Unalloyed devotee of Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the topmost perfection of all religious principles

The great personality Brahmā, with great attention and concentration of the mind, studied the Vedas three times, and after scrutinizingly examining them, he ascertained that attraction for the Supreme Personality of Godhead Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the highest perfection of religion.

Lord Brahmā, who is the qualitative incarnation of Godhead. The Vedas were taught to Brahmājī in the beginning of the material creation. Although Brahmājī was to hear Vedic instructions directly from the Personality of Godhead, in order to satisfy the inquisitiveness of all prospective students of the Vedas, Brahmājī, just like a scholar, studied the Vedas three times, as generally done by all scholars. He studied with great attention, concentrating on the purpose of the Vedas, and after scrutinizingly examining the whole process, he ascertained that becoming a pure, unalloyed devotee of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the topmost perfection of all religious principles. Aid this is the last instruction of the Bhagavad-gītā directly presented by the Personality of Godhead. The Vedic conclusion is thus accepted by all ācāryas, and those who are against this conclusion are only veda-vāda-ratas, as explained in the Bhagavad-gītā (2.24)

Expectation Brings Frustration

If you expect too much, you will be frustrated. If you don't want to be frustrated, don't expect. Live without expectations and there will be no frustration.
But people go on expecting; then frustration comes in – frustration is the shadow of expectation. When you feel frustrated you think that existence is doing something wrong to you. Any asking is asking too much. Don't ask, be. And then you will be surprised – whatsoever happens is good; you have no way to judge it.
I used to stay with a rich family in Calcutta. Once i went; the family had come to take me from the airport. The husband was very sad. I enquired, "What is the matter?" He said, "There has been a great loss." Listening to this, his wife started laughing. She said, "Don't bother about what he says. There has been no loss – in fact, there has been a great profit."
I was puzzled. I said, "You both are here. Please try to explain this riddle to me." The wife said, "There is no riddle. He was expecting ten lakh rupees and he got only five lakh rupees. So he says, `Five lakh rupees' loss,' and I say, You have profited' – but he won't listen, and he is very sad."
When you expect ten lakh rupees and you get five lakh you feel frustrated. If you are not expecting and you get five lakh rupees you are full of joy, thankfulness, gratitude.
Don't expect, and you see your whole life becomes a joy. Expect, and your whole life becomes a hell. Expectation is the cause. If you want to change, never start by the effect, start by the cause. Frustration is the effect. You can go on fighting with frustration – nothing will happen, you will become more and more frustrated. Whenever you are feeling miserable, go into it and find out where the cause is. If you want to drop the effect then avoid the cause; then become aware, more and more aware.
There are many people who enjoy frustration. There are many people who enjoy being miserable. In fact, they cannot tolerate happiness at all. When they are miserable they are happy, when they are happy they feel very miserable. Whenever you are miserable you gain something: sympathy, attention. Whenever you are happy nobody shows any sympathy – in fact, people become jealous. When you are unhappy everybody is a friend, everybody sympathises with you – even your enemy will sympathise with you. When you are happy even your friend will become jealous and inimical.
When you are happy nobody pays any attention to you. People avoid you. In fact, they start thinking you must be mad: Happy? Who has ever heard of anybody being happy! When you are unhappy they accept you. Then they think everything is okay, because this is how things have to be. And people enjoy your unhappiness, that's why they pay attention – because whenever you are unhappy they can compare themselves, and deep down they can feel good.
You love frustration? Then go into it. Become more artistic about it, decorate it a little more; make new possibilities, new doors to become more frustrated. If you don't enjoy it, then i don't see the problem. Just go deep into it, watch, and you will find some expectation hidden behind. Whenever you expect, you are asking for frustration. Drop expectations!
The Divine Melody, Osho International Foundation

Sri Krishna is the original source of all Avatars !!!

Numerous authoritative scriptural references establish Sri Krishna as the Absolute Truth, yet it should be understood that He is not simply another incarnation of God. He is the *purna punyavataram* (100% complete manifestation of *Paramaatma*).

This is verified in the Bhagavatam verse (1.3.28) where it explains : `Ete chamsha-kalah pumsaha / krishnas tu bhagavan svayam / indrari-vyakulam lokam / mridayanti yuge yuge, which means, "All of the (previously mentioned) incarnations are either plenary portions or portions of plenary portions of the Lord, but Lord Sri Krishna is the original Personality of Godhead. All of them appear on planets whenever there is a disturbance created by the atheists. The Lord incarnates to protect the Bhaktas ."

So herein we can understand that Sri Krishna either descends directly, or it is one of His plenary portions who appears in order to perform the necessary activities. This is further explained in the following verses, which shows that even Maha-Vishnu, the Creator of the cosmic manifestation, and Garbhodakashayi Vishnu, the expansion in each universe, are plenary portions of Lord Krishna. "The Supreme original Personality of Godhead, Lord Sri Krishna, expanding His plenary portion as Maha-Vishnu, the first incarnation, creates this manifold cosmos, but He is unborn. The creation, however, takes place in Him, and the material substance and manifestations are all Himself. He maintains them for some time and absorbs them into Himself again. (Bhag.2.6.39)

"The Personality of Godhead is pure, being free from all contaminations of material tinges. He is the Absolute Truth and the embodiment of full and perfect knowledge. He is all-pervading, without beginning or end, and without rival. O Narada, O great sage, the great thinkers can know Him when completely freed from all material hankerings and when sheltered under undisturbed conditions of the senses. Otherwise, by untenable arguments, all is distorted, and the Lord disappears from our sight. (Bhag. 2.6.40-41)

"Karanarnavashayi Vishnu [Maha-Vishnu] is the first incarnation of the Supreme Lord, and He is the master of eternal time, space, cause and effects, mind, the elements, the material ego, the modes of nature, the senses, the universal form of the Lord, Garbhodakashayi Vishnu, and the sum total of all living beings, both moving and nonmoving. (Bhag. 2.6.42)

"I myself [Brahma], Lord Shiva, Lord Vishnu, great generators of living beings like Daksha and Prajapati, yourselves [Narada and the Kumaras], heavenly Devas like Indra and Chandra, the leaders of the Bhurloka planets, the leaders of the earthly planets, the leaders of the lower planets, the leaders of the Gandharva [angel-like beings] planets, the leaders of the Vidyadhara planets, the leaders of the Charanaloka planets, the leaders of the Yakshas, Rakshas and Uragas, the great Sages, the great demons, the great atheists and the great spacemen, as well as the dead bodies, evil spirits, jinn, kushmandas, great aquatics, great beasts and great birds, etc.--in other words, anything and everything which is exceptionally possessed of power, opulence, mental and perceptual dexterity, strength, forgiveness, beauty, modesty, and breeding, whether in form or formless--may appear to be the specific truth and the form of the Lord, but actually they are not so. They are only a fragment of the transcendental potency of the Lord." (Bhag.2.6.43- 45)

In Brahma's prayers to Lord Krishna, in a later portion of the Bhagavatam, He continues to explain, "Are You not the original Narayana, O supreme controller, since You are the Soul of every embodied being and the eternal witness of all created realms? Indeed, Lord Narayana [Maha-Vishnu] is your expansion, and He is called Narayana because He is the generating source of the primeval water of the universe. He is real, not a product of Your illusory Maya." (Bhag.10.14. 14)

Once when Lord Krishna was beginning to prepare for leaving this world to return to His abode, all the Devas, Sages, and celestial and subtle beings approached Him when He lived in Dvaraka. Then they offered prayers to the Lord which further reveals Lord Krishna's supremacy over all other incarnations and Devas. It is explained:

