Give your heart even when it hurts

Posted by dinesh

Give your heart even when it hurts

18 May 2014 by Amrtavani devi dasi Leave a Comment

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 30 March 2014, Cape Town, South Africa, Sunday Lecture)

Give your heart to everyone, even if they don’t give anything back. It hurts sometimes when people are hard-hearted and not responding properly but take that pain with patience and carry on. Somehow, keep on chiseling at stone. Get through that barrier. In the Netherlands, we say that some people have a block of concrete in front of their head. Just chisel right through! Give your heart. That is a vaishnav - we give our hearts.

The heart is involved in being merciful to the conditioned souls. The heart is involved, it is not just, “Yeah, I’m having a great time here with my pakoras and so on …” No! How can I have my pakoras when people are suffering in the world? How can I sleep when there is still even one person who is caught in the cycle of birth and death? How can I sleep?

This is how Krsna feels. Krsna is emotionally involved. He is thinking, “How can I enjoy unlimited pleasure in an ocean of transcendental bliss if there is still one person missing?”

Of course, he is enjoying in an ocean of transcendental bliss at every moment but he wants that one person also to be a part of it – that is Krsna. So, if even Krsna is emotionally involved, how can the devotee not be? We are emotionally involved with everyone, not only our own little circle. Open the heart to everyone!

Source: http://www.kksblog.com/2014/05/give-your-heart-even-when-it-hurts/

Yours

Dinesh

Bhakti Yogi @ http://dinesh-krsna.blogspot.com

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I depend on You

Posted by dinesh

I depend on You

27 Dec 2010 by Uddhava das

In my life many times I have been in extreme circumstances – many times. We were driving in the car between Mayapur and Calcutta. I told the driver:
“Aasthe, Aasthe” which means slow.
“ Dheerae, Dheerae”
I told him because he had the tendency to speed up in the villages. I don’t know but some drivers do that, whenever there are people they try to drive faster(laughter). I don’t know what it is but they do that. So he was one of those and so I told him to slow down in the villages.

But suddenly, a cyclist who was also not slowing down, and got in the middle of the road and right in front of our car and, ‘Bang!’ we hit him and then our car flew off the road – and it rolled! In the next moment I was flying! I didn’t know that I could fly, but I could! (laughter). I was flying and then I had a landing on the grass – which I guess was good – on the part that we usually sit on! I was not sitting for a long time!
You can understand that, that was definitely a situation and what do we do at such moments?

I was lying at the side of the road, and the people who were Bengalis were angry…

Someone in their village had been injured, but still alive, and they thought that I was responsible. So there was a whole angry crowd that were around me. I learned Bengali on the spot on that day! (laughter). I didn’t speak Bengali but I learnt it right there and then and managed to say to them;

“Did you get the driver?”

They said; “Driver?…driver?”

“Did you get him? He must be getting away”

So all the men said, “Yes let’s go, and get the driver!”

So that was good. So we get in very difficult situations, and of course we have to do something practical at the time of death! But we also have to remember Krsna! Ultimately we take shelter of Krsna! I was there and I realised;

“Krsna I’m in big trouble…Krsna I mean I cannot runaway now…Krsna I depend on You and whatever you want, but it’s up to You”.

Then I became peaceful, and could accept: “Alright whatever Krsna desires”
That is transcendence. Transcendence is not that we pray on our knees;

“Oh Lord, oh Lord! Please save me! Please save me Lord !” – No that is not transcendence.

Transcendence is; “My Lord I’m placing myself in your hands. You know what is best, and I’m leaving it up to you.”
I mean the situation got out of control – not just a little bit, but totally.
“Now there is nothing I can do anymore. Now all I can do is leave it up to You.” This is the transcendental state of consciousness, where one stops trying to be the controller!

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, Chowpatty, 12th December 2010)

source :

http://www.kksblog.com/2010/12/i-depend-on-you/

Yours

Dinesh

Bhakti Yogi @ http://dinesh-krsna.blogspot.com

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Words of arrows can kill the heart

Posted by dinesh

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Friends of enemies are also enemies

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Anger pride envy madness greed lust are all friends with each other. So think well before allowing anyone of them into your system. If you give place to one of them they will bring their friends also one by one.

Yours

Dinesh

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Baby steps and mercy

Posted by dinesh

When the babies first learn to walk they slip and fall down quite a few times until their bodily limbs become strong enough to attain stability.

Similarly with our weak faith in Krishna, we fall down many times becoming prey to the glamour of the material energy and get stuck.

