Krishna wants to give credit to all of His devotees. But we have to be prepared to accept that, even when a devotee doesn’t want credit. We have to be prepared to accept the credit that Krishna wishes to give to us. But that means that we have to be prepared to accept whatever difficulties we may have to confront in the process. That means that responsible devotees are required.
January 15, 1996, Kiev
This body exists. It’s real. But what is false? When I think “It is me.”
January 14, 1998, Kiev
One doesn’t have to make extra endeavors to develop good qualities because all these good qualities are actually natural characteristics of the soul.
If one simply learns how to direct his intelligence towards Krishna, it is like facing the sun – everything is bright. With purified intelligence one will make progress to the ultimate goal of life by getting direction from within the heart from Supersoul and from without from the scriptures and from the vaishnavas.
January 13, 2008, Budapest
If one has a particular service to Krishna but if his meditation is upon rejection of that service to accept another service, this is not favorable.
January 12, 1997, Moscow
"Just see, how long this person has engaged in austerities. How can you say he is not renounced? How can you say he is not self-controlled? Certainly there must be some self-control there." But one has to see the actual result of that self-control. What is the result? And the result of such self-control must always bring devotion.
January 11, 1997, Moscow
The pain you are experiencing is coming from the instinctive fear of losing these attachments, and the sweet taste comes from the instinctive faith that you will be happier without them.
January 10, 2001, Letter
That is what "Krishna consciousness" is all about at the stage that you are at. You should not try to meditate on anything higher than that until you can at least have faith that by shouting out "Hare
Krishna!" and begging Krishna, with tears in the eyes, to please engage you in His service and to not let you remain a servant of lust, anger, and material illusion any longer. Krishna's holy names
will act to clear away the obstacles in your life. If you make a regular practice of this and continue to chant after sincerely praying in this way as much as possible, you will get strength.
January 9, 2002, Letter
Service can only be taken away from those who are faithless. Those with faith, even in the face of adversity, will capture every opportunity to serve through sincere chanting, prayer and rectification.
January 8, 2006, Letter
One should not say that "actually, I must get this instruction. Please give me this instruction." That’s not how it works. That’s not divine intervention. We can’t twist Krishna’s hands. “Give it to me,”
Krishna will give it when we will be ready. How do we become ready? What is the qualification to become ready? The disciple must be ready to receive that order by giving up all these worldly persuasions and by accepting the instructions which are given by the spiritual master as his life and soul.
January 7, 1996, Kiev
That pleasure that comes from devotional service to the Lord may not immediately manifest, but we should still try. We should still make an effort, and endeavor. We should see how it is Krishna giving me opportunity to make further advancement. He is not giving me pleasure right now because He wants to deepen my dependence upon Him, to deepen my attachment to Him.
January 6, 1994, Moscow