Importance of Guru and Initiation

by

Hare Krishna.

9th November, 2015. Gurgaon

This is the second of lecture of HG Jananivas Prabhu gave on the importance of Guru and initiation. I wrote the first part two weeks back. This particular verse, SB 6.16.28, is from a chapter which continues the story of ‘Citraketu’

Let’s again read the verse which Jananivas Prabhuji explained

O King Parīkṣit, after only one week of repeatedly practicing the mantra received from the spiritual master, Citraketu achieved the rule of the planet of the Vidyādharas as an intermediate product of his spiritual advancement in knowledge. (SB 6.16.28)

Purport by Srila Prabhupada:

If a devotee, after being initiated, adheres rigidly to the instructions of the spiritual master, he is naturally endowed with the material opulences of vidyādhara-adhipatyam and similar posts as by-products. A devotee need not practice yoga, karma or jñāna to achieve a successful result. Devotional service alone is competent to award a devotee all material power. A pure devotee, however, is never attached to material power, although he gets it very easily without personal endeavor. Citraketu received this side benefit of his devotional service, which he rigidly performed in accordance with the instructions of Nārada

Jananivas prabhu stated in the second of his lecture that that one may ask a question that if Hare Krishna mahamantra is so powerful then why does one need a spiritual master?

Prabhuji then quoted the second verse of Shiksastakam to prove the validity of above question.

namnam akari bahudha nija-sarva-shaktis

( In these transcendental names, you have invested all Your transcendental energies.)

Jananivas Prabhu again asked ‘So what is the need of Guru? Guru shakti is also there. Prabhuji added that it is a fact that the holy name is all-powerful and holy name can reveal everything. We can not say the Holy Name can not give this. Holy name is Krishna. Actually everything is in the Holy Name and you don’t need a guru. But..there is no example of someone who has made it without the guru!

Jananivas Prabhuji said that Srila Prabhupada wrote in one of his purport that at the time of initiation one gets a spiritual body and we have to accept this on the strength of shastras, Prabhupada quoted Sanatana Goswami in Hari-bhakti-vilasa for the same. There the example of bell metal has been given. Bell metal when it is mixed with another metal, mercury, it turns into gold!  Prabhupada said if you know this art then you can do it. The yogis know it, you have to drink the mercury and when you drink it and digest it then pass the urine on the bell metal, it turns it into gold! So the Devotees said O! Srila Prabhupada can we start producing gold? Srila Prabhupada replied ‘first  digest mercury’. Mercury is deadly poisonous, we drink it and we will die. So we have to be powerful enough to be able to drink mercury.   ( Please press here to read the transcription of this very same conversation between Prabhupada and his disciples)

Jananivas Prabhuji continued ‘so they have given this example that Bell metal turns into gold, similarly a persons coming outside the vedic culture, malechas, yavanas, pulindas, etc., if they take this process of initiation,  they can also get the spiritual body. And Prabhupada said you may not notice that all of a sudden you got two more arms when you get initiation, it may not happen like that, but, he said, at least you can see that the subtle body changes. The gross body may not change but definitely you can see that the subtle body change. We didn’t know anything about Krishna few years ago, many didn’t even heard of Krishna and suddenly Krishna comes into our life and suddenly Krishna, Krishna, Krishna… He is everywhere. So the mind has changed.  Earlier the mind was thinking of only sense gratification but now it considers himself as a servant of Krishna and is thinking of Krishna.  This is what happens, everything becomes Krishna, Krishna, Krishna. So we can see that the subtle body has changed. And of the two, the subtle body is more important than the gross body because the gross body is the product of the subtle body. Sanatana Goswami says that we have to accept that at the time of initiation one gets a spiritual body and a spiritual name and Krishna recognises us by that given name!

Prabhuji stated that this is the idea in all these stories in Bhagavatam that one has to meet a devotee.  This is the finishing touch. It’s drop of mercy from a devotee. In all these stories practically one sees, we need a little bit of mercy, half a drop, quarter of a drop, that’s only what it takes…one drop and then everything happens. It is the finishing touch to our devotional progress. Prabhuji reiterated that without initiation into the chanting of the holy names of the supreme personality of Godhead, without performing devotional service, without that little drop of mercy from the devotee of Krishna, it is impossible to get rid of anxiety and lamentation.

Prabhuji stressed that if these stages had not come into the life of Citraketu, he would have been lamenting the whole life and the next life and he would have gone lamenting forever! There is no cure for this lamentation, except performing devotional service and getting one little bit of a drop of mercy. Then that makes everything go. Otherwise we are going to stay in this material world and we must be in illusion and lament, that’s the only thing everyone is doing in this world. If they don’t accept a guru, they don’t accept the process of bhakti, they will be in a state of lamentation and hankering.

Jananivas Prabhuji then quoted Prabhupada who said that all that which goes on this material world for the karmis they are hankering and they are lamenting. Hankering for something they can’t get or they want and lamenting because they can’t have it. This is all what goes on in this world and it will go on forever.  Just taking the shelter of a pure devotee, and the process of devotional service, is the supreme cure for this material world. Otherwise there is no cure  and one must go on lamenting and hankering.

(HG Jananivas Prabhu)

Question: Prabhuji, you said without initiation a person must lament and hanker, what about those devotees who accept Srila Prabhupada as their direct guru but do not take initiation from a living guru, will they be also suffering from lamentation ?

HG Jananivas Prabhuji: Well, here in this verse, it is said that he took initiation and very rigidly followed the principles. So the principle is evaṁ paramparā-prāptam (BG 4.2). If in our sampradaya then we have to accept a guru who is connected to Srila Prabhupada. So why jump over? Jumping over means not adhering the instructions of the spiritual master. It’s okay to say that I am Srila Prabhupada’s disciple but is Prabhupada considering you his disciple? It’s said that it is the spiritual master who decides what constitutes the devotional service not the disciple. If Prabhupada comes to you and connects you that’s okay. If it’s just that I want to take initiation and I will accept his as my guru, that’s okay, but is Prabhupada accepting it? If Prabhupada is there, he comes and accepts then it’s okay. But if he is not then just because I want this particular guru and I am not going through the proper channel, I am not adhering strictly to the principles, then why should there be fruit for my chanting.

This concludes the second and final part of lecture by Jananivas Prabhuji, to read first part of the lecture please press here. To hear and download lectures on various topics by HG Jananivas Prabhuji please click here.

All glories to Gaudiya Vaishnava Sampradaya.

All glories to Sri Guru and Gauranga.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Kartik in Vrindavan

by

Hare Krishna.

1st November, 2015. Vrindavan


I had a small realisation last weekend when I went to Sri Vrindavan Dhama to attend the Govardhan Parikrama yatra of HH Gopal Krishna Goswami Maharaj.

We, the whole family, reached Vrindavan on Friday evening. Surprisingly there wasn’t too much traffic on the roads so we reached fast, may be because it was a Friday or may be because it was `Karva Chauth’ (married women fast without even water for the long life of their husband, a popular festival in North India).

As we entered the temple complex  we could see the festive hustle and bustle. But as we entered the temple hall it was as if we have been transported to some magical place. There were hundreds of devotees inside, everyone offering ghee lamp to Lord Damodar.

Everyone was patiently moving forward with their turn and offering ghee lamp. It was a divine sight to behold forever in my heart.

(all the above pictures and the video are from isckon’s Vrindavan website for the same date)

How Krishna teach us

After the deep daan, we had a hearty dinner prasadam at MVT (the main motivational factor for my kids to visit Vrindavan).

