About Religion & Philosophy

Work versus Devotion and Worship of the Lord - A Dilemma

2010-03-09T02:06:00.000-08:00

Wonderful queries from you …
1. I feel I should have the Lord in my heart all the time.
2. Work is a hurdle to spiritual progress
3. Focus in work and quest for excellence makes me feel guilty as they snatch me away from The Lord!

I suggest few subtle changes to the above query to become quest …

1. Am I at Lord's feet as I am and as I should be? … as opposed to objectifying The Omniscient as if one could cage THAT within one's heart. The dilemma is the mixture of one's nature and aspirations in the wrong combinations and wrong proportions. Either be a monkey that holds on to its mother completely on its own or be a cat that let the mother hold it completely. The notion "I should have the Lord in my heart all the time" shows a serious self-contradiction to me. On one hand you claim THAT to be The Lord while aspiring 'to have' Him within your heart on the other hand. Either you 'have' Him completely or let Him 'have' you completely. I am not sure about the former ... but, the later will surely work. So, ask yourself whether you are at His lotus feet always as you are and as you ought to be. If not, why? ... Interrogate yourself.

2. Am I at Lord's feet as I am and as I should be? … as opposed to objectifying The Omniscient as if one could cage THAT within one's heart. The dilemma is the mixture of one's nature and aspirations in the wrong combinations and wrong proportions. Either be a monkey that holds on to its mother completely on its own or be a cat that let the mother hold it completely. The notion "I should have the Lord in my heart all the time" shows a serious self-contradiction to me. On one hand you claim THAT to be The Lord while aspiring 'to have' Him within your heart on the other hand. Either you 'have' Him completely or let Him 'have' you completely. I am not sure about the former ... but, the later will surely work. So, ask yourself whether you are at His lotus feet always as you are and as you ought to be. If not, why? ... Interrogate yourself.

3. Focus and quest for excellence in anything is not a hurdle, but a virtue. KrishNa says, "Yogah karamsu koushalam". But the problem why that is becoming a bottleneck here is something else. Remember that KrishNa said "yogah karmasu koushalam" and not "yogo vyaktishu koushalam"! Often, we do want to herald the "excellence" projected on ourselves, not on the work we are involved with! The true skill (Koushalam) is to realize the excellence in The Action as such that brings out such brilliant colors to the life as is and as ever rather than desperately attempting to herald one's individual excellence and achievement in life. Obviously, when the excellence is projected on the wrong side (the ego), it is certainly the biggest hurdle to attain His Lotus Feet.

The action is collective from individual point of view - many individuals or objects particpate to fill-in the action. No objects that participate in the action cannot claim ownership on the action individually as well as collectively. Once we identify the excellence with the action rather than the specific parties involved, can we see anything but The Action anywhere?! Can we see anything but THAT in which The Action is merged eternally??! ! Therefore, the only possible excellence is to merge in this eternal merger as we are. Again, the question of relevance here is, why am I unable to let myself merge in the ever-existing unison all around as well as within? Why am I refusing to see the excellence that everything TRULY IS?? Why am I holding on to my fragmented existence to remain the only hurdle to my own spirit in all respects???

Beyond the Stereotypes

2010-03-08T04:52:00.001-08:00

Our mental disease is that we are habituated to a stereotypical way of viewing reality. Instead of boldly embracing the ever-fresh, unlimitedly exciting present in a sweet loving relationship with the Supreme Person, the source of our existence, out of a false sense of security we hover in the so-called comfort zone of seeing everything through the colored lenses of our past experience refusing to cast off our foolishly cherished prejudices. In this conditioned state of consciousness we stubbornly hold on to past grudges never allowing ourselves the freedom of fully forgiving the past transgressions of others. We proudly feel that we were wronged, when in fact we were simply being justly punished for our own past transgressions. So what is the solution for this karmic quagmire? We must arise now from the ashes of our own foolishness putting our full faith in Krishna and the spiritual master. In this way we will experience within our hearts at every moment the wonderful dawning of the ultimate spiritual enlightenment, Krishna consciousness, and all of our past sufferings we will seen simply as a bad dream from which we were so kindly awakened by the all-merciful Supreme Personality of Godhead and His most confidential servitor, the bona fide spiritual master.

Unfailingly Dedicated in All Circumstances

2010-03-08T04:45:00.000-08:00

The key to conquering over the modes of material nature and being solidly situated on the transcendental platform of Bhagavan realization, pure Krishna consciousness, is to always be engaged 24 hours daily in all places and circumstances in devotional service. In other words, we can easily attain the topmost perfection simply by always being vigilant without deviation that we are thinking, speaking, and acting in a way that is pleasing to Krishna. In this way if we remain unfailingly dedicated in all circumstances, we will quickly be elevated to the topmost platform of spiritual perfection and thus be blessed with always relishing the sweetest transcendental bliss, which far exceeds the happiness of the demigods in the heavenly planets. The key for quickly attaining this is to not ever give in to the desire of the senses for the cheap, quick thrills of material sense gratification. We must keep always the senses under control by constantly absorbing them engaged in Krishna's service. In this way we will taste millions of time more happiness than the fleeting so-called pleasure of the senses.

Does the Supreme have any wish/desire?

2010-03-08T04:42:00.000-08:00

The Supreme who is complete by definition will have no desire or wish.
Desire or wish arises from incomopleteness. If there is completeness, there is no scope for a wish or desire to arise for seeking completeness. The Supreme has every thing in Him and never feels inadequate. Without any inadequacy, the Supreme has no need to wish or desire.
The Supreme who is complete has everything: He contains everything in the Creation and is in existence in each and everything in the Creation. All wishes and desires of everything/ everyone are contained in Him and He exists in all wishes and desires possible in all creatures. So the Supreme does not need any desire or wish of his own.
That His Creation functions the way it has been doing and will continue fully satisfies him.
With nothing remaining to be satisfied, the Supreme has no scope for any wish or desire of His own. Any thing / any one even a little less than Supreme and less than Complete can only have a wish or desire.
To put it differently, all that happens in this creation is nothing but his wish and desire getting fulfilled.

The Lord's Feelings Toward Someone Who Chants His Name

2010-03-08T04:30:00.000-08:00

Srila Prabhupada told us that the chanting means to address the Lord. We talk to Him by calling His name.

But we may wonder, How does the Lord feel about those who chant? Does He notice them?

Yes. Krsna notices chanters even if they don't notice Him - and He thinks of them. As Srila Vishvanath Chakravarti Thakura said, "When someone chants the Lord's name, the Lord's mind dwells on him. Krishna thinks, 'This person belongs to Me. I will always protect him!' "

Srila Sridhara Swami explains in this connection: "When the Lord heard that Ajamila was chanting His name, He thought about Ajamila deeply and then ordered the Visnudutas to bring him to Him. How much more, then, will the Lord remember a person who chants His Name with a service attitude?"

Let us not try to see the Lord.
Let Him see us.
And let us not try to hear His voice in the beginning.
Let Him hear us first.
Then one day the morning will dawn
when we hear him say:
"You are Mine."

Is Law of Karma Applicable for All or only Hindus?

2010-03-08T04:24:00.000-08:00

Laws of Karma applies to anybody who thinks he/she is body-mind based organism regardless of beliefs, religions etc. A body has pain, or develops cancer or any such illness, does it have any problem? Physical body doesn't have complexes at all, whatever happens is according to cosmic laws, birth, growth, maturity, deterioration, illness, death!
Mind has all complexes! When body has pain, it thinks it has pain. Mind thinks it is separate from all beings and therefore, mind attaches to some it likes and some it doesn't like, so it avoids them. This is the only reason it suffers. This is what is Laws of Karma, really, meaning one lets mind rule life over which it doesn't have any control, so it suffers! Nothing fancy, it itself is ruled by conditioning of society, culture etc called environment in which it grows!
Such behaviors are among all mankind! Obviously everyone suffers or has pleasures, though, reasons may be different depending on their being raised in different cultures. This is Laws of Karma! It is the way one reacts rather than acts! Thus, it is Universal in nature, has nothing to do with Hindu or not, but everything to do with ignorance! Laws of Karma is explanation to our being ignorance! Of what? of not knowing who we are!
Just remove this ignorance and one is Free from Karma meaning pleasures and pains irrespective of birth and death of body. Laws are applicable even then to body, but suffering is removed. Scripture calls this as burning away of karmas!
Nothing else need to be changed!

The Law of Karma is applicable not only to Hindus but to all human beings ! It applies not only to all humans but to all creatures ! It applies not only to all creatures but also to Demi Gods say The Sun, Fire, Moon, Air etc ! In fact the first receipient of the knowledge of Karma Yoga was the Sun !!

What is this world comprising of? If you get deep ...you will find nothing EXCEPT .."Doing" and "Happenning" ! Deeds and Results thereof. It is contractual obligations that bind a human in this world (BG 15:2) ! Why only human...to all creatures !! World is nothing except "Lenia-Denia" (giving..receiving. ..giving) ! World therefore has at many places in Scriptures referred as " Karma Bhoomi" ! Rightly so, because you can't remain without doing Karmas even for a fraction of a second. There is a chain of action-reaction going on. Even Akarmas are in the form of Karmas only.

Q Is one doomed to be trapped in his Karma and cannot undo and find penance in this life time?

Ans: No ! Human life is not meant for getting doomed at all! Human life means an opportunity ...very rare opportunity of ...breaking the CHAINS of action/reaction. Here you can do AKARMAS also which do not produce any bondage. A human has also capacity to remain EQUANIMOUS and thus un-impacted by the CHAINS of Karmas ..the Bondage of Karmas !

Q If one convert to another religion from Hindu, can he do away with all this Karmic backlash?

Ans: Such a Q does not arise once earlier Qs are answered and understood.

Then who is the doer?

2010-03-08T04:20:00.000-08:00

All actions take place because of modes of nature.
Lord Krishna says in Bhagavad Gita,
" Prakrteh kriyamanani,
Gunaih karmani sarvasah,
Ahankara vimudhatma,
Kartaham iti manyate. "
( Gitaji 3, 27)
Which means,
'When all the actions take place because of modes of nature, a foolish person because of false ego thinks he( or she) is actually doing those actions. '
The modes of nature are Sattva (goodness), rajo(passion) , tamo( ignorance).
The supersoul( paramatma) gives certain freedom to soul ( jivatma) to decide for himself or herself. The supersoul is the witness for every action, thought, and word.
A person situated in Krishna consciousness, clearly sees that gross ( subtle body) is created from material nature, under the direction of Supreme Personality of Godhead and hence bodily activities as well as mental activities should be engaged in His service.
Actions continue to take place even when we think we are not doing any.
The best course is to do actions for the welfare of others and in the name of the Lord.

The Supreme Lord cannot be known through our intellectual efforts

2010-03-06T22:34:00.000-08:00

The Supreme Lord Sri Krishna cannot be known through our intellectual efforts. Unless He gives us the power of knowing Him, we cannot know Him. It is His mercy. If He is not at all merciful to us, we won't be able, by our strenuous exertions, to approach Him. The thing is that we have to approach Him and He has to give us the facility of approaching Him. He is the Autocrat - He is the Despot - He has the fullest freedom. We cannot, by our flimsy little way of thinking and by any of our attempts, reach Him in any way.

So, craving is the only need in us by which we can surmount all the difficulties, the barriers and the impediments of these phenomena. The objective references of the reciprocated entities of our senses, will never disclose Him unless He is so lenient to show us that latitude as to be approachable by us. This is the only method by which we can approach the Absolute. It will be a tremendous task for us to have an access to Him through our intellectualism and labor and our senses confined to finite things. So we should show our aptitude for craving His mercy. This is bhakti. Bhakti represents devotion - transcendental devotion. Transcendental devotion need not be covered by our thoughts, fruitive attempts or desire for salvation.

If we mix up bhakti with worldly ideas - finitudinal ideas - it will not lead us to the Absolute. Our ideas are wrong, they are quite inadequate for the purpose of leading us to the Absolute. Unless the Absolute condescends to be seen or worshiped by us, it would be quite useless to make efforts to approach Him. At the same time, we need not be diffident to approach Him - to try to have an access to Him. We must not think that He is within our reach and expect that our prayer will be attended to by Him.

So, there are two cardinal points which we should examine. First of all He is Absolute. He should have a willing attitude to meet us and at the same time we should also have some sort of hankering for Him, leaving aside all sorts of troublesome agents which we call our associates - leaving these aside we are to approach Him. If we want to zoomorphise, phytomorphise, or neuterise Godhead, if we try to find any masculine or feminine feature in Godhead, if the neuter aspect of Godhead is welcomed, we would be simply missing the opportunity of having an access to Him - we would be simply led astray. Godhead is not necessarily neuter, masculine or feminine as we see here with our defective and temporal senses. We should simply submit to Him:

"sarva dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja, aham tvam sarva papebhyo moksayisyami ma sucah"

Sri Krishna is singing this for Arjuna's purpose. He says He will give warranty of saving everyone of us if he or she submits to Him alone and none will have to run any risk of their own - all risks will lie in Him. He declares He will give us salvation. He is full - all sorts of inadequacies can be fulfilled by His true wishes. We can get rid of all our troubles if we simply submit to Him.

As He should descend to meet us, so we should also be unalloyed and quite set free from all sorts of wrong associations we have imbibed during our social life, otherwise, carrying all these references of this mundane world, we cannot have access to the transcendental region. We should not persist in our wrong ideas - in prayers such as `give us this day our daily bread'. We cannot have a morsel of bread unless He desires to give it to us. We need not waste our time that way. These prayers are not required for approaching Him. We are quite ignorant of what is to be asked from Him. We do not know what will be for our good. We should only crave for His mercy. This is the only attitude we should have.

Sri Krishna is the greatest attractor. We should want to be attracted by Him. The thing is if we have diffidence to be attracted by Him, if we try to avoid or evade His conference of mercy on us, we should be simply entangling ourselves with the measuring temperament. Now we are very busy to measure with our senses all the finitudinal objects of this universe. This is empiric education. This sort of empiric education is offered to us to impede our course towards the transcendental region. So we should be very careful not to be deluded by the influence of the measuring tendency - we should be very careful not to be degraded by this. We should not accept the policy of retaliation - for by doing so we should be simply engaging ourselves for that purpose only.

