No one can be classified as a member of a particular caste, especially of a higher caste—brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya or vaiśya—simply by birthright. If one is not purified by the process of the seed-giving ceremony, or garbhādhāna-saṁskāra, he is immediately classified amongst the śūdras because only the śūdras do not undergo this purificatory process. Sex life without the purificatory process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness is merely the seed-giving process of the śūdras or the animals. Kṛṣṇa consciousness is therefore the best process of purification. By this process everyone can come to the platform of a Vaiṣṇava, which includes having all the qualifications of a brāhmaṇa. The Vaiṣṇavas are trained to become freed from the four kinds of sinful activities—illicit sex, indulgence in intoxicants, gambling and eating animal foods. One cannot be on the brahminical platform without having these preliminary qualifications, and without becoming a qualified brāhmaṇa, one cannot become a pure devotee.
Process of purification
Expressions researched:
"process of purification"
|"processes of purification"
|"purification process"
Srimad-Bhagavatam
SB Canto 1
There is a need for a good and intelligent class of brāhmaṇas who are expert in performing the purificatory processes prescribed in the system of varṇāśrama-dharma. Unless such purificatory processes are performed, there is no possibility of good population, and in the age of Kali the population all over the world is of śūdra quality or lower for want of this purificatory process. It is not possible, however, to revive the Vedic process of purification in this age, for want of proper facilities and good brāhmaṇas, but there is the Pāñcarātrika system also recommended for this age. The Pāñcarātrika system acts on the śūdra class of men, supposedly the population of the Kali-yuga, and it is the prescribed purificatory process suitable to the age and time. Such a purificatory process is allowed only for spiritual upliftment and not for any other purpose. Spiritual upliftment is never conditioned by higher or lower parentage.
SB Canto 3
As far as bodily affairs or social activities are concerned, although a person is purified on the spiritual platform, it is sometimes seen that he acts in terms of his bodily relationships. If a devotee born in the family of a caṇḍāla (the lowest caste) is sometimes found engaged in his habitual activities, he is not to be considered a caṇḍāla. In other words, a Vaiṣṇava should not be evaluated in terms of his body. The śāstra states that no one should think the Deity in the temple to be made of wood or stone, and no one should think that a person coming from a lower-caste family who has taken to Kṛṣṇa consciousness is still of the same low caste. These attitudes are forbidden because anyone who takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness is understood to be fully purified. He is at least engaged in the process of purification, and if he sticks to the principle of Kṛṣṇa consciousness he will very soon be fully purified. The conclusion is that if one takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness with all seriousness, he is to be understood as already purified, and Kṛṣṇa is ready to give him protection by all means.
It is stated by Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura that we always have desires. Desire cannot be stopped. But if we transfer our desires to please the Supreme Personality of Godhead, that is the perfection of life. As soon as the desire is transferred to lording it over material nature, it becomes contaminated by matter. Desire has to be purified. In the beginning, this purification process has to be carried out by the order of the spiritual master, since the spiritual master knows how the disciple's desires can be transformed into Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
SB Canto 6
The Viṣṇudūtas had forbidden the Yamadūtas to take Ajāmila to Yamarāja, and therefore the Yamadūtas explained that taking such a man to Yamarāja was appropriate. Since Ajāmila had not undergone atonement for his sinful acts, he was to be taken to Yamarāja to be purified. When a man commits murder he becomes sinful, and therefore he also must be killed; otherwise after death he must suffer many sinful reactions. Similarly, punishment by Yamarāja is a process of purification for the most abominable sinful persons. Therefore the Yamadūtas requested the Viṣṇudūtas not to obstruct their taking Ajāmila to Yamarāja.
A devotee is naturally so humble and meek that he accepts any condition of life as a blessing from the Lord. Tat te 'nukampāṁ susamīkṣamāṇaḥ (SB 10.14.8). A devotee always accepts punishment from anyone as the mercy of the Lord. If one lives in this conception of life, he sees whatever reverses occur to be due to his past misdeeds, and therefore he never accuses anyone. On the contrary, he becomes increasingly attached to the Supreme Personality of Godhead because of his being purified by his suffering. Suffering, therefore, is also a process of purification.
