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Seek the protection

Srimad-Bhagavatam

SB Canto 1

We should therefore seek the protection of Viṣṇu instead of directly seeking the protection of the goddess of fortune.
SB 1.12.23, Purport: Ramā means the goddess of fortune. And her shelter is Lord Viṣṇu. Lord Viṣṇu is the maintainer of all living beings. There are innumerable living beings, not only on the surface of this planet but also in all other hundreds of thousands of planets. All of them are provided with all necessities of life for the progressive march towards the end of self-realization, but on the path of sense gratification they are put into difficulty by the agency of māyā, the illusory energy, and so travel the path of a false plan of economic development. Such economic development is never successful because it is illusory. These men are always after the mercy of the illusory goddess of fortune, but they do not know that the goddess of fortune can live only under the protection of Viṣṇu. Without Viṣṇu, the goddess of fortune is an illusion. We should therefore seek the protection of Viṣṇu instead of directly seeking the protection of the goddess of fortune. Only Viṣṇu and the devotees of Viṣṇu can give protection to all, and because Mahārāja Parīkṣit was himself protected by Viṣṇu, it was quite possible for him to give complete protection to all who wanted to live under his rule.
One should, therefore, seek the protection of the Supreme Lord, for the human form of life is meant for seeking that protection.
SB 1.13.21, Purport: Vidura wanted to point out to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that everyone has to protect himself by his action and the grace of the Lord. One has to execute his duty faithfully, depending for the result on the supreme authority. No friend, no children, no father, no brother, no state and no one else can protect a person who is not protected by the Supreme Lord. One should, therefore, seek the protection of the Supreme Lord, for the human form of life is meant for seeking that protection. He was warned of his precarious conditions more and more by the following words.
The liberated souls never, therefore, think themselves as free as the Lord or as powerful as the Lord, but they always seek the protection of the Lord in all circumstances, both in the material world and in the spiritual world.
SB 1.14.32-33, Purport: That is the difference between the viṣṇu-tattva and jīva-tattva. The jīva-tattvas are infinitesimal potential particles of the Lord, and therefore they require the protection of the Lord at all times. And to the eternal servitors of the Lord, the Lord is pleased to give all protection at all times. The liberated souls never, therefore, think themselves as free as the Lord or as powerful as the Lord, but they always seek the protection of the Lord in all circumstances, both in the material world and in the spiritual world. This dependence of the liberated soul is constitutional, for the liberated souls are like sparks of a fire that are able to exhibit the glow of fire along with the fire and not independently. Independently the glow of the sparks is extinguished, although the quality of fire or the glowing is there. Thus those who give up the protection of the Lord and become so-called lords themselves, out of spiritual ignorance, come back again to this material world, even after prolonged tapasya of the severest type. That is the verdict of all Vedic literature.

SB Canto 3

The path of spiritual life is stated in the Vedas to be like the edge of a sharpened razor. A little inattentiveness may at once create havoc and bloodshed, but one who is a completely surrendered soul, always seeking protection from the Lord in the discharge of his entrusted duties, has no fear of falling into material contamination.
SB 3.9.24, Purport: This is a warning for one and all in the spiritual advancement of life. Unless one is sufficiently protected by the Lord, he may fall down from his spiritual position; therefore one has to pray constantly to the Lord for protection and the blessing to carry out one's duty. Lord Caitanya also entrusted His missionary work to His devotees and assured them of His protection against the onslaught of material affection. The path of spiritual life is stated in the Vedas to be like the edge of a sharpened razor. A little inattentiveness may at once create havoc and bloodshed, but one who is a completely surrendered soul, always seeking protection from the Lord in the discharge of his entrusted duties, has no fear of falling into material contamination.

Other Books by Srila Prabhupada

Teachings of Lord Caitanya

A person who is puffed up by so-called education and who has no humility does not seek the protection of a bona fide spiritual master.
Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 18: When one does not understand Kṛṣṇa or does not engage in His transcendental loving service, it is to be understood that he is adverse to the study of Vedānta and to the understanding of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The path of Vedānta study shown by Lord Caitanya should be followed by all. A person who is puffed up by so-called education and who has no humility does not seek the protection of a bona fide spiritual master. He thinks that he does not require a spiritual master and that he can achieve the highest perfection by his own efforts.

