Tag Archives: Brahma Samhita

What is the purpose of ritualistic sacrifices ?

by

Hare Krishna

7th April, 2015. Gurgaon

Quotes-by-Srila-Prabhupada-on-Effect-of-Presence-of-Krishna

Q: What are the five layers of ignorance which covers a Jiva ?

Answer :

tāmisra: being envious of supreme Lord.
andha-tāmisra : considering death to be the ultimate end.
tamas : condition of not knowing anything about the spirit soul.
moha : illusion of the bodily concept of life, me and mine.
mahā-moha : to be mad after material enjoyment.

First of all, Brahmā created from his shadow the coverings of ignorance of the conditioned souls. They are five in number and are called tāmisra, andha-tāmisra, tamas, moha and mahā-moha. (SB 3.20.18)

Srila Prabhupada explains them in detail in his purport :

The conditioned souls, or living entities who come to the material world to enjoy sense gratification, are covered in the beginning by five different conditions. The first condition is a covering of tāmisra, or anger. Constitutionally, each and every living entity has minute independence; it is misuse of that minute independence for the conditioned soul to think that he can also enjoy like the Supreme Lord or to think, “Why shall I not be a free enjoyer like the Supreme Lord?” This forgetfulness of his constitutional position is due to anger or envy.

The living entity, being eternally a part-and-parcel servitor of the Supreme Lord, can never, by constitution, be an equal enjoyer with the Lord. When he forgets this, however, and tries to be one with Him, his condition is called tāmisra. Even in the field of spiritual realization, this tāmisra mentality of the living entity is hard to overcome. In trying to get out of the entanglement of material life, there are many who want to be one with the Supreme. Even in their transcendental activities, this lower-grade mentality of tāmisra continues.

Andha-tāmisra involves considering death to be the ultimate end. The atheists generally think that the body is the self and that everything is therefore ended with the end of the body. Thus they want to enjoy material life as far as possible during the existence of the body. Their theory is: “As long as you live, you should live prosperously. Never mind whether you commit all kinds of so-called sins…. No one is responsible for anything he does during his life.” This atheistic conception of life is killing human civilization, for it is without knowledge of the continuation of eternal life.

This andha-tāmisra ignorance is due to tamas. The condition of not knowing anything about the spirit soul is called tamas. This material world is also generally called tamas because ninety-nine percent of its living entities are ignorant of their identity as soul. Almost everyone is thinking that he is this body; he has no information of the spirit soul. Guided by this misconception, one always thinks, “This is my body, and anything in relationship with this body is mine.” For such misguided living entities, sex life is the background of material existence…

As these attachments increase, moha, or the illusion of the bodily concept of life, also increases. Thus the idea that “I am this body, and everything belonging to this body is mine” also increases, and as the whole world is put into moha, sectarian societies, families and nationalities are created, and they fight with one another. 

Mahā-moha means to be mad after material enjoyment. Especially in this age of Kali, everyone is overwhelmed by the madness to accumulate paraphernalia for material enjoyment.

Q: Who can directly perceives the exact causes of our distress ?
Reply: Only Supreme Lord.
The Lord, who can distinctly see the minds of others, perceived Brahmā’s distress and said to him: “Cast off this impure body of yours.” Thus commanded by the Lord, Brahmā cast off his body. (SB 3.20.28)
Srila Prabhupada adds in his purport: The Lord is described here by the word viviktādhyātma-darśanaḥ. If anyone can completely perceive another’s distress without doubt, it is the Lord Himself. If someone is in distress and wants to get relief from his friend, sometimes it so happens that his friend does not appreciate the volume of distress he is suffering. But for the Supreme Lord it is not difficult. The Supreme Lord, as Paramātmā, is sitting within the heart of every living entity, and He directly perceives the exact causes of distress. In Bhagavad-gītā the Lord says, sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭaḥ: “I am sitting in everyone’s heart, and because of Me one’s remembrance and forgetfulness occur.” Thus whenever one fully surrenders unto the Supreme Lord, one finds that He is sitting within one’s heart. He can give us direction how to get out of dangers or how to approach Him in devotional service. 

Q: What is the purpose of ritualistic sacrifices?

Ans: To gradually revive the spiritual realization of the living entities.

