This Blog is Moving to Wordpress!

My respects to everyone,

I wanted to inform any who are still following or reading this blog, that the blog is moving. From now on, the blog will be hosted - and UPDATED REGULARLY! - on Wordpress!

The new address is here.

Currently Wordpress is still moving my old content here to it, so the address won't work yet. I am keeping this blog up for a little more until the Wordpress one is fully functioning and setup.

Look forward to seeing you there!

Jai!

Begin from the Root

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."

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayan Gosvami Maharaja:

Begin from the root of the tree and climb up from there.

Srila Vallabhacarya's bhajana, Sri Madhurastakam, tells us that everything is sweet (madhura) about Krsna, the original lord of sweetness. His Yamuna is madhura, His nikunjas (groves wherein Radha and Krsna perform their confidential amorous pastimes) are madhura, and His flute playing and sidelong glances are also very sweet.

Who is actually speaking about the sweetness of Krsna here? Is it Kamsa Maharaja, Aghasura, Bakasura, or Putana? Radhika herself is telling this; She alone is qualified to speak in this way. The history behind Her words is that a sakhi once told Her, "Krsna has left Vrndavana. He now has 16,108 queens, and millions of others also want to marry Him. Why do you have so much love and affection for that crooked Krsna? He has no love for you and no love for Vrndavana. Give Him up and try to forget Him forever." Srimati Radhika replied, "O sakhi, what you are saying is true, but I cannot forget Him. Everything about Him is so sweet"

Demons like Kamsa, Jarasandha, Duryodhana, Putana, Bakasura, Aghasura, Kesi, Canura, and Mustika were seeing that very same Krsna, but they thought of Him as a very cruel, powerful, and dangerous enemy. They did not see or experience His sweetness.

Do you know why I am speaking in this way? These demons are against Krsna. Therefore instead of experiencing His sweetness, they simply experience their own enmity. Similarly, if we imagine that we are meditating on Krsna's asta-kaliya-lila and we have not reached the stage of rati, we will also not experience His sweetness. Rather, we will experience our own lusty and other material desires. In this connection, Kamsa and other demons represent our material desires. Krsna, and the realization of the sweetness of Krsna, is our goal, but do not try to "jump up to the top of the tree." Begin from the root of the tree and climb up from there; then you can realize your goal.

aspiring to serve,
Rain-drop

The Mercy of the Spiritual Master

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 very happy to be posting again, after nearly one year away. This will be a good encouragement for me to keep reading spiritual books and keep me accountable. Today, I am sharing from Srila Gour Govinda Maharaja.

Srila Gour Govinda Swami Maharaja: Guru, the spiritual master, is the representative of Krsna. He is a very dear devotee of Krsna, who is caitya-guru, seated in the heart as Supersoul. The spiritual master is always there. Don't think that he is not physically present...He is always there. If you have developed love for the spiritual master, if you have developed that eye, ten you can see him, you can talk to him. And he is also present in the form of books, vani-rupa; his instructions are there.

<Katha Upanisad 1.2.23 quoted>

You cannot understand the absolute truth through your own mundane scholarship, you own mundane intelligence....those who are not devotees, who never come under a bona fide disciplic succession, cannot know it. 

 Then how can you know? ...Assuming a body, He personally comes as spiritiual master to teach paramatma tattva. He is caitya-guru. Unless He speaks, you cannot understand.

 ...by Krsna's mercy you get a bona fide spiritiual master, and by the mercy of the spiritual master you get Krsna. Paramatma arranges that meeting. So we must be very eager, very inquisitive, as Dhruva Maharaja was, to get the Lord. Paramatma arranged for Narada Muni to appear before him. "All right, he is very eager now. You go and show him the path, help him."

Similarly, for that disciple who is crying, "O my spiritual master has disappeared. How can I be helped? Who will teach me? How can I know? His instructions, books are there, but I cannot understand the purport. Although it is there, it is very difficult for me to understand it."

When you become very, very inquisitive, sastra has its mercy.......One who is very, very eager and very, very inquisitive, prays to his spiritual master, "O my spiritual master, you have departed. You are not physically present, so I cannot understand. I am such an ignorant fool. I have not qualification. Though your instructions are there, I cannot understand what you have said. Please help me."

