There is a story about a person, a great scholar. He approached Mahadev at Benares, and started to worship him. He was fasting, and begging for Mahadeva’s blessings.
Finally, Mahadeva asked him, “What do you want?”
“Sir, I am suffering. Please remove my suffering.”
“Yes, I can do it for you. But you have to go to Vrindavana, where you will have to meet a mahatma, a great soul. This mahatma has got a touchstone. You should tell him, that I am ordering him to give this touchstone to you. In this way, all your troubles and suffering will be removed.”
So the scholar thought, “Oh, this touchstone will definitely give me millions of rupees, so I can attain happiness.”
He went then to Vrindavana, and requested of the saint, “Sir, have you the gem which Mahadeva spoke of? He instructed me to come here and beg it from you. It is his order that you give it to me. Can you accept this directive?”
The sadhu answered, “Yes, the gem is here, but I don´t remember where it is.”
The scholar became very unhappy and he thought, “I am so unfortunate. Though my Lord Siva gave me the gem, I am not fortunate enough to have it in my hand. What shall I do?” He sat silently then for a couple of hours, then decided, “I am unfortunate so I will leave.”
When he was going away, Sanatana Gosvami came out and told him, “You go this direction, and after 10km there is one tree. If you dig six inches on the east side of the tree you will find the gem there.”
The scholar went to the tree, dug as instructed, and found the gem- dazzling like the sun. He made a test with the stone. He touched a piece of iron with the stone and it immediately turned into gold.
“Oh, Mahadeva´s boon is real. Now I will not suffer anymore.”
So he carefully wrapped the stone into his dhoti, and started to walk to his village. On the way he thought, “This gem is such a valuable item. The saint who owned it has no cottage or even clothes. He is dressed only in kaupina. He doesn´t even have a glass for water. He is suffering, though he was the master of this gem. Why does he need to suffer cold wind, cold seasons, without even a carpet or blanket? Is he really so ignorant? Why should he suffer when he is the owner of such a valuable gem?”
Then he decided that, “No, there must be a more valuable thing in his possession that is making him forget this touchstone. This sadhu is more happy with that what he has, so why should he care about this material gem?”
Then the scholar returned to the sadhu who had instructed him, approached him, and asked, “Sir, you gave me such a valuable gem, but you don´t have a cottage or hut, nothing. You just sit under a tree, though you possessed a gem that would allow you to construct magnificent building. Why do you give away such a lucky gem? Even when I asked you where it was, at first you couldn´t remember. Finally you told me that it had been thrown under a tree, as if it was an ordinary stone. From this I have come to understand that you must possess something even more valuable. Mahadeva never deceives, neither do you. Therefore, sir, I am asking you to give to me that which you have, which makes you disregard the touchstone.”
Sanatana Gosvami said, “Do you really want that wealth? Then throw that touchstone you have into the Yamuna.”
The scholar did this immediately, and Sanatana Gosvami said to him,
laksavrtesu surabhir abhipalayantam
laksmi-sahasra-sata-sambhrama-sevyamanam
govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami
“I worship Govinda, the primary Lord, the first progenitor who is tending the cows, yielding all desire, in abodes built with spiritual gems, surrounded by millions of desire trees, always served with great reverence and affection by hundreds of thousands of Lakshmis, or gopis.” (Brahma Samhita 5.29)
In this way, Sanatana Gosvami initiated the scholar into worship of Krishna. When the pandit started to serve Krishna, all his desires for material enjoyment and happiness evaporated.
“Now I am free from worldly bondage. By your grace I am free, because I can reach my Lord, Krishna.”
There is nothing superior to Lord Krishna, and nothing superior to the blessings of Lord Krishna. No one can have these blessings, except for those who unconditionally surrender to the Lord. If one surrenders, the Lord will destroy all his suffering and give him real enjoyment of every moment of his existence.
je chayaya jagat judaya
hena nitai vine bhai, radha-krsna paite nai,
drdha kari’ dhara nitaiyera paya (1)
The lotus feet of Lord Nityananda are the shelter and are cooling like the shinning of million of moons. If one actually wants relief from the struggle of wordly existence, he should accept the shelter of the Lotus feet, otherwise it will be difficult to approach Radha-Krisna. So hold on very tightly to His lotus feet.
sei pasu bada duracara
nitai na balila mukhe, majila samsara sukhe,
vidyakule ki karibe tara (2)
Anyone not building up a relationship with Nityananda Prabhu spoils his human birth. Life is simply spolied in animal propensities of sense gratification. He does not utter the name of Lord Nityananda and therefore absorbed in material enjoyment. What is the use of academic education and birth in high family if one does not utter the names of Lord Nityananda
asatyere satya kari’ mani
nitaiyera karuna habe, vraje radha-krsna pabe,
dhara nitaiyera carana du ’khani (3)
They have become maddened by false concept of bodily life and thus have forgotten their eternal relationship with Nityananda Prabhu. They also accept this unreal body as real. But when Nityananda Prabhu is merciful towards them, they become able to approach Radha-Krsna in Vraja. Therefore, one should hold on the lotus feet of Lord Nityananda firmly.
nitai-pada sada kara asa
narottama bada duhkhi, nitai more kara sukhi,
rakha ranga-caranera pasa (4)
The lotus feet of Sri Nityananda are not illusion; they are a fact. One who engages himself in His service achieves the divine position. Therefore always hope and pray for His lotus feet. Narottama, the author says that he is unhappy and prays to make him happy by keeping him in the corner of the reddish lotus feet of Sri Nityananda.
From 2nd to 7th and from 12th to 14th of February 2012 visits our temple Sripad Bhakti Saran Damodar Maharaja. All of you are heartily invited to morning and evening programs.
Bhakti Saran Damodar Maharaja comes from Kerala, he lived and traveled with his parents to Malaysia as well as UK where he studied, after serving several years in ISKCON he then took shelter from Srila Promod Puri Maharaj who gave him tridandi Sanyas since then he has been mainly staying in Vrindavan, Mayapur and sometimes preaching in Malaysia. He is fluent in English, as well as Bengali and Sanskrit.
