“He is unhappy? Then that means he is not a devotee.”
BY: PRATYATOSA DASA
Dec 06, 2010 — Michigan, USA — Dear Prabhus, Hare Krishna! Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
While recording the SRT subtitle timings for a conversation which took place in Australia in 1976, I took particular note of the following, from http://causelessmercy.com/a/?AK=n5&SN=69&TP=2770
Your servant, Pratyatosa Dasa http://groups.google.com/group/istagosthi, http://causelessmercy.com/, http://rtvik.com/, http://pratyatosa.com/, http://feedacow.com/, http://llbest.com/
Devotee (3), April 24, 1976, Melbourne: […] Often the devotee thinks that he’s more unhappy than the karmis because he knows he’s unhappy.
Prabhupada: Then that means he is not a devotee.
Devotee (3): He’s not a devotee?
Prabhupada: Yes. He’s not devotee. Devotee means the first sign will be happy, brahma-bhutah prasannatma [Bg. 18.54]. If he’s not prasannatma, he’s a rascal. He has not entered even devotional life. He’s outside. That is the test. Just like Dhruva Maharaja. When he saw Visnu, he said, “Everything is all right. I don’t want anything.” Svamin krtartho ’smi. That is Vaisnava. And if he is still in want or unhappiness, that means he has no spiritual life at all. He is simply making a show.
Guru-krpa: Our unhappiness is our lamentation for our past sinful activity, and because we’re not committing any more…
Prabhupada: That is another. That is another. That is to remember the terrible condition of karmis…devotee who thinks unhappy because he is thinking, “I am not getting tea. I am not getting cigarette. There is restriction of illicit life, no meat- eating…” In this way he is unhappy.
Pusta Krsna: He cannot gratify his desire.
Prabhupada: Yes. Real devotee will think, “Oh, so many botheration I have now given up.” Anarthopasamam saksad bhakti-yogam adhoksaje. Bhakti-yoga means upasamam: “No more this, all this nonsense.” That is bhakti-yoga, anartha-upasamam, completely given up. Bhakti-yogam adhoksaje, lokasya ajanato vidvams cakre satvata-samhitam. But they do not know anything. They are increasing anartha. They are to give up cigarette. No, they are manufacturing new brand of cigarette and advertising, “Please come. This cigarette is better than the other.” This is going on. This is karmi life. Punah punas carvita-carvananam [SB 7.5.30]. He has no sense that “I have smoke this cigarette and why, after another cigarette, the same thing?” But no. “I have enjoyed sex here. Why another sex?” He has no sense.
Pusta Krsna: Available in every species of life also.
Prabhupada: Yes. That is ajnana. Ajnana-timirandhasya.
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