Live by Krsna’s desire

 

 

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Adventures In Iran - (too good to miss!!)

Transcribed by Madhumati Devi Dasi
(Kadamba Kanana Swami, Chowpatty 2010

We think that we are in control but at one point when it gets very difficult we have to accept whatever the Lord desires.

I was in Iran and we were driving in a bus …well my visa for India was finished - I went to Nepal and at that time Maha Vishnu Swami was the temple president of the Kathmandu temple and he said "We have this bus and it has to be driven to Europe, would you mind going in the bus?"
"Yes I could go, I have done it before, and I know the way. Okay I will be part of the crew."
Then we were supposed to take some passengers, some young westerners and try to make them into devotees on the way - that was the plan so we did it.

So, when we were in Iran, it was time when the Government had changed, there was a revolutionary army and when we drove through, there was a man with a beard, military uniform and a machine gun standing at the side of the road and he said: "Stop!"
So we stopped, he got on the bus and said we are going to the revolutionary head quarters - we said "Yes sir."
We came there, there was a huge crowd, all with black cloths and turbans and it looked very uncomfortable and our friend with the machine gun said: "Get off the bus!"

We looked at the machine gun, we looked at the crowd and decided to get off!
We got off the bus and then the people made a path way into an army barracks and as we walked pass the crowd, the people started to hit us on the back and we ran in the courtyard and the solders were waiting for us and they said, "Line up against the wall!"

There my Krishna consciousness was tested, there I was chanting very carefully because they were Muslims and I didn't want to agitate them.
So, with the mouth sort of closed I chanted but at the same time I didn't have full faith in the Holy Name because I was slowly, very slowly, but surely going behind my neighbour…. So, I was chanting and going for material security. So, I did not become free from fear for four hours and I was in anxiety.

I was not just relying on Krishna - but one has to simply at one point when one comes in such a situation say: 'Okay Krishna it is up to you whatever you want, whether I live or die it doesn't really matter because I know that you are Bhakta Vatsala that you are always protecting your devotees and therefore there is nothing to fear, I know that the destiny of a devotee is always auspicious and that therefore no anxiety no cause for any anxiety because at one point this body has to be given up but then, the destination of a devotees will be a better destination so why worry about giving up the body why make such a issue about it?"
That is the understanding. Because ultimately the fear of death is always emerging again and again. But a devotee must gradually rise above…..

Devotee: what happened in Iran, how you all were released?

Maharaja : Well! We were standing against the wall with the machine guns on us in the hot sun and sweating for several reasons. Then at on point the solders started to take some people out of the line and inside the room ….and then they came for me!
They brought me inside a room were there was a chair, a table and a bright light and I knew what was coming, so as the interrogation started I forgot all my English and I spoke fluent Dutch, "very Dutch from Holland no English!"
I was very Dutch so after a few minutes they said "He is Dutch and he is from Holland"

That was good because they thought we were American spies so being Dutch was helpful, so they didn't interrogate me but they sent me back ….in the line in front of the machine guns!
There was this German with us and I don't know why he did it but he ran out of the line towards the solders and kicked a football that was lying in the courtyard and I thought that was it and we are dead now! - but as you can see I survived it.
The soldiers they became totally confused and started screaming and then the officers came from the office and then a big discussion and finally the officers said: "Get out! okay you can go!"

So we got into the bus and we drove away to the west and we came to Tapirs which is the most western part of Iran and there we had two flat tyres and we had to go to a workshop to get it fixed and again big trouble with an angry crowd who wanted to throw stones - that's what they do in middle east!
It got really bad but somehow or other a soldier came this time and he escorted us out and we got into Turkey early in the morning and we were washing our hands at the side of the street and suddenly all the people started to run in the street and I also started to run in the street!

Then we went into a side lane and we heard a machine gun and bullets were flying everywhere and it turned out that some deserters from the army were living in the mountains and they had come to plunder the city! Lots of fun!
So, that's the last time I drove through Iran, Turkey and all those countries!
I would do it again if Krishna really would want me to go or if the senior Vaishnavas would want me to, - otherwise I so decided these days that instead of going over land I go by flight….

