Nectar of Devotion Resources

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Prayers to the Six Goswamis:

 
 
 

CLASS # 1 - History and Introduction

Contents

  1. Purpose of Nectar of Devotion

  2. Mangalacaranam – Invoking Auspiciousness

  3. Contents of Bhakti Rasamrta Sindhu

  4. The 4 sides of the Ocean of the Nectar of Devotion. We are studying the first side or Wave “Samanya- bhakti

 

Homework

  1. Krishna Consciousness is not just someone’s idea of Spiritual Life. The process we follow is based on the _______________________________

  2. Two of the purposes of Nectar of Devotion are

    • To educate and elevate a person to the position of _______________________

    • To teach the science of loving ________________________ perfectly

  3. Share something of what was said by the devotee who gave class that inspired you, challenged you or confused you. Briefly explain your choice.

 

CLASS # 2 - Chapter 1

Contents

Six characteristics of Devotional service :

  1. Relief from Distress

  2. Krishna Consciousness is All Auspicious

  3. Happiness in Krishna Consciousness

  4. The Rarity of Pure Devotional Service

  5. The Happiness of Becoming One with the Supreme, compared to the happiness of Devotional Service

  6. Attracting Krishna

 

Homework

  1. There are 9 types of devotional service beginning with hearing and chanting about Krishna. Such service has the power to ___________________________________. A devotee is nevertheless always alert NOT to commit sinful activities again. This is his special _______________as a devotee.

  2. Lord Narasimhadeva prays to Prahlad “My dear Lord, I repeatedly pray unto Your lotus feet that I may simply be stronger in devotional service. I simply pray that my Kṛṣṇa consciousness may be ________________, because happiness derived out of Kṛṣṇa consciousness and devotional service is so powerful that with it one can have all the other perfections of ____________________________________________________________________________________.” Hari Bhakti Sudodhaya

  3. Share something of what was said by the devotee who gave class that inspired you, challenged you or confused you. Briefly explain your choice.

 

CLASS # 3 - Chapter 2

Contents

  1. Three Categories of Devotional service

  2. Qualification for practicing Devotional service

  3. Sadhana Bhakti – Devotional service in practice

 

Homework

  1. Two divisions of Sadhana Bhakti are:

    • _____________ sadhana bhakti (regulative)

    • _____________ sadhana bhakti (spontaneous)

      EXAMPLE: rising early to chant Hare Krishna out of obedience or out of attachment.

  2. Chief regulative principle applicable to all Varnas and Ashrama at ALL TIMES. Always ____________________________________________________

  3. Share something of what was said by the devotee who gave class that inspired you, challenged you or confused you. Briefly explain your choice.

 

CLASS # 4 - Chapter 3

Contents

  1. Unflinching Attraction to Krishna makes one eligible for discharging Devotional Service

  2. The 3 classes of devotees eligible for PURE devotional service according to Faith and Scriptural Knowledge

  3. Four groups of Kanistha Adhikaris

  4. Liberation as an Advanced variation of a Material Concept. Devotees do not care for Bhukti or Mukti

 

Homework

  1. "My dear Uddhava, only by exceptional fortune does someone become attracted to Me (Kṛṣṇa). And even if one is ______________________________from fruitive activities, or is not completely attached to devotional service, __________________________________." SB 11.20.8

  2. Three classes of devotees eligible for pure devotional service:

    • ____________________ Adhikari. One quality is that he/she has is that he strictly follows the rules and regulations under the training of a bona fide Spiritual Master

    • ____________________ Adhikari. One quality is that he/she has full faith in the procedure of devotional service, but may fail to base his decisions on the basis of revealed scripture

    • ____________________ Adhikari whose faith can be changed by someone else with strong arguments

  3. Share something of what was said by the devotee who gave class that inspired you, challenged you or confused you. Briefly explain your choice.

 

CLASS # 5 - Chapter 4

Contents

  1. Devotees reject material opulences

  2. Devotees reject Liberation: 5 kinds of Liberation

  3. Atmarama Verse SB 1.7.10

 

Homework

  1. Maharaja Prahlada says, "My dear friends who are born into atheistic families, if you can please the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, then there is nothing more rare in this world. In other words, if the Supreme Lord Krishna is pleased with you, then __________________________

  2. ________________________without any doubt… If you are always engaged in chanting the glories of the Supreme Lord and always relishing the nectar of the lotus feet of the Lord, then there is no________________________________." SB 7.6.23

  3. A devotee is not after any of the stages of liberation. There are five stages of liberation, already explained as being 1) to become one with the Lord, 2) to live on the same planet as the Lord, 3) to obtain the same bodily features as the Lord, 4) to have the same opulences as the Lord and 5) to have constant association with the Lord. Out of these five liberated stages the one which is known as sayujya, _______________________________________, is the last to be accepted by a devotee. The other four liberations, although not desired by devotees, still are not against the devotional ideals.

  4. Share something of what was said by the devotee who gave class that inspired you, challenged you or confused you. Briefly explain your choice.

 

CLASS # 6 - Chapter 5

Contents

  1. The transcendental nature of devotional service, beyond ANY material considerations

  2. Being A devotee or being initiated as a Vaishnava is not a momentary ritual, nor is it like a rubber stamp on a document.

  3. What qualifies one or disqualifies one from being a devotee

 

Homework

  1. Devotional service transcends ____________ considerations. It is not limited to any particular country, class, society, or circumstance. It is open to all without any distinction because it is the _________________________________ (sanatana-dharma) of all living entities.

  2. Initiation as a Vaishnava is not a ritual that ___________________ one a high class brahmana. “If after accepting the spiritual master and being initiated one does not follow the rules and regulations of devotional service, then he is again fallen. One must be very vigilant to remember that he is _________________________________________________________, …. In other words, simply becoming initiated does not elevate one to the position of a high-class brahmaṇa. One also has to discharge the duties and follow the regulative principles very rigidly.” NOD, Chapter 5

  3. Share something of what was said by the devotee who gave class that inspired you, challenged you or confused you. Briefly explain your choice.

 

CLASS #7 - Review

 

 To be continued…