Dying to Live - HH Radhanath Swami

Lecture Clip Episode: Dying to Live

The great philopher from Germany- Hagel spoke very strongly aboutt he principle Die to Live which is very much in harmony with the essential knowledge of the BG and the VEdas. If you want to lvie in truth, you will have to die as you are in the present stage of consciousness. Material consciousness is of exploutation, real consciousness is of service. Death to the Ego is a process- most imp process very basis of all spiritual paths.

Longer the Gold is in fire, more the original natural shine manifests, becomes more and more beautiful.Sandalwood the more you rub it the more its natural beautiful fragrance is manifest. Thesis, Antithesis and Synthesis can be undertsood from various points of view. From one point of view wew can undertsand that theoretically we are eternal servants of Krishna . However in our life and in the process of purification and making actual progress there will be many challenges and obstacles threatening what we want to achieve.

If we with proper integrity and proper spiritual direction pass through those obstacles they bring about realization. There is gyan and through the process of overcoming so many obstacles in the path we develop vijnana or realization which is the synthesis the holistic understanding of who we really are , what is our relationship with the Lord, reln with other living beings and our relationship with material nature.

To make progress , to properly die to live, there must be elimination of our conditioned state, of our very ver deeply rooted desire to exploit, accumulate and possess. and acceptance of the path of humility , purity and service.

Seva or service really means death to the ego, it is very powerful, our constitutional position.

It is not our desire to simply die, we want to die to live. Not only do we want to dismiss the ego, or cause death to it, but we want to live according to our real ambition. To live in a state of complete fulfillment. Divine life and divine light.

Freedom means to surrender to the truth. To serve the mania of the society of the world is slavery but this is the ignorance of the world. We are thinking that slavery to our mind, our senses, and our ego. is freedom and we are thinking to live a spiritually oriented life is slavery.

Milton , he had written the opinion of Satan - "that to  reign in hell is better than to serve in heaven". That is the modern day philosophy of life in a very blatant and honest form. But if we want  real life actual life we have to understand that real peace means I am meant for the enjoyment of God. My constitutional nature is to serve. Sacrifice is the quality of real love, not to take , not to accumulate, not to possess, to give, to serve, that is spiritual quality, that is our nature and that is where we find real happiness.

Actually, death means transformation on the gross physical level- when a person dies, it means the transformation of material elements. Those material elements do not cease to exist they may turn into ashes if put into fire, dust if put into the earth. Similarly, death of the ego means the transformation of our consciousness and in that transformation, there is real life.

One of my Godbrother's wrote a beautiful song- caterpillar crawling around enters into a cocoon but through that process of tapasya, it is transformed into a butterfly. Nobody thinks the caterpillar is very beautiful, but butterfly is one of the most beautiful insects.

Transformation of the heart is what is reqd, Xformation of our desires- from living according to this
egotistical conception of I want to enjoy, to the conception of I want to serve.

Is anyone ever really satisfied by whatever fame, prestige or accumulation of wealth one may achieve . People even in the wealthiest parts of the wealthiest countries in the world are spending money on psychiatrists, taking sleeping pills, anti depressant pills, or even suicide. So much dependence on intoxications to ease out the frustration of our life.  Fame, power, material wealth cannot bring happiness and ultimately we are living for these things and what is the culmination - death, its all taken away. This is not pessimism- this is simply reality. Xformation means to actually have the proper attitude to strive for what is real- what is eternal what is everlasting, what is temporary is ilusion.

People may challenge- how do you know the soul is eternal, how do you know there is a God?

Unless we have faith in these principles how will we strive to live for that when there is so much opposition- philosophically,logically and socially. Scriptures and the great saints of every religious path of every religion throughout history they have lived and died for this truth.

