t is very important for us to submissively, earnestly and constantly hear from spiritual master and acharyas about the glories of Supreme Lord and instructions to execute devotional service. Such hearing should not just touch our ears alone, but rather it should get hammered in our hearts.
So iron sword or gold sword - its original nature or svabhaav doesn't change. The sharp edge and its utility to harm others are like our ego and arrogance. It is bound to hurt others.
Though this material world itself is also a prison, we find so many souls entangled by material modes, committing grave sins and landing in prisons even within this world.
Persons who carries Krishna with him everywhere, He becomes self-effulgent like the sun - "Svayam Prakash". This name of Krishna - "Svayam Prakash" is so nice. Krishna is Svayam Prakash. Even sun gets defeated in front of Him.
Our beloved spiritual master H H Mahavishnu Goswami Maharaj gives a very nice definition for what Maya is. He says, "The thing which is not there - we feel as if it is there and hold on to it. Maya is like a powerful brahmacari's son drinking water in the mirage. There can be no water in the mirage. Nor can a brahmacari have a son.
When Yudhishtir Maharaj meets Bhishmadev on the bed of arrows after the Mahabharata war, by Krishna's arrangement, Bhishmadev enlightens him on various dharmas which a good ruler needs to know.
We all have capacity to serve. Never become baffled as to "Oh, how can I serve?" No. Please give in your best efforts. Whatever is remaining time in this life, please use it very nicely in service of Krishna.
To understand this determination - dhrda vratah - there is a nice story. There was a small sparrow who built a nest on a tree and laid some eggs. Every day it used to sit on the eggs and eagerly wait for the arrival of the young once.
What are pious activities? In order to understand these things, we must go to our scriptures Bhagavad Gita and Srimad Bhagavatam. Everything is given there. Our Prabhupada has given us everything in his books.
Until we go to Krishna, we can neither be happy nor be peaceful. At least this we have to understand. Nothing is in our hands. We have bought so many big apartments. But Krishna showed us yesterday morning (referring to massive earthquake that happened on 26 Jan 2001) that it takes just one second only for Him to bring down all our apartments.
There is nothing in our hands. This body is also not in our hands. Till the time, Lord has given this consciousness and kept in you in this body, there is only one thing left to do - That is to do good to others.
The significant of this lecture is that it was just a day after the massive earthquake that shook Dwarka and many other places in Gujarat. But within a couple of hours on the same day (26 January 2001), Maharaj proceeded with the bhumi puja for Sri Sri Rukmini Dwarakadish temple.
Once King Ashoka went for a tour in his kingdom. He came across an old saint on the way. Seeing the king and his royal troupe, the saint moved to a corner of the road, to give them way. Immediately King Ashoka got down from the chariot and respectfully paid his obeisances to the saint
Rough seas produce efficient sailors. Life without problems or challenges is indeed a curse as we loose opportunity to approach Lord sincerely and also to learn the lessons which Krishna is teaching through those situations.
Maharaj Prthu was just tolerant like mother earth and took care of the maintenance of citizens who violated the rules and regulations of the state. "In other words, it is the duty of the king to look after the comforts of the citizens, even at the cost of his own personal convenience.
Now the question is why did Brahmaji tell his disciple Naradji to chant sarvatra sarvadaa. Brahmaji remembered his Guru, i.e. Lord Krishna Himself. In the caturshloki Bhagavatam there are 4 verses told by Krishna Himself to Brahmaji.
originally Lord gave Bhagavatam in the form of 4 verses to Brahmaji and asked him to expand it. Brahmaji in his turn explained it to Naradji. Nardaji then explained to Vyasadev and Vyasadev expanded it in 18000 verses.
When we follow our spiritual master, it automatically implies that we are also following the instructions of spiritual master's Guru and the whole parampara. So Sukadevji now remembered what Naradji did when he was maidservant's son.
The word 'adheergayaapi' in the above verse means even for a few days. So Sukadevji thought that when the readers of Bhagavatam will read this they will know that after serving Krishna "even for a few days", the devotees will get Krishna's association.
Srimad Bhagavatam informs us that after Parikshit Maharaj was cursed, he asked the most valuable question - "What a dying person should do and what should a person who is going to die one day, what should he do?" Sukadeva Goswami gave the answer what a person who is dying / about to die should do.
Jobs are to be mainitained. So you do your jobs, but time should not be wasted. Whenever you get free time, you please come to these verses. Day time work is ideal. 10 am to 4pm - you can work. And then your body will also be in control.
When we become free from envious propensities, then our mind experiences calmness and we can think for the welfare of everyone and this is real auspiciousness.
Out of whole population, very few living entities go to Krishna. So when we hear this verse 6.3.29, we may think that we have won in some way that at least we have escaped from the clutches of Yamaraj, from getting punishments in hellish condition of life.
Now-a-days people are not following Vedic culture. Some people don't want to marry at all, but have illicit connections. These things are going on. As a result they beget children who are not taken care.
Japa is the best. They don't belong to the indriya, they don't belong to the mind or they don't belong to the intelligence. They have heart to heart contact. So you are species of Krishna
The flow of the Ganges water cannot be stopped by any condition; similarly, a pure devotee’s attraction for the transcendental name, form and pastimes of the Supreme Godhead cannot be stopped by any material condition
Sama-darshinah means he's feeling for others. A Vaishnava... Para-duhkha dhukhi, krpaambudhir yah. Vaishnava is very kind-hearted, merciful, because he feels for others. He feels for others in this sense that he knows what he is.
We should not exploit any living entity. They are also suffering in this material world like us. So better we treat them like us. This verse - 11.26.26 from Srimad Bhagavatam says tato duhsangam utsrjya - You give up the bad association. Otherwise mind will drag us.
After 10 years, we cannot even remember that we were young. And if we are lucky to see you again, we cannot even recognise you. So change of body is there. So when we know aatmay evaatmanah tushtah and remain satisfied, then sthita prajnas tadocyate. Then you have the steady intelligence.