Surrendering to the lord

[Guest guest]

When you say surrendering, what do you mean? Surrender to the lord and do your work for the lord? or Give money to temples etc.

[gHari]

The surrendering (giving up) of the results of work, like wages, is a lower path that is also recommended by God in the Bhagavad-gita for people who are unable to follow higher paths. Working for the Lord is another of these paths suggested by Lord Krsna there; He does not want to exclude anyone in any state of capability. "Surrender" however typically refers to the highest path specified in the Holy Gita.

 

When we understand that everything belongs to God, that everything is for His enjoyment, and that He is everyone's best friend, then surrender is the only obvious rational way of life. This hand belongs to Krsna and it is for His enjoyment. Then I will only use it for His pleasure: "Thy will be done".

 

The thirteenth mantra of the Sri Isopanishad recommends surrender to the Supreme Lord, the Cause of all causes:<blockquote><center> anyad evAhuH sambhavAd

anyad Ahur asambhavAt

iti zuzruma dhIrANAM

ye nas tad vicacakSire

</center>

anyat--different; eva--certainly; AhuH--it is said; sambhavAt--by worshiping the Supreme Lord, the cause of all causes; anyat--different; AhuH--it is said; asambhavAt--by worshiping what is not the Supreme; iti--thus; zuzruma--I heard it; dhIrANAm--from the undisturbed authorities; ye--who; naH--unto us; tat--about that subject matter; vicacakSire--perfectly explained.

It is said that one result is obtained by worshiping the supreme cause of all causes and that another result is obtained by worshiping what is not supreme. All this is heard from the undisturbed authorities, who clearly explained it.

 

PURPORT

The system of hearing from undisturbed authorities is approved in this mantra. Unless one hears from a bona fide AcArya, who is never disturbed by the changes of the material world, one cannot have the real key to transcendental knowledge. The bona fide spiritual master, who has also heard the zruti-mantras, or Vedic knowledge, from his undisturbed AcArya, never presents anything that is not mentioned in the Vedic literature. In the Bhagavad-gItA (9.25) it is clearly said that those who worship the pitRs, or forefathers, attain the planets of the forefathers, that the gross materialists who make plans to remain here stay in this world, and that the devotees of the Lord who worship none but Lord KRSNa, the supreme cause of all causes, reach Him in His spiritual sky. Here also in SrI IzopaniSad it is verified that one achieves different results by different modes of worship. If we worship the Supreme Lord, we will certainly reach Him in His eternal abode, and if we worship demigods like the sun-god or moon-god, we can reach their respective planets without a doubt. And if we wish to remain on this wretched planet with our planning commissions and our stopgap political adjustments, we can certainly do that also.

 

Nowhere in authentic scriptures is it said that one will ultimately reach the same goal by doing anything or worshiping anyone. Such foolish theories are offered by self-made "spiritual masters" who have no connection with the paramparA, the bona fide system of disciplic succession. The bona fide spiritual master cannot say that all paths lead to the same goal and that anyone can attain this goal by his own mode of worship of the demigods or of the Supreme or whatever. Any common man can very easily understand that a person can reach his destination only when he has purchased a ticket for that destination. A person who has purchased a ticket for Calcutta can reach Calcutta, but not Bombay. But the so-called spiritual masters say that any and all paths will take one to the supreme goal. Such mundane and compromising offers attract many foolish creatures, who become puffed up with their manufactured methods of spiritual realization. The Vedic instructions, however, do not uphold them. Unless one has received knowledge from the bona fide spiritual master who is in the recognized line of disciplic succession, one cannot have the real thing as it is. KRSNa tells Arjuna in the Bhagavad-gItA (4.2):

<center>

evaM paramparA-prAptam

imaM rAjarSayo viduH

sa kAleneha mahatA

yogo naSTaH parantapa

</center>

"This supreme science was thus received through the chain of disciplic succession, and the saintly kings understood it in that way. But in course of time the succession was broken, and therefore the science as it is appears to be lost."

