Declaration of war against the activities of Maya.

[krsna]

KRSNA CONSCIOUS SOLDIERS

 

I can understand from your letter that you are a quite fit soldier for fighting with Maya. Our Krishna Consciousness Movement is a declaration of war against the activities of Maya. Candika is another name of the external energy called Maya. This Candika is described as the Goddess who is putting all conditioned souls in darkness... in a sense this Krishna Consciousness Movement is declaring war against Candika, who has kept the living entities under her spell. Candika's first spell is to make us identify ourselves with these material conditions. Just like a living entity, because he is born and brought up in American condition, thinks himself as American, similarly, others are thinking they are Indians, Canadians, or French and so on. Actually, one is none of these material designations, but he is pure Krishna Consciousness, now covered by the spell of Candika's energy, or the material energy.

 

So your program, seemingly like military men, marching with the Hare Krishna Mantra slogan is very very encouraging to me. I am always dreaming of a world Sankirtana Party, but your idea of marching 300 soldiers all over the world with the Hare Krishna Mantra is almost in fulfillment of my dream. So if you can believe in this adventure, certainly you will be doing a great deal of service to the humanity and therefore satisfying Krishna also...

 

...Therefore, Krishna Consciousness is also a sort of fight; but not with rifles. Our weapon is karatalas. In this age there is no need of fighting with rifles because the population is so poor that they are already killed by so many disturbances. They are short lived, poor in knowledge, slack in advancement of spiritual life, unfortunate, and embarrassed by so many miserable conditions of life; like war, famine, pestilence, poverty and so on. So to kill these persons by a rifle is like bringing a cannon for killing a mosquito. So Lord Caitanya introduced this fighting principle of the Sankirtana Movement to reclaim all the fallen souls, who consist of so-called philosophers, half-educated scientists, misguided educationists and a miscreant society. If you can consolidate a party of soldiers as described by you, chanting Hare Krishna Mantra and claiming everyone of them to Krishna Consciousness, that will be a glorious task, and you have all of my good wishes for you for this purpose...

 

So far as your dress is concerned, that is immaterial. But as a soldier you know that every soldier has got a uniform dress according to the army etiquette of regulation. Therefore, the army of Krishna Consciousness must have at least the tilak on the forehead in all conditions. For your business you can wear your naval service uniform; similarly, if you have tilak on your forehead as a soldier of Krishna Consciousness, you may not have so much objection, because it is essential. Your ideas are great, and your efficiency is laudable. The best thing would have been if you could come here and live with me at least for a week. We could have discussed it very nicely, so in the future you can become a great commander of the Krishna Consciousness soldiers.

I hope this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami (Aug. 3,1969)

 

The innumerable, glorious followers of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu brought a constant flood to the desertlike hearts of the unfortunate with an inundation of ecstatic love. All glories to the devotees of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who are always overwhelmed by transcendental bliss!

(Krsnadasa Kaviraja Goswami CC Antya-lila 9.1,3)

[krsna]

The natural effect of chanting the Hare Krsna mantra

AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaj Prabhupada

 

Chanting Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare—is the sublime method for reviving our Krsna consciousness. As living spiritual souls we are all originally Krsna conscious entities, but due to our asociation with matter since time immemorial, our consciousness is now poluted by material atmosphere. In this polluted concept of life, we are all trying to exploit the resources of material nature, but actually we are becoming more and more entangled in our complexities. This illusion is called maya, or hard struggle for existence over the stringent laws of material nature. This illusory struggle against the material nature can at once be stopped by revival of our Krsna consciousness.

Krsna consciousness is not an artificial imposition on the mind. This consciousness is the original energy of the living entity. When we hear the transcendental vibration, this consciousness is revived. And the process is recommended by authorities for this age. By practical experience also, we can perceive that by chanting this maha-mantra, or the Great Chanting for Deliverance, one can at once feel transcendental ecstasy from the spiritual stratum. When one is factually on the plane of spiritual understanding, surpassing the stages of sense, mind and intelligence, one is situated on the transcendental plane. This chanting of Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare / Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare is directly enacted from the spiritual platform, surpassing all lower states of consciousness--namely sensual, mental and intellectual. There is no need of understanding the language of the mantra, nor is there any need of mental speculation nor any intellectual adjustment for chanting this maha-mantra. It springs automatically from the spiritual platform, and as such, anyone can take part in this transcendental sound vibration, without any previous qualification, and dance in ecstasy.

