My Marriage realizations

I got married on 10th Dec 2010 in hyderabad.A very traditional vedic ceremony was arranged.They had some deep meaning to it some of which i am writing it below

Every ritual started with prayers & the brahmana (priest) said to remember or meditate on Lord Visnu .

A fire sacrifice was arranged & we put oblations in it.

The fire in the yagna is the tongue of Lord Visnu & all offerings are put in it to satisfy the Supreme Lord & invoke his blessings & sanction for an auspicious marriage as stated in Bh Gita 5.29

Bhkotaram yagna tapasam....

Krishna is the ultimate beneficiary of yagna

========================= puport of 18.5

The yogis should perform acts for the advancement of human society. There are many purificatory processes for advancing a human being to spiritual life. The marriage ceremony, for example, is considered to be one of these sacrifices. It is called vivaha-yajna.

=====================

Purpose of Marriage is Spiriual adavancement

-------------------------------- puport of 18.5

The Lord says here that any sacrifice which is meant for human welfare should never be given up.Vivaha-yajna, the marriage ceremony, is meant to regulate the human mind so that it may become peaceful for spiritual advancement.

Then a small act was also performed where they made me carry a umbrella & a cane stick & i had to walk

a distance & the uncle of bride would pursue me to come back & marry .

The significance of this act is that the husband thinks his spiritual would be disturbed if he gets married

so he decides to go to Kashi (place of pilgrimage) but then the uncle comes & says that "your would be wife is

very sense-controlled & likes spiritual life & shall support your spiritual life so donot keep the worry

& please marry her"

The final & sacred ceremony is when the cloth is kept in between the wife & husband &

mangalashtakam is sung & after that the wife & husband exchange the garlands.

It was really surprising when the priest said at the start "Now remember your ista-deva in your heart "

Then the priest started chanting a mantra which i knew very well

kasturi tilakam lalata patate vakshasthale kausthubham

naasaagre varmouktikam karatale venum kare kankanam
sarvaange harichandanam sulalitam kanthecha mukthavali
gopastree pariveshthito vijayate gopala chudaamani
vijayate gopala chudaamani

O Sri Krishna ! The Kasturi (Musk) Tilak, a red ritual mark decorates your forehead and the Kaustubha jewel ornaments your chest
The Nava mouktika, a pearl ornament on your nose, your fingertips graced by a flute, while your wrist is ornamented with a bracelet.
O Sri Hari! Your entire body is bedecked with fragrant sandalwood paste, your neck has a beautiful garland

This mantra is for remembering Lord Krishna & the priest said you remember

your ista-deva ie the demigod worshipped by the lineage of ones family

I felt it is better to remember Lord Krishna because he is the real ista-deva & lord of all the demigods

Isvara param Krishna

Krishna is the Supreme lord of lords

------------ bramha samhita

& the mantra was very appropriate for that occasion

This shows that all ceremonies are simply meant for remembering & worshiping & glorifying Lord Krishna but this purpose has got lost or ignored or not emphasized in todays marriage.

I was fortunate to remember Krishna at the time of my marriage ceremonies .

It so happened that one devotee from Hyderabad temple came & gifted the maha garlands of

Sri Sri Radha Madan Mohan dieties .

We then immediately exchanged it as if doing the ceremony again.

I had arranged a book table for Prabhupad books to distributed at less price

About 300 big books were distributed .I was so happy to hear this

It gave relief from the pains of travel & tiredness.

I thought this event is an amazing memorable event in my life .

All went perfectly in KCON way.

Memories from Festival of Inspiration 2010

Seminars , devotee association, kirtan , nama yagna , mangal arati , variety of Prasad , drama ,New vrindavan memories & Srila Prabhupads legacy ............. This is all about Festival of Inspiration

Following are the few important points & remarks from the various seminars that i attended in NV

--- Grihastha Vision Team

1) live by your core values ..........

what Qualities you wud like ur spouse & children remeber you For?

What would you like ur influence on he World & community to Be?

2) Compassion is our Core Value

Our happiness depends on the degree with which we live to Our Core Values

3) Language of Love

--- affectionate appreciation

--- receiving Gifts

--- meaningful service

--- Shared activity

--- Touch

4) COmpassion is more important Than LOve

Preach the fundamentals of KCON with compassion.

Work on ur relationship & connection

-------- Lecture by HH Radhanath Swami Maharaj

types of Co-operation

--- don't try to destroy each other

--- somehow carry on with the service & be tolerant

--- Vaishnava co-operation ---- see the spirit behind & fan the spark

Prabhupad saw the Good where there was Practically NONE.

be Sincere, Serious & with No Ulterior Motives

Symptoms of a devotee

1) One who chant the holy name once

2) one who is always chanting the holy name

3) one who upon seen by anyone are immediately inspired to chant the holy nameis a topmost devotee

------ lecture by HH Romapada Swami

I complained that i had no shoes until i saw a man that had no Shoes.

