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Concrete example

Srimad-Bhagavatam

SB Canto 1

The concrete example is Nārada Himself, who attained this stage of eternal knowledge and eternal bliss. And the ways and means are open to all, provided one agrees to follow in the footsteps of Śrī Nārada Muni.
SB 1.5.31, Purport:

The Lord desires, as He has directly said in the Bhagavad-gītā, that all conditioned souls, rotting in the kingdom of material energy, come back to Him by giving up all engagements in the material world. This is the most confidential part of knowledge. But this can be understood only by the pure devotees, and only such devotees enter the kingdom of God to see Him personally and serve Him personally. The concrete example is Nārada Himself, who attained this stage of eternal knowledge and eternal bliss. And the ways and means are open to all, provided one agrees to follow in the footsteps of Śrī Nārada Muni.

A genuine relation of the living being with the Supreme Lord can take any form out of the five principal rasas, and it does not make any difference in transcendental degree to the genuine devotee. Bhīṣmadeva is a concrete example of this.
SB 1.9.33, Purport:

Transcendental relation with the Lord in any one of the different rasas (humors) is relishable by the respective devotees in the highest ecstasy. Less intelligent mundaners who want to make a show of being transcendentally related with the Lord artificially jump at once to the relation of conjugal love, imitating the damsels of Vrajadhāma. Such a cheap relation with the Lord exhibits only the base mentality of the mundaner because one who has relished conjugal humor with the Lord cannot be attached to worldly conjugal rasa, which is condemned even by mundane ethics. The eternal relation of a particular soul with the Lord is evolved. A genuine relation of the living being with the Supreme Lord can take any form out of the five principal rasas, and it does not make any difference in transcendental degree to the genuine devotee. Bhīṣmadeva is a concrete example of this, and it should be carefully observed how the great general is transcendentally related with the Lord.

SB Canto 2

There is no difference between the two in the ultimate issue, and so the conclusion is that everyone can become a sādhana-siddha, a devotee of the Lord, simply by association with the pure devotees. The concrete example is our great spiritual master Śrī Nārada Muni.
SB 2.3.15, Purport:

Mahārāja Parīkṣit was naturally inclined to Lord Kṛṣṇa from his very childhood. He might have imitated either of the above-mentioned activities, and all of them establish his great devotion from his very childhood, a symptom of a mahā-bhāgavata. Such mahā-bhāgavatas are called nitya-siddhas, or souls liberated from birth. But there are also others, who may not be liberated from birth but who develop a tendency for devotional service by association, and they are called sādhana-siddhas. There is no difference between the two in the ultimate issue, and so the conclusion is that everyone can become a sādhana-siddha, a devotee of the Lord, simply by association with the pure devotees. The concrete example is our great spiritual master Śrī Nārada Muni. In his previous life he was simply a boy of a maidservant, but through association with great devotees he became a devotee of the Lord of his own standard, unique in the history of devotional service.

SB Canto 3

A concrete example is that a conditioned soul sees a very beautiful rose, and he thinks that the nice aromatic flower should be used for his own sense gratification. but a liberated soul, however, sees the same flower as a reflection of the Supreme Lord.
SB 3.27.13, Purport:

By the understanding of the pure soul, called satya-dṛk, one can see everything as a reflection of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. A concrete example can be given in this connection. A conditioned soul sees a very beautiful rose, and he thinks that the nice aromatic flower should be used for his own sense gratification. This is one kind of vision. A liberated soul, however, sees the same flower as a reflection of the Supreme Lord. He thinks, "This beautiful flower is made possible by the superior energy of the Supreme Lord; therefore it belongs to the Supreme Lord and should be utilized in His service." These are two kinds of vision.

Other Books by Srila Prabhupada

Nectar of Devotion

A Kṛṣṇa conscious person has already acquired all the good qualities and is following the rules and regulations prescribed for the mystic yogic process. A concrete example is the quality of nonviolence, which is considered a good qualification.
Nectar of Devotion 14:

A Kṛṣṇa conscious person, being naturally purified, has no need of developing any other purificatory process of thought or action. On account of his being highly elevated in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he has already acquired all the good qualities and is following the rules and regulations prescribed for the mystic yogic process. Such rules are automatically practiced by the devotees. A concrete example is the quality of nonviolence, which is considered a good qualification. A devotee is naturally nonviolent and therefore doesn't have to practice nonviolence separately. Some people seek purification by joining a vegetarian movement, but a devotee is automatically a vegetarian. He doesn't need to practice separately in this matter or to join any society for vegetarians. He is automatically a vegetarian.

