yardstick for spiritual advancement

The following is a transcription of end of a lecture(Q & A)

given in 1994 by HH Radhanath Swami in Pune yatra

He answers

what is the yardstick for spiritual advancement ?

how to understand the difference between imitation & following in the footsteps of previous acarayas ?

what is EGO & how to destroy it ?

---- entusiasm & patience is sign of surrender

enthusiasm --

Krishna i am going to fulfill you desire

i am going to do according to your desire

i am going to fulfill you desire

i am going to chant

i am going to serve devotees & gurudev according to ur desire

i am going to live a pure life according to ur desire

i am going to associate with devotees acc to ur desire

patience -- if it takes one millions birth or one day i am going to continue ON

you see ur problem is ur devo service is conditional & fruitive

you want something for ur self too much

bcos u want that

Krishna is putting you in poisiton of suffering & doubt to purge that from you

just try to make devotees happy

just try to make others happy

just try to please Krishna & chant the holy name putting aside ur own

conception of spiritual advancement

your spiritual advancement is determined by the yardstick is

how selfless you become & how detached from ur own EGO

that is the yardstick of ur advancement

not how many names of god u r chanting everyday ?

not what position u have as far as been a sanyasi or president or senior person

that is nothing to do with spiritual advancement

ur dedication ur willing to put urself as servant

ur willingness to be patient & continue on & endeavour under all circumstances

Krishna wants u to come to that stage

& therefore he will not give u real happiness unless u understand that thats what i need !

to please krsna

i am doing this to please Krishna

please Krishna u get his mercy

& generally what happens is a devotee at certain level of KCON

is not ready to make that choice then that devotee has to fall down for sometime

in complete bewilderment untill he learns that i have to give up this EGO

i have to just be the servant of the servant & try to please krishna with FAITH

at every level of KCON there will be test & impediments meant to improve our quality

of conciousness

& u have reached to certain stage of KCON development thaht Krishna wants u to let go ur ego

& certain material expectation in the name of spiritual life

he wants u let go

& what does it mean to let go

Krishna i am not doing this for my enjoyment

i have faith in previousacaryas & sastras

that if i just continue on in ur living service u r going to give me

whatever i need so i am going to continue

i am not going to complain

if ur given the right instruction coming fomr sadhu sastra

u have nothing to worry abt

all u have to do is follow with humility

how to protect from imitating ?

difference between imitating & following in the footsteps of previous acaryas

in other words we should behave according to the instruction of guru & krishna

we are doing this for purification

we r not doing this for prestige or adoration or fame

imitator wants adoration as a fruit for devo service

a sincere devotee wants service to please the lord please the vaishnavas & he wants

purification

& that means even if u get no adoration even if u r condemned or blasphemed for what u do u accept that as all part of the purification

for imitator cannot withstand

u have to examine what r ur motives in KCON

do u want to serve , please , purify

or want material benefits

u have constantly examine these motives & check this ego when it appears in our heart

& just be SIMPLE

KCon is simple for simple & complicated for the complicated

they are so many devotees who are blissfully serving while others are in doubts & suffering

& they are doing exactly the same thing

one has a simple approach

other has complicated

how to have a simple approach

-- just hear submissively

& follow with faith

u cannot figure out ur own spiritual advancement

all u can do is serve Krishna

Ego create doubt??

-- ego has ulterior motives

& it wants to justify it ulterior motives

& faith comes from submissively hearing

they is no other way to gain true faith just as sun dispels darkness

if we are hearing submissively

then we r allowing the light if krishnas mercy to illuminate our heart to dispel our doubts

but we have EGO then we are not allowing to dispel our doubts

we have our own conceptions we have our own ideas opinions

we have our own ways

& what guru & krishna says & that matches with mine then i accept it

& if it doesnot then i have to question it whats in it for me

that ego is breeding ground for doubt

whay bcos u r preventing the light of faith entering into ur heart

ego blocks KRISHNAS mercy

ego kicks krishna out

where there is no KRISHNA there is DARKness

darkness means doubt

humility allows krishna IN

ego closes the door & keep everything in darkness

it breeds DOUBT bcos it prevents KRISHNAS mercy to come in

trnad api sunicena ....

in that humility if one chants the holy name our heart are ready to recieve the blessings

of the holy name

to the degree we have that humility our heart is open for the message of bhagavatam to dispel our doubts

Spiritual master is one who with great humility is serving the lord & previous acaryas like a delivery man giving message without adulteration thru life & teachings

Srila Prabhupad said read his books

all ur doubts will be displed u will have clear vision

you will understand what is what !!!

