Recently after writing on the Eternal time about its imperceptibly and insurmountability, I was concerned that how I am going to allocate time for serious and sincere studying of sastras because the realization about the time factor also evaporates by the imperceptible time and I go back again to the same old story of elephant bathing
Prasadam actually nourishes our body spiritually whereas normal food just provides us with some energy. By eating food offered to Krishna, one becomes immune to all contaminations of the material nature. Just like we take a vaccination to prevent us from the attack of an epidemic diseases
Even though we may not have any qualification or expertise, every one of us is expert in one thing and that is 'Framing opinion about others' and this is the cause of all our unhappiness. We all frame our opinions based on certain impressions we develop about the other living entities.
Most of us (and myself the most) are looking for quick elevation in devotional service eventhough we are not yet ready for that. Some of us have been for years in this movement and we still are not satisfied with our devotional upliftment.
Even in His pastimes in Guruvayoor temple at Kerala, Lord Krishna chastised the proud, brahmin sanskrit scholar Bhatta Hari who composed the famous book Narayaneeyam, when he offended a humble farmer Pundaram who had written a book in Malayalam language, glorifying the Lord.
Every second of human life is meant for making an ultimate solution to the problems of life, i.e. repetition of birth and death and revolving in the cycle of 8,400,000 different species of life. The material body, which is subject to birth and death, diseases and old age, is the cause of all sufferings of the living being,
Sometimes it so appears that devotees of Krishna suffer more than ordinary people in the material life. What might appear to be a easy cake walk for others, might appear as big impossibility for a devotee. As we see from His Divine Grace's above words, such situations are only to make His devotees more attached to Him and to always remember His hands in everything
By discussing spiritual knowledge one can conquer lamentation and illusion, by serving a great devotee one can become prideless, by keeping silent one can avoid obstacles on the path of mystic yoga, and simply by stopping sense gratification one can conquer envy.
In this world wherever we see there is always some kind of groupism or partyism. People in general want to align with some kind of party. Once they form a party, then the very next thing is to see anyone not belonging to their party with a differential or separatist outlook
Srila Prabhupada personally started the sankirtana in the form of harinam, Krsna-katha, book distribution etc. Even today there are so many devotees all over the world performing these various services with great enthusiasm. By always chanting Krishna glories, we can always be in bliss.
The Supreme Personality Of Godhead is full in all the six opulences( bhagavan ), He is always satisfied in Himself (nija laabha purnah ) and He is Self sufficient (atma rama). He declares in Srimad Bhagavad Gita 3.22 that He is not in want of anything nor He needs to obtain anything.
Since most of the activities we do everyday are mundane in nature, there is a natural tendency in us to take devotional activities in the mundane sense too. In mundane activities, generally we do not have to struggle hard every time. If we work hard the first time, then using the process even mechanically, we can get success.
Prabhupad explains wonderfully in the purport the real goal of life especially in our spiritual and material lives. "As soon as one comes to the platform of bhakti-yoga, one understands fully the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vaasudeva, is the goal of life (vaasudevah saravam iti sa mahaatma sudurlabhah).
This unity should begin at home, wherein couple stays united following the rules and regulations of the shastras, and the kids should follow their parents in performing the devotional service enthusiastically. This unity in devotional service pleases the Lord more than anything else.
Many times, we do question ourselves, "What is my achievement in devotional life?" and each time we happen to conclude - 'nil'. But actually, we are unknowingly purifying our existence by hearing, glorifying and chanting the holy names and pastimes of the Lord. In this context there is a story.
In the scriptures, we find many statements describing the grandeur and opulence of the Kingdom of God with its graphical details and the spiritual bliss enjoyed by its residence in the company of the Supreme Person. These descriptions are meant for invoking an intense desire in our hearts to reach that divine abode.
For the past few weeks, I had been coming across so many news about people committing suicides. One was a doctor who could not get choice of specialisation in post-graduation in the preferred university, another was a girl who had failed in her final exam at college, third instance was that of a student who was unable to continue studies
To perform any activity successfully in devotional service, we should give up the sense of proprietorship. For example, the act of giving charity is to decrease our proprietorship over the hard earned money and increase our dependence on Krishna.
In our relationships and dealings with other devotees we always come across situations of dialemma - whether to force someone to do some service or humbly request them. Most of the time due to our passionate nature, we end up forcing the other devotee to do certain service which he may not be capable of or he may not have a liking for.
Once Lord Brahma, just to examine the potency of Krishna, took away all the calves and cowherd boys and kept them in a secluded place. When Krishna was unable to find the calves and boys, He could understand that this was a trick performed by Lord Brahma.
We all do the different forms of devotional service like chanting, attending satsang programs etc with various motives, and mostly it is sense gratificatory. But actually we have to come to the satsang just like a patient going to the doctor for curing the disease, especially the deep rooted chronic disase of material conception of life.
Krishna's name is the best pain killer, known till date. We cant avoid bodily miseries, since it is bound to happen some or the other time. But if we keep faith in Krishna, then tolerating pain would be much easier. We can't avoid pain or control it, what is in our control is to simply surrender unto the Lord.
Srila Prabhupada explains that under the state laws one may be punished, but the king, the lawmaker, is not subject to that law. Similarly, all the modes of material nature - goodness, passion and ignorance are emanations from the Supreme Lord, Krsna, but Krsna is not subject to material nature
The most auspicious Purushottam month or Adhik Masa is going on. According to Vashistha Samhita this month occurs every 32 months, 16 days and 8 ghadis (1 ghadi = 24 minutes) to balance the solar and lunar calendars, which is seven extra months every 19 years.
Unless there is strength nothing can be built. In India roads are built by manpower. The strength in the butcher is also required, but Krishna says "That kaama (strength) I am not". Somehow or other strength has to be properly directed. For instance one may use ones strength to promote ones selfish interest or to protect the weak.
In the story of King Suyajna in Seventh Canto of Srimad Bhagavatam, the queens and kinsmen of Suyajna started lamenting intensively on the death of king in the battlefield. At that time Yamaraj appeared as a small child on the scene and gave a very important instruction to them about the Lord's protection to every living entity
Intelligence is higher than the mind and is the next door neighbour of the soul. The sense objects are gross and can be seen by the eye, and the eyes are controlled by the mind, which is not that fine. Finer than the mind is intelligence, finer than the intelligence is the soul, even finer than the soul is the Supersoul and finest is the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Yesterday my son went to the super market and came back with a bottle of water which was artificially flavored with strawberry flavor. When I saw the price of the bottle which was on the higher side, I became quite upset. After sometime when I felt thirsty, I drank the artificially flavored water and realized that it did not quench my thirst
At present farmers are growing artificial seeds produced in the laboratory for maximum yields in the shortest amount of time. These seeds do not give nourishing foods. In the market we find big-sized bananas which look perfect, but when we taste them there is no taste at all.
Once the impression of the transcendental form of the Lord is fixed in one's mind, one can never forget Him in any circumstance. Child Parikshit, after coming out of the womb, was in the habit of examining everyone to see whether he was the same personality whom he first saw in the womb.