How to worship Nityanananda Prabhu ?

Hare Krishna.

25th April, 2015. Gurgaon.

Last Saturday was a very special day as HG Madhavananda Prabhuji, along with his kindhearted wife KrishnaKunda Mataji, purified our home. Prabhuji stayed only for day but he enlightened all of us with his deep insights into Krishna consciousness.

Madhavanda Prabhuji 1

During the discussions at home Prabhuji asked do I know why do we offer chappan bhoga (56 dishes) to Krishna ? I replied in negative. After a while Prabhuji searched and came back to share the mystery of offering chappan bhoga to Lord.

When Krishna lifted Govardhan mountain for seven days he couldn’t eat anything . After seven days when the whole lila was over, Brajawasis were very happy and they offered Lord Krishna food for what he had missed throughout those seven days. Mother Yashoda used to feed Krishna eight times a day. Hence the number became  7 x 8 = 56

So they made fifty-six different things for Lord Krishna and offered Him as a token of their love and gratitude. Thus began the tradition of offering “Chhappan Bhog” to Supreme Lord on festive occasions.

All glories to Govardhan Lila!

Although Prabhuji was very tired, his next day was a hectic same day return trip to Vrindavan, yet he agreed to our request to visit the  deity installation ceremony at the home of Shyamvihari prabhuji.

We entered the packed home of Shyamvihari Prabhuji, everyone was dancing  to the kirtan by HG Sriniket prabhuji. We took darshan of very beautiful Nitai Gaura Sundar.

Nita Gaura Sundar

Madhavananda Prabhuji spoke very briefly, less than 30 minutes, but Prabhuji mesmerised everyone with his deep thought process and made everyone think too. I am sharing some nectar.

Madhavanda Prabhuji 3

Prabhuji first sang a beautiful bhajan by an anonymous vaishanava called Krishna Das. I request readers to kindly read it carefully and absorb the English translation of each para carefully as the whole session was based on it and these lines will get quoted again.

adoña daraçi mora prabhu nityänanda

nä bhajinu hena prabhura caraëärabinda

I pray that Lord Nityananda will not look at my sins, I did not worship the Lord’s lotus feet.

häya re nä jäni mu-i kemana asura

pä”ä nä bhajinu hena dayära öhäkura

Alas! I did not know. What a demon I was. I did not worship Lord Nitai, the Lord of mercy.

häya re abhägära präëa ki sukhe ächaha

nitä-i baliyä kena mariyä nä yäha

O my unfortunate heart! Will you ever become happy? Why do you not call out, “Nitai!”, and die.

nitä-ira karuëä çuni päñäëa miläya

häya re daruëa hiyä nä darabe täya

When they hear of Lord Nitai’s mercy, even the stones melt. O my cruel heart, you do not melt when you hear His glories.

nitä-i caitanya aparädha nähi mane

yäre täre nija prema-bhakti kare däne

To persons who do not offend Lord Chaitanya, Lord Nitai gives the gift of spiritual love and devotion.

tära näma la-ite nä gale mora hiyä

kåñëa-däsa kahe mu-i baòa abhägiyä

Alas! The Lord’s holy name does not rest on my throat or in my heart. Krishna Das says: I am very unfortunate.

After the above prayer, Madhavanand Prabhuji started the session by first quoting the below verse

vande sri-krishna-caitanya-nityanandau sahoditau

gaudodaye pushpavantau citrau san-dau tamo-nudau ( cc Adi lila 1.2)

 Translation

I offer my respectul obeisances unto Sri Krishna Caitanya and Lord Nityananda, who are like the sun and moon. They have arisen simultaneously on the horizon of Gauda to dissipate the darkness of ignorance and thus wonderfully bestow benediction upon all.

Prabhuji explained that Gaur Nitai have arisen simultaneously and it is difficult to say who among Them is the Sun and who is the moon. Sun and moon are very auspicious and hence whatever auspicious qualities are there in Sun and moon are there in Gaura Nitai. Prabhuji mentioned  that sun drives away all darkness but Gaura Nitai drives away darkness even from those parts which are sheltered from the sun. If we are sitting in a closed room, with all doors and windows locked, then no sunshine can enter that room but if someone gets mercy of Gaura Nityananada then even the dark cave of our heart become illuminated!

The Sun also purifies everything,  even the most contaminated things like urine and stool too get purified under the sun. Similarly we also hide the most contaminated things in our heart which are comparable to urine and stool. The sun can not purify things in our heart because sun can not see them but the mercy of Gaura Nityananada can purify all the contamination in our heart! Similarly moon helps things grow and in the same way Gaura Nitai help our bhakti creeper, `bhakti lata beeja’, to grow and it is very very cooling, it helps extinguish the fire of this materialistic life.

