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THE GAUDIYA 1 DECEMBER 2012

THE
GAUDIYA
Spiritual Monthly
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Vol. LVI DECEMBER 2012 No. 4
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May that Bliss-showering Sri Gaura Hari protect you allWho constantly
chants His Own Divine Name Hare Krishna for the true welfare of the universe,
and for teaching the people He keeps an account of them by putting knots into His
Own upper cloth but while He ties to do so, due to spiritual perturbations, His most
charming both the Hands are dancing, again He hastens with a great eagerness to
have a Darsan of Sri Jagannath, Who is none but He Himself in other Form
when His Eyes, are flooded with tears ah, such a most fascinatingly Glorious
God is the very feast to the devotional eyes of the most fortunate souls.
Srila Prabodhnanda Saraswati
THE GAUDIYA 2 DECEMBER 2012
S h r i
Ra ma k r i s h n a
replied that he had
been blessed to
have got the grace
of the illustrious
Vaishnava, Shrila
Narottama, on
which the father flared up in excessive
wrath and called him a disgrace to the
family for accepting one not born in a
Brahmana family as his Guru. Now
Ramakrishna was fortunate enough to
have been roused up from the worldly
mire on hearing the truth from the mouth
of the Thakura Mahasaya (Narottama)
and to have at once given up the duties
of the world as hateful and insignificant
in order to be engaged in the service of
Hari. We cannot rely on the time
even of a breath, for it may be the
last one: so we should utilise even
this moment for attaining our true
well-being, for which we should not
listen to any one of this world who
may give us contrary advice. In the
Bhagavatam (vide V.5.18) God, as
Rishabha Deva, teaches us thus: We
are encompassed by death and whoever
does not deliver us from it cannot be
obeyed as our well-wisher, let him or
her be the Guru (like Sukracharya to
Bali), or a near relative (like Ravana to
Vibhishana), or the father (like Hiranya
Kashipu to Prahlada), or the mother (like
Kaikeyi to Bharata) or a god (like Indra
to Nanda), or a husband (like the
sacrificial Brahmana of Vraja to his wife
devoted to Sri Krishna). Such was the
case wi th Shri Ramakri shna
Bhattacharya who wisely courted his
fathers certain displeasure to secure his
true well-being.
Who is the true Guru? He who is
constantly engaged in the service of Hari.
Who is the truly (Bh.XI.19.41) learned
man? He who in the words of God
Krishna is well conversant with the
correct knowledge of the bondage of a
jiva and his deliverance there from. We
should accept only him as our Guru who
employs cent percent of his time in
Gods service; otherwise we should fail
miserably in following him. The Shri
Chaitanya Charitamrita has taught us: A
true Guru teaches his disciple after his
own behaviour and practice; one cannot
be the teacher of Dharma, if one does
not perform it himself. (Mundaka 1.2.12)
From the Shruti we get the
instruction that an enquirer after the true
knowledge about Tat (God), should
approach a Guru, with necessary articles
for initiation, who is conversant in the
Veda and steeped in Brahman (God).
This instruction has also been given in
the Shrimad Bhagavatam (vide XI.3.21),
An enquirer after the highest well-being
should surrender himself to a Guru who
is fully vered in the Veda as well as Para-
Brahman and who has thereby become
the shelter of true peace.
The platform speakers of improper
conduct, skilled in speeches only, or the
professional priests cannot be Gurus.
When a man does not keep himself
engaged all the while in Hari-Bhajan
(service of Hari), then he is anxious to
be occupied with other things on the
strength of Shri Nama and committing
the great aparadha (spiritual offence)
utilising Shri Nama in sinful affairs.
Pithy Precepts of Srila Prabhupd
THE GAUDIYA 3 DECEMBER 2012
Thus Spake Srila chryadeva
The Supreme Lord admits the claim
of devoti on agai nst the non-l ovi ng
substratum of clouded and unclouded
gains which are, in other words, rapturous
and voi d of l ove. Ramananda i n
subscribing to the loving nature of
devotion, explained the gradual increase
of felicity and exhibited the glaring phase
of pure service to the Personality of
Godhead as the most interesting piece
of function now lying in a dormant
condition. But the temporal activity can
have the permanent function of the loving
attitude, if directed towards the All-Love
Krishna Who is the Lord of all lords, the
Fountain-head of all sounds and all
aspects of sight, the Creator of spiritual
and mundane representatioins, the very
Centre of all sensuous activities and the
Object of all manifestive phenomena. He
is the Efficient and Material cause of every
manifestation and all noumena. Infinite
potencies are inherent in Him and the
pontencies are set to work by being
emanated from the sole Fountain-head.
He is the essence and flavour of all
smelling activity of an enjoyer. The
sentient creation is nothing but a wrapper
of the transcendental senses inherent in
all spiritual atoms known as jivas. They
are adaptable as predominated agents of
the pedominating aspects of Krishna and
other representative aspects of the
Eternal Fountain-head are His non-
distinctive manifesttions to help the atomic
spiritual parts of His border line potency
i.e. the jiva.
Ramananda, in describing the loving
nature of devoti on, ci ted a verse
composed by him which showed the
gradual increase of felicity in things which
are eatable and drinkable as per the
degree and
quanti ty of
hunger and
thirst. This by
an anal ogy
may be
described as
addi ng more
sauce to our
serving mood of true love, which brings
more enthusiasm. Ramananda went on
to cite another verse which was also his
composition which purported to disclose
the fact that no luck arising out of our
action could be compared with the intense
aptitude for having a service to Krishna
and this is the exchanged value to secure
in return for the ripe and soft relishing
quality of Krishnas Devotion and this
should be secured at all costs when it could
be had. Such a disposition is incompatible
with earned fortunes. This is spoken of
as the base of Prema-Bhakti.
Ramananda, being further asked to
subjoin the Fullest Reciprocity of Madhura
Rasa, advanced to delineate the Counter
Reciprocal Moiety of the whole by fixing
the object in Sri Radha. The highest step
of devotion is displayed in serving the Pair
and in utilising the full independence of the
servitor in respect of the cause of the
Predominating Aspect of the counterwhole
by associating oneself in Her company.
Ramananda was found to describe the
situation of the Paraphernalia and the
transcendental duti es congeni al to
confidential service of attending maids of
Sri Radha which completed the full
narration of the manifestive position of the
Amorous Pair.
Several nights were spent in different
discourses. The first and most famous
THE GAUDIYA 4 DECEMBER 2012
ALMANAC for the months of DECEMBER 2012 & JANUARY 2013
10.12.2012 Mon Disappearance of Srila Kliya Krishna Ds Thkur
11.12.2012 Tue Disappearance of Srila Sranga Thkur
13.12.2012 Thu Demise of Srila Jagabandhu Bhakti Ranjan
18.12.2012 Tue Odhana Shashti of Lord Sri Jaganntha Deva
20.12.2012 Thu Demise of Srila Madhusudan Ds Bbji Maharj
24.12.2012 Mon Unmilani Mahdwdashi Fasting. Next day Prana between
6.20 and 8.42 a.m. Demise of Srimad Bhakti Kusum Shraman
Maharj
28.12.2012 Fri Concluding day of Ktyyani Vrata
01.01.2013 Tue Disappearance day of Prabhupd Sri Srimad Bhakti Siddhnta
Saraswati Goswmi Thkur, the Founder chrya of Sri Chaitanya
Math and its branches Sri Gaudiya Maths
08.01.2013 Tue Saphal Ekdashi Fasting. Next day Prana between 6.24 and
8.22 a.m. Disappearance of Srila Devananda Pandit, Demise of
Srimad Bhakti Praksh Aranya Maharj and Srimad Bhakti Sdhaka
Nishkinchana Maharj
09.01.2013 Wed Disappearance of Srila Mahesh Pandit
12.01.2013 Sat Appearance of Srila Lochana Ds Thkur
14.01.2013 Mon Disappearance of Srila Jiva Goswmi and Srila Jagadish Pandit
dealing with the whole system of Gaudiya
Vaishnava Doctrine was compared with
and contrasted to karma, and jnana. Other
topi cs were the di fferent forms of
devotions; Krishna is the Supreme God of
Divine Love and Romance in union with
His consorts; the supreme consummatioin
of the blissful aspect of His swarupa-shakti,
the head of three principal shakties of the
Absolute. The Great Truths of the dialogue
are i mpl i ci t i n the causel ess and
spontaneous, l ove of Kri shna, not
actuated by any reference to the selfish
wishes of the devotees themselves, nor
due to the rules or commands of the
scriptures and owing nothing to gratitude
and moral obligation. The discourse of the
second night embodied mottos concerning
the Vaishnavite conception of learning,
happiness, sorrow, song, music, salvation,
the place or residence, etc. Sri Chaitanya
i s sai d to have reveal ed to Rai
Ramananda His Divine United Form of
Radha-Krishna. As the consequence of
this continued intercourse, Ramananda
grew indifferent to the splendour of his life
as Governor and to his great wealth and
was exceedingly sad at the thought of
separation from the Lord Who left on the
eleventh day.
Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu visited
Srirangam, head-quarters of Srivaishnavas and
stayed for four months in the house of a
Srivaishnava, Sri Venkata Bhatta by name to
observe Chaturmasya. Sri Gopala Bhatta
Goswami, one of the six Goswamis or Masters
of the Gaudiya Sampradaya was the son of
Venkata Bhatta. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu
inspired him and commanded him to go to Sri
Vrindavna and join Sri Rupa Goswami and Sri
Sanatana Goswami and assist them in the
mission with which they were entrusted by
Him.
THE GAUDIYA 5 DECEMBER 2012
Absol ute moni sts prefer the
conception of an undifferentiated Absolute
Spirit to the potential absolute, lest it
should come under the limitations of the
phenomenal cause-space-time world.
But there is a practical difficulty in
explaining the world and individuals,
either the possibility of their independent
existence, or their relation to the solitary
Absolute who knows no object either
inside or outsidebecause there is one
Truth and no other. It is really unbecoming
to impose modification, or, in other
words, imperfection, on the absolute
Brahman in order to explain the world.
In the commentary on the Vedanta
(II.1.24) your monistic exposition.
Kshiravat dravya svabhava visheshat:
As milk changes itself into curd, so God
transforms Himself into the world is
self-contradictory in two points. It
destroys the absol uteness of the
Brahman by maki ng Hi m l i abl e to
transformations which destroy it to give
rise to the world, as milk destroys its own
quality by becoming curd which cannot
again return to its former state. Secondly,
you tacitly admit objects other than the
Absolute to make it transform itself into
the world as milk requires warmth and
other elements to modify itself into curd.
Accordingly to Absolutist there is only one
Brahman without any subject and object,
to that Shankara without minimising his
positon as the absolute monist cannot
admit the element of otherness to explain
creation. By admitting the transformation
of Brahman to explain creation and at the
same time the conception of appearance
(Vivarta) to deny the reality of world and
save the position of Brahman as one,
Shankara destroys his own fundamental
basis and is open to the charge of
making Nirguna, Nirvisesha Brahman
liable to Guna or the limitation of the
world. Gods external potency is the
material cause of the world and God
need not be affected in anyway to create
the world of which He is merely the
unconnected Efficient Cause, or, in other
words, He simply energises His Potency
from which He is different in the sense
that rays are different from the sun and
can light the earth without bringing it
down. If the Brahman changes under the
force of necessity, it ceases to be
Brahman par excellence. So one would
neither impose modification nor posit,
not-self or otherness, by the side of the
Nirvisesha Brahman to explain the world,
in which case he must differ from all
Shrutis, and from his own fundamental
notion of the Brahman. To answer the
charge of self-inconsistency and to
explain the Upanishadic passages, the
Lord quoted, I will become many, I will
procreate. Shankara introduces two
Brahmans, one Nirguna and the other
Saguna, that is to say, Nirguna Brahman
is above subject and object as it is
Chinmatra, but when it deals with object
as subject in relation to the world, He
degrades Himself into Saguna Brahman,
whom Shankara calls Iswara, Who is
said to have combined the natures of
both being (Brahman) and becoming
VEDANTA SUTRAS
With the Achintya Bheda-Abheda Vada Commentary
GOVINDA BHASHYA
Srimad Bhakti Prajnan Yati Maharaj
(Contd. from November issue)
THE GAUDIYA 6 DECEMBER 2012
prakriti. Again he speaks of the identity
of Iswara and jiva by saying that they are
no more different being of whole, that is,
the Brahman, then the kingdom of
Magadha and Videha belonging to the
same world. Iswara is made a mediating
principle between the Brahman and the
world. It is related both to the Brahman
on the one hand and also to the object-
world on the other, so far as it is liable to
limitation. Indeterminate Brahman
becomes determinate Iswara in order to
be the cause of the world. This Iswara
conception of the Brahman is brought
by the introductiion of Maya and Avidya.
The former has been applied to transform
the Brahman into Iswara and the other
to change it into jiva. The Brahman and
Maya are combined together tofashion
the world. Shankara could not give any
tangible place to Maya in relation to God
except that it is the limiting adjunct or
Upadhi of the Brahman. The Brahman is
said to appear to be jiva by reflection in
Maya, which is illusory and not real, but
is necessary for the appearance of the
world which is actually not-being or false
in an absoluteless sense. The reflection
of the Brahman in Maya or in Avidya to
appear to be Iswara and jiva gives rise to
further difficulties because the Brahman
is formless and absoluteless and beyond
subject and object, so it cannot reflect,
nor does Maya or Avidya exist as a
second entity either within or without
because then the Brahman has to
compromise. If Maya or the jiva is not
real, the position of the Brahman as that
of absoluteness is not permanently
destroyed, because Iswara Brahman or
Jiva Brahman is really the Nirguna
Brahman in the ultimate sense. As when
the sides and bottom of a box or a jar are
removed, the space so limited is merged
in infinite space. So the jiva when the
limitations of adjuncts of Avidya were done
away with, the jiva becomes one with the
absolute Brahman. As the space within
a j ar cannot be ri ghtl y cal l ed the
modification of cosmic space because
they are essentially same, so the jivas
are not really the modification of the
Brahman, but the Brahman itself. This
Maya limiting Upadhi or adjuncts is no
more real than to mistake a piece of rope
for a snake. Jivas are there so long as
the mistake of the Brahman for jivas or
limiting self persisits. You quoted
Shankaras commentary of Tattvamasi,
Aham Brahmasmi (1.Vedanta Sutra
IV.1.30) etc. to show the ultimate identity
of the Brahman and jiva. Shankara
attributes the world of appearance and
experience including that of Iswara to
Avidya. Bhashya on Brahma Sutra
(11.1.14). But how is that possible? How
can we be forced to believe the possibility
of transformation of Brahman which
Avidya causes, when there is nothing
besides the Brahman alone? The
essence of Mayavadism may be thus
summed up, that Maya is the limiting
adj unct of Iswara, who i s the
transformati on of the Brahman i n
association with Maya, is made up of
Sattvaguna and helps Iswara in creating
multiplicities, and deludes individuals into
the false belief that they, are independent
and separate entities. Thus it affects the
individual by virtue of her aspect called
Avidya; in other words the Brahman
when associated with Maya, is called
Iswara, and when with Avidya is jiva. The
difference between Maya and Avidya,
Iswara or personal or degraded Brahman
has no absolute meaning. The name and
form of the world is the effect of Iswara
or Brahman in association with Prakriti
and Maya. Moksha means the
dissolution of illusion which Avidya
constitutes by deluding the individual into
THE GAUDIYA 7 DECEMBER 2012
believing that they are different from
Brahman, or which gives rise to duality.
