Not only is our philosophy meant to defend against opposing philosophies that come from other people in the world but knowledge is meant to conquer the anartha of false ego, which is with in our heart.
Lord Caitanya not only defeated the mayavadi scholars at Varanasi but also transformed their hearts. Lord established that, the very foundational basis of real knowledge is our character, is the qualities that we possess. And the foundational characteristics of a Vaisnava is simplicity, humility, forgiveness, tolerance, and a very sincere eagerness to serve the Lord, to serve the devotees, to serve people in general, to serve all living beings, and to chant the holy names.
Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare
Hare Räma Hare Räma, Räma Räma, Hare Hare
“Real knowledge is to understand that I am the servant of the servant of the Lord and to always chant the holy names in that spirit.”
Kesava Kasmiri told Lord Caitanya that, “I can understand that You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead because You completely destroyed my pride without even embarrassing me in front of everyone else.” Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, “Real knowledge is to understand that I am the servant of the servant of the Lord and to always chant the holy names in that spirit.” By the mercy of Lord Caitanya, he had attained perfection of knowledge which is surrender to the Supreme Lord.
bahünäà janmanäm ante jïänavän mäà prapadyate
väsudevaù sarvam iti sa mahätmä su-durlabhaù
After many births of cultivating knowledge, one finally comes to that point of perfection of surrendering to Krishna knowing that He is the cause of all causes and all that is.
“What is the use if you have so much knowledge if you cannot even cooperate with other devotees. Cooperation takes forgiveness, takes tolerance, takes respectfulness, but it pleases Guru and pleases Krishna”.
What is the use if you have so much knowledge if you cannot even cooperate with other devotees. Cooperation takes forgiveness, takes tolerance, takes respectfulness, but it pleases Guru and pleases Krishna. Whatever knowledge, whatever austerities, we perform, if we are not cooperating, that is so displeasing to Guru and Krishna. That is factually undoing all the things you are trying to develop. From a spiritual perspective, all your austerities, Krishna doesn’t care about them, Guru doesn’t care about your austerities, he doesn’t care about your knowledge, if you can’t cooperate with other devotees. The foundation of bhakti is good character. Prabhupada said in one interview, that philosophy has little or no value if it does not produce good character.
– Radhanath Swami
