Verse:

“sa vai nivrtti-dharmena

väsudevänukampayä

bhagavad-bhakti-yogena

tirodhatte sanair iha”

 

TRANSLATION:

 

But that misconception of self-identity can be diminished gradually by the mercy of the Personality of Godhead, Väsudeva, through the process of devotional service to the Lord in the mode of detachment.

 

PURPORT:

 

The quivering quality of material existence, which comes from identification with matter or from thinking oneself, under the material influence of philosophical speculation, to be God, can be eradicated by devotional service to the Lord, by the mercy of the Personality of Godhead, Väsudeva. As discussed in the First Canto, because the application of devotional service to Lord Väsudeva invites pure knowledge, it quickly detaches one from the material conception of life and thus revives one's normal condition of spiritual existence, even in this life, and frees one from the material winds which cause one to quiver. Only knowledge in devotional service can elevate one towards the path of liberation. The development of knowledge for the purpose of knowing everything, without rendering devotional service, is considered fruitless labor, and one cannot get the desired result by such labor of love. Lord Väsudeva is pleased by devotional service only, and thus His mercy is realized by association with pure devotees of the Lord. Pure devotees of the Lord are transcendental to all material desires, including the desire for the results of fruitive activities and philosophical speculation. If one wants to acquire the mercy of the Lord, he has to associate with pure devotees. Such association alone can, by degrees, release one from the quivering elements.

 

