Invest In Karmic Deposits

By Girish Deshpande


Just as matter cannot be created or destroyed but merely transformed into another form, our body after our passing away from this life is transformed into another form. There is no end, no finality, to our lives. There is just transformation.
It is proven in Buddhist tantric experiments that the natural elements of nature – earth, wind, fire, water and space – have qualities of the mind and also support vital systems of our body functions. It is also proven that there is continuity of our mind from one birth to another. There have been reports of instances where a child quite naturally yet vividly remembers the place of birth and some of the critical happenings of her past life. Therefore, there could be direct linkage of elements to our psychophysical state.
If we conclude that there is afterlife, the question arises: What kind of births could we take? According to Buddhist teachings there are six realms in which we can be reborn. As hungry ghosts, animals, humans, demigods and god realms. It is not to say that there are different worlds that we are born in or anything like that. All these countless rebirths are the direct effect of our afflicted emotions. The reason for being born in these realms is driven by the resulting karmic accumulations. Being born in the hell realm is due to our afflicted emotions of hatred, being born as hungry ghosts is due to greed; envy and jealousy leads us to birth in the asura realm, pride into the god realm, confusion as animals and ignorance as human beings. Even for those born in god realm, there is intense suffering as the good effect that has given them this birth will be worn out someday and they will have to be reborn in lower realms. This is because they are not in a position to neither accumulate anymore good karma nor clean their accumulated bad ones, being in a state of mental blankness.
Now the good news. It is birth only in the human realm – with its freedoms and advantages of being born with sense faculties at a place where dharma teachings can be obtained (perhaps obsolete in this internet era) and with the right intent and faith – that spiritual trajectory and, therefore, possibility of good rebirth is possible.
All this simply means that if we wish to be born in higher realms we can undertake practices in this life to achieve the end we want. We can tweak the stacked-up causes before us to our advantage to have the desired good effect. And these practices essentially lead us to doing good deeds of body, speech and mind, in the process accumulating deposits of good karma in our spiritual bank account.
Accumulate good karma by doing good deeds without an ulterior motive of personal gain or gratification or to show-off. However, the true fruit of this merit is deposited into your account only after such deeds are dedicated to the wellness and Buddhahood of every sentient being. While it is good to increase the ‘bank balance’ in this way and add to credit, it is important to keep an eye on the debit side of the entries as well!
What better investment can we think of in this materially driven world than investing in the mother of all investments, where accomplishment and returns are guaranteed – the investment in good karmic deposits?

There are three mains desires

There is one very beneficial point and it is very simple and straight-forward. There are three mains desires - desire to live, desire to acquire and desire to do. The stronger these three desires are, the more one gets bound to the world and there will be many obstacles in understanding the essential truth "vaastavik tattva". When this desire is wiped out, then the work is very easy.

What was shared yesterday, the desire to live will prevent one from understanding this point. There is nothing to be acquired or gained from desiring. Other than losses there is nothing beneficial. The point is that the number of years that have passed, that many years one has died, then it is due to the strong desire to live that this point is not understood. Now if quarter of the life span has gone by, then one is quarter dead; if half the life span is gone by, then one is half dead and when entire life span has gone by, then one is fully dead. Now, is there any doubt about this statement? Just as when water comes in a reservoir, but when the water is over, then we say "Water is all gone", similarly when man dies completely, then we say "he is gone". The day water was filled in the reservoir from that day onwards slowly and gradually it began to decrease until it was over. Similarly man is constantly getting over. Now what is new about this point? Then one can say this entire world is all-in-all moving towards getting over, ending, finishing.

In the Mahabharat, there is a dialog between Yaksh and King Yudhishthir. There Yaksh asked a question, that what is the most surprising thing? To this Yudhishthir answered -

Ahanyahani bhootaani gacchantih yamaalayam |

Sheshaah sthaavarmicshaanti kimaashraryamatah param || (Maha. Van. 313/116)

, "In this world everyday jeev is going to `yamlok' (death), then too the remaining people continue to desire to live here forever. What can be more surprising than this?"

