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Simplicity
Part 1 of notes from the lecture series by H. H. Radhanath Maharaj during the Pune Yatra 2002 at the Mafatlal Bungalows.
Submitted by Gopinath das.
What is a vaisnava?
Chaitanya Bhagvat explains what it means to be called as Das or Dasi? This is the most rare & highest position to be servant of Krishna - one who has no material position or motivation other than service to Krishna & who has given his full life for that cause.
Lord Chaitanya taught through his own example & thru his own servants - what is pure devotional devotional service? What we should aspire for? What are the highest standards in pure devotinal service?
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur (Spiritual Master of Srila Prabhupada - founder of International Society for Krishna conscioussness) said "good health, good prestige & position are abominable for the soul if used separate from Krisna for selfish desires".
We should strive to attain the qualities which are pleasing to Krishna - only love & pure devotion.
1. Simplicity (Saralata) - exemplified by Srila Damodar Pandit
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur said "the first qualification to become devotee is simplicity". Srila Prabhupada said "simplicity means without any duplicity & who is always truthful". Baldev Vidyabhushan states that simple means to be staright forward, without any ego or pretention. e.g. Gautam rishi was once approached by a small boy for accepting him as his disciple, but he replied that he only accepts Brahmin students. So he asked the boy about his father, but the boy didn't have any answer. He went back to enquire from his mother, but mother being a prostitute didn't know the right answer. So this boy went back to Gautam Rishi & told him that he doesn't know who his father is. Upon that answer Gautam Rishi accepted that boy as his disciple, since Barhmin means truthful.
Lord Chaitanya when he was in Navadvipa (Bengal) a very young boy visited him whose mother was a young widow. The Lord became very affectionate towards the boy. When Damodar Pandit (close associate of The Lord) saw this he immediately went to Lord Chaitanya and said, "My Lord, you should not do like this. The World will try to make a connection between your love for the boy and the boy's mother." When Lord heard this He was in ecstasy and began to praise Damodar Pandit for his simplicity to even correct Lord Chaitanya - the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Srila Prabhupada said, "simplicity means sincere acceptance of the Lord's orders coming thru the Spiritual master & scriptures". e.g. Queen Kunti (mother of the Pandavas) was so simple. It is by nature that woman are prone to simplicity. E.g. majority of women accept religion. This was also found in many of Satsang programs. In a program at Surat out of 450 people there was only one man. On inquiring from them for the reason for the absence of men came the reply - the men are either busy reading newspapers or watching the TV. Also was found in a program in Borivali that there were aprox 2000 ladies & only 50 men, due to a cricket match between India & Pakistan.
Srila Prabhupada said, "woman have very simple nature to accept God without any doubts". e.g. the surrender of the gopis (simple cowherd ladies) of Vrindavan to Krishna exemplifies their simplicity in accepting whatever Krishna said is best for them.
Srila Prabhupada said, "simplicity means without any evidence, accept just on the basis of faith". e.g. while travelling Srila Prabhupada saw some video on the man landed on moon. He commented that to reach on moon is not just
by simple but one needs immense pious credits to be there, since moon is a heavenly planet. He also stated that on a simple example that because Sunday comes before Monday, the moon has to be farther than sun.
Srila Prabhupada said, "Guru means heavy. He is heavy with the knowledge & mercy of God". Srila Prabhupada used to say that his only qualification is complete faith in the words of His spiritual master. He accepted the instructions of His Guru as His life & soul & that is how He wants us to be. There was an article in a Bengali newspaper in 1965 (before Srila Prabhupada left for US to spread the mission & establish ISKCON) having interview of Srila Prabhupada as He was about to board a steam cargo ship to the US - "Bhaktivedanta Swami is going to the US & He says He has many temples & followers there waiting for Him. So He is going to inspire them." This is simplicity.
Simplicity also means 'unsophisticated' e.g. when Udhava (close friend of Krishna) went to Vrindavan to meet the Gopis, he was astonished to see the simple love of the Gopis for Krishna. They were so simple, natural & real in their words & actions.
Simplicity means 'willing to accept whatever Krishna provides & not to hanker for more & more'. e.g. Kolavecha Sridhar (a simple banana seller in times of Lord Chaitanya) was so poor & simple. Eventhough he was earning very little by selling banana leaves, he used to offer 50% of his income to worship mother Ganges (Holy river). Upon asking by Lord for any benediction, he just wanted to continuously remember the sweet pastimes of the Lord.
Srila Prabhupada also exhibited this simplicity many times. e.g. once on a airport Srila Prabhupada was being greeted by many devotees. This had caused problems to the security there to control the crowds, so they told the devotees to move to other side of the lobby. Upon hearing this one senior devotee appealed 'devotees should move to the other side". But Srila Prabhupada also got up & started to moving to the other side & upon enquiry He replied, "I am also trying to become a devotee." These were the words of Srila Prabhupada - the self-realised soul & spiritual master of the whole world having thousands of disciples, teaching thru His own example.
Srila Prabhupada was in the New Dwarka temple (US), which has so much opulence but He was detached & had desire to go back to the small room at Sri Radha Damodar temple, Vrindavan (India). but he considered that desire to be sense gratification because His life & souls were the instructions by His spiritual mater (Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur) to preach the message of Bhagwad-Gita in the western countries in English language. For those instructions He accepted so many hardships of preaching to the west without any means & support, at the age of 70.
Srila Prabhupada said, "the culture of simplicity is the glory of India". Majority Indians are happy with their simple living & don't hanker for more material comforts unnecessarily. Majority Indians follow - simple living & high thinking.
Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur said, "simplicity is the first qualification of a devotee".
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