50 yrs later!

Posted by dinesh

I happened to think deeply about my existence. If we think about it, we can see how limited our time really is in this body.

"Before giving up this present body, if one is able to tolerate the urges of the material senses and check the force of desire and anger, he is well situated and is happy in this world"- BG#5.23

We are drowned into our desires which are like a reflection of our mind. It is this mind which is carrying us to different conceptions of material life as confirmed in the Bhagavad Gita.

"The living entity in the material world carries his different conceptions of life from one body to another as the air carries aromas. Thus he takes one kind of body and again quits it to take another"- BG#15.8

It's the mind which enjoys pleasure and suffers the pain. 50 yrs later, I won't be in this body nor would my friends or so called relatives who are expansions of this body. Even if some of us make it beyond 50yrs it would be like an invalid body which won't support normal life. If I won't live in this city of nine gates, beyond 50yrs why should I endeavor so much to care this body taking all my lifetime. This world is a perfect jail and unless we develop intense greed to attain Krishna, He could never be bought. Intense greed is the price to develop Bhakti and purchase Krsna.

Srila Rupa Gosvami, wrote, "Pure devotional service in Krishna consciousness cannot be had even by pious activity in hundreds and thousands of lives. It can be attained only by paying one price – that is intense greed to obtain it. If it is available somewhere, one must purchase it without delay." (Padyavali 14).

Quote starts:

"Following in the mood of Srila Rupa Gosvami, the Vaisnava saint Srila Narottama das Thakura has explained how any tendency that is an obstruction to our spiritual advancement can be transformed by relating it to Lord Krishna. He specifically describes how the 'six enemies' of lust, anger, greed, illusion, envy and pride can be conquered: "I will engage lust, anger, greed, illusion, envy and pride in their proper places. In this way, I will defeat the enemies and with ecstasy in my heart, I will worship Govinda without difficulty. I will engage my lust in eagerness to serve Krishna and I will use my anger against those who are envious of the devotees.

I will be greedy to hear the topics of Hari in the association of the devotees. I will be illusioned if I fail to achieve my worshipable Lord and I will feel proud to chant the glories of Krishna. In this way, I will engage them in their respective duties." (Prema Bhakti-candrika 2.9-10).

Quote Ends

Look at this, look at that, all are pitfalls trapping me in this world every moment. No use to look anywhere but within to hear the call of my Lord. My own desire to enjoy here is a noose that kills my soul life after life. There's a lot of things that happen in our life which sometimes creates a moral conflict and because of being in dualities it drives us crazy to go nuts and get lost. In the Mahabharata, Bhismadev had a moral conflict when Draupadi was pleading for help as she was disrobed by the Kauravas and so he had a hard time making a decision and couldn't help her. Similarly life throws us into many such situations which makes us feel totally drowned in life of sorrows.

"O Arjuna. Be transcendental to all of them. Be free from all dualities and from all anxieties for gain and safety, and be established in the Self." -BG#2.45

"Purport: As long as the material body exists, there are actions and reactions in the material modes. One has to learn tolerance in the face of dualities such as happiness and distress, or cold and warmth, and by tolerating such dualities become free from anxieties regarding gain and loss. This transcendental position is achieved in full Kṛṣṇa consciousness when one is fully dependant on the good will of Kṛṣṇa"

There's no use to waste time in talking about other people's mistakes or how we were ill treated or how we were not understood, despite our constant efforts to make them understand. In the middle of the ocean, what can you do if there is a storm? Only tolerate and try to see how soon you can get out of the ocean. This material life is such a deep ocean where all of us are trapped. We are running out of time to make a chance to get back home out of this ocean which has got ferocious animals that can eat us alive.

Best Regards

Dinesh

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Direct service or Directed service?

Posted by dinesh

Dependency on Krishna in every situation every time every moment makes the difference. Even at workplace. If we rely totally on our strength - may be our intellect or influence or wealth or words or deeds in every activity, we may get disappointed looking for the positive results all the time. If you take the example of Duryodhana, he was puffed up with his strength because all powerful warriors(who never got defeated in battle) were on his side. He was certain about victory. The pandavas had only limited resources, but their refuge was only Krsna in any circumstance. Positive or negative outcome, if we are dependent on Krsna we will be free from attachment, fear, anger( BG#4.10- http://vedabase.net/bg/4/10/en1) and that is the way to liberate our conditioned consciousness. We are not changing our activity but the consciousness. Both Pandavas and Kauravas performed the same act of fighting but the cause and consciousness was different. Pandavas also lost their sons and soldiers in the battle. In my personal realization, when my spiritual life (chanting, controlling senses and mind, surrendered humble consciousness ) was better, I was able to tackle the hardest problems at work or at any other situation with less anxiety about results. It's like we associate everything we see in the world with Krsna in order to remember him as we perform our duties.(BG 6.30

http://vedabase.net/bg/6/30/en). Jatayu the bird who fought with Ravana to save mother Sita was a failure in his attempt but ultimately He was recognized by Lord Ram for his service. The Lord even performed his cremation with His own hands which is victory!!!

