A Vaiṣṇava is Qualified With All Good Qualities
This article explores the nature and origin of true character as presented in the teachings of Śrīla Prabhupāda. In the material world, people artificially strive to cultivate good qualities through mundane education, ethical training, and mental speculation. However, Vedic wisdom reveals that genuine, lasting good qualities are entirely dependent on one's connection with the Supreme Lord. When a living entity revives their dormant Kṛṣṇa consciousness, their original divine nature is effortlessly restored.
The Original Constitution of the Soul
Every living entity is eternally a part and parcel of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that just as a drop of ocean water shares the chemical composition of the ocean, the spirit soul constitutionally possesses all the divine, good qualities of God. However, in the conditioned state, these pure qualities are temporarily covered by the dirt of material contamination, just as pure gold can be obscured by mud.
- Good qualities means we are part and parcel of God, so God is good, so we are also good. Otherwise how can I be part and parcel of God?
- Good qualities means we are part and parcel of God, so God is good, so we are also good. Otherwise how can I be part and parcel of God? If God is gold, then I am gold. So why I become iron?
- Because we are part and parcel of God, so we have got good qualities. It is covered by material contamination. Gold is gold - but it is covered by mud, dirty things, one cannot understand whether is it gold or something else. So our position is like that.
Automatic Manifestation of Goodness
In the path of bhakti-yoga, one does not need to undergo separate endeavors to develop morality, tolerance, or compassion. Śrīla Prabhupāda emphasizes that simply by engaging in the unalloyed service of the Lord, all the twenty-six qualities of a Vaiṣṇava and the demigods automatically manifest. By strictly following the regulative principles and chanting the holy name, the material covering is cleansed, allowing the soul's natural goodness to shine forth.
- A Vaisnava is godly. He is qualified with all good qualities. He knows the value of each and every thing. Therefore he's godly. And therefore to offer respect to Vaisnava is also a great qualification.
- If one becomes a devotee of the Lord, then all good qualities will come out automatically. Because every living entity is part and parcel of God. God is all-good. Therefore every living entity, potentially, constitutionally, he is also good.
- A person advanced in spiritual consciousness through the chanting of the Hare Krsna mantra need not practice to develop it (taror iva sahisnuna) separately, for a devotee develops all good qualities simply by chanting the Hare Krsna mantra regularly.
- SB 5.18.12: One who has unflinching devotion for the Personality of Godhead has all the good qualities of the demigods.
The Worthlessness of Godless Qualities
Conversely, without God consciousness, all mundane qualifications are practically worthless. Śrīla Prabhupāda asserts that someone who lacks devotion, regardless of their academic degrees, political influence, or social standing, possesses no true good qualities. Because they remain bound by the lower modes of material nature, they cannot help but act on the platform of sense gratification, which ultimately leads to suffering and degradation.
- A person who is not in Krsna consciousness has no good qualities. He may be highly educated from the academic point of view, but in the actual field of his activities he can be seen to be baser than the animals.
- If a person is devoid of God consciousness and yet has many good qualities, his good qualities are to be considered useless, for he will not in any way be prohibited from doing that which is undesirable.
- Our only formula is anyone who is not Krsna conscious, he has no good qualities - we reject him, whatever he may be.
- There are two things that nullify all good qualities. One is poverty. Daridra-doso guna-rasi-nasi. If one is poverty-stricken, all his good qualities become null and void. Similarly, if one becomes too greedy, his good qualifications are lost.
The Vision of a Pure Vaiṣṇava
The internal purity of a pure devotee is most evident in their external vision. While a materialistic person is eager to find faults and criticize, a highly qualified Vaiṣṇava possesses the specific quality of adoṣa-darśī—they only see the good in others. Śrīla Prabhupāda notes that the greatest souls accept even the smallest good quality in another person and magnify it, completely ignoring their faults.
- It is a qualification of a Vaisnava that he is adosa-darsi: he never sees others’ faults. Of course, every human being has both good qualities and faults.
- Among the uncommonly good souls there are still gradations, and the best good soul is one who accepts an insignificant asset of a person and magnifies that good quality.
- Even one has got some fault, a Vaisnava does not see that. He takes the good qualities.
- Highly qualified persons, who are uncommon, accept only the good qualities of others, not considering their bad qualities, whereas the common man can judge what are good qualities and what are bad qualities.
The Saving Grace of Kali-yuga
The current age of Kali is characterized by the rapid deterioration of all good qualities in human society. However, the Vedic scriptures highlight one supreme saving grace. Śrīla Prabhupāda repeatedly quotes that simply by participating in the congregational chanting of the mahā-mantra, human society can overcome the countless faults of this age, attain true happiness, and successfully return back to Godhead.
- Although Kali-yuga is full of faults, there is still one good quality about this age. It is that simply by chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra, one can become free from material bondage and be promoted to the transcendental kingdom - SB 12.3.51.
- My dear King, although Kali-yuga is full of faults, there is still one good quality about this age. It is that simply by chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra, one can become free from material bondage and be promoted to the transcendental kingdom.
- Without Krsna consciousness, happiness is impossible; one may struggle, but one cannot have happiness. We are therefore trying to give human society the opportunity for a life of happiness, good health, peace of mind and all good qualities through God consciousness.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Śrīla Prabhupāda establishes that true good qualities cannot be artificially manufactured or acquired independent of God consciousness. The spirit soul is inherently pure and filled with all divine qualities, but this nature can only be revived through the process of unalloyed devotional service. By chanting the holy names and adopting the humble, faultless vision of a Vaiṣṇava, a conditioned soul sheds all material contamination and becomes a perfect, qualified citizen of the spiritual world.
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 Good Qualities. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.