The other night I went to a meeting in the town where I live. It’s a group of spiritually minded people who get together to talk about spiritual subjects.
I had never been before, and in fact, I didn’t even know it existed in our little rural Southern town, until a friend of mine told me about it. He goes and thought I might find it interesting. So, I went.
Well, there were all kinds of spiritual subjects being discussed, that’s for sure…. depending on your definition of “spiritual”.
The other night I went to a meeting in the town where I live. It’s a group of spiritually minded people who get together to talk about spiritual subjects.
I had never been before, and in fact, I didn’t even know it existed in our little rural Southern town, until a friend of mine told me about it. He goes and thought I might find it interesting. So, I went.
Well, there were all kinds of spiritual subjects being discussed, that’s for sure…. depending on your definition of “spiritual”.
There were discussions of Armageddon, and everyone was guessing about what the latest theories on that were….
There was a discussion about the negativity associated with Karma, and everyone was guessing as to whether or not we truly did “ask” to have experiences happen to us, or if they were just “cast upon us” do to this “karma thing”…. (lots of resentment about that surfaced since no one wants to believe that their bad fortune could be anything they brought on themselves).
Then there was also a discussion about the meaning of love, and for a while everyone guessed about that…. “well, what is love”…
One of the people even literally asked me personally to tell them, “what is love?”…..
I was rather shocked by all this guessing, and asking just anyone all these things….. I mean, the person asking me this does not know me at all…. never even met me before, why would they ask me…. “what is love”????
So, the meeting went on this way, for two hours, with everyone guessing (better known as speculating) about all these “spiritual” issues…. (again, depending on your definition of spiritual).
I kept thinking to myself about how lost everyone is who does not understand the concept of Accepting Authority.
We all know that Srila Prabhupad is the authority on True Spiritual Life. He’s the Authority on Vedic Wisdom. He’s the Authority on Bhakti Yoga. He’s the Authority on Krishna Consciousness.
Without accepting this fact, and His Authority, we will be simply guessing our way into another birth in the material world.
We are not equipped to make any sort of guesses, even so called educated ones, about any kind of spiritual topics….
We can read all the books in the world, by all the various authors of “spiritual subjects”, such as these people do, and speculate and guess amongst ourselves for lifetimes, but we won’t get any closer to Krishna….
There are many yogis, spiritualists, and “revolutionary thinkers” in this world, enough to keep a person misguided forever, and forever guessing, and that’s all they will ever be doing, is guessing…..
So, the thing to do is: stop the guessing and accept the real spiritual Authority of Srila Prabhupad, then your life will become perfect. No guessing about it. It’s a fact.
Hare Krishna 🙂
Navasi
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Comments
Sun, 02/10/2008 – 15:01 — Gauranga
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🙂
Jai Nitai Gauranga
🙂
I love your posts:)
Gaurangadas
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Sun, 02/10/2008 – 17:04 — Navasi
Navasi’s picture
: )
Jai Nitai Gauranga
Well, if you love my posts then I will surely be blessed by Lord Gauranga, since you are surely Gauranga das.
Navasi, servant of the servant of Lord Gauranga 🙂
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Fri, 02/01/2008 – 18:31 — NityānandaChandra
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Why Srila Prabhupada?
I think is important question, as most of the viewers here do not know much about him. Krishna instructs in the Gita that knowledge must be passed down via succession of qualified teachers, BG 4.2. He also states that such a teacher must be qualified by his devotion, BG 9.1, BG 10.1, and BG 4.3. http://bhagavadgitaasitis.com/en
Krishna then further asserts the absolute importance of learning from such a personality in BG 4.34
Therefore spiritual guidance is a must and the qualifications of such a guider is that they have
1. Devotion for Lord
2. They are self controlled, not controlled by lust and anger, teacher by example
3 Have been duly trained by a qualified teacher who is part of an unbroken linage of qualified teachers.
Srila Prabhupada does not only fit those descriptions but also is especially unique that he was able to attract so many people in the world to Krishna just by his unparalleled personal example.
Srila Prabhupada was so potent that he was also able to turn the common man into qualified teachers. And his books which are free from personal interpretation continue to do the same.
Hare Krishna
Your humble servant,
Nityananda Chandra Das
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Fri, 02/01/2008 – 18:48 — Navasi
Navasi’s picture
Srila Prabhupad
Hare Krishna, Dear Nityananda Chandra,
Yes, I agree, that’s a most essential question.
Thank you for the link there and the description of the qualifications of a spiritual master.
These things are truly important to know and understand, as you’ve said, because without understanding “why Srila Prabhupad” how can anyone ever understand that they need to accept His authority.
What to speak of actually do it.
So, this is very important, it all starts with an understanding of Srila Prabhupad, and the reason that we accept His Authority.
Love,
Navasi
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Fri, 02/01/2008 – 08:30 — Go-Seva
Go-Seva’s picture
Just wondering….
Hare Krsna, dear mataji~ I am curious. Did you get up before these people and talk to them about Krsna and the wisdom of the sastras?
Maybe this group would be receptive to book distribution. The poor souls…they really sound desperate and lost.
The person who asked you about love probably sensed you were a knowledgeable and compassionate soul, and would probably be very receptive.
Haribol!
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Fri, 02/01/2008 – 14:27 — Navasi
Navasi’s picture
Desperate and Lost
Hare Krishna, Dear Lisa,
The interesting thing about people who are desperate and lost is that most of the time they don’t realize they are.
A person has to realize that they need to accept the authority of someone in knowledge before they can accept that authority.
As long as a person believes that they can find the truth without accepting the authority of a proper spiritual master, then they are lost.
So, the first stage in spiritual progress is to realize that we don’t know, and we can’t find out on our own.
Then, we can inquire from the true spiritual authorities in a submissive way. Without submissive inquiry, and respect for spiritual authority, no amount of instruction will be beneficial.
Love,
Navasi
(to answer you question more specifically, the ones I know already have books, I’m trying to get them to read them, the woman who asked me what love is, she was raised as a devotee but became disinterested for some reason that I don’t yet know, and as far as talking to them about Krishna, I talk about Krishna all the time, haven’t you noticed? lol 🙂
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Fri, 02/01/2008 – 17:10 — abrennan
abrennan’s picture
great post Navasi devi dasi
Not only is it really interesting but you wrote it out almost like a poem with that refrain about “guessing”
To see it in the most positive light is in very interesting that these people are motivated to be getting together to discuss issues they consider spiritual.
it sounds like a scene from a movie : )
________________________________________
Visit the Food Channel @ Krishna.com
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Fri, 02/01/2008 – 17:54 — Navasi
Navasi’s picture
The Positive Light
Hare Krishna, Dear Antony,
Thank you, I’m glad you liked it so much. : )
I agree with you, there is an incredibly positive aspect to it all, the very one you mentioned, that these people are actually getting together to discuss spiritual topics.
For example, one thing they were discussing was the concept that if we each changed our consciousness, and developed more spiritual awareness and love for others, and more respect for others, perhaps a golden age of enlightenment could occur!
These people have to be on to something because they are gathered and at least “trying” as you said. (and they’re willing to learn and listen and ask questions).
Also, the fact that now, one of their members happens to be a devotee, is certainly not happening by chance 🙂
Because I intend to keep going. : )
Krishna’s in control, so we’ll see what happens! 🙂
Hare Krishna! : )
Love,
Navasi