"If he is still in want or unhappiness.. no spiritual life at all..simply making show

[krsna 3]

Devotee (3): Often the devotee thinks that he's more unhappy than the

karmis because he knows he's unhappy.

 

Prabhupada: Then that means he is not a devotee.

 

Devotee (3): He's not a devotee.

 

Prabhupada: Yes. He's not devotee. Devotee means the first sign will be

happy, brahma-bhuta prasannatma [bg. 18.54]. If he's not prasannatma, he's

a rascal. He has not entered even devotional life. He's outside. That is

the test. Just like Dhruva Maharaja. When he saw Visnu, he said,

"Everything is all right. I don't want anything." Svamin krtartho asmi.

That is Vaisnava. And if he is still in want or unhappiness, that means he

has no spiritual life at all. He is simply making a show.

 

(Morning Walk:

April 24, 1976 Melbourne, Australia

 

 

*****************************************

 

Prabhupada: No, it is pleasant. "Visvam purna-sukhayate". For a devotee,

everything is very happy. There is no unhappiness. Any condition, they are

happy. "Visvam purna-sukhayate". For nondevotees everything is a problem.

(devotees laugh) And for devotee everything is happiness. That is the

difference.

 

(Morning Walk, January 5, 1974--Los Angeles)

[Kulapavana 0]

yes, real devotees are happy.

 

in particular, prominent devotees claiming "depression" are actually just neophytes, artificialy claiming high positions. mostly it is due to vaishnava-aparadha, or improper varna and/or asrama situation.

 

deep stuff. thanks for the quotes!

[Guest guest]

so if in beginning of practise of krsna there is some disturbance then if goes away it means one has made some slight progress or advance to krsna ?

[Guest guest]

"in particular, prominent devotees claiming "depression" are actually just neophytes, artificialy claiming high positions. mostly it is due to vaishnava-aparadha, or improper varna and/or asrama situation."

 

in other words.. lack of sincerity

 

thanks prabhu.. great analysis

 

[Guest guest]

yes yes but can any one there tell answer to previous question postedparamatma is there but today where is live guru on planet seems like some one with intelligentsia to answer please sincere where we can go for personal darshan

[Kulapavana 0]

there are many truly advanced Vaishnavas in the world today you can approach and take darshan, and maybe even accept as guru.

 

Do not think that Lord Chaitanya tree is dead just because some leaves turned brown on it - fresh branches grow on it every day. It often takes patience, effort and sincerity to find an advanced Vaishnava that will inspire your heart to serve Lord Krishna with love.

 

You need to go to your local temple and talke to devotees there about your desire for darshan with an advanced Vaishnava. Start your search close to home.

[Kulapavana 0]

"so if in beginning of practise of krsna there is some disturbance then if goes away it means one has made some slight progress or advance to krsna ?"

 

yes, that is usually true. Sometimes we need to reflect on how we have changed for the better thanks to our good choices. that should not make us proud - just happy...

 

we are on this train to Krishna. we have covered some ground and there is still long journey ahead, but we should be happy we are going home /images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

so... no matter what happens: DONT GET OFF THE TRAIN!!!

[Pankaja_Dasa 1]

 

 

Its offensive to neglect Vaishnava's who are here right now. To not worship them and serve them, this could be reason for accpeting 'living guru'.

 

Thats pastime where Maharaja Yudhistara was preparing for Aswamedha Safrifice and there was one Vaishnava being neglected the process could not be completed. Maybe lesson for us. Well not maybe it is.

[Kulapavana 0]

yes, it is an offense to think that no living Vaishnava is advanced enough to be our guru.

[Guest guest]

Yes Pankaja this is true it is arrogant to think there isn't great advanced vaisnavas here for us, actually this is the attitude that prevents us from approaching in all subservience to enquire after the truth and surrender our life at the feet of a genuine sadhu. Of course they are here and they are obvious to the true seeker. Krsna will direct us to one that is meant for us if we desire that.

But it's not a cheap thing and it does mean great sacrificing, of coarse there is great ecstacy in serving and pleasing such a soul. They are very generous in the distribution of ananda.

