How to Act and Who is liberated-​SP

April 28, 2013 in Articles, Damaghosa Dasa by Damaghosa dasa

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Hare Krsna to all

Pranams

All glories to Srila Prabhupada

 

Yesterday for our weekly Saturday Feast program, we  looked carefully at the verse in BG 3.9 which states that all work must be done  for Lord Vishnu otherwise all that work is Karma, or binding the soul to the  wheel of birth and death.   Personally I don’t think devotees think enough about the beginning  chapters of BG, which stress how to act in this world, which is the foundation  for how to act eventually upon the spiritual platform. Please consider thoughtfully, these quotes from Srila  Prabhupadas books.

 

Hare Krsna

Damaghosa das

 

1.Madhya 2.31  Certainly that heart is  steel-framed which, in spite of one’s  chanting

the holy name of  the Lord with concentration, does not change and  feel

ecstasy, at which  time tears fill the eyes and the hairs stand  on

end.”

 

(So this above  verse in CC gives us the end result of chanting Hare Krsna  mantra.

We should not  forget that this is the end point and reward for successful  execution

of chanting Hare Krsna maha mantra. To forget it means we  are just blindly following rules without profit.)

 

2. SB 2.3.24 P   . If there is no such change,  the heart must be

considered  steel-framed, for it is not melted even when there  is

chanting of the holy name  of the Lord. We must always remember  that

hearing and chanting are the basic  principles of discharging

devotional duties, and if they are  properly performed there will

follow the  reactional ecstasy with signs of tears in the eyes  and

standing of the hairs on  the body. These are natural consequences  and

are the preliminary symptoms of the bhava  stage, which occurs before

one reaches the perfectional stage of prema,  love of Godhead.

   If the reaction does not take  place, even after continuous hearing

and chanting of  the holy name of the Lord, it may be considered to  be

due to offenses  only. That is the opinion of the  Sandarbha. In the

beginning of chanting of the holy name of  the Lord, if the devotee has

not been very  careful about evading the ten kinds of offenses at  the

feet of the holy  name, certainly the reaction of feelings  of

separation will  not be visible by tears in the eyes and standing  of

the hair on  end.

 

3. Excerpts from Srila Bhaktivinoda and his  book called Sri Bhaktyaloka 

 

There are two types  sanga-association an attachment. Association is of two types-with non devotees  and with women. Similarly attachment is also two types-attachment  for prejudices and attachment for  assets. Those matahmas who wish to attain perfection in  Devotional service should carefully   give up sanga in the form of association and attachment, otherwise  this sanga will gradually ruin  everything.

 

Now let us consider sanga in the form of  attachment. Attachments are of two kinds-attachment for prejudices and  attachment for assets. First I will discuss the attachment for prejudices.  There are two type of prejudices-ancient and current. The conditioned  living entity has been performing fruitive activities and endeavoring for  knowledge since time immemorial and the prejudices that have developed in his  subtle body as a result are called ancient prejudices. Those prejudices are  known as ones nature. As stated in BG—the embodied spirit master of the city  of his body does not create activities nor does he induce people to act not does  he create the fruits of action. All this is enacted by the modes of material  nature.”Srila Baladev Vidyabhusana comments-The primordial  material  desire that is active since time  immemorial is called ones nature. Due to such a desire the living entity is  supplied with material bodies and other paraphernalia. False identification  with the bodies causes one to act and causes others to act although this is not  the pure souls real constitution or nature.” Regarding the bondage of prejudices  of knowledge the BG says (14.6) O sinless one the mode of goondess  being purer than the others is  illuminating and it frees one from all sinful reactions. Those situated in that  mode become conditioned by a sense of happiness and knowledge. Srila  Baladev  comments-“I am wise, I am  happy”. By this pride the living entity is bound by goodness. 

Peoples association with  karma and jnana is the result of attachment born from the prejudices of  ones nature that are produced from past  karma and jnana.

From ancient prejudices one develops  association with karma and jnana Association with these ancient prejudices is  inevitable. Despite all attempts up to suicide one cannot give up ones  prejudices.

 

The prejudices or  attachments for good and bad attained in this life due to association are called  modern prejudices. Everyone in the  world is under the control of these two kinds of prejudices.  When a living entity is not bound by  maya then by nature he is a servant of Krsna.  Being bound by maya a living entity  cannot give up ancient and modern wicked prejudices.  At that time ancient wicked prejudices  become his second nature.  Only  sadhu sanga can reform the attachment to prejudices. Sadhu sanga is the only  remedy for this disease. Unless one reforms his attachments to prejudices, one  cannot attain perfection in Devotional service by any  means.

