Born devotees

Expressions researched:
"born devotee" |"born devotees"

SB Canto 4

There is a chain of continuation from one life to another, from previous lives to this life, and from this life to future lives. This is also sometimes proved by saying that a man is a born poet, a born scientist or a born devotee.

SB 4.29.64, Purport:

In dreams we sometimes see things that we have never experienced in the present body. Sometimes in dreams we think that we are flying in the sky, although we have no experience of flying. This means that once in a previous life, either as a demigod or astronaut, we flew in the sky. The impression is there in the stockpile of the mind, and it suddenly expresses itself. It is like fermentation taking place in the depths of water, which sometimes manifests itself in bubbles on the water's surface. Sometimes we dream of coming to a place we have never known or experienced in this lifetime, but this is proof that in a past life we experienced this. The impression is kept within the mind and sometimes becomes manifest either in dream or in thought. The conclusion is that the mind is the storehouse of various thoughts and experiences undergone during our past lives. Thus there is a chain of continuation from one life to another, from previous lives to this life, and from this life to future lives. This is also sometimes proved by saying that a man is a born poet, a born scientist or a born devotee. If, like Mahārāja Ambarīṣa, we think of Kṛṣṇa constantly in this life (sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayoḥ (SB 9.4.18)), we will certainly be transferred to the kingdom of God at the time of death. Even if our attempt to be Kṛṣṇa conscious is not complete, our Kṛṣṇa consciousness will continue in the next life.

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Abhijāto 'si, "From the birth you are born devotee; therefore daivī sampat. You are born devotee." The Pāṇḍava, whole Pāṇḍava family, they are devotees.

Lecture on BG 16.5 -- Calcutta, February 23, 1972:

Because people are not devotees of God, therefore despite all education, all advancement of scientific knowledge, still they are dealing like cats and dogs. They are not peaceful. The peace cannot be attained without Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Ahaṁ hi sarva-yajñānāṁ bhoktā ca prabhur eva ca. Simply by practicing Kṛṣṇa consciousness there can be peace, there can be prosperity, there can be happiness. Otherwise we shall be entangled. It is clearly mentioned here by Kṛṣṇa, daivī sampad vimokṣāya. And daivī sampat means, the example is Arjuna. He immediately takes up, Arjuna: mā śucaḥ. "You are, you are already developed with daivī, daivī sampat." Mā śucaḥ: "You haven't got to worry."

Abhijāto 'si, "From the birth you are born devotee; therefore daivī sampat. You are born devotee." The Pāṇḍava, whole Pāṇḍava family, they are devotees. Therefore, simply if you become devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa, then you acquire all the daivī sampat, and then your life is successful. You become.

In another place also Kṛṣṇa says, in the Fourth Chapter, that janma karma me divyam (BG 4.9). Without daivī sampat nobody can understand Kṛṣṇa. Without daivī sampat. Both ways. If you try to understand Kṛṣṇa, then automatically the daivī sampat will be developed; or by developing daivī sampat you can understand Kṛṣṇa. But that is very difficult. Better you touch the electric and you become electrified. Simply by, simply by māṁ ca yo 'vyabhicārena bhakti-yogena sevate (BG 14.26). That Kṛṣṇa advised. Simply avyabhicāreṇa, pure devotional service. If you engage yourself in pure devotional service to Kṛṣṇa, then sa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kal... (BG 14.26), immediately you become elevated to the position of brahma. These things are described very nicely, explained in the Bhagavad-gītā. Our only propaganda is that you try to avoid these four principles of sinful life: illicit sex, meat-eating, gambling and intoxication. And chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and read Bhagavad-gītā—your life is successful.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

So at least we Indians we are trained up like that. Not only trained up, we are born devotees. Anyone who has taken birth in India, that is special facility. In their previous birth, they had performed many austerities, much austerities.