- from After the Disappearance of Sri Guru, a darsana, 18 July 1986, Paris, France

The Ultimate Conclusion

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."


After months of being away, I am so happy to be able to share what I am reading and what is inspiring me once again with you.

Recently we celebrated the holy month of Kartik, the month which Srimati Radhika especially prevails over. Sripad Premananda Prabhu at Radhe Kunj temple in Sri Vrindavana Dham has been giving some very nice classes on the Damodarastakam song.

From the Bhaktabadhava website,here is some commentary on Verse 8 of Damodarastakam:

Sripada Premananda Prabhu: We are going in circles in the cycle of birth and death. We do not know the way to escape. There is only one door to escape this material existence. This door brings us to the lotus-feet of God. We have come here, but we are blind, without faith. The wall is there and the door will come, and we will achieve everything, but we have no faith. Then, we go around and around hopelessly.
We can follow all vratas, but if we have no faith, if we do not take shelter, and if we do not understand anything, then everything is useless. The result will be zero. We may bind ourselves so tightly in rules and regulations, but when we open the knot, we will find nothing.

“Namo radhikayai tvadiya-priyayai—I offer pranama to Srimati Radharani, and to Krsna who is Her beloved. I do not offer pranama to any other.” Damodara’s servants and devotees in other rasas are not as close to Krsna’s heart as those in srngara-rasa. Their hearts are shared with others. But, in srngara-rasa, the gopis hearts are only one-pointedly devoted to Krsna. Srimati Radharani is the crest-jewel of all the gopis.
Namo ’nanta-lilaya devaya tubhyam. We pray to Damodara, “You have so many incarnations. I offer them all pranamas. But, I don’t need their blessings. I am only waiting for the mercy of Your beloveds. Namo radhikayai tvadiya priyayai. If Her mercy comes to me, that is enough. You have given me a chance to really follow Your footsteps, O Damodara. My ultimate welfare lies in giving pleasure to Your beloved gopis. Please help me. In sastras, many different incarnations are described. There are the manvantara-avataras, yuga-vataras, avesa-avataras, and saktyavesa-avataras. They are all glorified extensively by scholars of many different ideas.”

tarko ‘pratishthah srutayo vibhinna
nasav rishir yasya matam na bhinnam
dharmasya tattvam nihitam guhayam
mahajano yena gatah sa panthah
—Mahabharata, Vana-parva 313.117

All the different sages establish their different points of view, and cut their opponents’ points of view, telling different philosophies. Gautama, Yajnavalka, Javali, Patanjali, Kapila all give different philosophies. One says, “This is the truth,” and then another says, “No, that is wrong. This is the truth.” Which one is really right? Who can tell us this? Mahajano yena gatah sa panthah—follow the footsteps of the mahajanas.

Who are the mahajanas?

svayambhur naradah sambhuh
kumarah kapilo manuh
prahlado janako bhishmo
balir vaiyasakir vayam
—Srimad Bhagavatam 6.3.20

These are the twelve mahajanas. At the end, Vaiyasaki is mentioned. Vaiyasaki is Sukadeva Gosvami.

Sukadeva Gosvami did not openly describe the glories of Radharani in the Bhagavatam. He did not say to follow Narayana. He said to follow Krsna. Prahlada Maharaja and the other mahajanas glorified Krsna Himself. But, how can we please Krsna, conquer His heart, and do everything for Him? This is hidden. You must completely take shelter of Sukadeva Gosvami. In the Bhagavatam, Sukadeva Gosvami does not mention Radharani’s name directly. Her name is not written. Her name is hidden because She is very secret and hidden. That Sukadeva Gosvami indicates that we should go to Vraja-mandala, to the Vrajavasis. Then, we can cross santa, dasya, sakhya, and vatsalya. We can see that Krsna is pleased by their service, but not completely. He is pleased with the sakhas, but only half pleased. He is with them from the morning to the afternoon. With his mother He is even more pleased, but still not completely. Only when He is with Srimati Radharani is He fully pleased.

