The Kazi came to Śrīvāsa Paṇḍita's house and broke a mṛdaṅga (khola drum) there and declared that unless Nimāi Paṇḍita ceased to make noise about his queer religion he would be obliged to enforce Mohammedanism on him and his followers. This was brought to Mahāprabhu's notice. He ordered the townspeople to appear in the evening, each with a torch in his hand. This groups, and on his arrival in the Kazi's house, he held a long conversation with the Kazi and in the end communicated into his heart his Vaiṣṇava influence by touching his body. The Kazi then wept and admitted that he had felt a keen spiritual influence which had cleared up his doubts and produced in him a religious sentiment which gave him the highest ecstasy. The Kazi then joined the saṅkīrtana party.
Keen
Srimad-Bhagavatam
SB Canto 1
In the Vedas, the above-mentioned four activities are prescribed in the regulative way so that there will not be any undue competition for sense gratification. But Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is transcendental to all these sense gratificatory activities. It is purely transcendental literature which can be understood only by the pure devotees of the Lord who are transcendental to competitive sense gratification. In the material world there is keen competition between animal and animal, man and man, community and community, nation and nation. But the devotees of the Lord rise above such competitions. They do not compete with the materialist because they are on the path back to Godhead where life is eternal and blissful. Such transcendentalists are nonenvious and pure in heart.
Everyone is trying to become an imitation God; there is keen competition amongst such imitation gods, and such competitors are generally known as asuras. When there are too many asuras in the world, then it becomes a hell for those who are devotees of the Lord. Due to the growth of the asuras, the mass of people who are generally devoted to the Lord by nature and the pure devotees of the Lord, including the demigods in higher planets, pray to the Lord for relief, and the Lord either descends personally from His abode or deputes some of His devotees to remodel the fallen condition of human society, or even animal society.
SB Canto 2
Great statesmen, scientists, philosophers, etc., who are foolish, without any information of the spirit soul, think that this life of a few years only is all in all and that there is nothing more after death. This poor fund of knowledge, even in the so-called learned circles of the world, is killing the vitality of human energy, and the awful result is being keenly felt. And yet the foolish materialistic men do not care about what is going to happen in the next life.
The Lord's pastimes in the internal potency are displayed in His activities in Vṛndāvana, but His external potential works are directed in His features of Kāraṇārṇavaśāyī Viṣṇu, Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu and Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu. Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī offers his good counsel to the interested Vaiṣṇavas when he says that they should not be interested in hearing only about the Lord's activities (like rāsa-līlā), but must be keenly interested in His pastimes in His features of the puruṣāvatāras in connection with sṛṣṭi-tattva, creational functions, following the examples of Mahārāja Parīkṣit, the ideal disciple, and Śukadeva Gosvāmī, the ideal spiritual master.
When the ruling administrators, who are known as the kṣatriyas, turned astray from the path of the Absolute Truth, being desirous to suffer in hell, the Lord, in His incarnation as the sage Paraśurāma, uprooted those unwanted kings, who appeared as the thorns of the earth. Thus He thrice seven times uprooted the kṣatriyas with His keenly sharpened chopper.
SB Canto 3
There was keen rivalry between the two combatants; both had sustained injuries on their bodies from the blows of each other's pointed maces, and each grew more and more enraged at the smell of blood on his person. In their eagerness to win, they performed maneuvers of various kinds, and their contest looked like an encounter between two forceful bulls for the sake of a cow.
SB Canto 4
As far as our senses are concerned, there are many animals, both beasts and birds, who are very expert in exercising their senses more keenly than human beings. For example, vultures or hawks can go very high in the sky, but can see a small body on the ground very clearly. This means that their eyesight is so keen that they can find an eatable corpse from a great distance. Certainly their eyesight is much keener than human beings', but this does not mean that their existence is more important than that of a human being. Similarly, dogs can smell many things from a far distance. Many fish can understand by the power of sound that an enemy is coming. All these examples are described in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. If one's senses cannot help him attain the highest perfection of life, realization of the Supreme, they are all useless.