Laulya means weakness of the heart, or weakness of our promise, towards the object of our life. Whatever I find, I engage myself in that. Everything is attracting my attention. We are busy with small petty things that are drawing our attention, and we avoid the real problems of life. We are busy with irrelevant things:
vayo mandayusas ca vai
nidraya hriyate naktam
diva ca vyartha-karmabhih
Lazy people with little intelligence and a short lifespan pass their nights sleeping and their day performing useless activities. (Bhag. 1.16.9)
We find hundreds of things and if anything and everything comes to capture my attention – that is laulya. We must save ourselves from that nature. There is no end to engaging our senses. All the senses are busily engaged. There are a thousand engagements and mostly those engagements are those that do not know the real necessity of the self. One who does not know his home, travels in a foreign land satisfying his curiosity by working endlessly. That is to be found in the world.Apasyatam atma-tattvam – this is important. One who has a normal understanding accepts this, not the majority of abnormal thinkers. It is srota-panthathe revealed truth. That must come from the perfect realm, from God Himself. Here is established the indispensable necessity of srota-pantha, the method of revelation. It must come from the perfect realm, from sarvajna, the quarter of omniscience. In those that are unconscious of their own real interest we find thousands of engagements. They are very busy, but very busy about nothing.
nrnam santi sahasrasah
apasyatam atma-tattvam
grhesu grha-medhinam
(Sukadeva Gosvami tells to king Pariksit) O emperor, those materialistic householders who are bound to their mundane possessions are blind to the knowledge of the self. They are busily engaged in hearing hundreds of thousands of topics within human society. (Bhag. 2.1.2)
vyavayena ca va vayah
diva carthehaya rajan
kutumba-bharanena va
Such people spend their nights engaged in sleep or in sex, while their days are spent collecting money or maintaining their families. (Bhag. 2.1.3)
What do we see if we look around? Two things – nidraya, sleep, or vyavayena, playing with women. Night passes in these two ways. In the daytime, they are in search of money or serving their near relatives. We tend to associate with those that we can exploit, those that supply our sense pleasure. We are surrounded by them.
atma-sanyesu asatsv api
tesam pramatto nidhanam
pasyann api na pasyati
The material body, wife, children and everything in relation to them are like fallible soldiers and those that are overly attached to them, despite their experience, do not see their own imminent destruction. (Bhag. 2.1.4)
We are fully engrossed in the interests of family life for our own sense pleasure. We are so engaged in that sort of false duty that we do not have the leisure to see that our own death is drawing nearer to us. Seeing, but also not seeing. It is a plain thing. I see that everyone is going into the jaws of death, but still I cannot see. I don’t care to see. This is the peculiar position we hold now. The final danger is approaching and I am sleeping through that. I don’t care to take notice of that. What can be stranger than this? Only our particular attention is necessary for the solution. Only a moment is enough. So many trees and mountains and hills are living for years and years, age after age – no benefit. It is not a question of longevity or a question of time. What is necessary is that I turn my attention towards my own self – What am I? Our attention should be drawn to our own real interest.
srimate bhakti-vaibhava puri gosvamiti namine
My devotional obeisances at the lotos feet of Om Visnupada Paramahamsa Parivrajakacarja-varja 108 Sri Srimad Bhakti Vaibhava Puri Gosvami Maharaja, who has descended on this earth as highest devotee of Sri Krsna.
krsna-sakti-svarupaya sri bhakti pradaine namah
You are the propagator of the divine message of Sriman Gauranga Mahaprabhu, living emblem of His firm determination and incarnation of Sri Krisna´s divine energy and distibutor of the nectar of devotion.
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despite of many and many attractions from this world
is truthfull and honest in his heart.
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All glories to Sri Guru and Sri Gauranga!
Dear Devotees,
We would like to invite you to the 99th anniversary of the appearance of our beloved Gurudeva Nitya-lila pravista Om Visnupada Paramahamsa 108 Sri Srimad Bhakti Vaibhava Puri Gosvami Maharaja.
The celebration will take place on January 14th, 2012 in Sri Sri Radha Govinda Gaudiya Math, Vienna.
Morning program:
4:30 Mangala arati, Tulasi parikrama,
5:00 Bhajan, japa
7:45 Shringara arati, bhajan, lecture
Main program:
11:30 Bhoga arati
12:00 Gurupuja, afterward opportunity glorifying Srila Gurudeva by own words for all present.
cca 13:00 Prasadam
Evening program:
19:00 Sandhja arati,
19:20 Tulasi parikrama,
19:30 Bhajan, lekce
20:30 Shajan arati, prasadam
Your servants from Sri Sri Radha Govinda Gaudiya Math, Vienna
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na medhaya na bahuna srutena
yam evaisa vrnute tena labhyas
tasyaisa atma vivrnute tanum svam
The atma (soul) cannot be understood through argument because it has no end. One person says “yes”, and another person says “no”. There is always contradiction, fights, and conflicts and of these things there will be no end (tarka pratishtanam), because there is no end to logic. Through logic we are not able to understand paramatma (Supersoul). Na medhaya, we also cannot understand Him through intellectual pursuits like applied linguists or studies in Eastern and Western philosophy. No!
Then who can understand? One who surrenders. One who feels that his own knowledge, mind, mental efforts, empiric knowledge, and ascending actions do not allow him to understand this. One who realizes that I can understand Him only through His blessings.
There are two paths, one is ascending and the other is descending: aroha vada and avaroha vada.
If I surrender to Him, then He will bless me. And through His blessings I can understand. No other way!
Suppose that unfortunately you were to fall into a well. How could you come out? You would need help from outside. Somebody must give you a rope, or a ladder, and help you to come out. Without the help from the outsider you cannot come out. Through your own efforts you cannot come out. Alone, you may come up to a certain point, but again you will fall down. If there is help from the outside then you will definitely go out. Two things are necessary: the help from outside, and your acceptance of the help. Receive it and accept it.
You have to receive this help, the truth, as explained in our revealed scriptures.
pariprasnena sevaya
upadeksyanti te jnanam
jnaninas tattva-darsinah
You have to surrender to your spiritual master. Then you have to clear your doubts. Ask your questions then, but only for the purpose of service, not for the sake of argument. If you serve, satisfy and please Guru, then he can help you with all your questions.
If you are not approaching Guru in this submissive mood you cannot benefit. You will hear but not understand, you will accept but not follow. By the blessings of the spiritual master, yasya prasadad bhagavat prasado, you can understand the topic and follow it.
If we surrender to the person that knows tattva, the truth, and knows this subject perfectly well he will explain to us how to practice, how to clear our doubts, how to proceed on the path, mahajano yena gantha sa pantha. He will tell you, “This is not my discovery. This is the path that my ancestors have followed. If you also follow this you will be happy.”
