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Bhakti Yoga-Devotional Service to the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna
Gopis performing Devotional Service to the Lordships Sri Sri Radha Krishna

Why is There Suffering in the World?

Why is There Suffering in the World?

Radhanath Swami • April 15, 2011 • Comments (0)

It's usually the sufferings of this world that serve as an impetus for us to not just theoretically try to understand what is beyond, but to feel the urgent need to do something about it, to realize and experience the essence of the self.

According to the Bhagavad-gita, as well as according to the teachings of Lord Buddha, the source of suffering is in the fact that the body is temporary, that life is temporary, and therefore everything is subjected to birth, old age, disease, and death.

The Vedas explain that there are three types of suffering: Adhyatmika, sufferings of one's own bodyand mind; Adi-bhautika, sufferings due to other living beings; and Adi-daivika, sufferings due to natural circumstances like heat or cold, or earthquakes. These sufferings are always there, potentially posing threat to the physical body at any moment.

Analysis

The soul, Krishna explains, is never born and never dies. That source of life within the body, the source of consciousness, is the atma or the soul. The soul is transcendental. In Sanskrit: sat, cit, ananda – the soul is eternal, full of knowledge, and full of bliss. That is who we are.

The soul is like the driver of the car, and the body is like the car. We are seeing through our eyes, hearing through our ears, smelling through our nose, tasting through our tongue, touching through our skin, thinking through our brain. But who are we? Are we a brain or a heart or an eye or an ear?

We are the witness – the soul. That is who we are. That soul is by nature full of love and always fulfilled. But when that soul identifies itself with the body and becomes immersed in that state, then the soul has to identify with all of the vulnerabilities and frailties of this body. That is the source of all suffering!

The Purpose

In many ways, the sufferings in this world are blessings because they help us to take life very seriously, if we make that choice, to really understand what is deeper, what is higher than all these temporary pleasures and pains, honor and dishonor, happiness and distress, health and disease, success and failure, birth and death.

The world around us is constituted on the basis of dualities. One brings pleasure, the other one brings pain. To the degree we are attached to something that gives us pleasure, to that same degree we suffer when it is lost. Ultimately, because everything is under the consumption of time, everything will be lost.

So going through these experiences, thoughtful people contemplate, "Is there something higher?" "Is there something deeper?" "Is there something more to life than this?"

All the great saintly teachers and all the great sacred scriptures are leading us in that direction, that "There is something more." This world is just a temporary place but this world can be a launching pad to help us realize the inner treasures within our own heart.

It's usually the sufferings of this world that serve as an impetus for us to not just theoretically try to understand what is beyond, but to feel the urgent need to do something about it, to realize and experience the essence of the self.

The Light

In the Bhagavad-gita Krishna tells, dukhalayam asasvatam, that the nature of this world, when we are in ignorance of our true self, is suffering. Potentially there can be suffering at any moment, whoever we are, however wealthy, however educated, however powerful. Disease, people, natural circumstance, etc., they all could create a disaster, create a tragedy. So whatever happiness anyone has in this world, it is so tottering. It is like a drop of water on a lotus leaf – at any moment it could slip away. So where is permanent happiness? Where is freedom from suffering? It exists only on the spiritual platform. And that is what all the great sages have come to tell us.

In the Bible it is said, "Make your treasure not in this world, but make your treasure in the kingdom of God. In this world your treasure will be stolen by thieves, or rusted by the elements, or eaten by moths. But if you make your treasure in the kingdom of God, it will be perfect and infallible." And then Jesus said, "The Kingdom of God is within."

Similarly, Lord Krishna tells in the Bhagavad-gita, "One should find pleasure within". One should find satisfaction within. One should be enlightened and illuminated from within. The life of such a person is of substantial quality and real intelligence."

We should seek that eternal reality beyond all the sufferings of this world and thus find realhappiness.


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KKSblog.com - Who is Rupa-manjari?



KKSblog.com - Who is Rupa-manjari?


Who is Rupa-manjari?

