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Subject: Forgiveness in Krsna consciousness, Inquiries Into the
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Digest 399, March 9th, 2013. Answers by His Holiness Romapada Swami Maharaja
You are invited to send your questions to His Holiness Romapada Swami
at mail@iita.info with the word "Question" included in the subject
line or submit your question at
http://www.romapadaswami.com/?q=feedback/Question.

Forgiveness in Krsna consciousness
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782) What is forgiveness and letting go in Krishna Consciousness? Is
it that you have someone who has hurt you, but you forgive them in
your mind and let go since you need to move forward? Or forgive them
and continue talking to them as normal? How do you define
forgiveness?

Answer: Forgiveness is a very critical part of character development.
Forgiveness has a significant impact upon who we are *within*, i.e.
how we conduct our internal lives. Forgiveness or the lack of it also
very often defines the nature of our relationships with those who are
close to us.

To forgive means to give up resentment, anger or bitterness towards
another person. Even though an offense will often involve another
person or persons, forgiveness involves just one person - us. It means
that we, unilaterally and unconditionally, cease to be resentful. It
does not require apriori that the offense has been rectified, or the
offender has apologized. It simply means that we individually and
unconditionally decide to move on.

Please note that forgiveness does not mean condoning the offense, nor
does it mean that we are obliged to continue exposing ourselves to the
offender. We may very well condemn the offense, while asking for its
rectification; or we may distance ourselves from the offender, while
forgiving at the same time. "Forgive the sinner, not the sin" is a
Biblical teaching that applies nicely here. Essential is to clearly
separate the good soul from the aberrant behavior. Lesson #1 in
spiritual life is to see ourselves, as well as others, as spirit soul
-- *not* merely a set of behaviors.

The "how-to" part of the forgiveness depends on how we are spiritually
situated in our Krishna consciousness.

At a very basic level, forgiveness comes from the need for self
preservation. Not forgiving is like drinking poison and expecting the
other person to die. We rarely take offense at what strangers do to
us. So the issue of forgiveness comes typically with those who are
close and important to us. Not forgiving causes these relationships to
become bitter. When a person realizes this, then he or she forgives
simply because it is difficult to survive the other way. A
contemporary example of this is Andy and Kate Grosmaire who publicly
forgave Conor McBride, the killer of their daughter. "We're not
offering a pardon to him,'' Andy Grosmaire said. "The forgiveness
frees us. It keeps us from going to prison with Conor." While this may
seem to be a self motivated and material platform, it is in fact a
very exalted platform in the mode of goodness, one that most of us are
rarely able to even comprehend.

A person who is more spiritually advanced will forgive understanding
that every thing is happening to him because of his own destiny only,
or the law of karma. There is one and only one person who is
responsible for the good and bad things - and that is he himself. In
such a situation, a person forgives understanding that the other
person is simply a tool to make this happen, "an instrument of one's
own karma" Srila Prabhupada once described. A contemporary example of
this is the forgiveness the Amish community at Nickel Mines in South
Lancaster County gave to Charles Roberts who had shot ten of their
school girls and killed five of them. The killer was an outsider to
the community, who subsequently killed himself. What was remarkable
about this forgiveness was that it was instantaneous and went beyond
letting go of the resentment. Parents of the girls who were killed by
Charles attended his funeral, comforted his widow and raised funds to
provide financial aid for his family. When asked what was the driving
force for this forgiveness they shared the following prayer to the
Lord from the Bible, "Forgive us our transgressions as we forgive
those who transgressed against us." Even though there is no explicit
acknowledgement of the law of karma, this comes very close to it. One
who forgives is forgiven, and visa versa.

