There's not much going on externally. It's a health retreat. Confined by bodily limitations. So there are no travels, no programs but rest, some exercise, diet and lots of ayurvedic medicine – better than steroids though.
But Krsna is always there. Prabhupada was describing how the devotees had become transformed into jubilant, dancing peacocks. What a nice statement! The spiritual world is on our mind…
Today, no walk outside. There was a huge thunderstorm at 11 am and since then it has been raining the whole day. It doesn't matter; I'll chant indoors.
Govindam adi purusam
I am not productive at the moment but I am hearing various tapes and chanting Hare Krsna. I am worshipping Govinda, the primeval Lord, who kindly lives with me.
Govindam adi purusam tam aham bhajami
Please maintain me as Your servant.
A meeting with Dr. Robert Charles Powell
Last week Dr. Robert Charles Powell came and visited Durban. He has studied the care program of the Bhaktivedanta Hospital in Mumbai and came to see the hospice in Durban. I found in Dr. Powell, a pleasant gentleman of very sharp intelligence. We had an enlivening discussion. Dr. Powell is interested in starting an educational program to train Hindu Chaplains. Chaplains are providing pastoral care; counseling services in hospitals, hospices, nursing homes, assisted living, clinics, industries, schools, prisons and so on. At this point, there are thousands of chaplains in the world from Christian or Jewish backgrounds and maybe five from a Hindu background.
Devotees with a bachelor degree would be eligible to enter in to the chaplaincy program. It would offer an opportunity for devotees to make a professional career and maintain their devotional identity. I am very interested in this project and think some devotees with the appropriate nature will find a very good engagement in this. The Radhadesh College students may also take note of the program. Ravindra Svarupa is in regular contact with Dr. Powell. I would like to find some devotees in South Africa from an African background, who are interested in the program. I think that would be a real asset to our movement in South Africa.
Conquering the heart
Tamal Krsna Maharaja used to keep this picture in his house in Vrndavana. Prabhupada is so blissful and Tamal Krsna Maharaja is taken aback by the power of that happiness.
Devotional service is susukham kartum avyayam, joyfully performed.
And then the rain of flowers showered by the devotees is a symptom of love and respect. That loving exchange is the basis of Lord Caitanya's sankirtana movement. Prabhupada gave so many wonderful gifts of devotional service and the devotees took up that devotional service with so much sincerity.
Last summer in Radhadesh, Bhakti Caru Maharaja came. He told us about the final months with Srila Prabhupada in Vrindavan, when his health was not good. At one point, Prabhupada asked Bhakti Caru Maharaja for some orange juice. After ten minutes or so Prabhupada's bell was ringing intensely. It was clear that he urgently wanted the attention of the servant. So Bhakti Caru Maharaja quickly went in and Prabhupada was fuming. "I asked you to make orange juice and how long does it have to take?" he exclaimed. Bhakti Caru Maharaja made excuses, but nothing could satisfy Srila Prabhupada, who called him incompetent and finally sent Maharaja away. Bhakti Caru Maharaja immediately made orange juice and brought it to Srila Prabhupada, who only became more angry and chastised him again. "Take it away," he said, "I don't want it anymore!" Bhakti Caru Maharaja however tolerated all the chastisement and admitted that he deserved it. But he didn't let it discourage him. He simply offered Prabhupada the orange juice again and said, "Please take it. It is good for your health." Prabhupada had previously showered Bhakti Caru Maharaja with so much mercy and love, that he had purchased him and therefore he was able to tolerate all the chastisement. When Bhakti Caru Maharaja endured the burning flames of Prabhupada's angry words and even when Prabhupada told him to go away with his orange juice, he didn't go, but offered the orange juice to him again on the pretext of his health. This purchased the heart of Srila Prabhupada, who accepted the orange juice and said, "Sometimes in my old age I get a little grumpy."
In this way, in spiritual or loving exchanges one must mutually conquer the heart.
Books! Books! Books!
The devotees are out on the Book distribution marathon.
There are several other longer videos as well. One is showing him in action in Boston on July 4th. Yesterday, I watched it with great pleasure.
I hope that more devotees will go out just for a day or on the weekends. It all makes a difference to the people out there and for us in coming closer to Krsna.
(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 21st November 2012, Cape Town, South Africa)
There is a kund, a very nice one with stone steps and so on. That kund is dedicated to surrender. That is where the gopis completely surrendered everything to Krsna. So, I decided that since I'm not so surrendered by nature, many times my mind has been like, 'Do I really have to do this?' You know what the mind can do! So, I decided to jump in that kund and some others did it also… almost a whole bus (load of people), we all jumped in, that was nice!
In Vrndavan, one can do such things in a hope to get some mercy, in a hope that one's surrender will increase. This mercy is so available and we need it. So, one has to strive for mercy, one has to go after it… go find it! Some devotees are really good at it; like Bhurijan Prabhu is good at it. He heard that somewhere there was a chadaar that had been used by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura. So he decided, 'I have to have that chadaar!' He fixed his mind on it, 'I have to have it.'
And he went there and he gave donations and he got that original chadaar of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura! Then do you know what he did with it? You won't believe this. He took scissors and cut it into pieces. Some of you will go, 'Oh no, mahā-aparādha!'
He cut the whole chadaar in pieces and then he made little cardboard frames. He put little pieces of chadaar into that, then he went all the vaisnavas and he begged them. He said, 'I have here a little piece of the original chadaar of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura. Please accept this gift and shower me with your mercy!
Question: Lot of the time, you speak about having taste in spiritual life. I have read that taste can be developed by someone who is free from material hankering. So, how to be free from material hankering?
Freedom from material hankering begins when we turn to Krsna. We are not completely free from material hankering but a little free! You know that when we stop at the temple, it means that we are not totally materialistic but we are also a little interested in spiritual life. Then, when we see Radha Gopinatha, we feel something and we see that they are wonderful and have such a powerful presence!
Meanwhile, we are not free from material desire but you have a taste and sit in kirtan. Next week, you are having a twelve-hour kirtan with Madhava and Sacinandana Maharaja, both of them do very nice kirtans! Oh, so sweet… so nice… so deep… and other times, when you are in Pitt street (famous shopping street in Sydney) and you find that also exciting.
