Devotee
How to identify a devotee?
Devotees are always merciful, humble, truthful, equal to all, faultless, magnanimous, mild and clean. They are without material possessions, and they perform welfare work for everyone. They are peaceful, surrendered to Kṛṣṇa and desireless. They are indifferent to material acquisitions and are fixed in devotional service. They completely control the six bad qualities-lust, anger, greed and so […]
Blessings of devotee
Unless one is favored by a pure devotee, he cannot attain the platform of devotional service. To say nothing of kṛṣṇa-bhakti, one cannot even be relieved from the bondage of material existence.Pious activities bring about material opulence, but one cannot acquire devotional service by any amount of material pious activity, not by giving charity, opening big […]
Drinking nectar or poison
Kṛṣṇa says, ‘If one engages in My transcendental loving service but at the same time wants the opulence of material enjoyment, he is very, very foolish. Indeed, he is just like a person who gives up ambrosia to drink poison. ‘Since I am very intelligent, why should I give this fool material prosperity? Instead I […]
Can you be a devotee in pant & shirt?
Sometimes members of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness-especially in the Western countries-find it difficult to approach people to distribute books because people are unfamiliar with the traditional saffron robes of the devotees. The devotees have therefore inquired whether they can wear European and American dress before the general public. From the instructions given to […]
What is behavior of devotee?
Saṅgāt sañjāyate kāmaḥ (Bg. 2.62). One develops his consciousness according to society and association. As Śrīla Nityānanda Prabhu admits, a devotee should be very careful when associating with those who are not devotees. When asked by a householder devotee what the behavior of a devotee should be, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu immediately replied:asat-saṅga-tyāga,–ei vaiṣṇava-ācāra‘strī-saṅgī’–eka asādhu, ‘kṛṣṇābhakta’ […]
How to surrender to God?
This is the process of surrender. As Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura sings:mānasa, deha, geha, yo kichu moraarpiluṅ tuyā pade nanda-kiśora!(Śaraṇāgati)When one surrenders unto the lotus feet of the Lord, he does so with everything in his possession-his house, his body, his mind and whatever else he possesses. If there is any obstruction to this surrendering process, […]
Why do devotees travel to places of Pilgrimage?
“Saints of your caliber are themselves places of pilgrimage. Because of their purity, they are constant companions of the Lord, and therefore they can purify even the places of pilgrimage.” This verse, spoken by Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira to Vidura in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.13.10), is also quoted in the Ādi-līlā (1.63). A Vaiṣṇava travels to places of pilgrimage […]
Madhva Gaudiya Sampradaya
The word “Tattvavādī” refers to the followers of Śrīla Madhvācārya. To distinguish his disciplic succession from the Māyāvādī followers of Śaṅkarācārya, Śrīla Madhvācārya named his party the Tattvavādīs. Impersonal monists are always attacked by these Tattvavādīs, who attempt to defeat their philosophy of impersonalism. Generally, they establish the supremacy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. […]
Can a devotee see God?
The mahā–bhāgavata, the advanced devotee, certainly sees everything mobile and immobile, but he does not exactly see their forms. Rather, everywhere he immediately sees manifest the form of the Supreme Lord.” Due to his deep ecstatic love for Kṛṣṇa, the mahā–bhāgavata sees Kṛṣṇa everywhere and nothing else. This is confirmed in the Brahma–saṁhitā (5.38): premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti. As soon as a devotee sees something-be it movable […]
What is the greatest reputation for a living entity?
The greatest reputation a living being can have is to be a devotee of Kṛṣṇa and to act in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. In the material world everyone is trying to be famous by accumulating a large bank balance or material opulence. There is a steady competition among karmīs attempting to advance in a wealthy society. The […]
Jagannath Puri Hare Krishna Movement 