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From: ISKCON DC <ISKCON.DC@pamho.net>
Date: Thu, 5 May 2011 17:39 +0530
Subject: The bhakta who has conquered the mind: Digest 347
To:
Digest 347: May 5th, 2011. Answers by His Holiness Romapada Swami Maharaja
You are invited to send your questions to His Holiness Romapada Swami at
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The bhakta who has conquered the mind
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723) The sixth chapter of the Bhagavad Gita says that one who has conquered
his mind has reached the Supersoul. This chapter is told in the context of
laying out dhyana yoga. But, we practice bhakti-yoga. Does a pure and
realized devotee of Krishna (here, I mean the devotee has conquered the
mind, too) see Krishna in everyone's heart or the Supersoul? If the answer
is "Krishna," does he in any circumstances see the Supersoul?
Answer: Realization of the "Bhagavan" feature includes realization
of 'Brahman' and 'Paramatma' features. It is the most complete picture of
the Absolute Truth. A pure devotee sees the Supersoul as Krishna. He sees
the Lord in His Shyamasundara feature - in everyone's heart. This is
confirmed in Brahma-samhita:
premanjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena
santah sadaiva hridayeshu vilokayanti
yam shyamasundaram acintya-guna-svarupam
When we speak of differences in realization of the Absolute Truth, it is in
terms of realizing the different features or characteristics of the *same*
Subject. When a brahman-realized person interacts with others, he sees them
as an energy of the Supreme. The vision of paramatma-realized yogi is more
evolved -- he sees everything and everyone in relationship with the
Supersoul -- which is but a clearer vision of brahman. Whereas a devotee
sees everyone as servants of Krishna, and Krishna reciprocating from within
the heart. (Recall the example of the Sun, or a hill, studied from afar,
and then closer, and further by entering into the Sun or the hill itself,
and clearly seeing the personalities there -- the subject is the same in
each case, the difference is in one's vision.)
We see according to our vision -- the same object carries different meaning
to different people according to their vision -- a loving mother sees a lot
more in her child's shoes than a stranger would.
The paramatma-realized yogi can appreciate some features of the Lord -- His
feature as Supersoul -- such as His being the source of everything, His
superintendence over material nature, His being equal to all living
entities, giving them remembrance, forgetfulness and knowledge etc, but
such a yogi does not have realization of the more intimate features such as
the sweetness of Krishna's nature or His loving reciprocation of Krishna
with His devotees. But because a devotee's eyes are anointed with pure
bhakti, He sees the Original Supreme Lord, Govinda or Krishna, even while
perceiving the activities of the Supersoul such as His maintaining the
material creation, or His being a witness to our activities.
This idea is more clearly illustrated in the description of Krishna
entering the arena of Kamsa, where different persons saw Him differently at
the very same moment - the wrestlers saw Krishna as a lightning bolt, the
yogis saw Him as Supreme Truth, the unintelligent saw Him as universal
form, Kamsa saw Him as Death personified, while His parents saw Him as
their own darling son. (SB 10.43.17)
**************************
Digests 1-346 are available with subject classification at
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Digest 1-242 are included as a PDF file at:
http://www.romapadaswami.com/Inquiries/IITA_full.pdf
Lectures: http://www.romapadaswami.com/?q=audio
Brief biography of His Holiness Romapada Swami:
http://www.romapadaswami.com/?q=HHRPS_bio
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Yours
Dinesh
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