True Worthiness through Devotional Service to Kṛṣṇa
Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that true worthiness is entirely dependent on one's connection to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Only Śrī Kṛṣṇa and His unalloyed devotees are ultimately worthy of our full surrender, worship, and glorification. By engaging in devotional service, tolerating material miseries, and deeply cultivating humility, a conditioned soul becomes a worthy candidate to return back to Godhead, transcending all worthless material designations.
The Supreme Object of Worship
Śrīla Prabhupāda establishes that Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the supreme shelter, and therefore, He and His pure devotees are the only personalities fully worthy of our surrender and reverence. The English word "worship" specifically means to show respect and honor to the worthy one, which ultimately applies to the Supreme Lord.
- The Lord is saranya, which means "the only worthy personality to whom one can fully surrender," because He is full of all opulences.
- The English word "worship" cannot be used in the same sense as bhaja. Worship means to adore, or to show respect and honor to the worthy one. But service with love and faith is especially meant for the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
- A pure, uncontaminated devotee of the Lord is worthy to have all the benedictions that can be offered by the demigods. He does not have to worship the demigods separately for such benedictions.
Worthy Literature and Activities
In human society, not all activities or stories have true value. Śrīla Prabhupāda points out that only literature glorifying the transcendental pastimes of the Lord, and activities directly connected to His service, are actually worth hearing and performing.
- Activity is successful if it results in serving the Lord. Philosophical speculation or mental speculation is successful when engaged in understanding the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The senses are worth possessing when engaged in the service of God.
- Deeds of the most important kings, such as Priyavrata and Uttanapada, and many others, like Lord Ramacandra and Maharaja Yudhisthira, are recorded (in SB) because the activities of such pious kings are worth hearing.
- The only truly worthwhile books are those like Srimad-Bhagavatam and Bhagavad-gita.
Becoming a Worthy Candidate for Liberation
To become eligible for spiritual liberation, one must develop complete dependence on Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Śrīla Prabhupāda clarifies that those who patiently tolerate the threefold miseries, viewing them as the Lord's mercy, become worthy candidates for returning back to Godhead.
- As stated in SB 10.14.8, tat te ’nukampam su-samiksamanah: those who seriously desire to get free from the clutches of material existence, who have developed intense love for Krsna, are worthy candidates for going back home, back to Godhead.
- A fully Krsna conscious person is not at all disturbed by the onslaughts of the threefold miseries, for he accepts all miseries as the mercy of the Lord, thinking himself only worthy of more trouble due to his past misdeeds.
- The real qualification is to become a devotee of the Lord, and gradually all the good qualities worthy of possession develop.
The Humility of the Pure Vaiṣṇava
Despite possessing all exalted spiritual qualities, a pure Vaiṣṇava never becomes proud. Śrīla Prabhupāda perfectly models this disposition by frequently expressing that he feels insignificant and completely unworthy of the immense mercy bestowed upon him by his spiritual master and the Supreme Lord.
- Although my Guru Maharaja ordered me to accomplish this mission, I am not worthy or fit to do it. I am very fallen and insignificant. O Lord, now I am begging for Your mercy so that I may become worthy, for You are the wisest and most experienced of all.
- Guru Maharaja liked me. I know. By his blessing it is, everything has happened. I was not worth. What did I...? I do not know why he liked. I was not worth. There were so many disciples. And still, he liked me.
- I continuously offer my respectful obeisances unto Your lotus feet, of which it is worthy to take shelter, because You shower all benedictions on the insignificant.
The False Worth of Material Designations
The material world frequently places value on superficial designations and mundane sentiment. Śrīla Prabhupāda warns that grieving for the temporary body is a sign of ignorance, and assuming brahminical status merely by purchasing a cheap initiation thread is completely worthless.
- In Bhagavad-gita (BG 2.11) Krsna rebuked Arjuna by saying: "While speaking learned words, you are mourning for what is not worthy of grief. Those who are wise lament neither for the living nor the dead."
- Vipratve sutram eva hi (SB 12.2.3): to become a brahmana means a thread, a two-cent worth, one thread. That's all. This is going on. These are all foretold.
- The sacred thread on the body of a brahmana, ksatriya or vaisya is a symbol of initiation by the spiritual master; it is worth nothing if worn merely to boast of high parentage.
Conclusion
Śrīla Prabhupāda completely redefines the concept of worth, shifting it from material valuation to spiritual substance. He establishes that Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the ultimate object worthy of all worship and surrender, and therefore, only literature and actions dedicated to Him possess true value. A conditioned soul elevates themselves to become a worthy candidate for liberation not through mundane qualifications, but by tolerating miseries and engaging in pure devotional service. Concurrently, a true Vaiṣṇava naturally exhibits profound humility, always feeling themselves unworthy of the Lord's causeless mercy. Ultimately, by discarding worthless material designations and taking shelter of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, human life attains its highest and most worthy perfection.
Dive Deeper into Śrīla Prabhupāda's Vani
Śrīla Prabhupāda lives within his instructions. This article is a summary of the profound truths found in the Vaniquotes category Worthy. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.