Bhagvatam LAKSHMIJI ALWAYS REMAINS WITH NARAYANA - MONEY SHOULD BE USED FOR KRISHNA, ONLY THEN LAKSHMIJI WOULD BE HAPPY, 11th June

Srimad Bhagvatam

TRANSLATION
THE BRAHMANA CONTINUED: I AM ACTUALLY SEEING HOW A RICH MAN, WHO IS A VICTIM OF HIS SENSES, IS VERY GREEDY TO ACCUMULATE WEALTH, AND THEREFORE SUFFERS FROM INSOMNIA DUE TO FEAR FROM ALL SIDES, DESPITE HIS WEALTH AND OPULENCE.

PURPORT
GREEDY CAPITALISTS ACCUMULATE WEALTH UNDER SO MANY MISERABLE CONDITIONS, THE RESULT BEING THAT BECAUSE THEY COLLECT MONEY BY QUESTIONABLE MEANS, THEIR MINDS ARE ALWAYS AGITATED. THUS THEY ARE UNABLE TO SLEEP AT NIGHT, AND THEY HAVE TO TAKE PILLS FOR MENTAL TRANQUILLITY TO INVITE SLEEP. AND SOMETIMES EVEN THE PILLS ARE A FAILURE. CONSEQUENTLY THE RESULT OF HAVING ACCUMULATED MONEY BY SO MUCH LABOR IS CERTAINLY NOT HAPPINESS, BUT ONLY DISTRESS. WHAT IS THE VALUE OF ACQUIRING A COMFORTABLE POSITION IF ONE'S MIND IS ALWAYS DISTURBED? Narottama dasa Thakura has therefore sung:

"I AM SUFFERING FROM THE POISONOUS EFFECT OF MATERIAL ENJOYMENT. THUS MY HEART IS ALWAYS BURNING AND IS ALMOST ON THE VERGE OF FAILURE." THE RESULT OF THE GREEDY CAPITALIST'S UNNECESSARY ACCUMULATION OF WEALTH IS THAT HE MUST SUFFER FROM A BLAZING FIRE OF ANXIETY AND ALWAYS BE CONCERNED WITH HOW TO SAVE HIS MONEY AND INVEST IT PROPERLY TO GET MORE AND MORE. SUCH A LIFE IS CERTAINLY NOT VERY HAPPY, BUT BECAUSE OF THE SPELL OF THE ILLUSORY ENERGY, MATERIALISTIC PERSONS ENGAGE IN SUCH ACTIVITIES.

As far as our Krshna consciousness movement is concerned, we are getting money naturally, by the grace of God, by selling our literature. This literature is not sold for our sense gratification; to spread the Krshna consciousness movement we need so many things, and Krshna is therefore supplying us the requisite money to advance this mission. The mission of Krshna is to spread Krshna consciousness all over the world, and for this purpose we naturally must have sufficient money. Therefore, according to the advice of Srila Rüpa Gosvami Prabhupada, we should not give up attachment to money that can spread the Krshna consciousness movement. Srila Rüpa Gosvami says in his Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu (1.2.256):

"When persons eager to achieve liberation renounce things which are related to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, though they are material, this is called incomplete renunciation." Money that can help in spreading the Krshna consciousness movement is not a part of the material world, and we should not give it up, thinking that it is material. Srila Rüpa Gosvami advises:

"When one is not attached to anything, but at the same time accepts everything in relation to Krshna, one is rightly situated above possessiveness." (Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 1.2.255)

Money is undoubtedly coming in great quantities, but we should not be attached to this money for sense gratification; every cent should be spent for spreading the Krshna consciousness movement, not for sense gratification. There is danger for a preacher when he receives great quantities of money, for as soon as he spends even a single cent of the collection for his personal sense gratification, he becomes a fallen victim.

The preachers of the Krshna consciousness movement should be extremely careful not to misuse the immense quantities of money needed to spread this movement. Let us not make this money the cause of our distress; it should be used for Krshna, and that will cause our eternal happiness. Money is Lakshmi, or the goddess of fortune, the companion of Narayana. Lakshmiji must always remain with Narayana, and then there need be no fear of degradation.

Gita shloka 3.5, ULTIMATE GOAL IS TO BECOME KRSNA CONSCIOUS, 11th June

Gita shloka 3.5

TRANSLATION

ALL MEN ARE FORCED TO ACT HELPLESSLY ACCORDING TO THE IMPULSES BORN OF THE MODES OF MATERIAL NATURE; THEREFORE NO ONE CAN REFRAIN FROM DOING SOMETHING, NOT EVEN FOR A MOMENT.

PURPORT

IT IS NOT A QUESTION OF EMBODIED LIFE, BUT IT IS THE NATURE OF THE SOUL TO BE ALWAYS ACTIVE.

WITHOUT THE PRESENCE OF THE SPIRIT SOUL, THE MATERIAL BODY CANNOT MOVE.

THE BODY IS ONLY A DEAD VEHICLE TO BE WORKED BY THE SPIRIT SOUL, WHICH IS ALWAYS ACTIVE AND CANNOT STOP EVEN FOR A MOMENT.

AS SUCH, THE SPIRIT SOUL HAS TO BE ENGAGED IN THE GOOD WORK OF KRSNA CONSCIOUSNESS, OTHERWISE IT WILL BE ENGAGED IN OCCUPATIONS DICTATED BY ILLUSORY ENERGY.

