Bhagvat : ONE SHOULD BE SATISFIED TO MAINTAIN BODY AND SOUL TOGETHER WITH WHATEVER IS AVAILABLE WITH MINIMUM ENDEAVOR, 22nd June

Bhagvat : one should be satisfied to maintain body and soul together with whatever is available with minimum endeavor

Extract from Srimad Bhagvatam

TRANSLATION
Even if one is a householder rather than a brahmachari, a sannyasi or a vanaprastha, one should not endeavor very hard for religiosity, economic development or satisfaction of the senses. Even in householder life, one should be satisfied to maintain body and soul together with whatever is available with minimum endeavor, according to place and time, by the grace of the Lord. One should not engage oneself in ugra-karma.

PURPORT
In human life there are four principles to be fulfilled-dharma, artha, kama and moksha (religion, economic development, sense gratification, and liberation). First one should be religious, observing various rules and regulations, and then one must earn some money for maintenance of his family and the satisfaction of his senses.

The most important ceremony for sense gratification is marriage because sexual intercourse is one of the principal necessities of the material body. Yan maithunadi-grhamedhi-sukham hi tuccham. Although sexual intercourse is not a very exalted requisite in life, both animals and men require some sense gratification because of material propensities. One should be satisfied with married life and not expend energy for extra sense gratification or sex life.

As for economic development, the responsibility for this should be entrusted mainly to the vaisyas and grhasthas. Human society should be divided into varnas and asramas—brahmana, kshatriya, vaisya, südra, brahmacharya, grhastha, vanaprastha and sannyasa. Economic development is necessary for grhasthas. Brahmana grhasthas should be satisfied with a life of adhyayana, adhyapana, yajana and yajana—being learned scholars, teaching others to be scholars, learning how to worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vishnu, and also teaching others how to worship Lord Vishnu, or even the demigods.

A brahmana should do this without remuneration, but he is allowed to accept charity from a person whom he teaches how to be a human being. As for the kshatriyas, they are supposed to be the kings of the land, and the land should be distributed to the vaisyas for agricultural activities, cow protection and trade. Shüdras must work; sometimes they should engage in occupational duties as cloth manufacturers, weavers, blacksmiths, goldsmiths, brass-smiths, and so on, or else they should engage in hard labor to produce food grains.

These are the different occupational duties by which men should earn their livelihood, and in this way human society should be simple. At the present moment, however, everyone is engaged in technological advancement, which is described in Bhagavad-gita as ugra-karma—extremely severe endeavor. This ugra-karma is the cause of agitation within the human mind. Men are engaging in many sinful activities and becoming degraded by opening slaughterhouses, breweries and cigarette factories, as well as nightclubs and other establishments for sense enjoyment.

In this way they are spoiling their lives. In all of these activities, of course, householders are involved, and therefore it is advised here, with the use of the word api, that even though one is a householder, one should not engage himself in severe hardships.

One's means of livelihood should be extremely simple. As for those who are not grhasthas—the brahmacharis, vanaprasthas and sannyasis—they don't have to do anything but strive for advancement in spiritual life. This means that three fourths of the entire population should stop sense gratification and simply be engaged in the advancement of Krshna consciousness.

Only one fourth of the population should be grhastha, and that should be according to laws of restricted sense gratification. The grhasthas, vanaprasthas, brahmacharis and sannyasis should endeavor together with their total energy to become Krshna conscious. This type of civilization is called daiva-varnasrama. 

One of the objectives of the Krshna consciousness movement is to establish this daiva-varnasrama, but not to encourage so-called varnasrama without scientifically organized endeavor by human society.

Gita shloka 3.15, BY BECOMING KṚṢṆA CONSCIOUS, CONDITIONED SOULS CAN RETURN HOME, BACK TO GODHEAD, 21st June

Gita shloka 3.15

by becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious, conditioned souls can return home, back to Godhead

TRANSLATION

Regulated activities are prescribed in the Vedas, and the Vedas are directly manifested from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Consequently the all-pervading Transcendence is eternally situated in acts of sacrifice.