Prabhuji said, as we are installing Gaur Nitai deities, we must understand what does it mean by worshiping Gaura Nitai ? They didn’t come into this world to be worshiped as Deities. We have to follow Their mood.  Prabhuji sang the famous line

uttama adhama kichhu na kaila bichara,…

Lord Nityananda  never discriminates whether one is uttama or adhama, most elevated or most degraded. Gaur Nitai do not see any designations, who is an Indian, who is an western, who is a brahmin, who is a mallecha. They give Their mercy to every one. And this is really Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s mercy, this is really Mahaprabhu’s movement and this is what we want! Our purpose is not to just make their deity and worship them, our purpose is that we want Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Sri Nityananda Prabhu to appear in our hearts! So are we getting that ?? Gaura Nitai gave everyone Krishna Prema ! Prabhuji then asked the devotees to raise their hands who among them has received Krishna Prema ! When no one raised their hand then Prabhuji pushed devotees to think why are we not receiving it ? Madhavananda Prabhuji quoted from the same bhajan to say that Nityananda Prabhu is my Lord. Why ? Because He is adosha-darshi, He doesn’t see any faults and that is exactly what I want because I am full of faults.

Prabhuji then added that our mind should be always focused on Krishna internally, while still remaining in our particular ashram externally, and quoted the below verse

antare niṣṭhā kara, bāhye loka-vyavahāra
acirāt kṛṣṇa tomāya karibe uddhāra
(cc madhya 16.239)

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu continued, “Within your heart you should keep yourself very faithful, but externally you may behave like an ordinary man. Thus Kṛṣṇa will soon be very pleased and deliver you from the clutches of māyā.

Prabhuji said that by following how Mahaprabhu is suggesting, by living our lives as per our whatever be our position in the society, while internally remaining oblivious to them, then we can really chant the name of Nityananda and Gaura!

Prabhuji then asked `So what is the symptom that we have received the mercy of Nityananda Prabhu ?’

nitä-ira karuëä çuni päñäëa miläya..häya re daruëa hiyä nä darabe täya..

That when a stone hears about how merciful  Nityananda Prabhu’s is, the stone melts. But

My heart, harder than a stone, it won’t melt ! I am so unfortunate. Why won’t it melt ?  What am I doing wrong ?

nitä-i caitanya aparädha nähi mane

One might say that I am doing some offenses, but you say that, Nitai and Gaura, They do not consider any offence, rather

yäre täre nija prema-bhakti kare däne

They give nija prema bhakti, They give Krishna Prema. So what I am doing wrong ?

Madhavananda Prabhuji then asked how do we worship Surya Deva ? By showing a burning Ghee wick. Similarly how we worship Ganga Devi, by offering her Ganga water.

So how should we worship adosha-darshi Nityananda ?

Prabhuji then stated strongly that this is what the author of this bhajan is  saying that I am not worshiping Nityananda Prabhu, because worshiping Nitai means that I do not find fault in others!!

Prabhuji quoted Srila Prabhupada who wrote in his purport to cc Adi8.62 `It is a qualification of a Vaishnava that he is adoṣa-darśī: he never sees others’ faults‘.

Prabhuji said that on this day we should think why Gaura Nitai have not entered our hearts yet ? Why is that this ecstasy of love of God is not touching me ? Because I am not really worshiping Them! I am doing something external. I am waving some incense, I am ringing the bell, I am offering some prayers. Prabhuji said this is fine, that is all very pious, but that is not why Gaura Nitai came. They came, like the sun and the moon, to dissipate the darkness of ignorance of this world. First of all we have to open our heart to Them. And we do that by giving up the propensity to criticise or fault find in other people.

Prabhuji said that if we are busy with finding faults in others then we are not worshiping Nityananda. Rather we are working for Chitragupta (assistant of Yamaraja, who keeps the account of everyone’s mistakes and sinful activities). To work in the court of Nityananda Prabhu means we must give up fault-finding and the propensity for bearing grudges.

Prabhuji said that in our lives we all have a choice, a decision to be made — which court do we want to work for? Do we want to assist Citragupta by being a pāpagaṇanām, a counter of everyone’s faults in the court of Yamaraja? Or do we want to give up finding others shortcomings and work in the court of Lord Nityananda?

The choice is ours.

Prabhuji spoke something very interesting on the Kripa Shakti of the Lord, which I will write later.

All glories to HG Madhavananda Prabhuji.

All glories to Sri Guru and Gauranga.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Why is a Jiva called Prabhu ?

Hare Krishna.

22nd April, 2015, Shanghai.

Quotes-by-Bhakti-Charu-Swami-on-Transcending-Material-Nature

Q: What should we do if we have material desires ?

Answer : One should follow proper Vedic injunctions and advance gradually.

