By studying Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, we can obtain information about our eternal relationship with the Supreme Lord, understand the procedure by which the Lord can be attained and receive the ultimate realization, which is love of Godhead. In explaining to Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī how one can achieve the Supreme Personality of Godhead by devotional service, Lord Caitanya quoted a verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.14.21) in which the Lord says that He can be realized only through devotional service executed with faith and love. Indeed, it is devotional service alone which purifies the heart of the devotee and elevates him to the ultimate realization by which he, established in faith, renders service unto the Supreme Lord.
Faith and love
Bhagavad-gita As It Is
BG Chapters 1 - 6
Service with love and faith is especially meant for the Supreme Personality of Godhead
BG 6.47, Purport: The word bhajate is significant here. Bhajate has its root in the verb bhaj, which is used when there is need of service. The English word "worship" cannot be used in the same sense as bhaj. Worship means to adore, or to show respect and honor to the worthy one. But service with love and faith is especially meant for the Supreme Personality of Godhead. One can avoid worshiping a respectable man or a demigod and may be called discourteous, but one cannot avoid serving the Supreme Lord without being thoroughly condemned. Every living entity is part and parcel of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and thus every living entity is intended to serve the Supreme Lord by his own constitution.
BG Chapters 13 - 18
One should unhesitatingly accept Kṛṣṇa as the supreme savior of all living entities. With faith and love, one should surrender unto Him
BG 18.66, Purport: In the Seventh Chapter it was said that only one who has become free from all sinful reactions can take to the worship of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Thus one may think that unless he is free from all sinful reactions he cannot take to the surrendering process. To such doubts it is here said that even if one is not free from all sinful reactions, simply by the process of surrendering to Śrī Kṛṣṇa he is automatically freed. There is no need of strenuous effort to free oneself from sinful reactions. One should unhesitatingly accept Kṛṣṇa as the supreme savior of all living entities. With faith and love, one should surrender unto Him.
Srimad-Bhagavatam
SB Canto 3
"To one who constantly engages in the devotional service of the Lord with faith and love, the Lord certainly gives the intelligence to achieve Him at the ultimate end."
SB 3.13.39, Purport: The qualification of bhakti, or devotional service to the Lord, is that the devotee should be free from all material contaminations and desires. This freedom is called vairāgya, or renouncement of material desires. One who engages in devotional service to the Lord according to regulative principles is automatically freed from material desires, and in that pure state of mind one can realize the Personality of Godhead. The Personality of Godhead, being situated in everyone's heart, instructs the devotee regarding pure devotional service so that he may ultimately achieve the association of the Lord. This is confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (10.10) as follows:
- teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ
- bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam
- dadāmi buddhi-yogaṁ taṁ
- yena mām upayānti te
"To one who constantly engages in the devotional service of the Lord with faith and love, the Lord certainly gives the intelligence to achieve Him at the ultimate end."
One has to conquer the mind, and one may do it by following the Vedic rituals and by performing different types of sacrifice. The ultimate end of all those performances is to attain bhakti, or the devotional service of the Lord. Without bhakti one cannot understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The original Personality of Godhead or His innumerable expansions of Viṣṇu are the only objects of worship by all the Vedic rituals and sacrificial performances.
In the beginning of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, dictation is received through the transparent medium of the spiritual master. When one is sufficiently trained and acts in submissive faith and love for Kṛṣṇa under the direction of the bona fide spiritual master, the dovetailing process becomes more firm and accurate.
SB 3.15.45, Purport: A person in full Kṛṣṇa consciousness acts by the dictation of Kṛṣṇa. In the beginning of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, dictation is received through the transparent medium of the spiritual master. When one is sufficiently trained and acts in submissive faith and love for Kṛṣṇa under the direction of the bona fide spiritual master, the dovetailing process becomes more firm and accurate. This stage of devotional service by the devotee in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the most perfect stage of the yoga system. At this stage, Kṛṣṇa, or the Supersoul, dictates from within, while from without the devotee is helped by the spiritual master, who is the bona fide representative of Kṛṣṇa. From within He helps the devotee as caitya, for He is seated within the heart of everyone. Understanding that God is seated within everyone's heart is not, however, sufficient. One has to be acquainted with God from both within and without, and one must take dictation from within and without to act in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is the highest perfectional stage of the human form of life and the topmost perfection of all yoga.
Only those who engage in devotional service with love and faith receive the necessary intelligence from the Supreme Personality of Godhead so that gradually and progressively they can advance to the abode of the Personality of Godhead.
SB 3.27.28-29, Purport: Actual self-realization means becoming a pure devotee of the Lord. The existence of a devotee implies the function of devotion and the object of devotion. Self-realization ultimately means to understand the Personality of Godhead and the living entities; to know the individual self and the reciprocal exchanges of loving service between the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the living entity is real self-realization. This cannot be attained by the impersonalists or other transcendentalists; they cannot understand the science of devotional service. Devotional service is revealed to the pure devotee by the unlimited causeless mercy of the Lord. This is especially spoken of here by the Lord—mat-prasādena, "by My special grace." This is also confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā. Only those who engage in devotional service with love and faith receive the necessary intelligence from the Supreme Personality of Godhead so that gradually and progressively they can advance to the abode of the Personality of Godhead.
SB Canto 4
Persons, however, who may not even be conversant with knowledge of the Supreme Personality but who always think of the Lord with love and faith, feeling that He is great and that they are His parts and parcels, ever His servitors, are even more favored by Him.
SB 4.7.38, Purport: It is indicated in this verse that the monists and the great mystics know the Supreme Personality of Godhead as one. This oneness is not the misunderstanding that a living entity is equal in every respect to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This monism is based on pure knowledge as described and confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (7.17): priyo hi jñānino 'tyartham ahaṁ sa ca mama priyaḥ. The Lord says that those who are advanced in transcendental knowledge and know the science of Kṛṣṇa consciousness are very dear to Him, and He also is very dear to them. Those who are actually in perfect knowledge of the science of God know that the living entities are superior energy of the Supreme Lord. This is stated in Bhagavad-gītā, Seventh Chapter: the material energy is inferior, and the living entities are superior energy. Energy and the energetic are nondifferent; therefore, energies possess the same quality as the energetic. Persons who are in full knowledge of the Personality of Godhead, analyzing His different energies and knowing their own constitutional position, are certainly very, very dear to the Lord. Persons, however, who may not even be conversant with knowledge of the Supreme Personality but who always think of the Lord with love and faith, feeling that He is great and that they are His parts and parcels, ever His servitors, are even more favored by Him. The particular significance of this verse is that the Lord is addressed as vatsala. Vatsala means "always favorably disposed." The Lord's name is bhakta-vatsala. The Lord is famous as bhakta-vatsala, which means that He is always favorably inclined to the devotees, whereas He is never addressed anywhere in the Vedic literature as jñānī-vatsala.
They simply serve the Supreme Personality of Godhead sincerely, with love and faith, performing everything with that loving service, and the Lord gives such devotees direct protection.
SB 4.7.42, Purport: Another significant point in this verse is that the demigods said, "We are all Your servants (bhṛtyān). Give us Your protection." The demigods depend on the protection of Viṣṇu; they are not independent. Bhagavad-gītā, therefore, condemns the worship of demigods because there is no need of it and clearly states that only those who have lost their sense go asking favors of the demigods. Generally, if anyone has material desires to be fulfilled, he can ask Viṣṇu instead of going to the demigods. Those who worship demigods are not very intelligent. Besides that, the demigods say, "We are Your eternal servants." So those who are servants, or devotees of the Lord, are not very much concerned with fruitive activities, the performance of the prescribed yajñas, or mental speculation. They simply serve the Supreme Personality of Godhead sincerely, with love and faith, performing everything with that loving service, and the Lord gives such devotees direct protection. In Bhagavad-gītā Lord Kṛṣṇa says, "Simply surrender unto Me, and I will give you protection from all the reactions of sinful activities." This material world is so created that one has to act sinfully, knowingly or unknowingly, and unless his life is dedicated to Viṣṇu, he has to suffer all the reactions of sinful activities. But one who surrenders and dedicates his life for the service of the Lord has direct protection from the Lord. He has no fear of suffering from sinful activities, nor does he desire, willingly or unwillingly, to do anything which is sinful.
