The Medicine Will Act
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"....so whether you take knowingly or unknowingly, the medicine will act. It will act even without his knowledge because its potency doesn't depend on patient's understanding. Similarly, even though one does not know the value of chanting the holy name of the Lord, if one chants knowingly or unknowingly, the chanting will be very effective."

Lokanatha Swami
Germany Bhagavat Saptha

Love Thy Neighbour?
→ KKSBlog

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 17 September 2014, Cape Town, South Africa, BYS Lecture: Leadership and Compassion)
kks_amsterdam_feb2012“Love thy neighbour” is a very good principle. The only problem is, I don’t! I don’t know if you love your neighbour, but I can not force my heart. My heart is what it is. It loves what it loves and I can not tell it what to love, it just does it on its own! I can not dictate it! So unless there is something in my neighbour that awakens love in me, it is hard. I can not just love on command, “Love!”

Not happening! Nothing coming.

Love comes only when someone really does something that touches us; when someone does something and you say, “Wow! That’s really nice!”  Then you get a soft spot for a person.

You can have some sort of universal love which is not connected to anything or anyone, but I don’t see that as real love.  Of course, there may be a level of love which goes beyond the performance of people, a level of love where you say, “Well, I just want to be kind to everyone, even if they are not kind to me.”

You can have some sort of general sense of love. Let us say you have a classroom of kids – they are not from a privileged background and it is your job to bring these kids up. You do it out of idealism. You stand in front of the class and you really want to help, but still, there are some kids in the class that you like more than others. It is natural, because they did something that stood out or they have some special quality. So for love to go deeper, there has to be a personal element.

 

How to Become Free from Suffering, November 8, Home Program, Phoenix, Arizona
Giriraj Swami

SanatanaGoswamiGiriraj Swami read and spoke from Caitanya-caritamrta Madhya-lila 22.

kona bhagye karo samsara ksayonmukha haya
sadhu-sange tabe krsne rati upajaya

Translation: “By good fortune one becomes eligible to cross the ocean of nescience, and when one’s term of material existence decreases, one may get an opportunity to associate with pure devotees. By such association, one’s attraction to Krsna is awakened.

Purport by Srila Prabhupada: Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura explains this point. Is this bhagya (fortune) the result of an accident or something else? In the scriptures, devotional service and pious activity are considered fortunate. Pious activities can be divided into three categories: pious activities that awaken one’s dormant Krsna consciousness are called bhakty-unmukhi sukrti, pious activities that bestow material opulence are called bhogonmukhi sukrti, and pious activities that enable the living entity to merge into the existence of the Supreme are called moksonmukhi sukrti. These last two awards of pious activity are not actually fortunate. Pious activities are fortunate when they help one become Krsna conscious. The good fortune of bhakty-unmukhi is attainable only when one comes in contact with a devotee. By associating with a devotee willingly or unwillingly, one advances in devotional service, and thus one’s dormant Krsna consciousness is awakened.

—Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Madhya-lila 22.45

CC Madhya 22, Home Program, Phoenix

ISKCON Youth Honored for Literary Contributions Nimai is a 10th…
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ISKCON Youth Honored for Literary Contributions
Nimai is a 10th grader who attends Stanford University’s Online High School. He has been writing for KidSpirit for the past three years and enjoys the opportunities the magazine has given him to learn about others’ viewpoints. Nimai practices Vaishnavism, a monotheistic tradition within Hinduism, and much of his writing for KidSpirit deals with his relationship with his faith. He tells HuffPost that he spends at least one hour deep in meditation every day.
http://goo.gl/cc3Pm0

The following transcriptions have been uploaded.
→ The Spiritual Scientist

What is the destination of patriotic atheists like Bhagat Singh?

When Krishna always uses his free will properly, why don’t we too when we are his parts?

What is the philosophy behind the worship of a pure devotee’s Deity?

Why do insubstantial religious groups spread extensively and pure saints remain unknown?

Prabhupada quotes largely from the Puranas so how can we show that our sampradaya is based on shruti?

I was born in another sampradaya, but became introduced to seriously bhakti through ISKCON. Which sampradaya should I follow?

Are the Puranas unreliable because they have so many different versions?

