always under the control of the internal or pleasure potency of the Lord which is represented by Srimati Rādhārani or Her expansions Laxmis, the goddess of fortune. Only engagement of the Mahatma is the satisfaction of Krishna or Viṣṇu. Q.4. Distinguish between mahatma and durātmā. Ans. Distinctions between mahatmas and durātmās are as follows: Mahatma 1. Under control of internal energy (Pleasure potency) 2. Broad-minded 3. Basis of activities is satisfaction of Krishna or Vishnu 4. No anxiety - always blissful 5. Activities have immense spiritual values – progress in KC Example: Devotees Durātmā 1. Under the control of external energy (mahāmāyā) 2. Crippled-minded 3. Basis of any activity is sense- gratification - self or others like family member, community, society etc. 4. Perpetually suffers three-fold miseries 5. Activity sounds materially good but has no spiritual value - degradation Example: Jnanis, Karmis, nationalists, philanthropists, humanitarian, etc. Q.5. What are the main problem confronting the conditioned souls? Ans. The main problem confronting the conditioned souls is the repetition of birth, old age, disease and death. Q.6. In the material world one has to work for the maintenance of the body and soul, but how can one perform such work in a way that is favourable for the execution of Krishna consciousness? Ans. Everyone requires possessions such as food grains, clothing, money and other things necessary for the maintenance of the body, but one should not collect more than necessary for his actual basic needs. If this natural principle is followed, there will be no difficulty in
maintaining the body. Living entities lower on the evolutionary scale do not eat or collect more than necessary, consequently there is no an economic problem or problems of scarcity of necessity in their society. Therefore one should follow the principle of īśāvāsyam. Q.7. Explain the concept of atyāhāra? Ans. Eating more than necessary or collecting more funds than required is called atyāhāra. It is due to excessive greed and lack of faith and dependence on the Supreme Personality of Godhead that inducing atyāhāra. Atyāhāra results in to the problems of distribution, economy, scarcity etc. It is against the principle of īśāvāsyam. It also causes prayāsa or unnecessary endeavor. Because of atyāhāra people accept religion for material prosperity. Modern warfare waged between capitalists and communists is due to avoiding the principles of atyāhāra. Association of Māyāvādīs (who simply blaspheme devotees), Bhukti-kāmīs (interested in material happiness), Mukti-kāmīs (desire liberation by merging in Brahman) and Siddhikāmīs (desire perfection of mystic yoga) is also atyāhāra. Q.8. What is required for peaceful survival of human being? Ans. Food, clothing and shelter are the actual necessity for survival for a human being. By God‘s arrangement, anyone in any part of the world can live very peacefully if has some land and a milk cow. There is no need for man to move from one place to another to earn a livelihood, for he can produce food grains locally and get milk from cow. That can solve all economic problems. Q.9. What is purpose of higher intelligence to human beings? Ans. Human life is meant for God realization and human being is given higher intelligence for this purpose. Man should utilize his intelligence for cultivation of Krishna consciousness, for understanding God, relationship with Him, and the ultimate goal of life, love of God. Therefore the higher intelligence of a human being should be trained to understand basic dharma. Q.10. What is the misuse of the higher human intelligence? Ans. (i) Not caring for God realization (ii) Utilizing the intelligence to get more than necessary and simply eat to satisfy the tongue (iii) Produce many unnecessary and unwanted things such as factories, slaughterhouses, brothels and liquor shops Q.11. What is the unfortunate position for people? Ans. If people are advised not to collect too many goods, eat too much or work unnecessarily to possess artificial amenities, they think they are being advised to return to a primitive way of life. Generally people do not like to accept plain living and high thinking. That is their unfortunate position. Q.12. What should those, who believe that higher intelligence is meant to attain higher states, do? Ans. Those who believe that higher intelligence is meant to attain a higher state should follow the instructions of the Vedic literatures because such instructions from higher authorities, one can actually become situated in perfect knowledge and give real meaning to life. Q.13. What is proper human dharma? Ans. Śrīla Suta Gosvāmī describe the proper human dharma asDharmasya hy āpavargyasya nārtho rthāyopakalpate Nārthasya dharmaikāntasya kāmo lābhāya he smritah ―All occupational engagements (dharma) are certainly meant for ultimate liberation. They should never be performed for material gain. Furthermore, one who is engaged in the ultimate occupational service (dharma) should never use material gain to cultivate sense gratification‖
It is meant for attaining emancipation. It must entail understanding the laws of God because the proper execution of these laws ultimately leads one out of material entanglement. And this is the true purpose of religion (dharma should be for upvarga not for material gain). True religion, instructs people to be satisfied with the bare necessities of life while cultivating Krishna consciousness. True religion allows economic development only for supplying the bare necessities of material existence. Q.14. What is the real purpose of life? Ans. The real purpose of life is to inquire about the Absolute Truth (jivasya tattva-jijnasa). Q.15. Why should one increase prayāsa (endeavor)? Ans. One should increase endeavor to satisfy about the Absolute Truth. If the endeavor is not for this, then it will be only for the purpose of satisfying our artificial needs. A spiritual aspirant should avoid mundane endeavor. Q.16. What is prajalpa? Explain. Ans. Talking unnecessarily about mundane subject matter is prajalpa. It is one of the impediments in the path of progress in devotional service. When we mix with a few friends, we immediately begin unnecessary talking, sounding just like croaking toads. If we must talk, we should talk about the Krishna consciousness movement. Reading heaps of newspapers, magazines, novels, solving crossword puzzles and doing many other nonsensical things and waste their valuable time and energy. Playing cards, fish watching, television watching, debate about useless socio-political and many other frivolous activities are included in the prajalpa category. Intelligent persons interested in Krishna consciousness should never talk part in such activities. Q.17. What is jana-sanga? Please explain. Ans. Jana-sanga refers to associating with worldly-minded persons who are not interested in Krishna consciousness. One should strictly avoid such association. Institutions like stock exchange, chamber of commerce etc., various clubs and associations are facilities that enhances peoples endeavor for jana-sanga. Q.18. Why Śrīla Prabhupāda established ISKCON? Ans. The International Society for Krishna Consciousness is established by Śrīla Prabhupāda to give people an opportunity to associate with those who have not forgotten Krishna. Śrīla Narottama Dāsa Thakura has advised to live only in the association of Krishna conscious devotees (bhakta sane vasa) and engage in the devotional service of the Lord. ISKCON is a facility provided to people for this purpose. It is constantly growing because people from different parts of the world are joining the society to awaken their dormant Krishna consciousness. Q.19. What is atyāhāra according to Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī? Ans. Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Thakura writes in his Anuvrtti commentary that too much endeavor to acquire knowledge on the part of mental speculators or dry philosophers falls within the category of atyāhāra (collecting more than needed). Endeavor to write volumes of books on philosophical speculation and the work of karmīs who write volumes of books on economic development falls within the category of atyāhāra. Similarly, those who have no desire for Krishna consciousness and who are simply interested in possessing more and more material things – either in the shape of scientific knowledge or monetary gain – are all included under the control of atyāhāra. Q.20. Explain with an example the destiny of karmīs and jñānīs who are not interested in Krishna consciousness? Ans. Karmis and jñānīs, those who do not know their future position, labor hard to accumulate more and more money for future generation for their sons and grandsons, such foolish persons do not even know what their position is going to be in the next life. There are many incidents that illustrate this point. Once a great karmī accumulated a vast fortune for his
sons and grandsons, but later, according to his karma, he took his birth in a cobbler‘s house located near the building which in his previous life he had constructed for his children. It so happened that when this very cobbler came to his former house, his former sons and grandsons beat him with shoes. Therefore unless the karmīs and jñānīs become interested in Krishna consciousness, they will simply continue to waste their life in fruitless activities. Q.21. Explain the concept of niyamāgrahaḥ? Ans. Practicing the scriptural rules and regulations only for the sake of following them and not for the sake of spiritual advancement, or rejecting the rules and regulations of the scriptures and working independently or whimsically is called niyamāgrahaḥ. Accepting some of the scriptural rules and regulations for immediate benefit, as utilitarians advocate, is called niyama-āgraha, and neglecting the rules and regulations of the śāstras, which are meant for spiritual development is called niyama-agraha. The word āgraha means ‗eagerness to accept‘ and the ‗agraha‘ means ‗failure to accept‘. By the addition of either of these two words to the word niyama ‗rules and regulations‘, the word niyamāgrahaḥ is formed. Thus niyamāgrahaḥ has twofold meaning that is understood according to the particular combination of words. Those interested in Krishna consciousness should not be eager to accept rules and regulations for economic advancement, yet they should very faithfully accept scriptural rules and regulations for the advancement of Krishna consciousness. They should strictly follow the regulative principles of avoiding illicit sex, meat-eating, gambling and intoxication. Q.22. Explain the concept of laulyaṁ? Ans. Being greedy for mundane achievements is laulyaṁ. Desires to expand the mind by perfecting mystic yoga, merging in the existence of Brahman, or attaining whimsical material prosperity are all included within the category of greed (laulyaṁ). All attempts to acquire such material benefits or so called spiritual advancement are impediments on the path of Krishna consciousness. Q.23. What is the solution of economic warfare between capitalists and communists explain with example? Ans. Modern warfare waged between capitalists and communists is due to their avoiding the advice of Śrīla Rupa Gosvāmī regarding atyāhāra. Modern capitalists accumulate more wealth than necessary and the communists, envious of their property, want to nationalize all wealth and property. Unfortunately, the communists do not know how to solve the problem of wealth and its distribution. Consequently there no solution reached when the wealth of the capitalist fall in the hands of the communists. Opposed to the attitude of capitalists and the communists there is the ideology of Krishna consciousness which states that all wealth belongs to Krishna. Thus unless all wealth comes under the administration of Krishna, there can be no solution to the economic problems of mankind. Nothing can be solved by placing wealth in the hands of the communists or the capitalists. The example of $100 bill can be given in this regard. A $100 bill is lying on the street; someone may pick it up and put it in his pocket. Such a person is not honest. Another man may see the money and decide to let it remain there, thinking that he should not touch another‘s property. Although, this second man does not steal the money for his own purpose, he is unaware of its proper use. The third man who sees the $100 bill may pick it up, find the man who lost it and deliver it to him. This man does not steal the money to spend for himself, nor does he neglect it and let it lie in the street. By taking it and delivering it to the man who has lost it, this man is both honest and wise. Therefore, simply transferring wealth from capitalists to communists cannot solve the problem of modern politics, for it has been demonstrated that when a communist gets money, he uses it for his own sense gratification. The wealth of the world actually belongs to Krishna
and every living entity, man and animal, has the birthright to use God‘s property for his maintenance. Q.24. Who according to Śrīla Prabhupāda is a thief? Ans. One who takes more than his maintenance requires – be he a capitalist or a communist – he is a thief and such a thief is liable to be punished by the laws of nature. Q.25. The wealth of the world should be used for what purpose? Ans. The wealth of the world should be used for the welfare of all living entities, for that is the plan of the Mother Nature. Everyone has the right to live by utilizing the wealth of the Lord. Q.26. When there will be an ideal society? Ans. When people learn the art of scientifically utilizing the Lord‘s property, they will no longer encroach upon one another‘s right. When they gives up the elementary faults like atyāhāra, prayāsa …. all enmity will cease between men and animals, capitalists, communalists and so forth and all economic, political maladjustment and instability will be solved, then an ideal society can be formed. These are all possible by awakening Krishna consciousness. Q. 27 Fill in the blanks 1. Human life is meant for __________________. 2. The main problem confronting the conditioned soul is _______ ______________ _____ _______, ______ ______, _______________ and _________. 3. Collecting and eating more than necessary causes __________________, __________ ______________. 4. Religion is meant for ____________ __________, not for __________ __________. 5. Intelligent persons interested in Kṛṣṇa Consciousness should never take part in _________ ____________. 6. Jana sanga refers to associating with peers not _______________ _____ ___________ _____________. 7. Śrīla Narottama Dāsa Thakura advises us to live only in the association of Kṛṣṇa Conscious devotees (_________-________ ________). 8. We have established the International Society for Krishna Consciousness to give people an opportunity to __________ ___________ _____________ ______ _______ ______ _______________ ____________. Text 3 - Principles That Aid Devotional Service utsāhān niścayād dhairyāt tat-tat-karma-pravartanāt saṅga-tyāgāt sato vṛtteḥ ṣaḍbhir bhaktiḥ prasidhyati ―There are six principles favorable to the execution of pure devotional service: (1) being enthusiastic, (2) endeavouring with confidence, (3) being patient, (4) acting according to regulative principles [such as śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ [SB 7.5.23]—hearing, chanting and remembering Kṛṣṇa], (5) abandoning the association of nondevotees, and (6) following in the footsteps of the previous ācāryas. These six principles undoubtedly assure the complete success of pure devotional service.‖ Overview
Para 1 – What Pure Devotional Service is Para 2 - O.K. Devotional service is Śīlanaṁ, activity, but what activities? Para 3 - And which of these activities are first? Para 4 - from whom to hear? Para 5 to 7 - Enthusiasm (Utsāhān) Para 8 - Patience & Confidence (Dhairyāt & Niścayād) Para 9 – tat-tat-karma-pravartanāt (acting according to the regulative principles Para 10 – sanga tyagat (abandoning the association of nondevotees) Para 11 - sato vrtti (following in the footsteps of the previous ācāryas) Para 12 to 17 – Explanation
HPS: We've had six things that will surely prevent us from engaging the senses in the service of the Master of the Senses, Hrisikesa (vinaśyati — is destroyed). Now we see six things that will make it very easy (prasidhyati — advances or becomes successful). BACE: This text explains the impetus for performing bhakti - what is not bhakti, what is bhakti, how to perform bhakti, why perform bhakti, who can perform bhakti, where to perform bhakti. HPS: Text Three is the Upadeśāmrita text that Śrīla Prabhupāda most often quotes in his books and lectures. HPS: Paragraphs 1-4 develop the idea of cultivation and then 5-11 explain the six favorable things one after another. In Paragraph 12 we see Śrīla Prabhupāda summarizing all six and starting the Anuvrtti commentary. CCD: Prescription metaphor – o Utsāhān – enthusiasm to take medicine o Niścayād – faith that medicine will work o Dhairyāt – be patient that medicine will work o Tat tat karma pravartanāt – follow dos and don‘ts given by doctor. o Sanga tyagat – avoid people or things with infection. o Sato vrtteh BACE: We should accept what is favorable for devotional service and reject what is unfavourable for devotional service. o A- attitude (utsāhān niścayād dhairyāt) o Behaviour – saṅga-tyāgāt o Character – tat-tat-karma o Direction – sato vṛtteḥ
VTE: Six principles are given that helps us progress on the path of pure devotional service. But before discussing them, Śrīla Rupa Gosvāmī explains exactly what pure devotional service is. o (Para 1) Devotional service is not a matter of sentimental speculation or imaginative ecstasy. Its substance is practical activity. Definition of devotional service: anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānuśīlanaṁ bhaktir uttama o HPS: The word that Śrīla Prabhupāda takes up from BRS1.1.11 (with enthusiasm) is the word śīlanaṁ. This means cultivation. So Bhakti, means action, cultivation. The relationship between the NOD and NOI is very intimate. o CCD: Devotion is a matter of heart. Why do you need to exhibit your devotion? Oh I had darsana of Kṛṣṇa in dream. Relation is based on commitment. You may say ―I Love You‖, but it depends on how committed are you to each other. Gopīs are exalted to devotees, because they were committed to Kṛṣṇa. Their pastime when Kṛṣṇa got headache showed their commitment. Closest to pure love in material love is mother-child. Essence of this is activity – she cares even in night. We can‘t even tolerate alarm clock which rings at time – bang!!! Baby is alarm clock without fixed time, mother never bangs. Real love is seen through selfless service. Love in a way its authenticity is shown. Love means sacrifice. King Solomon – 2 women came claiming a baby. Śrīla Prabhupāda exemplified this practical activity most vividly. He could have dreamt of Rādhā Kṛṣṇa in Vṛndāvana. He had completed his family duties and retired. He was 69. But he spread the movement of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Practical Activity. He would cook for hippies. We went to Gaudiya Matha in Puri. A boy from Pune wanted to serve the sannyasi from Gaudiya Matha. But was not allowed as he was not initiated. But Prabhupāda washed hippies‘ plates. Practical activity. If we give ecstasy to Kṛṣṇa, we get ecstasy. Prabhupāda – These purports are his devotional ecstasies. We feel these purports give such basic points. In Bhagavatam, Kṛṣṇa going to Dwarka, Arjuna holding His hands, everyone crying, but in purport Prabhupāda is criticizing Modern Civilization. Devotional ecstasy is what gives Kṛṣṇa‘s ecstasy. Kṛṣṇa wants all His children to come back to Him. Duty of Guru to remove obstacles between devotees and Kṛṣṇa. Prabhupāda is breaking the misconceptions which keep us from loving Kṛṣṇa.
Even chanting we do is activity. Prabhupāda didn‘t recommend silent chanting. There have been ācāryas who chanted silently. But modern ācāryas do not recommend silent chanting. In Mayapur devotees were creating temple. Prabhupāda: Why are we constructing these temples? This land is barren, but it is rich with fruits of love of Kṛṣṇa as Caitanya Mahāprabhu is distributing even today. We may listen them and get them, but not everyone. So we need to attract them. Gurudas Prabhu describes – he was in-charge of Vṛndāvana project. Prabhupāda came first time after Gurudas P came. Devotees had some imagination of Vṛndāvana after reading Kṛṣṇa book. Devotees thought Prabhupāda will tell some exalted pastimes. But when Prabhupāda came from Delhi to Vṛndāvana and while entering Vṛndāvana he said one word, ―Cement?‖ Engage in practical devotional service. BG 6.8 – Pure devotee sees stones, pebbles and gold equally. See application of that. Cement in stone. Prabhupāda valued cement as gold. Prabhupāda translated bhakti as devotional (adjective-internal component) service (noun-external component). Some translate as devotion or divine love. What is the relationship between service and devotion? Service is the vehicle of devotion and service is the engine of devotion. People – ―why do you exhibit bhakti? Why do you raise arms and dance? Bhakti in matter of heart‖ Kirtan is not exhibition but expression of bhakti. Exhibition is for public show but expression is for the object of devotion. Anyone can say I am an advanced devotee. How does the other person know? By commitment. Love is both noun and verb. ―But why God needs service, He is self-satisfied? For sake of reciprocating. Suppose in spiritual world if everyone is just meditating on Lord, it won‘t be so attractive. But there also devotees act and display their love for Kṛṣṇa. Yaśodā is churning butter. Prabhupāda – when you come before deity, you should feel deity asking – ―What are you doing for Me?‖ Engine: By service our devotional feeling are stimulated. Nitya siddha Kṛṣṇa Prema… E.g. in a movie hero forgets his memory, his memory is revived by showing him old items which he liked. So the hero doesn‘t have to make a new relationship with the father, he has to just revive his memory. So service acts as engine. When we do service, our forgotten memory becomes revived and our love is revived. o BACE: Jananivasa Prabhu once said Kṛṣṇa Consciousness is so simple that you will miss it – just chanting and following regulative principles. People like complex philosophy, but someone like Prabhupāda gives everything so philosophy, they take it cheaply. One Indian lady came to ISKCON Melbourne and started showing ecstatic symptoms. Devotees felt inferiority complex. They wrote to
Prabhupāda. Prabhupāda said kick her, if she comes out of her ecstasy that means she is fake. One lady worshipping ladu gopal in vatsalya rasa. One day deity fell from her hand – ―O Gopal why are you running from me?‖ All fake, due to her negligence the deity fell. o (Para 2 - O.K. Devotional service is Śīlanaṁ, activity, but what activities?) Anusilam: Bhakti is a sort of cultivation. As soon as we say "cultivation," we must refer to activity. Cultivation of spirituality does not mean sitting down idly for meditation, as some pseudo-yogīs teach. Such idle meditation may be good for those who have no information of devotional service, and for this reason it is sometimes recommended as a way to check distracting materialistic activities. (BP: This leaves aside negative, but this does not cultivate positive – devotion to Kṛṣṇa.) Meditation means stopping all nonsensical activities, at least for the time being. o Devotional service, however, not only puts an end to all nonsensical mundane activities, but also engages one in meaningful devotional activities. BP: Teacher to gurukula student: stop doing this. Negative is stopped, but positive can be done by engaging him in reading some good book, etc. CCP: Nonsense activities - -ve X axis. Meditation: Zero. Bhakti: positive X axis. o (CCP: When Prahlada was asked what bhakti is, he also mentions activities. Except śravaṇaṁ all are active, only śravaṇaṁ is passive.) The nine processes of devotional service are as follows: 1. hearing the name and glories of the Supreme Personality of Godhead 2. chanting His glories 3. remembering the Lord 4. serving the Lord's feet 5. worshiping the Deity 6. offering obeisances unto the Lord 7. acting as the Lord's servant 8. making friends with the Lord 9. surrendering oneself fully to the Lord o BP: One has to do them, but he can‘t do it whimsically because he will make so many blunders. It will be as bad as an uneducated person trying to teach himself. o Para 3 - And which of these activities are first? BP: So Prabhupāda explains how to learn. Arjuna had so many good reasons to not fight. But he was confused, so he surrendered to his guru Kṛṣṇa. Śravaṇaṁ, or hearing, is the first step in acquiring transcendental knowledge. One should not give aural reception to unauthorized persons, but should approach the proper person. E.g. Bali Maharaja
Sastric Support: BG 4.34 (tad vidhi …) – humility, service and inquiry. Para 4 - from whom to hear? Mundaka Upaniṣads (tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evabhigacchet MU 1.2:12) This method of submissively receiving transcendental confidential knowledge is not merely based on mental speculation. CC Madhya 19.151 (brahmanda bhramite…). The living entities are wandering throughout the material universe. When by good fortune one comes in contact with a pure devotee and hears from him patiently, one begins to follow the path of devotional service. o BACE: How many souls are in body? Uncountable. Consider how many might be in 14-planetary system of world. How fortunate are we, Lord Caitanya appeared just 500 years ago. BACE: Reporter: Do you feel liberated? Prabhupāda: If I eat a samosa, how do you what I am feeling, unless you also eat? The proof of pudding is in eating. BACE: Prabhupāda: How do you know Kṛṣṇa is Supreme Personality of Godhead? Gurudas Prabhu: Because you say so. Prabhupāda: Anyone can say anything; I am just an old man. Gurudas Prabhu: Because you feel the ecstasy when you serve Kṛṣṇa. Prabhupāda: Yes. So bhakti is not just a theoretical proposition, it is experienced practically. BACE: BG says it is performed blissfully – rajvidya rajguhyam…. If we follow instructions of Sri Upadeśāmrita we‘ll experience the bliss. Because we are going from śraddhā to prema. Straight to Rādhā Kunda. BACE: If it so simple, the price must be high? It must be for very exceptional people. An automatic washing machine with all functions must be costly? Devotees: What was our qualification? Prabhupāda: I created your qualification. So guru creates the qualification and Kṛṣṇa preserves what a devotee has and supplies what he lacks. E.g. Parīkṣit Maharaja. Purpose of ISKCON: (who can perform bhakti?) Such an opportunity is offered to a person who is sincere. (Where to perform bhakti?) The International Society for Krishna Consciousness is giving such a chance to humanity at large. (Why perform bhakti?) If by fortune one takes advantage of this opportunity to engage in devotional service, the path of liberation immediately opens. o BACE: Sincerity means eagerness to perform without duplicity. A sannyasa fell and was shy to meet Prabhupāda. I thought you would reject me as Lord
Caitanya rejected Chhota Haridasa. With tears in his eyes Prabhupāda said I‘m not Caitanya Mahāprabhu. I need sincere souls like you to preach. Please continue practicing. If one is sincere he can continue practicing even after a fall down. There is no loss or diminution. o BP: If one doesn‘t find time to hear, soon he‘ll have no time for Kṛṣṇa Consciousness. o BP: If preaching doesn‘t go on in ISKCON, the whole institution becomes rubbish. There is no proper preaching without proper śravaṇaṁ. o BP: This is abhideya jnana by the mercy of Rupa Gosvāmī. o BP: Parrot has two qualities – it can repeat without understanding and also by touch of its beak the fruit becomes sweeter. We should take 2nd quality – the fruit becomes sweeter by realization. SB became sweeter because Śukadeva Gosvāmī spoke by realization and not simply like parrot. BACE: Sampradāya vihina mantra… In Kaliyuga patients are so unfortunate that the doctor locks his clinic and goes out giving prescriptions and medicines. And doctor instructs his assistants / apprentices to do the same. (Para 5-7) Enthusiasm (Utsāhān) o (Para 5) One should accept this opportunity to return home, back to Godhead, very enthusiastically. Without enthusiasm, one cannot be successful. BP: enthusiastically means with great eagerness. BACE: Charlie Chaplin example. Enthusiasm is contagious. BACE: Śrīla Prabhupāda‘s travelling at 70 yrs. was enthusiasm. He was always enthusiastic – whether following Gandhi or his guru maharaja. o Even in the material world one has to be very enthusiastic in his particular field of activity in order to become successful. o Enthusiasm means action, but action for whom? One should always act for Kṛṣṇa — kṛṣṇārthākhila-ceṣṭā (Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu). BP: Where does enthusiasm for a devotee comes from? Nalakuvera and Manigriva were bathing in Ganges but were not purified, because they didn‘t had attitude. The enthusiasm comes from sense of pleasure. For devotee the pleasure comes from service. We are predominated enjoyer, not predominant enjoyer. o (Para 6 - Very practical course of enthusiasm) In all phases of life one has to perform devotional activities under the direction of the spiritual master in order to attain perfection in bhakti-yoga. BP: This is the essential principle which will make the rest of the page makes sense. Under the direction of the bona fide spiritual master, one has to make everything favorable for Kṛṣṇa's service. For example, at
present we are using a dictaphone. The materialist who invented this machine intended it for businessmen or writers of mundane subject matters. He certainly never thought of using the dictaphone in God's service, but we are using this dictaphone to write Kṛṣṇa conscious literature. Of course, the manufacture of the dictaphone is wholly within the energy of Kṛṣṇa. All the parts of the instrument, including the electronic functions, are made from different combinations and interactions of the five basic types of material energy—namely, bhūmi, jala, agni, vāyu and ākāśa. The inventor used his brain to make this complicated machine, and his brain, as well as the ingredients, were supplied by Kṛṣṇa. According to the statement of Kṛṣṇa, mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni: [Bg. 9.4] "Everything is depending on My energy." Thus the devotee can understand that since nothing is independent of Kṛṣṇa's energy, everything should be dovetailed in His service. o Para 7 – (excellent summary definition of enthusiasm): Endeavor executed with intelligence in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is called utsāha, or enthusiasm. CCD: Enthusiasm is no replacement for competence. If you do not cooking, you should have intelligence to at least ask someone who knows. Enthusiasm is exhibited by sustained commitment. The devotees find the correct means by which everything can be utilized in the service of the Lord (nirbandhaḥ kṛṣṇa-sambandhe yuktaṁ vairāgyam ucyate). CCD: Enthusiasm can also be shown by using more and more ways to serve. E.g. lecturing on internet. It is shown by our creativity. BP: o Yukta vairagya was a great gift of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Thakura. Without utilizing everything it the whole world cannot be made Kṛṣṇa Consciousness. o But, while using everything in Kṛṣṇa‘s service, guidance of spiritual master is necessary. Devotees were using rock n roll to promote chanting, but they were falling down due to this. Prabhupāda stopped them, yes I want to use everything in Kṛṣṇa‘s service, but not in this way. BACE: o Prabhupāda stayed in a 5-star hotel. Reporter: Isn‘t it hypocritical? Prabhupāda: Since we are Kṛṣṇa‘s children, and this hotel belongs to Kṛṣṇa, we can use it in Kṛṣṇa‘s service. Not seeing the reporter being satisfied he said, I can stay under tree but no one will come for my press conference.
