Nice notes

Krsna is the supreme and he gives alot of Rasa. Sambhandha between us and Krishna.

Second verse the effect 10.13.55

Brahma saw all of the things all at the same time and is feeling ecstatic bliss.

But Krishna takes care of all his entities esp in vrindavan where pure souls are present.

Demigods equal to him - because they consider them separate from Krishna. Offense - name of Krishna is different from him. We pay attention to them, when chanting we should have 100% attention .

just chant to get to Krishna. Verse brahma is in complete bliss. How to -  only one gets a little fraction of mercy by devotional device then you get him. But if you commit offenses then he again becomes a mystery.  So no offenses as he shall put a curtain again. All this will then become a dream so take shelter of devotees, sb, bg.

babaji maharaj - the preaching mood came from him. He wore loin cloth from corpuses. He never took any service only gave service. He saw bhalti vinod thakur as 7th goswami even though he was grahasta. He was illiterate, but he was in devotional service and hence he could give initiation. So this is the siksha guru line. By hearing about our acharyas, it increases our faith 

Read nod chap 4

Bhaktivibof thakur interpretation of the holy nale. Saying the holy name is service to the lord. We are servants of Krishna and we should accept it and we will be better than yogis and ppl who go to the higher planets.

Devotees inspire of difficultirws keep going on.

For great devotee they don't even want liberation all they need is devotional service. Why because they are bored and lonely.

What is Ananada - it is the service to the lord, seeing the dirty, Prasad, hearing , chantong, association with devotees - by servicing them Krishna is happy and its a service to him. Reciprocation of gifts.  Think when you are love those are the reflection of being in prema with lord. It just is! 

Shyamsundar Prabhu - Vrindavan yatra Kartik experiences

It was a very very ecstatic trip to Vrindavan and I want to highlight the glories of the yatra. One way visiting the dham or the holy place is one of the five important rules laid down by srila Rupa Goswami. There are 5 articles of devotional service and one of them is to reside in a holy place and why is this so important and mentioned by him? The reason for that is because we regularly read, we regularly discuss the words of Lord Krsna, we discuss the past times of Krnsa, the glories of the devotees of Krsna and that forms the key element of spiritual life. So going to the holy dhaam what does it do to our spiritual life? It brings all what we read to life. Because we start experiencing Krsna as a person. The dhaam reveals the personal touch of the Lord. The dhaam helps us to connect all the lilas and pasttimes in reality. When we see the places of Krsna we start to understand that oh yes this is real. That jolt is very much needed by a sadhaka and that is very useful for us.

When we see the Govardhan hill, Kaliya ghat, jiv ghat, oh yes these are the places Krsna performed all these lilas. So one poet has actually composed a poem describing the holy dhaam. Wherever my Lord Sri Chaitanya mahaprabhu went, I also want to go with him. Hence, if you want to progress in your spiritual life it is very important to go to the holy dhaam.

Yatra to Sri Vrindavan Dhaam

Vrindavan Dhaam is opened to us and made available by Srila Prabhupada. It is by his mercy that we have received entrance into Vrindavan dhaam. If not we would have gone but not understood the value of Vrindavan dhaam. The first thing is to fill our hearts with divine obeisances to Srila Prabhupada. Today we shall be visiting Sri Vrindavan Dhaam with our mind - manasa yatra. We first offer our humble obeisances to SP through whom we have been able to understand Vrindavan. after we have expressed our gratitude to SP, at his samadhi we get our energy and beg for his blessings and mercy to intensify our sadhana and spiritual life. And our gratitude to HH Radhanath swami who took 2500 devotees on the yatra. That was the association we were awarded. We stayed 10 days in the dhaam.

6a - breakfast
7a - board busses for dhaam darshan

The entire devotees were divided into 8 groups and each day each group would go to a differnt dhaam darshan. Senior devotees would then speak about the dhaam. Then lunch prasad and then maharaj spoke from 5-7:30p and then damodar astakam prayers and then we would go to bed. The yatra was so nice that whole day there was complete engagement and there was no need to think about anything else. So all day we were talking to devotees, chanting, and be absorbed in Krsna. Everyday you had chapatis, kachoris, ragada patis etc everyday - prasadam quality was amazing. The devotees put so much hard work that it all first class. Then after prasadam you were so eager to hear from Maharaj. Whole day just so eager to hear from Maharaj.

Days
1. Nanda Gaun and Ter Kadam - When Nanda maharaj saw that lot of deamons are attacking Krsna they took him to Nanda Gaun and Nanda bhavan. Around Nanada bhavan - Vrinda kund, Pavan Sarovar and then Ter Kadam - place where Krsna would go everyday to call out all the names of the cows. He was so personal that he would call out the names of all the cows individually of every cow. All the cows would come running to Krsna hearing. That is our goal - Krsna is calling us but our ears are filled with wax that we aren't able to hear Krsna's call. Please Krsna let me clear my conciousness, my heart - so I can hear you Krsna. Nanda Bhavan is so beautiful where there are deities of Nanda maharaj, Yashoda mata, Balaram and Krsna. We did kirtan there and very very holy place. We connected with the mood of each place, we were rejoicing that Nanda maharaj was enjoying the vatsala bhav and was in the child like activities of Kirtan and chanting for the pleasure of Krsna.

2. Barsana - The place where Srimati Radharani spent her time there from Raval. Barsana the key is that Brahmaji over there came and prayed there that your vraj gopis are so great that I want the dust of their lotus feet on my head every moment. My 4 heads become the 4 hills of Barsana. Brahmaji's teaching us from his own example on how to approach the Vrindavan dhaam - by taking the dust of the lotus feet of the gopis. Without this mood and without the mercy of Srimati Radharani's mercy we cannot approach Krsna. 4 hills of Barsana
 - Maan Mandir - Place where Krsna pacified Radharani.
Other hill is Moor kutir - Blind sage was instructed by Radharani to draw the painting of Krsna and Radha dancing like peacocks and a beautiful painting. We all are blind but only when we take the shelter of Radha and Krsna we are able to see things otherwise what is the use of seeing things in this world. Only when we take the shelter of Krsna in that blindness then we become enlightented. Om ajnana timirandasya - only by the mercy of our guru we can get light.
- Sriji mandir - temple of Srimati Radharani - the headquarters of unconditional kind love is flowing from there. The whole area of barsana is so sweet and touching to the heart that the mercy of Radharani can be felt in every breath and it gives us the experience of KC.

3. Local Vrindavan yatra - Kaliya ghat, Kesi ghat, madan mohan temple (all 6 temples of Vrindavan), other ghats - all samadhis of Goswamis - Srila Rupa Goswami samdhi where SP prayed for months that please give me the mercy to satisfy my Guru - we prayed there. Radha Raman temple, Radha Vinod temple, Radha Govinda temple - begged the mercy of all the acaryas.

Vrindavan Dhaam From Day 4

In the first sloka of SB - Vyasadev is establishing the unique position of Sri Krsna and his holy abode - Golaka Vrindavan. In the first sloka he is addressing Krsna as O namo vasudeva. It is by his energy that the material world is both manifested and unmanifested and by his energy the whole spiritual world is existing.

The differnce between material world and spiritual world is that it is ever temporary. Everything happening in the material world is a dream. In the material world things happen, do things and then they are gone. They have certain set of experiences and then they are gone. With people passing all that is left is memories. Material world is compared to a dream. Spritiual world is eternal. The only hope of the material world or +ve is that Krsna's effort to take the souls back to Godhead. So they can remember their constitutional position. Vrindavan is such a place where Krsna descendes to give us that experience so we can taste what it is to live in this spiritual world. The experience and rememberance of Vrindavan is so amazing that it can put the conditioned soul to help him get back to Godhead. It is by the causeless mercy of SP that we can get to Vrindavan Dhaam.

One of the most amazing and enlightening experience was stay at Govardhan. Giriraj Govardhan is actually the eternal associate of Krsna. When Krsna requests Radharani, she says I want Yamuna and GOvardhan to also come down. So he had already come to Vrindavan before Krsna. He is know as the topmost devotee of Krsna because everything about him is to give pleasure to Krsna and his devotees. Krsna is very happy when his devotees - the cows and brahmanas are happy. Hence Krsna is very pleased and Govardhan is know as Haridas _____. So we should live and perform parikrama of Govardhan.

Every sila of Govardhan is Krsna. When we are taking darshan of Govardhan, we are actually taking darshan of Krsna. Krsna and Caitanya mahaprabhu have shown how to pray to Govardhan. The experience was so amazing, that whenever we have opportunity we should perform Govardhan parikrama. SP wanted to performa Govardhan parikrama at time of death. He was teaching us how to live our life practically from his life. It is all about our conciousness. In our consciousness if we give high regard and importance to the KC activities then our heart will be filled with these deep experiences. Many many holy places are near Govardhan. Radha kunda is the most most important place why? Because it is very dear to Srimati Radharani and hence it is very dear to Krsna. It is actually liquid prem of Krsna.

HH Radhanathswami was doing parikrama and it was very hot and devotees put their feet, but maharaj put his head in the holy water because of the importance of this kund. Just with a few drops of achaman of this water you can actually get Krsna prema. She is freely distributing prema of Krsna here. Then there were other places like - uddav kund, manasi ganga.

At Uddav Kunda, he understood that Vrajavasis were crying for Krsna and he was wondering how to pacify them. He realized that varajavasis were pure devotees and he wanted to experience a drop of their mercy, so he wanted to become a shrub in Vrindavan so vrajavasis can always keep getting the pure love of Vraja. He bows down at the lotus feet of vrajavasis. The mood of bowing down and surrendering to the vrajavasis, to the acharyas to the vaishnavas. When we cultivate this mood of vraja prema only then can we get to Krsna. Uddavji is teaching with his own example who was like Krsna, he looked like him, was a very close friend, minister and yet he became a shrub at Uddav Kunda.

Kusum sarovar, shyam van, anniyog, apsara kunda, many others where Krsna performed his pasttimes. Most importantly, these places enrich our faith in Krsna. When we meditate or talk about these places we are actually situtated in Vrindavan. Rememberance of Vrindavan can put us in presence of Krsna. There is so much to talk of Vrindavan and still it is not sufficient.

Significance of Karthik

Karthika is the presiding deity of Karthik who is actually Radharani and any spiritual activity you perform in this month you get 1000 times the benefit in this month. In this month they engage in special devotional service to the Lord to please him. Krsna performed many favorite pastitimes in this month - damodar leela, diwali, govardhan puja, rasa dance, appearance of Radha kunda - various festivals in this month.

It is explained in this month it is the most purifier and best month. The effects of performing karthik vrata stays for 1000 years. The meditation in this month is on the bhakta vataslaya of the lord, that the lord he reciprocates to the love of the devotees. That is the bhakta vatsalya of Krsna. We medidate on his pasttimes with his dearmost devotees - mother yasoda, gopis, Radha and sing the damodarashtakam prayers. We offer lamps to Krsna. The gift of a lamp during the month of Karthik is the best. No gift is equal. So, today we will read this particular bhajan and will discuss about it. This bhajan is written by satyavrat muni and he is specifically when he medidates on mother yashoda binding Krsna. The leela goes as follows, one particular morning as all the lady maid servants of mother yashoda. Nanda maharaj was the king and Yashoda was the queen, they had many many maid servants to help with the household. But on one particular day of deepavali, mother yashoda is thinking Krsna loves butter so much, that he goes to the neighboring gopis and stealing their butter. Maybe the butter I make or the butter maid by the maid servants isn't good, so let me make the butter personally. So she personally takes the milk and by churning rod starts to make butter.

The focus of the activity was quality service to Krsna. That should be given to Krsna. That is the mood of a devotee. A sincere devotee gives best to Krsna. Doesn't compromise. So, the butter she is making is from the best of the best of the best milk. And while serving Krsna, mother yashoda is composing beautiful past times of Krsna as bhajans. So same way we should sing Krsna's past times while working for Krsna. Her bangels were sounding like kartals. With all her parental affection she was making butter for Krsna. Today we see that mothers aren't even cooking for their kids or taking care of her children and out of her parental affection for Krsna he breast milk (Yashoda) is oozing out. Little Krsna comes over and he wants to drink the milk from Mother Yashoda. Maya, I'm hungry please feed me. Please nourish me. While this is all happening, the milk on the stove is feeling, what is my use, I should just die so the milk is just coming out of the vessel. So Mother Yashoda runs to save this milk for butter. Now, Krsna feels very angry and he thinks I should break all the pots and feed the butter to these monkies. These monkies had helped Sri Rama and now he is helping them. So, no body should ever leave Krsna. When mother yashoda comes back she see butter foot prints and she follows them to see that Krsna is actually sitting on the grinding mortar and he is feeding it to the monkies. She thinks it is my duty to correct him, the mokies flee away seeing Krsna. Krsna seeing mother Yashoda, he starts running and this is the particular point in this bhajan of how Krsna is running and mother Yashoda is running after him.

(1)
namāmīśvaraḿ sac-cid-ānanda-rūpaḿ
lasat-kuṇḍalaḿ gokule bhrājamanam
yaśodā-bhiyolūkhalād dhāvamānaḿ
parāmṛṣṭam atyantato drutya gopyā

1) To the Supreme Lord, whose form is the embodiment of eternal existence, knowledge, and bliss, whose shark-shaped earrings are swinging to and fro, who is beautifully shining in the divine realm of Gokula, who I (due to the offense of breaking the pot of yogurt that His mother was churning into butter and then stealing the butter that was kept hanging from a swing) is quickly running from the wooden grinding mortar in fear of mother Yasoda, but who has been caught from behind by her who ran after Him with greater speed--to that Supreme Lord, Sri Damodara, I offer my humble obeisances.

Please remember, Krsna is not doing a show, he is really fearful of mother Yashoda. He has so much unlimited energies that he can do anything. Krsna feeling Mother Yashoda is really going to beat him.

(2)
rudantaḿ muhur netra-yugmaḿ mṛjantam
karāmbhoja-yugmena sātańka-netram
muhuḥ śvāsa-kampa-trirekhāńka-kaṇṭha-
sthita-graivaḿ dāmodaraḿ bhakti-baddham

2) (Seeing the whipping stick in His mother's hand) He is crying and rubbing His eyes again and again with His two lotus hands. His eyes are filled with fear, and the necklace of pearls around His neck, which is marked with three lines like a conch shell, is shaking because of His quick breathing due to crying. To this Supreme Lord, Sri Damodara, whose belly is bound not with ropes but with His mother's pure love, I offer my humble obeisances.

We must hence thoroughly devote completely in Krsna with love because this is a one stop opportunity to serve Krsna completely so we aren't bound by the material desires or maya. So, start the month of Karthik very sincerely from tomorrow.

Why 2 inches 2 shorts - 1. Our effort to bind Krsna must be so deep and it should attract the attention of Krsna. Because by ourselves we can't do anything by our own accord. Krsna says I give rememberence and forgetfullness in everybody. 2. Only by Krsna can it happen to be bound.

more on the verses in the next class:
(3)
itīdṛk sva-līlābhir ānanda-kuṇḍe
sva-ghoṣaḿ nimajjantam ākhyāpayantam
tadīyeṣita-jñeṣu bhaktair jitatvaḿ
punaḥ prematas taḿ śatāvṛtti vande



(4)
varaḿ deva mokṣaḿ na mokṣāvadhiḿ vā
na canyaḿ vṛṇe ‘haḿ vareṣād apīha
idaḿ te vapur nātha gopāla-bālaḿ
sadā me manasy āvirāstāḿ kim anyaiḥ

(5)
idaḿ te mukhāmbhojam atyanta-nīlair
vṛtaḿ kuntalaiḥ snigdha-raktaiś ca gopyā
muhuś cumbitaḿ bimba-raktādharaḿ me
manasy āvirāstām alaḿ lakṣa-lābhaiḥ

(6)
namo deva dāmodarānanta viṣṇo
prasīda prabho duḥkha-jālābdhi-magnam
kṛpā-dṛṣṭi-vṛṣṭyāti-dīnaḿ batānu
gṛhāṇeṣa mām ajñam edhy akṣi-dṛśyaḥ

(7)
kuverātmajau baddha-mūrtyaiva yadvat
tvayā mocitau bhakti-bhājau kṛtau ca
tathā prema-bhaktiḿ svakāḿ me prayaccha
na mokṣe graho me ‘sti dāmodareha

(8)
namas te ‘stu dāmne sphurad-dīpti-dhāmne
tvadīyodarāyātha viśvasya dhāmne
namo rādhikāyai tvadīya-priyāyai
namo ‘nanta-līlāya devāya tubhyam

B.G 11.23 - 33 (Universal Form of Krsna) Verses Summary

All mighty armed one seeing your universal form and many teeth I'm so terrified. Your gaping mouth etc - my mind is so perturbed and can't hold it.

Arjuna after seeing the universal form is seeing everyone rushing into the mouth of the Universal form. He is so perplexed as his understanding of Krsna is becoming better and better. He is first feeling that how low was he that he thought Krsna is his friend and now Arjuna is perplexed seeing the gigantic form.

Example - When prabhuji was driving and a lound noise of a truck hitting a bicyle and he died on the spot - this incident caused such an impact on him. Similarly imagine when a small incident like this can cause such an impact how would the universal fearful form of Krsna have an impact on Arjuna.

Krsna's form is so loving as a cowheard boy and it doesn't sometimes have a strong impact or put fear in our hearts and hence sometime it is so important to be fearful. Sometimes helps to be shaken up and take KC seriously. Now by having Krsna show his gigantic form he is putting fear in Arjuna's heart so he can be more serious and understand that the material world is temporary and he will have some awe and reverance for Krsna and hence none of us should take KC lightly and actually take him and his Vrindavan pasttimes very seriously.

Same way Duryodhana took Krsna lightly and he thinks that by his soldiers he will capture him. But little did he know that it was Krsna who would bring everything to a stand still.

Similarly, devotees enter into our lives so when Krsna's universal form will enter into our lives we will become serious about KC. Just as why deamons are there so Demigods can go to Krsna for help. Same way Devotees keep reminding us that Krsna is our Goal and Boss! We should NFK AND ARK. This Universal form makes us have awe and reverence for Krsna and we understand that Krsna is everything. So now Arjuna is offereing his prayers - Krsna you are the supreme. Please tell me what is happening Krsna then says:

Time I am and reveals his mission. Krsna says all of these are already dead and you Arjuna have a chance to be an instrument and hence have a Golden chance to go back to Godhead. Similarly Mahaprabhu has already determined that every town and village it is going to happen. Ex- SP the senapati of this movement was an instrument. So the question is, do you want to be an instrument of this preaching mission of SP. If we don't, the mission isn't stopping. It will still happen. Hence, we need to take it up seriously, so we can't get the credit of this. Just desire and act and Krsna will make arrangements. Ex - Arjuna couldn't have won against all maharathis, only by K's help it was made possible. Similarly all we need is a willing heart to serve Krsna and Krsna will take care of you and will help you at every step.

Devotees, don't want to take any credit, but just want to serve to give pleasure to their GM.They are only thinking that let me just serve my GM so they can get credit not me. Just do it as an offering to my GM and when you have this mood Krsna will have mercy on you. And when all the glory and credit come, the pure devotee just wants to pass that credit to our GM. We are just servants to pass that credit to our GM. We are just servants of the servants of the servant of SP and more glory that comes to us, (we want more and more to come to us), so we can offer to our GM. To take the opportunity to serve the vaishnavas is the best mood to have and all we want is the GM mercy and hence we become an instrument take the opportunity to serve and take credit to offer to GM. The reason we chant is to ask for seva and when seva comes, you should take it with all arms. We shouldn't run aways from it saying, sorry we are busy!!! Try to do it with your best ability. Next Friday is Karthik so let us all pray that we become more sincere and chant more, read Krsna katha more, SB and do everything very sincerely!

Vyasa Puja Class by Gurudev (2013 at ISV)

In KC, we say Krsna you are BOSS! Out of millions only one comes to Krsna. Only these rare souls take to this KC movement. We are offering and gloryfing Vyasa dev on this day. Narad muni actually told him that if you don't write SB, then it's not fulfilling. Hence for our benefit Srila Vyasa dev wrote the entire SB.

Just by reading the SB one can come to the point of KC and transcend this material world. Krsna doesn't compell anyone to serve him. He says - if someone approaches me, I live in them and they live in me. This comes for the representatives of Krsna - example - Vyasa Dev.

Sound in the spiritual world is a different sound and it is a different creation. If someone listens to it, it can change our trajectory and we start our journey back to Godhead and Srila Vyasadev makes it available to all of us.

Mass consual trance - everyone tries to do what others are doing - how strong forces in this material world do it.

Srila Vyasa Dev actually gives us this in SB by giving the message of another world. Just like a postman who delivers the message as it is. We celebrate this transmission of knowledge on Vyasa Puja Day. Guru is the via-medium, nothing changes - he just listens from the disciplic succession and conveys to his disciples and we are celebrating that today.

