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Dec 25, 2009

Achyuta Ashtakam by Adi Sankaracarya




Song Name: Acyutam Kesavam Rama Narayanam

Official Name: Acyutastakam

Author: Adi Sankaracarya

Book Name: None

Language: Sanskrit

LYRICS:

(1)

acyutaḿ keśavaḿ rāma nārāyaṇaḿ

kṛṣṇa dāmodaraḿ vāsudevaḿ harim

śrīdharaḿ mādhavaḿ gopīkā-vallabhaḿ

jānakī-nāyakaḿ rāmacandraḿ bhaje

(2)

acyutaḿ keśavāḿ satyabhāmādhavaḿ

mādhavaḿ śrīdharaḿ rādhikā-rādhitam

indirā-mandiraḿ cetasā sundaraḿ

devakī-nandanaḿ nandanaḿ sandadhe

(3)

viṣṇave jiṣṇave śańkhine cakriṇe

rukmiṇī-rāgiṇe jānakī-jānaye

vallavī-vallabhāyārcitāyātmane

kaḿsa-vidhvaḿsine vaḿśine te namaḥ

(4)

kṛṣṇa govinda he rāma nārāyaṇa

śrīpate vāsudevārjita śrīnidhe

acyutānanta he mādhavādhokṣaja

dvārakānāyaka draupadī-rakṣaka

(5)

rākṣasa-kṣobhitaḥ sītayā śobhito

daṇḍakāraṇyabhu-puṇyatā-kāraṇaḥ

lakṣmaṇe-nānvito vānaraiḥ sevito-

'gastya-sampujito rāghavaḥ pātu mām

(6)

dhenukāriṣṭako'niṣṭa-kṛddveṣiṇāḿ

keśihā kaḿsa-hṛd-vaḿśikā-vādakaḥ

pūtanā-kopakaḥ surajā khelano

bāla gopālakaḥ pātu māḿ sarvadā

(7)

vidyudadyotavnpra-sphurad-vāsasaḿ

prāvṛḍambhodavat prollasad-vigrahaḿ

vanyayā mālayā śobhitorasthalaḿ

lohitāńghridvayaḿ vārijākṣaḿ bhaje

(8)

kuñcitaiḥ kuntalair bhrojamānānanaḿ

ratnamauliḿ lasatkuṇḍalaḿ gaṇḍayoḥ

hārakeyurakaḿ kańkaṇa-projjvalaḿ

kińkiṇīmañjulaḿ śyāmalaḿ taḿ bhaje

TRANSLATION

1) I worship Acyuta, the infallible one, Who is Rāmacandra, Keśava, Rāma, Nārāyaṇa, Kṛṣṇa, Dāmodara, Vāsudeva, Hari, Śrīdhara,Mādhava, Who is dear to Gopikā, and Who is the consort of Jānakī.

2) I offer my obeisances to Lord Keśava, Who is infallible (Acyuta), Who is the consort of Satyabhāmā, Mādhava, Śrīdhara, Who is longed-for by Rādhikā, Who is the temple of Lakṣmī (Indirā), Who is beautiful by thought, Who is dear to Devakī, and Who is dear to all.

3) Salutations for Viṣṇu, Who conquers everyone, Who holds a conch-shell and a discus, Who is dear to Rukmiṇī, Who is the consort ofJānakī, Who is dear to gopi girls, Who is offered [in sacrifices], the Supersoul Who destroyed Kaṁsa, and Who plays the flute.

4) O Kṛṣṇa! O Govinda! O Rāma! O Nārāyaṇa, Who is the consort of Lakṣmī! O Vāsudeva, Who attained the treasure of Lakṣmī! O Acyuta, Who is immeasurable! O Mādhava, O Adhokṣaja, Who is the leader of Dvārakā, and Who is the protector of Draupadī!

5) May Rāghava — Who disturbed the atheistic practices of the demons, Who adorned Sītā, Who is Danḍaka-forest purification cause, Who is accompanied by Lakṣmaṇa, Who was served by monkeys, and Who is revered by Sage Agastya — O Lord, please protect me.

6) May Baby Gopāla (Kṛṣṇa) — Who was unfavorable to Dhenukāsura and Ariṣṭāsura, Who destroyed Keśī, Who killed Kaṁsa, Who plays the flute, and Who got angry on Pūtanā — always protect me.

7) I sing praise of Acyuta, Who is adorned by a lightening like shining yellow robe, Whose body is resplendent like a cloud of the rainy-season, Who is adorned by a wild-flower garland at His chest, Whose twin-feet are of copper-red color, and Who has lotus-like eyes.

8) I sing praise of that Śyāma, Whose face is adorned by falling locks of curly tresses, Who has jewels at forehead, Who has shining ear-rings on the cheeks, Who is adorned with a Keyūra (flower) garland, Who has a resplendent bracelet, and Who has a melodious anklet.

Dec 23, 2009

My Spiritual name : Vrajendra Kumar das

My Spiritual name : Vrajendra Kumar das
initiated by HH Radhanath Swami on 22nd Dec 2009
"All devotees please pray that Krishnas blessings be there on this gentleman "
Thats all my Guru maharaj said in the initiation ceremony.







Song Name: Tumi Sarveswareswara Vrajendra Kumar
Official Name: Goptritve Varana Song 4
Author: Bhaktivinoda Thakura
Book Name: Saranagati
Language: Bengali

LYRICS:
(1)
tumi sarveśvareśvara, brajendra-kumāra!
tomāra icchāya viśve sṛjana saḿhāra
(2)
tava icchā-mato brahmā korena sṛjana
tava icchā-mato viṣnu korena pālana
(3)
tava icchā-mate śiva korena saḿhāra
tava icchā-mate māyā sṛje kārāgāra
(4)
tava icchā-mate jīver janama-maraṇa
samṛddhi-nipāte duḥkha sukha-saḿghaṭana
(5)
miche māyā-baddha jīva āśā-pāśe phire'
tava icchā binā kichu korite nā pāre
(6)
tumi to' rākhaka ār pālaka āmāra
tomāra caraṇa binā āśā nāhi āra
(7)
nija-bala-ceṣṭā-prati bharasā chāḍiyā
tomāra icchāya āchi nirbhara koriyā
(8)
bhakativinoda ati dīna akiñcana
tomāra icchāya tā'r jīvana maraṇa
TRANSLATION
1) O youthful son of the King of Vraja, You are Lord of all lords. According to Your will, creation and destruction take place in the universe.

2) According to Your will Lord Brahma creates, and according to Your will Lord Visnu maintains.

3) According to Your will Lord Siva destroys, and according to Your will Maya constructs the prison house of this world.

4) According to Your will the living beings take birth and die, and according to Your will they meet with prosperity and ruin, happiness and sorrow.

5) The tiny soul bound up by Maya vainly struggles in the fetters of worldly desire. Without Your sanction he is unable to do anything.

6) You are my only protector and maintainer. Except for Your lotus feet there is no other hope for me.

7) No longer confident of my own strength and endeavor, I have become solely dependent on Your will.

8) Bhaktivinoda is most poor, and his pride has been leveled. Now in accordance with Your will he lives and dies.