 

Association with prejudices is very  dangerous. By affectionately associating with pure devotees of the Lord ones  association with prejudices in the form of karma and jnana is destroyed. Due to  this association with prejudices a living entites propensity for ignorance and  passion becomes stronger. Whatever propensities for goodness passion  and ignorance are seen in peoples eating  sleeping and sensual activites are all due to association with prejudices.  Karmis and jnanis disrespect Vaisnvavas only due to this attachment for  prejudices.Until the attachment for prejudices is destroyed the 10  offenses in chanting will not be  uprooted.

 

4.The 6th Offenses to chanting the Holy  Names-Give some concocted interpretation to the chanting of the Holy  Names. This means  the chanting of  Hare Krsna depends upon proper understanding of the philosophy before one can  chant without offense. Otherwise

why there are so many books on the subject? And why no  tears and hairs standing on end when we sing the names of God??

 

5.Define Pure Bhakti Yoga-SB 3.29.8 P   To act under the direction of a bona

fide spiritual master with a motive to satisfy the  Supreme Personality

of Godhead is pure devotional service. But if one  has a motive for

personal sense gratification, his devotional service is  manifested

differently

 

6. One time Sruti Kirti  told a story when Prabhupada was in the LA Temple.

Prabhupada had his  japa beads on his hand, then took the bead bag

and tossed it on his  table and said: “there my 16 rounds are finished,

now I can do any damn  thing I want.”

7. NBS 13 P-If a diseased person is being cured of the  symptoms of his disease

but does not care for the principles of healthy living,  there is every

possibility of a relapse. Similarly, the neophyte  devotee serious

about advancing in devotional service must carefully  follow the

principles of regulative devotional service; otherwise  there is every

possibility of his falling down. Strictly  speaking, if a devotee

ignores the regulative principles and acts according to  his whims–if,

for example, he does not eat krsna-prasadam but eats  anywhere and

everywhere, such as in restaurants–there is every  possibility of his

falling down. If he accumulates money without spending  it for

devotional service, there is every possibility of his  falling down. If

he applies his energy not in the service of the Lord but  in some

material activity, there is every possibility of his  falling down. If

the devotee does not engage himself always in hearing and  chanting the

topics of Krsna and His activities but instead indulges  in idle talk,

there is every chance of his falling down. If a neophyte  devotee does

not follow the orders of the spiritual master and simply  officially

sticks to the principles, or if he does not strictly  follow the

principles, there is every possibility of his falling  down. To become

greedy is another cause of falldown. And to associate  with persons who

are not in devotional service is the last word in maya’s  allurements

for causing a devotee to fall down

8.  750203mw.haw                 1. Devotee (1): No, I know, but for his actions other than just  following the four regulative principles and chanting sixteen rounds. He does  so many other things during the day. Where does he derive his authority if  he’s not, let’s say, living in the temple? Prabhupada: I do not follow.  The authority is guru. You have accepted. Bali Mardana: For  everything. Jayatirtha: Say I have some outside job, I’m living outside,  but I’m not giving 50% of my income. So then that work that I’m doing, is  it actually under the authority of the guru? Prabhupada: Then  you are not following the instruction of guru. That is  plain fact. Jayatirtha: So that means that whole activity  during the day, working, that means I am not following the instruction of the  guru. It’s unauthorized activity. Prabhupada: Yes. If you  don’t follow the instruction of guru, then you are fallen  down immediately. That is the way. Otherwise why you sing, yasya  prasadad bhagavat-prasado. It is my duty to satisfy guru. Otherwise I am  nowhere. So if you prefer to be nowhere, then you disobey as you like. But if you want to be steady in your position, then you have to follow  strictly the instruction of guru   

9. 730506SB.LA                     Lectures                   215476/530501

So the beginning you  cannot do so, that anything

you can dovetail. No.  In the beginning you have to learn first of all

how to become Krsna  conscious. You are, we are in  the training period.

We are in the training  period. We should not  imitate: “Oh, Yudhisthira

Maharaja was ordered  to speak lies, so let us go on speaking all

lies.” No, not that.  You cannot do so. First of all, be trained up.

For being trained up,  you have to follow the regulative principles,

the orders of  spiritual master. In this way, sevonmukhe hi jihvadau.