We should be always careful not to be meddling with external ideas and thoughts. If we engage ourselves with all these things in order to have some enjoyment of our senses, we should surely be misguided by alluring friends of the phenomena. The finiteness of these things is quite inadequate for our purpose. We require the full thing - the Absolute. We should simply part with the wrong ideas and thoughts which we have incorporated with us. The phenomenon should be deleted - should be abandoned - during the course of our journey to the transcendental plane. The Absolute is He Who does not require a finite object or a finite place. He has infinite, eternal knowledge. He has got eternal expansion. He is full of bliss. We are always hankering after bliss - but bliss can never be had here. So meddling with the undesirable objects of the phenomena, we cannot expect to reach that destination. So the only course is bhakti. We should not attempt karma, jnana, rationalism, agnosticism, good action, charity and all such rubbish. They are the impediments of our approach to the Object. The Object should be the Absolute.

What is God's Work and How can we perform & accomplish it ?

2010-03-06T21:48:00.000-08:00

Radhe Krishna!
Once we accept the fact that whatever work we do including our own domestic duties as an offering to the Lord, everything becomes God's work. At the same time, a person who does adharmic activities (like what extremists do), and offers everything to God, can we say that God will accept that offering? The Lord stands for dharma, and any adharmic activity cannot be attributed to Him. "KENAPI DEVENA HRUDI STITENA, YADHA NIYUKTHOSMI THADHA KAROMI". This is not applicable to Adharmic actions of extremists or "Atatayins". Duryodhana says in Pandava gita "Janami dharmam, nahi me pravritthih, Janami adharmam, nahi me nivruttih; Kenapi Devena Hridi stitena yadha niyukthosmi thadha karomi." Is this acceptable?

So one has to draw a line between what is acceptable to Dharma and what is not acceptable to Adharma. We can say, what is acceptable to Dharma can be termed as "God's work.

Sometimes it may happen than one's "Swadharma" itself could be adharmic in character and not acceptable to the Lord!

Work versus Devotion and Worship of the Lord - A Dilemma

2010-03-06T21:45:00.000-08:00

A spiritual aspirant should be determined to do only God's work, not his own work. Therefore he should accept that his house, his work and he himself belong to God. With this feeling, he will be doing God's work, with God's power, to please God. This firm determination will develop a strong bonding (a feeling of mine-ness) with God and in-turn spontaneous and constant rememberance of Him.
Constant Rememberance of God - How?
God in the Gita says to Arjuna -

"Tasmat sarveshu kaaleshu maamanusmara yudhya che." (Gita 8:7)

Therefore Arjuna, remember Me at all times and fight. Here fight stands for doing one's duty. We can remember God at all times but we can't fight at all times. Arjuna's duty was to fight, just like we have to perform our daily duties. Domestic duties can't be performed at all times. The spiritual aspirant have three options before them -

1) To do the work while remembering God,
2) To remember God while doing the work, and
3) To do the work considering it as God's work.

In the first option, remembrance of God is primary, while the work is secondary.
In the second option the work is primary, while remembrance of God is secondary.
In the third option there is undivided devotion for God.

Generally people forget God while working. There are two reasons for it. The important reason is one's negligence. The second reason is lack of attachment (feeling of mine-ness) with God. If there is attachment for anyone, he is reminded spontaneously of that one.
People have attachment to their domestic affairs, not to God. They are therefore likely to forget God. As long as we accept and see the house, the work, and Self as our own, we are likely to forget God.
Therefore we should be determined that we have to do only God's work, not our own work. What is the use of work which makes one forget God?
Therefore a spiritual aspirant should accept that his house, his work and he himself belong to God. They are not his own. He should feel that he is doing God's work, with His power in order to please Him. this firm determination will develop a strong bonding (a feeling of mine-ness) with God and in-turn spontaneous and constant remembrance of Him.

Ram Ram

How to Always Be Absolutely Ecstatic

2010-03-06T00:39:00.000-08:00

Nobody truly desires to be miserable. But yet most people are foolishly acting on a regular daily basis in ways that guarantee to keep them miserable. It doesn't have to be like this because there is a solution. There is a way that anybody and everybody no matter what situation they may be in can always be absolutely ecstatic. That way is called the science of self-realization. Just as there varying stages in the science of mathematics, there are also varying stages in the science of self-realization. In the lower stages one becomes partially liberated from all miseries. And when one reaches the perfectional stage, he becomes perfectly, absolutely ecstatic in all circumstances. That perfectional stage is known as Bhagavan realization or Krishna consciousness. It is not necessary to progress through the lower stages known as Brahman realization and Paramatma realization and then gradually come to the highest stage. Just as when one wants to go to an upper floor in a tall building one can either takes the stairs or the elevator, in the self-realization science one can proceed gradually to the perfectional platform over many lifetimes, or he can immediately come to the topmost platform simply by fully surrendering himself to Lord Krishna. Those who are thus willing to dive fully into the self-realization process become absolutely ecstatic in all times, places, and circumstances.

Then who is the doer?

2010-03-06T00:34:00.000-08:00

Since the Self is not a doer, it is flawless, and untainted by anything, why has Lord Krishna given so much importance and dedicated chapters of the Gita to that which is born of prakriti (nature), such as Gunas - Rajas, Tamas, Sattva, eight limbs of yoga, purification of thoughts, actions etc.

Ans: Because Self has not accepted flawlessness/ untaintedness in himself and therefore inspite of being complete; being part of God, is experiencing flaws, is entangled ,and is sufferring.. .sufferring. ... And sufferring.

God knows Jeeva has misutilised its Power of Belief. Hence, He gives a full chapter only on belief in Gita.He knows what are the pitfalls on Jeeva's way now. Jeeva is very independent. God has provided freedom to Jeeva. God can not withdraw that freedom. One who assumes- I am doer ONLY must assume I am not doer- "Naivam Kinchit karomiti yukto MANYET"-BG 5:8 - Yogi "accepts"- I do not do any thing. But Jeeva is independent. ... SWANTRAH KARTA- The doer is always independent. God can only impart now His Grace/ Kripaa/Compassion/ Truth/ Comfort through Scriptures and send Saints and Sages like Ved Vyas, Goswami Tulsidasji Maharaj, Param Shraddheya Swamiji Shri Ramsukhdasji Maharaj, etc.... so that Jeeva wakes up...does not worry...does not remain sorrowful... runs and comes in His loving arms.

Hence God on one hand states in Gita as to what truly a human is. What is true nature of Jeeva. He says- You are my child. You have no part of Prakruti in you. On the other hand, He knows that Jeeva is entangled. False has become Truth for Jeeva because of wrong acceptance/belief/ shraddha ! False has become part of Jeeva's experience. Hence God recognises the ACTUAL STATUS of Entangled/Sufferrin g Jeeva and teaches the Jeeva from that state of entanglement.

The Compassionate God keeps saying to Jeeva: Do not worry, Do not worry....Ma Suchah..Ma Suchah. He begins Gita addressing Jeeva's WORRY and ends Gita by saying DO NOT WORRY - Ma Suchah.

Accordingly - dozens of methodologies have been prescribed by God for Liberation of Jeeva from the chains of false assumption/wrong acceptance. Swamiji has elaborated upon many such methodologies. THE KARAN NIRAPEKSHA SADHANS explained for the benefit of humanity at large by Swamiji - require only KSHIPRAM TIME ( one-third of a second) to realise Paramatma. Jeeva can always choose any one based on his present state. In fact, God has to take into account present state of Jeeva and accordingly provide wisdom to him. Gita is "avataar". Lord Krishna was "avataar". Lord Krishna has to first lower Himself to the level of human, presume the same state in which the human is ACTUALLY (not theoritically) and then impart him the way forward from that state.

Pupose of Human birth

2010-03-06T00:32:00.000-08:00

Hare Krishna ! Pranams to Bhagavan Sri Krishna and Bhaktas,

What is the purpose of human birth? To earn, to eat, to undergo misery everyday and finally to die? Instead of earning and suffering, can we not die now? The purpose of birth is to avoid re-birth. Except man, all animals grow horizontally. Only man grows vertically. Instead of growing horizontally, it is Bhagavan's will that he should grow vertically in order to look up. Bhagavan has given to animals devices for self-protection ; to man alone He has given intelligence. By doing nothing, we avoid re-birth; By giving up attachment, we avoid sins.

Bhagavan Krishna says in Srimad Bhagavad Gita (10.7-10 ) :

" He who knows in truth My opulence and yogic power , has firm bhakti in Me. There is no doubt about this.
I am the source of both mundane and spiritual worlds. Everything emanates from Me. The wise who know this well, worship Me with great joy in their hearts.
Those whose minds are fixed on Me and whose lives are surrendered to Me, derive great satisfaction from enlightening one another about my greatness and speaking about Me .
Those whose minds are devoted to Me worship Me with great joy. I Myself give to them the yoga of wisdom, by which they can come to Me ".

Please chant :

Hare Rama Hare Rama

Rama Rama Hare Hare

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna

Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

and be happy !!!

Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya!! !

Shun Herd Mentality and Realize Yourself.

2010-03-03T04:15:00.000-08:00

Nowadays it is considered very egalitarian to think that no matter which pathway one takes it will lead to the same goal. Try to going to an airport to see if you can make this philosophy practical by taking any airplane and reaching the same destination. While such notions of doing anything and getting the same result may be the embodiment of political correctness, it should be noted in this connection that fools rush in where angels fear to tread. In other words our philosophy of life should not be based on herd mentality. An intelligent person can understand that if the herd were correct, the world would not be in such a disastrous condition as the present moment. Therefore instead of giving in to herd mentality he bravely embarks on his own personal journey of self-discovery to gain perfect realization of who he is and what is the meaning and purpose of his existence.

What happens at the time of Death of the gross body? Vedic description.

2010-03-03T03:53:00.001-08:00

At the time of death of the gross body, cells merge with the earth, spirit merges with the divine Nature (Prakrti), the soul being immortal remains alive, and hence consciousness remains. Based on degree of truth, quality of Karma (good or bad deeds), acquired in the present and previous births as individual's running ledger account, it gets manifested again on the birth of another gross body. This process of birth and rebirth continues until, the soul achieves perfection, is released from the three modes of Prakrti and moves beyond three gunas of transparency, activity and passivity. It is the stage of salvation, liberation i.e. Vedic Moksha.

Rig Veda 1-164-20, 10-9-20, 10-8-43 and 44 describe three divine substances, Parmatma (Supreme Soul), Atma (human soul) and the divine Nature. On the "Death" of human beings, spirit goes back to Prakrti and merges with the Nature as part of the vast storehouse of energy. The soul does not go back to Parmatma who is the Supreme Soul as it gets affected with subtle atoms and particles of human good and bad deeds, thoughts and desires.

Vedic metaphysics is emphatic that owing to the prevalence of the spirit of God in all human beings, any distinction of class superiority or inferiority is negation of religion and ethics.
Soul is dynamic but not moving when manifested, but moves faster than all material things when not manifested. It traverses billions of miles when it goes to devas (beings of light as forces of divine Nature) viz. Suriya (Sun), Chandrama (Moon), Indra, , Mitra, Varun, Yama etc., during the 12 days journey after the death of gross body for purification, knowledge, luster, noble and divine traits, which it lost during the stage of manifestation in the body. (Yajur Veda 39-6). But the effects of Karma remain intact. It becomes fierce, calm, terrible, fearless, ignorant, enlightened, passionate or ascetic dependent on the past deeds, desires and thoughts (Y.V.39-
7). In the womb it becomes lovely through various virtuous deeds, chastise able through ignoble deeds, supreme through divine knowledge, noble through spiritual force and protector of all bodily organs and the pericardium enclosing the heart. It is for this reason that most of the scriptures mention the soul dwelling in the heart of all individuals. Apart from Vedas, Bhagavad-Gita, Adi Grantha Gaund M-5 and Katha Upanishad 1-2-20 to 22 also mention the soul residing in the heart.

After its 12 days journey, it is well equipped with Vedic knowledge, a-priori principles and cosmic laws of social and moral order (Rta). Thus on the birth of a child, the knowledge of four Vedas is made available through the manifested soul which is part of the inner world.

Thus consciousness is the real cause of transmigration of soul from one body to another. Brihadarnyaka Upanishad 4-3-34 and 4-4-4 explains the rebirth as a man passes from dream to wakefulness, so does from this life to next life. At old age or during the stage of degeneration even during young age, the self separates from the limbs like ripe mango, fig or banayan fruit separates itself from the trunk. The same way the self hastens to his new abode based on past karma and begins a new life in a new body. The "self" i.e. atma departs through eye, or gate of the skull or some other apertures of the body. The deeds of the entire life and the impressions those deeds created to the manifested soul before leaving the body follows the individual in the next birth.

Even those souls which have achieved Moksha and have become one with God also take birth after centuries to guide the harassed humanity. Some time they take birth through divine potency like Lord Krishna or Lord Rama and most often as human beings with normal birth like
Buddha, Mahavira, Socrates, Sankracharya and many others.

From the above description, it is apparent that true followers of Vedic guidelines observe Prayer Meetings of the departed souls on the 13th day of the death as the departed soul completes its journey for purification on the 12th day.

Jeevathuma is Sukshumamam

2010-03-03T03:51:00.000-08:00

It is energy that comes into form (human, animal, ant, plant etc) depending on Karmas. This Jeevathuma (call it sprit/ sukshuma/ soul) joins with Paramathuma when there is no credit of puniyas or papas. Human can send his/her soul through Susunba Nerve right through spinal cord on to top of skull where there it can open and go to GOD. This is done only by Yogi after several births of practice Bagavan says in Geetha.
Electricity cannot be seen but can be known or used with help of material. So is everything on earth. The body is instrument packed with 6 types of DNA based on astrological factors again this based on one` s karmas. Body Pancha boothas (5 elements) covered by Pancha gosas (5 Layers of auras) and within or near to heart there is a vacuum space where this soul remains witness for all that the body, mind and intellect does. Actions of body (karmendriyam) Mind
(thoughts) are called Manasha Karma. All the Karmas are recorded by 5 sheets of Gosas. When soul leaves the body due to decay 6th stage (Bagavan says 6 stages of transformations all living things undergo), the soul goes to SUN along with 5 gosas and from there the path of soul decided. The soul comes to earth through rain drop, gets into any eatable, the body (known as annamaiya) which eats and sperms develop. These sperms are injected into female body where the soul starts developing form. Once the mind on 5th month in womb starts working, the soul has capacity to know all that happened in past birth. The infant in womb soaked in chemical substance, smelling very bad odor, thinks that it made mistake wasting previous birth amidst pomp and show, wealth and fame etc. Unable to remain in one position, due to pricks, keeps turning. The sufferings of a child in womb is worst than living on earth. The child in womb
surely does feel that once it is out of womb, it will do only tapas, bakthi and remain aloof from world. But on touching atmosphere everything erased due to the karmas it had. Example: Jada Bharatha story of 3 births.
DEAR SADAKS our scriptures had clearly said which month the baby develops form, when nail, when hair, when eyes etc. Each organ has it` s own devatha. Based on ones karma the child is born or dies in womb or gets suitable parents, countary/place, brothers sisters, poor/rich etc, with destined span of life. A person gets sickness first at aura level. The sickness penetrates through aura and enters body mostly at Kethu Raasi. One can take static from sick persons
and they will be Kethu rasi. Again all sickess or accidents or sufferings effects little or nothing in case of Bagavan Bakthas.
Persons Praying demi Gods, Bagavan says in Geetha Mooda. There is places where these are said in Geetha. But Bagavan Sri Vishnu took birth as Kapila and gave full text of human life and death in Sri Math Bagavath as KAPILA GEETHA. Further full information is in
GARBOPANASHID.
Cycle of birth and death continues as long as one has desires on this earth. People, who contemplated that there is some thing much more extremely valuable, left behind everything in search of truth. Example: Buddha left kingdom, riches and happy family. Purandaradoss (said to be incarnation of Naradha) known as Nava Koti (9 Crores) narayana just left behind everything at one stroke went to Panderpur.
Sadaks- That does not mean we go away into forest. We can be Baktha concentrating on Sri Krishna having in mind that everyone and everything is Asat.
Who ever we may be. Once the soul departs the body is disposed off with in 24 hours

Value of Vaishnava Association

2010-03-02T06:06:00.000-08:00

Story from the Purana...