& This song shall be my constant Meditation

Thank Your Guru Maharaj.
Thank You Srila Prabhupad
Thank You Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu
Thank You Radharani
Thank You Vrajendra Kumar (Krishna)

I am now your eternal servant.
You are my only protector & maintainer,
Your lotus feet is my only hope
I depend on your Will
My pride is leveled & in accordance with your will i shall Live & Die.

!Vande Guru Sri carnaravinda!

- Vrajendra kumar das.

Dec 21, 2009

Ending the worst picnic in this material world

Song Name: Bhuliya Tomare
Official Name: Dainya Song 1
Author: Bhaktivinoda Thakura
Book Name: Saranagati
Language: Bengali
LYRICS:
(1)
bhuliyā tomāre, saḿsāre āsiyā,
peye nānā-vidha byathā
tomāra caraṇe, āsiyāchi āmi,
bolibo duḥkhera kathā
(2)
jananī jaṭhare, chilāma jakhona,
biṣama bandhana-pāśe
eka-bāra prabhu! dekhā diyā more,
vañcile e dīna dāse
(3)
takhona bhāvinu, janama pāiyā,
koribo bhajana tava
janama hoilo, paḍi' māyā-jāle,
nā hoilo jñāna-lava
(4)
ādarera chele, sva-janera kole,
hāsiyā kāṭānu kāla
janaka jananī-snehete bhuliyā,
saḿsāra lāgilo bhālo
(5)
krame dina dina, bālaka hoiyā,
bhelinu bālaka-saha
āra kichu dine, jnāna upajilo,
pāṭha poḍi ahar-ahaḥ
(6)
vidyāra gaurave, bhrami' deśe deśe,
dhana uparjana kori
sva-jana pālana, kori eka-mane,
bhulinu tomāre, hari!
(7)
bārdhakye ekhona, bhakativinoda,
kāṇdiyā kātara ati
nā bhajiyā tore, dina bṛthā gelo,
ekhona ki have gati?
TRANSLATION
1) I forsook You, O Lord, and came to this world of pain and sorrow. Now I submit my tale of woe at Your lotus feet.
2) While still in the unbearable fetters of my mother’s womb, I saw You before me You revealed Yourself but briefly and then abandoned this poor servant of Yours.
3) At that moment I swore to worship You after taking birth; but birth came, and with it the network of wordly illusion which robbed me of all good sense.
4) As a fondled son in the lap of relatives, I passed my time smiling and laughing. My parents’ affection helped me to forget the pangs of birth, and I thought the world was very nice.
5) Day by day I grew and soon began playing with other boys. Shortly my powers of understanding emerged. I read and studied my lessons incessantly.
6) Travelling from place to place, proud of my education, I grew wealthy and maintained my family with undivided attention. O Lord Hari, I forgot You!
7) Now in old age, Bhaktivinoda is sad. He weeps. I failed to worship You, O Lord, and instead passed my life in vain. What will be my fate now.

This material world is tried to be explained & explored by all men in all ages
But Krishna explains it in just 2 Words " asasvatah dukhalayam" ie temporary & abode of miseries .

How to end this material life journey then ??



The 6 enemies in heart namely lust greed & anger is what is to be purified from heart & then one can be happy.

Arjuna seeing that he is unable to perform his duty due to attachments (6 enemies) though he
knew what is the right thing !? he called himself as karpanya dosho ie miserly person with defects of 6 enemies in heart
Seeing that he is helpless to remove this doshas he surrendered to Krishna as his disciple

So surrendering to guru is the key to get rid of all this doshas(defects in heart)
as explained in Srimad Bhagavatam also, below
11.3.21
tasmād guruḿ prapadyeta
jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam
śābde pare ca niṣṇātaḿ
brahmaṇy upaśamāśrayam

Therefore any person who seriously desires real happiness must seek a bona fide spiritual master and take shelter of him by initiation. The qualification of the bona fide guru is that he has realized the conclusions of the scriptures by deliberation and is able to convince others of these conclusions. Such great personalities, who have taken shelter of the Supreme Godhead, leaving aside all material considerations, should be understood to be bona fide spiritual masters.

& the key to advancement in spiritual life is to be a submissive obedient disciple dedicated to
please his guru as his life & soul as explained by Visvwanath Cakravarti Thakur in mangal arati prayers.
yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādo
yasyāprasādān na gatiḥ kuto 'pi
dhyāyan stuvaḿs tasya yaśas tri-sandhyaḿ
vande guroḥ śrī-caraṇāravindam
By the mercy of the spiritual master one receives the benediction of Kṛṣṇa. Without the grace of the spiritual master, one cannot make any advancement. Therefore, I should always remember and praise the spiritual master. At least three times a day I should offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of my spiritual master.

This is the way to End ones material journey ......................... & take on the journey Home back home back to Godhead.

Song Name: Sri Guru Carana Padma
Official Name: Song 1; Guru Vandana (Verses 1 to 4)
Author: Narottama Dasa Thakura
Book Name: Prema Bhakti Candrika
Language: Bengali
LYRICS:
(1)
śrī-guru-caraṇa-padma, kevala-bhakati-sadma,
bando muñi sāvadhāna mate
jāhāra prasāde bhāi, e bhava toriyā jāi,
kṛṣṇa-prāpti hoy jāhā ha'te
(2)
guru-mukha-padma-vākya, cittete koribo aikya,
ār nā koriho mane āśā
śrī-guru-caraṇe rati, ei se uttama-gati,
je prasāde pūre sarva āśā
(3)
cakṣu-dān dilo jei, janme janme prabhu sei,
divya jñān hṛde prokāśito
prema-bhakti jāhā hoite, avidyā vināśa jāte,
vede gāy jāhāra carito
(4)
śrī-guru karuṇā-sindhu, adhama janāra bandhu,
lokanāth lokera jīvana
hā hā prabhu koro doyā, deho more pada-chāyā,
ebe jaśa ghuṣuk tribhuvana

TRANSLATION
1) The lotus feet of our spiritual master are the only way by which we can attain pure devotional service. I bow to his lotus feet with great awe and reverence. By his grace one can cross the ocean of material suffering and obtain the mercy of Krsna.
2) My only wish is to have my consciousness purified by the words emanating from his lotus mouth. Attachment to his lotus feet is the perfection that fulfills all desires.
3) He opens my darkened eyes and fills my heart with transcendental knowledge. He is my Lord birth after birth. From him ecstatic premaemanates; by him ignorance is destroyed. The Vedic scriptures sing of his character.
4) Our spiritual master is the ocean of mercy, the friend of the poor, and the lord and master of the devotees. O Lokanatha Goswami! O master! Be merciful unto me. Give me the shade of your lotus feet. Your fame is spread all over the three worlds.


Dec 17, 2009

One Drop of mercy

e dhana, yaubana, putra, parijana
ithe ki āche paratīti re
kamala-dala-jala, jīvana ṭalamala
bhajahū hari-pada nīti re

What assurance of real happiness is there in all of one's wealth, youthfulness, sons, and family members? This life is tottering like a drop of water on a lotus petal; therefore you should always serve and worship the divine feet of Lord Hari.