SB Canto 7
A twice-born brāhmaṇa (dvija) gains his life by the grace of his parents through the process of purification known as garbhādhāna. There are also other processes of purification, until the end of life, when the funeral ceremony (antyeṣṭi-kriyā) is performed. Thus in due course a qualified brāhmaṇa becomes uninterested in materialistic activities and sacrifices, but he offers the sensual sacrifices, in full knowledge, into the working senses, which are illuminated by the fire of knowledge."
SB Canto 10.1 to 10.13
Nanda Mahārāja said: My dear great sage, if you think that your performing this process of purification will make Kaṁsa suspicious, then secretly chant the Vedic hymns and perform the purifying process of second birth here in the cow shed of my house, without the knowledge of anyone else, even my relatives, for this process of purification is essential.
Nanda Mahārāja did not like the idea of avoiding the purificatory process. Despite the many obstacles, he wanted to take advantage of Gargamuni's presence and do what was needed. The purificatory process is essential specifically for brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas and vaiśyas. Therefore, since Nanda Mahārāja presented himself as a vaiśya, this process of purification was essential. Formerly, such institutional activities were compulsory. Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). Without these activities of purification, the society would be considered a society of animals. To take advantage of Gargamuni's presence, Nanda Mahārāja wanted to perform the nāma-karaṇa ceremonies, even secretly, without any gorgeous arrangements. Therefore, the opportunity for purification should be regarded as the essential duty of human society. In Kali-yuga, however, people have forgotten the essence. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyā hy upadrutāḥ (SB 1.1.10). In this age, people are all bad and unfortunate, and they do not accept Vedic instructions to make their life successful. Nanda Mahārāja, however, did not want to neglect anything.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta
CC Madhya-lila
The transcendental potency of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra is herein explained. First, the holy name is vibrated by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. When someone hears from Him directly, he is purified. When another person hears from that person, he also is purified. In this way the purification process is advanced among pure devotees. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and no one can claim His potency. Nonetheless, if one is a pure devotee, hundreds and thousands of men can be purified by his vibration. This potency is within every living being, provided he chants the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra offenselessly and without material motives. When a pure devotee chants offenselessly, another person will become a Vaiṣṇava, and from him another Vaiṣṇava will emerge. This is the paramparā system.
Other Books by Srila Prabhupada
Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead
Renunciation Through Wisdom
A living entity becomes free from all suffering as soon as he admits that he is an eternal servant of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Such a servant of the Lord need not perform fruitive activity or cultivate empiric knowledge, nor does he have to undergo any other process of purification. The only essential factor is his intense greed for devotional service to the Lord.
The Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam's account of the deliverance of Ajāmila conclusively proves this fact. Once undeviating faith in devotional service to Lord Kṛṣṇa penetrates a person's heart, the process of purification is firmly underway, even though his external activities may show residues of sin. Lord Kṛṣṇa has boldly broadcast in the Bhagavad-gītā (9.31) His promise that His surrendered devotees can never be vanquished: kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati. That Lord Kṛṣṇa will always protect His devotees is proved in this verse, especially since the Lord, instead of declaring the promise Himself, asks the valiant prince Arjuna to do so on His behalf. The Lord may break His own promise, but because He is favorable to His devotees, He will always try to uphold their promises. By breaking His own promise and keeping Bhīṣmadeva's on the battlefield of Kurukṣetra, the Lord has proved beyond a doubt that He favors His surrendered devotees .
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
Arjuna's statement that "I shall not fight," that was his sense satisfaction. Because he was thinking in bodily relation, therefore that sort of thinking, that "I shall not fight," this mental state was his sense's satisfaction. But here, when he agreed to fight, that was not his sense satisfaction. That was the satisfaction of the Lord. Therefore we have to purify our senses, not to use it for my satisfaction, but to use it for the satisfaction of the Supreme. That's all. That is. That is our perfection. You are not devoid of the senses. Not that after being situated in spiritual consciousness your senses become null and void. No. Senses cannot be null and void because life means senses. Without senses there is no life. But the, this is the process of purification of the senses. That's all.
