Aversion to fault finding helps us to make ourselves a better person and also to have the atmosphere/situation around us clean.

Posted by dinesh

By Mahatma Das

We criticize others more often than we think. Make a mental note of how often you find fault with others and why you do it (both with devotees and non devotees). See if you can go a day, a week, a month, or more without saying anything bad about anyone.

(Calling a thief a thief is not considered fault-finding if one's motive is to help or improve the situation.)

Becoming free from the tendency ...to criticize is best achieved by changing the way you see others and the world. If your general attitude is to see with the eye of appreciation, you will tend to notice the good in others instead of the bad. If you are to become free from fault-finding, this change of vision is essential.

For example, you may see someone doing something you consider wrong or improper. If you are developing the tendency to see with the eye of appreciation, you'll naturally ask yourself, "What else could this mean?" This causes you to develop a broader and more compassionate understanding of why the person is acting this way.

You react to what you think is happening. If you think what is happening is wrong, improper, horrible, offensive, etc., you'll likely react with complaining or criticism. Or worse, you'll react with condemnation.

By asking, "What else could this mean?" you allow yourself to see the same situation in another light. You may still consider the action wrong, but now you have a perspective that allows you to better understand why the person acted this way. This perspective will cause you to respond with understanding rather than condemnation.

With this understanding, it's possible to break your addiction to fault-finding. If you can go at least thirty days without finding fault with anyone, you will begin to develop a new healthy habit. Furthermore, you will be in the good company of those devotees who refuse to speak or hear about the faults of others.

How will you succeed? Decide to change your attitude. Instead of looking at what's wrong in others, look at how you improve yourself.

If you are not up to the challenge, ask yourself why you think you are unwilling to give up fault-finding?

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

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Just like a video is all about moving/changing 100s/1000s of pics, this life is about changing our bodies every moment.

Posted by dinesh

Ecological problems - Vedic solutions

Prabhupada explained the point by way of an analogy. "Just like in the cinema spool. The picture is changing, and because it is changing so swiftly, you are seeing that one man is moving. In actual fact, there are only hundreds and thousands of pictures moving. So your body is changing at every moment. That is medical science."

Prabhupada's consistently succinct explanation started to make sense to Justin. "Absolutely. Yes. At every moment."

Prabhupada brought the example to its natural conclusion. "So you are changing your body. That's a fact. And you remember that you had such-and-such body. Therefore you are different from the body. This is the science. 'I am not this body. I am different from the body. I am changing bodies. Therefore I will have to change this body and accept another body'"

Prabhupada asked Amogha to read the relevant verse from the Bhagavad-gita.

"As the embodied soul continuously passes, in this body, from boyhood to youth to old age, the soul similarly passes into another body at death. The self-realised soul is not bewildered by such a change."

Prabhupada nodded his head. "The simple truth. But people have no education. That is the defect of modern civilisation. This is the fact, that you are accepting every moment a different body. So after death you will have to accept another body. Now, we should know "What kind of body am I going to accept next?" That is intelligence. That is civilisation."

This seemed to strike a chord with Justin.

"Do you mean if I come to that realisation, it will then allow me to continue to improve my mind, continue to study, to think, to gain knowledge beyond say, the normal sixty-five or seventy years that I might live in what I imagine to be this body?"

Prabhupada agreed. "Yes. Human life is meant for acquiring knowledge -- real knowledge."

"But so many people don't see it that way."

"At least one class of men must be thoroughly conversant, thoroughly aware of things as they are. They are called brahmanas, first-class men. They may be few; it doesn't matter. Ideal class. People will learn by their behaviour, character and knowledge."

The idea of a first-class person aroused Justin's interest. "Where are they?" he asked.

Prabhupada explained that there must be a department to train first-class men. Justin joked that there were none in the universities. "So therefore it is chaotic," said Prabhupada. "No first-class men -- all third-class, fourth-class."

Justin asked what the specifications for a first-class person were. Amogha read from the Bhagavad-gita, Chapter 18, verse 42. "Peacefulness, self-control, austerity, purity, tolerance, honesty, wisdom, knowledge, and religiousness -- these are the qualities by which the brahmanas work."

Prabhupada: This is a first-class man.

Justin: Who decides whether a man is first-class or not?

Prabhupada: Anyone can be trained up. Just like these boys. They were fourth-class, fifth-class, and now they are trained up to become first-class men. Just like anyone can become a geographer or an engineer by proper training.

Justin turned to Amogha. "Do you think you'll make it?"

Amogha: I'm making progress.

Prabhupada: They are young men. They are all within thirty years.

Justin: And your aim, all of you, is to become first-class men?

Jayadharma: Yes.