Moksha is the return of the individual to
become one with the Brahman, which is
the one and only reality; so all apparent
realities with which individuals identify
themselves are mere illusion; so is the
world. To the liberated one the space-
time-cause world with all distinctions of
individuals, Iswara and so on is nothing
but oneness of the Brahman. Moksha is
pure knowledge in which both subject and
object merge and lose their identities.
The Shvetashvataropanishad says:
The jiva is like the finest of the fine end
of a hair and is yet fit to remain immortal
(V.9). Sri Krishna has said in the Gita
Jiva is My fragment and eternal (XV.7).
The Kathopani shad says
Nityonityanam etc. Those really wise
persons and none else can obtain eternal
peace, who by virtue of their devotion, see
within themselves God as Paramatma
(the Monitor-Soul) Who is the Chief
Eternal among all eternals and the Chief
Sentient among all sentient beings, and
Who, one among the many, fulfils their
desires (II.2.13). Is this not a fully
sufficient refutation of the false doctrine
of the integral oneness of soul, which is
only an individual, with the Single
Brahman? Is not this aphorism an
unambiguous proof of the plurality of
individual souls? In the eighth part of
Chandogya, there is ample reference to
the obtaining of Brahma-loka by the jivas
when free from Maya, but never an inkling
of the much advertised oneness.
Our Lord (Sri Chai tanya
Mahaprabhu) protested agai nst
Shankara s vi ew that the hi ghest
Brahman may be degraded into lower
Iswara through association with Maya.
Iswara s Body i s made of pure
existence, and intelligence, therefore it is
blasphemous to cause Him to lapse into
Sattva-guna or quality of Maya. It is no
God if God is put under adjuncts. All the
Upanishads agree in:
1. Shankaras Bhashya on the Vedanta
II.1.6
2. Shankaras Bhashya on Chand.
Up.II.14.2
saying that Iswara is, or Brahman
is Nirvikara, devoid of transformation.
Our Lord said that those who do not
believe in the etrnal, untransformable
transcendental Body of Iswara are
punishable by death and those are
untouchable and unworthy of being seen.
Vyasas Sutra admits the theory of the
transformation of Shakti and not of her
locus, God, in order to give rise to the
world. God remains unaffected by the
modification of His Shakti in the same
way as the Mani or Philosophers stone
produces gol d whi l e i t remai ns
unmodified. You have established the
theory of Vivarta or unreal existence by
your mental speculations and the fanciful
interpretations of the Vedanta, charging
Vyasa, i ts author, wi th the error.
Individuals are wrong in so far as they
identify their selves with their body. The
world is not illusory as you think, but real,
though it is subject to change. The
difference between God and individuals
is a real one. They are not identical as
you imagine. The difference between
them lies in the fact that one is Lord of
Maya and the other is subjugated to
Maya. The Gita recognises jivas as the
power of God but you call them identical
with Him. Shakti is different from
Shaktiman, Who possesses Shakti. Our
Lord quoted two verses from the Gita
(VII.4,5), in support of His statement,
Earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, buddhi
and ahamkara or the empirical ego
these eight are My prakriti which are
THE GAUDIYA 8 DECEMBER 2012
different from Me. Oh, Arjuna! My Apara-
Prakriti (the eightfold modification of which
I have told you) is Jada (inanimate).
Know that I have got a Prakriti, which as
individuals fills the world.
Therefore, God and His potency or
jivas, who emanate from His potency, are
inconceivably different and non-different
at one and the same time, in the same
way as sparks are related to fire or rays
to the sun. They are neither absolutely
different nor absolutely non-different from
each other. As the spakrs are luminous
like fire, so jivas are identical with God in
so far as they participate in the spiritual
nature of God; sparks are not the fire itself
nor are rays the sun, so jivas are not God.
God is Infinite and the Lord of Maya, His
Bahiranga Shakti. He is free from the
contamination of Maya even as the
perfect light is free from darkness. But
jiva is Anu or atomic and consequently
liable to come under Upadhi or adjunct
of Maya. Both jivas and God are real in
the absolute sense, by which we should
not mean that they are two independent
realities, antagonistic to each other, nor
contradict the Upanishadic
1. Mundaka Upanishad II.1.19;
Svetaswatara Upanishad V.8,9
sayings that there is only one reality, for
the Supreme Real i ty i ncapabl e of
activities or accommodating relative
absolutes within Himself. Absolute
Reality is infinitely potential and can
supply energy to make His potency
workabl e and make room for i ts
products. Jivas are the products or
modi fi cati ons of Hi s Ji va-maki ng
Tatastha-shakti, who can share the spot
and enjoyment of the Absolute because
of their spiritual character which they have
by virtue of their emanation from the
Para-shakti of God.
Next, our Lord took up the question
that a few Shruti aphorisms such as: (i)
Sarvam Khalvidam Brahma It is wholly
Brahman i.e., every phenomenon or
nomenon, the animate or the inanimate
world, is Brahman, (ii) Nehananasti-
kinchina there are no diversities; (iii)
Prajnanam Brahma full wisdom of
Brahman; (iv) Tattvamasi Thou art that;
(v) Aham Brahmasmi I am Brahman;
(vi) Kena kam pashyet to see whom
with what?; (vii) Ekam eva advitiyam
there is only one without a second etc.
and claim that these vindicate their stand.
But they forget that there are in the Vedas
no less numerous aphorisms speaking
against them viz. 1. Brahmavidapnoti
param one who realises Brahman
attains summum-bonum of life; 2.
Satyam jnanam brahmanavipaschita
Brahman is eternal Source of all wisdom
is unbounded, he who finds Brahman
exists in his heart as in the world beyond
this, he gets his objects fulfilled with the
all wisdom of Brahman; 3. Ayamatma
sarvesham bhutam madhu thi s
Paramatma is like honey or nectar to all
beings; 4. Tamdhuragrayam purusham
mahantam the wise discribes Him as
the initial cause and the highest entity,
etc. Those latter quite clearly indicates
that He Brahman alone is the Highest
and there are other jivas whose function
is to know Him through eternal service
to Him. Thus distinction (bheda) is
established.
Our Lord further said Pranava (Om
: a-u-m) is the mahavakya and is the
Body of Iswara. This mahavakya
Pranava speaks of the di fference
between God and individuals. When both
difference and identity are admitted the
former is more pronounced than the
latter.
(to be contd......)
THE GAUDIYA 9 DECEMBER 2012
Sri Sukadeva Goswami while giving
the Bhagavata discourse to Sri Parikshit
Maharaj, said thus: Once a great
number of Rishis assembled on the bank
of the river Saraswati, for performing a
Yajna. While they met together, there
rose a question, most baffling, regarding
who was the Supreme among Brahma,
Vishnu and Shiva. Most revered rishi Sri
Bhrigu Muni, the son of Brahma was also
present there. The assembled rishis
finally asked Bhrigu Muni, Oh Munivara!
Kindly let us know who is the Supreme
among Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. This
we want to know from your holy lips and
your declaration will be our final decision.
On hearing such a question from
the rishis, Bhrigu Muni siad that he would
like to prove the fact by his personal
experience after contacting each of
them, and therefore he should be
permitted to allow some time. So with
their permission he left the place leaving
the quetion un-answered until his return.
First of all he went to Brahmaloka to meet
his father, Brahma. Bhrigu Muni straight
entered into the chamber of his father
but forgot to pay his due prostration to
him at which Brahma felt insulted and
suddenly became roused to anger like
fire for the improper behaviour of his son.
