Śrīla Prabhupāda regarding the bhakti-latā-bīja and the seeds of
karma-bīja, jñāna-bīja, or political and social or philanthropic bīja
mālī hañā kare sei bīja āropaṇa
śravaṇa-kīrtana-jale karaye secana
SYNONYMS
mālī hañā—becoming a gardener; kare—does; sei—that; bīja—seed of devotional service; āropaṇa—sowing; śravaṇa—of hearing; kīrtana—of chanting; jale—with the water; karaye—does; secana—sprinkling.
TRANSLATION
“When a person receives the seed of devotional service, he should take care of it by becoming a gardener and sowing the seed in his heart. If he waters the seed gradually by the process of śravaṇa and kīrtana [hearing and chanting], the seed will begin to sprout.
PURPORT
To live with devotees or to live in a temple means to associate with the śravaṇa-kīrtana process. Sometimes neophyte devotees think that they can continue the śravaṇa-kīrtana process without worshiping the Deity, but the execution of śravaṇa-kīrtana is meant for highly developed devotees like Haridāsa Ṭhākura, who engaged in the śravaṇa-kīrtana process without worshiping the Deity. However, one should not falsely imitate Haridāsa Ṭhākura and abandon Deity worship just to try to engage in śravaṇa-kīrtana. This is not possible for neophyte devotees.
The word guru-prasāda indicates that the spiritual master is very merciful in bestowing the boon of devotional service upon the disciple. That is the best possible gift the spiritual master has to offer. Those with a background of pious life are eligible to receive life’s supreme benefit, and to bestow this benefit, the Supreme Personality of Godhead sends His representative to impart His mercy. Endowed with the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the spiritual master distributes the mercy to those who are elevated and pious. Thus, the spiritual master trains his disciples to render devotional service unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is called guru-kṛpā. It is kṛṣṇa-prasāda, Kṛṣṇa’s mercy, that He sends a bona fide spiritual master to the deserving disciple. By the mercy of Kṛṣṇa, one meets the bona fide spiritual master, and by the mercy of the spiritual master, the disciple is fully trained in the devotional service of the Lord.
Bhakti-latā-bīja means “the seed of devotional service.” Everything has an original cause, or seed. For any idea, program, plan or device, there is first of all the contemplation of the plan, and that is called bīja, or the seed. The methods, rules and regulations by which one is perfectly trained in devotional service constitute the bhakti-latā-bīja, or seed of devotional service. This bhakti-latā-bīja is received from the spiritual master by the grace of Kṛṣṇa. Other seeds are called anyābhilāṣa-bīja, karma-bīja and jñāna-bīja. If one is not fortunate enough to receive the bhakti-latā-bīja from the spiritual master, he instead cultivates the seeds of karma-bīja, jñāna-bīja, or political and social or philanthropic bīja. However, bhakti-latā-bīja is different from these other bījas. Bhakti-latā-bīja can be received only through the mercy of the spiritual master. Therefore, one has to satisfy the spiritual master to get bhakti-latā-bīja (yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ). Bhakti-latā-bīja is the origin of devotional service. Unless one satisfies the spiritual master, he gets the bīja, or root cause, of karma, jñāna and yoga without the benefit of devotional service. However, one who is faithful to his spiritual master gets the bhakti-latā-bīja. This bhakti-latā-bīja is received when one is initiated by the bona fide spiritual master. After receiving the spiritual master’s mercy, one must repeat his instructions, and this is called śravaṇa-kīrtana-hearing and chanting. One who has not properly heard from the spiritual master or who does not follow the regulative principles is not fit for chanting (kīrtana). This is explained in Bhagavad-gītā (2.41): vyavasāyātmikā buddhir ekeha kuru-nandana. One who has not listened carefully to the instructions of the spiritual master is unfit to chant or preach the cult of devotional service. One has to water the bhakti-latā-bīja after receiving instructions from the spiritual master. (Sri Caitanya-Caritamrts 1975 Original unrevised Edition, Madhya-Lila 19.152)
Śrīla Prabhupāda; No, you can remain in Los Angeles for the time being.
