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.

 

 

 

 





 





 





 





 





 





 





 





 





 





 





 





 





 





 





 





 





 





 





 





 





 





 





 





 





 





 



