Canto 1 Chapter 2 Flashcards
Define dvija, vipra and and Vaiñëava (2)
Generally, a man is born as an ordinary being, and by the purificatory processes he is born for the second time. When he sees a new light and seeks direction for spiritual progress, he approaches a spiritual master for instruction in the Vedas. The spiritual master accepts only the sincere inquirer as his disciple and gives him the sacred thread. In this way a man becomes twice-born, or a dvija. After qualifying as a dvija one may study the Vedas, and after becoming well versed in the Vedas one becomes
a vipra. A vipra, or a qualified brāhmaṇa, thus realizes the Absolute and makes further progress in spiritual life until he reaches the Vaiṣṇava stage. The Vaiṣṇava stage is the postgraduate status of a brāhmaṇa. A progressive brāhmaṇa must necessarily become a Vaiṣṇava, for a Vaiṣṇava is a self-realized, learned brāhmaṇa.
Explain the terms pravåtti-märga and nivåtti-märga (6)
Pravritti marga is the path of material sense enjoyment which is temporary, miserable and illusory, hence it is inferior in nature. Nivratti marga is the path of renunciation in which one accepts the devotional service of the Lord without any tinge of unnecessary desire, fruitive action and philosophical speculation, which leads to perpetual solace in His service and hence is considered superior in nature.
Identify three levels of occupational duties (8)
Three levels of occupational duties are as under –
a) Concentrated selfishness – centres around personal body, mainly observed in lower
animals.
b) Extended selfishness – manifests in human society centred around family, society,
community, nation and world with a view to bodily comforts.
c) Mental speculators – they aloft in mental spheres and their occupational duties
involve making poetry or philosophy or propagating some ism with the same aim of selfishness limited to the body and mind.
What are some benefits of serving the servants of God? (16)
Few benefits of serving the servant of servants of God is as under:- a) One can please the Lord more than by directly serving the Lord
b) One gradually gets the quality of servants of God
c) Thus one becomes qualified to hear the glories of God
Identify two very difficult problems for the devotee on the path back to Godhead (17)
Women and wealth are the two very difficult problems for the devotee on the path back to Godhead.
What is the remedy for eliminating all inauspicious things within the heart? (18)
Association of the two types of bhagavatas – book bhagavata and rendering service to the devotee bhagavata.
Explain how the devotee Bhägavata is as good as the book Bhägavata (18)
A devotee Bhāgavata is as good as the book Bhāgavata because the
devotee Bhāgavata leads his life in terms of the book Bhāgavata and the
book Bhāgavata is full of information about the Personality of Godhead and His pure devotees, who are also Bhāgavatas. Bhāgavata book and person are identical.
Describe the special feature of devotional service to Lord Sri Krishna (22)
The special feature of devotional service to Lord Sri Krishna is that Lord Sri Krishna is swayam-rupa Personality of Godhead , however all other forms from Baladeva, Sankarsana, Aniruddha, Pradyumna and Narayan, and all other avataras are Lord’s plenary portions. Remaining are living entities which are separated parts of Lord, hence by just performing devotional service to Lord Sri Krishna, one’s soul gets enlivened.
Describe the progressive purification of consciousness resulting from hearing about Krishna (17-21)
Ans: The progressive purification resulting from hearing about Krishna is as under :
a) Cleanses the desire for material enjoyment
b) All inauspicious things within ones heart gets completely destroyed
c) Irrevocable loving service unto the Personality of Godhead gets established
d) The effects of nature’s modes of passion and ignorance – lust, desire and hankering disappears from the heart.
e) Thus a devotee gets established in mode of unalloyed goodness and becomes completely happy
f) Once free from contamination of material modes, he gains positive scientific knowledge of the Personality of Godhead in the stage of liberation from all material association
g) By engaging himself in loving service of the Lord, his false ego disappears and all misgivings are cut into pieces. His chain of fruitive actions are terminated as he is now able to distinguish between self and Supreme Lord and thus engages himself fully in the transcendental loving service of the Lord.
Explain the term Bhagavata Dharma
The Bhagavata dharma is the religion which teaches one to worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead and no one else.
Briefly describe the role of the Supersoul within us and the whole material creation (31- 34)
