Category:Work of a Devotee of God
Theme Analysis
Śrīla Prabhupāda contrasts the activities of an ordinary materialistic worker with the work of a pure devotee. Superficially, both may appear to be working very hard with the same energy and ambition. However, the inner motive makes all the difference: a karmi works day and night impelled by lust for personal sense gratification, whereas a devotee works tirelessly under the direction of a bona fide spiritual master solely for the satisfaction of the Supreme Lord. Because this work is motivated by divine compassion and the desire to bring fallen souls back to Godhead, it is completely transcendental and liberates the devotee from all material entanglement.
- Working for the Supreme: While ordinary people labor fiercely to satisfy their own senses and mundane desires, a devotee channels that same intense energy entirely toward satisfying Kṛṣṇa.
- Compassion and Benefit to Humanity: A true devotee recognizes the spiritual equality of all living beings and works diligently to broadcast the message of Godhead, offering the greatest welfare work to humanity.
- The Guidance of the Spiritual Master: Devotional work is not based on independent whims; perfection is guaranteed only when one acts submissively under the expert instruction of a bona fide spiritual master.
- Liberation and Transcendence: Work performed as a sacrifice for the Supreme Lord transcends material karma, automatically granting the devotee liberation as a natural by-product of their loving service.
- Explore the synthesized essence of this category in this Vanipedia article: The Compassionate Work of a Devotee of God.
Subcategories
This category has the following 5 subcategories, out of 5 total.
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Pages in category "Work of a Devotee of God"
The following 41 pages are in this category, out of 41 total.
A
- A devotee in full Krsna consciousness appears superficially to be a great karmi, always working, but the inner significance of the devotee's activities is that they are meant for the satisfaction of the Lord. This is called bhakti, or devotional service
- A devotee must work under the direction of a bona fide spiritual master, not imitate the best devotee
- A devotee of the Lord should accept any kind of work, sacrifice, or charity which will help him in the discharge of devotional service to the Lord. BG 1972 purports
- Advanced devotees must cherish this description (of SB 10.9.3), always thinking of mother Yasoda's features - how she was dressed, how she was working and perspiring, how beautifully the flowers were arranged in her hair, and so on
- Although externally they (the devotees) work almost like the karmis, the devotees go back home, back to Godhead, and achieve success in every effort
- Although karmis and bhaktas may work in the same place, at the same time, with the same energy and with the same ambition, they achieve different results
- Although Sri Advaita Prabhu Himself was powerful enough to do the work, as a submissive servitor He thought that without the personal appearance of the Lord, no one could improve the fallen condition of society
- Arjuna was entrusted with the work of fighting on the Battlefield of Kuruksetra, and before he was so entrusted, the Lord had already arranged for his victory
- As part and parcel of the Lord, every individual living entity has a minute quantity of independence, & by misuse of this minute independence, the nondevotees commit offense after offense, to both the Lord and His pure devotees engaged in missionary work
- Asuras work for personal sense gratification, whereas devotees work for the satisfaction of the Supreme Lord. Both work conscientiously, but their motives are different
B
- Being impelled by lust, an ordinary worker will work hard day and night; similarly a devotee can work hard day and night to satisfy Krsna. Just as karmis are working hard to satisfy kama-krodha, a devotee should work in the same way to satisfy Krsna
- Bhukti, material enjoyment, and mukti, liberation, are only by-products of devotional service. A devotee need not work separately to attain mukti
- Brahma was entrusted with the work of creating the planetary systems. The Lord instructed him that when he meditated he would very easily know where and how the planetary systems must be arranged
- By working to please the Lord by engaging his senses in the Lord's loving service, the devotee is immediately situated on the transcendental platform, and he enjoys unlimited blissful life
I
