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EDITORIAL April 20, 1999 VNN3657 The Eight Obstacle BY GIRIDHARI DAS EDITORIAL, Apr 20 (VNN) — The following article was written by parat-para gurudeva Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Prabhupada in the course of revealing the deep purport of the asura-nashana-lilas of Sri Krishna. Srila Sarasvati Prabhupada writes in his introduction: "There are eighteen obstacles in the way of this exquisite consummation of bhava which belongs to Vraja. Those are apt to pollute pure love and give rise to offence. It is imperatively necessary to consider the nature of these obstacles..." «While discussing the "eight obstacle" Srila Sarasvati Prabhupada crushes the sectarian attitude of "religious" institutions which prevent their members from progressing in devotional life. Srila Sarasvati Prabhupada: "The eight obstacle is offered by the demon Dhenukasura in the form of an ass, who tries to prevent the palm fruits, which he is himself unable to taste, from being enjoyed by others. The principles of Vaishnavism require for their due appreciation the most penetrating judgment. Persons possessed of a blunted understanding are exposed to this grave plight. The Vaishnava religion is indivisible. There is no scope in it for sectarian narrownesses. It is the blunt-headed fool who is liable to misconceive the true nature of the Vaishnava community by supposing it to be a sect distinct from other sects of this world. As a matter of fact thick-headed persons are themselves unable to understand the teaching of the spiritual works that have been penned by the former Acaryas of the community and they are also apt to actively prevent others from having access to those works. This is specially the case with those devotees possessed of a stunted judgment who, being mechanically addicted to the regulations, have no inclination to strive for the attainment of the status. But the Vaishnava religion holds within itself the prospect of infinite progressive advance. Those muddy-headed persons, who choose to remain confined within the literal meaning of the narrow limits of the Scriptural regulations, being thereby led to neglect the unconventional path of spontaneous love for Godhead, soon become indistinguishable from persons who are wedded to the cult of fruitive mundane activities. It is, therefore, never possible to make any progress in the Vaishnava religion till Dhenukasura in the form of the ass has been killed. Comment on this Story | Contact VNN regarding this Story
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