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

You have to transfer yourself from the control of material energy, to the control of spiritual energy. That's all. That spiritual energy is Rādhārāṇī. You have to become under the control. That, I'll give you one concrete example. Just like a person is always under the control of government as citizen. When he is outlaw, he is under the criminal law, and who is law-abiding, he is under civil law.
Introduction to Bhagavad-gita As It Is -- Los Angeles, November 23, 1968 :

The Kṛṣṇa consciousness practice means you have to transfer yourself from this material energy to the..., under the control..., from the control of material energy, under the control of spiritual energy. That's all. That spiritual energy is Rādhārāṇī. You have to become under the control. That, I'll give you one concrete example. Just like a person is always under the control of government as citizen. When he is outlaw, he is under the criminal law, and who is law-abiding, he is under civil law. He cannot say that "I cannot remain within the law of the government." He has to. That is his position. Artificially he may deny, but he will be forced. Similarly, our position is part and parcel of the Supreme Lord. And as part and parcel we have to render service. If we voluntarily render service, out of love, that is spiritual energy. And we are forced to render service under pressure, that is material energy.

You are completely under the control of material nature, and you'll have to accept a body as you have done in this life, because this life is preparation for the next life. You have got very concrete example. Just like President Kennedy. He was young man, very rich man, and he got the president post with great endeavor, spending so much money. But in one moment everything finished.
Lecture on BG 2.40-45 -- Los Angeles, December 13, 1968:

So this renunciation is recommended. If we simply remain in material opulence and enjoyment, that will be our disqualification for entering into the kingdom of God. Too much attachment, too much increasing of material civilization means that next life is very much dark. Bhogaiśvarya. God. Too much attachment, too much increasing of material civilization means that next life is very much dark. Bhogaiśvarya-prasaktānām (BG 2.44). Just like the other day I was explaining, rāja-putra ciraṁ jīva. "Oh, the son of royal order, you live forever. Because you do not know, next life is very dark for you. Because you do not cultivate any Kṛṣṇa consciousness. You have got money, and you are enjoying sense enjoyment, and as soon as this body will be finished, no more your control. Then you are completely under the control of material nature, and you'll have to accept a body as you have done in this life, because this life is preparation for the next life." You have got very concrete example. Just like President Kennedy. He was young man, very rich man, and he got the president post with great endeavor, spending so much money. He had his wife and children. But in one moment everything finished. Everything finished.

I'll give you a concrete example. In India, you know, Mahatma Gandhi was the leader. But you know that at the last stage he was killed. That means the leader could not satisfy the public, neither public was satisfied with the leader.
Lecture on BG 4.11 -- New York, July 27, 1966:

When a person is lustful, then he can do any nonsense thing. Lust is so strong. He can do any nonsense. Durnideśāḥ. Durnideśāḥ means the direction which I should not have followed, but being pressed by my lust, even I followed which I should not have followed. So he is just studying his own life, that "So far I have followed the leadership of my lust, but the result is that my lust is not satisfied." Teṣāṁ na trapā nopaśāntiḥ. Lust will never be satisfied. "My lust is never satisfied, neither he is giving me release of this slavery of my lust." So he said, "My dear Lord, Kṛṣṇa, I have understood that I have followed the leadership of my lust so long, but the result is that the leader whom I have followed, neither he is satisfied, neither I am satisfied." Neither the leader is satisfied...

Just like... I'll give you a concrete example. In India, you know, Mahatma Gandhi was the leader. But you know that at the last stage he was killed. That means the leader could not satisfy the public, neither public was satisfied with the leader. This is the material leadership. Nobody can... Just like we see so many criticisms of President Johnson. The other day I was seeing in the paper. They have given some caricature. So this is going on. Nobody is satisfied.

Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, is not to stop desiring but purify desiring. Just like—concrete example—if I desire a very nice apartment for my personal sense gratification, this is diseased desire. And if I desire a nice costly temple for Kṛṣṇa, that is purified desire.
Lecture on BG 5.17-25 -- Los Angeles, February 8, 1969:

So diseased condition means contaminated by māyā. This is external. So our philosophy, Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, is not to stop desiring but purify desiring. And how you can purify it? By Kṛṣṇa consciousness. If you desire... Just like—concrete example—if I desire a very nice apartment for my personal sense gratification, this is diseased desire. And if I desire a nice costly temple for Kṛṣṇa, that is purified desire. So desire is there. You are sitting here in a very nice room, very cleansed, very good atmosphere. But this desire is purified desire. And if you require similar room for your sense gratification, that is impure desire. So desire there must be. But when it is desired for Kṛṣṇa it is purified desire. And when it is desired for non-Kṛṣṇa then it is impurified. So those who are desiring for Kṛṣṇa, they are not behind any enjoyment. They are rather in perfect enjoyment. These Kṛṣṇa conscious students, they are desiring for Kṛṣṇa nice prasādam, so they are not bereft. Practically they are enjoying but it is Kṛṣṇized. Therefore their everything is becoming purified.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