If we change our world inside, the way the outside world interacts with us will be certainly different. Many devotees have had those realizations even when dealing with outside world, how Krishna reciprocates with us via every person and every situation. Krishna is controlling the wanderings of all the souls in these machines of body life after life by giving them these facilities of body mind senses and material nature according to what they deserve. Not that he is doing all the activities that the soul desires nor is he responsible for the reactions of our actions. He is a facilitator, observer & one who sanctions.(BG#4.14 - http://vedabase.net/bg/4/14/en1)

Varnashrama dharma(assuming we are performing something close to it) is a gradual process to have regulated sense gratification and at the same time performing sacrifices to please the Lord. The ground rule is "Always remember Krsna, Never forget Krsna". This principle overrides all Vedic rituals, any rules and regulations.

Krishna has given us the resources. Pulling the plug is about changing the consciousness & not the work itself. Currently our consciousness is contaminated by material motivations. The defect of Fruitive work is it makes us loose interest in devotional service. So we should rise above the mentality of Fruitive work(if I do this I will get that, according to Vedic rituals). (BG#2.44 http://www.vedabase.com/en/bg/2/44).

Direct devotional service will be working for Krsna like building a temple or website or fixing a computer that is being used for His service, spreading His message to the world by preaching, book distribution, Sankirtan, Cooking for Him in full consciousness of Krsna. Amount of faith on the Lord also matters in Bhakti Yoga. I wanted to talk about direct devotional service to clearly discriminate what we are currently doing and where we have to get to. We are not there yet but we are taking every chance to do direct devotional services every now and then in every possible way even now.

For now we will see the facilities we get as His mercy and proceed(which is also a way to remember Him) Eventually the goal is to attain complete unalloyed love for Him. Currently we don't have love for Him. So now we are practicing to slowly increase our love for God by this process of Bhakti yoga along with our duties of maintenance based on religious principles. Nature of this world is we got to do some work to maintain the body with soul. So we got to do some work anyway regardless of whether we like it or not, regardless of we are devotee or not devotee. There comes a time when we have to plan to reduce our varnashrama duties and increase directly serving the Lord in every way with spontaneous love at our hear. That's the final goal in our life we are all waiting for.....(BG#9.34 http://vedabase.net/bg/9/34/en1)

Best Regards

Dinesh

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Lawyer lawbook and judge would always be in alignment

Posted by dinesh

Lawyer lawbook and judge would always be in alignment. We can find many times or instances where Bhagavad Gita and Srimad Bhagavatam are inline in every respect.

BG 15.34 purport

The real form of this tree cannot be perceived in this world. No one can understand where it ends, where it begins, or where its foundation is. But with determination one must cut down this strongly rooted tree with the weapon of detachment. Thereafter, one must seek that place from which, having gone, one never returns, and there surrender to that Supreme Personality of Godhead from whom everything began and from whom everything has extended since time immemorial.

It is now clearly stated that the real form of this banyan tree cannot be understood in this material world. Since the root is upwards, the extension of the real tree is at the other end. When entangled with the material expansions of the tree, one cannot see how far the tree extends, nor can one see the beginning of this tree. Yet one has to find out the cause. "I am the son of my father, my father is the son of such-and-such a person, etc." By searching in this way, one comes to Brahmā, who is generated by the Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu. Finally, in this way, when one reaches the Supreme Personality of Godhead, that is the end of research work. One has to search out that origin of this tree, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, through the association of persons who are in knowledge of that Supreme Personality of Godhead. Then by understanding one becomes gradually detached from this false reflection of reality, and by knowledge one can cut off the connection and actually become situated in the real tree.

SB 3.25.11: Devahuti continued: I have taken shelter of Your lotus feet because You are the only person of whom to take shelter. You are the ax which can cut the tree of material existence. I therefore offer my obeisances unto You, who are the greatest of all transcendentalists, and I inquire from You as to the relationship between man and woman and between spirit and matter.

Best Regards

Dinesh

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Association

Posted by dinesh

Our dealings with the materialistic minded people should be as limited as possible.
Because we absorb our consciousness on things around us like a gemstone that absorbs light from outside and stores within.
We automatically start imitating things around us even without our knowledge, thats the nature of the mind. When a person is diseased
with a highly contagious disease, that person is usually quarantined to prevent the spreading of the disease to those around.

