There is a story of a village in Bengal which was harassed by a mysterious midnight burglar. Security measure were taken and and after a few nights, guard saw the thief sneaking into the window of a house. The alarm was raised, and the whole village assembled to outside to arrest the rascal. "Catch the thief! Catch the thief! Catch the thief," they cried.
But the clever thief rushed out frantically pointing to something behind the crowd. "There he goes!" he shouted. "He's getting away!" The villagers let the real thief lead on a chase after an imaginary thief. While they wandered in the darkness shouting, "Catch the thief!" the real thief gave them the slip.
Analogously, scientists have stolen the credit from Krishna's home, Krishna's creation - and they are leading us on a wild goose chase with so-called science, a science that never goes beyond the realms of this material world.
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Victims of Desire
Sridhara Swami explains that bees are victims of smell, being sometimes being swallowed up at night by flowers; male elephants are victims of sex desire when hunters display female elephant before a large camouflaged pit; deer are victims of sound when their human predators blow a bugle known as a deer call; fish are victims of their sense of taste when they bite the bait on a fisherman's hook; moths are victims of sight when the hurtle at flames that instantly destroy them.
Similarly, human beings are constantly victimized by all five organs of acquisition.
Source: MukundaGoswami.org
Monday, March 02, 2009
Development of KC is proportional to detachment from maya
It is said that development of Kṛṣṇa consciousness is exhibited by proportionate material detachment, or vairāgya. If one does not separate himself from material enjoyment, it is to be understood that he is not advancing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Renunciation in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is so strong that it cannot be deviated by any attractive illusion. One has to perform devotional service in full tapasya, austerity. One should fast on the two Ekādaśī days, which fall on the eleventh day of the waxing and waning moon, and on the birthdays of Lord Kṛṣṇa, Lord Rāma and Caitanya Mahāprabhu. There are many such fasting days.
Source: SB 3.37.22 - Purport
To perfect one's life
If one wants to perfect his life, he should discharge his prescribed duties for the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa. One must act in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, for such action will never produce any reaction (animitta-nimittena).
Source: SB 3.27.21 - Purport
Unless one's mind is fully engaged
Unless one's mind and consciousness are fully engaged in devotional service, there is always the opportunity for the mind to become occupied with desires for sense gratification.
Source: SB 3.27.5 - Purport
Krishna is the real friend
The only friend is Kṛṣṇa. One should try to raise the consciousness of the conditioned soul to the platform of understanding that Kṛṣṇa is his actual friend. If one makes friendship with Kṛṣṇa, one will never be cheated, and he will get all help needed. Arousing this consciousness of the conditioned soul is the greatest service, not posing oneself as a great friend of another living entity. The power of friendship is limited. Although one claims to be a friend, he cannot be a friend unlimitedly. There are an unlimited number of living entities, and our resources are limited; therefore we cannot be of any real benefit to the people in general. The best service to the people in general is to awaken them to Kṛṣṇa consciousness so that they may know that the supreme enjoyer, the supreme proprietor and the supreme friend is Kṛṣṇa. Then this illusory dream of lording it over material nature will vanish.
Source: SB 3.27.4 - Purport
Monday, July 23, 2007
Prabhupada: ISKCON's original graphic designer
Srila Prabhupada (among many others things), was ISKCON’s first graphic designer (here we see his art-direction, composition and implementation of the BTG logo):
From his front room at 6 Sita Kanta Banerjee, Abhay conceived, wrote, edited, and typed the manuscript for a magazine. He designed a logo, a long rectangle across the top of the page. In the upper left-hand corner was a figure of Lord Caitanya, effulgent with rays of light like rays from the sun. In the lower right were silhouettes of a crowd of people, in darkness but groping to receive light from Lord Caitanya. And between Lord Caitanya and the people, the title unfurled like a banner-BACK TO GODHEAD. In the lower right corner was a picture of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati seated at his writing, looking up thoughtfully as he composed. Above the logo ran the motto "Godhead is Light, Nescience is darkness. Where there is Godhead there is no Nescience." Below the logo were the following lines:
EDITED & FOUNDED
(Under the direct order of His Divine Grace Sri Srimad Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Prabhupada)
By Mr. ABHAY CHARAN DE.
