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Bhakti Yoga-Devotional Service to the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna

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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Better to die than to run away from fighting

>
>
> If you don't fight as a Kshatriya and try to renounce your prescribed duty as troublesome to become a mendicant then my illusory energy will once again impel you to act like a Kshatriya because that's your nature and you will fall down from your position. Even if you die in the battle, it is better for you to fight according to religious principles as a matter of duty- Lord Sri Krishna to Arjuna in Bhagavad Gita.
>
> Yours
> Dinesh
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Krishna Prasadam - Sabhudana, Avacado milk shake


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Material or spiritual - what makes the difference ?

Anything or anyone acting as an obstacle for material sense enjoyment, becomes our enemy because of our strong desire to gratify our own senses. But spiritual enjoyment is so pleasurable that we will naturally want everyone else also experience the same pleasure which we experience because we get even more when we give to others.

When we become morose at something or someone in our way to sense enjoyment, it's a guideline for us to know that we are in illusion.
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Krishna Prasadam - Rice, Arbi Gravy and Tapioca based fryums


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The purpose of food is to increase the duration of life, purify the mind and aid bodily strength.


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Strictness, Inquiries Into the Absolute, Digest 421



Strictness
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Digest 421, October 29th, 2013. Answers by His Holiness Romapada Swami Maharaja

You are invited to send your questions to His Holiness Romapada Swami at inquiries@romapadaswami.com with the word "Question" included in the subject line  or  submit your question at http://www.romapadaswami.com/?q=feedback/Question.