Ṛṣi Kumāra: Because I know a lot of people in Laguna Beach who can be preached to. I think they’d be receptive, people who are…
Śrīla Prabhupāda: Reception is everywhere if we manage nice.
Ṛṣi Kumāra: There are a lot of artists and people who have everything, and they’re living in the nicest…, that’s about the nicest place to live, and they’re all unhappy. My brother’s living there. He’s a psychiatrist, and he’s beginning to understand that the more he thinks, the more confused he gets, and I’ve been preaching to him, and he understands. There are also a lot of devotees who aren’t in the temple now. They like Kṛṣṇa consciousness, but they also can be preached to, I think.
Śrīla Prabhupāda: Yes, preaching constantly required to keep them in balance. As soon as the balance is tilted over on the māyā side, then everything is finished.
Hari-śauri: They get a bit overwhelmed sometimes.
Śrīla Prabhupāda: That is possible. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā [Bg. 7.14]. It is very strong. But if we also become equally strong in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, there is no… That… Just like in the beginning, a seed sown, it requires very careful attention. Then it grows up. And when one grows a tree, then that is all right. But so long it is not a tree—it is a plant—one has to take… And the watering is śravaṇa-kīrtana. Śravaṇa-kīrtana-jale karaye secana. That is required. Mālī hañā sei bīja kare āropaṇa, śravaṇa-kīrtana-jale karaye secana. I think, nineteenth chapter of Madhya-līlā.
Hari-śauri: It’s a very good description how the bhakti tree grows, the creeper of bhakti.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Śravaṇa-kīrtana-jale karaye secana? Nineteenth chapter, Madhya-līlā. Mālī hañā kare sei bīja āropaṇa [Cc. Madhya 19.152], śravaṇa-kīrtana-jale karaye secana: “When a person receives the seed of devotional service, he should take care of it by becoming a gardener and sowing the seed in his heart. If he waters the seed gradually by the process of śravaṇa and kīrtana, hearing and chanting, the seed will begin to sprout.”
Śrīla Prabhupāda: Is there any purport?
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Yes. “To live with devotees or to live in a temple means to associate with the śravaṇa-kīrtana process. Sometimes neophyte devotees think that they can continue the śravaṇa-kīrtana process without worshiping the Deity, but the execution of śravaṇa-kīrtana is meant for highly developed devotees like Haridāsa Ṭhākura, who engaged in the śravaṇa-kīrtana process without worshiping the Deity. However, one should not falsely imitate Haridāsa Ṭhākura and abandon Deity worship just to try to engage in śravaṇa-kīrtana. This is not possible for neophyte devotees. The word guru-prasāda indicates that the spiritual master is very merciful in bestowing the boon of devotional service upon the disciple. That is the best possible gift the spiritual master has to offer. Those with a background of pious life are eligible to receive life’s supreme benefit, and to bestow this benefit, the Supreme Personality of Godhead sends His representative to impart His mercy. Endowed with the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the spiritual master distributes the mercy to those who are elevated and pious. Thus, the spiritual master trains his disciples to render devotional service unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is called guru-kṛpā. It is kṛṣṇa-prasāda, Kṛṣṇa’s mercy, that He sends a bona fide spiritual master to the deserving disciple. By the mercy of Kṛṣṇa, one meets the bona fide spiritual master, and by the mercy of the spiritual master, the disciple is fully trained in the devotional service of the Lord. Bhakti-latā-bīja means ‘the seed of devotional service.’ Everything has an original cause, or seed. For any idea, program, plan or device, there is first of all the contemplation of the plan, and that is called bīja, or the seed. The methods, rules and regulations by which one is perfectly trained in devotional service constitute the bhakti-latā-bīja, or seed of devotional service. This bhakti-latā-bīja is received from the spiritual master by the grace of Kṛṣṇa. Other seeds are called anyabhilāṣa-bīja, karma-bīja and jñāna-bīja. If one is not fortunate enough to receive the bhakti-latā-bīja from the spiritual master, he instead cultivates the seeds of karma-bīja, jñāna-bīja, or political and social or philanthropic bīja. However, bhakti-latā-bīja is different from these other bījas. Bhakti-latā-bīja can be received only through the mercy of the spiritual master. Therefore one has to satisfy the spiritual master to get bhakti-latā-bīja, yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ **. Bhakti-latā-bīja is the origin of devotional service. Unless one satisfies the spiritual master, he gets the bīja, or root cause, of karma, jñāna and yoga without the benefit of devotional service. However, one who is faithful to his spiritual master gets the bhakti-latā-bīja. This bhakti-latā-bīja is received when one is initiated by the bona fide spiritual master. After receiving the spiritual master’s mercy, one must repeat his instructions, and this is called śravaṇa-kīrtana-hearing and chanting. One who has not properly heard from the spiritual master or who does not follow the regulative principles is not fit for chanting, kīrtana. This is explained in Bhagavad-gītā: vyavasāyātmikā buddhir ekeha kuru-nandana [Bg. 2.41]. One who has not listened carefully to the instructions of the spiritual master is unfit to chant or preach the cult of devotional service. One has to water the bhakti-latā-bīja after receiving instructions from the spiritual master.”Mālī hañā kare sei bīja āropaṇa, śravaṇa-kīrtana-jale karaye secana [Cc. Madhya 19.152].
Śrīla Prabhupāda: Jaya.
Pamho agtacbsp,
yasya deve para bhakti yatha deve tatha guru we must know by taking advantage of srila prabhupada perfection that real diksa is to have complete faith in the vani Seva of ssgg as our guru maharaj teach us still that whatever we can create outside the own svarupa murti and the vani Seva of ssgg get destroy through the influence of the factor time because everything must be connected to the own real identity compare to the Brahma nistham position of hdg acbsp everything must remind us to ssgg because material life start when we forget sri krsna and the material world is meant to forget krsna ,
srila prabhupada is our eternal well wisher and try always to save us as our best friend sri krsna is our way out through a pukka diksa vidhana process
agtsp
ys haribol
Sri Caitanya-Caritamrta 1975 Original unrevised Edition, Madhya-Lila 19.152
If one is not fortunate enough to receive the bhakti-latā-bīja from the spiritual master, he instead cultivates the seeds of karma-bīja, jñāna-bīja, or political and social or philanthropic bīja.
Note: this is very interesting quote. What we are NOW seeing in ISKCON is more and more growth in COMMERCIAL BUSINESS— IN THE NAME— OF Krsna Consciousness eg Temples are PRIVATE owned OR they have a group of karmis in devotee dress at the top (boards) that controls the Temples. BIG salaries being paid to MAIN devotees. Food distribution to attract public MONEY and sympathy for their OWN businesses(philanthrophy bjia). Own books replace Srila Prabhupada’s books OR they distribute CHANGED books. Capture some innocent devotees and engage them as FREE SLAVES for their OWN Temples/projects. Exploitation.
These KARMIS in devotee dress want to JUSTIFY these activites of karma-bīja, jñāna-bīja, or political and social or philanthropic bīja. They WANT TO THINK that they chant the holy name Hare Krsna and so Krsna is obliged to counter their sinful acts of ill-gotten gains——- AND at death they will all go to Goloka(Krsnaloka). They have convinced themselves that all you need to do is chant Hare Krsna maha-mantra and all is ok. What they FAIL to grasp is there are 10 offenses to be considered in chanting the holy name.
