NBS:6
One who understands perfectly the process of devotional service in love of Godhead becomes intoxicated in its discharge. Sometimes he becomes stunned in ecstasy and thus enjoys his whole self, being engaged in the service of the Supreme Self.

Purport :
How one becomes intoxicated in devotional service is very nicely described in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.2.40):
evaḿ-vrataḥ sva-priya-nāma-kīrtyā
jātānurāgo druta-citta uccaiḥ
hasaty atho roditi rauti gāyaty
unmāda-van nṛtyati loka-bāhyaḥ
"A person engaged in the devotional service of the Lord in full Kṛṣṇa consciousness automatically becomes carried away by ecstasy when he chants and hears the holy name of Kṛṣṇa. His heart becomes slackened while chanting the holy name, he becomes almost like a madman, and he does not care for any outward social conventions. Thus sometimes he laughs, sometimes he weeps, sometimes he cries out very loudly, sometimes he sings, and sometimes he dances and forgets himself." These are the signs of becoming intoxicated in devotional service. This stage, called the ātmārāma stage, is possible when the Lord bestows His mercy upon a devotee for his advanced devotional activity. It is the highest perfectional stage because one cannot reach it unless one has attained pure love of God.
Neither formal religious rituals, economic development, sense gratification, nor liberation can compare with this sweet stage of perfection of love of Kṛṣṇa, love of the Supreme Lord. The Caitanya-caritāmṛta (Ādi-līlā 7.97) describes this stage of ecstasy and intoxication as being far above the ecstasy of realizing oneself as Brahman, or the supreme spirit. Lord Caitanya says that the ecstasy of bhakti (love of Godhead) is so vast that it is like an ocean compared to the drop of pleasure derived from understanding oneself as one with Brahman. In all Vedic literature, the highest perfectional stage is said to be the state of intoxication of devotional service. It is not achieved by ordinary persons, the nondevotees.

Sometimes he laughs, sometimes he weeps, sometimes he cries out very loudly, sometimes he sings, and sometimes he dances

MM 47: What person, even if most sinful, has ever said aloud the blessed name Narayana and failed to fulfill his desires? But we, alas, never used our power of speech in that way, and so we had to suffer such miseries as living in a womb.

We had to suffer such miseries as living in a womb

MM 30: He is the jewel riding on the back of Garuda, who carries away the Lord's devotees on his wings. He is the magic jewel protecting the three worlds, the jewellike cloud attracting the cataka-bird eyes of the gopis, and the jewel among all who gesture gracefully. He is the only jeweled ornament on the ample breasts of Queen Rukmini, who is herself the jewel of beloved consorts. May that crown jewel of all gods, the best of the cowherds, grant us the supreme benediction.

The magic jewel

There's a number of quotes from acharyas, you can find which is supporting your own view. If you are feminist, you can see quotes that are supportive to your views and if you are anti-feminist you can see the quotes that fits your perspective. If you put a red glass everything you see appears red. It's easy to manipulate the quotes of Acharyas in one angle and conclude biased opinions.

Woman reporter: What about women who do not have children?

Prabhupada: Well, that is also another unnatural thing. Sometimes they use contraceptives. They kill children, abortion. That is also not very good. These are all sinful activities. These are sinful activities, to kill child in the womb.

Prabhupada: Yes, that is a fact. In the history there is no woman who is a big philosopher, a big mathematician, big scientist, big educationist. We don’t find. They were all men.

Disciple: Women’s liberation has become successful because man is now the servant of woman.

Prabhupada: It is not successful. That I was pointing out. It has caused the disaster because the whole women become dependent on the welfare gift of the government, and the government has to raise tax heavily for this purpose. The tax is given by the general public, but it is going for one individual person, and I have heard that government is embarrassed.

Prabhupada: By nature’s way, if the husband takes care of the wife and children, this problem is solved immediately. But the man takes advantage. He goes away after making the woman pregnant. And the woman is embarrassed and the government is embarrassed.

Disciple: And the child grows up to be a criminal.

Prabhupada: Yes.

