Desire trees of Vrindavan!

November 19, 2015 by Giriraj dasa

Hare Krishna.

15th November, 2015. Vrindavan

(Trees of Vrindavan)

Last weekend, in Vrindavan, I stayed with the family of Deepak Handa prabhuji. Prabhuji is a very sincere, steady and soft-hearted devotee, it is indeed a good fortune to be able to get association of such a Vaishnava family.

We started our journey back to Gurgaon and as we were crossing Parikrama marg we saw a western mataji collapsing in front of us on the sidewalk. They were two matajis, in their mid thirties, one of them collapsed and a small crowd had gathered. Deepak prabhuji immediately stopped his car to check if everything was fine. Rather reluctantly, I too followed prabhuji, thinking what help can we give as we are on way back to Gurgaon. As we reached the spot we found that one local devotee had already stopped a rickshaw and was requesting them to show them to a nearby doctor whom he knew personally. Another local mataji too checked and as she found that the mataji who had collapsed was back on her feet and someone is taking her to a doctor, she was satisfied and left. I too told Prabhuji let’s leave as everything seems settled, she just seemed weak and may be collapsed from exhaustion or weakness. The only hitch in my mind was to which doctor they were being taken to. I told the local devotee to take them to ISKCON hospital but he was firm to show them to the doctor he knew very well, he insisted that many local devotees see this doctor only.

All seemed settled but Deepak prabhuji refused to leave them like this. He said if we are slightly doubtful then let’s check the doctor. We were getting delayed and I thought by going to the doctor we will get further late and we should just move on. Of course I didn’t say it as Prabhuji seemed firm on helping them. Prabhuji went to park his car properly and I followed the two matajis to the doctor, along with the local devotee who recommended him, the doctor was very close by.

The doctor turned out to an ayuvedic doctor/practitioner. He checked her blood pressure, pulse, etc and said that she is suffering from severe acidity, may be even diarrhea, and that she has lost too much fluid.

He then scolded the devotee who brought her stating that he let this mataji lie down on his couch as she seemed to have passed urine, even stool, in her clothes. Suddenly I could smell the stench and felt repulsed. The doctor, said that he can’t do much instantaneously and the best course is that she drinks some energy drink (ORS) and take some precaution in eating. By this time Deepak Prabhuji had walked inside and started talking to the other mataji. We found that they have a flight the same evening to Norway! She didn’t seem to be in a condition to take a long flight today. We also found that they were staying quite close and finally it was agreed to let them go back to their room, get some rest, drink the ORS and then they can decide whatever action they wish to take. All settled.

Deepak Prabhuji then took the prescription for the ORS and requested the two matajis go back to their room and that we will deliver the ORS to their room or at their reception. I thought that one of the mataji is fine and she can easily pick up the ORS from a nearby chemist on their way back to their room. Still out of courtesy I told Prabhuji let me go and get the energy drinks.

As I came out I saw the rickshaw puller washing his seat as he too realised that it was smelling of urine. He didn’t complain as both the matajis again climbed back in the same rickshaw and left. The only thing in my mind was to quickly leave back for Gurgaon.

As I turned back, and slowly walked towards the main road to find a chemist, I suddenly realised that this morning only I had prayed to one of the trees in MVT to kindly give me an opportunity to serve Dhama or some person in Dhama! Over the last few months it has become a habit for me to pray to the trees in Vrindavan, with amazing results. I had written about it in an early blog few months back (please read it here). I immediately felt utterly ashamed at my internal thought process during this whole incident. I realised that based on my prayer I received an opportunity to help someone in dhama yet I behaved internally like an insensitive moron. I was also relived that I was with Deepak Handa Prabhuji as I am sure that had I been alone I may not have even stopped or stopped and just moved on. But Krishna is so merciful that He ensured that I was with a devotee whose heart was soft. I profusely thanked Krishna and the tree to whom I had prayed in the morning .

In a swift change of mood I was full of excitement and there was sudden spring in my step as I absorbed what really had happened and how my desire got fulfilled within few hours and how close I was to miss it! I knew that had it not been for the presence of Deepak Prabhuji I would have certainly missed it. I went and bought those ORS drinks, then we went together and delivered at mataji’s room.

This incident may sound common but there were many learning for me

It moved something in my heart. I will try to be more sensitive towards helping others, will pray for a softer heart.
Remain constantly in the association of devotees, especially in dhama.
I also learnt a good lesson from Deepak Prabhuji on what does being a devotee really means. I felt utterly ashamed from inside. What kind of a devotee I am with such a hard heart.
This incident also showed me that if we are conscious in Krishna consciousness then we can clearly see that our prayers are being answered but we have become so blind and hard-hearted that we don’t see them.
It solidified my faith that all trees in Vrindavan are Kalpa Vriksha (wish-fulfilling trees)
It also helped me realise that when we pray from the level of our present level of advancement then it helps. I had heard it in a lecture few weeks back that whenever we pray for something then we should pray from the our present level and not try to jump to something higher for which we have no qualification. The example that exalted devotee gave was that if someone gifts us a penthouse in a very fancy building but we find that there are no stairs or lifts for it then it is useless for us. Similarly instead of praying for something very high like Krishna Prema or being present in one of the pastimes of Lord etc., it is better and practical to pray for advancement from our current level to the next level. One can not make progress from an artificial platform. Somehow those words stuck a chord in my heart and from that day my prayers changed and it seems to be working.

In the end, I am copying translation of three verses from Sri Vraja-riti-cintamani, by Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura chapter 2, text 21, 22 & 23, glorifying the amazing trees of Vrindavan.

From the branches and roots of the trees of Vraja all Brahmas and Shivas emanate. Although the trees of Vraja are as splendid as the sun, they still are wonderful parasols to shade one from the sun’s rays. They shine with the luster of youth, just as the four Kumaras.

The trees of Vraja were never planted or husbanded. They never grew from any seed. They glisten with many leaves and flowers. They bear many ripe, unripe, and ripening fruits.

The splendid trees of Vrajabhumi are perfectly spiritual in nature and full of all potencies. They are just like the incarnations of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Just as the conditioned souls misunderstand the spiritual nature of the Supreme Lord’s incarnations, in the same way they misunderstand the glory of these trees in Vraja.

All glories to the trees of Vrindavan.

All glories to Sri Guru and Gauranga.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Kartik in Vrindavan

November 3, 2015 by Giriraj dasa

Hare Krishna.

1st November, 2015. Vrindavan

I had a small realisation last weekend when I went to Sri Vrindavan Dhama to attend the Govardhan Parikrama yatra of HH Gopal Krishna Goswami Maharaj.

We, the whole family, reached Vrindavan on Friday evening. Surprisingly there wasn’t too much traffic on the roads so we reached fast, may be because it was a Friday or may be because it was `Karva Chauth’ (married women fast without even water for the long life of their husband, a popular festival in North India).

As we entered the temple complex we could see the festive hustle and bustle. But as we entered the temple hall it was as if we have been transported to some magical place. There were hundreds of devotees inside, everyone offering ghee lamp to Lord Damodar.

Everyone was patiently moving forward with their turn and offering ghee lamp. It was a divine sight to behold forever in my heart.

(all the above pictures and the video are from isckon’s Vrindavan website for the same date)

How Krishna teach us

After the deep daan, we had a hearty dinner prasadam at MVT (the main motivational factor for my kids to visit Vrindavan).

My family returned back the same night where as I stayed back to attend the Govardhan parikrama the next morning. There was a small issue of my lodging as every single ashram in Vrindavan was completely booked. Anandini Radhika mataji, a kind hearted devotee from Gurgaon, had allowed me to stay at her apartment along with HG Krishnananda Prabhuji, who was staying there presently.

Fortunately for me, I met HG Krishnananda Prabhuji in the temple itself and requested him to allow me to stay with him for a night in the same apartment. Prabhuji agreed but said that he was in fact staying in a Brahmachari ashram just outside the temple complex and invited me to stay with him as his servant as it will convenient to come to come in the morning. I was very happy to get a chance to get association of Prabhuji and heartily agreed. Prabhuji asked me to see him at 8.45pm outside Prabhupada quarters. As Prabhuji left a thought crossed my mind `I hope I don’t have to take a cold water bath at 4am in the Brahmachari ashram’!

Prabhuji was there at sharp 8.45pm but there was a slight change in the plan. Prabhuji informed that now someone else will be staying with him tonight at the Brahmacharu ashram. He then introduced me to another devotee, a lawyer from Hyderabad, whose apartment, Prabhuji said, was also not too far from the temple. I reluctantly agreed, thinking I lost an opportunity to get Prabhuji’s association. While walking with that devotee to his apartment a thought crossed my mind that I am saved from an early morning cold water bath!

As we walked back to his apartment, the devotee shared that he has not opened his apartment for 6 months and it is a little dusty. No problem, I thought, as long as the geyser works! We entered his apartment it was indeed full of dust. We cleaned apartment but the bathroom was a mess with a thick layer of dried mud which could not be cleaned with broom. I checked the taps, the water was on. I was also relieved to see a small instant geyser which switched on promptly at the press of a switch. But as I turned the lever for the warm water , no water came! It was Kaput! My heart sank.