Once the great sage Narada was intrigued by a doubt. He was sure that Lord Vishnu would clear it for him. He proceeded to the Ocean of Milk and found his Lord reclining on the giant hooded serpent-bed Shankarshana, His beautiful consort, Lakshmi devi beside Him.

Sage Narada made his obeisance to Lord Vishnu and put his question to Him.
"Oh Lord, what is the value of Vaishnava Satsang, the Association of Vaishnava Devotees?"
Lord Vishnu smiled charmingly and said, "I will answer your question. But first you must do something for me. Look at that village on planet Earth. Can you see a small worm crawling on the ground over there?"
With his yogic vision, Sage Narada perceived it and nodded.
"Go over there and ask your question of that worm. I'm sure you'll get your answer."

Sage Narada was puzzled, but he nevertheless did as instructed. In response, the worm looked up at him, promptly rolled over and died.
Sage Narada was shocked. He hurried back to Lord Vishnu and told Him what had happened.
Lord Vishnu merely smiled and told him, "Oh, is that so? Never mind. Now do one more thing. Go over to that cow-shed you see over there, in that town. A calf was born there a while ago. Please ask the same question of that calf."
Sage Narada was still recovering from what had happened earlier.
"Oh no, my Lord! What if that calf dies as well? I cannot risk committing the unforgivable crime of `go-hatya'!"
Lord Vishnu however, was able to persuade him and sage Narada left on his new mission. Warily, he made his way into the cow-shed. It was in the middle of the night and he approached the calf unnoticed. He put the same question to the calf. In response, the calf looked at him with its large brown eyes. And then rolled over and died!
Sage Narada was horrified. Using all the yogic powers at his disposal, he fled the scene and arrived at the abode of Lord Vishnu, shaking with fear.
"Oh my Lord! What have I done! The worst sin expected of anyone; the killing of the animal most dear to you!"
Lord Vishnu pacified the trembling sage and assured him that no sin would accrue to him.
"And in the bargain, my Lord, I haven't even got the answer to my question?!" sage Narada complained.
Lord Vishnu smiled and told him that he would have to do just one last thing for him.
"You see that vast kingdom over there? The Queen has just given birth to her first child. All you have to do is ask that child your question and you will get your answer."
"No, my Lord! Please don't ask me to go there. I have no doubt that some harm will befall that child as well. I simply cannot take that chance."
But Lord Vishnu remained adamant. What could the sage do? Nervously, he set forth towards planet Earth.
Arriving on the balcony where the young prince was lying unattended, sage Narada cautiously approached him. The baby looked at him and gurgled with joy.
Hesitatingly, the great sage asked the child, "What is the value of Vaishnava Satsang?'
The child looked at sage Narada, and to his surprise, began to speak.

"O great Sage. Your question has already been answered. When you, the greatest of Vaishnavas, had first granted me your association, I was an insignificant worm. As a result of my contact with you, I left that body and was awarded the body of the most pious animal, the calf.
You graced me with your association once more, and I left that body to gain the birth of the prince and heir of this vast kingdom. And by your causeless mercy, you have granted me your exalted association yet again.
Now I have no doubt that this is my last birth on this Earth. Your association will help me attain that Supreme Destination; the abode of Lord Hari Himself!"

And this is the value of Vaishnava Association. We develop in all ways; spiritual as well as material.

There is Only Vasudeva - Why the Resistance ? Why not Accept the Truth?

2010-03-02T05:51:00.000-08:00

Remember this at all times, because it is the main principle of the Gita -Vasudev Sarvam (All is God). If you do not believe in the other, then there is no "All", there is only Vasudeva (Paramatma). The All is everything, including our body, mind, intellect, ego and the World. The All is everything that is not your Self. The All remains till such time as we give it importance, and we believe that it exists. As soon as we realise that the Allhas no existence of its own and it should have no importance, the All merges into Vasudeva (God). The sarvam becomes Vasudev. Then there is only Vasudev (God). There is nothing else, there was nothing else, there will be nothing else, there can be nothing else.

Accept this once and for all - there is only Vasudeva (God). Remain ever established in Vasudeva (Paramatma). It is because you have given existence to "asat" (unreal) and thus given it importance that you perceive "All". Giving existence and importance to the other (asat) i.e. everthing else besides Vasudeva, is the main flaw. It simply IS and that is "Existence". It has only been believed that it is not realized, but it is already realized. "Nasato Vidhyate Bhavo, Nabhavo Vidhyate Satah" (Gita 2:16). There is only Vasudeva (Only God).

There is true and there is false. What is false is false because of the true. The false gets its existence only because of the existence of the truth. Without the truth the false has no power whatsoever. It cannot even exist. We say that 'All is God' only till such time as we give the All an existence and importance. Otherwise, it is just God that exists in everything. God is already there. We do not have to do anything to attain Him. The mistake that we have made is that we have given the All importance and given it existence due to our ignorance of the truth. Therefore the All exists in our mind in opposition to the IS (God). God IS, and is always there, and is everattained. No matter however hard we try, we cannot attain what does not exist - i.e. the All. As soon as a person realises this, his work is over. You attain and understand that God is All and All is God.

You have to do nothing for your Self. You should do all you can for the world without wanting anything in return. In Karma Yog, there is nothing to do for the Self, everything is to be done for the world. Even though you are doing, you should never think that you are the doer. You are a mere tool in His Hands. If you startthinking that you are the doer, you will get attached to the fruits of your action and start enjoying the result of your actions - which will bind you to this world and give you tensions and worries. Doing for others with a selfless motive is Karma Yog. This can unite the whole world - all religions (Hindus, Christians, Muslims, Jews,Parsis, etc.). This is ever attained in any religions. "Bade bhaagya Manushya Janam pawaa" It has nothing to do with the body. It is all about discrimination (vivek). "Hai so sunder hai sadaa, nahin so sunder naahi... hai so dikhe naahi". We are seeing what is not, and not what IS. One is a knower and the other is to be known. Give things of nature, back to nature. We have the ability to know. The intellect to know what is right and what is wrong is only given to humans. Human beings have the ability to know this, that we are ever established in "Is-ness". It is not about simply learned knowledge, it is realizing this. Not like learning a language, it is divine knowledge, true knowledge. "Sa sarvavit bhajati maam, sarva bhaaveneh bhaavitah... ...Iti guhyatam shaastra" One who realizes this, has nothing remaining to be done, to beknown, and to be attained. "The one who realizes this, worships and is devoted to Me." That One who realizes this, never forgets Me, and I never forget Him, says Bhagwaan. "Yo maam pachyati sarvatra, sarvamcha mai pachyati" Bhagwaan is an amazing player. In all is Paramatma (God), and All are in Paramatma (God). Realize this in solitude.

Bhagwaan IS. Everything is Bhagwaan. We see the world with our eyes. Everything is happening as part of His divine play, as He is a player. "Ban gaye Aap akele sab kuch, naam dharaa sansaar" "You alone became everything, and that everything we call the World, this Body, Mind, Intellect, Ego". So we will naturally see only the world and I, and not the power or truth behind it. In fact, we are all situated in the IS (Parmatma, Vasudeva)), which is always there and will always remain. The IS (Vasudeva) is in ALL and the ALL is in the IS. The One is in everything and the Everything is in the One.

Narayana Narayana Narayana
Ram Ram

Importance of Temple Worship

2010-03-02T04:39:00.000-08:00

The divine medicine of Bhagavan Sri Krishna's Grace to wipe out our sorrows is to develop unshakable faith in Bhagavan and tolerance is the medicine of Grace to wipe out our sorrows. Krishna-Bhakti alone can give us the capacity to put up with sorrows. Vedic Temples are the agencies for developing that Bhakti. Hence, the need for temples at all places. All offerings to His deities in the temples are tokens of our gratitude to Bhagavan Krishna .

He alone is a Vaishnava Acharya, who, after clearly understanding the conclusive teachings of the Vedis Sastras, makes the people of the world gain their welfare by making them stick to the path shown in the Sastras and also himself does everything according to Sastras and remains in that experience .

Many acts relating to Sri Krishna , like building Krishna 's temples, digging tanks are performed. While executing them, there would be many difficulties. There would come also several kinds of dishonour . Not minding any of these, they would complete their tasks with mental one-pointedness removing impurities from their minds and letting the mind wander. By straightening their mind, they acquire mind control and at the end, they realise the Reality that is to be known. Digging tanks, building temples and such other acts are called *poorttam* . The performance of sacrifices, etc., is known as *ishtam* . Combining these two, we have the word *Ishtapoortam* .

Bhagavan Sri Krishna says about Temple-worship in Uddhava Gita (27.49-54) :

By worshiping Me through the various methods prescribed in the Vedas and tantras, one will gain from Me his desired perfection in both this life and the next.
The Bhakta should more fully establish My Deity by solidly constructing a temple, along with beautiful gardens. These gardens should be set aside to provide flowers for the regular daily worship, special Deity processions and holiday observances.
One who offers My Deity gifts of land, markets, cities and villages so that the regular daily worship and special festivals of the Deity may go on continually will achieve opulence equal to My own.
By installing My Deity one becomes king of the entire earth, by building a temple for Me one becomes ruler of the three worlds, by worshiping and serving the Deity one goes to the planet of Lord Brahma, and by performing all three of these activities one achieves a transcendental form like My own.
But one who simply engages in devotional service with no consideration of fruitive results attains Me. Thus whoever worships Me according to the process I have described will ultimately attain pure devotional service unto Me.
Anyone who steals the property of the Devas or the brahmanas, whether originally given to them by himself or someone else, must live as a worm in stool for one hundred million years.

Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya!! !!

How to escape from Sins

2010-03-02T04:30:00.000-08:00

We know many faults we commit, even if others do not know them. Sometimes we realise we are doing so many evil things and repent bitterly and feel why we should be born . Our duty is to pray to our Ishta-deva Sri Krishna -"I have committed so many faults. Will You not, 0 Bhagavan , give me the will power not do like that in future and will you not purify my mind?"

We must note down in a diary every night before we go to bed the faults committed by us and pray to Bhagavan Sri Krishna to give us courage and intelligence not to do so. This should be propagated widely.

Bhagavan Krishna says in Srimad Bhagavad Gita ( 9.30 ) : "Even if the worst sinner worships Me with true bhakti, he should be considered as virtuous . because he has rightly decided his duty (i.e , He is positive in his belief that there is nothing like devoted worship of Me)".

Please chant :

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

and be happy !!!

Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya !!!

I describe the best of all fast days, Amalakii EkAdasi

2010-02-23T05:09:00.000-08:00

King MAndhAtA once said to Vasishtha Muni, "O great sage, kindly be merciful to me and tell me of a holy fast that will benefit me eternally."

Vasishtha Muni replied. "O king, kindly listen as . He who faithfully observes a fast on this EkAdasii obtains enormous wealth, gets free of the effects of all kinds of sins, and attains liberation. Fasting on this EkAdasii is more purifying than donating one thousand cows in charity to a pure brAhmana. So please hear me attentively as I tell you the story of a hunter who, though daily engaged in killing innocent animals for his living, achieved liberation by observing a fast on Amalakii EkAdasii following the prescribed rules and regulations of worship.

"There was once a kingdom named VaidishA, where all the brAhmanas, kshatriyas, vaishyas, and shudras were equally endowed with Vedic knowledge, great bodily strength, and fine intelligence. Oh lion among kings, the whole kingdom was full of Vedic sounds, not a single person was atheistic, and no one sinned. The ruler of this kingdom was King PAshabinduka, a member of the dynasty of Soma, the moon. He was also known as Chitraratha and was very religious and truthful. It is said that King Chitraratha had the strength of ten thousand elephants and that he was very wealthy and knew the six branches of Vedic wisdom perfectly.

"During the reign of Maharaja Chitraratha, not a single person in his kingdom attempted to practice another's dharma (duty) so perfectly engaged in their own dharmas were all the brAhmanas, kshatriyas, vaisyas, and sudras. Neither miser nor pauper was to be seen throughout the land, not was there ever a drought or flood. Indeed, the kingdom was free of disease, and everyone enjoyed good health. The people rendered loving devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Vishnu, as did the king, who also rendered special service to Lord Shiva. Moreover, twice a month everyone fasted on EkAdasii.

"In this way, O best of kings, the citizens of VaidishA lived many long years in great happiness and prosperity. Giving up all varieties of materialistic religion, they completely dedicated themselves to the loving service of the Supreme Lord, Hari.

"Once, in the month of Phalguna (February - March), the holy fast of Amalakii EkAdasii arrived, conjoined with DvAdasi. King Chitraratha realised that this particular fast would bestow especially great benefit, and thus he and all the citizens of VaidishA observed this sacred EkAdasii very strictly, carefully following all the rules and regulations.

"After bathing in the river, the king and all his subjects went to the temple of Lord Vishnu, where an Amalakii tree grew. First the king and his leading sages offered the tree a pot filled with water, as well as a fine canopy, shoes, gold, diamonds, rubies, pearls, sapphires, and aromatic incense. Then they worshiped Lord ParashurAma with these prayers: 'Oh Lord ParashurAma, Oh son of RenukA, Oh all-pleasing one, Oh liberator of the worlds, kindly come beneath this holy Amalakii tree and accept our humble obeisances.'