Abstract from 10.20.10 purport

""" The poet Vidyäpati said that in the society of friends, family, children, wife and so on, there is certainly some pleasure, but that pleasure is compared to a drop of water in the desert. Everyone is hankering after happiness, just as in the desert everyone is hankering after water. If in the desert there is a drop of water, the water is there, of course, but the benefit from that drop of water is very insignificant. In our materialistic way of life, we are hankering after an ocean of happiness, but in the form of society, friends and mundane love we are getting no more than a drop of water. Our satisfaction is never achieved, as the small rivulets, lakes and ponds are never filled with water in the dry season."""

The material pleasure is simply a drop in a desert, never satisfying
We are looking for ocean of Happiness but what we get is a drop of false pleasure.
This is the nature of drop of pleasure in this material world.

As we read the prayers & songs of pure devotees we find that a devotee is praying for "a drop of mercy"
One may wonder if we are looking for ocean of mercy why ask just one drop of it !??

Lord Caitanya after seeing the great learned ex-mayavadi Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya & Ramananda Ray playing like little boys in the water says in CC madya 14.84

paṇḍita, gambhīra, duńhe — prāmāṇika jana
bāla-cāñcalya kare, karāha varjana

"Tell the Bhaṭṭācārya and Rāmānanda Rāya to stop their childish play because they are both learned scholars and very grave and great personalities."

Gopinath acarya in the Caitanya Caritamrita explains the nature of this "Drop of Mercy"

meru-mandara-parvata ḍubāya yathā tathā
ei dui — gaṇḍa-śaila, ihāra kā kathā

"A drop from the ocean of Your mercy can drown great mountains like Sumeru and Mandara. Since these two gentlemen are little hills by comparison, it is no wonder that they are being drowned in the ocean of Your mercy."

Conclusion:
So a drop of mercy is enough to make us happy.
& so i pray this following prayer to my Gurumaharaj.

Song Name: Gurudeva Krpa Bindu Diya
Official Name: Bhajana Lalasa Song 11
Author: Bhaktivinoda Thakura
Book Name: Saranagati
Language: Bengali
(1)
gurudev!
kṛpā-bindu diyā, koro' ei dāse,
tṛṇāpekhā ati hīna
sakala sahane, bala diyā koro',
nija-māne spṛhā-hīna
(2)
sakale sammāna korite śakati,
deho' nātha! jathājatha
tabe to' gāibo, hari-nāma-sukhe,
aparādha ha 'be hata
(3)
kabe heno kṛpā, labhiyā e jana,
kṛtārtha hoibe, nātha!
śakti-buddhi-hīna, āmi ati dīna,
koro' more ātma-sātha
(4)
jogyatā-vicāre, kichu nāhi pāi,
tomāra karuṇā-sāra
karuṇā nā hoile, kāndiyā kāndiyā,
prāṇa nā rākhibo āra

1) Gurudeva, give to this servant just one drop of mercy. I am lower than a blade of grass. Give me all help. Give me strength. Let me be as you are, without desires or aspirations.

2) I offer you all respects, for thus I may have the energy to know you correctly. Then, by chanting the holy name in great ecstasy, all my offenses will cease.

3) When will such mercy fall to this one who is weak and devoid of intelligence? Allow me to be with you.

4) If you examine me, you will find no qualities. Your mercy is all that I am made of. If you are not merciful unto me, I can only weep, and I will not be able to maintain my life.

Dec 12, 2009

Krishna explains How to overcome Obstacles of material desires??

http://vedabase.net/sb/11/14/18/en1
11.14.18
badhyamano 'pi mad-bhakto
vishayair ajitendriyah
prayah pragalbhaya bhaktya
vishayair nabhibhuyate

TRANSLATION
My dear Uddhava, if My devotee has not fully conquered his senses, he may be harassed by material desires, but because of his unflinching devotion for Me, he will not be defeated by sense gratification.

PURPORT

Abhibhuyate indicates falling down into the material world and being defeated by maya. But even though one's senses are not fully conquered, one who has unflinching devotion for Lord Krishna does not run the risk of being separated from Him. The words pragalbhaya bhaktya indicate a person who has great devotion for Lord Krishna, and not one who desires to commit sinful activities and chant Hare Krishna to avoid the reaction. Because of previous bad habits and immaturity, even a sincere devotee may be harassed by lingering attraction to the bodily concept of life; but his unflinching devotion for Lord Krishna will act. Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura gives the following two examples. A great warrior may be struck by the weapon of his enemy, but because of his courage and strength he is not killed or defeated. He accepts the blow and goes on to victory. Similarly, one may contract a serious disease, but if he takes the proper medicine he is quickly cured.
If those who follow the impersonal system of speculation and austerity deviate even slightly from their path, they fall down. A devotee, however, even though immature, never falls from the path of devotional service. Even if he displays occasional weakness, he is still considered a devotee if his devotion to Lord Krishna is very strong. As the Lord states in Bhagavad-gita (9.30):
api cet su-duracaro
bhajate mam ananya-bhak
sadhur eva sa mantavyah
samyag vyavasito hi sah
"Even if one commits the most abominable actions, if he is engaged in devotional service he is to be considered saintly because he is properly situated."

http://vedabase.net/sb/11/20/27-28/en

11.20.27-28

jāta-śraddho mat-kathāsu
nirviṇṇaḥ sarva-karmasu
veda duḥkhātmakān kāmān
parityāge 'py anīśvaraḥ
tato bhajeta māḿ prītaḥ
śraddhālur dṛḍha-niścayaḥ
juṣamāṇaś ca tān kāmān
duḥkhodarkāḿś ca garhayan

TRANSLATION

Having awakened faith in the narrations of My glories, being disgusted with all material activities, knowing that all sense gratification leads to misery, but still being unable to renounce all sense enjoyment, My devotee should remain happy and worship Me with great faith and conviction. Even though he is sometimes engaged in sense enjoyment, My devotee knows that all sense gratification leads to a miserable result, and he sincerely repents such activities.

