Quotes: saranagati (Srila Prabhupada)

Quotes from Srila Prabhupada

Who don't surrender

Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.9.42. March 22, 1976, Mayapur. Normally we, because we are sinful, because we are mudhas, we do not surrender to Krsna. Na mam prapadyante. Anyone who does not surrender to Krsna, He is classified as duskrtina, mudha, naradhama, mayayapahrta-jnana. It is not at all possible to become independent of Krsna's will. That is not possible. Therefore those who are trying to work independently, without Krsna's favor, they're mudha, all rascals. They will not accept what Krsna says, and they are trying to establish some law without Krsna. "There is no need of God." This is the... Most scientists, they say like that. "Now we have got science. We can do everything." They are mudhas. It is not possible. Independently you cannot do without Krsna's favor... We cannot understand directly. Therefore these rascals who are trying to understand Krsna directly by interpretation, they are all rascals. They cannot understand Krsna. May be very big man, so-called. Nobody is big man. They are also sa vai... No, what is that? No, no. Sva-vid-varahostra-kharaih samstutah purusah pasuh [SB 2.3.19]. Purusah pasuh. These big, big men who are so much eulogized by some rascals, all these big, big leaders, what they are? Because they are not devotee of Krsna, they cannot lead. They simply will mislead. Therefore we take them all rascals. This is the criterion. Take this one criterion. Anything you want to learn from somebody, first of all you see whether that somebody is a devotee of Krsna. Otherwise don't take any lesson. We don't take any lesson from a person, "perhaps," "maybe," like this. No. We don't want such scientist or mathematician. No. One who knows Krsna, one who is devotee of Krsna, one who is overwhelmed in ecstasy simply by hearing Krsna, you take lesson from them. Otherwise all rascals.

Dasa-dasa-dasanudasah

Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.9.42. March 22, 1976, Mayapur. So best thing is that always try to seek favor of Krsna. And you cannot seek Krsna's favor directly. That is also another point. Kim tena te priya-janan anusevatam nah. You cannot jump over to Krsna without the favor of His devotee. Yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasadah. [Sri Gurvastaka 8] You cannot seek favor of Bhagavan directly. That is another foolishness. You must go through the servant of Krsna. Gopi-bhartur pada-kamalayor dasa-dasa-dasanudasah [Cc Madhya 13.80].

This is our process. We don't approach Krsna directly. We must begin our service to the Krsna's servant. And who is Krsna's servant? One who has become the servant of another Krsna's servant. This is called dasa-dasanudasa. Nobody can be independently servant of Krsna. That is another foolishness. Krsna never accepts anyone's service directly. No. That is not possible. You must come through the servant of the servant [Cc Madhya 13.80]. This is called parampara system. As you receive knowledge by the parampara system... Krsna spoke to Brahma, Brahma spoke to Narada, Narada spoke to Vyasadeva, and we are getting this knowledge. Just like Krsna... Bhagavad-gita was spoken by Krsna to Arjuna.

Highest dharma

Pandal Lecture. November 14, 1971, Delhi.

sarva-dharman parityajya

mam ekam saranam...

[Bg 18.66]

That is called saranagati, "I surrender," and that is the ultimate goal. But those who are engaged in mental speculation or empiric knowledge, philosophical speculation, they will take long, long time to come to this point.

bahunam janmanam ante

jnanavan mam prapadyate

vasudevah sarvam iti

sa mahatma su-durlabhah

[Bg 7.19]

So that kind of mahatma,

mahatmanas tu mam partha

daivim prakrtim asritah

bhajanty ananya-manaso...

[Bg 9.13]

That kind of mahatma we try to create by this Krsna consciousness movement: unflinching faith in Krsna.

yasya deve para bhaktir

yatha deve tatha gurau

tasyaite kathita hy arthah

prakasante mahatmanah

[Svetasvatara Upanisad 6.23]

So this Krsna consciousness movement is authorized, scientific, confirmed by great persons, acaryas, not in the past -- Vyasadeva, Narada, Devala, Asita -- but within say two thousand years: Ramanujacarya, Madhvacarya, Nimbarka, Visnu Svami and, latest, within five hundred years, by Lord Caitanya, and five thousand years Lord Krsna.

sarva-dharman parityaja

mam ekam saranam vraja

[Bg 18.66]

So the question was raised, dharma. So from the angle of vision of this Krsna consciousness Society we accept this ultimate dharma to surrender to Krsna, and Bhagavata confirms,

sa vai pumsam paro dharmo

yato bhaktir adhoksaje

ahaituky apratihata

yayatma samprasidati

vasudeve bhagavati

bhakti-yogah prayojitah

janayaty asu vairagyam

jnanam ca yad ahaitukam

[SB 1.2.6-7]

It is not that this surrendering process is meant for the less intelligent class. It is the highest intelligent class, because Krsna says, "After many, many births, one who is executing the philosophical speculation, after many, many births he will surrender unto Me." Vasudeve... "That time, when he surrenders unto Me he will understand that vasudevah sarvam iti." [Bg 7.19]

aham krtsnasya jagatah

prabhavah pralayas tatha

[Bg 7.6]

When he will understand, then he will surrender. But the intelligent man, he will see, "If this is the ultimate goal of life, why not surrender immediately?" That is intelligence. That is real knowledge. Surrender immediately. Why you should wait for many, many births? No necessity. You immediately surrender and become liberated. What is that liberation? Sa gunan samatityaitan brahma-bhuyaya kalpate.

mam ca 'vyabhicarena

bhakti-yogena ya sevate

sa gunan samatityaitan

brahma-bhuyaya kalpate

[Bg 14.26]

So this is the process of Krsna consciousness movement, and we request all of you to try to understand it very seriously and take to it, and you will become happy.