Strictness
```````````````````

805)
I am a very sinful soul, I cannot follow very strict laws as other devotees always do. All I can do is share some simple information with other interested people. Otherwise I am the worst among devotees.

I know that assocication with sadhus is the cure for my depleted condition, but I feel intimidated by their strictness. What to do?

Ans:

I would like to respond to your question in two parts.

1. The Strictness of a Sadhu

You have the impression that a sadhu is a strict personality, perhaps so strict that their presence is intimidating.

Please carefully consider the following. As a follower of Srila Prabhupada, and particularly one who serves His Divine Grace as a sannyasi or guru, one MUST be a "strict follower". This specific quality was expressed by Srila Prabhupada as one of the primary qualifications of a guru: one must be a strict follower of his spiritual master.

Some scriptural references express this mandate.

SB 3.28.20 "A sadhu is a strict follower of devotional service."

Gopal Tapani Upanisad "By remembering Me, one who follows no vows becomes a strict follower of vows."
    ___

Just as a genuine sannyasi or guru is one who follows the footsteps of Srila Prabhupada, please carefully consider HOW LENIENT WAS SRILA PRABHUPADA
- in his interactions with guests, with new devotees, as well as his own disciples, who were pushing forward his mission with great effort and getting results!

In the course of my years of devotional service, I have learned the essential lesson of being super lenient and totally non-judgmental with others, while remaining personally very strict with my own standards and behaviors.

Here is a nice scriptural reference which supports that realization:

Bhakti-rasamTta-sindhu (1.2.200):

laukiki vaidiki vapi ya kriya kriyate mune hari-sevanukrlaiva sa karya bhaktim icchata

"A devotee may act as an ordinary human being or as a strict follower of Vedic injunctions. In either case, everything he does is favorable for the advancement of devotional service because he is in KTnÅ a consciousness."

Conclusion:
Please do not feel judged when associating with a sadhu, simply due to the fact that the sadhu is personally strict with themselves.

A compassionate sadhu will not carry a stick, a rod to chastize others who are not prepared to make the same sacrifices they make. Doing that might have a reverse effect on some individuals.

Here is an expression used by Srila Prabhupada, which conveys the same message: "Bees are attracted by honey, not by vinegar."

A sadhu can detect who is a bee-like devotee. When detecting the sincerity of such a person, honey-like appreciation and recognition for the gifts Krishna has given that soul is extended, encouraging their talents and energy to be utilized in Krsna's service -- while gradually and gently extending efforts to uplift that soul's character.
   ___

2. * A devotee's strengths, and a devotee's weaknesses *

Until one becomes a perfected soul, one will have strengths and weaknesses.

I have learned an axiom in devotional service which I would like to share with you.

To improve from whatever position one is situated in, along the path of one's spiritual journey -

a. Do those things very nicely, regularly, with maximum attention, which give one spiritual strength!
b. From the strength gained from these activities, BORROW STRENGTH from there, and apply it to the areas where there may be spiritual weakness.

In this way, one can progress spiritually from any position.

I encourage you to consider how the above axiom might apply to you, in your ongoing Krishna conscious life.

*************************
Previous questions and answers are available with subject classification at http://www.romapadaswami.com/inquiries
Digests 1-242 are included as a PDF file at:
http://www.romapadaswami.com/Inquiries/IITA_full.pdf
Lectures: http://www.romapadaswami.com/audio
Brief biography of His Holiness Romapada Swami:
http://www.romapadaswami.com/HHRPS_bio
**************************







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Do the prescribed duties as a matter of duty without attachment

One should do the prescribed duties until one gets the desire to constantly hear the pastimes of Me. When purified by the desires through prescribed duties which are performed as a matter of duty, you will attain the desire to surrender to Me completely - Lord Sri Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita chapter 18.

Yours
Dinesh
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Breakfast Prasadam


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Krishna Prasadam - Rice, Dhal, Cabbage Sabji


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Krishna Prasadam - Vegetable Long grain rice, Potato Sabji


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You don't need a horoscope or a microscope to see the mess that you're in

George Harrison - 'Awaiting On You All' - Original Audio



                                           "Awaiting On You All"

You don't need no love in
You don't need no bed pan
You don't need a horoscope or a microscope
To see the mess that you're in
If you open up your heart
You will know what I mean
We've been polluted so long
Now here's a way for you to get clean

By chanting the names of the lord and you'll be free
The lord is awaiting on you all to awaken and see
Chanting the names of the lord and you'll be free
The lord is awaiting on you all to awaken and see

You don't need no passport
And you don't need no visas
You don't need to designate or to emigrate
Before you can see Jesus
If you open up your heart
You'll see he's right there
Always was and will be
He'll relieve you of your cares

By chanting the names of the lord and you'll be free
The lord is awaiting on you all to awaken and see
Chanting the names of the lord and you'll be free
The lord is awaiting on you all to awaken and see

You don't need no church house
And you don't need no Temple
You don't need no rosary beads or them books to read
To see that you have fallen
If you open up your heart
You will know what I mean
We've been kept down so long
Someone's thinking that we're all green

And while the Pope owns 51% of General Motors
And the stock exchange is the only thing he's qualified to quote us
The lord is awaiting on you all to awaken and see
By chanting the names of the lord and you'll be free

--
Yours
Dinesh

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It's fire all over, not the time to gossip but to evacuate

When there is fire catching up around, we can't talk unnecessarily but take immediate measures to escape the danger zone. Similarly we are afflicted with the fire of lust in this material world which is burning in our hearts for millions of lifetimes. We don't have much time to examine the cause of the fire but to take shelter of the rain which is the mercy of The Lord in the form of His Holy names, forms, pastimes.

