Continuing the pastimes of Sri Ramanujacharya!

On Sri Ramanujacharya's Appearance:

* Wanted to take Mantra-diksha from Goshti-purna. 18 times he tried. But he was rejected so many times.
* Finally, on the behest of Varadaraj, Goshti-purna gave the mantra to Ramanujacharya. Those days, this was not supposed to be told to other. But Ramanujacharya was so compassionate that he cried out to everyone that "Om Namo Narayanaya" is the mantra chanting which we can go back to Godhead. So he was prepared to go to hell for doing this Guru aparadha, but he wanted everyone else to go back to Godhead.
* Srila Prabhupada also had the same compassion. He made so many people give up their most worst qualities and made them into pure devotees.
* Gaudiya Vaishnavism is the amalgmation of all 4 sampradayas. From Sri-sampradaya, CM took bhakti and prapati (surrender and deity worship).
* 700 Sannyasis and 5000 grhasthas as disciples.
* Another pastime: Sri Ramanujacharya sent his disciples to tell two of his disciples (one rich and one poor) that he will visit them on the way to Tirupathi. The poor one served the message bearing disciples very very much.
- Everyone wants to serve the Guru, nobody wants to serve the Vaisnavas. One who serves the vaisnavas is the best. Das-dasanudas.
- That poor disciple did not have much money. His wife was being eyed by a businessman..... this person ate the maha of Ramanujacharya and that changed his heart. Srila Ramanujacharya broke the barrier of lust.
- If you serve the Vaisnavas and stay in the association of Vaisnavas by pleasing them, then you will please your Guru and finally go back home to Godhead.
* Tests will come,
- meditate on the Guru's instructions everyday
- Read SB everyday. Listen the lectures only for our improvement
- Serve the Vaisnavas.

Appearance Day of Sri Ramanujacharya!

* One of the acharya's of the 4 sampradaya's. Acharya for Sri Sampradaya.
* He is actually aadi-shesha.
* Because of the heavy preaching done by Shankaracharya to drive out buddhism from India, impersonalism was prevalent, the Supreme Lord was being covered. So Adi-shesha himself had to descend to bring the Supreme Personality of Godhead back into their hearts.
* Yadavprakash, guru of Ramanujacharya, from the sankara philosophy.
* Pastimes many many. One: Eyes of of Vishnu are like the back of monkey, was being by this Guru. That time, Ramanujacharya's tears fell on his feet. Then Ramanuja explained: Kapi means Sun. When sun comes, Lotus blossoms. ==> the eyes of the SPG are like a lotus, and not like a monkey.
* ... pastimes about how Lakshmi Narayana save him and bring him back to Kanchipuram.
* Later, he starts to accept a low born, but a pure devotee as his Guru. A person who personally serves Lord Varadaraj....

Actually many many pastimes are present, but hard to cover in the 10 minutes of this conference call.

Atmarama (Continuing the explanation)

Verse 1.7.10:

* Atmarama is the one who is self-satisfied. CM explained this to Sanatana Goswami in 11 different ways.
* Very very important verse. In the conditioned stage, it is very difficult to believe a personal feature of God, who is sitting in one place and controlling the whole cosmic manifestation.
* Krishna is that type of personality, that people who do not want anything in this world, who are self-satisfied, they also get attracted to Him.
* Madhavendra-puri, when meditating near Govinda hill, Krishna is coming to give Him milk. He was instantly attracted. Similarly, Sukadeva Goswami, 4 Kumaras were also instantly attracted. The sages of Dandakaranya were also very very instantly attracted (wanted to serve in madhurya ras). So the people who are happy in themselves, are also attracted to Krishna.
* atmarama—those who take pleasure in ätmä (generally, spirit self); ca—also; munayau—sages; nirgrantha—freed from all bondage; api—in spite of; urukrame—unto the great adventurer; kurvanti—do; ahaitukim—unalloyed; bhaktim—devotional service; ittham-bhuta—such wonderful; guno—qualities; harih—of the Lord.
* Urukrama is name for Vamanadeva. He covered in two steps the whole cosmic manifestation. The Lord performs amazingly wonderful activities, thus attracting everyone.
* Kurvanti: rendering unalloyed service to the Lord. Devotional service, especially when performed in an unalloyed and uninterrupted way, it is very pleasing to the self. We attain spiritual bliss.
* CM explains that God is a person, He has unlimited energies. Teachings of Caitanya, book has this very nicely given. Please read it.

