https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqDuTMAHhlA&list=UUUZTWReIbBYqOFL9TyKFblg
How to receive grace?
Only the full moon shines on the blue lotus then it opens - then it manifests the most intoxicating sweet fragrance that fills the atmosphere. Our hearts are like the blue lotus - tightly shut.No matter how many donations you give, how many fasts you do, you sleep on the floor, sleep in the cave,, how many rounds you chant, no matter how many times you offer puja, how many mantras you memorize - it will remain tightly shut. When Sri Radha's grace shines upon us like the rays of the full moon it naturally opens , it blossoms and when our heart blossoms with prema with ecstatic love- we are anandam buddhi vardhanam- that happiness we feel spread everywhere to everyone . That is grace. samsiddhir hari tosanam. When Krsna is pleased with us, then Sri Radha manifests that grace from within and without. Through the grace the Lotus of our heart blossoms. Ultimately we are chanting according to the instructions of SP and the great acaryas- studying SB , worshiping the Deities and we are doing so much seva service, because this is the treasure the gift, that God has given us and when we do it sincerely, honestly, attentively and earnestly and take it very seriously then they will be pleased upon us. Then that grace- trnad api sunicena..... we just chant Holy Name with this spirit - humility,tolerance, eagerness to respect others and a service attitude based on that spirit- and sri radha's grace will be with us.
Rasa Lila
So the Rasa Lila is described.Krsna had desire to exchange love and satisfy the desires of His most blessed, intimate devotees- The gopis- Bank of river Yamuna is river of liquid prema- yamuna devi- is an intimate eternal associate of Krsna from Goloka descends to assist in His pastimes with the devotees.
The love of Krsna's heart manifested into His breath and as He blew or played His flute , that breath came to the flute - that flute is an eternal expansion of Himself- a loving servant that facilitate the love between him and His devotees
When Krsna blew into the flute - the love in His heart manifested as the sweetest music that this creation has ever heard. It was not the kind of music we listen to with our ears- it was Krsna's ecstatic love for the souls of the Gopis. The special feature of this love that manifests in the form of music- as it entered into each Gopis ears and their hearts - it uniquely, personally manifested itself especially for that Gopi. There were no two Gopis who heard the same song. Krsna in their hearts in the form of this sweet song was present, calling them to be with Him.
43:52 Each one of them knew that the way they left they may never be welcome to come back again but if that is what it means to please Krsna let it be. As they were moving to the forest, their hearts were beating with inconceivable anticipation to serve Krsna and when they came to bamsi vat on the Yamuna bank to meet Krsna He smiled upon them. That smile was everything. Krsna could manifest His love through a glance,smile, song of the flute and the love He was manifesting through that smile - it was like a tsunami of ecstasy that was drowning the Gopis.
46:38
Srila Prabhupada said in spiritual life there is perfect, more perfect and most perfect and there are unlimited degrees of most perfect.
51:00
When we offer our love to Krsna it naturally extends to every living being including our loved ones. At the deepest level , so Krsna accepted defeat from the gopis and they began to dance. Our great acaryas tell us that this is a pure spiritual relationship- not a tinge of material desire attachment or lust. Its the deepest love of the soul. Suka G, Sri CM. Ramanaujacarya. RG, RDG, the greatest renunciate in the history of the world have proclaimed that the purest love of the Gopis is the highest renunciation of this world. We would never hear Suka G or Sri CM or RG, RDG they never talk about affairs between men and women - they are constantly thinking about love of the Gopis for Krsna Because it is transcendent to this world and that is why we cannot understand this Gopis love for Krsna unless we are touched by the grace of Sri Radha. It takes a very humble heart, a lifetime of seva and deep selfless humble chanting of the Holy Names to be able to actually connect with this. Krsna's love is so perfect, every Gopi and there were many many gopis were thinking Krsna is only with me.
Of all the beautiful qualified Gopis that are here- acc to Sri CC and the scriptures- the gopis everything about them is for the pleasure for Krsna- incredible beauty- not because they are born with karma of good beauty - everything about they cooked, looked, sang an expression of their love for Krsna-because they loved Krsna so purely, deeply, selflessly they were so beautiful. The scriptures tell us even the most beautiful ladies of this earth planet, their beauty is insignificant compared to the beauty of those in the heavenly planets.
Compared to the ladies of vaikuntha - they are infinitely more beautiful than the ladies in the heavenly planet- more than that queens of dwarka- more than them whose beauty is insignificant compared to the gopis of vrindavan- inconceivable, unimaginable its all an expansion of their love their heart. Each gopi knows how beautiful , qualified every other Gopi is . And they are thinking Krsna is only with Me, smiling with Me, left everyone, every Gopi is thinking like that- reality is - everyone of them was right- it was true Krsna was intimately only with them, while He was with everyone else. Krsna wanted to teach all of us several lessons.
Lessons 58:06
The gopis they actually had no pride in their hearts.They were completely transcendentally liberated -but there was a type of spiritual pride that they had and Krsna wanted to teach us a Lesson. Howveer elevated you are- exalted in our spiritual relaizatioon- if we become proud and think I am better than others then Krsna withdraws Himself from us- it does not please Him. Srila Prabhupada explains what is the consciousness of a Maha Bhagavata - a really self realized liberated lover of God. A Mahabhagvata is thinking - I am liuberated, advanced and love Krsna and you do not. A Maha Bhagavata is thinking (acc to a Mahabhagavata) it takes one to know one - everyone is serving Krsna better than me. Thats why for a MahaBhagavata to be in this world and be a preacher and everything they have to adjust their consciousness, because their natural thinking is like this. The question is are we doing all the things we are doing as an adjustment or are we thinking everyone loves Krsna better than me and everyone loves Krsna better than me. That is total humility- the gopis are on that stage - but by the power of Krsna's love they began to think that Krsna wants to teach us - we should never think we are better than others. If we have been given a special gift- we can think I have recd a very special gift , good fortune that others may not have been given. That does not make me better than them but it makes me more fortunate than them and I must share that good fortune with them because I am their servant.Thats the way a devotee si supposed to eb to every living being- servant of the servant.
So Krsna left the Gopis and all the gopis another reason is He wanted to increase the love for the Gopis - they were in the highest stage of spiritual happiness when they were dancing with Krsna but it intensified so many times more when he disappeared - now they were totally absorbed in yearning for Krsna what a samadhi stage they were in - chanting Krsna's name, imitating His pastimes- asking the moon,deers, insects,trees and the flowers - did you see Nanda nandana - which way did Shyam Sundar Go? Where is Gopinath? They were not thinking of anything else and they were together performing Krsna's pastimes- the only way they could survive was by being totally absorbing Him. They were feeling his presence so deeply in remembering His smile, All of His glance, His words, His pastimes with His gopa friends, parents, killing of demons, pastimes with them- remembering all this and exploding with love- Where is Krsna- I want to see Him, I want to serve Him, I want to pelasee Him, that was their lvoe and ultimately they realized that Krsna left them all for SMt Radharani, of all the devotees the Vrajbasis have the sweetest love- gopis, sakhis, Sria Radha.
And the Gopis with such deep appreciation they glorified Sri Radha that Her love and worship is above and beyond everything else- we left everything for Krsna and He left us for Radha- they were following the footsteps of Sri Radha and Gopinath. Then they came to a place where sri Radharani was sitting and crying for Krsna bec even she was thinking Krsna left everyone for Me, so Krsna left even Her. That is one way of understanding but highest way of understanding is this-Krsna wanted to show the world- the ultimate supreme revelation of love is the love of Radha for Krsna....the AT is one but it manifests as two R and K to exchange the Supreme Love- and to manifest lvoe- the lvoe between Them expands into the hearts of all living beings- Their love for each other is the focus, the center of all material and spiritual existences.
So now they are all so deeply- in their separation with Krsna they were totally united with one heart to please Krsna- such sympathy , affection and love for each other in their search for Krsna. They were searching in the dark recesses of the forest of Vrindavan. Ultimately they came to the bank of the Yamuna - and when the love for each other and combine love for Krsna in separation their sympathy for each other , the condn they were in in separation from Krsna - they all held hands and loudly performed kirtan of Krsna's Holy Names.They chanted together with all their hearts- Harinaam Sankirtana. Krsna appeared. This is the gift of Sri CM - param vijayate sri Krsna Sankirtanam- The greatest benediction on all creation is the chanting fo the Holy Names, golokeara prema dhana harinaam sankirtan- this kirtan of Krsna's names is descending from Goloka.
