The Offenseless Chanter Lives in God's Kingdom

We read in Srila Prabhupada's purport to Srimad Bhagavatam 2.2.30:

"There are three stages in chanting the holy name of the Lord. The first stage is the offensive chanting of the holy name, and the second is the reflective stage of chanting the holy name. The third stage is the offenseless chanting of the holy name of the Lord. In the second stage only, the stage of reflection, between the offensive and offenseless stages, one automatically attains the stage of emancipation. And in the offenseless stage, one actually enters into the kingdom of God, although physically he may apparently be within the material world."

This is truly amazing! Even while apparently being situated in his material body the offenseless chanter of Krishna's holy names is actually situated in Krishna's pastimes in the spiritual world. What this means is that the devotee does not have to wait for the demise of his material body to go back to Godhead. He can gradually attain the perfection of going back to Godhead even while he is in his present body simply by becoming an offenseless chanter of the Hare Krishna mahamantra. At this perfectional stage while associating within his heart with Krishna, he will be externally engaged on this planet for bringing about a spiritual revolution and thus the influence of the age of Kali to go into remission.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Srila Prabhupada Deeply Absorbed in Meditation
Srila Prabhupada Deeply Absorbed in Meditation

Answers by Citing the Vedic Version:

Question: Is Having Online Guru Sufficient?

I offer my respects to you. You have cleared many of my doubts, and I love doing your assignments. Please accept me as your disciple.

Please clear my doubt :
Should I personally approach a spiritual master or is this online approach sufficient? I am wondering this because I am a college student and it is difficult for me to go to an ISKCON temple as there are no nearby temples, but I read Srila Prabhupada's books, and I chant the Hare Krishna mahamantra daily.

If I have some questions, can I ask you?

Ashish B.

Answer: Accepting Guru's Orders As Your Life and Soul is Essential

If you would like to be my disciple and inquire from me, you are welcome. The essence of the guru-disciple relationship is simply to be fully dedicated to carrying out the orders received from the spiritual with or without his physical presence. But still the disciple should take every available opportunity to get the physical association of his spiritual master because to personally hear from him, inquire from him, and serve him will help the disciple to strengthen his connection with his spiritual master's instructions. This does not mean that the disciple must always be with his spiritual master. Actually physical separation is also good because it helps the disciple to maintain a mood of awe and reverence for the spiritual master. Too much physical association with the spiritual master can sometimes degrade the disciple, because a neophyte disciple may commit the offense of considering his spiritual master to be an ordinary man.

Kindly note that even though Srila Prabhupada got the physical association of his spiritual master not more than ten times in his entire life, he was in his constant association within his heart by accepting his spiritual master's instructions as his very life and soul. I also had scant personal association with my spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada. But ever since that glorious day in the spring of 1971 in Austin, Texas when I accepted him into my heart as my eternal spiritual master even before I had physically even met him, I have been blessed with his constant association. I have maintained and continue strengthening more and more my connection with him by remembering and following the many instructions I have personally received from him in the letters he wrote me, as well as in the most merciful teachings given in his books, lectures, general letters, and conversations.

So I encourage you to sometimes travel to meet me during my twice-a-year visits to your country, the holy land of India. And even more importantly I encourage you to always remain tightly packed up in the association of Guru and Krishna by chanting Hare Krishna and reading Srila Prabhupada's books as much as possible. Please feel free to inquire from me as much as is required to situate yourself solidly on the path of Krishna consciousness. And if you like, in the future, if you are solid in your practice, I will initiate you as my disciple.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

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