They prayed: O creator of the universe, we are glad; what you have produced is well done. Since ritualistic acts have now been established soundly in this human form, we shall all share the sacrificial oblations. (SB 3.20.18)

Srila Prabhupada writes in his purport to the above verse : The importance of sacrifice is also mentioned in Bhagavad-gītā, Third Chapter, verse 10. The Lord confirms there that in the beginning of creation Brahmā created the Manus, along with the ritualistic sacrificial method, and blessed them: “Continue these sacrificial rites, and you will be gradually elevated to your proper position of self-realization and will also enjoy material happiness.” All the living entities created by Brahmā are conditioned souls and are inclined to lord it over material nature. The purpose of sacrificial rituals is to revive, gradually, the spiritual realization of the living entities. That is the beginning of life within this universe. These sacrificial rituals, however, are intended to please the Supreme Lord. Unless one pleases the Supreme Lord, or unless one is Kṛṣṇa conscious, one cannot be happy either in material enjoyment or in spiritual realization.

Q: Does these ritualistic sacrifices in themselves suffice to make us a spiritually realised soul ? 

Reply : No. Srila Prabhupada explains in the purport of SB 3.20.52 The ritualistic performances of sacrifice are meant for material economic development; in other words, they are meant to keep the body in good condition for cultivation of spiritual knowledge. But for actual attainment of spiritual knowledge, other qualifications are needed. What is essential is vidyā, or worship of the Supreme Lord. Sometimes the word yoga is used to refer to the gymnastic performances of different bodily postures which help mental concentration. Generally, the different bodily postures in the yoga system are accepted by less intelligent men to be the end of yoga, but actually they are meant to concentrate the mind upon the Supersoul. After creating persons for economic development, Brahmā created sages who would set the example for spiritual realization.

 

Q: Can one enjoy the material world and also become spiritually realised ?
Ans : No.

To each one of these sons the unborn creator of the universe gave a part of his own body, which was characterized by deep meditation, mental concentration, supernatural power, austerity, adoration and renunciation.  (SB 3.20.53)

Srila Prabhupada expands it further in his purport : The word viraktimat in this verse means “possessed of the qualification of renunciation.” Spiritual realization cannot be attained by materialistic persons. For those who are addicted to sense enjoyment, spiritual realization is not possible. In Bhagavad-gītā it is stated that those who are too attached to seeking material possessions and material enjoyment cannot reach yoga-samādhi, absorption in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Propaganda that one can enjoy this life materially and at the same time spiritually advance is simply bogus. The principles of renunciation are four: (1) to avoid illicit sex life, (2) to avoid meat-eating, (3) to avoid intoxication and (4) to avoid gambling. These four principles are called tapasya, or austerity. To absorb the mind in the Supreme in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the process of spiritual realization.

 

All glories to Srimad Bhagavatam.

All glories to Sri Guru and Gauranga.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

What makes Shiva both God and not God?

by

Hare Krishna.
28th Feb, 2015. Gurgaon.

shiva

“There are three things that are inconceivable: the position of Lord Siva, hladini sakti, and, yes, guru-tattva.” (BR Sridhara Swami)

Among all the spiritual personalities the position of Lord Siva is unique. In one of my previous blog I shared how I used to worship lord Shiva. After coming into Krishna consciousness I still retain a special corner in my heart for lord Shiva and now when I read and hear more lectures from senior devotees about him, the fog of ignorance over his exact position unfolds layer by layer, year by year.

Since last one month I am hearing a most wonderful seminar by HH Tamal Krishna Goswami Maharaj on Sri Brahma Samhita, it’s a series of 20 lectures spoken by Maharaj at Mayapur, each lecture is between 1 hour- 1.5 hours long. I never got a better clarity on subjects like prakriti, maya, yogamaya and Lord Shiva. It is pure nectar and I am now hearing the whole series again, hoping that my dumb brain may retain some portions.

Most of us have heard the example of `milk being transformed into curd and similarly Krishna transforms into Shiva’. Maharaj said this particular verse tell us what actually happens. Who actually is Shambhu ? Maharaj said that we often hear that Siva is God but not God, we hear that he is sort of in between position and in this particular purport there is a very nice description given on how he is constituted, what makes Shiva both God and not God.

Let us read BS 5.45 verse

kṣīraṁ yathā dadhi vikāra-viśeṣa-yogāt sañjāyate na hi tataḥ pṛthag asti hetoḥ
yaḥ śambhutām api tathā samupaiti kāryād govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi

Translation:
Just as milk is transformed into curd by the action of acids, but yet the effect curd is neither same as, nor different from, its cause, viz., milk, so I adore the primeval Lord Govinda of whom the state of Śambhu is a transformation for the performance of the work of destruction.