o Members from Rādhā Damodara Bus Party came – ―We are so enthusiastic that BBT can‘t provide as much as we are distributing. We‘ve defeated them.‖ Prabhupāda: I‘ve defeated both of you. They are publishing 4th canto and I am on 7th canto. o Enthusiasm is closely related to tat-tat-pravartanāt. If you do not follow regulative principles, your enthusiasm will dip gradually. The execution of devotional service is not a matter of idle meditation but practical action in the foreground of spiritual life. BACE: Enthusiasm is life of faith. Without enthusiasm faith has no meaning. There are many believers of God, but not many enthusiastic. Patience & Confidence (Dhairyāt & Niścayād) Para 8 o (BP: Balance mode of passion, be enthusiastic, but not impatient.) These activities must be executed with patience. o One should not be impatient in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Indeed, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement was started single-handedly, and in the beginning there was no response, but because we continued to execute our devotional activities with patience, people gradually began to understand the importance of this movement, and now they are eagerly participating. BACE: Prabhupāda waited 11 yrs. for initiation. Many devotees get restless after 3 yrs. Devotees become restless – I am doing so much austerity and sadhana, still those thoughts coming. Prabhupāda single headedly did writing, publishing, cooking, distributing, etc. Result – no disciple. He had complete plan ready for League of Devotees – but that also failed. Prabhupāda had vision – bhakti Sastri, he wrote Bhagavad Gita commentary when he was a grhastha. He told his god brothers – this mission will spread beyond India. He told New York bus conductor – I‘ve temple, books, etc. Swami Ji I can‘t see that. Real vision is to see the invisible, feel the intangible and achieve the impossible. Even Juhu land so many problem. ―Don‘t you want to get purified?‖ o (1) One should not be impatient in discharging devotional service, but (2) should take instructions from the spiritual master and execute them with patience, (3) depending on the mercy of guru and Kṛṣṇa. In CC Mukunda – Lord Caitanya will see after so many millions of years. He was ecstatic. o The successful execution of Kṛṣṇa conscious activities requires both patience and confidence. BP: Confidence is essential for enthusiasm and patience. BACE: In early years, one has lot of enthusiasm. But in later years, confidence carries a devotee. Confidence that the process works. Fuel of enthusiasm will run out if there is no confidence. For running a car
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we need both fuel and coolant. Enthusiasm is fuel and confidence is the coolant. Doubt comes when there is no confidence. And doubting person can‘t find success in this world or next. A newly married girl naturally expects offspring from her husband, but she cannot expect to have them immediately after marriage. Of course, as soon as she is married she can attempt to get a child, but she must surrender to her husband, confident that her child will develop and be born in due time. Similarly, in devotional service surrender means that one has to become confident. Definition: The devotee thinks, avaśya rakṣibe kṛṣṇa: "Kṛṣṇa will surely protect me and give me help for the successful execution of devotional service." This is called confidence. CCD: The confidence being talked about here is faith that this process of bhakti will take me to Kṛṣṇa. BP: Ref saranagati song by Bhaktivinoda Thakura. BACE: Bhakti is the only way. In a LA meeting Śrīla Prabhupāda asked sannyasis – how many are you convinced that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead? No one replied. No one was convinced. You must be convinced to preach. I can preach because I am convinced. Para 12: The cultivation of knowledge by philosophical speculation, the collection of mundane opulence by the advancement of fruitive activities, and the desire for yoga-siddhis, material perfections, are all contrary to the principles of devotional service. One has to become thoroughly callous to such non-permanent activities and turn his intention instead to the regulative principles of devotional service. BG 2.69 – ya nisa …..pasyato muneh. BP: Till para 11 Prabhupāda was telling what to cultivate, now Śrīla Sarasvatī Thakura will tell what not to cultivate. HPS: Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta is emphasizing acquisition of Yogasiddhis, mystical powers, as a real danger in Atyāhāra. Nowadays, people don't have that temptation. Nowadays we are tempted by hamburgers and milkshakes, but at the time of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī people really performed Hatha-yoga and had mystical powers. In India, even to this day and rarely other places some people do have to be careful of this aspect of Atyāhāra, acquiring too many mystical powers. BACE: Division of confidence: Perfection, Protection, Profit, Powerful, Productive, Pure. Para 13: Engagement in the devotional service of the Lord is the life and soul of the living entity. It is the desired goal and supreme perfection of human life. One has to become confident about this, and one also has to be confident that all activities other than devotional service—such as mental speculation, fruitive work or mystic endeavor—will never yield any enduring benefit. Complete confidence in the path of devotional service will enable one to attain his desired goal, but attempting to follow other paths will only succeed in making one restless. In the Seventh Canto of the Śrīmad-
Bhāgavatam it is stated: ―One must be calmly convinced that those who have given up devotional service to engage in severe austerities for other purposes are not purified in their minds, despite their advanced austerities, because they have no information of the transcendental loving service of the Lord.‖ BACE: One has to be fixed in and confident of sambandha gyana. Who am I? What is my relationship with Kṛṣṇa? We have to be confident that we are servant of Kṛṣṇa. Then we would be able to execute the process of abhideya. The faith in prayojana will develop only when executes the process of abhideya. E.g. Dhruva Maharaja didn‘t know what he is going to get. But he had confidence in sambandha with Lord and the abhideya process given by Nārada Muni that he got prayojana. Life of soul in bhakti. Anything else is like decoration of dead body. HPS: This is not found in canto 7. But definitely in 10.2.32-33. May be transcribing error. Sraddha sabde … One does not need any other process. The process is perfect. HPS: You read the Purports to the bone. That's what Śrīla Prabhupāda suggested o Para 14: It is further stated in the Seventh Canto: ―Although mental speculators and fruitive actors may perform great austerities and penances, they still fall down because they do not have information about the lotus feet of the Lord.‖ The devotees of the Lord, however, never fall down. In Bhagavad-gītā (9.31), the Supreme Personality of Godhead assures Arjuna, kaunteya pratijanati na me bhaktya pranasyati: ―O son of Kunti, declare it boldly that My devotee never perishes.‖ o Para 15: BG 2.40 ―In this endeavor there is no loss or diminution, and a little advancement on this path can protect one from the most dangerous type of fear.‖ BACE: Protection – kaunteya pratijanati ... One cannot believe sarva dharman … because Kṛṣṇa sometimes breaks His promises, but if devotee promises, I do no break it. BACE: Prahlada Maharaja was not thinking if this time Kṛṣṇa does not come, I‘ll give up. Ambarisa Maharaja didn‘t move when fire demon attack – if I am to be killed, this demon will kill me and if I‘m to be saved, this demon will not kill me. BACE: A failure in bhakti is successful in material life – takes birth in house of rich or Vaiṣṇava family. Prabhupāda – many of my disciples will enter heavenly planets as not all of them are doing with pure intentions. Another example – Ajamila, Maharaja Parīkṣit, Gajendra, Citraketu (Vrtrasura). BP: The idea is to give is confidence that this is the only thing worth achieving. o Para 16: Devotional service is so pure and perfect that once having begun, one is forcibly dragged to ultimate success. BACE: Prabhupāda was dragged by his friend to Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Thakura. Prabhupāda thought I‘ll do business and support the
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movement by monetary means. But this was not desire of Kṛṣṇa so his business collapsed. Instead his guru came into his dreams and forced his into sannyasa. Sometimes Kṛṣṇa arranges a difficult situation so that the devotee surrenders. More examples: Ajamila, Gajendra. CCP: How are we dragged? (1) After fall down we engage in material pleasures, but we will no pleasure in it as compared bhakti and hence we are attracted again. (2) Kṛṣṇa doesn‘t let us go because He loves us. He doesn‘t want to miss us. So He does anything and everything so that we come back. He will not interfere with our free will but will give us more and more facility to come back. This is the protection of Lord. Sometimes a person will give up his ordinary material engagements and out of sentiment take shelter of the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord and thus begin the preliminary execution of devotional service. Even if such an immature devotee falls down, there is no loss on his part. On the other hand, what is the gain of one who executes the prescribed duties according to his varṇa and āśrama but does not take to devotional service? Although a fallen devotee may take his next birth in a low family, his devotional service will nonetheless resume from where it left off. BACE: Bhakti is like resume button on MP3 player. It starts from wherever you left. (Bhakti is Powerful) Devotional service is ahaituky apratihatā; it is not the effect of any mundane cause, nor can it be terminated by any mundane cause or permanently curtailed by any material interruption. Therefore a devotee should be confident about his engagement and should not be very interested in the activities of the karmīs, jñānīs and yogīs. BACE: E.g. Haridasa Thakura, Bhakti Tirtha Swami Maharaja, Wives of brahmanas. BP: Hold tightly to whatever advancement you have made. Para 17: Productive: There are certainly many good qualities among fruitive actors, philosophical speculators and mystic yogīs, but all good qualities automatically develop in the character of a devotee. No extraneous endeavor is needed. BACE: E.g. Mrgari. A person came to Sanatana Goswami for chintamani – it is garbage, so what more valuable have? BP: Prabhupāda is making us firmly stay on path of bhakti. Pure - Because a devotee is not interested in any material activity, he does not become materially contaminated. He is immediately situated on the platform of transcendental life. BACE: BG – apicet sudarocoro. Pujari at Rādhāraman – may you preach in this life and born in Vrndavana in next life. Prabhupāda – tell him that may he be born as preacher in ISKCON. If a dirty many is taking bath, it is not good to tell ‗O you are dirty‘. E.g. Ratnaranjini Mataji and Bhakti Tirtha Maharaja – both realized that the process works.
Para 9 – tat-tat-karma-pravartanāt (acting according to the regulative principles): o HPS: Śrīla Prabhupāda puts the 4-principles and 16-rounds right on the table. If we don't follow these our progress will be checked o One should not be idle but should be very enthusiastic about executing the regulative principles. o Neglect of the regulative principles will destroy devotional service. CCP: Dilute (don‘t chant so much, chant a little), contaminate (worship demigods) and perverse (worship a god man). So masses are opium of religion. Masses make religion passive and destroy religion. o In this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement there are four basic regulative principles, forbidding illicit sex, meat-eating, gambling and intoxication. o If he becomes slack in following any of them, his progress will certainly be checked. BP: By following rules and regulations one gets knowledge and detachment. But it is not that after getting knowledge and detachment, one stops following the rules and regulations. Rather the purpose for following them changes. Instead of following them to gain something, one follows them to set a good example for others. If one rejects prescribed duties without proper knowledge, the result is worse. E.g. hippies. This is the main message of the 3rd chapter of BG. BP: This is sadhana bhakti. Sadhana means practice, sādhya means goal. Here abhideya tattva is being discussed – the practices that bring out our Kṛṣṇa Consciousness. Kṛtī sādhya bhavet sadhya sadhana bhida. In CC the actual definition of sadhana bhakti is defined – When transcendental devotional service, by which love for Kṛṣṇa is attained, is executed by senses it is called sadhana bhakti. BP: One should not question the rules and regulations and soon some raga arises. Gradually that spontaneity increases in association. This is goal of Kṛṣṇa Consciousness Movement – that we become lovers of Kṛṣṇa. o In addition to these four prohibitions (yama), there are positive regulative principles (niyama), such as the daily chanting of sixteen rounds on japa-mälä beads. BP: If one breaks 4 regulative principles, no one can help him make advance. o Varied engagement in devotional service. BACE: Bhakti has so many varieties of activities. One can pick anyone. BACE: If we are senior it is not that we are exempted from rules. E.g. Bharata Maharaja. Fall down is not sudden – it is a step by step process. In Kumbha Mela senior disciples were not waking in morning, so to set example Prabhupāda himself woke so early and took cold water bath.
Devotees: Disciples want to take your association to become rejuvenated. Prabhupāda: Are they performing 16 rounds and 4 regulative principles? If no what is the meaning of association. Para 10 – sanga tyagat (abandoning the association of nondevotees): In order to be successful in devotional service one must give up the association of undesirable people - karmīs, jñānīs, yogīs and other nondevotees. Once Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was asked by one of His householder devotees about the general principles of Vaiṣṇavism, as well as the general routine activities of the Vaiṣṇava, - asat-saṅgatyāga,—ei vaiṣṇava-ācāra: [Cc. Madhya 22.87]. One has to live in the company of pure devotees and execute the regulative principles laid down by the previous ācāryas, the six Gosvāmīs. If one lives in the association of devotees, there is little chance of associating with nondevotees. o CCD: Śrīla Rupa Goswami repeats this principle twice – once in text 2 and then in text 3. Shows its importance. o CCD: Why with all positive points a negative point is brought about? It is such a cardinal principle, that just by doing this negative desires will go out and desire to do positive things will arise. This is not such as looking down the materialist – ―I am pure, you are impure.‖ This is based on simple principle of spiritual health. I‘m trying to recover and if someone is infected I‘ve to protect myself. We should not look now materialists. This is just a caution. Looking down is fastest method to alienate people. o CCD: 3 types of association – devotional, non-devotional, anti-devotional. In an association when our faith is constantly been attacked, it is anti-devotional. We should avoid it by devotional association. o CCD: Circles of association – closest, close, formal, people with friction. o CCD: Devotees represent Kṛṣṇa to society. By our good or bad behaviour we can attract or repel them from Kṛṣṇa. o CCD: In professional and otherwise life, how can I avoid non-devotee association? Don‘t get involved in their joys and sorrows. Be only functional and as much as required. Association don‘t happen by physical proximity, it happens by exchange of emotions. Purpose of ISKCON: The International Society for Krishna Consciousness is opening many centres just to invite people to live in the company of devotees and practice the regulative principles of spiritual life. o BACE: If you on a ship, your goal is to travel pass the association, all people in ship may not be to your liking. Trnad api sunicena, taror eva sahisnuna, amanina maan dena, kirtaniya sada hari. o BP: Basic principle of Vaiṣṇavism is not intimately associating with nondevotees because devotees don‘t want to catch their desires. Even one moment of association of pure devotee is sufficient to plant that desire for service in us. E.g. sneezing. Essence of a serious vaisnava‘s behaviour is giving up association of non-devotees. Para 11 sato vrtti (following in the footsteps of the previous ācāryas): Devotional service means transcendental activities. On the transcendental platform there is no contamination by the three modes of material nature. This is called viśuddha-sattva. We require everyone to rise early in the morning, by four A.M. and attend maṅgala-
ārati, read Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, perform kīrtana, and so forth. Thus we hold continuous activities in devotional service twenty-four hours daily. This is called sato vṛtti, or following in the footsteps of the previous ācāryas who expertly filled every moment of time with Kṛṣṇa conscious activities. o CCD: Guru is one who knows the way, shows the way and follows the way. o HPS: Śrīla Prabhupāda takes the time to list the names of the Six Goswamis again like in the Preface. He seems to enjoy this very profoundly. o HPS: THE FIFTH REGULATIVE PRINCIPLE - "We require everyone to rise early..." This is one of the most important phrases in the NOI. Śrīla Prabhupāda commented that the only excuse for not coming to maṅgala-ārati is an inability to crawl. Kṛṣṇa will always reward us for coming to Mangalaarati. In the Kṛṣṇa book it explains that Kṛṣṇa stopped the Rasa-lila when Mangala-arati time came. Also, He was sleeping peacefully embraced by Srimati Rukmini Devi, but still He got up for Mangala-arati. o HPS: Śrīla Prabhupāda lists Mangala-arati, Kirtana, reading Srimad Bhagavatam and so forth. So we take this as the basic morning program. Recitation of ten-offences to the Holy Names, Siksastakam, Tulasi prayers, Guru-puja kīrtana we take as very nice but optional depending on your other service; but up and Mangala-arati, Kirtana, 1-1/2 hours before sunrise, japa and 1-hour class we take as really essential if we want to chant our rounds properly, follow the four regulative principles strictly. o HPS: The NOI is a guide book, a manual, for practically engaging our senses (and our mind and intelligence) in the service of Hrisikesa. Para 18 - Summary: Since all the devotees of the Lord are under the protection of His supreme potency, they should not deviate from the path of devotional service and take to the path of the karmī, jñānī or yogi. This is called utsāhān niścayād dhairyāt tat-tat-karma-pravartanāt, enthusiastically executing the regulative activities of devotional service with patience and confidence. In this way one can advance in devotional service without hindrance. o BP: Although the negative – sanga tyagat is not mentioned, that alone is powerful enough to spoil everything. Enthu Enthu Enthu Enthu
Patience Patience No Patience No Patience
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Pure goodness Goodness Passion Ignorance
Lesson Five (Text Three– first half) and Six (Text Three– second half) 1. Why is the International Society for Krishna Consciousness opening centres? 2. Why does Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Thakura say that "cultivation of knowledge by philosophical speculation, the collection of mundane opulence by the advancement of fruitive activities, and the desire for yoga-siddhis, material perfections, are all contrary to the principles of devotional service"? 3. What is the value of attending the morning programme in ISKCON? Q.1. What are the six principles favorable for the execution of pure devotional service?
