Love for God only thru pure knowledge-Bhaktivinode Thakur

Hare Krsna to all

Pranams

All glories to Srila Prabhupada

and Srila Bhaktivinode thakur

 

What follows is a short excerpt from The Thakur's book called Sri Caitanya Siksamrta.... 

 

"On hearing or reading about Krsna and His sweet qualities, the living entities according to their nature understand Him in two different ways:understanding through true knowledge, and understanding without knowledge. Even when Krsna is personally present and can be seen with mortal eyes,the two types of people will see in these two different ways. If a person desires to learn more about these two types of perception, they may study the Sat Sandarbhas, Bhagavatamrta and Sri Krsna Samhita under a competent authority. It is impossible to elaborate on this subject here.

 Briefly, realization through true knowledge (vidvat pratiti) may be described as realization under vidya sakti (the knowledge potency of the Lord), and understanding without knowledge (avidvat pratiti) may be described as an attempt at understanding of the Lord under ignorance.If Krsna is understood through avidvat pratiti, many controversies arise. If He is understood through vidvat pratiti, there is no place for disagreements. Those interested in spiritual development should immediately obtain vidvat pratiti. What is the point in understanding through avidvat pratiti, falling into argument and confusion, and losing the goal of life?

 

Of all the conceptions of God existing in the world, the form of Krsna is the most suitable for developing pure love. The conception of Allah in the Koran is not suitable for developing pure love. Even the Lord's dear prophet could not see Allah's form, for although the Lord is friendly, He remains at a distance from the worshipper due to the conception of God as master. God as perceived in the Christian faith is also a distant entity, what to speak of the impersonalist's concept of Brahman. Even Narayana (a personal form) is not the form by which the soul can most easily obtain pure love. Krsna alone, Who resides in the spiritual abode of Vraja, is the object of pure love.

The abode of Krsna is full of bliss. Majesty also resides there in fullness, but it does not predominate; rather sweetness and eternal bliss predominate.(see book footnote quotes below) Its wealth is its fruit, flowers and twigs. Its citizens are the cows, Krsna's friends are the cowherd boys and His associates are the gopis. His food is butter, yogurt and milk. All the groves and forests are filled with love of Krsna. The Yamuna River engages in Krsna's service. Everything in nature serves Him. Elsewhere, He is worshipped and revered by all as the Supreme Lord, but here He is the very life of all the inhabitants. He sometime descends to the worshipper's level, and sometimes becomes subordinate to His devotee.
If it were not like this, could the lowly living entity have a relation of love with God? The Supreme Lord is filled with the highest sport, endowed with free will, and eager for the love of the soul. Yet being the Lord, how can He hanker for human offerings, feel satisfied or become genuinely happy with them? Krsna, the reservoir of sweet pastimes, therefore covers His majestic aspect with sweetness, accepts equality with or subordination to qualified souls in transcendental Vrndavana, and feels bliss. Can anyone who accepts pure love or prema as the highest goal accept anyone other than Krsna as the object of love?"

 

 

 

 

SB 7.7.48      The four principles of advancement in spiritual life--dharma[religiosity],
artha,[economic development] kama [sense gratification]and moksa[liberation]--all depend on the disposition of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore, my dear friends, follow in the
footsteps of devotees. Without desire, fully depend upon the
disposition of the Supreme Lord, worship Him, the Supersoul, in
devotional service.

 

SB 7.7.51-52    My dear friends, O sons of the demons, you cannot please the
Supreme Personality of Godhead by becoming perfect brahmanas, demigods
or great saints or by becoming perfectly good in etiquette or vast
learning. None of these qualifications can awaken the pleasure of the
Lord. Nor by charity, austerity, sacrifice, cleanliness or vows can
one satisfy the Lord. The Lord is pleased only if one has unflinching,
unalloyed devotion to Him. Without sincere devotional service,
everything is simply a show.

 

SB 7.7.53    My dear friends, O sons of the demons, in the same favorable way
that one sees himself and takes care of himself, take to devotional
service to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is present
everywhere as the Supersoul of all living entities.

 

Adi 4.17  [Lord Krsna thought:] "All the universe is filled with the
conception of My majesty, but love weakened by that sense of majesty
does not satisfy Me.

 

your humble servant,

 

Damaghosa das