आत्म परिचय के बिना भक्ति नहीं हो सकती (WITHOUT ONE’S KNOWING ONESELF, ONE CANNOT DEVELOP LOVE FOR LORD) #Blog0056

आत्म परिचय के बिना भक्ति नहीं हो सकती (WITHOUT ONE’S KNOWING ONESELF, ONE CANNOT DEVELOP LOVE FOR LORD)

आत्म परिचय के बिना भक्ति नहीं हो सकती  

कौन करता है भक्ति? हाथ करते हैं भक्ति? या पैर, कान, मुख, आंख, नाक करते हैं ? 

आपकी चेतना भक्ति करती है 

Your consciousness does bhakti 

और यदि आपका उससे परिचय नहीं है तो आप उस मार्ग पर एक पग भी आगे नहीं बढ़ सकते  

आत्म चिंतन के बिना आत्म परिचय नहीं होता 

 

It is self-acquaintance ; you must know the pros and cons of your personality, your own fault, your qualities 

 

आपको अपने गुण अवगुण पता हो  

विचार के बिना एकांत नहीं हो सकता 

बिना विवेक के विचार नहीं होता 

बिना सत्संग के विवेक नहीं होता  

 

इसलिए सत्संग से विवेक (discrimination power), विवेक से विचार (thought), विचार से एकांत (solitude), एकांत से आत्मचिंतन (introspection), आत्मचिंतन से आत्म परिचय (self-acquaintance) और आत्म परिचय से भगवत भक्ति (Devotion) 

 

जैसे कोई 50 साल के लिए अपनी याद भूल गया हो, कोई उसे याद करा दें कि आपके असल में सगे संबंधी कौन हैं फिर वह असली संबंधी के पास ही जाना चाहता है  

ठीक वैसे ही हमारी स्थिति है 

हम भगवान को भूल बैठे हैं और भगवान ही हमारा एकमात्र सगा है  

सत्संग आपको स्मरण करा देता है आपका अपने सगे भगवान का रिश्ता 

 

Actually it is just a memory loss  

somehow due to non stop lording over material world  

“आए थे हरी भजन को और बन बैठे भगवान” 

 

we have forgotten our relationship with God 

and OUR ONLY TRUE ETERNAL RELATIONSHIP is with LORD 

 

, e.g., someone in a coma for say 50 years, once he regains his memory, on being told that his real relative is someone else, will immediately want to be with his real close relative. 

“उमा, राम स्वभाव जिन जाना, ताहिं तजत, इन्ही भाव न आना”  

LORD SHANKAR TELLS HIS WIFE DURGA (UMA) "WHOEVER COMES TO KNOW THE NATURE OF RAM (GOD), HE NEVER EVER THINKS OF LIVING WITHOUT HIM"  

 

Satsang (सत + संग - सत्य का संग) awakens our lost relationship with God by revealing God's NATURE (स्वभाव) and once one is awake, he tastes such a bliss which is eternal that all other worldly pleasures seem a trifle & too short lived.

GITA-SHLOKA-3.35- IT IS FAR BETTER TO DISCHARGE ONE'S PRESCRIBED DUTIES, EVEN THOUGH THEY MAY BE FAULTY, THAN ANOTHER'S DUTIES, 9th July

GITA-SHLOKA-3.35- IT IS FAR BETTER TO DISCHARGE ONE'S PRESCRIBED DUTIES, EVEN THOUGH THEY MAY BE FAULTY, THAN ANOTHER'S DUTIES, 9th July 

TRANSLATION

It is far better to discharge one's prescribed duties, even though they may be faulty, than another's duties. Destruction in the course of performing one's own duty is better than engaging in another's duties, for to follow another's path is dangerous.

PURPORT

One should therefore discharge his prescribed duties in full Krsna consciousness rather than those prescribed for others.

Prescribed duties complement one's psychophysical condition, under the spell of the modes of material nature.

Spiritual duties are as ordered by the spiritual master, for the transcendental service of Krsna.

But both materially or spiritually, one should stick to his prescribed duties even up to death, rather than imitate another's prescribed duties.

Duties on the spiritual platform and duties on the material platform may be different, but the principle of following the authorized direction is always good for the performer.

When one is under the spell of the modes of material nature, one should follow the prescribed rules for particular situations and should not imitate others.

For example, a brahmana, who is in the mode of goodness, is nonviolent, whereas a ksatriya, who is in the mode of passion, is allowed to be violent.

As such, for a ksatriya it is better to be vanquished following the rules of violence than to imitate a brahmana who follows the principles of nonviolence.