Yah… so what to do!? Caught between both worlds but there is attraction to Krsna and there is taste but it is not very deep yet. But gradually, by serving Krsna we become purified and then the attachment grows and taste goes deeper and deeper until the taste becomes so strong that it just takes over! Everything else looks meaningless and bleak and you let it go. You want only Krsna: kecit kevalaya bhaktaya vasudeva parayanah…
Only Krsna, only vasudev… everything else, no thanks… you want some chocolate, no! Just give me some of that mahaprasadam burfi because that is pure consciousness! Some chocolates from some factory… I am not really sure if Srila Prabhupada is really in favour of the chocolate, so forget it… only mahaprasadam, like that!
Nitai: "Now hear, O son of Prtha (Arjuna), how by practicing yoga in full consciousness of Me, with mind attached to Me, you can know Me in full, free from doubt."
Prabhupada:
sri bhagavan uvaca mayy asakta-manah partha yogam yunjan mad-asrayah asamsayam samagram mam yatha jnasyasi tac chrnu [Bg. 7.1]
Arjuna is hearing from Krsna, and Krsna is speaking to Arjuna directly. How fortunate is Arjuna, that he is directly hearing from Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Here, therefore, it is said, bhagavan uvaca. Bhagavan. Not ordinary teacher, a human being, or a living being, but Bhagavan.
There are two living beings. One is Bhagavan, and the other is the living being as we are. That is the Vedic version. Nityo nityanam cetanas cetananam. Bhagavan means He is also a living being. He is not nirakara. When we say bhagavan nirakara, that means either we have no knowledge of Bhagavan or nirakara means He is not a form like us. Our form and Krsna's form -- different. Krsna is complete spiritual, divine, and we are, at the present moment, although we have got our spiritual form within this body, but because we have no vision of the spiritual form, we are taking this body as our form. This is called illusion.
The spiritual form is there. That is realization of Brahman, aham brahmasmi. The Vedic injunction is just to understand that I am not this body. If anyone is under the concept of this body -- "I am this body," "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am Christian," "I am American," "I am Indian" -- in this way, with the bodily concept of life, we are thinking we are different from one another. At the same time, we desire that there may be unity of the human society, of the human being, and we can live peacefully. That is very desirable thing. That is the thing we require to understand. But so long we are on the bodily concept of life, this goal cannot be achieved.
Unless we have got spiritual understanding, we'll have to present ourself with this bodily designation. This is designation: "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am Christian," "I am Bengali," "I am Sindhi," "I am Punjabi," "I am American" These are all bodily conception of life. And so long we are in the bodily concepts of our life, we are no better than the animals, cats and dogs. That is the statement of Vedic literature.
yasyatma-buddhih kunape tri-dhatuke sva-dhih kalatradisu bhauma ijya-dhih yat-tirtha-buddhih salile na karhicij janesv abhijnesu sa eva go-kharah [SB 10.84.13]
Go means cow, and kharah means asses. So yasya atma-buddhih: "A person who thinks himself atma-buddhih, as 'I am this body...' " Yasyatma-buddhih kunape tri-dhatuke. This body is made of tri-dhatu, three dhatus: kapha, pitta, vayu. "So this kapha, pitta, vayu, this body, I am not this body." This is self-realization. "I am different from this bag of flesh and bone." When we realize completely, that is the first point of self-realization.
In the Second Chapter of the Bhagavad-gita Krsna has begun the philosophy of Bhagavad-gita from this point, that "I am not this body." This is the beginning of spiritual knowledge. So long we are entrapped with the bodily concept of life, there is no question of spiritual life. That is the beginning. What is that? Dehino 'smin yatha dehe kaumaram yauvanam jara, tatha dehantara-praptih [Bg. 2.13]. The soul, the spirit soul, dehi, one who possesses the deha, body... Just like grhi. Grhi means one who remains in a home. He is called grhi, grhastha. Grhastha. Grha, the room or the apartment, and stha, who is staying there with husband, wife, children -- he is called grhastha. But the grhi is not the person who is staying within the grha. He is different from the grha. Similarly, dehi and deha. Deha means this body, and dehi means who lives within the body. That is first of all explained. Dehinah asmin dehe: "In this body there is the resident of the body." That is soul. That is the beginning of spiritual knowledge. Dehino 'smin yatha dehe kaumaram yauvanam jara, tatha dehantara-praptih [Bg. 2.13].
So dehi... Just like we change from one place to another, from one apartment to another. That you have got experience. Similarly, in the material condition of life we, the proprietor of the body, we are changing, tatha dehantara-praptih, from one body to another. This is the first knowledge, preliminary knowledge. People have no preliminary knowledge even. Everyone is thinking, "I am this body." "I am Indian," "I am American," "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am brahmana," "I am ksatriya." It is not this body I am. I am put into this body under certain circumstances. Otherwise I am not this body.
So this realization can be possible by yoga practice, mystic yoga. So there are many yogis. Generally, the hatha-yogis or astanga-yogis who try to understand himself by mystic yoga process... But this has been summarized in the Bhagavad-gita at the end of the Sixth Chapter. I am just trying to read from the Seventh Chapter. So at the end of the Sixth Chapter, Bhagavan says, yoginam api sarvesam: "There are many yogis. So out of all the yogis..." Yoginam api sarvesam [Bg. 6.47]. Sarvesam means "of all." There are different yogis. Yoginam api sarvesam mad-gata, mad-gatenantar-atmana. The yogic practice is to meditate upon the Supreme Personality of Godhead Visnu within the heart. Dhyanavasthita-tad-gatena manasa pasyanti yam yoginah [SB 12.13.1]. Those who are yogis, they see the Paramatma. The Paramatma is in everyone's heart. So they want to find out where is Paramatma within the heart. This is sum and substance of yoga system.