From childhood on, his life was a glowing example of determination to serve the Holy Names and to preach their glories. He was never able to tolerate the arrogance of those who followed the path of meditation on one’s own spiritual form while showing indifference to the Holy Name. Nor was he able to accept those who made an artificial effort to follow the path of raganuga bhakti while ignoring Mahaprabhu’s instructions in the Siksastaka and those of Rupa Goswami in the Upadesamrta. After establishing in us the proper foundation, he then conceded to advise us to maintain our effort to attain the supreme goal of life—love for Sri Krishna in the elevated, effulgent sweet mood of Vraja distributed by Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. He gave most prece¬dence to Mahaprabhu’s command, “In this age of Kali, the chanting of the Holy Names is the only means (nama-sankirtana kalau parama upaya).”
Srila Prabhupada was adorned by the four qualities mentioned in the Siksastaka’s (trnad api) verse, and with these qualities he propagated the glories of the Holy Name. He constantly warned us, his disciples, that we should not try to steal from the storehouse of religious experience and also that false renunciation is inimical to spiritual advancement. Srila Prabhupada recommended appropriate renunciation or yukta-viragya.
chāďiyāche jāre se to vaişņava
sei anāsakta sei śuddha bhakta
samsāra tathāya pāya parābhava
A Vaishnava is one who has abandoned the tigress of desire for gold, women and worldly prestige. He is truly detached and thus a pure devotee. In him, the bondage of samsara is overcome.
Prabhupada considered material prestige to be detestable, comparing it to hog stool. He never sanctioned the impersonalist philosophy or devotion adulterated by jnana, yoga or karma, as these are in opposition to pure bhakti. He showed indomitable enthusiasm for preaching the Holy Name and Mahaprabhu’s religion of love, from the oceans to the Himalaya Mountains and beyond. As a result, the fires of the sacrifice of the Holy Name were ignited and the victory flag of the Holy Name now waves in almost every corner of the world. So many thoughtful persons from the western countries have been fortunate to accept the spiritual ways of India.
Srila Prabhupada taught that every single living being is eligible to engage in the worship of the Lord. Everywhere he went, he loudly proclaimed that there is no consideration of ethnic background or race in devotional service. The essence of Srila Prabhupada’s teachings is to sincerely take shelter of the genuine guru and make all efforts to engage in devotional service in the association of pure devotees. I myself heard Srila Prabhupada say to his disciples in regards to world peace that, “Genuine peace will never be established in this world without practicing and preaching the religion of love taught by Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.”
When speaking about society's duty to educate its children, Prabhupada repeated the teachings of the great soul Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur,
tomāra bhajane bādhā
moha janamiyā anitya samsāre
jīvake karaye gādhā
“Material knowledge is the great power of the illusory energy and an impediment to pure devotional service. It creates an illusory attachment to samsara and turns a human being into an ass.”
We should therefore take shelter of the Holy Name, for transcendental knowledge (para vidya), the opposite of material knowledge, follows the Holy Name like a faithful wife. These are the words used by Mahaprabhu—vidya-vadhu-jivanam. In view of this, there is no need to attain any knowledge other than that which helps preach the glories of the Holy Name. We will never be able to remove the hatred, envy and enmity that exists between living beings unless we stop the use of human talents, science, arts, culture, commerce, ethics and religion as means for achieving sense gratification rather than for the highest goal of life. It is out of respect for his acheivements in this domain that the pure devotee must be given the highest seat of honor in human society.
May we follow the path established by Sri Vyasadeva and Sukadeva with all our being! Then only will we be able to achieve our true goal. If we disregard the scriptures that are based on the realizations of the great devotional authorities, the false and deceptive paths that we accept will lead us to take up all sorts of improper activities in the name of religion. Prabhupada would therefore say:
bhagavata kahe tāhā paripūrņa chale
“So many things on earth are promoted in the name of religion, but the Bhagavatam says that they are nothing more than deception.”
We pray that Srila Prabhupada’s message of auspiciousness will be spread throughout the world. This will destroy the atheism that is so destructive to our planet and establish a genuine theism for the benefit of all humanity. This will bring peace and auspiciousness to all.
Aspiring for the lotus feet of Srila Prabhupada, Servant of the servant,
Sri Bhakti Promode Puri
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Ignorance is not accidental, it is earned by our previous action – man is the architect of his own fortune. The bad weather I am meeting with at present has been earned by myself. Don’t complain against the environment. Utilise it as best you can and try to see the Grace of the Absolute therein. The anomaly I am facing at this present time is the product of my own action, no-one else is to blame. Not only is that true; but from another viewpoint it can also be seen that the Grace of the Lord is always present everywhere – eager to help me – coming in the guise of an apparently unfavourable environment according to the vision of my present experience. That is the necessary medicine for my disease, the medicine to cure my madness. It is like medicine dispensed by the Lord. He is everywhere with His sympathetic hand extended to us in the circumstances of most intense danger. To have this attitude is to have the key, the solution that solves our unfavourable circumstances, our unfavourable position.
The Lord is not vindictive, He does not want to punish us. Punishment has come only to teach us. The punishment is there but coming from the affectionate hand to teach us, to improve us, to help us. We have to see all dangers like that.
So set yourself right – not others – and real peace you will find. And never try to enjoy the result of your actions. This is the key to a successful life, and happiness will flow from that. You will find the Infinite is your Friend.
Everything is a part and parcel of the Original, therefore God is manifested in everything. And it is not that we can sacrifice or negate everything and only God remains, otherwise why we are here? Our individuality and existence is real. So both sides must have some recognition. Harmony between them is truth proper. This is the conception of Mahaprabhu. There is polarity and also there is unity and harmony, and that is all-important. Dislocation is unhealthy. Proper adjustment is necessary. Maya (misconception) means dislocation. Provincial, local interests are clashing with each other as well as with the Absolute. But proper adjustment comes through achieving understanding of the Absolute. Such understanding brings true harmony. All these things should be discussed and understood.
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How do materialists and spiritualists see things differently?
Spiritual topics may often sound unpleasing, whereas discussions of sense gratification are always pleasing.
The audience often wants a speaker to speak about what they like to hear, whereas a transcendentalist will want
to hear impartial truth even if the message sounds bitter.
Materialists busily search out their own happiness, whereas transcendentalists eagerly seek Krsna's happiness.
Materialists do not follow Sri Vyasadeva, whereas transcendentalists follow the path traversed by the mahajanas.