Gratitude is not a behavior but feeling

Spiritual conception of Proprietorship

--- I am Yours Krishna & You are Mine

this means that the relationship with krishna is permanent & that is Ours

External obstacles are simply Internal Obstacles

taking shelter of Lord Krishna is to determine ourselves to continue KCON engagements even though obstacles are present & been the humble Servant of Lord & devotees

When Difficulty comes ?

---- Ask Krishna ..... What you want me to learn from this ??

---- consult guru, sadhu , sastra

Failure will not prevent us from realising our capability but fear to Failure will

one is awarded Grace if he wants to be sincerely with Krishna

We go to Krishna to ask for solutions but he wants our Heart

so in good or bad times i SHall go to Krishna

----- Lecture by HG Vaisesika Pr

Overcoming Weakness of Heart

--- Attachment to things that are not attached to Krishna

---- Envy of other devotees progress

--- deceit -- cheating mentality

--- Longing for Position & Fame

Accept that every problem in our life is due to our past deeds only

Voluntary life changes --- voluntary accept favourable & reject unfavourable to KCON

Inspirational sadhana --- sadhana which gives some inspiration

Service (ie telling people about Krishna ) gets Superior Strength & Knowledge

Dandavats & holding the hands high up in air in kritan pours out weakness of heart

Conflict ..... Good or Bad?

it is natural that when two or more people are working together .There are Conflicts

Severe disagreements & this leads to a lot of misunderstanding , strain , stress in the relationship between team members. The team can be of simply friends, wife & husband, teams in company or in parliaments etc.

There will be conflicts due to personalism

everyone is a person so everyone shall have a different approach , idea ,feelings, emotions

Recently in my team we were having conflicts & i found that it served to improve our relationship

Conflict in its Own is not good or BAD! but what we do out of it?

how we look at it ?

How we try resolve it is the Great Question ?

If we depart just because of petty differences we would simply screw the whole project

But if we take this as an opportunity to understand each other , to understand each others needs

, each others concerns, each others limitations we shall be able to work Happily

& with mutual respect,understanding & love thus adding to the health of the Project .

So i see this as an OPPORTUNITY to understand each other & respect each other

& resolve this conflict by Putting Higher principle of Krishna Consciousness & Service to guru & Vaishnavas before us & try to Love each other with ALL their FAULTS.

This is what it means to co-operate

if we had same like mindedness we would be just ONE.

But because we have differences we have to Co-operate & become ONE in purpose , in Aim , in Goal

Prabhupad said, "You will show your LOVE to me by how much you cooperate with each other"

This higher principle if kept before us then all conflicts can be resolved

thus we TOO resolved the conflict aroused in my team......................................

http://vrajendrakumardas.blogspot.com/2009/09/co-operation-what-does-it-actually-mean.html

http://vrajendrakumardas.blogspot.com/2009/09/sincerity-of-purpose.html

To chant Holy name Purely

i called out my mother ""MAMMMA" & she responded "YES"

I called out my father "" PAPPAA" & he looked at me & said "HMMM"

I called out my sisters name " DIPTIIIII" & she turned back "Brother telll me "

I called out my friends name " AMANNN" & he replied with a smile "HARIBOL "

I called out to my teacher "SIR excuse me" & he said "YAAA"

i was lost on the street & i asked the stranger anxiously "Sir can you please help me i am LOST" & he said "YA What is the problem ?""

BUT when i chant & call out " KRISHNA " for 2 hours everyday I donot get any feeling , any experience of internal happiness , any experience that Krishna is there & he has heard you >>??

WHY ????????????????????

The simple reason is i have not established any relationship with HIM

i still act as a stranger to KRISHNA

unless there is some kind of relationship why would one care to respond.?

Thats why a comment by a stranger is not taken seriously compared to those by a near or dear one!?

Therefore first one has to develop or revive his relationship with KRISHNA

That is called as ABHIDEYA

So what is the relationship with KRISHNA ?

It is revealed by Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu ie " Jivera swaroop hoya Krishnera nitya DAS"

The constitutional position of every living entity is to serve KRISHNA .

So one is servant of Krishna

one has understand here that Krishna is not similar to the masters that we experience & see in this world He is most SWEET master of all.

So What services does one do to revive his eternal relationship

it is revealed in BG 9.34

man-manā bhava mad-bhakto

mad-yājī māḿ namaskuru

mām evaiṣyasi yuktvaivam

ātmānaḿ mat-parāyaṇaḥ

TRANSLATION

Engage your mind always in thinking of Me, become My devotee, offer obeisances to Me and worship Me. Being completely absorbed in Me, surely you will come to Me.

-----one has to think of Krishna but to think first one should hear

so hearing his pastimes , instruction in various scriptures like Gita & Bhagavatam,name etc one shall develop a favourable attraction to serve such a master like if one hears about certain company say microsoft & hears that one gets more pay & good work etc he definately starts trying to get into microsoft

Similarly by favourably hearing from Bhagavat person or pure devotee one can develop a desire to serve KRISHNA .

