The whole idea is that the Deity is considered to be the proprietor of the whole establishment, and all the priests and other people taking care of the temple are considered to be the servants of the Deity. This system is very, very old and is still followed. So, therefore, it is mentioned here that when the Deity is on stroll the people should follow behind.) (8) A devotee must visit a Viṣṇu temple at least once or twice every day, morning and evening. (In Vṛndāvana this system is followed very strictly. All the devotees in town go every morning and evening to visit different temples. Therefore during these times there are considerable crowds all over the city. There are about five thousand temples in Vṛndāvana city. Of course it is not possible to visit all the temples, but there are at least one dozen very big and important temples which were started by the Gosvāmīs and which should be visited.)
Very strictly follow
Expressions researched:
"follow very strictly"
|"followed very strictly"
|"following very strictly"
|"very strictly follow"
|"very strictly followed"
|"very strictly following"
|"very strictly follows"
Srimad-Bhagavatam
SB Canto 8
For advancement in anything, especially in spiritual life, one must strictly follow the bona fide instructions of the teacher. Aditi did this. She strictly followed the instructions of her husband and guru. As confirmed in the Vedic injunctions, yasya deve parā bhaktir yathā deve tathā gurau (ŚU 6.23). One should have complete faith in the guru, who helps the disciple make progress in spiritual life. As soon as the disciple thinks independently, not caring for the instructions of the spiritual master, he is a failure (yasyāprasādān na gatiḥ kuto 'pi). Aditi very strictly followed the instructions of her husband and spiritual master, and thus she was successful.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta
CC Adi-lila
The Māyāvādī philosophers' unrealizable ambition to become one with the Supreme through denying the existence of the Personality of Godhead results in a most calamitous misrepresentation of spiritual knowledge, and one who follows this philosophy is doomed to remain perpetually in this material world. Therefore the Māyāvādīs are called aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ, or unclean in knowledge. Because they are unclean in knowledge, all their austerities and penances end in frustration. Thus although they may be honored at first as very learned scholars, ultimately they descend to physical activities of politics, social work, etc. Instead of becoming one with the Supreme Lord, they again become one with these material activities. This is explained in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.2.32):
- āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ
- patanty adho ’nādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ
In actuality the Māyāvādī philosophers very strictly follow the austerities and penances of spiritual life and in this way are elevated to the impersonal Brahman platform, but due to their negligence of the lotus feet of the Lord they again fall down to material existence.
CC Madhya-lila
Bathing at the confluence of the Ganges and Yamunā, near the fort at Allahabad (Prayāga), is mentioned in the revealed scriptures:
- māghe māsi gamiṣyanti gaṅgā-yāmuna-saṅgamam
- gavāṁ śata-sahasrasya samyag dattaṁ ca yat-phalam
- prayāge māgha-māse vai try-ahaṁ snātasya tat-phalam
"If one goes to Prayāga and bathes at the confluence of the Ganges and Yamunā in the month of Māgha, he attains the result of giving hundreds and thousands of cows in charity. Simply by bathing for three days there, he attains the results of such a pious activity." Because of this, the Sanoḍiyā brāhmaṇa was very eager to go to Prayāga and bathe. Generally karmīs (fruitive laborers) take advantage of bathing there during the month of Māgha, thinking that they will be rewarded in the future. Those who are situated in devotional service do not very strictly follow this karma-kāṇḍīya process.
"You should glorify the holy name and explain that one must carefully give up offenses when chanting the holy name. You should also describe the symptoms of a Vaiṣṇava and explain that one must give up or nullify all kinds of sevā-aparādha, offenses in Deity worship."
The devotee should always be very careful not to commit the ten offenses when chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. If a devotee very strictly follows the methods of Deity worship, he will naturally and quickly become a pure Vaiṣṇava. A pure Vaiṣṇava has unflinching faith in the Lord, and he does not deviate at all. He is always engaged in perfect Deity worship.
CC Antya-lila
"Have I taken sannyāsa for such happiness? Accepting this oil would bring My ruination, and all of you would laugh."
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu declared Himself a strict sannyāsī. A sannyāsī is not supposed to take help from anyone. Retaining a masseur to give Him massages would indicate His dependence on others. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu wanted to follow very strictly the principle of not accepting anyone's help for His bodily comfort.