Holy names IS Krsna Himself——- and Krsna is NOT stupid that He will overlook these thieves who steal Srila Prabhupada’s assets,money,disciples for their OWN sense gratification:
SB 8.9.28 P The Lord Incarnates as Mohini-Murti
THERE ARE MANY KARMIS IN THE DRESS OF DEVOTEES, BUT THE SUPREME PERSONALITY OF GODHEAD CAN DETECT THEIR PURPOSE. THE KARMIS WANT TO USE THE PROPERTY OF THE LORD FOR THEIR SELFISH SENSE GRATIFICATION, but a devotee endeavors to use the Lord’s property for God’s service.
Note: holy name KRSNA is TRANSCENDENTAL so does NOT manifest on the tongue of such offenders BUT they are CHEATED by Krsna who only arranges the THE MUNDANE VIBRATION OF THE LETTERS OF THE ALPHABET. SUCH NEGLIGENT UTTERANCE FOR THE SENSE GRATIFICATION OF MATERIALISTIC PERSONS IS NOT A VIBRATION OF TRANSCENDENTAL SOUND:
Antya 3.59 T The Glories of Srila Haridasa Thakura
namera aksara-sabera ei ta’ svabhava
vyavahita haile na chade apana-prabhava
SYNONYMS
namera–of the holy name; aksara–letters; sabera–of all; ei–this; ta’–certainly; sva-bhava–the characteristic; vyavahita haile–even when improperly uttered; na–do not; chade–give up; apana-prabhava–their own spiritual influence.
TRANSLATION
“The letters of the holy name have so much spiritual potency that they act even when uttered improperly.
PURPORT
SRILA BHAKTISIDDHANTA SARASVATI THAKURA STATES THAT THE WORD VYAVAHITA (“IMPROPERLY UTTERED”) IS NOT USED HERE TO REFER TO THE MUNDANE VIBRATION OF THE LETTERS OF THE ALPHABET. SUCH NEGLIGENT UTTERANCE FOR THE SENSE GRATIFICATION OF MATERIALISTIC PERSONS IS NOT A VIBRATION OF TRANSCENDENTAL SOUND. Utterance of the holy name while one engages in sense gratification is an impediment on the path toward achieving ecstatic love for Krsna. On the other hand, if one who is eager for devotional service utters the holy name even partially or improperly, the holy name, who is identical with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, exhibits its spiritual potency because of that person’s offenseless utterance. Thus one is relieved from all unwanted practices, and one gradually awakens his dormant love for Krsna.
SB 2.9.8 P Answers by Citing the Lord’ s Version
THE POTENCY OF TRANSCENDENTAL SOUND IS NEVER MINIMIZED BECAUSE THE VIBRATOR IS APPARENTLY ABSENT. Therefore Srimad-Bhagavatam or Bhagavad-gita or any revealed scripture in the world is never to be accepted as an ordinary mundane sound without transcendental potency.
One has to receive the transcendental sound from the right source, accept it as a reality and prosecute the direction without hesitation. The secret of success is to receive the sound from the right source of a bona fide spiritual master. MUNDANE MANUFACTURED SOUND HAS NO POTENCY, AND AS SUCH, SEEMINGLY TRANSCENDENTAL SOUND RECEIVED FROM AN UNAUTHORIZED PERSON ALSO HAS NO POTENCY. One should be qualified enough to discern such transcendental potency, and either by discriminating or by fortunate chance if one is able to receive the transcendental sound from the bona fide spiritual master, his path of liberation is guaranteed. The disciple, however, must be ready to execute the order of the bona fide spiritual master as Lord Brahma executed the instruction of his spiritual master, the Lord Himself. Following the order of the bona fide spiritual master is the only duty of the disciple, and this completely faithful execution of the order of the bona fide spiritual master is the secret of success.
Bg 16.23 T The Divine And Demoniac Natures
yah sastra-vidhim utsrjya
vartate kama-karatah
na sa siddhim avapnoti
na sukham na param gatim
TRANSLATION
BUT HE WHO DISCARDS SCRIPTURAL INJUNCTIONS AND ACTS ACCORDING TO HIS OWN WHIMS ATTAINS NEITHER PERFECTION, NOR HAPPINESS, NOR THE SUPREME DESTINATION.
