Just to escape

9+ 2 Vrujlal Vaja June 26 at 11:37pm · ॐ श्रीपरमात्मने नमः । 27/6/2015. JUST TO ESCAPE FROM DOING WHAT THEY HAD TO DO, WE STARTED WORSHIPPING RAM, KRISHNA, BUDDHA, ETC AS GOD. Many times people ask, there are so many Gods, whom should they worship? First of all there is only one God and that is you. There is no God other than you. But yes, we have many names of Gods and Goddesses. There can be two types of answers. One you can say that there is only one God that is you. The other is different names of God indicate the same entity's. Man is very possessive. He is a comfort seeker too. There is public transportation, but you want your own vehicle. You want your own home, wife, pen, computer, mobile, theatre, gym, and God, too. So everybody invented his own God out of the same entity, and result is so many Gods. It is like a buffet dinner. There are so many recipes spreaded over counters; you can have as per your taste and liking. So different Gods is not an ambiguity, but a conveniency of choice. But the thing to be seen is that they all refer to same entity. God is not persona specific. There is a Rule under which the entire universe runs. There is a System, that automatically records every wave, and repays the doer according his actions. This is very neutral and nonpartisan arrangement, which runs on its own. Just like Kiosk, you get the stuff, in remuneration to the amount you inserted. Ganga Sati calls it the Vachan-Vivek. Now let us try to understand how God came into existence. If you accept the System as an automatic management, then person has no any say in it and your prayers as far as they are for your singing, as the cuckoo sings, are fine and acceptable. But if you want to ask some favour from the System, then System has no eyes, no ears, and no arms, so your prayers will fall on deaf ears and they are totally misplaced. But you have a fever of making prayers for favours. Then your disease is not curable by the medicines of this System. So you wanted such arrangement in which your prayers can be heard, not only heard but heeded too. You wish that arrangement must be such that can understand the untold things also, because sometimes you are among such persons, and your demand is such that you can’t utter your demands in public. So automated System doesn’t suit you. You want living, magical, powerful, generous, idiot, God, who can forgive your sins and bestow upon you all the reaches of the world in spite of all your misdeeds. To satisfy your this demand human bodied God came into existence. During Vedic time, the idol worshiping was not there. It doesn’t even have the sanction of Vedas. Vedas Says: शिवमात्मनि पश्यन्ति प्रतिमासु न योगिन:।अज्ञानां भावनाथाॅय प्रतिमापरिकल्पिता।।(जाबाल दशॅनोपनिषद-4/59) (Shivamatmani pashyanti pratimasu na yoginaha. Agyanam bhavnarthay pratimaparikalpita- Jabal Darshanopanishad-4/59). "Men with wisdom see God in themselves, and not in the idols. The idols are imagined just to shelter the sentiments of ignorant people". This makes it clear that idol worshiping is not recognized by the Vedas. So God was an invention for the persons who wanted to jump the queue. When one God can be appointed then why not second? And thus the entire range of Gods was discovered. With God, came the agents, who can establish the contact with God. Hither to man was supposed to attain the Liberation on his own efforts, but with invention of God, agents were available to sell you the Liberation. So the Sadhna, the very core of religion, died and dried away and if you are able to pay in kind and cash, then you need not toil at all, and agents promised you to reserve a seat in paradise and harness planets’ pleasure on you. This virtually killed the real religion and only fake rituals took its place, and all these sects and cults are nothing but produce of your idleness. Krishna, Ram, Buddha, Mahaveer, Shiv, are some of exemplary glorious characters. What they attained in their lives, attained through their toil and pains taking efforts. They have not made miracles. Krishna had to fight many battles to establish religion. Ram had to go to Lanka and defeat Ravan. Buddha-Mahaveer had to do Tapas for more than six years. Shiv had to destroy Daxa Prajapati. Nowhere are they seen doing miracles to win over the rivals. We must follow them. We must do Tapas as they did. But we are diplomats. We hire agents to do Tapas on our behalf and try to please these masters. That we can escape from doing what they did, we appointed them as God and started worshiping them. Instead of following them, instead of doing what they did to reach that post, we started worshiping them, just to mute them by our fastidiousness. But this will not work. This can’t work. This may go till the date of appointment with Him comes, the date of death. Then everything is bound to be Cristal clear. So the invention of God is your intrigue, your fraud to deceit yourself. Awake to this great reality and improve before the death punishes you. हरिः ॐ तत्सत् । Like Comment Share 18 people like this. Bharathy Manthena very true vrujlalji,thankyou vrujlalji,Hari Om Tat Sat Like · 2 · Reply · More · Jun 27 at 12:56am Vrujlal Vaja Bharathy Manthena Ji Jay Yogeshwar Like · 1 · Reply · More · Jun 27 at 1:12am Narendra Dave દરરોજ તલવાર વધુ ને વધુ ચળકતી જાય છે.. સાહેબ.. ધન્‍યવાદ.. Like · 1 · Reply · More · Jun 27 at 1:37am Vrujlal Vaja Are juo a post no virodh karnara nikli padya chhe Like · Reply · More · Jun 27 at 1:45am 5 replies Pandit Atul Patel Naa me bhagavan hu naa me setaan hu duniyaa jo chaahe samaje me to insan hu. Like · 1 · Reply · More · Jun 27 at 3:09am Vrujlal Vaja Pandit Atul Patel Ji Jay Yogeshwar Like · Reply · More · Jun 27 at 3:42am Ram Dhakal Excellent ! But don't think death exists Like · 1 · Reply · More · Jun 27 at 5:00am Madhavji Vekaria SIR, will you be enough kind to send me your all such articles by WhatsApp please ? On my mobile 9426905999 please !!! Like · 1 · Reply · More · Jun 27 at 7:20am Vrujlal Vaja Ram Dhakal yes certainly every birth is beginning of death. Like · Reply · More · Saturday at 11:02am Vrujlal Vaja Madhavji Vekaria Ji Jay Yogeshwar Like · Reply · More · Saturday at 11:02am Emma Somaroo Awesome Like · 1 · Reply · More · Saturday at 11:03am Vrujlal Vaja Emma Somaroo Ji thank you so very much. Jay Yogeshwar Like · 1 · Reply · More · Saturday at 11:05am Vishnu Sharma Jai shree krishna sir ji Like · 1 · Reply · More · Saturday at 11:14am Vrujlal Vaja Vishnu Sharma Ji Jay Shri Krishna Like · 1 · Reply · More · Saturday at 11:15am Vrujlal Vaja Ram, Krishna, Buddha are God but they have attained Godhood by leading a life accordingly. Which is open to all. Following Krishna, etc means attain Godhood as they attained. Merely Chanting Hare Krishna is not following them. Like · Reply · More · Saturday at 11:34am Vrujlal Vaja Roshan Ji Yes I have read Kalisantarnopanishad. I know what is said there. I m not to despite it. This is practice people are inclined to opt for easy ways just deceive oneself . They are least inclined to under go the painstaking efforts these God have put in, and people want to attain Moksha by Chanting names. Moksha ke liye gyan ke alava rasta nthi hey. तमेव विदित्वातिमृत्युमेति नान्य: पंथा विद्यतेअयनाय।। (श्वेताश्वतरोपनिषद-3/8 and 6/15) (नारद परिव्राजकोपनिषद-9/1) उस (परमात्मा) को जानकर मृत्युरूपी बंधनको विद्वान पार कर जाता है, परमपदकी प्राप्तिके लिये इसके अलावा दुसरा रास्ता नहि है।) and the people who believe they are different from Brahm are assured of not attaining Moksha. भ्राम्यते चक्रे पृथगात्मानं प्रेरितारं च मत्वा।(श्वेताश्वतरोपनिषद-1/6) (अपनेको और ईश्वरको अलग समजके िजवन चक्रमेंघूमते रहतेहै ।) idol worshipping has no sanction from Vedas can also be known from the fact न तस्य प्रतिमा अस्ति। (श्वेताश्वतरोपनिषद-4/19) (उस (परमात्मा) की कोई प्रतिमा नहीं है) I have tried to bring before you what Vedas have to say. I m not dogmatic. I don't have any objection if someone is favoured out of turn and offered Moksha by chanting names. Logically accepting this is looks intellectual bankruptcy. Yet people want to take false satisfaction of attaining Moksha, then they can fly in paradise till the death approaches. Death will decided where to bestow and where to throw. Like · 1 · Reply · More · Saturday at 11:34am Vrujlal Vaja Moreover there is only one Brahm that is well accepted fact. Like · Reply · More · Saturday at 11:35am Vrujlal Vaja I can understand some have made their earnings by opening up shops and selling chanting. But I can't help them. They will try to fight nail and teeth but truth always triumphs. Like · 1 · Reply · More · Saturday at 11:35am Vrujlal Vaja It is also accepted fact that Brahm is not subject to sense organs. That is Brahm can't be seen, touched, smelt, heard or tasted. But there nothing other than Brahm. This entire universe is Brahm. Everything live and dead is Brahm only. So I don't object your view whether it is Sagun or Nirgun Like · 1 · Reply · More · Saturday at 11:35am Leila Ramlall Awesome fact! God bless you always Vrujlal! Like · 1 · Reply · More · Sunday at 9:46pm Vrujlal Vaja Leila Jay Yogeshwar. Thanks. Like · 1 · Reply · More · Sunday at 11:20pm Write a comment... Post  

Death message

9+ 1 Vrujlal Vaja 7 hrs · ॐ श्रीपरमात्मने नमः । 30/6/2015 DEATH IS THE ONLY CERTAINTY IN THIS UNCERTAIN WORLD, SO PREPARE FOR THIS REALISATION. Death is the only certainty in this uncertain world. But man is not prepared to accept it. What is the most fear for a man? Death. Why? What causes fear? Uncertainty causes the fear. Suppose a soldier has to go for a war. When he has not left the house, he fears the death. But once on the border, before enemies, among exchange of frequent firings, his fear of death withers away. One more reason for his becoming fearless is everybody on border faces the same situation of meeting with death. Death for him is almost certain, only time is in the question. So he becomes totally fearless about the death. He eats, sings, dances, listens radio, plays games, talks to relatives, etc but the fear of death is nowhere seen in him. So only uncertainty causes the fear. Certainty wipes away the fear. Ours is the same situation, we are to die, moreover everybody around is dying one by one and the rest are also under the pertinent threat of death. But yet we have not abandoned the fear of the death, why? Our death became certain when soon after birth, we first inhaled. Our life began with inhaling and will come to an end with exhale. This is eternal truth. Nobody on earth can deny this fact. So question is why man fears the death? Every day we see thousands of people dying. We even went to burry or burn them. But when thinking about our death we believe that I might be exception to this unfailing rule. In this self fabricated uncertainty lies the seed of our fear of death. We are not becoming sure about our death. Because we have not accepted the certainty of our death, we have the fear of death. Why we are uncertain about our death? There are two reasons. First you intrinsically know that you are not body and you are the eternal Atman. You also constructively know that only body dies during death and not the Atman. This you know unconsciously. Your true stuff knows this. And this is the whole truth. The Atman never dies. Only body dies, and you are not body, so you have no reason to believe that you are subject to death. This is the reason that you never accept death as a certainty. This is your unconscious knowledge, unconscious belief. The second reason is the gimmick of mind. Our mind prepares another plan for us. It accepts death as a certainty for everybody else, but pretends that he is out of that unfailing rule. Why? Shruti says: द्रष्टव्यः सवॅसंहर्ता न मृत्युरवहेलया । (महोपनिषद-4/22) "सवॅनो संहारक मृत्युने जोया पछी तेनी उपेक्षा करवीजोइए नहिं "। Because once mind accepts it has to die, then it is encumbering on its part to prepare for the voyage, the Realisation. Suppose you are serving in an organisation, and your organisation is to send five persons for a training in other country. You have no inclination to go for training. You requested your boss to exempt you from the deemed list. The names of four persons are finalised and they completed due preparation for journey also. But you are learnt that your boss will exempt you so you have not made any preparation. But on the eve of departure, your boss took final decision that you have to go for training. When uncertainty was removed, immediately you helter-skelterly started preparing for the voyage. It is customary that if voyage becomes certain, then the man will immediately make due preparations for the travel. Same way if your mind accepts the certainty of death, then it would have to start for the preparation of Moksha. When you intend to go to Satsang, your mind postpones your going on the pretext that death is uncertain, so you must attend urgent work now and going to Satsang can be undertaken later on. This is the reason that you are not taking steps to awake. You don’t accept that you are sleeping. That is why you skip learning Adhyatma. This is why you don’t undertake determined efforts, but only indulge in showing that you are taking steps for your Moksha. But friends nobody can escape the jaws of death. We are dying every moment. Our every moment kills us and puts a scar on our face.nAccept the certainty of death, prepare for death gracefully. Your way of dying will determine the quality of your new birth. Death is the only certainty in this uncertain world. हरिः ॐ तत्सत् । Like Comment Share 16 people like this. Vishnu Sharma Jai shree krishna sir ji Like · 1 · Reply · More · 7 hours ago Sonia Yadav Profound wisdom. ..Jai shree krishna. .VrujlalJi Like · 1 · Reply · More · 7 hours ago Mahesh Joshi Vajabhai जय योगेश्वर। Very Good Morning... Sriswami Samartha... God's Blessing... Like · 1 · Reply · More · 6 hours ago Vrujlal Vaja Vishnu Sharma Ji Jay Shri Krishna Like · 1 · Reply · More · 5 hours ago Vrujlal Vaja Sonia Yadav Ji thanks. Jay Shri Krishna Like · 1 · Reply · More · 5 hours ago Vrujlal Vaja Mahesh Bhai Jay Yogeshwar A very Good Morning to you. Like · Reply · More · 5 hours ago Write a comment... Post  

Five Ways geeta

Krishna's Mercy HOME › FEATURE › FIVE WAYS TO TELL THAT THE BHAGAVAD-GITA FAVORS PERSONALISM OVER IMPERSONALISM Five Ways To Tell That The Bhagavad-gita Favors Personalism Over Impersonalism BY KRISHNASMERCY on JUNE 24, 2015 • ( 0 ) “For those whose minds are attached to the unmanifested, impersonal feature of the Supreme, advancement is very troublesome. To make progress in that discipline is always difficult for those who are embodied.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 12.5) Download this episode (right click and save) kleśo ‘dhikataras teṣām avyaktāsakta-cetasām avyaktā hi gatir duḥkhaṁ dehavadbhir avāpyate Is there a God? Is He a person? If He indeed exists, does He have a form? Is not the Divine incorporeal, i.e. formless? How can any one form accurately identify Him? These questions have puzzled even intelligent minds for centuries. The Vedas give the most complete description, as to understand the Supreme one should also know about His infinite fragments. Life exists in the here and now. From where did it come? What are its properties? From knowing the soul, one can get a better idea of the origin of the soul. na tv evāhaṁ jātu nāsaṁ na tvaṁ neme janādhipāḥ na caiva na bhaviṣyāmaḥ sarve vayam ataḥ param “Never was there a time when I did not exist, nor you, nor all these kings; nor in the future shall any of us cease to be.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 2.12) Vedanta is a Sanskrit word that means “the end of knowledge.” It is the conclusion of conclusions. The truths of Vedanta are succinct and yet profound at the same time. The Bhagavad-gita is an ancient Sanskrit work that perfectly summarizes Vedanta philosophy, going beyond it even. For the mind is but a product of the material nature, so philosophy can never be the true end to understanding. The fundamental truth of Vedanta is that the individual is spirit soul. In Sanskrit the phrase is “aham brahmasmi.” The literal translation is “I am Brahman.” Brahman is that which remains in existence eternally. Brahman is the animating force within everything that is living. That which is not Brahman is maya, or illusion. The easiest way to understand the distinction is to see the difference between a living body and a dead one. The living body has a spark of Brahman inside and the dead one is missing that spark. We have not mentioned a specific type of body. Brahman is not just inside the living human. It is also in the tiniest of germs, known as the indra-gopa in Sanskrit. It is inside the largest of bodies as well, such as the planets. The differences here relate only to maya, which is also known as the material nature. Vedanta philosophy focuses on Brahman realization. You should know that you are not your body, and you should have a practical realization of it as well. Beyond Vedanta philosophy is the creator. There is a creator to everything, and when you reach someone who was never created, you have found God. He is described in many other terms, such as the supreme controller, the supreme Brahman, and the original person. These descriptions, which have corresponding Sanskrit names as well, are different ways to help us understand God. Among those who follow Vedanta philosophy, the subtle dividing line is the issue of personalism versus impersonalism. Basically, do you think that God is a person or just an undifferentiated energy that is free of attributes? The impersonalist side says that there are divine beings who appear on earth every now and then, but they are simply elevated forms of the singular Brahman. The variety of life forms we see in this world is simply the fragmentation of Brahman. The personalist says that Brahman comes from the original Personality of Godhead. If the individual has a form, then how can it be absent in God? If God were formless, He would be inferior to others; it would negate His supreme standing. The various descents of the Divine to earth are in spiritual forms, meaning that for God there is no difference between matter and spirit. With the conflicting viewpoints who is there to reconcile? We can use the Bhagavad-gita, which both sides give respect to. Both sides quote from this most famous work, and both sides have written translations and commentaries. From the words in that book we can tell which is the superior path, impersonalism or personalism. 1. Krishna says that His form is spiritual The Bhagavad-gita is spoken by Shri Krishna, who is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Bhagavan. Bhagavan is the complete realization, while Paramatma and Brahman are less complete realizations of the same person. The impersonalist erroneously concludes that Krishna is merely an elevated soul. Some famous personalities even make the grave offense of calling Krishna a prophet. The Supreme Lord addresses this viewpoint directly in the Bhagavad-gita. He says that fools deride Him when He appears in the human form. They think that He has assumed the corporeal appearance they see in front of them. They do not know His actual nature, which is changeless and supreme. avyaktaṁ vyaktim āpannaṁ manyante mām abuddhayaḥ paraṁ bhāvam ajānanto mamāvyayam anuttamam “Unintelligent men, who know Me not, think that I have assumed this form and personality. Due to their small knowledge, they do not know My higher nature, which is changeless and supreme.” (Lord Krishna, Bg. 7.24) 2. Krishna says the impersonal path is more difficult The Bhagavad-gita is the most honest presentation. The Supreme Lord, who is the ultimate authority, Himself quotes other authority figures, as a matter of etiquette. Therefore the impersonal philosophy is not denied in Krishna’s words. It is readily acknowledged, but it is put in its proper place. Krishna says that the impersonal path is more difficult, especially for one who is embodied. Having taken birth in the material world, we are all embodied. We identify with maya from the start, so it’s difficult for us to understand what nirguna, or without material attributes, means. Nirguna means that Krishna has transcendental attributes. His hands and legs can do things human hands and legs can’t. His mouth can open wide enough to consume the entire universe. The path of personalism is favored since it gives a direct understanding of the full transcendental sweetness belonging exclusively to the Supreme Lord. The ultimate objective is bhakti, or love and devotion, and it is difficult to love someone you think is not even a person. 3. The word “mam” is used all the time. There is no doubt that in the Bhagavad-gita God is spoken of throughout. The speaker does not refer to God as a different person. He repeatedly uses the Sanskrit word “mam.” This translates to “me” or “unto me.” Krishna speaks these words to Arjuna, and so if God were incorporeal He would have told Arjuna to worship the God inside of himself. This does not happen, though the cheating speculator will try to twist the verses in this way. 4. The universal form was shown for only a brief period. To prove to the non-believers that Krishna is God, Arjuna asked his dear friend and cousin to show the universal form. This is a unique vision not available to the normal eyes. Arjuna was specifically granted a unique set of eyes to use to see this amazing form. The virata-rupa, which is the form of everything, includes all the planets and the many creatures populating it. Yet this form was shown for only a brief time. If the impersonal path were superior, the universal form would have been the platform from which Krishna spoke the majority of His words. Instead, it was the two-handed form that delivered the Bhagavad-gita, and it was the form that Arjuna preferred as well. 5. Krishna spoke to Arjuna; not a voice from the sky. There are many books based on the teachings of the Bhagavad-gita that won’t dare to mention Krishna’s name. Some translations even have Krishna cropped out of the cover. They will feature the subtitle, “God speaks to Arjuna.” But from the work itself, which is included in the much larger historical and philosophical anthology known as the Mahabharata, we know that it was indeed a person who spoke to Arjuna. “Then a voice, sounding like a human being, was heard from the sky which said, ‘O king, this child is rightfully your daughter.’” (Sita Devi speaking to Anasuya, Valmiki Ramayana, Ayodhya Kand, 118.31) If God were indeed impersonal, He would have spoken to Arjuna from afar. He would have appeared on the scene as a voice from the sky. Indeed, in Vedic literature it is not uncommon to find references to such voices. One time a king named Janaka found a baby girl in the ground and wasn’t sure what to do next. A voice from the sky then appeared and told him that the girl was indeed his daughter in all righteousness. The Conclusion The acharyas give the authorized commentaries and translations of the Bhagavad-gita. The bona fide acharyas follow the example of Arjuna, who is devoted to Krishna in thought, word and deed. Arjuna heard the Bhagavad-gita directly and took to heart the ultimate conclusion, that of surrender to Krishna the person. Thus the person who first heard the words gives the most powerful testimony in favor of the path of personalism. In Closing: Lesson from Arjuna detect, Who heard Krishna’s words direct. Universal form not there entire time, Nor voice from sky with light to shine. Krishna the person before him standing, And to him giving proper understanding. That personalism path the favorite one, And impersonalism with more difficulty done. Share this: PrintEmailFacebook2TumblrTwitterGoogleReddit ‹ Five Ways That Arjuna Can Relate To YouFive Reasons Prahlada Is the Best Son You Could Ask For › Categories: feature, the fiveTags: articles, feature, hare krishna, meditation, news Leave a Reply Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked * Name * Email * Website Comment You may use these HTML tags and attributes:

