Category:Questions On... Spiritual Advancement
Pages in category "Questions On... Spiritual Advancement"
The following 200 pages are in this category, out of 200 total.
A
- A devotee, very often after chanting why they develop very, very high. I see a lot of devotees, they falls down back to the maya. What is the reason?
- A lot of devotees, they never read the books, but they're doing the chanting. It will progress them without reading the books, because they're the most important?
- A pure devotee can see Krsna everywhere, that He's never out of your vision, and at the same time in Siksastaka prayers Lord Caitanya explains that "Govinda, I am feeling Your separation to be twelve years or more." Could you explain this?
- After if one becomes purified, is it possible when he becomes transferred to the spiritual world that he can meet Rupa Gosvami and other great...?
- After taking birth again, how does one continue his spiritual progress?
- And do you have a, what I may call a training in contemplation, in which you get...?
- And what form does that direction take (the direction from Krsna)?
- As soon as you start chanting, bhakti starts, and then further development is the result of chanting?
- At what stage could one say that a person is Krsna conscious? There must be a beginning stage...
B
- But aren't they also purified spiritually by doing this (distribute these books)?
- But Arjuna got it due to guru, like Krsna means is it possible in this age if one has the right guru, a man, he can elevate himself?
- But there must be different stages that you go through, is that not correct?… Can you tell me from your own experience some of these different stages you've been through
- But what about the persons who may be a little bit devoted but who have not achieved that unalloyed devotion?
- But what is our inner things? How we know it? In our classical music, actually Lord Krsna is the main figure in all... In even Muslim classical music, they also pray Lord Krsna
C
- Can changing the type of service one's performing, can that help him to achieve the desired perfection in relationship with the spiritual master and Krsna?
- Can he find the truth on his level, because he hasn't arrived at your level?
- Can one develop determination gradually?
- Can one say that necessity for eating, sleeping, mating and defending is animal life? The necessity for God is advanced life?
- Can someone outside, who does not follow these practices (give up certain habits such as one should not smoke and things), can he achieve perfection?
- Can there be an existence without a faith, sir?
- Can these things be understood theoretically, Srila Prabhupada, or is realization required?
- Can they (ksatriyas) still make spiritual advancement?
- Can we become Krsna consciousness right now?
- Can you be completely perfect and follow the orders perfectly?
- Can you explain more about the Stita-dhi Muni, the undisturbed sage? In the purport you explain how he is neither attached nor detached. What is that, that he is neither one or the other?
- Can you explain to me, then, perhaps finally, just some of the stages you go through in this spiritual life. Sort of, from somebody being a new devotee to Hare Krsna, what are the mental or the spiritual stages you go through?
D
- Do you imagine in this life an attainment of a follower...?
- Do you think that, that stage (to be united on the spiritual platform) is possible within this generation?
- Does it matter what the specific thing is, like not killing a cow or like chanting or are there many specific things that people can do for love of God and for discipline that will serve the same purpose?
- Does one become elevated by following the karma-yoga principles only?
- Does one have a better chance of reaching to the spiritual platform if he is performing pious activities?
- Does that (they will come, after much trouble, much enquiry, they will come to the same conclusion, vasudevah sarvam iti) mean that everybody is ultimately on the way back home? Back to Godhead?
- Does that also apply to reading the words of a pure devotee (even a moment's association with a pure devotee - all success)? Even a little association with your books has the same effect?
- Does that mean that once one enters the material world, there's only progress in going back to Godhead, although it may be slow, over many lifetimes?
- Does the devotee go through these levels of understanding Brahman then Paramatma then Bhagavan? Does the devotee gradually go through these levels, or does he immediately realize Brahman when his service is perfect?
F
- For that matter, Srila Prabhupada, when one comes to that stage, there is no difference between animate and inanimate. Is that true (we cannot distinguish now reality and non-reality because the heart is unclean. So we have to cleanse)?
- From the modes of ignorance to the modes of passion to the modes of goodness is a very gradual process?
H
- Have they advanced beyond following the rules and regulations of ISKCON?
- How and what relation can develop greater love for Krsna through conquering sleep?
- How can a person with all material desires develop desire to love Krsna?
- How can it be that we're advancing if we can become a dog in the next life, is that it, or something inferior? Where is the question of progress?
- How can one reach the point where he knows that a particular type of service will please the spiritual master?
- How can one rid oneself of sex desire if one continues to chant Hare Krsna yet is still being plagued by desire for sex?
- How can one strengthen the spiritual will to act plain and live the spiritual life?
- How can the people in general recognize when a devotee is pure?
- How can the purification process, Prabhupada, be carried through the average life, twenty-four hours a day?