My family returned back the same night where as I stayed back to attend the Govardhan parikrama the next morning. There was a small issue of my lodging as every single ashram in Vrindavan was completely booked. Anandini Radhika mataji, a kind hearted devotee from Gurgaon, had allowed me to stay at her apartment along with HG Krishnananda Prabhuji, who was staying there presently.

Fortunately for me,  I met HG Krishnananda Prabhuji in the temple itself and requested him to allow me to stay with him for a night in the same apartment. Prabhuji agreed but said that he was in fact staying in a Brahmachari ashram just outside the temple complex and invited me to stay with him as his servant as it will convenient to come to come in the morning. I was very happy to get a chance to get association of Prabhuji and heartily agreed. Prabhuji asked me to see him at 8.45pm outside Prabhupada quarters. As Prabhuji left a thought crossed my mind `I hope I don’t have to take a cold water bath at 4am in the Brahmachari ashram’!

Prabhuji was there at sharp 8.45pm but there was a slight  change in the plan. Prabhuji  informed that  now someone else will be staying with him tonight at the Brahmacharu ashram. He then introduced me to another devotee, a lawyer from Hyderabad, whose apartment, Prabhuji said, was also not too far from the temple. I reluctantly agreed, thinking I lost an opportunity to get Prabhuji’s association. While walking with that devotee to his apartment a thought  crossed my mind that I am saved from an early morning cold water bath!

As we walked back to his apartment, the devotee shared that he has not opened his apartment for 6 months and it is a little dusty. No problem, I thought, as long as the geyser works! We entered his apartment it was indeed full of dust. We cleaned apartment but the bathroom was a mess with a thick layer of dried mud which could not be cleaned with broom. I checked the taps, the water was on. I was also relieved to see a small instant geyser which switched on promptly at the press of a switch. But as I turned the lever for the warm water , no water came! It was Kaput! My heart sank.

Anyway, we pulled some covers, made them into mattresses and had a sound sleep. In the morning with a heavy heart I entered the bathroom. Fortunately for me, the water was not too cold even at 4am. I then rushed to the temple to attend mangal arti. The temple hall was chock-a-block with devotees. I hurriedly  took darshan and then went to meet devotees to leave for Govardhan.

I will write about the Govardhan parikrama later but let me first share my experience with the warm water. I came back to Vrindavan from Govardhan prikrama around 4pm. After walking 21km barefoot I was very tired and had extremely sore feet. I desperately wanted a hot water shower. In no mood for another cold water bath, I called another devotee couple who had an apartment in Vrindavan and were supposed to have arrived by now. To my dismay I found that they were running late but fortunately the key for their apartment was available with their neighbour. As I looked forward to go there and get a good hot water shower I remembered that I need to first pick up my luggage from the apartment I stayed last evening. As I walked and reached that apartment I realised that I had simply no energy left in me to walk any more. So I decided to take a cold water shower there itself and take rest.

Here is the interesting part. Next day morning, still tired and aching legs, but now I had no qualms about taking a cold water bath as by this time I was mentally tuned for a cold water bath. As I entered the bathroom somehow my eyes straight away went to the knobs below the geyser. As I turned it, the water started leaking from that knob. I found that the inlet to the geyser was turned off because it was leaking but… but the water did get warm and I could  finally take a hot water bath, only when I had no desire left!

So I got the little realisation that it was not good for me to fear from, or even think of , a cold water bath when Krishnananda Prabhuji offered to let me stay with him in the Brahmachari hostel. Then very smoothly and  sweetly I was taught a  lesson on how to keep my consciousness clean when I visit Vrindavan Dhama. And later when my desire for hot water bath went away then I got one! I thanked Dhama for teaching me this lesson, which I pray  I should  never forget.

As for me trying, unsuccessfully, to get the geyser working the first day and then suddenly being able to find the cause of geyser not working in less than 5 seconds of entering the bathroom the next day, I immediately the verse 15.15 from Bhagavad Gita

sarvasya caham hrdi sannivisto
mattah smrtir jnanam apohanam ca

Translation

I am seated in everyone’s heart, and from Me come remembrance, knowledge and forgetfulness.

I also learnt that if we are conscious in Krishna consciousness then we can see the hand of Lord in our daily life.

(Radha Shayamsundar mangal arti darshan 31st Oct 2015 )

Govardhan Parikrama

In contrast to the above experience, my visit to Govardhan got facilitated amazingly simply due to the mercy of Lord and His dear devotees. I just had a desire to take darshan of HH Gopal Krishna Goswami Maharaj since many days. Hence initially I thought it will be a good idea somehow reach Govinda Kunda at the same time when Maharaj is scheduled to give his lecture. But one after another things shaped in such a manner that I was able to reach Vrindavan a day before,  next morning leave in a car which trailed Maharaj’s car from Vrindavan to Govardhan and then start the parikrama with maharaj and other senior devotees. So due to a small desire to take darshan of Maharaj I received his mercy of being able to perform Govardhan Parikrama that too following his lotus feet.

The Govardhan parikrama itself was all bliss. The weather was perfect and more perfect was the esteem association I received, apart from Sri Giri Govardhan. I was fortunate to do most of the parikrama walking behind HH Gopal Krishna Goswami Maharaj. I was also very fortunate to receive his merciful glance and greeting during the yatra as maharaj inquired me how was I doing. I also meet HG Rukmini Prabhuji after a long gap and so many other senior devotees from Delhi. It was amazing to see HH Gopal Krishna Goswami Maharaj walking with so much energy in his steps despite all the health issues with his body. When I shared the same, Anand Chaitanya Prabhuji, replied that Maharaj is doing the yatra for us. He shared how he did not feel up to the mark to undertake Govardhan parikrama but his wife pushed him that if Maharaj could do it at his age and with such health problems then why can’t he do it? Prabhuji said that he had no answer for it and decided to join the yatra. This point was further proved when, during the prasadam break, Maharaj asked how many devotees are coming for the first time to do the parikrama, more than 50% devotees raised their hands!

Here are some pictures from the yatra which culminated  at Sri Radha Kund.

Govardha Parikrama

Gopal Krishna Goswami Maharaj

Gopal Krishna Goswami Maharaj

(Sri Radha Kund)

All glories to HH Gopal Krishna Goswami Maharaj.

All glories to Giri Govardhan.

All glories to Sri Guru and Gauranga.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

A nice lesson in Krishna consciousness

by

Hare Krishna.

29th October, 2015. Gurgaon

Quotes by Srila Prabhupada on Everyone Being A Preacher

Please accept my good wishes for a very devotional Kartik month.

I had two small realisations around preaching recently and an important lesson, I am sharing the same.

As the month of  Kartik approached this year, the enthusiasm within my own self was not so high. I did not know the reasons. Last Monday, 26th October,  I had to give a class at a home program. At the office I thought that as Kartik is starting from the next so it may be a good idea to share a little about Kartik month with devotees, specially the new devotees. It was a tight day at office but I managed to prepare a small power point presentation, copying mostly from Iskcondesiretree, as I thought it will be nice to show it on a projector. Then I went through the contents quickly so that I would know what I have to speak about. As I read the contents I was a bit surprised to read so many benedictions about Kartik month, the last slide also hit me.

So in the evening we did last 45 minutes of the class on the glories of Kartik month and in the middle I realised that many of the things which I am speaking are coming from my heart not from my memory or whatever little I had prepared. The class ended at an enthusiastic note with everyone charged up for the the Kartik month, including my own self!  As I drove back home after the class , the whole content and what all I spoke dawned heavily  upon me and a small realisation came over me on the importance of Kartik month starting the next morning. I immediately mentally took  note of what all I will try to do this Kartik, I was all excited!

