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How to Sell a Gita On Its Own Merit

How to Sell a Gita On Its Own Merit

http://www.prabhupada.org/prabhupadadesh/a_deposito_oggetti/fotos/battlefield%5b1%5d.gif

By Vaisesika dasa

"There is sufficient merit in our books that if you simply describe them sincerely to anyone, they will buy." -Srila Prabhupada

The Steps

Qualify your prospect with a question

Q: How do I stop people to give them a book?


A: Ask them a friendly question. Your question will not only attract their attention but when they answer it, they will feel more qualified to look at the book.

Q: What does it mean to qualify people and how will it help me?

A: It means to make people feel that they've been selected for a reason and not just at random. You are mostly approaching complete strangers. If you don't qualify them, they won't know why, out of the blue, you're handing them a book. Feeling unqualified, they will most likely reject it. But when you ask them a simple question first, and then listen to their answer before handing them a book, they'll feel that they've been chosen to look at it for a reason. They'll feel qualified.

Example:

Distributor: "Excuse me, do you live in San Francisco?"

Prospect: "Why yes, I do!"

Distributor: (While extending the book and placing it in the prospect's hand . . .) "Oh, good, then let me show you one too."

NOTES:

Q: What if the prospect says, "No, I'm from out of town"?
A: It works either way. You'd still say, "Oh, good, then let me show you one too."

The point is that whatever the prospects say in response to your question qualifies them to look at the book.

"Show" versus "Give"

It's important not to create the false impression that you're giving them a free book, and then go on to ask them for a donation. Therefore, rather than "Let me give you one of these," it is much safer to say "Let me show you one of these."

A question is a powerful communication tool. It is sometimes called a "verbal hook" because, paradoxically, it allows you to gently lead the conversation. Hence, the age-old advice: "Whoever is asking the questions is controlling the conversation."

Example:

Prospect: "Why are you doing this?"
Distributor: "You believe in God, right?"

(In this case, you've answered your prospect's question with your own question. Asking your own question in response to his allows you to reframe and move the conversation in the direction you'd like it to go.)

Trust the Hand

Until you give your prospect a chance to hold the book, there's a very good chance that he'll walk away without buying it.

Many new distributors hold back, feeling timid about actually placing the book in the prospect's hand.

Practice until you get used to placing the book into a person's hands. Soon you'll see that it's natural, because the hand's tendency is to take what is offered to it.

All the senses and limbs of the body have their natural tendencies. The eyes look, the ears listen, the feet walk, and the hands grab. That's their job, and they do it well.

We've seen thousands of cases in which people who seemed hesitant to look at a book became surprised after their hands had taken the book in spite of themselves.

But once they have the Bhagavad-gita in hand, they've made a psychic connection with you and the book. And since the Gita is Krsna Himself, the recipient often undergoes a change of heart just by holding the book for even a few seconds. Srila Prabhupada said that if they even touch the book they make advancement:

"And if somehow or other we place some literature in a person's hand, that person becomes fortunate."

Note:
You can leave the book in the prospect's hands and show it to him as he holds it. Or, as many distributors prefer to do, you can gently take the book back into your hands, saying, "Here, let me give you a quick look." A third option is to leave the Gita in the prospect's hands and show her another copy that you hold in yours.

Show and Tell

Next, show and briefly explain:

• A few select pictures
• The Sanskrit, translations, & purports
• The famous people who have read the Gita
• A couple of university reviews
• The number of Gitas printed

Showing the pictures:

Srila Prabhupada went to great lengths to include pictures in all of his books. He said that these pictures are "windows to the spiritual world."
Pictures are perhaps the best tools we have for explaining the Krsna consciousness philosophy.

Remember, "A picture is worth a thousand words."

The Changing Body (PLATE FIVE)

Start by showing the picture of the changing body. Point to the baby's body at the beginning of the sequence and say,

"See, we all start off here."

Now, making a sweeping motion with your finger, starting from the picture of the baby and ending at the picture of the old man's body and finally the dead body say,

"And we all end up here."

Conclude with,

"See, we're all just passing through."

Note:

If you've seen this picture many times, you may have come to take it for granted. However, you'll find that most people who see this presentation for the first time are fascinated by it. The Changing Body is by far the most popular exhibit at The Festival of India. You might even notice that some people have a visceral reaction to it. People rarely visualize the entire span of their lives. However, with this simple presentation, your prospects will literally see their entire lives passing before their eyes.

The Three Modes of Material Nature (PLATE SIX)

Show the picture of the two men being controlled by the three modes of material nature. Krsna is at the top. Below Him are the three modes personified who, like puppeteers, are controlling two men below them with a series of strings.

Explain the picture:

"This picture shows that we are all controlled by three modes of nature — goodness, passion and ignorance."

Now point to each of the modes in succession saying:

"Goodness brings wisdom, satisfaction and peacefulness."

"Passion brings the desire to get ahead in life and the impetus to work hard to get more material stuff."

"And ignorance brings sleep, laziness, intoxication and the tendency to put things off."

Then ask them:

"Which one do you think influences you the most?"

Sample responses:

Prospect: "I think I'm goodness."

You: "You look like you're in goodness. I can see it in your eyes."

If they indicate that they're most influenced by passion or ignorance, you can say:

"Me too! Actually, we're all under these modes to some degree, aren't we?"

Humble Sage (PLATE SEVEN)

Next, show the picture of the humble sage who sees with equal vision the brahmana, cow, elephant, etc.

Say,

"Here's a picture of the spiritually advanced person.

"A spiritually advanced person treats everyone with respect because he or she sees that the body is only a dress for the soul and that God is in everyone's heart."

Note:

Most people agree with this definition of a spiritually advanced person and especially like the concept that such a person has respect for all.

The Body as a Chariot (PLATE NINE)

Next show the picture of the soul as a passenger on the chariot of the body.

Explain that each one of our senses is like a powerful horse, the reins are our like our minds, the driver like our intelligence, and that we, the soul, are like the passengers on this chariot-like body.

Point out that yoga, as taught by the Bhagavad gita, teaches us how to bring the senses, mind and intelligence under our control.

Finish with,
"If our horses — the senses — are out of control, we're in for a very wild ride!"

The Sitting Yogi (PLATE TEN)

The next picture to show is that of the yogi sitting with matted hair and long fingernails, as his soul is leaving this world through the top of his head.

In a light-hearted way, just point to the picture and say,

"This guy's been sitting here for a while, eh?"

Karma (PLATE TWELVE)

Next, show the picture of the man with a cow's face, getting ready to butcher the cow with the man's face.

Say,

"You've heard of Karma, right?"

Then, using your index finger for emphasis, draw a circle in the air while saying,

"What goes around comes around."

Sanskrit, Translation and Purport

Next, turn to any verse in the Gita, point out the Sanskrit text, and say,

"This is the ancient Sanskrit language. It's a very precise and complicated language that very few people know these days. The author of this book has unlocked all of its secret meanings given here in the translations and purports" (point to the translations and purports).

Name Dropping

Next, turn to the back cover of the Gita and point out the names of Thoreau, Emerson, and Gandhi as you say,

"The Gita has been read by great thinkers throughout history.
You've heard of Thoreau, Emerson and Gandhi, right?"