SB Canto 5
You should place your faith and love in Me, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. You should detest sense gratification and tolerate the duality of pleasure and pain, which are like the seasonal changes of summer and winter.
SB 5.5.10-13, Translation: O My sons, you should accept a highly elevated paramahaṁsa, a spiritually advanced spiritual master. In this way, you should place your faith and love in Me, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. You should detest sense gratification and tolerate the duality of pleasure and pain, which are like the seasonal changes of summer and winter. Try to realize the miserable condition of living entities, who are miserable even in the higher planetary systems. Philosophically inquire about the truth. Then undergo all kinds of austerities and penances for the sake of devotional service. Give up the endeavor for sense enjoyment and engage in the service of the Lord. Listen to discussions about the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and always associate with devotees. Chant about and glorify the Supreme Lord, and look upon everyone equally on the spiritual platform. Give up enmity and subdue anger and lamentation. Abandon identifying the self with the body and the home, and practice reading the revealed scriptures. Live in a secluded place and practice the process by which you can completely control your life air, mind and senses. Have full faith in the revealed scriptures, the Vedic literatures, and always observe celibacy. Perform your prescribed duties and avoid unnecessary talks. Always thinking of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, acquire knowledge from the right source. Thus practicing bhakti-yoga, you will patiently and enthusiastically be elevated in knowledge and will be able to give up the false ego.
When people know My motive after performing rituals according to the Vedic principles, they offer food to Me with faith and love through the mouth of a brāhmaṇa.
SB 5.5.23, Translation: O respectful brāhmaṇas, as far as I am concerned, no one is equal or superior to the brāhmaṇas in this world. I do not find anyone comparable to them. When people know My motive after performing rituals according to the Vedic principles, they offer food to Me with faith and love through the mouth of a brāhmaṇa. When food is thus offered unto Me, I eat it with full satisfaction. Indeed, I derive more pleasure from food offered in that way than from the food offered in the sacrificial fire.
SB Canto 6
Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī comments that bhakti may be divided into two divisions: (1) santatā, devotional service that continues incessantly with faith and love, and (2) kādācitkī, devotional service that does not continue incessantly but is sometimes awakened.
SB 6.1.15, Purport: In this regard, Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī comments that bhakti may be divided into two divisions: (1) santatā, devotional service that continues incessantly with faith and love, and (2) kādācitkī, devotional service that does not continue incessantly but is sometimes awakened. Incessantly flowing devotional service (santatā) may also be divided into two categories: (1) service performed with slight attachment and (2) spontaneous devotional service. Intermittent devotional service (kādācitkī) may be divided into three categories: (1) rāgābhāsamayī, devotional service in which one is almost attached, (2) rāgābhāsa-śūnya-svarūpa-bhūtā, devotional service in which there is no spontaneous love but one likes the constitutional position of serving, and (3) ābhāsa-rūpā, a slight glimpse of devotional service. As for atonement, if one has caught even a slight glimpse of devotional service, all needs to undergo prāyaścitta, atonement, are superseded. Therefore atonement is certainly unnecessary when one has achieved spontaneous love and, above that, attachment with love, which are signs of increasing advancement in kādācitkī. Even in the stage of ābhāsa-rūpā bhakti, all the reactions of sinful life are uprooted and vanquished. Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī expresses the opinion that the word kārtsnyena means that even if one has a desire to commit sinful actions, the roots of that desire are vanquished merely by ābhāsa-rūpā bhakti. The example of bhāskara, the sun, is most appropriate. The ābhāsa feature of bhakti is compared to twilight, and the accumulation of one's sinful activities is compared to fog. Since fog does not spread throughout the sky, the sun need do no more than merely manifest its first rays, and the fog immediately disappears. Similarly, if one has even a slight relationship with devotional service, all the fog of his sinful life is immediately vanquished.
It is quite possible that even at the time of death he will be properly able to chant the holy name of the Lord with love and faith. In conclusion, one who chants the holy name of the Lord constantly is guaranteed to return home, back to Godhead, without a doubt.
SB 6.2.49, Purport: At the time of death one is certainly bewildered because his bodily functions are in disorder. At that time, even one who throughout his life has practiced chanting the holy name of the Lord may not be able to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra very distinctly. Nevertheless, such a person receives all the benefits of chanting the holy name. While the body is fit therefore, why should we not chant the holy name of the Lord loudly and distinctly? If one does so, it is quite possible that even at the time of death he will be properly able to chant the holy name of the Lord with love and faith. In conclusion, one who chants the holy name of the Lord constantly is guaranteed to return home, back to Godhead, without a doubt.
SB Canto 7
Even if one thinks of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in envy, he attains salvation. What then is to be said of devotees who always engage in the Lord's service with love and faith?
SB 7.1.1, Purport: The second question raised by Parīkṣit Mahārāja concerns how Śiśupāla, although inimical toward Kṛṣṇa from his very childhood and always blaspheming Kṛṣṇa, attained salvation in oneness when Kṛṣṇa killed him. Śukadeva Gosvāmī explains that because of their offenses at the feet of devotees, two attendants of the Lord in Vaikuṇṭha named Jaya and Vijaya became Hiraṇyakaśipu and Hiraṇyākṣa in Satya-yuga, Rāvaṇa and Kumbhakarṇa in the next yuga, Tretā-yuga, and Śiśupāla and Dantavakra at the end of Dvāpara-yuga. Because of their fruitive acts, Jaya and Vijaya agreed to become the Lord's enemies, and when killed in that mentality, they attained salvation in oneness. Thus even if one thinks of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in envy, he attains salvation. What then is to be said of devotees who always engage in the Lord's service with love and faith?
SB Canto 8
Devotees who actually engage in devotional service with faith and love are inspired by the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
SB 8.20.14, Purport: Devotees who actually engage in devotional service with faith and love are inspired by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Vaiṣṇavas are never concerned with ritualistic smārta-brāhmaṇas. Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī has therefore compiled Hari-bhakti-vilāsa to guide the Vaiṣṇavas, who never follow the smārta-viddhi. Although the Supreme Lord is situated in the core of everyone's heart, unless one is a Vaiṣṇava, unless one is engaged in devotional service, one does not get sound advice by which to return home, back to Godhead. Such instructions are meant only for devotees. Therefore in this verse the word daiva-prahitaḥ, "being inspired by the Supreme Lord," is important. Śukrācārya should have encouraged Bali Mahārāja to give everything to Lord Viṣṇu. This would have been a sign of love for the Supreme Lord. But he did not do so. On the contrary, he wanted to punish his devoted disciple by cursing him.
SB Cantos 10.14 to 12 (Translations Only)
One should also glorify My transcendental qualities and activities, hear with love and faith the narrations of My glories and constantly meditate on Me.
SB 11.11.34-41, Translation: My dear Uddhava, one can give up false pride and prestige by engaging in the following devotional activities. One may purify oneself by seeing, touching, worshiping, serving, and offering prayers of glorification and obeisances to My form as the Deity and to My pure devotees. One should also glorify My transcendental qualities and activities, hear with love and faith the narrations of My glories and constantly meditate on Me. One should offer to Me whatever one acquires, and accepting oneself as My eternal servant, one should give oneself completely to Me. One should always discuss My birth and activities and enjoy life by participating in festivals, such as Janmāṣṭamī, which glorify My pastimes. In My temple, one should also participate in festivals and ceremonies by singing, dancing, playing musical instruments and discussing Me with other Vaiṣṇavas. One should observe all the regularly celebrated annual festivals by attending ceremonies, pilgrimages and making offerings. One should also observe religious vows such as Ekādaśī and take initiation by the procedures mentioned in the Vedas, Pañcarātra and other, similar literatures. One should faithfully and lovingly support the installation of My Deity, and individually or in cooperation with others one should work for the construction of Kṛṣṇa conscious temples and cities as well as flower gardens, fruit gardens and special areas to celebrate My pastimes. One should consider oneself to be My humble servant, without duplicity, and thus should help to clean the temple, which is My home. First one should sweep and dust thoroughly, and then one should further cleanse with water and cow dung. Having dried the temple, one should sprinkle scented water and decorate the temple with mandalas. One should thus act just like My servant. A devotee should never advertise his devotional activities; therefore his service will not be the cause of false pride. One should never use lamps that are offered to Me for other purposes simply because there is need of illumination, and similarly, one should never offer to Me anything that has been offered to or used by others. Whatever is most desired by one within this material world, and whatever is most dear to oneself—one should offer that very thing to Me. Such an offering qualifies one for eternal life.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta
CC Adi-lila
As the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is beyond such punishments and benedictions. When one understands this fact with faith and love, he personally becomes free from all curses uttered by brāhmaṇas or anyone else.