Similarly the pure devotees of the Lord do not take bliss in the association of materially motivated people.
The pure devotees of the Lord keep themselves aloof from the association of materialists just like, we stay away from the diseased.

This Sankirtan movement of Lord Caitanya is also very contagious but in a good sense.
The association of the followers of Lord Caitanya brings all auspiciousness and it doesn't stop with
one person, the person who got it has to spread, otherwise he can't relish the nectar he is provided
with.

In this regard we have two types of devotees. Gostanandi (serves the Lord via Preaching the Glories
of the Lord where ever he goes or where ever the Lord sends him)and Bhajanandi(Bhajanandi serves the Lords abode/dham,
meditates on the Lord within). Gostanandi is already a Bhajanandi. Most of the devotees in the movement of
Lord Caitanya are Gostanandis.

If Srila Prabhupada didn't come to America, I will not be here to write this article, rather would have been
lost elsewhere in easing out the contact of sense objects with the senses predominantly.

A supporting article, Quotes start here..
" Preaching is the Essence
                His Divine Grace A.C. Bhakti Vedanta Swami Prabhupada
Lord Caitanya wants His followers to preach all over the world:
"Dear Lord, Your personal associates, devotees, wander all over the world to purify even the holy places of pilgrimage. Is not such activity pleasing to those who are actually afraid of material existence?"
There are two kinds of devotees.One is called gosthy –anandi and the other bhajanandi. The word bhajanandi refers to the devotee who dos not move but remains in one place. Such a devotee is always engaged in the devotional service of the Lord. He chants the Mahamantra staught by many acaryas and sometimes goes out for preaching work.
The gosthy-anandi is one who desires to increase the number of devotees all over the world. He travels all over the world just to purify the world and the people residing in it.
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu advised: prithvi ache yata nagaradi gram / sarvatra pracara haibemora nama. Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu wanted His followers to move all over the world and preach in every town and village.
In the Chaitanya – sampradaya those who strictly follow the the principles of Lord Chaitanya must travel all over the world to preach the message of Lord Chaitanya, which is the same as preaching the words of Krsna- Bhagavad Gita and Srimad Bhagavatam. The more the devotees preach the principles of Krsna katha, the more the people throughout the world will benefit.
Devotees like the great sage Narada who travel all over to preach are called gosti-anandi.Narada Muni is always wandering throughout the universe just to create different types of devotees. Narada even made a hunter a devotee. He also made Dhruve Maharja and Prahlada devotees. Actually all devotees are indebted to the great sage Narada, for he has wandered both in heaven and in hell. A devotee of the Lord is not even afraid of hell. He goes to preach the glories of the Lord everywhere-even in hell- because there is no distinction between heaven and hell for a devotee.
                                           Narayana –parah sarve
                                           Na kutascana bibhyati
                                           Svargapavarga-narakesv
                                           Ap tulyartha- darsinah
"A pure devotee of Narayana is never afraid of going anywhere and everywhere . For him heaven and hell are one and the same." (Bhag. 6.17.28) Such devotees , wandering all over the world, deliver those ho are actually afraid of this material existence.
Bhag. 4.30.37"

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Material emotions originate from Raga-Dvesha it's useless, perverted unless dovetailed with devotion to the Lord

Posted by dinesh

Raga-Dvesha, The Cause Of Bondage

Raga (attraction), Dvesha (repulsion) and Tatastha Vritti (indifference) are the three important Vrittis of the mind. Raga and Dvesha (like and dislike or love and hatred or attraction and repulsion) are the two currents in the mind which bind a man to the Samsaric wheel of birth and death. Raga and Dvesha are the two Doshas or faults in the mind that have brought you to this world. The Svarupa of Bandha (bondage) is Raga and Dvesha. The Svarupa of Ajnana is Raga and Dvesha. All the emotions come under the category of Raga-Dvesha. These two currents are the Dharma (characteristics) of the mind and not of the spirit. Pleasure and pain, Harsha and Soka, exhilaration and depression are due to Raga-Dvesha. If Raga and Dvesha vanish from the mind, Harsha-Soka also will disappear.

- Swami Sivananda

Best Regards
Dinesh

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[granthraj] Anxiety to See Krishna- Part 2

Posted by dinesh

Hare Krishna Prabhujis and Matajis,
Please accept my humble obeisances! All glories to Srila Prabhupada and Srila Gurudev!