Finally add,

"Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Einstein also studied the Gita."

University Reviews

Next, turn to the first couple of pages in the front of the Gita and point out the reviews by scholars and academic institutions.

Point to University of Southern California and Georgetown University and say,

"You've heard of USC and Georgetown University, right?"

"This book is used in major universities all over the world."

Printings

Next, turn to the page near the front of the Gita that shows "previous printings (790,000) and current printing (2004: 80,000) and say,

"See, we've printed nearly a million copies of this book for distribution here in America. We also have them in many other languages."

Asking for a Donation

By this time, your prospect will have understood the great value of the Gita and will want a copy of her own. Now you can explain what she can do to take the book home.

Now, as you gesture toward your prospect, say,

"My job is to select the nicest and most intelligent people to show these to."

Then,

"We do this as a benefit to spread love for God and to propagate spiritual knowledge all over the world.

"So people give donations to help our work and to help us out with the printing costs.

"After printing, tax, shipping, & handling, the book costs us around eight dollars. Most people give between ten and twenty to help us out."

Variations on Donation Requests

"We do this to systematically propagate spiritual knowledge to society at large and to educate people in the techniques of spiritual life in order to create real unity and peace in the world."

"So people give donations to help our work and to help us out with the printing costs.

"After printing, tax, shipping, & handling, the book costs us around eight dollars. Most people give between ten and twenty to help us out."

______

"We're helping people in suffering conditions so we ask everyone to give a donation."

"After printing, tax, shipping, & handling, the book costs us around eight dollars. Most people give between ten and twenty dollars to help us out."

Other Presentations

Gratitude

"This book teaches about bhakti yoga — the yoga of gratitude."

"Have you noticed that when you have gratitude, it doesn't matter what your external surroundings are, you're always happy?"

"And on the other hand, if you don't have gratitude, no matter how many material things you have, you can't be happy."

God

"These are spiritual books meant to awaken our pure love for God. You
Believe in God, right?"

The Happiness Within

"This book teaches that real happiness comes from within your own heart because God is in everyone's heart."

"Nowadays, we have fast Internet, five-lane freeways, and skyscrapers. But are people any happier than they were before these things existed? That's because real happiness comes from within."

Objections

In a Hurry

They say:

"I'm in a hurry."

You ask:

"Are you in a big hurry?"

They say:

"Yes."

You ask:

"Do you want me to show this to you really quickly then?"

Note:

Remember, answering an objection with a question allows you to reframe the issue, giving you a chance to show the book in spite of the objection. Become a Master Asker.

Religious Objections

Born Again Christians

Note: Most times, a born again Christian will inform you that he or she is "born again" or that he or she "only follows Lord Jesus Christ." We recommend that you not spend a lot of time with these well-intentioned folks. They are not usually good prospects and if you don't learn how to break away quickly you'll waste a large portion of your preaching time listening to them explain their dogma.

Here's how . . .

They say:

"I'm a born again Christian."

You say:

"Oh, that's wonderful. We need more people like you in the world. It's people of faith like you who are keeping the world afloat."

Note:
At this point it's best to smile and let them go on their way.

Don't believe in "organized religion."

They Ask:

"Is this about religion?"

Note: Most times people who say they don't believe in "organized religion" will ask this question. What they really mean to ask is, "Is this another one of those cheating religions?"

You say,

"No. This is the opposite. In religion, they tell you what to do. This book points out that it's your duty to find out the truth for yourself. It's all inside of you."

Price Objections

They say:

"I don't have any cash."

You say:

"We generally don't take cash. Most people use a credit card."

Note:
You should be set up to accept credit cards.

They say:

"I don't have any money."

You say:

"That's all right, just give what you can. And if you'd rather, I can give you a smaller book that costs less to print."

Note:

When people say, "I don't have any money," it usually means that they're not sure how much they should donate or that the amount you've suggested to cover the cost of printing the book is too high for them.

Lasting Impressions

Our top objective is to leave everyone with a good impression. Make sure to do your best to leave each person feeling that you are his or her well-wisher and that you're out there to give them something valuable.

Be humble and considerate. Remember that you're in public and that people are watching you. Everything you do and say matters.

People will form an opinion about the "Hare Krsna's" based on your behavior towards them. Become an ambassador of goodwill. Make friends with people as much as possible.

Parting words matter

Say (even if they can't donate):

"Thank you for taking your valuable time."

"It was an honor meeting you."

Smile. Wave to people and wish them a good day. Be friendly to everyone. Give compliments liberally.

Note: If you keep speaking positive words like this to everyone you meet, more people will be naturally inclined to say yes.

Fan the Spark

After someone gives a donation for a book, you have an ideal opportunity to teach him or her the Maha Mantra.

You say:

"Do you believe in the power of prayer?" (You can substitute the term, "mantra" for "prayer" if you're dealing with an agnostic.)

They say:

"Yes."

You say:

"Great. Let me teach you this ancient prayer that comes from the Sanskrit language."

Now hand them a card with the Maha Mantra on it and ask them to repeat after you:

"Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare."


Your Servant In Service Of Srila Prabhupada and Gurudev,
Sachin Kumar Gupta
Chant:Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare,Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.& be Happy


--
Yours Servant

Sri Krishna Hari Das
(Dr Satish Gosain MBBS DNB i Med)
Congregational Preacher, ISKCON, Delhi, NCR & Gurgaon.


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How can offenses be avoided?

How can offenses be avoided?

Hare Krishna

 

 d

 

 

 




Answer: In order to become free from offenses, one should ultimately begin to lead a positive spiritual life. One who is always afraid of committing offenses, thus continuously meditating on them, will not really advance in chanting. The following story illustrates this point:

In a forest, a millipede could dance wonderfully. A toad that was observing his dancing became envious and decided to stop the millipede. However,she did not want to just come along and clumsily trample him down; so she conceived of a devious plan.

The toad wrote a letter to the millepede. "My dear millipede, you are certainly the best dancer in the entire forest, and in your dancing all the fine arts of the whole universe are reflected. I have, however, a question: when you are dancing, do you lift first the 52nd foot and then shift to the other side with the 56th foot, or do you begin by softly rolling your 200th foot and then go back to the 150th foot? How exactly do you perform your dance? That is my question. Yours sincerely, the toad from the bog."

The millipede read the letter carefully,and the next time when he came to the dancing place where all the forest animals had already gathered,he bacame embarrassed. Instead of just dancing as usual, he thought, "Do i start with the 52th foot,or do i roll slowly from the 200th foot ahead? How do i exactly perform my dancing?"

As he was fully entangled in his thoughts, he could not dance anymore. he began to stagger and to stumble."What is the matter?" asked the forest animals in amazement. The toad had attained her objective. What actually was the matter is called "Paralysis through analysis"-being paralyzed by thinking too much. One who is continuously absorbed in various thoughts, always living with the fear to commit offenses, will not be able to chant properly. This principle, by the way, affects the whole life: To be always afraid of negative things, thus meditating on all kinds of possible mistakes, makes it very difficult to follow the path of Krsna Consciousness. The injunction is: Think of Krsna! Only that will bring us out of 'maya'!

