Standard behavior

Expressions researched:
"standard behavior" |"standard of behavior" |"standards of behavior"

SB Canto 6

The great devotee Citraketu was so powerful that he was quite competent to curse mother Pārvatī in retaliation, but instead of doing so he very humbly accepted the curse and bowed his head before Lord Śiva and his wife. This is very much to be appreciated as the standard behavior of a Vaiṣṇava.

SB 6.17.37, Translation and Purport:

The great devotee Citraketu was so powerful that he was quite competent to curse mother Pārvatī in retaliation, but instead of doing so he very humbly accepted the curse and bowed his head before Lord Śiva and his wife. This is very much to be appreciated as the standard behavior of a Vaiṣṇava.

Upon being informed by Lord Śiva, mother Pārvatī could understand that she was wrong in cursing Citraketu. King Citraketu was so exalted in his character that in spite of being wrongly cursed by Pārvatī, he immediately descended from his airplane and bowed his head before the mother, accepting her curse. This has already been explained: nārāyaṇa-parāḥ sarve na kutaścana bibhyati (SB 6.17.28). Citraketu very sportingly felt that since the mother wanted to curse him, he could accept this curse just to please her. This is called sādhu-lakṣaṇam, the characteristic of a sādhu, or a devotee. As explained by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, tṛṇād api sunīcena taror api sahiṣṇunā. A devotee should always be very humble and meek and should offer all respect to others, especially to superiors. Being protected by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, a devotee is always powerful, but a devotee does not wish to show his power unnecessarily. However, when a less intelligent person has some power, he wants to use it for sense gratification. This is not the behavior of a devotee.

SB Canto 7

Unless one adheres to the standard behavior, one's position as a sādhu, a saintly person, is not complete. Therefore a Vaiṣṇava, a sādhu, must completely adhere to the standard of behavior.

SB 7.7.30-31, Purport:

One's first duty is to accept a bona fide spiritual master. The student or disciple should be very inquisitive; he should be eager to know the complete truth about eternal religion (sanātana-dharma). The words guru-śuśrūṣayā mean that one should personally serve the spiritual master by giving him bodily comforts, helping him in bathing, dressing, sleeping, eating and so on. This is called guru-śuśrūṣaṇam. A disciple should serve the spiritual master as a menial servant, and whatever he has in his possession should be dedicated to the spiritual master. prāṇair arthair dhiyā vācā. Everyone has his life, his wealth, his intelligence and his words, and all of them should be offered to the Supreme Personality of Godhead through the via medium of the spiritual master. Everything should be offered to the spiritual master as a matter of duty, but the offering should be made to the spiritual master with heart and soul, not artificially to gain material prestige. This offering is called arpaṇa. Moreover, one should live among devotees, saintly persons, to learn the etiquette and proper behavior of devotional service. Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura remarks in this connection that whatever is offered to the spiritual master should be offered with love and affection, not for material adoration. Similarly, it is recommended that one associate with devotees, but there must be some discrimination. Actually, a sādhu, a saintly person, must be saintly in his behavior (sādhavaḥ sad-ācārāḥ). Unless one adheres to the standard behavior, one's position as a sādhu, a saintly person, is not complete. Therefore a Vaiṣṇava, a sādhu, must completely adhere to the standard of behavior. Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura says that a Vaiṣṇava, a person initiated into the Vaiṣṇava cult, should be offered the respect befitting a Vaiṣṇava, which means that he should be offered service and prayers. However, one should not associate with him if he is not a fit person with whom to associate.

CC Antya-lila

He also compiled the Hari-bhakti-vilāsa, from which we can understand the standard behavior of a devotee and the full extent of a Vaiṣṇava's duty.

CC Antya 4.221, Translation and Purport:

He also compiled the Hari-bhakti-vilāsa, from which we can understand the standard behavior of a devotee and the full extent of a Vaiṣṇava's duty.

Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura writes, "The Hari-bhakti-vilāsa was originally compiled by Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī. Later, Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī produced a shortened version of it and added the Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā. In the Hari-bhakti-vilāsa there are so many quotations from the sātvata scriptures that sometimes it is inquired how the atheistic smārtas can refuse to accept them and instead imagine some other opinions. What is recorded in the Hari-bhakti-vilāsa strictly follows the Vedic scriptures and is certainly pure, but the attitude of the karmīs is always one of giving up the conclusion of pure Vaiṣṇava understanding. Because the karmīs are very much attached to the world and material activities, they always try to establish atheistic principles that oppose the understanding of the Vaiṣṇavas."

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Sādhu-saṅga means you have to give up the association of nondevotees. This question was asked to Śrī Caitanya was asked to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu by a devotee. He was householder. So he inquired, "My dear Sir, what is the real standard of behavior of a devotee?" He immediately answered that asat-saṅga tyāga ei vaiṣṇava-ācāra.

Lecture on SB 6.1.1 -- Melbourne, May 21, 1975:

Devotee (7): How much more difficult is it for one born in a family of nondevotees to become a devotee than a person who has been born in a family like Prabhupāda's?

Prabhupāda: Sādhu-saṅga means you have to give up the association of nondevotees. This question was asked to Śrī Caitanya was asked to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu by a devotee. He was householder. So he inquired, "My dear Sir, what is the real standard of behavior of a devotee?" He immediately answered that asat-saṅga tyāga ei vaiṣṇava-ācāra (CC Madhya 22.87). "Vaiṣṇava devotee, his first behavior is he should give up unwanted association." That is first. Now, the next question will be: "What is that unwanted association?" He answered, asat eka strī-saṅgī kṛṣṇābhakta' āra: "This unwanted association means people who are too much attached to sex life, they are unwanted. And the another: nondevotee of God. They are unwanted." So you be careful not to mix with these people and come to the devotional service, then your life is perfect.

Philosophy Discussions

Therefore the Vedānta gives for him: athāto brahma jijñāsā. Now we have got enough to eat, enough to enjoy. Now we inquire about Brahman.

Philosophy Discussion on B. F. Skinner:

Śyāmasundara: And they call their process social engineering. For instance, they say a criminal does not become bad because he is naturally bad but it's because of his environment. So if we train him in such a way he will be good, and we can...

Prabhupāda: Just like in the Western countries, the social (indistinct), the killing of animals—it is taken not bad. In other societies it is taken as bad. How is that? There are two contradictory societies. One society says that nonviolence is nice, better, but another society says no, violence is better. Then how will I (indistinct)? Which society is good, which society bad? How you will decide?

Devotee: He has no way of deciding.

Prabhupāda: No. There is no way. If you come to the Vedic life, then you will know.

Śyāmasundara: So we should propose this to Skinner: "We will accept your process if you take direction from us."

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Devotee: He accepts that there should be some process, but he doesn't know what it is. He obviously has not...

Prabhupāda: The process is, just like we say, Vedic injunction: sa gurum eva abhigacchet. He must approach guru.

Atreya Ṛṣi: His idea is that the process should be man-controlled. Our society is being controlled by man.

Prabhupāda: It is man-controlled. It is man-controlled. Our society is being controlled by me.

Śyāmasundara: He says that the best way to release the beneficial energy in the people is to build a world in which people are naturally good and in which they are rewarded for wanting what is good for their culture.

Prabhupāda: Yes. This is Kṛṣṇa society. The atheists, let him study, let him come, let him understand.

Devotee: His critics... The critics of this theory that we can condition everyone to a certain program are very fearful that someone unscrupulous will be driving us on.

Prabhupāda: No. That we cannot take, I mean, to accept guru as unscrupulous. Therefore we take paramparā. He is coming directly from God. He is perfect. Therefore this paramparā system is bona fide. We cannot accept any rascal to become guru. Guru must be in the paramparā system. He is receiving the knowledge directly from God, Kṛṣṇa.

Śyāmasundara: This is their dilemma now, that they cannot find any standard of behavior. Formerly people's behavior was motivated by deprivation. They wanted more economic gain because there was hunger. But now we have everything, so no one wants to work anymore. So now there is nothing that satisfies people enough to make them behave.