Posted: 02 Jun 2011 03:48 PM PDT

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 2005)

It is said that Srila Rupa Goswami was none other than Rupa-manjari. 'Rupa-manjari….Who is Rupa-manjari?'
Rupa-manjari is the intimate servant of Lalita Devi …'Who is Lalita Devi?' Lalita Devi is the direct associate of Srimati Radharani. So, Rupa-manjari is very close to Srimati Radharani. Therefore, Rupa-manjari is heading up our sampradāya. So Srila Rupa Goswami is the leader of our disciplic succession – coming down from Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and therefore we are chanting the verse:

'śrī-caitanya-mano-'bhīstam
sthāpitam yena bhū-tale
svayam rūpah kadā mahyam
dadāti sva-padāntikam'

One must take shelter of Srila Rupa Goswami. It is by taking shelter of Srila Rupa Goswami then one can fully….fully realise all the conclusions of devotional service!

A taste of where we could be

Posted: 02 Jun 2011 12:07 PM PDT

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, Durban – South Africa, April 2011)

To not be concerned with one's position, to give up all designations, not to consider: 'I am this, I am that!  I have these qualifications.'  To simply free oneself from all these designations and to dedicate oneself fully to serving the senses of Krsna – that is the essence of the residents of Vṛndāvana.

So by hearing about such Vaisnavas, who are just selflessly labouring to serve Krsna and to connect others with Krsna, such Vaisnavas are very inspiring personalities.  And they can strengthen our faith.

In the Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, which Srila Prabhupada translated as The Nectar of Devotion, there is something called chaya bhava, which is an interesting phenomenon.  It describes that when we are associating with a great devotee, that great devotee has natural deep emotion or attraction to Krsna, and in his association we may also feel a little bit of chaya bhava, which is a shadow reflection of his mood.  So in the presence of the great Vaisnavas we feel uplifted, we feel like dancing, singing… we feel very enlivened in our Krsna Consciousness suddenly.  And then, after some time, when we are no longer in the association, we feel 'out of it'.   But something of that shadow reflection is actually valuable.  Although it was a temporary inspiration, it gives us a taste of where we could be.

24h Kirtana in Burmingham and Initiaion in Leicester

Posted: 02 Jun 2011 08:43 AM PDT

From London our trip brought us to Leicester. After the morning program, with Maharaja giving the Srimad Bhagavatam class with the topic: "Vrindavana, a state of conciousness", it was off to Birmingham, where a 24-hour kirtana took place. Guests like Sacinandana Maharaja and Madhava Prabhu made for action in the kirtana and Kadamba Kanana Maharaja once again turned raga into rock and got almost everybody to dance.

The day after the 24-hour kirtana, Maharaja held an initiation ceremony in Leicester. The initiates were Upendra and Aatish, who were given the names Bali Mardana Dasa and Gurudasa Dasa.

 

If you cannot view the slideshow below, please visit flckr.

In Glorification of a Vaisnava

Posted: 02 Jun 2011 03:00 AM PDT

A Vaisnava is always preaching the glories of Krishna and other vaisnava's are always glorifying those vaisnava who preach boldy. I have created this  powerpoint slideshow to show my respects to Kadamba Kanana Swami and his bold preaching all over the world.

View the slideshow:
(You need Microsoft Powerpoint to view the slideshow)

Slideshow 1

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[srilaprabhupadanectar] Remembering Srila Prabhupada - Class at Melbourne

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: krpamaya_gauranga@hotmail.com
Date: Thu, 2 Jun 2011 20:00:25 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: [srilaprabhupadanectar] Remembering Srila Prabhupada - Class
at Melbourne
To: rememberingsrilaprabhupada@yahoogroups.com

Class at Melbourne

Prabhupada's reason for travelling to Melbourne was mainly to train
and convince his disciples. Out of the nine processes of devotional
service to Lord Krsna, Prabhupada had explained that the first
process, hearing, was the most important. Without hearing sufficiently
from authentic sources like Srimad-Bhagavatam and Bhagavad-gita,
no-one could make progress in spiritual life. Thus for the devotees,
hearing directly from their spiritual master was the highlight of
their few days with him.

In the evening, Srila Prabhupada spoke to a packed temple room from
Chapter 13 of Bhagavad-gita, verse 2.

The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: "This body, O Son of Kunti,
is called the field, and one who knows this body is called the knower
of the field."