Therefore, it is essential for every devotee to live a positive spiritual life, beyond the constant anxiety of how to avoid offenses. The best is to reverse ther offenses and consider them in a positive light.

-From 'The Nectarean Ocean of the Holy Name by HH Sacinandana Maharaj'


Your Servant In Service Of Srila Prabhupada and Gurudev,
Sachin Kumar Gupta
Chant:Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare,Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.& be Happy


--
Yours Servant

Sri Krishna Hari Das
(Dr Satish Gosain MBBS DNB i Med)
Congregational Preacher, ISKCON, Delhi, NCR & Gurgaon.


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Standing in Two Boats!

Standing in Two Boats!


















"Bhaktivinod Thakura gives and example of a person trying to stand with his feet in two different boats. Obviously when the boats separate, the person falls in the water. This is the situation we are faced with.
We are trying to accommodate material desires and our spiritual desires too. There is a saying in the west, 'to have your cake and eat it too'. Someone wants material comforts, sense gratification, and at the same time wants to experience the ecstasy of  pure Krishna Consciousness - this is a contradiction.
Sometimes a person in the Grihasta Ashrama thinks that here is a good alternative: I can enjoy sense gratification and at the same time do devotional service. But that is not how it should be. There is a difference between pure devotees who are Sanyasis or Grihastas and those are mixed devotees.
There is no happiness in material life -  a pure devotee knows this and with this in mind he is serving Krishna.
We have to be very careful and completely sincere not to increase our material situation. We have to keep devotional service priority in our life and everything else if adjusted accordingly. Grihastas deal with different situations concerning children, money, etc, but they have the prime responsibility to be attached to Krishna and engage everything in Krishna's service."
HH Jayapataka Swami
From the book: Vaishnava Vani
Courtesy: Mathuradesh Publications

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Importance of self-control-A Must Read!!! Important

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Dr Satish Gosain (Sri Krishna Hari Das) <sri.krishna.hari@gmail.com>

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Sachin Kumar Gupta <sachin.kguptaa@gmail.com>

Importance of self-control

http://www.prabhupada.org/prabhupadadesh/a_deposito_oggetti/fotos/bhagatji.jpg

Yudhisthira inquired, "How should one react to people who insult you by their rudeness and arrogance?" Bhisma replied, "If one does not become angry when insulted by another, then he takes away all the pious merit that person may have accumulated by good deeds. In addition he transfers to the abuser his own sinful reactions. After all what is the value of praise or blame when uttered by a vulgar fool? A person who praises some one in his presence but criticizes him behind his back is no better that a dog."


Yudhisthira, "How should one debate with an unscrupulous person?" Bhisma replied, "In a debate the tactics of a truthful person are limited, but a deceitful person can utilize any abominable method. However if the truthful person were to use the same tactics as his opponent, he will find himself at a greater disadvantage, for he is acting contrary to his nature. Therefore a truthful and honest person should always avoid an argument with an unscrupulous person."

Yudhisthira then inquired, "How should one behave towards a more powerful enemy?" Bhisma replied, "Even though the swift current of the river can uproot and carry huge trees, the canes survive since they bend with the current. Similarly in order to survive an enemy more powerful, one must yield while staying firmly anchored to the roots."

Yudhisthira inquired, "What should a weak person do if out of foolishness and pride he provokes a powerful enemy?" Bhisma replied, "O King, the weaker person must repent and thus appease the stronger enemy."
Yudhisthira inquired, "What is the origin of all sin?" Bhisma replied, "Greed, the hankering to posses more than one's naturally ordained quota is the origin of all sin. The desire to posses that which belongs to another is insatiable and gives rise to anger, lust, loss of judgment, arrogance, miserliness, lack of compassion, enviousness, mistrust and many other evils. Ignorance is made up of the same material as greed, though if analyzed it can be seen that ignorance also comes from greed. As one's greed increases, his ignorance also becomes more dense."

Yudhisthira inquired, "What produces the highest merit?" Bhisma replied, "Self-restraint surpasses all other activities in this regard and is therefore considered to be the highest virtue. Because self-restraint purifies and controls every aspect of one's life it is more important than giving in charity and the study of the Vedas. By self-restraint alone one can achieve liberation from the material world. Self-restraint comprises sense-control, freedom from anger, non-enviousness, impartiality, truthfulness, steadiness and contentment. However, the essential quality of self-restraint is austerity. Thus no good can be achieved without austerity."

Yudhisthira then inquired, "O Bhisma, is there any rule that should never be violated under any condition?" Bhisma replied. "The worship of true brahmans and giving them all kinds of respect must never be given up under any circumstance"

 

Your Servant
Sachin Kumar Gupta
Chant:Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare,Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.& be Happy

--
Yours Servant

Sri Krishna Hari Das


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Our whole philosophy is love

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Dr Satish Gosain (Sri Krishna Hari Das) <sri.krishna.hari@gmail.com>

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Sachin Kumar Gupta <sachin.kguptaa@gmail.com>

Our whole philosophy is love

http://www.damodara.de/english/html/krsna/damodara/imagenes/alta/images/butter_11_jpg.jpg

Prabhupada: Yes. Without love, nothing can sustain. If I do not love Krsna I cannot surrender. It is not possible. Just like a small child, he is naturally surrendered to the parents because there is love. The child loves also the parents. So without the basic principle of love, the more you love, the more the surrender is also perfect. Just like a small child, you slap the child, he's crying, yet crying also with the words, "Mommy, mommy, mommy, mommy," because there is love.


Even in distress the child cannot forget. That is natural. Similarly, when you remain fully surrendered to the supreme will, either in distress or in happiness, that is your happiness. That is real happiness. This condition cannot be without love. In any condition, you remain surrendered. It cannot be done without love. When there is lack of love, this kind of mentality cannot develop: "In any condition I shall remain surrendered." Just like you are; you are, a whole society is carrying my order, not because I am superior person.

There is love. Without love you cannot do so. You have got some bit of love for me, therefore you carry my order. Otherwise it is not possible. And I cannot also. You are foreigners, you are. Americans, I came from another country, I have no account. I cannot also order you: "You must do it, otherwise I will chastise you." Because there is love. It is a connection of love. I can also become bold enough to chastise you, but you also, what, in whatever condition, you carry my order due to the basic principle is love. And our whole philosophy is love. We are just trying to learn how to love Krsna, that's all. So without the basic principle of love, these things cannot be conceived.

- Philosophical Discussions with Syamasundara dasa

 Your Servant In Service Of Srila Prabhupada and Gurudev,
Sachin Kumar Gupta
Chant:Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare,Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.& be Happy


Yours Servant

Sri Krishna Hari Das

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Non devotee grains


---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Dr Satish Gosain (Sri Krishna Hari Das) <sri.krishna.hari@gmail.com>

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Sachin Kumar Gupta <sachin.kguptaa@gmail.com>

Non devotee grains

http://www.prabhupada.org/prabhupadadesh/a_deposito_oggetti/fotos/chapfdati.jpg

Antya 6.278

TEXT 278

"vishayira anna khaile malina haya mana
malina mana haile nahe krishnera smarana

SYNONYMS

vishayira—of materialistic persons; anna—food; khaile—if one eats;
malina—contaminated; haya mana—the mind becomes; malina—contaminated; mana
haile—when the mind becomes; nahe—is not; krishnera—of Lord Krishna;
smarana—remembrance.