We can make progress with a little support from our spiritual master, the father, the baby learns to walk steadily despite the impediments on the way.

Srila Prabhupada said he has given all his mercy to his disciples. If you voluntarily put knife on your neck nobody can help you. Similarly we voluntarily associate with the modes of material nature and get contaminated despite the mercy of Guru and Lord Caitanya that protects us from illusory energy.

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Taste for offensive attitude grows

Posted by dinesh

We have taste for Krishna's names and His mercy in the form of Prasadam. And it grows as long as we don't offend the Vaishnavas and The Lord. Similarly the taste for offensive attitude also grows with someone who already has begun offending. It needs correction before it grows bigger and bigger. We see from Caitanya Lila that there was one who went to extent of offending even Lord Caitanya for eating more as a sannyasi.

In Krishna Lila, Rukmi, Jarasandha, Sisupala all of them offended Krishna and their offenses had to be stopped at some point otherwise it was not good for them. So The Lord punishes miscreants as a father for the benefit of the child.

A big ship is held at the port by a small iron part. Similarly our soul can be saved by simply controlling the small part in our big gross body - tongue in our speech and eating remnants of food offered to Krishna.

Yours

Dinesh

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Fight!

Posted by dinesh

From: bhakti.vikasa.swami

Srila Prabhupada said:

So you have to fight. Krsna never said, 'Arjuna, oh, you are My devotee, you
sit down and sleep, I shall take care of . . . ' He never said that. So if
you take that position -- we are devotees, non violent, and let us sleep ..
. . Fight! With all the resources that we have got. That is wanted.

So prepare for fight. Don't be afraid. Arjuna, they were five brothers and
the other party, one hundred brothers. Therefore Dhrtarastra was confident
that 'What are these five brothers without any help? We have ruined them.
They were in the forest for thirteen years. Lost all connection, no kingdom.
I have got government in hand, and my hundred sons, and we are well
equipped.'

You must come forward to fight. If you simply sit down in Vrndavana, then
Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mission is not being carried. He says, prthivite ache
yata nagaradi grama. [CB Antya-khanda 4.126] That is His mission. I am a
teeny person; single handed we shall fight? Why you should see the fun and
do not fight? That I am asking you. I shall fight and you shall see the fun?
Come with me to fight, because there is a world fight now.

It is a serious situation; you should not see simply the fun and claim to
belong to Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Now you should come out to fight. Am I wrong
or right?

Now we should combine together and fight. As soon as you introduce something
strong, there will be fight. There will be fight. Even Krsna had to see the
fight, Kuruksetra. Dharmaksetre kuruksetre samaveta yuyutsavah [Bg. 1.1].
The fight must be there, yuyutsavah. So if you belong to Caitanya
Mahaprabhu's party, then you should come out to fight. Whatever's done is
done, and it is done single handed. Nobody has helped me. Even not my
Godbrothers. These American boys, they have helped me. They understood the
philosophy and they helped me.

Now you should come forward, all combine together. There is a great fight.
We are just planning how to fight. Now when there is fight, it requires real
strength. Now their fight is confronting us because they are feeling the
strength. Their whole civilization is threatened. We are recommending no
illicit sex, no intoxication, no gambling, and no meat eating. This is the
basic principle of modern civilization. So the foundation is threatened.
Theoretically they are taking that 'If these four things are stopped, then
where is our civilization?' The millions of liquor manufacturers, breweries,
millions of gambling houses, cigarette factories, so theoretically if this
movement is successful, then whole civilization is finished. Because these
young men have taken seriously, so they are threatened and they are making a
strong party to fight with us."

We should gather our strength. Fight. Krsna never said that 'Don't fight.'
Never said to Arjuna that 'You are My devotee; you don't fight. You are very
good gentleman, nonviolent, and I shall do everything for you.' Never said
that. He said, 'Now there is a great dangerous fight. Why you are saying
like a nonsense?' anarya justam, like non Aryan. This fight is another good
news that they are feeling the strength.

Fight! Without fight, where is life? If there is no fighting, then what is
that life? That is dead stone. Fight must be there. Krsna's whole life is
fighting from the very birth. His father carried Him to Gokula and He fell
down in the Yamuna and . . . Just born, the fighting began. Just born. And
at Yasodamayi's house, Nanda Maharaja's house, so many demons daily coming
-- Sakatasura, Aghasura, Bakasura, Putana, so on, so on, so on. Ultimately
Kamsa, when He was young boy. Vrndavana, so many asuras came. You have seen
the pictures? Krsna is fighting with the horse demon, with the bull,
fighting. If Krsna is fighting, why not Krsna consciousness the same thing?
You cannot expect peaceful life. No, there must be fighting; then think,
'That is Krsna's presence, His fight.' So this fighting means they're
feeling the presence of Krsna consciousness movement. Otherwise why they're
making fight? Had it been an insignificant thing, there was no question of
fighting."

