Holi article

Holashtak in 2015 will begin on 25th February Midday, to be concluded on the 5th March 2015. In this Periods We Not allow to do any things New as Hinduisam and as Astrological... No new bying Invest or wedding or Moving Home until holi festival Night 5th March! A variety of festivals are celebrated in India, which cajole us out of our mundane life and add a pinch of sweetness into it. The enthusiasm and color we are talking about is a matter to experience, but this is one such festival that can be perceived and understood by its enthusiasm. We know this festival as Holi. Actually Holi is not just a one day festival but it lasts for 8 days. The Holi festival begins with Holashtak. Holashtak: An Eight Day Festival The word Holashtak is made up of two words Holi and Ashtak, which means the eight days of Holi. It begins eight days prior to Holi and seven days prior to Holika Dahan. This festive season ends with Ghudeli. Therefore, Holashtak begins with the eighth day of bright half of the Hindu month Phagun and is concluded with the first day of the dark half of the Hindu month Chaitra. It is called Holashtak because it begins with the eighth day of the month. In other words we can say that Holashtak tells us in advance that the Holi is around the corner. From this very day we begin the preparations of Holi and Holika Dahan. During these eight days, Moon on the eighth day, Sun on the ninth day, Saturn on the tenth day, Venus on the eleventh day, Jupiter on the twelfth day, Mercury on thirteenth day, Mars on fourteenth day and Rahu (Ascending Lunar Node) on the Purnima take a furious transformation. Due to this reason all the auspicious tasks are prohibited during this period. In the beginning of the Holashtak two batons are established. One of which represents Holika and the other represents the Prahlada. As per the tradition, once the batons are established any auspicious task is not allowed to take place in that area till the Holika Dahan. It is believed that if this is not followed, you do not get fruitful results. Holashtak: The Inauspicious Period All the people following Hindu religion accept the ancient traditions of Holika as well and therefore do not begin any auspicious task during this festive season. Although all the traditions after and before, the birth and death of a person are allowed to be followed. This is the reason there is a tradition of Annaprashan in some places during Ghudeli. Therefore, traditions like Jatkarma (Puja done after baby is born), Antyeshti and others that are performed after a baby is born in the family, are allowed. It is very interesting that Holashtak is not celebrated in many parts of the country. As per belief, in some pilgrimages like Shatrudra, Vipasha, Iravati and Pushkar are not affected by the ill effects of Holashtak. Marriages and auspicious tasks can be performed during this time period in places other than the above mentioned. Although, we should still avoid doing so because it is not considered auspicious as per the Hindu religion! holi Festival and Fire Light Prayer will be on full Moon 5th March thursday! Have a blessed time! dr.Sanjay Pandya Indian International Astrologer, Shri Shkati Temple mayfair Joburg South Africa! — w

Bathing in Bhagavat gita

Bathing in the Bhagavad-Gita An old farmer and his grandson lived on a farm. One day the grandson said, “I try to read the Bhagavad-Gita just like you but I don't understand it much. And whatever little I understand, I forget it very soon. What is the use of reading this book?” The old farmer quietly turned from putting coal in the stove and said, “Take this coal basket down to the river and bring me back a basket of water.” The young boy did as he was told, but all the water leaked out before he got back home. The farmer asked him to try again, and again. But every single time, the water leaked out of the basket before he got back to the house. Finally, he said exhausted, “See Grandpa, it’s useless!” “So you think it’s useless?” the old farmer said, “Look at the basket.” The boy looked at the basket and for the first time realized that the basket had been transformed from a dirty old coal basket to a new clean one, inside and out. “Son, that's what happens when you read a book like the Bhagavad-Gita. You might not understand or remember everything, but when you read it again and again, you will realize the benefit one day.” One of the invocatory verses for the Gita says: mala nirmochanam pumsām jalasnānam dine dine | sakṛt gītāmbasi snānam samsāra mala mochanam || (Every day, we bathe in water to cleanse our body; we should bathe in the Gita to cleanse our life.) Bathing has long been associated with a sense of hygiene. We use water to cleanse and purify our body. Similarly, the pure thoughts of the ancient peoples could help cleanse our own thoughts, which are often polluted because of our surroundings. “I bathe my intellect in the stupendous and cosmogonal philosophy of the Bhagavat Geeta, since whose composition years of the gods have elapsed, and in comparison with which our modern world and its literature seem puny and trivial...”1 – Henry David Thoreau, Transcendentalist philosopher and writer

Discourse on Bhagavat

On the concluding day In His Anugraha Bhashanam rendered in Tamil at the Pravachana Mandiram, the Jagadguru said that Srimad Bhagavatam’s importance is underlined by the fact that Bhagavan Veda Vyasa found satisfaction only after composing this Mahapurana that extols the Supreme Being. The ever-fresh and attractive Lilas of Bhagavan Sri Krishna, described in the 10th Skanda of Srimad Bhagavatam bring divine joy to the reader and the listener. Inspired by the account of the life of Bhagavan in Srimad Bhagavatam, many great people penned literature in the form of Kavyas, Natakas, Stotras in many languages and fulfilled the purpose of their lives. One has to only look at the Krishna Karnamrtam of Lila Shuka or the Gita Govinda of Jayadeva to get a taste of the devotion and emotion expressed in such literature. The Jagadguru then talked about the greatness of Bhagavan Sri Krishna. Referring to a statement of Bhagavan in the Gita – यन्मे त्वदन्येन न दृष्टपूर्वम् – where Bhagavan tells Arjuna that he is the first to see the Vishwaroopam or the Cosmic form, the Jagadguru said that some wonder if this statement is indeed true. This question arises because Bhagavan had shown a similar form to Mother Devaki at the time of His birth, and also to Mother Yashoda, when she demanded that He open His mouth to check if He had indeed swallowed mud. The Jagadguru pointed out that it is not uncommon in the world that in order to give joy to the recipient, the giver says, “What I am giving you now has never been given to anyone else before”. Similarly, we also say, “What I am saying has never been told to anyone else”. This too gives a sense of importance to the hearer. Could Bhagavan also be doing the same when He says to Arjuna that He has never shown the Vishwaroopam to anyone else before?. However, Bhagavan cannot lie. The Jagadguru in His own inimitable way explained that Bhagavan had used the word “anyena” (by others) in the masculine gender to imply that no man before Arjuna had seen the Vishwaroopam. Hence no one need have the doubt in the statement of Bhagavan for Devaki and Yashoda who had also seen the Vishwaroopam earlier were women. The Jagadguru explained that He had provided this illustration to indicate that the words of Bhagavan can never be categorized under falsehood. The intelligence and the adherence to Dharma that Bhagavan exhibited during His presence on earth is impeccable. Some question the relation between Bhagavan and the Gopikas and wonder if it conforms with Dharma. Sri Shuka Maharshi Himself says in the Bhagavatam – तेजीयसां न दोषाय वह्नेः सर्वभुजो यथा – that Bhagavan remains unaffected, even as fire that burns everything, cannot itself be burnt or be affected. The Dharma Shastras also say – दृष्टो धर्मव्यतिक्रमः साहसं च महताम् – Great personages appear to transgress Dharma (sometimes). However they remain unaffected. This does not mean that we too can take to this course of action. Anything that is dropped in the sacrificial fire is burnt and reduced to ashes. However, we cannot consume all of them and assume that the digestive fire in our stomachs can burn everything. Similarly, we cannot imitate every act of Bhagavan. Rather we must foster devotion and faith towards Him. Bhagavan Himself declares this and says in His own words that such a person who surrenders everything and acts for Him, is freed from all bondages of Karma and attains Him – मन्मना भव मद्भक्तो मद्याजी मां नमस्कुरु । मामेवैष्यसि युक्त्वैवमात्मानं मत्परायणः ॥ यत्करोषि यदश्नासि यज्जुहोषि ददासि यत् । यत्तपस्यसि कौन्तेय तत्कुरुष्व मदर्पणम् ॥ शुभाशुभफलैरेवं मोक्ष्यसे कर्मबन्धनैः । That is why we end even our Pujas with the statement – तत् सत् ब्रह्मार्पणमस्तु – that conveys that the Puja itself has been done as an offering to Him. ​ ​ The uniquess of the Avatara of Bhagavan Sri Krishna is that it is here that the Gita Upadesha has been given. Even if people cannot study Srimad Bhagavatam, one may study Sriman Narayaneeyam that is a concise form of the Mahapurana and was penned by Sri Narayana Bhattatiri. The Jagadguru then praised Sri Nochur Venkataraman for conducting the Bhagavata Saptaham in a befitting manner, and blessed one and all.

Importance of chanting correct mantras

धर्मो रक्षथि रक्षितः ||
Dharmo Rakshathi Rakshitaha ||
Dharma protects those who protect it !

Importance of intonation of Vedic Mantras

You must not go wrong either in the enunciation or intonation of a mantra. If you do, not only will you not gain the expected benefits from it, the result might well be contrary to what is intended.

So the mantras must be chanted with the utmost care.

There is a story told in the Taittiriya Samhita(2. 4. 12) to underline this.

Tvasta (the divine carpenter) wanted to take revenge on Indra for some reason and conducted a sacrifice to beget a son who would slay Indra.

When he chanted his mantra,

"Indrasatrur varddhasva. ", he went wrong in the intonation.

He should have voiced "Indra" without raising or lowering the syllables in it and he should have raised the syllables "tru" and "rddha"(that is the two syllables are "udata").

Had he done so the mantra would have meant,

"May Tvasta’s son grow to be the slayer of Indra".

He raised the "dra" in Indra, intoned "satru" as a falling svara and lowered the "rddha" in "varddhasva".

So the mantra meant now:

"May Indra grow to be the killer of this son (of mine)".

The words of the mantra were not changed but, because of the erratic intonation, the result produced was the opposite of what was desired.

