Prabhupada Letters :: Anthology 2014-09-29 13:03:00 →
Prabhupada Letters :: 1967
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Sri Vamanadevas Appearance – Special Class by HG Suresvara Dasa – 06.09.2014
From Raj:
Although Arjuna says that it is difficult to control the mind 6.34), in the latter slokas, Lord Sri-Krishna explains how one can attain such arduous dhyana-yoga through diligent practice.
Also, in Srimad-Bhagavatam (SB 11.14.31-46), Lord Sri-Krishna explains the same process to Udhava.
Undoubtedly, Devotees are the supreme yogis of all (6.47), but to attain such a state of unflinching devotion/concentration, one should have a control mind. Therefore, dhyana-yoga looks like a precursor to Bhakti-yoga; since through dhyana-yoga one can transcend the gross-&-subtle senses so as to be determinately/resolutely situated in the process of Bhakti forever.
From Vaishakh R
Very often it happens that discussions invariably bring in topics of spirituality and what follows is each one defending his views. Usually such discussions end without any conclusion but nevertheless brings to the table a pool of new ideas.
Sometimes these new ideas affect one’s conviction, especially when it’s not possible to reconcile with them satisfactorily. So how does one remain steady, at the same time not considering oneself closed out to new ideas?
(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 24 June 2013, Czech Summer Camp, Srimad Bhagavatam 8.2.33)
Sometimes, household life is compared to a deep dark well in the scriptures. It maybe that one is a brahmacari or brahmacarini and then one feels, “I cannot do this anymore. It is time to get married.”
Some people, when they get married, it is like they go to a deep dark well and dive in head first! They think, “Oh, now I am changing ashram, now I am really going to do it and go straight down to the bottom.” But that is not intelligent.
Generally speaking, in these wells – I have seen many in India – they usually have some brackets inside that are made like levers so that maintenance work can be done. So there is no need to go to the bottom; one can keep a strong spiritual culture. In fact, that is the idea, that in the brahmacari or brahmacarini ashram we are cultivating good spiritual habits and then we maintain them in our household attachment. Because after all, we do not forget the long-term goal. All right, we want something in this life but, we cannot risk that we lose our opportunity for going back to godhead.
In some letters or in some other occasions when speaking about the household ashram, Srila Prahbupada made statements like, “Fifty percent less chance of going back to godhead,” or sometimes even stronger statements. So what can we say? The grhasta ashram is also meant for going back to godhead, all the ashrams are meant for that purpose and that is what we are doing.
Yesterday we had initiations but initiation into what!? Initiation into the process that takes us back to godhead! So that should be our result. We should always act in such a way that we are faithfully on the path back to godhead, from the very beginning of spiritual life.
When we are new and when we accept the four regulative principles, sixteen rounds, we are under the directions of the spiritual master and other spiritual authorities, then we are on the path back to godhead and we must stay there our whole life – no detours in the forest or in the hills, no vacations. No we must stay within the boundaries of Krsna consciousness.
Cleaning the Kundas in New Vrindaban Dhama
by Sukhavaha dasi, Madri dasi & Lilasuka dasi
Radha Kunda, the crest jewel of Govardhan, is now beautifully shining, and freshly lined.
New Vrindaban’s replica Radha Kunda up on the replica of Govardhan Hill got a fresh lining at the end of this summer of 2014. It’s called “Rhino”, a type of cement which hardens into enamel, and is guaranteed for 30 years not to leak. This took two weeks, and lots of time and energy to shovel all the muck at the bottom. After seeing the beauty of Radha Kunda, and understanding that Lalita Kunda is also leaking, Gopisa Prabhu suggested that we also line Lalita Kunda and Shyama Kunda.
Sukhavaha dasi relates the story:
“We had the rare opportunity of immersing ourselves (literally) in the sacred mud of those kundas, thus receiving some very special mercy. There was only two days to clean out the other two kundas. Tilak das and I worked along with some help from Lalita Gopi dasi, Ananda Vidya das, Madri dasi and Gaura Shakti, and some extra help from Venkatta das, TK das, Navin das, Daivata das and Bhaktin Autumn as we all proceeded to clean out Shyama Kunda, which was going to be really simple, because it was only 3 and ½ feet deep, according to Varsana Maharaj. No big deal. “We will have this done in no time”, we thought. Well, see the story in pictures below.”
23 Did no-one realize that maybe I put it there for a good reason – to protect the deer or humans from drowning in such a deep Kunda?
THE END
From Ayushi Mataji
Can you please tell me how to keep mind steady and calm because our mind is driven by many factors beyond ones control and is subjected to evil which he never wants to do.Than we regret but krishna will not always forgive us.so how can we make our mind steady
If they are non-vegetarian, why do many people consider them to be vegetarian?
(My thanks to Hari Parshad Prabhu for providing this answer)