Machine to feed you

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJesKy0LiOc

Machines are DEAD things
they cannot perceive Or feel emotions
they shall act according to their programming regardless of the Persons dissatisfaction.

The Magic of Spiritual master

Some are looking for magic or miracle to happen when one accept a spiritual master .

they think that now they shall get Krishna easily !?

Well thats TRUE !!

but Krishna has his own terms to give himself to YOU that we have satisfy.

So what does the Spiritual master do !?

What is the magic of Guru?

The magic of guru is that He gives a drop of mercy from the spiritual world

He makes us experience that supreme pleasure that we are looking for

in order that we become more & more eager to get it & return back to spiritual world.

Some simply take that happiness & be satisfied & turn back to the illusory pleasures of the material world & then keep thinking what is the use of initiation ? simply a change in name!?

who can understand the mercy of guru ?

well only a grateful person can understand the mercy of guru

He understands that his guru has accepted him as his disciple with all his faults

everywhere in this material world nobody accepts an unqualified person

everyones asks for qualification but GURU who is a Vaishnava he accepts you regardless of your qualification

He accepts simply by seeing your sincerity ,struggles & despair in surrendering to Krishna.

This is the mercy of Guru

a proud or doubtful person cannot understand this!!

what are the symptoms of a grateful person who has experienced that one drop of spiritual bliss ?

what does he do after that ?

It is explained in the song below

he Begs to get purified he cannot tolerate the 6 enemies in his heart which are torturing him & inhibiting him to surrender to Krishna

He begs for that one drop of mercy & faith & he runs after his Guru crying out KRISHNA KRISHNA !!!

He becomes more eager to get KRISHNA --- that is the real symptom of a grateful person.

Song Name: Ohe Vaisnava Thakura

Official Name: Bhajana Lalasa Song 7

Author: Bhaktivinoda Thakura

Book Name: Saranagati

Language: Bengali

LYRICS:

(1)

ohe! vaiṣṇaba ṭhākura, doyāra sāgara,

e dāse koruṇā kori'

diyā pada-chāyā, śodho he āmāya,

tomāra caraṇa dhori

(2)

chaya bega domi', chaya doṣa śodhi',

chaya guṇa deho' dāse

chaya sat-sańga, deho' he āmāre,

bosechi sańgera āśe

(3)

ekākī āmāra, nāhi pāya bala,

hari-nāma-sańkīrtane

tumi kṛpā kori', śraddhā-bindu diyā,

deho' kṛṣṇa-nāma-dhane

(4)

kṛṣṇa se tomāra, kṛṣṇa dīte pāro,

tomāra śakati āche

āmi to' kāńgāla, 'kṛṣṇa' 'kṛṣṇa' boli',

dhāi tava pāche pāche

TRANSLATION

1) O venerable Vaisnava. O ocean of mercy, be merciful unto your servant. Give me the shade of your lotus feet and purify me. I hold on to your lotus feet.

2) Teach me to control my six passions; rectify my six faults, bestow upon me the six qualities, and offer unto me the six kinds of holy association.*

3) I do not find the strength to carry on alone the sankirtana of the holy name of Hari. Please bless me by giving me just one drop of faith with which to obtain the great treasure of the holy name of Krsna.

4) Krsna is yours. You have the power to give Him to me. I am simply your servant running behind you shouting, "Krsna! Krsna!"

REMARKS/EXTRA INFORMATION:

*The six passions are those pertaining to words, the mind, anger, the tongue, the stomach and the genitals. The six faults are overeating, attachment to material things, inability to follow regulative principles, sense gratification, useless idle talk, and impure habits. The six positive qualities are enthusiasm in practicing devotional service, firm faith in devotional processes, a strong desire to attain prema-bhakti, a favorable service attitude, avoidance of non-devotees, and appreciation of the company of devotees. The six methods of association are to go to an assembly of devotees, to invite devotees into one's home, to discuss and hear devotional topics, to take the maha-prasada of devotees and to offer maha-prasada to devotees.

And this shall be my Attitude in spiritual life after getting one drop

mercy from my guru.

I pray to Radha madan mohan that i donot become complacent to this mercy.

I shall beg from guru & cry before him to get KRISHNA.

- Vrajendra kumar das.

I received a very nice quote from HH Bir Krishna Das Goswami Maharaj on the same lines............