The father himself thus became the cause of his son’s death at the hands of Indra.

The gist of this story is contained in this verse which cautions us against erroneous intonation.

Mantrohinah svarato varnato va
Mithya prayukto na tamarthamaha Sa vagvajro yajamanam hinasti Yathendrasatruh svarato’ paradhat

What was the weapon with which Tvasta ‘s son was killed?

Not Indra’s thunderbolt but the father’s wrongly chanted mantra.

“If we walk facing the sun, shadow will follow you without you even knowing about it.

We should have a goal that is prescribed by the shasthras. If we follow the goal (you walk towards the sun), money & status will follow you (like shadow without leaving you even if you donot want it).

Instead if you turnaround and follow the shadow, you are walking against the sun .You will never be able to catch the shadow and the shadow will eventually leave you, just like money and status will leave you after some time.

What is the point of turning away from Sun, (the noble goals prescribed by Shasthras) and going behind shadow (money & status) “

Rhu Gita

An End to Suffering Remain in awareness / presence/ the Now at all times Wednesday, April 05, 2006 Ribhu Gita: Chapter 26 Ribhu Gita: Chapter 26 The Ribhu Gita, literally "Ribhu's Song", is Part Six of the Shiva Rahasya, a legendary mystical text of India. The whole of the Ribhu Gita is said to represent the teaching given to the Sage Ribhu by God i himself in the form of Lord Shiva, the formless aspect of the Divine activity, in whom all beings and things are always already absorbed. Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi attributed unique value to this lucid exposition of Supreme Truth. He often referred to it in his talks with devotees and seekers, and he is reported to have said that if one repeatedly read Chapter 26 of the Ribhu Gita one could pass spontaneously into samadhi, or the natural state of Self-realization. 1. I shall now expound to you the method of inhering in the All-inclusive and undifferentiated Reality. This teaching is secret and difficult to understand even with the help of the various Scriptures. Even celestial beings and practitioners of spiritual discipline who hold it dear acquire it only with great difficulty. Follow what I say and, inhering in Reality, be happy. 2. My son! Realized sages say that absolute inherence in Reality means becoming one with the immutable, tranquil, non-dual Absolute Supreme Being which is Existence-Consciousness-Bliss and the Self of all, and making the wandering mind one with it like the proverbial milk and water, absolutely free from all concepts. 3. When one scrutinizes this variety of manifestation one realizes that it does not really exist and that everything is the undifferentiated Absolute Supreme Being which is not different from the Self and oneself. Let this knowledge become firm with you by constant practice. Then, discarding everything, become one with the Supreme Absolute Reality and, remaining as that, be happy. 4. Abide as That which does not, when scrutinized, show any duality in the form of these various objects or the least trace of cause and effect, That in which, when the mind is absorbed in It, there is not fear of duality at all - and be always happy, unshakable and free the fear arising from duality. 5. Abide as That in which there are neither thoughts nor fancies, neither peace nor self-control, neither the mind nor the intellect, neither confusion nor certainly, neither being nor non-being, and no perception of duality - and be always happy, unshakable and absolutely free from the fear arising from duality. 6. Abide as That in which there is neither any defect nor good quality, neither pleasure nor pain, neither thought nor silence, neither misery nor austerities practiced for getting rid of misery, no "I-am-the-body" idea, no objects of perception whatsoever - and be always happy, free from all traces of thought. 7. Abide as That in which there is no work, physical, mental, verbal or of any other kind, neither sin nor virtue, neither attachment nor its consequences - and be always happy, free from all traces of thought. 8. Abide as That in which there are neither thoughts nor a thinker, neither the arising nor the preservation nor the dissolution of the world, nothing whatsoever at any time - and be always happy, free from all traces of thought. 9. Abide as That in which there is neither the Self-limiting Power of Illusion nor its effects, neither knowledge nor ignorance, neither separate soul nor Lord of Creation, neither being nor non-being, neither world nor God - and be always happy, free from all traces of thought. 10. Abide as That in which there are no gods and their worship, none of the three Divine aspects of Creator, Preserver and Destroyer or meditation on them no Supreme Formless God nor meditation on Him - and be always happy, without the least trace of thought. 11. Abide as That in which there is neither maturing bondage to the way of good works nor searching devotion i to the Divine nor self-knowing wisdom, no fruit of action to be enjoyed, no supreme state separate from it, no means of attainment or object to be attained and be always happy, free from all traces of thought. 12. Abide as That in which there is neither body nor senses nor vital forces, neither mind nor intellect nor fancy, neither ego nor ignorance, nor anyone who identifies himself with them, neither the macrocosm nor the microcosm and be always happy, free from all traces of thought. 13. Abide as That in which there is neither desire nor anger, neither greed nor delusion, neither ill-will nor pride, no impurities of mind and no false notions of bondage and liberation - and be always happy, free from all traces of thought. 14. Abide as That in which there is no beginning or end, no top or bottom or middle, no holy place or god, no gifts or pious acts, no time or space, no objects of perception - and be always happy, free from all traces of thought. 15. Abide as That in which there is no discrimination between the real and the unreal, no absence of desire, no possession of virtues, no yearning for liberation, no competent Master or disciple, no steady knowledge, no realized stage, no liberation while alive or after death, nothing whatsoever at any time - and be always happy free from all traces of thought. 16. Abide as That in which there are no Holy Scriptures or sacred books, no one who thinks, no objection or answer to it, no theory to be established, no theory to be rejected, nothing other than one Self - and be always happy, free from the least trace of thought. 17. Abide as That in which there is no debate, no success or failure, no word or its meaning, no speech, no difference between the soul and the Supreme Being, none of the manifold causes and consequences - and be always happy, without the least trace of thought. 18. Abide as That in which there is no need for listening, reflecting and practicing, no meditation to be practiced, no differences of sameness, otherness or internal contradictions, no words or their meanings - and be always happy, free from the least trace of thought. 19. Abide as That in which there are no fears of hell, no joys of heaven, no worlds of the Creator God or the other Gods, or any object to be gained from them, no other world, no universe of any kind - and be always happy, without the least trace of thought. 20. Abide as That in which there is nothing of the elements nor even an iota of their derivatives, no sense of "I" or "mind", no fantasies of the mind, no blemish of attachment, no concept whatsoever - and be always happy, without the least trace of the thought. 21. Abide as That in which there are none of the three kinds of bodies (gross physical, subtle internal, or formless and most subtle), dreaming and sleeping, none of the three kinds of souls (those who are fully prepared to advance spiritually, those who are not fully prepared, and those who are not prepared at all), none of the three kinds afflictions (those of the body, those caused by the elements, and those caused by subtle beings and powers), none of the five functional layers of being (gross physical, vital, emotional-psychic, mental, and that of formless bliss), no one to identify himself with them - and be always happy, without the least trace of thought. 22. Abide as That in which there is no sentient object, no power to hide Reality, no difference of any kind, no power of projecting unreal objects, no power of any other kind, no false notion about the world - and be always happy, without the least trace of thought. 23. Abide as That in which there are no sense organs or anyone to use them, That in which transcendent bliss is experienced, That which is absolutely immediate, That by realizing and attaining which one becomes immortal, That by becoming which one does not return to this cycle of births and deaths - and be always happy, without the least trace of thought. 24. Abide as That, on realizing and experiencing the bliss of which, all joys appear to be the joys of That, That which, when clearly known to be oneself, shows there is nothing apart from oneself, and, knowing which, all kinds of separate souls become liberated - and be always happy, without the least trace of thought. 25. Abide as That, on realizing which to be oneself, there is nothing else to be known, everything becomes already known and every purpose accomplished - and be always happy, without the least trace of thought. 26. Abide as That which is attained easily when one is convinced that one is not different from the Supreme Absolute, That which results, when that conviction becomes firm, in the experience of the Supreme Bliss of the Real, That which produces a sense of incomparable and complete satisfaction when the mind is absorbed in It - and be always happy, without the least trace of thought. 27. Abide as That which leads to the complete cessation of misery when the mind is absorbed in It, and the extinction of all ideas of "I", "you" and "another," and the disappearance of all differences - and be always happy, without the least trace of thought. 28. Abide as That in which, when the mind is absorbed in It, one remains without a second, nothing other than oneself is seen to exist and incomparable bliss is experienced - and be always happy, without the least trace of thought. 29. Abide as That which is undifferentiated Existence, undifferentiated Consciousness, undifferentiated Bliss, absolutely non-dual, the undifferentiated Absolute Reality - and with the firm conviction that you are That, be always happy. 30. Abide as That which is "I" as well as "you" as well as everyone else, is the basis of all, is one without anything else whatsoever, is extremely pure, the undifferentiated Whole - and with the firm conviction that you are That, be always happy. 31. Abide as That in which there are no concepts or anything else whatsoever, the ego ceases to exist, all desires disappear, the mind becomes extinct and all confusions come to an end - and with the firm conviction that you are That, be always happy. 32. Abide as That in which there is no awareness of the body, or the various functions of manifest existence, no perception of objects, That in which the mind is dead, the soul become one with the Reality, thoughts dissolved and even one's convictions no longer hold - and with the firm conviction that you are That, be always happy. 33. Abide as That in which there is no longer any meditative spiritual practice or ignorance or knowledge or activities of any kind, that which is the Supreme Reality - and with the firm conviction that you are That, be always happy. 34. Abide as That in which, when one is completely merged with It, one experiences pure bliss, never experiences misery, sees nothing, does not take birth again, never thinks oneself to be a separate individual, becomes the Supreme Being and with the conviction that you are That, be always happy. 35. Abide as That which is truly the Supreme Absolute Reality, the Supreme Formless God, the absolutely pure Being, the Supreme State, Absolute Consciousness, the Supreme Truth - and with the conviction that you are That, be always happy. 36. Abide as That which is the absolutely pure Supreme Being, absolute Bliss, the supremely subtle Being, the Self-Effulgent, non-dual and undifferentiated One - and with the conviction that you are That, be always happy. 37. Abide as That which is absolute Truth, supreme Tranquility, eternal Being, absolutely attributeless, the Self, the absolutely undifferentiated Supreme Being - and with the conviction that you are That, be always happy. 38. Abide as That which is everything from the experiential point of view and nothing from the absolute point of view, Existence - Consciousness-Bliss, always tranquil, with nothing separate from It, the self-existent Being -and with the conviction that you are That be always happy. 39. I have thus, O Nidagha, clearly explained to you the state of being one with the Supreme Being. By constantly thinking that you are the undifferentiated Supreme Being you can attain that state and enjoy constant bliss. There after, having become the Supreme Absolute Reality, you will never experience the misery that comes from identification with birth and death. 40. "Everything is the Supreme Being, which is Existence-Consciousness-Bliss, and I am That" By constantly cultivating this pure thought, get rid of impure thoughts. Then, my son, discarding even that thought and always inhering in the State of Fullness, you will become the non-dual and undifferentiated Supreme Being and attain liberation. 41. Pure and impure thoughts are a feature of the mind. There are no wandering thoughts in the Supreme Being. Therefore, abide as That and, free from the pure and impure thoughts of the mind, remain still like a stone or a log of wood. You will then be always happy. 42. By constantly thinking of the undifferentiated Supreme Being and forgetting thereby all thoughts, including the thought of the Supreme Being, you will become the all-comprehensive Supreme Being. Even a great sinner who hears and understands this teaching will get rid of all his sins and become the undifferentiated Supreme Being. 43. The endless textbooks of spiritual instruction have already prescribed meditation for attaining purity of mind. In order that those who have become pure in mind may easily attain liberation and, realizing that they are absolute and boundless Bliss, remain still like a stone in the undifferentiated and all-comprehensive Supreme Formless God, the nature of this immaculate state has been expounded by me. 44. Therefore, attaining purity of mind by constantly thinking that everything that is known is the Supreme Being and that Supreme Being is oneself, and thereafter abiding in the state of complete identity with the Absolute Reality, liberation can be attained here and now. I have spoken the truth. In this manner, Sage Ribhu expounded the true and full state of being to Nidagha. 45. When one is convinced that one is always That which is Existence-Consciousness-Bliss and abides as That in a state of complete identity, one casts off the unreal bondage of identification with birth and death and attains liberation. This is the significance of the highly blissful mood and dance of our Supreme and undifferentiated God. See Printable version of Ribhu Gita Chapter 26 -- "Truly, truly, all that I can not describe." Tirumantiram - 1596 http://gurudeva.org/resources/books/tirumantiram/TantraSix.html Posted at 8:55 PM ‹ › Home View web version Powered by Blogger.

Tulsidas describes the beauty of Sri Rama’s form:

Goswami ‎Tulsidas describes the beauty of Sri Rama’s form:
sri ramacandra krpalu bhaja mana harana bhava bhaya darunam
nava kanja locana kanja mukha kara kanja pada kanjarunam.
O mind! Remember the compassionate Lord who removes the terrible fear of samsara. His eyes are like a newly blossomed lotus and so are his hands and feet.
One may wonder if the poet did not know any simile other than the lotus! But this is the most appropriate example, because the lotus is a magnificent and extraordinary flower – beautiful, soft, delicate and fragrant; it blooms in the water or slush, but remains unaffected by it. This implies that Bhagavan’s form is most beautiful, gentle, delicate, fragrant and untouched by the qualities of maya and samsara.
Bhagavan’s form puts the beauty of countless Kamadevas to shame – kandarpa aganita amita chavi nava nila niraja sundaram. Kamadeva is supposed to be the most handsome, but all other ‪#‎beauty fades away in front of ‪#‎Bhagavan.
His beauty is eternal, whereas all other beauty fades away in time. Every limb of Bhagavan, even his toenail, is so beautiful that you can keep looking at it.
Generally people wear different ornaments to adorn their body, but Bhagavan’s body is so beautiful that ornaments only hide his beauty. Bhagavan’s body adds beauty to the ornament – sarva anga anga vibhusanam.
That is why ‪#‎Tulsidasjilikes Bhagavan’s ascetic form, when he was wandering in the forest without any ornaments to hide his original beauty. In fact, many people were captivated by Lord Rama’s beauty and all of them were born as gopis in the Lord’s next avatar as ‪#‎Krishna.
When Shurpanakha, who was smitten by Sri Rama’s beauty, was disfigured by‪#‎Lakshmana, she went to her brothers Khara, Dushana and Trishira. They, along with the 14,000 raksasas who were living with them, went to attack Rama and Lakshmana. Sri Rama asked Lakshmana to guard Sita Devi and decided to take on the raksasas single-handed. When Khara and Dushana saw Sri Rama, their hearts melted. They said that they had seen devas, gandharvas, yaksas, kinnaras and many other handsome forms, but never had they seen such beauty before.
They did not have the heart to attack him. That is the beauty of Bhagavan’s form which can captivate even an enemy.

 -------------------------

Maryada ‪Purusottama

(Part 3)

Maryada ‪#‎Purusottama
In this avatara, ‪#‎Bhagavan is called maryada purusottama because he upheld dharma and never transgressed the bounds of dharma. Maryada means boundary, the norms of behavior accepted by human beings – martyaih adhiyate iti maryada. Even in common parlance, when somebody misbehaves, we say he is transgressing his limits.

Bhagavan’s greatness and glory lay not just in following the norms of dharma – though even that is quite difficult – but also in raising the very standards of that dharma. 

Even in sports, a person is acclaimed when he breaks earlier records and sets a new standard. Sri Rama set new standards and so did ‪#‎Lakshmana, Bharata and Shatrughna, under his inspiration. 

That is why he is called Maryada Purusottama.

(end)

Are ‎Differently ‎Abled ‪‎Children a ‪Source of ‎Joy

Are ‎Differently ‎Abled ‪‎Children a ‪Source of ‎Joy? 
Swami ‪‎Tejomayananda
(Part 1)

There are parents who have physically or mentally challenged or differently abled children. Are they also a source of joy? Sometimes such parents think that they must have committed many sins in earlier lives to get a child like this. 

Some people wonder what sins the jeeva has done to have acquired a different body or mind like this.

Here also it is only a question of cultivating the right attitude. Do not waste your time in enquiring about the reasons behind it. The fact is that a jeeva is born here like this. 

Once again, the attitude should be: “I am an ‪#‎instrument of the ‪#‎Lord. God has given me the opportunity to look after this child. I may not be able to serve the whole world; but I can ‪#‎serve this child that has been given to me as a gift by God. This is my seva and ‪#‎worship. It is the good karma of this jeeva that it has come here to me.” Avoid wallowing in self-pity. Please remember that the child does not need pity, but love and understanding. 

Cultivate the thought, “The Lord has given me this responsibility and I will do it to the best of my ability.”

 ----------------------------

Mohana ‪#‎Rama!
Swami ‪#‎Tejomayananda
(Part 2)

Alphabet

A Always depend on God B Bear insult, near injury C Control the tongue D Do not cheat anybody E Evil company is dangerous F Fear nothing G Give, give, give. God will Love, Love, Love H Helping others is virtue I Injury is vice J Japa is your coat of arms K Knowledge is the fruit L Live for others M Mind deceives, beware N Now is the best time to utilize O Overcome grief by liberality P Pure mind is your friend Q Quietness will lead you to progress R Recite the name of God S Speak sweetly, speak softly T To love is to Serve U Understand yourself V Virtue is the staff of life W Within you is bliss X (E)xert yourself for Good Y Your treasure is God Z Zero has no value, if not attached to a unit. So life has no value if not attached to God.

Who is the greatest

Who is the Greatest.!

Once, Lord Vishnu asked Narada which among the five elements was the greatest. Narada replied earth is the greatest.

Vishnu remarked, “Three-fourths of the earth is enveloped with water. In such a case, which among the two is greater?”

Narada agreed that water was great.

Vishnu said, “But the sage Agastya drank up the ocean in a single gulp. So, is Agastya greater or water?”

Narada replied, “You are right my Lord, Agastya is greater than water.”

Vishnu asked again, “But this Agastya is a tiny star in the sky (akasa). Now is this star greater or the sky?”

Narada replied, “It is the sky that is greater.”

The Lord agreed and said, “Your understanding is correct. The sky indeed is greater. In His incarnation as Vamana, the Lord asked for three steps from king Bali. And in the course of taking the gift of three steps, Vamana assumed the form of Thrivikrama and covered the entire earth in one step, and the space from the earth to the sky in second, and there was no room for the third step. King Bali had to offer his head for the third step. So, now, is God great or the sky?”

Narada replied, “Swami, when the mere foot of the Lord covers the entire sky, how much greater His full form would be? God indeed is greater.”

“God, who envelops the entire cosmos, dwells in the heart of His bhakta (devotee). So now, is the heart of the devotee greater or God?” asked Vishnu.

Narada replied, “Indeed, the devotee is greater than God.”

Swami at the end, summed up saying, “God is Bhakta Paradheena, that is, He is the servant of devotees. There is none superior to a devotee in this world. God’s heart can be melted only through love. So, develop total love.”

Sai Ram

7 steps in wedding

Seven Steps of Wedding Ceremony Explained.

Indian marriages are well renowned around the world for all the rituals and events forming part of the marriage ceremony.

Whether it is a week long celebrations before the actual wedding date or night long parties, the joy and exuberance evident in Indian weddings is simply unparalleled.

Among various ceremonies and sacred rites; there exists ritual of 7 pheras (encirclements or roundabouts) that is considered as one of the most sacred and significant ritual of them all.

