Unflinching devotee

Expressions researched:
"unflinching devotee" |"unflinching devotees" |"unflinching faithful devotee" |"unflinching, staunch devotee"

BG Chapters 1 - 6

A Kṛṣṇa conscious person, or unflinching devotee of the Lord, should not be disturbed by the flowery language of the Vedas nor be engaged in fruitive activities for promotion to the heavenly kingdom.

BG 2.53, Translation and Purport:

When your mind is no longer disturbed by the flowery language of the Vedas, and when it remains fixed in the trance of self-realization, then you will have attained the divine consciousness.

To say that one is in samādhi is to say that one has fully realized Kṛṣṇa consciousness; that is, one in full samādhi has realized Brahman, Paramātmā and Bhagavān. The highest perfection of self-realization is to understand that one is eternally the servitor of Kṛṣṇa and that one's only business is to discharge one's duties in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. A Kṛṣṇa conscious person, or unflinching devotee of the Lord, should not be disturbed by the flowery language of the Vedas nor be engaged in fruitive activities for promotion to the heavenly kingdom. In Kṛṣṇa consciousness, one comes directly into communion with Kṛṣṇa, and thus all directions from Kṛṣṇa may be understood in that transcendental state. One is sure to achieve results by such activities and attain conclusive knowledge. One has only to carry out the orders of Kṛṣṇa or His representative, the spiritual master.

SB Canto 1

The Supreme Lord, the Absolute Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, although equal to everyone, is still more inclined to His unflinching devotee who is completely surrendered and knows no one else as his protector and master.

SB 1.9.22, Purport:

The Supreme Lord, the Absolute Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, although equal to everyone, is still more inclined to His unflinching devotee who is completely surrendered and knows no one else as his protector and master. Having unflinching faith in the Supreme Lord as one's protector, friend and master is the natural condition of eternal life. A living entity is so made by the will of the Almighty that he is most happy when placing himself in a condition of absolute dependence. The opposite tendency is the cause of falldown. The living entity has this tendency of falling down by dint of misidentifying himself as fully independent to lord it over the material world. The root cause of all troubles is there in false egotism. One must draw towards the Lord in all circumstances.

The appearance of Lord Kṛṣṇa at the deathbed of Bhīṣmajī is due to his being an unflinching devotee of the Lord.

SB 1.9.22, Purport:

The appearance of Lord Kṛṣṇa at the deathbed of Bhīṣmajī is due to his being an unflinching devotee of the Lord. Arjuna had some bodily relation with Kṛṣṇa because the Lord happened to be his maternal cousin. But Bhīṣma had no such bodily relation. Therefore the cause of attraction was due to the intimate relation of the soul. Yet because the relation of the body is very pleasing and natural, the Lord is more pleased when He is addressed as the son of Mahārāja Nanda, the son of Yaśodā, the lover of Rādhārāṇī. This affinity by bodily relation with the Lord is another feature of reciprocating loving service with the Lord. Bhīṣmadeva is conscious of this sweetness of transcendental humor, and therefore he likes to address the Lord as Vijaya-Sakhe, Pārtha-Sakhe, etc., exactly like Nanda-nandana or Yaśodā-nandana. The best way to establish our relation in transcendental sweetness is to approach Him through His recognized devotees. One should not try to establish the relation directly; there must be a via medium which is transparent and competent to lead us to the right path.

SB Canto 7

SB 7.1.34, Translation:

Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira inquired: What kind of great curse could affect even liberated viṣṇu-bhaktas, and what sort of person could curse even the Lord's associates? For unflinching devotees of the Lord to fall again to this material world is impossible. I cannot believe this.

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Even one is found su-durācāraḥ, not very strictly following moral principles, but he is an unflinching devotee of Kṛṣṇa, he's sādhu. These things are there. Therefore the point should be that we should not accept this karma-vāda or the bauddha-vāda or Māyāvāda, there are so many vādas. We shall simply take kṛṣṇa-vāda.

