Charity in the Mode of Krishna-Bhakti .

Providing food and minor amounts to the needy is a routine activity ; and a Krishna-Devotee does it without looking at the qualifications of the recipients . A rich family conducted a huge "Ritual" as an offering to the Deity . Mass Feeding was done as part of the Ritual . However , a Member of that rich family pushed aside one "Begger" for not standing properly in the Queue and denied him food . Later , when the Vedic-Jyothishi was verifying the satisfaction of Deity , it was revealed to him that the Person who appeared as "Begger" was none other than the Deity ; and therefore the desired purpose of the ritual has not been fulfilled .

What Lalitaji and I meant was not the routine alms-giving stated above but "CHARITY" of a higher nature .

When a person is in deep trouble , a Krishna-Devotee would like to help him by doing "Charity" in the mode of Krishna-bhakti . Brahamasri Vazhakunnam Namboodiri was doing it . He tried to uplift that "Beggar" by instilling Krishna-bhakti in him . Such a change would have solved all his problems once for all .

Bhagavan Sri Krishna says in Gita :

Gita 17.20 : " Charity should be given as a matter of duty. With this resolve, charity given with no expectation of return, at a proper place and time to a worthy person, is considered to be `sattvic' ".

Gita 9.30-31 : "Even a worst sinner , if he worships Me with true bhakti, he should be considered as virtuous ; for he has rightly decided his duty (i.e. there is nothing like devoted worship of Me) . He quickly becomes righteous and attains eternal peace. O Kaunteya, declare it boldly that , My Devotee never perishes. "

Ohm Namo Bhagavathe Vasudevaya!! !

We have to follow His instructions, but we may not imitate Him

The Srimad-Bhagavatam affirms:

naitat samacarej jatu

manasapi hy anisvarah

vinasyaty acaran maudhyad

yatha 'rudro 'bdhi-jam visam

isvaranam vacah satyam

tathaivacaritam kvacit

tesam yat sva-vaco-yuktam

buddhimams tat samacaret

"One should simply follow the instructions of the Lord and His empowered servants. Their instructions are all good for us, and any intelligent person will perform them as instructed. However, one should guard against trying to imitate their actions. One should not try to drink the ocean of poison in imitation of Lord Siva." (Bhag. 10.33.30)

Chapter 3 - TEXT 24
If I should cease to work, then all these worlds would be put to ruination. I would also be the cause of creating unwanted population, and I would thereby destroy the peace of all sentient beings.

Varna-sankara is unwanted population which disturbs the peace of the general society. In order to check this social disturbance, there are prescribed rules and regulations by which the population can automatically become peaceful and organized for spiritual progress in life. When Lord Krsna descends, naturally He deals with such rules and regulations in order to maintain the prestige and necessity of such important performances. The Lord is the father of all living entities, and if the living entities are misguided, indirectly the responsibility goes to the Lord. Therefore, whenever there is general disregard of regulative principles, the Lord Himself descends and corrects the society. We should, however, note carefully that although we have to follow in the footsteps of the Lord, we still have to remember that we cannot imitate Him. Following and imitating are not on the same level. We cannot imitate the Lord by lifting Govardhana Hill, as the Lord did in His childhood. It is impossible for any human being. We have to follow His instructions, but we may not imitate Him at any time.

We should always consider the position of the isvaras, or those who can actually control the movements of the sun and moon, as superior. Without such power, one cannot imitate the isvaras, who are superpowerful. Lord Siva drank poison to the extent of swallowing an ocean, but if any common man tries to drink even a fragment of such poison, he will be killed. There are many pseudo-devotees of Lord Siva who want to indulge in smoking ganja (marijuana) and similar intoxicating drugs, forgetting that by so imitating the acts of Lord Siva they are calling death very near. Similarly, there are some pseudo-devotees of Lord Krsna who prefer to imitate the Lord in His rasa-lila, or dance of love, forgetting their inability to lift Govardhana Hill. It is best, therefore, that one not try to imitate the powerful, but simply follow their instructions; nor should one try to occupy their posts without qualification. There are so many "incarnations" of God without the power of the Supreme Godhead.

How to Destroy " Bad Karma " of the Past " ?

Srimad Bhagavatam ( 11.9.26) says " As a tree before dying produces the seed of a future tree , the dying body manifests the seed of one's material body in the form of one's accumulated Karma " .

In the new body , he continues the activities of "past karma" .

A Vedic Jyothishi (astrologer) could find out whether one's past karma is positive or negative . If it is positive, the person has God's grace .

Now, the natural question is, what can help to destroy the " bad karma " ?

The answer lies in Brahma-Samhita - " karmani nirdahati kintu ca bhakti bajam ". The performance of bhakti-yoga (devotional service), to the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna, is the only way to "burn to ashes", the karmic reactions .

How to perform devotional service to Sri Krishna ? Where to start ?

Vedic scriptures say, " sevonmukhe hi jihva 'dau ". The first and foremost activity is to engage your tongue in the service of Bhagavan Sri Krishna . How ? By chanting His holy names and tasting his "Prasadam" (sanctified food offered to Bhagavan in a Vedic-temple). .

By doing so , gradually one gets purified . He becomes an instrument of Sri Krishna, just like a pen in the hand of a writer .

Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya !!!

God-realisation and Pig Life

Once, Bhagavan Sri Krishna and His devotee Uddhava were engaged in a conversation .

Uddhava asked Sri Krishna, " O Bhagavan , why don't you bestow God-realisation upon all ? " .

Sri Krishna replied, " Dear Uddhava, only very few people wish to attain that state . One who has a real thirst for it and real dispassion will surely attain it . Most beings like to remain on the worldly level, enjoying worldly pleasures . The bliss of attaining God doesn't seem to attract them much . If you don't believe this, you can ask the different creatures yourself . I am giving you the power to communicate with any creature " .

Uddhava started on his journey . Soon, he saw a family of pigs rolling around in a filthy pit . He asked the head pig, " Are you ready to come to God's world ?"

" God's world? Is there food there as tasty as here ? It's such a joy here. I have a beautiful wife and ten smart children . My children will soon become parents . Our family is growing . I don't want to leave them . I'm not going anywhere " replied the pig .

Uddhava tried to reason with the pig. " In God's world, you can enjoy the Nectar of Bliss " .

But the pig retorted angrily, " I told you I am not going anywhere. I am totally happy here " .

Uddhava realised that what Bhagavan Krishna said was true .

Om Namo Narayanaya !!!!

Nine Ways to Please Bhagavan Sri Krishna

ways to please Bhagavan Sri Krishna (Maha-Vishnu) :

sravanam kirtanam visnoh

smaranam pada-sevanam

arcanam vandanam dasyam

sakhyam atma-nivedanam

iti pumsarpita visnau

bhaktis cen nava-laksana

kriyeta bhagavaty addha

tan manye 'dhitam uttamam

( Hearing and chanting about the transcendental holy name, form, qualities, paraphernalia and pastimes of Bhagavan Vishnu , remembering them, serving the lotus feet of the Bhagavan, offering the Bhagavan respectful worship with sixteen types of paraphernalia, offering prayers to the Bhagavan , becoming His servant, considering the Bhagavan one's best friend, and surrendering everything unto Him (in other words, serving Him with the body, mind and words) -- these nine processes are accepted as pure Bhakti-yoga (Devotional service) .

One who has dedicated his life to the service of Bhagavan through these nine methods should be understood to be the most learned person, for he has acquired complete spiritual knowledge.)

Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya!!!

There is no question about being Happy or Sad - Gita 5:20

Gist: On attainment of either the desirable or undesirable, a spiritual aspirant must neither be happy, nor sad within. He is neither attached to the desirable, nor averse to the undesirable. He who realizes the true essence of the Self (Soul) and the modes of nature, knows that he is not the doer, and thus there is no question about him (the self) being happy or sad.

"Na prahrshyetpriyam paapya nodvijetpraapya chaapriyam
Sthirabuddhorasammu dho brahmavid brahmani sthitah." (Gita 5:20)

"He who neither rejoices on obtaining what is pleasant, nor grieves on receiving that which is unpleasant and who is of the firm understanding and unbewildered, such a knower of God vests in God" (Gita 5:20)

Let us focus on the first line - "Na prahrshyetpriyam paapya nodvijetpraapya chaapriyam" - To get favorable things, objects, beings, incidents, circumstances, body, senses, mind, principles, caste, creed, scriptures is called attaining that which is agreeable or desirable(priya) . To get anything contrary to that is getting what is disagreeable or undesirable (apriya).

On attainment of either the desirable or undesirable, a spiritual aspirant must neither be happy nor sad within (in the inner faculty, conscience). Having knowledge of both that which is desirable and undesirable, he is neither attached to the desirable, nor averse to the undesirable. Here the mistake is more about impressions being made on the inner faculty by being happy and sad from the desirable and undesirable. Mere knowledge of agreeable and disagreeable is not a flaw, if one remains free from joy or grief.

Knowledge of agreeable and disagreeable is in the inner faculty (antahkaran) , but the one who gets happy and sad is a doer. Though all actions are performed by the modes of nature, yet he whose mind is deluded by egoism thinks "I am the Doer," and feels happy and sad. But he who realizes the true essence of the Self (Soul) and the modes of nature, understands that it is the modes (gunas) which are acting on the modes (Gita 3:28). He knows that he is not the doer, and thus there is no question for him (the self) to be happy or sad.

Divinity of " MANJULAL " ( A True Event )

”Manjula” was a virtuous Variyar caste young girl . Guruvayoorappan ( Guruavayoor Sri Krishna ) was her Ishta-Devata . Every night , Manjula used to bring to Guruavyoor temple, home-made garlands for Bhagavan .

One day, due to some domestic problems , she could not complete the garland on time . By the time she reached, the temple got closed . She could reach only up to the banyan tree, in front of the temple compound .

Manjuala started feeling guilty for failing in her SEVA . She was heart broken . Unable to bear the sorrow, the innocent girl broke down and wept .

Sri Poonthanam Namboodiri , an elderly devotee was on his way back from the temple . He saw the girl crying near the banyan tree . He mercifully asked her the reason for crying . Amid sobbing , she narrated the events . Poonthanam was deeply moved when he learned about the poor girl’s sincere devotion to Sri Krishna . He comforted her by saying :

“ My child ! Don’t cry . Sri Krishna is all pervading and He never lets down His Bhakta . So , just think of Him in your mind and keep this garland on the stone in front of this banyan tree ” .