(Excerpts from Transcendental Diary)
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Yours

Dinesh

Bhakti Yogi @ http://dinesh-krsna.blogspot.com

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Everyone is Drowning and struggling to float in the ocean of material existence

Posted by dinesh

Each one of us is alone in this World in reality therefore no one conditioned soul can give shelter to another conditioned soul. It's like each one of us trying to swim in the ocean and since everyone is drowning, no one can save anyone else.

Yours

Dinesh

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The "Fifty Percent" Puzzle

Posted by dinesh

The “Fifty Percent” Puzzle

by Rohininandana Dasa

While reading Srila Prabhupada’s books, I’ve often puzzled over passages like this: “Charity is meant for the householders. The householders should earn a livelihood by an honorable means and spend fifty percent of their income to propagate Krishna consciousness all over the world” (Bhagavad-gita 16.3).

When I lived in the temple, I would repeat the phrase “fifty percent of your earnings” rather thoughtlessly. Now that I live outside and have in some ways come out of my ivory tower, I’m a bit more thoughful.

For most people giving fifty percent of their grossincome seems too difficult. So I’ve been trying to understand what “fifty percent of one’s income” actually means.

Let’s look at a modest British income of $20,000. After taxes you’re left with $16,200. Then comes the mortgage or rent, and you’re down to $9,000. Fifty percent is already gone. Chalk off another $700 for travel and $1200 for telephone, electricity, and other services. Then maybe $5,000 for food, clothes, repairs and renewals, family recreation, and other expenses. You’ve only got $2,100 left

In speaking about “fifty percent,” Srila Prabhupada cites the example set by Srila Rupa Gosvami when he retired from household life. Srila Rupa Gosvami allocated half of his accumulated funds for Lord Krishna’s direct service, a quarter for his family members, and the rest for personal expenses and emergencies. Note that these were accumulated funds

In commenting on the Gita (9.27),Srila Prabhupada mentions “surplus money accumulated.” And in the Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.17.42) he further explains, “One’s accumulated wealth may be divided into three parts for distribution, namely fifty percent for the service of the Lord, twenty-five percent for the family members, and twenty-five percent for personal necessities. Spending fifty percent for the service of the Lord or for propagation of spiritual knowledge in society by way of the sankirtana-yajna is the maximum display of human mercy. … When everyone is taught to sacrifice fifty percent of his accumulated gold for the Lord’s service, certainly austerity, cleanliness, and mercy automatically ensue.”

It’s pretty clear, then, that “fifty percent of one’s accumulated wealth” refers to one’s wealth after essentialexpenses. When Rupa Gosvami made his contributions, he didn’t include the expenses he had before he took sannyasa.

When a devotee I know heard this explanation, he suddenly felt that a cloud of confusion, guilt, and apprehension had been lifted. He now felt that it was possible to dedicate fifty percent of his income for Lord Krishna’s direct service. Instead of feeling bad about himself and struggling with thoughts like, “If I can’t possibly come up to the mark, why bother at all?” he felt encouraged. In fact, he began to look for ways to cut his expenses to have more for Krishna.

Srila Prabhupada didn’t pressure people into giving their hard-earned money. By his pure teaching, people understood what is what and naturally surrendered not only their money but their lives as well.

If anyone has further thoughts on this matter, I’d like to hear them. Please write to me c/o BTG in San Diego/

Source :

http://www.krishna.com/%E2%80%9Cfifty-percent%E2%80%9D-puzzle

Yours

Dinesh

Bhakti Yogi @ http://dinesh-krsna.blogspot.com

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Fwd: BG

Posted by dinesh

Krishna : Those who have excessive attachment or aversion cannot become a devotee.

Arjuna: How does anyone ever become a devotee. It seems to be impossible to become a devotee.

Krishna: Those who are pious in the previous and in this life, by the mercy of pure devotees attain devotion to Me. The pure devotees wander all over the earth to give mercy to the fallen conditioned souls.

- HH.Purnachandra Goswami BG audio rendition chapter 7

Yours

Dinesh

Bhakti Yogi @ http://dinesh-krsna.blogspot.com

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Krishna Prasadam

Posted by dinesh

Yours
Dinesh

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Submission by the wife is a psychological tactic for a peaceful and strong marriage.

