The Nectar of Instruction Text ONE
1. Real
prayascitta, atonement, is the awakening of our dormant Krsna consciousness.
Real atonement involves coming
to real knowledge, and for this there is a standard process.
Such a methodical life is
described as tapasya.
2. One can be
gradually elevated to the standard of real knowledge, or Krsna consciousness,
by practicing austerity and celibacy, by controlling the mind, by controlling
the senses, by giving up one's possessions in charity, by being avowedly
truthful, by keeping clean and by practicing yoga-asanas.
However, if one is fortunate
enough to get the association of a pure devotee, he can easily surpass all the
practices for controlling the mind by the mystic yoga process simply by
following the regulative principles of Krsna consciousness and by engaging in
the service of the Supreme Lord under the direction of the bona fide spiritual
master.
3. First one
must control his speaking power.
The meaning of controlled speech
conveyed by Srila Rupa Gosvami advocates the positive process of krsna-katha,
engaging the speaking process in glorifying the Supreme Lord Sri Krsna.
4. The
restlessness or fickleness of the mind
(mano-vega) is controlled when one can fix his mind on the lotus feet of Krsna.
If one always thinks of Krsna
and how to serve Krsna best, one's mind will naturally be controlled.
5. If we
simply become angry with those who blaspheme the Lord or the devotees of the
Lord, we control our anger in Krsna
consciousness.
6. One should
take prasada at scheduled times and should not eat in restaurants or sweetmeat
shops simply to satisfy the whims of the tongue
or belly.
If we stick to the principle of
taking only prasada, the urges of the belly and tongue can be controlled.
7. The genitals should be used to beget a
Krsna conscious child, otherwise they should not be used.
8. When one is
fully practiced in the methods of Krsna conscious control, he can become
qualified to be a bona fide spiritual master.
Anuvrtti
commentary by Srila Bhaktisiddhata Sarasvati Thakura
1. Our
material identification creates three kinds of urges
1. the urge to speak
2. the urge or demands of the mind
3. the demands of the body.
2. One who
practices resisting these demands or urges is called tapasvi, or one who
practices austerities.
3. When we
refer to the urge to speak, we refer
to useless talking, such as that of the impersonal Mayavadi philosophers, or of
persons engaged in fruitive activities or of materialistic people who simply
want to enjoy life without restriction.
The conclusion is that only when
we talk about devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead can we
refrain from useless nonsensical talk.
We should always endeavor to use
our speaking power solely for the purpose of realizing Krsna consciousness.
2. The
agitations of the flickering mind are divided into two divisions.
1. avirodha-priti, or unrestricted attachment
adherence to the
philosophy of the Mayavadis
belief in the
fruitive results of the karma-vadis
belief in plans
based on materialistic desires
2. virodha-yukta-krodha, anger arising from frustration.
3. Demands of
the body
1. Demands of the tongue
If one can
restrain the demands of the tongue by limiting its activities to the eating of
prasada, the urges of the belly and the genitals can automatically be
controlled.
There are six
kinds of rasas (tastes) and if one is agitated by any one of them , he becomes
controlled by the urges of the tongue.
If we can
practice accepting only remnants of food offered to Krsna, it is possible to
get free from maya's victimization.
2. Demands of the belly
If one accepts
prasada only because of its palatable taste and thus eats too much, he also
falls prey to trying to satisfy the demands of the tongue.
When we desire
to eat more than necessary we automatically create many inconveniences in life.
However, if we
observe fasting days like Ekadasi and Janmastami, we can restrain the demands
of the belly
3. Demands of the genitals
When one
indulges in illicit sex life, as defined by the sastras, either by thinking,
planning, talking about or actually having sexual intercourse, or by satisfying
the genitals by artificial means, he is caught in the clutches of maya.
The conclusion
1. The
conclusion is that one who can control these six items--speech, mind, anger,
tongue, belly and genitals--is to be called a svami, or gosvami.
2. Unless one
is master of his senses, he should not be called gosvami, but go-dasa, servant
of the senses.
3. Following
in the footsteps of the six Gosvamis of Vrndavana, all svamis engage in the
transcendental loving service of the Lord.
As opposed to this, the go-dasa
engage in the service of the senses or in the service of the material world.
Nectar of Instruction Text TWO
1. Being subordinate as eternal servants of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, the jivatmas, or atomic living entities, must
remain under the control of either the internal or external potency.
