Go to Vanipedia | Go to Vanisource | Go to Vanimedia


Vaniquotes - the compiled essence of Vedic knowledge


Devotee means although he is very, very powerful, he never thinks that "I am powerful." He thinks that "I am acting simply by the order of the powerful"

Expressions researched:
"devotee, means although he is"

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Vaiṣṇava, devotee means although he is very, very powerful, he never thinks that "I am powerful." He thinks that "I am acting simply by the order of the powerful." This is the difference.


Lecture on BG 2.15 -- London, August 21, 1973:

This is Prahlāda Mahārāja's instruction, that the . . . he was instructing his father, materialist, first-class materialist. So, when he inquired that, "What is your purpose that you have become Kṛṣṇa conscious? How you have become Kṛṣṇa conscious?" so he answered. He did not ask him, addressed him, as "my father." He addressed him, asura-varya, the first-class demon. He never addressed him "My dear father"; "My dear first-class demon." This little boy, five years old, because he's Kṛṣṇa conscious, and the father is threatening him always to kill, still he's not afraid. When he says that, "Wherefrom you have got this courage, Prahlāda?" "My dear father," or "My dear demon, I have got this courage wherefrom you have got this courage. But you are forgetting. That is the difference. You have got so much power that you can defeat anyone, even the demigods. You should know that you have got this power from the powerful. But you are not obedient to the powerful." That is demonic. Demons, when they get power, they think that, "I have got it. I have earned it. It is my thing. Who can challenge me?" But he forgets that everything can be withdrawn within a second by the powerful. That is demoniac. And Vaiṣṇava, devotee, means although he is very, very powerful, he never thinks that, "I am powerful." He thinks that "I am acting simply by the order of the powerful." This is the difference.

So Prahlāda Mahārāja said: "People do not know the aim of life." The aim of life is here, amṛtatva: as good as Kṛṣṇa, as good as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Blissful, full of knowledge and eternal. That is the aim of life. But people do not know. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇu (SB 7.5.31). Viṣṇu means the Supreme Lord, who is eternal, full of bliss and full of knowledge. So our aim should be how to approach Viṣṇu. Then we get the same power, same eternity, same blissfulness. Just like a motorcar is running at the speed of sixty miles, and if a cyclist someway or other catches the motorcar, he can also go at the speed of sixty miles. Sometimes boys do that. Similarly, you approach Kṛṣṇa. You approach Viṣṇu. You get all the powers, because you become under protection. Protection of the . . . that . . .

Tulsidas has said that in the ocean, the waves of the ocean, if you put one elephant, very powerful, very strong, the elephant will be washed away by the waves. But a small fish, a teeny fish, it is swimming against the waves. They take pleasure. The fish, when the waves are coming this way, the fish go in that way. Now see: you put against the waves an elephant, it will be washed away. Why elephant? Any strong thing you give. Even big, big ships, oh, it will be washed away. But a small fish, it doesn't care the waves; it goes against the waves. Why? It has taken the shelter. It has taken the shelter of the ocean. Similarly, all power belongs to Kṛṣṇa. Yatra yogeśvaraḥ hariḥ. But if anyone takes shelter of Kṛṣṇa, he becomes as powerful as Kṛṣṇa. This is the process.

So . . . but we do not know. We want to become powerful here by so-called science, so-called yoga, kuṇḍalinī and what other nonsense they are think . . . they are trying to be immortal, powerful. No, sir, that is not possible. It is not possible. Therefore, people do not know. Na te viduḥ. They do not know. Svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum. Our aim should be how to approach Viṣṇu, how to go back to home, back to Godhead. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇuṁ durāśayā. They're hoping, very durāśayā, means very badly, wrongly, that they want to be happy by adjustment of this material world. The yogic process is also another material gymnastic. We have not heard any yogī has become successful to get immortality. No. That is not possible.

Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇuṁ durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ (SB 7.5.31). Those who are trying to adjust this material world by science or yoga, without caring for Viṣṇu, what they are? Andhā. They are blind. Andhā. And their leaders? They are also blind. Andhā yathā upanīyamānāḥ andhena. One blind man is trying to lead another blind man. So what is the wrong there? Te 'pīśa-tantryāṁ baddhāḥ: they are bound up by the laws of nature, hand and legs tight. How they can become free and happy by such endeavor? That is not possible.

Page Title:Devotee means although he is very, very powerful, he never thinks that "I am powerful." He thinks that "I am acting simply by the order of the powerful"
Compiler:Visnu Murti
Created:21 of Sep, 2011
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=1, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:1