From his front room at 6 Sita Kanta Banerjee, Abhay conceived, wrote, edited, and typed the manuscript for a magazine. He designed a logo, a long rectangle across the top of the page. In the upper left-hand corner was a figure of Lord Caitanya, effulgent with rays of light like rays from the sun. In the lower right were silhouettes of a crowd of people, in darkness but groping to receive light from Lord Caitanya. And between Lord Caitanya and the people, the title unfurled like a banner-BACK TO GODHEAD. In the lower right corner was a picture of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati seated at his writing, looking up thoughtfully as he composed. Above the logo ran the motto "Godhead is Light, Nescience is darkness. Where there is Godhead there is no Nescience." Below the logo were the following lines:
EDITED & FOUNDED
(Under the direct order of His Divine Grace Sri Srimad Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Prabhupada)
By Mr. ABHAY CHARAN DE.
Source: H.H. Satvarupa Goswami - Your Ever Well-wisher
Sunday, March 11, 2007
Motivation of Bhakti compared to other yoga systems
Those who are on the path of self-realization are generally classified as karmīs, jñānīs, yogīs, or devotees of the Lord.
The karmīs, who are much attracted by the fruitive activities of the Vedic rituals, are called bhukti-kāmī, or those who desire material enjoyment.
The jñānīs, who try to become one with the Supreme by mental speculation, are called mukti-kāmī, or those who desire liberation from material existence.
The mystic yogīs, who practice different types of austerities for attainment of eight kinds of material perfection and who ultimately meet the Supersoul (Paramātmā) in trance, are called siddhi-kāmī, or those who desire the perfection of becoming finer than the finest, becoming heavier than the heaviest, getting everything desired, having control over everyone, creating everything liked, etc. All these are abilities of a powerful yogī.
But the devotees of the Lord do not want anything like that for self-satisfaction. They want only to serve the Lord because the Lord is great and as living entities they are eternally subordinate parts and parcels of the Lord. This perfect realization of the self by the devotee helps him to become desireless, to desire nothing for his personal self, and thus the devotees are called niṣkāmī, without any desire. A living entity, by his constitutional position, cannot be void of all desires (the bhukti-kāmī, mukti-kāmī and siddhi-kāmī all desire something for personal satisfaction), but the niṣkāmī devotees of the Lord desire everything for the satisfaction of the Lord.
The karmīs, who are much attracted by the fruitive activities of the Vedic rituals, are called bhukti-kāmī, or those who desire material enjoyment.
The jñānīs, who try to become one with the Supreme by mental speculation, are called mukti-kāmī, or those who desire liberation from material existence.
The mystic yogīs, who practice different types of austerities for attainment of eight kinds of material perfection and who ultimately meet the Supersoul (Paramātmā) in trance, are called siddhi-kāmī, or those who desire the perfection of becoming finer than the finest, becoming heavier than the heaviest, getting everything desired, having control over everyone, creating everything liked, etc. All these are abilities of a powerful yogī.
But the devotees of the Lord do not want anything like that for self-satisfaction. They want only to serve the Lord because the Lord is great and as living entities they are eternally subordinate parts and parcels of the Lord. This perfect realization of the self by the devotee helps him to become desireless, to desire nothing for his personal self, and thus the devotees are called niṣkāmī, without any desire. A living entity, by his constitutional position, cannot be void of all desires (the bhukti-kāmī, mukti-kāmī and siddhi-kāmī all desire something for personal satisfaction), but the niṣkāmī devotees of the Lord desire everything for the satisfaction of the Lord.
(Source: SB 2.4.18 - Purport)
The desire to take shelter of devotees is primary
A Vaiṣṇava is powerful enough to purify even those who are constantly engaged in sinful acts - they are all corrigible to the standard of perfect human beings if they take shelter of the devotees of the Lord, because the Lord is the supreme power.
( Source: Paraphrased from SB 2.4.18 - Translation & Purport)
Devotees can lead the world to a change of heart
Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī states that instead of running a godless civilization in the present context of the world situation, if the leadership of world affairs is entrusted to the devotees of the Lord, for which a worldwide organization under the name and style of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness has already been started, then by the grace of the Almighty Lord there can be a thorough change of heart in human beings all over the world because the devotees of the Lord are able authorities to effect such a change by purifying the dust-worn minds of the people in general.
The politicians of the world may remain in their respective positions because the pure devotees of the Lord are not interested in political leadership or diplomatic implications. The devotees are interested only in seeing that the people in general are not misguided by political propaganda and in seeing that the valuable life of a human being is not spoiled in following a type of civilization which is ultimately doomed.
