Open Book Question and answer

How is sri upadesamrta a perfect guide in the practice of bhakthi? write your personal
understanding?

Sri upadesamrta is given by srila rupa gosvami one of the gosvami among six gosvami's in
vrindavan. They are the sincer followe of lord sri caitanya mahaprabhu. The gaudiya vaisnavas
are mostly the followers of lord sri caitanya mahaprabhu and this six gosvami's are direct
disciples of caitanya mahaprabhu as we are following Gaudiya vaisnava's principle this sri
upadesamrta (The Nectar of Instruction) is the Gem and a perfect guide given by the pure
devotee srila rupa gosvami.

The name upadesamrta is known as upades + amirta that means upadesa means instruction and
amirta means nectar and well know called "upadesamrta" (The Nectar of Instruction) given by
srila rupa gosvami.

In this sri upadesamrta we can see srila rupa gosvami gave the step by step instruction to achieve
the ultimate aim in devotional life. It helps in developing the transcendental loving service to
lord sri krishna. This upadesamrta have a set of one to eleven instruction each one will guide to
follow next one to achieve easily one should not go directly to eleven.

Let see in detail how sri upadesamrta guide to achieve the ultimate aim in devotional service
from the following eleven text.

Text 1:- In the first text it tells about the control in sense gratification and it is the primary thing
one should follow in practicing the devotional service. If a person who control is urge to speak,
the mind demand, the action of anger and the urge of tongue, belly and genital is qualified to
make disciple all over the world, 1. one have to control over the speak there should be
restrictions on talking unnecessary things instead of talking unnecessary things we can talk about
krishna katha, chant the holy name of the lord like this we have to engage our speaking ability 2.
Mind is the place where all our desire, lust, greed etc., have been accumulated by this sometime
our desire not happen it leads tto3. angry so one have to control over the material desire by this
anger will also control but devotees can get anger when someone blaspheme the devotees or
krishna. 4. One have to eat krishna prasad only no other food stuff, in krishna consciousness we
have 4 regulative principle like no meat eating, no gambling, no intoxication, and no illicit sex
because 5. Even though we having the food which are offered to krishna it should not be like we
can have more prasad at the time because it leads to laziness and lack of steadiness in doing
devotional service. 6. When it comes to genital one have to associate with women only after a
proper marriage otherwise there should be no associating with women and they have to begot
krishna consciousness child otherwise no sex who have a control over their sense otherwise no
development in the process of devotional life. We have to control this sense by engaging in
krishna consciousness.
Text 2:- In the second text srila rupa gosvami texting 6 things to remove because they
unfavorable in bhakthi they are follows.

(i) Over eating than necessary or collecting more than required.