Sri CM is Krsna with the love of Sri Radha. Teaching us how we can again be in the presence of Krsna and He is giving us Sankirtana coming from CM- this process is bringing us right into the culmination of the Rasa Lila with the Gopis are together chanting Krsna's names to invoke Krsna's presence- thats what was happening at Srivas Anagan when Sri CM and His associates were chanting. We read in the CC and Sri CB- the kirtans at Srivas angan were non diff than Rasa Lila in Vridnavan . United chanting Krsna's name together- no more powerful means of invoking our love of Krsna and awakening our understanding of Krsna's love and feeling His love at every moment. Krsna manifested to the Gopis - He told the Gopis- even in an entire lifetime of Brahma- I cannot repay you for your love for me. these are simple Gopis- leave their little houses, come to the forest and dance with Krsna, externally it did not seem like they did much, they did not build temples, they did not do years of austerities in caves, they just loved Krsna and wanted to please Him in such a simple way and Krsna is so grateful- from His heart He is speaking- I am the Proprietor of everything in spiritual and material worlds- with everything I have and all the powers I have, I have no way to repay you for your love for Me.He is speaking to each and every one of them.
Krsna is so moved, He is conquered by the love of His devotees- that is the nature of His love- by His own sweet will He is conquered by the love of His devotees- so He requests the Gopis to just eb happy with the love you have in itself because that has more value- Your love for me has more value than everything I have - just be happy with that love and in their love they feel Krsna's love- this is Rasa Lila and they danced in the night- People like dance, romance, Devotees understand the real dance and romance is to give our hearts to Krsna- without selfishness, without egosim, with seva, service. We show our love for Krsna by how we cooperate with each other even if it is difficult. Kali Yuga is difficult but with the challenge comes the opportunity to love- if we are not willing to take the challenge we are not qualified for that love.It is difficult to cooperate- husbands and wives but to come to a higher platform- for Krsna's pleasure we will cooperate and I will respect you and I will be good to you even though....God Brothers , God Sisters, God Cousins cooperation, respect, amanina mana dena these are challenges and we have many challenges in this world- of weather, other people, health - how to keep thinking of Krsna, keep feeling grateful, how to keep trying to please Him and be united in doing so. The greater challenge- the greater advancement we make when we actually resolve it on the Higher principle of how to please Krsna.That is the path of Bhakti. Krsna danced with the gopis and he wanted to fulfill their desires and they wanted to fulfill His desires- so Krsna orchestrated in such a way they danced all night long. But Krsna extended that night to an entire night of Brahma - long time, beyond any conception of material history- billions of years. They danced all night long and part of their dance- went into yamuna river- played among the Lotus flowers- decorated each other with flowers, the gopis made a nice bed of flowers for Radha Krsna to rest- Vrindavan- land of love and tonight as we are speaking in the aprakata Lila- eternal lila of Vrindavan, Sri Radha and Gopis are performing Their Rasa Lila on banks of Yamuna and here in Chowpatty beach, 7 KM Munshi Marg- Mumbai 400007 in this temple Sri Sri RG have manifested in Their eternal original all merciful forms- They are performing their Rasa Lila- Krsna is playing His flute and according to our lvoe we can hear it- How many of you cna hear it - so we should be very humbled, crying together- this is how we should be chanting the HNs tonight- as we chant we should be one heart crying out Radharani , Hari and Krsna's names for Their pleasure-offering our hearts, bodies, minds and lives for Their pleasure through our chanting.
And crying Krsna if it pleases You steal my heart, so I can hear your flute, steal everyone's heart so everyone can hear your flute- let the whole world hear your flute , feel your love. why do we yearn to go to Vrindavan bec that is where we can do a service to RG that is most pleasing to Them and by SP mercy he is giving us the chance to do that right here- this is vrindavan. Thank you very much.
Tuesday, October 28, 2014
Wednesday, October 22, 2014
Real Artha Servant of the Servant of the Servants Radhanath Swami
Main Points:
At this instance Krsna has asked Mucukunda to ask for any benediction he likes.
- Whatever greatness we see in this world, is all a spark of his splendor.
- So what is the use of me meditating upon my greatness or abilities- all of these are coming from Krsna and who am I - a tiny infinitesimal part of Krsna.
- All greatness is because of my connection with Krsna as a loving humble servant.
- That humility is the only thing of value.
- Krsna and the His devotees in the center. My desire must be to serve Them. That is the greatest opulence
- Satyavrata Muni is not even praying for his own connection with Krsna . He is happy just seeing the lovingn connection of Krsna with Yashoda Mayi
- And yet it is the primary desire of everyone not to be personally enjoyed by Krishna but everyone's greatest happiness is to see the exchange of love between Sri Radha and Krishna.
- Practical Application- Be happy seeing devotees flourish and grow.Serve them so they can do their services nicely and please Krsna. Whatever service I do, I do to please the devotees and my spiritual authorities.
- I don't want to aspire to be anything. Just want to serve. To be a humble and menial servant eternally. To chant nicely, and hear Maharaj daily.
- I do not wish to be known as the leader or owner of any service. I wish to think how best I can serve the devotees I am serving with.
- I do not want to become Krsna, or the leader or owner of any service
- Do not desire to be personally enjoyed by Krsna - Krsna is anyway reciprocating many times more than what I deserve. The question I need to constantly meditate upon is How best can I serve Him and His devotees.
- Real greatness is to have the power to appreciate the greatness of others and ultimately to appreciate Krishna's greatness and how it can manifest through me and how it can manifest through everyone else and appreciate Krishna (HG HVP - We need to become experts in glorifying Krishna), and to take blame.
- What is blocking me from appreciating others? It is my own envy and my own need for wanting appreciation and love. But Guru and Krsna loves me fully and completely. I do not have to worry about achieving something to earn their love. So I do not need to compete with others. I can sincerely serve them and appreciate them.
- Greatest position, achievement is to be Das Das Dasanu Das
- Vrindavan Dasa Thakura he describes in Chaitanya Bhagavat, that the greatest achievement, the highest position that we can achieve, greater than being a king, greater than being a demigod, greater than achieving liberation into the unlimited Brahman, is to be Dasa, to be a servant, a servant of God, and Sri CM extends that greater than a Dasa, our eternal nature, is Dasa Dasa Dasaundasa - to be the servant of the servant of the servant.
- Everything else is an illusion. Even in service I am after so many things. I pray to Mucukunda, To sri CM, VDT, sP that I do not get deviated by so many wants I may have - that I only serve to become servant of the servant of the servant
_________________________________________________________________________
At this instance Krsna has asked Mucukunda to ask for any benediction he likes.
2014 10 12 SB 10 51 45 Real Artha Servant of the Servant of Servants Radhanath Swami
16:00
Krishna did not even look at him. Did not even acknowledge him.
He can singlehandedly defeat all armies in the world.
Krishna walked right up to him, and then kept walking.
Just walked by.
------------------------------
Krishna knows how to humble everyone, and in due course He does.
Its just a question of whether we are willing to admit our humble position before God.
Sri CM gave us this verse "Trnad Api Sunicena" - one should feel oneself more humble than a blade of grass.
Actually that is our condition, because by the powers of time, we are hardly even a blade of grass.
We are going to be trampled on, in this life or beyond. So to be honest, is to be humble.
Whatever we know, whatever we can speak, whatever we can do is all by the grace of the higher power of Krishna's grace and Ultimately It will be taken away on the material and emotional level.
So one who understands this is naturally humble. Ahankar, False ego, can only exist in ignorance, in darkness. Krishna Surya Sama, Maya Hoya Andhakar. KC means to bring the light of Krishna into our lives.
------------------------------
Krishna did not even look at him. Did not even acknowledge him.
He can singlehandedly defeat all armies in the world.
Krishna walked right up to him, and then kept walking.
Just walked by.
------------------------------
Krishna knows how to humble everyone, and in due course He does.
Its just a question of whether we are willing to admit our humble position before God.
Sri CM gave us this verse "Trnad Api Sunicena" - one should feel oneself more humble than a blade of grass.
Actually that is our condition, because by the powers of time, we are hardly even a blade of grass.
We are going to be trampled on, in this life or beyond. So to be honest, is to be humble.
Whatever we know, whatever we can speak, whatever we can do is all by the grace of the higher power of Krishna's grace and Ultimately It will be taken away on the material and emotional level.
So one who understands this is naturally humble. Ahankar, False ego, can only exist in ignorance, in darkness. Krishna Surya Sama, Maya Hoya Andhakar. KC means to bring the light of Krishna into our lives.
And if we are actually KC, because Krishna is the source of Surya Narayan, the source of the light of sun which illuminates everything within this material existence. Source of Brahmajyoti, which illuminates everything within the material and spiritual worlds.
He is the Paramatma within our hearts. When he reveals Himself, then all ignorance is dispelled, and then Ahankara/false ego can no longer exist.
In the presence of the light, beauty/power/wealth
Whatever greatness we see in this world, is all a spark of his splendor.
To the degree we realize the greatness of Krishna, we love Krishna!
