Is it proper to consider the spiritual master as God or the supreme enjoyer?
The spiritual master is not the supreme enjoyer like Krsna. In other words, he is not Gopinath, the beloved lord of the *gopis*. The spiritual master is the servitor God. In that sense, he is good as God, most dear to God, the Lord's topmost devotee. The spiritual master is the predominated God; he is not the predominating God like Krsna or the original predominated God like Sri Radha.
Do the spiritual master and the vaishnvas approve all of our actions?
As a good doctor does not prescribe cures according to the patient's desire, a bonafide spiritual master does not falsely encourage or flatter conditioned souls. I have no qualification to approve the actions of those who display or will display devotion to their fathers and mothers in order to achieve worldly happiness and peace. Our hearts are not righteous like theirs. We follow Vedic injunctions.
Who is spiritual master?
The spiritual master is the one who can protect me from death in the form of material existence. The bonafide spiritual master is the one who can deliver me from the fear or anxiety generated by death. When I approach my spiritual master, I do not need to hear from anyone else. He is the source of all my auspiciousness and the hands into which the all-auspicious Supreme Lord has entrusted my well-being.
What is the mentality of a devotee?
A libreated soul does not desire liberation. The devotees are liberated souls. Therefore, they do not desire religiosity, economic development, sense gratification, or libration. Devotional service is full of happiness. Everything else is devoid of happiness. Thus only a devotee is actually happy, whereas everyone else is distressed and disturbed. Because there is no devotion in the activities of *karmis*, *jyanis*, *yogis*, *bhogis*, and *tyagis*, all of them are restless.
Is every devotee worshipable? Who protects the devotees?
If any rich or powerful person attacks an *akincana* devotee, Sri Nrsimhadeva will certainly take care of the devotee. Only those among the higher and lower castes in society who have taken shelter of the Lord's devotional service are proper candidates for our spiritual respect and adoration. To consider that a Vaishnava belongs to a particular class is offensive.
What should be the mentality of a householder devotee?
A householder devotee must remember that his house belongs to Krsna and he himself is a pet dog that Krsna maintains. One should serve Krsna with all that he possesses, knowing well that Krsna is the master of his household.
How does a Vaishnav who is fixed at his spiritual master's lotus feet think?
Unless I realize that all the living entities in the world are worshipable, I cannot offer my respectful obeisances to my spiritual master. My spiritual master is the spiritual master of the entire world. People who are envious of my spiritual master are also envious of the Supreme Lord and of every other human being. Until I feel this conviction in my heart, I cannot become a real servant of my spiritual master and cannot surrender at his lotus feet.
What is a pure devotee's mentality?
A pure devotee sees that nothing is meant for his own enjoyment. All animate and inanimate objects are meant for the Lord's service. Therefore all our activities should be directed toward His unalloyed service. We shoud direct our senses to serve Krsna. All objects are really the Lord's property. They are not meant for the pleasure of conditioned souls. It is wrong and misguided to think that everything we see has been created for us. Nothing is meant for our sensual enjoyment. Everything should be properly adjusted for the service to God.
Why is the spiritual master called Prabhupada or Vishnupada?
Since the spiritual master is conversant with the science of Krsna and is the personification of the highest service to the Lord, his disciple considers him just like Krsna Caitanya or Hari Himself. Therefore, the disciple addresses him as Vishnupada or Prabhupada.
Should we discuss the spiritual master's instructions everyday?
Among the vaishnavas, the spiritual master is topmost. It is essential to listen eternally to the instructions of the spiritual master, who is dear to Krsna. If we do not discuss or hear our spiritual master's instructions everyday but engage in other activities, we will simply invite distress. We should not imitate the spiritual master or the Vaishnavas. Such initation constitutes bad association. Rather, we should follow in their footsteps. We should associate with those devotees in whose hearts the Lord resides. Devotees and non devotees, liberated souls and conditional souls, perfect souls and imprefect souls, these are not one and the same. Raw rice is not fit for our eating; it becomes fit only after it is cooked. Similarily, we should associate with perfected devotees. That is both most desirable and auspicious.
Articles
- The name of Bhagwan and Bhagwan are non-different
- প্রভুপাদ - শ্রীনাম ও শ্রীনামী
- গুরুমহিমা - স্বপ্রতিষ্ঠার তরে
- The Purpose of Life
- त्याज्य-पुत्र
- হে যোগমায়া দেবি
- Respect one vaishnav and offend another Vaishnav is an offense
- হে শ্রীনিত্যানন্দরাম!
- প্রেম-কলহ বনাম গুর্ব্ববজ্ঞা
- কলি-কুশলী
- প্রভুপাদ নামের অপসারণ - Displacing the Prabhupāda Name
- প্রচারক তথা বিবিক্তানন্দী - Preacher vs. Living in Solitude
- দশম-অধস্তন আচার্য্যবৃন্দ - The 10th Generation Acāryas
- Vinode Vaibhava Sarasvatī
- Candra-mouli Śiva - Ahaṃ Vedmi
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Message of Srila Bhakti Vinode Thakur.
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