Now, at the end, Satyavrata Muni finally comes to the ultimate conclusion—the lotus feet of Srimati Radharani. He prostrates at the lotus-feet of Srimati Radharani and begins a vrata. Which vrata? This is called Katyayani-vrata and it is to please Srimati Radharani.
Now he is one-pointed, and he follows Srimati Radharani’s vrata.

katyayani maha-maye
maha-yoginy adhisvari
nanda-gopa-sutam devi
patim me kuru te namah

Nanda-gopa-sutam devi—this is direct. This is the vrata we must follow. The son of Nanda Gopa Himself worships Devi. Which devi? Srimati Radharani. Who is the priya, or beloved, of Krsna? That is only Srimati Radharani.

We must take a certificate from this school. We have passed this school, and now we will go to college and university. Which university will we go to? There is only one university—the service center, the Seva-kunja of Srimati Radharani. How can we attain Her service? How can we please Krsna?

Satyavrata Muni says, “O Radharani, I give up all my pride.” Namo means, “Giving up my pride, I offer my obeisance and I surrender unto You.”
“O Srimati, I do not know You,” the sage says. “When the sakhis and manjaris accept me and make me qualified for Your service, then I can serve You.” Therefore, namo radhikayai. This means that Radharani has many groups, or yuthas. There are 108 prominent sakhis and each have eight prominent manjaris, and all together there are millions and millions of gopis. Where should we go? Where is our service-post? Who will teach us and give us shelter?

People chant ‘aham brahmasmi’. They want to become Brahma. They strive for sahujya-mukti. On the other side, in this line even, some people chant ‘aham manjari, aham gopi’. They should more accurately say, “Aham bhogi.”

This behavior will not work. It is not helpful. It is a bogus idea. We must surrender. Namo radhikayai. “Giving up all pride, I have offered myself to You, O Radhe, please, whatever service You see beneficial for me, whether You want me to be a monkey, a cuckoo, a peacock, a deer, or anything—my own choice is useless. I do not know who I am. I don’t know where You will send me or into which species. I don’t know where I will serve. I am completely saranagata to You. If You like, send me to the sakhas, the servants, those in vatsalya-rasa, or those in madhura-rasa. I don’t know who will be my guru and guardian. I have no idea of this. I offer myself. Please, accept me.”

Source link

aspiring for the service of Sri Hari, Guru and Vaisnavas,
Rain-drop

When O when!

Sri Gaura Nitai, Imli Tala, Vrndavana

When O When

When O when will I see

Merciful Gaurnitai

When can I wash Their lotus feet
See Their brilliant dancing forms?

When O when will I hear

Merciful Gaurnitai
Singing gleefully

in kirtan

When O when will I see
Merciful Gaurnitai
Their almond lotus eyes
Tearing up with love?

When O when will I see
Merciful Gaurnitai
Their chests glowing with yellow tilak
Their pink lotus palms?

When O when will I see
Merciful Gaurnitai
Their long, strong arms embracing devotees
Again and again

When O when will I see
Merciful Gaurnitai
Dhotis whirling in kirtan
Ornaments jangling from Their ears?

When O when will I smell
Merciful Gaurnitai
The fragrance of Their bodies
Purifying my offenses

When O when will I feel
Merciful Gaurnitai
Their long, strong arms, embracing
Me?

O if I taste

Enough Gaurnitai mahaprasad
Maybe one day
They will embrace me

Gaurnitai, let me wash your feet
With tears because
I am most fallen and wretched
Destitute and offensive

O Gurudeva
Please help me
I want to serve
Merciful Gaurnitai

Jai Gauranga!!!

The auspicious occasion of Sri Gaura Purnima is coming up soon!

"I worship Sri Caitanyadeva, whose hair is intertwined with beautiful garlands of pearls, whose face is splendorous like a radiant moon, whose limbs are smeared with candana and aguru and who, adorned with wonderful clothes, garlands and transcendental, glittering ornment, dances while absored in ecstaties of sweet mellows. His body of golden complexion, being adorned with the ornaments of bhava, makes Him appear like an enchanting Cupid amidst the presence of His intimate associates."