"The powerful Lord Indra, along with the Maruts, Adityas, Vasus, Ashvinis, Ribhus, Angiras, Rudras, Vishvadevas, Sadhyas, Gandharvas, Apsaras, Nagas, Siddhas, Charanas, Guhyakas, the great Sages and forefathers, and the Vidyadharas and Kinnaras, arrived at the city of Dvaraka , hoping to see Lord Krishna. By His transcendental form, Krishna , the Supreme Lord, enchanted all human beings and spread His own fame throughout the worlds. The Lord's glories destroy all contamination within the universe." (Bhag.11.6.2- 4)

Many Hindus show great respect to these Vedic Devas, but such Devas can also come under the influence of Lord Krishna's illusory energy. In this next verse, we see how Lord Krishna takes it upon Himself to relieve Lord Indra of his pride and ignorance. Lord Indra is the king of heaven who is known for his own mystical or magical abilities, which tend to be a source of pride for him, which encourages him to do inappropriate things. In one such incident, Lord Krishna explained, "By My mystic power I will completely counteract this disturbance caused by Indra. Devas like Indra are proud of their opulence, and out of foolishness they falsely consider themselves the Lord of the universe. I will now destroy such ignorance." (Bhag.10.25. 16)

In summarizing the contents of the Srimad-Bhagavatam as Suta Gosvami begins to close his talk near the end of this Purana, he states: "I bow down to that unborn and infinite Supreme Soul, whose personal energies effect the creation, maintenance and destruction of the material universe. Even Brahma, Indra, Shankara [Shiva] and the other Lords of the heavenly planets cannot fathom the glories of that infallible Personality of Godhead." (Bhag.12.12. 67)

Thus from different angles of thought, it is established that Lord Krishna is the Supreme Being and source of all other incarnations of God and Devas.

Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya!! !

Concentration During Japa

It's a constant battle with the mind....like a another being that is intent on dragging us away from the nectar of the Holy names. It's our choice in the end, we can listen to the mind or we can listen to the mantra and we make this choice every second of our Japa.

Of course the obvious choice is to listen to the mantra and ignore the mind and that is what we should be striving for with each bead that we pass between our fingers.

The material energy is constantly testing us to see if we are sincere about our Japa and she will throw up unlimited amounts of distractions every single day....it's a simple matter of seeing how the material energy is working around us and just ignoring it and giving our time to Krsna when we are with him during Japa.

This subject reminds me of a very nice quote from Srila Prabhupada:

If you stick to these principles with determination, you will be freed from all attachment to Maya, by Krishna's grace. The example is that when the sun is in the sky, then where is the question of darkness? Similarly, when Hare Krishna mantra is vibrating on your tongue, and you are hearing attentively, then your consciousness becomes clear, or Krishna consciousness, and there is no question of Maya or hazy consciousness.

Bhaktas can seek Bhagavan's Krishna'sa help , when required

For those Bhaktas who have taken *SharanAgathi* at the lotus feet of their Ishta-deva Sri Krishna , the latest authentic reference book is Srimad Narayaneeyam . This divine book has the personal stamp of approval by Bhagavan Sri Krishna .

It's author Sri Melpathur Narayana Bhattathiri says frankly to Bhagavan in the book's Dasakam 3 slokam 2-3 :

" Oh Bhagavan Vishnu ! Plagued as I am by diseases both physical and mental , I am unable to turn my mind towards You. Please have pity on me and help me to sit peacefully in some quiet place chanting Your innumerable names and worshipping Your lotus feet . Nothing is impossible for one who has been blessed by You. Innumerable Bhaktas of Yourself have been liberated from their sorrows and worldly ties by Your mercy. Can I not be one such fortunate devotee of You ?"

The above teaches us that , a true Krishna-Bhakta has the freedom to inform Bhagavan about his personal problems . Such a person has personal obligations which are to be fulfilled by him . Since he is the servant of Bhagavan, he is under Bhagavan's protection.

An Atheist who has no faith in Bhagavan, is without divine protection . He is not guided by the Vedic injunctions ( literary form of Bhagavan) . The activities which he considers as fair , may not necessarily be complying with Bhagavan's directives . Two typical examples are Mr.Jawaharlal Nehru and Sri Sardar Patel ( India 's first prime minister and Home minister respectively ) . Though Nehru was a gentleman , he was an Atheist , whose "non-vedic" enemy-appeasing policies like that of Kashmir issue have harmed India in the long run . On the other hand , the veda following Patelji performed his *Raja-dharma* in typical Sri Krishna style . Most notable is Patelji's bold action to unify Indian nation by merging numerous tiny kingdoms .

Bhagavan Sri Krishna says in Gita , Chapter 9, Sloka 11-12 : " When I appear in My human-like form, foolish people with mundane intelligence disrespect Me, because they cannot know My nature as the Supreme God of the entire universe. The hopes of such foolish people for liberation, their fruitful actions and their culture of knowledge all go in vain. Thus, with their minds distracted, they adopt the deluded nature of Atheists and Asuras (Demons)".

Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya !!!

Bhagavan Krishna is the Supreme Guru

Many ordinary Bhaktas are scared that they do not have any initiation from a Guru ; and therefore they may not be able to progress in Bhakti-yoga . It is true that a genuine Guru facilitates a spiritual aspirant to have express enlightenment . In this era of globalization and fast track life all around, such dedicated Vaishnava Gurus are not easily available to every Bhakta . Therefore, it is necessary to make best use of the available Satsang opportunities which are Bhagavan Sri Krishna's gift .

Bhagavan Krishna says in Srimad Bhagavad Gita , 10.9-11 , "Those whose minds are fixed on Me and whose lives are surrendered to Me, derive great satisfaction from enlightening one another about My greatness and speaking about Me . Those whose minds are devoted to Me worship Me with great joy. I Myself give to them the Yoga of wisdom, by which they can come to Me. Only out of compassion for these devotees, I dwelling in their hearts, destroy with the shining lamp of knowledge, the darkness born of ignorance."

From the above instruction of Bhagavan Krishna, it is clear that the Devotees should enlighten each other about Bhagavan . And it is Bhagavan's responsibility to bestow knowledge to His Bhaktas .

What matters to Sri Krishna is the Devotee's Bhakti and nothing else . Bhagavan Sri Krishna has personally stated at Guruvayoor temple , "Bhakti is dearer to Me than Vibhakti (knowledge) . I am not only *Amaraprabhu* ( Eternal Lord) but *Maraprabhu* ( Lord of trees) as well " .

Therefore , let us give a free hand to all Bhaktas to express themselves . Their innocent responses are nectar to Bhagavan .

Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya !!!

Prahlada Maharaja, praying to Lord Nrsimha

Prahlada Maharaja, while praying to Lord Nrsimha, said, 

"O my Lord, I am very much afraid of the materialistic way of life, and I am not the least afraid of Your present ghastly ferocious feature as Nṛsiṁhadeva. This materialistic way of life is something like a grinding stone, and we are being crushed by it. We have fallen into this horrible whirlpool of the tossing waves of life, and thus, my Lord, I pray at Your lotus feet to call me back to Your eternal abode as one of Your servitors. This is the summit liberation of this materialistic way of life. I have very bitter experience of the materialistic way of life. In whichever species of life I have taken birth, compelled by the force of my own activities, I have very painfully experienced two things, namely separation from my beloved and meeting with what is not wanted. And to counteract them, the remedies which I undertook were more dangerous than the disease itself. So I drift from one point to another birth after birth, and I pray to You therefore to give me a shelter at Your lotus feet."

Necessity of Spiritual Heroism

Hare Krishna ! Pranams to Bhagavan Sri Krishna and Bhaktas,

Like the evil Ravana of Srimad Ramayana, the so called "popular" heroes and heroines of today's movies have a fatal flaw.

Srimad Ramayana is the ancient Vedic saga of action, romance, wisdom, and adventure ; a saga that has inspired a quarter of the world's population for millennia; a saga that depicts a past when beings of celestial might—both divine and demoniac—interacted on our terrestrial realm; a saga of the struggle between good and the evil; a saga in which Bhagavan Maha-Vishnu descends and teaches virtue, righteousness, and spirituality by His sterling personal example.