At this Bhrigu left the place and directly
went to Kailash to meet Shiva. Shiva
noticing at a distance his brother, Bhrigu
coming, ran with great joy to welcome
him. But Bhrigu mistook his action and
negligently said: Dont touch me, you
are untouchable, as you are always
staying with ghosts, pishachas and your
body is full of unauspicious ashes; dont
touch me. Shiva could not tolerate this
insult, so became furious, and took his
weapon, Maha-Trishula with a view to kill
him. But fortunately Sri Durga Devi was
present there, she caught-hold him and
prevented him by praying thus: Oh my
Lord! Be pacified. Bhrigu Muni is your
brother. So how can you kill him? At
this incident Bhrigu Muni immediately left
the place and straight went to Vaikuntha-
loka and saw Bhagavan Sri Narayana
lying with His eternal consort Sri Lakshmi
Devi by His side.
Bhrigu Muni, seeing the behaviours
of Brahma and Shi va, was much
perturbed in his mind. Here again seeing
Sri Narayana lying without giving any
response to his presense, he lost his
temper as his body was burning with
anguish; he directly entered into the
chamber of the Lord and kicked on His
(Vishnus) Breast. But lo, Bhagavan Sri
Hari immediately got up and seeing
Bhrigu Muni there stood up with folded
palms, Lakshmi Devi by His side, as if
he considered Himself as an offender of
Bhrigu Muni. Bhagavan Sri Hari Who is
the sustainer of the whole universe and
the devotees and the destroyer of the
Asuras said to Bhrigu, Oh Munivara! I
am sorry, I knew not your presence here,
I am happy to meet you here, you are
the Tirtha-swarupa; mind not that you
kicked Me on My Breast; I will keep your
foot sign on My Breast forever, to feel it
as My pleasure.
At this Bhrigu was surprised and felt
ashamed. He contrasted repeatedly the
conduct of Brahma and Shiva and felt in
his heart of hearts that there was no
other God than Vishnu to be considered
as the Supreme. Bhrigu Muni humbly
Lord Wears Bhakta Pada-chihna
Sripad Nityananda Brahmachari
THE GAUDIYA 10 DECEMBER 2012
prayed His pardon and exclaimed,
Now I come to the proper answer to the
question that was put to me by the Rishis
regarding the Supremacy of one among
the three of you. It is none but You, Sri
Vishnu, Who is the Supreme.
Bhrigu Muni came back to the place
where the Rishis were performing the
Yajna and before them he narrated all
about the events that he came across in
the course of his visit to the three worlds
viz., Brahma-loka, Shiva-loka and
Vaikuntha-loka. He concluded his
speech saying Sri Vishnu is the
Supreme Lord, He is the Cause of all
causes and the God of all gods. He is
the Sustainer of the whole world; and all
like Brahma, Shiva and others are
subordinate to Him. Then all the Rishis
were pleased to listen to the fact from
the holy lips of the Bhrigu Muni. Now the
dispute was finally settled and they
began to worship the Supreme Lord, Sri
Vishnu.
[N.B.: In this Bhrigus purpose to
take such a course was with a view to
telling the world to know the Supremacy
of Vishnu which is Universal. So by
taking such a course he had not met with
any offence either at the feet of Brahma
or Shiva nor at the Feet of Sri Hari by
kicking on His Breast that was done
entirely with a spirit of service.]
T
Hare Krishna hare krishna krishna krishna hare hare |
hare rama hare rama rama rama hare hare ||
Sri Sri Radha Govind
THE GAUDIYA 11 DECEMBER 2012
(Contd. from November issue)
Absolute God Realisation
through the process of
Vishuddha Bhakti Yoga
Sripad Bhakti Saurabh Narayan Maharaj
These are also called as the Chit
Shakti, Maya Shakti and Tatastha Shakti.
Chit Shakti serves the Lord in His
transcendental abode Vaikuntha Dhama,
Maya Shakti works as the Presiding
Enti ty of the mundane sphere, i n
controlling and chastising the fallen jiva
souls. From the Marginal Potency infinite
number of jiva souls are produced. As
these j i vas cannot remai n on the
demarcating line, they have to move on
either of thesides for their existence.
DIFFERENT DEGREE OF
GOD-REALISATION
By the process of Jnana Marga, the
Supreme is realised as the all-pervading
divine light Brahma Jyoti, which is the
bodily hue of the Lord. This is known as
the imperfect realisation of God. By the
eightfold process of Yoga Marga, the Lord
is realised as the thumb-sized Vishnu-
Murti i n the heart, known as the
Paramatma. Thi s i s the parti al
realisation of God. By the process of
transcendental Bhakti -Yoga, the
complete Personality of the Lord is
realised as Lord Krishna, the Possessor
of opulence, valour, glory, beauty,
knowledge and abnegation in their
absolute fullness. Therefore, Lord
Kri shna i s known as Swayam
Bhagavan. He is the Source of all the
Divine Descents and Manifestations.
ANIMATE AND INANIMATE
OBJECTS
Srimad Bhagavad Gita explains that,
earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind,
intellect and ego are the eight kinds of
the inert elements of the material energy,
by the combination of which all the inert
objects become created. Jivas are
created from the conscious energy
known as the Marginal Potency, which is
superior to the inert matter. Shandilya
Bhakti Sutras say that, the enti re
mundane world is constituted of only two
kinds of basic principles known as the
sentience (spirit) and inanimate (matter).
While the matter is devoid of, freewill,
cognition and volition, God has provided
a smll amount of Knowledge, freedom
and activating power to the individual
jivas. The size of the individual spirit is
infinitesimal, their qualities too are
endowed with the ability to weild the
material sphere. God is comparable to
the blazing fire, whereas jivas are like the
infinite number of tiny sparks coming out
of that fire. External Potency Maya is like
the smoke arising out of that blazing fire.
These tiny sparks which opt to fly away
from the source happen to lose their
lustre and become dull due to the
covering of the smoke. Similarly, the jivas
which become averse to the Lord, due
to their selfish desire for enjoyment
become entangled in the clutches of the
external potency Maya and happen to be
subjected to the punishment of repeated
birth, death, old age, disease, rebirth etc.
As the living entities are constitutionally
the eternal servants of the Supreme Lord,
THE GAUDIYA 12 DECEMBER 2012
they are eternally duty-bound to offer
loving service to the Lord. Devotional
service to the Lord makes the jivas free
from grief, fear and death; whereas
engrossment with Maya is punished by
inflicting upon them grief, fear, death and
endless other afflictions. After their
creation on the marginal line between the
spiritual abode and the mundane sphere,
those who opted to serve the Lord
proceeded towards the spiritual abode
Vaikuntha Loka. These servitor souls are
known as the Mukta Jivas or absolutely
free souls. Those who defaulted and
entered the mundane region without
serving the Lord, became bound by
nescience and entered into the endless
cycle of repeated births and deaths, by
forgetting their own real nature. These
are known as the Baddha Jivas or the
fallen souls.
SUBJECT MATTER OF THE VEDAS
For the welfare and deliverance of
the fallen jivas, the Lord has provided the
self-evident divine knowledge in the form
of invaluble Vedas, which provide the
trheefoold fundamental information in the
form of. 1. The knowl edge of
relationship Sambandha Jnana between
God, jivas and matter, 2. the knowledge
of spiritual Means Abhidheya Jnana
(Pure Devotion) to go back to the
Supreme Lord and 3. the knowledge of
the ultimate Goal Prayojana Jnana,
which is Krishna Prema or Divine Love,
the infinite wealth of absolute bliss and
eternal well being. As compared to this
weal th of Di vi ne Love, al l other
auspicious things of this world are as
insignificant as a speek of dust. Those
who care for the real well being should
therefore, utilise their entire life span to
achieve this Krishna-Prema-Bhakti,
through, good conduct, holy company,
devotional performances, by the sincere
study of Srimad Bhagavatam, by being
free from all-that is anti-godly. Two kinds
of methods have gained prominence in
this world, for the search of truth. They
are known as the inductive logic (aroha
vada) and deductive logic (avaroha
vada). In the name of seeking the truth,
those who adopt the defective process
of inductive logic shall become misled to
the wrong conclusions such as,
monism, nihilism, atheism, pantheism,
elevationism, salvationism, optimism,
pessimism etc. Only by adopting the
worthy process of deductive logic, one
will reach to the true path of realism and
shall be enabled to follow pure devotion
in holy association.
