Science of Krishna Consciousness

Week 8
How is your Bhakti going (scale 1-10)
What is going well- Example
What is not going well
What are the obstacles?
What are you doing to improve?
What is 1 thing you like to achieve in next 7 days
Reading/Listening/Chanting/Service/ temple
visits
Page 146
By chanting the holy name, even a lowborn person’s body is changed into that of
brahmana:
{Sukadeva Gosvami to King Pariksit}: My dear King a devotee who has taken shelter
of the dust from the lotus feet of the Lord can transcend the influence of the six
material whips-namely hunger, thirst, lamentation, illusion, old age and death- and he can conquer the mind
and five senses. However, this is not very wonderful for a pure devotee of the Lord because even a person
beyond the jurisdiction of the four castes-in the other words, an untouchable –is immediately relieved of
bondage to material existence if he utters the name of the Lord even once.
Not to speak of a sanctified devotee, even a candala, an outcaste, who is untouchable, is immediately freed from
material bondage if he utters the holy name of the Lord even once. Sometimes caste Brahmanas argue that
unless one changes his body which is obtained as a result of past actions, one who has in the past acted as a
brahamana takes birth in a brahmana family. Therefore, they contain, with such a brahminical body, one
connot be accepted as brahmana. Herein it is said, however, that even vidura-vigata, a candala—a fifth-class
untouchable–-is freed if he utters the holy name even once. Being freed means that he immediately changes has
body.
Yatha kancanatam Kamsyam rasa-vidhanatah
Tatha diksa-vidhanena Dvijatvam jayate nrnam
When a person, even though a candala, is initiated by a pure devotee into chanting the holy name of the
Lord, his body changes as he follows the instructions of the spiritual master. Although one cannot see
how his body has changed, we must accept, on the grounds of the authoritative statements of the sastra,
that he changes his body. This is to be understood without arguments.
This verse clearly says, sa jahati bandham: “He gives up his material bondage” The body is a symbolic
representation of material bondage according to one’s karma. Although sometimes we cannot see the
gross body changing, chanting the holy name of the Supreme Lord immediately changes the subtle body,
and because the subtle body changes, the living entity is immediately freed from material bondage. After
all, changes of the gross body are conducted by the subtle body. After the destruction of the gross body,
the subtle body takes the living entity from the present gross body to another. In the subtly body, the
mind is predominant, and therefore if one’s mind is always absorbed in remembering the activities or the
louts feet of the Lord, he is to be understood have already changed the present body and become
purified.
From “Bhagavad - Gita As It is”
By His Divine Grace A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Bg. Ch-6 Text – 24
sa niscayena yoktavyo yogo ’nirvinna-cetasa
sankalpa-prabhavan kamams tyaktva sarvan asesatah
manasaivendriya-gramam viniyamya samantatah
TRANSLATION
One should engage oneself in the practice of yoga with determination and faith and not be deviated
from the path. One should abandon, without exception, all material desires born of mental speculation
and thus control all the senses on all sides by the mind.
PURPORT
The yoga practitioner should be determined and should patiently prosecute the practice without deviation. One should be sure of
success at the end and pursue this course with great perseverance, not becoming discouraged if there is any delay in the attainment of
success. Success is sure for the rigid practitioner. Regarding bhakti-yoga, Rupa Gosvami says:
utsahan niscayad dhairyat tat-tat-karma-pravartanat
sanga-tyagat sato vrtteh sadbhir bhaktih prasidhyati
“One can execute the process of bhakti-yoga successfully with full-hearted enthusiasm, perseverance, and determination, by following
the prescribed duties in the association of devotees and by engaging completely in activities of goodness.” (Upadesamrta 3)
As for determination, one should follow the example of the sparrow who
lost her eggs in the waves of the ocean. A sparrow laid her eggs on the
shore of the ocean, but the big ocean carried away the eggs on its waves.
The sparrow became very upset and asked the ocean to return her eggs. The ocean did not even
consider her appeal. So the sparrow decided to dry up the ocean. She began to pick out the water
in her small beak, and everyone laughed at her for her impossible determination. The news of her
activity spread, and at last Garuda, the gigantic bird carrier of Lord Visnu, heard it. He became
compassionate toward his small sister bird, and so he came to see the sparrow. Garuda was very
pleased by the determination of the small sparrow, and he promised to help. Thus Garuda at once
asked the ocean to return her eggs lest he himself take up the work of the sparrow. The ocean was
frightened at this, and returned the eggs. Thus the sparrow became happy by the grace of Garuda.
Similarly, the practice of yoga, especially bhakti-yoga in Krsna consciousness, may appear to be a
very difficult job. But if anyone follows the principles with great determination, the Lord will
surely help, for God helps those who help themselves.
 Group Discussion

Discovery:
1. What are the ingredients necessary for succeeding in our spiritual life?

2. Explain how we should be determined to continue with our spiritual

life in spite of all obstacles, with the example of the sparrow.

3. Why is it guaranteed that we will succeed in our spiritual path if we

persist?

Application:
4. Share some of the obstacles you encountered in practicing Krsna
consciousness, and how you overcame them. If you have not already
overcome them, mention those too.
His Divine Grace A.C. Bhakti Vedanta Swami Prabhupada
Page 33
Preaching Krsna consciousness is the highest welfare (the Lord is pleased with one who preaches):
It is said that great personalities almost always accept voluntary suffering because of the suffering of the people in
general. This is considered the highest method of worshipping the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is present
in everyone’s heart.
Here is an explanation of how those engaged in activities for the welfare of others are very quickly recognized by the Supreme Personality of
Godhead. The Lord says in the Bhagavad Gita(18-.68-69), ya idam paramam guhyam mad bhaktesv abhidasyati.... na a tasman manusyeasu kascin me priya-
krttamah: “One who preaches the message of Bhagawad Gita to my devotees is most dear to Me. No one can excel him in satisfying Me by worship.”
There are different kinds of welfare activities in this material world, but the supreme welfare activity is the spreading of Krsna consciousness. Other
welfare activities cannot be effective, for the laws of nature and the results of karma cannot be checked… If one tries to spread Krsna consciousness
all over the world, he should be understood to be performing the best welfare activity. The Lord is automatically very pleased with him.
If the Lord is pleased with him, what is left for him to achieve? If one has been recognized by the Lord, even if he does not ask the Lord for anything,
the Lord who is within everyone, supplies him whatever he wants….
The best welfare activity is raising people to the platform of Krsna consciousness, since the conditioned souls are suffering for only want of Krsna
consciousness….
All the sastras conclude therefore, that spreading the Krsna consciousness movement is the best welfare activity in the world. Because of the ultimate
benefit this bestows upon the people in general, the Lord very quickly recognizes such service performed by a devotee.
SB. 8.7.44