Moving Story of Sindhutai Sapkal

2013-06-04 Various - Moving story of Sindhutai Sapkal - Radhanath Swami Narayan Mandir

2 lessons:

One is she explained the most fulfilling she has ever done in her life, deepest experience in life and where she felt closest to God was in forgiving this man- that is the highlight of my life- by God's grace I had the strength to forgive him and serve him. Anyone can complain, criticize, could blame- it very well maybe true but we do not get anywhere- we cannot grow. When we see in whatever situation happens, an opportunity to come closer to God, an opportunity to love, to learn and to grow . That opportunity is always there. My life was a path full of thorns, but I made friends with those thorns and my life became beautiful and I have helped to make so many other lives beautiful.We should never give up and be discouraged.

When we take this lesson to a spiritual level in our loving service to the Lord and living in a spirit of being an instrument of Krishna's compassion we can find the deepest illumination and the ultimate goal and purpose of life. Because none of us can last very long in this world. padama padama yat - any moment anything can happen to anyone and it does happen.

Our life in the world is like  really sharp point on a long long line that goes into infinity. What is the significance of that point compared to the line. Na jayate mriyate - atma unborn undying, bodies are like vehicles, sets of clothes, atma takes on for sometime- we are born , we grow, we produce offspring, dwindle and then death. If we see this little pencil point as our all in all we get really disturbed and

confused about the circumstances that are happening to us ,then we get really entangled in the complexities of life. No matter who we are , what we can do we will get caught in the web of complexity somehow or the other, scholar or illiterate, billionaire or on the street and especially if you are a swami because you have to deal with so many people's complexities. Complexities come like the seasons- winter season and there is the summer season and we know the winter is coming. When we just get caught up- why is this happening to me- we maybe able to understand it from the perspective of karma , etc. But we take a step back and think- I am immortal, I am eternal and whatever is happening is an opportunity to move forward on that line and remove myself altogether from that line and be liberated. 

This is why we require Satsang associating with like minded and Holy people. Who like to reinforce this conviction is - we need each other and clarify the real purpose of our life. Your life is just a point on the line- it will perish. But the treasure of love for Krishna for every living being- that is our truest and greatest potential and that can never be taken away by anything. That is Yoga - to connect us to that. The reason we chant these beautiful kirtans or mantras - to reconnect our mind, senses, intelligence to our true eternal spiritual ego.In the bible Jesus says , in this world whateve rtreasure you have - will be stolen  by theives , rusted by rust or eaten by moths. He said make your treasure on the kingdom of God- which is within. This is the universal principle is within - that love for Krishna is within us, unselfish , unmotivated compassion for all living beings within us. If we can live in this world to connect to that- whether we are swamis,or swaminins, or we are in business, in entertainment, in education , farming, engineer, whatever we may be - if this is what we are living for to make that connection and to be an instrument of what we are connecting to- our life is ultimate fulfillment- an fulfilment and experience that even death cannot take away from us. My Guru SP, when he was 70 yearls old on that cargo ship, seasickness, heart attacks., he was now at boston harbor- he didn't know if anyone would be waiting for him-

He had no money. He wrote a beautiful prayer- he was praying not God let somebody be there for me- give me good health. His prayer was- Krishna give me the power to speak in such way that yYour message will enter their heart and make them happy- let me  be an instrument of your grace- to free them from the sufferings of this world to taste the sweetness of you love- let me be a puppet just a puppet and let me dance as you would like me to dance. When we connect to the infinite grace of God- Radha Krishna in our hearts there is no greater power and no greater gift- It is connecting to that grace that is the purpose the true spiritual purpose of chanting the kirtans of God's name and His glories. Its connecting to that grace thats the greatest opportunity for us in every situation. If we just learn the art - the art of seeing the opportunity and growing. Thank you very much.

Diversity a necessity for growth- Part 3

Diversity a necessity for growth

When the exile was over and it was time to return, Rama told Hanumana that Bharat has been ruling the kingdom for 14 years and now it is time for me to come back and reclaim the kingdom but I do not want to do that if Bharat wants to be the king. If from the core of his heart if he really wants me to be the king then I will go back to please him.

even among the great saints, and devotees- when you have so much you can become attached to it- even in the line of service there is a tendency to be attached - it is the nature of this world.

Rama said Bharata has been ruling for 14 years - if he has slightest speck of attachment to doing it then he must continue - unless his love for me to come back is totally unconditional and pure I will not come back.

How do you determine if a person has the slightest inkling of a  trace of such a desire in their heart? Rama knew that it takes one to know one, because Hanuman had a completely pure and unconditional heart he could detect if there was a trace in bharat. Rama told I am going on the pushpaka with Sita, Laxmana and Sita towards Ayodhya- you go before us to Nandigram to the straw hut where Bharat is living and you tell him that the exile is over and Rama is returning and if you detect through his facial expression, bodily movements, tone of his voice or your intuition that he has a trace of remorse that he is going to lose all the power he has then I will give him honor and respect and serve him as the king.