Thank you very much. Hare Krsna. [end]

Without surrender to guru bhakti doesn't work

The Nectar of Devotion. January 6, 1973, Bombay. Matir na krsne parato svato va. Krsne matih, by personal endeavor, svatah, or by taking lessons from others... Just like we are preaching this Krsna consciousness, attending meeting also, conference also. But still, matir na krsne. But that can be achieved only, naisam matis tavad urukramanghrim, unless one surrenders to the mahiyasam pada-rajo 'bhisekam [SB 7.5.32].

Unless one surrenders to the dust of the lotus feet of pure devotee, Krsna consciousness cannot be developed. It is not possible. That is the secret. Otherwise you go on attending thousands of meetings and bhagavata-saptaha and so-called, I mean to say, sat-sanga. Unless you surrender to a person... Tad viddhi pranipatena pariprasnena sevaya [Bg 4.34].

Unless you surrender... This is a process of surrender. As soon as there is a lack of surrendering process, it is very difficult. Therefore Krsna says, "Surrender." Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg 18.66]:

"Surrender." So Krsna, Krsna's representative, one should surrender. Then krsne matir bhavatu anyatha naiva. So matir na krsne parato svato va mitho 'bhipadyeta. This was instruction of Prahlada Maharaja.

Surrender guru-parampara

Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.9.28. March 6, 1976, Mayapur.

evam janam nipatitam prabhavahi-kupe

kamabhikamam anu yah prapatan prasangat

krtvatmasat surarsina bhagavan grhitah

so 'ham katham nu visrje tava bhrtya-sevam

[SB 7.9.28]

So this is Vaisnava paddhati. Tava bhrtya-sevam. Vaisnava does not approach Krsna directly. That is not Vaisnava. This is impudency. You cannot approach Krsna. Caitanya Mahaprabhu has taught us, gopi-bhartuh pada-kamalayor dasa-dasa-dasanudasah [Cc Madhya 13.80]. This is the process. You have to... As you have to receive the perfect knowledge by the parampara system -- imam vivasvate yogam proktavan aham avyayam [Bg 4.1], similarly, you have to approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead through the parampara system.

sri-caitanya-mano-'bhistam

sthapitam yena bhu-tale

svayam rupah kada mahyam

dadati sva-padantikam

[Sri Rupa-pranam]

We have to approach in that way. Sri-caitanya-mano 'bhistam. The Gosvamis, they established the mission of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Therefore we have to receive the mercy of the six Gosvamis, and we have to receive the mercy of the six Gosvamis through my spiritual master. [Sri Mukunda-mala stotra. Mantra 25] Bhrtyasya bhrtyah. Narottama dasa Thakura says, rupa-raghunatha pade, haibe akuti, kabe hama bujhabo, sri yugala-piriti [Lalasamayi Prarthana text 4, song 1].

Narottama dasa Thakura, he is also acarya. He is speaking, "When I shall be eager to serve the lotus feet of Rupa Gosvami, Sanatana Gosvami," rupa-raghunatha-pade, "six Gosvamis, beginning from Rupa Gosvami to Raghunatha dasa Gosvami?" Sri-rupa sanatana bhatta-raghunatha, sri-jiva gopala-bhatta dasa-raghunatha. [Sri Nama-sankirtana. Song 1. Text 4]

So we have to go through the Gosvamis and the parampara system. Then we can understand... So Prahlada Maharaja is one of the mahajana, authorities. How he has gotten this authority? Here it is said, so 'ham katham nu visrje tava bhrtya-sevam. So everyone must have his position by giving service to the spiritual master. And who is spiritual master? Tava bhrtya: who is a servant of Krsna.

So why it is required to serve Vaisnava? If you want to get relief from this conditional life, then you have to serve Vaisnava. Chadiya vaisnava seva, nistara peyeche keba [Prarthana]. This is the... "Who has got," I mean to say, "liberty from this entanglement of material existence" -- chadiya vaisnava seva -- "if you do not serve a pure Vaisnava?" Mahat-sevam dvaram ahur vimukteh [SB 5.5.2]. This is everywhere. If you want liberation from this material entanglement, then you must take to mahat-sevam dvaram ahur vimukteh. You must. There is no alternative. Tasmad gurum prapadyeta jijnasuh sreya uttamam [SB 11.3.21]: "If you are actually interested to inquire about the transcendental subject matter, you must accept a guru." Tasmad gurum prapadyeta.