The power of hearing harikatha from great personalities

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.




Quote:

sthane sthitah sruti-gatam tanu-van-manobhir
ye prayaso jita jito py asi tais tri-lokyam

"Even while remaining within their respective social positions, fortunate souls get the opportunity to hear harikatha from great personalities, and becoming inspired to dedicate their body, mind, and words, they conquer He who is otherwise unconquerable by anyone within the three worlds."

Today I read this verse in Srila Gurudeva's Sri Prabandhavali and just fell in love with it. I want to learn it. How amazingly fortunate are we, to have heard nectarean harikatha from the mouths of great personalities? I can't believe how fortunate I am, foolish me, how did I get so lucky?

As for dedicating my body, mind, and words to Sri Krishna...I can only say, "When oh when will that day be mine?"

What is sadhana?

Quote:

In explaining the line param vijayate sri krsna sankirtanam of Mahaprabhu's Siksastaka, Prabhupada [here Srila Gurudeva means Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura] wrote that this is the Gaudiya Matha's mode of worship. There are three stages: the beginning stage of sadhana, the intermediate stage of bhava, and the final attainment of produced by that bhava which is called prema.

Sadhana is that practice by which suddha sattva bhava arises, and if that doesn't arise, what one is practicing cannot be called sadhana. We can all examine ourselves and see if we are practicing the sadhana which makes bhava arise or not. Are the symptoms there, or not? We may not even have proper aim in our sadhana.

If someone is striking a match, what is his aim? To obtain a flame; and if after striking one match a flame is not obtained, then he will take another match and try again. Our endeavor to reach the final attainment through the practice of sadhana is like that. Spiritual 'hunger', satisfaction, and strength (Khudanuvrtti, tusti, and pusti) - these three things should appear, and if they don't, then we are not really practicing sadhana and cannot be called real sadhakas.

Whatever we do should be done with this vision: "By performing this activity, bhava for Krsna will arise."

- from Srila Gurudeva's Sri Prabandhavali, Chapter 4


To view any picture posted on this blog in a larger size, just click it. =)

Sharing from Sri Prabandhavali

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.

I am most fortunate to have been able to hear so much harikatha over the years; to be able to sit and hear classes is something I am unable to properly appreciate, and yet I take notes. Taking notes helps me to concentrate. It is my dear wish that the harikatha I have heard will help me to water my devotional creeper.

I have many notes, and I cannot saying anything for their accuracy, but I am hoping to share a little of those that were taken diligently.

I would like to ask that any and all readers excuse any offenses I may make, and offer my humble dandavat pranamns to all.

Right now, I am reading from Srila Gurudeva's Sri Prabandhavali. This book is a collection of lectures that he spoke in 1989 and 1991, three in English, most in Hindi, at Sri Rupa Sanatana and Sri Keshaviji gaudiya maths in Vrindavana and Mathura dhama.

Here is something I read yesterday:

"We are regularly hearing tattva from scriptures such as the Srimad Bhagavatam and Brhad Bhagavatamrta, but how will others also get the opportunity to hear it?

After hearing it we should take it to many other people, and this is the duty of each and every one of us. With great love we should take harinama and encourage others to chant it. We should hear siddhanta and then help others to understand it."

Both Srila Gurudeva and Srila Swami Maharaja Prabhupada put emphasis on the importance of preaching. I think of all the books I have bought, and all the small books and booklets that automatically came with them, and how I should go out and distribute them! Also, how sweet and wonderful is going on harinama sankirtana with the vaishnavas. How wonderful to see others join us, and to get the chance to speak something on Krishna.

I cannot claim to understand any of the siddhanta. Let us hope for me that this blog will help. =)