Bhakti-Yoga

Summary

No animal can ask questions about God, but humans can. Dogs may go to a temple or eat the remnants of sanctified food, but their capacity to understand and relish spiritual life is limited. Humans have the rare opportunity in this life to experience the divine gift of God consciousness.

Our beloved teacher and spiritual master His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda explains that this Kṛṣṇa or God consciousness is sublime and everyone can take part in it. The process is simple. Simply by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare one can experience spiritual bliss. One can chant and dance in ecstasy with this Maha-Mantra, the great chant for deliverance and even a dog can take part in it.

In the spiritual texts of Śrī Caitanya Caritamrta (Adi 10.1-2) it is said:

“Let me repeatedly offer my respectful obeisances unto the beelike devotees who always taste the honey of the lotus feet of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. If even a doggish non-devotee somehow takes shelter of such devotees, he enjoys the aroma of the lotus flower.”

In the purport it is explained:

“Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s saṅkīrtana movement is so strong that even a doglike non-devotee can gradually become a devotee by the association of a devotee of Lord Caitanya. Śrīla Śivānanda Sena, a great householder devotee of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, attracted a dog on the street while going to Jagannātha Purī. The dog began to follow him and ultimately went to see Caitanya Mahāprabhu and was liberated. Similarly, cats and dogs in the household of Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura were also liberated. Cats and dogs and other animals are not expected to become devotees, but in the association of a pure devotee they are also delivered.”