Should we give up material enjoyment [karma] and renunciation [jyana]?
Prabhupada Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Sarasvati ThakurGranth upadeshamrit
MahaPrabhu instructed us to give up both material enjoyment and dry renunciation. Material enjoyment is defined as accepting mundane form, taste, smell, sound, and touch through our eyes, tongue, nose, ears, and skin as pleasureable. Although there is some apparent momentary happiness in material enjoyment, we later discover that sense gratification comes with more distress than happiness.
What is the highest welfare activity?
Prabhupada Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Sarasvati ThakurGranth upadeshamrit
Let everyone be devoted to Krsna. This is the highest benediction for the world's people. The highest form of welfare is to engage people's minds at Krsna's lotus feet. The topmost charity or altruism is to distribute Krsna's devotional service to everyone. The devotees are always anxious to help others in this way.
How do we achieve devotional service?
Prabhupada Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Sarasvati ThakurGranth upadeshamrit
Attaining Krsna's lotus feet is the living entity's topmost achievement, but devotional service can be attained only in the association of devotees. Only the most fortunate souls can attain Krsna. A living entity becomes fortunate when his desire to wander throughout the universe is extinguished. Then, when by the strength of the guru's mercy his constitutional propensity is revived, he attains the seed of devotional service. There is no difference...
Is there harm in not properly following the spiritual master's orders?
Prabhupada Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Sarasvati ThakurGranth upadeshamrit
By not following the orders of the all-auspicious spiritual master the living entities invite suffering. Such disobedience or neglect increases their material desires and they go to hell after death. Anyone who does not obey his spiritual master's order is certainly a materialist and offender. Those who transgress the spiritual master's orders take birth as pigs. Those who are too attached to material enjoyment cannot attain benefit because they do...
Is the spiritual master great?
Prabhupada Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Sarasvati ThakurGranth upadeshamrit
We are smaller than the smaller and the spiritual master is greater than the greatest. The spiritual master serves the Great, and that Great is controlled by his love. Those who worship Krsna in the mood of *madhurya-rasa* accept the spiritual master as nondifferent from the daughter of Vrshabhanu. Those who are candidates for *vatsalya-rasa* accept him as a manifestitation of Nanda and Yashoda. Those who serve on the platform...
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Only in the heart of that great soul in whom there is pure bhakti to Śrī Bhagavān, and similarly, pure bhakti to Śrī Gurudeva, are all the confidential purports of the Śrutis self-manifest (prakāśa).
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