A Conditioned Soul Should Utilize His Energy in Devotional Service
The human form of life is an incredibly rare and valuable asset that must not be wasted on temporary, mundane pursuits. Outlining the strict formula for success, Śrīla Prabhupāda mandates that all living entities must cease their vain attempts to conquer material nature and instead channel their intelligence entirely into devotional service. By rigorously following the regulations of a bona fide spiritual master and fully surrendering to the Supreme Lord, the soul is guaranteed complete protection from illusion.
Dedicating Energy to the Supreme Lord
It is the height of madness to exhaust one's entire life accumulating earthly wealth and property, knowing that death will eventually strip it all away. Providing the only sane alternative, Śrīla Prabhupāda insists that human beings must utilize their physical and mental energy strictly for the satisfaction of the Supreme Lord. When a person intelligently engages their possessions in transcendental service, they secure an eternal existence free from birth and death.
- Instead of wasting his energy in matter, which is sure to be destroyed in due course by the supreme will, the conditioned soul should utilize his energy in the devotional service of the Lord so that he can be transferred to the other, eternal nature.
- The conditioned soul should utilize his energy in the devotional service of the Lord so that he can be transferred to the other, eternal nature, where there is no birth, no death, no creation, no destruction, but permanent life instead.
- Unless the conditioned soul engages his possessions in the service of the Lord, he eats a forbidden apple and thereby loses his paradise. Lord Sri Krsna therefore advises that one's possessions should be given unto Him.
- Those conditioned souls who have come to this material world should utilize their senses according to the direction of the Vedic literature, otherwise they will be put into a more miserable condition of life.
Maintaining the Practice of Sacrifice and Surrender
Many pseudo-spiritualists falsely claim that once a person adopts a path of meditation or knowledge, they are free to abandon strict religious principles. Demolishing this dangerous misconception, Śrīla Prabhupāda states that the fundamental acts of sacrifice, charity, and austerity must never be given up under any circumstances. Through these continuous acts of devotion and total surrender, the practitioner earns the direct, personal protection of the Supreme Lord.
- A conditioned soul should never give up the practice of sacrifice, charity and austerity, in any circumstances. The aim of all such sacrifices is to please the Yajna-pati, the Personality of Godhead; therefore the Lord is also Praja-pati.
- A conditioned soul should remain surrendered to the Lord, and the Lord will give him all protection to keep him out of the clutches of material contamination.
- The simple process is that a conditioned soul should remain surrendered to the Lord, and the Lord will give him all protection to keep him out of the clutches of material contamination.
- We should not disregard the regulative principles given by our spiritual master, for they make it easier for the conditioned soul.
Approaching Transcendental Topics Properly
Because the intimate pastimes of Kṛṣṇa externally resemble the romantic affairs of ordinary men and women, foolish people frequently misunderstand and artificially imitate them. Setting a strict boundary, Śrīla Prabhupāda warns that individuals who are still plagued by material lust must not independently jump into hearing these highly confidential topics. One must be systematically trained by an authorized spiritual master before they are qualified to comprehend such transcendental relationships.
- Although these affairs (of Radha-krsna) may be very pleasing both to conditioned and to liberated souls, the conditioned soul should not try to hear them. The talks between Ramananda Raya and Sri Caitanya are conducted on the platform of liberation.
- Conditioned soul should hear the rasa-lila dance from an authorized spiritual master and be trained by him so that he can understand the whole situation thus one can be elevated to the highest standard of spiritual life; otherwise one will be implicated.
- Radha Krsna topics are for both liberated and conditioned souls, but conditioned souls should not much discuss about the loving affairs between Radha and Krsna because sometimes they misunderstand Radha and Krsna as ordinary boy and girl.
- Such act (God's pastimes in relation with the external energy) are as good as hearing rasa-lila in the liberated stage. Conditioned souls should not imitate the activities of liberated souls. Caitanya never indulged in hearing rasa-lila with ordinary men.
Transferring Attachment to Ultimate Reality
The root cause of all physical and mental suffering is the living entity's stubborn attachment to the temporary manifestations of material nature. Offering the perfect remedy, Śrīla Prabhupāda instructs that this misdirected affection must simply be transferred from dead matter to the supreme living being, Kṛṣṇa. By fully absorbing one's attention in hearing and chanting the glories of the Lord, all the blazing fires of material existence are immediately extinguished.
- The suffering of the conditioned soul is due to his attachment to material nature. This attachment should thus be transferred from matter to Krsna.
- This misuse of intelligence by the conditioned soul is called madness. One's full intelligence should be applied to get free from the material clutches.
- When one comes under the shadow of a big tree, the disturbances caused by the heat of the scorching sun are immediately mitigated, without one's asking for relief. Therefore the whole concern of the conditioned soul should be the lotus feet of the Lord.
- Srila Sukadeva Gosvami has therefore advised Maharaja Pariksit in the beginning of the Second Canto that every conditioned soul should engage himself in hearing and chanting the transcendental pastimes of the Lord.
Conclusion
There is absolutely no wisdom in spending the entirety of one's life chasing after material illusions that will abruptly vanish at the time of death. As Śrīla Prabhupāda strictly enforces, we must halt our madness and immediately apply all our energy, intelligence, and possessions to the service of the Supreme Lord. By adhering to the regulative principles and hearing carefully from an authorized spiritual master, we ensure our safe passage back home, back to Godhead.
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 A Conditioned Soul Should. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.