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Bhakti Yoga-Devotional Service to the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna

Bhakti Yoga-Devotional Service to the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna
Gopis performing Devotional Service to the Lordships Sri Sri Radha Krishna

Devotee relationships

Devotee relationships

10 Jul 2014 by  1 Comment

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 21 December 2010, Cape Town, South Africa, Lecture at house program)

kingsday 2014The family of vaisnavas is somehow or other our support. Prabhupada made this movement a very personal one. In the beginning, we overlook how important relationships are because we are not used to it. In the material world, when a relationship does not work, you just cut it off and try another one… then another one and another one.

Now I’m not talking just about friendships. So many friends came and went in our lives in the material world but spiritual relationships are very different. Spiritual friendships are different because devotees are very rare. Therefore, devotees are precious and the relationship with the devotee is precious and once broken it is difficult to repair; not like a broken pot that can be glued back together.

Therefore with devotees we cannot just afford the mentality that if it does not work, get rid of this one and get another one! Because the day will come when we will need all the devotees. The day will come when we will very much depend on devotees because the vaisnavas are sustaining us in our spiritual life and without them it becomes so difficult. The day will come when all artificial behavior in our relationships will have to go because that cannot sustain us and time will test us. As they say, “It all comes out in the wash!” It means that sooner or later, it has to get real.

In the beginning, maybe one can have a Shakespearean performance of Krsna consciousness but at one point we need genuine relationships and genuine friendships. This is very important therefore we must be very careful to make sure we avoid unpleasant exchanges between devotees even for the sake of service. Sometimes, it may be necessary that a devotee is not doing it proper and you have to straighten him out.

We sometimes have to chastise but it is an unfortunate thing to do because in the course of it we may break a relationship. That is just one thought that comes to my mind: friendship between vaisnavas. Friendship is not just by declaration, not just Facebook friends or face-value friends, friendship means more.



--
Yours
Dinesh

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SB 1.1.5

Today's sloka 


Haribol

On Jul 9, 2014, at 5:54 AM, Dinesh <dineshkrishna108@gmail.com> wrote:


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Respect attracts respect


Respect to a person is entitled based on various parameters such as age, position, knowledge, experience, qualities/character, seniority. Yudhistra maharaja was paying respects to Gandhari and Dhritarashtra everyday for they are elderly people. Draupadi was a chaste noble Queen. She was treated like a prostitue by disrobing her in the kuru assembly, by such disrespect the kurus ruined themselves. If we give respect to people we also will be respectable naturally, if we fail to do so we will attract disrespect. The whole process of Krishna consciousness is about giving respect to everyone and not expecting respect for the self. Only in such a state of mind can one chant the holy names of The Lord as explained by Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu.


Prahlad Maharaj was worshipped by Lord Indra by circumambulating his mother when he was in the womb. By age he was small but by the qualities of devotion he was great to be worshipped even by Indra. Merely age doesn't qualify one to become respectable but the qualities.


Yours
Dinesh

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SB 1.1.4

Today's sloka: 



Yours
Dinesh

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A neophyte thinks....

One of the characteristics of a neophyte devotee is that he will think himself as very advanced and it's a challenge to make him understand that he is not. Because it's an obstacle for him to make further progress, he needs to surrender more to Guru giving up his false ego of knowing everything. Otherwise om ajnana timirandasya.. doesn't make sense. I am born in darkness of ignorance and my spiritual master dispelled it with the torch of knowledge- this we have to remember and everyday we have to think that I am a new Bhakta so that we don't build up false prestige and boost our false ego to think that I am so expert and experienced in devotional service myself.


Yours
Dinesh

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