Who is a pure devotee of the Lord

Hare Krishna

25th January, Gurgaon

Quotes-by-Bhakti-Charu-Swami-on-Remaining-in-ISKCON

Q:  Who is a pure devotee ? What are signs of a pure devotee ?

A: One who fulfills the desire of Lord is a pure devotee.

Srila Prabhupada explains in cc MADHYA 19 167

“As we can understand from the Bhagavad-gītā (9.34 and 18.65), the Supreme Personality of Godhead wants everyone to think of Him always (man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ). Everyone should become His devotee, not the devotee of a demigod. Everyone should engage in His devotional service, including arcana (Deity worship) in the temple. Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru. Everyone should offer obeisances, from moment to moment, to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. These are the desires of the Supreme Lord, and one who fulfills His desires favorably is actually a pure devotee.”

Signs of a Pure Devotee

Prabhupada writes in the purports of same verse and MahaPrabhu explains it in verse 168

1. The first business of a pure devotee is to satisfy his spiritual master, whose only business is to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

2. A pure devotee has no plans other than those for the Lord’s service.

3. A pure devotee is not interested in attaining success in mundane activities.

4. A pure devotee simply wants success in the progress of devotional service.

5. A pure devotee is only interested in satisfying Kṛṣṇa and he does not engage himself in any other or demigod worship.

6. A pure devotee could be situated in any order of life.

Q: How can we say that anyone and everyone in the world can accept devotional service ?

A: It’s already been proved under ISKCON by changing the lives of people from all across the world.

Srila Prabhupada explains in cc madhya 19. 167

This process is completely manifest in the activities of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. It has been actually proved that the entire world can accept devotional service without failure. One simply has to follow the instructions of the representative of Kṛṣṇa.”

Q: What is Pañcarātra and Bhāgavata systems ?

A: Srila Prabhupada explains in cc madhya 19.169

“The Pañcarātra system includes methods of temple worship, and the Bhāgavata system includes the spreading of Kṛṣṇa conscious philosophy through the recitation of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and the discussion of philosophy with people who are interested.”

All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

All glories to Sri Guru and Gauranga.

Is higher spiritual platform a better option for devotees ?

Hare Krishna.

16th January, 2014, Gurgaon

Quotes-by-Srila-Prabhupada-on-Devotees-Only-Concern

I was very fortunate take darshan of his HH Janananda Maharaj at Sumeet Prabhu’s home today in Gurgaon.

Maharaj is a very quite, simple, deep and yet an affable sanyasi. Taking his darshan I felt as if I had taken a dip in holy water of Ganga river.

Maharaj asked if I have some question, but more than my silly questions I wanted to hear Krishna katha from him. Being less intelligent, questions do not come easily to me and most of the time I forget them when asked so by a senior devotee. Hence when I meet devotees my only interest is to listen to the pastimes of devotees, Krishna, Mahaprabhu, acharayas, their realisation etc. and hoping against hope that this will make my heart soft and I may absorb something.

Fortunately for me, one devotee asked Maharaj a question and as Maharaj replied so patiently, I asked something which was bothering me as a supplementary question.

My puzzle was that Ramananda Raya quoted the verse brahma-bhutah prasannatma (BG 18.54) as higher than sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66), in his discussions with Mahaprabhu (cc madhya 8). I understood the logic of verse 18.66 being referred to as sanyas which is still within the material world, and also that devotion with knowledge is superior to devotion with rituals and that brahma-bhutah platform is out of the material world, etc. But, I knew that something was amiss in my understanding, and I could not get it. I read the purports (cc madhya 8.65) again and again, but could not get the understanding from my own endeavor. I asked Maharaj to kindly clarify the same to me and Maharaj’s reply not only solved this puzzle but another question as well which I had forgotten since long.

Maharaj replied that yes the Brahma-bhutah platform may be a very high spiritual platform but devotees do not aspire for it. He explained that the distance doesn’t matter what matter is that what are our intentions (consciousness). He gave a very good example. He said consider that two people are walking towards Delhi. The first person is more closer to Delhi than the second. But the first person wants to plant a bomb in the city where as the second person is coming to serve the city. So even if the first person is nearer to Delhi but because his intentions are bad hence being near doesn’t qualify as being any useful.

Maharaj further added that similarly being a simple-hearted devotee of the Lord in the material world is a far better situation than being a spiritually elevated person going towards impersonalism with his own knowledge because there are more chances of the former going back to Godhead and serving The Lord personally than the latter.

Janananda-Maharaj-portrait-

Maharaj’s above reply also solved my other unsolved question `What is the status of those devotees who worship Lord Krishna with devotion and love but without much knowledge ? ‘

Maharaj’s merciful reply cleared the fog in my mind like a bright sun in Delhi’s winter.

All glories to HH Janananda Maharaj.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada.