Become "independently thoughtful".
One of the function of the mind is determination.
One should have one's own will. Why? Because the mind is an organ that is designed to obey the will and if we do not have our own will, we will certainly get someone else's will. Nothing can stand unused that is produced by material energy.
The mind is an organ that is to be used, if one does not use it, someone will by introducing his vlues, his desires, his will and will easily obey this all one's own life...
So, the mind should serve our choices and in this world there are many choices where we can move. So, to make conscious choice and focus your mind to serve this choice is a manifestation of personality, of determination, of mindfulness.
Basics
of materialistic identification
1) unhappiness with one's position deep in the
heart because of identification with externals
2) Competition, trying to prove to all people
around that we are better than what we are
3) Force somebody to do something with our will
power for satisfying our desires (also with mystic powers)
4) To always feel superior versus somebody else
5) Trying conquering the rules of nature.
~~5) Trying conquering the rules of nature.
There is difference between repentance and ruefulness ..one can regret what he has done, but not seeing faults in oneself. It is a way of safeguarding one's ego. Repentance is find those faults inside and actively clear them.
Repentance should not remain a feeling towards our sins, but particularly about the actions of the subtle body which have shun away Krishna from us, which have caused aversion for Him, which have damaged our relationship with Him.
~~
SB 1.9.16 "O king, no one can know the
plan of the Lord. Even thought great philosophers inquire exhaustively, they
are bewildered."
No one can fathom the plan of the
Lord, but one can become harmonious with Krishna's intentions.
~~SB 11.22.37 "Lord Kṛṣṇa said: The material mind of men is shaped by the reactions of fruitive work. Along with the five senses, it travels from one material body to another. The spirit soul, although different from this mind, follows it.
~~
SB 11.2.47 (Description of neophyte devotee) "He does not behave well with the devotees and even with other people."
Srila Prabhupada advises in his commentary on Upadesamrita : "....yet they are attached to women, money and intoxication. Although such persons may chant the holy name of the Lord, they are not yet properly purified. Such people should be respected within one’s mind, but their association should be avoided."
Sastra, sadhu and specifically guru bestow confidence over the disciples/pupils' realizations or will be impossible to distinguish realization from speculation of the mind.
~~
SD 3.29.21 "Though such devotees (pure) are difficult to see, many exist."
~~
SD 3.29.7 "The Lord said: Bhakti appears in many forms by particular actions in person according to his intentions. The intentions of men are classed by actions of the gunas arising from one's nature."
We have karma and destiny, but intentions are never predestined.
~~
SD 2.9.34 pg 861 Definition of Vaikuntha : 1) Not perceivable by material eye; 2) Unbound by the threefold time; 3) inconceivable by the material mind; 4) inexplicable by the material sound.
~~
SD 3.16.19 Comm. "People become respectable only by following rules of dharma. Dharma is characterized by bhakti, not by steadiness in varnasrama. Devotees institute that dharma, thus the devotees are superior to Brahamanas."
~~SD 3.18.21 In this sloka there is the word saundiram translated by VCThakura and also Srila Prabhupada as "power". The same word in the Sanskrit dictionary is also translated as "proud" "arrogant". VCThakur comments under this sloka :
"The demon has assumed great power or intoxication."
So he equals power to intoxication.
Another interesting sloka to link to this is SB 10.10.8-9 : "Among all the attractions of the material enjoyment the attraction of riches bewilders one's intelligence."
Indeed when intoxication stops the intelligence to function, vanity and arrogance are the manifesting qualities therefore, riches and power have to be considered by the practicing devotee as intoxication for the subtle body i.e. the subtle action beyond intoxication is vanity. Avoiding belittling others, purifying the intentions behind actions, being moral and engaging in Krishna katha repetition keeps pride under check.
~~
SD 3.25.42 Comm. "If they sometimes harass my devotees, I [Krishna] do not delay in removing them from their positions." So, it is not a matter of forgiving but of justice.
~~
SD 3.25.41 comm. by VCT 'Without devotion to me, there is no deliverance. "other than me" means "other than devotion to me."'
This is revealing the guarantee of non-sectarianism intrinsic of Bhakti. If this formula spoken by Krishna is applied to all the absolute statements also of other religions about God or his representatives, sectarianism will be defeated i.e. "Salvation is only in Jesus" = Salvation is only through Bhakti to Jesus" because Bhakti, devotion, becomes the only river flowing into love of Godhead no matter from which tributary.
~~
SBB 5.67 "Here in Vaikuntha the Lord maintains the religious principles of civilized people, just as He does on earth ...."
Ladder
of civilization according Bhaktivinoda Thakur (from highest to lower) :
1)
VAD -Based on the principles
w/Bhakti
or Jaiva Dharma
2)
Varna-ashram Dharma (Evolutionary - life progression through varnas and
ashramas)
3)
Theist Moralists (Basis for true Civilization
starts from here) *
4)
Atheist Moralists
5)
Ideology based on science,aesthetics
6) Atheist Amoralist
7) Primitive6) Atheist Amoralist
(*) Srila Prabhupada's letter to Rayarama das 1968 "any civilization devoid of God consciousness or Krishna Consciousness, is no civilization at all."
From the Primitive to the civilized, the stages in between can be mixed with atheism, materialism, skepticism and voidism afflicting many people, because are obstacles to spiritual progress.
So civilization starts with VAD (evolutionary) because by its practice steadiness in good conduct is achieved. Therefore reading the sloka in scrutiny and the ladder of civilization of BT one easily concludes that VAD is practiced in Vaikuntha, but first we have also to analyze the words "religious principles".
SB 6.3.19 "When challenged by the Vishnudutas to describe the principles of religion, the Yamadutas said : the religious principles are the principles enacted in the Vedic Literature. They did not know, however, that the Vedic literature contains ritualistic ceremonies that are not transcendental, but are meant to keep peace and order among materialistic persons in the material world. (Evolutionary VAD, karma kanda, etc)
SB 11.14.3-8 "Thus, as a result of the great variety of desires and natures among human beings, there are many different theistic philosophies of life, which are handed down through tradition, custom and disciplic succession. Other teachers directly support atheistic viewpoints."
[This is important statement when we use the adjective Vedic, Vedic includes atheism."]
Back to SB 6.3.19 Ppt "Real religious principles are nistraigunya, above the three modes of material nature or transcendental. " Therefore true religious principles are transcendental, spiritual, for this are deemed universal.
This is the way of applying VAD of the highest level as instructed by Bhaktivinoda Thakura in his work "Jaiva Dharma" . VAD in Kali Yuga cannot be applied in its "evolutionary" formula, since in Kali yuga the status is lower than sudras' but the religious principles established by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu are of the highest level and wholly based on bhakti, since "all living entities have a right to bhakti" [BRS], this is the religious principle applied in Vaikuntha.
Therefore for residing in Vaikuntha while conducting our life in the material realm, Jaiva Dharma is the way based on the VAD principles (only principles as in Vaikuntha) of service and qualities to create a society purified from envy -like Vaikuntha- but also prosperous and joyful having as primary objective to revive bhakti in the heart of the living entities. Therefore the usage of the labels sudras, vaisya etc should be only indicative of the activities and functions contributed in society not as parameters to evaluate people spiritual progress since bhaktas are evaluated only on the basis of bhakti. Jaiva Dharma placing bhakti as the primary goal cannot be imposed but with great care, with truthfulness, with justice, should be inspired and taught.
~~
SCS pg37 "The liberated jivas perform their actions through the senses of the soul."
~~
GB 12.3-4 Comm. "After realization of their own atma, they finally engage in devotion to Me, in the form of offering their actions to Me." Therefore the secret is in offering the action itself and not the results, when one is cultivating detachment.
~~
SD 10.23.14 "...for they are most affectionate toward Me, and indeed with their intelligence, they reside in Me alone." This substantiate very much the fact that it is not a question of more or less intelligence, but where the intelligence resides.
~~
SD 2.7.47 Comm. "He (Paramatma) is fearless presiding over the fearful jiva"
In fact Brahma being fully positioned in Sattva guna can control Raja guna, he is the presiding Deity of Raja-guna.