To become a disciple means to be disciplined by the words and the desire of the spiritual master. It is a very simple thing. It does not mean that you get your magic spiritual name at the time of initiation and then you are the official member of the organization... but it means basically that one has to internalize that discipline within one's heart.
(from Srila Gurudeva's lecture on 'Good association', New Goloka, Dec.4, 2009)

The Act of Surrender

When the police shouts " Hands up "
The thief listens to the police

So the Act of Surrender to Lord Krishna is to listen , to follow the instruction of Lord Krishna

so here is the greatest instruction of Lord Krishna in Bhagavad gita

man-manā bhava mad-bhakto

mad-yājī māḿ namaskuru

mām evaiṣyasi satyaḿ te

pratijāne priyo 'si me

TRANSLATION

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.

http://vedabase.net/bg/18/65/en

http://vedabase.net/bg/18/66/en

The process of surrender to Kṛṣṇa is described in the Hari-bhakti-vilāsa (11.676):

ānukūlyasya sańkalpaḥ

prātikūlyasya varjanam

rakṣiṣyatīti viśvāso

goptṛtve varanaḿ tathā

ātma-nikṣepa-kārpaṇye

ṣaḍ-vidhā śaraṇāgatiḥ

According to the devotional process, one should simply accept such religious principles that will lead ultimately to the devotional service of the Lord. One may perform a particular occupational duty according to his position in the social order, but if by executing his duty one does not come to the point of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, all his activities are in vain. Anything that does not lead to the perfectional stage of Kṛṣṇa consciousness should be avoided. One should be confident that in all circumstances Kṛṣṇa will protect him from all difficulties. There is no need of thinking how one should keep the body and soul together. Kṛṣṇa will see to that. One should always think himself helpless and should consider Kṛṣṇa the only basis for his progress in life. As soon as one seriously engages himself in devotional service to the Lord in full Kṛṣṇa consciousness, at once he becomes freed from all contamination of material nature. There are different processes of religion and purificatory processes by cultivation of knowledge, meditation in the mystic yoga system, etc., but one who surrenders unto Kṛṣṇa does not have to execute so many methods. That simple surrender unto Kṛṣṇa will save him from unnecessarily wasting time. One can thus make all progress at once and be freed from all sinful reactions.

A tapasavi is one who rejects all that unfavourable for devotional service & accepts all that is Favourable for devotional service

Taking shelter means that we have to be convinced that we are stuck in MAYA (illusion), we have so many bad habits, we are attracted to dead flesh and bones, hence the only way that we can be saved by falling into illusion is by CRYING out to Krishna to help. This is basically taking shelter. TAKING SHELTER of someone means you know that there is really no other hope. So as long as we are not convinced about this fact (in our heart), we cannot truly take shelter of the Holy Name.

One would take shelter when he knows that he does not know anything.

he understands that nothing is in his control & everything is in Krishnas control

when we realise that how much we donot know we take shelter ....... HH Radhanath Swami Maharaj

So in surrendering to Krishna one has to take shelter of the divine nature of Krishna ie Radharani simply because as devotional service is the ultimate thing to liberate from body then

what service will please Krishna ? do we know this ?? absolutely NOT

but Radharani is the only person who knows what pleases Krishna so we have to shelter of Radharani to learn & co-operate in pleasing Krishna .

This is basically Surrendering .

The Dance of Surrender

The Dance of Surrender

I always wondered why we dance with our hands raised??

I am very shy person , very reserved but at the very first mangal arati of my life at
Sri Sri Radha Kunjhabihari mandir Iskcon pune my hands raised for the first time
without reservation & i danced !
And till today i dance without reservation , an amazing thing happens which cannot be described in words ,when the hare krishna maha mantra enters your ears.
It is the spiritual experience which make many devotees dance. Mostly all devotees are
very shy & timid personalities but when it comes to Kirtan something Amazing happens
we just shed away our SHYNESS.

Krishna says in 18.66 gita that we should surrender to him in loving devotional service
& to actually demonstrate the process of Surrendering he comes as Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu & Teaches us the DANCE of SURRENDER.

like a police cop when he points his gun to you says " HAND UP !!!!! SURRENDER !!!! ELSE i shall shoot you " The hands go up



Similarly we are been taught on how to surrender but in a very loving & voluntarily way
This is the greatness of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu
Who freely gives the Spiritual taste regardless of ones Qualification !




Why one should hear about KRISHNA only ?
As i analyse we are very eager to hear about great famous personalities like film stars , politics etc
but we are not satisfied by them because they are tasteless
We are ALL looking for a person who has infinite amount of all 6 qualities namely 1) Fame 2) Beauty 3) strength 4) knowledge 5) renunciation & 6) wealth

And we are misplacing our search on temporary false personalities of this world
who have only an iota of one of the above qualities.

And Krishna is the only Person who has all 6 qualities in infinite proportions

One hears about the flimstars from magazines dedicated to films & these magazines can create amazing taste for persons in a particular film star.
Similarly we should hear about Krishna from persons & sources which are fully dedicated to KRISHNA ie the SRIMAD bhagavatam & guru.

so our dance is nothing but an expression of Surrender to Lord
& prayer that i have heard a lot about your greatness Oh Krishna ! I have thus come to take shelter of YOU.Please engage me in your service .