So, there is the thing that we are relying on Krishna but there is the thing that we are not unnecessarily looking for difficulties and go swimming across a river filled with piranhas or something like that - that's not Krishna Consciousness.
Krishna Consciousness does not mean that we close your eyes and cross the street, so we must use our brains. So, ten o'clock has come and I think that's an auspicious time to take a late breakfast, I myself I am hungry and I don't know about you - we meet again later for the Sunday programme. Thank you very much. Srila Prabhupada ki Jai!

Transcribed by Madhumati Devi Dasi
(Kadamba Kanana Swami, Chowpatty 2010

 

 

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The Six Enemies Of The Mind

Throughout the world in literature about religious topics, we are finding that people are being tested. Recently I was watching a movie about Islam, which was particularly a national geographic production. It showed the Hajj. The Hajj means the pilgrimage to Mecca. One of the details in Hajj is that they stay there for quite a number of days, and at one point they go into the desert and camp out there, and remember that God than ordered Abraham that he should sacrifice his son. Three times he was tested by the devil, and he had moments of doubt, and they are reliving that testing by the devil. Then Abraham threw stones at the devil, and he chased him away with the stones.

So they all go - a millions of pilgrims, - 2 millions at a time, or more and they have these stone columns and they throw stones. They really get into it, I mean they get wild in throwing – it's quite an occasion, and these pillars are quite large and there is a large open area of ring around them to catch all the stones. I guess they keep on using the same stones. So these pillars are also quite high and there are now modern walkways on different levels – so that people can go on 3 levels all at once and throw stones, so that the crowds can really get into it by chasing away the devil 3 times.

So we also experience something like that. We have the six enemies of the mind: kāma, krodha, mada, moha, bhaya, mātsarya and – these attacks of lust, greed, anger, madness, illusion and envy – these are the six enemies which reappear again and again – and attack the mind! At a time like that, it is more difficult to experience everything as inspiring and ever fresh. When one is under attack, then one experiences a little difficulty - spiritual life at that time becomes a struggle.

So that maybe the case if one is still to some extent a conditioned soul. One cannot say a fully conditioned soul but still a little bit influenced by the material energy, and then that material energy comes in the forms of these six enemies – and that is the case. So that maybe there, but one still has a deeper philosophical level, and a devotee at least must live within the philosophy – he must firmly fix himself in that philosophical understanding, and time and time again remind oneself that:
"Actually there is no cause, no cause for lamentation, and actually everything is surcharged with the mercy of Krishna and therefore everything is full of positive meaning – everything is really part of a wonderful scheme and we are constantly seeing. We can constantly recognise how things are going on by the wonderful arrangement of Krishna!"


So it's very important to see everything as Krishna's arrangement, and to recognise not only philosophically but also to actually see in practical circumstances - Krishna's hand – and that meditation is required to kind of try to see Krishna in the circumstances!




(Kadamba Kanana Swami, Radhadesh, January 2011)

 

 

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Be careful in your dealings

Transcribed by Madhumati Devi Dasi
(Kadamba Kanana Swami, Chowpatty 2010)

This is a very gruesome situation where a pious brahamana couple engaged in the activities of garbhadhana samskara are becoming harassed by a rakshasha who goes as far as eating the brahamana just at the time in the middle of this samskara – an awkward time and the most cruel and gruesome act has been performed by this king.
Back tracking in the chapter we find that it is due to the fact that he had offended Vaishista and he was been cursed by him and therefore the king became a rakshasha. The curse of such a powerful sage is so great that an otherwise qualified person can become degraded. Therefore one must be careful in dealing with saintly persons…

'One is respectful that is an important theme,' that we serve the saintly person respectfully we pray at the dust of their feet which means that we are prepared to accept them as our superior and accept them as those who are more capable in devotional service than we are, who are more capable in pleasing Krishna than we are.
So, our service is not so significant and there are others who are making a much greater sacrifice than we do therefore we are always in this mood to recognise the service of others…
One may inadvertently overlook a saintly person and one might inadvertently forget to offer due respect to a saintly person.
If we think: "I am very qualified, I am aristocratic, I am learned, and I am wealthy and good looking as well. All these wonderful qualities I have and people know it and therefore they are respecting me" – then therefore it will be more difficult to give respect.

