valaya 0 Report post Posted November 17, 2001 From "The Nectar of Instruction" by Srila AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada (pp.36-37): "Devotional service is so pure and perfect that once having begun, one is forcibly dragged to ultimate success. Sometimes a person will give up his ordinary material engagements and out of sentiment take shelter of the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord and thus begin the preliminary execution of devotional service. Even if such an immature devotee falls down, there is no loss on his part. On the other hand, what is the gain of one who executes the prescribed duties according to his varna and asrama but does not take to devotional service? Although a fallen devotee may take his next birth in a low family, his devotional service will nonetheless resume from where it left off. Devotional service is ahaituky apratihata; it is not the effect of any mundane cause, nor can it be terminated by any mundane cause or permanently curtailed by any material interruption. Therefore a devotee should be confident about his engagement and should not be very interested in the activities of the karmis, jnanis and yogis." Often, being "forcibly dragged to ultimate success" can bring out negative reactions in those that cannot yet perceive Divine Love behind the `force` or understand just what `ultimate success` entails. Sometimes a child will sit down in the middle of a busy sidewalk and refuse to continue on with the parent, throw a temper-tantrum or even run away and attempt to hide... valaya RR [This message has been edited by valaya (edited 11-17-2001).] Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