And in that love, the ego is "Jivera Svarupa Hoya Krishnera Nitya Dasa". Thats the real ego, thats our nature. To think I am the proprietor, controller, enjoyer is simply false ego, borne of ignorance.
Kalyavana is casting nasty words at Krishna. Krishna does not care for his nasty words. He is exhibiting His opulence of renunciation.
No one what he tries, he cannot touch Krishna!
--
Mucukunda sacrificed everything for the sake of service.
There are certain pushings of human nature that when neglected, become great necessities. If you dont get proper sleep nothing in your body can work properly.
34:00
Everything is taken away by time.
Whatever the demigods can give is all bound by the prowess of time.
Time goes so fast, its so relative. He had experience.
Difference b/w a demigod's life and ours is like that b/w ours and an insect. SP said some insects are born at sunset and die before sunrise. They go through their complete lifecycle of "100 years" in 12 hours.
For the demigods, a moment
So he saw that why should I ask for anything thats ultimately going to cause me misery? Dukhalayam Asasvatam A Brahma Bhuva Loka. From highest to lowest they are all places of suffering cos everything is bound by time. Sometimes the longer you live the more you get attached to things, and when the inevitable comes, you have to let go.
In one sense its really a powerful stmt Mucukunda is making.
Whatever you demigods, I served you, but whatever you can give me is of no relevance. All the things demigods could give, planets, mystic power, influence, fame etc. Anything within the material creation, the demigods were willing to give him. And he considered it all so irrelevant before the powers of time because it is temporary. He just said let me go to sleep, and whoever tries to make me they will burn to ashes. And he know Indra was listening. The Acharyas tell that he didnt want demigods to wake him next time.
-------------
39:30
Here is a most powerful warrior, and he could not catch Krishna.
Krishna walked, and Kalyavana was running.
Krishna with Yashoda He ran, He ran like anything and Yashoda Mai caught Him and not only did she catch Him, she tied Him up with the ropes of her love to show the world that Krishna cannot be caught by any other means but devotion/bhakti.
In the Damodarashtakam, Satyavrata Muni is describing this same concept of benediction because people have so many desires in this world. People live for desires. I do not want yogic powers, material pleasures etc. I only meditate on your pastimes as Damodara seeing how You are conquered by the love of Your devotee.
--------------
41:30
In the Damodarashtakam, Satyavrata Muni is describing this same concept of benediction because people have so many desires in this world. People live for desires. I do not want yogic powers, material pleasures etc. I only meditate on your pastimes as Damodara seeing how You are conquered by the love of Your devotee.
He is not even praying for his own connection to Krishna. He just wants to appreciate Yashoda's love for Krishna and Krishna's love for Yashoda. Such a Vaishnava. He is not putting himself in the center.
In the spiritual world, if we want to go there we have to have this consciousness. Everyone in Goloka Vrindavan, Krishna is reciprocating with each and every person, intimately, personally, uniquely. When Krishna is sitting on the banks of Yamuna and eating with cowherd boys, each of them is thinking He is looking only at me. When He is dancing with the Gopis in Rasa Lila, each of them is thinking He is dancing and looking only on me. So Krishna has this. Every flower is thinking Krishna is just smelling my fragrance. And He is so happy and that makes me so happy. And he is looking at my beauty and I just want to be more beautiful for Krishna. Every peacock, every being Krishna reciprocates directly, personally with everyone.
And yet it is the primary desire of everyone not to be personally enjoyed by Krishna but everyone's greatest happiness is to see the exchange of love between Sri Radha and Krishna. All the gopis they may have so many lilas and competitions with Krishna, but their primary desire is just to see Krishna enjoying Radha and Radha enjoying Krishna. Thats their ultimate benediction. Krishna enjoying Radha and Radha enjoying Krishna and I am here to serve. And for those in Vatsalya Rasa, they just want to see Krishna enjoying the love of Yashoda and Yashoda Mai enjoying Krishna.
So everyone is happy to see not themselves in the center, but Krishna and devotees in the center.
And that is the prayer of Satyavrata Muni. I dont want anything, I just want to see Krishna how your enjoying Yashoda's love. I want to meditate on that. Let that be my identity. Devotees dont want to be these great souls.
-----------------------
Practical Application
Aspire to be servant of servantDevotees don't want to be these great souls.
CM prayed - my ultimate aspiration is to be servant of servant because that consciousness pleases Krishna the most!
There are so many persons by their yogic powers, their knowledge, their strength, their charity - none of these things can catch Krishna - only devotion.
Krishna revealed Yashoda Mai - she was just a gopi, not a queen of Dvaraka - but she captured Krishna
The younger gopis - because they left everything just to please Krishna. Ultimately, all the gopis during that beautiful pastime appreciated with the greatest happiness Sri Radha's love for Krishna and Krishna's love for Sri Radha. There was no envy, no selfishness. There was so appreciation. They were all united in appreciation of Radha's love for Krishna and Krishna's love for Radha. In that mood, they started chanting Krishna's names. Krishna appeared in response to the congregational chanting of the Holy Names. Krishna told the gopis I cannot repay. Each and everyone of you, I have no power to repay you. Even if I offer everything I possess for an entire lifetime of Brahma, still I cannot pay my debt to you. That's the value that Krishna puts on the love of the devotee.
Kalyavana insignificant. Ravana, Hiranyakasipu all insignificant. Conquerors of the world.
But a gopi, someone who loves Me - that is Artha - greatest value.
Krishna does not give that love easily.
Lord Narayana to Durvasa Muni
My devotee is always in the core of my heart - Core means the essence, the most intimate place - To be in the heart is something very special - because the heart is the center of love for the entire body.
My devotee is willing to do anything for Me. and I am willing to do anything for My devotee.
Practical application
If this is how Krsna, our Master feels about His devotees, then how must we serve the devotees and regard the devotees.
Any criticism of devotees, or if we hurt devotees Krsna will be very unhappy.
Krsna will be most pleased if we lovingly serve the devotees.
Struggle for freedom - Being a prisoner
Sri CM - was glorifying Haridasa Thakura. Haridasa Thakura had nothing material. By social standards, he was an outcaste.
But he loved to chant Krishna's names. Because he was so humble, tolerant and forgiving, he could constantly chant Krishna's Holy Names. Sri CM said about Haridasa Thakur - I am forever a prisoner in his heart. Nobody in this world wants to be a prisoner - Its a terrible fate to be a prisoner. But Krishna wants to be a prisoner. A prisoner of love.
By His own sweet will, He is Abhigya and Svarat. He is totally independent, totally free. People are willing to fight and die for freedom. Krishna who is supremely free. He is the controller of all controllers, He wants to be controlled by His devotee's love. He wants to be a prisoner of His devotee's love, eternally....
No one can catch Krishna, by any amount of spiritual practices, by any amount of accumulation of knowledge, strength, wealth. But Krishna is conquered by His devotee. That is the month of Damodara. Celebrating how Krishna is bound by the rope of His devotee's love.
He is even willing to take the Virata Rupa, all greatest warriors of the universe are devoured by Him. But that Virata Rupa takes the form of a baby, crying and begging for the mercy of His mother. He is totally independent but He is depending on His mother's love.
Real Greatness
---------
52:00
Mucukunda does not even take credit for devouring Kalyavana.
He says that this person has been destroyed because of his karmic reactions of his own destiny now he has been burnt to ashes. This is the nature of a Vaishnava. He does not take credit himself, but always gives it to others.
But when he does something wrong, he is always ready to accept the blame. Thats how we grow. Thats the nature of a great soul.
As we understand what greatness is - spiritual greatness, we have a whole different view of life, because in the material world people want to give everyone else the blame for their own faults. and want to take credit even for what is given to us, or what others have accomplished. When devotees see this, they feel very sorry for such a person. They dont say "Oh yes You are so great". You may say that, but in your heart very unfortunate. Very poverty stricken heart needs to do that.
Real greatness is to have the power to appreciate the greatness of others and ultimately to appreciate Krishna's greatness and how it can manifest through me and how it can manifest through everyone else and appreciate Krishna (HG HVP - We need to become experts in glorifying Krishna), and to take blame.
End of Lamentation
------------------------
1:2:00
Krishna is offering Mucukunda any benediction he desires
Krishna says - One who has satisfied Me, need never lament.
We dont lament because of external situations. That may be the apparent cause, the actual lamentation comes when there is something lacking within ourselves.
But Krishna says one who satisfies Me never ever laments, because they become so full, so rich with Krishna, with love!
---------------------
Practical application
Cure to lamentation (the background violin) is to satisfy Krishna, which means to satisfy Guru Maharaj, which means to satisfy my spiritual guides, which means to be a humble, menial servant of servant of everyone including my husband, being cognizant of his needs. Then I can have access to Guru Maharaj's grace, else I am alone. I want to do my part genuinely, think of others and serve.