 

We have seen it practically. Even a child can take part in the chanting, or even a dog can take part in it. The chanting should be hears, however, from the lips of a pure devotee of the Lord, so that immediate effect can be achieved. As far as possible, chanting from the lips of a nondevotee should be avoided, as much as milk touched by the lips of a serpent causes poisonous effect.

 

The word Hara is a form of addressing the energy of the Lord. Both Krsna and Rama are forms of addressing directly the Lord, and they mean "the highest pleasure, eternal." Hara is the supreme pleasure potency of the Lord. This potency, when addressed are Hare, helps us in reaching the Supreme Lord.

 

The material energy, called as maya, is also one of the multipotencies of the Lord, as much as we are also marginal potency of the Lord. The living entities are described as superior energy than matter. When the superior energy is in contact with inferior energy, it becomes an incompatible situation. But when the supreme marginal potency is in contact with the spiritual potency, Hara,it becomes the happy, normal condition of the living entity.

 

The three words, namely Hara, Krsna and Rama, are transcendental seeds of the maha-mantra, and the chanting is a spiritual call for the Lord and His internal energy, Hara, for giving protection to the conditioned soul. The chanting is exactly like a genuine cry by the child for the mother. Mother Hara helps in achieving the grace of the supreme father, Hari, or Krsna, and the Lord reveals Himself to such a sincere devotee.

 

No other means, therefore, of spiritual realization is as effective in this age, as chanting the maha-mantra, Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

 

[krsna]

http://www.afn.org/~afn18429/poland6.htm

[krsna]

Thus a godless civilization becomes

the source of all calamities

 

 

Thus being advised by the demoniac ministers, Kamsa, who was from the very beginning the greatest rascal, decided to persecute the brahmanas and Vaisnavas, being entrapped by the shackles of all-devouring, eternal time. He ordered the demons to harass all kinds of saintly persons, and then he entered his house. The adherents of Kamsa were all influenced by the modes of passion as well as illusioned by the modes of ignorance, and their only business was to create enmity with saintly persons. Such activities can only reduce the duration of life. The demons accelerated the process and invited their deaths as soon as possible. The result of persecuting saintly persons is not only untimely death. The act is so offensive that the actor also gradually loses his beauty, his fame and his religious principles, and his promotion to higher planets is also checked. Driven by various kinds of mental concoctions, the demons diminish all kinds of welfare. An offense at the lotus feet of the devotees and brahmanas is a greater offense than that committed at the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Thus a godless civilization becomes the source of all calamities.

(Krsna Book Chapter 4 "Kamsa Begins His Persecutions")

 

==========================================

 

"The whole world is awaiting that disaster"

That is awaiting. The whole world is awaiting that disaster. The America has got atom bomb and Russia has got atom bomb. As soon as there is another war, the whole world will be finished.

(Bhagavad-gita Lec. 13.14 Bombay, October 7, 1973)

 

==============================================

 

So these rascals are going on. So it is very difficult to preach Krsna consciousness. The whole world is overburdened by these rascals and demons. So atom, atom bomb is waiting for them. Yes. It will be finished. All the demons will be finished.

 

(Srimad-Bhagavatam Lec. 1.8.34 Los Angeles, April 26, 1973)

 

============================================

 

You are maintaining so many slaughterhouses, and when it will be mature, there will be war, the wholesale murder. Finished. One atom bomb--finished. You'll have to suffer. Don't think that "Innocent animals, they cannot protest. Let us kill and eat." No. You'll be also punished. Wait for accumulation of your sinful activities, and there will be war, and the America will drop the atom bomb, and Russia will be finished. Both will be finished. Go on now enjoying. It takes time. Just like even if you infect some disease, it takes time. Not that immediately you infect, and immediately the disease is there. No. It takes a week's time or so.

 

(Srimad-Bhagavatam Lec. 6.1.32 Honolulu, May 31, 1976)

 

-----------------

Paramahamsa: The theory nowadays is that by the proliferation of atomic weapons, that Russia has so many weapons, China has so many weapons, the United States has so much...

Prabhupada: Everyone now. India has also.

Paramahamsa: They're all afraid of using them.

Prabhupada: They must use it. That is nature's arrangement.

Paramahamsa: Yeah, right. History.

Prabhupada: Yes. That is nature's arrangement (chuckles) that you all die. That is nature's arrangement.

