Reincarnated as family members- special treatment
Philosophy · asked by user [] · 2009-08-17 · 0 answers
People who believe in reincarnation often think that a new child or even animal appearing at their home is someone who has been close to them in a past life. Considering this, sometimes they behave with that new form with even more love and respect than the old one, thinking they have been given a second chance. Most devotees believe that Srila Prabhupada is their Lord, birth after birth, since we sing/pray it every morning at Gurupuja. This implies that we will serve our beloved Spiritual Master in each birth we take. Since the Srila Prabhupada form has physically departed, it seems logical that he will appear in a new body for us to serve, since he is our eternal guru and we pray to serve him birth after birth.
1. How will we recognize him as our eternal Lord and Master in his new form?
2. What causes the tendency to think that Srila Prabhupada will not appear again for us?
"If you have not yet found a spiritual master but are sincere, Krsna will direct you to a bona fide spiritual master. And if you get a bona fide spiritual master, he will take you to Krsna. Krsna is always sitting in your heart as the caitya-guru, the spiritual master within. It is that caitya-guru who manifests Himself externally as the spiritual master. Therefore the spiritual master is the direct representative of Krsna."
Laws of Nature, Chapter 1
"One who is sincere and pure gets an opportunity to consult with the Supreme Personality of Godhead in His Paramatma feature sitting within everyones heart. The Paramatma is always the caitya-guru, the spiritual master within, and He comes before one externally as the instructor and initiator spiritual master. The Lord can reside within the heart, and He can also come out before a person and give him instructions. Thus the spiritual master is not different from the Supersoul sitting within the heart. An uncontaminated soul or living entity can get a chance to meet the Paramatma face to face. Just as one gets a chance to consult with the Paramatma within his heart, one also gets a chance to see Him actually situated before him. Then one can take instructions from the Supersoul directly. This is the duty of the pure devotee: to see the bona fide spiritual master and consult with the Supersoul within the heart."
Srimad-Bhagavatam 4:28:52 Purport
1. How will we recognize him as our eternal Lord and Master in his new form?
2. What causes the tendency to think that Srila Prabhupada will not appear again for us?
"If you have not yet found a spiritual master but are sincere, Krsna will direct you to a bona fide spiritual master. And if you get a bona fide spiritual master, he will take you to Krsna. Krsna is always sitting in your heart as the caitya-guru, the spiritual master within. It is that caitya-guru who manifests Himself externally as the spiritual master. Therefore the spiritual master is the direct representative of Krsna."
Laws of Nature, Chapter 1
"One who is sincere and pure gets an opportunity to consult with the Supreme Personality of Godhead in His Paramatma feature sitting within everyones heart. The Paramatma is always the caitya-guru, the spiritual master within, and He comes before one externally as the instructor and initiator spiritual master. The Lord can reside within the heart, and He can also come out before a person and give him instructions. Thus the spiritual master is not different from the Supersoul sitting within the heart. An uncontaminated soul or living entity can get a chance to meet the Paramatma face to face. Just as one gets a chance to consult with the Paramatma within his heart, one also gets a chance to see Him actually situated before him. Then one can take instructions from the Supersoul directly. This is the duty of the pure devotee: to see the bona fide spiritual master and consult with the Supersoul within the heart."
Srimad-Bhagavatam 4:28:52 Purport