------------------------------
Its interesting because after Krishna left Vrindavan, it seems like the Vrajvasis all they ever did was lament. But that lamentation was the highest ecstasy.
Uddhava was constantly with Krishna in Mathura. He was his dearest, closest associate. They would walk together, eat together, talk together, sit together.
But when he saw the lamentation of the Vrajvasis, he prayed thats what I want. They are so filled with Krishna so absorbed with loving Krishna, and Krishna is reciprocating so deeply with their love. Its not lamentation in a material sense. Its viraha, ecstatic love in separation, which is the deepest connection. So Krishna is explaining when you satisfy Me, I give you Prema, I give you love, and that fills the soul unlimitedly (HH SNSM - God shaped vacuum in the heart which is like a black hole if you try to fill it with anything else) so that there can be no other cause of selfish material lamentation. Even death has no effect on the love of the eternal soul.
------------------------------
Practical application
Finally I will be completely satisfied only with Krishna, Krishna's unlimited love, which is coming through Maharaj. Following your instructions Maharaj, and there will be no cause of lamentation with anything including death.
Real Value
Real Artha - ONLY THAT IS BEYOND TIME
- To be the servant of the servant of the Lord, because it is beyond time. It is the eternal nature of the true self.
1:06:00
Mucukunda - The people of this world both men and women are bewildered by your illusory energy unaware of their real benefit. They do not worship You but instead seek happiness by entangling themselves in family affairs which are actually sources of misery.
He has realization. He is being tested by Krishna. You see we could learn philosophy so much nicely, understanding the difference between matter and spirit, truth and illusion, but unless we really have that higher taste, Param Drstva Nivartate, which only comes through realization, our intellectual adjustments cannot really protect us when the tests come. They give us the right direction. Gyan Vijnana Trptatma. When we practice the knowledge that we receive, it gradually becomes, by grace of God, realization.
Mucukunda had such realization. He does not want anything of this world.
He is using the word "Anartha". Artha means that which has value.
Definition of Anartha
Everything which is going to be consumed by time to Mucukunda is Anartha, doesnt have much value. He gives the example that time is that snake with sharp fangs, and all the things of this world that we identify with on the bodily concept are like little mice and the snake of time is soon to devour it. Hare Krishna, quite graphic example he is using. But it is the reality.
In the universal form, Krishna says Time I am, devouring everything, everyone on the bodily and mental states. Krishna says in the Gita "Raga Dvesa Vimuktasya Visaya Yendriya" - that by following the regulative principles of freedom, by following the path of Bhakti one goes beyond the happiness and distress of this world. One is actually established in the true eternal self, the Atma, which is beyond time, Na Hanyate Hanyamane Sarire, beyond death. That which will give us happiness beyond birth and death, that is Artha, that is of real value. And the things of this world, or the people of this world, and even our own bodies, that have Artha, they have value, when we see it in relationship to the eternal soul and seva - devotional service. Its the relationship of love between the Atma and the Paramatma, the soul and God, that is really of true eternal spiritual value. And Rupa Goswami tells us that whatever is in this world that is seen in that context and used accordingly it has great spiritual value. Not the thing but the connection to Krishna. The only benediction Mucukunda wants "My Lord only I want to serve you. I want to take shelter of You and serve You. Nothing else has value". Vrindavan Dasa Thakura he describes in Chaitanya Bhagavat, that the greatest achievement, the highest position that we can achieve, greater than being a king, greater than being a demigod, greater than achieving liberation into the unlimited Brahman, is to be Dasa, to be a servant, a servant of God, and Sri CM extends that greater than a Dasa, our eternal nature, is Dasa Dasa Dasaundasa - to be the servant of the servant of the servant. And Krishna is revealing this today through the great king Mucukunda who is so powerful he protected the devas. But the only thing he wants is to be a servant of hte servant of the Lord.
King Pratap Rudra in Jagannath Puri. He was also a great king unrivaled. Lord CM would not meet him because genrally kings are very much attached to prestige power etc. So Sannyasis generally dont affiliate themselves with that. Understand Sri CM does not see the thing you do, he sees the intent. Isvara Sarva Bhutanam Hrdyesu Arjuna Tishthati.
Everyone else is seeing us from the outside in when they look at us, but Krishna looks at us from the inside out. He is looking what is your motive, what is your purpose, why you are doing what you are doing, and he is going to reciprocate with us according to that vision. King Pratap Rudra even though he was a king, with such power etc. With such power, youth, beauty, fame etc, he was sweeping the street, not just to show that he was humble, but because he was honestly, earnestly, genuinely feeling himself, "Jagannath You are the king, I am just Your servant. Whatever I have is yours, these are all Your children, I am their servant. Let me sweep for You." Lord Chaitanya decided I am going to give my complete mercy to Him, because of his attitude to serve. And later on, King Pratap Rudra was given the service of disguising himself and going into the garden where Lord Chaitanya was resting, where he was massaging Lord Chaitanya's lotus feet and legs and by the mercy of the devotees - Mucukunda in his prayer to Krishna he explains the same principle - he is a great king, but he is saying when one actually comes to the state where one can - of the greatest blessing - one is given the association of sadhus - the association of devotees - because at that point one's material sufferings and conditionings are finished. Because in the association of devotees, we get blessings of Krishna, we get that connection, and we get the ways and means by which we can transcend. So the devotees told King sing the Gopi Gita to Sri CM.
Lord CM was bathing the king with his tears.
Then Lord CM asked who are you? You have brought so much nectar to Me. You are the most munificent of all welfare workers because you are awakening Krishna within My heart and you are bestowing it upon the world. Tell Me who you are.
King Pratap Rudra spoke from his heart - I am the servant of the servant of your servant, and my only aspiration forever is to just the servant of the servant of your servant. Srila Prabhupada explains there this was the realization of Dhruva, this was the realization of Prahalad. Even when offered anything, they only wanted to be servant of servant of servant. This is true Artha, true value, because it is beyond time. It is the eternal nature of the true self. Thank you very much.
16:00
Krishna did not even look at him. Did not even acknowledge him.
He can singlehandedly defeat all armies in the world.
Krishna walked right up to him, and then kept walking.
Just walked by.
------------------------------
Krishna knows how to humble everyone, and in due course He does.
Its just a question of whether we are willing to admit our humble position before God.
Sri CM gave us this verse "Trnad Api Sunicena" - one should feel oneself more humble than a blade of grass.
Actually that is our condition, because by the powers of time, we are hardly even a blade of grass.
We are going to be trampled on, in this life or beyond. So to be honest, is to be humble.
Whatever we know, whatever we can speak, whatever we can do is all by the grace of the higher power of Krishna's grace and Ultimately It will be taken away on the material and emotional level.
So one who understands this is naturally humble. Ahankar, False ego, can only exist in ignorance, in darkness. Krishna Surya Sama, Maya Hoya Andhakar. KC means to bring the light of Krishna into our lives.
------------------------------
Krishna did not even look at him. Did not even acknowledge him.
He can singlehandedly defeat all armies in the world.
Krishna walked right up to him, and then kept walking.
Just walked by.
------------------------------
Krishna knows how to humble everyone, and in due course He does.
Its just a question of whether we are willing to admit our humble position before God.
Sri CM gave us this verse "Trnad Api Sunicena" - one should feel oneself more humble than a blade of grass.
Actually that is our condition, because by the powers of time, we are hardly even a blade of grass.
We are going to be trampled on, in this life or beyond. So to be honest, is to be humble.
Whatever we know, whatever we can speak, whatever we can do is all by the grace of the higher power of Krishna's grace and Ultimately It will be taken away on the material and emotional level.
So one who understands this is naturally humble. Ahankar, False ego, can only exist in ignorance, in darkness. Krishna Surya Sama, Maya Hoya Andhakar. KC means to bring the light of Krishna into our lives.
And if we are actually KC, because Krishna is the source of Surya Narayan, the source of the light of sun which illuminates everything within this material existence. Source of Brahmajyoti, which illuminates everything within the material and spiritual worlds.
He is the Paramatma within our hearts. When he reveals Himself, then all ignorance is dispelled, and then Ahankara/false ego can no longer exist.
In the presence of the light, beauty/power/wealth
Whatever greatness we see in this world, is all a spark of his splendor.
To the degree we realize the greatness of Krishna, we love Krishna!
And in that love, the ego is "Jivera Svarupa Hoya Krishnera Nitya Dasa". Thats the real ego, thats our nature. To think I am the proprietor, controller, enjoyer is simply false ego, borne of ignorance.
Kalyavana is casting nasty words at Krishna. Krishna does not care for his nasty words. He is exhibiting His opulence of renunciation.
No one what he tries, he cannot touch Krishna!
--
Mucukunda sacrificed everything for the sake of service.
There are certain pushings of human nature that when neglected, become great necessities. If you dont get proper sleep nothing in your body can work properly.