2. Only when a person gratifies the senses of
the Supreme Lord can he be called a mahatma, or broad-minded person.
3. When the individual jiva souls are under the
control of the internal energy, their only engagement is the satisfaction of
Krsna, or Visnu.
4. One should not collect more than necessary
to maintain the ody. Collecting more than necessary atyahara is prohibited.
5. Collecting and eating more than necessary
also causes prayasa, or unnecessary
endeavor. By God's arrangement there is
sufficient scope for the production of milk and grains for human beings all
over the world, but instead of using their higher intelligence to cultivate God
consciousness, so called intelligent men misuse their intelligence to produce
many unnecessary and unwanted things If
people are advised not to collect too many goods, eat too much or work unnecessarily
to possess artificial amentities, they think they are being advised to return
to a primitive way of life. Generally
people do not like to accept plain living and high thinking.
6.
Those who
believe that this higher intelligence is meant to attain a higher state should
follow the instructions of the Vedic literatures.
7.
By taking
instructions from higher authorities, one can actually become situated in
perfect knowledge and give real meaning to life.
7. Religion
entails understanding the laws of God because the proper execution of these
laws ultimately leads one out of material entanglement.
True religion, instructs people to be
satisfied with the bare necessities of life while cultivating Krsna
consciousness.
Anuvrtti by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati
Thakura
1. Too much
endeavor to acquire knowledge on the part of mental speculators or dry
philosophers falls within the category of
atyahara.
2. Those
interested in Krsna consciousness should not be eager to accept rules and
regulations for economic advancement, yet they should very faithfully accept
scriptural rules and regulations for the advancement of Krsna consciousness.
3. Desires to
expand the mind by perfecting mystic yoga, merging in the existence of Brahman,
or attaining whimsical material prospereity are all included within the
category of greed (laulya).
4. Krsna conscious devotees know very well that this
material world is designed by the complete arrangement of the Lord to fulfill
all the necessities of life for all living beings, without their having to
encroach upon the life or rights of one another.
This complete arrangement
affords the proper quota of wealth for everyone according to his real needs,
and thus everyone may live peacefully according to the principle of plain
living and high thinking.
Unfortunately, materialists who
have neither faith in the plan of God nor any aspiration for higher spiritual
development misuse their God-given intelligence only to augment their material
possessions.
5. Every
intelligent man should purify his consciousness and rid himself of the
above-mentioned six hindrances to devotional service by taking wholehearted
shelter of this Krsna consciousness movement.
Nectar of
Instruction Text THREE
Devotional Service based on Practical Activity
1. Devotional service is not a matter of sentimental
speculation or imaginative ecstasy.
Its substance is practical activity.
a.
Bhagavad-gita As It Is: Chapter Three, Text 43 :PURPORT
One may not give up work and prescribed
duties all of a sudden; but by gradually developing Krsna consciousness, one
can be situated in a transcendental position without being influenced by the
material senses and the mind--by steady intelligence directed toward one's pure
identity.
In the immature stage of material existence,
philosophical speculations and artificial attempts to control the senses by the
so-called practice of yogic postures can never help a man toward spiritual
life.
He
must be trained in Krsna consciousness by higher intelligence.
b.
Srimad- Bhagavatam Canto 2: Chapter Two, Text 35 :PURPORT Actually the Lord is not
perceivable by our present materialized senses, but when one is convinced of
the presence of the Lord by a practical
service attitude, there is a revelation
by the Lord's mercy, and such a pure devotee of the Lord can perceive the
Lord's presence always and everywhere.
2. Srila Rupa Gosvami has defined devotional service
as follows:
anyabhilasita-sunyam
jnana-karmady-anavriam
anukulyena krsnanu-
silanam bhaktir uttama
3. Bhakti is a sort of cultivation. As soon as we
say "cultivation," we must refer to activity.
Devotional
service, however, not only puts an end to all nonsensical mundane activities,
but also engages one in meaningful devotional activities.
Sri
Prahlada Maharaja recommends:
sravanam kirtanam visnoh
smaranam pada-sevanam
arcanam vandanam dasyam
4.
Sravanam, or hearing, is the first step in acquiring transcendental
knowledge.