Justin: Does it matter how long it might take you? Can you become first-class men soon? Within five years?

Prabhupada: Oh, yes, sufficient, sufficient. We can make in one year.

Justin: Really? I wish you all well. Well, thank you. I hope I won't give you offence if I look at my watch. I'm afraid my life is one of these selfish lives. I wish you all well, and maybe I should think along those lines myself. It's been most interesting talking to you.

Prabhupada: Yes, it is necessary to create a class of men, first-class, ideal. And if you all create fourth-class men, then there cannot be peace. It is not possible.

Justin: Thank you.

Prabhupada: Hare Krsna.

Justin: Excellent talking to you. Thank you very much, and I wish you well in Melbourne.

Srutakirti: Here is a sweet we have made from milk.

Justin: Thank you. Good night.

Prabhupada: Hare Krsna. Jaya.

Amogha gave Justin a couple of Back to Godhead magazines and walked with him to his car. Justin expressed his mind -- he had found Prabhupada's arguments thought-provoking and convincing -- especially those concerning the connection between contemporary problems and the bodily concept of life.

As he was leaving he turned to Amogha and smiled. "Now I have to go back to my fourth-class life." Amogha related this to Srila Prabhupada, who was happy to hear the news. "This means he has understood," Prabhupada said. "He is better than so many clergies."

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

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

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Nice Quotes!

Posted by dinesh

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

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Not taking advantage of Devotional Service to the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna is a suicidal policy.

Posted by dinesh

GLORIOUS KRISHNA

Magic of Krishna Consciousness!
Influence of the Illusory Energy
How to Recognize a Devotee?
Darshan from Sri Vrindavan Dhaam - 19.03.2012

Magic of Krishna Consciousness!

Posted: 19 Mar 2012 09:30 PM PDT

So it is not that devotees are sentimental. It is not that. Bhaktya sruta-grhitaya. Bhakti devotional service, after complete Vedic literature understanding... But bhakti is nice thing that if one takes to bhakti directly, he understands Vedic version automatically.

vasudeve bhagavati
bhakti-yogah prayojitah
janayaty asu vairagyam
jnanam ca yad ahaitukam
[SB 1.2.7]

This is Krsna's mercy. Even one is illiterate, if he sincerely takes to bhakti-yoga, so Vedic philosophical conclusion automatically awakens.

yasya deve para bhaktir
yatha deve tatha gurau
tasyaite kathita hy arthah
prakasante mahatmanah
[SU 6.23]

These are the statement, and actually... Just like these boys. These boys, they were not educated in Vedic literature, never. But how they have taken to this Krsna consciousness? This is the magic of Krsna consciousness. It is not dependant on studying of Vedas, but if you take seriously to Krsna consciousness, the Vedic knowledge is automatically awakened. This is the secret. If one has unflinching faith in Krsna and unflinching faith to his spiritual master, then automatically the Vedic knowledge becomes awakened.

This is a fact, you can see. They never knew what is Vedic life, Vedic knowledge, but how they have become so nice perfect devotee? That unflinching faith. That is required. Visvase milaya vastu tarke bahu-rupa.[?] And that visvasa, that is explained, visvasa, faith, in the Caitanya-caritamrta, visvasa-sabde, visvasa sudrdha niscaya, krsne bhakti kaile sarva-karma krta. Sraddha-sabde visvasa sudrdha niscaya. This is statement of Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami. He said, sraddha. Because to become a devotee, the begin is sraddha faith.

Just like you all ladies and gentlemen, you are coming. It is the sraddha, "Let us hear something, what they are speaking about Krsna." This is the beginning. So this sraddha, as it grows and becomes firmly fixed up, that is devotion. Sraddha means, devotion means, gradually making the sraddha more and more fixed up. Adau sraddha. Adau sraddha tatah sadhu-sanga. First of all sraddha, faith. Then association with the devotee. Atha bhajana-kriya tato 'nartha-nivrttih syat tato nistha rucis tatah, athasaktis tato bhavah. Bhava. So we have to come to the stage of bhava. Budha bhava-samanvitah. Krsna says,

aham sarvasya prabhavo
mattah sarvam pravartate
iti matva bhajante mam
budha bhava-samanvitah
[Bg. 10.8]

So this bhava, the ecstatic stage of devotional service, one has to reach. That is the perfection, or that, the priority stage of love of Godhead.