Posted by dinesh

TEXAS FAITH 127: In faith and gender politics, what does submission mean - as in, submissive spouse?

- Dallas Morning News Texas Faith Panel

In order to have a stable culture stable family life is necessary. If there is irreligion in the form of divorce it breeds lack of faith and stability in the children along other degrading qualities. Submission by the wife is a psychological tactic for a peaceful and strong marriage. Men in general like to feel that they are in charge. If a woman can give him that illusion, that he is the leader, the relationship can be more strongly supported from the danger of break up. In a traditional Vedic marriage the wife is the queen at home and the husband in the king in public. Because of this ancient social science there is hardly any divorce in India and outside of the modernized urban areas it is practically non existent.

Ultimately one is to become submissive to God. The material world is a place where souls go who have ego problems. Those of us in the material world have a tendency to lord it over others. Because a good and peaceful family life is conducive towards dharma and spiritual life, a spiritual aspirant will try to cooperate with their spouse towards that goal. The idea is that pleasure and happiness comes by serving the whole just as watering the root of the tree supplies water to its leaves. Similarly a spiritual relationship is free from mentality of getting something out of another but rather to work together to serve the whole. When a couple truly serves the root with love, they, the leaves, become nourished and satisfied. -Nityananda Chandra Das

Yours

Dinesh

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Embrace the change - Coz Change is eternal here!!!

Posted by dinesh

Embrace the change - Coz Change is eternal here!!!

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Sat and asat - basic understanding of spirituality

Posted by dinesh

The sky due to it's subtle nature doesn't mix with the air and the sun doesn't get affected by the things that is illuminated by sunlight. Similarly the spirit soul is distinct from the body and senses even though its consciousness is spread all over the body.

An intelligent person situated in transcendental knowledge can see that the soul actually does nothing while eating, sleeping, evacuating, moving about, but only the modes in action whereas a foolish person cannot feel his own soul distinct from his body and the type of enjoyment or suffering that he is experiencing with the modes of nature that he comes in contact.

Conscious beings get attached to their support and the supporters. But I am not attached to anything in the material world even though I am situated in everyone- Sri Krishna in Bhagavad Gita.

Yours

Dinesh

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Harsh words are like thunderbolt which burn one without fire.

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Lakshman in Ramayan was fixed in his idea to stay with mother Sita Devi according to Lord Rama's order when The Lord went to find the golden deer. But as soon as Marici shouted for help in Rama's voice she became agitated and asked Lakshmana to go for help.

But Lakshmana told no harm could come for Rama at any time. Finally Sita devi used harsh words saying that Lakshman wants to enjoy after the death of Rama as he is not going to help Rama in the forest.

This was like a thunderbolt for Lakshman who never even looked at Her face but only Her lotus feet. And he decided to go out to help Rama. Then the whole story of kidnap and war begins.

Yours

Dinesh

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The Ocean of the Nectar of Devotion

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Bhakti-rasämrta-sindhu

The Ocean of the Nectar of Devotion

Eastern Side

Varities of Bhakti

1. Overview of Devotion

2. Dev. Service in Practice

3. Dev. Service in Ecstacy

4. Dev. Service in Love of God

Southern Side

Overview of Rasa

1. Vibhäva

2. Anubhäva

3. Sättvika-bhäva

4. Vyabhicäré-bhäva

5. Sthäyé-bhäva

Western Side

Primary Rasas

1. Neutrality

2. Servitude

3. Friendship

4. Parental

5. Conjugal

Northern Side

Secondary Rasas

1. Laughter

2. Astonishment

3. Chivalry

4. Compasion

5. Anger

6. Fear

7. Ghastliness

8. Incompatable Mellows

9. Distorted Mellows

Yours

Dinesh

Bhakti Yogi @ http://dinesh-krsna.blogspot.com

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My dear servants, bring to me for punishment only persons who are averse to the taste of the sweet holy names of Lord Hari

Posted by dinesh

Yamaraja then told the Yamadutas:

"Paramahamsas are exalted persons who have no taste for material enjoyment and who drink the honey of the Lord's lotus feet. My dear servants, bring to me for punishment only persons who are averse to the taste of that honey, who do not associate with paramahamsas and who are attached to family life and worldly enjoyment, which form the path to hell.

"My dear servants, please bring to me only those sinful persons who do not use their tongues to chant the holy name and qualities of Krsna, whose hearts do not remember the lotus feet of Krsna even once, and whose heads do not bow down even once before Lord Krsna. Send me those who do not perform their duties toward Visnu, which are the only duties in human life. Please bring me all such fools and rascals."