Achyuta Ashtakam by Adi Sankaracarya

Song Name: Acyutam Kesavam Rama Narayanam

Official Name: Acyutastakam

Author: Adi Sankaracarya

Book Name: None

Language: Sanskrit

LYRICS:

(1)

acyutaḿ keśavaḿ rāma nārāyaṇaḿ

kṛṣṇa dāmodaraḿ vāsudevaḿ harim

śrīdharaḿ mādhavaḿ gopīkā-vallabhaḿ

jānakī-nāyakaḿ rāmacandraḿ bhaje

(2)

acyutaḿ keśavāḿ satyabhāmādhavaḿ

mādhavaḿ śrīdharaḿ rādhikā-rādhitam

indirā-mandiraḿ cetasā sundaraḿ

devakī-nandanaḿ nandanaḿ sandadhe

(3)

viṣṇave jiṣṇave śańkhine cakriṇe

rukmiṇī-rāgiṇe jānakī-jānaye

vallavī-vallabhāyārcitāyātmane

kaḿsa-vidhvaḿsine vaḿśine te namaḥ

(4)

kṛṣṇa govinda he rāma nārāyaṇa

śrīpate vāsudevārjita śrīnidhe

acyutānanta he mādhavādhokṣaja

dvārakānāyaka draupadī-rakṣaka

(5)

rākṣasa-kṣobhitaḥ sītayā śobhito

daṇḍakāraṇyabhu-puṇyatā-kāraṇaḥ

lakṣmaṇe-nānvito vānaraiḥ sevito-

'gastya-sampujito rāghavaḥ pātu mām

(6)

dhenukāriṣṭako'niṣṭa-kṛddveṣiṇāḿ

keśihā kaḿsa-hṛd-vaḿśikā-vādakaḥ

pūtanā-kopakaḥ surajā khelano

bāla gopālakaḥ pātu māḿ sarvadā

(7)

vidyudadyotavnpra-sphurad-vāsasaḿ

prāvṛḍambhodavat prollasad-vigrahaḿ

vanyayā mālayā śobhitorasthalaḿ

lohitāńghridvayaḿ vārijākṣaḿ bhaje

(8)

kuñcitaiḥ kuntalair bhrojamānānanaḿ

ratnamauliḿ lasatkuṇḍalaḿ gaṇḍayoḥ

hārakeyurakaḿ kańkaṇa-projjvalaḿ

kińkiṇīmañjulaḿ śyāmalaḿ taḿ bhaje

TRANSLATION

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

Ending the worst picnic in this material world

Song Name: Bhuliya Tomare

Official Name: Dainya Song 1

Author: Bhaktivinoda Thakura

Book Name: Saranagati

Language: Bengali

LYRICS:

(1)

bhuliyā tomāre, saḿsāre āsiyā,

peye nānā-vidha byathā

tomāra caraṇe, āsiyāchi āmi,

bolibo duḥkhera kathā

(2)

jananī jaṭhare, chilāma jakhona,

biṣama bandhana-pāśe

eka-bāra prabhu! dekhā diyā more,

vañcile e dīna dāse

(3)

takhona bhāvinu, janama pāiyā,

koribo bhajana tava

janama hoilo, paḍi' māyā-jāle,

nā hoilo jñāna-lava

(4)

ādarera chele, sva-janera kole,

hāsiyā kāṭānu kāla

janaka jananī-snehete bhuliyā,

saḿsāra lāgilo bhālo

(5)

krame dina dina, bālaka hoiyā,

bhelinu bālaka-saha

āra kichu dine, jnāna upajilo,

pāṭha poḍi ahar-ahaḥ

(6)

vidyāra gaurave, bhrami' deśe deśe,

dhana uparjana kori

sva-jana pālana, kori eka-mane,

bhulinu tomāre, hari!

(7)

bārdhakye ekhona, bhakativinoda,

kāṇdiyā kātara ati

nā bhajiyā tore, dina bṛthā gelo,

ekhona ki have gati?

TRANSLATION

1) I forsook You, O Lord, and came to this world of pain and sorrow. Now I submit my tale of woe at Your lotus feet.

2) While still in the unbearable fetters of my mother’s womb, I saw You before me You revealed Yourself but briefly and then abandoned this poor servant of Yours.

3) At that moment I swore to worship You after taking birth; but birth came, and with it the network of wordly illusion which robbed me of all good sense.