When one takes and understands and surrenders by reading SB, Vedamata conming from the vedas then our spiritual life begins. Hence, it is so important to read the SB.

So our goal is to Read/receive it nicely, understand it, preach it after understanding it.

In Kali-Yuga - Srila Vyasa dev kenw that problems were coming and hence he divided the vedas and then wrote the BG, Mahabharat and then SB.

Mind is like a fish. Fish can't stop to bite these lures and similarly mind keeps biting the lures of maya. Nistha is anybody who understands this and can become a Guru and surrender.

Where attention goes - inattention comes!

Who has a slight interest in this philosophy is ripe to go back home. There is a place for everything and everything in its place. Only when one understands that Krsna is a person and he has eyes, we are parts and parcels of Krsna and only then can we understand our spiritual form.

Sukhadev Gosvami by his mercy gave us this revealed secret. So, learn it and preach it. The secret of advancing in spiritual life and he STRAINED his ears (just like SP), and SP got this instruction from his Gurudeva and he took it to heart and he wanted to do it, nobody forced him to do it. That's why SP was successful - because he was just the messenger.

A Guru- vyasa puja is to use your will to simply adhere it to Krsna and then something relevant has happened. But one with free will takes it to heart and then moves forward that person grows in KC.

Follow this instruction - whatever happens do or die follow your GMaster's order as life and soul is the qualification to connecting back to spritiual world. Also, they say you can be in 2 leelas at the same time. There can be somebody in Krsna (Madhurya - love spontaneous) and C.Mahaprabhu leelas (Adaurya - sweetness) at the same time.

Just make the attempt with the right frame of mind and look at the potential in everybody!

Developing a Non-Critical Attitude (Gurudev's lecture)

Video at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yu_bDiLKae4

Summary:
We need to be very careful about Aparadha and know what it means so we know what kind of offence we are commiting. Also need to remember that radha is there in Aparadha and we should never be removed from radha when we perform our service.

It is very important be refined in your dealings with devotees. One is sadhu ninda - It is harmful and not good. Krsna in the BG warns us that even if the devotee seems to be of lose character or exhibit some wordliness we should still consider them as devotees. The goal of life is to serve the lotus feet of Krsna and that is the most important devotional service and if other ones aren't manifest then we should accept them as a devotee. Only considered as a spot on the moon and very quickly he says such a person very quickly will come to the stage of righteousness by devotional service. And Krsna says you say it Arjuna that you say it boldly.

Accepting the supreme personality of Godhead as the supreme. Even if they say Hare Krsna at the tip of their tongues then they are qualified to be called devotees.

One who becomes a servant of the servant of the servant a million times removed, then he becomes a devotee of Krsna. First we offer pushpanjali to our Guru, then Acharyas and then Nityananda and chaitanya mahaprabhu - gives us the proper way to pay obeisances and etiqutte to become a nice vaishnava.

Therefore offending devotees is like biting the hand which feeds us. Hence, we shouldn't offend such devotees. "If the devotee commits an offense at the feet of a Vaiṣṇava while cultivating the creeper of devotional service in the material world, his offense is compared to a mad elephant that uproots the creeper and breaks it. In this way the leaves of the creeper are dried up. - Mahaprabhu particularly tells us about this.

A word uttered in malice is like a spear and it can pierce the heart like an arrow. Imagine whatever you say or think becomes like a writing on your body for everybody to see, then you will make sure what you utter or not to criticize others. If I criticize others, we feel it makes us feel better, but it's completely wrong.

Mahaprabhu says, instead of critizicing somebody, it's better to rather say nice things about them and see the potential in them and when you do it, suddenly you will feel like you drank some nectar!

If you have offended a vaishnava in your previous life then you will feel that you have lost the taste of chanting hare krsna maha mantra and the prescription then is to keep chanting the hare Krsna maha mantra and keep serving the vaishnava and pray that they will be forgiven so their offense will be cleaned up.

Always feel that you are a murkha, a fool so you can always keep learning and hence you won't be critical of everybody.

Canto 9 - about maharaj ambrish's life - Durvasha muni was invited to please come and purify my home and have prasad. This is wow - http://vedabase.net/sb/9/4/63/en - It's not what you know, it's who you know - become the devotee of a devotee. Without becoming a devotee of a devotee on cannot be released from material entanglement.

Hence, when someone sees themselves as the servant of the servant of the servant then you are truly liberated. So, try to serve the servant of a spiritual master. Better than serving SP is to serve tadiya. The paraphernalia of the servant of the servant of Krsna.

Unless one is ones's disciple, they are not in the position to correct themselves. And hence, you have the duty to correct people sometimes. But the way to do it to correct people is by lots of ways by NVC - Non Violent Communication.

People are sensitive and hence it's very important on how to criticize people. Dhruva maharaj wasn't even allowed to sit on the lap of his father. Her step-mother actually offended him before he even became a vaishnav and see what happened, when Dhruva came back after becoming a vaishnava then his step mother and uttama were killed. Hence, we should always remember that this person can become a great devotee and hence we shouldn't offend them and hence we should always keep asking for forgiveness from vaishnavas. read SB 4.9.23!

Another example - life of Akrura - he's a pure devotee of the Lord and he has been ordered to get Krsna and Balaram to be killed by Kamsa. But he was thinking I'm a devotee of Krsna and hence Krsna knows my heart. Bhimsmadev was in the wrong side and yet he was a great devotee of Krsna. So, the conciousness is very important and should always protect yourself from committing any offenses to anybody because they can become a great devotee.

Because of the personality of the soul, there will still be differences in spiritual environments and hence we should be able to tolerate the differences in opinions.

Another example of Prithu maharaj - compromised to have only 99 sacrifices and then the Lord personally came to glorify him, Sometimes, you just need to compromise and still have the right conciousness.

Anyone who can do this managerial position but at the same time is equipoised, that person is always in Krsna's heart.

When you hear stories from SB or CC about pure devotees having arguments (Ex - Nityananda prabhu and Advaita Acharya heated argument) don't take sides or your dev service will be destroyed. These instances are mentioned only for us to learn and tolerate and grow spiritually. All these stories are for fallen souls as lessons !

CHANT HARE KRSNA AND VERY CONCIOUSLY DON'T OFFEND VAISHNAVAS OTHERWISE YOU WILL NEVER GROW SPIRITUALLY.

Mood of VDA  (mood of the gopis)- Chant Hare Krsna, Preaching (book distribution), have prasad and always think of Krsna. ARK, NFK.

Due to the severity of offences to Vaishnavas you can be really way led and your taste for Krsna goes away. They can get locked out.

And you can do all this only by Practice and a lot of Practice and by always chanting Hare Krsna and ARK AND NFRK. Good dog vs the bad dog - which dog do you feed? Feed the Good one and all this can happen only by increments! The smallest victory is always a victory and it will give us momentum towards our goal. So look for the small victories.

Write yourself a mission statement on how you will deal with criticism - "I will never talk about devotees behind their back".

Please read what Narad muni says to Dhruva maharaj,

SB 7.13.24 - Prahlad maharaj meets the fatty brahmana who has given up all material desires.

http://vedabase.net/sb/7/13/24/en

Class by Gurudev on SP's journey to America.

Everyone had their tongues going, everybody has some tastes. You will have no problem or no dukha, as soon as you surrender to Krsna and consider yourself as a servant of Krsna. Punah punah janmah - everyone wants to try a new combination and chases after a new thing, there is dis-satisfaction and it is a mirage. Souls are like logs floating on the ocean endlessly. But when one log/soul reaches the bank then he is saved. Devotee association, looks for these floating devotees who helps them come out. He has instructions and hyms to safe these souls.

For how many times have I been a servant of these bad masters and have served them. But now, I'm not going to follow them and will approach Krsna for some service and surrender to him. This is the fearless condition of life in service. The life of dedication and taking the shelter of Krsna is the best.

"One must fulfill one's desires by surrendering unto the Supreme Lord, for He knows how to fulfill them." example of Kardambha muni how he left his desire of having a wife to the Lord and he fulfilled his desire.

Another example - Gajendra - he was the king of all elephants and he was enjoying with his family and a crocodile suddenly grabbed him, just like in this material world. When we think everything is going on well, something happens and maya takes over. Gajendra at that time, he suddenly remembered prayers from his previous life and the Lord came down to help him.

Another example of Dhruva maharaj - only ambition was to get a kingdom - he went to the forest and when he saw Krsna - he said I was looking for broken pieces of glass but I've got a jewel in my hands. But still Krsna fulfilled his desires. So Krsna will take care of you, just surrender to Krsna and everything will happen.

Even though somebody comes to devotional service there still might be some material inclination, but Krsna knows and he will take care to remove them. But all we need is enough faith and keep doing our regulative principles and do our service to Krsna and Guru.

Example - A beggar gets a bag of money he has 2 choices takes it or doesn't take it. Similarly Krsna says here I am just surrender to me and I will take care of you, but what's our choice - nah, not now, later! So that's our choice - take it seriously and have the determination to chant and read and serve and do deity worship - the 5 important most potent dev services as described in NOD.

Glories of Srimati Radharani

About Srimati Radharani

Radharani is non-differnt from Krsna but she is the female counterpart of Lord. She exists to give pleasure to Krshna, She is Radharani. I give my humble obeisances to Srimati Radharani who is very dear to Krsna and she gives pleasure to Krsna.

The root of love in this world, but what we see in this world is lust and not love. The source of this love is actually Srimati Radharani. All this love is coming from Srimati RadhaRani. When Krsna goes anywhere, he never goes alone, he always goes with Srimati Radharani. She appears as the daughter of Vindyachal mountain. He had two daughters - candravali and Srimati Radharani. Putana was instructed to get all the daughter of Vindyachal.

She was flying above the tracks of barsana and hence they fell and Radharani was found by Vrishabhanu maharaj and Candravli was found by Candravli maharaj. So, one story goes where how Vrishabhanu maharaj found Srimati radharani on a lotus flower and she isn't opening her eyes or ears. Naradji comes to take blessing of Srimati Radharani. Vrishabhanu allows him to meet her in private and naradji does parikrama of the mother of all love. During the appearance day celebrations, Krsna comes to the cradle of Radharani and as soon as he touched the baby form, she opened her sense.

sAYING her apperance has happened in this world only to see Krsna and nothing else. Her complete existence is to give pleasure to Krsna. There are so many stories of their activities in Vrindavan. The mood of Krsna in Vrindavan is parakriya bhav. Why didn't he marry Radharani. Radharani was married to Abhimanyu who was a form of Krsna. But to taste of love of Parakriya bhav (Conjugal love) he does this pastime.