CC Adi 17.64, Purport: One should know with firm conviction that the Lord, being transcendental, is never subject to any curse or benediction. Only ordinary living entities are subjected to curses and the punishments of Yamarāja. As the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is beyond such punishments and benedictions. When one understands this fact with faith and love, he personally becomes free from all curses uttered by brāhmaṇas or anyone else. This incident is not mentioned in the Caitanya-bhāgavata.
CC Madhya-lila
One who is sincerely engaged in the service of the Lord with love and faith can talk with Kṛṣṇa and receive instructions by which he can speedily return home, back to Godhead.
CC Madhya 4.95, Purport: "To those who are constantly devoted to serving Me with love, I give the understanding by which they can come to Me." The actual mission of human life is to understand Kṛṣṇa and return home, back to Godhead. Therefore one who is sincerely engaged in the service of the Lord with love and faith can talk with Kṛṣṇa and receive instructions by which he can speedily return home, back to Godhead. Today many scholars defend the science of religion, and they have some conception of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but religion without practical experience of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is no religion at all. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam describes this as a form of cheating. Religion means abiding by the orders of Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. If one is not qualified to talk with Him and take lessons from Him, how can one understand the principles of religion? Thus talks of religion or religious experience without Kṛṣṇa consciousness are a useless waste of time.
CC Madhya 5.160, Translation:
One who hears this narration of Lord Gopāla with faith and love very soon attains the lotus feet of Lord Gopāla.
CC Madhya 6.285, Translation:
If one hears with faith and love these pastimes concerning Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu's meeting with Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya, he very soon is freed from the net of speculation and fruitive activity and attains the shelter of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's lotus feet.
CC Madhya 15.301, Translation:
Whoever hears these pastimes of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu with faith and love will attain the shelter of the Lord's lotus feet very soon.
CC Madhya 25.239, Translation:
Whoever hears Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's pastimes with faith and love very soon attains shelter at the Lord's lotus feet
CC Madhya 25.269, Translation:
All devotees should hear about Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's pastimes with faith and love. By the grace of the Lord, one can thus attain shelter at His lotus feet.
CC Antya-lila
CC Antya 5.48, Translation:
“"A transcendentally sober person who, with faith and love, continually hears from a realized soul about the activities of Lord Kṛṣṇa in His rāsa dance with the gopīs, or one who describes such activities, can attain full transcendental devotional service at the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Thus lusty material desires, which are the heart disease of all materialistic persons, are for him quickly and completely vanquished."
CC Antya 5.163, Translation:
Anyone who reads and hears these pastimes with faith and love can understand the truth about devotional service, devotees and the transcendental mellows of the pastimes of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
Pure devotees in the renounced order, however, who fully surrender to the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, should chant the holy name of the Lord with great love and faith, always thinking of Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet.
CC Antya 6.223, Purport: A well-to-do householder Vaiṣṇava cannot live like a person in the renounced order who completely takes shelter of the holy name. Such a householder should chant the holy name of Kṛṣṇa in the morning, at midday and in the evening. Then he will be able to cross beyond nescience. Pure devotees in the renounced order, however, who fully surrender to the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, should chant the holy name of the Lord with great love and faith, always thinking of Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet. They should have no occupation other than chanting the holy name of the Lord. In the Bhakti-sandarbha (283), Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī says:
yady api śrī-bhāgavata-mate pañca-rātrādi-vad-arcana-mārgasyāvaśyakatvaṁ nāsti, tad vināpi śaraṇāpatty-ādīnām ekatareṇāpi puruṣārtha-siddher abhihitatvāt.
"It is Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam's opinion that the process of Deity worship is not actually necessary, just as the specific prescriptions of the Pañcarātra and other scriptures do not have to be followed. The Bhāgavatam enjoins that even without practicing Deity worship one can achieve the complete success of human life by any of the other devotional processes, such as simply offering oneself at the Lord's feet for His protection."
CC Antya 6.235, Translation:
“Nevertheless, if you want to take instructions from Me with faith and love, you may ascertain your duties from the following words.
CC Antya 6.297, Translation:
"With faith and love, you should offer eight soft tulasī flowers, each with two tulasī leaves, one on each side of each flower."
CC Antya 6.304, Translation:
"Offer the Govardhana stone eight kauḍis worth of the first-class sweetmeats known as khājā and sandeśa. If you offer them with faith and love, they will be just like nectar."
CC Antya 10.1, Translation:
Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who is always pleased to accept anything given with faith and love by His devotees and is always ready to bestow mercy upon them.
CC Antya 10.132, Translation:
Sometimes Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu would take some of it at night. The Lord certainly enjoys preparations made with faith and love by His devotees.
CC Antya 10.160, Translation:
One who hears about the pastimes of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu with faith and love will certainly attain ecstatic love for the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu without fail.
CC Antya 13.138, Translation:
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu (Gaurahari) bestows ecstatic love for Kṛṣṇa upon anyone who hears all these topics with faith and love.
CC Antya 14.37, Translation:
"My dear readers, simply try to hear this description with faith and love. That will help you understand transcendental ecstasy, and at last you will achieve love of Godhead very easily."
CC Antya 20.154, Translation:
Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta is filled with the activities of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who is the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself. It invokes all good fortune and destroys everything inauspicious. If one tastes the nectar of Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta with faith and love, I become like a bumblebee tasting the honey of transcendental love from his lotus feet.
Other Books by Srila Prabhupada
Teachings of Lord Caitanya
In explaining to Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī how one can achieve the Supreme Personality of Godhead by devotional service, Lord Caitanya quoted a verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.14.21) in which the Lord says that He can be realized only through devotional service executed with faith and love.
Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 23: Nectar of Devotion
The basic principle is not just to fast, but to increase one's faith and love for Govinda, or Kṛṣṇa. The real reason for observing fasting on Ekādaśī is to minimize the demands of the body and to engage our time in the service of the Lord by chanting or performing similar service.
Nectar of Devotion 7: In the Brahma-vaivarta Purāṇa it is said that one who observes fasting on Ekādaśī day is freed from all kinds of reactions to sinful activities and advances in pious life. The basic principle is not just to fast, but to increase one's faith and love for Govinda, or Kṛṣṇa. The real reason for observing fasting on Ekādaśī is to minimize the demands of the body and to engage our time in the service of the Lord by chanting or performing similar service. The best thing to do on fasting days is to remember the pastimes of Govinda and to hear His holy name constantly.
The beauty is that the Pāṇḍavas have not lost their faith and love for You, in spite of all these tribulations. In fact, they are always thinking of You and chanting Your name in ecstatic friendship.
Nectar of Devotion 42: When the Pāṇḍavas were banished by Duryodhana and forced to live incognito in the forest, no one could trace out where they were staying. At that time, the great sage Nārada met Lord Kṛṣṇa and said, "My dear Mukunda, although You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the all-powerful person, by making friendship with You the Pāṇḍavas have become bereft of their legitimate right to the kingdom of the world—and, moreover, they are now living in the forest incognito. Sometimes they must work as ordinary laborers in someone else's house. These symptoms appear to be very inauspicious materially, but the beauty is that the Pāṇḍavas have not lost their faith and love for You, in spite of all these tribulations. In fact, they are always thinking of You and chanting Your name in ecstatic friendship."
Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead
As is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, a person who is constantly thinking of Kṛṣṇa within his heart with faith and love is considered to be the topmost of all yogīs.
Krsna Book 29: Some of the gopīs were factually detained from going to Kṛṣṇa by their husbands and were locked up by force within their rooms. Being unable to go to Kṛṣṇa, they began to meditate upon His transcendental form by closing their eyes. They already had the form of Kṛṣṇa within their minds. They proved to be the greatest yogīs; as is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, a person who is constantly thinking of Kṛṣṇa within his heart with faith and love is considered to be the topmost of all yogīs. Actually, a yogī concentrates his mind on the form of Lord Viṣṇu. That is real yoga. Kṛṣṇa is the original form of all viṣṇu-tattvas. The gopīs could not go to Kṛṣṇa personally, so they began to meditate on Him as perfect yogīs.