Srila Prabhupada writes in his purport of SB 3.21.16 that  It is everyone’s duty, therefore, to enjoy according to his present position, but under the direction of the Lord or the Vedas. The Vedas are considered to be the direct words of the Lord. The Lord gives us the opportunity to enjoy material life as we want, and at the same time He gives directions for the modes and processes of abiding by the Vedas so that gradually one may be elevated to liberation from material bondage. The conditioned souls who have come to the material world to fulfill their desires to lord it over material nature are bound by the laws of nature. The best course is to abide by the Vedic rules; that will help one to be gradually elevated to liberation.….. Therefore one should follow the Vedic regulations and surrender unto the Supreme Lord because that is the ultimate goal of perfection in human life. One should live a life of piety, follow the religious rules and regulations, marry and live peacefully for elevation to the higher status of spiritual realization.

Q: What is cause of suffering in material life, describe with an example and how to overcome this cycle of birth & death  ? 

Answer : Srila Prabhupada writes in his purport of SB 3.21.17 that Constant transmigration of the soul from one body to another is the cause of suffering in material existence. This conditional life in material existence is called saṁsāra. One may perform good work and take his birth in a very nice material condition, but the process under which birth and death take place is like a terrible fire.

Śrī Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura, in his prayer to the spiritual master, has described this. Saṁsāra, or the repetition of birth and death, is compared to a forest fire. A forest fire takes place automatically, without anyone’s endeavor, by the friction of dried wood, and no fire department or sympathetic person can extinguish it. The raging forest fire can be extinguished only when there is a constant downpour of water from a cloud. The cloud is compared to the mercy of the spiritual master. By the grace of the spiritual master the cloud of the mercy of the Personality of Godhead is brought in, and then only, when the rains of Kṛṣṇa consciousness fall, can the fire of material existence be extinguished. This is also explained here.

In order to find freedom from the stereotyped conditional life of material existence, one has to take shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord, not in the manner in which the impersonalists indulge, but in devotional service, chanting and hearing of the activities of the Lord. Only then can one be freed from the actions and reactions of material existence. It is recommended here that one should give up the conditional life of this material world and the association of so-called civilized human beings who are simply following, in a polished way, the same stereotyped principles of eating, sleeping, defending and mating. Chanting and hearing of the glories of the Lord is described here as tvad-guṇa-vāda-sīdhu. Only by drinking the nectar of chanting and hearing the pastimes of the Lord can one forget the intoxication of material existence.

Q: Does Lord fulfills material desires of a devotee  ?
A: Sila Prabhupada states in his purport of SB 3.21.23 that He never disappoints a sincere devotee, regardless of what he wants, but He never allows anything which will be detrimental to the individual’s devotional service.

Q : How can we make our existence peaceful in this material world ?

Ans : By depending fully on Krishna for fulfillment of our desires.

Srila Prabhupada explains us in his purport of SB 3.21.28 that `Thus it is said that if we pray to the Supreme Lord in every transaction of our material existence, everything will be done very nicely and just suitable to our heart’s desire. In other words, in all circumstances we must take shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and depend completely on His decision. Man proposes, God disposes. The fulfillment of desires, therefore, should be entrusted to the Supreme Personality of Godhead; that is the nicest solution. Kardama Muni desired only a wife, but because he was a devotee of the Lord, the Lord selected a wife for him who was the Emperor’s daughter, a princess. Thus Kardama Muni got a wife beyond his expectation. If we depend on the choice of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, we will receive benedictions in greater opulence than we desire’.

Q: Why is a Jiva  also described as Prabhu ?

Reply: Srila Prabhupada gives us a unique answer in his purport  to SB 6.16.9:  Another peculiar characteristic of the jīva is that he becomes covered by māyā. Ātmamāyā-guṇaiḥ: he is prone to being covered by the Supreme Lord’s illusory energy. The living entity is responsible for his conditional life in the material world, and therefore he is described as prabhu (“the master”). If he likes he can come to this material world, and if he likes he can return home, back to Godhead.

I recently found that apart from audio lectures, iskcondesiretree has hundreds of very nice presentations, both for our own understanding as well as for preaching. They are mostly in flash but we can request them in PPT and the dedicated devotees send us the link to download them and edit them to suit our purpose. They have proved very useful for me in preaching. Here is the link

http://presentations.iskcondesiretree.com

I wish all the readers a very auspicious Akshay Tritiya, I prayed for everyone that may each one of us get a service which is pleasing to Krishna and His devotees.

All glories to Sri Guru and Gauranga.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

What is real yoga ?

Hare Krishna.

16th April, 2015. Gurgaon

Quotes-by-Bhakti-Charu-Swami-on-Goal-of-Life

 

Q:  Can we do a 15 minutes yoga and achieve  self realisation ?

