Go to Vanipedia | Go to Vanisource | Go to Vanimedia


Vaniquotes - the compiled essence of Vedic knowledge


My very dear friend and devotee

Expressions researched:
"My dear, very dear friend and devotee" |"dear friend and devotee" |"my dear friend and devotee" |"my very dear friend and devotee"

Lectures

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Just like Kṛṣṇa said, sa kāleneha yoga naṣṭaḥ parantapa: "Because that process of hearing from the right person is now broken, therefore I am speaking the same truth, Bhagavad-gītā, again unto you, because you are My very dear friend and devotee." So our process is that. We understand, we try to understand the absolute (break) ...imperfect, my knowledge is not perfect. But because I hear from the dear friend and devotee of Kṛṣṇa, therefore whatever I speak, that is perfect.
Lecture on SB 1.2.10 -- Bombay, December 28, 1972:

So those who are trying to understand the Absolute Truth by exercising their, exercising their limited knowledge... After all, we are living entities. Our knowledge is always imperfect. That we do not admit, but actually it is so because our senses are imperfect. I am very much proud of my eyes, but I cannot see as soon as the electricity, light, is not existing. I cannot see. Then what is the importance of my eyes? My eyes can see under certain condition. When there is sunlight, then I can see. At night I cannot see. Then what is value of these eyes? So people say that "I cannot see." So what is the value of your eyes? Because you do not see, the fact cannot be zero. Therefore it is called śruta paramparā, śrotriyaṁ brahma-niṣṭham (MU 1.2.12). We have to receive the absolute knowledge by the śrota paramparā, śrotriyaṁ brahma-niṣṭha. Just like Kṛṣṇa said, sa kāleneha yoga naṣṭaḥ parantapa: "Because that process of hearing from the right person is now broken, therefore I am speaking the same truth, Bhagavad-gītā, again unto you, because you are My very dear friend and devotee." So our process is that. We understand, we try to understand the absolute (break) ...imperfect, my knowledge is not perfect. But because I hear from the dear friend and devotee of Kṛṣṇa, therefore whatever I speak, that is perfect. I am not manufacturing. I may be imperfect—I am imperfect; actually I am imperfect—but I am carrying the message, Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says, "I am the Supreme Personality of Godhead"; we say, "Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead." Kṛṣṇa says that "You surrender unto Me"; we say, "Just surrender unto Kṛṣṇa." So therefore, because there is no difference between Kṛṣṇa's statement and my statement, therefore our knowledge is perfect. Personally, I may not be perfect, but because we are carrying the message of Kṛṣṇa and presenting as it is, therefore it is perfect. This is our process. That is the recognized process, Vedic process, śrota paramparā.

Kṛṣṇa says, "My dear Arjuna, you are My very dear friend and devotee." So people may say, "Oh, he is not a Vedantist, he is not even brāhmaṇa, he is not a sannyāsī. How Kṛṣṇa accepts him as bhakto 'si?" That is called bhakti. Bhakti is ahaituky apratihatā.
Lecture on SB 3.25.29 -- Bombay, November 29, 1974:

Therefore here it is said, kīdṛśaḥ kati cāṅgāni. How that bhakti-yoga is situated and how many processes or branches are there? Kīdṛśaḥ kati ca aṅgāni yatas tattvāvabodhanam. Then we can understand Kṛṣṇa in tattva, in truth. That is required. That is bhakti-yoga. And that aṅgāni, aṅgāni means they are all the same. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam (SB 7.5.23). There are nine aṅgas, nine... Aṅga means different varieties. They are the same. Spiritually they are the same, spiritually absolute. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam. Either you hear or you chant or you memorize or you offer worship, arcanaṁ vandanaṁ dāsyam, or you simply work under the direction of your spiritual master or Kṛṣṇa. Just like Hanumān: he dāsyam. He simply carried out Lord Rāmacandra's order. He was supposed to be animal. He's not animal. But he was looking like a monkey animal. But having no education, no. He had everything. But superficially he..., he is not teaching Vedānta. He is simply carrying order of Lord Rāmacandra, that's all. He appears to be very foolish. Not foolish, but superficially animal. He was simply carrying out, dāsyam. Arjuna, simply he took Kṛṣṇa as his most intimate friend, that's all. He was not a Vedantist; he was a fighter, he was a kṣatriya. He had to deal with politics. No time to become Vedantist. But still he's the greatest devotee. Bhakto 'si priyo 'si me (BG 4.3). Kṛṣṇa says, "My dear Arjuna, you are My very dear friend and devotee." So people may say, "Oh, he is not a Vedantist, he is not even brāhmaṇa, he is not a sannyāsī. How Kṛṣṇa accepts him as bhakto 'si?" That is called bhakti. Bhakti is ahaituky apratihatā. If you become a devotee there is no impediment. No material condition can check your progress of bhakti, if you are a bhakta.

sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo
yato bhaktir adhokṣaje
ahaituky apratihatā
yayātmā suprasīdati
(SB 1.2.6)

If you want real life, prasanna... Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā (BG 18.54). If you take to bhakti, automatically you become prasannātmā. Yayātmā suprasīdati. What is that? Ahaituky apratihatā bhakti. Without any motive. "I shall serve Kṛṣṇa with a motive," that is also good in this sense, that he is pious, he has approached Kṛṣṇa. He is not impious like the atheist, like the nonbeliever. But he is good, although he has approached... Just like Dhruva Mahārāja. Dhruva Mahārāja worshiped Kṛṣṇa with a motive. But after being perfect in devotional service he becomes without motive. When he saw actually Kṛṣṇa, he said, "No, no, no. I don't want anything from You." Svāmin kṛtārtho 'smi varaṁ na yāce (CC Madhya 22.42). "I don't want any benediction." That is bhakti. Ahaituky apratihatā. Not that we shall worship Kṛṣṇa to serve some material purpose. That is also good, because he has come to Kṛṣṇa. Someway or other he has come. Catur-vidhā bhajante māṁ sukṛtino 'rjuna. That is his piety. Anyone who comes to Kṛṣṇa someway or other, he is very fortunate. He is not ordinary man. Ei rūpe brahmāṇḍa bhramite kona bhāgyavān jīva (CC Madhya 19.151). Bhāgyavān jīva means very fortunate person. He comes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Not ordinary person.

In the Bhagavad-gītā is said, "My dear Arjuna, I have spoken to you so many things, but now, because you are My very dear friend and devotee, therefore I am disclosing the most confidential knowledge."
Lecture on SB 3.25.36 -- Bombay, December 5, 1974:

So here it is stated that if you begin your devotional service as it is prescribed here, simply see the Deity, then gradually realize how Kṛṣṇa is smiling, how Kṛṣṇa is playing on His flute, how Kṛṣṇa is enjoying the company of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī... We have to see simply. Simply by seeing. And if you hear about Kṛṣṇa, just you are hearing now, these two processes will increase in such a way that one time, anicchato me gatim aṇvīṁ prayuṅkte, you automatically become a great devotee, simply if you come to this temple, or any temple where Deity is very nicely worshiped. These are all scientific. It is not imagination. Just like people think that "They are worshiping idol and imagining something." No, they are stated in this all śāstra. It is the prescribed method for developing your God consciousness, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It is a science, vijñāna-samanvitam.

jñānaṁ parama-guhyaṁ me
yad vijñāna-samanvitam
sa-rahasyaṁ tad-aṅgaṁ ca
gṛhāṇa gaditaṁ mayā

When Kṛṣṇa advised Brahmā after creation, then He said, jñānaṁ me... This is called catuḥ-śloki-bhāgavata, the four ślokas which is the basic principle of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (SB 2.9.33/34/35/36). Jñānaṁ parama-guhyaṁ me. The knowledge of Kṛṣṇa is very confidential, guhyam. Guhyād guhyatamam. In the Bhagavad-gītā is said, "My dear Arjuna, I have spoken to you so many things, but now, because you are My very dear friend and devotee, therefore I am disclosing the most confidential knowledge." What is that? Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam: (BG 18.66) "Just surrender unto Me. That's all. This is the confidential knowledge. Don't try to understand many things, or if you have heard, if you could not understand Me here, then I tell you. This is the most confidential part of knowledge, that sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66)." Before this verse... Guhyād guhyatamam. Guhyād guhyatamam. Guhya means very confidential. So this guhya, this Brahman realization, is also very confidential. But Paramātmā realization is guhyatara, still more confidential. And to understand Kṛṣṇa is guhyatama, superlative degree. Guhyād guhyatamam.