Despite Srimad Ramayana's historical antiquity, its basic storyline is similar to that of a typical movie : It features a hero, a heroine, and a villain lusting for the heroine ; and it tells of an exciting confrontation between the hero and the villain, culminating in the death of the villain and the reunion of the hero and the heroine. But there is one vital difference between the Ramayana and a modern movie: In a movie, the hero, the heroine, and the villain are all actually villains.

Why? Many people think of a villain as someone who enjoys by exploiting and harming others. Though not wrong, this conception of evil is incomplete and naïve, as it ignores a fundamental reality : our supremely responsible and loving father, Bhagavan Narayana. Many of us never got the spiritual education needed to understand that it is Bhagavan who selflessly provides us our daily food. It is true that we have to work hard to earn our living, but our effort is secondary. It's like the hard work of birds searching for grains: Without Bhagavan providing the grains through nature, their search, no matter how painstaking, would be fruitless. Similarly without Bhagavan's designing the miraculous mechanism of photosynthesis, which transforms "mud into mangoes" (a feat far beyond the best scientist and the latest computer), we would never have any food, no matter how much we labored. All our other necessities—heat, light, air, water, health—are similarly fulfilled, primarily by divine arrangement, secondarily by human endeavor.

Unfortunately our media, culture, and education preoccupy us with so many materialistic allurements that we become blinded to the fact of our dependence on Bhagavan and obligation to Him. Fear of God is the beginning of wisdom, just as a healthy fear of a loving father is necessary for a naughty, restless child to become disciplined and responsible. And love of God is the culmination of wisdom, just as gratitude and love for a benevolent father shows the maturity of a grown-up child.

Sadly, however, our society fosters neither love nor fear of Bhagavan , but glamorizes godless, selfish materialism instead. Consequently nowadays many people are extremely selfish in their relationship with God. They don't give even a few moments to the person who has given them their entire life. In a family, if a son doesn't care for his father, who is his link with his brothers, soon he will stop caring for them too. In fact, he may even become malevolent toward them because they become his competitors for inheritance. Similarly, selfishness toward God is the origin of all evil. We have all sown that evil seed in our own hearts and are now force-feeding each other its bitter fruits—terrorism, corruption, crime, exploitation— all born from fighting with each other for the world's resources, God's inheritance for us.

Divine Heroes

Srimad Ramayana gives us a glimpse of heroism and villainy, of selfless love and selfish lust. Lord Sri Rama and His consort, Sita-devi , are the eternal hero and heroine. Hanuman, the godly hero, personifies the tendency to selflessly assist the Lord in His divine love, whereas Ravana, the godless villain, personifies the tendency to selfishly grab the Lord's property for his own lust. The godly hero aspires to enjoy with God, whereas the godless villain wants to enjoy like God.

On the other hand, in a typical movie all the main characters—the hero, the heroine, and the villain—have the same evil mentality of wanting to enjoy without caring for God. In the hero and heroine, the guise of romance masks that mindset, whereas the villain expresses it without reservation. But they are all Ravanas, the difference being merely in the shades of gray.

Our selfish attempts to be imitation heroes and heroines, whether in the movies or in real life, are intrinsically evil, and they fuel and fan all the greater evils we dread. Ultimately our evil boomerangs on us, for it perpetuates the illusion of our bodily misidentification, and our body subjects us to the tortures of old age, disease, death, and rebirth—again and again and again.

Of course we do not have to choke our natural urge for specialness . Like Hanuman we can all be heroes too—in service to the supreme hero. Unfortunately our corrupted society portrays the Ravana tendency as heroic and the Hanuman propensity as obsolete.

A Lesson of Hope

Srimad Ramayana reveals that Ravana, despite his extraordinary prosperity, was never satisfied but always lusty and greedy for more. Isn't that the condition of our modern civilization? All the might and wealth of Ravana could neither bring him happiness nor save him from eventual destruction. The ultimate defeat of Ravana reminds us of the destiny that awaits our society if it continues in its godless selfishness.

Still, the fall of Ravana is not just a doomsday warning ; it is also a harbinger of hope and joy because it teaches us that the Lord is competent to destroy the evil within and without . The same Lord Rama who destroyed Ravana millennia ago has reappeared as His holy name to destroy the Ravana within people's hearts. The holy name offers us real happiness, not by imitating Bhagavan, but by loving Bhagavan, not by becoming an imitator hero, but by becoming a servitor hero.

Please chant :

Hare Rama Hare Rama

Rama Rama Hare Hare

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna

Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

and be happy !!!

Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya !!!

The Enjoyer of Sacrifices, Charities, Austerities is Bhagwaan

In Bhagavad Gita Chapter 9, Bhagwaan says -
"Api chetsuduraachaaro bhajate maam anayabhaak,
saadhureva sa mantavyah, samyagvyavasito hi sah" (Gita 9/30).
Even the worst of worst sinner, if he turns towards Me, with a firm conviction and aim, and with exclusive sentiments remembers Me, then he should be considered a "sadhu" (ascetic). He will very quickly become a righteous person, and he will attain eternal peace (Gita 9:30-31).

This chapter is "Raajvidyaa" - Science of Sovereigns and "Raajguhya" - Royal Secrets. It is the knowledge of all knowledge, and the most confidential (needing protection) and best of all.

In here Bhagwaan says -
"Ananyaascintayanto maam ye janaah paryupaasate;
tesaam nityaabhiyuktaanaam yogaksemam vahaamyaham" (Gita 9:22)

"To those men, who worship Me alone, thinking of none but Me, who are
ever-devout, I make provisions to protect what they have and I also provide them with all the necessities that are required." (Gita 9:22)

Bhagwaan also says - He who worships other demi-gods, he too is worshiping Me alone, though he may not know it. Just like when rain falls and all the little droplets of rain eventually merge with the Ocean alone, similarly, all those that are worshipping other demi-gods, they too are worshipping Me alone, as there is nothing besides Me.

All the sacrifices (yagya), all charities (daan), all austerities (tapas), visits to holy places (tirth), all religious observances (vrat), all karmas (actions) all that is done in accordance to My command (agyaa), has come from Me (Bhagwaan), and the enjoyer and experiencer (bhokta) of these is also Me (Bhagwaan). But he who does not recognize (know) My true Nature (tattva), by accepting something else, creates an obstruction (aadh) in his spiritual progress. However, if he does not conjecture up something else, then in all relations the enjoyer / experiencer (bhoktaa) is Bhagwaan only. It is due to forgetfulness that he relates (engages in dealing) improperly with the world. In all relations, if he is constantly aware of this point, then he will never behave improperly with others or harm anyone.

Bhagwaan says - "Sarvasya chaaham hredi sannivishtho" (Gita 15:15). "I reside in the hearts of all beings" (Gita 15:15) Therefore if one is misbehaving with another, then they are misbehaving with Bhagwaan, because the consciousness, the sentient (chetan) within every being is Bhagwaan Himself. It is Bhagwaan alone who is the recepient of the worship, respect and reverence as well. "Ishvar sarva bhootaanaam hrdeshe'rjun tisthati." (Gita 18:61). "O'Arjuna, Ishvar resides in the hearts of all beings."

Bhagwaan also says - "Mamaivaamso jivaloke jeevabhootah sanaatanah" (Gita 15:7). "In this world, the Self (Atma) becomes an embodied Soul (jeev), though being a part of My Eternal Self (Paramatma, Supreme Consciousness) ." In reality it is only Paramatma. It is Paramatma's worship (pujan) that is taking place. And if pain and suffering is being caused to another, it is Bhagwaan (God) who is recipient of that suffering. Bhagwaan has also said that even if penance (starvation etc) of the body is done which is not in accordance to the scriptures, then that penance too is causing pain and suffering to Me alone who resides in the body. Such tendencies of extreme penance and austerities of the body should be understood as being demoniac in nature, because it is Bhagwaan residing in all beings.