7 pheras also called Saptapadi (in Sanskrit language) basically refer to the ceremony of walking around the sacred fire seven times at the time of wedding.

As in Hindu religion, it is believed that the “fire or agni” is the maintainer of life and all the Gods and Goddesses are always present around this sacred fire, so the bride and bridegroom are required to take this ritual together around the holy fire that is believed to be representing Agni Devta or God of Fire.

The first three pheras are completed with the bride leading and in the rest pheras groom leads the way.

Before diving into the significance of each phera lets have a look at that how the pheras are actually performed?

How are 7 pheras performed?

The ritual of 7 pheras is performed under the guidance of a priest, also called pandit in Hindi language.

The priest (pandit) utters aloud the religious sayings (mantras), while the Hindu bride and the Hindu groom sit around the holy fire.

After specific instructions from the priest, the bride and the groom rise up and walk around the fire seven times & with the completion of the 7th phera the ritual of 7 pheras is said to be completed.

Significance of each phera As the name suggests, the ritual of pheras comprises of 7 pheras in all.

Each phera has a distinct significance and meaning for the bride and the groom.

1st Phera , the couple pray to God to extend his blessings on them in the form of healthy food and respectful life.

First phera also indicates that God is the only ultimate deity, who can bless the couple with boon of honorable life and wholesome food Bridegroom’s pledge/promise As uttered in Sanskrit language

“Om esha ekapadi bhava iti prathaman” By performing the first phera lets promise to each other that our love shall become more intense with each passing day.

We will help each other in every possible manner. You will cook food for me. I will bestow my love and affection upon you and shower my goodness during this journey of our married life. I will treat you kindly along with lots of love, so as to keep you happy and healthy.

Bride’s pledge/promise As uttered in Sanskrit language

“Dhanam dhanyam pade vadet” I will wholeheartedly accept your judgment. I promise you that I will fulfill all the responsibilities of your family with utmost care and dedication.

I will take care of your honor and remain abided by your love forever.

End of the 1st Phera
------------------

2nd Phera-
In the second phera, the couple pleads to God for imparting them with mental stability, physical health and spiritual strength so that they can live there life smoothly after getting entangled in this pure relation of being husband-wife forever Bridegroom’s pledge/promise As uttered in Sanskrit language

“Om oorje jara dastayaha”
By performing the ritual of second phera

let us promise to each other that we will stand by each other forever. You will be initiating my strength and courage along with me.

Together, we shall defend our home and family from all types of odd things and evil power.

Bride’s pledge/promise As uttered in Sanskrit language

“Kutumburn rakshayishyammi sa aravindharam”
I will always fill your heart with exuberant courage and strength. I pledge that I will utter only pleasant words.

I shall be supporting you in protecting our family and children from evil powers. You shall love only me as your life partner.

End of 2nd Phera
------------------------------

3rd Phera In the third phera,

The couple invoke God to provide them with uttermost wealth, wisdom and prosperity so that they can live contented and satisfied ever after.

The Third phera also signifies the importance of religious and sacred responsibility which shall be performed by the couple in there future life.

Bridegroom’s pledge/promise As uttered in Sanskrit language

“Om rayas Santu joradastayaha”

By performing the ritual of third phera,

let us promise each other that we will remain spiritually abide by each other. I will look towards other woman only as my sisters.

We shall grow and flourish together under the sacred and holy sanctity of God.

Bride’s pledge/promise As uttered in Sanskrit language

“Tava bhakti as vadedvachacha”

I will love you for whole of my life. I will consider all other men as my brothers.

My love and respect for you will never fade. By virtue of my love and devotion I will remain as a chaste wife.

End of 3rd Phera

_____________________________

4th Phera In the fourth phera, the couple prays to the god for bestowing happiness and rapport on them.

Fourth phera also signifies the importance of family, parents and elders.

Fourth phera bring out a commitment between the two souls that they will remain pledged to take care of there elders, family members and parents for rest of there life.

Bridegroom’s pledge/promise As uttered in Sanskrit language

“Om mayo bhavyas jaradastaya ha”

By performing the ritual of fourth phera, let us promise each other that we will provide utmost aid to our elders and parents. You will bring fortune and sanctity in my life. May god bless us with an ecstatic life and healthy children Bride’s pledge/promise As uttered in Sanskrit language

“Lalayami cha pade vadet.” I will decorate myself with jewelry, flowers and garlands just for you.

Euphoria of my fragrance will be bestowed on only you.

I will serve you and please you in every possible way.

End of 4th Phera

-------------------------------

5th Phera In the Fifth Phera , the couple pray to almighty to bless his kindness for all the living things of this universe.

They pray for the happiness and well being of each others relatives and friends. Fifth Phera denotes the bride’s and bridegroom’s concern with each other’s family members and relatives.

It also signifies their moral responsibilities towards the charities and universe welfare. Another importance of fifth Phera is that they pray for a noble breed.

Bridegroom’s pledge/promise As uttered in Sanskrit language

“Om prajabhyaha Santu jaradastayaha”

Dear, we have walked four steps so far together. By taking this fifth step with me, you have enriched my life.

May you be blessed with every happiness. May our loved ones live long and happy life.

Please come and share my duties for all charity acts. Come with me so we can enrich our family and get blessed with noble, righteous and brave children.

Bride’s pledge/promise As uttered in Sanskrit language

“Arte arba sapade vadet” I will be with you in all the circumstances. I will share your happiness and joy and I will also share your grieves. Your love will give me strength to trust and respect you.

My utmost concern would be your wish fulfillment. I pledge to do all possible tasks to carry out your wishes.

End of 5th Phera

---------------------------------

6th Phera By performing Sixth phera couple implore for a long and happy life.

They pray to almighty to extend his blessings for a long lived togetherness. They wish to enjoy endless plentiful seasons with each other.

Sixth phera is completely related to the long, joyous life and togetherness.

Bridegroom’s pledge/promise My Love, you have added immense happiness to my life, by taking six steps now with me.

My heart is filled with joy. I wish to have you always by my side. May you be with me forever and glut my life with pleasure and peace.

Bride’s pledge/promise As uttered in Sanskrit language

“Yajne home shashthe vacho vadet”

I assure you that I will always walk beside you. I promise you that I will happily participate with you in all your noble acts. I will stand with you to perform the jobs to enrich our mercenary prosperity and enjoyment.

I will also extend my efforts for all your devotional duties.

End of the 6th phera

--------------------------------

7th Phera Seventh Phera is the last phera which adds completion to the ritual of seven pheras.

In seventh Phera , Bride & Bridegroom plead for a joy full life.

The couple begs the god for a long lasting bond enriched with good understanding, loyalty and companionship.

They pledge to bear the relationship with love and honesty. The couple invokes and also prays for universal peace as well as social welfare. Bridegroom’s pledge/promise As uttered in Sanskrit language

“Om sakhi jaradastayahga.

” My beloved, we have performed seven pheras together and now we have a single identity. Henceforth we would be incomplete without each other.

Our existence is entirely devoted to each other. I am completely yours and you are completely mine. Our bond has become perpetual. May we have an everlasting marriage. Bride’s pledge/promise As uttered in Sanskrit language

“Attramshe sakshino vadet pade.

” With the pious Ness of seven steps, I have been privileged to be your wife.

I promise you to be always truthful. We will love each other forever.

All the promises we have taken during this holy ritual, we will do all the possible to carry out the same with pure intentions. We pledge to be transparent with each other.