Manjula obeyed as she was told . Fixing her mind on Sri Krishna , she kept the garland on the stone . After doing this, she felt relived and peacefully went home .

Next day morning , as usual the Chief Pujari started removing all garlands from the Deity . But , one garland remained stuck on the Deity and the Pujari could not remove it though he tried several times . The Pujari was astonished and he did not know what to do next . The devotees standing for Darshan too watched this and were puzzled .

Poonthanam was one among the devotees . He remembered the events of last evening . It was the garland, which Manjula had placed on the stone at the foot of the banyan tree. He told the story to everyone . Then he urged aloud to Bhagavavan :

“ Oh, Bhaktavalsala ! If that garland is the one belonging to Manjula , please drop it down ”.

Suddenly , the garland dropped down from the Krishna-Deity .

Seeing this Krishna-lila , the devotees started chanting aloud the names of Sri Krishna ; and they all struggled to collect the flowers from that garland .

Later, the devotees went to the Banyan tree to make their obeisance .

Since then , this Banyan tree ( which was blessed by Bhagavan Krishna’s presence) came to be known as “Manjulal” .


“ Whosoever offers to Me with bhakti a leaf, a flower, a fruit or even water, I will delightfully accept that offering in person .” ( Sri Krishna , in Gita 9.26) .

Lord Krishna is the original VISHNU PERSONALITY

Lord Krishna is the original VISHNU PERSONALITY,and is called SUPREME among the entire range of VISHNU FORMS. His earthly two handed form as KRISHNA always has existed before anyone ever saw any spiritual form. His four armed form of VISHNU has many copies, or clones, and they rule the entire cosmic creation. However KRISHNA is the centre.

How I know this? If it was so easy to show this to you, I would show it. LORD KRISHNA is LORD VISHNU, why are we getting so confused? SO what if here He has 2 hands and there he has 4 hands? HE is ONE. I hope you will catch up with this. We always must see that the UNITY in DIVERSITY is PERSONIFIED by KRISHNA. Of course, in the heavens above, the VISHNU FORMS are everywhere, yet in the centre, in the VAIKUNTHA LOKA, where the LORD is seated, personally, that region is called GOLOKA and We can see exactly what we want to see. We can see there the one we hold as dearest in our hearts. If it is the VISHNU form, then you will see VISHNU, if you hold KRISHNA dearest, you will see KRISHNA, if you hold BRAHMJYOTI dearest, you will see BRAHMJYOTI, if you hold SIVA dearest, you will see SIVA. That region in the centre is too mystical for anyone to define even. KEEP ur mind ON your ISHTHA always, and you will see nothing else but that.

My Guru said " He is beyond FORM, and BEYOND FORMLESSNESS, HE is BEYOND KNOWLEDGE, HE is BEYOND IGNORANCE, HE is BEYOND EVERYTHING we KNOW"

THAT KRISHNA is whom I Worship, always in my heart.

The Brahma-samhita begins with a similar declaration of the supremacy of Lord Krsna. In this verse the Supreme Personality of Godhead is specifically identified as Lord Krsna. As the name Lord Krsna is spoken first in the passage beginning "Krsnavatarotsava" and other statements of Srila Sukadeva Gosvami and other great souls, as the name of Krsna is given first in the statement "krsnaya vasudevaya devaki-nandanaya" of the Sama Upanisad, as the name of Krsna is given first in Garga Muni's revelation of the Lord's holy names, and as the example "payasa kumbham purayati" is also given, in the same way this verse of Brahma-samhita gives the name Krsna first because the form of Lord Krsna is the origin of all other forms of Godhead.

That Krsna is the most important name of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is explains in the Padma Purana, Prabhasa-khanda, where, in a conversation between Narada and Kusadhvaja, the following words of the Supreme Personality of Godhead are repeated:

"O Arjuna, of all My holy names, Krsna is the most important."

The importance of the name Krsna is also confirmed in the Brahmanda Purana, Sri Krsnastottara- sata-nama- stotra, where Lord Krsna says:

"The pious results derived from chanting the thousand names of Lord Visnu three times can be attained by only one repetition of the holy name of Krsna."*

Answers to the Questions on Vedic Faith

1) One must not waste too much time in repeating the names of Gods and instead direct his energies towards some useful work.

Answer: Chanting Krishna’s (The Supreme God's) names is the ultimate useful work because it uplifts the chanter and it uplifts the world atmosphere.

2) One should drink tea and coffee to keep the body warm in cold conditions. Also tea and coffee are required to cure headaches and body pain.

Answer: Hot herbal tea is okay. Caffeine is injurious to the health because it artificially stimulates the adrenal gland and wears it out.

3) Not eating meat in youth to keep the body strong will have adverse affect in old age, as the body requires good nutrition.

Answer: The human body is not designed by nature to eat meat. Thus meat eating causes so many health problems. All nutritional values can easily be derived from a healthy, delicious, uplifting diet of fruits, vegetables, milk products, and grains. The karma from eating the flesh of innocent creatures obliges the meat eater to become an animal in his next birth so that the very animals he ate in this lifetime can take human forms and eat him. Thus meat eating is the activity of those are in ignorance and it keeps them bound up in ignorance.

4) Onions and garlic are very much required for body as they are helpful in building immune system against diseases.

Answer: The Manu Smriti enjoins that onions and garlic are not to be eaten. Milk is the miracle food for making the body strong.

5) Fasting may cause serious health problems like gas formation, headache, and weakness in the body. And one should not punish himself in the name of God.

Answer: Overeating and obesity and major health problems in the world today. Vaisnavas do not punish their bodies by severe fasting. We moderately fast on certain holy days to honor the scriptural injunctions, to reduce unnecessary and unhealthy bodily fat, and to make more food available for those who are going hungry.

6) If a person is too religious, he may lose importance in society and people will not respect him.

Answer: If a person is pseudo religious, he becomes a disturbance. But those who are properly religious are recognized throughout history as the greatest leaders of humanity.

7) One should take up devotional service only when he has completed his duty of serving his family. i.e. he should take it only when he is 50 years old.

Answer: The family will always demand more and more service. The train runs on two tracks. Therefore along with our worldly duties we must faithfully perform our spiritual duties. We have served millions of families in millions of lifetimes and we are still caught up in samsara. If we continue to do what we've always done, we will continue to get what we've always gotten: a material body that is subject to birth, death, old age, and disease. Is it enough? A thoughtful person does not think so. He wants eternity, knowledge, and bliss, and therefore must break away from the bonds of material service by coming to the higher platform of spiritual service. One who serves on the spiritual platform renders the highest service to all living beings. He is not deficient in any way.

8) Too many restrictions on eating and drinking habits would make life miserable and such a person cannot lead a normal life.

Answer: Unrestricted eating and drinking creates in a person a miserable animalistic mentality and obliges him to become an animal in his next birth. Extreme restrictions are also not favorable. Moderate restrictions are enjoined in the Bhagavad-gita in order to free one from all material miseries.

9) One must always work hard to catch up with others in this competitive world or else he will be left behind.

Answer: Transcendentalists work with more energy than materialists because their work is unlimitedly enlivening.
It is not like the drudgery of the materialists, who struggle through their work week.

10) Hard work will bestow success and success will bring happiness.

Answer: Have you ever met a happy ass?

11) One must worship God in the morning for few minutes and carry on his day to day work. Too much spending time on it would affect productivity and cannot find time for self, family and friends.

Answer: If you consider self, family, and friends more important than God, kindly do not mind if we have to speak the truth, but you are a blind fool. You have been serving self, family, and friends through millions of lifetimes and you are still suffering in this material existence. Read again the answer to number 7. When you water the root of the tree, all the leaves and branches are nourished. When you surrender fully to Krishna, you render the best possible service to everyone. No one is neglected.

The Battle between Lord krishna and Lord Siva

When Aniruddha (son of Samba,grandson of Lord Krishna) did not return from Sonitapura, His family and friends passed the four months of the rainy season in extreme distress. When they finally heard from Narada Muni how Aniruddha had been captured, a large army of the best Yadava warriors, under Krishna's protection, set off for Banasura's capital and laid siege to it. Banasura fiercely opposed them with his own army of equal size. To help Banasura, Lord Siva, accompanied by Kartikeya and a horde of mystic sages, took up arms against Balarama and Krishna. Bana began fighting against Satyaki, and Bana's son fought against Samba. All the demigods assembled in the sky to witness the battle. With His arrows Lord Krishna harassed the
followers of Lord Siva, and by putting Lord Siva into a state of confusion He was able to destroy Banasura's army. Kartikeya was so strongly beaten by Pradyumna that he fled the battlefield, while the remnants of Banasura's army, harried by the blows of Lord Balarama's club, scattered in all directions.

Enraged to see his army's destruction, Banasura rushed Krishna to attack Him. But the Lord immediately killed Bana's chariot driver and broke his chariot and bow, and then He sounded His Pancajanya conchshell. Next Banasura's mother, trying to save her son, appeared naked in front of Lord Krishna, who turned away His face to avoid looking at her. Seeing his chance, Bana fled into his city.

After Lord Krishna had thoroughly defeated the ghosts and hobgoblins fighting under Lord Siva, the Siva-jvara weapon -- a personification of fever with three heads and three legs -- approached Lord Krishna to fight Him. Seeing the Siva-jvara, Krishna released His Vishnu-jvara. The Siva-jvara was overwhelmed by the Vishnu-jvara; having nowhere else to turn for shelter, the Siva-jvara began to address Lord Krishna, glorifying Him and asking for mercy. Lord Krishna was pleased with the Siva-jvara, and after the Lord had promised him freedom from fear, the Siva-jvara bowed down to Him and departed.

Next Banasura returned and attacked Lord Sri Krishna again, wielding all kinds of weapons in his thousand hands. But Lord Krishna took His Sudarsana disc and began cutting off all the demon's arms Lord Siva approached Krishna to pray for Banasura's life, and when the Lord agreed to spare him, He spoke as follows to Siva: "Banasura does not deserve to die, since he was born in the family of Prahlada Maharaja. I have severed all but four of Bana's arms just to destroy his false pride, and I have annihilated his army because they were a burden to the earth. Henceforward he will be free from old age and death, and remaining fearless in all circumstances, he will be one of your principal attendants."

Assured he had nothing to fear, Banasura then offered his obeisances to Lord Krishna and had Usha and Aniruddha seated on their wedding chariot and brought before the Lord. Krishna then set off for Dvaraka with Aniruddha and His bride leading the procession. When the newlyweds arrived at the Lord's capital, they were honored by the citizens, the Lord's relatives and the brahmanas.

