Some thoughtful Quotes for Life!

Posted by dinesh

"He knows most who says he knows least."

(Confucius, Chinese philosopher, 551-479 BC.)

"We don't see things as they are, we see things as we are."

(Attributed to Anais Nin, French-born American writer,1903-1977.)

"Do not worry if others do not understand you. Instead worry if you do
not understand others."

(Confucius, Chinese philosopher, 551-479 BC.)

"A great man is hard on himself; a small man is hard on others."

(Confucius, Chinese philosopher, 551-479 BC.)

"The wise man puts himself last and finds himself first."

(Attributed to Lao Tsu, aka Lao Zi, legendary Chinese Taoist
philosopher, supposed to have lived between 600-400BC.)

"A dwarf standing on the shoulders of a giant may see farther than the
giant himself."

(attributed variously to Marcus Annaeus Lucanus,aka Lucan, Roman poet,
AD39-65, and to DidacusStella, aka Diego de Estella, Spanish
theologian,1524-78, and others since including Samuel Coleridge and
Isaac Newton.)

"The higher my rank, the more humbly I behave. The greater my power, the
less I exercise it. The richer my wealth,

the more I give away."(Sun Shu Ao, Chinese minister from the Chu
Kingdom, Zhou Dynasty, c.600BC.)

"It's only when we truly know and understand that we have a limited time
on earth - and that we have no way of knowing when our time is up, we
will then begin to live each day to the fullest, as if it was the only
one we had."

(Dr Elisabeth Kubler Ross, 1926-2004, psychiatrist,humanitarian,
teacher, author, and pioneer of bereavement and hospice care. With
acknowledgements to www.ekrfoundation.org and
www.elisabethkublerross.com.)

--
Yours
Dinesh
Blog:http://dinesh-krsna.blogspot.com

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GarbhaDhana Samskara-Very Important consideration for Grihasthas...

Posted by dinesh

Samskara means "*purificatory rite*." To make their child Krishna conscious,
the grihastha couple joyfully imparts the Vedic samskaras, right from
his/her birth and thus helps the child to eventually attain the spiritual
platform. In fact, purification of a human being starts even before his
birth and this samskara is called Garbhadan (or Garbhalambanan) samskara. If
one is not purified by the process of the seed giving ceremony, or
garbhadhana samskara he is immediately classified amongst the sudras because
only the sudras do not undergo this purificatory process (Krsna book, II
p.236).

Though the vedic samskaras may be considered secondary activities because
they are discarded when one passes from the material body and society, they
are important because they sanctify and prepare the body and mind for the
primary activities of devotional service. Though there is no qualification
for taking to devotional service other than faith, one who has undergone the
samskaras in proper manner and also has faith will have some advantage in
the progress of his sadhana. Therefore the acaryas have emphasised the
importance of undergoing all of the samskaras. It is to be concluded that
while conceiving a child one's mind must be very sober and devotional. For
this purpose the garbhadhana samskara is recommended in the Vedic scriptures
(SB 3.16.35).

The union of man and wife should take place neither during the day nor
during the sandhyas (daybreak and twilight). Daytime is of course the time
when man should carry out his duties: waking bathing, meditating,
worshipping the Supreme Lord, studying scripture, chanting japa, serving the
deity, carrying out household duties, welcoming guests etc. Sandhyas
should only be utilized for chanting gayatri mantra and meditating on the
Lord. As well, Prasnopanisad says that a man reduces his life span by having
sexual relations during the day. One who performs during the night is
considered to be brahmacari (ie he maitains his strength).

Lord Sri Krishna says in Bhagavad Gita 7:11. *"I am the strength of the
strong, devoid of passion and desire. I am sex life which is not contrary to
religious principles, O lord of the Bhäratas [Arjuna]."* "Sucinäm Shrimatäm
gehe. So this child is born of a devotee father and devotee mother. Now
he'll again begin from the point where he lost last life. Suppose Krishna
consciousness he executed fifty percent. So he'll begin from this life
fifty-one percent. That fifty percent was in his stock. But ordinary
karmis—cent percent lost. He has to begin another chapter of life according
to his karma." (Srila Prabhupada. 17th July 1971. Lecture in Detroit.)