What are the senses and how are these originated?

 When a child is born, the first sense that comes out from within is weeping "Maaaa", the next sense is sucking, the next sense is watching its own hands and feet. Next is listening to others speaking, then to learn how to express by sound. Next comes the tendency of identifying its own people and surrounding environment and then the tendency of getting up. Gradually the space occupied by it gets enlarged.
In the process its intectual gets developed and it identifies itself as one of the surrounding environment. From here its ego originates.
In the actual sense, we are simple agglomeration of machinaries ( so to say our senses) like the steering, the clutch, the gear, the accelerator, the fuel tank and injecting devices. It has been very correctly said by the poet : "You do your work, peple think I am doing.. You are the driver and I am the carriage..you are the room and I am the occupant". Really speaking what we are, is nothing but the space awarded to us by virtue of our previous achievements "praravdha".
Hence, in short it comes to the conclusion that, He is the "Driver" the result of actions are depending on the quality of the machinaries occupying the space which is being driven by Him.

Taste the Highest Bliss

You are not meant to suffer. So there's no need to suffer a moment longer in this material existence. All you have to do is fix yourself solidly in Krishna consciousness seeing everything as His arrangement and offering everything to Him in all times, places, and circumstances. Why be miserable when you can taste unlimited bliss at every minute? This is real intelligence. Taste the highest bliss and share the highest bliss at every minute with everyone you meet. What could be more divine, more sublime, more refined?

In this material world the conditioned soul is very much distracted from his original all-knowing, all-blissful nature as Krishna's eternal servant because he is carried away by the so-called taste of material sense gratification. This artificial taste is encouraged and exploited by the materialistic propaganda mongers who make a handsome profit by misguiding the people in general promoting cigarettes, liquor, prostitution, meat eating, etc. The foolish sense enjoyer tries to become happy by squeezing as much pleasure as possible out of these things, but because there is no factual pleasure in sense gratification, the poor soul is ultimately left in a state of frustration and bewilderment. If, however, he will reconnect with his original transcendental nature diving deep into his eternal identity as the servant of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he will taste a pleasure that is unlimitedly sublime and will go on increasing forever.
Chant:

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare

Yes ! All actions happen in the regime of Prakruti (Apara Prakruti)

Yes ! All actions happen in the regime of Prakruti (Apara Prakruti) ! In Purusha there is not any action. But when any sin or virtue takes places, Self (Jeevatma/ Purusha/ Para Prakruti) experiences the results thereof. Yes ! It is the car which runs. The Driver does not run. But when any accident takes place, car is not punished, the Driver is punished.Kalpanaji ! 5 causes referred by you are in BG 18:14 not in 18:15 to 17. One of the 'cause' is 'Karta' (Doer) ! Jeeva becomes that 'karta' by 'acceptance' and hence suffers punishment. When 'Karta' viz Jeeva renounces the wrong 'acceptance' and admits 'I am not Karta'- he ceases to be 'Karta' and ceases to be sinful (18:17). It is all "accepted doership" not "actual doership" !! Actually there no doership in Jeeva. "Actual doership' is only in Prakruti (BG 13:20) !! "Punishable/ rewardable/ relevant doership" is "assumed doership" not "actual doership" !! Gita saying that Pure soul is not Karta is right. Jeeva is not Karta but 'accepts' to be Karta and thus artificially becomes a Karta. Without an "assumed" Karta an "activity" can place, but not "Karma". Hence there is no inconsistency in Gitaji. Sadhak Ramakrishna is right. Gitaji is right. Sadhak Basudeb Sen is also very right in his message. In fact Purusha ( Para Prakruti) who is part of God, forms affinity with Apara Prakruti (inert) ! Not only that, he in affinity with inert also 'creates' an independent entity of him'self' as "Prakrutishtha Purusha" ( BG 13:21- Jeeva ) ... Which creation is called 'Aham' ( ego as stated by Basudebji Sen ) ! In this 'Aham' (Jeeva) , both sentient and inert are there. The modification (vikaar) of happiness/sorrow takes place in inert portion only , but the "effect/result" of the same is on 'knower' sentient portion !!! In other words, sentient (chetan) 'assumes/accepts' that sorrow/happiness modification as taking place in him'self' !! Just as while fever comes in body, we say " I am
feverish" ! In fact when you realise that "I am not doer" then you are neither karta nor bhokta. ( BG 13:31) ! Thereafter , whatever "activities" take place in the body of Doershipless/ Suffershipless ( Kirtitva/bhktritva rahit) Jeeva are caused by "Aham vritti" (ego) ! The activities done by this "aham" is stated in Gita by various ways. Say in 13:29 by Prakruti; in 3:27 by Gunas of Prakruti; in 3:28 by Gunas interplay with Gunas; in 14:29 by Gunas and in 5:9 by stating senses are consuming in senses. Meaning thereby that whatever activities take
place by internal "karanas" and external "karanas" , are all by Prakruti.
Jai Shree Krishna

chants the holy name of the Lord

The dvija-bandhu, or the less intelligent, uncultured men born of higher castes, put forward many arguments against the lower caste men becoming brāhmaṇas in this life. They argue that birth in a family of śūdras or less than śūdras is made possible by one's previous sinful acts and that one therefore has to complete the terms of disadvantages due to lower birth. And to answer these false logicians, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam asserts that one who chants the holy name of the Lord under the direction of a pure devotee can at once get free from the disadvantages due to a lower-caste birth. A pure devotee of the Lord does not commit any offense while chanting the holy name of the Lord. There are ten different offenses in the chanting of the holy name of the Lord. To chant the holy name under the direction of a pure devotee is offenseless chanting. Offenseless chanting of the holy name of the Lord is transcendental, and, therefore, such chanting can at once purify one from the effects of all kinds of previous sins. This offenseless chanting indicates that one has fully understood the transcendental nature of the holy name and has thus surrendered unto the Lord. Transcendentally the holy name of the Lord and the Lord Himself are identical, being absolute. The holy name of the Lord is as powerful as the Lord. The Lord is the all-powerful Personality of Godhead, and He has innumerable names, which are all nondifferent from Him and are equally powerful also. In the last word of the Bhagavad-gītā the Lord asserts that one who surrenders fully unto Him is protected from all sins by the grace of the Lord. Since His name and He Himself are identical, the holy name of the Lord can protect the devotee from all effects of sins. The chanting of the holy name of the Lord can undoubtedly deliver one from the disadvantages of a lower caste birth. The Lord's unlimited power is extended on and on by the unlimited expansion of the devotees and incarnations, and thus every devotee of the Lord and incarnations also can be equally surcharged with the potency of the Lord. Since the devotee is surcharged with the potency of the Lord, even fractionally, the disqualification due to lower birth cannot stand in the way.

Beautiful Story on Material Attachments

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.”

When body is showing signs of disease ,that means the mind is at disease

When body is showing signs of disease ,that means the mind is at disease.You are carrying thoughts which are not in harmony with heart and soul.

It is good that you want to come out of that.The suggested actions are:-

1. Start reading Gita at earliest.Gita will show you the path.Commit strongly to read Gita every day in morning and in night
2. Consult Nutrition expert and follow food suggested food by him.Increase intake of fruits,dry fruits,sprouts, vegetables, nuts.Avoid processed and packaged food,carbonated drinks.Have food on time.
3. Practice forgiveness and gratitude.Say to yourself every night-I am willing to forgive now completely and un-conditionally. Express gratitude for what you have.Practicing forgiveness and gratitude should take care of resentment ,which you might have been carrying for so long causing BP and body ache and pain.
4. We have to take care of our emotions to take care of our body.Our emotions create the body.Unhealthy emotions will not result in healthy body.
5. You need to take care of sleep.Go to bed by 10-10.30 in night.Chant OM till you sleep.If the emotions are not good ,good sleep is not possible.
6. You can do breathing meditations for 10-15 minutes every day.

