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.

Dangers of Oversleeping

Out of the four bodily activities the most dangerous for a devotee is Over Sleeping
that leads to the other ones(eating,mating & defending)
Too much sleep is wasting time that could be used in KCON
it enchances the attraction for eating & mating

------- Srila Prabhupad to HH Candramauli Swami Maharaj

Bhagavad-gītā 6.16

nāty-aśnatas 'tu yogo 'sti

na caikāntam anaśnataḥ

na cāti-svapna-śīlasya

jāgrato naiva cārjuna

TRANSLATION

There is no possibility of one's becoming a yogī, O Arjuna, if one eats too much or eats too little, sleeps too much or does not sleep enough.

http://vedabase.net/bg/6/16/

Sign of Spiritual Advancement

The Sign of ones Spiritual Advancement is not in the big position one has, the real sign of advancement is how humble & tolerant one has become........ Srila Prabhupada to HH BhaktiCaru maharaj

Mumbai 26/11: "Where Was God?"

Mumbai 26/11: "Where Was God?"

By Vineet Chander

On 26/11 last year, India witnessed one of the biggest acts of urban terrorism unparalled in the annals of history. South Mumbai was successfully targetted by 10 odd terrorists and the siege continued for about 60 hours.
At some point during the Mumbai terror attacks, somewhere between the first shot fired on November 26, 2008 and the tragic end on November 29, 2008, the Mumbai police officially declared a state of emergency. In the heart of downtown Mumbai, mere walking distance from where some of the worst carnage took place (and where one of the terrorists was gunned down by Indian military commandos), the Radha-Gopinath temple was ordered closed by government order. Within that temple, His Holiness Radhanath Swami spoke to a group of shaken followers and friends -- a collection of monks, businessmen, homemakers, simple laborers -- about how to understand the tragic events surrounding them. Below is a transcript of excerpts from that exchange, light edited for style and content.

Q: We are taught that God is sarva-jna, the knower of all things, and that He is Bhagavan, all powerful. But where was God when the terrorists were attacking? Why did He allowthis to happen? Why didn't he stop this?

A: At times like this, it is natural that many doubts and questions will emerge in our minds. What kind of God is this that allows innocent people to be slaughtered? Maybe God isn't good, or maybe He is good but not all that powerful - there's nothing he can do about these things, so who really need him? Or maybe, there's no god at all. It is natural to feel such things; even if we weren't directly affected, a devotee is softhearted and cannot bear to see others suffering. At the same time, we can also turn to the knowledge that philosophy provides to try to put things in perspective. Philosophy is very important to maintain a strong foundation for our devotion. Especially when storms come, either personally or around us, we need to have a strong foundation. If you build a house on a strong foundation, no storm can knock it down. But if we build it on sand, any storm can demolish and destroy it. So, our faith and devotion is very much in need of a strong solid philosophical foundation to withstand onslaughts of this world. So how do we understand this philosophically? Did God sanction these attacks? Well, in one sense, yes, not even a blade of grass can move without God's sanction. But it is sanction in the sense that God gives freewill. He tells us - through the sacred texts, through the teachings of great saints, through our own conscience and morality - what to do and what not to do, but then gives us the freewill to do or not to do. That is the sanction. In the Bhagavad-gita, Krishna tells us what is the demoniac nature, what is the mentality of someone who exploits and hurts others. And he forbids us from acting in that way. But still he gives us freewill; it doesn't mean that he wants us to exploit and hurt others. He wants us to choose for ourselves, how to love and serve others rather than hurt and harm them. So when one human being commits an aparadha (offense) to another - yes, by giving us freewill, God sanctions it. But we should not think that this is what the Lord wants. God gives us a choice at every moment, and sometimes human beings make a mess of things. We are sanctioned by the Lord, ultimately we are responsible for our own actions, for our own choices. We should not think that God was the cause of this terror attack; that's not what sanction means. Bhagavan gives the sanction by which we can choose to love God, to hate God, to reject God, to dedicate our lives to prove that God doesn't exist, to do great harm in God's name. We have freewill to do it. At the nd of the Gita, Krishna says: "I've told you everything, now you can follow or not..." God wants us to love him and to love all his parts and parcels, all beings, but he will not force us to. Force is not love. He wants for us to make the choice freely.But in every situation, he is there for us. Even if someone does something wrong, he is there for them if they turn to him. I truly believe that he was there for the victims. Of course we don't know, but we can consider that many of the people who were killed in these attacks, in the intensity of that traumatic situation could have become so God conscious that they gave up their bodies thinking of God and were liberated. So some of them, perhaps many, could have given up their lives thinking of God and been liberated.But I do not think we can give a simple answer. The more one understands, the more things make sense, and to really understand takes time. It takes hearing and questioning and discussing.

Q: The terrorists also claimed to be doing God's will. How can we understand this?