            Vidur has inquired into how the living entity, who is pure spirit soul, part and parcel of the supreme spirit soul, Krishna could possibly remain entangled in the bondage of ignorance. The soul is constitutionally sachidananda, eternal, full of knowledge and full of bliss. Why is it? That this soul is subjected apparently to the temporary condition of death. How is the soul can be covered by the cloud of ignorance? And why is the soul, which is ananda (full of bliss) has to undergo so much sufferings while living in this world? And besides that the super soul Krishna, who is the controller of all controllers. He seated the right the side sohul. How is it that in so close proximity to the Supreme Personality Godhead. The soul remains in such an ignorant condition suffering within the three modes of material nature. Maitryay Rishi is explaining this is all due to all misidentification. Misidentification that the eternal soul is thinking that it is of this material nature. The body, the mind, the greedy, that Krishna describes in Bhagavad-Gita, earth, fire, air, either, mind, intelligence, and false ego. They are the external energy of the Lord. The external energy is eternal. However it manifestations are temporary. And they are always are in state of transformation. Material energy is constantly in a process of changing its appearance. The elements of material nature are eternal. That they are constantly mixed by the three modes of material nature by the power of time and through the power of time everything is constantly changing. Nothing is constant in this material world. Even of something appears to be constant. It is actually in the process of hedging, whether a huge mountain or an insignificant insect or atomic particle by the power of time everything is in the process of change. And if you look at the particular elements on a final level under a microscope you will see that everything is process of moving of generation, destruction, and regeneration. It is the nature of this world. It cannot be changed. No one has the power to change the nature of prakrit. The ever changing transient manifestations of this world. That the soul is eternal. The soul is changeless. The soul is constantly the same for all of eternity. Krishna says in Gita “Never there was a time that you did not exist nor me nor all of these kings; nor in the future shall any of us cease to be. Why is it? That the eternal blissful soul full of knowledge is identifying itself with something that are really has nothing to do it. except for some temporary place of residence. We are thinking we are these bodies and we are thinking all of the connection to these body our mind. We are taking it so seriously. “—“ This is the basic principle of our suffering is this misconception. I am this body and those things that are in relation to the body and mind. Maitraya risi describes how when the soul misused to independent to want to enjoy material nature or we can say to want to enjoy want to separate. From it’s natural position of serving the supreme. Then this – shakti or the potency covers us with ignorance. The Supreme Personality Godhead is never covered by ignorance. But the spirit soul being in - part of the supreme lord can be covered by ignorance. The example is given that there may be darkles due to a cloud or there may be snow fall in the ground. Now the sun is actually creating by its own energy that the cloud that causes darkness, as well as the snow that is coming from that cloud. Now the rays of the sun which are the – energy of the sun can be affected by the cloud and the snow. But sun itself is unaffected. Similarly we are all like rays of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Qualitatively we are one with Lord but quantitatively we are just – spark like the relationship between the ray of the sun and the sun. Krishna is the complete whole the source of everything and we are emanating from Krishna as his part and parcel. Therefore we have that freewill to choose to either be connected to the sun directly and never come onto dark or we can choose to come under the influence of the dark cloud of ignorance or maya. However this ignorance which is the cause of all sufferings is simply misconception. There are two important factors. One is we are not and two is who we are. The impersonalist have developed very very logical philosophical and systematic presentation to describe what we are no. We are not matter, we are not the mind. We are not of this world. (_______). But it is not give a real understanding of who we are? Brahman satyam jagat mithya. They said this world is in illusion and only Brahman is real. And aham brahmasi. We are that Brahman. What is the nature of Brahman. What are the nature of our existence within? The spiritual existence. That is not properly understood. Therefore school teach a simultaneously we must understand what we are not? and who we are? We are not this body. Which is subjected to birth, old age, disease, and death. We are not this body, which is subjected to the three fold miseries. Miseries cause by one’s own body and mind. Miseries caused by other living beings. And miseries cause by supernatural disturbances. We are not the influence by the three modes of material nature and truth. Who are we? “jévera ‘svarüpa’ haya—krsnera ‘nitya-däsa’. We are the eternal blissful parts and parcels of Krishna. We are the eternal servant of Krishna and our real happiness is when we reunited with Krishna through transcendental loving service. That is the power of bhakti. Bhakti means simply reviving our original nature to serve the lord. To love the lord and to find unlimited happiness in that loving service. Maitray rishi is describing that the misconception is so strongly deep rooted within our hearts, it is like a hard nut, how to untie this hard nut. It is the beyond capacity of anyone else. Even in the brilliant minds and intelligence can not figure out how to somehow or other become free from suffering from this birth, old age, disease, and death. The greatest scholars, the greatest