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Intention means

Conversations and Morning Walks

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Intention means personal intention. Otherwise, intention to satisfy the Lord, that is required. That is bhakti. We are not intentionless, but purified intention.
Room Conversation with Monsieur Roost, Hatha-yogi -- May 31, 1974, Geneva:

Prabhupāda: Aṣṭāṅga-yoga, aṣṭāṅga.

M. Roost: Yes, aṣṭāṅga-yoga. The last part of the evolution. I think first we must through the body find the balance. With the balance of our body, we can go after the balance of our ego, of cessation, and after this, perhaps, we are able to sacrifice all to the Lord.

Prabhupāda: Sacrifice for whom?

M. Roost: Yes. Without intention.

Satsvarūpa: The Lord, he said.

M. Roost: Without personal intention.

Prabhupāda: I'll speak.

Satsvarūpa: I'm sorry.

Prabhupāda: Sacrifice. Intention means personal intention. Otherwise, intention to satisfy the Lord, that is required. That is bhakti. We are not intentionless, but purified intention.

M. Roost: And what is your practice? Technically, I think.

Prabhupāda: Yes, technically, it begins with hearing, śravaṇam, to hear about God. Just like Bhagavad-gītā. We hear from God personally.

M. Roost: But with... Through lecture? Through sound?

Prabhupāda: Yes, through sound vibration.

M. Roost: And repeat and...

Prabhupāda: Śabdād anāvṛttiḥ. In the Vedānta-sūtra there is, "By hearing the sound, one becomes immortal." So...

M. Roost: It's like japa-yoga.

Prabhupāda: That is later. That is later on. For beginning you have simply to give submissive aural reception. That is the first beginning. Sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhiḥ. Our process is jñāne prayāsam udapāsya. I know something or I can know the Supreme by my knowledge. As I am something, I am very important, our process is to forget this first of all. This is called humbleness, submissive. Generally, the jñānīs, yogis, they are thinking that they can do something by their own endeavor. Our process is different, that "I am limited. My endeavor is limited. My knowledge is limited. So I cannot realize the unlimited by these limited resources." This is our first submission, jñāne prayāsam udapāsya, that "I am limited; I am not unlimited." That's a fact. So how can I know the unlimited by my limited activities? This is our first submissiveness. Just like in the Vedic literature it is stated that Mahā-Viṣṇu, the plenary expansion of Govinda, from His breathing innumerable universes are coming and going. Yasyaika-niśvasita-kālam athāvalambya jīvanti loma-vilajā jagad-aṇḍa-nāthāḥ (Bs. 5.48). So we cannot conceive even of this universe. And innumerable universes are coming and going during the breathing period of Mahā-Viṣṇu. And that Mahā-Viṣṇu is the plenary expansion of Govinda. So this is the position of Govinda. So therefore our process is not to try by our limited endeavor to understand the unlimited. This is our first proposal. Better be submissive and hear from the Lord or from the representative of the Lord about Him.

Page Title:Intention means
Compiler:Rishab
Created:29 of Feb, 2012
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=1, Let=0
No. of Quotes:1