Ans. The six principles favorable for the execution of pure devotional service are: (i) Being enthusiastic (ii) Endeavoring with confidence (iii) Being patient (iv) Acting according to regulative principles (such as hearing, chanting and remembering Lord Krishna) (v) Abandoning the association of nondevotees (vi) Following in the footsteps of the previous ācāryas. The above six principles undoubtedly assure the complete success of pure devotional service. Q.2. What is not devotional service? Ans. (i) Sentimental speculation or imaginative ecstasy (i) Sitting down idly for meditation (like pseudo – yogis teach) Q.3. What devotional service actually mean? Ans. (i) It‘s a practical activity (sarva upadhi vinirmuktam……bhaktir uchate) (ii) It is cultivation – requires actually doing positive things not idly sitting & meditating (iii) Ends up all nonsensical activities and engages one in meaningful devotional service Q.4. What is uttama bhakti or pure devotional service? Ans. Uttama bhakti or unalloyed devotion unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krishna, involves the rendering of devotional service in a way that is favorable to the Lord. This devotional service should be free from any extraneous motive and devoid of fruitive karma, impersonal jnana and all other selfish desires. Q.5. What is effect of performing pure devotional service? Ans. Performance of pure devotional service puts an end to all nonsensical mundane activities. It also engages one in meaningful devotional activities. Q.6. What are the nine process of devotional service? Ans. The nine processes of devotional service are as follows: (i) hearing the name and glories of the Supreme Personality of Godhead (śravaṇaṁ) (ii) chanting His glories (kīrtanaṁ) (iii) remembering the Lord (smaraṇaṁ) (iv) serving the Lord‘s feet (pada sevanam) (v) worshiping the Deity (arcanaṁ) (vi) offering obeisance unto the Lord (vandanaṁ)
(vii) acting as the Lord‘s servant (dāsyaṁ) (viii) making friends with the Lord (sakhyam) (ix) surrendering oneself fully to the Lord (ātma-nivedanam) Q.7. What is śravaṇaṁ or hearing? Elucidate the recommendations of scriptures. Ans. Śravaṇaṁ or hearing is the process of aural reception. It is the first step in acquiring the transcendental knowledge. One should be very careful about the source from whom he is hearing. One should not give aural reception to unauthorized persons, but should approach the proper person, as recommended in Bhagavad-Gita (4.34). tad viddhi pranipatena pariprasnena sevaya upadeksyanti te jnanam jnaninas tattva-darsinah Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized should can impart knowledge unto you because he has seen the truth. Mundaka Upaniṣads recommends – tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evabhigacchet – to understand that transcendental science, one must approach a bona fide spiritual master. The method of submissively receiving the transcendental confidential knowledge is confirmed in Caitanya Caritamrta (Madhya 19.151) as brahmanda bhramite kona bhagyavan jiva guru-krishna-prasade paya bhakti-lata-bija In the course of traversing the universal creation of Brahma, some fortunate should may receive the seed of bhakti-lata, the creeper of devotional service. This is all by the grace of guru and Krishna Q.8. For living entities this material world is like what? Ans. For living entities, this material world is like a place of confinement. Living entities are anandamaya - pleasure seeking by nature therefore, this place of misery – the material world – is like a prison for them and they actually wants to be free from this confinement which is a place of conditional happiness. Q.9. How the living entities are wandering throughout the material universe? Ans. Confined in this material universe the living entities are wandering throughout by the process of transmigration from species of life to another and from one planet to another. Q.10. How the path of liberation for the living entities actually opens? Ans. When by good fortune the living entity comes in contact with a pure devotee, patiently hears from him, begins to follow the path of devotional service (opportunity for which is provided at ISKCON) and actually engages in the worship of the Lord, then the path for liberation actually opens.
Q.11. Explain the concept of utsāha (enthusiasm)? Explain its significance. Ans. Endeavor executed with intelligence in Krishna consciousness is called utsāha or enthusiasm. It is a strong feeling of excitement and interest for executing activities related to Krishna consciousness by becoming actually involved in it. It means action for Krishna (Kṛṣṇarthakhila-cesta) and one should never lose opportunities to discharge service related to awakening of Krishna consciousness. Enthusiasm is essential for attaining success in any activity – spiritual or material. Q.12. How one should perform devotional service to attain perfection? Ans. In order to attain perfection in bhakti-yoga one should perform devotional service under the direction of the spiritual master. Under his direction, one has to make everything favorable for Krishna‘s service, even things like Dictaphone which was initially invented for materialistic. As everything is dependent on Krishna‘s energy, everything should be utilized for His service and pleasure (nirbandhaḥ Krishna sambandhe yuktaṁ vairāgyam ucyate). Q.13. What is the requirement for successful execution of Krishna consciousness? Ans. The successful execution of Krishna consciousness requires both patience and confidence. Because it depends on the mercy of guru and Krishna therefore one should execute devotional service patiently under the guidance and instructions of the spiritual Master. Once a devotee is situated on the path of devotional service, the attainment of perfection is guaranteed – it requires only patience and confidence. Example is given of a newly married girl who desires a child from her husband. It is not possible immediately after the marriage is over, however, as soon as the marriage is over, she can attempt to get a child, but she must surrender her husband and should be confident that her child will develop and be born in due course. One should give-up the association of undesired people which included karmīs, jñānīs, yogis and other nondevotees. Q.14. What does surrender mean in devotional service? Ans. In devotional service, surrender means that one has to become confident. The devotees thinks, avaśya rakṣibe Kṛṣṇa, Krishna will surely protect me and give me help for the successful execution of devotional service. Q.15. What is confidence in Krishna consciousness? Ans. Avaśya rakṣibe Krishna, Krishna will surely protect me and give me help for the successful execution of devotional service, this is called confidence in Krishna consciousness. Q.16. What is concept of tat tat karma pravartanāt in Krishna consciousness? Ans. tat tat karma pravartana, in Krishna consciousness means following the regulative principles with determination and sincerity. Neglecting the regulative principles will destroy devotional service. Q.17. What are the yamas (prohibitions) in Krishna consciousness movement?
Ans. The following four yamas (prohibitions) are prescribed in KC movement (i) No illicit sex (ii) No meat-eating (iii) No gambling & (iv) No intoxication Q.18. What are the niyamas (positive regulative principles) in KC? Ans. (i) Chanting minimum 16 rounds daily on japa-mala (ii) Associating with devotees (iii) Studying scriptures (Prabhupāda‘s books) (iv) Eating only Prasad Q.19. What is the general principle of Vaiṣṇavism its general routine activities? Ans. This was a question which was asked to Lord Sri Caitanya when He replied, asat-sangatyaga –ei vaiṣṇava-ācāra – to give-up association of worldly people is the general principle and the routine activities are tandera caran sevi – service to devotees and bhakta sane vasa – association with devotees i.e. to live in the company of the devotees and chant the holy name of the Lord. Q.20. What is viśuddha-sattva? Ans. Visuddha-sattava is the platform of pure goodness which is completely free from all material contaminations by the qualities of passion, goodness and ignorance. Q.21. What is sato-vrtti? Ans. Association with devotees who very expertly fill every moment with Krishna conscious activity is called sato-vrtti. ISKCON is the organization which has 24 hours continuous program for devotional service therefore association of devotees in ISKCON is sato-vrtti. Q.22. Describe the factors that are contrary to devotional service according to Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Thakura? Ans. (i) cultivation of knowledge by philosophical speculation (ii) collection of mundane opulence by the advancement of fruitive activities (iii) the desire for yoga-siddhis (iv) material perfection All the above items are contrary to devotional service according to Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Thakura. Q.23. What is supreme perfection and desired goal of human life? How to attain this? Ans. Engagement in the devotional service of the Lord is the life and soul of the living entity and it is the desired goal and supreme perfection of human life. One has to become confident about this, and one also has to be confident that all activities other than devotional service – such as mental speculation, fruitive work or mystic endeavor – will never yield any enduring benefit.
Complete confidence in the path of devotional service will enable one to attain this desired goal, but attempting to follow other paths will only succeed in making one restless. Q.24. Why the mental speculator and fruitive actors will fall down? Ans. Mental speculators and fruitive actors have no information about the lotus feet of the Lord because of which they fall down. But the devotees of the Lord never fall down (kaunteya pratijanihi no me bhaktah pranasyati) (nehabhikrama-naso asti pratyavayo no vidyate svalpam apy asya dharmasya trayate mahato bhayat). Q. 25 Fill in the blanks 1. Devotional service is not a matter of sentimental speculation or imaginative ecstasy. Its substance is ___________. 2. Endeavor executed with intelligence in Kṛṣṇa Consciousness is called utsāha, or _________. One should take instructions from ______ __________________ _____________ and execute them with _______________ depending on the mercy of guru and Kṛṣṇa. The successful execution of Kṛṣṇa Conscious activities require both _____________ and _______________. 3. Surrender means one has to become ____________________. 4. Tat-tat-karma-pravartanāt means _____________ ______________ ____ ___________ __________. 5. Uttama bhakti involves the rendering of devotional service in a way that is __________ ___ _____ __________. This devotional service should be free from any ___________ ____________ and devoid of ______________ ___________, _____________ ________ ______ _____ ______ _________ ________________. 6. In this Kṛṣṇa Consciousness movement we require everyone to rise early in the morning, by four a.m., and attend Mangala Arati, or morning worship, then read Srimad Bhagavatam, perform Kirtana and so forth. Thus we hold continuous activities in devotional service twenty-four hours a day. This is called ___________________, or following in the footsteps of the previous ācāryas. 7. Devotional service is so pure and perfect that once having begun, _____ _____ ________________ _________________ ____ _______________ _______________. Q. 26 Describe the importance of associating with devotees and avoiding the association of non-devotees in the practice of devotional service, with reference to Sri Upadesamrita Texts 2 and 3, verses and purport. (Open Book) Q. 27 Discuss the challenges you are facing in developing enthusiasm and confidence in your practice of devotional service. What steps are you taking to overcome these challenges? Give appropriate reference Sri Upadesamrita Text 3 in your response. (Open Book) Text 4-6 Sādhu-Saṇgaḥ In NOI Texts 1-3 we discussed Sense Control. In Texts 4-6 we will discuss Association. This is a great science. We have also read up to ISO 6, that informed us about the Maha-bhagavata and NOI will discuss the same thing. Let's see the comparisons and contrasts of Śrīla Prabhupāda's ideas. Text 4 talks about the general process of association, even amongst business men. Text 5 discusses how to apply the general principles from Text 4 to three different levels of devotees.
Text 6 discusses in detail association with the Uttama-adhikari, highest devotee. Text 4-6 resonate with ISOPANISAD Mantra 7-11. Text 4 - Six Loving Exchanges dadāti pratigṛhṇāti guhyam ākhyāti pṛcchati bhuṅkte bhojayate caiva ṣaḍ-vidhaṁ prīti-lakṣaṇam Translation: ―Offering gifts in charity, accepting charitable gifts, revealing one's mind in confidence, inquiring confidentially, accepting prasāda and offering prasāda are the six symptoms of love shared by one devotee and another.‖
Connection: In previous lessons we mentioned that one‘s desires and ambitions develop according to the company one keeps – sangat sanjayate kamah. Therefore, if we want to progress in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, we have to associate with devotees. Text 4 explains what association consists of. It also begins to explain how one should associate with devotees. Further instructions on how to associate with different types of devotees are found in texts 5 and 6.
Explanation BP: 2nd and 3rd verse talk about sanga tyagat and jana sanga. But we are social beings, if we don‘t know how to associate with devotees, we‘ll be forced to associate with non-devotees. Here is the explanation – how to sweetly and affectionately associate with devotees. This is most basic and essential in Kṛṣṇa Consciousness. BACE: Association is required. E.g. of Bharata Maharaja. He didn‘t had association fell down deer associated with sadhus Jada Bharata avoided bad association. BG‘s principle of association – 2.62 – sangat sanjayate… Wherever these 6 items are present, it is association. Upadeśāmrita is collection of general principles given in various śāstras. You can give same 6 principles to a businessman to advance. (Para 1) In this verse Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī explains how to perform devotional activities in the association of other devotees. (1) giving charity to the devotees, (2) accepting from the devotees whatever they may offer in return, (3) opening one's mind to the devotees, (4) inquiring from them about the confidential service of the Lord, o An experienced devotee explains, and an inexperienced devotee learns from him. This is guhyam ākhyāti pṛcchati. (5) honouring prasāda, or spiritual food, given by the devotees, and o When a devotee distributes prasāda, remnants of food offered to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, in order to maintain our spirit of devotional service we must accept this prasāda as the Lord's grace received through the pure devotees. (6) feeding the devotees with prasāda. o We should also invite pure devotees to our home, offer them prasāda and be prepared to please them in all respects. This is called bhuṅkte bhojayate caiva. (Para 2) Even in ordinary social activities, these six types of dealings between two loving friends are absolutely necessary. o When one businessman wishes to contact another businessman he arranges a feast in a hotel (5, 6), and over the feast openly expresses what he wishes to do (3). He then inquires from his business friend how he should act (4), and sometimes presents are exchanged (1, 2). o BACE: Even though we may nicely practice KC alone, we‘ll not be happy, as we‘ll not be able to share it. o BACE: The 6 dealings should be with priti, else it will not give satisfaction. Wherever there is priti, these 6 dealings will happen automatically. They are spontaneous, not mechanical. The International Society for Krishna Consciousness has been established to facilitate these six kinds of loving exchanges between devotees.
o BACE: You lovingly offer food to deity and deity lovingly returns it as mahā prasāda. E.g. Gopinath and Madhavendra Puri. But when offering food, don‘t accept that this will give me mahā prasāda. o Because people are coming forward and dealing with the give-and-take policy, the Society is now expanding all over the world. BACE: Prabhupāda revealing secret of expansion of ISKCON. BP: Some devotees left. Prabhupāda said it seems they came to take something. Devotees: No Prabhupāda. Prabhupāda: But we want them to take our rules and regulations. o Pratigṛhṇāti: People are donating very liberally o Dadāti: People are also eagerly accepting humble contribution in the shape of books and magazines dealing strictly with the subject matter of Krishna consciousness. BACE: Prabhupāda made TKG sit before him and eat more and more prasāda. TKG thought what is happening. Prabhupāda, ―Give me advance Laxmi for BTG in godown and then distribute it.‖ TKG couldn‘t refuse because his stomach was full. BACE: Initially Prabhupāda didn‘t gave any rules and regulations, but only prasāda. Later they felt obliged, ―can we help you wash dishes.‖ If you want to transform someone‘s heart, first give prasāda. Prabhupāda, ―Two things are very important – prasāda and holy name distribution.‖ BACE: In name of preaching don‘t forget to associate with peers and seniors. Keep a balance. E.g. Prabhupāda and Akincana Kṛṣṇa dāsa Babaji Maharaja. o Bhuṅkte bhojayate caiva: Hare Krishna festivals and invite life members and friends to participate in the feasting by accepting prasāda. CCP: KC is sometimes called kitchen religion. Prasāda is the way KC enters into lives of many people. Even in early days Prabhupāda would offer simple apple to visitors. He knew so many recipes from his mother by observing and asking. He called his disciple Kirtanananda as kitchenananda. Sudāmā took rice to Kṛṣṇa, didn‘t went empty handed. Lord Caitanya for last eighteen years just stayed at Puri and exhibited sweet pastimes with devotees. o Guhyam ākhyāti pṛcchati: Sometimes the members and supporters inquire very confidentially about the methods of performing devotional service, and we try to explain this. o The life of the Krishna conscious society is nourished by these six types of loving exchange among the members. o Therefore people must be given the chance to associate with the devotees of ISKCON because simply by reciprocating in the six ways mentioned above an ordinary man can fully revive his dormant Krishna consciousness. Bhagavad-gītā (2.62) sańgāt sañjāyate kāmah: one's desires and ambitions develop according to the company one keeps. A man is known by his company
o o
o
o o (Para 3)
HPS: One does not have to go to Prabhupāda‘s ―Pure devotee God brothers‖ (Though he may). BP: Until now we were studying how to associate. Following we‘ll learn why to associate. Since Krishna consciousness is inherent in every living entity, everyone should be given a chance to hear about Krishna. BACE: Morning walk in London. Frozen lake. Prabhupāda pierced the layer of ice. ―So, what is the meaning of this?‖ KC is present in everyone. Because of conditioning there is thick layer of anarthas. Simply apply pressure of KC to awaken pleasure of KC. Then the natural state of water – liquid will come up. BACE: Prabhupāda ate onion garlic in sabji once at a lady‘s house at Delhi. Chastised his disciples why they didn‘t inform her in advance. Later she sponsored 10 day pandal program. Not to encourage going on invitation and eating onion and garlic, but to be sensitive if one is serving lovingly. BP: In Hong Kong an Indian boy and his mother came to meet Śrīla Prabhupāda. They were vegetarians, but her husband was meat eater. They expressed desire to cook for Prabhupāda. He agreed – ―it is my duty to accept service.‖ o BP: Prabhupāda can do it, but we should not eat where meat is being cooked and on a higher level we should eat only where prasāda is available. One gets karma of place where he eats. One‘s mind becomes wicked. BP: 7 up became bona fide due to Prabhupāda. But, you better be strict. BACE: Prabhupāda started life member program so that these 6 loving exchanges continue for life time. It is the duty of devotees if you receive something – donation – you have to give something back. Life members must get books. Prabhupāda took care of Mr Sethi of Juhu – please get a quarter here, he refused. Simply by hearing and chanting — śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ — one's heart is directly purified, and one's original Krishna consciousness is immediately awakened. CCP: Even if audience is not receptive, sincere speaker of Kṛṣṇa Katha benefits. E.g. Sanjaya. Krishna consciousness is not artificially imposed upon the heart, it is already there. When one chants the holy name of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the heart is cleansed of all mundane contamination.
HPS: Śrīla Prabhupāda continues with this theme that the essence of ISKCON is to allow people to associate with us by hearing and become purified; and that distributing the Holy Names is a fine example of ‗dadāti‘, giving and receiving gifts. Not only is the chanter of the mahā-mantra purified, but the heart of anyone who happens to hear the transcendental vibration of Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare is also cleansed. Even the souls embodied in lower animals, insects, trees and other species of life also become purified and prepared to become fully Krishna conscious simply by hearing the transcendental vibration. o E.g. Caitanya Mahāprabhu in Jharikhanda forest. We cannot imitate, but follow. Contributing or distributing the holy name of the Lord is a sublime example of contributing or giving charity (the dadāti principle). By the same token, one must also follow the pratigṛhṇāti principle and be willing and ready to receive the transcendental gift. One should inquire about the Krishna consciousness movement and open his mind in order to understand the situation of this material world. Thus the guhyam ākhyāti pṛcchati principles can be served. o BACE: Devotees would come to meet in night. Devotees: We‘re going now, we are disturbing your work. Prabhupāda: It is also my work to talk to you. Prabhupāda replied to so many letters and all in lot of details. (Para 4) HPS: Returns to glorifying ISKCON and introduces the negative injunction of not sharing these six loving exchanges with the demons. The members of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness invite the Society's members and supporters to dine with them when they hold love feasts in all their branches every Sunday. o BACE: Prabhupāda won‘t think small, most ISKCON managers will faint if they hear his Sunday feast standards. o BACE: Prabhupāda and disciples went for food invitation. Next day a devotee slept for long. ―I saw you ate 11 puris.‖ You have to take care of jihvā vegam as in text 1. Many interested people come to honor prasāda, and whenever possible they invite members of the Society to their homes and feed them sumptuously with prasāda. In this way both the members of the Society and the general public are benefited. BP: Above section gives essence of ISKCON. ISKCON is based on these 6 principles, not on any managerial structure. These 6 activities should happen in various forms in ISKCON. People should give up the company of so-called yogīs, jñānīs, karmīs and philanthropists because their association can benefit no one. If one really wants to attain the goal of human life, he should associate with devotees of the Krishna consciousness movement because it is the only movement that teaches one how to develop love of God. Religion is the special function of human society, and it constitutes the distinction between human society and animal society.
o Animal society has no church, mosque or religious system. o In all parts of the world, however downtrodden human society may be, there is some system of religion. o Even tribal aborigines in the jungles also have a system of religion. When a religious system develops and turns into love of God, it is successful. (sa vai pumsah paro dharmo…) (Para 5) HPS: A summary If the members of human society actually want Peace of mind, tranquillity and friendly relations between men and nations, they must follow the Krishna conscious system of religion, by which they can develop their dormant love for Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. (Para 6) HPS: Elaboration on idea started in para 4. Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Thākura warns all devotees engaged in broadcasting the Krishna consciousness movement not to speak to the impersonalist Māyāvādīs. o The world is full of Māyāvādīs and atheists, and the political parties of the world take advantage of Māyāvāda and other atheistic philosophies to promote materialism. BP: Religion is the opium of masses (by Karl Marx) came from Western view of religious system of India. BP: If varnasrama is not working correctly, better to correct that instead establishing democracy. o Analogy: No benefit in feeding a snake milk and bananas because the snake will never be satisfied. On the contrary, by taking milk and bananas the snake simply becomes more poisonous (kevalam visha-vardhanam). For a similar reason, we should not disclose our minds to the serpent Māyāvādīs and karmīs. Such disclosures will never help. o It is best to avoid association with them completely and never ask them about anything confidential because they cannot give good advice. o BACE: They made not make you reject bhakti immediately, but they will poison you enough to have doubts about process of bhakti. Nor should we extend invitations to Māyāvādīs and atheists nor accept their invitations, for by such intimate intermingling we may become affected by their atheistic mentality (sańgāt sañjāyate kāmah). It is the negative injunction of this verse that we should refrain from giving anything to or accepting anything from the Māyāvādīs and atheists. o BP: One elevated sadhu in Vṛndāvana had Bhagavatam class every day. One day he went to eat at a feast at a temple and came back to give Bhagavatam class. A woman passed nearby from him. He became lusty for a moment. He immediately got up and started moving towards Yamuna to drown himself. People stopped him. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has also warned, vishayīra anna khāile dushta haya mana: "By eating food prepared by worldly people, one‘s mind becomes wicked.‖
o HPS: CC 3.6.278 Unless one is very advanced, he is unable to utilize everyone's contribution to further the Krishna consciousness movement; therefore on principle one should not accept charity from the Māyāvādīs or atheists. Indeed, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has forbidden devotees to associate even with ordinary men who are too addicted to material sense gratification. (para 7) The conclusion is that we should always o keep company with devotees, o observe the regulative devotional principles, o follow in the footsteps of the ācāryas and o In full obedience carry out the orders of the spiritual master. In this way we shall be able to develop our devotional service and dormant Krishna consciousness. A madhyama adhikari is expected to o love the Supreme Personality of Godhead, o make friends with the devotees, o show favor to the ignorant and o Reject the jealous and demoniac. In this verse there is brief mention of the process of making loving transactions with the Supreme Personality of Godhead and making friends with the devotees. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī has set such an example in his life. When he decided to retire, he distributed fifty percent of his life's earnings to Krishna's service and twenty-five percent to his relatives and kept twenty-five percent for personal emergencies. This example should be followed by all devotees. o HPS: Do you follow this? In what way? Whatever one's income, fifty percent should be spent on behalf of Krishna and His devotees, and this will fulfil the demands of dadāti. o BACE: Even if people are not taking, the principle of dadāti should continue. If no one comes for program, speak to 4 walls. Prabhupāda did like this one time, initially no one came for a lecture, so Prabhupāda gave lecture to 4 walls and recorded it. Next time when people came, he played the lecture. If you feel you are not receiving love, you are not giving enough love. Bali Maharaja kept on giving. Prabhupāda: If you want to repay my debt, give this love to others. (Para 8) HPS: Introduction to text 5. In the next verse, Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī informs us what kind of Vaishnava should be selected as a friend and how Vaiṣṇavas should be served. Lesson Seven (Text Four) Q.1. What are the six symptoms of love share by devotees and others?