Prabhupada spoke about the body and the owner of the body, ksetra and
ksetrajnah. "Ksetra means field. Just like a tiller, agriculturalist.
He is given a certain tract of land, and he tills and produces grains
or some vegetables or something eatable. Similarly this body is the
field and I am, or you are, who is occupying this body, we are
tillers. This body is given by nature and I am spirit soul. Just like
one may possess very valuable land, one may possess land not so
valuable, ordinary, and one may possess a third-class field.
Similarly, we living entities, we are given a certain type of body to
work with and enjoy or suffer the result of an action. Somebody is
very highly intelligent. Somebody is not so intelligent. Somebody is
very rich. Somebody is poor. Somebody is middle-class. Somebody is an
animal. Somebody is a tree. Somebody an insect. Somebody is an
aquatic."

Prabhupada described that although there were many varieties of life,
modern universities and educational institutions could not ascertain
the exact number. "They cannot say. But, if you consult the Vedic
literatures, you'll find exactly the number, jalaja nava-laksani: 'In
the water, the aquatic living beings are nine hundred thousand
different bodies.' So I don't think there is any biologist or botanist
who can say exactly how many forms of life there are within the water.

"We have got information from Vedic literature that there is a fish
which is called timingila. Timi means whale fish. These timingila fish
swallow up these whale fish like this." Srila Prabhupada opened his
mouth and eyes very wide and imitated the timingila fish gulping down
a whole whale. The devotees laughed to see Prabhupada's perfect
caricature.

"Similarly, the Vedic literatures give information, sthavara
laksa-vimsati. Sthavara means the living entities who cannot move."
Srila Prabhupada gave an astonishing example. "Here, by the side of
the wall, this house, there is a tree. It has grown. Just see that
tree is not even within the jungle. In a small space it has grown all
sides surrounded by house, and it is alone. Just see how much
condemned life. Other trees, they are at least in the jungle, in the
society of trees." The devotees laughed. "But this tree is alone. We
have to consider this, how this tree has been so much condemned. Tree
is condemned life because you are human beings, you are sitting here.
If you like, you can move immediately. But the tree cannot move.
'Stand up there.' By who's order? By God's order. 'You must stand up.'
Don't take it neglectfully. It is very serious. According to Vedic
calculation, this tree which has grown here, that living entity was
sometimes the owner or occupier of this house, and it had so much
attachment that it cannot go out of this house. Therefore he has been
given this body, tree. 'Alright, you live here and stand up.'"

The devotees were amazed to hear this description of the identity of
the young solitary rhus tree which had grown from the concrete yard at
the side of the house. Prabhupada continued: "Sometimes we become
ghosts. If we become too much attached, we cannot leave. Therefore too
much opulent apartment, opulent life, is not very good for spiritual
advancement, because we get too much attached to it. My guru maharaja
used to advise us that 'It is better to live in a rented house than to
possess one's own house'. Why? Because if we possess our own house,
we'll be more attached. [This] attachment sometimes leads me to become
a tree, a mouse, to become a serpent in the same house. After all, you
may purchase a nice house, you decorate it very nicely. But you have
to leave it. You cannot live here permanently. That is not possible."

Prabhupada concluded the class by saying that just as there are
different qualities of fields, the human body is the best type of body
for inquiry into the Absolute Truth. "Athato brahma-jijnasa. Therefore
the Vedanta-sutra says that this life is simply meant for enquiry
about the Supreme. That's all. The animals cannot do it. So, simply if
we waste our time just like the animals, then again we glide down to
animal life. That is a great loss. After many, many births we have got
this human form of life. If we simply waste like cats and dogs, then
again we become cats and dogs or trees or anything. There are so many
species of life. That will be a great mistake, a great loss. Havoc it
will be. Therefore, our, this Krsna consciousness movement, is to
educate people to God consciousness or Krsna consciousness so that his
life may be successful. Thank you very much."

After the evening program, Mohanananda, who had travelled down to
Melbourne with Srila Prabhupada, asked him frankly in his room which
temple he preferred -- Sydney or Melbourne. With a smile, Prabhupada
answered that as far as decoration was concerned, although the Sydney
altar was better, it appeared that the Melbourne temple had done a
better job overall. Mohanananda excused himself and immediately rang
Sydney to break the news, and offer some advice. Since Prabhupada was
returning to Sydney in four days, Mohanananda suggested that the
Sydney devotees should get to work immediately, upgrading the Sydney
temple as quickly and nicely as possible. And he added, in his
characteristic flamboyant style, "money is no object". The
transcendental competition continued.