 

When Lord SrI KRSNa was present on this earth, the bhakti-yoga principles defined in the Bhagavad-gItA had become distorted; therefore the Lord had to reestablish the disciplic system beginning with Arjuna, who was the most confidential friend and devotee of the Lord. The Lord clearly told Arjuna (Bg. 4.3) that it was because Arjuna was His devotee and friend that he could understand the principles of the Bhagavad-gItA. In other words, only the Lord's devotee and friend can understand the GItA. This also means that only one who follows the path of Arjuna can understand the Bhagavad-gItA.

 

At the present moment there are many interpreters and translators of this sublime dialogue who care nothing for Lord KRSNa or Arjuna. Such interpreters explain the verses of the Bhagavad-gItA in their own way and postulate all sorts of rubbish in the name of the GItA. Such interpreters believe neither in SrI KRSNa nor in His eternal abode. How, then, can they explain the Bhagavad-gItA?

 

KRSNa clearly says that only those who have lost their sense worship the demigods for paltry rewards (Bg. 7.20, 23). Ultimately He advises that one give up all other ways and modes of worship and fully surrender unto Him alone (Bg. 18.66). Only those who are cleansed of all sinful reactions can have such unflinching faith in the Supreme Lord. Others will continue hovering on the material platform with their paltry ways of worship and thus will be misled from the real path under the false impression that all paths lead to the same goal.

 

In this mantra of SrI IzopaniSad the word sam-bhavAt, "by worship of the supreme cause," is very significant. Lord KRSNa is the original Personality of Godhead, and everything that exists has emanated from Him. In the Bhagavad-gItA (10.8) the Lord says,

<center>

ahaM sarvasya prabhavo

mattaH sarvaM pravartate

iti matvA bhajante mAM

budhA bhAva-samanvitAH

</center>

"I am the source of all spiritual and material worlds. Everything emanates from Me. The wise who perfectly know this engage in My devotional service and worship Me with all their hearts."

 

Here is a correct description of the Supreme Lord, given by the Lord Himself. The words sarvasya pra-bhavaH indicate that KRSNa is the creator of everyone, including BrahmA, ViSNu and Siva. And because these three principal deities of the material world are created by the Lord, the Lord is the creator of all that exists in the material and spiritual worlds. In the Atharva Veda (GopAla-tApanI UpaniSad 1.24) it is similarly said, "He who existed before the creation of BrahmA and who enlightened BrahmA with Vedic knowledge is Lord SrI KRSNa." Similarly, the NArAyaNa UpaniSad (1) states, "Then the Supreme Person, NArAyaNa, desired to create all living beings. Thus from NArAyaNa, BrahmA was born. NArAyaNa created all the PrajApatis. NArAyaNa created Indra. NArAyaNa created the eight Vasus. NArAyaNa created the eleven Rudras. NArAyaNa created the twelve Adityas." Since NArAyaNa is a plenary manifestation of Lord KRSNa, NArAyaNa and KRSNa are one and the same. The NArAyaNa UpaniSad (4) also states, "DevakI's son [KRSNa] is the Supreme Lord." The identity of NArAyaNa with the supreme cause has also been accepted and confirmed by SrIpAda SaGkarAcArya, even though SaGkara does not belong to the VaiSNava, or personalist, cult. The Atharva Veda (MahA UpaniSad 1) also states, "Only NArAyaNa existed in the beginning, when neither BrahmA, nor Siva, nor fire, nor water, nor stars, nor sun, nor moon existed. The Lord does not remain alone but creates as He desires." KRSNa Himself states in the MokSa-dharma, "I created the PrajApatis and the Rudras. They do not have complete knowledge of Me because they are covered by My illusory energy." It is also stated in the VarAha PurANa: "NArAyaNa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and from Him the four-headed BrahmA was manifested, as well as Rudra, who later became omniscient."

 

Thus all Vedic literature confirms that NArAyaNa, or KRSNa, is the cause of all causes. In the Brahma-saMhitA (5.1) also it is said that the Supreme Lord is SrI KRSNa, Govinda, the delighter of every living being and the primeval cause of all causes. The really learned persons know this from evidence given by the great sages and the Vedas, and thus they decide to worship Lord KRSNa as all in all. Such persons are called budha, or really learned, because they worship only KRSNa.

