Planet ISKCON

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BG 7.12 says that modes of nature comes from Lord, but 13.20 says that modes comes from Prakriti, how to reconcile such contradiction?
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Transcription :

Transcribed by: Suresh Gupta

Edited by: Raji Nachiappan

Question: Do the modes come from Krishna or from prakriti?
Bhagavad Gita 7.12 says that modes of nature comes from Lord, but 13.20 says that modes comes from prakriti, how do we reconcile this contradiction?

Answer: Both statements are true. The different levels of causation are being described here. For example, we can say that a child comes from its parents and that is true. At the same time, we can also say that the child comes from Krishna. That is also true because Krishna is the ultimate cause. Therefore, the ultimate cause and immediate cause are not contradictory, rather they are complementary.

Similarly, if we look at the context in the seventh chapter of the Bhagavad-gita, which Prabhupada titles as Knowledge of the Absolute, Krishna focuses on showing the connection of everything with him. Hence, he says that material nature and the modes of material nature, come from him.

If we look at the thirteenth chapter, Krishna says prakritim purusham chaiva viddhy anadi ubhav api vikaramsh ca gunamsh chaiva viddhi prakriti-sambhavan (13.20) – (Material nature and the living entities should be understood to be beginningless. Their transformations and the modes of matter are products of material nature). Earlier also in thirteenth chapter verse 6 and 7, Krishna talks about various material elements coming from material nature. Here, Krishna is discussing in terms of the sankhya frame of analysis, wherein everything is being analysed in terms of purusha and prakriti. Therefore, the material gunas which comprise material nature, are said to come from prakriti. For that purpose, Krishna states that the gunas, come from prakriti.

The conventional sankhya focuses primarily on the analysis in terms of purusha and prakriti. The Bhagavad-gita presents the analysis in a devotional perspective by describing the presence of prakriti, purusha and the Purshottama and establishing that the Purushottama is the source of both purusha and prakriti. Krishna has mentioned earlier in seventh chapter that he possesses two prakritis – para and apara prakriti.

Hence, the point here is that there is no contradiction between the two because they are talking about different levels of origin. At the ultimate level, the modes come from Krishna and at the level of sankhya analysis, the modes come from prakriti.

End of transcription.

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Casa Loma, Toronto

 

No Wasting Time

 

Christopher, Nick and I took a memorial walk to honour those who sacrificed their lives, their youth and their dreams in the wars of the more recent past. When a walk is in dedication to someone I feel it offers greater dimension to our steps. Walking is never a waste of time and especially when done so for someone in mind.

 

The other day, while walking on Bloor Street, a street musician was strumming the strings of his guitar while singing that sweet old classic from Otis Redding, “Sittin’ on the Dock at the Bay” and the next lyrical line goes, “wasting time.” So, I got to thinking about how time is very precious and that we shouldn’t squander a minute of it.

 

Prabhupada, our guru, encouraged us to utilize every second for Krishna. In modern or more contemporary phrase, “no zoning out” is the order of the day. The clock ticks. The rooster cries. The sun rises. The sun sets. The moon moves. All are indicators that time marches on and we need not waste at the dock or in an easy chair. Also, we are getting older.

 

Our group of three made it to Casa Loma. It’s relatively close to where I live, just one and a half kilometers away. I believe my two walking amigos relished the trek for the company and also the intent. It was not a walk in vain.

 

I would recommend that all people take that break for a walk and do so with a dedication in mind. Someone or some issue is deserving our attention.

 

May the Source be with you!

3 km 

 

Queen’s Park, Toronto

 

Those Who Gave and Those Who Gave Up

 

On this eve of Remembrance Day we give homage to those who sacrificed their lives in defence of innocent citizens. I saw that pedestrians passing by the park bench where I relaxed were bearing the symbolic poppy.

 

Saurav, 19, a student at U of T, whom I sat with, is from a Punjabi descent and I assume he knows not a lot about the gruesome world war of the 20^th century. However, his ancestors may well know of the years of British occupancy and of the Partisan riots. These events are just ugly all the same.

 

Saurav told of how, recently, an Indian student had committed suicide on the campus by hanging in one of the university’s buildings. Students were having protests and carrying the sentiments that the institution isn’t doing enough for students under pressure. I certainly believe that these young persons should have every chance for a good life of balance.

 

Saurav is himself a kind and helpful person. He considers himself a counsellor. I encouraged him that, in general, these types of services require training.

 

As we were talking I bent over behind the bench to grab a golden maple leaf that lay there. It was pretty, except for a dark blotch, a kind of blight I believe, indicating the leaf was diseased. I held it up to my young friend, letting him know that we are all like this leaf, beautiful and golden. However, there’s something in everyone that is dark, which we have to tackle. I strongly recommended that he invite personal training and discipline into his life in order to be most effective.

 

May the Source be with you!

3 km

 

In this gloomy time, there can never be too many sources of light. So it’s apt that on Diwali day (November 14th) this year, there are at least two new devotional songs set to be released. As well as Govinda Priya’s first single “Achyutam: Your Names,” another UK-based artist, Radhika Ranjana Das (affectionately known as […]

The post Radhika Das Spreads Joy and Devotion with Diwali Single Ram Sita Ram appeared first on ISKCON News.

In this gloomy time, there can never be too many sources of light. So it’s apt that on Diwali day (November 14^th) this year, there are at least two new devotional songs set to be released.

Mediation is a process conflict resolution, in which a trained intermediary assists disputants to arrive at a mutually agreeable settlement. In this intriguing interview by Integral Yoga Magazine, Joshua Greene (Yogeshvara Dasa), a seasoned mediator and instructor of the Gita, evaluates the Bhagavad Gita through the lens of mediation. Integral Yoga Magazine: Would you consider […]

The post Conflict-Resolution and the Gita appeared first on ISKCON News.

Mature spiritual understanding is not relinquishing responsibility, but assuming responsibility with wisdom. 

  I heard them first before they rose above the tree tops Black against the evening sky with warm westing sun Their guide to the great south and their home away from home Their formation of open diamond shape is art at work Their calling and rhythm of wings is a performance As they carry […]

The post Poetry: Fall Birds appeared first on ISKCON News.

"Calling Krishna together as we head home / Making others stop in wonder at our joy"

Achyutam: Your Names, the soulful, joyous debut single from Govinda Priya, is set to be released at 8am UK time on Diwali day, Saturday November 14th. Diwali is known as the Festival of Lights, and the song promises to shed some light during a dark time.  “At the moment everything is so dull and difficult, […]

The post Govinda Priya Releases Uplifting Debut Single “Achyutam: Your Names” appeared first on ISKCON News.

“At the moment everything is so dull and difficult, and everyone is really struggling,” Govinda Priya says. “So we wanted to offer something uplifting.”

Christians and Hindus:Rekindling Positivity and Hope during the Covid-19 Pandemic and Beyond.

  Her Grace Krsnanandini Devi Dasi, a beloved and inspirational pioneer for Vaishnava families, passed away today (November 13th 2020) after a long struggle with cancer. She was in the company of her children and her husband Tariq Saleem Ziyad, at their home in North Carolina. Krsnanandini Devi Dasi was a Srila Prabhupada disciple, Certified […]

The post Krsnanandini Devi Dasi, Pioneer for Vaishnava Families, Passes Away appeared first on ISKCON News.

Krsnanandini Devi Dasi was a Srila Prabhupada disciple, Certified Family Life Educator, a member of the ISKCON Grihastha Vision Team, and the co-director of the Dasi-Ziyad Family Institute with her husband Tariq.

Video by GBC Executive Secretariat.

In their new book, “An Endangered Species: ISKCON Ashramites in the West,” Kalakantha Das and Jitamitra Dasi posit that ashrams are still an important part of today’s ISKCON. They explain how to create an ashram program that attracts devotees from all backgrounds in the West, especially in North America. “Some say that the idea of […]

The post New Book Discusses An “Endangered Species: ISKCON Ashramites” appeared first on ISKCON News.

In their new book, Kalakantha Das and Jitamitra Dasi posit that ashrams are still an important part of today’s ISKCON. They explain how to create an ashram program that attracts devotees from all backgrounds in the West, especially in North America.

Animation.

Video by Sadhvi Sanga.

A video by https://www.tulsigabbard.com.

"The WCC recalls with gratitude the partnership we have enjoyed with our Hindu partners in the pursuit of justice and peace."

In 2017 and 2018, His Holiness Kadamba Kanana Swami took us to Surabhi-kunda, where Indra met Krsna after the Govardhana lila to ask for forgiveness for acting out of anger. Check out Maharaja’s full kirtans and lectures below, along with a few photos, at Surabhi-kunda during Parikrama 2017 and Parikrama 2018.

Indra allowed himself to fall prey to anger by being proud. When one is proud, one gives undue importance to oneself and everything that one experiences is extremely important. When we are humble, then whatever happens to us is secondary. As soon as we are proud, then everything in relation ‘I’, ‘me’ and ‘mine’ is very important. ‘All my attributes are sacred’, we think. So due to his pride, Indra was in an attached position. Indra forgot that he was a representative of Krsna; this was his first and foremost offence. He forgot because he was carried away by his own position.

We will find something to take pride in when we take proprietorship, but when we give everything to Krsna, we realise that whatever recognition we receive is simply Krsna’s mercy. It is only because we did something for Him. Service is a gift. Service is given by the Vaisnavas, not taken. So when we remember that service is given by Vaisnavas, then we can avoid pride.

Indra knew that he needed forgiveness, so he ordered his elephant, Airavata, to also offer abhiseka to Krsna at the same time. Airavata had water from the heavenly Ganga, Akasa-ganga, kept in his trunk. In this way, Krsna got a full abhiseka with milk and Ganga jala and was crowned as the original Indra. Meanwhile, Indra had to stand there quietly and Krsna forgave him. So the significance of this place is forgiveness – forgiveness for all our mistakes. In Deity worship, we use this mantra: hinam kriya-hinam bhakti-hinam janardhana: Please forgive me for anything offered without mantra, anything offered without a proper arrangement and without any devotion. We can apply this to our daily lives also, regarding everything that we do without the mantra and without proper devotion. This mindset creeps into our daily activities so we need a lot of mercy. We make many mistakes and we ask for forgiveness for our mistakes, but then we should not commit them again. Prabhupada also said, “Oh, you commit a mistake? First time – yes, I will forgive you. Second time – yes, I will forgive you. Third time – get out of here, you rascal!” So we cannot forever keep making the same mistakes!

The article " eParikrama 2020 Day 13 – Surabhi-kunda " was published on KKSBlog.

Answer Podcast:

Download by “right-click and save content”

 

Transcription :

Transcribed by: Suresh Gupta

Edited by: Raji Nachiappan

Question: Why does God not answer our prayers?

Answer: Prayers always work. God always answers our prayers, but we do not understand his answers because those do not always come in terms that we expect. If we truly understand God, then we should understand both his omnipotence and his omniscience. He is both supremely strong and supremely wise. We often go to God when we have a problem we cannot solve. We pray to him, that since you are much stronger, please utilize your strength to solve our problem. However, this is trusting only half of God. We are trusting only his strength, but not his intelligence. We are trusting only his omnipotence but not his omniscience. God knows what is best for us and because he knows, he will do what is best for us.

Sometimes, only by facing the problems, we will grow. If we are prematurely relieved of the problem, the opportunity for growth will be missed. Nature also tells that growth happens through struggle. Once a city-dweller was going through the forest and saw a bird’s egg that had fallen. Inside the egg was a birdlet who was struggling to come out. The wings were coming out partially through the cracked shell while the birdlet kept pushing and pushing. The tiny creature was applying all the force it could but was not able to crack the shell. The birdlet was in distress. The city-dweller out of compassion cracked open the shell and let the birdlet come out. When the birdlet started moving, suddenly a cat appeared and charged towards him. The birdlet tried to fly, but since its wings were not fully developed, it could not. It was then caught and devoured by the cat. The city-dweller realised that he had actually done a disservice to the birdlet. Nature had arranged in such a way that by struggling to push against the shell of the egg, the birdlet’s strength would grow. When the birdlet’s strength grows adequately enough to break the shell on its own, birdlet’s wings will also grow. Those developed wings will strengthen him to fly. Hence by pre-mature breaking of the shell, the birdlet was not helped, rather he was harmed.

We should not, therefore, think that God’s purpose is only to solve our problems. God’s purpose is primarily to help us grow. Problems are sometimes like the shell that are covering us. God allows us to go through those problems and that is why sometimes our problems may not be solved. It may appear to us that our prayers are not answered. However, if we pray to God, not with a demanding mood, but by saying that since he knows what is best for us, please guide us. By approaching him with such attitude, we will find ourselves internally strengthened. By such prayers, we will get the strength to face the problem.

Rather than telling God how big our problem is, we have to tell our problem how big God is. When we have this attitude, we will go to God not so much for solutions, but for guidance and strength. We trust not only God’s strength, but also his wisdom to do what is best for us. That he not only provides us the strength to face the problem but also the intelligence to find the right way to go through the problem. Then whatever problem we face, we will be able to go through and grow through the problem by his grace.

End of transcription.

Transcription in Hindi

प्रश्न: भगवान हमारी प्रार्थनाओं का उत्तर क्यों नहीं देते?

उत्तर: प्रार्थनाऐं सदैव भगवान तक पहुँचती हैं और वे सदैव हमारी प्रार्थनाओं का उत्तर भी देते हैं। किन्तु उनके उत्तरों को हम इसलिए नहीं समझ पाते क्योंकि वे प्रायः हमारी आशा के अनुरूप नहीं होते। वास्तव में यदि हम भगवान को भली-भाँति समझते हैं तो हमें यह समझ होनी चाहिए कि वे सर्वशक्तिमान भी हैं और सर्वज्ञ भी। वे परम शक्तिमान और परम बुद्धिमान दोनों है। प्रायः हम भगवान के पास तब जाते हैं जब हमारे पास कोई ऐसी समस्या होती है जिसको हम हल नहीं कर सकते। हम उनसे प्रार्थना करते हैं, कि चूँकि आप हमसे अधिक शक्तिशाली हैं, तो कृपया अपनी शक्ति का प्रयोग करके हमारी समस्या को हल करें। किन्तु यह तो भगवान पर मात्र आधा ही विश्वास करना हुआ। हम केवल उनकी शक्ति पर विश्वास कर रहे हैं, किन्तु उनकी बुद्धि पर नहीं। हम केवल उनके सर्वशक्तिमान होने पर भरोसा कर रहे हैं लेकिन उनके सर्वज्ञ होने पर नहीं। भगवान भलीभाँति जानते हैं कि हमारा भला किसमें है अतः वे वही करते हैं जिसमें हमारा हित हो।