Transcribed by Madhumati Devi Dasi
(Kadamba Kanana Swami, Chowpatty 2010)

 

 

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Are you convinced!?

 

 

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What security is there ?

We have so many false shelters.
My family gives me protection, fallible solders what kind of protection can they give us?
My money will protect me - and then you get some economical crises or suddenly your bank has gone bankrupted and you lose your money or it has no more value.
Like that what security is there in this world?
No security. Simply our only security is Krishna.

Transcribed by Madhumati Devi Dasi
(Kadamba Kanana Swami, Chowpatty 2010)

 

 

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FIX THE MIND ON THE SELF

The mind should be fixed in self. We are self and Krsna is also self. So, just like if you fix up your eyes on the sun, then you can see the sun and yourself also.

Sometimes in dense darkness we cannot see ourself also. That you have experienced. So I cannot see my body in dense darkness. Although body is with me, I am the body or I am whatever I am, I cannot see myself.

So if you are in the sunshine, sunlight, then you see the sun as well as yourself. Therefore to see the self means first of all see the Supreme Self. The Supreme Self is Krsna.

In the Vedas it is said, Kathopanisad, nityo nityanam cetanas cetananam. The Supreme Self is the chief eternal of all eternals. He is the chief living being of all living beings.

So this Krsna consciousness movement means to fix up in self.

If you fix up your mind in Krsna, then you can fix up your mind in everything.

If you take care of your stomach, then you take care of all the bodily limbs. If your stomach is supplied nice nutritious food, the stomach is cleared of all disturbances then you keep good health.

If you pour water in the root of the tree, then you take care of all the branches, leaves, flowers, twigs, everything, automatically.

So if you take care of Krsna then you do the best service to all others. Automatically.

- Srila Prabhupada

 

 

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THE ARROW OF CUPID

There may be thousands of beautiful women before a devotee, but that does not disturb his mind.

He sees they're all energies of Krsna. "They are gopis of Krsna. They are enjoyable by Krsna. I have to serve them. They're gopis. Because I am servant of the servant." Gopi-bhartuh pada-kamalayoh dasa-dasa-dasanudasah [Cc. Madhya 13.80].

So a devotee should try to engage all beautiful women in the service of Krsna. That is his duty. Not to enjoy them. That is sense gratification. This is the position of a devotee.

He's not pierced by the arrows of Cupid, but he sees everything, nirbandhe krsna-sambandhe. He sees everything in relationship with Krsna. Yukta-vairagyam ucyate. That is vairagyam.

He does not accept anything for his sense gratification, but he engages everyone in the service of Krsna. Then we can get out of the influence of the arrow of Cupid. This is the process.

- Srila Prabhupada

 

 

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NO QUESTION OF BEING DISAPPOINTED

If you want actually to make progress in your devotional life, the utsahan, enthusiasm, is the first thing. If you are lacking enthusiasm, then you should rest, instead of making too much agitation within the mind.

If something has dropped in the water, in the river, you cannot see the things dropped within the water by agitating the water. Just stand still for some time. As soon as the water is settled up, you'll see the things as they are.

So as soon as our enthusiasm is agitated, it is better to sit down in any temple suitable and chant Hare Krsna. There is no question of being disappointed.

After all, we commit so many mistakes. That is human nature. To err is human. That is not fault. But try to rectify with cool head.

That is required.

- Srila Prabhupada

 

 

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BEING HURT

Other people can hurt us to the extent we allow them to hurt us.

Our immediate reaction in moments when we are not understood, when our truth is not being accepted, is being hurt. This reaction is our own choice.

Actually, it is not that others hurt us. We hurt ourselves by how we choose to react.

Why we always have a tendency to fight for proving that our opinion is right?

This is redundant and brings a huge loss of energy.

I know what my thought is, I know that my motives are truthful and right and if the other person does not accept this, does not understand that, this is not our problem but his.

