GITA-SHLOKA-4.9 ONE SHOULD CULTIVATE KRSNA CONSCIOUSNESS WITH FAITH AND KNOWLEDGE, AND IN THIS WAY ATTAIN PERFECTION. ONE CANNOT ATTAIN SALVATION, SIMPLY, SO TO SPEAK, BY LICKING THE OUTER SURFACE OF THE BOTTLE OF HONEY 24th July

TRANSLATION

ONE WHO KNOWS THE TRANSCENDENTAL NATURE OF MY APPEARANCE AND ACTIVITIES DOES NOT, UPON LEAVING THE BODY, TAKE HIS BIRTH AGAIN IN THIS MATERIAL WORLD, BUT ATTAINS MY ETERNAL ABODE, O ARJUNA.

PURPORT

The Lord's descent from His transcendental abode is already explained in the 6th verse.

ONE WHO CAN UNDERSTAND THE TRUTH OF THE APPEARANCE OF THE PERSONALITY OF GODHEAD IS ALREADY LIBERATED FROM MATERIAL BONDAGE, AND THEREFORE HE RETURNS TO THE KINGDOM OF GOD IMMEDIATELY AFTER QUITTING THIS PRESENT MATERIAL BODY.

SUCH LIBERATION OF THE LIVING ENTITY FROM MATERIAL BONDAGE IS NOT AT ALL EASY.

THE IMPERSONALISTS AND THE YOGIS ATTAIN LIBERATION ONLY AFTER MUCH TROUBLE AND MANY, MANY BIRTHS.

Even then, the liberation they achieve—merging into the impersonal brahmajyoti of the Lord—is only partial, and there is the risk of returning again to this material world.

BUT THE DEVOTEE, SIMPLY BY UNDERSTANDING THE TRANSCENDENTAL NATURE OF THE BODY AND ACTIVITIES OF THE LORD, ATTAINS THE ABODE OF THE LORD AFTER ENDING THIS BODY AND DOES NOT RUN THE RISK OF RETURNING AGAIN TO THIS MATERIAL WORLD.

In the Brahma-samhita it is stated that the Lord has many, many forms and incarnations: advaitam achyutam anadim ananta-rupam.

ALTHOUGH THERE ARE MANY TRANSCENDENTAL FORMS OF THE LORD, THEY ARE STILL ONE AND THE SAME SUPREME PERSONALITY OF GODHEAD.

ONE HAS TO UNDERSTAND THIS FACT WITH CONVICTION, ALTHOUGH IT IS INCOMPREHENSIBLE TO MUNDANE SCHOLARS AND EMPIRIC PHILOSOPHERS.

As stated in the Vedas:

eko devo nitya-lilanurakto bhakta-vyapi hrdy antaratma.

"THE ONE SUPREME PERSONALITY OF GODHEAD IS ETERNALLY ENGAGED IN MANY, MANY TRANSCENDENTAL FORMS IN RELATIONSHIPS WITH HIS UNALLOYED DEVOTEES." THIS VEDIC VERSION IS CONFIRMED IN THIS VERSE OF THE GITA PERSONALLY BY THE LORD.

HE WHO ACCEPTS THIS TRUTH ON THE STRENGTH OF THE AUTHORITY OF THE VEDAS AND OF THE SUPREME PERSONALITY OF GODHEAD AND WHO DOES NOT WASTE TIME IN PHILOSOPHICAL SPECULATIONS ATTAINS THE HIGHEST PERFECTIONAL STAGE OF LIBERATION.

SIMPLY BY ACCEPTING THIS TRUTH ON FAITH, ONE CAN, WITHOUT A DOUBT, ATTAIN LIBERATION.

The Vedic version, "tattvamasi," is actually applied in this case.

