Śrī Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu Essay.

Q2 Analyse the independent nature of pure devotional service in

the context of the current spreading of krsna consiouness
throught the world.

Introduction (from the lectures of Srila prabhupada)

To follow Chaitanya Mahaprabhu means to follow the six Gosvamis. This is
called parampara system. Evam parampara-praptam imam rajarsayoh viduh [Bg.
4.2]. If we follow the parampara system... The same message, what Krishna said, that is
also said by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, that is also said by the Gosvamis. Sri
Rupa Gosvami says, yena tena prakarena manah krsna nivesayet. Somehow or other,
try to induce people to become Krishna conscious. So Chaitanya Mahaprabhu also says
the same thing. Yare dekha tare kaha krsna upadesa [Cc. Madhya 7.128]. Krishna
message is being spread as Chaitanya Mahaprabhu desired. Yare dekha tare kaha krsna
upadesa [Cc. Madhya 7.128].

People are very busy for economic development. They think that is the highest
goal of life. To get money somehow or other; and then, after getting money, to
satisfy the senses. And when they are defeated in satisfying senses, defeated
means everyone is trying to satisfy his senses to the greatest extent.
Unfortunately, maya will not allow him to do so. Daivi hy esa gunamayi mama
maya duratyaya [Bg. 7.14]. Therefore Bhagavata says, parabhavas tavad abodha-
jatah. Parabhavah. The karmis who are trying to satisfy their senses to the
highest limit, they are being defeated. It cannot be. Nobody's satisfied with the
senses, to the greatest extent. In Europe and America, this can be very practically
experienced. Many, many, old, very rich men, seventy-five years old, seventy
years old, they're still going to the club for satisfying the senses. That means the
sense satisfaction business cannot be completely done even to the point of death.

There are many stories. We have got practical experience that Akbar Shah
inquired from one of his very confidential ministers that "How long a man is
sexually inclined?" So the minister replied that "Up to the point of death." He
replied. The Akbar did not believe it. But the minister sometimes took him to a
man who was just going to die, and the minister requested Akbar Shah to get with
him his young daughter. So when the Akbar Shah and his daughter was entering,
the man on the death bed, he was looking to the young girl, not to the Akbar. So
he pointed out, "Just see." And he was convinced, "Yes." So the sex life is so
strong that you cannot be satisfied. If you remain in material existence, then this
sex desire will never be satisfied. But it can be satisfied only when you come to
Krishna consciousness.
The independent nature of pure devotional service in the context of the
current spreading of krsna consciousness thought the world.

The spreading of Krishna consciousness message is krsnas tu bhagavan

svayam [SB 1.3.28]. There is no other Bhagavan. Bhagavan means full of six
opulences. So Krishna is completely, cent percent full of all opulences. Even
Narayana, He is ninety-six percent. And Lord Siva is eighty-four percent. And
Brahma is seventy-eight percent. These are calculated by the Gosvamis. So
Krishna is cent percent Bhagavan. And Krishna says in the Bhagavad-
gita, mattah parataram nanyat [Bg. 7.7] "Krishna is the Supreme Personality of
Godhead."

In the preliminary phase of spiritual life there are different kinds of austerities,
penances and similar processes for attaining self-realization. However, even if an
executor of these processes is without any material desire, he still cannot achieve
devotional service. And aspiring by oneself alone to achieve devotional service is
also not very hopeful because Kṛṣṇa does not agree to award devotional service to
merely anyone. Kṛṣṇa can easily offer a person material happiness or even
liberation, but He does not agree very easily to award a person engagement in His
devotional service. Devotional service can in fact be attained only through the
mercy of a pure devotee. In the Caitanya-caritamrta it is said: “By the mercy of
the spiritual master who is a pure devotee and by the mercy of Kṛṣṇa one can
achieve the platform of devotional service. There is no other way.

Characteristics of devotional service are described by Rupa Gosvami with

evidences from different scriptures. He states that there are six characteristics of
pure devotional service, which are as follows:

1) Pure devotional service brings immediate relief from all kinds of material
distress.
2) Pure devotional service is the beginning of all auspiciousness.
3) Pure devotional service automatically puts one in transcendental pleasure.
4) Pure devotional service is rarely achieved.
5) Those in pure devotional service deride even the conception of liberation.
6) Pure devotional service is the only means to attract Kṛṣṇa.

Kṛṣṇa is all-attractive, but pure devotional service attracts even Him. This means
that pure devotional service is even transcendentally stronger than K ṛṣṇa
Himself, because it is Kṛṣṇa’s internal potency.
anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ
jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam
ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānu-
śīlanaṁ bhaktir uttamā
TRANSLATION: 
‘When first-class devotional service develops, one must be devoid of
all material desires, knowledge obtained by monistic philosophy, and
fruitive action. The devotee must constantly serve Kṛṣṇa favorably, as
Kṛṣṇa desires.’
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. Kṛṣṇa wants everyone to
surrender unto Him, and devotional service means preaching this gospel all
over the world. The Lord says openly in the Bhagavad-gītā (18.69), na ca
tasmān manuṣyeṣu kaścin me priya-kṛttamaḥ: One who preaches the
gospel of the Bhagavad-gītā for the benefit of all is most dear to Kṛṣṇa.
The Bhagavad-gītā is spoken by the Lord so that human society can be
perfectly organized from all angles of vision — politically, socially,
economically, philosophically and religiously. From any point of view,
human society can be reformed by the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement;
therefore one who spreads this philosophy of Kṛṣṇa consciousness for the
benefit of all conditioned souls in the universe is perfect in pure devotional
service.

Considering that it’s Kali-yuga, ISKCON is very succesful in spreading the yuga-
dharma all over the world. In fact, Hare Krishna is the only institution on the
planet that spreads the message of Krishna on such a large, organized scale.

It is due to the influence of Hare Krishna that the general population gradually
will lose their faith in the materialistic view of life - gradual evolution, life from
chemicals, a random formation of the universe etc. - theories that are without
scientific evidence, theories that are met with increasing incredulity by
prominent scientists, but which are propagandized to the population as scientific,
well-established facts.

Due to the Bhakti-movement started in the 1500s by Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu,

who is Krishna Himself, and of which Hare Krishna is the modern off-shoot,
there is a trend of increasing awareness of God and the spiritual dimensions of
life happening in the world.

It’s a very slow process, this is after all Kali-yuga, the most degraded of ages, but
if we have some historical awareness, we will know that the truth-sayers in any
society have always begun as a scorned and ridiculed minority.

Srila Prabhupada says:

Our fighting is against atheism. They say, there is no God. God is dead. I am God.
You are God. We are fighting against these principles. So our fighting is very
strong. Don't think that we are sitting idly. I have come here to fight with these
atheists. We go everywhere. We are fighting with atheists all over the world.

The servant should be as good as the master. That is servant. Because sometimes
servants may be challenged. So that is the qualification of Krsna's servant.
Krsna's servant must be always equipped, because they have to meet so many
opposing elements...Practically the whole material world is full of duskritam.
They want to create God. They don't want to become servant of God. That is their
challenge. Therefore, anyone who is claiming to become servant of God, Krsna,
he must be well equipped to meet the challenging spirit of others.

Following in the footsteps of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu,& six goswamis of

vrindavana.

HARE KRSNA