SB Cantos 10.14 to 12 (Translations Only)
Amazed upon hearing Bhṛgu's account, the sages were freed from all doubts and became convinced that Viṣṇu is the greatest Lord. From Him come peace; fearlessness; the essential principles of religion; detachment with knowledge; the eightfold powers of mystic yoga; and His glorification, which cleanses the mind of all impurities. He is known as the supreme destination for those who are peaceful and equipoised—the selfless, wise saints who have given up all violence. His most dear form is that of pure goodness, and the brāhmaṇas are His worshipable deities. Persons of keen intellect who have attained spiritual peace worship Him without selfish motives.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta
CC Adi-lila
Jumping from the top of Govardhana Hill is a system of suicide especially performed by saintly persons. After the disappearance of Lord Caitanya and Svarūpa Dāmodara, Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī keenly felt separation from these two exalted personalities and therefore decided to give up his life by jumping from Govardhana Hill in Vṛndāvana.
Other Books by Srila Prabhupada
Teachings of Lord Caitanya
Caitanya heard with silence what the great Sārvabhauma uttered with gravity for seven days, at the end of which the latter said, "Kṛṣṇa Caitanya! I think you do not understand the Vedānta, for you do not say anything after hearing my recitation and explanations." The reply of Caitanya was that he understood the sūtras very well, but he could not make out what Śaṅkarācārya meant by his commentaries. Astonished at this, Sārvabhauma said, "How is it that you understand the meanings of the sūtras and do not understand the commentaries which explain the sūtras? All well! If you understand the sūtras, please let me have your interpretations." Mahāprabhu thereon explained all the sūtras in his own way without touching the pantheistic commentary of Śaṅkara. The keen understanding of Sārvabhauma saw the truth, beauty and harmony of arguments in the explanations given by Caitanya and obliged him to utter that it was the first time that he had found one who could explain the Brahma-sūtras in such a simple manner.
In the material world there is keen competition between animals, men, communities and even nations in an attempt to gratify the senses, but the devotees of the Lord are above all this. Devotees have no need to compete with materialists because they are on the path back to Godhead, back home where everything is eternal, full and blissful. Such transcendentalists are a hundred percent nonenvious and are therefore pure in heart.
Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead
Śukadeva was the greatest of all Bhāgavata reciters, and thus he began to speak about Kṛṣṇa's pastimes, which destroy all inauspiciousness in this Age of Kali. Śukadeva Gosvāmī thanked the King for his eagerness to hear about Kṛṣṇa, and he encouraged him by saying, "My dear King, your intelligence is very keen because you are so eager to hear about the pastimes of Kṛṣṇa." He informed Mahārāja Parīkṣit that hearing and chanting the pastimes of Kṛṣṇa are so auspicious that the processes purify the three varieties of men involved: he who recites the transcendental topics of Kṛṣṇa, he who hears such topics, and he who inquires about Him.
Renunciation Through Wisdom
Most intelligent and innocent young children are inquisitive: they question their parents about many things and remember the answers. When these bright young boys and girls receive proper guidance from parents and teachers who can lucidly answer their queries, they easily understand each point and gradually develop fine brains. From among these intelligent souls, those who are especially pious begin to keenly enquire about God and other spiritual topics. Others, who pursue ignoble material knowledge, cannot become successful in life and end up beating the chaff. Those who are inquisitive about the self and the Absolute Truth, Brahman, quickly surrender to Lord Kṛṣṇa and His devotees. Such surrender proves their good measure of piety brought over from their previous births.
Those who are keen to engage in deep discussions on the esoteric conclusions of the scriptures should certainly delve into the philosophy of the Vedānta-sūtra. The point to be emphasized is that a well-versed Vedānta philosopher is not a philosopher in the line of Śaṅkarācārya but is actually a Vaiṣṇava spiritual preceptor, a liberated soul.
Lectures
Festival Lectures
If a person becomes God conscious, Kṛṣṇa conscious, so he will find many enemies. Because the world is full of demons. What to speak of the devotee of Kṛṣṇa, even Kṛṣṇa, when He personally came, He had to kill so many demons. There was His maternal uncle, His mother's brother, very keenly related. Still, he wanted to kill Kṛṣṇa. As soon as any son was born to Devakī, immediately he killed, because he did not know who will be Kṛṣṇa. The prediction was that the eighth child of his sister will kill Kaṁsa. So he began to kill all the children. At last, Kṛṣṇa came. But he could not kill Kṛṣṇa. He was killed by Kṛṣṇa.