Tamala Krsna: When someone gets some power he wants to try it out. Just like there was that demon. Lord Siva gave him power: whoever head he touched, the head would fall off.

Prabhupada: Just like in your country there are so many cars so that a poor man like me has car always, not an inch move on leg. So because there is so many. There are so many cars. So there are so many weapons now. That must be used. That is a natural sequence. They must use it.

Bahulasva: That is why they have wars, just so they can use up the weapons.

Prabhupada: Oh yes.

Paramahamsa: The only difficulty is that if one person uses the atomic weapon, that means entire, it would be entire waste of mankind. So everyone's afraid of using the ultimate.

Prabhupada: Well, anyway, they must be used. There is no doubt about it. Therefore we can say there will be war. It is no astrology. It is natural conclusion.

Tamala Krsna: Common sense.

Paramahamsa: That'd mean total destruction.

Prabhupada: Well, total or partial, that we shall see. But they must be used.

( S.P.Morning Walk July 18, 1975, San Francisco)

------------------

 

The modern civilization has got everything, but without God consciousness, any moment it will be finished. And there are symptoms... Any moment. At the present moment, this godless civilization, as soon as there is declaration of war, the America is prepared to drop atom bomb, Russia is... The first nation who will drop the atom bomb, he will be victorious. Nobody will be victorious, because both of them are ready to drop. The America will be finished and Russia will be finished. That is the position. So you may make advancement of civilization, scientific improvement, economic development, but if it is godless, at any moment it will be finished. At any moment.

 

(Srimad-Bhagavatam Lec. 1.15.21 Los Angeles, December 1, 1973)

 

------------

 

You have created this situation. You must be killed. You may be American or Englishman or German or this or that. You may be very proud of your nationality. But you must be killed." This is the position. Isvarasya vicestitam. "You have killed so many animals. Now wholesale killing, one bomb. One atom bomb. Be killed." So these rascals they do not know how things are going on. Isvarasya vicestitam. "Tit for tat." There must be.

 

(Srimad-Bhagavatam Lec. 1.15.24 Los Angeles, December 3, 1973)

 

------

 

Prabhupada: This dhumaketu is described in Dasavatara-stotra, dhumaketum iva kim api karalam. Dhumaketum iva. Dhumaketum iva kim api karalam. As soon as there is comet, there will be some disaster. Very great disaster. In our childhood we saw the comet, not this like. That was small comet. Still, the first world war was there declared. That we have seen in 1914.

 

Nara-narayana: Halley's comet.

 

Prabhupada: Eh?

 

Nara-narayana: I think they called it Halley's comet. Halley's comet.

 

Prabhupada: Now the... You can expect at any moment disaster in this material world, but the comet is the sign that there will be some great disaster.

 

( S.P. Morning Walk January 3, 1974, Los Angeles)

 

-----------

 

Prabhupada: Yes. All Western adventure to keep people in darkness. And that is going on. Now it will be smashed by the next war. Next war will come very soon.

 

Tamala Krsna: (Surprised) Oh!

 

Prabhupada: Yes.

 

Tamala Krsna: Next war...?

 

Prabhupada: Your country, America, is very much eager to kill these Communists. And the Communists are also very eager. So very soon there will be war. And perhaps India will be the greatest sufferer.

 

Tamala Krsna: Greatest...?

 

Devotees: Sufferer.

 

Srutakirti: Sufferer.

 

Prabhupada: Because America is aiming to start the war from India.

 

Devotee: Oh!

 

Prabhupada: Yes. Because India and Russia, they are...

 

Brahmananda: They are... Friendship.

 

Prabhupada: No. Side by side. If the war is started from India...

 

Rupanuga: So India will become...

 

Prabhupada: And the Russians are ready here already, I have heard, with soldiers and... Not soldiers. I mean to say.

 

Hamsaduta: Missiles.

 

Prabhupada: Yes. They are also vigilant.

 

Visnujana: Will that help our preaching, Prabhupada?

 

Prabhupada: Preaching will be very nice after the war when both of them, especially Russia, will be finished.......

 

Prabhupada: Yes, they are getting. They are already getting. The Pakistan will start the war with India. And then everything will be...

 

Devotees: Oh! Whew!

 

Devotee: Pakistan will start a war... (devotees talking among themselves.)...

 

Tamala Krsna: Will this war spread to many different countries and continents?

 

Prabhupada: The actual war will be between America and Russia.

