However, one should generally accept the following principles to properly execute devotional service: (1) take shelter of a bona fide spiritual master, (2) receive initiation from the spiritual master, (3) serve the spiritual master, (4) inquire and learn love from the spiritual master, (5) follow in the footsteps of holy persons devoted to the transcendental loving service of the Lord, (6) prepare to give up all kinds of enjoyment and miseries for the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa, (7) live in a place where Kṛṣṇa had His pastimes, (8) be satisfied by whatever is sent by Kṛṣṇa for the maintenance of the body and hanker for no more, (9) observe fasting on Ekādaśī day (this occurs on the eleventh day after the full moon and the eleventh day after the new moon.
Learn how to love God, Krsna (Books and Lectures)
Expressions researched:
"learn how to love"
|"learn love"
|"learn to love"
|"learning how to love"
|"learning to love"
Srimad-Bhagavatam
SB Canto 10.1 to 10.13
Therefore, one need not undergo severe penances for many thousands of years; one need only learn how to love Kṛṣṇa and be always engaged in His service (sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ (Brs. 1.2.234)). Then one can very easily go back home, back to Godhead. Instead of bringing the Lord here for some material purpose, to have a son or whatever else, if we go back home, back to Godhead, our real relationship with the Lord is revealed, and we eternally engage in our eternal relationship. By chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, we gradually develop our eternal relationship with the Supreme Person and thus attain the perfection called svarūpa-siddhi. We should take advantage of this benediction and go back home, back to Godhead. Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura has therefore sung, patita-pāvana-hetu tava avatāra: Caitanya Mahāprabhu appeared as an incarnation to deliver all fallen souls like us and directly bestow upon us love of Godhead. We must take advantage of this great benediction of the great Personality of Godhead.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta
CC Adi-lila
In the Bhagavad-gītā Kṛṣṇa has taught the philosophy of surrender to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. One who has surrendered to the Supreme can make further progress by learning to love Him. Therefore the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement propagated by Lord Caitanya is especially meant for those who are cognizant of the presence of the Supreme Godhead, the ultimate controller of everything. His mission is to teach people how to dovetail themselves into engagements of transcendental loving service. He is Kṛṣṇa teaching His own service from the position of a devotee. The Lord's acceptance of the role of a devotee in the eternal form of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is another of the Lord's wonderful features. A conditioned soul cannot reach the absolute Personality of Godhead by his imperfect endeavor, and therefore it is wonderful that Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, in the form of Lord Gaurāṅga, has made it easy for everyone to approach Him.
Other Books by Srila Prabhupada
Teachings of Lord Caitanya
Nectar of Devotion
Our loving propensity expands just as a vibration of light or air expands, but we do not know where it ends. The Nectar of Devotion teaches us the science of loving every one of the living entities perfectly by the easy method of loving Kṛṣṇa. We have failed to create peace and harmony in human society, even by such great attempts as the United Nations, because we do not know the right method. The method is very simple, but one has to understand it with a cool head. The Nectar of Devotion teaches all men how to perform the simple and natural method of loving Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. If we learn how to love Kṛṣṇa, then it is very easy to immediately and simultaneously love every living being. It is like pouring water on the root of a tree or supplying food to one's stomach. The method of pouring water on the root of a tree or supplying foodstuffs to the stomach is universally scientific and practical, as every one of us has experienced.
Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead
In the Bhagavad-gītā the Lord clearly says that persons who are engaged in His devotional service without adulteration are situated in Brahman. Actual Brahman realization means Kṛṣṇa consciousness and engagement in devotional service. The devotees are therefore real brahmacārīs because their activities are always in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, devotional service.The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement therefore issues a supreme call to all kinds of religionists, asking them with great authority to join this movement, by which one can learn how to love God and thus surpass all formulas and formalities of scriptural injunction. A person who cannot overcome the jurisdiction of stereotyped religious principles is compared to an animal chained up by his master. The purpose of all religion is to understand God and develop one's dormant love of Godhead.
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
Bhāgavata does not mention that this Hindu religion is first-class or Christian religion is first-class or Mohammedan religion is first-class or any other religion. We have created so much, so many religions. But Bhāgavata says that religious principle is first-class. Which one? Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje (SB 1.2.6). That religion which helps you to advance your devotional service and love of God. That's all. That is the definition of first-class religion. We do not analyze that this religion is first-class, that religion is last-class. Of course, according to, as I have told you, that there are three qualities in the material world. So according to the quality, the religious conception is also created. But the purpose of religion is to understand God. And to learn how to love God. That is the purpose. Any religious system. If it teaches you how to love God, then it is first-class. Otherwise it is useless. You may prosecute your religious principles very rigidly and very nicely, but your love of God is nil. Your love of matter is simply enhancing, that is no religion.