- If you have got a bona fide spiritual master and if you simply follow the instruction, the perfection is guaranteed. Just like a perfect engineer and a neophyte working under his instruction, however foolish he may be, all his work is perfect
- In Los Angeles the neighbors of our temple are sometimes very envious. "You do not work," they say to our Krsna conscious devotees. - You have no anxiety. You have four cars. You are eating so nicely. How is that
- It is clearly stated mayi sannyasta-karmanah: the devotee works, but he works for the Supreme. It is also stated, mayy arpitatmanah: "He gives his mind unto Me
K
- Krsna comes for this purpose (save us from the cycle of birth and death) and sends His devotees, who work day and night to propagate this Krsna consciousness movement
- Krsnadasa Kaviraja lists the following twenty-six good qualities of a Vaisnava: (6) He is magnanimous. (7) He is mild. (8) He is always clean. (9) He is without possessions. (10) He works for everyone's benefit. (11) He is very peaceful
- Krsnadasa Kaviraja was requested to write the CC by the devotees of Vrndavana. Although he began this work at a very old age, by the grace of Caitanya he finished it. Today it remains the most authoritative book on Caitanya's philosophy & life - CC Intro
O
- One should act very diligently, under the expert guidance of a devotee of Lord Krsna, or under the direct instruction of Lord Krsna Himself (under whom Arjuna had the opportunity to work). BG 1972 purports
- One who is pandita, one who is learned, sees all living entities to be on an equal level. Therefore, because a Vaisnava, or devotee, is learned, he is compassionate (lokanam hita-karinau), and he can work in such a way as to actually benefit humanity
S
- So one has to be vipascit, learned, to understand the interest of life, self-interest. Everyone is working, especially the karmis, the jnanis, the yogis, and mixed devotees, they are working for self-interest
- Sri Pandita Haridasa spoke very sweetly, his endeavors were very pleasing, he was always patient, he respected everyone, he always worked for everyone's benefit, his mind was free of duplicity, and he was completely devoid of all malicious activities
- Srila Rupa Gosvami has said that by affection and love for the SPG, devotees can express their mind to Him with their words. Others, however, cannot do this, as confirmed in Bhagavad-gita - bhaktya mam abhijanati yavan yas casmi tattvatah - BG 18.55
- Sukadeva Gosvami offered his respectful obeisances unto Lord Visnu, whose devotees can work so wonderfully
T
- The body of a devotee who tries his best to work very hard for the satisfaction of Krsna by fully engaging in the Lord's service must be accepted as transcendental
- The devotees are liberated in both this life and the next. Any work done in this material world for Yajna (Visnu, or Krsna) is considered to be liberated work
- The devotees work to remind the fallen souls of their actual position and to bring them back home, back to Godhead. Such stainless servants of Godhead are very dear to Him
- The devotees, they work for Super - self-interest. There is self, but it is Super - self-interest. And the karmis, jnanis, yogis, they work for individual self-interest. Self-interest there must be
- The equal vision of the devotee is that he works to get all living entities back home, back to Godhead
- The Lord actually wants to see His servants work more gloriously than Himself. For instance, on the Battlefield of Kuruksetra, Sri Krsna provoked Arjuna to fight because all the warriors on the battlefield were to die by Krsna’s plan
- The Vaisnava accepts this material world according to the regulative principles of the Vedic injunctions and works without attachment
- There is no question of a devotee becoming a sudra if he does certain work
- They (members of Krsna consciousness) do not think anymore that "I belong to this category." No. Otherwise they could not work. Every one of them completely aware that - We are all Krsna's servants
- They (the devotees) receive special favor from the Lord for their compassionate work that they can even go back to Godhead in this very lifetime and not be forced to take another birth
- This (CC Adi 3.111) text from Srimad-Bhagavatam (SB 3.9.11) is a prayer by Lord Brahma to the Supreme Personality of Godhead Krsna for His blessings in the work of creation
W
- When discussed among devotees, krsna-katha is pleasing to the heart and ear. This requires a little training, and this training is given by the devotees. We should follow the devotees in their practical daily life, in their routine work and behavior
- Whereas karmis are interested only in the personal satisfaction of their senses, devotees work for the satisfaction of the Supreme Lord