You always remember that ātmā means this body, ātmā means the mind, ātmā means the soul. So purifying these things. So yoga system is made not that cheaply I want some power. Sometimes the yogis they achieve very wonderful power. Aṣṭa-siddhi-yoga. Aṣṭa-siddhi, eight kinds of perfect, material perfection, they can attain. Not for that purpose yoga sys... Although they attain that power, real yogis, they do not exhibit it. They do not exhibit it. They have got the powers, so many wonderful powers, but he doesn't... His only aim is ātma-viśuddhaye: "I am now contaminated by this material atmosphere; so I have to purify myself." So that purification process we shall discuss next day. But I may say in this connection that so much difficult process for purifying the ātmā is very easily done, ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12), by chanting this Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare, Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare. Because the sound, this transcendental sound vibration, is nondifferent from Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is absolute. His name is not different from Him. So when you chant His name with devotion, that means Kṛṣṇa is with you. And Kṛṣṇa, when Kṛṣṇa is with you, how you can remain impure? You become pure. The purest. That is the whole system.
The whole process is, yoga system, whole process is to purify myself. Purify. Ātma-viśuddhaye. And what is that purification? The purification is that I am pure spirit. I am not this matter. And under material contact I am identifying myself that "I am matter." I am thinking of myself, "I am this body." This is impurity of my existence. And it is clearly said here that one has to realize his constitutional position, that he is not this matter. (coughs) No water? Ātma-viśuddhaye. Upaviśyāsane yuñjyād yogam ātma-viśuddhaye. The whole process is to purify. Now, this purification process, if somebody is not able to go outside home and find out a secluded place, do you think that his purification of his existence will not be possible? No, it will be possible. That is the contribution of Lord Caitanya.
So out of His causeless mercy, He came as Lord Caitanya, Lord Caitanya, and distributed this highest perfection of life, ecstasy, spiritual ecstasy, by chanting this Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare, Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare. This is practical. This is practical. It does not depend whether you are now liberated or non-liberated, what is your position, what is your condition. Doesn't matter. Just come and take part in it, and you'll feel spiritual ecstasy. Therefore it is called rāja-vidyā rāja-guhyaṁ pavitram. Pavitram: "It is very pure." Anyone who takes to this process, he becomes immediately purified. Or the purification process begins immediately. Immediately. Pavitram.
You can go, sarva-ga. Every living entity can go wherever he likes but he must fulfill the condition because we are in the conditional state. The material world means we are conditioned. So in order to be eligible to go to the higher planetary system like moon planet and others, we must be efficient to prepare ourself. So that preparation means the more you become situated in the sattva-guṇa, śaucam. Satyaṁ śaucam, the brahminical qualification, ārjavam āstikyam, jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42). Unless you acquire the qualities of sattva-guṇa, you cannot go even in the higher planetary system, what to speak of going beyond the universe. Beyond the universe, beyond this, there are Vaikuṇṭhaloka, or the Brahmaloka, brahmajyoti. Then topmost is the Goloka Vṛndāvana. But you can go there. Kṛṣṇa says, mad-yājino 'pi yānti mām (BG 9.25). If you prepare in this life, then you can go there. There is no impediment. Simply you have to be purified. This bhakti-mārga is the process of purification.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
So the bhakti-yoga process is like that. Bhakti-yoga process means if you take to this process, then immediately, very quickly, within a second, you come to the top floor. Otherwise, you have to go by step by step, one step, two step. Although both the process leading to the target, to the topmost floor, the one is very slow and the other is very quick, immediate. Just like another example: if there is fog. You have got experience in your country, sometimes there is fog. You cannot see even a person one yard off from you. So there are so many processes to take precaution in the fog. But somehow or other, if the sun is little strong, immediately, the fog is over. So similarly, to purify ourself... This is the purification process, austerity, penance, controlling sex life, controlling the mind, controlling the senses, giving in charity whatever you possess, everything regulated. This is one process. And the other process is this bhakti-yoga.
So God's creation is like that. You cannot by force enter into any atmosphere unless you become fit to live there. That is God's creation. By force you cannot live within water. By force the fish cannot live on the land. You'll die. Similarly, by force you cannot enter into the moon planet. Therefore they are frustrated. It is not possible. Similarly, without being Kṛṣṇized, you cannot understand what is Kṛṣṇa, you cannot associate with Him. That is the process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, to become perfectly Kṛṣṇa-ite, as good as Kṛṣṇa. That is purification process. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170). Nirmalam. Nirmalam means purification. Now we are sa-malam. We have got so many dirty things with us. So one has to become nirmalam. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam. First business is to become free from the designation. If you think yourself that "I am American," "I am Christian," "I am Hindu," "I am Indian," "I am black," "I am white," these are all designation. So sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam, when you become transcendental to all designation, when you come to the platform to understand that "I am not this body; I am spirit soul," brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā (BG 18.54), then you become happy.
