CONTENTS:
- Devotees are the only ones who know what love actually is,
- Srila Prabhupada Appreciation; and
- Guru Maharaja’s instructions.
1. DEVOTEES ARE THE ONLY ONES WHO KNOW WHAT LOVE ACTUALLY IS
Caitanya Mahaprabhu gave the secret of success in Krishna Consciousness. What is the formula for becoming a pure devotee?
trnad api sunicena
taror api sahisnuna
amanina manadena
kirtaniyah sada harih
So the first thing is that we have to become more humble then we have to become very tolerant. These are the two most important things that we have to practice and cultivate. Actually a big devotee is not one who is very big holding a big position, a big devotee is one who thinks himself to be very small, the devotee may think that he is very small but Krishna thinks something else. Did Prahlad Maharaja want to become a big devotee? No Prahlad Maharaja was being persecuted, his father wanted to kill him but Prahlad Maharaja just remained as a humble servant. He simply depended upon Krishna and Krishna made him so famous, such a big devotee that He Himself came down and made his glory spread not only all over the three worlds but He made his glory spread for all time. Prahlad Maharaja came millions of years ago but still today we remember him. The Pandavas they didn’t want to become big devotees; they were undergoing so much difficulty and humiliation. Can you imagine how painful it must have been when Draupadi was dragged into that assembly and insulted in public? How humiliating it is? But, she just depended upon Krishna. The Pandavas depended upon dharma especially Yudistir Maharaja, at that time they did not create havoc in that atmosphere. When they started to insult Draupadi they could have turned the palace upside down and killed everyone. Pandavas are so powerful but they didn’t do anything. Why? Because by the codes of religious principles they did not do anything. They lost everything to the Kauravas in that game of dice and they lost Draupadi also. Draupadi was no more their property, Draupadi became the property of the Kauravas. They could do anything whatever they wanted to. That was the position the Pandavas were in. So if we want to become a big devotee then we have to be prepared for that kind of situation.
Someone asks Guru Maharaja a question (question unclear) The first and foremost thing we must remember is that our business is to spread Krishna Consciousness. This Krishna Consciousness movement is actually preaching. Mahaprabhu’s sankirtan movement is a preaching movement so our only business is to preach Krishna Consciousness, spread Krishna Consciousness everywhere and let everybody get Krishna Consciousness so that they can become free from the material bondage and go back to Godhead. Preaching is our most important consideration and when people come here, in one hand we are making arrangements for guests to come to New Mayapur so when they come we must make it a point to give them Krishna Consciousness. We should think that these people are coming here so how are we going to give them Krishna Consciousness? Prabhupada said that the best way to preach is by our own example. We can make big big lectures and speak a lot but if we ourselves do not become devotees our preaching will have no effect. We have to present this community or individually ourselves as devotees of Krishna. When we become exemplary devotees of Krishna, people come and see us, how we are speaking, receiving and dealing with them then automatically they will accept. One aspect of preaching is our personal behaviour, another aspect of preaching is when they come we present our community as an ideal community and ideal human being, that is the second aspect. It is also very important that we present our Gurukula and how we can teach the children. Actually when people come to a situation like this the first thing that is very appealing to them is the peace of the place. They feel very peaceful because the cities are so agitated and so much in the mode of passion and when they come to a spiritual community the first thing that they appreciate is the peace and we have to lead them to that peaceful atmosphere. One thing that makes us very peaceful and is very soothing if we can gather them together and make them sing and some devotee can lead the kirtan. These people actually remember these incidents, they sit together with devotees and sing not a very passionate kirtan. A passionate kirtan can be there during the aarti. If you invite and come and sit under the tree, lets all sit on the grass, it’s a beautiful evening and devotees like Mother Narayani can lead them into bhajan. The matajees, so many nice singers they can lead them into the bhajan. These are the very very small things to us but it sticks to their minds. Like often they will remember “Oh I went to this Hare Krishna temple and that evening we sang with the devotees and it was really divine.” Like that’s how they remember and this is how we must always make it a point that they carry a memorable impression of Krishna Consciousness. We should also make it a point that they are treated very well when they come. I will give you an example the first time the English devotee community they arrived at night at about 11 and I was waiting for them to come and when they came I actually went to the guest house and I made sure that they were properly situated and still today they always remember that. I went with them and just took care of them of course I did not stay until they were completely situated but just the fact that I went it is in their memory. These are small small gestures it doesn’t even take very much on our part but if we can just do that. When they come if offer them our sincere concern then that will be the best way to preach. What does Krishna Consciousness actually mean? In plain and simple words Krishna Consciousness actually means love. The Sanskrit word for Krishna Consciousness is Krishna Prema. The word Prema means love, Love for Krishna. Love is for Krishna but what a living entity is expected to do is offer that love of Krishna to others and that is how one living entity loves another living entity. Everyone is starving for love. In this world there is shortage of one thing, everyone is looking for love because the whole world is so full of hatred. In the material world what goes on in the name of love is actually lust. There is no love and that is why on the material platform everyone is frustrated and dying for love. Devotees are the only ones who know what love actually is.
2. SRILA PRABHUPADA APPRECIATION
Prabhupada said that the best way to preach is by our own example.
3. GURU MAHARAJA’S INSTRUCTIONS
In the material world what goes on in the name of love is actually lust. There is no love and that is why on the material platform everyone is frustrated and dying for love. Devotees are the only ones who know what love actually is.
(The content of this E-Magazine was based on a Lecture given by HH Bhakti Charu Swami Maharaja on given at New Mayapur on 6 May 1994.)
(Compiled and edited by Hemavati Radhika dasi)