On this understanding every quality gives the power over the situation or persons where that quality is lacking or missing. So we can also conclude that developing qualities implies also some mystic powers.
If we take Brahma neither as a person nor as a devotee but rather as a principle, is the jiva that comes to do something with the material world. In the same way taking Siva as the principle that destroys materiality and Vishnu remains as the principle of the spiritual energy as the permanent reality.
Adi Lila I 4.15-16 Ppt" This reciprocal exchanges of mellows are called raga-bhakti ...Lord Krishna wants to make known to all the conditioned souls that He is more attracted by raga-bhakti than vidhi-bhakti or devotional service under scheduled regulations." Raga is attachment.
Adi Lila I 4.26 Ppt "Regulative principles in devotional service are meant for those who have not invoked their natural love of Godhead."
"Invoked" means appeal, called on, plead, supplicate, so until there is no begging for bhakti Vidhi- bhakti has to be followed.
UG 14.8 Ppt "Neither excessive attachment nor excessive detachment can
give satisfaction to the soul and so when one's faith in these practices
diminishes he can develop faith in the narrations of the Supreme Lord's
pastime." Soul needs spontaneity.
Adi Lila I 4.33 ""Then,
by hearing about the pure love of the residents of Vraja, devotees will worship Me on the
path of spontaneous love, abandoning all rituals of religiosity and fruitive
activity."Spontaneous love translates from raga marge.
Ppt [...] one should simply worship Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa with all attention. Na dharmaṁ nādharmaṁ śruti-gaṇa-niruktaṁ kila kuru: one should
not be much interested in performing Vedic rituals or simply following rules
and regulations.
BS Anu 128 "From one anga of bhakti, such as hearing the Lord's name, immediately the prarabdha sin which produced his low birth unfavorable for sacrifice is destroyed (though other qualities are also necessary for performing sacrifice). [...] Thus the former dog eater is to be worshiped like a performer of sacrifice, but does not perform sacrifices."
Adi Lila 4.35 Ppt "As long as one is in material, conditioned life, strict discipline is required in the matter of moral and immoral activities. The absolute world is transcendental and free from such distinctions because there inebriety is not possible."
Immorality and morality should be learned through the understanding of subjective and objective truth. A sannyasi involved with a woman is immoral, but a householder dealing with women is not.
~~
Adi Lila 3.65 "In other incarnations the Lord descended with armies and weapons, but in this incarnation His soldiers are His plenary parts and associates
In other incarnations the Lord uses armies and different
weapons to kill the demons, but for this incarnation He has one weapon for His devotees ...the dagger of
separation.
SD 1.12.11 "The Lord maintaining his reputation of being affectionate to his devotees, inconceivable in form, and also a thief, having destroyed the brahmastra disappeared ..."
The Lord in whatever form He manifests for His devotees, among
the qualities He always displays, is the one of being a thief, since He enters the
devotees' mind and steals it.
Like Parikshit they are left
searching for Him every moment of their lives.
"Krishna is very expert in stealing. In Stava-mala Rupa Goswami has mentioned, that Krishna , who is very expert in stealing , entered into the heart of Radharani and stole it. How? By putting Radharani into the fire of separation." Embankment of Separation
"Krishna is very expert in stealing. In Stava-mala Rupa Goswami has mentioned, that Krishna , who is very expert in stealing , entered into the heart of Radharani and stole it. How? By putting Radharani into the fire of separation." Embankment of Separation
~~
From the exchanges with His
devotees we can know something about Krishna's personality.Krishna is very
gentle and even though we are infinitesimal sparks He gives paramount
importance to the emotional mood of each jiva. So when He feels such focus on
Him, He does not show any quality that we would show, that we are accustomed to
in this material world like :"I do not have time, because I'm God, I have to
deal with universal affairs."
BRS 2.1.92 "an example from
the Mahabharata (5.58.21) :
"Draupadi cried out "O
Govinda!" though I was situated far away that crying out has created an
ever-increasing debt which does not leave My heart."
Also when Bhismadev was leaving
his body lying on the bed of arrows, he called for the Lord through his
meditation desiring to see His face while departing this world. The Lord
reciprocated by going there. BRS 2.1.134 " ...who, because of Bhisma's remembrance of Him while laying the bed of sharp arrows, immediately appeared, beyond His own control, He rushed towards Bhisma while forgetting His position as God, His body bathed in a shower of tears."
Krishna in the form of
Ksirodakasayi Vishnu answered to Sri Advaita Prabhu, who invoked the Lord to
descend : -
SCB Madhya 6.95 "I was sleeping in the ocean of milk, but Your loud cries broke My sleep".
SCB Madhya 6.95 "I was sleeping in the ocean of milk, but Your loud cries broke My sleep".
The Supreme Lord said :
"Just as Rukmini's mind is fixed on Me, My mind is fixed on her, I can't
even sleep at night."
~~Many times is said correctly that the bona fide spiritual master should know the science of Krishna.
What is the science of Krishna? Bhaktivinoda Thakura in Vaibhava Vani pg 35 says that "the external spiritual master is he from whom the science of worship is learned. One who knows the proper path of attachment and who instructs his disciples according to their qualification ..." So, 1) the science of worship is not only knowing how many time to circle an incense in front of the Deity but how to awaken our relationship through direct service of worship to the Deities. 2) the past of attachment is raganuga sadhana bhakti as many times cited in Bhaktivinoda Thakura's teachings, attachment is when sadhana becomes spontaneous. 3) Instructing disciples according to their qualifications, this implies knowing the character and level of advancement of the disciple in order to lead his progress consistently and systematically, This override the practice of taking thousands and thousands of disciples (anyway not supported by bhakti sastra) and of the eternal status of vani for the disciple.
In a following page of the same text Bt states : "The worshipable qualified acaryas should give initiation to the qualified candidates. Although in Sri Hari-bhakti-vilasa the method for testing EACH OTHER is recommended, it is often not practiced." So the test or qualification cannot be just the certification from a course ran on the basis of absolute obeisances to an Institution and manipulated philosophy to adjust the misconceptions and misbehavior of the leaders. And also the candidate has to have tools for testing the person who is proposing himself as a guru.
~~
Many qualities can be practiced in any environment, only the opening of the heart can be practiced among Vaisnavas.
Vani Vaibhava pg152 "The holy names of the Lord are of two types : primary and secondary. [...]
{His secondary names} ..award various results, they seldom award the supreme spiritual goal. The Lord's holy names that are transcendental to material time and space, and are eternally present in the spiritual world are the Lord's primary and spiritual names. They are names such as Narayana, Vasudeva, Janardana, Hrisikesa, Hari, Acyuta, Govinda, Gopala and Rama."
SBMM 12.68 " My devotees reside in places where saintly persons have lived and they follow the characteristics of My pure devotees, who are found among the demigods, demons and human beings."
SBMM 11.19 "Those who desire to attain the platform of impersonal Brahman should worship Brahma, who is the lord of the brahmanas..." Brahma is also the founder acharya of the whole sampradaya and he is in the mode of goodness. So it would be also proper for a devotee to offer him prayers to develop the qualities of Sattva and the pertinent knowledge, on our way on the ladder to bhakti.
SBMM 11.18 (also SD1.18.12) "Alas at a time when we are feeling miserable on account of performing sacrifices with no assured results, you are refreshing us by making us drink the nectar from the lotus feet of Govinda." This sloka spoken during the Bhagavatam presentation by Suta to the sages in Naimisaranya, it is teaching us that in Kali Yuga from the very beginning, fire sacrifices (Homa) are not going to bestow the results, because of the many fault in the performance due to the influence of this age and the only way established is the service at the lotus feet of Govinda.
"The material body is the manifestation of bad qualities, therefore Krishna never manifests one nor His pure devotees are considered to have one." (Dhyana-bindu-Upanisad pg13)
SB 11.29.20 "O Uddhava! Because I have personally established it, this process of niskama-bhakti is beyond the gunas. Even by starting and not completing the process, there is no destruction of results."
So, time brings about the gunas and gunas bring about destruction, transformation, ending, experienced in this impermanent material world.