Briefly, your present state of being is reminder to turn clock back by paying attention to your food,emotions and sleep.

And start reading Gita ,may be from today itself.

Objects in the outside world form impressions on our mind thus affecting us; what should we do in such situations?

Question: Objects in the outside world form impressions on our mind thus affecting us; what should we do in such situations?

Answer:

Do not value, do not give so much importance to the impressions. When we seem to like something, when it appears pleasing or likable to us, then there is desire to acquire it. Even on forming such an impression the inner sentiments must be such that this thing is not mine. Instead of giving importance to the impressions made by the object, value the truth. By considering the impressions as significant, you lose sight of the real fact. From today onwards have a firm resolve that I will no longer accept the impressions, rather I will only accept the truth. Impressions are formed sometimes, not all the time; but when you consider these to be permanent then that is a mistake. In truth, you are not the body. The body that you had in childhood, it is not there anymore, but you are the same. Therefore please have mercy, and kindly do not give any importance to the impressions. One should only be influenced and affected by the Truth. If an impression of the untruth is formed, then it should not be given any importance. The truth is that we are not the body and the body is not ours.

On the path of liberation, on turning towards God, neither the gross, nor the subtle nor the causal body is of any aid. The body is of use to the family, to the society, to the world. It is of no use to us at all. Therefore engage this body, keep it busy in the service of the family, society and the world at large; this is an extremely important and an invaluable point. Accept this point, then you will be ever happy. It is nothing but a plain misconception that with this body we will benefit, that we will gain.

Neither the gross, nor the subtle, nor the causal body will be of any use to us. By understanding this point, one can benefit immensely. The gross body engages in actions (kriya). The subtle body, thinks and reflects (chintan). The causal body fixates on constancy, steadiness (sthirtaa) and samaadhi (deep meditation, a state of trance). Actions, thinking/reflecting , constancy-fixity, deep meditative trance all these are not for you. Do not place reliance on these. Fundamentally what is useful to you is non-entertainment of any thoughts. In the scriptures, `Samaadhi' (deep meditative trance) has been highly glorified, but that too will not be of any use to you. Neither actions, nor thinking/reflecting , nor constancy-fixity nor `samaadhi' will be of use to you. Similarly concentration, Pranayama (breath control), and awakening of Kundalini etc. are all of no use to you. These are all products of Nature (Prakriti), whereas you are a part (ansh) of Paramatman (God). They are not of the same class as you. You are separate from all these. Your oneness is with Paramatma (God). Whether you believe in monism (Advaita) or dualism (Dvaita), whether you follow the Yoga of Knowledge (Jnana) or devotion (Bhakti), minimally at least accept that which has no relationship with this body, is of no use to you (self).

If this world leaves an impression on you, then do not be concerned about it, simply do not accept it, then it will go away. By giving importance to the impressions of the world, you are depriving yourself of great benefits. Therefore if impressions are formed, let them be, but in your mind understand them to be unreal. Unreal objects can only leave unreal (false) impressions, how can they be real? When someone cheats you off your money, his talks appears true to you, you become enchanted by him and then only you get trapped in being cheated. Similarly letting worldly impressions fall you is absolutely letting yourself be cheated. It is stupidity.

One very important point is that the impressions are made on the body-senses- mind-intellect, not on you (self). Objects can affect other objects which are of a similar type; thus impression is never formed on the self, which is of a different class altogether. This body, this world is inert, whereas you the self, is sentient. How can inert affect the sentient? Inert can only impress upon the inert (body). This is the absolute truth. Understand this point right now then at this very minute all work will be complete! It is due to the eyes that impressions of sight are perceived. It is due to the ears that the impressions of sounds are heard. The significant point is that the objects of a similar type affect each other. Hence, whatever impressions occur, do not consider it real. The essence of the self is not affected by anything. It is entirely untouched, untainted - "Asango hyaayam purushah" (Brhad. Up. 4/3/15).

If mind-intellect is affected, let them be affected. Mind-intellect are not ours. These have the same constituents as the objects that make an impression on them.

Don't become so busy with self-created material duties

Once, a businessman called his servant for an important work. He said," I need to get this cheque cashed before 2 PM, so that I could finalize the deal in a meeting which starts at 2 PM. The servant replied," Sir, this work would not take much time. As it is 10 Am now, I hope I would be back with money by midday". The servant immediately left after getting the nod of the master.

Time passed quickly. Master was waiting for the servant to come back. At 12:00 he got a bit anxious. At 1:00 PM, he was much worried. At 1:30 he was really panicking. Finally at 1:45 PM, the servant came back. The master was furious, where you have been??

The servant begged forgiveness from the master and replied," Sir, as I came out of the house, I saw your mother carrying empty bags to buy the vegetables. Looking at her old age, I couldn't stop myself offering her a helping hand in doing her veggie shopping. So I walked to veggie market with her and after 2 hrs we came back with few bags full of veggies. As I was putting the vegetables in the Kitchen, I found your elder brother coughing badly."

Master interrupted, "But where is the money I asked you to bring?"

Servant replied," That's what I am explaining sir. Your brother called me and told that he urgently needs a medicine. I took the prescription and money and started for the market again. Suddenly it came to my mind that my son is also sick and need some medicine. So, first I went to my home, picked the prescription slip and then went to the market and bought the medicine.

There it came to my mind that I need to pick my cloths from the tailor which were lying with him for few days. I finished all these chores and came back home. As I checked time I found it's already 1:30. I couldn't finish the work assigned by you. I quickly came here to inform you the same."

Master really got angry. He said," I could have forgiven you for some genuine reason but for no reason you have spoiled my business deal! You are fired!!

Similarly don't become so busy with self-created material duties that neglect our God-given spiritual duty, else we will be fired out of the human form of life back into the animal species.

God's Gift to this world

All Pervading Sri Krishna

The ring, the bracelet and the earrings are made of gold. If you look at their external shapes you only see these shapes, if you look deeper you can see the gold that is the substratum within all of them. Remove the boundary between two fields, and there is only one field. Boundaries and divisions are artificial, and created by man.

When we stop fanning ourselves with a handheld fan, the flow of air stops. But it doesn't mean there is no air. When a light bulb burns out or a fan stops turning, it doesn't mean that there is no electricity. God is everywhere as Nirakara Brahman . He is both formless ( Nirakar) and with form ( Saguna Brahman or Bhagavan Sri Krishna) .

It is difficult for a person to connect with the formless "Nirguna Brahman" through Hatha-yoga and meditation , which need to be taught by God realized Rishis . It takes many years to attain these skills . Moreover, in this Kali-yuga , Rishis are not readily available .

Knowing these difficulties, the Supreme God has made Himself available as Sri Krishna . Bhagavan Sri Krishna is God's gift to this world . Just by surrendering to Bhagavan ( SaranAgati) and chanting His names ( Nama-japa) , a Bhakta can easily attain Sri Krishna .

Krishna Experience

Will you get any milk by pressing the ears of a cow? Can you say there is milk in all parts of her body? Only her udder contains milk for us to drink, and we will get that only if we milk her. It's true that Bhagavan Krishna is everywhere, but to actually experience Him we have to connect to Him through Deity worship and Nama-japa .

"Worldly pleasures are like a candy that gives sweetness now, but ruins your teeth later. If you know Sri Krishna , you can enjoy sweetness all the time – and it is most beneficial to your body ,soul and your family .

Surrendering

Sri Krishna is the one who purifies your mind. Take refuge in Him and chant His names with faith . The names of Krishna will clean the dirt of your mind. Only Nama-japa can cleanse you.

Once we board a train, do we continue to carry our load and complain about how heavy it is? Take refuge in Sri Krishna and surrender everything to Bhagavan .

