Divine Aspiration

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Divine Aspiration

 

 

Question: On the path of devotional service, how is one to improve his own condition?

Srila Sridhar Maharaj: Through superior association. In the commercial world, in

business, if you want something but you have insufficient capital to purchase

it, if you join with a greater capitalist, if you make some arrangement with

him, your business will grow, it will develop. Similarly, if you want to

improve your condition in Krsna consciousness, find a 'capitalist'; on your

own, by your own transaction, you may not gain so much, but with their help you

can go on, you can advance more quickly.

ESSENTIAL PRINCIPLE

Help is of two kinds: from sadhu and sastra, from saints and scriptures. The

living agent is sadhu, and the passive,

sastra. There is no other way to improve but by sadhu-sastra-krpa - by their mercy.

krsna-bhakti-janma mula haya 'sadhu-sangha'krsna-prema janme, tenho punar mukhya

anga (Cc. Madhya 22:83)

The very root, the origin, beginning of krsna-bhakti, devotional service, is

association - the help of the sadhu. And in the higher stage also, when your

dormant love for Krsna awakens, that association is still the most essential

principle to help you. The birth of devotion is from there, its nourishment is

also from there; and at the end, when you have almost finished, have almost

attained the final stage, then also, with the help of some superior, under some

superior you are to go on, to continue your service. So, the sadhu is

all-important, from the beginning to the final goal. At the final stage also,

no direct connection with Krsna is admissible but you are to do some service

only under the direction of the sadhus. The eternal servitors are there, in

different departments of service, and you will be taken in and directed: "Serve

Krsna under his direction, or her direction..." So, sadhu-sangha is always

necessary.

 

by Srila Bhakti Rakshak Sridhardeva Goswami

Maharaja(excerpt from Divine Aspiration)

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