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Q. 243. WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF FAITH AND WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF KNOWLEDGE?‏

Posted by padmavati mataji on July 22, 2011 at 5:01pm

  • Q. 243.  WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF FAITH AND WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF KNOWLEDGE?‏

    A.  BY  SRILA  PRABHUPADA.
sāttviky ādhyātmikī śraddhākarma-śraddhā tu rājasītāmasy adharme yā śraddhāmat-sevāyāḿ tu nirguṇāSYNONYMSsāttvikī — in the mode of goodness; ādhyātmikī — spiritual; śraddhā — faith; karma — in work; śraddhā — faith; tu — but; rājasī — in the mode of passion;tāmasī — in the mode of ignorance; adharme — in irreligion; yā — which; śraddhā — faith; mat-sevāyām — in My devotional service; tu — but; nirguṇā — transcendental.TRANSLATIONFaith directed toward spiritual life is in the mode of goodness, faith rooted in fruitive work is in the mode of passion, faith residing in irreligious activities is in the mode of ignorance, but faith in My devotional service is purely transcendental.(Srimad Bhagavatam).kaivalyaḿ sāttvikaḿ jñānaḿrajo vaikalpikaḿ ca yatprākṛtaḿ tāmasaḿ jñānaḿman-niṣṭhaḿ nirguṇaḿ smṛtamSYNONYMSkaivalyam — absolute; sāttvikam — in the mode of goodness; jñānam — knowledge; rajaḥ — in the mode of passion; vaikalpikam — manifold; ca — and;yat — which; prākṛtam — materialistic; tāmasam — in the mode of ignorance; jñānam — knowledge; mat-niṣṭham — concentrated upon Me; nirguṇam — transcendental; smṛtam — is considered.TRANSLATIONAbsolute knowledge is in the mode of goodness, knowledge based on duality is in the mode of passion, and foolish, materialistic knowledge is in the mode of ignorance. Knowledge based upon Me, however, is understood to be transcendental.(Srimad Bhagavatam).PURPORTThe Lord clearly explains here that spiritual knowledge of His supreme personality is transcendental to ordinary religious knowledge in the mode of goodness.In the mode of goodness one understands the existence of a higher spiritual nature within all things. In the mode of passion one acquires scientific knowledge of the material body.And in the mode of ignorance one fixes one's mind on the sense objects without higher awareness, perceiving things as a small child or a retarded person does.Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī elaborately explains in his commentary on this verse that the material mode of goodness does not award perfect knowledge of the Absolute Truth.He quotes from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam proving that many great demigods in the mode of goodness could not understand the transcendental personality of Lord Kṛṣṇa.devānāḿ śuddha-sattvānāmṛṣīṇāḿ cāmalātmanāmbhaktir mukunda-caraṇena prāyeṇopajāyateSYNONYMSdevānām — of the demigods; śuddha-sattvānām — whose minds are purified; ṛṣīṇām — of great saintly persons; ca — and; amala-ātmanām — who have purified their existence; bhaktiḥ — devotional service; mukunda-caraṇe — to the lotus feet of Mukunda, the Lord, who can give liberation; na — not; prāyeṇa — almost always; upajāyate — develops.TRANSLATIONDemigods situated in the mode of goodness and great saints cleansed of the dirt of material enjoyment hardly ever render pure devotional service at the lotus feet of Mukunda. [Therefore how could Vṛtrāsura have become such a great devotee?]In the material mode of goodness, one becomes pious or religious, aware of a higher, spiritual nature.On the spiritual platform of purified goodness, however, one establishes a direct, loving relationship with the Absolute Truth, rendering service to the Lord rather than merely maintaining a connection to mundane piety.In the mode of passion the conditioned soul speculates about the reality of his own existence and of the world around him, and considers speculatively the existence of a kingdom of God.In the mode of ignorance one acquires knowledge for sense gratification, absorbing the mind in varieties of eating, sleeping, defending and sex, without any higher purpose.Thus, within the modes of nature the conditioned souls are trying to gratify their senses, or else they are trying to free themselves from sense gratification.But they cannot directly engage themselves in their constitutional, liberated activities until they come to the transcendental position of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, beyond the modes of nature.

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  • Volunteer
    padmavati mataji July 22, 2011 at 5:04pm
  • Volunteer
    padmavati mataji July 22, 2011 at 5:03pm
    Pranam Dearest Devotee. Hare Krishna.
    Select a few prayers from the list below,
    (which is in the Krishna Consciousness group).
    1. TWO PRAYERS TO SHRIMATI RADHARANI.
    2. ELEVEN OM PRAYERS FROM SHRIMAD BHAGAVATAM.
    3. SHRI GURVASTAKAM. (eight prayers to the Spiritual Master).
    4. TWO PRAYERS FROM SHRI VRINDAVANA MAHIMAMRTA.
    5. TWO PRAYERS FROM MUKUNDA MALA STOTRA.
    6. SIX PRAYERS FROM SHRI BRAHMA SAMHITA.
    7. THE EIGHT YUGALASHTAKAM PRAYERS.
    Everyday read them. 
    But if you can spare more time,
    then I highly recommend that you read all of them.
    At the time of reading these sacred prayers,
    Lord Krishna showers blessings upon you.
    With love and best wishes.
    Take care, bye.
  • Volunteer
    padmavati mataji July 22, 2011 at 5:03pm
    Pranam Dearest Devotee. Hare Krishna.
    1. Select a question and answer.
    2. Read it. Re-read it.
    3. Little by little, memorize the verses and translations.
    4. Learn also the word-for-word meaning.
    5. When you have done this with one question and answer,
    do the same with the others. Take your time.
    6. As you engage in this spiritual study daily,
    Lord Krishna showers blessings upon you.
    I wish you success in your studies.
    With love and best wishes.
    Take care. Bye.
  • Volunteer
    padmavati mataji July 22, 2011 at 5:02pm
  • Volunteer
    padmavati mataji July 22, 2011 at 5:01pm
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