TRANSLATION

"When one eats food offered by a materialistic man, one's mind becomes contaminated, and when the mind is contaminated, one is unable to think of Krishna properly.

PURPORT

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura suggests that people who are materialistically inclined and sahajiyas, or so-called Vaishnavas who take everything very casually, are both vishayis, or materialists. Eating food offered by them causes contamination, and as a result of such contamination, even a serious devotee becomes like a materialistic man. There are six kinds of association—giving charity, accepting charity, accepting food, offering food, talking confidentially and inquiring confidentially. One should very carefully avoid associating with both the sahajiyas, who are sometimes known as Vaishnavas, and the non-Vaishnavas, or avaishnavas.

Their association changes the transcendental devotional service of Lord Krishna into sense gratification, and when sense gratification enters the mind of a devotee, he is contaminated. The materialistic person who aspires after sense gratification cannot properly think of Krishna.

Antya 6.279

TEXT 279

vishayira anna haya 'rajasa' nimantrana
data, bhokta—dunhara malina haya mana

SYNONYMS

vishayira—offered by materialistic men; anna—food; haya—is; rajasa—in the
mode of passion; nimantrana—invitation; data—the person who offers;
bhokta—the person who accepts such an offering; dunhara—of both of them;
malina—contaminated; haya mana—the mind becomes.

TRANSLATION

"When one accepts an invitation from a person contaminated by the material mode of passion, the person who offers the food and the person who accepts it are both mentally contaminated.

PURPORT

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura says that there are three varieties of invitations—those in the mode of goodness, those in passion and those in ignorance. An invitation accepted from a pure devotee is in the mode of goodness, an invitation accepted from a person who is pious but materially attached is in the mode of passion, and an invitation accepted from a person who is materially very sinful is in the mode of ignorance.

Antya lila 6.278-279


Your Servant In Service Of Srila Prabhupada and Gurudev,
Sachin Kumar Gupta
Chant:Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare,Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.& be Happy

--
Yours Servant

Sri Krishna Hari Das



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Website Discovered

http://gauda.smugmug.com/Spiritual-Events/Radhanath-Swami-Initiation/10690956_uoWcj#744401068_juGsH

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Moola SthanVittal-Pandarpur Abhishek!!


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Wanna Fly?



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The 10 Defenses

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Dr Satish Gosain (Sri Krishna Hari Das) <sri.krishna.hari@gmail.com>

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Sachin Kumar Gupta <sachin.kguptaa@gmail.com> 

The 10 Defenses



In his book, The Art of Chanting Hare Krishna, HH Mahanidhi Swami lists "ten actions… to protect one from the tendency to make offenses" that originally appear in Srila Sacidananda Bhaktivinoda Thakur's Harinama Cintamani. I typed them up, in a slightly paraphrased form, when I first read Mahanidhi Swami's book and thought I would reproduce them here as well.
The 10 Defenses
1. Serve those who serve the Lord, don't criticize them out of envy or false ego.
2. Worship Krishna as the "source of all spiritual and material worlds", "the ultimate beneficiary of all sacrifices and austerities, the Supreme Lord of all planets and demigods and the benefactor and well-wisher of all living entities." Show respect to demigods like Lord Siva or Ganesh and personalities like Hanuman as exalted devotees of Lord Krishna.

3. Show full respect to the spiritual master in thoughts, words and actions, considering him to be a representative of the Lord. Carry out the orders of the spiritual master with enthusiasm and attention to detail.
4. Honor (and study) the scriptures as the instructions of the Supreme Lord (dharmam tu saksad bhagavat pranitam) with the desire to understand how they are correct (not if they are correct).
5. Have faith that the Holy Name is not a mundane sound vibration, but is in fact transcendental sound, descending from the (pure) spiritual platform.
6. Have faith in the explanations and glorification of the Holy Name given by guru, sadhu and sastra. This knowledge is given by those who have experienced the glories of the Holy Name, and who have "seen the truth."
7. Root out the desire to commit sins. A sin is an action that is not connected to the Supreme Lord; something done for the gratification of the senses. Acting only for the pleasure of the material body brings you further from practical realization of your factual identity as an eternal spirit soul (separate from the temporary material body).
8. Give up ritualistic pious activities. Transcend feelings of duty and obligation and perform all activities for the pleasure of Krishna.
9. Discuss the glories of the Holy Name with servants of the Lord who will relish hearing about it.
10. Chant attentively, absorbing your full consciousness in the transcendental vibration of the Holy Name.
Mahanidhi Swami also notes that one who cultivates the four qualities of humility, tolerance, pridelessness, and respect for others will be protected from committing the ten offenses

Your Servant In Service Of Srila Prabhupada and Gurudev,
Sachin Kumar Gupta
Chant:Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare,Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.& be Happy


--
Yours Servant

Sri Krishna Hari Das
(Dr Satish Gosain MBBS DNB i Med)
Congregational Preacher, ISKCON, Delhi, NCR & Gurgaon.
+91-97170-55006, +91-98913-86194 +91-11-2512-5595, +91-11-2512-8754


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Audio Version of the blog




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Lying down eastways



---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: BVKS Sanga Mail <BVKS.Sanga.Mail@pamho.net>


From:      Internet: "Radhananda Dasa. BVKS"
Date:      06-Dec-09 15:06 -0700
For:       BVKS Sanga
Subject:   Re: lying down eastways
------------------------------------------------------------
Mahat-Tattva Prabhuji,
Please accept my humble obeisances
All glories to Srila Prabhupada

During sleep your head should point east or south, for sleeping with
the head pointing east brings knowledge, and sleeping with it pointing
south promotes long life and strength. You should avoid sleeping with
the head pointing west or north, for sleeping with the head pointing
west brings worries, and sleeping with it pointing north can induce
premature death.

>>> Ref. VedaBase => PP 4.13: Preparation for a Day of Devotional Service

I am unable to provide any direct quote explaining how this works.
But, it might be related to the fact that Aniruddha, who is the
director of mind, also expands himself as sun-god who emerges from the
eastern horizon.

Hrsikesendriyatmane. The mind is the director of the senses, and Lord
Aniruddha is the director of the mind. In order to execute devotional
service, one has to fix his mind on the lotus feet of Krsna; therefore
Lord Siva prays to the controller of the mind, Lord Aniruddha, to be
pleased to help him engage his mind on the lotus feet of the Lord. It
is stated in Bhagavad-gita (9.34): man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji
mam. namaskuru. The mind has to be engaged in meditation on the lotus
feet of the Lord in order to execute devotional service. It is also
stated in Bhagavad-gita (15.15), mattah smrtir jnanam apohanam ca:
from the Lord come remembrance, knowledge and forgetfulness. Thus if
Lord Aniruddha is pleased, He can help the mind engage in the service
of the Lord. It is also indicated in this verse that Lord Aniruddha is
the sun-god by virtue of His expansions. Since the predominating deity
of the sun is an expansion of Lord Aniruddha, Lord Siva also prays to
the sun-god in this verse.