 

The conviction that KRSNa is all in all is established when one hears the transcendental message from the undisturbed AcArya with faith and love. One who has no faith in or love for Lord KRSNa cannot be convinced of this simple truth. Those who are faithless are described in the Bhagavad-gItA (9.11) as mUDhas--fools or asses. It is said that the mUDhas deride the Personality of Godhead because they do not have complete knowledge from the undisturbed AcArya. One who is disturbed by the whirlpool of material energy is not qualified to become an AcArya.

 

Before hearing the Bhagavad-gItA, Arjuna was disturbed by the material whirlpool, by his affection for his family, society and community. Thus Arjuna wanted to become a philanthropic, nonviolent man of the world. But when he became budha by hearing the Vedic knowledge of the Bhagavad-gItA from the Supreme Person, he changed his decision and became a worshiper of Lord SrI KRSNa, who had Himself arranged the Battle of KurukSetra. Arjuna worshiped the Lord by fighting with his so-called relatives, and in this way he became a pure devotee of the Lord. Such accomplishments are possible only when one worships the real KRSNa and not some fabricated "KRSNa" invented by foolish men who are without knowledge of the intricacies of the science of KRSNa described in the Bhagavad-gItA and SrImad-BhAgavatam.

 

According to the VedAnta-sUtra, sambhUta is the source of birth and sustenance, as well as the reservoir that remains after annihilation (janmAdy asya yataH [sB 1.1.1]). The SrImad-BhAgavatam, the natural commentary on the VedAnta-sUtra by the same author, maintains that the source of all emanations is not like a dead stone but is abhijJa, or fully conscious. The primeval Lord, SrI KRSNa, also says in the Bhagavad-gItA (7.26) that He is fully conscious of past, present and future and that no one, including demigods such as Siva and BrahmA, knows Him fully. Certainly half-educated "spiritual leaders" who are disturbed by the tides of material existence cannot know Him fully. They try to make some compromise by making the mass of humanity the object of worship, but they do not know that such worship is only a myth because the masses are imperfect. The attempt by these so-called spiritual leaders is something like pouring water on the leaves of a tree instead of the root. The natural process is to pour water on the root, but such disturbed leaders are more attracted to the leaves than the root. Despite their perpetually watering the leaves, however, everything dries up for want of nourishment.

 

SrI IzopaniSad advises us to pour water on the root, the source of all germination. Worship of the mass of humanity by rendering bodily service, which can never be perfect, is less important than service to the soul. The soul is the root that generates different types of bodies according to the law of karma. To serve human beings by medical aid, social help and educational facilities while at the same time cutting the throats of poor animals in slaughterhouses is no service at all to the soul, the living being.

 

The living being is perpetually suffering in different types of bodies from the material miseries of birth, old age, disease and death. The human form of life offers one a chance to get out of this entanglement simply by reestablishing the lost relationship between the living entity and the Supreme Lord. The Lord comes personally to teach this philosophy of surrender unto the Supreme, the sambhUta. Real service to humanity is rendered when one teaches surrender to and worship of the Supreme Lord with full love and energy. That is the instruction of SrI IzopaniSad in this mantra.

 

The simple way to worship the Supreme Lord in this age of disturbance is to hear and chant about His great activities. The mental speculators, however, think that the activities of the Lord are imaginary; therefore they refrain from hearing of them and invent some word jugglery without any substance to divert the attention of the innocent masses of people. Instead of hearing of the activities of Lord KRSNa, such pseudo spiritual masters advertise themselves by inducing their followers to sing about them. In modern times the number of such pretenders has increased considerably, and it has become a problem for the pure devotees of the Lord to save the masses of people from the unholy propaganda of these pretenders and pseudo incarnations.

 

The UpaniSads indirectly draw our attention to the primeval Lord, SrI KRSNa, but the Bhagavad-gItA, which is the summary of all the UpaniSads, directly points to SrI KRSNa. Therefore one should hear about KRSNa as He is by hearing from the Bhagavad-gItA or SrImad-BhAgavatam, and in this way one's mind will gradually be cleansed of all contaminated things. SrImad-BhAgavatam (1.2.17) says, "By hearing of the activities of the Lord, the devotee draws the attention of the Lord. Thus the Lord, being situated in the heart of every living being, helps the devotee by giving him proper directions." The Bhagavad-gItA (10.10) confirms this: dadAmi buddhi-yogaM taM yena mAm upayAnti te.

