Real connection with a spiritual master is not some simple external formality. Real acceptance of the spiritual master is when one actually has implicit faith that this person is as good as Krishna and he is giving me only Krishna. Then, with that firm faith, the disciple can advance.
March 21, 1996, St. Petersburg
If we cannot use the philosophy of Krishna consciousness to solve our practical problems, then what is the value of Krishna consciousness? It is not simply some lofty philosophy that we sit back in our rooms and just think about all day long which has no touch with our daily life. The beauty of Krishna consciousness is in its application. It is not something ephemeral that we can just think about but cannot apply. It is very practical, and we can apply it to our daily life every day, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
March 20, 1991, Kishiniov
A devotee should not think that when he comes to Krishna consciousness that there will be no more problems. Actually, when he comes to Krishna consciousness, problems will still exist. There will also be many reversals. We will find ourselves making many plans and there will also be impediments to such plans. There will be resistance by the material nature, and the materialistic plan makers will also oppose us, because they can not see how our plans always coincide with theirs.
March 19, 1991, Kishiniov
Sometimes we think we have many other things that we have to do in life, but sraddha means to have that firm conviction that "I need to fix my mind on Krishna, I need to take shelter of the Holy Name. In this situation I need to remember the Lord."
As a person, the Lord has different pastimes. We should understand that when a Deity appears before our vision, He is manifesting His eternal pastimes before us. His lila is going on. We may not have vision to see, but we must understand that this eternal lila is eternally manifest--that every moment the Lord is engaged in His eternal pastimes. So when we are worshiping the Deities, we must understand that we are plugging into Their lila. Their lila is going on eternally. It's not that the Deities are simply on the altar and when we want to have a kirtan or when we want to eat prasadam, we plug them into our lila.
March 17, 1993, Minsk
The Vaishnava is so completely centered that even one moment of association can dissipate all illusions, all distractions, and center one on life's ultimate goal in a moment. We may not be so empowered, but we should pray for the desire to become so empowered and to be so fixed in our spiritual center that we can give substance with just a glance, or just a moment's time, or just a quick answer. Then we will immediately pierce the coverings of the false ego and enter into the heart and become meaningful to some jiva soul who needs to feel sheltered in Krishna consciousness.
Krishna consciousness is a natural state of shelter. One who takes shelter in Krishna finds peace and happiness within. He finds satisfaction in a way far different than ordinary materialists find it, because for one who takes shelter in Krishna, Krishna gives him full protection.
Krishna actually provides protection to anyone who is dependent upon Him. In all places, in all times, and in all circumstances, the best way to express our dependence on Krishna is simply to chant His glories.
March 15, 1991, Dnepropetrovsk
Unless one actually appreciates the great value of the Holy Name of the Lord, one actually could waste one's whole life and not actually achieve the actual fruit of love of Godhead, which is the ultimate goal of this chanting. Certainly there is always benefit for one who chants the Holy Name of the Lord, but one who understands the great value of the Holy Name of the Lord, who wants to achieve nothing less than to achieve pure love of Godhead, he will always try very hard to be careful to avoid all offenses in chanting the Holy Name of the Lord.
March 14, 2002, Mayapur
Whatever duty one performs, one must learn how to see its relationship with Krishna. One must see that duty as coming from Krishna and must stick to that duty for one's own purification.
March 13, 1991, Kiev
These books are like the places of pilgrimage for the swans. They are only for persons who have some attraction for the spiritual realm. But the most wonderful thing about these books is that even if somebody doesn't have any attraction, if they get one eleventh of a moment of association with Srila Prabhupada, that attraction can be awakened. That is the great beauty of these books. Although they are made for swan-like persons, by associating with these books even the ugliest crows can become swans.