Category:Elevation of a Devotee of God
Theme Analysis
The concept of elevation for a pure devotee of God is entirely distinct from the materialist's ambition. According to Śrīla Prabhupāda, ordinary individuals and mixed devotees often perform pious activities with the aim of being elevated to the heavenly planets for enhanced sense gratification. A pure Vaiṣṇava, however, has zero interest in such temporary promotions. They do not care for a high-grade or low-grade material life in their next birth, nor do they aspire for any of the five kinds of liberation (such as sārṣṭi or sārūpya), recognizing them as subtle forms of sense gratification. Their sole objective is to be elevated to the eternal spiritual world to serve Kṛṣṇa with full knowledge and peace.
The process of this spiritual elevation is simple, natural, and profound. By engaging in the fundamental devotional activities of hearing and chanting, the devotee very soon escapes the clutches of material dualities. Crucially, this elevation is nourished by the association of other pure souls. By forming friendships with other devotees and engaging in iṣṭa-goṣṭhī—discussing spiritual subject matters—devotees mutually elevate one another. When the conditioned soul becomes frustrated with material life, approaching these pure brāhmaṇas and devotees is the only way to achieve final elevation from bondage.
As the devotee advances, they are elevated to the highest echelons of spiritual ecstasy. Through constant reciprocation with the Lord, they reach the platform of pure love, or prema. At this stage, they may be elevated to the principles of rāga-mārga, the spontaneous devotion characteristic of the residents of Vṛndāvana. Sometimes, the Lord may induce mundane frustration in a pure devotee's life, but this is merely a divine catalyst designed to elevate them to an even higher transcendental position. Ultimately, the absolute distinction between material elevation and devotional elevation is permanence: when a devotee is elevated to the spiritual kingdom, they never fall down.
- Rejecting Material Ascension: Pure devotees have absolutely no desire for elevation to the heavenly planets or even for standard forms of liberation.
- The Method of Elevation: Devotees elevate themselves and each other through hearing, chanting, and engaging in spiritual discussions (iṣṭa-goṣṭhī).
- The Heights of Prema: Continuous reciprocation with the Lord elevates the devotee to the spontaneous, loving platform of Vṛndāvana (rāga-mārga).
- Permanent Security: Unlike those elevated to higher material planets who must eventually fall, a devotee elevated to the spiritual kingdom remains there eternally.
- Explore the synthesized essence of this category in this Vanipedia article: Elevation of a Devotee of God - Beyond the Heavenly Planets.
Subcategories
This category has the following 3 subcategories, out of 3 total.
Pages in category "Elevation of a Devotee of God"
The following 25 pages are in this category, out of 25 total.
A
- A devotee is at once elevated to the spiritual platform
- A devotee's sinful activities is excused, and if he is repentant, then he is again elevated to his original position. That is the verdict of all sastras
- A pure devotee is never interested in elevation to the heavenly planets, even though such places are extremely dear even to the demigods
- A pure devotee is not anxious to elevate himself in his next birth. He has already given up that sort of hope
- As the devotee thinks that it is due to being a devotee of the Lord that he is elevated in all good qualities, so the Lord also thinks that it is because of His devotion to the servitor that all His transcendental glories have increased
B
S
- Some devotees, having failed to complete the process of devotional service, are promoted to the heavenly planets, to which the pious are elevated, and after enjoying there they may be directly promoted to the place where the Lord's pastimes are going on
- Such devotees are not interested even in so-called liberation, and they certainly have no interest in material activities for elevation to the heavenly planets for sense gratification
T
- The devotee who wants to elevate himself simply by the process of devotional activities, especially by hearing and chanting, very soon comes out of the clutches of the dualities of material existence
- The devotee who wants to elevate himself to the higher level of understanding must know that the Lord is present in every living entity, and, as stated in the previous verse (SB 3.29.23), one should be compassionate to other living entities
- The distinction between the elevated position of a devotee and that of an ordinary person attracted to fruitive activities is that when a devotee is elevated to the spiritual kingdom he never falls down
- The principles of raga-marga are especially meant for devotees who are elevated to the Vrndavana platform
- The pure devotee's mundane frustration is meant to elevate the devotee to a higher transcendental position
- There are many devotees who are elevated to the higher planetary systems
- This evidence from Srimad-Bhagavatam gives assurance to the pure devotee of being elevated to association with the Supreme Personality of Godhead
W
- When one associates with a pure devotee, he becomes so elevated that he does not aspire even for sarsti, sarupya, samipya or salokya, because he feels that such liberation is a kind of sense gratification
- When the conditioned soul is not satisfied with them, he comes to devotees and pure brahmanas who try to elevate him for final liberation from material bondage
- Whether a devotee acts in a so-called pious or impious manner, he is neither elevated nor degraded, but is transferred to the spiritual kingdom