Prabhupada: We Vaiṣṇavas do not say that there is no need of fighting. We never say. When there is need of fighting we must fight. Rather, somebody in New York, some Goldsmith, he was that, 'Why Krishna is advising Arjuna to fight, to become violent?'
So somebody protests like that. But there is no meaning of protesting against the action of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is our view. So we Vaiṣṇavas, we are chanting.
It does not mean that when there is need of fighting with avaiṣṇava (non-vaishnava) we shall lack in strength. We can fight. One gentleman inquired from me that 'Vaiṣṇavism makes one dull. He cannot act.' And, 'No. You have not seen a Vaiṣṇava.' In the two fightings, great fighting, the Rāmāyaṇa and Mahābhārata, the hero was Hanuman and Arjuna, and they fought.
Guest: They fought.
Prabhupada: Yes. And who can be better Vaiṣṇava than them?
Guest: Nobody.
Prabhupada: So Vaiṣṇava does not mean he is dull. No.
Guest: No, that is well proved. If there is need...
Pr
shall (4)
Real bhakti… that is raganuga-bhakti. This raganuga-bhakti, we have to come after surpassing the vaidhi-bhakti [regulative process]. In the material world, if we do not try to make further and further progress in devotional service, if we are simply sticking to the shastric [scriptural] regulation process and do not try to go beyond that...
The shastric process is kanishtha-adhikara, lowest stage of devotional service… This is nice beginning, but one has to go above this… If I become satisfied only with these regulative principles for worshiping… but if I have no other idea, then sa bhaktah prakrtah smrtah. Prakrta means on the material platform.
…So any devotee can fall down if he remains prakrta-bhakta. So he has to raise himself above this in the madhyama-adhikara [intermediate stage]…
Therefore, if we do not associate with the advanced devotees, uttama-adhikari, if we simply want to remain in the lowest stage of devotional service, then we are not making progress. Then we shall si
I am especially encouraged by your increasing the distribution of books. That is our primary business, to sell these transcendental literatures profusely all over the world. …Whatever we have to do to induce people to take a book, that is nice. We shall judge the thing by its result, not by its means. But at the same time, we must avoid irritating anyone or disappointing anyone later by cheating them or telling big lies which become detected.
- Letter to: Damodara, Bombay, January 9, 1973
As recommended by Lord Caitanya, one has to cleanse the dust from the mirror of the mind, and then advancement on the path of liberation begins. Here also the same process is recommended. Malam means: “contamination.” We should learn to despise all the causes of devastation, beginning from irreligion and cheating, and then we shall be able to make advancement in a life of piety. The possibility of our attaining Kṛṣṇa consciousness will be easier, and we shall not be subjected to repeated devastation."
SB4.8.6
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Sambhu Das September 7, 2014 ·
PURPORT
The creation takes place on the basis of goodness, but devastation takes place because of irreligion. That is the way of material creation and devastation. Here it is stated that the cause of devastation is Adharma, or Irreligion. The descendants of Irreligion and Falsity, born one after another, are Bluffing, Cheati