34:00
Everything is taken away by time.
Whatever the demigods can give is all bound by the prowess of time.
Time goes so fast, its so relative. He had experience.
Difference b/w a demigod's life and ours is like that b/w ours and an insect. SP said some insects are born at sunset and die before sunrise. They go through their complete lifecycle of "100 years" in 12 hours.
For the demigods, a moment
So he saw that why should I ask for anything thats ultimately going to cause me misery? Dukhalayam Asasvatam A Brahma Bhuva Loka. From highest to lowest they are all places of suffering cos everything is bound by time. Sometimes the longer you live the more you get attached to things, and when the inevitable comes, you have to let go.
In one sense its really a powerful stmt Mucukunda is making.
Whatever you demigods, I served you, but whatever you can give me is of no relevance. All the things demigods could give, planets, mystic power, influence, fame etc. Anything within the material creation, the demigods were willing to give him. And he considered it all so irrelevant before the powers of time because it is temporary. He just said let me go to sleep, and whoever tries to make me they will burn to ashes. And he know Indra was listening. The Acharyas tell that he didnt want demigods to wake him next time.
-------------
39:30
Here is a most powerful warrior, and he could not catch Krishna.
Krishna walked, and Kalyavana was running.
Krishna with Yashoda He ran, He ran like anything and Yashoda Mai caught Him and not only did she catch Him, she tied Him up with the ropes of her love to show the world that Krishna cannot be caught by any other means but devotion/bhakti.
In the Damodarashtakam, Satyavrata Muni is describing this same concept of benediction because people have so many desires in this world. People live for desires. I do not want yogic powers, material pleasures etc. I only meditate on your pastimes as Damodara seeing how You are conquered by the love of Your devotee.
--------------
41:30
In the Damodarashtakam, Satyavrata Muni is describing this same concept of benediction because people have so many desires in this world. People live for desires. I do not want yogic powers, material pleasures etc. I only meditate on your pastimes as Damodara seeing how You are conquered by the love of Your devotee.
He is not even praying for his own connection to Krishna. He just wants to appreciate Yashoda's love for Krishna and Krishna's love for Yashoda. Such a Vaishnava. He is not putting himself in the center.
In the spiritual world, if we want to go there we have to have this consciousness. Everyone in Goloka Vrindavan, Krishna is reciprocating with each and every person, intimately, personally, uniquely. When Krishna is sitting on the banks of Yamuna and eating with cowherd boys, each of them is thinking He is looking only at me. When He is dancing with the Gopis in Rasa Lila, each of them is thinking He is dancing and looking only on me. So Krishna has this. Every flower is thinking Krishna is just smelling my fragrance. And He is so happy and that makes me so happy. And he is looking at my beauty and I just want to be more beautiful for Krishna. Every peacock, every being Krishna reciprocates directly, personally with everyone.
And yet it is the primary desire of everyone not to be personally enjoyed by Krishna but everyone's greatest happiness is to see the exchange of love between Sri Radha and Krishna. All the gopis they may have so many lilas and competitions with Krishna, but their primary desire is just to see Krishna enjoying Radha and Radha enjoying Krishna. Thats their ultimate benediction. Krishna enjoying Radha and Radha enjoying Krishna and I am here to serve. And for those in Vatsalya Rasa, they just want to see Krishna enjoying the love of Yashoda and Yashoda Mai enjoying Krishna.
So everyone is happy to see not themselves in the center, but Krishna and devotees in the center.
And that is the prayer of Satyavrata Muni. I dont want anything, I just want to see Krishna how your enjoying Yashoda's love. I want to meditate on that. Let that be my identity. Devotees dont want to be these great souls.
-----------------------
Practical Application
- Be completely happy and satisfied, seeing devotees getting mercy. As Maharaj says if one truly and genuinely appreciates another devotee who has done some good work, then the former may make more spiritual advancement than the latter.
- I don't want to aspire to be anything. Just want to serve. To be a humble and menial servant eternally. To chant nicely, and hear Maharaj daily.
- I do not wish to be known as the leader or owner of any service. I wish to think how best I can serve the devotees I am serving with.
- I do not want to become Krsna, or the leader or owner of any service
- Do not desire to be personally enjoyed by Krsna - Krsna is anyway reciprocating many times more than what I deserve. The question I need to constantly meditate upon is How best can I serve Him and His devotees.
Aspire to be servant of servantDevotees don't want to be these great souls.
CM prayed - my ultimate aspiration is to be servant of servant because that consciousness pleases Krishna the most!
There are so many persons by their yogic powers, their knowledge, their strength, their charity - none of these things can catch Krishna - only devotion.
Krishna revealed Yashoda Mai - she was just a gopi, not a queen of Dvaraka - but she captured Krishna
The younger gopis - because they left everything just to please Krishna. Ultimately, all the gopis during that beautiful pastime appreciated with the greatest happiness Sri Radha's love for Krishna and Krishna's love for Sri Radha. There was no envy, no selfishness. There was so appreciation. They were all united in appreciation of Radha's love for Krishna and Krishna's love for Radha. In that mood, they started chanting Krishna's names. Krishna appeared in response to the congregational chanting of the Holy Names. Krishna told the gopis I cannot repay. Each and everyone of you, I have no power to repay you. Even if I offer everything I possess for an entire lifetime of Brahma, still I cannot pay my debt to you. That's the value that Krishna puts on the love of the devotee.
Kalyavana insignificant. Ravana, Hiranyakasipu all insignificant. Conquerors of the world.
But a gopi, someone who loves Me - that is Artha - greatest value.
Krishna does not give that love easily.
Lord Narayana to Durvasa Muni
My devotee is always in the core of my heart - Core means the essence, the most intimate place - To be in the heart is something very special - because the heart is the center of love for the entire body.
My devotee is willing to do anything for Me. and I am willing to do anything for My devotee.
Practical application
If this is how Krsna, our Master feels about His devotees, then how must we serve the devotees and regard the devotees.
Any criticism of devotees, or if we hurt devotees Krsna will be very unhappy.
Krsna will be most pleased if we lovingly serve the devotees.
Struggle for freedom - Being a prisoner
Sri CM - was glorifying Haridasa Thakura. Haridasa Thakura had nothing material. By social standards, he was an outcaste.
But he loved to chant Krishna's names. Because he was so humble, tolerant and forgiving, he could constantly chant Krishna's Holy Names. Sri CM said about Haridasa Thakur - I am forever a prisoner in his heart. Nobody in this world wants to be a prisoner - Its a terrible fate to be a prisoner. But Krishna wants to be a prisoner. A prisoner of love.
By His own sweet will, He is Abhigya and Svarat. He is totally independent, totally free. People are willing to fight and die for freedom. Krishna who is supremely free. He is the controller of all controllers, He wants to be controlled by His devotee's love. He wants to be a prisoner of His devotee's love, eternally....
No one can catch Krishna, by any amount of spiritual practices, by any amount of accumulation of knowledge, strength, wealth. But Krishna is conquered by His devotee. That is the month of Damodara. Celebrating how Krishna is bound by the rope of His devotee's love.
He is even willing to take the Virata Rupa, all greatest warriors of the universe are devoured by Him. But that Virata Rupa takes the form of a baby, crying and begging for the mercy of His mother. He is totally independent but He is depending on His mother's love.
Real Greatness
---------
52:00
Mucukunda does not even take credit for devouring Kalyavana.
He says that this person has been destroyed because of his karmic reactions of his own destiny now he has been burnt to ashes. This is the nature of a Vaishnava. He does not take credit himself, but always gives it to others.
But when he does something wrong, he is always ready to accept the blame. Thats how we grow. Thats the nature of a great soul.
As we understand what greatness is - spiritual greatness, we have a whole different view of life, because in the material world people want to give everyone else the blame for their own faults. and want to take credit even for what is given to us, or what others have accomplished. When devotees see this, they feel very sorry for such a person. They dont say "Oh yes You are so great". You may say that, but in your heart very unfortunate. Very poverty stricken heart needs to do that.
Real greatness is to have the power to appreciate the greatness of others and ultimately to appreciate Krishna's greatness and how it can manifest through me and how it can manifest through everyone else and appreciate Krishna (HG HVP - We need to become experts in glorifying Krishna), and to take blame.
End of Lamentation
------------------------
1:2:00
Krishna is offering Mucukunda any benediction he desires
Krishna says - One who has satisfied Me, need never lament.
We dont lament because of external situations. That may be the apparent cause, the actual lamentation comes when there is something lacking within ourselves.
But Krishna says one who satisfies Me never ever laments, because they become so full, so rich with Krishna, with love!
---------------------
Practical application
Cure to lamentation (the background violin) is to satisfy Krishna, which means to satisfy Guru Maharaj, which means to satisfy my spiritual guides, which means to be a humble, menial servant of servant of everyone including my husband, being cognizant of his needs. Then I can have access to Guru Maharaj's grace, else I am alone. I want to do my part genuinely, think of others and serve.
