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His Divine Grace A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
(founder of the Hare Krsna movement) |
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By His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Svami Prabhupada
The great saint Prabodhananda Sarasvati, a devotee of Lord Caitanya, has stated: kaivalyam narakayate tridasa-pur akasa-puspayate. For a pure devotee, kaivalya, merging into the existence of Brahman, the Brahman effulgence, is no better than living in hell. Similarly, he considers promotion to heavenly planets (tridasa-pur) just another kind of phantasmagoria. In other words, a pure devotee does not place much value in the destination of the karmis (the heavenly planets) or in the destination of the jnanis (merging into the Brahman effulgence). A pure devotee considers a moment's association with another pure devotee to be far superior to residing in a heavenly planet or merging in the Brahman effulgence. The topmost benediction for those who are living in this material world and are subjected to the repetition of birth and death (transmigration) is association with pure devotees. One should search out such pure devotees and remain with them. That will make one completely happy, even though living within the material world. This Krsna consciousness movement is started for that purpose. A person who is overly affected materially may take advantage of this movement and become intimately associated with it. In this way the confused and frustrated inhabitants of this material world may find the highest happiness in association with devotees. SB 4.30.34 |
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