"Any grhastha (householder) who copulates with his own wife only when it is
time for conception is called brahmacari or celibate. There are sixteen
nights for conception of the woman from the day of the discharge of
menstruation. Among them, the first four nights are rejected and very much
criticized (by scripture). Of whatever days are left, on the even numbered
days, one produces a son and on the odd numbered days, one produces
daughter. Sexual union during the odd days of the menstrual cycle will tend
to produce a female body in the child, whereas union performed on an even
dhinam will bring forth a male body. So those purified souls who wish to
beget a putra (a son who can liberate one from the hell known as Pu) should
try to conceive on the even days (dhinam) of this cycle.

According to Ancient Vedic scriptures, the first four days are asuchi
(impure) due to blood flow, therefore abstainance is required lest bad
repercussions for the yajumans will be invoked. Therefore, all sane people
avoid the first four days. By the performance of this samskara, the physical
contact between a man and a woman is sanctified. Also intelligent, pious and
God-conscious children are born by the strength of performance of Garbhadan
samskara. This is the most important samskara which Srila Prabhupada has
emphasised in all his purports on the subject. Grihastas should produce
children as a sacrifice to Lord Vishnu. Grihasthas give birth to children to
make them Krishna conscious and liberate them.

As soon as the wife is pregnant, no more sex life until the child is born
and is grown up at least for six months. After that one may have sex life
on the same principle. If one does not want more than one or two children,
he should voluntarily stop sex life. One should not use any contraceptive
method and at the same time indulge in sex life. That is very much
sinful.(letter from Srila Prabhupada, San Fransisco, Sept 20, 1968)

--
Yours
Dinesh
Blog:http://dinesh-krsna.blogspot.com

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Hardening of the heart

Posted by dinesh

From Srila Jiva Goswami's commentary on Bhakti Rasämåta Sindhu

uttaratas tu tayor anugatau doñäntaram ity äha yad ubhe iti. käöhinya-hetutvaà ca nänä-väda-nirasana- pürvaka-tattva-vicärasya duùkha-sahanäbhyäsa- pürvaka-vairägyasya ca rukña-svarüpatvät. tarhi sahäyaà vinottarottara-bhakti-praveçaù kathaà syät? taträha bhaktéti. tasya bhakti-praveçasya hetur bhaktir éritä. uttarottara-bhakti-praveçasya hetuù pürva- pürva-bhaktir evety arthaù.

There is a fault in following the paths of jïäna and vairägya in that these two make the heart extremely hard. The reason for this hardness within the heart is that the practice of jïäna requires one to examine the absolute truth by defeating various philosophies, whereas the philosophy of vairägya requires the tolerance of various types of sufferings. Both these paths are by their nature dry and hard. However, one may doubt as to how one can enter into bhakti without assistance from these two? The answer is that in the ultimate analysis, one enters into bhakti by bhakti alone. It is bhakti that was executed in previous lives that leads one to enter into the advanced stages of bhakti in the current life.
nanu bhaktir api tat-tad-äyäsa-sädhyatvät käöhinye hetuù syät taträha sukumära-svabhäveyam iti çré- bhagavan-madhura-rüpa-guëädi-bhävanä-mayatväd iti. tasmäd bhagavati nija-cittasya särdratäà kartum icchunä bhaktir eva käryeti bhävaù. prädhänyena ca tathoktaà çré-prahlädena —
naite guëä na guëino mahad-ädayo ye sarve manaù-prabhåtayaù saha-deva-martyäù
ädy-antavanta urugäya vidanti hi tväm evaà vimåçya sudhiyo viramanti çabdät
tat te 'rhattama namaù-stuti-karma-püjäù karma-småtiç caraëayoù çravaëaà kathäyäm
saàsevayä tvayi vineti ñaò-aìgayä kià bhaktià janaù paramahaàsa-gatau labheta.

atra karma paricaryä, karma-småtiù lélä-smaraëaà. caraëayor iti bhakti-vyaïjakaà tac ca ñaösv apy anvitam. tathä saàsevayä vineti vairägyädikam api nädåtam.