>>> Ref. VedaBase => SB 4.24.36

Also, mind being product of false ego in mode of passion, is most
active & passionate at noon during Aniruddha muhurata, when it's
predominating deity, sun-god is at zenith. Mind is prone to be
influenced by goodness and ignorance at dawn and dusk respectively.

Hare Krishna

Your Servant,
Radhananda Dasa


> From:      Internet: "Mahat Tattva Dasa"
> Date:      30-Nov-09 17:09 -0800
> For:       BVKS Sanga
> Subject:   lying down eastways
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> I've been hearing over the years that it is auspicious to position one's
> body eastways when lying down for longer periods such as when sleeping.
> What is the source of this knowledge and how does it really work?
>
> Thank you.
>
> Your servant,
> Mahat-tattva Dasa




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Krishna.com eBook Club | Bhagavad-gita As It Is | Part [BG.IN.04]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Krishna.com Ebook Club <ebookclub@krishna.com>

Krishna.com eBook Club | Bhagavad-gita As It Is | Part [BG.IN.04]

The position of isvara, the Supreme Lord, is that of supreme consciousness. The jivas, or the living entities, being parts and parcels of the Supreme Lord, are also conscious. Both the living entity and material nature are explained as prakriti, the energy of the Supreme Lord, but one of the two, the jiva, is conscious. The other prakriti is not conscious. That is the difference. Therefore the jiva-prakriti is called superior because the jiva has consciousness which is similar to the Lord's. The Lord's is supreme consciousness, however, and one should not claim that the jiva, the living entity, is also supremely conscious. The living being cannot be supremely conscious at any stage of his perfection, and the theory that he can be so is a misleading theory. Conscious he may be, but he is not perfectly or supremely conscious.

The distinction between the jiva and the isvara will be explained in the Thirteenth Chapter of Bhagavad-gita. The Lord is kshetra-jna, conscious, as is the living being, but the living being is conscious of his particular body, whereas the Lord is conscious of all bodies. Because He lives in the heart of every living being, He is conscious of the psychic movements of the particular jivas. We should not forget this. It is also explained that the Paramatma, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is living in everyone's heart as isvara, as the controller, and that He is giving directions for the living entity to act as he desires. The living entity forgets what to do.

First of all he makes a determination to act in a certain way, and then he is entangled in the actions and reactions of his own karma. After giving up one type of body, he enters another type of body, as we take off and put on clothes. As the soul thus migrates, he suffers the actions and reactions of his past activities. These activities can be changed when the living being is in the mode of goodness, in sanity, and understands what sort of activities he should adopt. If he does so, then all the actions and reactions of his past activities can be changed. Consequently, karma is not eternal. Therefore we stated that of the five items (isvara, jiva, prakriti, time and karma) four are eternal, whereas karma is not eternal.

----------------------------

Translation and commentary by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

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No chance for the ego to arise

"Happiness is union with God. There is no place without God. Whatever you do, you should feel that it is God's work. God is acting through your body. He is thinking through your mind. He is working through your hands. If you work with this feeling, there is no chance for the ego to arise. The body is lifeless, just matter. The mind is a bundle of desires. It is just imagination. You are not the body; you are not the mind; you are the Atma (soul)."

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VAISHNAVA KE? Who is a Real Vaisnava?

By Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura (Bengali and English Translation)

dushta mana! tumi kiser vaishnava?
pratishthar tare, nirjaner ghare,
tava 'hari nama' kevala 'kaitava'

O wicked mind! What kind of Vaishnava do you think you are? Your pretentious show of chanting Lord Hari's holy name in a solitary place is only for the sake of attaining the false prestige of a worldly reputation-it is nothing but pure hypocrisy.

jader pratishtha, shukarer vishtha,
jano na ki taha 'mayar vaibhava'
kanaka kamini, divasa-yamini,
bhaviya ki kaja, anitya se saba

Such materialistic prestige is as disgusting as the stool of a hog. Do you not know that it is only a mere illusion cast by the potency of Maya? What is the value of contemplating day and night your plans for enjoying wealth and women? All these things are only temporary.

tomar kanaka, bhoger janaka,
kanaker dvare sevaho 'madhava'
kaminir kama, nahe tava dhama,
tahar-malika kevala 'yadava'

When you claim wealth as your own, it creates in you ever-increasing desires for material enjoyment. Your riches should be used for serving Madhava, the Lord of all wealth. Neither is it your proper place to indulge in lust for women, whose only true proprietor is Lord Yadava.

pratishthasha-taru, jada-maya-maru,
na pela 'ravana' yujhiya 'raghava'
vaishnavi pratishtha, tate koro nishtha,
taha na bhajile labhibe raurava

The demon Ravana (lust-incarnate) fought with Lord Ramachandra (love-incarnate) in order to gain the tree of worldly reputation-but that oasis turned out to be but a mirage cast in the desert wasteland of the Lord's illusory material potency. Please cultivate fixed determination to attain only the steady and solid platform whereupon a Vaishnava ever stands. If you neglect worshiping the Lord from this position, then you will ultimately attain a hellish existence.

harijana-dvesha, pratisthasha-klesha,
koro keno tabe tahar gaurava
vaishnaver pache, pratisthasha ache,
ta'te kabhu nahe 'anitya-vaibhava'

Why do you needlessly suffer the torment of blaspheming the devotees of Lord Hari, attempting to achieve their eminence, thereby only proving your own fruitless foolishness? The desire for spiritual eminence is easily fulfilled when one becomes a devotee of the Lord, for eternal fame automatically follows the heels of a Vaishnava. And that fame is never to be considered a temporary worldly opulence.

se hari-sambandha, shunya-maya-gandha,
taha kabhu noy 'jader kaitava'
pratishtha-candali, nirjanata-jali,
ubhaye janiho mayika raurava

The relationship between a devotee and Lord Hari is devoid of even a trace of worldly illusion; it has nothing to do with the materialistic cheating propensity. The prestige of so-called popularity in the material realm is compared to a treacherous dog-eating witch, and the attempt to live in solitude to supposedly engage in unalloyed bhajan is compared to an entangling network of distraction. Please know that anyone striving in either of these ways verily lives in the hell of Maya's illusion.

kirtana chadibo, pratishtha makhibo,
ki kaja dhudiya tadrisha gaurava
madhavendra puri, bhava-ghare curi,
na korilo kabhu sadai janabo

I shall give up chanting the Lord's name publicly in kirtan and retire to solitude, thus smearing myself with worldly honor." Dear mind, what is the good of seeking such so-called glory? I will always remind you that the great soul Madhavendra Puri never deceived himself in that regard by committing theft in his own storehouse of perception the way you do.

tomar pratishtha,-'shukarer vishtha',
tar-saha sama kabhu na manava
matsarata-vashe, tumi jada-rase,
majecho chadiya kirtana-saushtava