Lectures

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

So this is a very nice verse for the surrendered soul seeking the protection of Kṛṣṇa.
Lecture on SB 1.8.37 -- Los Angeles, April 29, 1973: Unless Kṛṣṇa gives you protection, your invention has no use. So Kuntī knows it. Although Kuntī happens to be the mother of big, big warriors—Arjuna, Bhīma—still she thinks that "They are not sufficient to give us protection. My sons are so big, big warriors, but that is not protection. Except Yourself..." Therefore she says, yeṣāṁ na ca anyat: "It is not that anyone can give us protection except Your lotus feet." So this is a very nice verse for the surrendered soul seeking the protection of Kṛṣṇa. And if we remain in that position, that our only protector is Kṛṣṇa and our only duty is to serve Kṛṣṇa, then our life is successful.
Only Kṛṣṇa can give you protection. Therefore we should always seek the protection of Kṛṣṇa.
Lecture on SB 1.15.20 -- Los Angeles, November 30, 1973: They are not doing anything. Rather, they are cutting. When there is jungle, for their paper mill, they are cutting all the trees. No protection for the trees. They are all cutting all the throats of the cows and animals for eating. So the government cannot give protection. Nobody can give protection. Only Kṛṣṇa can give you protection. Therefore we should always seek the protection of Kṛṣṇa. That is our security, not any other thing.
You hear, you think of it, you preach—this is the business. For whom? Those who are actually seeking protection.
Lecture on SB 2.1.1-5 -- Boston, December 22, 1969: First of all hearing, then kīrtitavyaś ca, spreading. And smartavya. Smartavya means thinking always. Otherwise what you will preach? You hear, you think of it, you preach—this is the business. Smartavyaḥ kīrtitavyaś ca, śrotavyaḥ. For whom? Icchatā akuto bhayam. Icchatābhayam, those who are actually seeking protection. Not this protection, that your bank balance, your good wife, this and... No. They will not give you protection.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Don't you think if you work for Kṛṣṇa, He'll not give you protection? Because we have no faith, therefore we are seeking protection from elsewhere.
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.118-119 -- New York, November 23, 1966: "I am helpless. Where is my mother? Where is my...?" Similarly, when we are helpless, we are fearful. And those who are Kṛṣṇa conscious, they are not helpless. They know, "Above me, there is Kṛṣṇa." And śaraṇāgati, surrender, means to have firm conviction that "Kṛṣṇa will protect me. I am engaged in Kṛṣṇa's service, so Kṛṣṇa will give me protection." If I work in some ordinary man's service, he gives me protection. Don't you think if you work for Kṛṣṇa, He'll not give you protection? Because we have no faith, therefore we are seeking protection from elsewhere. Kṛṣṇa is able. He says, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi: [Bg. 18.66] "I shall give you protection from all sinful reactions."

Festival Lectures

So on this advent day of Kṛṣṇa we shall seek protection at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa.
Janmastami Lord Sri Krsna's Appearance Day -- Bhagavad-gita 7.5 Lecture -- Vrndavana, August 11, 1974: So on this advent day of Kṛṣṇa we shall seek protection at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. Then we shall be able to cross over this illusory energy, ocean of illusory energy.
samāśritā ye pada-pallava-plavaṁ
mahat-padaṁ puṇya-yaśo murāreḥ
bhavāmbudhir vatsa-padaṁ paraṁ padaṁ
padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadāṁ na teṣām
[SB 10.14.58]
So Kṛṣṇa is adventing today. There is stotra by the demigods. We should read, how Kṛṣṇa protects the demigods or the devotees. We should seek protection of Kṛṣṇa. This world is so dangerous.
Page Title:Seek the protection
Compiler:Laksmipriya, ChrisF
Created:20 of Dec, 2008
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=4, CC=0, OB=1, Lec=5, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:10