BHAGAVATA DHARMA FOR
UNIVERSAL WELL BEING
The mundane world wherein we live
at present, neither belongs to us in
anyway, nor do we belong to this mortal
world forever. It is quite unintelligible to
the mundane scholars that, - why at all
we have come to this world? Where
from have we come? Where shall we
go after this life? What is the goal of life?
Where can we get real solace? How to
overcome fear and death? Which is the
path of real well being? etc. Every
sensible person can understand that, by
securing the grace of God, we can
overcome the endl ess mundane
sufferings. Now the question is that, how
to secure the grace of the Lord? While
everything of this world is transitory,
changeable and destructible, the Bhakti,
Bhakta and Bhagavan are eternal and
immortal principles, as they transcend the
limitations of time, space and mundanity.
The process that connects the Bhakta
(devotee) and Bhagavan (the Lord) is
known as the Bhagavata Dharma, which
THE GAUDIYA 13 DECEMBER 2012
generates Divine Love in the hearts of
sincere devotees. In the name of religion,
innumerable dogmas and doctrines are
formulated in this world, by the various
thinkers of different regions. In essence,
the true religion teaches the worthy
conduct of, absolute love towards the
Supreme Lord, brotherl y affecti on
towards al l the l i vi ng bei ngs, and
balanced detachment towards the
material world. Nothing contrary to these
three principles can be called as religon.
Other than the Bhagavata Dharma, most
of the thoughts prevailing in this world in
the name of religion happen to be
irreligion, anti-religion, seeming religion,
shadowy religion etc. An insight into them
mostly reveals about their ignorance about
the Supreme Lord, committing violence
against animals and human beings,
selfishness, narrow-mindedness,
opportunism, etc. How such corrupted
dogmas can achieve universal well
being? How can they lead you to God?
Such thi ngs shal l si mpl y create
controversy among human beings and
just lead their followers to hell. When we
learn about the utmost necessity of
realising the Supreme Lord, now the
question arises as to how can we
proceed in right direction by adopting a
result-oriented right path that can bestow
complete success within a shortest
possible duration, through a most natural
process which should be feasible to all
of us, in all our varied situations of life-
span. Sri Bhagavata Dharma is the only
answer to such a worthy query. Any other
process may be useful, as long as it
absol utel y fol l ows the Bhagavata
philosophy, as mentioned earlier.
CONTROVERSY AMONG
SCHOLARS
As the pure spirit is transcendental
and self-effulgent, it has nothing to do
wi th the human senses, sense-
perception and sense-objects. The pure
spirit is beyond all kinds of worldly
controversies that arise out of the
defective perception of the fallen human
beings, under the influence of the triple
mundane qualities. The defective vision
of the worl dl y mi nded schol ars i s
responsi bl e for the controversi es
regarding the reality in the form of yes or
no, good or bad, qualified or unqualified,
true or false etc. In fact, all these worldly
arguments are quite meaningless,as they
arise due to the ignorance about the
spirit, as well as they arise out of
misguidance like the happenings in a
dream. Even though such controversies
are meaningless, the worldly people can
never reti re from such worthl ess
arguments, due to the offence of their
aversion towards Me (the Lord). They fail
to grasp the realilty, due to the darkness
of nescience. Lord Krishna is the all-
effulgent Spiritual Sun, whereas the Maya
is deep darkness. One can transcend
the darkness of nescience, only by
moving towards Lord Krishna.
Sri Viswanatha Chakravarti Thakur
says that, even the scriptural scholars,
who are expected to dispel doubts and
to ascertain the facts of reality, engage
in endless arguments regarding the
absolute reality. While some people think
this world to be real, the other declare
that it is false, and keep on reputing the
view of others. All these controversies
are the result of ignorance about the spirit
as well as about the Lord. A self-realised
person shall never engage in such
arguments. The events of directing ones
attention towards the worthless objects
show their secondary affinity as well as
the lack of devotion to the Supreme Lord.
Most of them spend their time in refuting
THE GAUDIYA 14 DECEMBER 2012
the views of others. This type of dialectic
tnedency is quite fruitless, as it simply
strives to establish or refute the transient
principles like virtue and sin, heaven and
hell etc. They never retire from such futile
exercises. This is due to the misleading
nature of the external potency that
influences their intellects. In the hymn of
Prajapati to the Lord also (Bh.6.4.31) we
fi nd, those who put forth thei r
contenton regardi ng the endl ess
potencies of the Supreme Lord, tend to
di ffer wi th others argument and
consequently get bewildered due to their
mutual discordance. This shows that,
mundane i ntel l i gence fai l s to
comprehend about the divine potencies.
All these innumerable diverse potencies
remai n i n absol ute harmony, i n
compliance with the order of the Lord.
The pity is that, even after coming in touch
wi th the devoti onal path of God-
realisation, after spending innumerable
births in this mortal world, unfortunate
people fail to tread this royal path, due to
their own aversion to Lord Krishna. The
essential purport of the Vedas is to follow
the path of God-realisation. Even the
scholars who adopt this path in the
beginning, when engage in mutual
contention tend to become bewildered
and cherish aversion to the Lord. The
merciful glnce of the Lord ever protects
and graces His dedicated devotees. The
loving devotees of the Lord never engage
in any kind of controversy. They fruitfully
spend their life spans, only in the thoughts
and service of the Lord, without engaging
in the worthless analysis of the worldly
matters.
SCRIPTURES ORDAIN GOD-
CONSCIOUSNESS
Considering the tragic down fall of
the living beings due to their age-long
aversion towards the Supreme Lord, the
merciful divine scriptures instruct the
humanity to adopt devotional path and to
serve the Supreme Lord. Those who are
fortunate of practising devotional life in
their previous births, and those who have
attained the causless mercy of God-
realised saints, the both category of
worthy people when happen to listen to
the glory of the Supreme Lord, shall
become attached towards the Lord and
they realise His presence within their own
hearts. Srimad Bhagavatam declares it,
in the following words --
This Srimad Bhagavatam is the
crest jewel among the Divine Scriptures.
Dedicated listening of this holy book by
the competent devotees results in the
arresting of the Supreme Lord in the
hearts of such affectionate devotees;
hence, what is the need of hearing any
other literature?
(to be contd..... )
Sri Madan Gopal Dev
THE GAUDIYA 15 DECEMBER 2012
Sages, Saints and Seers
Sri K.S. Ramaswami Sastri
Three stories contained in Valmikis
Ramayana are very important. Tataka
and her son Maricha attacked Agastya.
He cursed them to become Rakshasas.
They were killed by Rama.
In chapter XIV of the poem Rama
and Sita and Lakshmana are described
as goi ng to Agastyas hermi tage
(Ashrama). Valmiki says: All the Gods
are there. No liar or cruel person or rogue
or lewed person can live there. All who
are there live with controlled appetites
and follow Dharma. The high-souled
persons who have gone to heaven with
new and divine bodies come in their flying
cars. The Gods who are worshipped
there give godhood and soverignty to the
worshippers. Agastya gave Rama
Vishnus divine bow and divine arrows
and an ever-full quiver of arrows. When
Khara broke Ramas bow in two, Rama
used the above bow of Vishnu to kill
Khara.