Ultimately You are the dearmost personality in this world. By placing our faith and love in Your personality, we are assured of never being bereft of husband, friends, sons or daughters.
Krsna Book 29: "O dear Kṛṣṇa," they continued, "You are the supreme instructor. There is no doubt about it. Your instructions to women to be faithful to their husbands and merciful to their children, to take care of household affairs and to be obedient to the elder members of the family, are surely just according to the tenets of the śāstras. But we know that one may perfectly observe all these instructions of the śāstras by keeping oneself under the protection of Your lotus feet. Our husbands, friends, family members and children are all dear and pleasing to us only because of Your presence, for You are the Supersoul of all living creatures. Without Your presence, one is worthless. When You leave the body, the body immediately dies, and according to the injunction of the śāstras, a dead body must immediately be thrown into a river or burned. Therefore, ultimately You are the dearmost personality in this world. By placing our faith and love in Your personality, we are assured of never being bereft of husband, friends, sons or daughters. If a woman accepts You as the supreme husband, then she will never be bereft of her husband, as in the bodily concept of life. If we accept You as our ultimate husband, then there is no question of being separated, divorced or widowed. You are the eternal husband, eternal son, eternal friend and eternal master, and one who enters into a relationship with You is eternally happy. Since You are the teacher of all religious principles, Your lotus feet have to be worshiped first. Accordingly, the śāstras state, ācārya-upāsanā: the worship of Your lotus feet is the first principle. Besides that, as stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, You are the only enjoyer, You are the only proprietor, and You are the only friend. As such, we have come to You, leaving aside all so-called friends, society and love, and now You have become our enjoyer. Let us be everlastingly enjoyed by You. Be our proprietor, for that is Your natural claim, and be our supreme friend, for You are naturally so. Let us thus embrace You as the supreme beloved."
From the Bhagavad-gītā we understand that even a person who is not up to the standard of pious activities but who is absolutely engaged in devotional service is to be considered well situated on the path of spiritual perfection. It is also said in the Bhagavad-gītā that a person who is engaged in devotional service with love and faith is guided from within by the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Krsna Book 87: One class of philosophers, known as Mīmāṁsakas, represented by sages such as Jaimini, have concluded that everyone should engage in pious activities or prescribed duties and that such activities will lead one to the highest perfection. But this is contradicted in the Ninth Chapter of the Bhagavad-gītā, where Lord Kṛṣṇa says that by pious activities one may be elevated to the heavenly planets, but that as soon as one's accumulation of pious activities is used up, one has to leave the enjoyment of a higher standard of material prosperity in the heavenly planets and immediately come down again to these lower planets, where the duration of life is very short and where the standard of material happiness is of a lower grade. The exact words used in the Bhagavad-gītā are kṣīṇe puṇye martya-lokaṁ viśanti (BG 9.21). Therefore the conclusion of the Mīmāṁsaka philosophers that pious activities will lead one to the Absolute Truth is not valid. Although a pure devotee is by nature inclined to perform pious activities, no one can attain the favor of the Supreme Personality of Godhead by pious activities alone. Pious activities may purify one of the contamination caused by ignorance and passion, but this purification is automatically attained by a devotee constantly engaged in hearing the transcendental message of Godhead in the form of the Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam or similar scriptures. From the Bhagavad-gītā we understand that even a person who is not up to the standard of pious activities but who is absolutely engaged in devotional service is to be considered well situated on the path of spiritual perfection. It is also said in the Bhagavad-gītā that a person who is engaged in devotional service with love and faith is guided from within by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Lord Himself as Paramātmā, or the spiritual master sitting within one's heart, gives the devotee exact directions by which he can gradually go back to Godhead. The conclusion of the Mīmāṁsaka philosophers is not actually the truth which can lead one to real understanding.
Sri Isopanisad
He conviction that Kṛṣṇa is all in all is established when one hears the transcendental message from the undisturbed ācārya with faith and love.
Sri Isopanisad 13, Purport: The conviction that Kṛṣṇa is all in all is established when one hears the transcendental message from the undisturbed ācārya with faith and love. One who has no faith in or love for Lord Kṛṣṇa cannot be convinced of this simple truth. Those who are faithless are described in the Bhagavad-gītā (9.11) as mūḍhas—fools or asses. It is said that the mūḍhas deride the Personality of Godhead because they do not have complete knowledge from the undisturbed ācārya. One who is disturbed by the whirlpool of material energy is not qualified to become an ācārya.
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
If you keep in touch with God with faith and love, then God is within yourself, He'll give you intelligence how you can go back to home, back to Godhead.
Lecture on BG 2.13 -- Public Lecture With German Translation Throughout -- Hamburg, September 10, 1969: If you keep in touch with God with faith and love, then God is within yourself, He'll give you intelligence how you can go back to home, back to Godhead. There are many different processes or yoga system to be in touch with God, but for the people in this age, this is the easiest method, to be in touch with God simply by chanting His holy name.
This engagement means always trying to render some service to the Lord. How? Prīti-pūrvakam: "with love and faith."
Lecture on BG 2.39 -- London, September 12, 1973: There is the buddhi-yoga, one word, and here is also the buddhi-yoga. So what is that buddhi-yoga? Kṛṣṇa says, teṣāṁ satata-yuktānām: "Persons who are twenty-four hours engaged," satata... Satata means always. Engaged. What kind of engagement? Bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam. This engagement means always trying to render some service to the Lord. How? Prīti-pūrvakam: "with love and faith." Not that "Oh, I have to do it? All right, let me do." No. "Oh, I have to do it? Let me do it nicely." Unless there is love, you cannot do it nicely, any matter.
"Anyone who offers Me in love and faith a little flower, a little water, a little fruit," patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyam...
Lecture on BG 2.39 -- London, September 12, 1973: "Anyone who offers Me in love and faith a little flower, a little water, a little fruit," patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyam... Patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati. This is the real point.
Any person who is devoutedly, is attached to Me and is fully Kṛṣṇa conscious with love and faith, unto him, I give dictation in such a way that he will come to Me.
Lecture on BG 4.11 -- New York, July 27, 1966: "Any person who is devoutedly, is attached to Me and is fully Kṛṣṇa conscious with love and faith, unto him, I give dictation in such a way that he will come to Me. He will come to Me."
Worship and rendering service, they are different.
Lecture on BG 6.46-47 -- Los Angeles, February 21, 1969: Devotee: "Bhajate has its root in the verb bhaj which is used when there is need of service. The English word "worship" cannot be used in the same sense as bhaja. Worship means to adore, or to show respect and honor to the worthy one. But service with love and faith is especially meant for the Supreme Personality of Godhead."
Prabhupāda: Yes. Worship and rendering service, they are different. Worship means there is some motive. I worship some friend or some big man. I have some motive, that this big man is a very big businessman and if I can please him then he may give me some business, I'll derive some profit. So the worship of demigods is like that.
Of all the yogis, the yogi who is always thinking of Kṛṣṇa with love and faith... It is not very difficult.
Lecture on BG 7.1-3 -- Stockholm, September 10, 1973: Of all the yogis, the yogi who is always thinking of Kṛṣṇa with love and faith... It is not very difficult. Kṛṣṇa says, "He is first-class yogi." So how to become the first-class yogi, that is described in this Seventh Chapter of the Bhagavad-gītā. Kṛṣṇa says personally. If you want to understand God, it is better to understand from God Himself. Instead of speculating what is God, better to understand God from the words of God.
One who hasn't got children, he loves a cat, loves a dog. You see? Why? Because he wants to love something. But in the absence of reality, he puts his faith and love into cats and dogs.
Lecture on BG 7.18 -- New York, October 12, 1966: Love is there. Either you love this matter or you love God, but you cannot get out of this loving propensity. Just like sometimes we see: one who hasn't got children, he loves a cat, loves a dog. You see? Why? Because he wants to love something. But in the absence of reality, he puts his faith and love into cats and dogs. So love is there, but that love is now represented in the form of lust.
"One who is always thinking of Me," antar-ātmanā, "within himself, within the heart, within the mind," śraddhāvān, "with faith and love," bhajate yo mām... Bhajate means engaged in devotional service.
