24 hours engagement

It is said that only in the association of devotees can one understand the importance of the character and pastimes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead or His devotees. In this verse it is especially recommended that Dhruva Maharaja's character be discussed in a society of the twice-born, which refers to the qualified brahmanas, ksatriyas and vaisyas. One should especially seek the society of brahmanas who are elevated to the position of Vaisnavas. Thus discussion of Srimad-Bhagavatam, which describes the character and pastimes of devotees and the Lord, is very quickly effective. The International Society for Krishna Consciousness has been organized for this purpose. In every center of this Society-not only in the morning, evening or noon, but practically twenty-four hours a day-there is continuous devotional service going on. Anyone who comes in contact with the Society automatically becomes a devotee. We have actual experience that many karmis and others come to the Society and find a very pleasing and peaceful atmosphere in the temples of ISKCON. In this verse the word dvijanmanam means "of the twice-born." Anyone can join the International Society for Krishna Consciousness and be initiated to become twice-born. As recommended by Sanatana Gosvami, by the process of initiation and authorized training, any man can become twice-born. The first birth is made possible by the parent, and the second birth is made possible by the spiritual father and Vedic knowledge. Unless one is twice-born one cannot understand the transcendental characteristics of the Lord and His devotees. Study of the Vedas is therefore forbidden for sudras. Simply by academic qualifications a sudra cannot understand the transcendental science. At the present moment, throughout the entire world the educational system is geared to produce sudras. A big technologist is no more than a big sudra. Kalau sudra-sambhava: in the age of Kali, everyone is a sudra. Because the whole population of the world consists only of sudras, there is therefore a decline of spiritual knowledge, and people are unhappy. The Krsna consciousness movement has been started especially to create qualified brahmanas to broadcast spiritual knowledge all over the world, for thus people may become very happy. (More...)

Narada Muni is always glorifying the pastimes of the Lord. In this verse we see that he not only glorifies the Lord, but he also likes to glorify the devotees of the Lord. The great sage Narada Muni's mission is to broadcast the devotional service of the Lord. For this purpose he has compiled the Narada-pancaratra, a directory of devotional service, so that devotees can always take information about how to execute devotional service and thus engage twenty-four hours a day in performing sacrifices for the pleasure of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As stated in the Bhagavad-gita, the Lord has created four orders of social life, namely brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya and sudra. In the Narada-pancaratra it is very clearly described how each of the social orders can please the Supreme Lord. In the Bhagavad-gita (Bg. 18.45) it is stated, sve sve karmany abhiratah samsiddhim labhate narah: by executing one's prescribed duties one can please the Supreme Lord. In the Srimad-Bhagavatam also it is stated, svanusthitasya dharmasya samsiddhir hari-tosanam: the perfection of duty is to see that by discharging one's specific duties one satisfies the Supreme Personality of Godhead (Bhag. 1.2.13). When the Pracetas were performing sacrifices according to this direction, Narada Muni was satisfied to see these activities, and he also wanted to glorify Dhruva Maharaja in that sacrificial arena. (More...)

The word maṅgala ("auspicious") in this verse is very significant. Srila Sridhara Svami quotes that to do what is good and to reject what is not good is called maṅgala, or auspicious. To do what is good means to accept everything favorable to the discharge of devotional service, and to reject what is not good means to reject everything not favorable for discharging devotional service. In our Krsna consciousness movement, we accept this principle by rejecting four prohibited items-namely, illicit sex life, intoxication, gambling and flesh-eating-and accepting the daily chanting of at least sixteen rounds of the Hare Krsna maha-mantra and daily meditation three times a day by chanting the Gayatri mantra. In this way one can keep his brahminical culture and spiritual strength intact. By following these principles of devotional service strictly, chanting twenty-four hours a day the maha-mantra-Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare-one makes positive progress in spiritual life and ultimately becomes completely fit to see the Supreme Personality of Godhead face to face. Because the ultimate goal of studying or understanding the Vedic knowledge is to find Krsna, one who follows the Vedic principles as described above can from the very beginning see all the features of Lord Krsna, the Absolute Truth, very distinctly, as one can see his own face completely reflected in a clear mirror. The conclusion is, therefore, that a brahmana does not become a brahmana simply because he is a living entity or is born in a brahmana family; he must possess all the qualities mentioned in the sastras and practice the brahminical principles in his life. Thus he ultimately becomes a fully Krsna conscious person and can understand what Krsna is. How a devotee continuously sees Krsna face to face within his heart is described in the Brahma-samhita [5.38] as follows: (More...)