One must approach an
authorized person
1. One should not give aural reception to
unauthorized persons, but should approach
the proper person, as recommended in Bhagavad-gita (4.34):
tad viddhi pranipatena
pariprasnena sevaya
upadeksyanti
te jnanam
jnaninas tattva-darsinah
In the Mundaka Upanisad:
tad-vijnanartham sa gurum evabhigacchet:
"To understand that transcendental
science, one must approach a bona fide spiritual master."
2. Thus this method of submissively receiving
transcendental confidential knowledge is not merely based on mental
speculation.
3. In this regard, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu told Rupa
Gosvami:
brahmanda bhramite kona bhagyavan jiva
guru-krsna-prasade paya bhakti-lata-bija
"In
the course of traversing the universal creation of Brahma, some fortunate soul
may receive the seed of bhakti-lata, the creeper of devotional service. This is
all by the grace of guru and Krsna." (Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya 19.151)
When
by good fortune one comes in contact with a pure devotee and hears from him
patiently, one begins to follow the path of devotional service.
The
International Society for Krishna Consciousness is giving such a chance to
humanity at large.
Enthusiasm
1. One should accept this opportunity to return
home, back to Godhead, very enthusiastically.
Without
enthusiasm, one cannot be successful.
2. Even in the material world one has to be very
enthusiastic in his particular field of activity in order to become successful.
3. Enthusiasm means action for
Krsna--krsnarthakhila-cesta (Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu).
4. In all phases of life one has to perform
devotional activities under the direction of the spiritual master in order to
attain perfection in bhakti-yoga.
5. It is not that one has to confine or narrow one's
activities. Krsna is all-pervading. Therefore nothing is independent of Krsna.
Bhagavad-gita (9.4):
6. Under the direction of the bona fide spiritual
master, one has to make everything favorable for Krsna's service. For example,
at present we are using a dictaphone.
Thus
the devotee can understand that since nothing is independent of Krsna's energy,
everything should be dovetailed in His service.
7. Endeavor
executed with intelligence in Krsna consciousness is called utsaha, or
enthusiasm.
The
devotees find the correct means by which everything can be utilized in the
service of the Lord (nirbandhah krsna-sambandhe yuktam vairagyam ucyate).
The
execution of devotional service is not a matter of idle meditation but
practical action in the foreground of spiritual life.
Patience
1. One should not be impatient in discharging
devotional service, but should take instructions from the spiritual master and
execute them with patience, depending on the mercy of guru and Krsna.
Patience and Confidence
1. The successful execution of Krsna conscious
activities requires both patience and confidence. A newly married girl
naturally expects offspring from her husband, but she cannot expect to have
them immediately after marriage.
2. Similarly, in devotional service surrender means
that one has to become confident. The devotee thinks, avasya raksibe krsna:
"Krsna will surely protect me and give me help for the successful
execution of devotional service." This is called confidence.
Regulative Principles
1. One should not be idle but should be very
enthusiastic about executing the regulative principles--tat-tat-karma-pravartana.
Varied engagement in devotional service.
2. Neglect of the regulative principles will destroy
devotional service.
3. In this Krsna consciousness movement there are
four basic regulative principles, forbidding illicit sex, meat-eating, gambling
and intoxication.
A
devotee must be very enthusiastic about following these principles.
4. In addition to these four prohibitions (yama),
there are positive regulative principles (niyama), such as the daily chanting
of sixteen rounds on japa-mala beads.
Giving up Undesirable Associatiion
1. This includes karmis, jnanis, yogis and other
nondevotees.
2. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu asked about general
principles of Vaisnavism. Sri Caitanya
Mahaprabhu replied: asat-sanga-tyaga,--ei vaisnava-acara.
Srila
Narottama dasa Thakura recommended, tandera carana sevi bhakta-sane vasa: one
has to live in the company of pure devotees and execute the regulative
principles laid down by the previous acaryas, the six Gosvamis
3. The International Society for Krishna Consciousness
is opening many centers just to invite people to live in the company of
devotees and practice the regulative principles of spiritual life.
Continuous Activities in Devotional Service
1. We hold continuous activities in devotional
service twenty-four hours daily. This is called sato vriti, or following in the
footsteps of the previous acaryas who expertly filled every moment of time with
Krsna conscious activities.
