Surrender to Krishna Is in Any Condition

In Los Angeles, California, USA on 30 May 1972 the Founder-Acharya of ISKCON: His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, gave the most wonderfully profound lecture on Srimad Bhagavatam, 2nd Canto, Chapter 3, Texts 13-14 in which he so powerfully educated us on what it means to be surrendered to Krishna. Here is an excerpt from that lecture:

"Therefore you must be satisfied, in whatever condition. 'Whatever Kṛṣṇa has given, that's all right.' Satisfied. Surrendered to Kṛṣṇa. And that satisfaction can be achieved only when one is fully surrendered to Kṛṣṇa. If I have surrendered to Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa has taken my charge, Kṛṣṇa says, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi [Bg. 18.66], then why shall I bother myself? If I am thinking, 'I am suffering,' it is also Kṛṣṇa's grace. We should take like that. Even in my consideration, I am in a position which is apparently suffering, we must accept as Kṛṣṇa's grace: 'All right, I have surrendered to Kṛṣṇa. If Kṛṣṇa is giving me suffering, that's all right.' That is surrender. 'Oh, I have surrendered to Kṛṣṇa, and now Kṛṣṇa is giving me suffering? Oh, leave Kṛṣṇa consciousness.' That is not surrender."

This means that in any condition of happiness or apparent distress the devotee never gives up his full surrender to Krishna or God. Actually there is no suffering in Krishna consciousness. But if due to misidentification with our material bodies we think we are suffering, still we should never give up our position of being totally surrendered to Krishna.

If you have any questions, please write me at: sda@backtohome.com

Srila Prabhupada Los Angeles Bhagavatam Lecture

Srila Prabhupada Los Angeles Bhagavatam Lecture

Answers According to the Vedic Wisdom

Question: How to Recognize a Bona Fide Guru?

What sets a legitimate guru apart from an impostor or fake guru? What is your equivalent of a "false guru test" to verify and be determined that you've found a real and sincere one?

Sied Talebinejad

Answer: He Comes in Disciplic Succession

My Dear Sied,

Pleas accept my blessings.

The bona fide spiritual master must be a disciple of a spiritual master who is coming in an unbroken line of disciplic succession that goes back to God Himself. His teachings are all confirmed in the revealed scriptures, and he never deviates from the truths that are given in the revealed scriptures. In this connection it is stated in the Padma Purana:

sampradāya-vihīnā ye mantrās te niṣphalā matāḥ

"Unless you are initiated by a bona fide spiritual master in the disciplic succession, the mantra that you might have received is without any effect."

Hoping this meets you in good health,

Sincerely,
Sankarshan Das Adhikari



P.S. I am coming in the Brahma-Madhva-Gaudiya Vaisnava disciplic succession.

Brahma-Madhva-Gaudiya Vaisnava Disciplic Succession

Brahma-Madhva-Gaudiya Vaisnava Disciplic Succession

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