- as quoted in Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur's book, Sri Bhajan Rahasya, commentated on by Sri Srimad Bhaktivednta Narayana Goswami Maharaja

According to one's qualification

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."

sve sve 'dhikāre yā niṣṭhā

sa guṇaḥ parikīrtitaḥ 

viparyayas tu doṣaḥ syād 

ubhayor eṣa niścayaḥ

"To have unyielding steadiness on the path of dharma, according to one's own qualification, is a virtue; conversely, to make endeavors that do not accord with one's qualification is a fault."

- Srimad-Bhagavatam, 11.21.2 

 

The fully-ripened transcendental fruit, the holy name

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."

 "The holy name is the most auspicious of all that is auspicious, and the sweetest of all that is sweet. It is the fully-ripened transcendental fruit of all the creepers of the Srutis...if a person even once chants the name of Krsna without offence - be it with faith or indifferently - that chanting will deliver him from the bondage of material existence."

- as quoted in Sri Bhajana-Rahasya by Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura

Starting up again!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Here on Creeper of Devotion, we are back on track and active again!

Thank you for your patience.

fallen wandering jiva soul,
Rain-drop

Sri Guru Awakens the Soul

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."

"The guru comes to awaken what is already in each soul. The soul’s relation with Kṛṣṇa, its name, qualities and all its specialities are already present within. The soul is perfect in itself; its perfection is not brought from outside.

"Unfortunately māyā covers the soul, but when Śrī Guru takes away or removes that māyā, then everything is automatically manifested by the causeless mercy of Śrī Guru. What is already there will come out."

- Sripad Bhaktivedanta Madhava Maharaja

Notes from Sri Navadwip Dham parikrama (pilgrimage) 2013

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."

Notes from NAVADWIP DHAM parikrama 2013

These are notes from various harikatha in the evening and at places of parikrama (pilgrimage holy places). The speakers are various followers of Srila Gurudeva - Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Goswami Maharaja.


===================

Sripad Ashram Maharaja:

Ekadasi = upavasa, to come closer
It was created so that we can come closer to Krsna. Krsna appears as vigraha (deity) but His name is most merciful.

The Name fulfills our desire to serve Gaura Hari. If we chant a fixed number of rounds, and do bhajans describing the glories of this dham, it will inspire us to pray.

Today we went to Krodhamaya Parama Tal. The pastimes of Sri Gaura, Radha and Krsna are always going on here. But us conditioned souls can't see it, due to maya (illusion). Pray to Krodhamaya to get the moods to enter into these pastimes. We have no shelter except vaisnavas and dham. She can help us see these pastimes.

Maya does not like to cloud us and hides behind Krsna.

We can cleanse the heart by chanting.

Sadhu sanga helps us to chant - specifically while doing vaisnava seva. It scrubs the heart. Krsna is not so attracted to milk and bananas, fancy deity worship, big renunciation, grhastha philanthropy but pleased by GURU SEVA. In math or in the house - house, Krsna's family, Krsna's things, all Krsna's. Then powerful chanting and the heart is scrubbed. Nityananda as guru scrubs. But we must also do effort. Chant a fixed number of rounds. If you fall behind, catch up the next day or do ASAP. Gurudeva is our example in this.

=====================

Sripad Srauti Maharaja:

If we do not think, "Who am I doing this for?" Then it is not bhakti.

We must tripe our endeavors. Krsna is not easy to get darsana of. We can't just chant and not endeavor.

We must look in our heart and see how many desires are there. Cut out desires that aren't Krsna. One who wants to be wealthy will calculate and try every day, dream about it, etc. His mind will be saturated with the desire to make money. One who wants knowledge will focus there. Etcetera. So our desire should be focused - how to come closer to the Lord. If not focused, so difficult. If desire for Krsna's darsana is one desire of many, then it will take many lifetimes for us to get his darsana.

Our love for Krsna goes to Radhika. As neophyte there is no need to focus on inclination.

=====================

Sripad Premananda Prabhu:

Gurudeva has said, "Without bhakta seva, nothing happens."