In the morning out of nowhere (well not exactly out of nowhere but still it was first time that I actually did it), I felt inspired to read Nectar of Instruction verses and Manah Sikshah verses before starting my japa. Then in the evening I reached home early and  started reading an amazing book called MahaPrabhu meditations, which was lying unread since months. Then the whole family sang Damodarashtakam as we all offered ghee lamp to Lord Damodar, a perfect day!

Though today is only the third day of Kartik but I can frankly confess that this has been the best start for a Kartik month in all the last few years that I have been struggling to practice Krishna consciousness.

Below is the PDF of the presentation I made, Kindly feel free to use it in any way or please mail me, giriraj.bcs@gmail.com, in case you need it in a PPT format. Please move your cursor on the below picture you will see the menu on the bottom left side to browse to the next pages

Kartika_month_glorification2

I had a similar experience with my chanting earlier. At first I tried to improve my chanting by regulating my morning sadhana time. (It’s origin was the causeless mercy of HH Bhakti Prema maharaj, I write about it in detail some other time). Later in an impromptu decision I tried to help some sincere devotees improve their chanting, by making a whatsapp group to post our timings, almost immediately my own chanting improved dramatically.

In both the cases I experienced how, even while being a very neophyte preacher, it is me who is getting the most benefit!

An important lesson.

Last weekend I was sharing the same above experience about improvement in my chanting with a senior devotee, adding how recently I even took a class on how to improve our japa, something unthinkable for me just a few months back. As I was finishing my little talk another devotee walked in and he started asking some questions from the senior devotee. During the middle of that discussion the senior devotee gently spoke to him as to how some devotees get all excited when they get some reciprocation from the Holy Name, they start feeling that they have done some thing great as other devotees too start praising them but they forget that it is in fact simply the mercy of the Holy Name. The Holy Name becomes pleased when we try to serve Him. It hit me instantaneously, I knew it was meant for me only. Instead of thanking the Holy Name for showering mercy upon me, I mistakenly thought that because I helped others hence I got the results, it was all about me and my action. I thanked the senior devotee for correcting me, as I got the point, and admitted my incorrect and impersonal thought process. Later, I thanked the Holy name and Krishna for Their causeless mercy. I also prayed to Srila Prabhupada that may I always remember this important lesson all my life.

 I am copying four verses from Damodarastkam for the pleasure of the Lord and His dear devotees.

itīdṛk sva-līlābhir ānanda-kuṇḍe
sva-ghoṣam nimajjantam ākhyāpayantam
tadīyeṣita-jñeṣu bhaktair jitatvam
punaḥ prematas tam śatāvṛtti vande

varam deva mokṣam na mokṣāvadhim vā
na canyam vṛṇe ‘ham vareṣād apīha
idam te vapur nātha gopāla-bālam
sadā me manasy āvirāstām kim anyaiḥ

idam te mukhāmbhojam atyanta-nīlair
vṛtam kuntalaiḥ snigdha-raktaiś ca gopyā
muhuś cumbitam bimba-raktādharam me
manasy āvirāstām alam lakṣa-lābhaiḥ

namo deva dāmodarānanta viṣṇo
prasīda prabho duḥkha-jālābdhi-magnam
kṛpā-dṛṣṭi-vṛṣṭyāti-dīnam batānu
gṛhāṇeṣa mām ajñam edhy akṣi-dṛśyaḥ

Translation

Those super excellent pastimes of Lord Krishna’s babyhood drowned the inhabitants of Gokula in pools of ecstasy. To the devotees who are attracted only to His majestic aspect of Narayana in Vaikuntha, the Lord herein reveals: “I am conquered and overwhelmed by pure loving devotion.” To the Supreme Lord, Damodara, my obeisances hundreds and hundreds of times

O Lord, although You are able to give all kinds of benedictions, I do not pray to You for liberation, nor eternal life in Vaikuntha, nor any other boon. My only prayer is that Your childhood pastimes may constantly appear in my mind. O Lord, I do not even want to know your feature of Paramatma. I simply wish that Your childhood pastimes may ever be enacted in my heart.

O Lord, the cheeks of Your blackish lotus face, which is encircled by locks of curling hair, have become reddened like bimba fruits due to Mother Yashoda’s kisses. What more can I describe than this? Millions of opulence are of no use to me, but may this vision constantly remain in my mind.

O unlimited Vishnu! O master! O Lord! Be pleased upon me! I am drowning in an ocean of sorrow and am almost like a dead man. Please shower the rain of mercy on me; uplift me and protect me with Your nectarean vision.

All glories to the glorious Kartik month.

All glories to Sri Guru and Gauranga.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

The effect of bhakti is immediate.

by

Hare Krishna

23rd October, 2015. Gurgaon

Yesterday morning I heard a beautiful lecture by HG Jananivas Prabhuji which Prabhuji gave at Mayapur. As usual it was a lecture filled with many gems. Prabhuji is a very exalted and pure devotee of Krishna, it was my good fortune that I was able to hear his lecture. Two topics in his lecture touched my heart

a) supremacy of Bhakti over all other yoga processes.

b) importance of Guru and initiation in our life.

I will write about the first part today, where Prabhuji spoke about the power of bhakti over all other processes. We may have heard all this before and know it but the way Prabhuji gave the essence was remarkable.

The particular verse on this day was from the sixth canto of Srimad Bhagavatam where the story of ‘Citraketu’ is continuing. Here is the verse:

O King Parīkṣit, after only one week of repeatedly practicing the mantra received from the spiritual master, Citraketu achieved the rule of the planet of the Vidyādharas as an intermediate product of his spiritual advancement in knowledge. (SB 6.16.28)

Jananivas Prabhuji

After first giving the listeners a brief background about the chapter, glorifying ‘Citraketu’ and then expanding this particular pastime, Prabhuji explained that, similar to ‘Citraketu’, sometimes devotees do not directly go back to Godhead but they have to take a birth. (‘Citraketu’ finally took birth as ‘Vritasura’ and then went back to Godhead).

Jananivas Prabhuji then quoted Srila Prabhupada who said:

‘If you still have a mood of enjoyment in Krishna consciousness, you are performing devotional service but you have the mood of enjoyment then your next birth will be in the heavenly planets. you will have to work out that enjoyment and after that you can go back to Godhead.’

Prabhuji reiterated that devotees are not expected to maintain the mood of enjoyment, especially at the last of our life, when we are leaving the body very rapidly, we should wind everything  up completely and take shelter of the Lord, then we go back to Godhead.

Prabhuji then read the below short but devotionally pregnant purport by Srila Prabhupada:

‘If a devotee, after being initiated, adheres rigidly to the instructions of the spiritual master, he is naturally endowed with the material opulences of vidyādhara-adhipatyam and similar posts as by-products. A devotee need not practice yoga, karma or jñāna to achieve a successful result. Devotional service alone is competent to award a devotee all material power. A pure devotee, however, is never attached to material power, although he gets it very easily without personal endeavor. Citraketu received this side benefit of his devotional service, which he rigidly performed in accordance with the instructions of Nārada. A devotee need not practice yoga, karma or jñāna to achieve a successful result. Devotional service alone is competent to award a devotee all material power‘.

Jananivas Prabhuji explained how Citraketu received this power simply as a side benefit of devotional service. Not that he was interested but somehow or other he was given that position so he could still enjoy as a side product of his devotional service. But his consciousness was more fixed on his devotional service rather than the side product of being the king of ‘Vidyādharas’. He acted like a king, it seemed like he was enjoying but his consciousness was fixed on his worshipable Lord and his devotional service.

So a devotee doesn’t have to worry about Karma, jnana or yoga to achieve successful results, devotional service alone is powerful enough to do it. This is the position of devotional service, the position of bhakti. Bhakti is independent. Whereas in karma, jnana and yoga, to get their perfection, one needs some bhakti yoga but for bhakti yoga we don’t need karma, we don’t need jnana, its independent.