Maharaj first read the first part of the purport which says ” God becomes a distinct personality by the addition of a particular element of adulteration. Maharaj questioned `So what is this adulteration principle by which Krishna turns into to Shiva ?’

Srila Bhaktisidhanta Saraswati Thakura writes in his purport `The nondistinction is established by the fact that just as milk treated with acid turns into curd so Godhead becomes a subservient when He Himself attains a distinct personality by the addition of a particular element of adulteration. This personality has no independent initiative. The said adulterating principle is constituted of a combination of the stupefying quality of the deluding energy, the quality of nonplenitude of the marginal potency and a slight degree of the ecstatic-cum-cognitive principle of the plenary spiritual potency…..He is the lord of jīva but yet partakes of the nature of a separated portion of Govinda.’

Maharaj patiently unveiled its meaning in a manner we can all understand. Maharaj earlier said that he spent close to 1000 hours researching on the purports of Sri Brahma Samhita!

So coming back to our analogy, what is this adulteration which after being added turns milk into curd ? Here it is :

1. Lord Shiva has some part of that stupefying or bewildering quality of Maya. Maya stupefies people, she makes people bewilder, so some part of that bewildering quality is present in lord Shiva. This is one part of the constituent which makes Shiva no longer Krishna. Krishna has none of it but Shiva has some part of it.

2. The quality of nonplenitude of the marginal potency. Marginal potency means jivas and nonplenitude means limited, the jivas are limited. Maharaj explained that we say nityo nityanam cetanas cetananam… God is the supreme eternal but he is unlimited, we are also eternal but we are limited. We are limited and He is unlimited. Similarly, Lord Siva is not unlimited.
Apart from the above two qualities lord Shiva also takes two more qualities from Ramadevi (spiritual potency), these are

3. A slight degree of `anand’ or bliss.

4. A little bit of the `cit’ or congnitive principle of the plenary spiritual potency.

So lord Shiva has some portions of `cit and `anand’ (sat-cit-anand) too but not in full.

What does Krishna has ? Full portion!

So now we have this amazing detailed explanation of how `milk turns into curd’. We can not only understand our own self but now also easily explain to others as to what is this difference in detail.

If we read the purport we can see how these four points are clearly mentioned still it takes a pure devotee to unveil to us.

So this is the difference between Krishna and Shiva. The last line of the purport says `He is the lord of jīva but yet partakes of the nature of a separated portion of Govinda’. It means that although Shiva is the Lord of the jivas yet he partakes the nature of jivas (because of the various qualities he takes on).

When I had read this book earlier, I had somehow managed to read it but without any great realisations (other than the first verse). I had hurriedly gone over most of the purports. For a dimwit like me, even with a dictionary in hand, everything was way over my head! At that time just finishing this booked seemed like a great achievement! In my heart I thought `hopefully I will not have to read it again’! And I love it now. It is only due to insistence of Guru Maharaj, via his lectures, that devotees must carefully read and study Sri Brahma Samhita that I somehow gathered courage to hunt for some lectures on it and found this gem. HH Tamal Krishna Goswami Maharaj made the whole book, and its challenging purports, seem not unlike a coconut- extremely tough from outside and difficult to break, but once broken inside is pure nectar ! I request all the readers to listen to the seminar by clicking HERE.

All glories to lord Shiva.
All glories to Sri Brahma Samhita.
All glories to HH Tamal Krishna Goswami Maharaj.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

This Valentine’s day let us offer our heart to Krishna !

by

Hare Krishna.
14th Feb, 2015, Gurgaon

Let's give our heart to Krishna in this life time

Krishna gives us His final instruction in Bhagavad Gita in verse 18.65

man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru
mām evaiṣyasi satyaṁ te pratijāne priyo ’si me

Translation:
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.

On each Valentine day we are all pushed to ‘show’ our love to a dear one. Many, or most of us, already know (or read or heard) that we have had innumerable past births. So today, not tomorrow, not after five years, can we take a vow to offer our heart to Krishna, just for this lifetime ! And then see what happens !

Krishna Himself says in verse 9.23:

‘kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati’

O son of Kuntī, declare it boldly that My devotee never perishes.’

Now as a choice between leading our current (remaining) life full of eternal bliss, and a promise (from none other than Krishna Himself) to forever get a break from the eternal cycle of birth & death, is giving our heart to Krishna for just one life time a bad ‘bargain’ ?

So just for this one life time let us give our heart to Krishna and experience on our own the sheer bliss Supreme Lord gives us in return for our heart. Else millions of future lifetimes await us in any case and there is no ‘loss’ for us.

