Wednesday, February 24, 2021

GITA SHLOKA 4.30,4.31,4.32: The human form of life is the only life by which one may get out of this entanglement. Highest kind of happiness that a man can achieve is to be promoted to the spiritual planets by practice of Krsna consciousness. A life of Krsna consciousness is therefore the solution to all the problems of material existence,12th Aug

The human form of life is the only life by which one may get out of this entanglement. Highest kind of happiness that a man can achieve is to be promoted to the spiritual planets by practice of Krsna consciousness. A life of Krsna consciousness is therefore the solution to all the problems of material existence.




GITA SHLOKA 4.30 

TRANSLATION
All these performers who know the meaning of sacrifice become cleansed of sinful reaction, and, having tasted the nectar of the remnants of such sacrifice, they go to the supreme eternal atmosphere.
PURPORT
From the foregoing explanation of different types of sacrifice (namely sacrifice of one's possessions, study of the Vedas or philosophical doctrines, and performance of the yoga system), it is found that the common aim of all is to control the senses.

Sense gratification is the root cause of material existence; therefore, unless and until one is situated on a platform apart from sense gratification, there is no chance of being elevated to the eternal platform of full knowledge, full bliss and full life.

This platform is in the eternal atmosphere, or Brahman atmosphere.

All the above-mentioned sacrifices help one to become cleansed of the sinful reactions of material existence.

By this advancement in life, one not only becomes happy and opulent in this life, but also, at the end, he enters into the eternal kingdom of God, either merging into the impersonal Brahman or associating with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna.

Gita shloka 4.31

TRANSLATION
O best of the Kuru dynasty, without sacrifice one can never live happily on this planet or in this life: what then of the next?
PURPORT
Whatever form of material existence one is in, one is invariably ignorant of his real situation.

In other words, existence in the material world is due to the multiple reactions to our sinful lives.

Ignorance is the cause of sinful life, and sinful life is the cause of one's dragging on in material existence.

The human form of life is the only loophole by which one may get out of this entanglement.

The Vedas, therefore, give us a chance for escape by pointing out the paths of religion, economic comfort, regulated sense gratification and, at last, the means to get out of the miserable condition entirely.

The path of religion, or the different kinds of sacrifice recommended above, automatically solves our economic problems.

By performance of yajna we can have enough food, enough milk, etc.—even if there is a so-called increase of population.

When the body is fully supplied, naturally the next stage is to satisfy the senses.

The Vedas prescribe, therefore, sacred marriage for regulated sense gratification.

Thereby one is gradually elevated to the platform of release from material bondage, and the highest perfection of liberated life is to associate with the Supreme Lord.

Perfection is achieved by performance of yajna (sacrifice), as described above.

Now, if a person is not inclined to perform yajna according to the Vedas, how can he expect a happy life? There are different grades of material comforts in different heavenly planets, and in all cases there is immense happiness for persons engaged in different kinds of yajna.

But the highest kind of happiness that a man can achieve is to be promoted to the spiritual planets by practice of Krsna consciousness.

A life of Krsna consciousness is therefore the solution to all the problems of material existence.





Tuesday, February 23, 2021

Bhagvatam: HOW INDRA, THE KING OF HEAVEN, WAS VICTORIOUS OVER THE SOLDIERS OF THE DEMONS, USING THE SHIELD OF THE VISHNU MANTRA,11th Aug

Bhagvatam: HOW INDRA, THE KING OF HEAVEN, WAS VICTORIOUS OVER THE SOLDIERS OF THE DEMONS, USING THE SHIELD OF THE VISHNU MANTRA.


This chapter describes how Indra, the King of heaven, was victorious over the soldiers of the demons, and it also describes the shield of the Vishnu mantra.

To take protection from this shield, one must first touch kusha grass and wash one's mouth with ächamana-mantras. One should observe silence and then place the eight-syllable Vishnu mantra on the parts of his body and place the twelve-syllable mantra on his hands. 

The eight-syllable mantra is om namo näräyanäya. This mantra should be distributed all over the front and back of the body. The twelve-syllable mantra, which begins with the pranava, omkära, is om namo bhagavate väsudeväya. One syllable should be placed on each of the fingers and should be preceded by the pranava, omkära. 

Thereafter, one must chant om vishnave namam, which is a six-syllable mantra. One must progressively place the syllables of the mantra on the heart, the head, between the two eyebrows, on the shikhä and between the eyes, and then one should chant mam asträya phat and with this mantra protect himself from all directions. Nädevo devam archayet: one who has not risen to the level of a deva cannot chant this mantra. According to this direction of the shästra, one must think himself qualitatively nondifferent from the Supreme.

After finishing this dedication, one must offer a prayer to the eight-armed Lord Vishnu, who sits on the shoulders of Garudadeva. One also has to think of the fish incarnation, Vämana, Kürma, Nrsimha, Varäha, Parashuräma, Räma Chandra (the elder brother of Lakshmana). Nara-Näräyana, Dattätreya (an empowered incarnation), Kapila, Sanat-kumära, Hayagriva, Näradadeva (the incarnation of a devotee). Dhanvantari, Rshabhadeva, Yajna, Balaräma, Vyäsadeva, Buddhadeva and Keshava. 

One should also think of Govinda, the master of Vrndävana, and one should think of Näräyana, the master of the spiritual sky. One should think of Madhusüdana, Tridhämä, Mädhava, Hrshikesha, Padmanäbha, Janärdana, Dämodara and Vishveshvara, as well as the Supreme Personality of Godhead Krshna Himself. 