scientist, they may discover so many of the manifestations of Krishna’s energy, how they are working in this world. But they cannot understand how to disentangle themselves from the bondage of these things. And that is the purpose of human life. This material existence is a place where there is so much entanglement and it is cause of our suffering to understand material nature is very valuable in so far as it helps us to become liberated from this material nature. Lord Kapila deva speaks the Sankhaya Philosophy. Sankhaya Philosophy is very very systematically described 24 elements of material existence, how they are working, what is the process of creation? What is the process of birth within the womb? What is the purpose of life? By understanding the nature of the material elements in the proper spirit, we understand how to disentangle ourselves from it. Unfortunately materialistic science they try to analyze through their own speculative minds and their own imperfect senses. What are the material elements? That they do not try to become free from them. Rather their whole purpose of life and other studies to become more and more attached to them. To become more entangled in the network of material complexities. Therefore Maitrya risi here explaied that one must performed devotional service in the mood of detachment. And what is the true meaning of detachment. It means to simple see everything in truth. Everything is Krishna’s property. Everything is meant for Krishna’s service. Real detachment is to use for Krishna’s service. We have this body. Detachment is not simple mean to neglect the body. Rather detachment means to utilize the body for the purpose of the soul. By using this body to engage in devotional activities, the very body becomes a vehicle to liberate us from material bondage. Human form of life is very very rare. It is so precious. The soul evolves through so many species of life. There are eight million four hundred thousands species of life. To achieve this human birth is so rare. Why is it so rare? Because it provides the opportunity to once in for all be liberated from suffering. Happiness in this world is so temporary. Suffering is also temporary. That because everything is temporary, it is miserable situation for the eternal soul. The real basis of all suffering is forgetfulness of our constitutional blissful nature. Thus detachment is a very very important factor, that must be practice. If you want to make proper spiritual advancement. How to practice detachment in this human form of life. This body it has certain duration. It may be five years, it may be hundred years. But somehow other within this duration of life to utilize for its proper purpose is real intelligence and that purpose is to be conscious about true identity of the servant of Krishna. Therefore with our eyes we do not want to neglect them but want to utilize them in the service of the lord by seeing the lord. By using them as instrument for service to the lord. These five senses are always so restless and cause of so much karmic bondage that the same senses when they are used for the purpose of service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead the senses become the very source of liberation. The senses are so valuable it with this body and senses we can perfect our life. Srila Prabhupada would write I hope this letter meets you in the best of help. We should try to keep our body as healthy as possible. Because it is an instrument for service. It is very difficult to engage service if the body is very weak and sickly. Of course you can do it. But it is very difficult. Ultimately there is no material impediments to devotional service. But in a conditional state, the condition of our body is very much determines our consciousness and our ability to perform service. And even in the liberated state we may be completely purified in pure devotional service. However we are in this world to perform our mission to the lord and to the degree we have strength within the body. We can do more service. So therefore health is actually to be protected as far as possible. Because it is facility for Krishna Consciousness. This human form of life is so rare, therefore we want to use all about energy for the proper purpose. We do not want to waste it. Sense gratification is simple waste of human existence. When we try to enjoy separate from Krishna in a exploited even selfish way. What we are doing is the precous energy of the human form of life. We are just into the garbage hip of material karmic bandage. That’s all. If you have given one corer of rupees, you should invest some place where you get proper interests. If you just take it and throw it into a shoes deck. People would say you are crazy. You have had so much money. I may have taken so many life times to achieve it and you have thrown into garbage. What fool you are? But actually one moment of human existence is more valuable than hundred and millions, corers of rupees. Because you can lose rupees and somehow get them back. But a moment wasted in his valuable human life cannot be back for any amount of wealth. The mind, the senses, the energies that we have in this body is so rare. We do not know what form of life we may have in our next birth. But now we have this human form. “Atha ataù brahma-jijnäsä”. It is meant for self realization. So every time we are using our mind and our senses for the purpose of sense gratification. We are taking these valuable wonderful opportunity of human existence and energy we have and we are simple throwing it away. Uselessly wasting it. Therefore vishnupuran describes it “this is the greatest of all misfortunes to waste this valuable human existence”. And a moment within it is so precious. It should not be wasted for anything. So we should understand in this way what is sense gratification. We are taking an instrument for our liberation and using it for all bondage. Thus Krishna explains what is he meaning of the intelligence. Intelligence means to be friend of the senses from their objects and to engage the senses in those activities of