A person who is more spiritually advanced will forgive, understanding
that everything is happening because of the mercy of Lord Krishna.
Since he sees Krishna's hand everywhere, he understands that offenses
which persons commit are for his own purification and thus does not
hold the other person responsible. We see this described nicely in SB
11 Canto 23, sometimes called the Bhikhsu Gita sung by the Avanti
brahman. This individual at one time was very prosperous but greedy. A
series of events left him destitute and all his friends and family
deserted him, insulted and derided him. Initially he resents them all.
But, after going through some introspection, he forgives them with the
following understanding (SB 11.23.28) . "The Supreme Personality of
Godhead, Lord Hari, who contains within Himself all the demigods, must
be satisfied with me. Indeed, He has brought me to this suffering
condition and forced me to experience detachment, which is the boat to
carry me over this ocean of material life." Such an exalted platform
can only be achieved by one firmly practicing Krishna consciousness.

Finally, at the most exalted platform of Krishna consciousness, there
is no question of forgiveness, since such devotees are incapable of
taking offense. When one forgives, there is a tacit understanding that
I am right and you are wrong. Exalted devotees are so steeped in
humility, so firmly anchored in their relationship to Krishna, that
they are incapable of even seeing the offense of others. An example of
this is the great devotee king, Ambarisa Maharaja, in SB 9, Cantos
4-5. Even though he was insulted, berated and even attacked by Durvasa
Muni, he could not see any offense. Later, when out of the desire for
self preservation Durvasa Muni begs for his forgiveness, Ambarisa
Maharaja instead of feeling vindicated actually becomes ashamed. "When
Durvasa touched his lotus feet Maharaja Ambarisa was very much
ashamed, and when he saw Durvasa attempting to offer prayers, because
of mercy he was aggrieved even more." SB 9.5.2, This is a symptom of
genuine humility and the fact that a maha-bhagavat always sees every
one and everything in relationship to the Lord.

In order to practice forgiveness, one must first understand the need
for it; practice it according to one's adhikar or advancement in
Krishna consciousness while aspiring to make spiritual advancement
through careful practice of the process of devotional service to
Krishna.

*************************
Previous questions and answers are available with subject
classification at http://www.romapadaswami.com/inquiries
Digests 1-242 are included as a PDF file at:
http://www.romapadaswami.com/Inquiries/IITA_full.pdf
Lectures: http://www.romapadaswami.com/audio
Brief biography of His Holiness Romapada Swami:
http://www.romapadaswami.com/HHRPS_bio
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--
Yours
Dinesh
Blog:http://dinesh-krsna.blogspot.com

Forgiveness in Krsna consciousness, Inquiries Into the Absolute, Digest 399, To continue receiving these messages, please join the Google Group named Inquiries Into the Absolute http://groups.google.com/group/inquiries-into-the-absolute/

One time there was a thief in the temple who was caught. The devotees
decided to hand over him to police. But Srila Prabhupada forgave him
and gave him a chance for him2reform&gave him a place to stay in the
temple&forget the stealing habit.
Later the other day, again the devotees found this guy to pack up some
valuables&then trying to escape from the temple. The devotees caught
him and brought before Prabhupada. This time he said, i gave you
chance but you misused,now take him to police.