PURPORT

The beginning stage of pure devotional service is described here by the Lord. A sincere devotee has practically seen that all material activities lead only to sense gratification and all sense gratification leads only to misery. Thus a devotee's sincere desire is to engage twenty-four hours a day in the loving service of Lord Kṛṣṇa without any personal motivation. The devotee sincerely desires to be established in his constitutional position as the Lord's eternal servitor, and he prays to the Lord to elevate him to this exalted position. The word anīśvara indicates that because of one's past sinful activities and bad habits one may not immediately be able to completely extinguish the enjoying spirit. The Lord here encourages such a devotee not to be overly depressed or morose but to remain enthusiastic and to go on with his loving service. The word nirviṇṇa indicates that a sincere devotee, although somewhat entangled in the remnants of sense gratification, is completely disgusted with material life and under no circumstances willingly commits sinful activities. In fact, he avoids every kind of materialistic activity. The word kāmān basically refers to sex attraction and its by-products in the form of children, home and so forth. Within the material world, the sex impulse is so strong that even a sincere candidate in the loving service of the Lord may sometimes be disturbed by sex attraction or by lingering sentiments for wife and children. A pure devotee certainly feels spiritual affection for all living entities, including the so-called wife and children, but he knows that material bodily attraction leads to no good, for it simply entangles one and one's so-called relatives in a miserable chain reaction of fruitive activities. The word dṛḍha-niścaya ("steadfast conviction") indicates that in any circumstance a devotee is completely determined to go on with his prescribed duties for Kṛṣṇa. Thus he thinks, "By my previous shameful life my heart is polluted with many illusory attachments. Personally I have no power to stop them. Only Lord Kṛṣṇa within my heart can remove such inauspicious contamination. But whether the Lord removes such attachments immediately or lets me go on being afflicted by them, I will never give up my devotional service to Him. Even if the Lord places millions of obstacles in my path, and even if because of my offenses I go to hell, I will never for a moment stop serving Lord Kṛṣṇa. I am not interested in mental speculation and fruitive activities; even if Lord Brahmā personally comes before me offering such engagements, I will not be even slightly interested. Although I am attached to material things I can see very clearly that they lead to no good because they simply give me trouble and disturb my devotional service to the Lord. Therefore, I sincerely repent my foolishattachments to so many material things, and I am patiently awaiting Lord Kṛṣṇa's mercy."
The word prīta indicates that a devotee feels exactly like the son or subject of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and is very attached to his relationship with the Lord. Therefore, although sincerely lamenting occasional lapses into sense enjoyment, he never gives up his enthusiasm to serve Lord Kṛṣṇa. If a devotee becomes too morose or discouraged in devotional service, he may drift into an impersonal consciousness or give up his devotional service to the Lord. Therefore, the Lord here advises that although one should sincerely repent, he should not become chronically depressed. One should understand that because of his past sins he must occasionally suffer disturbances from the material mind and senses, but one should not therefore become a devotee of detachment, as do the speculative philosophers. Although one may desire detachment to purify one's devotional service to the Lord, if one becomes more concerned with renunciation than with acting for the pleasure of Lord Kṛṣṇa, he is misunderstanding the position of loving devotional service. Faith in Lord Kṛṣṇa is so powerful that in due course of time it will automatically award detachment and perfect knowledge. If one gives up Lord Kṛṣṇa as the central object of one's worship and concentrates more on knowledge and detachment, one will become deviated from one's progress in going back home, back to Godhead. A sincere devotee of the Lord must be sincerely convinced that simply by the strength of devotional service and the mercy of Lord Kṛṣṇa he will achieve everything auspicious in life. One must believe that Lord Kṛṣṇa is all-merciful and that He is the only real goal of one's life. Such determined faith combined with a sincere desire to give up sense enjoyment will carry one past the obstacles of this world.
The words jāta-śraddhaḥ mat-kathāsu are most significant here. By faithful hearing of the mercy and glories of the Lord one will gradually be freed from all material desire and clearly see at every moment the utter frustration of sense gratification. Chanting the glories of the Lord with firm faith and conviction is a tremendously powerful spiritual process that enables one to give up all material association.
There is actually nothing inauspicious in the devotional service of the Lord. Occasional difficulties experienced by a devotee are due to his previous material activities. On the other hand, the endeavor for sense gratification is completely inauspicious. Thus sense gratification and devotional service are directly opposed to each other. In all circumstances one should therefore remain the Lord's sincere servant, always believing in His mercy. Then one will certainly go back home, back to Godhead.

http://vedabase.net/sb/10/14/8/en
Lord Bramha says...
10.14.8
tat te 'nukampāḿ su-samīkṣamāṇo
bhuñjāna evātma-kṛtaḿ vipākam
hṛd-vāg-vapurbhir vidadhan namas te
jīveta yo mukti-pade sa dāya-bhāk

TRANSLATION

My dear Lord, one who earnestly waits for You to bestow Your causeless mercy upon him, all the while patiently suffering the reactions of his past misdeeds and offering You respectful obeisances with his heart, words and body, is surely eligible for liberation, for it has become his rightful claim.
PURPORT

Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī explains in his commentary that just as a legitimate son has to simply remain alive to gain an inheritance from his father, one who simply remains alive in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, following the regulative principles of bhakti-yoga, automatically becomes eligible to receive the mercy of the Personality of Godhead. In other words, he will be promoted to the kingdom of God.
The word su-samīkṣamāṇa indicates that a devotee earnestly awaits the mercy of the Supreme Lord even while suffering the painful effects of previous sinful activities. Lord Kṛṣṇa explains in the Bhagavad-gītā that a devotee who fully surrenders unto Him is no longer liable to suffer the reactions of his previous karma. However, because in his mind a devotee may still maintain the remnants of his previous sinful mentality, the Lord removes the last vestiges of the enjoying spirit by giving His devotee punishments that may sometimes resemble sinful reactions. The purpose of the entire creation of God is to rectify the living entity's tendency to enjoy without the Lord, and therefore the particular punishment given for a sinful activity is specifically designed to curtail the mentality that produced the activity. Although a devotee has surrendered to the Lord's devotional service, until he is completely perfect in Kṛṣṇa consciousness he may maintain a slight inclination to enjoy the false happiness of this world. The Lord therefore creates a particular situation to eradicate this remaining enjoying spirit. This unhappiness suffered by a sincere devotee is not technically a karmic reaction; it is rather the Lord's special mercy for inducing His devotee to completely let go of the material world and return home, back to Godhead.
A sincere devotee earnestly desires to go back to the Lord's abode. Therefore he willingly accepts the Lord's merciful punishment and continues offering respects and obeisances to the Lord with his heart, words and body. Such a bona fide servant of the Lord, considering all hardship a small price to pay for gaining the personal association of the Lord, certainly becomes a legitimate son of God, as indicated here by the words dāya-bhāk. Just as one cannot approach the sun without becoming fire, one cannot approach the supreme pure, Lord Kṛṣṇa, without undergoing a rigid purificatory process, which may appear like suffering but which is in fact a curative treatment administered by the personal hand of the Lord.

Dec 10, 2009

Obstacles in the path of bhakti are servants of Lord

I was hearing one lecture on gaur lila By HH Radhanath Swami Maharaj
The story was of taking sanyas by Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu
After sanyas he stayed in the house of Adavaita Acarya .Then he decided he should go to Puri at once. But devotees told him that presently there are conflicts & war taking place between nations so please go after peace is established
from Caitanya Mangal
++++To this the Supreme Lord, Sri Caitanya, replied, “Let there be danger of any magnitude, I will certainly go, this I say to you.” Sri Advaita Äcärya understood Sri Caitanya’s mind and knew no one could dissuade Him from it. Palms joined, Sri Advaita began to speak, “Who can dare to obstruct your path?
All so-called impediments and dangers are simply your order carriers.
No one possesses the power to stop you. You have resolved to travel to Néläcala, and so your journey will be a source of great joy and You may leave at Your own sweet will.” +++++

Maharaj said " Advaita Acaraya said that the obstacles are servants of the Lord .And these obstacles have come to purify us from our conditionings ,they have come to make us more surrendered to the lotus feet of the Lord . A devotee accepts them & takes shelter of the Supreme Lord .In this was he advances"

So obstacles are actually to purify us & not put us down
lets face them by taking shelter of the lord
lets pray to Lord with much intensity same as Gajendra had prayed when he was caught in the teeths of the crocodile.
Our Prayer should be THAT intense.