So yoga means connecting link. We are... Our link is now separated. Somehow or other, we are thinking separate from God. But actually that is not the fact. We are interlinked always with God, with Krsna. But some way or other, there is some difficulty. That is called maya. Just like we are living under the sunshine always. At night there is some difficulty to see the sun, but sun is there, and I am also here. That's a fact. Everyone knows. Now, the earthly planet has turned around. The sun is on the back side of this earth. It is in America now. So sun is there, the American people are seeing sun, but on account of the different position of this earth we cannot see the sun. That does not mean there is no sun. The sunshine is always existing. It is shadowed by this earthly planet. Similarly when... Our relationship with God or Krsna is always existing, but when there is some intervention, maya, then we think, "There is no God" or "I am God," like that.
So this misconception of life, that "I am God," "There is no God..." Atheists and voidists, they say like that. The voidists, they say sunyavadi. They say, "There is no God." And the impersonalists, they say that there is God, but there is no head, there is no leg, there is no hand, there is no mouth, there is no, no, no... Ultimately, what is their God? If God has no head, no leg, no body, no mouth, then what is that God? That is also another way of explaining God as zero. The voidists, they directly say, "There is no God. We don't believe in God." That is understandable. But this impersonal explanation of God, that is not understandable. What is this? "God has no leg, neither God has no head, God has no hand, God has no mouth." Then what is that God? They cannot say.
So this impersonalists and the voidists, they are of the same group, denying the existence of God. But that is not the fact. There is God. The devotees know there is God, and He is Bhagavan. God is called Bhagavan Therefore although it is said here... Bhagavad-gita is spoken by Krsna, everyone knows. But in some places in the Bhagavad-gita it is described as bhagavan uvaca. Bhagavan and Krsna -- the same person. Krsnas tu bhagavan svayam. Bhagavan, there is a definition of the word bhagavan.
Bhaga, we understand the word bhagyavan, bhagya. The bhagya, bhagyavan, this word comes from bhaga. Bhaga means opulence. Opulence means riches. How one man can be opulent? If he has got money, if he has got intelligence, if he has got beauty, if he has got reputation, if he has got knowledge, if he has got renunciation -- this is the meaning of Bhagavan.
So when we speak "Bhagavan," this Bhagavan, the Paramesvara... Isvara, Paramesvara; Atma, Paramatma; Brahman, Parabrahman -- there is two words. One is ordinary, and the other is parama, supreme. Just like in our cooking process we can cook varieties of rice. Rice is there. The varieties of names are there: anna, paramanna, puspanna, kicoranna, like that. So the supreme anna is called paramanna. Parama means the supreme. Anna, the rice, is there, but it has become supreme. Ordinary rice is not called supreme rice. This is also rice. And when you prepare rice with ksira, means milk, and other nice ingredients, it is called paramanna. Similarly, the symptoms of living entities and Bhagavan -- one is practically the same. Bhagavan... We have got this body; Bhagavan has got this body. Bhagavan is also living being; we are also living being. Bhagavan has got creative energy; we have also creative energy. But the difference is He is very great. Eko yo bahunam vidadhati kaman. When Bhagavan creates this whole universe, He does not require anyone's help. He creates the sky. From the sky there is sound; from the sound there is air; from the air there is fire; from fire there is water; and from water the earth is there.
So Bhagavan creates by His energy. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gita, bhumir apo 'nalo vayuh kham mano buddhir eva ca, bhinna me prakrtir astadha. He can create. Just like, take for example, water. Water... Sometimes we also create water by perspiration. Perspiration, we may create one satap(?), one ounce or two ounce water, or say four ounce, five ounce. So similarly, this same creative power is of Krsna, but He can create millions of Pacific Oceans. The process is the same. We can create a little thing. We have created this airplane; that is also flying in the sky. And there are millions and millions of planets; that is also flying and floating in the sky. So that is the difference. We can create a small airplane, airship, and flying in the sky, and Bhagavan has created innumerable universes flying in the sky, and He has created the sky also. The creative energy is there. You have got the creative energy, but you cannot create another planet which is floating in the sky. That is not possible. That is the difference between living entity and Bhagavan. The similarity is there. We are creating big, big factories, big, big cities, and Bhagavan is creating big, big universes. How He is creating, that is also stated in the sastra. Yasyaika-nisvasita-kalam athavalambya jivanti loma-vilaja jagad-anda-nathah [Bs. 5.48]. Bhagavan is creating by His breathing process innumerable universes. So we can create a skyscraper building, and we become very proud that "How we have become advanced. We have created a skyscraper building." But we do not see that Bhagavan is creating millions of planets where millions and millions of skyscraper buildings are standing. This is understanding of Bhagavan.
So how we can understand Bhagavan's energy, how we can understand His creative energy, and what is the potency of Bhagavan, how He is doing that, everything -- that is also a great science. That is called Krsna science. Krsna-tattva-jnana. Yei krsna-tattva-vetta, sei guru haya [Cc. Madhya 8.128]. Caitanya Mahaprabhu says that who is guru. Guru means yei krsna-tattva-vetta sei guru haya: "Anyone who knows Krsna, he is guru." Guru cannot be manufactured. Anyone who knows about Krsna as far as possible... We cannot know. We cannot know Krsna cent percent. That is not possible. Krsna's energies are so multi. Parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate. One energy is working in one way, another energy is working another way. But they are all Krsna's energy. Parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate. Mayadhyaksena prakrtih suyate sa-caracaram [Bg. 9.10]. The prakrti... We see this flower is coming out of the nature, and not only flower, so many things are coming out -- through the seed. The rose seed, there will be rose tree. Bela seed, there will be bela tree. So how it is happening? The same ground, the same water, and seed also looks like the same, but it is coming out differently. How it is possible? That is called parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate svabhaviki jnana. The ordinary man or the so-called scientist, they say, "It is nature producing." But they do not know what is nature, who is supervising the natural activities, the material nature, how it is working.
