Bhagavad-gita verse-by-verse podcast

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Answer Podcast

Transcription :

Transcriber: Bhakta Sharan

Question: When facing serious problems, should we first focus on solving problems and then practice bhakti?

Answer: Each problem is different. To have a heavy workload is one kind of problem and going through a major health crisis is another. Similarly, having a traumatic relationship conflict is a problem of its own kind. Each of these problems pose different obstacles on our bhakti path.

If we have a sore throat or our leg is fractured and the doctor has advised us to not exert pressure, and still we continue to sing loudly in kirtan or climb a mountain to go to a temple, then such action is foolhardy. We might have to stop a particular devotional service until our physical capacity is restored. We have to follow all the prescribed exercises and medications till we are physically fit.

In case of excessive workload where we have to meet deadlines, postponing our devotional engagements for some time is understandable. Simultaneously we need to check whether working more hours really translates in progressing towards meeting our deadline. Sometimes more hours at work does not necessarily mean more productivity at work. Being alert and taking breaks could actually help us to be more productive. What one does in those breaks could vary from person to person.

Doing activities like hearing kirtan, studying philosophy, listening devotional lectures etc. could actually help sharpen our mental faculty and reduce stress which helps in boosting productivity. One should not think that because I am so busy therefore, I cannot do my devotional activities. Rather, one should be open towards the perspective that my devotional activities could in fact help me do my work better.

In a relationship conflict, emotional pain experienced is much more than the physical pain. Amidst such trauma, one can think that after this gets over, I will practice bhakti. It is understandable that in such situation one should stay focused and purposeful without which it will be very difficult to remain in an emotionally well-balanced situation.

Problem solving is not like weight lifting where the more pressure we exert the more weights we can lift. Problem solving is like applying the right kind of voltage for the right device. If a device receives less power than what it needs, then it cannot function properly. However, at the same time if the device gets more power than what it needs, that will also be a problem. Similarly, we need to find out what amount of thinking help us solve the problem and what amount of thinking starts affecting us negatively. Unless we recognize this dynamic difference, we will continue to think about the problem understanding that the more we think about the problem, the more we will be able to deal with it. At one level this may be true because we need to think to solve the problem. However, we need to understand that thinking endlessly about the problem will also not help. Our thoughts need to be sharp and alert so that our thinking is effective to find constructive paths for dealing with the problem. That is why for emotional problems, it is vital that we create the necessary distance and detachment by directing our thoughts elsewhere so that we can get positive energy to help us deal with the negative energy.

This can be done by thinking about Krishna and practicing bhakti activities. Not ritualistically, but in a way that we can absorb ourselves in it. Doing that activity could help us in a significant way in moving towards Krishna and growing internally by calling out to him in a mood of dependence. Consequently, getting the required clarity that could help us solve the problem more effectively.

End of transcription.

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Answer Podcast

Transcription :

Transcriber: Bhakta Sharan

Question: Should a devotee profession try to become a CEO to demonstrate how devotees can be materially successful too?

Answer: All of us have certain capacities of stretching ourselves in carrying out various tasks. If we are in a zone below that capacity, it is called comfort zone (the name maybe comfort zone but staying there for too long makes us uncomfortable). Above the comfort zone is stretch zone and beyond it is the panic zone. Lifting a weight is either within our capacity or way above our capacity. Stretch zone varies from person to person. Ideally, it would be great that devotees have the best profession, or they are the best in their profession. However, we should remember that not every student in the class can be first.

Devotional sincerity is good but in the material world the translation of devotional intention into successful action also requires material competence. Different people will have different competence. For example, there might be a student who comes first in his class and also practices high standards of sadhana in devotional life. Other devotee students would surely want to emulate him. If the students out of peer pressure desire to be first in the class but neglect the fact that they take 14-15 hours to study compared to the topper who takes only 5-6 hours, then this might not be the best way that they can contribute.

We have to find out for ourselves what level of success or what level of progressing towards success is sustainable and holistic for us. Striving to be the best in our field is good but striving to be connected with Krishna and pursuing our profession in the context of our connection with Krishna is even more important.