When your all parts of  your limbs will be engaged in Krsna’s service,

hrsikena  hrsikesa-sevanam, in this way when you are actually  advanced,

then whatever you  do in Krsna  consciousness, that is good.

 

Example-760314mw.may-  Acyutananda: If a man says, “I am giving you this donation because  it

is a spiritual  organization,” but if the money is misused, does that

man  benefit?

Prabhupada: If money  is misused, then both of them become implicated.

If it is not used for  Krsna, then both of them becomes under the laws

of  karma.

 

(This particular quote  example is to show us how exacting do the laws of nature operate  upon

us all. One would  naturally think that if he or she gives some donation to some spiritual group,  then some good spiritual result would come. But it is just the opposite, if one  is not careful. )

 

10. Bg 7.29 T     Intelligent persons who are endeavoring for liberation from old  age and death take refuge in Me in devotional service.  They are actually Brahman because they entirely know  everything about transcendental and fruitive  activities.

 

Bg 4.16  T      Even the intelligent are bewildered in  determining what is action and what  is inaction. Now I shall explain to you what action  is knowing which you shall be liberated from all  sins.

Bg 2.49  T    O Dhananjaya, rid yourself of all fruitive activities by  devotional service,  and surrender fully to that consciousness. Those who want  to enjoy the fruits of their work are  misers.

Bg 4.17  T     The intricacies of action are very hard to understand.  Therefore one should  know properly what action is, what forbidden action is,  and what inaction is.

PURPORT

If one  is serious about liberation from material bondage, one has to understand the  distinctions between action, inaction and unauthorized actions. One has to  apply oneself to such an analysis of action, reaction and perverted  actions because it is a very difficult subject  matter. To understand Krsna consciousness and action  according to the modes, one has to learn one’s relationship with the  Supreme; i.e., one who has learned perfectly knows that every living entity  is the eternal servitor of the Lord and that consequently one has to  act in Krsna consciousness. The entire Bhagavad-gita is directed  toward this conclusion. Any other conclusions, against this consciousness  and its attendant reactions, are vikarmas, or prohibited actions.  To understand all this one has to associate with authorities in  Krsna consciousness and learn the secret from them; this is as good  as learning from the Lord directly. Otherwise, even the most  intelligent

person will be  bewildered. 

11. Bg 4.20  T   Abandoning all attachment to the results of his activities,  ever satisfied and independent, he performs no fruitive  action, although engaged in all kinds of  undertakings.

PURPORT

   This  freedom from the bondage of actions is possible only in  Krsna consciousness  when one is doing everything for Krsna.

12. Bg 4.33  P    The purpose of all sacrifices is to arrive at the  status of complete knowledge, then to gain release from material miseries,  and, ultimately, to engage in loving transcendental service to the  Supreme Lord (Krsna consciousness). Nonetheless, there is a mystery about  all these different activities of sacrifice, and one should know  this mystery. Sacrifices sometimes take different forms according  to the particular faith of the performer. When one’s faith reaches the stage of transcendental knowledge, the performer  of sacrifices should be considered more advanced than those who simply  sacrifice material possessions without such knowledge, for without  attainment of knowledge, sacrifices remain on the material platform and  bestow no spiritual benefit

 

Real knowledge  culminates in Krsna consciousness, the highest stage of transcendental  knowledge. Without the elevation of knowledge, sacrifices are simply  material activities. When, however, they are elevated to the level of  transcendental knowledge, all such activities enter onto the spiritual  platform. Depending on differences in consciousness, sacrificial  activities are sometimes called karma-kanda, fruitive activities, and  sometimes jnana-kanda, knowledge in the pursuit of truth. It is better  when the end is knowledge.

 

13. Bg 5.2  P    One is considered to be a failure in life as long as he  makes no inquiry about his real identity. As long as he does not know his  real identity, he has to work for fruitive results for sense  gratification, and as long as one is engrossed in the consciousness of  sense gratification one has to transmigrate from one body to another.  Although the mind may be engrossed in fruitive activities and influenced by  ignorance, one must develop a love for devotional service to Vasudeva. Only  then can one have the opportunity to get out of the bondage of material  existence.”    Therefore, jnana (or knowledge that one is not  this material body but spirit soul) is not sufficient for liberation. One has  to act in the status of spirit soul, otherwise there is no escape from  material bondage.

