Transcendental samadhi - ethos of Krishna consicousnes

It is certainly the opportunity for us to experience what Samadhi is, to be absorbed in one activity, putting aside all other things. That activity being giving Krishna to others, making them fortunate. The difficulties that come along with that in terms of weather, in terms of officials, in terms of perhaps people not wanting us to be on street and what to speak of obstacles that our mind poses. This is all what it requires to actually become or overcome these things and to become a real vaishnav.To enter into Samadhi. Bhajananadis face them in some other form; we face them in this way. And when we practice doing so, we become practiced in meditating upon Krishna, being absorbed in Krishna. Srila Prbahupada often defines a first class devotee in terms of someone who is always thinking about spreading Krishna consciousness, when you are thinking about spreading Krishna consciousness you are thinking about Krishna’s service. And the other definition of a first class devotee is one who is always absorbed in Krishna’s form, Krishna’s name but the purity of heart required for both is the same. The actual focussing of the mind required for both is same; all that differs is the mood. One is enjoying Krishna consciousness and one is giving Krishna consciousness. And this mood of giving Krishna consciousness to others is the mood of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu it is what the Krishna consciousness movement is all about...

Any devotee who makes reference to Srila Prabhupada’s books, lectures will see that Srila Prabhupada emphasised the distribution of transcendental literature as the main focus of Krishna consciousness movement and all other activities are made successful by that one act and they are also meant to support it. Prabhuapda has not been with us for now over 40 years however that mission of Srila Prabhupada that ethos of Krishna consciousness movement has not yet changed. Prabhuapda has stated that you can check the success of a temple manager, the spiritual strength of a temple, and the success of a yatra by how enthusiastic devotees are for distributing books and also how many numbers of books. Srila Prabhupada wasn’t fruitive in anyways, yet he did quantify the success of Krishan consciousness. He quantified the distribution of books and he wasn’t the first to do that. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu also did that, he said ‘yare dekhe tara kaha krishna upadesha’ ‘prithvite ate yati nagaradi grama’. He is talking about large numbers.

An excerpt from a lecture by HH Sivaram Maharaj titled Book distribution is transcendental Samadhi 2008.11.24 KecsKemet

Devamrita Swami, New Vrndavan, Festival of Inspiration - understanding our life in context

As you look at the world situation and your situation within the world situation there is no doubt we should be feeling tremendous opportunity for expanding lord Chaitanya’s movement. That is our heritage, not only our heritage but our dynamics coming through parampara. We are always on the look out for more. What can we do, we are coming in the line of Panchatatva who are always causing things to increase. So therefore if we properly align ourselves with the mission of pancatatva we will also have those expansionary dynamics and certainly Krishna will send the resources to fuel those dynamics. Currently scarcity rules the day when we look at the material situation of the world…Why should be in denial about our expansionary heritage, why should we feel bad about the dynamics given to us by the Panchatatva to always increase. Of course how to expand requires intelligence but we cannot deny we are meant to expand. By the Panchatatva dancing they make it easier to drink nectarean love of Krishna. By our chanting and dancing, the more we chant and dance more we are actually able to taste krishna bhakti. Lets look at scarcity and pancatatve. Krishnadas Kaviraj Goswami describes that the Pancatatva plundered the storehouse of love of god and distributed it everywhere, yet there is no scarcity. The storehouse of love of krishna is so complete.

1978.11.24 Houston, US, SB 1.1.4 Lecture by HH Tamala Krishna Maharaj

The process for purification in this age is given very very clearly. As I said yesterday (11.5.32),
krishna-varnam tvishakrishnam
sangopangastra-parshadam
yajnaih sankirtana-prayair
yajanti hi su-medhasah
Akrishna means non-blackish. In this kaliyuga Krishna will come in a non-blackish form. Krishna...yajnaih sankirtana-prayair, yajanti hi su-medhasah. Sankirtan, this is the yagya the sacrifice which is recommended for this age. Everyone who wants to remain connected with Chaitanya Mahaprabhu must participate in the sankirtan process. This will keep you enlivened. Sankirtan means preaching the glories of the lord will bring out the nicest of the qualities in the individual. Your mercy, your patience, your compassion, your determination, all of these qualities will be evoked by the performance of sankirtan yagya. In previous ages there were other sacrifices but in this age it will not work. You cannot simply sit down and meditate, it will not work. You cannot perform simply opulent temple worship as it will not get the best out of you. As it is said here one has to be pushed to the level of inconvenience. That suffering that austerity is spiritual happiness. As you minimise the comfort and maximise the material inconvenience automatically spiritual benefits will come out. Therefore sages and saintly persons always undergo austerity. The beginning is tapasya voluntary austerity. So sankirtan or spreading KC through transcendental book distribution, prashadam distribution and the holy name distribution, these methods are part of this sacrifice which is recommended in this age.

The most munificent personalities

A brahamana is somebody who gives transcendental knowledge to others, just like we quoted the verse yesterday from Srimad Bhagavatam that certainly one who shares the message of godhead is most munificent. Tava kathamritam tapta jevanam, we quoted that verse from 10th canto of Srimad Bhagavatam. And conclusions of that verse is that the gopis are saying that those who distribute the message of godhead are considered to be the most munificent personalities. So he wanted us to assist him in helping him in spreading this transcendental message, and by seeing that how our lives have changed we should also want to help others to achieve the same benefit.

- Niranjana Swami, Sunday Feast Class, 28 November, 2010