Ans. (i) Offering gifts in charity, (ii) Accepting charitable gifts (iii) Revealing one‘s mind in confidence; (iv) Inquiring confidentially, (v) Accepting prasāda, and (vi) Offering prasāda are the six symptoms of love shared by devotees and others. Q.2. What is the sublime example of contributing or giving charity? Ans. Contributing or distributing the holy name of the Lord is a sublime example of contribution or giving charity (dadāti principle). Q.3. Why one should inquire and open his mind to KC movement? Ans. One should inquire and open his mind to Krishna Consciousness movement in order to understand the situation of this material world. Also, this way one will be able to serve the guhyam ākhyāti pṛcchati principles as well. Q.4. To attain the goal of human life what one needs to do? Ans. If one really wants to attain the goal of human life, one should associate with the devotees of the Krishna consciousness movement because it is the only movement that teaches one how to develop love of God. Q.5. What is the distinction between human society and animal society? Ans. Religion is the special function of the human society whereas animal society has no such system. In all parts of the world, however downtrodden human society may be, there is some system of religion, even the tribal aborigines in the jungles have some system of religion but the animal society has no churches, mosque or any religious system. Q.6. What is required for peace of mind, tranquillity and friendly relations between man and nation? Ans. If the members of human society actually want peace of mind, tranquillity and friendly relations between man and nations, they must follow the Krishna conscious system of religion, by which they can develop their dormant love for Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead and as soon as they do so, their minds will immediately be filled with peace and tranquillity. Q.7. Why Śrīla Bhakti Siddhanta Sarasvati Thakura warns not to speak about mayavadis? Ans. Śrīla Bhakti Siddhanta Sarasvati Thakura warns the devotees who are engaged in broadcasting the Krishna consciousness movement not to speak to the impersonalist mayavadis who are always determined to oppose such theistic movements. Q.8. Why and how the political parties take advantage of Mayavadis and atheists? Ans. Political parties take advantage of Mayavadis and other atheistic philosophers to propagate materialism and atheisms in the society. They seek the help of Mayavadis and atheistic philosophers to back their party or the political parties‘ gives strong backing to such mayavadis and atheistic philosophers who are engaged in propagation of materialism and atheisms. Because they do not want the Krishna consciousness movement to develop as it educates people in God consciousness. Q.9. What is the policy of atheists and mayavadis?
Ans. The policy of atheists and mayavadis is to stop or destroy the movements like Krishna Consciousness because it educates the people in God consciousness. Q.10. Explain the analogy of feeding milk and banana to serpents with Mayavadis and Karmis? Ans. Disclosing one‘s mind to Mayavadis and Karmis is like feeding milk and banana to serpents because just like feeding serpent will increase only his venom which will be dangerous for one‘s life similarly disclosing minds to mayavadis and karmīs will never help, rather they will spoil and fill the mind of the inquisitive with the venom of their bad or useless advice as they cannot give good advice. Q.11. Why not give or accept invitation/gift/food etc. from mayavadis or karmīs? Ans. (i) By intermingling with mayavadis or karmīs one may become affected by their atheistic mentality. (ii) By eating food prepared by worldly people one‘s mind becomes wicked and with wicked mind one can never attain Krishna bhakti or perfection of life. (iii) Unless one is very advanced, he is unable to utilize everyone‘s contribution to further the Krishna consciousness movement, therefore on principle one should not accept charity from the mayavadis or atheists (example of the Bengali ladies offering land to Śrīla Prabhupāda – which was discovered as their plan to misuse ISKCON power and property – they were from murgi mission). (iv) Forbidden by Lord Sri Caitanya Mahāprabhu to associate even by ordinary men who are too addicted to material sense gratification Q.12. What is the process of developing devotional service and awakening dormant Krishna consciousness? Ans. The process of developing devotional service and awakening dormant KC is that (i) one should always keep company with devotees, (ii) observe the regulative devotional principles, (iii) follow in the footsteps of the ācāryas and (iv) in full obedience carry out the orders of the spiritual master. Q.13. What are the expectations of a devotee in the middle status? Ans. The devotee who is neither a neophyte nor a mahā-bhāgavata (a greatly advanced devotee) but is within the middle status of devotional service is expected to (i) love the Supreme Personality of Godhead, (ii) make friends with the devotees, (iii) show favour to the ignorant and (iv) reject the jealous and demoniac. Q.14. How one can fulfil the demands of dadāti principle? Give Example. Ans. To fulfil the demands of the dadāti principle, one must spend 50% of his income (whatever may be the income) on behalf of Krishna and His devotees. The example has been set forth by Śrīla Rupa Gosvāmī himself, when he decided to retire, he distributed 50% of his earnings to Krishna‘s service and 25% gave to his relatives and kept 25% for personal emergencies. Q.15. What is guhyam Ākhyāti pṛcchati according to Śrīla Prabhupāda?
Ans. An experienced devotee explains and an inexperienced devotee learns from him. This is guhyam Ākhyāti pṛcchati. Q.16 Fill in the blanks 1. The International Society for Kṛṣṇa Consciousness has been established to __________ ______ _______ ________ _____ ________ __________ __________________ _______________. 2. People must be given a chance to associate with the devotees of ISKCON because simply by reciprocating in the six ways mentioned above an ordinary man can _______ __________ _____ _______________ ____________ _________________. 3. One‘s desires and ambitions develop according to _____ ________ _____ keeps. 4. Distributing the holy name is a sublime example of ____ __________ _______________. If the members of human society actually want peace of mind, tranquillity and friendly relations between men and nations, they must follow the Krishna conscious system of religion, by which they can develop their dormant love for Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. 5. By eating food prepared by worldly people, one‘s mind ___________ ____________. 6. One should not accept charity from _______________ ______ ______________. Q. 17.Give two reasons why ISKCON has been formed. Q. 18 Of the six loving exchanges which two does Śrīla Prabhupāda emphasize the most? Q. 19 What example does Rupa Goswami show us in how to fulfill the principle of dadāti pratigṛhṇāti? Q. 20 We should avoid accepting food and gifts from 1)K______ 2)M______3)Y_______. Q. 21 Essay.8: A Madhyama-adhikari has what relation with the following four categories of people: 1) God, 2) Devotees, 3) Demons, 4)Innocent. Q. 22 When Śrīla Rupa Goswami retired from active life he showed us how to distribute different percentage of wealth to different relations and functions. What was his example? Q. 23 Discuss ways in which we can overcome the challenges ISKCON faces in facilitating the six kinds of loving exchanges between devotees. Give references to Sri Upadesamrita Text 4 and purport in your response. (Open Book) Text 5 - Association According to Levels of Advancement kṛṣṇeti yasya giri taṁ manasādriyeta dīkṣāsti cet praṇatibhiś ca bhajantam īśam śuśrūṣayā bhajana-vijñam ananyam anyanindādi-śūnya-hṛdam īpsita-saṅga-labdhyā ―One should mentally honor the devotee who chants the holy name of Lord Kṛṣṇa, one should offer humble obeisances to the devotee who has undergone spiritual initiation [dīkṣā] and is engaged in worshiping the Deity, and one should associate with and faithfully serve that pure devotee who is advanced in undeviated devotional service and whose heart is completely devoid of the propensity to criticize others.‖ Connection: In order to properly apply the six loving exchanges described in the previous verse, one must select proper persons with whom to reciprocate. What kind of Vaisnava should be selected as a friend and how one should deal with different kinds of Vaiṣṇavas is
the subject matter of this verse. All devotees should be respected, but in order to make spiritual advancement we must associate with serious devotees and distance ourselves from casual association. Overview Para 1, 2, 3, 4 – Description of 3 levels Para 5 – Harinama initiation to neophyte Para 6 & 7 - Dīkṣā explained and its necessity to advance Para 8 and 9 – When one should be given dīkṣā? Para 10 – After Initiation the Steps/Process - Chant prescribed round offenselessly and mercy will come Para 11 – Definition of the Kaniṣṭha-adhikārī in terms of faith in chanting Para 12 & 13 – Levels from CC Madhya 22, Instructions to Sanatana Goswami. Our level of faith in the Bhagavad Gita determines our level spiritual development. Para 14 – Process to realize: Chanting Faithfully reveals Kṛṣṇa Para 15 - Defining Uttama adhikari – accept him as Guru, don‘t imitate Para 16 – know our level and the level of other devotees, including our guru Explanation
HPS: For most of ISKCON this seems like the most essential verse. 'Sangat sanjayate kamah'. (One's desires and ambitions develop from...). Sixteen paragraphs and Śrīla Prabhupāda presents over and over again a description of the three levels of hierarchy AND the process to pass from one stage to the next. In this respect this verse also describes in more detail who should be accepted as Guru. BACE: This verse is for Madhyama adhikari. CCP: No inclination for criticizing means no delight in criticizing. All 3 types of devotees are needed for our spiritual advancement. CCP: Difference between general Hindus and ISKCON devotees – for Hindus bhakti is part of life, while for devotees this life is a part of bhakti, as bhakti goes on for many lifetimes. (Para 1, 2, 3, 4 – Description of 3 levels) This verse tells us how to deal with three types of devotees – the kaniṣṭha-adhikārī, madhyama-adhikārī and uttama-adhikārī. BP: Śrīla Rūpa Goswami writes in NOD Adhikar means qualification. First class is most likely to get devotional service. Prabhupāda uses like definition mostly like given in 11th canto. CCP: SBVT in Krishna Saṁhitā to attract intellectuals give different categorization: kaniṣṭha – one who sees only externals, Madhyama – those who are intellectually oriented, uttama – transcendental. Kanistha
(1) Neophyte (BACE: Prabhupāda – neophyte means always fight. New new fight.) (BACE: sraddha till Anartha Nivrati starting) (2) Received the hari-nāma initiation from the spiritual master (3) Trying to chant the holy name (4) Faithfully engaged in the worship of the Deity in the temple (5) Does not know how to behave toward devotees or people in general (BACE: (1) A manager pushed a brajwasi out of Vrindavana Temple. Prabhupāda said don‘t come back without finding that brajwasi. Devotee couldn‘t find that brajwasi. Came back. He was there with Prabhupāda. He begged forgiveness. (2) A man stood and prayed to deities while SBSST was giving lecture. SBSST: So, how was your eyes massage? Both Pancaratrika and bhāgavata vidhi are necessary. Kṛṣṇa is never alone – He is always with devotees. A devotee
(1)Respect such a person within mind as a Kanistha Vaiṣṇava (2)Avoid association
Madhyama
had email id iandKṛṣṇa, later he changed to kṛṣṇaandi. Both wrong. Whole Gaudiya Matha collapsed due to neophyte fighting. They fought over rooms. So SBSST left 10 yrs. early. Court case went from 1947-1997. Gaudiya Matha had 20-30 acres of land, now only the Bagh Bazar temple. Not becoming happy by seeing a devotee is also an offense. CCP: SBVT explains that such people disrespect demigods and their worshippers.) (6) Attached to women, money & intoxication. (prakrata sahajiyas) (7) Faith is soft and pliable (para 10) (BACE: Purushottam – moon landing. Many devotees come, go, then again come, then go, etc. due to being on Kanistha platform.) BACE: Even some sannyasis remain on this platform. One person became head of a Sri Vaiṣṇava organization; he is somehow offered caranamrta not first, but later. He went to court. After 35 yrs. of fight, the case was dismissed by supreme court. (1) Received spiritual initiation from the spiritual master (2) Has been fully engaged by him in the transcendental loving service of the Lord. (3) Worships the Supreme Personality of Godhead as the highest object of love (prema) (4) Makes friends with the Lord‘s devotees (maitri) (5) Is merciful to the ignorant (krpa) (BACE: 9th offence. For new person glories of Holy Name are not discussed – only say it will relieve you from your problems.) (6) Avoids those who are envious by nature (upeksa) (7) Situated midway in devotional service (BACE: bhajan kriya to Asakti is Madhyama stage. Until he is not fixed in bhajan kriya, he is not Madhyama adhikari. He is ready for purification. Kanistha resists purification because his faith is not steady.) (BP: sadhana bhakti is Madhyama bhakti. Anarthas are due to previous sins, previous piety, seva aparadha and nama aparadha. Bhakti actually begins at nistha stage. Bhakti bhavati naisthiki… naisthiki refers to Nistha. Asakti is top most stage of Madhyama. It is very advanced, but still not uttama. At this stage he can‘t live without wishing to serve Kṛṣṇa. Asakti comes from hearing in right association.) (8) Elevated to point of understanding that there is no difference between the Holy Name of the Lord and the Lord himself (para 10) (9) His conclusive knowledge of the śāstras is not very strong but has developed firm faith in chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra (para 12) (10) He is also undeterred in the execution of his
(1) Offer humble obeisances (2) Can be accepted as guru, but disciple will not advance much (para 16)
prescribed devotional service (para 12) Uttama (1) Very advanced in devotional service (BP: as per (1) The association NOD, Uttama bhakti starts from Bhava. Bhava and and service of such prema are uttama bhakti) a mahā(2) Not interested in blaspheming others (BACE: bhāgavata, or perfect Prabhupāda never criticized his disciples. In first Vaiṣṇava, are most initiation, they bought margarine instead of pure ghee. desirable. They bought cheap wood instead of fire wood. But he (2) Should not be never criticized. One may: I can chant gītā in 48 imitated, those who minutes, your disciples can‘t. Prabhupāda: They live do are finished. gītā; can you do for 4 minutes? One sannyasis fell (3) Best guru to be down. Prabhupāda needed some service in Hawaii. He accepted called him and gave sannyasa again. He did service and fail again. In last days, his mother told, he said Prabhupāda has come to take me. Prabhupāda was tolerant when his disciples tried to minimize his position. He gave them sannyasa. He banned them when he was forced as they started preaching mayavada and destroying the whole mission. Sometimes he seems to be criticizing his godbrothers. ―Black snake.‖ He did so simply in mood of service to protect his disciples, not in a mood of criticizing.) (3) Heart is completely clean (BACE: because his heart is clean, he doesn‘t blaspheme.) (4) Has attained the realized state of unalloyed Kṛṣṇa consciousness (para 5) (5) Very seriously engaged in the service of the Lord (6) Strictly follow all the regulative principles (7) Chanting the prescribed number of rounds on japa beads (para 16) (8) Realizes himself to be an eternal servitor of Kṛṣṇa (9) He loses interest in everything but Kṛṣṇa‘s service (10) Always thinking of Kṛṣṇa, devising means by which to spread the holy name of Kṛṣṇa, he understands that his only business is in spreading the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement all over the world (11) Converts many people One should not remain a kaniṣṭha-adhikārī. One has to raise himself from the position of kaniṣṭha-adhikārī to the platform of madhyama-adhikārī. This is the way to cultivate devotional service properly; therefore in this verse Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī has advised us how to treat various devotees. HPS: Second initiation is spiritual initiation. In England Prabhupāda also added that Jiva Goswami has commented that in this age first initiation is enough (if we follow the process). BACE: Kanistha consider himself Uttama and all others as kaniṣṭha. While an Uttama sees all as Uttama and himself as kaniṣṭha.
BP: By one‘s effort one can become Madhyama. But becoming uttama depends on Krpa of Lord. (Para 5 – Harinama initiation to neophyte) In this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement a chance is given to everyone without discrimination of caste, creed or color. Someone is actually interested in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and wants to be initiated, we accept him as a disciple for the chanting of the holy name of the Lord. When a neophyte devotee is actually initiated and engaged in devotional service by the orders of the spiritual master, he should be accepted immediately as a bona fide Vaiṣṇava, and obeisances should be offered unto him. Out of many such Vaiṣṇavas, one may be found to be very seriously engaged in the service of the Lord and strictly following all the regulative principles, chanting the prescribed number of rounds on japa beads and always thinking of how to expand the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Such a Vaiṣṇava should be accepted as an uttamaadhikārī, a highly advanced devotee, and his association should always be sought. (Para 6 & 7 - Dīkṣā explained and its necessity to advance) Process by which a devotee becomes attached to Kṛṣṇa. Caitanya-caritāmṛta (Antya 4.192): dīkṣā-kāle bhakta kare ātma-samarpaṇa sei-kāle kṛṣṇa tāre kare ātma-sama Dīkṣā explained in the Bhakti-sandarbha (283) by Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī: divyaṁ jñānaṁ yato dadyāt kuryāt pāpasya saṅkṣayam tasmād dīkṣeti sā proktā deśikais tattva-kovidaiḥ ―By dīkṣā one gradually becomes disinterested in material enjoyment and gradually becomes interested in spiritual life.‖ HPS: In the Caitanya-caritāmṛta Kṛṣṇa becomes Madana-mohan, dīkṣā-guru, and attracts Arjuna away from Maya, trying to gratify his wife‘s material desires. When Arjuna surrenders, BG 2.7, Kṛṣṇa becomes Govinda, siksa-guru. So, we see that Dīkṣā-guru may refer to one like Kṛṣṇa who enlivens Arjuna's spiritual consciousness by act and words and not necessarily related to a ceremony and a name, although they normally should be related, like a boy and girl‘s commitment to each other and the formality of the wedding. (Para 8 and 9 – When one should be given dīkṣā?) Many practical examples of this.
Many students who come to us from rich and respectable families quickly lose all interest in material enjoyment and become very eager to enter into spiritual life. o Accept living conditions that are not very comfortable. o For Kṛṣṇa‘s sake they are prepared to accept any living condition as long as they can live in the temple and associate with the Vaiṣṇavas. Conditions for initiation: o When a person is serious about accepting dīkṣā, he must be prepared to practice austerity, celibacy and control of the mind and body. o When one is interested in the transcendental subject matter of the Absolute Truth, he should be initiated. One should not accept a spiritual master without following his instructions. Nor should one accept a spiritual master just to make a fashionable show of spiritual life. One must be jijñāsu, very much inquisitive to learn from the bona fide spiritual master. The inquiries one makes should strictly pertain to transcendental science (jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam). The word uttamam refers to that which is above material knowledge. Tama means ―the darkness of this material world,‖ and ut means ―transcendental.‖ When one is actually initiated by the bona fide spiritual master and when he seriously engages in the service of the Lord, he should be accepted as a madhyama-adhikārī. o HPS: Second Initiation is actual initiation. (Para 10 – After Initiation the Steps/Process - Chant prescribed round offenselessly and mercy will come) If one chants the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra offenselessly, carefully avoiding the ten offenses, he can certainly be gradually elevated to the point of understanding that there is no difference between the holy name of the Lord and the Lord Himself. One who has reached such an understanding should be very much respected by neophyte devotees. Without chanting the holy name of the Lord offenselessly, one cannot be a proper candidate for advancement in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Everyone begins his devotional life from the neophyte stage, but if one properly finishes chanting the prescribed number of rounds of hari-nāma, he is elevated step by step to the highest platform, uttama-adhikārī. o HPS: The Dīkṣā contract! The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement prescribes sixteen rounds daily because people in the Western countries cannot concentrate for long periods while chanting on beads. o HPS: The Acharya says 16 for westerners, not 4. However, Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura used to say that unless one chants at least sixty-four rounds of japa (one hundred thousand names), he is considered fallen (patita). According to his calculation, practically every one of us is fallen, but because we are trying to serve the Supreme Lord with all seriousness and without duplicity, we can expect the mercy of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who is famous as patitapāvana, the deliverer of the fallen.
(Para 11 – Definition of the Kaniṣṭha-adhikārī in terms of faith in chanting) Anyone who is trying to advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness by regularly chanting the holy name should always be respected by Vaiṣṇavas. o E.g. George Harrison On the other hand, we have witnessed that some of our contemporaries who are supposed to be great preachers have gradually fallen into the material conception of life because they have failed to chant the holy name of the Lord. o CCP: Prabhupāda: I have inherited the legacy of my spiritual master. How? He didn‘t get any property of his guru maharaja? He inherited his desire to preach. Pure devotees criticize for the sake of protection and education. Prabhupāda begged forgiveness in the end. Conclusion: Anyone who is trying to advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness by regularly chanting the holy name should always be respected by Vaiṣṇavas. (Para 12 & 13 – Levels from CC Madhya 22, Instructions to Sanatana Goswami. Our level of faith in the Bhagavad Gita determines our level spiritual development.) Whose conclusive knowledge of the śāstras is not very strong but who has developed firm faith in chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra and who is also undeterred in the execution of his prescribed devotional service should be considered a madhyamaadhikārī. A madhyama-adhikārī is a śraddhāvān, a staunchly faithful person Actual candidate for further advancement in devotional service. CC Madhya 22.64 - ―One becomes qualified as a devotee on the elementary platform, the intermediate platform and the highest platform of devotional service according to the development of his śraddhā [faith].‖ CC Madhya 22.62 – ―‘By rendering transcendental service to Kṛṣṇa, one automatically performs all subsidiary activities.‘ This confident, firm faith, favorable to the discharge of devotional service, is called śraddhā.‖ Śraddhā, faith in Kṛṣṇa, is the beginning of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Whatever Kṛṣṇa says in Bhagavad-gītā is to be accepted as it is, without interpretation. This was the way Arjuna accepted Bhagavad-gītā. sarvam etad ṛtaṁ manye yan māṁ vadasi keśava. ―O Kṛṣṇa, I totally accept as truth all that You have told me.‖ (Bg. 10.14) This way of understanding BG is called sraddha. Accept one portion and reject another – this is not sraddha. Accept the instructions of Bhagavad-gītā in their totality, especially the last instruction: sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja. (Bg. 18.66) When one becomes completely faithful in regard to this instruction, one‘s strong faith becomes the basis for advancing in spiritual life. (Para 14 – Process to realize: Chanting Faithfully reveals Kṛṣṇa) When one fully engages in chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, he gradually realizes his own spiritual identity. Unless one faithfully chants the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, Kṛṣṇa does not reveal Himself. We cannot realize the Supreme Personality of Godhead by any artificial means. We must engage faithfully in the service of the Lord. Such service begins with the tongue
(sevonmukhe hi jihvādau), which means that we should always chant the holy names of the Lord and accept kṛṣṇa-prasāda. We should not chant or accept anything else. When this process is faithfully followed, the Supreme Lord reveals Himself to the devotee. (Para 15 - Defining Uttama adhikari – accept him as Guru, don‘t imitate) When a person (1) realizes himself to be an eternal servitor of Kṛṣṇa, (2) he loses interest in everything but Kṛṣṇa‘s service. (3) Always thinking of Kṛṣṇa, devising means by which to spread the holy name of Kṛṣṇa, he understands that his only business is in spreading the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement all over the world. Such a person is to be recognized as an uttama-adhikārī, and his association should be immediately accepted according to the six processes. Everything one possesses should be offered to him, for it is enjoined that one should deliver whatever he has to the spiritual master. The brahmacārī in particular is supposed to beg alms from others and offer them to the spiritual master. One should not imitate the behavior of an advanced devotee or mahābhāgavata without being self-realized, for by such imitation one will eventually become degraded. (Para 16 – know our level and the level of other devotees, including our guru) In this verse Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī advises the devotee to be intelligent enough to distinguish between the kaniṣṭha-adhikārī, madhyama-adhikārī and uttama-adhikārī. The devotee should also know his own position and should not try to imitate a devotee situated on a higher platform. Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has given some practical hints to the effect that an uttama-adhikārī Vaiṣṇava can be recognized by his ability to convert many fallen souls to Vaiṣṇavism. o CCP: Is preaching success a sign of spiritual advancement? Yes, provided it is not a substitute for inner fulfilment. Inner fulfilment means when we preach KC we are feel happiness and satisfied. We always have struggles, but we like patients who have been diagnosed and are being treated correctly. Pain may not go immediately, but is definitely reduced. Lust, pride, greed, illusion, anger, laziness, etc. go down. So since we have been cured, we want others to be cured. We don‘t want them to suffer. So we share. If this is the motive, then our natural conviction comes out. In this case preaching success is growing out of one‘s inner fulfilment. Such a person attracts many people. If preaching success is substitute for inner fulfilment then it is dangerous. In this case I want to get outside glorification as substitute for inner satisfaction. I speak eloquently because I want to be glorified. ―I have made so many devotees.‖ They treat me as representative of God. One should not become a spiritual master unless he has attained the platform of uttama-adhikārī. A neophyte Vaiṣṇava or a Vaiṣṇava situated on the intermediate platform can also accept disciples, but such disciples must be on the same platform, and it should be understood that they cannot advance very well toward the ultimate goal of life under
his insufficient guidance. Therefore a disciple should be careful to accept an uttamaadhikārī as a spiritual master. o HPS: See CC Madhya 8.128 for discussion of Guru. HPS: This is a much cited paragraph to determine who is Guru. We understand that Śrīla Prabhupāda is indicating the arrangement that also existed before he left his body. ISKCON devotees on the 3rd and 2nd levels can and should accept disciples, to train them, but these disciples will be not advance than their Gurus, because their Guru doesn't know more. So, everyone should, must, have Prabhupāda as a Guru also, so that they can have a proper evaluation of their Madhyama-adhikari gurus. Prabhupāda encouraged people to become disciples of his disciples, to be TamalKṛṣṇa Maharaja's man, to be Hansadutta's man, but all in terms of these devotee‘s relation and basic surrender to Śrīla Prabhupāda. As we engage in devotional service all these relations become clear. Lesson Eight (Text Five) Q.1. How to one should conduct with devotees at different levels? Ans. One should mentally honor the devotee who chants the holy name of the Lord Krishna. Offer humble obeisance to the devotee who has undergone spiritual initiation (dīkṣā) and engaged in the worship of deity. Associate with and faithfully serve that pure devotee who is advanced in un-deviated devotional service and whose heart is completely devoid of the propensity to criticize others. Q.2. Who is a kaniṣṭha adhikari? What is his feature? How to behave with him? Ans.: A person who is very faithfully engaged in the worship of the deity in the temple, but who does not know how to behave towards devotees or people in general is called a prakrtabhakta or kaniṣṭha – adhikari. He is a neophyte devotee who has received the hari-nama initiation from the spiritual master and is trying to chant the holy name of Krishna. A kaniṣṭha adhikari is situated on the lowest platform of devotional service and is interested only in worshiping the deity in the temple. His faith is soft and pliable (bendable). He also has attraction and attachment for materialistic acquisitions like women, money, intoxicant etc. A kaniṣṭha – Vaishnava should be offered respect from within the mind and should be given all help to gradually advance in the path of progress but association of such Vaiṣṇavas should be avoided. Q.3. Who is a madhyama-adhikari? Describe his feature and suggest how to behave with him? Ans. A madhyama-adhikari is a devotee who worships the Supreme Personality of Godhead as the highest object of love, makes friends with the Lord‘s devotees, is merciful to the ignorant and avoids those who are envious by nature. A persona whose conclusive knowledge of the śāstras is not very strong but who has developed firm faith in chanting the Hare Krishna mahā-mantra and who is also undeterred in the execution of his prescribed devotional service should be considered a madhyamaadhikari. Such a person is very fortunate.