Lecture on BG 8.5 -- New York, October 26, 1966: Kṛṣṇa says that "Of all the yogis..." Yoginām api sarveṣām. Sarveṣām means you can count as many millions of yogis. But of all them, all of them... Yoginām api sarveṣāṁ mad-gatenāntar-ātmanā: (BG 6.47) "One who is always thinking of Me," antar-ātmanā, "within himself, within the heart, within the mind," śraddhāvān, "with faith and love," bhajate yo mām... Bhajate means engaged in devotional service.
Those who have taken this line with faith and love, always engaged in the transcendental loving service of Kṛṣṇa, buddhi-yogaṁ dadāmi tam, then from within... Kṛṣṇa is within you.
Lecture on BG 9.11-14 -- New York, November 27, 1966: You cannot find out Kṛṣṇa or understand Kṛṣṇa by your own endeavor. Now, that process is this Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam (BG 18.66). You will be in confidence. Teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam (BG 10.10). Those who have taken this line with faith and love, always engaged in the transcendental loving service of Kṛṣṇa, buddhi-yogaṁ dadāmi tam, then from within... Kṛṣṇa is within you. We have no realization. Due to my material conception of life, I have no realization. So you have to realize that Kṛṣṇa is there, and you have to purify yourself by service attitude. Then Kṛṣṇa will reveal. You will see, eye to eye.
"Persons who are engaged in devotional service with love and faith," teṣu te mayi, "I have got a special intimate relation with him."
Lecture on BG 12.13-14 -- Bombay, May 12, 1974: God must be equal to everyone. He is neither envious to anyone nor friendly to anyone. This is general. But there is special significance. Ye tu bhajanti māṁ bhaktyā: "Persons who are engaged in devotional service with love and faith," teṣu te mayi, "I have got a special intimate relation with him."
"Persons who are twenty-four hours engaged in My service with love and faith," buddhi-yogaṁ dadāmi tam: "I give him such intelligence by which he can come back to home, back to Godhead."
Lecture on BG 13.3 -- Paris, August 11, 1973: If you become a devotee, pure devotee, without any motive, then Kṛṣṇa is sitting within your heart. He says: teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam (BG 10.10). "Persons who are twenty-four hours engaged in My service with love and faith," buddhi-yogaṁ dadāmi tam: "I give him such intelligence by which he can come back to home, back to Godhead." He'll give you. Because He knows. But if you don't like to take His instruction, then He gives instruction to the material nature to get you all right.
Kṛṣṇa is equal to everyone, but He is specially inclined to the devotees who is engaged in His service with love and faith.
Lecture on BG 13.3 -- Bombay, September 26, 1973: But if one becomes special devotee, ye tu bhajanti māṁ prītyā, with love and affection, one who is engaged in the service of the Lord, He's especially inclined to him. That is Kṛṣṇa's mercy to the devotee. Kṛṣṇa is equal to everyone, but He is specially inclined to the devotees who is engaged in His service with love and faith.
"If you kindly give me even little flower, a little fruit, little water, with faith and love, I will eat." Kṛṣṇa is so kind.
Lecture on BG 13.4 -- Paris, August 12, 1973: He is supplying necessities, food, to every living entity. Still He's hankering for a little flower, little fruit, from this living entity. "Please give Me." So this is the position. Patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati tad aham aśnāmi: "If you kindly give me even little flower, a little fruit, little water, with faith and love, I will eat." Kṛṣṇa is so kind. And He's simply trying to turn the face of the living entity towards Him. Therefore He is always with us.
If we take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness with love and faith, full understanding of Kṛṣṇa, that is the perfection of life.
Lecture on BG 13.4 -- Hyderabad, April 20, 1974: This is wanted. This is perfection of life. If we take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness with love and faith, full understanding of Kṛṣṇa, that is the perfection of life. That you can get, everyone of us can get it if we study Bhagavad-gītā very carefully, without any malinterpretation. So success is there. We have to take.
Persons who are engaged in devotional service with love and faith, for them special consideration.
Lecture on BG 13.15 -- Bombay, October 9, 1973: "I'm equal to everyone." Otherwise how He can be God? Nobody is His enemy, nobody is His friend. But ye tu bhajanti māṁ bhaktyā. Persons who are engaged in devotional service with love and faith, for them special consideration.
And because he has got hands everywhere, therefore when you offer something to Kṛṣṇa, or God, with faith and love, He can accept.
Lecture on BG 13.17 -- Bombay, October 11, 1973: So everywhere is Kṛṣṇa; everywhere is God. Sarvataḥ pāṇi-pādam. He has got hands and legs everywhere. And because he has got hands everywhere, therefore when you offer something to Kṛṣṇa, or God, with faith and love, He can accept. Not that because He is far, far away, therefore I am offering something with faith and love, He can not accept. No He can accept.
This is called bhajana, always engaged in Kṛṣṇa's service, bhajana-prīti..., with love and faith.
Lecture on BG 16.6 -- South Africa, October 18, 1975: He says, teṣāṁ satata-yuktānām. Anyone who is twenty-four hours engaged in serving the Lord, bhajatām... This is called bhajana, always engaged in Kṛṣṇa's service, bhajana-prīti..., with love and faith. To such person, He gives a direction. What is that direction? Buddhi-yogaṁ dadāmi tam: "I give him that buddhi-yoga." What for? Yena mām upayānti te. "By the process by which he is anxious to come to Me, I give intelligence, 'Yes, come this way. You come to Me.' "
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
And Kṛṣṇa says, "If it is offered with faith and love, I eat. I eat."
Lecture on SB 1.1.4 -- London, August 27, 1973: Kṛṣṇa says, "All right. Give me patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyam." Patram, vegetables; phalam, fruits; toyam, milk, water. In this way. Kṛṣṇa says, "You give Me this." So you give Him. And Kṛṣṇa says, "If it is offered with faith and love, I eat. I eat."
You offer with faith and love to Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa, simply by seeing, He can eat.
Lecture on SB 1.1.4 -- London, August 27, 1973: Because He is omnipotent. Every part of His body has got all the potencies of other parts of the body. Therefore you offer with faith and love to Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa, simply by seeing, He can eat.
As soon as you engage yourself in the service of Vāsudeva with love and faith... That is being taught in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. With love and faith.
Lecture on SB 1.2.7 -- Hyderabad, April 21, 1974: Vāsudeva is within this universe, within your heart, or even within the atom. So Vāsudeva is every... Simply you have to find out. So how you can find out? Teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam (BG 10.10). As soon as you engage yourself in the service of Vāsudeva with love and faith... That is being taught in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. With love and faith. Then Vāsudeva is already there. He knows what you are. You cannot cheat Him.
The first-class yogi is he who, now, mad-gatenāntar-ātmanā, Kṛṣṇa says, "who is thinking of Me always," mad-gata, śraddhāvān, with veneration, love and faith. Bhajate.
Lecture on SB 1.2.8 -- Hyderabad, April 22, 1974: There are different types of yogis, but the first-class yogi is he who, now, mad-gatenāntar-ātmanā, Kṛṣṇa says, "who is thinking of Me always," mad-gata, śraddhāvān, with veneration, love and faith. Bhajate.
With faith and love, if one is engaged in the service of the Lord, then Kṛṣṇa says, buddhi-yogaṁ dadāmi tam.
Lecture on SB 1.2.17 -- Vrndavana, October 28, 1972: One who is twenty-four hours engaged in the loving service of the Lord, and satata-yuktā... Satata means twenty-four hours. Not officially. Of course, by official, one may gradually come to the position of satata-yuktānām. Bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam. With faith and love, if one is engaged in the service of the Lord, then Kṛṣṇa says, buddhi-yogaṁ dadāmi tam. There are two things, buddhi and buddhi-yogam. Buddhi, ordinary buddhi, intelligence, that is dirty. But when it is yogam... Yogam means connected with Kṛṣṇa. It is called buddhi-yogam.
Dadāmi buddhi-yogaṁ tam. Tam means "unto Him." Whom? Bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam. Those who are engaged in devotional service with love and faith.
Lecture on SB 1.2.22 -- Los Angeles, August 25, 1972: Dadāmi buddhi-yogaṁ tam. Tam means "unto Him." Whom? Bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam. Those who are engaged in devotional service with love and faith. Because God is within you. You haven't got to search out where is God.
"But a person who has taken devotional service and with love and faith is engaged in devotional service, I am especially inclined to him."
