Pure Devotion - the only doorway to enter Srimad Bhagavatam - Part 1

Pure Devotion Only Doorway To Enter Srimad Bhagavatam - Part 1

SB 10.33.38: After an entire night of Brahmā had passed, Lord Kṛṣṇa advised the gopīs to return to their homes. Although they did not wish to do so, the Lord’s beloved consorts complied with His command.

Lecture Points:

dharma projitah kaitavo- that this cream of all vedic literatures does not take into consideration any goal except the supreme goal.  Pariksit Maharaj was to die in 7 days- emergency- no gradual religious education- wanted to go to the heart- what is the essence of all religions, what is the duty of a person about to die. answer given - sa vai pumsam -pleasure for the  satisfact ion of mind, senses is temporary. sa vai pumsam -pleasure for the satisfaction of the Supreme samsiddhir hari tosanam. The culmination of the SB is the tenth canto.

Prev cantos of Sb science of creation - inconcievable power and potency the Supreme. Culmination of the tenth canto is these 5 chapters.

Gopis simple, innocent and pure.They were already way beyond all the yoga processes. They just wanted to serve the supreme object of their affection In their total humility they did not think themselves superior to the others. This kind of mentality is due to some sort of starvation  the heart - here we have this need, I am better than others, its unquenchable, because however much we get there is always a competition that we have to somehow or other overcome birth after birth this insecurity to somehow attain a superior position and then against the odds of time and duality somehow keep this position- it is all like a drop of water on a lotus leaf. Our wealth our power, fame so called superior position. Drop of water cannot reamin- one little wind, the lotus leaf cannot keep the drop of water , against the power of the Lotus leaf the wind will come- water slips off and there is not even a trace that it ever existed. Thats the nature of these things- yet we see within this huge population everyone is trying to get that drop and trying to cling to that drop.

athato brahma jignasa this human life is very special very rare- opportunity to realize the eternal treasure of Krsna prem- the highest most inclusive liberation. But Maya is so strong - This illusory energy induces a human being that jivatma may have passed through 8.4 mn species of life. PL do not take this lightly - in each of these births we had bodies that we were attached to just as we attached to now. We had mothers, fathers , sisters, friends, looking for protection and pleasure. The animals , birds, suffer and cling to happiness just like we do. Death is traumatic. Yesterday I took airplane from Patna to Delhi. In the airplane- I was seated in the front- 100s of mosquitos flew inside the airplane- near the friend. Literally when you go in the airplane there was swarms of mosquitoes- people complaining- paid extra to sit in the front..........

For most people devotees are supposed to be different. But when we swap and kill the mosquito it is a lot of trauma because he is trying to enjoy with the body- that mosquito loves his life- tiny brain senses are so tiny and small. Us compared to the mosquito what are the senses of the demigods- compared to them our brain and senses are like mosquitoes. That mosquito is going through a major crisis an trauma of death-the concept of para dukha dukhi- makes us compassionate to all jivas but it also helps us appreciate the opportunity we have in our human life. Everything is so fleeting and flickering . we have gone through birth, old age, disease and death - probably way more than 8.4mn times. The same type of experience that you will have of death in this life- if you are not self realized- thats what it takes to come to this human form. We have the opportunity to understand our eternal nature, our eternal goal- all of our dharmas, all of our duties, religions, relns are meant to harmonize with and facilitate this ultimate goal of life. That's what Bhakti yoga is - path by which everything is harmonized with pleasing Krsna, loving Krsna, liberate any us from the ego and its attachments.

 Gopis only desire was to please Krsna- did the Katyayani vrat- just recently- where they performed simple austerities to worship Katyayan o gte Krsna as their husband, very young- they did not want Krsna in the same way as someone wants a Bollywood star as their husband. Krsna is supremely beautiful attractive in every way- so that they could exclusively without any distraction or diversionby anyone or anything else serve and please Him . It was not for them but for Krsna- Krsna performed the incredible pastime of taking the clothin of the Gopi and returning it to them and promising them that he will fulfill this desire. Sarat Purnima- orchestrated the whole of vrindavan to accommodate the deepest loving exchanges. This is what Vrindavan is in the spiritual realm. Vrinda devi is the supervisor of the various fulfillment of Krsna and Radha's desire. Thru orchestrating with the cows, bird trees and yogamaya devi purnamasi,  Balarama expands as Vraja Bhumi.They are all making everything a perfect setting for loving exchanges. How the mood rose- we get some conception of how utiul it is when mood rises. In Vrindavan this is all the internal potency of the Lord- it is not of this world- that moon rise Sri Radha thru her potency of vrinda devi, purnamasi and yogamaya She is making the most beautiful possible environment for Krsna's pleasure. When Krsna plays His flute- vamsi vat- calls all gopis to come to Him- they put every other consideration aside to give pleasure to Krsna - this is love. They risksed everything- physical and emotional security and safety ,being ridiculed and condemned by society, risked -being homeless dwellers of the forest without any consideration- because that was all inconsequential- the only thing imp was - how we give pleasure to Krsna, that is love.