 

( S.P. Morning Walk Conversation (World War III) April 4, 1975, Mayapur)

 

-----

 

Prabhupada: Yes. Next war means atomic war. All these rascals will be killed automatically. I will kill you, you'll kill me. That's all.

Yogesvara: Is that war to occur in the recent future? Or is that a long way off?

Prabhupada: Very recent, very recent future.

 

(S.P.Morning Walk May 27, 1974, Rome)

 

 

 

-----

 

 

"After a laps of fifty years"

 

 

 

By the grace of the illusory energy of Godhead we are now engaged more and more in the dangerous type of work in this machine-age. The machine-age is the result of dangerous type of work. When we leave aside the culture of spiritualism, we are entangled in the dangerous type of work. Nobody can live for a moment without work and therefore when finer elements are made to stop working, gross materialism occupies the devil's brain. The result is that we have now come to the age of nuclear weapons for the destruction of material civilization. By the law of nature, the nuclear weapons have been produced for crushing the result of blind-materialism.

The peace move of different powers of the world, by the false gesture of suspending the experiments of dangerous weapons--may be very much pleasing to the comparatively weak nations--but these temporary peace-moves will prove useless by the law of material nature. When the dangerous weapons are produced, they must be utilised for annihilation of blind materialism by the plan of the Daivi Maya or the external energy of Godhead. The problem can be solved when they are taught about their spiritual identity.

The soul-killing civilization is progressively taking to the dangerous type of work by invention of huge mechanical means. The illusory energy is creating this atmosphere for blind materialism and on the other hand she is arranging for their destruction also. Such opposite methods are called illusory energy. The human energy is thus misused for breaking the same thing which is produced by the same energy. It is something like blazing the fire and extinguish it by pouring water simultaneously--a sign of insanity or spoiling the valuable human energy meant for spiritual culture. History has been repeated so many times and many many leaders of materialism like Napoleon, Hitler and others now remain in name only without any sign of the material progress planned by them. De-Stalinisation has already begun in Russia. Nobody is enjoying the result of civilization created by atheists like Ravana, Kansa, Aurangzeb, Napoleon or Hitler. Everything is in oblivion and this teaches us the lesson that the materialistic plans of the present age will also meet with the same fate after a lapse of 50 years. Therefore blind materialism does not bring in any permanent relief in the world.

 

(Srila Prabhupada B.T.G. Article 1956 "Blind Materialism" )

 

----

"The first party who will drop the bomb

on the other party, he will be victorious,

and immediately the war will stop"

Now the nuclear war means it will not continue very long. The first party who will drop the bomb on the other party, he will be victorious, and immediately the war will stop. They are simply arranging how to drop the atom bomb first. So one who will be able to drop the bomb first, he will be victorious. It doesn't require long time. Just like in Japan, as soon as the Americans dropped the atom bomb in Hiroshima, immediately they surrendered. This will be the result. Now the question is who will be able to drop the bomb first.

(S.P. Morning Walk June 16, 1975, Honolulu)

 

 

 

Harikesa: The sinless people will survive

 

Prabhupada: Yes.

 

Devotee (3): Who is that?

Prabhupada: We

 

Prabhupada: That will take place. Otherwise, how they will be killed?

Ambarisa: They're calling it a limited nuclear war.

Prabhupada: They are accumulated so much sinful load that must be killed. That is sure. (break) ...the massacre. That will take place.

Harikesa: The sinless people will survive?

Prabhupada: Yes.

Devotee (3): Who is that?

Prabhupada: We. (break) There was an artificial famine in India and I particularly inquired from all devotees whether they have got any problem in this famine. They said, "No, we haven't got." I have taken the statistics. In 1942 the artificial famine created by government... So there were big earthquake in Bihar. At that time one of my godbrother, he was government auditor. So I inquired. In that earthquake only his house was saved. I have seen it many times. Kaunteya pratijanihi na me bhaktah pranasyati. That is the only....

samasrita ye pada-pallava-plavam

mahat-padam punya-yaso murareh

bhavambudhir vatsa-padam param padam

padam padam yad vipadam na tesam

Padam padam yad vipadam na tesam. It is not meant for them, all these dangerous condition.

(S.P. Morning Walk June 16, 1975, Honolulu)

----------------------

Dhananjaya: And after the war what will be the result?

Prabhupada: After the war they will come to sense.

(S.P.Morning Walk May 27, 1974, Rome)

Prabhupada: Preaching will be very nice after the war when both of them, especially Russia, will be finished.......