Lecture on SB 1.7.27 -- Vrndavana, September 24, 1976:

So when Kṛṣṇa comes, you cannot see Kṛṣṇa. You cannot capture Kṛṣṇa, mahato mahīyān. When He comes before you, arcā-mūrti, arcā-vigraha... This is arcā-vigraha, Deity. Arcye viṣṇau śilā-dhīḥ. Kṛṣṇa has appeared. Just like the same thing: Kṛṣṇa... Yaśodāmāyi wanted the Supreme Personality of Godhead as his (her) son, for which hundreds of years he (she) undergone, or she undergone austerities. And when the Supreme Personality of Godhead appeared before him, before her, both the husband and wife: "What do you want?" "Now we want a son like You." So Kṛṣṇa said, "There is no second one beyond Me, so I shall become your son." So He became son. So He must play perfectly, that Yaśodāmāyi may not understand that "Here is the Supreme Personality of Godhead." Then the feelings of mother and son will disappear. Kṛṣṇa is playing exactly like a little child. So that is Kṛṣṇa's mercy. This is Kṛṣṇa's mercy. Similarly, to us. We are not so elevated like Nanda Mahārāja or Yaśodā Mahārāja (māyi). We're just beginners. So we do not know what is Kṛṣṇa. We cannot see Kṛṣṇa, either His virāḍ-mūrti or this mūrti. So what we can see? We can see stone, wood, or material things. So when Kṛṣṇa appears to be seen by you and He appears like a stone statue, He's not stone statue. Don't think. Therefore we must learn how to see Kṛṣṇa. So we should not think that "Here is a stone statue." As soon as we think of stone statue, then our, this feeling, bhāva, will be lost. So the answer is that if we establish some temple and Deity and take it as a means of livelihood... (break)

So at least we Indians we are trained up like that. Not only trained up, we are born devotees. Anyone who has taken birth in India, that is special facility. In their previous birth, they had performed many austerities, much austerities. Even the demigods, they desire also to take birth in India to get this opportunity. So India... Don't think... India means this planet, Bhāratavarṣa. There is good opportunity. So we should not think. If we think that "Here is a stone statue," then it will not prolong many days. It will not... Galagraha. No more vigraha, but galagraha. Suppose I have established this temple. Now under my direction, my disciples are worshiping vigraha. Vigraha means the form of the Lord, rūpa. But if there is no following of the regulative principles, then after my death it will be galagraha, a burden, that "Our rascal Guru Mahārāja established this temple, and we have to worship, early rise in the morning, all botheration." This will be... That is called galagraha, a burden, "He has left with us a burden." This is the risk. Then this, such a big temple will be mismanaged, and you'll find that "This is breaking" and "This is unclean," and there is no attention. This will be our... That is called galagraha. "The rascal has given us a burden."

So those who are born devotees, their inclination is to... That is mentioned in the Bhagavad-gītā, śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe yoga-bhraṣṭo 'bhijāyate (BG 6.41). Devotees, from the childhood, they get chance of worshiping Kṛṣṇa or to become Kṛṣṇa conscious.

Lecture on SB 2.1.1 -- Delhi, November 4, 1973:

So this is the process of taking lessons. Just like Mahārāja Parīkṣit also trying to take lesson from the learned saintly persons there. At last it was settled that "Whatever Śukadeva Gosvāmī will say, that will be accepted. That will be accepted." So therefore Śukadeva, after being questioned by Mahārāja Parīkṣit, Śukadeva Gosvāmī is answering, varīyān eṣa te praśnaḥ (SB 2.1.1). He inquired. Parīkṣit Mahārāja inquired. He was a devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa from the very beginning. Because Pāṇḍava family, they were all Kṛṣṇa's devotee, so Parīkṣit Mahārāja also was a devotee from his childhood. He was worshiping the Deity of Kṛṣṇa. That was his plaything. Just like Mirabai had kṛṣṇa-mūrti. So those who are born devotees, their inclination is to... That is mentioned in the Bhagavad-gītā, śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe yoga-bhraṣṭo 'bhijāyate (BG 6.41). Devotees, from the childhood, they get chance of worshiping Kṛṣṇa or to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. So Parīkṣit Mahārāja was a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. So he inquired from Śukadeva Gosvāmī, "Whether I shall now fully devote myself in Kṛṣṇa consciousness?" And therefore the answer was from Śukadeva Gosvāmī, varīyān eṣa te praśnaḥ (SB 2.1.1). "Yes, it is very nice, glorious. You are thinking of Kṛṣṇa." Varīyān eṣa te praśnaḥ. Then?