ANYONE WHO UNDERSTANDS LORD KRSNA TO BE THE SUPREME, OR WHO SAYS UNTO THE LORD, "YOU ARE THE SAME SUPREME BRAHMAN, THE PERSONALITY OF GODHEAD" IS CERTAINLY LIBERATED INSTANTLY, AND CONSEQUENTLY HIS ENTRANCE INTO THE TRANSCENDENTAL ASSOCIATION OF THE LORD IS GUARANTEED.

IN OTHER WORDS, SUCH A FAITHFUL DEVOTEE OF THE LORD ATTAINS PERFECTION, AND THIS IS CONFIRMED BY THE FOLLOWING VEDIC ASSERTION:

tam eva viditvatimrtyumeti nanyah pantha vidyate ayanaya.

ONE CAN ATTAIN THE PERFECT STAGE OF LIBERATION FROM BIRTH AND DEATH SIMPLY BY KNOWING THE LORD, THE SUPREME PERSONALITY OF GODHEAD.

THERE IS NO ALTERNATIVE BECAUSE ANYONE WHO DOES NOT UNDERSTAND LORD KRSNA AS THE SUPREME PERSONALITY OF GODHEAD IS SURELY IN THE MODE OF IGNORANCE.

CONSEQUENTLY HE WILL NOT ATTAIN SALVATION, SIMPLY, SO TO SPEAK, BY LICKING THE OUTER SURFACE OF THE BOTTLE OF HONEY, OR BY INTERPRETING THE BHAGAVAD-GITA ACCORDING TO MUNDANE SCHOLARSHIP.

SUCH EMPIRIC PHILOSOPHERS MAY ASSUME VERY IMPORTANT ROLES IN THE MATERIAL WORLD, BUT THEY ARE NOT NECESSARILY ELIGIBLE FOR LIBERATION.

SUCH PUFFED UP MUNDANE SCHOLARS HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE CAUSELESS MERCY OF THE DEVOTEE OF THE LORD.

ONE SHOULD THEREFORE CULTIVATE KRSNA CONSCIOUSNESS WITH FAITH AND KNOWLEDGE, AND IN THIS WAY ATTAIN PERFECTION.

कन्हैया को इक दिन रो के पुकारा Vinod Agarwal Bhajan lyrics - Kanhaiyya ko ek din ro ke pukara

“कन्हैया को इक दिन रो के पुकारा”

कन्हैया को इक दिन रो के पुकारा

Crying, I called Lord one day

कहा उनसे जैसा हूं अब हूं मैं तुम्हारा

I told Lord to please accept me as I am 

GOD ASKED ME:

“मुझ तक आने के लिए, साधन किए तूने क्या क्या”

What kind of efforts you are made to reach me

मैं बोला किसे तुमने साधन से तारा

I replied to Lord please tell me whether any one has been able to meet Him based only on his efforts ?

(प्यारे जब भी आपने किसी का उद्धार किया है, उसके गुणों या सतकर्मों को देख कर नहीं किया, आपने हमेशा अहेतु की कृपा ही बरसाई)

Whenever God has graced anybody, it has not been based on mere deeds (as no deed can be so powerful as to get to Lord) alone but because of causeless compassion shown by Lord

वो बोले कि दुनिया में ना आकर किया कुछ

God asked me whether I have done anything special having come to the world

मैं बोला कि अब भेजना मत दोबारा

I replied to Lord therefore not to send me again to the world 

वो बोले परेशान हूं तेरी बहस से

God said I am annoyed at your arguments

मैं बोला ये कहदो तू जीता मैं हारा

I said “ok” that God should agree that I won & He lost

वो बोले कि जरिया तेरा क्या है मुझ तक

God asked me what means I adopted to reach him

मैं बोला कि दृग बिन्दु का है सहारा

I said only “tears of love” have made me reach you

मेरी ग्यानियों में,बड़े ध्यानियों में, गुण मानियों में चर्चा ही ना हो 

I told Lord not to include me amongst wise people, people doing great meditation or other pure devotees