Then they prayed to the Amalakii tree: 'Oh Amalakii, Oh offspring of Lord BrahmA, you can destroy all kinds of sinful reactions. Please accept our respectful obeisances and these bumble gifts. O Amalakii, you are actually the form of Brahman, and you were once worshiped by Lord RAmachandra Himself. Whoever circumambulates you is therefore immediately freed of all his sins.'

"After offering these excellent prayers, King Chitraratha and his subjects remained awake throughout the night, praying and worshiping according to the regulations governing a sacred EkAdasii fast. It was during this auspicious time of fasting and prayer that a very irreligious man approached the assembly, a man who maintained himself and his family by killing animals. Burdened with both fatigue and sin, the hunter saw the king and the citizens of VaidishA observing Amalakii EkAdasii by performing an all-night vigil, fasting, and worshiping Lord Vishnu in the beautiful forest setting, which was brilliantly illuminated by many lamps. The hunter hid nearby, wondering what this extraordinary sight before him was.

'What is going on here?' he thought. What he saw in that lovely forest beneath the holy Amalakii tree was the Deity of Lord DAmodara being worshiped upon the Asana of a waterpot, and what he heard were devotees singing sacred songs describing Lord Krishna's transcendental forms and pastimes. Despite himself, that staunchly irreligious killer of innocent birds and animals spent the entire night in great amazement as he watched the EkAdasii celebration and listened to the glorification of the Lord.

"Soon after sunrise, the king and his royal retinue - including the court sages and all the citizens - completed their observance of EkAdasii and returned to the city of VaidishA. The hunter then returned to his hut and happily ate his meal. In due time the hunter died, but the merit he had gained by fasting on Amalakii Ekadasii and hearing the glorification of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as well as by being forced to stay awake all night, made him eligible to be reborn as a great king endowed with may chariots, elephants, horses, and soldiers. His name was VasUratha, the son of King VidUratha, and he ruled over the kingdom of Jayanti.

"King VasUratha was strong and fearless, as effulgent as the Sun, and as handsome as the Moon. In strength he was like Sri Vishnu, and in forgiveness like the Earth itself. Very charitable and every truthful, King VasUratha always rendered loving devotional service to the Supreme Lord, Sri Vishnu. He therefore became very well versed in Vedic knowledge. Always active in the affairs of state, he enjoyed taking excellent care of his subjects, as though they were his own children. He disliked pride in anyone and would smash it when he saw it. He performed many kinds of sacrifices, and he always made certain that the needy in his kingdom received enough charity.

"One day, while hunting in the jungle, King VasUratha strayed from the footpath and lost his way. Wandering for some time and eventually growing weary, he paused beneath a tree and, using his arms as a pillow, fell asleep. As he slept, some barbarian tribesmen came upon him and, remembering their longstanding enmity toward the king, began discussing among themselves various ways to kill him. 'It is because he killed our fathers, mothers, brothers-in- law, grandsons, nephews, and uncles that we are forced to aimlessly wander like so many madmen in the forest.' So saying, they prepared to kill King VasUratha with various weapons, including spears, swords, arrows, and mystic ropes.

"But none of these deadly weapons could even touch the sleeping king, and soon the uncivilised, dog-eating tribesmen grew frightened. Their fear sapped their strength, and before long they lost what little intelligence they had and became almost unconscious with bewilderment and weakness. Suddenly a beautiful woman appeared from the king's body, startling the aborigines. Decorated with many ornaments, emitting a wonderful fragrance, wearing an excellent garland around her neck, her eyebrows drawn in a mood of fierce anger, and her fiery red eyes ablaze, she looked like death personified. With her blazing chakra discus she quickly killed all the tribal hunters, who had tried to slay the sleeping king.

"Just then the king awoke, and seeing all the dead tribesmen lying around him, he was astonished. He wondered, 'These are all great enemies of mine! Who has slain them so violently? Who is my great benefactor?'

"At that very moment he heard a voice from the sky: 'You ask who helped you. Well, who is that person who alone can help anyone is distress? He is none other than Sri Keshava, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He who saves all who take shelter of Him without any selfish motive.'

"Upon hearing these words, King VasUratha became over-whelmed with love for the Personality of Godhead Sri Keshava (Krishna). He returned to his capital city and ruled there like a second lord Indra (king of the heavenly regions), without any obstacles at all.

"Therefore, Oh King Mandhata," the venerable Vasishtha Muni concluded, "...anyone who observes this holy Amalakii EkAdasii will undoubtedly attain the supreme abode of Lord Vishnu, so great is the religious merit earned from the observance of this most sacred fast day."
Thus ends the narration of the glories of Phalguna-sukla Ekadasi, or Amalaki Ekadasi, from the Brahmanda Purana.

Gita Chapter 3-42 & 43

2010-02-21T01:28:00.000-08:00

Gita Chapter 3-42 & 43

indriyani paraanyaahur, indriyebhyah param manah |

manasastu paraa buddhiryo buddheh paratastu sah || (Gita 3-42)

Evam buddheh param buddhvaa samstabhyaatmaanama atmana |

Jahi satrum mahaabaaho kaamaroopam duraasadam || (Gita 3-43)

"It is said that the senses are superior to the gross body, greater (higher, more powerful, illuminating, pervasive and subtler) than the senses is the mind; greater than the mind is the intellect, but greater than the intellect is desire. Thus, knowing that desire is beyond intellect, subduing the self by one's self, destroy this, O mighty-armed Arjuna, the tough enemy in the form of desire, which is hard to conquer."

Comment:

Earth, Water, Fire, Wind, Space, mind, intellect and ego - these eight constitute the Apara Prikriti (lower nature, Gita: 7-4). `Kama' resides in the inert portion of the ego, beyond the intellect. It means that the desire resides in the lower nature only and not in the Para Prakriti (Higher Nature). Due to imposition of ego on the consciousness, the Jivatma (embodied soul) believes it to be its own. As long as there is union of Jada & Chetan (inert matter & the consciousness) , until then the knowledge of Jada & Chetana as separate entities is not realized. As long as the imposition remains, there is Kama (desires). When the imposition of Jada on Chetan is removed then the Kama gets converted into love for God. With the presence of Kama, the attraction is towards the world while love takes the devotee towards God.

Iti srimad bhagavadgitasupanis atsu brahavidyayam

yogasastre sri krisnarjuna samvade Karma Yoga nama Tritiyo `ddhyayah ||

In the Upnishad of the Bhagavad Gita, the Knowledge of Brahman, the Supreme, the Science of Yoga and the dialogue between Sri Krishna and Arjuna, this is the third discourse designated: `THE YOGA OF ACTION'.

From "Gita Prabodhani" in Hindi by Swami Ramsukhdasji

------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------

Chapter 3, Verse 43 is as follows;

Evam = thus

BuddheH = than the intellect

Param = more subtle / greater / superior

Buddhvaa = having known through the instrument of the Intellect

Samstabhya = having restrained / having made steady

Aatmaanam = the self

Aatmanaa = by the Self

Jahi = slay / kill / smite

Shatrum = the enemy

Mahaabaaho = O mighty armed!

Kaamarupam = in the form of desire / craving

Duraasadam = hard to conquer

English translation: -

O mighty armed (Arjuna), thus knowing Him (the Atman) as superior to the Intellect, restraining the self by the Self; kill the enemy in the form of desire, which is difficult to conquer.

Comment:

Whenever a human desire is centred on the Physical body, the Sensory organs, the Mind and the Intellect; the `Jeevaatmaa' i.e. individualized embodied self is fostered with a sense of `SukhaH' i.e. happiness. But please note that every such kind of happiness is sooner or later bound to reappear as a `DukhaH' i.e. misery. It is a packaged deal. One cannot expect only happiness or only misery. Therefore you have to accept it as a `fait accompli' i.e. something that has already happened and very unlikely to be reversed. One has to treat it as a done deal.

However, if you are not satisfied with this pre-ordained done deal, then the only alternative left to you is `Vairaagya' i.e. renunciation of both `SukhaH' and `DukhaH' i.e. convert that desire for involvement in worldly affairs and resultant sensual, emotional and intellectual pleasures coupled with material acquisitions into `Ananya Bhakti' i.e. a dedicated and unswerving devotion for the `Paramatmaa' i.e. the Supreme Being.

No wonder that the last phrase in every Sat-Sang / discourse is "Om Shree RaamaH KrishnaH ArpaNastu" i.e. in the end all this is dedicated to the Avatars of All-mighty Lord VishNu namely Lord Raama and Lord Krishna.

"No sooner is a thief detected than he takes to his heels. When you know the nature of `Maayaa', it flees from you." ………….. Shri Ramakrishna Paramahansa

Whenever a base desire vanishes, the little embodied self dwindles away, the Real Self emerges and after removal of clouds of `A-Dnyaana' i.e. ignorance; human life shines with the glory of the Aatman and infinitude bliss becomes patent.

Lord Krishna's practical approach consists of two components as follows;

1. Remove the `AavaraNa' i.e. the invisible cover on the Intellect, which exists in the form of ignorance of the knowledge of the Self, the Aatman. The spiritual ignorance is the genesis of relentless desires. You will realise that in your deluded state, each Saadhaka is nothing more than a little ego that is limited, bound, finite and ever-sobbing for being trapped in the self perceived miserable and disconsolate state.

2. Reduce the `Vikalpa' i.e. mental agitations of the wavering Mind, which reduce the sharp focus of the Intellect. This is possible by restraining the embodied self by the Self.

You have to have a progressive judicious mix of rotations of these two pedals of the wheel of progress in your life. Without self control, any attempt to acquire knowledge will remain futile. On the other hand, if you force self-restraint without acquiring knowledge, you will continue to be suppressed, oppressed, repressed and depressed human being just like a ticking time bomb that will eventually explode and annihilate you.

The conventional and traditional wisdom states that knowledge is supreme and each logical conclusion brings in the highest good for the mankind. But this is limited to seeking solutions and happiness in the external environment.

The famous German philosopher Schopenhauer has said, "Materialism is the subject of philosophy for those who forget to take proper account of their inner-selves and therefore it is the philosophy of the extroverts for the extroverts." Thus, the acquisition of knowledge of the subtlest of the subtle i.e. the Brahman is possible only upon self-introspection, which in turn helps you to increase practice of self-restraint; while practice of self-restraint enhances your capacity to acquire spiritual wisdom. Please refer verses 5 to 12 in Chapter 13 as excellent representation of this fundamental concept by Lord Krishna.

In `Dnyaaneshwaree' Santa Dnyaaneshwara has given a beautiful simile as follows;

"Just as the mirage melts, when the Sun is set,

Only when they (desires) melt, the Brahman is felt,

And within your heart only Peace will dwell."

In conclusion, Lord Krishna expounds the necessity for the performance of work without any selfish attachment to results, with a view to securing the welfare of the entire world; with the realisation that agency belongs to the three modes of Prakruti. Lord Krishna's advice to Arjuna is "Control your restless Ego by the light of the Eternal Spiritual Self. One who knows that becomes truly independent and asks guidance from no other external power except his / her Inner Luminous Source of light, the Aatman."

The Ten Offenses in Chanting the Holy Names

2010-02-21T01:19:00.001-08:00

To blaspheme the devotees who have dedicated their lives to the propagation of the holy names of the Lord.
To consider the names of the demigods like lord Shiva or lord Brahma to be equal to, or independent of, the name of Lord Vishnu.
To disobey the orders of the spiritual master.
To blaspheme the Vedic literature or literature in pursuance of the Vedic version.
To consider the glories of chanting Hare Krishna as imagination.
To give mundane interpretation of the holy name of the Lord.
To commit sinful activities on the strength of chanting the holy names of the Lord.
To consider the chanting of Hare Krishna as one of the auspicious, ritualistic activities which are offered in the Vedas as fruitive activities (karma-kanda) .
To instruct a faithless person about the glories of the holy name.
To not have complete faith in the chanting of the holy names and to maintain material attachments even after understanding so many instructions on this matter. It is also offensive to be inattentive while chanting.

Anyone who claims to be a Vaishnava must carefully guard against these ten offenses in order to quickly achieve the desired success, Krishna Prema!

Following the teachings of Gita

2010-02-21T00:52:00.000-08:00

Following the teachings of Gita, we can explain the Gunas of a Brahmin Varna and the necessary qualifications needed to become a priest and also the lifestyle they need to follow.
With that restriction, we may need to open up the opportunity with equal rights.
However one may need to decide how many will take it and how many will accept that.
A short 6 months quick course for priests is not going to work, but a full term study will wok.
They need: i. "STUDY" the basic principles of Hindu Dharma and study of village customs;
then: ii. "STHUTHI" - learning basic prayers and recitations; Sanskrit lessons
then: iii. "SMRUTHI" the reading of Puranas, prayer manthras, Bhagavath Githa etc
then: iV: " SRUTHI" the stody of Vedas and Agamas and advanced study of Temple procedures.
If anyone is willing to go through all these for 4 to 8 years - then why not a Sudhra by birth.
When all the Brahmin Priests are sending their sons to IT, Engineering and Law college, we have very few willing to serve the Hindu Cause. When a Brahmin can do business as a Vaisya why not a Sudra do the Pooja.

Bhagavad Gita is not just for Hindus only, it is for the entire Mankind

2010-02-21T00:49:00.001-08:00

Bhagavad Gita is not just for Hindus only, it is for the entire Mankind. Whether we believe it or not, laws of karma apply to every one. When we touch something hot or cold, our hands feel it irrespective of our faith.
Lord Krishna says in Bhagavad Gita,

" Man mana bhava mad bhakto,
Mad yaji mam namaskuru,
Mam evaisyati satyam te,
Pratijane priyo si me. "
( Gitaji, 18, 65)
Which means,
' Always think of Me, be My devotee, worship and offer your obeisances unto Me. Then you come to me certainly. I promise this to you because your are My friend. '

The way to reach His Abode, is through devotional service, with complete surrender unto His Lotus Feet.

In Gita Mahatmyam from Varaha Purana, Lord Vishnu assures the Goddess Earth, Bhudevi,
" Gita artham dhyayate nityam,
Krutva karmani bhurishah
Jivan muktassa vijnayo,
Dehante paramam padam. "
Which means,
' Who ever recites the meaning of Gitaji constantly, eventhough he or she is into karmic actions, gets liberation and reaches Me in the end. '
If we want to move beyond these karmas, there is only one way. That is devotional service.
Let us chant the Holy Names and advance spiritually.
Thank You
Hare Krishna.
Prasad.A. Iragavarapu, M.D

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The Law of Karma is universal and applies to all regardless of religion of course as does the law of Gravity which I understand is also mentioned in the Rig Veda - the ancient Rishis postulated laws which are beyond any religion and therefore they are SANATAN or eternal. The Veda or its metaphysical part is called eternal not out of some dogmatic injunction but through a robust enquiry in the Upanishads.