Your cheap reputation is equal to the stool of a hog. An ordinary ambitious man like you can never be equated with a devotee of Madhavendra Puri's eminence. Under the sway of envy, you have drowned yourself in the filthy waters of material enjoyment after having abandoned the excellent perfection of congregational kirtan.

tai dushta mana, 'nirjana bhajan,'
pracaricho chale 'kuyogi-vaibhava'
prabhu sanatane, parama jatane,
shiksha dilo yaha, cinto sei saba

Truly, O wicked mind, the glories of so-called solitary worship are propagated only by false yogis using unscrupulous means to deceive others. To save yourself from these pitfalls, please contemplate the instructions that the Supreme Lord Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu kindly gave us while addressing Shrila Sanatana Goswami with the utmost care.

sei du'ti katha, bhulo' na sarvatha,
uccaih-svare koro 'hari-nama-rava'
'phalgu' ar 'yukta,' 'baddha' ar 'mukta,'
kabhu na bhaviho, ekakar saba

Do not forget for a moment the two most valuable concepts that He taught: 1) the principle of dry, apparent renunciation as opposed to real, appropriate renunciation; and 2) the principle of a soul being trapped in the bondage of matter as opposed to a soul who is liberated. Don't ever make the mistake of thinking that these conflicting concepts are on the same level. Please remember this while engaging yourself in chanting the Lord's holy names as loud as you possibly can.

'kanaka-kamini,' 'pratishtha-baghini,'
chadiyache jare, sei to' vaishnava
sei 'anasakta,' sei 'shuddha-bhakta,'
samsar tatha pay parabhava

One is truly a Vaishnava who has given up the habit of falling victim to the ferocious tigress of wealth, beauty, and fame. Such a soul is factually detached from material life, and is known as a pure devotee. Someone with this consciousness of detachment has thereby become victorious over the mundane world of birth and death.

yatha-yogya bhoga, nahi tatha roga,
'anasakta' sei, ki ar kahabo
'asakti-rohita,' 'sambandha-sahita,'
vishaya-samuha sakali 'madhava'

One is indeed detached who moderately partakes of worldly things that are deemed necessary for living in devotional service; a devotee acting in that manner does not fall prey to the disease of material infatuation. Thus devoid of selfish attachment, and endowed with the ability to see things in relation to the Lord, all sense objects are then directly perceived as being Lord Madhava Himself.

se 'yukta-vairagya,' taha to' saubhagya,
taha-i jadete harir vaibhava
kirtane jahar, 'pratishtha-sambhar,'
tahar sampatti kevala 'kaitava'

This is the standard of befitting renunciation, and one who realizes this is most fortunate indeed. Everything involved in such a devotee's life represents Lord Hari's personal spiritual opulence as manifest in the world of matter. On the other hand, one who engages in chanting the Lord's name with hopes of enhancing his own material reputation finds that all his activities and paraphernalia represent only the riches of hypocrisy.

'vishaya-mumukshu,' 'bhoger bubhukshu,'
du'ye tyajo mana, dui 'avaishnava'
'krishner sambandha,' aprakrita-skandha,
kabhu nahe taha jader sambhava

O mind, please reject the company of two types of persons-those desiring impersonal liberation from the material world, and those who desire to enjoy the pleasure of material sense objects. Both of these are equally non-devotees. The things that are used in relation to Lord Krishna are objects belonging directly to the transcendental realm, and thus having nothing to do with matter they cannot be either owned or forsaken by persons interested in mundane enjoyment or renunciation.

'mayavadi jana,' krishnetara mana,
mukta abhimane se ninde vaishnava
vaishnaver das, tava bhakti-ash,
keno va dakicho nirjana-ahava

An impersonal philospher is opposed to thinking of Krishna as an object of devotion, and thus being puffed up with the false pride of imaginary liberation he dares to criticize the true devotees of the Lord. O mind, you are the servant of the Vaishnavas, and you should always hope for attaining devotion. Why then do you make such a loud commotion by calling to me and trying to prove the supposed supremacy of your practice of solitary worship?

je 'phalgu-vairagi,' kohe nije 'tyagi,'
se na pare kabhu hoite 'vaishnava'
hari-pada chadi', 'nirjanata badi,'
labhiya ki phala, 'phalgu' se vaibhava

One who falsely gives up things that could actually be used in the Lord's service proudly calls himself a 'renunciate,' but unfortunately he can never become a Vaishnava by such an attitude. Abandoning his servitorship to the lotus feet of Lord Hari, and resigning himself to his solitary home-whatever is gained by that exercise can only be the worthless treasure of deception.

Pada Puja of Srila Prabhupada
radha-dasye rohi', chadi 'bhoga-ahi,'
'pratishthasha' nahe 'kirtana-gaurava'
'radha-nitya-jana,' taha chadi' mana,
keno va nirjana-bhajana-kaitava

Ever engage yourself in the service of Shri Radha, and keep aloof from the vicious snake of materialistic sense gratification. The glory of participating in the Lord's kirtan is not meant to bolster anyone's ambitions for personal recognition. O mind, why then have you abandoned the identity of being Radha's eternal servant in favor of retiring to a solitary place to practice the cheating process of so-called bhajan?

vraja-vasi-gana, pracaraka-dhana,
pratishtha-bhikshuka ta'ra nahe 'shava'
prana ache ta'r, se-hetu pracar,
pratishthasha-hina-'krishna-gatha' saba

The most valuable treasures amongst the Lord's preachers are the eternal personalities residing in Vraja-dham. They never occupy themselves with begging for worthless material reputation, which is cherished only by the living dead. The Vraja-vasis are truly infused with life, and therefore they preach in order to give life to the walking corpses of the mundane world. All the songs that the Vraja-vasis sing about the glories of Lord Krishna are devoid of any tinge of desire for fame.

shri-dayita-das, kirtanete ash,
koro uccaih-svare 'hari-nama-rava'
kirtana-prabhave, smarana svabhave,
se kale bhajana-nirjana sambhava

This humble servant of Radha and Her beloved Krishna always hopes for kirtan, and he begs all to loudly sing the names of Lord Hari. The transcendental power of congregational chanting automatically awakens remembrance of the Lord and His divine pastimes in relation to one's own eternal spiritual form. Only at that time does it become possible to go off to a solitary place and engage in the confidential worship of Their Lordships.


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VEDIC THOUGHT

 "The Lord is very satisfied with his devotee when the devotee greets other people with tolerance, mercy, friendship, and equality."  (Svayambhuva Manu – Srimad Bhagavatam 4.11.13)

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The Real Potency of Mahaprasadam



---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Dr Satish Gosain (Sri Krishna Hari Das) <sri.krishna.hari@gmail.com>

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: ramkivr2000 <ramkivr@emirates.net.ae>

 

Dear Prabhujis and Mathajis,

Hare Krishna! Please accept my humble obeisances! All glories to Srila Prabhupada and Gurudev!

Whenever Maharajas or Sadhus visit our place the whole atmosphere is surcharged with spirituality. Normally after offering prasada to such mahatmas it is a common scene among devotees to run for mahaprasadam. Everyone tries to grab the plate and swallow the entire blessings. While we may do this, often there is a tendency to get too superficial about the whole concept of Mahaprasadam and eat it without understanding the real power of Mahaprasadam.

