Diving Deep
COLLECTION OF ANALOGIES & STORIES
The original candle
Source: SB 3.21.32 Purport
There are different manifestations of the Lord. He is one, but He has become many. He divides Himself into two different expansions, one called kalā and the other vibhinnāṁśa. Ordinary living entities are called vibhinnāṁśa expansions, and the unlimited expansions of viṣṇu-tattva, such as Vāmana, Govinda, Nārāyaṇa, Pradyumna, Vāsudeva and Ananta, are called svāṁśa-kalā. Svāṁśa refers to a direct expansion, and kalā denotes an expansion from the expansion of the original Lord. Baladeva is an expansion of Kṛṣṇa, and from Baladeva the next expansion is Saṅkarṣaṇa; thus Saṅkarṣaṇa is kalā, but Baladeva is svāṁśa. There is no difference, however, among Them. This is very
SB 1.2.20-21: How to know God
SB 1.2.20: Thus established in the mode of unalloyed goodness, the man whose mind has been enlivened by contact with devotional service to the Lord gains positive scientific knowledge of the Personality of Godhead in the stage of liberation from all material association.
The brahminical stage is the highest stage of human life because of its good qualities. So one cannot be a devotee unless one at least qualifies as a brāhmaṇa. The devotee is already a brāhmaṇa by action. But that is not the end of it. As referred to above, such a brāhmaṇa has to become a Vaiṣṇava in fact to be actually in the transcendental stage. A pure Vaiṣṇava is a liberated soul and is transcendental even to the position of abrāhmaṇa. In the material stage even a brāhmaṇa is also a conditioned soul because although in the brahminical stage the conception of Brahman or transcendence is realized, scientific knowledge of the Supreme Lord is lacking. One has to surpass the brahminical stage and reach the vasudeva stage to understand the Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa.
Brahmana and the Cobbler
Speaker: Srila Prabhupada
Source: Everything Is Resting On Krsna
Narada Muni used to visit Narayana every day. So when he was passing on the road, so one very learned brahmana and taking thrice bath and everything very nicely, he asked Narada Muni, “Oh, you are going to Lord. Will you inquire when I shall get my salvation?” “All right. I shall ask.” And then another cobbler, he was under the tree, sewing the shoes, old shoes. He also saw Narada Muni. He also inquired, “Will you kindly inquire from God when my salvation
Two things in parallel
Speaker: Srila Prabhupada
Source: Knot Between Matter And Spirit
Therefore two things must go on in parallel lines. One side, a person should cultivate Krsna consciousness and, another side, he should try to give up all the unwanted things. That will help him. You cannot continue both the things. Just like when a person is diseased, he’s given medicine. At the same time, he has to act, not to take this, not to take that. That is the way of treatment. Not that whatever you like, you can eat; whatever you like,
Maya and Krsna are side by side
Speaker: Srila Prabhupada
Source: Knot Between Matter And Spirit
As soon as you deviate from devotional service, immediately the maya is standing. She’ll capture you. You can see practically. There is sunshine, and just next to the sunshine, there is darkness or shadow. So little deviation from the sunshine there is shadow. And little deviation from the shadow, you go to the sunshine. Both things are side by side, maya and Krsna. Maya means absence of Krsna. Shadow means absence of light, sunshine. So if you always keep in Krsna consciousness,
Fry up the karma
Speaker: Srila Prabhupada
Source: Knot Between Matter And Spirit
So everyone is suffering or enjoying the resultant action of his karma. Yas tv indra-gopam athavendram aho sva-karma-bandhanurupa. Bandhana. As he’s bound up by the resultant action of karma… Bandhanurupa-phala-bhajanam ata… They are getting different results of their karma. It is very easy to understand. But for the devotees it is said, karmani nirdahati kintu ca bhakti-bhajam [Bs. 5.54], those who have taken to Krsna consciousness in devotional service, their karma is cut off. There is no resultant action. Just like you know chick