Qualities dear to Sri Krishna

(Compiled from notes on lectures of H. H. Mahavishnu Goswami)

The following is a summary from a lecture given by H.H. MahaVishnu Goswami January 2009. The lecture is based on verses 12.13-14 where Lord Krishna lists a number of eleven good qualities in His devotees. Maharaja speaks on these qualities of a devotee and on how to develop these good qualities.

advestaa sarva-bhutaanaam
maitrah karuna eva ca
nirmamo nirahankaarah
sama-duhkha-sukhah ksami

santustah satatam yogi
yataatmaa drdha-niscayah
mayy arpita-mano-buddhir
yo mad-bhaktah sa me priyah

‘One who is not envious but who is a kind friend to all living entities, who does not think himself a proprietor, who is free from false ego and equal both in happiness and distress, who is always satisfied and engaged in devotional service with determination and whose mind and intelligence are in agreement with Me--he is very dear to Me.’

Advesta - Nonenviousness
Nobody likes envy, whether it may be experienced in oneself or seen in others. Therefore a sane person will by try by all means to rid himself of this inebriety. However hard we may try though, we cannot become free from the subtle envy. After having failed to control the waves of envy by various mental adjustments, everyone is looking for an effective remedy for the recurring disease of enviousness. Fortunately the Srimad Bhagavatam, the crest-jewel of Vedic literature, offers sublime directions aimed at curing the disease of envy. In verse 7.15.23 it is stated:

aanviksikyaa soka-mohau
dambham mahad-upaasayaa
yogaantaraayaan maunena
himsaam kaamaady-anihayaa
'By discussing spiritual knowledge one can conquer lamentation and illusion, by serving a great devotee one can become prideless, by keeping silent one can avoid obstacles on the path of mystic yoga, and simply by stopping sense gratification one can conquer envy.'

The root cause of envy is the inclination of the mind towards sense gratification. Only because we want to enjoy particular things in this world for ourselves, we feel envious when others enjoy those very things. However when a person no longer has anything to enjoy in this world, then where is the need for envy? Having identified the root cause of the envy, the next question that arises is how to remove this root cause. The following direction is found in verse regarding how to deal with the minds attraction towards sense gratification, Srimad Bhagavatam 11.10.20:

ko 'nv arthah sukhayaty enam
kaamo vaa mrtyur antike
aaghaatam niyamaanasya
vadhyasyeva na tusti-dah

'Death is not at all pleasing, and since everyone is exactly like a condemned man being led to the place of execution, what possible happiness can people derive from material objects or the gratification they provide?'

A person facing immediate execution cannot be pacified by any amount of sense gratification, even if he is offered a beautiful woman, a house or a million dollars. Thus when he is led to the execution place he has no concern for envy. By the practice of envisioning one's final moment one becomes sober and completely indifferent to all varieties of sense enjoyment. Only as long as the life remains with us we are inclined to sense gratification and to envy others. In the world everyone is competing in order to increase the sense gratification, even between nations the envy plays an important part. However by envisioning death one becomes free from the entanglement in sense gratification and by stopping sense gratification we can conquer envy and become nonenvious.

Maitrah - A kind friend to all living entities
In Bhagavad gita verse 15.7 it is stated:

mamaivaamso jiva-loke
jiva-bhutah sanaatanah
manah-sasthaanindriyaani
prakrti-sthaani karsati
Here Krishna states that all living entities are His eternal parts and parcels. Because a devotee is awake to this fact he is friendly to one and all even those who act as his enemies.

In the Srimad Bhagavatam verse 4.31.19 it is further stated:

dayayaa sarva-bhutesu
santustyaa yena kena vaa
sarvendriyopasaantyaa ca
tusyaty aasu janaardanah
'By showing mercy to all living entities, being satisfied somehow or other and controlling the senses from sense enjoyment, one can very quickly satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Janārdana.'

From this verse we take MSC: Merciful, Satisfied and Controlled. When these qualities reside in us we cannot be envious of others. Only the competitive spirit stops us from being friendly with others. If good organisation is there, there is no competition. In the absence of clear organization or in a messy organizational structure there will inevitably competition. Even in religious structures there is competition, and it is seen that devotees even use God to further their own motives. Thus in the name of preaching suffering is rampant. Only as long as there is one leader in control, the organization will progress. As soon as there is partnership there will be fighting. This is of course difficult to put into practice because we don’t forget our false ego.

Nirmamah - With no sense of proprietorship
In the Sri Isopanisad mantra one it is stated:

isaavaasyam idam sarvam
yat kinca jagatyaam jagat
tena tyaktena bhunjithaa
maa grdhah kasya svid dhanam
'Everything animate or inanimate that is within the universe is controlled and owned by the Lord. One should therefore accept only those things necessary for himself, which are set aside as his quota, and one should not accept other things, knowing well to whom they belong.'

Everything belongs to Krishna so to hoard wealth or use it for sense gratification is very bad. The best use of everything is for Krishna. At best we may act as Krishna’s instruments. But because we are not with the scriptures, they do not take care of us. By avoiding the hoarding tendency and being satisfied with our set quota, and taking strength from daily association of the scriptures, we properly recognize Krishna's Supreme Proprietorship.

Nirahankarah - Without false ego
The root of false ego is ignorance. We are ignorant of the fact that one day we are going to go. In Bhagavatam 2.3.17 it is stated:

aayur harati vai pumsaam
udyann astam ca yann asau
tasyarte yat-ksano nita
uttama-sloka-vaartayaa

‘Both by rising and by setting, the sun decreases the duration of life of everyone, except one who utilizes the time by discussing topics of the all-good Personality of Godhead.’

A short life of max 100 years is nothing in the cosmic scale. When we are conscious about the fact that we have to die, the false ego evaporates. Why are we proud? We do not have anything. If Krishna wishes we cannot enjoy our own things also. The only unchanging thing in this world is the change. In the changing world who are we going to catch?

Sama dukha sukha - Equal in both happiness and distress
The ailment of the body should be regarded as happiness, then it will go away, otherwise it will bite you.

Ksami - Forgiving
We may suffer loss but even then we forgive. Krishna forgave Sisupal 100 times, Jesus Christ taught to turn the other cheek. In Bhagavad gita verse 10.4-5 Krishna states that forgiveness comes from Him. In the verse purport Srila Prabhupada writes ‘Ksamā, tolerance and forgiveness, should be practiced; one should be tolerant and excuse the minor offenses of others’. To put this into practice requires realization, and in the word realization, real is there. By practice forgiveness becomes real.

Santustah – Always satisfied
Don’t catch anything – let go. If we do not open material accounts with others we will be able to always be satisfied. Our satisfaction goes as soon as we catch the inebrities of other living entities.

In Bhagavatam 8.19.24 it is stated:

yadrcchayopapannena
santusto vartate sukham
naasantustas tribhir lokair
ajitaatmopasaaditaih

‘One should be satisfied with whatever he achieves by his previous destiny, for discontent can never bring happiness. A person who is not self-controlled will not be happy even with possessing the three worlds.’

Everyone has their lot in life, and to be satisfied with that is santustah. The five rupees in our hand is more valuable to us than the million of the other man.

Satatam yogi – Always engaged in devotion
In the Brhan-naradiya purana it is stated:

harer naama harer naama
harer naamaiva kevalam
kalau naasty eva naasty eva
naasty eva gatir anyathaa

‘In this age of quarrel and hypocrisy the only means of deliverance is chanting the holy name of the Lord. There is no other way. There is no other way. There is no other way.’

One can be purified immediately by chanting ‘Hare Krishna’. The Srimad Bhagavatam confirms this in verse 1.6.25

etaavad uktvopararaama tan mahad
bhutam nabho-lingam alingam isvaram
aham ca tasmai mahataam mahiyase
sirsnaavanaamam vidadhe 'nukampitah

‘Then that supreme authority, personified by sound and unseen by eyes, but most wonderful, stopped speaking. Feeling a sense of gratitude, I offered my obeisances unto Him, bowing my head.’

Purport by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada: That the Personality of Godhead was not seen but only heard does not make any difference. The Personality of Godhead produced the four Vedas by His breathing, and He is seen and realized through the transcendental sound of the Vedas. Similarly, the Bhagavad gita is the sound representation of the Lord, and there is no difference in identity. The conclusion is that the Lord can be seen and heard by persistent chanting of the transcendental sound.

This settles the matter. Simply by chanting Krishna’s names, Bhagavad gita and Srimad Bhagavatam one can see and realize the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and by such experience only can one be situated in constant devotional service to the Lord.

Yata-atma — self-controlled
In the Bhagavad gita 5.26 it is stated:

kaama-krodha-vimuktaanaam
yatinaam yata-cetasaam
abhito brahma-nirvaanam
vartate viditaatmanaam
Those who are free from anger and all material desires, who are self-realized, self-disciplined and constantly endeavoring for perfection, are assured of liberation in the Supreme in the very near future.