Throughout history who are the greatest people that lived - are they the politicians, the scientists,the athletes or are they the saints who dedicated their lie to everything- willing to sacrifice their whole lives to enlighten people . They actual rsis, they live completely pure, completely peaceful, completely intoxicated with love for God and they spoke the realizations of God which such illuminated hearts , with such realizations that they transformed millions and billions people's lives. So who to believe- people taking sleeping pills addicted and saying that there is no God or people living the most pristine lives of  compassion and sacrifice of love for all living beings without discrmination is for each of us to decide and especially the great Rsis of India spoke with such deep philosophy and profound knowledge the science of God Consciousness not just some sentimental life, but presented the existence of God in His three features, Brahman , Paramatma and Bhagavan in such deep sound scientific and logicaly ways with realization.

We do not have to die to realize God, God is within us, God;s energy is everywhere, it is the art of utilizing whatever talents we have in the spirit of servitude. Sometimes the example is given of when Prabhupada was living in the estate of John Lennon of the beatles in London . George Harrison he became so deeply moved transformed that he gave his heart to Krishna. He was a multimillionaire with so much fame, prestige, and property, young and handsome, he had everything. One of the most popular people in the world, with more money than what he knew what to do with.Yet he asked Prabhupada if he could shave his head and live in the temple, bec he explained that there was no happiness in any of this and he met nobody who was happy with all these things. Prabhupada said KC does not mean giving up things it simply means giving up the ego -arry one with the Beatles, play the Guitar, live in your estate, but transform your consciousness, understand how everything is the grace and property of God and reciprocate with lvoe in the spirit of service and he deidicated the rest of his life to do that and int he 1970s wrote one beautiful son- The Art of Dying where he explains that nothing more beautiful than the Art of Dying. Art of livign these days is possible, but a higher level is the Art of Dying. He said that there is nothing so pleasurable,so glorious, so great as the Art of Dying- He was not just talking about the Body,just  the heart stops, the pulse stops and you drop dead.

He was talking about dying to live - the art of dying to this egoistic misconception of selfish life, you cannot live until you die to live. There is nothing so beautiful as the art of dying written by a man sung by man who is living the way practically the whole world wanted to.

Ego Divides us, Bhakti unites us

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5W7Xo6NXr9o

2014 03 09 Sunday Feast Ego Divides Us Bhakti Unites Us Radhanath SWa

On the path of pure bhakti our festival is the opportunity is to come together for every opportunity to come together to share our love for Krsna with the world. Its a celebration of the heart. Celebration of the atma the eternal soul. This drama performed is a story of celebration. The children who performed it, I believe it enjoyed giving it to you more 100 times more than you enjoyed in receiving it. This sia what makes the festival of bhakti- joy is in giving. There is a common saying - in gigivn we recieve universal principles. The evolution of human consciousness is growing from the need to get things to the joy of giving.

And the more of a difference we make in someones life when we give, greater the joy. And the greatest problem in the world in the gita - janma mrtyu jara vyadhi- utlimately everyone is looking for happiness, no one is looking for pain but there is no stable material arrangement to provide that platform. Everything is changing. Things are not only could happen but will happen - beyond our control.

Different types of Giving and their relationship with the modes
To feed more people is to give- that is a certain level of charity a certain state of consciousness- to hospitalize sick people- also a sattva guna. charity in more of ignorance is to give the persona  wrong thing- like give a cigarette but its not a pious thing to do. But you are giving the person an opportunity to incriminate him further. Charity in rajo guna we do it thinking what we will get in return- i will become famous, recognition, i may get more profits- if I give in charity then people will buy more things from me. To give for the welfare of someone without any expectation in return is in mode of goodness. But still its not that because we have food, hospitalization and some prestige there is still suffering, it doesn't make us happy. We still as many of those people with all of those things suffering as much as those who don't. To the extent we really care and want to do good for people, that is the extent to which we will give.

We are the atma , we are the soul- we are not our bodies and our mind, we are in our bodies and mind.