Atmarama, explaining the Personal Form of the Lord!

Verse 1.7.10: Memorize this verse.

* This shloka personalizes the Lord, very very important shloka.
* From teachings of Lord Caitanya, the discussion between Caitanya Mahaprabhu (CM) and Sarvabhouma Bhattacharya, here CM explains this verse in so many wonderful ways.
* This shloka tells that the Supreme Lord has a form, spiritual form. He has no material form, but that does not mean formless, He has a spiritual form.
* Fully transcendental form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is explained here.
* To enhance the pastimes of the Lord, although He is Atmarama (self-satisfied), He expands Himself into various living entities, just for His pleasure.

Prabhuji, wants us to memorize this verse. On Sunday, we need to recite it for him.

What after self-realization?

Verse 1.7.9: Here, the question raised by Saunaka Rishi is very significant. Already Sukadeva Goswami is self-realized, means he has nothing to achieve, he is happy. Then why does he need to take shelter of Srimad Bhagavatam. It is a very interesting question.

Ok, after your do sadhana one day you will be liberated. After that what, what will you do then.
Merging into brahman is there, but it is not ultimate. Devotees reject this sahijya mukti, since there is no service in there.

Eg: Tiger is following you in the forest, you run run and finally get out of the forest. Getting out of the forest is compared to coming to the brahman realization. But now you are in the city and what will you do. Those activities are what is described as devotional service in the Srimad Bhagavatam.

Sukadeva Goswami, by birth, is brahman realization. For him, everything is brahman. Gold or sand, for him both are matter only.

Today, the world is completely in recession, why => because of Greed. It is based on Consumerism. Alcoholism, shopoholism causes distress all the time. Happiness does not depend on the external situations.

So self-realization means realizing you are not the body, but you are the self. And we have to live on that, not just talk about that. Real enjoyment is internal. Atmarama (taking shelter of atma).

So even after brahman realization, we cannot sit idle you know. So service is required. The stories of Krishna attracted Sukadeva Goswami, although he was in the brahman realized state. So sravanam and kirtanam always goes on, in our current state, then when we get the audience of Krishna also, we continue the same to serve Him. Ends and means are the same. Devotional service always continues. We will find eternal happiness in serving Krishna, since Krishna is also atmarama. And this happiness keeps increasing.

And the key to spiritual happiness is chanting. Please chant very nicely!

Bhagavtam shows us the Nivrtti-Marga!

Verse 1.7.8: Our scriptures are so vast. Srimad Bhagavatam itself is a commentary for the Brahmasutras. Sankaracharya wrote Sharirakabhasya, commentary on Srimad Bhagavatam. But it is asked why do we need another commentary, when Srimad Bhagavatam is already a commentary on the Brahmasutras.

Srila Vyasadev, after he wrote Srimad Bhagavatam, he taught it to his son Sukadeva Goswami, who was already a self-realized soul.
Two marga's
- Shreyas = pravrtti-marga
- Sreyas = nivrtti-marga

Srila Prabhupada gave us the sugar-coated pill, eat prasad, chant 16 rounds, follow 4 regulative principles, then we will attain self-realization. This is nivritti marga.

So Srimad Bhagavatam is paving a way for this. It is very simple.

Aural Reception leads to Fearlessness!

Verse 1.7.7: If we take shelter of Krishna, in the process of bhakti, then illusion, fear and attachment are all taken away.
Kunti Maharani says: When we are rich or beautiful or intelligent, we are not happy. But when we take shelter of Krishna, then Krishna brings us out of this illusion of moha, shoka and bhaya.