First of all you begin, how to try to learn how to love God. And when you are actually on the platform of love, prema, premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti, you will see God always in His form. He becomes revealed. You haven't got to try to see, but He will reveal. Svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ (Brs. 1.2.234). When you engage your tongue... That beginning is tongue. Jihvādau sevonmukhe. If you begin your service... God cannot be understood by our challenging mood. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, "First of all surrender. Then try to understand." Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi (BG 18.66).
He does not see anything but Kṛṣṇa. A mahā-bhāgavata, when a tree, when he sees a tree, he does not see the form of the tree, but he sees Kṛṣṇa. That is mahā-bhāgavata. That we should not imitate. That is the highest stage, perfectional stage. But at least, we come to the middle stage. What is that middle stage? To... We must understand what is God, what is Kṛṣṇa. Perfect understanding. And tad-adhīna, and His devotees. Īśvare tad-adhīneṣu bāliśa. Bāliśa means innocent persons. They are un... I mean to... They do not know actually what is God. And dviṣat. Dviṣat means envious. The four classes of men: God, His devotee, innocent person, and envious person, demons. So the person who is promoted to the second stage, he'll deal with these four classes of divisions differently. Īśvara-prema. One should try to learn how to love Kṛṣṇa. Yato bhaktir adhokṣaje (SB 1.2.6). That is first class. And tad, īśvare tad-adhīneṣu bāliśeṣu dviṣatsu ca, prema, prema, love for Kṛṣṇa, and maitrī, and to make friendship with the devotees.
"My dear Arjuna, if you develop your attachment for Me," mayy āsakta... Mayy āsakta, "attachment to Me," God is saying. We have got attachment. Every one us has got some attachment, either for this or that. Especially our living condition means to love somebody. That love propensity, that loving propensity is there within me, within you. I want to love you or you want to love me or I want to love somebody, but I want to love; that is my hankering. But because the love is misplaced, therefore we are frustrated. Love is misplaced. The example is given in the śāstra. Just like the tree has to be watered, but if you do know the purpose of watering, where to water, then our business of watering will be misused. You cannot water on the leaves, on the twigs or on the branches. You have to pour water on the root. That is the principle. So our loving propensity, when it will be properly employed, when we try to love or develop our loving propensity for God, or directly when we learn how to love God, then our loving propensity is perfect. Then you can love other things, others also. It is not... Just like watering the root of the tree, you automatically pour water in the other parts of the tree, or supplying foodstuffs in the stomach, you supply foodstuffs to all the parts of the body.
If you want actually peace of your mind or yourself, then you must learn how to love God. Because you are hankering to love the Supreme, but because you have no information of the Supreme, you are placing your love to your body, your society, your country, your family, or if you haven't got anything to love, then you get a dog, cat, and you love it. The loving propensity is there. This is the psychology. Now that loving propensity can attain its perfection, and as soon as you reach that perfectional point, you become happy. This is the formula for happiness. Everyone is trying to become happy, peaceful. That peacefulness, that happiness can be attained only when you increase your attachment or love for the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is the meaning of Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.
Who is the first-class yogi? There are many different types of yogi. But who is the topmost yogi? Yoginām api sarveṣām. Who is that? Mad-gatena antar-ātmanā: "One who is thinking of Me always." That is perfect yoga. So that statement, that "One who is thinking of Me always, he is perfect yogi," so that is now being explained. It is the conclusion of the Sixth Chapter, and in Seventh Chapter Kṛṣṇa explains how you can think of Kṛṣṇa twenty-four hours. This is being explained. Therefore He says, mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha. How you can think of somebody else unless you are very much attached to him? Just like a boy is attached to some girl or a girl is attached to some... That is natural. So when he becomes too much attached, he always or she thinks always. Otherwise it is not possible. To come to this attachment platform you have to learn how to love Kṛṣṇa. Otherwise how it is possible? Unless you love somebody, how can you think of him twenty-four hours? That is not possible.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
When there is material transaction, if I want to purchase something, then I must have the requisite money to purchase. It is conditioned. But if you want to render service to God, or Kṛṣṇa, there is no condition. Therefore ahaituky apratihatā: "It cannot be checked." Because I am born in particular type, particular time, or particular country, I cannot render service to Kṛṣṇa—that's not a fact. Anywhere, any part of the world, any part of the universe, any man, in any condition, he can serve Kṛṣṇa. There is no impediment. Ahaituky apratihatā. And when that type of religion is followed, to serve the Supreme Absolute without any motive, and without any impediment, then you will be happy. Yayātmā suprasīdati. You are wanting happiness, peace. So if you try, if you learn how to love Kṛṣṇa without any motive and without any impediment, then you will be happy. This is the program of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, to make everyone happy. Ātmā, yayātmā suprasīdati. Prasīdati means fully satisfied. Yaṁ labdhvā cāparaṁ lābhaṁ manyate nādhikaṁ tataḥ.
If you want really peace by worshiping God, by rendering service to God, then you should learn how to love Kṛṣṇa without any motive. That kind of love will never be checked. You will never be hampered in executing devotional service. And that is first-class religion.