Jesus also tried to teach the Israelites the law of Karma through his parable, 'you reap what you sow'.
anil bhanot

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Dear sadaks,
Question 1)Is Law of Karma, applies only for Hindus or every souls on earth and the universe, immaterial of what religious path one belongs to? Ans: Law of Karma applies to each and every living thing, to all living in 13 other worlds, and to all that is seen in universe like stars, planets Etc.

Question 2) Is one doomed to be trapped in his Karma and cannot undo and find penance in this life time? Ans: Anybody can undue Karmic effect within 7 hours or 7 days like the king who heard Geetha from Sant Asta Vakra or like King Parikshid who heard Srimath Bagavath from Sant Sukhbhram', like the thief who was also crucified on the side of Christ got his Karmas washed away in minutes by faith, and so many.

Question 3) If one convert to another religion from Hindu, can he do away with all this Karmic backlash? Ans: Conversion to another religion (Religion by itself is only school of thought- Not way to liberate) is itself shows NO basic faith in religion born. Such conversion normally leads to several birth before liberation.

There is but One law.

2010-02-21T00:47:00.000-08:00

The Law is One ... The One without the second its author

The One without the second Himself is the Law.

Himself is the self in all, remaining but One

The Self as well as the not-self in the self

The self in narinder is subject to the Immutability of the Law.

Narinder is what he is in accordance with the dictate of the Law......... ..

Far, or near. How far - or how near - .Only the Law knows ...........

The Law it is that chooses to invoke in narinderness, when it pleases the Law

The desire to die to narinderness.

And,

The time to go , one day, someday, does come !

The time to wind up arrives,time to go beyond the Law ....

Gathering all the strength of all the merits earned in a myriad lives,

nariness invokes the Law to Forgive the doings in Time.

Prays for Grace.

And with One stroke, kills the past.

No past, no future, aha !

The Present ?

The Present ? ¦..Dictate of the Law in answer to narinder's supplications !

Winding up , Time no more is .... Time dies ............

If the Law is what it is and so it is ...........Immutabl e it is, yes .....

all will be what will be.

Only the law is itself, the Doing and the Reaping

Nariness must let go all. Such is the Law.

The Law itself has placed in the proximity of nariness, beings, which it itself is.

Yet gives the Beings freedom to live the life of paradox, of their own choice and freewill.

Nariness may love, but interfere he must not. ....

Such be the Law ........ if beyond the Law, one wants to rise ...........

Single-mindedly must nari-ness walk the path of surrender..

Alone must narinder walk the Path

the path called Kaivalaya, Alone-ness

The Law itself is the strength and one pointedness that to surrender leads.

Is the Light....... .. Is the Law.

AUM

Laws of Karma applies to anybody who thinks he/she is body-mind based organism

2010-02-21T00:44:00.001-08:00

According to Rig Veda, human beings are tri-ani-pada

2010-02-21T00:40:00.000-08:00

According to Rig Veda, human beings are tri-ani-pada i.e. three bodies in One. On the natural death or suicide only material body dies. Their subtle spiritual body containing the Jeev (Spirit) and subtlest of the subtle i.e. causal body containig Atma (soul) do not die. The energy principle Jeev (spirit) merges with the Supreme Spirit and sum total of energy continues to remain constant in the Universe.
The causal body containing knowledge principle gets rebirth after on the the 13th day or later depending on the quantam of sattvic, rajasic and tamasic gunas encircling the soul. 12 days journey of the soul to remove the effect of Gunas (karma effect decides the re-birth) is explained in great details in Rig Veda.

Aatmahana mentioned earlier from the Upanishad means the one who evades oneself

2010-02-21T00:38:00.000-08:00

Aatmahana mentioned earlier from the Upanishad means the one who evades oneself. Even in mundane world, it makes sense … one is dead when one cannot acknowledge oneself … the true burning question here is what is this "oneself"? One can come up with zillion 'answers' to this ... the same individual treats this in variant ways circumstantially since this Self (or soul) has a unique quality of becoming anything as perceived! Therefore, an intellect is perpetually left wandering around wondering what it is!! Grossly, the identity of an individual (or soul) oscillates between the world (relations), the body (actions), the mind (emotions) and the silence. The problem is that its four legs are glued into these four apparently distinct dominions so strongly that the fellow cannot shoft into any one dominion completely. Whenever it tries to be in one, the other three legs are so stretched out to accommodate this that they pull the fellow toward different dominions not letting the fellow rest anywhere! How to understand the one who cannot stay anywhere even for a moment?!
Considering that the fellow is 'the world' … the fellow is defined in terms of the relations provided and fascilitated by the world through its objects that the fellow is blessed to perceive. Afterall that is a show … no perception can remain (if it remains, it cannot be any perception but silence!) ... no object can remain (if it remains, it cannot be anymore an object, only a void remains!!) ... no relation can, therefore, remain (if it remains, it cannot relate anything as no relation can exist between a silence and a void!!!) ... therefore, the world is retiring perpetually on its own (Refer to Swamiji's wonderful revelations on this subject in SSS on Sahaja Nivritti) ... how can we 'kill' something that is killing itself perpetually? ??!!! Therefore, wise one who appreciates the momentary nature of the world would cease to imagine killing the fellow in 'the world' ... no suicide is possible there ...
Vishayaanaam prithagbhaavamudaya astamayou cha yat |
Prithagutpadyamaana anaam mattvaa dheero na shachate ||
Considering the fellow to be 'the body' … the fellow is defined by the matter-energy cluster that is undergoing perpetual recycling on its own to remain what it is … and, is acknowledged by the actions that are curned out perpetually in the process. No unique matter-energy- action cluster can ever exist even for a moment ... they loose their presence as soon as they take one! They are born dead in other words (Aja). How can we terminate this fellow who is born dead?! Consider the typical suicides around the world ... can anyone terminate the body without the assistance of the same. Even the ultimate dissolution of the body is in its own hand and is governed by its own terms! Who am I to say that I kill myself when the body quits the way it can and the way it is destined to??!!
Considering the fellow to be 'the mind' … being always absolutely under the spell of the senses governed by the body, it can never have its own presence anyway anytime … it is helpless but to entertain the imagery it receives from the senses. Again, a fellow defined by perpetually discharged pulses of momentary existence cannot be killed ... he is gone before you identify him! Again, a wise one would not entertain the idea of killing the fellow in dominion of thoughts that raise and fall perpetually like sunrise and sunset ...
IndriayaaNaam prithagbhaavamudaya astamayou cha yat |
Prithagutpadyamaana anaam mattvaa dheero na shachate ||
Considering the fellow to be 'the silence' or 'the void' … the space that accommodates the thoughts, actions as well as relation … it permeates everything … nothing can take any fraction of that away from it … it remains as is irrespective of the presence of objects and thoughts ... objects and thoughts depend on the space for existence and not vice versa! Also, it has nothing specific that can be identified to take away to start with. It has nothing to loose as it needs nothing to gain to be what it is!! Then how can you imagine something that has nothing to loose???!!! Again, 'killing' this fellow is an impossibility! !!
Where is the question of suicide when there is no room for 'killing' in the first place?Therefore, the idea of 'killing' anybody (INCLUDING ONESELF) is a mere myth …
Na jaayate mriyate vaa vipashchit naayam kutashchinna babhoova kashchit |
Ajo nityo shaashvato'yam puraaNo na hanyate hanyamaane shareere ||
No one can demand an unnatural result from anything? Nature is beyond all the demands one could ever putforth. How anyone even with an inkling to such a fact could ever imagine to 'kill' anything including oneself ??? … !!! … I wonder.

Wheel of Samsara or Goloka Vrindavan?

2010-01-19T03:27:00.000-08:00

Krishna or God is equal to everyone. He declares this openly in the Bhagavad-gita where He also declares that He is the best friend of all living beings. Therefore we can understand that He is equally giving everyone the opportunity for happiness. After all, since He is our loving father, it is only natural that He wants each and every one of us is happy.

So if God is equal to everyone, why are some people nicely, happily situated while others are in destitute, hellish conditions? This is due to our choice. We can choose to be obedient, law-abiding citizens of God's kingdom, or we can strike out on our own staking a claim to our own independent kingdom here in this material world. Just as the government will facilitate the advancement of both the students in the state university and the criminals in the state penitentiary, the Lord equally facilitates the progress of every living being in all of His creation.

So which way would you prefer to be facilitated? In samsara, the wheel of birth and death, or in the ultimate nirvana, Goloka Vrindavana, the Lord's unlimitedly wonderful transcendental abode? It's your choice. So make up your mind and do the needful.

Dependency is not liked by anyone.

2010-01-19T03:26:00.000-08:00

Dependency is not liked by anyone. A dependent man does not gain happiness even in his sleep. "Paraadheen sapanehun sukhu naahi." (Manasa 1:102:3). Inspite of being so, then too man desires happiness from others, desires respect from others, desires praise from others, desires to gain from others - this is so very astonishing ! He who desires happiness from things, from individuals, from situations, from circumstances, from events, from various states / stages, from rest and relaxation, from gain, he has to become dependent. He cannot be saved whether he be Brahma or Indra or anyone for that matter. I say this to the extent that even Bhagwaan cannot be saved. He who desires something from anyone will definitely become dependent.
He who desires Paramatma, he is not dependent; because Paramatma is not other. This Jeev (embodied soul) is very much an "ansh" (part of, ray of consciousness) of Paramatma, but on desiring anything other than Paramatma we become dependent; because besides Paramatma, nothing else is ours. It is only on having no desire for other things, that desire for Paramatma is awakened. If desire for other things does not remain, then Paramatma will be realized.

When there is desire for anything, that desire validates a deficiency, a lack of something. In other words, unnecessarily at no cost, why are you buying paucity? If you desire to be happy, then do not desire happiness from anyone. Get rid of this thought completely from within - once and for all that "We will gain from another." Nothing can be done by anyone. He who desires something from another, can he be saved from dependency? Can he become independent? Therefore make this point firm - I will not desire anything from anyone!
He who sees himself has reliant on that which is acuqired and later gets away(i.e. perishables) , how can he be happy? The Self is not one that is created and destroyed (perishable) . The Self is Imperishable. There is another very extraordinary point - He who desire something from another is non-deserving. He is not deserving at all. Just like, one who desires respect from another, he is not deserving of respect. He who is deserving of respect, does not desire respect. If you look into it, out of 18 Akshouni armies, in which all were Kshatriyas and Kshatriyas alone, and inspite of being a Kshatriya Himself, Bhagwaan Shri Krishna, became a charioteer leading Arjun's horses. Such an ordinary task he undertook, that can be mocked! Can driving the horses be valiant work? Is it the kind of work that commands any respect? But He was not ashamed of doing such work. He was deserving of respect therefore he had no desire for respect. Now how is one to know that He is deserving of respect? In the opposite army, Bhishmaji is the first one to blow the conch, and in this army, Bhagwaan Shri Krishna is the first to blow the conch. Because in the Kaurava army, the most important person was Bhishma and in the Pandava army the most important person was Shri Krishna.

He who desires respect is a slave to respect and is not deserving of any respect. He who desires disciples, is a slave to disciples and is not a Guru. He who desires wealth is a slave to wealth, not a master of wealth. Therefore desires must be removed from the mind completely.

"HAVING NO DESIRES IS THE SUREST WAY TO RELEASE",

2010-01-19T03:24:00.000-08:00

"HAVING NO DESIRES IS THE SUREST WAY TO RELEASE", KILL ALL YOUR DESIRES" and such noble sounding slogans are just for public consumption. They are not practical nor necessary to release or MOksha. Suppose one kills all desires; why did he do so? The answer is "TO GET MOKSHA". iS THIS NOT A DSIRE? Thus wishing . to kill all desires is again a desire and in fact, the biggest of all desires. Thus, having no desires or killing all desires is an impossibility and one who says that it is the only way to Moksha is talking thru his hat.

Desires or Kama are divided into two categories - Aharma Aviruddha and Dharma viruddha kama. To breath is a desire, to fill the stomach to survive is a desire. To put your children in the right path is both a desire and responsibility (kartavya). Every desire has a threshold value attached to it. For example filling the stomach to survive or live is a Dharma Aviruddha Kama (DAK). Suppose one begins to eat to survive and later begins to live to eat. The DAK becomes Dharma Viruddha Kama. (DVK). Eating a piece of chicken to survive is not Paapa. But Eating a Kg or two of Baingan ka bharta because you like the taste is surely Paapa. In the first case, the eating was DAK and in the second it is DVK. One should know what is DAK and when it becomes DVK.

A DAK induces karma; as long as the kama remains DAK, the associated Karma is Akarma and even Vikarma, That is the effect of these actions do not stain the Atma. But when the Kama or desire transcends into DVK, then even inaction becomes Karma and stains the Atma. Hence, it is essential that one knows the difference between Karma, akarma and Vikarma

KARMANOHI API BODDHAVYAM, BODDHAVYAM CA VIKARMANAH

AKARMANAH CA BODDHAVYAM GAHANAA KARMANO GATIH

KARMANI AKARMA YAH PASYET AKARMANI CA KARMA YAH

SA BUDDHI MAAN MANUSHYESHU SA YUKTAH KRITSNA KARMA KRIT 4.17, 18, BG

The sense of not doing anything while doing some thing comes only when the motivation of doing the work is as per Dharma or in accordance with Dharma. Bhagavad Gita tells us many times that it impossible for any one to be Action less, equivalently bereft of desire (ref to ch.3 adn 18). In fact,

YADI AHAMKAARAM AASRITYA NA YOTSYA ITI MANYASE

MITHYA ESHA VYAVASAAYATE PRAKRITIH TVAAM VIMOKSHYATI 18.59, BG

The moral, therefoe, is do not try to be desireless; you would then be trying for the impossible. Try to keep your kama within the threshold limits, keep them Dharma aviruddho kma

BALAM BALAVATAAM CA AHAM KAMA RAAGA VIVARJITAM

dHARMA AVIRUDDHO BHOOTESHU KAMO ASMI BHARATH RISHABHAH 7.11, BG

DAK is Godly; then why should one be desireless?