For Karmis (materialists)

Prabhuji stated ‘just like the Karmis, they want sense gratification. They are religious, they are pious, they are practicing karma yoga but they want happiness in the material world.  So what does Krishna says about about karma yogi –

yat karoṣi yad aśnāsi yaj juhoṣi dadāsi yat

yat tapasyasi kaunteya tat kuruṣva mad-arpaṇam (BG 9.27)

Whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you offer or give away, and whatever austerities you perform — do that, O son of Kuntī, as an offering to Me.

In other words do everything for Krishna. Karma yoga culminates in bhakti yoga. When we do this, do everything for Krishna, then it becomes bhakti, our karma becomes bhakti.

For jnanis (knowledge seekers)

For jnanis, Krishna says:

bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate

vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ (BG 7.19)

After many births and deaths, he who is actually in knowledge surrenders unto Me, knowing Me to be the cause of all causes and all that is. Such a great soul is very rare.

So conclusion of jnana is that after thousands of births one surrenders to Krishna. In reference to this verse Srila Prabhupada said:

‘This is Krishna’s statement, after thousands of births one comes to the platform of ‘ vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti’, Krishna is the supreme personality of Godhead. I’m telling you now that Krishna is the supreme personality of Godhead, you surrender to Krishna now. You hear me, and you do that (surrender to Krishna), you skip those thousands and thousands of births because you come to the conclusion of thousands and thousands of births!

So culmination of jnana is bhakti – surrender to Krishna.

So one get the perfection of jnana when it is dovetailed or used for understanding  bhakti.

For yogis

Now to the ashtanga yogis, and all the other yogis, Krishna say:

yoginām api sarveṣāṁ mad-gatenāntar-ātmanā

śraddhāvān bhajate yo māṁ sa me yuktatamo mataḥ   (BG 6.47)

And of all yogīs, the one with great faith who always abides in Me, thinks of Me within himself, and renders transcendental loving service to Me — he is the most intimately united with Me in yoga and is the highest of all. That is My opinion.

So the conclusion of yoga is that it brings one to bhakti.

So when the karma, jnana and yoga are used to bring us to bhakti then they are okay but when they are not used for that purpose then they become inauspicious. If they are just used for karma, just used for jnana or just used for yoga then they become inauspicious because they keep us bound up to this material world. But when they are used to reveal the high position of bhakti then they have meaning. So without bhakti they don’t become fruitful. And bhakti even if it doesn’t has karma, jnana or yoga, still it is fruitful, it is not dependent on anything else.

Prabhuji said hence Krishna says ‘anyway don’t waste your time in karma, jnana or yoga, you just give up that controlling and enjoying aspect through your karma or through your jnana or through your yoga, you are simply using them as tools so you can still enjoy and make spiritual progress. Therefore Krishna says

sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja
ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ   (BG 18.65)

Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear.

Krishna is saying you surrender to me immediately. And like we are reaing in this particular pastime that the effect could be immediate. Let’s read the translation of the verse again.

O King Parīkṣit, after only one week of repeatedly practicing the mantra received from the spiritual master, Citraketu achieved the rule of the planet of the Vidyādharas as an intermediate product of his spiritual advancement in knowledge. (SB 6.16.28)

So we see that devotional service is not dependent on anything else, karma, jnana or all the other processes, and it’s effect is immediate if we put it into practice sincerely.

As for the side benefits, Prabhuji explained that bhukti (material enjoyment) and mukti (liberation) they wait as maidservants for the devotees. For a pure devotee bhukti and multi are waiting ‘How we can serve you?’ We want to serve the bhaktas. And the bhakta say ‘Get away from me!’ They kick them away…Kick…we don’t want bhukti, we don’t want mukti. But still they don’t go away, they say we will stay nearby, any service you want! We want to do bhakta seva. But the devotees, no, they kick them away.

Wasn’t it straight & simple, coming straight from the heart of a realised soul! I will try to post the second part of Prabhuji’s lecture on the importance of Guru and initiation shortly.

All glories to HH Jananivas Prabhuji.

All glories to Sri Guru and Gauranga.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Cry out to Krishna

by

Hare Krishna

12th Oct, 2015. Gurgaon

I read so much, and hear even more so, on being humble and not just simply humble but humbler than a blade of grass. It feels nice as I read such terms and collect more ‘information’ on how to get into the ‘mood’ of being humble but whenever I am put into a test I fail miserably, a deadly mixture of hardheartedness, passion and ignorance takes over my consciousness. I simply remain a puppet in the hands of three modes of nature.

Many a times I wonder, and now a days also pray to Lord, as to what are You trying to teach me by putting me in such circumstances? Doesn’t the Lord already knows that I have very weak spiritual muscles, doesn’t He know that I will fail such tests, they why? Is it to make me more humble and tolerant or is it tell me that I am just a show bottle devotee with no real substance inside me or to let me realise that I do  not have any love for Krishna as compassion for others is directly linked to our love of Krishna or all of the above!

It is indeed a very grim and helpless condition for me. My heart cries out to Krishna. I wish my heart could speak directly and cry and cry, cry out so loud that it’s steel like frame would burst open. Unfortunately that too doesn’t happen.

But one positive outcome happened this time. With such failures I am learning how each difficult situation forces me to remember Krishna more and more! It makes me realise my helpless condition in this world, gives me some emotions to chant better. In fact  writing this blog I suddenly remember the famous prayer of Kunti Maharani. I can now appreciate, a little bit, the below verse spoken by Kunti Maharani to Krishna

vipadaḥ santu tāḥ śaśvat tatra tatra jagad-guro
bhavato darśanaṁ yat syād apunar bhava-darśanam (SB 1.8.25)

Translation

I wish that all those calamities would happen again and again so that we could see You again and again, for seeing You means that we will no longer see repeated births and deaths.

As I write these heavy words I introspect within my heart if I have the courage to even repeat these words, forget about asking for it! But strangely today I find some courage in my timid heart as I pray to Lord to please put me through the same circumstances again and again and again, let people insult me, beat me, abuse me, let me fail again and again and again, if this alone would help me remember Krishna at all times then let it happen again and again.

I pray to my dear Lord to be merciful upon this wretched soul and take away everything from me, all my so-called possessions, my wealth, my position, my family. Let this world reject me, treat me as a worm in the stool, let the last iota of any sense of ego or to remain independent gets rubbed finely to the ground, but I beg my Gurudeva and Srila Prabhupada  to somehow make me remember Krishna at all time. Let my mind and my heart be engaged only in His thoughts alone and let my own life’s drama take a back seat now, I have had enough of it.

I searched for a prayer and, not surprisingly,  I found one in Saranagati, by Srila Bhaktvinoda Thakura, called Amar Jivana:

āmāra jīvana, sadā pāpe rata, nāhiko punyera leṣa

parere udvega, diyāchi je koto, diyāchi jīvere kleśa

nija sukha lāgi’, pāpe nāhi ḍori, doyā-hīna swārtha-paro

para-sukhe duḥkhī, sadā mithya-bhāṣī, para-duḥkha sukha-karo

aśeṣa kāmanā, hṛdi mājhe mora, krodhī, dambha-parāyana

mada-matta sadā, viṣaye mohita, hiḿsā-garva vibhūṣana

nidrālasya hata, sukārye virata, akārye udyogī āmi

pratiṣṭha lāgiyā, śāṭhya-ācaraṇa, lobha-hata sadā kāmī

e heno durjana, saj-jana-varjita, aparādhi nirantara

śubha-kārya-śūnya, sadānartha-manāḥ, nānā duḥkhe jara jara

bārdhakye ekhona, upāya-vihīna, tā’te dīna akiñcana

bhakativinoda, prabhura caraṇe, kore duḥkha nivedana

Translation:

1) I am an impious sinner and have caused others great anxiety and trouble.