This is in continuation of the previous offering, "Anxiety to See Krishna", which is a humble effort to transcribe a part of the discussion between our beloved Gurudev HH Mahavishnu Goswami Maharaj and his disciples. Here Maharaj is referring to Srimad Bhagavatam verse 6.11.26.

ajaata-pakshaa iva maataram khagaah
stanyam yathaa vatsataraah kshudh-aartaah
priyam priyeva vyushitam vishannaa
mano 'ravindaaksha didrkshate tvaam

"O lotus-eyed Lord, as baby birds that have not yet developed their wings always look for their mother to return and feed them, as small calves tied with ropes await anxiously the time of milking, when they will be allowed to drink the milk of their mothers, or as a morose wife whose husband is away from home, always longs for him to return and satisfy her in all respects, I always yearn for the opportunity to render direct service unto You."

Just as the young birds, they are waiting for the mother very anxiously, because their life depends upon it, so we also very anxiously wait for Krishna. Then the second example is best. Calf and the cow. In the cow protection center in India, there may be 500 cows, but you take one calf, he will definitely go to his mother. He will find out his mother. They know that knack. They will straightway go to the mother. That is how, we may do our karmic activities, you have to go to the office, you have to take education, you have to find out a job, these things will go on, but as soon as you are free from these things, you should straightaway run to Bhagavatam. There should not be any impediment then. What we do? Under the burden of the karmic activity, we waste the rest of the time also. "Oh! I am tired! I must lie down." We do this or that under so many arguments. The mind is very clever to present the arguments. We should not give into the mind. Mind is rascal really. It will present arguments which are very suitable to you. "Again tomorrow, you have to go to office, you have to prepare, you better take rest now nicely and sleep." It will never tell you that you go to Srimad Bhagavatam.

But one argument will really scare the mind and that is "How many times you are going to be born again and do you want the difficulty of the birth? Do you want to undergo the same misery of death? Do you want to become old again and again? Do you want to become sick? If not, you just get out and go to Bhagavatam." Then mind will tell, "We don't want to suffer in the next birth, we don't want to suffer next death. So please get up and sit there in the table to study Bhagavatam."

This is how the mind will guide you then. These three examples give the idea how anxiously they wait. So we should have the same sincerity and anxiety to see Krishna. Otherwise we cannot do the devotional service. This is nice way. You had so many difficulties and bitter experiences, but the end result is very good when we remember Krishna. And that is why Krishna gives us the difficulties and real devotee asks for the difficulties. Kunti prays, "vipadah santu taah sashvat - please give me all difficulties", because in difficulty we feelingly appeal to Krishna, we feelingly pray to Krishna. So don't be afraid of the difficulties.

Thank you very much.
Yours in service of Srila Prabhupada and Srila Gurudev,
Vaijayanti mala devi dasi,
Abu dhabi.

__

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Wealth & Material comforts alone can't satisfy us

Posted by dinesh

Krishna: if you win the war you can become happy with your kingdom

Arjuna: I can't be happy even if I win a kingdom with prosperity and sovereignty like Demi-gods of heaven. All I want is only transcendental knowledge.

No one can get complete satisfaction by material comforts only, We see in the western countries where they have all material comforts to the fullest extent possible but still they have no satisfaction at heart. Why? because we are not these bodies but spirit souls. Arjuna had everything of material comforts but still that couldn't make him happy.

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Missing.....

Posted by dinesh

This Little boy is missing in my life since many lifetimes. Whoever finds Him please let me know His whereabouts!!!

Color: blackish blue
Dress: yellow silk
Identification marks: will have peacock feather over His head
Last known location: Groves of Vrindavan with cows
Other details: Moonlike face to charm anyone in the universe, uses flute to mesmerize people

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Fire of digestion

Posted by dinesh

I am the fire of digestion in the bodies of all living entities, and I join with the air of life, outgoing and incoming, to digest the four kinds of foodstuff
- Lord Sri Krishna in Bhagavad Gita

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A lesson on life

Posted by dinesh

A lesson on life

via KKS Blog by hina on 12/27/12

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 2 June 2012, Lecture SB 5.13.5)

Worms are eating your insides, right now! You feel the pains here and there. Worms are eating your liver. Worms are eating your heart. They eat your heart out while you sit there. There are even worms living in your brain, I read about this!

It's not that we are enjoying. We just accept the suffering when we are in these bodies as normal. It's normal that I'm sweating right now, it's just normal because it's warm. It's normal that I have a headache leftover from all the travels that had over the last years. It's normal that I have some pain between my shoulder blades because I'm 60 years old. It's normal that I have an in-growing toenail, it's completely normal. As I'm talking to you, I was just mentioning the toe because the sock is causing pressure on my toenail. I'm tolerating it but I suffer and so do you. If you carefully investigate our existence, we are all suffering.