Srila Prabhupada Lect. BG 4.14-19 (1966) Now the whole spiritual process is to follow the example of the previous acaryas who have attained, I mean to, success..
SD 1.1.1 Comm. "The first explanation of this verse of Bhagavatam shows its nature as a light (giving deliverance from misery through general understanding of the Lord or adhyatma). The second explanation shows it as the sun (more powerful, destroying misconceptions of the demons, bringing joy to the devotees). The third, fourth and fifth explanations show that it is the bestower of tasty fruit full of rasa (revealing madhura-rasa, Radha and pure bhakti). The devotees, being the rightful recipients, are considered to be like the devatas, since they receive the nectar in the form of relishing the rarest taste of these five meanings. The Bhagavatam is considered to be like Mohini, serving out these different meanings of Bhagavatam to the devotees."
So, the second explanation is about anarthas and
it is revealed that for the devotees is a process performed with joy.
"Unfortunately in
this Age of Kali there are many mundane persons in the dress of Vaisnavas, and
Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura has described them as disciples of Kali. He says,
kali-cela. He indicates that there is another Vaisnava, a pseudo-Vaisnava with
tilaka on his nose and kanthi beads around his neck. Such a pseudo-Vaisnava associates
with money and women and is jealous of successful Vaisnavas.
Although passing for a Vaisnava, his
only business is earning money in the dress of a Vaisnava. Bhaktivinoda
Thakura therefore says that such a pseudo-Vaisnava is not a Vaisnava at all but
a disciple of Kali-yuga. A disciple of Kali cannot become an acarya by the
decision of some high court. Mundane votes have no jurisdiction to elect a
Vaisnava acarya. A Vaisnava acarya is self-effulgent, and there is no need for
any court judgment." (CC
Madhya, 1.220p)
UG 14.19 Comm. " Due to past bad habits, the mind may become twice as restless when one tries to restrict it from material enjoyment. The urge for material enjoyment is so strong that the mind easily becomes carried away by such thoughts. In such situation one should control the mind by allowing it to have a little gratification in a way that is not contrary to religious principles."
Hari Vamsa 2.19.35 (Indra
says) "This place protected personally by you (Gokula), O hero, and
which destroys the suffering of the cows and other inhabitants, is the
residence of the determined and disciplined devotees."
Krsna Sandarbha Anu73 :"...extracting
the essence of all scripture means talking about Krsna."
Gopala Campu 33.12 “I am a cowherd woman by
birth, similar to that of the people of Vraja. because of this nature I
have love for Krishna.”
UG 5.47 "One who worship Me in full concentration by performing sacrifices [YAJNA} and activities meant for the welfare of others [SELFLESS DUTIES], attains unflinching devotional service unto Me. By rendering service to saintly persons, he achieves realized knowledge [SAMBANDHA JNANA] of Me."
UG 6.8 "All of the residents of Vrndavana - the gopis, cows trees and plants, animals and serpents very easily attained life's perfections because of their love for Me."
Mahabharata 5.178.24 "One should reject the guru who is proud, does not know proper behavior of right and wrong, and who become addicted to sinful life."
Laghu-bhavatamrita 1.5.51 "Thus one should not think that in all kalpas the associates of the Lord fall from Vaikuntha and become Hiranyakasipu. If they were always associates, it would not be proper to have them fall in every kalpa."
SB 7.1.32 "Therefore, one may become absorbed in Krshna by any favorable method."
SBB Vol.III 6.190 "The gopis, singing Krishna's pastimes, entered the village where they began the day absorbed in thoughts of His company."
SB SD 3.2.14 "The women of Vraja, after pastimes of laughter, rasas and exchanges of glances, followed him with their eyes when he left, and thus they sat down with stunned intelligence and could not finish their household duties."
BRS 1.2.181 Meditation on the pastimes of the Lord, from the Padma Purana : He who meditates on the most sweet, most astonishing, charming pastimes of the Lord attains liberation.
SB 10.86.59 Sukadeva says bhagavan bhakta-bhaktiman : the Lord has bhakti for the devotee.