the liberation for Krishna Consciousness. “yajïärthät karmaëo 'nyatra loko 'yaà karma-bandhanaù tad-arthaà karma kaunteya mukta-saìgaù samäcara” Any work that is done in the service of the lord is the cause of the liberation. What time for any other purpose only causes for the bondage. It is very very difficult to over come this illusion of maya. Even after theoretically understanding we are not this body. Still the body is demanding so much material enjoyment. And more than the body, the mind that is attached to the satisfaction of the senses. So strong. “daivé hy eñä guëa-mayé mama mäyä duratyayä” we all have experience these three modes of material nature, like very strong ropes are pulling us here and there towards so many wasted activities. Very difficult to overcome. In fact material energy is so powerful nobody can possibly overcome it by their own intelligence. By their own austerities. There are many examples in the great scriptures. Of even though most powerful beings how they are victimized by material enjoyment. They cannot over come it. We have so many desires. They are like mountains and mountains and mountains within our hearts. How to move those mountains. And those desires are insided by the perceptions of our senses. Please know it is not this sense object that causes your desires. When you see something and you want to taste it, you want to hear it, you want to touch it, and you want to see it. Its actually the desires within your heart that already there. They are simple stimulated by only see outside. If there is no desire inside there is nothing to stimulate. Pravodananda Saraswatin explains that one who is engaged in Kirshna’s service, the senses that are like animal like serpents, to those who are materialistic inclined. To a devotee the serpent of the senses is like a serpent that has no teeth. It can not do anything to you. It cannot harm you anyway. Rather the senses become your best friend. They help you in so many ways. So to become free from suffering means, we have to cleanse internal environment of our hearts. And this is described in the process. There is only one way and that is by receiving the mercy of the lord. And how to receive the mercy of the lord. There is only one way, by engaging in the process of devotional service in the mode detachment. The Lord is seated within our heart. When the Lord see that we are honestly and honestly making an effort to saturate our mind and senses in the process of devotional service. Then the Lord within the heart personally frees us from all material misconceptions. How? By awakening within our heart the natural attachment that we have for Him. Detachment from matter can only come about when we replace that with attachment to Krishna. Simple detachment will not ultimately bring about the desire Viswamitra muni was very detached. Far more detached in anyone can possibly hope to be. However Maya is so strong, because she is so was not experiencing the bliss of love of God. It was just a matter of time to he would become attached to something of this world. However Haridasa Thakur, he was completely attached to Krishna. He understood that Krishna is none different than his name. He was always immersed in the chanting of the holy name. He was never idle. He was constantly engaged in service. Therefore due to that attachment to Krishna he was transcendental to all the aliments of Maya. In fact Maya herself begged him for initiation. Please let me become your disciple, give me the name of Krishna. I want like to become you. The external energy cannot stand before the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Belomangal Thakur explains how material energy cannot stand before a devotee, even liberation itself stands with folded palm before one who has become completely attached to the loving service of Krishna. Bhagavad-Gita teaches that one must be active in the service of the lord. Krishna did not tell Arjuna that he should seat and only remain in a idle state. He told Arjuna you fight, you use your intelligence, your mind, your body, your senses, and everything in my service. Remember me, think of me, and become attach to me. This is the path of perfection. It is described here very important that this process of devotional service is gradual. It is gradual process of purification. Srila Rupa Goswami describes step by step, how we progress in Krishna Consciousness. That the most important factor at every step Srila Prabhupada explains so nicely in purport is association of very sincere devotee. That association is our protection. Without that association we become very much easily influence by the association of Maya. We see within this world, how easily people are influence by when they associated with. People can be convinced practically anything due to their association. To be convinced that this material world of sense gratification is not our real home, it is not to our self interest to try to exploit. Can only take place, if we have the association of those who are genuinely practicing the principles of Krishna Consciousness. When we take to the practice of Krishna Consciousness, there are essentially two stages. One is called Saddhana Bhakti, Saddhana Bhakit is one we fallow the regulative principles of Krishna Consciousness as a regulation. We do it in austerity. We follow the order of Krishna. We may not have any happiness by doing so or we make that is not consider important whether we are happy or unhappy in our particular devotional service. What is important , that we understand it is the necessary medicine that must be taken. When we are sick, medicine may not taste good. Srila Prabhupada uses this example, when one has jaundice traditionally the medicine is to drink the juice from the sugarcane. Actually it is very sweet. However because of the disease of jaundice that sugarcane tastes very bitter, terrible bitter. We do not want to drink it. We have no enthusiasm much so ever. And when the Dr. comes and says please drink your sugarcane juice. Your stomach is turning its nausea. Oh I have to drink this again. But