 

( S.P. Morning Walk Conversation (World War III) April 4, 1975, Mayapur)

-

There is always this great quarrel between the laborers and the capitalistsin in present-day society. The quarrel has now taken an international shape, and the world is in danger… .The Bomb is in the hands of both the communists and capitalists, and if both do not recognize the proprietorship of the Supreme Lord, it is sure and certain that, ultimately, the Bomb will ruin both parties. Therefore, in order to save themselves, both must follow the instruction of Sri Isopanisad, and thus bring peace to the world.

Sri Isopanisad (Page 16)

 

 

-

 

As soon as you have got some money, print books, print books. Don't keep it. If you print books, some day somebody will read. But if we keep money, it creates disturbance. I am therefore always insisting, "Print books, Print books." Or construct temple, this building, that building. There is no need of keeping money.

( S.P.Garden Discussion on Bhagavad-gita Sixteenth Chapter June 26, 1976, New Vrindaban)

-------------------------

Formerly money was gold and silver coins. It had some value. But what is the present currency? Simply piece of paper. Bunch of papers. During the last war the government failed in Germany, and these bunch of papers were thrown in the street. Nobody was caring. Nobody was caring.

 

( B.G. Lec. 9.4 Melbourne, April 22, 1976)

----------------------------

 

"For our parts we should just be determined to carry out our mission against all opposition, demons, nuclear war, whatever"

 

 

 

You have asked about whether nuclear devastation on this planet would effect the Sankirtana Movement. No, there is nothing that can stop the Sankirtana Movement because it is the will of God Himself, Lord Caitanya, that His Holy Name be heard in every town and village. Neither can the demons devastate this planet independent of the will of Krsna. Nothing happens without His sanction. If Krsna wants to kill someone no one can save Him, and if Krsna wants to save someone no one can kill him. For our parts we should just be determined to carry out our mission against all opposition, demons, nuclear war, whatever. The whole universe is finally subject to certain annihilation by the will of Krsna, but devotional service is eternal and is the only certain way one can save himself from devastation.

 

(S.P. Letter to: Makhanlal Mayapur 22 June, 1973)

[krsna]

*****Nice article by a devotee who is praying his utmost to distribute the mercy of Guru and Gouranga to one and all indisciminately:pray: :

 

 

tiny, tiny, tiny...

 

 

BY: JAGABANDHU DASA

 

 

May 25, FORT WHITE, FLORIDA (SUN) —

 

A few weeks ago, my good friend Raghavendu Prabhu joked about someone he knew being 'kicked out of the temple' for chanting "Nitai," because he had apparently begun to chant "tiny" instead. I was immediately struck by the Brilliance of such an idea in the ongoing war against offensively chanting the Holy Name.

 

 

I have often considered Sri Narada's Absolute Brilliance in encouraging a repentant murderer to chant Mara (Death) ceaselessly, thereby influencing Valmiki Muni to inadvertently, offenselessly chant the Holy Name of Lord Ram. And now this astounding revelation -- that if a soul chants the word "tiny" over and over again while thinking it only means "very small," the opportunity and possibility of offenselessly chanting the Holy Name of Sri Nitai becomes profound.

 

 

I have begun to suggest to my average American blue collar co-workers to say "tiny" repeatedly while thinking "very small," and "It" will bring them much good fortune, beyond their imagining. The great extent of such awesome potential good fortune for all souls is also beyond my imagination.

 

 

I have also frequently considered how the real devotees of Mahaprabhu, compelled by Compassion and Mercy are known to go to great lengths to reach out to the fallen forgetful souls of this world. We have heard that out of His Causeless Mercy, Sri Nitai would reach out to the souls in the "wine shops" of the day. In our contemporary world we have endless examples of the beloved disciple of Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Sri Jayananda Prabhu, always reaching out to the fallen souls of this world in a similar Merciful capacity. And we must always remember Srila Prabhupada's own expansive Mercy in reaching out to the lowest of the low in the Bowery of New York City.

 

 

Recently, a co-worker was killed in a motorcycle accident. When we had worked together last fall, I often used to sing to him the words "...Sing out Hare, Hare and dance the hoochie-coo.." from the Led Zeppelin song, The Song Remains The Same. He of course, thought I was just another Led Zeppelin fan.