Today, people are very much interested in externalities. Even in devotees, we love a devotee not because he is a pure devotee, but just because from bodily side, he has something good. But Narada muni when he was meditating, Krishna appeared to him once. Then He told him that my son I will not appear again, but you love me for the rest of your life.
Moral: Good times are a preparation for the bad times of life.

Krishna gives everything and takes everything in tests. The problems are in our heart. But if we believe in Krishna, then He will give us the strength, that we are eternally His part and parcel.

Our life is to get rid of the impurities, lust, anger and false ego. If we stand through the tests, then we become fearless.

Srila Prabhupada's life is a living example of what is stated in the Srimad Bhagavatam. He lived through all the tests and came out successful. Srila Prabhupada ki Jay!!!!

Devotional Service is purifying!

Verse 1.7.6: bhakti-yogam adhoksaje. adhoksaje means a person beyond the material modes.

When we perform bhakti to Krishna, it burns the previous reactions. Our karma will be there, but Krishna comes into the picture.
Krishna personally sees your karma, if he feels that it is too much for our bhakti, then He will remove it. But suppose He sees you can withstand it, then He sometimes reduces it or increases it or keeps it the same, but everything He does just for our good and so that we continue to remain in bhakti.
Eg: Queen Kunti

One thing for sure, if you are not ready Krishna will not put you through the Karma. That's why we should be very grateful to Guru and Krishna for having given us the opportunity to come to this level.

Continuing the Purport: to 1.7.5

* Both the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the living beings are undoubtedly qualitatively one, but the Lord is the controller of the illusory energy, whereas the living entity is controlled by the illusory energy. Thus the Lord and the living beings are simultaneously one and different.
* The Mayawada philosophy is completely being rejected here, as is being seen directly from this verse.
* Cream that Srila Prabhupada is giving in this purport:
a) The root cause of the suffering of the living entity -
b) the remedial measures - the Lord is the controller of the material energy
c) what is the ultimate goal
* Being conditioned by the external energy, the living entity is suffering due to maya
* Living entity should have an endeavor to go back home, back to Godhead.
* Srimad Bhagavatam treats the conditioned soul with an aim to the goal of life, that is to back home back to Godhead.

Process of Transformation...

Verse 1.7.5: This shloka and the following shlokas speak about the following 3 points
1) What is the root cause of all suffering
2) What are the remedial measures, the process
3) The ultimate goal

Other points that Srila Prabhupada is making is
* That the soul is impersonal is false.
* It is a thankless task for the external energy, which is necessary for the reformation of the conditioned soul.
* Nice example of HH Sachinandan Swami Maharaj: This process is a process of transformation. If we are not ready to do this transformation, then we will never progress whatever chanting or services we do. Eg: Caterpillar to Butterfly transformation. It is a very painful process. Similarly, unless we take the initiative to go through the pain of devotional service, we will never get the true transformation.
* Another example, Srila Prabhupada gives: Father putting a child under the teacher, although he does not want his child to be under another person. Similarly, King puts the sinner into prison.
* How does this surrender to Supreme Personality of Godhead start: By getting the taste through hearing from the pure devotees.
* Once he starts hearing, the Lord helps in two ways: 1) Internally through the paramatma and 2) Externally through the spiritual master (scriptures, initiating spiritual master and saints). We need to here understand the spiritual master is a direct representative of the Lord and therefore surrender unto his instructions.

Foundational Verse: God is a Person!!!

Verse 1.7.3-4: This is one of the very foundational verses in SB. For Vedic culture, Vyasadev is the unquestionable authority. There is always a question: Is God a person or impersonal. According to Vyasadev, God is a person.

He was fixed in meditation, he got a divine vision. He saw the abode of the Lord, he saw the Lord Himself, but behind Him, he saw the Brahman effulgence.

This maya (external energy) is created by the Lord, just to confuse the conditioned living entity, who wants to simply enjoy the material nature. Nature of maya is to fear the living entities and keep them here to purify them. Unless we are pure, we cannot escape this maya.