That is said in the Bhagavad-gita, mayadhyaksena [Bg. 9.10]. Krsna says, "Under My superintendence the nature is working." That is the fact. Nature, the matter... Matter cannot combine together automatically. These skyscraper buildings, they are created with matter, but the matter has not come to become skyscraper building automatically. That is not possible. There is a small, tiny spirit soul, the engineer or the architect, who takes the matter and decorate it and creates a skyscraper building. That is our experience. So how we can say that the matter is working automatically? Matter does not work automatically. It requires higher brain, higher manipulation, therefore higher order. Just like in this material world we have got the highest order, the sun, movement of the sun, the heat energy, light energy of the sun. So how it is being utilized? That is stated in the sastra: yasyajnaya bhramati sambhrta-kala-cakro govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami **. This sun planet is also a planet like this planet. As in this planet there may be many presidents, but formerly there was one president only, so similarly, in each planet there is a president. In the sun planet we receive this knowledge from Bhagavad-gita. Krsna says, imam vivasvate yogam proktavan aham avyayam: [Bg. 4.1] "I first of all spoke this science of Bhagavad-gita to Vivasvan." Vivasvan means the president of the sun globe, and his son is Manu. This is the time. This time is going on. It is called Vaivasvata Manu period. Vaivasvata means from Vivasvan, the son of Vivasvan. He is called Vaivasvata Manu.
So everything is there in the sastra. So it is our duty the human life to get knowledge from sastra. That is, means Veda. Veda means knowledge. Get knowledge from the standard Veda. Tad-vijnanartham sa gurum evabhigacchet: [MU 1.2.12] "In order to understand that Vedic knowledge, one has to go to the proper master, teacher." Tad viddhi pranipatena pariprasnena sevaya [Bg. 4.34]. These are the things. Now, if you want to know Krsna, Bhagavan... Here it is said, bhagavan uvaca, Bhagavan says, mayy asakta, mayi asakta. Therefore if you become attached... We have got attachment for so many things. But if we transfer that attachment to Krsna, then, Krsna says, mayy asakta-manah partha yogam yunjan mad-asrayah. You have to adopt this yogic process, meditation. Meditation... Unless you have got love for somebody, attachment for somebody, how you can think of him always? That is not possible. By force I cannot say that "You think of this thing or this man." That is not possible. If I have got attachment for a certain thing or a certain person, then we can think of that person or that thing. That is called yoga, connecting always, keeping linked always. That is called yoga. So if you want to know perfectly or as far as you can understand through your senses, mayy asakta-manah, then you transfer your attachment to Krsna. This is the advice. If we want to know Krsna, then we have to transfer our attachment to Krsna. Mayy asakta-manah. The mind should be attached to Krsna.
Now, Krsna is there. We have got Krsna's picture, Krsna's photo, Krsna's temple, so many Krsna's. They are not fictitious. They are not imagination, as the Mayavadi philosopher thinks, that "You can imagine in your mind." No. God cannot be imagined. That is another foolishness. How you can imagine God? Then God become subject matter of your imagination. He is no substance. That is not God. What is imagined, that is not God. God is present before you, Krsna. He comes here on this planet. Tadatmanam srjamy aham, sambhavami yuge yuge. So those who have seen God, you take information from them.
tad viddhi pranipatena pariprasnena sevaya upadeksyanti te jnanam jnaninas tattva-darsinah [Bg. 4.34]
Tattva-darsinah. Unless you have seen, how you can give information of the truth to others? So God is seen, not only seen in the history. In the history, when Krsna was present on this planet, the history of Battle of Kuruksetra where this Bhagavad-gita was spoken, that is a historical fact. So we can see through history also Bhagavan Sri Krsna and through sastra also. Sastra-caksusa. Just like at the present moment, Krsna is not physically present, but we understand through sastra what is Krsna.
So sastra-caksusa. Sastra... Either you take direct perception or through the sastra... Through the sastra the perception is better than direct perception. Therefore our knowledge, those who are following the Vedic principles, their knowledge is derived from the Vedas. They do not manufacture any knowledge. If one thing is understood by the evidence of the Vedas, that is fact. So Krsna is understood through the Vedas. Vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyah [Bg. 15.15]. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gita. You cannot imagine of Krsna. If some rascal says that "I am imagining," that is rascaldom. You have to see Krsna through the Vedas. Vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyah [Bg. 15.15]. That is the purpose of studying Vedas. Therefore it is called Vedanta. Krsna's knowledge is Vedanta. Anta means the end, the last word, last word. So last word... What is the last word of Vedic knowledge? Brahmeti paramatmeti bhagavan iti sabdyate. First of all knowledge of the Brahman, then Paramatma, then last knowledge is Krsna. Krsnas tu bhagavan svayam. Janmady asya yatah [SB 1.1.1]. Krsna says, aham sarvasya prabhavah. Sarvasya, or Brahman, Paramatma, and Bhagavan. The Bhagavan is the origin of Paramatma and Brahman. Brahmanah aham pratistha.
So in this way you have to understand what is Krsna, not superficially. Even superficially you understand, even you do not understand, if you accept Krsna, the Supreme, then either you read Vedas or not Vedas, the same thing, because you have come to the conclusion. Suppose if there is fire. So the fire burns. So if you come to fire, if you have felt the heat and light, then either you know chemically what is fire, wherefrom it is coming... You know or may not know, but because you have come to the fire, the action of the fire will be perceived by you. Similarly, Krsna says either you are very learned scholar or not, whatever you may be, if you simply concentrate your mind and attachment for Krsna... Mayy asakta-manah. Asakta means attachment. And mind, manas means mind.
So if you practice this yoga... This is yoga. Mayy asakta-manah partha yogam yunjan. This is yoga. Yes, I was speaking that when Krsna explained yoga system, He concluded,
yoginam api sarvesam mad-gatenantar-atmana sraddhavan bhajate yo mam sa me yuktatamo matah [Bg. 6.47]
Anyone... There are hundreds and thousands varieties of yogi. The first-class yogi is he who is always thinking of Krsna. He is first-class yogi. Mayy asakta... Yoginam api sarvesam mad-gatenantar-atmana. Antar-atmana is in the core of heart. He is keeping the picture of Krsna. Krsna is there, but because we cannot see now in the present condition, so we are seeing the formation of Krsna, either from picture or from the Deity in the temple. And keep it within your heart always and think of Him -- you become first-class yogi. Yoginam api sarvesam. And if you continue this yoga system, yogam yunjan mad-asrayah...