14.  760510SB.HON                    Lectures                   The injunction is that tad viddhi, if you want to  understand transcendental subject matter, not material, spiritual…  Spiritual is completely unknown to  us because we do not know what is spiritual.  We are identifying with this body. You do not know even that  “I am spirit soul.” So where is the possibility of spiritual  understanding? One cannot  see himself, what he is. He is thinking, “I am this  body,” exactly like the dog. The dog is thinking, “I am  dog.” So if I think, “I am American,” “I am Indian,” where is the difference?  There is no difference. Yasyatma-buddhih kunape tri-dhatuke. If one thinks  that “I am this body,” then he’s no better than sa eva go-kharah. The  animals, they also think like that, “I am this  body.”

15.  741117SB.BOM                    Lectures

This is  self-realization. Self-realization means to see one’s  proper identity. At the present moment we  are not finding out our proper identity. We are seeing to the body. I see  you, your body, and you see me, my body. We have no vision of the  real person, which is, who is occupying this body. This is the  first lesson we get from Bhagavad-gita: dehino ‘smin yatha dehe. Dehi… This  body is called deha, and the owner of the body is called dehi.

So when we can see  that we are not this body, “I am not this body,” that is beginning of  self-realization. That is called  brahma-bhuta stage. Aham brahmasmi: “I am not this material body.” Aham  brahmasmi. This is self-realization.

 

(Prabhupada  explained above, that as long as one thinks and acts as  this

body,  then that fruitive work will continue to bind us to birth and  death. “As long as he does  not know his real identity, he has to work for fruitive results for sense  gratification”.)

 

(Srila Prabhupada explains below that liberation is not  just chanting 16 rounds and following the 4 regulative principles-because that  is just the beginning. )

16. 760607mw.la                  Conversations                

Hari-sauri: Because sadhana-bhakti is a gradual process,  they

immediately want the highest perfection  quickly.

Prabhupada: That is the danger. But if they at once go to  rasa-lila,

because they are not trained up neither they are  liberated, they’ll

think this rasa-lila is just like our young boys, young  girls mix

together, have sex like that.

… And they’ll do that. That sahajiya tendency is  very

easy to take up…. Thinking of Radha-Krsna lila, that  is in liberated stage,

not in the conditioned stage.

 

Ramesvara: Each one of us has an original relationship  with Krsna,

some as plant, some as tree, some as cow, some as cowherd  boy. So if

that is re-established, why should the devotee desire to  change it?

Prabhupada: That will be revealed when you are  liberated. Why you are

bothering now?

Ramesvara: That’s the point.

Prabhupada: A patient is thinking, “How shall I dance  when I become

healthy?” First of all, rascal, become healthy, then talk  of all this.

The rascals are thinking like that. You are patient;  first of all cure..

 

(So all these devotees in these days were following the  regulative principles as

best they could, yet still Prabhupada says that ones  siddha deha,(spiritual body)

will be revealed when one is liberated, but not right  now!)

 

17. 760816rc.bom                 Conversations                

Acyutananda: Some of the devotees, they said that it is  for liberated

souls. So they said, “Well, we are all  liberated.”

Prabhupada: Yes. Liberated for going to  hell.

18. 760816rc.bom                Conversations    

Prabhupada:  Liberated soul never says that “I am liberated.” As  soon

as he says  “liberated,” he’s a rascal. A liberated soul will never  say

that “I am  liberated.” That is liberated.  Caitanya Mahaprabhu, He is

God–guru more murkha  dekhi’ karila sasan. “My Guru Maharaja saw Me a

fool number one, and  he has chastised Me.” He’s God. This is the

example. If one  remains always a servant ever-lastingly of guru, then

he is liberated. And  as soon as he thinks that he is liberated, he’s a

rascal. That is the  teaching of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Guru more  murkha

dekhi’. Caitanya  Mahaprabhu is murkha? Why He’s posing Himself that

murkha? “I am fool  number one.” That means that is liberation. You

must be ready always  to be chastised by guru. Then he’s liberated. And

as soon as he thinks  that “I am beyond this chastisement, I am

liberated,” he’s a  rascal. Why Caitanya  Mahaprabhu says guru more

murkha dekhi’ karila  sasan? This is sahajiya-vada. He is thinking, “Oh

I have become  liberated. I don’t require any direction of my guru. I’m

liberated.” Then he’s  rascal. Why this Gaudiya Matha failed?  Because

they tried to become  more than guru. He, before passing  away, he gave

all direction and  never said that “This man should be the next

acarya.” But these  people, just after his passing away they began to

fight, who shall be  acarya. That is the failure. They never thought,

“Why Guru Maharaja  gave us instruction so many things, why he did not

say that this man  should be acarya?” They wanted to create

artificially somebody  acarya and everything failed. They did not

consider even with  common sense that if Guru Maharaja wanted to

appoint somebody as  acarya, why did he not say? He said so many

things, and this point  he missed? The real point? And they insist  upon

it. They declared  some unfit person to become acarya. Then another man

came, then another,  acarya, another acarya. So better remain a foolish

person perpetually to  be directed by Guru Maharaja. That is

perfection.