• To help a persons's body and mind in a genuine way in different ways to find peace, positive thinking, ways of overcoming stress is all in the mode of goodness if it is done with a genuine concern. But what we have given to the soul the real person?
• What can actually transcend suffering forever- to go beyond birth beyond death. To see their relatives and their loved ones according to their actual spiritual nature- rich or poor your family members will die. What have we given to people to understand the spiritual identity of their family member?
• They are part of God- beyond birth and beyond death- their soul has gone beyond this residence of the body but we can still do something wonderful for them. Through our devotion and love for Krsna we can liberate the soul of countless of our relatives. What to speak of those with us now and what to speak of other relatives. Sanaatana dharma is to understand the treasure of who we really are and to give that treasure to others.Because we cannot give so much unless we have something to give.

We can give what we have
Beggar in the Himalayaas but some lepers came to me begging to me but I didnt have i paise what could I give? So our Sadhana, our Satsang, Sadachar these spiritual practices connect us to the real wealth of spiritual joy,  Krsna's grace and Radha's grace. That is actually our real wealth and to the degree we access that to taht degree we can give that. Bharata bhumi ... CM said all people of India have been given this greatest wealth of this culture of Bhakti- para upkaar- the greatest welfare is to give this knowledge that the soul is eternal , the soul is part of God and the soul can be connected to God through the chanting of the Holy Name.
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Ravana
 We can learn from every type of person, the problem is what we learn from them. We can learn the worst thing in the world from him or how not to be like him. Once we have a foundation of what is really valuable in life then in every situation of life we can learn lessons.

Ravana what was his wealth. (.............About Gold......). My father gave my niece my mother's gold earring. She was very happy, he was even more happy and my mother must have been the most happy .
Ravana had so much gold- as far as my study of world history- he had the most gold ever. Entire city made of Gold, Palaces made of Gold, airplane made of gold- wasn't like these airplanes. Any airline you choose they are more or less all the same- same manufacturers make the airline for the service
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Hanumanji's tail was soaked in flammable oil, massive blazing fire. Hanuman saw this as an opportunity to serve. This is a great soul- does not think why is this happening to me. Higher consciousness how can I serve in this situation... Palace went on fire, jumped fro roof to roof just touching his tail. This a lesson on karma too. When you harm another it will come to you. The same fire that Ravana lit to cause Hanuman suffering caused him the greatest suffering. The same fire.... If you go to Gambhira the same fire has been going since the time of CM. Many places like that at tombs. It was Ravana's flame, Hanuman said alright I will share your flame and the City was burning. Afterword when Rama had the camp with the monkey soldeirs. When they were assembled on the shore- spies came to see and they told Ravana. Vibhishanaa just told Ravana just give Sita to Rama she doesn't belong to you, she belongs to Rama. If you do not give her back then you and the entire dynasty will be destroyed. Ravana became so angry he rejected Vibhishana- If you were not my brother I would kill you . He with his two ministers came to take shelter of Rama. First he was misunderstood but Hanuman understood his heart and with total faith in Hanuman's words Lord Rama accepted him as His own servant.

Even though so cruel- he abused Vibhishana beyond human conception- he scolded, him chastized him exiled him. After the war Rama had already coronated Vibhishana as the king. Rama told Vibhishana that you should perform the last rites for him. Vibhishana said "how can I perform the last rites for him on Your behalf. He was so cruel- he stole Your wife. Bec of him so many have died and suffered . what to speak of the abuse and rejection. Rama told Vibhishana that we should never carry vengeance towards anyone- We hate the disease but not the person with the disease. Ravana's disease was arrogance, lust, envy, anger and greed no more disease he is dead. Now you could help liberate his soul- you should give that. Vibhishana with all his heart and soul believed that and performed the last rites. That was his greatness.

In the Mahabharat there is a very similar story. Vidura- he was so much like Vibhishana and went thru similar experiences. He was the younger brother of Dhritarashtra who had son Suryodhana who was pushing him to do wrong things. Year after Year Vidura as a loving brother and friend of Dhrtarashtra  advised him to do the right thing. But Ravana and dhrtarashtra year after year did the wrong thing.

