What is the price for Krishna Consciousness?

guru · January 31, 2004

One who is too much attached to material enjoyment and sense enjoyment cannot approach the Lord. He cannot understand what is real devotional service. One has to have great determination. What is the nature of that determination? That you are willing to pay any price for Krishna's mercy. There is nothing so dear to us that will come between us and the mercy of Krishna. When you have that determination, when you have that desire that is when the Lord makes all arrangements for liberation.

We are just struggling for existence. And yet we are so attached to this existence that for the sake of enjoying this, we don't have time for Krishna consciousness. Are you willing to live on the street as a beggar if that is what is required to get Krishna's mercy? If you are, I am not saying you have to do it but you should be willing to do it. That is the price. It is not cheap. It is not that you chant the mantra and you become pure. You have to understand what is the determination in which to chant the mantra.

H H Radhanath Swami Maharaj

karmic_devotee · February 27, 2004

The life of a devotee is extremely difficult in this material world - more so than a non-devotee. Especially when he is transitioning from a non-devotee to a pure devotee of the Lord.

It becomes increasingly difficult to accept the principles and activities of the material world when one starts making progress spiritually. The day-to-day dealings with non-devotees (they may even be friends and/or family) become laboreous at first, bitter subsequently and unbearable eventually. A devotee should be steadfast and loving in these circumstances. He should see his past in non-devotees and be helpful and supportive, not aggressive and critical. One cannot enter the kingdom of God unless one is compassionate and loving to others, even one's enemies.

The Lord purifies His devotees by exposing them to seeming adversities. The trick is to keep working for the Lord and think of less fortunate souls than oneself. After sometime, the realization that one is getting purified becomes clear.

After that, life is a lot easier to deal with.

Hare Krishna,

Prodi.

March 8, 2004

forget this illusion in your brain cells that conjurs up every time you hear the sound "lord". That fuzzy feeling is making you stupid. It is making excuses for you not getting the real job of living done right.

March 14, 2004

it's true that one must be prepared to live like a beggar for Krishna but if one surrenders fully to this possibility, and indeed any possibility the Lord wishes to throw your way, you quickly find that you will never have to, for one who has truly surrendered to the extent of being fully and honestly prepared to serve in ANY capacity, will only know the perfection of GOD

March 15, 2004

Indeed, I have personal experience of the principle that when Krsna wants to me merciful to someone, He takes away all their opulence.

What constitutes "opulence" may vary, depending on the karmic propensities of the individual. But in general "opulence" means all those artifices that a person uses to divert his attention from Krsna.

For example, Krsna may take your car (some people actually worship their automobiles, just like a deity). He may take away your family, your friends, your job, your food, shelter, clothing, or even your mind and body.

Whatever objects of worship that are not being directly related to Krsna will be taken away from the one who has become the object of Krsna's mercy. This will force the living entity to surrender to Krsna alone.

Actually, all these things must be discarded anyway if one is to live in Vaikuntha. Inferior prakrti is not present there.

But, again, the particular karmic situation determines what things have to be removed.