So here in this verse it is said that sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje (SB 1.2.6). Then what will be my profit? Suppose I simply love God. I love. The loving propensity is there in me. I love some boy. I love some girl. I love my country. I love my family. I love my society. I love my country. The loving propensity is there. There is no doubt. Everyone, even cats and dogs, because he is living entity, he has got that loving propensity. A tiger also loves its cubs. But this love, when it will be applied to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, that is the perfection of life. Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje (SB 1.2.6). What kind of love? Ahaitukī. To love God not for any other reason, that "God will give me some wealth, God will give me this, God will... I shall take from God this." No. Ahaitukī, no cause, that "Because I am in want of some money, therefore I shall go to church or temple or love God." No. Ahaitukī. Just like people generally go there like that, "O God, give us our daily bread." Well, why you are asking God for daily bread? Daily bread is already given to everyone, even birds and bees. Your bread is also there. But people do not know that "My bread is already there. Why I shall bother God for daily bread? Let me learn how to love God."
Therefore if civilization is based on religious life, it doesn't matter what religion he belongs to, he is elevated. Any religion. And therefore I ask the Christians that Lord Christ says that "Thou shall not kill," why you are killing? They give some vague explanation. But actually a real Christian is as good as a real Hindu, as a real Muslim—if he follows. No religion is bad. We don't say. But the first-class religion is that... That is explained here: sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje (SB 1.2.6). Every religion teaches how to love God more or less. Why more or less? That is the only aim. How to learn how to love God. But they are rejecting God, what to speak of love. Rejecting. "What is God, this nonsense? I am God. God is dead. Finished."
Here it is said, vāsudeva-paraṁ tapaḥ. Vāsudeva-paro dharmaḥ. Vāsudeva-paro dharmaḥ. Unless we come to that point, dharma, religious principle... Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmaḥ. That is paro dharmaḥ. What? Yato bhaktir adhokṣaje (SB 1.2.6). Ahaituky apratihatā yayātmā suprasīdati. By executing religion one should be satisfied, but unless he comes to the point of Vāsudeva, he'll never be satisfied. That is not... Yayātmā suprasīdati. If we learn to love Vāsudeva, yato bhaktir adhokṣaje, then we'll be satisfied by executing religion. Otherwise it is superficial. Dharmaḥ svanuṣṭhitaḥ puṁsāṁ viṣvaksena-kathāsu yaḥ, notpādayed yadi ratim (SB 1.2.8). If one is not interested to hear the kathā, vāsudeva-kathā, śrama eva hi kevalam. Similarly, only formalities will not help. We must enlighten ourself. We must enhance our propensity to hear about Vāsudeva.
Here it is said that sākṣād bhagavatoditam, uditam. That... What is Bhāgavata, Bhāgavata? Kṛṣṇa never says that "First of all you hear My līlā with the gopīs." He never says that. He first of all says that "You surrender unto Me." First of all learn how to surrender to Kṛṣṇa. First of all learn how to love Kṛṣṇa. Then you can taste what is Kṛṣṇa's līlā with the gopīs. It is just like mukhāravinda. Just like... Kṛṣṇa's līlā in the Daśama-skandha with the gopīs is compared with Kṛṣṇa's face, smiling face. But we have to worship Kṛṣṇa beginning with the feet. Not immediately we shall look to the face of Kṛṣṇa.
And uttama-adhikārī, they have no such distinction. They see: "Everyone is engaged in Kṛṣṇa's service. That is all right." But madhyama-adhikārī has to make distinction. Kṛpā upekṣā. He is very kind to the innocent, but those who are envious, he does not care for them. Those who are envious, he does not care for them. He rejects them: "Let them become envious," these madhyama-adhikārī. And īśvare, unto the Supreme Lord-prema. They learn how to love Kṛṣṇa and how to make friendship with Kṛṣṇa's devotee. So this is madhyama-adhikārī and kaniṣṭha-adhikārī, uttama-adhikārī. There are different types of devotees, not all the same, according to the stages.
Just like Yaśodā-mātā or Nanda Mahārāja. They are in paternal affection with Kṛṣṇa. So the father and mother love Kṛṣṇa, the friends love Kṛṣṇa, the girl friends, they love Kṛṣṇa, the trees love Kṛṣṇa, the water love Kṛṣṇa, the flower, the cows, the calves, everyone loves Kṛṣṇa. That is Vṛndāvana. So if we simply learn how to love Kṛṣṇa, then we can create immediately this world as Vṛndāvana. This is the only central point. How to love Kṛṣṇa. Premā pum-artho mahān.
If you love these material things, then you should know that you are not in love with God. If you are in love with God, then you'll forget material love. That is the test. Bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir anyatra syāt (SB 11.2.42). Bhakti, love of Godhead, the symptom is that he's no more in love with material things. That is the test. You cannot... Just like you cannot love two persons. That is divided. One love concentrated, that is perfect love. Similarly, another example is given that we are all hankering after love. Because we do not find whom to love, therefore we place our love even cats and dogs. We love a dog. Anyone who has no other object to love, no children, no family, no wife—all right, keep a cat, keep a dog. But love is there.So that love is deserved for Kṛṣṇa, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So the more we learn how to love the Supreme Lord, that is perfection of life. Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmaḥ. And what kind of love? Ahaituky apratihatā: that love is not motivated, that "I want this thing; therefore I shall love." Here in this material world the so-called love, lust, is motivated.