Other Books by Srila Prabhupada
Nectar of Devotion
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
Wherever you go, the Bhāgavata conclusion, harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇāḥ. We have to keep in point of view that to become... Kṛṣṇa also says in Bhagavad-gītā: api cet su-durācāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ (BG 9.30). Even one is found su-durācāraḥ, not very strictly following moral principles, but he is an unflinching devotee of Kṛṣṇa, he's sādhu. These things are there. Therefore the point should be that we should not accept this karma-vāda or the bauddha-vāda or Māyāvāda, there are so many vādas. We shall simply take kṛṣṇa-vāda. Simply, simply accept Kṛṣṇa. And whatever He orders, whatever He likes, for His satisfaction, we shall do anything and everything. That is our morality.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
So here the most important word is yudhiṣṭhiro dharma-bhṛtāṁ variṣṭhaḥ. Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira was known as Dharmarāja, very strictly following religious principles. So he killed... For his sake, sixty-four crores of men were killed in the battlefield of Kurukṣetra. So he was not happy although the battle, the fight, was religious fight. It is not whimsical. Just like in the modern days the politicians, they fight unnecessarily to fulfill their desire... Just like in our country, unnecessarily they divided Pakistan, and to fulfill the whims of the leaders, they are fighting with nobody's gain, neither there is any religious principles.
So there is a stage which is called paramahaṁsa stage. At that time, one is not very strictly following the regulative principles. Not that they're not following, but they're above all regulative principles. But we should not imitate that, that "Now we have become paramahaṁsa and we can neglect all regulative principles." No. The paramahaṁsa stage is described here. If you simply imitate, that "Now I have become paramahaṁsa, I do not require to follow rules and regulations"... But you must prove that you are paramahaṁsa.
So similarly, some time before, some hundreds and thousands of years, Kapiladeva appeared, devahūti-putra Kapiladeva. His father's name is Kardama Muni. So after Kapiladeva's birth, when He was grown up... That is the system of Vedic civilization. When children are grown up, the father retires. He takes sannyāsa, or goes out of home simply for cultivating spiritual life, not that throughout the whole life, rot in this material world, no. Pañcāśordhvaṁ vanaṁ vrajet. That is the injunction of the śāstra. We have got eight kinds of āśrama, er, four kinds of āśrama and four kinds of varṇas. So the... Formerly they used to follow very strictly. So Kapiladeva's father, Kardama Muni, after the son was grown up, he left his home, giving in charge of his wife. The wife was given in charge of the grown-up boy, not that the boy was in charge of the..., no. So that incident, that narration, is stated in this part.
So mind you cannot control unless your mind is fully engaged in the service of Kṛṣṇa. Sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa padāravindayor vacāṁsi vaikuṇṭha-guṇānuvarṇane (SB 9.4.18). These are the examples. So Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī followed very strictly, Caitanya Mahāprabhu also followed very strictly, and the Rūpa-Sanātana Gosvāmī followed very strictly. Not that because one is living in Vṛndāvana with a short cut cloth and therefore he has become like Rūpa Gosvāmī... Rūpa Gosvāmī was fully engaged. Nānā-śāstra-vicāraṇaika-nipuṇau sad-dharma-saṁsthāpakau lokānāṁ hita-kāriṇau. They were in Vṛndāvana, but they were always thinking how to do good to the people, to this material world.
Nectar of Devotion Lectures
Because there is material attachment, that means the intelligence is still materially affected. Otherwise, how they should be materially inclined and come to the material platform? The answer is aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ. The intelligence is not yet purified. Why it is not purified? That is also explained: āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padam (SB 10.2.32). By severe austerities, penances, they follow very strictly the rules and regulation of renouncement. That is called kṛccha sādhana, difficult procedure for self-realization. But despite all these endeavors, because their intelligence is not purified, they fall down.
Conversations and Morning Walks
1970 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Dvija means he was properly initiated, second birth. First birth by father, mother, is śūdra. Anyone, even if he is born in a brāhmaṇa family, the natural birth is considered as śūdra. But if there is garbhādhāna-saṁskāra, then he's accepted as born brāhmaṇa, born brāhmaṇa. Still, one is born brāhmaṇa, he has to undergo the saṁskāras. So our, this... Now it is known as Hindu society although the "Hindu" word is given by the Mohammedans. It is called sanātana-dharma or varṇāśrama society, who very strictly follow the four divisions, social divisions of varṇa—brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra—and four divisions of spiritual life—brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, and sannyāsa. So our, the Vedic system is called varṇāśrama. Varṇa means the social order. Āśrama means spiritual division.