Those who hear of this transcendental fight between Lord Krishna and Lord Siva, they become fearless.

The story of Uchhistha Matangini

It is said that once Lord Vishnu and Lakshmi Mata went to visit Lord Shiva and Parvati Mata. Lord Vishnu and Lakshmi Mata gave Lord Shiva and Parvati Mata fine foods, and some pieces dropped to the ground. From these remains arose a maiden endowed with fair qualities. She asked for leftover food (uccishtha). The four deities (Lord Vishnu, Lakshmi Mata, Lord Siva and Parvati Mata) offered her their leftovers as prasada (food made sacred by having been tasted by deities). Lord Shiva then said to the attractive maiden: "Those who repeat your mantra and worship you, their activities will be fruitful. They will be able to control their enemies and obtain the objects of their desires." From then on this maiden became known as Uccishtha-matangini . She is the bestower of all boons.

The legend of her origin stresses Matangi's association with leftover food discarded by Lord Vishnu, Lakshmi Mata Lord Siva and Parvati Mata. Indeed, she herself actually arises or emerges from Shiva and Parvati's leftover food particles and the first thing she asks for is sustenance in the form of leftover food (uccishtha). Texts describing her worship specify that devotees should offer her uccishtha with their hands and mouths stained with leftover food; that is, worshippers should be in a state of pollution, having eaten and not washed. Since for Matangi worshippers make offering in a polluted state, she is known to have been offered a piece of clothing stained with the menstrual blood in order to win the boon of being able to attract someone. Menstrual blood is regarded in almost all Hindu texts and contexts as extremely polluting, and menstruating women are forbidden to enter temples or otherwise serve the deities, but nowhere is it mentioned that women cannot chant the holy name in such a state. In the case of Matangi, these strict taboos are disregarded, indeed, are flaunted. This kind of worship however is in the mode of ignorance. One must make efforts to advance to the mode of worship in goodness.

Krishna sees your heart's purity first, then the external cleanliness and purity are also considered, and Krishna himself says we must not disregard scriptural injunctions as they lead to downfall.

For Krishna, Bhava is of utmost importance while judging a devotee, not vichara. Vicharas (thoughts) are temporary and subject to changing very quickly, whereas Bhava changes gradually and has very few modifications. In the purest state of Krishna Consciousness there is just one Bhava - the Bhava of Love for krishna- Krishna Prema Bhava - though there are many other Bhavas that describe a relationship with krishna, for example the Vatsalya Bhava, wherein the devotee always considers himself a child of Krishna, or Matri Bhava where the lady devotee may consider herself in the mood of Mother yashoda, as a mother of Krishna, or Pitru Bhava where the devotee may consider himself as father of Krishna like Nanda Maharaja. there is also the Bhratra Bhava (brotherly love), as in case of the brotherly affection Krishna displays for Balarama.All these transcendal mellows are the mercy of Krishna and help us relate to Krishna in a direct and friendly manner.

The greatness of Lord krishna lies in the fact that He responds to each and every Bhava of the devotee individually, thus removing the conflict that may arise due to the different desires of different devotees. Krishna could expanded himself into 16108 forms to associate with each one of His wives.

Finally, KRISHNA is the LAW, the RULER of ALL, the MASTER of ALL, and what he chooses is FINAL, what HE decides is FINAL, so we must always abide by Lord KRISHNA's words. If we cannot turn inwards and Listen to His commands through our hearts, we must at least try to listen to the Bhaktas who relay whatever Krishna is telling them from within. Srila Prabhupada has so nicely put forward the matters relating to Bhakti, it leaves no doubt in our hearts, and we must always abide by his words, for they are relayed directly from Krishna into Srila prabhupada's heart, and passed onto us through the disciplic succession.

The only permanent arrangement is Krsna consciousness, which transcends the provisional nature of scriptural advice. Bhaktivinoda Thakura taught that saragrahi or essence seeking devotees should understand this point and make whatever adjustments necessary in order to be fixed in sadhana. Only sadhana, under the guidance of an advanced devotee, will enable one to realize absolute harmony and enter the mysteries of Krsna bhakti.

What's going wrong is that we approach God to fulfill our desires instead of His desires

There are many billions of people throughout the world who consider themselves religious. Generally each of them adheres to a particular religious tradition, which is in many ways similar and also in many ways different from other religious traditions. Often, they consider that their tradition is the only valid tradition, and that others who are not participants in their tradition are lost souls condemned to be denied access to the kingdom of God. In this way, they fail to see the true universal nature of religion. Unfortunately this exclusivist mentality leads to increasing chaos and conflict in a world that is already too much overburdened by chaos and conflict. Religion is supposed to be God's gift to man so that he can have a heaven on earth and qualify to return to God's kingdom upon leaving his current body. So what is going wrong? And what can be done to change it?

What's going wrong is that we approach God to fulfill our desires instead of His desires. In other words we approach Him with our contaminated consciousness of subtly considering ourselves to be the Supreme. We place ourselves over Him by asking Him to serve us instead of us serving Him. This is selfishness, not selflessness. And this is what is going wrong in the hearts of practically everyone who approaches God. To change this we must teach that selfless service to Supreme Person is the only way that one can experience genuine complete happiness. If the hand wants to get nourishment, it must give the food to the belly. God is like the belly and we are like the hand. So we must give everything to God. In this way, we will be the best servants of God and all living beings including ourselves.

So, the universal religion is pure selfless service to the Supreme Person, the source of all existence. The language of the universal religion takes different shapes according to the different traditions. But when one goes deep enough into any one tradition, he will arrive at exactly the same conclusion as anyone else who follows his own religious tradition deeply enough. Therefore instead of getting side tracked by the differences of the religious traditions, we should immediately try to capture the pure essence of religion, the universal religion of pure, unadulterated, selfless, loving service for the Supreme Person.

The difficulty is that we currently have a drastic shortage of enlightened teachers on this planet who are fully tuned into the original, pure essence of religion, the universal religion of pure selfless devotion to God. An enlightened teacher is someone who has gone deep enough into his own tradition to find the one universal root of all traditions. He is a teacher who has fully realized the one universal or absolute truth underlying all relative truths. If planet earth had a sufficient abundance of such enlightened teachers in each tradition, there could be instituted a global educational system which would easily bring to this tattered global society a truly profound golden era of peace, prosperity, and happiness for all.

This is the day that we are praying and crying for, Lord. May it come soon! May it come soon! May it come soon!


Explained By Sankarshan Das Adhikari

We cannot have anything that is not in God.

A screw that is connected with a machine is valuable because it is working with the whole machine. And if the screw is taken away from the machine, or if it is faulty, it is worthless. My finger is worth millions of dollars as long as it is attached to this body and is serving the body. And if it is cut off from this body, then what is its worth? Nothing. Similarly, our relationship is that we are very small particles of God; therefore our duty is to dovetail our energies with Him and cooperate with Him. That is our relationship. Otherwise we are worthless. We are cut off. When the finger becomes useless the doctor says, "Oh, amputate this finger. Otherwise the body will be poisoned." Similarly, when we become godless we are cut off from our relationship with God and suffer in this material world. If we try to join again with the Supreme Lord, then our relationship is revived.

We cannot have anything that is not in God. That is not possible. Therefore in the Vedanta-sutra it is said that everything that we have is also found in God. It is emanating from God. So our relationship is that because we are small, because we are minute, we are the eternal servitors of God. In this material world also, in ordinary behavior, we see that a man goes to serve another man because the other man is greater than he and can pay him a nice salary. So naturally the conclusion is that if we are small, our duty is to serve God. We have no other business. We are all different parts and parcels of the original entity.

Sri Krishna’s deity-worship is an integral part of Bhakti-yoga

A Krishna-bhakta is an eternal servant of Bhagavan Sri Krishna . Any thing associated with Bhagavan is sacred to him .

Once, the great Vaishnava Sage Sri Ramanujacharya was walking through a street . A few small children were playing there using a stone as a “Deity ” of Krishna and doing “archana” by using mud . They offered that mud ( which used for “archana” ) as “prasadam” to Sri Ramanujacharya . The great Acharya bowed down , accepted that “prasadam” and applied it on his forehead . He explained to his surprised disciples that , although these children appear to be playing , they are doing the worship of Sri Krishna with faith and therefore it is a sacred puja .

In a village called Evoor . This is the place where , Bhagavan Sri Krishna in the company of Arjuna had performed the “ Khandava-dahanam “ (burning of Khandava forest) . Upon the successful completion of this task , Agni-deva (Fire-God) was immensely pleased and He installed the Deity of Sri Krishna at the exact spot from where Arjuna fired the arrows to construct “Sarakoodam” (roof of arrows) .


(150) years back there was an accidental fire which destroyed this temple except the “Deity’ . The poor villagers were helpless to do anything further .


Very soon , Lord Krishna appeared in a dream to the then king of Travancore Sri Moolam Thirunal Marthanda Varma Maharaja, and asked him to construct a new temple at Evoor . The king dutifully obeyed this divine instruction and constructed a huge temple complex strictly in accordance with the vedic specifications . This Deity of Sri Krishna is the living God for all of us . If you ask about 'Evoor Bhagavan' to any devotee of that area , he will have at least one mystic experience in own life . (  (a Christian) , once fell down from a running train ; but he was miraculously saved by Sri Krishna Himself who appeared at the spot and held him to safety . Now , he is a loyal Krishna-bhakta ) .


Sri Krishna’s deity-worship is an integral part of Bhakti-yoga . Vedic rituals are necessary to transfer the aura ("Chaithanyam" ) of God to energize the “Murty” and to maintain the Deity's Aura . Such routine and unavoidable temple rituals should not be confused with other “vedic karma-kanda” aspects like the rituals for Forefathers , Demi-gods , etc .

Nama-sankeertana (chanting of Krishna’s names) is the recommended method of Bhakti-yoga in this age . In order to concentrate at the lotus feet of Sri Krishna, one needs to have His Deity form . A vedic temple is an abode of Bhagavan Sri Krishna ; and it provides practical Krishna-realisation to the faithful devotees .

Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya!! !

What is God's Work and How can we perform & accomplish it

Gist: A spiritual aspirant should be determined to do only God's work, not his own work. Therefore he should accept that his house, his work and he himself belong to God. With this feeling, he will be doing God's work, with God's power, to please God. This firm determination
will develop a strong bonding (a feeling of mine-ness) with God and in-turn spontaneous and constant rememberance of Him.

Constant Rememberance of God - How?