Just like these European, American or African boys. They have joined this Kṛṣṇa con... They have not come here for some material progress. No. They have not come here. Others may come. You can say, "The Africans are poor. They have come." No. Nobody has come for material profit. What about the Europeans, Americans? They are not poor. They have got enough money. Why they are after Kṛṣṇa consciousness, after me? I am not rich man. No. That is called ahaituki, without any motive. Nobody. "Kṛṣṇa is my lovable, worshipable. I shall worship Kṛṣṇa." This is wanted. Ahaituky apratihatā. And if you have got this intention, that "Kṛṣṇa is my Lord. I must love Kṛṣṇa. I must learn how to love Him," then apratihatā—no material condition can check it. Either you become American or African, black and white or this or that, nothing can check you. You can go on—if it is motiveless. This is wanted.
So in order to become God conscious, you have to follow some rules and regulations. We do not give any credit to the vegetarians than the meat-eaters. Because one has to eat. But our proposal is, Kṛṣṇa conscious men, that we shall eat remnants of foodstuff offered to Kṛṣṇa. That is our philosophy. And Kṛṣṇa says, patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati (BG 9.26), that Kṛṣṇa says that "Anyone who offers Me a little fruit, a little water, and little leaf with devotion and love, I accept it." Kṛṣṇa is not hungry that He is begging some food from us. No. He is trying to create loving transaction: "You love Me; I love you." Kṛṣṇa is God. Kṛṣṇa, practically by His energy everything is produced. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). So why He should beg for, from me, a little leaf and little fruit and little water? He has no business. But if we offer a little fruit and little leaf and little water with love—"Kṛṣṇa, I am so poor that I cannot secure anything. I have secured this little fruit and little flowers and a leaf. Kindly accept it"—Kṛṣṇa is very glad. Yes. And if He eats, offered by you, your life is successful. You make friendship with Kṛṣṇa. That is our preaching.So this little fruit, little flower and little water can be secured any part of the world by any man, poor or rich. And can be offered. Simply we have to try, we have to learn how to love Kṛṣṇa. And love begins with this give and take. You give something to your lover; he gives you, something to you. In this way love develops. Dadāti pratigṛhṇāti. The development takes place, loving affairs, by giving and taking. Dadāti pratigṛhṇāti bhuṅkte bhojayate caiva. When you create loving transaction with any boy or girl or any man, any friend, the give and take. So Kṛṣṇa is teaching us give and take. "You give something," Kṛṣṇa is begging. "You try to love Me. You learn how to love Me. Give Me." "Sir, I have nothing to give You." "Oh, you cannot collect a little fruit and flower and leaf and little water?" "Oh, yes. Why not? Anyone can collect." So the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is so nice. You can make direct friendship with Kṛṣṇa. You can become direct servant of Kṛṣṇa.
So any highest principle of religion in any religion of the world you take, this is the summarization of all religions, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And that is accepted by Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam—sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje: (SB 1.2.6) "That is first-class religion which teaches how to love God, how to learn to love God." That is first class, not the rituals, not the formulas.
Dharma means bhāgavata-dharma. Whatever Bhagavān says or God says, that is dharma.And God is one. There cannot be different Gods. If God has got competitors, then He is not God. There cannot be Hindu God, Muslim God, Christian God, or other conception of God. God is one. God cannot be Hindu, Muslim, Christian. So... And His order is also one. That is the instruction in the Bhagavad-gītā. Kṛṣṇa says, God says that sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Real dharma is to surrender unto God. And surrender and to follow His instruction and become a lover of God. Then it is dharma. It is perfectly clear. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). In another place it is said, sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje (SB 1.2.6). That is first-class religion. What is that? By which one can learn how to love God. This is the definition. How to love God. We have learned to love so many things, but when we love God, that is real religion.
Why one should seek after Viṣṇu? Tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padam. Because yadā eṣa sarva-bhūtānāṁ priya. Everyone's dearmost. That we have forgotten. Actually Viṣṇu or Kṛṣṇa, He's dearmost. He's also friend of everyone. When we understand this secret, bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaraṁ suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānām (BG 5.29). Suhṛdam: He's actual friend. We go to friends for some help, but if we accept the natural friend, Kṛṣṇa, then there is no scarcity. Suhṛdam sarva-bhūtānām. Therefore we should learn how to love Kṛṣṇa, or Viṣṇu. That is the aim of life.
Simply by loving Kṛṣṇa. It is very easy. You love here, there so many. You just try to love Kṛṣṇa and stay in transcendental state. Love is there, but we are misplacing our love. That is our folly. Place that love to Kṛṣṇa. You haven't got to learn how to love. You know. Everyone knows. So you place that love to Kṛṣṇa.