Viṣṇujana: How can the purification process, Prabhupāda, be carried through the average life, twenty-four hours a day?
Prabhupāda: The purification process is stated in Nārada-pañcarātra. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170). You have to free yourself from the designation. Designation. The same example can be given. Just like Arjuna. He was designating himself with the Kuru family; therefore he was impure. When he gave up this designation, he identified his interest with Kṛṣṇa, he became devotee. So we have to give up this designation, "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am Christian," "I am Hindu," "I am this," "I am that"—"I am Kṛṣṇa's. I am God's. I am servant of God." And if you act in that way, then whole thing becomes purified. And if you keep your designation accidentally... Just like you are American. This is accidental. By somehow or other, you have come to accept a body from the American family. Now this will be changed. You do not know what is your next body. So this is changing. This is not my permanent settlement. But your permanent settlement is to identify yourself that "I am Kṛṣṇa's." That is your permanent settlement. So if you put yourself in that position, being freed from all designation, then your process of everything, all qualities, become purified.
Just remember that the whole different grades of evolution of life means purifying the existence. The aquatic animals, when they are developed into plant life, that is little purified. Then from plant life, microbes, insects, that is still more purified. From microbes, insects, birds' life, different grades of birds' life, that is still more purified. And from birds' life to beasts' life, that is still more purified. And, from beast life to human form of life, that is still more purified. And from uncivilized human form of life to civilized human form of life, that is still more purified. In this way this purification process is still going on. From this human form of life there are other life in upper planetary systems. They are called demigods. Just like you are trying to go to the moon planet. You cannot go because your body is not purified to stay there. Just like in your American country you do not allow everyone—there is check by the immigration department, what class of men you shall admit—similarly, you cannot enter in the moon planet by force unless you are purified. Or the temperature, the atmosphere, is so severe there, it is unfit. It is the statement of the scientists who are trying to go there that the temperature is below two hundred degrees zero. So how you can live there?
Similarly, our aim should be how to get out of this miserable condition of this material existence. And we should prepare ourself for that purpose. And the best and easiest method is this Kṛṣṇa consciousness. You chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, dance in ecstasy, you become in the process of purification. You chant, you dance nicely, enjoy. Just see how nice and easiest process has been endowed to us by Lord Caitanya. He's teaching Himself. And immediately you can take part. There is no prerequisite qualification. You haven't got to educate yourself. Just like if one studies Vedānta, he has to tax his brain so much, he has to learn Sanskrit, he has to learn the intricacies of logic and philosophy and so many things. Here, there is no need of anything. You come here as you are, whatever you may be, and join this chanting and dancing. Your purification method immediately begins. Immediately. And if you continue, then you become purified.
We are discussing the process of purification. Different methods have been described, by prāyaścitta and by tapasya. We have discussed. And then kevalayā bhakta. Bhakti includes everything—karma, jñāna, yoga, everything. And it is specially recommended that by austerities and other methods, there is possibility, but it may not be successful. But if we adopt this process, devotional service, then it is sure. So this purificatory process means nivṛtti-mārga. And pravṛtti-mārga means without any knowledge where we are going on, rushing on—we are doing everything, whatever we like—that is called pravṛtti-mārga. People are generally engaged in pravṛtti-mārga. Especially in this age, they do not care what is going to happen next. Therefore they feel relief that "There is no life after death. Let us enjoy this life to the best capacity. Then after death, never mind what will come." First of all, they deny to believe the next life. And even there is next life, and even if I am going to become cats and dogs, they do not mind. This is the experience of the modern age, irresponsible life.
If you go to the river, you can wash very nicely. But just see how much infectious is liquor that the any pot or any bottle which was filled up with liquor, they cannot be purified. This is Vedic civilization. How much condemned is liquor! Because a pot was filled up with liquor, you cannot use it for any other purpose. It is lost. Even if you wash it very nicely, no, it will not be accepted. Finished. Similarly, there are many processes of purification; they cannot be as useful as bhagavad-bhakti. Bhagavad-bhakti is so nice that Kṛṣṇa says that "You surrender to Me," sarva-dharmān parityajya, "and immediately you become immune from all reaction of sinful activity, immediately."