Shukadev gosvami did'nt talk about Radharani, because if he had spoken about her in SB, he would have gone into ecstacy and would not have been able to finish the SB in 7 days also there were many sages who were not pure devotees but he does say that the purest of gopis is Srimati Radharani. Her idea is to server everybody in Krsna's service.

Jhulana leela she swings for sometime and then she gets down and says Krsna I want you to know swing with other gopis. This is the mood of Radharani, to put all the devotees in front of Krsna. She being with Krsna gives Krsna the greatest pleasure and hence she is always with Krsna. But in her heart, she wants to pick every devotee in front of Krsna. We don't offer anything to Krsna directly, it is through Radharani.

This chanting is the wild cry for the mother Srimati Radharani. Only by her will somebody get the mercy of father Hari. We get the mercy of Sri Krsna only through Radharani. This is the way we approach. Krsna is very satisfied by Radharani and hence when we are recommended by Srimati Radharani he has to consider.

O brother I emphatically say - if you want to get the mercy of Krsna, please Radharani and when she is pleased Krsna will be pleased. Hence, our bhakti is for pleasing Radharani. How? When we please the devotees just like Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. When we give up all designations and then serve the servant of the servant of the servant then we are pleasing all he devotees. When we serve our Gurudev, Srimati Radharani will be pleased and hence we can please Krsna.

Vaidi bhakti is by rules and regulations we don't have taste but we are doing it. Raghanuga bhakti also a division of Vaidi bhakti but is somebody who is in spontaneous love, but it is done under a Raghatmika bhakt (a pure devotee). So Raghanuga bhakt is a subset of Raghatmika bhakt.

Krishna Katha

The purpose of Krishna coming to this material world is to come and help us get out of this material ocean of neissance. His apperance is actually is meant to take us out. We are all suffering. How Krsna is coming to end this for us - Shravana, smarana, - HEARING, REMEMBERING AND WORSHIPING.

So Krsna, the great acharyas are saying, came to rejuvinate our dev service. Through this dev service of hearing, remembering and worshiping Krsna, one can become free from this material world. The conditioned mind is the store house of material suffering. It makes us feel that this is special, which is ordinary. That is the cause of our material suffering. But the appearance of Krsna is to rejuvinate our devotional service. The mood of the brajvasis is to be in constant service to Krsna. The various talk of gopis are about Krsna, what did he do yesterday, how beautiful he is, what dress did Yashoda put on Krsna - talks are just about Krsna. They are doing Kirtan of Krsna and always remembering Krsna. Those you are with Krsna are serving him, those not, by remembering they are thinking about Krsna.

Braja means, everything about Krsna. They have given everything as an offering to Krsna and the Brajavasis have purchased him and he allows to be purchased by their dev service.

The highest level of bhakti, Krsna gave the example of the brajavasis. How we must become KC in this material world. That is the brajavasis. How to become Krsna concious. In Vrindavan, which is the sweetest of all the holy places, he made braja.

There every deamon would come to attack. why is it significant, because bhakti doesn;t mean we will be free from all problem. Bhakti means how in the face of challenges, we will take shelter of Krsna. How will we take and display our faith in Krsna. This material world is a challenge everyday, deamons will come everyday. These are the deamons. They will put obstacles everyday. They will come as anarthas, as material desires, as anything and everything. It will be challenges to us everyday. In the face of these challenges, what did the brajavasis do - they will just take the shelter of Krsna. And Krsna in his mysterious way will kill the deamon without even changing his form. That is the braja leela, he never wanted his brajavasis get confused.

This is the sun and substance of our spiritual life. Will we look to Krsna when we are in trouble. Will we be able to chant the holy name during this troubling times. The 10th offense.

The pastimes of Krsna - Kaliya damana - imp lessons - Kaliya was envious of Krsna and his devotees so much so that he didn't want anybody to enter the lake he was living. This is the nature of envy, we don't let anybody come into our boundary because we get insecure. Kaliya became insecure because he was so envious. But the wife of Kaliya were devotees had faith that one day Krsna will have his mercy and make their husband a devotee. He took this desire very seriously and he jumped into the river and danced on Kaliya. Wives were saying that what punya karma has the kaliya performed that Krsna's lotus feet touched him. He is so fortunate the nag patnis are praying like that. But actually it was because of them that Krsna put his foot on them. They are praying that my dear lord, as you are dancing on him, he has become humble. And hence we are puting our request to Guru. That is the sincerity, WHEN Guru sees something very small, he prays for us so we can have KC mercy.

Same way SP, gave us our qualification by praying for us to become KC. Due to those positive attributes, Guru takes these qualities and prays to Krsna, My dear lord my disciple is sincere please take his case. Same way, wives of Kaliya are praying to Krsna. And when he comes in contact with Krsna, his poison is thrown out and he becomes a devotee of Krsna. Without the mercy of Guru and Vaishnavas, we can't make progress in spiritual life.

Only by chanting the holy name, the poison will come out and then we will have the +ve attributes of Krsna, the more we hear, discuss, read and talk about Krsna will we have attraction for Krsna and will decrease our attraction to material things. That is the purpose of arrival of Krsna to rejuvinate our hearing, remembering and worshiping of Krsna. In order to enhance the dev service, Krsna has sent his very pure devotee SP. It's only by the mercy of SP, that we have any hope to go back home. He has given us a big task in North America - it was his heart desire that we do preaching and the only way to do it by cleaning our anarthas and go out preaching and be serious about our duty to Guru and SP.

SP, has given us everything - holy name, dev association, deity worship, reading books, preaching to everybody - hence we should take this opportunity very seriously and serve our Guru and SP.

SP Vyasa puja

The brajwasi say, Krsna was born in Vrindavan and Mathura. Mother Yashoda gave birth to twins - Krsna and Yogamaya. When Vasudeva took Krishna from the prison cell, Krsna merged with the Krishna in Vrindavan and then vasudeva brought back yogamaya. Krsna never steps out of Vrindavan and whenver he has to step out of Vrindavan, that is just a plenary expansion of Krsna. The VASUDEV expansion of Krsna does all the activities out of Vrindavan. The Shyamsundar for of Krsna is the original Krsna staying in Vrindavan.

Mother Yashoda was in labor pains and when she woke up a beautiful baby boy Krsna is next to her, she was in total ecstacy. They were drona and daya in the last life, they were pure devotees and they wanted to serve Krsna as his parents. They wanted to witness the bal leela and experience vatsalya bhav with the supreme lord. Krsna fulfilled their desires.

Nanda maharaj and Yashoda mataji were actually elderly couple and they hadn't had a child for a long time. But when they had Krsna and he was so charming, everybody was so happy for them. Nanda maharaj immediately after hearing about Krsna gave away so many things in charity and then he did Nandamahotsav. Nandbhavan song - Nand Ke Anand BhayoJai Kanhiya Lal Ki....Hence it was a celebration seeing Krsna same way our chanting is a celebration, celebrating Krsna.

At Kamsa's palace, he was killing the 8th child - Yogamaya and yogamaya said the child already has been born. The deamon is always insurce. He always wanted to get his material sense gratification. Then, he wanted to kill all the children born around that time. How ruthless can deamons become just to protect themselves. Just for your own sake they can effortlessly kill anybody. Kamsa wants to kill all the children.

He called one of the great deamoness Putana. She was a witch called Kethchadi. They fly in the sky and can assume any form and are very deadly. Just by sight they can kill little children. So all the little children where killed by Putana around the earth. After killing all the children she came to the house of Nanda maharaj. Somehow or other I have to trick all these gopis. She put poison on her breasts and assumed a very pretty form. Then she came and picked up baby Krsna. He actually closed his eyes.

The acharyas say - why Krsna closed his eyes when Putana picked up her. The first deamon to be killed by Krsna is she is a woman. Another reason they have given is Krsna closed his eyes because he didn't want to see her form. Then when he was nursed, he took out the life air from her. Then Putana assumed her gigantic form and then fell on the outskirts of Vrindavan. She covered 12 miles of area. Her body was like a huge mountain. Her abdomen was like a valley. Then they burned Putana's body by cutting her body in lots of places. Fragrant smell came on burning the body - because Krsna had touched her body. Putana attained Goloka Vrindavan and she got the position of a nurse as a mother.

wHEN Shukadeva gosvami heard this - alas how fortunate is the sitter of baka who was allowed to be killed by Krsna. Even though she wanted to kill Krsna, Krsna gave her the ultimate gati  in the spiritual world because she had vatsalya bhav - she wanted to feede him. Krsna only saw the +ve in her as she wanted to be my mother. This is the merciful nature of Krsna. Such amazing lord we have.

Putana was the sister of Bali maharaj. She became attracted to Vaman dev and wanted to be mother of Vaman dev. But when Vaman dev tricked Bali maharaj, she became very angry and wanted to harm Krsna. Hence, she became a deamon.

Hence, we should be close to Krsna, because he will overlook all our sins and will take us back home, back to Godhead. Without SP, we didn't get to know all this or understood what these slokas meant and hence this is all given to us by SP. He changed the course of our life. SP changed the direction from hellish planet of our life and allowed us to go back to Krsna. Hence, we should feel very humble and fortunate to have come in contact with devotees only by the mercy of SP.

We can never thank SP enough, we should only reciprocate to SP by reading his books everyday. Our way to say thank you to SP is to follow what he said and only increase it on a regular basis - that is the only way to reciprocate with him. That is the only way by following him, chanting 16 rounds and more, read his books.

Every year we should take inventory of our heart and see what services are we doing for SP and his mission and what we want to do in the coming year.

Jai Srila Prabhupada! 

Run up to Janmastami for next week....

Janmastami Celebrations: Let us meditate on the leelas of Sri Krsna.

Everything around this world revolves around Krsna. So how glorious will be the appearance day of Krsna. It is the most important day of the year for us. This is one day we give to exclusively absorb and chanting and talking about the leelas of the Lord. Most awaited day on this earth is coming very soon and then the next day is SP appearance day and only by his mercy have we known who Krsna is.