Rukmiṇī: When we learn to love Kṛṣṇa, do we transcend goodness?
Prabhupāda: Transcend? What is that?
Haṁsadūta: When we learn to love Kṛṣṇa, do we transcend goodness?
Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Goodness is very good in this material world, but that is also a bondage. If I think, "Oh, I am very learned man. I am very good man," that is also bondage. We have to go far above even goodness, which is called śuddha-sattva. Śuddha-sattva means pure goodness.
Nectar of Devotion Lectures
Pradyumna:(reading) "Our loving propensity expands just as a vibration of light or air expands, but we do not know where it ends. The Nectar of Devotion teaches us the science of loving every one of the living entities perfectly by the easy method of loving Kṛṣṇa. We have failed to create peace and harmony in human society, even by such great attempts as the United Nations, because we do not know the right method. The method is very simple, but one has to understand it with a cool head. The Nectar of Devotion teaches all men how to perform the simple and natural method of loving Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. If we learn how to love Kṛṣṇa, then it is very easy to immediately and simultaneously love every living being."
Prabhupāda: Yes. This... Everyone in the human society is trying to establish love in the society, but it is being failed. The reason is that we are missing the central point. Just like from a point you can make a circle.
When we are free from designation, sarvopādhi-virnirmuktam tat-paratvena nirmalam, when we are purified, then we can unite in the service of the Lord, Kṛṣṇa. That is real unity. Hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-sevanam... (CC Madhya 19.170). That is Vaikuṇṭha platform. Just like in Vaikuṇṭha, the Vaikuṇṭheśvara, Nārāyaṇa, or Kṛṣṇa, He's the central point of service. Just like in Vṛndāvana... The Vṛndāvana... The animals, the birds, the beasts, the water, the trees, the flowers, the cowherds boy—everyone—center is Kṛṣṇa. That is Vṛndāvana. They did not know that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but they loved Kṛṣṇa with their heart and soul. That is Vṛndāvana. So if we come to this point of Kṛṣṇa consciousness and simply learn how to love Kṛṣṇa, then we can create the whole world as Vṛndāvana.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
Everyone wants to love. That is natural propensity. Everyone. When there is no loving object, then in this material world we sometimes love cats and dogs. You see? Because I must love somebody. If I don't find any suitable person lovable, then I turn my love to some hobby, to some animal, like that, because the love is there. So this is dormant. Our love for Kṛṣṇa is dormant. It is within us, but because we have no information of Kṛṣṇa, therefore we are reposing our love to something which is frustration. That is not the object of love. Therefore we are frustrated. So many instances we have got, we did not describe. But here in this material world, love is 99.9% all frustration, because the love is not reposed to the proper place. The proper place is Kṛṣṇa. If we love Kṛṣṇa, then we can love everyone. Just like if we pour water on the root of the tree then the other parts of the tree, leaves and flowers and fruits and branches, automatically... So if we learn to love Kṛṣṇa, then we can perfectly love others.So those who are eternally liberated, they love Kṛṣṇa. Therefore they are perfect in the spiritual world.
Sri Brahma-samhita Lectures
Therefore, the Bhāgavata says, just like watering the root of the tree you can serve all the leaves, flowers, branches, and everything of the tree, just by supplying foodstuff to your stomach you can serve all the limbs of your body, similarly, simply by loving Kṛṣṇa you can learn how to love everyone. If you don't love Kṛṣṇa, and if you love the whole universe, it is still imperfect. Imperfect. And, because we are not loving Kṛṣṇa, therefore we are sectarian.
If you simply talk of universal brotherhood, and you do not love Kṛṣṇa, hah, then it is useless. (laughter) It is useless. Therefore, actually it is happening. They are proclaiming peace and prosperity, and they are fighting in the United Nations. But where is the peace? Then where is the prosperity? Because lacking love of Kṛṣṇa.Therefore, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness is very urgent necessity for the human society. They should learn how to love Kṛṣṇa. Then everything will be adjusted, very easily. It is not utopian theory; it is practical. There are many instances, and those who are following, the students in, in our society, ask them how they love others, how they love everyone, because they are..., they are trying to love Kṛṣṇa.
Initiation Lectures
We have to create our eyes or purify our eyes to see God. And that purification is possible when you apply the ointment of love of God, daily. How to love Kṛṣṇa? Take it as ointment. As we apply some ointment to increase the sight of our eyes... Doctor gives some prescription. We use it also. So similarly, how to see God. You will see God with these eyes when it is clarified. Premāñjana-cchurita, by the ointment of love of Godhead. So these are the function, how to love. One has to rise early in the morning. He doesn't like, but, "No. I will have to satisfy Kṛṣṇa." This is the beginning. "Oh, I have to chant sixteen rounds." He is lazy. He doesn't want to do it. But if he loves Kṛṣṇa, he must do it. He must do it. So in the beginning we have to learn how to love, but when you come to the state, oh, there is no question of... You may follow the regulative principle or not, because love is there.