No matter how many buckets of water you pour or bring tankers of water, you can't extinguish the forest fire. Only rain can put off a forest fire. We should invoke the mercy of The Lord by our service to Him and His devotees.

To keep complaining about the situations and people won't help but immediate action.
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Krishna Prasadam - Rice, Curd/Yoghurt and Channa Sabji


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Krishna Prasadam - Puri and Panneer Mutter Sabji


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Krishna Prasadam - Coconut Rice, Brocolli, Steamed tapioca roots


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Never consider yourself the cause of the result of your actions and never be attached to not doing your duty

Arjuna: Do I incur sin by killing my own kinsmen? Is there anyone in the past who attained perfectin by this process?

Krishna: King such as Janaka attained perfection solely by performing prescribed duties. Prescribed duties should not be given up for the sake of bodily discomfort.

Never consider yourself the cause of the result of your actions and never be attached to not doing your duty. One who acts as he is obligated without false ego shall not incur any reactions for his actions.

Yours
Dinesh
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Who is my beloved except for You?

"O Lord Hari I have spent my life uselessly. Having obtained a human birth and having net worshiped Radha and Krsna, I have knowingly drunk poison. The treasure of divine love in Goloka Vrndavana has descended as the congregational chanting of Lord Hari's holy names. Why did my attraction for that chanting never come about? Day and night my heart burns from the fire of the poison of worldliness, and I have not taken the means to relieve it. Lord Krsna, who is the son of the King of Vraja, became the son of Saci (Lord Caitanya), and Balarama became Nitai.


 The holy name delivered all those souls who were lowly and wretched. The two sinners Jagai and Madhai are evidence of this. O Lord Krsna, son of Nanda, accompanied by the daughter of Vrsabhanu, please be merciful to me now. Narottama Dasa says, "O Lord, please do not push me away from Your reddish lotus feet, for who is my beloved except for You?" (A poem by Narottama Dasa Thakura)


Yours
Dinesh

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We are interdependent beings

If we think we are independent beings, sorry we are mistaken. We are interdependent beings. To continue living, We need the bare minimum support from material nature which is being operated by the higher beings who control the air, water, fire. The individual soul has nothing to do with these material elements with which he is identifying the self. Just like a man bound by chains has to drag them around wherever he moves, the living beings(souls) have to drag their mind and body wherever they move around in the material manifestation. This is the punishment for souls like us who are defying the authority of the Lord.

--


Yours
Dinesh

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Krishna Prasadam- Vegetable Pulav, Panneer Sabji


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Krishna Prasadam - my only shelter - Rice, Black eyed peas&yam gravy, Pappad


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[granthraj] Instructions of Rshabhadeva - Part 13


 

Hare Krishna Prabhujis and Matajis,
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada and Srila Gurudeva.

This is in continuation of the transcription of the nectarean class given by our beloved spiritual master, H H Mahavishnu Goswami Maharaj on Srimad Bhagavatam verse 5.5.13 on August 2nd, 1998 in Singapore. In the previous offerings we heard from Maharaj about the importance of austerity and how austere Rshabhadeva and His parents were. Maharaj also explained the meaning of verse 5.5.10 and 11 of Srimad Bhagavatam. Let us continue to hear more nectar about the next verse from Maharaj.

adhyaatama-yogena vivikta sevayaa
praanendriyaatmaabhijayena sadhryak
sac chraddhayaa brahmacaryena shashvad
asampramaadena yamena vaacaam

"Practice reading the revealed scriptures. Live in a secluded place and practice the process by which you can completely control your life air, mind and senses. Have full faith in the revealed scriptures, the Vedic literatures, and always observe celibacy. Perform your prescribed duties and avoid unnecessary talks."

In this verse the word vivikta sevayaa is very important. vivikta sevayaa means living in a solitary place. Those who perform austerity, they love solitary places because there is less disturbances. They love to go away from the modern metropolis. Modern metropolis is all sense gratification. And our way is completely opposite to this. And that is why always Prabhupada insisted that we are swimming against the current. River is flowing in one direction and we want to go against the current. And if we want to go against the current, then continuous endeavour is required. As soon as you stop, you glide down. This is Rshabadev. Why vivikta sevayaa? Why? To study the revealed scriptures - adhyaatma yogena. This is the main thing and there is no end to study. Nobody can claim that, 'I have studied everything'. We may study very hard and at the end of the day we will feel that, 'Ah, I didn't know anything really'. 

It is like examination. You study very hard for the examination. You work very hard. But when you go to the examination hall, whatever you studied completely vanishes from the mind and you think, "What am I going to write?" Somehow or the other Krishna comes to your help and He dictates you, when you write the answer paper. Otherwise, we don't have any capacity. Therein also we have to be very austere. So many austerity is required to learn everything. And when you go to the examination hall, you forget everything. And somehow or the other by Krishna's mercy as if everything is cribbing up, from unconscious thing, we write everything and to our surprise we may get through. This is how, please try to understand these things. And this is adhyaatmic study. It is much more powerful than the ordinary studies. Then Rshabhadeva insists on praanendriyaatmaabhijayena sadhryak - controlling life-air, mind and senses. sac chraddhayaa brahmacaryena shashvad - approaching the scriptures with faith and observing celibacy. Then in the last line He says asampramaadena yamena vaacaam - control your vaaca - This is the main thing.

Krishna willing we will continue to hear more nectar from Maharaj in the subsequent offerings.

Thank you very much.
Yours in service of Srila Prabhupada and Srila Gurudeva,
Sudarshana devi dasi.


__,_._,___

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Sridham Mayapur Darshan of Sri Radha Madhava



--
Yours
Dinesh

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