Inquiries into the Absolute: Digest 76

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Digest 76, December 31st, 2003

Answers by His Holiness Romapada Swami Maharaja

*** You are welcome to send in your questions to HH Romapada Swami at

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Developing Vaisnava Qualities, Experiencing Loving Relationships with Krishna

and Empowerment in Instructions of the Spiritual Master

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Q 1)

I'm confused about the relationship between acquiring mode of goodness

qualities, manifesting Vaisnava qualities, making endeavors, and chanting.

For example, there seems to be a Catch-22 relationship between chanting

and acquiring mode of goodness qualities.  I thought that attentive

chanting would magically endow me with those qualities, yet we're

supposed to endeavor to acquire these qualities so that we can chant more.

If we acquire these qualities as a result of Krsna reciprocating with our

endeavors to attain those qualities, then what role does chanting play

in our progressing to the mode of goodness?  A similar confusion exists

for me concerning exhibiting Vaisnava qualities.  Since the holy names

are supposed to automatically bring about these qualities, why do we

have to make an extra endeavor to exhibit these qualities in our dealings

with other people?

 

Ans 1)

While chanting very prayerfully, one's motivation and intensity of

desire to please Krishna increases. One of the specific ways in

which our desire to please Krishna intensifies is to desire to present

ourselves before Krishna with finer qualities, and fewer faults,

flaws, shortcomings, etc. With this purpose in mind, we naturally

begin to endeavor to obtain these better qualities, motivated NOT by

something material hankering (for respect, accetance by others,

praise, gaining a sense of self-accomplishment, etc), but ONLY to

increase the happiness Krishna receives when we come before Him to

offer Him our services. Only by His bestowing His mercy, however,

not by our efforts alone, the desirable good qualities develop to

enhance the pleasure of Krishna.

Thus, one is not chanting while separately in pursuit good qualities.

In fact, everything comes from chanting!

 

Q 2)

 

I had once expressed that I'd like to use my desire to enjoy my original,

loving relationship with Krishna as a motivation for my every activity.  

A senior devotee corrected my language at that time by saying that I

should use my desire to experience - not enjoy - that original, loving

relationship. Why is the word "experience" preferable, when the enjoyment

refered to was in relation to Krishna? Is it because a devotee never

aspires to enjoy anything -- not even in relation to Krishna, since his

nature is to aspire only to serve -- even though enjoyment does come as a

byproduct of his service?

 

Ans 2)

Krishna is the only Enjoyer or Master; others are to be enjoyed by Him.

He is Purusa, we are prakrti. We are His servants, by our constitutional

position. When we are situated in our loving relationship with Krishna,

we experience a particular quality of happiness --- we experience being

connected to Krishna's happiness! Therefore the term "experience" is more

appropriate than "enjoyment". He is enjoying, and we experience His

happiness through the medium of devotional service.

 

This is the key to understanding and experiencing what rasa is:

"raso vai saha", or "Krishna *IS* rasa!"

 

Q 3)

Please elaborate the statement" Within the instruction of the spiritual

master lies the empowerment to carryout the instruction".

 

Ans 3)

The bonafide spiritual master is a confidential servant of Krishna.

Whatever instruction he gives to his disciple to progress in Krishna

Consciousness, Krishna protects the words of His confidential devotee.

The spiritual master is expert in his disciples, after evaluating the

platform of life they are situated on and their nature, in Krishna's

service. As he is very well aware of the psyco-physical condition of

his disciples even better than they understand themselves, he instructs

the individuals to engage in do-able services to make progress in Krishna

consciousness. The spiritual master, while giving instructions, also

blesses that particular devotee to carry out that particular instruction.

Since he is very very dear to Lord Sri Krishna, He sanctions this personal

blessing. Therefore it is said that within the instructions of the

spiritual master lies the power to execute them.

 

See SB 10.2.30 for one specific scriptural reference in this regard.

 

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----- Festivals over the next week ------

Jan 02 2004, Friday Ekadasi Putrada (Break fast 07:54-10:37) (Fast)

Jan 03 2004, Saturday Appearance Sri Jagadisa Pandita

Jan 07 2004, Wednesday Sri Krsna Pusya abhiseka

 

*** NOTE: All times are for Washington D.C, USA, EST ***

For festival information for your city please go to http://www.iskcondc.org and

click on 'Calendar'

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