From a philosophical point of view, we are always suffering. Sometimes we are aware of it and sometimes we are not, you know what I'm saying!? It's like we're suffering but sometimes we are not aware of it. Now, I'm experiencing this suffering, I'm not going to dwell on it – my toe, my sock, my toe, my sock. I'm dwelling on Krsna, I'm dwelling on the soul. I'm dwelling on the relationship that we have with the soul. But we are not in denial of the fact that the bodily existence is offering us suffering, it is, and therefore we want to get out of here!

Best Regards

Dinesh

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granthraj] Do not Neglect - Part 2

Posted by dinesh

Hare Krishna Prabhujis amd Matajis,
Please accept my humble obeisances! All glories to Srila Prabhupada and Srila Gurudeva.
This is in continuation of the previous offering titled, "Do not Neglect" wherein we are discussing on the consequences of neglecting Krishna and His pure devotees as detailed in the pastime of Jaya and Vijaya being cursed by the Sanatkumaras. So let us try to meditate on this lesson in this offering.
1. We offend others when we fail to see Krishna in them.
a) Ignoring Krishna and His devotees means arrogant behaviour: Krishna is present as Paramatma in everyone's heart. Since Jaya and Vijaya, in this instance failed to see Krishna in the heart of the sages, they ended up offending them. We remember how our beloved spiritual master H H Mahavishnu Goswami Maharaj, seeing Krishna in everyone, would render obeisances even to the disciples. Maharaj in one of his classes spoke wonderfully about how to see Krishna in every being and to be careful in our behaviour so that we don't cross the border of offense.
"amaaninaa maanadena- Mahaprabhu was very clever, extra clever. He knew our weaknesses. That is why He has advised us amaaninaa maanadenaa. 'Amaani' means - do not expect any respect for yourself. Maanadenaa - you give respect to others. This is very difficult because we want respect, but we do not care for others. And then we do not know who is coming to us. We have to remember one thing very clearly that during our life, Krishna can come anytime in front of us. If, we just behave arrogantly with everybody and then He comes and sees our reaction and vanishes. And that will be repaid when we are dead so that we have to answer that why we behaved like that. This is without fail. Krishna appears in front of us and that is why a sane person has to follow this instruction amaaninaa maanadena. Whoever comes to your door, we think that Krishna has come and we behave very well with him. Whoever is around us, is also Krishna; whoever meets us, he is also Krishna; whoever will meet us, he is also Krishna and so we are very humble with him. We are very respectful to him. Whatever help we can do, we do. There is no arrogant attitude."

b. Ignoring devotional service means ignoring Krishna: Maharaj says that if we ignore chanting, chanting will ignore us. If we ignore Srimad Bhagavatam then Srimad Bhagavatam will ignore us. If we ignore devotional service then devotional service ignores us. Devotee means who is devoted to Krishna, pure devotees and devotional service. He never ignores any one of them or none of them. He takes it very seriously. But how to develop this quality? Srila Prabhupada very nicely says in the purport to Srimad Bhagavatam verse 1.3.44, "One should hear with rapt attention from the real person, and then he can at once realize the presence of Lord Krishna in every page. The secret of knowing Bhagavatam is mentioned here. But somehow or other if someone hears with rapt attention from the right person, at the very beginning one can assuredly see Lord Sri Krishna in person in the pages of Bhagavatam."
Once we see the Lord in every page of Srimad Bhagavatam we automatically cultivate this habit of seeing Krishna in every being and in every circumstances. This is the highest stage but we can make a small step towards that objective of seeing Krishna in everybody and Krishna will mercifully help in purifying us.
Thank you very much.
Yours in service of Srila Prabhupada and Srila Gurudeva,
Sajjanapriya Krishna das
Abudhabi

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[granthraj] Do Not Neglect - Part 1