Anyway, we pulled some covers, made them into mattresses and had a sound sleep. In the morning with a heavy heart I entered the bathroom. Fortunately for me, the water was not too cold even at 4am. I then rushed to the temple to attend mangal arti. The temple hall was chock-a-block with devotees. I hurriedly took darshan and then went to meet devotees to leave for Govardhan.

I will write about the Govardhan parikrama later but let me first share my experience with the warm water. I came back to Vrindavan from Govardhan prikrama around 4pm. After walking 21km barefoot I was very tired and had extremely sore feet. I desperately wanted a hot water shower. In no mood for another cold water bath, I called another devotee couple who had an apartment in Vrindavan and were supposed to have arrived by now. To my dismay I found that they were running late but fortunately the key for their apartment was available with their neighbour. As I looked forward to go there and get a good hot water shower I remembered that I need to first pick up my luggage from the apartment I stayed last evening. As I walked and reached that apartment I realised that I had simply no energy left in me to walk any more. So I decided to take a cold water shower there itself and take rest.

Here is the interesting part. Next day morning, still tired and aching legs, but now I had no qualms about taking a cold water bath as by this time I was mentally tuned for a cold water bath. As I entered the bathroom somehow my eyes straight away went to the knobs below the geyser. As I turned it, the water started leaking from that knob. I found that the inlet to the geyser was turned off because it was leaking but… but the water did get warm and I could finally take a hot water bath, only when I had no desire left!

So I got the little realisation that it was not good for me to fear from, or even think of , a cold water bath when Krishnananda Prabhuji offered to let me stay with him in the Brahmachari hostel. Then very smoothly and sweetly I was taught a lesson on how to keep my consciousness clean when I visit Vrindavan Dhama. And later when my desire for hot water bath went away then I got one! I thanked Dhama for teaching me this lesson, which I pray I should never forget.

As for me trying, unsuccessfully, to get the geyser working the first day and then suddenly being able to find the cause of geyser not working in less than 5 seconds of entering the bathroom the next day, I immediately the verse 15.15 from Bhagavad Gita

sarvasya caham hrdi sannivisto
mattah smrtir jnanam apohanam ca

Translation

I am seated in everyone’s heart, and from Me come remembrance, knowledge and forgetfulness.

I also learnt that if we are conscious in Krishna consciousness then we can see the hand of Lord in our daily life.

(Radha Shayamsundar mangal arti darshan 31st Oct 2015 )

Govardhan Parikrama

In contrast to the above experience, my visit to Govardhan got facilitated amazingly simply due to the mercy of Lord and His dear devotees. I just had a desire to take darshan of HH Gopal Krishna Goswami Maharaj since many days. Hence initially I thought it will be a good idea somehow reach Govinda Kunda at the same time when Maharaj is scheduled to give his lecture. But one after another things shaped in such a manner that I was able to reach Vrindavan a day before, next morning leave in a car which trailed Maharaj’s car from Vrindavan to Govardhan and then start the parikrama with maharaj and other senior devotees. So due to a small desire to take darshan of Maharaj I received his mercy of being able to perform Govardhan Parikrama that too following his lotus feet.

The Govardhan parikrama itself was all bliss. The weather was perfect and more perfect was the esteem association I received, apart from Sri Giri Govardhan. I was fortunate to do most of the parikrama walking behind HH Gopal Krishna Goswami Maharaj. I was also very fortunate to receive his merciful glance and greeting during the yatra as maharaj inquired me how was I doing. I also meet HG Rukmini Prabhuji after a long gap and so many other senior devotees from Delhi. It was amazing to see HH Gopal Krishna Goswami Maharaj walking with so much energy in his steps despite all the health issues with his body. When I shared the same, Anand Chaitanya Prabhuji, replied that Maharaj is doing the yatra for us. He shared how he did not feel up to the mark to undertake Govardhan parikrama but his wife pushed him that if Maharaj could do it at his age and with such health problems then why can’t he do it? Prabhuji said that he had no answer for it and decided to join the yatra. This point was further proved when, during the prasadam break, Maharaj asked how many devotees are coming for the first time to do the parikrama, more than 50% devotees raised their hands!

Here are some pictures from the yatra which culminated at Sri Radha Kund.

(Sri Radha Kund)

All glories to HH Gopal Krishna Goswami Maharaj.

All glories to Giri Govardhan.

All glories to Sri Guru and Gauranga.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

A nice lesson in Krishna consciousness

October 29, 2015 by Giriraj dasa

Hare Krishna.

29th October, 2015. Gurgaon

Please accept my good wishes for a very devotional Kartik month.

I had two small realisations around preaching recently and an important lesson, I am sharing the same.

As the month of Kartik approached this year, the enthusiasm within my own self was not so high. I did not know the reasons. Last Monday, 26th October, I had to give a class at a home program. At the office I thought that as Kartik is starting from the next so it may be a good idea to share a little about Kartik month with devotees, specially the new devotees. It was a tight day at office but I managed to prepare a small power point presentation, copying mostly from Iskcondesiretree, as I thought it will be nice to show it on a projector. Then I went through the contents quickly so that I would know what I have to speak about. As I read the contents I was a bit surprised to read so many benedictions about Kartik month, the last slide also hit me.

So in the evening we did last 45 minutes of the class on the glories of Kartik month and in the middle I realised that many of the things which I am speaking are coming from my heart not from my memory or whatever little I had prepared. The class ended at an enthusiastic note with everyone charged up for the the Kartik month, including my own self! As I drove back home after the class , the whole content and what all I spoke dawned heavily upon me and a small realisation came over me on the importance of Kartik month starting the next morning. I immediately mentally took note of what all I will try to do this Kartik, I was all excited!

In the morning out of nowhere (well not exactly out of nowhere but still it was first time that I actually did it), I felt inspired to read Nectar of Instruction verses and Manah Sikshah verses before starting my japa. Then in the evening I reached home early and started reading an amazing book called MahaPrabhu meditations, which was lying unread since months. Then the whole family sang Damodarashtakam as we all offered ghee lamp to Lord Damodar, a perfect day!

Though today is only the third day of Kartik but I can frankly confess that this has been the best start for a Kartik month in all the last few years that I have been struggling to practice Krishna consciousness.

Below is the PDF of the presentation I made, Kindly feel free to use it in any way or please mail me, giriraj.bcs@gmail.com, in case you need it in a PPT format. Please move your cursor on the below picture you will see the menu on the bottom left side to browse to the next pages

Kartika_month_glorification2

I had a similar experience with my chanting earlier. At first I tried to improve my chanting by regulating my morning sadhana time. (It’s origin was the causeless mercy of HH Bhakti Prema maharaj, I write about it in detail some other time). Later in an impromptu decision I tried to help some sincere devotees improve their chanting, by making a whatsapp group to post our timings, almost immediately my own chanting improved dramatically.

In both the cases I experienced how, even while being a very neophyte preacher, it is me who is getting the most benefit!

An important lesson.

Last weekend I was sharing the same above experience about improvement in my chanting with a senior devotee, adding how recently I even took a class on how to improve our japa, something unthinkable for me just a few months back. As I was finishing my little talk another devotee walked in and he started asking some questions from the senior devotee. During the middle of that discussion the senior devotee gently spoke to him as to how some devotees get all excited when they get some reciprocation from the Holy Name, they start feeling that they have done some thing great as other devotees too start praising them but they forget that it is in fact simply the mercy of the Holy Name. The Holy Name becomes pleased when we try to serve Him. It hit me instantaneously, I knew it was meant for me only. Instead of thanking the Holy Name for showering mercy upon me, I mistakenly thought that because I helped others hence I got the results, it was all about me and my action. I thanked the senior devotee for correcting me, as I got the point, and admitted my incorrect and impersonal thought process. Later, I thanked the Holy name and Krishna for Their causeless mercy. I also prayed to Srila Prabhupada that may I always remember this important lesson all my life.

I am copying four verses from Damodarastkam for the pleasure of the Lord and His dear devotees.

itīdṛk sva-līlābhir ānanda-kuṇḍe
sva-ghoṣam nimajjantam ākhyāpayantam
tadīyeṣita-jñeṣu bhaktair jitatvam
punaḥ prematas tam śatāvṛtti vande

varam deva mokṣam na mokṣāvadhim vā
na canyam vṛṇe ‘ham vareṣād apīha
idam te vapur nātha gopāla-bālam
sadā me manasy āvirāstām kim anyaiḥ

idam te mukhāmbhojam atyanta-nīlair
vṛtam kuntalaiḥ snigdha-raktaiś ca gopyā
muhuś cumbitam bimba-raktādharam me
manasy āvirāstām alam lakṣa-lābhaiḥ

namo deva dāmodarānanta viṣṇo
prasīda prabho duḥkha-jālābdhi-magnam
kṛpā-dṛṣṭi-vṛṣṭyāti-dīnam batānu
gṛhāṇeṣa mām ajñam edhy akṣi-dṛśyaḥ

Translation

Those super excellent pastimes of Lord Krishna’s babyhood drowned the inhabitants of Gokula in pools of ecstasy. To the devotees who are attracted only to His majestic aspect of Narayana in Vaikuntha, the Lord herein reveals: “I am conquered and overwhelmed by pure loving devotion.” To the Supreme Lord, Damodara, my obeisances hundreds and hundreds of times

O Lord, although You are able to give all kinds of benedictions, I do not pray to You for liberation, nor eternal life in Vaikuntha, nor any other boon. My only prayer is that Your childhood pastimes may constantly appear in my mind. O Lord, I do not even want to know your feature of Paramatma. I simply wish that Your childhood pastimes may ever be enacted in my heart.