Please chant :

Hare Rama Hare Rama

Rama Rama Hare Hare

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna

Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

And be happy !!!

Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya!! !

Nothing is Good or Bad, It is Utilization Which Makes it Good or Bad

God had given human beings freedom. All other living beings, they do not have that much independence and freedom. Human beings have complete freedom, and if this freedom is put to proper use, it can lead to salvation. Therefore this birth is called "karma yoni." The main difference is that in human birth, one is responsible to do one's work (karma). It is not "bhog yoni" i.e. It is not a birth that is only for bearing the fruits of past actions. In human birth, one has rights to do new actions. And through doing actions (one's duty), one can either become independent or bound.

What is the reason that his birth-death cycle started in the first place? Why did sorrow come about? The reason this sorrow came about is from improper utilization of our freedom. But the minute we stop misutilizing our freedom, then we can attain salvation. We have the opportunity to stop this cycle. Opportunities like this, may not arise again for a long time. We are fortunate, as this opportunity is here right now.

The greatness of this human birth is not the body. This body is only a factory for manufacturing urine and feces. Human birth is the highest of all births (in Manasa, Uttarkand). It is the rarest form of birth, as only in this birth one is eligible and has rights to realize God (Self). We are at a big junction (just like a major train junction, where you can pick any direction to travel). You have the opportunity to go many places from this birth. Given this opportunity, one has to become extremely alert. This birth is " durlabh" rare, because of its eligibility and rights. We can be rid of all sorrows once and for all in this birth. Now, pay attention to it's greatness -

The greatness of this birth is in the vivek (discrimination) between, real-unreal, perishable-imperish able, temporary and permanent etc. However, this "vivek" must be properly utilized. No thing is good or bad, it is the utilization that makes it good or bad. Whatever situation comes our way, that situation is not good or bad, it is how it is put to use. If properly put to use, (i.e. knowing what is to be done and not to be done), one can become joyful forever. In this human birth, one has the freedom and independence to attain salvation.

Favorable and unfavorable situations are not in our hands. Often in unfavorable situations, there is greater progress. One becomes more alert, more cautious. But these unfavorable situations are good when they are put to proper use. Proper use is when one can remain happy at all times from within, and under any circumstance. Finally and most importantly, when we turn towards God, it is proper use of our discrimination and when we move towards sense enjoyments and pleasures, it is mis-utilization of our discrimination.

Which is the Best Spiritual Path ?

Hare Krishna ! Pranams to Bhagavan Sri Krishna and Bhaktas,

Though there are many spiritual paths, there are mainly three, Bhakti yoga (yoga of devotion), Karma yoga (yoga of action) and Jnana yoga (yoga of knowledge). The purpose of all yogas is control of the mind, which means thoughts. Whatever may be the path, attainment of the goal is possible only if the `vasanas' (habits) are attenuated.

All paths lead to the same goal, and all paths incorporate devotion or love as essential to the practice.

All yogas aim at `samatva bhav ` (attitude of equality). What is known as yoga is `samatva'. Whatever may be the path, that state ( equality) should be attained. Any spiritual path, whichever it may be, involves renunciation. Without practising renunciation, the desired benefit will not be obtained. Whatever the path is, `sadhana' should be performed and should be known through experience.

The field that is the mind should be irrigated with the water of bhakti , so that the seed of knowledge can be sown. Then we can harvest the crop of liberation.

Which Path Should I Follow?

Which path to follow depends on the spiritual disposition one has inherited from the previous birth. This birth is a continuation of the previous one. Whatever path you follow, the mind should flow spontaneously towards it. Love is necessary. To connect with your *Ishata-deva* is the best way to find your path.

You cannot simply adopt any path that you feel like. Each one will have a path, which they followed in the previous birth. Only if that path is followed will one progress in one's practice.

Different people's experiences cannot be the same . They can only happen according to each individual's unique spiritual constitution, the path he follows, the amount of effort he or she puts forth, and the `samskaras' he or she has inherited from previous lives. What you experience now is not a beginning ; it is a continuation of the past. Also, you must remember that the Guru gives only what is needed, and that whatever he gives is for your own good.

Which is the Best Path for a Common man ?

Whether it is in the East or in the West, one's spiritual path can only be indicated according to one's inherited spiritual disposition and mental constitution. One path cannot be announced in a public address as the one and only path for all . The advice given is particular to the individual . Each person is a patient with a different disease. Some people are in the beginning stages of a disease while others are in the middle stages . In addition, we find people with chronic diseases and still others who are half-cured . Therefore, the treatment for each person cannot be the same. The medicine will be different and the dosage will vary. But generally speaking, the path of devotion is the easiest and least complicated. While anybody can love, not all can do pranayama (breath control) or hatha yoga (yogic postures). Only certain people endowed with a certain mental and physical constitution can do these. But love has no prerequisites. Whoever has a heart can love, and everyone has a heart. To love is an innate tendency in human beings.

Bhakti-yoga (the yoga of devotion) , is the best path for common man . Of course, this is a general statement. Now a days, people even from early childhood, are intellectual and take an intellectual approach to everything. It is the product of their `modern' education. They are fed with all kinds of factual information about the empirical world, and the emphasis is on science and technology. So their analytical minds are well developed, but their hearts are dry. In most cases, the hearts of modern educated people remain underdeveloped and imperfect . The head is big, but the heart is shrivelled up and dry.

The path of bhakti teaches love. First, you develop one-pointed love towards your Ishta-deva . When that love becomes the centre of your life and as the devotional practices become more and more intense, your vision changes. You come to understand that Bhagavan dwells in all beings, including you. As this experience becomes stronger and stronger, the love in you also grows until, at last, you become That . The love within you expands and embraces the entire universe with all its beings. You become the personification of love. This love removes all dryness from you. This love is the best cure for all emotional blocks and for all negative feelings. Therefore, Bhakti-yoga is the best for common spiritual seekers.

Which is Superior , Bhakti or Karma Yoga?

We can't really say that bhakti yoga and karma yoga differ from each other, because a true karma yogi is a real devotee, and a true devotee is a real karma yogi . Every action isn't necessarily karma yoga. Only those actions performed selflessly, as an offering to Bhagavan, can be called karma yoga . Neither does doing four circumambulations, raising your arms, and offering salutations to the deity qualify as bhakti. Our minds should dwell on Bhagavan, and our every action should be a form of worship. We should see our beloved deity in everyone, and offer them our love and service. We should surrender to Bhagavan with all our heart . Only then we can say we have bhakti. A true karma yogi keeps his mind on Bhagavan while engaged in each action . We should have the attitude that everything is Bhagavan. Then it is bhakti. On the other hand, if we think about other things while we are doing puja (ritual worship), then the puja cannot be considered bhakti yoga, because it is just an external action and not real worship. But even if our job is cleaning lavatories, if we chant the mantra while working, with the attitude that it is Bhagavan's work, then it is both bhakti yoga and karma yoga.

Why so much importance of the path of devotion?

There are many reasons why we should consider the path of devotion the most suitable path for most people . First of all, it gives much contentment to the practitioner. A contented person will have enthusiasm and vigour . Such a person will be very optimistic and endowed with an adventurous mind . Their attitude is that life and everything that happens in life is a gift, and this gives them immense patience and strength . Unlike those who pursue other paths, such a one does not believe that happiness is a right to which he or she is entitled . As far as they are concerned, there are no rights, there are only gifts . This attitude helps them to accept everything as a gift, both good and bad, and also instils them with courage and faith. Such a person will have a loving and compassionate heart, a childlike innocence and a pleasing nature. Not wanting to injure anyone or hurt anybody's feelings, he or she cannot harm anyone. They will also have the power to renounce comforts and pleasures for the happiness and peace of others. He or she will experience the same problems in life as everyone else, but he will have the mental ability and balance to remain calm and quiet when adversity arises. He or she practices acceptance, for such a one's attitude is that life and everything that happens in life is a gift, not a right.