Krsna has no reason to come, but only due to do his causeless mercy that what is in store for us and to give us a presentation or a glimse of the spiritual world, he comes exclusively for that purpose. He says in the BG - Yada yada hi.... - the most imp reason he comes is to give the glimse of the spiritual world to the neophotyes. Krsna means, he attracts everything. Rupa Gosvami explains Krsna the name is so attractive that when I vibrate on the tounge, I want thousand tounges, when I hear I want thousands of ears and my heart dances in ecstacy with the love. Krsna gives us the complete solace that he loves us, he is the ultimate well wisher. Krnsa is our well wisher, he means well to us. That personality iS Krsna. Krsna is a very merciful lord, he doesn't want to punish us, he somehow wants us to come out of this temp world and be situated in this happy state of life. Krsna apperared in a very interesting situation. As we know that the end of dvapar yuga when al l the kings were none other than deamons other than just posing to be kings - they were exploiting everybody. Prior to his apperance he makes it impossible for Vasudeva and Devaki. Devaki when she is being driven by Kamsa, her brother's space the akashvani happens. Before that, the fav person for Kamsa was devaki. He loved her so much that he could do anything for Devaki. When he heard that Devaki's 8th child will be the cause of his death. This is a classic example of ppl in the material world. They are very selfish.

Why was the akashvani? Demigods did is so Krsna can come faster to the material world. Another one is it was a wake up a call for Kamsa. Everybody is sleeping - Bhakti vinod thakur is saying we are all sleeping and we need to wake up. O sleeping souls pleasue wake up because you are sleeping on the lap of the witch of maya. We are all sleeping that everything is going to work ouT. Today it's not working out but we are hopeful that tomorrow it's going to be ok. But when we know that we are going to die, then we can take the shelter of Krsna and then we wake up that this is all temporary and it is a wake up call for us to wake up. But what is Kamsa do, he thought he can actually kill the kala. A demoniac person tries to kill the kala - by protecting himself. Hence it was a wake up a call for Kamsa.

When everything is rosy, then there is a lot of affection, love etc, but when they see something is a threat to our sense gratification, they forget everything and they take our everything from theri hearts. Anything that is against my sense gratification that should be taken out of my heart. Sometimes we see that people who aren't devotees are very moral etc, but actually they are not to be trusted. Anytime his mind can change and he can become very whimsical just like Kamsa he loved Devaki and suddenly he wants to kill her. Hence we should be in KC always, otherwise, there is nothing stopping us from us becoming a KAMSA.

Kamsa put them in the prison and the 6 sons were killed and they were the 6 sons of marici and these kids laughed at Brahma. Brahma was once chasing his own daughter for sense gratification and that was Krsna yoga maya to make us understand how the dealings of males and females should be in the material world. This was a Vaishnava apradha, even if a devotee is making a mistake, we shouldn't make fun of him or we will be punished with Krsna. Associating with Krsna is not easy, we should be free from all apradha. Womb of devaki is heart of a devotee. So these 6 were cursed to be killed by their own father. 6 Sons of Marici were compared to the 6 anarthas - modha, maya,lobha,___, ____,_____?. ... Kamsa is compared to the fear of material existence why? because it is very significant, unless and until we as sadhakas understand through knowledge and understanding that this material world isn't a safe place and there is nothing in it for me. I can't derive any satisfaction or pleasure from here. At any time this material world can give me a challenge to be unstable in life. Only when he has this fear of this material world in a positive way, till then the 6 anarthas are going to be in the heart of the devotee. Hence, it is very very imp to understand this is very temporary and evderything should be related to Krsna. Otherwise we are just feeding these 6 anarthas. The fear should be there to kill these 6 anarthas, only then the spiritual master will come as Balaram. Balaram was transferred into the womb of Devaki. Only when the 6 anarthas are killed then comes the spiritual master to give us mercy to see Krsna. Without Guru there is no question of Krsna. He prepares our heart to allow Krsna to reside in our heart. Hence every sadhaka needs to commit onself by seeking a guru, otherwise we want a degree but we don't wan to enroll in a school. How can we get a degree without enrolling a school. Unless we take admission not possible. Unless and until we don't take the lotus feet of a spiritual master, there is no chance to see Krsna. Only then ultimately Krsna appears.

Then what happens - then all of a sudden,everything becomes very clear and our life becomes clear. Appearance of Krsna is not an easy thing. In order for Krsna to appear we need to work very hard. Material world is going to provide us a lot of challenges and only when we don't give up and keep thinking of Krsna no matter what only then when you have so much faith that whatever situation my Lord puts me in, he is doing it for my good. Only when that faith is there, we can give up our anarthas, seek a Guru and then with his help and mercy can we see Krsna.  Then Krsna gives direction - ok take me to Vrindavan. The devotees don't complain, vasudeva didn't complain, I have waited for so long and now you want to go ot Vrindavan. No, he had complete faith that if Krsna wants to go to Vrindavan, then Krsna will take me somehow and he will give all direction and make all arrangements for it. Same thing for SP. SP wants to go to America to preach only Krsna makes all the arrangements. But SP had faith, Krsna wants this so everything happens. As soon as Vasudeva picked up Krsna all the shakles dropped this is BHAKTI.

As soon as you pick up Krsna, all the challenges are driven far far away from Krsna and us. Guards were asleep, kamsa was sleeping and Krsna went to Vrindavan. As soon as you pick up your bead bag and have that faith with determination and not give up despite any challenge, Krsna will remove all shakles and challenges to help us.

Same way everybody in Vrindavan had so much attraction with Krsna, everybody was just chanting Krsna Krsna Krsna and then he put everybody in separation. He performed unlimited pasttimes.  They can actually, we are all thirsty for some pleasure. Our Heart is yearning for some satisfaction and joy and when we give our aural reception to hear about Krsna then the heart is satisfied. Hence SP gave us a great schedule - chant, SB, then in the evening read BG and before sleeping read Krsna book. Sleep remembering about Krsna and then you are eager to wake up to chant about Krsna. So let us not lose this opp and be vfery serious to increase our attachment with Krsna because Krsna is going to be with us always. Because everything around us is temp but only Krsna is going to be permanent.  KRSNA promises us that he is infallible, he is acyuta - he is always there to provide and protect us. He will always carry whatever we lack and will always help us.

BG 11.5 Summary

BG 11.5: The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: My dear Arjuna, O son of Pṛthā, see now My opulences, hundreds of thousands of varied divine and multicolored forms.

This chapter entitiled Univerasl form, Krsna is going to satisfy the desire of Arjuna. In the gradual progression of living entity trying to understand the manifestation of the supreme Lord, that means not everybody is not able to appreciate Krishna in the Universal form. The supreme lord can be understood in 3 features - paramatma, brahman, bhagavan. But those not at the platform of spiritual understanding for them something very practical (on the material platform) for them Universal form. The 5 koshas - 1. anmayi conciousness only perceive food, 2. pranamayi - living entities, 3. jyanamayi (nistha stage) , 4. vijyanamayi (ruchi stage) and then 5.anandamayi (Bhav/Prema) . So we can see Krsna through many ways, if we can't perceive Krsna through spiritual eyes, then Krsna being so merciful allows us to see him in the universal form which is available in everything around us. This is not maya but it is temporary as it doesn't exist in the spiritual world. Just as material world is manifested and unmanifested, same way Universal form is temporary feature of the Lord.

We want to connect to the supreme form of the Lord - the black Shyamasundar 2 handed form of Krsna. Constatnly we are meditating on that form why? because Krsna is constantly residing in Goloka Vrindavan in that form. The topmost idea is to surrender to Krsna. When we are surrendered to Krsna then that person has no debts because he has surrendered to Krsna and all previous sins are destroyed. Hence, we don't worship Krsna in universal form but at the same time everything you see around you we should remember the shyamsundar form thinking everything from Krsna and his personal feature.


Imp lessons from Retreat by HH Radhanath swami Maharaj: Absorption in our bhakti - Maharaj spoke 4 sessions.

1. Initiation lecture - the imp of initiation 2. Absorption in Bhakti the next 3.


How to be absorbed completely - 3 ways - Absorption means to surrender to Krsna so you can remember Krsna. Absorption means Responsibility. The first step is commitment and responsibility otherwise we can't be in bhakti. To engage in bhakti, the first thing we need to take is commitment so we are absorbed. For pratical devotees is that we should be responsiblity so that fixes our mind. Our mind then gets a goal and what is the goal is to SERVE KRSNA. when we have this goal then we are constantly thinking of KRsna as we are tyring to see in every step how we can be of service to Krsna. The whole idea of initiation is to be surrendered to our spiritual master so we are totally absorbed. When we have a task on hand for our spiritual master, we take is seriously and we have a deadline to finish. And not just finish it but to do it in a way to please Krsna.

2. sENCOND point is to be enthusiastic. Any service to Krsna is to be enthusiastic. If we are absorbed, we are enthusiastic and hence we will be in the mood of seva. Otherwise it becomes boring. Ex - our call - we are so enthusiastic to hear and share about Krsna. That is a sign of absorption. Sometimes we may not be enthusiastic, then we show entusiasm for Krsna not for our personal purposes.

3. 3rd point of absorption is APPRECIATION. We appreciate others. We see everybody as instruments in the hands of Krsna and by appreciation we are absorbed that everybody is connected to Krsna by having the right vaishnava ettiqutte. So please read this manual properly.

Sadhana, assoc of devotees and proper behavior are the 3 shields to protect us from the dangers of maya. These are the 3 factors which will help us progress spiritually. Goal is to please Krsna, Krsna's devotees and then get his prema. Only then can we get the nectar of devotional service.

And SP has given us a very nice way to be firmly fixed in bhakti by deity worship, chanting, assoc of devotees, service Gurudev and then slowly we move from neophyte stage to 2 and 3rd level of uttama adhikari and then go up the latter of devotional service so the aim is bhav bhakti.

Chapter 11: The Universal Form 1-4 Verses Summary (HG Shyamsundar Prabhu)

11.1: Arjuna said: By my hearing the instructions You have kindly given me about these most confidential spiritual subjects, my illusion has now been dispelled.

BG 11.2: O lotus-eyed one, I have heard from You in detail about the appearance and disappearance of every living entity and have realized Your inexhaustible glories.

BG 11.3: O greatest of all personalities, O supreme form, though I see You here before me in Your actual position, as You have described Yourself, I wish to see how You have entered into this cosmic manifestation. I want to see that form of Yours.

BG 11.4: If You think that I am able to behold Your cosmic form, O my Lord, O master of all mystic power, then kindly show me that unlimited universal Self.


So in the 10th chapter, Krishna is talking about him and he mentions that everything is coming from him. Everything is representing Krishna, whether it is high or low. That representation made by Krishna to Arjuna is good enough for him to accept that Krishna is the supreme. He has accepted every word and is believing Krishna. His illusion is now dispelled. So here is the reason to listen to Krishna's opulences. For his pure devotees, his opulences are good enough to wake us up from the slumber and come to KC. When new devotees come to KC, they are said to read SP Lila amrita. Why? How a pure devotee is empowered to do things which are impossible by the Supreme Lord and those illusions are dispelled from hearts of non-devotees. That is why it is greatly emphasized from pure souls and acharyas and by Krishna himself that 1 must regularly engage in listening about Krsna and his devotees.