Sarartha Darsini 29.10-11 "Thus a devotee's body can have two aspects : transcendental and material. According to one's level of devotional service, to that degree the transcendental aspects of one's body become prominent and the material aspects diminish.(also see SB 11.2.42)"
Sarartha Darsini 32.13 "The women of Vraja attained the nectar of Krishna's lotus feet after having their intelligence vanquished by the sharp poison of His beautiful serpentine arms."
Sarartha Darsini 33.36 "When the Lord assumes a human-like body to show mercy to His devotees, He engages in such pastimes as will attract those who hear about them to become dedicated to Him."
Gita Govinda "...she fans a fragrance rare, / that falls on the enchanted sense like rain in thirsty air,.."
"Another
gazing in his face, sits wistfully apart,/ searching it with those looks of
love that leap from heart to heart;"
"Her
eyes afire with shy desire, veiled by their lashes black, / speak so that
Krishna cannot choose but send the message back,.."
SB 10.31.10 "Your smiles, your sweet, loving glances, the intimate pastimes and confidential talks we enjoyed with You - all these are auspicious to meditate upon, and they touch our hearts. But at the same time, O deceiver, they agitate our minds."
Sarartha Darsini 21.6 ~ "...Krishna purposefully dressed in an artful way to display His youthful charms in order to incite the romantic desires of the gopis."
Sri Garga Samhita 1.3.32 ~ Sri Radha said : My heart cannot be happy where there is no
Vrndavana forest, no Yamuna River and no Govardhana Hill.
Sri
Garga Samhita 1.4.8 ~ In
my Vraja will also be hundreds of groups of lovely, beautifully-dressed gopis,
their faces like hundreds of moons.
CB Adi-khanda 1.56~Because the Lord is unlimited, no one can estimate His power. This entire universe, filled with its many great mountains, rivers, oceans, trees, and living entities, is resting just like an atom on one of His many thousands of hoods. Is there anyone, even with thousands of tongues, who can describe His glories?
CB Adi-khanda 1.56~Because the Lord is unlimited, no one can estimate His power. This entire universe, filled with its many great mountains, rivers, oceans, trees, and living entities, is resting just like an atom on one of His many thousands of hoods. Is there anyone, even with thousands of tongues, who can describe His glories?
CB Adi-khanda 1.4 ~All glories to Shri Gaurasundara, whose powerful activities are supremely pure, whose bodily complexion is like molten gold, whose eyes are like lotus petals, whose six beautiful arms extend to His knees, and whose heart is inundated by loving devotional sentiments as He enjoys dancing in various ways during kirtana.
SB 10.30.256 ‘O Parikshit! Of all nights, that night of Sharad Punam became the most resplendent. With the Gopis, Shri Krishna roamed the banks of the Yamuna, as if imprisoning everyone in his lila!’
TIME
Purport - "..The whole
material existence is manifested by actions and reactions of elements which
make the influence of Time prominent in the matter of past, present and
future."
Purport - "...Kala
which is compared to kala-sarpa, or the cobra snake, whose bite is always
lethal. No body can be saved form the bite of a cobra," 1.13.47
Purport - "Everyone has
to accept them [happiness and distress]as they come under the subtle
arrangement of kala. or invincible time." SB 1.13.41
Purport - "Kala is
identical with the Lord Himself, thand therefore the influence of Kala
indicates the inexplicable with of the Lord Himself. There is nothing to
lamented when a matter ius beyond the control of any human being." SB
1.9.15
"My Lord I consider
Your Lordship to be eternal time , the supreme controller, without beignning
and end, the all-pervasive one."SB 1.8.28
"[Vidura said] My Lord, it is the
Supreme Personality of Godhead as eternal time '[kala] that has approached us
all." SB 1.13.19
"Whoever is under the
influence of supreme kala [eternal time] must surrender his most dear life, and
hwat to speak of other things, such as wealth, honor, children, land and
home." Purport [...]... Many poets have written verse
lamenting the influence of time. [...] Even in our daily life, so many
things come and go in which we have no hand, but we have to suffer or tolerate
them without remedial measure. That is the result of time." SB
1.13.21
"In
my opinion, this is all due to inevitable time, under whose control everyone in
every planet is carried, just as the clouds are carried by the wind." SB 1.9.14
SADHU-SANGA
"The essantial conclusion is that the first stage of
contact with a sadhu creates sraddha in the heart."