O Lord, the cheeks of Your blackish lotus face, which is encircled by locks of curling hair, have become reddened like bimba fruits due to Mother Yashoda’s kisses. What more can I describe than this? Millions of opulence are of no use to me, but may this vision constantly remain in my mind.

O unlimited Vishnu! O master! O Lord! Be pleased upon me! I am drowning in an ocean of sorrow and am almost like a dead man. Please shower the rain of mercy on me; uplift me and protect me with Your nectarean vision.

All glories to the glorious Kartik month.

All glories to Sri Guru and Gauranga.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Cry out to Krishna

October 12, 2015 by Giriraj dasa

Hare Krishna

12th Oct, 2015. Gurgaon

I read so much, and hear even more so, on being humble and not just simply humble but humbler than a blade of grass. It feels nice as I read such terms and collect more ‘information’ on how to get into the ‘mood’ of being humble but whenever I am put into a test I fail miserably, a deadly mixture of hardheartedness, passion and ignorance takes over my consciousness. I simply remain a puppet in the hands of three modes of nature.

Many a times I wonder, and now a days also pray to Lord, as to what are You trying to teach me by putting me in such circumstances? Doesn’t the Lord already knows that I have very weak spiritual muscles, doesn’t He know that I will fail such tests, they why? Is it to make me more humble and tolerant or is it tell me that I am just a show bottle devotee with no real substance inside me or to let me realise that I do not have any love for Krishna as compassion for others is directly linked to our love of Krishna or all of the above!

It is indeed a very grim and helpless condition for me. My heart cries out to Krishna. I wish my heart could speak directly and cry and cry, cry out so loud that it’s steel like frame would burst open. Unfortunately that too doesn’t happen.

But one positive outcome happened this time. With such failures I am learning how each difficult situation forces me to remember Krishna more and more! It makes me realise my helpless condition in this world, gives me some emotions to chant better. In fact writing this blog I suddenly remember the famous prayer of Kunti Maharani. I can now appreciate, a little bit, the below verse spoken by Kunti Maharani to Krishna

vipadaḥ santu tāḥ śaśvat tatra tatra jagad-guro
bhavato darśanaṁ yat syād apunar bhava-darśanam (SB 1.8.25)

Translation

I wish that all those calamities would happen again and again so that we could see You again and again, for seeing You means that we will no longer see repeated births and deaths.

As I write these heavy words I introspect within my heart if I have the courage to even repeat these words, forget about asking for it! But strangely today I find some courage in my timid heart as I pray to Lord to please put me through the same circumstances again and again and again, let people insult me, beat me, abuse me, let me fail again and again and again, if this alone would help me remember Krishna at all times then let it happen again and again.

I pray to my dear Lord to be merciful upon this wretched soul and take away everything from me, all my so-called possessions, my wealth, my position, my family. Let this world reject me, treat me as a worm in the stool, let the last iota of any sense of ego or to remain independent gets rubbed finely to the ground, but I beg my Gurudeva and Srila Prabhupada to somehow make me remember Krishna at all time. Let my mind and my heart be engaged only in His thoughts alone and let my own life’s drama take a back seat now, I have had enough of it.

I searched for a prayer and, not surprisingly, I found one in Saranagati, by Srila Bhaktvinoda Thakura, called Amar Jivana:

āmāra jīvana, sadā pāpe rata, nāhiko punyera leṣa

parere udvega, diyāchi je koto, diyāchi jīvere kleśa

nija sukha lāgi’, pāpe nāhi ḍori, doyā-hīna swārtha-paro

para-sukhe duḥkhī, sadā mithya-bhāṣī, para-duḥkha sukha-karo

aśeṣa kāmanā, hṛdi mājhe mora, krodhī, dambha-parāyana

mada-matta sadā, viṣaye mohita, hiḿsā-garva vibhūṣana

nidrālasya hata, sukārye virata, akārye udyogī āmi

pratiṣṭha lāgiyā, śāṭhya-ācaraṇa, lobha-hata sadā kāmī

e heno durjana, saj-jana-varjita, aparādhi nirantara

śubha-kārya-śūnya, sadānartha-manāḥ, nānā duḥkhe jara jara

bārdhakye ekhona, upāya-vihīna, tā’te dīna akiñcana

bhakativinoda, prabhura caraṇe, kore duḥkha nivedana

Translation:

1) I am an impious sinner and have caused others great anxiety and trouble.

2) I have never hesitated to perform sinful act for my own enjoyment. Devoid of all compassion, concerned only with my own selfish interests, I am remorseful seeing others happy. I am a perpetual liar, and the misery of others is a source of great pleasure for me.

3) The material desires within the core of my heart are unlimited. I am wrathful, devoted to false pride and arrogance, intoxicated by vanity, and bewildered by worldly affairs. Envy and egotism are the ornaments I wear.

4) Ruined by laziness and sleep, I resist all pious deeds; yet I am very active and enthusiastic to perform wicked acts. For worldly fame and reputation I engage in the practice of deceitfulness. Thus I am destroyed by my own greed and am always lustful.

5) A vile, wicked man such as this, rejected by godly people, is a constant offender. I am such a person, devoid of all good works, forever inclined toward evil, worn out and wasted by various miseries.

6) Now in old age, deprived of all means of success, humbled and poor, Bhaktivinoda submits his tale of grief at the feet of the Supreme Lord.

In the end, I pray, may Lord Nityananda be merciful upon me and allow me to visit and roll in the dust of Sri Mayapur Dhama, this seems the only solution to the dreaded disease which has overcome my heart.

All glories to Sri Guru and Gauranga.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

I will always remain Srila Prabhupada’s dog!

October 9, 2015 by Giriraj dasa

Hare Krishna

9th October, 2015. Gurgaon

Many a times various thoughts and feelings cross our mind as to how should we think ourselves with respect to our Param Guru Srila Prabhupada, in what way should we aspire to develop a relationship with him. I recently came across a wonderful pastime narrated by HH Giriraj Maharaj and I simply could not resist sharing it with everyone. It aptly describes the mood we can all cultivate for our Founder Acharaya and primary shiksha Guru- Srila Prabhupada. It also gives us an idea of what should be the level of our surrender towards our Guru.

Always Remain Srila Prabhupada’s Dog

Almost every morning in Bombay Srila Prabhupada used to walk on Juhu Beach. One morning I had been feeling especially wretched and miserable. Although so many other devotees were present, Srila Prabhupada began to speak as if he were addressing me personally.
He quoted a Sanskrit verse and said there are two words – a-natha and sa-natha. Natha means “master,” so a-natha means “without master” and sa-natha means “with master.” The whole goal of life is to become sa-natha,”with master.”
In the morning on Juhu Beach many gentlemen used to walk their dogs. Srila Prabhupada pointed to a fat and fit gentleman walking with an equally fat and fit dog. The man was walking briskly and confidently with his dog on his leash, and the dog was walking equally briskly and confidently with his master by his side. Srila Prabhupada commented that every dog wants a good master. If the dog has a good master he is happy. He holds his head high, he wags his tail. He knows that his master will maintain and protect him, so he has no anxiety.
But the street dog. “The poor fellow has no master. Therefore he is always suffering.” Srila Prabhupada then pointed to some stray dogs. “They have no master. They do not know where they will sleep, how they will get food. Other dogs bark at them; children throw stones at them. They are always in anxiety.”
Srila Prabhupada stopped walking. He planted his cane firmly in the sand of Juhu Beach. Although I stood behind many of the devotees who moved close around him, with his eyes laden with love and compassion he looked in my eyes. “So we should be sanatha, protected, and not anatha – orphan. We should have our master and be exclusively devoted to him. Then we will feel confident in his protection and always be happy.”
Quoting the verse again, Srila Prabhupada explained each Sanskrit word. Mano-ratha: the chariot of the mind. Mental concoction is driving us here, there, here, there. We have no peace. But when we have our perfect master to serve, we become peaceful, prasanta, and jubilant that, “I have got my master. I have no cares and anxiety.” This is the ideal of life, to become sanatha-Jivitam, living with hope that “I have got my master who will give me protection.”
I knew that Srila Prabhupada was speaking directly to me, addressing my present need in Krsna consciousness. Without my even asking or saying anything, he knew my heart and gave the perfect solution through his instructions.
Thereafter, I always tried to remember and follow these instructions of Srila Prabhupada’s.
Although I had caught some of the words from the verse and Srila Prabhupada’s explanation, I very much wanted to find the verse – but could not. Then several years later I came across the same verse quoted in Sri Caitanya caritamrta (Madhya1.206):

bhavantam evanucaram nirantarah
prasanta-nihsesa-mano-rathantarah
kadaham aikantika-nitya-knikarah
praharsayisyami sanatha-jivitam

“By serving You constantly, one is freed from all material desires and is completely pacified. When shall I engage as your permanent eternal servant and always feel joyful to have such a fitting master?” (Note: this is the verse spoken by Srila Rupa and Srila Sanatana Goswami when they first met Mahaprabhu)

Reading the purport, I found the same instructions Srila Prabhupada had given on Juhu Beach: “Just as a dog or servant is very satisfied to get a competent, perfect master, or as a child is completely satisfied to possess a competent father, so the living entity is satisfied by completely engaging in the service of the Supreme Lord. He thereby knows that he has a competent master to save him from all kinds of danger.”
I realized that Srila Prabhupada is so perfect that he always spoke on the basis of scriptures. At the same time, because of his tremendous compassion and humility, he could say just the right thing in the right way to deeply touch the heart of the listener.