"Ahanyahani" i.e. Daily beings are going towards death. How is it daily? Because the day one is born, that very day death is coming closer. Therefore the number of days that have gone by, that many days have surely decreased, that many days death has come closer. There is no doubt about this. Observing is daily moving towards, not observing. One day it will all end and one will not be able to observe. This world is every moment moving towards "non-existence" (Not Is). If we accept everything in the present itself to be non-existent, then at this very moment one can realize the essential truth, knowledge of Brahma (divinity) "brahm gyaan", knowledge of truth "tattva gyaan", liberation "mukti" and Self Realization "atma-shaakshaatkaar".

From "Taatvik Pravachan" in Hindi by Swami Ramsukhdasji.

We are immortal - "Ishvar ansh jeev avinaashi"

We have no relationship with that which is dying. We are immortal - "Ishvar ansh jeev avinaashi" From time immemorial we are the same, but the body is born and later destroyed. Then accept separation from the body while it remains, then you will naturally experience the state of being established in "Paramatma" (Supreme Consciousness, God). Therefore while there is union, experience dis-union – that we have no relationship with that which is separating and whose separation is inevitable.

It is the experience of the most common households. While playing when brothers and sisters begin to fight, then the mother says to the son, "O' brother, why are you fighting with your sister, she will be going away to her own home." Right now she is a little girl, she is not even engaged, but the mother's sentiments are that she will eventually be going away to her own home. She will not be staying here. Similarly all of this is bound to go away. It is going away every moment. Whether the wedding day is nearing or not? Therefore today itself, accept that this is not mine. Take care of the girl, feed her well, give her proper clothes. Just like this girl, this entire life is going away. Therefore serve it. It is only there to serve, not to take. Can we take from a girl's home? We always give to a girl, or do we take from her, tell me? To take from this world is sinful. If you therefore give up the desire to take, then your relationship with it will be severed and you will be freed "mukt." The main reason for the desire to live is the belief that you are one with the body. The union that is every moment turning to disunion (separation), you have a good feeling towards it. You have accepted it as real, this is a mistake. Due to this mistake, you will now have to be born and die, over and over again

Ending of all desires can be called Sukh (NICE MESSAGE)

Ending of all desires can be called Sukh.As swami bruthari said in Vairagya Shatakam : "who is poor? , person who has big desires is the poorest."

"Chah gayi chinta miti manua beparvah,jinko kachu nahi chahiye,vo shahanpati shah" (He who has no desire of any kind is richer than the richest)

Why do we get sad?
when circumstances/results/outcomes are not according to our wishes/desire ,we get sad.As Bhagwan said in Gita - Building of obstruction in the way of desire, produces anger.

What should we do to get rid of sadness.
Stop desiring.

If we stop desiring how can we perform Karam?
I do not say take the path of doing nothing.
Karam are happening even when we are observed as not doing anything.
When we are sitting down,it does not mean that digestion is not happening.Even sitting down is a karam in itself.The foolishness on one to that he is the doer of a karam binds him in shackels.Plan,Do, everything properly and perform which is required/endoresed by scriptures/performed before by great men,Just take "I am doing/will do/have done" OUT.This is true in itself.I ask you are we reaaly in control anyway? If we are in control then why do we get sad/sick/loss of family/old/loss of property/death?
The fact is that we are not in control of what happens,foolishness gets us stuck and takes us to the chakra of life and death.

AS Swamiji told  one story,as  follows:
There was this Raja going with his army through a forest,he sees a Sanyasi sitting in the shadows of a tree.Raja asked Sanyasi "why didnt you salute me" to which Sanyasi answered "I donot salute my subordinate"
Raja asks in which way he is subordinate to him as he is the Raja and is in charge of his kingdom and everything that his kingdom covers and sanyasi doesnt even have proper clothes to wear.
Sanyasi - "everything you say?"
Raja - "yes"
Sanyasi -"if you are in charge of everything in your kingdom then banish all the flies from your kingdom"
Raja - "I have no power to do that and how am I your subordinate?"
sanyasi - "because I am not in control of anything,I have no desire and that makes you my subordinate."
The essence of this story is one who doesnt want anything/have no desire is actually greater than everyone.

