order, Prabhupada's
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Imported quote 16739 Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated April 27, 1973. Thank you very much. In answer to your several questions, first; what is meant by conditioned soul? Conditioned soul means one who has accepted something illusion as reality. Conditioned means that due to imperfect desires the spirit soul becomes dependent on material conditions for his satisfaction. Your second question; how does he become conditioned when the jivatma is eternal full of bliss and knowledge? The answer is that it is not the soul itself that becomes mixed with matter but it is his consciousness that becomes absorbed in trying to enjoy the matter. Out of desire to lord it over, the jiva soul forgets that he is eternal, full of knowledge and full of bliss and identifies with the material energy. So it is the consciousness of the conditioned soul that is affected. Your third question is: does the soul ever become weak or strong on account of its association and contact with material nature? It is not the spirit soul that becomes weak or strong but it is his determination to become Krsna Conscious that me become weak or strong. By the influence of the modes of passion and ignorance he becomes weak and by the influence of the mode of goodness he becomes strong. But by the association with the pure devotee he becomes strongest. Your fourth question: "Whether or not it is possible for the soul to exist without having this external gross and subtle body covering it? So if the bird is existing within the cage and someone takes away the cage does that mean that the bird can no longer exist? No. This body is illusion. It is only because of our attachment for this body that we have to remain within it. But as soon as one transfers his attachment to Krsna then no more is there any need for this body. Your fifth question is, "Bhagavad-gita says that the conditioned soul is subjected to four defects. Does that refer to the body or the soul?" The defects are there in the living being when he is acting on the material platform. As stated in Bhagavad-gita chapter 15 verse 17: "dvavimau purusau loke, ksaras caksara eva ca, ksarah sarvani bhutani, kutastho 'ksara ucyate:" "There are two classes of beings, the fallible and the infallible. In the material world every entity is fallible, and in the spiritual world every entity is called infallible." So the defects are there only on the material platform. One who is acting in Krsna Consciousness is beyond those defects. Your next question: "The Bhagavad-gita says that Lord Brahma is a conditioned soul. Then how was it possible for him to impart the Vedas to a non-conditioned soul-Narada Muni?" So, Lord Brahma is a conditioned soul means that due to his desire to become the creator of the material manifestation he had to take birth within the material world. But although he was conditioned by such desire, still he is a great devotee of Lord Krsna. He has written Brahma-samhita which is pure Vaisnava literature describing the Supreme Personality of godhead. Lord Brahma was the first created being within the universe and the first spiritual master, as he received knowledge from within his heart from Lord Krsna. Narada appeared as the son of Brahma and therefore he had to accept Lord Brahma as his spiritual master. Your last question, "How is the soul degraded (by lust, anger and greed) when it is transcendental to the body? Doesn't that imply that the sould has changed?" No. The soul never changes, but due to his tinyness he may become forgetful of his relationship with Krsna. The spiritual quality of the spiritual spark has not changed but he has forgotten his spiritual nature, bewildered by the imperfect desire to become equal or greater than Krsna. I hope you are able to understand all these points. As you know, I am translating so many books into English from the Sanskrit, therefore, I am very busy. Now, I have representatives, the GBC and the temple presidents who are qualifies to answer your questions. Of course if you ask me I am obligated to reply because I am your spiritual master. So please direct your question to my representatives. I may be coming to London in June, and I will be pleased to see you at that time. Hoping this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher,
(More...)A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Imported quote 16921 Brahmananda: He's asking when did you become the spiritual leader of Krsna consciousness?
(More...) Prabhupada: When my Guru Maharaja ordered me. This is the guru-parampara.
(More...) Prabhupada: Try to understand. Don't go very speedily. A guru can become guru when he's ordered by his guru. That's all. Otherwise nobody can become guru.
(More...) Prabhupada: What is the business, when did he tell me? And why shall I disclose to you? It is so very insignificant thing that I have to explain to you?
(More...) Indian man (1): No, I am just curious to know when.
(More...) Prabhupada: You should be curious within your limit. You should know that one can become guru when he is ordered by his guru. This much.
