Bhakti Quotes

This world is a perverted reflection of the original which is our real home. Instead of passing our time here, we want to go back to our eternal abode. We are now very busy to have pleasant sensations through our senses from the phenomenal objects. We should make it a point of eradicating the root cause which has brought us to this world of delusion, apparent pleasures, miseries and troubles. It is the mind. Mind is the root of all evils and the root of all pleasure-seeking inclinations.  So the mind should be killed first i.e., it should not be allowed to take initiative in anything. Now the mind is controlling our senses and the soul is lying in a dormant condition. The soul has delegated its power of transacting with the external world to the mind, and the mind has five ministers to help in the administration of the phenomenal world. But the mind is not a dutiful agent of the soul. It always tries to injure the interest of the soul. The soul has come down here and, while doing s...

Thakur Bhaktivinode's greatest gift to the world consists in this; that he has brought about the appearance of those pure devotees who are, at present, carrying on the movement of unalloyed devotion to the Feet of Shree Krishna by their own wholetime spiritual service of the Divinity. The purity of the soul is only analogously describable by the resources of the mundane language. The highest ideal of empiric morality is no better than the grossest wickedness to the Transcendental perfect purity of the bonafide devotee of the Absolute. The word 'morality' itself is a mischievous misnomer when it is applied to any quality of the conditioned soul. The hypocritical contentment with a negative attitude is part and parcel of the principle of undiluted immorality. Those who pretend to recognise the Divine Mission of Thakur Bhaktivinode without aspiring to the unconditional service of those pure souls who really follow the teachings of the Thakur by the method enjoined by the scrip...

  Q: What do you think of the yogis? A: We do not subscribe to the principle of yoga. The yogis think that they should have some-thing for their own. They have no eternal purpose. The Indian yogis think that when they come in touch with the Absolute, they will be restored to their position and they will have nothing to do later on. They simply want emancipation from all troubles. The yogi thinks that when his duties are finished he will be able to pass his time in indulgence. So indulgence is the careful object of a yogi. And for this they strive for emancipation from the bonds of karma. The devotees are first class yogis, but they care very little for emancipation. They do not require these things. A devotee would be more happy to abide by the decision of the Providence instead of throwing off the troublous situation he has been put into. The yogis are inclined to have their passionate desires satisfied, they require peace for themselves. They do not want to engage themselves in ...

madguruḥ śrī jagadguruḥ, mannāthaḥ śrī jagannāthaḥ! My guru is the guru of the whole world, and my Lord is the Lord of the Universe. One who is envious of my guru is in fact envious of the Supreme Lord and of every single person in this world. Until we have this perception, we cannot become true servants of the spiritual master, nor can we surrender at his lotus feet, or realize our insignificance, or engage in hari-kīrtana by becoming more humble than a blade of grass (tṛṇād api sunīca) and free from pride while honouring all others (amānī mānada). There is no activity more auspicious than rendering service to śrī guru. Among all forms of worship, worship of the Supreme Lord is the greatest, yet service to śrī guru is even more exalted. Until one solidly understands this, one will be unable to take proper shelter of śrī guru, for the conception that “I am dependent upon him, and he is my exclusive shelter, guardian and protector” will not manifest. Sarvasvaṁ gurave dadyāt – offer ever...

tat te ’nukampāṁ su-samīkṣamāṇo bhuñjāna evātma-kṛtaṁ vipākam hṛd-vāg-vapurbhir vidadhan namas te jīveta yo mukti-pade sa dāya-bhāk (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.14.8 ) A person is entitled to the treasure of serving the lotus feet of Godhead, who redeems us of our worldly bondage, if he lives with his heart, speech and body submitted to Him and if, through his good vision, he truly sees the mercy of Godhead in the sufferings he brought about by his own deeds.   There is no other way of being delivered from this world. Whatever Godhead does is for our good. We can be redeemed if we behold His mercy in every event and in every activity. But if we notice any defect in His work, or realize any cruelty therein, it is sure to result in evilness and difficulty.  - by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda Rays of The Harmonist On-line, Year 1 & Year 14, Number 2 by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda, is licensed under a  Creative Commons Attribution-Shar...

Question: How should the devotee behave while living in this world? Answer: Although people around him will invariably engage in mundane conversations, he should not listen to such discussions. When a person is determined to move forward on his own dutiful path, nothing harmful can hinder him. He should offer respect to those who are averse to bhakti, but should not come to honour their behaviour. Rather, he should renounce it within the core of his heart. When he has time, he should deliberate on books like Śaraṇāgati, Prārthana and Prema-bhakti-candrika. It is better to have śāstriya-sādhu-saṅga (saintly association through authentic scripture) than no sādhu-saṅga at all. Later, for instruction in the art of internal, transcendental service (bhajana-śikṣā), direct sādhu-saṅga is necessary. - by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda Translated by the Rays of The Harmonist team from Śrīla Prabhupādera Upadeśāmṛta  Questions re-numbered for this on-line presentation Ray...

  Kirtana is called saṅkīrtana when many people perform it together. But will it be worthy of the name saṅkīrtana if some worthless people, without any ardour for Śrī Bhagavān's service, come together to shout in unison? It will be true hari-saṅkīrtana when we join the saṅkīrtana of true devotees who are serving Śrī Bhagavān according to the principles established in the Vedas and allied śāstras. Contrastingly, it is not hari-saṅkīrtana when it is conducted for the prevention of the epidemics of cholera or pox, for prosperity in trade, for gain or for respect and fame. This kīrtana is māyā-kīrtana – chanting within the jurisdiction of the illusory potency. As long as we do not join the perfect kṛṣṇa-kīrtana conducted by genuine devotees, maya will delude us in various ways. And if we join the kīrtana of the blinded self-deceivers who are not anxious for their true well-being then surely we will not attain our own true well-being. If we follow people who never receive instructions ...

Question: Is the experience of worldly misery actually a manifestation of Bhagavān’s compassion? Answer: Everything is the compassion of He who is the embodiment of compassion. “It is all for the best.”* Everything Bhagavān does, He does for our welfare, only. Wherever the embodiment of compassion may place someone, and whenever He may place them there, that person should stay there at that time with a smiling face and accept the gift or the chastisement of the Lord. All the benedictions or punishments conferred by Bhagavān are for our benefit only. When the material energy (māyā-śakti) of Bhagavān rewards us, we tend to cherish it. And when she chastises us we consider it a source of pain. But the devotees even honour her chastisement, considering that its purpose is to help them achieve the Lord’s mercy. With a smiling face they accept it with patience and see it as the manifestation of the Lord’s blessings. Those who are unable to perceive that worldly inauspiciousness is in fact th...

Only complete unconditional surrender to the Lotus Feet of Supreme Lord Sri Krishna can bestow on us eternal peace. This world is not the place of peace. Nobody can get peace with material egos and material desires. If we want peace, we are to transcend this material realm. Whatever is done by the will of the Supreme Lord, Who is All-Good, is for the eternal benefit of all. We reap the fruits of our own actions. It is wrong to blame others for our own suffering. They may be instrumental, but they are not the cause. We should not be perturbed under any circumstance and give up bhajan in our short duration of stay in this transitory world. A completely surrendered soul is always protected and maintained by Sri Krishna. There is no cause of anxiety for him. He remains calm under all circumstances. We are controlled by Absolute Will. We cannot do anything against His Will. If He wishes anything, nobody can obstruct it. - His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Goswami Maharaj Source: ...