Damodar Pandit: Created page with "SB 4.28.30 '''''The word'' yavéyasaù ''indicates that these processes are very powerful. After a devotee engages in the processes of'' çravaëaà kértanaà viñëoù smaraëaà päda-sevanam/ arcanaà vandanaà däsyam ''[SB 7.5.23]'', ''and is able to secure these processes, he can later become a devotee capable of rendering spontaneous devotional service—namely'' sakhyam ''and'' ätma-nivedanam. ''Generally the great'' äcäryas ''who preach devotional service a..."

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Created page with "SB 4.28.30 '''''The word'' yavéyasaù ''indicates that these processes are very powerful. After a devotee engages in the processes of'' çravaëaà kértanaà viñëoù smaraëaà päda-sevanam/ arcanaà vandanaà däsyam ''[SB 7.5.23]'', ''and is able to secure these processes, he can later become a devotee capable of rendering spontaneous devotional service—namely'' sakhyam ''and'' ätma-nivedanam. ''Generally the great'' äcäryas ''who preach devotional service a..."

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SB 4.28.30

'''''The word'' yavéyasaù ''indicates that these processes are very powerful. After a devotee engages in the processes of'' çravaëaà kértanaà viñëoù smaraëaà päda-sevanam/ arcanaà vandanaà däsyam ''[SB 7.5.23]'', ''and is able to secure these processes, he can later become a devotee capable of rendering spontaneous devotional service—namely'' sakhyam ''and'' ätma-nivedanam. ''Generally the great'' äcäryas ''who preach devotional service all over the world belong to the category of'' sakhyam ätma-nivedanam. ''A neophyte devotee cannot actually become a preacher. The neophyte is advised to execute devotional service in the seven other fields (''çravaëaà kértanam, ''etc.). If one can successfully execute the preliminary seven items, he can in the future be situated on the platform of'' sakhyam ätma-nivedanam.'''

'''preaching'''

ND.docx

Devotional Service in Friendship

Devotional service in friendship can be divided into two categories: the first is to act as the confidential servant of the Lord, and the other is to act as the well-wisher of the Lord. The devotee who has confidence in devotional service to the Lord systematically follows the rules and regulations, with the faith that he will achieve the platform of transcendental life. '''The second type of devotional friendship is to become a well-wisher of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In the Bhagavad-gétä it is said that the Lord accepts a preacher as the most dear servant. Anyone who is preaching the confidential message of the Gétä to the people in general is so dear to Kåñëa that no one can be equal to him in human society'''.

not insult; that is love, affectionate

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.6. March 26, 1972, Bombay

Arjuna: sakhyam. Arjuna made friendship with Krsna, and he got the highest perfection. Krsna certified: bhakto 'si, priyo 'si. This friendship, sometimes between friends there are some loose words, so sometimes fight, sometimes insulting -- that is not insult; that is love.

So Arjuna had all these affairs with Krsna. Krsna..a Arjuna wanted to marry Krsna's sister. Arjuna could understand..h, Krsna could understand that "My friend is attached with My sister," but His elder brother, Balarama, was not agreeable. So Krsna arranged, advised Arjuna to kidnap His sister. Just see how much Krsna is affectionate to His devotee. In any way.

JG

Bhakti Sandarbha 306:

Now sakhyam will be discussed. This means an attitude of friendship with a desire to benefit another person. That is the meaning of the word mitram in the following:

aho bhāgyam aho bhāgyaṁ nanda-gopa-vrajaukasām

yan-mitraṁ paramānandaṁ pūrṇaṁ brahma sanātanam

How greatly fortunate are Nanda Mahārāja, the cowherd men and all the other inhabitants of Vrajabhūmi! There is no limit to their good fortune, because Kṛṣṇa, their friend, gave them prema, which is the highest bliss, eternal and complete. (SB 10.14.32)

paricaryā-parāḥ kecit prāsādādiṣu śerate |

manuṣyam iva taṁ draṣṭuṁ vyavahartuṁ ca bandhuvat ||

A person who is dedicated to serving the Lord, and out of friendship sees and treats him as a human, lies down in the Lord’s temple. (Rāmārcana-candrikā)