BS Anu 134-135 "Since devotee association is greater than liberation which is nirguna, it is the highest type of nirguna."
"However sadhu-sanga is an indispensable need and is thus the principal means to attain suddha-bhakti at the lotus feet of Sri Krsihna."
"However sadhu-sanga is an indispensable need and is thus the principal means to attain suddha-bhakti at the lotus feet of Sri Krsihna."
"Sadhu-sanga brings blessings to all the living entities"
"The purport is that none of these practices is as potent spiritually in attracting the mercy of the Supreme Lord as is sadhu-sanga."
This sublime sadhu-sanga then bestows the prime devotional sukrti, giving the aspirant the greatest blessing - attainment of the lotus feet of Sri Hari."Jaiva Dharma Ch 17
"SNdasB "What are the initial results of sukrti-bal, the power of previous piety?"
SHBabaj "One attains sadhu-sanga, association with
saintly persons." Jaiva
Dharma Ch 8
“The Gopis want to speak about Krsna but cannot do so in the company of their seniors.Therefore they glorify His flute playing and in so doing, speak of Krsna in a covered way.” Pg 47
“…the emotions that fuel
the urge to speak of Him…Sri Krsna is vey much attracted to such clever
language….” Pg 47 of
Venu-gita by HH Sivaram Swami
“In the mind of Sri
Krishna …. Vrindavana forest creates an extraordinary enchantment.” Pg 8 of Venu-gita by HH Sivaram
Swami
"The sage Bharata has said that the mellows of lover and beloved are equal. But he
does not know the mellows of My Vṛndāvana." CC Adi Lila 4.257
krsnah sarac-candramasam / kaumudim kumudakaram / jagau gopi-janas
tv ekam / krsna-nama punah punah
"Krsna sang the glories of the autumn moon, the moonshine
and the lotus-filled river, while the gopis simply sang His name repeatedly."
Sri Visnu Purana
" It should be understood that the gopis had the ability to immediately compose songs about Krishna's pastimes" Sarartha Darsini 10.25.33 Purport of Sri Visvanath Cakravarti Thakura
CC Ādi 4.28: "Taking
these pure devotees with Me, I shall descend and sport in various wonderful
ways, unknown even in Vaikuntha. I shall broadcast such pastimes by which
even I am amazed."
"Then Krishna wandering about unsteadily, saw a message written using kumkuma on a tamala leaf" Gopala Campu 23.8
"The sound of Krishna's flute is the joy of all joys, the
secret of all secrets, the festival of all festivals, and the impeller of all
impellers to force one to meet with Him." AVC pg273
"Just as lovers burning in separation often look through half-closed eyes, similarly, at this time due to this brilliant rays, one could only view the moon through squinting eyes." AVC pg271
"The appearance of the truth of Vaikuntha in the pure consciousness of the living entities of this world is called Vraja. The word VRAJA means "TO GO"" Sri Krishna-samhita Ch 5.2
"...description of the impersonal Brahman in the Vedas are often followed by the words, aum santih santih harih aum.
Who is that personality, Hari, to whom this sloka refers?"