Lecture on SB 1.5.24 -- Vrndavana, August 5, 1975: How Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead can be enemy of somebody and friend of somebody? That is not possible. Na me dveṣyo 'sti na priyaḥ. "Nobody is My especially favorite, and nobody is My enemy." But, ye tu bhajanti māṁ prītyā: "But a person who has taken devotional service and with love and faith is engaged in devotional service, I am especially inclined to him."
Śraddhāvān, with faith and love, if one thinks of Kṛṣṇa, bhakti-yogena, then everything is revealed to him, revealed to him.
Lecture on SB 1.7.2-4 -- Durban, October 14, 1975: So if we meditate in bhakti-yoga, that is bhakti-yoga, as Kṛṣṇa advises that yoginām api sarveṣāṁ mad-gatenāntar-ātmanā, śraddhāvān... Śraddhāvān, with faith and love, if one thinks of Kṛṣṇa, bhakti-yogena, then everything is revealed to him, revealed to him.
Those who are engaged twenty-four hours with love and faith in devotional service. Teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam, dadāmi buddhi-yogaṁ tam. The buddhi-yogam. He directs, "Do like this, do like that."
Lecture on SB 3.25.19 -- Bombay, November 19, 1974: Those who are engaged twenty-four hours with love and faith in devotional service. Teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam, dadāmi buddhi-yogaṁ tam. The buddhi-yogam. He directs, "Do like this, do like that." Then... What for buddhi? Yena mām upayānti te. Then, gradually, you come to Kṛṣṇa, back to home, back to Godhead.
Then Kṛṣṇa says that "Anyone who is engaged in My devotional service with love and faith, buddhi-yogaṁ dadāmi tam."
Lecture on SB 3.25.29 -- Bombay, November 29, 1974: Then Kṛṣṇa says that "Anyone who is engaged in My devotional service with love and faith, buddhi-yogaṁ dadāmi tam." This is buddhi-yoga. Buddhi-yoga means bhakti-yoga.
As soon as he becomes servant of Kṛṣṇa and gives pure devotional service with love and faith, immediately he becomes spiritually situated.
Lecture on SB 3.25.33-34 -- Bombay, December 3, 1974: Of course, a devotee is not under material condition. As soon as he becomes servant of Kṛṣṇa and gives pure devotional service with love and faith, immediately he becomes spiritually situated.
He talks, but with whom? Teṣāṁ satata-yuktānām. One who is twenty-four hours engaged with love and faith in the service of the Lord.
Lecture on SB 3.25.35 -- Bombay, December 4, 1974: Kṛṣṇa says that teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam, buddhi-yogaṁ dadāmi tam (BG 10.10). He talks, but with whom? Teṣāṁ satata-yuktānām. One who is twenty-four hours engaged with love and faith in the service of the Lord. To whom? Just like if you want to talk with some big man, then you must have qualification. Is it possible that if you want to talk with the big man here, immediately you like? No. You cannot talk. You must be fit to talk with him. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa is ready to talk with you. He has come. He has descended in arcā-mūrti to talk with you, to be visible by you. Now you make yourself ready and fit to talk with Kṛṣṇa.
But if we offer Him something with love and faith and devotion, then He accepts.
Lecture on SB 3.26.9 -- Bombay, December 21, 1974: Then He gives intelligence. What kind of intelligence? Yena mām upayānti te: "By which one can approach Me." This intelligence is given to him. To whom? Teṣāṁ satata-yuktānām. Twenty-four hours engaged in the service of the Lord. How? Prīti-pūrvakam: "With love and faith," not that officially. Just like if I want a glass of water, one can give me, "Here is. Take it!" And one brings the same glass of water with love and devotion. So there is two different. Kṛṣṇa is not in want of anything from us. He is pūrṇa. But if we offer Him something with love and faith and devotion, then He accepts. That is the difference. Patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati (BG 9.26). That is the real thing, bhakti. Otherwise Kṛṣṇa is not hankering after your patraṁ puṣpam. He has created patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyam, He can enjoy. Why He should ask from you? But the real thing is bhaktyā. It is insignificant thing, but if you offer Him bhaktyā, with bhakti, devotion, faith, and love, that He accepts. And if He continues to accept, then you can realize Him. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). Otherwise you cannot understand what is Kṛṣṇa.
Śraddhāvān, "with faith and love," bhajate mām, "engaged in My devotional service," sa me yuktatamo mataḥ, "he is the first-class yogi. He is the first-class yogi."
Lecture on SB 5.5.1 -- London, August 30, 1971: "One who is thinking within himself about Me, Kṛṣṇa," mad-gaten... śraddhāvān, "with faith and love," bhajate mām, "engaged in My devotional service," sa me yuktatamo mataḥ, "he is the first-class yogi. He is the first-class yogi."
One who is serving the Deity with love and faith, to him only, Kṛṣṇa will reveal and He will give intelligence.
Lecture on SB 6.3.12-15 -- Gorakhpur, February 9, 1971: Those who are twenty-four hours engaged in the devotional service—not as a routine, but with faith and love—bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam. Not that official. Official, he cannot understand. But one who is serving the Deity with love and faith, to him only, Kṛṣṇa will reveal and He will give intelligence. Kṛṣṇa is very intelligent. Kṛṣṇa ye bhaje... Only intelligent men can worship Kṛṣṇa.
"When he's in love and faith engaged in My service." Then? Why, otherwise, why Kṛṣṇa will talk with you?
Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- Montreal, June 10, 1968: He is within you. He'll give you intelligence, "This is this. This is this. This is this. This is this." Why? When? Teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-purvakam. "When he's in love and faith engaged in My service." Then? Why, otherwise, why Kṛṣṇa will talk with you?
One should serve the spiritual master with faith and love, but he should always think of Kṛṣṇa.
Lecture on SB 7.7.28, 32-35 -- Mombassa, September 11, 1971: So this is one of the process that not only one should serve the spiritual master with faith and love, but he should always think of Kṛṣṇa.
And with devotion, with love and faith, not officially, "Because I have kept a pet spiritual master, so officially I have to..." No. With faith and devotion.
Lecture on SB 7.7.29-31 -- San Francisco, March 15, 1967, (incomplete lecture): So this is called śuśrūṣayā. Prahlāda Mahārāja says, guru-śuśrūṣayā bhaktyā. And with devotion, with love and faith, not officially, "Because I have kept a pet spiritual master, so officially I have to..." No. With faith and devotion.
If one is working under the direction of the spiritual master with love and faith, then Kṛṣṇa, from within, as caitya-guru, the guru within the heart, He'll help you, and he'll send you bona fide guru to help you externally.
Lecture on SB 7.9.9 -- Mayapur, February 16, 1976: If one is working under the direction of the spiritual master with love and faith, then Kṛṣṇa, from within, as caitya-guru, the guru within the heart, He'll help you, and he'll send you bona fide guru to help you externally. So both ways, you'll be helped, and you'll become Prahlāda Mahārāja.
So the real fact is that we have lost our devotion, faith, in God. So He is begging therefore that love and faith. Not your money.
Lecture on SB 7.9.11 -- Montreal, August 17, 1968: He is so rich, so opulent, still He is begging that "Little flower, a little water, a little fruit, if offered to Me with devotion and love, I accept and eat it." So the real fact is that we have lost our devotion, faith, in God. So He is begging therefore that love and faith. Not your money. Because He is already opulent. What you can give Him? And what belongs to you? Nothing belongs to you.
Rendering service with faith and love. Only those persons. Those persons who are in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and rendering service with faith and love, to them only.
Lecture on SB 12.2.1 -- San Francisco, March 18, 1968: In the Bhagavad-gītā you'll find, teṣāṁ satata-yuktānām: those who are constantly engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Satata means constantly. Teṣāṁ satata-yuktānām, engaged. How? How engaged? Bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam. Rendering service with faith and love. Only those persons. Those persons who are in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and rendering service with faith and love, to them only. Teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam dadāmi buddhi-yogaṁ taṁ: (BG 10.10) "I give them buddhi-yogam, the intelligence." What sort of intelligence? Dadāmi buddhi-yogaṁ yena mām upayānti te: "Such intelligence by which, by help of which he can gradually come to My kingdom."
Nectar of Devotion Lectures
Śraddhāvān. "With faith and love, he's always thinking of Kṛṣṇa." He's first-class yogi.