Yours

Dinesh

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Love and Lust - Gold and Iron

Posted by dinesh

The word love can be actually applied only in relationship with the Personality of Godhead. In the material world, love is not applicable at all. What goes on under the name of love in the material world is nothing but lust. There is a gulf of difference between love and lust, like the difference between gold and iron. In the Nārada Pañcarātra it is clearly stated that when lust is completely transferred to the Supreme Godhead and the concept of kinship is completely reposed in Him, such is accepted as pure love of God by great authorities like Bhīṣma, Prahlāda, Uddhava and Nārada.

Yours

Dinesh

Bhakti Yogi @ http://dinesh-krsna.blogspot.com

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A man within this material world is just a dead body

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A man within this material world is just a dead body. In fact, superficially, the living entity is covered by this body, which is nothing but a bag of skin decorated with beards and mustaches, hairs on the body, nails on the fingers and hairs on the head. Within this decorated bag there are bunches of muscles, bundles of bones, and pools of blood, always mixed up with stool, urine, mucus, bile and polluted air, and enjoyed by different kinds of insects and germs. A foolish woman accepts such a dead body as her husband and, in sheer misunderstanding, loves him as her dear companion. This is only possible because such a woman has never tasted the ever-blissful flavor of Your lotus feet.

"My dear lotus-eyed husband, You are self-satisfied. You do not care whether or not I am beautiful or qualified; You are not at all concerned about it. Therefore Your nonattachment for me is not at all astonishing; it is quite natural. You cannot be attached to any woman, however exalted her position and beauty. Whether You are attached to me or not, may my devotion and attention be always engaged at Your lotus feet. The material mode of passion is also Your creation, so when You passionately glance upon me, I accept it as the greatest boon of my life. I am ambitious only for such auspicious moments."

- Srimati Rukmini Devi

Yours

Dinesh

Bhakti Yogi @ http://dinesh-krsna.blogspot.com

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George Harrison - Hear Me Lord

Posted by dinesh

Check out this video on YouTube:

http://youtu.be/l8QI74M2NOA

(Hear me lord)

Forgive me lord

Please, those years when I ignored you, hmm

Forgive them lord

Those that feel they can't afford you, hmm

Help me lord, please

To rise above this dealing, hmm

Help me lord, please

To love you with more feeling, hmm

At both ends of the road

To the left and the right

Above and below us

Out and in, there's no place that you're not in

Oh, won't you hear me lord

(Hear me lord)

At both ends of the road

To the left and the right

Above and below us

Out and in, there's no place that you're not in

Oh, won't you hear me lord

Help me lord, please

To rise a little higher, hmm

Help me lord, please

To burn out this desire, hmm

Hear me lord, please

Oh, won't you please, please

Hear me lord

Oh, hear me lord

Hear me lord

Oh, won't you please, please

Hear me lord

My lord, my lord, my lord

(Hear me lord)

Now, won't you please (hear me lord)

My lord, my lord, my lord

Won't you please / (Hear me lord)

Oh, hear me lord, hear me lord

(Hear me lord)

Yours

Dinesh

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Kindness is a circle

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VcBkgKrVaiU&sns=em

Yours
Dinesh

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We have a general propensity to love someone

Posted by dinesh

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. At the present moment the human society teaches one to love his country or family or his personal self, but there is no information where to repose the loving propensity so that everyone can become happy. That missing point is Kṛṣṇa, and The Nectar of Devotion teaches us how to stimulate our original love for Kṛṣṇa and how to be situated in that position where we can enjoy our blissful life.

NOD Preface

Yours

Dinesh

Bhakti Yogi @ http://dinesh-krsna.blogspot.com

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"Kṛṣṇa is bright like the sun. As soon as the sun appears, there is no question of darkness or nescience."

Posted by dinesh

CC Adi 13.5, Purport:

The sun has the ability to shine powerfully, and the moons reflect the sunshine and therefore look brilliant. In the Caitanya-caritāmṛta Kṛṣṇa is described to be like the sun. The supreme powerful is the Supreme Personality of Godhead Śrī Kṛṣṇa, or Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and His devotees are also bright and illuminating because they reflect the supreme sun. The Caitanya-caritāmṛta (CC Madhya 22.31) states:

kṛṣṇa—sūrya-sama; māyā haya andhakāra

yāhāṅ kṛṣṇa, tāhāṅ nāhi māyāra adhikāra

"Kṛṣṇa is bright like the sun. As soon as the sun appears, there is no question of darkness or nescience." Similarly, the present verse also describes that by the illumination of all the moons, brightened by the reflection of the Kṛṣṇa sun, or by the grace of all the devotees of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the entire world will be illuminated, despite the darkness of Kali-yuga. Only the devotees of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu can dissipate the darkness of Kali-yuga, the ignorance of the population of this age.