Another incident in the life of Agastya
is equally wonderful. Certain demons
called Kalakeyas headed by Vritrasura
attacked Indra and the other Gods. Indra
killed Vritra. But the Kalakeyas hid
themseves in the ocean and used to
come out in the night and kill people.
None could fight them in the night and
conquer them. Then God Narayana told
the Gods only Agastya can drink up
the ocean. At the request of the gods,
Agastya drank up the ocean. Thereupon
the Gods fought the demons who could
not hide themselves in the ocean any
longer. Later on the ocean became filled
wi th water when the Ganges was
(Contd. from November issue )
brought from heaven to the earth by
Bhageeratha (the story occurs in the
Vana Parva of the Mahabharata).
On another occasion the Devas
(gods) were defeated and driven out of
heaven by the Asuras (Demons). At their
request the fire issuing from Agastyas
form destroyed the demons and restored
heaven to the Gods. (This incident is
described in the Anusasana parva of the
Mahabharata).
Once upon a time God Indra killed
Vi swarupa and Vri tra who were
Brahmanas. Owing to this sin he had to
leave his throne and hid himself in a
white lotus in an island. King Nahusha,
who had performed 100 Ashvamedha
sacrifices, was installed as Indra. But
Indras Queen Indrani alias Sachi was
desirous that Indra should come back.
She found him after search. Indra told
her I cannot dispalce this new Indra
unless he commits a great sin. If he
asks you to become his queen, ask him
to come in a palanquin borne by the
seven great Rishis. She did so. The
Nahusha went to her i n such a
palanquin. One of the sages was
Agastya. As he was of a diminutive size,
he could not go fast. Nahusha was in a
hurry and kicked him and cried out
sarpa, sarpa (go fast, go fast). Agastya
thereupon cursed him become a
sarpa (serpent). Nahusha then fell down
to the earth and became a hill-snake.
Once upon a time, Indradyumna, a
king was doing penance in the Malaya
Mountain. When Agastya came to him,
he did not show respect to him. Agastya
said You behave like an elepbhant.
THE GAUDIYA 16 DECEMBER 2012
Become an elephant. The king became
an elephant. The elephent was one day
caught by a crocodile and prayed to God
Vishnu for protection. God Vishnu slew
the crocodile and saved the elephant.
(This story occurs in the eighth skandha
of the Bhagavata as the story of the
Gajendra-Moksha). The story reveals
the matchless potency of devotion
(bhakti).
On one occasion Agastya went to
the palace of king Bhadrasva and queen
Kantimati and stayed for seven days
there. On each day he spoke highly
about the queen. The king asked why
he did so. Agastya said In her former
birth Kantimati was a servent in a rich
mans house. On dwadashi day in the
month of Aipasi (........), the rich man
asked her to keep the lights burning all
through the night in a temple. She
dutifully did so. That was why she is now
a queen and you are a king. Agastya
then taught that vow to them. They
fulfilled the vow and obtained the grace
of God Vishnu. (This story occurs in the
Vayupurana.)
In the Setu Mahatmaya there is an
incident relating to Agastya. One
Dushpanya was the l ast son of a
merchant named Pecuman who lived at
Patalipuram. The young man had a very
si nful and evi l and murderous
propensities and killed many babies.
The king banished him from the kingdom.
Dushpanya went to the forest and seized
the child of Rishi Ugrasravas and
drowned it. The Rishi thereupon cursed
him to die of drowining and become a
ghost and wander in extreme suffering.
The curse took effect. After repenting
for his sins and wandering for a long time
in agony, he went to Agastya and prayed
for relief. Agastya asked his disciple
Suteekshna to bathe in the Agni Teertha
in holy Gandhamadana hill and bring
water from there and sprinkle it on the
ghost. Suteekshna did so. Thereupon
Dushpanya ceased to be a ghost and
went in a divine form to Devaloka
(heaven).
In the Tamil Nadu, there is an
ancient tradition that there were three
Sangams (Assemblies of Scholars) and
that Agastya was member of the first two
assembl i es and l i ved i n pethi yi l
mountain. He is called in Tamil works
as Kuru Muni (short sage) as he was of
a diminutive size. It is said that his Tamil
grammer related to literature, music and
drama (Iyal, Isai, Natakam) succintly
called Muthamizh (three fold Tamil). It
has been lost. The earliest available Tamil
grammar Thol kappi am whi ch was
written by Tholkappiar, who was one of
the twelve disciples of Agastya. Agastya
is a highly venerated figure in Tamil Nadu.
There are some Temples in his honour.
The supreme Tamil poet Kamban calls
him Tamizhamuni (the great Tamil Sage)
in his Kamba-ramayanam and refers in
it to his Tamil Sangam. Another great
Tami l poet named Vi l l i puthooren
describes in his Sharatem that the Tamil
language is the beautiful divine maidan
given by Agastya (Agathian payantha
senchol aranangu).
(to be contd.......)
God is the Emporium of all-
bliss, all-knowledge, and no acts of
nescience or ignorance are to be
associated with Him, and we
should not seek after any fruit for
our worldly purpose, leaving Him
aside.
THE GAUDIYA 17 DECEMBER 2012
Sri Krishna
Sri C. Gopinatham
(Contd. from November issue)
Then again, Nanda was the master
of innumerable cows, which Nanda had
been tending and bringing up for the
Divine Service. On Sri Krishna Jayanti
Day, Nanda gifted away two lakhs of
cows to pious and learned Brahmins in
honour of Sri Krishnas Birth.
Who are these cows? Were they
the ordinary animals, or was there any
Divinity in them? The answer is that they
were not the ordinary animals which
Nanda was bringing up for the sake of
money-making. The cows of Brindavana
are the descendants of Surabhi Devi of
Goloka, who is the presiding Deity of all
cows, of all cow creation. A description
of this Goddess Surabhi is given in
Chapter 47 of Brahma Vaivarta Purana,
Prakriti Khandam. The cow is the most
important created being instrumental in
the performance of Yajnas. Her milk, her
curds, her butter, her ghee are essential
for Homas and for Yajnas, and for the
service of the Yajna Purusha, the
Parabrahman. Such bei ng the
importance of the cow, it is no wonder
that the i nnumerabl e cows at
Brindavana, with Nanda as their lord,
should have come down from Goloka,
to do servi ce to the Supreme
Parabrahman at Brindavana, by means
of their milk, their curds, their butter and
their ghee, which constituted the real
Naivedya for Sri Krishna Parabrahman
during the eleven years stay at Gokula
and Brindavana. We are all familiar with
the scientific properties of the cows milk,
her butter and ghee, which are well
known for developing the intellect and
Buddhi and keeping them clear.
That the cows of Bri ndavana
incarnated with their essence of Goloka,
is indicated in the Coronation Chapter 27
of Poorva Skandham. It is described
therein, that Surabhi Devi came down
from Goloka, and anointed Sri Krishna
as the Lord of the cows, for their
protecti on agai nst the destructi ve
campaign of king Kamsa. In stanza 18
of the same chapter, Surabhi Devi
distinctly refers to Sri Krishna as having
come down (from Goloka) with her own
descendants (cows) and assumed the
form of Gopala for their protection, and
that He was the only Refuge for them,
against the destructive forces, deputed
by Kamsa for thei r destructi on.
Consequently, Surabhi Devi anoints Sri
Krishna as the Lord of the cows and the
Gopalas and Gopis of Brindavana, who
came down similarly from Goloka and
incarnated at Brindavana for rendering
services to the Lord of Goloka, Who was
in their midst.
