Bhakti Yoga-Devotional Service to the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna
Gopis performing Devotional Service to the Lordships Sri Sri Radha Krishna
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Yours
Dinesh
Blog:http://dinesh-krsna.blogspot.com
Krishna, the Perfect Friend
by Ajitananda Dasa
The more we hear about God's unlimited qualities, the more we'll understand that nothing can satisfy like friendship with Him.
The desire for friendship is universal. It is based on our propensity to love someone. This propensity is thoughtfully explained by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada in The Nectar of Devotion, one of the philosophical cornerstones of the Krishna consciousness movement. In his Preface, Srila Prabhupada writes,
The basic principle of the living condition is that we have a general propensity to love someone. No one can live without loving someone else. This propensity is present in every living being. Even an animal like a tiger has this loving propensity, at least in a dormant stage, and it is certainly present in the human beings. The missing point, however, is where to repose our love so that everyone can become happy? That missing point is Krishna, and The Nectar of Devotion teaches us how to stimulate our original love for Krishna and how to be situated in that position where we can enjoy our blissful life.
The Vedic literature tells us that our original friend is Lord Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In the material world, we mistakenly try to re-create our blissful, primeval relationship with Him through various temporal relationships, all of which fail to satisfy our perpetual longing for perfect friendship. Krishna, or God, is the divine fountainhead of the loving sentiment that can be seen in all living beings. The Vedas explain that God created us out of His inexhaustible desire for loving exchanges. Thus friendship with Him is the original state of the soul.
Since we are eternally part of Krishna, there is a natural intimacy between Him and us. In the Bhagavad-gita we learn that He is residing within our hearts as the Supersoul, graciously accompanying us as we wander throughout the universe, life after life, in search of lasting happiness. Unlike us, God possesses a spiritual vision that is never dimmed by material contact, and thus He is perfectly aware of our folly. As our true friend, He exhibits His kindness upon us by allowing us to learn through our own experience the futility of our efforts, and He lovingly deflects our attention back to Himself, the abode of all happiness.
Because Lord Krishna is supremely pure, His friendship is never contaminated with the selfish motives that stain material relationships. In the material world, everyone is ultimately concerned with his or her own interest. Even our friendships are part of our plan for our own enjoyment.
Lord Krishna, by contrast, is always anxious for our ultimate well-being. Although we have turned away from Him, driven by our envy of His position as the supreme enjoyer, He continues to provide all our necessities. The air, the sun, our inherent abilities, and countless other gifts are all clear indications of His good will. And Krishna's greatest expression of friendship is His association, which He generously offers us through the revealed scriptures, saints, and spiritual masters, who regularly appear throughout the millenniums to invite us back to the spiritual world.
The attractive, dynamic qualities of the soul tend to remain static in the material world because of the soul?s marriage with inert matter. As a result, the thrill of material relationships diminishes quickly. We grow bored seeing the same faces day in and day out. But Krishna is never boring, for His transcendental qualities are ever fresh and ever expanding.
In the Vedas it is stated that even if the scientists could count all the grains of sand on a beach or all the atoms in the universe, they could never estimate even one drop of God's blissful, all-attractive features. The Nectar of Devotion offers an illuminating summary of Lord Krishna's spiritual qualities. By studying this great work in a spirit of devotion, we can enhance our appreciation for the Lord and thus develop the desire to know His sublime friendship.
For example. The Nectar of Devotion explains that no one is more appreciative or reciprocative than Lord Krishna, as shown in His dealings with His friends. Once, a poor brahmana named Sudama offered Krishna a few grains of rice. Because Sudama was penniless, he was unable to present his Lord with a valuable gift, as was his desire, but because his humble offering was saturated with love, Krishna eagerly accepted it and ate it with great delight. Out of deep gratitude, Krishna reciprocated with Sudama by giving him more opulence than can be imagined even by the wealthiest person in this world, and in the end Sudama was granted entrance into Krishna's spiritual abode. Hearing of Krishna's limitless capacity for appreciating and reciprocating the love of His devotees can inspire us to rekindle our friendship with Him.