A: Real religion is not a sectarian concept. The Bhagavata Purnana gives a very nice, very broadminded definition of religion: "The supreme occupation for all humanity is loving devotion, and such service must be unmotivated and uninterrupted." Whatever religion teaches people to actually love God, that is good. Ultimately, this is not a sectarian concern. It is not a matter of what family you happened to be born into or what you were taught as a child. Those things are important too, but ultimately real religious principles transcend them. Real religion doesn't mean saying "I am a Hindu," or a Muslim, or a Christian, or a Jew, or a Sikh, or a Zoroastrian; it means humbly serving in a spirit of love and devotion. This is what all religion is meant to teach us.But when, envy, and ego, pride, anger, greed - when these enemies become prominent in our heart, then we even interpret our religion to fulfill their dictations. So we do not hate any religion, we hate the enemies within ourselves.And the world should unite - those who want to apply God's will to their life - but we should know that God's will is never to harm or exploit or destroy innocent lives. God's will is to show compassion. When love of God is applied to the world, it manifests as compassion.

Q: As aspiring devotees of God, how do we understand the different emotions that we are feeling right now?

A: It is not a disqualification to be affected it is natural; anyone would be affected. It is not that as devotees we have to be devoid of human emotions. But we can also learn to see these feelings in relation to our spiritual life. These feelings can exist on many levels. For instance, we might be experiencing anger. We can channel this anger. We can be angry at injustice, at the root causes of terrorism and evil acts like this. In the Ramayana, Hanuman was not thinking "I'm transcendental so let Ravana do his thing." No. But his anger was not based on frustration and tremendous amounts of false ego like terrorists and others. He used his anger to help others and to fight injustices.We can also feel compassion for all those who suffered. We should do all that we can, internally and through our words or actions. We can make a tangible difference; however big or small, Krishna sees our sincerity and reciprocates.Finally, we can see this tragedy and understand and experience a deep sense of urgency. One of the qualities of my guru, Srila Prabhupada, that deeply struck me was his sense of urgency. I had heard so many saintly people speaking very deep philosophy, so many nice social and religious thoughts, but Prabhupada had the most intense sense of urgency to benefit the world and for each individual person he came in co0ntact with. He was not just asking us, he was begging us, pleading with us, because he saw our condition and condition of world: "Take this Krishna consciousness and share it with others." When he said it, it was so deep, so real, so urgent. He was feeling the suffering, seeing how people were victimized. In the Gita, Krishna tells us that this material world is a place of misery. From the highest to the lowest, from penthouse apartments to slums, they are all places of misery. Not inconvenience or pain; he says misery. Why? Misery is a very intense is deep graphic experience. Because the material world is the realm in which people are simply trying to exploit one another. God gives all the freewill, and practically our whole history is a history of misusing that freewill to kill one another. Look at Europe--a history of wars after war, suffering and exploitation. Plagues, disease, earthquakes, droughts. Hitler--6 million Jews, 2 million others... all just innocent civilians. They were tortured and murdered. And so many more that suffered among their family and friends. Just 60 years ago. Not very long ago. And Stalin--20 million people estimated, civilians, tortured and died. In of course, in America - in India, so many of us think, so many think, let me just go to America and be happy - the same history or exploiting the natives, exploiting others. So yes, we should feel a sense of urgency to help people rise above the enemies of lust, anger, envy, greed, illusion. These are the real terrorists within the heart, driving us all to misuse our freewill and exploiting and killing others. And devotees of God are like commandos, trying to free the soul who is like a hostage of the enemies of anarthas, the exploitative tendencies within the heart. This is compassion, real compassion. Whether we die in a terrorist attack or die in a hospital bed or die in a car accident: we all have to die, and quite soon. The only way to permanently make material world a better place is by pursuing spiritual realization and helping others to do so. This is the greatest need, and we should feel the greatest urgency to do it.

Dieties of Iskcon Silicon Valley -- My first video

My first video creation ...for the pleasure of Sri Sri Radha Madan Mohan

When Krsna Das Kaviraj Goswami wanted to write in glorification of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu he started out by going to the temple of Radha Madan Mohan and praying to Them.

jayatam suratau pangor
mama manda mater gati
mat sarvasva padam bojau
radha madana mohanou

"Glory to the all merciful Radha and Madan Mohan. I am lame and ill advised, yet They are my directors and Their lotus feet are everything to me."
Srila Prabhupad said:

"Worship of Madan-Mohan is on the platform of reestablishing our forgotten relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In the beginning of our spiritual life we must worship Madan-Mohan so that He may attract us and nullify our attachment for material sense gratification. This relationship with Madan-Mohan is necessary for neophyte devotees. "

Now please let me pray like Krsna Das Kaviraj Goswami that I may glorify these all merciful Lords through this blog.

book distribution experience (MSF of 20000)

1) I met a Christian woman in her mid age & she started asking me what does faith means to you ? do you believe that Jesus died for you ?according to my understanding of christian faith i answered her.She accepted my answers.She started saying about her testimony in experience of God & was crying while saying this.i encouraged her & said that you are blessed by Jesus to have your broken heart mended by him.Please continue in your faith.She then asked what is your concept of God , i showed her Krsnas photo & said he is revealed as God in Vedic scriptures.She was reluctant to accept the books.She appreciated our efforts & prayed to God that " I give Vipul to the blue sky & white sky ........." & then i felt happy that some one unknowningly said the highest prayers for me ie to be with the blue Krishna & white Balaram.!At last she took one book & i gave me her prayer booklet.