In the estimation of the material world he is a very good man, er, he is not a good man because he is killing his own kinsmen. But in the estimation of Kṛṣṇa, he is dear friend and devotee.
Lecture on SB 6.2.11 -- Allahabad, January 16, 1971:

One who has become completely freed from all kinds of material desires... Jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam (CC Madhya 19.167). Jñāna-karmādy... Jñāna, cultivation of knowledge, and cultivation of pious activities, that is also on the material field. The pious... To become very pious man does not mean that he is a liberated man. He is good man, on the platform of the quality of goodness, but he is not a liberated man. Try to understand. A good man is not a liberated man. Good man is also conditioned soul. He is bound up by good condition. Just like to become a brāhmaṇa. That does not mean that... He has acquired the good qualities but that does not mean that he is a devotee. You will find in this prayer. You will find many good men but you will find rarely a pure devotee. So good man is not a devotee. Try to distinguish. Good man is good for this material existence but devotee is different from good man. A devotee...

Just like Arjuna. Arjuna is killing, engaged in killing. People may think that "Oh, Arjuna is not very good man. He is killing his grandfather, he is killing his, what is called, nephews, and devastating the whole family. Oh, he is not a good man." Sometimes comment, people comment like that. But Kṛṣṇa says, bhakto 'si priyo 'si me: (BG 4.3) "You are My very dear friend." Just try to understand. In the estimation of the material world he is a very good man, er, he is not a good man because he is killing his own kinsmen. But in the estimation of Kṛṣṇa, he is dear friend and devotee. So that is the difference between a devotee and good man of this world. A devotee is naturally very good man, but when he acts just like a bad man on behalf of Kṛṣṇa, he does not fall down. He still remains a pure devotee.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

Kṛṣṇa also gave him certificate: bhakto 'si priyo 'si (BG 4.3). "My dear Arjuna, you are My dear friend and devotee." So by any action, if it is dovetailed for the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa, that is devotional service, and one can attract Kṛṣṇa, attention of Kṛṣṇa.
The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 4, 1972:

Actually, devotional service depends on the main principles, śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam, arcanaṁ vandanaṁ dāsyam (SB 7.5.23). But within the category of dāsyam,... Just like Hanumān, Hanumānjī: he was engaged in the platform of dāsyam. Arjuna was engaged in the platform of sakhyam. So they were also working very hard. The Battlefield of Kurukṣetra, it was not a place of sitting down very easily and silently. When he was fighting, he was fighting just like a soldier. He took all the duties of a soldier. But it was being fought for Kṛṣṇa. That is the attraction. That is pure devotional service. Kṛṣṇa also gave him certificate: bhakto 'si priyo 'si (BG 4.3). "My dear Arjuna, you are My dear friend and devotee." So by any action, if it is dovetailed for the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa, that is devotional service, and one can attract Kṛṣṇa, attention of Kṛṣṇa. Attention of Kṛṣṇa can be attracted by pure devotional service, without any personal motive. If it is... And that motive, that order, is received through the disciplic succession of the spiritual master, how Kṛṣṇa will be pleased. In the present condition, we do not know how Kṛṣṇa will be pleased, but we know from the śāstras... We can know also from the direction of the spiritual master how Kṛṣṇa will be pleased. Yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ **. So Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura says you have to follow the direction of the spiritual master. He's guiding as a leader. And if he's pleased, that means Kṛṣṇa is pleased. Yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ **.

So devotional service is the only way. Karmī, karmī means they are working very hard for their personal benefit. Not for Kṛṣṇa's benefit. Similarly, jñānīs, they are also trying for personal benefit, mukti. He wants mukti, liberation, nirbheda-brahmānu-sandhana. And similarly, yogis also, they want personal benefit, some material power, aṣṭa-siddhi-yoga, aṇimā-laghimā-siddhi. Bhukti-mukti-siddhi-kāmī sakali aśānta. Caitanya-caritāmṛta Kaja says except pure devotee, who only wants to satisfy Kṛṣṇa, everyone is working for his personal benefit, karmī, jñānī, yogi. But Kṛṣṇa says, "Pure devotional service..." Not... Rūpa Gosvāmī says, "Pure devotional service is the only means to attract Kṛṣṇa." Now... But ignorance is no excuse. Go on reading. Next.