Trying to advance in spiritual life outside the disciplic succession is simply ludicrous. It is said, therefore: acaryavan puruso veda (Chand. Up. ). One who follows the disciplic succession of acaryas knows things as they are. Tad-vijnanartham sa gurum evabhigacchet (Mund. Up. 1.2.12). In order to understand the transcendental science, one must approach the bona fide spiritual master. The word smrtya is very important in spiritual life. Smrtya means remembering Krsna always. Life should be molded in such a way that one cannot remain alone without thinking of Krsna. We should live in Krsna so that while eating, sleeping, walking and working we remain only in Krsna. Our Krsna consciousness society recommends that we arrange our living so that we can remember Krsna. In our ISKCON society the devotees, while engaged in making Spiritual Sky incense, are also hearing about the glories of Krsna or His devotees. The sastra recommends: smartavyah satatam visnuh. Lord Visnu should be remembered always, constantly. Vismartavyo na jatucit: Visnu should never be forgotten. That is the spiritual way of life. Smrtya. This remembrance of the Lord can be continued if we hear about Him constantly. It is therefore recommended in this verse: mukundacaritagrya-sidhuna. Sidhu means nectar. To hear about Krsna from Srimad-Bhagavatam or Bhagavad-gita or similar authentic literature is to live in Krsna consciousness. Such concentration in Krsna consciousness can be achieved by persons who are strictly following the rules and regulative principles. We have recommended in our Krsna consciousness movement that a devotee chant sixteen rounds on beads daily and follow the regulative principles. That will help the devotee be fixed in his spiritual advancement in life. (More...)

In order to be recognized by Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one should chant the holy name of the Lord continuously, twenty-four hours a day. Unfortunate persons who cannot accept this formula prefer to execute some type of pseudo-meditation without accepting the other processes of austerity. The fact is, however, that one must accept either the severe method of austerity described above to become purified or take to the process of devotional service recommended for pleasing the Supreme Lord, Krsna. The person who is Krsna conscious is most intelligent because in Kali-yuga it is not at all possible to undergo such severe austerities. We need only follow great personalities like Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. In His Siksastaka, Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu wrote, param vijayate sri-krsna-saṅkirtanam: all glories to the holy names of Lord Krsna, which from the very beginning purify the heart and immediately liberate one. Bhava-mahadavagni-nirvapanam. If the real purpose of all yoga is to please Lord Krsna, then this simple bhakti-yoga system recommended for this age is sufficient. It is necessary, however, to engage constantly in the service of the Lord. Although Prthu Maharaja executed his austerities long before the appearance of Lord Krsna on this planet, his purpose was still to please Krsna. (More...)

The word asakrt is significant, for it means not just for a few minutes but continuously. That is the instruction given by Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu in His Siksastaka. Kirtaniyah sada harih. "The holy name of the Lord should be chanted twenty-four hours daily." Therefore in this Krsna consciousness movement we request the devotees to chant at least sixteen rounds on their beads daily. Actually one has to chant twenty-four hours daily, just like Thakura Haridasa, who was chanting the Hare Krsna mantra 300,000 times daily. Indeed, he had no other business. Some of the Gosvamis like Raghunatha dasa Gosvami were also chanting very rigidly and also offering obeisances very rigidly. As stated in Srinivasacarya's prayer to the six Gosvamis (Sad Gosvamy Astaka 6): saṅkhya-purvaka-nama-gananatibhih kalavasanikrtau. The word saṅkhya-purvaka means "maintaining a numerical strength." Not only was Raghunatha dasa Gosvami chanting the holy name of the Lord, but he was also offering obeisances in the same prolific numbers. (More...)

"King Ambarisa always fixed his mind on the lotus feet of the Lord and talked of Him only." (Bhag. 9.4.19) We should also take this opportunity in life to become as good as a great saint simply by not talking unnecessarily with unwanted persons. We should either talk of Krsna or chant Hare Krsna undeviatingly. This is called muni-vrata. The intelligence (samahita-dhiyah) must be very sharp and should always be acting in Krsna consciousness. The words etad abhyasatadrtah indicate that if one takes these instructions from a spiritual master with great reverence (adrta) and practices them accordingly, he will find this bhakti-yoga process to be very, very easy. (More...)

If one engages himself in the service of the Lord through his life, wealth, words, intelligence, and everything he possesses, he will always be liberated in any condition. Such a person is called a jivan-mukta, one who is liberated during this lifetime. Devoid of Krsna consciousness, those who engage in material activities simply become more entangled in material bondage. They have to suffer and enjoy the actions and reactions of all activity. This Krsna consciousness movement is therefore the greatest boon to humanity because it keeps one always engaged in Krsna's service. The devotees think of Krsna, act for Krsna, eat for Krsna, sleep for Krsna and work for Krsna. Thus everything is engaged in the service of Krsna. A total life in Krsna consciousness saves one from material contamination. As stated by Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Maharaja, krsna-bhajane yaha haya anukula, visaya baliya tyage taha haya bhula. If one is so expert that he can engage everything or dovetail everything in the service of the Lord, to give up the material world would be a great blunder. One should learn how to dovetail everything in the service of the Lord, for everything is connected to Krsna. That is the real purpose of life and secret of success. As reiterated later in the Third Chapter of Bhagavad-gita: (More...)