people who are healthy they running to the places and paying their good money to get that sugarcane juice. When you have jaundice you are willing to pay anything to some how find to excused him to not drink it. So this is the condition in the disease state that which is sweat tastes bitter. But it is the medicine and it must be taken. Gradually as the disease was removed, we can experience the real taste of the sugarcane. And when we are becoming relatively cured. Then we love the sugarcane. We know it is medicine but we just want to take more and more and more. Saddhana Bhakti; we chant our 16 round everyday because we must. You may feel like it or you may not. But you must. If you do not, you will simple continue to remain in a diseased condition. We hear Srimad-Bhagavatam, we read these books. Because it is necessary. We come here for class, we may like it or not like it but it is necessary. It is essential we should not allow our minds to strict us to think of do it I like. Because the mind there is a gross of subway always be trying to divert your attention away from the real path of truth in the name of what you like. What you feel like? What is your nature? We have so much, the mind gives so many excuses. Do not do this. Because it is not your nature. Do not do this, because it is difficult. You should do something easy. The fact is crossing over the ocean of materialistic existence is difficult. If we want to progress, we have to accept difficulties. So we should not allow our mind to divert our attention away from the path of saddhana. We have given a service. Srila Prabhupada explains in the month of Magha, it is difficult to take bath. Because it is cold. But it is your duty and in the month of April, May, June very hot. Yet your mother will cook over fire for so many hours of the day, because of it is her duty. The mother does not consider its too hot to cook today. Let my family fast. In fact its going to be hot for next three months. So let them fast for three months. She will be cooking and making the fire harder and harder and harder just to make the preparation nicer. She cannot consider what is pleasant or what is unpleasant. What is easy and what is difficult. She considers what is her duty. Saddhana bhakti means duty. When we approach the spiritual master he gives us the duty. He has just to take vows just to take that duty seriously. Chant Hare Krishna Mahamantra regularly. Follow the four regulative principles very very strictly. We do not chant the great scriptures of the Lord and perform your service so hardily. Through this process we gradually become purified. But it is gradual. Gradual in the sense that it does not all happen of wants little by little by little. And what is the actual purification. That Krishna within our heart sees our sincere effort. He gradually removes the anarthas from within. It is not based on our efforts alone. Man proposes and God disposes. When we are engaging in devotional service we are proposing to Krishna to please purify my heart. And then Krishna purifies the heart. We should not be in patience. We should not give up our enthusiasm. It may take our whole life. Years may go by if we have nice association our faith will remain intact to continue our journey forward. If do not have proper association Maya will check us into talking that you have been performing this Krishna Consciousness for so many years, even chanting, you have been hearing Srimad-Bhagavatam, in fact you know the Srimad-Bhagavatam, you can speak the Srimad-Bhagavatam but still so many material desires, so many anxieties. Where is the sachidananda that is being spoken up. If you not come in full of bliss by chanting the names of Krishna and serving Krishna. If you are still being agreed by material desires, after so many years. May be it is better you just enjoy the material desires. Why bother about all of these difficulties. That is the message of the mind. If we do not have the proper association, we will begin to believe our mind. Yes, that my mind is my best friend, giving me good advise. Not only that we conform by practically the whole world that I have been engaging in this hearing and chanting and serving the Lord, either worshiping the deities for so many years, still I am in anxiety. Still I have material desires. It appears these material desires were never go up away. They can never go away. So why not welcome them nicely and serve them. After all it is my constitutional position to serve. So let me serve these material desires. If we are in association with nice devotees they will keep reminding us and we establish in our faith. For a neophyte devotee to hear the glories of the Lord every day is necessary. Because of we are not our faith will be disturbed by our environment in this material world. Both internally and externally. It is a gradual process and we have to maintain proper faith to continue following this gradual process. Srila Krishnadasa Kaviraja Goswami has described that faith comes by hearing in the association of devotees. If we are not hearing properly in the association of sincere devotees. Then what happen is our faith is disturbed. The mind wants quick results. It is the senses gives you something quick. When we eat something, we get a quick experience, immediate. When you look at something, you get an immediate experience, and when you touch something you immediate experience. And we are so addicted to our sensual life style that we want things immediate. I want to feel this immediately, see this, hear this, touch this. But the experience of real Krishna Consciousness make take our into higher life of practicing before we can experience it. Thus we must hear in the association of devotees regularly. And Krishna sees, we are sincere to follow the principles of saddhana bhakti with faith through out our life, then gradually his mercy brings us to the platform of RAGA Bhakti. Raga bhakti means, devotion with attachment to Krishna. Saddhana Bhakit means we are serving but we still have attachments to material enjoyment. And Raga bhakti means we are serving