Various Themes

We are part and parcels of the Lord.

This is also the cause of the innate sense of justice that human being spontaneously express, but due to the conditioning of material nature, justice in the material world is corrupted by the false ego, is not based on the equal vision of pure sat-cit-ananda like the Lord's.

This also explains why those searching after religion inquire about justice i.e. "why am I poor/rich while another is not?"  Failing to answer these basic questions about the Lord's justice, the confused psychology of the jiva in the material world, already basically averse to the Lord, assumes that the Lord is unjust and He is the cause of our suffering.  This is just the first step into atheism.

So, we can assume that religions or traditions which have erased the concept of reincarnation from their doctrines have been dramatically failing in this world, for allowing atheism in the society.  Thus, we have assisted to the advancement of atheism around the planet.  The responsibility on this matter is always ultimately with the brahminical (priests) level/class.

Until we do not understand the basis of the justice of the Lord we are not suitable for the spiritual world.

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3 Symptoms of the false ego

One of the processes indicated to develop humility and to leave the last stage of Kanistha to enter Madhyama is to assess properly our associations and relate accordingly.

SB 11.3.23 "...mercy for the inferior, friendship to equals and respect to superiors."

SB 4.11.13 "The Supreme Lord, the soul of all being is pleased when a devotee is tolerant of superiors, merciful to inferiors, friendly towards equals, and takes others' happiness and distress as his own".

If we fail to or neglect to bind this knowledge to life the discernible results, beside being stuck in the kanisthas' lower levels, will be in rivalry/competition, abusiveness/belittling and arrogance/vanity, as per the sloka below

UG 23.15 (SB 11th canto) For one who constantly meditates on Me as being situated within all living entities, all bad qualities such as rivalry, abusiveness, and arrogance, along with their cause, false ego, are quickly vanquished.

These are the anarthas, obstacles to the development of bhakti yoga.

Rivalry - with equals to predominate

Arrogance - towards superiors

Abusiveness (belittling)- toward inferior

Another interesting verse from the commentary of BVThakur on SB (SBmm 15.76) " One should expect happiness from a superior person who is more qualified than himself. One should expect unhappiness from an inferior person who is less qualified than himself. One should desire friendship with a person who is on an equal platform with himself. You should never consider that such a relationship is a burden."

"One should expect unhappiness from an inferior person who is less qualified than himself ..." this is exactly what happens in the association of kanisthas who are not working on their qualities, who are not applying discipline to the subtle body with intelligence, who are not binding knowledge to their life, sooner or later they can hurt, create suffering because of the uncurbed false ego.

Therefore, proper assessment and discernment of our associations, are paramount.

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BHAKTI YOGA and Friendship

Bhakti yoga is about relationships and the principles of relationships do not differ between 

the material and spiritual world.

Friendship teaches how to concede to others.

Friendship inspires the desire to develop the qualities to be worthy of love.

Friends are our supporters of dharma.

Friendship has 4 principles :

1) Full Trust

2) knowledge about the friend's personality

3) ability to concede

4) open heart - giving and accepting love

Friends always exchange gifts never tiresome to express their gratitude.

A friend is eager to give happiness

A friend acts in anticipation to give joy.

A thought for a friend comes always as an embrace of the heart.

Friendship gives the experience of the futility of material designations.

Friendship makes the heart softer.

Friendship readies our heart to give up selfishness.

There cannot be emptiness of the heart for those who are good friends.

Friendship exists in all other relationships like parental or conjugal.

The 8th anga in the process of bhakti is Sakhya, cultivation of friendship.. for Krishna.

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