Transcendentalists want to follow the path shown by the great personalities; they follow the descending path of
Vedic knowledge, whereas materialists follow the unauthorized, concocted, ascending path.
(Public program: Zagreb, Croatia. May 18, 2003)
How to attain devotional love? What is the meaning of love? Ordinarily we know that in this world, love is only for self-entertainment. We love only for self-satisfaction. However, regarding love for the Supreme Godhead, we must dedicate ourselves first through surrender. We must dedicate ourselves to the Lord.
We have to dedicate ourselves to the person we received instruction from, our spiritual master, and we have to strictly follow his instructions. We must follow the path of Gauranga, Krishna Chaitanya. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is teaching us how to understand the reality and truth about Godhead.
What is God and what can He do? And who is eligible to know Him? These are questions that need to be solved.
What is truth? Truth is truth. Truth has no future, and no past. Truth is only in the present. The three tenses aren´t present in truth, only the present; always the present. The present has no future, it is eternal. Everything else you see that´s not the truth is material and transitory, existing only for a moment. Our bodies are born, and then grow up to be six or seven feet high. Our weight also increases. Then gradually we decay, and eventually will perish. However, this is not what anyone wants to believe. Our motto is: I want to be eternal.
There is a Creator, which has created the whole universe. It´s under His guidelines that we are able to sit here and talk. Well, who is that? He is the Truth. He is the most powerful One and cannot be understood by our puppy brains. Our knowledge is limited knowledge. Like our mental, intellectual and physical strengths, which are also limited.
Our ability to know Truth is limited by the capacity of our senses. We cannot understand the truth unless we have unconditionally surrendered.
In the Bhagavat-Gita (18.66), it is written:
aham tvam sarva-papebhyo moksayisyami ma sucah
If you are surrendered without any aims or desires, and if you follow the path given to you, then the Lord will reveal Himself. When the Truth is revealed to you, then you can understand what Truth is. The revelation of the Lord requires our submission. What is submission?
My body, mind, physical and intellectual strength are not capable of knowing the truth. If we want to know the truth, then we should surrender. Dedicate ourselves. This body, and all its organs, is not mine; and I am not this body. To whom does this body and its organs belong? They are created, and that creation has a beginning and an end. Kaumaram yauvanam jara (BG 2.13). A young boy becomes old, gradually decays, and then leaves this world. This is the situation of the world we live in. So we cannot declare that we are permanent, eternal. We are under the will of the Supreme Power, and only through submission is Truth revealed.
Caitanya Mahaprabhu says that in Kali-yuga, "Harer nama, harer nama, harer namaiva kevalam, kalau nasty eva nasty eva nasty eva gatir anyatha," the only way to know the Truth is to repeat the Divine Name.
Why is it called the Divine Name? The divinity that you find in the Name is eternal. There is no difference between the sound and the Person, they are One. If you constantly repeat the Divine Name, then the moment will come when everything will be revealed to you. The sound will reveal the Truth to you, as a Person. You will receive His darshan.
When you discover the Divinity, you find that there is no difference between the sound and the Person.
If you think very deeply, you can understand Truth. Wait and see. Follow the instructions in the scriptures and of the people who are practicing, the sadhus, and you will realize the Truth. Only with surrender will the Lord reveal Himself.
“Oh Lord! Oh Lord! I am blind, I am helpless. I have ears but I cannot hear, and I have eyes but I cannot see. Your blessings are required.” When you surrender, then the Lord will bless you, and you will know the Truth.
We should not be disappointed by the happenings of the world and give up our bhajana. This world is the place of turmoil and disturbances caused by the illusory energy of Supreme Lord Sri Krishna. Only a completely surrendered soul can surmount the ocean of births and deaths – threefold afflictions. We are to practice six-fold saranagati which is the basis of devotional life. Without saranagati, there cannot be bhakti.
We should not be perturbed by mundane worldly loss and gain. We should be very careful about the eternal benefit of the eternal self which will go with us.
Whatever is done by the Will of Supreme Lord Sri Krishna Who is All-Good, is for the eternal benefit of all. Jivas reap the fruits of their own karma. Nobody is to be blamed for this. We should not be perturbed under any circumstance and give up bhajana in our short duration of stay in this transitory world. A completely surrendered soul is always protected and maintained by Sri Krishna. There is no cause of anxiety to him. He remains calm under all circumstances. We are controlled by Absolute-Will. We cannot do anything against His Will. Whether we shall lead an ascetic life or household life depends upon His Will. If He wishes anything, nobody can obstruct it.
We cannot see adjustment and cannot find solution by our own capacity. Total unconditional submission is the only way of solving problems. Jivas commit offence at the Lotus Feet of Sri Krishna, when they, being eternal servants of Sri Krishna, become averse to Sri Krishna. As long as jivas will not remove this offence, there will be no practical solution. Maya will surely envelop them and there will be desire for enjoyment which will hurl them down to hell – intense suffering.
The root cause of the disease is to be eradicated, otherwise undesirable symptoms will crop up.
Hence, the root cause of all troubles, repugnance to Sri Krishna, is to be removed. We are averse to Sri Krishna from time immemorial. This averseness cannot be removed all of a sudden. It may require thousands of births or one birth. Even Ambarish Maharaja, the great devotee, could conquer all material desires gradually. Nothing can be achieved all of a sudden.
Sadhya – ultimate blissful spiritual existence – cannot be attained without sadhana. Association of bona fide real sadhus is essential for spiritual enhancement.
Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha, 15 th October 2011, Sri Govardhan.
mrtam idam uditam sri-radhika-vaktra-candrat
vraja-nava-tilakatve klpta! vedaih sphutam me
nija-nikata-nivasam dehi govardhana tvam (8)
O Govardahan! King of mountains! Because the nectar of your name as Hari's best servant emaneted from Srimati Radharani's pearl-like mouth, which was revealed by Vedic scriptures like Srimad Bhagavatam (10.21.18), you are called the new tilak of Vraja. Please allow me to live close by you.