2) I have never hesitated to perform sinful act for my own enjoyment. Devoid of all compassion, concerned only with my own selfish interests, I am remorseful seeing others happy. I am a perpetual liar, and the misery of others is a source of great pleasure for me.

3) The material desires within the core of my heart are unlimited. I am wrathful, devoted to false pride and arrogance, intoxicated by vanity, and bewildered by worldly affairs. Envy and egotism are the ornaments I wear.

4) Ruined by laziness and sleep, I resist all pious deeds; yet I am very active and enthusiastic to perform wicked acts. For worldly fame and reputation I engage in the practice of deceitfulness. Thus I am destroyed by my own greed and am always lustful.

5) A vile, wicked man such as this, rejected by godly people, is a constant offender. I am such a person, devoid of all good works, forever inclined toward evil, worn out and wasted by various miseries.

6) Now in old age, deprived of all means of success, humbled and poor, Bhaktivinoda submits his tale of grief at the feet of the Supreme Lord.

In the end, I pray, may Lord Nityananda be merciful upon me and allow me to visit and roll in the dust of Sri Mayapur Dhama, this seems the only solution to the dreaded disease which has overcome my heart.

All glories to Sri Guru and Gauranga.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

I will always remain Srila Prabhupada’s dog!

by

Hare Krishna

9th October, 2015. Gurgaon

Many a times various thoughts and feelings cross our mind as to how should we think ourselves with respect to our Param Guru Srila Prabhupada, in what way should we aspire to develop a relationship with him. I recently came across a wonderful pastime narrated by HH Giriraj Maharaj and I simply could not resist sharing it with everyone. It aptly describes the mood we can all cultivate for our Founder Acharaya and primary shiksha Guru- Srila Prabhupada.  It also gives us an idea of what should be the level of our surrender towards our Guru.

Always Remain Srila Prabhupada’s Dog

Almost every morning in Bombay Srila Prabhupada used to walk on Juhu Beach. One morning I had been feeling especially wretched and miserable. Although so many other devotees were present, Srila Prabhupada began to speak as if he were addressing me personally.
He quoted a Sanskrit verse and said there are two words – a-natha and sa-natha. Natha means “master,” so a-natha means “without master” and sa-natha means “with master.” The whole goal of life is to become sa-natha,”with master.”
In the morning on Juhu Beach many gentlemen used to walk their dogs. Srila Prabhupada pointed to a fat and fit gentleman walking with an equally fat and fit dog. The man was walking briskly and confidently with his dog on his leash, and the dog was walking equally briskly and confidently with his master by his side. Srila Prabhupada commented that every dog wants a good master. If the dog has a good master he is happy. He holds his head high, he wags his tail. He knows that his master will maintain and protect him, so he has no anxiety.
But the street dog. “The poor fellow has no master. Therefore he is always suffering.” Srila Prabhupada then pointed to some stray dogs. “They have no master. They do not know where they will sleep, how they will get food. Other dogs bark at them; children throw stones at them. They are always in anxiety.”
Srila Prabhupada stopped walking. He planted his cane firmly in the sand of Juhu Beach. Although I stood behind many of the devotees who moved close around him, with his eyes laden with love and compassion he looked in my eyes. “So we should be sanatha, protected, and not anatha – orphan. We should have our master and be exclusively devoted to him. Then we will feel confident in his protection and always be happy.”
Quoting the verse again, Srila Prabhupada explained each Sanskrit word. Mano-ratha: the chariot of the mind. Mental concoction is driving us here, there, here, there. We have no peace. But when we have our perfect master to serve, we become peaceful, prasanta, and jubilant that, “I have got my master. I have no cares and anxiety.” This is the ideal of life, to become sanatha-Jivitam, living with hope that “I have got my master who will give me protection.”
I knew that Srila Prabhupada was speaking directly to me, addressing my present need in Krsna consciousness. Without my even asking or saying anything, he knew my heart and gave the perfect solution through his instructions.
Thereafter, I always tried to remember and follow these instructions of Srila Prabhupada’s.
Although I had caught some of the words from the verse and Srila Prabhupada’s explanation, I very much wanted to find the verse – but could not. Then several years later I came across the same verse quoted in Sri Caitanya caritamrta (Madhya1.206):

bhavantam evanucaram nirantarah
prasanta-nihsesa-mano-rathantarah
kadaham aikantika-nitya-knikarah
praharsayisyami sanatha-jivitam

“By serving You constantly, one is freed from all material desires and is completely pacified. When shall I engage as your permanent eternal servant and always feel joyful to have such a fitting master?” (Note: this is the verse spoken by Srila Rupa and Srila Sanatana Goswami when they first met Mahaprabhu)

Reading the purport, I found the same instructions Srila Prabhupada had given on Juhu Beach: “Just as a dog or servant is very satisfied to get a competent, perfect master, or as a child is completely satisfied to possess a competent father, so the living entity is satisfied by completely engaging in the service of the Supreme Lord. He thereby knows that he has a competent master to save him from all kinds of danger.”
I realized that Srila Prabhupada is so perfect that he always spoke on the basis of scriptures. At the same time, because of his tremendous compassion and humility, he could say just the right thing in the right way to deeply touch the heart of the listener.

Now whenever I walk on Juhu Beach and see the different types of dogs — those with masters and those without — I remember Srila Prabhupada’s instructions and pray that I will always remember Srila Prabhupada’s instructions and pray that I will always remain Srila Prabhupada’s dog.   (From the “Watering the Seed” by HH Giriraja Swami Maharaja)

Isn’t it simply wonderful! So we are all  ‘sanath’, protected under the lotus feet of Srila Prabhupada in ISKCON. We should be confident that under his protection we will be saved from all kinds of dangers and we will make  rapid progress towards our spiritual goal- Krishna Prema. But our mood should that we want to serve Srila Prabhupada by being his faithful dog and we can do that by-

  1. sincerely building a relationship with him.
  2. reading his books daily, hearing his lectures.
  3. following, and practically applying, his instructions in terms of our sadhna bhakti, book distribution, preaching, etc.
  4. serving the devotees and cooperating with each other
  5. always remaining in ISKCON.

As we slowly build a personal relationship with Srila Prabhupada, receive reciprocation, and develop a firm faith in him, we will personally experience how this so called ‘material world’ which was earlier ‘duḥkhālayam’ (a place of miseries)  for us, slowly starts turning into ‘su-sukhaṁ’ (very happy) all around us. Srila Prabhupada came here for us, to relieve us from our suffering condition. (press here to read this pastime in an earlier blog)

 

All glories to Sri Guru and Gauranga.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

 

Sambandha, Abhidheya and Prayojana.

by

Hare Krishna.

2nd Oct., 2015. Gurgaon.

Radha Gopinath, Jaipur

(Sri Radha Gopinatha closeup)

According to the Vedic principles, there are three stages of spiritual advancement, namely, sambandha-jñāna, abhidheya and prayojana. Sambandha-jñāna refers to establishing one’s original relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, abhidheya refers to acting according to that constitutional relationship, and prayojana is the ultimate goal of life, which is to develop love of Godhead (premā pum-artho mahān). If one adheres to the regulative principles under the order of the spiritual master, he very easily achieves the ultimate goal of his life. A person who is addicted to the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra very easily gets the opportunity to serve the Supreme Personality of Godhead directly. ( CC Adi 7.73P)

“Sri Govindaji acts exactly like the siksa-guru. He is the original preceptor, for Govindaji gives us instructions and an opportunity to serve Him. The diksa-guru is a personal manifestation of the Sri Madana-mohana vigraha. Both of these Deities are worshiped at Vrindavana. Srila Gopinatha is the ultimate attraction of spiritual realization.” (CC Adi 1.47p.)