If the politicians, therefore, would be guided by the good counsel of the devotees, then certainly there would be a great change in the world situation by the purifying propaganda of the devotees, as shown by Lord Caitanya. As Śukadeva Gosvāmī began his prayer by discussing the word yat-kīrtanam, so also Lord Caitanya recommended that simply by glorifying the Lord's holy name, a tremendous change of heart can take place by which the complete misunderstanding between the human nations created by politicians can at once be extinguished. And after the extinction of the fire of misunderstanding, other profits will follow. The destination is to go back home, back to Godhead, as we have several times discussed in these pages.
The politicians of the world may remain in their respective positions because the pure devotees of the Lord are not interested in political leadership or diplomatic implications. The devotees are interested only in seeing that the people in general are not misguided by political propaganda and in seeing that the valuable life of a human being is not spoiled in following a type of civilization which is ultimately doomed.
If the politicians, therefore, would be guided by the good counsel of the devotees, then certainly there would be a great change in the world situation by the purifying propaganda of the devotees, as shown by Lord Caitanya. As Śukadeva Gosvāmī began his prayer by discussing the word yat-kīrtanam, so also Lord Caitanya recommended that simply by glorifying the Lord's holy name, a tremendous change of heart can take place by which the complete misunderstanding between the human nations created by politicians can at once be extinguished. And after the extinction of the fire of misunderstanding, other profits will follow. The destination is to go back home, back to Godhead, as we have several times discussed in these pages.
(Source: SB 2.4.18 - Purport)
Moral behaviour without Krsna is simply trouble
Advancement of learning, a charitable disposition, political, social or religious leadership of human society, philosophical speculations, the practice of the yoga system, expertise in the Vedic rituals, and all similar high qualities in man serve one in the attainment of perfection only when they are employed in the service of the Lord. Without such dovetailing, all such qualities become sources of trouble for people in general.
Everything can be utilized either for one's own sense gratification or in the service of one other than oneself. There are two kinds of self-interest also, namely personal selfishness and extended selfishness. But there is no qualitative difference between personal and extended selfishness. Theft for personal interest or for the family interest is of the same quality — namely, criminal. A thief pleading not guilty because of committing theft not for personal interest but for the interest of society or country has never been excused by the established law of any country.
Similarly, advancement of learning, economic development, philosophical research, study in the Vedic literature or even the execution of pious activities (like charity, opening of hospitals, and the distribution of food grains) should be done in relation with the Lord.
The expert leaders of a godless human civilization cannot bring about a fruitful result in all their different attempts at educational advancement or economic development unless they are God conscious.
Everything can be utilized either for one's own sense gratification or in the service of one other than oneself. There are two kinds of self-interest also, namely personal selfishness and extended selfishness. But there is no qualitative difference between personal and extended selfishness. Theft for personal interest or for the family interest is of the same quality — namely, criminal. A thief pleading not guilty because of committing theft not for personal interest but for the interest of society or country has never been excused by the established law of any country.
Similarly, advancement of learning, economic development, philosophical research, study in the Vedic literature or even the execution of pious activities (like charity, opening of hospitals, and the distribution of food grains) should be done in relation with the Lord.
The expert leaders of a godless human civilization cannot bring about a fruitful result in all their different attempts at educational advancement or economic development unless they are God conscious.
(Source: SB 2.4.17 - Purport)
Bhakti compared to other types of yoga
Analogy: A handful of real paddy (rice or wheat in husks) is more valuable than heaps of paddy skins without any substance within. A person who beats an empty husk of wheat cannot get grain, his only gain is trouble.
(Source: SB 2.4.16 - Purport and SB 10.14.4 - Translation)
When does one get bhakti?
Bhakti-yoga is the highest quality of perfection to be achieved by the intelligent person in lieu of performing a large quantity of spiritual activities.
(Source: SB 2.4.16 - Purport)
Devotee not disappointed in physical absence of Lord
The devotees need not be disappointed in the physical absence of the Lord, though they may think of not being associated with Him. The devotional process of chanting, hearing, remembering, etc., (either all or some of them, or even one of them) can give us the desired result of associating with the Lord by discharging the transcendental loving service of the Lord in the above manner. Even the very sound of the holy name of Lord Krsna or Rama can at once surcharge the atmosphere spiritually. We must know definitely that the Lord is present wherever such pure transcendental service is performed, and thus the performer of offenseless kirtanam has positive association with the Lord.