2) Gaur Krishna , baby of Kishore pr & Praveena mataji was in need of milk & Praveena mataji was here distributing books , she was about to leave for her son ,and she got a phone call from her mother-in-law that we have arranged milk for him ,no need to worry. Praveena mataji said "now i shall do one more hour of book distribution" Her great enthusiasm for service inspires me a lotAnd like HG Vaisesika Pr says " Krishna takes care of his sankirtan devotees "in this case his future sankirtan devotee (gaur krishna) too.!!

Why to accept a Guru ? -- by HG Vaisesika Pr,president of ISV

A good lawyer knows the LAW
A great lawyer knows the JUDGE

Similarly the laws of this material world in where we are caught in the cycle of
birth & death , we need an expert lawyer who knows the mind of the creater of these laws ie God ie Krishna
A guru is such a person who knows Krishna & knows how to get out of this cycle of birth & death.

http://vedabase.net/bg/4/34/en
as confirmed in

Gita 4.34
"tad viddhi praṇipātena
paripraśnena sevayā
upadekṣyanti te jñānaḿ
jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ

TRANSLATION

Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized souls can impart knowledge unto you because they have seen the truth.

Purport by HDG AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabupada.

The path of spiritual realization is undoubtedly difficult. The Lord therefore advises us to approach a bona fide spiritual master in the line of disciplic succession from the Lord Himself.No one can be a bona fide spiritual master without following this principle of disciplic succession. The Lord is the original spiritual master, and a person in the disciplic succession can convey the message of the Lord as it is to his disciple. No one can be spiritually realized by manufacturing his own process, as is the fashion of the foolish pretenders. The Bhāgavatam (6.3.19) says, dharmaḿ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam: the path of religion is directly enunciated by the Lord. Therefore, mental speculation or dry arguments cannot help lead one to the right path. Nor by independent study of books of knowledge can one progress in spiritual life. One has to approach a bona fide spiritual master to receive the knowledge. Such a spiritual master should be accepted in full surrender, and one should serve the spiritual master like a menial servant, without false prestige. Satisfaction of the self-realized spiritual master is the secret of advancement in spiritual life. Inquiries and submission constitute the proper combination for spiritual understanding. Unless there is submission and service, inquiries from the learned spiritual master will not be effective. One must be able to pass the test of the spiritual master, and when he sees the genuine desire of the disciple, he automatically blesses the disciple with genuine spiritual understanding. In this verse, both blind following and absurd inquiries are condemned. Not only should one hear submissively from the spiritual master, but one must also get a clear understanding from him, in submission and service and inquiries. A bona fide spiritual master is by nature very kind toward the disciple. Therefore when the student is submissive and is always ready to render service, the reciprocation of knowledge and inquiries becomes perfect.

Bear & man EATING fight

The Mahabharata therefore says:
ahara-nidra-bhaya-maithunam cha,
samanyam etad pashubhir naranam
dharmo hi tesham adhiko vishesho,
dharmena hina pashubhih samanah
“The activities of eating, sleeping, mating and defending are
common in animals and human beings. The human beings are
considered superior only when they inquire about the Absolute Truth,
otherwise they are considered as good as animals.”
Majority of human beings are wasting their time in useless activities
imitating animals. People organize competitions to award one who
can eat maximum number of bananas or gulabjamuns. But can we
compete with an elephant in eating? Can we compete with an eagle in
seeing objects miles away? Can we compete with a dog in smelling
and detecting thieves? Can we imitate a pigeon who can have sex a
dozen times in one hour? Can we compete with a kangaroo in high
jump? Can we compete with a horse in atheletics? If we are proud of
producing offspring, a dog can beget dozens of puppies and a
mosquito can produce thousands of offspring.
Animals are better than humans in the aforementioned activities. In
fact, these abilities are in-built in their system by the arrangement of
God. If it is so, what is the special ability awarded in a human body?
If we are proud of social organization, even honey bees have a
complex social set up where worker bees go for collecting honey
(and they never go on strike like their human counterparts!) while the
drones take care of the queen who begets offspring

Only in human life are we endowed with the intelligence to inquire,

“What happens after death? What is the actual destination of my

life?” This is called ‘brahma jijnasa’, enquiring about oneself and

God. The first aphorism of the Vedanta sutra says: athato brahma

jijnasa “Now that you have achieved a human body, you should

inquire about the Absolute Truth.”