Gaura is giving all. It does not seem like it, but He is. He gives bhakta seva. He teaches us how to be greedy for this.

Question by a devotee: How can all I do be for Krsna's pleasure?

Answer:

Krsna is saying, 'By love, leaves, water - anything you have, give Me and I will be pleased.' Offer tulasi and Ganga water, and He will always be happy.

Go to programs, dham, honor mahaprasad, vaisnavas seva, etc., this pleases Him. Gurudeva and Swami Maharaja are the example, pleasing Krsna and Mahaprabhu by preaching all around the world.

Offer all seriously, with LOVE. Not fake. Have faith in guru and vaisnavas, deity, dham, carnamrta, etc. We think all rubbish? Then, even going parikrama, useless. Foolish. If mood, heart, prayer good, and you feel you are fallen - then God accepts this and is pleased.

God is pleased even by small things, like water. For example, Draupadi with the mystical pot. {story of Durvasa Muni visiting the Pandavas after their meal and Draupadi and the Pandavas had nothing to feed him and his followers} Draupadi cried to Krsna. Krsna was at lunch in Dwarka, and very hungry, but He left and came running. "Draupadi, I am so hungry! Please give me a lot." Draupadi - "Prabhu, this is no joke. You know everything already." She gave Krsna a bit of rice with tulasi and water. Krsna accepted it. The pot was fixed.

Do not worry. No problems. Anything you give with love, God accepts. Gurudeva is doing all. Try to offer all you get to him first. A sevak's duty is to offer all to guru and vaisnavas.

____________________________________________________________________________

More soon! =)

Sri Adwaita Acarya

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."

Sri Adwaita Acarya

Today is the birthday of Advaita Acarya. He is very powerful, as can be especially understood by the fact that He brought Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu to this world. Otherwise, there was no certainty when Caitanya Mahaprabhu would come. Krsna, in the form of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, wanted to come; but if He would have come by His own sweet will, perhaps He would have done so at the end of Kali-yuga. Advaita Acarya called Him with Tulasi leaves, which are also very powerful. Along with offering Tulasi and Ganges water, Advaita Acarya called to Krsna: “Come at once; otherwise I will manifest My four arms and destroy the entire world.” He then heard an aerial voice: “Please don’t worry. Everything will be managed.” Sripad Madhava Maharaja: Krsna had some fear that Advaita would destroy the world, so He came.
 Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Very soon after that, Krsna appeared in the form of Caitanya Mahaprabhu to manifest His pastimes. It is for this reason that Advaita Acarya is called Gaura-ana Thakura, which means: “He who brought Caitanya Mahaprabhu.” He is also called Nada, which means: “He who can shake the throne of Krsna.” Advaita Acarya called, “Please come, Please come,” and Krsna came. Advaita Acarya Prabhu ki jaya! Jaya ho!

- 2001 lecture, Perth, Australia 

Syamarani didi --- Taste, Prabhupada, Sound --- Grass Valley, 06/11/12

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."

June 11, 2012
Grass Valley
Syamarani didi

"Srila Prabhupada said 'This chanting comes from the depths of the soul.' Also - 'When godbrothers argue, it should be considered as clouds passing the sky.' Unnoticed; insignificant.

A water bottle gurgles when being filled and is silent after; thus the Mayavadis argue we should be. But, Srila Prabhupada said, 'Are we an inanimate water bottle? No. When we become spiritual, the real talking begins.'

If someone is a thief, he's nervous and hiding. Always anxious. Similarly, we are always anxious, because we are thieves - of Krsna's property. We think we are anxious because of something else, but really this is why.

Gurudeva said, 'To get taste, associate with someone who has taste.'

I have conviction that Srila Gurudeva and Srila Prabhupada walked right out of these paintings - windows to the spiritual world. Jadurani is the great great great grandmother of Krsna, of the Jadu dynasty. Jadu Krsna is opulent Krsna.

If we hear about Krsna's pastimes before having established that He is GOD, then we'll think the pastimes are imaginary or that they're just magnifestations of impersonal God.

The books are not the books. They are Krsna. They are the people who wrote/spoke the books. 

