Review of Bhakti Vriksha Program
January 13, 2001
Our program was hosted by their graces, Gaura Nitai Prabhu and Guna Manjari
Prabhu. This class featured the largest number of devotees yet. Thank you all
for attending.
We began with a reading from one of Satsvarupa das Goswami's journals in
which he discusses chanting. The main focus of the passage is a disciple's
testimony. Remuna dasi laments that her chanting has become a chore over the
years especially since her family obligations have greatly increased. She
explains that when she initially began chanting she was quite young and her
parents were unaware of it. The circumstances made her secret chanting very
exciting for her. The mind is such a monkey that any new task will hold its
attention for some time. She explains that in the beginning she was very naïve.
Satsvarupa Maharaj also says that he himself feels naïve when he thinks he has
become a man of prayer. No matter what level we are on, we all have to keep
endeavoring in Krishna Consciousness.
Her Grace Malati Prabhu reiterated the fact that in the neophyte stage
especially, chanting and other devotional service seem wonderful and exciting so
in order to keep ourselves strong we have to maintain extremely regulated sadhana.
We should not feel that at any time spiritual advancement will just fall into
our laps. Satsvarupa Mararaj's passage also mentions the Catholic saint Teresa
of Avila. She states in her autobiography that it took twenty years for her to
detect any substantial spiritual progress. We can all benefit from the
experience and encouragement of these great souls.
We were able to cover two texts from Srimad Bhagavatam (1.1.5-6). In
text five, the sages complete their morning duties and then offer the vyasasana
to Srila Suta Goswami because he is the representative of Vyasadeva. The
representative of Vyasadeva can present the teachings exactly as they are. In
the purport it says that the morning hours are the best for spiritual practice,
specifically during the brahma-muhurta, one and a half hours before
sunrise. We have discussed many times that chanting done in the morning has a
more beneficial overall effect. Even though one can chant the holy name anywhere
and at any time, Prabhupada says there are no hard and fast rules, but he most
definitely stresses the fact that early morning chanting is the best. The
potency of the holy name can more readily be felt when the mind is fresh and
uninfluenced by the events of the day.
A few other points from this text are that the goswamis, or the
masters of the senses who follow the previous acaryas, do not lecture on the
scriptures capriciously. They do not become puffed up with knowledge and try to
ingratiate themselves. If they seek profit, adoration, and distinction; they are
guilty of "subtle sex desire" as mentioned later on in the Bhagavatam.
This is not a characteristic of a goswami. The goswamis also do not jump
immediately to the Tenth Canto in order to exploit the sacred pastimes of Radha
and Krishna. The acaryas and goswamis maintain impeccable character and deliver
the Krishna-conscious philosophy without any personal motivation. They sincerely
want to guide the conditioned souls. "One must learn the transcendental
subject by submissive aural reception from the right sources (S.Bhag.
1.1.5)". In this way, both the speaker and hearer are qualified.
Verse six further discusses the characteristics of a goswami because
the sages continue to glorify Suta Goswami. A goswami must be well versed
in the revealed scriptures and be free from vice. The processes for
understanding the scriptures are sravana and kirtana, hearing and
explaining (chanting). In the Kali yuga, four vices are very prominent which is
why the four regulative principles are so important. We should not engage in
meat eating, gambling, illicit sex, or intoxication. If we participate in these
activities, spiritual life becomes extremely difficult to perform because the
execution and ramifications of these activities increase our anxiety and our
negative karmic reactions. Above all, they are not pleasing to Krishna. During
class, some devotees did bring up the idea that if one falls down we should
still respect that devotee because we are all on different levels in life based
upon the modes of material nature. No one can judge anyone else as it says in Nectar
of Instruction, text six: "Even if a devotee sometimes seems to engage
in abominable activities, he should be considered a sadhu, a saintly
person, because his actual identity is that of one engaged in the loving service
of the Lord. In other words, he is not to be considered an ordinary human
being."
That devotee is still a servant of Krishna, but has problems like we all have
in our own ways. We are making an effort on this path so we have to have
compassion on one another and on ourselves. We cannot take the easy way out
though. This concludes the notes for this section. Let's look forward to
another pizza-ghosti. Hare Krishna