Ramayana the story of unconditional love
As soon as Hanuman met Bharat- he said When is Rama coming exile time is over- Hanuman said Rama is on his way- he was totally comprehensive in his analysis- from the core of his heart he examined

the reaction of Bharat- Bharata's hands went up, he started looking in the direction Rama was coming . Hanuman detected that his wealth and love was to serve Lord Rama- Hanuman felt humbled and insignificant in the presence of Bharat- they embraced each other and were crying and weeping in ecstasy-Finally hanuman his heart was exploded with bliss and he pointed his finger and said "Bharat look He has come" from a distant horizon they saw the pushpaka- both began to dance and celebrate. Rama came off the chariot and first thing He embraced Bharat.

 Ramayana  is the story of unconditional love,of  unity in diversity,of  real wealth. Unity in diversity- Hanuman a monkey-but they were unified by a higher principle- all interactions- the model we find here in the purest state we cannot imitate , but we should apply these principles in every single aspect of live- encounters with nature, with circumstances, with interactions with people- this is bhakti- to make that internal change within ourselves.

Sadbhuja Form
Sarva Bhauma Bhattacharya saw this incredible form of the Lord. Blue- Two arms of Krishna playing the flute, two were Rama - color of the Durbha grass with the bow and arrow- two were Lord Caitanya goldne arms holding danda and kanadalu.

Rmaa showed us the highest principles of love through His devotees- Guha Jatayau- Hanuman, Bharat, Kausalya.
Krishna manifested the highest reciprocation of love with the gopas, gopis Sri Radha., CM came to give entrance to the same realm of love to anyone and everyone- caste, sex, religion or animals- tigers, snakes insects of they opened their hearts to receive it.

Prime benediction of the chanting of the Lord's Holy Names. When we value this servitude and try to live in the footsteps of the great devotees and chant with sincerity, humility, attentively- transformation takes place- we discover the infinite wealth we all have- we gradually understand how Krishna loves us. His love is infinite.

Scientist was explaining concepts of scientific discovery- I do not have time or ability to explain it to you. But really what he was saying was how totally inconceivable matter is- creation is beyond the capacity of human intelligence- thats just how cells and atoms are working- Krishna made it that way- bigger perspective- how atomic particles are working and interacting with each other is amazing- we cannot even see it- cannot see the energies that are activating those neutrons, protons etc. A larger scale the sun is just floating in the sky- so much light and heat- its 1000s of times bigger than planet earth.

Doesn't matter if you have Phd, if you do not have gas the car doesn't move. In chicago winter without heat- what do you do- you freeze- heater, car incense- you have to have something to keep that energy alive. But the sun- its not like the demigods have solar pipes that go through the air to get oil, natural gases to keep the sun going- it keeps going for millions of years and does not get smaller- why doesn't it burn out- too close too far we all die. Just within tiny speck of our universe- inconceivable potency. Krishna just desires creation- exhales and cosmic manifestation comes as a fulfillment of His desires.

Love- The greatest of all of Krishna's opulences
The greatest of all the opulences of Krishna is the opulence of love- All attractive, the beauty and the sweetness of His love- He has infinite , unsurpassable, incomprehensible love for every living entity- for the soul in the mosquito- remember that when he is biting you- He has infinite love for that little soul in each and every one of us.This humbles us.When we are touched with the realization of How much Krishna loves us it doesn't matter what happens in this crazy world. Whatever happens beyond our control Krishna's love for us is beyond any of the things that happens to us beyond the short pencil dot of this little world we live in and beyond the lifetime. When we experience Krishna's love, infinite love for us, unlimited love for us-we understand , we realize and we taste it then we naturally reciprocate with unconditional infinite love for Krishna.

 In that state there is love and compassion in all circumstances for everyone- thats essence of religion,thats the purpose of life- when we experience that we do not become proud. On the material platform we compete- I have something, I do not want anyone to have anything more than me. Ego " I do not want anybody give as good classes as me"- Thats the nature of ego.I could dance - but it would really disturb me if somebody could dance as good as me. That is the ego.Because we are empty inside we need these things, useless things, fame adoration- stuff. Where there is love- when we taste Krishna's inifnite love for us we are satisfied - it humbles us as we know that Krishna has the same infinite love for everyone and everyone has the same potential to have the same infinite love for Krishna. That understanding is the Supreme unifying ingredient within a world of unlimited variations and so many dualities- this is the matchless gift which Srila Prabhupada was presenting to all of us and to the whole world. Properly understanding the goal of Bhakti and the chanting of the Holy Names.