General Lectures
Even the greatest scientist, one who wants to discover something... It is not that somebody wishes to do something, to discover—it immediately comes out. No. He finds it difficult; therefore he makes researches how to do it. So when he is very keen and persistent, then from within, the Paramātmā, when He sees that "This man wants to do it," so He gives him direction, "Yes, you do like that." He is not actually inventor or discoverer.
Correspondence
1947 to 1965 Correspondence
You have written to say that "The United States and the American Reporter are keenly interested in bringing together the East and the West closer on a philosophical and religious basis as well as economical and political." Certainly this attempt is not only a laudable thing but also a stepping stone towards the ultimate self realization.
Dr. Rammurti Mishra is also very kind gentleman and I am living very comfortably at his care. He is keen after looking my all kinds of comforts. I am negotiating with some booksellers and publishers and I hope I shall be able to settle something before I leave for the next station.
1967 Correspondence
Yes it is due to your prayers that this time my life has been saved. Your appreciation of the movement is very keen and interesting. Actually I was also attracted by my Guru Maharaja when he convinced me that God lives and we can live with Him. I find the same conviction in you and it has given me so great pleasure.
1968 Correspondence
I am so glad to learn that you are now editing TLC with keen interest. Please do it nicely and finish it as soon as possible.
In the concluding part of your letter, you write to say, "All of the westerners here in Hrsikesa show keen interest in Krishna Consciousness and some even attended large Kirtana at Gita Bhawan with us." From this one line you should know and understand how much potency is there for preaching our philosophy of Krishna Consciousness to the western people. The western boys and girls, actually they are frustrated in their material opulence. They are searching after something spiritual. That is a fact.
The International Society for Krishna Consciousness wants to establish that one God, one scripture, one mantra, and one service. One God is Krishna, one scripture is Bhagavad-gita, one mantra is Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, and one service means everything for the Lord. So it is pleasing to me that the Gujarati ladies and gentlemen who are in San Francisco, they should take keen interest in this movement because superficially or from the historical point of view, Krishna was a Gujarati. His father was a Gujarati, but His maternal uncle's house was in Mathura. And His foster father's house was at Vrindaban. So of course, these are superficial, so even we take Krishna as a historical Person, the Gujaratis must take more interest than others.
1970 Correspondence
It is not surprising that you feel the competition of maya very keen because we are in the midst of an ocean of Maya. Just as if, when you are in the ocean, you say "Oh, there is water all round"—that is ocean. So you must have a boat very strong, and Krsna is the nicest boat to carry you over the ocean of Maya. The ocean will reduce to become a pit left by the hoof of a cow by the grace of Krsna, and it may be crossed over without any care. And after crossing the ocean, the devotee shall go to the abode of Krsna where there is no more danger. That is the mission of our life, and that is Krsna Consciousness.
This is good news that in several university campuses Krsna Consciousness movement is well liked and you are giving a credit course next winter. So do not be discouraged that some of the young students are too much involved with some other business to listen, but go on with the work undaunted. Actually the younger generation, especially the hippies are our best clients, so they are feeling very keenly the frustration of material life and it is our duty as Vaisnavas to be very sympathetic with them and give this Krsna consciousness to them some way or other.
So as you are given full facilities for the execution of Sankirtana activities you must do it wholeheartedly and especially try to encourage the hippies to accept this Krsna consciousness movement. They are our best clients. They are feeling very keenly the frustration of material life and it is our duty as good Vaisnavas to be very sympathetic with them and bring them to take up this Krsna consciousness, then their lives will become perfect and our mission successful.
1972 Correspondence
Regarding your questions on Christianity, we are not very much keen to engage them in argument because for the most part they are sentimentalists and have no philosophy, therefore they become fanatics or dogmatists, and this type of person we cannot change. But if you find some Christian person who is intelligent to understand philosophy then you may argue that if God is unlimited, how He can be confined to having only one son? The son is the representative of the father, and in that sense he is the same as the father, but also he is different than the father. So Christ is speaking in this sense, that only through the representative of God can one come to God. Just like Krishna says in Bhagavad-gita that one should surrender to a bona fide spiritual master, and then He also says that one should "Surrender unto Me." So there is no difference between surrendering to God or surrendering to God's representative, therefore Christ is also saying just surrender to me, the son or representative or spiritual master, and that is the same as surrendering to my father.
