Importance of Sadhana Bhakti

Suyantritaù

The machine of the watch is working very systematically, correctly. Similarly, every student, every disciple must work very correctly, like the machine. There is no question, “Why you did not attend school or the class?” You cannot say that “This is this. This is this.” No. As machine work, everyone should attend the class, rise early in the morning, attend maìgala-ärati. This is called suyantritaù, working like machine, no discrepancy. That is wanted. Suyantritaù. [Lecture: Çrémad-Bhägavatam 7.12.3, Bombay, April 14, 1976]

Matters of Utmost Necessity

I hope that you are being very careful to strictly observe all of our basic rules and regulations such as rising early (before 4:00 AM), attending mangala arati and classes, chanting 16 rounds without fail and of course the four regulative principles. Without accepting these things seriously, there is no question of spiritual life. So, I hope you understand the utmost necessity of these things and are remaining pure in your activities. [Letter to: Jivananda – Honululu, February 3, 1975]

Backbone of Spiritual Life

You must be that our routine work – such as rising early, cleansing, chanting, temple worship, reading, sankirtana, etc. should always maintained at the highest level of Kåñëa Conscious standard, as the smallest neglect or inattention to these matters of routine practices will cause all our other programs to fail. These things are the backbone of spiritual life. [Letter to: Kulasekhara – Bombay, January 10, 1972]

Simple formula for Success

Simply if the standard of our routine work is maintained very highly, that is, if we steadfastly perform our daily program of rising early, cleansing, chanting 16 rounds, holding kértana wherever we are at least twice daily, reading, worshiping the deity, going on saìkértana, like that—if this routine work is always done nicely and never neglected, then our all success is guaranteed in whatever we do. But if this our regular Krishna conscious program is allowed to slacken, then everything else we try will fail. That is the simple formula for success. [Letter to Kiçora – Bombay, February 5, 1972]

Essential Elements of Spiritual Development

I am requesting again and again that all of my disciples simply follow all of the rules and regulations very strictly. Rising early, chanting 16 rounds, attending mangala arati and class, etc. are all essential for spiritual development. [Letter to: Jagadisa – Honululu, February 1, 1975]

Cause of Fall Down

We must rise early in the morning, bathe, attend maìgala-ärati, worship the Deities, chant the Hare Kåñëa mantra, study the Vedic literatures and follow all the rules prescribed by the äcäryas and the spiritual master. If we deviate from this process, we may fall down, even though we may be very highly advanced. [SB 5.8.8 Purport]

Do not Neglect

Especially make certain that the daily routine program is held nicely and to the regular highest ISKCON standard, that is, you should see that our rising early, holding mangala arati, chanting 16 rounds, reading books, having classes, street sankirtana, etc., go on just to the highest standard and are never for any reason neglected. In this way your success is assured, but if we neglect even for a moment our routine, work, if we allow the regular program to become slack then everything else we may try will fail. [Letter to: Rudra, Radhika – Calcutta, February 20, 1972]

Do not Become Victim of Maya

As soon as one discontinues his staunch following of the regulative principles such as no meat eating, no illicit sex, no intoxication, no gambling, rising early before 4:00am coming to mangala arati, chanting at least 16 rounds, etc., then his spiritual life is hampered and there is a chance that at any time he may become a victim of maya. [Letter to: Revatinandana – Bombay, December 15, 1974]