PURPORT

Yajñārtha karma, or the necessity of work for the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa only, is more expressly stated in this verse.

If we have to work for the satisfaction of the yajña-puruṣa, Viṣṇu, then we must find out the direction of work in Brahman, or the transcendental Vedas.

The Vedas are therefore codes of working directions.

Anything performed without the direction of the Vedas is called vikarma, or unauthorized or sinful work.

Therefore, one should always take direction from the Vedas to be saved from the reaction of work.

As one has to work in ordinary life by the direction of the state, similarly, one has to work under direction of the supreme state of the Lord.

Such directions in the Vedas are directly manifested from the breathing of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

It is said: asya mahato bhūtasya naśvasitam etad yad ṛg-vedo yajur-vedaḥ sāma-vedo ‘tharvāṅ girasaḥ.

“The four Vedas-namely the Ṛg-veda, Yajur-veda, Sāma-veda and Atharva-veda-are all emanations from the breathing of the great Personality of Godhead.” The Lord, being omnipotent, can speak by breathing air, as it is confirmed in the Brahma-saṁhitā, for the Lord has the omnipotence to perform through each of His senses the actions of all other senses.

In other words, the Lord can speak through His breathing, and He can impregnate by His eyes.

In fact, it is said that He glanced over material nature and thus fathered all living entities.

After creating or impregnating the conditioned souls into the womb of material nature, He gave His directions in the Vedic wisdom as to how such conditioned souls can return home, back to Godhead.

We should always remember that the conditioned souls in material nature are all eager for material enjoyment.

But the Vedic directions are so made that one can satisfy one’s perverted desires, then return to Godhead, having finished his so-called enjoyment.

It is a chance for the conditioned souls to attain liberation; therefore the conditioned souls must try to follow the process of yajña by becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious.

Even those who cannot follow the Vedic injunctions may adopt the principles of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and that will take the place of performance of Vedic yajñas, or karmas.

 

MIND IS CLUELESS (ON WHERE TO FIND PLEASURE), DIRECTIONLESS, RESTLESS - IT NEEDS TO BE LEASHED BY YOUR DISCRIMINATING POWER (विवेक) TO THE HIGHEST PLEASURE OF LOVE OF LORD, OTHERWISE LIKE FOR A FLY, IT IS FOOLED BY MAYA INTO PETTY and SHORT LIVED PLEASURES OF WORLD #Blog0017

MIND IS CLUELESS (ON WHERE TO FIND PLEASURE), DIRECTIONLESS, RESTLESS - IT NEEDS TO BE LEASHED BY YOUR DISCRIMINATING POWER TO THE HIGHEST PLEASURE OF LOVE OF LORD, OTHERWISE LIKE FOR A FLY, IT IS FOOLED BY MAYA INTO PETTY & SHORT LIVED PLEASURES OF WORLD

मन का स्वभाव है कि केवल ग्रहण करना, बिना सोचे समझे और बिना आपकी बात माने

कहते हैं ना “पानी रे पानी तेरा रंग कैसा , जिसमें मिला दो उस जैसा”

मन बिल्कुल वैसे ही है, आप कीर्तन में बैठे हैं तो कीर्तन का आनंद ले रहे हैं, रात को ब्याह में भी आप नाचते हैं वह भी आनंद लेते हैं, कीर्तन से भी ज्यादा 

कीर्तन में तो 2 घंटे निकलना मुश्किल है और ब्याह में मालूम ही नहीं पड़ता है कि सुबह के 4:00 बज गए

बार बार सुनने से यह भगवतीय संस्कार दृढ़ होता चला जाएगा

क्योंकि कुसंग भी रोज हो रहा है, इसलिए सत्संग भी रोज हो

किसी को मधुमेह (Diabetes) का रोग हो जाए और कहे कि भाई रसगुल्ला खाए तो बिना तो मैं रह नहीं सकता, तो भाई खाइए मगर दवाई भी दुगनी मात्रा में लीजिए

जब मन संसार का संग किए बिना नहीं रहता, फिर सत्संग भी नित्य करिए, फिर एक दिन होगा कि :

“जिसकी लाठी उसी की भैंस”, जो भाव प्रबल होगा वह जीत जाएगा

Mind just wants to stick to something – it does’nt have discriminating power & it does’nt even listen to your conscience

As they say, water takes whatever colour & shape it is given.