कभी बिन्दु अदालत में पहुँचूँ ,  सुकरम की एक गवाही ना हो

When I reach Your court, let not even pious deed be my witness

करते हो कृपा जो बिन कारण के, तो कृपा करने में कोताही ना हो

Since Your grace flows causelessly, please do not be a miser on showering Your grace on me

किसी कारण से करते हो कृपा, तो कृपा निधी ऐसी कृपा ही ना हो

If Your grace is triggered only by some cause, then O Ocean of Compassion, let me not be blessed by your grace 

(THE IDEA IS THAT SINCE GOD IS SO KIND, I INSIST THAT EVEN WITHOUT ANY PIOUS DEED, HE SHOULD SHOWER ME WITH HIS GRACE BASED ONLY ON MY LOVE FOR HIM)  

(Vinod Agarwal Bhajan lyrics)

Kanhaiyya ko ek din ro ke pukara

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2h9S8UZBkM&list=PLRAMvBuRmm0x5icxg4FEhUf0hhXnG8c1Y&index=2

 

#blogva027 

GITA-SHLOKA-4.6 THE LORD IS ALWAYS THE SAME ABSOLUTE TRUTH AND IS WITHOUT DIFFERENTIATION BETWEEN HIS FORM AND SELF, OR BETWEEN HIS QUALITY AND BODY. HE DOES NOT CHANGE HIS BODY, AS THE COMMON LIVING ENTITY CHANGES FROM ONE BODY TO ANOTHER, 21st July

TRANSLATION

ALTHOUGH I AM UNBORN AND MY TRANSCENDENTAL BODY NEVER DETERIORATES, AND ALTHOUGH I AM THE LORD OF ALL SENTIENT BEINGS, I STILL APPEAR IN EVERY MILLENNIUM IN MY ORIGINAL TRANSCENDENTAL FORM.

PURPORT

THE LORD HAS SPOKEN ABOUT THE PECULIARITY OF HIS BIRTH: ALTHOUGH HE MAY APPEAR LIKE AN ORDINARY PERSON, HE REMEMBERS EVERYTHING OF HIS MANY, MANY PAST "BIRTHS," WHEREAS A COMMON MAN CANNOT REMEMBER WHAT HE HAS DONE EVEN A FEW HOURS BEFORE.

If someone is asked what he did exactly at the same time one day earlier, it would be very difficult for a common man to answer immediately.

He would surely have to dredge his memory to recall what he was doing exactly at the same time one day before.

And yet, men often dare claim to be God, or Krsna.

One should not be misled by such meaningless claims.

Then again, the Lord explains His prakrti or His form.

Prakrti means nature as well as svarupa, or one's own form.

THE LORD SAYS THAT HE APPEARS IN HIS OWN BODY.

HE DOES NOT CHANGE HIS BODY, AS THE COMMON LIVING ENTITY CHANGES FROM ONE BODY TO ANOTHER.

THE CONDITIONED SOUL MAY HAVE ONE KIND OF BODY IN THE PRESENT BIRTH, BUT HE HAS A DIFFERENT BODY IN THE NEXT BIRTH.

IN THE MATERIAL WORLD, THE LIVING ENTITY HAS NO FIXED BODY BUT TRANSMIGRATES FROM ONE BODY TO ANOTHER.

THE LORD, HOWEVER, DOES NOT DO SO.

WHENEVER HE APPEARS, HE DOES SO IN THE SAME ORIGINAL BODY, BY HIS INTERNAL POTENCY.

IN OTHER WORDS, KRSNA APPEARS IN THIS MATERIAL WORLD IN HIS ORIGINAL ETERNAL FORM, WITH TWO HANDS, HOLDING A FLUTE.

HE APPEARS EXACTLY IN HIS ETERNAL BODY, UNCONTAMINATED BY THIS MATERIAL WORLD.

ALTHOUGH HE APPEARS IN THE SAME TRANSCENDENTAL BODY AND IS LORD OF THE UNIVERSE, IT STILL APPEARS THAT HE TAKES HIS BIRTH LIKE AN ORDINARY LIVING ENTITY.