For someone, the pursuit of becoming the best may take them away from Krishna. For some, the pursuit to be devoted to Krishna may inspire and equip them to become the best and for others, the pursuit of becoming the best and the pursuit to be devoted to Krishna may go parallel. We can understand this with three scenarios as follows:

A. In a class, there might be students who are average or above average and the pursuit to be the topper may take them away from Krishna (I have to study so much, I have no time for bhakti)
B. Some students may have a lot of potential but are unable to cope up due to their own negativity. However, when they feel positive after practising bhakti, it inspires them to become the best.
C. And then, there are toppers who are also devotees and they may continue practising bhakti and remain on top.

All these three possibilities are there, and which possibility applies to us that we have to see.

To conclude, there are central and peripheral activities of devotion. More broadly, there are primary, secondary and tertiary activities of devotion. Primary activities are our direct devotional expressions and responsibilities, secondary activities of devotion could be our family responsibility, professional ambition etc. and tertiary activities are pursuing excellence in a particular field as a mode of devotional expression. Some people may spend lifetime trying to achieve excellence in kirtan (which is great) but if that is done at the expense of not following the prescribed sadhana (not chanting their daily rounds, not attending important programs in temple etc.) because now they do not have time then they are giving up the primary for the tertiary. How much effort will be required in the tertiary will vary from person to person depending on how much talent they have and what situation they are in.

End of transcription.

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Bhagavad-gita verse-by-verse podcast

The post Gita 01.23 Virtue doesn’t count when determining the military count in a fight appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

[Bhagavatam class at Raleigh, North Carolina, USA]

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[Talk at North Carolina State University, USA]

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The post Focus on potentials, not on problems appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

A pioneer devotee is braving austerity to create a dream retirement home in Colombia’s lush Cauca Valley, for those who have dedicated their lives in service to ISKCON. And Lord Krishna is reciprocating as neighbors embrace the project and doors gradually begin to open.

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Today, thinking of how valuable Krishna consciousness is and how few people are accepting it—and how people are suffering for want of Krishna consciousness—I felt somewhat discouraged, but then I thought of Srila Prabhupada’s encouraging words to a reporter from the New York Times, John Nordheimer, in September 1972.

“How many followers do you have?” Nordheimer asked.

“Well, this is a very difficult job, naturally,” Srila Prabhupada replied. “We don’t have a large number of followers. When you try to sell a diamond, you cannot expect many customers. Nonetheless, a diamond is a diamond, even if there are no customers. The number of customers is not the test. The customer must pay the value of the item.

“In this Society we propose that you give up illicit sex, meat-eating, intoxication, and gambling. When people hear this, they go away, saying, ‘Oh, Swamiji is very conservative.’ But I cannot become liberal and tell everybody, ‘Go ahead and do all nonsense, and you can become God conscious.’ I cannot possibly recommend that. Therefore, my first condition is that if someone wants to become my student he has to follow these four regulative principles. Consequently, I do not have many followers, but I do have a select few. One moon is sufficient to dissipate the darkness. If there is one moon, there is no need for millions of stars. It is useless to expect a large number of followers. We want only one good follower. If I can get one man to become Krishna conscious, I will consider my mission fulfilled. If you talk to whatever small number of followers I have, you will find that they talk better than any great philosopher, better than any scientist or politician. That is the quality of my students. . . . Because they are select, they will bring about a revolution in the world.”

Hare Krishna.

Yours in service,
Giriraj Swami

In India, Panihati had the highest increase: 999% (3,957 book points). In the USA, Chicago increased the most: 129% (6,656 book points). In the CIS, Simferopol (Ukraine): 313% (1,204 book points). In Europe, Milan, Italy: 124% (1,750 book points). In South America, Guadalahara, Mexico: 234% (533 book points). In Africa, Port Elizabeth, South Africa: 614% (70 book points). And in Australia, Melbourne: 148% (1,919 book points). Continue reading "WSN September 2018 – World Sankirtan Newsletter
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(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 29 October 2014, Vrindavan Dham, India, Srimad Bhagavatam 5.13.22)

Question: You have mentioned that logic can sometimes make us dull and this maybe is an example of how that works. In your class, I am trying to be logical and I am having a little difficulty, as what you have said seems like a circular kind of reasoning. You were saying that we are all running to apparent limitations and we have to break through these, we have to extend ourselves in order to get the mercy. But then you said that if we get the mercy then we will be able to go beyond our limitations. So it sounds like that in order to go beyond our limitations, we have to go beyond our limitations! Limitations, you have said, make us stumble, we are very much challenged by it, and because of it we cannot do it. But then, you are saying that in order to get the mercy that will enable us to do it, we have to do it – we have to put some effort. So it seems that even before getting mercy, we have to do something anyway. Could you please explain it a bit more?

