Gratefulness - an essential subject

If we human beings forget ordinary mercy, compassion and gratefulness, then what is that human life? From a national point of view one who is born in this land should be given protection. The cow is also born in this land, so why the man should be given protection and not the cow? The beast, the birds, they cannot offer any gratitude. But we are human being, we have got developed consciousness. We must feel grateful for God's mercy and to offer gratitude. That is our duty.

Srila Prabhupada's books, lectures, conversations and letters offer a comprehensive presentation of this essential subject as seen in the Vaniquotes Grateful category. An introduction from his books is given below in the following 12 quotes.

Quotes from Srila Prabhupada's books


vanipedia.org 		Any person who is conscious of his friend's beneficent activities and never forgets his service is called grateful. In the Mahābhārata, Kṛṣṇa says, "When I was away from Draupadī, she cried with the words, 'He govinda!' This call for Me has put Me in her debt, and that indebtedness is gradually increasing in My heart!" This statement by Kṛṣṇa gives evidence of how one can please the Supreme Lord simply by addressing Him, "He kṛṣṇa! He govinda. (Nectar of Devotion, Chapter 21)



vanipedia.org 		Lord Caitanya recommends that one should scrupulously renounce the association of unwanted persons and completely take shelter of the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa. This same instruction is given to Arjuna in the last verses of Bhagavad-gītā in which Kṛṣṇa says:"Just give up everything and surrender unto Me. I will take care of you and protect you from all the reactions to sinful activities." (BG 18.66) The Lord is very kind to His devotees, and He is very grateful, able and magnanimous. It is our duty to believe His words, and if we are intelligent and educated enough, we will follow His instructions without hesitation. (Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 12)



vanipedia.org 		Ungrateful persons are those who do not understand how much benefit they are deriving by the arrangement of the Lord. They enjoy the sunshine and moonshine, and they get water free of charge, yet they do not feel grateful, but simply go on enjoying these gifts of the Lord. Therefore, they must be called thieves and rogues. (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.19.36)



vanipedia.org 		What grateful soul is there who would not render his loving service to such a great master as the Personality of Godhead? The Lord can be easily pleased by spotless devotees who resort exclusively to Him for protection, though the unrighteous man finds it difficult to propitiate Him. (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.19.36)



vanipedia.org 		Although Western people have brilliantly developed in mundane matters, they are tossed about in a sea of despair and listlessness. Similarly, the Indians, although trying to feel grateful for their mundane development, are experiencing the same listlessness and dissatisfaction. Strangely enough, now the Western thinkers are looking toward India to find peace and calm. We can safely harbor the firm conviction that soon the message of peace will reach their ears. (Renunciation Through Wisdom, Chapter 1.4)



vanipedia.org 		Sinful eating can never make one happy or free from scarcity. Famine is not due to an increase in population, as less intelligent economists think. When human society is grateful to the Lord for all His gifts for the maintenance of the living entities, then there is certainly no scarcity or want in society. But when men are unaware of the intrinsic value of such gifts from the Lord, surely they are in want. (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.5.49)



vanipedia.org 		Vṛddhāśrayam, a person who takes shelter of a superior person who is advanced in knowledge, can acquire all the good qualities of a brāhmaṇa and be trained in good behavior. When one actually attains good qualities, becomes grateful for the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and takes shelter of a bona fide spiritual master, he is endowed with all opulence. Such a person is a brāhmaṇa or Vaiṣṇava. (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.21.44)



vanipedia.org 		The complication of materialistic life is due to an uncontrolled mind and uncontrolled senses. One should feel grateful to the Supreme Personality of Godhead for having obtained such a nice human form of body, and one should properly utilize it. (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.31.19)



vanipedia.org 		Mahārāja Parīkṣit also could understand that the great sages who assembled there were all kind to his forefathers, the Pāṇḍavas, because of their devotional service to the Lord. He therefore felt grateful to the sages for being present there at the last stage of his life, and he felt that it was all due to the greatness of his late forefathers or grandfathers. He felt proud, therefore, that he happened to be the descendant of such great devotees. (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.19.13)



vanipedia.org 		Every living entity, especially persons in the human race, must feel grateful for the benedictions offered by the grace of the Supreme Lord. Anyone, therefore, with a simple heart of gratefulness must be Kṛṣṇa conscious and offer devotional service to the Lord. (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.19.36)



vanipedia.org 		Every living entity, especially persons in the human race, must feel grateful for the benedictions offered by the grace of the Supreme Lord. Anyone, therefore, with a simple heart of gratefulness must be Kṛṣṇa conscious and offer devotional service to the Lord. (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.19.36)



vanipedia.org 		The conclusion is that God's sanction is the immediate cause for all happenings, good or bad. Any successful man should feel grateful to the Lord for all he has achieved. (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.14.9)


Grateful - explore more within this category.

Vanipedia has now over 903 introductory articles compiled from Srila Prabhupada's books under the series titled Essential Subjects. All these articles can be seen in the Table of Content on the right side of this article and also here in this Umbrella Category. Browse through them to relish the breadth and depth of Srila Prabhupada's teachings - There is a subject for everyone.


   
 

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