Unique position

Expressions researched:
"unique position"

SB Canto 1

Indirectly mother Yaśodā is praised for her unique position of love, for she could control even the all-powerful Lord as her beloved child.

SB 1.8.31, Purport:

Kuntī was conscious of the exalted position of Kṛṣṇa, whereas Yaśodā was not. Therefore Yaśodā's position was more exalted than Kuntī's. Mother Yaśodā got the Lord as her child, and the Lord made her forget altogether that her child was the Lord Himself. If mother Yaśodā had been conscious of the exalted position of the Lord, she would certainly have hesitated to punish the Lord. But she was made to forget this situation because the Lord wanted to make a complete gesture of childishness before the affectionate Yaśodā. This exchange of love between the mother and the son was performed in a natural way, and Kuntī, remembering the scene, was bewildered, and she could do nothing but praise the transcendental filial love. Indirectly mother Yaśodā is praised for her unique position of love, for she could control even the all-powerful Lord as her beloved child.

The sublime position of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the process of seeing Him face to face, the bona fide candidate for receiving knowledge, the consideration of the five elements, the unique position of intelligence, the consciousness of the material nature and the living entity, the symptoms of the self-realized soul, the working principles of the material body, the symptoms of the influential modes of nature, the tree of perpetual desire, and psychic activities.

SB 1.9.8, Purport:

Śukadeva Gosvāmī (Brahmarāta): The famous son and disciple of Śrī Vyāsadeva, who taught him first the Mahābhārata and then Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Śukadeva Gosvāmī recited 1,400,000 verses of the Mahābhārata in the councils of the Gandharvas, Yakṣas and Rākṣasas, and he recited Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam for the first time in the presence of Mahārāja Parīkṣit. He thoroughly studied all the Vedic literatures from his great father. Thus he was a completely purified soul by dint of his extensive knowledge in the principles of religion. From Mahābhārata, Sabhā-parva (4.11) it is understood that he was also present in the royal assembly of Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira and at the fasting of Mahārāja Parīkṣit. As a bona fide disciple of Śrī Vyāsadeva, he inquired from his father very extensively about religious principles and spiritual values, and his great father also satisfied him by teaching him the yoga system by which one can attain the spiritual kingdom, the difference between fruitive work and empiric knowledge, the ways and means of attaining spiritual realization, the four āśramas (namely the student life, the householder's life, the retired life and the renounced life), the sublime position of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the process of seeing Him face to face, the bona fide candidate for receiving knowledge, the consideration of the five elements, the unique position of intelligence, the consciousness of the material nature and the living entity, the symptoms of the self-realized soul, the working principles of the material body, the symptoms of the influential modes of nature, the tree of perpetual desire, and psychic activities. Sometimes he went to the sun planet with the permission of his father and Nāradajī. Descriptions of his travel in space are given in the Śānti-parva of the Mahābhārata (332). At last he attained the transcendental realm. He is known by different names like Araṇeya, Aruṇisuta, Vaiyāsaki and Vyāsātmaja.

SB Canto 8

SB 8.4.11-12, Translation and Purport:

Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued: My dear King, after Agastya Muni had thus cursed King Indradyumna, the Muni left that place along with his disciples. Since the King was a devotee, he accepted Agastya Muni's curse as welcome because it was the desire of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore, although in his next life he got the body of an elephant, because of devotional service he remembered how to worship and offer prayers to the Lord.

This is the unique position of a devotee of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Although the King was cursed, he welcomed the curse because a devotee is always aware that nothing can happen without the desire of the Supreme Lord. Although the King was not at fault, Agastya Muni cursed him, and when this happened the King considered it to be due to his past misdeeds. Tat te 'nukampāṁ susamīkṣamāṇaḥ (SB 10.14.8). This is a practical example of how a devotee thinks. He regards any reverses in life as blessings of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore, instead of being agitated by such reverses, he continues his activities of devotional service, and Kṛṣṇa takes care of him and enables him to be promoted to the spiritual world, back to Godhead. If a devotee has to suffer the reactions of his past misdeeds, the Supreme Lord arranges for him to be given only a token of these reactions, and very soon he is freed from all the reactions of material contamination. One should therefore adhere to devotional service, and the Lord Himself will very soon see to one's promotion to the spiritual world. A devotee should not be disturbed by unfortunate circumstances, but must continue his regular program, depending on the Lord for everything. The word upadhārayan, "considering," is very significant in this verse. This word indicates that a devotee knows what is what; he understands what is happening in material, conditional life.

Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead

Another gopī began to praise the unique position of Govardhana Hill.

Krsna Book 21:

Another gopī began to praise the unique position of Govardhana Hill in this way: "How fortunate is this Govardhana Hill, for it is enjoying the association of Lord Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, who are accustomed to walking on it. Thus Govardhana is always in touch with the lotus feet of the Lord. And because Govardhana Hill is so obliged to Lord Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, it is supplying different kinds of fruits, roots and herbs, as well as very pleasing crystal water from its lakes, in presentation to the Lord. The best presentation offered by Govardhana Hill, however, is newly grown grass for the cows and calves. Govardhana Hill knows how to please the Lord by pleasing His most beloved associates, the cows and the cowherd boys."

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

This is the unique position of Vṛndāvana.

Morning Walk -- April 16, 1974, Bombay:

Indian Man (1): Now there is the one world. There is no use of that. All are having the same epidemic. That is spread very widely.