Now whenever I walk on Juhu Beach and see the different types of dogs — those with masters and those without — I remember Srila Prabhupada’s instructions and pray that I will always remember Srila Prabhupada’s instructions and pray that I will always remain Srila Prabhupada’s dog. (From the “Watering the Seed” by HH Giriraja Swami Maharaja)

Isn’t it simply wonderful! So we are all ‘sanath’, protected under the lotus feet of Srila Prabhupada in ISKCON. We should be confident that under his protection we will be saved from all kinds of dangers and we will make rapid progress towards our spiritual goal- Krishna Prema. But our mood should that we want to serve Srila Prabhupada by being his faithful dog and we can do that by-

sincerely building a relationship with him.
reading his books daily, hearing his lectures.
following, and practically applying, his instructions in terms of our sadhna bhakti, book distribution, preaching, etc.
serving the devotees and cooperating with each other
always remaining in ISKCON.

As we slowly build a personal relationship with Srila Prabhupada, receive reciprocation, and develop a firm faith in him, we will personally experience how this so called ‘material world’ which was earlier ‘duḥkhālayam’ (a place of miseries) for us, slowly starts turning into ‘su-sukhaṁ’ (very happy) all around us. Srila Prabhupada came here for us, to relieve us from our suffering condition. (press here to read this pastime in an earlier blog)

All glories to Sri Guru and Gauranga.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Are we conscious in Krishna consciousness?

September 13, 2015 by Giriraj dasa

Hare Krishna.

13th September, 2015. Gurgaon

Since last many days few terms are coming again and again as I read and hear various lectures, become conscious in Krishna consciousness, shelter, surrender and ‘conscious cooperator’. Of course it helps that these days most of my hearing is from lectures from HG Srimati Mataji. These topics are too subtle for my conditioned heart but slowly they are entering my consciousness or let me admit that I trying to imbibe them, struggling but trying is my current state.

As I was trying to get a grip on what is actually meant by the term ‘conscious cooperator’, I wrote a mail to Srimati Mataji and received the below reply

Conscious cooperator’ is a multi-level and very subtle field. It begins with us taking into our heart the very essence of the teachings and mood of Srila Prabhupada and the acaryas he represents so wonderfully.

Then as luck would have it in the next session Mataji broached this topic briefly and I am sharing the same.

Srimati Mataji : As aspiring devotees we should see Krishna’s hand in our daily lives, that whatever is happening in our life, there is certain reason for it. It is there to teach us a certain lesson or redirect us in a certain way.

Another Devotee: When something happens to us many a times we feel we don’t deserve it, so we ask other devotees to pray for us! In a way this also means that Krishna is not intelligent enough that I am receiving something which I don’t need. We should know that everything which is happening to us has a purpose. We should not take on a victim’s mentality and think, even subconsciously, that we are victims. We should see Krishna’s hand in everything happening to us.

Srimati Mataji: Right. If there is something in our life which is causing us disturbance or difficulty, the first thing we should ask is that

Krishna what are You trying to tell me? What am I supposed to learn from this?

Because it will keep coming up again and again and again until we have learned the lesson.

Then Mataji asked another devotee to share her experience of Ouch ! This devotee shared that for a long time she has been praying to Krishna to make her remember His name under all situations. The devotee said that in past she has twice broken her wrist, an elbow and her hip but every time this happened only one word comes out of her mouth… Ouch! She admitted that she is unable to remember Krishna instinctively at such moments and her list of injuries continue!

Srimati Mataji : So there is always a reason why things are happening to us and unless we become a conscious cooperator it won’t help. Our mood should be that I want to learn, that I am trying to understand what I am supposed to learn under these circumstances. What change I am supposed to make in my consciousness and my life.

It is a good practice, if we do not understand the reason, to sincerely pray to Krishna to inspire us in our heart to make us understand what do You want me to learn from it?

I am quoting two paragraphs from the Prayer Srila Prabhupada wrote on board the ship Jaladuta to show the mood of our founder acharaya. This too is from a book Srimati mataji has written on Srila Prabhupada, Mataji entitled these paras as a

Prayer of Surrender

āniyācho jadi prabhu āmāre nācāte
nācāo nācāo prabhu nācāo se-mate
kāṣṭhera puttali jathā nācāo se-mate

O Lord, I am just like a puppet in Your hands. So if You have brought me here to dance, then make me dance, make me dance, O Lord, make me dance as You like.

bhakti nāi veda nāi nāme khub daro
‘bhaktivedānta’ nām ebe sārthak koro

I have no devotion, nor do I have any knowledge, but I have strong faith in the holy name of Kṛṣṇa. I have been designated as Bhaktivedānta, and now, if You like, You can fulfill the real purport of Bhaktivedānta.

Markine Bhagavata-Dharma

(His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada at Boston Harbor, September 17, 1965)

The principle here is that Srila Prabhupada is seeing this arrangement as Krishna’s arrangement. And actually we also have to try to develop this vision, to see Krishna’s plan in everything, to see Krishna’s arrangement in everything- that we have surrendered to Him, and so he is taking care of us.

Sometimes we may experience setbacks or disappointments ,but actually Krishna has some reason for giving them to us. We should try to understand that, and if we do we’ll never be disappointed in life.

Prabhupada’s complete surrender is amazing: “I am Your instrument. You can use me. You can engage me as You wish. I have no agenda of my own, no personal agenda. My agenda is whatever You desire. I am here to accept Your desire as my life and soul, to give everything to please You, to serve You.

(Markine Bhagavata-Dharma commentary by HH Giriraj Maharaj, Three rivers, CA-2002)

So we get some idea as to what should be the mindset of a devotee of Lord Krishna:

See Krishna’s hand in all our circumstances
Have complete faith and dependence on Krishna’s intelligence
Learn to become a ‘conscious cooperator’.

All glories to Sri Guru and Gauranga.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

PS : I have received many mails requesting me to share Srimati Mataji’s lectures. Many of her lectures are private but here is the link to an amazing seminar on the Holy Name mataji gave at Sri Sri Radha Gopinath temple, Chowpatty, some years back. If we hear it sincerely and seriously then there is no reason why our quality of japa would not improve. Press here for the link.

Tulasi Maharani

August 25, 2015 by Giriraj dasa

Hare Krishna

25th August, 2015. Gurgaon

nirjana-vane kuṭira kari’ tulasī sevana
rātri-dine tina lakṣa nāma-saṅkīrtana (cc Antya 3.100)

Translation

Haridāsa Ṭhākura constructed a cottage in a solitary forest. There he planted a tulasī plant, and in front of the tulasī he would chant the holy name of the Lord 300,000 times daily. He chanted throughout the entire day and night.

Srila Prabhupada writes in his purport :

Haridāsa Ṭhākura, being the ācārya of chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, is called Nāmācārya Haridāsa Ṭhākura. From his personal example we can understand that chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra and becoming highly elevated in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is very simple. Without difficulty one can sit down anywhere, especially on the bank of the Ganges, Yamunā or any other sacred river, devise a sitting place or cottage, plant a tulasī tree, and before the tulasī chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra undisturbed.

Haridāsa Ṭhākura used to chant the holy name on his beads 300,000 times daily. Throughout the entire day and night, he would chant the sixteen names of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. One should not, however, imitate Haridāsa Ṭhākura, for no one else can chant the holy name 300,000 times a day. Such chanting is for the mukta-puruṣa, or liberated soul. We can follow his example, however, by chanting sixteen rounds of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra on beads every day and offering respect to the tulasī plant. This is not at all difficult for anyone, and the process of chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra with a vow before the tulasī plant has such great spiritual potency that simply by doing this one can become spiritually strong. Therefore we request the members of the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement to follow Haridāsa Ṭhākura’s example rigidly. Chanting sixteen rounds does not take much time, nor is offering respects to the tulasī plant difficult. The process has immense spiritual potency. One should not miss this opportunity.

