Why it’s important to meet regularly with devotees for kirtan

March 21, 2012 in Articles, Damaghosa Dasa by Damaghosa dasa

Hare Krsna to all
Obeisances
All glories to Srila Prabhupada
I was reading over some past articles I have sent out the past two  years from one notebook I have at my
prasadam table and below is what came from it today.
Here are 4 very good reasons (from Prabhupadas books) why the sincere  and intelligent devotees meet regularly for  sadhu sanga, arotik,  kirtan, class, discussion and prasadam. We may say we know and understand the  “philosophy” of Krsna Consciousness, but if we do not apply it regularly, then  it is exactly like not knowing it at all. It remains theory only and the  material and spiritual benefits of the chanting will not be  forthcoming.
Hari bol
Damaghosa das
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1)  690619SB.NV                     Lectures
 Maya  is already there, side by side, Krsna and maya. Just like this light. This  side is light; this side is darkness. Take this example. This light, the  one side is very bright; another side is dark. So this darkness and this  light is always side by side. Similarly, Krsna and maya…  So as soon as you become little slack in Krsna  consciousness, immediately maya is ready to capture you.  Maya is always going side by side. As Krsna is all-pervading, the maya is  also all-pervading. As soon as there is lack of Krsna consciousness, there is  immediately maya.
2)  770108mw.bom                                            
 Indian man: Second thing is… Prabhupada: No, first of all you understand this. Then bring  second thing. That you have no duty. Your only  duty is to surrender to Krsna. Sarva-dharman parityajya mam  ekam. That is your only duty. But because you are under the  mental platform, you are creating duties, so but that also must  be finished after certain age. That is compulsory, that “You are very good,  responsible man. All right, do your duty up to this. No more duty. No more  duty.” So this “duty, no duty,” this is our creation. We are under fully  control of the nature. But we have created our mental concoction:  “This is duty. This is good. This is bad.” That is our  mano-dharma. Real dharma is sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam  vraja. This is real dharma. And everything is mano-dharma, mental  creation. …. Real dharma is to surrender to Krsna. But it takes time. Therefore sat-sanga is  required……
3)  690510rc.col                 Conversations                         
 Everyone is thinking, “Oh, there are so many problems I have to solve. I  have to make this, that, this, so many.” But he has no problem. He has no  problem. His only problem is how to accept Krsna. That’s all. And Krsna  is so kind. He says, “Yes, you accept Me. Simply chant Krsna. I am yours.  That’s all.” But my, I am so misfortunate that I cannot chant  even.All problems solved simply by  chanting Krsna. Etadrsi tava krpa bhagavan.  Caitanya Mahaprabhu teaches that “O Krsna, You are so kind that You have come  to Me in the sound vibration, word, ‘Krsna.’ I can very easily chant, and You  remain with Me. But I am so misfortunate that I have no attraction even for  this.” You say people, “You chant Krsna; you get everything…. ‘  Oh, what is this?” Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, etadrsi  tava krpa bhagavan mamapi durdaiva: “But I am so unfortunate that You have  become so easily available in this age, but I am so unfortunate, I cannot  accept it.” So the Krsna consciousness so easily being distributed, but  they are so unfortunate, they cannot accept. Just see. …..
4) Bg 3.14  P                      Karma-yoga
The  Lord can be satisfied by sacrifices,therefore, one who cannot perform  them will find himself in scarcity–that is the law of nature.  Yajna, specifically the sankirtana-yajna prescribed for this age, must  therefore be performed to save us at least from scarcity…..