Want to be Sukhi = stop desiring !!!!

Change The Temper Of The Mind (NICE THOUGHT)

I was thinking today how we are always trying hard to engage our minds in chanting and concentrating on the sound vibration of the holy names, actually we shouldn't think too much about the mind but just chant and hear, because by doing this our mind will be trained to concentrate and won't bother us with so many thoughts about what we should be doing - how, future, present, past and so on. Here is a nice quote from Srila Prabhupada about the mind, hope you like it.

It Is One’s Mind that generates different kinds of bodies for suffering different kinds of material pangs. Therefore as long as the mind is absorbed in fruitive activities, the mind is understood to be absorbed in nescience, and thus one is sure to be subjected to material bondage in different bodies again and again until one develops a transcendental love for Godhead, Vasudeva, the Supreme Person. To become absorbed in the transcendental name, quality, form and activities of the Supreme Person, Vasudeva, means to change the temper of the mind from matter to absolute knowledge, which leads one to the path of absolute realization and thus frees one from the bondage of material contact and encagements in different material bodies.

Srimad Bhagavatam 2.9.36 purport

Engaging our minds in the chanting of the holy names facilitates and helps us to focus on the Lord's names and we know that this is the right consciousness for the time of death which can be anytime....we never know. My son said he was going to make my astrological chart in India, so I told him I didn't want to know when I was going to die and he told me, maybe its good because you can prepare yourself so I felt so scared, what will I be thinking of this day - will I be able to chant properly? Am I prepared to die now? Definitely not...I hardly concentrate when I am chanting, but I would like to become a nice chanter, serious and also improve in japa.

This is necessary in my spiritual advancement and also to my devotional service. For me it doesn't matter much when I am going to die, one day my gurudev said in a lecture that for a devotee this doesn't really matter, a devotee's service is eternal - here or everywhere he is....so the main thing is to be able to develop this relationship with the Lord through chanting and obtain a taste for chanting by doing that we can be fearless because we are in Krsna and He is in us.

May we become so absorbed in chanting that we won't do anything else but wish the Lord's company through the sound vibration of the names.

There is no Resting Place Here. It is only a Journey

One very important point that you must understand is that whatever we have is only for this journey. Our real home is our Father's home. Is this something that you all can accept? If you do not or cannot, then let me know. This present journey has to end, so you can go home. Going to Paramatma (God) is not difficult. As such it is not difficult. It is only our belief that has made it difficult. Understand that this is only a journey. All can understand this. All in all. All are eligible to know this point. All can acquire this knowledge. Just like any child of a mother, can sit in the mother's lap. Any of her children can sit in her lap. All have rights. Similarly, all can attain Paramatma (God). All can get knowledge of Truth (tattva gyaan). All can attain Salvation (kalyaan). All can be liberated. All can attain divine Love (prem).

It is not something new. New things are in world, but Paramatma (God) is an age old thing. We are Paramatma's. It is simple and straightforward. "Ishvar ansh, jeev avinaashi; chetan amal sahaj sukha raasi" (Manasa, Uttar. 117:1). "The Jivaatmaa (embodied soul), is a part of Paramaatmaa (Supreme Soul). It is immortal. It is consciousness, immutable and a fountain of natural bliss." There is nothing to do for our self. Absolutely nothing. What has to be done is only serving (seva) others. The serving can be with our things, our strength, our intellect, our knowledge, our talents and whatever we have received. All are only to serve. There is nothing to do for the self. We are already "avinaashi" (imperishable) , chetan (consciousness) , amal (free of all impurities), and "sahaj sukh raashi" (fountain of natural bliss). Everything that we have received is only for serving. It will leave, therefore serve.