One devotee said "if we donot pass on the present obstacles the same one will keep on coming "
better take shelter of Krishna & he shall pick us up

Srila Bhakti vinod thakur said "Obstacles are great source of ecstasies to him"

The following prayer by Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur explains
how to pray to the Lord ? & what to pray to the Lord ?

Song Name: Anadi Karama Phale
Official Name: Sri Siksastakam Song 5
Author: Bhaktivinoda Thakura
Book Name: Gitavali
Language: Bengali
LYRICS
(1)
anādi’ karama-phale, poḍi’ bhavārnava-jale,
toribāre nā dekhi upāy
e-viṣaya-halāhale, divā-niśi hiyā jwale,
mana kabhu sukha nāhi pāy

(2)
āśā-pāśa-śata-śata, kleśa deya avirata,
pravṛtti-ūrmira tāhe khelā
kāma-krodha-ādi choy, bāṭapāḍe deya bhoy,
avasāna hoilo āsi’ belā
(3)
jñāna-karma—ṭhaga dui, more pratārīya loi,
avaśeṣe phele sindhu-jale
e heno samaye, bandhu, tumi kṛṣṇa kṛpā-sindhu,
kṛpā kori’ tolo more bale

(4)
patita-kińkore dhori’, pāda-padma-dhuli kori’,
deho bhaktivinode āśroy
āmi tava nitya-dās, bhuliyā māyāra pāś,
baddha ho’ye āchi doyāmoy

TRANSLATION
1) I have fallen into the ocean of material existence as a result of my selfish activities, which are without beginning, and I see no means of deliverance from this great ocean of nescience. Day and night my heart burns from the poison of these worldly activities, and on account of this my mind never finds any satisfaction or happiness.

2) Hundreds and thousands of desires, like nooses around my neck, constantly give me misery and trouble. In that great ocean of nescience play the waves of materialistic tendency. In this world there are many thieves and rogues, of whom six are prominent; lust, anger, greed, illusion, and madness. They are causing me great fear, and in this way my life is coming to an end.

3) The two highway robbers, mental speculation and fruitive activity, have cheated me and misled me, and finally they are throwing me into the ocean of misery. At such a time as this, my dear Krsna, You are the only friend, and You are the ocean of mercy and compassion. I have no strength to get out of this ocean of nescience, so I pray to Your lotus feet that You will be kind and by Your strength uplift me from this ocean of suffering.

4) Accept this fallen servant and fix me as a particle of dust on Your lotus feet. Kindly give me shelter to this Bhaktivinoda. O most merciful Lord, actually I am Your eternal servant, but having forgotten this I have become bound up in the network of maya.

.......................Purport by HDG AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupad.......

E heno samaye bandhu, tumi krsna krpa-sindhu: "Under the circumstances, my dear Krsna, you are my only friend, and You are an ocean of mercy."
Krpa kori' tolo more bale: "I have no strength to get out of this ocean of nescience, so I pray unto Your lotus feet that by Your strength You kindly pick me up."
Patita-kinkare dhari' pada-padma-dhuli kari': "After all, I am Your eternal servant. Somehow or other I have fallen into this ocean, so kindly pick me up and fix me as one of the particles of dust at Your lotus feet."
Deho bhaktivinoda asraya: Bhaktivinoda Thakura entreats, "Kindly give me shelter at Your lotus feet."
Ami tava nitya-dasa: "I am Your eternal servant."
Bhuliya mayara pasa: "Somehow or other I forgot You, and I have now fallen into the network of maya."
Baddha ho'ye achi dayamaya: "My dear Lord, I have become entangled in this way. Kindly save me."
....................................................................................................................

So do i pray
O my Lord ! you are my only friend & I am your fallen servant
i have no strength to overcome these obstacles
Kindly pick me up & give me shelter at your lotus feet.
I have no other HOPE

Dec 4, 2009

Gita Jayanti lecture -- by Giriraj Swami

An Address by Giriraj Swami to Leaders of Hindu Organizations October 23, 2009 Houston

This year, Gita Jayanti, the day on which Lord Krsna spoke the Bhagavad-gita to Arjuna, will be celebrated on November 28.

The Bhagavad-gita is also known as the Gitopanisad and is considered one of the Upanisads. The title Bhagavad-gita is sometimes translated as “The Song of God.” Gita mean “song.” God, Krsna, is so sublime that whatever He speaks is music and poetry. The word bhagavan has been analyzed by Vedic authorities. Bhaga means “opulence” and is related to the word bhagya: “good fortune.” And van means “one who possesses.” So bhagavan means “He who possesses all opulence in full.”

aisvaryasya samagrasya viryasya yasasah sriyah jnana-vairagyayos caiva sannam bhaga itingana

“Full wealth, strength, fame, beauty, knowledge, and renunciation–these are the six opulences of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.” (Visnu Purana 6.5.47)

For example, wealth. All of us possess some wealth. I may have ten dollars, but if I look further I will find someone who has a hundred dollars. And if I look still further, I will find someone who has a thousand dollars, and a million, and a billion. But no one can say that he has all the wealth in all creation, that no one is equal to him or greater than him in wealth. When we come to that person who has all wealth–no one is equal to or greater than him–that is Bhagavan, Krsna.

The Bhagavad-gita was originally spoken by Krsna to Arjuna. As stated in the Gita (4.1),

sri-bhagavan uvaca imam vivasvate yogam proktavan aham avyayam vivasvan manave praha manur iksvakave ‘bravit

“The Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna, said: I instructed this imperishable science of yoga to the sun-god, Vivasvan, and Vivasvan instructed it to Manu, the father of mankind, and Manu in turn instructed it to Iksvaku.” Lord Krsna originally spoke the Gita to Vivasvan, the sun-god, who spoke it to his son Manu, who in turn spoke it to Iksvaku. In this way the knowledge was passed on through disciplic succession from one to the next to the next. But in the course of time, that chain became broken.

evam parampara-praptam imam rajarsayo viduh sa kaleneha mahata yogo nastah parantapa

“This supreme science was thus received through the chain of disciplic succession, and the saintly kings understood it in that way. But in course of time the succession was broken, and therefore the science as it is appears to be lost.” (Bg 4.2) Nasta means “spoiled.” You may have a nice plate of prasada, but if you leave it aside and it becomes old and contaminated, it becomes nasta, spoiled. It is food, but you don’t get the benefit. So, to get the real benefit of the Bhagavad-gita, one must receive it through parampara (evam parampara-praptam imam rajarsayo viduh).

Five thousand years ago, Lord Krsna detected that the chain was broken and that, consequently, the knowledge was lost. So He came again and spoke the Bhagavad-gita again, to Arjuna: “Now, Arjuna, you become the first recipient of this knowledge in the new chain, so that the knowledge is received and presented as it is.” Srila Prabhupada called his translation of the Gita the Bhagavad-gita As It Is. “As it is” means as Krsna spoke it five thousand years ago and as Arjuna understood it.