I am copying few verses from Sri Brahma Samhita, just by reading them a dry and stone like heart like mine feels attracted towards Krishna.

īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ
anādir ādir govindaḥ sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam

(Kṛṣṇa who is known as Govinda is the Supreme Godhead. He has an eternal blissful spiritual body. He is the origin of all. He has no other origin and He is the prime cause of all causes. )

cintāmaṇi-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vṛkṣa- lakṣāvṛteṣu surabhīr abhipālayantam
lakṣmī-sahasra-śata-sambhrama-sevyamānaṁ govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi

(I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, the first progenitor who is tending the cows, yielding all desire, in abodes built with spiritual gems, surrounded by millions of purpose trees, always served with great reverence and affection by hundreds of thousands of lakṣmīs or gopīs.)

veṇuṁ kvaṇantam aravinda-dalāyatākṣam-barhāvataṁsam asitāmbuda-sundarāṅgam
kandarpa-koṭi-kamanīya-viśeṣa-śobhaṁ govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi

(I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who is adept in playing on His flute, with blooming eyes like lotus petals with head decked with peacock’s feather, with the figure of beauty tinged with the hue of blue clouds, and His unique loveliness charming millions of Cupids.)

ālola-candraka-lasad-vanamālya-vaṁśī-ratnāṅgadaṁ praṇaya-keli-kalā-vilāsam
śyāmaṁ tri-bhaṅga-lalitaṁ niyata-prakāśaṁ govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi

(I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, round whose neck is swinging a garland of flowers beautified with the moon-locket, whose two hands are adorned with the flute and jeweled ornaments, who always revels in pastimes of love, whose graceful threefold-bending form of Śyāmasundara is eternally manifest.)

aṅgāni yasya sakalendriya-vṛtti-manti paśyanti pānti kalayanti ciraṁ jaganti
ānanda-cinmaya-sad-ujjvala-vigrahasya govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi

(I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, whose transcendental form is full of bliss, truth, substantiality and is thus full of the most dazzling splendor. Each of the limbs of that transcendental figure possesses in Himself, the full-fledged functions of all the organs, and eternally sees, maintains and manifests the infinite universes, both spiritual and mundane.)

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

(I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who is Śyāmasundara, Kṛṣṇa Himself with inconceivable innumerable attributes, whom the pure devotees see in their heart of hearts with the eye of devotion tinged with the salve of love.)

I will be extremely grateful if devotee can share their own experience of offering the heart to Krishna and those special souls who vowed to offer their heart to Krishna today.

All glories to the most fortunate souls who have already offered their hearts to Krishna.
All glories to Sri Guru and Gauranga.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

I am a soul !

by

Hare Krishna.
1st Feb, 2015, Gurgaon.

Quotes-by-Srila-Prabhupada-on-Presence-of-The-Soul

A very happy Nityananand Trayodasi to all the readers, I prayed to Lord Nityanananda for everyone today.

These days I am listening to multiple seminars on Sri Brahma Samhita by senior Vaishanavas. Listening to them is indeed a high point in my tiny devotional life so to speak, most surprisingly they match with whatever I am reading in Srimad Bhagavatam currently (canto 3). So many verses and their purports in Srimad Bhagavatam, and more so in Brahma Samhita, which I could not understand at all earlier, I can now appreciate them a little now. Brahma Samhita is indeed very profound, that’s the reason that it is sometimes said that the summary of all the vedas is in Vedanta Sutra and Srimad Bhagavatam is the natural commentary on Vedanta Sutras and Brahma Samhita is the summary of Srimad Bhagavatam ! It is a wonderful book.

While listening to these lectures on Brahma Samhita sometimes my mind and intelligence gets quite tired, specially after an hour or more of continuous listening of these heavy lectures gets too much for my puny mind and intelligence but still one part with in me wants me to keep on hearing it ! It was an astonishing realisation as it told me that there is something more of me than my mind, senses and intelligence…. soul. It was a unique experience, I never analysed like this ever before. So now when I read shastra my conviction is bit more strong.