Paramatma is ours. Loving, devotion and worship of Paramatma is Bhakti. The Self being detached from the world is gyaan. Accepting everything in the world as belonging to others and not wanting anything for your self, is karmayog. Nothing at all is ours and we do not want it either. Not even a needle in this entire cosmos is ours. Nothing in this world will remain with us. All will leave. You will get a new mother, new things, but none of it will be yours. Presently where we are staying, that house is not ours. The things in it are not ours. Until we reach home, it is all only a journey. Therefore whatever we have received, make do with it.

May all be happy. May all be healthy (free of disease), may no one experience any pain and suffering. "Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah..." Let your sentiments always be such as to give happiness to everyone, give rest and relaxation to every one. This is the essence. There is no doubt about this. Paramatma is such that wherever you go, He goes with you. He never leaves you. Only He is ours. Be Joyful ! Do Bhajans!

Remember these two essential points. Desiring what you do not have and (apraapt ki kaamna) and attachment (proprietary interest) towards what we have (praapt cheej ki mamta). These two are great obstacles in the spiritual path. The more things that you accumulate, the more unhappiness you will experience. Even the body is not ours, then how can anything else be ours? "ye toh jyaasi hi jyaasi" Wherever you go, it is only a journey. There is no resting place here. Sometimes an animal, sometimes a bird, sometimes a tiny insect, sometimes a tree, it is endless. It is all a journey.

Bhagwaan (God) loves "Patram, pushpam, phalam..." (Gita 9:26)
Whoever offers Me with devotion, a leaf, a flower, a fruit or even water, I
accept these devout offerings of a devotee with love." (Gita 9:26). He likes simple things, but offered with true feelings and sentiments. Just like He loved the banana peel offered by Viduraani. The joy He felt from eating the peel, He hadn't experienced such joy from other foods. He is like that for everyone. What an amazing thing this is.

It is about our real Home. All else is a journey.

we must serve the people through loving service to God.

It is not a matter of my personal opinion. It is a fact that just as we water the tree by watering it's roots, not by watering it's leaves and branches, in a similar way if we want to serve mankind, we must serve the people through loving service to God. The service that God has requested is that we deliver His suffering children back to their original home in the spiritual sky. If we simply serve the outer covering of the self, without serving the self within, we are not doing real service. Such service is only superficial, like blowing on a boil for temporary relief without removing it for permanent relief.

If your friend's son has run away from home, he desperately wants his son to return. If you see that boy on the street and you give him some money so he can get something to eat, but you do not return him to his father, have you served his father by feeding that boy? No. You have the given the boy the facility to remain a little longer away from home. So if you really want to serve God, you must bring his lost children back to Him. Then your service to man will be real service to God. Otherwise, your service to man, although apparently good, will actually be a disservice.

Vedic society is a fully rounded society in which all aspects of life are covered. A Vedic government makes sure that everyone is well fed, well clothed, and well housed and that everyone is happily employed according to their psycho-physical nature. This system of management is known as the varnashram system. And, most importantly in a Vedic society everyone is given full education and practical training how to utilize the human form of life for going back to home, back to Godhead. In such a situation, serving mankind by liberating them from the cycle of birth and death is the best service to God. By this one stroke all sufferings arising from birth, death, old age, and disease are immediately mitigated.

So I hope that you will understand that the science of how to give permanent relief to all the souls entangled in the cycle of birth and death is not rubbish.

By Sankarshan Das Adhikari

What is most important in Your Life?

Hare Krishna ! Pranams to Bhagavan Sri Krishna and Bhaktas,

" What is most important in Your Life? ".This was a question raised in a seminar . Except one Person, everyone answered , "My Family" . That person mentioned, "My faith in Sri Krishna" .

Yes. Bhakti or faith to Sri Krishna , is the most important thing in a Krishna-bhakta's life . He/She too loves own family but Bhakti is more important than it . Worldly benefits such as a loving family are only Bhagavan's gift to His Bhakta. While the materialists consider Family as the greatest asset, to a Bhakta His/Her Ishta-deva Sri Krishna is the most precious Asset .

On His part, Bhagavan Sri Krishna is most compassionate to His Bhakta ; and describes self as *Bhakta-dasa*. See for instance, pure Krishna-bhaktas like Prahlada , Ambareesa and Dhruva , Hanuman, Arjuna, etc. None in this universe could beat any of them . In spite of reaching such a supreme position, they ever remained loyal to Bhagavan and never deviated from Krishna's principles. Such an ultimate focus, commitment and loyalty can not be seen in any other religious path including Hinduism .

Bhagavan Sri Krishna declares in Bhagavad Gita ( 9.22-26) :

  •  "However, for those who are always absorbed in thoughts of Me ( Krishna), and who worship Me with one-pointed devotion by every means, I Myself attend to their needs (i.e., achieve what they lack and preserve what they have) .
  •  Those who worship `other devatas' ( Siva, etc) with faith, actually worship Me alone, but in a way that is unauthorized.
  •  I . Krishna is the only master and enjoyer of all Yajnas, but the worshipers of `other Devatas' do not recognize Me in this true nature. Therefore, they fall from Me and repeatedly wander in the cycle of birth and death.
  •  Those who worship `other Devatas' go to the planets of the Devatas, those who worship the Ancestors go to the planet of the Ancestors, those who worship the spirits and ghosts go to the planet of the spirits and ghosts. but, those who worship Me will definitely come to Me alone.
  •  Whosoever offers to Me with bhakti , a leaf, a flower, a fruit or even water; I will delightfully accept that offering in PERSON ."

Please chant Hare Krishna Mahamantra :

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

and be happy !!!

Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya!!!!

Chanting Hare Krishna Works!

"This chanting of Hare Krishna, even if someone does not know what it is, it still works. Once in Hyderabad in South India one man came up to me and said: "Every religious sect have blind faith, blind faith, this is true of any religion without any faith it will still work". This is a post office. This is India you know. People are always asking philosophical questions. Never happened in an American post office. But I was thinking, wow what a question! But I remember I said, no, there is a process, even if you chant without faith the names of God, even if you don't know what it means it still works.

Just like Ratnakar he was chanting murder! Murder! Murder! Kill kill kill in Sanskrit which was Mara! Mara! Mara! Chanting a word which, he was a murderer, he was a robber. When you chant it in sequence mara mara mara it becomes Rama Rama Rama. Chanting Rama even when he was thinking something else it still worked.
So the chanting, like Prabhupada said, it is like fire when you put your hand in the fire whether you believe it or not you get affected, somebody does chant somehow with an open mind if they just chant they will feel some difference from the chanting. So I hope that the devotees here they know about the chanting. If you know about chanting take advantage of chanting. If we know and we don't chant then that is a very great failure on our part to take this opportunity to perfect our human form of life."

HH Jayapataka Swami
Lecture BG 2.14
1st November 2005

Krishna Consciousness In Happiness Or Distress

"In difficult time we do not give up our devotional service, we stick to it and in good times we also do not give up our devotional service, now it is okay and I will make hay while the sun shines kind of attitude and I will enjoy life now and worry about death later. But if we know that death can come at any time, someone who has always been engaged in Krishna's service 12 months a year, 365 days, does not matter whether there is life or death doesn't matter, all are auspicious, because everything is in Krishna consciousness.

So the devotees, they always remain moderate, in distress or when they are in opulence. They are moderate in their existence and keep Krishna as their top priority in their life. Now in the world we ..were you know . things were a little bit looking difficult economically, but not that bad but like now there is war and so many people who are senselessly killed in terrorist attacks. This could make somebody very much down or depressed about the whole future of things. Whether there is some difficulty or there is something good we need to do our duties, we need to do our proper Krishna conscious thing."

By HH Jayapataka Swami