Prema - an essential subject

Premā may be defined as the love of God, without any expectation of exchange or return. Actually the words premā and love are not synonymous because premā is considered to be higher than the feeling of love, yet one can say that premā is the highest stage of love. It is stated in Vedic scriptures that one who has attained premā is the most perfect human being. As soon as one comes to the platform of chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahamantra, without any offense, he becomes immediately enhanced in love with Kṛṣṇa; kṛṣṇa-prema. An example of this kind of love was exhibited by Lord Caitanya.

Srila Prabhupada's books, lectures, conversations and letters offer a comprehensive presentation of this essential subject as seen in the Vaniquotes Prema category. An introduction from his books is given below in the following 8 quotes.

Quotes from Srila Prabhupada's books


vanipedia.org 		Throughout the Bhagavad-gītā Lord Kṛṣṇa teaches that one should give up all other processes of self-realization and fully surrender unto Him. That is faith. One who has full faith in Kṛṣṇa (śraddhā) and surrenders unto Him is eligible for being raised to the level of prema, which Lord Caitanya taught as the highest perfectional stage of human life. (Nārada-bhakti-sūtra, Chapter 1, Sūtra 2)



vanipedia.org 		The holy place known as Mathurā is spiritually superior to Vaikuṇṭha, the transcendental world, because the Lord appeared there. Superior to Mathurā—Purī is the transcendental forest of Vṛndāvana because of Kṛṣṇa's rāsa-līlā pastimes. And superior to the forest of Vṛndāvana is Govardhana Hill, for it was raised by the divine hand of Śrī Kṛṣṇa and was the site of His various loving pastimes. And, above all, the superexcellent Śrī Rādhā-kuṇḍa stands supreme, for it is overflooded with the ambrosial nectarean prema of the Lord of Gokula, Śrī Kṛṣṇa. (Nectar of Instruction, Text 9)



vanipedia.org 		Prema is full service rendered unto the Lord. The lusty affairs of the gopīs actually constitute the topmost love of Godhead because the gopīs never act for their own personal satisfaction. (Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 8.215)



vanipedia.org 		According to Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī, there are two classes of paramahaṁsas, namely the brahmānandīs (impersonalists) and the premānandīs (devotees), and both are awarded their desired destinations, although the premānandīs are more fortunate than the brahmānandīs. But both the brahmānandīs and the premānandīs are transcendentalists, and they have nothing to do with the inferior, material nature full of the existential miseries of life. (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 2.4.13)



vanipedia.org 		Material lust cannot be engaged in the service of the Lord, for it is applicable to materialists, not to Kṛṣṇa. Only prema, or love of Godhead, is applicable for the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa. Prema is full service rendered unto the Lord. (Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 8.215)



vanipedia.org 		One should not try to elevate himself artificially to the stage of prema-bhakti without seriously following the regulative principles of sādhana-bhakti. Prema-bhakti is the stage of relishing, whereas sādhana-bhakti is the stage of improving in devotional service. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu taught this cult of devotional service in full detail by practical application in His own life. (Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā 13.39)



vanipedia.org 		The gradual development of prema may be compared to different states of sugar. First there is the seed of the sugarcane, then sugarcane and then the juice extracted from the cane. When this juice is boiled, it forms liquid molasses, then solid molasses, then sugar, candy, rock candy and finally lozenges. (Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 19.179)



vanipedia.org 		To promulgate prema-bhakti (devotional service in love of Godhead), Kṛṣṇa appeared as Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya with the mood and complexion of Śrī Rādhā. (Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā 4.99-100)


Prema - 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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