Regarding your proposal to cash my bonds and take that house in New York, I have heard from Bali Mardan that the bid was refused and that he has made another bid, but it will be some time before it is decided. And Dhananjaya has telephoned to Bombay to request for keeping that down payment, because George is very keen to purchase one monastery and there is every chance they will get it before one week.
That is the first qualification to attain the supreme perfection of your life: enthusiasm. If there is always keen enthusiasm for serving Krishna, and if there is also patience and determination, then everything will be successful. So try to every day chant as much as possible Hare Krishna Mantra, read our books regularly, and engage your energy for this business of building temple, making Life Members, like that, and then you will always remain enthusiastic, and gradually more and more you will feel yourself advance in Krishna Consciousness. In this way, you may know it for certain that you will meet Krishna face-to-face very soon.
1973 Correspondence
Whenever possible try to visit our temple and attend the kirtanas and discourses. I am sure that the temple president can suggest some way in which you can render some service, if you are willing.
Thank you for taking a keen interest in our Krsna Consciousness movement.
1974 Correspondence
I am very keen on the distribution of my books and I am very indebted to all of you for your untiring efforts to see that every man and woman in America get one of my books. If they simply read one page, even if they do nothing else, they can become perfect. I have read the plans of Ramesvara and Tripurari to attend the fair and distribute to the thousands of people who are coming; whatever transcendental tactics you leaders think best for distributing the books you can employ.
I have heard that you are very keen to make the Melbourne Rathayatra very wonderful and you have requested extra instructions. One thing is there are many band parties—if you can get band parties to join that would be nice. Our men should hold kirtana just in front of the ratha, and other parties may proceed before us.
I am glad to learn that you are so much keenly interested in our books Bhagavad gita as it is. It is stated in the Bhagavad gita that out of many thousands of men only one is searching for perfection. Manusyanam sahasresu kascid yatati sidhaye (BG 7.3). So even in your young age you have taken to this process of Krishna Consciousness. This means that in your previous life you were advanced in yoga but somehow or other you were not able to complete but now you have taken to it as if automatically.
1975 Correspondence
I am glad that you have keen interest in the Institute program. Be ready, as I am negotiating. As soon as it is complete, I shall send a telegram for you to come. In the meantime request all GBC's to send lists of all our disciples who have B.A., M.A. or Ph.D. degrees.
I have understood from Sripada Nava Yogendra Swami that you have taken keen interest in our Krsna Consciousness Movement. So I am very pleased to hear this and I thank you for your service in helping to push on this mission of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Our mission is that especially those who have taken their birth in India that it is their responsibility to become perfect in the science of Krsna Consciousness and to deliver everyone in the world. In this way everyone is expected to become guru.
I am very glad to see that you are taking keen interest in this sublime movement of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu for benedicting the entire world with the holy name, Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. It is very good that you are taking serious interest in reading our books. This is very important.
1976 Correspondence
Devotional service is so powerful that it cannot be stopped in any circumstance. There are histories of many great devotees, like Prahlada Maharaja, who was living in the house of his demon father, Hiranyakasipu. Hiranyakasipu did not even like to hear the name of Krishna, but Prahlada had perfect faith in chanting the Holy Names of the Mahamantra, Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare, and in this way Krishna saved Prahlada in the end. So please be patient and go on chanting Hare Krishna and try to visit the temple as much as possible. Krishna will offer you all protection and make all suitable arrangements for His devotees to engage in His service. Thank you for your keen interest.
1977 Correspondence
Recently I have received some photographs of the Doll Exhibit which they have prepared in Los Angeles. From the photographs it appears that they have done everything very nicely. This idea of doll exhibitions to demonstrate our philosophy has long been proposed, and my Guru Maharaja was very keen to execute this idea. Therefore I am just trying to give some shape to what my Guru Maharaja wanted.
| Page Title: | Keen |
| Compiler: | Rishab, Priya |
| Created: | 18 of May, 2011 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=8, CC=1, OB=6, Lec=2, Con=0, Let=21 |
| No. of Quotes: | 38 |