So the bhakti-mārga, it is clearly said, it is, that you cannot be purified simply by performing the Vedic ritualistic ceremony. Na niskrtaiḥ. Na niṣkṛtair uditair brahma-vādibhiḥ. Brahma-vādī means... Brahma means śabda-brahma, Vedic injunction. So there are many brahmavādīs. Just like Manu-saṁhitā. Parāśara, he has made viṁśati dharma-śāstras. So they are authorized things. But still, if you follow the ritualistic ceremonies, if you make atonement according to the Vedic direction, you cannot be fully purified, fully purified, because unless you are detestful of this material existence, unless you are determined to go back to home, back to Godhead. If you want to adjust in this material world to be happy, then you have to commit sinful activities. There is no doubt about it. Therefore it is said that you cannot be purified. Na niṣkṛtair uditair brahma-vādibhis tathā viśuddhyaty aghavān vratādibhiḥ. Aghavān. Aghavān means sinful. Every one of us who is in this material world, he is sinful. So he has to be purified. So this best purification process is devotional service. And the purification process begins—anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam: (Brs. 1.1.11) when you have no more any material desires. Then you..., the purification begins.
So Prahlāda Mahārāja says, nīco ajayā guṇa-visargam anupraviṣṭaḥ pūyeta yena pumān anuvarṇitena. Now, one may question that Prahlāda is born of impure father. This is argument. Prahlāda is not impure, but it is an argument's sake, born of low father, or low family, or one, so many, so many things they may say. But Prahlāda Mahārāja says that "If I begin simply glorify the Lord, then I shall be purified." If I chant the purification... This Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra is the process of purification. Not that I'll have to purify otherwise and then take to Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. No. You begin chanting. Then it is purified. You'll be purified. Begin chanting. In whatever condition you are, that doesn't matter. Actually I began my, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement—not that they came in a very purified condition. That we, every one of you, know, that those who came to me, they, according, they have been trained from childhood... According to Indian standard, they do not know even the hygienic principles. What is the question of purification? You see. In India the system is from childhood, a child is trained to take bath, to wash teeth in the morning. Yes. And I remember. When my second son was about four years old, so before breakfast, I used to ask him, "Show me your teeth." So he'll sh..., "Yes." "All right, you have washed your teeth. That's all right. Then you are allowed to take breakfast." So this training there are.
Kalau, kalau, in this age, you cannot find a man perfectly purified or this, anyway. That is not possible. Therefore you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, and that will help you, the process of purification. Therefore this is the only system at the present moment that one can be purified simply by chanting. Completely. Complete purification means to be situated in pure spiritual life. That is complete purification. Yaḥ smaret puṇḍarīkākṣaṁ sa bāhyābhyantaraḥ śuciḥ. Śuci means purified. The brāhmaṇa—not this caste brāhmaṇa, but actually, those who are brāhmaṇa, qualified brāhmaṇa—they are called śuci, purified, purified.
Initiation Lectures
So this purification process, according to Vaiṣṇava smṛti, ādau gurvāśrayaṁ tato sad-dharma-pṛcchāt sādhu mārgāṇugamanam. In the beginning one has to accept a spiritual master, bona fide spiritual master. And who is bona fide spiritual master? That is also described in several Vedic scriptures. In the Upaniṣad it is said, śrotriyaṁ brahma-niṣṭham (MU 1.2.12). One who has come down in disciplic succession and as a result of such authorized succession one has become fully, firmly convinced in Brahman. Brahman, Paramātmā, Bhagavān, the same thing. Brahma-niṣṭham. He is transcendentally situated. So these things are there. And in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam also it is said that who requires a spiritual master? That is also said. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta (SB 11.3.21). One, let one surrender himself unto the spiritual master. Who is that one? Jijñāsuḥ. One who is inquisitive. What about inquisitiveness? Jijñā... śreya uttamam. The highest perfectional stage of life. If one is inclined what is transcendental life, what is spiritual life, what is perfection of life, if one is inclined to this subject matter, for him there is necessity of approaching a bona fide spiritual master.
