Hare Krishna Prabhujis and Mathajis,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada and Srila Gurudev.

In Bhagavad-Gita verse 8.14 Lord Krishna says,

ananya-cetaah satatam / yo maam smarati nityashah
tasyaaham sulabhah paartha / nitya-yuktasya yoginah

"For one who always remembers Me without deviation, I am easy to obtain, O son of Prtha, because of his constant engagement in devotional service."

Srila Prabhupada in his purports says that the special qualification of the pure devotee is that he is always thinking of Krishna without deviation and without considering the time or place. There should be no impediments. He should be able to carry out his service anywhere and at any time. Some say that the devotee should remain in holy places like Vrindavan or some holy town where the Lord lived, but a pure devotee can live anywhere and create the atmosphere of Vrindavan by his devotional service. It was Sri Advaita who told Lord Caitanya, "Wherever You are, O Lord-there is Vrindavan."

I was listening to one of the nectarean classes given by our beloved Guru Maharaj HH Mahavishnu Goswami on the above verse and I shall make a humble effort to transcribe the same. Maharaj says – 'There are so many deviations in devotional service so a devotee should try not to engage himself in materialistic association. Grazing the cows is Vedic activity. Krishna doesn't do anything else. It is his daily paricharya to graze the cows. As told many times, the science of Vedic culture is present everywhere. When I was In Uganda I heard that the President of Uganda was on his annual leave. In those holidays he was grazing the cows. And he insists that all presidents should graze the cow once in year to keep themselves mentally healthy. That is very correct. We devotees have chosen not to associate with men attracted to money and women. We have voluntarily accepted this austerity and this austerity should be performed very nicely. Temples should be away from city and should be large, so that it is easy for devotees to perform unflinching devotional service. Every vibration is stored in the atmosphere be it material or spiritual. So creating a spiritual vibrations is very important. Devotees think, how to glorify Lord, where to go and preach, how can I serve Srila Prabhupada - then these vibrations stay in atmosphere, thus cleaning the atmosphere around the devotees and temple. If you are engaged in thinking auspicious things and about Krishna, everything auspicious comes to you. Even if you think inauspicious, forget about vibrations, even then you are destroyed. Words come afterwards, just thinking brings inauspiciousness to you. The talk comes afterwards, ideas come before that. As soon as idea is polluted, your life is polluted. That's why Krishna says in above verse "ananya-cetah satatam yo maam smarati nityasah". "Undeviatingly you think of Me." One can understand that at material platform, if just thinking brings those results then what to speak at spiritual platform ? Krishna here rewards, those who remember Him regularly. Find out ways and means so that we will not forget Him. Then "tasyaaham sulabhah paartha" - They can very easily attain Krishna and how ? "nitya-yuktasya yoginah" - "always engaged in remembering Me."

We are very lucky while reading this that we are thinking about Krishna and our mind is not deviated. It's a pure devotional service. Right now we are ananya cetah – Undeviated. In our available time, each second has got to be utilized in serving and remembering Krishna. Rest of the work should be minimized to meet our requirements. Don't run behind money. Our faith in Krishna should not dwindle. As soon as our faith dwindles we try to take shelter of money, gold, good country, high paid job etc though you know that you are not body, but soul. This body has to die one or the other day. In order to strengthen the faith we have to get rid of inauspicious ideas. If a lady is attached only to her husband and if husband is attached only to his wife then though married, they both are brahmachari.

Atri Rsi had wife named Anasuya. Once demigods Brahma Vishnu and Mahesh went to test Anasuya. And Anasuya was very chaste. Anasuya came out with some charity in her hands, but then these demigods said that they will accept the charity if she gives without wearing a single cloth. It was a great problem. She cannot deny charity and cannot even give charity. She was chaste lady. Chastity has huge power. Even a chaste husband has lot of power. They can do whatever they want. So Anasuya converted these 3 demigods into 3 small babies. She then took out clothes and gave charity to 3 demigods. The demigods were very much pleased. Then they asked her to ask for any benediction and she asked them that, "If you are all really pleased then please combine together and become my son." Thats how Dattatreya was born. Dattatreya is Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh.

Similarly chastity should be there in devotional service also. ananya cetaah satatam yo maam smarati nityasah. Constantly attached only to Krishna without deviating our mind. Our Bhakti must be undeviated, unflinching. If you are attached to Krishna through knowledge, scriptural evidences then we will remain unflinchingly devoted to Krishna. Unless you read Srila Prabhupad books, you won't be able to convince yourself. Then what to speak of convincing others ? First you have to convince yourself. And arguments that helped you in convincing yourself will help in convincing others also. This is the secret of studying Vedic scriptures. This is the way of "ananya cetaah satatam yo maam smarati nityasah".'

Krishna willing, we shall hear the remaining part of Maharaj's class, on how to attain Him in the next mail.

Thank you very much.
Yours in service of Srila Prabhupada and Srila Gurudev,
Vinayasheela devi dasi,
Indore.