Niranjana Swami's Quote Of The Day

Topic

June 8

A leader can help others if he can always see the good in them. A preacher will think, “If somebody needs to develop good qualities, then as a preacher, I am partially responsible if that person does not have those qualities. The person will not improve unless he has the association of somebody who can help him and who cares about him.” Thus, devotees can help each other by seeing the good qualities in each other. By so doing, we can encourage them so that they will feel sheltered, and will then automatically want to come up to a higher standard. Such are Vaishnava relatonships.
(Lectures from a disciple, Vol 3, Organized versus Unorganized Preaching , Pg 398, 2nd Paragraph)

June 7

The marketplace of the holy name is the place where the pure holy name is distributed. This pure holy name cleanses the heart of all the anarthas. If a devotee wants to be successful in giving shelter to others, he has to be an ideal example in a way that he is visibly chanting Hare Krishna. Others should see how he is chanting Hare Krishna; how he is chanting Hare Krishna with others; and how chanting Hare Krishna is the foundation of his spiritual life. When he is not chanting japa, he is chanting in kirtana.
(Lectures from a disciple, Vol 3, Organized versus Unorganized Preaching , Pg 398, 1st Paragraph)

June 6

To effectively associate with others, we have to learn how to develop the ability to see the good qualities in others. To develop the ability to see the good qualities in others, we have to look within our own hearts to see the anarthas that are preventing us from seeing that.
(Lectures from a disciple, Vol 3, Organized versus Unorganized Preaching , Pg 397, 6th Paragraph)

June 5

If one is looking at Mount Everest from a distance, all he will see is a very high peak. As he comes closer, though, he will see that there are many subordinate peaks, hills and mountains that are surrounding Mount Everest. Similarly, when we see only one person who is the source of inspiration for us, that means that we are far away, because we cannot see that there are many other persons who are also assisting him and fulfilling a similar function of giving us inspiration, knowledge and care. We should try to get closer by seeing that through Krishna’s arrangement, there are many others who can help us. We are meant to have relationships with them too. Shelter also comes from the association of our peers.
(Lectures from a disciple, Vol 3, Organized versus Unorganized Preaching , Pg 397, 5th Paragraph)

June 4

There are different ways to organize things throughout the movement. However, organization alone will not successfully spread Krishna consciousness. Certainly we need organizers, but we also need spiritual vision. Prabhupäda explained that if preaching is there, then management will follow like a shadow. In other words, if devotees are giving Krishna consciousness to others, then inspiration will be there to be organized. Devotees will naturally want to do their service in the best way that they can. Devotees will be inspired to put their energies, efforts, intelligence, wealth, and everything else that they have towards Krishna’s service.
(Lectures from a disciple, Vol 3, Organized versus Unorganized Preaching , Pg 396, 4th and 5th Paragraph)

June 1

Prabhupada explains that material prosperity (wealth, education, etc.), are external symptoms, just as a fever is the external symptom of an unhealthy body. If one has a fever, and if you want him to become healthy, then you must bring the symptoms of the fever down. Similarly, for these different symptoms of material prosperity to come down, Krishna can take it all away, or we can use it in Krishna's service—yukta-vairagya. By using things for the service of the Lord, the fever will come down. In this way, we can try to become spiritually healthy, and that will be our process of expansion. We need more and more spiritually healthy devotees who can go out and preach and show by their example what it means to be Krishna conscious. Krishna consciousness will then expand unlimitedly. I ask you all to please help spread the mission of Krishna consciousness. Become fixed up devotees in Krishna consciousness and go out and make others Krishna conscious. Make your life successful, and at the same time make others’ lives successful. You will become happy, and they will become happy.
(Lectures from a disciple, Vol 3, Expansion of Krishna Consciousness , Pg 392, 2nd and 4th Paragraph)

May 31

For one who is proud, his whole psyche is completely forgetful of the fact that he is actually subordinate. However, the best person to give Krishna consciousness to others is he who teaches by his own example how to be a servant. He is thus subservient to the superior order. That was the criterion for Prabhupada’s success. Of course, Prabhupada is nitya-siddha (eternally liberated); he came from the spiritual world just to give us Krishna consciousness. However, he showed us the perfect example throughout his whole life by giving every fiber of his existence in serving the higher order given by his Guru Mahäräja. He never forgot that position in everything that he did. While crying, he said, “My Guru Maharaja has sent all of you to me simply so that I can serve his order.” He always felt such overwhelming gratitude in his heart. This is humility.
(Lectures from a disciple, Vol 3, Expansion of Krishna Consciousness , Pg 391, 3rd Paragraph)

May 30

A proud person thinks that he is a great devotee because he is speaking about Krishna. However, a devotee is actually one who is not proud and always thinks that he is an instrument—always subordinate to the superior order. He sees the potency to execute that superior order is already impregnated in the words of that order, and if any good qualities manifest in him or any abilities to induce others to develop good qualities to become Krishna conscious, it is only because he is following the Lord’s instructions.
(Lectures from a disciple, Vol 3, Expansion of Krishna Consciousness, Pg 391, 2nd Paragraph)

May 29

We want to see the Krishna consciousness movement expanding. Expansion means increasing the family members. But what keeps the family together is when everybody has a common respect for the elders. We must expand our Krishna consciousness in such a way that every devotee is increasing his Krishna consciousness and giving and sharing that Krishna consciousness with others. Expansion is something that is not always calculated by some external criteria. We have a tendency in the material world to see how things are expanding in terms of economic growth. But the previous acaryas, Vaishnavas and speakers of Srimad-Bhagavatam use a different barometer for real success. They measure it in terms of growth that takes place within the heart, and the growth that takes place in the relationships with Vaishnavas. When affection begins to grow within the heart through the association of Vaishnavas, then envy and the tendency to find faults in others begins to leave the heart.
(Lectures from a disciple, Vol 3, Expansion of Krishna Consciousness , Pg 388, 1st and 3rd Paragraph)

May 28

Thus, for anyone who has not experienced a taste of what it is like to push and push for Prabhupada, book distribution opportunities are available for your benefit. Take advantage of them. Do not let this lifetime pass without at least once experiencing this taste of pushing for Prabhupada. Prabhupada is not a miserly person. That same taste that he gave to his direct followers is just as accessible for many generations to come. At the same time, it is also a mystery; it cannot be experienced unless that desire has been awakened within the heart to do something that really pleases Prabhupada.

(Lectures from a disciple, Vol 3, Book Distribution, Pg 387, 1st Paragraph)

Pages