There have been some small realisations in my brief spiritual journey but nothing compares to what mercy and reciprocation which any fallen soul could have imagined to receive from Tulasi Maharani. Serving her seems to like a direct service in the spiritual world. It has been an amazing journey for me.

Few months back I saw Vrinda Devi’s picture in the room of HG Srimati Mataji. After the class I gathered some courage and uttered how I share a special bond with the same deity of Vrinda Devi. I then hesitatingly asked Mataji what can I do to please her. Srimati Mataji’s impromptu and immediate reply- sing Vrinda ashtakam daily. Happy with her instruction, I came back home and searched for the same over internet. I had never heard it before and found that it was written by, no surprise here, Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura. Then I searched again to find in what tune to sing it, in what looked difficult words to me. From that day onward I am singing it daily to her. I liked the very first tune I heard, below is the video of the same.

Amazingly within a few weeks of singing Vrinda Ashtakam a merciful devotee brought her framed picture for our Altar when they visited Vrinda Devi temple in Nandagaon (Vrindavana). And it was the perfect size for my altar, I was simply over the moon!

Here is the Sri Vrinda Devi Ashtakam which I request all sincere devotees to kindly sing daily for the pleasure of Tulasi Maharani. We can then pray her sincerely to please inspire us in our heart on how to serve her properly and then wait for the magical reciprocation!

Sri Vrinda Devi Ashtakam

gangeya-campeya-tadit-vinindi-
rocih-pravaha-snapitatma-vrnde
bandhuka-bandhu-dyuti-divya-vasu
vrnde namas te caranaravindam

You are bathed by streams of splendor that rebuke gold, lightning, and the campaka flower. Your splendid garments are friend to the bandhuka flower. O Vrnda, I bow to your lotus feet.

bimbadharoditvara-manda-hasya-
nasagra-mukta-dyuti-dipitasye
vicitra-ratnabharana-sriyadhye
vrnde namas te caranaravindam

Your face is splendid with a pearl decorating the tip of Your nose and a wonderful gentle smile on Your bimba-fruit lips. You are decorated with wonderful jewel ornaments. O Vrnda, I bow to your lotus feet.

samasta-vaikuntha-siromanau sri
krishnasya vrndavana-dhanya-dhamni
dattadhikare vrsabhanu-putrya
vrnde namas te caranaravindam

Vrsabhanu’s daughter Radha made you guardian of Krishna’s opulent and auspicious abode of Vrndavana, the crest jewel of all Vaikuntha planets. O Vrnda, I bow to your lotus feet.

tvad-ajnaya pallava-puspa-bhrnga-
mrgadibhir madhava-keli-kunjah
madhv-adibhir bhanti vibhusyamana
vrnde namas te caranaravindam

By Your order the groves where Madhava enjoys pastimes are splendidly decorated with blossoming flowers, bumble-bees, deer, honey, and other things. O Vrnda, I bow to your lotus feet.

tvadiya-dutyena nikunja-yunor
atyutkayoh keli-vilasa-siddhih
tvat-saubhagam kena nirucyatam tad
vrnde namas te caranaravindam

Because you became Their messenger the eager and youthful divine couple enjoyed the perfection of transcendental pastimes in the forest. O Vrnda, I bow to your lotus feet.

rasabhilaso vasatis ca vrnda-
vane tvad-isanghri-saroja-seva
labhya ca pumsam krpaya tavaiva
vrnde namas te caranaravindam

By your mercy people attain residence in Vrndavana, the desire to serve your masters’ lotus feet, and the desire to assist in the rasa dance. O Vrnda, I bow to your lotus feet.

tvam kirtyase satvata-tantra-vidbhir
lilabhidhana kila krishna-saktih
tavaiva murtis tulasi nr-loke
vrnde namas te caranaravindam

They who are learned in the Satvata-tantra glorify you. You are Krishna’s pastime-potency. The Tulasi plant is your form in the world of men. O Vrnda, I bow to your lotus feet.

bhaktya vihina aparadha-laksaih
ksiptas ca kamadi-taranga-madhye
krpamayi tvam saranam prapanna
vrnde namas te caranaravindam

O merciful one, I have no devotion and have committed millions of offenses. I am drowning in the turbulent ocean of lust. Thus I take shelter of you. O Vrinda, I bow to your lotus feet.

vrndastakam yah srnuyat pathed va
vrndavanadhisa-padabja-bhrngah
sa prapya vrndavana-nitya-vasam
tat-prema-sevam labhate krtarthah

A person who is like a bumblebee at the lotus feet of Vrindavana’s king and queen, and who reads or hears this Vrindastaka, will eternally reside in Vrindavana and attain loving service to the divine couple.

( Tulasi Maharani at our humble home)

Srila Prabhupada: I am so very glad to learn that Srimati Tulasi Devi has favored you so much. If you can actually grow this Tulasi plant, and I am sure you will do it, then you must know it for certain that your devotion for Krsna is testified. I was very much anxious to introduce this worship of Tulasi plant amongst our Society members, but it has not become successful til now, therefore, when I hear that you have got this opportunity, my pleasure does not have any bounds. (Letter to Govinda — Los Angeles 7 April, 1970)

All glories to Vrinda Devi, Tulasi Maharani.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

All glories to Sri Guru and Gauranga.

Raising our children in Krishna consciousness

July 27, 2015 by Giriraj dasa

Hare Krishna.

27th July, 2015. Gurgaon.

I regularly hear parents complaining that their children don’t listen to them or they do not have basic etiquette while talking to parents or siblings, everything is about their own self.

Some examples

During a recent house program a Mataji marveled at the 8 year son of a devotee couple, how effortlessly he sat through the whole 1.5 hours program and completed his homework without any protest. Mataji recollected that before coming to this program she yelled at her 15 year old daughter to study for her class test next day. She was exasperated just narrating it. Being the father of a teenage girl my own self, I could relate to her frustration.

Few months back a worried father called up to seek help as his son seems to be trading illegal substances in his first year at college.

Another father shared how his son is ‘printing’ currency notes on his home printer and trading it just for ‘kicks’.

Are we willing to change for our children’s sake ?

The real surprise is that when I ask the parent if they would be willing to change for the sake of their children, they think of my changed lifestyle, and the generally the answer is a polite N0!

The problem is that we, as parents, are ourselves so busy in so-called `enjoying my life’ that we are also guilty in neglecting our duty of raising our kids properly. In many cases the material life has become so busy, with both parents working hard, children are bound to get neglected. Of course, today the whole atmosphere is polluted with exposure from TV, mobile and now the final nail has been stuck by internet. Most of the digital games to promote hatred and violence in our young children. But all this should mean more care and protection and not less.

In my little experience I have found that where both the parents are devotees, children usually come up nicely as both role models are similar. Issues crop up where only one of them, mother or father, is practicing Krishna consciousness. At times children become confused but generally stay grounded and pick up some or many good habits depending upon many factors. Since kids spend most time with Matajis, it becomes more challenging if mothers are not devotees. Any devotee must spend a lot of time with his kids. Sometimes the devotees get so busy in their own sadhana that they forget about sharing love and preach to their own kids, may be because of resistance from the other half. For example: a father must listen and play with kids and in some plays introduce Krishna consciousness. We have to make an effort to change their thinking, their thought process and make them ready to face both material world and progress in spiritual world. But the big problem is where both parents have no idea about spirituality, it is a big gamble for them in today’s environment.

Many times we forget that our children imitate and absorb more from our own behaviour. They carefully observe how their parents behave with each other, with them and with the outside world. We cannot teach them to be polite and then fight like cats and dogs in front of them. They will not ‘hear’ us if we don’t ‘hear’ them. I am also learning all this the hard way.

I spoke to Shyamsundar Prabhu and sought his views as Prabhuji was himself raised in a Krishna consciousness family and now he is a proud father of two very well raised kids. Prabhuji stated: We need to comprehend our kids’ strengths and weakness. The parents must see whether to plug weakness of your child so that it doesn’t become impediment in the path of their spiritual progress or harness their strength so that they become more fixed in bhakti and weaknesses get effaced over a period of time. For example: my son was very good in reading but had low attention span. I gave him KC books and made the glories of Krishna so interesting for him that his concentration span increased by leaps and bound. I focused on his weakness of concentration: read Krishna book to him; exchanged kathas and learning from each kathas. On the other hand my daughter had interest in music and food but totally disinterested in philosophy discussion. So all I did was to use her strength in music and recognition by others to motivate her. She is now learning the importance of humility that she has to sing for the pleasure of the Lord and devotees and not for her own recognition.

Prabhuji also stressed that we should never loose hope that your kids won’t come in Krishna Consciousness. Keep trying. But do not push too hard that chord breaks. It should be subtle and slowly if there is resistance. Patience pays. For kids to respect, the kids must look up to us and have higher standards so that they have something to achieve as benchmark. Both, parents and kids, should be able to push each other to have mutual respect and love for each other.

Srila Prabhupada wrote many letters to his disciples on raising the kids and I am sharing some.

What is the aim of married life ?