(Source: SB 2.4.15 - Purport)
Lord stops progress of demoniac activites
The impious and the nondevotees are against the principles of the Vedas, and so such persons are always hampered from making advances in their nefarious activities. Some of them, who are specially favored by the Lord, are killed by Him personally, as in the cases of Ravana, Hiraṇyakaśipu and Kamsa, and thus such demons get salvation and are thereby checked from further progress in their demoniac activities. Just like a kind father, either in His favor upon the devotees or His punishment of the demons He is ever kind to everyone because He is the complete existence for all individual existence.
(Source: SB 2.4.13 - Purport)
Importance of Sri Mangalacarana, or seeking blessings
The senses of the individual being are not his own; the devotee knows that such senses belong to the Supreme Lord and that they can be properly used when they are employed for the service of the Lord. The senses are instruments, and elements are ingredients, all endowed by the Lord; therefore whatever an individual can do, speak, see, etc., is under the direction of the Lord only.
No one is free to act freely and independently, and as such, one should always seek the permission of the Lord to act or eat or speak, and by the blessing of the Lord everything done by a devotee is beyond the principles of the four defects typical of the conditioned soul.
No one is free to act freely and independently, and as such, one should always seek the permission of the Lord to act or eat or speak, and by the blessing of the Lord everything done by a devotee is beyond the principles of the four defects typical of the conditioned soul.
(Source: SB 2.4.11 - Purport)
Friday, April 28, 2006
Calling out to Krsna with love
There was a child playing with a rattle and he cried out for his mother softly and then went back to playing with his rattle, his mum sees he's ok and so carries on with her duties.
The child sees his mother hasnt come and so calls a little louder and then carries on playing with his rattle..again his mother doesnt come now the child is getting frustrated so calls out even louder and then goes back to playing with his rattle...still the mother doesnt come. Finally, the child gets very angry and throws his rattle on the floor and screams for his mother and she comes.
In the same way whilst we are still playing with our material toys (the rattle) it is very hard to call out sincerely for Krishna. Only when we give these up will we cry for Krishna with love and sincerity.
The child sees his mother hasnt come and so calls a little louder and then carries on playing with his rattle..again his mother doesnt come now the child is getting frustrated so calls out even louder and then goes back to playing with his rattle...still the mother doesnt come. Finally, the child gets very angry and throws his rattle on the floor and screams for his mother and she comes.
In the same way whilst we are still playing with our material toys (the rattle) it is very hard to call out sincerely for Krishna. Only when we give these up will we cry for Krishna with love and sincerity.
(Source: H.H. Bhakti Visvambara Madhava Swami)
There is no time to waste
Since we know that life is meant to prepare for a glorious death, we can live each day as if it is our last. There is no time to waste on irrelevant, superfluous activities. Even when we must give time to somewhat superficial things, it must be done in a way that enhances the primary, significant involvements. "
(Source: H.H. Bhakti Tirtha Swami - The Beggar IV, p.67)
Gratefully surrender to Krsna's purifying our hearts
The frustrations, the disappointments, the pains, the sufferings that come into our life is the love of God upon us, to purify our hearts, to bring us closer to the real standard of selfless service. We shouldn't react. When Krishna either does it through material nature or does it through another devotee or another living being, we should not respond by throwing thunderbolts upon Him. We should respond by bowing at the lotus feet in the presence of Krishna's mercy and by surrendering. Ultimately surrender means to surrender that ego. You can surrender all your material possessions, all your money. You can surrender your physical form to do whatever you are asked, but it is all incomplete until we surrender our ego to Krishna. And what does it mean to surrender our ego to Krishna? It means, "Krishna. You are enjoyer. I am meant for your enjoyment." We are striving sincerely to be the servant of the servant of the servant of our Guru and Sri Krishna. When Krishna sees our honest endeavor in this way, by His Grace, He frees us. And He will make so many wonderful divine arrangements to increase our sincerity, our humility, if we accept it with a grateful heart. There is no doubt that Krishna will lift us beyond this realm of Maya into the eternal realm of loving service.
(Source: H.H. Radhanath Swami)
The Lord's pastimes in different kalpas
Every day we tend to have the same schedule or routine. We wake up, we brush our teeth, have a bath etc. Yet everyday there is some small variation in the way we carry out the routine, it is never identically done. Similarly, in every cycle of yugas, Krishna performs the same pastimes with the same incarnations, but every time He carries out the mission with slight variation. So this is why there are different ways in which, for example, Lord Narsimhadeva kills Hiranyakashipu according to different cycle of yugas.
(Source: H.H. Bhakti Charu Swami - QnA - ISKCON Pandava Sena Retreat
Simhachalam, Jandelsbrunn, Germany, Aug 2005)
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