Mercy of God
We cannot force our way into the spiritual world. We cannot force our way to realization. Everything can only come by mercy. God bestows his mercy and reveals himself according to the devotional love that we have.
Radhanath Swami on Love and Unity
The way to love and unity is giving credit and glory to each other. Then there is no competition and envy.
Love
Things can give pleasure to the mind and senses, but only love can give pleasure to the heart and ultimately, that is what we are looking for.
Qualities of a Devotee
A pure devotee always thinks himself as a non-devotee. If one thinks he is a big devotee that is not good. We should not be puffed up. A devotee avoids it, remaining always in the second degree. Krishna has given everyone something extraordinary and to serve Krishna with one’s extraordinary talent means successful life.
Mind
Although the mind may work imperfectly at the time of death, Krishna gives a devotee shelter at His lotus feet. Therefore, when a devotee gives up his body, the mind does not take him to another material body. Rather, Krishna takes the devotee to that place where He is engaged in His pastimes. One’s consciousness, therefore, must always be absorbed in Krishna, and then one’s life will be successful. Otherwise, the mind will carry the soul to another material body.
Distress
A devotee always accepts his distress as minimized by God’s mercy, though he might have to suffer many more times the suffering. Anyone who accepts this philosophy of God’s mercy in suffering conditions and still makes progress in Krishna Consciousness, He is sure to go Back Home Back to Godhead.
Surrendering to Lord Krishna
Krishna does not need our service, but He kindly accepts it. When Krishna asks us to surrender unto Him, this does not mean that Krishna is lacking servants and that if we surrender He will profit. Krishna can create millions of servants by His mere desire. If we surrender to Krishna, we shall be saved. As Krishna says ‘Aham Tvam Sarva Papebhyo Moksayisyami : I shall free you from all sinful reactions’.
Qualifications of a Spiritual Master
The qualification of a spiritual master is that he must have realized the conclusion of the scriptures by deliberation and arguments and thus be able to convince others of these conclusions. Such great personalities who have taken shelter of the Supreme Godhead, leaving aside all material considerations, are to be understood as bona fide spiritual masters.
Surrender
In the devotional service of the Lord, the only qualification required is surrender. Surrendering oneself is in one’s hand. If one likes, he can surrender immediately, without delay and that begins his spiritual life.
Surrender
Srimad Bhagavatam begins with the surrender of the devotee unto the Absolute Person. The devotee is fully aware that he is one with the Absolute and at the same time he is in the eternal position of servant to the Absolute.