End of the 7th Step

___________________________

7 steps in wedding

Dasarajna: Battle of the Ten Kings from Rig Veda ‹› Seven Steps of Wedding Ceremony Explained By Sanskriti on February 8, 2014 4810 30 Share5 12 5343 Indian marriages are well renowned around the world for all the rituals and events forming part of the marriage ceremony. Whether it is a week long celebrations before the actual wedding date or night long parties, the joy and exuberance evident in Indian weddings is simply unparalleled. Among various ceremonies and sacred rites; there exists ritual of 7 pheras (encirclements or roundabouts) that is considered as one of the most sacred and significant ritual of them all. 7 pheras also called Saptapadi (in Sanskrit language) basically refer to the ceremony of walking around the sacred fire seven times at the time of wedding. As in Hindu religion, it is believed that the “fire or agni” is the maintainer of life and all the Gods and Goddesses are always present around this sacred fire, so the bride and bridegroom are required to take this ritual together around the holy fire that is believed to be representing Agni Devta or God of Fire. The first three pheras are completed with the bride leading and in the rest pheras groom leads the way. Before diving into the significance of each phera lets have a look at that how the pheras are actually performed? How are 7 pheras performed? The ritual of 7 pheras is performed under the guidance of a priest, also called pandit in Hindi language. The priest (pandit) utters aloud the religious sayings (mantras), while the Hindu bride and the Hindu groom sit around the holy fire. After specific instructions from the priest, the bride and the groom rise up and walk around the fire seven times & with the completion of the 7th phera the ritual of 7 pheras is said to be completed. Significance of each phera As the name suggests, the ritual of pheras comprises of 7 pheras in all. Each phera has a distinct significance and meaning for the bride and the groom; a brief of which is mentioned below: - 1st Phera In the first phera , the couple pray to God to extend his blessings on them in the form of healthy food and respectful life. First phera also indicates that God is the only ultimate deity, who can bless the couple with boon of honorable life and wholesome food Bridegroom’s pledge/promise As uttered in Sanskrit language “Om esha ekapadi bhava iti prathaman” By performing the first phera lets promise to each other that our love shall become more intense with each passing day. We will help each other in every possible manner. You will cook food for me. I will bestow my love and affection upon you and shower my goodness during this journey of our married life. I will treat you kindly along with lots of love, so as to keep you happy and healthy. Bride’s pledge/promise As uttered in Sanskrit language “Dhanam dhanyam pade vadet” I will wholeheartedly accept your judgment. I promise you that I will fulfill all the responsibilities of your family with utmost care and dedication. I will take care of your honor and remain abided by your love forever. 2nd Phera In the second phera, the couple pleads to God for imparting them with mental stability, physical health and spiritual strength so that they can live there life smoothly after getting entangled in this pure relation of being husband-wife forever Bridegroom’s pledge/promise As uttered in Sanskrit language “Om oorje jara dastayaha” By performing the ritual of second phera let us promise to each other that we will stand by each other forever. You will be initiating my strength and courage along with me. Together, we shall defend our home and family from all types of odd things and evil power. Bride’s pledge/promise As uttered in Sanskrit language “Kutumburn rakshayishyammi sa aravindharam” I will always fill your heart with exuberant courage and strength. I pledge that I will utter only pleasant words. I shall be supporting you in protecting our family and children from evil powers. You shall love only me as your life partner. 3rd Phera In the third phera, The couple invoke the God to provide them with uttermost wealth, wisdom and prosperity so that they can live contented and satisfied ever after. Third phera also signifies the importance of religious and sacred responsibility which shall be performed by the couple in there future life. Bridegroom’s pledge/promise As uttered in Sanskrit language “Om rayas Santu joradastayaha” By performing the ritual of third phera, let us promise each other that we will remain spiritually abide by each other. I will look towards other woman only as my sisters. We shall grow and flourish together under the sacred and holy sanctity of God. Bride’s pledge/promise As uttered in Sanskrit language “Tava bhakti as vadedvachacha” I will love you for whole of my life. I will consider all other men as my brothers. My love and respect for you will never fade. By virtue of my love and devotion I will remain as a chaste wife. 4th Phera In the fourth phera, the couple prays to the god for bestowing happiness and rapport on them. Fourth phera also signifies the importance of family, parents and elders. Fourth phera bring out a commitment between the two souls that they will remain pledged to take care of there elders, family members and parents for rest of there life. Bridegroom’s pledge/promise As uttered in Sanskrit language “Om mayo bhavyas jaradastaya ha” By performing the ritual of fourth phera, let us promise each other that we will provide utmost aid to our elders and parents. You will bring fortune and sanctity in my life. May god bless us with an ecstatic life and healthy children Bride’s pledge/promise As uttered in Sanskrit language “Lalayami cha pade vadet.” I will decorate myself with jewelry, flowers and garlands just for you. Euphoria of my fragrance will be bestowed on only you. I will serve you and please you in every possible way. 5th Phera In the Fifth Phera , the couple pray to almighty to bless his kindness for all the living things of this universe. They pray for the happiness and well being of each others relatives and friends. Fifth Phera denotes the bride’s and bridegroom’s concern with each other’s family members and relatives. It also signifies their moral responsibilities towards the charities and universe welfare. Another importance of fifth Phera is that they pray for a noble breed. Bridegroom’s pledge/promise As uttered in Sanskrit language “Om prajabhyaha Santu jaradastayaha” Dear, we have walked four steps together. By taking this fifth steps with me, you have enriched my life. May you be blessed with every happiness. May our loved ones live long and happy life. Please come and share my duties for all charity acts. Come with me so we can enrich our family and get blessed with noble, righteous and brave children. Bride’s pledge/promise As uttered in Sanskrit language “Arte arba sapade vadet” I will be with you in all the circumstances. I will share your happiness and joy and I will also share your grieves. Your love will give me strength to trust and respect you. My utmost concern would be your wish fulfillment. I pledge to do all possible tasks to carry out your wishes. 6th Phera By performing Sixth phera couple implore for a long and happy life. They pray to almighty to extend his blessings for a long lived togetherness. They wish to enjoy endless plentiful seasons with each other. Sixth phera is completely related to the long, joyous life and togetherness. Bridegroom’s pledge/promise My Love, you have added immense happiness to my life, by taking six steps with me. My heart is filled with joy. I wish to have you always by my side. May you be with me forever and glut my life with pleasure and peace Bride’s pledge/promise As uttered in Sanskrit language “Yajne home shashthe vacho vadet” I assure you that I will always walk beside you. I promise you that I will happily participate with you in all your noble acts. I will stand with you to perform the jobs to enrich our mercenary prosperity and enjoyment. I will also extend my efforts for all your devotional duties 7th Phera Seventh Phera is the last phera which adds completion to the ritual of seven pheras. In seventh Phera , Bride & Bridegroom plead for a joy full life. The couple begs the god for a long lasting bond enriched with good understanding, loyalty and companionship. They pledge to bear the relationship with love and honesty. The couple invokes and also prays for universal peace as well as social welfare. Bridegroom’s pledge/promise As uttered in Sanskrit language “Om sakhi jaradastayahga.” My beloved, we have performed seven pheras together and now we have a single identity. Henceforth we would be incomplete without each other. Our existence is entirely devoted to each other. I am completely yours and you are completely mine. Our bond has become perpetual. May we have an everlasting marriage. Bride’s pledge/promise As uttered in Sanskrit language “Attramshe sakshino vadet pade.” With the pious of seven steps, I have been privileged to be your wife. I promise you to be always truthful. We will love each other forever. All the promises we have taken during this holy ritual, we will do all the possible to carry out the same with pure intentions. We pledge to be transparent with each other. LIKE US ON FACEBOOK OR SHARE OUR PAGE WITH YOUR FRIENDS AND HELP SPREAD THE KNOWLEDGE. YOU MAY ALSO LIKE Agnihotra Homam and Radioactivity The Mangalsutra Necklace Importance Of Mehndi In Indian Culture Significance of Garlands (Var-mala) in Indian Wedding Ceremonies Maha Shivaratri Significance of Havan (Homam) Why do we pray? Significance and Meaning of Fasting on Saturdays Why orange color is used? Symbolism of Ear Piercing in Hinduism Spiritual Significance of Flowers Why women cover their head in sacred places? We Have Gods For Every Season Meaning of Namaste One Response to "Seven Steps of Wedding Ceremony Explained" swamiji January 30, 2015 at 3:17 am Saptapadi and phera are two different steps in the wedding ceremony. 7steps VS 7 rounds It appears to as one here. The 7 phere are indeed with the bride in front for the first three rounds and the rest with the groom in front. Reply Leave a Reply Your email address will not be published. Notify me of follow-up comments via e-mail Search the website Like us on Facebook Like The Big Ideas if you love Science: Follow us on Twitter Who is visiting right now ↑ Sanskriti – Indian Culture © All images and artworks are designed by our creative staff | Website Designed by CreativeNerds Translate »

The Perception Of A Pure Devotee

by Rāmānanda Rāya Dās on August 7, 2012 in Transcribed lectures

THE FOLLOWING LECTURE ON SRIMAD-BHAGVATAM, THIRD CANTO, CHAPTER NINE, “BRAHMA’S PRAYERS FOR CREATIVE ENERGY”, WAS GIVEN BY HIS HOLINESS BHAKTI CHARU SWAMI ON 17 FEBRUARY 2009 IN ISKCON UJJAIN, INDIA.

Transcription & editen : Her Grace Ranga Radhika Dasi

Audio reference: click here 

Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya
Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya
Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya

Srimad Bhagavatam, third Canto, chapter nine “Brahma’s Prayers For Creative Energy”, text thirty one.

tata atmani loke ca
bhakti-yuktah samahitah
drashtasi mam tatam brahman
mayi lokams tvam atmanah

Synonyms:
tatah — thereafter; atmani — in yourself; loke — in the universe; ca — also; bhakti-yuktah — being situated in devotional service; samahitah — being completely absorbed; drashta asi — you shall see; mam — Me; tatam — spread throughout; brahman — O Brahma; mayi — in Me; lokan — all the universe; tvam — you; atmanah — the living entities.

Translation:
O Brahma, when you are absorbed in devotional service, in the course of your creative activities, you will see Me in you and throughout the universe, and you will see that you yourself, the universe and the living entities are all in Me.

Purport:
It is cited herein by the Lord that during his daytime Brahma would see Him as Lord Sri Krishna. He would appreciate how the Lord expanded Himself into all the calves during His childhood at Vrindavana, he would know how Yasodamayi saw all the universes and planetary systems within the mouth of Krishna during His playful childhood pastimes, and he would also see that there are many millions of Brahmas during the appearance of Lord Krishna in Brahma’s daytime. But all these manifestations of the Lord, appearing everywhere in His eternal, transcendental forms, cannot be understood by anyone but the pure devotees, who are always engaged in devotional service to the Lord and are fully absorbed in the Lord. The high qualifications of Brahma are also indicated herein.
[End of Purport]

tata atmani loke ca
bhakti-yuktah samahitah
drashtasi mam tatam brahman
mayi lokams tvam atmanah

O Brahma, when you are absorbed in devotional service, in the course of your creative activities, you will see Me in you and throughout the universe, and you will see that you yourself, the universe and the living entities are all in Me.

So a pure devotee sees the Lord in his heart, the pure devotee sees the Lord in everyone’s heart and a pure devotee of the Lord sees the Lord in everything. And at the same time he also sees that he himself, everyone else and everything is resting in the Lord. That has been described as the qualification or perception of a pure devotee.

sarva-bhuteshu yah pasyed
bhagavad-bhavam atmanah
bhutani bhagavaty atmany
esha bhagavatottamah
[SB 11.2.45]

So sarva-bhuteshu yah pasyed bhagavad-bhavam atmanah. Sarva-bhuteshu, in every living entity he sees the Lord. Yah pasyati, and he also sees that how the Lord is present in everybody and how everybody is actually resting on the Lord. So that is the perception of the most advanced devotee, bhagavatottamah, the most advanced devotee.