So how you can practice this yoga? This yoga system is that yogam yunjan mad-asrayah, and in the previous verse it is said that mad-gatena antar-atmana. If you keep Krsna always within your heart in this way, mayy asakta-manah, the mind being, thus being attached, mayy asakta, this is yoga. This yoga has to be practiced, how to keep Krsna always within your heart. That is first-class yoga. Mayy asakta-manah partha. Yogam, this yogam yunjan mad-asrayah. And this yoga practice can be possible by the process: mad-asrayah. Mad-asrayah means "one who has taken shelter of Me." Mat means "Me," and asrayah means to take shelter. That means devotee. Or mad-asrayah means one who has taken the shelter of a devotee. A devotee is also mad-asrayah. A devotee means who has taken shelter of the lotus feet of Krsna completely. So either you... Of course, it is not possible to take the shelter of Krsna directly. That is not possible. May be possible by Krsna's special mercy, but general process is you have to go through the mercy or process of accepting a guru. Tad-vijnanartham sa gurum eva abhigacchet [MU 1.2.12]. Guru. And who is guru? Yei krsna-tattva-vetta sei guru haya [Cc. Madhya 8.128]. There is no difficulty to find out. Sometimes they plead that "Whom I can accept as guru?" That is... Caitanya Mahaprabhu has cleared: ye krsna-tattva-vetta sei guru haya. You haven't got any trouble to find out guru. Anyone who knows about Krsna, he is guru.
So mad-asrayah means directly we cannot take shelter of Krsna. Therefore, one who has taken shelter of Krsna, one who knows the science of Krsna, one who knows what is Krsna -- you take shelter of that person. Mad-asrayah. Taking shelter, adau gurv-asrayam, that is the process of this Krsna consciousness movement. Adau, in the beginning, you have to take shelter of guru. Adau gurv-asrayam sad-dharma-prccha: "Then you inquire from him about Krsna." Sad-dharma-prccha, sadhu-marganugamanam: "Then follow the footstep of big, big devotees." Just like Prahlada Maharaja, a great devotee; Kapiladeva, a great devotee; and similarly, Brahma, a great devotee. Lord Siva is great devotee; Narada Muni, a great devotee. There are... Especially twelve names are given in the sastras, that we have to follow them. That is called sampradaya. Sampradaya means coming in disciplic succession from the original guru. Just like Krsna instructed Brahma, so Brahma is one of the gurus. So Brahma-sampradaya there is. Brahma-sampradaya. Our this Gaudiya-sampradaya belongs to that Brahma-sampradaya. In this way there is Ramanuja-sampradaya. This sampradaya comes from the goddess of fortune, Laksmiji. Sri-sampradaya. In this way there are twelve mahajanas. They are stated in the sastra. Mahajano yena gatah sa panthah. We have to take the path of mahajana, and the purpose is how to increase your attachment for Krsna. This is the business. And this business, you can occupy yourself in this human form of life. In other form of life...
We are changing our form of life from one body to another, but if we want to understand God... That is essential. So long we do not understand God, so long we do not go back to home, back to Godhead, our struggle for existence will continue. Manah sasthanindriyani prakrti-sthani karsati [Bg. 15.7]. They struggle. Everyone struggles hard to become happy, but that is not possible. Simply searching after, searching after happiness, our time comes: "Finished. Your business is finished. Now get out." That is called death. So death is also Krsna. Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita, mrtyuh sarva-haras caham. Mrtyu, Krsna, comes as death. During your lifetime, if you do not understand Krsna consciousness, this Krsna will come as death and take away everything what you have got. Sarva-harah. Then your body, your family, your country, your bank, everything business, business -- finished. "Now you have to accept another body. You forget about all these things." This is going on. Bhutva bhutva praliyate.
So this Krsna consciousness movement is the greatest benefactory movement to the human society because it is giving information to the human society that "You make your life... You have got this nice human form of body. Make this life perfect by understanding Krsna." This is the opportunity. You may think of independent of Krsna. You are not independent of Krsna. You are under the rules and regulation of Krsna, because we are under the rules and regulation of material nature. But what is this material nature? Material nature is agent of Krsna. Mama maya. Krsna says, mama maya duratyaya. You cannot surmount the stringent laws of material ways. And this maya is Krsna's maya. Therefore the conclusion is given by Krsna, mam eva ye prapadyante mayam etam taranti te [Bg. 7.14]. If you want to get out of the maya's activities, prakrteh kriyamanani gunaih karmani [Bg. 3.27], then you have to take to Krsna consciousness. There is no way out. This is a scientific movement. Anyone, intelligent person, any thoughtful person, he must take to Krsna consciousness. Otherwise he is doomed.
Thank you very much. (end)
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 7.1 -- Hong Kong, January 25, 1975
If you become conscious of Me, you will pass over all the obstacles of conditioned life by My grace. If, however, you do not work in such consciousness but act through false ego, not hearing Me, you will be lost.
PURPORT
A person in full Kṛṣṇa consciousness is not unduly anxious about executing the duties of his existence. The foolish cannot understand this great freedom from all anxiety. For one who acts in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, Lord Kṛṣṇabecomes the most intimate friend. He always looks after His friend's comfort, and He gives Himself to His friend, who is so devotedly engaged working twenty-four hours a day to please the Lord. Therefore, no one should be carried away by the false ego of the bodily concept of life. One should not falsely think himself independent of the laws of material nature or free to act. He is already under strict material laws. But as soon as he acts in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he is liberated, free from the material perplexities. One should note very carefully that one who is not active in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is losing himself in the material whirlpool, in the ocean of birth and death. No conditioned soul actually knows what is to be done and what is not to be done, but a person who acts in Kṛṣṇaconsciousness is free to act because everything is prompted by Kṛṣṇa from within and confirmed by the spiritual master.
His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Founder Ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness
If you become conscious of Me, you will pass over all the obstacles of conditioned life by My grace. If, however, you do not work in such consciousness but act through false ego, not hearing Me, you will be lost.