Mind is exactly like that.

Sometimes you enjoy a divine katha & many times you enjoy and dance at a wedding party.

It is difficult to spend even 2 hours in katha whereas in parties, even full nights pass away in a trifle.

This is where repeated listening to Lord’s glories leashes your mind in the right direction.

Since there are umpteen number of things daily diverting you away from Lord, therefore even satsang should be done repeatedly.

e.g., if a diabetes patient wants to eat rasgullas, it can be eaten provided he increases his medicine dosage also.

Similarly when mind cannot stay aloof from worldly desires, therefore have satsang also regularly &

one day whichever is stronger (desire for satsang or desire for worldly matters) would win

“पहले ये मन काग था, चुन चुन खाता था मांस

अब ये हंसा (swan) भया, चुन चुन खाए मोती”   

“Earlier my mind was like a crow which selectively picked pieces of flesh   

But now after purification (with Lord’s grace), it is picking only pearls (like a swan)”

मन आत्मा के अंदर गुप्त रूप में रहता है*
The mind lies hidden inside the soul
https://youtu.be/h42cXqv5YaA&t=744

It clearly means that wherever our soul goes in the next body / bodies, the mind goes along with the soul in the next birth / births. So we have to be very cautious about the mind's attitude that it should be turned Godwards because if mind is let free to attach itself to anything else other than God, we will acquire that body to which ever it is attached to ; if it is attached to God we are sure to cross this birth death cycle among 84 lakh yonis

मन दो प्रकार का होता है : एक होता है मन, एक होता है बुद्धि, दोनों एक ही चीज हैं, मगर दोनों अलग-अलग काम करते हैं, सुनिए....
मन संकल्प (determination) और विकल्प (choices) करता है जबकि बुद्धि निश्चय (decision) करती है
https://youtu.be/boov2h0h-_I&t=389

Definition of Satsang (सत्संग की परिभाषा): 

भगवान के नाम का जप करना, भगवान के रूप का चिंतन करना, भगवान की लीला कथा का श्रवण कथन करना, भगवान के धाम में वास करना, किसी संत की वाणी का चिंतन करना, गीता, भागवत ,रामायण का अध्ययन करना, ये सब सत्संग है

सत्संग माने सत्य का संग, भगवान का संग, take Lord’s name repeatedly & devotedly, to contemplate on Lord’s Face / Form /His Leelas / His Dham (Abode),  Listen to Lord’s kathas / His bhajans, to stay at Lord’s place (Vrindavan), to listen to His devotees’ devoted love & sayings for Him, read Gita, Srimad Bhagvat, Ramayan etc. -only universally reputed Holy books, 

Doing these 9 types of devotion : 

1. Listening to His glories (श्रवणम)

2. Singing His glories (कीर्तनम) 

3. Remembering Him (स्मरणम)

4. Serving His feet (विष्णु पादसेवनम) 

5. lovingly offer something to Lord (अर्चनम)

6. humbly & respectfully praying (वंदनम)

7. as a servant of Lord (दास्यम)

8. as a friend of Lord (सखयम)

9. Finally surrender to Lord (आत्म निवेदनम)

"श्रवणम, कीर्तनम, स्मरणम, विष्णु पादसेवनम, अर्चनम, वंदनम, दास्यम, सखयम, आत्म निवेदनम“

शबरी ने प्रभु से कहा "अधम से अधम मैं नारी, किस विधि करूँ मैं स्तुति तुम्हारी"         

अधम =most sinful, स्तुति = praise              

तो प्रभु ने कहा "यदि तुम मेरी स्तुति नहीं कर सकती, तो मैं तुम्हारी स्तुति करूंगा"                         

