Tag Archives: Srila Prabhupada

What is the shape of the soul ?

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Hare Krishna.

15th December.

Quotes-by-Srila-Prabhupada-on-Chanting-Krishna’s-Names

Yesterday at Bhagavat Gita class with HG Vidur Priya Prabhuji proved to be extra beneficial for me. We were at chapter two and verse 17 of Bhagavad Gita. He asked everyone now that we all know what is the size the soul, can we tell what is the shape of the soul ? I never thought Soul could have any shape at that small a size and this questions never crossed my mind. Someone answered it should be circular as it is a perfect shape, someone else suggested it cant have a shape or it is just a light source, etc.. It was Pawan Prabhu who came close the answer and suggested a link with our spiritual self. Then prabhuji clarified that the shape of our soul is exactly as our Spiritual self, Sidh swaroop. Due to wrong consciousness or contamination it gets shrunk to the size described in scriptures, 1/10000 part of the tip of the hair. He further explained that when we begin our sadhna bhakti and the consciousness starts getting purified our gross and subtle body start becoming spiritualised.

Another important point he empahsised was that bhakti is all about right consciousness. The externals do not matter so much. He gave the example that when a person dies he gets the body depending upon what was his consciousness at the time of death. Now if someone puts a leave of tulsi leave or ganga jal in the mouth of that person then again that person may die thinking of the pious benefit Tulsi leave has or in a case of a devotee who shows gratitude and remember the service Tulasi Maharani does for Radha Krishna and though both person die with Tulsi leave in their mouth, the results would vary drastically depending upon the consciousness of each person.

He stressed the need for right consciousness in whatever activity we do in our lives especially in our sadhna bhakti. He added that is the reason Srila Prabhupada named our society as International Society of Krishna Consciousness.

We learn something every time we read a verse of Bhagavad Gita. It is a delight to see how effortlessly Prabhuji teaches us each verse so that everyone understands even the subtle points.

All glories to HG Vidur Priya Prabhuji.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Misplaced love

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Hare Krishna.

14th November.

Quotes-by-Srila-Prabhupada-on-Effect-of-Loving-God

The day before I heard my wife snapping at her favorite maid. I was surprised at her tone as my wife treats this poor maid very well, sometimes too well resulting in humour laden satires from my daughter and my own self. Anyway, I found it was a small money matter, that inspite of receiving many goodies she still asked my wife something very petty which surprised my wife and hence her sharp tone. I remember she told her` How dare you ask such a thing from me.’ I told her that all her efforts to shower her love on maids since last 10 years have resulted in a naught. Every time she feels let down, a little hurt and then forgets it till the same result from next one. She is somehow born with a gift to shower affection on poor people. In a way she teaches rest of us in the family to have a large heart.

This latest incident made me think. I later told her  `I always tell you that you are  misusing your wonderful affection’. She scoffed at me initially but absorbed the point I made.

I remember below lines from Srila Prabhupda

The love is there. It is reserved for Krsna, but due to our foolishness, we are distributing that love in so many ways, up to the dog. This is called illusion. We do not know where to apply love. If you see, all these words is touched with the word kama, kama. Kama means lust. There is no question of love. And love … Prema and kama is described in Caitanya-caritamrta. What is prema and what is kama. Atmendriya-priti-vancha tara bali kama. Kama. What is lust? Atmendriya-priti, to satisfy one’s own senses. Therefore, atmendriya-priti-vancha. Everyone is trying to satisfy her own senses. That is kama. Lust. And then, what is prema? Krsnendriya-priti-iccha dhare prema nama. When the same propensity is transferred for satisfying Krsna’s senses… just like gopis.

Today, we are actually doing a business in the name of love –  you give me this and I will give you that and if one stops giving it then it’s a good bye.  A pure trade deal. atmendriya-priti-vanca, always trying to satisfy our own senses and calling it love.

This very word love, prema, is specially reserved for Krsna. Prema pum-artho mahan. That is Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s preaching, that the highest perfection of life is to evoke one’s dormant love for Krsna.    (Srila Prabupada)

All such daily instances teach us that we really do not know where to apply our Love. When we apply our love, with Krishna in the center, then automatically we will love everyone else too. Srila Prabhupada gave the example that if we love a tree then we would automatically love all its leaves, its  fruits, its  branches, its twigs, everything. That is the secret of achieving real love, even in the material world.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

My prayers

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Hare Krishna.