General Lectures

And in the beginning also, of the Bhagavad-gītā teaching, He said Arjuna that "I am teaching Bhagavad-gītā to you because you are devotee." Bhakto 'si priyo 'si: (BG 4.3) "You are My very dear friend and devotee. Therefore," rahasyam hy etad uttamam, "I am delivering this mystery of Bhagavad-gītā-yoga to you."
General Lecture -- (location & date unknown):

Prabhupāda: He was also disciple of Sandipani Muni. Everyone has to become disciple. That is the Vedic system. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ gurum evābhigacchet. Without becoming disciple, nobody can understand.

Guest: No, but Kṛṣṇa was Supreme God.

Prabhupāda: That not... Supreme God... But He was playing just like human being. Supreme God we know by His activities. But He played the part of human being. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam: (BG 9.11) "Because I am playing just like ordinary human being, those who are foolish persons, mūḍha, less intelligent, they accept Me as ordinary man." Paraṁ bhāvam ajānantaḥ: "They do not know the greatness behind Me. They do not know." Paraṁ bhāvam ajānantaḥ. Mama bhūta-maheśvaram: "That I am the Supreme Lord." Because they do not know, therefore, simply by superficial observation, that "He is playing just like ordinary man," that "He is the chariot driver of Arjuna..." Now, somebody may say, "How Kṛṣṇa can be the Supreme Personality of Godhead? He was ordinary chariot driver of Arjuna. He was ordinary cowherds boy." Muhyanti yat sūrayayaḥ. Very great sages, great saintly persons, also sometimes become bewildered. But to understand Kṛṣṇa, that is explained also in the Bhagavad-gītā. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). Not by learning, not by education, not by scholarship. Bhaktyā. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ: "In reality what I am, that can be understood by the devotees, not by others." And in the beginning also, of the Bhagavad-gītā teaching, He said Arjuna that "I am teaching Bhagavad-gītā to you because you are devotee." Bhakto 'si priyo 'si: (BG 4.3) "You are My very dear friend and devotee. Therefore," rahasyam hy etad uttamam, "I am delivering this mystery of Bhagavad-gītā-yoga to you." So to understand Bhagavad-gītā requires that qualification: bhakto 'si. And similarly, on the Eighteenth Chapter, the Kṛṣṇa directly says, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati (BG 18.54). The brahma-bhūtaḥ stage is liberated stage from material contamination. But you have to develop further. In the liberated stage, if you shall be satisfied simply being brahma-bhūtaḥ, self-realized, understanding yourself as Brahman, that is not sufficient. You have to make further progress. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati, samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu (BG 18.54). When one has acquired these qualities, that he is no more, I mean to say, faltering in the matter of hankering and lamentation, and he is now on the transcendental stage of seeing every living entity on the equal level—samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu—at that stage one can enter into the devotional service.

Conversations and Morning Walks

1972 Conversations and Morning Walks

So Arjuna was fighter and he helped Kṛṣṇa in this fighting activities and thus he became a great devotee. Kṛṣṇa certified, bhakto 'si priyo 'si: (BG 4.3) "You are My dear, very dear friend and devotee." So it is not that one becomes a devotee simply by renouncing the world and coloring the dress.
Conversation with Bajaj and Bhusan -- September 11, 1972, Arlington, Texas, At Their Home:

