Srila Prabhupada Speaks Out: The pure devotee is always transcendental,
is not an ordinary man, and does not suffer, and is not contaminated
by honor or insult, hunger or satisfaction, sleep or wakefulness.
Compiled by Isana dasa
1) Generally, ever-liberated personalities live in the spiritual world as associates of Lord Krishna, and they are known as krsna-parisada, associates of the Lord. Their only business is enjoying Lord Krishna’s company, and even though such eternally liberated persons come within this material world to serve the Lord’s purpose, they enjoy Lord Krishna’s company without stoppage. Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, Madhya-lila 22.14-15: The Process of Devotional Service
2) Similarly, those who are sadhavah, or devotees engaged in Krishna consciousness in the transcendental service of the Lord, do not feel the contamination of material miseries, whereas those who are not devotees in Krishna consciousness actually feel the miseries of material existence. Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.25.24 Purport: The Glories of Devotional Service
3) A pure devotee of the Lord does not live on any planet of the material sky, nor does he feel any contact with material elements. His so-called material body does not exist, being surcharged with the spiritual current of the Lord’s identical interest, and thus he is permanently freed from all contaminations of the sum total of the mahat-tattva. He is always in the spiritual sky, which he attains by being transcendental to the sevenfold material covering by the effect of his devotional service. Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.13.55 Purport: Dhrtarastra Quits Home
4) The specific qualification for becoming the representative of the Lord is to be unaffected by the material modes of nature. The highest qualification of a person in the material world is to be a brahmana. But since a brahmana is in the mode of goodness, to be a brahmana is not sufficient for becoming a representative of the Lord. One has to transcend the mode of goodness also and be situated in unalloyed goodness, unaffected by any of the qualities of material nature. This stage of transcendental qualification is called suddha-sattva, or vasudeva, and in this stage the science of God can be realized. As the Lord is not affected by the modes of material nature, so a pure devotee of the Lord is also not affected by the modes of nature. That is the primary qualification for being one with the Lord. A person who is able to attain this transcendental qualification is called jivan-mukta, or liberated, even though he is apparently in material conditions. This liberation is achieved by one who constantly engages in the transcendental loving service of the Lord. Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.4.31 Purport: Vidura Approaches Maitreya
5) Verse: This is the divinity of the Personality of Godhead: He is not affected by the qualities of material nature, even though He is in contact with them. Similarly, the devotees who have taken shelter of the Lord do not become influenced by the material qualities.
Purport: “…..the divinity of the Personality of Godhead is never in contact with the qualities of material nature in any circumstances. Actually, He is in contact with such qualities because He is the ultimate source of everything, yet He is above the actions of such qualities. He is known, therefore, as Yogeśvara, or the master of mystic power, or in other words the all-powerful. Even His learned devotees are not affected by the influence of the material modes. The great six Gosvāmīs of Vṛndāvana all came from greatly rich and aristocratic families, but when they adopted the life of mendicants at Vṛndāvana, superficially they appeared to be in wretched conditions of life, but factually they were the richest of all in spiritual values. Such mahā-bhāgavatas, or first-grade devotees, although moving amongst men, are not contaminated by honor or insult, hunger or satisfaction, sleep or wakefulness, which are all resultant actions of the three modes of material nature. Similarly, some of them are engaged in worldly dealings, yet are unaffected. Unless these neutralities of life are there, one cannot be considered situated in transcendence. The Divinity and His associates are on the same transcendental plane, and their glories are always sanctified by the action of yogamāyā, or the internal potency of the Lord. Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.11.38: Lord Krishna’ s Entrance into Dvaraka.
6) Narada is known as the son of Brahma, as Lord Krishna is known as the son of Vasudeva. The Personality of Godhead and His liberated devotees like Narada appear in the material world by the same process. As it is said in the Bhagavad-gita, the birth and activities of the Lord are all transcendental. Therefore, according to authorized opinion, the birth of Narada as the son of Brahma is also a transcendental pastime. His appearance and disappearance are practically on the same level as that of the Lord. The Lord and His devotees are therefore simultaneously one and different as spiritual entities. They belong to the same category of transcendence. Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.6.29 Purport: Conversation Between Narada and Vyasadeva
7) The Lord comes to this material world through the agency of His internal potency, and similarly, when a devotee or associate of the Lord descends to this material world, he does so through the action of the spiritual energy. Any pastime conducted by the Supreme Personality of Godhead is an arrangement by yogamaya, not mahamaya. Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.1.35 Purport: The Supreme Lord Is Equal to Everyone
8) A pure devotee of the Lord does not live on any planet of the material sky, nor does he feel any contact with material elements. His so-called material body does not exist, being surcharged with the spiritual current of the Lord’s identical interest, and thus he is permanently freed from all contaminations of the sum total of the mahat-tattva. He is always in the spiritual sky, which he attains by being transcendental to the sevenfold material covering by the effect of his devotional service. Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.13.55 Purport: Dhrtarastra Quits Home
9) So far, my present life is concerned, I do not remember any part of my life when I was forgetful of Krishna
A Spiritual Master is always liberated. In any condition of His life He should not be mistaken as ordinary human being. This position of a Spiritual Master is achieved by three processes. One is called sadhana siddha. That means one who is liberated by executing the regulative principle of devotional service. Another is krpa siddha, one who is liberated by the mercy of Krishna or His devotee. And another is nitya siddha who is never forgetful of Krishna throughout his whole life. These are the three features of the perfection of life.