"Hari refers to the transcendental couple, Sri Radha
and Sri Krishna who are eternally engaged in Their amorous pastimes." Jaiva Dharma Ch. 13 pg202
"Still to perform His pastimes the Lord took advantage of
all those moonlit autumn nights, which inspire poetic descriptions of the
transcendental affairs." SB
10.33.25
From the Navadvip Mahatmya - Mahaprabhu said :
"Later, when I begin the
sankirtana movement, I Myself will preach the essence of the four Vaisnava
philosophies. From Madhva I will receive two essential items : his complete
defeat of the Mayavada philosophy......" pg73
About Anarthas
Anarthas nivrtti (Clearance of the unwanted results) is the necessary step to purify the subtle body. This is how the material entanglements resides in the subtle body :
• Material desires in the mind
• Impressions in the intelligence
• Karma in the Ego
Until the practitioner of Bhakti-yoga does not pass this step on the bhakti ladder (1) he cannot reach steadiness. "If there is real internal devotion and steadiness, very quickly the bondage of the material world will disappear." SCS pg61
Steadiness (Nishta or Sama) is achieved by eradicating the anarthas because until then the performance of devotional service will remain at a conditioned stage, meaning that the jiva's performance of devotional service has not yet become his/her only desire. The covetousness of serving the Lord has not yet manifested and the jiva can still fall into abusing sakti, which is immediately followed by those ignoble actions that create disturbance and suffering for others and thus ignite new karma and reactions. The latter can be surely cleared by chanting and hearing, but this will keep the devotee just at "ground zero", cleared of karmic reactions, but the roots will not be eradicate.
Therefore the devotee will not be able to grow from there without clearing the anarthas, without fully reforming the subtle body. “When one is freed from all unwanted contamination [anarthas], he advances with firm faith [nistha]. When firm faith in devotional service awakens, a taste for hearing and chanting also awakens." CC ML 23.11
In this way spontaneous performance of devotional service can be achieved.
Otherwise the anarthas can thwart faith (sraddha), and Bhajan become difficult or lack of enthusiasm will grow. (Bhajana Kriya is defined by Bhaktivinoda Thakura in Jaiva Dharma as : meditation and chanting.)
It is necessary therefore, that with active intelligence and concentration the purification of the subtle body is pursued. "Even though we were put into the womb because of our aversion to Krishna, we will deliver ourselves by proper intelligence and undeviated attention.." SBMM 8.1
In fact aversion to Krishna is deeply rooted, is the seed, within the living entities who are residing from time immemorial in the material world and are fallen into practicing their ability to hatred and envy.
The egotistical aspects that are at the root of behavior and actions have their foundations in the knots which bind the conditioned living entities to the ropes of the gunas and are the main cause of their presence in the material reality :
1) Aversion towards Krishna*
2) Believing one's happiness independent from Krishna
3) Own enjoyment overrides others happiness and destiny
4) Predominating, sense of superiority
[* Wanting always a position different from what one has got, envying what others have without accepting the justice that regulates providence, is the rooted aversion of the conditioned living entities towards Krishna.]
These knots entangles the ego giving the way to the following activities and behavior which are the source of the anarthas :
1) Disruptive actions (by speech, by preventing good and kind activities, creating conflicts)
2) Harshness and rudeness in speech;
3) Unclean mind (untruthfulness, deception, predominance etc)
4) Egocentric behavior : pride, envy, lust, favoritism, revenge, disrespect, miserliness.
5) The "everything-belongs-to-me" mindset and the "I'm-the-doer" : greed, own gratification at the expense of others' life resources, money, power and sex
6) negligence
7) hypocrisy
8) Anger
9) Immoral, unethical behaviors
10) cruelty (the root is envy)
11) Violence - also psychologically abusive
These are the sprouts of the seeds of the anarthas that are carried by the jiva life after life.
Bhaktivinoda Thakura states in Harinam Cintamani Ch. 12 : "Pramada means inattention or carelessness. It is from this offense that all anarthas arise." So it is not possible to clear the anarthas and completely eradicate the seeds if the process is not put seriously into focus and solely chanting, often with distraction and negligence, will surely not be enough to make the necessary change of the heart.
In the next life again the same pattern of unsolved anarthas will surface with the involved risk of being attracted to sense objects or falling into material life.
The importance of the spiritual master is paramount at this stage, because if he/she is truly empowered will be able to help the disciple to understand the knots for which is still in this world and the unsolved carried on from previous lives. Only the spiritual master who knows the intricacies and the process of devotional service because has gone through it, can lead properly the disciple through this important and vital milestone.
"The maximum sadhana of the mind is when everything we have listened to, we work with it. We work in order to remember." ADdd
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1)
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1)
The Bhakti Ladder :
Prema
|
Bhava
|
Asakti
|
Ruci
|
Nishta
|
Anartha nivrtti
|
Bhajana kriya
|
Sraddha
|
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