Are the jnanis mentioned in Gita 7.16-18 impersonalists as the example of Kumaras suggests or devotees as Vishvanath Chakravarti Thakura’s commentary states?

For a devotee-sadhaka Is the desire to go BTG desirable or should one just desire service?

If one doesnt practice raganuga bhakti then how will one get the realizations needed to return to our svarupa?

Does one have to practice raganuga bhakti to go BTG or is just departing in devotional circumstances enough

Why does the mind develop bad habits more easily than good habits?

Where do religious social workers like Mother Terersa fall in the Gita’s yoga ladder?

Is belief in God like belief in a cosmic teapot – undisprovable yet unreasonable?

If we cant fast nirjala on Pandava Nirjala Ekadashi what benefit do we get?

How can India’s wisdom-literature be introduced in the education without the saffronization of the syllabus?

 

Ratha Yatra 2014 – 9 De Nov – Parque Zonal Huiracocha – Lima,…
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Ratha Yatra 2014 - 9 De Nov - Parque Zonal Huiracocha - Lima, Peru (27 min video)
For a devotee, liberation is no problem at all. The impersonalists undergo severe penances and austerities to attain mukti, but the bhakta, simply by engaging himself in the bhakti process, especially in chanting Hare Krishna, immediately develops control over the tongue by engaging it in chanting, and accepting the remnants of foodstuff offered to the Personality of Godhead. (Srimad Bhagavatam, 3.25.33 Purport)
http://goo.gl/nFtUfE

How and When to Practice Rāgānugā-Bhakti
→ The Enquirer

Ragatmika

How and When to Practice Rāgānugā-Bhakti

HOW TO PRACTICE RĀGĀNUGĀ-BHAKTI

1. kṛṣṇaṁ smaran* janaṁ cāsya… tat-tat-kathā… [BRS 1.2.294]*

“Remember Krishna with a particular Vṛndāvana devotee who exemplifies the type of love you seek.”

how?

“By always doing kīrtan of their līlā, guṇa, rūpa, nāma.”

What is the remembrance for? To provide internal relevance to external practices…

2. seva-sādhaka-rūpeṇa siddha-rūpeṇa cātra hi… [295]

“Execute your seva so the external actions have internal significance to the vraja-bhāva you seek.”

What external actions?…

3. śravanot-kīrtanādīni vaidha-bhakty uditāni tu… [296]

“The actions described in relation to Vaidhi-bhakti, headed by śravaṇa and kīrtana.”

These three verses are Śrī Rūpa’s complete disclosure on how to practice rāgānugā-sādhana. He describes no further practices. No ekādaśa-bhava. No siddha-praṇālī. No smaraṇa-paddhati techniques. No* aṣṭha-kāla-līlā-smaraṇa*.

The implication is simple and clear: the other, more elaborate systems of rāgānugā-sādhana developed by subsequent ācāryas may indeed be supra-wonderful, but they are not absolutely essential. They are elaborations upon the principle of how to do Item #1, mostly.

WHEN TO PRACTICE RĀGĀNUGĀ-BHAKTI

Śrī Rūpa identifies a common starting point for all forms of uttama-bhakti (pure devotion). He says, “adau śraddhā”  — “It starts from conviction/faith.” [BRS 1.4.15–16].

He doesn’t stipulate any exceptions, like, “adau śraddhā rāgānugas tv adau niṣṭhā.” (“It starts from conviction/faith, but Rāgānuga starts from niṣṭhā.”)

So rāgānuga has its own type of śraddhā (convictions), which comes from its own special type of kṛpā (mercy) and which results in its own special type of sādhu-saṅga (good association), from which we get advice and direction about its own special type of bhajan-kriyā (devotional practices), etc.

Then why is it very commonly taught (at least among ISKCON and Gauḍiya Maṭha circles) that rāgānugā begins from niṣṭhā? If we examine how Śrī Rūpa describes rāgānugā-śraddhā we will see that he does include a concept relevant to niṣṭhā.

rāgātmikāika-niṣṭhā ye vraja-vāsī-janādayaḥ |

teṣāṁ bhāvāptaye lubdho bhaved atrādhikāravān.

“The qualified person has an eager greed to obtain the bhāva (loving mood) of Vraja-vāsī, specifically fixed upon a particular Vraja-vāsī.” [BRS 1.2.291]

The qualification for practicing rāgānugā is “eager greed.”