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In order for us to be properly situated in Krishna consciousness we should have a strong foundation in all the levels such as
1. Physical, (engaging in devotional service physically in doing some service associated to Krishna - this is easy most of the times than)
2. mental/ emotional-(connected to relationships. Here if we have good devotee relationships, we will get inspired to continue our devotional practices)
3. intellectual( hearing bhagavatham/scriptures and having a solid understanding of the reality helps to fight the illusion within)
4. Spiritual levels
If we are completely engaged in service in all these levels then there's no possibility of us getting swayed away by the illusory
energy. Thats the key factor to be undisturbed always. NO gap for maya in our schedule. Also we should not be surprised to see that one among
our own devotees becoming a victim of the illusory energy at times, because we are in a war against the material energy. In fire fighting,
some fire fighters might get burnt but that doesnt mean the fire fighters can quit their job. If they are not there everyone will get burnt.
(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 26 January 2010, Cape Town, South Africa, SB 7.3.33)
Transcribed by Yamuna dd
In spite of all our transcendental knowledge, we are running out of time. And everyone gets caught like that. We are running out of time and we are not finished yet. A lot of time is spent in preparation for better times to come. But for how long are we preparing?
And then one day, from the preparation stage, we just go straight in to the "run-out-of-time" stage. This is actually how it moves along. Therefore one must be quite resolute in Krsna consciousness and say, "I'll do it NOW! I'll do something NOW! I'll get serious NOW! I will not postpone it."
This stage of devotion is nista and this is the beginning; the stage where spiritual life begins to enter in to the realm of taste!
(Kadamba Kanana Swami,21st November 2012, Cape Town, South Africa)
Many times I have been in these festivals where there were big arrangements – offerings to the deities with many tables and many preparations and the most wonderful offerings! Then afterwards, almost all the tables were carried to the prasadam hall. Then I saw one table was just going straight to someone's room! I have seen with my own eyes how the maha-mafia swiped full tables of maha-prasadam. Very seriously I have seen. I have also seen the other attacks of the maha-mafia.
In Vrndavan, there are all these mangal-arti sweets because there are many deities – lots of them and very nice ones also. But the devotees don't get them because some are being sold and the other ones all go to the gurukula – it's the kids who get them all. But the maha-mafia took strong actions. One man on the main electric switch… a team dressed in black dhotis, they went inside and swiped the whole offering into black plastic bags and disappeared into the darkness of night. The maha-mafia struck again!
na hi prapasyami mamapanudyad yac chokam ucchosanam indriyanam avapya bhumav asapatnam rddham rajyam suranam api cadhipatyam [Bg. 2.8]
"I can find no means to drive away this grief which is drying up my senses. I will not be able to destroy it if even if I win an unrivalled kingdom on the earth with sovereignty like the demigods in heaven."
Prabhupada: Na hi prapasyami mamapanudyad. This is the position of material existence. We are sometimes in difficulty. Not sometimes. Always, we are in difficulty, but we call it sometimes, because to get over the difficulty, we make some attempt, and that attempt-making is taken as happiness. Actually there is no happiness. But sometimes, with the hope that: "By this attempt, I shall become happy in future,"... As the so-called scientists are dreaming: In future, we shall become without death." So many, they are dreaming. But those who are sane persons, they say: "Trust no future, however pleasant."
So that is the actual position. Na hi prapasyami mamapanudyad. Therefore he has approached Krsna: sisyas te 'ham [Bg. 2.7]. "I, now I become your sisya." "Why you have come to Me?" "Because I know nobody else can save me from this dangerous position." This is real sense. Yac chokam ucchosanam indriyanam. Ucchosanam. When we are put into great difficulties, it dries up the existence of the senses. No sense enjoyment also can make us happy. Ucchosanam indriyanam. Here happiness means sense gratification. Here... Actually this is not happiness. Real happiness is described in the Bhagavad-gita: atindriyam, sukham atyantikam yat tat atindriyam. Real happiness, atyantikam, the supreme happiness, is not enjoyed by the senses. Atindriya, surpassing, transcendental to the senses. That is real happiness. But we have taken happiness as sense enjoyment. So by sense enjoyment, nobody can become happy. Because we are in the material existence. And our senses are false senses. Real senses -- spiritual senses. So we have to awaken our spiritual consciousness. Then by spiritual senses we can enjoy. Sukham atyantikam yat atindriya. Surpassing these senses. Surpassing these senses means... These senses are, means covering. Just like I am this body. Actually I'm not this body. I'm spirit soul. But this is the covering of my real body, spiritual body. Similarly, spiritual body has spiritual senses. Not that nirakara. Why nirakara? It is a common-sense affair. Just like if you have got a hand, a or two, one or two hands, you have got two hands. Therefore when the hand is covered by some cloth, the cloth also gets a hand. Because I have got hand, therefore my dress has got a hand. Because I have got my legs, therefore my covering, dress, has got legs, pant. It is a common-sense affair. Wherefrom this body came? This body's described: vasamsi, garments. So garment means it is cut according to the body. That is garment. Not that my body is made according to the garment. It is a commonsense affair. So when I have got hands of my shirt, this is my subtle body or gross body, therefore originally, spiritually, I have got my hands and legs. Otherwise, how it comes? How do you develop?
So originally we are all persons, no imperson. Krsna also says... He'll say that: "These soldiers, these kings, you and Me, My dear Arjuna, it is not that we did not exist in the past. Neither it is that in future we shall cease to exist." So this particular instruction of Krsna, that: "I, You and all these kings and soldiers who have asembled here, they existed. As we are existing now, individual persons; similarly, they existed, individual persons. And in future also we shall exist as individual persons." So where is the question of imperson? These nonsense impersonalists, voidists. Therefore, the principle is to understand things in reality one has to approach Krsna as Arjuna has approached, sisyas te 'ham: [Bg. 2.7] "Now I am Your disciple. You just teach me. Sadhi mam prapannam. I am surrendering. I am not trying to talk with You on equal level."