Quotes-by-Bhakti-Charu-Swami-on-The-Mercy-of-The-Vaishnavas-and-Lord-Krishna

The first time I prayed with all my heart was when HG Sarvabhauma Prabhuji came to Punjabi Bagh temple and gave a lecture on atonement almost two years back. I used to feel a lot of guilt over my past karma and did not know how to get rid of them or ask forgiveness from all the people whom I hurt. All the past incidents would come into my thoughts as I would chant, it was getting difficult to chant. In the lecture Prabhuji mentioned that apart from our own lack of courage to face people and ask for forgiveness, we should also be careful that we don’t hurt them again by opening the old wounds and many a times people don’t see our bad intentions and don’t even know what transpired.  So he suggested a way around it. He told us that we can write all our past mistakes on a letter addressed to Krishna and ask  for forgiveness and a promise to not  repeat them. And later read the letter in front of the altar and again ask for forgiveness with all our heart . After completing it we should tear the lette and the guilt should go away. For me it was a message from Lord and it took me 3 days and many sheets of papers to write my past mistakes. As I wrote I was full of shame and surprised at what I did and wonder for what petty gains. So one morning I went to temple in the afternoon, read my whole letter to Krishna and Balrama and then tore the paper into pieces. It may sound unbelievable but all my guilt went away in less than a week and I could concentrate during my chanting.

Then another time was when I asked HG Rukmini Krishna Prabhuji that I am not able to find a Guru, I was completely blind that time with eyes anointed with ego, I feel ashamed to look back at my conversation. Prabhuji, all merciful,  listened to me patiently and then advised me to pray to Nityanand Prabhu and Lord Balram. I followed his instructions and started praying to Them. I met Guru Maharaj within few months. Hari Bol ! But I was, and still am, so ungrateful that  I didn’t thank any of my Lords. I thought it was all my good luck or my own enthusiasm which made it happen, more shame.

Third incident relates to my trip to Surat this year January to attend Brahma Samhita seminar by Guru Maharaj. I was most fortunate to share the room with HG Nanda Vraja Prabhuji from Auckland. We talked and discussed so many spiritual topics, I shared my concern on the slow progress my family in their devotional journey. He instructed me to recite Shad Goswami Ashtakam. He added that the six Goswami are most merciful and they will bless me to remove any impediments in my spiritual journey. I googled the ashtakam and found it had  difficult sanskrit words and I could not even recite it. I dropped the idea and forgot all about it once I came back home. Many months later,  I don’t remember what was the trigger, but I pulled myself to start reciting Shad Goswami Ashtakam every morning. Well, in next two months I could see the change which I would call nothing short of a miracle.

vande rupa-sanatanau raghu-yugau sri-jiva-gopalakau….. All glories to the six Goswamis.

All glories to the Wonderful institute of ISKCON and its glorious, and most merciful, devotees.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

All glories to Guru Maharaj.

Power of prayer

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Hare Krishna.

I wrote in one of my previous blog that how I chant but do not pray to Lord so regularly.

Yesterday I was wondering why I pray so less. And this too when so many devotees   instructed me in the past to pray whenever I went to them with some difficulty in my spiritual progress. I had no clear answer. It is more bewildering when I look back and see that Srila Prabhupada, Lord Balarama, Guru Maharaj, whomsoever I prayed, those prayers have always been answered.

Few days back HG Chitralekha Devi Dasi Mataji sent me below mail. Mataji does a wonderful service by sending daily a pastime of Srila Prabhupada,  one can subscribe it at srila-prabhupada-said@googlegroups.com.

Once, Srila Prabhupada gave a class at the Bhaktivedanta Manor in which he told the audience, “The difference between you and me is that you can fall down but I cannot fall down.” Later, after the class, Srila Prabhupada was praying in front of the deities, and one disciple asked him, “What were you praying?” And Srila Prabhupada replied, “I was praying that I may never fall down.” The disciple responded, “But in your talk you said that you can never fall down.” And Srila Prabhupada replied, “Yes, because I am always praying never to fall down, therefore I can never fall down.”

I could not keep these words from Srila Prabhupada’s away from my thoughts. Then I realised that this is the trick, to pray and pray continuously . I have to always depend on the mecry of senior Vaishanavas, acaryas and my Lord so I don’t fall. I realised it but didn’t put into practice.

Last Friday during at a prog at Sumeet Prabhhuji’s home I suggested a mataji that she should pray to Krishna. Later, I again thought why I am not praying so often, do I consider myself so advanced that I don’t need to pray. The answer was negative but it prodded me to start praying immediately, without any more delay or thinking.  It took association of devotees to finally get me started.

All Glories to merciful devotees !

I also realised that whole Srimad Bhagavatam is full of wonderful prayers and if those exalted devotees needed to pray then what chance do I have to progress in my devotional life without praying continuously. This process also helps me keep a check on my ego. I know that any progress in my material and spiritual life is due to mercy and not by own efforts.

Due to the mercy of Guru Maharaj,  Srila Prabhupada and association of devotees, I have started to pray regularly and I pray at the feet of all the vaishanava to please bless me that I never forget to pray.

I will share some of my experiences of praying in my next blog.

All Glories to Srila Prabhupada.