Lecture on BG 2.26-27 -- London, August 29, 1973:

There are so many instances. One very great charitable king, he was giving in charity so many cows to the brāhmaṇas. So there was some mistake, and for that purpose, although he was all throughout his whole life he was giving in charity, a little mistake, he became a big lizard in the well. Therefore the conclusion is that this material morality has no value. Spiritual morality. Spiritual morality means to abide by the order of Kṛṣṇa. That is morality. Whatever Kṛṣṇa says, if we accept, saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam. Many places.

ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhā

varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ

svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya

saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam

(SB 1.2.13)

In many places. Svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam. In another place, that, if you execute your morality principles but if by executing such morality principle you do not, I mean to say, awaken your Kṛṣṇa consciousness, it is simply waste of time. Wherever you go, the Bhāgavata conclusion, harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇāḥ. We have to keep in point of view that to become... Kṛṣṇa also says in Bhagavad-gītā: api cet su-durācāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ (BG 9.30). Even one is found su-durācāraḥ, not very strictly following moral principles, but he is an unflinching devotee of Kṛṣṇa, he's sādhu. These things are there. Therefore the point should be that we should not accept this karma-vāda or the bauddha-vāda or Māyāvāda, there are so many vādas. We shall simply take kṛṣṇa-vāda. Simply, simply accept Kṛṣṇa. And whatever He orders, whatever He likes, for His satisfaction, we shall do anything and everything. That is our morality.

That is first class system of religion. Which teaches one how to become unalloyed, unflinching devotee of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is first-class.

Lecture on BG 4.24 -- Bombay, April 13, 1974:

Not.... Sarva-dharmān means there are so many system of religion. But any system of religion, if it does not lead you to the platform of devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, that is defective. Therefore Bhāgavata says, sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje (SB 1.2.6). That is first class system of religion.

What is that? Which teaches one how to become unalloyed, unflinching devotee of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is first-class. All others, they are defective. Sometimes they are described as cheating. Like in the beginning of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is said dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo 'tra (SB 1.1.2). Kaitava means cheating. So anything going in the name of religion, but it is cheating, that is rejected here. Dharmaḥ projjhita. Projjhita means prakṛṣṭa-rūpeṇa ujjhita. Just like when you sweep with a broomstick, you cleanse all the dust, throw away, similarly, in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, in the beginning it is said that cheating type of religious system is completely swept away. Dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo 'tra paramo nirmatsarāṇām (SB 1.1.2).

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

The summary—a sādhu means a devotee. Without any deviation, unflinching, staunch devotee, they are called sādhu. So we have to associate with sādhu.

Lecture on SB 3.25.25 -- Bombay, November 25, 1974:

And sādhu we have described already in three, four verses. The summary—a sādhu means a devotee. Api cet su-durācāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk. Ananya-bhāvena, without any deviation, unflinching, staunch devotee, they are called sādhu. So we have to associate with sādhu. Satāṁ prasaṅgāt. When you discuss about Kṛṣṇa with sādhu or devotees, it becomes very pleasing. Satāṁ prasaṅgān mama vīrya-saṁvido bhavanti hṛt-karṇa-rasāyanāḥ (SB 3.25.25). Rasāyanāḥ means there is some taste. Just like you eat something; there is some taste. That is called rasa, or mellow. Then... Just like in the Bhagavad-gītā Kṛṣṇa says, raso 'ham apsu kaunteya (BG 7.8). Rasa. Rasa means when you are thirsty, when you drink water, you taste something very nice to quench your thirst. So Kṛṣṇa has instructed that "To begin with, you can think of Me, aham, while you drink water." It is not difficult. Everyone can practice it, so easy thing. Everyone can practice it. Everyone drinks water, and the rasa, the taste, the nice taste, when you are thirsty, how it is palatable by drinking water. Without water, sometimes we die, and by getting little sip of water, we live. Water is so important. So water, we drink everyone, and there is rasa, that taste. That taste, if we simply think, "Here is Kṛṣṇa," very easy thing... Raso 'ham apsu kaunteya prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ (BG 7.8). As soon as you see the sunlight in the morning, you can think. Kṛṣṇa says. Why do you say, "Can you show me God?" God is showing you Himself. Why don't you see it? If you close your eyes, how you can see God? He says, "I am this."