Yours

Dinesh

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My inability and Your mercy

Posted by dinesh

This material body of mine is not free from the influence of the forces of material nature. When will I be able to surpass the modes of material nature and relish Your transcendental qualities and affection in Your service? I have nothing to do with the coverings of my soul. Yet I am foolishly engrossed in the activities of these elements of this material world considering a some combination of elements as me and my relatives and friends and enemies.

I have no power on my own to transcend Your illusory energy. I am responsible for all my decisions to associate with the material modes of nature. But how many lifetimes should I rot in this material world having known the real truth about You? Unless You release me I have no other shelter. The shelter of maya is false and she kicks in all directions.

Yours
Dinesh

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What is the friend bestowed upon man by the demigods?

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King Yudhisthira's answers to the Yaksha:

yudhisthira

In the great epic Mahabharata, Maharaja Yudhisthira, the son of Dharmaraja is the embodiment of all good qualities. For this reason, he is often referred to as Ajatasatru, one who has no enemies.

In many conversations Yudhisthira reveals his deep understanding of the Vedic scriptures and their practical applications. One day while living in exile in the forest, Yudhisthira finds that while attempting to drink water from a lake, all his brothers have been killed by a mysterious Yaksha (a celestial entity). When Yudhisthira arrives the Yaksha challenges him to answer all his questions or else face the same consequences as his brothers. These questions-answers are like Vedic sutras, short, pithy and practical and deal with piety and religiosity.

Yaksha:: Who is really a helpful companion?

Yudhisthira: Steady intelligence is a very good friend and can save one from all dangers.

Yaksha: How can one acquire something very great?

Yudhisthira: Everything desirable can be attained by the performance of austerity.

Yaksha: What is amrita (nectar)?

Yudhisthira: Milk is just like nectar.

Yaksha: What is the friend bestowed upon man by the demigods?

Yudhisthira: Wife is such a friend.

Yaksha: What is the best of happiness?

Yudhisthira: True happiness comes as a result of contentment.

Yaksha: Why does one give in charity to brahmanas, artists, servants and kings?

Yudhisthira: For religious merit, prestige, maintenance and protection, respectively.

Yaksha: Why does one forsake friends?

Yudhisthira: Lust and greed drives one to forsake friends.

Yaksha: What is the only food?

Yudhisthira: The cow is the only food, for the milk that she produces is used to make ghee (clarified butter), which is used to perform sacrifices, pleased by which the demigods give rain, which causes the grains to grow. Therefore it should be understood that the cow is the root cause of all kinds of food.

Yaksha: What is the king of knowledge?

Yudhisthira: Knowledge pertaining to the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the king of all kinds of knowledge.

Yaksha: What is ignorance?

Yudhisthira: Not knowing one's constitutional duty.

Yaksha: What is the best bath?

Yudhisthira: That which cleanses the mind of all impurities.

Yaksha: What is real charity?

Yudhisthira: Real charity is protecting one from the onslaughts of material nature.

Yaksha: Since dharma (virtue), artha (profit) and kama (desire) are opposed to each other, how can they co-exist harmoniously?

Yudhisthira: These three become congenial to one another when one has a virtuous wife.

Yaksha: Who is condemned to everlasting hell?

Yudhisthira: When one promise a brahmana charity but upon his arrival refuses to give him charity.

Yaksha: What make one a brahmana, birth, learning or behavior?

Yudhisthira: It is behavior alone that make a person a brahmana. Even if one who is expert in the four Vedas, born of brahmana parents, but whose behavior is not proper should be considered a sudra.

Yaksha: Who is pleasing?

Yudhisthira: A person who speaks in a pleasing manner.

Finally the Yaksha asked Yudhisthira four questions of great significance:

Yaksha: Who is truly happy?

Yudhisthira: One who cooks his own food (is not dependant on anyone), is not a debtor (does not spend more than he can afford), does not have to leave home to make in order to earn his livelihood (does not over endeavor for material things) is truly happy.

Yaksha:What is the most wonderful thing?

Yudhisthira: The most amazing thing is that even though every day one sees countless living entities dying, he still acts and thinks as if he will live forever.

Yaksha: What is the real path to follow in this life?