 

The Lord's inner direction cleanses the devotee's heart of all contamination produced by the material modes of passion and ignorance. Nondevotees are under the sway of passion and ignorance. One who is in passion cannot become detached from material hankering, and one who is in ignorance cannot know what he is or what the Lord is. Thus when one is in passion or ignorance, there is no chance for self-realization, however much one may play the part of a religionist. For a devotee, the modes of passion and ignorance are removed by the grace of the Lord. In this way the devotee becomes situated in the quality of goodness, the sign of a perfect brAhmaNa. Anyone can qualify as a brAhmaNa if he follows the path of devotional service under the guidance of a bona fide spiritual master. SrImad-BhAgavatam (2.4.18) also says:

<center>

kirAta-hUNAndhra-pulinda-pulkazA

AbhIra-zumbhA yavanAH khasAdayaH

ye 'nye ca pApA yad-apAzrayAzrayAH

zudhyanti tasmai prabhaviSNave namaH

</center>

Any lowborn person can be purified by the guidance of a pure devotee of the Lord, for the Lord is extraordinarily powerful.

 

When one attains brahminical qualifications, he becomes happy and enthusiastic to render devotional service to the Lord. Automatically the science of God is unveiled before him. By knowing the science of God, one gradually becomes freed from material attachments, and one's doubtful mind becomes crystal clear by the grace of the Lord. One who attains this stage is a liberated soul and can see the Lord in every step of life. This is the perfection of sambhava, as described in this mantra of SrI IzopaniSad.

</blockquote>

 

As referenced above, here is where Lord Krsna advises Arjuna to surrender in the Bhagavad-gita 18.66<blockquote><center>sarva-dharmAn parityajya

mAm ekaM zaraNaM vraja

ahaM tvAM sarva-pApebhyo

mokSayiSyAmi mA zucaH

</center>

sarva-dharmAn--all varieties of religion; parityajya--abandoning; mAm--unto Me; ekam--only; zaraNam--for surrender; vraja--go; aham--I; tvAm--you; sarva--all; pApebhyaH--from sinful reactions; mokSayiSyAmi--will deliver; mA--do not; zucaH--worry.

Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear.

 

PURPORT

The Lord has described various kinds of knowledge and processes of religion--knowledge of the Supreme Brahman, knowledge of the Supersoul, knowledge of the different types of orders and statuses of social life, knowledge of the renounced order of life, knowledge of nonattachment, sense and mind control, meditation, etc. He has described in so many ways different types of religion. Now, in summarizing Bhagavad-gItA, the Lord says that Arjuna should give up all the processes that have been explained to him; he should simply surrender to KRSNa. That surrender will save him from all kinds of sinful reactions, for the Lord personally promises to protect him.

 

In the Seventh Chapter it was said that only one who has become free from all sinful reactions can take to the worship of Lord KRSNa. Thus one may think that unless he is free from all sinful reactions he cannot take to the surrendering process. To such doubts it is here said that even if one is not free from all sinful reactions, simply by the process of surrendering to SrI KRSNa he is automatically freed. There is no need of strenuous effort to free oneself from sinful reactions. One should unhesitatingly accept KRSNa as the supreme savior of all living entities. With faith and love, one should surrender unto Him.

 

The process of surrender to KRSNa is described in the Hari-bhakti-vilAsa (11.676):

<center>

AnukUlyasya saGkalpaH

prAtikUlyasya varjanam

rakSiSyatIti vizvAso

goptRtve varanaM tathA

Atma-nikSepa-kArpaNye

SaD-vidhA zaraNAgatiH

</center>

According to the devotional process, one should simply accept such religious principles that will lead ultimately to the devotional service of the Lord. One may perform a particular occupational duty according to his position in the social order, but if by executing his duty one does not come to the point of KRSNa consciousness, all his activities are in vain. Anything that does not lead to the perfectional stage of KRSNa consciousness should be avoided. One should be confident that in all circumstances KRSNa will protect him from all difficulties. There is no need of thinking how one should keep the body and soul together. KRSNa will see to that. One should always think himself helpless and should consider KRSNa the only basis for his progress in life. As soon as one seriously engages himself in devotional service to the Lord in full KRSNa consciousness, at once he becomes freed from all contamination of material nature. There are different processes of religion and purificatory processes by cultivation of knowledge, meditation in the mystic yoga system, etc., but one who surrenders unto KRSNa does not have to execute so many methods. That simple surrender unto KRSNa will save him from unnecessarily wasting time. One can thus make all progress at once and be freed from all sinful reactions.

