Stagnation or Celebration

Just as water that does not flow becomes stagnant, our Krishna consciousness becomes stagnant if we are not always trying to advance ourselves more and more along the path of bhakti. Therefore in order to taste the sweetest, ever-increasing happiness, peace, and satisfaction we should always be making an ongoing effort to advance ourselves more and more in Krishna consciousness. If we do so, our every day will be a great celebration of transcendental bliss.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Sharing the Celebration Govinda Valley, Australia--26 December 2010

Sankarshan Das Sharing the Celebration Govinda Valley, Australia

Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: Is the Guru Krishna?

Dear Gurudeva,

According to Bhagavad-Gita 7.18, Lord Krishna considers the spiritual master just as His own self:

udārāḥ sarva evaite
jñānī tv ātmaiva me matam

"All these devotees are undoubtedly magnanimous souls, but he who is situated in knowledge of Me I consider to be just like My own self."--Bhagavad-gita 7.18

Therefore, is it my duty to see you, treat you, and think of you just as Lord Krishna?

Li Di

Answer: No, But Respected as Good as Krishna

It is a fact that the spiritual master is to be respected as good as God. Why? Saksad-dharitvena samasta-sastraih. It is declared in all Vedic literatures that the spiritual master is as good as God. It is not that he is God, but he is as good as God. The Mayavadis think that the spiritual master is God, but this is not a fact. We Vaisnavas do not accept this theory. It is not possible that a man can become God. But because the spiritual master is God's representative he is honored as God. It is not that he has become God. Kintu prabhor yah priya eva tasya. Just like you have got a dear son, if somebody pats your son, or even pats your dog, you become pleased. So the spiritual master is the very confidential servant, dog of God. Therefore if you can please him, yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasadah. If you can please the spiritual master, then God is pleased. Just like your small child, if somebody pleases that child, you become automatically pleased. You can please that child with a two-cents-worth piece of candy. But to please you it may require thousands of dollars. So you can finish the business by offering a piece of candy. So this is the position of a spiritual master. People should not misunderstand that this person is sitting very comfortably and taking all honors and contributions. No. It is not like that. It is needed just to teach the disciples how to respect the representative of God.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

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