When one is interested for his personal sense gratification, that is called kāma or lust, and the concrete example is there in the Bhagavad-gītā, that in the beginning Arjuna was thinking of interest of the family.
Lecture on SB 5.5.7 -- Vrndavana, October 29, 1976:

When one is interested for his personal sense gratification, that is called kāma or lust, and kṛṣṇendriya-prīti-icchā dhare 'prema' nāma, and when one is interested for satisfying the senses of Kṛṣṇa, that is prema. And the concrete example is there in the Bhagavad-gītā, that in the beginning Arjuna was thinking of interest of the family. How can I kill my brother, my nephews, my master, teacher, my grandfather, in terms of his family interest.

Philosophy Discussions

That is simply abstract ideas. He does not give any concrete example.
Philosophy Discussion on Immanuel Kant:

Śyāmasundara: He says that man belongs to what he calls the "kingdom of ends," because he looks to the ideal, or the perfect. He sees everything in relation to the perfect end and guides his life accordingly. So the means and the end are both perfect, ideal.

Prabhupāda: And what is that end? That he does not describe.

Śyāmasundara: He calls the end the moral law, the moral imperative.

Prabhupāda: That moral law is... What is moral in one circumstance is immoral in another circumstance. That means again imperfectness of idea.

Śyāmasundara: He calls the end the golden rule, that one should act...

Prabhupāda: That is simply abstract ideas. He does not give any concrete example.

Śyāmasundara: He gives the example of breaking a promise.

Prabhupāda: Breaking a promise is sometime moral. Just like Kṛṣṇa broke His promise, Himself. Kṛṣṇa broke His promise. He promised that "In this fight, this war, I shall not take a weapon." But when Arjuna was jeopardized by the fighting of Bhīṣma, He immediately took some weapon and approached Bhīṣma, because Bhīṣma promised that either Kṛṣṇa has to break His promise or Arjuna will die, two things... "Tomorrow I shall fight in this way, then Arjuna will die, unless Kṛṣṇa takes special step." That means He has to break His promise. So he wanted to see that Kṛṣṇa breaks His promise to protect His devotee. That was his idea. So when He broke His promise, he gave up fighting. "That was my purpose, that You have to break your promise to protect your devotee."

Purports to Songs

These two Personality of Godhead, they, simply by distributing the transcendental chanting, Hare Kṛṣṇa, has reclaimed all conditioned and sinful souls. And the concrete example for this activity is Jagāi and Mādhāi, the two brothers known by Jagāi-Mādhāi.
Purport & Explanation to Hari Hari Biphale -- Los Angeles, December 26, 1968:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Pāpī tāpī yata chilo, hari-nāme, uddhārilo. H-a-r-i, hari, nāme, n-a-m-e, nāme, uddhārilo, u-d-d-h-a-r-i-l-a. That means "These two Personality of Godhead, they, simply by distributing the transcendental chanting, Hare Kṛṣṇa, has reclaimed all conditioned and sinful souls." Pāpī tāpī yata chilo, hari-nāme uddhārilo. "And the concrete example for this activity is Jagāi and Mādhāi, the two brothers known by Jagāi-Mādhāi.

Correspondence

1968 Correspondence

Your ambition for chanting Hare Krishna exclusively is very good. But sacrificing the results of action is as good. A concrete example is Arjuna. He fought very chivalrously under the instructions of the Lord, and the Lord certified him to be the best devotee and friend of the Lord.
Letter to Dayananda -- Allston, Mass 10 May, 1968:

Your ambition for chanting Hare Krishna exclusively is very good. But sacrificing the results of action is as good. A concrete example is Arjuna. He fought very chivalrously under the instructions of the Lord, and the Lord certified him to be the best devotee and friend of the Lord. So there is no distinction between chanting and offering the results of one's activity. Sometimes under the garb of chanting people take to the habit of laziness, which is not required at all. Execution of devotional service is prescribed first with enthusiasm and patience. One can execute this transcendental activities staying as he is, but he must follow and try to apply in practical life the instructions as they are given in the Bhagavad-gita or Srimad-Bhagavatam, received through the proper channel.

Page Title:Concrete example
Compiler:Kanupriya, Archana
Created:18 of Dec, 2008
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=4, CC=0, OB=1, Lec=7, Con=0, Let=1
No. of Quotes:13