The path of devotion is the best and the easiest since most people are predominately emotional in nature. Not only that, bhakti marga (path of devotion) has no complications like the other paths. There are no harmful techniques or complications involved in love. Simply love Bhagavan. Love is not aggressive; it is a constant flow.

Jnana Yoga

Jnana is intellectual knowledge while vijnana is transcending the intellect, negating even that as untrue, and affirming pure experience alone as the Supreme Truth.

It is hard to become established in jnana without devotion. With gravel alone we cannot build anything ; we need to add cement as well, and make concrete. We cannot build the steps leading to Bhagavan without adding the binding quality of love.

Are the different names and forms of Bhagavan real ?

The names and forms are needed for people like us with the kind of mental calibre that exists today. It will help our spiritual growth. Therefore, whether it is meditation on the Supreme with attributes or the Supreme without attributes, the goal is to attain perfect God realization . Give up all such doubts about gods and goddesses and do your sadhana by fixing your mind on your Ishta-deva .

The Supreme God ( Parabrahman) is nameless, formless and attributeless. To provide easy access to the Bhaktas, Parabrahman has manifested as Sri Krishna .

The sweet and blissful feeling that one gains from singing the glories of Sri Krishna is an incomparable and inexpressible experience. It happens due to Bhagavan's mercy to His bhaktas .

All the names and forms mentioned in the Vedic scriptures , whatever they are, are originated from Bhagavan . But this is not the case for one who has not reached the state of perfection. He or she may say that all names and forms are unreal and that Brahman alone is true and real. However, if they have not experienced perfection, it is meaningless to go around declaring the unreality of forms.

Everything is Brahman, that is right . But have you realised That ? It is like a blind person saying that there is light everywhere. Why do you talk unnecessarily about some thing that you have no idea about at all ? You constantly experience the world and its objects, but you talk about something which you have never experienced.

When we worship Sri Rama or Sri Krishna, we adore the eternal Vedic ideals which manifest through Them . If they were mere individuals, nobody would have worshipped Them. When they are worshipped, a true seeker is not adoring a limited individual but the same all-pervading cosmic intelligence which you believe is the only Truth.

There is Rama and Krishna

Everyone ultimately reaches the same place, but you need an upadhi (focusing factor) for doing sadhana. How can you say there is no Rama or Krishna? Even if you don't see Guruvayoor on a map of India , can you say there is no place called Guruvayoor ? Your sense of Advaita is just limited to your words. It is not possible to bring it into your experience without devotion.

Obey Bhagavan's instructions wholeheartedly

The Supreme God ( Parabrahman) is not easily accessible in a formless entity . But His *Poornavatara* ( complete manifestation) Sri Krishna is readily accessible to the Bhakta . Gita and Bhagavatam are Bhagavan Krishna's literary forms which He mercifully gifted to Bhaktas . By surrendering to Bhagavan and constantly chanting His names, a devotee can easily attain HIM .

Please chant :

Hare Rama Hare Rama

Rama Rama Hare Hare

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna

Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya!! !

To commit suicide is a terrible crime

As the revered Ramsukhdasaji has said in the paragraph below, to commit suicide is a terrible crime. I have always heard from my spiritual preceptors that one who does this act is awarded the form of a ghost. Due to not having appreciation for the physical body, and not utilizing this gift for development of God consciousness, those who commit suicide are not allowed to have human body until the designated hours, months, and years of which they were destined to be in the previous body which was killed have been fulfilled. Thus, if one was meant to live 100 years, but commits suicide at age 24, then for 76 years he is destined to carry on as a ghost. Being in a ghost body is very unfortunate, for the desires that we all feel, such as to enjoy nice food, family life, affection... ..these things can only be enjoyed with a physical body. Also, generally we see that ghosts are not allowed to stay in one place....they constantly move about in a very unhappy state..

I am sure that there are exceptions to this general rule, but as a standard punishment it is what I have understood. Perhaps just one story, which happened to my husband his first time in India, I shall share.....he told us how he was sleeping in a tent on top of the dharmashala. ....in his sleep, he was seeing himself being dragged out of the tent, feet first. There were brahmin raksasa ghosts attempting to take over his body. He has recalled this story many times, telling how he was thrashing around, on the subtle level....his deities were knocked over, his tent was torn down...., he was physically (on the subtle level) trying to fight the beings who were pulling him out. Finally, he managed to call out "Nrsnghadeva" ....and woke up....crying, screaming, terrified, dripping with sweat. He woke up everyone else that was sleeping up on the roof, and they came running over. One senior Vaisnava taught him how to place mantras at the different corners of his tent, so that he was not disturbed after that. But an experience such as he had is not one to easily discount. What was the reason they were trying to pull him, in his subtle body, out of the physical body? So they could take over that body.....ghosts WANT to have a physical body again....so the lesson is.....never, never commit suicide.

respectfully,

A song about this lotus honey

Srīla Rupa Gosvamī, the great devotee acarya of the Gaudīya-Vaiṣṇava-sampradāya, has sung a song about this lotus honey, comparing himself to the bee:

"O my Lord Kṛṣṇa, I beg to offer my prayers unto You. My mind is like the bee, and it is after some honey. Kindly, therefore, give my bee-mind a place at Your lotus feet, which are the resources for all transcendental honey. I know that even big demigods like Brahmā do not see the rays of the nails of Your lotus feet, even though they are engaged in deep meditation for years together. Still, O infallible one, my ambition is such, for You are very merciful to your surrendered devotees. O Mādhava, I know also that I have no genuine devotion for the service of Your lotus feet, but because Your Lordship is inconceivably powerful, You can do what is impossible to be done. Your lotus feet can deride even the nectar of the heavenly kingdom, and therefore I am very much attracted by them. O supreme eternal, please, therefore, let my mind be fixed at Your lotus feet so that eternally I may be able to relish the taste of Your transcendental service."

We cannot enjoy this material world

We cannot enjoy this material world no matter how hard we try. Ultimately it is simply a bore. Although it sometimes appears that we are enjoying here, this is simply the trick of Maya, the illusory energy, to keep us perpetually entangled in the cycle of birth and death. Therefore, those who are wise do not try to squeeze pleasure out of this place where no factual pleasure exists. Instead they invest their time and energy where there is actually a payoff.

tasyaiva hetoh prayateta kovido
na labhyate yad bhramatam upary adhah
tal labhyate duhkhavad anyatah sukham
kalena sarvatra gabhira-ramhasa

"Persons who are actually intelligent and philosophically inclined should endeavor only for that purposeful end which is not obtainable even by wandering from the topmost planet [Brahmaloka] down to the lowest planet [Patala]. As far as happiness derived from sense enjoyment is concerned, it can be obtained automatically in course of time, just as in course of time we obtain miseries even though we do not desire them."
---Srimad Bhagavatam 1.5.18

So there is indeed a place that yields an inconceivable payoff, which is truly worthy of our time and energy. That place is the spiritual platform. How can we perceive it? How can we connect with it? How can we live on it? These are the sorts of questions that we should ask now that we are situated in this human form of life. If we do not ask such questions and instead simply run after money and sex pleasure, where are we? We are simply situated on the animal platform. Many will say, "What's wrong with that? I enjoy being an animal." But there is a profound difference between human life and animal life.

Animal life means that is one is forced to helplessly suffer the pains of material existence. Human life gives one the option of escaping all material miseries and entering into an eternal existence that is completely full with knowledge and bliss.

So the choice has to be made. No choice means we are stuck with the default position, the cycle of birth and death. Do we want to forego the cheap thrills of material existence in exchange for the ultimate happiness? Or would we rather continue to enjoy a few superficial pleasures every now and then, and remain in an embarrassing suffering condition, lifetime after lifetime, after lifetime?



Explained By Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Why Chant Hare Krishna?

* Chanting Hare Krishna awakens love of God.

