The Nectar of Devotion Chapter 02 - The First Stages of Devotion: Difference between revisions
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Latest revision as of 00:15, 7 July 2017
Pages in category "The Nectar of Devotion Chapter 02 - The First Stages of Devotion"
The following 119 pages are in this category, out of 119 total.
A
- According to the authorized version of Srimad-Bhagavatam, one has to hear and chant about Lord Visnu (Krsna) only
- According to Vedic injunctions, when a brahmana eats it is to be understood that the Personality of Godhead is eating through him
- Actually, one who preaches the message of the Gita is very dear to Krsna, as is confirmed in the Gita itself. Such a preacher is factually a brahmana and thus by feeding him one feeds the Supreme Lord directly
- After death we do not know our destination, because we are completely under the control of the laws of nature. Only Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is controller over the laws of nature
- Although it is within the category of practice, this offering of loving service is spontaneous. So the practice of devotional service, sadhana-bhakti, can be divided into two parts - namely, regulative and spontaneous
- And the working class, or sudras, are those who haven't the intelligence of the brahmanas or the ksatriyas or the vaisyas, and therefore they are meant to help these higher classes by bodily labor
- Another part of sadhana-bhakti is called raganuga. Raganuga refers to the point at which, by following the regulative principles, one becomes a little more attached to Krsna and executes devotional service out of natural love
- Any activities sanctioned in the revealed scriptures and aiming at the satisfaction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead are accepted by saintly teachers as the regulative principles of devotional service
- Anyway, for persons who have a natural taste for understanding books like the Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam, devotional service is easier than for those who are simply accustomed to mental speculation and argumentative processes
- As a man's mental disease is cured by the directions of a psychiatrist, so this sadhana-bhakti cures the conditioned soul of his madness under the spell of maya, material illusion
- As a result of such satisfaction the whole society gets all the necessities of life amply and without difficulty. This is because, after all, the Supreme Personality of Godhead maintains all other living entities
- As the different parts of the body have different types of activities, so the social orders and spiritual orders also have different types of activities in terms of qualification and position
C
- Camasa Muni addressed king Nimi, "The brahmanas have come out from the head, the ksatriyas have come out from the arms, the vaisyas have come out from the waist, and the sudras have come out from the legs"
- Camasa Muni addressed king Nimi, "The sannyasis have come out from the head, the vanaprasthas from the arms, the grhasthas from the waist, and the brahmacaris from the legs"
- Camasa Muni addressed the King Nimi, "The four social orders, namely the brahmanas, the ksatriyas, the vaisyas, and the sudras, have come out of the different parts of the universal form of the Supreme Lord"
E
- Even if there is no continuity, if only by chance a person takes interest in a pure devotee's instruction, he can be accepted and advance in devotional service
- Even though it is not one hundred percent perfectly performed, still whatever I have done will not be lost. In my next life, from the very point where I stopped in this life, I shall begin again. In this way there is always a continuity
- Even uncivilized men like the aborigines offer their respectful obeisances to something wonderful exhibited by nature's law, and they appreciate that behind some wonderful exhibition or action there is something supreme
- Even without being transferred to the kingdom of God, by following the injunctions of the Srimad-Bhagavatam and prosecuting the duties of Krsna consciousness, all human society will be happy in all respects
- Every living entity under the spell of material energy is held to be in an abnormal condition of madness
- Everyone must be engaged in his particular duty, but the perfection of such work should be tested by how far the Lord is satisfied with such activities
F
- For example, a brahmana who is born out of the head of the Lord has as his business to preach the transcendental Vedic sounds, or sabda-brahman
- For example, a person engaged in devotional service may be ordered to rise early in the morning and offer aratrika, which is a form of Deity worship
- For example, as soon as Maharaj Pariksit saw that a black man was attempting to kill a cow, he immediately took his sword, wanting to kill the black man, whose name was Kali
- For, when there is an order from a superior about doing something, there is simultaneously a prohibition. When the order is that one should always remember Krsna, the prohibition is that one should never forget Him
H
I
- If one can chant and hear Hare Krsna and always remember Lord Krsna, then he is sure to become fearless of death, which may come at any moment
- If somebody regularly executes such service unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead under the direction of a bona fide spiritual master, then gradually he rises to the platform of serving in pure love of God
- If the whole society performs its respective duties and remains in Krsna consciousness, there is no doubt that all of its members will live very peacefully and happily. Without wanting the necessities of life, the whole world will be turned into Vaikuntha
- If this injunction is followed, then all other rules and regulations will automatically fall into line. All other rules and regulations should be treated as assistants or servants to this one basic principle
- If we take shelter of Krsna seriously, there will be no fear of being thrown back into the cycle of so many species of life. A sincere devotee will surely be transferred to the abode of Krsna, as affirmed in the Bhagavad-gita
- In the beginning, by the order of his spiritual master, one rises early in the morning and offers arati, but then he develops real attachment
- In the Bhagavad-gita it is said that anyone who becomes a devotee of the Lord is never vanquished