Posted by dinesh

Hare Krishna Prabhujis amd Matajis,
Please accept my humble obeisances! All glories to Srila Prabhupada and Srila Gurudeva.
In our life it is always emphasized and reemphasized by the shastras that Krishna should be the centre of our activities and all other activities should be dovetailed in such a way that Krishna is not ignored, at any phase of our activity. But in this material world we are flooded with so much of material miseries that eventually we tend to ignore Krishna and we try to solve the miseries on our own endeavour. Our beloved spiritual master H H Mahavishnu Goswami Maharaj says that we put everything else first and last is Krishna. That is the difficulty. What are the consequences of ignoring Krishna is nicely described by the Lord Himself in the pages of Srimad Bhagavatam in the pastime of Jaya and Vijaya being cursed by the Sanatkumara munis.
One time Sanat kumaras who were perfectly situated in Brahman had the desire of having darshan of the Supreme Lord Krishna. They travelled over the material and spiritual skies and then came to Vaikunta planets and they crossed 6 doors and they were at the last door to enter into to have the wonderful darshan of the Lord. They were stopped at the seventh gate by the two door keepers there, Jaya and Vijaya. The Sanatkumaras become surprised at the behaviour of the two doorkeepers and decided to curse them as they have exhibited their discordant mentality in the spiritual world and were to be called as imposters. They have to be punished and sent out of the spiritual world. Hearing this doorkeepers fell at the feet of the Sanatkumaras and asked for forgiveness .They also prayed that eventhough they may fall into the material world, they should be blessed in such a way, not to forget the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The moment Jaya and Vijaya becomes repentant and asked for forgiveness from Sanat kumaras, the Lord immediately appeared in front of kumaras and the doorkeepers. Sanat kumaras by the dint of their spiritual power nicely glorified the Lord with choicest prayers. The Supreme Lord being pleased with their prayers and started thanking them for the prayers and started speaking with them with nectarean words. The Lord did not blindly support His door-keepers. He accepts the offence committed by the doorkeepers even before He starts to defend them. The Lord spoke with so much of gravity and eloquence in Srimad Bhagavatam 3.16.2
shri bhagavaan uvaaca
etau tau paarshadau mahyam / jayo vijaya eva ca
kadarthi krtya maam yad vo / bahv akraataam atikramam

The Personality of Godhead said: "These attendants of Mine, Jaya and Vijaya by name, have committed a great offense against you because of ignoring Me."
From the above pastime we learn
1. We offend others when we fail to see Krishna in them. This is what it means by ignoring Krishna (kadarthi krtya).
2. Suffering the reactions of the offence is inevitable, even if one is in Vaikuntha.
3. However when devotees engaged in service of the Lord commits mistakes by chance, they are protected by the Lord.
Krishna willing we shall discuss the above points in the subsequent offerings.

Thank you very much.
Your humble servant,
Sajjanapriya Krishna das,
Abudhabi.

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Knowledge Vs Ignorance

Posted by dinesh

Humility; pridelessness; nonviolence; tolerance; simplicity; approaching a bona fide spiritual master; cleanliness; steadiness; self-control; renunciation of the objects of sense gratification; absence of false ego; the perception of the evil of birth, death, old age and disease; detachment; freedom from entanglement with children, wife, home and the rest; even-mindedness amid pleasant and unpleasant events; constant and unalloyed devotion to Me; aspiring to live in a solitary place; detachment from the general mass of people; accepting the importance of self-realization; and philosophical search for the Absolute Truth — all these I declare to be knowledge, and besides this whatever there may be is ignorance.

Lord Sri Krishna in Bhagavad Gita As It Is 13.8-12

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Posted by dinesh

The perfect soul mate!?

16 Dec 2014 by Harsarani devi dasi 1 Comment

Filed Under: All News, Featured Kadamba Kanana Swami, Quotes & TranscriptsTagged With: love, soul mate

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 14 September 2012, Pretoria Arts Campus, South Africa, Lecture: The perfect soul mate)

Love and hate are kind of natural sentiments in this world; everyone has it. I hate Mondays, for example. I do not know what you think about Mondays but I hate them! Like that, everyone has got something they hate and something they love and it is quite obvious. So that is the first principle – love is everywhere. People love things, they love places but more than that, they love other people, and they love other people the most. People get all sentimental when it is about mum and dad and things like that.

Love is here, in this world but is this love free from hatred? Does it even exist? Is there any relationship where there is some love but which is also free from hatred? That is not so easy, “Oh God, I just hate the way he leaves his socks lying around!” Or, “I hate the way she does this and that.”

So, in this world, love and hate come together and that is a point to consider in light of the perfect soul mate. If you think that somewhere around the corner there is a Cinderella or something… I never met Cinderella yet, I’m sorry. Or some prince on a white horse…. who has a horse these days? Who can even afford it? These things all exist on the level of our desire, since we desire it like that. We desire the fairytale, a perfection, but where is it in real life? In real life, you have got to make do with the best there is, and that is more or less how it is.

So whenever I see something like the perfect soul mate and exploding hearts, then I think, ‘Yeah, today it is going to be all rosy and so on and tomorrow, it is going to be something else!’

It is said that when falling in love, you meet a new person and this person looks full of amazing qualities, entirely like an ocean. After a while, you walk around that ocean and find out that it is only a pond and you don’t bother seeing that person again! What can be said? A lot happens in the mind. We dream in the mind of what we want and then we project our dreams into reality but reality has nothing to do with that dream. Sometimes it looks like it is happening, and at other times it does not.

So, where to look for the perfect soul mate? And love, it is possible? Surely love is the best quality we have but can we develop it? Before we talk about relationships, what about us? It begins with ourselves. If we are not full of love, then how can we expect a relationship which is full of love? It will not work, it is not possible.Only those who are themselves full of love and free from hate, only they can become perfect soul mates, and no one else.