Your question is refining things and that is appreciated. Yes, we have to make an initial effort to take the mercy which is so widely available. But we have to make that initial effort to take advantage of it. It is something like ‘stretching’. Stretching means we are stiff and our hands can barely get passed our knees, so we have to make that first effort. One day, as we stretch, our hands will be on the ground. So, like that, first we receive some causeless mercy, mercy we never asked for, mercy that just appeared in our life. Then it is up to us to take that mercy and take advantage of it. As we take a little advantage of some mercy, immediately we get more and that will give us more strength and enthusiasm to again take some more shelter. So, it is simultaneously going on: we make a little effort to take a step and immediately so much mercy will come our way which will give us strength for another step and for more mercy coming. In this way, we will make progress as it is a combination of both personal effort and mercy. Damodar-lila shows us those two fingers – one for the mercy and one for the personal endeavor of Mother Yasoda. Only then Yasoda was able to tie Krsna.

The article " Taking advantage of mercy by making an effort " was published on KKSBlog.

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Answer Podcast

Transcription :

Transcriber: Bhakta Sharan

Question: Can you explain the various stages in chanting – namapradha, namabhasa, shuddha-nama?

Answer: There are broadly three ways in which we can understand the various stages in chanting – (i) manifestation (ii) experience and (iii) potency of the holy names.

At one level, Krishna is non-different from his holy names. It is said, namnam akari bahudha nija sarva shaktis (Sri Siksastakam – Verse 2), meaning his potency is fully present in his holy names. At the same time, Krishna is also reciprocal. He is not static or void but is actually a person who reciprocates according to our devotion. Although Krishna is always omnipotent, we need to recognize that whatever is manifested to us is essentially based not just on Krishna’s potency but also on our receptivity. An analog fan may have access to 100 percent power but the speed at which it rotates depends on the positive progression in turning the switch. More the switch is progressively turned in the right direction, more energy from the fan can be experienced. Similarly, those who are atheist or envious towards Krishna, they cannot perceive Him at all. However, for those who are focused on reciprocating with Krishna, His power becomes manifest to them depending on their receptivity. This principle of reciprocity can be applied to analyse the power of the holy names.
It is said, sevonmukhe hi jihvadau svayam eva sphuraty adah (Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu 1.2.234). This means, to the extent we turn towards Krishna with service attitude to that extent we experience his potency.

Shuddha nama is like the tuner of the fan being fully on or a sun which has completely risen. Namabhasa is like a rising sun. The sun although not visible to us, but it is present, and its effect is visible to us because we can see the horizon illuminated through a red glow spreading across the sky.

Namaparadha is like pre-risen sun or the state before the sun has risen.

What does aparadha basically mean? That which takes us away from Radha or the divine energy who is completely devoted to Krishna is called aparadha. To the extent our consciousness is directed elsewhere, to that extent we cannot relish the sweetness of Krishna bhakti. The sun is always effulgent but whether we see it or not depends on time and our location on earth. Similarly, Krishna will manifest to us depending on where the switch of our consciousness is and how receptive we are.

Namapradha stage can be perceived as having a gun with no bullets. Suppose a person is being chased by thugs and eventually they confront him. At this point, if the person points an empty gun at them then just by this act some of the thugs may run away. Pointing an unloaded gun is not completely useless. It does help us scare away the intruders. Namabhasa stage is like a gun with limited number of bullets which needs to be loaded every time before shooting. Shuddha-nama stage is like an automatic gun with huge amount of ammunition which can keep firing.

Namapradha means chanting at offensive stage, Namabhasa is chanting at clearing stage and Shudda-nama is chanting at pure stage.

As we progress in our chanting, we will experience the potency of the holy names. At present, even while chanting at the offensive stage we may gradually experience peace, purity and presence of Krishna. We may experience calmness of mind, decrease in the impact of lust, anger, greed etc. This is also an experience of the potency of Krishna even if it is not a full experience.

To conclude, we want to access the full power of the holy names, but we need not be discouraged thinking that we are not able to access the power of the holy names right now. Even with little power of the holy names that we are accessing, we can see significant transformation in our life. Such experience should inspire us to keep moving forward progressively in our spiritual path.

End of transcription.

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