God in the Gita says to Arjuna -

"Tasmat sarveshu kaaleshu maamanusmara yudhya che." (Gita 8:7)

Therefore Arjuna, remember Me at all times and fight. Here fight stands for doing one's duty. We can remember God at all times but we can't fight at all times. Arjuna's duty was to fight, just like we have to perform our daily duties. Domestic duties can't be performed at all times. The spiritual aspirant have three options before them -

1. To do the work while remembering God,
2. To remember God while doing the work, and
3. To do the work considering it God's work.

In the first option, remembrance of God is primary, while the work is secondary.
In the second option the work is primary, while remembrance of God is secondary.
In the third option there is undivided devotion for God.

Generally people forget God while working. There are two reasons for it. The important reason is one's negligence. The second reason is lack of attachment (feeling of mine-ness) with God. If there is attachment for anyone, he is reminded spontaneously of that one.
People have attachment to their domestic affairs, not to God. They are therefore likely to forget God. As long as we accept and see the house, the work, and Self as our own, we are likely to forget God.
Therefore we should be determined that we have to do only God's work, not our own work. What is the use of work which makes one forget God?
Therefore a spiritual aspirant should accept that his house, his work and he himself belong to God. They are not his own. He should feel that he is doing God's work, with His power in order to please Him. this firm determination will develop a strong bonding (a feeling of mine-ness) with God and in-turn spontaneous and constant rememberance of Him.

Ram Ram

How to be God's devotee? How to worship Him?

Gist: God's devotee never falls. All can worship God by fixing mind on Him with exclusive devotion, depending entirely on Him, thus uniting with Him.

How to become God's Devotee? How to Worship Him? - Gita 9:30-34

Question: Can a man of sinful conduct worship You and be Your devotee?
God: Yes, certainly. Even if a man of the most sinful conduct worships Me with exclusive devotion, leaving all other dependencies, then he should be considered an ascetic; for he has rightly resolved. (Gita 9:30)

Question: What else should he be considered ?
God: Immediately thereafter he becomes virtuous (very pure) and obtains lasting peace. Oh Arjuna, take My word that My devotee never falls. (Gita 9:31)

Question: Can any one else also become your devotee?
God: Yes, women, traders (vaisyas), laborers (sudras), those born of sinful wombs, by taking refuge in Me, can attain Me. What wonder then of those Brahmanas and Kshatriyas, pure by birth and deeds, that they be devoted to Me? (Gita 9:32)

Question: How should I become such a devotee, Oh Lord?
God: Having obtained this body that is transient and without any happiness, worship Me. (Gita 9:33)

Question: How should I worship You?
God: Fix your mind on Me; become My devotee; adore Me; do salutations to Me; thus uniting yourself with Me and entirely depending on Me, you shall attain Me. (Gita 9:34)

Ram Ram

The Ten Offenses in Chanting the Holy Names

1. To blaspheme the devotees who have dedicated their lives to the propagation of the holy names of the Lord.

2. To consider the names of the demigods like lord Shiva or lord Brahma to be equal to, or independent of, the name of Lord Vishnu.

3. To disobey the orders of the spiritual master.

4. To blaspheme the Vedic literature or literature in pursuance of the Vedic version.

5. To consider the glories of chanting Hare Krishna as imagination.

6. To give mundane interpretation of the holy name of the Lord.

7. To commit sinful activities on the strength of chanting the holy names of the Lord.

8. To consider the chanting of Hare Krishna as one of the auspicious, ritualistic activities which are offered in the Vedas as fruitive activities (karma-kanda) .

9. To instruct a faithless person about the glories of the holy name.

10. To not have complete faith in the chanting of the holy names and to maintain material attachments even after understanding so many instructions on this matter. It is also offensive to be inattentive while chanting.

नमो ॐ विश्नुपदय क्रिश्नाप्रेष्ठाया भूतले श्रीमती भक्तिवेदंता स्वामी ईति नामिने

नमस्ते सरस्वाते देवे गौर वाणी प्रचारिने निर्विशेषम शुन्यवादी पस्च्चात्य देशे तरिने

(जाया) श्री कृष्ण-चैतन्य प्रभु नित्यानंदा श्री-अद्वैत गदाधर श्रीवासदी-गौर-भक्त-वृंदा

|हरे कृष्ण हरे कृष्ण कृष्ण कृष्ण हरे हरे| ||हरे राम हरे राम राम राम हरे हरे||

|हरे कृष्ण हरे कृष्ण कृष्ण कृष्ण हरे हरे| ||हरे राम हरे राम राम राम हरे हरे||

|हरे कृष्ण हरे कृष्ण कृष्ण कृष्ण हरे हरे| ||हरे राम हरे राम राम राम हरे हरे||

याद्वाए मादवाए केशवाए नमः गोपाल गोविन्द राम श्री मधुसुदन

गिरिदारी गोपीनाथ मदन मोहन श्री चैतन्य नित्यानंदा श्री अद्वेत सीता परे गुरु वैष्णव भगवतगीता

...श्री रूप सनातन भगत रागुनाथा श्री जीव गोपाल बट दास रागुनाथा

हरी हराए नमः कृष्ण याद्वाये नमः गोपाल गोविन्द राम श्री मधुसुदन

Why should we study the sacred scripture ?

An old farmer lived on his farm in the mountains with his young grandson. Each morning he got up early, sat at the kitchen table, and read His Bhagavad-gita. His grandson wanted to be just like his grandfather, so tried to emulate him in every way he could.
One day the grandson asked, “Grandpa, I try to read the Bhagavad-gita just like you do, but I don’t understand most of it, and whatever I do understand I forget as soon as I close the book. So what good is it doing me to read the Bhagavad-gita?”

The grandfather, who was putting coal on the fire, quietly turned and said, “Take this coal basket down to the river and bring me back a basket of water.”The boy did as he was told, but the water leaked out before he could get the basket home.

The grandfather laughed and said, “You will have to move a little faster next time,” and he sent the boy back to the river to try again. This time the boy ran faster, but again the basket emptied before he was able to return home. Out of breath, he told his grandfather that it was impossible to carry water in a basket, and he went to get the bucket. But the old man said, “I don’t want a bucket of water; I want a basket of water. You are just not trying hard enough.” He stepped out the door to watch the boy try for the third time.

At this point the boy knew what he was trying to accomplish was impossible, so he decided to show his grandfather that even if he ran as fast as he could, the water would leak out before he got back to the house.

The boy dipped the basket into river and ran as hard as he could. When he reached his grandfather the basket was empty. He gasped, “See grandpa? It is useless !”

“So you think it is useless?” the old man asked. “Then look at the basket.” The boy looked and saw for the first time that the basket was different. It had been washed clean of the dirty coal stains and was now clean inside and out.


What is the moral of this event ?

The grandfather replied :


01) “Grandson, that is what happens when you read the Bhagavad-gita.

02) You might not understand or remember everything you read, but the words will change you inside and out.

03) That is the work of Lord Krishna in our lives.”


How can we apply this in our own lives ?

01) We should cultivate the required inquisitiveness, like the boy in this story, to know the things and also sincerely strive for it.

02) To understand the things in the right perspective and to progress in our devotional life, we must be submissive to our own authorities – just like the grandson was submissive and followed exactly as the grandfather has instructed him although he was not convinced to get a basket of water. That submissiveness alone has brought him the right realization in the last.

03) Like the grandfather, we need to be regular in our spiritual practices like chanting and reading the scriptures etc – on daily basis.

04) We must have genuine appreciation for the sincere questions that neophytes ask us.

05) We must have genuine sympathy for the ignorance of the neophyte devotees.

06) We must strive our best to answer all their genuine questions as simply as possible and in the language in which they can understand – just like the grandfather did in this story.

07) We need to recognize and openly acknowledge that whatever good that happens, it is nothing but the causeless mercy of Krishna in our life – as was recognized by the grandfather in this story.

08) Sincerely pass on all the credit to our own Guru and Krishna for all Their blessings and mercy – as was done by the grandfather in this story.

My humble request to you, please !

Dear Prabhu Jee/Maathaa Jee,


Hare Krishna !


If you find this useful, please circulate it to as many people as possible.


Also, share these wonderful stores with little children so that it would have deep impact on them all through their lives.

Washing and Vedanta

The vice-chancellor of Benares Hindu University, a very famous man of his time named Madan Mohan Malaviya, went to the Gaudiya Math with some intricate, philosophical questions to present to Sarasvati Thakura, who said: "I won’t answer you, but you should ask the devotees who are washing the arati paraphernalia." The scholar then said: "No, I am asking very difficult questions about Vedanta. They won’t be able to answer!" Sarasvati Thakura, however, insisted that he go and ask the pujaris who were cleaning the deity paraphernalia.

So, being submissive to the will of Sarasvati Thakura, he went to ask them. When he approached them, they said, "Well, now we are busy washing these plates, but please help us, and when we have finished your question will be answered." Even though he was such a famous, respectable man, he agreed to join in and help do this humble service. After all the brass was cleaned, he returned to Sarasavati Thakura without saying anything more to the pujaris. Sarasvati Thakura then asked him, "Did you get the answer to your questions?" Madan Mohan Malaviya replied, "Yes, even without discussion. When I was helping clean the arati paraphernalia the answers automatically came to my mind."

What is the moral of this event ?

Sarasvati Thakura replied :

1) "Yes, the philosophy of Krishna consciousness can be understood by an attitude of service, not by any amount of intellectualism. Sevonmukhe hi jihvado."

2) Just reading books and reciting slokas—that won’t help you.

3) Serving God will give us all the answers to the questions in the sastras. My guru, Gaura Kishore Das Babaji, was not literate, not a pundit, but all the slokas and siddhantas came to his mouth because he was sevonmukha, inclined to serve Krishna.

(Adapted from ISCKON leadership journal)

How we can apply this in our own lives ?

1) We need to essentially cultivate huge amount of real humility which is the essential quality to become a good devotee. For this, we need to make best use of our every possible opportunity in life to humble ourselves.

2) We need to cultivate real submission to our spiritual authorities since only and only then alone we can progress in our devotional life, otherwise not.
3) We must understand that our real goal is not to become mundane scholars, but to become good devotees of God, and all our knowledge should essentially culminate in Bhakti – love of God. Otherwise, the real purpose of our knowledge is defeated.

Source of the story :            Page 2 and 3 from the book  ‘Tales of wisdom’  of the         Vaishnava Seva Kendra

My humble request to you, please !

Dear Prabhu Jee/Maathaa Jee,


Hare Krishna !

If you find this useful, please circulate it to as many people as possible.