Eager greed for what? Eager greed to obtain a certain state of being (teṣāṁ bhāvāptaye).

What state of being? The state of prema especially held by those who are residents of Vṛndāvana (vraja-vāsī-janādayaḥ).

Just any resident of Vṛndāvana? No, the eager greed is “fixed upon a specific exemplar of Rāga” (rāgātmikā-eka-niṣṭhā).

You can see the use of the word “fixed” (niṣṭhā). However this does not imply that rāgānugā begins as niṣṭhā for this would contradict BRS 1.4.15–16 explained above. In this sentence about the qualification for rāgānugā, the word “fixed” is not the main focus. The main focus in the sentence is on the word lobha (“eager greed”).

It’s good to note that “eager greed” (lobha) is a type of conviction (śraddhā), which is uniquely strong and specific.

In the next verse Śrī Rūpa explains how to measure this “eager greed.”

tat-tad-bhāvādi-mādhurye śrute dhīr yad apekṣate |
nātra śāstraṁ na yuktiṁ ca tal-lobhotpatti-lakṣaṇaṁ

“When ones mind hankers to hear about the sweetness of that loving mood, without any prodding or forethought, this is the sign that you are awakening eager greed.” [BRS 1.2.292]

Śrī Rūpa does not indicate that the arousal of this lobha has any pre-requisite (such as the attainment of niṣṭhā in vaidhi-bhakti), although in the next verse he does say, “Until this eager greed arises, you are qualified to practice vaidhi-sādhana.” [293]

In conclusion, lobha (the type of śraddhā which enables rāgānugā-sādhana) can appear at any point. The only prerequisite Śrī Rūpa identifies is:

kṛṣṇa-tad-bhakta-kāruṇya-mātra-lābhaika-hetukā

“The cause of gaining the ability to practice [and perfect] Rāgānugā is simply the kindness of a specific devotee of Krishna.” [BRS 1.2.309]

All of the above counteracts the idea that one has to first become purified by anartha-nivṛtti before one can obtain clear and specific lobha.

THEN, WHAT ABOUT NIṢṬHĀ???

So why is it sometimes said that the true qualification for rāgānugā bhakti doesn’t come until niṣṭhā, after anartha-nivṛtti?

I think this is a practical statement, and a very good one at that. Everyone is eager to rush into something that will include them in the “cool” club (or the “advanced” club), so, when dealing with new converts, it is very wise and prudent to say something like Prabhupāda sometimes said, something like, “first get rid of your anarthas, then your eager greed to follow a specific resident of Vṛndāvana will become clear.”

I also think there is practical validity to the observation that rāgānugā-sādhana and vaidhi-sādhana may not differ all that much in application until one starts to attain some medium level of advancement (like niṣṭhā) on either path.

However, to be faithful to Śrī Rūpa I believe we have to accept that anyone can begin rāgānugā-sādhana at any stage — immediate beginner, or otherwise. Practicing rāgānugā-sādhana is not a sign of “advancement,” this is a misconception that has bewildered devotees for long enough. Devotees practicing rāgānugā-sādhana still have mountains of advancement to make before they can hope to realize the goal: bhāva-bhakti. One has to begin as a fledgeling rāgānugā-sādhaka and diligently make progress by hearing about the objects of one’s spiritual attraction, and trying to apply the essence of what one learns to the practical viddhis one performs.

If it is a “sign” of anything, practicing rāgānugā-sādhana is simply a sign of extremely auspicious good fortune.

There is an awfully suffocating idea that rāgānugā-sādhana is anathema to Śrīla Prabhupāda’s line. The idea that Śrīla Prabhupāda created a society for vaidhi-bhakti is a sad mistake, held by many of his critics but even more unfortunately held by many of his disciples and followers as well. If given any chance, I would boldly and perhaps “proudly” declare that Śrīla Prabhupāda, as the empowered representative of Śrī Caitanya, created a society for rāgānugā-sādhana without being gaudy and overt about it. He created an implementation of rāgānugā-sādhana that is very realistic and practical for the audience ISKCON mainly serves: the modern globalized world (Though I think we, his followers, have done lousy at realizing and implementing his vision on this). All the viddhis adopted by Śrīla Prabhupāda for ISKCON are done so under BRS 1.2.293 & 296, cited above.