To accept guru means whatever guru says, you have to accept. Otherwise, don't make guru. Don't make a fashion. You must be ready. That is called prapannam. Tad viddhi pranipatena [Bg. 4.34]. You can understand simply by surrendering, not to test guru. "I shall test him, how, how much he knows." Then what is the use of making guru? No. Therefore Arjuna says that: "Besides You, there is nobody else who can actually satisfy me in this perplexed condition." Yac chokam ucchosanam indriyanam. "My senses are being dried up." Because the superficial senses... That are not actually senses. Real sense is within. Hrsikena hrsikesa-sevanam [Cc. Madhya 19.170]. We have to serve Krsna, Hrsikesa... Krsna is real, and we have to come to that position or reality. Then we can serve Krsna. Hrsikena. Tat paratvena nirmalam. When our senses are purified. Indriyani parany ahur indriyebhyah param manah, manasas tu paro buddhir [Bg. 3.42]. These are different stages. This bodily concept of life means senses. But when you transcend these senses, you come to the mental platform. When you transcend the mental platform, you come to the intellectual platform. When you come to the intellectual platform, when you transcend, then you come to the spiritual platform. That is spiritual form. There are different grades and steps. In the gross bodily platform we demand pratyaksa-jnanam. Pratyaksa means direct perception. There are different stages of knowledge. Pratyaksa, aparoksa, pratyaksa, paroksa, aparoksa, adhoksaja, aprakrta. These are different stages of knowledge. So knowledge acquired in the bodily platform, direct perception, is not real knowledge. Therefore, we can challenge these scientists, so-called scientists. Their basic principle of knowledge is on the bodily concept of life, pratyaksa, experimental knowledge. Experimental knowledge means this gross sense perception. That is experimental. Pratyaksa. Everyone says: "We do not see God." God is not such a subject matter that you can see with this pratyaksa, direct perception. God's another name is Anubhava. Anubhava. Just like in this room we do not see the sun directly. But we know that there is sun. It is daytime. How do you know it? You do not see. But there are other processes by which you can experience. That is called aparoksa. Pratyaksa paroksa aparoksa. In this way, Krsna consciousness means adhoksaja and aprakrta, beyond the senses. Therefore, in the Bhagavad-gita it is said: adhoksaja. Where direct perception cannot reach. So where direct perception cannot reach, then how you can perceive anubhava? That is srota-pantha. That is sruti. You have to take knowledge from the Vedas. And the Vedic knowledge is explained by guru. Therefore one has to take shelter of Krsna as the Supreme guru, or His representative. Then all these troubles, means ignorance, can be dissipated. Yac chokam ucchosanam indriyanam.
So now Krsna may say: "There are, that's all right. You are, for temporarily... You go on fighting. And when you will get the kingdom, you'll be happy. There is no need of making Me guru. Neither it is..." Just like ordinary men, they think that: "We are earning so much money. What is the use of making a guru? I can understand everything in my own way." And another rascal is: "Yes, yata mata tata patha. Whatever their opinion, that's all right. You can make your own opinion." That is going on. You can make your own opinion to understand God. So all foolish rascals, they're making their own opinion. No, that is not possible. Therefore Krsna, Arjuna says: avapya bhumav asaptnam rddham. This is a very significant word. Sapatni. Sapatni means "rival wife, co-wife." If a man has got two, three wives... Why two, three? Our Lord had 16,100. So this is God. Sapatnya, but there is no competition. You'll find in the statements of all the queens in Krsna book, when they were talking with Kunti, er, Draupadi, every wife was giving description that how much she was anxious to become maidservant of Krsna. Nobody is rival. In the material world, if a man has got more than one wife, there is rivalry. Rivalry. This example is given in the Srimad-Bhagavatam that just like we have got our senses, similarly, if somebody has got different wife, so one wife is snatching him that: "You come to my room," another wife is snatching: "You come to my room." So he's perplexed. Similarly we have got these wives, the senses. The eyes are dragging: "Please come to the cinema." The tongue is dragging: "Please come to the restaurant." The hand is driving somewhere else. The leg is driving somewhere. So our position is like that. The same man, who has got different wives and dragging him different room. This is our position. So why this position? Because these wives are rivals. Here: sapatnyam rddham. If there are many kings to claim one property, there is difficulty. And Arjuna says: avapya bhumav asaptnyam rddham. "Getting riches for which there is no other claimant. I am the only proprietor, even if I get such riches, rajyam, such kingdom, suranam api cadhipatyam, not only kingdom of this world, but also kingdom of higher planetary system..." These men are trying to go to the moon planet. But there is, that is also another kingdom, another kingdom. So that kingdom belongs to the higher living entities, those who are known as demigods. They are very powerful. Just like Indra. Indra is very powerful controller of the rains. He has got the thunderbolt. But people do not believe this, but we believe. What is described in the Vedic literatures... Not believe. You have to believe. This is fact. Wherefrom this thunderbolt is coming? Who is arranging for the rain? There must be some director. As in government offices or state, there are so many departmental management, similarly in God's government there must be so many directors, so many officers. They are called demigods. Devarsi-bhutapta-nrnam pitrnam [SB 11.5.41]. Devatah, the demigods, they are also supplying us by the order of Krsna. Just like Indra. Indra is supplying us. Therefore Indra yajna, there is sacrifice for satisfying the different demigods. Krsna stopped this Indra yajna, you know, Govardhana. When Nanda Maharaja was arranging for Indra yajna, Krsna said: "My dear father, there is no need of Indra yajna." That means anyone who is Krsna conscious, for him, there is no need of any yajna. Especially in this age, Kali-yuga, it is very difficult to perform different kinds of yajna. That was possible in the Treta-yuga. Krte yad dhyayato visnum tretayam yajato makhaih. Makhaih means yajna, performing yajna. Yajnarthe karmano 'nyatra loko 'yam karma-bandhanah [Bg. 3.9]. So these formulas, these directions, nobody is following. It is not possible in this age. Therefore the sastra injunction is: yajnaih sankirtanair prayair yajanti hi sumedhasah. Those who have got good brain substance, so instead of bothering with so many things, one performs sankirtana-yajna. These are the statements in the sastra.