We get a sense of that from a father or mother's love for their child in this world. When that spirit of selfless, unconditional love is purified and magnified unlimitedly then we get a hint of what that spirit of love for Krsna maybe. Krsna reciprocates with this love unlimitedly. when they came to be with Krsna- He tested them and then they danced. Suka G who is a great renunciate Sanyasi- what was his renunciation - so liberated from any desires of material enjoyment- he was content to remain in the womb of his mother- how content is that- why should i go anywhere else- aham brahmasi, Brahman realized- pure realized brahmawadi- why go out into the world- why do anything- this is where I am its good enough- 12 years he stayed there- mothers only you can understand what that situation that is - us men say theoretically "Oh that's a long time- 12 years." Ultimately Krsna and Vyasadeva had to induce him to come out by giving an experience of something higher than brahman realization- higher than moksha is prema- or according to the acaryas- the ultimate realization of moksha is prema. 

Prema means the awakening of ecstatic love. when we suffer, we want peace- but heart yearns for something more than peace- to feel Krsna's infinite love and to lov Krsna infinitely is the innermost nature of the soul. So Krsnaetnd Gopis- the rasa lila is the dynamic spiritual expression of that love for each other. In certain realms of the spiritual world- just existence is the bliss of peace. In vaikuntha realm - the love of the heart, of the soul- because there is no material body and no material ego in the spiritual realm - there is only pure Atma and the pure Paramatma- the supreme- pure Rasa- that loving reln is expressed in infinite varieties of ways. 

Krsna danced with the gopis. At the End of the discussion of Rasa Dance- Sukadeva Goswami , this great sanyasi- who considers this the highest perfection of spiritual perfection - he is giving us todays verse just to show us what he just explained is so Xcendent to anything of this world. This dance lasted an entire of Brahma- night for mosquito is the lifetime of the mosquito- 100 years for us is very different for a mosquito. some insects live a few days- they go through the same cycle we go in a 100 years in a few days. Brahma's one night is 4.32 billion years..... Part 2 continued

Patience is needed to do the internal work

2013-02-04 Seminar Day 01-Patiently pursuing the goal controlling the urge to speak - Niranjana Swami ISKCON Chowpatty I am going to speak this evening from essays written by Srila BVT on vereses from Upadesamrita and these are 12 essays given in sri bhaktyaloka on the two verses which describe the 6 activites that are favorable and 6 activitires that are unfavorable for DS. Today we will to talk about daya or patience- we are going to put together based on this essay and another essay BVT has written in the same book - and speak about the topic of patience which is very relevant for practitioners of Bhakti Yoga, especially since these essays are especially to those who are engaged in sadhana and who are aspiring to achieve the goal of their sadhana which BVt also explains in the essay - what that goal is? In order to achieve that goal one has to be very patient.Patience is a virtue and Rupa Goswami gives it as something that is essential if one wants to advance on Bhakti. Modern times we want things very quickly , often times devotees in execution of their sadhana being impatient - BVt explains that sometimes they abandon their sadhana because they are not patient. He presents it in a very profound way ................................ As we said the chapter is called daya or patience.. One confusing word here is "those who are patient cannot do any work" - We should remember who he is addressing. Regular people might be impatient but they will do what they need to do to get to work- he is speaking about internal work- those who are impatient it is very difficult to do the internal work that is required to achieve the goal which he delineates- ahead-He summaraizes at the end what this goal is

Don't solve problems, transcend them

From the lecture:
1994-126 Don't Solve Problems - Transcend Them Lecture Mumbai - Radhanath Swami 1994-09-02 IDesireTree

When are efforts appear to be successful then we become attached and dependent on those material endeavors and facilities- and that attachment to that facility is a greeater bondage than what that facility was meant to relieve you from. 
This is the law of nature- dukhalayam ashasvatam.

Therefore Prahalada Maharaj has said - if you want to be happy in this world you have to stop trying to be happy in this world. In other words- if you want toa void suffering in this world you have to stop making material arrangements in this world to stop suffering, because those arrangements are really the cause of your suffering. 

The ahankar is the cause of endless suffering. Bec we think we are the doer of our acivities but they are carried out by nature. We are trying to solve problems of our life- but if we solve the problems on the basis of thinking that I am the doer. e.g Medicine is trying to get cures for diseases - but the diseases are getting worse........
It is not that the technology is bad- it is the ahankar that is bad. Science has made how much leaps and bounds. Through computers what man can do is unbelievable. Yet there is more durg addiction, alcoholism,crime, wars, water pollution, air pollution, heart pollution. Despite so much advancement in civilization and all our efforts are meant to solve these very problems and we have very excellent trained politicians in the united nations and every capital building. Yet every country is suffering wars, sectarianism, hatred. Why? Without understanding what Krishna is teaching in the BG- all of our efforts to solve the problems only increase the problems of the world.

There is nothing worn with science- technology, higher education- but as long as these endeavors to solve the miseries of material life-through these processes are under the misconception that I am the doer- as long as we are trying to solve the problems on the level of material attachment and material misconception that I am this body and everything in reln to this body is mine- we only make things worse. 