------------------------------
Its interesting because after Krishna left Vrindavan, it seems like the Vrajvasis all they ever did was lament. But that lamentation was the highest ecstasy.
Uddhava was constantly with Krishna in Mathura. He was his dearest, closest associate. They would walk together, eat together, talk together, sit together.
But when he saw the lamentation of the Vrajvasis, he prayed thats what I want. They are so filled with Krishna so absorbed with loving Krishna, and Krishna is reciprocating so deeply with their love. Its not lamentation in a material sense. Its viraha, ecstatic love in separation, which is the deepest connection. So Krishna is explaining when you satisfy Me, I give you Prema, I give you love, and that fills the soul unlimitedly (HH SNSM - God shaped vacuum in the heart which is like a black hole if you try to fill it with anything else) so that there can be no other cause of selfish material lamentation. Even death has no effect on the love of the eternal soul.
------------------------------
Practical application
Finally I will be completely satisfied only with Krishna, Krishna's unlimited love, which is coming through Maharaj. Following your instructions Maharaj, and there will be no cause of lamentation with anything including death.
Real Value
Real Artha - ONLY THAT IS BEYOND TIME
- To be the servant of the servant of the Lord, because it is beyond time. It is the eternal nature of the true self.
1:06:00
Mucukunda - The people of this world both men and women are bewildered by your illusory energy unaware of their real benefit. They do not worship You but instead seek happiness by entangling themselves in family affairs which are actually sources of misery.
He has realization. He is being tested by Krishna. You see we could learn philosophy so much nicely, understanding the difference between matter and spirit, truth and illusion, but unless we really have that higher taste, Param Drstva Nivartate, which only comes through realization, our intellectual adjustments cannot really protect us when the tests come. They give us the right direction. Gyan Vijnana Trptatma. When we practice the knowledge that we receive, it gradually becomes, by grace of God, realization.
Mucukunda had such realization. He does not want anything of this world.
He is using the word "Anartha". Artha means that which has value.
Definition of Anartha
Everything which is going to be consumed by time to Mucukunda is Anartha, doesnt have much value. He gives the example that time is that snake with sharp fangs, and all the things of this world that we identify with on the bodily concept are like little mice and the snake of time is soon to devour it. Hare Krishna, quite graphic example he is using. But it is the reality.
In the universal form, Krishna says Time I am, devouring everything, everyone on the bodily and mental states. Krishna says in the Gita "Raga Dvesa Vimuktasya Visaya Yendriya" - that by following the regulative principles of freedom, by following the path of Bhakti one goes beyond the happiness and distress of this world. One is actually established in the true eternal self, the Atma, which is beyond time, Na Hanyate Hanyamane Sarire, beyond death. That which will give us happiness beyond birth and death, that is Artha, that is of real value. And the things of this world, or the people of this world, and even our own bodies, that have Artha, they have value, when we see it in relationship to the eternal soul and seva - devotional service. Its the relationship of love between the Atma and the Paramatma, the soul and God, that is really of true eternal spiritual value. And Rupa Goswami tells us that whatever is in this world that is seen in that context and used accordingly it has great spiritual value. Not the thing but the connection to Krishna. The only benediction Mucukunda wants "My Lord only I want to serve you. I want to take shelter of You and serve You. Nothing else has value". Vrindavan Dasa Thakura he describes in Chaitanya Bhagavat, that the greatest achievement, the highest position that we can achieve, greater than being a king, greater than being a demigod, greater than achieving liberation into the unlimited Brahman, is to be Dasa, to be a servant, a servant of God, and Sri CM extends that greater than a Dasa, our eternal nature, is Dasa Dasa Dasaundasa - to be the servant of the servant of the servant. And Krishna is revealing this today through the great king Mucukunda who is so powerful he protected the devas. But the only thing he wants is to be a servant of hte servant of the Lord.
King Pratap Rudra in Jagannath Puri. He was also a great king unrivaled. Lord CM would not meet him because genrally kings are very much attached to prestige power etc. So Sannyasis generally dont affiliate themselves with that. Understand Sri CM does not see the thing you do, he sees the intent. Isvara Sarva Bhutanam Hrdyesu Arjuna Tishthati.
Everyone else is seeing us from the outside in when they look at us, but Krishna looks at us from the inside out. He is looking what is your motive, what is your purpose, why you are doing what you are doing, and he is going to reciprocate with us according to that vision. King Pratap Rudra even though he was a king, with such power etc. With such power, youth, beauty, fame etc, he was sweeping the street, not just to show that he was humble, but because he was honestly, earnestly, genuinely feeling himself, "Jagannath You are the king, I am just Your servant. Whatever I have is yours, these are all Your children, I am their servant. Let me sweep for You." Lord Chaitanya decided I am going to give my complete mercy to Him, because of his attitude to serve. And later on, King Pratap Rudra was given the service of disguising himself and going into the garden where Lord Chaitanya was resting, where he was massaging Lord Chaitanya's lotus feet and legs and by the mercy of the devotees - Mucukunda in his prayer to Krishna he explains the same principle - he is a great king, but he is saying when one actually comes to the state where one can - of the greatest blessing - one is given the association of sadhus - the association of devotees - because at that point one's material sufferings and conditionings are finished. Because in the association of devotees, we get blessings of Krishna, we get that connection, and we get the ways and means by which we can transcend. So the devotees told King sing the Gopi Gita to Sri CM.
Lord CM was bathing the king with his tears.
Then Lord CM asked who are you? You have brought so much nectar to Me. You are the most munificent of all welfare workers because you are awakening Krishna within My heart and you are bestowing it upon the world. Tell Me who you are.
King Pratap Rudra spoke from his heart - I am the servant of the servant of your servant, and my only aspiration forever is to just the servant of the servant of your servant. Srila Prabhupada explains there this was the realization of Dhruva, this was the realization of Prahalad. Even when offered anything, they only wanted to be servant of servant of servant. This is true Artha, true value, because it is beyond time. It is the eternal nature of the true self. Thank you very much.
Wednesday, October 15, 2014
Hesitation in our relationship with Krsna
Ravīndra Svarūpa Dāsa
nama oà viñëu-pädäya kåñëa-preñöhäya bhü-tale
çrémate bhaktivedänta-sväminn iti nämine
namas te särasvate deve gaura-väëé-pracäriëe
nirviçeña-çünyavädi-päçcätya-deça-täriëe
Dear Çréla Prabhupäda,
Please accept my most fallen obeisances at your lotus feet, which tirelessly traversed this world,
shedding the mercy of Lord Gauräìga at your every step among the condemned internees of this prison
camp.
A number of years ago I undertook an especially sustained effort to x my attention on the holy
name during japa. Whenever my mind wandered, I brought it back, again, and again, and again . . . This
wrestling match with the mind kept on for many, many rounds, day after day. It seemed not to become
easier. At last I noticed that my mind was veering away from the mahä-mantra not out of an attraction to
some object of interest but rather from an avoidance of a strange, entirely mental sensation of discomfort
or distress, which would disperse upon a slacking of concentration.
Why would the mahä-mantra cause distress? I puzzled over this for some days. I’d never heard of
such a thing. I feared something was profoundly wrong with me. I feared I might be a demon. In any
case, what should I do?
I decided that I would simply put up with it; I would keep my attention focused on the holy name
and just endure the distress. And see what would happen.
The distress did not go away, and I persisted in the face of it. Finally, after a week or two, something
happened. Without warning, the pressure of the distress abruptly soared, and an overpowering grief
poured unceasingly from some newly unstopped valve in my heart, as water gushes from an opened
re hydrant.
It was as if this grief had been always somehow contained, under pressure, inside me, and now it
was stunningly released to my consciousness. And while I had been unable to discover the source of my
mental discomfort, I knew at once the cause of my grief: I had turned away from Kåñëa; I had broken away from Him, abandoned Him, and had departed for this material world.
Of course, I had believed this teaching for a long time. But that was theoretical. Now I underwent
the reality. As the grief of the heart owed on and on, there came along with it a revelation in all fullness
of the enormity of my crime.
It was unforgivable. For now I understood completely that Kåñëa was perfect and awless and gracious 42
Śrī Vyāsa-pūjā 2011
in every respect. He was utterly wonderful, through and through. Here, in this world, if a pair of friends,
relatives, or colleagues experience a ruptured relationship, a mediator or counselor enlisted to aid in
repairing the breach will inevitably announce that there are faults on both sides. In this case, however,
in the case of my alienation from Kåñëa, it was starkly evident that the fault was all on my side. Kåñëa
was full of goodness, grace, and charm. There was no fault in Him. The break was all my doing, and I
had to gaze on it without any relieving blurring, acknowledge the full hideousness, the nastiness—the
sheer spitefulness—of my deed.
For the rst time I understood the impulse toward suicide. I was wretched beyond all measure. I saw
no relief, and I was completely isolated in my suffering. Our movement’s vaunted slogan was “Chant and
be happy!” No one ever said, “Chant and be miserable.” I thought, therefore, I was an anomalous case;
if I shared what I was going through with another devotee, he would surely tell me what I already knew:
I was different. I was a demon.
Yet quickly relief came. Grief remained and engendered joy.
It occurred to me that I felt such grief only because I was chanting Kåñëa’s name. Light dawned: if
so, then although I had turned away from Kåñëa, he had not turned away from me. I had already been
granted a sense of the wonderfulness of Kåñëa, and that sense also disclosed my own contrasting vileness
to me, and now I saw even more of Kåñëa’s perfection: however monstrous I had been in rejecting him,
he did not reject me. I saw nothing worthy in myself. Kåñëa cared for me nevertheless. I couldn’t see
why, but He did. That is simply the way He is.
I felt gratitude as great as my grief. And then the full range of Kåñëa’s care became clear to me. For
how was I able to chant the mahä-mantra? Kåñëa had sent you, Çréla Prabhupäda, to bring it to me. I recollected all the difculties and trouble you underwent to come to America. I recalled your preparations
in starting the English-language Back to Godhead in India (in 1944—the year of my birth!), in the long
and solitary undertaking of translating and printing Çrémad-Bhägavatam, in your arriving in America in
your seventh decade, without money, without good health, without institutional support: your one asset
your commitment to the mission of causeless mercy, to the order of your Guru Mahäräja. I thought of all
the ceaseless effort, your gifts to the unworthy. And I saw you as the embodiment of Kåñëa’s care. You
are proof. And so my gratitude grew and grew.
I should note that I received, years later, an explanation of my rst great emotional experience of the
holy name. I was studying the nal chapter of your Caitanya-caritämåta, in which Lord Caitanya recites
the Çikñäñöaka verses to Rämänanda Räya and Svarüpa Dämodara. He recites each one in Sanskrit and
then explicates them in Bengali; Kåñëadäsa Kaviräja also names the various emotions Mahäprabhu
underwent as He recited each verse. The second verse—which describes anartha-nivåtti, or the stage of
chanting while clearing up offenses—presents a stark juxtaposition between acknowledgement of the
Lord’s mercy (tava kåpä) and the speaker’s sense of his own misfortune (mama durdaiva). Kåñëadäsa
Kaviräja writes that when Lord Caitanya recited this verse, He felt two emotions: lamentation (viñäda)
and humility (dainya). When I saw the word “lamentation” my heart jumped. I thought, “It’s bona de!”
And so I understood that my own grief was not anomalous after all.
It is clear that you have given us everything, Çréla Prabhupäda, and spared no effort. Once you told
a reporter in Hong Kong:
They have forgotten Kåñëa, they have forgotten God, and I am trying to make them Kåñëa conscious.
It is a very difcult job. I have to shed my blood three tons before I make one convinced in Kåñëa
consciousness. That is my experience. I have to talk with them, especially these Europeans and
Americans.
Please bless us that we may do for others what you have done for us.
Aspiring to be your most unworthy servant,
Ravéndra Svarüpa Däsa
nama oà viñëu-pädäya kåñëa-preñöhäya bhü-tale
çrémate bhaktivedänta-sväminn iti nämine
namas te särasvate deve gaura-väëé-pracäriëe
nirviçeña-çünyavädi-päçcätya-deça-täriëe
Dear Çréla Prabhupäda,
Please accept my most fallen obeisances at your lotus feet, which tirelessly traversed this world,
shedding the mercy of Lord Gauräìga at your every step among the condemned internees of this prison
camp.
A number of years ago I undertook an especially sustained effort to x my attention on the holy
name during japa. Whenever my mind wandered, I brought it back, again, and again, and again . . . This
wrestling match with the mind kept on for many, many rounds, day after day. It seemed not to become
easier. At last I noticed that my mind was veering away from the mahä-mantra not out of an attraction to
some object of interest but rather from an avoidance of a strange, entirely mental sensation of discomfort
or distress, which would disperse upon a slacking of concentration.
Why would the mahä-mantra cause distress? I puzzled over this for some days. I’d never heard of
such a thing. I feared something was profoundly wrong with me. I feared I might be a demon. In any
case, what should I do?
I decided that I would simply put up with it; I would keep my attention focused on the holy name
and just endure the distress. And see what would happen.
The distress did not go away, and I persisted in the face of it. Finally, after a week or two, something
happened. Without warning, the pressure of the distress abruptly soared, and an overpowering grief
poured unceasingly from some newly unstopped valve in my heart, as water gushes from an opened
re hydrant.
It was as if this grief had been always somehow contained, under pressure, inside me, and now it
was stunningly released to my consciousness. And while I had been unable to discover the source of my
mental discomfort, I knew at once the cause of my grief: I had turned away from Kåñëa; I had broken away from Him, abandoned Him, and had departed for this material world.
Of course, I had believed this teaching for a long time. But that was theoretical. Now I underwent
the reality. As the grief of the heart owed on and on, there came along with it a revelation in all fullness
of the enormity of my crime.
It was unforgivable. For now I understood completely that Kåñëa was perfect and awless and gracious 42
Śrī Vyāsa-pūjā 2011
in every respect. He was utterly wonderful, through and through. Here, in this world, if a pair of friends,
relatives, or colleagues experience a ruptured relationship, a mediator or counselor enlisted to aid in
repairing the breach will inevitably announce that there are faults on both sides. In this case, however,
in the case of my alienation from Kåñëa, it was starkly evident that the fault was all on my side. Kåñëa
was full of goodness, grace, and charm. There was no fault in Him. The break was all my doing, and I
had to gaze on it without any relieving blurring, acknowledge the full hideousness, the nastiness—the
sheer spitefulness—of my deed.
For the rst time I understood the impulse toward suicide. I was wretched beyond all measure. I saw
no relief, and I was completely isolated in my suffering. Our movement’s vaunted slogan was “Chant and
be happy!” No one ever said, “Chant and be miserable.” I thought, therefore, I was an anomalous case;
if I shared what I was going through with another devotee, he would surely tell me what I already knew:
I was different. I was a demon.
Yet quickly relief came. Grief remained and engendered joy.
It occurred to me that I felt such grief only because I was chanting Kåñëa’s name. Light dawned: if
so, then although I had turned away from Kåñëa, he had not turned away from me. I had already been
granted a sense of the wonderfulness of Kåñëa, and that sense also disclosed my own contrasting vileness
to me, and now I saw even more of Kåñëa’s perfection: however monstrous I had been in rejecting him,
he did not reject me. I saw nothing worthy in myself. Kåñëa cared for me nevertheless. I couldn’t see
why, but He did. That is simply the way He is.
I felt gratitude as great as my grief. And then the full range of Kåñëa’s care became clear to me. For
how was I able to chant the mahä-mantra? Kåñëa had sent you, Çréla Prabhupäda, to bring it to me. I recollected all the difculties and trouble you underwent to come to America. I recalled your preparations
in starting the English-language Back to Godhead in India (in 1944—the year of my birth!), in the long
and solitary undertaking of translating and printing Çrémad-Bhägavatam, in your arriving in America in
your seventh decade, without money, without good health, without institutional support: your one asset
your commitment to the mission of causeless mercy, to the order of your Guru Mahäräja. I thought of all
the ceaseless effort, your gifts to the unworthy. And I saw you as the embodiment of Kåñëa’s care. You
are proof. And so my gratitude grew and grew.
I should note that I received, years later, an explanation of my rst great emotional experience of the
holy name. I was studying the nal chapter of your Caitanya-caritämåta, in which Lord Caitanya recites
the Çikñäñöaka verses to Rämänanda Räya and Svarüpa Dämodara. He recites each one in Sanskrit and
then explicates them in Bengali; Kåñëadäsa Kaviräja also names the various emotions Mahäprabhu
underwent as He recited each verse. The second verse—which describes anartha-nivåtti, or the stage of
chanting while clearing up offenses—presents a stark juxtaposition between acknowledgement of the
Lord’s mercy (tava kåpä) and the speaker’s sense of his own misfortune (mama durdaiva). Kåñëadäsa
Kaviräja writes that when Lord Caitanya recited this verse, He felt two emotions: lamentation (viñäda)
and humility (dainya). When I saw the word “lamentation” my heart jumped. I thought, “It’s bona de!”
And so I understood that my own grief was not anomalous after all.
It is clear that you have given us everything, Çréla Prabhupäda, and spared no effort. Once you told
a reporter in Hong Kong:
They have forgotten Kåñëa, they have forgotten God, and I am trying to make them Kåñëa conscious.