Sakhyam is listed after dāsyam in SB 7.5.23. Thus sakhyam is considered superior to dāsyam because of the attitude of trust and intimacy in the prema (no restraint). The fact that friendship is prescribed even with the Lord is not surprising, for there is a scriptural rule concerning attitude. Na devo devam arcayet: if one is not identical with the Lord one cannot worship the Lord. But the pure devotees give no regard to the attitude of complete identity since it is contradictory to the service (but they accept equality as a bhāva). Sakhyam is thus accepted by them as most favorable to service. In the commentary, dāsyam and sakhyam as integral parts of worship are shown in the following:

tasyaiva me sauhṛda-sakhya-maitrī- dāsyaṁ punar janmani janmani syāt

mahānubhāvena guṇālayena viṣajjatas tat-puruṣa-prasaṅgaḥ

Life after life may I attain prema, friendship, assistance and service. May I attain association with his devotees, since he is the reservoir of all qualities and powers. (SB 10.81.36)

Śrīdāmā speaks the verse. Śrīdhara Svāmī says in his commentary, “Seeing Kṛṣṇa’s affection for his devotee, Śrīdāmā prays for bhakti to the Lord in this verse. Birth after birth may I have prema (sauhṛdam), desire to benefit him (sakhyam), giving assistance (maitrī) and service (dāsyam). The singular number is viewed in the compound as one item. May I have this relationship, not power.”

Dāsyam should not be explained as offering karmas and sakhya should not be explained as conviction (though this is the definition according to some), since these are not directly part of bhakti. Bhakti is the result of offering karmas. Conviction is a cause of becoming absorbed in bhakti. This was previously explained.

not simply chatting. Friendship means thinking

Bhagavad-gita 4.1–2. May 9, 1969, Columbus

And then further development is friendship. Friendship means... Service means I ask you, "Please give me a glass of water." You give me. And friendship means you are thinking, "How my friend will be..., now he may be wanting a glass of water." So before asking me, if you give me, "I think you may require a glass of water," that is friendship. Friendship means feeling friend's welfare always. Suhrt. Friendship is not simply chatting. Friendship means thinking, "How my friend will be happy?" This is friendship.

helpless without Krsna

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.15.20. November 30, 1973, Los Angeles

[Bg 10.10]

Krsna will guide you. Krsna is within yourself, and He can speak to you. You can hear Him also, provided you are fully surrendered. So it does not mean that Arjuna was not fully surrendered. Arjuna was fully surrendered, and Arjuna was fully protected by Krsna. Neither these queens, sixteen thousand queens, could be plundered away by some cowherdsmen. But the... It is an instance that even a person like Arjuna, he will be helpless without Krsna. He will be helpless, what to speak of ourselves. He will be helpless. That is his... He is showing that example. Krsna was... So 'ham nrpendra rahitah purusottamena: "Now I am bereft of the association of my dearest friend, Krsna." Sakhya. Sakha means friend. Sakhya priyena. Not only friend; very dear friend, priyena. Suhrda. Suhrda means... Suhrt. There are different kinds of friends. But suhrt is a friend who always thinks of his friend how he will be happy. That is called suhrt. That is... This description is given about the devotees also. Suhrdam sarva-bhutanam [Bg 5.29].

Therefore Vaisnava... What is that? Vaisnavanam? Vaisnava is happy. Just like, take Prahlada Maharaja. Prahlada Maharaja said... Prahlada Maharaja was praying Lord Nrsimhadeva to pacify Him. So the commentator says that Prahlada Maharaja might have been very much afraid of this ferocious feature of the Lord, Nrsimhadeva. So he assured Nrsimhadeva, "My dear Lord, don't think that I am afraid of Your this feature. No, no." Naivodvije. "Neither I am afraid of this materialistic existence." Naivodvije para duratyaya-vaitaranyas tvad-virya-gayana-mahamrta-magna-cittah [SB 7.9.43]. "I am quite confident that I have no fear." And he has practically seen that his father teased him in so many ways, but at last he was protected. So why he should not believe? He knows that "I am dedicated my life to Krsna, and Krsna is not so ungrateful that He will not give me protection. How it is possible?"

But one who does not believe in Krsna, he thinks that he will protect himself. Apasyatam atma-tattvam grhesu grha-medhinam [SB 2.1.2]. Those who are not God-realized, they think that they will be protected by their society, friendship, love, country, nation, like that. But that is not possible. Just like you are flying in the sky so many aeroplanes at a time. Sometimes in a bunch, in a group, they fly. But if one of the aeroplane is in danger, no other aeroplane can help him. He'll finish. So similarly, we are also flying as aeroplane in the open sky. The protection... You don't expect protection from your so-called society, friendship and love, materially. When there is question of danger, you have to protect with your own strength.