Lord Krishna is also the most faithful and considerate friend. He will never abandon us or allow us to feel neglected. Although His propensity to love is so great that He desires to interact with countless living beings simultaneously. He can do so without neglecting even one of them. When Krishna was in Dvaraka, He expanded Himself, by His supreme mystic power, into many Krsnas, giving spiritual bliss to each one of His sixteen thousand queens, each of whom thought that Krishna was residing with her alone.
Another reason that God's friendship is the most desirable relationship is that it is eternal. In the material world we may sometimes form a relationship with another person that seems to be of sterling quality, but even that soon fades like a dream. At the time of death, the karma of both friends carries them far apart from one another, as strands of seaweed, meeting momentarily on the crest of a wave, are separated forever when the wave breaks to shore.
Happily, this is not the case if we befriend Krishna. The exchange between God and the living entity is never checked. Even if one begins the attempt to realize Krishna in this life and is not completely successful in his spiritual development, he begins in his next life from where he left off, until at last he achieves perfection.
Since we are all Krishna's servants, it is important for us to remember that any attempt to approach Him must be attended by a serving attitude. Just as the Lord, out of His kindness, is always busy making arrangements for His devotees' happiness, we must also try to act for His pleasure. This is the beginning of real love. And there is no loss for us if we agree to cultivate our devotional sentiments. In fact, serving Krishna is so relishable that Krishna Himself appeared in the form of a devotee, as Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, to taste this pleasure and to show us, by practical example, that there is no greater aspiration for the living being than to achieve Lord Krishna's friendship.
The Krishna consciousness movement is in the direct line descending from Lord Chaitanya. It was established by Srila Prabhupada to assist those seriously interested in reviving their dormant love for God. Its doors are open to everyone. Persons who aspire for perfect friendship will certainly embrace this rare and wonderful opportunity to find lasting spiritual happiness in the eternal company of Lord Krishna, the perfect friend.
--Yours
Dinesh
Blog:http://dinesh-krsna.blogspot.com
Question by Bhakta Gary, South Africa: Maharaja, what is the main difference between siksa and diksa?Srila Gurumaharaj: For all gurus siksa is a kind of the common denominator. All gurus are giving siksa, or instruction. Siksa means instructions which is representing Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead accurately. Srila Prabhupada mentions in his books that usually when a person is getting siksa who is helping him the most in siksa giving him the biggest contribution to his faith that person usually one takes initiation from. Taking initiation, or diksa, is really a commitment to the guru parampara and the spiritual master also is having responsibilities for the initiated disciple. So the diksa guru is simultaneously diksa and siksa guru. Srila Prabhupada said, "I am both the diksa and siksa for my disciples." There maybe other siksa gurus also who help the diksa guru in instructing the devotee to get to serve Guru and Krishna. When a siksa guru gives instruction, he is also obliged to give the instruction which is according to sadhu and sastra and the previous gurus. If he gives mis-instruction then he will be also held responsible. So there can be many siksa gurus but there can only be one diksa guru. Diksa means getting the mantra, siksa means getting instruction. With diksa, siksa is included.
HH Jayapataka Swami Srila GurumaharajQuestions & Answers from Wincom (pamho)chantHare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare HareHare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
Question by Jaya Radha Krsna das, Mayapur: While chanting Hare Krishna Mahamantra, if sometimes one chants the mantra with improper pronunciation, what is the effect? Should one endeavour to pronounce properly? Even if the tongue is not habituated is it offensive chanting? What about the persons who are unable to pronounce properly Hare, Rama, Krishna?
Response by HH JPS: Thank you for your question. Despite we should try to chant the mantra properly, and we should try to hear the mantra properly. Inattentive chanting is offensive. So if we are attentive then we ought to try to pronounce properly. At the same time it says that even if someone is not able to pronounce perfectly, the fact that they are trying to chant Hare Krsna. It's not just a mechanical process. In the Vedas, if you mispronounce a mantra, it will produce a different result. This is not that kind of a mantra. If you are chanting Hare Krishna even improperly, Krsna understands that you are trying to chant His Holy Names and He will bless you. Just like a little child is chanting the name of the parent, "Ba Ba, Daddy, Papa." The parents are really happy. He recognizes me, she recognizes me, my name. So like that, Krsna also appreciates when we try to chant His Holy Names. This is mentioned in SB 7.5.23 on the nine practices of devotional service.