In SB 1.5.25 Srila Naradji says,

ucchishta-lepan anumodito dvijaih
sakrt sma bhunje tad-apaasta-kilbishah
evam pravrttasya vishuddha-cetasas
tad-dharma evaatma-rucih prajaayate

"Once only, by their permission, I took the remnants of their food, and by so doing all my sins were at once eradicated. Thus being engaged, I became purified in heart, and at that time the very nature of the transcendentalist became attractive to me."

From this we have to understand, it is not that the remnants of the food alone that turns one to the position of a great devotee. The bhaktivedantas are pure devotees. As a boy Naradji was infected with their qualities of purity by associating with them. He was already self-controlled and had no attachment for sports even though it is common for the boys of his age. Also he was not naughty and did not speak more than what is required. These are the qualities of sadhus. More than grabbing the mahaprasadam one has to grab the transcendental quality of the pure devotee which is the attraction for the Personality of Godhead's name, fame, qualities, pastimes, etc. Infection of the qualities of the pure devotee means to imbibe the taste of pure devotion always in the transcendental activities of the Personality of Godhead. Such a taste at once makes all material things distasteful. That is detachment. Once detachment from material activities and attachment to devotional activity comes, then even a grain of mahaprasadam taken one time also eradicates all the sins. That is the miraculous power of mahaprasadam. Although Naradji took the remnants by permission only, Srila Prabhupada writes such remnants may be taken even without permission of the pure devotees. Along with consuming mahaprasadam one has to imbibe the purity in the devotee.

Let us pray to the Supreme Lord and pure devotees like Srila Prabhupada and Srila Gurudeva to bestow their great mercy upon us so that we can perform sincere devotion unto their lotus feet.

Thank you very much.
Yours in the service of Srila Prabhupada and Gurudev,
Poorna prajna das
Abudhabi.

--
Yours Servant

Sri Krishna Hari Das



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Oh my God, Good one!

When a scorpion is encircled by fire, he stings himself and
dies. So the wicked nature of the mind is destroyed by the presence of the
fire-like acharya
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Story for meditation - 27/11/2009 - ADVENT OF Srimad BHAGAVAD GITA



---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Dr Satish Gosain (Sri Krishna Hari Das) <sri.krishna.hari@gmail.com>



---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: akinchan priya das <akinchanpriyadas.gkg@gmail.com>






 
The Glories of Chapter One of the Bhagavad Gita from the Padma Purana

Parvati said "My dear husband, You know all the transcendental truths, and by your mercy I have heard the glories of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Krishna. Oh Lord, now I long to hear from You the glories of the Srimad Bhagavad-gita, which was spoken by Lord Krishna, and by hearing which, one's devotion to Lord Krishna increases"

Lord Shiva replied "That person, Whose body is the color of a dark rain cloud, whose carrier is the king of birds, Garuda, and Who is lying on Ananta-Sesha, the thousand headed serpent, that Lord Vishnu, Whose glories have no limit, I am always worshipping. My dear Parvati once after Lord Vishnu had killed the demon Mura, He was resting peacefully on Ananta-Sesha, when the bestower of all good fortune of the universe, Sri Lakshmi, respectfully inquired from Him.

"Bhagavan, You are the controller and maintainer of the whole universe, but yet You are sleeping unhappily on this ocean of milk What is the reason?"

Lord Vishnu said, "My dear Lakshmi, I am not sleeping, but I am watching how wonderfully My energy is working. It is by this wonderful energy of Mine, by which I am controlling all things, and yet remain separate. And it is by remembering these divine activities of Mine, that the great devotees and yogis manage to free themselves from the wheel of birth and death, and attain that transcendental nature of Mine, which is eternal and free from all qualities."

Lakshmi said, "O, controller of all things. You are the goal of the meditation of great yogis. Nothing can go on without You. And yet You are separate. You are the cause of creation, maintenance and destruction of all the material universes. Kindly inform me about the workings of Your wonderful energies, which are so attractive, that even You are lying here, meditating upon them"

Lord Vishnu said, "My dear Lakshmi, the workings of My multi-fold energies, and how to become free from the bonds of birth and death, and attain My eternal Nature, can only be understood by one of pure intelligence, who has an inclination to render service unto Me. This transcendental knowledge is fully explained in the Srimad Bhagavad-gita"

Lakshmi inquired, "My dear Lord, if you yourself are amazed, by the workings of Your energies, and are ever trying to fathom their limit, then how is it possible that the Bhagavad-gita can describe those unlimited energies of Yours, and how to cross over them, and attain the transcendental nature?"

Lord Vishnu said, "I Myself have manifested in the Form of Bhagavad-gita. Please understand that the first five chapters are My five heads, the next ten chapters are My ten Arms, and the Sixteenth Chapter is My stomach. The last two chapters are My lotus-feet. In this way you should understand the transcendental Deity of the Bhagavad-gita. This Bhagavad-gita is the destroyer of all sins. And that intelligent man who daily recites one chapter or even one shloka, one half shloka, or at least one quarter shloka, will attain the same position as Susharma had attained."

Lakshmi inquired, "Who was Susharma? What class did he belong to? And what destination did he attain?"

Lord Vishnu said, "My dear Lakshmi, Susharma was a very wicked and a most sinful man. Although he was born in a brahmana family, his family had no Vedic knowledge. And he only took pleasure from hurting others. He never engaged in the chanting of My names, in giving charity, or receiving guests. In fact, he never performed any pious activities. For his livelihood he collected leaves, and sold them in the bazaar. He especially enjoyed drinking wine, and eating flesh. In this way he passed his life.

"One day that foolish Susharma had gone to the garden of one sage for collecting leaves, when a snake came and bit him, and he died. After his death he was cast into many hells, where he suffered for a long time. After which he attained the body of a bull. That bull was purchased by a crippled man, who engaged him in his service. For about seven or eight years he was carrying extremely heavy loads. One day that crippled man had piled a very heavy load onto the back of his bull. Very quickly he was forcing that bull along when suddenly the bull fell over and became unconscious. Many persons gathered there, to see what was happening, feeling sorry for that bull. One pious man bestowed upon that bull the results of some of his pious activities. Seeing that, other persons standing there started remembering their pious activities, and offered the results of some of those activities to that bull. In that crowd there was also one prostitute who did not know if she had ever performed any pious activities, but seeing everyone else offering their pious credits to that bull, she also offered the results of any pious activities she might have performed After that, the bull died, and was taken to the abode of Yamaraja, the God of Death.

There, Yamaraja informed him, "You are now free from the reactions of all your previous sinful deeds, due to the pious credits given to you by that prostitute." Then he took birth in a very high brahmana family. In that birth, he was able to remember his past lives. After many days, he decided to search out that prostitute, who had been the cause of freeing him from his hellish situation.