Therefore Krishna gives this simple solution- daivi hyeshi.... This material nature is difficult and impossible to overcome, but one who surenders s to Me can easily cross beyond it. And what does it mean to surrender to Krishna.- man mana bhava mad bhakto... that always think of me, become my devotee, worship me and offer homage unto me and in this was you will come to me without fail- it is said in SB- fear personified is fearful of Krishna. CC says that Krishna is like the sun and all the darkness of illusion that is the cause of so much suffering, strife and disharmony - in the presece of son darkness cannot exist. When we remember Krishna with love, with devotion, with sincere attention then all the miseries of material existnce cease to exist. Bec the miseries of material existence are illusory. Because Krishna says that the soul cannot be killed, cannot be cut by any weapon or made wet by rain. It is transcendental, when we realize our eternal identity as jivatma then all the material miseries cease to exist. Then para dukha dukhi- we see the misery in others and want to help them- give them reliefTo give a straving man food it gives him reliefe but to give him the food of Xcendental knowedlge and harinaam you can mitigate his hunger for bliss for knoweldge and joy for etrnity. We approve giving temporary relief but CM has the medicine that will cue the very source of all disease and end all suffering and that is the Holy Name of Krishna and if we take this medicine regularly acc to th prescription of the doctor who comes in the form og Gurudev, Sashtra and sadhus-they are giving us the proper prescription of how to take the chanting og the Holy Name it must be taken regularly everyday. Within our movement we chant 16 malas- but it must also be done with great attention, concentration and feeling- what is the feeling- Krishna your HN is my only shelter. BVT has prayed- I have seen and considered everything in all the 14 worlds and my conclusion is only the name of God can save me. Due to the false ego we are under the ullusion that we can save ourselves- through our money, influence, high education. But so many people have everything but their lives are a mess - time is consuming their lives and they are doing nothing about it. And their near and dear ones- go against them, are diesseased , they die- but we cannot do anything to control it. The more we think we can control in this world- the more we are controlled by Maya. whoever we are rish, poor, educated or poor- we understand that I simply live in harmonyby Gods will, purify my heart and become a Good servant of God then by Gods grace all the problems of existence are solver- that doesnt mean you will not grow old, disease and die- you cannot solve the pblm on the level of the pblm but you Xcend that. If you associate with lotus feet of Krishna then are consciousness becomes lotus like- it becomes pure- Om apvaitra pavitra va. Even if He walks on this world where everyone is suffering material existence - He is aloof , Xcendental and above it- if we fix our consciousness and focus on it we can be of this world but not of this world.

Chant the Holy Name iwith feeling- Krishna Your Holy Name is truly my shelter in life- we must chant th eHN in the mood of seeking shelter if teh HN.

From HH Radhanath Swami lecture

One of the most transforming realizations that I had in my life was a discovery- all of our desires, aspirations and all the frustrations we undergo due to not fulfilling those desires- hey all originate each of our hearts- in that love is true fulfillment- I spent sometime with mother Teresa in Calcutta- she said - the greatest problem in this world is hunger- not hunger of the stomach- hunger of the heart- the wealthiest people in the world are frustrated- there is only one thing that can fulfill the hunger of the heart-momentary satisfaction to the mind and the enses only  to love and to be loved can give satisfaction to the heart - unfortunately our minds are so distracted trying to find that same experience in so many other alternatives- to love and to be loved is the most fundamental need for all human beings- it is the only true pleasure that can satisfy us- According to all the great scriptures- the origin of that love that need for love is the love between the atma- that when you put water in the root of the tree- the root noursihes the branches the twigs the leaves the flowers- Krishna tells in the gita-I am the source of all material and spiritual worlds everything emanates from Him.

When we learn the art of placing the water of our love in the root of existence - the Lord- then that love naturally reaches every living being- Mamivamso jiva loke- wherever there is life it is a part of God- factually you cannot love God and dislike anyone- that is the real test. In the bible Jesus said in First testament- love God with your heart , mind and soul and a natural by product of that is you love your neighbor as you love yourself- see everyone with equal vision- see the spiritual essence- If my mother has a disease - I may hate the disease but I love my mother. The atma is perfect, but when it is covered by avidya or ignorance then all sorts of symptoms come- dissatisfaction, envy, arrogance and all other things. Yoga is to equip us with the realization so that we can see beyond the disease- to understand our sister or brother- our connection with everyone. BVT explained when we connect with the love of God which is within our heart- it naturally manifests within this world in the form of compassion- selfless compassion - is this not the greatest need in this world- things of this world are neutral their value is in the consciousness in which we use it. Knife in the hands of a theif- slash throat to take what they have - a surgeon with a knife will save a surgeon's life. everyone within this creation has it potential spiritual value- if we simply learn how to use it with devotion love. Nitya siddha cita prema sadhana kabu nay- wake up sleeping soul- you are sleeping in the lap of Maya- you do not know your true potential.

When we awaken that love- not only do we find that real oasis of pleasure then we can be empowered to share it with everyone else.