प्रभु ने शबरी से कहा "नवमू एकम जिनके होई, नारी पुरुष सचराचर सोई, सोई अतिशः प्रिय सुन भामिनी मोरे, सकल प्रकार भक्ति दृढ़ तोरे“

नवमू = out of nine types of bhati, सचराचर =चर (movable) और अचर (non-movable) सभी, सोई=such a person, अतिशः very much, भामिनी = lovely lady, सकल = complete / all, तोरे =in you 

                   

यानी ये जो 9 प्रकार की भक्ति है, इनमें से यदि एक भी किसी में हो, तो भगवान उस भक्त पर अति प्रसन्न होते हैं

1 . नवधा भक्ति - Navdha Bhakti (9 types of devotion) explained < click this link to read

2. नवधा भक्ति - Navdha Bhakti (9 types of devotion) < click this link to read

Gita shloka 3.13, WITHOUT THE EASY PROCESS OF SANKĪRTANA-YAJÑA, IN FULL KṚṢṆA CONSCIOUSNESS, OTHERWISE, THERE CAN BE NO PEACE OR HAPPINESS IN THE WORLD. 19th June

Gita shloka 3.13

WITHOUT THE easy process of saNkīrtana-yajña, in full Kṛṣṇa consciousness, Otherwise, there can be no peace or happiness in the world.

TRANSLATION

The devotees of the Lord are released from all kinds of sins because they eat food which is offered first for sacrifice. Others, who prepare food for personal sense enjoyment, verily eat only sin.

PURPORT

The devotees of the Supreme Lord, or the persons who are in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, are called santas, and they are always in love with the Lord as it is described in the Brahma-saṁhitā: premāñjana- churita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti.

 The santas, being always in a compact of love with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Govinda (the giver of all pleasures), or Mukunda (the giver of liberation), or Kṛṣṇa (the all-attractive person), cannot accept anything without first offering it to the Supreme Person.

Therefore, such devotees always perform yajñas in different modes of devotional service, such as śhravaṇam, kīrtanam, smaraṇam, archanam, etc. , and these performances of yajñas keep them always aloof from all kinds of contamination of sinful association in the material world.

 Others, who prepare food for self or sense gratification, are not only thieves, but are also the eaters of all kinds of sins.

 How can a person be happy if he is both a thief and sinful? It is not possible.

Therefore, in order for people to become happy in all respects, they must be taught to perform the easy process of saNkīrtana-yajña, in full Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

 Otherwise, there can be no peace or happiness in the world.

 

 

Gita shloka 3.12, SELF-REALIZATION, KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS, IS THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF LIFE, 18th June

Gita shloka 3.12

TRANSLATION

IN CHARGE OF THE VARIOUS NECESSITIES OF LIFE, THE DEMIGODS, BEING SATISFIED BY THE PERFORMANCE OF YAJNA [SACRIFICE], SUPPLY ALL NECESSITIES TO MAN. BUT HE WHO ENJOYS THESE GIFTS, WITHOUT OFFERING THEM TO THE DEMIGODS IN RETURN, IS CERTAINLY A THIEF.

 

PURPORT

THE DEMIGODS ARE AUTHORIZED SUPPLYING AGENTS ON BEHALF OF THE SUPREME PERSONALITY OF GODHEAD, VISNU.

THEREFORE, THEY MUST BE SATISFIED BY THE PERFORMANCE OF PRESCRIBED YAJNAS.

IN THE VEDAS, THERE ARE DIFFERENT KINDS OF YAJNAS PRESCRIBED FOR DIFFERENT KINDS OF DEMIGODS, BUT ALL ARE ULTIMATELY OFFERED TO THE SUPREME PERSONALITY OF GODHEAD.

FOR ONE WHO CANNOT UNDERSTAND WHAT THE PERSONALITY OF GODHEAD IS, SACRIFICE TO THE DEMIGODS IS RECOMMENDED.

According to the different material qualities of the persons concerned, different types of yajnas are recommended in the Vedas.

Worship of different demigods is also on the same basis—namely, according to different qualities.