How a man becomes wise? After being baffled or frustrated many, many times, he can understand this is not the process. And the Vedānta-sūtra also places the first, athāto brahma jijñāsā. When one is frustrated in all plan-making business, for him, the Vedānta-sūtra gives him the opportunity, "Now your all plans have failed. Come here." Athāto brahma jijñāsā: "Now try to understand what is Brahman." This is the first aphorism of Vedānta-sūtra. Just try to understand Brahman. So in this way... This initiation also. Initiation means the first beginning, how to become purified. This is initiation. Because this devotional service means the process of purification. Now every one of you, individually you can understand how you are becoming purified from your past life. That is practical. Yes. How you are becoming purified. So this initiation means the beginning of purificatory process. And the purificatory process, what is that? This mantra, yaḥ smaret puṇḍarīkākṣaṁ sa bahyābhyantaraṁ śuciḥ. Anyone who always remembers, or whenever he remembers, if not always, as soon as he remembers, puṇḍarīkākṣaṁ sa bahyābhyantaraṁ śuciḥ, he becomes immediately purified internally and externally.
Wedding Ceremonies
So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to purify the human society. And the purification process, simply by chanting, is sufficient. But still, our Gosvāmīns, they have given us some ritualistic ceremonies. That will help the process of purification. Sacrifice, offering, these things are there. But the main thing is chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. That is sufficient. So in our society we want to establish divine society. Therefore there is need of all classes of men and all classes of social orders. Our Vedic conception is varṇāśrama-dharma. The "Hindu" term is not found in any Vedic literature. It is a name given by the Muhammadans, so far I know. It is not... Real term is varṇāśrama-dharma, sanātana-dharma, four varṇas and four āśramas. Four varṇas: brāhmaṇa kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, according to qualification... And Bhagavad-gītā also says these are the qualification, brāhmaṇas: satya śama dama titikṣa ārjavam, ācāryopāsanam, brahma-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42).
General Lectures
Just like if you take proper medicine for curing your disease, the more the disease is cured, you feel healthy life. Pure life means healthy life, and impure life means unhealthy life. So there is a process of bhakti-yoga, how one becomes purified. The first stage is ādau śraddhā. Just like you have, all ladies and gentlemen, come here with little respect for this, I mean to say, movement, Hare Kṛṣṇa. This is the basic principle. A little faith. "Oh, all right. Let us hear about it. Let us see." This is the beginning. Ādau śraddhā tato sādhu-saṅga. Now, if you think, "Oh, it is very nice. Oh, Swamijī explains very nicely," then you come again. That is called sādhu-saṅga, association. We have got our class. If you want, you can associate with us. Ādau śraddhā tato-sādhu-saṅga tato bhajana-kriyā. Bhajana-kriyā means practice. Just like my students, they came also like this. Not in the beginning they accepted, but he came after attending some lectures, then advanced, then offered that "Swamijī, I want to be your student." That is called bhajana-kriyā. So if he practiced the bhajana-kriyā, then anartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt. Then he becomes purified. This is the process of purification. Anartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt. Tato niṣṭhā. And as soon as he is purified, he become stuck up to this principle. He cannot give up. Tato niṣṭhā tato ruciḥ. Ruci means he gets a taste for it. Don't you think they are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa always... Hackneyed, for others it is hackneyed, but they are feeling pleasure. Tato niṣṭhā tato ruciḥ. Ruci means taste. Tathāsakti. Then they cannot give it up. Tato bhāva. Then ecstasy. Sādhakānām ayaṁ premṇaḥ prādurbhāve bhavet kramaḥ: "These are the gradual process of developing love of Godhead." And as soon as you develop love of Godhead, your life is successful.
These boys, American boys and girls, they are chanting. Similarly, you can also chant. There is none Indian, but they are nicely chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. You can also chant. There is no fee. You just make an experiment on how you become free from this designation. So our request is that everything will be complete if you take to this chanting: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. And there is no very strict rules, regulation. You can chant anywhere, either in this room or outside the room or on the road, street, bus. Wherever you find opportunity, you chant simply Hare Kṛṣṇa and see the result. So this is a process of purification. When we actually purify our, this material contamination and designation, we, I mean to say, raised, we are promoted to the actual spiritual life. And then, at that time, we shall feel happy and our consciousness will be broader, and everything will be all right.