 

One should be attracted by the beautiful vision of KRSNa. His name is KRSNa because He is all-attractive. One who becomes attracted by the beautiful, all-powerful, omnipotent vision of KRSNa is fortunate. There are different kinds of transcendentalists--some of them are attached to the impersonal Brahman vision, some of them are attracted by the Supersoul feature, etc., but one who is attracted to the personal feature of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and, above all, one who is attracted by the Supreme Personality of Godhead as KRSNa Himself, is the most perfect transcendentalist. In other words, devotional service to KRSNa, in full consciousness, is the most confidential part of knowledge, and this is the essence of the whole Bhagavad-gItA. Karma-yogIs, empiric philosophers, mystics and devotees are all called transcendentalists, but one who is a pure devotee is the best of all. The particular words used here, mA zucaH, "Don't fear, don't hesitate, don't worry," are very significant. One may be perplexed as to how one can give up all kinds of religious forms and simply surrender unto KRSNa, but such worry is useless.</blockquote>

 

Qualifications for the final absolute surrender to God is described in the Bhagavad-gita 7.19:<blockquote><center>bahUnAM janmanAm ante

jJAnavAn mAM prapadyate

vAsudevaH sarvam iti

sa mahAtmA su-durlabhaH

</center>

bahUnAm--many; janmanAm--repeated births and deaths; ante--after; jJAna-vAn--one who is in full knowledge; mAm--unto Me; prapadyate--surrenders; vAsudevaH--the Personality of Godhead, KRSNa; sarvam--everything; iti--thus; saH--that; mahA-AtmA--great soul; su-durlabhaH--very rare to see.

After many births and deaths, he who is actually in knowledge surrenders unto Me, knowing Me to be the cause of all causes and all that is. Such a great soul is very rare.

 

PURPORT

The living entity, while executing devotional service or transcendental rituals after many, many births, may actually become situated in transcendental pure knowledge that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the ultimate goal of spiritual realization. In the beginning of spiritual realization, while one is trying to give up one's attachment to materialism, there is some leaning towards impersonalism, but when one is further advanced he can understand that there are activities in the spiritual life and that these activities constitute devotional service. Realizing this, he becomes attached to the Supreme Personality of Godhead and surrenders to Him. At such a time one can understand that Lord SrI KRSNa's mercy is everything, that He is the cause of all causes and that this material manifestation is not independent from Him. He realizes the material world to be a perverted reflection of spiritual variegatedness and realizes that in everything there is a relationship with the Supreme Lord KRSNa. Thus he thinks of everything in relation to VAsudeva, or SrI KRSNa. Such a universal vision of VAsudeva precipitates one's full surrender to the Supreme Lord SrI KRSNa as the highest goal. Such surrendered great souls are very rare.

 

This verse is very nicely explained in the Third Chapter (verses 14 and 15) of the SvetAzvatara UpaniSad:

<center>

sahasra-zIrSA puruSaH

sahasrAkSaH sahasra-pAt

sa bhUmiM vizvato vRtvA-

tyAtiSThad dazAGgulam

 

puruSa evedaM sarvaM

yad bhUtaM yac ca bhavyam

utAmRtatvasyezAno

yad annenAtirohati

</center>

In the ChAndogya UpaniSad (5.1.15) it is said, na vai vAco na cakSUMSi na zrotrANi na manAMsIty AcakSate prANa iti evAcakSate prANo hy evaitAni sarvANi bhavanti: "In the body of a living being neither the power to speak, nor the power to see, nor the power to hear, nor the power to think is the prime factor; it is life which is the center of all activities." Similarly Lord VAsudeva, or the Personality of Godhead, Lord SrI KRSNa, is the prime entity in everything. In this body there are powers of speaking, of seeing, of hearing, of mental activities, etc. But these are not important if not related to the Supreme Lord. And because VAsudeva is all-pervading and everything is VAsudeva, the devotee surrenders in full knowledge (cf. Bhagavad-gItA 7.17 and 11.40).</blockquote>