HH Jayapataka Swami Srila Gurumaharaj
Questions & answers from WINCOM(pamho)
chant
Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
Question: How can we distinguish between bhakti-lata creeper and the false creepers in the heart since they can seem similar?
-- Srila Gurumaharaj: The bhakti-lata creeper and the other false creepers are called upasakas or weeds and the weeds are inspired by such things like love, profit, position, worship, respect, violence, harsh dealings, diplomatic dealings, political dealings, attachment for breaking the principles... Some are quite obvious and some are very subtle.
If someone is doing dev. service and is motivated only by getting respect, then they will become unmotivated and they have to analyze. So somebody is more sincere about their motives then they take out those weeds out of the heart. Actually I am not serving because I want to get respect. I am just doing this to please Guru and Krsna. I know when I was building mayapur, it was very intense. Srila Prabhupada had us working from 6 in the morning till midnight every day. Double shifts. At one point I thought I was going to crack. Then I was just thinking that I would never do this for money or any other reason. I am just doing this because I really want to please Srila Prabhupada and the previous acaryas who want to see my effort in all this. And then, somehow when I thought like that I could just feel like as if Bhaktivinoda Thakur was smiling at me. Suddenly things seem to feel a lot better. It is important that we realign our thoughts. How we pull the weeds is that when we let some other motives or some other things creep in, then it becomes burdensome to do devotional service when it is not aligned with other creepers. If we are properly doing things for right Krsna conscious reason, then it is always blissful to do devotional service.
HH Jayapataka Swami Gurumaharaj
Questions & Answers from Wincom(pamho)
chant
Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare HareHare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
Yours
Dinesh
Blog:http://dinesh-krsna.blogspot.com
The idea of having farm communities is to get rid of the mad rat race of work, work, work until death and get sufficient time to perform devotional service and preach the message of Godhead to the suffering humanity.
But there's also an increasing number of fanaticism among those who venture into the farm projects that those who cannot work in the farms are unfit for performing devotional service or also there's widespread notion of completely rejecting them by opposing views.
Varnashrama maniac. What is varnashrama dharma? To regulate the modes of nature or to engage the people in the occupational duties according to their tendencies or their acquired modes of nature but keeping Lord Vishnu as the centre of all activities. One should not forget that there's conditioning even in the mode of goodness. Now there's an increasing number of devotees who are conditioned by many factors like I don't use any chemicals, only use organic foods, herbal oil, everything I use is sooo good and natural. All those who use the modern world products are in maya. I am so much in goodness that I can perform devotion so nicely. This is conditioning.
It is not proper to disvalue the devotees who are making their living by other means by other than farm communities. The end result is end of the day is to get food, clothing and shelter. SP mentions in SB that the modes of passion and ignorance are also auspicious if you see at a higher level. Just like the government has educational department in a state, it also has criminal laws department. Both are equally important for the execution of the state. If there's no mode of ignorance, we can't sleep at night time. If there's no passion we can't do our work rather be simply saying I am in goodness I cannot work. Arjuna while fighting needed so much passion to kill the enemies. Not by simply smiling and being in goodness he can do his work. So much passion is required to kill the enemies. In other words, passion also can be easily engaged in the Lord's service without any harm.
Working in farm is also not direct devotional service, it is of course in the mode of goodness unlike the workers in the office doing paper or mind wo
So there's no big reason to be too much puffed up for being in the farm communities.
Quote Starts ---
BG 3.6: Not by merely abstaining from work can one achieve freedom from reaction, nor by renunciation alone can one attain perfection.
BG 3.7: On the other hand, if a sincere person tries to control the active senses by the mind and begins karma-yoga [in Kṛṣṇa consciousness] without attachment, he is by far superior.