How did Arjuna understand it? First, he accepted Krsna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead:

arjuna uvaca param brahma param dhama pavitram paramam bhavan purusam sasvatam divyam adi-devam ajam vibhum

“Arjuna said: You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the ultimate abode, the purest, the Absolute Truth. You are the eternal, transcendental, original person, the unborn, the greatest.” (Bg 10.12)

And he accepted everything that Krsna said as true: sarvam etad rtam manye yan mam vadasi kesava–”Krsna, I totally accept as truth all that You have told me.” (Bg 10.14) “I accept whatever You say, in toto.” He did not discriminate that he liked some parts of the Gita and not other parts. Sarvam etad rtam manye: “I accept in toto everything that You have said.” If we begin to discriminate, “I like this portion, but I don’t like that portion,” we become implicated in ardha-kukkuti-nyaya, “half-hen” logic.

A farmer had a hen that was laying eggs. But the farmer thought that only the hind portion was valuable, because that part was giving eggs, but that the neck portion was simply troublesome, because it just ate food. He concluded, “I will cut the neck portion, which is just a botheration, and keep the hind portion, which gives eggs.” And when he did, of course, the hen died and there were no more eggs.

One verse in the Bhagavad-gita that is very popular among some people states, karmany evadhikaras te: “You are entitled to do your duty.” They think, “I can do my duty. I can go to work. I can make and spend money. I can take care of my family, live with my family, enjoy with my family and friends. That is a precious instruction.” But when they come to sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja–give up all varieties of religiousness and surrender to Krsna–that is a little troublesome, and they want to cut that part: “We don’t really need it. We’ll just keep the really valuable part: I can do my duty.”

In order to get the full benefit of the Bhagavad-gita, it is essential to accept it as it is. Devotees who have accepted it as it is and applied its principles in their lives have undergone extraordinary transformations. This knowledge can really help people. And any genuine person who gets something good will naturally want to share it with others. Anyone who has really imbibed the nectar of the Bhagavad-gita, gotten the benefit of the Bhagavad-gita, will want to share the knowledge with others. It is natural. If you are eating a nice plate of prasada and taste something really good, it is natural to say, “You should try this; it’s really good.” Or, “You should try this with this; it’s a really good combination.” Anyone–any child–will do that. So when you actually experience the benefit of the Bhagavad-gita in your life, you will naturally want to share the knowledge with others so that they too can benefit and become happy.

Now, why did Krsna choose Arjuna to be the first student of the Bhagavad-gita? Arjuna was not a sannyasi. He was a married man. And he was not a brahmana. He was a warrior. Why Arjuna? Krsna explains,

sa evayam maya te ‘dya yogah proktah puratanah bhakto ’si me sakha ceti rahasyam hy etad uttamam

“That very ancient science of the relationship with the Supreme is today told by Me to you because you are My devotee as well as My friend and can therefore understand the transcendental mystery of this science.” (Bg 4.3) The main qualification for understanding the Gita is bhakto ’si me, to be Lord Krsna’s devotee. And later Krsna says that one should hear the Gita with faith and without envy (sraddhavan anasuyas ca srnuyad api yo narah).
(Bg 18.71) This is a most important point: to get the true benefit of the Gita, one must be a devotee.

What does it mean to be a devotee? Sometimes the word devotee is used quite broadly. To begin, let us understand devotee in contrast to karmi, jnani, and yogi. These are all technical (as well as general) terms. A karmi engages in fruitive work. He works for personal gain: “I have worked and earned. Now I have the right to enjoy the fruit.” That is 90 percent of the world. People work, and they feel, “I have earned the money, so I have the right to spend it–on myself, on my family, on my community, on my country”
(or whatever limited or extended concept of sense gratification he or she has). But the Gita says no. Karmany evadhikaras te ma phalesu kadacana: “You have a right to perform your prescribed duty, but you are not entitled to the fruits of action.” (Bg 2.47) The fruits belong to Krsna.

If you invite a carpenter to your house and give him wood and nails and glue–everything he needs–and say, “I want you to build me a cabinet,” in the end, to whom does the cabinet belong–to the carpenter or to you? It belongs to the proprietor, not the worker. The worker has assembled the ingredients supplied by the proprietor, but that doesn’t make him the owner.

This entire material creation, this entire cosmic manifestation–the elements are provided by Krsna. The earth we tread; the water we drink; the air we breathe; the fire, or electricity, we use–everything belongs to Him, and we cannot rightly claim any of it for ourselves. We may assemble the elements in different ways, but it all belongs to Him and is meant to be used for His purposes.

A karmi engages in work and wants to keep the fruits for himself. A karma-yogi engages in work but gives the fruits to Krsna. A man may grow a tree, and the tree will produce fruits. A karmi will keep the fruits for himself, whereas a karma-yogi will give the fruits, or some of the fruits, to Krsna. The sakama-karma-yogi has selfish desires, but he still gives something to Krsna. If the tree produces a hundred mangoes, he may give one or two or ten or twenty to Krsna. And as he becomes purified, as he develops more faith and becomes more attached to Krsna, he will give more to Krsna. And eventually he may give all one hundred mangoes to Krsna, without any selfish desire (niskama-karma-yoga). But he will not be the loser. Krsna will give him His prasada, His mercy.

The jnanis and often the yogis are impersonalists; they believe that God is ultimately impersonal–nameless, formless, without qualities, without activities. They may even go so far as to think that Krsna’s form is material, that just as we have a physical body made of flesh and bones and blood and stool, so does Krsna. And according to them, if Krsna is material, then His name, form, qualities, and activities are also all material. People may chant His name, but ultimately they have to go beyond that. People may worship His form, but they have to go beyond that. People may talk about His qualities and activities, but they have to go beyond that. Ultimately, according to them, we have to go beyond all these illusory forms and names and come to the all-pervading impersonal light and merge and become one with it. Then there is no you, no me, no Krsna–nothing. Just oneness.

In theory, that is also a possibility. But it is very rare to achieve that state, and very difficult. Lord Krsna explains in the Bhagavad-gita
(12.2-7):

mayy avesya mano ye mam nitya-yukta upasate sraddhaya parayopetas te me yuktatama matah

“Those who fix their minds on My personal form and are always engaged in worshiping Me with great and transcendental faith are considered by Me to be most perfect.

ye tv aksaram anirdesyam avyaktam paryupasate sarvatra-gam acintyam ca kuta-stham acalam dhruvam

sanniyamyendriya-gramam sarvatra sama-buddhayah te prapnuvanti mam eva sarva-bhuta-hite ratah

“But those who fully worship the unmanifested, that which lies beyond the perception of the senses, the all-pervading, inconceivable, unchanging, fixed and immovable–the impersonal conception of the Absolute Truth–by controlling the various senses and being equally disposed to everyone, such persons, engaged in the welfare of all, at last achieve Me.

kleso ‘dhikataras tesam avyaktasakta-cetasam avyakta hi gatir duhkham dehavadbhir avapyate

“For those whose minds are attached to the unmanifested, impersonal feature of the Supreme, advancement is very troublesome. To make progress in that discipline is always difficult for those who are embodied.

ye tu sarvani karmani mayi sannyasya mat-parah ananyenaiva yogena mam dhyayanta upasate

tesam aham samuddharta mrtyu-samsara-sagarat bhavami na cirat partha mayy avesita-cetasam

“But those who worship Me, giving up all their activities unto Me and being devoted to Me without deviation, engaged in devotional service and always meditating upon Me, having fixed their minds upon Me, O son of Prtha–for them I am the swift deliverer from the ocean of birth and death.”