The other important souls in the
incarnation of these Brindavana cows
were certai n Ri shi s of Sri
Ramachandras time, who had a boon
from Sri Ramachandra during that
Incarnation. That boon, by which the
Rishis wished to render personal service
to the Parabrahman, had been granted
to them, and it was to take effect during
Sri Krishnavatara. The Rishis incarnated
in the form of the Brindavana cows, along
with the souls of the Goloka cows, and
thus their boon was fulfilled. The
Bri ndavana-cows thus formed a
combination, is invaluable and too
THE GAUDIYA 18 DECEMBER 2012
(to be continued....)
precious to be described adequately.
The function of the Rishi is to perform
disinterested penance always and to
offer it to the Parabrahman. He has no
personal interest, or attachment or any
desire for the fruit of his penance. He
does it for the welfare and benefit of the
world and its creation. The Rishis
constitute the fundamental spiritual
elements of the Brahmanda and its
i nhabi tants. They consti tute the
fundamental stay and support and the
main spiritual food of the Parabrahman,
which exists through the Universe, by
offering their disinterested Tapas to the
Paratpara. As I have already pointed out,
we have seen how the cow is essential
for the Rishis, the performance of yajnas
and how it supplies the necessary
material for the spiritual food, the
Yajnabhagam, the Havirbhagam, at the
yajnas performed in honour of the Yajna
Purusha. It is impossible to describe the
force and efficacy of such an invaluable
boon granted to the cow-Rishis of
Brindavana. The cows of Brindavana,
constantly grazed and protected by the
Supreme Lord of Goloka, at the holiest
forests of the place, had the excellent
fortune of secreting their milky penance
and offering the same for the benefit of
the Sanatana Parabrahman of Goloka.
They were thus enabled to offer at one
and the same time, both their penance
and their milk to the Parama Purusha
and thus acqui re eternal and
unchangeable Nectarine Bliss directly
from the Lord of Goloka. Of the five forms
of Bhakti of Brindavana, it was Santa
Bhava that was taught to these Rishi-
cows. That the cows of Brindavana had
also the Rishi souls in them, is referred
to in Bhagavata, at two places, viz.: 1.
Stanza 24, chapter-1, when Brahma, the
Creator, makes the announcement of the
Avatara Purusha. The Rishis will be born
as cows for the purpose of rendering
service to Lord. 2. Chapter 13, stanza
39 of X canto. When Brahma carries off
the calves and Gopalas and conceals
them for a year, Sri Kri shna
Parabrahman transforms Himself into
innumerable calves and Gopalas in place
of those carried away by Brahma. One
day, just before Brahma reappeared
after concealment, Lord Balarama, Who
happened to be with Lord Sri Krishna,
was struck with the unusual affection of
the cows towards the weaned calves,
and of the elderly Gopalas towards boys
of Hi s age. Lord Bal adeva was
pondering over it in wonderment, when,
lo! to His surprise, He saw, through His
Divine Vision, that all the weaned calves
and the Gopakumaras of Their equal age
appeared to Him like so many Sri
Krishnas. He now understood how Sri
Krishna played this mystery through His
Yoga-maya.
This was the first and foremost
service rendered by the Rishi-cows of
Brindavana, for the service of the
Almighty Parabrahman. Veda Vyasa and
his Rishi disciples, invoked and attracted
the Sanatana Parabrahman of Goloka,
from His Highest plane, to the earthly
plane, by means of their Vedic Hymns
and Mantras, and thei r spri ti ual
meditation and concentration. They and
the vari ous cl asses of Devarshi s,
Brahmarshis and Rajarshis began to
maintain and nourish the Descended
Parabrahman, by means of thei r
disinterested, austere and pure service
which they offered to the Parabrahman.
The Cow-Rishis of Brindavana offered
the Dravyayajna, the purest milk, the
purest butter and the purest curds.
THE GAUDIYA 19 DECEMBER 2012
SECRET OF SUCCESS IN BHAKTI PATH
Sri Gopal Das
The teachings of ones Gurudev
clearly inform us about our real nature.
Every human being by nature is an
eternal servant of Lord Krishna. It is to
establish the human beings relationship
with God or to establish the relationship
of the Jivatma with the Paramatma this
coveted human birth has been gifted by
God.
During the millions of births in the
lower species we were unaware of the
existence of the soul in the body. It is only
after getting the human birth we were all
aware of the fact that there is a soul
residing not only in the human body, but
also in all the lower species of germs,
flies, birds, animals and all the trees,
plants etc..
Therefore having come to know
about the soul residing in the body, we
are all born as human beings, but we
have to transform ourselves into spiritual
beings. A human being is a spiritual
being. So do not reduce yourself into a
physical being any more, running after
creature comforts. You are no longer a
creature. You have to inculcate or
cultivate Divine comforts which are
eternal and everlasting. When one
concentrates on obtai ni ng Di vi ne
comforts then the worldly sensual
comforts which you had been enjoying
hitherto will be like a drop in the ocean.
When you identify yourself with the
soul in the body, which is always awake,
you too will begin to keep awake always.
Bhakta Gopi s of Sri Dham
Vrindaban were looking after their
husbands, parents and children during
the day and all throughout the night they
were running after Lord Krishna.
In the sacred book Sri Chaitanya
Charitamritam it is said that five hundred
years ago the Goswamis of Sri Dham
Vrindaban, were doing concentrated
bhajan everyday for twenty two and a half
hours. They were unabl e to do
concentrated bhajan for the remaining
one and a half hours, because they had
to attend to the daily necessities in life,
like bath, food, rest etc., Therefore to
gain success in bhakti path one must do
constant Bhajan day and night. When
one starts doing bhajan in this way it
means one is working to his full potency.
That is, one is making the best use of
the time at his disposal and so the
staunch devotees of God are the busiest
people in the world.
The human body i s the most
sophisticated, the most complicated and
the most intricate of all mechanisms
known to mankind.
Scientists and Doctors after years
and years of research are unable to
fathom the miraculous functioning of the
human body. How is it possible for
imperfect man to know the intricacies
connected with the human body. Only
the Creator knows A to Z of the body.
Physically the human body can fulfill
the needs of people in myriads of ways.
It fulfils the needs of doctors. It fulfil the
needs of people practising Yoga. It fulfils
the needs of people wanting to become
body builders and boxers. It fulfils the
needs of the people appearing for beauty
contests. It fulfils the needs of people
THE GAUDIYA 20 DECEMBER 2012
wanting to promote Kundalini Shakti. It
fulfils the needs of people of a circus
party and people who want to become
great in sports and games.
Similarly if one wants to advance
quickly in the Spiritual Path one has to
analyse the functions of the body not
from the physical point of view but from
the mental point of view. Whatever
actions you do mentally to promote
Bhakti, can be transformed into physical
actions which can help a staunch
devotee of God to concentrte on God
every moment of his life. Only one who
is mad after God can hope to experience
God consciousnes almost all the 24
hours. It requires decades of constant
practice and experience to achieve such
a state. It i s somethi ng to be
experienced by the devotee himself after
having had the liberty to make his own
mind dance to his time.
IMPORTANT:
No Devotee by his own efforts can
achi eve such status. Onl y God
chooses a Devotee who is fit to do his
Bhajan continuously day and night. So
it is Lord Himself who will inspire the
Devotee in such a manner that he
manages to overcome sleep and to His
Bhajan continuously. So one must
become recepient to get His blessings
first of all, by relentless struggle to
achieve your goal in life.
It is crystal clear that the human
body is a miraculous instrument. All the
instruments and gadgets the imperfect
man invents, only serve a particular
purpose. The human being is imperfect,
he does not know his real identity, he is
a slave to his mind, senses, etc., and he
lives to enjoy only the peal of the fruit and
not the fruit.