But here Vyasadev saw Krishna and Radha, and in one corner, he saw a cloud - maya. She feels shy to come in front of maya. Bhakti is ultimate. Bhakti even brings Krishna under control ==> Devotional service is greater than bhakti. And the goddess of Bhakti is Srimati Radharani.

Asrama - a spiritual home!

Verse 1.7.1-2: Here, in Chapter 7, Saunaka risi is asking Suta Goswami as to what Srila Vyasadev did after Naradamuni left. Srimad Bhagavatam is telling that Vyasadeva will come to know of the next thing, in meditation.

In the next verse, Srila Prabhupada is commenting that wherever you are, we should have an asrama, a spiritual home. Varanasrama dharma was designed as a means to realize the Supreme Truth. Brahmanas, Ksatriyas, Vyasas and Sudras, along with Brahmachary, Grhasthas, Vanaprastha and Sanyasa. Home is for progression of the whole family together towards self-realization. Our goal of life should be Krishna. Before our life-span ends, we should realize Krishna. We should not be complacement with the facilities that we have, we should utilize them to attain our goal.

Here Srila Vyasadev is a grhastha, yet his residential place is called a asrama. This is so because an asrama is a place where spiritual culture is always foremost.

Appearance Day: Srivas Thakur

* He is Naradamuni in Krishna lila, the topmost devotee. In Gaura lila, he is Srivas Thakur.
* He is very very exemplary, very very senior in age too to Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
* Srivas Thakur is a leader in Navadvip. In hos house, CM performed so many pastimes. Srivas angan (CM used to dance almost everyday there to the Holy Name).
* He has only one prayer: He wanted Nimai-pandit (an arrogant scholar) to become a devotee, so that he could make everyone a devotee.
* Only one mission: He wants his Vaishnava-sanga, his bhakti-vriksha to grow always. All the conditioned souls must become Krishna Conscious.
* But once Nimai Pandit meets Isvari-puri, he is totally transformed, now he is simply chanting and longing for Krishna all the time. Srivas Thakur's prayers are answered.
* There are so many pastimes there in Srivas-Angan: One is when his son passes away, and how he does not let CM's kirtans get disturbed because of this. Then Maha-prakash lila.
* Devotion to Narayani, devotion to Dukhi, all because of his mercy, through Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
* Caitanya-bhagavat has so many pastimes about Srivas-Angan. Eg: Milk drinking brahmachary being corrected by CM etc.
* He is the topmost devotee, representative of Srila Naradamuni. Srivas Thakur ki Jay!!!!

Srila Naradamuni, Mercy Incarnate!

Verse 1.6.38: So what Srila Naradamuni does, is actually a thankless task. Nobody really appreciates it. But as the servant of the Lord, he pulls the living entities out of the cycle of birth and death, changes their attitude towards Godhead. Eg: Mrgari, Valmiki muni, All the family of Prahlad Maharaj, Dhruva Maharaj, and so many others. Almost most of the devotees mentioned in the Srimad Bhagavatam are his disciples. By the association of Naradamuni, they all changed. We have to hold on to the lotus feet of devotees.

Krishna always picks a devotee to any material opulence in the whole universe. So imagine what nice relationship Naradamuni has with Krishna, for him to have the same opulence of bringing conditioned souls back to Godhead.

All the Prajapati's, Manu's, Bali Maharaj, for everyone he is the spiritual master. Right after Brahma, immediate spiritual master in our parampara is Naradamuni. So if we observe his life, we can see that he is so right now because of his service to devotees. We have to have genuine gratitude for devotees. With this, we will be always happy.

Srila Prabhupada, also so vigorously preached all around the world for saving the conditioned souls.

Why not use this body for the service of Krishna, before it fades away into oblivion. This is just a way to show our gratitude to all the mercy we have received through these great devotees.

Activities for Self-realization!

Verse 1.6.36: Srila Naradamuni says here- O Vyāsadeva, you are freed from all sins. Thus I have explained my birth and activities for self-realization, as you asked. All this will be conducive for your personal satisfaction also.

