Become Free from Envy

Due to envy of the Supreme Lord's position as the supreme enjoyer we have entered into this material world in our futile attempt to take over His position and become the supreme enjoyers ourselves. But such an attempt is the epitome of foolishness. Why is that? Even though Krishna is the supreme enjoyer He sees that His devotee Srimati Radharani is enjoying more than Him. Therefore to experience the even greater enjoyment of being a devotee Lord Krishna descends to this material world in the form of His own devotee, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. So if even the Lord Himself wants to increase His enjoyment by becoming His devotee, we can understand that there is no greater happiness than being a devotee of the Lord and give up our foolish envy of His position.

Lecture: "How to Become Free from Envy"
Sri Vrindavan Dhama, India-31 March 2012

Answers by Citing the Vedic Version

Question: How to Become Self-Realized?

What do I have to do to become self-realized?

Lokesh

Answer: Carefully Follow Prabhupada's Instructions

The way to become self-realized is to fully surrender yourself unto the lotus feet of Lord Sri Krishna under the guidance of the bona fide spiritual master. The system of how to do this is very nicely explained by my spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada, as follows in his purport to Bhagavad-gita 4.34:

"The path of spiritual realization is undoubtedly difficult. The Lord therefore advises us to approach a bona fide spiritual master in the line of disciplic succession from the Lord Himself. No one can be a bona fide spiritual master without following this principle of disciplic succession. The Lord is the original spiritual master, and a person in the disciplic succession can convey the message of the Lord as it is to his disciple. No one can be spiritually realized by manufacturing his own process, as is the fashion of the foolish pretenders. The Bhāgavatam (6.3.19) says, dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam: the path of religion is directly enunciated by the Lord. Therefore, mental speculation or dry arguments cannot help lead one to the right path. Nor by independent study of books of knowledge can one progress in spiritual life. One has to approach a bona fide spiritual master to receive the knowledge. Such a spiritual master should be accepted in full surrender, and one should serve the spiritual master like a menial servant, without false prestige. Satisfaction of the self-realized spiritual master is the secret of advancement in spiritual life. Inquiries and submission constitute the proper combination for spiritual understanding. Unless there is submission and service, inquiries from the learned spiritual master will not be effective. One must be able to pass the test of the spiritual master, and when he sees the genuine desire of the disciple, he automatically blesses the disciple with genuine spiritual understanding. In this verse, both blind following and absurd inquiries are condemned. Not only should one hear submissively from the spiritual master, but one must also get a clear understanding from him, in submission and service and inquiries. A bona fide spiritual master is by nature very kind toward the disciple. Therefore when the student is submissive and is always ready to render service, the reciprocation of knowledge and inquiries becomes perfect."

My best advice to you is that you should carefully study the above words of Srila Prabhupada and make them the guiding principle of your life.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari