He quoted the verse tapasa brahmacaryena samena ca damena ca from the Sixth Canto, saying that one must follow a strict life of austerity if one wants to pass the test.
"Beginning tapasya, austerity. Brahmacarya, celibacy. Samena damena, controlling the senses, controlling the mind. Tyagena, by renunciation. Satya-saucabhyam, by following truthfulness and cleanliness. Yamena niyamena va, by practicing yoga, yama-niyama. These are the different items of being qualified. But all these things can be done by one stroke, kevalaya bhaktya, by engaging oneself in devotion, vasudeva-parayanah. One becomes qualified by one stroke of bhakti to Vasudeva. Just like the sunrise immediately dissipates the fog. Agham dhunvanti kartsnyena niharam iva bhaskarah.
"In the Kali-yuga, this one item of bhakti can make one perfectly fit candidate to pass the examination. What is this nonsense life? There is no tapasya, no spiritual culture, simply like cats and dogs. Last night I was reading. Vamanadeva created a planet, Sutala, in which Visvakarma was ordered to construct big houses, palaces, better than in the heavenly planet. And these rascals are going and seeing simply rocks and sand."
Atreya Rsi asked him if it was true that Krsna tests us every day.
"No, just like if you want responsible post," Prabhupada told him, "then there is question of test. If you want to become a vagabond, remain vagabond. Where is question of test?"
"No, for devotees," Atreya Rsi clarified.
"Ah, for devotees, there is test," Prabhupada said. "We see from the devotee's life, Prahlada Maharaja, how much severe test he had to pass through. Bali Maharaja, Narada Muni."
"And the most advanced the devotee is, the more severe the test is..." Atreya Rsi said.
Srila Prabhupada reassured him. "No, after you pass the examination, there is no more test. But before coming to the post of recognized devotee, Krsna tests very severely. That one has to pass."
I recalled one of his Bhagavatam purports where he stated that maya is there to test the sincerity of the candidate and Prabhupada continued, "Yes, we see from the life of Bali Maharaja, how he was put into difficulty. Even his spiritual master cursed him. If a devotee is put into test and still he remains in his determination, then he's passed. That is very natural. There is a word, 'acid test,' for ascertaining real gold -- the acid test one has to pass to become real gold."
Navayauvana asked if passing the test was dependent on one's faith in Krsna so Srila Prabhupada responded by asking what he meant by faith.
"Conviction," Atreya Rsi said.
"What is that conviction? Describe it," Prabhupada asked.
"That Krsna is the controller," Dayananda volunteered.
"Krsna is controller," Prabhupada stated as a fact. "You may have faith or no faith, that doesn't matter."
After Navayauvana and I both attempted to reply, Srila Prabhupada gave the definition he was looking for. "Faith means that you are meant for giving some service to Krsna. You should stick to that service, that path, in spite of all impediments. That is the passing of test. Generally, just like we are meant for preaching Krsna consciousness. So there may be severe test, but still we shall remain determined. That is wanted. There may be so many impediments, punishment, still you should do that. That is test. Not that as soon as there is some difficulty I give it up. There may be severe test, but still we shall not give it up. We must go on. That is determination."
"Passing the test means executing the order of the spiritual master," Navayauvana said.
Prabhupada agreed. "Yes, that is spiritual life. One has to take order from the spiritual master and execute it, despite all impediments. That is determination."
- From "A Transcendental Diary Vol 4" by HG Hari Sauri Prabhu
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