Therefore if we want actually protection, we should take protection of the Supreme, Krsna, or His devotee. Krsna is suhrdam sarva-bhutanam. Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita, bhoktaram yajna-tapasam sarva-loka-mahesvaram, suhrdam sarva-bhutanam [Bg 5.29]: "I am the friend of everyone." He can become friend. He is living within our heart as friend. But we refuse the guidance of such a nice friend. That is our misfortune. Krsna is so kind, so friendly, that you are... Just like one bird is flying from one tree to another, and another bird is following him. So similarly, we are flying from one body to another. Tatha dehantara-praptih [Bg 2.13].

And Krsna does not leave us. He also going with you, just to give you guidance. But we won't give Him. Just like father... It is very natural. Father naturally wants to guide the son, without any motive. That is father's nature. Similarly, Krsna, or God, the supreme father, is naturally inclined to give us protection. Naturally.

Therefore He comes, Krsna comes. Yada yada hi dharmasya glanir bhavati [Bg 4.7]. Paritranaya sadhunam vinasaya ca duskrtam [Bg 4.8]. Krsna's two business. First of all, preaching, these rascals who have forgotten Krsna, that "We are very intimately related. I am the father of all living entities. So you come to Me, come to home. You will be happy. I am not poor. I can provide you with all necessities." Eko yo bahunam vidadhati kaman [Katha Upanisad The Supreme Lord is eternal and the living beings are eternal. The Supreme Lord is cognizant and the living beings are cognizant. The difference is that the Supreme Lord is supplying all the necessities of life for the many other living entities.

Katha Upanisad 2.2.132.2.13]. That one can provide everyone with necessities of life. Actually He is doing. What government is doing for the cats and dogs and the ants and the trees? They are not doing anything. Rather, they are cutting. When there is jungle, for their paper mill they are cutting all the trees. No protection for the trees. They are all cutting all the throats of the cows and animals for eating. So the government cannot give protection. Nobody can give protection. Only Krsna can give you protection. Therefore we should always seek the protection of Krsna. That is our security, not any other thing.

So suhrt means... Krsna is suhrt. Suhrt means who always, I mean to say, trying for our welfare. He comes Himself, and even though we do not accept... Krsna says, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg 18.66]. Man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru [Bg 18.65].

He gives plain advice, that "You always think of Me, become My devotee, offer your respect, obeisances, unto Me. That will make your life perfect." But we shall not do that. We shall not do that. We shall think of so many other things, but we will never accept thinking of Krsna. We shall become devotees of so many rascals, even of a dog also, but we shall never become devotee of Krsna. This is the position. We are devotee or master to our wife, to our children, to our country, to our society, but as soon as you say that "You become devotee of Krsna," oh, he is enraged immediately: "What nonsense you are speaking? I have got so many work to do. Why shall I become devotee of Krsna?" [laughter] This is the disease. This is the disease. Therefore Krsna ultimately says that "You give up all this nonsense, and if you surrender unto Me, then I shall give you protection." Naturally.

Just like we are preaching Krsna consciousness. We are not devotee to the people in general. Then why we are preaching? We are devotee. We are actually devotee, without any motive. Any so-called political leader, he has got some motive. When he becomes devotee of the nation, he has got some motive. But we have no such motive. We simply say plainly that "You become happy by becoming devotee of Krsna. You are now devotee of your lust, anger and illusion. You have become devotee of so many things, rascaldom. You simply become devotee of Krsna. Then your problems will be solved." Kamadinam kati na katidha palita durnidesah [Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu O my Lord, there is no limit to the unwanted orders of lusty desires. Although I have rendered them so much service, they have not shown any mercy to me. I have not been ashamed to serve them, nor have I even desired to give them up. O my Lord, O head of the Yadu dynasty, recently, however, my intelligence has been awakened, and now I am giving them up. Due to transcendental intelligence, I now refuse to obey the unwanted orders of these desires, and I now come to You to surrender myself at Your fearless lotus feet. Kindly engage me in Your personal service and save me.

-- Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 3.2.353.2.35, Cc. Madhya 22.16].

