Prayer while chanting

om ajnana timirandhasya jnananjana salakaya
caksur unmilitam yena tasmai sri gurave namah

O Gurudeva, you are so merciful. I offer my humble pranama unto you and am praying from the core of my heart that, with the torchlight of divine knowledge, you open my eyes which have been blinded by the darkness of ignorance.


This book by Srila Gurudeva, Harmony, it is SO beautiful!! Every page is a gem of instructions. Instructions on what is proper behavior, on how to honor vaishnavas, on how to be humble, on householder or sanyasi life, etc. etc....there is so much nectar here.

I am sharing from this book again today:

"Consider thinking in this way: 'I am worthless. I have offended many vaishnavas, and the reaction is that I am stupid and nonsense. Although I chant the holy name, tears do not come and my heart does not melt. O Krsna, what shall I do?'

art by Annapurna dasi

"You can also remember Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and pray: 'O Caitanya Mahaprabhu, You are causelessly merciful. Plese bestow Your mercy upon me. In this kali yuga life is short, there are many problems, and the mind is always upset. What should I do? I am always besieged with obstacles in my attempt to execute bhakti. I am without vaishnava association. I am weak, and I have not obtained Krsna's mercy. O Caitanya Mahaprabhu, I know only You. You have given mercy to Jagai and Madhai. Why not to me? I am more wretched than them, and therefore I am qualified to receive Your mercy.'


"If you weep in this way, Krsna will bestow His mercy. By chanting in this way, you heart will melt and tears will come. If tears are not coming, you can think, 'I have committed so many offenses.' Always repent like this and chant, 'Hare Krsna Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare.'"

- Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Goswami Maharaja, Toulouse, France, July 1999

Looking at your own condition

om ajnana timirandhasya jnananjana salakaya
caksur unmilitam yena tasmai sri gurave namah

O Gurudeva, you are so merciful. I offer my humble pranama unto you and am praying from the core of my heart that, with the torchlight of divine knowledge, you open my eyes which have been blinded by the darkness of ignorance.

Today I am sharing another excerpt from Srila Gurudeva's book, "Harmony". This book is very wonderful! Every day I am reading a little bit, and it really makes me think and assess myself. It is very humbling, and it makes me feel so strongly, that I am so fortunate to have these instructions, to have Gurudeva; all of our guru varga are so very merciful.

Srila Gurudeva: Be very careful. First look at your own condition and try to purify yourself. Is there any lust in you? Is there any deceit and hypocrisy in you? Be worried about that; do not worry about others. Guru and Krsna are responsible for others. You cannot do anything to help them, so you have no right to criticize. This instruction is for all.

Hilo, Hawaii: February 7, 2005

"The Medicine to Cure Criticizing"

The following is an excerpt from Srila Gurudeva's book, "Harmony":

Anandini dasi: How can I stop myself from criticizing?

Srila Gurudeva: You can criticize yourself, but not others. This is an offense, and bhakti [love] will go away. Be careful.

Vrndavana, India: August 9, 2009


Prakasatma dasa: How can I curb my tendency to always speak prajalpa [nonsense] and criticize others?

Srila Gurudeva: You can do so by always being in sadhu-sanga and hearing harikatha. Pariksit Maharaja had no time to speak with anyone, or to sleep or eat or drink. He was drinking only the nectar of Krsna-lila. Sadhu-sanga is the best medicine. Chant the holy name in sadhu-sanga, and don't associate with persons who are chattering and pattering.

Read books and engage your mind at all times. If the mind is not engaged by you, then it will automatically engage itself in bad things. The mind wants something to eat, so we should give it harikatha - as much as you can hear and chant and meditate on.

Paris, France: June 30, 2009