Never Forget Krishna

A long time ago, there was a huge apple tree. A little boy loved to come and play around it every day. He climbed to the tree top, ate the apples, took a nap in its shade.... He loved the tree, and the tree loved to play with him.

Time went by. The little boy grew up, and he no longer played around the tree every day. One day, the boy came back to the tree with a sad look on his face.

"Come and play with me," the tree asked the boy.

"I am no longer a kid, I don’t play around trees anymore." The boy replied, "I want toys. I need money to buy them."

"Sorry, I don’t have money... but you can pick all my apples and sell them so you will have money."

The boy was so excited. He grabbed all the apples on the tree and left happily. The boy didn’t come back after he picked the apples. The tree was sad.

One day, the boy returned and the tree was so excited.

"Come and play with me," the tree said.

"I don’t have time to play. I have to work for my family.

We need a house for shelter. Can you help me?"

"Sorry, I don’t have a house, but you can chop off my branches to build your house."

So the boy cut all the branches off the tree and left happily. The tree was glad to see him happy, but the boy didn’t come back afterward. The tree was again lonely and sad.

One hot summer day, the boy returned and the tree was delighted.

"Come and play with me," the tree said.

"I am sad and getting old. I want to go sailing to relax myself. Can you give me a boat?"

"Use my trunk to build your boat. You can sail far away and be happy."

So the boy cut the tree truck to make a boat. He went sailing and didn’t come back for a long time.

Finally, the boy returned after he had been gone for many years. "Sorry, my boy. But I don’t have anything for you anymore. No more apples for you," the tree said.

"I don’t have teeth to bite," the boy replied.

"No more trunk for you to climb on."

"I am too old for that now" the boy said. "I really can’t give you anything... the only thing left is my dying roots," the tree said with sadness.

"I don’t need much now, just a place to rest. I am tired after all these years," the boy replied.

"Good! Old tree roots are the best thing to lean on and rest. Come sit down with me and rest."


The boy sat down and the tree was glad and smiled with tears.

This story is everyone´s.

The tree is God, of course.

What is the moral of the story ?

01) God can never be depleted.

02) He is never affected by our lack of care.

03) As we get more entangled in material life, we leave Him.

04) We come to Him only when we need something or when we are in trouble.

05) No matter what, Krishna will always be there for us to love us and to help us – unconditionally !!!

06) It may seem as if the way the boy treats the "tree" in the story is cruel, but many of us take God for granted in the same manner.

07) Never forget how important it is in your life to be grateful to Krishna for what all He has been so mercifully giving us, not only now, but since time immemorial and continue to give us eternally.

08) Keep on regularly expressing our deep gratitude to Him.

09) And keep on incessantly praying for His causeless mercy.


Source : ‘Tales of wisdom’, page No. 6 to 8, by Vaishnava Seva Kendra,

Every position in this material world is last class

Every position in this material world is last class. Everyone here is struggling hard to be in the best possible position, but they do not realize that even the topmost positions in this material world are last class because at the time of death everyone has to die, just like a dog has to die. So why struggle so hard to achieve a false first class position? It is better to get upgraded from last class to the real and perpetual first class position of pure devotional service. There is no position like pure devotional service because in this position of pure bhakti, Krishna or God--the supreme owner, controller, and enjoyer of everything--becomes your personal property. No one has better facility for living life to its fullest than Krishna's pure devotee. Even Krishna Himself becomes His own devotee in order the taste the first class pleasure.

As Explainrd by Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Rukmini-devi's prayer to Sri Krishna

 Devi requests Bhagavan to marry Her

Krishna, You are the most attractive person in the whole universe, and having listened to Your glories which enter one's thoughts through the ears and destroys all woes of the body and mind . Oh Achyutha, my shameless mind dwells incapable of being wrenched away upon Your beautiful form which is the ultimate thing for anyone to set his eyes upon and bestows on all eternal fortune.

Oh Mukunda, which girl , who has some strength of mind, who is born of high family , and in at least some way comparable to You in upbringing, character beauty, education ,age, wealth and status would not simply woo You by mind. You who looks like a lion in human form (You were once Narasaimha) and who are simply enchanting to the minds of all the living beings in this world.

Therefore, You please accept me who has by my own will accepted You as my husband in mind and has simply placed my body and soul at Your lotus feet, as You are the granter of all boons. Now I belong to You. Don't permit the king of Chedi country the Sisupala to take possession of me. It will be like a wily jackal stealing away the royal food earmarked for the consumption of the Lion.

If it a fact that You the Lord of the Universe have been worshipped by me with full devotion through good deeds like digging of ponds and lakes, offering to fire, through gifts to deserving people, through pilgrimages, through offerings to Brahmins on auspicious occasions, through worship of Brahmins, Gods and preceptors, then You must immediately reach here and accept me through accepting my hands. My hands should not be dirtied by an evil fellow like sisupala.

You Krishna the unconquerable ! You please come over to Vidharabha tomorrow itself without noticed by anyone. You must annihilate or defeat the Sisupala and his retinue with Your own valour and marry me through the Rakshasa method as a prize for Your valour.

If You are wondering how You can enter the palace at vidarbha and accept me without causing damage to the live of my relatives, I shall inform You the right way. On the eve of the marriage day there is a big procession to the devi temple . Accompanying that procession the bride will be going to the Parvati temple for worship.

My Krishna , Gods like the husband of Uma are eagerly awaiting to bathe themselves in dust of Your feet so that their own weaknesses will be removed. If it is my fate that I am not fortunate to get the protection from such great Krishna, I will kill myself through severely austerities in this life and will be born in hundreds of lives till I attain Your company.

Attainment of God at time of Death

Gist: Thinking of God alone at the time of death one attains Him, therefore think of God at all times and perfrom your duty, with mind and reason surrendered to Him. First method is through the practice of meditation on the Supreme One, holding the life breath in the space between the eyebrows and thinking of nothing else.

Attainment of the God at time of Death

Question: How are you to be attained at the time of death by those who have controlled their mind?
God: He who departs from the body, thinking of Me alone at the time of death, attains My being, there is no doubt about it - this is my ordinance. (Gita 8:1-5)

Question: What becomes of those who don't think of You?
God: Oh Arjuna, thinking of whatever being one leaves this body at the time of death, that alone he attains, being absorbed in the thought thereof. (Gita 8:6)

Question: What is it that I should do at the time of death to think of You?
God: You should think of Me at all times and perfrom your duty, with mind and reason surrendered to Me. (Gita 8:7)

Question: What will be the result of doing that?
God: You will surely attain Me. (Gita 8:7)

Question: What is Your Form by thinking which a self-controlled man attains You?
God: There are three forms - one with attributes and formless, second attributeless and formless and third endowed with attributes and form. Now I tell you the first form by meditating on which a man attains Me. (Gita 8:7)

Oh Arjuna, he who with his mind established in Yoga in the form of practice of meditation, thinking of nothing else, is constantly engaged in contemplation of the Supreme Divine Purusa (God) attains Him. (Gita 8:7)

Question: What is the form of the Supreme Divine One?
God: He is Omniscient, Ancient One, Ruler of All, Subtler than the Subtle, the Sustainer of all, possessing a form beyond comprehension, shining like the Sun and beyond the darkness of ignorance. He who meditates on this Supreme One at the time of death, by Yogic power firmly holding the life breath in the space between the eyebrows with a steady mind, full of devotion, reaches verily that Supreme Divine One. (Gita 8:9-10).

From "Gita Madhurya" in English. And Gita Madhurya In Hindi - page 78 by Swami Ramsukhdasji

Those who Worship Me, I abide in them

Gist: A devotee should surrender all actions to God, thus becoming free from good and bad results of actions and in turn attaining God Realization. Even though God is equally present in all, those who worship Him devoutly with love, they abide in God, and God too especially abides in them.

Those who Worship Me, I abide in them - Gita 9:26-29

Question: Is access to You by devotion very difficult?
God: No it is very easy. Whosoever offers Me with devotion, a leaf, a flower, a fruit or even water, I appear in person before that devout devotee and delightfully partake of that article offered by him (Gita 9:26)

Question: What should I do?
God: Oh Arjuna, whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you offer as oblation to the sacred fire, whatever you bestow as a gift, whatever you do by way of penance, offer it all to Me. (Gita 9:27)

Question: What is the good that will accrue from surrendering every action to You?
God: Oh Brother, you will be free form the bondage of action yielding good and bad results and freed from them you shall attain Me. (Gita 9:28)

Question: Those who surrender every action to You, You free them from bondage. It means that You are partial to them. But those who don't surrender themselves to You, they remain in bondage. Why this partiality?
God: O brother, this is not partiality. I am equally present in all beings. There is none hateful, none dear to Me. But those who with love, devoutly worship Me, they are in Me, and I too am especially in them. (Gita 9:29).

Ram Ram

Power of Rama Naam !!!

"A story in Srimad Bhagavata Puranas goes thus—

An elephant named Gajendran was struck in the mouth of a crocodile as it went to drink water. In spite of help from several other elephants, it could not get relieved. It was then that Gajendran remembered about Bhagavan MahaVishnu . Immediately , he called out to Bhagavan who then came down to help.

In Tiruvannamalai lived a Mahatma by name Yogiramsuratkumar. He was then in Tirukkovilur where is located the `Tapovanam' of Swami Gnanananda. River Pennaiyar flows through this town. Next to the river is the Samadhi of another Mahan called Ragottama Swami. It was his Aradhana day and thousands of devotees were gathered there.

A little boy who went to take bath in the Pennaiyar river, got struck in between two huge rocks in the river. The river was flooded and no one could save him. Panicked, people rushed to Swami Gnanananda and surrendered unto him, requesting him to save the boy.

Saying that there was another powerful person carry out that task, Swami Gnanananda summoned Yogiramsuratkumar to save him.

Yogiramsuratkumar went to the banks of the river, and swaying his hand-fan, uttered `Sri Ram, Jaya Ram Jaya Jaya Ram!' and behold! The rock broke into a thousand pieces!

Later, Yogi used to live under a peepul tree in Tiruvannamalai. One night he was sleeping under the tree with other devotees. At about midnight, suddenly Yogi arose saying, `this beggar has an important job' and started walking as others followed him. A mile or two away, there was a large farm land, and in the center was a huge well that irrigated the land. The well did not have walls, and a horse had fallen into it.

We need to save the horse, said Yogi. Looking at the sheer size of the fallen horse, the people around said, `Let us call the fire station'.