So these things are recommended. Krsna is personally explaining. Why should we not take advantage of these things? Why we are neglecting? It is suicidal. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is personally instructing how to become Krsna conscious, how to become perfect in Krsna consciousness, and then, tyaktva deham punar janma [Bg. 4.9], then you can go back to home, back to Godhead. Why we should not take advantage of this opportunity? This is not very good. We should take advantage. We have got this human form of body. We have got intelligence. And the statement and explanation is being given by the Supreme Personality of Godhead personally. Why we should not take advantage? This is suicidal policy. Thank you very much. Hare Krsna. (end)

Srila Prabhupada Lecture :: VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 4.28 -- Bombay, April 17, 1974

Blog: www.gloriouskrishna.blogspot.com

Influence of the Illusory Energy

Posted: 19 Mar 2012 09:15 PM PDT

Materialistic person is a person who is entangled by the influence or affected by the influence of the material nature or the illusory energy of the Lord. And what does the illusory energy do?
The illusory makes him think that he is the greatest and that is the meaning of material conditioning. He thinks everyone in this material nature thinks that he is the greatest. Why? Because his consciousness is projected towards the material nature, which is the external energy of the Lord, inferior energy of the Lord whereas he is coming from the superior energy of the Lord. Jiva is coming from the superior nature and material nature is inferior.

Now although a living entity is minute but because he comes from the superior nature of the Lord, he thinks that this material nature is meant to lord over. Because whatever he sees is material, even the living entities, even the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he sees in a material way. The deity of the Lord he sees as stone or wood or metal. Just a statue, but I am greater, I am conscious, I am capable of doing so many things. But this statue, what can he do? It's just standing there. Some fools have installed him and worship him. That is the materialistic people's understanding. They see the greatest person, he thinks, "Oh, I am greater than him." It's only matter of time. Bill Gates, just give me a few years. I will become bigger than Bill Gates. He thinks he is the most handsome, most beautiful. He thinks that, he may be the most ugly personality, but he thinks he is the most handsome and he thinks that everything in this world is meant for his enjoyment. That is the meaning of the illusory energy of the Lord. On the other hand, when one takes to Krishna consciousness he begins to see that Krishna is the greatest and in the light of that he recognizes his position to be absolutely insignificant. And the more he comes closer to Krishna or the more he becomes Krishna conscious, the more humble he becomes.

- HH Bhakti Charu Swami :: May 2009

Blog: www.gloriouskrishna.blogspot.com

How to Recognize a Devotee?

Posted: 19 Mar 2012 09:20 PM PDT

It's very difficult to recognize a devotee. A devotee cannot be recognized from materialistic point of view. We cannot judge a devotee by his appearance, by his wealth, by his fame, because all these are external, material considerations. In order to recognize a devotee we have to go within the heart and we have to recognize the love that he has for Krishna. That is the only consideration, the only recognizable factor in a devotee: how much love he has for Krishna. Sometimes in ISKCON we fail to recognize very exalted devotees. Even in a Vaishnava community we see that we fail to recognize very exalted devotees, because we tend to judge people. We judge even the devotees from materialistic point of view – how big a position he has. We try to judge him according to position, we try to judge him according to his material assets, wealth. Therefore Srila Prabhupada used to say, "Don't try to see a devotee with your eyes. The only way you can recognize a devotee, the only way you can see a devotee is through your ears. Try to see a devotee through your ears and if at all you have to see a devotee through your eyes, then try to see how attached he is to Krishna. How selflessly he is rendering his service to Krishna that is the main consideration for a devotee. How much he is doing for Krishna."

Blog: www.gloriouskrishna.blogspot.com

Darshan from Sri Vrindavan Dhaam - 19.03.2012

Posted: 19 Mar 2012 08:54 PM PDT

śrnvanti gāyanti grnanty abhīksnaśah
smaranti nandanti tavehitaḿ janāh
ta eva paśyanty acirena tāvakam
bhava-pravāhoparamam padāmbujam

O Krsna, those who continuously hear, chant and repeat Your transcendental activities, or take pleasure in others' doing so, certainly see Your lotus feet, which alone can stop the repetition of birth and death.

[Srimad Bhagavatam 1.8.36]

Blog: www.gloriouskrishna.blogspot.com

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

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Everything is done twice, once in the mind then in reality!

Posted by dinesh

Mind is the chief of all senses. Mother is thinking why this cute little child while growing is making all mischievous activities. Everyone of us think that children are innocent. But we fail to see that our subconscious mind carries all mischievous things from the previous lives. Therefore no one in this world is innocent.
Our mind dictates the senses to do such and such,all the time.Usually our mind always try to sell us to the illusory energy. We have to be always on guard 24hrs a day to make sure our mind doesnt sell us to maya.Every action we perform is visualized by the mind before it actually takes place in reality.

Face is the index of mind is not always true,because nowadays people undergo whole a lot of beautifying techniques. Also it's not necessary that a beautiful person should be good natured&an ugly person be horrible natured.

----  Sent using a Sony Ericsson mobile phone

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