So Parīkṣit Mahārāja's life... Because he's born devotee. From the childhood, he's a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Now, when he was cursed, it was blessings for him and for all others because he was cursed, there was necessity of the recitation of this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

Lecture on SB 2.4.2 -- Los Angeles, June 25, 1972:

Janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaun... (BG 4.9). Kṛṣṇa says, anyone who can understand Kṛṣṇa as He is, then after leaving this body he comes to home, back to home, back to Godhead. Mām eva. So saintly persons, their life is so pure that in this living condition, they are in Vaikuṇṭha, and after leaving this body, they are going to Vaikuṇṭha. So jīva vā māra vā. Both ways they are benefited. And the hunter was said, mā jīva mā māra, "You don't live, don't die." What is that? "Now you are hunter, butcher. So nasty life you are living. It was better death. Better for you to death, die. But if you die, then you go to hell. Therefore don't die, don't live." So... (aside:) Don't close your eyes. So Parīkṣit Mahārāja's... This was blessing. Parīkṣit Mahārāja... Don't think that Parīkṣit Mahārāja lost everything. Because he has understood Kṛṣṇa, so according to the statement of Bhagavad-gītā, it is fact that he is going back to home, back to Godhead.

Therefore Parīkṣit Mahārāja... What is the value of this kingdom, of the wealth of this material world? They are temporary. Even if you have got very good kingdom, very nice wife, very nice society, very... How long? And if there is any mistake, next life you can get something else. But so Parīkṣit Mahārāja's life... Because he's born devotee. From the childhood, he's a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Now, when he was cursed, it was blessings for him and for all others because he was cursed, there was necessity of the recitation of this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. And after hearing this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam... Śrī-viṣṇoḥ śravaṇe parīkṣit. Parīkṣit Mahārāja simply by hearing Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, he got salvation. So this superficial awkward position that he lost his life, lost his kingdom, he had to leave his wife and children and everything, don't take in that "By Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he became bereft of all assets. No. He was going to be rewarded very highly, going back to home, back to Godhead.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Not only that, he's a born devotee. He'll take the ārati lamp and do like this and try to open the door. Anything you... Whatever he has seen others are doing, he'll do.

Morning Walk Through the BBT Warehouse -- February 10, 1975, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: ...chance should be given during childhood. Kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān iha (SB 7.6.1). This bhāgavata-dharma, that is our idea in Gurukula. Learn Kṛṣṇa consciousness from the very beginning of childhood.

Jayatīrtha: Bahulāśva's son is only three years old, but he can chant that "ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā... (CC Antya 20.12)," chant very nicely.

Prabhupāda: Just see.

Jayatīrtha: And He chants also his rounds, couple of rounds every day.

Prabhupāda: And another child? Svarūpa-da? Yes...

Paramahaṁsa: Oh, Śiva-jvara.

Prabhupāda: Śiva-jvara. Oh, he's a wonderful child. He is English. He's so busy. He wants to do everything. Yes.

Paramahaṁsa: He was playing karatālas very nicely.

Prabhupāda: Not only that, he's a born devotee. He'll take the ārati lamp and do like this and try to open the door. Anything you... Whatever he has seen others are doing, he'll do.

Paramahaṁsa: He was using the cāmara and the peacock fan.

Prabhupāda: And he chants also. He picks up the words.

Haṁsadūta: He's one of the happiest children I've ever seen.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Haṁsadūta: He's one of the happiest, jolliest looking children I've ever seen.

Prabhupāda: Yes.