 

 

Just the other day, my current work partner (an alcoholic construction worker) said to me, "I don't know what it is, I just feel really lucky somehow." I told him he was lucky. He had just witnessed me rescue a beetle while softly chanting "Hari! Hari!" repeatedly to it as I gently carried it outside where it could fly away. And then I said, "prabhu kohe jiva doye, vaishnav seva nam ruchi." Puzzled, he asked me to repeat myself, as if I had mumbled something that he would hear better the second time. I said it again, prabhu kohe jiva doya, vaishnava seva nam ruchi.But what's it mean?" he asked. I said it means that you are really fortunate beyond your imagining. In the midst of construction din at work he doesn't know that I am always chanting Hari! Hari! He admitted that he would like to give up drinking and I told him if he said the word "tiny" over and over again, it would help him.

 

Today, I will tell him what I learned from Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada from the Teachings Of Queen Kunti about how even drunkards can become God Conscious by thinking that God is there in the flavor of their drink. What an Awesomely Merciful and liberal interpretation of Sri Gita ("I am the Taste of water."- Sri Krishna)

 

 

As I was leaving the construction site yesterday afternoon, three of the Mexican workers who I sometimes sing "Jiv, Jago" to, shouted out to me, "Hey! Wake Up!" If only I could, if only I would, the possibilities are endless. And if everyone "woke up" together and all once such awakenment could benefit the world's good fortune unimaginably. And Everything might then be harmonized on the Absolute Plane.

 

 

When a famous actor had an equestrian accident that left him quadriplegic, I quipped, "That's not so bad really when you think about it. Most people are paralyzed from the neck up." No. Really. Know Really.

 

 

Humbly,

 

the fallen soul known as

Jagabandhu dasa

[krsna]

Why can we not properly associate with bhagavad-bhaktas despite being in their company?

 

I mean so many of us here have associated with great souls, Mahatmas and yet not fully taken advantage of such arare opportunity...what is the real characteristic of taking in PURE association and making it grow to fruition, i.e.,love of KRSNA, Krsna-prema?

[krsna]

Any volunteers to join Mahaprabhu's Army???:

 

From SP letter 1969:

 

"I can understand from your letter that you are a quite fit soldier for fighting with Maya. Our Krishna Consciousness Movement is a declaration of war against the activities of Maya. Candika is another name of the external energy called Maya. This Candika is described as the Goddess who is putting all conditioned souls in darkness... in a sense this Krishna Consciousness Movement is declaring war against Candika, who has kept the living entities under her spell. Candika's first spell is to make us identify ourselves with these material conditions. Just like a living entity, because he is born and brought up in American condition, thinks himself as American, similarly, others are thinking they are Indians, Canadians, or French and so on. Actually, one is none of these material designations, but he is pure Krishna Consciousness, now covered by the spell of Candika's energy, or the material energy.

[Laulyam]

<CENTER><CENTER><H1>The Glories of Sadhu-sanga</H1></CENTER><CENTER><H3>A lecture on Srimad Bhagavatam 1.18.10–13 delivered by

Sri Srimad Bhakti Sri-rupa Siddhanti Gosvami Maharaja

 

</CENTER></H3>

 

 

Our Inability to Actually Associate

 

</CENTER>Real sadhus, however, are extremely rare and therefore difficult to find; and if they are found, it is very difficult to associate with them in the real sense. Although people of this world may attain the association of a bhagavad-bhakta, they remain unable to comprehend his bhava-dhara, line of thought that is his moods. We may, by the accumulation of previous sukriti, come close physically to a bhagavad-bhakta; but we then discover that we cannot associate with him in any real sense. If those who have attained the sanga of bhagavad-bhaktas find themselves unable to benefit from it, what can be said of the predicament of those who have not even attained such sanga.

Why is this so? Why can we not properly associate with bhagavad-bhaktas despite being in their company? Sanga means “samyak rupena gamana – to completely follow the bhagavad-bhakta.” It is difficult for us to comply with their instructions. Moreover, the foundation of sanga is priti. Without priti, there can be no sanga. We go to the market and see, meet and talk with many people, but can this be called sanga? No. Priti is the real requirement.

What is priti? Srila Rupa Gosvami has written:

dadati pratigrihnati

guhyam akhyati pricchati

bhunkte bhojayate caiva

shad-vidham priti-lakshanam

 

Sri Upadesamrita (4)

Offering pure devotees items in accordance with their requirements, accepting remnant items given by pure devotees, revealing to devotees one’s confidential realizations concerning bhajana, inquiring from them about their confidential realizations, eating with great love the prasada remnants given by devotees and lovingly feeding them prasada – these are the six symptoms of loving association with pure devotees.