BG 3.8: Perform your prescribed duty, for doing so is better than not working. One cannot even maintain one's physical body without work.
BG 3.9: Work done as a sacrifice for Viṣṇu has to be performed, otherwise work causes bondage in this material world. Therefore, O son of Kuntī, perform your prescribed duties for His satisfaction, and in that way you will always remain free from bondage
IN THE BHAGAVAD-GITA (12.8-12) Lord Krsna gives a series of merciful prescriptions for the benefit of people in different circumstances.
The first direction Krsna gives is this: "Just fix your mind upon Me, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and engage all your intelligence in Me. Thus you will live in Me always, with-out a doubt." (Bg. 12.8) This instruction is meant for someone already advanced on the path of bhakti-yoga, someone who has attained the stage of spontaneous attraction to serving Krsna (raganuga).
For someone who has not yet developed spontaneity, the Lord recommends vaidhi-bhakti, or devotional service in practice: "My dear Arjuna, O winner of wealth, if you cannot fix your mind upon Me with-out deviation, then follow the regulative principles of bhakti-yoga. In this way develop a desire to attain Me." (Bg. 12.9). By following this advice, one will become purified and rise to the stage of love of God.
For a person unprepared or unable to practice such principles of bhakti-yoga, Lord Krsna advocates karma-yoga, the sacrifice of one's work: "If you cannot practice the regulations of bhakti-yoga, then just try to work for Me, because by working for Me you will come to the perfect stage." (Bg. 12.10) In the purport to that verse, Srila Prabhupada suggests that we be "sympathetic to the propagation of Krsna consciousness." He writes,
There are many devotees who are engaged in the propagation of Krsna consciousness, and they require help. So, even if one cannot directly practice the regulative principles of bhakti-yoga, he can try to help such work. Every endeavor requires land, capital, organization, and labor. Just as in business one requires a place to stay, some capital to use, some labor, and some organization to expand, so the same is required in the service of Krsna. The only difference is that in materialism one works for sense gratification. The same work, however, can be performed for the satisfaction of Krsna, and that is spiritual activity. If one has sufficient money, he can help in building an office or temple for propagating Krsna consciousness. Or he can help with publications. There are various fields of activity, and one should be interested in such activities. If one cannot sacrifice the results of his activities, the same person can still sacrifice some percentage to propagate Krsna consciousness. This voluntary service to the cause of Krsna consciousness will help one to rise to a higher state of love of God, whereupon one becomes perfect.
-Quote Ends
Take away is one should not think that by being in farm communities one is directly engaged in devotional service, nor the workers in office should think so because both are working but offering the results to the Lord. Definitely there's some purification for the performer. Direct devotional service to the Lord by preaching and selling the books is at a higher level, no doubt about that. Until one gets to that point of dedicating whole of their lives to the Lord, one should practice other means gradually step by step to progress in the path of perfection which is to revive our dormant and spontaneous love for God.
Yours
Dinesh
Blog:http://dinesh-krsna.blogspot.com
Our dealings with the materialistic minded people should be as limited as possible.
Because we absorb our consciousness on things around us like a gemstone that absorbs light from outside and stores within.
We automatically start imitating things around us even without our knowledge, thats the nature of the mind. When a person is diseased
with a highly contagious disease, that person is usually quarantined to prevent the spreading of the disease to those around.
Similarly the pure devotees of the Lord do not take bliss in the association of materially motivated people.
The pure devotees of the Lord keep themselves aloof from the association of materialists just like, we stay away from the diseased.
This Sankirtan movement of Lord Caitanya is also very contagious but in a good sense.
The association of the followers of Lord Caitanya brings all auspiciousness and it doesn't stop with
one person, the person who got it has to spread, otherwise he can't relish the nectar he is provided
with.
In this regard we have two types of devotees. Gostanandi (serves the Lord via Preaching the Glories
of the Lord where ever he goes or where ever the Lord sends him)and Bhajanandi(Bhajanandi serves the Lords abode/dham,
meditates on the Lord within). Gostanandi is already a Bhajanandi. Most of the devotees in the movement of
Lord Caitanya are Gostanandis.