So this is the process, how to increase your attachment for Kṛṣṇa. This bhakti-yoga or Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is nothing... We do not say that "You Christian, you are good. I am Hindu, I am bad." Or "You are bad, I am good." We don't say that. We simply say that "It is your right now, this human form of body, how to love God." That's all. "You have loved so long dog. Now you try to love God." That is our propaganda. So we don't criticize anyone. Simply we want to see whether he or she has developed his love of God. That's all. So you can do it either as Christian or as Hindu, as Muhammadan. We don't care for that. But we want to see you that you are actually lover of God. If you are not, then we tell you, "You try to love God in this way." What is that? Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ. Simply hear about Kṛṣṇa. Simply chant about Kṛṣṇa. Is that very difficult? If you have not yet learned how to love God, take this process, and you will learn how to love God. This is our propaganda. It is not difficult.
General Lectures
The Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, it is spotless description of understanding how to love God. There is no other description. From the beginning it is teaching how to love God. Those who have studied Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the first verse in the First Canto is janmādy asya yataḥ, satyaṁ paraṁ dhīmahi (SB 1.1.1). The beginning is that "I am offering my unalloyed devotion unto the Supreme, from whom everything has emanated." Janmādy asya yataḥ. So it is a... You know, it is a great description. So Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. If you want to learn how to love God, or Kṛṣṇa, then study Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. And to understand Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the preliminary study is Bhagavad-gītā. So study Bhagavad-gītā to understand the real nature or identification of God and yourself and your relationship, and then, when you are little conversant, when you are prepared, that "Yes, Kṛṣṇa is the only lovable object," then next book you take, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. And you go on. Just like Bhagavad-gītā As It Is, is entrance. Just like students, they pass their school examination then enters into the college. So you pass your school examination, how to love God, by studying Bhagavad-gītā As It Is. Then study Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and... That is graduate study. And when you are still farther advanced, post-graduate, then study Teachings of Lord Caitanya.
So there is no difficulty. The fact is that we have to learn how to love Kṛṣṇa. So direction is there and method is there, and we are trying to serve you as far as possible. We are sending our boys on the streets and the town to invite you. And if you kindly take up this opportunity, then your life will be successful. Premā pum-artho mahān. Because this human form of life is meant for developing love for God.
So our point is, when we speak of Kṛṣṇa, we mean with all His different forms, Rāmādi-mūrtiṣu kalā-niyamena tiṣṭhan (Bs. 5.39). So bhakti-yoga can be applicable to any one of these form, either Kṛṣṇa or Rāma or Viṣṇu or Nārāyaṇa, so many forms. Generally, Vaiṣṇavas worship the form of Kṛṣṇa, Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, and Lakṣmī-Nārāyaṇa. In our conditional stage, we cannot worship Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa-sevā is for them who has developed spontaneous love for God. For them. Spontaneous. The spontaneous love... The example is given: just like a young man, young girl, without any acquaintance, when they see each other, there is some loving propensity. That is called spontaneous. Not that one has to learn how to love. Simply very sight will invoke some loving propensity. That is called spontaneous. When we are advanced in the matter of loving God, so much so that as soon as you see or remember anything about God, immediately you become ecstatic, that is spontaneous.
After each and every verse we chant, govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi **. Similarly, we repeat Kṛṣṇa—Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. Why we repeat? The more we repeat means we learn to love. That is required. Anything which you do not love, you cannot repeat. It will be disgusting. Anything, any word you take, if you simply repeat, you'll feel disgusted. Sometimes those who are not in Kṛṣṇa conscious life, they also feel this repetition as disgusting, hackneyed, because they have not developed love.
Suppose I am hungry; you give me some food. Does it mean that I shall not be hungry again? That food is already given also in this Kṛṣṇa consciousness move... That is not very difficult job. That is being given also. But we are giving some food which will make him satisfied for good. No more hunger. That is the best service. Just try to understand what sort of service is this Kṛṣṇa consciousness: no more hunger, no more demand. Svāmin kṛtārtho 'smi: "Oh, I am fully satisfied." Varaṁ na yāce: "I have no more demand. Finish." And if you go materially, satisfy your hunger, this, that, this, that, this, that, oh, it is simply illusion. It will never be finished. Just like you are advanced in material prosperity than other country. Does it mean that you are satisfied? Why there are hippies? Why there are so many frustrated youngsters? The richest country in the world. That, this richness of material world, the rascals, they are following that "If we become like America and some industrial, we shall become happy." That is rascaldom. Actual happiness is how you learn to love God. Then you get happy. That can be achieved without any material advancement. Anywhere you can have, without any expenditure, without any effort, without any education, without any knowledge. Simply chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and you develop that love. This is the highest service to the human society. Just try to understand.
That technique is love of Godhead. If you learn, it doesn't matter what religion you profess. It is no concern. We do not say that "You become Hindu," "You become Muslim," or "Christian." No. We say that "You become lover of God." You learn how to love God. Your loving propensity is there, but it is being misplaced. It is placed on dog instead of God; therefore you are unhappy. When your loving propensity will be placed in the proper place, you will be happy. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness, love of Godhead.
- sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo
- yato bhaktir adhokṣaje
- ahaituky apratihatā
- yayātmā samprasīdati
- (SB 1.2.6)
If you want happiness, then you must learn how to love God. You are trying to love somebody, but you are being frustrated, foiled. Because except God, nobody is loving object. And if you love God, then naturally you love everything because God is everything.
So learn by Kṛṣṇa consciousness how to love Kṛṣṇa and how to love your country, your society, your friends, everything. But without loving Kṛṣṇa, you cannot love. This is the secret. And if you love... Just like because I love Kṛṣṇa, therefore I have come to your country. I had no business to come to your country, naturally. But we are preaching this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means we love everyone. We don't make any distinction. We love animals also. We don't like to see animal killing. That is also one of our propaganda: "No meat-eating." Why? To save the animals, because we love animals also. We love even the ant—because we love Kṛṣṇa.So this is the technique of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that if you learn how to love Kṛṣṇa, then you will love everything. Otherwise, your love will be localized and you will be frustrated. It is most scientific. And our process is very simple: chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. That's all.
If you have to see God, then you have to apply the ointment of love of God in your eyes, and then your eyes will be cleansed and you'll see God. This is the process. Premāñjana. Prema means love of God, and añjana means ointment. Just like sometimes we do not see correctly. In India, there is a kind of powder called surma. They apply it and they see clearly. Or some, any other. Similarly, there is possibility of seeing God with these eyes, provided you cleanse it. And what is the cleansing process? Love of Godhead, that's all. If you actually learn how to love God... That is practical.
It is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, "If anyone wants to understand Me, then the process is bhakti, devotional service." The process means how to love God, that process. And in the Bhāgavatam it is said... What is first-class religion? Sai vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje. That religion is first class which makes the follower a lover of God. This is simple definition of religion, first-class religion. If we do not awaken our dormant love for God, then śrama eva hi kevalam (SB 1.2.8). Then you follow any type of religion, you simply wasting your time. That's all. That is not religion. Religion means to understand God and to learn how to love God.
Yena ātmā suprasīdati. Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo (SB 1.2.6), highest type of religious system, yato bhaktir adhokṣaje, by which one can learn how to love God—that is dharma. Anything else, that is not dharma. That is paśu-dharma.
If you want really peace, then you develop your dormant love of God, Kṛṣṇa. Then you'll be happy. Otherwise you'll never be happy. Because we want to love somebody. That is natural. So we have placed our loving propensity in so many things, even to cats and dogs, but that will not satisfy us, because that is sense gratification. That is not real love. Real love is to love Kṛṣṇa, love of Kṛṣṇa. So this is the highest philosophy of life, highest perfection of life, how to learn to love Kṛṣṇa. The Vṛndāvana means simply loving Kṛṣṇa. The cowherds boy, the gopīs, the Nanda Mahārāja, Yaśodāmayī, Rādhārāṇī—the only focus is to love Kṛṣṇa. That's all. This is Vṛndāvana. Vṛndāvana does not mean a city or town or this or that. Vṛndāvana means where everyone is in love, in intense love with Kṛṣṇa. So you have come to Vṛndāvana. Try to learn how to love, intensified love, Kṛṣṇa. That is perfection of life. And that is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's contribution. Kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te (CC Madhya 19.53).So although we have got love propensity... Everyone loves somebody. But we are being frustrated, because that is not real love. Real love is to love Kṛṣṇa. You may execute your duties very nicely, but if you do not learn how to love Kṛṣṇa, this all discharging of your duties is simply working or laboring for nothing. Śrama eva hi kevalam.
It is said here that that is first-class religious system. It does not say Hinduism, Muslimism or Christianism. General definition: "That is first-class religion..." Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo. Why it is said, para? Para means the supreme, not ordinary thing, supreme. "The supreme religious system is that which teaches the follower how to love God." That is supreme. It does not matter you learn to love God through Christianism or Hinduism or Muslimism, any "ism," but the result should be how much you have advanced in the art of loving God. Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje (SB 1.2.6). Bhakti, this word, Sanskrit word is used, "devotion," bhakti. To render service to God, that is bhakti. We are rendering service to so many things. That is not bhakti. Bhakti means to render service to God.
One who is completely free from the reaction of sinful life, he can completely devote in the service of the Lord. So the common platform is there. God is neither Hindu nor Muslim, nor the method of approaching God may be different, but the ultimate end is how to love God or how to serve God. One cannot serve anybody without love. In the material world one serves another for matter of money exchange, reward. But serving God is not that. Here it is stated, ahaituky apratihatā. Service of God is without motive. Here in the material world we serve somebody with a motive, for some material gain. But in the spiritual world, to serve God means "It is my duty. I love him. I want to serve Him." Just like mother loves child. It is not like the maidservant who is paid. Mother loves spontaneously child, as duty. He (she) loves to serve the child. Similarly, when our love of God will be spontaneous, without any motive, and without being impeded... Love of God cannot be checked by any material condition. It is not that because a man is poor, therefore he cannot love God. No. If a man is very rich, therefore he cannot love. No. Ahaituky apratihatā. Whatever you may be, you can learn how to love God without any impediment. And if we come to that stage of life—here it is said, yayātmā suprasīdati—then you will be fully satisfied and pleased. If you are engaged in the service of the Lord without any motive and without being impeded, spontaneously loving, then you will feel complete satisfaction.