(Srila Raghunatha Dasa Gosvami - Sri Govardahana-vasa-prarthana-dasakam)
e dāse karunā kari’
diyā pada-chāyā, śodha he āmāre,
tomāra carana dhari (1)
O venerable Vaisnava. O ocean of mercy, be merciful unto your servant. Give me the shade of your lotus feet and purify me. I hold on to your lotus fee
chaya guna deha’ dāse
chaya sat-sanga, deha’ he āmāre,
bosechi sangera āśe (2)
Teach me to control my six passions; rectify my six faults, bestow upon me the six qualities, and offer unto me the six kinds of holy association.*
The six passions are those pertaining to words, the mind, anger, the tongue, the stomach and the genitals. The six faults are overeating, attachment to material things, inability to follow regulative principles, sense gratification, useless idle talk, and impure habits. The six positive qualities are enthusiasm in practicing devotional service, firm faith in devotional processes, a strong desire to attain prema-bhakti, a favorable service attitude, avoidance of non-devotees, and appreciation of the company of devotees. The six methods of association are to go to an assembly of devotees, to invite devotees into one's home, to discuss and hear devotional topics, to take the maha-prasada of devotees and to offer maha-prasada to devotees.
harināma-sankīrtane
tumi krpā kari’, śraddhā-bindu diyā,
deha’ krsna-nāma-dhane (3)
I do not find the strength to carry on alone the sankirtana of the holy name of Hari. Please bless me by giving me just one drop of faith with which to obtain the great treasure of the holy name of Krsna.
tomāra śakati āche
āmi ta’ kāngāla, ‘krsna krsna’ bali’,
dhai tava pāche pāche (4)
Krsna is yours. You have the power to give Him to me. I am simply your servant running behind you shouting, "Krsna! Krsna!"
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Real progress towards the Infinite gives the idea that, "I am nothing, I am in great danger." Progress towards the Infinite is like that. Thinking, "I have it, I am above," – this is a foolish feeling, a foolish statement. The very nature of advancement is that, "I am low, I am undone, I am the most helpless." The closer we are, the further away we will feel, whereas the further away we actually are from divinity, we may complacently feel we are close. As much as we come into the relativity of the Infinite, we cannot but conceive ourselves to be the lowest of the low. That is the criteria.
The very sign of real progress will show I am nothing, I am the most needy, the most wretched and the most helpless. The negative aspect must be improved to attract the positive. If one point of the negative will say, "I am positive", then immediately it will be rejected, you are under the false control of maya. Rather to think, "I am the meanest of the mean," that will attract the attention of the high. This is the science of devotion proper.
Mahaprabhu was in samadhi, falling in the sea, experiencing kurma-rupa in Jagannatha Puri, and coming back to His senses. Then He related a description of His experience in samadhi, all pertai- ning to this madhurya-rasa. In Caitanya-caritamrta He relates, when He is coming out of His swoon, "I went there, I saw all these things, but you have taken Me from there." Pujala raga-patha. We should be mindful of every step and automatically that will take us there. Don’t try to go too quickly. Try to keep back and it will forcibly take you there. Your acceptance will come from the higher quarter, not by your endeavour.
In His deep trance, He had experience of that vraja-lila, He expressed that. And these Sahajiyas are trying to imitate these things. They are imitating – by their imagination, by their mundane mind and with their imagination they think they are going to get a touch of that lila.
Even some ordinary mundane scholar said that this krsna-lila is aprakrta. We can trace it from the descriptions of the Caitanya-Caritamrta. Kaviraj Gosvami had described the lila of Krsna, even jala-keli (pastimes in the water) in such a way that we cannot take our lusty mind there. He has kept the purity of the lila with his description, and Krsna with the sakhis are going on with their play in the tank in the Yamuna. The transcendental characteristics have been maintained there. That nitya- lila, which Mahaprabhu experienced in His deep trance, has been given by Kaviraj Gosvami. It is not any mundane thing – we should be prepared for that experience. So much higher we have to reach for a slight experience of those higher pastimes. We must be ready to pay for that, and for that only our Gurumaharaj came.
(Encounters with Divinity)
There are two types of living entities. Nitya-baddha and nitya-siddha. The whole life of the former consists only in running for "my" and "I". So, this is called Maya, or illusion. Those with the universal consciousness, the second part, they're conscious of the universal interest, and that means God. They're God conscious. Their interest is to satisfy God. One is called conditioned, "nitya-baddha" it is called in sanskrit, and then there are those who are engaged in the satisfaction of the Supreme, of the Infinite, they are called "nitya-siddha". They are liberated. Liberated from birth, disease, old age, and death. They are always happy because they do not experience birth, disease, old age, or death. We are nitya-baddhas, which means we are eternally conditioned living entities, because our interest is to work for our satisfaction. That means provincial consciousness, and that means that our world, our universe is very small. Some may only care for themselves. It is a very egoistic way of thinking. Some care more for family, country, animals and the environment. But this is all conditioned.
We should understand the reason, for which are all the living beings coming here to this material world. Does anyone know why we are here? Because we do not have an interest to satisfy the Supreme interest, we want to satisfy our personal interest. Because of this we are coming to this conditioned world, where there is birth, disease, old age, and death. So we want to be separated from the universal interest, that means "separate" interest. Because of this we are going through many phases of happiness and distress. Sometimes happiness, sometimes distress; sometimes suffering, sometimes pleasure; according to our desire.
This conditioned world has laws. Whatever I do here or whatever I desire, I will get the result, the fruit. Just as it is has been said, "as I sow, so shall I harvest". I sow nice things here, I do pious activity, I do good to others, I will get good things. I will do some harm to others, I will perform criminal activities, I will get some punishment. This is the law of this material nature. Nobody can escape. Nobody can escape these universal laws. They are made like this for conditioned souls, for those who don't want to stay in the universal interest, in the association of the Supreme. They will come here to experience the pleasure of material life.
For example, once there was a businessman from Iran. I told him this material life has laws. According to your action, you will harvest, you will get the fruit. If you kill and eat animals, then you should expect that you will also be eaten in one your next lives. He said, "I am like a warrior." He had been in the Iranian War. He had been shot, he was a ksatrya. He said, "I don't care. I am ready to get the body of an animal and be slaughtered in the next life." It's easy to say, if you have a human body now…but if you come into the situation that somebody comes at you with a knife, and you will be killed, or eaten up, then it is not very pleasurable. So, it is foolish, for humans to think like this, because it will give pain to us. It is not natural to be killed in this way, to suffer all the consequences of our past activities.