I am ending the blog with a beautiful song called `Nagara Kirtana Song’ which Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura wrote and devotees sang today in the temple.

nadiya-godrume nityananda mahajana
patiyache nam-hatta jivera karana

(sraddhavan jana he, sraddhavan jana he)
prabhura ajnay, bhai, magi ei bhiksha
bolo krsna, bhajo krsna, koro krsna-shiksa

aparadha-shunya ho ‘ye leha krsna-nama
krsna mata, krsna pita, krsna dhana-prana

krsnera samsara koro chadi anacara
jive doya, krsna-nama-sarva-dharma-ssra

TRANSLATION

  1. Nityananda Mahajana so mercifully opened a marketplace in Nadiya-Godruma for the welfare of the suffering souls. In that market place only the Holy Name is traded.
  2. What is the price? sraddhavana jana he! sraddhavana jana he! Those who have faith in the Holy Name. This is the price! Faith! Sri Nityananda Prabhu requests the faithful persons, those who have developed faith in the Holy Name, to come and take it! Sri Nityananda Prabhu says, by the order of Lord Gauranga, O brothers, I beg these three requests of you: Chant “Krsna!”, worship Krsna, and teach others about Krsna.
  3. Being careful to remain free of offenses; just take the holy name of Lord Krsna. Krsna is your mother, Krsna is your father, and Krsna is the treasure of your life.
  4. Give up all your bad dealings, habits, and behavior and enter into krsna-samsara. The only relationship is with Sri Krishna, establish yourself in that relationship. Shower mercy on all the jivas seeing them as Sri Krishna’s and completely surrender unto the Holy Name of Sri Krishna. This is the essence of all dharma.

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

Initiation ceremony at Ujjain on Nityananda Trayodasi

by

Hare Krishna.

12th Feb, 2014, Ujjain.

There was an excitement in the air today morning. Today was Nityananda Trayodasi and initiations for the 8 fortunate devotees.

I got up a bit late, around 4.15am  and hurriedly got ready and was in the temple hall at 4.40am for the mangal arti. The temple hall was almost full. Guru Maharaj was singing the Guruvastakam in his ever melodious voice and devotees were in a transcendental trance completely absorb in the hearing Guru Maharaj’s voice and seeing the beautiful deities of Sri Radha Madanmohan, Sri Krishna Balram and Sri Gaur Nitai. Guru Maharaj left the temple hall after attending the Tulasi Arti. I felt cold and left for my room to chant and catch up with some sleep. I met Sumeet Prabhu on my way back to the room and we spoke for 15-20 minutes, I was as excited as prabhuji for his initiation ceremony.

I chanted my rounds for an hour and then tried to catch up with sleep. There was a knock on the door, I opened the door with half closed eyes, it was Sumeet Prabhu. He came inside and asked me if Giriraj Prabhu is here !! I told him I am his fallen servant, he laughed as he couldn’t recognise me in my night suite and without glasses. He need help to tie his Dhoti. When he left the room it was already 7.20am.

I changed and rushed back to temple to attend Guru Puja, which was half over. Everyone was waiting for the altar to open. Guru Maharaj was inside the altar room. One devotee told me that today’s darshan is going to be a special with peacock dress for the Deities.

The conch shell blew and t he altar doors opened, what a wonderful darshan. Deities seemed to be basking in their new dress !

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As we started singing govindam adi–purusham tam aham bhajami I suddenly heard peacocks singing in the temple. I looked back but there were no peacocks. I, then, realised that some enthusiastic devotee is mixing the sound of peacocks within the prayer and making it feel like as if peacocks are here !

After the arti everyone was waiting for the initiation ceremony to start. I chanted some more rounds basking in the bright sun in the corner of the outside verandah.

I saw Guru Maharaj going inside the temple hall. A quick dandavat and I ran inside the temple hall. Guru Maharaj gave an excellent lecture on importance of initiation. Few quick points which I was able to note on my mobile, please pardon me if there are any mistakes.

  1. Initiation means the beginning of the spiritual journey. Initiation is a formality, like we formally get admission in a school and get degree. We can study at home also but without a degree it is not recognised. Similarly without surrendering to a spiritual master the devotional journey is not recognised.

  2. The Sanskrit word diksha is a compound word and is derived from the two words ‘divya Jnana’ meaning  ‘transcendental knowledge’ and ‘kshiyate’ the verb ‘to destroy’. Hence it means that transcendental knowledge which destroy all sins.

  3. The spiritual master gives `Divya Jnana’ and the disciple goes back to the spiritual world. We need a vehicle to go to the spiritual world and that vehicle is the process of initiation.

  4. Mantra is actually the element which reveals the knowledge, by chanting the mantra and by meditating on the mantra.

  5. Earlier the mantras were kept secret and were given to the qualified disciples only. These were chanted in the ear so that others can not hear them.