If Radha and Krsna are displeased with disrespect of one of their confidential friends, how can we hope to be happy for they are the very distributing reservoir of all hapiness.

Govindam adi puresham tam aham bhajami.

Everyones happiness on this planet will increase by giving honor to Krsna and His devotee.

[Guest guest]

"yes yes but can any one there tell answer to previous question postedparamatma is there but today where is live guru on planet seems like some one with intelligentsia to answer please sincere where we can go for personal darshan "

 

try to meet, for xample:

 

srila bhakti vallabha tirtha maharaja

srila bhakti vaibhava puri maharaja

srila svarupa damodara maharaja

[Guest guest]

There are Gurus for those who want them.

 

Do you actually want a Guru who can give you love of Krsna?

 

If yes, then Krsna can arrange for you to meet such a guru.

 

What is impossible for Krsna is possible for you: and what is possible for Krsna is impossible for you.

[Guest guest]

as you sincerely seek knowledge and wisdom , the supreme Lord will make the arrangements you require to advance in spiritual life.ie. He sent to us here in the western world, His divine Grace Srila Prabhupada, many have taken the mercy many have not, many can still do so by reading His Graces books, as well the books of previous Achrya's.

 

When you need Guru in sincere way Krsna gives what you desire....watch what you wish for.Spiritual life is serious and not for the faint of heart.

[Guest guest]

There is nothing impossible for Krsna...as He is fully opulent in all facets.

 

and, what is possible for Krsna is most assured, impossible for any living being.

 

just try and see the folly for a human being to create maintain and annihilate all that the Lord has done.LOL please no applause for the fools of the world.

[Guest guest]

I have been trying to follow Vaishnava principles for sometime now. This has been, till now, my analysis

 

The problem comes when devotees go to the next levels of chanting or initiation due to social pressure or peer pressure and due to honest improvement.

 

I remember reading once that, as devotees, the only way to seek Krishna is thorugh reverse physcology, like for example, it says that we should not criticze about a devotee or we should not ask if Krishna will come to me or whether Krishna will do this for me.

 

In other words, we should not expect things to happen from outside to you, devotees helping you or Krishna helping you or devotees respecting you or devotees not giving importance to you though you have done lot of service, if we think like this, then we will not advance. Rather, as devotees, we should always think, what did i do to deserve this treatment and always think what did i to others as opposed to what others did to you.

 

If every devotee thinks like this- everyone will be happy!

 

Haribol!

 

anand

[Guest guest]

There are wonderful account of a Vaisnavi...her name is Queen Kunti...and her story tells of her desire to quickly suffer calamities so as to see the Lord of her heart ..Lord Krsna. These calamities are the inspiration to take complete shelter of the feet of Krsna.

 

If it is a belief we make our beds and lay in them....is it possible that certain mistakes are made by us for just that reason ?....to bring us closer to the Lord by placing us in the association of the pure devtee ?

[krsna 3]

Devotee (3): Often the devotee thinks that he's more unhappy than the karmis because he knows he's unhappy.

Prabhupada: Then that means he is not a devotee.

Devotee (3): He's not a devotee.

Prabhupada: Yes. He's not devotee. Devotee means the first sign will be

happy, brahma-bhuta prasannatma [bg. 18.54]. If he's not prasannatma, he's

a rascal. He has not entered even devotional life. He's outside. That is

the test. Just like Dhruva Maharaja. When he saw Visnu, he said,

"Everything is all right. I don't want anything." Svamin krtartho asmi.

That is Vaisnava. And if he is still in want or unhappiness, that means he

has no spiritual life at all. He is simply making a show.

(Morning Walk:

April 24, 1976 Melbourne, Australia

*****************************************

Prabhupada: No, it is pleasant. "Visvam purna-sukhayate". For a devotee,

everything is very happy. There is no unhappiness. Any condition, they are

happy. "Visvam purna-sukhayate". For nondevotees everything is a problem.

(devotees laugh) And for devotee everything is happiness. That is the

difference.