There are three types of devotees: kanistha-adhikari, madhyama-adhikari and uttama-adhikari. The kanistha-adhikari, he is a devotee, he accepts the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He worships Him but he sees the Lord and he thinks that he is the only devotee.

arcayam eva haraye
pujam yah sraddhayehate
na tad-bhakteshu canyeshu
sa bhaktah prakritah smritah
[SB 11.2.47]

Prakritah means mundane, materialistic. He is a materialistic devotee. He is a devotee but his consciousness is not properly spiritually situated. But when he becomes more advanced then he sees that how others are also engaged in devotional service, how others are also in advanced devotional situation. And at the same time he also sees some others, they are not devotees, rather, they are innocent, balisha. And then he also sees that some others are offensive to the Lord, dvishatsu ca.

isvare tad-adhineshu
baliseshu dvishatsu ca
prema-maitri-kripopeksha
yah karoti sa madhyamah
[SB 11.2.46]

So madhyama-adhikari devotee’s qualification is being described here. He sees ishvara. He sees Krishna. He sees tad-adhineshu, Krishna’s devotees, baliseshu, the innocent and dvishatsu ca, the offenders. And accordingly he has love, friendship, compassion and disregard. For ishvara, Krishna, he has prema. To the devotees he has maitri. To the innocent he has compassion, kripa, and to the offenders upeksha. He disregards them, avoids them. He doesn’t want to have anything with them. So that is the madhyama-adhikari. He makes discrimination. He discriminates. Different living entities are situated in different platforms.
But uttama-adhikari, uttama-adhikari is sarva-bhuteshu yah pasyed bhagavad-bhavam atmanah. In every living entity he sees the Supreme, the manifestation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He sees that the Lord is situated in everyone’s heart and he also sees that how everyone is actually resting on the Lord. Everyone is dependent upon the Lord. So that is the pure spiritual perception. After all, everybody is a living entity. Everybody is a spirit soul. In Chaitanya Charitamrita the same concept has been described in this way, that

sthavara-jangama dekhe, na dekhe tara murti
sarvatra haya nija ista-deva-sphurti
[CC Madhya 8.274]

Sthavara-jangama dekhe, na dekhe tara murti, he sees the non-moving, inert objects and he also sees the moving living entities. He sees moving or non-moving. Everything in this material world is either moving or non-moving. Generally living entities are moving and the inert matter is non-moving. So he sees both – inert and living entities – not according to their murtis, not according to their shape or form. Sarvatra haya nija ista-deva-sphurti, everywhere he sees his worshipful Lord.
Now the question arises, does he then see Krishna everywhere? Yes, there is a way to see that. Like, one way is when we see a living entity, a pure devotee sees that the Lord is situated in his heart. Prabhupada made it very clear to us, for example, when we offer obeisances to each other then we don’t really offer obeisances to the person. Or rather, while we are offering obeisances to the person, we are actually offering the obeisances to the Lord in the heart. So this is how we have to see the presence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in different living entities.

So we can see the Lord in the heart. We can see how the different living entities are parts and parcels of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. We can see how some living entities have rejected the Lord and, as a result of that, they are suffering in this material nature. And we can also see how the Lord is lamenting, how the Lord is inflicted, how the Lord is feeling the pain that these living entities have gone away from Him. And therefore, a devotee wants to bring those living entities back to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That’s why he is engaged in preaching.
The point is, this is not just an imaginary perception. That is the difference between a devotee and the impersonalist. The impersonalist will try to say that sarvam khalvidam brahman, everything is Brahman. [Chandogya Upanishad 2.14.1] Yes, everything is the manifestation of the spiritual energy but they do not see the variegatedness or individual’s personality and individual’s individual characteristics. They cannot see that. Similarly, if somebody says, “Oh, you are Krishna”, no, the devotee never says, “You are Krishna.” He sees Krishna but he doesn’t think that everybody is Krishna. Rather, he sees in relation to Krishna. Like, for example, I know that this finger is a part of my body but no one will say that this finger is the body. Just this finger by itself is not the body. It is just a part of the body. Similarly we have to see the difference between the part and the whole. A living entity is a part and parcel of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. A living entity is not the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
So a devotee’s perception is not imaginary, not speculative but real. And it is in relation to the Supreme Personality of Godhead from a real context. Yes, the Lord is present in the heart, therefore a devotee sees the Lord in the heart of all the living entities.
The wise man’s perception has been described in Bhagavad-gita as
vidya-vinaya-sampanne
brahmane gavi hastini
suni caiva sva-pake ca
panditah sama-darsinah
[Bg 5.18]

A brahmana who is qualified, very qualified, very exalted brahmana, vidya-vinaya-sampanne brahmana, gavi hastini, a cow, an elephant, and suni caiva sva-pake ca, a dog and sva-pake is a dog eating chandala, he sees sama-darsinah, he sees them as equal. He sees them equal. That doesn’t mean that he thinks that an elephant is a dog and a dog is a chandala. [laughs] No, he sees a dog as a dog. He sees an elephant as an elephant. He sees a brahmana as a brahmana, in their respective positions, but sama-darsinah. Why sama-darsinah? Is a dog and an elephant equal? Is a brahmana and a chandala equal? No, they are not equal. Qualitatively they are different but his perception is equal because he is not seeing their external material condition, rather they are seeing their spiritual identity. They are seeing them from their spiritual identity, in relation to their spiritual identity. They are all spirit souls. One spirit soul is in a certain situation, he is a brahmana. His activities, his past karma, his background has situated him in this platform, in this particular body. Another personality is a chandala, meaning the lowest of mankind, absorbed in very, very undesirable activities. And he sees the cow, also he sees that the cow she is also a spirit soul. An elephant is also a spirit soul. A dog is also a spirit soul. A snake is also a spirit soul. They are all spirit souls but according to their conditioning, according to their material involvement they are situated in different types of bodies. And then he goes even deeper. Then he sees that how the living entities became separated from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. They shouldn’t be separated. They should be situated along with the Supreme Personality of Godhead in the spiritual sky, but unfortunately they have become separated. Why they became separated? Because of their perverted mentality. And because of becoming separated from the Lord look at their condition: in the material world they are undergoing so many types of sufferings.

So that is the perception of a pure devotee. And then he also sees that the inert objects, not only he is seeing the Lord, or seeing everything in relationship with the Lord, only the living entities, but he is also seeing the inert objects. And he sees how these inert objects can be engaged in the service of the Lord. “Oh, there is a nice mridanga. So let’s just get it and engage it in Krishna’s service.” Or there is a very nice saying, the perception of a devotee, he sees some vultures in the sky and he becomes very happy. Now who becomes happy seeing a vulture? Because vultures are very inauspicious animals, very inauspicious birds. Vultures bring all inauspiciousness, but a pure devotee sees a vulture flying in the sky, hovering – sometimes we see some vultures are hovering in the sky, clustered together – he becomes happy. Why? Because he knows that there is a dead cow. Now, again, a dead cow also is not a very pleasant sight, but he becomes happy. Why? Because now he thinks that, “I’ll take the skin of the cow and I’ll make a mridanga and I’ll sing the glory of the Lord.” So that is the perception of a devotee. Therefore it is very difficult to understand the perception of a devotee, vaishnavera kriya-mudra vijne na bujhaya. Even a very learned person cannot understand the activities and mentality of a Vaishnava, a devotee of the Lord, because he sees everything in relationship to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He sees everything in the light of how everything can be engaged in spreading the glory of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

So that is the perception of a pure devotee. To be in a most advanced stage means to be situated in a certain platform by developing a certain outlook, a certain attitude, a certain mentality. That is a pure devotee. And then Prabhupada in the purport is pointing out another very wonderful aspect of this perception, that Brahma, not only he will see from his perspective, but Brahma also will see according to the Lord’s pastimes. During his day the Lord will appear. Once in a day of Brahma Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, appears on the twenty eighth chaturyuga in the Dvapara yuga, Krishna appears. And in those pastimes Krishna will have some wonderful exchange with Brahma. He will allow Brahma to see so many wonderful things.
Like, for example, one day Brahma will see that this little boy, who is only about seven years old – no not even seven, He was about six years old at that time – this pastime took place even before lifting of Govardhana, when He was about six years old. He is tending the cows. He just started to tend the cows, take the calves to the pasturing ground. So one day Brahma saw that this little boy killed Aghasura. This little boy Krishna killed a terrible demon called Aghasura. So he was very surprised because Aghasura was such a powerful demon that even the demigods were afraid of Aghasura. Not only afraid, they used to tremble just by hearing the name of Aghasura. And Aghasura was not only very powerful but he was practically immortal. Nobody could kill Aghasura.

