"Thereafter, King Vṛṣabhānu, as per the advice of the goddess, arrived at the āśrama of Mahā-muni Kratu on the sandy banks of the river Virajā, received harināma mahā-mantra, and also became acquainted with the process of chanting śrī nāma. Kratu Muni, having given the harināma mahā-mantra to King Vṛṣabhānu, once again said to him: “Son! For Vaiṣṇavas, and especially in the case of Śākta, Saura, Śaiva, and Gāṇapatya initiation, only the performance harināma-kīrtana purifies the aural faculties. In other words, because of impurities within the aural faculty, without first of all having harināma-dīkṣā, no other mantra will bear results. Ears into which harināma has not entered are impure like the ears of a dead body. In other words, as long as one does not receive harināma-dīkṣā, one’s ears remain impure. Once harināma enters, one attains purity. O Mahābāho (strong-armed one)! I have given you this harināma. Hereafter, practice this with full concentration of your heart and soul.” cour
without (7)
- taken from some sycophant at Dandavata.scam
O Brahma, whatever appears to be of any value, if it is without relation to Me, has no reality...
Srimad-Bhagavatam (Bhagavata Purana) – Canto 2: The Cosmic Manifestation – SB 2.9: Answers by Citing the Lord’s Version
SB 2.9.34
rte ’rtham yat pratiyeta
na pratiyeta catmani
tad vidyad atmano mayam
yathabhaso yatha tamah
Synonyms: rte — without; artham — value; yat — that which; pratiyeta — appears to be; na — not; pratiyeta — appears to be; ca — and; atmani — in relation to Me; tat — that; vidyat — you must know; atmanah — My; mayam — illusory energy; yatha — just as; abhasah — the reflection; yatha — as; tamah — the darkness.
Translation: O Brahma, whatever appears to be of any value, if it is without relation to Me, has no reality. Know it as My illusory energy, that reflection which appears to be in darkness.
Purport:
In the previous verse it has already been concluded that in any stage of the cosmic manifestation — its appearance, its s
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

''The one point is that without increasing the number of disciples, there is no propagation of the cult of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore, sometimes even at a risk, a sannyāsī in the line of Caitanya Mahāprabhu may accept even a person who is not thoroughly fit to become a disciple. Later on, by the mercy of such a bona fide spiritual master, the disciple is gradually elevated. However, if one increases the number of disciples simply for some prestige or false honor, he will surely fall down in the matter of executing Kṛṣṇa consciousness.'' nod/7
David Sherk Gadai Dasa; Purport: Also by His Divine Grace
Madhudvisa: I was re...

Madhudvisa: Is there any way for a Christian to do without the help of a Spiritual Master. To reach the spiritual sky through believing the words of Jesus Christ and trying to follow his teachings?
Srila Prabhupada: I don't follow.
Tamala Krishna: Can a Christian in this age, without a Spiritual Master, but by reading the Bible, and following Jesus"s words, reach the ...
Srila Prabhupada: When you read the Bible, you follow the Spiritual Master. How can you say without. As soon as you read the Bible, that means you are following the instruction of Lord Jesus Christ. That means that you are following the Spiritual Master. So where is the opportunity of being without Spiritual Master.
Madhudvisa: I was referring to a living Spiritual Master.
Srila Prabhupada: Spiritual Master is not question of ... Spiritual Master is eternal...so your question is "without Spiritual Master". Without Spiritual Master you cannot be at any stage of your life. You may
The Lord is to be Worshipped by one's own consciousness, not by material substances - by waving lamps, lighting incense, offering flowers or even food or sandal paste. HE is attained without the least effort: HE is worshipped by Self-Realisation alone. This is the Supreme Meditation, this is the Supreme Worship: the continuous and unbroken awareness of the indwelling presence, Inner light or Consciousness. While doing what ever one is doing - seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, eating, moving, sleeping, breathing or talking - one should realise one's Essential Nature as Pure Consciousness. Thus does One attain Liberation.
- Lord Shiva to Sage Vasishta.