Nectar of Devotion


I Love The Japa Group
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I love japa group. As soon as i read few mails i immediately start chanting without wasting a moment with lots of love towards Radha Krishna. I really loved the mail" Do you want to chant" or you chant becoz u have to chant. I pass this JAPA GROUP messages thru my mobile to my groups who r new to KC so that they take up chanting seriously.Thank u Japa Group for inspiring me to .... to hold on to my Beads bag each day.

YS
Geetha
Chennai

Krsna consciousness is a choice
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(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 23 September 2014, Durban, South Africa, Srimad Bhagavatam 1.10.4)

KKS_2004_CZSpiritual life has been challenging in every age, even in the satya yuga! Although in the satya yuga, conditions were very easy and very nice. There was no need to work; grains were growing naturally, fruits were everywhere. All that needed to be done was meditation but it needed to be done for a very long time – that was the problem. Now everything has to be done for a short time and quick results are there but in satya yuga, everything had to be practiced for an extremely long time. So then again, the opportunity was there to get deviated – the mind; that also happened.

So, spiritual life in all times has been, is and will be a challenge. There always will be that personal element of fight in spiritual life. Srila Prabhupada called it a ‘war with maya’ and it always will be a war with maya because maya will always test us, not only in this yuga where life is difficult but in all yugas. Therefore we cannot think that especially now, it is very difficult! Now it is very difficult to practice spiritual life and at other times, it was much more easy. That is false reasoning because that is overlooking the fundamental nature of spiritual life which is that spiritual life involves surrender. Surrender is required! That is Krsna’s requirement:

naham prakasah sarvasya
yoga-maya-samavrtah
mudho ‘yam nabhijanati
loko mam ajam avyayam (Bhagavad-gita 7.25)

I keep myself covered to those who are not surrendering unto me. That is a principle which not only applies now but always applies – Krsna covers himself.

This is not a lecture where I am sort of whipping the audience. Some may misunderstand my presentation and think that I am trying to beat my audience and telling them, “Fight… come on, do it!”

KKS_ITA_2014No, that is not it. I am saying that it is up to you. It is entirely up to you. If you want to do it, do it! If you don’t want to do it, then don’t do it. If you want to chant Hare Krsna, chant! If you don’t want to chant Hare Krsna, then sleep or try to enjoy the senses – as you like, because ultimately, it is a choice. Krsna consciousness is a choice. We have a choice, it is up to us. No one can be forced. We cannot force people, it is not possible…

For a little while we can do a very strict program and be very strict – check that everybody gets up, make sure that everyone is chanting, make sure that everyone does everything right and then… they will anyway do what they want because sooner or later, everyone will follow what he desires. So it is a choice. Therefore, I say, no push from my side but opportunity, yes! The opportunity is there.

It is the same for me because who is pushing me!? I don’t know. All I can say is that I have to also chant sixteen rounds every day. It may not be a big number but some days it is. Today, only four done, so late. That is bad. Sometimes, I am on this nice program of chanting sixteen rounds before mangal aartik – those are the good times. I always say that sixteen rounds before mangal aartik are the best. Sixteen rounds before darshan are second best. Sixteen rounds before darkness are third best. Sixteen rounds after dark… heavy (sigh)! Late night rounds are those that you have to chant. Those are the rounds that you don’t want to chant… Today, I will try to finish before dark or better, before noon!

 

Sri Krsna Rasayatra
→ Ramai Swami

imagesimages-1

The glorious full moon night that ends Damodara month marks the last transcendental pastime of the month of Karttik, called Sri Krishna Rasayatra. This is similar to the Krishna’s Rasa dance which takes place during Vasant.

To mark this pastime on the 2nd full moon of Karttik, one should perform worship of Radha and Krsna with many flowers and place them in a rasa mandapa surrounded by the gopis. Pots of khir are prepared and left for Krishna’s pleasure.

 
The devotees at the Bhakti Centre on the Gold Coast very blissfully reenacted this beautiful pastime.

rasa-danceKrishna_and_Radha_dancing_the_Rasalila_Jaipur_19th_century