Ans: Srimad Bhagavatam does not agree with it.  Real yoga is very different.

The great sage Maitreya replied: Commanded by Lord Brahmā to beget children in the worlds, the worshipful Kardama Muni practiced penance on the bank of the River Sarasvatī for a period of ten thousand years. (SB 3.21.6)

Srila Prabhupada adds in his purport : It is understood herein that Kardama Muni meditated in yoga for ten thousand years before attaining perfection. Similarly, we have information that Vālmīki Muni also practiced yoga meditation for sixty thousand years before attaining perfection. Therefore, yoga practice can be successfully performed by persons who have a very long duration of life, such as one hundred thousand years; in that way it is possible to have perfection in yoga. Otherwise, there is no possibility of attaining the real perfection. Following the regulations, controlling the senses and practicing the different sitting postures are merely the preliminary practices. We do not know how people can be captivated by the bogus yoga system in which it is stated that simply by meditating fifteen minutes daily one can attain the perfection of becoming one with God. This age (Kali-yuga) is the age of bluffing and quarrel. Actually there is no possibility of attaining yoga perfection by such paltry proposals. The Vedic literature, for emphasis, clearly states three times that in this age of Kali — kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva — there is no other alternative, no other alternative, no other alternative than harer nāma [Adi 17.21], chanting the holy name of the Lord.

Q: Without devotion to Krishna can one be successful even in an indirect process like ashtanga yoga ?

Answer :  Without devotion, not even an indirect process can be perfected.

During that period of penance, the sage Kardama, by worship through devotional service in trance, propitiated the Personality of Godhead, who is the quick bestower of all blessings upon those who flee to Him for protection. (SB 3.21.7)

Srila Prabhupada explains in his purport to the above verse:   The significance of meditation is described here. Kardama Muni practiced mystic yoga meditation for ten thousand years just to please the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari. Therefore, whether one practices yoga or speculates and does research to find God, one’s efforts must be mixed with the process of devotion. Without devotion, nothing can be perfect. The target of perfection and realization is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In the Sixth Chapter of Bhagavad-gītā it is clearly said that one who constantly engages in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the topmost yogī. The Personality of Godhead, Hari, also fulfills the desires of His surrendered devotee. One has to surrender unto the lotus feet of the Personality of Godhead, Hari, or Krishna, in order to achieve real success. Devotional service, or engagement in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, is the direct method, and all other methods, although recommended, are indirect. In this age of Kali the direct method is especially more feasible than the indirect because people are short-living, their intelligence is poor, and they are poverty-stricken and embarrassed by so many miserable disturbances. Lord Caitanya, therefore, has given the greatest boon: in this age one simply has to chant the holy name of God to attain perfection in spiritual life.

Q: Why should we not seek material benefits from Lord ?

Ans: Srimad Bhagavatam says even those who are rotting in hell can attain them!

Your lotus feet are the true vessel to take one across the ocean of mundane nescience. Only persons deprived of their intelligence by the spell of the deluding energy will worship those feet with a view to attain the trivial and momentary pleasures of the senses, which even persons rotting in hell can attain. However, O my Lord, You are so kind that You bestow mercy even upon them. (SB 3.21.7)

Prabhupada expands it wonderfully in his purport : As stated in Bhagavad-gītā, Seventh Chapter, there are two kinds of devotees — those who desire material pleasures and those who desire nothing but service to the Lord. Material pleasures can be attained even by hogs and dogs, whose condition of life is hellish. The hog also eats, sleeps and enjoys sex life to the full extent, and it is also very satisfied with such hellish enjoyment of material existence. Modern yogīs advise that because one has senses, one must enjoy to the fullest extent like cats and dogs, yet one can go on and practice yoga. This is condemned here by Kardama Muni; he says that such material pleasures are available for cats and dogs in a hellish condition. The Lord is so kind that if so-called yogīs are satisfied by hellish pleasures, He can give them facilities to attain all the material pleasures they desire, but they cannot attain the perfectional stage attained by Kardama Muni.

…..Actually, the intelligent practitioner of yoga should aspire for nothing else but to cross over the ocean of nescience by worshiping the Personality of Godhead and to see the lotus feet of the Lord. The Lord is so kind, however, that even today persons whose brain substance is spoiled are given the benediction to become cats, dogs or hogs and enjoy material happiness from sex life and sense gratification. The Lord confirms this benediction in Bhagavad-gītā: “Whatever a person aspires to receive from Me, I offer him as he desires.”

Q: What could be the result of  seeking material benefits?

Reply : We could be born in the lower species of life to fulfill them.