The spiritual master is always thinking of the pastimes of Krsna with His consort Srimati Radharani and the gopis. Sometimes he is thinking about Krsna's pastimes with the cowherd boys. This means that he is always thinking of Krsna engaged in some kind of pastime. Prati-ksanasvadana-lolupasya. Prati-ksana means he is thinking that way twenty-four hours a day. That is Krsna consciousness. One must be engaged twenty-four hours a day in thinking of Krsna. You have to make yourself a program like this. We, at least, have made such a program-all the boys and girls in the Krsna consciousness movement are engaged twenty-four hours daily-not just officially, not that once a week they meditate or go to some temple. No, they engage twenty-four hours a day. The next symptom is: (More...)

So it is the duty of the government, the government officers, the head of the government, they should learn Bhagavad-gita. Here it is said, evam parampara-praptam imam rajarsayo viduh [Bg 4.2]. The rajas, the kings, the government, they understood. Therefore the kingdom was so peaceful, without any care for the citizens. The citizens were also trained up very nicely-brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra. Everyone is employed. It is the duty of the government to see that everyone is engaged. Otherwise, idle brain will manufacture devil's brain. They will manufacture so many things, and there will be chaos. In every country nowadays, all over the world, there are so much unemployment. Why there... Why one should be unemployed? He must be trained up in such a way that he's employed, he's engaged. This is the duty. So if you understand Bhagavad-gita, then you'll be able to train your students, your citizens, your subordinates, how to remain engaged. Just like in our Krsna consciousness Society, we are simply after the people whether he is engaged or not. There must be engagement. If one remains idle, then it will be devil's workshop. Immediately maya will dictate, "Do this, do this nonsense, do that nonsense, do that nonsense." (More...)

Prabhupada: Draft, yes. Young men, they want to avoid it, and they are forced. Therefore they take the part of madman or lunatic, in this way. This is going on, to avoid it. So that is the problem. People should be trained up according to quality and work. There must be institution to train first-class men. There are first-class men, intellectuals. They should be trained up as brahmanas. That is the system. Second-class men, they should be trained up as ksatriyas. Third-class men, they should be trained up as vaisyas. And fourth-class men, means below third class, they should be engaged as sudras, worker, and below them, candala. That I have already explained. So nobody should be left alone. Everyone should be engaged. That is Krsna consciousness. Everyone should be engaged in Krsna consciousness business. Then there will be no unemployment. (More...)

So firm faith... Krsna says, man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru [Bg 18.65]: "You simply always think of Me, Hare Krsna." Not difficult. Bhava. Krsna has given you the tongue. Every one of you can chant Hare Krsna. Where is the... You have no expenditure, but great gain. You become highly elevated gradually by chanting Hare Krsna. Now, Krsna says personally man-manah: "Always think of Me." Not only that, anyone who is thinking of Krsna always, twenty-four hours, Krsna gives him the certificate-the topmost yogi. (More...)

So try to possess Krsna like Kuntidevi's... Tvayi me ananya-visaya matir madhu-pate asakrt. Asakrt means... Sakrt means once, and asakrt means continuously. Not that perform Krsna consciousness fifteen minutes' meditation, and then do all nonsense thing twenty-four hours. No, no, no, no. Not that kind of... Twenty-four hours engaged in Krsna consciousness, that is wanted. That is called asakrt. Twenty-four. So you have to make your formula of life in such a way that not a single moment is gone without Krsna consciousness. Avyartha-kalatvam [Cc Madhya 23.18-19]. This is Rupa Gosvami's... A devotee, a pure devotee of Krsna, he always sees: "Whether my time is wasted unnecessarily?" He should be very much alert: "Why I'm sleeping so much, wasted so much time?" That is devotees, Krsna conscious. "Oh, I am wasting so much time without any engagement of Krsna consciousness?" That is called asakrt. Matir madhu-pate asakrt. (More...)