The human body is compared to a solid boat, which can help one

cross the ocean of the material world and take one to the kingdom of

God. The Vedic scriptures are compared to favourable breezes. The

spiritual master is compared to an expert captain who can monitor the

boat and take it to the desired destination. A human being who does

not take advantage of this opportunity for achieving unending

spiritual bliss is cheating himself and is a killer of his own soul

............. Abstract from Discover your self book BY VOICE pune

Lord Caintanya Mahaprabhu ,,,, our TRUE friend

Song Name: Jiv Jago Jiv Jago
Official Name: Arunodaya Kirtana Song 2
Author: Bhaktivinoda Thakura
Book Name: Gitavali
Language: Bengali

LYRICS
(1)
jīv jāgo, jīv jāgo, gauracānda bole
kota nidrā jāo māyā-piśācīra kole

(2)
bhajibo boliyā ese saḿsāra-bhitare
bhuliyā rohile tumi avidyāra bhare

(3)
tomāre loite āmi hoinu avatāra
āmi binā bandhu āra ke āche tomāra

(4)
enechi auṣadhi māyā nāśibāro lāgi'
hari-nāma mahā-mantra lao tumi māgi'

(5)
bhakativinoda prabhu-caraṇe pariyā
sei hari-nāma-mantra loilo māgiyā

TRANSLATION
1) Lord Gaurānga is calling, "Wake up, sleeping souls! Wake up, sleeping souls! How long will you sleep in the lap of the witch called Māyā?

2) You have forgotten the way of devotional service and are lost in the world of birth and death.

3) I have descended just to save you; other than Myself you have no friend in this world.

4) I have brought the medicine that will wipe out the disease of illusion from which you are suffering. Take this mahā-mantra-Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare."

5) Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Thākura says: "I fall at the Lord's feet, having taken this mahā-mantra."

Commentary :

This song explains Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu is our true friend

I came across some quotes on true friendship & below they are
“Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Just walk beside me and be my friend.” Albert Camus quotes (French Novelist, Essayist and Playwright, 1957 Nobel Prize for Literature, 1913-1960)
----Lord Caitanya is Paramatma himself & he is seated in ones heart beside the soul .

At the time of death we take new bodies & he comes with us to sits next to us in every body .So isn't he our TRUE friend.?

“A friend is a hand that is always holding yours, no matter how close or far apart you may be. A friend is someone who is always there and will always, always care. A friend is a feeling of forever in the heart.”
---Everyone ,near dear ,friends,enemies shall leave us for various reasons like miscommunication,misunderstanding,difference in opinions,fights ,ego clash or the final separation death but Caitanya mahaprabhu as paramatma shall never even after death he shall follow.Isn't he our TRUE friend?

“A friend is someone who knows the song in your heart and can sing it back to you when you have forgotten the words.”

---We have forgotten the song in our heart ie the longing to serve Krishna & Radharani ie nothing but the Hare Krishna mahamantra & he has come with this GOLOK premdhana to make our remind of our personal Song . Isn't he out TRUE friend ?

“A real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out.” Walter Winchell quotes

---In our great desperation,disgust& disappointments it is only the Hare krishna mahamantra which walks in to illuminate & give us joy . if Caitanya mahaprabhu had not sung loudly & spread it what would be our Hope ? Isn't he our TRUE friend ?

I wonder people ,philosophers are writing the true definitions of TRUE friend but how shall they come to know about the TRUE friend Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu ?

We need to spread him as fast as we can for the whole world is moving towards great cataclysm of Spiritual suicide.

& i ask & beg to be a part of the team of Spiritual Warriors lead by Srila Prabhupad to spread the movement of Lord Caitanya in every town & village.

Kasturi Tilakam

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

Bhaja Govindam prayers

Please my mind worship Govind
Everything else can wait but search for Krishna within heart cannot wait

Prayers of Pingala

very inspiring & very revealing

11.8.30
pingalovaca
aho me moha-vitatim
pasyatavijitatmanah
ya kantad asatah kamam
kamaye yena balisa

The prostitute Pingala said: Just see how greatly illusioned I am! Because I cannot control my mind, just like a fool I desire lusty pleasure from an insignificant man.

11.8.31
santam samipe ramanam rati-pradam
vitta-pradam nityam imam vihaya
akama-dam duhkha-bhayadhi-soka-
moha-pradam tuccham aham bhaje jna

I am such a fool that I have given up the service of that person who, being eternally situated within my heart, is actually most dear to me. That most dear one is the Lord of the universe, who is the bestower of real love and happiness and the source of all prosperity. Although He is in my own heart, I have completely neglected Him. Instead I have ignorantly served insignificant men who can never satisfy my real desires and who have simply brought me unhappiness, fear, anxiety, lamentation and illusion.