4) As a fondled son in the lap of relatives, I passed my time smiling and laughing. My parents’ affection helped me to forget the pangs of birth, and I thought the world was very nice.

5) Day by day I grew and soon began playing with other boys. Shortly my powers of understanding emerged. I read and studied my lessons incessantly.

6) Travelling from place to place, proud of my education, I grew wealthy and maintained my family with undivided attention. O Lord Hari, I forgot You!

7) Now in old age, Bhaktivinoda is sad. He weeps. I failed to worship You, O Lord, and instead passed my life in vain. What will be my fate now.

This material world is tried to be explained & explored by all men in all ages

But Krishna explains it in just 2 Words " asasvatah dukhalayam" ie temporary & abode of miseries .

How to end this material life journey then ??

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

Arjuna seeing that he is unable to perform his duty due to attachments (6 enemies) though he

knew what is the right thing !? he called himself as karpanya dosho ie miserly person with defects of 6 enemies in heart

Seeing that he is helpless to remove this doshas he surrendered to Krishna as his disciple

So surrendering to guru is the key to get rid of all this doshas(defects in heart)

as explained in Srimad Bhagavatam also, below

http://vedabase.net/sb/11/3/21/en

11.3.21

tasmād guruḿ prapadyeta

jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam

śābde pare ca niṣṇātaḿ

brahmaṇy upaśamāśrayam

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

& the key to advancement in spiritual life is to be a submissive obedient disciple dedicated to

please his guru as his life & soul as explained by Visvwanath Cakravarti Thakur in mangal arati prayers.

http://kksongs.org/songs/s/samsaradavanala.html

yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādo

yasyāprasādān na gatiḥ kuto 'pi

dhyāyan stuvaḿs tasya yaśas tri-sandhyaḿ

vande guroḥ śrī-caraṇāravindam

By the mercy of the spiritual master one receives the benediction of Kṛṣṇa. Without the grace of the spiritual master, one cannot make any advancement. Therefore, I should always remember and praise the spiritual master. At least three times a day I should offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of my spiritual master.

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

Song Name: Sri Guru Carana Padma

Official Name: Song 1; Guru Vandana (Verses 1 to 4)

Author: Narottama Dasa Thakura

Book Name: Prema Bhakti Candrika

Language: Bengali

LYRICS:

(1)

śrī-guru-caraṇa-padma, kevala-bhakati-sadma,

bando muñi sāvadhāna mate

jāhāra prasāde bhāi, e bhava toriyā jāi,

kṛṣṇa-prāpti hoy jāhā ha'te

(2)

guru-mukha-padma-vākya, cittete koribo aikya,

ār nā koriho mane āśā

śrī-guru-caraṇe rati, ei se uttama-gati,

je prasāde pūre sarva āśā

(3)

cakṣu-dān dilo jei, janme janme prabhu sei,

divya jñān hṛde prokāśito

prema-bhakti jāhā hoite, avidyā vināśa jāte,

vede gāy jāhāra carito

(4)

śrī-guru karuṇā-sindhu, adhama janāra bandhu,

lokanāth lokera jīvana

hā hā prabhu koro doyā, deho more pada-chāyā,

ebe jaśa ghuṣuk tribhuvana

TRANSLATION

1) The lotus feet of our spiritual master are the only way by which we can attain pure devotional service. I bow to his lotus feet with great awe and reverence. By his grace one can cross the ocean of material suffering and obtain the mercy of Krsna.

2) My only wish is to have my consciousness purified by the words emanating from his lotus mouth. Attachment to his lotus feet is the perfection that fulfills all desires.

3) He opens my darkened eyes and fills my heart with transcendental knowledge. He is my Lord birth after birth. From him ecstatic premaemanates; by him ignorance is destroyed. The Vedic scriptures sing of his character.

4) Our spiritual master is the ocean of mercy, the friend of the poor, and the lord and master of the devotees. O Lokanatha Goswami! O master! Be merciful unto me. Give me the shade of your lotus feet. Your fame is spread all over the three worlds.

One Drop of mercy

e dhana, yaubana, putra, parijana

ithe ki āche paratīti re

kamala-dala-jala, jīvana ṭalamala

bhajahū hari-pada nīti re

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

Abstract from 10.20.10 purport

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

The material pleasure is simply a drop in a desert, never satisfying

We are looking for ocean of Happiness but what we get is a drop of false pleasure.

This is the nature of drop of pleasure in this material world.

As we read the prayers & songs of pure devotees we find that a devotee is praying for "a drop of mercy"

One may wonder if we are looking for ocean of mercy why ask just one drop of it !??