(Television interview with Srila Prabhupada, July 9, 1975, Chicago)

Reporter: Are men regarded as superior to women?
Prabhupada: Yes, naturally. Naturally, woman requires protection by the man. In the childhood she is protected by the father, and youth time she is protected by the husband, and old age she is protected by elderly sons. That is natural.
Female Reporter: That goes against the thinking of a lot of people in America now. Do you know that?
Prabhupada: No… America, maybe, but this is the natural position. Women require protection.
Female Reporter: Who decides who’s natural? And what’s natural?
Prabhupada: Natural means just like in psychology it is said that woman, the highest brain substance of woman is thirty-six ounce, whereas the highest brain substance of man is sixty-four ounce. So there is difference by nature, of the brain.

(News Interview with Srila Prabhupada, March 5, 1975, New York)

Are men regarded as superior to women?

MM 13: O Lord of the three worlds, we are drowning in the vast ocean of samsara, which is filled with the waters of material hankering, with many waves of illusion whipped up by the winds of lust, with whirlpools of wives, and with vast schools of sharks and other sea monsters who are our sons and brothers. O giver of all benedictions, please grant me a place on the boat of devotion that is Your lotus feet.

Please grant me a place on the boat of devotion that is Your lotus feet.

Prayer time!

Feminist propaganda in ISKCON

"To get vaccination from the sense gratification is to absorb in transcendental ecstasy. To do that we need to have a strong desire. In a few days, months, years, if you are determined and if somehow you could convince Lord Nithyananda, "I don't have any other desire but to get back to You. You should please give me that little drop of mercy."

For Lord Nithyananda prabhu is very merciful. He doesn't see whether a person is qualified or not qualified. He is very liberal in giving that mercy. If someone has a desire for the mercy, then Lord Nithyananda is known to give. So it is very promising if we put our faith in Lord Nithyananda. If we put our aspirations at His Lotus Feet for that mercy, and if we get that, after that it is smooth sailing. Material happiness seem very insignificant.

All we need to do is avoid association with materialists, who bring us into a clouded condition where we forget our spiritual perspective and start acting mechanically on the material platform. We have to avoid that type of situation, continue engaging in devotional service with that little drop of nectar. That is what all devotees pray for. 'Kripa bindu Diya'- Give me that drop of mercy – that drop of mercy, which is the mercy of Lord Nithyananda.

HH Jayapataka Swami
From the book: Vaishnava Vani
Courtesy: Mathuradesh

Transcendental Vaccination

Reversals teach you lessons!

Best Regards

Reversals teach you lessons!

Best Regards

Disorder has invaded all our relations

One time a saint observed a candala walking along the road was sprinkling water on the path to purify before his every step. This was kinda strange and so the saint approached him and asked the reason. The Candala told its sinful to walk along the path where an ungrateful person has walked over. Even a candala feels he gets sin to touch the earth that was walked over by an ungrateful person.

The following is quite impersonal but is ultimately about connecting to the nature and the creator indirectly.

"From The Secret Daily Teachings Mobile App

Begin your day by feeling grateful. Be grateful for the bed you just slept in, the roof over your head, the carpet or floor under your feet, the running water, the soap, your shower, your toothbrush, your clothes, your shoes, the refrigerator that keeps your food cold, the car that you drive, your job, your friends. Be grateful for the stores that make it so easy to buy the things you need, the restaurants, the utilities, services, and electrical appliances that make your life effortless. Be grateful for the magazines and the books that you read. Be grateful for the chair that you sit on, and the pavement that you walk on. Be grateful for the weather, the sun, the sky, the birds, the trees, the grass, the rain, and the flowers.

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

May the joy be with you,
Rhonda Byrne"

The ungrateful heart is not so great

Check out this video on YouTube:

http://youtu.be/gNYIzDK1cBA


Best Regards
Dinesh

Don't use the axe of criticism where the scalpel of correction is needed

Best Regards

50 yrs later!

Best Regards

Direct service or Directed service?

Lawyer lawbook and judge would always be in alignment

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"

Association

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

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

 

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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[granthraj] Anxiety to See Krishna- Part 2

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.

Wealth & Material comforts alone can't satisfy us

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

Missing.....

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

Fire of digestion

A lesson on life

 

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 

__,_._,___

granthraj] Do not Neglect - Part 2

 

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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[granthraj] Do Not Neglect - Part 1