Brahma was seeing Krishna as a little boy due to the arrangement of Yogamaya. Sometimes Yogamaya bewilders the perception of a devotee so that he can have a very intimate, loving exchange with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Yogamaya, maya means forgetfulness, forgetfulness, not seeing things as they actually are. That’s called maya (illusion).
Now there are two types of maya: one is Mahamaya and the other is Yogamaya. Mahamaya is the maya or illusion caused by forgetfulness, but Yogamaya is the spiritual aspect of that maya, a kind of forgetfulness, a kind of illusion. But it is not exactly illusion that we generally know of due to forgetfulness. So he was being affected by that illusory energy of the Lord, Yogamaya. Brahma could not recognize Krishna, this little six year old boy. He was seeing the six year old boy as just a cowherd boy. He couldn’t see Him as the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

So he saw the cowherd boy was playing with His friends and He was taking the calves to the pasturing ground. They were all happily having a wonderful loving exchange among themselves and then they came across this terrible demon, Aghasura. Brahma knew that that was Aghasura and Brahma became worried. “Oh, now these little children are approaching this terrible demon! What’s going to happen?” Brahma became curious and in anxiety. So then Brahma saw that all these young boys, cowherd boys became curious to find out what is this. They thought that it was a cave, a mountain cave, and they thought, “Oh, it will be a nice place to explore.” So they walked into the mouth of Aghasura. Brahma knew that Aghasura actually has come to swallow them up. The boys entered and, following the boys the cows also, the calves also entered into the mouth of Aghasura. And Krishna was just standing there, a six year old boy. And then Brahma saw that finally that boy, Krishna, that cowherd boy entered into the mouth of Aghasura. And Aghasura also was waiting for Krishna. Just as Krishna would enter he would close his mouth and crash them, eat them up, swallow them. But before Aghasura could do that Krishna expanded Himself into such a huge form that, what to speak of swallowing, that little boy got stuck in Aghasura’s throat. And not only Krishna expanded Himself into a huge form, Krishna started to emanate. Krishna became like a ball of fire. So much fire, it became so hot, that Aghasura started to ride in pain. He was in a terrible situation. He tried to throw this boy out of his mouth but he couldn’t do that. The boy was stuck in his throat! [laughs] So Aghasura’s situation became so unbearable that he left his body. How did he leave his body? His throat was stuck. There was no way that he could leave his body. So all his other holes were stuck. I don’t know how many holes a snake body has but Aghasura then finally left his body penetrating through his brahmarandhra, the cerebral hole. Generally the yogis leave their body through the cerebral hole. That’s a kind of perfection. Now this Aghasura demon was forced to a situation like that where he left his body through his brahmarandhra. And then he came out of his body, he hovered on the space for the time being, as if the soul was waiting for Krishna to come out of the mouth. When Krishna came out, his soul actually merged into His body.

So Brahma was very surprised. He thought, “Maybe this is my Lord, Narayana.” So Brahma just kept on watching the activities of this boy. Then Brahma saw that after that all these cowherd boys and the calves, along with Krishna they came to the bank of Yamuna and there they sat down to have a picnic. They brought their food along with them, so they were sharing their food with each other and the calves were grazing nearby, and they were having a picnic. Then again Brahma was surprised. He was thinking that this is Narayana, but then Brahma saw that how they were actually having an exchange among themselves, that Krishna, this boy, was taking the remnants of another cowherd boy and other cowherd boys ate something and found it to be very tasty and that half eaten stuff, he said, “Come, see how wonderful it is.” And He happily He is taking it and eating it. Brahma thought, “My Lord Narayana cannot behave like this! Who will ever offer any contaminated remnants to Narayana? Who will offer ‘jhootha’ to Narayana? And why will Narayana eat the jhootha of somebody else?”
So Brahma became quite surprised and then he thought that he would check it out whether He is really Narayana. So then Brahma first stole the calves. He just stole the calves. In a wink of an eye Brahma just took them away. And all of a sudden the cowherd boys noticed that not a single cow is in sight. So they began to worry what happened. They all were just eating, so Krishna said, “Okay, most probably they have entered into the forest, so I’ll go and bring them back.” Saying that, “You all carry on eating and I’ll just go and bring the calves back,” so saying that Krishna went to look for the calves. And He couldn’t find the calves, so He came back. And when He came back He saw that all the boys are also missing. When Krishna went to search for the calves, Brahma actually stole the cowherd boys as well. Then Krishna realized that this is the doing of Brahma. So Krishna just smiled to Himself. “You are trying to check Me out. Fine! See My ‘pasya me yoga aisvaram’, see My mystic potency.” [Bg 9.5] So Krishna expanded Himself to all these calves and all the cowherd boys. So they were replaced by His expansion.
And for Brahma, just to steal the calves and the cowherd boys and put them in a cave and block the mouth of the cave and turn around, it took him one year. According to Brahma it took one second, Brahma’s second. But one second of Brahma is one year according to our calculation. So when Brahma turned around and looked, it was actually after one year that Brahma looked, and when Brahma looked around he found that all the cowherd boys, all are having a picnic, Krishna is sitting in the centre, they all are having a picnic, they are sharing their food and the calves are grazing in the field. So Brahma again looked into the cave and he found that this set of cowherd boys and calves are asleep in the cave and on the other side they are all having their picnic. And then, the second time Brahma looked at them, what did he see? He saw that every cowherd boy is actually a Narayana. All the calves are actually Narayana. Krishna’s expansions means Narayana. So they all are Krishna’s expansions. So Brahma realized that, “Oh, this is not only my Lord, He is the origin of my Lord. I worship one Narayana and He can create so many Narayanas from His expansions.”

So this is how Brahma became bewildered, Brahma Mohana Lila. Krishna bewildered Brahma in this way. So Prabhupada is pointing out that this is how Brahma, the Lord was telling Brahma that, “This is how you will see, sarva-bhuteshu yah pasyet. You will see Me in everyone. You will see that how I will expand Myself into all these cowherd boys and calves. And then you will see that everything is within Me. That of course you won’t see yourself, that you won’t see yourself, but that you will see through mother Yashoda.”
Playfully one day Krishna had a fight with some of His cowherd boyfriends. No, I am sorry, they didn’t have a fight. One day Krishna playfully ate some mud, so they came home and reported to mother Yashoda that Krishna ate mud. Now for a child, sometimes a child eats mud but that is not good for him, because mud is not going to be digested in the stomach so it will just cause problem in the stomach. So mother Yashoda was asking Krishna, “Krishna, did You really do that?” Krishna said, “No, I didn’t do that.” Then mother Yashoda asked all the boys, “Why are you saying this?” And they said, “No, no, Krishna did that. He is lying.” Then Krishna said, “No, I am not lying. Actually, I had a fight with them and they unnecessarily are complaining to you.” So in this way it was going on, so then finally mother Yashoda said, “Okay, open Your mouth and let me see.” And when Krishna opened His mouth mother Yashoda saw the entire universe within Krishna’s mouth. So this is again ‘pasya me yoga aisvaram’, so His mystique opulence.

Krishna is in everybody, Krishna is in everything and everything is in Krishna. Not only one universe, there are innumerable universes, there are innumerable Brahmas. So Brahma should not think, Brahma should not become proud of his position. “Oh, I am so big!” Krishna reminded that, “Actually you are just one insignificant living entity.” And Krishna, through His pastimes He pointed out. One day Brahma wondered, that when Brahma came to see Krishna, he came a little proudly and said, “Please inform”… naturally Krishna was in Dwaraka, He was a prince there so nobody could just walk into His chamber, walk into His room. So Brahma came and Krishna’s attendants asked, “So what should I tell Him?” He said, “Please tell Him that Brahma has come to see Him.” So Krishna could detect that Brahma had a little pride, thinking that he is so exalted. So Krishna asked, “Which Brahma?” And then when Krishna wondered which Brahma, He also called, the other Brahmas immediately appeared. And then this Brahma saw there are so many Brahmas! And out of them he was the most insignificant: he had only four heads. There were Brahmas with sixteen heads. There were Brahmas with sixty four heads. There were Brahmas with hundreds of heads, thousands of heads. So this is the potency, this is the mystic opulence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

So to be a devotee means to understand the supreme position of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And compared to Him everything becomes insignificant. From our perspective we may think, “Oh, we are so big.” But compared to the Lord’s perspective all living entities are absolutely insignificant. Like we can consider, there is an ant community. In the ant community say, one ant can lift how much? One grain of sugar. But another ant he can lift two grains of sugar, double the size. So this ant community will consider, “Oh, he is mister universe! He is so big. He is so great!” But look at from the human perspective. It’s just an ant. From our perspective whether it can lift one grain or two grains, it’s totally insignificant. Similarly, not only from Krishna’s perspective, even from the demigod’s perspective, our situation is like that of an ant. And the demigods are insignificant in relation to Lord Brahma. And Brahma’s position is insignificant in relation to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore, we must recognize our insignificant situation, our insignificant position and surrender to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Then what will happen? As the Lord pointed out in the previous verses that, “Brahma, yes, you have been assigned with a very big responsibility, but don’t worry. I will be there. I will assist you. I will enable you to accomplish all those things.” So when we surrender to the Lord, the Lord empowers us.

And what is the difference between a devotee and a non-devotee? A non-devotee always desires for his sake, whereas a devotee always desires for Krishna’s sake. A non-devotee always thinks, “Oh I want this, I want that for my sense gratification, for my pleasure.” But a devotee thinks in relation to Krishna’s pleasure. Hrishikena hrishikesha-sevanam bhaktir ucyate. [Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 1.1.11] To engage all the senses, all the abilities in serving the Supreme Personality of Godhead is devotional service. So a devotee thinks in terms of Krishna. It’s not that a devotee doesn’t think. It is not that a devotee doesn’t desire, but a devotee’s desire is simply in relation to Krishna’s pleasure. How can I please Krishna? How can I serve Krishna? How can I fulfill the plans of Krishna? So that is the intention of a devotee. Then, what Krishna does? Krishna fulfills those desires and that is called becoming empowered. Empowered, he is not functioning according to his ability. He has been especially empowered, invested by Krishna’s potency.

So that is how wonderful this process is and that is the ultimate perfection of our existence: to become completely absorbed in Krishna and be completely engaged in serving Krishna and pleasing Krishna.

Thank you all very much! All glories to Srila Prabhupada! Gaura Premanande Hari Haribol!

Any question?