 

So absolute surrender is quite rare, but we are all in varying degrees of surrender, even as we type our posts here. As a bolt well-fixed in the machine is good for the machine, and a bolt completely fallen from the machine is simply useless, still a loose screw that is somewhat performing its prescribed function is perhaps of some use. In Bhagavad-gita 4.11, Lord Krsna explains that we benefit from whatever amount of surrender we manage to exhibit moment to moment:<blockquote><center>ye yathA mAM prapadyante

tAMs tathaiva bhajAmy aham

mama vartmAnuvartante

manuSyAH pArtha sarvazaH

</center>

ye--all who; yathA--as; mAm--unto Me; prapadyante--surrender; tAn--them; tathA--so; eva--certainly; bhajAmi--reward; aham--I; mama--My; vartma--path; anuvartante--follow; manuSyAH--all men; pArtha--O son of PRthA; sarvazaH--in all respects.

As all surrender unto Me, I reward them accordingly. Everyone follows My path in all respects, O son of PRthA.

 

PURPORT

Everyone is searching for KRSNa in the different aspects of His manifestations. KRSNa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is partially realized in His impersonal brahmajyoti effulgence and as the all-pervading Supersoul dwelling within everything, including the particles of atoms. But KRSNa is fully realized only by His pure devotees. Consequently, KRSNa is the object of everyone's realization, and thus anyone and everyone is satisfied according to one's desire to have Him. In the transcendental world also, KRSNa reciprocates with His pure devotees in the transcendental attitude, just as the devotee wants Him. One devotee may want KRSNa as supreme master, another as his personal friend, another as his son, and still another as his lover. KRSNa rewards all the devotees equally, according to their different intensities of love for Him. In the material world, the same reciprocations of feelings are there, and they are equally exchanged by the Lord with the different types of worshipers. The pure devotees both here and in the transcendental abode associate with Him in person and are able to render personal service to the Lord and thus derive transcendental bliss in His loving service. As for those who are impersonalists and who want to commit spiritual suicide by annihilating the individual existence of the living entity, KRSNa helps also by absorbing them into His effulgence. Such impersonalists do not agree to accept the eternal, blissful Personality of Godhead; consequently they cannot relish the bliss of transcendental personal service to the Lord, having extinguished their individuality. Some of them, who are not firmly situated even in the impersonal existence, return to this material field to exhibit their dormant desires for activities. They are not admitted into the spiritual planets, but they are again given a chance to act on the material planets. For those who are fruitive workers, the Lord awards the desired results of their prescribed duties, as the yajJezvara; and those who are yogIs seeking mystic powers are awarded such powers. In other words, everyone is dependent for success upon His mercy alone, and all kinds of spiritual processes are but different degrees of success on the same path. Unless, therefore, one comes to the highest perfection of KRSNa consciousness, all attempts remain imperfect, as is stated in the SrImad-BhAgavatam (2.3.10):

<center>

akAmaH sarva-kAmo vA

mokSa-kAma udAra-dhIH

tIvreNa bhakti-yogena

yajeta puruSaM param

</center>

"Whether one is without desire [the condition of the devotees], or is desirous of all fruitive results, or is after liberation, one should with all efforts try to worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead for complete perfection, culminating in KRSNa consciousness."</blockquote>

 

It is all summed up in this purport to Sri Caitanya-caritamrita Madhya-lila 4.96 where again the Bg 4.11 verse from above is highlighted:<blockquote>In the Bhagavad-gItA (4.11) it is said, ye yathA mAM prapadyante tAMs tathaiva bhajAmy aham. There is a responsive cooperation between the Supreme Lord KRSNa and His devotees. The more a devotee sincerely loves KRSNa, the more KRSNa reciprocates, so much so that a highly advanced devotee can talk with KRSNa face to face. KRSNa confirms this in the Bhagavad-gItA (10.10):