A madhyama-adhikari is a śraddhāvān, a staunchly faithful person and he is actually a candidate for further advancement in devotional service. When one is actually initiated by the bona fide spiritual master and when he seriously engages in the service of the Lord, he should be accepted as a madhyama adhikari. Q.4. What is called śraddhā? Ans. The confident, firm faith that by rendering transcendental service to Krishna, one automatically performs all subsidiary activities and which is favorable to the discharge of devotional service is called ‗śraddhā‘. It is the beginning stage in the development of Krishna consciousness. Sraddha is 100% faith in the words of Krishna and it means accepting the instructions of Bhagavad-Gita in their totality, especially the last instruction of sarvadharman parityajya mam ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me). Q.5 What is the process of accepting Bhagavad-Gita? Ans. One should have strong faith that the words of Bhagavad-Gita are authoritative instructions and whatever Krishna says in Bg. is to be accepted as it is, without interpretation. This was the way Arjuna accepted Bhagavad-Gita. After hearing Bg., Arjuna told Krishna, ―sarvam etad ṛtaṁ manye yan mam vadasi keśava (Or Krishna, I totally accept as truth all that You have told me‖, (Bg.10.14) This is the correct way of understanding Bhagavad-Gita and this is called ‗sraddha‘, it is not that one accepts a portion of Bhagavad-Gita according to his own whimsical interpretations and then rejects another portion. Q.6. How one realizes his own spiritual identity? Ans. When one fully engages in chanting the Hare Krishna mahā-mantra (Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare! Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare!!), he gradually realizes his own spiritual identity. Unless one faithfully chants the Hare Krishna mahā-mantra, Krishna does not reveal Himself – sevonmukhe he jihvādau svyam eva sphuraty adah) (Bhakti Rasāmṛta sindhu 1.2.234). Q.7. When the Supreme Personality of Godhead reveals Himself? Ans. Whenever He desires. However, when one engage faithfully in the service of the Lord which begins with the tongue (sevonmukhe hi jihvādau) that means that one should always chant the holy names of the Lord and accept Krishna prasāda. Other than this, one should not follow anything else and when this process is faithfully followed, the Supreme Personality of Godhead reveals Himself to the devotee. Q.8. Who should be recognized as an uttama-adhikari? Ans. When a person realizes himself to be an eternal servitor of Krishna, he loses interest in everything but Krishna‘s service. Always thinking of Krishna, devising means by which to spread the holy name of Krishna, he understands that his only business is in spreading the Krishna consciousness movement all over the world. Such a person is to be recognized as an uttama-adhikari.
Q.9. How one should take association of an uttama-adhikari? Ans. Association of the uttama-adhikari should be accepted according to the six principles or process (dadāti, pratigṛhṇāti, guhyam ākhyāti …etc.). Q.10. According to Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Thakura, how to recognize an uttama-adhikari? Ans. Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Thakura has given some practical hints to the effect than an uttamaadhikari Vaiṣṇava can be recognized by his ability to convert many fallen souls to Vaiṣṇavism. Q.11. What is the process of dīkṣā (initiation)? Ans. The process by which a devotee becomes attached to Krishna is the process of dīkṣā. At the time of initiation, when a devotee fully surrenders to the service of the Lord, Krishna accepts him to be as good as He Himself. By dīkṣā one gradually becomes disinterested in material enjoyment and gradually becomes interested in spiritual life. When a person is serious about accepting dīkṣā he must be prepared to practice austerity, celibacy and control of the mind and body. Q.12. Who is a proper candidate for spiritual initiation? Ans. (i) One who is prepare to practice austerity, celibacy and control of the mind and body (ii) One who is prepared and desirous of receiving spiritual enlightenment (divyam jnanam) or knowledge of the Supreme. (iii) One must be jijñāsu, very much inquisitive to learn from the bona fide spiritual master. Q.13. How to become spiritually initiated? Ans. To become spiritually initiated one should approach a bona-fide spiritual master (tadvijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evabhigacchet One should not accept a spiritual master without following his instruction. Nor should one accept a spiritual master just to make a fashionable show of spiritual life One should make pertinent spiritual enquiries pertain to transcendental science. Q.14. What is the meaning of the word ‗uttamam‘? Ans. The word ‗uttamam‘ refers to that which is above material knowledge. Tama means ‗the darkness of this material world‘ and ut means ‗transcendental‘. Q.15. When one will understand that the holy name and the Lord are non-different? Ans. When one chants the Hare Krishna mahā-mantra offenselessly, carefully avoiding the ten offences, he can certainly be gradually elevated to the point of understanding that there is no difference between the holy name of the Lord and the Lord Himself. Q. 16 In ISO 6 and NOI 5 Śrīla Prabhupāda repeatedly admonishes that we should know our own level of development and not imitate a devotee on a higher platform. What happens if we imitate? Is it a way to advance? What level are you on? Give a little objective evidence? Q. 17 Fill in the blanks
1. ―By dīkṣā one gradually becomes _______________ ____ __________________ _________________ and gradually becomes ____________ ____ __________ _______.‖ 2. One whose faith is _________ ____ __________ is called a neophyte. 3. ―A person whose conclusive knowledge of śāstras is _____ ________ ___________ but who has developed _______ ________ ____ ___________ _____ _____ ________ _______-_________ and who is also _____________ in execution of his prescribed devotional service should be considered a madhyama-adhikari. 4. One should not become a spiritual master unless he has attained the platform of ___________-_____________. 5. A neophyte Vaisnava or a Vaisnava situated on the intermediate platform can also ________ ________________, but it should be understood that they cannot ________ _____ ________ towards the ultimate goal of life under his __________ guidance. Q. 18 Kanistha and Madhyama adhikaris can accept disciples, but you must accept and uttama adhikari as Guru. Is there a contradiction here? Please explain briefly. Q. 19 What the difference between hari nama and spiritual initiation? Q. 20 If we carefully avoid the ___________ while chanting 16-rounds daily we will be elevated to the platform of ____________. Q. 21 Essay.9: What does the word "Sraddha" mean? Extra credit: Bengali and English definition from CC 2.22.62 beginning "sraddha sabde -- ..." Q. 22 Kṛṣṇa cannot be understood by the gross senses but when the senses are faithfully engaged in two things especially He can be gradually realized. What are those two engagements? Q. 23 Can we advance by imitating the 1st class devotee? Text 6 - Associating with the Pure Devotee – Avoid seeing with material vision drstaih svabhāva-janitair vapuṣaś ca doṣair na prākṛtatvam iha bhakta janasya paśyet gaṅgāmbhasāṁ na khalu budbuda-phena-paṅkair brahma-dravatvam apagacchati nīra-dharmaiḥ Being situated in his original Kṛṣṇa conscious position, a pure devotee does not identify with the body. Such a devotee should not be seen from a materialistic point of view. Indeed, one should overlook a devotee‘s having a body born in a low family, a body with a bad complexion, a deformed body, or a diseased or infirm body. According to ordinary vision, such imperfections may seem prominent in the body of a pure devotee, but despite such seeming defects, the body of a pure devotee cannot be polluted. It is exactly like the waters of the Ganges, which sometimes during the rainy season are full of bubbles, foam and mud. The Ganges waters do not become polluted. Those who are advanced in spiritual understanding will bathe in the Ganges without considering the condition of the water. Connection: It is a continuation of Text 5. Here is description of Uttama-adhikari. Text 6 discusses further how we should associate with devotees - especially with the spiritual master, who is understood to be transcendentally situated. Overview Para 1 & 2 – Pure devotee is liberated Para 2 – Pure devotee is liberated and one should be at least Madhyama to recognize that
Para 3 – Overlook pure devotee bodily defects Para 4 – Devotee not born in brahmana families should not be neglected Para 5 – Gosvāmī can come from any family of any part of the world Para 6 – Gosvāmī is not proud or jealous Para 7 – Don‘t see pure devotee externally, but see internal qualities and learn Para 8 – Empowered devotee is not an ordinary human being Para 9 – Conclusion Don‘t correct pure devotee Explanation
HPS: An Uttama adhikari transcends the body and a Kanistha adhikari can‘t see that. HPS: What an interesting text -- intriguing and exciting. Here is description of Uttamaadhikari. Two things, He might be born in a dirty American body and family but if he is elevated by Dīkṣā and faithful work then he is internally engaged in devotional service and that electrifies his external body. Another thing is the warning to the Kanistha-adhikari not to see the material aspects of the pure devotee, ISKCON. See how they are engaged in devotional service and thus their relatively bad qualities become good qualities. BACE: In last verse we learnt how to differentiate between different devotees. Now it is mentioned that we should be very careful in association of a pure devotee, because any offense will create havoc in life of practicing devotee. A pure devotee having material body is equally bewildering when Lord appears in form like us. Na mām duskritino mudha. Learn to see by ears. It takes one to know one. Do not find fault. Before finding one fault, try to find 5 good qualities. Fault is in our consciousness. Drstaih and pasyet are technically same in Sanskrit. But here drstaih means material vision and pasyet means spiritual vision. Devotees were not reading Śrīla Prabhupāda books, so some sannyasis started calling Śrīla Prabhupāda as God. This created havoc. So he created bhakti-sastri program. Ganges touched lotus feet and in Yamuna the Lord bathed. Both are equally powerful. So on should distinguish between two and appreciate spiritual nature of both. If we do not misunderstand a devotee, we will not misunderstand Kṛṣṇa. CCP: Prabhupāda integrates purport in translation itself. (Para 1 & 2 – Pure devotee is liberated) Śuddha-bhakti is performed in a liberated condition. Bhagavad-gītā (14.26): māṁ ca yo ’vyabhicāreṇa… (Para 2 – Pure devotee is liberated and one should be at least Madhyama to recognize that) HPS: Prabhupāda starts with the same definition of devotional service that he used in Text 3, that Rupa-goswami makes a foundation of his Nectar of Devotion, BRS 1.1.11.
Avyabhicāriṇī bhakti means unalloyed devotion. A person engaged in devotional service must be free from material motives. In this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, one‘s consciousness must be changed. o BACE: Not change dress and lifestyle only. SBVT called such people as kalicela. If consciousness is aimed toward material enjoyment, it is material consciousness, and if it is aimed toward serving Kṛṣṇa, it is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. o BACE: Clear cut separation. Another definition of Kṛṣṇa Consciousness. Prabhupāda said ―this is Kṛṣṇa Consciousness‖ 2000-2500 times. Prabhupāda gave so many definitions. o BACE: Devotees become fried out because they were expecting everything to be peaceful. E.g. Pandavas were never peaceful in life. This is the teaching of Mahabharata. Kṛṣṇa was always with them, still there were disturbances. Moksha is not the goal of Kṛṣṇa Consciousness – it is serving Kṛṣṇa. (anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam), jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam. o BACE: Why same verse is being repeated? Repetition is necessary for emphasis. Even scriptures repeat – harer nama, harer nama. Lady Reporter – Are you liberated? Prabhupāda – Yes. Reporter – Then what are you doing here? Prabhupāda – Don‘t be crazy. I have ticket to spiritual world. I can go anytime. Why do you want to kill me now? So it was Prabhupāda‘s choice. Prabhupāda was doing the same activity as in spiritual world. Prabhupāda: I didn‘t wanted to come here, but Kṛṣṇa told you go, I‘ll send all help. And He sent – books, temples, etc. TKG was giving brahmacārīs in dozens. When one actually engages in unalloyed, uncontaminated devotional service, he is already liberated (sa guṇān samatītyaitān). Kṛṣṇa‘s devotee is not subjected to material conditions, even though his bodily features may appear materially conditioned. One should therefore not see a pure devotee from a materialistic point of view. Unless one is actually a devotee, he cannot see another devotee perfectly. o BACE: Don‘t judge, lest you be judged. Kanistha cannot, while Madhyama can distinguish between a devotee and nondevotee. o BACE: Still kaniṣṭha should be respected. o BACE: Many devotees who were intimate with Prabhupāda went very far from bhakti. Because they could not appreciate. Some would joke or correct him. To be in touch of fire, one must be fire. o BACE: Best policy is to respect all devotees, as we cannot judge who is what. Associate with equals and superiors. When His Holiness Rādhānath Swami Maharaja associates with his godbrothers, he doesn‘t allow his disciples to interfere, as this is the most important thing for him. One has to be balanced while giving and taking association. First problem is to save yourself. Prabhupāda never disrespected people who came to meet him. He gave more respect than they expected. Gurudas Ji. Syamasundar Prabhu smoking cigarette while making Jagannath deities – ―do you want this cigarette to come between you and Kṛṣṇa?‖ So what should materially conditioned souls do – Para 3 to 8?
(Para 3 – Overlook pure devotee bodily defects) No one should criticize the bodily defects of a pure devotee. If there are such defects, they should be overlooked. o BACE: Astavakra Muni. o CCP: Don‘t bring karma analysis in why is the person suffering. We have to do our duty. A king should not think what karma the victim do so he suffered. His duty is to punish. What should be taken into account is the spiritual master‘s main business, which is devotional service, pure service to the Supreme Lord. Apicet su duracaro… He is not to be considered an ordinary human being. o BACE: Harinama Cintamani mentions devotee should not be judged on 4 accounts: Birth, some un-pre meditated accidental fall downs, last traces of previous sins and sinful activities before becoming a devotee (even calling an initiated devotee by his previous name is an offense). (Para 4 – Devotee not born in brahmana families should not be neglected) Even though a pure devotee may not be born in a brāhmaṇa or gosvāmī family, if he is engaged in the service of the Lord he should not be neglected. BP: Birth is important. One takes birth as per his previous actions. One‘s conditioning, association, etc. is very much determined by his birth. But issue is that ultimately a person should be judged by his qualities, not his birth. E.g. Prahlada Maharaja. Son of judge is not of judge; just he has better facility to become a judge. CCP: Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura used to tell story of naked boy. A boy when small didn‘t wore clothes. His friends saw him like that. When he grew up he became high court judge. The friends said we saw him naked. What is the use of it? He is now a responsible position. E.g. Rūpa Gosvāmī and Sanātana Gosvāmī had practically become Mohammedans, but Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu Himself made them gosvāmīs. o BACE: Muslims didn‘t convert Hindus, Hindus converted Hindus into Muslims. Simply by sprinkling water by Muslim one was out-casted. The word gosvāmī refers to one who can control his senses, who is master of the senses. A devotee is not controlled by the senses, but is the controller of the senses. Consequently he should be called svāmī or gosvāmī, even though he may not be born in a gosvāmī family. The gosvāmī title is actually the monopoly of the pure devotees o CCP: Prabhupāda reverses the argument on its head – you are not gosvāmīs, it is monopoly of pure devotees. You are not pure devotee so you are not gosvāmī. (Para 5 – Gosvāmī can come from any family of any part of the world) The gosvāmīs who are descendants of Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu and Śrī Advaita Prabhu are certainly devotees, but devotees coming from other families should not be discriminated against. They should be treated equally. o BACE: Imagine havoc if Caitanya Mahāprabhu had children. So Kṛṣṇa had to destroy Yadu dynasty.
o BACE: Gurudas Prabhu about a Goswami of Rādhā Damodar Temple. Smoking while eating. o BP: There is no ruling which says one has to be born in one of these families only to become spiritual master. Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura fought this mentality very vigorously. Kei vipra,…. Vrindavana Temples, except Rādhā Raman closed to oppose his parikrama. Great Grand Father of Padmananbha Goswami preached together with Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura. There was a great fight, and true philosophy of Caitanya Mahāprabhu came victorious. Now a days there is not much problem on this point. No difference between an American gosvāmī and a nityānanda-vaṁśa-gosvāmī. (Para 6 – Gosvāmī is not proud or jealous) A devotee who has attained the title of gosvāmī but is not born of a brāhmaṇa father or of a gosvāmī in the family of Nityānanda or Advaita Prabhu should not be artificially puffed up by thinking that he has become a gosvāmī. As soon as he becomes materially puffed up, he immediately falls down. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is a transcendental science, and there is no room for jealousy. This movement is meant for the paramahaṁsas who are completely free from all jealousy. o BACE: Minimum qualification to read Srimad Bhagavatam is to become nonenvious. o BACE: Prabhupāda – Malati can give life for me. Yamuna Mataji was prepared to jump of train for Prabhupāda. (Para 7 – Don‘t see pure devotee externally, but see internal qualities and learn) If we consider the bodily defects of a Vaiṣṇava, we should understand that we are committing an offense at the lotus feet of the Vaiṣṇava (hātī-mātā, the mad elephant offense). o HPS: CC Madhya 19.156. Every devotee should be ready to take instructions from a superior Vaiṣṇava, and a superior Vaiṣṇava must be ready to help an inferior Vaiṣṇava in all respects. One is superior or inferior according to his spiritual development in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. o BP: Some devotees thought that disciples of Prabhupāda should automatically be given respect. We are not talking about basic etiquette of respect, but accepting him as advanced. This creates another kind of caste consciousness. One should avoid observing a pure devotee externally, but should try to see the internal features and understand how he is engaged in the transcendental loving service of the Lord. In this way one can avoid seeing the pure devotee from a material point of view, and thus one can gradually become a purified devotee himself. o BACE: There is no stable state in bhakti till you reach back to godhead. Either you advance or go down. o BACE: Examples of not judging externally – Jada Bharata, Ambarisa Maharaja, Pundarika Vidyanidhi, Ramananda Ray, Sukadeva Goswami, Lord Siva & Daksa.
o BP: Don‘t meditate on faults of others. E.g. story of brahmana living opposite a prostitute. (Para 8 – Empowered devotee is not an ordinary human being) Those who think that Kṛṣṇa consciousness is limited to a certain section of people, a certain section of devotees or a certain tract of land are generally prone to see the external features of the devotee. Such neophytes, unable to appreciate the exalted service of the advanced devotee, try to bring the mahā-bhāgavata to their platform. o BACE: Prabhupāda‘s godbrothers – prithvite achayite…. Means only India. Prabhupāda thought if I have to fail better fail at a new place, my godbrothers already failed in London. So he went to New York. Unfortunately we are surrounded by neophyte godbrothers who do not appreciate the extraordinary activities of spreading Kṛṣṇa consciousness all over the world. o BACE: Why Prabhupāda is now blaspheming Vaiṣṇavas? For their own benefit, because if they continue criticizing then they will not advance. o BP: A god brother presiding Institute of Oriental Science in Vrindavana offended Prabhupāda. His college is now a mundane place with giggly girls. No one praised Prabhupāda when he was present. But they appreciated after he left, as it was so obvious. o CCP: Big sannyasi godbrothers couldn‘t digest a peripheral member of Gaudiya Math becoming main leader. On public felicitation of Prabhupāda in Vrindavana, one godbrother said: We‘re sannyasis so we always preached to elite. He was a businessman so he knows to deal with all types of people, so he could relate to these low class people. Anyway whatever he did is good. An empowered person who is actually engaged in the confidential service of the Lord should not be treated as an ordinary human being, for it is stated that unless one is empowered by Kṛṣṇa, one cannot spread the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement all over the world. o BACE: CC Antya 7.11. Kṛṣṇa sakti vina nahe… (Para 9 – Conclusion Don‘t correct pure devotee) A person cannot derive any spiritual benefit when he offends the lotus feet of a Vaiṣṇava. Everyone should therefore be very careful not to be jealous of an empowered Vaiṣṇava, or a śuddha-vaiṣṇava. It is also an offense to consider an empowered Vaiṣṇava an object of disciplinary action. o It is offensive to try to give him advice or to correct him. o BP: These things must have happened, therefore he is writing. Most probably about his godbrothers objecting him taking title of Prabhupāda. o BACE: Ramachandra Puri criticizing Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Damodar Pandit correcting Mahāprabhu. o BP: Prabhupāda apologized to his godbrothers - I offended you. Narayana Maharaja responded – to think that you offended is itself as offense. One can distinguish between a neophyte Vaiṣṇava and an advanced Vaiṣṇava by their activities. The advanced Vaiṣṇava is always situated as the spiritual master, and the neophyte is always considered his disciple.