If Srila Prabhupada didn't come to America, I will not be here to write this article, rather would have been
lost elsewhere in easing out the contact of sense objects with the senses predominantly.
A supporting article, Quotes start here..
" Preaching is the Essence
His Divine Grace A.C. Bhakti Vedanta Swami Prabhupada
Lord Caitanya wants His followers to preach all over the world:
"Dear Lord, Your personal associates, devotees, wander all over the world to purify even the holy places of pilgrimage. Is not such activity pleasing to those who are actually afraid of material existence?"
There are two kinds of devotees.One is called gosthy –anandi and the other bhajanandi. The word bhajanandi refers to the devotee who dos not move but remains in one place. Such a devotee is always engaged in the devotional service of the Lord. He chants the Mahamantra staught by many acaryas and sometimes goes out for preaching work.
The gosthy-anandi is one who desires to increase the number of devotees all over the world. He travels all over the world just to purify the world and the people residing in it.
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu advised: prithvi ache yata nagaradi gram / sarvatra pracara haibemora nama. Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu wanted His followers to move all over the world and preach in every town and village.
In the Chaitanya – sampradaya those who strictly follow the the principles of Lord Chaitanya must travel all over the world to preach the message of Lord Chaitanya, which is the same as preaching the words of Krsna- Bhagavad Gita and Srimad Bhagavatam. The more the devotees preach the principles of Krsna katha, the more the people throughout the world will benefit.
Devotees like the great sage Narada who travel all over to preach are called gosti-anandi.Narada Muni is always wandering throughout the universe just to create different types of devotees. Narada even made a hunter a devotee. He also made Dhruve Maharja and Prahlada devotees. Actually all devotees are indebted to the great sage Narada, for he has wandered both in heaven and in hell. A devotee of the Lord is not even afraid of hell. He goes to preach the glories of the Lord everywhere-even in hell- because there is no distinction between heaven and hell for a devotee.
Narayana –parah sarve
Na kutascana bibhyati
Svargapavarga-narakesv
Ap tulyartha- darsinah
"A pure devotee of Narayana is never afraid of going anywhere and everywhere . For him heaven and hell are one and the same." (Bhag. 6.17.28) Such devotees , wandering all over the world, deliver those ho are actually afraid of this material existence.
Bhag. 4.30.37"
Quote ends
--Yours
Dinesh
Blog:http://dinesh-krsna.blogspot.com
Hundreds and thousands of desires, like nooses around my neck, constantly give me misery and trouble
Posted by dinesh
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.
Yours
Dinesh
Sent to you by dinesh via Google Reader:
via Indradyumna Swami's Facebook Notes by Indradyumna Swami on 9/15/12
"In my horoscope was written, 'After seventieth year this man will go outside India and establish so many temples.' I could not understand. 'What is this that I have to go outside India?' Guru Maharaja foretold. He told my Godbrothers, Sridhara Maharaja and others that, 'He'll do the needful when the time comes. Nobody requires to help him.' He told in 1935. Guru Maharaja told. And in the beginning first sight he told, 'You have to do this.'"
[ Srila Prabhupada, Room Conversation, June 17, 1977, Vrindavan ]
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Sent to you by dinesh via Google Reader:
via kksblog.com by hina on 10/14/12
(HH Kadamba Kanana Swami, Durban, South Africa, 22nd September 2012) Lecture: SB 11. 31. 24-28
We may start to help people in a mundane way, but then, we really don't know. You think you're doing a good deed by saving the life of someone who was about to drown. You pull them out of water and get a medal for it. Then you feel,
'Well, I did a good deed!'
And later it turns out that the guy was a total rat who used to regularly beat his wife and the kids, and play football with the kids, but where the kids were the ball! A situation with an outrageous person and you have saved him! You should have let him drown, isn't it?
So it is so difficult to do good in the world – to try and do good is not so easy. Even when we think we are helping someone, are we really helping them? We cannot always see the intricacies of the network of activities and reactions that a person is involved in. We don't know what somebody thinks. They can smile at us, but what is behind that smile? How can we know for real?
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