"If one is simply unflinching faithful devotee of the Lord, then he develops all the good qualification of demigods."

Lecture on SB 7.9.10 -- Montreal, July 9, 1968:

So Prahlāda Mahārāja says that viprād dvi-ṣad-guṇa-yutādaravinda-nabha. Even a brāhmaṇa, qualified brāhmaṇa who has all these brahminical qualifications, but he is not a devotee of the Lord... There are many good, qualified persons, but they do not on of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Materially, one may be very much highly qualified. Academically, one may be very highly qualified. But if one is not a believer, faithful, or is not accepting the existence of God, or God the Supreme, he is called atheist, and Prahlāda Mahārāja does not say atheist, but he says that "Even one has got all these good qualifications, but if he is not qualified with the faith in God, or not becoming a devotee of God, then he is nonqualified. He is rejected." You may take his qualification in consideration, but Prahlāda Mahārāja says he is rejected from Kṛṣṇa consciousness for that one disqualification, that he is not a devotee of God. Similarly, in other places it is also confirmed that yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā sarvair guṇais tatra samāsate surāḥ: "If one is simply unflinching faithful devotee of the Lord, then he develops all the good qualification of demigods." Harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇā: (SB 5.18.12) "If one is not devotee of the Lord, then he has no good qualification." Why? Because manorathenāsato dhāvato bahiḥ: "Because he is hovering on the mental plane." And because he is hovering on the mental plane—the mind's business is to change—so he will change from one platform to another, another platform to another. He has no fixed idea; therefore his qualification has no value. In several places In the Bhagavad-gītā Lord Kṛṣṇa says, api cet su-durācāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk: "If a person is found even unclean or not very well behaved but he has got unflinching faith in Me, Kṛṣṇa," sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ (BG 9.30), "oḥ, he is sādhu. He is saintly person." He is saintly because that one qualification, that he has full faith in God, Kṛṣṇa, that one qualification makes him a saintly person. Others may have all the good qualification, but simply for one minor godlessness, he is nonqualified.

General Lectures

A devotee, an unflinching devotee, without any other desires, who is dedicated to the service of the Lord, he is sādhu. So we have to take shelter of such sādhu.

Lecture on Teachings of Lord Caitanya -- Bombay, March 17, 1971:

So, fire is considered to be pure. Therefore any ceremony is done before fire-god. So, Kṛṣṇa says that even fire is so pure, still there are some defect, there is smoke. So, if you want to find out defect, you'll find out in fire also. But that doesn't matter, fire is fire. Similarly, a devotee, an unflinching devotee, without any other desires, who is dedicated to the service of the Lord, he is sādhu. So we have to take shelter of such sādhu. Ādau gurv-āśrayam. And sādhu will instruct you. Not by whims, but through śāstra. He is sādhu. Sādhu will never speak to you anything which is not in the śāstra. Sādhu, śāstra, and guru. And guru is bona fide spiritual master who follows sādhu and śāstra. Who follows his bona fide spiritual master and who follows the instructions of śāstra, he is guru. sādhu-śāstra-guru-vākya, tinete kariyā aikya. Narottama dasa Ṭhākura says that you have to act by accommodating the instruction of sādhu, instruction of śāstra. And you have to distribute. Because Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that these ignorant people who are being defeated repeatedly, such persons, they are being entangled in this materialistic way of life, in this material world. Kṛṣṇa bhuliya jīva. He said, kṛṣṇa bhuli' sei jīva anādi-bahirmukha (CC Madhya 20.117). Anyone who has forgotten Kṛṣṇa, he is anādi bahir mukha. He is enamored by this external energy, material world. Just like in Bombay city everyone is working hard, very hard. Their mission is, "How I shall be able to construct a skyscraper building." That's all. Why they are working so hard? Their mission is that I must have a skyscraper house and good apartment and nice wife, nice children and bank balance, then happy. (chuckles) But he does not know how long these things will continue. Ten years, twenty years, fifty years, hundred years, then finished.