Diving Deep
COLLECTION OF ANALOGIES & STORIES
I am very happy
Speaker: Srila Prabhupada
Source: Vedas, Guru And Supersoul
There is a story in the Bhagavata that once Indra, the king of heaven, he was condemned
by his spiritual master, Brhaspati, that “You are so foolish. You should have become a hog.” So he became a hog. So after some days, when the throne of the heavenly kingdom was vacant, Brahma went to reclaim this hog, Indra, that “Come to your place.” So when the hog was requested that “You are Indra. Why you are suffering? Now you come. I have come to
SB 1.2.16-17: Affinity for hearing
SB 1.2.16: O twice-born sages, by serving those devotees who are completely freed from all vice, great service is done. By such service, one gains affinity for hearing the messages of Vāsudeva.
The servants of God come to propagate God consciousness, and intelligent people should cooperate with them in every respect. By serving the servant of God, one can please God more than by directly serving the Lord. The Lord is more pleased when He sees that His servants are properly respected because such servants risk everything for the service of the Lord and so are very dear to the Lord. The Lord declares in the Bhagavad-gītā (18.69) that no one is dearer to Him than one who risks everything to preach His glory. By serving the servants of the Lord, one gradually gets the quality of such servants, and thus one becomes qualified to hear the glories of God. The eagerness to hear about God is the first qualification of a devotee eligible for entering the kingdom of God.
We become what we associate with
Speaker: Radhanath Swami
Source: Power of Inquiry-1
We become what we associate with. If we associate with impure people, impure activities, impure thoughts, we become polluted. If we associate with people who are pure, activities that are pure, and thoughts that are pure, we become purified. Srila Prabhupada, our guru, gave the example of an iron rod. If we put it in fire, it becomes red and hot like fire; and if you touch it, you’ll be burnt the same way as when you touch the fire directly. That is the power of association.
Lord Caitanya being called as God
Source: SB 1.2.16 Purport
The servants of God urge people to become devotees of the Lord. They never tolerate being called God. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was God Himself according to the indication of the revealed scriptures, but He played the part of a devotee. People who knew Him to be God addressed Him as God, but He used to block His ears with His hands and chant the name of Lord Visnu. He strongly protested against being called God, although undoubtedly He was God Himself. The Lord behaves so to warn us against unscrupulous
Worshipping a devotee is better than worshipping the Lord
Speaker: Srila Prabhupada
Source: How To Become Very Dear To God
There is a common word in English, “If you love me, love my dog.” That is very important. So Bhagavat-priyanam, one who is very dear to Krsna. If you love such a person, then Krsna is more pleased. Krsna is more pleased. Bhagavat-priyanam.
There is a version in the Puranas, Devi Purana. Parvati was asking questions to Lord Siva, and Lord Siva was replying. So the inquiry was “Which worship is the best? Lord Siva, or Brahma or Chandra?” There are so many
Representative of Krsna
Speaker: Srila Prabhupada
Source: Kanista, Madhyama, Uttama
The spiritual master is the representative of Krsna. How he becomes representative? What is the test? The test is… Just like anyone can understand, representative. Suppose a business firm’s representative is going to canvass for business, what is his business? He will take the interest of the firm, not his personal interest. He will try to secure business for the firm he’s working, not for his personal… That is perfect representative. And if he goes, in the name of the firm’s representative, and he does