* Chanting Hare Krishna brings liberation as a side benefit along the way.

* When you chant Hare Krishna, you automatically develop knowledge and detachment.

* Chanting Hare Krishna gets you out of the endless cycle of birth and death.

* It is the most effective means of self-realization in the present age of quarrel. Nothing else works nearly as well.

* Chanting Hare Krishna cleanses the heart of all the illusions and misunderstandings.

* By chanting Hare Krishna, you become free from all anxieties.

* Chanting Hare Krishna brings you to self-realization and show you how to act as a self-realized soul.

* It keeps you ever mindful of Krishna, the reservoir of pleasure.

* There are no hard and fast rules for chanting. You can chant anywhere, any time, under any circumstances. Krishna Himself is fully present in transcendental sound of His name, and the more you chant, the more you realize it.

* All over Vedic mantras are included in the chanting of Hare Krishna. So, just by chanting this Mantra, you get the benefits of all others.

* Chanting Hare Krishna purifies not only you but every living entity around you. Whoever hears the chanting, gets the spiritual benefit.

* A person who chants Hare Krishna develops all good qualities.

* You can chant Hare Krishna softly for personal mediation or loudly with your family or friends. Both ways work.

* Srila Prabhupada chanted Hare Krishna, and so did great souls in the past. So why not you?

* Its free, chanting Hare Krishna never costs you money!

* Chanting Hare Krishna brings the highest stage of ecstasy.

* There are no previous qualifications needed for chanting Hare Krishna. Young or old any one can chant from any race any religion or any country of the world.

* Even if you don't understand the language of the Mantra, it works any way.

* Chanting Hare Krishna is easy. When the best way is also the easiest, why make life hard for yourself?

* Chanting Hare Krishna invokes spiritual peace for you and for those around you.

* When you chant Hare Krishna, Krishna Himself becomes pleased.

* When you chant Hare Krishna, Krishna dances in your tongue.

* By chanting Hare Krishna, you can return to Krishna's world, the internal abode of full happiness and knowledge.

* Chanting Hare Krishna frees you from the reaction of all past Karma.

* Chanting Hare Krishna's names even once, purely and sincerely, can free you from the reaction of more Karma than you possibly incur.

* Chanting Hare Krishna counteracts the sinful atmosphere of Kali-yuga, the present age of hypocirsy and quarrel.

* By chanting Hare Krishna, you can relish at every step, the full nectar. That's the real thirst of the soul.

* The more you chant Hare Krishna, the better it gets.

* If you look through all the Vedic Scriptures, you will find nothing higher than the chanting of Hare Krishna.

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

whatever object or being a man thinks of at the time of his death or departure from the body, that alone does he attain

yum yum vaapi smaranbhaavam tyajatyante kalevaram

tam tamevaiti kaunteya sadaa tadbhaavbhaavitah (Gita 8/6)

O Kaunteya (Arjuna), whatever object or being a man thinks of at the time of his death or departure from the body, that alone does he attain, being ever absorbed in its thought. (in other words he takes birth in those wombs) (Gita 8/6)

A being is reborn in the body he thinks of at the time of death. As is his nature, he thinks accordingly at the time of death. As a man tending to a pet dog thinks of it at the time of death, he is born as a dog. As the programme broadcast from a particular radio station is received at a particular wave-­length and then spreads in the form of sound, the thought of a dog with which he has been connected is caught by him somehow. The soul with subtle and causal bodies enters the body of the dog via water, air (breath) or food etc. Thereafter, it enters the body of a female dog and takes birth as a puppy at the appropriate time.

This can be explained with the help of an illustration. A person goes to a photographer and requests him to take his photograph. The photographer advises him to keep a smiling face without any movement. But when the photographer asks him to be ready, a fly sits on his nose and so he moves his facial muscles to get rid of that fly. The result is that in the photograph he appears with a distorted face. In the same way, a man is reborn according to his thoughts at the time of death.

As far as the time to take a photograph is concerned, we know it before hand, but we do not know the time of death. So, by purifying our nature and thoughts, we should be ever alert and think of Him at all times (Gita 8/5, 7).

In this directive of the Lord is seen His justice, as well as mercy. Generally, justice and mercy (compassion) seem incompatible, because if there is justice, there cannot be compassion (mercy), while having mercy, justice cannot be done. The reason is that in doing proper justice there is no leeway, but in mercy, concessions are made. As such, this rule is applicable to ordinary unkind human beings, not to the Lord, as He is the most gracious One, and is a disinterested friend of all beings, (Gita 5/29). So, all His ordinances and rules are full of justice and mercy.

Whatever being a man thinks of at the time of death, he acquires the same form on rebirth. If he dies thinking of a dog, he is reborn as a dog. This is God's justice. But He has given freedom of choice to man, to think either of a dog or of a man, or of God, and this is His mercy. A man can attain God, simply by thinking of Him, as he can obtain the body of a dog, by thinking of it. If a man starts thinking of God's justice and compassion, he will be attracted towards God alone.

Bhagavan addressed these issues in Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 6

Bhagavan addressed these issues in Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 6.

Arjuna asked 'does he not, fallen from both, perish, without support?'

Bhagavan reassured Arjuna, and all of us: The 'doer of good never comes to grief ... one fallen from Yoga reincarnates in the home of the pure and the prosperous.'

Arjuna said:
37. Though possessed of Shraddhaa but unable to control himself, with the mind wandering away from Yoga, what end does one, failing to gain perfection in Yoga, meet, O Krishna?
38. Does he not, fallen from both, perish, without support, like a rent cloud, O mighty-armed, deluded in the path of Brahman?

39. This doubt of mine, O Krishna, Thou shouldst completely dispel; for it is not possible for any but Thee to dispel this doubt.

The Blessed Lord said:
40. Verily, O son of Prithaa, there is destruction for him, neither here nor hereafter: for, the doer of good, O my son, never comes to grief.

41. Having attained to the worlds of the righteous, and dwelling there for everlasting years, one fallen from Yoga reincarnates in the home of the pure and the prosperous.

42. Or else he is born into a family of wise Yogis only; verily, a birth such as that is very rare to obtain in this world.


43. There he is united with the intelligence acquired in his former body, and strives more than before, for perfection, O son of the Kurus.
And, in Chapter 4:

36. Even if thou be the most sinful among all the sinful, yet by the raft of knowledge alone thou shalt go across all sin.

37. As blazing fire reduces wood into ashes, so, O Arjuna, does the fire of knowledge reduce all Karma to ashes.

Finally, in Chapter 9:

30. If even a very wicked person worships Me, with devotion to none else, he should be regarded as good, for he has rightly resolved.
31. Soon does he become righteous, and attain eternal Peace, O son of Kunti boldly canst thou proclaim, that My devotee is never destroyed.

The above does not imply you can do evil and escape the consequences, or that you can do bad things and then suddenly, in your deathbed, shout the name of Bhagavan, and presto! all is well and your slate is wiped clean. Banish such thoughts. The Eternal Law of Karma applies to all.
But Bhagavan is not there looking over our shoulders, 24/7, angry and vindicative, ready to hurl us into hell and brimstone for our failures and imperfections.
Swami Chinmayananda ji addresses this issue in his GITA commentary:
" Vedanta is not a philosophy that heartlessly keeps the sinners out of it halls of wisdom. It does not believe there is any lost soul who will ever wander among the heathens, and who can only be redeemed if he enters the portals of the Church of Vedanta.
The all-pervading Divine manifests everywhere and therefore, there is no sinner who cannot, through his endeavour, come to claim his own heritage of Absolute Perfection. The Gita is a scripture of life written for man and it assures man that "even if he be the mot sinful among the sinful," he too can cross over his painful destinies of the present and reach the shores that lie beyond finitude and imperfections. '
To summarize, the GITA tells us: Do not be troubled by setbacks and imperfections; strive for perfection and you shall succeed.