Becoming Pious - The Easiest Method for a Difficult Age
The Vedic scriptures describe piety (puṇya) as the foundation of a successful life. Generally, becoming pious is seen as a result of strenuous endeavor, such as expensive sacrifices or long pilgrimages. However, Śrīla Prabhupāda reveals a much simpler and more powerful method suitable for the modern age. By engaging in the process of bhakti, specifically through hearing and chanting, a person is purified of sinful contamination and attains the highest standard of piety without the need for independent ritualistic efforts.
Simple Method of Purification
In the age of Kali, people are often described as having lost the stamina required for traditional pious methods. To address this, Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu prescribed a very easy method to become pious: the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. Śrīla Prabhupāda notes that one becomes pious simply by glorifying the Lord, regardless of whether they fully understand the philosophy. The vibration itself is so potent that both the chanter and the listener are purified, making the standard of piety accessible to everyone, even those who are "most sinful."
- To become pious one generally has to endeavor a great deal, but if one simply hears the verses of Srimad-Bhagavatam or Bhagavad-gita one becomes pious automatically.
- The Krsna consciousness movement is meant to educate sinful men so that they may become pious simply by chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra.
- In Kali-yuga people have lost all their stamina. They are so sinful that there is no question of becoming pious through all these prescribed methods. The only means is hearing about Krsna and chanting His names.
Piety as the Key to Understanding God
A significant barrier to spiritual realization is the presence of sinful reactions in the heart. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that as long as one is implicated in sinful activities, there is no chance of understanding Kṛṣṇa. Piety is the "admission ticket" to transcendental knowledge. When one sits down to hear kṛṣṇa-kathā or visits a temple for Deity worship, they are "knowingly or unknowingly" accumulating a heap of pious results (kṛta-puṇya-puñjāḥ). This accumulated piety eventually grants the soul the ability to perceive the Personality of Godhead.
- If we simply sit down and hear, we become pious. And as soon as we become pious, then we can understand what is Krsna, what is God. If we are involved or implicated in sinful activities, there is no chance.
- Deity worship is open for everyone so that, knowingly or unknowingly, anyone who is coming here, he is becoming pious. Krta-punya-punjah (SB 10.12.11). Because Krsna worship, or God worship, is not possible for persons who are sinful.
- Krsna-katha, talks about Krsna, you, either you understand it or not understand it, it doesn't matter, if you simply sit down to receive, give aural reception to such message, you become pious. Immediately.
Transcendental Piety vs. Material Morality
While ordinary piety leads to material happiness and promotion to higher planets, it does not solve the fundamental problems of birth, death, disease, and old age. Śrīla Prabhupāda emphasizes that the goal of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is not merely to make people "good" in a material sense, but to make them devotees. By surrendering to Kṛṣṇa and offering the results of one's activities to Him, a person attains a state of piety that is beyond the dualities of the material world. This devotional standard of piety is what ultimately saves the soul from the stringent laws of nature.
- As soon as you surrender, immediately you become pious.
- If we become sinful every moment, how we can become happy? It is not possible. If you want to become happy, you have to become pious. And the standard of piety is to become Krsna conscious, devotee of Krsna. That is the highest perfection of life.
- We must try to become pious. And that pious means no sinful activities. Therefore we proscribe four sinful things, the pillars of sinful life: no illicit sex, no meat-eating, no intoxication, no gambling - four pillars.
Conclusion
The journey from a sinful existence to one of spiritual enlightenment begins with the simple act of hearing. By adopting the effortless process of chanting and hearing, the living entity is automatically elevated from the lower modes of passion and ignorance. This transformation is the bridge that leads from material struggle to a life of eternal happiness. Ultimately, dedicated service to the Lord and adherence to His instructions represent the highest perfection of piety, delivering the soul into the realm of pure devotion.
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Śrīla Prabhupāda lives within his instructions. This article is a summary of the profound truths found in the Vaniquotes category Becoming Pious. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.
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