How the ordinary person becomes saintly

[Guest guest]

It is said among the saints " Bin Hari kripa miley nahin santa" or " Without the Mercy of Lord Sri Hari, one cannot get a chance to meet saints"

Those who were lucky to meet Srila Prabhupada were surely bestowed mercy by the Lord. Those who met other saints of other different sampradayas also were bestowed the mercy of the Lord. All those who were blessed by the mercy of the Lord eventually meet saints, and they may accept one or the other saint as their Guru. Between Saints only on thing is common : they all are in contact with the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna. It is impossible to place a limit on the glorious manifestations and expansions of Lord Krishna.

Whatever be the means of reaching Krishna, if one starts earnestly and makes effort sincerely, one will meet a saint in due course and the mercy of the Lord will unfold completely. To prepare for this one must begin to shed ignorance and adopt the glorious path of Bhakti.

For those who cannot directly adopt Bhakti, the path of Jnana Yoga is highlighted in the Bhagavad Gita, but in this Kaliyuga, the one and only successful means of reaching Krishna is the path of Bhakti or Devotional Service. The path of Jnana is a long difficult path prone with many pitfalls, and eventually this path also joins Bhakti. Bhakti leads directly to Krishna. There is no other way.

Harer Nama Harer Nama Harer Namaiva Kevalam

Kalau nasti eva nasti eva nasti eva gatir anyatha

In this age of quarrel and hypocrisy,there is no faster means than the chanting of Harinaam.

If one humbly accepts this statement (source :Brhan-naradiya Purana) then one is already elevated to a higher platform of spiritual life. After accepting this one begins to chant harinaam always, discarding all forms of religion and surrendering only to Krishna.Those who do not surrender to Krishna surely go to their respective ishta devatas or demigods as stated in the Gita.

Such a person eventually becomes saintly as his/her karma is purified and the dross of ignorance is removed by the light of the Holy Name of Sri Krishna. Such a person develops compassion for all conditioned souls, and attempts to help all those who are still conditioned by material existence. For such a soul, the Lord is always with him/her and such a person remains absorbed in the name of the Lord despite being in the material world. Such a person becomes liberated at once although he/she may not desire liberation even, because the only desire that remains is to see the Lord face to face. Such persons also are called Jivan Mukta (liberated while living in the human body)

Such a person will not seek honor or be affected if dishonoured. Under every circumstances he/she will remain equipoised. Such a person will not even desire liberation(Mukti) as the Bhakti Rasa is far more attractive than Mukti.

Sanjeev Punj