Srila Prabhupada warns the in his purport to SB 3.21.7 Hellish and demoniac persons do not actually know what is the ultimate attainment in perfection, and therefore they think that sense gratification is the highest goal of life. They advise that one can satisfy the senses and at the same time, by reciting some mantra and by some practice, can cheaply aspire for perfection. Such persons are described here as hata-medhasaḥ, which means “those whose brains are spoiled.” They aspire for material enjoyment by perfection of yoga or meditation. In Bhagavad-gītā it is stated by the Lord that the intelligence of those who worship the demigods has been spoiled. Similarly, here too it is stated by Kardama Muni that one who aspires after material enjoyment by practice of yoga has spoiled his brain substance and is fool number one. Actually, the intelligent practitioner of yoga should aspire for nothing else but to cross over the ocean of nescience by worshiping the Personality of Godhead and to see the lotus feet of the Lord. The Lord is so kind, however, that even today persons whose brain substance is spoiled are given the benediction to become cats, dogs or hogs and enjoy material happiness from sex life and sense gratification. The Lord confirms this benediction in Bhagavad-gītā: “Whatever a person aspires to receive from Me, I offer him as he desires.”

Q: Who can overcome time factor and how ?

Ans : A devotee can easily overcome time factor by surrendering to Lord Krishna.

Your wheel, which has three naves, rotates around the axis of the imperishable Brahman. It has thirteen spokes, 360 joints, six rims and numberless leaves carved upon it. Though its revolution cuts short the life-span of the entire creation, this wheel of tremendous velocity cannot touch the life-span of the devotees of the Lord. (SB 3.21.18)

Srila Prabhupada explains: The time factor cannot affect the span of life of the devotees. In Bhagavad-gītā it is stated that a little execution of devotional service saves one from the greatest danger. The greatest danger is transmigration of the soul from one body to another, and only devotional service to the Lord can stop this process. It is stated in the Vedic literatures, hariṁ vinā na sṛtiṁ taranti: without the mercy of the Lord, one cannot stop the cycle of birth and death. In Bhagavad-gītā it is stated that only by understanding the transcendental nature of the Lord and His activities, His appearance and disappearance, can one stop the cycle of death and go back to Him. The time factor is divided into many fractions of moments, hours, months, years, periods, seasons, etc. All the divisions in this verse are determined according to the astronomical calculations of Vedic literature. There are six seasons, called ṛtus, and there is the period of four months called cāturmāsya. Three periods of four months complete one year…. The time factor, however, cannot touch the lifespan of the devotees. In another verse it is stated that when the sun rises and sets it takes away the life of all living entities, but it cannot take away the life of those who are engaged in devotional service. Time is compared here to a big wheel which has 360 joints, six rims in the shape of seasons, and numberless leaves in the shape of moments. It rotates on the eternal existence, Brahman.

All glories to Srimad Bhagavatam.

All glories to Sri Guru and Gauranga.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

What is the purpose of ritualistic sacrifices ?

Hare Krishna

7th April, 2015. Gurgaon

Quotes-by-Srila-Prabhupada-on-Effect-of-Presence-of-Krishna

Q: What are the five layers of ignorance which covers a Jiva ?

Answer :

tāmisra: being envious of supreme Lord.
andha-tāmisra : considering death to be the ultimate end.
tamas : condition of not knowing anything about the spirit soul.
moha : illusion of the bodily concept of life, me and mine.
mahā-moha : to be mad after material enjoyment.

First of all, Brahmā created from his shadow the coverings of ignorance of the conditioned souls. They are five in number and are called tāmisra, andha-tāmisra, tamas, moha and mahā-moha. (SB 3.20.18)

Srila Prabhupada explains them in detail in his purport :

The conditioned souls, or living entities who come to the material world to enjoy sense gratification, are covered in the beginning by five different conditions. The first condition is a covering of tāmisra, or anger. Constitutionally, each and every living entity has minute independence; it is misuse of that minute independence for the conditioned soul to think that he can also enjoy like the Supreme Lord or to think, “Why shall I not be a free enjoyer like the Supreme Lord?” This forgetfulness of his constitutional position is due to anger or envy.

The living entity, being eternally a part-and-parcel servitor of the Supreme Lord, can never, by constitution, be an equal enjoyer with the Lord. When he forgets this, however, and tries to be one with Him, his condition is called tāmisra. Even in the field of spiritual realization, this tāmisra mentality of the living entity is hard to overcome. In trying to get out of the entanglement of material life, there are many who want to be one with the Supreme. Even in their transcendental activities, this lower-grade mentality of tāmisra continues.

Andha-tāmisra involves considering death to be the ultimate end. The atheists generally think that the body is the self and that everything is therefore ended with the end of the body. Thus they want to enjoy material life as far as possible during the existence of the body. Their theory is: “As long as you live, you should live prosperously. Never mind whether you commit all kinds of so-called sins…. No one is responsible for anything he does during his life.” This atheistic conception of life is killing human civilization, for it is without knowledge of the continuation of eternal life.

