Category:Converting Into Devotees of God
Theme Analysis
The highest welfare activity in human society is to convert conditioned souls into pure devotees of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. According to the teachings of the previous spiritual masters, particularly Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, the success of a preacher is not measured by the accumulation of properties, temples, or thousands of superficial followers. If a spiritual master can convert even one single person into a perfectly pure devotee, his entire mission in life is fulfilled, and his admission into the spiritual kingdom is guaranteed. To achieve this, the primary formality is that the preacher must first become a pure devotee themselves; by remaining strictly situated in goodness, converting others becomes a natural and potent result.
The Vedic literatures provide extraordinary historical examples of this transformative power. A true Vaiṣṇava is defined by their ability to make others into Vaiṣṇavas. The great sage Nārada Muni exemplifies this by converting a cruel, half-killing hunter named Mṛgāri into such a gentle saint that he would not even step on an ant. Similarly, Mahārāja Parīkṣit used his transcendental instructions to convert others to the path of devotion. The supreme power of devotional service is so absolute that even highly elevated impersonalist sages, such as Śukadeva Gosvāmī and the four Kumāras, were converted into pure devotees upon tasting the transcendental mellows of bhakti.
The most spectacular examples of mass and individual conversion are found in the pastimes of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. By His divine influence, the Lord converted the hardhearted logician Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya into a staunch devotee whose only interest became chanting the holy names. He systematically converted the proud sannyāsīs of Vārāṇasī, the devotees of Lord Śiva in Śiva-kāñcī, and the formidable Muslim magistrate, the Chānd Kazi, who joined the saṅkīrtana party. The ultimate aim of all these conversions is to create peaceful, offenseless citizens, making it the prime duty of the state and society to facilitate the spread of this divine consciousness.
- The Ultimate Mission: The true goal of a spiritual master is not to amass wealth or institutions, but to convert simply one person into a pure devotee.
- Purity is the Force: Before one can attempt to convert others, the preacher must first strictly establish their own purity and devotion.
- Historical Precedents: Saints like Nārada Muni and Mahārāja Parīkṣit successfully transformed degraded individuals and elevated impersonalists into unalloyed Vaiṣṇavas.
- Lord Caitanya's Mercy: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu effortlessly converted fierce opponents, proud scholars, and vast communities into ecstatic participants of the saṅkīrtana movement.
- Explore the synthesized essence of this category in this Vanipedia article: Converting Into Devotees of God - The Highest Missionary Goal.
Subcategories
This category has only the following subcategory.
Pages in category "Converting Into Devotees of God"
The following 24 pages are in this category, out of 24 total.
A
- A powerful Vaisnava who has converted others into Vaisnavas is to be worshiped, but because of material contamination
- According to the revealed scriptures, if a spiritual master can convert even one soul into a perfectly pure devotee, his mission in life is fulfilled
- After converting into Vaisnavas all the residents of Varanasi, who were headed by the sannyasis, and after completely educating and instructing Sanatana Gosvami there, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu returned to Jagannatha Puri
- After the mass nagara-sankirtana in protest against the magistrate Chand Kazi, the Kazi was converted to a devotee. Then Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu returned with His sankirtana party to the house of Sridhara, and Chand Kazi followed Him
- Arriving at Siva-kanci, Caitanya Mahaprabhu visited the deity of Lord Siva. By His influence, He converted all the devotees of Lord Siva into Vaisnavas
C
I
- I offer my respectful obeisances unto Lord Gauracandra, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who converted the hardhearted Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya, the reservoir of all bad logic, into a great devotee
- I wanted that he should preach to the Africans and convert them to become devotees, that should be his real business, nevermind wasting time with so many nonsense Indians
- If you keep yourself on the suddha-sattva-guna, then you will be able to convert others to become devotees. Therefore it is not difficult. It is very easy also
- In this connection, there is a story in the Skanda Purana about a hunter who was converted into a great devotee under the instruction of Narada Muni. When the hunter became a perfect devotee, he was not prepared even to kill an ant
M
S
- Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya was converted into one of the most important devotees of the Lord, and he had no other interest than to serve the Lord. He thought of Lord Caitanya constantly, and meditation and chanting became the main purpose of his life
- Seeing the Siva deity named Amrta-linga, Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu offered His obeisances. Thus He visited all the temples of Lord Siva and converted the devotees of Lord Siva into Vaisnavas
- Sometimes such an exalted Vaisnava (who converted others into Vaisnavas) is disrespected by other, minor Vaisnavas. When great saintly persons saw this contamination, they introduced worship of the Deity in the temple
- Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura always used to say, Even at the expense of all the properties, temples and mathas that I have, if I could convert even one person into a pure devotee, my mission would be fulfilled
- Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura has said that a Vaisnava is he who has helped others become Vaisnavas. An example of one who has converted many others into Vaisnavas is Narada Muni
- Sukadeva Gosvami and the Kumaras, although situated in the transcendental position, became converted by another feature of bhava and turned into pure devotees of the Lord
T
- The devotees of the Lord are by nature peaceful and offenseless, and therefore it is the prime duty of the state to arrange to convert everyone to become a devotee of the Lord. Thus automatically there will be peaceful, offenseless citizens
- The missionary goal of a devotee is to convert simply one person into a pure devotee. In this way his admission to the spiritual kingdom is guaranteed