Ideal example

Expressions researched:
"ideal examples" |"ideal example"

SB Canto 3

Lord Śiva is very great, and his renunciation of all material enjoyment is an ideal example of how one should be materially unattached

SB 3.14.29, Purport: Lord Śiva is the husband of Durgā, the controller of the material energy. Durgā is personified material energy, and Lord Śiva, being her husband, is the controller of the material energy. He is also the incarnation of the mode of ignorance and one of the three deities representing the Supreme Lord. As His representative, Lord Śiva is identical with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is very great, and his renunciation of all material enjoyment is an ideal example of how one should be materially unattached. One should therefore follow in his footsteps and be unattached to matter, not imitate his uncommon acts like drinking poison.

SB Canto 8

Someone might argue that since Prahlāda Mahārāja, even though very old, was attached to his family, and specifically to his grandson Bali Mahārāja, how could he be an ideal example?

SB 8.19.2, Purport: Prahlāda Mahārāja is a vivid example of a pure devotee. Someone might argue that since Prahlāda Mahārāja, even though very old, was attached to his family, and specifically to his grandson Bali Mahārāja, how could he be an ideal example? Therefore this verse uses the word praśāntaḥ. A devotee is always sober. He is never disturbed by any conditions. Even if a devotee remains in gṛhastha life and does not renounce material possessions, he should still be understood to be praśānta, sober, because of his pure devotion to the Lord.

CC Madhya-lila

Advaita Ācārya set an ideal example for all householder devotees in His reception of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu and His devotees and in His execution of a daily festival at His home

CC Madhya 3.203, Translation and Purport: In this way all the opulences of Advaita Ācārya—His faith, devotion, home, riches and everything else—were successfully utilized in the worship of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Advaita Ācārya set an ideal example for all householder devotees in His reception of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu and His devotees and in His execution of a daily festival at His home. If one has the proper means and wealth, he should occasionally invite the devotees of Lord Caitanya who are engaged in preaching all over the world and hold a festival at home simply by distributing prasādam and talking about Kṛṣṇa during the day and holding congregational chanting for at least three hours in the evening. This procedure must be adopted in all centers of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.

CC Antya-lila

When Śrī Caitanya said, āmā haite kichu nahe (“It is not My business to do anything”), He set the ideal example for a person in the renounced order

CC Antya 9.148, Purport: When a person is sinful, he loses both the chance for spiritual advancement and the chance for material opulence. If one enjoys the material world for sense gratification, he is certainly doomed. Advancement in material opulence is not the direct mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; nevertheless, it indicates the indirect mercy of the Lord, for even a person too attached to material prosperity can gradually be detached and raised to the spiritual platform. Then he can offer causeless, purified service to the Lord. When Śrī Caitanya said, āmā haite kichu nahe (“It is not My business to do anything”), He set the ideal example for a person in the renounced order. If a sannyāsī takes the side of a viṣayī, a person engaged in material activities, his character will be criticized. A person in the renounced order should not take interest in material activities, but if he does so out of affection for a particular person, that should be considered his special mercy.

Festival Lectures

Lord Rāmacandra appeared on this world to educate or to place ideal example of a king

Sri Rama-Navami, Lord Ramacandra's Appearance Day -- Hawaii, March 27, 1969: So these are ideal history how... Rāmacandra, Lord Rāmacandra appeared on this world to educate or to place ideal example of a king. How the king should be. Therefore when there is good government... The example is given, Rāma-rājya. Rāma-rājya. It is the kingdom of Lord Rāma. Because everyone was happy, everyone. There are so many instances in the life of Rāmacandra.

If there are a few people trained up in this line, and they become ideal examples to the society, immense benefit can be derived from their examples of life

Sri Rama-Navami, Lord Ramacandra's Appearance Day -- Hawaii, March 27, 1969: This age is called Kali. So it is the statement of the śāstras that in this age the whole population is śūdra. And formerly also, by his birth, everyone was considered śūdra, but there was training, saṁskāra. At the present moment, there is no saṁskāra, there is no training. The training is only for earning livelihood. No other training. How one can earn money and enjoy senses—that is the training at the present moment. But actually, to make successful the human life or the mission of human life, the Vedic culture is very nice. And by spreading Kṛṣṇa consciousness, by adopting the process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, you can revive that cultural life, sublime life. If not wholesale, if there are a few people trained up in this line, and they become ideal examples to the society, immense benefit can be derived from their examples of life.

