Smart Quote of the Day, November 14, 2019

"…In this age, the process of chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra is the only method by which to cleanse the sinful mind. When the mind is completely cleansed of all sinful reactions, one can then understand his duty in the human form of life."
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This is a quote from Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.9.39
[In this chapter, the saintly prince Prahlada, following the order of Lord Brahma, pacified the Lord when the Lord was extremely angry after having killed Hiranyakasipu.]
TRANSLATION
My dear Lord of the Vaikuntha planets, where there is no anxiety, my mind is extremely sinful and lusty, being sometimes so-called happy and sometimes so-called distressed. My mind is full of lamentation and fear, and it always seeks more and more money. Thus it has become most polluted and is never satisfied in topics concerning You. I am therefore most fallen and poor. In such a status of life, how shall I be able to discuss Your activities?
PURPORT (excerpt):
Here Prahlada Maharaja represents himself as a common man, although he actually has nothing to do with this material world. Prahlada is always situated in the Vaikuntha planets of the spiritual world, but on behalf of the fallen souls he asks how, when his mind is always disturbed by material things, he can discuss the transcendental position of the Lord.
The mind becomes sinful because we are always engaged in sinful activities. Anything not connected with Krishna consciousness should be understood to be sinful. Indeed, Krishna demands in Bhagavad-gita (18.66):
sarva-dharman parityajya
mam ekam saranam vraja
aham tvam sarva-papebhyo
moksayisyami ma sucah
“Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reaction. Do not fear.” As soon as one surrenders unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, Krishna immediately relieves one of the reactions of sinful activities. Therefore one who is not surrendered to the lotus feet of the Lord should be understood to be sinful, foolish, degraded among men and bereft of all real knowledge because of atheistic propensities. This is confirmed in Bhagavad-gita (7.15):
na mam duskrtino mudhah
prapadyante naradhamah
mayayapahrta-jñana
asuram bhavam asritah
Therefore, especially in this Age of Kali, the mind must be cleansed, and this is possible only by the chanting of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra.
Ceto-darpana-marjanam. In this age, the process of chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra is the only method by which to cleanse the sinful mind. When the mind is completely cleansed of all sinful reactions, one can then understand his duty in the human form of life. The Krishna consciousness movement is meant to educate sinful men so that they may become pious simply by chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra.
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