(Better we learn how to act first, then  liberation will come later)

 

19. Bg 5.26  P   In the conditioned soul the desire to enjoy the fruitive  results of work is so deep-rooted that it is very difficult even for the  great sages to control such desires, despite great endeavors. A devotee  of the Lord, constantly engaged in devotional service  in Krsna consciousness, perfect in self-realization,  very quickly attains liberation in the Supreme. Owing to his complete  knowledge in self-realization, he always remains in trance.

(So now here below,  Srila Prabhupada talks about just ordinary karma yoga-, not even bhakti yoga,  and how karma yoga is superior of Vaidhi Bhakti  yoga)

 

20. 740401mw.bom                 Conversations                 Prabhupada: Karma-yogi means one who does everything for Krsna.  He’s karma-yogi. Guest (1): One who does everything  for…? Prabhupada: For Krsna. Guest (1): For Krsna. Prabhupada:  Just like you are doing, doing some work. For whom you  are doing? Guest (1): For my own benefit. Prabhupada:  That’s all. So that is karma. But when you do the  same thing for Krsna, that is  karma-yoga.

Prabhupada: ..done  not meant for Krsna, that is for his own satisfaction. Just  like Arjuna wanted to become nonviolent: “No, no, Krsna. I cannot kill my  kinsmen.” That is a good proposal. But that was his  satisfaction. Guest (1): That is very correct. Prabhupada: Yes.  That was his satisfaction. But Krsna wanted that “You must fight.” And when  he agreed to that, that is his perfection. Before that, he was  trying to satisfy he.(himself) … Whatever you do,  that is your satisfaction. That is karma. ..karma. …for your  own sense satisfaction, that is karma. And if you do it  for Krsna’s satisfaction, that  is karma-yoga.

Makhanlal: Pure bhakti  and karma-yoga considered to  be  exactly the same? Prabhupada: Exactly the same. Prabhupada:  Pure bhakti is above karma-yoga. Pure bhakti is  above karma-yoga. Bhagavata: That is the  difference between the Chapter Karma-yoga and Karma-yoga in Krsna  Consciousness. Prabhupada: Yes. Pure, pure devotion means Sravanam  kirtanam. Makhanlal: …you’re performing, is the vaidhi-bhakti stage  of…  …of the sadhana-bhakti,  the regulative principles. Prabhupada: Yes, vaidhi-bhakti means regulative  principles, and when you are accustomed, automatically you perform, that is  raga-bhakti. Makhanlal: So vaidhi-bhakti is considered superior to  karma-yoga then. Prabhupada: No. Karma-yoga is  better. Makhanlal: Karma-yoga is better? Prabhupada:  Yes.

Indian man: Pure  bhakti is superior. Prabhupada: Pure bhakti is sravanam  kirtanam. Sravanam  kirtanam visnu-smaranam pada-sevanam, that is pure  bhakti. (break) Yasomatinandana: …formed by  anybody. Prabhupada: Eh? Yasomatinandana: Karma-yoga. Prabhupada:  Unless one is inclined to take to devotion, it is not possible to take  to karma-yoga. Who can sacrifice the profit? Yasomatinandana: Does  karma-yoga mean to follow exactly the sastras? Prabhupada:  Karma-yoga means yat karosi yaj juhosi kurusva  tat mad-arpanam. Yasomatinandana: Doing only for Krsna. Prabhupada: Yes. That is  karma-yoga. Devotee: Which means? Prabhupada: “Whatever you do, the  result give Me.” Devotee: To Krsna. Prabhupada:  Yes. Yasomatinandana: So we are also, those who are on the  vaidhi-bhakti (indistinct) on karma-yoga path because we  are… Prabhupada: Yes. They are acting under the order of the  spiritual

master. That is  bhakti-yoga. Bhagavata: So  when one follows the nine activities of devotion purely, that is pure  bhakti. Prabhupada: Yes. Bhagavata: Then when he’s following those  nine activities, then he’s superior. Prabhupada: Eh? Bhagavata: Then  that’s superior to karma-yoga, to follow those nine principles  purely. Prabhupada: Yes.Makhanlal: Raganuga-bhakti is also superior  to karma-yoga then? Prabhupada: Bhakti is perfect stage. That is not for  ordinary man.