In order to fill our hearts with meaning and value- we have to empty it from egoistic pursuits. Gita says tani sarvanai samyayaya.... you cant empty in a sustainable way unless we fill our hearts/minds with something better. And we cannot fill it with something better as long we keep cluttering it with inferior thoughts and words and actions. ...param drstva nivartate... in a sustainable way- we can overcome our material habits- by experiencing something higher deeper and greater. Thats whya yoga helps- if done with sincerity- tams thaiva bhajmyaham - what we are looking for will be revealed to us- in order to get the maximum benefit we have to be sar grahi we have to seek the essence- who am I, what do I really want to become un insrument of the sweet, all pervading love of the Supreme Lord- that is the highest aspiration.

On the banks of the river Ganga- under a Banyan tree 5000 years ago- sukatal- where the great SB was spoken. Pariksit was the emperor cursed to die in 7 days in the prime of his youth, all citizens loved him, he had a wonderful family he took shelter at the ganga devi- all sages of the whole planet gathered.

Among all the 100 sages and rishis they chose a 16 yr old boy so qualified- king asked him 3 questions primarily - just tell me the very essence of all the scriptures- ? what is the primary duty of every human being in all places and circumstances? What is the true duty of a person who is about to Die?

Time is precious- utlize every moment we have - nourish the real need of the heart-.

Sukadeva G tells a story in 10th canto about little Krishna about 2 years old."one who understands Krishna is bhagavn descends in this world and he is the possesor of all potencies even when he is a tiny baby and just to reciprocate with affection of vrajwasis- he appears like a helpless little child." A lady come out of the forest- no education - no caste- very simple lady living in the forest. she had a basket of fruits- nobody was interested in buying. Little baby Krishna- enthusiastic, just learned to work- he knows everything but just to attract our heart he is learning how to walk- he runs with grains in his hand- to barter- all the grains were falling from his hand and then only two pieces of grains left in his hand. she was so charmed by the sweetness of his smile- she wanted to please him.- she did not know who He was- she filled His arms with fruits- if you want come back I will give you more- He ran home carrying the fruits. Mothe asked where did you get these fruits- he said I purchased this. She said you cannot trust everyone- Meanwhile the lady turned around and her fruit basket was filled with precious jewels overflooded- she did not notice it- she wanted ot get more fruits from her hut to get more fruits to please Krishna- when she came back the basket was filled with the most priceless jewels- in her enthusiasm to please the Lord- she dumped the jewels and filled it with fruits- gave it to him and He was very happy.

Her basket of the the heart was filled with the purushartha shiromani - prem- love for teh God and for all living beings patram pushpam- simple bec she offered a few fruits with devotions- Gopal said lets distribute these fruits- giving to friends and neighbors- however many dhe gave out there was not end to those fruits- anyone who ate it they were completely satisfied - this is the reciprocation of bhakti- devotee wants to share the prema of the Lord with the world and the Lord wants to share the fruits of the devotees wlove with the world

From some lectures

Anything you neglect will be spoiled- if you neglect your son or daughter- their consciousness will become unstable. Hitler was a neglected child and look at how he expressed his inner anguish- neglect can create a lot of destruction. If you are an employee you will be fired- you cannot neglect- whatever occupation neg;lect can destroy. Nature of the world is problems and you have to fight against problems- if you do not fight they will subdue you.

If you neglect your spiritual practices then soon you will find that you will be a puppet in the hands of Maya . You will lose your taste , enthusiasm and faith in the process of Bhakti- somthing that was so possible that gave meaning to our lifes. If you neglect spiritual practice proper behavior then you will lose everything.
Old house where people live in is solid structure, ut that old house which is empty is dilpaidated.

To keep something in good working condition you have to maintain it- you cannot neglect it.

Laws Of nature, when Brahma wakes up He was has to create again. BRahm is asking "Why do I have to do this job of creating? when the whole purpose of material creation is to make people suffer." What is the purpose of this suffering?- So that people will actually want to solve the problems and turn to God.

Envy

For Kaliya what was th e source of ahppiness for everyone was a source of distress for him because he had envy

A devotee is free from envy.
To the degree we envy that is a sign of how fallen we really are- unfortunately the nature of envy is that it convinces is that we have rights above others. We cannot tolerate another person excelling beyond us, whoever they are- A devotee is the opposite - greatest joy is to see other people excelling, to see others being empowered, blessed. when we find joy in seeing the success of others , Krishna finds joy in seeing us. When we are pained in seeing the success of others , Krishna is pained in seeing us. We cannot make spiritual progress by paining  Krsna. even if we can accomplish great things by material perceptions... atha pumbhir... whatever our occupation , our social standard- all of our advancement in bhakti comes by pleasing Krishna- we please Krishna when we are motivated to give pleasure to Krishna. Krishna is the SPG of Godhead and being His parts and parcels we have the same essential spiritual qualities as Krsna in minute proportions. When people please us, we are happy. Why? Because when people Krsna He is happy. When people pain us we are unhappy and similarly when people pain Krsna He is not happy with us, He is atmarama - He is completely ecstatic in His own right in the spiritual world.. but within this realm of this creation the paramatma Krsna 's manifestation within our hearts and around us, we cause pain to otehr people , Krsna is pained. This is the nature of envy.

