View source for Adau sraddha tatah sadhu-sangah (CC Madhya 23.14-15). And if you associate with sadhu, then bhajana-kriya

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[[Category:If You]]
[[Category:Associating with Sadhus]]
[[Category:Bhajana-kriya - Devotional Service to God]]
[[Category:Pages Needing Audio - NABAKUMAR]]
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<h2>Lectures</h2>
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<h3>Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures</h3>
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If we associate with sādhu . . . sādhu means, mahātmā means, who are fully engaged in Kṛṣṇa's service. That is sādhu. That is mahātmā. Therefore it is recommended, ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅgaḥ (CC Madhya 23.14-15). And if you associate with sādhu, then bhajana-kriyā. If we . . . just like so many thousands of Europeans, Americans, they have joined us on account of sādhu-saṅga. First of all they come in the temple and hear for some days. Then all of a sudden he becomes shaven-headed.
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[[Vanisource:740926 - Lecture SB 01.02.18 - Calcutta|740926 - Lecture SB 01.02.18 - Calcutta]]
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Ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅgaḥ ([[Vanisource:CC Madhya 23.14-15|CC Madhya 23.14-15]]). Pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa. They have no other desire. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam (Brs. 1.1.11). They have no other desire. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam: uncovered by the mental speculation or fruitive activities, karma-kāṇḍa. Jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam ([[Vanisource:CC Madhya 19.167|CC Madhya 19.167]]). Not covered. If you mix up karma with bhakti, if you mix up jñāna with bhakti, or if you mix up yoga, it is contaminated. It is not pure. Pure devotional service is given by Rūpa Gosvāmī, anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam ([[Vanisource:CC Madhya 19.167|CC Madhya 19.167]]). No desire for fruitive activities or philosophical speculation or yogic . . . mystic yogic magic. No. Simply how to satisfy Kṛṣṇa. That is bhakti. Ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānuśīlanam. Ānukūlyena. Ānukūlyena means what is favorable, what Kṛṣṇa desires. Just like Arjuna. He did not like to fight. He wanted to be a very nice, nonviolent gentleman. But Kṛṣṇa was inducing him, "You fight." Then later on, he agreed: "Yes, kariṣye vacanaṁ tava ([[Vanisource:BG 18.73 (1972)|BG 18.73]])." This is ānukūlyena. "Kṛṣṇa wants it. Doesn't matter whether it is violent or nonviolent, Kṛṣṇa wants it. I must do it." This is called ānukūlyena: not against the desire of Kṛṣṇa, but in favor of Kṛṣṇa. This is called anukūla, anukūla-sevā. So ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānuśīlanaṁ bhaktir uttamā ([[Vanisource:CC Madhya 19.167|CC Madhya 19.167]]). That is first-class bhakti. Not that "If I like it, then I shall do it." That is not anukūla. That is pratikūla. You like or not like, that doesn't matter. Kṛṣṇa likes it; you must do it. That is ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānuśīlanam.

So if we associate with sādhu . . . sādhu means, mahātmā means, who are fully engaged in Kṛṣṇa's service. That is sādhu. That is mahātmā. Therefore it is recommended, ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅgaḥ ([[Vanisource:CC Madhya 23.14-15|CC Madhya 23.14-15]]). And if you associate with sādhu, then bhajana-kriyā. If we . . . just like so many thousands of Europeans, Americans, they have joined us on account of sādhu-saṅga. First of all they come in the temple and hear for some days. Then all of a sudden he becomes shaven-headed. We haven't to request. He takes a bead and bead bag, although he's not initiated. Then, after some days, he approaches, "Please get me initiated." The bhajana-kriyā. This is called bhajana-kriyā. So we initiate. "Yes, now you are interested, we initiate." We give him hari-nāma: "Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa" This is the first initiation. "And chant sixteen rounds and observe these rules and regulation." Then, when I see, six months or one year, he's doing very nicely, then we accept him as my disciple, the second initiation. So this is bhajana-kriyā. Then he's admitted to worship the Deity or cook for the Deity, so many things. Bhajana-kriyā.
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