Just like the high-court judge, he is giving judgement according to the case, different cases. Similarly, our goodness or badness will be decided according to our karma. That is also fact. Then what is the use of accepting one God? If I do my duties very nicely, then He must give me nice result. Why shall I worship Him? Why shall I become a devotee of God? It is His duty. This is karma-vāda. Everyone is trying to avoid the principle of devotional service. It is only we, the Kṛṣṇa conscious persons, we are advocating the philosophy of Bhagavad-gītā, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). Kṛṣṇa says that "Always think of Me." These karma-vādīs, they will say, "Why shall I waste my time thinking of Kṛṣṇa? If I do my duty nicely then I will get good result. Why shall I be devotee of Kṛṣṇa?" This is their argument.
Principles of devotional service (Lectures)
Expressions researched:
"devotional principle"
|"devotional principles"
|"principle of devotional"
|"principles of devotion"
|"principles of devotional"
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
Outside by taking bath, washing with soda, soap, or if soda, soap is not available, with earth or oil. That is external cleanliness. Similarly, internal cleanliness, one must rise early in the morning, evacuate, then after taking bath must chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, see the maṅgala-ārātrika. In this way one has to purify himself internally and externally. God consciousness is not so cheap thing. Yeṣāṁ tv anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām. One who is completely free from all contamination of material modes, anta-gataṁ pāpam, sinful activities, they can te dvandva-moha-nirmuktā bhajante mām (BG 7.28), they can stick to the principle of devotional service. Otherwise, if he's not free from the contamination of sinful life, he may show, make a show of devotion, but that is not actual devotion. Bhaktyābhāsa. That is called bhaktyābhāsa.
Therefore those who are devotees, those who are following the principles of devotion, they see the ideal. Well, our former ācārya or former devotee, I mean to say, guru or spiritual master, he had so much money, and he distributed in this way. The distribution, money, was accepted like that. So people would follow that. So Kṛṣṇa advises Arjuna that "You also become an ideal man, that you become a fighter for the cause of God. Then you become the ideal man. Your principle will be followed by others."
This last class of men take to the shelter of some kind of intoxication, and their respective hallucinations are sometimes accepted as spiritual visions. One has to get rid of all three stages of attachment to the material world: the negligence of spiritual life, fear of spiritual, personal identity, and the concept of void that underlies the frustration of life. To get free of these three stages in the material concept of life, one has to take complete shelter of the Lord, guided by the bona fide spiritual master, and follow the penances of disciplinary and regulative principles of devotional life. The last stage of such devotional life is called bhāva, or transcendental love of Godhead.
Those who are full of things can take to the line of Kṛṣṇa consciousness for a gradual cleansing process, following the regulative principles of devotional service. Those who are already cleansed of the impurities may continue to act in the same Kṛṣṇa consciousness so that others may follow their exemplary activities and thereby be benefited. Foolish persons or neophytes in Kṛṣṇa consciousness often want to retire from activities without having knowledge of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Arjuna's desire to retire from activities on the battlefield was not approved by the Lord. One need only know how to act. To retire from activities and just sit aloof making a show of Kṛṣṇa consciousness is less important than actually engaging in the field of activities for the sake of Kṛṣṇa."
That is their habit. They don't accept the interpretation of the higher authority. They want..., each and every one of them want to become the higher authorities. So our this principle, this devotional principle, is not like that. We don't pose ourselves as the higher authority. We just try to follow the higher authority. We don't pose ourself. We never... We'll never say that "In my opinion, it should be like this." Oh, what opinion I have got? What value I have got of my opinion? What is my value? I am a blunt man. I cannot acquire any knowledge perfectly.