DESIRES when arising instantly create a sense of deficiency in you

2010-01-19T03:23:00.000-08:00

DESIRES when arising instantly create a sense of deficiency in you. Before the desire arose you were not deficient.

DESIRES when continuing there is pain continuing of labour, efforts, uncertainty, running against time, competition, envy, centralisation, fear of failure, tensions, anxieties ....

DESIRES when fulfilled - more desires will arise instantly Simultaneously pride, greed, dishonesty, envy, injustice and falsehood also arise, ego baloons and there arises an anxiety /worry for 'maintaining what you have got' ! On the top of it, with whatever you get "connected" with- as fulfillment of desires- starts "disconnecting" from you from the very moment of connection itself ! Come On ! Then, you get only that which MUST leave you !! You are back to square one in all cases.

DESIRES when not fulfilled- pain increase geometrically- from deficiency, uncertainty, loss of energy/efforts/ time to .... frustration, failure, depression, hatred, jeolosy, loss of confidence, humiliation, blaming, cursing the time/luck/others , ... And to what not ?
And then also worldly things do not stay with you. If they stay, you don't stay. Disconnection with them is a MUST. You never never become owners of them. Ownership is assumed never the actual.

STRANGELY, we all feel, that we get pleasure by 'fulfillment of desires" ! FACT IS that fulfillment of desires do not get you pleasure, the 'relinquishment' ( tyaag) of desires by mind gets you pleasure (peace) !!

Sadhaks may note that various laws, principles relating to "desires" as stated in Gita or as so benevolently discovered and explained by Swamiji Ramsukhdasji Maharaj are absolutely scientific, logical and universally applicable. Hence there is no dearth or absence of "scientific " yardsticks in His theories, laws, principles etc. They appeal to logic and soul. They are part of your daily experiences. They are tested, experienced, and proven laws/principles. They get confirmed by Shruti, Yukti and Anubhuti yardsticks also.

Hence one can fearlessly strive for 'extinguishment of desires'. In the end one has to 'extinguish' them only.... no body has ever been able to 'fulfill' them. No body...In the words of Swamiji .. Desire of even the 'baap' (father) of Lord Rama was not fulfilled !! There is no provision made for it ... !

meanings of the terms Karma, Akarma, Vikarma as they are employed in Bhagvad Gita.

2010-01-19T03:21:00.000-08:00

Of course there is a need to understand the meanings of the terms Karma, Akarma, Vikarma as they are employed in Bhagvad Gita.

Doing your duty, Selfless/Expectatio nless Service is "Akarma". Here you are not doing for your 'self' ! "A" before "karma" negates it to be for you ( without desire for results) ! You are doing for others. You are renouncing in fact. You are employing inert back into the inert. You are changing the direction of Karma towards the world from whom only you got the very faculty and tools for "to do". All karmas done with Equanimity are "Akarmas".

"Karmas" are those actions which we do "with a worldly desire" say for results. They essentially create a bondage for you- irrespective of whether the "Karta" ( Jeeva) was sattwik, rajasic or tamasic at the time of doing the Karma. Unless a Karma is in nature of "Akarma"- it binds you - by positive (favourable) , negative (adverse) and mixed results. A Sadhak strives to convert these automatically happenning Karmas into "Akarmas". He changes his 'bhavas' in order to do that. He changes/purifies his ego in order to convert "karmas" into "akarmas"- so that he gets no further bondaged and gets liberated- becomes peaceful.

"Vikarmas" are prohibited Karmas which a human is not supposed to do. They should not be done. They give negative results always.

DESIRE is "whatever I want should happen"

2010-01-19T03:18:00.000-08:00

DESIRE is "whatever I want should happen" ! 'I' here is essentially 'Jeeva' ! It resides in Ego (inert part) and reflects in mind. The process/positioning is explained in BG 3:42/43. Beginning from Ego, it manifests into 5 places say in subjects, sense organs, mind, intellect and ego itself. Desire does have a material impact on the 'quality' of Karma. 'Desire' (Kaamana) in Scriptures is always with reference to 'world'.

Giving direction to desire means breaking of "affinity" with the world. Jeeva is result of the knot of sentient element (Purusha) and inert element (Prakruti) combinedly called as ego/ Chijjadgranthi. So long as you are 'worldly' or 'Jeeva' there is desire, when the affinity breaks (You become liberated/Yogi) - the 'desire' NATURALLY converts into Prem / Abhilaasha for Paramatma. Then it is not termed as 'desire' or 'spriha' or 'kaam/ kaaman' or 'aishna' etc . Though it may exist in you but not In 'worldly' direction.

In fact 'desires' fundamentally have been given to you for fulfillment only - for becoming kritkratya; gyaatgyatavya; praaptpraptavya ( nothing remains to be done, known, got respectively; the very desire to do, know, get extinguishes) ... they become 'insatiable' only because of stupidity/agyaan of Jeeva as they get directed towards the world which by nature is deficient / transitory/ temporary. Hence change of direction is needed.

Whatever Swamiji has stated wherever is always truth- all deficiencies are in our understanding and lack of svaadhyaay only. The teachings of Swamiji have unique characteristics- they are not only simple but are also unlimited.

Swamiji said, and Gita says that "all desires" must be renounced- Refer BG 2:71 again and read ' sarvaan' !! Swamiji also wrote about giving direction to/conversion of desires- from kaamana to Prem at many places- for example Refer Gita Prabodhani- BG.. End of Chapter 3. It is only with reference to 'worldly' and 'divine' directions that the distinction between 'necessity'/ 'wants' (Dharma and Moksha) and 'desire' (Kaama and Artha ) surfaces and that too with reference to possibility of fulfillment or otherwise.. (There is no provision made for fulfillment of desires say Artha and Kaam ... You MUST 'renounce' them , you cannot 'fulfill' them.... But there is provision made for 'fulfillment' desires for Dharma and Moksha, Sadhaks are adviced not to renounce them ).

Hence there is nothing wrong in stating 'change of direction' and 'conversion' of desires from worldly to divine. There is thus need to provide desires a direction irrespective of the fact that the only terminology changes.

The above also deals with observations of Sadhak Jasmerji also- Note in desires what is renunciable and what is accomplishable- Just change the course of desires towards Paramatma (Love, adore, sing glories of Paramatma; strive to know 'self' which is the part of Paramatma only ; become Equanimous "like" Paramatma; do your 'duty' only.. Do 'Akarma' not 'Karma/Vikarma' ... ) ... if you can't relinquish them- you will get "liberated" at least.

However "Total Desirelessness" wherever referred in Gita/Scriptures can safely be interpreted as renouncing the "worldly desires". Actually the thirst ( non-satisfaction) of a sadhak even after getting "liberation" (knowing/doing) may continue. It is not 'satisfied' before he "gets" 'Prem'- Para Bhakti- Dine Dine Navam Navam ( new new every day)- Pratikhashana Vardhamaan Prem ( Love for Pramatma, ever increasing with every fraction of a second ) !!

A Sadhak therefore may 'discriminate' (use Viveka) subtly between 'desire' (worldly) and 'necessity' ( Divine) ... As the latter can be made 'goal' and 'fulfilled' but former can only be 'renounced' - 'Vihaay kaamanyah sarvaan...BG 2:71 !!

Giving Respect To The Holy Names

2010-01-19T03:16:00.000-08:00

It's natural for us to give respect to Krsna in the form of the Deity but not so natural to give proper respect to the Holy names. If we think about our Japa as a way to call out to Krsna, we are calling His names and naturally the Lord's attention will be drawn. Just like when we call out someone's name and they give their attention, in the same way the Lord gives His attention to us.

Now, if we get the Lord's attention by calling out His names during Japa, and then we ignore the Lord (by being inattentive to the sound of the Lord's names) then that is disrespect and we need to change this. If I call your name and then ignore you, then you may feel offended. The Lord is never offended but it shows us the importance of chanting the Holy names and giving attention to those names.

Let us all give proper respect to the Holy names of the Lord, after all He is present directly in those names.

How Sri Krishna took birth in this Material world

2010-01-19T03:02:00.000-08:00

The Supreme Being *Parabrahman* in His form as Sri Krishna appeared on this planet 5,000 years ago and performed His pastimes for 125 years before returning to His spiritual abode. The Vishnu Purana (Book Four, Chapter Twenty-four) establishes that the age of Kali-yuga began when Bhagavan Krishna left this world in 3102 BC. There are many stories in the Vedic literature which narrate how Krishna engages in loving activities with His friends and relatives when He appears in this world, and how He performs amazing feats which thrill and astonish everyone, both while on this planet and in His spiritual abode. However, He brings His spiritual domain and His numerous pure devotees with Him when He descends into this world. Descriptions of the many activities and pastimes which go on in the spiritual world are found in such texts as Srimad-Bhagavatam, Vishnu Purana, Mahabharata, Caitanya-caritamrta , and Sanatana Goswami's Brihat Bhagavatamritam, and others, which explain the many levels and unlimited nature of the spiritual realm. Indeed, the body of the Bhagavan is described as full of eternal bliss, truth, knowledge, the most dazzling splendour, and source of all that exists.

It is described that when the Bhagavan appeared on this planet in the nineteenth and twentieth incarnations, He advented Himself partially as Lord Balarama and completely Bhagavan Krishna in the family of Vrishni [the Yadu dynasty], and by so doing He removed the burden of the world. (Bhag.1.3.23).

The story of Bhagavan Krishna's birth is a unique narrative, as told in the Tenth Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam. About 5,000 years ago when the earth was overburdened by the military might of the demoniac (Asuras and Rakshasas) who had taken the forms of rulers and kings, the Bhumi-devi ( Mother Earth) took the shape of a cow and approached Lord Brahma to seek relief. Concerned with the situation on earth, Lord Brahma, Lord Shiva and other Devas went to the shore of the ocean of milk. Within that ocean is an island which is the residence of Bhagavan Vishnu. After mentally offering prayers to Bhagavan Vishnu, Brahma could understand the advice the Bhagavan gave him. This was that He would soon appear on the surface of the earth in order to mitigate the burden of the demoniac kings. Therefore, the Devas and their wives should appear in the Yadu dynasty in order to serve as servants of Bhagavan Krishna and increase the size of that dynasty.

Then one day Vasudeva, Krishna 's father, and his wife, Devaki, were riding home from their wedding. Devaki's brother, the demoniac King Kamsa, was driving the chariot. Then a voice of warning came from the sky announcing that Kamsa would be killed by Devaki's eighth son. Kamsa was immediately ready to kill his sister, but Vasudeva pacified him and talked him out of the idea. Kamsa was still not satisfied, so Vasudeva said he would bring all of the children to Kamsa as they were born. Then Kamsa could kill them. As the children were born, at first Kamsa decided not to kill them. But later Kamsa learned from the sage Narada Muni that the Devas were appearing in the Yadu and Vrishni dynasties and were conspiring to kill him. Kamsa then decided that all the children in these families should be killed, and that Vasudev and Devaki should be imprisoned in his jail in Mathura , and that their children should not be spared. Narada Muni had also told Kamsa that in his previous life he had been the Asura king named Kalanemi who was killed by Bhagavan Maha-Vishnu. Thus, Kamsa became especially infuriated and a dedicated enemy of all the descendants of the Yadu dynasty.

Anantadeva (Balarama) first appeared in the womb of Devaki as her seventh pregnancy. It was Yogamaya, Krishna 's internal potency, who made the arrangement to transfer Anantadeva from the womb of Devaki to that of Rohini, a wife of Nanda Maharaja in Gokul, from whom He appeared as Balarama. Then, with the prayers and meditations of Vasudeva, Bhagavan Krishna appeared within his heart, and then within the heart of Devaki . So Devaki's eighth pregnancy was Krishna Himself. Thereafter, she became increasingly effulgent, which drew the attention of Kamsa, who wanted to kill Krishna. Thus, he became absorbed in thoughts of Krishna. Devaki also drew the attention of the many Devas who came to offer prayers to her and the Bhagavan in her womb.

When Bhagavan appeared, He first exhibited His four-armed form to show that He was the Supreme God Maha-Vishnu Himself. Vasudeva and Devaki were struck with wonder and offered many prayers. Yet, fearing Kamsa, Devaki prayed that Krishna withdraw His four-armed form and exhibit His two-armed form.

Bhagavan also told them of how He had appeared two other times as their son in the form of Prishnigarbha and Vamanadeva. This was the third time that He was appearing as their son to fulfill their desires. That night, during a rainstorm, Bhagavan Krishna desired to leave the prison and be taken to Gokul. By the arrangement of Yogamaya, the shackles and prison doors were opened and Vasudeva was able to leave the prison and take Krishna to Gokul, thus saving the child from the danger of Kamsa. At this time, as instructed by Bhagavan, Yogamaya Herself had taken birth from Mother Yashoda as a baby girl. When Vasudeva arrived at Nanda Maharaja's house, everyone was in deep sleep. Thus, he was able to place Bhagavan Krishna in the hands of Yashoda, while taking her own newly born baby girl back with him. This baby girl was actually Krishna 's energy, Yogamaya`(Durga). When he returned, he placed the baby girl on Devaki's bed, and prepared to accept his place in the prison again by putting the shackles back on. Later, when Yashoda awoke in Gokul, she could not remember whether she had given birth to a male or female child, and easily accepted Bhagavan Krishna as her own child.

When the baby girl, Yogamaya, began crying in the morning, it drew the attention of the doorkeepers of the prison, who then notified King Kamsa. Kamsa forcefully appeared in the prison to kill the child. Devaki pleaded with him to save the baby. Instead, he grabbed the little girl from her arms and tried to dash the baby against a rock. However, she slipped from his hands and rose above his head, floating in the air while exhibiting her true form as the eight-armed Durga-devi . Sri Durga told Kamsa that the person for whom he was looking had already taken birth elsewhere. Thus, Kamsa became filled with wonder that Devaki's eighth child appeared to be a female, and the enemy he feared had taken birth elsewhere. Then he released Devaki and Vasudeva, being apologetic for all that he had done. Yet, after conferring with his ministers, they decided that they had best try to kill all the children that had been born in the past ten days in the attempt to try to find and kill Kamsa's enemy, Krishna. Thus started the atrocities of Kamsa and his ministers, which he would eventually pay for when Bhagavan Krishna would kill him. Meanwhile, Bhagavan Krishna started His pastimes with His devotees in Gokul and Vrindavana to display His unique characteristics, personality and beauty.