- How can we achieve samadhi?
- How can we perfectly follow only what Krsna has said?
- How can we stop speculating?
- How can you deal with such a person without forcing him to contain himself in such a way that he will resent it? Or must he be allowed to expend his energy until he is convinced by experience?
- How can you tell when your senses are getting purified?
- How do you develop this seriousness if you find that you are always frivolous?
- How do you get to the second stage by making your own decisions without God's..., without God's representative? In other words, how can you come to the platform of the third stage from the second stage?
- How does he (the sadhu) live in the woods without a spiritual master and learn?
- How does it benefit the person who is selling the book, the devotee?… How is he benefited by selling books to others?
- How does one become "bhagyavan"?
- How does one become humble and remain humble?
- How does one become strong?
- How does repeating one word, "Krsna," or singing "Rama" and "Krsna" help achieving the way?
- How does that work, that if somebody has the association of a pure devotee for only a lava, one-eleventh of a second, that he attains all perfection?
- How he can live or how we can develop or how we can progress? Because the whole, whole progress is this, the progress of ego
- How long do you think this takes to (become pure)... For a young man or a young woman, beginning?
- How long does it take to purify ourself?
- How many other people are there on this planet who have made as much spiritual progress as you have?
- How one can become peaceful?
- How to come to that position (of goswami)?
I
- I don't understand. I don't see how man in one life can achieve a level of consciousness that he could sit with Krsna. Don't you have to go through a change, I mean, according to what you do in your life?
- If a neophyte devotee is with determination endeavoring for purification but he were to meet with death as he is still influenced by the lower modes, although he is seriously trying, then does he take another birth or does he go to Krsna?
- If a person experiences difficulty attaining a level of consciousness of God, how to counteract that?
- If a person's senses are restrained by following regulative principles, but if his mind dwells in sense objects, is he becoming purified, or is he just a pretender?
- If a spiritual seed sprouts, then whatever sprout is made is never lost. Right?
- If by purifying ourselves we feel our relationship that we have with the Supreme Personality of Godhead?
- If maya takes a hold on one, what is the quickest way to go back to Krsna?
- If one isn't eager, how can he become eager, Srila Prabhupada?
- If one realizes the impersonal Brahman, what progress can be made here from this?
- If somebody wants to preach. Is that the sign of advancement?
- If we just engage them in devotional service will they ultimately become purified?
- If we're very attracted to reading Caitanya caritamrta now, but we haven't finished Srimad-Bhagavatam as yet, should we wait until we have studied Srimad-Bhagavatam thoroughly?
- In one of the purports in Bhagavatam you mention that first comes humility, then nonviolence and then tolerance... Is it also mentioned that in other places in our sastra?
- In the beginning stage of devotional service when we are trying to make advancement, we have to tolerate the urges of the senses... Is there a stage after a person becomes completely purified...?
- In the course of your lecture this morning, you quoted that verse from the Tenth Chapter, dadami buddhi-yogam tam. When that knowledge comes, the devotee is qualified by some degree of advancement?
- In the mode of ignorance, if he wishes to come to the platform of the mode of goodness, does he have to pass through the mode of passion to get to the mode of goodness? Or can you go directly from the mode of ignorance to the mode of goodness?
- In this evolution, is it a natural evolution that you can teach people, you can guide people, you can show them the path, but the actual progress that one would make towards the supreme knowledge, is that a natural evolution or is it...?
- Is everybody who is a devotee of Krsna, initiated, do they all have perfect enlightenment?
- Is it not that because our real nature is perfect that we're always striving to become perfect again? Striving to reach that point again?
- Is it possible for one to know how many lifetimes it takes to reach spiritual perfection?
- Is it possible to develop such kind of psyche (wherein one can can learn the aim of life within half an hour)?
- Is it still that there's greed and lust there, but he becomes transcendental to it? Or are the greed and lust...?
- Is it to be understood that once the yogi sees the Narayana Form, his desires for travel and material perfections cease? (as did the desires of Dhruva Maharaja) Or do the yogis still persist in desiring to do wonders even after seeing Narayana Form?
- Is it true that eventually by this process we'll become purified so we can become like sruti-dharas?
- Is it true that when you become more purified that you will see everything differently with your eyes and hear everything differently with your ears and all this?
- Is looking for the medicine part of the medicine (if people take what is the actual goal of life by philosophy and logic, then their goal of life will be one. He must agree to take it just like the diseased man must agree to take the medicine)?
- Is the body not to be treated with a certain amount of care, and even comfort, because it is the vehicle for our spiritual progress and so on?
