Niranjana Swami's Quote Of The Day

Topic

September 29

That reciprocation of the Lord comes by the efforts that we make throughout this life. The biggest endeavor that we have to make throughout this life is to remember Krishna. It is very difficult to always remember Krishna. Thus He said to Arjuna in the Bhagavad-gita, “If you cannot always fix your mind upon Me, then follow the regulative principles of bhakti-yoga.” By following the regulative principles of bhakti-yoga, we will develop a desire to come to Krishna. To follow the regulative principles of bhakti-yoga means that each day we must be engaged in those activities that help us remember Krishna.
LFD Vol 3,Fearlessness of the Devotee Pg 126, last paragraph

September 28

Death is the final examination, but there are many preliminary examinations that one must take as well. All these preliminary examinations invoke fear in the heart of those who are not prepared to pass them. Prabhupada explains that fear comes from uncertainty about one’s future. For a devotee who has taken shelter of the Lord, he knows that his future is always bright. Even in the face of adversity, because he has taken shelter of the Lord and he has experienced devotion to the Lord, he gets direct perception of the self.
LFD Vol 3,Fearlessness of the Devotee Pg 126, 7th paragraph

September 27

One who has never experienced something higher certainly thinks that pleasure refers to this body. By nature, the living entity is ananda-mayo ’bhyasat—a pleasure seeking being. Thus it is easy to understand how it can be fearful to have to face death without having taken shelter of Krishna. The devotee takes shelter of the Supreme Lord by his constant remembrance of the Lord, and thus when faced with difficulties in life, he can remain equipoised.
LFD Vol 3,Fearlessness of the Devotee Pg 126, 6th paragraph

September 26

Krishna instructs Arjuna about this in the Bhagavad-gita, thus helping him to understand that the body is simply clothing that one takes off at the end of life, and puts on a new set. It is due to attachment to enjoying within the body that death becomes really fearful. Srila Vishvanatha Cakravarti Thakura describes it as abhinivesha, which means to instinctively cling to the conception that enjoyment is meant to be done with this body, and death means the termination of all enjoyment. This notion is actually described as ignorance and is the binding force that keeps the living entity attached to the material world.
LFD Vol 3,Fearlessness of the Devotee Pg 126, 5th paragraph

September 25

Prabhupada gives the example of the mother cat. When she opens up her mouth to the kitten, the kitten thinks, “She is my mother and is coming to take me home.” However, when the cat opens her mouth and shows her fierce teeth to the rat, the rat sees it from a different perspective. They are the same teeth, mouth, and cat, and both the kitten and the rat are seeing the same thing. Yet the rat is thinking, “This is the termination of all of my plans.” Therefore, when a devotee has taken shelter of the Supreme Lord, he actually comes to this platform of fearlessness. For him, death is no longer a cause of fear. Death is simply a change of dress.
LFD Vol 3,Fearlessness of the Devotee Pg 126, 4th paragraph

September 24

Krishna says, “I am all-devouring death, I am death personified and I am immortality.” Therefore, anyone who comes face-to-face with death actually comes face-to-face with Krishna. Prabhupada also gives the example that when Dhruva Maharaja was entering into the flower airplane and death personified appeared before him, he simply stepped on the head of death personified and used it as a step for entering into the airplane. He did not see death as something fearful, but rather as a step to get to the place where he really wanted to go.
LFD Vol 3,Fearlessness of the Devotee Pg 126, 3rd paragraph

September 23

Prahlada Maharaja is describing his position of fearlessness in the presence of such a ferocious form. Prahlada Maharaja is fearless, whereas others who perceive such a form are fearful— especially a nondevotee. Such a form for the nondevotees certainly represents a cause for fear because it represents death. However, Srila Prabhupada has described here in his purport that the devotee who has taken shelter of the Lord is not fearful of this form nor of any other form of the Lord. Krishna states in the Bhagavad-gita that He is immortality and death personified. Therefore, such a ferocious form is certainly a cause for fear for those who have not taken shelter of the Lord.
LFD Vol 3,Fearlessness of the Devotee Pg 124, 3rd paragraph

September 22

Maya will have a test (anarthas) proportionate to our advancement which is even more difficult to overcome. We therefore need strength. There is a verse that says (Cc. Antya 1.2): “My path is very difficult. I am blind, and my feet are slipping again and again. Therefore, may the saints help me by granting me the stick of their mercy as my support.” As a devotee advances in Krishna consciousness, there will be many obstacles, adversities, and even sometimes major upheavals in his life. By seeing others overcome upheavals by their rigid determination to be engaged in the service of the Lord, it gives us strength to go on.
LFD Vol 3,Overcoming Maya’s Tests, Pg 122, 6th paragraph

September 21

Prahlada Maharaja’s rigid devotional service has protected him from external disturbances. Even others who were poor in spiritual understanding turned their minds towards devotional service, and became spiritually advanced and blissful upon seeing the behavior of the pure devotee, Prahlada Maharaja.
LFD Vol 3,Overcoming Mäyä’s Tests, Pg 121, 4th paragraph

September 20

Just as when one’s parents die, they receive an inheritance, all they have to do is live and the inheritance will come. Nothing else is required. Similarly, for a devotee, mukti-pade sa daya-bhak means he inherits his rightful claim, which is liberation to be engaged in pure devotional service to the Supreme Lord, by having simply tolerated all inconveniences and continuing to chanting Hare Krishna.We must learn to tolerate these impediments and to continue to remain grateful for whatever situation Krishna has put us in. If we live in this way, then we will get our inheritance as our rightful claim.
LFD Vol 3,Proper Use of this Life, Pg 118 onwards

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