Everyone has to cleanse his heart by a gradual process, not abruptly.

However, when one transcends the modes of material nature and is fully situated in Krsna consciousness, he can perform anything and everything under the direction of the bona fide spiritual master.

In that complete stage of Krsna consciousness, the ksatriya may act as a brahmana, or a brahmana may act as a ksatriya.

In the transcendental stage, the distinctions of the material world do not apply.

For example, Visvamitra was originally a ksatriya, but later on he acted as a brahmana, whereas Parasurama was a brahmana, but later on he acted as a ksatriya.

Being transcendentally situated, they could do so; but as long as one is on the material platform, he must perform his duties according to the modes of material nature.

At the same time, he must have a full sense of Krsna consciousness.

Bhagvatam: A DEVOTEE CAN GIVE THE BEST SERVICE TO HIS FAMILY, HIS COMMUNITY, HIS SOCIETY AND HIS NATION, 8th July

Bhagvatam: A DEVOTEE CAN GIVE THE BEST SERVICE TO HIS FAMILY, HIS COMMUNITY, HIS SOCIETY AND HIS NATION

TRANSLATION

If a brahmana has all twelve of the brahminical qualifications [as they are stated in the book called Sanat-sujata] but is not a devotee and is averse to the lotus feet of the Lord, he is certainly lower than a devotee who is a dog-eater but who has dedicated everything—mind, words, activities, wealth and life—to the Supreme Lord. Such a devotee is better than such a brahmana because the devotee can purify his whole family, whereas the so-called brahmana in a position of false prestige cannot purify even himself.

PURPORT

Here is a statement by Prahlada Maharaja, one of the twelve authorities, regarding the distinction between a devotee and a brahmana expert in karma-kanda, or Vedic ritualistic ceremonies. There are four varnas and four asramas, which divide human society, but the central principle is to become a first-class pure devotee. It is said in the Hari-bhakti-sudhodaya:

"IF ONE IS BORN IN A HIGH FAMILY LIKE THAT OF A BRAHMANA, KSHATRIYA OR VAISYA BUT IS NOT A DEVOTEE OF THE LORD, ALL HIS GOOD QUALIFICATIONS AS A BRAHMANA, KSHATRIYA OR VAISYA ARE NULL AND VOID. INDEED, THEY ARE CONSIDERED DECORATIONS OF A DEAD BODY."

In this verse Prahlada Maharaja speaks of the vipras, the learned brahmanas. The learned brahmana is considered best among the divisions of brahmana, kshatriya, vaisya and südra, BUT A DEVOTEE BORN IN A LOW CHANDALA FAMILY IS BETTER THAN SUCH BRAHMANAS, NOT TO SPEAK OF THE KSHATRIYAS, VAISYAS AND OTHERS. A DEVOTEE IS BETTER THAN ANYONE, FOR HE IS IN THE TRANSCENDENTAL POSITION ON THE BRAHMAN PLATFORM.

"ONE WHO ENGAGES IN FULL DEVOTIONAL SERVICE, WHO DOES NOT FALL DOWN IN ANY CIRCUMSTANCE, AT ONCE TRANSCENDS THE MODES OF MATERIAL NATURE AND THUS COMES TO THE LEVEL OF BRAHMAN." (Bg. 14.26) The twelve qualities of a first-class brahmana, as stated in the book called Sanat-sujata, are as follows:

The European and American devotees in the Krshna consciousness movement are sometimes accepted as brahmanas, but the so-called caste brahmanas are very much envious of them.

In answer to such envy, Prahlada Maharaja says that one who has been born in a brahmana family but is falsely proud of his prestigious position cannot even purify himself, not to speak of his family, whereas if a chandala, a lowborn person, is a devotee and has fully surrendered unto the lotus feet of the Lord, he can purify his entire family. We have had actual experience of how Americans and Europeans, because of their full Krshna consciousness, have purified their whole families, so much so that a mother of a devotee, at the time of her death, inquired about Krshna with her last breath. 

THEREFORE IT IS THEORETICALLY TRUE AND HAS BEEN PRACTICALLY PROVEN THAT A DEVOTEE CAN GIVE THE BEST SERVICE TO HIS FAMILY, HIS COMMUNITY, HIS SOCIETY AND HIS NATION. 

THE FOOLISH ACCUSE A DEVOTEE OF FOLLOWING THE PRINCIPLE OF ESCAPISM, BUT ACTUALLY THE FACT IS THAT A DEVOTEE IS THE RIGHT PERSON TO ELEVATE HIS FAMILY. A DEVOTEE ENGAGES EVERYTHING IN THE SERVICE OF THE LORD, AND THEREFORE HE IS ALWAYS EXALTED.

