View source for Despise - Transcending Material Dualities and Opposition

The material world is a web of temporary relationships and constant dualities. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that a sincere spiritual practitioner must learn what to despise—such as irreligion and material attachment—while maintaining perfect equanimity and depending entirely on the Supreme Lord, regardless of the opposition they face.

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=== Equanimity and Renunciation ===

To advance in spiritual life, one must detach from the emotional rollercoaster of material existence. Śrīla Prabhupāda emphasizes that a self-realized soul remains neutral, but when it comes to prioritizing spiritual duty, they will not hesitate to despise irreligion and abandon temporary material relationships.

* [[Vaniquotes:In the material world, one who is unaffected by whatever good or evil he may obtain, neither praising it nor despising it, is firmly fixed in perfect knowledge|In the material world, one who is unaffected by whatever good or evil he may obtain, neither praising it nor despising it, is firmly fixed in perfect knowledge.]]
* [[Vaniquotes:We should learn to despise all the causes of devastation, beginning from irreligion and cheating, and then we shall be able to make advancement in a life of piety|We should learn to despise all the causes of devastation, beginning from irreligion and cheating, and then we shall be able to make advancement in a life of piety.]]
* [[Vaniquotes:No one can check another's spiritual advancement on the plea of any material relationship. There are many instances of someone accepting the spiritual line, despising all family relationships, and the best example is Lord Caitanya Himself|No one can check another's spiritual advancement on the plea of any material relationship. There are many instances of someone accepting the spiritual line, despising all family relationships, and the best example is Lord Caitanya Himself.]]
* [[Vaniquotes:They also act neutrally, they mediate, they despise one another, and they act in many other relationships. Nonetheless, despite these various transactions, no one is permanently related|They also act neutrally, they mediate, they despise one another, and they act in many other relationships. Nonetheless, despite these various transactions, no one is permanently related.]]

=== The Supreme Will and Mercy ===

Material arrangements offer no actual protection without the sanction of the Supreme Lord. Śrīla Prabhupāda points out that despite all our mundane efforts, the laws of nature are absolute; yet, despite our continuous rebellion, the Lord remains eternally compassionate toward us.

* [[Vaniquotes:If neglected by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, a child, despite the presence of his parents, will suffer, and a diseased person, despite all medical help, will die|If neglected by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, a child, despite the presence of his parents, will suffer, and a diseased person, despite all medical help, will die.]]
* [[Vaniquotes:It is a law of nature that fire burns, and even if a child touches it, he will be burned despite his ignorance and innocence|It is a law of nature that fire burns, and even if a child touches it, he will be burned despite his ignorance and innocence.]]
* [[Vaniquotes:We are eternally related with Him (God), despite the state of forgetfulness already described above - in this purport of 3rd chapter of the book Light of the Bhagavata|We are eternally related with Him (God), despite the state of forgetfulness already described above - in this purport of the third chapter of the book Light of the Bhagavata.]]
* [[Vaniquotes:We should always know that God is ever kind to us. Despite our gross disobedience to the laws of God's nature, the Lord is kind enough to look after our maintenance|We should always know that God is ever kind to us. Despite our gross disobedience to the laws of God's nature, the Lord is kind enough to look after our maintenance.]]

=== Overcoming Opposition and Offenses ===

In the execution of universal affairs and spiritual preaching, one must be careful to properly respect authorized personalities. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that one should never despise the demigods or great sages, and assures that the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement will succeed despite the protests of atheists.

* [[Vaniquotes:When the porters, who happened to possess a disposition quite unpalatable to the Lord, saw the sages, they blocked their way with their staffs, despising their glories, although the sages did not deserve such treatment at their hands|When the porters, who happened to possess a disposition quite unpalatable to the Lord, saw the sages, they blocked their way with their staffs, despising their glories, although the sages did not deserve such treatment at their hands.]]
* [[Vaniquotes:The demigods should not be despised by the controlled living beings. They are all great devotees of the Lord entrusted to execute certain functions of universal affairs|The demigods should not be despised by the controlled living beings. They are all great devotees of the Lord entrusted to execute certain functions of universal affairs.]]
* [[Vaniquotes:Despite all protests from so-called Hindus and members of the brahmana caste, we are propagating the Krsna consciousness movement all over the world, according to the injunctions of the sastras and the order of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu|Despite all protests from so-called Hindus and members of the brahmana caste, we are propagating the Krsna consciousness movement all over the world, according to the injunctions of the sastras and the order of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.]]
* [[Vaniquotes:Despite all the activities of the pasandis, however, the prediction of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu will triumph: prthivite ache yata nagaradi grama/ sarvatra pracara haibe mora nama - In every town and village, the chanting of My name will be heard|Despite all the activities of the pasandis, however, the prediction of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu will triumph: prthivite ache yata nagaradi grama/ sarvatra pracara haibe mora nama - In every town and village, the chanting of My name will be heard.]]

=== Conclusion ===

In conclusion, Śrīla Prabhupāda masterfully navigates the complexities of material dualities by revealing exactly where a devotee's focus should lie. A person situated in perfect knowledge remains unaffected by the temporary gains and losses of the material world, neither praising nor despising them. However, they possess a sharp spiritual discrimination: they rightly despise irreligion and cheating, and are willing to sever mundane relationships to advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. At the same time, they guard against the devastating offense of despising the Lord's empowered devotees and universal administrators. Ultimately, the conditioned soul must recognize their total dependence on the Supreme Lord. It is only by His causeless mercy that we are maintained despite our gross disobedience, and it is by His supreme will that the glorious ''saṅkīrtana'' movement continues to flood the world, triumphing effortlessly despite all the envious protests and obstacles created by materialistic men.

=== Dive Deeper into Śrīla Prabhupāda's Vani ===

Śrīla Prabhupāda lives within his instructions. This article is a summary of the profound truths found in the Vaniquotes category [[Vaniquotes:Category:Despise|Despise]]. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience the teachings in their direct, verbatim form.

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