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Completely surrendered (Conv and Letters)

Conversations and Morning Walks

1971 Conversations and Morning Walks

He should consult his spiritual master.
Room Conversation -- February 17, 1971, Gorakhpur:

Devotee: Śrīla Prabhupāda? Suppose for one who's not completely surrendered, how will he make choices? For example, suppose that there seem to be two different ways of serving Kṛṣṇa...

Prabhupāda: He should consult his spiritual master.

Devotee: Suppose for example questions are arising in my mind and I think to myself, "Oh, this question is a foolish question, so I shouldn't waste the spiritual master's time." But on the other hand...

Prabhupāda: No. Don't speculate. You should immediately refer the matter to your spiritual master.

Devotee: Then I would be asking you questions all day long and you'd have no time to do anything else. (laughter)

Prabhupāda: No. You are welcome. You are welcome.

1972 Conversations and Morning Walks

Ācārya, guru, he is completely surrendered to Kṛṣṇa.
Room Conversation with John Griesser (later initiated as Yadubara Dasa) -- March 10, 1972, Vrndavana:

Ācārya, guru, he is completely surrendered to Kṛṣṇa. He has taken the shelter of Kṛṣṇa, being completely freed from all material affection. Brahmaṇy upaśamāśrayam. Everything... Everyone has got some material desire to fulfill, but a guru or ācārya has no such business. That is the symptom of ācārya. He has no more any material business. Brahmaṇy upaśamāśrayam. He has finished all business of material satisfaction. That is the symptom of ācārya. And śābde pare ca niṣṇātam. And he has taken full bath in the ocean of transcendental (indistinct). Śābde pare ca niṣṇātaṁ brahmaṇy upaśamāśrayam. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta (SB 11.3.21), one should surrender to such spiritual master. Jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam, when he is actually serious about inquiring the transcendental subject matter. Otherwise there is no need of accepting guru or ācārya.

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Even if he has got some minor defects, still, because he is completely surrendered and engaged in My service, he's sādhu.
Room Conversation with Malcolm -- July 18, 1973, London:

Haṁsadūta: What's the difference between a sādhu and a guru? Sadhu means authorities like Vyāsa?

Prabhupāda: Guru... He must be a sādhu.

Haṁsadūta: It means the previous ācāryas.

Prabhupāda: A sādhu means titikṣavaḥ kāruṇikāḥ suhṛdaḥ sarva-dehinām, ajāta-śatravaḥ śāntāḥ sādhavaḥ sādhu-bhūṣaṇāḥ (SB 3.25.21). Everything, there is definition, who is sādhu, who is guru.

Haṁsadūta: Yes.

Prabhupāda: ...what is śāstra. Everything is there. You have to know it. What is avatāra. That is my business, how to know. But there is, everything's there. What... Everyone can know it. Sādhavaḥ, sādhu. Sum and substance of sādhu means devotee. Just like in the Bhagavad-gītā, Kṛṣṇa says, api cet sudurācāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk, sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ (BG 9.30). "He's sādhu." Who? Ananya-bhāk: "Without any diversion of attention, he's completely engaged in My devotional service... Even if he has got some minor defects, still, because he is completely surrendered and engaged in My service, he's sādhu." Sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ (BG 9.30). So this is the test of sādhu. Sādhu means he must be a devotee. Sādhu does not mean having saffron color and long beard and doing all nonsense. No. Sādhu means... First test is that he is unflinching, without any deviation. Api cet sudurā..., bhajate mām ananya-bhāk. Ananya-bhāk means he does not know anything except the service of the Lord. That is the qualification of sādhu.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

When you say, "I belong to this free nation," then yes, you are free. But that does not mean that you can do anything and everything.
Morning Walk -- March 25, 1976, Delhi:

Prabhupāda: When you say, "I belong to this free nation," then yes, you are free. But that does not mean that you can do anything and everything.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Take that example of the habit, if someone is smoking out of habit. So again. So is he free in that smoking, or is it..., has he completely surrendered his freedom?

Prabhupāda: No, no.... These things are very common. Just like in your country the government has written on the cigarette box, "It is harmful to health." But if you still smoke at your risk, do it.

Ātreya Ṛṣi: So freedom.... You can smoke, but you cannot avoid suffering from the result.

Prabhupāda: Yes, from the result.

Ātreya Ṛṣi: You have to suffer.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Ātreya Ṛṣi: This is the law.

Prabhupāda: Yes. This is the law.

Correspondence

1969 Correspondence

How can we tell if one is completely surrendered unto the spiritual nature? He is always fully engaged in devotional service to Krishna.
Letter to Visala -- West Virginia 16 June, 1969:

Your final question is how can you become a pure devotee, and the answer to this is given in Bhagavad-gita. Krishna instructs Arjuna that the mahatma, the pure devotee, is he who has fully surrendered himself unto the spiritual nature. And how can we tell if one is completely surrendered unto the spiritual nature? He is always fully engaged in devotional service to Krishna. So this is the process of becoming a pure devotee. We have to engage all of our words, thoughts, and activities in Krishna Consciousness under the direction of the Spiritual Master. Therefore, at every moment you should be busy in some way in serving Krishna and His pure devotees, and automatically you will become purified in Krishna Consciousness. Krishna is always willing to shower His mercy upon His devotees, so we have simply to become receptive to this mercy by devotional service, and then the path is very easy. I hope this will sufficiently answer your questions.

I have instructed Hayagriva to work as co-editor with Satsvarupa, and he is now completely a surrendered soul.
Letter to Brahmananda -- Hamburg 9 September, 1969:

Yes, I have received the Vyasa Puja book in due time, and it is very nicely set up. Yes, the date was wrong, but it doesn't matter. It has come out timely: that is excellent. Regarding introduction to Isopanisad, please let me know the deadline for me to send it. Don't bother about the items I asked you to send with Hayagriva. I have instructed Hayagriva to work as co-editor with Satsvarupa, and he is now completely a surrendered soul. So conjointly make the appearance of BTG very nicely. The front cover page should be a nicely painted picture. You write that Jadurani is now painting wonderful pictures, so pictures by either Jadurani, Muralidhara or Devahuti should be given on the front page. The present front page picture is not very attractive as they were in last issues. A first class picture should always be given on the front page.

1970 Correspondence

It does not matter what we are, Grhasthas or Sannyasis, the point is to be paramahamsa, completely surrendered to Lord Sri Krsna.
Letter to Upendra -- Los Angeles 4 August, 1970:

It is a nice story about the police sergeant bowing down following the example of the devotees. That tendency is there in everyone eternally, simply they must be exposed to our Sankirtana Movement. It does not matter what we are, Grhasthas or Sannyasis, the point is to be paramahamsa, completely surrendered to Lord Sri Krsna. Some of Lord Caitanya's followers were Sannyasis but not all of them.

1971 Correspondence

Your success is a good sign that you are completely surrendered to satisfying Krishna and that there is no material motive in your endeavors, that is why Krishna is rewarding you so nicely.
Letter to Jayatirtha -- Delhi 9 December, 1971:

I am very very pleased by your diligent and careful management of our Spiritual Sky business. Your success is a good sign that you are completely surrendered to satisfying Krishna and that there is no material motive in your endeavors, that is why Krishna is rewarding you so nicely. I can understand from your work that you are first-class devotee. I fully approve of your program for distributing the posters and utilizing the profits to print more books.

Page Title:Completely surrendered (Conv and Letters)
Compiler:Labangalatika, Madhavi
Created:12 of Nov, 2009
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=4, Let=4
No. of Quotes:8