11.8.37
nunam me bhagavan prito
vishnuh kenapi karmana
nirvedo yam durasaya
yan me jatah sukhavahah

Although I most stubbornly hoped to enjoy the material world, somehow or other detachment has arisen in my heart, and it is making me very happy. Therefore the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vishnu, must be pleased with me. Without even knowing it, I must have performed some activity satisfying to Him.

11.8.38
maivam syur manda-bhagyayah
klesa nirveda-hetavah
yenanubandham nirhritya
purushah samam ricchati

A person who has developed detachment can give up the bondage of material society, friendship and love, and a person who undergoes great suffering gradually becomes, out of hopelessness, detached and indifferent to the material world. Thus, due to my great suffering, such detachment awoke in my heart; yet how could I have undergone such merciful suffering if I were actually unfortunate? Therefore, I am in fact fortunate and have received the mercy of the Lord. He must somehow or other be pleased with me.

11.8.39
tenopakritam adaya
sirasa gramya-sangatah
tyaktva durasah saranam
vrajami tam adhisvaram

With devotion I accept the great benefit that the Lord has bestowed upon me. Having given up my sinful desires for ordinary sense gratification, I now take shelter of Him, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

11.8.40
santushta sraddadhaty etad
yatha-labhena jivati
viharamy amunaivaham
atmana ramanena vai

I am now completely satisfied, and I have full faith in the Lords mercy. Therefore I will maintain myself with whatever comes of its own accord. I shall enjoy life with only the Lord, because He is the real source of love and happiness.

(Translation from Srimad-bhagavatam, courtesy of The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, Inc.)

Vegan Video

Be Vegetarian

Holiday turns in to a nightmare

A cruise ship caught in a storm

A holiday turns in to a nightmare ... thats the real situation living in this world
There is danger at every step

How can i have hope for happiness in this world ?? its nature is duality !
So i take shelter of the son of Nanda Maharaj & take the association of pure souls & cross over the ocean of birth & death as enunciated in the beautiful poem below

Song Name: Bhaja Hu Re Mana
Author: Govinda Dasa Kaviraja

LYRICS:
(1)
bhajahū re mana śrī-nanda-nandana
abhaya-caraṇāravinda re
durlabha mānava-janama sat-sańge
taroho e bhava-sindhu re

(2)
śīta ātapa bāta bariṣaṇa
e dina jāminī jāgi re
biphale sevinu kṛpaṇa durajana
capala sukha-laba lāgi' re

(3)
e dhana, yaubana, putra, parijana
ithe ki āche paratīti re
kamala-dala-jala, jīvana ṭalamala
bhajahū hari-pada nīti re

(4)
śravaṇa, kīrtana, smaraṇa, vandana,
pāda-sevana, dāsya re
pūjana, sakhī-jana, ātma-nivedana
govinda-dāsa-abhilāṣa re

TRANSLATION
1) O mind just worship the lotus feet of the son of Nanda, which make one fearless. Having obtained this rare human birth, cross over this ocean of worldly existence through the association of saintly persons.

2) Both in the day and at night I remain sleepless, suffering the pains of the heat and cold, the wind and the rain. For a fraction of flickering happiness I have uselessly served wicked and miserly men.

3) 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.

4) It is the desire and great longing of Govinda Dasa to engage himself in the nine processes of bhakti, namely hearing the glories of Lord Hari and chanting those glories, constantly remembering Him and offering prayers to Him, serving the Lord's lotus feet, serving the Supreme Lord as a servant, worshiping Him with flowers and incense and so forth, serving Him as a friend, and completely offering the Lord one's very self.

Mayapur Dham memories

I had a great experience at my first Mayapur Yatra for last 2 weeks.
It was a life changing experience

After nearly hearing 100-120 lectures on gaurlila for last one year it was thrilling to be
at the exact locations where the pastimes took place.As i visited each place all pastimes
related to that place whirled in my mind & instant prayers came to my heart.

I was amazed & grateful that there exists a place where all your desires can be fullfilled.
My burning heart finally felt solace at Mayapur .
I helped in the prasadam serving team whenever possible(4500 devotees were in yatra!!) & kept singing Vaishnava songs in our long travels to places

I had some great mercy bestowed on me at dham , some are as follows.
--- got to cook for Prabhupad dissapperance day in earthen pots on traditional fire stove (some 1400 offerings were offered on that day)
--- got to personally serve , my Gurumaharaj HH Radhanath Mah ( a mercy planned by Lord Jaganath . I was praying for it)
--- i was chanting at Srivas angan & my mind just filled with all pastimes of Lord Caitanya & i felt happiness & gratitude to chant in the very courtyard that Lord Caitanya displayed Maha bhava.Suddenly the pujari at the temple came to me & invited me to honor the raj bhoga prasad of Srivas Angan I was surprised Why me ?? ,with a grateful heart i accepted the prasad which consisted of the rice & read pumpkin & yellow pumkin sabji & sweet rice & dal & makhan (for the first time i Iiked the makhan & its softness & tasty feature confirmed me why krishna likes it so much ?)
--- At Murari Guptas house the pujari gave me sweet rice prasad Again i thought WHY me ??