<center>

teSAM satata-yuktAnAM bhajatAM prIti-pUrvakam

dadAmi buddhi-yogaM taM yena mAm upayAnti te

</center>

"To those who are constantly devoted to serving Me with love, I give the understanding by which they can come to Me." The actual mission of human life is to understand KRSNa and return home, back to Godhead. Therefore one who is sincerely engaged in the service of the Lord with love and faith can talk with KRSNa and receive instructions by which he can speedily return home, back to Godhead. Today many scholars defend the science of religion, and they have some conception of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but religion without practical experience of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is no religion at all. SrImad-BhAgavatam describes this as a form of cheating. Religion means abiding by the orders of KRSNa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. If one is not qualified to talk with Him and take lessons from Him, how can one understand the principles of religion? Thus talks of religion or religious experience without KRSNa consciousness are a useless waste of time.</blockquote>

 

gHari

[I_love_krishna_]

But what would be pleasing to krishna? I do think that my body, my soul and everything I have is krishna's but the fact is all I was doing until now was performing my daily activities and thinking that I am doing it for krishna.

 

Isn't that what we do? Or do we do something else?

 

[gHari]

Lord Krsna recommends several plans to Arjuna in Chapter 12 of the Bhagavad-gita before He trumps them all with "Just surrender unto Me" in Chapter 18.66:<blockquote>

[METHOD 1] Just fix your mind upon Me, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and engage all your intelligence in Me. Thus you will live in Me always, without a doubt.

 

My dear Arjuna, O winner of wealth, if you cannot fix your mind upon Me without deviation, then [METHOD 2] follow the regulative principles of bhakti-yoga. In this way develop a desire to attain Me.

 

If you cannot practice the regulations of bhakti-yoga, then just try to [METHOD 3] work for Me, because by working for Me you will come to the perfect stage.

 

If, however, you are unable to work in this consciousness of Me, then try to [METHOD 4] act giving up all results of your work and try to be self-situated.

 

If you cannot take to this practice, then [METHOD 7] engage yourself in the cultivation of knowledge. Better than knowledge, however, is [METHOD 6] meditation, and better than meditation is [METHOD 5] renunciation of the fruits of action, for by such renunciation one can attain peace of mind.

</blockquote>

[I_love_krishna_]

But, isn't that lower type of bhakthi?, because you said that it is a lower type in the other post. If it is, then is that like , you get to see krishna but not really get close to him?

 

I say this because I remember reading that Krishna is like fire and he is there, but it is up to you to get close to him. So, is this a lower form of bhakthi, because we are not doing anything else other than constantly performing your every day activities for krishna.

 

then if this is the lower form of bhakthi, does that mean that we get close to krishna but not really close. So we are really far away. /images/graemlins/confused.gif

[gHari]

I_Love_Krishna,

 

It's about increasing love and desire while decreasing material attachment. As this happens eventually some 5s turn to 4s and 3s turn to 2s in a more intimate tighter embrace.

 

I think you've got some nice 2 going on already; with a bunch of ones and even some 18.66s. You seem to be doing fine from where I sit.

 

If you have the purports to the Bhaktivedanta Bhagavad-gita As It Is, his faith in and love for Sri Krsna is very contagious.

 

gHari

[Guest guest]

Surrender basically means to be established in your constitutional position as a servant of God. It is an acceptance of position and authority - as well as love.

 

It is not an activity so much as it is a state of mind. Like being humble, it is just a mindset.

 

But we don't like this surrender really. On the one hand we want to imitate, on the other we fear loosing our identity.

 

Work is training. When our training is complete, we will command the freedom to work in very personal and spontaneous ways.

 

Guess Guest

[mryabotoetoyou]

Doesn't the word god really mean good. So to surrender to god is to say surrender to good? But then one should always be careful to who's good they are surrendering to.

[Guest guest]

God is perfect as is his creation. War being part of that creation has its purpose. The enviroment is not our enemy neither are our neighbors. The enemy is our own exploitive tendencies. We most rid ourself of the desire to be the controller and submit ourselves to the will of God. What is that will ? That is surredder to Guru and Krishna and show compassion upon others by seeing them as part and parcil of krishna and give them the holy name. The holy name will do the rest.