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

paṇḍita, gambhīra, duńhe — prāmāṇika jana

bāla-cāñcalya kare, karāha varjana

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

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

meru-mandara-parvata ḍubāya yathā tathā

ei dui — gaṇḍa-śaila, ihāra kā kathā

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

http://vedabase.net/cc/madhya/14/84/en

Conclusion:

So a drop of mercy is enough to make us happy.

& so i pray this following prayer to my Gurumaharaj.

Song Name: Gurudeva Krpa Bindu Diya

Official Name: Bhajana Lalasa Song 11

Author: Bhaktivinoda Thakura

Book Name: Saranagati

Language: Bengali

(1)

gurudev!

kṛpā-bindu diyā, koro' ei dāse,

tṛṇāpekhā ati hīna

sakala sahane, bala diyā koro',

nija-māne spṛhā-hīna

(2)

sakale sammāna korite śakati,

deho' nātha! jathājatha

tabe to' gāibo, hari-nāma-sukhe,

aparādha ha 'be hata

(3)

kabe heno kṛpā, labhiyā e jana,

kṛtārtha hoibe, nātha!

śakti-buddhi-hīna, āmi ati dīna,

koro' more ātma-sātha

(4)

jogyatā-vicāre, kichu nāhi pāi,

tomāra karuṇā-sāra

karuṇā nā hoile, kāndiyā kāndiyā,

prāṇa nā rākhibo āra

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

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

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

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

Krishna explains How to overcome Obstacles of material desires??

http://vedabase.net/sb/11/14/18/en1

11.14.18

badhyamano 'pi mad-bhakto

vishayair ajitendriyah

prayah pragalbhaya bhaktya

vishayair nabhibhuyate

TRANSLATION

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

PURPORT

Abhibhuyate indicates falling down into the material world and being defeated by maya. But even though one's senses are not fully conquered, one who has unflinching devotion for Lord Krishna does not run the risk of being separated from Him. The words pragalbhaya bhaktya indicate a person who has great devotion for Lord Krishna, and not one who desires to commit sinful activities and chant Hare Krishna to avoid the reaction. Because of previous bad habits and immaturity, even a sincere devotee may be harassed by lingering attraction to the bodily concept of life; but his unflinching devotion for Lord Krishna will act. Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura gives the following two examples. A great warrior may be struck by the weapon of his enemy, but because of his courage and strength he is not killed or defeated. He accepts the blow and goes on to victory. Similarly, one may contract a serious disease, but if he takes the proper medicine he is quickly cured.

If those who follow the impersonal system of speculation and austerity deviate even slightly from their path, they fall down. A devotee, however, even though immature, never falls from the path of devotional service. Even if he displays occasional weakness, he is still considered a devotee if his devotion to Lord Krishna is very strong. As the Lord states in Bhagavad-gita (9.30):

api cet su-duracaro

bhajate mam ananya-bhak

sadhur eva sa mantavyah

samyag vyavasito hi sah

"Even if one commits the most abominable actions, if he is engaged in devotional service he is to be considered saintly because he is properly situated."

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

11.20.27-28

jāta-śraddho mat-kathāsu

nirviṇṇaḥ sarva-karmasu

veda duḥkhātmakān kāmān

parityāge 'py anīśvaraḥ

tato bhajeta māḿ prītaḥ

śraddhālur dṛḍha-niścayaḥ

juṣamāṇaś ca tān kāmān

duḥkhodarkāḿś ca garhayan

TRANSLATION

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

PURPORT

The beginning stage of pure devotional service is described here by the Lord. A sincere devotee has practically seen that all material activities lead only to sense gratification and all sense gratification leads only to misery. Thus a devotee's sincere desire is to engage twenty-four hours a day in the loving service of Lord Kṛṣṇa without any personal motivation. The devotee sincerely desires to be established in his constitutional position as the Lord's eternal servitor, and he prays to the Lord to elevate him to this exalted position. The word anīśvara indicates that because of one's past sinful activities and bad habits one may not immediately be able to completely extinguish the enjoying spirit. The Lord here encourages such a devotee not to be overly depressed or morose but to remain enthusiastic and to go on with his loving service. The word nirviṇṇa indicates that a sincere devotee, although somewhat entangled in the remnants of sense gratification, is completely disgusted with material life and under no circumstances willingly commits sinful activities. In fact, he avoids every kind of materialistic activity. The word kāmān basically refers to sex attraction and its by-products in the form of children, home and so forth. Within the material world, the sex impulse is so strong that even a sincere candidate in the loving service of the Lord may sometimes be disturbed by sex attraction or by lingering sentiments for wife and children. A pure devotee certainly feels spiritual affection for all living entities, including the so-called wife and children, but he knows that material bodily attraction leads to no good, for it simply entangles one and one's so-called relatives in a miserable chain reaction of fruitive activities. The word dṛḍha-niścaya ("steadfast conviction") indicates that in any circumstance a devotee is completely determined to go on with his prescribed duties for Kṛṣṇa. Thus he thinks, "By my previous shameful life my heart is polluted with many illusory attachments. Personally I have no power to stop them. Only Lord Kṛṣṇa within my heart can remove such inauspicious contamination. But whether the Lord removes such attachments immediately or lets me go on being afflicted by them, I will never give up my devotional service to Him. Even if the Lord places millions of obstacles in my path, and even if because of my offenses I go to hell, I will never for a moment stop serving Lord Kṛṣṇa. I am not interested in mental speculation and fruitive activities; even if Lord Brahmā personally comes before me offering such engagements, I will not be even slightly interested. Although I am attached to material things I can see very clearly that they lead to no good because they simply give me trouble and disturb my devotional service to the Lord. Therefore, I sincerely repent my foolishattachments to so many material things, and I am patiently awaiting Lord Kṛṣṇa's mercy."

