Topic: Sadhana-tattva

The primary characteristic of a disciple who has received initiation and direction in the practice of worship from his spiritual master is visrambha, an honest desire for faithful and loving service to the spiritual master, the Vaishnavas and the Supreme Lord. The secondary characteristic is that he seeks to destroy all his sinful activities.

There is a lot of history to our parampara. We cannot simply speak substantially on topics of Krsna Consciousness according to our whim, because it is always under lock and key. The keeper of the key is above us. According to His wish, a dumb man can eloquently speak the Vedas, or a blind person can see the beauty of the Himalayas, or a lame man can cross mountains.

The truth should be spoken in a straightforward way, so that it will benefit others. I have heard that, in the greater Krsna consciousness movement, certain women clamor to be called Prabhu. Actually, all devotees are called Prabhu, but a real devotee clamors, "Call me your servant, call me your dog." Why do you want to be called Master?

Several months ago we wrote an article called, "Hearing from A Rasika Acarya" wherein we put great emphasis on the qualifications of the person who hears Hari-katha of a confidential nature. Our emphasis was on anartha-nivrtti, overcoming mundane impediments in the heart: first deserve, then desire.

In the recent controversies amongst some of the Gaudiya Vaisnavas, those who present isolated and unusual examples of preaching as the rule, rather than as the exception to the proper Gaudiya conception, have simply increased the level of confusion. In particular the subject of the necessity of proper adhikara (qualifications) for hearing higher confidential topics regarding the Lord's lila has been greatly minimized by trying to establish the exception as the rule.

I was recently invited to a program in Eugene, Oregon where it was said that the program would be in "vraja-bhava" so I was wondering how special is vraja-bhava and how does one actually attain it? When I went to the program there were various Hindi bhajans that I had never heard before and also some bhajans of Mirabai.

Is it true that to make advancement in Krsna consciousness one should hear from a rasika-acarya (a spiritual master advanced in relishing mellows of pure devotion) on the level of Viswanatha Cakravarthi Thakura?

What should be the highest aspiration of a Gaudiya Vaishnava? Should one aspire after the position of a manjari who can enter the groves of Vrindavana to serve Radha and Krsna? What should be our aspiration?

Without the shelter of Sri Gurudeva, the so-called practice of Krsna consciousness is a mental concoction or simply mundane. Actual Krsna consciousness is situated in the supramental, supramundane plane and cannot be attained simply through our mental speculations. One becomes Krsna conscious via Krsna's grace received through the descending process-guru to disciple.

The imitator is like a woman who enters the maternity ward and simply by producing the sounds of labor thinks that she can produce a child. Many things are required before that.

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu instructed Srila Sanatana Gosvami that a most essential element of Sadhana Bhakti is guru-padasraya — one must take shelter at the feet of a qualified guru. Without this shelter one's devotional activities will not lead to pure devotional service.

"O mind, I grasp your feet and beg you with sweet words: Please cast away all hypocrisy and develop intense, unprecedented love for my spiritual master, Vrajabhumi, the people of Vraja, the Vaisnavas, the brahmanas, the Gayatri mantra, the holy name, and the transcendental shelter that is the fresh young couple of Vraja, Radha and Krsna."