with attachment to Krishna. Attachment to material enjoyment is practically disappeared because attachment to Krishna to is so much more wonderfully pleasing to the heart. This is the goal of life to become completely attached to Krishna. Through sadhana bhakti gradually we become deep and attached to Krishna. Then we become spontaneous on our devotional service. We want to hear, we want to chant, we want to serve, we want to be with devotees. To the degrees you do not want these things that degree you needed desperately. If you are thinking I really do not want to be with devotees now, I been with them for so many times, to that degree you should understand that Maya is stealing away your intelligence to save yourself you must have be association with the devotees. To the degree you not want to chant, you need to chant. To the degree you do not feel like reading, to that degree you have to read the holy scriptures. Do not allow your mind to be fool you. Do not trust the mind. Trust your intelligence. Intelligence is coming from Krishna through guru, sadhu and sasthra. Chant everyday, read everyday, associate with devotees and intimate and loving way as the servant of the servant of the servant of the servant. We do not like to do this things. We must do this things. We should not the whimsical. We should be strict. If we are strict bhakti is easy. If we are not strict it becomes very complicated and difficult. The maya says if your strict is difficult, if you are not strict is easier. That is the way maya strict you. It may be difficult to be strict but it is easy to practice Krishna Consciousness if you are strict. It may appear very easy to be lazy and do things according how to like to do them. But it is very difficult, you have to suffer so much. The more you feed the laziness of your mind, the more of the laziness becomes very strong like Kumbhakarna. Kumbhakarna was a very sleepy person. But he was a very big person. Because he slept so long, he was so difficult to wake up. But they what to do to wakeup that demon. They had to beat him with clubs, each club had various nails on it, and they were riding elephants, horses, and chariots all over the body, they were blowing conchshell, big big drums, and also blown horns right into his ears. They were putting huge buckets of blood and everyway all of his senses, they were trying somehow or other get into him wakeup. But he was sleeping so long he just would not wakeup. Very difficult. With great great difficulty they finally wake him up. So we have been sleeping longer than the kumbhakarna. We have been sleeping since in time of immemorial spiritually. And the process of devotional service is the way of waking us up. Very upset Kumbhkarna. He woke up to engage in trying to destroy Ram. But ultimately he got liberated. By Ram’s mercy. So we have been sleeping since time of memorial and the association of devotees they are hoping us try to wakeup and we will wakeup by the mercy of Krishna, if he sees we are sincere. When Krishna sees we are genuinely trying to saturate our consciousness in our life in his service, then Krishna will reward us by his mercy attachment to him. And that attachment to Krishna Consciousness simple become wonderful. In neophyte state sometime its wonderful and sometimes it is horrible. As we make little advancement to become always wonderful. Spontaneously wonderful. This is to the degree our mind and senses are purified. So it is very important that we understand how the process of bhakti is gradual. And we continue with right spirit. We discipline our selves in such a way to receive the mercy of the lord. The fact that all of our advancement is by the mercy of the lord means we have to very humble. Otherwise the tendency is when we become expert at something, we think I make in advancement. I a m  chanting attentively, there fore I am making advancement. I am very good. I can seat and read for so many hours and repeat exactly what I read so nicely. Therefore I am becoming very advancement. I can fast for so many days where others cannot fast like me and I can sing nicely, I could cook so nicely, I am so regulated and strict my deity worship. I can give so much money as donation. In this we can be doing our service and we can be thinking I am making advancement because I am very great. This is the tendency. We must understand endeavor is necessary. But our advancement is not because of our endeavor. Our advancement is because of Krishna’s mercy. And Krishna’s mercy is withdrawn when he sees false pride. Therefore we should not be lazy, we should work very very, hard. We must know that it is the mercy of lord, that is the source of all my purification and if become proud what I am doing, that mercy will be not there. So ____ are required simultaneously. We must work very hard in our discipline ouf saddhana and our seva. In order to attract the attention of the lord. We must not be proud of our duty, or take the credit for it. Otherwise you will be doing like beating the rice husk without any rice inside. You can work so hard to beat the husk of rice. You can work all day, you could works weeks for weeks, just beating and beating, thrashing and thrashing, but if there is no rice inside, Then what is the value of all of your beiating. You can tell everyone I am beating harder than you, I am beating better than you. I am more graceful beating than you. And it may be true, but there is no rice inside. So all is waste of time. Without the mercy of the lord there is no fruit to any of our efforts and Krishna Consciousness. If your do not beat the rice you will never get the rice inside. If you beated with false pride Krishna will not reveal any rice inside. So we must work very hard, we cannot be lazy, we must be very discipline, we must do the best possibly can but it must be done in a spirit of humility. If we perform our work in that spirit Krishna will be pleased. To the degree he pleased to that degree he gives his mercy. And ten gradually by that mercy we become more and more attached him and detachment from material engagement.

