HH KKS: So in the scriptures we see example of Fall Down. We see Bharata Maharaja as an example, we see that neglect of spiritual activity, and attachment…material attachment, emotional involvement in material relationship became the cause of his fall down. We are seeing in the example of Saubari Muni that an offence to a devotee became the cause of his falldown. We see more examples… we see Gopala Chakravati who criticised Haridas Thakur in quite, quite a rigid way…. he entered with him into a scriptural debate about the chanting of the Holy Name and said that as far as he is concerned the statements of the scripture were exaggereted …and made very strong statements about Haridas and fell down.So we see many warnings about fall down. Another point is made in Upadesmarita. The Upadesamrita gives us various factors which can spoil devotional service. ….Sanskrit……These factors can destroy our spiritual life . ..Atyahara..over endevouring for material aquisitions …this may also occur in spiritual life. It is there described in the …sanskrit …there is the principle of…sanskirt…enjoying in the side benefits of devotional service. As we are engaging in devotional service after some time we are automatically getting ..recognition and we are getting facility …Just like here in Chowpatti ..some are in white and some are in the famous Chowpatti saffron ..that special colour which has now become well known for high spiritual standard ..that one can walk in and can be awarded and is even awarded in a ceremony..one can not just get it like that …so imagine after all that ..right …you are now wearing Chowpatti saffron …you know …have been awarded ..this recognition for your standards in spiritual life…
and now you have not only worn it newly but you have worn it for quite some time and you have now been appointed a monitor of junior devotees …you are now a Counsellor: ‘Yess’ ….now devotees offer obeisances to you ..are you offering in return or are you standing with folded hands..you may receive a cushion..a seat..extra thick and soft …..when you are in the assembly of the vaishnavas …the ghee lamp comes to you first! Some days, right somedays from inexperience a ghee light carrier walks right pass you with that ghee lamp .. “Oh Horror, doesn’t he know Vaishnava etiquette”..right..”How can he overlook our status”…. and it can continue and continue till you get a dhanda and until you get disciples, until you are a GBC, BBT trustee and so many designations …and all these designations are there to burden us, to trap us and catch us ….. to distract us and are all facilities for enjoyment …There is no doubt about it …one can enjoy all these things ..One can enjoy Chowpatti saffron ..one can. One can enjoy seniority …..Oh yes one can enjoy being served ..right..but not very long! …Because all this kind of enjoyment is in the realm of material enjoyment ……….and material enjoyment is compared to a drop in the desert. It doesn’t satisfy very much and so there is a need for more and more and more and more and more …and there is no end to it! So in this way one can even in advanced stage in devotional service, when one had genuine taste for Krishna consciousness one can gradually trade it in …one can gradually trade it in for this …Sanskrit ….it is quite amazing.
So in this way there are so many factors mentioned that can spoil our spiritual life …the list in the Upadesmarita…continues: …Sanskrit…over endeveour…Another very dangerous, very dangerous trap ..which can happen to the most enthusiastic devotee , the devotee that is genuinely enthusiastic and his good quality of enthusiasm can be the cause of his downfall ..because his enthusiasm can drag him along into taking on more than he can handle and he preaches and preaches and preaches and preaches and preaches so much that he no longer has enough energy left for sadhana. He is so busy and then his depth in his spiritual practices becomes neglected and day by day his rounds become more shallow and his reading becomes more shallow and it becomes mechanical because he has no energy left for such practices at all.So spiritual life is a matter of a razors egde..one should be very careful to be balanced and take care of all these things! (More in part 7)