On falling from the brahmajyoti - Prabhupada said, "How can you fall from a place that is already fallen?"

We get frustrated in our relationships today because 1) we're not this body, made of pus, stool, blood, etc. hard to be attracted to 2) We are meant to have a relationship with Krsna.

I met Prabhupada and Gurudeva by his books, etc. Gurudeva said all of his books are supplementary and complementary to Srila Prabhupada's books. After he leaves, he said people will appreciate his books.

The material world is the shadow energy of Radha. Sound establishes our relationship with this world. Transcendental sound dissolves it."

Syamarani didi --- Siksastakam, reality --- Santa Cruz, 06/07/12

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."

 

June 7, 2012

Santa Cruz

Syamarani didi

 

"Hope against hope, even though there's no hope.

Take responsibility for what you're going through. 'O Krsna, you are my only friend.'

Krsna is in every atom. So is Radha. So is Gurudeva! He is in atoms, in pastimes, in all gayatri mantras and in his instructions, and he is present in others - comes through others.

He teaches us how to pray in the book Gauravani.

Thinking we're a general servant of Krsna is not enough to get us out of misery. Go for a specific identity as servant; manjaris of Radhika with specific services.

Syamasundara sikhanda sekhara is a prayer to the manjaris.

We are amnesiacs in an insane asylum. This is the medicine to get out. 

Sometimes Radhika forgets that She's met Krsna before. Sometimes when She gives Him a sidelong glance, He faints. This is how much She controls Him. We are actually Her maid servants. She thinks of Her manjaris as like Herself. This is our intimate relationship with Her. All these other things - "Oh, I have a headache, I'm cold," etc., - are insanity.

As we hear and picture Krsna, this is with material vision, but this is part of the process. We have high moods in us, they're just sleeping. When we sleep we dream crazy things. Our material stuff is all a dream.

The affection of this world is all a dream. I once said, what about godbrothers? Gurudeva said, can two jivas marry each other? [implied no.] Then I asked, what about two godbrothers? Gurudeva said, do you know [name]? Do you know [name]? [No. They are not this body.] This is the only way to go. This is reality.

What is the rasa of my constitutional form? That is the question. There is no other concern. Don't think you're the sweater.

Go through the spiritual motions - this is our CPR, our artificial breathing until we can actually breathe. When we practice, the mercy descends. 

We can keep our priorities straight and keep long term happiness over short term happiness by reading of the reality, chanting, hearing, honoring prasadam, praying, etc. PRACTICE."

O Nitai! Nitai! Nitai! His mercy...

emana nirghrna more keba krpa kare
eka nityananda vinu jagat bhitare

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta (Ädi-lila 5.205–207)

“I am more sinful than Jagai and Madhai and even
lower than worms in stool. Anyone who hears my
name loses the results of his pious activities. Anyone
who utters my name becomes sinful. Who in this
world but Nityananda could show His mercy to such
an abominable person as me?”

as found in: The Rays of the Harmonist, no. 18, Kartik 2008

Syamarani didi --- Siksastakam, chanting --- Santa Cruz, June 6, 2012

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."

Syamarani didi
June 6, 2012
Santa Cruz

"Have a mood of appeal, grief-stricken appeal, when saying these prayers. We can make advancement like this every day. Gurudeva said, if we're not advancing, it is because of offenses. But that's not the end. We can pray even more because of it. And only Gurudeva can give us the mood of grief-stricken appeal. So even more reason to pray!

"ayi nanda tanuja...these phrases reveal how we can solve all problems. We must see leaving Krsna as the cause of all miseries. We think we are in control due to wicked hopes and misplaced anxieties. Instead we should only have anxiety for - 'I am not seeing Radha and Krsna.' Karma is the desire to enjoy the fruits of our actions. It is like trying to grab onto one straw while drowning.

"Force the mind to think positive affirmations - 'Please forgive my faults, because I am without shelter,' not, 'Gurudeva can't save me,' that's down the drain.

"Each phrase and word we say opens up a new world. We pray to be the manjaris, who can see Radha and Krsna in early morning, etc. Can untangle their hair, etc. Sakhis cannot do this.

