Real object

Expressions researched:
"real object"

BG Chapters 7 - 12

Here Lord Kṛṣṇa, having established that He is the only enjoyer, the primeval Lord and the real object of all sacrificial offerings, reveals what types of sacrifices He desires to be offered.

BG 9.26, Purport: To develop Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the highest perfection of life. Bhakti is mentioned twice in this verse in order to declare more emphatically that bhakti, or devotional service, is the only means to approach Kṛṣṇa. No other condition, such as becoming a brāhmaṇa. a learned scholar, a very rich man or a great philosopher, can induce Kṛṣṇa to accept some offering. Without the basic principle of bhakti, nothing can induce the Lord to agree to accept anything from anyone. Bhakti is never causal. The process is eternal. It is direct action in service to the absolute whole. Here Lord Kṛṣṇa, having established that He is the only enjoyer, the primeval Lord and the real object of all sacrificial offerings, reveals what types of sacrifices He desires to be offered. If one wishes to engage in devotional service to the Supreme in order to be purified and to reach the goal of life—the transcendental loving service of God—then one should find out what the Lord desires of him. One who loves Kṛṣṇa will give Him whatever He wants, and he avoids offering anything which is undesirable or unasked. Thus meat, fish and eggs should not be offered to Kṛṣṇa. If He desired such things as offerings, He would have said so. Instead He clearly requests that a leaf, fruit, flowers and water be given to Him, and He says of this offering, “I will accept it.” Therefore, we should understand that He will not accept meat, fish and eggs. Vegetables, grains, fruits, milk and water are the proper foods for human beings and are prescribed by Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself. Whatever else we eat cannot be offered to Him, since He will not accept it. Thus we cannot be acting on the level of loving devotion if we offer such foods.

SB Canto 1

The tendency to glorify others or hear others must be turned to the real object of glorification—the Supreme Being. And that will bring happiness.

SB 1.2.14, Purport: Especially in modern society, all activities are more or less dependent on hearing and glorifying. Any man from any social status becomes a well-known man in human society within a very short time if he is simply glorified truly or falsely in the daily newspapers. Sometimes political leaders of a particular party are also advertised by newspaper propaganda, and by such a method of glorification an insignificant man becomes an important man—within no time. But such propaganda by false glorification of an unqualified person cannot bring about any good, either for the particular man or for the society. There may be some temporary reactions to such propaganda, but there are no permanent effects. Therefore such activities are a waste of time. The actual object of glorification is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who has created everything manifested before us. We have broadly discussed this fact from the beginning of the “janmādy asya” [SB 1.1.1] śloka of this Bhāgavatam. The tendency to glorify others or hear others must be turned to the real object of glorification—the Supreme Being. And that will bring happiness.

SB Cantos 10.14 to 12 (Translations Only)

Covered in this way by ignorance, I could not recognize You as the real object of my love.

SB 10.40.25, Translation: Thus mistaking the temporary for the eternal, my body for my self, and sources of misery for sources of happiness, I have tried to take pleasure in material dualities. Covered in this way by ignorance, I could not recognize You as the real object of my love. [from: The Prayers of Akrūra]

Renunciation Through Wisdom

Therefore they do not really serve Lord Kṛṣṇa, nor is He their real object of worship. The mahātmās never associate with these demoniac people.

Renunciation Through Wisdom 2.9: Those who strive to emulate the mahātmās never fall prey to passivity and regression. Their eagerness and determination to serve the Lord steadily increase. Such followers observe spiritual occasions like Janmāṣṭamī and Ekādaśī for the pleasure of the Lord, in the way that the previous ācāryas and mahātmās have recommended. This is devotional service proper. Because the mahātmās are more humble than a blade of grass, they worship Lord Kṛṣṇa and everything in relation to Him. Atheists, however, exhibit a different mentality altogether: they want to flaunt their abilities and charitable disposition. They may pretend to serve Lord Kṛṣṇa, but their aim is “to sit on the Lord’s head” once they attain perfection. In other words, they want to usurp His position. Therefore they do not really serve Lord Kṛṣṇa, nor is He their real object of worship. The mahātmās never associate with these demoniac people. They are fixed in their resolve to serve the Lord, and thus they always remain connected to Him through devotional service.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