    



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5 ways Arjuna can relate to you

Krishna's Mercy HOME › THE FIVE › FIVE WAYS THAT ARJUNA CAN RELATE TO YOU Five Ways That Arjuna Can Relate To You BY KRISHNASMERCY on JUNE 23, 2015 • ( 0 ) “Arjuna said, My dear Krishna, O infallible one, my illusion is now gone. I have regained my memory by Your mercy, and I am now firm and free from doubt and am prepared to act according to Your instructions.” (Bhagavad-gita, 18.73) Download this episode (right click and save) arjuna uvāca naṣṭo mohaḥ smṛtir labdhā tvat-prasādān mayācyuta sthito ‘smi gata-sandehaḥ kariṣye vacanaṁ tava In some ways life gets better as you get older. You supposedly have more freedom. If you’re out of pens at home, you can step in the car and drive over to the store. If you feel like pizza for dinner, you can make that desire a reality. Though the entire time, whether as a child or an adult, you’re under the strict laws of the material nature, it appears that in adulthood you have more control over the direction of your life. Four things are characteristic of a material existence: birth, old age, disease and death. We get this list from Vedic teachings but it’s obvious for anyone who is willing to look. Old age means the body starts to decay. Thus it becomes more susceptible to disease, which at that point has a greater chance of being fatal. As more time passes through life, the difficult moments start to accumulate. This is due to attachment. Whatever we are attached to will eventually leave us. In dealing with loss or a bewildering situation, it helps to consult someone who has experienced the same. For instance, if we lose a close family member to a disease, the initial moments of shock and despair are difficult. We look for others who have gone through a similar situation. There are the commonly uttered comforting words of “I know how you feel.” This statement can only be true if the person has indeed gone through the same struggles that we find ourselves in. Unfortunately, there are many bewildering situations in a material existence. For each one, we may not be able to find someone who knows how we feel. Fortunately, there is Vedic literature, which deals with both the theoretical and the practical. There is philosophy mixed in with historical accounts. From one character alone, we find a person who can relate to a lot of difficult situations in life. His name is Arjuna, and he plays a central role in the famous Bhagavad-gita, which is the song of God. 1. He lost a father at a young age. It is a great fortune to have loving parents at the time of birth. They are our only support system. So to lose one of them at any time in life is not easy. Arjuna’s family was known as the Pandavas, getting the name from their father Pandu. Arjuna and his four brothers lost the association of their father at a young age. They had to deal with a terrible loss. 2. He was attacked unfairly. We’ve surely been wronged at least once in our lives. The feeling is not good. Justice should prevail, but sometimes it doesn’t. Arjuna and his family suffered grave injustices. After Pandu’s passing, the brothers were subjected to torture from their cousins, known as the Kauravas. This family was led by Duryodhana, who tried to kill the Pandavas several times. Arjuna lived in a house that was set on fire once. He and his family fortunately escaped in time due to well-placed intelligence. The crown of Hastinapura rightfully belonged to the Pandavas, but Duryodhana would not give it up. 3. He had tremendous success. What need is there to relate to someone who is successful? Do not the spoils go to the victor? Actually, success can be more bewildering than loss. The reason is that happiness doesn’t come from material objects alone. Arjuna was so successful that one of his names was Dhananjaya. This name means “conqueror of wealth,” and it was used by Shri Krishna to address him many times. Arjuna one time brought a great amount of gold from a mountain range and gave it to his brother Yudhishthira. So Arjuna acquired tremendous wealth and then gave it all away, making him a conqueror over it. 4. He saw terrible things happen right in front of him. One doesn’t have to look far to find depressing images. They are shown on the nightly television newscasts. They are in the daily newspaper. A person who witnesses these events firsthand can get traumatized. Imagine, then, how Arjuna felt after the battle of Kurukshetra. He saw millions of people die, and he was not happy about it. Though his side won, he was not elated over the victory. He witnessed and caused tremendous bloodshed. 5. He was bewildered and needed help. The starting point of the Bhagavad-gita is Arjuna needing help. A great war is about to commence and oddly enough Arjuna is afraid of winning. He doesn’t want to see important people on the other side perish. There is the saying that he who hesitates is lost. Arjuna hesitated and he seemed lost. Everyone goes through this at some point, and with Arjuna the hesitation became logged in one of the most famous books of all time. The Conclusion As Arjuna can relate to so many different people, his example becomes all the more important. He went through so much but he maintained a level head due to his devotion to Krishna. When he was most bewildered he turned to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who happened to be roaming the earth at the time as his cousin and dear friend. Arjuna received the science of self-realization directly from God and implemented the principles in his own life. As he can relate to us, Arjuna knows how we feel. He also knows the solution to the problems of material life: devotional service. By remaining in bhakti-yoga, he shows how the precious human life can mature to its destined fruition. In Closing: Tragedy in front of me to see, By life’s struggles bewildered to be. Best when someone to feel our pain, Since went through difficulties the same. From history Arjuna’s example to take, Study of his dealings with Krishna to make. Devotional service the answer to him, Over enemy of doubt to win. Share this: PrintEmailFacebook4TumblrTwitterGoogleReddit ‹ Sankirtana For The AgesFive Ways To Tell That The Bhagavad-gita Favors Personalism Over Impersonalism › Categories: the fiveTags: articles, bhagavad-gita, news, self-help RELATED ARTICLES Five Reasons Prahlada Is the Best Son You Could Ask For Five Ways To Tell That The Bhagavad-gita Favors Personalism Over Impersonalism Leave a Reply Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked * Name * Email * Website Comment You may use these HTML tags and attributes:

    



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Fivr reasons Prahalad is the best son