So you can look at the world and you may think, “Every pot has its lid, everyone has his perfect counterpart.There is one person in the world, just somewhere around there and that is the one for me.” That is rubbish! It does not exist. It is not like that at all. It is give and take. On a material plane, as the paper blows away, so does love – it flies away in the wind! What to do?

Only when you are spiritually realized, can you have pure love. Only when you see that there is another world other than this world – an eternal world where we belong and where everybody belongs, then you can develop loving relationships together. Then you can have a world free of hatred. Otherwise, what do you do in this world? Everybody has seen enough hatred.

So that is what we have to get rid of. Not, “I love my dog and I love my little turf and what is in between my wall, and the rest of the world I hate.” That is not love. No, love means all inclusive; it means we have to be all inclusive. When love goes together with hate then it is not love.

Today, you can have a relationship with someone and it will be all love and the hate is for the neighbours, but that will change. One day, the love will be for the neighbours and the hate will be in your relationship, and that is when furniture starts flying… So true relationships begin when we ourselves become pure, free from hate!

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He’s the one!

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He’s the one!

14 Feb 2015 by Amrtavani devi dasi Leave a Comment

Filed Under: All News, Quotes & TranscriptsTagged With: Krsna, life

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, February 2011, Stockholm, Sweden, Lecture)

It is certainly good to look for inspiration in the association of devotees but we must also learn to find it when we are completely alone. If we always try to fill the vacuum by being with others and hoping that something inspirational is going to happen, then each time when we are alone, we fall back in a vacuum.

No, we must also learn toappreciate Krsna’s presence when we are alone. He’s here! He’s always here! He’s really here! We are never alone! Krsna is here in all his magnificent glories. So where is the question of having to go to anyone when we have Krsna?

In any relationship, there is always a third person – Krsna, and he is by far more inspiring than any other person. It is Krsna that is the most inspiring person in any relationship. So, we have to remember the third person is always there, and ultimately, that he is the one! The one whom we are actually taking inspiration from!

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Bhava Grahi Janardana

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Krishna has a name like, "Bhava Grahi Janardana" because He sees only the attitude with which you approach Him. If someone is unable to even pronounce Krishna still Krishna would consider their devotion. We see for instance Chinese language is so hard for the Maha mantra due to the language deficiency.

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Nobody's innocent!

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Nobody is innocent in this world. Each one of us is a culprit who tried to defy the authority of the Lord and desired to compete with Him. The same is happening with other fellow beings. This world is similar to a room full of dogs fighting for self-gratification and power.

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Soldiers

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People who are in the military fighting to defend the country are recognized by the government. Similarly those who preach the message of Lord Caitanya are soldiers who are easily recognized by the Lord.

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I am right, and you are wrong!

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Every person in the world thinks that he/she is right all the time and justifies his /her actions based on his/her relative perception with people and situations. But the reality is it may not be so for most of the times.

In the court of Yamaraja, the judgement of our actions will be presented and at that time we will be forced to understand the reality and our mistakes and sins if we can't humbly and gracefully accept our faults and mistakes now.

There's a famous story in Mahabharata in this regard. One time Duryodhana was asked to see who all are good around him. He went on searching but within his mind he couldn't perceive anyone else to be better than himself due to his false pride and arrogance. And finally came back saying there is none as good as himself. This is the sign of ignorant men.

When Yudhistra maharaja was asked to find someone who is the worst, he went all around and was seeing everyone else as better in qualities than himself due to his nature of finding faults within himself and magnifying even the minute faults of himself. So he finally came back saying that there is none so bad than himself.

A person who really feels the presence of God and His supremacy always feel the self to be unqualified and humble in any situation. This is the sign of Godly men.

Best Regards

Dinesh

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Spirit/Matter - What are you made of?

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Everything you see in this world is a combination of spirit(our real self) and matter. In other words it's a mixture of the field of activity and the knower of the field of activity(soul). When the knower comes in contact with the field of activity it is called Birth and when the knower separates from it, it's called Death.

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Varnashrama notes

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Varna and ashrama should not be mixed. If we do so it will Make our life miserable. Modern society has this biggest flaw that people identify mostly themselves with the profession they are into even in their personal lives. Varna is something that helps to facilitate the ashrama. And all activities or the results should be directed towards the Supreme Lord.

The way a person responds to his wife or children will be the same whether he is Kshatriya or Brahmana or Vaisya or Sudra. If the Kshatriya brings his power into the family life then it becomes miserable.

For instance one may be a prime

Minister but for his mother he is a son. When the mother calls him he should answer like a son, yes I am eating properly mother, taking medicines properly, I am good and sleeping well no health issues, like that. But in the office he is prime minister and people respect him as prime minister but to his mother it doesn't matter what he is at the office.