PURPORT
As described before, the sastra-vidhi, or the direction of the sastra, is given to the different castes and orders of human society. Everyone is expected to follow these rules and regulations. If one does not follow them and acts whimsically according to his lust, greed and desire, then he never will be perfect in his life. In other words, a man may theoretically know all these things, but if he does not apply them in his own life, then he is to be known as the lowest of mankind. In the human form of life, a living entity is expected to be sane and to follow the regulations given for elevating his life to the highest platform, but if he does not follow them, then he degrades himself. But even if he follows the rules and regulations and moral principles and ultimately does not come to the stage of understanding the Supreme Lord, then all his knowledge becomes spoiled. Therefore one should gradually raise himself to the platform of Krsna consciousness and devotional service; it is then and there that he can attain the highest perfectional stage, not otherwise.
THE WORD KAMA-KARATAH IS VERY SIGNIFICANT. A PERSON WHO KNOWINGLY VIOLATES THE RULES ACTS IN LUST. HE KNOWS THAT THIS IS FORBIDDEN, STILL HE ACTS. THIS IS CALLED ACTING WHIMSICALLY. HE KNOWS THAT THIS SHOULD BE DONE, BUT STILL HE DOES NOT DO IT; THEREFORE HE IS CALLED WHIMSICAL. SUCH PERSONS ARE DESTINED TO BE CONDEMNED BY THE SUPREME LORD. SUCH PERSONS CANNOT HAVE THE PERFECTION WHICH IS MEANT FOR THE HUMAN LIFE. The human life is especially meant for purifying one’s existence, and one who does not follow the rules and regulations cannot purify himself, nor can he attain the real stage of happiness.
720308BG.CAL Lectures
That is the test. As soon as he has become Krsna conscious, he has fully surrendered to Krsna. Immediately he becomes the greatest mahatma. Sa mahatma sudurlabhah. A mahatma like me, because, simply by changing dress… That is another thing. Because sometimes this dress gives us good opportunity for easy livelihood. That is another thing. But those who take this dress for begging and for fulfilling the hungry belly, that is…, that mahatma is different thing. He is not mahatma; he is duratma. MY GURU MAHARAJA USED TO SAY THAT IF ONE IS INCLINED TO COLLECT MONEY BY SHOWING DEITY, IT IS BETTER TO BECOME A SWEEPER IN THE STREET. IT IS BETTER TO BECOME A SWEEPER IN THE STREET, BECAUSE HE’S EARNING HIS LIVELIHOOD HONESTLY. AND THIS MAN WHO IS KEEPING A TEMPLE AND DOING ALL NONSENSE, SIMPLY BY SHOWING DEITY, COLLECTING SOME MONEY, THIS CLASS OF MEN, THEY’RE MOST SINFUL. You cannot do so. You cannot take other’s money. You’ll be debtor. Therefore gradually, because this class of men are developed at the present moment, they have become… In Vrndavana there are so many temples, they have become, made a business by showing temple, collecting money. This is not good. There must be… Temple means people should come, people should learn the science of God. That is temple. Not that to make a business of temple. Therefore everything is, not only in India, all over the world, the churches also, they’re dwindled. Now, Europe and America, so many churches are for sale. We have purchased so many churches because people have no more interest. There is no education. Temple means spiritual educational shelter. People should come, they should learn what is spiritual life, what is God, what is my relationship with. That is temple. Otherwise, if you simply came… Therefore two processes should be followed: pancaratriki viddhi and bhagavata-viddhi. We follow both. Bhagavata-viddhi is the philosophical side of religion, and pancaratriki viddhi is the worshiping side of temple–how to worship Deity, how to dress, how to decorate, how to offer respect. Mad-yaji. Man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji. Temple worship is mad-yaji, worshiping the Deity. So this is the test, this is the test.