Not only is the impersonal path difficult, but the result is also not very satisfying, because ultimately everyone wants happiness and love. The two most basic human needs are to love and be loved. We want friends, we want family, we want community, and we are not happy without them. If you were a billionaire but could never see another living being, would you be happy? No. You would be so desperate for company, for relationship, that you would say, “I don’t want this wealth. I just want to be with people I love and who love me.” In a way, this was Arjuna’s thinking at the beginning of the Bhagavad-gita. He considered, “What is the use of winning a kingdom if in the course of the battle all my friends and family die? What’s the use? With whom will I enjoy my kingdom?” The thought of being without family and friends so overwhelmed Arjuna that he said to Krsna,

na hi prapasyami mamapanudyad yac chokam ucchosanam indriyanam avapya bhumav asapatnam rddham rajyam suranam api cadhipatyam

“I can find no means to drive away this grief which is drying up my senses. I will not be able to dispel it even if I win a prosperous, unrivaled kingdom on earth with sovereignty like that of the demigods in heaven.” (Bg
2.8)

There is much truth to what Arjuna said at the beginning of the Gita, but that truth is on a lower level. By the mercy of Lord Krsna, after hearing the Bhagavad-gita, Arjuna was elevated to a higher, better understanding. He realized that perfect happiness and love were to be realized in relation to Krsna, and so Arjuna surrendered unto Him.

Krsna gave Arjuna the choice. Krsna did not force him, because true surrender, or true love, is voluntary. Krsna gave Arjuna the freedom to deliberate and then decide:

iti te jnanam akhyatam guhyad guhyataram maya vimrsyaitad asesena yathecchasi tatha kuru

“Thus I have explained to you knowledge still more confidential. Deliberate on this fully, and then do what you wish to do.” (Bg 18.63) Yathecchasi tatha kuru–”You can do whatever you like.” We all have free will, given to us by God. But after hearing the Bhagavad-gita, Arjuna immediately responded, karisye vacanam tava: “I will do whatever You say.” That is the position of the surrendered devotee.

arjuna uvaca nasto mohah smrtir labdha tvat-prasadan mayacyuta sthito ’smi gata-sandehah karisye vacanam tava

“Arjuna said: My dear Krsna, O infallible one, my illusion is now gone. I have regained my memory by Your mercy. I am now firm and free from doubt and am prepared to act according to Your instructions.” (Bg 18.73)

Now we may be a little worried. We are back to that troublesome sloka, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja: “Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me.” And we may wonder, “What are the implications of karisye vacanam tava: ‘I am prepared to act according to Your instructions’? What if Krsna tells me to give up my wife, my children, my business, my home? Then what?” This is a problematic question, and some people may not want to pursue the course of surrender to Krsna, because they are afraid of the consequences.

But there is some leniency here, some considerateness. Lord Krsna gives us a gradual process to come to the stage of surrender, because surrender is based on faith. When we have faith in someone or something, we can surrender. And if we don’t have faith, we won’t surrender. In this present Age of Kali, faith is very rare. It is very difficult to come by genuine faith. The society is materialistic, and everyone is cultured in the idea that they are independent, free to think and do whatever they like, without restriction. In fact, they are envious. Material life means envy–first of Krsna. People think, “Why should I surrender to Him? I am also intelligent. I also know things. I can also speak and argue. Why should I surrender?” And people find fault with Krsna: “Why did He tell Arjuna to fight? Why did He cause so many people to die?” In particular, people who are envious find fault with Krsna. They can never understand the Bhagavad-gita. Therefore Lord Krsna says,

idam te natapaskaya nabhaktaya kadacana na casusrusave vacyam na ca mam yo ‘bhyasuyati

“This confidential knowledge may never be explained to those who are not austere, or devoted, or engaged in devotional service, nor to one who is envious of Me.” (Bg 18.67) One must be a devotee, a bhakta. Only devotees are without envy.

Still, Krsna, like a loving father, wants to bring all His sons and daughters to the highest perfection, even though He knows that it may take some time. A parent will want his child to grow to be strong and healthy and happy and intelligent and competent, and to take over the family’s business. A genuine, loving parent will want to give everything to the child, but the parent first wants to see that the child is responsible enough.

As I grew up, my father gave me a weekly allowance. My first allowance was five or ten cents. I was just a child, and he wasn’t sure how I would use the money. Eventually he raised my allowance to twenty-five cents. And I felt so proud: “My father really trusts me.” Twenty-five cents was quite a good amount for me then.

So, the parents want to give to the children, but they also want to see that the children are responsible enough to take care of what they give them. In a similar way, Krsna wants to give us everything–even Himself–but He wants to see that we are qualified.

Another analogy is a teacher in a classroom. The study of math begins with one plus one equals two. There is much more, but the students proceed step by step: addition, then subtraction, then multiplication, then division–so many processes they have to learn.

In the Bhagavad-gita, the first instruction is that you are not the body but the soul within the body. Aham brahmasmi. That is the beginning, and if we understand even one line of the Bhagavad-gita, from the very beginning, our lives will change.

dehino ’smin yatha dehe kaumaram yauvanam jara tatha dehantara-praptir dhiras tatra na muhyati

“As the embodied soul continuously passes, in this body, from boyhood to youth to old age, the soul similarly passes into another body at death. A sober person is not bewildered by such a change.” (Bg 2.13) If we just understand that we are not the body but are the atma, the jivatma, within the body, that alone is enough to change our whole life. We will no longer act on the basis of the body, for sense gratification, but on the basis of the soul, for self-realization. In today’s materialistic society one’s whole endeavor is to get things for the body–my body, my wife’s body, my children’s bodies, my parents’ bodies–to make the body comfortable. But the body is just like a dress for the soul. Now, which is more important–the clothes or the person inside the clothes? The person, of course. The body itself is just a dress, which changes. The real person is the soul, who exists always.

vasamsi jirnani yatha vihaya navani grhnati naro ‘parani tatha sarirani vihaya jirnany anyani samyati navani dehi

“As a person puts on new garments, giving up old ones, the soul similarly accepts new material bodies, giving up the old and useless ones.” (Bg 2.22)

If we understand just this one point, from the very beginning of the Bhagavad-gita, our entire life will change. We will work for the benefit of the soul, which is our actual self and is part and parcel of the Supreme Self, God, Krsna, knowing that our real relationship is with Him, not with the body. And then, gradually, step by step, we will come to the conclusion of the Bhagavad-gita:

man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru mam evaisyasi satyam te pratijane priyo ’si me

“Always think of Me, become My devotee, worship Me, and offer your homage unto Me. Thus you will come to Me without fail. I promise you this because you are My very dear friend.” (Bg 18.65)

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 reactions. Do not fear.” (Bg 18.66)

Man-mana–always think of Krsna. If you do that, you will naturally become a devotee of Krsna (mad-bhakto). You will worship Him (mad-yaji) and offer obeisance unto Him (mam namaskuru). It is so simple.

