IN ONE LIFETIME

Compiled by Damaghosa das - 28. 2016

Many times I have heard devotees say, it is not possible to go back to Godhead in one lifetime. And they may even quote one place where Srila Prabhupada states just this. However, the overall impetus and volume of instructions Srila Prabhupada tells us is that we should strive to do in THIS lifetime and not take a chance for the next one because there is no guarantee what that situation may be.

Back to Godhead – One lifetime – And a warning at the end…

Srimad-Bhagavatam 4.12.43 – Purport – Dhruva Maharaja Goes Back to Godhead

… but he was very pleased with Dhruva Maharaja because in one lifetime, by dint of his severe penances and austerities, he had achieved Vaikuntha, which was never … Gosvami Prabhupada, used to say that every one of his disciples could attain Vaikunthaloka in this life, without waiting for another life to execute devotional service. One simply has to become … and sincere as Dhruva Maharaja; then it is quite possible to attain Vaikunthaloka and go back home, back to Godhead, in one life.

Srimad-Bhagavatam 5.8.29 – Purport – A Description of the Character of Bharata Maharaja

… deer and thus fell down and had to accept the body of a deer. This is significant for every devotee. If we misuse our position and think that we are …  Only the human form is able to execute devotional service, but if we voluntarily give this up for sense gratification, we certainly have to be punished. This punishment is not exactly like that endured by an ordinary materialistic person. By the grace … attain the lotus feet of Lord Vasudeva is increased. By his intense desire, he returns home in the next lifetime. Devotional service is very completely described here: tad-anusravana-manana-sankirtanaradhananusmaranabhiyogena. The constant hearing and … the International Society for Krishna Consciousness are concerned, they have sacrificed everything to push on this Krishna consciousness movement. Yet they must take a lesson from the life of Bharata Maharaja … moment of our lives is utilized for the rendering of devotional service and nothing else. This is the secure position for one wanting to return home, back to Godhead.

Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.1.54 – Purport – The History of the Life of Ajamila

… the activities of the gross body. Thus the gross body acts during one's lifetime, and the subtle body acts at the time of death. The subtle body, which is … not take another material body but will immediately get a spiritual body and thus return home, back to Godhead. This is the process of the transmigration of the soul. Therefore instead of trying to unite … achieved, it is clearly desirable to teach people how to become Krishna conscious and return home, back to Godhead. This is true now and, indeed, at any time.

Mukunda-mala-stotra 1 – Purport

… in the mundane world, and He is more eager to get us to return home, back to Godhead, than we are eager to go. He is by nature merciful toward us,…  water, warmth, and coolness. Yet because we have detached ourselves from Him, we simply mismanage this paternal property. The leaders of society, despite all their materialistic plans, are misleaders, for they …  however, try their utmost to broadcast the message of our transcendental relationship with Him. In this way the devotees work to remind the fallen souls of their actual position and to bring them back home, back to Godhead. Such stainless servants of Godhead are very dear to Him. They receive such special favour from the Lord for their compassionate work that they can even go back to Godhead in this very lifetime and not be forced to take another birth.

A Second Chance 11 – The Realm of the Senses

… death is determined by the sum total of one's activities during one's lifetime. If a human being is taught to change his subtle body by developing Krishna consciousness,… another material body at all but will immediately get a spiritual body and thus return home, back to Godhead. This is the perfection of human life.

Lecture – Hawaii, February 7, 1975

… digest… (aside:) (child crying) Where is that child? Then immediately there will be dysentery. This is nature's law. If you take more than you can digest, then immediately there … will not consider that "Here is a child. Let me excuse." No, it will burn. This is nature's law. Similarly, the thoughts which you are maintaining during your lifetime, if that thought becomes prominent – naturally it becomes – at the time of death, then you … life. And if you are thinking like a devotee, then you get your next life back to home, back to Godhead. This is nature's law.

Lecture – June 19, 1976, Toronto

… by Srila Prabhupada to help those of us who are lost and entangled in this material condition to associate with one another under his guidance and achieve, by this process recommended by Caitanya Mahaprabhu, chanting the holy name, we can achieve rapid purification, and in this one lifetime, Srila Prabhupada has promised that we can go back to home back to Godhead. So we should try to cooperate together. There is no other purpose. Once … pure devotee and understands his message, and there's no other purpose for living in this material world than to serve the mission of the Lord. And that mission of the … by Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He's doing such wonderful service, spreading Krishna consciousness all over this globe and we should pray that we can help in some small way. Thank you …

Letter to: Sudama, 5 January, 1972

   I thank you for being so sincere in helping me to spread this great mission of Krishna Consciousness. You have always served me very faithfully, so I pray … bless you with a long life with which to open many temples and that in this very lifetime you may return back to home, back to Godhead.