Are we able to deal with bhagavad-bhaktas with these six symptoms of priti? We can have these six exchanges with worldly people, but not with bhagavad-bhaktas, because maya does not let us do so. Such is the oppression of maya that she will not allow us to associate with sadhus. Hence, the sanga of bhagavad-bhaktas is very rare; we are unable to attain it even after attaining their company. This is our misfortune.

Why is this so? Man is the sangi (associate) of maya and likes associating with her. Ordinary people may come close to a bhagavad-bhakta, but they will prefer to discuss worldly topics with him and go away. They are not influenced by his association. It is very difficult for them. Therefore it is said that the result of associating with a bhagavad-bhakta for a single moment cannot be compared to the attainment of Svarga and moksha. What a significant matter! What a precious commodity is sadhu-sanga. Is such a highly worshipable and desirable thing attained in the course of everyone’s fate?

It is said in Sri Caitanya-caritamrita (Madhya-lila 22.54):

‘sadhu-sanga’, ‘sadhu-sanga’ sarva-sastre kaya

lava-matra sadhu-sange sarva-siddhi haya

The verdict of all revealed scriptures is that by even a moment’s association with a sadhu, one can attain all success.

 

<CENTER>Smearing One’s Body with a Sadhu’s Foot Dust

 

</CENTER>In Srimad-Bhagavatam, Bharata Maharaja speaks as follows to King Rahugana: r

ahuganaitat tapasa na yati

na cejyaya nirvapanad grihad va

na cchandasa naiva jalagni-suryair

vina mahat-pada-rajo-’bhishekam

 

Srimad-Bhagavatam (5.12.12)

How significant are the words spoken by Bharata Maharaja to King Rahugana. “O Rahugana, you want to know Bhagavan, but He cannot be known by austerity (tapasya), nor by worship, nor by giving up one’s home, nor indeed by living in one’s home. He cannot be known by reciting the Vedas nor by worshiping the demigods such as the Sun-god, Varuna and so on.

Why? Because vina mahat-pada-rajo-’bhishekam: as long as one does not smear himself with the foot dust of the mahat, great saintly personalities, one cannot achieve any result by performing all these other activities. So one should first seek the sanga of a great saintly personality, and only when he can smear himself with the foot dust of this personality, can Bhagavan be known to him.”

Prahlada Maharaja gave the same instruction to the sons of his guru:

naisham matis tavad urukramanghrim

sprisaty anarthapagamo yad-arthah

mahiyasam pada-rajo-’bhishekam

nishkincananam na vrinita yavat

 

Srimad-Bhagavatam (7.5.32)

Prahlada Maharaja told the sons of his teacher that they should give up everything. “What benefit can you derive from your father Sukracarya, who you consider a great pandita?” he asked. “His consciousness is unable to touch the lotus feet of Bhagavan, who performs uncommon activities. These lotus feet have the effect of removing a person’s anarthas and awarding him complete perfection. They deliver to him his prayojana, or goal.

“So how can we attain Bhagavan? Can everyone attain him? Mahiyasham pada-rajo-’bhishekam: one must smear himself with the dust of the lotus feet of mahat, a saintly personality. Who is such a saintly personality? Niskincananam na vrinita yavat: one who possesses no wealth other than Bhagavan. As long as we do not accept and smear upon our bodies the foot dust of a niskincana mahapurusha, we will achieve nothing at all.”

The essence of the whole subject, in the language of my gurupada-padma Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura Prabhupada, is that the jiva’s supreme auspiciousness comes about by hearing hari-katha in sadhu-sanga. This is because sadhusanga is the sole means to attain krishna-bhakti:

krishna-bhakti-janma-mula haya ‘sadhu-sanga’

 

Sri Caitanya-caritamrita (Madhya-lila 22.84)

The root cause of bhakti to Sri Krishna is association with sadhus.

Hare Krishna.

Original Bengali lecture transcribed and translated into English. Audio recording courtesy of the disciples of Sri Srimad Bhakti Pramoda Puri Gosvami Maharaja.

Audio recording courtesy of the disciples of Sri Srimad Bhakti-Pramoda Puri Gosvami Maharaja RAYS OF THE HARMONIST No. 12 Gaura Purnima 2003

RAYS OF THE HARMONIST No. 13 Karttika 2003