The aim of married life is to produce nice children, Kṛṣṇa conscious children. That is the best service to the human society: produce nice children. Don’t produce cats and dogs. That is my request. Otherwise don’t produce. Remain separate. Separate means there is no separation, but don’t produce children. That is my request. Putrārthe… Pitā na sa syāj jananī sā syāt. The Bhāgavata says, “One should not become a father, one should not become a mother, unless they are able to protect the children from the imminent danger of death.” What is that? The cycle of birth and death. If you can train your children to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then your child will go back to Godhead in this life. That should be the aim. As you will try to go back to Godhead in this life, similarly, you shall take charge of your children that he can also go in this life back to Godhead. The mother’s and father’s duty should be that “This child is born out of my womb, and this is the last phase of his life, to come into this womb of any animal or man—no more material body.” That should be the responsibility of father and mother. That is the direction of Bhāgavata. (Paramananda & Satyabhama’s Wedding — Montreal, July 22, 1968: )

Who should beget children ?

If you and your wife want to have children for raising them in Krishna Consciousness, and if you are prepared to take the full responsibility for delivering them from the clutches of birth and death, then I have no objection. (Letter to Sri Govinda — Jaipur 20 January, 1972)

How to raise them ?

The basic idea of raising children as they are described in the Vedic literature is that from birth till the age of five years the parents may be very lenient with the child. From the ages six to ten they should tighten the discipline of their child, and from the ages of ten till the sixteenth year the parents should be as strict as a tiger with their child so that he will be afraid to be disobedient at all. Then after the sixteenth year the parents shall treat their child as a friend, and the child is allowed to gradually develop his adult responsibility and independence. (Letter to Vibhavati – Los Angeles 15 July, 1969)

Please also take care of the children. They are our future hopes, and the adolescent age is the most dangerous age. It is the turning point of one’s life. In this age, if you take care of the children, surely they will come out first class Krishna Conscious devotees. (Excerpt from a letter written to Hayagriva — London 7 November, 1969)

Don’t neglect them for any cause.

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated July 19, 1972,….. For you, child-worship is more important than deity-worship. If you cannot spend time with him, then stop the duties of pujari. At least you must take good care of your son until he is four years old… These children are given to us by Krishna, they are Vaisnavas and we must be very careful to protect them. These are not ordinary children, they are Vaikuntha children, and we are very fortunate we can give them chance to advance further in Krishna Consciousness. That is very great responsibility, do not neglect it or be confused. Your duty is very clear. (Letter to Arundhati — Amsterdam 30 July, 1972)

Can they be trained ?

Pradyumna: “Children who appear in such families fortunately generally imitate such worship of the Deities, even in the way…”

Prabhupāda: Children’s nature is to imitate, because they have to learn. So nature has given them the propensity to imitate. So the first imitation begins from the parents. So if the parent is nice Kṛṣṇa devotee, naturally the children become devotees. That is the opportunity of taking birth in a Vaiṣṇava family. So you are all Vaiṣṇavas. If your children do not become Vaiṣṇava in the future, then it is a great, I meant to say, fault on your part. So you should be very cautious, careful, that children are not going astray, they are becoming actually Kṛṣṇa conscious. That means you have to imitate, er, you have to be devotee, and they will imitate. By imitation, imitation, imitation, they will come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Then they will never give it up. (Lecture on SB 2.3.15 — Los Angeles, June 1, 1972)

I want hundreds of children !

Regarding the child problem: I may inform you that all our children born of the Krishna conscious parents, they are welcome and I want hundreds of children like that. Because in future we expect to change the face of the whole world, because child is the father of man. Anyway, I have seen Malati is nursing her child so nicely that she attended my meeting every day and the child was playing and she never cried. Similarly, Lilavati’s child also never cries or disturbs the meeting. Lilavati was always present with her child, so it depends on the mother. How to keep the child comfortable, so that it will not cry. The child cries only when it feels uncomfortable. The child’s comfort and discomfort depends on the mother’s attention. (Letter to Krsna Devi — Montreal 21 August, 1968)

So we see that being a parent come with lots of responsibility and that should not mean just pushing Krishna consciousness down their throat or giving up when we face resistance. Specially in a family atmosphere one has lead with more effort and humility. We should see ourselves more as a caretaker whom Krishna has handed over these special souls for some time. Even when we face resistance we should continue our efforts with lot of affection and productive time, they will bear result. We should see such circumstances as Krishna’s special mercy on us that He has given us some challenging situation which is good for our own spiritual progress, on job training! All this may involve praying and then striving to inculcate more compassion, humility, intelligence, affection, a softer heart, patience, faith in Krishna and much more but don’t we all hanker to have these very qualities as a devotee!

All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

All glories to Sri Guru and Gauranga.

Daksa curses lord Siva

July 27, 2015 by Giriraj dasa

Hare Krishna.

28th July, 2015. Gurgaon.

Photobucket

I continue to hear the most amazing seminar given by HG Srimati Mataji on ‘demons in Krishna’s pastimes and the anarthas they represent’. four days back I heard a beautiful interactive discussion during the seminar with Srimati Mataji, HG Madhavananda Prabhuji and other very realised, and fortunate, devotees.

This particular discussion was part of ‘Krishna kills Kamsa’. The reference of pastime of Dakṣa and lord Siva came to discuss the anartha of pride, coming from karma and jnana.

Here is the relevant section from Srimad Bhagavatam to refresh that incident which led to Daksa cursing lord Siva.

When Daksa, the leader of the Prajäpatis, entered that assembly, his personal bodily luster as bright as the effulgence of the sun, the entire assembly was illuminated, and all the assembled personalities became insignificant in his presence. Influenced by his personal bodily luster, all the fire-gods and other participants in that great assembly, with the exceptions of Lord Brahmä and Lord Siva, gave up their own sitting places and stood in respect for Daksa.

Daksa was adequately welcomed by the president of the great assembly, Lord Brahmä. After offering Lord Brahmä respect, Daksa, by the order of Brahmä, properly took his seat.

Before taking his seat, however, Daksa was very much offended to see Lord Siva sitting and not showing him any respect. At that time, Daksa became greatly angry, and, his eyes glowing, he began to speak very strongly against Lord Siva. All sages, brahmanas and fire-gods present, please hear me with attention, for I speak about the manners of gentle persons. I do not speak out of ignorance or envy. Siva has spoiled the name and fame of the governors of the universe and has polluted the path of gentle manners. Because he is shameless, he does not know how to act. He has already accepted himself as my subordinate by marrying my daughter in the presence of fire and brahmanas. He has married my daughter, who is equal to Gäyatri, and has pretended to be just like an honest person. He has eyes like a monkey’s, yet he has married my daughter, whose eyes are just like those of a deer cub. Nevertheless he did not stand up to receive me, nor did he think it fit to welcome me with sweet words. I had no desire to give my daughter to this person, who has broken all rules of civility. Because of not observing the required rules and regulations, he is impure, but I was obliged to hand over my daughter to him just as one teaches the messages of the Vedas to a Sudra. He lives in filthy places like crematoriums, and his companions are the ghosts and demons. Naked like a madman, sometimes laughing and sometimes crying, he smears crematorium ashes all over his body. He does not bathe regularly, and he ornaments his body with a garland of skulls and bones. Therefore only in name is he Siva, or auspicious; actually, he is the most mad and inauspicious creature. Thus he is very dear to crazy beings in the gross mode of ignorance, and he is their leader. (SB 4.2.5-15)

“Daksa then cursed Lord Siva. Unable to tolerate this, Nandishvara, one of Lord Siva’s principal associate cursed Daksa and all the brahmanas present. Then, as a reaction the sage Bhrgu cursed the followers of Lord Siva.”

Brainstorm -1

The sage Maitreya said: When such cursing and counter cursing was going on between Lord Śiva’s followers and the parties of Dakṣa and Bhṛgu, Lord Śiva became very morose. Not saying anything, he left the arena of the sacrifice, followed by his disciples. (SB 4.2.33)

Srila Prabhupada writes in his purport for the above verse : Here Lord Śiva’s excellent character is described. In spite of the cursing and counter cursing between the parties of Dakṣa and Śiva, because he is the greatest Vaiṣṇava he was so sober that he did not say anything. A Vaiṣṇava is always tolerant, and Lord Śiva is considered the topmost Vaiṣṇava, so his character, as shown in this scene, is excellent. He became morose because he knew that these people, both his men and Dakṣa’s, were unnecessarily cursing and counter cursing one another, without any interest in spiritual life. From his point of view, he did not see anyone as lower or higher, because he is a Vaiṣṇava. As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (5.18), paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ: one who is perfectly learned does not see anyone as lesser or greater, because he sees everyone from the spiritual platform. Thus the only alternative left to Lord Śiva was to leave in order to stop his follower, Nandīśvara, as well as Bhṛgu Muni, from cursing and counter cursing in that way.

Brainstorm -2

People’s association with karma and jnana is the result of attachment born from the prejudices of one’s nature that are produced from past karma and jnana…Karmis and jnanis disrespect Vaishnavas only due to this attachment for prejudices…Offenses at the feet of sadhus is due to being proud of one’s karma and jnana…(Such) worldly attachment is contrary to acceptance of Krishna’s undisputed supremacy, and it therefore does not allow the unfortunate living entity to fully surrender to the Lord. (Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s Sri Bhaktyaloka, “Sanga-tyaga”)

Srimati Mataji then asked the devotees to share there realisation or understanding from the above hearing.