The spiritual master must not be subjected to the advice of a disciple, nor should a spiritual master be obliged to take instructions from those who are not his disciples. This is the sum and substance of Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī‘s advice in the sixth verse. HPS: Notice Prabhupāda says that he has made American Goswamis, and from Text 1 we conclude that Goswamis can accept disciples, but here we see that they can also fall-down if they become arrogant and envious. NOI is such a complete summary and practical guide to everything! HPS: O.K. NOI, Texts 1-3 = Engage your senses in the service of Kṛṣṇa. Texts 4-6 = Develop proper association. Now let's go ahead to the Isopanisad at Text 7 where we left off and see what‘s happening there! Lesson Nine (Text Six) 1. Explain the connection between the River Ganges and the body of a pure devotee. 2. ―The gosvāmī title is actually the monopoly of pure devotees.‖ Please explain. 3. How does one distinguish a superior Vaisnava from an inferior Vaisnava? Q.1. Who does not identify with the body? Ans. A pure devotee situated in his original Krishna conscious position does not identify with the body. Q.2. How the body of a pure devotee, situated in original Krishna conscious, be seen? Ans. The body of a pure devotee, situated in original Krishna conscious should not be seen from a materialistic point of view. Indeed one should overlook a devotee‘s having a body born in a low family, a body with a bad complexion, a deformed body, or a diseased or infirm body. The body of a pure devotee (despite seeming defects) can never be polluted. The body of a pure devotee is just like the waters of Ganges which never becomes polluted despite full of bubbles, foam and mud. Q.3. What are the characteristics of Avyabhicāriṇī bhakti? Ans. (i) Avyabhicāriṇī bhakti is the activity of the soul proper (ii) It is unalloyed devotional service (iii) It is performed only in the liberated stage (iv) Performer can never fall down (v) Performer at once transcends modes of material nature (vi) Becoming free from modes of material nature one attains the level of Brahman (vii) It is transcendental to the activities of body and mind Q.4. What is pure bhakti? And what are its effects?
Ans. That devotional service which is free from jnana (mental speculation) and karma (fruitive work) is called pure bhakti. It is the activity of the soul proper and any one engaged in performance of the pure devotional service is already a liberated person. Q.5. Who can actually see a pure devotee? Ans. Only a pure devotee can actually see a pure devotee. It takes one to know one. Q.6. State the three types of devotees and explain their character. Ans. Three types of devotees are (i) Kanistha adhikari (neophyte devotee) – He cannot distinguish between a devotee and a non-devotee. He is simply concerned with worshiping deity in the temple. (ii) Madhyama adhikari (in-between devotee) – He can distinguish between a devotee and a non-devotee and between devotee and the Lord. He treats the Lord, the devotee and the nondevotee in different ways. (iii) Uttama adhikari (perfected devotee) – sees everyone at the level of soul. Q.7. Who is a Gosvāmī? Ans. A Gosvāmī is one who is (i) a pure devotee (ii) master of the senses (iii) controlled the senses and not become controlled by the senses. Q.8. Who is not a Gosvāmī? Ans. (i) One who claims Gosvāmī title based on material consideration such as birth, heredity, caste etc. (ii) One who has no control over his senses Q.9. Explain status of Gosvāmī obtained by descendancy and/or conferment? Ans. There is no difference between the Gosvāmīs who are descendants of Sri Nityānanda Prabhu and Sri Advaita Prabhu and the so called American Gosvāmīs, if they are honestly engaged in the service of the Lord. They should not be neglected based on the material consideration like caste or heredity. Q.10. What are the consequences of considering the bodily defects of a Vaishnava? Ans. The consequences of considering the bodily defects of a Vaishnava are: (ii) One actually commits a vaiṣṇava aparadha (offence towards the vaiṣṇava) which is like a mad elephant offence that create disaster in the nicely trimmed garden like devotional life. (iii) It is injurious for the progress of one‘s devotional life – especially for the neophytes. One should, rather try to see the internal features and understand how the pure devotee is engaged in the transcendental loving service of the Lord. Q.11. Generally, what types of people are prone to see the external features of the devotees? Ans. Those who think that Krishna consciousness is limited to a certain section of people, a certain section of devotees or a certain tract of land are generally prone to see the external
features of the devotees. Such neophytes, unable to appreciate the exalted service of the advanced devotees, try to bring the maha-bhagavata to their own platform. Q.12. What are consequences of criticizing a pure devotee? Ans. By criticizing a pure devotee (engaged in spreading KC all over the world) one commits an offence (vaiṣṇava aparadha) that is very obstructive and dangerous for those who desire to advance in Krishna consciousness. By criticizing a pure devotee no one can derive any spiritual benefit. It is also an offence to consider an empowered vaiṣṇava an object of disciplinary action. It is offensive to try to give advice or correct to an empowered Vaishnava Q. 13 We may see harshness or some mistakes in American born Sannyasis. Should we reject them? What doe NOI Text 6 say about this? Q. 14 Fill in the blanks 1. Being situated in his ______________ _______ _____________________ _____________, a pure devotee does not _____________ _______ _________ ________. 2. One should overlook the _________ ___________ of a pure devotee. What should be taken into account is the spiritual master‘s main business, which is devotional service. 3. This Kṛṣṇa Consciousness movement is a transcendental science, and there is no room for _______________. This movement is meant for the ____________ who are completely free from ____________. 4. As soon as anyone becomes envious, he ________ _____ ____ _____________ ____ __________________. Q. 15 A pure devotee can have abominable corporal and psychological character defects like harsh character? Q. 16 Give the respective Muslim names of Sanatana & Rupa Goswami. Q. 17 Is it possible to fall from the platform of paramahaṁsas? Why? Why not? Q. 18 In your own words, describe the appropriate attitudes towards Vaiṣṇavas and discuss the consequences of inappropriate attitudes with reference to Sri Upadesamrita text 6 and purport. (Open Book) Text 7 Bhajana-kriyā, Anartha-nivṛttiḥ, Niṣṭhā and Ruciḥ NOI 7-8 - Back to the Process Returning from the Isopanisad, Text 11. There, Śrīla Prabhupāda was explaining that we can best cultivate "Vidya", maybe knowledge of Brahman, with the ultimate goal of pure devotional service in this age, by always hearing, chanting and worshipping with concentrated attention toward the Supreme Lord. This is a very natural cue to take up Texts 7-8 of NOI. Text 1 emphasized the process, engage your senses in the service of Kṛṣṇa. Texts 2 and 3 tell us how. Keeping good and avoiding bad association are the easiest way to do that. So Texts 4-6 described association. Here, then, in Texts 7-8 we see ourselves returning to the process. Occupy your senses, your tongue and mind in the service of Kṛṣṇa.
BACE: It takes great courage to practice bhajan kriya is sadhu sangah. So Śrīla Rūpa Goswami didn‘t mention about bhajan kriya, before completing sadhu sangah. Prabhupāda said ―those who think they can perform devotional service without association should be considered insane.‖ In Hindi the word ―insane‖ would be more piercing for us, Prabhupāda writing in English is like benediction for us. BP: In Text 7 and 8 Śrīla Rūpa Goswami will glorify the essence of Hare Kṛṣṇa movement – holy name. Text 7 - Chanting The Holy Name / Practice devotional service not for its taste but for its healing potency syāt kṛṣṇa-nāma-caritādi-sitāpy avidyāpittopatapta-rasanasya na rocikā nu kintv ādarād anudinaṁ khalu saiva juṣṭā svādvī kramād bhavati tad-gada-mūla-hantrī The holy name, character, pastimes and activities of Kṛṣṇa are all transcendentally sweet like sugar candy. Although the tongue of one afflicted by the jaundice of avidyā [ignorance] cannot taste anything sweet, it is wonderful that simply by carefully chanting these sweet names every day, a natural relish awakens within his tongue, and his disease is gradually destroyed at the root. Connection: In order to come to the platform of uttama-bhakti, we must first cleanse our consciousness of the materialistic contamination that covers the mirror of the heart. By carefully chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra every day, we gradually become cured from the jaundice of ignorance and revive knowledge of our blissful constitutional position as Kṛṣṇa‘s servant. Overview Para 1 – Summary of the analogy - Recover from disease of avidyā by cultivating Kṛṣṇa Consciousness Para 2 - Comparison of the diseased and normal condition Para 3 – ISKCON - Good association to remove this nescience. Contrast with blind leaders, bad leaders, bad association Para 4 & 5 – Chanting of Holy Name is the only remedy to remove disease of heart caused avidyā laden atmosphere caused by atheistic leaders
Para 6 – Three Stages of Chanting Para 7 to 10- The Nine Stages of Devotional Service Explanation
BP: Holy name, character, pastimes and activities are all sweet because They all are the transcendentally sweet person. One who relishes reading Bhagavatam, associates with Kṛṣṇa. CCP: This is one of the most important verses of the NOI. What do we do in association? – We chant. This single verse can carry us through sadhana bhakti, if we understand its essence. (Para 1 – Summary of the analogy - Recover from disease of avidyā by cultivating Kṛṣṇa Consciousness) Avidyā (ignorance) perverts the ability to relish the transcendentally palatable name, quality, form and pastimes of Kṛṣṇa. Despite this disease, if one with great care and attention takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, chanting the holy name and hearing Kṛṣṇa‘s transcendental pastimes, his ignorance will be destroyed and his tongue enabled to taste the sweetness of the transcendental nature of Kṛṣṇa and His paraphernalia. Such a recovery of spiritual health is possible only by the regular cultivation of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. HPS: Chanting the Holy Names is like eating. It will always have an effect, but if we chant in a systematic, regular, fashion as designed by an Acharya, it will have an even more potent effect. (Para 2 - Comparison of the diseased and normal condition) (1) When a man in the material world takes more interest in the materialistic way of life than in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he is considered to be in a diseased condition.
The normal condition is to remain an eternal servant of the Lord (jīvera ‘svarūpa’ haya – kṛṣṇera ‘nitya-dāsa‘ [CC Madhya 20.108]). This healthy condition is lost when the living entity forgets Kṛṣṇa due to being attracted by the external features of Kṛṣṇa‘s māyā energy. This world of māyā is called durāśraya (―false or bad shelter‖). (2) One who puts his faith in durāśraya becomes a candidate for hoping against hope. (3) In the material world everyone is trying to become happy, and although their material attempts are baffled in every way, due to their nescience they cannot understand their mistakes. (4) People try to rectify one mistake by making another mistake. This is the way of the struggle for existence in the material world. (5) If one in this condition is advised to take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness and be happy, he does not accept such instructions. (Para 3 – ISKCON - Good association to remove this nescience. Contrast with blind leaders, bad leaders, bad association) This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is being spread all over the world just to remedy this gross ignorance. People in general are misled by blind leaders. The leaders of human society – the politicians, philosophers and scientists – are blind because they are not Kṛṣṇa conscious. Because they are bereft of all factual knowledge due to their atheistic way of life, they are actually sinful rascals and are the lowest among men. (Para 4 & 5 – Chanting of Holy Name is the only remedy to remove disease of heart caused avidyā laden atmosphere caused by atheistic leaders) When such atheists become leaders of society, the entire atmosphere is surcharged with nescience. In such a condition, people do not become very enthusiastic to receive this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, just as a diseased person suffering from jaundice does not relish the taste of sugar candy. However, for jaundice, sugar candy is the only specific medicine. Similarly, in the present confused state of humanity, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the chanting of the holy name of the Lord is the only remedy for setting the world aright. The real disease is in the heart. If the mind is cleansed, however, if consciousness is cleansed, a person cannot be harmed by the material disease. To cleanse the mind and heart from all misconceptions, one should take to this chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. HPS: We think in the head, based upon the attitudes, perspectives, Buddhi, that we keep in our heart. So if we control our senses and mind by devotional service, "Prabhu, hurry-up, the offering is late!", then the selfish attitude in the heart can't manifest. (Para 6 – Three Stages of Chanting) There are three stages in chanting the holy name of the Lord – the offensive stage, the stage of lessening offenses, and the pure stage. There are ten basic offenses, and if the devotee avoids these, he can glimpse the next stage, which is situated between offensive chanting and pure chanting.
When one attains the pure stage, he is immediately liberated. This is called bhavamahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpanam. As soon as one is liberated from the blazing fire of material existence, he can relish the taste of transcendental life. (Para 7 to 10- The Nine Stages of Devotional Service) The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is especially meant for creating an atmosphere in which people can take to the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. (ajnata sukriti) One must begin with faith (adau sradddha), and when this faith is increased by chanting, a person can become a member of the Society. Our sankirtan parties attracting thousands (sadhu sangah) If one is sincere, he is initiated, and this stage is called bhajana-kriyā. One then actually engages in the service of the Lord by regularly chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, sixteen rounds daily, and refraining from illicit sex, intoxicants, meat-eating and gambling. o BACE: Devotee means no going to restaurants. Ambarisa Prabhu wanted to go a devotee‘s restaurant in Hawaii. Prabhupāda said, ―No restaurant.‖ Of course, Govinda‘s is ok. By bhajana-kriyā one attains freedom from the contamination of materialistic life. No restaurant, smoke, tea, coffee, sex life and gambling. In this way it is to be understood that one is becoming cleansed of unwanted things (anartha-nivṛtti). When a person is relieved from unwanted things, he becomes fixed in executing his Kṛṣṇa activities. (nistha) (Ruci) Indeed, he becomes attached to such activities (Asakti) Experiences ecstasy in executing devotional service (Bhava). o The conditioned soul becomes free from material existence and loses interest in the bodily conception of life, including material opulence, material knowledge and material attraction of all variety. o Understand who the Supreme Personality of Godhead is and what His māyā is. o Although māyā may be present, it cannot disturb. This is because the devotee can see the real position of māyā. Māyā means forgetfulness of Kṛṣṇa, and forgetfulness of Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa consciousness stand side by side like light and shadow. If one remains in shadow, he cannot enjoy the facilities offered by light, and if one remains in light, he cannot be disturbed by the darkness of shadow. By taking to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, one gradually becomes liberated and remains in light. Indeed, he does not even touch the darkness. BACE: A well-wisher came to SBSST. ―I saw Kṛṣṇa is dream yesterday.‖ ―Did you saw māyā too?‖ ―No‖ ―Then you didn‘t see Kṛṣṇa because Kṛṣṇa is not without His energies.‖ HPS: No accidental falldown from this stage. S/A Maharaja Bharata‘s falldown.
F – We don’t get object I – We get the object, but it is not up to expectations
T – We get the object, we enjoy it, but it leaves us
Spiritual happiness: SING
I is intelligence, M is mind
Lesson Ten (Text Seven) Q.1. What is the nature of holy name, character etc. of Krishna? Who can not relish?
Ans. The holy name, character, pastimes and activities of Krishna are all transcendentally sweet like sugar candy. They are all of the nature of absolute truth, beauty and bliss. However, one whose tongue is afflicted by the jaundice of avidyā (ignorance) cannot taste the sweetness of all this. Q.2. How to cure the jaundice of avidyā (ignorance)? Ans. Simply by carefully chanting the sweet holy names and hearing the transcendental pastimes of Krishna every day, a natural relish awakens within the tongue of the diseased and his disease is gradually destroyed at the root. Recovery of the spiritual health is possible only by the regular cultivation of Krishna consciousness. Q.3. Why avidyā (ignorance) is compared with jaundice? Ans. Jaundice is caused by bilious a secretion that attacks the tongue and anything sweet taste very bitter to the person afflicted. Similarly, the disease of avidyā (ignorance) also perverts the ability to relish the transcendentally palatable name, quality, form and pastimes of Krishna. Therefore, avidyā is compared to the disease of jaundice. Q.4. What is the normal and healthy condition of a soul? Ans. The natural and healthy condition of a soul is to remain an eternal servant of the Lord (jīvera ‗svarūpa‘ haya – kṛṣṇera ‗nitya-dāsa‘). Q.5. When a man is considered spiritually diseased? Ans. When a man in the material world takes more interest in the materialistic way of life than in Krishna consciousness, he is considered to be in a diseased condition. Q.6. Why men cannot understand their mistake? Ans. Due to nescience of materialism men cannot understand their mistake that their entire materialistic endeavors to become happy is baffled and that they are having hopes against hope under the false or bad shelter of māyā or durāśraya. Q.7. What is the way of struggle for existence in the material world? Ans. Trying to rectify one mistake by making another mistake is the way of struggle for existence in the material world. Q.8. What is the purpose of spreading the Krishna consciousness movement? Ans. The actual purpose of spreading the Krishna consciousness movement all over the world is to remedy the ignorance of general masses about their real and original svarūpa. The Krishna consciousness movement is especially meant for creating an atmosphere in which people can take to the chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra. Q.9. What is the actual condition of the people bereft of Krishna consciousness? Ans. Those who are not Krishna conscious are actually bereft of all factual knowledge due to their atheistic way of life; they are actually sinful rascals and are the lowest among men. Those who are bereft of Krishna conscious and blind leaders – politicians, philosophers and
scientists – lead the society into hellish condition of life. Such people never surrender to Krishna, and they oppose the endeavor of those who wish to take Krishna‘s shelter. Q.10. What happens when atheists becomes leaders in the society? Ans. When atheists become leaders of society, the entire atmosphere become surcharged with nescience. In such a condition, people do not become very enthusiastic to receive the Krishna consciousness movement just like the diseased person who suffering from jaundice does not relish the taste of sugar candy. Q.11. What the remedy for setting the world right in the present state of confused humanity? Ans. In the present confused state of humanity, Krishna consciousness, the chanting of the holy name of the Lord – Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare! Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare!! is the only remedy for setting the world aright. Q.12. What does avidyā provides? What is the remedy? Ans. Avidyā, a misconception about one‘s spiritual identity, provides the foundation for ahankara or false ego within the heart. The remedy is to chant the mahā-mantra because by chanting this holy name of the Lord a person in the material condition will be relieved from all misconceptions (cheto darpana marjanam). By chanting the mahā-mantra one at once becomes free from the blazing fire of material existence. Q.13. What are the stages in chanting the holy name? Ans. There are three stages in chanting the holy name of the Lord – the offensive stage, the stage of lessening offences, and the pure stage. When a neophyte takes to the chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra, he generally commits many offences. There are ten basic offences, and if the devotee avoids these, he can glimpse the next stage, which is situated between offensive chanting and pure chanting. When one attains the pure stage, he is immediately liberated. This is called bhava-mahā-davagni-nirvāpanam. As soon as one becomes liberated from the blazing fire of material existence, he can relish the taste of transcendental life. Q.14. What is the process of attaining freedom from contamination of materialistic life? Ans. Bhajana-kriya is the process of attaining freedom from contamination of materialistic life. If one is sincere, he is initiated, and this stage is called bhajana-kriya. Q.15. What is stage of anartha-nivṛttiḥ? Ans. It is stage of becoming free from the unwanted things or the stage of the unwanted things being vanquished. This stage is attained when one becomes attached to the Krishna consciousness movement and actually engages in the service of the Lord by regularly chanting the Hare Krishna mahā mantra, 16 rounds daily, and refraining from illicit sex, intoxicants, meat eating and gambling. He no longer goes to the restaurant or hotel to taste so called palatable dishes made with meat and onion, nor does he care to smoke or drink tea or coffee. He not only refrains from illicit sex, but avoids sex life entirely. Nor is he interested in wasting time in speculating or gambling. Q.16. What is the stage of bhava (the preliminary awakening of dormant love of Godhead?
Ans. When a person is relieved from unwanted things, be becomes fixed in executing his Krishna activities and thus becomes attached to such activities and experience ecstasy in executing devotional service, this stage is called the stage of bhava. At this stage, the conditioned soul becomes free from material existence and loses interest in the bodily conception of life, including material opulence, material knowledge and material attractions of all variety. Q.17. What is the stage when one understands the Godhead and Maya? Ans. When one attains the stage of bhava (preliminary awakening of dormant love of Godhead) and becomes free from the material existence and loses interest in the bodily conception of life, including material opulence, material knowledge and material attractions of all variety at this time one can understand who the Supreme Personality of Godhead is and what His māyā is. Q.18. When māyā does not disturb a devotee? Ans. Once a devotee has attained the stage of bhava māyā cannot disturb the devotee. This is because the devotee can see the real position of māyā and understands that māyā means forgetfulness of Krishna. Q.19. Explain the analogy ‗Krishna surya sama; māyā andhakara‘. Ans. In this analogy, Krishna is compared to sun (the source of light) and māyā to the darkness. Wherever light is there cannot be darkness. Maya is shadow of Krishna, māyā has her existence only because of Krishna. However, when one is situated in the light, he is not disturbed by the shadow. Maya disturb them who take shelter of māyā and not Krishna i.e. to those who take shelter of ignorance of Krishna and not knowledge of Krishna. Krishna-surya sama; māyā haya andhakara, yahan Krishna, tahan nahi mayara adhikāra. Krishna is compared to sunshine and māyā is compared to darkness. Wherever there is sunshine, there cannot be darkness. As soon as one takes to Krishna consciousness, the darkness of illusion, the influence of the external energy, will immediately vanish. Q. 20 Fill in the blanks 1. Our normal healthy condition is ______________ ________________ _______, ______________ ________-________. 2. Avidyā, a misconception about one‘s spiritual identity, provides the foundation for __________, _____ ______ ______ within the heart. 3. To cleanse the mind and heart from all misconceptions, one should take to the chanting of the Hare Krishna mahā-mantra. By chanting the holy name of the Lord, one is immediately freed from _____ ___________ _______ ____ _____________ ________________. 4. As soon as one is liberated from the blazing fire of material existence, he can __________ _____ _____________ _____ _______________ ________. 5. The Kṛṣṇa Consciousness movement is especially meant for ______________ ______ _____________ ____ ________ people can take to the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra.
6. If one is sincere, he is initiated, and this stage is called __________-________. Q. 21 What are the Sanskrit and English for the different stages of reawakening from adau sraddha to prema? In which Bhagavad-Gita purport is the Sanskrit cited? Text 8 Raganuga-sadhana / Āsaktiḥ Text 8 - Spontaneous Devotional Service in Practice / How Prabhupāda through ISKCON has implemented Rūpa Gosvāmī‘s Upadesha-sara? tan-nāma-rūpa-caritādi-sukīrtanānusmṛtyoḥ krameṇa rasanā-manasī niyojya tiṣṭhan vraje tad-anurāgi-janānugāmī kālaṁ nayed akhilam ity upadeśa-sāram Connection: In previous 7 verses, after battling senses, devotees, etc. we come to Vraja. In this verse, Śrīla Rūpa Goswami gives the essence of all advice: to fix one's mind Kṛṣṇa without deviation by constantly hearing and chanting about Him and remembering His pastimes. Overview Para 1 & 2 – Why tongue and mind needs training to be engaged in Kṛṣṇa‘s service? Para 3 – Both sadhaka and siddha should follow this advice – live in Vrindavana under guidance of devotees Para 4 to 6 - A summary of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvati's Anuvrtti Para 4 – The Sum and Substance of all advice – First develop taste through commitment to chant and after it is developed make Vrindavana your home under guidance of an expert devotee Para 5 – Stages of Remembrance of Kṛṣṇa Para 6 - The Sum and Substance of all advice – first develop attachment through sadhana bhakti and then perform raganuga bhakti in one of the rasas Explanation The essence of all advice is that one should utilize one‘s full time – twenty-four hours a day – in nicely chanting and remembering the Lord‘s divine name, transcendental form, qualities and eternal pastimes, thereby gradually engaging one‘s tongue and mind. In this way one should reside in Vraja [Goloka Vṛndāvana-dhāma] and serve Kṛṣṇa under the guidance of devotees. One should follow in the footsteps of the Lord‘s beloved devotees, who are deeply attached to His devotional service.