Following this Advice
If
one strictly follows the advice given in this verse by Srila Rupa
Gosvami--namely, being enthusiastic, being confident, being patient, giving up
the association of unwanted persons, following the regulative principles and
remaining in the association of devotees--one is sure to advance in devotional
service.
Anuvritti Commentary by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta
1. Engagement in the devotional service of the Lord
Is
the life and soul of the living entity.
It
is the desired goal and supreme perfection of human life.
One
has to become confident about this,
And
one also has to be confident that all activities other than devotional
service--such as mental speculation, fruitive work or mystic endeavor--will
never yield any enduring benefit.
2. Complete confidence in the path of devotional
service will enable one to attain his desired goal, but attempting to follow
other paths will only succeed in making one restless.
3. In the Seventh Canto of the Srimad-Bhagavatam it
is stated: "One must be calmly convinced that those who have given up
devotional service to engage in severe austerities for other purposes are not
purified in their minds, despite their advanced austerities, because they have
no information of the transcendental loving service of the Lord."
It
is further stated in the Seventh Canto: "Although mental speculators and
fruitive actors may perform great austerities and penances, they still fall
down because they do not have information about the lotus feet of the
Lord."
4. In Bhagavad-gita (9.31), the Supreme Personality
of Godhead assures Arjuna, kaunteya pratijanihi na me bhaktah pranasyati:
"O son of Kunti, declare it boldly that My devotee never perishes."
Again in
Bhagavad-gita (2.40)
5. 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.
6. There are certainly many good qualities among
fruitive actors, philosophical speculators and mystic yogis, but all good
qualities automatically develop in the character of a devotee.
7. Since all the devotees of the Lord are under the
protection of His supreme potency, they should not deviate from the path of
devotional service and take to the path of the karmi, jnani or yogi. This is
called utsahan niscayad dhairyat tat-tat-karma-pravartanat, enthusiastically
executing the regulative activities of devotional service with patience and
confidence. In this way one can advance in devotional service without
hindrance.
Nectar of
Instruction Text FOUR
1. The International Society for Krishna
Consciousness has been established to facilitate these six kinds of loving
exchanges between devotees.
2. This Society was started single-handedly, but
because people are coming forward and dealing with the give-and-take policy,
the Society is now expanding all over the world.
3. We
are glad that people are donating very liberally to the development of the
Society's activities,
People
are also eagerly accepting whatever humble contribution we are giving them in
the shape of books and magazines dealing strictly with the subject matter of
Krsna consciousness.
We
sometimes hold Hare Krsna festivals and invite life members and friends to
participate in the feasting by accepting prasada. Although most of our members
come from the higher rungs of society, they nonetheless come and take whatever
little prasada we are able to offer them.
Sometimes
the members and supporters inquire very confidentially about the methods of
performing devotional service, and
We
try to explain this.
4. In Bhagavad-gita (2.62) it is stated, sangat
sanjayate kamah: one's desires and ambitions develop according to the company
one keeps. It is often said that a man is known by his company, and if an
ordinary man associates with devotees, he will certainly develop his dormant
Krsna consciousness.
5. We cannot imitate the activities of Sri Caitanya
Mahaprabhu, but we should follow in His footsteps.
We
are not powerful enough to enchant the lower animals such as tigers, snakes,
cats and dogs or entice them to dance, but by chanting the holy names of the
Lord we can actually convert many people throughout the world to Krsna
consciousness.
Contributing
or distributing the holy name of the Lord is a sublime example of contributing
or giving charity (the dadati principle).
6. By the same token, one must also follow the
pratigrhnati principle and be willing and ready to receive the transcendental
gift.
One
should inquire about the Krsna consciousness movement and open his mind in
order to understand the situation of this material world.
7. The members of the International Society for
Krishna Consciousness invite the Society's members and supporters to dine with
them when they hold love feasts in all their branches every Sunday. Many
interested people come to honor prasada, and whenever possible they invite
members of the Society to their homes and feed them sumptuously with prasada.
8. When a religious system develops and turns into
love of God, it is successful.
9. As stated in the First Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam
(1.2.6):
sa vai pumsam paro
dharmo
yato bhaktir adhoksaje
ahaituky apratihata
yayatma suprasidati
"The
supreme occupation [dharma] for all humanity is that by which men can attain to
loving devotional service unto the transcendent Lord. Such devotional service
must be unmotivated and uninterrupted in order to completely satisfy the
self."