Kaliya was so envious- He loved to cause pain to others. What was the degree He pained Krsna he killed all of Krsn'as cowherd boyfriends who were more dear to Krsna than His won eternal life and soul and he killed his  cows and he was happy to do so. so Krsna understood I must take action and He did. As He was dancing on Kaliya's head everyone was happy but Kaliya was suffering. Everyone else was happy seeing Krsna happy dancing along with Siva;s drums, gandharvas drums and heavenly instruments. Most of us have not heard the heavenly concerts . Krsna was so blissfully dancing as kaliya's 1000's of hoods were trying to eat him- he was not old but young- constantly attacking Krsna. Krsna did not even bother looking at Kaliya. When Krsna wants to humble somebody He makes you look insignificant. Kaliya could not touch Him and Krsna didnt mis a single step- so graceful and sometimes just to give extra pleasure to His devotees and and extra pain to Kaliya He wouls start playing His flute - so many things at one time. Why was Krsna giving so much merciful pain to this snake. Because of the wives of Kaliya who had innocent simple hearts were praying for Him. What was the qualification of Hiranyakasipu to get liberation- ofcourse Narsimha deva was not dancing. Narsimha deva was with nails, so much anger- even Laxmi Devi could not approach him, But how Krishna did with Kaliya was so sweet and graceful and everyone could approach Him. Ultimately by the prayers of his wives and his own becoming humble

2013 01 13 Sunday Feast Mahaprabhu cures envious Gopal Chapalla Radhanath Swami ISKCON Chowpatty

This is one of the more prominent pastimes of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu which is told in CC and also referred to in Caitanya Bhagavat.Bec of the crucial message that it carries.

Psychology is one of the sciences of medicine - it is also a very important study in order to actually imbibe Vaishnava Character- what was the Psychology of Gopal Chapala and that of Srivas Thakur. Their values were completely oppsoite although both were trying to achive ethe same thing- real fulfilment- anada mayo bhyasat. But according to what we sare influenced by we seek our fulfilment in various ways. ST was seeking it under the influcen of the his eternal soul- anotehr words actions, words, were the manifestation of the quality of his etrnal soul. jivera swarupa hoya .... the nature of the atma is to find dfulfiment in giving Krishna fulfillment. when you water the root of the tree every part of the three is satisfoied. He was motivated by uncondiional love- GC was influenced by false ego- seeking fulfillment in his own prestige in his power and sensory powers. The symptom of the disease of GC manifested as Envy. why envy? Generally we envy someone who has something common with us. GC sort of spriitual leader in Navadvipa- ST very simple humble person but was gaining respect and honor from others. GC had a paricular interpretation of brahminical culture and the cutlure of the vedas and that was if you want to make true spiritual progress then you have to be scholarly, study vedas, submit to brahmins- if they bless you you will take your next birth as brahamanas. And ST and others were speaking the conclusion of all the knowledge of the vedas is to surrender to Vasudeva. After many births and deatchs when you finally come to the actiuall culmination of true knowledge.you surrender to vasuedeva knowing that He is the cause of all causes and all that is. sarva dharman parityaja mam ekam saranam- to abondaon all varities of dharma and occupation and religion just srrender to me- deliver you do not fear. ST was seeing every living being as an eternal servant of krishna and wanted to inspire everyone to attain the peerfection of all knowledg loving devotional sewrvice- he had compolete faith in the vedic conclusion that by simply chanting the name of hari one can attain the ultimate perfection of life. One os ST's very best friends was HT who was from a caste perspective an untouchable- for the caste samartha brahamansa like GC was untouchable unseeable- his shadow touched your house you had to wash your house with cow dung- and here ST was inviting haridas in at the kirtans embracing him and was teaching common people who had no real qualifications as far as he ws concerned that they can attain the perfection of life by dancing and signing- ? We see the world through our particular state of consciousness If that envy of the ego is allowed to flourish within our consciousness then we rationalize , see, percieve, interpret everything in the cloud of that envy- and we can genuinely be convinced of it- he was seeing Srivas as a genuine enemy of vedic culture and he could take so many instances to prove oit and so many verese of scripture to justify it. His decision was i must destroy him. He put all kinds of abominable things and ut it infront of ST's house at night when kirtan was going on. St did not know. GC 's plan was that in the morning when people would see they could conclude that ST was performing low class rituals that people in tamo guna perform and his name would be destroyed. ST had no eny and no pride- he only wanted to please krishna and therefore he had no fear.