  6. This was the process for mantra what to speak to Maha mantra. The difference is like machine gun and nuclear bomb, only very few add access to it. Similarly the we can take the example of diamond and Kohinoor diamond, the topmost diamond.

  7. Guru maharaj explained that beggars can never become millionaires. Only a king can make a beggar a millionaire. But kings  generally don’t do that. What if the king becomes mad, mad in Krishna Prema. So mahaPrabhu has asked Nityananda Prabhu to distribute this to everyone.

  8. Earlier only a Brahmin and that too only a qualified Brahmin could get a mantra. But MahaPrabhu kept no qualification or caste, anyone was welcome. MahaPrabhu asked Nityananda prabhu to distribute to everyone.

  9. MahaPrabhu said that `you can buy me through Mahamantra’.

  10. This way we are getting something which is not rare for even Lord Brahma and Lord Siva.

  11. Guru Maharaj then added that had Srila Prabhupada not gone to America and started ISKCON where would be all of us today ? What were we doing before joining ISKCON ? So we should realise our good fortune that we have got the top most mantra.

  12. Guru maharaj finally added that we need to take care of the offenses while chanting as offenses prevent Mahamantra to become effective. As an analogy consider what is common between a seed and a banyan tree. If the seed gets proper care then it becomes a tree. Similarly if we have faith as a fertiliser then we will see mahamantra as Krishna Himself. We need faith in our heart to make our heart fertile. Once the seed  becomes seedling then this `bhaktilata bija’ will grow and cross the material world, cross the Vraja river and then cross Vaikuntha and then land at the lotus feet of Krishna.

  13. Flower of this tree is bhava' and fruit of this tree is KrishnaPrema’.

  14. We must start our chanting with a prayer to Krishna to please protect me so that I don’t chant with offenses.

image20

Then the initiation ceremony began with chanting of Brahma Samhita. Guru Maharaj again stressed that verses 29 to 56 are the very essence of Srimad Bhagavatam and we must understand and memorise them. All devotees were provided with printed copies of these verses and everyone recited them with Guru maharaj. The most fortunate devotees received their Hari Nama Diksha from Guru Maharaj. Guru Maharaj asked  to each of these devotees to promise him to never leave ISCKON come what may, they all promised.

And then the `Yajnana’ began.

photo 2

The ceremony  got over in next 30 minutes. Newly initiated devotees, purified and elated, came out to take blessings from everyone around them. The whole atmosphere was a mix of excitement and joy. We were all under the divine sky of Ujjain Dhama.

All glories to Nityananada Trayodasi.

All glories to the newly initiated devotees.

All glories to the Guru Parampara.

All glories to Guru Maharaj.

All Glories to Sandipani Muni.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Srila Prabhupada is always with us

by

Hare Krishna.

It was 3rd June 2012, a Sunday. I went to the temple in the morning, attended Guru puja, listened to a cheerful  Bhagvatam class, had prasadam and  later completed most of my balance rounds sitting there. I felt very peaceful and fulfilled. I again wished if someone would have been there to sit with me and teach me something , anything. I had the whole day off. There was no one at home that day so no hurry to go back. I felt a little sad that I have all the time today and no one to teach my anything. I went to the temple shop and bought a copy of Brahma Samhita.

I don’t know what prompted me to buy Brahma Samhita. I had another copy at home and I had tried reading it but could not progress very far. I tried again today, sitting in the temple.  The initial verses were difficult to read but I continued. The initial 10 or so verses , specially their purports went all over my head as the English itself was very difficult to comprehend by my poor intelligence. From verse 11 to 28 it became better and from 29th onwards it became easy to understand and was very nice to the heart. I stopped at verse no 37 as the purport was quite long.

I came back home. I tried to reading it but could not concentrate. I slept and woke up at 4 pm and started reading it again. The next two hours proved to be one of the most productive of my life. The whole book seemed to so easy and full of delectable juice, it was as if someone is teaching me. Slowly, many topics like gopi’s paramour relationship with Krishna, explanation of Shambhu ( Siva) , Brahma, Ganesh, Durga all became clear. It was so simple yet profound. Then the last 5 verses were like cherries on top. I could not have asked for more simpler definition Bhava and then such nice explanation of Bhakti in the purport of verse no. 61.

For a strange reason I kept on looking at my watch while reading as I could not believe that all this information I am able to understand in such a short time.

I realised that day I am not alone in my spiritual journey, Srila Prabhupada is there with me, I only need to have a sincere desire in my heart. I thank all the senior devotees for giving me intelligence to realise it.

Srila Prabhupada ki Jaya.