For example, the meat-eaters are recommended to worship the goddess Kali, the ghastly form of material nature, and before the goddess the sacrifice of animals is recommended.

BUT FOR THOSE WHO ARE IN THE MODE OF GOODNESS, THE TRANSCENDENTAL WORSHIP OF VISNU IS RECOMMENDED.

BUT ULTIMATELY, ALL YAJNAS ARE MEANT FOR GRADUAL PROMOTION TO THE TRANSCENDENTAL POSITION.

For ordinary men, at least five yajnas, known as pancha-mahayajna, are necessary.

ONE SHOULD KNOW, HOWEVER, THAT ALL THE NECESSITIES OF LIFE THAT THE HUMAN SOCIETY REQUIRES ARE SUPPLIED BY THE DEMIGOD AGENTS OF THE LORD.

NO ONE CAN MANUFACTURE ANYTHING.

TAKE, FOR EXAMPLE, ALL THE EATABLES OF HUMAN SOCIETY.

THESE EATABLES INCLUDE GRAINS, FRUITS, VEGETABLES, MILK, SUGAR, ETC., FOR THE PERSONS IN THE MODE OF GOODNESS, AND ALSO EATABLES FOR THE NONVEGETARIANS, LIKE MEATS, ETC., NONE OF WHICH CAN BE MANUFACTURED BY MEN.

THEN AGAIN, TAKE FOR EXAMPLE HEAT, LIGHT, WATER, AIR, ETC., WHICH ARE ALSO NECESSITIES OF LIFE—NONE OF THEM CAN BE MANUFACTURED BY THE HUMAN SOCIETY.

WITHOUT THE SUPREME LORD, THERE CAN BE NO PROFUSE SUNLIGHT, MOONLIGHT, RAINFALL, BREEZE, ETC., WITHOUT WHICH NO ONE CAN LIVE.

OBVIOUSLY, OUR LIFE IS DEPENDANT ON SUPPLIES FROM THE LORD.

EVEN FOR OUR MANUFACTURING ENTERPRISES, WE REQUIRE SO MANY RAW MATERIALS LIKE METAL, SULPHUR, MERCURY, MANGANESE, AND SO MANY ESSENTIALS—ALL OF WHICH ARE SUPPLIED BY THE AGENTS OF THE LORD, WITH THE PURPOSE THAT WE SHOULD MAKE PROPER USE OF THEM TO KEEP OURSELVES FIT AND HEALTHY FOR THE PURPOSE OF SELF-REALIZATION, LEADING TO THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF LIFE, NAMELY, LIBERATION FROM THE MATERIAL STRUGGLE FOR EXISTENCE.

THIS AIM OF LIFE IS ATTAINED BY PERFORMANCE OF YAJNAS.

IF WE FORGET THE PURPOSE OF HUMAN LIFE AND SIMPLY TAKE SUPPLIES FROM THE AGENTS OF THE LORD FOR SENSE GRATIFICATION AND BECOME MORE AND MORE ENTANGLED IN MATERIAL EXISTENCE, WHICH IS NOT THE PURPOSE OF CREATION, CERTAINLY WE BECOME THIEVES, AND THEREFORE WE ARE PUNISHED BY THE LAWS OF MATERIAL NATURE.

A SOCIETY OF THIEVES CAN NEVER BE HAPPY BECAUSE THEY HAVE NO AIM IN LIFE.

THE GROSS MATERIALIST THIEVES HAVE NO ULTIMATE GOAL OF LIFE.

THEY ARE SIMPLY DIRECTED TO SENSE GRATIFICATION; NOR DO THEY HAVE KNOWLEDGE OF HOW TO PERFORM YAJNAS.

LORD CHAITANYA, HOWEVER, INAUGURATED THE EASIEST PERFORMANCE OF YAJNA, NAMELY THE SANKIRTANA-YAJNA (HARE KRISHNA MAHAMANTRA), WHICH CAN BE PERFORMED BY ANYONE IN THE WORLD WHO ACCEPTS THE PRINCIPLES OF KRSNA CONSCIOUSNESS.