Niranjana Swami's Quote Of The Day

Topic

November 23

While brahmacharis live in an asrama so do grhasthas. The word asrama means shelter. What is the shelter in grhastha-asrama? Narada Muni describes it to Maharaja Yudhistra in the seventh canto: the daily hearing of the Lord's pastimes. There is no other shelter in the grhastha-asarama. Taking shelter anywhere else means that grhastha-asarama transforms into the grahmedi-asarama. There is no asarama for grhamedis, because they have no shelter, no asrama. If grhasthas are not hearing Srimad Bhagavatam every day, either by attending the temple Bhagavatam class or somehow in association of devotees, then they are not within the asrama.
Lectures from a disciple Volume 1 "Spiritual Lives of Grhasthas", Pg 365"

November 22

Hearing and chanting about Krishna are the important foundations of spiritual life. Those who practice these two items of sadhana seriously will be able to cultivate the faith required to make spiritual advancement. The guru emphasizes hearing and chanting over everything else for this reason. Everything, including the understanding of chanting, is contained in the hearing process.
Lectures from a disciple Volume 1 "Spiritual Lives of Grhasthas", Pg 364-365

November 21

All through the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna assures us that whatever condition we have attained in life does not need to be changed if we wish to practice devotional service. What we need to do is to learn how to work in the proper consciousness. Work is not simply meant to maintain the material body but as an offering to Krishna. We need to place Krishna in the center of our lives. If we want to place Krishna in the center of our lives then we must hear and chant regularly. If we don't we will forget why we are working. We will think we are working to maintain the body and its extension - family, society, and nation. We will not remember that the goal of all work is to give pleasure to Krishna. By working in such consciousness we increase our attachment to Krishna.
Lectures from a disciple Volume 1 "Spiritual Lives of Grhasthas", Pg 363-364

November 20

A serious devotee will establish the criteria of what's “good” and what's “bad” based upon what's good for his service to Krishna. Anakulyasya sankalpah, pratikulyasya varjanam. A devotee must accept everything favorable for the execution of devotional service and he must reject everything unfavorable. This should be the criteria for everything that we do.

Collected Letters, vol. 2

November 19

A grhastha should accept some honest and simple means of livelihood. He does not want to accumulate fortunes, but works as a matter of duty, accepting whatever Krishna provides. If Krishna sends fortunes, he accepts it and uses it for the service of Krishna. If Krishna sends practically nothing, a devotee continues to execute his duties; always faithful that Krishna knows what is needed.

November 18

I have given numerous lectures about how to associate with devotees. I specifically preach often on this theme since association with devotees is the primary foundation for spiritual advancement. If someone is unable to associate with devotees, then his life can become too easily influenced by the attitudes of nondevotees. We are by nature social beings. In His instructions to Srila Sanatana Goswami, Lord Caitanya quotes a verse from Katyayanasamhita: “It is better to accept the miseries of being encaged within bars and surrounded by burning flames than to associate with those bereft of Krishna consciousness. Such association is a very great hardship.”

Collected Letters, vol. 2

November 17

There is a difference between revealing your mind to a friend, who is a friend on the basis of helping each other in Krishna consciousness, and to a “friend,” whose friendship has been established on the basis of sharing a similar illusion.

Collected Letters, vol. 2

November 15

Someone may doubt that such freedom from repeated birth and death will come, but a devotee experiences relief in this life. He need not wait until death. The devotee's relief comes from his remembrance of Krishna, and his confidence in Krishna's constant protection. There is no safer place than in Krishna consciousness.

Collected Letters, vol. 2

November 14

Regarding some instruction, I can only encourage you to remain strict with yourself, and to not allow yourself to become overly dependent upon this temporary material nature. This material nature is very powerful, and she can make us forget that our life is meant to be always surrendered to Krishna's lotus feet.

Collected Letters, vol. 2

November 16

So, I beg that you please don't lose out on the great fortune that Krishna is making available to you. Don't waste your time dwelling upon petty issues that will always come and go as long as we're in this material world. Take up Lord Caitanya's mission and experience His full mercy. You should take part in more preaching activities and actually go out and contact conditioned souls. This is the best way to learn tolerance, and is also the very best way to learn how to appreciate the association of the devotees that Krishna has put you in.

Collected Letters, vol. 2

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