the highest preaching

[Guest guest]

Also, during Srila Prabhupada's varnasrama-dharma morning walks in

Vrindavana, India 23 years, 11 months and 3 days ago he

stated, "Some of you are preaching and some of you are cleansing the

temple. That does not mean that a sannyasi who is preaching, he is

better than that man who is cleansing. The position of Vaisnava is

the same."

 

"Deity worship is just as important as book distribution. It is not

material. As mentioned in the Bhagavatam.

 

sravanam kirtanam visno smaranam pada-sevanam

arcanam vandanam dasyam sakhyam atma-nivedanam

 

Sravanam kirtanam is the beginning--to chant and hear. Book

distribution is under this category of sravanam kirtanam. The next

item is smaranam. If somebody simply remembers the Supreme Lord,

that is also as good as sravanam kirtanam. Then there is arcanam.

That is also as good as the others, but one who simply becomes

engaged in arcanam and does nothing of sravanam kirtanam, his

position becomes in the material field. Any one of the nine

processes is as good as the other. There is no question of inferior

or superior. But out of all of them sravanam kirtanam is very

important. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu while instructing Srila Rupa

Gosvami, has said how the seed of devotional service sprouts and

increases by watering the root by the process of sravanam kirtanam.

So, these two items are very important in devotional service, but

that does not mean that the other items are inferior. Srila Jiva

Gosvami has stressed kirtanam especially in the age of Kali. Even if

there is arcanam for sanctifying the contaminated mind, it must be

accompanied by sravanam kirtanam.

 

So, you are all advanced students. You should understand the

importance of each and every item of devotional service. Do not make

any misunderstanding by devaluating any of the spiritual activities.

You are one of the advanced students. One who distinguishes a

particular type of service as inferior or superior, he does not know

the value of devotional service. It is all transcendental. Whatever

item is suitable, that is accepted as very elevated."

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Svami

 

ACBS.ps

http://devotees.krishna.org/Articles/2000/10/00158.html