We are devotee, somebody. But we are not devotee of somebody; we are... We have got some motive. Just like now it is coming to exposure: so many leaders, they got election, pretending themselves devotee of the nation -- in everywhere, not only in your country. But actually, they were not devotee of the nation; they were devotee of their own lusty desires. That's all. That "If I occupy this post, then I shall be able to fulfill my lusty desires." Nobody is devotee. Devotion is only applicable to Krsna. If somebody is proclaiming himself that "I am devotee, servant of my nation, of my society, of my wife or my children" -- all false. Here nobody is devotee. Everyone has got some motive. Even the intimate relationship between husband and wife, there is some motive. The husband has got some motive and the wife has got... As soon as the motive is not fulfilled, divorce: "Ah, no more now. Take another chapter."

So this is going on. You see? This is going on, and therefore in the name of devotion, in the name of love, in the name of faith, they are trying to satisfy their own senses. This is called illusion. And he will never be happy so long he will try to satisfy his senses. And that is the truth. They will never be happy. Because... I have given this example: the parts and parcel of your body. If separately the part and parcel of the body wants to satisfy itself, it will never be satisfied. The only means of satisfaction is that the part and parcel conjointly work and satisfy the stomach, and then it will be satisfied. Similarly, we are part and parcel of Krsna. If we want to satisfy ourself, our senses, independently, we shall never be satisfied. This is the fact. You have to satisfy Krsna. Then you will be satisfied. This is the process. Hrsikena hrsikesa-sevanam bhaktir ucyate [Cc Madhya 19.170].

Because actually the owner is Krsna. I am claiming, "This is my hand." It is not my hand; it is Krsna's hand. He has given us to use it. So if I don't use it for Krsna, then it will be criminal. It will be criminal. Yajnarthe karmano 'nyatra loko 'yam karma-bandhanah [Bg 3.9].

Simply for Krsna you have to work. And if you work for your sense gratification, then you will be entangled. This is called karma-bandha. You will be entangled more and more. Yavan mano vai karmane saktam tavat na muncante deha-bandhat[?]. So long we will be, I mean to say, sense-gratifying minded... Because everyone's mind is absorbed in the thought of gratifying his own senses. So, so long we shall be absorbed in this type of thoughts, then we have to accept a body, either human body or other body. There are 8,400,000 different types of forms and body. So we have got different types of desires also, because we are -- prakrteh kriyamanani gunaih karmani sarvasah [Bg 3.27], we are under the modes of material nature, and the material nature has got the modes, different modes: goodness, passion and ignorance. You mix up these three: three into three, it becomes nine; nine into nine, it becomes eighty-one; eighty-one into eight..., it increases. It increases. Therefore we see so many varieties of life, according to the mentality.

So if we work on our..., according to the dictation of the mind, then we become entangled. And if we work under the dictation of Krsna, then we become free. This is the process of Krsna consciousness.

Thank you very much.

Visvasa

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.1.3. August 19, 1971, London

bhoktaram yajna-tapasam

sarva-loka-mahesvaram

suhrdam sarva-bhutanam...

[Bg 5.29]

These three things, if we understand properly, that Krsna is the supreme enjoyer, bhokta; He's friend also. Krsna is so nice friend that... Isvarah sarva-bhutanam hrd-dese 'rjuna tisthati [Bg 18.61]. Krsna, or the Supreme Lord, is situated in everyone's heart as friend. That is stated in the Upanisads.

Two birds are sitting on one tree as friend. One bird is eating the fruit of the tree, and the other friend is simply witnessing. He is friend, He's supreme friend, not so-called friend. Actually He's our supreme friend. He's always trying to get us back to home, back to Godhead. Not only He's sitting within our hearts, but He's descending as Krsna.

Nrsimha-caturdasi. Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.5.22–32

He's always sitting with me

'''[SB 7.5.23]'''

'''Arcanam vandanam dasyam. To be always in service of the Lord, dasyam; sakhyam, to make friendship with Him, to consider Krsna as your friend. He says... Even if I do not say that He's my friend, He says, "I am friend of everyone." Suhrdam sarva-bhutanam [Bg 5.29]. He's friend of everyone. We don't want His friendship, but He wants our friendship. He wants us to go back to home, Godhead; we don't want. So He is more anxious to take us, exactly like the father is more affectionate than the son. That's a fact.'''