Yogi replied, `If you can save the horse, go ahead. Otherwise, leave it to this beggar.'
Puranas say that the elephant Gajendran who was in pain, cried out to Bhagavan Vishnu and Bhagavan arrived from Vaikunta to save it. Now, it was this horse, and no one knew how it cried out, and Yogi was there to save it !

Yogi went around the well twice and then, swaying his hand-fan, chanted, `Om Sri Ram! Jai Ram! Jai Jai Ram!' and then, just as we watch it in a movie, the horse gently jumped out and ran away!

This is not a built-up story! Even today, there are people who have witnessed this event.
People asked Yogi, 'Bhagavan! you are capable of doing such miracles!'

Yogi replied, `No No! This beggar is not capable of doing any miracles. Only Ram Naam is doing miracles!'

In our life we enjoy or suffer depending on our 'paapa' and 'punya'. The imprints of our past deeds (`prarabda') follow us. No one's life is filled with just happiness or just sorrow. Life is a mix of both happiness and sorrow. In such a life, when we encounter misery, instead of wailing, if we cry out the name of Bhagavan Narayana, irrespective of the condition and situation, He comes down to help us.

Chant the Mahamantra Nama kirtan :

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

Beautiful Story on Material Attachments! by H H Jayapataka Swami

Because of lack of transcendental knowledge, one is thinking, “Oh because of Krishna Consciousness, I will give up some happiness, like going to the movies at night.” Some kind of attachment is there.

There is a story about Sanatana Goswami’s servant. He asked Sanatana Goswami, “There is a party going on in the forest…there is a big festival. Could I go and participate?”

Sanatana Goswami said, “Festival?…in the middle of the night???…I don’t think you should go there.”

“No, no, no, they are having a good time….”

“All right if you want to go, what can I say? You go, but no eating whatever they give you. Whatever they give you to eat, you just wrap it up and bring it back here.”

So the devotee went to the festival in the forest and they sat him down, “Please take some food.”

They gave him some nice preparations…some rice and so many things, but he wrapped it all up in his cloth, didn’t take it, and he went back to the Ashrama and took rest.

Next morning, Srila Sanatana Goswami asked, “How was the festival?”

“Oh, it was quite interesting. Everyone was having a good time.”

“Did they give you anything to eat?”

He said, “Yes, but I didn’t eat it. I kept it in my cloth.”

“Bring your cloth. Let me see what they gave you. I am sure it has got some nice preparation.”

So he brought it and when they opened the pot, instead of all the nice delicacies he had seen the night before, there was bones, and rotten flesh, and pus and blood, stool and all kinds of horrible things.

“Oh, what is this?”

“Those were ghosts having a ghost festival. They had transformed all these horrible things to make it seem like nice things. If you had eaten…oof!”

Then when the servant realized that, he said, “Oh, how did you know?”

“Who has a festival in the middle of the night, in the middle of the forest?”

So the spiritual master could understand, but the disciple was still attached to some material things. Once he has the knowledge, “Oof! Look at this horrible stuff!” Then naturally you get some detachment.”

H H Jayapataka Swami

Hare means the energy of the Lord, and Krishna means the Supreme Personality of Godhead

Excerpt from lecture, Montreal, June 15, 1968

So what is this Hare Krishna? Hare means the energy of the Lord, and Krishna means the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So it is a prayer. There are three words only: Hare, Krishna and Rama, three words. That has been arranged in sixteen words: Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. So our movement is that we request you to take up these sixteen words—not sixteen words, three words, Hare, Krishna, Rama. But is is arranged in such a way that there are sixteen words. So anyone can take it by heart, these three words, and chant it. It is universal. And if you think that "Oh, Krishna is the name of Hindu god," if you have got any objection, then you may not chant Krishna, but you must have a name for God. Just like somebody, the Muhammadans, call Allah, the Jews call Jehovah, or somebody calls something. That doesn't matter. If you think that "Why shall I chant the Indian name Krishna, Sanskrit name Krishna?" so Lord Chaitanya says that there are millions and billions of names of God. If you think that this Krishna name is not very suitable, you can accept any name. That doesn't matter. Our proposition is you chant God's name. That is our proposal. Therefore it is universal. If you like, you can chant Jehovah or you can chant Allah, but we request you that you chant God's name. Is it very difficult? It is not at all difficult. Lord Chaitanya said that there are innumerable names of God according to different languages, different countries, different societies. And each and every one of them has the potency of God Himself. If there is any God, so God is Absolute; therefore there is no difference between His name and He Himself. Just like in the material world, in the world of duality there is difference between the name "water" and the substance water. The name water is different from the substance water. If you are thirsty, if you simply chant, "Water, water, water, water," your thirstiness will not be quenched. You require the substance water. That is material, but spiritually, the name Krishna or the name Allah or the name Jehovah is as good as the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Therefore if you chant Hare Krishna... You may inquire why we are chanting Hare Krishna. Hare Krishna, this name, was chanted by Lord Chaitanya, who introduced this movement five hundred years ago in India. We are following the footprints of Lord Chaitanya. Because He chanted Hare Krishna, therefore we are chanting Hare Krishna. But Lord Chaitanya has recommended that God has innumerable names, and any one of them can be chanted, and there is no hard and fast rules and regulations for chanting. It is not that you have to prepare yourself or you have to educate yourself or you have to adjust yourself for chanting. No. Everyone. Just like immediately we began to chant. You were not prepared, but you joined with us, you clapped with us, you danced with us. So similarly, there is no preoccupation or any rules and regulation. You simply chant. And this is very easy. While walking, you can chant whatever name you like. We like Krishna. We chant always: Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. While walking the streets, while you are going in the bus, and whatever, even while working with your hands, you can chant. There is no loss on your part. There is no expenditure on your part, but the gain is very great. Why don't you try it? Try it. That is our request.

We must inquire what is the Absolute Truth.

When we travel by airplane, we sit with some other passengers for an hour or two and then after landing we separate from each other, never to meet again. Therefore we do not take our temporary relationships with the other passengers very seriously, and we do not feel there is anything wrong with completely forgetting about them. We accept this as a normal part of everyday existence. But yet even though our relationship with friends and family is also temporary just like our "airplane relationships", we take these relationships as something eternal. Why is this? This is due to the influence of maya, the illusory energy.

This is the underlying mistake that it makes it impossible for us to taste genuine permanent happiness. We build these castles made of sand failing to see that very soon they will be washed into the sea. We cannot experience genuine happiness by basing it on something that is temporary, because our actual nature is that we are eternal.

If we want actual happiness we must inquire into that which is permanent. We must inquire what is the Absolute Truth. But we live in such a society where practically no one is interested in such things. This was observed by Sripad Shankaracharya as follows:

balasya tavad krida-saktah
tarunas tavad taruni-raktah
vrddhas tavad cinta-magnah
parame brahmani ko 'pi na lagnah

"Children are playing. Young boys are after young girls. And the old men are always in anxiety about what it is be done. Nobody is interested in the Absolute Truth."

There is no reason for us to be the herd mentality of foolishly going along with the mass psychosis. It is wise and expedient us for us to see beyond the everyday life of so-called happiness to the real happiness of the spirit-soul in a loving relationship with the Supreme Spirit, Lord Sri Krishna.

We should realize that our relationships in this world are nothing more than "airplane relationships" and should focus our energies on developing a permanent relationship with the Supreme Person.

Taught by His Grace Sriman Sankarshan Das Adhikari

When everything arises from God, then why the gunas are not in Him

As the Gunas (modes of nature, Sattva, Rajas and Tamo) are weapons of mother Durga to capture and keep the living entity (Jiva) in this material world.
She is the confidential servant of Lord Shri Krshna (Supreme personality of God head) and she is none other than maha maya too. Her job is to tie the living entity into this material world by hook and crook. So, Lord is controller of the mother nature and he never come in contact with these three Gunas and he completely aloof from this aspect.

In the words of Srila Prabhupada

All material activities in the world are being conducted under the three modes of material nature. Although these material modes of nature are emanations from the Supreme Lord, Krshna, He is not subject to them. For instance, under the state laws one may be punished, but the king, the lawmaker, is not subject to that law. Similarly, all the modes of material nature—goodness, passion and ignorance—are emanations from the Supreme Lord Krshna, but Krshna is not subject to material nature. Therefore He is nirguna, which means that these gunas, or modes, although issuing from Him, do not affect Him. That is one of the special characteristics of Bhagavän, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Make Room in Your Heart For Bhagwan's Presence

If we accept the concept of Bhagwan, then we have to accept the concept of 'bhaga' also. If we use the word dhanawan, but exclude the word 'dhana', wealth, then the word dhanawan becomes meaningless. He who possesses dhana is dhanawan.

Similarly, He who possesses bhaga is Bhagwan. Bhaga means majesty or potency. The fact that Bhagwan possesses all beauty implies that He is beautiful; therefore, He must possess form.

However, in saying so we should not confine Him within the limits of length, breadth and height. The internal potency, the chit-shakti of Bhagwan, has as its reflection the material energy, which is subject to change and destruction.

Even though Bhagwan is omnipotent, there are three predominating shaktis known as internal potency or chit-shakti, external potency or maya shakti and poised in between these two, His manifested living beings known as tattastha or jiva shakti.

The shakti that takes us to the heart of Bhagwan is known as Antaranga shakti or internal potency. That which overwhelms and enchants us with His external features, taking us away from Bhagwan, is known as bahiranga shakti or external potency.

Internal potency takes us towards, and the external potency takes us away from Bhagwan. Internal potency performs the unalloyed service of Bhagwan and is referred to as 'bhakta' or devotee.

Bhakta and Bhagwan are one non-dual composed of two moods or aspects: the predominating and the predominated, the enjoyer and the enjoyed, the served and the servitor, the object of worship and the worshipper.

Since Bhagwan is beyond our limited intellect, we cannot know Him by virtue of our merit alone. The only way of knowing Bhagwan is by the desire of Bhagwan Himself.

To act according to the desire of Bhagwan is to have 'priti' — affection or bhakti. Bhagwan wants the devotee to be happy. If one loves the devotee, then that person captures Bhagwan.

That is why those who love and serve Bhagwan's devotee can easily win the blessings of Bhagwan's grace. It is not difficult to love Bhagwan. Knowledge, wealth, beauty, power, etc are not required in this love.

Srimad Bhagavatam says: "Those who are intoxicated with their birth (social status), wealth, learning and beauty are incapable of uttering the name of Krishna, which can be taken by those who are bereft of all material assets".

