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Honest endeavor

Srimad-Bhagavatam

SB Canto 3

It is also not possible to repeat all that one has heard from his spiritual master, but one can narrate as far as possible by one's honest endeavor.
SB 3.6.36, Purport:

Maitreya's statement is that in order to avoid unchaste conscious activities, he was trying to describe the unlimited glories of the Lord, although he did not have the ability to describe them perfectly. This glorification of the Lord is not a product of research, but the result of hearing submissively from the authority of the spiritual master. It is also not possible to repeat all that one has heard from his spiritual master, but one can narrate as far as possible by one's honest endeavor. It does not matter whether the Lord's glories are fully explained or not. One must attempt to engage one's bodily, mental and verbal activities in the transcendental glorification of the Lord, otherwise such activities will remain unchaste and impure.

SB Canto 5

Even if he is adept at the practice of mystic yoga or the honest endeavor of maintaining his family and relatives, he must be driven by his own mental speculations and must engage in the service of the Lord's external energy.
SB 5.18.12, Translation:

All the demigods and their exalted qualities, such as religion, knowledge and renunciation, become manifest in the body of one who has developed unalloyed devotion for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vāsudeva. On the other hand, a person devoid of devotional service and engaged in material activities has no good qualities. Even if he is adept at the practice of mystic yoga or the honest endeavor of maintaining his family and relatives, he must be driven by his own mental speculations and must engage in the service of the Lord's external energy. How can there be any good qualities in such a man?

Other Books by Srila Prabhupada

Renunciation Through Wisdom

A person devoid of devotional service and engaged in material activities has no good qualities. Even if he is adept at the practice of mystic yoga or the honest endeavor of maintaining his family and relatives, he must be driven by his own material speculations and must engage in the service of the Lord's external energy.
Renunciation Through Wisdom 2.9:

A person devoid of devotional service and engaged in material activities has no good qualities. Even if he is adept at the practice of mystic yoga or the honest endeavor of maintaining his family and relatives, he must be driven by his own material speculations and must engage in the service of the Lord's external energy. How can there be any good qualities in such a man?

The only way to cure this mental disease is to wholeheartedly follow Lord Caitanya's instruction to chant the holy names of Kṛṣṇa. This will cleanse the heart of all impurities. Until this esoteric truth is propagated widely, the world will remain deprived of the panacea that cures all mental diseases.

Person devoid of devotional service and engaged in material activities has no good qualities. Even if he is adept at the practice of mystic yoga or the honest endeavor of maintaining his family and relatives, he must be driven by his own mental speculations and must engage in the service of the lord's external energy. How can there be any good qualities in such a man?
Renunciation Through Wisdom 3.2:

A person devoid of devotional service and engaged in material activities has no good qualities. Even if he is adept at the practice of mystic yoga or the honest endeavor of maintaining his family and relatives, he must be driven by his own mental speculations and must engage in the service of the lord's external energy. How can there be any good qualities in such a man?

It is futile to make an external show of good qualities like humility and nonviolence while disrespecting the Lord's lotus feet and denouncing the process of devotional service. Such so-called good qualities may be of some material value, but ultimately they are useless and temporary. In fact, the nineteen other qualities combine to make a throne from which unalloyed devotion may rule. These qualities are various limbs of the Absolute Truth, and everything outside this absolute knowledge is nescience.

Correspondence

1966 Correspondence

My mission is develop the glories of Srila Jiva Goswami all over the world and I think you should cooperate with my honest endeavour.
Letter to Nripen Babu -- New York 15 December, 1966:

I want to start a nice International Institute at the place of Srila __ Goswami is silent on this point and therefore I am writing to you. The idea is very good and I hope you will appreciate it. Any way it is up to you to accept the proposal or reject it but I shall be glad to hear from you about your honest opinion on this. My mission is develop the glories of Srila Jiva Goswami all over the world and I think you should cooperate with my honest endeavour.

1968 Correspondence

I am so pleased with your honest endeavor to open a branch in Buffalo. Those who try to distribute Krishna Consciousness amongst the general mass of people are very much favorite to Lord Krishna and Lord Caitanya.
Letter to Rupanuga -- San Francisco 12 March, 1968:

I have read of New York, and I am so pleased with your honest endeavor to open a branch in Buffalo. Those who try to distribute Krishna Consciousness amongst the general mass of people are very much favorite to Lord Krishna and Lord Caitanya. So you have all the blessings of Lord Caitanya for your laudable work in Buffalo. It doesn't matter whether there is any future prospect for opening permanent center or not, but to attempt to distribute Krishna Consciousness in that part of the country is very much encouraging.