Sambandha

(Sri Radha Madan Mohan, Karauli)

Srila Sanatana Goswami is the acharya of sambandha, the process of understanding our relationship with Lord Krishna. The deity for Sambandha is Madan Mohan.

By receiving the mercy of the Radha-Madana-mohana Deity, and by studying the writings of the sambandha-acharya Srila Sana­tana Gosvami, a devotee will attain sambandha-jnana, or knowledge of one’s spiritual identity and his eternal relationship with Sri Krishna. Srila Prabhupada states, “Madana-mohana, Sanatana Gosvami’s Deity, helps us progress in Krishna consciousness. In the execution of Krishna consciousness, our first business is to know Krishna and our relationship with Him, which we can learn by worshiping the Madana-mohana vigraha.”

Abhidheya

(Sri Radha Govind Devji, Jaipur)

Srila Rupa Goswami is the acahrya of abhidheya and he reveals how to execute devotional service. His Deity of Radha-Govindaji accepts service and gives inspiration for increasing surrender on the path of bhakti-yoga. By writing many books Srila Rupa Gosvami has very kindly established the scientific basis of bhakti. “Everyone should read this book, Nectar of Devotion, very attentively, because all the conclusive statements about the Kingdom of Bhakti are contained in this transcendentally valuable book. It is the essence of all Vedic scriptures enlightening about Krishna consciousness. If anyone reads this Nectar of Devotion very carefully, he will have all guidance in the Bhakti Cult.” (Srila Prabhupada lecture 6/27/70)

Prayojana

(Sri Radha Gopinatha, Jaipur)

Sri Raghunatha Dasa Goswami is our prayojana acharya. The Gopinatha Deity is Krishna as master and proprietor of the gopis, the totally surrendered devotees . The Gopinatha Deity represents the prayojana-tattva (truth about life’s ultimate goal”pure love of Krishna. Srila Raghu­natha dasa Gosvami accepts the lotus feet of Srila Rupa Gosvami as his highest aspiration. He thus reveals the way to attain the perfection of one’s loving relationship with Sri Krishna. Through humble prayers and service to the Radha-Gopinatha Deity, and by imbibing the teachings and mercy of Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami, a devotee can quickly advance in devotional service and ultimately attain the goal of life, prema-bhakti. (MNS)

“The Gaudiya Vaisnavas who follow strictly in the line of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu worship the Divinity by chanting transcendental sounds meant to develop a sense of one’s transcendental relationship with the Supreme Lord (sambandha), and reciprocation of mellows of mutual affection (abhidheya), and ultimately, the achievement of the desired success in loving service (prayo­ja­na). These three Deities (Madana-mohana, Govindaji, Gopinatha) are worshiped in three different stages of one’s development. The followers of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu scrupulously follow these principles of approach.” (CC Adi 1.19p.)

In a seminar on bhakti culture HG Srimati Mataji shared three most beautiful verses to describe our relationship with Lord at above three stages, they are most practical for an aspiring devotee. We can recite these verses daily, also before our japa and even during the middle of our japa when the attentiveness seems to slip away. I am trying, and struggling, to follow the same but still reaping some benefits inspite of all my handicaps.

On Sambandha:

caitanyera dāsa muñi, caitanyera dāsa

caitanyera dāsa muñi, tāṅra dāsera dāsa

“I am a servant of Lord Caitanya, a servant of Lord Caitanya. I am a servant of Lord Caitanya, and a servant of His servants.” (cc Adi 6.86)

On Abhidheya:

daśa aparādha yena hṛdaye nā paśe
kṛpā kara mahāprabhu maji nāma rase

O Mahäprabhu, please be merciful to me so that the ten offenses never touch my heart, and I can always remain absorbed in the rasa of the Holy Name. (Harinäma Chintamani 13.59 Bhaktivinoda Thäkura)

On Prayojana:

“prema-dhana vinā vyartha daridra jīvana

‘dāsa’ kari’ vetana more deha prema-dhana”

“Without love of Godhead, My life is useless. Therefore I pray that You accept Me as Your servant and give Me the salary of ecstatic love of God.” (cc Antya 20.37)

As I write this blog, a verse which Krishnadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī, author of Caitanya-caritāmṛta, wrote, comes to my memory

vande caitanya-devaṁ taṁ bhagavantaṁ yad-icchayā
prasabhaṁ nartyate citraṁ lekha-raṅge jaḍo ’py ayam

I offer my respects to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, by whose desire I have become like a dancing dog and suddenly taken to the writing of Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, although I am a fool. (cc Adi 8.1)

I humbly seek forgiveness for any mistakes in compiling on this topic.

All glories to Sri Guru and Gauranga.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Rekindle our love for Krishna

by

Hare Krishna.

27th September, 2015. Gurgaon.

Sometimes when devotees share how they still feel insecure and isolated, rather than insulated, in the material world, it really saddens my heart. We should continuously remind ourselves that the material energy, though separated, works under the control of the Supreme Lord Krishna and that it does not, and can not, act independently. The missing link is the dormant state of Love for Krishna. The umbilical cord called ‘Priti’ which is lying dry in our heart needs to be nourished via devotional service. Once nourished  it starts to flourish back and a loving connection with Krishna reestablishes. One should then be able to cross this ‘Bhava Sagar’ (material ocean) in a much more confident and sure-footed manner, rather it becomes a joyful service.

Srimad Bhagavatam says in 11.2.41

khaṁ vāyum agniṁ salilaṁ mahīṁ ca
jyotīṁṣi sattvāni diśo drumādīn
sarit-samudrāṁś ca hareḥ śarīraṁ
yat kiṁ ca bhūtaṁ praṇamed ananyaḥ

A devotee should not see anything as being separate from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna. Ether, fire, air, water, earth, the sun and other luminaries, all living beings, the directions, trees and other plants, the rivers and oceans — whatever a devotee experiences he should consider to be an expansion of Krishna. Thus seeing everything that exists within creation as the body of the Supreme Lord, Hari, the devotee should offer his sincere respects to the entire expansion of the Lord’s body.

The BBT purport goes :

As already explained in this chapter, bhayaṁ dvitiyābhiniveśataḥ syāt: fear or illusion arises from thinking that there is something not dependent upon the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Now, in this verse, the specific process for overcoming this fearful illusion is given. One must train one’s mind to see everything that exists as an expansion of the potency of the Supreme Lord. By offering respects to everything and meditating upon everything as part of the body of the Lord, one will become free from fear. As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (5.29), suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānām: Krishna is the well-wishing friend of every living being. As soon as one understands that everything that exists is under the powerful control of one’s most beloved friend, one comes to the stage in which the whole universe becomes a blissful abode (viśvaṁ pūrṇa-sukhāyate), because he sees Krishna everywhere.

In Bhagavad-gītā (6.30) the Lord says:

yo māṁ paśyati sarvatra sarvaṁ ca mayi paśyati
tasyāhaṁ na praṇaśyāmi sa ca me na praṇaśyati

“For one who sees Me everywhere and sees everything in Me, I am never lost, nor is he ever lost to Me.”

Śrīla Prabhupāda comments,“A person in Krishna consciousness certainly sees Lord Krishna everywhere, and he sees everything in Krishna. Such a person may appear to see all separate manifestations of the material nature, but in each and every instance he is conscious of Krishna, knowing that everything is the manifestation of Krishna’s energy. Nothing can exist without Krishna, and Krishna is the Lord of everything — this is the basic principle of Krishna consciousness.”