If the
members of human society actually want Peace of mind, tranquillity and friendly
relations between men and nations, they must follow the Krsna conscious system
of religion, by which they can develop their dormant love for Krsna, the
Supreme Personality of Godhead. As soon as people do so, their minds will
immediately be filled with peace and tranquillity.
10. It is the negative injunction of this verse that
we should refrain from giving anything to or accepting anything from the
Mayavadis and atheists. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has also warned, visayira anna
khaile dusta haya mana: "By eating food prepared by worldly people, one s
mind becomes wicked. Unless one is very advanced, he is unable to utilize
everyone's contribution to further the Krsna consciousness movement; therefore
on principle one should not accept charity from the Mayavadis or atheists.
Indeed, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has forbidden devotees to associate even with
ordinary men who are too addicted to material sense gratification.
11. The conclusion is that
a. We should always keep company with devotees,
b. Observe the regulative devotional principles,
c. Follow in the footsteps of the acaryas and
d. In full obedience carry out the orders of the
spiritual master.
In
this way we shall be able to develop our devotional service and dormant Krsna
consciousness.
12. According to the dadati principle, an advanced
devotee is supposed to spend at least fifty percent of his income on the
service of the Lord and His devotees.
Text 4
1. The life of
the Krsna conscious society is nourished by these six types of loving exchange
among the members; therefore people must be given the chance to associate with
the devotees of ISKCON because simply by reciprocating in the six ways
mentioned above an ordinary man can fully revive his dormant Krsna
consciousness.
2.
Contributing or distributing the holy name of the Lord is a sublime example of
contributing or giving charity (the dadati principle).
3. One should
inquire about the Krsna consciousness movement and open his mind in order to
understand the situation of this material world.
4. It is the negative
injunction of this verse that we should refrain from giving anyting to or
accepting anything from the Mayavadis and atheists.
5. Unless one
is very advanced, he is unable to utilize everyone's contribution to further
the Krsna consciousness movement.
6. Whatever
one's income, fifty percent should be spent on behalf of Krsna and His
devotees, and this will fulfill the demands of dadati.
Nectar of Instruction Text
FIVE
Uttama Adhikari
1. Advanced in undeviated devotional service.
2. An uttama-adhikari is not interested in blaspheming others.
3. His heart is completely clean.
4. Has attained the realized state of unalloyed Krishna
consciousness. Realizes himself to be an
eternal servitor of Krsna.
5. Seriously engaged in the service of the Lord. Loses interest in
everything but Krsna's service.
6. Strictly following all the regulative principles. Always thinking of Krsna.
7. Chanting the prescribed number of rounds on japa beads.
8. Always thinking of how to expand the Krishna consciousness
movement.
9. Understands that there is no difference between the Lord and His
name.
10. Can be recognized by his ability to convert many fallen souls to
Vaisnavism.
Madhyama Adhikari: The way to cultivate devotional service properly.
1. Has Undergone spiritual initiation [diksha].
2. Is engaged in worshiping the Deity.
3. Fully engaged by him in the transcendental loving service of the
Lord.
4. Worships the Supreme Personality of Godhead as the highest object of
love.
5. Makes friends with the Lord's devotees.
6. Is merciful to the ignorant.
7. Avoids those who are envious by nature.
8. When a neophyte devotee is actually initiated and engaged in
devotional service by the orders of the spiritual master, he should be accepted
as a bona fide Vaisnava.
9. Regularly chanting the holy name.
10. Conclusive knowledge of the sastras is not very strong.
11. Has developed firm faith in chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra.
12. Undeterred in the execution of his prescribed devotional service.
13. Sraddhavan a staunchly faithful person.
14. Candidate for further advancement in devotional service.
Kanistha-Adhikari
1. Has received the hari-nama initiation from the spiritual master and
is trying to chant the holy name of Krsna.
2. Interested only in worshiping the Deity in the temple.
3. Does not know how to behave toward devotees or people in general.
4. Those who are innocent but simply carried away by bad association
should be shown favor if they are eager to receive proper instructions from
pure devotees.
5. Faith is soft and pliable.
ualifications for initiation.
Initiation is the
process by which a devotee becomes attached to Krsna (Cc Antya 4.192)
a. Disinterested
in material enjoyment. Prepared to accept any living condition as long as they
can live in the temple and associate with the Vaisnavas.
b. Prepared to
practice austerity, celibacy and control of the mind and body.
c. Desirous of
receiving spiritual enlightenment.