(ii) Over endeavoring for mundane things which are very difficult to achieve.
(iii) Talking unnecessarily about mundane subject matter
(iv) Practicing the scriptural rule and regulations only for the sake of following them not for the
spiritual advancement and rejecting the scriptural rules and regulation and working
independently or whimsically.
(v) Associating with the worldly minded people who are not interested in Krishna consciousness.
(vi) Being greedy for mundane achievement.
One have to remove the above six unfavorable things in life for the advancement in devotional
life.
Text 3:- In the third text srila rupa gosvami explain to add six things which are all favorable on
to the process of devotional life they are as follows.
(i) Being enthusiastic in devotional life
(ii) Endeavoring with confidence in the krishna consciousness.
(iii) Being patient in all circumstance in life.
(iv) Acting according to the regulative principle which are all favorable for practicing the
devotional service such as hearing, chanting and remembering Krishna.
(v) Abandoning the association of non-devotees.
(vi) Following the foot step of previous acharyas.
By adding the above favorable things one’s process to the devotional life is easy.
Text 4:- In this text srila rupa gosvami explains how to do devotional service or activities in
association of other devotees.
(i) Giving charity to devotees.
(ii) Accepting gifts or charity from devotees.
(iii) Revealing one’s mind in confidential subject matter of the lord.
(iv) Inquiring or hearing the pastimes and glories of the lord.
(v) Honoring prasada or spiritual food offer by devotees.
(vi) Feeding prasadm to devotees.
By doing the above things among the devotees and their association one can advancement in
devotional life.
Text 5:- In this text srila rupa gosvami explain about to have a mutual relationship among the
devotees who are all in various levels in bhakthi. Among devotees there are 3 type of
classification srila prabhupada explain clearly as follows.
Kanistha-adhikari :- Kanistha-adhikari who chant the holy name of the lord who taken harinam
initiation from the spiritual master. They are in the beginner level in devotional service, they
have to be respected as kanistha Vaishnava.
Madhyama-adhikari :- Madhyama-adhikari who received spiritual initiation from spiritual master
and they are consider as a mid-way in the process of devotional service. They help kanistha
devotees to advance in devotional progress and seek more knowledge from uttama-adhikari and
they have a friendly relationship with same level of Madhyama-adhikari devotees.
Uttama-adhikari :- Uttama-adhikari who is very advance in devotional service, they attained the
realized state of Krishna consciousness. They help and guide madhyama devotee to advance in
their devotional life.
Text 6:- In this text srila rupa gosvami explains about how the pure devotee looks and see others.
A pure devotee who always in Krishna consciousness they don’t identify with materialist body,
they see the faults produced by karma and they do not commit any offence and also the pure
devotee who attained their spiritual swarupa they are not contaminated by faults they are as pure
ganga.
Text 7:- In this text srila rupa gosvami explain about the how to get the taste on the lord sri
Krishna name, pastime and transcendental activities. The name of sri Krishna is non-different
from Krishna himself, as Krishna’s name is sweet like a sugar candy, if a jaundice person can’t
taste the sugarcane candy it is bitter to them so one should awaken the tongue by hearing and
chanting the holy name of sri Krishna daily the bring back the sweet on the holy name by this
jaundice of ignorance will get cure.
Text 8:- In this text it’s tells about if one will utilize one’s full time 24 hours in a day in hearing
and chanting the holy name of the lord on his form, pastime and glory of the lord by this one’s
mind and tongue always engaged in devotional process, in this way one should reside in
vrindavan (goloka vindhavan dham) and serve sri Krishna under the guidance of the devotee and
should follow the footstep of that devotee who is deeply attached to devotional service.
Text 9:- In this srila rupa gosvami explain about the best place to serve the lord by utilize the
mind and tongue in chatting and remembering the lord, Mathura is superior to vaikuntha because
Krishna born in Mathura, superior to Mathura is vrindavan forest because of Rasa lila, superior
to vrindavan forest is govardhan hill because lord lifted the mountain in his finger, superior to
govardhan hill is super excellent Radha kund because Radha is superior and sincere in serving
Krishna. If one reside in Radha kund and engage one’s mind and tongue in chanting and
remembering sri Krishna to attain the advance level in devotional service.
Text 10:- In this srila rupa gosvami describe about best among the devotees by this janani’s are
superior to karmis, superior to janani’s is devotees of krishna, superior among the devotees how
attain prema. The best among all the devotees is gopis because they did an unalloyed devotional
service to the lord by always thinking about Krishna. Among the gopi’s Radha is very dear to
Krishna because Radha always think about how to serve and satisfy Krishna, similar to Radha
his kund also very dear to Krishna, who will not take shelter of her kund? As Radha is dear her
kund is also very dear to Krishna.
Text 11:- In this last text srila rupa gosvami explains among all lovable gopis Radha is very dear
to Krishna, her kund is described by the great sages as similar dear to him that prema level is
more difficult to attain for an ordinary devotees, but if one follow the footstep of great devotee
and stick to the rule and regulation and one simply baths in that holy water of Radha kund one’s
prema similar to Radha’ is fully aroused.