- From "The Great Transcendental Adventure" by HG Kurma Prabhu

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krpamaya_gauranga@hotmail.com
Please Chant: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare
Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare And Be Happy

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Hippy or Happy?

Why to travel?
There's absolutely no need for any of us to travel as like we do in
our everyday life in the city. It's the miserable part of our day
which may last around 45-120 minutes one way. We can be peaceful
without industries.We can have a piece of land to grow our own
food&then live peacefully without any tension, chanting, singing the
names of the Lord,discussing about the Lord. When will that day be
mine?
No one is really happy in the city life but assume so due to the
widespread propaganda.
Hippies are the result of massive industrialization. Srila Prabhupada
turned hippies to happies by simply making them chant Hare Krishna. We
need to prioritize our values, before it becomes too late :(


--
Yours
Dinesh
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[srilaprabhupadanectar] Remembering Srila Prabhupada - Visit to Melbourne

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: krpamaya_gauranga@hotmail.com
Date: Wed, 1 Jun 2011 20:00:23 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: [srilaprabhupadanectar] Remembering Srila Prabhupada - Visit
to Melbourne
To: rememberingsrilaprabhupada@yahoogroups.com

Visit to Melbourne

Wednesday, 5 April 1972

After five busy days of preaching in Sydney, Srila Prabhupada flew to
Melbourne, the capital of the State of Victoria. As the Ansett
Airlines flight landed at Melbourne's Tullamarine airport, about 20
devotees chanted loudly near Arrival Bay Three, despite objections
from airport officials.

This was Prabhupada's first visit to Melbourne. For many of the
devotees who lived in the fledgling temple, it was to be their premier
chance for personal association with their spiritual master, about
whom they had heard so much. The kirtana reached a climax, then
abruptly ended. As Prabhupada emerged, devotees showered him with
marigolds and purple dahlias, and prostrated themselves on the floor.
Prabhupada walked briskly to the VIP lounge for a pre-arranged press
conference as the chanting resumed.

While press and television news crews rushed to set up their lights
and cameras, Prabhupada sat down cross-legged on a soft chair and
accompanied the chanting with karatals. He sat gravely, covered in
garlands, surveying the small band of devotees that sat before him.
Behind him on the wall, the devotees had mounted a bright red poster
advertising Prabhupada's speaking engagements over the next few days.

The questions came quickly: "What is your purpose in coming to
Australia?" asked one reporter.

"My purpose in coming is to broadcast the message of love of God,
achievable through the chanting of the holy names, Hare Krsna. By
chanting the maha-mantra, the heart becomes cleansed of all dirty
things."

"Aren't you withdrawing from life?"

"No, we are also working, we are also eating, we are also sleeping;
but while other people are concerned with the material necessities of
life, we are concerned with the spiritual necessities."

There was a great need, he explained, for God consciousness
everywhere. Therefore, he said, he travelled everywhere, just as a
salesman travels everywhere. A salesman, he said, looks for customers
wherever he can find them. Similarly, he was travelling, searching for
anyone intelligent enough to accept his message.

"There is no difference in coming to Australia," he said. "The
governments have made a demarcation, "This is Australia", but we see
everywhere as the land of Krsna."


- From "The Great Transcendental Adventure" by HG Kurma Prabhu

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Disclaimer:
This is not a spam. If you want to be out of this distribution list.
Please send a mail to krpamaya_gauranga@hotmail.com with the word
"UNSUBSCRIBE" in the subject line
If you want to introduce anyone else in reading Srila Prabhupada
Nectars, please send their eMail addresses to
krpamaya_gauranga@hotmail.com
Contact Information:
All mails regarding queries, suggestions, comments should be sent to
krpamaya_gauranga@hotmail.com
Please Chant: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare
Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare And Be Happy

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Reply to sender | Reply to group | Reply via web post | Start a New Topic
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Switch to: Text-Only, Daily Digest • Unsubscribe • Terms of Use
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Dinesh
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