When St saw all this he admitted to something he never did- he told all the people of navadvipa that this is what he did every night.,But nobody believed him and they cleaned up for him and purified the place. GC because of this offense he got leprosy - in those days you werent alloed to live amongst peope of soceity you were anished if you had leprosy- not onlt was he totally suffering physically- emaciated, deformed, fingers, toes, nose fell off- his family and society disowned him- he had no one- living alone near the bank of the ganges- he became somewhat repentant but not enough-. Once Lord CM was passing he said "pls save me" CM said that "because you have offended ST you will suffer like this for million births and he waled away. He said that out of compassion, love for GC's soul- bec he knew that he had to deeply understand the offense. What we learn from this is anybody can say i am sorry because they want to avoid some reaction- but that is not what liberates us from the offense- what truly liberates us when we truly want to change from the core of the heart. Very imp message. He was suffering, crying, begging but CM understood that he just wants to get out of what he has done but he hasnt really changed- he is still envious. But he did change in due course of time. Greatest blessing for GC was leprosy- as far as ST was concerned he always liked GC. he as praying for him- no feeling of anger animosity revenge he was a wellwisher because of taking shelter of krishna. These are the qualities of one who takes shelter of krishna.this is what a vaishnava is- SP explains that the prominent of vaishnava is that they have no envy- bec they have taken shelter of krishna. the deepest disease of the heart is envy if we love krishna we cannot be envious of anything- if we are envious of krishna we are potentially envious of everyone if the circumstanes ra efavorable. so hat leprosy cause dhim to reflect and deeply understand how good srivas was and how wrong he was. He was like that for years. This si something that is very important for a devotee to understand- sometimes we thing why is god letting something happen but from the perspective of truth- nasato vidyata ebhava - that has no cessation is real.... this body is going to grow old a, diseased and die, but the sould is ertenal no birth no death. Krishna sees for how we are as a eternal souls, 1 or 2 lifetimes is insiginiifcant there is an eg that one acarya gives- this particular physical life of ours is like taking a pencil

http://audio.iskcondesiretree.info/05_-_ISKCON_Chowpatty/10_-_2013/01_-_January%202013/2013-01-13_Sunday_Feast-Mahaprabhu_cures_envious_Gopal_Chapala_-_Radhanath_Swami_ISKCON_Chowpatty.mp3

Cure of Souls in Vaishnava Communities - HG Ravindra Svarupa Prabhu

Part - 01 a

The course is "Cure of Souls ......"
The phrase Cure of souls is an old English expression when a preist would take a parish it was said he was given the cure of souls in that area. Curate- refers to the old use of the word cure.

the word means care- care of souls but I also like the modern sense of cure- making well.
In one sens theis course is what iskcon is supposed to be about- curing souls of the comtanination of material existence and returning them o the association of Krishna.
I am going to use the work of a Chirsitian preacher -
Boisen is 1876-1965 an American lived a long life is actually because he was a strict brahmacari all his life.

Why I am going to use Boisen I will explain in the course of discussion.

First book- "Exploration of the inner world- a study of mental disorder and religious experience" reprinted a couple times.This is regarded as a classic in the psychology of religion. Second book- Religion in crisis and custom". this is his autobiographjical study of mental disorder and religion. Then I found " a manual for pastors"

Boisen is regarded as the founder of Clinical Pastoral Education that is to do with the pastoral care of mentally ill people and there is an association that carries this.

this course is not about the pastoral care of mentally ill people. What happened to Boisen he had a schizophrenic episode put in mental hospital  When he came out of the hospital could not convince anyone he was doing good. He was put again for a year. He came to the conclusion that what he was diagnosed as schizophrenia was actually a spiritual crisis  St Paul,maybe even Jesus, George Fox went through similar crisis- breaking up of the inner world and putting it back together on a new foundation that's what was happening to him. When the crisis is resolved successfully then you have a siant or religious leader. When it is unsuccesful you have someone who is maybe crazy and spends the rest of life in the mental hospital or he can be stabilized in an unsatisfactory way.

Anton Boisen was discharged from the mental hospital- he was already an ordained minister of the Presbyterian church.- very strict Presbyterian upbringing. He went back to study the psychology of religion and was able to work as a chaplain in a mental hospital to verify what he had thought he had discivered. Certain insights into what he calls the laws of spiritual life. Then he went and applied the same ideas to a normal parish- he had students who had the Cure of Souls and they decide to look at what was going on with all the people in their congregation to apply it normal life and discovered the same things apply there- this is in the first book Exploration of the inner world. In the second book he tried to apply the same ideas a religious groups as  wholes.

Boisen uses a lot of insights form social psychology- the book has an appendix of terms. It is the notion that the internal structure of the individual mirrors his social structure- that we are fundamentally social beings and we have internalized things that are happening in the society at large.

e.g - for Boisen salvation means to be accepted in the company of those you esteem most highly -pure devotees. Sin from a psychological point of view is isolation from the association of those people from whom you want to be accepted.

It turns out social psychology is very important for ISKCON bec our personalistic phil . As far as I am concerned the idea that God is a person is tied to the idea

Who is a Vaishnava - Part 3

Lecture Link: Who is a Vaishnava - Part 3 HH Radhanath Swami

Another time he was eating Bihari Lal put a big plate in front of him and would bring him prasad. Not far away a dog had puppies and these puppies would see a plate of prasad and they would run up and eat off the plate as he was eating. After seeing this, Bihari Lal chased the dogs away the next day. JDB asked where are the dogs- I am fasting until I have the association of these dogs. He would not eat. Bihari Lala brought the dogs back - gathered around in a circle around the plate and JDB ate blissfully - He said they are dogs of the holy Dhama of Nava dvipa. On anotehr occassion Bihari Lal was carrying him on  a basket on the shoulder - a wealthy man gave a big donation - BL gave it JDB - he said go back to that wealthy man- take this money back- you gave me only a few rupees, I feel the wt of it is so heavy- how will my servant survive.I can imagine you have so many rupees- how much of a wt is on your life. At other times he would accept donations- One time someone offered 200Rs- this is about 150 years ago, how much is it worth today- JDT took that money and told BHL that buy rasagullas worth 200Rs.