BACE: What is Vraja? Prabhupāda – it is a state of consciousness. It is not a physical place in one sense. Since the physical place is full of remembrance of Kṛṣṇa, it is Vrindavana. So 4 things: Chanting and remembering the Lord‘s divine name, transcendental form, qualities and eternal pastimes Reside in Vraja Serve Kṛṣṇa under the guidance of devotees Follow in the footsteps of the Lord‘s beloved devotees HPS: Text 8 is the essence of the NOI which in the essence of all wisdom. We continue with the same process described in Text 7 even after you are liberated onto the Bhava stage. In the Sanskrit, Śrīla Rūpa Goswami Prabhupāda says, "rasanaa-manasi niyojya". Manasa means the mind. Niyoja, yoga (?), engage the mind. BP: 2 sections of the purport – how to fix mind and what to do after mind is fixed. CCP: We‘re entering deep into the heart of Gaudiya teachings. This verse finishes upadesa of Upadesamrita. From next verse there is only glorification. (Para 1 & 2 – Why tongue and mind needs training to be engaged in Kṛṣṇa‘s service?) The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is especially meant for training the mind to be always engaged in Kṛṣṇa‘s business. o CCP: Radical statement, not mentioned in 7 purposes of Kṛṣṇa. Yoga means union. The various impressions of mind sometimes come in contact with one another and produce contradictory pictures. o BP: Impressions are easy to come in, but difficult to go out. So be careful about your association. In this way the mind‘s function can become dangerous for a conditioned soul. BP: Name, form, qualities and pastimes are Kṛṣṇa and sweeter that name, form, qualities and pastimes of Narayana what to speak of demigods.BG – for one who can control his mind, Supersoul is already reached. BACE: You have to chant with mouth and hear through ears. Where is mind in between? But mind comes in between, because it is not a friend. BACE: Serve Rādhā Kṛṣṇa deities to remove bad impressions. Yena kena prakarena. How? –―Yam Yam vapi smaran bhavam…tada bhava bhavitah‖ At the time of death, the mind and intelligence of a living entity create the subtle form of a certain type of body for the next life. At the time of death o Not congenial thinking corresponding birth o Thought of Kṛṣṇa Transfer to Goloka This process of transmigration is very subtle; therefore Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī advises devotees to train their minds in order that they will be unable to remember anything other than Kṛṣṇa. Similarly, the tongue should be trained to speak only of Kṛṣṇa and to taste only kṛṣṇa-prasāda. One should live in Vṛndāvana or any part of Vraja bhūmi. When one makes Vṛndāvana his residence, he should take shelter of an advanced devotee there. In this way one should always think of Kṛṣṇa and His pastimes. o BACE: Jagadannanda Pandit wanted to go to Vrindavana. Mahāprabhu said don‘t stay there for a long time and always be under guidance of Sanatana Goswami. Why? You will misunderstand devotion of brajwasis. One new boy of college couldn‘t digest intimate pastimes of Rādhā Kṛṣṇa and left chanting.
One should not live a dhāma for more than 3 days. Prabhupāda – one should not reside in our Kṛṣṇa Balarama Mandir unless you are on stage of Goswamis. o BP: If possible live physically or if by Kṛṣṇa‘s desire you cannot then live mentally by always thinking about Kṛṣṇa. o BP: Except for preaching, Vrindavana should be the place we should be living or Mayapur. One should live with his mind in dhāma, not mind wandering everywhere. If somehow if one cannot live in dhāma, he should mentally live in dhāma. Same advice given in BRS 1.2.294 - A devotee should always reside in the transcendental realm of Vraja and always engage in kṛṣṇaṁ smaran janaṁ cāsya preṣṭham, the remembrance of Śrī Kṛṣṇa and His beloved associates. By following in the footsteps of such associates and by entering under their eternal guidance, one can acquire an intense desire to serve the Supreme Personality of Godhead. o BACE: Serve, not enjoy dhāma. o BP: This is raganuga bhakti. HPS: Train tongue, mind, vaco vegam, manasa vegam. We‘re developing text 1.
CCP: Treat mind as another person. Whenever it says something, evaluate what it is saying. If we are driving, if a known person says ―hey, look that way‖ I would see position of road and look cautiously. If the person is unknown first we will evaluate person first. Similarly mind. CCP: M – overthinking of the problem makes it bigger. We have to act to fix the problem. Overthinking is like overcooking a rotten vegetable hoping that it will become good. Thinking has to be done in a calm composed mind. Focus on present and future. Mind makes
us stick to some problematic situation and makes us depressed. Don‘t tell God how big problem is, tell your problem how big your God is. I – mind sees something attractive and take you to fantasy land. Many people spend their time in day dreaming. Whenever mind starts imagining pleasure, check it. To have vision is something different. Prabhupāda – ―There are temple, books, devotees, only time is separating.‖ This vision would serve as lamp house and we‘ll move in that direction. We don‘t have to become cheerleaders of the mind, we‘ve to be controllers of mind. N: The present is all that we have and is all that will have. Past is gone and future is not under control. Mind distracts by lamenting on past and worrying about future. In this way opportunity of present is lost. We can learn from past and plan for future, but that should be done in mode of goodness when we are in control of mind. Mind works like whatever we are doing is like practice and what we do in future will be important. No every moment is precious. So focus on opportunities. When you do service, you think o I am not studying or chanting and when we‘re chanting we think o I don‘t do service. Mind doesn‘t want to work hard with opportunity at hand and take path of least resistance. So we do whatever is in our hand and leave things which are not in our control on Kṛṣṇa. I can‘t promise that I‘ll chant all 16 rounds attentively, what I can promise is that I‘ll chant this one mantra attentively. D: Mind refuses to acknowledge that the problem it with itself. Mind comes with 3 falsities – blame Kṛṣṇa, process of bhakti is not powerful and I am too fallen. (Para 3 – Both sadhaka and siddha should follow this advice – live in Vrindavana under guidance of devotees) BRS 1.2.295 - ―In the transcendental realm of Vraja [Vraja-dhāma] one should serve the Supreme Lord, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, with a feeling similar to that of His associates, and one should place himself under the direct guidance of a particular associate of Kṛṣṇa and should follow in his footsteps. This method is applicable both in the stage of sādhana [spiritual practices executed while in the stage of bondage] and in the stage of sādhya [God realization], when one is a siddha-puruṣa, or a spiritually perfect soul.‖ o BP: It is forbidden to do with your material body, what you would do in spiritual world. o BP: From prema POV bhava is sadhana bhakti, e.g. Bilvamangala Thakura. But from the POV of sadhana bhakti, bhava is uttama bhakti. o CCP: For us the authority is Śrīla Prabhupāda so we have to follow his instructions. Some devotees feel Śrīla Prabhupāda didn‘t speak about intimate pastimes of Vrindavana. But he gave mood for selfless service. Gaudiya doesn‘t just means remembering pastimes of Rādhā Kṛṣṇa, but to remember as They feel happy. Śrīla Prabhupāda left Vrindavana to please his guru maharaja. This self-less sacrifice is the mood of Vrindavana. If we develop this mood we‘ll make rapid spiritual advancement. (Para 4 to 6 - a summary of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvati's Anuvrtti) (Para 4 – The Sum and Substance of all advice – First develop taste through commitment to chant and after it is developed make Vrindavana your home under guidance of an expert devotee) One who has not yet developed interest in Kṛṣṇa consciousness should give up all material motives and train his mind by following the progressive regulative principles, namely chanting and remembering Kṛṣṇa and His name, form, quality, pastimes and so forth. o HPS: He has logical commitment, but no spontaneous taste. Vaidhī, not Raga.
In this way, after developing a taste for such things, one should try to live in Vṛndāvana and pass his time constantly remembering Kṛṣṇa‘s name, fame, pastimes and qualities under the direction and protection of an expert devotee. o HPS: Or an ISKCON Temple, or make your home into a Temple. This is the sum and substance of all instruction regarding the cultivation of devotional service. o HPS: This is a Summary? Details follow? See also SB 7.5.24: sravanam, kirt…: (Para 5 – Stages of Remembrance of Kṛṣṇa) ―In the neophyte stage one should always engage in hearing kṛṣṇa-kathā. o HPS: These are described by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Th. in Hari-nama-cintamani. Recollection, absorption, meditation, constant remembrance and trance are the five items of progressive kṛṣṇa-smaraṇa. o HPS: See Bhakti-sandarbha 278 śravaṇa-daśā, the stage of hearing o Neophyte o Engage in hearing Kṛṣṇa-kathā o BP: Two type – krama suddha (proper) and krama heena (faulty, out of order). Varaṇa-daśā, the stage of acceptance o He becomes attached to the hearing of kṛṣṇa-kathā o BP: Acceptance: One accepts details of his rasa with Kṛṣṇa. What are details: guna, sambandha, age, nama, rupa, group, attire, place of residence, service, form, what you are good at? Smaraṇāvasthā, the stage of remembering o When one is able to chant in ecstasy o Five items of progressive kṛṣṇa-smaraṇa Recollection (interrupted) Absorption (uninterrupted) BACE: Prabhupāda - Sound of sea waves of Wisconsin seems are sound of heart of Gopīs for Kṛṣṇa. Meditation (concentrated) Anusmriti - Constant remembrance (meditation expands and becomes constant) Samadhi - Trance (uninterrupted and unceasing Anusmriti) BACE: Prabhupāda would dance at the age of 76-77 and cause people to dance. sampatti-daśā, the perfection of life o After smaraṇa-daśā or samādhi has fully developed, the soul comes to understand his original constitutional position. At that time he can perfectly and clearly understand his eternal relationship with Kṛṣṇa. (Para 6 - The Sum and Substance of all advice – first develop attachment through sadhana bhakti and then perform raganuga bhakti in one of the rasas) How can neophytes develop attachment for Kṛṣṇa‘s name, fame, form, qualities? Give up all kinds of motivated desires and simply engage in the regulative devotional service of the Lord according to the directions of scripture. When one has developed such attachment, he can spontaneously serve the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa even without following the regulative principles. This stage is called ragabhakti or devotional service in spontaneous love. At that stage the devotee can follow in the footsteps of one of the eternal associates of Kṛṣṇa in Vṛndāvana. This is called Raganuga bhakti.
o BP: Ragatamika – one who lives in Vrindavana and loves Kṛṣṇa in one of the 5 rasas. Raganuga – One who follows the ragatmika bhakti. Rāgānuga-bhakti, or spontaneous devotional service, can be executed in o śānta-rasa - like Kṛṣṇa‘s cows or the stick or flute in the hand of Kṛṣṇa, or the flowers around Kṛṣṇa‘s neck. o Dāsya-rasa (servant) - like Citraka, Patraka or Raktaka. o Sakhya-rasa (friend) - like Baladeva, Śrīdāmā or Sudāmā. BP: Baladeva is mixed rasa- friend and vatsalya as He acted as elder brother. o Vātsalya-rasa (paternal affection)- like Nanda Mahārāja and Yaśodā o Mādhurya-rasa (conjugal love) - like Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī or Her lady friends such as Lalitā and Her serving maids (mañjarīs) like Rūpa and Rati. BP: Last 3 rasas are in Mādhurya only because they are very sweet. BACE: Devotees would speculate what is Śrīla Prabhupāda‘s rasa, Prabhupāda – you‘re not qualified for that. BACE: Devotees to SBSST – what is our siddha pranali mantra. He replied – trnad api sunicena, taror api sahisnuna, amanina manadena, kirtaniya sada hari. BP: SBVT writes in Jaiva dharma that to take babaji initiation before bhava stage is illegal. BP: Most followers of Mahāprabhu are in Mādhurya rasa. BP: Wherever Kṛṣṇa is served that is Vrindavana, but yet physical Vrindavana is special because Kṛṣṇa performed His pastimes here. Prabhupāda – to live in Vrindavana is like to live in lap of Kṛṣṇa. To live in Vrindavana if very fortunate. But you live only when ordered by spiritual master.
Lesson Eleven (Text Eight) Q.1. What is the essence of all advice? Ans. The essence of all advice is that one should (i) utilize one‘s full time (24 hours a day) in nicely chanting and remembering the Lord‘s divine name, transcendental form, quality and eternal pastimes, thereby gradually engaging one‘s tongue and mind (ii) One should reside in Vraja (Goloka Vrindavana dhāma) (iii) One should serve Krishna under the guidance of devotees (iv) One should follow in the footsteps of the Lord‘s beloved devotees, who are deeply attached to His devotional service Q.2. Why there is a need to train the mind? Where to train the mind? Ans. (i) The mind contains hundreds and thousands of impressions, not only of this life but also of many, many lives of the past. These impressions sometimes come in contact with one another and produce contradictory pictures which make the function of the mind dangerous for the conditioned soul. (ii) At the time of death, the mind and intelligence create the subtle form of a certain type of body for the next life. If the mind suddenly thinks of something not very congenial, one has to take a corresponding birth in the next life. On the other hand, if one can think of Krishna at the time of death, he can be transferred to the spiritual world – Goloka Vrindavana. (iii) The process of transmigration is very subtle, therefore Śrīla Rupa Gosvāmī advises devotees to train their minds in order that they will be unable to remember anything other than Krishna. In view of the above, it is necessary to train the mind and make it a good friend.
The mind can be best trained in the association of devotees. Therefore, the best place is the Krishna consciousness movement which is especially meant for training the mind to be always engaged in Krishna‘s business. Q.3. What are different tenets of residence in Vrindavana (Vraja)? Ans. (i) The land of Vrindavana (Vraja bhūmi) is spread over 84 cosas (168 square miles). Staying anywhere within this area is considered residence in Vrindavana. (ii) When one makes Vrindavana his residence, he should take shelter of an advanced devotee there. (iii) While residing in Vraja, one should always think of Krishna and His pastimes. Q.4. What are the doctrines elucidated by Śrīla Rupa Gosvāmī about residence in Vrindavana? Ans. Śrīla Rupa Gosvāmī in his Bhakti Rasāmṛta Sindhu (1.2.294-295) elucidates that: (i) A devotee should always reside in the transcendental realm of Vraja and always engage in the remembrance of Sri Krishna and His beloved associates (Kṛṣṇaṁ smaran janaṁ cāsya preṣṭham) (ii) By following in the footsteps of such associates and by serving under their eternal guidance, one can acquire an intense desire to serve the Supreme Personality of Godhead. (iii) In the transcendental realm of Vraja (Vraja dhāma) one should serve the Supreme Lord, Sri Krishna, with a feeling similar to that of His associates, and one should place himself under the direct guidance of a particular associate of Krishna and should follow in his footsteps. (iv) One should follow the above method whether at the stage of sadhaka (practicing devotee) or at the stage of siddha (perfected devotee). Q.5. What are the sum and substance of all instructions regarding cultivation of devotional service as discussed by Śrīla Bhakti Siddhanta Sarasvatī Thakura? Ans. Śrīla Bhakti Siddhanta Sarasvatī Thakura, while commenting on verse no.8 of NOI says that ―One who has not yet developed interest in Krishna consciousness should give up all material motives and train his mind by following the progressive regulative principles, namely chanting and remembering Krishna and His name, form, quality, pastimes and so forth. In this way, after developing taste for such things, one should try to live in Vrindavana and pass his time constantly remembering Krishna‘s name, fame, pastimes and qualities under the direction and protection of an expert devotee. This is the sum and substance of all instruction regarding the cultivation of devotional service. Q.6. What are different dasas (stages) of devotion? Explain. Ans. Following are the different dasas: (i) Sravana daśā (stage of hearing): In the neophyte stage one should always engage in hearing Krishna kathā. (ii) Varana daśā (stage of acceptance): By constantly hearing the transcendental holy name of Krishna and hearing of His transcendental form, qualities and pastimes one can attain the stage of acceptance called Varaṇa-daśā (stage of acceptance). When one attains this stage, he becomes attached to the hearing of Krishna kathā. (iii) Smaraṇa daśā (stage of remembrance): When one is able to chant in ecstasy, he attains the stage of smaraṇa daśā (stage of remembrance). Recollection, absorption, meditation, constant remembrance and trance are the five items of progressive Krishna smaraṇa. At first, remembrance is uninterrupted; it becomes concentrated and is called meditation. When meditation expands and becomes constant, it is called Anusmriti. By uninterrupted and unceasing Anusmriti one enters the stage of Samadhi, or spiritual trance. (iv) Sampatti-daśā (stage of perfection of life): After smaraṇa daśā or Samadhi has fully developed, the soul comes to understand his original constitutional position. At that time he
can perfectly and clearly understand his eternal relationships with Krishna. That is called sampatti daśā, the perfection of life. Q.7. What are five items of smaraṇa daśā (stage of remembrance)? Ans. Five items of smaraṇa daśā (stage of remembrance) are as follows: (i) Recollection (ii) Absorption (iii) Meditation (iv) Constant remembrance and (v) Trance Q.8. What is meditation? Ans. At first remembrance is interrupted at intervals, but later remembrance proceeds uninterrupted and when it becomes concentrated it is called as meditation. Q.9. What is Anusmriti? Ans. When meditation expands and becomes constant, it is called Anusmriti. Q.10. When one enters at the stage of spiritual trance (Samadhi)? Ans. By uninterrupted and unceasing Anusmriti one enters the stage of Samadhi (stage of spiritual trance). Q.11. How neophytes can develop attachment for Krishna‘s name, fame etc.? Ans. Caitanya-Caritamrta advises those who are neophytes to give up all kinds of motivated desires and simply engage in the regulative devotional service of the Lord according to the directions of scripture. In this way a neophyte can gradually develop attachment for Krishna‘s name, fame, form, qualities and so forth. Q.12. What is devotional service in spontaneous love (raga-bhakti)? Ans. When one has developed attachment for Krishna‘s name, fame, form quality etc., he can spontaneously serve the lotus feet of Krishna even without following the regulative principles. This stage is called raga-bhakti or devotional service in spontaneous love. At this stage the devotee can follow in the footsteps of one of the eternal associates of Krishna in Vrindavana. This is called raganuga-bhakti. Raganuga-bhakti or spontaneous devotional service can be executed in the śānta rasa when one aspires to be like Krishna‘s cows or the stick or flute in the hand of Krishna, or the flowers around Krishna‘s neck. In the dāsa-rasa one follows in the footsteps of servants like Citraka, Patraka or Raktaka. In the friendly sakhya-rasa one can become a friend like Baladeva, Śrīdāmā or Sudāmā. In the vatsalya-rasa, characterized by parental affection, one can become like Nanda Maharaja and Yaśodā, and in the Mādhurya-rasa, characterized by conjugal love, one can become like Srimati Rādhārani or Her lady friends such as Lalita and Her serving maids (mañjarīs) like Rupa and Rati. This is the essence of all instruction in the matter of devotional service. Q.13 “In the transcendental realm of Vraja (Vraja-dhāma) one should serve the Supreme Lord, Sri Krishna, with a feeling similar to that of His associates, and one should place himself under the direct guidance of a particular associate of Krishna and should follow in his footsteps. This method is applicable both in the stage of sadhana (spiritual practices executed while in the stage of bondage) and in the stage of sādhya (God realisation), when one is a siddhapurusha, or a spiritually perfect soul.‖ Explain the different kinds of sadhana. Which one does the above quote refer to? Q.14 The essence of all advice is that one should utilise one‘s full time-twenty four hours a day – in nicely chanting and remembering the Lord‘s diving, transcendental, _______________ and ______________ _________________. Q.15 The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is especially meant for ______________ _______ _________ to be always ____________ ______ _______ ____________. Q.16 ―In the neophyte stage one should always engage in hearing Kṛṣṇa-kathā. This is called ______________-_________, the stage of hearing. Q. 17 What are the two categories of Sadhana bhakti and their characteristics?
Q. 18 What is the relationship between a Raganuga-bhakta and a Ragatmika bhakta? Q. 19 Essay.10: What does the word "Guru" means and what is the function of Guru at different levels of Bhakti-yoga? Text 9-11 Bhava-bhakti and Prema-bhakti / Spiritual Geography This section is more of glorification and less of Upadesa (although it is there indirectly). In Text 8 Śrīla Rūpa Goswami Prabhupāda said, "tisthan vraje", stay in Vraja. But what is Vraja. In Text 9 we find hierarchy of spiritual places. In Text 10 he goes back to association, every type you can get, from the lowest to the HIGHEST! We get hierarchy of spiritual seekers. Finally, Text 11, both hierarchies are combined and we finish with Srimati Rādhārani and Rādhā-kunda, the highest. If you want to swim you go to the tank. If you want to cash Traveller's Checks you go to a Bank. If you want to find Gopīs, and the best of them all, You go to that pond where it's always the best of Spring, Summer and Fall. Text 9 - The Hierarchy of The Material and Spiritual Worlds / Understanding the reality and the glory of the spiritual world with its transcendental hierarchy vaikuṇṭhāj janito varā madhu-purī tatrāpi rāsotsavād vṛndāraṇyam udāra-pāṇi-ramaṇāt tatrāpi govardhanaḥ rādhā-kuṇḍam ihāpi gokula-pateḥ premāmṛtāplāvanāt kuryād asya virājato giri-taṭe sevāṁ vivekī na kaḥ The holy place known as Mathurā is spiritually superior to Vaikuṇṭha, the transcendental world, because the Lord appeared there. Superior to Mathurā-purī is the transcendental forest of Vṛndāvana because of Kṛṣṇa‘s rāsa-līlā pastimes. And superior to the forest of Vṛndāvana is Govardhana Hill, for it was raised by the divine hand of Śrī Kṛṣṇa and was the site of His various loving pastimes. And, above all, the superexcellent Śrī Rādhā-kuṇḍa stands supreme, for it is overflooded with the ambrosial nectarean prema of the Lord of Gokula, Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Where, then, is that intelligent Person who is unwilling to serve this divine Rādhā-kuṇḍa, which is situated at the foot of Govardhana Hill? Connection: In Text 8 Śrīla Rūpa Goswami Prabhupāda said, "tisthan vraje", stay in Vraja. But what is Vraja. In Text 9 we find a geography lesson of Vraja. Text nine describes the hierarchy of the different regions of the Lord's creations with Rādhā kunda as the topmost place. Overview Para 1 – Hierarchy of Glories of Spiritual World Para 2 – The manifestation of Rādhā-kunda and how it is special to Lord Caitanya's followers Explanation
It is just two paragraphs. It's like a little Kṛṣṇa book. Later, later, stay with us, we will take a deeper look. Material world- exploitation Vaikuntha – dedication Mathura – desperation Intimacy increases. Proof of existence of spiritual world? 1. People with high intellects like Ramanuja, Madhva, Jiva Goswami, Baladeva Vidyabhusana speak about it. 2. All great religious traditions speak about it. 3. People have longing for supernatural – so they watch harry potter, etc. Why? It is an indicative that something eternal. 4. Soul‘s existence is easily understood. So where did this soul come from? That points to spiritual world. 5. Our scale of perception is limited and scientists say many parallel universes exist. So they are inaccessible to us. Advancement of science led scientist to know that there is so much to be known. E.g. seeing earth from outer space. So we can at least be open minded. Many particles discovered now, would have been considered fantasy 100 years ago.
