God Helps Those Who Help Themselves

Sometimes in traveling the globe for spreading the wonderful message of Krishna we face what appears to be great difficulties. In such circumstances one may wonder how it will be possible to carry on with this mission. But we are consoled by Srila Prabhupada's words in this regard,

"The practice of yoga, especially bhakti-yoga in Krishna consciousness, may appear to be a very difficult job. But if anyone follows the principles with great determination, the Lord will surely help, for God helps those who help themselves."

Therefore in all circumstances, both the apparently easy and the apparently difficult we should always push on with great determination with full confidence that the Lord will give us all help to remain fully absorbed in serving His mission in spite of all varieties of circumstances.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Srila Prabhupada Traveling the Globe

Srila Prabhupada Traveling the Globe

Answers by Citing the Vedic Version:

Question: How to Develop Love for Guru?

Thank you for your wonderful daily spiritually enlivening thoughts. You seem to have answers to all questions. Many of my doubts were clarified by your answers to various questions.

I have a question which I humbly request you to provide an answer. I understand that one should develop pure love for one's guru. But how can one develop love for guru as by and large we cannot have personal exchanges with our guru?

I have this question as I am struggling to decide as whom to approach for initiation. I find all of Srila Prabhupada's disciples very inspiring. Moreover, I feel that initiation would strengthen the love towards guru. But there should be a bond with the spiritual master even before initiation. If I don't have that love for guru, how can I serve Him properly? How did You develop love towards Srila Prabhupada?

I don't know if I phrased the question properly. Please forgive me if I have asked something foolish.

Please guide me.

Your servant,
Vikram

Answer: Serve Him and Feel His Presence

Simply by serving your spiritual master with love you can always feel his presence and reciprocation from within your heart. You can 24 hours a day have personal loving exchanges with your guru. If you will dutifully always follow his instructions, he will constantly, uninterruptedly shower his blessings upon you from within your heart. Srila Prabhupada is the perfect example of this. He fully surrendered his life to his spiritual master's order to spread Krishna consciousness to the English speaking world. By doing so his spiritual master was always reciprocating with him from within. This is confirmed by Srila Prabhupada who wrote in his concluding words to the Sri Caitanya Caritamrita:

"I think that His Divine Grace Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura is always seeing my activities and guiding me within my heart by his words."

Your desire to feel a bond with your spiritual master before initiation is proper. Therefore you should choose a spiritual master whose instructions you will embrace fully as your heart and soul. By following his words you will feel how he is reciprocating with you from within. And then after at least six months of experiencing this reciprocation you may accept initiation.

Love for Srila Prabhupada, Prabhupada prema, awakened within my heart when I heard how lovingly his disciples were singing the Gurvastakam prayers to him. I realized that they were experiencing a love that was more sweet and wonderful than anything I had ever known. I wanted to also taste that sweet love. Therefore I decided to give my life to Srila Prabhupada so that I could also taste that sweet love, that Prabhupada prema, that they were tasting.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

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