Krishna's Mercy HOME › THE FIVE › FIVE REASONS PRAHLADA IS THE BEST SON YOU COULD ASK FOR Five Reasons Prahlada Is the Best Son You Could Ask For BY KRISHNASMERCY on JUNE 25, 2015 • ( 0 ) “Prahlada Maharaja said: O Supreme Lord, because You are so merciful to the fallen souls, I ask You for only one benediction. I know that my father, at the time of his death, had already been purified by Your glance upon him, but because of his ignorance of Your beautiful power and supremacy, he was unnecessarily angry at You, falsely thinking that You were the killer of his brother. Thus he directly blasphemed Your Lordship, the spiritual master of all living beings, and committed heavily sinful activities directed against me, Your devotee. I wish that he be excused for these sinful activities.” (Shrimad Bhagavatam, 7.10.15-17) Download this episode (right click and save) śrī-prahrāda uvāca varaṁ varaya etat te varadeśān maheśvara yad anindat pitā me tvām avidvāṁs teja aiśvaram viddhāmarṣāśayaḥ sākṣāt sarva-loka-guruṁ prabhum bhrātṛ-heti mṛṣā-dṛṣṭis tvad-bhakte mayi cāghavān tasmāt pitā me pūyeta durantād dustarād aghāt pūtas te ’pāṅga-saṁdṛṣṭas tadā kṛpaṇa-vatsala It’s the way to satisfy one of the three debts assumed at the time of birth. Contrary to what we might think, we don’t create the circumstances present when we exit the womb. Our karma, or fruitive action that has corresponding reactions, certainly was responsible for landing us in that particular area, but other living entities did things to make everything come together. The three debts are to the forefathers, the saints, and the controllers of the material nature. The debt to the forefathers is paid through begetting a son. These debts relate to the material sphere. The spirit soul is sanatana, or eternal. According to Ramanujacharya, the word sanatana means that which has no beginning and no end. The essential characteristic of something is its dharma, so in the Vedic tradition the best corresponding term for religion is “sanatana-dharma.” This is not a faith. It is not an option to check off on a government form. Saying that you believe in sanatana-dharma is like saying that you believe in the law of gravity. Sanatana-dharma exists irrespective of anyone’s belief in it, the same as it is with the laws of material science. For the soul in the material world, to become reacquainted with the original engagement for the soul is not so easy. It typically requires a gradual elevation, and so we encounter things like the three debts. By repaying these debts, one learns to give respect to others, to not be solely focused on sense gratification. It is a means of gradual detachment from the body, i.e. what is not the soul. Begetting a son is beneficial in other ways also. If you repeatedly violated the laws of material nature and didn’t become perfectly God conscious by the time of death, you’re likely to suffer in the afterlife. The good son can alleviate that suffering through their deeds. The Sanskrit word for son, putra, literally means one who delivers a person from hell. When speaking of the spiritual side, one should only have children in order to release them from the cycle of birth and death. Never mind elevation to heaven and hell, which represent temporarily manifest places. Bring your dependents to the highest point of pure devotion to God. This is also known as Krishna consciousness. That is the real meaning to sanatana-dharma: meeting the soul’s true nature of service to God that continues without impediment and without interruption. An example of a son who satisfies both the material and spiritual aspects is Prahlada Maharaja. He can be considered the perfect son. 1. He listens well. The father and mother are wiser than the child. This is the way of nature brought about through experience. So if you beget a son, you want them to listen to wise instruction. If they fail to follow good counsel, they will be on the wrong path in life. Just imagine Prahlada’s greatness, then. He listened to the science of self-realization while within the womb. He heard everything essential about life from Narada Muni, the great traveler of the three-worlds. After birth, Prahlada retained the knowledge. We forget things of consequence so quickly, but Prahlada remembered the most important information. ṛṣiḥ kāruṇikas tasyāḥ prādād ubhayam īśvaraḥ dharmasya tattvaṁ jñānaṁ ca mām apy uddiśya nirmalam “Narada Muni delivered his instructions both to me, who was within the womb, and to my mother, who was engaged in rendering him service. Because he is naturally extremely kind to the fallen souls, being in a transcendental position, he gave instructions on religion and transcendental knowledge. These instructions were free from all material contamination.” (Prahlada Maharaja, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 7.7.15) 2. He is good to his friends. Another worry for the parent is association. If their son ends up hanging out with the wrong crowd, it could spell trouble. The good parent tries to shield their son from bad influences. At the same time, they want their child to be a good influence on others. In this regard, Prahlada was the best friend. During lunch breaks at school, he would discuss the most important topics with his friends. Even most mature adults never receive this vital information, what to speak of children. In this way Prahlada was the best friend to his peers. 3. He does not force the father to accept his way of life. Though Prahlada took the instruction of Narada well, he had issues with his teachers and his father. At the command of the father, King Hiranyakashipu, the teachers taught Prahlada only about matters pertaining to state. Being a manager is difficult. All the problems, both large and small, arrive at your desk. Just imagine, then, what the manager of the entire state must deal with. The Vedas give four styles of diplomacy, of which the venerable Shri Hanuman showed himself to be a master many times. tata enaṁ gurur jñātvā jñāta-jñeya-catuṣṭayam daityendraṁ darśayām āsa mātṛ-mṛṣṭam alaṅkṛtam “After some time, the teachers Shanda and Amarka thought that Prahlada Maharaja was sufficiently educated in the diplomatic affairs of pacifying public leaders, appeasing them by giving them lucrative posts, dividing and ruling over them, and punishing them in cases of disobedience. Then, one day, after Prahlada’s mother had personally washed the boy and dressed him nicely with sufficient ornaments, they presented him before his father.” (Shrimad Bhagavatam, 7.5.19) Hiranyakashipu wanted Prahlada to learn these ways, but the boy was not interested. He was focused on devotion to God, bhakti-yoga. The father tried every which way to force the boy to change, but the boy never forced the father. Prahlada counseled in a mild and compassionate way, showing his gentle nature. This was a sign of great respect, as through his devotion Prahlada could have gotten anything he wanted, including force against his belligerent father. 4. He brings God to the family. Hiranyakashipu was a devout atheist; he considered God to be his enemy. When he saw Prahlada worshiping that enemy, he could not tolerate it. He tried every which way to kill Prahlada, but no attempt worked. It was the boy’s unflinching devotion that finally brought the Supreme Lord to the scene. Though it spelled the end of life for Hiranyakashipu, it was a actually a great boon. The son was perfectly God conscious, and the father had the same consciousness at the time of death. Due to Prahlada, the Supreme Lord in His form of Narasimhadeva came to the family and purified it. 5. He is very forgiving. Despite every offense committed against him, Prahlada did not hold a grudge against his father. When everyone else was afraid of the ferocious form of the half-man/half-lion that had just torn the powerful Hiranyakashipu in half, Prahlada approached nicely. He asked for forgiveness for his father, despite all he had done. The Supreme Lord stated that not only was Hiranyakashipu liberated, but so were twenty-one previous generations in the family. This was all due to Prahlada, the best son a person could ask for. In Closing: To forefathers one of debts three, By begetting a son of it to be free. The best of them all, which one? Look at Prahlada, like him none. Benefit to his friends and family giving, And his father’s obstructions forgiving. Through him God to the family came, Blessed with vision of Narasimha the name. Share this: PrintEmailFacebook2TumblrTwitterGoogleReddit ‹ Five Ways To Tell That The Bhagavad-gita Favors Personalism Over Impersonalism Categories: the fiveTags: articles, hare krishna, news, parenting RELATED ARTICLES Five Ways To Tell That The Bhagavad-gita Favors Personalism Over Impersonalism Five Ways That Arjuna Can Relate To You Leave a Reply Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked * Name * Email * Website Comment You may use these HTML tags and attributes:

    



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Growing Up A King’s Daughter
The One With The Indirect Praise
Where Do You Want To Live
Lack of Inquisitiveness
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The One With All The Best Things
Variety In One
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Five Reasons Prahlada Is the Best Son You Could Ask For
Five Ways To Tell That The Bhagavad-gita Favors Personalism Over Impersonalism
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Sankirtana For The Ages
Talking About Miracle Men
Understanding Pure Devotion
Writing Down To Remember
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Remembering From Where Your Power Comes
Caste Brahmanas
Brahmanas and Vaishnavas
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My Choice
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Fire and Brimstone
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Five Ways To Tell That The Bhagavad-gita Favors Personalism Over Impersonalism
Five Reasons Prahlada Is the Best Son You Could Ask For
Five Ways That Arjuna Can Relate To You
Why Do People Die
Talking About Miracle Men
Lord Krishna
Sankirtana For The Ages
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Understanding Pure Devotion
Known For Following Principles
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5 prevent on Sprituality

The following five states are likely to prevent or block the success of our spiritual efforts. They are called the five mental hindrances (pañcanivarana) because they close the doors to spiritual progress. 1. sensual craving, obsessive hankering for possessions or for the gratification of the senses. While we will seek wealth and possessions as an integral part of mundane happiness, should also be aware of the limits to be observed in their pursuit. We will recognize that if one obtains wealth and position by unjust means, or becomes excessively attached to them, they will become a source of misery and despair rather than of joy and contentment. Money alone cannot solve all our problems. Many people never learn this, and spend their time and energy accumulating wealth and the so-called "good things" it can buy. But in fact, the more they acquire the more they want. Such people can never find happiness. Wet must be moderate in all things. Extreme desires — for riches, for sex, the ostentatious display of one's success — are sure signs of internal insecurity, things to be avoided. 2. Ill will or hatred is the emotional opposite of desire, yet it is an equally potent obstacle to personal development. Because we are attracted to desirable things, we are repelled by what is undesirable. Like and dislike are the two forces that delude the world, leading people astray into conflict and confusion and drenching the earth with blood. Both are born of ignorance. Desire colors everything in tinsel and drives us to acquire what we want. Hatred colors everything black and drives us to destroy what we suspect is inimical to our interests. 3. Indolence and mental inertia is the next hindrance, the obstacle to strenuous effort. The lazy person is not inclined to strive for correct understanding or high standards of conduct. He is a drifter or a dreamer, easy prey to the thieves of craving and hatred. 4. Restlessness and worry are twin hindrances very much in evidence today. Restlessness is manifest in the agitation, impatience, thirst for excitement, and unsettled character of our daily existence. Worry is the guilt and remorse that one feels when one broods sadly or regretfully over an evil deed that has been done or a good deed left undone. 5. The last hindrance is doubt. Doubt is the inability to decide, the lack of resolution that prevents one from making a firm commitment to higher ideals and from pursuing the good with a steady will. These five hindrances are great handicaps to your progress. They deprive the mind of understanding and happiness and cause much unnecessary suffering. By cultivating virtues like confidence, energy, mindfulness, concentration and wisdom - and by constant effort one can reduce their harmful influence

Failure

ip: Treasure every failure! One of the most difficult experiences anyone can have is a personal failure. No one likes failure and no one wants to live in “failure mode”. However, I am sure you would agree that some of the most valuable lessons you and I have ever learned have come through the failures we have experienced. Failures are painful. The great British writer, C.S. Lewis, once said, “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks to us in our infirmities but, shouts to us in our pain.” It is very true that when we experience deep pain, we usually get the message that is being communicated to us! If we will begin to look at our failures as friends and receive them, rather than resist them, we will learn how to treasure each failure and the experience it is bringing into our life. One of the greatest writers of the twentieth century was Ralph Waldo Emerson. I recently came across one of his quotes in which he captured this concept extremely well. He said, “Do not be too timid and squeamish about your actions. All of life is an experiment. The more experiments you make, the better. What if they are a little coarse and you may get your coat soiled or torn? What if you do fail, and get fairly rolled in the dirt once or twice? Up again; you shall never be so afraid of a tumble!” That really is what life is all about. I do not particularly like this concept but I have learned to embrace it. The more I receive my failures and learn from them, the better off I become in every area of my life. When I live in denial or blame, there is very little personal growth. It neither helps me nor other people. Once again, the reason this is so difficult is because it is painful. I do not choose to think of myself as a failure, but I have had many failures in my life. Someone once said that failure is an event, not a person. That captures the concept of treasuring failures because they become teachers that guide me on this path called Life. In life, you go through valleys and occassionally enjoy the view from mountain tops. The common, everyday valleys of life really are where I learn the most about myself, business, other people, my family and God. I have stopped living for the mountaintop experiences. When they come, that is great. But, I have also learned that the daily routines of life are great as well. Failure has become a friend of mine because I see it as a great teacher. It is not meant to hurt me, but to help me. It is not personal. It is just a good teacher that is able to capture my attention very quickly. Do not resist the failures you experience. Learn from them and let them help you become the person you were meant to be. Tip: Treasure every failure! Have a great week! God bless you! Dr. Robert A. Rohm