DESPITE THE FACT LORD KRSNA GROWS FROM CHILDHOOD TO BOYHOOD AND FROM BOYHOOD TO YOUTH, ASTONISHINGLY ENOUGH HE NEVER AGES BEYOND YOUTH.

AT THE TIME OF THE BATTLE OF KURUKSETRA, HE HAD MANY GRANDCHILDREN AT HOME; OR, IN OTHER WORDS, HE HAD SUFFICIENTLY AGED BY MATERIAL CALCULATIONS.

STILL HE LOOKED JUST LIKE A YOUNG MAN TWENTY OR TWENTY-FIVE YEARS OLD.

WE NEVER SEE A PICTURE OF KRSNA IN OLD AGE BECAUSE HE NEVER GROWS OLD LIKE US, ALTHOUGH HE IS THE OLDEST PERSON IN THE WHOLE CREATION—PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE.

NEITHER HIS BODY NOR HIS INTELLIGENCE EVER DETERIORATES OR CHANGES.

THEREFORE, IT IS CLEAR THAT IN SPITE OF HIS BEING IN THE MATERIAL WORLD, HE IS THE SAME UNBORN, ETERNAL FORM OF BLISS AND KNOWLEDGE, CHANGELESS IN HIS TRANSCENDENTAL BODY AND INTELLIGENCE.

FACTUALLY, HIS APPEARANCE AND DISAPPEARANCE ARE LIKE THE SUN'S RISING, MOVING BEFORE US, AND THEN DISAPPEARING FROM OUR EYESIGHT.

WHEN THE SUN IS OUT OF SIGHT, WE THINK THAT THE SUN IS SET, AND WHEN THE SUN IS BEFORE OUR EYES, WE THINK THAT THE SUN IS ON THE HORIZON.

ACTUALLY, THE SUN IS ALWAYS IN ITS FIXED POSITION, BUT OWING TO OUR DEFECTIVE, INSUFFICIENT SENSES, WE CALCULATE THE APPEARANCE AND DISAPPEARANCE OF THE SUN IN THE SKY.

AND, BECAUSE HIS APPEARANCE AND DISAPPEARANCE ARE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT FROM THAT OF ANY ORDINARY, COMMON LIVING ENTITY, IT IS EVIDENT THAT HE IS ETERNAL, BLISSFUL KNOWLEDGE BY HIS INTERNAL POTENCY—AND HE IS NEVER CONTAMINATED BY MATERIAL NATURE.

The Vedas also confirm that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is unborn, yet He still appears to take His birth in multi-manifestations.

The Vedic supplementary literatures also confirm that even though the Lord appears to be taking His birth, He is still without change of body.

In the Bhagavatam, He appears before His mother as Narayana, with four hands and the decorations of the six kinds of full opulences.

His appearance in His original eternal form is His causeless mercy, according to the Visvakosa dictionary.

The Lord is conscious of all of His previous appearances and disappearances, but a common living entity forgets everything about his past body as soon as he gets another body.

HE IS THE LORD OF ALL LIVING ENTITIES BECAUSE HE PERFORMS WONDERFUL AND SUPERHUMAN ACTIVITIES WHILE HE IS ON THIS EARTH.

THEREFORE, THE LORD IS ALWAYS THE SAME ABSOLUTE TRUTH AND IS WITHOUT DIFFERENTIATION BETWEEN HIS FORM AND SELF, OR BETWEEN HIS QUALITY AND BODY.

A question may now be raised as to why the Lord appears and disappears in this world.

This is explained in the next verse.