Nitya Bhagvat sevaiya...nasta badreshu...- By regularly attending classes of SB, all that is troublesome to the heart will be destroyed and when it is destroyed then BHAKTI will start in the heart and that is the sum and substance of bhakti yoga to have unalloyed dev service to Krishna. Every lila, every pasttime of Krishna - everything of Krishna reveals his oppulences to us. The name, says he has invested everything in his name and that is an oppulence that when we say the name everything and hence we should recite daily his name, think of his form and talk about his glories so all the darkness that trouble the heart will be dispelled.

Here Arjuna is convinced, then the natural dev in his conciousness is that he wants to share that wih everybody. He wants the whole world to know who is Krishna. To share this knowledge with everybody he wants to make HIS personality known to everybody as everyone is not willing to hear about Krsna with conviction. In order to dispel the doubts of everybody he is asking these questions.

Now he is curious, he's inquisitive, and he wants to know more information. Show me how you have entered into this material creation. Here Arjuna is asking on behalf of all the living entities. And then he says, if you feel I'm qualified please show me that Universal form. Hence, these 4 verses are the foundation of this chapter and he is very clearly Arjuna is expalining that his illusion has gone and he wants Krishna to show his universal form if he is capable of seeing and help everybody show how Krishna is the Supreme.

Imp to take home - when we are engaged in dev serv properly, if we are truly engaging properly, the result is that we want to do more dev service. For ex - if chanting properly then proof is - after chanting the holy names, we want to chant more. If we are hearing Hari katha properly, we want to hear more. Anything in contact wih Krishna if doing properly, we want to do it more and more and more and forever. That is the proof and gurantee that we are doing it properly. If after the dev serv we haven't got the taste then we aren't doing our dev serv properly. We should understand this and keep in our mind always! Hearing, chanting, our dev serv - deity worship, serving Vaishnavas and that is not resulting in hearing more about Krishna then it is lacking somewhere. After he has been enlightened here Arjuna is saying I want to know more. Not that Krsna you have spoken so much and now I am bored No. He says I want to know more and more and more. In that mood to know more about Krsna he is requesting Krsna please show me your Universal form.

This is an imp aspect of bhakti. When we chant everyday that is our connection with Krsna and we are connecting with him everyday. If we are connected withe Krsna we want to chant more. But because we don't chant attentively, we just are deprived of the great opportunity of getting out of illusion and hence we get stuck. This is an imp principle. How can we get this taste? - REGULARLY HEAR THE PASTTIMES OF Krishna.

Everyday we are chanting the same mantra, but everyday it gives us new experiences and hence the key is regularly hearing, chanting, listening to Krsna Katha is very very important. Unless we are shaken up, and somebody tell us that we are going in the wrong direction, we are totally intoxicated. But Krsna's devotees are so merciful, they tell us that we are going in wrong direction and hence such shocking experiences help us realize that Krishna is the real thing and everything else is false.

Example - alarm clocks are harsh - why? because only if the experience is harsh we wake up, if not we will keep sleeping. Same way experiences in life are harsh, so we can realize that this material world is false and we wake up that this life is very embarassing, shocking, saddening and whatever makes us come closer to Krsna we should take it. If any experience is our life is harsh and it makes us realize about Krsna then that experience is good. We should try to see Krsna in everything in our life.

Some experiences in our life, we feel what's going on? And we should remember that in those difficult situation only thing which should come out of our mouths should be the holy name which will help us. If we want to make progress in spiritual life, we should remember that anyday/anytime death can come and we can die anytime and at that time of death we should be prepared to remember Krsna so we don't come back to this material world but go back home to the spiritual world.  But if we are in the material conciousness we are always thinking, its too early, we will chant our rounds tomorrow, whats the rush, and sometimes we justify our not doing dev service and not jumping on the opportunities we get. So these are lessons which daily the material world around us is teaching us that how imp it is to constantly hear about Krsna and his opulences and glories. And this is actually the only way to come out of illusion as no other talks, no other things will be able to get us out of illusion of this material world. So contantly remember Krsna in everything and anything you do.

Summary of BG 10.37-42 (end of 10th chapter)

BG 10.37: Of the descendants of Vṛṣṇi I am Vāsudeva, and of the Pāṇḍavas I am Arjuna. Of the sages I am Vyāsa, and among great thinkers I am Uśanā.

BG 10.38: Among all means of suppressing lawlessness I am punishment, and of those who seek victory I am morality. Of secret things I am silence, and of the wise I am the wisdom.

BG 10.39: Furthermore, O Arjuna, I am the generating seed of all existences. There is no being — moving or nonmoving — that can exist without Me.

BG 10.40: O mighty conqueror of enemies, there is no end to My divine manifestations. What I have spoken to you is but a mere indication of My infinite opulences.

BG 10.41: Know that all opulent, beautiful and glorious creations spring from but a spark of My splendor.

BG 10.42: But what need is there, Arjuna, for all this detailed knowledge? With a single fragment of Myself I pervade and support this entire universe.

The opulence of the absolute. In this conclusion, Krishna says he's the generating seed of all existence and there is no being moving or nonmoving. When SP was disappearing, he said everything animate and non-animate is coming from Krishna and that is KC. This is the conciousness of a devotee. Everything, animate, inanimate, living, nonliving is coming from Krishna as Krishna is the seed of all existences. I'm the seed giving father of everything. There is nothing separate from Krishna. That is what SP is explaining here. Whenever we think something is separate from Krishna and we engage in something different from Krishna it's maya. That is the primary theme of this chapter. Everythign is coming from Krishna and he says there is no end to his manifestations. He says his glories are unlimited and nobody can chant all his glories. They all are just spark of his glories as described in this chapter. From a single fragment of him, he's taking care of this universe. Krishna says I ensure that all planets are in their orbits, Everybody is an expansion of Krishna. Everybody is derieving his power from Krishna.

Brahmaji when born, performs tapasya and then gets knowledge from Krishna and creates the entire universe. Brahmaji is actually responsible to create progeny. He creates the sapta rishis. They are all part and parcels of Krishna. Getting inspiration from the internal energy of Krishna. Srimati Radharani, the ladini shakti of Krishna is actually responsible for the devotee to perform devotional service of Krishna to provide pleasure to Krishna. Hence, through her, everybody is getting the power to perform devotional service to Krishna.

Krishna is also entering into every atom in the creation. We see every item in the creation is getting its energy to exist from Krishna. Then what is the opulence of Krishna in the spiritual world. Its just unfathomable. We can't understand Krishna's opulence at all. Even brahmaji can't understand his opulence, what can we?? This chapter gives us a glimse of Krishna's opulences so we get the understanding that he's the supreme and we feel that we want to surrender, please and serve him. Because he's the ultimate personality. When we are engaged in the services to Krishna then we shall with intensity perform dev service to Krishna. Mind is very chancal and hence when we understand the opulence of Krishna, we will be excited to perform devotional service to Krishna.  However we must regularly recite the 10the chapter and not lose sight of the opulences of Krishna.

BG 10.31-34 Summary

BG 10.31: Of purifiers I am the wind, of the wielders of weapons I am Rāma, of fishes I am the shark, and of flowing rivers I am the Ganges.

BG 10.32: Of all creations I am the beginning and the end and also the middle, O Arjuna. Of all sciences I am the spiritual science of the self, and among logicians I am the conclusive truth.

BG 10.33: Of letters I am the letter A, and among compound words I am the dual compound. I am also inexhaustible time, and of creators I am Brahmā.

BG 10.34: I am all-devouring death, and I am the generating principle of all that is yet to be. Among women I am fame, fortune, fine speech, memory, intelligence, steadfastness and patience.

(purport of 10.34 read)

The beginning of Sanskrit letters- A is the beginning of the Vedas- that is Krsna.

Among killers, time is the greatest killer- time is nothing but energy of Krsna. Time is the ultimate killer in the material world. Everyone has to bow down to inexhaustable time regardless of how popular/ rich etc they are. ALexander the Great also could not conquer time- he left empty handed despite being so valiant.
Each moment wasted is wasted and cannot be brought back even by paying millions of $$$$

Time is so powerful, it is making everyone old, things are passing by before our very eyes. Time is Krsna's energy.

Krsna expalins the opulances are al Krsna. Fame is non different than Krsna. Fortunate is Krsna. Everything good or bad is coming from Krsna- it is Krsna, nothing is separate from Krsna- the reason to separate is maya- and so the living entity can claim propreitorship and further propells the living entity into the cycle of suffering. But Krsna is so merciful that he wants to help the living entity out of this illusory cycle and remember Krsna everywhere. Therefore Krsna is also called as Jaganath.
Yesterday the Puri rath yathra took place- it is the most populated and attended festival in the world.
The dieties are placed on thier chariots and brought to the Gaundicha temple.
Krsna performed this pastime, when everyone (Brajvasis) gathered on the banks of Ganga- Brajvasis put Krsna on the chariot and wanted to bring Krsna back to Vrindavan from Kurukshetra.

Caitanya Mahaprabhu's lilas He demonstrated a pastime of Gaundicha - Mahaprabhu took all the devotees to the Gaundicha temple as the Rath Yathra was approaching- he begged to be allowed to clean the temple as the Lord was about to enter his temple. Mahaprabhu was esctatically cleaning the temple and the dust accumulated by Mahaprabhu was much more than any other devotee- thus showing his enthusiasm to clean the temple of the Lord.

(first verse of Sikshashtikam)
Before Lord can come into our heart- we should clean our heart- through chanting His Holy Name.

Enthusiasm, Patience and Cleanliness- qualities essential in excelling in devotional service.

Entire progress in our devotional service depends on our enthusiasm to perform.

After dusting the Temple, the Temple was cleansed with water. Thus our hearts should be completely cleansed before being able to make progress in devotional service.

The rath yathra demonstrates how we bring the Lord to his temple- thus through devotional service we bring the Lord into our hearts.

DUring the Rasa Lila Krsna performed rasa with each Gopi, and Caitanya Mahaprabhu was seen dancing in all circles during the Rath Yathra festival.

Krsna- Caitanya Mahaprabhu- Jaganath: all the same - Jaganath is 'drunk' because of the love that Radha Rani has for Krsna encompassed in Caitanya Mahaprabhu.He is intoxicated by the love of Srimati Radharani.