Ac to Sacidanananda Prabhu that is crores of Rs- Rasagullas. JDT said that feed them to the cows of Nava dvipa but dont give them to the bogus Babajis. The cos of the Holy Dhama.
When he was 146 years old he was in Sruya Kunda in Vraja bhumi and was going to Navadvipa. All the paramhamsa said you are so old why are you leaving Vrindavan- why not stay here- it is the Holiets place near Radha Kunda. JDB from the heart of his heart- he said I am a very fallen soul- Vrindavan is the place for the highest paramhamsas - internal part of Krishna's lila- I am very fallen. Let me give my life in Navadvipa- Lord CM and NP will give love of Krishna they give true realization of Vrindavan even to the most fallen souls like me. Let me return to Navadvipa.That was his humility. He was a guru of so many great great souls Disciple of Madhusudan Das Babaji who was just 2-3 lines after Baladeva Vidyabhusan , great souls he initiated like BVT writing prolific literatures and spreading the Holy Name lilke anything but he considered himself very fallen- living in the dust of navadvipa and cxalling out for the mercy of Nityananda Prabhu and Lord CM.

That was his last day in Vrindavna. He was so exalted by all sages and vaishnavas that when BVT had that vision of where the birthplace of Lord CM is - this is strongly controversial even to this day.Bec in the Kuliya gram side of navadvipa there has been for 100years a place that is worshipped as the birthplace of Lord CM. BVT from his examinations of scriptures, maps and discussions with exalted people- he said that that could not be that place...........

But he found the real place was on the other side of Ganga , He had a vision of light emanated form that place- he saw all Tulasi Plants growing although it was just a field nothin else would grow inly tulasi would grow. his final cinfirmation had to come from the realization of JDB- BHL got him ins  basket and got him down. JDB leaped out of the basket and started chanting the Lord;s names. BVT then said with all certainty that this is the birth place of Lord CM.

Today is also the disapperance day of HH Tamal krishna goswami Maharaja.Its already 11 o clock and SB is way beyond its boundary. Should I speak a few words about TKG.

what can I say about this very loving kind Godbrother who personally showered me with such immense affection kindness encouragement. I believe in 1968, he first came to SP along with his best friend who was lated Vishnu Jana Swami Maharaja. Thjey came to San Francisco and obviously a great saint from a prev life , he just committed himself 100% to SP and his mission.

Now in those days there was no instituon of ISKCON a little storefront in N"Y and IN SFO. In SFO noody wore dhoti or shaved heads very simple, but he joined there- meeting SP, hearing the phil, chanting the HN, tasting prasad committed his life. Practically from the first day although he was committed to serve as das anu das- SP saw himself as a leader , he was willing to commit himself and to take any typoe of risk for his gurudev. SP said that nothing great can be done without takin risk- if you are not willing to take risk then remain mediocre. SP took such immense risk at the age of 70 with nobody to recieve him. To stay in NYC despite everybody asking him to go i was a risk. When they gave him a storefront and told him that they could help with the first month;s rent- he did not nobody ands yet he signed the contract tooh the storefront in Manhattan that was risk.

SFO, London- signed for the land in Mumbai when he did not have any money- he took risks.
These early devotees include TKG had such faith and although PS disciples were rapidly growing more centers more places, SP had such trust in the commitment and abilities of tKG. Quite amazing. devotees were doing Harinaam Sankirtana- there was nothing else- no books , magazines to distribute. Temples were little storefornts- and do nama sankirtana- yoube heard about those days.

SP ordered TKG to organize first class sankirtana parties first time-most imp service in all of ISKCON.JHe put him incharge. Devotees were going all scattered out- he roganized the,m dressed in proper way, singing proper way- he organized in proper way and he inspired them with all faith to go outside and do nama sankirtana it was incrediblly sankirtana. SP told him to go all centers in ISKONC to organize nama sankirtana. NY has senior people and he is coming to tell them how to do nama sankritana . Dstributing BTG- he took it so seriously he was ogrganizing it when it first came out and couple years later- distribution was practically nothing- TKg was just determined that he would organize 1000s of BTG to be distributed- SP told him to go center to inspire and train people how to dsistribute BTG- Sometime later- SP started printing his books and SP had that faith and triust in the dtermination, enthusiasm and commitment of TKG. He just systemized organized book distribution very much in various parts of the wolrd- spearheaded. SP called him to London- nama sankirtana, btg, book distribution, stds of cleanliness, deity worhsip stds, like SP right hand man in so many ways. SP when he came to India- very difficult project end of 1970 his disciples arrived. Organizing a movement here anything devotees tried to do land money always getting chated and getting sick, very difficult . SP called TKg because he had such faith and trust in his commitment and allegiance in exactly doing things the parampara way. He put TKg in the most difficult service at that time to be the GBC of all of India when there was nothing here- for several years he did it- SP more or less was the GBD but TKG was his right hand- famous story when TKG wanted to take sanyas big controversy - he was so determined he wanted to give his life, no distractions form SP service. SP gave him sanyasa and he saw how SP loved Book distribution- he wanted to go to the west to expan Book distribution- he went to America joined with Vishnujana Swami maharaja who was doing drama , rock shows mantra- TKG organized from one little bus he organized an army of Book distributors- through their preaching and BD brining dozens from secular world, and training them to be book distributor- 4 major buses , 25 vans criss crossing all of america broke all recoird for BD.