By keeping our eye on the goal of Krishna’s lotus feet, as Arjuna only saw the eye of the bird when asked to shoot his arrow by his teacher Dronacarya, we can be disciplined even though all inebrities may surround us. In the end we can only blame ourselves if we miss the target. By blaming others and our circumstances we unnecessarily prolong our material existence. What others do or do not do, should never touch our resolve to achieve the lotus feet of the Lord.

Drdha-niscayah – Engaged in devotional service with determination
Determination means to finish it, or see the things through to their end. The following is the story of how a sparrow displayed the lesson of how one should be determined:
‘As for determination, one should follow the example of the sparrow who lost her eggs in the waves of the ocean. A sparrow laid her eggs on the shore of the ocean, but the big ocean carried away the eggs on its waves. The sparrow became very upset and asked the ocean to return her eggs. The ocean did not even consider her appeal. So the sparrow decided to dry up the ocean. She began to pick out the water in her small beak, and everyone laughed at her for her impossible determination. The news of her activity spread, and at last Garuda, the gigantic bird carrier of Lord Vishnu, heard it. He became compassionate toward his small sister bird, and so he came to see the sparrow. Garuda was very pleased by the determination of the small sparrow, and he promised to help. Thus Garuda at once asked the ocean to return her eggs lest he himself take up the work of the sparrow. The ocean was frightened at this, and returned the eggs. Thus the sparrow became happy by the grace of Garuda.
Similarly, the practice of yoga, especially bhakti-yoga in Krishna consciousness, may appear to be a very difficult job. But if anyone follows the principles with great determination, the Lord will surely help, for God helps those who help themselves.’ [Bhagavad-gita 6.24, purport]

Mayy arpita-mano-buddhir - Mind and intelligence fixed on Me
From the Bhagavatam 9.4.18-20 we take the example of Ambarish Maharaja in how to engage all faculties in Sri Krishna’s devotional service.

sa vai manah krsna-padaaravindayor
vacaamsi vaikuntha-gunaanuvarnane
karau harer mandira-maarjanaadisu
srutim cakaaraacyuta-sat-kathodaye

mukunda-lingaalaya-darsane drsau
tad-bhrtya-gaatra-sparse 'nga-sangamam
ghraanam ca tat-paada-saroja-saurabhe
srimat-tulasyaa rasanaam tad-arpite

paadau hareh ksetra-padaanusarpane
siro hrsikesa-padaabhivandane
kaamam ca daasye na tu kaama-kaamyayaa
yathottamasloka-janaasrayaa ratih

‘Maharaja Ambarisha always engaged his mind in meditating upon the lotus feet of Krishna, his words in describing the glories of the Lord, his hands in cleansing the Lord’s temple, and his ears in hearing the words spoken by Krishna or about Krishna. He engaged his eyes in seeing the Deity of Krishna, Krishna’s temples and Krishna’s places like Mathura and Vrindavana, he engaged his sense of touch in touching the bodies of the Lord’s devotees, he engaged his sense of smell in smelling the fragrance of tulasi offered to the Lord, and he engaged his tongue in tasting the Lord’s prasada. He engaged his legs in walking to the holy places and temples of the Lord, his head in bowing down before the Lord, and all his desires in serving the Lord, twenty-four hours a day. Indeed, Maharaja Ambarisha never desired anything for his own sense gratification. He engaged all his senses in devotional service, in various engagements related to the Lord. This is the way to increase attachment for the Lord and be completely free from all material desires.’

Everything is Krishna’s, what can we do but to engage in His service?
The following is the conclusion and below all the qualities are listed together.

Advesta – Nonenviousness
Maitrah - A kind friend to all living entities
Nirmamah - With no sense of proprietorship
Nirahankarah - Without false ego
Sama dukha sukha - Equal in both happiness and distress
Ksami – Forgiving
Santustah – Always satisfied
Satatam yogi – Always engaged in devotion
Yata-atma — self-controlled
Drdha-niscayah – Engaged in devotional service with determination
Mayy arpita-mano-buddhir - Mind and intelligence fixed on Me

Altogether these eleven qualities make a devotee. Therefore to remember these qualities and our need to carefully cultivate them, we may take help from the following acronym.

WE MAKE S(ri)N(athji) FAN!

W - Without false ego
E - Equal in both happiness and distress

M – Mind and intelligence fixed on me
A - Always satisfied
K - Kind friend to all living entities
E – Engaged in devotional service with determination

S – Self-controlled
N – Non-envious

F - Forgiving
A - Always engaged in devotion
N – No sense of proprietorship

May we by the mercy of Sri Guru and Sri Gauranga develop all these eleven qualities.

Chant,

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna

Krishna Krishna

Hare Hare

Hare Rama Hare Rama

Rama Rama

Hare Hare

and be happy.