In this way, as Sri Uddhava explained to Vidura, "TBhagavan appeared in the mortal world by His external potency, Yogamaya. He came in His eternal form, which is just suitable for His pastimes. These pastimes were wonderful for everyone, even for those proud of their own opulence, including the Bhagavan Himself in His form as the Bhagavan of Vaikuntha. Thus His [Sri Krishna's] transcendental body is the ornament of all ornaments... The Personality of Godhead, the all-compassionate controller of both the material and spiritual creations, is unborn, but when there is friction between His peaceful devotees and persons who are in the material modes of nature, He takes His birth just like fire, accompanied by the mahat-tattva. " (Bhag. 3.2.12, 15)

Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya!! !

What is the actual meaning of being "PRACTICAL" in life?

2010-01-18T22:59:00.000-08:00

Let's start with the conventional and acceptable meaning of the word "PRACTICAL." . From one of the online dictionaries: Of, involving, or concerned with experience or actual use; not theoretical; of or concerned with ordinary affairs, work, etc; being such for all useful or general purposes; capable of or suitable to being used or put into effect; useful; level-headed, efficient, and unspeculative.

In addressing the question more specifically, "being PRACTICAL in life" means one is grounded in the real world, in reality, facing and handling with real issues and problems, and being able to adapt and interface effectively in a variety of situations.

In the context of GITA, the teachings of Bhagavan are intended for us to be "PRACTICAL in life" - in the everyday world we face - work, family, society, leisure and recreational activities, inflation, traffic, health, love etc.

GITA does not ask us to escape the real world (of course, you can do that also, and it is indeed beneficial to take a break regularly from the mundane world). GITA does not require us to forget our jobs, family, and friends, and go into a secluded lifestyle; you need food, money, and other material resources to live in this world, unless you have attained such a level of enlightenment that have risen above the mundane world. This is our objective and goal but before we reach there we have to be PRACTICAL in life.

Many sadhaks become confused and deluded into thinking that GITA (and our other treasured Hindu scriptures) are incompatible with "being PRACTICAL in life." Totally wrong!

GITA does not provide detailed instructions to the minutest level to handle every single issue in being PRACTICAL; this would be highly impractical since such a GITA would contain millions of pages or an infinite length. However, GITA provides broad guidlines, and in some cases, specific instructions, in being PRACTICAL in life.

Here is a extract from a very useful essay on the The Art of Being Practical:

"Action in this life is a must. Since action is called practice, persons who live on Earth have to be practical. This means that you cannot spend all day sitting down in a chair, passing the time imagining, worrying, and thinking, and in doing so, forgetting to use your body for performing those actions that need to be done.....

The whole life for a human being is how to survive: man has to be aware of this and be practical. If we are not deluding ourselves, we see why it is necessary that a person with knowledge has to be practical, and why he should not be sitting somewhere in a cave only having an idea of karm: that it is not action.

You are equipped with that knowledge and enlightenment which tells you that your life cannot be shut off: you should do those things that are useful for a human being to conduct. So if your knowledge gained over here or gained anywhere in the world does not inspire you to be practical, then it will not be called practical knowledge.

A human being, with a sense of inquiry to know more, will continue asking and asking and asking questions. But just asking questions and getting answers for whole days or whole months or whole years on end, will not allow you to be practical. And if you are not practical, you cannot sustain your life.

So we are all engaged constantly in work which is practical. You call yourself down to earth. I use the phrase 'be practical.' If you are on Earth, it is essential to have the knowledge as to how to perform action, or karm.
Through seeing the nature of practicality, you have come to know that which those people, busy in practical life, will never know—the Source of all your work."

GITA contains numerous instructions on being PRACTICAL in life. Seek, dive into GITA, and ye shall receive wisdom.

Difference between Vishwaas and Shraddha

2010-01-17T03:23:00.000-08:00

Vishwas is the trust and confidence apparent between different elements of life while Shraddhaa is the conviction and commitment inherent in every element of life.

Vishwas is an explicit reality with which we are enabled to deal with the world around. Vishwas is the trust and confidence that are induced into the subjective experience from the objective world. Vishwas is, therefore, the reflection of the same trust and confidence in the subject toward its objects. Vishwas is the bridge between Sat (existence) and Bhaava (experience) enabling an implicit relation between an individual and the world around.

Shraddhaa is an implicit reality because of which any being is what it is. Shraddha is the inherent synergy from which a being comes out to be what it is, with which it remains to be what it is, and into which it is bound to dissolve away eventually. Shraddhaa is the absolute conviction in the very existence and the absolute commitment toward the experience thereof. In other words, Shraddhaa is the essence of Sadbhaava, the conjugation of Sat (existence) and Bhaava (experience) .

Therefore, Vishwas is the basis for co-existence of various elements in this creation while Shraddhaa is the basis for the very existence. Vishwas is the basis for communication between the elements of creation while Shraddha is the source for very communion. Shraddhaa is the basis for the life while Vishwas is the basis for the living. Hence, Shraddhaa and Viswas are as different from each other as the life and the living could be.

Inconsistent appreciation of Vishwas and Shraddhaa (i.e. notional difference between Vishwas and Shraddhaa) is the root cause for ignorance, paucity and misery in one's life ... while settling into the inherent consistency between the same is Gnyaana; merging with the convergence of the two is Yoga; and dancing in unison with the union is Bhakti.

The confluence, convergence, and fusion of Shraddhaa and Vishwas is the focus of study in all our scriptures as they beautifully describe the same as five-fold to practice …
Tasyai tapo damah karmeti pratishThaa - sharp focus, undeterred restraint and relentless pro-activity are its BASIS.

Vedaah sarvaangaani - clarity of appreciation is its PRESENCE.
Satyamaayatanam - The Truth is its ESSENCE.

Bhagavan Sri Krishna's Beauty

2010-01-16T01:55:00.000-08:00

Bhagavan Sri Krishna's beauty is described in numerous prayers, poems, and portions of the Vedic literature. So we could provide many verses that describe this aspect of Krishna . An example of this is found when Lord Brahma relates Bhagavan Krishna's form in the many verses of his Brahma-samhita . He also explains the beauty of Sri Krishna in his prayers that he directly offered to the Bhagavan in Srimad Bhagavatam. He says " Bhagavan Krishna's body is dark blue like a new cloud. His garments are like brilliant lightning, and the beauty of Krishna 's face is enhanced by His earrings and the peacock feather , He wears on His head. He stands beautifully while wearing garlands made from the forest flowers, carrying a herding stick, a buffalo horn, and a flute". (Bhag.10.14. 1) .

Krishna 's personal form is so attractive that it is considered the reservoir of all beauty. In fact, all beautiful things emanate from Him. His form is so attractive that it directs one's attention away from all other objects. Those same objects then seem devoid of attractiveness after seeing Bhagavan Krishna. Thus, He attracts the minds of all people. His words also captivated the minds of all who remembered them. Even seeing His footsteps, people were attracted. Thus, Sri Krishna spreads His glories which are sung everywhere throughout the universe in the most sublime and essential Vedic verses. Bhagavan Krishna says , "By hearing and chanting about His glorious pastimes, the conditioned souls within this world could cross the ocean of ignorance". (Bhag.11.1.7) .

The attractive nature of Bhagavan is further described in the Caitanya-caritamrit a (Madhya-lila, 17.139-140): "The transcendental qualities of Sri Krishna are completely blissful and relishable. Consequently Bhagavan Krishna's qualities attract even the minds of self-realized persons from the bliss of self-realization. Those who are self-satisfied and unattracted by external material desires are also attracted to the loving service of Sri Krishna, whose qualities are transcendental and whose activities are wonderful. Hari, the Personality of Godhead, is called Krishna because He has such transcendentally attractive features."

Many of the Rishis of Vrindavana who had personally realized the attractive features of Sri Krishna wrote many books about the transcendental personality of Bhagavan. One of the greatest of these saints was Rupa Gosvami (1489-1564 A.D.) who wrote a list of Krishna 's characteristics in his book, Bhakti rasamrita-sindhu. This list describes 64 different qualities of Bhagavan that are mentioned in the Vedic literature. This again confirms that Bhagavan is not merely an impersonal force, but a person who interacts in every way with the creation and the living entities that are within the creation that manifests from Him.

The list includes Bhagavan's following qualities:

1) beautiful features of the entire body;

2) marked with all auspicious characteristics;

3) extremely pleasing;

4) effulgent;

5) strong;

6) ever youthful;

7) wonderful linguist;

8) truthful;

9) talks pleasingly;

10) 10) fluent;

11) highly learned;

12) highly intelligent;

13) Genius;

14) artistic;

15) extremely clever;

16) expert;

17) grateful;

18) firmly determined;

19) Expert judge of time and circumstances;

20) sees and speaks on the authority of the scriptures-- the Veda;

21) pure;

22) self-controlled;

23) steadfast;

24) forbearing;

25) forgiving;

26) grave;

27) self-satisfied;

28) possessing equilibrium;

29) magnanimous;

30) religious;

31) heroic;

32) compassionate;

33) respectful;

34) gentle;

35) liberal;

36) shy;

37) protector of surrendered souls;

38) happy;

39) well-wisher of devotees;

40) controlled by love;

41) all-auspicious;

42) most powerful;

43) all-famous;

44) popular;

45) partial to devotees;

46) very attractive to all women;

47) all-worshipable;

48) all-opulent;

49) all-honorable;

50) the Supreme controller.

A few of these fifty qualities, however, may also be found in varying degrees in some of the jivas or common living entities in this universe. But they are found in Bhagavan Krishna to an unlimited degree. But besides these (50) qualities, there are five more which may also be manifested at times in the forms of Lord Brahma and Shiva. These are:

51) changeless;

52) all-cognizant;

53) ever-fresh;

54) sat-cid-ananda- vigraha-- possessing a transcendental form of eternity, full of knowledge and absolute bliss;

55) possessing all mystic perfection.

Beyond the above mentioned qualities, which may be seen in other forms of Divinity such as the Devas, Bhagavan Krishna has the following exceptional qualities which are also manifested in the form of Narayana or Vishnu, His form as the Bhagavan of Vaikuntha. These are :

56) inconceivable potency;

57) Uncountable universes are generated from His body;

58) Original source of all incarnations;

59) Giver of salvation to the enemies He kills;

60) Attractor of liberated souls.

Besides the above-mentioned traits, Bhagavan Krishna has four more qualities that are found only in Him, and not even in His forms of Vishnu, not to mention any of the Devas. These are:

61) Performer of wonderful pastimes (especially his childhood pastimes);

62) Surrounded by devotees endowed with unsurpassed love of Godhead;

63) Attractor of all living entities in all universes through the expert playing of His flute;

64) Possessor of unexcelled beauty without rival.

All of these qualities are those of someone who has a highly developed form and personality.

Obviously, there is no more elevated truth or higher bliss than the personal form of the Supreme. As Bhagavan Sri Krishna says : "O conqueror of wealth [Arjuna], there is no truth superior to Me." (Bg.7.7)

Many great transcendental scholars have accepted this fact, including Sri Ramanujacharya, Madhvacharya, Vallabhacharya, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Baladeva, as well as Lord Brahma, who, after performing many austerities for spiritual purification, became perfectly self-realized and, getting a glimpse of the Bhagavan's spiritual nature, composed the Brahma-samhita many thousands of years ago and described what were his confidential realizations. One such verse is the following: "Sri Krishna, who is known as Govinda, is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He has an eternal blissful spiritual body. He is the origin and He is the prime cause of all causes." (Brahma-samhita 5.1)

Please chant :

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare .

Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya !!!

Devotional Principles

2009-12-22T05:19:00.000-08:00

After wandering in this material world for many lifetimes, by the mercy of guru and Krsna, the seed of devotion is awakened within our heart. The process starts with a little faith (adau sraddha) and this faith leads us to seek answers (pariprasna) and the association of devotees (sadhu-sanga) , those who are practitioners of the devotional process. The cultivation of this seed of the creeper of devotion is the substance of our devotional life.

brahmanda bhramite kona bhagyavan jiva
guru-krsna-prasade paya bhakti-lata- bija
mali hana kare sei bija aropana
sravana-kirtana- jale karaye secana

"According to their karma, all living entities are wandering throughout the entire universe. By the mercy of both Krsna and the spiritual master, such a person receives the seed of the creeper of devotional service. When a person receives the seed of devotional service, he should take care of it by becoming a gardener and sowing the seed in his heart. If he waters the seed gradually by the process of sravana and kirtana [hearing and chanting], the seed will begin to sprout." (Cc. Madhya 19-151-2)

Just like a tender new plant, we must nurture this creeper carefully so that it will grow. Water, fertilizer and avoidance of harsh conditions or treatment, such as bad soil, being stepped on and being crowded out by weeds, ensure the healthy growth of a plant. The devotional creeper is similar, its healthy growth is assured by following carefully the positive practices of bhakti and avoiding certain negative aspects.

These verses imply the gradual and healthy growth of the creeper — if the process of devotion is followed properly, then bhakti will thrive. The positive aspects of devotional life (yama) are to first find a guru (gurupadasrayas tasmad), follow his instructions and thereby serve the guru and devotees, and engage in daily devotional practices, such as chanting the Holy Names of Krsna on beads, associating with devotees and regularly hearing about the Lord from the devotional scriptures (nityam bhagavata-sevaya) .

The negative aspect (niyama) requires that one avoid activities unfavorable to devotional service, such as meat eating, intoxication, illicit sex and gambling. Other unfavorable activities to be avoided are association with those not interested in devotion (asat sanga tyaga), avoiding offenses to devotees, the Lord, His Name and anything related to the Lord or His devotees.

An offense to a devotee is the most detrimental activity one can have in devotional life. Such an offense is called the mad elephant offense (hati-mata) because of the great harm it does to our devotional creeper, like an elephant trampling a garden. If we unfortunately make such an offense, but we are remorseful and understand that we have made an offense, then it is not difficult to rectify. The only remedy for an offense to another devotee is to sincerely apologize and beg forgiveness from the very devotee whom we have offended. The key is sincerity, for as we know well, no one appreciates an insincere apology.