 

 

Thank you very much.

 

 

Q: Maharaja You said that we should be very strict in our Krishna Consciousness. Can you kind up to elaborate, What exactly mean by strict in our sadhana? What exactly strictness means?

 

Ans: Strict means you fallow the Instruction whole harderly and you do not allow your mind to be diverted by various excuses or temptations. You are asked to follow the four regulative principles. There would be so many reasons to break the regulative principles. The mind wants pleasure. Society feels as abnormal to be so pure. But you must do it, you may want to break the principles and everyone around you may be telling you to break the principles. You are follow the principles, because it is the order of the Krishna coming through Parampara. Similarly we may sometimes feel a desire to chant the holy names, 16 rounds, and sometimes we do not. We are not concern none permanent appearance and disappearance of our various desires and likings. We will do it definitely everyday as attentive as possible. Because it is our duty. To be strict means to follow the intelligence that Krishna has given us and not given to the detection of the mind and senses. We must be strict. Disciple means discipline. Because we become more and more control by the mind and senses. If a person is practicing rising and chanting everyday not that difficult to chant. But as soon as you start making excuses and exceptions it becomes very difficult. Giving to maya and say take everything. We have all see a person just follows that regulation even there may be some difficulties in chanting 16 rounds everyday. May be difficult but somehow or other if you just do it, because it is our duty and do it strictly. Some little difficulty may be there 20-30 years stand the line were still chanting everyday. However if you given to may it is too difficult. Do not today, do not do it in other day, people who give it up it becomes so difficult for them to ever start again. Very very difficult. If you thinks it is difficult to chant 16 rounds a day now, give it for sometime. And you will see it will be for years, hundreds of time more difficult to chant then it is now. When you are a new devotee, Krishna it is not that difficult. He gives special mercy. Once he do it, if you stop it is much more difficult to start again. Even following the regulative principles you may think watching television, difficult now to watch television. But actually it is not that difficult. Once you start watching television after not doing it for sometime, then give it up every day, its so very difficult. If you coming to class regularly to hear from the devotees, that regulation may be never difficult to come here. But doing it for sometime, then see how very very difficult becomes. The easiest way to be Krishna Consciousness, easiest way is to be strict. When you not strict it becomes so difficult. When you are constantly eating at certain times a day, it becomes very simple to eat at those times of the day. Even if your mind saying please eat something now you can very easily saying. No mind, forget it. Once you start eating anytime of the day, then when the mind says eat something its very very difficult to not do it. Once you given to maya she just captures you and its very very difficult to free yourself from that. So the simplest, most wonderful way of Krishna consciousness is to be strict. We have seen devotes they are not very strict. And they say that very easy to be Krishna Consciousness like this. But there problem is they are not very Krishna Consciousness. He may be very easy to be like that. Of course being kept by maya is not very easy. But actually to come to the stand of the reveal in a proper advancement. They cannot do it. When Krishna gives you something by his causeless mercy and you neglected, he does not give it back so easy. Is not that the way the father is to teach the child. It is love. If the father gives you something very valuable, you do not deserve it. you did not do anything for it hardly. If you use it properly, he will keep giving you more. But if you miss use it, he will not give it so easy. Just like in America a 16 year old person gets a driver licence. Then father says you can use the car. Now you can go out, stay out, late to late, and crash it. Then he will not give you back to you, he will give the car anymore. You have to realy realy prove yourself. Because it is not good for you to do it. So similarly how is we have gone in the holy name of Krishna. The association with devotees to desire to here is the glories. Causeless mercy coming through the pure devotees. Causeless mercy, we do not deserve it, that is given to us. If we neglect it Krishna will not give back for easily. Now you are chanting your japa very “ you are struggling to chant it” But stop chanting after sometime and see what Krishna does that taste even that ability to do it. Krishna is a brilliant man. Krishna takes it away. You have to really, really, suffering pay your price to get that taste back. So it is a gradual process. It may take our entire life to attain raga bhakti. But in that process we should remain very very strict. Keep good association, maintain faith.

 

 

Q: Maharaja you said that devotion service purifies one’s mind and heart. My question is that because of our past condition and we are attached to some type of devotional service and some service is given to us may be because of condition. We do not want to accept it, thinking that it is not according to my propensity. So how should develop attachment to any type of devotional service?

 

Ans: That is austerity, that is the proper use of our freewill. Krishna reveals himself as you approach him. If perform your service simple because its like you like. That is very minimal expression of surrender. So you will make spiritual advancement, no doubt. But will be very small. However if we surrender to Krishna, according to he likes, what he wants. Then Kishna’s mercy will come upon us very fully and rapidly. After all Bhagavad-Gita is spoken to all of us. It was spoken in a situation where Krishna was asking Arjuna “What did not want to do?” But he was willing to do it because it was Krishna’s desire. What is meant to be a servant? To do, what you want or to do, what the object of the service wants. One more attract the master much more. If you are willing to surrender to do whatever Krishna wants. That will attract Krishna. So this is a matter about sincerity to do what we want, when we want, how we want, with who will want, for Krishna is a very slow and neophyte state. Not very sincere. But you make spiritual advancement. Just by eating Prasad you are going to makes spiritual advancement. However if you are sincerely want as much advancement as possible at every moment. We want to please Krishna. We want to please guru. We want to please the vaisnavas. And therefore their pleasure becomes our goal. Not our pleasure. So these are two different great devotees. One does what we like for Krishna, and one does what Krishna like for Krishna. That will determined our sincerity. So if someone is only willing to do it their like for Krishna, they should not be discouraged, they should be encouraged by our moods to do that. However, we should always be trying to – people to come to the higher platform.