Anukulyena. Whatever Krsna orders, if you discharge that, that is bhakti, simply favorable to Krsna. Whatever Krsna says... So Krsna says very simple thing, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg 18.66]. If we become intelligent enough, then we fully surrender to Krsna. And Krsna says, man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru [Bg 18.65]. We take up the principle to think of Krsna always, twenty-four hours. Satatam cintayanto..., kirtayanto mam. If you chant Krsna's name, then satatam, twenty-four hours... That is possible, just like Haridasa Thakura used to do. Then you think of Krsna without fail, and other things automatically come. Man-mana bhava mad... Who can devote so much time for thinking of..., unless he has become a devotee? So man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji. And a devotee is always ready to worship Krsna, offer Him obeisances, however big he may be. In this way, we can attain this position of Maharaja Yudhisthira or Yasodamayi when Krsna, the Ajita, could be controlled, even by the devotee. (More...)

Because we have to think something. Without thinking we cannot remain. This is the simple process. Instead of thinking so many things, you simply think of Krsna. The sadhu will teach that. Sadhu's business... Why sadhu, to associate with sadhu, sadhu-saṅga [Cc Madhya 22.83]? Now, sadhu will not teach anything else. Adau sraddha tatah sadhu-saṅgah [Cc Madhya 23.14-15]. This is the process of making spiritual advancement. If you have got any faith for making spiritual advancement, then you must associate with sadhus. Adau sraddha. Just like here people come. Here there is no other thing because here all the boys and girls and devotees, they are concerned with Radha-Krsna. That's all. The whole business, whole day's business, whole night's business, is Radha-Krsna. From early morning at three o'clock to night, ten o'clock, they have only business of Radha-Krsna. That's all. Therefore they are sadhu. Therefore they are sadhu. This is the symptom of sadhu. And so many people are criticizing. So many enemies we have got. We are not getting the sanction because there are so many enemies. We are creating "nuisance." We are chanting Hare Krsna mantra-that is nuisance. This complaint is going to the police. (More...)

So we have to stick to these principles to keep ourselves on the transcendental platform-rising early in the morning, offer maṅgala-arati, then gradually, one after another, attending class, guru-puja, and so on, so on. Up to till you go to bed, you should always be engaged. Then you will be above these three gunas. Just like this boy, Ajamila. He is attracted because all of a sudden he fell down on the platform of passion. There are three platforms: sattvika, rajasika, tamasika. So if you keep yourself on the sattvika platform, there is also chance to falling down on the passion and ignorance. But if you keep yourself in the suddha-sattva platform... Suddha-sattva platform means devotional service. Sattvam visuddham vasudeva-sabditam [SB 4.3.23]. Suddha platform means... That is called vasudeva. As Vasudeva can beget a child whose name is Krsna, similarly, if you keep yourself on the vasudeva platform, sattvam visuddham vasudeva-sabditam, then Krsna will take birth. Krsna will take birth. So our these rules and regulation, restriction, means to keep one on the vasudeva platform. We should remember always that. And if you keep yourself on vasudeva platform, these things will not entice you. Otherwise we shall be enticed and fallen down. Jagama hrc-chaya-vasam sahasaiva vimohitah. (More...)

According to your recommendation I am accepting for second initiation Amala-harinama das Brahmacari and Viraja dasi. Now hold a fire ceremony for attendance of devotees only. You must be sure that these devotees are very strictly following the regulative principles and chanting a minimum of sixteen rounds daily. They must be fully engaged in devotional service, 24 hours per day. Please find enclosed two gayatri mantra sheets and one sacred thread. After the fire sacrifice, play the tape of me reciting the gayatri mantra into the right ear of these initiates and show them how to count on their fingers.

Hoping this meets you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS/jda

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A pure devotee must engage in the service of the Lord twenty-four hours a day, without cessation; his life is so molded that at every minute and every second he engages in some sort of devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Avyavahita means "without cessation." A pure devotee must engage in the service of the Lord twenty-four hours a day, without cessation; his life is so molded that at every minute and every second he engages in some sort of devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Another meaning of the word avyavahita is that the interest of the devotee and the interest of the Supreme Lord are on the same level. The devotee has no interest but to fulfill the transcendental desire of the Supreme Lord. Such spontaneous service unto the Supreme Lord is transcendental and is never contaminated by the material modes of nature. These are the symptoms of pure devotional service, which is free from all contamination of material nature. (More...)

One should engage in the service of the Lord twenty-four hours a day, as confirmed in the Brahma-samhita.

One should engage in the service of the Lord twenty-four hours a day, as confirmed in the Brahma-samhita. The stage of premanjana-cchurita can be attained by developing complete love. When one's love for the Supreme Personality of Godhead in devotional service is fully developed, he always sees the Lord, even without artificially meditating on His form. His vision is divine because he has no other engagement. At this stage of spiritual realization it is not necessary to engage the mind artificially. Since the meditation which is recommended in the lower stages is a means to come to the platform of devotional service, those who are already engaged in the transcendental loving service of the Lord are above such meditation. This stage of perfection is called Krsna consciousness. (More...)