In the introduction of the Bhagavad-gītā, Prabhupāda mentions that one should at least theoretically accept Śrī Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Should we accept without proof?
I remember one very senior European devotee. He is now the temple president of one of the biggest temple in EU.
He shared in his class that he was a very strong atheist and fully engaged in sense gratification and has no faith in God....but when he first time got BG as it is and read the below sentence in the introduction chapter:
".......the person who is trying to understand the Bhagavad-gītā, we should at least theoretically accept Śrī Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and with that submissive spirit we can understand the Bhagavad-gītā."
He shared that
"By reading these lines, he just theoretically accepted Krishna as Supreme Personality of Godhead and first time read BG".
It worked so effectively that he joined Iskcon immediately and within one or two years he became Sankirtana leader of the whole country or a group of small countries.
This is the power of Srila Prabhupada words in the introduction of BG.
@ respected Chaitanya Chandra Prabhu: thank you so much for writing this wonderr article on this very specific but important subject.
Thank you so much prabhuji for this wonderful reply!
So this means its a 3 step process -
1. Have some preliminary faith that God exists, has a form, and Krsna is SPOG
2. Start practicing the things mentioned in BG
3. By the practice, we experience transformation, we get deeper understanding, we get realizations, we get proof, and we become more and more convinced.
I was just wondering -
1. Is a personal spiritual transformation good enough proof to convince a person and take up this path? I am asking this because this type of personal proof comes into the category of Anecdotal proof, which some people may just blatantly deny.
2. Sometimes, if I am unable to preach or convince a person, I think that I am not strong in my practice and philosophy itself, otherwise I would have defeated him, and this thought gives me a sense of inferiority complex. Is there any solution to this?
3. Can you please elaborate on the circular logic part a bit more?
a) Accept Krsna as SPOG
b) in this book, krsna said that he is supreme (some people even ask that who knows this book may be fabricated or not)
c) Thus he is supreme
How can we defend against this argument, because I am defeated many times.
I am sorry prabhuji, if you don't mind, can I keep asking you questions? I have many doubts which aren't resolved yet...
Thank you once again prabhuji, for these wonderful explanations, I am very grateful to you!
Each soul always has free will, so even when the Lord comes Himself, not everyone will surrender. That’s why Kṛṣṇa Himself in the Gita, instructs us to avoid envious people and focus on the pious souls who become naturally attracted. Wanting to convince everyone comes from the mode of passion, it just brings frustration. As we advance spiritually, our effect over other people increases, but it never becomes absolute.
Thank you for this article. It defines me, since I am not really following (the more senior) devotees. The more I read your articles, the more I become convinced that this whole criticizing ISKCON GBC is actually working against me. Please continue with your sharing.
Yes, that’s an important realization. Even criticizing regular people is not spiritually healthy; what to say about criticizing other devotees? We develop the bad qualities of the people we criticize. In due time, we become what we accuse them of being.
Wonderful articles
I remember one very senior European devotee. He is now the temple president of one of the biggest temple in EU.
He shared in his class that he was a very strong atheist and fully engaged in sense gratification and has no faith in God....but when he first time got BG as it is and read the below sentence in the introduction chapter:
".......the person who is trying to understand the Bhagavad-gītā, we should at least theoretically accept Śrī Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and with that submissive spirit we can understand the Bhagavad-gītā."
He shared that
"By reading these lines, he just theoretically accepted Krishna as Supreme Personality of Godhead and first time read BG".
It worked so effectively that he joined Iskcon immediately and within one or two years he became Sankirtana leader of the whole country or a group of small countries.
This is the power of Srila Prabhupada words in the introduction of BG.
@ respected Chaitanya Chandra Prabhu: thank you so much for writing this wonderr article on this very specific but important subject.
Hare Krishna
Your Servant
Omkaresvara das
Very inspiring Prabhu, thank you very much :-)
Thank you so much prabhuji for this wonderful reply!
So this means its a 3 step process -
1. Have some preliminary faith that God exists, has a form, and Krsna is SPOG
2. Start practicing the things mentioned in BG
3. By the practice, we experience transformation, we get deeper understanding, we get realizations, we get proof, and we become more and more convinced.
I was just wondering -
1. Is a personal spiritual transformation good enough proof to convince a person and take up this path? I am asking this because this type of personal proof comes into the category of Anecdotal proof, which some people may just blatantly deny.
2. Sometimes, if I am unable to preach or convince a person, I think that I am not strong in my practice and philosophy itself, otherwise I would have defeated him, and this thought gives me a sense of inferiority complex. Is there any solution to this?
3. Can you please elaborate on the circular logic part a bit more?
a) Accept Krsna as SPOG
b) in this book, krsna said that he is supreme (some people even ask that who knows this book may be fabricated or not)
c) Thus he is supreme
How can we defend against this argument, because I am defeated many times.
I am sorry prabhuji, if you don't mind, can I keep asking you questions? I have many doubts which aren't resolved yet...
Thank you once again prabhuji, for these wonderful explanations, I am very grateful to you!
ys
Each soul always has free will, so even when the Lord comes Himself, not everyone will surrender. That’s why Kṛṣṇa Himself in the Gita, instructs us to avoid envious people and focus on the pious souls who become naturally attracted. Wanting to convince everyone comes from the mode of passion, it just brings frustration. As we advance spiritually, our effect over other people increases, but it never becomes absolute.
Hare Krishna Prabhuji,
Thank you for this article. It defines me, since I am not really following (the more senior) devotees. The more I read your articles, the more I become convinced that this whole criticizing ISKCON GBC is actually working against me. Please continue with your sharing.
Yes, that’s an important realization. Even criticizing regular people is not spiritually healthy; what to say about criticizing other devotees? We develop the bad qualities of the people we criticize. In due time, we become what we accuse them of being.