21. 760920SB.VRN   ..Sinful activities mean  anything you do without any purpose

to serve to Krsna,  that is sinful. That is sinful. Not  that “In the

material calculation  this is very good work, the opening of hospital

or this or that, very  good work. And Deity worship and going to the

temple is bogus.” You  may think like that.

 

22. 720827SB.LA                     Lectures                   211232/530501

 No.  Brahmana means one who has seen, brahma-darsana. Darsana means seeingAnd in that platform you can see God, or you can realize what is Absolute  Truth.

…Manusyanam sahasresu kascid yatati siddhaye. Out of  many millions of

persons, kascit, somebody is trying to become a  brahmana. That is

siddhaye. Kascid yatati siddhaye. Siddhaye means  to become successful.

And yatatam api siddhanam. And out of many millions of  persons who has

become successful, out of them some may know what is  Krsna.

   So  anyway, brahma-darsanam. Brahma-darsanam means the  preliminary

understanding of the Absolute Truth. Brahmeti  paramatmeti bhagavan iti

sabdyate. In the preliminary understanding, impersonal  Brahman is

realized; and if you make further progress, then you are,  you realize

the localized aspect, Paramatma. Isvarah sarva-bhutanam  hrd-dese

‘rjuna tisthati. In your heart you will see. And, further  progress

means you’ll see Visnu, or Lord Krsna–brahmeti  paramatmeti bhagavan

iti. The one thing, thing is one, absolute, but a  different capacity.

 

… Ordinary men, those who are in the sunshine, they  cannot understand

what is the temperature in the sun globe. And even if you  go nearer to

the sun globe, it is very difficult to enter into the,  within the

planet. Similarly, the first understanding of the  Absolute Truth is

impersonal Brahman, brahma-darsanam. Then, if you  can make further

progress, then you will see that Absolute Truth within  your heart by

yoga system. And if you make further advance, then you  see Him eye to

eye and give your service, render your service  personally. These are

the stages.

 

23. 721001SB.LA                     Lectures                  

Vaisnava means he is transcendental to the  brahminical qualities also. But if you do  not

maintain even brahminical  qualities, then where you are a Vaisnava?

    So to become a Vaisnava is not so easy thing, because it  is

transcendental to the  brahminical quality. But it is very easy.  Lord

Caitanya has made it easy, provided you  stick to the principles. If

you simply chant regularly Hare Krsna…  This is the special facility

for the people in this age. You can remain  steady in transcendental

position. Ceto-darpana-marjanam  bhava-maha-davagni-nirvapanam. As  soon

as you remain in  the offenseless chanting platform, immediately  you

become transcendental to  these material qualities. Very simple.

 

Some conclusions:

We started out at the  very beginning with the verse from CC which stated that if ones heart is steel  framed, then tears wont come to the eyes when chanting nor will the hairs stand  on end. So

The last verse above  says everything is very easy-AS LONG as one remains upon the offenseless  platform of chanting Hare Krsna . I don’t know what everybody else concludes,  but as far as myself is concerned, if these transcendental symptoms do not  appear that means I am still chanting with  some offense.

So these verses test  our Krsna Consciousness and actual level of understanding.

Prabhupada has several  times said that when one joins this movement and gets  initiated

he is just like a  beginning student who has entered the university. A freshman is hardly  the

same as a graduating  senior who has passed all his tests. So when one can follow  the

basic pre requisites  such as 16 rounds a day and the 4 reg’s, that mean he has come  to

at least the human  platform, and not necessarily the transcendental platform, as some mistakenly  are thinking. For example a fully qualified brahmana (kanistha adhikari) is  still on the material platform      

So the whole point is  this-If we are actually on  the transcendental platform, which means every action we perform is for  the satisfaction of Srila Prabhupada and Lord Krsna, then this work is A-karma,  or without reaction. That is moksa, and in that platform, tears will come to the  eyes when we chant Hare Krsna.

 

NoD 10     Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu also recommended this process of hearing  as

a means of self-realization in the present age of Kali.  In this age it

is very difficult to follow thoroughly the regulative  principles and

studies of the Vedas which were formerly recommended.  However, if one

gives aural reception to the sound vibrated by great  devotees and

acaryas, that alone will give him relief from all  material contamination.

 **newrule