The Dham truly stands to its glory.It was so nice to practice KCON without any distress from mind & senses & materialistic people.
I cried with great feeling when i left Dham.

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Bhagavad-gītā As It Is 3.30

mayi sarvāṇi karmāṇi
sannyasyādhyātma-cetasā
nirāśīr nirmamo bhūtvā
yudhyasva vigata-jvaraḥ

TRANSLATION

Therefore, O Arjuna, surrendering all your works unto Me, with full knowledge of Me, without desires for profit, with no claims to proprietorship, and free from lethargy, fight.

http://vedabase.net/bg/3/30/en

Einstein argues for God

Original Radha Krishna dieties (5000 yrs old)

RADHA MADAN MOHAN

RADHA GOVIND

RADHA GOPINATH

Uttara wife of Abhimanyu (who was son of Arjuna )

when saw the 3 dieties made by Vishwakarma on the request of her grandson.

said that

Radha madan mohan dieties lotus feet perfectly revealed Krishna lotus feet

Radha Govind diety revealed perfectly Krishnas waist , chest & flute

Radha Gopinath diety revealed perfectly Krishnas beautiful smiling face

This story is nearly 5000 years old

The dieties were found 500 yrs ago & are now worshiped in Vrndavan & Jaipur & karoli

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

Sincerity of Purpose

He wrote to Brahmänanda in 1967:

I have read your statements regarding opening centers. I am not in agreement with Mr. Altman that we are expanding very thinly. In my opinion, a single sincere soul can maintain a center. You know I started the center at 26 Second Avenue alone. I took the risk of 200.00 dollars per month for the rent. At that time there were no assistants. Mukunda was at that time a friend, but there was no responsibility for him for maintaining the center. Gradually Kirtanananda and Hayagriva joined, but they did not take any responsibility. Still I was maintaining the establishment simply depending on Krishna and then Krishna sent me everything—men and money. Similarly, if a sincere soul goes out and opens a center in any part of the world, Krishna will help him in all respects. Without being empowered by Krishna, nobody can preach Krishna consciousness. It is not academic qualification or financial strength that helps in these matters, but it is sincerity of purpose which helps us always. Therefore, I wish that you will remain in charge of New York, let Satsvarupa be in charge of Boston, let Mukunda be in charge of San Francisco, let Janardana be in charge of Montreal. Let Nandarani and Dayananda be in charge of Los Angeles, and let Subala das be in charge of Santa Fe. In this way you will follow my example as I did in the beginning at 26 Second Ave. That is preaching, cooking, writing, talking, chanting, everything one man’s show. I never thought about the audience. I was prepared to chant if there was no man to hear me. The principle of chanting is to glorify the Lord and not to attract a crowd. If Krishna hears nicely then He will ask some sincere devotees to gather in such place. Therefore, be advised that thousands of centers may be started if we find out a sincere soul for each and every center. We do not require more men to start. If there is one sincere soul that is sufficient to start a new center. … Let us remain sincere to Krishna and His bona fide representative and we are sure to carry out our mission successfully. Hope you are well.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Instructional quote & lessons from above letter

-- take responsibility

-- depend on Krishna & Krishna shall provide all men & money

-- It is not academic qualification or financial strength that helps in these matters, but it is sincerity of purpose which helps us always.

-- That is preaching, cooking, writing, talking, chanting, everything one man’s show

-- The principle of chanting is to glorify the Lord and not to attract a crowd. If Krishna hears nicely then He will ask some sincere devotees to gather in such place

-- We do not require more men to start. If there is one sincere soul that is sufficient to start a new center. … Let us remain sincere to Krishna and His bona fide representative and we are sure to carry out our mission successfully

Co-operation ... what does it actually mean??

one good thought came to my mind

Prabhupad said "You can show your love for me by how much you co-operate "

I thought what it means by co-operation??

just helping or been favourable !!! is that co-operation !

well it could be a low-level of co-operation but real co-operation means MORE than just been good or supportive or have sympathy or admiring or lauding the effort

Then prabhupad himself answered it in one of his letters.

He wrote to Brahmänanda in 1967:

I have read your statements regarding opening centers. I am not in agreement with Mr. Altman that we are expanding very thinly. In my opinion, a single sincere soul can maintain a center. You know I started the center at 26 Second Avenue alone. I took the risk of 200.00 dollars per month for the rent. At that time there were no assistants. Mukunda was at that time a friend, but there was no responsibility for him for maintaining the center. Gradually Kirtanananda and Hayagriva joined, but they did not take any responsibility. Still I was maintaining the establishment simply depending on Krishna and then Krishna sent me everything—men and money.

prabhupad answers that

---- co-operation means to take responsibilities

that is highest level of co-operation.