---- chanting Hare krishna is another way to keep remembering Krishna Actually though Chanting purely is the Goal & it is also the Medium

just like sugarcane juice is the medicine for jaundice & the goal is to taste its sweetness to know whether jaundice is gone

----become devotee of the Lord , offer obeisances & worship him

there are certain principles of Bhakti yoga ie sadhana bhakti which when one performs under the expert guidance of Guru it develops a desire to attain Krishna

as explained in 12.9

atha cittaḿ samādhātuḿ

na śaknoṣi mayi sthiram

abhyāsa-yogena tato

mām icchāptuḿ dhanañjaya

TRANSLATION

My dear Arjuna, O winner of wealth, if you cannot fix your mind upon Me without deviation, then follow the regulative principles of bhakti-yoga. In this way develop a desire to attain Me.

Abstract from purport : http://vedabase.net/bg/12/9/en

To practice the regulative principles of bhakti-yoga one should, under the guidance of an expert spiritual master, follow certain principles: one should rise early in the morning, take bath, enter the temple and offer prayers and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, then collect flowers to offer to the Deity, cook foodstuffs to offer to the Deity, take prasādam, and so on. There are various rules and regulations which one should follow. And one should constantly hear Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam from pure devotees. This practice can help anyone rise to the level of love of God, and then he is sure of his progress into the spiritual kingdom of God. This practice of bhakti-yoga, under the rules and regulations, with the direction of a spiritual master, will surely bring one to the stage of love of God.

Bhagavatam defines five activities, by doing so
one would "Never forget Krishna & always remember Krishna".
They are :-
1) Sincerely chanting Krishnas name.
2) Hearing Bhagavatam ie the transcendental pastimes of Lord Krishna.
3) Associating with & serving sincere devotees .
4) Careful & graceful Diety worship.
5) Visiting Holy places like Vrindavan & Mayapur.

So one has to do the above activities to revive the lost relationship

& how much time shall it take ??

well it depends on the sincerity & seriousness of the practioner.

Krishna is pleased by ones sincerity

we can only give Krishna our LOVE everything else he can manifest from his sweet will.

But our Love for him is kept in voluntary option.

We have to voluntarily Love Krishna then the sweetness of Krishna will manifest in our heart & we shall become really happy

our soul shall taste the spiritual pleasure that it was longing for SO LONGGGGGG......

(jīv) kṛṣṇa-dās, e biśwās,
korle to' ār duḥkho nāi
(kṛṣṇa) bolbe jabe, pulak ha'be
jhorbe āńkhi, boli tāi

If you just understand that the spirit soul is the eternal servant of Krsna, you will never have any more sorrows. Chant Hare Krsna and your eyes will fill with tears and your body will feel transcendental shivering. Chant, chant "Radha-Krsna!"

Everyone chant!

Abstract from Song written by Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur

I simply long to get back to Krishna

i shall simply serve him by following the principles in Bhakti yoga

& patiently wait for Krishnas mercy

-Vrajendra kumar das.

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.

Krishna Conciousness is a Moment to Moment Conciousness

This incident happened with me few months back when Jhulan Yatra had started

As i came to the temple from office i was eager to go & sit in the class.

Then One good devotee stopped me & asked me if i could help him in building the JHULA swing

for the dieties.

As my nature is very adamant & i like to do things my way i was hesitant to do that

but somehow i said yes & i started helping him

The swing was a simple assembly of sticks & wooden rods

I was thinking what kind of simple uncomplicated service is this ? Why i am called for this ?

he can take help of anyone !

anyone can do it !

why i am wasting my time doing this easy task .

I could better hear the lecture ! or do some big complicated service.

as i was thinking this i was losing interest in this service

& was doing it in hesistant , inattentive manner.

Then another thought came to my mind

today is the first day of Jhulan yatra ie the swing festival

where in the gopis make swing for Krishna & Radharani

& i am given the very same service which is taken by Vishaka & Lalita & the other senior sakhis.

a sudden gratitude & shame entered into my heart

I am chosen to build the swing but how unqualified i am ?

& i felt ashamed that i am taking this service cheaply

I smiled with a tear in my eye & i continued helping him

& said to myself "When will i understand what ever i am doing is a direct service to Radha & Krishna "

I have to be moment to moment conscious of Krishna & be attentive & grateful for any service whether small or big

26 Service to God

Service to God


The Vedic literatures recognize that each person is an individual,
with specific abilities and propensities. A devotee is engaged in
Krishna's service in accordance with these proclivities. What makes
the activity devotional service is that the results are offered to
Krishna.


In the Bhagavad-gita, Krishna stresses that all of the results of all
of our activities should be offered to Him. l The devotee consults the
spiritual master to determine which activities are in harmony with his
psychophysical nature, and how to offer the results of such activities
to the Supreme Lord. The devotee may be engaged in a variety of
activities, but in each of them the devotee is thinking of pleasing
Krishna and the spiritual master.


Devotional service is open to everyone, regardless of caste, creed,
race, or sex. Devotees see beyond the body to the soul, and therefore
are free from all material bias. A devotee is never to be considered a
man, woman, black, white, or any other designation that pertains to
the body. A devotee is simply seen as a servant of God.


1. Bhagavad-gita 9.27

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