- In the Bhagavad-gita, Lord Krsna directly gave His order to Arjuna to commit violence on the battlefield of Kuruksetra, just to give protection to the people in general
- In the Narada-pancaratra the regulative principles of devotional service are described
- In the Padma Purana it is said that one should always remember Lord Visnu. This is called dhyana, or meditation - always remembering Krsna
- In the statements of Sukadeva Gosvami it is said that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is Krsna. Therefore Sukadeva recommends that one should always hear about Krsna. He does not recommend that one hear and chant about the demigods
- It is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita that the four social orders and the four spiritual orders are created by the Lord Himself, in terms of different individual qualities
- It is not, however, that the brahmana should simply eat on behalf of the Lord and not preach the message of the Bhagavad-gita to the world
- It is said that one has to meditate with his mind fixed upon Visnu
- It is the duty of the acarya, the spiritual master, to find the ways and means for his disciple to fix his mind on Krsna. That is the beginning of sadhana-bhakti
K
- Krsna is also mentioned as isvara, the supreme controller who is situated in everyone's heart. Therefore, if some way or other we become attached to Krsna, He will make us free from all danger
- Krsna said to Uddhava, "If by the result of either of such activities they worship Me in Krsna consciousness, then automatically they become very happy within this world as well as in the next. Of this there is no doubt"
- Krsna said, "My dear Uddhava, all persons are engaged in activities, whether those indicated in the revealed scriptures or ordinary worldly activities"
L
- Let everyone be engaged in whatever occupation he now has. Simply let him worship Lord Krsna by the result of his activities in Krsna consciousness
- Lord Sri Krsna instructed Uddhava that by following the injunctions of the social and spiritual orders of human society one can satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead
M
N
- Narada Muni mentions this sadhana-bhakti in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, Seventh Canto, 1st Chapter, 30th verse
- Narada Muni said, "My dear King (Yudhisthira), one has to fix his mind on Krsna by any means"
- No one can take to devotional service unless he has had some previous connection with it. For example, suppose in this life I practice devotional service to some extent
- Nobody is doing his duty, and everyone is simply puffed up by calling himself a brahmana (intellectual) or a ksatriya (soldier or statesman)
- Not to be confused with Kali, the demigoddess who is the devastating feature of material nature. The latter is actually pronounced kah-lee, whereas the Kali under discussion here (as in the age of kali) is pronounced kuh-ly
- Now Sri Rupa Gosvami proposes to describe devotional service in practice
- Now this sadhana-bhakti, or practice of devotional service, can also be divided into two parts
O
- One does not know whether he is going to be a plant, or a beast, or a bird, or something like that, because there are so many species of life
- One has to follow these different regulative principles by the order of the spiritual master or on the strength of authoritative scriptures, and there can be no question of refusal. That is called vaidhi, or regulated
- One who has no basic walking capacity cannot walk by practice. Similarly, Krsna consciousness cannot be aroused simply by practice. Actually there is no such practice
- Others, however, are always vanquished. Vanquished means that after getting this human form of life, a person does not come out of the entanglement of birth and death and thus misses his golden opportunity
P
- Padma Purana recommends that one always fix his mind on the form of Visnu by meditation and not forget Him at any moment. And this state of consciousness is called samadhi, or trance
- Practice means employing our senses in some particular type of work. Therefore devotional service in practice means utilizing our different sensory organs in service to Krsna
- Previously, it has been stated that devotional service can be divided into three categories - namely, devotional service in practice, devotional service in ecstasy, and devotional service in pure love of God
S
- Sadhana-Bhakti means, to offer obeisances to the spiritual master and to follow many other rules and regulations which will be discussed here one after another. These practices will help one to become cured of madness
- So this consciousness, though lying dormant in those who are materially contaminated, is found in every living entity. And, when purified, this is called Krsna consciousness
- So whether one is a brahmana or a sudra, he has to satisfy the Supreme Lord by his activities
- Some of the senses are meant for acquiring knowledge, and some are meant for executing the conclusions of our thinking, feeling and willing. So practice means employing both the mind and the senses in practical devotional service
- Spirit soul in his original condition is joyful, blissful, eternal and full of knowledge. Only by his implication in material activities has he become miserable, temporary and full of ignorance. This is due to vikarma
- Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has given us an authorized program for this purpose, centered around the chanting of the Hare Krsna mantra. This chanting has so much power that it immediately attaches one to Krsna
- Srila Rupa Gosvami suggests that the person eligible for Krsna consciousness, or devotional service, can be classified by his particular taste. He says that devotional service is a continual process from one's previous life
- Srimad-Bhagavatam says, "Generally, the conditioned soul is mad because he is always engaged in activities which are the causes of bondage and suffering"
- Such a person does not know where he is being thrown by the laws of nature
- Sukadeva Gosvami has recommended to Pariksit Maharaj that in order to be fearless of death one has to hear and chant and remember the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, by all means
- Sukadeva Gosvami said, "My dear King, if you want to be fearless in meeting your death next week (for actually everyone is afraid at the point of death), then you must immediately begin the process of hearing and chanting and remembering God"