So He's the supreme father. So He wants that we may be happy, and therefore He comes to show us. He sends His representative, son. He leaves behind Him books so that we may go back to home, back to Godhead. So sakhyam. He's always sitting with me, within my heart. I am in the heart, and Paramatma is also within the heart as friend, to give me advice that "Why you are bothering in this material world? Please come back to home, back to Me." This is going on. Sakhyam atma-nivedanam

working very hard

The Nectar of Devotion "Relief from Material Distress." November 4, 1972, Vrndavana

So the activities of the karmis, when dovetailed in the service of Krsna, even by working so hard, our tendency, we can... Actually, devotional service depends on the main principles, sravanam kirtanam visnoh smaranam pada-sevanam, arcanam vandanam dasyam [SB 7.5.23]. But within the category of dasyam... Just like Hanuman, Hanumanji: he was engaged in the platform of dasyam. Arjuna was engaged in the platform of sakhyam. So they were also working very hard.

The Battlefield of Kuruksetra, it was not a place of sitting down very easily and silently. When he was fighting, he was fighting just like a soldier. He took all the duties of the soldier. But it was being fought for Krsna. That is the attraction. That is pure devotional service. Krsna also gave him certificate, bhakto 'si priyo 'si [Bg 4.3]: "My dear Arjuna, you are My dear friend and devotee."

So by any action, if it is dovetailed for the satisfaction of Krsna, that is devotional service, and one can attract Krsna, attention of Krsna. Attention of Krsna can be attracted by pure devotional service, without any personal motive. If it is... And that motive, that order, is received through the disciplic succession of the spiritual master, how Krsna will be pleased.

In the present condition, we do not know how Krsna will be pleased, but we know from the sastras... We can know also from the direction of the spiritual master how Krsna will be pleased. Yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasadah.

mahatma - keep friendly relationship with Krsna

Srimad-Bhagavatam 5.5.3. April 15, 1975, Hyderabad

So such persons described here, because the recommendation is mahat-seva. So it does not mean mahat is only to be found in..., among the sannyasis, or higher circle, brahmanas. No. Mahat can be found in other circle also, but what is the qualification? The qualification is, ye va mayise krta-sauhrdartha. His only business is to keep friendly relationship with Krsna. That is the first qualification.

'''The first-class example is Arjuna. He was a military man, a politician, and grhastha, ksatriya -- not brahmana, not sannyasi -- but still Krsna accepts him: sakha ceti, "For you are My dear friend." Bhakto 'si sakha ceti: "You are not only My devotee, you are My best friend," Krsna says. Although he is grhastha, a military man, and as ksatriya, still Krsna accepts him that "I shall speak to you the mystery of Bhagavad-gita, because you are My dear friend and bhakta." Bhakto 'si sakha ceti rahasyam hy etad uttamam [Bg 4.3].'''

Krsna also wants somebody friendly. It doesn't matter whether he is a sannyasi or grhastha. So any grhastha whose only aim is how to keep friendship with Krsna, he is also mahat, mahatma. He also mahat. Because the recommendation, mahat-sevam dvaram ahur vimuktes [SB 5.5.2]: one has to take shelter of a mahatma and serve him with surrender, then his path of liberation will be open. So, if somebody says... I think the other day somebody was questioning that "If I cannot contact sannyasi because I am grhastha, I am family man, so how my path of liberation will be open?" Yes, that is possible, provided you find amongst your society a person like this, ye va mayise krta-sauhrdartha. If you can find out amongst your associate a person who is only dedicated to Krsna, you can associate with him. Then your path of liberation will be open.

встреча с другом через духовного учителя

SB 4.docx

PURPORT

'''''Just as in the'' vänaprastha ''stage the wife follows the husband, similarly when the spiritual master retires for'' nirjana-bhajana, ''some of his advanced devotees follow him and engage in his personal service. In other words, those who are very fond of family life should come forward in the service of the spiritual master and abandon so-called happiness afforded by society, friendship and love. A verse by Çréla Viçvanätha Cakravarté Öhäkura in his'' Gurv-añöaka ''is significant in this regard.'' Yasya prasädäd bhagavat-prasädaù **. ''A disciple should always remember that by serving the spiritual master he can easily advance in Kåñëa consciousness. All the scriptures recommend that it is by pleasing the spiritual master and serving him directly that one can attain the highest perfectional stage of devotional service.'''''
[[Category:Quotes]]
[[Category:Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada]]
[[Category:Spiritual practice]]

Quotes: sakhya-bhakti (Srila Prabhupada) - Revision history