It is also necessary to overcome our pride and admit our mistakes, for pride (pratistha) is perhaps our greatest enemy. Humility, pridelessness and tolerance are most important qualities for a Vaisnava and are said to be the ornaments of a true devotee (sadhavah sadhu-bhusanah) . Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has stated that humility is one of the most important qualifications for chanting the Lord’s Holy Name — trnad api sunicena (Siksastakam 3). As soon as one surrenders to Krsna, giving up all other activities, one is immediately considered to be a liberated soul — jivan-muktah sa ucyate (Brs. 1.2.187).
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SAMBANDHA, ABHIDHEYA and PRAYOJANA

It is said in the Srimad-Bhagavatam 5.5.5, parabhavas tavad abodha-jato yavan na jijnasata atma-tattvam, that a human being is defeated in all their activities as long as they do not know the goal of life. One can understand this goal when they are inquisitive about their spiritual position. Knowledge of this spiritual or constitutional position is divided into three classes, as described by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu: ataeva bhagavate ei ‘tina’ kaya sambandha-abhidheya -prayojana- maya, “One’s relationship with the Lord (sambandha), activities in devotional service (abhidheya), and the attainment of the highest goal of life, love of Godhead (prayojana), are the subject matters of Srimad-Bhagavatam.” (Madhya 25.131)

We must want to know who we are, what the environment is, what God is, and what the relationship is between ourselves, God and the world we live in. Knowledge of these four items, sambandha-jnana, is the knowledge of one’s relationship with the Supreme Person as the center of all relationships. When we hear properly from authorized sources, such as the guru and scripture, our understanding awakens and we will come to understand our actual position as an eternal servant of Krsna — jivera ‘svarupa’ haya krsnera ‘nitya-dasa (Cc. Madhya 20.108). Understanding this is an essential step in self-realization. However real hearing means to act upon what we hear. Otherwise we have not heard properly.

And this is the next step, acting upon this knowledge. This is called abhidheya, or activity in relationship with the Lord and His devotees. This is our real occupation, engaging in the practical activities of devotional service to Krsna.

Thus, if we can understand our relationship with the Lord and act accordingly, our mission in life will be fulfilled. After properly executing our duties, when we attain the highest goal of life, pure love of God, we are said to have achieved prayojana, or the fulfillment of the ultimate goal of life.

The substance of this process is in the abhidheya, the activities that we perform. Regular activities performed in devotional service are called sadhana-bhakti — engaging in the prescribed duties of devotional service. There are nine processes described by Prahlada Maharaja:

sravanam kirtanam visnoh smaranam pada-sevanam
arcana vandanam dasyam sakhyam atma-nivedanam

"The nine kinds of devotional service are hearing about Krsna, chanting about Him, remembering Him, offering service to His lotus feet, offering Him worship in the temple, offering prayers to Him, working as His servant, making friendship with Him and unreservedly surrendering to Him." (Bhag. 7.5.23)

bhagavan-prapti- hetu ye kari upaya
sravanadi bhakti——krsna-praptira sahaya

"It is only by devotional service, beginning with hearing, that one can approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is the only means to approach Him." (Cc. Adi 7.141)

One can directly approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead simply by executing these nine kinds of devotional service. Hearing about the Lord is the most important of the nine aspects of devotional service, for if we are simply given a chance to hear about Krsna, our devotion will surely develop — Sravanadi-suddha- citte karaye udaya (Cc. Madhya 22.107). Love of God is dormant in everyone, and if one is given a chance to hear about the Lord, certainly that love develops.

Each of these nine processes is so potent that any one of them guarantees success, what to speak of engaging in all of them, as in the case of Ambarisa Maharaja. Pure devotion is free from speculation and the desire for knowledge as well as the desire for material gain — karma-jnanavrtam (Brs.) That is, real devotional service is performed only to please the Lord, and not for one's own benefit. Of course, when devotional service is performed purely, the maximum benefit is achieved and one does benefit greatly. Of all of the processes, chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra is the most important. It is emphasized by our gurus that all success in devotional life is guaranteed if we can regularly chant this mantra carefully.

Sadhana-bhakti is the diligent practice of the regulative principles of devotional service. This first stage of devotion is rendered under the direction of a pure devotee, and is practiced out of duty, knowing that engaging in all these activities is essential to ensure one's advancement in devotional life. As one’s mental disease is cured by a psychiatrist, so sadhana-bhakti cures the conditioned soul from their madness under the spell of material illusion. When the heart is freed from unwanted habits (anartha-nivrtti) one becomes firmly fixed in devotional service and begins to develop a taste for the Holy Name of Krsna and devotional service to Krsna. One's progress can be analyzed in a very scientific way as we become free from unwanted habits and become attached to our devotion. It is described that this is just like the feelings a hungry person has when eating to their satisfaction — Bhaktih paresanubhavo viraktir anyatra syat (Bhag. 11.2.42). The difference is that when our stomach becomes filled we become uninterested in food, however, when we become filled with Krsna, our attachment for Krsna only increases and we want more of Krsna. In fact we become so attached that we feel that we cannot live without Krsna.

In this way, a sadhaka or practitioner of bhakti, can see their positive advancement in devotional service by how they are developing attachment to all things related to Krsna and simultaneously becoming detached from all things unfavorable to devotional service. Additionally, an inverse proof of the process becomes evident when we look at the results of activities which are unfavorable for devotional service. Those who don’t chant regularly or sincerely, who offend devotees or anything related to Krsna, who associate with non-devotees, etc, they are seen to lose their taste for the Holy Name, for the association of devotees and for devotional life in general. In other words, by engaging in activities unfavorable to devotional life, we lose our taste for devotional life and drift away.

Srila Prabhupada writes:
"Now this sadhana-bhakti, or practice of devotional service, can also be divided into two parts. The first part is called regulative principles: one has to follow these different regulative principles by the order of the spiritual master or on the strength of authoritative scriptures, and there can be no question of refusal. That is called vaidhi, or regulated. One has to do it without any argument. Rupa Gosvami defines the first part of devotional practice, or vaidhi-bhakti, as follows: 'When there is no attachment or no spontaneous loving service to the Lord, and one is engaged in the service of the Lord simply out of obedience to the order of the spiritual master or in pursuance of the scriptures, such obligatory service is called vaidhi-bhakti.'"

"The second stage of devotional service is called raga-bhakti, in which a devotee automatically and enthusiastically engages in the various services of the Lord out of sincere desire. By performing raga-bhakti in loving transcendental service one can even control the Supreme Powerful Lord. Raganuga refers to the point at which, by following the regulative principles, one
becomes a little more attached to Krsna and executes devotional service out of natural love. As one’s devotional service becomes mature, the Lord reveals Himself to the devotee, and all fear is totally vanquished forever."

Bhakti begets bhakti, bhaktya sanjataya bhaktya (Bhag. 11.3.31, devotion produces more devotion. As our taste for devotional service increases, we automatically increase our service with the result that the reciprocation of the Lord also increases, further increasing our taste for devotion.

The Six Gosvamis of Vrndavana were so absorbed in their devotional activities that they forgot to eat and sleep — nidrahara-viharakad i-vijitau. Even while exhibiting the most extreme renunciation, they were experiencing the greatest pleasure from their activities — premonmada-vasad asesa-dasaya grastau pramattau sada.
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PRAYOJANA

The ultimate goal of life is pure love of God, prema pumartho mahan. A devotee who has achieved this pure love of God, is not concerned with his position in this material world or even the next (spiritual world). They are fully satisfied to simply be engaged in the Lords service. Liberation is the concern of the neophyte, while serving and pleasing the guru and Krsna are the only concerns of the advanced devotee. Pleasing the guru and pleasing Krsna are one and the same, for the self-realized guru's desires are non-different than those of Krsna. Pleasing the guru and Krsna also means pleasing the devotees, for all devotees are very dear to the Lord — kascin me priya-krttamah (Gita.18.69) . It is essential to understand this point, for by pleasing the devotees, we please Krsna automatically.

To understand these desires of Krsna and guru properly, is one of the most important aspects of a devotees life, for without this, all one's efforts will lead us away from Krsna, not towards Him. There is a fine line, a subtle difference between the pure line drawn by our acaryas and the not so strict or impure line followed by many in the name of pure devotion. So much has been written about the highest position or aspects of devotion, and many choose to imitate its form, rather than understand its substance and qualify themselves. It is so easy to imitate, but to be a true Rupanuga, or follower of Srila Rupa Gosvami and our line of acaryas, we must enter deeply into an understanding of the essence of their teachings as given to us by our guru.

The emphasis of our nearest acaryas is to respect this highest position, the prayojana, the ultimate goal from a distance and to realize that we are very far from it. In particular, our parama-guru, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Prabhupada, has given a sloka emphasizing just this, as related by Srila B. R. Sridhara Deva Gosvami:

Pujala raga-patha gaurave-bhange — very sweet. The raga-patha is on the head. We are servants of the raga-patha. We are in vidhi-marga, under sastrika rule. We must live and move under sastrika rule, and always keep the raga-patha upon our head. The whole tenor of Guru Maharaja’s (Srila Bhaktisiddhanta’ s) life was such: "That is high, very high, and from below we are to honor that." We must establish this conception, the proper regard for that higher lila, throughout the entire world: "That is too high." (Follow The Angels, Part 2)

To quote from The Standard for Higher Lila, an article enunciating the proper qualifications from hearing higher spiritual topics:

"The so-called followers of rasika-gurus have written, 'The highest good can be obtained by anyone who faithfully hears krsna-katha from a bona-fide rasikacarya.' They then cite Srila Narottama Dasa Thakura in an attempt to justify the hearing of confidential lilas by the unqualified: 'A person averse to hearing these lilas will never attain perfection. I refuse to hear his name.' What they fail to state, however, is that Srila Narottama Dasa Thakura, does not say that one who is unqualified to hear such pastimes must hear, or should hear such pastimes. Being averse to hearing the Lord's lilas and being properly qualified to hear the Lord's pastimes are two completely different things. One rejects hearing the lila of Krsna due to the preference of being engaged in maya, illusion, while the latter is concerned with proper qualifications before hearing the Lord's confidential pastimes so as not to make any offense."

Further, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura Prabhupada stated, "Raga-katha is high, but in our small mouth it doesn't look nice. Hearing such high words from our little mouth, devotees whose life and soul is bhajana will laughingly push us away." (Prabhupader Patravali)

We should therefore take warning from our realized acaryas, that we must approach higher topics very carefully and then only under the instruction of our guru directly. We must not be impatient, and jump like monkeys over the clear instructions of our acaryas.

If we simply chant the Holy Name sincerely in earnest and follow the instructions of our guru, everything will be revealed when it is time to be revealed. This process is a descending process and no material effort on our part can produce spiritual results. As no amount of darkness can produce light, so, no amount of non-devotional activities can help our devotion.

The non-devotees are engaged in a hard struggle to enjoy their senses in this material world but in the end they will be defeated by old age, disease and eventually death. However, we are engaged in a struggle to control our senses and please Krsna by our devotion. And we will be successful, for this is inherent in the process, success is guaranteed. Krsna, speaking to us via his great devotee Arjuna, assures us of this in Bhagavad-gita 18.65.

man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji ma namaskuru
mam evaisyasi satyam te pratijane priyo ’si me

"Always think of Me, become My devotee, worship Me and offer your homage unto Me. Thus you will come to Me without fail. I promise you this because you are My very dear friend."

LET US NOT MAKE OUR STOMACH A GRAVEYARD

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Why suffer for another minute in this material existence when we can instead deeply dive into that sweet ocean of unlimited nectar which is there in the holy names of Krishna? It does not make any sense to go on foolishly punishing ourselves denying ourselves the supreme happiness, which is our constitutional birthright. The process of meditating on Lord Sri Krishna's holy names is so sublime that we can fully absorb ourselves in perfect Krishna consciousness in all times, places, and circumstances. In other words we can relish the peace of non-stop samadhi, ecstatic trance which goes on increasing unlimitedly forever. We must always remember that to do so we require to enter fully into the mood of devotion to Krishna. If we want to remain non-devoted and simply analyze the ecstatic trance of the pure devotees, we will be futilely trying to taste the honey while licking the outside of the bottle. Therefore we must sure to open the honey jar and dive into pure devotional service.

LET US NOT MAKE OUR STOMACH A GRAVEYARD. LET US NOT EAT FLESH. LET US BE VEGETARIANS AND STAY HEALTHY. Animals are to be loved, not eaten. Eating flesh is good neither for the mind nor for the intellect, not even for the body. It distorts the basic character of human. Think Soul is Soul and it came from the Supreme Soul...God Head Krishna
Chant:

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare

A few of the important prayers/Mantras worth chanting every minute of our life are as follows:-

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1.Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare hare
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare hare

2..SRI RAMA RAMA RAMETHI RAME RAAME MANORAME

SAHASRANAMA THATHTULYAM RAMANAMA VARAANANE

3.. SRIRAM JAYRAM JAYAJAY RAM

4..OM Namo Narayanaaya

5.OM Namassivaya

6.Om Namo Bagavathe Vasudevaya

There could be many more such Mantras/PRAYERS which are worthy of repeating any number of times in place of engaging our mind on purely mundane matters like Politics, Games, Entertainment etc. etc.

But what is to be borne in mind is that more than the Name it is the Object ( who alone is the subject according to Vedanta) that is to be remembered constantly. Similarly it is not mere Darshan of God at temples, meeting Holy people at their ashrams etc., that is important. We have live upto words/teachings of God in Avatars and of realized people like Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, Ramana Maharishi etc. etc. Namasmaranam is not the end of Spirituality. That is only a stepping stone.

SOME THOUGHTS ON KARMA

2009-12-21T04:51:00.001-08:00

The Sanskrit word Karma has been derived from the root word "kru" which means "to do". The plain meaning of the word Karma is action or deed. Karma is also being used by some to indicate Destiny. Karmaphala means effect. . Karma comprises the entire cycle of cause and effect. We can say that Karma is a sum total of what a jiva has done, is currently doing and will do and their resultant reactions. Present and future experiences are the effect of all past deeds. This makes one responsible for one`s one life. Karma extends through not only one`s present life but also through past and future lifes, according to the religions which talk of rebirth. All religions which were either native in Bharath viz., Hinduism or were conceived in India,viz., Buddhism, Sikhism and Jainism contain law of Karma.

The concept of Karma is an integral part of Hinduism. Action and reaction governs all life. Karma is not fate, as man acts with free will creating his own destiny. Sathya Sai Baba says,"If you sow Goodness, you will reap Goodness; if we sow evil, we will reap evil".
Conquest of Karma lies in intelligent and detached action and dispassionate reaction. Not all Karmas rebound immediately. While some karmas show their reaction in this very birth itself, others accumulate and return unexpectedly in this or other future births.
The Law of Karma is considered to be a Spiritually oriented law that can not be abrogated by any person but can be mitigated by God, the Karmaphaladhata. Karma is not punishment or retribution. To my humble mind, it is an extended expression of natural acts. The Bhagawad Gita sings eloquently on action and reaction and also about Nishkamya Karma or Selfless action ie., action without expecting any fruit in return. For fear of making this submission lengthy, I desist from delving into Bagawad Gita here