This process of extrication should be understood. In the previous chapters it has been explained that there are many processes by which to get out of the material entanglement. And, up to the Thirteenth Chapter, we have seen that devotional service to the Supreme Lord is the best way. Now, the basic principle of devotional service is detachment from material activities and attachment to the transcendental service of the Lord. The process of breaking attachment to the material world is discussed in the beginning of this chapter. The root of this material existence grows upward.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
That is God. God is not beggar. God fulfills everyone's necessities, practically. That is... People are unhappy by so-called economic development. Everyone is competing. They have no satisfaction. Without God, godless civilization has created unnecessary competition. But if people become God conscious, he'll be satisfied. Yenātmā suprasīdati. The very basic principle of devotional service will make one happy.
There is no such thing, "must." You cannot make Kṛṣṇa must. That is not possible. So Kṛṣṇa will see how much you have love for Him. Then He will accept. Otherwise He'll reject. Therefore, it is forbidden, those who are nondevotee, those who are not initiated, those who are not chanting regularly, their offering to Kṛṣṇa will not be accepted. We must be very careful. We must know our position, whether I am sincerely following the principles of devotional service. Then Kṛṣṇa will accept. Yo me bhaktyā prayacchati. The real thing is bhakti. So either you offer Kṛṣṇa prayers or you offer foodstuff, everything must be along with bhakti, devotion, love. Then Kṛṣṇa will accept.
So if you take to these principles of devotional service you gradually understand what is Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa will provide everything. Yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmy aham (BG 9.22), Kṛṣṇa says. Teṣāṁ satataṁ yuktānām. If you are actually engaged in the service of Kṛṣṇa, all your necessities will be supplied by Kṛṣṇa. How it will be supplied? Kṛṣṇa says, ahaṁ vahāmi. "I personally carry all the necessities to the house of the devotee. I personally carry." There is a big history how He personally carries. But He hasn't got to do personally.
So devotion What is devotional service? Śravanaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇam pāda-seva... (SB 7.5.23). We have to follow these nine principles of devotional service, especially this śravanam, kīrtanam and arcanam, arcanam, worshiping the Deity, and śravanaṁ kīrtanam. Even if you follow one, that is sufficient, but there are nine different processes. As far as possible, we shall execute everything, and, at least, śravanaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇam pāda-sevanam, arcanam. Arcana is very important. For kaniṣṭha-adhikārī, devotee in the lower stage, arcana is very, very important. Although the devotee in the higher stage, he also offers worship, but Kṛṣṇa is everywhere.
Those who are engaged in devotional service, they are protected from parebhyaḥ. Parebhyaḥ. means the enemies of the devotees. The devotees of the Lord are always protected by these Viṣṇudūtas, who are almost as powerful as Viṣṇu. And they give protection to the devotees of the Lord, mad-bhaktaḥ, tad-bhaktamataḥ, who are following the principles of devotional service, parebhyaḥ. How they are protected? First they are protected from the hands of the enemies. Because there are many enemies. Don't think that because one has become Kṛṣṇa conscious there will be no enemy.
Offering obeisances to the Deity, to the spiritual master, to the Vaiṣṇavas, bhakta, they're becoming bhaktas. And little flower, fruits, offering to the Deity, mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru. It is so easy. And by practicing this, Kṛṣṇa says if you do this only, then mām evaiṣyasi, you come back. By doing these four things one can go back to home? Yes. Kṛṣṇa says asaṁśaya, "without any doubt." It is so nice. Not that it is gambling: "It may be or..." No. It must be. Anyone who is performing these four principles of devotional service...
Nectar of Devotion Lectures
Kṛṣṇa sees. As far as we are able, according to our strength, He gives responsibility. But we must be... Rest assured, when we have taken shelter of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa fully, without any reservation, Kṛṣṇa must be pleased; maybe it will take some time. This is called niścayād, certainty, assurance. Utsāhān dhairyāt niścayād tat-tat-karma-pravartanāt. You have to execute the routine prescribed duties. Tat-tat-karma-pravartanāt. You cannot go against the principles of devotional service. With patience, you must execute. Tat-tat-pravartanāt. Sato vṛtteḥ. Sato vṛtteḥ means dealings must be very honest. No duplicity. Very frank, plain. Sato vṛtteḥ, sādhu-saṅge, and in association of devotees.
