Surrender to the Divine Will - The Path of Becoming Saintly
In the Vedic conception, a saint is not necessarily a person who has retreated to the Himalayas for thousands of years. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that the path of becoming saintly is accessible to anyone who surrenders to the Divine Will of the Almighty. This surrender immediately aligns the living entity with the supreme nature, washing away the contamination of past lives. This article explores how the simple acts of chanting, proper association, and submissive hearing can transform even the most fallen souls into great saints.
Immediate Transformation
A common misconception is that spiritual perfection requires lifetimes of effort. However, Śrīla Prabhupāda asserts that if one is eager, the transformation can happen instantly. As soon as a person surrenders to Kṛṣṇa, they are protected from the onslaught of material nature and elevated to the status of a mahātmā. This swift change is confirmed by the Lord Himself in the Bhagavad-gītā, where He promises that a devotee, even if momentarily struggling, soon becomes a virtuous soul.
- As soon as we surrender unto the Divine Will of the Almighty we not only become Mahatmas and saints but also the attack of unkind Nature is vanquished at once.
- This may sound very difficult (discussing the Supreme Personality of Godhead among sadhus), but one can become a sat, a saintly person, within a second. If one is eager, one can immediately surrender to Krsna.
- Because one has committed himself to Krsna consciousness, it is proclaimed here (in BG 9.31) by Sri Krsna that within a very short time he will become saintly.
Influence of Association and Sound
The mechanism for this change is association. Śrīla Prabhupāda uses the practical example of a drunkard: if one associates with drinkers, one becomes a drunkard; similarly, by associating with saints, one becomes a saint. This principle of saṅgāt sañjāyate kāmaḥ is most powerfully applied through the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. The chanting process is so potent that it does not consider a person's past life. The historical evidence of Jagāi and Mādhāi proves that even the most degraded debauchees can be purified and raised to the platform of saintliness.
- Association, the influence of association. If you go to a drunkard association, you become a drunkard. And if you go to a saintly association, you become a saint. Sangat sanjayate kamah.
- Anyone who will take to this chanting process, whatever, you don't consider about his past life. He will become saintly. He will become a pure Krsna conscious person. The evidence is Jagai-Madhai.
- The practical effect of our spreading the Krsna consciousness movement all over the world is that now the most degraded debauchees are becoming the most elevated saints. This is only one Indian's humble service to the world.
Leadership and the Welfare of Citizens
Saintliness is also a social necessity. In the Vedic civilization, the king was trained to be a rājarṣi, or a saintly king. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that the character of the leader determines the character of the citizens. If the head of the government is saintly, the citizens naturally follow that example and live peacefully without fear. Conversely, in modern society, where leaders lack this training, the population remains degraded. The restoration of human civilization depends on training leaders to become saintly so they can satisfy both the spiritual and physical needs of the people.
- In the Vedic way of life, the king is trained to become a rajarsi, or a great saint, although he is ruling as king. It is the king only by whose good government the citizens can live peacefully and without any fear.
- If the head of the government is saintly, certainly the citizens become saintly, and they are very happy because both their spiritual and physical needs and hankerings are satisfied.
- One should become a saintly person. That is human civilization. Therefore in the Vedic civilization - brahmana, the first-class men. There is no first-class men now in this society. Everyone third class, fourth class, fifth class.
Conclusion
The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is meant to create a society of saints. Śrīla Prabhupāda encourages everyone—from the wine-drinker who can remember Kṛṣṇa as the taste of his drink, to the king who rules the earth—to take up this path. By utilizing the association of the guru, śāstra, and sādhu, and by surrendering to the holy name, the difficult task becomes easy. As soon as one turns toward Kṛṣṇa, the demoniac nature is vanquished, and the living entity enters the transcendental atmosphere, becoming a true saint in service to the Lord.
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 Becoming Saintly. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.