The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 13, 1972: He's first-class yogi. Who? "Who is always thinking of Me within his heart." Śraddhāvān. "With faith and love, he's always thinking of Kṛṣṇa." He's first-class yogi. So our, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is so nice that, if we take it seriously, then immediately, on the first stage, we become a first-class yogi.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
Now there are innumerable devotees who are offering Kṛṣṇa with love and faith, patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ.
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 6.151-154 -- Gorakhpur, February 14, 1971: Now there are innumerable devotees who are offering Kṛṣṇa with love and faith, patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ. Just like in this temple, we are offering to the Deity according to the order of Kṛṣṇa some preparation made of patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ. So He's accepting. He says that "I accept. I eat."
It is revealed to a person who has unflinching faith and love for the Supreme Personality of Godhead as well as to the spiritual master.
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 22.21-28 -- New York, January 11, 1967: The Vedic knowledge, revelation, to whom it is revealed? It is revealed to a person who has unflinching faith and love for the Supreme Personality of Godhead as well as to the spiritual master.
Sri Isopanisad Lectures
Kṛṣṇa says, "Anyone offering Me, offering Me something with faith and love, I eat."
Sri Isopanisad, Mantra 5 -- Los Angeles, May 7, 1970: Therefore it is said here that Supreme Lord walks and does not walk. He does not go from His abode. He is fully enjoying. But at the same time, everywhere He is. Everywhere walking. Just like we offer foodstuff. So do not think that Kṛṣṇa is not accepting. Kṛṣṇa is accepting, because He can spread His hand immediately if you offer something with devotion. Tayā bhakty-upahṛtam aśnāmi. Kṛṣṇa says, "Anyone offering Me, offering Me something with faith and love, I eat."
Festival Lectures
So Kṛṣṇa says, tayā bhaktyā upāhṛtam aṣnāmi. "Because he brings it with devotion and faith and love, I eat."
Janmastami Lord Sri Krsna's Appearance Day -- Montreal, August 16, 1968: Kṛṣṇa says, patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati (BG 9.26). "Any person who gives Me a little fruit, little flower, little water, but with devotion, bhaktyā..." That is the only qualification. So Kṛṣṇa says, tayā bhaktyā upāhṛtam aṣnāmi. "Because he brings it with devotion and faith and love, I eat." Kṛṣṇa eats. We are offering in the temple prasādam. So He eats because He says "I eat." How you can say that He does not eat?
General Lectures
"Those who are constantly engaged with love and faith in My service, teṣām, buddhi-yogaṁ dadāmi, I give them such intelligence.
Lecture -- Montreal, June 26, 1968: "Those who are constantly engaged with love and faith in My service, teṣām, buddhi-yogaṁ dadāmi, I give them such intelligence by which gradually they make progress to come back to Me."
"One who has taken Me within himself," śraddhāvān bhajate yo mām, "and with faith and love is engaged in My service, he is first-class yogi."
Lecture -- Seattle, October 9, 1968: When yoga is described in the Sixth Chapter, you'll find the Lord says, yoginām api sarveṣāṁ: "Of all the yogic process," yoginām api sarveṣāṁ madgatenāntarātmanā (BG 6.47), "one who has taken Me within himself," śraddhāvān bhajate yo mām, "and with faith and love is engaged in My service, he is first-class yogi." So the first-class yogi are all these Kṛṣṇa conscious boys and girls.
"With faith and love," bhajate, "he's engaged in My service." Sa me yuktatamo mataḥ. "He is the first-class topmost yogi."
Lecture -- Seattle, October 9, 1968: Because they're always thinking of Kṛṣṇa within. And that is recommended by Kṛṣṇa, the author of all yogic principles. He's called Yogeśvara, the master of all yogic principles. So He said that "Here is a first-class yogi." Who? "Who is thinking always within himself Me, Kṛṣṇa." Yoginām api sarveṣāṁ mad-gatenāntarātmanā śraddhāvān: "With faith and love," bhajate, "he's engaged in My service." Sa me yuktatamo mataḥ. "He is the first-class topmost yogi." So all yogic process must culminate in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
When one is sufficiently trained and acts with submissive faith and love for Kṛṣṇa under the direction of the bona fide spiritual master, the dovetailing process becomes more firm and accurate.
Lecture -- Seattle, October 11, 1968: A person in full Kṛṣṇa consciousness acts by the dictation of Kṛṣṇa, and so Arjuna agreed to fight the battle of Kurukṣetra. In the beginning of Kṛṣṇa consciousness this dictation of the Lord is received through the transparent medium of the spiritual master. When one is sufficiently trained and acts with submissive faith and love for Kṛṣṇa under the direction of the bona fide spiritual master, the dovetailing process becomes more firm and accurate. At this stage (Kṛṣṇa) dictates from within. From without the devotee is helped by the spiritual master, the bona fide representative of Kṛṣṇa, and from within the Lord helps the devotee as caitya-guru, being seated within the heart of everyone.
He has become absorbed. That is samādhi. Mad-gatenāntarātmanā śraddhāvān. Not for artificial makeshow, but śraddhāvān, with faith and love.
Lecture -- Gorakhpur, February 17, 1971: All big, big yogis, there may be, but a person who is always absorbed in thought of Kṛṣṇa within himself, he is greater than all such big, big yogis. Greater than the greatest yogi. Yoginām api sarveṣāṁ mad-gatenāntarātmanā. Mad-gata means his life is so molded that he cannot stay without thinking of Kṛṣṇa. Mad-gata. He has become absorbed. That is samādhi. Mad-gatenāntarātmanā śraddhāvān. Not for artificial makeshow, but śraddhāvān, with faith and love.
"Anyone who is always thinking of Me within his mind," śraddhāvān, "not mechanically, but with faith and love," śraddhā, and bhajate-bhajate means bhaja sevayam, engaged in the service—"such person is the first-class yogi."
Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, April 6, 1971: "Anyone who is always thinking of Me within his mind," śraddhāvān, "not mechanically, but with faith and love," śraddhā, and bhajate-bhajate means bhaja sevayam, engaged in the service—"such person is the first-class yogi." That is recommended by Kṛṣṇa.
One who is thinking of Kṛṣṇa always within himself with faith and love, he is the topmost yogi.
Lecture at Art Gallery -- Auckland, April 16, 1972: But He summarizes the yoga processes in the Sixth Chapter, last verse, yoginām api sarveṣāṁ: (BG 6.47) "Of all the yogis, one who always thinks of Me with faith and love within himself," yoginām api sarveṣāṁ mad-gata āntarātmanā, "within the heart, within himself, always think of Me, Kṛṣṇa," śraddhāvān bhajate yo mam, "engaged in devotional...," sa me yuktatamo, "he is the highest, topmost yogi." He has described different process of yoga system. That's a fact. But He concludes that one who is thinking of Kṛṣṇa always within himself with faith and love, he is the topmost yogi.
If you engage yourself in the service of the Lord, bhajatām, with love and faith, then Kṛṣṇa is within you—He will give you all intelligence.
Lecture -- Tokyo, May 1, 1972: Kṛṣṇa is within your heart. Simply you have to surrender to Kṛṣṇa, and everything will (be) supplied by Kṛṣṇa. Especially He says, teṣām evānukampārtham: "In order to show them special mercy." To whom? Teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam If you engage yourself in the service of the Lord, bhajatām, with love and faith, then Kṛṣṇa is within you—He will give you all intelligence.
"Engaged in devotional service with love and faith." For them, Kṛṣṇa says, buddhi-yogaṁ dadāmi tam: "I give him intelligence."
Speech -- New Vrindaban, August 31, 1972: Kṛṣṇa says, "If anyone is very serious and sincere, and constantly engaged in My devotional service," satata... Satata means constantly. Satata-yuktānām. Bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam: "Engaged in devotional service with love and faith." For them, Kṛṣṇa says, buddhi-yogaṁ dadāmi tam: "I give him intelligence."
With faith and love, one who is giving rendering service to the Lord, he's first-class yogi.
Lecture at Bharata Chamber of Commerce 'Culture and Business' -- Calcutta, January 30, 1973: But the best yogi is he who's always thinking of Kṛṣṇa within himself. Yoginām api sarveṣāṁ mad-gatena-antarātmanā śraddhāvān bhajate yo mām. Śraddhāvān. With faith and love, one who is giving rendering service to the Lord, he's first-class yogi.
Kṛṣṇa says, "If somebody offers Me with faith and love, I eat it."