The word prīta indicates that a devotee feels exactly like the son or subject of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and is very attached to his relationship with the Lord. Therefore, although sincerely lamenting occasional lapses into sense enjoyment, he never gives up his enthusiasm to serve Lord Kṛṣṇa. If a devotee becomes too morose or discouraged in devotional service, he may drift into an impersonal consciousness or give up his devotional service to the Lord. Therefore, the Lord here advises that although one should sincerely repent, he should not become chronically depressed. One should understand that because of his past sins he must occasionally suffer disturbances from the material mind and senses, but one should not therefore become a devotee of detachment, as do the speculative philosophers. Although one may desire detachment to purify one's devotional service to the Lord, if one becomes more concerned with renunciation than with acting for the pleasure of Lord Kṛṣṇa, he is misunderstanding the position of loving devotional service. Faith in Lord Kṛṣṇa is so powerful that in due course of time it will automatically award detachment and perfect knowledge. If one gives up Lord Kṛṣṇa as the central object of one's worship and concentrates more on knowledge and detachment, one will become deviated from one's progress in going back home, back to Godhead. A sincere devotee of the Lord must be sincerely convinced that simply by the strength of devotional service and the mercy of Lord Kṛṣṇa he will achieve everything auspicious in life. One must believe that Lord Kṛṣṇa is all-merciful and that He is the only real goal of one's life. Such determined faith combined with a sincere desire to give up sense enjoyment will carry one past the obstacles of this world.

The words jāta-śraddhaḥ mat-kathāsu are most significant here. By faithful hearing of the mercy and glories of the Lord one will gradually be freed from all material desire and clearly see at every moment the utter frustration of sense gratification. Chanting the glories of the Lord with firm faith and conviction is a tremendously powerful spiritual process that enables one to give up all material association.

There is actually nothing inauspicious in the devotional service of the Lord. Occasional difficulties experienced by a devotee are due to his previous material activities. On the other hand, the endeavor for sense gratification is completely inauspicious. Thus sense gratification and devotional service are directly opposed to each other. In all circumstances one should therefore remain the Lord's sincere servant, always believing in His mercy. Then one will certainly go back home, back to Godhead.

http://vedabase.net/sb/10/14/8/en

Lord Bramha says...

10.14.8

tat te 'nukampāḿ su-samīkṣamāṇo

bhuñjāna evātma-kṛtaḿ vipākam

hṛd-vāg-vapurbhir vidadhan namas te

jīveta yo mukti-pade sa dāya-bhāk

TRANSLATION

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

PURPORT

Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī explains in his commentary that just as a legitimate son has to simply remain alive to gain an inheritance from his father, one who simply remains alive in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, following the regulative principles of bhakti-yoga, automatically becomes eligible to receive the mercy of the Personality of Godhead. In other words, he will be promoted to the kingdom of God.

The word su-samīkṣamāṇa indicates that a devotee earnestly awaits the mercy of the Supreme Lord even while suffering the painful effects of previous sinful activities. Lord Kṛṣṇa explains in the Bhagavad-gītā that a devotee who fully surrenders unto Him is no longer liable to suffer the reactions of his previous karma. However, because in his mind a devotee may still maintain the remnants of his previous sinful mentality, the Lord removes the last vestiges of the enjoying spirit by giving His devotee punishments that may sometimes resemble sinful reactions. The purpose of the entire creation of God is to rectify the living entity's tendency to enjoy without the Lord, and therefore the particular punishment given for a sinful activity is specifically designed to curtail the mentality that produced the activity. Although a devotee has surrendered to the Lord's devotional service, until he is completely perfect in Kṛṣṇa consciousness he may maintain a slight inclination to enjoy the false happiness of this world. The Lord therefore creates a particular situation to eradicate this remaining enjoying spirit. This unhappiness suffered by a sincere devotee is not technically a karmic reaction; it is rather the Lord's special mercy for inducing His devotee to completely let go of the material world and return home, back to Godhead.

