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.
Showing posts with label Real Tapasya. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Real Tapasya. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 28, 2014
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.
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