Vidura would tell Dhrtarashtra that the kingdom is of the Pandavas- give back what doesnt belong to you. That was Vidura. Vibhishana told Ravana to give back Sita to Rama as She did not belong to him. Vidura knew the Panadavas to be great devotees of Krsna. Both of them left in great humiliation. Vidura such terrible words spoken by Duryodhana and nothing said by Dhrtarashtra thereby confirming it- he left behind the kingdom , his belongings and also his wife.
Vibhishana did the same. They took shelter of Rama and Krsna by joining the army and going to the Holy Names.

Vibhishana came back and performed the last rites and Vidura came back after all the humiliation to preach to Dhrtarashtra and gave him liberation.

This emphatic principle of the principle of compassion and forgiveness of seeing the disease but not hating the diseased is very much foundational to Vaishnaav character.
A doctor is postively concerned for the patient and will do anything possible to alleviate the diseased. Hanuman who was teh personification of this principle came as Murari Gupta in CM lila who happened to be a Dr a medical person. The SPG loves to show unity in variety. Grha thako vna thako .sada hari bole thako... Whether we are grhasthas or vanaprasthas or sanyasis the ultimate thing is our devotion how we are actually calling out the Lord's names and living in a spirit in seva. Hanumanji was teh ultimate brahmacari. For him it was just Rama Seva but he cam a s Murari Gupta a doctor with a wife.

One time Sri CM wanted to show the heart of His devotee. We read so many teachings in the Bhagavatam , The Upanisad and the Vedas- special feature of these books like Ramayanaa, Mahabharata is the teaching comes alive through the lives of the great souls. when we see how panadavas, prahlada, dhruva pracetas ambaraisa, Rantideva- the quality of their lives and the choices they make especially in conditions of great difficulty - from that example we actually understand the teachings.Jnana vijnana trptatma

Knowledge is meant to put in practice. Without practice there can be no realization.All knowledge is meant for Xformation- its not just to know. To know means absolutely nothing spiritually unless we apply that knowledge in the way we live. In the good times and in the hard times- we don't get arrogant when things are good and we do not get depressed when things go bad. We actually are always seeing every situation to humbly surrender to the Lord.

So the Lord teaches through his devotees- Murari Gupta was called by Sri CM Mahaprabhu on the sat prahara lila or the mahaprakash lila - giving benedictions to all His devotees...................

Accc to the great vaishnava acaryas this was their very deepest conviction that the highest revelation of love is in the spirit of being the servant of the servant. Lord CM when he was about to instruct Sanatana Goswami of the innermost secrest of the highest realms of  love in Goloka and the different levels leading to that His premise was jivera svarupa hoya krisnera nitya dasa. The jiva is eternally servant of Krsna- the highest truest sense of love in Bhakti is reciprocal. Hanuman doesnt want to become Rama- Imagine telling him you can become Rama- He wants to love and serve Rama and feeling Rama's love for him is infinitely satisfying. Becoming a concept of entering into the all pervading Brahman is certainly a spiritual form of ecstacy its just total peace- not birth no death, its just existence just ecstascy within the Lord's own effulgence. But Rama Krsna the absolute Supreme Rasa Bihari, the Supreme lover to feel their intimate love for us and to reciprocate by loving Himwith gratitude and humility serving Him. Rg tells the bliss of impersonal relaiztaion is like a drop compared to the limitless ocean of happiness when you are a loving servant. Because then Rama and Krsna reciprocate with their inifinte love. Our pleasure is in Krsna's pleasure. Hanuman only pleasure was in sita and Rama's pleasure. when you love Rama and Sita you love everyone. When Hanuman came back to Kishkindha ksetra(Hampi) he went to Madhuban which was teh favorite fruit grove of Sugriva . When he came back from Lanka and told the monkeys about Sita - the monkeys were so happy, they were jumping on the trees- but Sugriva became furious. But he was told that Hanuman just wants everyone to become happy and share teh love with everyone.

Murari Gupta as Hanuman - utlimate pleasure is to give pleasure of the beloved. Think about the beendiction- I only want to sing and remember your glories and serve You.