If someone really wants to go back to godhead, he must act accordingly. If we want to achieve Phd. 1st class 1st, we have to work hard day and night. Still we may get 2ndclass. But further we can achieve. So whatever we get depends upon our endeavours.
Prabhupada says that every night before sleeping and Srila Bhaktisiddhanta says that on every ekadasi, you should introspect how many vaishnava qualities you have developed to become eligible for going back to godhead.
Strictly follow what Guru says. Don’t commit offense towards the vaishnavas, and then, sure, in one life, you will go back to Godhead.
Finish you Job in one life, so that you don’t have to come again and again and take kicks of maya. Guru is there to help you.
It took three lifetimes to Bharat Maharaja to go Back to Godhead. Then what about us? We have to meditate on this.
Many come, do many big things. Don’t be surprised. But hardly few remain, because everybody will be tested. To become a ‘Vaishnava’, to go back to Godhead, you have to be qualified. It requires sadhana. It requires time. It requires patience. It requires austerity. One has to face challenges, reverses, hardships. He will be tested thoroughly. When he is completely attached to Krishna and Karshna, things dear to Krishna like devotees, dhama, Krishna- katha, Krishna’s name, form, beauty, pastimes. And when any other attachments to this material world becomes insignificant and zero, not even iota of attachment to anything of this world, then rest assured, in one life you will go back to Godhead.
What is the greatest danger? Greatest danger is coming to the cycle of birth, death, old age and disease.
1. Slow and steady, move forward and go Back to Godhead, whether present generation or past generation, anybody can go.
2. Actually pure devotee does not care for going back to Godhead. But in kali-yuga, we are very fallen. So Prabhupada said, “Try to go back to Godhead”.
One may do a lot of service, but to control six anarthas (kama, krodha lobha etc.), that is difficult, very difficult. You will definitely get some credit for your service, but if you want to go back Home, back to Godhead, you must control these anarthas. Krishna is situated in pure goodness which is free from any tinge of these bad qualities.
1. Austerity means Mangal Arati, finish your 16 rounds before Mangal Arati. Listen Srimad-Bhagavatam every morning and evening, take Krishna prasadam and nothing from outside, work very-very hard for serving Krishna rest of the time, Don’t keep material desires, don’t commit offense to vaishnavas.
2. Do as much austerity that you feel as a little difficult. Don’t overdo. Instead, our austerity is to get up early in the morning and attend mangal-arati. Do whatever our authority instructs us, even if we don’t like it.