theist Posted September 6, 2008 Report Share Posted September 6, 2008 No potency to save the whole world yet? No problem. We can at least help one other person each day remember the Lord and in that way we offer the best worship to Lord Krishna. TRANSLATION SB 8.7.44 It is said that great personalities almost always accept voluntary suffering because of the suffering of people in general. This is considered the highest method of worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is present in everyone’s heart. PURPORT Here is an explanation of how those engaged in activities for the welfare of others are very quickly recognized by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Lord says in Bhagavad-gītā (18.68–69), ya idaṁ paramaṁ guhyaṁ mad-bhakteṣv abhidhāsyati. .. na ca tasmān manuṣyeṣu kaścin me priya-kṛttamaḥ: “One who preaches the message of Bhagavad-gītā to My devotees is most dear to Me. No one can excel him in satisfying Me by worship.” There are different kinds of welfare activities in this material world, but the supreme welfare activity is the spreading of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Other welfare activities cannot be effective, for the laws of nature and the results of karma cannot be checked. It is by destiny, or the laws of karma, that one must suffer or enjoy. For instance, if one is given a court order, he must accept it, whether it brings suffering or profit. Similarly, everyone is under obligations to karma and it reactions. No one can change this. Therefore the śāstra says: tasyaiva hetoḥ prayateta kovido na labhyate yad bhramatām upary adhaḥ (Bhāg. 1.5.18) One should endeavor for that which is never obtained by wandering up and down the universe as a result of the reactions of karma. What is that? One should endeavor to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. If one tries to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness all over the world, he should be understood to be performing the best welfare activity. The Lord is automatically very pleased with him. If the Lord is pleased with him, what is left for him to achieve? If one has been recognized by the Lord, even if he does not ask the Lord for anything, the Lord, who is within everyone, supplies him whatever he wants. This is also confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (teṣāṁ nityābhiyuktānāṁ yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmy aham [bg. 9.22]). Again, as stated here, tapyante loka-tāpena sādhavaḥ prāyaśo janāḥ. The best welfare activity is raising people to the platform of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, since the conditioned souls are suffering only for want of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The Lord Himself also comes to mitigate the suffering of humanity. yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata abhyutthānam adharmasya tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya sambhavāmi yuge yuge “Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practice, O descendant of Bharata, and a predominant rise of irreligion—at that time I descend Myself. To deliver the pious and to annihilate the miscreants, as well as to reestablish the principles of religion, I advent Myself millennium after millennium.” (Bg. 4.7–8) All the śāstras conclude, therefore, that spreading the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is the best welfare activity in the world. Because of the ultimate benefit this bestows upon people in general, the Lord very quickly recognizes such service performed by a devotee. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theist Posted September 7, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 7, 2008 TRANSLATION SB 8.7.44 It is said that great personalities almost always accept voluntary suffering because of the suffering of people in general. This is considered the highest method of worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is present in everyone’s heart. One thing I see in this verse is it leaves the door wide open for anyone at any time to be pleasing to the Lord. It is not that one needs to be dependent on a temple structure or an institutionally sanctioned program to make advancement in Krishna consciousness. Just a little realization in this matter brings with it freedom to the jiva from all sectarian shackles. It's in our hands alone. I remember one temple president in Hawaii telling everyone who lived in the temple that they were not allowed to even offer Krishna a fruit from a tree on their own. They must instead bring it back to the temple and offer it "properly". What silliness. Some fall deep into this kanistha trap and may spend an entire lifetime there thinking like this. How about taking the fruit, offering it to Krishna and then sharing the prasadam with someone. No need for a big altar, just a little realization. I am convinced that we need to claim our freedom from all these traps and realize we need no one's permission to approach our Father, our Lord, our most dear Friend. We are separate individuals from God but at the same time we are also one with Him. We need to reclaim our birthright as parts of God by abandoning all varieties of religion and just surrendering unto Him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amlesh Posted September 7, 2008 Report Share Posted September 7, 2008 One thing I see in this verse is it leaves the door wide open for anyone at any time to be pleasing to the Lord. It is not that one needs to be dependent on a temple structure or an institutionally sanctioned program to make advancement in Krishna consciousness. Just a little realization in this matter brings with it freedom to the jiva from all sectarian shackles. It's in our hands alone. I remember one temple president in Hawaii telling everyone who lived in the temple that they were not allowed to even offer Krishna a fruit from a tree on their own. They must instead bring it back to the temple and offer it "properly". What silliness. Some fall deep into this kanistha trap and may spend an entire lifetime there thinking like this. How about taking the fruit, offering it to Krishna and then sharing the prasadam with someone. No need for a big altar, just a little realization. I am convinced that we need to claim our freedom from all these traps and realize we need no one's permission to approach our Father, our Lord, our most dear Friend. We are separate individuals from God but at the same time we are also one with Him. We need to reclaim our birthright as parts of God by abandoning all varieties of religion and just surrendering unto Him. It is what Shiva said to Pracetas. To attain the Lord's lotus feet, first of all, go through the regulative principles, then gradually become detach to those regulative principles. But those prescribed path is a necessity when still in the initial phase. Vaishnavism is the most liberal and sweetest state of being. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theist Posted September 7, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 7, 2008 It is what Shiva said to Pracetas. To attain the Lord's lotus feet, first of all, go through the regulative principles, then gradually become detach to those regulative principles. But those prescribed path is a necessity when still in the initial phase. Vaishnavism is the most liberal and sweetest state of being. Yes you are correct no doubt. But although the initial phases would mean first seeing the Lord primarily as the Deity on the temple altar we are never to be limited to that vision. Lord Kapila teaches that if we don't see Him in the hearts of others then we cannot please Him by our Deity worship. A praticle example. This is Sunday and temples will be holding their Sunday love feast programs which will bring newcomers to the temple.It is imperative that we see Krishna within the hearts of all guests who come and treat them accordingly. If we try to ignore them and just concentrate on the Deity we have been told that the Deity will not be pleased by our temple worship. Lord Kapila said: SB 3.29.22 - One who worships the Deity of Godhead in the temples but does not know that the Supreme Lord, as Paramätmä, is situated in every living entity's heart, must be in ignorance and is compared to one who offers oblations into ashes. SB 3.29.23 - One who offers Me respect but is envious of the bodies of others and is therefore a separatist never attains peace of mind, because of his inimical behavior towards other living entities. SB 3.29.24 - My dear Mother, even if he worships with proper rituals and paraphernalia, a person who is ignorant of My presence in all living entities never pleases Me by the worship of My Deities in the temple. SB 3.29.25 - Performing his prescribed duties, one should worship the Deity of the Supreme Personality of Godhead until one realizes My presence in his own heart and in the hearts of other living entities as well. SB 3.29.26 - As the blazing fire of death, I cause great fear to whoever makes the least discrimination between himself and other living entities because of a differential outlook. SB 3.29.27 - Therefore, through charitable gifts and attention, as well as through friendly behavior and by viewing all to be alike, one should propitiate Me, who abide in all creatures as their very Self. Progress in Krishna consciousness means an ever expanding recognition of the Lord in all His manifestations and especially in relationship to all jivas because that the direction of His love flow. The Lord loves all living beings and if we are parts of the Lord so must we. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amlesh Posted September 8, 2008 Report Share Posted September 8, 2008 Yes, you are right Theist. The Lord is the one who connects us all. He is the ONE who makes the ONENESS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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