So far Narada Muni is concerned, in His previous life He was a maidservant’s son, but by the mercy of the devotees He later on became siddha and next life He appeared as Narada with complete freedom to move anywhere by the grace of the Lord. So even though He was in his previous life a maidservant’s son there was no impediment in the achievement of His perfect spiritual life. Similarly, any living entity who is conditioned can achieve the perfectional stage of life by the above-mentioned processes and the vivid example is Narada Muni.
So, I do not know why you have asked about my previous life. Whether I was subjected to the laws of material nature? So, even though accepting that I was subjected to the laws of material nature, does it hamper in my becoming Spiritual Master? What is your opinion? From the life of Narada Muni it is distinct that although He was a conditioned soul in His previous life, there was no impediment of His becoming the Spiritual Master. This law is applicable not only to the Spiritual Master, but to every living entity.
So far, I am concerned, I cannot say what I was in my previous life, but one great astrologer calculated that I was previously a physician and my life was sinless. Although I had immense opportunities to indulge in the four principles of sinful life because I was connected with a very aristocratic family, Krishna always saved me, and throughout my whole life I do not know what is illicit sex, intoxication, meat-eating or gambling. So far, my present life is concerned, I do not remember any part of my life when I was forgetful of Krishna. Srila Prabhupada’s letter: Los Angeles, 21 June, 1970
10) Such neophytes, unable to appreciate the exalted service of the advanced devotee, try to bring the maha-bhagavata to their platform. We experience such difficulty in propagating this Krishna consciousness all over the world. Unfortunately, we are surrounded by neophyte Godbrothers who do not appreciate the extraordinary activities of spreading Krishna consciousness all over the world. They simply try to bring us to their platform, and they try to criticize us in every respect. We very much regret their naive activities and poor fund of knowledge. An empowered person who is actually engaged in the confidential service of the Lord should not be treated as an ordinary human being, for it is stated that unless one is empowered by Krishna, one cannot spread the Krishna consciousness movement all over the world.
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This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is a transcendental science, and there is no room for jealousy. As soon as one becomes envious, he falls from the platform of paramahaṁsa. If we consider the bodily defects of a Vaiṣṇava, we should understand that we are committing an offense at the lotus feet of the Vaiṣṇava, which is very serious. For a neophyte especially, considering a pure devotee from a material point of view is very injurious. One should try to see the internal features and understand how he is engaged in the transcendental loving service of the Lord. Those who think that Kṛṣṇa consciousness is limited to a certain section of people or devotees are generally prone to see the external features of the devotee. It is also an offense to consider the empowered Vaiṣṇava an object of disciplinary action. It is offensive to give him advice or try to correct him.” – Nectar of Instruction Nectar of Instruction, Chapter 6
NOTE: It is an offense to try to correct him, such as changing his books against his definitive instructions not to.
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Śukadeva Gosvāmī further concludes that the great sages and devotees, who are washed clean of all conditional life, can move freely even within the contamination of material nature by keeping Kṛṣṇa the Supreme Personality of Godhead within their hearts. In this way also, they do not become subject to the laws of pleasure and pain in the modes of material nature. KB ch 32 Description of the Rasa Dance
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As confirmed in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.2.6):
sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo
yato bhaktir adhokṣaje
ahaituky apratihatā
yayātmā suprasīdati
The word dharma means “engagement.” One who is engaged in the service of the Lord (yato bhaktir adhokṣaje), without impediment and without cessation, is understood to be situated in his original, spiritual status. When one is promoted to this status, one is always happy in transcendental bliss. Otherwise, as long as one is in the bodily concept of life, one must suffer material conditions. Janma-mṛtyu jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam. The body is subject to its own principles of birth, death, old age and disease, but one who is situated in spiritual life (yato bhaktir adhokṣaje) has no birth, no death, no old age and no disease. One may argue that we may see a person who is spiritually engaged twenty-four hours a day but is still suffering from disease. In fact, however, he is neither suffering nor diseased; otherwise he could not be engaged twenty-four hours a day in spiritual activities. The example may be given in this connection that sometimes dirty foam or garbage is seen floating on the water of the Ganges. This is called nīra-dharma, a function of the water. But one who goes to the Ganges does not mind the foam and dirty things floating in the water. With his hand, he pushes away such nasty things, bathes in the Ganges and gains the beneficial results. Therefore, one who is situated in the spiritual status of life is unaffected by foam and garbage—or any superficial dirty things. This is confirmed by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī:
īhā yasya harer dāsye
karmaṇā manasā girā
nikhilāsv apy avasthāsu
jīvan-muktaḥ sa ucyate
“A person acting in the service of Kṛṣṇa with his body, mind and words is a liberated person, even within the material world.” (Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.2.187) Therefore, one is forbidden to regard the guru as an ordinary human being (guruṣu nara-matir. .. nārakī saḥ). The spiritual master, or ācārya, is always situated in the spiritual status of life. Birth, death, old age and disease do not affect him. According to the Hari-bhakti-vilāsa, therefore, after the disappearance of an ācārya, his body is never burnt to ashes, for it is a spiritual body. The spiritual body is always unaffected by material conditions. SB 1-.4.20 purport