The brahmacari should practice studying the scriptures and then become qualified in the society. If he feels there's a need to understand the interaction of senses and sense objects he can enter the grihastha ashrama and then offer and engage the sense objects into the fire of senses. Once the next generation is capable of supporting the family, the man should restrain the senses from the sense objects and when during sannyasa he should completely restrain the senses from sense objects. Whatever that comes his way he should directly use only for the service of the lord.

Best Regards

Dinesh

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Fear of material existence is required

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Akñayänanda: I think most of the devotees became by fear. I think most of the devotees have become devotees because of fear.
Prabhupäda: Fear must be. If he's a gentleman he must be afraid of this material world. That is very good qualification. If one is afraid of this material existence, it is very good symptom.
Akñayänanda: Just about every devotee, before coming to you, has thought about suicide.
Prabhupäda: Suicide? Oh.
Akñayänanda: So many, I know I have spoken with them. And myself included.
Prabhupäda: Yes, there was no hope. What is the use.
Akñayänanda: Yes. Just about every devotee, they have thought of suicide.
Prabhupäda: Yes, they commit suicide. I have seen. Fall from the...
Hari-çauri: Skyscraper.
Prabhupäda: Yes. Tower. From the bridge.
Hari-çauri: They have to put big wire screens up to stop people from jumping off.
Prabhupäda: Yes, I have seen.
Harikeça: Berkeley.
Prabhupäda: Berkeley, yes.
Hari-çauri: Everywhere. Sydney has bridges like that. These big towers like Eiffel Tower in Paris, they have big fences along the top so that no one can...
Prabhupäda: This practice is there in Vedic system. Not Vedic system, (indistinct), fall down. There is technical name. Fall down from the mountain. This is easier than other type of suicide. Because you simply once jump, but as soon as you fall, you forget everything. Suicide itself is very bad. This fall down, serotan (?) it is called.

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Today's prayer and meditations

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Salt mine

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Salt mine

This material world is a place like salt mine, wherever you turn it's salt only. In this material world wherever you turn it's just miseries in one way or the other.

- Srila Bhakti Vinoda Thakur

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Krishna and cow

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Householder life is a big responsibility

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A householder has to make sure he cares for elderly people as well as young children nicely. In Mahabharata, Yudhistra maharaja would everyday goto Dhritarashtra in the morning after he wakes up to check how he is doing and talks to him for sometime to make him feel good&ensured he got enough care personally.

Being a householder means being very responsible. Not that because I am chanting I have no duties to perform. We heard enough of these from even some senior devotees. Madhavendra Puri's state of consciousness was completely different and he was not even begging as that's one of the duties of renounced order of life to maintain the self. He was totally dependent on Krishna and he ate only when someone came forward to give something as directed by Supersoul. We are not on that level to be irresponsible or without care for ourself or our family members. Of course the Lord is the ultimate maintainer but he is not our servant.

Your Servant,
Dinesh

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Inviting Writers For Krishna - Smaranam

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Looking for article writers who can write their own realization or something that they relish after hearing classes from other devotees or something that strikes the mind to correlate with other relevant points in your mind heard from a blend of other devotees.

"Realization means you should write, every one of you, what is your realization. What for this Back to Godhead is? You write your realization, what you have realized about Krishna. That is required. It is not passive. Always you should be active. Whenever you find time, you write. Never mind, two lines, four lines, but you write your realization. Sravanam kirtanam, writing or offering prayers, glories. This is one of the function of the Vaisnava. You are hearing, but you have to write also. Then write means smaranam, remembering what you have heard from your spiritual master, from the scripture."

(Srila Prabhupada lecture, 72-14-8)

Here's my blog- simply publishing here will help people roaming in the internet to get to it. Someone lucky might get Krishna this way. I would partner with any of you to discuss and publish as many articles as possible.

http://dinesh-krsna.blogspot.com/

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Your

servant

Dinesh

Bhakti Yogi @ http://dinesh-krsna.blogspot.com

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The Ocean & the Sun are functioning properly due to fear of God

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The ocean is acting according to the will of the Lord. We are certain that the Ocean doesnt extend beyond the shore. Otherwise we wont be walking alongside the beach peacefully. If it's not controlled by any power it may even swallow the whole city. It is by the will of the Lord, that the ocean is not crossing the shore.

Similarly the sun is also perfectly moving in its orbit. Even if there is any slight change in the normal functioning it will freeze the whole world. If it comes too closer it will cause fire. So neither fire nor snow is possible only because of the sun's obedience to the will of God.

Yours

Dinesh

Bhakti Yogi @ http://dinesh-krsna.blogspot.com

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