Correspondence
1970 Correspondence
So on the recommendation of Gurudasa I am very glad to accept you as my initiated disciple and your spiritual name is Tribhuvanatha Das Brahmacari. Tribhuvanatha means the Lord of the Three Worlds. And Das means servant. I have duly chanted the beads sent by you and they are returned to you herewith. Please always follow very strictly the regulative principles and chant sixteen rounds of Mahamantra daily on the beads. Study our literatures attentively and try to understand the philosophy nicely with the help of your God-brothers. Always work cooperatively to spread Krsna consciousness movement and chant Hare Krsna and your life will be sublime.
Do not be discouraged that you are only four devotees at present moment in Philadelphia. Simply you very strictly follow the routine schedule of devotional service and chanting Hare Krsna and do your best to spread this Movement amongst the local people. Krsna will send you many more sincere souls very soon to help you. So go on with your work with new efforts of increased enthusiasm and Krsna will bless you more and more in Krsna consciousness. Please increase your program of distribution to the public as well as trying to place our books and magazines in the libraries. This is very successful in libraries in other centers.
I have already spoken to Hamsaduta about your enthusiasm to open some branches for ISKCON propaganda in Russia and in that connection you can immediately send him the address of the Indology Department along with the prominent professors. Always follow very strictly the regulative principles, chanting sixteen rounds, Deity worship and everything will come automatically.
1971 Correspondence
As long as we keep ourselves pure for preaching, then we shall have all good results—of that there is no doubt. One thing, make certain that your routine work is going on nicely—chanting 16 rounds, rising early, cleansing, street Sankirtana, etc.—then all other programs will be successful. If routine work becomes slack or neglected, then all other attempts will fail. We should always cling to the Lotus Feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead by following very strictly the routine work of devotional service, and then we shall qualify to associate with the Lord by becoming very pure, and that is our real happiness, know if for certain.
1972 Correspondence
I am in due receipt of your letter of February 1, 1972, I am very much engladdened to note that you are progessing so nicely in Krishna Consciousness by teaching others. That is the system. Learn yourself and teach others, then this Movement will grow progressively. But one thing is that the highest standards of purity must be always very strictly followed. Therefore I am always encouraged that you are entrusted with instructing others in deity worship, cooking and other things. Although you are at liberty to follow your husband, that is not my point, but if you go the deity worship may be neglected and our progress will be hampered. That is my opinion, because you are in charge, but if you think you may go sometimes, I have no objection as long as the standard does not fall. In this and other matters you have to manage. You have to instruct others so they will not resent—if they resent, how things can be managed?
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated April 18, 1972 and I have noted the contents. Thank you very much for your kind invitation, and when I return to the U.S., I will seriously consider the proposal. So far your concern about management, the solution is to be always thinking of Krishna and the Spiritual Master, then maya cannot touch you. If you very strictly follow the regulative principles and chant 16 rounds minimum, there is no question of ever falling down. Krishna has given you very nice facility there, so you continue to serve Him with great faith and enthusiasm, and He will give you all blessings.
1973 Correspondence
Thank you very much for your kind sentiments. This attitude of serving first the spiritual master is the correct one, for only by the mercy of the spiritual master can one obtain the mercy of Krsna. Just as we sing every morning yasya prasadad bhagavad-prasado yasya prasada na gatih kuto 'pi, in this way the disciple advances more and more in understanding God. So if you simply execute with full faith the instructions that I have already given you, then you will see so many people will be sent by Krsna to become devotees because of your sincerity. So as you are my appointed leader, you must also see that the others are following very strictly the regulative principles like chanting 16 rounds, reading my books regularly, rising early for mangala aratrika, these things will keep us purified for advancing more and more in Krsna Consciousness.
1974 Correspondence
So do your work sincerely, husband and wife, and you will have good success there. I know that they college students in your country are dissatisfied with this material education. Always be eager to present this cult to them and try to save them from the degradation of modern civilization. You be pure, and teach them to be pure. The process is there. Follow very strictly our rules and regulations and maya will not be able to touch you.
Regarding your proposal, I shall have to consult the GBC men first before making that decision. I have sent your proposal to Jayatirtha Prabhu and have asked him to make copies and send it to the GBC men and have them give opinions. Then send these opinions to myself. Then I will give my judgement, after hearing those opinions. I am always praying to Krsna that my disciples will not fall away from the path of Krsna Consciousness. In the Bhagavad-gita it says; bahunam janmanam ante (BG 7.19). After many many births one finally comes unto Me. Sa mahatma sudurlabhah, such a great soul is very rare. My simple request is that you very strictly follow all of our regulative principles without any deviation whatsoever. And thus by example show others how to do the same. Engage in devotional service according to your propensity and the direction of my appointed authorities. Always pray to Krsna so that He may keep you engaged in His transcendental service. Avoid the service of Maya like poison.