This andha-tāmisra ignorance is due to tamas. The condition of not knowing anything about the spirit soul is called tamas. This material world is also generally called tamas because ninety-nine percent of its living entities are ignorant of their identity as soul. Almost everyone is thinking that he is this body; he has no information of the spirit soul. Guided by this misconception, one always thinks, “This is my body, and anything in relationship with this body is mine.” For such misguided living entities, sex life is the background of material existence…

As these attachments increase, moha, or the illusion of the bodily concept of life, also increases. Thus the idea that “I am this body, and everything belonging to this body is mine” also increases, and as the whole world is put into moha, sectarian societies, families and nationalities are created, and they fight with one another. 

Mahā-moha means to be mad after material enjoyment. Especially in this age of Kali, everyone is overwhelmed by the madness to accumulate paraphernalia for material enjoyment.

Q: Who can directly perceives the exact causes of our distress ?
Reply: Only Supreme Lord.
The Lord, who can distinctly see the minds of others, perceived Brahmā’s distress and said to him: “Cast off this impure body of yours.” Thus commanded by the Lord, Brahmā cast off his body. (SB 3.20.28)
Srila Prabhupada adds in his purport: The Lord is described here by the word viviktādhyātma-darśanaḥ. If anyone can completely perceive another’s distress without doubt, it is the Lord Himself. If someone is in distress and wants to get relief from his friend, sometimes it so happens that his friend does not appreciate the volume of distress he is suffering. But for the Supreme Lord it is not difficult. The Supreme Lord, as Paramātmā, is sitting within the heart of every living entity, and He directly perceives the exact causes of distress. In Bhagavad-gītā the Lord says, sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭaḥ: “I am sitting in everyone’s heart, and because of Me one’s remembrance and forgetfulness occur.” Thus whenever one fully surrenders unto the Supreme Lord, one finds that He is sitting within one’s heart. He can give us direction how to get out of dangers or how to approach Him in devotional service

Q: What is the purpose of ritualistic sacrifices?

Ans: To gradually revive the spiritual realization of the living entities.

They prayed: O creator of the universe, we are glad; what you have produced is well done. Since ritualistic acts have now been established soundly in this human form, we shall all share the sacrificial oblations. (SB 3.20.18)

Srila Prabhupada writes in his purport to the above verse : The importance of sacrifice is also mentioned in Bhagavad-gītā, Third Chapter, verse 10. The Lord confirms there that in the beginning of creation Brahmā created the Manus, along with the ritualistic sacrificial method, and blessed them: “Continue these sacrificial rites, and you will be gradually elevated to your proper position of self-realization and will also enjoy material happiness.” All the living entities created by Brahmā are conditioned souls and are inclined to lord it over material nature. The purpose of sacrificial rituals is to revive, gradually, the spiritual realization of the living entities. That is the beginning of life within this universe. These sacrificial rituals, however, are intended to please the Supreme Lord. Unless one pleases the Supreme Lord, or unless one is Kṛṣṇa conscious, one cannot be happy either in material enjoyment or in spiritual realization.

Q: Does these ritualistic sacrifices in themselves suffice to make us a spiritually realised soul ? 

Reply : No. Srila Prabhupada explains in the purport of SB 3.20.52 The ritualistic performances of sacrifice are meant for material economic development; in other words, they are meant to keep the body in good condition for cultivation of spiritual knowledge. But for actual attainment of spiritual knowledge, other qualifications are needed. What is essential is vidyā, or worship of the Supreme Lord. Sometimes the word yoga is used to refer to the gymnastic performances of different bodily postures which help mental concentration. Generally, the different bodily postures in the yoga system are accepted by less intelligent men to be the end of yoga, but actually they are meant to concentrate the mind upon the Supersoul. After creating persons for economic development, Brahmā created sages who would set the example for spiritual realization.

 

Q: Can one enjoy the material world and also become spiritually realised ?
Ans : No.

To each one of these sons the unborn creator of the universe gave a part of his own body, which was characterized by deep meditation, mental concentration, supernatural power, austerity, adoration and renunciation.  (SB 3.20.53)

Srila Prabhupada expands it further in his purport : The word viraktimat in this verse means “possessed of the qualification of renunciation.” Spiritual realization cannot be attained by materialistic persons. For those who are addicted to sense enjoyment, spiritual realization is not possible. In Bhagavad-gītā it is stated that those who are too attached to seeking material possessions and material enjoyment cannot reach yoga-samādhi, absorption in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Propaganda that one can enjoy this life materially and at the same time spiritually advance is simply bogus. The principles of renunciation are four: (1) to avoid illicit sex life, (2) to avoid meat-eating, (3) to avoid intoxication and (4) to avoid gambling. These four principles are called tapasya, or austerity. To absorb the mind in the Supreme in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the process of spiritual realization.