To shoulder the responsibility of your guru. .... that is real co-operation

As Prabhupad is expecting from devotees in the above letter

so is he expecting from us all that spirit to take responsibilties & execute the orders,projects,tasks as left & deliniated by Him & previous acaryas

...........................And .That shall remain my Meditation.........

The unifying principle in our movement of strong minded persons is submission to and faith in the orders of Srila Prabhupada. Cooperation means becoming humble and subduing our egos. It's difficult, but purifying. We must cooperate because that is one of Srila Prabhupada's most important instructions. Both individually and collectively, we will be lost without it. It is a sign of Srila Prabhupada's success that we have developed strong minds, and a further sign of his success that we continue to live and work and cooperate respectfully together despite our personal and philosophical differences, even though Srila Prabhupada is not physically present to pacify us. If the spirit of cooperating to please Srila Prabhupada is strong, even strong differences can be lived with. .......................... HH Bhaktivikas Swami maharaj

COOPERATION means to be willing to sacrifice for the sake of others.... HH Radhanath Maharaj

Internal reason for Banishing Sita by Lord Ram

"There is a place called Chitrakuta, a beautiful forest on the banks of theMandakini River. I once met a great saint there named Balarama Maharaja. He was a devotee of Rama. I happened to ask him this question, "What is the justification for Rama banning Sita to the forest?" He told me something that was so deep and so esoteric that it can not be fully appreciated by those who are looking at things merely at an external, superficial level. So one may or may not appreciate this answer but it completely fulfilled my heart."

"Vipralambha means separation, and separation intensifies the experience of love. Just like in music, compare how many songs there are about being happy together to the number of songs about having a broken heart. Which are there more of? Why is it that there are so many songs about the pain of separation? Because music is an art, and art is an expression, and the expression of love in separation is a very deep absorption. When somebody is with us we are absorbed in a certain way, but when our loved one is away it increases our remembrance, thoughts and absorption in that person. It is true that when ones beloved is away one is always thinking of their beloved and searching for them. When Rama was with Sita he was seeing her in one place. But when Rama was away from Sita and Sita was away from Rama he would see Sita in the trees and she would see Rama in the clouds, everywhere. When we are together the love of our heart goes out towards the beloved. In separation that love goes deeper and deeper and deeper into the very core of our heart. And it is intensified. On the spiritual platform love is not determined by our physical proximity. Our connection to God or Rama is to the degree that we are internally absorbed in the thought of Rama. And when our love is intense, the Lord accepts it from within our heart. That love may be intense when the Lord stands before us, but it is even more intense when the Lord is not standing before us. When there is that longing, that deep deep absorption, then the Lord is embracing us and reciprocating with us from within."

"So we read from the Vedas, Puranas and Bhagavatam that this love in separation is very special and deep and that it's a direct personal relationship with God. If you have readSrimad Bhagavatam, the Gopis, they are considered the highest devotees of the Srimad Bhagavatam as their love for Krishna was so deep. Krishna lived with them for about twelve years. And then he left and went to another place. The Gopis were in deep separation as Krishna was living in Dwarka and they couldn't see him for a long time. Krishna revealed His heart and said that the reason I am separate from them is because their love in separation for me it is so intense, so internalized, that their love and my reciprocation with that love in their hearts cannot be any more. If I were to stand before them it would only interrupt the intensity of that love that we are having within the hearts of each other. Still he went, but after some time."

"So Sita is God. We have to understand the philosophical principle that according to Vedic sidhanta (conclusion) God is both female and male equally. There is the sakti (energy) and the saktiman (energetic source). Gods female aspect as Laxmi, Sita, Radha, or Parvati is the compassionate side of God. Krishna, Rama, Narayana, and Shiva are very powerful, lordly manifestations of God. The feminine aspect of God is the reservoir of love. And the masculine side of God is the ultimate object of love. And those two aspects together are God. Perhaps in western religion, because there is so much emphasis on the masculine side of God, religious people can sometimes become very egoistic and attached to power and control. They can lose their compassionate essence.

So this is the one God. God is never separate. Sita and Rama can never be separate in essence. In their lila in this world they lived together and enjoyed love in union. But Rama wanted to experience for himself, as well as have Sita experience, that even deeper, intensified experience of love in separation. In their hearts of hearts they could never be separated. So therefore Rama banished Sita, but really he was blessing her by giving her a higher experience of internal union and he also experienced that union. So the great devotees of Rama, the great yogis, they understand it in this way."

"Externally the lesson that a king should be beyond suspicion, and that a leader should be willing to make sacrifices even of him or herself for the sake of the people, is taught through this lila. Rama banished Sita in order to remove all doubts in him as a leader with integrity, by proving that he was willing to make the greatest sacrifice, the sacrifice of the person he loved most. Sita, being very much an integral part of everything Rama was doing for the citizens, shared in that sacrifice for the welfare of others. This is the superficial lesson from this story. It's what most people talk about when discussing thislila, but it is only the external reason for Sita's banishment. Internally Rama and Sita wanted to share a deeper and deeper experience of love for each other from the core of their hearts."