कभी-कभी समस्याओं का सामना करने से ही हमारा विकास होता है। यदि हम समय से पहले ही समस्या से मुक्त हो जाऐं, तो भीतरी विकास का अवसर चला जाता है। प्रकृति भी यही शिक्षा देती है कि संघर्ष करने से ही विकास होता है। एक बार एक नगरवासी जंगल से गुजर रहा था। उसने देखा कि एक पक्षी का अण्डा गिरा हुआ है। अण्डे के भीतर एक चिड़िया का बच्चा था, जो अण्डे के बाहर आने के लिए संघर्ष कर रहा था। अण्डे के टूटे हुए खोल से उस बच्चे के पंख आंशिक रूप से बाहर आ रहे थे। वह बच्चा निरंतर अपने खोल को तोड़ने का प्रयास कर रहा था। वह नन्हा जीव पूरी शक्ति लगा रहा था, किन्तु आवरण को तोड़ नहीं पा रहा था। बच्चा बड़ा व्याकुल था। उस नगरवासी ने करुणावश अण्डे का खोल तोड़ दिया और उस बच्चे को बाहर आने दिया। जब बच्चा हिलने-डुलने लगा तब अचानक एक बिल्ली आई और उस बच्चे पर झपटी। बच्चे ने उड़ने का प्रयास किया, पर चूँकि उसके पंख पूरी तरह से विकसित नहीं हुए थे, इसलिए वह उड़ नहीं सका और बिल्ली ने उसे खा लिया। नगरवासी को एहसास हुआ कि वास्तव में उसने बच्चे का अहित किया है। प्रकृति की व्यवस्था के अनुसार यदि बच्चा अण्डे के खोल को धक्का देने के लिए संघर्ष करता तो इससे उसकी शक्ति में वृद्धि होती। जब उस बच्चे की शक्ति इतनी हो जाती कि वह स्वयं अपने बल पर खोल को तोड़ने में सक्षम हो जाता, तो उसके पंख भी शक्तिशाली हो जाते। उन विकसित पंखों से वह उड़ पाता। अतः खोल को समय से पहले तोड़ने से उस चिड़िया के बच्चे को सहायता नहीं मिली, बल्कि उसका नुकसान हुआ।

अतः हमें यह नहीं सोचना चाहिए कि भगवान का उद्देश्य केवल हमारी समस्याओं का समाधान करना है। भगवान का मुख्य उद्देश्य हमारे विकास में हमारी सहायता करना है। समस्याऐं कभी-कभी उस आवरण की तरह होती हैं जो हमें ढक देती हैं। भगवान हमें उन समस्याओं से जूझने देते हैं, अतः कभी-कभी हमारी समस्याओं का समाधान नहीं हो पाता। तब हमें ऐसा प्रतीत हो सकता है कि हमारी प्रार्थनाओं का उत्तर नहीं दिया जा रहा है। यदि हम भगवान से इच्छापूर्ति के लिए नहीं, बल्कि यह प्रार्थना करें कि आप जानते हैं कि मेरे लिए सर्वश्रेष्ठ क्या है, कृपया मेरा मार्गदर्शन करें। इस मनोवृत्ति के साथ उनके पास जाने से हम आंतरिक रूप से सशक्त होंगे। ऐसी प्रार्थनाओं से हमें समस्या का सामना करने की शक्ति मिलेगी।

भगवान को यह बताने की बजाय कि हमारी समस्या कितनी बड़ी है, हमें अपनी समस्यायों को यह बताना चाहिए कि भगवान कितने बड़े हैं। जब हमारे पास ऐसा दृष्टिकोण होगा, तो हम समाधान के लिए नहीं, बल्कि मार्गदर्शन और आत्मबल के लिए भगवान के पास जाऐंगे। हम न केवल भगवान की शक्ति पर विश्वास करें अपितु उनकी बुद्धि पर भी विश्वास रखें। वे हमें न केवल समस्या का सामना करने की शक्ति प्रदान करें अपितु समस्या से जूझने का सही मार्ग खोजने की बुद्धि भी प्रदान करें। इस प्रकार हम जिस भी समस्या का सामना करेंगे, हम भगवान की कृपा से न केवल समस्या से जूझ पाऐंगे बल्कि उस समस्या के माध्यम से अपना

End of transcription.

Answer Podcast:

Download by “right-click and save content”

 

Transcription :

Transcribed by: Suresh Gupta

Edited by: Raji Nachiappan

Question: Why does God not answer our prayers?

Answer: Prayers always work. God always answers our prayers, but we do not understand his answers because those do not always come in terms that we expect. If we truly understand God, then we should understand both his omnipotence and his omniscience. He is both supremely strong and supremely wise. We often go to God when we have a problem we cannot solve. We pray to him, that since you are much stronger, please utilize your strength to solve our problem. However, this is trusting only half of God. We are trusting only his strength, but not his intelligence. We are trusting only his omnipotence but not his omniscience. God knows what is best for us and because he knows, he will do what is best for us.

Sometimes, only by facing the problems, we will grow. If we are prematurely relieved of the problem, the opportunity for growth will be missed. Nature also tells that growth happens through struggle. Once a city-dweller was going through the forest and saw a bird’s egg that had fallen. Inside the egg was a birdlet who was struggling to come out. The wings were coming out partially through the cracked shell while the birdlet kept pushing and pushing. The tiny creature was applying all the force it could but was not able to crack the shell. The birdlet was in distress. The city-dweller out of compassion cracked open the shell and let the birdlet come out. When the birdlet started moving, suddenly a cat appeared and charged towards him. The birdlet tried to fly, but since its wings were not fully developed, it could not. It was then caught and devoured by the cat. The city-dweller realised that he had actually done a disservice to the birdlet. Nature had arranged in such a way that by struggling to push against the shell of the egg, the birdlet’s strength would grow. When the birdlet’s strength grows adequately enough to break the shell on its own, birdlet’s wings will also grow. Those developed wings will strengthen him to fly. Hence by pre-mature breaking of the shell, the birdlet was not helped, rather he was harmed.

We should not, therefore, think that God’s purpose is only to solve our problems. God’s purpose is primarily to help us grow. Problems are sometimes like the shell that are covering us. God allows us to go through those problems and that is why sometimes our problems may not be solved. It may appear to us that our prayers are not answered. However, if we pray to God, not with a demanding mood, but by saying that since he knows what is best for us, please guide us. By approaching him with such attitude, we will find ourselves internally strengthened. By such prayers, we will get the strength to face the problem.

Rather than telling God how big our problem is, we have to tell our problem how big God is. When we have this attitude, we will go to God not so much for solutions, but for guidance and strength. We trust not only God’s strength, but also his wisdom to do what is best for us. That he not only provides us the strength to face the problem but also the intelligence to find the right way to go through the problem. Then whatever problem we face, we will be able to go through and grow through the problem by his grace.

End of transcription.

The post Why does God not answer our prayers? (PK answered 5) appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

GODS, DEMONS AND HEROES.

The condensed version of Mahabharata, the world’s greatest epic.

CHAPTER ONE Five Godly Boys

Spring had arrived in the mountains. The atmosphere was delightfully fresh. Pandu strolled through a field of fragrant flowers, admiring the celestial scenery. Cuckoos sang in the nearby champaka trees, and black bees hummed as they swarmed around the bright yellow blossoms. Pandu’s young wife Madri walked ahead of him, her long silk robe flowing in the gentle breeze. She sang softly to herself as she stooped to gather flowers. As Pandu approached, she turned and smiled at him. The warm sun shone from behind her. Pandu could see the silhouette of her graceful form through her billowing dress. She was indeed beautiful. The bright sunlight shone through her golden hair, framing her perfect features. Pandu felt his heart stirring. It had been more than seven years since he had embraced her. An irresistible urge overpowered him. Placing on the ground the sack of wild vegetables he had gathered, he took a step towards his wife.
Madri could immediately understand his feelings. Seeing him seized by desire, the princess was fearful. “O king, remember the sage’s words!” She spoke urgently, but Pandu seemed not to hear. She put up her hands to stop him, shaking her head. “My lord! Stop! O great hero, control your mind. A deadly danger now threatens you.”
But Pandu was oblivious to her warnings. Her attempts to make him desist only fuelled his desire. Taking hold of her outsretched arms he pulled them around his body and took her in a firm embrace. Madri struggled desperately, trying to free herself. Entirely overcome by lust Pandu laughed. He dropped to the soft grass, dragging Madri down with him. With the princess clasped in his powerful arms he rolled over. Pinning her to the ground he sought her lips with his own.
Suddenly Pandu felt a terrible pain gripping his chest. He gasped and his limbs froze. As his horrifed wife looked on he fell from her body. With a stifled cry he breathed a final choking breath and his lifeless body went limp.
Madri cried out and scrambled toward him, great sobs wracking her frame. It was too late. The rishi’s curse had come to pass. Pandu was gone. The queen fell on his body and wept uncontrollably. She lamented piteously, addressing her dead husband. “O unconquerable one, how were you conquered by lust? Alas, I blame myself. Why did I go alone with you to these woods? How was I so foolish? O lord, I cannot live without you. I shall surely follow the path you have taken.”
Her cries rose up and were carried on the breeze. They echoed through the woods. Not far away, in Pandu’s forest ashram, his other wife Kunti was preparing a fire to cook their evening meal. Madri’s wails reached her and she stood still, trying to ascertain where they were coming from. Madri’s two young sons, Nakula and Sahadeva, were with her and they too heard the cries. “What is it, mother Kunti?” they asked. “Who is that?”
“I am not sure, but I will go and see. Where are your brothers?”
“They are just coming from the river,” Nakula replied.
“Then you two boys should stay here and wait for them. Tell them to follow me when they get here.”
Kunti made her way into the woods, quickly going toward the direction of the cries. She was sure it was Madri. What could have happened? Was it Kindama’s curse?
As she came out of the woods into the field her fears were confirmed. To her horror she saw the fallen Pandu, his head cradled in Madri’s lap. For some moments—moments that felt like hours—she stood staring in shock. Then, her legs feeling leaden, she ran toward them. She dropped to the ground by Pandu’s side. When she realized he was dead Kunti wailed in uncontrolled sorrow. She looked with streaming eyes at the anguished Madri. “O sister! What happened?”
Kunti’s voice was accusatory. How had Madri allowed the king to become allured? She knew well about the curse. “O Madri, I was ever careful in our lord’s presence. I would hardly even smile at him. He was always grave and self-controlled, remembering Kindama’s words. How did he lose his composure in your presence?”
Kunti’s words came between sobs. Her head fell on Pandu’s chest. Where had he gone? How could she live without him?
Madri buried her face in her hands, weeping silently. She already felt guilty for having caused Pandu’s death. Kunti’s words only exacerbated her pain. She took a deep breath. “O noble Kunti, dear sister, with tears in my eyes I tried to stop the king. But I was helpless.”
Seeing Madri’s piteous expression, Kunti felt compassion. She spoke more softly. “You are surely more fortunate than me, for you saw our lord’s face light up with joy as he approached you.”
That thought deeply pained Kunti. She fought back her envy as Madri shook her head and replied, “I am utterly undone. It seemed the king was intent on making the rishi’s curse come true. There was nothing I could do.”
Kunti felt her anger subside. Madri was surely being truthful. Somehow this terrible tragedy must be the Lord’s will. What now was her duty? She looked at the face of her husband, serene in death. The virtuous monarch had certainly gone to the higher worlds. Could she follow and serve him there? Doubtlessly Madri would also wish for that. But someone would have look to after the boys. Kunti took hold of Madri’s hand. “O sister, I am the senior wife. It is therefore my right to go with our husband to the region of the dead. Do not prevent me. Rise up and rear our children. I shall enter the fire with our husband.”
Madri looked up pleadingly. “See how I am still clasping our lord and have not allowed him to go. Let me follow him. He came to me with the desire for intercourse. That desire is not yet satiated. Should I not therefore go to Yamaraja’s kingdom in order to gratify him?”
Madri saw that Kunti had stiffened slightly. Sensing that her natural womanly jealousy was being aroused, she changed tack. She reached out to hold Kunti’s hand and said, “O revered sister, how could I raise the children as well as you? Unlike you, I will not be able to see them all with an equal eye. Please stay and serve our lord by looking after his sons. Grant me leave to enter the fire and go where he has gone.”
Kunti looked at Madri, fallen again onto Pandu’s body. It would be hard for her to carry on living with the memory of this moment. Guilt would consume her. And she was right about the boys. One of Pandu’s wives had to remain in order to take care of his sons, and Kunti, with the greater number of sons herself, knew that it was more her duty than Madri’s. It would be better to let Madri go.
Kunti rose to her feet and said softly, “Let it be as you wish, dear sister.”
Getting up slowly, she walked back toward her cottage. The boys would have to be told.

* *

Not long after Kunti had left the cottage, her three sons returned. They saw the twins, Nakula and Sahadeva, sitting alone. The eldest of the brothers, Yudhisthira, asked them, “Where is mother Kunti? We heard cries. Was it her?”
The twins shook their heads. Nakula replied, “No. Mother Kunti also heard the cries and has gone into the woods. She said you should follow her.”
Yudhisthira looked at his two brothers, Bhima and Arjuna. “Come on! Let’s go quickly. Mother may need us.”
He raced off into the woods, followed by all four of his brothers. The cries had stopped and he was not sure which way to go, but he chose the path leading to the fields. That was the way father usually went to collect vegetables for their meals. Yudhisthira had a feeling that the cries were something to do with him. As he ran he saw his mother ahead, stumbling toward them, her head in her hands. Obviously something terrible had happened.
As Kunti approached the brothers they could see the tearstreaks on her face. Seeing her sons, she tried to smile. With the five boys gathered round her, she said, “Dear sons, our only shelter now is the Lord. Father is no more. He has gone to the abode of your ancestors.”
The boys looked at her in shock. None of them could speak. Kunti wept softly. Finally Yudhisthira said, “How did it happen? Surely no one could have killed Father. Was it an accident?”
Yudhisthira knew his father to be a powerful warrior. He also knew that they were living in a place where practically everyone was an ascetic, devoted to meditation and the practice of religion. Who could have harmed his father?
Struggling to contain her grief, Kunti replied, “Your father has fallen victim to a rishi’s curse. He is lying on the other side of this wood. Madri is with him.”
The boys ran past their mother and burst out of the woods. Seeing their father lying dead and Madri next to him they cried out. They dropped to the ground, wailing and rolling about in grief. Madri, feeling more peaceful knowing that she would soon follow her husband, spoke gently to the twins, who had run to her side. “My dear sons, the ways of the Lord are mysterious. You must now serve your mother Kunti with love. She will take care of you. I must follow your father into the next world.”
The twins stared at their mother. They did not know what to say. This was only their eighth summer and they could hardly comprehend what was happening. The situation was completely overwhelming. They ran to Kunti and she held them to her bosom, her tears falling on their heads. Their three brothers continued to vent their grief with loud wails. Hearing the cries, a number of rishis came into the field. Seeing the dead king they went over to him and immediately began performing his last rites. As they rythmically chanted the holy mantras the boys felt soothed and they stood up with folded palms. The distraught Kunti stood by their side, watching as the rishis led Madri away from Pandu. They lifted his body onto a bier and began carrying it out of the woods toward the river, followed by the weeping Madri.
Supported by her two eldest sons, Kunti walked behind Madri. Some of the rishis led the younger boys back to the ashram as Pandu’s body was taken to the riverbank. It was garlanded with forest flowers and daubed with the sacred Ganges clay. A large pyre was built by the water’s edge and the body was placed upon it. With the rishis constantly reciting Vedic mantras, Yudhisthira set fire to the sandalwood pyre. As the flames rose up Madri suddenly threw herself onto the body, crying out, “My lord!” Within moments both she and Pandu’s body had been reduced to ashes.
Kunti cried terribly. Her sons stood by with tears streaming down their faces. As the flames subsided the rishis spoke wisdom from the Vedas, describing the eternality of the soul. Pacified by the sages’ words, Kunti and the boys slowly returned to their ashram. It seemed empty and lonely. They looked at each other in silence, realising that they could not stay there any longer without Pandu.
As they sat in sorrow a leader of the rishis came into the cottage and spoke to Kunti. “Now that your protector has gone you must return to your family in Hastinapura. In due time Yudhisthira must assume the throne, assisted by his mighty brothers.”
The boys knew their father had been the king in Hastinapura, the great capital of the world and seat of the powerful Kuru dynasty. He had told them he came to the forest as a result of a rishi’s curse, but they did not know the full details. It must have been a truly terrible imprecation. What had he done to deserve it? They looked querulously at their mother.
Devastated by the sudden loss of her husband and co-wife, Kunti found it difficult to speak. “I will try to explain as we travel to the city,” she said, wiping her face with the end of her sari. “Your father and I had been meaning to tell you.”
The sage said they should leave at once. He and the other rishis would accompany them to the city. Kunti agreed and she began gathering her few belongings together, telling the boys to do the same. Within a short time they were ready to go.
A long line of rishis set out for Hastinapura, with Kunti and her sons in their midst. They were accompanied by a number of Siddhas and Charanas, celestial beings who also dwelt on the mountain where they lived.
As they walked Kunti tried to gather her senses. She had to tell her sons about the curse—and especially about their births. Bringing the boys around her, she said, “Once when your father was hunting in the forest he accidently slew a rishi called Kindama who had assumed the form of a deer. To free him from the reaction of that sin the rishi uttered a curse. Your father had shot Kindama when he was just about to beget a child on his wife. The sage therefore told the king that if he ever tried to beget children he would immediately die. Your father then decided to live a life of asceticism.”
Kunti explained that Pandu, unable to beget children, had sought some other way of continuing his line. “I told him of a boon I had received from another rishi when I was a girl. That sage, named Durvasa, had been pleased by my service. He blessed me that I would be able to summon any god I desired. Thus your father had me call various great deities. First of all, Dharma, the god of religion.”
She looked across at her eldest son, who was listening intently. “Dear Yudhisthira, that powerful god is your seminal father.”
Kunti said that Bhima was the son of Vayu, god of the winds. Arjuna was the son of Indra, the king of the gods, and the twins were born of the twin Ashvini gods, the celestial physicians. “Thus were you three eldest boys born of myself, and the twins of Madri, who had begged me that she be allowed to use the mantra. A heavenly voice was heard at each of your births, prophesying great things for all of you. Yudhisthira will be the lord of the earth, Bhima the most powerful man, Arjuna the greatest among archers, and the twins possessed of celestial beauty and energy.”
The boys looked at each other. They had never guessed the truth. Sons of the gods. Their father had often told them that a great destiny awaited them—that one day they would return to Hastinapura to become rulers. But he had never explained how they had been born.
Kunti smiled a little through her grief. “Your ancestors have long ruled the earth, keeping it firmly on the path of religion. That duty will surely fall to you boys in due course.”
In what seemed only a short while, they saw the city ahead of them. They were walking on a broad paved road that had great archways over it, carved with numerous representations of the gods. Cultivated fields lay on either side of the road, filled with neat rows of vegetables and patches of golden wheat. Everywhere farmers worked the land, tilling the ground with teams of black oxen. They looked in wonder at the procession of celestials and rishis, saluting them as they walked by, and the sages offered them blessings.
By late afternoon the procession reached the city gates, which were set in the huge granite wall that surrounded the entire city. Messengers went quickly to inform the king, and soon a large crowd of citizens came out of the city. They were astonished to see the many rishis and other celestial beings, which resembled an assembly of the gods.
When the greetings were complete, a leading rishi told the king what had happened. “Steadily adhering to the path of virtue, Pandu has ascended to heaven along with his chaste wife Madri. Here are his five sons, born of the gods.”
The rishi named each of the deities who had fathered the five boys. After instructing the king to take care of their welfare and studies, he rejoined the other rishis. Then, before the eyes of the amazed citizens, all the sages and celestials disappeared from the spot.
One of the leading Kurus came up to Kunti and greeted her with folded palms. She introduced him to her sons. “This is your grandfather Bhishma.” The boys all bowed low in respect. Bhishma then led Kunti and the five boys into the city, arranging their accomodation in the royal palace.
The last rites ceremony was performed for Pandu and Madri. All the leading Kurus along with thousands of citizens entered the Ganges and made offerings for the departed souls. A twelve day period of mourning then followed for the whole city, concluding with a great feast. Large amounts of wealth were given in charity to the brahmins and everyone in the city was fed sumptuously by the king. Life then returned to normal and Pandu’s sons took their place in the royal family.

In 2016, 2017 and 2018, His Holiness Kadamba Kanana Swami took us to Prema-sarovara, where Radha and Krsna once met, and in a moment of separation, They shed so many tears that it formed the waters of this sarovara. Check out Maharaja’s full kirtans and lectures below, along with a few photos, at Prema-sarovara during Parikrama 2017 and Parikrama 2018.

In the Prema-sarovara, all the holy rivers manifest. There is a story explaining how all the holy rivers came here on a pilgrimage. This place came about because of viraha – separation. In the philosophy presented by Caitanya Mahaprabhu, viraha-bhava (mood of separation) is listed as the topmost state of love of God. It is a bit of a mystery and it is difficult to understand because in our world, separation is no fun. Some people are homesick here, wondering, “Oh Vrndavana, so austere!” Some people feel separation from someone, something or some place. How is separation the highest state in relation to Krsna? Feeling separation from Krsna is supposed to be the highest experience. How? Is separation fun? Is it ecstasy? It is difficult to understand this from an ordinary point of view. The only reason these feelings are the highest is because as soon as one is separated from Krsna, one begins to remember Him.

When we remember Krsna, it is special; it is not the same as remembering an ordinary, mundane thing. When we remember mundane things, then we are separated. When we chant the holy name of Krsna, He is actually there, but by chanting the name ‘water’, water never manifests. There is a clear distinction. By remembering Krsna, He immediately manifests Himself through that remembrance and the result is that one becomes ecstatic. Separation on the spiritual platform therefore immediately leads to remembrance, which leads to ecstasy. As such, separation is actually a cause of great ecstasy. We may understand this intellectually, but do we emotionally understand it? When Radharani and Krsna meet, this seems to be the highest experience.

Krsna is suhrt. He is our dear-most friend. Prabhupāda said that Krsna is our best friend and the devotees responded, “No, Prabhupada, you are our best friend! We do not know Krsna; we only know you!” Prabhupada explained, “No, Krsna is your best friend because He is omniscient and knows everything, whereas I do not and may disappoint you.” This quality of omniscience means that Krsna knows the deepest desires within our hearts. He knows everything and as a result, He will never disappoint us. Not that He gives us everything we want, but if we stick with Krsna we will surely become completely fulfilled. So we should have this meditation with us as well. We must remember that Krsna is not far away from us. Even here, in this material world, Krsna is actually present with us.

The article " eParikrama 2020 Day 12 – Prema-sarovara " was published on KKSBlog.

 

Video – SB 1.8.26 The Enemy of Perfection 2020-11-08 Ljubljana

The post Video - SB 1.8.26 The Enemy of Perfection 11/8/2020 first appeared on Prahladananda Swami.

In 2018, His Holiness Kadamba Kanana Swami took us to Narada-kunda, a place to reflect on Narada Muni, a pure Vaisnava, and the meaning of true bhakti. Check out Maharaja’s full kirtan and lecture below, along with a few photos, at Narada-kunda during Parikrama 2018.

Narada Muni desired to join the pastimes of Krsna as a gopi. He went to Kusuma-sarovara, took his bath there and transformed into Narada gopi. That, of course, was very convenient for him to enter the pastimes of the gopis. When Krsna saw Naradi, He began, “My Dear Narada, how nice it is that you are here to experience the pastimes of bhakti. I request that you write a book about the nature of bhakti that you are absorbing here!” So we can see that Krsna was not fooled by Narada Muni’s disguise and the book that is then written is the Narada-bhakti-sutra.

