Without Difficulty - The Joyful Path of Kṛṣṇa Consciousness
Śrīla Prabhupāda teaches that the highest perfection of life is also the easiest to perform, provided one accepts the authorized path. While materialists and speculators face constant struggles, a sincere soul who takes up the process of unalloyed devotional service achieves pure love of God and absolute freedom from material miseries without difficulty.
The Ease of Devotional Service
The process of bhakti-yoga is perfectly suited for the modern age because it does not require strenuous physical or mental exercises. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that by simply chanting the holy names and keeping one's mind fixed on Kṛṣṇa, anyone can achieve spiritual perfection without difficulty.
- Krsna says, "Engage your mind always in thinking of Me, offer obeisances and worship Me." Anyone can always think of Krsna, without difficulties or obstacles. This is called krsna-bhavanamrta.
- The Lord is so friendly to the living entity that He remains within the heart so that one can always contact Him without difficulty. One can do this simply by devotional service.
- Without difficulty one can sit down anywhere, especially on the bank of the Ganges, Yamuna or any other sacred river, devise a sitting place or cottage, plant a tulasi tree, and before the tulasi chant the Hare Krsna maha-mantra undisturbed.
- Through bhakti-yoga, one's hands touch the hidden treasure without difficulty.
Protection by the Supreme Lord
Because Kṛṣṇa is the supreme controller, He effortlessly manages the entire cosmic creation. Śrīla Prabhupāda assures us that just as the Lord easily destroys powerful demons, He can eradicate all the sins and material obstacles of His surrendered devotees without the slightest difficulty.
- Bhakti should be animitta, without motive. Actually Krsna can fulfill all of our wishes without difficulty because He is almighty and full of all opulences.
- At the time of devastation, the entire cosmos, containing all created moving and nonmoving entities, enters Your transcendental body and is held there without difficulty.
- If he is involved in some sinful activity by accident, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is seated within everyone's heart, removes his sins without difficulty.
- Those who take shelter under the lotus feet of the Lord can completely throw off all such miseries without difficulty. Others, who are engaged in transcendental activities in different ways, cannot do so. For them it is very difficult.
The Mercy of the Pure Devotees
The Absolute Truth is very difficult to understand through empirical speculation. However, Śrīla Prabhupāda notes that by submissively hearing from and serving a bona fide spiritual master, a conditioned soul receives the transcendental vision necessary to understand God without difficulty.
- If he comes in contact with a pure devotee and is intelligent enough to take instructions from the pure devotee regarding the process of devotional service, he can understand God, the origin of Brahman and Paramatma without difficulty.
- My dear King, whoever takes shelter of the servant of the servant of the Lord is certainly glorified because he can without difficulty give up the bodily conception.
- Not only does a pure devotee purify his own personal existence, but whoever becomes his disciple also becomes purified and is ultimately able to enter the kingdom of God without difficulty.
- Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura sings, "O my Lord, O Vaisnava, please consider me your dog." One must become the dog of a Vaisnava, a pure devotee, for a pure devotee can deliver Krsna without difficulty.
Solving Material Problems
Modern civilization constantly struggles with economics, politics, and the basic necessities of life. Śrīla Prabhupāda points out that these problems are actually solved quite simply in the animal kingdom, and if human society adopts Kṛṣṇa consciousness, all material necessities will be naturally supplied without difficulty.
- Eating, sleeping, mating and defending are problems found in the animal kingdom, and the animals have solved these problems without difficulty. Why should human society be so busy trying to solve these problems?
- As a result of such satisfaction the whole society gets all the necessities of life amply and without difficulty. This is because, after all, the Supreme Personality of Godhead maintains all other living entities.
- Our principle should be to serve Krishna very diligently with love and faith, and all necessary supplies will come without any difficulties.
- At present there are droughts throughout Europe and America, and people are suffering, but if people take this Krsna consciousness movement seriously, if they stop their sinful activities and chant Hare Krsna maha-mantra, all their problems will be solved without difficulty.
Conclusion
To truly enjoy life, one must abandon the difficult, unyielding paths of material ambition and mental speculation. Śrīla Prabhupāda concludes that the process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness is so sublime and potent that anyone, regardless of their previous qualifications, can practice it and achieve perfection. By chanting the holy names, following the regulative principles, and serving the pure devotees of the Lord, a sincere soul bypasses all the complex traps of material nature. Ultimately, Kṛṣṇa personally intervenes for such a surrendered devotee, removing all obstacles and bringing them safely back home, back to Godhead, without difficulty.
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 Without Difficulty. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.