 

All glories to Srimad Bhagavatam.

All glories to Sri Guru and Gauranga.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Vaishnava aparadha- its cause.

Hare Krishna.
1st April 2015. Gurgaon

Quotes-by-Bhaktivinoda-Thakur-on-Achieving-Spiritual-Perfection

We read in the past few blogs (Blog1, Blog2) about serious repercussions of Vaishanava Aparadha. Few days back I was browsing through a book by HG Srimati Mataji on Srila Prabhupada and by sheer coincidence my eyes caught the page which mentioned what is the cause of vaishnava aparadha. HG Srimati Mataji quotes Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, mainly from his book Bhaktyaloka, and bind various quotations meticulously to bring the essence of this important topic. Here it goes.

When Sri Caitanya Mahāprabhu was instructing Sanātana Goswami, He explained that the first business of a Vaishnava is to give up non-devotee association.

“A Vaiṣṇava should always avoid the association of ordinary people. Common people are very much materially attached, especially to women. Vaiṣṇavas should also avoid the company of those who are not devotees of Lord Kṛṣṇa.” (CC Madhya 22.87)

Mahāprabhu also explains the reason we should give up such association in next two verses.

“‘By association with worldly people, one becomes devoid of truthfulness, cleanliness, mercy, gravity, spiritual intelligence, shyness, austerity, fame, forgiveness, control of the mind, control of the senses, fortune and all opportunities. One should not at any time associate with a coarse fool who is bereft of the knowledge of self-realization and who is no more than a toy animal in the hands of a woman. The illusion and bondage that accrue to a man from attachment to any other object are not as complete as that resulting from association with a woman or with men too much attached to women.’ ( CC Madhya 22.88-90)

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura further explains that if a devotee engages in non devotee association then gradually his material attachments will increase. And the more this attachment increases, the more his faith in the supreme goal will diminish.

Why is that ?

If one associates with non devotees, very quickly his intelligence will be polluted and his heart will be overcome by their propensities. If anyone desires to attain pure devotional service, he should carefully give up the association of non devotees. ( Sanga-tyaga, Sri Bhaktyaloka)

This raises another very important question.

Who is a non devotee ?

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura tells us that those are not subordinate to Sri Krishna are called non devotees. He continues on with a very thorough and wholistic explanation of what it means to give up the association of non-devotees. He even tells us that because of our prejudices and material attachments we can be classified as non devotees!

Let’s present what he says in a chart form to make things clear.

Capture

( I am writing in detail about only some of the categories to save on space)

Atheists : Those who do not accept the Supreme Lord, who is glorified by the Vedas, are called nastikas, or atheists. Their minds have been polluted by false arguments; therefore one’s devotion is lost in their association. Association with sense enjoyers is harmful. Those who are always busy associating with sense enjoyment are filled with blasphemy, envy, and violence. Quarrel, argument, and hankering for sense enjoyment is their life. The more they enjoy, the more their thirst for sense enjoyment increases. The sense enjoyers do not get time to speak or hear topics of Krishna. Whether they engage in pious activities or sinful activities, the sense enjoyers always remain far from knowledge of the self. Therefore in the Caitanya caritamrta (Antya 6.278) Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami has said:

“viṣayīra anna khāile malina haya mana
malina mana haile nahe kṛṣṇera smaraṇa

“When one eats food offered by a materialistic man, one’s mind becomes contaminated, and when the mind is contaminated, one is unable to think of Kṛṣṇa properly.” Those persons who externally engage in sensual activities and accept sense objects just to maintain body and soul together but internally engage in their constitutional position as servants of Krsna are not counted amongst the sense enjoyers, who are attached the fruits of their activities.

Women/womanizers

Do not associate with women. On the other hand, when a woman is engaged in sadhana bhakti-, she should not associate with men. Associating with the opposite sex is very inauspicious for the advancing devotee. When a man and woman are married according to religious principles, there is no sin in their touching and talking with each other…. provided they are not illusioned by each other and they only engage in activities sanctioned  under the prescribed duties.

Ancient prejudices
The conditioned soul has been performing fruitive activities (karma) and endeavoring for knowledge (jnana) since time immemorial, and the prejudices that have developed in his subtle body as a result are called ancient prejudices. These prejudices are known as one’s nature. From ancient prejudices one develops association with karma and jnana.

Modern Prejudices : The prejudices or attachments for good and bad attained in this life due to association are called modern prejudices, one develops attachment for material assets by modern prejudices.