Narada Muni is, by his consciousness, a resident of Vaikuntha who worships Krsna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead and is His representative. He is one of the mental sons of Lord Brahma who is pure and transcendental. His body is spiritual and therefore he is actually a resident of the spiritual world. As such, wherever he goes, he takes the spiritual world with him. He takes many personalities into that spiritual realm. Narada Muni acts as a spiritual master. He is the personification of the spiritual master because he is cent per cent transcendental. There is no question of any fault in Narada. Anything that Narada does is an act of mercy, even he makes politics, which he sometimes does.

Narada is basically teaching sambandha. There are three stages, sambandha, abhidheya and prayojana. In sambandha, we make a connection with Krsna and we look towards the goal. What is bhakti actually? It creates a focus, like a zoom lens. In abhidheya, we get information on the process of purification. In these verses, Narada is still defining bhakti and where it is to be found, therefore it is sambandha-jnana. An example of prayojana-jnana is when we speak about Narada being Naradi gopi and entering into the pastimes of Krsna and His gopi associates. Such Vraja bhakti or pure unadulterated love is found in five rasas as displayed by the residents of Vrndavana.

The article " eParikrama 2020 Day 11 – Narada-kunda " was published on KKSBlog.

For Vaishnavas, especially Rama Bhaktas, Diwali is a celebration of the return of Lord Rama to Ayodhya after killing the demon-king Ravana. Philosophically it symbolizes the spiritual victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance. Diwali also falls on an even more important day for Krishna bhaktas, Govardhana puja, the day the Lord lifted Govardhana Hill to protect His devotees in Vraja from the torrential rains sent by King Indra. Both have a spiritual tie to the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium.

Consider the far-reaching effects the TOVP will have on the history of the world by awakening millions of people to real spiritual knowledge and the mercy flow of Krishna prema from Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. It is the manifestation of the vision of Bhaktivinoda Thakur and Lord Nityananda’s prediction that, “from this unique mandir the eternal service of Lord Caitanya will spread.”

As an analogy, we can compare the TOVP to Govardhana Hill. Just as Krishna lifted Govardhana and held it up for seven days with the ‘help’ of the cowherd men and boys to protect them from Indra’s rains, in the same way Lord Caitanya is raising the TOVP with all our ‘help’ to protect humanity from the ignorance and illusion being poured down on the human race for the next ten thousand years.

So, let us continue to “Raise Lord Caitanya’s Temple by the Hands of Every Devotee” and bring forth the deepa (light) of knowledge for the next ten thousand years, as Srila Prabhupada said:

“I have given you instruction, it will never stop; it will go on. At least for ten thousand years it will go on.”

June 21, 1976

You can help today on this auspicious occasion and during the month of Damodar, the month of prayer and giving, by sponsoring one of five abhishekas for the Grand Installation Ceremony of the new Prabhupada murti in the TOVP in October, 2021, his 125th Appearance Anniversary Year. This will be our combined guru dakshina and welcome to the TOVP for our Founder/Acharya, and every ISKCON man, woman and child can participate in this historic celebration.

Sponsor an abhisheka today!.

We wish you a most auspicious and spiritually uplifting celebration, and a healthy and safe remainder of the year.

    When we talk about sankirtana, we are, of course, talking about the congregational chanting of the Lord’s holy names, specifically in the Hare Krishna maha-mantra. For many people, this is the first way they come in contact with the chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra, and with Lord Chaitanya’s sankirtana movement, by hearing the devotees chanting the holy names. But what is it about this process that makes it so effective, and so important in the way people are first exposed to it?
    To answer this, we find specific evidence in the works of Jiva Goswami who explains it a most insightful way.

THE IMPORTANCE OF SANKIRTANA IN KALI-YUGA

    First of all, we find information about the importance of sankirtana for this age of Kali-yuga. In his Sri Krishna-sandarbha, Anuccheda 82, Jiva Goswami explains: “Lord Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and His holy names, qualities, and pastimes are sublime and unequaled. That no other holy name of the Lord is equal to the name of Krishna is confirmed in the following verse from the Sri Krsnastottara-shata-nama-stotra, found in the Brahmanda Purana: ‘By chanting the holy name of Lord Krishna only once, one achieves the same purifying effect obtained by chanting other names of the Supreme Lord three thousand times.’”
    Then, continuing in his Sri Bhakti-sandarbha, we find important additional information which clarifies things even further. Starting at Anuccheda 270, he explains how and why kirtana is the recommended process for Kali-yuga:
    “This devotion to the Lord in the form of kirtana is unlimitedly merciful to devotees who are humble and devoid of the pride associated with wealth, prestigious birth, admirable qualifications and praiseworthy accomplishments. This is understood from the Vedas and the Puranas. As stated in the Brahma-vaivarta Purana:
    “‘Therefore in Kali-yuga, activities such as penance, yoga, study of the Vedas and sacrifices, cannot be properly performed, even by those who are highly competent.’
    “Therefore sankirtana, appearing amidst the people of Kali-yuga, who are naturally meek, easily confers upon them all the results derived from the practices prominent in other yugas and thus makes them perfect. For this reason, the Lord is especially pleased in Kali-yuga only by sankirtana, as stated in the Caturmasya-mahatmya of the Skanda Purana: ‘In this world, singing about Lord Hari is the best penance. In Kali-yuga especially, one should perform kirtana for the pleasure of Lord Vishnu.’
    “The same point is made by sage Sukadeva: ‘What is attained in Satya-yuga by meditating on Lord Vishnu, and in Treta-yuga by propitiating Him with elaborate sacrifices, and in Dvapara-yuga by worship of the deity, is attained in Kali-yuga by singing about Lord Hari’ (Bhagavatam 12.3.52)
    “Also, ‘Whatever one achieves in Satya-yuga by meditation, in Treta-yuga by the performance of sacrifices [rituals], and in Dvapara-yuga by worship of the deity, is attained in Kali-yuga by singing about Lord Keshava.’” (Vishnu Purana 6.2.17)
      Furthermore, the Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.5.36-37) says: “Those who are actually advanced in knowledge are able to appreciate the essential value of this age of Kali. Such enlightened persons worship Kali-yuga because in this fallen age, all perfection of life can easily be achieved by the performance of sankirtana. Indeed, there is no higher possible gain for embodied souls forced to wander throughout the material world than the Supreme Lord’s sankirtana movement, by which one can attain the supreme peace and free oneself from the cycle of repeated birth and death.”
    So, in many ways, the Lord is so merciful that since this is the worst age, the Lord has given us the easiest way to be delivered from this situation of the repeated cycles of birth and death. In whatever other method of spiritual development that is possible, in Kali-yuga a person can attain whatever is necessary by the process of sankirtana. It cannot get much easier than that.
    Jiva Goswami continues to elaborate on the above verse, “… supreme peace means that one attains the pinnacle of fixity in the Lord, which is unattainable even by meditation and other methods, and as a concomitant result, one’s material bondage is also destroyed. Thus, even the people of Satya-yuga, who were established in meditation, could not attain such fixity in the Lord.
    “In the Skanda Purana it is said: ‘In Kali-yuga great devotees always perform kirtana.’ In other yugas, the Lord, who bestows special grace only upon the meek, did not reveal the process, or the glory, of kirtana, which is the cause of such fixity in Him. According to the above statement from the Skanda Purana, the reason why the Lord did not promulgate kirtana in other yugas is because the people of those times had the ability to follow the processes recommended for their respective ages. Consequently, the people of those ages, who were fit for meditation and other practices, would not have considered the mere movement of the tongue and lips as much of a spiritual practice, and thus they would not have faith in kirtana.”
    This is the benefit of Kali-yuga. The processes that take years to develop in other ages can be quickly accomplished in a short life in Kali-yuga. For this reason, as related in the Bhagavatam (11.5.38), “The inhabitants of Satya-yuga and other ages eagerly desire to take birth in this age of Kali, since in this age there will be many devotees of the Supreme Lord.” This also indicates that there will be the process of sankirtana that will be popular amongst those devotees, which is all that makes the age of Kali-yuga attractive.
    Therefore, as it is said in the Skanda Purana, the Vaisakha-mahatmya of the Padma Purana, and the Vishnu-dharma, “At all times and in every place one should sing the names of the Lord, the wielder of the disc.” And in the Skanda Purana again, “the chanting of the holy names is not dependent upon any particular place, time, condition or purity of the heart. Rather, it is fully independent and awards the result desired by the aspirant.” And again in the Vishnu-dharma, “For one in whose heart Lord Govinda is situated, the age of Kali is Satya-yuga, and for one in whose heart Lord Achyuta is not present, the age of Satya is Kali-yuga.”