(Morning Walk, January 5, 1974--Los Angeles)

[brajeshwara das 0]

"Chant and be happy"

[Guest guest]

As my name indicates, i am not a pure devotee.

 

I am living in a temple and at times there are great disturbances, it's like a sport sometimes to get angry with eachother and express that anger in the form of being irritated at eachother,or even having a cold arrogant look in their eyes towards you, unprovoked....... many just can't take jokes, are gloomy, can't enjoy, cause they know that Krishna is the Supreme Enjoyer, and thereby get frustrated that they can't enjoy.

 

I will keep this quote in mind, learn it by heart, cause Prabhupada gave another good statement with this, now i know that it is not me, if someone reacts irritated or gloomy again, it's not me, it's not me, it's their wrong rascal state of mind, those socalled devotees, so i don't have to feel guilty, as i would have deserved this treatment.

 

Prabhupada Ki Jay !!!

 

And again, i am not a pure devotee at all, but i don't participate in this stupid being quickly irritated at eachother game of theirs.

[Guest guest]

And it is not all the devotees living here that are like that offcourse, but it can be like a virus, spreading, if you get infected, you will spread it also in all directions....

 

What to do ?

[Guest guest]

You can try to ignore them, although difficult.

 

I know of a "devotee" who was so eager to help an advanced Swami, that the slime and drew dripped out of his mouth, carying his bag like he was avoiding it to be contaminated with the dirt of the air, like some precious treasure was contained in the bag.

Later when i asked him something normal, he looked in the most arrogant and disturbed way to me, like how could i have the nerves to ask him something like this, i just asked if there were banana's for breakfast.

 

Kissing some ass up and kicking down.

[Beggar 0]

 

You can try to ignore them, although difficult.

 

I know of a "devotee" who was so eager to help an advanced Swami, that the slime and drew dripped out of his mouth, carying his bag like he was avoiding it to be contaminated with the dirt of the air, like some precious treasure was contained in the bag.

Later when i asked him something normal, he looked in the most arrogant and disturbed way to me, like how could i have the nerves to ask him something like this, i just asked if there were banana's for breakfast.

 

Kissing some ass up and kicking down.

Now that's an interesting observation but it's coming from the state of ordinary, conditioned consciousness. The devotional process is to see the faults in ourselves. What you describe is a perception from a very base level of reality. Sometimes we have to see this in order to protect ourselves from hypocrites who could potentially harm us but generally its really nothing to repeat or meditate on. How astonishing that babies soil their diapers or children spill their milk.

[Guest guest]

I don't understand what you are saying, what else should i have thought in such a situation, thinking that i have to find a secluded place to repent my sins for observing such a devotee's behaviour ?

Glorify him for what he did and feel very bad about myself, cause this treatment might have been something i deserved ?

 

There comes the self hatred !!

[Guest guest]

If i misunderstood what you were saying, please accept my apologies, i just reread your comment, i was thinking that the last line was meant for me, i don't know, can you clarify this expressio ?:

 

"how astonishing that babies soil their diapers or children spoil their milk"

[brajeshwara das 0]

Why are you surprised that people seeking to get rid of thier materialistic problems have problems? I think that is what he means. It is better that we focus on tolerance, humility, and offering honor to others and avoid seeing the faults in the devotees as who they are. Those faults in others are also in us to a degree, more or less who can say? We should pray they and we receive the mercy from Guru to overcome these anarthas. It isn't self-hatred to acknowledge the fault in ourselves, but the first step towards healing. And healing means becoming more tolerant, more humble, and more respectful. Feeling the way you do about others should indicate to you a deep problem in yourself. Those feelings are materialistic, you are caught up in them and that is understandable, most of us do that constantly. But see them for what they are, your enemy, not the devotees you are feeling them about. You can even learn from those devotees by not following thier negative examples, so it is mercy coming to you. Just do the right thing, be good, don't worry if others are good. You have enough to work out on your own.

 

I like to remember that an ashram is like a hospital, it is for the sick in need of mercy. I try and see everyone else there as fellow patients with similar conditions to be healed. And remember I am a patient, not the doctor.