All Glories to Sri Guru and Sri Gauranga.

Natural is healthy and free, well almost.

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Hare Krishna.

When Guru Maharaj stayed with us last month he left a packet behind, it was already opened and when I took it out,  it had neem twigs. I reminded him of the packet after 2 days and he said he deliberately left them as  they were too hard for his gums. With a strange bit of coincidence I had received a mail mentioning Srila Prabhupada asking one of the devotees to get his some twigs from a tree during one of his pastimes in USA and spoke about using twigs from eucalyptus, mango and even birch trees to clean his teeth. Something kindled inside me to tell that this is too much of a coincidence and I decided to  take it up. Over the years my teeth had turned pale yellow and whenever I would request my dentist to to polish them he would scoff at the suggestion and tell me that polishing damages teeth’s enamel and not to try it.

Next morning I took one big twig and brushed my teeth with it. It was like brushing with a hard tooth brush, my gums bled a little as I tried too hard scrubbing my teeth.  Once done I asked my wife and she told me that there is a visible difference, this was day one.  Enthused, next few days I got a hang of how to brush it with the softer twigs and go easy on the scrubing. Result : White teeth, and the mouth feels fresh hours after. I am hooked on to them forever.

Second activity is my hair.  I used to put an Aloevera gel after bath to set my hair and over a period of time I knew it didn’t work well till evening and then the salon person suggested a spray with natural ingredients, using it made my hair full of dandruff. One day Anand Prabhuji was at my home and he asked for coconut oil and when I gave him he rubbed a little on his hair, as he rubbed it he told me that using oil is good for the hair. I just smiled wondering it had been decades since I used oil on my head except for an occasional head massage.  When the neem twigs worked like a magic on my teeth, I somehow  remembered that conversation and started using coconut oil after bath on my hair. Within 2 weeks all my issues with hair are gone, no dandruff, the hair are set till evening and no one has yet complained that I smell of coconut !

Lastly, I had a bout of bacterial infection in my throat few weeks back and Atma Prabhuji suggested that I should have not started anti biotics and should try  neem capsules. He told me not to buy commercial ones as the capsules contain gelatin. He was kind enough to lend a bottle of capsules from his own stock. On the second day my throat was 60% normal, though I had continued my anti biotic dose. But now me,  my wife and my daughter are taking two capsules every day. This will be a long term benefit and would only the difference after 6-8 months. 

I realised that using these simple natural products not only I benefited health wise but they also cost me almost nothing compared to what I was using. I only had to overcome my own inhibitions built up over years.

I request readers to kindly share their experience of using natural products.

Srila Prabhupada is always with us

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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.

Srila Prabhupada’s purports give us complete knowledge

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Since last one week or so I was trying to read NOI as I realised that even after reading it in the past I don’t know much about it, beyond the surface level reading. I downloaded various lectures by senior devotees and downloaded few notes posted on iskcondesiretree and was unsuccessfully trying to learn the `deeper’ meaning of each verse.

Today morning as I sat again to learn the first and second verse I opened pocketveda on my ipad and as I started reading the verse first and then instead of going back to my downloaded notes I felt like again reading Srila Prabhupada’s purport, after reading 3 paras of second verse’s purport the meaning came in a flash to me, I was shocked the way I was able to absorb it.

I realised that atleast for me reading Srila Prabhupada’s books are best way forward. My hankering for reading previous acaraya’s books came down drastically today morning as I realise that Srila Prabhupa has given us jist of all vedic literature. If I understand them well then may be in future I can understand other books better.

I was hopping like a monkey from one book to another and from one lecture to another. I let my own mind and intelligence take the decision over faith in instructions of my diksha and siksha gurus to read only Srila Prabhupada’s books and do not read too many books. I beg forgiveness at their lotus feet and promise to first read all of Srila Prabhupada’s books diligently and beg all vaisanava to help me develop faith in Guru, Shastra and Sadhu.  Today I again realised that using my own intelligence I can’t reach anywhere.

All Glories to Srila Prabhupada.

  • Posted by Giriraj Das on August 10,2013 at 7:30am

A wonderful garden

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The best thing we can all ask for and aspire for in our devotional service is to wish for Sadhu Sangha. All our Anarthas can be be gone with Sadhu Sangha and we can hope to get Krishna Prema one day.

Prabhupada made such a wonderful arrangement.

He created a garden full of blossoming flowers

And ensured that new flowers will continue to blossom even after he has left this planet.

This unique garden has gardeners, teachers, administrators…

This is a unique and the best garden in the whole world.

These flowers will continue to spread the sweetest smell of Krishna consciousness for next 10,000 years.

This beautiful garden has everything a soul can aspire for and then more.

And Prabhupada named this wonderful garden….ISKCON

  • Posted by Giriraj Das on June 8,2013 at 6:00am