Conversations and Morning Walks
1973 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Women should be treated as mother. They should be given protection. They should not be advertised for prostitution. All living (beings) should be given protection. This is the government's duty. A king's duty is government duty, that anyone who has taken birth on the land, he must be protected. It doesn't matter whether he's human being or animal or tree. So these are the process of purification. If you don't adopt the process, simply you think the counterside only, there is no wor... So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement will purify the whole situation. Therefore we expect.
1975 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Senses are imperfect. Just like we are very proud of our eyes to see, but you cannot see what is beyond the wall. Therefore it is conditioned. You cannot see without light. That, how you can be sure that your eyes are perfectly seeing? That is not possible, because the eyes can see under certain condition. So if it is conditioned, then it is not perfect. But the conditioned sight can be purified. Just like one is suffering from cataract. By surgical operation the cataract can be removed and he can see. Similarly, our senses are imperfect. If we purify the senses, then it will be possible to see God twenty-four hours. That purification process is this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.
1976 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: He says, "My dear boy, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66)" But you don't do. You must suffer. It is your creation, suffering. You must suffer.
Devotee: They say, "If He is all-loving, why is He...?"
Prabhupāda: Loving, but.... You are.... I love you. I say, "Do this." If you don't do it, then...?
Devotee: It's reciprocal.
Prabhupāda: Yes. You must suffer.
Yadubara: So the suffering is His mercy also.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Suffering means he'll be purified. Suffering is the process of purification.
Ātreya Ṛṣi: And part of His laws.... It's within His laws.
Prabhupāda: You have infected some disease. You suffer. Then the enviousness(?) of Kṛṣṇa will go away by suffering.
Prabhupāda: Yes, of coming to the platform of spiritual senses. And when you come to the spiritual senses, then you can understand God, you can understand your relationship with God, you can talk with God, you can serve God, and so on, so on. The same example, just like iron rod as it is, it is not able to burn anything. But when the iron rod is sufficiently hot, red-hot, touch anywhere, it will burn. Similarly, from this physical platform, if you begin these spiritual activities, then stage will come when you'll act only spiritually, there will be no more material activity. That is the stage of bhakti, that is real platform of bhakti, when one is acting only spiritually, there is no material activity. That is the process. So if we adopt that process, it is possible to come to the platform of spiritual sense activity. That is possible. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170). That is purification process. And when one is completely purified, then he acts with his spiritual senses.
1977 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Yes. I shall choose some guru. I shall say, "Now you become ācārya. You become authorized." I am waiting for that. You become all ācārya. I retire completely. But the training must be complete.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The process of purification must be there.
Prabhupāda: Oh, yes, must be there. Caitanya Mahāprabhu wants that. Āmāra ājñāya guru hañā (CC Madhya 7.128). "You become guru." (laughs) But be qualified. Little thing, strictly follower...
Correspondence
1969 Correspondence
Your letter is very nice and I am very much encouraged to hear of more young American boys and girls who are searching after God. This is natural of course, and one who sticks to Krishna Consciousness purification process, will gradually understand what is God, and our relationship with the Supreme Personality. This is the perfection of human life. Unfortunately, the people of the so-called modern advanced civilization do not know this; they are groping in the darkness of material life, and simply leading others into this darkness. Therefore there are so many frustrated young boys and girls who are searching out God in some way or other, and if they are very fortunate, then they will come to this platform of Krishna Consciousness.
1973 Correspondence
Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the incarnation of Godhead in this age has delivered the medicine for all problems of the world by his introducing the Sankirtan movement. Sankirtan means to chant that Holy names of the Lord and to give up all other engagements. The chanting is a process of purification. Just like we use soap to cleanse the body, this is material, but the chanting is spiritual cleansing. The three stages of cleansing are first to clean the mirror of the mind. In the Bhagavad Gita it is said, "The mind is the best friend and the worst enemy, for one who has learned to control the mind it is the best of friends but for one who has failed to do so it is the worst enemy." Due to long term association, the mind absorbed in material things has become contaminated, or dirty, the chanting process purifies the mind.
| Page Title: | Process of purification |
| Compiler: | Labangalatika, Alakananda |
| Created: | 05 of Feb, 2009 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=8, CC=1, OB=3, Lec=20, Con=5, Let=2 |
| No. of Quotes: | 39 |