View source for Without spiritual master's help, nobody can become self-realized. Our Vaisnava philosophy does not allow that you shall become self-realized by your own endeavor

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{{terms|"Without spiritual master's help, nobody can become self-realized. Our Vaiṣṇava philosophy does not allow that you shall become self-realized by your own endeavor"}}
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[[Category:Without]]
[[Category:A Spiritual Master Helps]]
[[Category:Nobody Can]]
[[Category:Becoming Self-realized]]
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[[Category:Vaisnava Philosophy]]
[[Category:Does Not]]
[[Category:Not Allow]]
[[Category:Your]]
[[Category:Endeavor]]
[[Category:Pages Needing Audio - SHARMISTHA]]
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<h2>Lectures</h2>
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<h3>Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures</h3>
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[[Vanisource:690410 - Lecture SB 02.01.01-4 - New York|690410 - Lecture SB 02.01.01-4 - New York]]
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Two things required, guru and Kṛṣṇa, to advance in the spiritual realization, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So here it is . . . Kṛṣṇa is pleased in the family of the Pāṇḍavas. So Parīkṣit Mahārāja was going to die. Parīkṣit Mahārāja was grandson of Arjuna, and he was also a devotee. So therefore, by the mercy of Kṛṣṇa, a bona fide spiritual master is sent to Parīkṣit Mahārāja. Guru-kṛṣṇa.

When one is sincere, then Kṛṣṇa is sitting within everyone. As soon as He sees that "Here is a sincere soul. He's seeking after Me," so He manifests Himself out externally as spiritual master. The spiritual master is therefore representative of Kṛṣṇa. Guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpāya pāya bhakti-latā-bīja ([[Vanisource:CC Madhya 19.151|CC Madhya 19.151]]). Two things. Without being representative of Kṛṣṇa, nobody can become spiritual master. Kṛṣṇa-śakti vinā nahe tāra pravartana ([[Vanisource:CC Antya 7.11|CC Antya 7.11]])

Without being empowered by Kṛṣṇa, nobody can preach, nobody can become a spiritual master.

So here, Śukadeva Gosvāmī sent by Kṛṣṇa on the verge of his death. Guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpāya pāya bhakti-latā-bīja. Ei rūpe brahmāṇḍa bhramite kona bhāgyavān jīva ([[Vanisource:CC Madhya 19.151|CC Madhya 19.151]]). This opportunity is obtained by a very fortunate person. Because the living entities are wandering within this universe, packed up, from one planet to another, from one species life to another species of life. In this way he is wandering.

He is not fixed up. Today I am American or Indian, tomorrow or next birth, I do not know what is going to happen to me. But this body for good will be finished. I'll never get this body. I'll get another body. Maybe a demigod's body or a tree's body or a plant's body or animal's body—I must get another body.

So the living entity is wandering in this way, vāsāṁsi jīrṇāni ([[Vanisource:BG 2.22 (1972)|BG 2.22]]). Just like we change our dress from one dress to another, similarly, we are changing different positions by the influence of māyā. Māyā is forcing me. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi ([[Vanisource:BG 3.27 (1972)|BG 3.27]]).

As soon as I am desiring something, immediately my body is formed. Immediately a particular type of body begins to form, and as soon as I am mature to change, my next body I get according to my desire. Therefore we should always desire Kṛṣṇa. Then from this life, the Kṛṣṇa-approaching body, or the spiritual body, will be formed.

The more you become sincere servant of Kṛṣṇa, the more your body becomes Kṛṣṇa-ized, electrified. Therefore advanced Kṛṣṇa conscious person is considered to have a spiritual body. The same example, as I have given several times: just like iron rod.

You put into the fire, it becomes warmer, warmer. The more it is connected with fire, it becomes warm, warm, warm. And at last it becomes red hot, so that at that time, if that iron is touched to any other thing, it burns. It does not act as iron, it acts as fire.

Similarly, by this Kṛṣṇa consciousness, continuous chanting, you will make your body spiritualized. At that time, wherever you go, wherever you touch, he'll be spiritualized. Similarly, the iron . . . without being spiritualized, without being red hot, if you touch, it will not act. So every one of us, those who have come to this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, expected to preach in the future and to become a spiritual master also in the future. But first of all you must spiritualize yourself; otherwise it is useless.

So kṛṣṇa-śakti vinā nahe ([[Vanisource:CC Antya 7.11|CC Antya 7.11]]). Without . . . just like without being red hot, you cannot burn any other thing, similarly, without being fully spiritualized, you cannot make others spiritualized. Therefore we have to follow the paramparā system. The disciplic succession, as we get the knowledge, as we get the power, as we get the instruction, so we have to follow. That will help me to spiritualize myself. And when you are spiritualized . . . you'll have to wait for that time. Then, wherever you will preach, the result will be there.

So by the grace of Lord Kṛṣṇa, Śukadeva Gosvāmī has reached Parīkṣit Mahārāja. Therefore at the verge of Mahārāja Parīkṣit's death, Śukadeva Gosvāmī was sent to help him in the process of self-realization. Without spiritual master's help, nobody can become self-realized. Our Vaiṣṇava philosophy does not allow that you shall become self-realized by your own endeavor.

Just like other schools, they think . . . Buddha school, that by meditation . . . I do not know whether in Buddha school the spiritual master is accepted. But our Vaiṣṇava school, without acceptance of spiritual master, there is no possibility of self-realization. Guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpāya pāya bhakti-latā-bīja.

Then, "Mahārāja Parīkṣit was a devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa from his childhood, so he had natural affection for Kṛṣṇa, and Śukadeva Gosvāmī could understand his devotion to Lord Kṛṣṇa. Therefore he welcomed the question about his duty, because the king hinted that worship of Lord Kṛṣṇa is the ultimate function of every living entity. Śukadeva Gosvāmī welcomed this suggestion and said, 'Because you have raised the question about Kṛṣṇa, your question is most glorious'."
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