Everything comes from God, but we have to make our choice. This ideal example: that the university comes from the government and the prison house also comes from the government, but the prison house is meant for the criminal and the university is meant for the highly learned scholar

Discussions with Hayagriva dasa: Prabhupāda: Everything comes from God, but we have to make our choice. This ideal example: that the university comes from the government and the prison house also comes from the government, but the prison house is meant for the criminal and the university is meant for the highly learned scholar. The government spends money in both the departments to maintain it; therefore, so far government's recognition is concerned, it has to be maintained. But it is we, we make our selection whether go to the prison house or go to the university. That is, that little independence is there in every human being. We have to make our choice.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: But our farming communities are, so to speak, an example, an ideal example how human society can live

Evening Darsana -- July 13, 1976, New York:

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: But our farming communities are, so to speak, an example, an ideal example how human society can live: some people in the capacity of preachers, some people in the capacity of farmers, how so many activities can go on—various occupations—but all of them can be God-centered. So in reality, these people, they're farmers, they're out there on their tractor, they can jump off their tractor at any moment and preach the highest philosophy, because actually they're brāhmaṇas. They (are the) intelligent class of men. So it's one entity. The basic principle is that modern society is neglecting to train up—especially young men, you can see that in spite of so many universities throughout the world—these young men are being trained up how to become women-hunters and debauches. Going to the bars, going to the gambling houses, and they are supposed to be educated people. So real education is how to train up one to have ideal character, to become a brāhmaṇa.

Guest (1): Thank you.

Prabhupāda: Our men's productive. There must be food production, otherwise how the society will live. That is also a requirement. Good direction required, good government required, good production required, and good worker required. You can explain that there is no understanding of spiritual life. That they are missing the opportunity of human life.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: He's very sincere. He follows all the regulations very rigidly. He gets up in the morning, ideal example

Letter to Russian -- January 5, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa sent him. He... In Vṛndāvana, he said that "Please give me shelter." I thought that "There are so many Indian comes and go." So when he insisted, "All right, you stay."

Hari-śauri: Yeah. He took sannyāsa at the opening of the temple. I remember that.

Prabhupāda: He's a good boy.

Hari-śauri: He's stuck it out for a long time in Orissa. He's been there a long time, by himself a lot of the time too.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes. He's organizing nicely.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: He's very sincere. He follows all the regulations very rigidly. He gets up in the morning, ideal example.

Jagadīśa: He understands the philosophy quite well.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. And he is educated. He is B.Sc. He knows Hindi also.

1969 Correspondence

The inhabitants in New Vrindaban are very happy and living in Krishna Conscious surroundings. This is very ideal example for all

Letter to Kirtanananda -- Hawaii 24 March, 1969: I hope all is well there, and I am very much encouraged by all the nice letters I an receiving from New Vrindaban, that the inhabitants there are very happy and living in Krishna Conscious surroundings. This is very ideal example for all.

1971 Correspondence

You should set an ideal example of household life in Krishna Consciousness for all to follow

Letter to Vrindaban Candra -- Allahabad 8 January, 1971: I am so glad to hear that our Philadelphia temple is running so smoothly, "filled with love and truthfulness." Such an atmosphere is so congenial for advancement in Krishna Consciousness and if the Prabhus there continue their devotional activities in such a spirit, so many people will be attracted. Also I am glad to note that you and your wife are cooperating so nicely in Krishna's service. So you should set an ideal example of household life in Krishna Consciousness for all to follow. In this way continue your program there in Philadelphia and Krishna will surely bless you.

I am just requesting you to become ideal example of Krsna consciousness in householder life and thus you will encourage so many others who come in your contact to adjust their lives to this sublime process

Letter to Tradhis, Nagapatni -- Gorakhpur 11 February, 1971: I am just requesting you to become ideal example of Krsna consciousness in householder life and thus you will encourage so many others who come in your contact to adjust their lives to this sublime process. That in itself will be the greatest service. So please stay strong and stronger in devotional service to Krsna by chanting daily sixteen rounds of beads, following the regulative principles strictly and avoiding the ten offenses in the matter of chanting the Holy Names of the Lord. If you follow this simple process faithfully under the direction of your Spiritual Master and try to understand our philosophy by regular study, you will continue to progress your lives in Krsna Consciousness and Krsna will simultaneously protect you from the attacks of Maya and provide you with all necessary facilities for rendering service unto Him. Please take encouragement and guidance from your elder Godbrothers and sisters and happy in Krsna Consciousness.

1976 Correspondence

That should be the ideal example. Women when not with husband must live very very humbly and simple life

Letter to Yamuna, Dinatarine -- Calcutta 13 January, 1976: Sita Devi, Mother Laksmi, wife of Lord Ramacandra, went to live with Valmiki Muni in a cottage. Although she was a King's daughter and a King's wife, she preferred to live very humbly in the cottage of Valmiki Muni with two sons in the absence of Ramacandra. That should be the ideal example. Women when not with husband must live very very humbly and simple life.

See that everyone is strictly following by presenting an ideal example yourself

Letter to Sevananda -- Honolulu 15 May, 1976: A disciple promises to refraim from the four pillars of sinful life: no illicit sex-life, no intoxication, no gambling, and no meat-eating. In addition, one must chant at least 16 rounds of japa daily and in this way progress in Krsna Consciousness. One promises before the spiritual master, the Deity, the fire, the devotees, the Supersoul, so it should very strictly be followed. You can have Gurukrpa Maharaja chant on his beads before the Fire Sacrifice, and present his beads to him at the time of the sacrifice. His spiritual name is Satyasena das. See that everyone is strictly following by presenting an ideal example yourself, and try to distribute these new Chinese Bhagavad-gita as much as you can.