So here, in this room, especially, krsna-varnam tvisakrsnam, here is Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He is Krsna Himself, but His complexion is akrsna, not blackish. Krsna-varnam tvisa... Tvisa means by complexion. Akrsna. Yellowish. Sangopangastra-parsadam. And He's accompanied by His associates, Nityananda Prabhu, Advaita Prabhu, srivasadi gaura-bhakta-vrnda. This is the worshipable Deity in this age. Krsna-varnam tvisakrsna. So what is the process of worship? Yajnaih sankirtanair prayair yajanti hi sumedhasah. This sankirtana-yajna as we are performing before Lord Caitanya, Nityananda and others, this is the perfect performance of yajna in this age. Otherwise, no other... Therefore it is becoming successful. This is the only prescribed yajna. Other yajnas, Rajasuya yajna, this yajna, that... There are so many yajnas... And sometimes India, they perform so-called yajnas. They collect some money. That's all. It cannot be successful because there is no yajnic brahmana. The yajnic brahmana is not in existence at the present moment. The yajnic brahmana used to test how correctly they are pronouncing Vedic mantra. The test was that one animal should be put into the fire and he would again come with fresh, young body. Then it is tested that the yajna is being performed nicely. The brahmanas, the yajnic brahmana, they are pronouncing the Veda mantra correctly. This is the test. But where is that brahmana in this age? Therefore no yajna is recommended. Kalau panca vivarjayet asvamedham, avalambham sannyasam bala-paitrkam, devarena suta-pitr kalau panca vivarjayet. So there is no yajna in this age. There is no yajnic brahmana. This is the only yajna: chant Hare Krsna mantra and dance in ecstasy. This is the only yajna.
So rajyam suranam api cadhipatyam. Formerly there were many demons who conquered over the kingdom of the demigods. Rajyam suranam api cadhipatyam. Just like Hiranyakasipu. He spread his authority even over the kingdom of Indra. Indrari-vyakulam lokam mrdayanti yuge yuge. Indrari. Indrari means the enemy of Indra. Indra is the king of the heavenly planets, and enemy means the demons. The demigods and their enemy, demons. Just like we have got many enemies. Because we are chanting Hare Krsna mantra, there are so many critics and so many enemies also. They do not like. So this is always. Now the number has increased. Formerly, there were some. Now there are many. So therefore indrari-vyakulam lokam. When these demons, the population, demonic population increases, then vyakulam lokam. People become perplexed. Indrari vyakulam lokam mrdayanti yuge yuge. So when, at that time, Krsna comes. Ete camsa-kalah pumsah krsnas tu bhagavan svayam [SB 1.3.28]. There are list of names of the incarnation of Krsna and God, or God. But after mentioning all the names, the Bhagavata indicates that: "All the names listed herewith, they are partial representation of Krsna. But the name, Krsna is there. He's real, original Personality of..." Krsnas tu bhagavan svayam. And He comes... Indrari-vyakulam loke. When people are too much embarrassed by the onslaught of the demons, He comes. And He also confirms. This is sastra. One sastra says He comes in this condition. And Krsna says: "Yes, yada yada hi dharmasya glanir bhavati bharata tadatmanam srjamy aham: [Bg. 4.7] at that time, I come."
So in this Kali-yuga, people are so much disturbed. Therefore, Krsna has come in the form of His name, Hare Krsna. Krsna has come not personally, but by His name. But because Krsna is absolute, there is no difference between His name and Himself. Abhinnatvan nama-naminoh. Nama-cintamani krsna-caitanya-rasa-vigrahah purnah suddho nitya-muktah. Name is full. As Krsna is full, complete, similarly, Krsna's name is also full, complete. Suddha. It is not material things. Purnah suddhah nityah. Eternal. As Krsna is eternal, His name is also eternal. Purnah suddhah nitya-muktah. There is no material conception in chanting Hare Krsna mantra. Abhinnatvan nama-naminoh. Nama, the holy name and the Lord, they are abhinna, identical. So we cannot be happy... Rajyam suranam api cadhipatyam. Even if we get the kingdom of the demigods, asapatya, without any rival, still we cannot be happy so long we have got material conception of life. It is not possible. That is explained in this verse.
What is the time? Thank you very much. That's all. (end)
(Refrain) O Radha! O beloved of Madhava! O You who are worshiped by all the young girls of Gokula! All glories unto You! All glories unto You!
(1-3) You who dress Yourself in such a way as to increase Lord Damodara's love and attachment for You! O queen of Vrndavana, which is the pleasure grove of Lord Hari! O new moon that has arisen from the ocean of King Vrsabhanu! O friend of Lalita! O You who make Visakha loyal to You due to Your wonderful qualities of friendliness, kindness, and faithfulness to Krsna! O You who are filled with compassion! O You whose divine characteristics are described by the great sages Sanaka and Sanatana! O Radha, please be merciful to me!
Question: What happens to a devotee with material desires?
Srila Guru Maharaj: Devotees are always headed to Krsna. But if they have material desires Krsna will fulfill those desires first. So they may go to the heavenly planets, the higher planets where they can enjoy for tens of thousands of years. Then again they get born back on this earth for another chance. The problem is right now, we are in the beginning of a golden spiritual opportunity, where if we chant Hare Krsna we can get back to Godhead, very easily. But this only lasts for ten thousand years. So if we get born in a celestial planet and live 15000 years, we will loose this opportunity.
(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 3 October 2012, Bhagavad-gita class, Sydney, Australia)
Krsna consciousness is not a process where the reward comes at the end only. There is a reward that will come at the end but there also is a reward that comes immediately!
Immediately, the quality of life improves tremendously therefore one should not miss the opportunity. It is a little difficult because the world at large, in this age of Kali, is going in another direction. And one has to have certain strength of character to stand up against the constant influence that is telling us to go there. Therefore, it is important that we are get support and for that reason we have temples and we have many programs and we meet again and again! Because just as with bathing, one has to do it again and again, and cannot say, "Well, I took bath yesterday. You have to believe it, I scrubbed for one hour!"
Very good but what about today? Bathing must be regular and in the same way, we must bathe the consciousness in sabda brahman, the transcendental sound!
This is a humble attempt to collect information on the spiritual subject matter for my own purification and for the benefit of the World! Lot of focus is made here to provide a one-stop solution for all problems of life! The most secret of all secrets is revealed! Vedic wisdom here unveils your real self. The perfect self-realization system(Bhakti Yoga) made so simple like never before!
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