The Brahmacarinis cannot go, of course, for begging, but if some of them agree to go out and sell our books and literature, that will also be helpful. Some source of income by honest endeavor must be there.
Letter to Satsvarupa -- Montreal 12 July, 1968:

Factually if you can organize a Brahmacarini asrama, it will be very nice idea. And I think that our Jadurani or similar other girl students of a little bit advanced, they can manage such asrama. But there is another difficulty, that when the girls live together they will pick up quarrels. Anyway, that sort of quarreling will continue whenever there is a little bit individuality. That is the nature. Even such quarreling is visible in the spiritual world also. But the main thing is that in Boston, you are the only earning member. How you will maintain such a Brahmacarini asrama separately unless there is some source of income. I expected that the pictures painted by the Brahmacarinis would be a source of income to the society. If some arrangement for such sales organization can be made, then it will be a very excellent idea. The Brahmacarinis cannot go, of course, for begging, but if some of them agree to go out and sell our books and literature, that will also be helpful. Some source of income by honest endeavor must be there, otherwise, how a nice Brahmacarini asrama can be maintained? In the asrama we must supply all inmates necessary nutritious food. Especially in your country, because they were accustomed to take meat and some protein food, just like regular supply of dahl, capatis, rice, fruits and milk, must be properly administered. There is no need of eating more than necessity, but the minimum demands must be supplied. But if you can organize such nice Brahmacarini asrama it will be a great success of our society.

1969 Correspondence

Srila Rupa Goswami has recommended six principles for advancement in Krishna Consciousness: enthusiasm, patience, conviction of success, executing the regulative principles, honest endeavor, and association with devotees.
Letter to Subala -- Los Angeles 3 July, 1969:

By Krishna's blessings surely you will find a nice place soon, and your enthusiasm for Krishna's service will be fulfilled. Srila Rupa Goswami has recommended six principles for advancement in Krishna Consciousness: enthusiasm, patience, conviction of success, executing the regulative principles, honest endeavor, and association with devotees. So these six principles you try to follow very rigidly, and wherever you go you will be successful. I am confident that Krishna will help you, because two centers, Los Angeles and Santa Fe, were given start by you, and they are still existing. But this time, Philadelphia, you should not leave half finished. Philadelphia is a very nice place, one of the most important places in your country, so try to stick there, and all facilities will be given to you by Krishna.

1972 Correspondence

You tried to get Amrtananda back, that was an honest endeavor.
Letter to Bhavananda -- Sydney 4 April, 1972:

I had also very much affection for Amrtananda, but if, as you report, there was some connection with Krishna at the last moment, then we have not to doubt that he will get good opportunity to advance further in Krishna Consciousness, so let us not lament. I understand there was some unstoppable attraction to the material glare, but at the same time he was strongly attracted to Krishna, so there was some very great conflict, and because he was weak in his mind he succumbed. So I think he may now get better opportunity to take it up, because he has become my disciple and has rendered some good service to Krishna.

You tried to get him back, that was an honest endeavor. So your kind of attachment for him is not material because it is related with Krishna, so that is good. Feeling loss is no mistake because of course any devotee out of our sight is a great loss.

1976 Correspondence

A person devoid of devotional service and engaged in material activities has no good qualities. Even if he is adept at the practice of mystic yoga or the honest endeavour of maintaining his family and relatives, he must be driven by his own mental speculations and must engage in the service of the Lord's external energy.
Letter to Mr. Raja Sajid Husain -- Los Angeles 4 June, 1976:

Without God Consciousness, nobody can be ethical. In the Vedic literatures, we find this verse:

yasyasti bhaktir bhagavaty akincana
sarvair gunais tatra samasate surah,
harav abhaktasya kuto mahad-guna
manorathenasati dhavato bahih.
(SB 5.18.12)

"All the demigods and their exalted qualities, such as religion, knowledge, and renunciation, become manifest in the body of one who has developed unalloyed devotion for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vasudeva. On the other hand, a person devoid of devotional service and engaged in material activities has no good qualities. Even if he is adept at the practice of mystic yoga or the honest endeavour of maintaining his family and relatives, he must be driven by his own mental speculations and must engage in the service of the Lord's external energy. How can such a man possess any good qualities?"

Page Title:Honest endeavor
Compiler:Labangalatika, Madhavananda
Created:29 of Sep, 2009
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=2, CC=0, OB=2, Lec=0, Con=0, Let=6
No. of Quotes:10