Amazing.

SP called him for so many projects. Yesterday I was in Calcutta SP was striuggling to get land in Mayapur forces within and without blocking SP from egtting land in Mayapur- he sent many people but nobody could succeed. From Calcutta SP sent TKg with cash, Rs no check credit card- not an easy Mayapur was a land of dacoits, some gaudiya maths but very dangerous place travel by bus. SP took a pience of cloth like a kaupin and wrapped it around his waist - ruppes aorund his waits to buy land. SP personally showed him how to ties it so nobyd could see it. He spent days and days anf ffinally he convinced the people to sell him the land and all those rupees in small notes, he had to write the serial number of every note in order for the transcatiuon to be accepted. He got the deed - impossible and middle of the night he came back to Calcutta SP light was still on - he was translating his books- usually nobody disturbed SP when he was translating his books. TKg came in prostrated before SP, went on his knees- he said SP the land in Mayapur is yours and then handed SP the deed of ownership.

SP said I think "I was waiting for You, he was very very pleased and longer than anyone else he served as SP personal secretary and during SP last year 27:53.

The Magic of Love

From the lecture : "The Magic of Love" by HH Radhanath Swami

"Our real strength is in the willingness to care for and support others. We are caretakers of divine property. Wisdom is to understand the simple universal principle that in giving we receive . By getting things we make a living and by giving we make a life. the spiritual evolution of a society can be understood when people love people and use thungs. But all too often in today's world it is is the opposite. People use people. I discovered something that really transformed my life. A simple ageless truth. All of our desires, with their longings, gratifications and frustrations stem from a  single origin , forgetfulness of a love that is inherent within our own hearts and in that love there is truth. In 1971 I learned this lesson from a very unlikely and unforgettable teacher. I was just coming out of my teenage years, I decided to walk higher into the Himalayan mountains. Suddenly I came upon seeing something horrifying. There were people that were homeless, starving, some naked,some  in rags, their limbs were mingled and deformed. I had stumbled into a leprosy colony. When they saw me, a foreigner they thought I had some money.20 of them made a circle around me so tight, I couldn't move.

They were screaming bakshish bakshish-" Give me Charity". Part of me was thinking why are they doing this to a stranger?"-  And another part of me was thinking they are so destitute and so completely forgotten by society they have a right to do whatever they want.It was about 20 minutes they harassed me, finally when they realized I had nothing to give, they let me go. When I walked a few steps only I saw to my side a short distance away an old leper women, she was laying in rags, her nose was melted into a hole of decaying flesh. Our eyes met. she looked at me with a sad smile. She understood my anguish . At that moment she conveyed to me wordlessly the tender love of a mother. Her look conveyed to me that she wanted nothing from me, but she understood how devastated I was  with the shocking encounter with her people. She held out her fingerless hand to bless me, moved by her motherly affection , I approached her and fell on my knees with her hand on my head and she said " May God bless you my child". I looked at her, her face was lit up with joy, she was beautiful. I felt that God had sent me to her so that she could do what any mother however rich, poor, healthy or sick has a right to do- to bless a child. I wept.

Later that day I was sitting on the bank of the Ganges.I was thinking that poor leper woman who had such an appalling disease like the river beneath the surface there was so much more. It seemed to em that all she really wanted is to love and be loved. She wasn't cursing God for her misfortune, rather she was giving God's blessings to one another with great joy. This made me contemplate , how easy it is for us to focus on our differences. What this leper woman taught me, if we look deeply within our own selves, within others we will find that beyond the differences , nationality, gender, appearance, race, health and disease there is something essential we all have in common., The souls inherent capacity to love.

In every heart there is Good dog and bad dog- represents the tendency to be mean , to be selfish. Good dog- is our divine nature. Sometimes bad dog howls so loud that its reverberating in our minds. We hardly hear the sound of the good dog, calling out for our attention. Which of these dogs will prevail, the one we chose to feed moment by moment by the choices we make.

My beloved teacher, Srila Prabhupada was once asked by a reporter- you are a swami, can you show me magic. He quoted a verse that Lord Krsna has said in the BG- the real magic of life is the wisdom of our own divinity. When we understand beyond the ever changing body and mind, the living force has the inherent capacity to love. When we access that love in ourselves then we can see our harmony with God with nature and with each other. The real magic of our lives is transformation- arrogance into humility, greed into generosity, hate into love, sorrow into joy. It is said ,that you can understand how rich you are by counting how many things you have that money cannot buy.

Inner fulfillment, to love, to be loved, that unconditional love which is inherent within all of us , is the greatest power in the universe- it is power that has such force to motivate us to accomplish things that we can accomplish things wonderful for ourselves, our families, our communities. Whether we are politicians, scientists, businessmen, agriculturist or a little swami that capcity is within all of us and when we harmonize that principle within our lives we can be empowered by grace to make extraordinary changes in everything we do.