Page 5 - Powerful Feminine Qualities
P. 5

4- One should not be anxious for personal maintenance. Lord Krishna will always provide for the minimum needs of
         His sincere devotee.  There is no need  to think  how  one should keep  his  body and soul together.  One should be
         satisfied with whatever he receives for maintenance as Krishna’s mercy. (Goptrtve varanam tatha)
         5- One should always consider himself helpless and should consider Krishna the only basis for his progress in life.
         (atma niksepa)
         6- The devotee accepts everything that happens to him as the Lord’s mercy. He does not have any interest separate
         from Krishna. (karpanye)
         The prostitute gradually manifested all the six symptoms of full surrender. She transformed into a wonderful devotee
         by the mercy of Haridas Thakur and attained the stage of pure devotional service by virtue of her full dedication to
         hearing and chanting the Holy Mahamantra. She experienced the transcendental benefits of regularly chanting Hare
         Krishna with full attention. They are:
         1-Pure devotional service brings immediate relief from all kinds of material distress.
         2-Pure devotional service is the beginning of all auspiciousness.
         3-Pure devotional service automatically puts one in transcendental pleasure.
         4-Pure devotional service is rarely achieved and one feels exceptionally fortunate.
         5-Those in pure devotional service deride even the conception of liberation.
         6-Pure devotional service is the only means to attract Krishna.
         Krishna is the Supreme all-attractive Personality of Godhead. Pure devotional service rendered by a sincere devotee is
         so powerful that  Krishna  Himself  is attracted. It is transcendentally stronger  than Krishna because pure love and
         devotion to the Lord is His internal potency. Srimati Radharani is the epitome of pure love and devotion. She favors
         any devotee who serves Krishna with pure intentions to please the Lord.
         Another example is Lord Ramachandra. He strictly followed the principals of dharma. His father gave Him the order to
         leave the kingdom of Ayodhya without being crowned the king, and to stay in exile for fourteen years as if He were a
         criminal! However, He was not a criminal. He did not commit any mistake.
         Sage Narada tells his disciple Valmiki Muni that the Lord went to the forest to please His Mother Kaikeyi and to obey
         His father’s command (VR 1.1.24). Bharat, Rama’s brother, and the entire population of Ayodhya came to see Him in
         the forest  exile. They begged Him to  come back. Even Vasistha Muni, Rama’s  guru,  ordered Him to come back.
         However, He refused. He said, “No. If I do that, then I would turn my father into a liar.” Dasarath, Rama’s father,
         promised his wife Kaikeyi that he would send Rama into exile for fourteen years. A son has to respect His parents.
         Rama chose not to do anything that would tarnish the reputation of His father. He was following the principles of
         dharma (spiritual duty). Even when His Guru told Him, “You go back. You do not have to follow your father’s order,”
         He refused respectfully  and explained why  He should continue the exile.  Rama  is  famous  for  His unparalleled
         adherence to righteousness according to the codes of behavior given in the Vedas.
         Uncle  Dhritarastra  asked  his  nephew  King  Yudhisthira  to  gamble.  Yudhisthira  lost  the  first  time  because  Sakuni
         cheated in the game of dice.  His submissive attitude resulted in a drastic loss because  the Kauravas disrespected
         Draupadi, his wife. Dhritarastra annulled the Pandavas’ loss. Nevertheless, Duryodhana convinced his father to invite
         the Pandavas a second round of gambling. Yudhistira knew very well that he would be cheated again. Yet he went
         back because of his determination to follow the path of dharma. He did not want to disrespect his uncle’s request. He
         honored his uncle as if he were his own father. All the Pandavas were forced to go into exile for 12 years and to
         remain incognito for one additional year. Yudhisthira became famous and is known as Dharmaraja or the example of a
         sincere follower of dharma.
         Adhering to the righteous codes of Vaishnava behavior may be inconvenient. However, if one gives up all material
         goals and takes complete shelter of Lord Krishna, there is no loss in any way. A devotee abandons material acts by
         engaging in activities that help him advance spiritually on the path of Krishna consciousness. There is never any loss
         for a sincere follower of Krishna consciousness. Krishna confirms this, “The Supreme Personality of Godhead said, ‘Oh



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