Usually, the disciples will like to know everything about their Guru, that is the reason by their own mercy, the self-realized souls sometimes explain how they were introduced into this process of self realization.

Strict sadhana is very much required to help us progress towards self-realization.

First and Second Canto's, V. Important!

Verse 1.6.34: Bhagavatam is propagating that whatever Naradamuni has attained, we can also attain by simply following the path that he has followed. Srila Prabhupada, in the first and second Canto's put all his realizations, since he really did not know how long he will live. So he said that Srimad Bhagavatam and chanting are the solutions for all the problems in our society.

Especially if we read and study in depth the First Canto very nicely, then we make lot of advancement, since Srila Prabhupada has put in everything in here.

Coming to this verse, we have to learn to tolerate the disturbances. They come and go. For example, lust, greed, we need to learn to tolerate realizing that they are not good. KC does not work unless the senses are controlled. If the senses are controlled, then we can live in the city of 9 gates. We will be peaceful. But if we also want to be happy, then we must do service.

Chant sincerely, ask Krishna to help you serve him with complete love and devotion. The activities of Krishna Consciousness will make us eternally happy.

Chanting His Holy Name... Spiritual Television!

Verse 1.6.33:
* Krishna is non-different from the Holy Name.
* Hare Krishna Mahamantra is like a CD. When you play it, i.e., when you chant, on the computer of your heart, you will see pictures and pastimes of Krishna. Actually Krishna is saying hello. But we are not tuned in to the frequency, since we are not sufficiently focused and purified. Once we reach that stage where our mind is purified, then we can see the complete picture of Krishna and His pastimes in the mirror of our heart. This is what Srila Prabhupada calls Spiritual Television.

Lord Krishna gave the Vina to Narada muni!

Verse 1.6.32: Naradamuni is continuing to speak to Srila Vyasadeva - And thus I travel, constantly singing the transcendental message of the glories of the Lord, vibrating this instrument called a vina, which is charged with transcendental sound and which was given to me by Lord Krishna.

* Srila Prabhupada is writing: Srila Naradadeva is always fulfilling his obligation to the Lord for His gift of the instrument, and thus he is always engaged in singing His transcendental glories and is therefore infallible in his exalted position.
* Sincerely chanting the mantra, purification automatically comes.
* It is the greatest gift for mankind, given by Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He is giving us the gift of love for godhead, all we need to do is be grateful for all this. And being regretful that we are unable to use it to its fullest extent, then we will be able to continue on this path undeterred.

Today is GAURA-PURNMIMA!!!!

* Very very auspicious day
* Imagine what would have happened, if Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu (CM) would not have come.
* Without CM, we would have been dumb demigod worshipers
* Without coming to ISKCON, we would not have known CM, Pancha-tattva, and neither Srimad Bhagavatam. All is known to us only because of the mercy of CM.
* Krishna, in order to relish the fine sentiments of His devotee Srimati Radharani, came in the form of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
* Similarly, Advaita Acharya intensely prayed to Krishna by offering tulsi leaf and ganga water to invite Krishna.
* Only once in the day of Brahma, Krishna comes. And the Kaliyuga following this, Sri CM comes.
* He is a covered incarnation.
* To start the Sankirtan movement, to understand the mood of Srimati Radharani, CM descended. Because we don't read the scriptures, this knowledge is not known to us or neither to our parents.
* To get the mercy of Sri CM, we can fast (nirjal) till moonrise today.
* Caitanya Caritamrita, very very wonderful scripture, very easy to understand His pastimes.
* Genuinely chant the HK Mahamantra, hold on to the lotus feet of these two brothers (Gaura-Nitai)
* So many exalted Vaishnavas in Caitanya Caritamrta (CC): Kolavecha Sridhar, Haridas Thakur, Swaroop damodar das Goswami, etc.
* CM gave just the 8 verses, Siksastakam. Trnad api....
* Complete Bhagavad-Gita, then read SB and CC

Beyond the 3 modes, Sri Naradamuni, transcendental spaceman!