Interested in the transcendental subject matter of the Absolute Truth.
d. Prepared to
follow instructions of the spiritual master.
e. Very much
jijnasu, inquisitive to learn from the bona fide spiritual master.
f. The inquiries
one makes should strictly pertain to transcendental science.
g. Has lost
interest in mundane inquiry.
Real faith is the basis
1. Faith means accepting the instructions of Bhagavad-gita in their
totality, especially the last instruction: Abandon all varieties of religion
and just surrender unto Me."
When one becomes
completely faithful in regard to this instruction, one's strong faith becomes
the basis for advancing in spiritual life.
2. We must engage faithfully in the service of the Lord.
Such service
begins with the tongue, which means that we should always chant the holy names
of the Lord and accept krsna-prasada.
When this process
is faithfully followed, the Supreme Lord reveals Himself to the devotee.
3 types of devotees
Kanistha
Madhyama
Uttama
Kanistha must raise himself to Madhyama platform.
Madhyama platform is the proper platform to cultivate Krsna consciousness.
Uttama-adhikari's association should always be sought.
Initiation and surrender is the process by which a devotee becomes
attached to Krsna.
Main process is chanting the holy name of Hare Krsna offenselessly.
Faith in undeviated devotional service and chanting the holy name
Faith means that
by rendering transcendental service to Krsna, one automatically performs all
subsidiary activities.
Therefore:
One should find an
uttama- dhikari devotee and surrender to him by the 6 types of exchanges.
One should not imitate the behavior of an advanced
devotee without being self-realized.
Text 5
1. When a
neophyte devotee is actually initiated and engaged in devotional service by the
orders of the spiritual master, he should be accepted immediately as a bona
fide Vaisnava, and obeisances should be offered unto him.
2. Out of many
such Vaisnavas, one may be found to be very seriously engaged in the service of
the Lord and strictly following all the regulative principles, chanting the
prescribed number of rounds on japa beads and always thinking of how to expand
the Krsna consciousness movement
Such a Vaisnava should be
accepted as an uttama-adhikari, a highly advanced devotee, and his association
should always be sought.
3. When one
become disinterested in material enjoyment, he becomes fit for initiation by
the spiritual master.
4. When a
person is serious about accepting diksa, he must be prepared to practice
austerity, celibacy and control of the mind and body.
5. One should
not accept a spiritual master without following his instructions.
One must be jijnasu, very much
inquisitive to learn from the bona fide spiritual master. The inquires one
makes should strictly pertain to transcendental (jijnasu sreya uttamam).
When one has lost interest in
inquiring about mundane subject matters, and is simply interested in
transcendental subject matters, he is quite fit for being initiated.
When one is actually initiated
by the bona fide spiritual master and when he seriously engages in the service
of the Lord, he should be accepted as a madhyama adhikari.
6. One should
know for certain that without chanting the holy name of the Lord offenselessly,
one cannot be a proper candidate for advancement in Krsna consciousness.
The conclusion is that anyone
who is trying to advance in Krsna consciousness by regularly chanting the holy
name should always be respected by Vaisnavas.
7. Sraddha
means accepting the instructions of Bhagavad-gita in their totality, especially
the last instruction: sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja.
When one becomes completely
faithful in regard to this instruction, one's strong faith becomes the basis
for advancing in spiritual life.
8. When one
fully engages in chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra, he gradually realizes his
own spiritual identity.
Unless one faithfully chants the
Hare Krsna mantra, Krsna does not reveal Himself.
9. One should
not become a spiritual master unless he has attained the platform of
uttama-adhikari.
A disciple should be careful to
accept an uttama-adhikari as a spiritual master.
Nectar of Instruction Text SIX
1. Unless one
is actually a devotee, he cannot see another devote perfectly.
2. No one
should criticize the bodily defects of a pure devotee.
If there are such defects, they
should be overlooked.
What should be taken into
account is the spiritual master's main business, which is devotional service,
pure service to the Supreme Lord.
3. Every
devotee should be ready to take instructions from a superior Vaisnava, and a
superior Vaisnava must be ready to help an inferior Vaisnava in all respects.
