Niranjana Swami's Quote Of The Day

Topic

May 5

In Lord Chaitanya's instructions to Rupa Gosvami, He explains how the bhaktilata-bija (the seed of the creeper of devotional service) is given by the spiritual master to the disciple. When the Holy Name of the Lord is given, the seed is planted; but one has to continue to water that seed by hearing. That is the actual connection between the spiritual master and the disciple. The disciple is fully dependent upon having that seed watered. Without watering a seed, what happens? It cannot grow—or as Lord Chaitanya explains: If we are not careful while the devotional plant is being watered, the the weeds are being watered at the same time. What are these weeds? They are the anarthas within our heart.
MKV, Vol 2- Pg 6, (Initiation Lecture—Kiev, Ukraine—15/11/01)

May 1

The Bhagavatam speakers are supposed to be thinking, ''Somehow I have to inject Krishna consciousness into their hearts!''

Taking Care of Devotees, p.44 2nd paragraph

April 30

We have to struggle if we want to become Krishna conscious. We should not equate Krishna consciousness simply with the external duties.

Taking Care of Devotees p.44 2nd paragraph

April 29

We cannot spread Krishna consciousness if we are not feeling Krishna conscious ourselves. If we are not feeling Krishna conscious ourselves then our activities will become external.

Taking Care of Devotees, p.41, 4th paragraph

April 28

For Srila Prabhupada, both internal and external were the same, because he was on the completely realized platform. He always saw everything connected to Krishna.

Taking Care of Devotees, p.36 2nd paragraph

April 27

If we hear very carefully from the elevated Vaisnavas and always pray to be in their assotiation, then we will get sufficient strength to understand our eternal relationship with Krishna.

Taking Care of Devotees, Pg 25

Last Paragraph

April 26

Without hearing, which is the watering process, we may go on chanting, and chanting but still, nothing happens. Why? We should ask ourselves: "When I am chanting, what am I hearing? Am I hearing my mind? Am I hearing so many other dictations coming from the anarthas in my heart, or am I actually hearing the Holy Name? If I am hearing the Holy Name of the Lord, then why am I not experiencing what Rupa Gosvami experiences when he is chanting? So much ecstasy is contained in those two syllables ‘Krish-na’. So, how do we mold that conception so that we have a proper understanding of what we are chanting? We must hear the glories of the Holy Name. Without hearing the glories of the Holy Name, we can easily lose that proper conception.
MKV, Vol 2- Pg 5, (Initiation Lecture—Kiev, Ukraine—15/11/01)

April 25

Krishna cannot be understood by our blunt material senses. Similarly, the Holy Name of the Lord cannot be understood by our blunt material senses. Therefore, both the process of chanting and hearing has to be done with spiritual senses. However, for those who do not possess purified senses, they must hear the Holy Name of the Lord from the spiritual master. This means that we must not only hear the Holy Name, but we must hear the glories of the Holy Name. By hearing the glories of the Holy Name, we can gain the proper conception of the Holy Name. If we do not hear these glories continuously, then what conception will be there while we are chanting? Even if we go on chanting the Holy Name for a very long time, still, our consciousness may not become purified. Because without the right conception, there will not be the right attitude.
MKV, Vol 2- Pg 5, (Initiation Lecture—Kiev, Ukraine—15/11/01)

April 24

We often speak about this required faith—sraddha. Sraddha means that one must have firm conviction that, by chanting the Holy Name of the Lord and rendering devotional service to the Lord, automatically all one's subsidiary duties can be fulfilled. This sraddha is favorable for the execution of bhakti, but in what should we place our faith? We must place our faith in the pure Holy Name. It is that pure Holy Name, which will deliver us from the material world; that will bring us to the lotus feet of the Lord: Krsna nama haite pabe krsnera carana: Indeed, simply by chanting the Hare Krishna mantra, one will be able to see the lotus feet of the Lord.” (CC Adi 7.73). Therefore, the relationship between the spiritual master and the disciple is based upon those instructions which are related to the Holy Name of the Lord.
MKV, Vol 2- Pg 4, (Initiation Lecture—Kiev, Ukraine—15/11/01)

April 23

Even though we chant the Holy Name here in the material world as a means of purification, our understanding is that the Holy Name of the Lord and the Lord Himself are non-different. Our connection with the Holy Name is our connection with Krishna. If our connection with the Holy Name and with Krishna is non-different, then that is an eternal connection. We are eternal servants of Krishna. Therefore, we should want to establish and keep our eternal relationship with the Lord. Unfortunately, we have forgotten that relationship; so, at the time of initiation, the disciple is given the Holy Name of the Lord—the means to remember Him—and that Holy Name must be chanted with great faith.
MKV, Vol 2- Pg 4, (Initiation Lecture—Kiev, Ukraine—15/11/01)

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