After he had found and introduced himself to that lady he inquired from her "What were the pious activities performed by you, the fruits of which freed me from my hellish situation?" The prostitute replied to him, "My dear sir, in that cage is one parrot, which recites something everyday. Hearing that recitation, my heart has become completely pure. The results of hearing that recitation I had given to you." Thereafter they both inquired from that parrot about that recitation. That parrot, remembering his previous life, started to narrate his history. "Previously, I had been a very learned brahmana. But due to my pride, I used to insult other learned persons. I was also extremely jealous. After I died, I was cast into many hells, and after a long time of suffering, I achieved this body of a parrot. Due to my past sinful activities, my mother and father died while I was a baby. One day, while I was lying on the hot sands, with no protection, some rishis saw me, and took me to their ashram, and put me in a cage. At that same place, the children of those rishis were learning the recitation of the First Chapter of the Srimad Bhagavad-gita, Hearing them repeat those Shlokas, I also, started repeating those shloka along with them.

"Shortly after, one thief stole me from that place and sold me to this pious lady." Lord Vishnu continued, "By reciting the First Chapter of the Bhagavad-gita, that parrot had become completely pure. And by hearing that recitation that prostitute also became completely pure. And by receiving some of the pious results of hearing that recitation, Susharma also become completely pure.

After discussing for some time the glories of the first chapter of Bhagavad-gita, Susharma returned to his home, and the three of them individually engaged in reciting the First Chapter of Srimad Bhagavad-gita, and very quickly attained the supreme destination, Vaikuntha." Anyone who recites, who hears, or studies the First Chapter of Bhagavad-gita, will very easily cross over the ocean of material miseries, and attain the service of the lotus-feet of Lord Krishna.


PS: I humbly request all the devotees to please forward moral / instructive stories they hear so that everyone can be benefited
__._,_.___
 
.

__,_._,___




--
yours in the service of Lord Krishna
Akinchan Priya Das



--
Yours Servant

Sri Krishna Hari Das




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Putting an end to Courtesy Japa



---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Dr Satish Gosain (Sri Krishna Hari Das) <sri.krishna.hari@gmail.com>




---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: akinchan priya das <akinchanpriyadas.gkg@gmail.com>



This is a newsletter by Mahatma Prabhu, Srila Prabhupada's disciple on our state of Japa. Plese read it, it will help you to improve your chanting.

 

" Nish , nish, ram, ram, nish, nish, ram, ram." Prabhupada once imitated how we sometimes
chant without focus, without concentration, without proper pronunciation – how we chant
when we don't feel like chanting. You know the mood behind this chanting; "I have to
chant but I'd rather be doing something else." And in our minds we are thinking, "I can't
wait to get these rounds out of the way." We all do this. And it can get pretty bad.
I know devotees who chant rounds while watching football games on TV.

Prabhupada explained that this type of chanting is more or less useless because it will not
produce the desired result, love of Krsna. To even call this chanting is a stretch. It is closer
to a ritual. But Prabhupada acknowledged the value in the ritual by saying that although
this kind of chanting is not very productive, at least those who are chanting this way are
keeping their vow to chant.

I call this kind of japa, "courtesy japa." "Courtesy japa" means that since you have taken a vow -
either to your spiritual master or yourself - to chant a certain number of rounds daily, you keep
that vow while chanting the kind of japa I described above.

Here are a few other examples (methods) of what I call "courtesy japa:"

  • Chanting while talking to someone (you talk, and when they reply you chant).
  • Chanting while reading (which could really work if you have two heads, one to
    read and one to chant).
  • Chanting while listening to a CD or the radio (this is especially challenging while
    listening to the news or listening to rock and roll music).
  • Chanting while shopping.
  • Chanting while window shopping (this often happens on early morning japa walks).
  • Chanting while you are dosing off (sometimes known as dive bomb japa).
  • Chanting while site seeing or looking around at a million things (sometimes known
    as radar japa).
  • Chanting while watching movies (Krsna Conscious movies are included in
    "courtesy japa").
  • Chanting a little, talking a little, chanting a little, talking a little (sometimes known as
    jibber japa).
  • Chanting while …………………… (fill in your favorites).

Note, these are all excellent ways to ruin your japa and thus put your Krsna conscious
transmission in park. You can make incredible advancement during japa. Good japa is like
flying down the highway in fourth gear. Good japa produces inspiration, realization, detachment,
increased desire to serve, attraction to study scripture, and an ability to see maya's workings more
clearly. And there are so many more gifts japa delivers. Yet we deprive ourselves of these gifts
when we chant "courtesy japa."

THE NEW MANTRA IS "DOWN WITH 'COURTESY JAPA'."

"Courtesy japa" is like shooting a gun with blank bullets. When the trigger is pulled it just sounds
like a bullet is being fired. Obviously you can't win a battle firing blanks. Similarly,
"courtesy japa" sounds like the Hare Krsna maha mantra but it is just an empty sound, a shadow
of the real thing. Certainly you can't win the battle with maya firing blank mantras.


The problem is - and this is something we have to accept philosophically as well as practically –
if you keep practicing the wrong way, you'll continue to get wrong results. What's more is that
bad chanting tends to produce more bad chanting. Let me say that in another way because this
is really important. The more you practice the wrong way of doing something, the more it
gets engrained/programmed within you and the harder it usually becomes to fix it.


THUS IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY FOLLOW THAT THE LONGER YOU CHANT THE
MORE ADVANCED YOU WILL BECOME.


Do you have a severe case of courtesy japaitis programmed into you? If so, ask yourself how you
are going to kick the habit. This is an important question to answer because good japa is one of
the pillars of spiritual life.

It's all about fighting apathy in our japa. As Lord Caitanya said, playing the part of a
conditioned soul, "I am so unfortunate that I have no attraction for chanting Your Holy
Names." So we have two choices during japa. One is to go with the flow and just let
the mind wander. The other is to go against the flow and make a valiant effort to focus
on the holy name and chant in a prayerful, devotional mood. That's not so easy. It takes
effort. It goes against everything "courtesy japa" stands for. And this is not much fun
for lazy japa chanters like me. After all, concentrating is hard work.

Japa can be a creative time. Often when I chant I get all kinds of ideas. Also the many things
I have to do in the day - and even creative ways of doing them - keep popping up in my mind
(or should I say keep pooping in my mind). Don't dwell on these. If they come up, either neglect
them (those good ideas will most likely come up later) or stop chanting and write them down
so you don't have to think about them while you chant.

How will you break the habit of "courtesy japa?" Krsna is in your heart and He will help you as

much as you want to be helped. Krsna says from Me come knowledge, remembrance and

forgetfulness. So He will show you how to become a master of japa or a master of

"courtesy japa." It all depends on what you want. If you want to improve, He will

show you when to chant (hint – early in the morning), where to chant (hint – where you are

not distracted), how to chant (hint – in front of devotional pictures, tulasi, Deities, etc,

not in front of a television or a non Krsna conscious magazine).

 

So here's the exercise. Write on top of a piece of paper, How To Improve My Japa?

Below that write the subtitle, Putting an end to"courtesy japa." Then make your list.


,__





--
yours in the service of Lord Krishna
Akinchan Priya Das



--
Yours Servant

Sri Krishna Hari Das
(Dr Satish Gosain MBBS DNB i Med)


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