What is the qualification to see Krishna everywhere?

The qualification for seeing Krishna everywhere is stated in the Brahma-saṁhitā (5.38):

premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena
santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti
yaṁ śyāmasundaram acintya-guṇa-svarūpaṁ
govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi

“I worship the primeval Lord, Govinda, who is always seen by the devotee whose eyes are anointed with the pulp of love. He is seen in His eternal form of Śyāmasundara, situated within the heart of the devotee.”

SB 11.2.54, BBT Purport : A pure devotee is completely free from the tendency to enjoy things separately from the Lord’s service. He does not see anything in the universe as unfavorable, because he sees everything as the expanded potency of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Such a devotee’s purpose in existing is to give pleasure somehow or other to the Supreme Lord. Thus everything that a pure devotee experiences, moment by moment, increases his ecstatic loving desire to satisfy the transcendental senses of the Lord.

Why don’t we understand this simple fact?

The same purport adds: The three modes of material nature torment the conditioned soul, who absorbs his mind in the separated, material energy of the Lord. The function of this separated energy, bhinnā prakṛti, is to take the living entity away from the reality, which is that everything is within Krishna and Krishna is within everything. Being covered by gross ignorance, the bewildered conditioned soul believes that only the objects of his own limited vision actually exist.

What is our real suffering in the material world?

The same purport explains: In fact, everyone is suffering the pangs of separation from Krishna. Because the conditioned soul imagines that he has no eternal relationship with Krishna, he is unable to ascertain that all his miseries are due to this separation. This is māyā, or “that which is not.” Actually, to think that misery arises from anything other than separation from Krishna is to be in illusion. So when a pure devotee sees living entities suffering within this world, he correctly feels that just as he is suffering because of separation from Krishna, all other living beings are also suffering from separation from Krishna. The difference is that a pure devotee correctly ascertains the cause of his heartbreak whereas the conditioned soul, bewildered by māyā, is unable to understand his eternal relationship with Kṛṣṇa and the unlimited pain arising from neglect of that relationship.

How do we rekindle our love for Krishna ?

Hearing and chanting about Krishna is the simple and only solution!

Srila Prabhupada writes ‘Persons advanced in spiritual knowledge always hear and chant about Your transcendental pastimes because this process has the specific potency of nullifying the accumulated results of sinful life. Intelligent persons factually dip into the ocean of Your nectarean activities and very patiently hear about them. Thus they are immediately freed from the contamination of the material qualities; they do not have to undergo severe penances and austerities for advancement in spiritual life. This chanting and hearing of Your transcendental pastimes is the easiest process for self-realization…the devotee who wants to elevate himself simply by the process of devotional activities, especially by hearing and chanting, very soon comes out of the clutches of the dualities of material existence. By this simple process of penance and austerity, the Supersoul within the devotee’s heart is very much pleased and gives the devotee directions so that he may go back home, back to Godhead.’ – Krishna Book (Prayers by the Personified Vedas)

Hence we should all develop a habit to read Srimad Bhagavatam, or Krishna Book, daily.

The eagerness to hear about God is the first qualification of a devotee eligible for entering the kingdom of God. (SB 1.2.16 p)

All glories to Sri Guru and Gauranga.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Are we conscious in Krishna consciousness?

by

Hare Krishna.

13th September, 2015. Gurgaon

Srila Prabhupada

Since last many days few terms are coming again and again as I read and hear various lectures, become conscious in Krishna consciousness, shelter, surrender and ‘conscious cooperator’. Of course it helps that these days most of my hearing is from lectures from HG Srimati Mataji. These topics are too subtle for my conditioned heart but slowly they are entering my consciousness or let me admit that I trying to imbibe them, struggling but trying is my current state.

As I was trying to get a grip on what is actually meant by the term ‘conscious cooperator’, I wrote a mail to Srimati Mataji and received the below reply

Conscious cooperator’ is a multi-level and very subtle field. It begins with us taking into our heart the very essence of the teachings and mood of Srila Prabhupada and the acaryas he represents so wonderfully.

Then as luck would have it in the next session Mataji broached this topic briefly and I am sharing the same.

Srimati Mataji : As aspiring devotees we should see Krishna’s hand in our daily lives, that whatever is happening in our life, there is certain reason for it. It is there to teach us a certain lesson or redirect us in a certain way.

Another Devotee: When something happens to us many a times we feel we don’t deserve it, so we ask other devotees to pray for us! In a way this also means that Krishna is not intelligent enough that I am receiving something which I don’t need. We should know that everything which is happening to us has a purpose. We should not take on a victim’s mentality and think, even subconsciously, that we are victims. We should see Krishna’s hand in everything happening to us.

Srimati Mataji: Right. If there is something in our life which is causing us disturbance or difficulty, the first thing we should ask is that

Krishna what are You trying to tell me? What am I supposed to learn from this?

Because it will keep coming up again and again and again until we have learned the lesson.

Then Mataji asked another devotee to share her experience of Ouch ! This devotee shared that for a long time she has been praying to Krishna to make her remember His name under all situations. The devotee said that in past she has twice broken her wrist, an elbow and her hip but every time this happened only one word comes out of her mouth… Ouch! She admitted that she is unable to remember Krishna instinctively at such moments and her list of injuries continue!

Srimati Mataji : So there is always a reason why things are happening to us and unless we become a conscious cooperator it won’t help. Our mood should be that I want to learn, that I am trying to understand what I am supposed to learn under these circumstances. What change I am supposed to make in my consciousness and my life.

It is a good practice, if we do not understand the reason, to sincerely pray to Krishna to inspire us in our heart to make us understand what do You want me to learn from it?

I am quoting two paragraphs from the Prayer Srila Prabhupada wrote on board the ship Jaladuta to show the mood of our founder acharaya. This too is from a book Srimati mataji has written on Srila Prabhupada, Mataji entitled these paras as a

Prayer of Surrender

āniyācho jadi prabhu āmāre nācāte
nācāo nācāo prabhu nācāo se-mate
kāṣṭhera puttali jathā nācāo se-mate

O Lord, I am just like a puppet in Your hands. So if You have brought me here to dance, then make me dance, make me dance, O Lord, make me dance as You like.

bhakti nāi veda nāi nāme khub daro
‘bhaktivedānta’ nām ebe sārthak koro

I have no devotion, nor do I have any knowledge, but I have strong faith in the holy name of Kṛṣṇa. I have been designated as Bhaktivedānta, and now, if You like, You can fulfill the real purport of Bhaktivedānta.

Markine Bhagavata-Dharma

(His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada at Boston Harbor, September 17, 1965)

The principle here is that Srila Prabhupada is seeing this arrangement as Krishna’s arrangement. And actually we also have to try to develop this vision, to see Krishna’s plan in everything, to see Krishna’s arrangement in everything- that we have surrendered to Him, and so he is taking care of us.

Sometimes we may experience setbacks or disappointments ,but actually Krishna has some reason for giving them to us. We should try to understand that, and if we do we’ll never be disappointed in life.

Prabhupada’s complete surrender is amazing: “I am Your instrument. You can use me. You can engage me as You wish. I have no agenda of my own, no personal agenda. My agenda is whatever You desire. I am here to accept Your desire as my life and soul, to give everything to please You, to serve You.

(Markine Bhagavata-Dharma commentary  by HH Giriraj Maharaj, Three rivers, CA-2002)

So we get some idea as to what should be the mindset of a devotee of Lord Krishna: 

  • See Krishna’s hand in all our circumstances
  • Have complete faith and dependence on Krishna’s intelligence 
  • Learn to become a ‘conscious cooperator’.