Glories of Krnsa and Balaram was narrated by Yashoda- Krsna and Balaram became esctatic- hence the Jaganath form of Krsna- is most merciful.
He comes out of his temple to give darshan to everyone- he is in esctasy- does not discriminate in his devotees- he is most merciful. 

BG 10.16,17 Summary

The lord's energy can't be concieved by our 3d brain. Just to show his devotees he came as Narasimha deva.

BG 10.16,17, - "Please tell me in detail of Your divine opulence by which You pervade all these worlds."
"O Krsna, O supreme mystic, how shall I constantly think of You, and how shall I know You? In what various forms are You to be remembered, O Supreme Personality of Godhead?"

We are looking for absolute shelter and when we see everyone around us is so frustrated and all can't give us that shelter and we understand that Krishna is our supreme shelter, it brings about a great sense of relief and peace in the mind of the agitated soul. After he has described his position, Arjuna is relieved, he's happy, he is completely peaceful. All the 9 dev processes helps us to touch Krishna's consciousness - hearing chanting, reading.... This brings about peace in our lives. So after this particular fact that Krishna has now given his position to Arjuna, Arjuna is now peaceful. But a sincere devotee on one hand is very satisfied but on the other hand he's very eager. A devotee who has chanted his rounds very sincerely, he is more eager to do more service for Krishna, not that oh I've done my 16 rounds now I'm done.

Greed is the price we actually have to pay to get Krishna. A devotee is very greedy for serving Krishna. He wants to increase the dev service for Krishna. He's very happy that Krishna is in control and he's taking care of me but at the same time he's very greedy to serve Krishna. This is what Arjuna is saying here. He says my dear Lord, I'm greedy to know about your opulence and how I can keep thinking of you and how will I know you. Here is another great phenomenon in the life of a devotee - that Krishna cannot be understood by our effort. Krishna has to himself reveal him to us. He has to unfold to us. Because Krishna is always covered by yoga maya. The foolish and unintelligent ppl can't understand me as I'm always covered by yoga maya. So we cannot know him unless Krishna himself shows himself to us.

So here Arjuna is saying please lift this curtain of yoga maya and show yourself to me. once you lift up this curtain of yoga maya, how can I see you in the material things, because I can't see your spiritual form as I'm still not there yet my Lord. Please help me see you because I'm not on the spiritual platform but on the material platform. These are the Qs Arjuna is asking for our benefit.

Actually Krishna is under the supreme control. Everything direct and indirect is happening under his control. Krishna is our best friend, when these 2 points are put together - because when something bad is happening we can understand how Krishna our best friend can cause this? We can then think that Krishna is actually helping me to see something in this situation so I can learn and become a better devotee and I can become closer to truth and reality. That pushes us to actually do the right thing.

Ex - Prisoner for stealing put in the prison is a good thing, because by punishment it is forcing us to come closer to the reality so we can become purified faster. So when we think of these 2 points - 1. Krishna is in full control 2. Krishna is our friend. When we know Krishna is in full control we become very peaceful and happy. When we understand that this is our status quo and we say we want to become KC and want to remember him 24*7 - HOW? That is where Arjuna is coming from and the next verses will tell us how...

For devotees they are always thinking of Krishna in the 2 handed Shyamsundar form of Krishna. When they close their eyes they are thinking of Krishna's personal form, when they open their eyes they see Krishna's form. Arjuna here is asking this question for the mercy of the common man so they can try to see Krishna in material plane as well.

Glories of Lord Narasimha and Prahalad maharaj's prayers.

05/23/2013 (Narasimha Chaturdashi):
Glories of Lord Narasimha Dev:

SB starts where BG ends. Jay Vijaya were the doorkeepers and they were cursed. Hiranyaksa - killed by boar. Hiranyakasypu went for tapasya for 1000 of years and got benediction from Brahma that he will be immortal. Such are deamons. When they get power they think they can do anything.


Prahlad Maharaj was insignificant and he said one who has accepted that this is a temp body and one should go to Vrindavan and take the shelter of Krishna. Prahalad maharaj is a great mahajan. He said my conciousness is attracted by Lord Krishna and told his father to take up the 9 processes of dev service. He also said you can't get out of this material world till you give up the sense gratification. Hiranyakasipu said where are you getting this power and he said from the same person who is giving you this power - Lord Vishnu. Hiranyakasipu said is your Lord in this pillar and he said yes. Then Narasimha bhagav came out of the pillar and killed Hiranyakasipu.


-----
05/30/2013

Prayers by Prahlada Maharaj:

Last time we discussed how Narasimha bhagavan appeared to protect his devotee. Actually when Hiranyakasipu was offending prahalad, he was being protected by Krishna. He didn't manifest himself but he was always with Prahalad. That is the faith of a devotee, whether good times or bad times Krishna is always with me. Such a devotee is always protected by Krishna.
This story is a comparison b/n Hiran disturbed conciousness vs peacefulness of Prahlada. Wherever there is a devotee like Arjuna and Krishna there is always victory. Similarly, wherever there is prahlad maharaj and Krishna there is a victory. Hiranyakasipu was being challenged by his son who is 5 years old was actually defeating him. When he couldn't tolerate that a young boy was defeating him and when he asked where your power is coming and Prahalad said from the same place your power is coming. Hiranyakasipu became very angry.

Same way sometimes we don't even see Krishna in the deity and here Prahlada is saying Krishna is also in the pillar. Krishna always keeps the word of the devotee. Lord Narasimha dev appeared from the pillar. The pillar cracked and out of the pillar came a roaring sound. Everyone in the planetary systems became afraid hearing the sound. There was a roar from the Lord. It shows us when the Lord becomes angry then he has a terrifying form. Why was he angry, because his devotee was being threatened.

Mahaprabhu is saying when we are cultivating our bhakti lata beej, we should protect the beej from - the mad elephant which is going to stomp on all the plants. After destroying the entire field, they roll on the ground and destroys all the plants of anything. What is the mad elephant - Vaishnava aprad. Vaishnava aprad will destroy the bhakti of a sadhaka. Krishna can't tolerate it. When Krishna was angry because his devotee is in danger, he took the anger personified form as Lord Narasimhadev and killed the demon. He sat on the throne of Hiranyakasipu and tore him apart taking the intestines out and garlanded himself.

Krishna is so merciful that he also knew that Jay, vijay were devotees of Krishna but yet he sat on the throne of the king as a mercy to him saying that he accepts his service. When Krishna was so angry nobody could pacify him - Brahma, Laxmidevi nobody could pacify him. At that point Brahmaji requested Prahalada to go forward and appease the Lord.

Prahlad walked to Krishna and fell down at his feet. When he saw that his devotee has fallen down at his feet, he was estatic in joy seeing his devotee. The Lord is always ready to put his hand on his devotees. Because Lord's hand mean mercy. Prahalada's heart was filled with love and bliss and hence he started saying his prayers to Lord Narasimhadev.

These prayers give us a glimpse of the conciousness of a heart of the devotee. SB is actually teaching us not only the glories of Krishna but also the glories fo THE DEVOTEES who are leading a life of KC. The character and conciousness of a devotee.

1. My dear Lord how is it possible for me who is born in the fam of asuras to have suitable prayers to you. Even though Brahmaji and other demigods were not able to provide prayers to you. It is no possible for me to chant prayers to you for your pleasure. - This is the essence of Bhakti. Bhakti means humility. A devotee never ever feels himself qualified for anything. Prahalada isn't thinking that good Brahmaji you chose me as I'm the chosen one etc....Unless one is meek and humble, to make progress is spiritual life is not possible. We can make progress in the mat world being arrogant but in spiritual life it is not possible. A devotee a sadhaka should tkae example from this experience that Lord we aren't qualified. When one starts thinking in this way, the Lord in the heart will start helping the devotee. When the devotee thinks I'm not qualified, then Krishna will help you.
2. Examples - Beauty, wealth, austerity and all qualifiecations in the mat world will not satisfy the Lord. The only thing needed is dev service - ex, Gajendra offered only a Lotus flower with all devotion.
3. By doing vandanam (offering prayers) one can become purified. So Prahalad maharaj is trying his best that by humility accepting one is not qualified and then trying devotional service with love not with false ego.

In this way he begins to glorify Lord Narasimha.
4. Only to protect your devotees and kill the demons - that is why you have appeared.
5. Now my dear Lord he is killed, please give up your anger. Then he says
6. My dear Lord, I have been put into the association of the demons as a result of my past Karma and hence I'm afraid very much of my condition of life. When will that moment come when you will call me to your lotus feet!!!! A devotee is always afraid of the material world. Which is the forgetfulness of Krishna, not engaging in Krishna's service. He is afraid what will happen if I don't engage in KC. Such is a pure devotee he is afraid of the material world and is afraid of the conditioned life and he is always looking for the moment that he will go back to Krishna. 5 year old boy is able to say such prayers because he is truly KC. He is also saying
7. When doing dev service in the presence of Devotees then I shall be purified. Why assoc of devotees when you have the Lord in front of you? We are sometimes not focusing on serving the devotees while we serve Krishna. This is the point Prahalada is making, if we are in front of Krishna or not in front of Krishna - Serving the devotees is the most important. Birth after birth, my lord my prayer is to be in the association of devotees.
8. Unless one is cared by the Lord, one can't survive in this mat world. Ex - father mother can't take care of the child. doc can't care for patient or boat can't prevent a man drowning without the mercy of Krishna.

Hearing these prayers Lord Narasimha is very happy and says Prahalada ask for a benediction. He says, I was born in an atheistic fam and have natural tendencies of material sense enjoyment, so he says please don't give me these illusions - I want to give us everything, please don't tempt me.  A servant who asks from a master is not qualified to be a servant. He says, please in the core of my heart, there is no material desires. This is the benediction of Maharaj Prahalad. The lord still says, please ask me something, I order you to enjoy the opulences and be absorbed in my thoughts. In this way you can engage in my service. Because you are such a pure devotee your activities will be heard in all planetary systems and whoever listenings to these activities will be benefited.

9. Then Prahlada again asks a very important prayer - please forgive my father. The quality of forgiveness. Somebody who is giving love all the time and once they don't love we can't forgive him and here Prahalada maharaj asking to forgive his father.

Then Lord says not only his father but 21 generations above and below have been excused. Canto 7.



Who is a devotee? Mahaprabhu says when somebody who has chanted the Hare Krishna mantra is a devotee. But even if we are chanting, or initiated we shouldn't be proud that we are devotees, but like Prahalada maharaj we should be always be on guard on how to improve in our spiritual path. If we aren't going upward, we are going downward. When we look upon others, we look with great respect and take care of vaishnavas and inwards we are on guard and are always trying to improve our bhakti. And in this way we should alwayd keep improving our sadhana.