Someone may object again, "Even bhakti consists of a rigorous path called sädhanä. Won't that make the heart hard?' The answer is that bhakti is definitely not a hardening path. Rather, it is an extremely tender path, since all its activities are centered around meditation upon the Lord's sweet form, qualities, etc. Therefore, bhakti should be performed with the intention of softening one's heart in relationship to the Lord. The great devotee Prahlad Maharaja especially mentions this in the Çrémad Bhägavatam as follows:
"Neither the three modes of material nature [sattva-guëa, rajo-guëa and tamo-guëa], nor the predominating deities controlling these three modes, nor the five gross elements, nor the mind, nor the demigods, nor the human beings can understand your Lordship, for they are all subjected to birth and annihilation. Considering this, the spiritually advanced have taken to devotional service. Such wise men hardly bother with Vedic study. Instead, they engage themselves in practical devotional service. Therefore, O Supreme Personality of Godhead, the best of all persons to whom prayers are offered, I offer my respectful obeisances unto you because without rendering six kinds of devotional service unto you — offering prayers, dedicating all the results of activities, worshiping you, working on your behalf, always remembering your lotus feet and hearing about your glories — who can achieve that which is meant for the paramahaàsas?" (Çrémad Bhägavatam 7.9.49-50)
In these verses, the word karma means worshiping the deity of the Lord, and the word karma-småtiù refers to remembering the pastimes of the Lord. The word caraëayoù indicates the devotional nature of Prahlada Maharaja, and also specifies the six kinds of devotional service mentioned in the verse. By the words saàsevayä vineti, the great devotee Prahlada Maharaja has shown a disapproval of the subordinate processes of jïäna, vairägya, etc. ·

Courtesy: KK Bindhu, Issue No. 259
--
Yours
Dinesh
Blog:http://dinesh-krsna.blogspot.com

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Wheel was a discovery, not an invention!

Posted by dinesh

Wheel.......

Wheel existed for eons but the English men created an idea by their education such that wheel was invented by them. We had chariots in the vedic tradition since time immemorial. But the impression thats rooted in our minds is we(our culture) is backward and the westerners or the English men are of advanced culture.It's actually the other way around. This language itself is not very rich. It's the language of the low class people. The whole idea of introduction of English education was breaking the vedic culture..And
it has already broken....Sanskrit is the language of the Gods and Godly people.

The very phrase "Re-inventing the Wheel" which we commonly use is therefore incorrect and a false claim. Only the wheel of time should unveil the truth. Actually not many are
interested in truth in the Kali yuga(where only little truth is still prevailing)...if we talk the truth, people are coming to beat us.. if we do some word jugglery and cheat people they really welcome that.

--
Yours
Dinesh
Blog:http://dinesh-krsna.blogspot.com

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KKSblog.com - Controlling the mind

Posted by dinesh

Controlling the mind

Posted: 06 Sep 2011 06:40 PM PDT

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, Finland, 2011)

Contaminated thoughts come up in the mind. The mind is strong, but we must perform austerities of the mind! The austerity of the mind is…… one is when sinful thoughts come up, then we cut, and we do not allow what we would call, 'the train of thought'. One thought…next thought….next thought…..No! Cut…and if it goes in the wrong direction than stop immediately.

So in this way we do have a duty to control the mind, since we cannot just let the mind go in whatever direction it wants to go. We have to steer it back to Krishna. Soon as the mind is going in the wrong direction….back to Krishna!

To give Krishna to others!

