Prabhupad

Since I know nothing other than material experience, how will I understand spiritual subject matter?

Prabhūpāda Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Saraswati Gosvami Ṭhākura

Granth upadeshamrit

It is true that in our present condition it is extremely difficult to know anything about transcendence, but it is also true that there are genuine methods to gain such knowledge. The messenger brings news of our friend from the far distant country, and we simply have to hear.

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Prabhupad

What is the duty of acharya?

Prabhūpāda Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Saraswati Gosvami Ṭhākura

Granth upadeshamrit

An ācārya is the Supreme Lord's messenger. He carries the Lord's message from Vaikuṇṭha and distributes to us. One must hear that message emanating from his mouth through service-inclined ears. If one becomes fully surrendered, by the ācārya's mercy one will achieve perfection. No one other than an inhabitant of Vaikuṇṭha is able to speak about Vaikuṇṭha. We have to hear about Calcutta from a person who has seen Calcutta....

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Why do we sometimes consider godless people great?

Prabhūpāda Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Saraswati Gosvami Ṭhākura

Granth upadeshamrit

Sinful people, pious people, fruitive workers, mental speculators, and yogis spend their lives in godlessness. We consider them great when we are out of touch with devotional service.

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What does the Supreme Lord want from us?

Prabhūpāda Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Saraswati Gosvami Ṭhākura

Granth upadeshamrit

The Lord does not want anything other than full surrender. We should cultivate God consciousness and help those who are unable to cultivate God consciousness. Otherwise, they will become hostile. We should always remember that serving Maya is not the same as serving Krsna. Materialistic or godless people do not have the privilege to serve the Lord. Only those who are alive can serve the Lord, not those who are...

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Kṛṣṇa awards devotional service even to ambitious devotees, but elsewhere in sastra, it is said that Krsna eagerly awards material...

Prabhūpāda Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Saraswati Gosvami Ṭhākura

Granth upadeshamrit

Sometimes people make a show of worshiping Kṛṣṇa while internally wanting Him to give them religiosity, economic development, sense gratification, and liberation. Śāstra states that 'as one surrendres to the Lord, He rewards him accordingly.' This means that the Lord deceives him by bestowing upon him the insignificant objects he desires. He never awards such hypocrites pure devotional service.

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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).