Essential Principles for Making Advancement in Spiritual Life
Advancement in spiritual life is the goal of the human form of existence, but it requires a deliberate shift from material consciousness to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that this shift is achieved through a combination of internal discipline and external practice. By controlling the senses, following the orders of the spiritual master, and engaging in the nine processes of devotional service, one can rapidly cross the ocean of nescience.
Foundation: Discipline and Control
There is no spiritual advancement without discipline. Just as a citizen must abide by state laws, Śrīla Prabhupāda notes that a spiritual aspirant must abide by the laws of God. This begins with tapasya (austerity) and the control of the mind and senses. If one remains attached to the path of sense enjoyment, spiritual progress is blocked.
- Tapasya is required. Without tapasya you cannot make advancement in spiritual life, or life of knowledge.
- In all spiritual affairs, one's first duty is to control his mind and senses. Unless one controls his mind and senses, one cannot make any advancement in spiritual life.
- So you should be very, very careful how to follow the rules and regulation. That is nivrtti-marga. If we still remain in pravrtti-marga, then we will not be able to make any advance in spiritual life.
Necessity of Guru and Association
One cannot advance alone. Śrīla Prabhupāda emphasizes that it is essential to accept a bona fide spiritual master and worship him (ācāryopāsanā). Furthermore, one must actively seek the association of devotees and avoid the company of those who are attached to material life or who produce mundane literature.
- We have to worship the acaryas. That is recommended in the Bhagavad-gita, for making advancement in spiritual life, acaryopasana.
- The association of a great saintly person (sadhu-sanga) is very important, because even if one is not advanced in knowledge, simply by association with a great saintly person one can immediately make considerable advancement in spiritual life.
- Acarya does not write any book of sex psychology, Freud's philosophy. That is not acarya; he is a rascal. Acarya gives direction how one can make advance in spiritual life. That is acarya.
Powerful Practices: Chanting and Prasādam
Śrīla Prabhupāda highlights one more point regarding the most potent tools for advancement: the chanting of the holy names and the honoring of prasādam (food offered to Kṛṣṇa). These processes purify the consciousness and nourish the soul, making the difficult path of self-realization accessible to everyone.
- As a result of chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra, one makes such great advancement in spiritual life that simultaneously his material existence terminates and he receives love of Godhead.
- Krsna eats many nice varieties of food and offers the food back to the devotees, so that not only are one’s demands for various tastes satisfied, but by eating prasadam one makes advancement in spiritual life.
- Please read my books very carefully and become convinced on this point. Chant Hare Krsna, take prasadam, and follow the regulative principles very rigidly. This will make you more and more advanced in spiritual life.
Correct Attitude and Social Dealings
Advancement is also a matter of perspective. A devotee learns to see the world differently—viewing material life with pessimism and spiritual opportunities with optimism. Śrīla Prabhupāda teaches that even enemies are seen as agents of karma sent by Kṛṣṇa to correct one's behavior. In marriage, the focus shifts from romance to cooperation in service.
- Unless we have a pessimistic view of this material life, considering the distresses of birth, death, old age and disease, there is no impetus for our making advancement in spiritual life.
- A Krishna Conscious marriage is not based on sense gratification but rather mutual cooperation between husband and wife for making advancement in spiritual life and also for raising Krishna Conscious children.
- A devotee knows that, Nobody can become my enemy unless Krsna desires. So why shall I think of him as my enemy? Krsna has desired him to act as my enemy just to correct me, to make me more advanced in spiritual life. Why shall I take any action upon him.
Conclusion
Śrīla Prabhupāda asserts that making advancement in spiritual life transforms the identity of the living entity. As one progresses, the desire to be a master fades, replaced by the desire to become the "servant of the servant." By following these essential principles—discipline, association, chanting, and proper attitude—one attains the highest perfection of life.
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 Making Advancement in Spiritual Life. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.