After offering prayers to the Lord's personal expansions known as the svämsha and shaktyävesha-avatäras, one should pray to the weapons of Lord Näräyana, such as the Sudarshana, gadä, shankha, khadga and bow.

After explaining this process, Sukadeva Gosvämi told Mahäräja Parikshit how Vishvarüpa, the brother of Vrträsura, described the glories of the Näräyana-kavacha to Indra.

Monday, February 22, 2021

GITA SHLOKA 4.27 soul which is attached to sense enjoyment, it is called parag-atma BUT pratyag atma is the ultimate goal. This pratyag atma is a withdrawal from activities in matter,9th Aug

GITA SHLOKA 4.27 soul which is attached to sense enjoyment, it is called parag-atma BUT pratyag atma is the ultimate goal. This pratyag atma is a withdrawal from activities in matter.


TRANSLATION
Those who are interested in self-realization, in terms of mind and sense control, offer the functions of all the senses, as well as the vital force [breath], as oblations into the fire of the controlled mind.

PURPORT
The yoga system conceived by Patanjali is referred to herein.

In the Yoga-sutra of Patanjali, the soul is called pratyag-atma and parag-atma.

As long as the soul is attached to sense enjoyment, it is called parag-atma.

The soul is subjected to the functions of ten kinds of air at work within the body, and this is perceived through the breathing system.

The Patanjala system of yoga instructs one on how to control the functions of the body's air in a technical manner so that ultimately all the functions of the air within become favorable for purifying the soul of material attachment.

According to this yoga system, pratyag atma is the ultimate goal.

This pratyag atma is a withdrawal from activities in matter.

The senses interact with the sense objects, like the ear for hearing, eyes for seeing, nose for smelling, tongue for tasting, hand for touching, and all of them are thus engaged in activities outside the self.

They are called the functions of the prana-vayu.

The apana-vayu goes downwards, vyana-vayu acts to shrink and expand, samana-vayu adjusts equilibrium, udana-vayu goes upwards—and when one is enlightened, one engages all these in searching for self-realization.

Sunday, February 21, 2021

Bhagvatam: IF ONE IS ADVANCED IN THE SCIENCE OF KRSHNA CONSCIOUSNESS, REGARDLESS OF HIS POSITION IN HUMAN SOCIETY, HE MAY BECOME A SPIRITUAL MASTER, 10th Aug

Bhagvatam: IF ONE IS ADVANCED IN THE SCIENCE OF KRSHNA CONSCIOUSNESS, REGARDLESS OF HIS POSITION IN HUMAN SOCIETY, HE MAY BECOME A SPIRITUAL MASTER


TRANSLATION
The demigods continued: Do not fear criticism for being younger than us. Such etiquette does not apply in regard to Vedic mantras. Except in relationship to Vedic mantras, seniority is determined by age, but one may offer respectful obeisances even to a younger person who is advanced in chanting Vedic mantras. Therefore although you are junior in relationship to us, you may become our priest without hesitation.

PURPORT
It is said, vrddhatvam vayasä vinä: one may be senior without being advanced in age. Even if one is not old, one gains seniority if he is senior in knowledge. Vishvarüpa was junior in relationship to the demigods because he was their nephew, but the demigods wanted to accept him as their priest, and therefore he would have to accept obeisances from them. 

The demigods explained that this should not be a cause for hesitation; he could become their priest because he was advanced in Vedic knowledge. Similarly, Chänakya Pandita advises, nichäd apy uttamam jnänam: one may accept education from a member of a lower social order. The brähmanas, the members of the most elevated varna, are teachers, but a person in a lower family, such as a family of kshatriyas, vaishyas or even shüdras, may be accepted as a teacher if he has knowledge. Sri Chaitanya Mahäprabhu approved of this when He expressed this opinion before Rämänanda Räya (Cc. Madhya 8.128):

It does not matter whether one is a brähmana, shüdra, grhastha or sannyäsi. These are all material designations. A spiritually advanced person has nothing to do with such designations. Therefore, if one is advanced in the science of Krshna consciousness, regardless of his position in human society, he may become a spiritual master.

Saturday, February 20, 2021

GOD IS LOVE and LOVE SHOWS THE WAY #Blog0074

GOD IS LOVE & LOVE SHOWS THE WAY

"चिर जीवो भूतल ये जोड़ी"

The saints / pure devotees have such a pure love that they bless even the Lord couple (Radhe Krishna)

In fact pure love does not care for self but only for the comfort of the beloved.

Whereas in the world there is no pure love - hence though it is "love" but because it is "not pure", there is a lot of selfishness - "what would I get" - and therefore this love is extremely short lived but this same worldly love, if converted towards Lord & therefore the welfare of all His beings, becomes pure & surely attracts Lord who then pulls devotee out of this worldly birth death cycle,old age & disease & takes him/her back to Godhead.

Getting to such a pure love, which automatically attracts God, is the purpose of human life.    

"इबादत बेशक एक मकाम तक ले जाती है मगर आगे मोहब्बत रास्ता दिखाती है"

Prayer can take you only upto a certain point - beyond which only love can take you.


"जितना प्यार पाया है तुमसे 

उससे और अधिक पाने को जी चाहता है 

और जाने क्या खूबी है तुममे सनम 

कि हर रिश्ता तुमसे निभाने को जी चाहता है"


"न मेहनत से ,न अदब से  

न किसी पुरुषार्थ से मिलती है  

मोहब्बत वो दौलत है, जो सिर्फ तेरी रहमत से मिलती है"

HOW CAN ANYONE WHO LOVES GOD HATE ANY OF HIS CHILDREN ?