Mādhavānanda: "In the Nārada-pañcarātra, the regulative principles of devotional service are described as follows: 'Any activities sanctioned in the revealed scriptures and aiming at the satisfaction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead are accepted by saintly teachers as the regulative principles of devotional service."
Prabhupāda: This is the primary point. Whatever, laukikī and vaidikī. Vaidikī means according to the scriptures, and laukikī means ordinary, common activities. Both of them, when, they are executed for satisfying of Kṛṣṇa, it is immediately transcendental. Go on.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
And Sanātana Gosvāmī had some money, so he bribed the superintendent of jail, and he let him go away. So with great difficulty, he reached Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and he met Caitanya Mahāprabhu at Benares, and for two months he was instructed all the principles of devotional service and different incarnations. We have... Some part of this Sanātana instruction, we have discussed. Again we shall discuss. So this Sanātana Gosvāmī met at Benares while Caitanya Mahāprabhu was returning back from Vṛndāvana. We shall discuss this point tomorrow.
Now, and at this time Sanātana Gosvāmī arrived to see Caitanya Mahāprabhu after retirement from his government service. So He taught him for two months about the science of devotion and the principles of devotion. We have discussed to a certain extent, and we shall again discuss. Caitanya Mahāprabhu taught personally Sanātana Gosvāmī what is Kṛṣṇa—what is Kṛṣṇa, what is Kṛṣṇa consciousness, what is the position of the living entity, what is this world. All these things He has very nicely taught Sanātana Gosvāmī. And Sanātana Gosvāmī and Rūpa Gosvāmī, these two brothers are authorities of the disciplic succession of Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
Those who are trying to understand the Supreme Absolute Truth through knowledge, they can go up to that impersonal Brahman. Those who are searching after the Supreme Absolute Truth through meditation, yoga, they can approach Kṛṣṇa up to His plenary portion, Paramātmā, or the Supersoul. And those who are pursuing the principles of devotional service, they can directly approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. So Kṛṣṇa is everything.
Initiation Lectures
There may be so many lotus-eyed. Therefore at last it is specifically said, śrī viṣṇu śrī viṣṇu śrī viṣṇu. "Lotus-eyed" means Viṣṇu, not anybody else. Śrī viṣṇu śrī viṣṇu. This is the basic principle of devotional life. In Nārada Pañcarātra it is recommended... We are explaining these things in Nectar of Devotion. The basic principle of purification is smartavyaḥ satato viṣṇuḥ: always one has to remember Viṣṇu or Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa and Viṣṇu the same.
When you speak Kṛṣṇa, it includes Viṣṇu. So smartavyaḥ satato viṣṇu vismartavyaḥ na jātucit. We shall not forget Viṣṇu even for a moment. This is the basic principle of devotional life. Some way or other, we have to remember always Kṛṣṇa. Then whatever condition we may be, we are pure. Sa bahyābhyantaraṁ śuciḥ. This chanting helps us always remembering Kṛṣṇa. As soon as we chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, hear, immediately we remember.
Purports to Songs
Anyone who has understood that the associates of Lord Caitanya, they are not ordinary conditioned souls... They are liberated souls. Nitya-siddha bole māni. There are three kinds of devotees. One is called sādhana-siddha. Sadhana-siddha means by following the regulative principles of devotional service, if one becomes perfect, he's called sādhana-siddha. Another devotee is called kṛpā-siddha. Kṛpā-siddha means even if he has not followed strictly all the regulative principle, still, by the mercy of ācārya or a devotee, or by Kṛṣṇa, he is elevated to the perfectional stage. That is specially. And another devotee is called nitya-siddha. Nitya-siddha means they were never contaminated.
| Page Title: | Principles of devotional service (Lectures) |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, Gopinath |
| Created: | 30 of Jun, 2010 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=21, Con=0, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 21 |