"This banishment of Sita, amongst people who have gone deep into the subject, is a very profound meditation on the loving exchange between her and Rama. This conclusion that I am speaking has been passed down for millennia. And how God and Goddess, male and female aspects, how they shared the ecstasy of love for each other is not limited by our ability to comprehend it. This is what they choose to do and we understand that is what they really want to do. They go through the whole lila in such a way that is very traumatic and brings about such emotions in all of us. But there is a beautiful verse in theUpanishads."

Tad-vijnanartham sa gurum eva abhigacchet

"To learn that transcendental subject matter, one must approach a spiritual master." (Mundaka Upanisad 1.2.12)

"To understand the essence of the scriptures we really need to have a teacher to explain them. Otherwise we can so easily become confused or bewildered by apparent contradictions based on how we feel it should be and all of that. So I am repeating the words of one great guru who spoke these words to me."

Radhanath Swami

Tears of a child , woman & devotee

Tears of a child--------

It is said a cry of child can be heard only by a mother.

once few devotees were talking with each other & suddenly a mataji truned back & started

hurriedly walking to a room .

Others could not understand this.Only when she opened the room they could hear the cry of her baby child.

Tears of a Woman-------

Prabhupad said "Tears of a woman are very powerful"

They can even bent very strong MEN

like Kaikeya who cried to bend Dasarath Maharaj to abandon Lord Rama & she was successful in that.

Tears of a DevOtee--------

Srila Gour Govinda Swami said, “I have opened a ‘crying school’ here in Bhubaneswar.

Unless we cry for Krishna, we cannot get His mercy.”

Genuine tears are heard by The Lord & He is bended to help & save us

But to cry for Lord is very difficult for a person who is still attracted to this world.

So Bhaktivinod Thakur wrote this prayer for us.

dhana jana āra, kobitā-sundarī,
bolibo nā cāhi deho-sukha-karī
janme-janme dāo, ohe gaurahari!
ahaitukī bhakti caraṇe tomār

When will I cry out that I have no longer any desire for wealth and followers, poetry and beautiful women, all of which are meant just for bodily pleasure? O Gaura Hari! Give me causeless devotional service [bhakti] to your lotus feet, birth after birth.

kādiyā kādiyā jānāiba duḥkha-grāma

saḿsāra-anala haite māgiba viśrāma

Weeping and weeping, I will understand the real nature of this abode of misery, and I will beg for relief from the blazing fire of this material world.

So when shall we cry

- When we understand our miserable position in this world

then we can attract the mercy of the Vaishnavas & the Lord.

Prabhupad says in http://vedabase.net/sb/3/15/25/en

When one is free from all ten of these offenses in chanting the holy name of God, he develops the ecstatic bodily features called pulakāśru. Pulaka means "symptoms of happiness," and aśru means "tears in the eyes." The symptoms of happiness and tears in the eyes must appear in a person who has chanted the holy name offenselessly. Here in this verse it is stated that those who have actually developed the symptoms of happiness and tears in the eyes by chanting the glories of the Lord are eligible to enter the kingdom of God. In the Caitanya-caritāmṛta it is said that if one does not develop these symptoms while chantingHare Kṛṣṇa, it is to be understood that he is still offensive. Caitanya-caritāmṛta suggests a nice remedy in this connection. There it is said in verse 31, Chapter Eight, of Ādi-līlā, that if anyone takes shelter of Lord Caitanya and just chants the holy name of the Lord, Hare Kṛṣṇa, he becomes freed from all offenses.

So chanting offenselessly is the key to genuinue crying

& in http://vedabase.net/cc/adi/8/31/en

Prabhupad explains the easy way to obtain this is to chant the holy name of Lord Gouranga & Lord Nityanand

CC adi lila 8.31

But if one only chants, with some slight faith, the holy names of Lord Caitanya and Nityānanda, very quickly he is cleansed of all offenses. Thus as soon as he chants the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, he feels the ecstasy of love for God.

PURPORT

Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura remarks in this connection that if one takes shelter of Lord Śrī CaitanyaMahāprabhu and Nityānanda, follows Their instructions to become more tolerant than the tree and humbler than the grass, and in this way chants the holy name of the Lord, very soon he achieves the platform of transcendental loving service to the Lord, and tears appear in his eyes. There are offenses to be considered in chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, but there are no such considerations in chanting the names of Gaura-Nityānanda. Therefore, if one chants the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra but his life is still full of sinful activities, it will be very difficult for him to achieve the platform of loving service to the Lord. But if in spite of being an offender one chants the holy names of Gaura-Nityānanda, he is very quickly freed from the reactions to his offenses. Therefore, one should first approach Lord Caitanya and Nityānanda, or worship Guru-Gaurāńga, and then come to the stage of worshiping Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa.