When Will They Ever Learn?

When will the people of this material world learn that you can't be happy by thinking yourself to be the center of enjoyment, that you can only become happy when you accept God as the center of enjoyment? We are trying to convince them of this, but they are so stubbornly attached to this illusion of being the enjoyers that they refuse to even consider any other option. They are so proud and puffed up that instead of learning from the teachings of the sages they find fault with these teachings. As long as they continue being offensive in this way they will never realize the highest truth. Because of this obstinate stubbornness they will be dragged by the laws of the nature into the animal kingdom in their next birth. It's sad. We try to save them. But they refuse to hear submissively from us. This is difficulty.

Sri Sri Radha Krishna in Vrindavan

Sri Sri Radha Krishna in Vrindavan

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Answers by Citing the Vedic Version

Question: Why Everyone Is Not Eager to Serve Krishna?

Hare Krishna Gurudeva,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
All glories to you and to Gurumata.

Thank you again for the very inspiring daily emails which are short and right to the point.

Can you please guide me on the following questions?

From the few millions that visit ISKCON Centers all over the world and regularly hear lectures from the scriptures and on the philosophy, why is there not a long line up of devotees to get initiated?

Also, why are all these millions of devotees visiting ISKCON Centers not inclined in performing regular devotional service?

What is the difference between devotional service performed before and after initiation?

Your servant,
Rajesh

Answer: They Take Him As Order-Supplier, Not As Master

You have asked why others are not taking initiation. But yet you have not taken initiation. Because you are setting the example of not getting initiated, you are teaching others by your example not to get initiated. So you are part of the reason that others are not getting initiated.

The millions who visit ISKCON centers are not rendering service because they are still foolishly
taking God as their order-supplier instead of as their master.

Regarding initiation Srila Prabhupada stated as follows in a conversation with his disciple, Madhudvisa:

Madhudvisa: The question was, Prabhupada, is it possible for a person to return to the spiritual world without taking initiation from a bona fide spiritual master?
Prabhupada: No, that is not possible. Therefore Rupa Gosvami said, adau gurv-asrayam. First business is to accept spiritual master. Adau gurv-asrayam. Who will train him? He is already fool, rascal. He must be trained up. So he must be trained up by the representative of Krsna.
—from a Morning Walk -- May 22, 1975, Melbourne

So without initiation your service is incomplete and imperfect because you are not obeying the Lord and the acharyas.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

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