For this there is given some knowledge, called Vedas, which means knowledge, tattva or truth. And it is given all over the world. Different cultures and different kinds of religions are similar. The most detailed and explicitly described truth about the laws of material nature, the Supreme, the Infinite, the Cause of All Causes, is given in the Vedas. And there is also given the process of how to become free of the laws of this material nature: that for all activities I have to give reactions. It is called prayascita. There is yoga prayascita, karma prayascita, jnana prayascita, and bhakti prayascita. Karma prayascita means, when I perform many good activities I will counteract the bad activities. I will destroy the negative. But the good activities also have some reaction. So I might destroy many activities, but still the root, the desire to enjoy separate from the Supreme, is still rooted in our hearts. Jnana prayascita, means to become free of all karma, but you will not be free from the desire to enjoy this material world. Bhakti prayascita, means through bhakti, surrender and devotional service to the Supreme, by establishing a relationship to the Supreme, you will uproot the roots of enjoying this material world.
It's compared to a bamboo forest. You have seen a bamboo forest? In India you can see this, the bamboo grows very close together. Sometimes the wind comes and the bamboo is rubbing together. And sometimes fire is coming from this rubbing, and the whole bamboo forest is burning down. Like this is jnana prayascita. The whole forest of our sinful desire will be destroyed. But the interesting thing is, that when the rainy season comes, this bamboo forest grows back, because the roots have not been destroyed. Because of this, bhakti prayascita is most powerful. Simply by chanting the name of Hari, the roots of our being the enjoyer of this material world, of being the exploiter, will be destroyed. The root will be destroyed. You will have no desire to enjoy "I and my". Your interests will be to become a servant of the Supreme, and to experience unlimited bliss and happiness, without problems. There are no problems on this plane, the transcendental plane. But because we have no idea what this transcendental plane is, we have no experience and we also don't believe in it. Basically we are not believing in God. We have no faith in God, and we are always acting without the knowledge that God is the Supreme, and everything is under His control.
(To be continued)
Opinion is born from mental speculation. As there are innumerable living entities, there are innumerable thoughts and tastes. The path that has been created, is being created, and will be created
in the future by peoples' whims can never be the eternal occupational duty of the spirit soul (sanatana-dharma). Although there have been and will be innumerable opinions based on mental
speculation. Srimad-Bhagavatam, the king of all sastra, declares:
ahaituky apratihata yayatma suprasidati
"The supreme dharma for all human beings (sadhana-bhakti) is that by which prema-bhakti to the Lord arises, which is not caused by anything other than itself, cannot be obstructed, and which
satisfies the mind completely." (Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.6)
The philosophy of "as many opinions, as many paths" found in this world is a path born from material knowledge; it is a path favorable to the material world. It is unmotivated, uninterrupted
devotional service to Hari that is the supreme opinion for all humanity. The soul can be happy by no other means. Since other religious principles and processes award little pleasure to body
or mind, gross materialists and mental speculators consider such religious principles and processes as their ultimate goal. Discussions of the Absolute Truth must be heard from the living source.
Then the living entities can attain highest eternal benefit. Otherwise, there will be danger at every moment for those who are misguided.
(Srila Prabhupada Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati)
Srila Rupa Gosvami says that we must observe vaidhi-bhakti (regulative practice) for as long as we can’t get admission into the level of raga-bhakti (spontaneous affection).
Das Gosvami also says that we shall show reverence to raga-bhakti, but we shall try to live within vaidhi-bhakti, with its rules und regulations according to the sastra.
But the arrogant do not care for this instruction of the followers of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
I have nothing against vaidhi-marga. Pujala raga-patha gaurava bhange – we are trying to follow the vaidhi and always look with our aim towards the raga-patha. Go on with vaidhi, but the goal is with raga-patha. That is our aim. Otherwise, why vaidhi?
Law is not everything. The law of your society should be accommodating to nurture divine sentiment, otherwise it is no law. Law should promote faith. Sastra’s jurisdiction is limited. It is meant only to promote love, and when love comes, it will be free – smooth. Harmonious working is possible only in the area of love. Srila Rupa Gosvami says that vaidhi-bhakti, devotion under the guidance of sastra, is helpful only to a certain extent. It will help the inner awakening of love and affection and then retire. Law will retire, giving room to the spontaneous flow of love. Law is necessary, especially in the lower stages, but it should make room for free movement in the relationship. Freedom is the highest thing. Free service is raga-marga, and that is service proper.
Vaidhi means to regulate oneself, but for what? Regulation is not itself the aim or object. But regulation means for something else. We want to regulate ourselves so that we may be free in that land and acquire the position of a free servitor. Regulation has its desired effect.
And what is that? We shall get that spontaneous service. Otherwise, there will be a master, a teacher with a whip to order, "Do this, do that!" We must reach a place where freely we shall do that thing with our intrinsic urge. It is the success of life, it is there.
There is one party in Vrndavan that does not admit the necessity for formal devotion. Many others you will find in Vrndavan also. This party claims they have a connection with the Gopal Bhatta sampradaya – this is Gaudiya Vaisnavism with a little deviation. They want to begin with raga- bhakti – anuraga eliminating vaidhi-bhakti.
This is worse than Sahajiyaism. Sahajiyaism formerly accepts everything, but they want easy entrance to do only what comes naturally without work, and they don’t admit the necessity for formal devotion (vaidhi-bhakti). They are lazy in their practice, preferring the enjoying mood to the serving mood, but service means sacrifice. So this atmosphere is dangerous and we should mark with all attention any theistic awakening and take care so that we may not go down again to the depths of nescience. Very carefully we shall try to collect our wealth.
(Encounters with Divinity)
I would like to present a little practical knowledge so that we may understand our position in this world and in the spiritual world.
In the beginning, we have to pass many different stages in this material world. These stages are Bhur, Bhuvah, and Svah. Now, we are on the platform of Bhur. This means the fleshy, gross platform. Most of the population on this planet (99,9 %) can perceive on this platform only - just what they can experience through their eyes, their material senses. It is the lowest platform.
The next platform is Bhuvah. In this material world there are different planets, different regions where the bodies of living beings become more subtle. For example, on Svargaloka there is no body made of flesh- earth, water, fire, air, ether- and on another planet, bodies made of fire can be found. On the heavenly planet the living entities have bodies made of mind, intellect and false ego. So there is still the tendency to exploit, to enjoy – even if it is much more refined. Their ability to perceive things, their mystic powers, are much more developed then ours.
So we can check ourselves: can we see those subtle living beings wandering in the sky? Have we developed our senses so much that we can perceive the more subtle world in this material world?
Actually, heavenly planets are still on a very gross platform. Above these, planets of finer levels come- Maha, Jana, Tapa, Satya, Brahmaloka. These are different levels, or lokas. For example, Tapaloka – a platform, a planet, which can be attained by those who perform severe austerities. These beings are controlling their minds and senses; they are perfect living beings.