It is a very difcult job. I have to shed my blood three tons before I make one convinced in Kåñëa
consciousness. That is my experience. I have to talk with them, especially these Europeans and
Americans.
Please bless us that we may do for others what you have done for us.
Aspiring to be your most unworthy servant,
Ravéndra Svarüpa Däsa
Friday, October 10, 2014
Become the greatest well wisher of all creatures- HH Radhanath Swami
- If we are serious about self realization it is expressed through our eagerness to hear, to learn , to serve, to put our spiritual practice in the center of lives.
- Real tapasya is not that you do something whether you like it or not. Real Tapasya is that you are excited about doing it because it is connected to Krsna. We are eager to do everything we do to facilitate ourselves and others to love Krsna.
- When one associates with devotees- devotion to Krsna awakens in the heart.
- While we are on this earth, we can be the greatest well wisher of all creatures. That means to inspire all others to love for Krsna. To see every living being in all species of life in relationship to our own service to Lord Krsna.
- Any little thing we do, we sweep the floor, we cook an offering, we distribute a book, we speak hari katha, offer a prayer, chant the name, if its done with sincerity and devotion Krsna is personally reciprocating and its an investment Krsna will never forget because Krsna is Supremely grateful.
begins with this proclamation, before even understanding what is about to be spoken in the sutras- this is the invocation to wake us up- unless we wake up to this point we will not take our spiritual life very seriousl- having taken this human form of life which is so rare , it is time to inquire into the Brahman, the Absolute Truth.
We chase after things to devote so much of our time for that which has no value to the soul. Human form of life is so valuable but in Kali yuga - we think what is the value- we become depressed, suicidal- bec we do not understand this gift. The human life is actually meant only for one purpose self realization.
Then we crave for those things that were provided to us through all the other species of life- physical comfort, sensual satisfaction, comfortable residence, to prove our strength. Sex life- wealth or power - all these mental and physical pleasures are available for the animals. Some big birds- eat little birds. whats so great about that- big nations conquer little nations, only diff birds are supposed to do that- we are in total ignorance and do that - then we think we are so great. Actually what people are chasing after has very little value- they are available for dogs and hogs and other species- they cannot pursue with full hearts- self realization- how serious really are we ?
If we are serious its expressed through our eagerness to hear, to learn , to serve, to put our spiritual practice in the center of lives. We do have these bodies, we do have these minds and we have to tend to them- we cannot neglect them because if a human being unless one is extremely liberated anyone else if they neglect their body and mind too much their spiritual life becomes unsustainable because the atma is still so connected and still so identifying with the body and mind.
Unless we are really experiencing the higher taste of ecstatic love- then we have to take care but with out purpose in the center- everything in our life is oriented in such a way to facilitate our journey home to the real self to self realization.
That is actual intelligence- it is isn't simply about making deals in which you could make a lot of money or convincing people in whatever you want to convince them of - interesting architectural designs that will not fall down. Real intelligence is how to keep the real value of life in the center and orient everything to that purpose. This is what BG is teaching us.
You have family, home, occupation - man mana bhava mad bhakta - everything you do must be an expression of your devotion and you should be willing to do it. Real tapasya austerity- just because it is difficult you get it sone- Real tapasya is you are excited about doing it because it is connected to Krsna. WE are eager to do everythign we do to facilitate ourselves and others to love Krsna.Mucukunda- he is expressing to Lord Krsna- I am very eager to understand who you are, I am very eager to speak so that everyone understand who you are. The backjground to his eagerness is very instructive. He was a king, not just a king- today most of the kinsgs are symbolic. They get to preside over formal events. Its mostly the political govt that makes all the decision and tells them what to do. Mucukunda was king of Iksvaku dynasty
Background to Mucukunda's eagerness to serve the demigods
Not taking things for granted, its not taking things in an impersonal ungrateful way- its actually trying to reciprocate with all the different gifts on every level we are receiving. 33 mn demigods- in one little tiny universe- they are all just trying to manage what Krsna has created Who is defeated in wrestling by his friends.Takes this many dept heads to keep it going. When we honor the devas we show we are not taking things for granted- things are personally given to us and we are personally reciprocating with us. Those benefits are even required in our devotional service, so we should be grateful. But when we give honor just because we wish to receive some material benedictions then we miss the real purpose of the whole created universes. Devarsi purtra... Krsna tells in the SM just like the root of the tress supplies noursihment to everyu part of the tree. W/o the root no part of the tree can survive.Place near Washington DC- very beautiful waterfalls. On our way back - large tree- totally holow- just bark- outer shell- you could walk into it. With the two otehr we were just sitting there chanting Japa.We serve Krsna, please Krsna all demigods , all ancestors and all those we are indebted to- all are satsfied. For whatever we recieve we are indebt- but when we surrender and serve Krsna all our debts are fulfilled.
The demigods even in their abode so many difficulties and anxieties.Devas turning to a human king to help them
36:00
If Krsna immediately does not reciprocate with us, often times out of His sincere love this is really for our benefit and for the =benefit of those around us. To have faith in this is very important for our spiritual development. Any little thing we do, we sweep the floor, we cook an offering, we distribute a book, we speak hari katha, offer a prayer, chant the name, if its done with sincerity and devotion Krsna is personally reciprocating and its an investment Krsna will never forget because Krsna is Supremely grateful. He doesn't reveal in a very personal way that reciprocation on a physical level, that we may sensually experience or even mentally experience immediately because He wants us to understand the value- He wants us to take shelter in a deeper and deeper way in this apparent separation.
So How did Krsna give this ultimate experience of Himself to Mucukunda.In His lila He wanetd to orchestrate so many different pastimes to harmonize for a particular purpose.
Mucukunda, Jarasandha, Kalyavana
Mucukunda Asks for a benediction
59:36Krsna asks Mucukunda to ask for any benediction. Now Mucukunda is about to speak:
He tells, first Krsna tells about Himself. This is so beautiful -Krsna says "SB 10.51.36 — The Supreme Lord said: My dear friend, I have taken thousands of births, lived thousands of lives and accepted thousands of names. In fact My births, activities and names are limitless, and thus even I cannot count them.SB 10.51.37 — After many lifetimes someone might count the dust particles on the earth, but no one can ever finish counting My qualities, activities, names and births.SB 10.51.38 — O King, the greatest sages enumerate My births and activities, which take place throughout the three phases of time, but never do they reach the end of them."This is special feature about our SB in particular and are vedic literartures in general. The concept of Sanatana Dharma. Its so deep profound, although infinitely concise, so universal. We find such an incredible understanding specific of the personality of Godhead. Shyamsundar , His beautiful form, what His eyes, nose, ears look like, what He is wearing, what His voice sounds like, where He lives, great details about the nature His abode, what He does, what He likes, the Vedic Literatures give such details about that Supreme God and how that one Supreme God who we understand so specifically and so personally with such incredible detail, and its revealed in this way because Krsna is all attractive and by hearing about this our love awakens. We find little Dhruva Maharaja - 5 years old- Narada Muni described in great details the form of the Paramatma. Little Dhruva began meditating on that form and through that meditation he began chanting Krsna's Holy Names.He became completely pure and saw the Lord face to face .And while we are getting such a specific incredible expln and understanding of the POG His abode, His activities, Body and Qualities we also learn He manifests incredible forms, Narasimha, Varahan Kurma, Rama, Narayana and Vamana- these are just the prominent forms that we understand. Krsna is explaining here that the amount of names that He has and the forms He manifests when He descends into this material creation are limitless. How many particles of dust are on the earth. Even if you could calculate specifically how many there are , infinitely more is Krsna's names, Forms and activities. SP is explaining that this is a great opulence and it is so unifying. If you do not understand the essence, but you try to have a very universal concept then it becomes nothing. Just being universal without specific essence, but if you are specific and you understand the universal nature of that specific then you become very arrogant and sectarian. But in the principle of Sanataana Dharama wherever we find the essence of the Truth - we understand that that is true dharma and the Lord can appear in so many ways to manifest that true Dharma.
In Sanatana Dharma all the true religions of the world can be identified by the quality of by what is actually being taught and what the realization is based on the Vedas ,and its inclusive.BVT he understands that the Lord of Christianity, Judaism, even Lord Buddha Himself are all manifestign from Krsna. These are just a few of the religions around today. What to speak about the whole creation. Acc to time, place and circumstance, - the Lord appears- we can love Krsna in all of these forms because we understand what the essence is . BVT says -0 when I go to another religious place where the Lord is being worshiped, even if I may not understand what is going on, I feel my beloved Krsna being loved and worshiped in another way and another form. This is very much being confirmed here and this is why the Vedic Culture is so necessary to be understood around the world. Even people of other faiths can understand the universality by understanding the essence of who Krsna or who God is , and rise above arrogance and hatred.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)