Devotee 1: She shared how when she read the same pastime in Harivamsa Purana there was no mention of how Sati gave up her body and how Siva was offended and how it is given in complete detail in Srimad Bhagavatam. And without these details one could miss the whole point from this pastime. So we are very fortunate to have Srimad Bhagavatam and Prabhupada commentaries.

Srimati Mataji then recounted the same day’s morning lecture which a Sanyasi, I couldn’t get the name, gave at the temple. Maharaj compared Srimad Bhagavatam to the other puranas. Maharaj stated that a major difference between other puranas and Bhagavata Purana is that the Bhagvata purana is concerned only with glorification of Krishna and His devotees. This is a very common thing which is happening throughout the Bhagavatam. Where as there are different emphasis in other puranas, they basically talk about God, they are not talking about Krishna and His associates. In Bhagavatam we get the essence of all things.

The devotee then shared how so many people who have read shastra they keep on arguing about what they read, how their own understanding is right, I know this and I have read that…. but it is only after reading Bhagavatam does one get complete understanding and knowledge.

Srimati mataji added that in the teachings of Lord Kapila Deva in SB 3.29, Lord Kapila states that devotional service is never contaminated but the people who perform are! And they can actually perform it in eighty one different ways, eighty one different modes. (SB 3.29.10). Mataji said this is where the quality of humility comes in.

Srimati Mataji said that these days humility is going out of the window, and we can see how it is going out. Mataji asked ‘Why in the Vedic times, in the gurukul, students would clean everything, they will clean the toilets, they will clean their ashram, wash their own clothes – didn’t send them to a Dhobi. Why ? Because if we want the knowledge to manifest in our heart in a pure and simple way then there has to be humility. And by doing those menial services we imbibe that mood. That we are not someone special. Not like everyone else can clean the ashram and I can read a book! not like that. Mataji said that’s how we see that the real sadhus in Vrindavan they don’t have cleaners. They do everything themselves, they wash their own clothes, they don’t have cooks. I am Thakurji’s servant… I am living here as a servant….servant does these things…servant cleans the house…servant cooks for Thakurji, this is the mood.

Devotee 2: She stated that her understanding from the above is that its Pride which leads one to his downfall. Daksa is expecting respect from Siva, similarly if we have this kind of expectation that people should respect me then it is a sure sign that we will fall down.

Srimati mataji : I really like the input given by Bhaktivinoda Thakura about this attachment to karma and jnana. Daksha was really like a karmi, a first class karmi! So his whole analysis of Siva is through those lenses, Siva doesn’t follow rules and regulations, doesn’t take his bath, and all this stuff. He is looking at him through karma yoga.

Devotee 1 : And Daksa may be he thinking that Siva is making his daughter fall down by not following all the rules, he is not taking bath and all, whereas Daksha had trained his daughter with such high standards!

Devotee 3: This devotee shared that she liked the first devotee’s point of Bhagavatam being so nice and we being so fortunate. She shared how in her initial days in ISKCON she had no ‘ruchi’ (taste) for reading Bhagavatam. Then one prabhuji told her that for increasing attachment, reading Bhagavatam, if we offer one Tulasi to Bhagavatam then Krishna becomes pleased because He is non different from Bhagavatam! And if you offer Tulasi every day then ‘ruchi’ will come. The devotee shared how she started doing it and she started getting taste. Within a short time she not only developed a ‘ruchi’ for bhagavatam but was also received association so many devotees who were all Bhagavatam lovers. Hari Bol !

Madhavanada Prabhuji : Srila Prabhupada writes that both his men and Dakṣa’s, were unnecessarily cursing and counter cursing one another, without any interest in spiritual life. Prabhuji quoted Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, who stated that, when people cultivate ‘information-collection’, they cultivate ‘jnana’, they cultivate ‘karma’, some behavioral patterns, without cultivating service to the Vaishnavas, then what happens is that they think that’s spiritual life. And they think that they have become a judge of other people. Rather than they are trying to serve guru, it doesn’t mean that we should not read Bhagavatam- Prabhupada wanted every devotee to read it. But it is one thing to read Bhagavatam as a service to Prabhupada but many other people in the west, we used try to kind of ‘master’ a book. Prabhuji stressed that we can’t ‘master’ Bhagavatam, we can serve the Bhagavatam by serving ‘bhakt’ (devotee) Bhagavat, by preaching, by reading something and trying to help devotees with it.

Prabhuji cautioned that if we just read Bhagavatam only to gather some information, and not doing service, then the result is that we have something but what it turns into is pride! Prabhuji said that’s what it seemed to have happened here, Daksa was seeing that Siva is not auspicious, he wears skulls , doesn’t take bath and this and that. By some point of view of Shastra we can say that, the skulls are very inauspicious, not taking bath is very inauspicious and they have all this information. But because they are not doing service to the Vaishanavas they can’t understand it and they get involve in unnecessary quarrel!

Prabhuji said without service one may think that I am doing the same thing as this senior devotee. I am reading , he is reading, I am chanting, he is chanting but there is a difference in their mood. That devotees is doing it as a service to his guru. And if I am not doing it as a service then the result is I get very proud and then I start seeing faults in others, and feel that I have to correct others.

Devotee 4: This devotee said her that she felt inspired from the line ‘lord Siva felt morose and left the arena without saying any word to others or his disciples’. She shared that she thought that if we really know where we are, where do we want to go and what we want to cultivate then we should not get involve in such things. People can curse and counter curse and if they don’t have faith in you, obviously Daksa had no faith in lord Siva, then just don’t say anything, let them think what they wish to think and just leave.

Madhavanada Prabhuji shared how one acharya has explained that Krishna told the Vrajavasis to close their eyes in both the pastimes of forest fires. But the in the second forest time the next verse stated that the heat was very intense. Prabhuji shared that he thought it was very interesting that though Krishna told them to close their eyes they could still experience the pain and the fire. Prabhuji stated that in a Similar way we may close our eyes to all these arguments we are told to but sometime we still feel the ‘burning sensation’ but like Lord Siva we should just walk away. The ‘burning sensation’ may be there but we should just leave.

Prabhuji shared another gem that Fakir Mohan Prabhuji shared with him that `amanina manadena’ (one should offer all respects to others and expect nothing in return) this is the secret Mahāprabhu has given for our bhajan. Prabhuji said if we just tolerate when other people offend us and we offer them respect then they will leave us alone and ignore us. They won’t take us very seriously. Then we can chant peacefully. Others may think that O! he is not such a maha pandit we thought so, actually I am the maha Pandita. We don’t need a big titles or others to say that he is very knowledgeable to grow in bhakti.

Devotee 1: She shared how she heard in a lecture by HH Radha Govinda Maharaj that his (Siva’s) part (or share) in the sacrificial fire, lord Siva (in the above pastime), he really didn’t want it. Similarly at the time at the time of ‘churning of the milk ocean’ lord Siva didn’t come for drinking the Nectar. He is not interested.

Madhavanada Prabhuji added that when demigods first went to Krishna, how we are going to solve this problem- poison came out. Then Krishna said ‘go and ask lord Siva’. They approached lord Siva. Lord Siva told them why are you asking me ? You should ask Krishna. When demigods told him that Krishna told them to see him then lord Siva said Oh! I have service! He went with demigods and drank the poison instead of the nectar.

The devotee recounted how in the class HH Radha Govind maharaj exclaimed ‘What a nice person!’. He just drank poison for the benefit of everyone but for the nectar he didn’t come. He doesn’t need anything he has got the Amrit (holy name).

This whole discussion felt so nectarean to my ears that I heard it repeatedly. Every time I will hear it, I would catch something new. Then I felt inspired to share it with everyone. I am sorry that this blog went too long, I hope, somehow, I am able to funnel this nectar into my childish words and serve you all in a small way.

All glories to Srimad Bhagavatam.

All glories to lord Shiva.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Why does Laxmi Devi bestows her favour upon impious persons ?

May 26, 2015 by Giriraj dasa

Hare Krishna.
26th May, 2015. Vrindavan

I had written in an earlier blog about a wonderful purport that I heard in Vrindavan and that I would write about it separately, the verse is SB5.18.22

mat-prāptaye ‘jeśa-surāsurādayas

tapyanta ugraṁ tapa aindriye dhiyaḥ

ṛte bhavat-pāda-parāyaṇān na māṁ

vindanty ahaṁ tvad-dhṛdayā yato ‘jita

Translation

O supreme unconquerable Lord, when they become absorbed in thoughts of material enjoyment, Lord Brahmā and Lord Śiva, as well as other demigods and demons, undergo severe penances and austerities to receive my benedictions. But I do not favor anyone, however great he may be; unless he is always engaged in the service of Your lotus feet. Because I always keep You within my heart, I cannot favor anyone but a devotee.

