I have been practicing Krishna consciousness for 14 years and in those years I have had so many doubts and questions about ISKCON, its leaders and questions on my own self. Sometimes it was bewildering, confusing and outright frustrating.
In all such situations where my faith was shaking due to my internal doubts and anxieties, I was apprehensive to approach a senior Vaishnava. Most of the times there simply was no association. Instead of hoping for the best, I resolved myself to read Prabhupada books. I spend some time reading. I found that the more I read and the more I am consistent with reading I see my doubts get cleared and my faith deeper.
As an aspiring devotee, I realized that reading Prabhupada books every day is the most powerful sadhana one can do. Because it gives direct contact with Krishna through the words of Prabhupada, it is very powerful and is like the rising sun dissipating darkness. Prabhupada words can cut through the dense forest of ignorance or maya that is within my heart and go directly to the root of my ego. There simply is no escaping it. Anyone who is honest has to accept its ramifications and embrace its philosophy. The more I embraced the more I could see the change within my heart.
A devotee who is serious about following Krishna consciousness should read Prabhupada books consistently for at least 10 or 15 mins daily in a focused and concentrated manner and not as matter of ritual.
Hare Krishna
3 comments:
Thanks for this post. I can also recommend reading Prabhupada's books on a daily basis. When I was working a full time job I also started listening to Prabhupada's books. I recorded them myself. But there are also some books recorded by other devotees. I heard while cooking, cleaning, shopping, driving etc. I have now gone through more than 25 of Prabhupada's books at least 10 times each. Some more than 40 times. It is an amazing experience to feel how Prabhupada opens your mind and heart more and more.
Your servant,
Ajit Krishna Dasa
Thank you prabhu for sharing your realization. Hare Krishna.
Srila Prabhupada wanted all his disciples to read his books AT LEAST one hour each day (and that on top of a 45 minute Bhagavatam class and an evening program including a Bhagavad-gita class). Yes, reading Srila Prabhupada's books, as they were dictated by the Supreme Lord Himself, is the "doubtless and fearless way of liberation".
And Hearing from Srila Prabhupada? Here's a nice quote below. There's nothing like it! I've been listening exclusively to Srila Prabhupada now for about 12 years...everything has become MUCH more clear than listening to others (with all due respect). Of course I will have to continue to hear for lifetimes (if I get that good fortune) before his transcendental words will have an impact on my heart, but no problem! It's the balm I need! I listen whenever I can (like Ajit Krishna Prabhu, while dressing in the morning, while cooking 3 meals a day, while bathing the Deities, while exercising, driving...anytime is the right time to connect with the pure representative of Lord Chaitanya!:
SB 4.20.25
TEXT 25
sa uttamaśloka mahan-mukha-cyuto
bhavat-padāmbhoja-sudhā kaṇānilaḥ
smṛtiṁ punar vismṛta-tattva-vartmanāṁ
kuyogināṁ no vitaraty alaṁ varaiḥ
SYNONYMS
saḥ—that; uttama-śloka—O Lord, who are praised by selected verses; mahat—of great devotees; mukha-cyutaḥ—delivered from the mouths; bhavat—Your; pada-ambhoja—from the lotus feet; sudhā—of nectar; kaṇa—particles; anilaḥ—soothing breeze; smṛtim—remembrance; punaḥ—again; vismṛta—forgotten; tattva—to the truth; vartmanām—of persons whose path; ku-yoginām—of persons not in the line of devotional service; naḥ—of us; vitarati—restores; alam—unnecessary; varaiḥ—other benedictions.
My dear Lord, You are glorified by the selected verses uttered by great personalities. Such glorification of Your lotus feet is just like saffron particles. When the transcendental vibration from the mouths of great devotees carries the aroma of the saffron dust of Your lotus feet, the forgetful living entity gradually remembers his eternal relationship with You. Devotees thus gradually come to the right conclusion about the value of life. My dear Lord, I therefore do not need any other benediction but the opportunity to hear from the mouth of Your pure devotee.
It is explained in the previous verse that one has to hear glorification of the Lord from the mouth of a pure devotee. This is further explained here. The transcendental vibration from the mouth of a pure devotee is so powerful that it can revive the living entity’s memory of his eternal relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In our material existence, under the influence of illusory māyā, we have almost forgotten our eternal relationship with the Lord, exactly like a man sleeping very deeply who forgets his duties. In the Vedas it is said that every one of us is sleeping under the influence of māyā. We must get up from this slumber and engage in the right service, for thus we can properly utilize the facility of this human form of life. As expressed in a song by Ṭhākura Bhaktivinoda, Lord Caitanya says, jīva jāga, jīva jāga. The Lord asks every sleeping living entity to get up and engage in devotional service so that his mission in this human form of life may be fulfilled. This awakening voice comes through the mouth of a pure devotee.
A pure devotee always engages in the service of the Lord, taking shelter of His lotus feet, and therefore he has a direct connection with the saffron mercy-particles that are strewn over the lotus feet of the Lord. Although when a pure devotee speaks the articulation of his voice may resemble the sound of this material sky, the voice is spiritually very powerful because it touches the particles of saffron dust on the lotus feet of the Lord. As soon as a sleeping living entity hears the powerful voice emanating from the mouth of a pure devotee, he immediately remembers his eternal relationship with the Lord, although up until that moment he had forgotten everything.
Hare Krsna!
Madhavi dd
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