Yudhisthira: The best path is to follow in the footsteps of the pure devotees, for they are the actual Mahajanas whose hearts are the sitting places of the real truths regarding religion.

Yaksha: What is news? (that is What is real situation in the material world?)

Yudhisthira: The material world is like a frying pan. The Sun is the fire, the day and nights are the fuel. The passing seasons are the stirring ladle and time is cook. All living entities are being thus fried in this pan. This is the real news of what is happening in the material world which is a miserable place full of ignorance.
These questions and answers cover a wide gamut of instructions from being successful to pious to religious. Pleased by the answers of Yudhisthira, the Yaksha who was none other than Dharmaraja (the father of Yudhisthira and the embodiment of religiosity) revives all the brothers of Yudhisthira and offers him many benedictions.

Yours

Dinesh

Bhakti Yogi @ http://dinesh-krsna.blogspot.com

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Spiritual warrior

Posted by dinesh

A warrior in the battle field has to be alert in watching the movements of enemies in all directions and at all times. Any slight lethargy might even cost his life and soul.

Our spiritual life is also similar to that where we have to be on guard for every moment to make sure we are acting according to the will of The Lord and for The Lord and His devotees. Any moment the enemies within can start attacking and we should be well equipped with all types of weapons such as maha mantra, faith, enthusiasm and prayers to continue the fight. Krishna will send arms and support if we fight faithfully on His behalf. Even if we die in the battle we will be considered for having fought for His sake.

Sometimes we may loose our hand or legs or even head in the fight. Casualties are common in a battlefield and is expected. So there is glory in any case if we are faithful.

Yours
Dinesh

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Sell ourself for a cheaper price?

Posted by dinesh

The mind is a prostitute which is always trying to sell ourself for a cheaper price for ulterior material pleasures which doesn't even last for long.

The Treasure of all long lasting pleasure that we all are looking for is within the core of our hearts in experiencing our loving relationship with Krishna. Just like a young man and woman have natural attraction due to sexual impulse, let my attraction to You flow spontaneously, Govinda.

Yours

Dinesh

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How do I become serious in devotional life?

Posted by dinesh

How do I become serious in devotional life?
Jayapataka Swami: It is said if you serve the pure devotee of the Lord, a Vaisnava, then you will become serious in Krsna consciousness. Because a pure devotee is very serious, you will have to become serious serving him. In one case, Prabhupada’s living quarters was being painted. Yamuna Devi Dasi was organizing all the things in Prabhupada’s room and she was expecting to get praise. She was waiting for Prabhupada to praise her. But Prabhupada started looking at the paint. She then thought , ‘Oh, its not going the way I thought.’ Prabhupada was looking somewhere he must find the defect. So he’s looking and looking and finally he tried to open one window. He couldn’t open it because the paint had shut it. “Why the window is not opening?” Then Yamuna Devi Dasi, she broke down into tears. She did not get praise, but instead Prabhupada found one thing wrong in the room that the window is shut. After that she became very serious and realized, never think that we have done anything perfect. We should always think we should do better for the Lord.

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Life is on the wheels of the thoughts of mind

Posted by dinesh

Stupid mind:

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If you insult, you will be insulted

Posted by dinesh

What goes comes around. If you kill, you will be killed. If you insult, you will be insulted. This is nature's laws. No one can escape. Nothing is happening by chance.A boomerang is a very nice example. If you throw it, it will come back to you at the same speed.

Yours

Dinesh

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Caution - Careful in quoting the Letters of Srila Prabhupada

Posted by dinesh

Some say that everything Srila Prabhupada spoke as absolute and blindly apply everything to others, may be not for the self. But if we take a step back and see, we can understand that Prabhupada was very cautious about what he was saying to whom.

For instance, one time Srila Prabhupada wrote a letter to a person saying not to eat avacadoes. But during those days it was customary to publicly read the letters of Prabhupada addressed to anyone by everyone. Later this message spread to everyone and they even stopped offering avacadoes to deities. When this came to Prabhupada's attention, he said it was specific to the person he addressed.

So while quoting letters of Prabhupada we should be very cautious. Conversations and lectures are different. It takes a lot of intelligence to really apply the right thing at the right time to the right person.

Yours

Dinesh

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Bad message of a messenger

Posted by dinesh

Thank you for everyone that came in my life. I have learnt and still learning many lessons from each of you. In the course of time I am Learning my own tendencies, strengths and weaknesses.

When there is a bad message to a king, usually the messenger is fearful to bring such a message to the king because usually a king will put the messenger who brings bad message to death. It's not the fault of messenger but it's the destiny.