BG 10.15 - Summary

Summary 10.15 - By Shyamsundar Prabhu

"Indeed, You alone know Yourself by Your own internal potency, O Supreme Person, origin of all, Lord of all beings, God of gods, Lord of the universe!"

What is understanding Krishna - trying to figure out who this God is. But the first thing to understand in Bhakti is that I'm insignificant and there is nothing which I can really understand who is Krishna.

When Krishna was performing his rasa lila only the choicest devotees the gopis could enter. You have to be thoroughly qualified to be able to enter into the world of Krishna. How Narad muni wanted to participate in the Rasa lila and the gopis stop him. The gopis said only when you become a gopi you can become Naradee gopi and enter rasa lila. The special character of this Naradee gopi was that she had a vina. Similarly once Shiva wanted to enter, similarly Shiva takes a dip in another sarovar and he came out as a gopi. This gopi had a moon on her head. In that body Shiva could enter rasa lila.

The point is, that in order to enter into the world of Krishna - when the gopis are saying that you need a proper body is that you need to have proper conciousness. Unless one doesn't have the right conciousness you can't enter into Krishna's circle. Hence, we need to also give us all our sense desires and anarthas and only when we have pure love for Krishna, can we come close to Krishna. Give up false ego, our subtle body, titles, etc and understand we are only a servant of the servant of Krishna only then you get a GLIMPSE into the world of Krishna.

This world of KC is so pure that when it begins to touch us that we can begin to experience pure bliss and happiness. This world is only a reflection. The pleasures of this world are nothing but suffering. Hence people are fed up. Example - Hiranyakashayapu, Kamsa even though had everything materially yet they were unhappy and yet devotees like Prahlada maharaj for example didn't have materially everything but yet he was spiritually very very happy. Only when you don't have any sense gratifications then you can chant properly. As in the same wayn a doc tells a patient - have this medicine but refrain from not eating these items.

Same way in trying to know Krishna, if we chant the holy names and we dont' stop doing the other material th ings, we don't get the results and hence we are so low and don't have any taste of chanting the holy name.

The way to know Krishna is only through his Ladini shakti who is Radharani herself. Only mother Radharani will give us the mercy to understand Krishna and help us get over the anarthas we have. Only dev service will give us true pleasure and happiness and get us closer to Krishna.

We are tyring to pick up the broken pieces of glass in this material world which is material happiness but Srimati Radharani and Krishna are waiting for us with the diamond, all we need to do is throw away the garbage in our hands and long for the diamond of love. Everything is a part and parcel of Krishna. Krishna is situated in every atom, every living entity. Everything is in Krishna, everything if from Krishna and we are trying to do wonders. In this attempt, we are becoming fools not understanding that we are nothing.

We are all in a journey, waiting when this destination will come. And while we are on this journey we are trying to make our dreams, When the destination comes, we have to get down and even then we are all trying to make our house, achieve our goals which are all so temporary.

Hence, Arjuna is saying some beautiful verses to help us understand who is Krishna so we get his mercy to come to him. Let my mind be wrapped like a swan which is near the lotus stem. Everything around you will be lost in due course of time - EVERYTHING. Only Krishna, the holy name will always be there.

Summary of BG10.12-13

"Arjuna said: You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the ultimate abode, the purest, the Absolute Truth. You are the eternal, transcendental, original person, the unborn, the greatest. All the great sages such as Nārada, Asita, Devala and Vyāsa confirm this truth about You, and now You Yourself are declaring it to me."


This is a very spoken by Arjuna after the 8th chapter and then Krishna speaks the entire the 9th chapter and the chatursloki. As soon as he heard the chatursloki Arjuna now understands that Krishna is the cause of all causes. Everything is coming from Krishna and it is only by his mercy that devotees can get guidance and help remove the ignorance.

2 things are needed - endeavour and mercy. Only when a devotee endeavors properly for Krishna and only when Krishna has his mercy on them can they achieve Krishna.

Here Arjuna is saying my dear Lord you are Parambrahma. He is the supreme truth.

Parambrahma, Krishna is the ultimate trurh. 'the means of philosophy is to find the Ultimate goal'- Prabhupada.
why are people unable to reach the goal- people do not understand that we are not supreme and unable to discriminate between matter and spirit and have false ego- hence want acknowledgement and appreciation for themselves.

In this verse- Arjuna reaches the peak of his realization of Krishna. Arjun accepts that Krishna is the parambrahman.
Arjun is saying that Krishna is the ultimate abode- Krishna says that everything is resting upon Krishna- flowers on garland resting on the thread- you don't see the thread- but it is there- similarly- everyhing is resting on Krishna, even though you don't see this- due to lack of knowledge. No difference between Krishna and his resting place/ spiriual dham.


All scriptures state the same message- it is not just in BG/ SB. the reason we do not hear all these messages=- even though stated in all scriptures is because we have impure senses and also we listen to scriptures from impure/ unpious souls- hence we get confusing messages.  Very important to gain the shelter of a spiritual master who is in the disiplic succession.

Krishna is Visnu at home- in his rasas in Vrindavan son/ lover/ cowherder/ friend etc,
Visnu is Krishna in office- needs to carry out different tasks within the material world is Visnu.

Krishna is the original person and it's a very important verse as even after hearing from sages he was covered by sakya bhav, so hence Arjuna says that now that you have told me about yourself, he cross checks that even other great sages have told me about you.

Balaram is Krishna itself and as Balarama, He wants to serve Krishna. So Krishna himself is serving him so then why can't we serve Krishna? We feel servant is a low job but our life should be to serve Krishna.

Summary 10.10 and 10.11

BG 10.10 - By Vrindavan Das Prabhuji

"To those who are constantly devoted to serving Me with love, I give the understanding by which they can come to Me."

The important thing is to be constantly devoted. The more we are devoted to Krishna the more we will be purified.
example of well and rope - Constantly if you keep trying, you will come out of this material life.
example of chanting the hare krishna mantra - all are chanting the same mantra but everybody has different realizations.

just need love and service of Krishna - need to hanker for krishna just like gopis were hankering for krishna. make your desire better because Krishna is in your heart and the real desire is to serve Krishna. story of  getting the medicine of gopi chandan - dust of the lotus feet of gopis - that's why krishna has a tilak. And the gopis just love him as Krishna not as the supreme lord.

We should never think that we have achieved everything by Krishna conciousness and we feel we have become a pure devotee but does Krishna think we are a pure devotee hence we should always keep constantly devotion to Krishna. So even pure souls keep serving all the time to Krishna. ex tukaram maharaj - Krishna gives you free will to love him as much as he loves you.Don't give me anything in this world because that will give me attachment to maya and hence I'm lamenting even if you are giving me. Hence never feel you are a pure devotee and hence keep on chanting in the mood that I'm sinful.

Summary 10.11:
"To show them special mercy, I, dwelling in their hearts, destroy with the shining lamp of knowledge the darkness born of ignorance."

Everyone who is born is born in the darkness of this material world. And to uplift ourselves from this darkness, one needs knowledge and this knowledge is ultimately provided by Krishna. This material world or maya is compared to darkness. As opposed to that, Krishna is compared to Sun. The darkness is completely dissipated. When there is Krishna, the illusory energy, darkness is simply dissipated by his presence. So Krishna makes this promise to those devotees who are constantly engaged in Krishna Consciousness, Krishna says that he personally destroys the darkness of ignorance by the lamp of shining knowledge.

Krishna is explaining it very clearly that the act of devotional service takes priority over any other practice. Here again, Krishna is clearly saying that if someone is constantly in KC, even if he's an illiterate, a shudra a lower person, still Krishna says I will give them knowledge dwelling in their hearts. From this perspective, a devotee is put in a beautiful position to get all the knowledge by Krishna's mercy. He not only gives guidance, but also destroys this darkness of ignorance. Visvanath Chakravati Thakur says this is due to our past sinful karma, it creates a cycle of wall of ignorance.This wall is a hindrance for anyone who is trying to be purified and come to the spiritual platform. It is very challenging to break this wall similar to person with disease can't taste sweet.

Krishna is saying I will personally help my devotee to break this wall who is sincere in his devotional service. One example - Sometimes we feel that we need to have qualifications to do so many things, but there is no qualification needed to be sincere in your practice of dev service.

Ex - Chaitanya mahaprabhu during his south India tour came to a brahmana who was illiterate other than the other brahamana who were very qualified. But everyday he tried to read the BG sincerely.  When Mahaprabhu saw this, he approached him and asked what are you doing here. Brahmana said my spiritual master has instructed me to read the BG everyday and I'm trying to follow his instructions. But why are you crying. He said, I'm illiterate and I can't read but everytime I open it, I get the picture of my Lord as parthasarthy who has become a charioteer of his devotee and how merciful and great my Lord his that he has become a parthasarthy of my devotee. But the Lord from the core of his heart revleaed to him the deep esoteric meaning of BG. When the devotee is sincewre, Krishna will help you. Without Krishna you can't understand anything, only by his and Guru's mercy you can.

The yogis, the munis are trying to meditate on the supreme personality of the Godhead for millions of years, but they aren't able to reach Krishna - Why? Because Krishna can't be approached like that. He can only be approached, only when Krishna reveals himself. He isn't anybody's order supplier. He isn't anybody's servant. It is only when we please Krishna that he decides to reveal himself.

Story - Sabri - She was born in a very difficult circumstance and her fam very dog eaters. She left them at a very early age and came under the guidance of matanga rishi. She did tapasya for 80 years to meet Sri Rama and then Sri Rama came as Krishna always reciprocates. She immediately could recognize Sri Rama is the Supreme Lord. Sabri living with other brahmanas couldn't recognize them even though they were learned in their shastras they didn't know who was Sri Rama, Lakshman. But Sabri by her devotional service could recognize the Supreme Lord. Transcendental knowledge is given in the hear of the devotee through Guru and Shastra only when you are sincere in your devotional service.

Even if your heart is impure and covered with dust, if you chant the Hare Krishna maha mantra your heart will be cleansed and you will then get to sincere devotional service of pure chanting and hearing then you will be helped by Krishna. For such devotee, don't worry about material life, Krishna himself will take care of you, he will destroy all the ignorance and help you come to him and everything will be arranged.

They say anybody who reads this chatur sloki BG and meditates on it, KRISNA will help you know him. example - Govindbhasya - commentary by Visvanatha chakravathy thakur wrote the SB commentary by the grace of Govindji who helped him. Hence, if you follow the path laid down in the BG sincerely, you are sure to attain Krishna and Krishna will destroy the ignorance in your heart.