A sincere devotee earnestly desires to go back to the Lord's abode. Therefore he willingly accepts the Lord's merciful punishment and continues offering respects and obeisances to the Lord with his heart, words and body. Such a bona fide servant of the Lord, considering all hardship a small price to pay for gaining the personal association of the Lord, certainly becomes a legitimate son of God, as indicated here by the words dāya-bhāk. Just as one cannot approach the sun without becoming fire, one cannot approach the supreme pure, Lord Kṛṣṇa, without undergoing a rigid purificatory process, which may appear like suffering but which is in fact a curative treatment administered by the personal hand of the Lord.

Obstacles in the path of bhakti are servants of Lord

I was hearing one lecture on gaur lila By HH Radhanath Swami Maharaj

The story was of taking sanyas by Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu

After sanyas he stayed in the house of Adavaita Acarya .Then he decided he should go to Puri at once. But devotees told him that presently there are conflicts & war taking place between nations so please go after peace is established

from Caitanya Mangal

++++To this the Supreme Lord, Sri Caitanya, replied, “Let there be danger of any magnitude, I will certainly go, this I say to you.” Sri Advaita Äcärya understood Sri Caitanya’s mind and knew no one could dissuade Him from it. Palms joined, Sri Advaita began to speak, “Who can dare to obstruct your path?

All so-called impediments and dangers are simply your order carriers.

No one possesses the power to stop you. You have resolved to travel to Néläcala, and so your journey will be a source of great joy and You may leave at Your own sweet will.” +++++

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

So obstacles are actually to purify us & not put us down

lets face them by taking shelter of the lord

lets pray to Lord with much intensity same as Gajendra had prayed when he was caught in the teeths of the crocodile.

Our Prayer should be THAT intense.

One devotee said "if we donot pass on the present obstacles the same one will keep on coming "

better take shelter of Krishna & he shall pick us up

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

The following prayer by Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur explains

how to pray to the Lord ? & what to pray to the Lord ?

Song Name: Anadi Karama Phale

Official Name: Sri Siksastakam Song 5

Author: Bhaktivinoda Thakura

Book Name: Gitavali

Language: Bengali

LYRICS

(1)

anādi’ karama-phale, poḍi’ bhavārnava-jale,

toribāre nā dekhi upāy

e-viṣaya-halāhale, divā-niśi hiyā jwale,

mana kabhu sukha nāhi pāy

(2)

āśā-pāśa-śata-śata, kleśa deya avirata,

pravṛtti-ūrmira tāhe khelā

kāma-krodha-ādi choy, bāṭapāḍe deya bhoy,

avasāna hoilo āsi’ belā

(3)

jñāna-karma—ṭhaga dui, more pratārīya loi,

avaśeṣe phele sindhu-jale

e heno samaye, bandhu, tumi kṛṣṇa kṛpā-sindhu,

kṛpā kori’ tolo more bale

(4)

patita-kińkore dhori’, pāda-padma-dhuli kori’,

deho bhaktivinode āśroy

āmi tava nitya-dās, bhuliyā māyāra pāś,

baddha ho’ye āchi doyāmoy

TRANSLATION

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

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

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

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

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

E heno samaye bandhu, tumi krsna krpa-sindhu: "Under the circumstances, my dear Krsna, you are my only friend, and You are an ocean of mercy."

Krpa kori' tolo more bale: "I have no strength to get out of this ocean of nescience, so I pray unto Your lotus feet that by Your strength You kindly pick me up."

Patita-kinkare dhari' pada-padma-dhuli kari': "After all, I am Your eternal servant. Somehow or other I have fallen into this ocean, so kindly pick me up and fix me as one of the particles of dust at Your lotus feet."

Deho bhaktivinoda asraya: Bhaktivinoda Thakura entreats, "Kindly give me shelter at Your lotus feet."

Ami tava nitya-dasa: "I am Your eternal servant."

Bhuliya mayara pasa: "Somehow or other I forgot You, and I have now fallen into the network of maya."

Baddha ho'ye achi dayamaya: "My dear Lord, I have become entangled in this way. Kindly save me."

....................................................................................................................

So do i pray

O my Lord ! you are my only friend & I am your fallen servant

i have no strength to overcome these obstacles

Kindly pick me up & give me shelter at your lotus feet.

I have no other HOPE