Verse 1.6.31: Being fixed in unbroken devotional service of the Lord, Sri Naradamuni can travel throughout the spiritual and material worlds.

Srila Prabhupada writes here that since Sri Naradamuni is transcendental to the 3 modes (of which the material world is made), he can do such space travel.
The causeless mercy of Lord Vishnu is unparalleled, and such mercy is perceived by the devotees only by the grace of the Lord. Therefore, the devotees never fall down, but the materialists, i.e., the fruitive workers and the speculative philosophers, do fall down, being forced by their respective modes of nature. The rsis, as above mentioned, cannot enter into the transcendental world like Närada. This fact is disclosed in the Narasimha Purana. Rsis like Marici are authorities in fruitive work, and rsis like Sanaka and Sanätana are authorities in philosophical speculations. But Sri Närada Muni is the prime authority for transcendental devotional service of the Lord. All the great authorities in the devotional service of the Lord follow in the footsteps of Närada Muni in the order of the Närada-bhakti-sütra, and therefore all the devotees of the Lord are unhesitatingly qualified to enter into the kingdom of God, Vaikunta.

Prabhuji, again spoke about gratitude, about how much we should be indebted to be associated with this parampara. The mercy of Srila Prabhupada that we are fortunate enough to receive. We really have to understand its merit to utilize in the proper way. Srila Prabhupada has further said that this movement is given to us so that we can associate with devotees, seriously chant the holy name and make progress in our devotional live.

Gratitude and Regretfulness

Verse 1.6.30: In today's verse, it is explaining that about Brahmaji resting in yoga-nidrä within the body of the Garbhodakashayi Vishnu. And when he wakes, all the different sages are created from the transcendental body of the Lord and Srila Naradamuni also appeared along with them, just as though he had slept and got up, with the same spiritual body.

Two important points we learn from Srimad Bhagavatam:
* In all the devotees mentioned in Srimad Bhagavatam, the expression of Gratitude is the most prominent sentiment. That everything they have is due to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Similarly, we need to express gratitude to all our devotees, as they give us their association and also need to express gratitude to our spiritual master (as it is only because of him we are getting this chance to connect to this great parampara) and expressing gratitude to the Suprerme Personality of Godhead.
* Expression of regretfulness, when we are regretting that we are not making use of this opportunity. With this, eventually we will make use of every situation to serve the Suprerme Personality of Godhead.

In Srimad Bhagavatam, all the devotees, Drapadi, Kunti, Pandavas etc everyone expresses these two important sentiments: gratitude and regretfulness.

MahaPralaya...

Verse 1.6.29: Here, what happened is Naradamuni got spiritual body. At the time of Pralaya, Brahma entered into the body of MahaVishnu (means it is Maha-pralaya).
Based on the modes of nature we were in, we keep taking birth in different species. This continues until Brahma is awake. When he goes to sleep, all the living entity will enter into the body of MahaVishnu, become unmanifested.

Then after sometime, from MahaVishnu expands Garbodakshayi Vishnu, from whose navel a stem comes out. On top of it is a lotus, from which Brahma is born. From the heart of Brahma, Naradamuni was again born, but he has a spiritual body. That is the process of realization.

Naradamuni receives his Spiritual body!

Verse 1.6.28: So many wonderful things today we read
* Nobody ceases from the reaction of Karma. From Indra to the insect, everybody is bound by the actions of Karma. Because of this unending affair of karma, we have developed the conditioning, it becomes our nature. The action-reaction remains.
* But people by Naradamuni, what a wonderful thing, he got a spiritual body after he quit his material body.
* The soul is 1e-4 the tip of the hair. But as we progress in devotional service, slowly all the limbs of the spiritual body develop. Spiritual body is sat-chit-ananda (eternal, full of knowledge and all blissful).
* As servant of the Lord, whatever service is given to us, we should do it and continue our devotional service.
* That's why we need to listen to Srimad Bhagavatam everyday, to understand our material condition.

Simultaneous Death and Illumination...