Prabhupāda: And the medicine is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Bhava-auśādhi. Śrotriyaṁ mano-bhirama. Go on.

Girirāja: "The mothers of the boys heard the vibrations of their flutes before their entrance and to receive them they came out of their homes with great..." (break)

Prabhupāda: They took the position of Yaśodā, directly feeding. This is the unique position of Vṛndāvana. (break) ...yogamāyā.

Dr. Patel: Yogamāyā samanvitaḥ.

Prabhupāda: Ah. Nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ sarvasya yogamāyā-samāvṛtaḥ (BG 7.25). So two māyā is working.

Dr. Patel: Yogamāyā is the superior māyā.

Prabhupāda: Yes. No, for Kṛṣṇa, all māyās are the same. Just for engineer, the electricity is the same both in the refrigerator and the heater. For us we see different, that "This is hot and this is cold." (break) ...when you are freed from all these māyās. That is Kṛṣṇa's mercy. (break) ...the sample of Kṛṣṇa's mercy...?

1947 to 1965 Correspondence

India's culture of spiritual value has an unique position and it has to be learnt by the human society in right earnest from the right sources.

Letter to Ratanshi Morarji Khatau -- Bombay 5 August, 1958:

I shall request you therefore not to mislead the people in general under the garb of religiosity and indulge in the transcendental pastimes of the Lord known by the name Rasa Panca Adhya. This society stands to rectify all these anomalies in the name of religion and I shall ask your good sense to join hands with us to stop all these nonsense. India's culture of spiritual value has an unique position and it has to be learnt by the human society in right earnest from the right sources. As an Indian and a man of good sense with practical business-brain you should not at least indulge in such organization under the influence of unauthorized person. Instead of indulging in the organization of such unauthorized persons you may kindly learn the science from the authority and make your life enlightened and attain success of the boon of human form of life. The League of Devotees is an organized effort to render this service to the human society without any pretentious conventions. We are publishing one paper of the name Back to Godhead to educate people in the right direction and I am sending herewith one pamphlet in which the opinions of several respectable gentlemen are inserted as to how they are being appreciated.

1969 Correspondence

So we have to create a unique position for this paper, at least in the western world.

Letter to Brahmananda -- Los Angeles 5 February, 1969:

Our Vaisnava religion is so vast that we can supply millions of pictures and hundreds and thousands of literary contributions in this paper. In Christian religion they have got pictures like the Crucifixion and a few similar others. In the Buddhist religion they have got the picture of the Lord Buddha. In Mohammedan religion they have got picture of Mecca Medina, and I do not know what is the picture in the Jewish religion. But so far as our Krishna Consciousness is concerned, we can supply millions of pictures of Krishna, Visnu, and Their multi-incarnations, as well as Their transcendental Pastimes. So we have to create a unique position for this paper, at least in the western world. Anyway, that will depend upon our future capacity, but for the time present we can immediately take quotation from Dai Nippon what they will charge us for 20,000 copies every month. Now I have given my definite opinion about printing my books at Dai Nippon and printing Back To Godhead, so you can do the needful.

1970 Correspondence

When we shall lead our World Sankirtana Party at that time if we can demonstrate the chanting of the mantras as they are stated in Isopanisad, Bhagavad-gita, Srimad-Bhagavatam, Brahma Samhita, that will be our unique position.

Letter to Gurudasa -- Los Angeles 16 April, 1970:

Regarding Sanskrit class, it is very encouraging that Mr. Parikh is helping you in this connection, but the chief aim for learning Sanskrit would be how to pronounce the Sanskrit verses especially in our published books just like you have already chanted the Govinda verses in the record. Similarly all the verses you have to chant combinedly and melodiously along with musical instruments, and it will be a great charm to the people of the world. When we shall lead our World Sankirtana Party at that time if we can demonstrate the chanting of the mantras as they are stated in Isopanisad, Bhagavad-gita, Srimad-Bhagavatam, Brahma Samhita, that will be our unique position. Therefore the main aim of this Sanskrit class should be how you can learn this chanting in the proper accent. It is not our aim to become a Sanskrit scholar.

1971 Correspondence

Our mission is solid. Our philosophy is not utopian. Our men are being trained for exemplary character. So we shall have a unique position all over the world provided we stick to the principles, namely unflinching faith in Spiritual Master and Krishna, chanting not less than 16 rounds regularly and following the regulative principles. Then our men will conquer all over the world.

Letter to Tamala Krsna, Gurudasa -- London 23 August, 1971:

This membership program is so nice that you can make members all over the world. So this temple should be subscribed by money raised all over the world and it must be very unique. The aim is to make it an international institute for taking perfect spiritual order of life; we shall give titles like bachelor of divinity, master of divinity, doctor of divinity. Besides that as I have already told you all several times in India, respectable gentlemen want to educate their children through the English medium. If we can organize such an institution such as St. Xavier's college in Calcutta and Bombay and we can give them instruction through the English medium and raise them in a Krishna Conscious culture we shall get unlimited number of students from respectable families of India. Such institution will be very much welcome especially in Bombay and Delhi. So think over this matter how best to organize such an institution as St. Xavier's college. Our mission is solid. Our philosophy is not utopian. Our men are being trained for exemplary character. So we shall have a unique position all over the world provided we stick to the principles, namely unflinching faith in Spiritual Master and Krishna, chanting not less than 16 rounds regularly and following the regulative principles. Then our men will conquer all over the world.