6. God has provided for every need – water, fire, food, etc. One important need is knowledge. Would God not provide it? God provides for that by scriptures and scriptures talk about spiritual world. (Para 1 – Hierarchy of Glories of Spiritual World) Material World < Spiritual World < Mathura and adjoining area < Interior Forests of Vrindavana < Govardhana Hill < Rādhā-Kunda. Place Vaikuntha
Glory (1) Transcendental World (2) Three fourths of the total creation (BP: material world is limited, spiritual world is unlimited) (3) Most Exalted Region – superior to material world Mathura and adjoining area (1) Although appearing in material world (CCP: Vaikuntha is inaccessible to us, Mathura is accessible to us, so mercy flows) (2) The Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself appeared here. Interior forests of The presence of the twelve forests (dvādaśa-vana) which are Vṛndāvana famous for the various pastimes of the Lord Govardhana Hill (1) Kṛṣṇa lifted Govardhana Hill like an umbrella (2) Here Kṛṣṇa tends the cows with His cowherd friends (BP: Kṛṣṇa appreciated Govardhana for providing soft grass for His cows) (3) There also He had His rendezvous with His most beloved Śrī Rādhā and engaged in loving pastimes with Her Rādhā Kunda (1) At the foot of Govardhana (2) Advanced devotees prefer to reside (3) It is there that love of Kṛṣṇa overflows. (4) This place is the site of many memories of the eternal loving affairs between Kṛṣṇa and Rādhārāṇī (rativilāsa). (5) Sri Caitanya Mahāprabhu desire to find it. CCP: Is spiritual world infinite? Is spiritual world finite? Is material world infinite? Is material world finite? There are levels of infinity. Basic principle is that spiritual world is far bigger and grander than material world. Vaikuntha – without anxiety. CCP: Hierarchy in spiritual world is in consideration of rasa. From point of tattva everything is perfect is all spiritual world. No one is anxious in any part of Vaikuntha. CCP: Same hierarchy is described by Sanatana Goswami in Brihad Bhagavatamrita – Gopa Kumara story. CCP: One person‘s rasa can‘t be imposed on another. CCP: What does it mean to say that Mathura and Vrindavana are spiritual world? We see so much dirt there. Dhama is revealed according to a person‘s adhikara.
CCP: SBVT says dhāma is covered by yogamaya and covering is removed by endeavours or purification of sadhaka combined by descent of mercy of Lord through devotees. (Para 2 – The manifestation of Rādhā-kunda and how it is special to Lord Caitanya's followers)
BP: Govardhana is shaped as peacock and Rādhā Kunda and Syama Kunda are eyes of pea-cock. CCP: Water of Rādhā Kunda is manifestation of Rādhārani‘s love for Kṛṣṇa and water of Syama Kunda is manifestation of Kṛṣṇa‘s love for Rādhārani. When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu first visited the area of Vraja-bhūmi, He could not at first find the location of Rādhā-kuṇḍa. Finally He found the holy spot, and there was a small pond there.
o HPS: Note that the ―small pond there‖ is not the ―actual Rādhā-kunda‖. Like a sign on a music store is not music. You have to do AUSTERITIES if you want to see more. If you want to have even a glimpse of the real Rādhā-kunda. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī has given much stress to Rādhā-kuṇḍa because of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu‘s desire to find it. Who, then, would give up Rādhā-kuṇḍa and try to reside elsewhere? No person with transcendental intelligence would do so. The importance of Rādhā-kuṇḍa, however, cannot be realized by other Vaiṣṇava sampradāyas. Nor can persons uninterested in the devotional service of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu understand the spiritual importance and divine nature of Rādhā-kuṇḍa. Thus Rādhā-kuṇḍa is mainly worshiped by the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavas. BP: Prabhupāda was given order to print books near Rādhā Kunda only. BP: When BBT devotees who was deep into book distribution, saw manuscript of it, they questioned Prabhupāda whether to print it. Prabhupāda said yes, if devotees know how exalted Vraja is, Rādhā Kunda is, then how much dear that devotee would be who leaves them due to compassion to preach. One devotee was preaching book distribution is best. So in Vrindavana he was asked the tricky question – who is better – an uttama adhikari who is engaged in constant bhajana or a kaniṣṭha adhikari who is engaged in book distribution? He replied of course the kaniṣṭha adhikari who is engaged in book distribution. That‘s wrong answer. How can we not respect a devotee who preaches, else how we‘ll be here? But that doesn‘t mean to deprecate a person who is in deep love with Kṛṣṇa and realized his relation.
Lesson Twelve (Text 9) 1. Describe the hierarchy of the spiritual world. (Text Nine) 2. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī has given much stress to Rādhā-kunda because of Sri Caitanya Mahāprabhu‘s ____________ ______ ____________. 3. Rādhā-kunda is mainly worshipped by ____ ______________ _______________. Text 10 - The Hierarchy of Different Types of Human Beings / The exalted love of Rādhārani karmibhyaḥ parito hareḥ priyatayā vyaktiṁ yayur jñāninas tebhyo jñāna-vimukta-bhakti-paramāḥ premaika-niṣṭhās tataḥ tebhyas tāḥ paśu-pāla-paṅkaja-dṛśas tābhyo 'pi sā rādhikā preṣṭhā tadvad iyaṁ tadīya-sarasī tāṁ nāśrayet kaḥ kṛtī In the śāstra it is said that of all types of fruitive workers, he who is advanced in knowledge of the higher values of life is favored by the Supreme Lord Hari. Out of many such people who are advanced in knowledge [jñānīs], one who is practically liberated by virtue of his knowledge may take to devotional service. He is superior to the others. However, one who has actually attained prema, pure love of Kṛṣṇa, is superior to him. The gopīs are exalted
above all the advanced devotees because they are always totally dependent upon Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the transcendental cowherd boy. Among the gopīs, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī is the dearest to Kṛṣṇa. Her kuṇḍa [lake] is as profoundly dear to Lord Kṛṣṇa as this most beloved of the gopīs. Who, then, will not reside at Rādhā-kuṇḍa and, in a spiritual body surcharged with ecstatic devotional feelings [aprākṛta-bhāva], render loving service to the Divine Couple Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Govinda, who perform Their aṣṭa-kālīya-līlā, Their eternal eightfold daily pastimes. Indeed, those who execute devotional service on the banks of Rādhā-kuṇḍa are the most fortunate people in the universe. Connection: Text ten describes the hierarchy of the different types of human beings within the creation and Rādhā-kunda is the place of residence for the topmost human beings. Overview Para 1 & 2 – Karmis and Vikarmis Para 3 & 4- Jnanis Para 5 – Sadhana Bhakta Para 6 – Prema Bhakta Para 7 – Gopi Bhakti Para 7, 8, 9 – Rādhā Bhakti Explanation
HPS: This is a long one! Eight paragraphs. Basically Śrīla Prabhupāda is just going through the levels of consciousness stated in the Text one-by-one with wonderful detail. Below we have a scrambled list. Can you put them in the proper order? 1. Sadhana bhaktas 2. Srimati Rādhā-rani 3. Vraja bhaktas 4. Vimukti-jñanis 5. Rādhā-kunda 6. Prema bhaktas 7. Jñanis 8. Gopīs 9. Karmis 10. Vikarmis A final feature is that we notice that the Karmis are dear to Kṛṣṇa. Why is that? Are the Vikarmis dear to him also? Vikarmis < Karmis < Jnanis < Sadhaka Bhakta < Prema Bhakta < Gopīs < Srimati Rādhārani Para 1 & 2 – Karmis and Vikarmis CCP: Rūpa Goswami starts from karmis, but Prabhupāda starts from vikarmīs because most people today are like that. CCP: Embrace of mother may seem like restriction for a child who does not know, but it is not restriction it is protection. At the present moment almost everyone is engaged in some kind of fruitive activity. Those who are desirous of gaining material profits by working are called karmīs, or fruitive workers. In this life, or, after executing pious activities, in the next life, some karmīs become strongly attracted to performing various kinds of sacrifices mentioned in the Vedas. Although such persons may be elevated to the heavenly planets by their pious activities and although they may enjoy life there for many thousands of years, they nonetheless must return to this planet when the results of their pious activities are exhausted. On this planet we find many businessmen, politicians and others who are simply interested in material happiness. They attempt to earn money by all means, not considering whether such means are pious or impious. Such people are called karmīs, or gross materialists. Among the karmīs are some vikarmīs, people who act without the guidance of Vedic knowledge. Those who act on the basis of Vedic knowledge perform sacrifices for the satisfaction of Lord Viṣṇu and to receive benedictions from Him. In this way they are elevated to higher planetary systems. Such karmīs are superior to the vikarmīs, for they are faithful to the directions of the Vedas and are certainly dear to Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is so kind that He fulfils the desires of the karmīs and jñānīs, not to speak of the bhaktas. Those who are engaged in impious activities are degraded and take birth as animals, trees and plants. Those fruitive actors who do not care for the Vedic directions (vikarmīs) are not appreciated by learned saintly persons.
The purpose of human life is to get out of the threefold miserable conditions, which are concomitant with material existence. Unfortunately, fruitive workers are mad to earn money and acquire temporary material comforts by all means; therefore they risk being degraded to lower species of life. Thus all their activities simply defeat the purpose of life. (Para 3 & 4- Jnanis) One should therefore be eager to understand the science of the soul (ātma-tattva). Unless one comes to the platform of ātma-tattva, by which one understands that the soul and not the body is oneself, one remains on the platform of ignorance. Out of thousands and even millions of ignorant people who are wasting their time simply gratifying their senses, one may come to the platform of knowledge and understand higher values of life. Such a person is called a jñānī. The jñānī knows that fruitive activities will bind him to material existence and cause him to transmigrate from one kind of body to another. Thus a jñānī is considered superior to a karmī because he at least refrains from the blind activities of sense enjoyment. Although a jñānī may be liberated from the ignorance of the karmīs, unless he comes to the platform of devotional service he is still considered to be in ignorance (avidyā). Although one may be accepted as a jñānī, or one advanced in knowledge, his knowledge is considered impure because he has no information of devotional service and thus neglects the direct worship of the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. (Para 5 – Sadhana Bhakta) When a jñānī takes to devotional service, he rapidly becomes superior to an ordinary jñānī. Such an advanced person is described as jñāna-vimukta-bhaktiparama. Bahunam janmanta….. Such a soul is very rare. (Para 6 – Prema Bhakta) Follows regulative principles When he comes to stage of spontaneous devotional service, he follows in footsteps of great devotees. The Supreme Personality of Godhead then recognizes him to be superior. The devotees who have developed love of Godhead are certainly in an exalted position. (Para 7 – Gopi Bhakti) Of all these devotees, the gopīs are recognized as superior because they do not know anything other than satisfying Kṛṣṇa. Nor do the gopīs expect any return from Kṛṣṇa. Indeed, sometimes Kṛṣṇa puts them into extreme suffering by separating Himself from them. Nonetheless, they cannot forget Kṛṣṇa.
Served Kṛṣṇa in vipralamba bhava. So in that sense they were never separated from Kṛṣṇa. BP: Queens of Kṛṣṇa at least desire palace from Him. This is called sambhandanuga. They cannot enter vraja. (Para 7, 8, 9 – Rādhā Bhakti) Out of all these exalted gopīs, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī is the highest. No one can excel the devotional service of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. Indeed, even Kṛṣṇa cannot understand the attitude of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī Therefore He took Her position and appeared as Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, just to understand Her transcendental feelings. o HPS: Confidential Reason ―Just as Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī is dear to the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa [Viṣṇu], so Her bathing place [Rādhā-kuṇḍa] is equally dear to Kṛṣṇa. Among all the gopīs, She alone stands supreme as the Lord‘s most beloved.‖ o HPS: CC 2.8.99, 1.4.25, Padma Purana 2.18.8 Conclusion: Therefore everyone interested in Kṛṣṇa consciousness should ultimately take shelter of Rādhā-kuṇḍa and execute devotional service there throughout one‘s life. Lesson Twelve (Text 10) 1. What is a jñānī? Why is he considered superior to karmīs? (Text Ten). 2. What is the difference between a karmī and a vikarmi? What are their goals? What are their destinations? (Text Ten) 3. Although the karmīs are sometimes elevated to higher planetary systems, as long as they remain attached to fruitive activities they must ____________ ____ ____________ __________ __________ _______________. 4. Unless one comes to the platform of ______-________, by which one understands that the soul and not the body is oneself, one remains on the platform of _____________. 5. Although one may be accepted as a jnani, or one advanced in knowledge, his knowledge is considered _________ because he has no information of _____________ ____________ and thus neglects the ___________ ___________ of the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. 6. There is no difference between thinking of Kṛṣṇa and _____________ _____ _____. 7. Answer the following questions with reference to the purport to Text 10: a) Why are karmīs considered to be madmen? b) What is the limitation of the jñānī? 8. Basically Śrīla Prabhupāda is just going through the levels of consciousness stated in the Text one-by-one with wonderful detail. Below we have a scrambled list. Can you put them in the proper order? a. Sadhana bhaktas b. Srimati Rādhā-rani
c. Vraja bhaktas d. Vimukti-jñanis e. Rādhā-kunda f. Prema bhaktas g. Jnanis h. Gopīs i. Karmis j. Vikarmis 9. Prabhupāda, Rupa Goswami, say that the Karmis are dear to Kṛṣṇa. Why is that? Are the Vikarmis dear to him also? 10. T/F - The spiritual world comprises 60% of the cosmos and the material world 40%. Text 11 - The Glories of Rādhā-Kunda / How love reigns supreme in Goloka Vrindavana
kṛṣṇasyoccaiḥ praṇaya-vasatiḥ preyasībhyo 'pi rādhā kuṇḍaṁ cāsyā munibhir abhitas tādṛg eva vyadhāyi yat preṣṭhair apy alam asulabhaṁ kiṁ punar bhakti-bhājāṁ tat premedaṁ sakṛd api saraḥ snātur āviṣkaroti Of the many objects of favoured delight and of all the lovable damsels of Vraja-bhūmi, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī is certainly the most treasured object of Kṛṣṇa‘s love. And, in every respect, Her divine kuṇḍa is described by great sages as similarly dear to Him. Undoubtedly Rādhā-kuṇḍa is very rarely attained even by the great devotees; therefore it is even more difficult for ordinary devotees to attain. If one simply bathes once within those holy waters, one‘s pure love of Kṛṣṇa is fully aroused. Connection: Now glorification of both the topmost place – Rādhā Kunda - and topmost person – Srimati Rādhārani. Request for Their combined mercy by serving Rādhā Kunda. Text eleven perfectly illustrates the point that the cultivation of spiritual life is a gradual process. In the same way as one is meant to read the first nine cantos of Srimad-Bhagavatam
before approaching the Tenth Canto, one must assimilate the first ten verses of Nectar of Instruction before approaching Rādhā-kunda. If one fails to do so, one is sure to misunderstand the instructions given herein and ruin one's spiritual life. Overview Para 1 – Why is Rādhā-kuṇḍa so exalted? Para 2 – Who can take shelter, how to take shelter and what is the result of taking shelter?
Explanation
HPS: Simple to understand but rarely achieved. A common question: Monkey/Piggy: We bathed in Rādhā-kunda, but our full love in the mood of the Gopīs didn't develop?! Please explain this. As we understand it's the same point that we made in Text 9. We have to bathe once in the transcendental Rādhā-kunda, the sand on the shore of which is made of diamonds, etc. But still it's so important to go there and even get a chance to see the sign on the music store and if you are lucky one drop of water from the Gopi's and Kṛṣṇa‘s water sports will escape and hit you and you will feel emotions so intense for one moment that you will want to feel them again and again, real love. CCP: How to understand exalted glories of spiritual life? Through service. SBSST: If someone performs sinful activities at Rādhā Kunda, then the same Rādhā Kunda will become Naraka Kunda and take them to Naraka. Worst are people who stay at Rādhā Kunda, perform immoral acts and pretend as being holy.
It has actually happened in our sampradāya. Some people think the pastimes of Rādhā Kṛṣṇa are to be enacted by us. Upanisads – separate spirit and matter and concentrate of spirit. Bhakti way is to use material in service of spirit. Danger: some matters can‘t be used in service, they entangle. Deity worship – right hand tantra – auspicious. Another tradition is tantra – left hand tantra – inauspicious. Use any matter in Kṛṣṇa‘s service. Rejected by Vaiṣṇava ācāryas. Whole creation is a dance of Siva and Sakti. By union of Siva and Sakti spiritualization comes. Siva and Sakti are entering into us and we unite, so Siva and Sakti are pleased. Such ideas came into Vaiṣṇavas too. People thought Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa are coming into us and by are union They would be pleased. Worship of Rādhā Kṛṣṇa has tremendous potency, but requires high purity. (Para 1 – Why is Rādhā-kuṇḍa so exalted?) The lake is so exalted because it belongs to Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, who is the most beloved object of Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Indeed, Kṛṣṇa‘s love for Rādhā-kuṇḍa and Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī is the same in all respects. Rādhā-kuṇḍa is very rarely attained, even by great personalities fully engaged in devotional service, not to speak of ordinary devotees who are only engaged in the practice of vaidhī bhakti. (Para 2 – Who can take shelter, how to take shelter and what is the result of taking shelter?) BACE: There is Rādhā Kunda only in this kali-yuga. In other kali yuga the highest attainment would be Vaikuntha – finish at text 8. A devotee will at once develop pure love of Kṛṣṇa in the wake of the gopīs if he once takes a bath in Rādhā-kuṇḍa. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī recommends that even if one cannot live permanently on the banks of Rādhā-kuṇḍa, he should at least take a bath in the lake as many times as possible. This is a most important item in the execution of devotional service. Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura writes in this connection that Śrī Rādhā-kuṇḍa is the most select place for those interested in advancing their devotional service in the wake of the lady friends (sakhīs) and confidential serving maids (mañjarīs) of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. o BP: This is called Gopi Bhava. Living entities who are eager to return home to the transcendental kingdom of God, Goloka Vṛndāvana, by means of attaining their spiritual bodies (siddha-deha) should live at Rādhā-kuṇḍa, take shelter of the confidential serving maids of Śrī Rādhā and under their direction engage constantly in Her service. o BP: This is the meaning of living at Rādhā Kunda. This is the most exalted method for those engaged in devotional service under the protection of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. In this connection Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura writes that even great sages and great devotees like Nārada and Sanaka do not get an opportunity to come to Rādhā-kuṇḍa to take their baths. What, then, to speak of ordinary devotees? It is also recommended that one should live on the banks of Rādhā-kuṇḍa and should be absorbed in the loving service of the Lord. o One should bathe there regularly and give up all material conceptions, taking shelter of Śrī Rādhā and Her assistant gopīs. If one is thus constantly engaged during his lifetime, after giving up the body he will return back to Godhead to serve Śrī Rādhā in the same way as he contemplated during his life on the banks of Rādhā-kuṇḍa.
Conclusion: To live on the banks of the Rādhā-kuṇḍa and to bathe there daily constitute the highest perfection of devotional service. BP: There was a bulletin for a month when Prabhupāda said devotees should not bathe in Rādhā Kunda. Reason: Earlier when he gave permission devotees bathe and frolicked as if they were in a swimming pool. So he withdrew the permission. So we have to be in proper consciousness. Many spiritual masters don‘t bathe, but at least we should take a lota and put on head, making sure water don‘t touch our feet. Of course many bathe with lot of awe, reverence and affection. CCP: I‘ll go and bath, will it give love of God? When scriptures say something it has potency, but many factors apply. Is killing bad? Depends on circumstances. There are many laws. Why Rūpa Goswami talks about bathing in 11th verse. If this was all, he shouldn‘t have to write the whole Upadesamrita, he could have just written in 11 verses bath is Rādhā Kunda. No there is a process to be followed as given in 11 verses. These promises are not exaggeration, but we cannot use them as bargaining chips – ―I bathed in Rādhā Kunda, now I should get pure devotion.‖ CCP: When Kṛṣṇa performs pastimes, it is not due to some incompleteness, but to relish the completeness by sharing that completeness. E.g. dancing is not to get some happiness, but it is due to happiness. Gopīs are called para kaya vyuh, means they are expansions of Rādhārani. Love of Rādhārani is greater than that of Rukmini, Sita Mata, etc. because it is parakiya. In svakiya there is adhikara, but it is not so with parakiya. When love has difficulty, it has more excitement, sweet, etc. There is nothing immoral in Their relationship, because They are eternally one, but for the sake of drama to heighten the excitement, They act as not married. We have to give up both good and bad for the sake of God, it shows purity of love. We have to rise from level of good to Godly. One has to transcend morality for the sake of devotion. Sarva dharman parityajya – we have to give up both good and bad. Q. 1 What do you think love for Kṛṣṇa at Rādhā kunda is like? Q.2 Why is Rādhā kunda our ultimate destination? Q. 3 Discuss, in your own words, the importance of Rādhā-kunda for the Gaudiya Vaiṣṇavas What is Śrīla Prabhupāda‘s attitude towards bathing and residing at Rādhā-kunda? Give reference to Sri Upadesamrita texts 9-11, verses and purports, and Prabhupāda‘s lectures on the topic, in your response. (Open Book) Now we go to Isopanisad Text 12.
Summary of Themes Nectar of Instruction 1 – Mind and Sense Control Key NOI Verses/Passages: References, other books: Related themes: ____________________________________________________ Nectar of Instruction 2 – Attitude Key NOI Verses/Passages: References, other books:
Related themes:
Nectar of Instruction 3 – ISKCON‘s Purpose Key NOI Verses/Passages: References, other books: Related themes:
Nectar of Instruction 4 – Guru and Disciple Key NOI Verses/Passages References other books: Related Themes: ___________________________________________________________ Nectar of Instruction 5 – Sadhu-sanga Key NOI Verses/Passages: References, other books: Related themes: ____________________________________________________ Nectar of Instruction 6 – Devotees Key NOI Verses/Passages: References, other books: Related themes: Nectar of Instruction 7 – Bhakti Key NOI Verses/Passages: References, other books: Related themes:
Selected Analogies from Sri Upadesamrita TEXT 1 The elephant may take a very nice bath in the river, but as soon as it comes onto the bank, it throws dirt all over its body. What, then, is the value of its bathing? Similarly, many spiritual
practitioners chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra and at the same time commit many forbidden things, thinking that their chanting will counteract their offenses. TEXT 3 A newly married girl naturally expects offspring from her husband, but she cannot expect to have them immediately after marriage. Of course, as soon as she is married she can attempt to get a child, but she must surrender to her husband, confident that her child will develop and be born in due time. Similarly, in devotional service surrender means that one has to become confident. TEXT 6 One should overlook a devotee's having a body born in a low family, a body with a bad complexion, a deformed body, or a diseased or infirm body…. It is exactly like the waters of the Ganges, which sometimes during the rainy season are full of bubbles, foam and mud. The Ganges waters do not become polluted. A mad elephant can create a disaster, especially when it enters into a nicely trimmed garden. One should therefore be very careful not to commit any offense against a Vaisnava. TEXT 7 A diseased person suffering from jaundice does not relish the taste of sugar candy. However, one must know that for jaundice, sugar candy is the only specific medicine. Similarly, in the present confused state of humanity, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the chanting of the holy name of the Lord—Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Answers to Fill in the Blanks