Those who are on the highest lokas, the highest platforms in this material world, can control their senses perfectly.
jihvā-vegam udaropastha-vegam
etān vegān yo viṣaheta dhīraḥ
sarvām apīmāṁ pṛthiviṁ sa śiṣyāt
Have we mastered or, can we control, all these urges: speech, mind, anger, tongue, belly and genitals? Have we reached this stage in our development? If we are able to control the demands of all these urges without acting on them, then we are able to become a spiritual master of the whole universe.
Those in the highest platforms have perfectly controlled their senses. Still, they are not in the spiritual world. They still live in the material world, and don´t have permission, the visa, to cross the Viraja. Many of them have some interest in controlling the minds of others. They have some "I and my" interest- to get mystical powers, to enjoy the pure atmosphere on higher planets.
Before we can pass the border to the spiritual world, get the entrance to Vaikuntha, there are all these levels to go through and we have to become a master of material demands. As self-controlled beings, we may first enter the Brahmaloka (Brahman), where we are relieved from all these material demands, we are free from them, no longer agitated by anything from this material world. But still we do not have a personal concept of the Supreme Lord.
It is very important that we check ourselves to see how well we have mastered the demands of our senses; how much we have enabled the eyes to see finer levels; how much we have mastered the vision to see the subtle forms of living beings. Can we see the great munis travelling? Have I seen Sri Narada Muni? Did I have his darshan? It is said that even if we mention his name, he appears. But who has seen him? Has anybody has seen Lord Brahma, Lord Shiva? Have we attained the vision of those very advanced beings that are living in this material world?
Whoever is qualified to get their darshan may also become qualified to cross the border between this material world and the spiritual world. And when we are qualified to cross this border we can speak of what is happening in Vaikuntha. We must become qualified for entering into these higher levels of spiritual life. Then, being situated there, we can speak from the level we are experiencing therein. Then this will be first class.
It is said there are different kinds of gurus. First, those who stand on both their feet in this material plane and show us the way to go up to Vaikuntha, Goloka. Next are those who stand on one foot in this material world and on one foot in the spiritual world, and can connect us to the spiritual world. And then there are some who stand with both of their feet in the spiritual world. Whatever they speak comes from their experience- they tell you about Sri Krishna because they see Sri Krishna. In the moment they are speaking they are seeing Him, they have His association, they are His. They are the perfect personalities, sad-gurus, the eternal gurus.
Srila Bhakti Vilas Paryataka Maharaja and Vrajendranandana Prabhu in Sri Sri Radha Govinda Gaudiya Math from 25th to 28th September 2011.
Srila Bhakti Vichar Vishnu Maharaja will be present in Sri Sri Radha Govinda Gaudiya Math from 2th to 7th October 2011.
Some people say that everyone is equal. Are they correct?
How can the honest and dishonest, devotee and nondevotee, pious and impious, literate and illiterate, demigod and Supreme Lord, chaste and unchaste, religious and irreligious, light and dark, constitutional and conditional, as well as devotional and nondevotional service be equal?
Everything seems easy to those who are unaware of internal objects or who cannot enter more subtle understandings of them. A foolish boy may claim that his illegible writing has meaning because the writing of an intelligent person has meaning. If illegible writing and meaningful writing are considered equal, foolish people will think that anyone trying to make a distinction between them is guilty of sectarianism or partiality. If we appeal to those who have no understanding of the Supreme Lord Hari to discuss topics about Hari and their conclusion, they will say that to reveal the conclusion would be sectarian. Then they would say that refuting an improper conclusion amounts blasphemy. They think that because we don't know everything, better to balance the account by calling everything equal. In this way, everyone will be pleased and we will have created no enmity. But truth and falsehood, devotion and non-devotion are never one. For those devoid of devotional sentiment, who feel no necessity to serve the Supreme Lord, who do not want actual benefit, and whose life's goal is material enjoyment and fame, devotional service and pseudo devotional service appear one.
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A bona-fide student will avoid all kinds of imitation – Sahajiyaism. We have to cross Bhu, Bhuvah, Mahar, Jana, Tapa, Viraja, Brahmaloka, and Vaikuntha to Goloka, step by step. The Sahajiyas take spiritual advancement very cheaply; they are not prepared to pay the real price. But the death blow to them is – upajiya bade lata ‘brahmanada’ bhedi’ yaya, ‘viraja,’ brahmaloka, ‘bhedi’ ‘paravyoma’ paya – it is necessary for one’s devotion to cross these many planes, as the creeper of bhakti grows and rises up to Goloka. But the pseudo-devotees do not care to know what is Paravyoma, what is Brahmaloka, what is Viraja, what is the brahmanda. Without caring to know about these things, they approach any guru, receive some mantra, and go on meditating. But if one meditates upon radha-govinda-lila in such an ignorant state, instead of entering radha-govinda-lila one will become entangled with the ladies and gentlemen of this world. One will become entangled in the domain of lust and will have to go to hell instead of going up to Goloka.
Anuraga, our affinity for the Supreme Personality is not a very cheap thing. We have to understand who Krsna really is. Those without dedication should not deceive themselves into thinking they can find Him in the area of the material zone.
Madhvacharya gave one hundred points against Mayavadism and its so-called renunciation, and our Guru Maharaj gave Prakrta-rasa-sata-dusani – one hundred points against Sahajiyaism, to guard against imitating krsna-bhajan in material life. So many ways, at every step we have to make decisions to go this way or that. Every moment we are at the crossing, but on the whole our sincerity will guide us. Deception and illusion are there, but the grace of the Lord is also there in the background. He won’t allow these agents of deception to misguide us if we don’t associate with them.
