Question: What is the Real Test of an Advanced Devotee in Krsna Consciousness?
Prabhupada: "This time I have passed, what I have done for Krsna?" This is character of advancement: "What I have done for Krsna? What I have done for my Guru Maharaja?" If in this way we lead our life, that is perfect. That is perfect. "Guru Maharaja has entrusted me with this business. How far I have done this?" that is perfect. So if you don't care for your Guru Maharaja, don't care for Krsna and Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and you do whimsically what you like, that is not progress. That is degradation. The advanced devotee will feel like this: "How I shall live in a temple or in a place like Vrndavana and Mathura,?" Priti means love -- to live there, where Krsna's devotee is there, Krsna is there, Krsna's temple is there. Not in the railway station. Always hankering after "How I can chant Hare Krsna maha-mantra?" To scrutinizely seeing whether I have wasted my time without Krsna consciousness.
These things are the symptoms of advanced devotee. You cannot say, "Oh, he's advanced." What he's doing for Krsna? First of all think, "He's advanced devotee; that is all right. But what is he doing for his guru? What is he doing for Krsna?" That is a test. If somebody is doing something whimsically, he is not advanced devotee. He may speak all nonsense, but that is not advancement. You have to see practically: what he's doing for Krsna,what is he's doing for his spiritual master.
Madhya 19.151
“According to their karma, all living entities are wandering throughout the entire universe. Some of them are being elevated to the upper planetary systems, and some are going down into the lower planetary systems. Out of many millions of wandering living entities, one who is very fortunate gets an opportunity to associate with a bona fide spiritual master by the grace of Krsna. By the mercy of both Krsna and the spiritual master, such a person receives the seed of the creeper of devotional service.”
Room Conversation – January 30, 1974, Tokyo
Prabhupada: "This time I have passed, what I have done for Krsna?" This is character of advancement: "What I have done for Krsna? What I have done for my Guru Maharaja?" If in this way we lead our life, that is perfect. That is perfect. "Guru Maharaja has entrusted me with this business. How far I have done this?" that is perfect. So if you don't care for your Guru Maharaja, don't care for Krsna and Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and you do whimsically what you like, that is not progress. That is degradation. The advanced devotee will feel like this: "How I shall live in a temple or in a place like Vrndavana and Mathura,?" Priti means love -- to live there, where Krsna's devotee is there, Krsna is there, Krsna's temple is there. Not in the railway station. Always hankering after "How I can chant Hare Krsna maha-mantra?" To scrutinizely seeing whether I have wasted my time without Krsna consciousness.
These things are the symptoms of advanced devotee. You cannot say, "Oh, he's advanced." What he's doing for Krsna? First of all think, "He's advanced devotee; that is all right. But what is he doing for his guru? What is he doing for Krsna?" That is a test. If somebody is doing something whimsically, he is not advanced devotee. He may speak all nonsense, but that is not advancement. You have to see practically: what he's doing for Krsna,what is he's doing for his spiritual master.
Madhya 19.151
“According to their karma, all living entities are wandering throughout the entire universe. Some of them are being elevated to the upper planetary systems, and some are going down into the lower planetary systems. Out of many millions of wandering living entities, one who is very fortunate gets an opportunity to associate with a bona fide spiritual master by the grace of Krsna. By the mercy of both Krsna and the spiritual master, such a person receives the seed of the creeper of devotional service.”
Room Conversation – January 30, 1974, Tokyo
*Topic*-''Not possible to love Krsna perfectly, to render service to Krsna, because He is unlimited.''..........
Prabhupada: Never think that service is perfect. That will keep you in the perfect stage. Yes. We should always think that our service is not complete. Yes. That is very nice. Just like Caitanya Mahaprabhu taught us that... He said that:
"My dear friends, please take it from Me that I have not a pinch of faith in Krsna. If you say that why I am crying, the answer is that just to make a show that I am great devotee. Actually, I have not a pinch of love for Krsna. This crying is simply My show, makeshow." "Why You are saying so?" "Now, the thing is that I am still living without seeing Krsna. That means I have no love for Krsna. I am still living. I should have died long ago without seeing Krsna."
So we should think like that. That is the example. However perfect you may be in serving Krsna, you should always know that... Krsna is unlimited, so your service cannot reach Him perfectly. It will ever remain imperfect because we are limited. But Krsna is so kind. If you offer a little service sincerely, He accepts. That is the beauty of Krsna. And if Krsna accepts a little service from you, then your life is glorious. So it is not possible to love Krsna perfectly, to render service to Krsna, because He is unlimited.>>> Ref. VedaBase => Lecture -- September 27, 1968, Seattle
Prabhupada: Never think that service is perfect. That will keep you in the perfect stage. Yes. We should always think that our service is not complete. Yes. That is very nice. Just like Caitanya Mahaprabhu taught us that... He said that:
"My dear friends, please take it from Me that I have not a pinch of faith in Krsna. If you say that why I am crying, the answer is that just to make a show that I am great devotee. Actually, I have not a pinch of love for Krsna. This crying is simply My show, makeshow." "Why You are saying so?" "Now, the thing is that I am still living without seeing Krsna. That means I have no love for Krsna. I am still living. I should have died long ago without seeing Krsna."
So we should think like that. That is the example. However perfect you may be in serving Krsna, you should always know that... Krsna is unlimited, so your service cannot reach Him perfectly. It will ever remain imperfect because we are limited. But Krsna is so kind. If you offer a little service sincerely, He accepts. That is the beauty of Krsna. And if Krsna accepts a little service from you, then your life is glorious. So it is not possible to love Krsna perfectly, to render service to Krsna, because He is unlimited.>>> Ref. VedaBase => Lecture -- September 27, 1968, Seattle