If all the pride in the world should occupy all the space in my heart, then how can Sree Bhagwan find a place in my heart? Although a welcome sign hangs at the gate, the inside is cluttered up with so much rubbish that the invited guest has to turn away, unable to find a place to sit.

It is no use to externally extend a welcome to Bhagwan if the inside is clogged with filth

Here are "Dasa Divya Ratna"

1. One of our duties as human beings is to avail ourselves of every opportunity to do good to others. The poor can serve others by their loyal work to the country and the rich by their wealth to help the poor. Those who are influential can use their influence to better the condition of the lowly. That way we can keep alive in our hearts a sense of social service.
2. Man by himself cannot create even a blade of grass. We will be guilty of gross ingratitude if we do not offer first to God what we eat or wear - only the best and choicest should be offered to Him.
3. Life without love is a waste. Everyone should cultivate "Prema" or love towards all human beings, bird and beast.
4. Wealth amassed by a person whose heart is closed to charity, is generally dissipated by the inheritors: but the family of philanthropists will always be blessed with happiness.
5. A person who has done a meritorious deed will lose the resulting merit if he listens to the praise of others or himself boasts of his deeds.
6. It will do not good to frieve over what has happened. If we learn to discriminate between good and evil, that will guard us from falling into the evil again.
7. We should utilise to good purpose, the days of our life-time. We should engage ourselves in acts which will contribute to the welfare of others rather than to our selfish desires.
8. We should perform duties that have been prescribed for our daily life and also be filled with devotion to God.
9. One attains one's goal by performance of one's duties.
10. Jnana is the only solvent of our troubles and sufferings.

We are the object and Krishna is the subject

Krishna is the source of everything that exists and everything is His energies in all material and all spiritual worlds. The material conception of life is when we put our self in the center, we want to see and we want to enjoy what we see. This whole material existence or so many objects, wherever we look we are trying to enjoy what we see, what we taste, what we hear, smell, think, feel through all of our senses. “bhoktäram yajya-tapasäm sarva-loka-mahesvaram”- Krishna is the proprietor of everything that exists and ultimately Krishna is the supreme enjoyer. For a devotee wherever we look, we are thinking how Krishna can enjoy, this is Krishna’s property, this is Krishna’s person, meant for Krishna’s enjoyment, He is in the center, how could I facilitate? How could I serve him?
Generally when you see another person or another human being, the tendency is we want to enjoy them. But in bhakti we see that the other person is the object of Krishna’s enjoyment. I am also the object of Krishna’s enjoyment. So that how to serve in such a way to utilize everything for Krishna’s enjoyment. Even when we come to the temple to see the deity, Srila Bhakti Siddhant Saraswati Thakur and Srila Prabhupada would quote him, “Do not try to see Krishna but try to behave, act, and live in such a way that Krishna is very pleased to see you”. We are the object and Krishna is the subject. When we accept this state of consciousness then the soul is liberated from the false ego which is under the conception that I am the enjoyer, the doer, the proprietor, and the controller.

Lecture By H H Radhanath Swami Maharaj

When King Mucukunda asked Sri Krishna, “ Who are You ” ?

SB 10.51.23 – 30 : As he gazed at the Lord, King Mucukunda saw that He was dark blue like a cloud, had four arms, and wore a yellow silk garment . On His chest He bore the Srivatsa mark and on His neck the brilliantly glowing Kaustubha gem . Adorned with a Vaijayanti garland, the Lord displayed His handsome, peaceful face, which attracts the eyes of all mankind with its shark-shaped earrings and affectionately smiling glance. The beauty of His youthful form was unexcelled, and He moved with the nobility of an angry lion. The highly intelligent King was overwhelmed by the Lord's effulgence, which showed Him to be invincible. Expressing his uncertainty, Mucukunda hesitantly questioned Lord Krishna as follows.

Sri Mucukunda asked :
· Who are You who have come to this mountain cave in the forest, having walked on the thorny ground with feet as soft as lotus petals?
· Perhaps You are the potency of all potent beings. Or maybe You are the powerful god of fire, or the sun-god, the moon-god, the King of heaven or the ruling demigod of some other planet . I think You are the Supreme Personality among the three chief gods, since You drive away the darkness of this cave as a lamp dispels darkness with its light.
· O best among men, if You like, please truly describe Your birth, activities and lineage to us, who are eager to hear.

SB 10.51.23 – 30 : Thus addressed by the King, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, origin of all creation, smiled and then replied to him in a voice as deep as the rumbling of clouds.

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.
· 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.
· 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 .
· Nonetheless, O friend, I will tell you about My current birth, name and activities. Kindly hear. Some time ago, Lord Brahma requested Me to protect religious principles and destroy the demons who were burdening the earth . Thus I descended in the Yadu dynasty, in the home of Anakadundubhi . Indeed, because I am the son of Vasudeva people call Me Vasudeva .
· I have killed Kalanemi , reborn as Kamsa, as well as Pralamba and other enemies of the pious. And now, O King, this barbarian has been burnt to ashes by your piercing glance.
· Since in the past you repeatedly prayed to Me, I have personally come to this cave to show you mercy, for I am affectionately inclined to My devotees.

Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya!! !

We Create Our Life

Always wait for something good and it happens,because whatsoever happens,we create.In fact,we create it;we sow the seeds.But we sow the seeds unconsciously,that's why we think that some accident has happened.Accidents never happen,nothing is ever accidental.It is a cosmos,it is not a chaos.
Everything is absolutely based on a fundamental ultimate law: nothing ever goes wrong.Yes,sometimes it looks to us as if it has gone wrong,because we were expecting something else.Thats a problem we do one thing,we sow one seed and we expect something else.We sow the seeds of one kind of flower and we expect some other kind of flower,so when the flowers come we are frustrated.But flowers come through the seeds,not our wishes.
So remember: We constantly create our world.There are people who are constantly afraid that something wrong is going to happen,and then it happens! And when it happens,they are proved right.They have made it happen People who are afraid will always find situations in which fear grips them.People who are loving will always find situations where love blooms.Because this existence goes on giving you that which you project.
Life is our project.We are our life's creators.God has created man,but as freedom.So there is an essential freedom inside;now it is up to you to choose what you would like to happen to you in life and then you will see that it starts happening.One thing is linked with another,one thing leads to another,and slowly you have taken a certain route;then all other alternatives are dropped.
When a child is born,all the alternatives are open;he is utterly free.He can be a musician,poet,wrestler,a politician,he can be anything ... an Adolf Hitler,a Gautama Buddha;anything is possible.But sooner or later choices start coming and he starts moving in a certain direction.Then that direction remains his world.So always remember: whatsoever has happened to you,you have been the cause of it.Sometimes it hurts that you are the cause of all the misery that has happened to you;you feel sad.But there is no need to feel sad,because through it,you come to an understanding,and then things need not happen the same way again to you.
And the second thing to remember is: For every hurt or happiness always feel thankful,because sometimes pain is needed for growth and pleasure is not needed.So whatsoever happens,make it an opportunity to grow.Use that opportunity as a springboard for something higher.A friend dies,there is pain,there is anguish and misery,but use that opportunity.Meditate on death.Your friend's death has reminded you of a very significant phenomenon that death is there.Don't arrange your life without taking note of death.Maybe existence has given you a message to get ready: the friend is gone,you will be gone one day,so prepare for death! Life is a small affair;a 70-year affair in which one-third will be gone in sleep,another one-third will be gone in earning bread and butter,another one-third in other stupidities... Nothing much is left! It is not a big thing,it is a very small phenomenon;compared to death it is nothing.Death is eternity.


The Madmans Guide To Enlightenment,

The meaning of Hare Krishna Mantra

This mantra is made up of only three words : 'Hare', Krishna and 'Rama'. 'Krishna' and 'Rama' are the name of Lord Vishnu - one of the mythological God in the trinity of Gods Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh. It is said that in every yug (era) Vishnu takes incarnation on earth to establish the law of truth and righteousness.

Ram is the name of the incarnation of Vishnu in the Treta yug ( you must have heard the famous story of Ramayana - the popular Indian epic. Rama is the hero of that epic.

Krishna is the name of the incarnation of Vishnu in the 'Dwaper yug'. He is the central character in the Mahabharata (pronounced approximately as Ma-haa-BHAAR-a-ta ) -the another popular epic of India (which incidentally is the longest epic of the world). Krishna is the most popular God of Hindu religion. The Bhagawad Gita - the highly spiritual and mesmerizing conversation between Krishna and Arjuna( one of the bravest and famous character of Mahabharata ) on the battle ground of Kurukshetra is one of the most popular and respected religious books of World.

Both these words 'Rama' and 'Krishna' have become powerful and effective for the simple reason that for thousand of years millions of Hindus have been praying to God by chanting these two names. The faith, devotion and a pure spiritual feeling with which these two names have been chanted by all these devotees for so many years have made these words electrifying- charged with energy. Just repeating these names can take anyone into meditation quickly.

The word Hare has come from 'Haran' which means to take way or to end. So when one says hare Krishna, he requests the God (the supreme consciousness) to take away his sorrows , his shortcomings, his failures and pains. This Hare Krishna Mantra is actually a little prayer to God for taking away all the sorrows, pains and shortcomings of the chanter and provide him bliss and joy.

"Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare"

Whenever you chant this mantra, always keep its meaning in mind. Chant this mantra with devotion and faith . While repeating his mantra request the God almighty to take away all your sorrows, pains and failures and give you joy and bliss.

It is the experience of many that when one repeat this mantra with full faith and with full awareness of its meaning, his/her whole being gets filled with Krishna Consciousness ( which is a name given to the feeling of bliss and joy one gets in repeating this mantra.)

This mantra is a very easy mantra. You can chant it anytime, anywhere. Give at least 15 minutes per day for this mantra repetition. Sit quietly in a comfortable position. Then either chant it silently or loudly. Repeat it with full awareness of its meaning which is " O lord, take away all my sorrows, pains and shortcomings and give me bliss and joy".

This mantra is a simple and effective meditation technique. Slowly you will start enjoying it as its repetition will give you a sense of calm and bliss.

The importance of Hare Krishna Maha Mantra

Where is the reference about the glory of chanting of Krishna’s name ?

Q) Where is it written that chanting the holy name of Lord Rama one time is equivalent to chanting the one thousand holy names of Lord Vishnu one time ?
And where is written that chanting the holy name of Lord Krishna one time is equivalent to chanting the one thousand holy name of Lord Vishnu three times ?
And where is it written that chanting the holy name of Lord Krishna one time is equivalent to chanting the holy name of Lord Rama three times ?