(Encounters with Divinity)
Those who are engaged in sadhana bhakti should avoid ten kinds of offences.
navirato duscaritan nasanto nasamahituh
nasanta-manaso vapi prajnanenaninam apnuyat
„Neither person who does not avoid sinful deeds, nor a person who is not peaceful, nor a person who is not serious and dilligent, nor a person whose heart is agitated can, even with a great intelectuall endeavor, attain the Supreme Lord." (Katha Upanisad 1.2.24)
If we want to make progress on the spiritual path, we must live with sadhus. They are all the time submerged in devotional service to the Supreme Lord. To see, hear, touch or have any contact with Supreme Person is for us impossible. He is Adhoksaja, situated beyond perception of our senses. How can we serve to someone who is unknown? How may we know Him? In the scriptures it is recommended that it is possible only through association of those beings who have connection with Supermundane sphere. Sadhu is a person who is able to perceive Supreme with his spiritual senses. Also is recommended to avoid association with materialistic persons.
varam huta-vaha-jvala panjarantar-vyavasthitih
na sauri-cinta-vimukha-jana-samvasa-vaiasamam
„Even if one is forced to live within a cage of iron or in the midst of a blazing fire, he should accept this position rather then live with non devotees who are through against the supremacy of the Lord. (Katyayana-samhita)
This is the basic understanding for those who want to attain Him to whom everything belongs. Further is said:
soka-marsadibhir bhavair akrantam yasya manasam
katham tasya mukundasya sphurti-sambhavana bhavet
„Within the heart of a person who is overpowered by lamentation or anger, there is no posibility of Krsna's being manifested." (Padma Purana)
Person who is full of anger, do not understand that whatever is going on, is all under the control of higher energies. Everything is reaction for our past deeds. One who realized that all actions whether good or bad are results of our past actions neither laments nor is angry. It is always necessary to remind us what is reality and what is illusion. I must know what is the purpose of life. Who Am I? Why Am I here? Where Am I going? Those of animal nature have not such questions, only those who are inteligent are searching for truth. What should be our conduct?
man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru
mam evaisyasi satyam te pratijane priyo si me
„Being My devotee offer your mind to Me. Offer articles to Me in worship Me. Offer respects to Me. I promise that you will come to Me without doubt, for you are most dear to Me." (Bhagavad-gita 18.65)
In the same way in this present age materialistic persons are always reminding us what to do. They have to keep us in material consciousness. The contemporary propaganda in this world is to work. Those who have a nice job are considered most fortunate people on this planet. Then what to do with our money? Advertising agents reminding us what is our necessity, how to live, how to think, how to enjoy. They are soldiers of Kali-yuga. But those who are sincerly asking, they will find the answer, the way from illusion into the real life. Sincerity is most important quality for spiritual life. One who is not sincer will be cheated. If one understand that everything here is of temporary nature he will search for the way out from this prison. Our real self is covered with many layers. From most gross to more and more subtle. In the Bhagavad-gita (7.4) Sri Krsna said to Arjuna:
bhumir apo 'nalo vayuh kham mano buddhir eva ca
ahankara itiyam me bhinna prakrtir astadha
„Earth, water, fire, air, ether (as well as their sense objects), mind,intelligence, false ego (with the ten senses and mahat tattva) are my separated external energy in eight divisions.
With none of this material energies we can cross over river Viraja, the border beetwen material and spiritual world. But there is a method by which we can attain Him.
brahma-bhuta prasannatma na socati na kanksati
samah sarvesu bhutesu mad bhaktim labhate param
„Having attained the state of brahman, being a pure soul, who does not lament in loss what he has or desire for he does not have, and looks upon all beings equal. He then attains prema bhakti." (Bhagavad-gita 18.54)
Unconditional surrender! We must understand, that we are not doers. We may think that we have ability to come near to Him. But if he do not allow us we cannot do anything. He is Supreme subject and we all are objects of His will. It means that viza for us to enter spiritual world can be issued only there. Only if He will decide than I may enter; not otherwise. He Himself established method of disciplic succession which is enunciated in the Vedic scriptures.
tad viddhi pranipatena, pariprasnena sevaya
upadeksyanti te jnanam, jnaninas tattva-darsinah
„Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Surrender to him and inquire submissively from him and render service at his lotos feet. The self-realized
soul can impart knowledge unto you, for he has seen the truth." (Bhagavad-gita 4.34)
It is not easy, but the only way. Spiritual master will tell you everything what to do.Those who don't follow this descending method can't attain any succes. What is the meaning of bhakti? It is unalloyed devotional service to the Supreme Lord. Vedic literature is describing form of God in detail. His qualities, pastimes, names, etc.. Every name is describing His particular quality, feature, activity. Lord is manifesting His sweetest pastimes in Goloka Vrindavana and Gaudiya Vaishnavas are attracted by those highest pastimes. Those who are living there have only one aim; to satisfy Krsna. They have not their own desires at all. Everything there is transparent, nothing can be hidden.Vaikuntha means, without borders, unlimited. As a infinitesimal parts of Supreme Lord we may be taken there, but only if we are acting according to His sweet will. As He like us to do and not with our own imaginations, our prejudices. Than we can be admitted. I'm speaking only that what I have heard from my Gurudeva, what is in the scripture, and what I received from sadhus. Understanding will come if we follow this line.
ke jābi ke jābi bhāi bhava-sindhu-pāra
dhanya kali-yugera caitanya-avatāra (1)
Who will go? Who will go, brothers? Who will cross over this ocean of material suffering?
This Kali-yuga in which Sri Caitanya-avatara has appeared is blessed.
āmāra gaurāngera ghāte adāna-kheyā vaya
jada, andha, ātura avadhi pāra haya (2)
At the bathing place of my Gauranga, a free ferry-boat is waiting. There is no restriction -
– everyone is coming , including the lame, blind, and distressed.
All are climbing aboard to cross over.
harināmera naukākhāni śrī guru kāndārī
sankīrtana kheroyāla du’bāhu pasāri (3)
Harinama is the boat, Sri Guru is the helmsman,
the sankirtana party moving with upraised arms are the oars.
(Srila Locana Dasa Thakura - Ke Jabi Ke Jabi Bhai)
Congregational chanting of Krsna's Name is the infallible path to perfection.
(Srila Prabhupada Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati)
lava matre sadhu-sange sarva siddhi haya
„All the scriptures repeatedly glorify the association of the saintly. A mere moment's association with the saintly results in all perfection." (C.C. 2.22.54)
krsna-bhakti-janma-mula haya sadhu-sanga
krsna-prema janme tenho punah mukya anga
„The root cause of devotional service to Lord Krsna is association with advanced devotees; nevertheless, even after one's dormant love for Krsna has awakened, such association remains the main pillar of a devotee's spiritual life."(C.C. 2.22.83)
mahat-krpa vina kona karme bhakti naya
krsna-bhakti dure rahu samsara nahe ksaya
„Without the favor of a great devotee, no activity qualifies as devotion. Not only are we unable to attain pure devotion to Krsna, but we cannot even be freed from the bondage of material existence."(C.C. 2.22.51)