THE SUPERIORITY OF KIRTANA

    Going back to Jiva Goswami’s Sri Bhakti-sandarbha, Anuccheda 273, he explains how kirtana is the superior process for all. “In the Vishnu Purana it is said: ‘By fixing the mind on Krishna, one does not go to hell. Those who have fixed their hearts and minds on Krishna consider even the pleasure of heaven as an obstacle to meditation on Him. Then, even Satya-loka, the planet of Brahma, appears insignificant. It is no wonder then that the sins of those who sing the names of Lord Achyuta are destroyed, because the imperishable Lord, becoming situated in the hearts of those who are pure in mind, grants them liberation.’ (Vishnu Purana 6.8.55)
    “This verse of the Vishnu Purana shows by the kaimutya principle the superiority of kirtana over remembrance of Krishna, which continues even in the state of trance.
    “Therefore, it was said earlier: ‘O King, constant chanting of the holy name of the Lord after the ways of the great authorities is the doubtless and fearless way of success for all, including those who are free from all material desires, and also those who are desirous of all material enjoyment, as well as those who are self-satisfied by dint of transcendental knowledge.’ (Bhagavatam 2.1.11)
    “And in the Vaishnava chintamani, ‘The remembrance of Lord Vishnu, which destroys sin, is attained through tremendous effort. Therefore, singing is superior to remembrance because it is accomplished merely by moving the lips.’
    “The superiority of kirtana is shown elsewhere also: ‘O descendant of Bharata, the names of Lord Hari are always present on the tongue of one who has properly worshiped Lord Vasudeva for hundreds of previous lives.’
    “The preeminence of kirtana is also understood from the Namaparadha-bhanjana-stotra, already cited in Anuccheda 265, which states that the holy name delivers one even from offences to Lord Hari.
    “Thus, in all yugas, singing the Lord’s name has the same power. Nonetheless, in Kali-yuga, the Lord personally advocates the method of kirtana out of His grace, and for this reason kirtana has been specifically praised in scripture for the age of Kali. So, if one performs any other type of bhakti in Kali-yuga, it should be accompanied by kirtana, for it is said (Bhagavatam 11.5.32): ‘In the age of Kali-yuga, intelligent persons perform congregational chanting to worship the incarnation of Godhead who constantly sings the names of Krishna. Although His complexion is not blackish, He is Krishna Himself. He is accompanied by His associates, servants, weapons and confidential companions.”
    In Anuccheda 265, Jiva Goswami explains that “After the glorification of the Bhagavata Purana, Sri Suka begins the narration. From the very outset, although there are many limbs of devotion, he instructs the king that singing the Lord’s names is the chief of all methods for attaining perfection. Furthermore, he informs the king that such singing of the Lord’s names is also the supreme goal for all.
    “O King, constant chanting of the holy name of the Lord after the ways of the great authorities is the doubtless and fearless way of success for all, including those who are free from all material desires, and also those who are desirous of all material enjoyment, as well as those who are self-satisfied by dint of transcendental knowledge.” (Bhagavatam 2.1.11)
    [The great commentator on the Bhagavatam] “Sridhara Swami comments: ‘There is no method more beneficial than singing the Lord’s names, both for practitioners and for those who have already attained perfection. Sri Suka speaks this verse just to make this clear. For those desiring material enjoyment, singing the Lord’s names is the very means by which their desires can be fulfilled. For those who seek liberation, this alone is the means of salvation. And for those who seek knowledge of the Absolute, this also has been determined as the goal. By saying that this has already been concluded, it indicates that there is no need for further evidence in this regard.’
    Then Narada Muni describes his own experience after being instructed by the Lord, and just before leaving his material body to be transferred to a spiritual body, “Thus I began chanting the holy name and fame of the Lord by repeated recitation, ignoring all the formalities of the material world. Such chanting and remembering of the transcendental pastimes of the Lord are benedictory. So doing, I traveled all over the earth, fully satisfied, humble and unenvious.” (Bhagavatam 1.6.26)
    This is the power of the process of chanting and singing about the glories of the Lord, which is attained only after many lifetimes of spiritual pursuits, or by the rare blessing of a pure devotee. Nonetheless, it is also recommended to avoid the ten offenses to the holy name if a person wants to make rapid progress. 

SPEAKING ABOUT THE LORD IS REALITY

    Also, simply remembering Krishna is itself the epitome of yoga, as Lord Krishna says in the Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.13.14). Therefore, anything that helps us remember Krishna, whether singing, chanting, or reciting and reading about Him, puts us in touch with Him as the Supreme Reality.
    In this connection, in Anuccheda 269 of Sri Bhakti-sandarbha, Srila Jiva Goswami explains how speaking about the Lord is real, by quoting the verses from the Srimad-Bhagavatam (12.12.49-50): “Words that do not describe the transcendental Personality of Godhead but instead deal with temporary matters are simply false and useless. Only those words that manifest the transcendental qualities of the Supreme Lord are actually truthful, auspicious and pious. Those words describing the glories of the all-famous Personality of Godhead are attractive, relishable and ever fresh. Indeed, such words are a perpetual festival for the mind, and they dry up the ocean of misery.”
    “The word asatih here means false, and asatam, extracted from the compound asat-katha, refers to speech about people other than the Lord and His devotees. These adjectives describe speech that is unrelated to the Lord. On the other hand, that speech in which the fame of the glorious Lord is sung is alone real and endowed with the other virtues mentioned in these two verses. This refers specifically to recitations of the Lord’s pastimes. And why is this speech true and auspicious? In answer to this, Suta says that this speech causes the Lord’s qualities to be revealed in the heart of the speaker. This means that such discussions generate love for the Lord.”