IMPORTANCE OF LOVINGLY SERVING GOD #Blog0023

IMPORTANCE OF LOVINGLY SERVING GOD 

नारद जी भगवान (नारायण) के पास पहुंचे एक बड़ी सुंदर पुस्तिका देखी

भगवान से पूछा यह क्या है

भगवान ने उत्तर दिया इसमें उन भक्तों के नाम है जो मेरा भजन करते हैं

नारद ने कहा तो हमारा नाम भी होगा भगवान ने कहा देखिए, 

खोली पुस्तक - सबसे पहले नारद जी का नाम

नारद जी महाजन है परम भागवत है,भक्ति के सर्वश्रेष्ठ आचार्य हैं

जीव के कल्याण के लिए भक्ति का सांगोपांग (bhakti explained thoroughly) वर्णन सर्वप्रथम नारद जी ने किया है

इसलिए उनका नाम सबसे पहले था तो बहुत प्रसन्न हो गए 

उलट-पुलट सब देखा पुस्तक में हनुमान जी का नाम कहीं नहीं है

हनुमान जी का नाम नहीं है कहीं प्रभु - भगवान बोले हनुमान जी से पूछो

हनुमान जी बैठे थे कहीं राम कथा में, राम कथा हो रही थी, छिपाए अपने रूप को एक कौड़ी के भेष में, कथा सुन रहे हैं

पूछने पर हनुमान जी ने कहा कि हम इसलिए थोड़ी भजन करते हैं कि हमारा किसी पुस्तक में नाम हो

नारद जी फिर नारायण के पास पहुंचे 

वहां एक और सुंदर भव्य (divine) पुस्तिका देखी

पूरी उलट-पुलट कर पुस्तिका पूरी देख ली, उसमें फिर कहीं नाम नहीं हनुमान जी का

भगवान ने कहा कि प्रथम पृष्ठ आपने देखा ही नहीं 

उन्होंने प्रथम पृष्ठ देखा तो हनुमान जी का नाम सबसे ऊपर, केवल एक ही नाम

नारद जी ने प्रभु से पूछा प्रभु इस पुस्तिका में कौन से भक्तों की सूचिका है

नारायण ने कहा कि इसमें उनकी सूचना है जिनका भजन हम करते हैं, जो मुझे प्रिय है

देखिए श्री हनुमान जी केवल अपनी सेवा के बल से किस श्रेणी में पहुंच गए कि भगवान के हृदय के स्वामी हो गए

“राम दुआरे तुम रखवारे, होत ना आज्ञा बिनु पैसारे”

 Once Narada ji went to God and saw a beautiful book kept next to God. 

On asking about this book, God told Narada that it is the list of devotees who sing His bhajans. 

On exploring the book, Narada found his name on the top of the first page as Narada is forever ever chanting Lord’s name.

Naturally he was elated. But he was puzzled too why Hanuman ji's name was not there in that book.

On enquiry, God told Narada to ask Hanuman ji himself. 

So Narada went to Hanuman ji who was sitting in a Ram katha disguised as a leper at the back so that none could recognise him. 

Narada asked about the book with God. 

Hanuman ji replied that he is not concerned about his name appearing in any book & that he simply loves God for God’s sake.

Not satisfied with the answer Narada went to God again, then he saw another lovely book kept near God. 

On query, God offered him the book to browse. 

And in that book, Narada found Hanuman ji’s name at the top of the first page.

On asking what does this book contain, God said this is the list of devotees for whom God Himself sings bhajans.

Imagine the status achieved by Hanuman ji on the strength of seva to God that he is made to sit in God’s heart.

 

GITA-SHLOKA-4.4, THE ATHEISTS, WHO CONSIDER KRSNA AN ORDINARY MAN, MAY IN THIS WAY COME TO KNOW THAT KRSNA IS SUPERHUMAN, THAT HE IS SAT-CHIT-ANANDA-VIGRAHA—THE ETERNAL FORM OF BLISS AND KNOWLEDGE—THAT HE IS TRANSCENDENTAL, AND THAT HE IS ABOVE THE DOMINATION OF THE MODES OF MATERIAL NATURE AND ABOVE THE INFLUENCE OF TIME AND SPACE, 19th July

TRANSLATION

Arjuna said: The sun-god Vivasvan is senior by birth to You. How am I to understand that in the beginning You instructed this science to him?

PURPORT

Arjuna is an accepted devotee of the Lord, so how could he not believe Krsna's words? The fact is that Arjuna is not inquiring for himself but for those who do not believe in the Supreme Personality of Godhead or for the demons who do not like the idea that Krsna should be accepted as the Supreme Personality of Godhead; for them only Arjuna inquires on this point, as if he were himself not aware of the Personality of Godhead, or Krsna.

AS IT WILL BE EVIDENT FROM THE TENTH CHAPTER, ARJUNA KNEW PERFECTLY WELL THAT KRSNA IS THE SUPREME PERSONALITY OF GODHEAD, THE FOUNTAINHEAD OF EVERYTHING AND THE LAST WORD IN TRANSCENDENCE.

Of course, Krsna also appeared as the son of Devaki on this earth.

HOW KRSNA REMAINED THE SAME SUPREME PERSONALITY OF GODHEAD, THE ETERNAL, ORIGINAL PERSON, IS VERY DIFFICULT FOR AN ORDINARY MAN TO UNDERSTAND.

Therefore, to clarify this point, Arjuna put this question before Krsna so that He Himself could speak authoritatively.

THAT KRSNA IS THE SUPREME AUTHORITY IS ACCEPTED BY THE WHOLE WORLD, NOT ONLY AT PRESENT, BUT FROM TIME IMMEMORIAL, AND THE DEMONS ALONE REJECT HIM.

ANYWAY, SINCE KRSNA IS THE AUTHORITY ACCEPTED BY ALL, ARJUNA PUT THIS QUESTION BEFORE HIM IN ORDER THAT KRSNA WOULD DESCRIBE HIMSELF WITHOUT BEING DEPICTED BY THE DEMONS WHO ALWAYS TRY TO DISTORT HIM IN A WAY UNDERSTANDABLE TO THE DEMONS AND THEIR FOLLOWERS.

IT IS NECESSARY THAT EVERYONE, FOR HIS OWN INTEREST, KNOW THE SCIENCE OF KRSNA.

THEREFORE, WHEN KRSNA HIMSELF SPEAKS ABOUT HIMSELF, IT IS AUSPICIOUS FOR ALL THE WORLDS.

TO THE DEMONS, SUCH EXPLANATIONS BY KRSNA HIMSELF MAY APPEAR TO BE STRANGE BECAUSE THE DEMONS ALWAYS STUDY KRSNA FROM THEIR OWN STANDPOINT, BUT THOSE WHO ARE DEVOTEES HEARTILY WELCOME THE STATEMENTS OF KRSNA WHEN THEY ARE SPOKEN BY KRSNA HIMSELF.

The devotees will always worship such authoritative statements of Krsna because they are always eager to know more and more about Him.

THE ATHEISTS, WHO CONSIDER KRSNA AN ORDINARY MAN, MAY IN THIS WAY COME TO KNOW THAT KRSNA IS SUPERHUMAN, THAT HE IS SAC-CID-ANANDA-VIGRAHA—THE ETERNAL FORM OF BLISS AND KNOWLEDGE—THAT HE IS TRANSCENDENTAL, AND THAT HE IS ABOVE THE DOMINATION OF THE MODES OF MATERIAL NATURE AND ABOVE THE INFLUENCE OF TIME AND SPACE.

A devotee of Krsna's, like Arjuna, is undoubtedly above any misunderstanding of the transcendental position of Krsna.

ARJUNA'S PUTTING THIS QUESTION BEFORE THE LORD IS SIMPLY AN ATTEMPT BY THE DEVOTEE TO DEFY THE ATHEISTIC ATTITUDE OF PERSONS WHO CONSIDER KRSNA TO BE AN ORDINARY HUMAN BEING SUBJECT TO THE MODES OF MATERIAL NATURE.