If I think like this, I cannot put myself in a situation to choose being hurt as a reaction. I will not react like this in that moment.

- Maja Muše

 

 

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ACKNOWLEDGE KRSNA'S KINDNESS

They have taken from nature, but they are thieves because everything in nature belongs to Krsna. Isavasyam idam sarvam: "Everything is God's creation." (Iso, mantra 1)

In Bhagavad-gita Krsna states that if one does not perform yajna [sacrifice], he is a thief. Yajna means acknowledging that things have been taken from Krsna.

We should think, "Krsna, You have given us many, many things for our maintenance." This much acknowledgement Krsna wants; that's all. Otherwise, what can He expect from you? What are you in His presence?

We should acknowledge Krsna's kindness. Therefore, before we eat we offer the food to Krsna and say, "Krsna, You have given us this nice food, so first You taste it." Then we eat it.

- Srila Prabhupada

 

 

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LOVE AND SEX

The highest pleasure of this material world is sex life. Even in the spiritual world there is sex pleasure in Krsna. But this is not something like sex life in the material world.

Here in the material world the energy is sex, and in the spiritual world the energy is love. Here the love is misrepresented in sex. That is not love, but lust. Love is only possible with Krsna, nowhere else.

In the spiritual life there is no sex life. In the spiritual world there is no sex intercourse. Although there is man and woman, there is no sex intercourse. By chanting the glories of God there in the spiritual world, they get so much great pleasure that is far beyond this pleasure of sex life.

If you have something best then you forget low grade pleasure. So this sex pleasure is lower grade pleasure. It is not pleasure, it is illusion, but in material world this is the greatest pleasure.

Therefore everyone they are coming back to this sex pleasure, everyone. Even so-called religionists and swamis, they are coming down to the sex pleasure. Because in this material world that is the only highest pleasure. So, so long one will be attracted by the sex pleasure it is still in the material world.

In the spiritual world there are very, very beautiful women, thousand, thousands times. Here, in the heavenly planets, they are calculated the best perfectional body of the woman. But in the spiritual world, still further. But there is no attraction of sex.

They are working together, serving together, everything. But the sex attraction, there is no. They are elevated so much in the service of the Lord.

Sex attraction is a kind of pleasure. So there are different types of pleasure.

Here, if somebody, good foodstuff is there, and.... That is also another sense pleasure, and by the time one beautiful woman is canvassing, "Now, come and let us enjoy," he will give up this good food. He'll go for sex. Because he will think this is better than that. So one pleasure is rejected if one is engaged in better pleasure.

Param drstva nivartate [Bg. 9.59]. So in the spiritual world the service of the Lord is so pleasing, that they can neglect this sex pleasure. That is spiritual world. They have no attachment for sex pleasure.

The sex attraction is very great in the material world. But in the spiritual world it is different. From Srimad-Bhagavatam we know that the opposite sex namely the female members of Vaikuntha are many many times more beautiful than they are in the heavenly planets. Their hips and attractive smiles cannot stimulate sex urge passion of the man or male devotees.

I never discourage marriage, providing it is for Krsna's service and not for simply sex life. It is always meant for a higher purpose. In God's creation there is male and female even in the spiritual world and there is purpose for such creation. This purpose is so that male and female may join together, not for sex-life, but to glorify the Lord.

From Srimad-Bhagavatam we learn that in Vaikuntha the women are much more beautiful in their figure, smiling, dressing, etc., but the men and women there are so much attracted by the chanting of Hare Krsna that they do not get any sex impulse even by intimate mingling.

Here also we sometimes get very good example, because when our nice boys and girls are dancing together in chanting Hare Krsna at least for that time they forget all about the sex impulse. This is perfection of life, to be so much attracted to Krsna that all insignificant pleasures are utterly forgotten.

In spiritual life also there are men and women. They are very beautiful and attractive, but they are all so much absorbed in thought of Krishna that in the spiritual world there is no sex life. That means that Krishna consciousness is so sublime and happy that it surpasses the pleasure of sex life.

- Srila Prabhupada

 

 

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