Adapted from a class by HG Mukunda Prabhu in Sri Vrindavan Dhaam on 22.03.2012
Question by a Devotee: In order to practice devotional service, one has to elevate himself to the platform of Sattva-guna. But how should we elevate ourselves to the platform of sattva-guna while we are all living in a society dominated by the mode of passion and ignorance?
Mukunda Prabhu: In Bhagavad Gita, Krishna says that His bhakti is labhate param - it's the supreme and to attain that one has to be situated in Brahma-bhuta platform which means to be literally free from the dualities of delusion which arise due to the bodily concept of life. This is surely difficult but one can attain that stage by the mercy of a devotee who is free from the bodily of concept of life. That's why we sing every morning, yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasado, yasya prasadan nagati kuto 'pi; By the grace of the Spiritual Master one gets the benediction of Krishna, and without that grace one cannot make any advancement. So, it is by the grace of the spiritual master that Krishna accepts our disastrous efforts of doing bhakti-yoga which are only a resemblance of real devotional service. If the spiritual master is pleased, then Krishna accepts us. So, by continuously practicing one comes to the level of Sattva-guna. Also, Prabhupada emphasized in 80% of His instructions on Varnasrama which is a prime necessity to bring us out of the animalistic concept of life. Srila Prabhupada said that we have to be passionistic to perform devotional service; so in that way rajo-guna helps us but we to eliminate the passionistic tendencies to also enjoy the material world simultaneously.
Question by a Devotee: In order to practice devotional service, one has to elevate himself to the platform of Sattva-guna. But how should we elevate ourselves to the platform of sattva-guna while we are all living in a society dominated by the mode of passion and ignorance?
Mukunda Prabhu: In Bhagavad Gita, Krishna says that His bhakti is labhate param - it's the supreme and to attain that one has to be situated in Brahma-bhuta platform which means to be literally free from the dualities of delusion which arise due to the bodily concept of life. This is surely difficult but one can attain that stage by the mercy of a devotee who is free from the bodily of concept of life. That's why we sing every morning, yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasado, yasya prasadan nagati kuto 'pi; By the grace of the Spiritual Master one gets the benediction of Krishna, and without that grace one cannot make any advancement. So, it is by the grace of the spiritual master that Krishna accepts our disastrous efforts of doing bhakti-yoga which are only a resemblance of real devotional service. If the spiritual master is pleased, then Krishna accepts us. So, by continuously practicing one comes to the level of Sattva-guna. Also, Prabhupada emphasized in 80% of His instructions on Varnasrama which is a prime necessity to bring us out of the animalistic concept of life. Srila Prabhupada said that we have to be passionistic to perform devotional service; so in that way rajo-guna helps us but we to eliminate the passionistic tendencies to also enjoy the material world simultaneously.
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