Similarly we may try to punish or develop hostility with the people who are instruments of our karma. But that will not help us in anyway. Patience and Tolerance will help us to see things in proper perspective and forgive them&accept reversals gracefully as mercy of The Lord.

Haridas Thakur was beaten at 21 market places until he was acting dead himself, he tolerated patiently. So what's the point in our sighing for blame or manipulation?

Yours

Dinesh

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Over/under dosage kills a patient

Posted by dinesh

A doctor who doesn't know the right amount of dosage to the right amount of patient is eventually going to kill the patient than helping him survive.

The duty of a spiritual master diksha/siksha guru is also similar. If there is over dosage or under dosage the patient will die. Therefore it is essential that there is conversations back and forth between the guru and disciple for better understanding. Blind faith and sentimentalism won't work.

Yours

Dinesh

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Good advice about marriage, but they will not take it

Posted by dinesh

From: "bhakti.vikasa.swami"

Radha-vallabha: He is nineteen years old, the boy that wrote that. And he

made arrangement with another devotee to marry her daughter at a later date.
She's only twelve. So I've told him not to do anything until I spoke to you,
because I don't think this has ever been done in our movement yet, the Vedic
system. So I had a few questions about it. First of all I told them that
they shouldn't associate until the actual time that they get married. That's
true, isn't it?
Prabhupada: No, no, [before] marriage, they do not speak. That is the
disease in your country, that... There is no objection nineteen-years-old
boy and twelve-years girl, it is very good combination, but the culture is
so bad that after few days they will separate.
Radha-vallabha: Yes. That's the actual problem.
Prabhupada: If they stick to have one husband and one wife, it is very good.
Or even the man can marry more than one wife. That is allowed in the Vedic
system. The difficulty is nobody remains as wife, nobody remains husband. It
is very dangerous. That is against Vedic... Otherwise man can have more than
one wife, but woman cannot marry more than one husband. But the system --
the boys and girls intermingle so freely, and in your country there is no
restriction -- naturally it becomes adulterated. That is the danger.
Radha-vallabha: So he wanted to know that...
Prabhupada: Knowing or no knowing, they'll not do it even. So what is the
use of consulting me? They'll break. They'll promise and they'll break. How
you can make them standardized? They will break.
Radha-vallabha: They have to be responsible people.
Prabhupada: They'll never become. That is my experience. So what is the use
of consulting me? They'll never become. Almost impossible. They'll not keep
standardized.
Radha-vallabha: So then it should just be up to them.
Prabhupada: What is the use of consulting? They'll promise and they'll
break.
Radha-vallabha: Yes, you were telling me in Hawaii about that, that that is
the difficulty. They have no responsibility. All right, I'll tell him that.
Prabhupada: Otherwise there is no objection. I married; my wife was eleven
years old.
Radha-vallabha: You were responsible, though.
Prabhupada: Everyone in India responsible. That is Indian culture still.
Radha-vallabha: When they agree at this young age, they should wait till
they get older, right?
Prabhupada: Yes. Generally a girl attains puberty at fourteen years,
thirteen years. In India, because it is tropical climate... I think in
Western countries they attain puberty not before fifteen, sixteen years. So
although a girl is married before puberty, she is not allowed to go to the
husband until she has attained puberty. Formerly, in our days also, after
attaining puberty there is another, second marriage. Then the husband and
wife live together.
Radha-vallabha: Is there a minimum age for the man?
Prabhupada: Minimum age means generally the husband must be older than the
wife, at least five years' difference.
Radha-vallabha: What is the most amount of years they can be different? What
is the maximum amount of years there can be difference?
Prabhupada: Man has no maximum. Even an eighty-years-old man can marry a
sixteen-years-old girl. [laughter]
Radha-vallabha: Because this one devotee has a daughter twelve, and he
wanted to marry her to a man twenty-six, but he thought that was too much
difference.
Prabhupada: Yes. That is too much difference. But eight years, ten years
usual.
Radha-vallabha: Eight or ten years is best. So he also wanted to know if...
Prabhupada: That is healthy.
Radha-vallabha: He wanted to know also...
Prabhupada: And in no case... The girl must not be older than the boy.
That's not good at all.
Radha-vallabha: At the time of the agreement, when they are not yet old
enough, they do not associate at all. So not until the actual marriage do
they associate or wear white or anything like that.
Prabhupada: No, even they can be married, but no association.

Ref. VedaBase => Room Conversation -- February 27, 1977, Mayapur
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