how much of Ramachandra Puris mentality do I have?

[Paramananda das]

PAMHO AGTSP

 The question is how much of Ramachandra Puris mentality do we have? Ramachandra Puri symbolizes a materialistic spiritualist, with impersonal traits, selfish motives for false prestige, unwilling to take to Lord Caitanyas sankirtana movement of public chanting, and chanting one lahk daily as ordered by Lord Caitanya etc.Always harboring jealous and envious feelings towards the real followers of Lord Caitanya.Do I think like Ramachandra Puri or do I think:

 

Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 7.9.8

śrī-prahrāda uvāca

brahmādayaḥ sura-gaṇā munayo 'tha siddhāḥ

sattvaikatāna-gatayo vacasāḿ pravāhaiḥ

nārādhituḿ puru-guṇair adhunāpi pipruḥ

kiḿ toṣṭum arhati sa me harir ugra-jāteḥ

 

TRANSLATION

Prahlāda Mahārāja prayed: How is it possible for me, who have been born in a family of asuras, to offer suitable prayers to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead? Even until now, all the demigods, headed by Lord Brahmā, and all the saintly persons, could not satisfy the Lord by streams of excellent words, although such persons are very qualified, being in the mode of goodness. Then what is to be said of me? I am not at all qualified.

PURPORT

A Vaiṣṇava who is fully qualified to serve the Lord still thinks himself extremely low while offering prayers to the Lord. For example, Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī, the author of Caitanya-caritāmṛta, says:

jagāi mādhāi haite muñi se pāpiṣṭha

purīṣera kīṭa haite muñi se laghiṣṭha

(Cc. Ādi 5.205)

Thus he considers himself unqualified, lower than the worms in stool, and more sinful than Jagāi and Mādhāi. A pure Vaiṣṇava actually thinks of himself in this way. Similarly, although Prahlāda Mahārāja was a pure, exalted Vaiṣṇava, he thought himself most unqualified to offer prayers to the Supreme Lord. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ. Every pure Vaiṣṇava should think like this. One should not be falsely proud of his Vaiṣṇava qualifications. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has therefore instructed us:

tṛṇād api sunīcena

taror iva sahiṣṇunā

amāninā mānadena

kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ

[Cc. adi 17.31]

"One should chant the holy name of the Lord in a humble state of mind, thinking oneself lower than the straw in the street; one should be more tolerant than a tree, devoid of all sense of false prestige and should be ready to offer all respect to others. In such a state of mind one can chant the holy name of the Lord constantly." Unless one is meek and humble, to make progress in spiritual life is very difficult.

In many lectures Srila Prabhupada says Krsna consciousness is not an automatic thing, and that mostly it takes more then one life to perfect ones Krsna consciouness.

 

 

bahūnāḿ janmanām ante

jñānavān māḿ prapadyate

vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti

sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ

 

After many births and deaths, he who is actually in knowledge surrenders unto Me, knowing Me to be the cause of all causes and all that is. Such a great soul is very rare.

The more we advance in KC the more faith we will develop In Sri Nama Prabhu.

 

ādau śraddhā tatah sādhu-sango ‘tha bhajana-kriyā  tato ‘nartha-nivrittih syāt tato nisthā rucis tatah  athāsaktis tato bhāvas tatah premābhyudañcati  sādhakānām ayam premnah prādurbhāve bhavet kramah  [Cc. Madhya 23.14-15]

 

vairagya- vidya-nija-bhakti- yoga- siksartham ekah purusah puranah  sri-krsna-caitantya-sarira-dhari  krpambudhir yas tam aham prapadye

"Let me take shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna, who has descended in the form of Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu to teach us real knowledge, His devotional service, and detachment from whatever does not foster Krsna consciousness. He has descended because He is an ocean of transcendental mercy. Let me surrender unto His lotus feet." (Cc. Madhya-lila 6.253)

kalan nastam bhakti-yogam nijam yah  praduskartum krsna- caitanya -nama  avirbhutas tasya padaravinde  gadham gadham liyatam citta-bhrngah

"Let my consciousness, which is like a honeybee, take shelter of the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who has just now appeared as Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu to teach the ancient system of devotional service to Himself. This system had almost been lost due to the influence of time." (Cc. Madhya-lila 6.254)

 

krsna-varnam tvisakrsnam sangopangastra-parsadam  yajnaih sankirtana-prayair yajanti hi su-medhasah

"In this age of Kali those who are intelligent perform the congregational chanting of the Hare Krsna maha-mantra, worshipping the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who appears in this age along with His associates to inaugurate the sankirtana movement, or chanting of the holy names. That incarnation is yellowish in hue.'' (Bhag. 11.5.32)

 

harer nama harer nama  harer namaiva kevalam  kalau nasty eva nasty eva  nasty eva gatir anyatha

"In this age of quarrel and hypocrisy the only means of deliverance is chanting the holy name of the Lord. There is no other way. There is no other way. There is no other way." (Brhad-naradiya Purana)

 

kaler dosa-nidhe rajan  asti hy eko mahan gunah  kirtanad eva krsnasya  mukta-sangah param vrajet

"My dear King, although Kali-yuga is an ocean of faults, there is still one good quality about this age: Simply by chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra (sankirtana) one can become free from material bondage and be promoted to the transcendental kingdom." (Bhag. 12.3.51)

 

krte yad dhyayato visnum  tretayam yajato makhaih  dvapare paricaryayam  kalau tad dhari-kirtanat

"Whatever result was obtained in Satya-yuga by meditating on Visnu, in Treta-yuga by performing sacrifices, and in Dvapara-yuga by serving the Lord’s lotus feet can be obtained in Kali-yuga simply by chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra." (Bhag. 12.3.52)

 

kali-kale nama-rupe krsna-avatara  nama haite haya sarva-jagat-nistara

"In this age of Kali, the holy name of the Lord, the Hare Krsna maha-mantra, is the incarnation of Lord Krsna. Simply by chanting the holy name, one associates with the Lord directly. Anyone who does this is certainly delivered." (C.c. Adi-lila 17.22)

 

kalim sabhajayanty aya  guna-jnah sara-bhaginah  yatra sankirtanaenaiva  sarva-svartho ’bhilabhyate

"Those who are advanced and highly qualified and are interested in the essence of life, know the good qualities of Kali-yuga. Such people worship the age of Kali because in this age, simply by chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra, one can advance in spiritual knowledge and attain life’s goal." (Bhag. 11.5.36)

 

dvapariyair janair visnuh  pancaratrais tu kevalaih  kalau tu nama-matrena  pujyate bhagavan harih

"In the Dvapara-yuga people should worship Lord Visnu only by the regulative principles of the Narada-pancaratra and other such authorized books. In the age of Kali, however, people should simply chant the holy names of the Supreme Personality of Godhead." (Narayana-samhita)

 

yuga-dharma pravartaimu nama-sankirtana  cari bhava-bhakti diya nacamu bhuvana

"I shall personally inaugurate the religion of the age — nama-sankirtana, the congregational chanting of the holy name. I shall make the world dance in ecstasy, realizing the four mellows of loving devotional service." (C.c. Adi-lila 3.19)

Your servant

Paramananda das