Prabhupāda: Therefore the Vedānta gives for him: athāto brahma jijñāsā. Now we have got enough to eat, enough to enjoy. Now we inquire about Brahman. This is the business we should (indistinct). So this is our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. We are giving knowledge about Brahman, or the Supreme. We are not concerned about giving you some scientific invention, some this invention, that invention. We are giving the ultimate benefit. Now, just like I have come to America with this hope, that "Americans are not properly (indistinct), they have no (indistinct) problems. If I go there, if I speak to them about Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they will be able to take." So if we, the human society, has come to such standard, then the next point is, now they should eat peacefully, sleep peacefully and sense gratification peacefully and, making the mind peaceful, inquire about the Supreme Absolute. This is ideal life.

1969 Correspondence

Please keep up this standard of behavior. Do not make any artificial discrepancies amongst yourselves because you are acting on a very responsible business.

Letter to Gurudasa, Yamuna -- Los Angeles 21 January, 1969:

I have received report from Mr. Parikh and others that they are enamored by your behavior, your character, and your devotion. In the newspaper cuttings also they gave such hints. In other words, everyone is appreciating your presentation. Please keep up this standard of behavior. Do not make any artificial discrepancies amongst yourselves because you are acting on a very responsible business. Perhaps you know that there are many political parties in a country, but when the country's total responsibility has to be executed, they become combined. To have some little disagreements amongst yourselves is not very unnatural because we are all individual beings. But as we are all working on behalf of Krishna we should always forget our personal interests and see to the prime cause.

1974 Correspondence

Everyone should follow the rules and regulations. This is very important. There is a standard of behavior for devotees living in the Temple and everyone who lives in the Temple must follow that standard, or else we will automatically fall down.

Letter to Madhavananda -- Los Angeles 1 January, 1974:

Regarding expanding the various programs such as Sankirtana in England, if you work combinedly you can do it. Hamsaduta may also come and assist you. He has good experience in Sankirtana. As for sending devotees to India, I may have said to send 14 men, but if you have 2 or 3 experienced men who are ready to go now, send them immediately. You should not send devotees who do not intend to stay there and work there. That is simply a waste of money. The English boys are able to stay 3 years in India because they are citizens of the Commonwealth so we should take advantage of this. Hence they should go as soon as possible, especially those who are fixed up and steady.

The main difficulty there seems to be lack of full cooperation. I have written to you to become responsible and to manage things. However, at the Bhaktivedanta Manor, as anywhere, the local president is in charge. That is Mukunda. The reason why there is difficulty and competitive spirit is that everyone wants to be supreme. That is the difficulty. You have experience in the standard of our Krsna Consciousness Temples so you have to work together with Mukunda and combinedly raise the standard of the English Temples to our Krsna Conscious standard. Everyone should follow the rules and regulations. This is very important. There is a standard of behavior for devotees living in the Temple and everyone who lives in the Temple must follow that standard, or else we will automatically fall down. We have been given such a nice big facility at Bhaktivedanta Manor so it is not for our eating and sleeping. Rather, on receiving such a nice place from Krsna we should take it as an indication that we must now work harder. So I know that all the boys and girls there are enthusiastic to follow, so you leaders see that the Krsna Conscious standards in regard to initiation, cleanliness, dress and activities of the devotees, the restriction of association between men and women, all be strictly followed. Devotional service cannot be done whimsically.

In regard to security, yes there should be security. There should be 1 or 2 men who are in charge of the Deity room. I have written a letter to Mukunda in this connection and I hope you will together see that this is done. I am asking you to take a new heart and try to cooperate with each other there. There is always some difference because we are not impersonalists, we are personalists and everyone is different. However we have our standard so everything must be conducted on the basis of Krsna Consciousness as I have taught it. You and your wife are there and you are both experienced members so why not take advantage and try to improve the situation there rather than think of moving? If we have to constantly move until we find the situation where there is no personal difficulty in relationships then we may never get down to our real work. Just put our differences aside and work for the greater cause to organize a nice Temple there.