Letter to: Ujjal, 15 April, 1972

… you are a very sincere boy and are a very eligible candidate for going back to Home, back to Godhead. And the process is simple. Follow the regulative principles very strictly, chant at least 16 rounds of beads daily, read our literatures, go for street Sankirtana, etc. In this way keep yourself engaged in Krishna's business 24 hours, and in this lifetime you will become perfectly happy and in the end reach the Supreme destination.

Letter to: Radha-Damodara, 2 September, 1972

… also that you are training yourself up nicely to be a serious preacher of this Krishna Consciousness movement. That much is wanted, sincere men who will become very strong for preaching work throughout the world, on behalf of Krishna. Now you apply yourself to this task very seriously and become learned in all the aspects of our Krishna Consciousness philosophy and take this opportunity in this lifetime to go back to Home, back to Godhead. That is my request.

Letter to: Atendriya (Andy Wiernsz), Bahusira (Bill Oliverson), Jitamitra (Judy Jones), Maharha (Mary St. John)…, 23 December, 1972

… always enthusiastic to serve Krishna. So you have now got the golden opportunity of this human form of life, and it is not by chance that you have met your …  whatever else I may do, I must accomplish the supreme goal of my life in this very lifetime and go back to home, back to Godhead. Otherwise, maya is always looking for an opportunity to drag us down, and … you keep yourselves always engaged 24 hours in Krishna's business, and help me spread this Krishna Consciousness movement all over the world, however you are best able to do it …

Letter to: Amogha, 26 December, 1972

… that you are making such steady advancement in Krishna Consciousness. If you continue in this way, and strictly follow the four regulative principles, making sure to chant at least sixteen rounds on the beads, daily, it is without a doubt that at the end of this lifetime, you can go back home, back to Godhead.

Letter to: Hillel Ben-Ami, 28 January, 1973

… make us very strong in Krishna Consciousness and very rapidly we can advance in this way. So under the direction of the senior devotees there try and become fixed in your devotional service to the Lord, Sri Krishna, and this will certainly bring complete satisfaction to you and make you eligible for going back to home, back to Godhead, in this very lifetime.

Letter to: Isvara, 17 July, 1973

… to advance more and more in progressive Krishna Consciousness. We must never forget that this present life is temporary and may end at any moment. So the purpose of our existence should be to become fully Krishna Conscious and go back to Home, back to Godhead at the end of this present lifetime. I will be glad to hear of your further progress.

Letter to: Lokanatha, 12 June, 1976

… no meat-eating, and also chanting a minimum of 16 rounds of japa daily. This promise is made before the spiritual master, before the Deity, the devotees, Vaisnavas, the Supersoul, and the fire. Everyone should take very seriously this vow and make steady and sure progress in Krishna Consciousness and go back to home, back to Godhead in this lifetime.

Letter to: Riddha, 15 June, 1976

…  and no gambling, and to chant daily at least 16 rounds of japa. In this way if they hold firmly to this principle there will not be any obstacle to their steady progress in Krishna Consciousness, and one can go back to home, back to Godhead in this lifetime.

Srimad-Bhagavatam 5.8.29 – Purport

Due to his stringent execution of devotional service, Maharaja Bharata could remember the activities of his past life and how he was raised to the spiritual platform. Due to his foolishness, he became attached to an insignificant deer and thus fell down and had to accept the body of a deer. This is significant for every devotee. If we misuse our position and think that we are fully engaged in devotional service and can do whatever we like, we have to suffer like Bharata Maharaja and be condemned to accept the type of body that impairs our devotional service. Only the human form is able to execute devotional service, but if we voluntarily give this up for sense gratification, we certainly have to be punished. This punishment is not exactly like that endured by an ordinary materialistic person. By the grace of the Supreme Lord, a devotee is punished in such a way that his eagerness to attain the lotus feet of Lord Vasudeva is increased. By his intense desire, he returns home in the next lifetime.

Srimad-Bhagavatam 5.8.31 – Purport

Holy places like Vrindavana, Hardwar, Prayaga and Jagannatha Puri are especially meant for the execution of devotional service. Vrindavana specifically is the most exalted and preferred holy place for Vaisnava devotees of Lord Krishna who are aspiring to return back to Godhead, the Vaikuntha planets. There are many devotees in Vrindavana who regularly bathe in the Yamuna, and this cleanses all the contamination of the material world. By constantly chanting and hearing the holy names and pastimes of the Supreme Lord, one certainly becomes purified and becomes a fit candidate for liberation. However, if one purposefully falls victim to sense gratification, he has to be punished, at least for one lifetime, like Bharata Maharaja.