Due to this association with prejudices a living entity’s propensity for ignorance and passion becomes stronger. Whatever propensities for goodness, passion, and ignorance are seen in people’s eating, sleeping, and sensual activities are all due to association with prejudices.

Until one’s attachment to prejudices is destroyed, the ten offenses in chanting will not be uprooted. Offenses at the feet of sadhus is due to being proud of one’s karma and jnana.

Only sadhu sanga can reform the attachment to prejudices. Sadhu sanga is the only remedy for this disease. Unless one reforms his attachment to prejudices, one cannot attain perfection in devotional service by any means.

It has been seen that many fortunate souls have given up attachment for prejudices by the association of pure Vaisnavas. From the scriptures it is well known that by the association of Sri Narada Muni the hunter (Mrgari) and Ratnakara (Valmiki) attained auspiciousness. The foremost instruction of Sri Ramanujacarya is this: “If you cannot purify yourself by any endeavor whatsoever, then just go sit with the Vaisnavas and you will achieve all auspiciousness.”

By observing a Vaisnava’s quality of not uselessly wasting time, many people have easily given up anarthas such as laziness, oversleeping, useless talk, urge of speech, etc. We have also seen that by associating with Vaisnavas for some time someone’s cheating
propensity and desire for fame have been destroyed.

Please beware of Vaishnava aparadha

Srimati Mataji then adds that the above analysis is undoubtedly valuable and very interesting. But for those of us who have family and business or work responsibilities, it may also create in us a sense of anxiety. We are associating with non-devotees on a daily basis. Does this mean we have no spiritual future? Bhaktivinoda Thakura is very sensitive to such anxieties and has addressed the issue very wonderfully in the following text.

What is association and giving up association ?

Many people have doubts about this. Doubts may be there because if just by coming close to a materialist or  material object is considered associating with them, then there is no way to give up this association. As long as the material body is there, how can one one give up the proximity of these things? How can a grhastha vaishnava give up his family members? Even is one is a renunciate, he can not give up   the association of deceitful persons. One will have to come across materialists in one’s life, whether one is grahastha or a renunciate. Therefore, the limit for giving up the association of materialists is prescribed in Sri Upadeshamrita as follows:

dadāti pratigṛhṇāti  guhyam ākhyāti pṛcchati
bhuṅkte bhojayate caiva   ṣaḍ-vidhaṁ prīti-lakṣaṇam

Offering gifts in charity, accepting charitable gifts, revealing one’s mind in confidence, inquiring confidentially, accepting prasāda and offering prasāda are the six symptoms of love shared by one devotee and another.

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura explains it with great clarity in his commentary:

O sadhakas! One must accept proximity with both bad and good people as one passes his life. This equally applies to householders and renunciates. Proximity must be there, nevertheless one should not engage in bad association. Giving in charity, accepting charity, revealing one’s mind, hearing one’s mind, accepting foods, and giving foods if done with love, these are called sanga, or association. Giving some foodstuffs to a hungry person and accepting some charity from a pious man is done out of duty, not out of love. Even if they are materialists, this type of engagement is not considered association. But if they are pure devotees, then such activities are performed out of love.

association of devotees

When acts are performed out of love, then it is association. Therefore giving charity to pure Vaisnavas and accepting items or wealth from them becomes sat sanga. Giving charity to a materialist or accepting charity from one, if done out of love, becomes asat sanga When a materialist approaches you, whatever is required to be done should be done only out of duty. One should not speak confidentially with a materialist. Generally there is some love involved in confidential speaking, therefore it is association. While meeting a materialistic friend, one should speak only what is extremely necessary. At that time it is better not to exhibit heartfelt love. But if that friend is a proper Vaisnava, then one should accept his association by speaking to him with love. This type of behavior with relatives and friends creates no hostility.

There is no association in ordinary talk. One should behave with ordinary people as one externally behaves with a stranger while buying something in the market. The same dealings with a pure devotee of the Lord should be done out of love. If one is obliged to feed hungry people, needy people, and teachers, he should do so as a host dutifully cares for his guest, there is no need to exhibit love. Care for them, but not out of love. One should feed pure Vaisnavas with love, and when required accept the remnants given by them with love. If one can behave in this way while giving in charity, accepting charity, speaking confidentially, hearing confidentially, feeding, and accepting food with one’s wife, children, servants, maidservants, strangers, and whoever else one meets, there will no unholy association, only good association. There is no hope of achieving devotion to Krishna until one gives up unholy association in this way.

 And there is no hope for giving up unholy association until we develop genuine love and respect for the vaishnavas and their association. So please beware of vaishnava aparadha!

All glories to Srimati Mataji.

All glories to Srila Bhaktivonoda Thakura.

All glories to Sri Guru and Gauranga.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada.