BHAGVAT MATERIAL OPULENCE IS SO BEWILDERING THAT IT MAKES EVEN A LEARNED, SELF-CONTROLLED MAN FORGET TO SEARCH FOR THE GOAL OF SELF-REALIZATION  26TH JULY

Extract from Srimad Bhagvatam

TRANSLATION

MATERIAL OPULENCE IS SO BEWILDERING THAT IT MAKES EVEN A LEARNED, SELF-CONTROLLED MAN FORGET TO SEARCH FOR THE GOAL OF SELF-REALIZATION. BUT THE SUPREME PERSONALITY OF GODHEAD, NARAYANA, THE LORD OF THE UNIVERSE, CAN SEE EVERYTHING BY HIS WILL. THEREFORE I OFFER MY RESPECTFUL OBEISANCES UNTO HIM.

PURPORT

THE WORDS ko vicashthe gatim atmano yatha INDICATE THAT WHEN ONE IS PUFFED UP BY THE FALSE PRESTIGE OF POSSESSING MATERIAL OPULENCE, HE CERTAINLY NEGLECTS THE GOAL OF SELF-REALIZATION. THIS IS THE POSITION OF THE MODERN WORLD. BECAUSE OF SO-CALLED SCIENTIFIC IMPROVEMENTS IN MATERIAL OPULENCE, PEOPLE HAVE ENTIRELY GIVEN UP THE PATH OF SELF-REALIZATION. 

PRACTICALLY NO ONE IS INTERESTED IN GOD, ONE'S RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD OR HOW ONE SHOULD ACT. MODERN MEN HAVE ALTOGETHER FORGOTTEN SUCH QUESTIONS BECAUSE THEY ARE MAD FOR MATERIAL POSSESSIONS. IF THIS KIND OF CIVILIZATION CONTINUES, THE TIME WILL SOON COME WHEN THE SUPREME PERSONALITY OF GODHEAD WILL TAKE AWAY ALL THE MATERIAL OPULENCES. THEN PEOPLE WILL COME TO THEIR SENSES.

GITA-SHLOKA-4.10 BY THE PROCESS OF DEVOTIONAL SERVICE, UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF THE BONA FIDE SPIRITUAL MASTER, ONE CAN ATTAIN THE HIGHEST STAGE, BEING FREED FROM ALL MATERIAL ATTACHMENT 25th July

TRANSLATION

BEING FREED FROM ATTACHMENT, FEAR AND ANGER, BEING FULLY ABSORBED IN ME AND TAKING REFUGE IN ME, MANY, MANY PERSONS IN THE PAST BECAME PURIFLED BY KNOWLEDGE OF ME—AND THUS THEY ALL ATTAINED TRANSCENDENTAL LOVE FOR ME.

PURPORT

AS DESCRIBED ABOVE, IT IS VERY DIFFICULT FOR A PERSON WHO IS TOO MATERIALLY AFFECTED TO UNDERSTAND THE PERSONAL NATURE OF THE SUPREME ABSOLUTE TRUTH.

GENERALLY, PEOPLE WHO ARE ATTACHED TO THE BODILY CONCEPTION OF LIFE ARE SO ABSORBED IN MATERIALISM THAT IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE FOR THEM TO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS A TRANSCENDENTAL BODY WHICH IS IMPERISHABLE, FULL OF KNOWLEDGE AND ETERNALLY BLISSFUL.

IN THE MATERIALISTIC CONCEPT, THE BODY IS PERISHABLE, FULL OF IGNORANCE AND COMPLETELY MISERABLE.

THEREFORE, PEOPLE IN GENERAL KEEP THIS SAME BODILY IDEA IN MIND WHEN THEY ARE INFORMED OF THE PERSONAL FORM OF THE LORD.

For such materialistic men, the form of the gigantic material manifestation is supreme.

Consequently they consider the Supreme to be impersonal.

And because they are too materially absorbed, the conception of retaining the personality after liberation from matter frightens them.

When they are informed that spiritual life is also individual and personal, they become afraid of becoming persons again, and so they naturally prefer a kind of merging into the impersonal void.

Generally, they compare the living entities to the bubbles of the ocean, which merge into the ocean.

That is the highest perfection of spiritual existence attainable without individual personality.

This is a kind of fearful stage of life, devoid of perfect knowledge of spiritual existence.

FURTHERMORE THERE ARE MANY PERSONS WHO CANNOT UNDERSTAND SPIRITUAL EXISTENCE AT ALL.

BEING EMBARASSED BY SO MANY THEORIES AND BY CONTRADICTIONS OF VARIOUS TYPES OF PHILOSOPHICAL SPECULATION, THEY BECOME DISGUSTED OR ANGRY AND FOOLISHLY CONCLUDE THAT THERE IS NO SUPREME CAUSE AND THAT EVERYTHING IS ULTIMATELY VOID.

SUCH PEOPLE ARE IN A DISEASED CONDITION OF LIFE.

SOME PEOPLE ARE TOO MATERIALLY ATTACHED AND THEREFORE DO NOT GIVE ATTENTION TO SPIRITUAL LIFE, SOME OF THEM WANT TO MERGE INTO THE SUPREME SPIRITUAL CAUSE, AND SOME OF THEM DISBELIEVE IN EVERYTHING, BEING ANGRY AT ALL SORTS OF SPIRITUAL SPECULATION OUT OF HOPELESSNESS.

THIS LAST CLASS OF MEN TAKE TO THE SHELTER OF SOME KIND OF INTOXICATION, AND THEIR AFFECTIVE HALLUCINATIONS ARE SOMETIMES ACCEPTED AS SPIRITUAL VISION.

ONE HAS TO GET RID OF ALL THREE STAGES OF ATTACHMENT TO THE MATERIAL WORLD: NEGLIGENCE OF SPIRITUAL LIFE, FEAR OF A SPIRITUAL PERSONAL IDENTITY, AND THE CONCEPTION OF VOID THAT UNDERLIES THE FRUSTRATION OF LIFE.

TO GET FREE FROM THESE THREE STAGES OF THE MATERIAL CONCEPT OF LIFE, ONE HAS TO TAKE COMPLETE SHELTER OF THE LORD, GUIDED BY THE BONA FIDE SPIRITUAL MASTER, AND FOLLOW THE DISCIPLINES AND REGULATIVE PRINCIPLES OF DEVOTIONAL LIFE.

THE LAST STAGE OF THE DEVOTIONAL LIFE IS CALLED BHAVA, OR TRANSCENDENTAL LOVE OF GODHEAD.

According to Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, the science of devotional service:

adau sraddha tatah sadhu-sango 'tha bhajana-kriya

tato 'nartha-nivrttih syat tato nistha rucis tatah

athasaktis tato bhavas tatah premabhyudancati

sadhakanam ayam premnah pradurbhave bhavet kramah.

"IN THE BEGINNING ONE MUST HAVE A PRELIMINARY DESIRE FOR SELF-REALIZATION.

THIS WILL BRING ONE TO THE STAGE OF TRYING TO ASSOCIATE WITH PERSONS WHO ARE SPIRITUALLY ELEVATED.

IN NEXT STAGE ONE BECOMES INITIATED BY AN ELEVATED SPIRITUAL MASTER, AND UNDER HIS INSTRUCTION THE NEOPHYTE DEVOTEE BEGINS THE PROCESS OF DEVOTIONAL SERVICE.

BY EXECUTION OF DEVOTIONAL SERVICE UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF THE SPIRITUAL MASTER, ONE BECOMES FREE FROM ALL MATERIAL ATTACHMENT, ATTAINS STEADINESS IN SELF-REALIZATION, AND ACQUIRES A TASTE FOR HEARING ABOUT THE ABSOLUTE PERSONALITY OF GODHEAD, SRI KRSNA.

THIS TASTE LEADS ONE FURTHER FORWARD TO ATTACHMENT FOR KRSNA CONSCIOUSNESS, WHICH IS MATURED IN BHAVA, OR THE PRELIMINARY STAGE OF TRANSCENDENTAL LOVE OF GOD.

REAL LOVE FOR GOD IS CALLED PREMA, THE HIGHEST PERFECTIONAL STAGE OF LIFE." IN THE PREMA STAGE THERE IS CONSTANT ENGAGEMENT IN THE TRANSCENDENTAL LOVING SERVICE OF THE LORD.

SO, BY THE SLOW PROCESS OF DEVOTIONAL SERVICE, UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF THE BONA FIDE SPIRITUAL MASTER, ONE CAN ATTAIN THE HIGHEST STAGE, BEING FREED FROM ALL MATERIAL ATTACHMENT, FROM THE FEARFULNESS OF ONE'S INDIVIDUAL SPIRITUAL PERSONALITY, AND FROM THE FRUSTRATIONS RESULTING FROM VOID PHILOSOPHY.

THEN ONE CAN ULTIMATELY ATTAIN TO THE ABODE OF THE SUPREME LORD.

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.