The critical point is man-mana, to always think of Krsna. And how can we always think of Him? In the ninth chapter of the Gita Krsna says,

satatam kirtayanto mam yatantas ca drdha-vratah namasyantas ca mam bhaktya nitya-yukta upasate

“Always chanting My glories, endeavoring with great determination, bowing down before Me, these great souls perpetually worship Me with devotion.” (Bg
9.14) Satatam kirtayanto mam–if we always (satatam) engage in glorifying Krsna, chanting His holy name (kirtana), we will always think of Him.

We are Hare Krsna devotees, and we are speaking about the Bhagavad-gita. What is the connection? The chanting of Hare Krsna is the real way to follow the instructions of Lord Krsna in the Bhagavad-gita. Sri Krsna Caitanya, the incarnation of Krsna for the present Age of Kali, who inaugurated the Hare Krsna movement five hundreds years ago, taught, kirtaniyah sada harih: “Always chant the holy name of Hari [Krsna].” And in the Bhagavad-gita, Sri Krsna gives the same instruction: satatam kirtayanto mam–always engage in kirtana, chanting the holy name of Krsna. So the chanting of Hare Krsna is really the fulfillment of Lord Krsna’s ultimate instruction in the Bhagavad-gita: man-mana–always think of Krsna. Chanting is the best–and easiest–way to think of Krsna.

Of course, we think of Krsna when we hear about Him from the Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam, but for that we need a book or a reader. We think of Krsna when we see His Deity form, His murti, but for that we need a temple, a mandira, with a murti. There are so many ways of thinking of Krsna, but the beauty of chanting, either kirtana or japa, is that we need only our tongue and ears. In the Bhagavad-gita (10.25) Lord Krsna recommends, yajnanam japa-yajno ’smi: “Of sacrifices I am the chanting of the holy names [japa].” This anyone can do. Young or old, black or white, man or woman, educated or uneducated–anyone and everyone can chant Hare Krsna and fulfill Krsna’s instruction in the Bhagavad-gita.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, the authorized biography of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, relates an instructive story. While touring South India, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu came to the holy place of Sri Ranga-ksetra, where, in front of the temple, He saw a brahmana holding the Bhagavad-gita and crying, surrounded by people who were laughing and criticizing him. Sri Caitanya asked him, “Why are these people laughing?” And he replied, “I am holding the Bhagavad-gita, but I am more or less illiterate. I don’t know how to pronounce the words properly, and I do not know what they mean. But my guru ordered me to read the Gita, and so I read all eighteen chapters every day.” Caitanya Mahaprabhu inquired, “Why are you crying?” And he replied, “When I hold the Bhagavad-gita I see before me Krsna and Arjuna on the chariot. Krsna is acting as Arjuna’s chariot driver. Taking the reins in His hands, He appears very beautiful. While seeing Lord Krsna instructing Arjuna, I weep in ecstatic happiness.” Then Lord Caitanya told the brahmana, “You are the true authority in the reading of the Bhagavad-gita. You know the real purport of the Bhagavad-gita.” And He embraced him.

Proud people may think, “Oh, these Hare Krsna people can’t understand much. They don’t know Sanskrit. They don’t have the samskaras. Let them chant. It is good.” But actually, by chanting the holy name of Krsna one awakens one’s love for Him, which is the real purport of the Bhagavad-gita. By chanting, one fulfills the Lord’s instructions in the Bhagavad-gita to always think of Him and sing His glories. Although some who chant may not be very learned or knowledgeable in a certain sense, if they are genuine devotees of Krsna, they are fulfilling the real purport of the Bhagavad-gita.

aho bata sva-paco ‘to gariyan yaj-jihvagre vartate nama tubhyam tepus tapas te juhuvuh sasnur arya brahmanucur nama grnanti ye te

“Oh, how glorious are they whose tongues are chanting Your holy name! Even if born in the families of dog-eaters, such persons are worshipable. Persons who chant the holy name of Your Lordship must have executed all kinds of austerities and fire sacrifices and achieved all the good manners of the Aryans. To be chanting the holy name of Your Lordship, they must have bathed at holy places of pilgrimage, studied the Vedas, and fulfilled everything required.” (SB 3.33.7)

The International Society for Krishna Consciousness not only presents the knowledge of the Bhagavad-gita but also gives the practical means by which one can fulfill its purport–to become a devotee of Krsna, always think of Him, worship Him, offer homage to Him, and preach His message. After personally surrendering to Krsna (sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja), one can go further and teach this knowledge. This is Lord Krsna’s last instruction:

ya idam paramam guhyam mad-bhaktesv abhidhasyati bhaktim mayi param krtva mam evaisyaty asamsayah

“For one who explains this supreme secret to the devotees, pure devotional service is guaranteed, and at the end he will come back to Me.

na ca tasman manusyesu kascin me priya-krttamah bhavita na ca me tasmad anyah priyataro bhuvi

“There is no servant in this world more dear to Me than he, nor will there ever be one more dear.” (Bg 18.68-69) The real conclusion of the Bhagavad-gita, built upon one’s full surrender to Krsna, is to spread this message and become most dear to Krsna.

This is the opportunity we all have now. On Gita Jayanti we think of Krsna, recite the Gita, and perform the yajna, but the real essence of the celebration is to bring more people to Krsna, to the wisdom of the Gita. As devotees, we want to bring others to Krsna, and when we do, Krsna is even more pleased. And that is what Gita Jayanti is really meant to do: to please Krsna, to bring the Bhagavad-gita to more people and bring more people to Krsna–and make us dear to Krsna.

It is a wonderful, wonderful opportunity. I have been chanting Hare Krsna and reading the Bhagavad-gita for forty years, and it is ever-fresh. Once, Srila Prabhupada told a New York Times interviewer, “Every day your employer is printing so many newspapers. On Sunday especially the paper is so big that one can hardly carry it. But after reading it for an hour, people throw it away. Here is this book–the Bhagavad-gita–and people keep it and read it for a lifetime, and in this way it has been read for the past five thousand years. Give people such literature that will be taken and kept forever.” And the reporter laughed–and agreed.

I am very grateful to all of you for having come this evening, after what was probably a long, hard day at work, braving the rush hour traffic. I am grateful that you came and spared your valuable time. And I look forward to working together with all of you on this wonderful project, which will be so beneficial to so many people. Srila Prabhupada’s guru instructed him to preach the message of the Bhagavad-gita in English all over the world, telling him, “This will do much good for you as well as your audience.” So it is win-win-win. It will be beneficial for you, it will be beneficial for the people in general, and ultimately Krsna will be pleased. And that is our goal–that is what bhakti means–to please Krsna. When Krsna is pleased, our life is successful and we are naturally satisfied and pleased.

So we thank you very much.

Hare Krsna.