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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King Yudhisthira's answers to the Yaksha:
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.
What is the friend bestowed upon man by the demigods?
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
Spiritual warrior
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.
Sell ourself for a cheaper price?
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.
How do I become serious in devotional life?
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