Public Lecture -- Konigstein, Germany, June 19, 1974: "Anyone who is offering Me these foodstuff made of patraṁ puṣpam, vegetable and food grains and milk and this..." He never says, "Give Me meat or eggs." No. He never says. He says, patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyam. These foodstuffs we can prepare nicely in so many ways, and Kṛṣṇa says, "If somebody offers Me with faith and love, I eat it." Now, the question is, you see that "Whatever I offer, these things are there. How Kṛṣṇa has eaten?" Therefore His eating process is different. But He has eaten.
Because he has got good faith and love for dog, therefore he becomes dog. And if you have got good faith and love for Kṛṣṇa, you become a body like Kṛṣṇa.
Public Lecture -- Konigstein, Germany, June 19, 1974: So therefore you prepare very, very nice foodstuff and offer to Kṛṣṇa and take it. Then your desire for eating nice foodstuff will be automatically fulfilled. And at the same time become devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Why don't you do this? Anyone can do, either in this temple or at home. But they will not worship Kṛṣṇa. They will worship a dog. Instead of God, keeping dog and taking all care. This is the mentality. Then next life he becomes a dog. Because he has got good faith and love for dog, therefore he becomes dog. And if you have got good faith and love for Kṛṣṇa, you become a body like Kṛṣṇa. Unless you have got the same type of body, how you can play with Kṛṣṇa, dance with Kṛṣṇa?
If you keep in touch with God with faith and love, then God is within yourself.
Public Speech -- Bad Homburg, Germany, June 22, 1974: If you keep in touch with God with faith and love, then God is within yourself. He will give you intelligence how you can go back to home, back to Godhead.
Conversations and Morning Walks
1971 Conversations and Morning Walks
But in all conditions, if we, with faith and love we chant the holy name of God, we shall become gradually purified.
Room Conversation -- August 14, 1971, London: Prabhupāda: Caitanya Mahāprabhu's principle is āpani ācari prabhu jīveri śikṣāya. He first of all behaves himself, and then he preaches. So if the preacher is sinful, how he can deliver other sinful men by his so-called preaching. That is not possible. He must be pure, he must be sinless. Then his preaching will be effective. But in all conditions, if we, with faith and love we chant the holy name of God, we shall become gradually purified. There is no, I mean to say, cause of anxiety. Anyone who will chant this holy name, he'll be purified.
1972 Conversations and Morning Walks
So if anyone gives with faith and love to Kṛṣṇa patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyam, He eats and drinks.
Room Conversation with Dai Nippon -- April 22, 1972, Tokyo: Prabhupāda: Patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ (BG 9.26). Kṛṣṇa says, "Anyone gives Me patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ..." Patram means leaf. Puṣpam means flower. Patraṁ puṣpaṁ. Phalam, phalam means fruit. And toyam means water. So if anyone gives with faith and love to Kṛṣṇa patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyam, He eats and drinks. And if Kṛṣṇa eats and drinks our offering, then our life is successful.
"One who is engaged in devotional service with love and faith," buddhi-yogaṁ dadāmi, "I give him intelligence."
Morning Walks -- October 1-3, 1972, Los Angeles: Prabhupāda: So in the Tenth Chapter it is said, teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam (BG 10.10). Do you know this verse? Bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam. "One who is engaged in devotional service with love and faith," buddhi-yogaṁ dadāmi, "I give him intelligence." That is stated. Satata-yuktānām, "Twenty-four hours engaged with love and faith in My service, I give him intelligence, not to others." That is the qualification.
1973 Conversations and Morning Walks
"Only to those who are engaged in devotional service with love and faith, I give him intelligence how to come back to home, back to Godhead."
Morning Walk -- April 20, 1973, Los Angeles: Prabhupāda: "Only to those who are engaged in devotional service with love and faith, I give him intelligence how to come back to home, back to Godhead." Therefore, after coming to human form of body, we must awaken our intelligence about understanding the Supreme Lord.
But when a devotee gives Him love and faith, He accepts: "All right. Thank you."
Room Conversation with David Wynne, Sculptor -- July 9, 1973, London: Prabhupāda: He's not in want. He's complete in Himself. But when a devotee gives Him love and faith, He accepts: "All right. Thank you." That is another thing. Otherwise, He doesn't require anything from him.
But if some citizen offers in good faith and love, she accepts. That's all.
Room Conversation with David Wynne, Sculptor -- July 9, 1973, London: Prabhupāda: Yes. What, what is the value of those jewels to her? But if some citizen offers in good faith and love, she accepts. That's all.
1974 Conversations and Morning Walks
Lover of God.
Room Conversation with Catholic Cardinal and Secretary to the Pope -- May 24, 1974, Rome: Cardinal Pignedoli: Excuse me if I insist on the first question I asked for. Your aim, your most important aim, if I understood it well, is to bring the faith and love for God to man. No? This is your first aim, to encourage man to be a...
Prabhupāda: Lover of God.
1976 Conversations and Morning Walks
One who is twenty-four-hours engaged in the service of the Lord, with love and faith, God talks with him.
Garden Conversation -- June 27, 1976, New Vrindaban: Prabhupāda: No. God talks with whom? That is said. Teṣāṁ satata-yuktānaṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam (BG 10.10). Those who have already become devotee of God and engaged in His service, He talks with him. Not he's a third-class fool. He doesn't talk with him. It is clearly stated, teṣāṁ satata-yuktānām (BG 10.10), one who is twenty-four-hours engaged in the service of the Lord, with love and faith, God talks with him. That is clearly stated.
"One who is twenty-four-hours engaged in My service with love and faith, God talks with him."
Garden Conversation -- June 27, 1976, New Vrindaban: Prabhupāda: He might say, that is another thing. The standard is this. He may say-he's a rascal, he can say so many nonsense. That is not the standard. He says that "God is talking with me." So I have to see whether he's a candidate with whom God can talk. The formula is teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam (BG 10.10). "One who is twenty-four-hours engaged in My service with love and faith, God talks with him." So first of all see whether he's twenty-four-hours engaged in God's service with love and faith. Then you can understand, "Yes, God is talking with him." But he has no preliminary qualification, if he says "I can talk with God," he's a nonsense.
Correspondence
1968 Correspondence
But we have to work for Krishna diligently and with faith and love.
Letter to Gargamuni -- Allston, Mass 31 May, 1968: I am always thinking of you, and I am also feeling separation of you all. But we have to work for Krishna diligently and with faith and love.
1969 Correspondence
Our principle should be to serve Krishna very diligently with love and faith, and all necessary supplies will come without any difficulties.
Letter to Yamuna, Gurudasa -- Los Angeles 15 July, 1969: You have got two great responsibilities to function. Do it to your best capacity, and Krishna will give you all facilities without fail. Our principle should be to serve Krishna very diligently with love and faith, and all necessary supplies will come without any difficulties.
A preacher's position is like this: He should have firm faith and love for Krishna.
Letter to Hamsaduta -- Tittenhurst 28 September, 1969: Regarding your question about faith in devotees, faith must be there. But we should always take instruction from devotees who are considered to be elevated. A preacher's position is like this: He should have firm faith and love for Krishna. He should make friendship with devotees.
1973 Correspondence
Similarly when a person offers something in sincere faith and love that is always welcome either by big or small men.
Letter to Madhudvisa -- U.K. 15 August, 1973: So Krishna's gladness and the devotee's love and sincerity, they are taken into consideration. Similarly when a person offers something in sincere faith and love that is always welcome either by big or small men. So as you are spreading Krishna consciousness in Australia. Hamsaduta is also spreading in Germany.
1974 Correspondence
He is sitting in your heart and will surely give you good intelligence, as soon as He finds that you are engaged in His service with faith and love.
Letter to Taittiriya -- Vrindaban 15 September, 1974: So work together husband and wife diligently and pray to Krsna to help you. He is sitting in your heart and will surely give you good intelligence, as soon as He finds that you are engaged in His service with faith and love. Our Krsna is not a dead God as with other things. He is the supreme living being and very affectionate to His devotees.
| Page Title: | Faith and love |
| Compiler: | Siddha Rupa, Visnu Murti, Ramananda, Sureshwardas |
| Created: | 17 of Jan, 2008 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=2, SB=12, CC=19, OB=7, Lec=56, Con=9, Let=5 |
| No. of Quotes: | 110 |