Advanced in devotional service
Srimad-Bhagavatam
SB Canto 2
SB Canto 3
SB Canto 4
- bhaktis tvayi sthiratarā bhagavan yadi syād
- daivena naḥ phalati divya-kiśora-mūrtiḥ
- muktiḥ svayaṁ mukulitāñjali sevate 'smān
- dharmārtha-kāma-gatayaḥ samaya-pratīkṣāḥ
- caṇḍālo 'pi dvija-śreṣṭho
- hari-bhakti-parāyaṇaḥ
- hari-bhakti-vihīnaś ca
- dvijo 'pi śvapacādhamaḥ
"Even if one is born in the family of a caṇḍāla, if one engages in the devotional service of the Lord, he becomes the best of brāhmaṇas. But even a brāhmaṇa who is devoid of devotional service is on the level of the lowest dog-eater." If a person is advanced in devotional service, it does not matter whether he was born in a caṇḍāla family. He becomes purified. As Śrī Prahlāda Mahārāja said:
- viprād dviṣaḍ-guṇa-yutād aravinda-nābha-
- pādāravinda-vimukhāc chvapacaṁ variṣṭham
- (SB 7.9.10)
Even if one is a brāhmaṇa and is qualified with all the brahminical qualifications, he is considered degraded if he is averse to worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead. But if a person is attached to the service of the Lord, he becomes glorified even if he is born in a caṇḍāla family. Indeed, such a caṇḍāla can deliver not only himself but all his family predecessors. Without devotional service, even a proud brāhmaṇa cannot deliver himself, and what to speak of his family. In many instances in the śāstras it is seen that even a brāhmaṇa has become a kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, mleccha or non-brāhmaṇa. And there are many instances of one's being born a kṣatriya or vaiśya or even lower and, in the eighteenth year, attaining elevation to the brahminical platform by the process of initiation. Therefore Nārada Muni says:
- yasya yal lakṣaṇaṁ proktaṁ
- puṁso varṇābhivyañjakam
- yad anyatrāpi dṛśyeta
- tat tenaiva vinirdiśet
- (SB 7.11.35)
SB Canto 6
- tṛṇād api sunīcena
- taror api sahiṣṇunā
- amāninā mānadena
- kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ
- [Cc. Ādi 17.31]
- yatra kva vābhadram abhūd amuṣya kiṁ
- ko vārtha āpto 'bhajatāṁ sva-dharmataḥ
- (SB 1.5.17)
SB Canto 9
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta
CC Adi-lila
CC Madhya-lila
- sarva-bhūteṣu yaḥ paśyed bhagavad-bhāvam ātmanaḥ
- bhūtāni bhagavaty ātmany eṣa bhāgavatottamaḥ
CC Antya-lila
Other Books by Srila Prabhupada
Nectar of Instruction
Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
- śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ
- smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam
- arcanaṁ vandanaṁ dāsyaṁ
- sakhyam ātma-nivedanam
- [SB 7.5.23]
Nectar of Devotion Lectures
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
- dhana pāile yaiche sukha bhoga phala pāya
- sukha-bhoga haite duḥkha āpani palāya
- taiche bhakti-phale kṛṣṇe prema upajaya
- preme kṛṣṇāsvāda haile bhava nāśa pāya
He says that "If a poor man gets some money, not only he becomes happy, but the symptoms of his poverty is also immediately vanquished." Just like a poor man gets, say, ten lakhs of rupees. Immediately he'll have a nice bungalow, he'll have two, three cars, and so many other opulences. So simultaneously, the distress out of his poverty-stricken life is also vanquished, and there are symptoms of sukha, symptoms of happiness. We suppose like that. If a man has got a car, we think he's very happy. But this is a symptom of happiness. A poor man cannot get a car, but a rich man cannot get... If one has got a car, it is understood that he is rich man. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu said that automatically the symptoms of happiness come unto him, and his distress of material condition simultaneously becomes vanquished if one is elevated to the position of devotional service. That is the test. That is the test of how one is advanced in devotional service. This is the test. Bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir anyatra ca [SB 11.2.42]. He is no more interested in material happiness. He is fully satisfied with Kṛṣṇa. Taiche bhakti-phale kṛṣṇe prema upajaya. Kṛṣṇa bhakti-phale. These, by the, as a result of kṛṣṇa-bhakti, devotional service... The same devotional service for the neophyte and the same devotional service for the advanced devotee, but the advanced devotee enjoys life, but the neophyte devotee simply practices. That is the difference. Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura gives the example: just like mango. The mango remains the same, but in the unripe stage the taste is little different, whereas in the ripened stage the taste is different. So bhakti in the beginning maybe tastes a little pungent. One may feel very inconvenient to discharge devotional service according to the rules and regulations of the śāstra. But when he is advanced, the same service will appear to be very palatable, very relishable.
- yaṁ labdhvā cāparaṁ lābhaṁ
- manyate nādhikaṁ tataḥ
- yasmin sthite guruṇāpi
- duḥkhena na vicālyate
- [Bg. 6.20-23]
General Lectures
Page Title: | Advanced in devotional service |
Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=11, CC=11, OB=2, Lec=10, Con=0, Let=0 |
Compiler: | Archana |
Created: | 22 of Sep, 2008 |
No. of Quotes: | 34 |