- Suppose one does not develop Krsna consciousness in this human form of life. He will be thrown into the cycle of birth and death, involving 8,400,000 species of life, and his spiritual identity will remain lost
T
- That is the beginning of sadhana-bhakti. Somehow or other, one has to fix his mind on Krsna
- That will adjust the whole situation, and everyone will be happy and peaceful within this world
- The great saint Ambarisa Maharaj, although a responsible king, fixed his mind on Krsna, and similarly anyone who tries to fix his mind in this way will very rapidly make progress in successfully reviving his original Krsna consciousness
- The injunction herein is that one has to act according to his position, and by such activities one must either satisfy the Supreme Personality or else fall down from his position
- The injunctions of rules and regulations and the resultant reactions are mentioned in the Eleventh Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam, 5th Chapter, 1st and 2nd verses
- The Krsna consciousness movement is intended to set the whole of human society in proper condition so that everyone will be happy and take profit from developing Krsna consciousness
- The Krsna consciousness movement is so nice that there is no need of even designating oneself brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra, brahmacari, grhastha, vanaprastha or sannyasi
- The ksatriya has to protect people from the onslaughts of maya. That is his duty
- The mayavadis (impersonalists) say that you can chant any name, either that of Krsna or those of the demigods, and the result will be the same. But actually this is not a fact
- The Padma Purana recommends: somehow or other, always think of Visnu without forgetting Him under any circumstances. Actually, this is the most basic of all regulative principles
- The principle of remembering the Supreme Personality of Godhead constantly and not forgetting Him at any moment is meant to be followed by everyone without fail
- The recommendation of Rupa Gosvami for reviving our original Krsna consciousness is that somehow or other we should apply our minds to Krsna very seriously and thus also become fearless of death
- The regulative principles are not only for the brahmacaris (celibate students) to follow, but are applicable for all. It doesn't matter whether one is a beginner - a brahmacari - or if one is very advanced - a sannyasi
- The Srimad-Bhagavatam recommends, therefore, that one follow in the footsteps of the authorities
- The target of these activities, however, is always the Supreme Personality of Godhead
- The three categories of devotional service which Srila Rupa Gosvami describes in Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu are listed as devotional service in practice, devotional service in ecstasy and devotional service in pure love of Godhead
- The vaisyas are meant for producing agricultural products, trading them and distributing them
- Then another person, who may be a greater logician, will nullify these conclusions and establish another thesis. In this way the path of argument will never be safe or conclusive
- There are also four standard asramas, namely brahmacarya (student life), grhastha (householder), vanaprastha (retired) and sannyasa (renounced)
- There are certain prescribed methods for employing our senses and mind in such a way that our dormant consciousness for loving Krsna will be invoked, as much as the child, with a little practice, can begin to walk
- There are four varnas, namely, the brahmanas (priests and intellectuals), the ksatriyas (warriors and statesmen), the vaisyas (businessmen and farmers) and the sudras (laborers and servants)
- There are many sub-headings in each of these categories
- There is a similar statement by Sri Krsna Himself to Uddhava in the Eleventh Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam, 5th Chapter, 2nd verse
- There is full cooperation and spiritual advancement amongst all the different orders of society. And when there is no such cooperation, the members of society will fall down. That is the present position in the kali-yuga, this age of quarrel
- These different orders of society and grades of spiritual advancement are conceived in terms of qualification
- These principles of vaidhi-bhakti are also described in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, Second Canto, 1st Chapter, verse 35, where Sukadeva Gosvami instructs the dying Maharaj Pariksit as to his course of action
- These qualities will be explained by Srila Rupa Gosvami later on
- They are out of touch with the Supreme Personality of Godhead because they are not Krsna conscious
- This practice is not for developing something artificial. For example, a child learns or practices to walk. This walking is not unnatural. The walking capacity is there originally in the child, and simply by a little practice he walks very nicely
- This regulative principle (always think of Krsna and never forget Him) is applicable to all varnas and asramas, the castes and occupations of life
- To support this statement there are many authoritative assertions by the learned scholars of bygone ages. According to their general opinion, a person may become governed by certain convictions derived by his own arguments and decisions
V
W
- We can conclude from this statement by Krsna that activities in Krsna consciousness will give everyone all perfection in their desires
- We should always try to mold the activities of our lives in such a way that we will constantly remember Visnu, or Krsna. That is Krsna consciousness
- When he (one) gets this attachment, he automatically tries to decorate the Deity and prepare different kinds of dresses and thinks of different plans to execute his devotional service nicely
- When there is no attachment or no spontaneous loving service to the Lord, one is engaged in the Lord's service simply out of obedience to the spiritual master's order or in pursuance of the scriptures, such obligatory service is called vaidhi-bhakti
- When we wish to develop our innate capacity for devotional service, there are certain processes which, by our accepting and executing them, will cause that dormant capacity to be invoked. Such practice is called sadhana-bhakti
- Whether one concentrates his mind on the four-handed form of Visnu or on the form of two-handed Krsna, it is the same
- Within this simple order (always think of Krsna) and prohibition (never forget krsna) all regulative principles are found complete