Śrī Caitanya Caritāmṛta Madhya 7.127
TRANSLATION:
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu replied, "Don't speak like that again. Better to remain at home and chant the holy name of
Kṛṣṇa always.
PURPORT
It is not advisable in this Age of
Kali to leave one's family suddenly, for people are not trained as proper brahmacārīs and gṛhasthas. Therefore
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu advised the
brāhmaṇa not to be too eager to give up family life. It would be better to remain with his family and try to become purified by chanting the
Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-
mantra regularly under the direction of a spiritual master. This is the instruction of
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. If this principle is followed by everyone, there is no need to accept
sannyāsa. In the next verse
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu advises everyone to become an ideal householder by offenselessly chanting the
Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra and teaching the same principle to everyone he meets.
Śrī Caitanya Caritāmṛta Madhya 7.128
TRANSLATION
"Instruct everyone to follow the orders of Lord
Śrī Kṛṣṇa as they are given in the Bhagavad-
gītā and
Śrīmad-
Bhāgavatam. In this way become a spiritual master and try to liberate everyone in this land."
PURPORT
This is the sublime mission of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. Many people come and inquire whether they have to give up family life to join the Society, but that is not our mission. One can remain comfortably in his residence. We simply request everyone to chant the
mahā-
mantra:
Hare Kṛṣṇa,
Hare Kṛṣṇa,
Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa,
Hare Hare/
Hare Rāma,
Hare Rāma,
Rāma Rāma,
Hare Hare. If one is a little literate and can read Bhagavad-
gītā As It Is and
Śrīmad-
Bhāgavatam, that is so much the better. These works are now available in an English translation and are done very authoritatively to appeal to all classes of men. Instead of living engrossed in material activities, people throughout the world should take advantage of this movement and chant the
Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-
mantra at home with their families. One should also refrain from sinful activities — illicit sex, meat-eating, gambling and intoxication. Out of these four items, illicit sex is very sinful. Every person must get married...One can also produce many nice preparations to offer
Kṛṣṇa — grain, fruit, flowers and milk. Why should one indulge in unnecessary meat-eating and maintain horrible slaughterhouses? What is the use of smoking and drinking tea and coffee? People are already intoxicated by material enjoyment, and if they indulge in further intoxication, what chance is there for self-realization? Similarly, one should not partake in gambling and unnecessarily agitate the mind. The real purpose of human life is to attain the spiritual platform and return to Godhead. That is the summum bonum of spiritual realization. The
Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to elevate human society to the perfection of life by pursuing the method described by
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu in His advice to the
brāhmaṇa Kūrma. That is, one should stay at home, chant the
Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra and preach the instructions of
Kṛṣṇa as they are given in the Bhagavad-
gītā and
Śrīmad-
Bhāgavatam.
Śrī Caitanya Caritāmṛta Madhya 7.129
TRANSLATION
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu further advised the
brāhmaṇa Kūrma, "If you follow this instruction, your materialistic life at home will not obstruct your spiritual advancement. Indeed, if you follow these regulative principles, we will again meet here, or, rather, you will never lose My company."
PURPORT
This is an opportunity for everyone. If one simply follows the instructions of
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, under the guidance of His representative, and chants the
Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, teaching everyone as far as possible the same principle, the contamination of the materialistic way of life will not even touch him. It does not matter whether one lives in a holy place like
Vṛndāvana,
Navadvīpa or
Jagannātha Purī or in the midst of European cities, where the materialistic way of life is very prominent. If a devotee follows the instructions of
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, he lives in the company of the Lord. Wherever he lives, he converts that place into
Vṛndāvana and
Navadvīpa. This means that materialism cannot touch him. This is the secret of success for one advancing in
Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Śrī Caitanya Caritāmṛta Madhya 7.130
TRANSLATION
At whosever house
Śrī Caitanya accepted His alms by taking
prasādam, He would convert the dwellers to His
sańkīrtana movement and advise them just as He advised the
brāhmaṇa named
Kūrma.
PURPORT
The cult of
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is explained here very nicely. One who surrenders to Him and is ready to follow Him with heart and soul does not need to change his location. Nor is it necessary for one to change his status. One may remain a householder, a medical practitioner, an engineer or whatever. It doesn't matter. One only has to follow the instruction of
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, chant the
Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-
mantra and instruct relatives and friends in the teachings of the Bhagavad-
gītā and
Śrīmad-
Bhāgavatam. One has to learn humility and meekness at home, following the instructions of
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and in that way one's life will be spiritually successful. One should not try to be an artificially advanced devotee, thinking, "I am a first-class devotee." Such thinking should be avoided. It is best not to accept any disciples. One has to become purified at home by chanting the
Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-
mantra and preaching the principles enunciated by
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Thus one can become a spiritual master and be freed from the contamination of material life.
NOTE: Since most of the ISKCON Temples are under the care of devotees who are unfortunately deviating from Srila Prabhupada's final instructions, the above quotes clearly point out the immense transcendental benefit of practicing Krsna Consciousness at home.
All glories to Sri Guru and Sri Gauranga.
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