Offer yourself

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja OFFER YOURSELF, NOT JUST THE MANGO [An old lecture for new times] San Francisco, CA: June 11, 1998 Nowadays, pure bhakti (devotion to Sri Krsna) is very rare. Most devotees who perform bhakti are adopting karma-misra bhakti, jnana-misra bhakti, and yoga-misra bhakti. Their bhakti is contaminated with all these impurities, yet they think that they are doing pure bhakti. We must know what pure bhakti is. What is karma-misra bhakti? If someone has not taken initiation from Gurudeva and has no knowledge of his relationship with Krsna, will his practice of bhakti be pure? If you do not understand something, you can ask questions. This is not a formal lecture; it is an istha-gosthi (discussion about Krsna). In this way you will have a more clear understanding of the truths of Krsna consciousness. What is karma? Karma is any activity or endeavor that is performed with a desire to enjoy the result. If you are chanting, remembering, or performing any other devotional activity, but you want to enjoy the results of those activities, that is called karma-misra (misra means ‘mixture’) bhakti.When there is no relation with devotion, when an activity is performed only to taste the results for ourselves, this is pure karma. We may do something for ourselves, like eating a mango. Who is eating? Who is enjoying it? I am enjoying. So, to eat a mango is pure karma. There is no relation with bhakti at all. However, suppose you think, “I have offered this mango (I have not offered myself). I will now take the remnants of the prasada mango, and I will become very healthy and strong.” That is called karma-pradhani-bhakti. In this case, karma is prominent and bhakti is subordinate. This is karma-misra. When bhakti is more powerful and the desire to personally taste the result of karma is less, this is called pradhani-bhuta-bhakti. Here bhakti is prominent and karma is also there, but this is not in the category of karma-misra. When someone has no desire at all for personal enjoyment, and his only desire is to serve Krsna, and he is engaging in sravanam (hearing about Krsna), kirtanam (chanting Krsna’s name and describing His glories), visnu smaranam (remembering Him), pada sevanam (serving His lotus feet or visiting the holy places), arcanam (worshipping Him), vandanam (offering Him prayers), dasyam (becoming a servant), sakhyam (becoming a friend) and atma-nivedanam (fully surrendering oneself) to please Gurudeva and Sri Sri Radha and Krsna, that is called pure bhakti or uttama-bhakti. anyabhilasita sunyam jnana karmadi anavritam anukulyena krsnanusilanam bhaktir uttama ["The cultivation of activities that are meant exclusively for the pleasure of Sri Krsna, or in other words the uninterrupted flow of service to Sri Krsna, performed through all endeavours of the body, mind and speech, and through the expression of various spiritual sentiments (bhavas), which is not covered by jnana (knowledge aimed at impersonal liberation) and karma (reward-seeking activity), and which is devoid of all desires other than the aspiration to bring happiness to Sri Krsna, is called uttama-bhakti, pure devotional service." (Sri Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 1.1.11)] patram puspam phalam toyam yo me bhaktya prayacchati tad aham bhakty-upahrtam asnami prayatatmanah [“If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, fruit or water, I will accept it.” (Bhagavad Gita 9.26)] This is also not so high. Why? We should try to offer our soul, ourselves, all our senses and our heart – everything – first to Gurudeva, and then to Krsna. sri-prahlada uvaca iti pumsarpita visnau bhaktis cen nava-laksana kriyeta bhagavaty addha tan manye ’dhitam uttamam [Prahlada Maharaja said: these nine processes (described above) are accepted as pure devotional service. One who has dedicated his life to the service of Krsna through these nine methods should be understood to be the most learned person, for he has acquired complete knowledge. (Srimad-Bhagavatam. 75.24)] If a person has not surrendered himself at the lotus feet of Gurudeva, Sri Sri Radha Krsna, and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, he can offer something to Krsna, but it may be that Krsna will partly accept it, not wholly. On the other hand, if that person has surrendered himself, telling Krsna, “Now I am Yours. You are my beloved,” or “You are my son,” or “You are my friend,” then whatever he does is pure bhakti. If you have many hundreds of cows, and you are only offering one liter of milk to Krsna and nothing more, that is not pure bhakti. However, suppose you have offered yourself at the lotus feet of Krsna and Gurudeva. You have nothing; you are a Vaisnava with no other possession than Krsna Himself. You are thinking that only by the remnants of Krsna you are maintaining your life. You are thinking that whatever Krsna provides, this is what you accept in order to continue your service. Everything is for service; nothing is for you. At this stage you will not have to offer anything, because you have offered yourself. What will you give to Krsna? You have offered your very self. This is pure bhakti. Suppose you are a disciple of Gurudeva. You are not offering yourself, but you are offering fifteen million rupees to Gurudeva and you tell him, “Gurudeva, I am offering this to you.” On the other hand, suppose there is another disciple who has nothing to give. He has given everything to Gurudeva – his heart, his soul, and all his possessions, and he is serving – in this case, who is superior? The other devotee is serving his Gurudeva throughout the day and night. He has nothing more to give because he has given himself, his property, his wife, and his children. Or maybe he has nothing to give, like Hanuman, yet he is giving everything he has to Krsna. He has nothing more to offer Krsna because he has offered himself. All his actions are performed as a servant of Krsna. This is pure bhakti. If one has not offered any part of himself – he is a very rich person and he has given millions upon millions of dollars – but he has not given himself, there is something lacking. His endeavors are not pure bhakti; they are karma-misra. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura explains all of these important topics in his book Sri Bhakti-tattva Viveka. Try to realize these truths. Sripad Asrama Maharaja: Srila Gurudeva, in your first example you said that if one eats the mango for his own sense gratification and doesn’t offer it to Krsna, this is karma, not karma-misra? Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: That is pure karma. There is no ‘contamination’ of bhakti (devotees laugh). But if I think, “If I eat this mango without first offering it, then it will be a very big sin. I must offer it to Krsna, then all the sin will be removed and I will taste Krsna’s remnants.” This is karma-misra bhakti. Pradhani-bhuta bhakti is found in following the verse beginning “patram puspam phalam” above (quoted on p.2). The person who is making his offering is only giving a fruit, not himself. Someone may be giving the results of all his karmas. This type of bhakti may be found in the following verse: yat karosi yad asnasi yaj juhosi dadasi yat yat tapasyasi kaunteya tat kurusva mad-arpanam [“O son of Kunti, all that you do, all that you eat, all that you offer and give away, as well as all austerities that you may perform, should be done as an offering unto Me.” (Bhagavad-gita, 9.27)] He addresses Krsna, “I have taken bath and I am giving You the fruit of my taking bath. I am doing this and that, and giving You the fruit (result).” But why are you not offering yourself? Regarding those who have totally surrendered themselves: Arjuna is surrendered and the gopis are surrendered. If the gopis are eating something, they will not offer it to Krsna in a formal way. They will not utter the offering mantra: “Etat naivedyam sa tulasi paniya jalam, srim klim radha krsnabhyam namah.” Krsna is sitting with them. They ask Him if He wants something and then they do not let Him have it. By their sweet behavior they bring Him immense pleasure. This is pure bhakti because they have given everything. Nothing is theirs; their body, mind, and soul are Krsna’s. Outwardly they are not offering Him what He wants, but they have offered their everything. This is pure bhakti. It may be that when bhoga is given to Srila Sukadeva Gosvami, he will eat it at once, without offering it to Krsna. He will not make the offering with mudras (hand and finger gestures). [In vaidhi-bhakti one may use mudras to invite the Deity to sit upon an asana, etc. When offering bhoga, one remembers gopal-mantra and counts by mudra upon ones fingers.] There is no need for him to do this, and Hanuman will also not do this. When Sukadeva Gosvami eats the ‘un-offered’ foodstuffs, you may think, “He is eating that without first offering it to Krsna!” If you think like this, you are a kanistha-adhikari or lower than that. You cannot understand his exalted position. The gopis decorate themselves in order to become beautiful for Krsna. First try to offer yourself – your whole being. For grhasthas (householder devotees) this is very hard, but they may also offer themselves. As the Pandavas, the gopis and Ambarisa Maharaja did, householders can do. Ambarisa Maharaja was a king with a very big kingdom. He had sons, daughters, and wives, but he was a suddha-bhakta (pure devotee) because he offered himself. Now we should also know about ‘jnana’. Worldly knowledge about anything is general material jnana. When we come to the point of having no faith in material knowledge, realizing that it cannot give us material pleasure or happiness in this or any other life (because material pleasure is allotted according to one’s karma, not according to the amount of material knowledge one possesses), then we want impersonal salvation or liberation (mukti). At that time we seek to understand the impersonal Absolute, and knowing it, the aim and object of our lives becomes salvation or liberation. We then think, “I am the soul, not the body. The soul is not eating; the body is eating.” He sees the soul as the self, but he has no knowledge of the Supersoul. His knowledge, or jnana, is called nirvisesa-jnana. Jnana is also of two kinds – nirvisesa-jnana (a taste for voidism and impersonalism) and tattva-jnana (knowledge of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the established philosophical truths in relation to Him). Tattva-jnana is the first stage of bhakti. For one who only wants salvation, all of one’s activities are known as nirvisesa-jnana. Now, regarding the meaning of jnana-misra-bhakti: A person may know that bhakti can do everything. In other words, he knows that by performing bhakti, material results will come; by performing bhakti, one can very easily attain mukti; and by performing bhakti one can attain Krsna-prema. He thus gives up this nirvisesa-jnana. Srila Sukadeva Gosvami and the Four Kumaras (Sanaka, Sanandana, Sanatana, Sanaka kumara), were within this category of nirvisesa-jnanis. By the mercy of Brahma, the Four Kumaras gave up that jnana, and by the mercy of Srila Vyasadeva, Sukadeva Gosvami, gave it up. Thus they became pure devotees (suddha-bhaktas). atmaramas ca munayo nirgrantha apy urukrame kurvanty ahaitukim bhaktim ittham-bhuta-guno hariù [“All different varieties of atmaramas (those who take pleasure in atma, or spirit self), especially those established on the path of self-realization, though freed from all kinds of material bondage, desire to render unalloyed devotional service unto the Personality of Godhead. This means that the Lord possesses transcendental qualities and therefore can attract everyone, including liberated souls.” (Srimad Bhagavatam 1.7.10)] By the mercy of Srila Vyasadeva, Sukadeva Gosvami realized the good qualities of Krsna. He gave up impersonal jnana and became a pure rasika (knower of all transcendental rasas) tattva-jna (knower of all essential philosophical truths) bhakta. Sripad Asrama Maharaja: My question is regarding the person who is doing karma-misra bhakti. He knows that the goal is Krsna, but he has some mixture…. Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: No, he does not know. He has no pure Guru and no association of pure bhaktas; that is why he does not know. If he gets good association, he will know all these truths. He will give up karma and become a pure bhakta. Sripad Asrama Maharaja: So if someone theoretically knows, but still…. Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: He does not really know. Sripad Asrama Maharaja: Like myself. I don’t actually know the goal, but I have some theoretical understanding. Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: There is no contamination in your bhakti, but there is some weakness. Something is lacking. There is not so much sukrti (spiritual pious credits) and samskaras (the impressions created on the heart by sukritis and bhakti). Such a person may be kanistha-adhikari, but there is no contamination. There is some weakness (daurbalya) *[see Endnote 1] but still your activities are within the category of pure bhakti. You are chanting, remembering and performing the other limbs of devotional service. There is a mixture of karma and jnana also, but bhakti is prominent, whereas karma and jnana are secondary, in the background. You know the real aim and abject of life. Gradually, in the association of pure bhaktas, you will give up all other thoughts and habits because you know the real aim and object of life. Karma-misra bhaktas don’t know what pure bhakti is. You are in the line of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; you are in the bhakti line. You have been initiated by undergoing proper diksa and you have some relation with Guru, with Mahaprabhu and with Krsna, but there is some weakness and something is lacking. Devotee: You said the person following karma-misra bhakti has no pure Guru. In the beginning, Dhruva Maharaja was in the karma-misra stage even though his Guru, Narada, was a pure Guru. Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: He could not follow Narada. Narada wanted to make Dhruva pure, but Dhruva was not in a position to totally follow. It may be that Guru is pure, but his disciples may not be pure. Nowadays it is like this. If there is a pure Guru, like Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Thakura or Srila Bhaktivedanta Svami Maharaja, who has hundreds of thousands of disciples, he may have only one or two serious disciples – and they may be grhastha, not in the renounced order. Devotee: Is it not that the heart of a kanistha-adhikari [neophyte or third-class devotee] is, because of the kanistha-adhikari’s lack of advancement, covered by the contamination of karma and jnana? Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: There may be some, but gradually he will develop his Krsna Consciousness and give up all these things. If he has a lack of pure association and he is not ready to follow, and he therefore commits offenses, he will gradually go down. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura tells us that we should understand the meaning of karma, jnana, and yoga, and then we should know what suddha-bhakti really is. In suddha-bhakti there is some gradation. We are in that gradation, we are not in karma-misra. Try to understand. anyabhilasita-sunyam jnana-karmady-anavrtam anukulyena krsnanu- silanam bhaktir uttama ["The cultivation of activities that are meant exclusively for the pleasure of Sri Krsna, or in other words the uninterrupted flow of service to Sri Krsna, performed through all endeavours of the body, mind and speech, and through the expression of various spiritual sentiments (bhavas), which is not covered by jnana (knowledge aimed at impersonal liberation) and karma (reward-seeking activity), and which is devoid of all desires other than the aspiration to bring happiness to Sri Krsna, is called uttama-bhakti, pure devotional service." (Sri Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 1.1.11)] This is uttama bhakti. A devotee may be performing svarupa-siddha bhakti *[See endnote 2], but there are some gradations. He may not be engaged in uttama-bhakti, but he is doing some kind of bhakti. In the beginning stage he tries and promises to offer himself at his Gurudeva’s lotus feet. When he took harinama and diksa initiation, he promised, “Gurudeva, I have offered myself to you. I will totally follow you. I have become yours.” But he does not know what ‘offer’ means, and so he was not true to his word. Gradually you will know all these truths. We will explain all these topics very clearly so that you will understand them, and your bhakti will automatically become very strong. Devotee: Am I understanding correctly? I think that you want to say that if by the association of Guru the aim and object is clear about what we have to do, and we want to surrender, then our bhakti is not karma-misra? Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: He has been initiated and has some relation with Guru, Mahaprabhu and Krsna by diksa mantras, and he has offered himself. Devotee: He has a desire to offer himself. Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: He has offered himself, but he does not really know what ‘offering’ means. He may say to his Gurudeva, “I am giving this to you.” [Srila Narayana Maharaja points to his own chaddar (woolen shawl).] But then he thinks, “That chaddar was so good.” It is like this. He has given it, but he is still somewhat attached to it. He is thinking, “I have given this.” He is not thinking, “This chaddar fully belongs to Gurudeva and Krsna. I am not the owner.” A true devotee does not think, “It was mine and I am offering it to Gurudeva,” He thinks, “It was a remnant of Krsna. The real owner is Krsna. He has mercifully given me this so that I would be able to serve my Guru, but actually it is not mine. My body is also not mine. Everything belongs to Krsna.” If one has this mood, he will attain pure bhakti. [*Endnote 1: Hrdaya-daurbalya (weakness of heart) is of four kinds: (1) tuccha-asakti (attachment for useless things), (2) kuti-nati (deceitful behavior). The word kuti-nati may be broken down into the constituent parts ku, ‘bad or evil’, and na or nati, ‘that which is forbidden’. In that case it would mean ‘doing wicked deeds’ or ‘doing that which is forbidden’), (3) matsarya (envy) and (4) sva-pratistha-lalasa (desire for one's own fame and prestige). (Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu-bindu by Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakur)] [*Endnote 2: Three Types of Bhakti One should also remember that bhakti is of three types: svarupa-siddha (those endeavors which are purely constituted of the angas of bhakti), sanga-siddha (those endeavors which are associated with or favorable to the development of bhakti, but are not in themselves purely composed of bhakti), and aropa-siddha (those activites which, although not consisting of pure bhakti, are designated as bhakti due to their being offered to the Supreme Lord). [Svarupa-siddha bhakti may or may not be fully pure (uttama-bhakti). For example one may be performing rajasik svarupa-siddha (svarupa-siddha-bhakti mixed with the mode of passion). Only nirguna svarupa-siddha-bhakti can be said to be uttama-bhakti.] Aropa-siddha-bhakti: Endeavors indirectly attributed with the quality of bhakti. Endeavors which by nature are not purely constituted of bhakti – that is, anukulyena-krsnanusilana – and in which the performer, in order to fulfill his own purpose, offers his activities and their results to the Lord. This is called aropa-siddha-bhakti. In other words, because his activities are assigned (aropa) to the Supreme Lord, bhakti is attributed (aropita) to them. Comment That bhakti in which there is a mixture of karma or desires for material enjoyment is called sakama-bhakti or saguna-bhakti. Without the assistance of bhakti, karma cannot yield any fruit. Knowing this, many persons offer their prescribed duties for the satisfaction of the Lord, in order that He might fulfill their extraneous desires. The activities of such persons are not svarupa-siddha-bhakti. Nonetheless, because they offer the fruit of their activity to the Lord, it is considered as a type of bhakti. Although their activities are offered for the satisfaction of the Lord, their motivation is that by pleasing Him, He may fulfill their extraneous desires. In this case their activities are attributed with the sense of bhakti. Therefore, such endeavors are known as aropa-siddha-bhakti. Sanga-siddha-bhakti: Endeavors associated with or favorable to the cultivation of bhakti. There are other endeavors which, although not purely constituted of bhakti, anukulyena-krsnanusilana, acquire a likeness to bhakti due to their being established as assistants to bhakti. Such endeavors are known as sanga-siddha-bhakti. An example of this is found in Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.3. 23-25) in the statement of Sri Prabuddha Muni to Maharaja Nimi: "One should cultivate compassion towards others, friendliness, offering respect to others, cleanliness, austerity, tolerance, silence, study of the Vedas, simplicity, celibacy, non-violence, and so on. One should consider heat and cold, happiness and distress to be the same. One should perceive the presence of the Lord everywhere. One should live in a secluded place, renounce family attachments and remain satisfied with gain which comes of its own accord." The behavior or practices described in this verse are not by nature purely constituted of bhakti, but they are assistants to bhakti. Thus they are considered to be like associates of bhakti. If devotion to the Supreme Lord is removed from the twenty-six qualities mentioned, then the Lord has no direct relationship with the remaining qualities such as compassion, friendliness, tolerance, austerity, and so on. Only when these items exist as assistants to or associates of bhakti is their likeness to bhakti effected. Therefore, they are known as sanga-siddha-bhakti. Svarupa-siddha-bhakti: Endeavors purely constituted of uttama-bhakti All favorable endeavors, such as hearing, chanting, remembering, and so on, as well as the manifestation of the spiritual sentiments which occur beginning from the stage of bhava, which are completely devoid of all desires separate from Sri Krsna and which are freed from the coverings of jnana and karma are known as svarupa-siddha-bhakti. In other words all endeavors of the body, words and mind which are related to Sri Krsna and which are performed exclusively and directly for His pleasure without any interruption are known as svarupa-siddha-bhakti. Therefore, in the conversation between Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Raya Ramananda, found in Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, both aropa-siddha and sanga-siddha-bhakti have been described as external. (Sri Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu-bindhu 17-19) Here there is a need to analyze the three different conceptions of bhakti. The first is called svarupa-siddha bhakti, the second is sanga-siddha bhakti, and the third is aropa-siddha bhakti. First we should understand svarupa-siddha bhakti. Svarupa-siddha means that devotional service which by constitution is composed entirely of the limbs of bhakti such as hearing, chanting, remembering, serving, worshiping, praying, becoming a friend and fully surrendering one’s soul. If someone is not doing this, but is doing something else, such as performance of prescribed duties in varnasrama-dharma, and still he thinks he is engaging in actual bhakti, he is actually superimposing the conception of pure bhakti onto something which is not pure bhakti. The word aropa means ‘to superimpose’, so aropa-siddha bhakti is the superimposition of the conception of devotion upon an activity which is constitutionally not devotion. Because varna and asrama are related to the physical body and not to the soul, therefore the consideration of varnasrama-dharma as pure bhakti is a superimposition. If one engages in activities which are somewhat related to devotional service, such as giving donations to devotees, giving charity and so on, this is not actually devotional service – but it has some relationship with devotional service. This is called sanga-siddha bhakti – the cultivation of qualities, sentiments, knowledge, and the understanding which is also included in pure bhakti, but which is itself not pure bhakti.” (Srila Narayana Maharaja, August 9, 2004) If you have some worldly desire, or any desire, then your bhakti may be sanga-siddha bhakti or aropa-siddha bhakti, but not pure transcendental bhakti. You should know what is aropa-siddha bhakti and sanga-siddha bhakti. When all this is clarified for you, then you can engage all your senses in svarupa-siddha bhakti; otherwise not. If you are doing any business, and by that business you make a very beautiful garden with many fruits and flowers, and you want to offer all these fruits and flowers to Krsna, this is not pure bhakti. Pure bhakti consists only of hearing, chanting, remembering, etc. In pure bhakti one always chants and remembers Krsna, and hears His pastimes in elevated association. Among all the limbs of bhakti, five limbs are most superior: sadhu-sanga (association of pure devotees), nama-kirtana (chanting the holy names of the Lord), bhagavat-sravana (hearing Srimad-Bhagavatam and other Vedic scriptures from the lotus lips of those pure devotees), vrndavana or mathura-vasa (living in Vrndavana or any of the holy places of the Lord’s pastimes), and sri murtira sraddhaya sevana (faithfully serving the Deity).” (Srila Naryana Maharaja, April 17, 2001) -- If you do not want to receive any more newsletters, Unsubscribe To update your preferences and to unsubscribe visit this link Forward a Message to Someone this link