Chanting of the holy name of Lord Rama once = Chanting of 1,000 names of Lord Vishnu one time.
Chanting of the holy name of Lord Krishna once = Chanting of 1,000 names of Lord Vishnu three times.
Or
Chanting of the holy name of Lord Rama three times.

A) The answers to the above questions are available in the Chaitanya Charithamrutha, Madhya Leela, Chapter-9, in sloka 32 and 33 which are reproduced in the attached sheets.

In the Chaitanya Charithamrutha it is stated that for question No.1 the answer is that it is available in the Brihad-Vishnu-Sahasranaama-Stotra in the Uttara Kaanda of the Padma Purana (72.335 of Padma Purana). (Which is reproduced in the enclosed sheets).

In the Chaitanya Charithamrutha it is stated that for question No.2 the answer is that it is available in the Brahmanda Purana (as is quoted in the Laghu Bhagavatamrutha (1.5.354) by Srila Rupa Goswami. (Which is reproduced in the enclosed sheets).

Madhya-līlā

Chapter 9: Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's Travels to the Holy Places

Bhaktivedanta VedaBase
Śrī Caitanya Caritāmṛta Madhya Leela 9.29
ramante yogino 'nante
satyānande cid-ātmani
iti rāma-padenāsau
paraḿ brahmābhidhīyate


TRANSLATION
"'The Supreme Absolute Truth is called Rāma because the transcendentalists take pleasure in the unlimited true pleasure of spiritual existence.'

PURPORT
This is the eighth verse of the Śata-nāma-stotra of Lord Rāmacandra, which is found in the Padma Purāṇa.

Śrī Caitanya Caritāmṛta Madhya 9.30
kṛṣir bhū-vācakaḥ śabdo
ṇaś ca nirvṛti-vācakaḥ
tayor aikyaḿ paraḿ brahma
kṛṣṇa ity abhidhīyate

TRANSLATION
"'The word "kṛṣ" is the attractive feature of the Lord's existence, and "ṇa" means spiritual pleasure. When the verb "kṛṣ" is added to the affix "ṇa," it becomes "Kṛṣṇa," which indicates the Absolute Truth.'

PURPORT
This is a verse from the Mahābhārata (Udyoga-parva 71.4).

Śrī Caitanya Caritāmṛta Madhya 9.31
paraḿ brahma dui-nāma samāna ha-ila
punaḥ āra śāstre kichu viśeṣa pāila


TRANSLATION
"As far as the holy names of Rāma and Kṛṣṇa are concerned, they are on an equal level, but for further advancement we receive some specific information from the revealed scriptures.

Śrī Caitanya Caritāmṛta Madhya 9.32
rāma rāmeti rāmeti
rame rāme manorame
sahasra-nāmabhis tulyaḿ
rāma-nāma varānane


TRANSLATION
"[Lord Śiva addressed his wife, Durgā:] 'O Varānanā, 'I chant the holy name of Rāma, Rāma, Rāma and thus enjoy this beautiful sound. This holy name of Rāmacandra is equal to one thousand holy names of Lord Viṣṇu.'

PURPORT

This is a verse from the Bṛhad-viṣṇu-sahasranāma-stotra in the Uttara-khaṇḍa of the Padma Purāṇa (72.335).

Śrī Caitanya Caritāmṛta Madhya 9.33
sahasra-nāmnāḿ puṇyānāḿ
trir-āvṛttyā tu yat phalam
ekāvṛttyā tu kṛṣṇasya
nāmaikaḿ tat prayacchati


TRANSLATION
"'The pious results derived from chanting the thousand holy names of Viṣṇu three times can be attained by only one utterance of the holy name of Kṛṣṇa.'

PURPORT
This verse from the Brahmāṇḍa Purāṇa is found in the Laghu-bhāgavatāmṛta (1.5.354), by Rūpa Gosvāmī. Simply by chanting the name of Kṛṣṇa once, one can attain the same results achieved by chanting the holy name of Rāma three times.


Śrī Caitanya Caritāmṛta Madhya 9.34
ei vākye kṛṣṇa-nāmera mahimā apāra
tathāpi la-ite nāri, śuna hetu tāra


TRANSLATION
"According to this statement of the śāstras, the glories of the holy name of Kṛṣṇa are unlimited. Still I could not chant His holy name. Please hear the reason for this.

The importance of Hare Krishna Maha Mantra

Originally, the Maha Mantra was
Hare Rama Hare Rama
Rama Rama Hare Hare
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna Hare Hare.

This was the original Vedic Mantra and anyone and every one cannot invoke this mantra. It has to be properly invoked and only a qualified Brahmana has the required qualification to utter such holy mantra. This was possible only in the rest of the 3 previous yugas. However, in Kali Yuga, there are no Brahmanas at all to invoke the above mantra. In Kali Yuga, all are none but Sudras, because of the degradation.

Therefore, out of His causeless mercy for the fallen Kali Yuga Jeevas, Sri Chaitanya Maha Prabhu, who is none other than the Supreme Lord Krishna Himself, and who has incarnated 500 years ago, has changed the order of the above Mantra, while retaining the same potency of the original mantra, so that anyone and everyone can easily chant this holy name in this Kali Yuga and get purified. The newly-changed mantra is as follows :

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama
Rama Rama Hare Hare

Thus, the Lord has made His mercy more easily available to one and all without exception.

Chaitanya Charitaamrutha. Adi Leela. Text 17. 21
And Brhan-naaradiya Puraana

Text
harer näma harer näma
harer nämaiva kevalam
kalau nästy eva nästy eva
nästy eva gatir anyathä

Translation
‘In this Age of Kali there is no other means, no other means, no other means for self-realization than chanting the holy name, chanting the holy name, chanting the holy name of Lord Hari.’

Kali Santarana Upanishad

Text
Iti shodasa naamnam
Kali kalmasha naasanam
Na tah parataropaayah
Sarva vedeshu drusyathe

Translation
This Hare Krishna Maha Mantra has 16 names of the Supreme Lord and this destroys all the sins of the Kali Yuga. If you search out even in the entire of Vedas, you will not find any other means other than this chanting of the Hare Krishna Maha Mantra, to destroy all the sin and ills of Kali Yuga.

Chaitanya Charitaamrutha. Adi Leela. Text 17. 22

Text
kali-käle näma-rüpe Krishna-avatära
näma haite haya sarva-jagat-nistära


Translation
“In this Age of Kali, the holy name of the Lord, the Hare Krishna mahä-mantra, is the incarnation of Lord Krishna. Simply by chanting the holy name, one associates with the Lord directly. Anyone who does this is certainly delivered.”

Chaitanya Charitaamrutha. Adi Leela. Text 17. 23

Text
daardhya lägi’ ‘harer näma’-ukti tina-vära
jada loka bujhäite punah ‘eva’-kära


Translation
“This verse repeats the word ‘eva’ [‘certainly’] three times for emphasis, and it also three times repeats ‘harer näma’ [‘the holy name of the Lord’], just to make common people understand.”

Purport
To emphasize something to an ordinary person, one may repeat it three times, just as one might say, “You must do this! You must do this! You must do this!” Thus the Bruhad-näradiya Puräanaa repeatedly emphasizes the chanting of the holy name so that people may take it seriously and thus free themselves from the clutches of mäyä. It is our practical experience in the Krishna Consciousness movement all over the world that many millions of people are factually coming to the spiritual stage of life simply by chanting the Hare Krishna mahä-mantra regularly, according to the prescribed principles. Therefore, our request to all our students is that they daily chant at least sixteen rounds of this Hare Krishna mahä-mantra offenselessly, following the regulative principles. Thus their success will be assured without a doubt.

Sreemad Bhagavatham 12.3.51

Text
kaler dosa-nidhe räjann
asti hy eko mahän gunah
kirtanäd eva krishnasya
mukta-sangah paraàm vrajet


Translation
My dear King, although Kali-yuga is an ocean of faults, there is still one good quality about this age: Simply by chanting the Hare Krishna mahä-mantra, one can become free from material bondage and be promoted to the transcendental kingdom.

Purport
After mentioning the innumerable faults of this age of Kali, Sukadeva Gosvämi now mentions its one brilliant aspect. Just as one powerful king can kill innumerable thieves, one brilliant spiritual quality can destroy all the contamination of this age. It is impossible to overestimate the importance of chanting Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Räma, Hare Räma, Räma Räma, Hare Hare, especially in this fallen age.

Sreemad Bhagavatham 12.3.52

Text
krte yad dhyäyato vishnum
tretäyäàm yajato makhaih
dväpare paricaryäyäàm
kalau tad dhari-kéertanät


Translation
Whatever result was obtained in Satya-yuga by meditating on Vishnu, in Tretä-yuga by performing sacrifices, and in Dväpara-yuga by serving the Lord’s lotus feet can be obtained in Kali-yuga simply by chanting the Hare Krishna mahä-mantra.

Purport
A similar verse is found in the Vishnu Puräna (6.2.17), and also in the Padma Puräna (Uttara-khanda 72.25) and the Bruhad-näradéya Puräna (38.97):

dhyäyan krte yajan yajnais
tretäyäà dväpare ’rcayan
yad äpnoti tad äpnoti
kalau saìkértya kesavam

Translation
“Whatever is achieved by meditation in Satya-yuga, by the performance of sacrifice in Tretä-yuga, and by the worship of Lord Krishna’s lotus feet in Dväpara-yuga is obtained in the age of Kali simply by glorifying the name of Lord Kesava.”

Srila Jiva Gosvämi has further quoted from the Brahma-vaivarta Puräna concerning the degraded condition of people in Kali-yuga:

atah kalau tapo-yoga-
vidyä-yajnädikäh kriyäh
sängä bhavanti na krtah
kusalair api dehibhih

“Thus in the age of Kali the practices of austerity, yoga meditation, Deity worship, sacrifice and so on, along with their various subsidiary functions, are not properly carried out, even by the most expert embodied souls.

Srila Jiva Gosvämi has also cited the Cäturmäsya-mähätmya of the Skanda Puräna concerning the necessity of chanting Hare Krishna in this age:

tathä caivottamam loke
tapah çré-hari-kértanam
kalau yuge visesena
vishnuu-prityai samäcaret

“In this way the most perfect penance to be executed in this world is the chanting of the name of Lord Sri Hari. Especially in the age of Kali, one can satisfy the Supreme Lord Vishnu by performing sankeertana.’’

In conclusion, massive propaganda should be made all over the world to induce people to chant the Hare Krishna Maha Mantra, by which human society can be rescued from the dangerous ocean of the age of Kali.