- Is the medicine in the seeking?
- Is there a time limit for this spiritual growth?
- Is there a way of knowing whether you're on the way up or you're falling?
- Is there any point in your practice do you consider yourself free from taking lower re-births?
- Is there some gradual development in all those nine processes of devotional service, beginning from hearing?
- Isn't it really a matter for the devotee, that one person may find Hare Krsna is more beneficial to his spiritual progress, and yet somebody else, some other mantra may be more beneficial? Isn't it like just a matter of taste? Like judging a flower
- Isn't there a point, Prabhupada, at which, you know, you can expect that you've been doing the right things, so there should be some relief?
- Isn't there room for both (economic development and spiritual advancement)? There would not be room for both?
- It is some sort of artificial transmigration (changing the heart)?
O
- On the way there should be progress, inner progress. How to realize that there is a progress?
- One can't become a universal being, but he can see the whole universe. Can you explain how that is?
- Our advancement is the same (if you do not obey the authority, then there cannot be any discipline. Then everything will be topsy-turvy. If he is wrong. He will come out. So the steps will be taken by the spiritual master. Do not try to rectify)?
P
- Prabhupada, how does one develop his desire, then, to get out of this body?
- Prabhupada, if we follow these four regulative principles and chant sixteen rounds sincerely every day, all this nonsense knowledge will eventually be forgotten?
- Prabhupada, what are the symptoms of purity?
- Prabhupada, when someone comes to the stage of being convinced like that, that there is no other business, what is that stage called?
- Prabhupada? If you say that purity is required for faith to develop, what are the symptoms by which one can be said to be pure?
R
S
- Should one not try to purify one's heart first and personality?
- Should we always endeavor in spite of pain to push ourselves in Krsna consciousness?
- So a neophyte devotee who's following the principles of sadhana-bhakti is still considered pure devotee?
- So does that mean that once one enters the material world, there's only progress in going back to Godhead, although it may be slow, over many lifetimes?
- So if he (Ramakrishna) had no appetite it means he was transcendentally situated?
- So is it necessary to be fixed up to take sannyasa, or one should take sannyasa to become fixed up?
- So is the primary factor of the variation is how much advanced they are (species of humans) in Krsna consciousness, and how least advanced they are in Krsna consciousness?
- So it may seem like these other things are stepping-stones to Krsna, but is it necessarily so?
- So just by becoming first-class men you can go to the heavenly planets?
- So Prabhupada, a neophyte devotee, he may think it might be very nice to be Krsna's friend, but he may actually be a blade of grass and he'll be fully satisfied when he comes to that stage?
- So Srila Prabhupada, if the sound is the same, does that mean that when you become fully purified you will also see the sound of an automobile horn as transcendental?
- So what about the common man? If he accepts the Gurukula system he can also be spiritually advanced?
- So when they are grhastha, they make advancement?
- So you mean to say, prabhu, truthfulness and honesty will come after chanting, chanting, chanting?
- Srila Prabhupada, does spiritual life progress faster if one lives in the temple and goes on the sankirtana party?
- Srila Prabhupada, is it true that our advancement in devotional services... Is it influenced a lot by our past karma, how many sinful activities we have committed?
- Srila Prabhupada, we don't have to learn the activities of our spiritual body?
- Srila Prabhupada, you spoke about the three stages of chanting? And you were speaking about the middle stage, the clearing stage?
- Srila Prabhupada? How can we give up our enviousness and reluctance to serve the spiritual master and the other devotees?
- Swami? You say that Krsna consciousness is a system of purifying the senses. Does that mean that the senses become unlimited? Do the senses become unlimited when they're finally purified?
- Swamiji, does this chanting of mantra brings purity or following of your four instructions or regulations which you have told, or both?
- Swamiji, is there degrees of Krsna consciousness? I thought of an example of walking through a dark tunnel and it's getting lighter and lighter and all of a sudden you're out in light. Is there degrees of this?
- Swamiji, someone approached me and we were discussing about Krsna consciousness. And I said to approach Krsna one must be pure, but he said, "What is purity?" Could you explain that technically? What is purity?
- Swamiji? Is it possible for us to worship Krsna purely in this lifetime?
T
- That change is available to anyone to progress from santa to dasya?
- That one is making progress by how he feels, or should he just simply execute the order of the spiritual master and not worry about how he feels? How should... ?
- That's elevating them. That faith is elevating them?
- The ability to remember Krsna, that will also increase?
- The Brahmavadis have some possibility of advancement?
- The living entity can purify himself and become eligible to enter into the spiritual world and Krsna, but can he still fall as an expansion of the marginal energy?