All glories to Sri Guru and Gauranga.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

PS : I have received many mails requesting me to share Srimati Mataji’s lectures. Many of her lectures are private but here is the link to an amazing seminar on the Holy Name mataji gave at Sri Sri Radha Gopinath temple, Chowpatty, some years back. If we hear it  sincerely and seriously then there is no reason why our quality of japa would not improve.  Press here for the link.

Tulasi Maharani

by

Hare Krishna

25th August, 2015. Gurgaon

http://sundara-madhava.mybsd.ru/02_Vrindavana%20Parikrama%20(Kartika%202004)/03_VrindaDevi%20Ashtakam/Vrinda%20Kunda/03.JPG

nirjana-vane kuṭira kari’ tulasī sevana
rātri-dine tina lakṣa nāma-saṅkīrtana   (cc Antya 3.100)

Translation

Haridāsa Ṭhākura constructed a cottage in a solitary forest. There he planted a tulasī plant, and in front of the tulasī he would chant the holy name of the Lord 300,000 times daily. He chanted throughout the entire day and night.

Srila Prabhupada writes in his purport :

Haridāsa Ṭhākura, being the ācārya of chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, is called Nāmācārya Haridāsa Ṭhākura. From his personal example we can understand that chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra and becoming highly elevated in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is very simple. Without difficulty one can sit down anywhere, especially on the bank of the Ganges, Yamunā or any other sacred river, devise a sitting place or cottage, plant a tulasī tree, and before the tulasī chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra undisturbed.

Haridāsa Ṭhākura used to chant the holy name on his beads 300,000 times daily. Throughout the entire day and night, he would chant the sixteen names of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. One should not, however, imitate Haridāsa Ṭhākura, for no one else can chant the holy name 300,000 times a day. Such chanting is for the mukta-puruṣa, or liberated soul. We can follow his example, however, by chanting sixteen rounds of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra on beads every day and offering respect to the tulasī plant. This is not at all difficult for anyone, and the process of chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra with a vow before the tulasī plant has such great spiritual potency that simply by doing this one can become spiritually strong. Therefore we request the members of the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement to follow Haridāsa Ṭhākura’s example rigidly. Chanting sixteen rounds does not take much time, nor is offering respects to the tulasī plant difficult. The process has immense spiritual potency. One should not miss this opportunity.

There have been some small realisations in my brief spiritual journey but nothing compares to what mercy and reciprocation which any fallen soul could have imagined to receive from Tulasi Maharani. Serving her seems to like a direct service in the spiritual world. It has been an amazing journey for me.

Few months back I saw Vrinda Devi’s picture in the room of HG Srimati Mataji. After the class I gathered some courage and uttered  how I share a special bond with the same deity of Vrinda Devi. I then hesitatingly asked Mataji what can I do to please her.  Srimati Mataji’s impromptu and immediate reply- sing Vrinda ashtakam daily. Happy with her instruction, I came back home and searched for the same over internet. I had never heard it before and found that it was written by, no surprise here, Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura.  Then I searched again to find in what tune to sing it, in what looked difficult words to me. From that day onward I am singing it daily to her.  I liked the very first tune I heard, below is the video of the same.

 

Amazingly within a few weeks of singing Vrinda Ashtakam a merciful devotee brought her framed picture for our Altar when they visited Vrinda Devi temple in Nandagaon (Vrindavana). And it was the perfect size for my altar, I was simply over the moon!

Here is the  Sri Vrinda Devi Ashtakam which I request all sincere devotees to kindly sing daily for the pleasure of Tulasi Maharani. We can then pray her sincerely to please inspire us in our heart on how to serve her properly and then wait for the magical reciprocation!

Sri Vrinda Devi Ashtakam

gangeya-campeya-tadit-vinindi-
rocih-pravaha-snapitatma-vrnde
bandhuka-bandhu-dyuti-divya-vasu
vrnde namas te caranaravindam

You are bathed by streams of splendor that rebuke gold, lightning, and the campaka flower. Your splendid garments are friend to the bandhuka flower. O Vrnda, I bow to your lotus feet.

bimbadharoditvara-manda-hasya-
nasagra-mukta-dyuti-dipitasye
vicitra-ratnabharana-sriyadhye
vrnde namas te caranaravindam

Your face is splendid with a pearl decorating the tip of Your nose and a wonderful gentle smile on Your bimba-fruit lips. You are decorated with wonderful jewel ornaments. O Vrnda, I bow to your lotus feet.

samasta-vaikuntha-siromanau sri
krishnasya vrndavana-dhanya-dhamni
dattadhikare vrsabhanu-putrya
vrnde namas te caranaravindam

Vrsabhanu’s daughter Radha made you guardian of Krishna’s opulent and auspicious abode of Vrndavana, the crest jewel of all Vaikuntha planets. O Vrnda, I bow to your lotus feet.

tvad-ajnaya pallava-puspa-bhrnga-
mrgadibhir madhava-keli-kunjah
madhv-adibhir bhanti vibhusyamana
vrnde namas te caranaravindam

By Your order the groves where Madhava enjoys pastimes are splendidly decorated with blossoming flowers, bumble-bees, deer, honey, and other things. O Vrnda, I bow to your lotus feet.

tvadiya-dutyena nikunja-yunor
atyutkayoh keli-vilasa-siddhih
tvat-saubhagam kena nirucyatam tad
vrnde namas te caranaravindam

Because you became Their messenger the eager and youthful divine couple enjoyed the perfection of transcendental pastimes in the forest. O Vrnda, I bow to your lotus feet.

rasabhilaso vasatis ca vrnda-
vane tvad-isanghri-saroja-seva
labhya ca pumsam krpaya tavaiva
vrnde namas te caranaravindam

By your mercy people attain residence in Vrndavana, the desire to serve your masters’ lotus feet, and the desire to assist in the rasa dance. O Vrnda, I bow to your lotus feet.

tvam kirtyase satvata-tantra-vidbhir
lilabhidhana kila krishna-saktih
tavaiva murtis tulasi nr-loke
vrnde namas te caranaravindam

They who are learned in the Satvata-tantra glorify you. You are Krishna’s pastime-potency. The Tulasi plant is your form in the world of men. O Vrnda, I bow to your lotus feet.

bhaktya vihina aparadha-laksaih
ksiptas ca kamadi-taranga-madhye
krpamayi tvam saranam prapanna
vrnde namas te caranaravindam

O merciful one, I have no devotion and have committed millions of offenses. I am drowning in the turbulent ocean of lust. Thus I take shelter of you. O Vrinda, I bow to your lotus feet.

vrndastakam yah srnuyat pathed va
vrndavanadhisa-padabja-bhrngah
sa prapya vrndavana-nitya-vasam
tat-prema-sevam labhate krtarthah

A person who is like a bumblebee at the lotus feet of Vrindavana’s king and queen, and who reads or hears this Vrindastaka, will eternally reside in Vrindavana and attain loving service to the divine couple.


( Tulasi Maharani at our humble home)

Srila Prabhupada: I am so very glad to learn that Srimati Tulasi Devi has favored you so much. If you can actually grow this Tulasi plant, and I am sure you will do it, then you must know it for certain that your devotion for Krsna is testified. I was very much anxious to introduce this worship of Tulasi plant amongst our Society members, but it has not become successful til now, therefore, when I hear that you have got this opportunity, my pleasure does not have any bounds. (Letter to Govinda — Los Angeles 7 April, 1970)

 

All glories to Vrinda Devi, Tulasi Maharani.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

All glories to Sri Guru and Gauranga.