WHOEVER IS BEAUTIFUL AND KNOWS THAT HE IS BEAUTIFUL WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE MIRROR, AN UGLY PERSON WOULD NOT LIKE TO SEE MIRROR ,i.e., INTROSPECT #Blog0055

WHOEVER IS BEAUTIFUL AND KNOWS THAT HE IS BEAUTIFUL WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE MIRROR, NOT OTHERWISE

जो सुंदर व्यक्ति है और जिसे खबर है कि मैं सुंदर हूं

उस व्यक्ति को दर्पण देखना अच्छा लगेगा

जो व्यक्ति भीतर से स्वस्थ है, प्रसन्न है

उस व्यक्ति को विचार करना अच्छा लगेगा, उस व्यक्ति को आत्म चिंतन सुख देगा 

whoever is beautiful and knows that he is beautiful, who is healthy & happy inside, would like to see the mirror

लेकिन जो भीतर से अभी स्वस्थ नहीं हुआ, जिसका मन रोगी है, जिसमें राग है द्वेष है, ईर्ष्या है, मद मात्सर्य भरा है अहंकार है, वह जब आत्म चिंतन करेगा...

आप सब से झूठ बुलवा सकते हैं आप दर्पण से झूठ नहीं बुलवा सकते, दर्पण कभी झूठ नहीं बोलता

आपका मन आपके सामने सत्य रखेगा, आत्म चिंतन में पढ़ेंगे तो आपका अनुभव सुखद नहीं होगा

लेकिन हमें उस दुखद अनुभव से जूझना होगा

But one who is weak inside, who has attachments and hate inside him, has jealousy, pride & envy ;  when he tries to introspect, he would not have a pleasant experience initially because the mirror does not lie but continuous sincere effort will purify his heart inside & make him eligible for God’s devotion.

Bhagvatam: LUST, ANGER AND GREED ARE THE CAUSES OF THE CONDITIONED SOUL'S BONDAGE IN THIS MATERIAL WORLD,7th July

Bhagvatam: LUST, ANGER AND GREED ARE THE CAUSES OF THE CONDITIONED SOUL'S BONDAGE IN THIS MATERIAL WORLD

TRANSLATION

MY DEAR KING, A SELF-SATISFIED PERSON CAN BE HAPPY EVEN WITH ONLY DRINKING WATER. HOWEVER, ONE WHO IS DRIVEN BY THE SENSES, ESPECIALLY BY THE TONGUE AND GENITALS, MUST ACCEPT THE POSITION OF A HOUSEHOLD DOG TO SATISFY HIS SENSES.

PURPORT

According to the sastras, a brahmana, or a cultured person in Krshna consciousness, will not enter anyone's service to maintain body and soul together, and especially not for satisfaction of the senses. A true brahmana is always satisfied. Even if he has nothing to eat, he can drink a little water and be satisfied. This is only a matter of practice. 

Unfortunately, however, no one is educated in how to be satisfied in self-realization. As explained above, a devotee is always satisfied because he feels the presence of the Supersoul within his heart and thinks of Him twenty-four hours a day. That is real satisfaction. A devotee is never driven by the dictations of the tongue and genitals, and thus he is never victimized by the laws of material nature.

TRANSLATION

Because of greed for the sake of the senses, the spiritual strength, education, austerity and reputation of a devotee or brahmana who is not self-satisfied dwindle, and his knowledge gradually vanishes.

TRANSLATION

The strong bodily desires and needs of a person disturbed by hunger and thirst are certainly satisfied when he eats. Similarly, if one becomes very angry, that anger is satisfied by chastisement and its reaction. But as for greed, even if a greedy person has conquered all the directions of the world or has enjoyed everything in the world, still he will not be satisfied.

PURPORT

In Bhagavad-gita (3.37) it is stated that lust, anger and greed are the causes of the conditioned soul's bondage in this material world. Kama esha krodha esha rajo-guna-samudbhavam. 

When strong lusty desires for sense gratification are unfulfilled, one becomes angry. This anger can be satisfied when one chastises his enemy, but when there is an increase in lobha, or greed, which is the greatest enemy caused by rajo-guna, the mode of passion, how can one advance in Krshna consciousness?

If one is very greedy to enhance his Krshna consciousness, this is a great boon. Tatra laulyam ekalam mülam. This is the best path available.