1975 Correspondence
I have accepted the two persons that you have recommended for 1st initiation. Their names are Michael—Muniraja, and Robin—Rajanatha. Their beads can be chanted by Kirtanananda Swami. Train them to be first class devotees by following very strictly all of our rule regulations, chanting at least 16 good rounds daily.
Please accept my blessings. I have accepted Jesus's for 1st initiation upon your recommendation. His name is Yaduvamsi. His beads may be chanted by Kirtanananda Svami. I have also accepted Aroudha, Vidambha, Pujana, Sastramayi, Jalakara as my duly initiated brahmanas. You should allow them to hear through the right ear, the tape of myself saying the gayatri mantra. Please make sure that these devotees follow very strictly all of our regulative principles and chant at least 16 rounds daily. Then they will not go away from us.
I think it is best if you consult with Prajapati prabhu on these points. He is in charge of the dramas, so take his advice on these matters. Keep yourself always engaged in Krishna's service following very strictly the rules and regulations so that Maya will not be able to discourage you in your attempt to become Krishna Conscious.
I am in due receipt of your letter dated May 29, 1975 and have noted the contents. Thank you for you daksina of 20 dollars. Please continue to follow very strictly the rules and regulations, chant 16 rounds and read my books well. This will keep you always fixed up in Krishna Consciousness and Maya will not succeed in bewildering you.
1976 Correspondence
I am in due receipt of your letter dated 13 February, 1976 with enclosed daksina and I thank you very much. Now you must very strictly follow the orders of your spiritual master by chanting 16 rounds of japa daily and accepting the 4 restrictions; no illicit sex life, no intoxication, no gambling, and no meat-eating. In this way you will surely make progress in Krsna Consciousness.
On your recommendation I am accepting Usapati das for brahminical initiation and Kedara dasa shall be the spiritual name for Bhakta Kevin. Please hold a fire sacrifice and present the name at that time. Your local GBC man may chant on the beads. The tape of the gayatri mantra may be played and heard through the right ear. To be a brahmana means that one is clean inside and out by chanting the maha mantra and bathing regularly. All our initiates must chant at least 16 rounds a day and follow very strictly the regulative principles. This will give one spiritual strength.
Please hold a fire sacrifice and the first initiated disciples may receive their names at that time while the brahmana initiates may hear the mantra through the right ear and receive the threads. Hrdayananda Maharaja may chant on the beads and give them to the devotees. All initiates must chant minimum 16 rounds on the beads daily and very strictly follow the four regulative principles to insure success on the path of spiritual progress of life. A brahmana must be clean by bathing and chanting daily. I hope this meets you in good health.
Hold a fire sacrifice and the disciples may receive their names at that time. Jayatirtha may chant on the beads and give them to the devotees. All initiates must chant minimum 16 rounds on the beads daily and very strictly follow the four regulative principles to insure progress in Krishna Consciousness.
According to your recommendation I am accepting for second initiation Amala-harinama das Brahmacari and Viraja dasi. Now hold a fire ceremony for attendance of devotees only. You must be sure that these devotees are very strictly following the regulative principles and chanting a minimum of sixteen rounds daily. They must be fully engaged in devotional service, 24 hours per day. Please find enclosed two gayatri mantra sheets and one sacred thread. After the fire sacrifice, play the tape of me reciting the gayatri mantra into the right ear of these initiates and show them how to count on their fingers.
Yes, I will accept these devotees as you have recommended; Jita Kandarpa das and Subuddhi dasi for second initiation and Bhakta Clem for first initiation. His new name is Karatieya dasa. Hold a fire sacrifice. Instruct Karatieya to always follow very strictly the four regulative principles and chant a minimum of 16 rounds daily avoiding the ten offenses. The second initiates should hear the tape of me chanting Gayatri in their right ear. Instruct them how to chant on their finger divisions. Kirtanananda may chant on the beads of the new initiate.
| Page Title: | Very strictly follow |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, Alakananda |
| Created: | 12 of May, 2010 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=1, CC=4, OB=1, Lec=6, Con=1, Let=19 |
| No. of Quotes: | 32 |