- The only way to remove this darkness is through love. Is this what you are saying?
- The progress of self-realization is a progress of inner experiences?
- The quality of the chanting he's asking. How can we make the quality the best?
- Then a man who is not, does not have a purified consciousness has no way of knowing what is good or bad?
- Then how can the dog then become a higher soul, a higher form after the dog?
- Then how to get free from those desires?
- Then what does it mean gradual process, gradual advancement in transcendental realization?
- Then what is the way to purity?
- There are countless numbers in the United States of large facilities of the Christian faith, and, like you, they give the refreshment of the holy communion. Why does this not work? Why is this not cleansing the heart?
- These qualities that you were talking about, saucam, do they develop naturally?
- This is possible from the examples of great saintly persons and from literature we can find that one can be completely free from the four demands of the body, namely eating, sleeping, defending and mating
- To purify that desire we also have to be put into the fire?
W
- We went out for distributing at some place and then we make them to chant Hare Krsna at that time. And then, if we leave them they forget. Did they become purified?
- We won't see things the way we perceive them now, right?
- Well is it important to try to improve this life so that it won't be a prison?
- Well, to understand Krsna consciousness, do you not require adhikari?
- What exactly takes place when consciousness becomes purified?
- What if one has material desire? How does he gain the desire for spiritual knowledge?
- What is that thing that enables them (the Brahmavadis) to advance?
- What is the best way to gradually get them detached?
- What is the first stage of transformation like in the consciousness after one discovers chanting Hare Krsna mantra?
- What is the meaning of this chanting? If we're chanting all day long, do we have to reach a certain consciousness?
- What is the sign that someone is actually having change in heart?
- What is the views of Krsna consciousness in regard to the people using drugs for spiritual enlightenment?
- What is your belief in eternal life, and how do you attain perfection to eternal life?
- What suggestions or comments do you have about achieving spiritual understanding?
- What transformations does one undergo on the path of Krsna consciousness?
- What type of piety is required to understand God?
- What would be the mechanism or process to get this perfect knowledge and to purify our senses?
- When a devotee becomes very advanced, does that means that he should not feel a particular, an inclination to do a particular work but simply want to serve Krsna?
- When a living entity becomes pure, purified, he is called sac-cid-ananda, he has perfect knowledge. And Krsna is also sac-cid-ananda. Is that knowledge the same?
- When a man becomes Krsna conscious, could you say that he has become like a god or godlike?
- When a person first comes and he still has that designation stage, but we still call that bhakti?
- When a person gradually go along the path and have, in the process, have some achievements, don't you agree that chanting is not the only attachment, or rather to know Krsna?
- When in the Bhagavad-gita it says that the maha-mantra cleanses the heart and soul, does that mean that when you just, like automatically say the word, will that cleanse your heart? Or should you try and remember Krsna with every word and every sound?
- When one has become pure enough, Krishna conscious, does one take regular dictation from one's Guru Maharaja? I know you to confirm yes, but how is this so?
- When one has fallen too low in the material life, how can he come back to his original condition?
- When one is feeling very weak, fallen, how can he get going spiritually?
- When one's tasted the higher taste in devotional service how is it possible that he can fall back again in material sense gratification?
- Where is this consciousness of surrender come in human life? At what stage it can come?
- Why I mean is from the time that you start, has it got deadline or something?
- Why is it seen that they (impersonalists) are making spiritual advancement?
- Why is it we are again getting breaks now and then and we trace back our steps?
- Why would they practice yoga at a time when everybody was pure already?
- Will the change in heart come about for such persons (Mayavadis) because they're somehow associated with Krsna?
- With the present state of the world as it is - it seems to be in a pretty mess - what would you say we are actually advancing spiritually?
- Would it be dangerous for someone who is not at that level to study Srimad-Bhagavatam, or would they simply not understand it?
- Would you think of a young man as wise man? Isn't it normal that a young man is working his way towards wisdom?
Y
- You ask how you can become free of envy
- You say there's pure joy in achieving the transcendental platform. Why? Why necessarily joy and not sorrow?
- You're not supposed to ask from God anything for yourself. So you can ask from God maybe things to help improve your consciousness?
- Your Divine Grace, when someone has a very little amount of God consciousness, he is a poor servant of God and doesn't love Him very much, do you see God as loving him still, and, say, wanting him to come to consciousness in helping him?
- Your final question is how can you become a pure devotee, and the answer to this is given in Bhagavad-gita
- Your intention and aim is not merely to cater to the mind, cater to reason, cater to the intellect, but to effect a kind of transformation of man himself. Is this why you have introduced a whole way of living, a whole way of life, is it?