Prabhupāda: You may be industrial administrator, you may be engineer, you may be something else, but you make your profession perfect. And that perfection is achieved by satisfying the Supreme Personality of Godhead by your profession. Just like Arjuna. He was a soldier. He knew how to fight. So by his profession he satisfied Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa wanted that there should be fight between the Kurus and the Pāṇḍavas for right cause. And Kṛṣṇa came-paritrāṇāya sādhunaṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtam (BG 4.8). He had two business: to give protection to the devotees and to kill the demons. So by Kṛṣṇa's will sometimes all the demons, they come together and fight with one another and they are killed. So battle of Kurukṣetra was such a plan to bring all the demons together and engage them in fighting and kill one another. Just like in our school days, unruly boys, one boy will be asked to catch the other boy by the ear and the same boy will be asked to catch this boy by the ear and they are pulling each other. Competition of pulling the ears. So Arjuna was fighter and he helped Kṛṣṇa in this fighting activities and thus he became a great devotee. Kṛṣṇa certified, bhakto 'si priyo 'si: (BG 4.3) "You are My dear, very dear friend and devotee." So it is not that one becomes a devotee simply by renouncing the world and coloring the dress. But in any dress, in any capacity, one can satisfy Kṛṣṇa if His cause is served. If you apply your engineering talent in Kṛṣṇa's service. Suppose we have to construct a nice temple of Kṛṣṇa. So if you apply your talent to engineering just like in India we have got very wonderful temples, so then your engineering becomes perfect. Similarly, if some business is done, if you apply your business administrative talent... Just like we are doing some business, Spiritual Sky. That is small business but they are managing very nicely. This boy, Svarūpa Dāmodara, he is a great scientist, doctor in chemistry. He is trying to explain Kṛṣṇa through chemistry. Similarly, you can try to serve Kṛṣṇa through engineering. You can serve Kṛṣṇa by business administration. Svakarmaṇā tam abhyarcya. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, "Everyone can serve by his own work." Kṛṣṇa is not stereotyped. Everything is Kṛṣṇa. So every department can be utilized for Kṛṣṇa's satisfaction. And if Kṛṣṇa is satisfied, then your talent in the particular department of knowledge is perfect. Then it attains perfection. Saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam (SB 1.2.13). Saṁsiddhi means perfection. And what is that perfection? That Kṛṣṇa will be pleased: "Yes, you are very good engineer." "You are very good business administrator." "You are very good chemist." So this is our philosophy, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We do not say, "This is bad. This is good." Everything is good, provided it is utilized for Kṛṣṇa's service. This is our philosophy.

Correspondence

1970 Correspondence

In the Bhagavad-gita also, the Lord says to Arjuna, "I shall teach you the philosophy of the old system of Bhagavad-gita because you are my dear friend and devotee." This is the secret of understanding Lord Krishna or to enter into the confidential part of Vedic knowledge.
Letter to Sriman Bankaji -- Los Angeles 13 March, 1970:

As you are personally assisting Sri Poddarji, it will not be difficult for you to understand how much Vedic culture is important for the human society. Vedic culture is perfect knowledge, and without that knowledge, a human being is a polished animal in different degrees. This Vedic knowledge is summarized in the Bhagavad-gita, which is the cream of all Upanisads. The Lord personally says in the Bhagavad-gita that the purpose of Vedic knowledge is to understand Krishna. And Krishna can be understood by His devotee who has been fortunate to have a little fraction of the Lord's mercy. Bhagavatam says, "My Dear Lord, one who has a little bit of mercy of the rays of Your lotus feet can understand You a little bit. So far others are concerned, they may continue to speculate on You, still they are unable to know what You are."

In the Bhagavad-gita also, the Lord says to Arjuna, "I shall teach you the philosophy of the old system of Bhagavad-gita because you are my dear friend and devotee." This is the secret of understanding Lord Krishna or to enter into the confidential part of Vedic knowledge.

The preaching of Bhagavad-gita has been going on both in India and abroad, but almost all of them on the speculative background without any knowledge of devotional service to the Lord. Many Swamis before me came in the Western countries, and they say that nobody could act so wonderfully as I am doing. Perhaps it is right. But I do not know how such things are happening. The only reason that can be adduced is that I am presenting Bhagavad-gita as it is.

In the Bhagavad-gita, Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The living entities are His eternal parts and parcels. The duty of the part and parcel is to render service to the whole; as much as different limbs of the body are engaged to render service to the whole body. These things are very simple to understand, but when they are presented in a round about way, simply by jugglery of words, it becomes cumbersome, and the desired result is not achieved.

Page Title:My very dear friend and devotee
Compiler:Visnu Murti
Created:28 of Jan, 2012
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=6, Con=1, Let=1
No. of Quotes:8