Depends on Hearing

Hare Krishna Ravi Everything depends on hearing. Even in the material world if we want to become successful in some science or skill we have to hear from the experts in that field. The same thing is true in spiritual life. If we want to become advanced in Krishna consciousness then we have to hear from the pure devotees of Krishna. Srila Prabhupada revolutionized this process of hearing by utilizing modern technology. As soon as he came to the United States in 1965 he acquired a very good quality tape recorder and started speaking on the philosophy of Krishna consciousness and chanting the songs of the Vaisnava acharyas and recording them on his tape recorder. Prabhupada would hold classes in his room and even if no one turned up to hear his classes he would preach and record it. All the way through his preaching Prabhupada insisted that all his classes and conversations be recorded. So now we have the great opportunity of hearing from Srila Prabhupada, a pure devotee of Krishna, directly. We have so many wonderful recordings of Srila Prabhupada giving classes, on morning walks, giving press conferences, speaking with scientists and politicians, discussing the philosophy with his disciples and of course so many recordings of him chanting Hare Krishna and chanting bhajans. We have had the Prabhupada MP3 library for a long time but that was recorded at only 24 kb/ second MP3 files. Now we have been able to produce much better quality audio and release it at 128 kb / second. The result is now we can hear from Srila Prabhupada much more clearly than was possible before. We have just released this new Prabhupada "Ultimate Audio Collection". This is the final and best quality version of the Prabhupada Tape Ministry and is a limited release for the devotees who want to experience the best quality Prabhupada audio. It comes in a beautiful boxed set containing 8 double layer DVD-ROMS. The MP3 files are compatible with any computer, MP3 player or phone. For more information please go to: http://krishnastore.com/prabhupada-ultimate-audio-collection-dvdrom-set-h-krishna-3226.html Chant Hare Krishna and be happy! Madhudvisa dasa www.Krishna.org www.PrabhupadaBooks.com www.KrishnaStore.com www.Krishna.tv

Renouncing Desires

Peace on Renouncing Desires कामनाओंके त्यागसे शान्ति 11th June, 2015, Thursday Aashaadh Krishna Navami, Vikram Samvat 2072, Guruvaar The main obstacle in the path of God Realization is desire for sense pleasures and hoarding. You have given such importance to hoarding of money, that whether your life is ruined, whether you end up in hell, whether you go to 8.4 million forms of birth, whether you are insulted, criticized, dishonored, but you want to hoard money - this is a very severe malady. The main problem is the enjoyment of sense and other pleasures. It is due to this that man does not honor his experiences in life; as in place of honoring these experiences, he has begun to enjoy money and pleasures. Now however much he hears and learns, he will be unable to realize the truth. By learning you can become a scholarly person. You can give highly intellectual lectures, you can become a writer, you can write many wonderful books, but, you cannot attain immense peace, you cannot realize this peace. It is two very distinct and separate things, to learn and to experience. There is a difference of day and night between the two. One will experience when there will be no desire for sense pleasures and hoarding. You are having such desires, that let me have so much more money, just a bit more - but the truth is that not a single penny will go with you. You will have to go completely empty handed. Even the body will lay and stay right here. It was not ours at first, and later on too it will not be ours - this is evidentially true. But one cannot understand this simply by listening and sharing. When deep longing will be awakened within, when there is a burning fire within to be free from sense pleasures and hoarding, then this point will be understood from within. As long as you take pleasure from money, till that time, this point will not come into the senses. At the beginning and at the end - in both places in the Gita, while sharing the qualities of a man of wisdom, it has been said, to renounce all desires. In the beginning, God says ‒ प्रजहाति यदा कामान्सर्वान्पार्थ मनोगतान् । (गीता २ । ५५) "Prajahaati yadaa kaamaansrvaanpaarth manogataan | (Gita 2/55) O Partha (Arjuna), when a man discards all desires visiting the mind, and is self-satisfied in own self, he is said to be man of steady wisdom. || 55 || And in the end too, that very same point has been said ‒ विहाय कामान्यः सर्वान्पुमांश्चरति निःस्पृहः । (गीता २ । ७१) "Vihaaya kaamaanyah sarvaanpumaascharati nispruhah | (Gita 2/71) The man who gives up all desires, and moves about without the sense of mine and egoism (I-ness) and shuns the thirst for necessities of life, attains tranquility. (Gita 2/71) Desire for enjoyment of sense pleasures and hoarding is the main issue, and one having these desires, thousands of other desires will creep in. These desires keep coming in the mind, though they are not of the mind - ‘manogataan’. Renounce all these desires. If today you were to die, then the thought that if I survive, it will be good, let even such a desire not persist. The body appears very dear, but it is the kind that will go away, it will perish. First and the foremost, leave all sense of mine-ness and attachment for those things that are bound to go away. If you do not leave these first, then later on you will face a very bad state. If attraction to sense pleasures, money, and things remains, if your mind is attached to these, then it will be a very bad state of affairs. You will have to be born as a snake, a python; a ghost, an evil spirit, a fiend etc. who knows what else you may become ! From book in Hindi ‒‘Taatvik Pravachan” by Swami Ramsukhdasji

Dharmic desires are accepted in Vedas and by Bhagavan. Sri Krishna had family and children so was Sri Rama. Here one has properly understand DESIRE.Sri Krishna when necessity arose he left gopies, Yasoda for Dharmic duty. No desire to stick to gopies. So also he NEVER used his extraordinary powers to defeat Duryodhan. NO desire to get kingdom by desire. HE used HIS extraordinary power to give wealth to Kuchela.Similarly HE used HIS powers to take ARJUNA through Black hole to Vaikunt. Sri Rama when asked to leave Ayodiya HIS face was like just bloomed lotus. No desire to get kingdom. But when given later HE ruled and left.  Desire on wealth, woman (another man wife), to get something by lies, the desire becomes lust/ greed etc. Further details wanted please reply.

B.Sathyanarayan. Chennai

Surya Namaskar

Surya Namaskar
Suryashtakam @ omshivam.wordpress.comSurya Namaskar & Surya UpasanaSurya Namaskar is included in the regular routine of prayer and worship. Means it must be practiced regularly. Its greater importance has been described in the scriptures. As per the scriptures, a single day worship of the sun has virtues equivalent to the bestowal presentation of one lakh milk cows. Like worship, Surya Namaskaras too has their own significance. Surya Namaskara means prayer (Vandana) of Lord Surya. Surya Vandana is short. Surya Namaskara is an ancient system of Indian exercise. Stand facing the east at dawn and peacefully chant the mantras to pray Lord Surya and offer red sandals, flowers, rice grains (Akshatas) with water or simply the water alone as ARGHE (libation) and perform Surya Namaskara. This whole process must be performed before the sunrise.Take water in a metal pot and mix all the available veneration materials in it and hold the pot in your fingers alone keeping the thumbs aside and facing the east and chanting the following Mantra offer the libation thrice.EHI SURYA! SAHASTRANSHO! TEJORASHE! JAGATPATEANUKAMPAYA MAM BHAKTYA GRIHANARGHYAM DIVAKARA !Now recite the following Mantra to pray Lord Surya.DHYEYAH SADA SAVITRI MANDALA MADHYAVARTINARAYANAH SARSIJA SANA SANNI VISHTHAH !KEYURVAN MAKAR KUNDALA VAAN KIRITI,HARI HIRANYA MAYA VAPUR DHRIT SHANKHA CHAKRAH ||NAMASKARAThere are twelve positions or a posture involves in Surya Namaskara. With all of these twelve positions, each and every part of the body gets ample execrsie. Surya Namaslara also enhances the vision.Among these twelve positions, ten are Asanas only. The first one and the last one are two positions. All these Asanas and position are very easy to perform and can easily be practised by the people of all ages. Together these twelve positions constitute the process of Surya Namaskara and twenty-five Namaskaras form one Avriti (frequency).Surya Namaskar must be performed at some open and airy place. Perform Surya Namaskara slowly without feeling tired (fatigue) or panting and puffing, changing the feet every time, it must be performed on each of the feet successively.The completely procedure of performing Surya Namaskara is thus: It begins with the Mantras, one each for all the twelve Namaskara. These Mantras are as follows:OM MITRAYA NAMAHOM RAVAYE NAMAHOM SURYAY NAMAHOM BHANAVE NAMAHOM KHAGAYE NAMAHOM PUSHNE NAMAHOM HIRANYA GARBHAYE NAMAHOM MARICHAYE NAMAHOM AADITYAAYA NAMAHOM SAVITRE NAMAHOM ARKAYA NAMAHOM BHASKARAYA NAMAHPOSTURE OF THE FIRST NAMASKARA DAKSHASANAMantra: OM MITRAYA NAMAHProcedure :In the first position of Surya Namaskara contemplate the virtues of Lord Surya with concentrated mind and feel that you are the friend of everybody and have friendship with every creature on the earth. Immersing yourself with these feelings stand erect stretching your hand, neck and all other parts of your body. Stretching both of your arms, touch your thighs with palms and inflate the chest and point your vision on the tip of the point your vision on the tip of the nose. This is a position of attention. Since you stand straight in ‘Daksha’ position hence this posture is named ‘DAKSHASANA’.BENEFITS –Disorders of the skin and waists are corrected, the back becomes strength and new life and vigor are pumped into the legs.Focusing of the vision on nose helps to control the mind.The face becomes gloriousIt is an easy and effective way of attaining good health and development of personality for the students.Meditating with concentrated mind enhances confidence.POSTURE OF THE SECOND NAMASKARA NAMASKARASANA
Mantra : OM RAVAYE NAMAHProcedure :Fold together both of your hands in such a way that that both the thumbs begin to touch your chest. Expand your chest and pull in the belly as far as possible. Look straight ahead. The head, the neck and the body should remain in a straight line. Closing the mouth inhale the breath and hold it inside as far as possible and then expose the breath.BENEFITS :Disease of the throat is corrected and voice is enhanced. Both mind and body become healthy.POSTURE OF THE THIRD NAMASKARAPARVATASANA Mantra : OM SURYAYA NAMAHProcedure : Raising the arms up, stretch whole of your body backward while gazing the sky with open eyes. Ben backward as mush as possible, expand your chest at the same time.BENEFITS :Both the shoulders and the food pipe (Esophagus) get exercise and diseases related to them are corrected. Eyesight is also improved.POSTURE OF THE FOURTH NAMASKARA
HASTAPADASANAMantra : OM BHANAVE NAMAHProcedure : Inhaling the breath through nostrils retain it and bend forward without folding the knees. Ultimately rest both of your palms on the ground and touch your knees with your forehead or the nose and exhale the breath that you held so far with audible sound. If, in the beginning you are unable to rest your palms on the unable to rest your palms on the ground, simply touch the ground with finger and practice slowly.BENEFITS :Disorders of the belly and digestive system are corrected. The chest grows strong, hands too become stronger and your become well balanced, beautiful and good looking.Disease of the feet, fingers are also corrected and new lease of life is pumped in week persons.POSTURE OF THE FIFTH NAMASKARA
EKAPADA PRASARANASANAMantra : OM KHAGAYA NAMAHProcedure : Inhale the breath through nostrils and pull your right leg backward in such a way that the knee and the fingers of the foot touch the ground. Push forward your left leg pressing the abdomen (belly) hard. Then raising your head as high as possible, look upward. Push down the waist and hold the breath and stay in the osture as long as you can.BENEFITS :The posture stresses the small intestine as well as the seminal vesicles and these are stretched. Thus this posture helps in correcting the constipation and diseases of the liver.Thinness of the semen is also corrected.Diseases of the Throat are also corrected.POSTURE OF THE SIXTH NAMASKARA
BHUDHARASANA Mantra : OM PUSHNE NAMAHProcedure : Inhale the breath deeply and hold it and pull both of your legs backward, so that the thumbs of the feet, ankles and knees touch each other. Stabilizing the feet and keeping the head, waist, the back and the elbows in a line bend forward and resting both the palms on the ground keep your body like a bow.BENEFITS :One get relief from the pains specially of arms, legs and the knees, Bulging waist is trimmed and slimmed this posture is like a panacea for the abdominal disorders.POSTURE OF THE SEVENTH NAMASKARA
ASHTANGA PRANIPATASANAMantra : OM HIRANYAGARBHAYA NAMAHProcedure : Holding the breath, rest both of your knees on the ground. Touch the ground with your chest and touch the lower part of the neck with chin. Also touch the ground with the upper part of the forehead and the nose. Please note that the abdomen should not touch the ground. It should be pulled in. Exhale the breath now, Both the hands (palms) must be kept on the sides of the chest (Fig.)BENEFITS :This posture makes the arms strong.If ladies perform this Asana before getting pregnant, the breast fed babies could be saved from the attacks of many diseases.POSTURE OF THE EIGHTH NAMASKARA
BHUJANAGA SANAMantra : OM MARICHAYE NAMAHProcedure : Keeping the legs, palms and knees in Ashtanga prampatasana position, unfolding the arms rise up simultaneously inhaling the breath, push the chest out and bend the waist in circle and backward. Look as much up as possible and exhale the breath. (Fig.)BENEFITS :Removing the dullness invigorates the body and makes the eyes glowing.Correct all kinds of disorders related to male and female reproductive systems, corrects the irregularities in females menstrual cycles.Blood circulation is also corrected thereby increasing the glow on the face.POSTURE OF THE NINTH NAMSAKARA
BHUDHARASANAMantra : OM ADITYAYA NAMAHRepeat the process of Bhudharasana as described in the step six (6)POSTURE OF THE TENTH NAMASKARA
EKAPADAPRASARANASANAMantra : OM SAVITRA NAMAHProcedure : Repeat the process of the fifth Namaskara as described in the step five (5) just reverse the position of the legs.POSTURE OF THE ELEVENTH NAMASKARA
HASTAPADASANAMantra : OM ARKAYA NAMAHRepeat the process described in the fourth Namskara, step four (4).POSTURE OF THE TWELTH NAMASKARA
NAMASKARASANAMantra : OM BHASKARAYA NAMAHProcedure :Standing in the position described in step two repeat the second Surya Namaskara. Thus performing all the postures for Surya Namaskara, each and every parts of the body gets ample exercise whereas the religious significance is also fully met with.Every human being must perform Suyra Namaskara and the anas related to it. By virtue of Surya Namaskara, the poverty of the people is done away with and they remain properous in many births. Results of Surya Namaskara are described thus in our scriptures:ADITYASYA NAMASKARAM YE KURVANTI DINE DINEJANMANTAR SAHASTRESU DARIDRYAM NOPAJAYATE ..Meaning :The man who performs Surya Namaskara daily does not get poor in thousand births. Hence, give Surya Namaskara an urgent place in your daily routine. And like the daily rising of the sun. Surya Namaskara is indeed a daily routine.Suryanamaskar (Sun Salutation)Suryanamaskar (Surya Namaskar or surya namaskaram) or sun salutation is a comprehensive rejuvenating exercise that includes yoga asana and pranayama. There are two different methods of surya namaskar. One method has a series of 12 steps and the other has 10 steps.Suryanamaskar can be practiced in the morning and in the evening.The steps included in Surya Namaskar1.Stand facing the sun, with feet held together and hands folded before your chest, as in prayer. Breathe normally. Pranamasana posture.2.Inhale. Raise your folded hands above your head and bend backwards. Hastauttanasana (hasta ustanasana) stage.3.Slowly exhaling, lower your hands to your front and bend forward until your hand is placed on the ground. Take care not to bend your knees at this stage. Padahasthasana stage.

4.Inhale and stretch your right leg backwards as wide as possible, while keeping the hands firmly on ground. The left knee will be between your arms. Look straight in front of you. Ashwa Sanchalasana stage.
5.Exhaling stretch the left leg backwards and place left foot next to the right one. Without bending knees or elbows, raise your hips to form an arch. Parvathasana stage.
6.Exhaling and without bending your knees, lower your body until your nose, forehead, chest and knees touch the ground. Astanga namaskara stage.
7.Inhaling, raise your head slowly and bend backwards. Bhujangasana stage.
8.Exhaling, raise your hips as your head bends forwards. Parvathasana stage as in step 5.
9.Inhaling, bring your right knee to between your arms and place right foot firmly on ground. Ashwa Sanchalasana as in step 4.
10.Exhaling, bring your left foot forward next to your right leg. Padahastasana as in stage 3.
11i.Inhaling, raise your body and take your arms to above your head with hands folded and bend backwards. Hatauttanasana as in step 2.
12.Straighten your body and lower your folded hands to before your chest. Pranamasana as in step 1.
One can practice this in the morning and in the evening while facing the sun. This meditation, breath control and stretching exercise is meant to bring in flexibility to body.
Pregnant women, persons with hernia problems, high blood pressure persons, back ache etc are not advised to practice surya namaskar. Women during their periods are also advised not to practice this.

from urday.com
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Surya Ashtakam[From Samba Puranam]
[Told by Samba who is son of Lord Sri Krishna and Jambavati]
Translated by P. R. Ramachander

Pantheism has been a very strong part of Hindu relegion. They gave form to the several aspects of nature and worshipped them. Of these, they recognized Sun God as the one who is the primeval cause of nature. They believed worshipping Sun God would clear off all their sins. He was the son of Sage Kasyapa and Adhithi. He rode a huge chariot driven by Aruna. The God of death Yama and the planet Saturn were his sons. This beautiful octet is a prayer addressed to the sun god.

Surya Ashtakam

1
Adhi deva Namasthubhyam,,
Praseeda mama Bhaskara,
Divakara namasthubhyam,
Prabha kara Namosthu they.

Salutations to the primeval God,
Please be kind to me , he who creates the morn.
Salutations to you the creator of day,
Salutations to you the creator of light.

2
Saptha aswa radha roodam,
Prachandam, Kasypathmajam,
Swetha padma dharma devam,
Tham suryam pranamamyaham

My salutations to the Sun God,
Who rides on chariot with seven horses,
Who is the brightest of lights,
Who is the son of Sage Kashyapa,
And who wears the white lotus flower.

3
Lohitham Radha maroodam,
Sarva loka pithamaham,
Maha papa haram devam,
Tham suryam pranamamyaham

My salutations to the Sun God,
Who is reddish brown in colour,
Who rides on a chariot,
Who has created all the worlds,
And who is the god who kills all the sins

4
Trigunyam cha maha sooram,
Brahma Vishnu maheswaram,
Maha papaharam devam,
Tham suryam pranamamyaham

My salutations to the Sun God,
Who is blessed with three fold qualities,
Who is a greatest of heroes,
Who has within himself the great trinity.
And who is the god who kills all sins.

5
Bramhitham teja punjam cha,
Vayu makasa meva cha,
Prubhustwam sarva lokaanam,
Tham suryam pranamamyaham

My salutations to the Sun God,
Who developed by the sparkling ,
Of air , fire and ether,
And who is the lord of all universe.

6
Bandhooka pushpa sankaasam,
Hara kundala bhooshitham,
Eka chakra dharma devam ,
Tham suryam pranamamyaham

My salutations to the Sun God,
Who is as red as the hibiscus flower,
Who wears ornaments of garlands and ear rings,
And who is the god who has one great Wheel[1].

7
Viswesam Viswa karthaaram,
Maha Theja pradheepanam,
Maha papa haram devam,
Tham suryam pranamamyaham

My salutations to the Sun God,
Who is the Lord of all universe,
Who created all the universe,
And who is the God who can destroy all sins.

8
Sri Vishnum jagathaam nadam,
Jnana Vijnana mokshadham,
Maha papa haram devam,
Tham suryam pranamamyaham

My salutations to the Sun God,
Who is the lord of peace,
Who is the Lord of this world
Who showers on us knowledge, science and salvation,
And who is the God who can destoy all sins.

Phala Sruthi

Suryashtakam idham nithyam,
Gruha peeda pranasanam,
Aputhro labhathe puthram,
Daridhro dhanavan Bhaveth.

If one recites daily this octet on Sun God,
The sufferings of his house will vanish,
If he does not have a son will get one,
And if he is poor , he would become wealthy.

Aamisham madhu panam cha,
Ya karothi raver dhine,
Saptha janma bhaved rogi,
Janma janma dharidhratha.

The one who eats meat ,
Or drinks alchholic drinks on Sundays,
Will become sick for seven births,
And would be poor from birth to death.

Sthree thails madhu maamsani.,
Yasth yejathu raver dhine,
Na vyadhi soka dharidhryam,
Surya lokam sa gachathi.

One who forsakes on all Sundays,
Woman oil bath , meat and drinks,
Will never be sick nor sad nor poor.
And would reach the land of sun after death.