This instrument created by God
serves multifarious purposes to fulfil the
needs of different people pertaining to
different professions. Most importantly
it serves the staunch devotees of God
to fulfil their needs of achieving God
Realisation the Summum Bonum of
human existence. Chanting of the
Sacred Names of God is the Kaliyuga
Dharma. How best this instrument could
be used to chant the Sacred Names
constantly, entirely depends on Lord
Krishnas Mercy. Lord will inspire the
ardent Devotee who lives only to please
the Lord by chanting His Names. The
inspirations given by Lord will enable the
Devotee to Chant constantly.
Therefore by beloved Guru Devs
Grace, extraordinary Bhakti is required
to gain the Lotus Feet of our beloved
Lord Krishna.
T
Sri Sri Gaur Gadadhar
THE GAUDIYA 21 DECEMBER 2012
(Contd. from November issue)
||4= 4||| -4-
SRIMAD BHAGAVADGITA
|a4+|-|
=--| .4|4 CHAPTER-VII
|a|+4| 4 VIJNNA YOGA
4|- | =~-+| ||a +|v =+|-+
4|a4|a-||- -----|-+| +
Beejam mm sarvabhutnm
viddhi prtha santanam |
buddhirbuddhimatmasmi
tejastesasvinmaham || 10 ||
+|v = O Arjuna (son of Pritha), ||a =
know, | = Me, =+|-+ = the One Eternal,
4|- = seed, the original cuase before
transformation, the Pradhana, = ~ -|+| =
of all moving and non moving beings, (not a
different seed in each entity, and not a
temporary object), |- = I am, 4|a =
the intelligence (the ability to distinguish what
is valuable from what is worthless), 4 |a-|
= of the intelligent people, -- = and the
splendour (the confidence, ability to conquer
others and not be conquered by others),
--|-+| = in heroic people.
Arjuna (son of Pritha)! Know Me the
One Etrnal Seed, (the original cause before
transformation, the Pradhana) of all moving
and non-moving beings (not a different seed
in each entity, and not a temporary object
at). I am the intelligence (the ability to
distinguish what is valuable from what is
worthless) of the intelligent people. And the
Splendour (the confidence, ability to
conquer others and not be conquered by
others) in heroic people. 10
4= 4=-| |
+||4||- -
+||=a| ~- +||D|- ~-~ ++
Balam balavatm chham
kmargavivarjitam |
dharmviruddho bhuteshu
kmoasmi bharatarshabha || 11 ||
~-~ = Arjuna, the best of Bharata
clan, = I am also, 4= = strength,
||- - = free from, +| = desire (for
maintaining oneself and desire for material
objects), |4 = and passion (means that,
after having attained ones desired object,
one still hankers for additional things), 4=-|
= in the strong people, ~ - = in all beings,
|- = I am, +| = the lust (which is only
for the purpose of producing offspring
through ones wife), + |=a = not
contrary to dharma
Arjuna, the best of Bharat clan, I am
also strength, free from desire (for
maintaining oneself and desire for material
objects) and passion (means that, after
haivng attained ones desired object, one
still hankers for additional things in the strong
people. In all beings I am the lust (which is
only for the purpose of producing offspring
through ones wife) not to contrary to
dharma. 11
4 =||+| ~|| |-=|--|=|| 4
THE GAUDIYA 22 DECEMBER 2012
a ) |- -|+ ||a + - - |4 +-
Ye chaiva stwik bhv
rjasstmasscha ye |
matta eveti tn viddhi nat-
tvaham teshu te mayi || 12 ||
4 = Those, ~|| = manifestations
(in the world to be the results of the qualities
and actions), =||+| = which are satwika,
4 = and those, |-=| = which are rajasaa,
-|=| = and those which are tamasa, ||a
= know, -|+ = them (all), ;|- = as, a ) =
from My mayik potency ony, = I am, +
- = not, - = in them i.e., I am quite
independent of them, - = but they (are),
|4 = under My control for their existence.
Those manifestations (in the world to
be the results of the qualities and actions)
which are Sattvika and those which are
Rajasa and those which are Tamasa, know
them all as from My Mayik Potency only. I
am not in them i.e., I am quite independent
of them, but they are under My control for
their existence.
Refer Srimad Bhagavatam I.11.38;
Gopalatapani Upanishad; Sri Chaitanya
Charitamrita Adi. 2.54; 5.86. 12
The Lord explains
why man does not know Him
||~44~||~ =|+ -4-
||- +||~-|+||- |4 +44 +.
Tribhirgunamayairbhvai-
rebhih sarvamidam jagat |
mohitam nbhijnti
mmebhyah paramavyayam || 13 ||
;+ = This, = = entire, -4- = world
(all the jivas of this universe, taking up forms
of deva, asura, human and so forth), | |-
= have lost their power of descrimination,
)|~ ~| = by accepting bodies, senses
and sense objects in accordance with their
karmas. ||~ 44 = These items are
made of sattva, raja and tamas, the effects
of My (Mayas) material gunas (previously
explained) are subject to birth and
transformation at every moment, + |~-|+||-
= and do not realise, | = Me, + 44 =
Who am superior to them and possessed of
unchanging spiritual qualities, Who am
untouched by all of the products of the
gunas.
This entire world (all the jivas of this
universe, taking up forms of devas, asuras,
human and so forth) have lost their power
of descrimination by accepting bodies,
senses and sense objects in accordance with
their karmas. These items are made of
sattva, rajas and tamas, the effects of My
(Mayas) material gunas (previously
explained) and subject to birth and
transformation at every moment. And do
not realise Me, Who am Superior to them
and possessed of unchanging spiritual
qualities, Who am untouched by all of the
products of the gunas.
Refer Sri Chaitanya Charitamrita
Madhya 9.195. 13
The power of Maya and
way to cross over
+| n| 44| |4| +-44|
| 4 a+- |4|-| -|- - +
Daivee hyesh gunamayee
mama my duratyay |
mmeva ye prapadyante
mymetm taranti te || 14 ||
)| | = Indeed this, + | = super
natural, |4| = Maya, (that which bewelders
jivas when they are engrossed in sense
pleasures), = of Mine, (the Lord of all
THE GAUDIYA 23 DECEMBER 2012
(to be contd...)
things, the creator of unlimited universe full
of inconceivabile variety), 4 4| =
consisting of three gunas, and is like a rope
made of three strands, because it binds the
jivas very tightly, + -44| = is extremely hard
to overcome, 4 = those who, a+- = take
absolute refuge, | ) = in Me and Me alone
i.e. in the Form of Shyamasundara (eva
indicates they cannot cross over maya by
surrendering to others such as Brahma or
Shiva), - = they only, -|- = can cross
over easily, )-| = this, |4| = ocean of
Maya.
Indeed this supernatural Maya (that
which bewilders the jivas when they are
engrossed in sense pleasures), of Mine (the
Lord of all things, the Creator of unlimited
universes full of inconceivable variety)
consisting of three gunas, and is like a rope
made of there stands, because it binds the
jivas very tightly, is extermely hard to
overcome. Those who take absolute refuge
in Me and Me alone i.e. in the Form of
Shyamasundara (eva indicates they can not
cross over Maya by surrendering to others
such as Brahma, Shiva), they only can cross
over easily this ocean of Maya.
It is to be observed that the term me
in this shloka signifies the Beautiful
Shyamasudara Form of Sri Krishna and the
force of the term eva means resignation
not to Brahman, Paramatma, Siva or any
other god but to Sri Krishna alone, because
none but He can deliver the fallen souls from
the clutches of the octapus Maya.
Refer to Svetashvatara Upanishad 3.8;
4.10; Srimad Bhagavatam X.51.20; Gita
XVIII.66; Srimad Bhagavatam VIII.5.30;
V.14.1; X.14.58; Padma Purana
VI.253.176; Sri Chaitanya Charitamrita
Madhya-leela 24.131. 14
+4|| =| +||-|- |=a4
Srila Bhakti Vinode
Thakurs Temple

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