One is superior or inferior according to his spiritual development in
Krsna consciousness.
One is forbidden to observe the
activities of a pure Vaisnava from a material point of view.
For the neophyte especially,
considering a pure devotee from a material point of view is very injurious.
One should therefore avoid observing
a pure devotee externally, but should try to see the internal features and
understand how he is engaged in the transcendental loving service of the Lord.
In this way one can avoid seeing
the pure devotee from a material point of view, and thus one can gradually
become a purified devotee himself.
Nectar of Instruction Text SEVEN
1. Avidya, a
misconception about one's spiritual identity, provides the foundation for
ahankara, or false ego within the heart.
2. The Krsna
consciousness movement is especially meant for creating an atmosphere in which
people can take to the chanting of the Hare Krsna mantra.
The Nectar of Instruction Text EIGHT
1. "In
the transcendental land of Vraja one should serve the Supreme Lord, Sri Krsna,
with a feeling similar to that of His associates, and one should place himself
under the direct guidance of a particular associate of Krsna and should follow
in his footsteps. This method is
applicable both in the stage of sadhana (spiritual practices executed while in
the stage of bondage) and in the stage of sadhya (God realization), when one is
a siddha-purusa, or a spiritually perfect soul." (Brs 1.2.295)
2. In the
neophyte stage one should always engage in hearing krsna-katha. This is called sravana-dasa, the stage of
hearing.
3. By
constantly hearing the transcendental holy name of Krsna, and hearing of His
transcendental form, qualitiies and pastimes, one can attain to the stage of
acceptance called varana-dasa.
When one attains this stage, he
becomes attached to the hearing of krsna-katha.
4. When one is
able to chant in ecstasy, he attains the stage of smaranavastha, the stage of
remembering.
5.
Recollection, absorption, meditation, constant remembrance and trance are the
five items of progressive krsna-smarana.
6. At first,
remembrance of Krsna may be interrrupted at intervals,
but later remembrance proceeds
uininterrrupted.
When remembrance is
uninterrupted, it becomes concentrated and is called meditation, anusmrti.
By uninterrupted and unceasing
anusmrti one enters the stage of samadhi, or spiritual trance.
After smarana-dasa or samadhi
has fully developed, the soul comes to understand his original constitutional
position.
At that time he can perfectly
and clearly understand his eterenal relationship with Krsna. That is called sampatti-dasa, the perfection
of life.
The Nectar of Instruction Text NINE
1.
Radha-kunda, at the foot of Govardhana, is superior to all because it is there
that love of Krsna overflows.
2. Radha-kund
is mainly worshiped by the Gaudiya Vaisnavas, the followers of Lord Sri Krsna
Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
The Nectar of Instruction Text TEN
1. Among the karmis some are called vikarmis, people who act without the guidance of Vedic knowledge.
2. Those who act on the basis of Vedic knowledge perform sacrifices for the satisfaction of Lord Visnu and to receive benedictions from Him.
3. A jnani is considered superior to a karmi because he at least refrains from the blind activities of sense enjoyment.
4. Although a jnani may be liberated fromt he ignorance of the karmis, unless he comes to the platform of devotional service he is still considered to be in ignorance.
5. When a jnani takes to devotional service, he rapidly becomes superior to an ordinary jnani.
6. After taking to devotional service under the regulative principles, a person may come to the platform of spontaneous love of Godhead, following in the footsteps of great devotees like Narada, Sanaka, and Sanatana.
7. Of all these devotees, the gopis are recognized as superior because they do not know anything other than satisfying Krsna.
8. There is no difference between thinking of Krsna and associating with Him.
Rather, vipralambha-seva, thinking of Krsna in separation, as Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu did, is far better than serving Krsna directly.
9. Out of all these exalted gopis, Srimati Radharani is the highest.
10. Srila Rupa Gosvami concludes that Srimati Radharani is the most exalted devotee of Krsna and that Her kunda (lake), Sri Radha-kunda, is the most exalted place.
Nectar of Instruction
Text ELEVEN
1. Krsna's love for Radha-kunda and Srimati Radharani is the same in all respects.
2. The conclusion is that to live on the banks of Radha-kunda and to bathe there daily constitute the highest perfection of devotional service.
3. By serving Radha-kunda, one can get an opportunity to become an assistant of Srimati Radharani under the eternal guidance of the gopis.