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

Chances&choices

Offerings - veg rice, cauliflower pakora

"Haunted Enjoyment" Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.1.63 Vrndavana, August 30, 1975 download  flash player   Take a test Prabhupada: tan-nimitta-smara-vyaja graha-grasto vicetasah tam eva manasa dhyayan sva-dharmad virarama ha  [SB 6.1.63] So the one word is very significant in this connection: graha-grasto vicetasah. Graha-grasto means ghostly haunted or influenced by bad star, graha-grasto. Sometimes we become... We are always graha-grasto in this material world. It is said by some Vaisnava poet, pisaci paile yena mati-cchana haya mayar grasta jivera sei dasa upajaya. Pisaci, ghostly haunted or inspired by the witches, when one becomes so, mati-cchana, he becomes bewildered and his intelligence becomes scattered. Mati-cchana. That is the condition of all living entities within this material world in different degrees. Everyone is ghostly haunted. And what is that ghostly haunted? That ghostly haunted, tan-nimitta-smara-vyaja. This Ajamila had seen one sudra and one sudrani were embracing, kissing, laughing, enjoying in lusty affairs. So he became tan-nimitta. By seeing these activities of the sudra and the sudrani, naturally the lusty desire is there, which I explained yesterday. It is called hrd-roga-kama. This kama, lusty desire, is a heart disease. So he was infected by the heart disease by seeing the scene, that one woman and man is embracing kissing, immediately. So the nature's law is so nice or so perfect that by seeing only, you will be infected, by seeing only. Prakrteh kriyamanani gunaih karmani sarvasah [Bg. 3.27]. We are put into such a position that every moment we are being affected by the three modes of material nature. Prakrteh kriyamanani. The prakrti, the nature, is working so expertly. Prakrteh kriyamanani. And karanam guna-sango 'sya sad-asad-yoni-janmasu [Bg. 13.22]. In this way our transmigration from one body to another, tatha dehantara-praptih [Bg. 2.13], it is due to this infection of contacting different material modes of nature. The whole world is going on. So therefore our business of human life is how to protect ourself from this infection of material nature. That should be the aim of human life, not that allow us to be infected more and more and become implicated in the cycle of birth and death, sometimes lower, sometimes higher. This is not intelligence. The intelligence is how to get out of it. In the lower animal forms of life the nature takes care. Jalaja nava-laksani sthavara laksa-vimsati, krmayo rudra-sankhyakah. From the aquatics to the plant life, then insect life, then bird life, then beast life, then we come to the human life. And that is also When we come to the civilized life we should not waste our time like animals or lower creatures. Therefore another important thing is that those who are born in India, Bharatabhumi, they are to be considered the topmost. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu has said, bharata-bhumite manusya-janma haile jara janma sarthaka kari kara para-upakara  [Cc. Adi 9.41] This is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mission. Those who have taken birth in India, Bharatabhumi, they should make their life perfect by understanding the Vedic knowledge. And the Supreme Lord Krsna comes here to teach the Vedic knowledge. He left Bhagavad-gita. Then Vyasadeva developed the idea of Krsna consciousness from Bhagavad-gita, Vedanta-sutra, into Srimad Bhagavatam. Bhasyayam brahma-sutranam. So we have got this advantage, and we are giving up these advantages. First of all, the advantage is that we are born in India, and we have got the stock of knowledge left by great sages, rsis and the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And you are not taking advantage of it. How much foolish we are becoming by so-called education, we should understand that. It is graha-grasta. We are thinking that... Our leaders are thinking that India, becoming too much religiously conscious, they have been poverty-stricken. No. That is not the fact. By Krsna's desire, by Krsna's will, everyone is provided. In the Vedas it is said, yo eko bahunam vidadhati kaman. The Supreme Lord is quite competent to provide, to supply the necessities of life to millions and millions of living entities. There is no question of scarcity of supply. Eko yo bahunam vidadhati kaman. In the forest there are millions of elephants. Who is supplying them food? Krsna is supplying. So there is no question of overpopulation. Overpopulation, there is no question of. If Krsna has overpopulation, He is competent to supply them food. But it is the nature's restriction. When we become godless, the nature's trouble will be there. Daivi hy esa gunamayi mama maya duratyaya [Bg. 7.14]. Just like the flood is going on in many parts of the world. So this is due to our sinful life. Nature is punishing. Adhidaivika. You cannot control. Nature will punish. Why nature is punishing? Because we are godless. That is nature's business. The more we become godless, the more we'll be punished by the laws of nature. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gita it is said, daivi hy esa gunamayi mama maya duratyaya. You cannot surpass. You make many scientific plans to overcome -- it is not possible. Then how it is possible? Mam eva ye prapadyante mayam etam taranti. Unless you surrender to Krsna That is your business. Therefore Krsna openly says, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. The Ajamila, he was brahmana, undoubtedly, but he fell a victim to maya. But you know the story of Haridasa. He was young man at that time, and one man instigated a prostitute, young prostitute, to deviate him, but she was unable. On the other hand, the prostitute became a Vaisnavi. This is the difference between a devotee and a nondevotee. A nondevotee cannot surpass the stringent laws of material nature. But a devotee can do that because a devotee is not affected by the influence of material nature. It is stated in the Bhagavad-gita that, mam cavyabhicarini bhakti-yogena yah sevate sa gunan samatityaitan brahma-bhuyaya kalpate  [Bg. 14.26] "Anyone who is strictly engaged in devotional service, he surpasses the influence of the laws of material..." Sa gunan samatitya etan. He can surpass. Sa gunan samatityaitan brahma-bhuyaya kalpate. This is the only way. Otherwise how these European and American boys and girls, they are living strictly under regulative principle -- no illicit sex, no meat-eating, no intoxication up to drinking tea, and no gambling? How they can surpass them? It is possible when one is a devotee, pure devotee. That is possible. So this is the example. The Ajamila was trained up as a nice brahmana, but he was not still expert to become Vaisnava. Therefore... But still, the seed of Vaisnavism was there because a brahmana is trained up how to worship Visnu, how to worship Narayana. That is essential. So this boy was also trained up how to worship Narayana, Visnu. And it was beneficially at the last stage of his life. Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trayate mahato bhayat. Even if you practice little of devotional service, it can save you from the greatest danger of life. That actually happened in the life of Ajamila. So tan-nimitta. So in this age, especially Kali-yuga, it is very, very difficult to save oneself from these infections of life. We have got already... We have come to this material world to fulfill our lusty desires. Naturally whenever there is any lusty activities, our heart disease immediately becomes impeted, and the same thing happened to Ajamila. And graha-grasto vicetasah. Graha-grasta. Just like when we are haunted by ghost -- a ghost captures, then vicetasah, we are lost, lost of our our consciousness, our intelligence -- he became like that. Tam eva manasa dhyayan. Then, instead of meditating on Krsna, he began to meditate on the lusty affairs of the sudra and the sudrani. Therefore, in the Kali-yuga the so-called meditation is a farce. Because we are always seeing these lusty affairs before our eyes, naturally when we close our eyes and meditate, instead of thinking of Krsna or Visnu, we shall think of woman and other things. Therefore it is not possible. In the Kali-yuga it is not possible. Krte yad dhyayato visnum [SB 12.3.52]. In the Satya-yuga it was possible, meditation on Visnu, not on other things. But now, in this Kali-yuga, we are infected with so many lusty desires that it is not possible. Therefore sastra said, krte yad dhyayato visnum tretayam majato makhaih. You can realize Visnu because Visnu is the ultimate goal of life. But we do not know it. Na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum [SB 7.5.31]. So that Visnu meditation was possible in the krte, in the Satya-yuga, when a man used to live for hundred thousands of years. And then reduce. The next age it is ten thousand of years. Then again, in the next age, it is one thousands of years. And now it is reduced to one hundred years. So therefore it is said that, krte yad dhyayato visnum tretayam majato makhaih dvapare paricaryayam kalau tad dhari-kirtanat  [SB 12.3.52] In the Kali-yuga you perform perfect meditation by loudly chanting, Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. This is the recommendation of the sastra -- not only one, but many sastras. In the Bhagavata also it is said, kaler dosa-nidhe rajan asti hy eko mahan gunah kirtanad eva krsnasya mukta-sangah param vrajet  [SB 12.3.51] So there are dangers in this material world. It is very dangerous place, padam padam yad vipadam [SB 10.14.58], every step, not only spiritually, materially also. Suppose you are out of this temple, there is every chance you may be dashed by a motorcar and die. So it is dangerous. Padam padam yad vipadam. So our motive of life should be how to get out of this dangerous position of life. How to get out of it, that should be the aim, not that to become more and more implicated in with this dangerous situation of life. That is not intelligence. The intelligence is how to get out of it. That is this movement, Krsna consciousness movement, how to get out of this dangerous position and go back to home, back to Godhead -- this is the mission. It is not that by spiritual advancement one gets material facilities to increase the income and increase the standard of sense enjoyment. This is karma-kandiya-vicara karma, to get the resultant action of our fruitive activities. And that is not very... They are called mudha. Those who are engaged in karma-kandiya entanglement, they are called mudha. Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura has commented on the word mudha described in the Srimad Bhagavad-gita. The mudha means karmis. Karmis, they work day, day and night, very hard. What is their aim? The aim is sense gratification. That is done by animals like dogs and hogs and asses. Nayam deho deha-bhajam nrloke kastan kaman arhate vid-bhujam ye [SB 5.5.1]. This is the recommendation, that this life, human life, ayam deha, nrloke, in this Everyone has got a material body, but one who has got a material body in the human society, nrloke Kastan kaman na arhati. To work so hard simply to satisfy the senses is not desirable. So modern civilization means that increase the activities of sense gratification. And especially... Of course in India, still there are peaceful land. But in the Western countries, from five o'clock in the morning we see on the streets thousands and thousands of motorcars. They are going to work, thousands and thousands. And they will come at night. This has begun also in India. We see in big, big cities like Calcutta and Bombay, they are coming early in the morning from home, and going, night, going at home at night, ten o'clock, eleven o'clock, and then sleep for two or three hours and again go to work. So there is a story. Just like a little child, because when his father comes back, he is asleep, and when the father goes out of home, he is asleep. So one night he saw one man is lying there. So he is asking his mother, "Who is this man? Who is this man?" Actually this is the position, that we are working day and... Bombay and Calcutta we have seen that they are hanging on the, what is called, local trains, and there are sometimes accidents. So in this way, gradually, we are coming to very dangerous, I mean to say, pattern of living condition with the age, with the advancement of this age of Kali. And it is said that for earning our bread we have to work like an ass in this Kali-yuga. This is not civilization. The civilization is... That is really Vedic civilization, that ayam deha. Nayam deha nrloke kastan kaman. We should make our life so simple and easy that we can get our necessities of life without any hard labor and save time to advance in Krsna consciousness. That is perfect civilization. This is not perfect civilization. There is every chance of being influenced by these lusty desires, and that is going on, especially in the Western country. They lusty for fulfilling these lusty desires there are so many clubs at night, nightclubs, bottomless and topless and so many advertisements. This is not civilization. Civilization is peaceful life, and we should be satisfied in simple mode of life and always think of Krsna. Therefore Vrndavana life is like that, Vrndavana life, especially those who are engaged in devotional service. So we have opened this temple to give facility to the elderly section of the human being to come and live with us. We invite all elderly persons, especially retired person. They should come and live with us. We have got a nice guesthouse, and if required, we can construct many other guesthouses. At least those are retired Everyone should retire after fiftieth year. That is the injunction of the sastras, that pancasordhvam varam vrajet. After fifty years one should give up family life and vanam vrajet. Pancasordhvam vanam. Vanam means Vrndavana. Vanam vrajet. Similarly, Prahlada Maharaja has advised, tat sadhu manye asura-varya dehinam sada samudvigna-dhiyam asad-grahat hitvatma-ghatam grham andha-kupam vanam gato yad dharim asrayeta  [SB 7.5.5] Vanam gato. One should go in the vana, in Vrndavana. Then what to do there? Harim asrayeta. Otherwise, if we live in Vrndavana like monkeys and other animals, that will not be beneficial. Harim asrayeta. Come here, live here and take shelter of Hari. That is the ultimate goal. Therefore Hari personally says, Krsna, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. Harim asrayeta. So we are not only inviting Indians throughout the whole world. Now we have got connection with the whole world. We invite everyone. At least after the age of fifty they should come here in Vrndavana. They should live peacefully and take shelter at the lotus feet of Krsna-Balarama and be happy in this life and get salvation in next life. Thank you very much. (end)   >>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.1.63 -- Vrndavana, August 30, 1975 HOME

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Srila Prabhupada speaks on: Haunted Enjoyment(Pisaci ;) he he hee heee)

Offerings last week - peas rice for peace and potato sabji