He’s covered devotee. His aim was to bring men to the standard of devotional service, but the time and circumstances in which he was preaching, he could not place his real object because they were unable to understand.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.109-114 -- San Francisco, February 20, 1967: Now, at the beginning, He criticized Śaṅkarācārya that “If somebody hears Śaṅkarācārya’s commentation, then he’s sure to be doomed.” But again He supports Śaṅkarācārya. Why? Śaṅkarācārya is the incarnation of Lord Śiva, and he’s a great devotee. Śaṅkara... Vaiṣṇavānāṁ yathā śambhuḥ: “There are many devotees of the Lord, but the foremost devotee is Lord Śiva.” And he has got a disciplic succession which is called Viṣṇuswami-sampradāya. So Śaṅkarācārya was covered devotee. He’s covered devotee. His aim was to bring men to the standard of devotional service, but the time and circumstances in which he was preaching, he could not place his real object because they were unable to understand. At last, at the end of his life, he composed so many poetries in praise of Vṛndāvana-līlā

Philosophy Discussions

And because it is real object, it is reacting on my physical life.

Philosophy Discussion on The Evolutionists Thomas Huxley, Henri Bergson, and Samuel Alexander:

Śyāmasundara: He says that even these mental objects have a real existence in my consciousness. As long as I’m thinking there’s a tiger about to pounce on me...

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Śyāmasundara: ...there is a tiger. There is a real object in my consciousness.

Prabhupāda: And because it is real object, it is reacting on my physical life.

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Unless there is real object, there cannot be shadow. Now the sky is clouded. We cannot see above the cloud. Does it mean there is nothing?

Morning Walk -- April 25, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Mūḍha, ass. The ass works without any profit. So these are asses. Without coming to the right conclusion, they’re working hard, day and night, and spending lots of money. So mūḍhas. (pause) Why the scientists are searching out protons, neutrons? To find out the original cause. So they could not find the original cause. They see the middle work only, how the proton is working, neutron is working, atom is working. But wherefrom this arrangement came? How they are working systematically? They do not know. So what is their science?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: It is just like studying that shadow.

Prabhupāda: That’s all.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: But we know that there is a shadow. So there must be a real object.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Unless there is real object, there cannot be shadow. Now the sky is clouded. We cannot see above the cloud. Does it mean there is nothing? If somebody: “Oh, there is nothing (indistinct)”

Brahmānanda: All we have to do is fly up there, and it’s bright as sun.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

1971 Correspondence

Krishna will go hungry, if I do not give Him rest, He will be tired, like that. He reciprocates by pretending to be dependent on me, my slave, just to give us opportunity to find the real object of our loving propensity and to take pleasure by pleasing and serving Him.

Letter to Patty Dorgan -- Delhi 17 November, 1971: As far as your questions, Krishna is not in need of anything, He is purnam, the Complete Whole. And yet He appreciates our love for Him, just like everyone appreciates if someone exhibits love for them. So he kindly allows us to show that love by considering that if I do not feed Him, Krishna will go hungry, if I do not give Him rest, He will be tired, like that. He reciprocates by pretending to be dependent on me, my slave, just to give us opportunity to find the real object of our loving propensity and to take pleasure by pleasing and serving Him. Everything we do should be for the reason that it gives pleasure to Krishna. Because Krishna's intimate associates give Him the most pleasure, and because they are His favorites, it pleases Him to see that these associates and close friends are also offered all respect by the devotees. Tulsidevi is part of Krishna's entourage, she is Krishna-ised or Krishna Conscious, and in this pure state she has all the qualities of Krishna, and therefore she becomes worshipable just like Krishna. There is a saying, love me, love my dog. It is like that. To approach the President is very difficult, unless you are the friend of his son or daughter, then it becomes very easy. So worship of Tulsidevi and other of Lord Krishna's Entourage is part of the total devotional attitude of pleasing Krishna.