Posted: 06 Sep 2011 03:34 PM PDT

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, Finland, 2011)

Srila Prabhupada said:

"For fifty books, its $250!"

A set of books in those days….a set was not big then, because they didn't have much books. So a set of books in America was maybe fifty books and they were available for $250.

And Prabhupada said:

"For fifty books, it's $250. Somehow or other we should take, $250 off everyone and we should put a set of Srila Prabhupada's books in every house on the planet!"

This morning I was remembering and just imagining how a devotee would appear in front of the window here, with books in a remote house like this. This mediation – to give Krishna to others! To do good for others….that is required.

It may not necessarily be like that for everyone. But everyone goes on the street with books, and when we do it than we should know that there are very great blessings there, because there's no doubt that that was so pleasing to Srila Prabhupada! That was the one thing that would give him enthusiasm, in life when his health was not very good.

Radhastami lecture in Berlin Part II

Posted: 06 Sep 2011 03:29 PM PDT

Here is an evening class, given by His Holiness Kadamba Kanana Swami, on Radhastami (05.09.2011) in Berlin, Germany.
In this lecture Maharaja tells further pastimes about Krishna and Radharani, and explains how Radharani's love for Krishna is like a mirror, reflecting His unlimited qualities.
Enjoy the nectar!

If you want to download the class, please click here!

It's all spiritual

Posted: 06 Sep 2011 01:49 PM PDT

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, Vrndavana, 2003)

Every atom and every particle is Krsna's energy, and then Krsna enters again into that energy. So it was already Krsna's energy – it's not that matter is material and then Krsna changes it by entering it. It's just his energy. It is said that (Sanskrit)… like a boy playing with His own energy, Krsna is simply able to experience His own energy.

There is nothing else outside Krsna's energy. That's why its spiritual. It's all His energy, so how can it be anything but spiritual?

Looking for glorification

Posted: 06 Sep 2011 06:00 AM PDT

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, Finland, 2011)

If we are not absorbed in glorifying Krishna, then we will look to be glorifying ourselves. So also in chanting we have this tendency. We are the first one up and already chanting and everyone can hear, and the mind goes:

"I'm the first one up…I'll chant a little louder so everyone can hear!"

I saw someone who had not sixteen counting beads but sixty four. So then we can see immediately what kind of chanting that is. That is not being absorbed in just glorifying Krishna. That is being absorbed in being glorified ourselves. So how much devotional service are we actually doing to be glorified?

"I'm leading the kirtan….. I'm playing the kartals ………I'm playing the mrdanga!"

So how much is done for show? And how much are we doing it for show? Because we are addicted. Addicted to this glorification. We are always looking for this glorification. It comes out of a type of insecurity maybe. Some fear of rejection and we are just constantly looking for recognition. So one has to become very sober in chanting of the Holy Names!

No depression

Posted: 06 Sep 2011 03:03 AM PDT

If we become depressed then we can understand that we have really made a wrong choice. And you can of course start soul searching- 'which choice was it? I don't know! I can't think of anything! And now I feel even worse!' You can do that exercise but that's not required. Just from now on start making the right choices because the opportunity will come again and again to choose for Krsna. So it means that we didn't choose for Krsna, that's why we are depressed. Start choosing for Krsna now and the depression will go. Depression is not really a vaisnava sport- wrestling, swimming is but not depression. People in the world suffer from depression but devotees should not have that problem. But if they do have that problem it means that they are not choosing for Krsna. Depression may be normal for a conditioned soul but not for us. It's not part of our life…you just have to choose for Krsna.

(Kadamba Kanana Maharaja, August 2010, Sweden)

No Krsna=Misery

Posted: 06 Sep 2011 02:53 AM PDT

Any relationship where we forget that Krsna is also a part of it, then it leads to misery… Krsna is always there and every situation has to be offered to Him and no exceptions. It's not that some things are to be offered to Krsna and some things not- 'some thing's are my private affairs' no, no there is no private affair, everything is Krsna's affair. He governs every aspect of our life.