suddhabhakti

  One must first of all be faithful ( sraddadhana ). One must actually be very much eager to see God. Not that one takes it as a frivolous thing - " Can you show me God? " - or as some magic. They think God is magic. No. One must be very serious and think, " Yes, I have been informed about God. So if there is a God, I must see Him. " There is a story in this connection. It is very instructive, so try to hear. One professional reciter was publicly reciting the  Srimad-Bhagavatam,  and he was describing that Krishna is very highly decorated with all kinds of jewels when He goes to tend the cows in the forest. So, there was a thief in that meeting, and he thought, " Why not go to Vrindavana and plunder this boy? He's in the forest with so many valuable jewels. I can go there and catch the child and take all the jewels. " This was his intention. So he was serious. " I must find that boy, " he thought. " Then in one night I shall become a mil...

  There was once a factory in India where all the workers were Hin dus and mostly vaisnavas. The vaişnavas had freedom, there fore, to wear their vaişnava tilaka to work, and they also displayed other vaişnava paraphernalia. After some time, however, the factory went to new management and the new proprietor was a Muslim. On taking over the business, the Muslim owner declared that he would no longer allow the workers to come to work wearing vaisnava tilaka. Most of the workers obeyed, and on the given date announced by the owner, they appeared at the factory with out their tilaka. One employee, however, thought that he would take his chances and depend on Krsna, so he went to work wearing very clear, white, vaisnava tilaka.  After seeing all the workers assembled, the new Muslim proprietor said, "This one devotee who has worn vaişnava tilaka is very courageous. He may be permitted to continue wearing the tilaka to work, but all others are for bidden to wear it any more. In this...

  Alexander the Great and the thief Lecture on SB 1.16.17 -- Los Angeles, January 12, 1974 : You know the story of Alexander the Great and the thief. Alexander the Great arrested one thief, and he was going to punish him. The thief pleaded, "Sir, you are going to punish me, but what is the difference between you and me? I am a small thief, you are a great thief. That's all. (laughter) You are by force occupying other's kingdom, and you have no right. But because you are strong, or some way or other, you have got the opportunity, and you are conquering country after country, country after... So I am also doing the same thing. So what is the difference between you and me?" So Alexander considered that "Yes, I am nothing but a big thief, that's all." So he released him, "Yes, I am no better than you."

  Again become a mouse. ( Punar mūṣiko bhava) Nrsimha-caturdasi Lord Nrsimhadeva's Appearance Day -- Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.5.22-34 -- Los Angeles, May 27, 1972 : ***************************************************       Darkest region means that we are going to become animals next life. Because this is animalistic civilization. Nature gave us the opportunity to realize God, but God-realization is meant for human being. The human being, if he does not realize God, he's simply engaged in animalistic way of life—eating, sleeping, mating—then nature will call, "All right, sir, again become animal." Punar mūṣiko bhava: "Again become a mouse." You know this story? Punar mūṣiko bhava. There is a story. There is a very nice story. One rat, mouse, he came to a saintly person. Everyone comes to saintly person for some blessing, you see. Real blessing they don't want. Some material blessing. Real blessing, Kṛṣṇa, they don't want. If you give him some blessing tha...