IN CONTACT WITH MATERIAL ENERGY, THE SPIRIT SOUL ACQUIRES MATERIAL MODES, AND TO PURIFY THE SOUL FROM SUCH AFFINITIES IT IS NECESSARY TO ENGAGE IN THE PRESCRIBED DUTIES ENJOINED IN THE SASTRAS.

BUT IF THE SOUL IS ENGAGED IN HIS NATURAL FUNCTION OF KRSNA CONSCIOUSNESS, WHATEVER HE IS ABLE TO DO IS GOOD FOR HIM.

The Srimad-Bhagavatam affirms this:

tyaktva sva-dharmam caranambujam harer
bhajann apakvo 'tha patet tato yadi
yatra kva vabhadram abhud amusya kim
ko vartha apto 'bhajatam sva-dharmatah.

"IF SOMEONE TAKES TO KRSNA CONSCIOUSNESS, EVEN THOUGH HE MAY NOT FOLLOW THE PRESCRIBED DUTIES IN THE SASTRAS NOR EXECUTE THE DEVOTIONAL SERVICE PROPERLY, AND EVEN THOUGH HE MAY FALL DOWN FROM THE STANDARD, THERE IS NO LOSS OR EVIL FOR HIM.

BUT IF HE CARRIES OUT ALL THE INJUNCTIONS FOR PURIFICATION IN THE SASTRAS, WHAT DOES IT AVAIL HIM IF HE IS NOT KRSNA CONSCIOUS?" (Bhag.1.5.17)

So the purificatory process is necessary for reaching this point of Krsna consciousness.

THEREFORE, SANNYASA, OR ANY PURIFICATORY PROCESS, IS TO HELP REACH THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF BECOMING KRSNA CONSCIOUS, WITHOUT WHICH EVERYTHING IS CONSIDERED A FAILURE.

 

HOW CAN WE COUNT HIS BLESSINGS ? #Blog0035

How can we count His blessings ?

"तोड़ दे मौलवी अपनी तसवी (माला), क्यों गिन के नाम लूँ उसका, जो बेहिसाब देता है"

O PRIEST, WHY SHOULD YOU TAKE HIS NAME ON COUNT OF BEADS – HOW CAN YOUR COUNT MATCH HIS COUNTLESS BLESSINGS

पाईंया तेरे दर तो मैं, रहमतां हज़ारां

I've found countless blessings from You

शुक्र गुज़ारा तेरा, शुक्र गुज़ारा
I'm extremely grateful

दुख देवें सुख देवें, झोली विच पा लँवा

दुखां नूं वी दातया मैं सुखां नाल ला लँवा
जेड़ा वेला आंवे ओइयो हँस के गुज़ारा

Whether You give me happiness  or sorrow, I love that (झोली विच पा लँवा)
and I feel elated (हँस के गुज़ारा) all the time (जेड़ा वेला) because Time is under Your control

कोडियां दा मुल नहीं सी, हीरयाँ दा पै गया
I was not worth a dime (कोडियां), but was valued as diamond (हीरयाँ)

जदो दा मैं दाता तेरे, चरणा च बै गया
since the time (जदो दा) I took (बै) Your (दाता तेरे) shelter

क्यों ना दाता तेरे ते मैं, तन मन वाराँ
why should I not surrender (तन मन वाराँ) my everything on You

शुक्र गुज़ारा तेरा, शुक्र गुज़ारा

दर दर रूलया सी, किसे ना संभालाया
I was being tossed about (दर दर रूलया) in life, nobody protected (संभालाया) me

मेहर कीती सत गुराँ ने, चरनाँ च ला लया
thanks to Your grace (मेहर), You took me at Your feet (चरनाँ)

चंगे वेले सुन लइयां, साडिया पुकाराँ
You heard my (साडिया) cries (पुकाराँ) for help very timely (चंगे वेले)

शुक्र गुज़ारा, तेरा शुक्र गुज़ारा

रहमताँ नूं वेख अख्खाँ, हंस पइयाँ रोंदियां
appreciating Your grace, my crying eyes (रोंदियां) started laughing (हंस)

साडे कोलो दाता तेरी सिफ़ता नहीं होंदियां
I (साडे) am not able (नहीं होंदियां) to sing Your praises (सिफ़ता) in words

क्यों ना दाता तेरे ते मैं, तन मन वाराँ
शुक्र गुज़ारा तेरा शुक्र गुज़ारा

सुख पाया, सुख पाया, रहम तेरी सुख पाया
I found bliss, I found bliss with Your grace

 
video 1 < click to listen (माँ वैषणों देवी भजन)

video 2  < click to listen

video 3 < click to listen

video 4 < click to listen

video 5 < click to listen

video 6 < click to listen

video 7 < click to listen

Being grateful is the greatest feeling & is the most precious to Lord - He only wants us all to be grateful for everything He has provided to us - our soul, i.e., our very life breath, air, water, earth, sky, Sun & fire (for cooking & digesting in stomach), vegetables, assistance of others (He only is sitting inside each heart & guiding each being, from Lord Brahma to an ant) in helping us sustain & grow ourselves & even our basic existence of being alive & all our individual skills (on the basis of which we earn through work/jobs & consequent money & wealth) are His grace on us- since countless TIME.

FOR ALL THE FREE GIFTS PROVIDED BY HIM, ALL THAT GOD WANTS FROM US IS TO BE GRATEFUL TO HIM, EACH MOMENT, i.e., WITH EACH BREATH as without His grace & mercy (कृपा), next breath is not possible.

"शुक्र गुजारा तेरा शुक्र गुजारा"
O Lord, we are indeed thankful to You for everything.

https://youtu.be/1xhQOUWjzh0&t=55