Verse 1.6.27: So Naradamuni, after hearing the voice of Vishnu, as paramatma, in order to again get darshan of that form, as instructed by the Supreme Lord, he maintained his life without hankering for material things, lived only for the pleasure of Krishna. He was not even looking for minimum temporary needs. Because life is so short.

Material success, fortune is so temporary, and because of them we develop attachments and because of that we have to come back again.

But here, Naradamuni as a child understood the futility of material life and pleasures, he led a life only for the pleasure of Krishna. Actually, our advancement depends on pleasing Guru and Krishna.

Because he was continuously thinking of Krishna, at the time of his death also he was thinking completely of Krishna only, so he went back to the service of Krishna, in a spiritual body. Immediately death and illumination take place simultaneously.

All that is required for us is genuine sincerity in chanting, focus on Krishna only, only for the pleasure of Guru and Krishna, then we will achieve His grace for sure.

Krishna's Name and Form are non-different!

Verse 1.6.25-26: The one point here is:
* Krishna's form and Krishna's name are non-different. Srila Naradamuni heard the voice of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Srila Prabhupada is making the point here that name, sound and form of Krishna are non-different. But today, in the conditional stage of material existence, we make this difference and therefore we are again and again cheated, rotting in the material existence.
* Just by hearing the chanting of the Holy Name, Srimad Bhagavatam is actually campaigning the chanting of the Holy Name. Practically, the last verse by Bhagavatam ends, talks about chanting of the Holy Name, then all the sins are removed. You will be protected from, given relief from miseries and lamentation. And we will attain the abode of Krishna. But contrary, however successful we may be in our material life, it is of no value if we don't protect our spiritual life.
* Human life is meant for purifying our existence. And chanting of the Holy Name is the only prescribed way for this purification, in this age of Kali.

Eternal Never-decreasing Credit: Devotional Service

Verse 1.6.24: Whatever benediction that Krishna gives, they are eternal. Actually, what is really needed is surrender. Krishna does not need anything actually. Srila Prabhupada says - "Krishna's independence is His dependence on devotees"

Caitanya Mahaprabhu came to distribute so many fruits, He can Himself do it. But He wants the devotees to get glorious, so He gives us a chance to distribute His mercy.

The thing is, we need to genuinely surrender to receive this mercy. The problem is from our side, problems of lust, anger, greed, pride, envy and false ego. But if we express our sincerity again again and again, we will gain pure devotional service by Krishna's grace. This will be eternal, never decreasing, only increasing always.

Bhaktivinoda Thakur writes: Tumi tho thakur ...
(wonderful consciousness in here)

To get this benediction from Krishna, we have to genuinely perform sadhana, starting from chanting the Holy Names.

Service to Guru, Antidote to Envy...

Verse 1.6.23: Actually, we have been serving so many people of the world. Serving cannot be avoided, we have to do it. Either we serve Krishna, or we serve our mind, our senses, our family etc.

Mind is the only cause for liberation and mind is the only cause for bondage. Sometimes it is seen that a dog is a cause of bonding for the whole family. When we do not know who God is, then we serve the dog...

Realizing Krishna's presence in other living entities is not wrong, but thinking dog to be God is unintelligent. That is why we need a spiritual master, who can guide us, answer our questions. And under his guidance, if we serve we will slowly get rid of our contamination, get rid of our misconceptions. Mere bhakti is enough, even if we do not have knowledge. Strong faith is required, Krishna from within will illuminate our heart with the lamplight of knowledge and we will understand and know everything.

With Bhakti, knowledge is already included.
Eg: Krishna sending Uddhava to Vrindavan. Uddhava stayed back for so many months, trying to understand the bhakti of the gopi's.

If we see somebody higher than us, in the neophyte stage we might get envious and want to take their position. But when we understand our true position, we want to become servants of them instead. The antidote to envy is becoming the servant of those who we might envy. If we serve our Guru, then the ignorant layers are removed and we make lot of advancement. Serving Krishna and serving devotees is much higher benediction that we can achieve.