Yes, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is not a sentimental religious system. It is science and philosophy. The attempt is to awaken God consciousness. God is neither Christian nor Hindu nor Muslim. God is God. There may be angles of vision to approach God, but God is one. Therefore our attempt is that you become God conscious. Don't be limited by Christianism or Hinduism or Muhammadanism. So our formula is explained in the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam. We have got the copies there. Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje: (SB 1.2.6) "That is first-class religious system by which the followers become a lover of God." This is the, our formula. Either you go through Christianism or Hinduism or Muslimism. If you understand what is God and if you know what is your relationship with God—in this way your goal of life how to learn to love God, that is achieved—then it doesn't matter through which religion you achieve that perfection. But if you can achieve that perfection, that system is perfect. This is our formula.
as soon as we submit to Kṛṣṇa and serve Him, prīti-pūrvakam, with love and affection... Not officially. Kṛṣṇa understands everything, that who is worshiping Him with love and affection and who is worshiping Him for some material gain. Kṛṣṇa is nobody's servant. He cannot be order-supplier. You must be prepared to supply His order or to obey His order. Then prīti-pūrvakam: then He will give you instruction. What instruction? Yena mām upayānti: "Again come back home."So last night we were speaking of the Bhāgavata śloka, that this life should not be spoiled like hogs and dogs. We must learn how to love Kṛṣṇa with love and affection and take instruction from Him to make our life successful.
Philosophy Discussions
Prabhupāda: So to carry the orders of God is religion. So the more this fact is realized, that is perfection of religion, and dharma, religion, is perfect when he understands who is God and how to learn to love Him.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Without religion the human society is animal society. So religion must be there, and religion means to understand God, to learn how to love God, how to obey His orders, and actually real religion means to accept the order of the Supreme Lord, God. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā this fact is taught. God is personally teaching that "You become My devotee, always think of Me," man-manā bhava mad-bhakto, "worship Me," mad-yājī, "and if you cannot do anything more, you simply offer your obeisances unto Me." Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65).
Hayagrīva: And he says, "Ultimately, love of God is the decisive thing. From it stems love to the neighbor. If you love God above else, then you also love your neighbor, and in your neighbor every man. To help another man to love God is to love the other man. To be helped by another man to love God is to be loved."
Prabhupāda: That is our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. We are learning how to love God, and we are teaching the same principle to the whole world, without any discrimination, that "God is one." Not that there are different Gods of different faiths. God cannot be two. Eko brahma dvitīyaṁ nāsti. God is one. There cannot be any competitor. His name is Asamaurdhva; nobody is equal to Him, nobody is greater than Him. Therefore God is great. Nobody is equal. So in any form of religion, if love of God is instructed, that is first-class religion. It doesn't matter whether it is Christian religion or Hindu religion or Muslim religion. The test is how the followers have learned to love God.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Without love, nothing can sustain. If I do not love Kṛṣṇa I cannot surrender. It is not possible. Just like a small child, he is naturally surrendered to the parents because there is love. The child loves also the parents. So without the basic principle of love, the more you love, the more the surrender is also perfect. Just like a small child, you slap the child, he's crying, yet crying also with the words, "Mommy, mommy, mommy, mommy," because there is love. Even in distress the child cannot forget. That is natural. Similarly, when you remain fully surrendered to the supreme will, either in distress or in happiness, that is your happiness. That is real happiness. This condition cannot be without love. In any condition, you remain surrendered. It cannot be done without love. When there is lack of love, this kind of mentality cannot develop: "In any condition I shall remain surrendered." Just like you are; you are, a whole society is carrying my order, not because I am superior person. There is love. Without love you cannot do so. You have got some bit of love for me, therefore you carry my order. Otherwise it is not possible. And I cannot also. You are foreigners, you are. Americans, I came from another country, I have no account. I cannot also order you: "You must do it, otherwise I will chastise you." Because there is love. It is a connection of love. I can also become bold enough to chastise you, but you also, what, in whatever condition, you carry my order due to the basic principle is love. And our whole philosophy is love. We are just trying to learn how to love Kṛṣṇa, that's all. So without the basic principle of love, these things cannot be conceived.
| Page Title: | Learn how to love God, Krsna (Books and Lectures) |
| Compiler: | Labangalatika, Sureshwardas |
| Created: | 25 of Mar, 2010 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=1, CC=1, OB=3, Lec=47, Con=0, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 52 |