"The tongue is the most dangerous of all the senses. Unless we control it, we can't chant. Why do we chant? To obtain the service of the lotus feet of Sri Radha. This is why we serve Krsna, pray to him, etc. Everything leads back to serving Sri Radha.

"By keeping the goal in mind, we can obtain it.

"Trying to control the mind is like trying to stop a tornado. But by constancy, practice and detachment, we can."

Syamarani didi - Santa Cruz, June 5, 2012

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."

Forgive me for being so tardy with these short hand notes from the 2012 womens' book distribution tour:

Syamarani didi
June 5, 2012
Santa Cruz

"Whatever we think will make us happy will actually make us miserable. As bubbles in the ocean are we; popping up for a moment before disappearing. The anticipated happiness goes as soon as we get it - SREYAS.

"Krsna climbs the trees, eats their fruits, they are his friends. Trees in the material world are suffering - wanted to stand naked, got bodies of trees.

"Being in the material world is like being a blind man in a maze. He is running his stick along the wall but stops to scratch an itch and misses the doorway out. Misusing our human life for material desires is like that man scratching his itch and getting lost again - 8,400,000 species of life.

"PREYAS - I'm holding out for long-term happiness.

"Various material attractions, and the senses' urges, are like the dingaling of an icecream truck. 'Come on, enjoy.' Human beings can't control the six senses, including the mind.

"Q: How to make chanting the holy name most effective?
A:
- the HOly Name is a person
- do not criticize
- only pray for spiritual things
- what we repeat and experience - tv, movies, etc. - becomes part of us. By repeatedly singing bhajans, etc., we get those good impressions.
- pray we destitute appeal and humility
- pray for the ecstatic symptoms you want when chanting
- Gurudeva is IN the holy name, because he is in the pastimes. Pray to him.
- Pray for service to Radha and Krsna.

"Q: How can we resist the urge for short-term happiness and hold out for long-term happiness?
A: When we practice, the mercy descends. Practice very diligently - reading, chanting, etc. These will make impressions."

"Thinking 'I am this body' is like thinking, 'I am a sweater. Now I'm being ironed. Now I'm in the tumble machine. Now I"m covered in list.' This is insane! Especially to those more advanced.

"Gurudeva tells his initiates to remember the power of chanting. No need to worry about anything. Krsna will protect you. As Srila Prabhupada said, "When you $100 problems are solved, your $10 problems are solved.'"

The instruction of guru is also guru

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."

 

"The instruction of guru is also guru. You'll get the mercy of the guru through his instructions. One who is very, very eager and very, very inquisitive will pray to his spiritual master, 'O spiritual master, you are not physically present, so I cannot understand. I am such an ignorant fol. I have no qualification. Though your instructions are there, I cannot understand what you have said. Please help me.'"

- Srila Gour Govinda Maharaja

"Vaidhi bhakti is not artificial"

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."

 

 

 

[Srila Narayan Gosvami Maharaja:] Vaidhi-bhakti is not artificial. If you pray, "Oh Krsna, please remove all my anarthas (bad thoughts and habits). Be pleased with me and give me pure bhakti," that is not artificial. And, if a devotee is engaging in sravanam (hearing Krsna's names and glories), kirtanam (chanting His names and glories), visnu smaranam (remembering Him), this is not artificial.

[Jaganatha dasa:] But in vaidhi-bhakti, sometimes one has to force himself to think and act properly.

[Srila Narayan Gosvami Maharaja:] No harm - this is practice. If your mind is not fixed in one-pointed devotion, then you must bring it back from the other places. You are hearing hari-katha - this is not artificial. You are performing kirtana - this is not artificial. You are worshiping - this is not artificial.

Source: Two Morning Walks

Don't be worried about your future

"Sincerely perform hari bhajana and serve Hari, guru, and vaisnavas. By doing so, you will never encounter any problem, but the moment you think of your own happiness, various types of problems will arise before you. Don't be worried about your future, because your spiritual guardians, sri guru and vaisnavas are worrying for that."

- Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Goswami Maharaja