(More...) Imported quote 17457 We understand from Bhagavad-gita, na jayate na mriyate, that "This living entity is never born, never dies." This information we get, very simple information. We are taking information from whom? Krsna, jagad-guru, the supreme guru, the original guru. Guru means Krsna's representative. A guru cannot be manufactured. Guru means... Krsna is jagad-guru, and one who speaks on behalf of Krsna or one who speaks as Krsna says, he is guru. Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, amara ajnaya guru hana [Cc Madhya 7.128]:
(More...) Imported quote 17910 Krsna-upadesa. "You become a spiritual master under My order." Under His order. Don't manufacture yourself. Under the order of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. That is called parampara system: one who is following in disciplic succession the order of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. And what is the order of Caitanya Mahaprabhu? Yare dekha, tare kaha 'krsna'-upadesa. Don't advising your rascaldom. Krsna-upadesa, what Krsna has said, you just tell him; you become spiritual master. That's all. It does not become..., very difficult to become spiritual master. The rascals, they fail, because they do not say anything which Krsna says. He manufactures something. He wants to take the place of Krsna. This rascaldom will never make you happy. You have to follow as Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, yare dekha, tare kaha 'krsna'-upadesa [Cc Madhya 7.128]. Then you become guru. To become guru is not at all difficult, provided you follow the right instruction of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Then everyone can become-expand, expand. You have learned something about Krsna consciousness, now you rightly distribute them, then you will increase your group. But if you want to manufacture something of your own concoction, that will not act. That will not... That will be gramophone. No. [break]
(More...) Imported quote 19053 We have several times explained this, who is bona fide spiritual master, confirmed by Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Caitanya Mahaprabhu said that amara ajnaya guru hana, "You become a guru on My instruction." So those who are affiliated with Caitanya Mahaprabhu's instruction, he is guru. Not anyone else. Amara ajnaya guru hana tara' ei desa [Cc Madhya 7.128]. Then one may argue that if Caitanya Mahaprabhu is ordering, then anyone can order? No, Caitanya Mahaprabhu is not ordering something new. Caitanya Mahaprabhu says that "Under My instruction you become guru." But the instruction is Krsna's, the same instruction, yare dekha tare kaha krsna-upadesa [Cc Madhya 7.128]. Caitanya Mahaprabhu also does not deviate from krsna-upadesa, what to speak of others. And those rascals who are deviating from the instruction of Krsna, how he can become guru? They are interpreting in a different way, how they can become guru? That is not guru. We should simply remember this fact: whether this person is speaking the same thing as Krsna says, as Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, as Ramanujacarya says, even Sahkaracarya.
(More...) Imported quote 19749 Everyone's heart, there is krsna-bhakti. Otherwise, how these Europeans, Americans, Canadians, Japanese, they are taking to Krsna consciousness? We have Muhammadans also. Many Muhammadans, they are taking to Krsna consciousness. Therefore it is to be understood that Krsna consciousness, or love for Krsna, is existing in everyone's heart. It is simply to be awakened. Nothing more.
(More...) Imported quote 23642 Prabhupada: Hare Krsna. In Bhagavata also-gurur na sa syat [SB 5.5.18]. He should not be guru unless he is able to protect his disciple from the imminent danger of death. Na mocayed yaḥ samupeta-mrtyum. This cycle of birth and death is going on. Guru's business is how to stop this cycle of birth and death. And it is not very difficult. Teach him to understand Krsna, and Krsna is assuring, "If anyone understands Me nicely, then after giving up this body he comes to Me." Where is the difficulty? Give him Krsna consciousness, and he is saved from birth and death. There is nothing wonderful. There is no jugglery. Tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti [Bg 4.9]. [break] ...only institution for mitigating the sufferings of humanity. But they don't know what is the real suffering of his life. Deham punar janma naiti mam eti. That is the real suffering-cycle of birth and death. Na te viduḥ svartha-gatim hi visnum [SB 7.5.31]. These rascals, they do not know what is the goal of life, svartha, self-interest. Unless he comes to Visnu, there is no question of svartha-gati.
(More...) Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/?qg=2971
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