HOW SANKIRTANA EFFECTS OTHERS
BY AROUSING LOVE

    Now we are starting to approach the unique view that I want to highlight in Jiva Goswami’s explanation of how and why sankirtana is so potent. It is because it invokes and inspires the love that all conditioned souls are continually looking for. No matter what a person does, it is done for expressing or seeking love. But that love outside the connection with the Supreme Person is only a reflection of the real love for which the soul is always seeking. And that real love, which is spiritual, is often first experienced to some degree by someone who hears the transcendental sound of the chanting of the holy names of the Lord.
    The sound of the holy names enters the ears, and then passes through the mind, which may interpret it as being attractive. But the vibration goes deeper through the intelligence until it reaches the soul, which then reverberates the sound because of the love that is invoked in the soul. It is that love, or even the reflection of it, that captures the soul. The soul wants to dive more deeply into this feeling and then focuses on the chanting and singing of the holy names. This is more than merely playing the mridunga drums in a traditional or attractive way, which may indeed attract some people. It is more than singing the traditional melodies. But it is the love for Lord Krishna which the kirtan leaders inject into the vibration of the holy names which inspires the listeners to want to become part of the kirtana. Even Srila Prabhupada once explained in a lecture (Bg. 7.1, in LA, Dec. 2, 1968) that in leading a kirtana, our first business is to please Krishna. Then we give the crowd Krishna, which will then please the participants.
    This reflects on the fact that if there is a universal language, it is music. Music can capture moods, attitudes, longings, and inspirations even when the language of the words are not fully understood. And when the language is the transcendental, spiritual vibrations of the Lord’s holy names, qualities and characteristics, a person can feel like they are coming home, or have even arrived at what they have been searching for over many lifetimes, which is the divine love in connection with Lord Krishna.
    This is also why it is important that the kirtana leaders use a melody which is easy to follow, in which people can easily join in and participate. That is the key–they become participants in this form of devotional service. For many, it may be the first act of devotional service to the Lord that they have ever performed. And if they can join in, then they get the added benefit of not merely listening, but in participating in the sankirtana. Otherwise, if the melody is complicated or difficult to follow, then the audience may simply stand or sit there and become mere observers, and cannot easily participate in singing along. Listening is also greatly beneficial, but participating in the kirtana is even better. Plus, the more people who join in the singing, the more powerful it becomes.
    It is like the explanation of the difference between the Vishnu Purana and the Bhagavata Purana. The Vishnu Purana often contains the same stories, even elaborations of details not found in the Bhagavatam. But it is said that the Vishnu Purana is described from the point of view as a reporter telling the stories. But the Bhagavata Purana is sweeter because it tells the stories from the view of a participant, someone who is actively involved in the events that are being described. So, it is much more intimate and endearing.
    As described by Jiva Goswami in Anuccheda 266, “When the beauty of Lord Krishna’s form is glorified, it creates an attraction for the speech of the poets who sing the glories of the Lord’s form.    
    “Therefore, the four Kumaras also prayed: ‘O Lord, we pray that You let us be born in any hellish condition of life, just as long as our hearts and minds are always engaged in the service of Your lotus feet, our words are made beautiful [by speaking of Your activities] just as tulasi leaves are beautified when offered unto Your lotus feet, and as long as our ears are always filled with the chanting of Your transcendental qualities.’” (Bhagavatam 3.15.49)
    In this way, the more love there is in the descriptions of the glories of the Lord, the more it attracts the listeners who then can feel that love. The extent of the feeling of love for the Lord is expressed in the verse from the Bhagavatam (11.2.40), “By chanting the holy name of the Supreme Lord, one comes to the stage of love of Godhead. Then the devotee is fixed in his vow as an eternal servant of the Lord, and he gradually becomes very much attached to a particular name and form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As his heart melts with ecstatic love, he laughs very loudly or cries or shouts. Sometimes he sings and dances like a madman, for he is indifferent to public opinion.”
    Furthermore, in Anuccheda 264, Jiva Goswami says that the effect of chanting or singing the Lord’s names also grants one direct experience of the Lord’s attributes. Through this process, it opens the channels for direct experience and realization.

SANKIRTANA INVOKES THE LORD’S ATTRACTION FOR THE DEVOTEES

    The other aspect of how sankirtana invokes love, is that singing and chanting about the Lord attracts the Lord Himself. As Jiva Goswami continues to explain in Anuccheda 269: “In the Skanda Purana it is said ’O King, Lord Hari goes wherever stories about Him and His devotees are sung, just as a cow follows her calf out of great affection.’
    “In the Vishnu-dharma and in the Skanda Purana the Lord says: ‘I never abandon a person who always narrates my stories, one who is intent on hearing them, or one whose mind is captivated by My stories.’ 
    “The verb anugiyate, meaning ‘is repeatedly sung,’ in the above verse from the Bhagavatam (12.12.50) implies that if one has a melodious voice, he or she should sing the pastimes of the Lord. This implies that singing the pastimes of the Lord is superior to simple hearing and recitation. The same is true about singing about the holy names, forms and qualities of the Lord.”
    In Anuccheda 262, we find “The chanting of the holy name of Lord Vishnu is the best process of atonement for a thief of gold or other valuables, for a drunkard, for one who betrays a friend or relative, for one who kills a brahmana, etc… Simply by chanting the holy name of Lord Vishnu, such sinful persons may attract the attention of the Supreme Lord, who therefore considers, ‘Because this person has chanted My holy name, My duty is to give him protection.’ (Bhagavatam 6.2.10)
    “Sridhara Swami comments: ‘This alone is the best form of atonement. The reason for this is that when a person chants God’s names, it attracts the attention of Lord Vishnu, who thinks, ‘This person belongs to Me, and as such, I should protect him.’
    “Therefore, because the Lord’s name is part of His constitutional nature, it naturally impels Him to become absorbed in love for His devotees, who chant His names. As such, hearing even a part of the Lord’s names induces love in the great devotees of the Lord.”
    In Anuccheda 268, Jiva Goswami uses the verse from the Bhagavatam (2.8.4) to explain that the Lord becomes so attracted to the devotee that He enters their heart. “Persons who hear [and recite the activities of the Lord as in] Srimad-Bhagavatam regularly and are always taking the matter very seriously will have the Personality of Godhead Sri Krishna manifested in their hearts within a short time.”
    “The adverbial phrase nati-dirghena kalena, qualifying the verb ‘enters,’ means that the Lord enters the devotee’s heart without delay. The verb vishate, meaning ‘He enters,’ means that the Lord directly appears in the devotee’s heart.”
    In this way, as the devotee becomes qualified for the Lord to enter his or her heart, so does the recitation or the singing of the holy names as in sankirtana become all the more potent and attractive. It is the love within the heart of the devotee that makes the sankirtana such a beautiful experience for those who hear it. The more love that is there, the more the Lord directly manifests within, and the more the listeners become enlivened by that spiritual vibration. 

THE LOVE FOR KRISHNA FOUND IN SANKIRTANA IS THE ETERNAL RESULT OF ALL SPIRITUAL PURSUITS

    In Jiva Goswami’s Sri Bhakti-sandarbha, Anuccheda 267 we find the verse from the Bhagavatam (1.5.22) that explains how all spiritual pursuits reach their zenith in bringing us to engage in reading, chanting and singing the holy names and characteristics of the Supreme Being: “Learned circles have positively concluded that the infallible purpose of the advancement of knowledge, namely austerities, study of the Vedas, sacrifice, chanting of hymns and charity, culminates in the transcendental descriptions of the Lord, who is defined in choice poetry.”
    “The word srutam means study of the Vedas; svishtam, sacrifices; suktam, recitation of mantras; buddham, scriptural knowledge; and dattam means gifts given in charity. When all of such acts are offered exclusively to the Lord, they bear eternal fruit. And what is that eternal fruit? Being able to engage in regular recitation of the virtues of the glorious Lord.
    “Even after attaining the supreme goal in the form of recitation of the Lord’s qualities out of love, one experiences ever-fresh delight in continuing to describe those qualities. It is for this reason that the adjective avichyuta has been used, which means that this result does not come to an end. Thus, the adjective avichyuta, ‘eternal [fruit]’ indicates that love for the Lord is the actual fruit of the recitation of His virtues.”

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare

Hare Krishna!

Please accept our humble obeisances!

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

All glories to Sri Guru and Sri Gauranga!

As Toronto will move into the Red – Control category of the Province’s colour-coded system for COVID-19 restrictions beginning Saturday (14th Nov), the temple will remain closed on Sunday 15th Nov.

As the health of the devotees is paramount, we had to make this difficult decision to keep the temple closed on the day of Govardhan puja.

ISKCON Scarborough

3500 McNicoll Avenue, Unit #3,

Scarborough, Ontario,

Canada, M1V4C7

Website: www.iskconscarborough.org

Email:

iskconscarborough@hotmail.com

scarboroughiskcon@gmail.com