Devotee: Guru Maharaja, you mentioned that there are three types of devotees: the madhyama, the kanistha and uttama. The madhyama actually discriminates and the uttama sees Krishna and everything related to Him. So this kind of vision, do we just have to wait until it comes by itself or do we have to also kind of train our mind to see it that way also?
BCS: Well, training the mind is also there but that aspect is the vaidhi bhakti (practicing the process). But ultimately it is a state of consciousness. It is not some sort of external imposition or imagination, like it is a natural development. Like, for example, when one is a baby he crawls, but when it grows up it walks. So it is a different development of one phase to another phase. So the spirit soul, at the initial stage, when it is accepting the spiritual process but he is situated on the material platform, then his mentality will be like that. That is the kanistha-adhikari. It is a situation. It is a situation that is unavoidable in the course of his development. So there is no need to be upset.
“Oh, why am I a kanistha-adhikari?”
“Well, if I am a kanistha-adhikari, let me be a kanistha-adhikari. At least some adhikara has come. At least some devotion has begun. Previously I didn’t even know who Krishna was. Previously there was no acceptance of Krishna’s authority. Previously I never even thought of becoming a devotee. But today at least I have come to the devotional platform, and in this platform, because of my crooked mentality, because of my perverted mentality I am thinking that I am the greatest devotee. But what to do? I can’t help it!”
But keep on practicing the process, then from kanistha you will come to the madhyama platform. Continue to practice the process, from madhyama you will come to the uttama-adhikari platform. So it is a development of consciousness. It is a matter of development of consciousness. Therefore, wherever we are, let us recognize that situation and try to improve ourselves. Yeah, if I don’t want to remain a kanistha-adhikari, but at least let me recognize that I am a kanistha-adhikari, and now let me practice the process with all sincerity. Then, yes, I will develop, I will transcend this situation and come to the higher platform and so forth.
Yes, Anshul? How many questions are there?
Devotee: So far two questions.
BCS: Okay.

Devotee: This is a question from Guru Gauranga prabhu. Our eyes absorb us easily in maya and Krishna remains outside our material vision. How can we see Krishna everywhere when our senses are looking for happiness through our eyes?
BCS: Well, yeah, the same point, keep on practicing the process of devotional service. Practice the process of vaidhi bhakti. That is, vaidhi bhakti, shravanam, kirtanam, Vishnu smaranam, archanam, vandanam. The process actually begins with shravanam. So when we hear then we’ll get to know Krishna more and more and as a result of that we will develop our attachment to Krishna. We will develop our appreciation for Krishna. We will develop our love for Krishna. It will keep on happening by practicing the process.

So now, yes, we are in a contaminated state. We are seeing things in a certain way because of our conditioned state. But if we practice the process then we will transcend this conditioned stage and come to a perfected stage. It will happen. So now we are seeing things in a certain way, but through the practice of devotional service we will be trained to see things in some other way. Like, that other way is that seeing things in the light of our love for Krishna. Now what happened? We forgot Krishna. Therefore we do not know who to love, but we want to love. So what we are loving now? Where we are imposing our love? We are imposing our love in the objects of our sense gratification. But as we develop our Krishna consciousness then we will develop our love for Krishna and then the perception will change.

Like, in this respect Prabhupada gives the example that the mother, when she was a young girl she was completely into sense gratification. She didn’t know anything beside her sense gratification. She was only concerned with what will please her, what will give her pleasure. But the moment she becomes a mother her attitude completely changes. Then she doesn’t consider about herself. She is always concerned about her own child. Morning till night she is completely absorbed about her child the moment she becomes a mother, the moment she gives birth to a child.
So Krishna consciousness is like that: as we develop our Krishna consciousness our whole perception will change. Like now we are completely absorbed in our bodily consciousness and as a result of that we are naturally inclined towards sense gratification. But by practicing the process, just like in the case of the mother, case of the girl, the process was she got married, then she had the union with her husband and as a result of that the child was conceived and the child grew and then she gave birth to a child. So similarly Krishna consciousness also goes through a specific process and that process is shravanam, kirtanam, Vishnu smaranam. That process. And if we practice the process it will happen. From loving ourselves we will develop our love for Krishna. It will happen. The transformation will take place.
Thank you, Guru Gauranga. Any other question?

Devotee: The second question is from Nilambari Radhika mataji. The Lord is present in everyone’s heart. So how do we deal with the people with a demonic nature in this material world?
BCS: Yeah. It depends whether you are a kanistha-adhikari, madhyama-adhikari or uttama-adhikari. So especially when you are a madhyama-adhikari then you will see the discrimination. You’ll recognize, “oh, he is a demon.” He is a spirit soul, no doubt, but he is a demon. Demon means he is offensive to Krishna. So what is the attitude of a madhyama-adhikari devotee towards an offender? Disregard. I have nothing to do with him. I don’t want to have anything to do with him. But if you are an uttama-adhikari then you won’t see him as a demon. You will see that how he is a part of Krishna’s divine arrangement. Like you will see that actually he is behaving like that because Krishna has a plan to take him back to Godhead. So he is a demon for the time being. Just like Hiranyakasipu was a demon for the time being but then he becomes a devotee. So some day he will become a devotee of Krishna and Krishna is just making him go through certain phases and eventually he will become a devotee.
Hare Krishna! Thank you, Nilambari, for your nice question.

Hare Krishna. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
Yes?

Devotee: Brahma is stealing the living entities and Krishna is replacing the same living entities. So my question is
BCS: When Krishna expands then He is not a living entity, then He is an avatara. When Krishna expands then He is not a jiva, when Krishna expands He is Vishnu-tattva. So those cowherd boys were not jiva-tattvas. They were not living entities. How did Brahma saw those cowherd boys? As Narayana. Is there a difference between a jiva and Narayana? Or you think they are the same?

Hare Krishna! All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
Any questions from you all students from Bhopal? Do you have any question? No? Okay.
Okay, I have a question. Did you all come for the first time? How many of you came for the first time this time? Oh, most of you. How many of you came here before? Okay, just two, three of you. Okay, those who came for the first time and those who came here before, are you properly situated? When did you arrive? [students: yesterday] Yesterday. Are you comfortably situated? [students: yes] Are you happy being here? You are enjoying your stay here? Very good! Thank you.
Seventeen of them came, eh? Very good. Welcome to Ujjain!
Yes, Raghava Pandita?

Devotee: I have two questions.
BCS: Yes, sure.

Devotee: My question is, Guru Maharaja, can someone be born with a state of consciousness
BCS: Can someone?

Devotee: Be born with
BCS: What kind of consciousness?

Devotee: Like with an uttama-adhikari consciousness.
BCS: Yes! Sure, sure. Like Prahlada Maharaja, with what consciousness he was born, all the associates of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Narottama Dasa Thakura, all these pure devotees. They are pure devotees.

Devotee: One more question.
BCS: Yeah.

Devotee: What do you prefer: becoming brahmachari with saffron clothes or becoming brahmachari with white clothes? I mean to say, most of the devotees are students.
BCS: Okay, I get your point.

Devotee: Yeah.
BCS: Okay, brahmachari in saffron clothes, brahmachari in white clothes. So that means you are asking which kind of brahmachari is better: brahmachari brahmachari, grihasta brahmachari, vanaprastha brahmachari or sannyasi brahmachari? Okay, brahmacharis are brahmacharis, irrespective of external situation. So we have to become brahmachari not by dress, but we have to become brahmachari in the heart. So become a brahmachari in the heart. That’s what really matters.

Devotee: Thank you. One more question.
BCS: Go ahead.

Devotee: [inaudible, question about a statement in the previous Bhagavatam class]
BCS: Okay, so the main thing is that don’t get into a loop when it is on auto-pilot. [laughs] Then you get into control. If you are a pilot, if you are running the vehicle, if you are flying the aircraft then don’t set it on auto-pilot and leave it at that. Then take the control of that. And don’t depend upon Krishna. Take control. What I was giving the example of the auto-pilot, guna-karma is the auto-pilot, Krishna’s arrangement. It is Krishna’s arrangement but the human beings have the ability to transcend the guna-karma platform. Other living entities, sub-human species, they are completely under the control of guna and karma, but the human beings are meant to transcend the guna-karma platform and come to the platform of devotional service (surrender). So surrender means giving the control to Krishna. So there are three stages: you are controlling, you are flying the aircraft, then you set the thing on auto-pilot and then you hand it over to Krishna. So the best thing is to ultimately hand it over to Krishna, recognizing that I am not actually the doer. Everything is happening by His arrangement.

Devotee: I have one question. Krishna says in Bhagavad-gita that this knowledge of Bhagavad-gita I gave to the Sun god in the beginning. (?) The Sun god is also a great devotee of Krishna, that’s why He gave, so why he is in a demigod’s position?
BCS: Why he is in a demigod’s position? Because he has been assigned with some responsibility. Because he is a devotee, he is given some responsibility. The responsibility is to control the sun planet, right? Now say Krishna has some important responsibility, now who will He give the responsibility? To somebody who is loyal to Him or somebody who is disloyal to Him? So isn’t it natural that Krishna gives those positions to His devotees? So demigods have their respective responsibilities and generally Krishna gives those responsibilities to His devotee. They may not be pure devotees, but they are devotees. Okay?
Thank you! Hare Krishna! Yeah?

Devotee: As you said, there are three stages of piloting an aircraft. The auto-pilot is surrender to Krishna. Like this human body as we have, half of it is on auto-pilot, things which we cannot control, our heart going on, [inaudible] while the others are under our control, like we can move [inaudible]. If we try to get the auto-pilot things in our control, sometimes it looks like we cannot do it.
BCS: Yeah.

Devotee: So how can we help that?
BCS: That’s why, if you are a co-pilot then hand it over to the pilot, right? [laughs] Hand the vehicle, the control over to Krishna, because He knows how to control. After all, He is controlling everything. And then what happens? Then everything becomes easy. But it doesn’t mean that I stop functioning. If I am a co-pilot I keep on flying but assisting the pilot, under his direction. But if I am a co-pilot and if I disregard the captain and try to fly, because I am not experienced enough, I may get into trouble. So the intelligent thing is to hand the control over to the captain.

Hare Krishna! All glories to Srila Prabhupada! Gaura Premanande Hari Haribol!