This verse is being spoken by Laxmi ji. It is fairly simple verse yet a little puzzling as we hear so many times that Laxmi Devi doesn’t bestows her mercy on a materialistic person, or she goes where Lord Narayana is worshiped, yet today we see so many impious, forget even materialistic, people enjoying great material wealth. This bewilders me sometimes and I would reconcile myself with the thought that they are reaping piety from their past birth, until this purport. This purport was a eye opener for me. Srila Prabhupada writes :

In this verse the goddess of fortune, Lakṣmīdevī, clearly states that she does not bestow her favor on any materialistic person. Although sometimes a materialist becomes very opulent in the eyes of another materialist, such opulence is bestowed upon him by the goddess Durgādevī, a material expansion of the goddess of fortune, not by Lakṣmīdevī herself. Those who desire material wealth worship Durgādevī with the following mantra: dhanaḿ dehi rūpaḿ dehi rūpa-pati-bhājaḿ dehi. “O worshipable mother Durgādevī, please give me wealth, strength, fame, a good wife and so on.” By pleasing goddess Durgā one can obtain such benefits, but since they are temporary, they result only in māyā-sukha (illusory happiness). As stated by Prahlāda Mahārāja, māyā-sukhāya bharam udvahato vimūḍhān: [SB 7.9.43] those who work very hard for material benefits are vimūḍhas, foolish rascals, because such happiness will not endure. On the other hand, devotees like Prahlāda and Dhruva Mahārāja achieved extraordinary material opulences, but such opulences were not māyā-sukha. When a devotee acquires unparalleled opulences, they are the direct gifts of the goddess of fortune, who resides in the heart of Nārāyaṇa.

The material opulences a person obtains by offering prayers to the goddess Durgā are temporary. As described in Bhagavad-gītā (7.23), antavat tu phalaḿ teṣāḿ tad bhavaty alpa-medhasām: men of meager intelligence desire temporary happiness. We have actually seen that one of the disciples of Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura wanted to enjoy the property of his spiritual master, and the spiritual master, being merciful toward him, gave him the temporary property, but not the power to preach the cult of Caitanya Mahāprabhu all over the world. That special mercy of the power to preach is given to a devotee who does not want anything material from his spiritual master but wants only to serve him. The story of the demon Rāvaṇa illustrates this point. Although Rāvaṇa tried to abduct the goddess of fortune Sītādevī from the custody of Lord Rāmacandra, he could not possibly do so. The Sītādevī he forcibly took with him was not the original Sītādevī, but an expansion of māyā, or Durgādevī. As a result, instead of winning the favor of the real goddess of fortune, Rāvaṇa and his whole family were vanquished by the power of Durgādevī (sṛṣṭi-sthiti-pralaya-sādhana-śaktir ekā [Bs. 5.44]).

This clears so much air and confusion in my head. It is so true that we see so many people becoming Godless and earning so much money yet we see them without any happiness or contentment, because such wealth is not bestowed by Laxmi Devi. Hence people are suffering despite having so much wealth at their disposal. We can also see the example of Ravana and what happened to him in the end where all the opulence he had was destroyed.

I searched and found some more verses where scriptures elaborates this point further

Srila Prabhupada writes in the purport of CC Madhya 21.53 that `Because he wants to enjoy the material energy, the conditioned soul is allowed to reside in Devī-dhāma, the external energy, where goddess Durgā carries out the orders of the Supreme Lord as His maidservant. The material energy is called jagal-lakṣmī because she protects the bewildered conditioned souls.. For material facilities, the conditioned soul tries to please goddess Durgā, and mother Durgā supplies all kinds of material facilities. Because of this, the conditioned souls are allured and do not wish to leave the external energy.’

Lord Śiva, the most powerful demigod, second only to Lord Viṣṇu, is self-sufficient. Although he has nothing to aspire for in the material world, for the benefit of those in the material world he is always busily engaged everywhere and is accompanied by his dangerous energies like the goddess Kālī and the goddess Durgā. ( SB 4.24.18)

This verse was spoken by Vidura while he was asking Maitreya Rishi about `Pracetas’ and how they met Lord Shiva. Srila Prabhupada explains in his purport to the above verse that ‘Asuras try to pacify the goddess Kālī, or Durgā, by worshiping her in material opulence, but when the asuras become too intolerable, the goddess Kālī does not discriminate in killing them wholesale. Asuras do not know the secret of the energy of Lord Śiva, and they prefer to worship the goddess Kālī or Durgā or Lord Śiva for material benefit……Lord Śiva’s duty is very dangerous because he has to employ the energy of the goddess Kālī, or Durgā. In another popular picture the goddess Kālī is sometimes seen standing on the prostrate body of Lord Śiva, which indicates that sometimes Lord Śiva has to fall down flat in order to stop the goddess Kālī from killing the asuras. Since Lord Śiva controls the great material energy (the goddess Durgā), worshipers of Lord Śiva attain very opulent positions within this material world. Under Lord Śiva’s direction, a worshiper of Lord Śiva gets all kinds of material facilities.’

My lord, surely I have been solidly cheated by the insurmountable illusory energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, for in spite of having obtained your association, which gives liberation from material bondage, I did not seek such liberation. (SB 3.23.57)

This verse was spoken by Devahuti to her husband Kardama Muni, feeling unsatisfied and distressed in her heart, despite all the opulence her husband had recently showered upon her. Srila Prabhupada warns in his purport that ‘People do not know what they are doing when they worship the material energy in the form of goddess Kālī or Durgā for material boons. They ask, “Mother, give me great riches, give me a good wife, give me fame, give me victory.” But such devotees of the goddess Māyā, or Durgā, do not know that they are being cheated by that goddess. Material achievement is actually no achievement because as soon as one is illusioned by the material gifts, he becomes more and more entangled, and there is no question of liberation. One should be intelligent enough to know how to utilize material assets for the purpose of spiritual realization. That is called karma-yoga or jñāna-yoga. Whatever we have we should use as service to the Supreme Person.’

So we learn that most of the material wealth people acquire is mostly bestowed by Durga devi and not by Laxmi devi. What is bestowed by Laxmi devi is permanent and auspicious, brings relief from the bondage of birth and death, examples are Prahlada, Dhruva Maharaj, etc.) where as what is bestowed by Durga devi is just the opposite and is called māyā-sukha (illusory happiness), prime example is Ravana. That is how today we see many people who have attained so much wealth but they have no happiness or even peace in their lives.

We also notice that whenever devotees are bestowed with wealth they generally do not get bewildered by it and use it in the service of Lord and His devotees. Our handling of wealth should not be that of an enjoyer of wealth rather than that of a caretaker who has been chosen by Lord to use it in the service of His devotees. We have examples of so many flourishing businessmen, HG Radheshyam Prabhu, from Gurgaon, comes immediately to my mind , whom we see that they are completely detached from money and they are using whatever wealth they have in the service of Lord. And we see Laxmiji bestowing more wealth on such devotees, as they utilise it for the right purpose.

On the other hand we see so many impious people hoarding money and trying to enjoy it. We increasingly hear how the richest comedian in USA commits suicide or a rich businessmen family is fighting over his vast wealth in India, or rich person’s son `plotting’ against his own father and so on. We also read how the number of bankruptcies have risen exponentially in last few decades, that too mostly in the rich countries. Similarly the less said about the money in shares/ESOPs the better, material energy continues to punish all such people. Whatever they have is temporary, even by the fickle standards of this material world. Forget liberation from the cycle of birth and death, even attainment of peace is very far for such people, inner happiness is further distant.

Srila Prabhupada writes in his purport to SB 4.24.18 that : In contrast, a Vaiṣṇava, or worshiper of Lord Viṣṇu, gradually becomes poorer in material possessions because Lord Viṣṇu does not trick His devotees into becoming materially entangled by possessions. Lord Viṣṇu gives His devotees intelligence from within, as stated in Bhagavad-gītā (10.10):

teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam
dadāmi buddhi-yogaṁ taṁ yena mām upayānti te

“To those who are constantly devoted and worship Me with love, I give the understanding by which they can come to Me.”

Thus Lord Viṣṇu gives intelligence to His devotee so that the devotee can make progress on the path back home, back to Godhead. Since a devotee has nothing to do with any kind of material possession, he does not come under the control of the goddess Kālī, or the goddess Durgā.

All glories to the transcendental purports by Srila Prabhupada.

All glories to Sri Guru and Gauranga.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

For the Pleasure of Lord Krishna

vandanā korite mui kato shakti dhori; tamo-buddhi-doshe mui dambha mātra kori

Category Archives: My realisations

Desire trees of Vrindavan!

Like this:

Kartik in Vrindavan

How Krishna teach us

Like this:

A nice lesson in Krishna consciousness

An important lesson.

Like this:

Cry out to Krishna

Like this:

I will always remain Srila Prabhupada’s dog!

Like this:

Are we conscious in Krishna consciousness?

Like this:

Tulasi Maharani

Like this:

Raising our children in Krishna consciousness

Like this:

Daksa curses lord Siva

Like this:

Why does Laxmi Devi bestows her favour upon impious persons ?

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

How Krishna teach us

Share this:

Like this:

An important lesson.

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this: