»y »y TϪ TÁ{∫ÁWïÁ{ \Æo:

THE

GAUDIYA
Spiritual Monthly

ú¿Áúu`YN˛oÆÁ §ÏÜÆÁ EåÁÃMoÀÆ uƒ ÆÁåΩ

“u∫é§uãá ƒÀoÏå: @ ÆsÁ“|™ÏúÆÏ`\o: @
™Ï™ÏqÏuß úu∫nÆÁTÁz uå§|ãá: Nw˛…mé§ãáz
ƒ{∫ÁSÆÊ ¢˛¡TÏN˛·Æoz @@˛ ÆÏMoÊ ƒ{∫ÁSÆ™ÏXÆoz @@

Vol. LIV APRIL 2011 No. 8

MANGALÂCHARANAM

F|∆ÁåtzƒY∫mÁß∫mzå åyƒy
tÁ™Ázt∫uÀs∫Æ∆:Ào§N˛ÁzËσzå @
¬y¬Á∆ÏNz˛å ∫uYoÊ oƒ Nw˛…mtzƒ
N˛mÁ|™woÊ ƒ“oÏ N˛¡ú∆oão∫zDuú @@
O Krishna Deva, may there flow (i.e., continue to exist) during
a hundred different kalpas (days of Brahmã) i.e., for ever this nectar
of Your Ears (Krishna Karnãmritam) as composed by Lilãshuka
Bilvamangala (i.e., myself), whose very adornments are the Feet
of Ishãna-deva (i.e., Yourself) and whose wealth is the steady
banquet of glories of Yourself on Whose belly is tied a knot of
cloth as round the waist of a woman.
-Sri Leelãshuka Bilvamangala

APRIL 2011 THE GAUDIYA 1

˛
 Pithy Precepts of Srila Prabhupâd
Sectarians are
not wanting now-a-
days to come up with
a Bhasyam of recent
days alleged to have
been written by
Swami Ramananda
which has not a little
deviation from the
views of his old
preceptorial chair. It
is not possible to give a brief survey of all
the contending thoughts of different
Bhashyakaras except what we dealt with
previously in the preceding theme of this
article.
The Principle differences inculcated in
the different Bhashyams are principally the
two contradicting phases of the Personality
of the Object and His Impersonal Phase.
Shankara maintained Impersonality through
and through, rejecting all the mundane
relatives here and in the region he is going
to enter. His idea of the Absolute is not
fostered by the other schools, except that
Shrikantha’s follower, Appayya Dikshita
who has shown similar sympathetic views
in his ‘Parimala’ shifting himself from his
position in his older writings ‘Nyaya
Rakshamani’ and ‘Shivarkamanidipika’ and
refuting at the same time what Alavandar
and Lakshmana-Deshika had posite in their
treatises.
Sri Shankara and Shirkantha are more
or less analogous to each other, though
Shrikantha has admitted the personality of
Brahman in Shiva for some time, apart from
henotheistic views, unlike Ramanuja whose
conception of the Personality of Brahman
in Vishnu-nomenclature is not a transitory
element to be dissolved in an indistinctive
phase of Brahman. The Shrikantha cult
merged in the system of Shankara together
22 THE GAUDIYA
with his follower Appayya Dikshit whose
conversion to Shankara’s views has
destroyed more or less his former writings
of Shivarka Manidipika and Nyaya
Rakshamani. According to Shankara his
adoption of the illusory theory of maya has
explained the unreal position of jiva or
individual soul and material world, whereas
the theory of devotion or Bhakti has been
accepted by theists as the sole medium of
reaching the eternal destination. Shankara’s
concept of ultimate salvation, Nirvana, can
be had through inflated unalloyed knowledge
of an individual, free from the reference of
eternal existence and beatitude, by
annihilating himself to the non-perspective
situation of Brahman, where he should have
no retension of individuality of his unalloyed
entity save and except assumption of a
hallucinative universally dispelling all empiric
ignorance and bitter experience of defective
designative finiteness. This would give him
a theoretic relief of his existence.
The Differentiating Features of the two
main Divisions of the Commentaries: The
conception of the Personality of Vishnu and
Krishna had been a bugbear in the
apprehensive eyes of later commentators of
the Impersonal School and they were
frightened at the very sight of the manifestive
references dealing with the relativities
discovered in the Absolute. Shrikantha’s
Shaivism is considered as a corresponding
Shaivite replica in the line of Sri Ramanuja,
though he was backed up by some of the
Shaiva Adwaitins who talked of the
personality of the object of Vedanta later on
dissolving into nothingness.
The eternal manifestive Phases are more
or less ignored by the process of distillation
which eliminated all specific aspects of the
concretised mundane impressions.
APRIL 2011
 Thus Spake Srila Âchâryadeva
When Sri
Krishna entered the
arena with His elder
brother, He appeared
as a thunderbolt to the
wrestlers, a veritable
cupid to women, a
relative to the cow-
herds, a ruler to the
kings, a child to His
parents, death to
Kamsa, exceedingly great to the unlearned,
a great object of meditation to the Yogins
and a deity to Vrishnis. He represents all
the Rasas, sentiments in general, and
Sringara Rasa (sentiment of love) in
particular. The natural and inalienable
attachment of our mind to god is called
Prema-Bhakti which is five-fold: Shanta
(peaceful love), Dasya (servant of God),
Sakhya (friendship with God), Vâtsalya
(filial attitude towards God) and Mâdhurya
(sweet love or love of God as one’s lover).
Of the five different types of Love, the
Madhurya type of Bhakti is indeed the
highest. Sri Ramananda in his discourse
with Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu at the holy
bathing Ghat of Goshpada Tirtha opposite
to Kotilingam at Rajahmundry i.e. Kovvur
disclosed this highest attitude of love.
The nature of the use of the word
Bhakti in the Svetaswatara Upanishad
(VI.23) makes it clear that exclusive theism
to which the Geeta gives inadequate
expression, was already sufficiently
developed and thus popularly known in the
Upanishadic times. The word Bhakti has
also been used in the Therigatha (V.35) and
in the Jatakas (V.240, 3,6; II.352).
The theistic Shandilya in his sharp
contrast to the Pantheism of Yajnavalkya
and his non-distinctive absolutism,
introduces a dualistic note admiting the
p
APRIL 2011 THE GAUDIYA
separate and exclusive position of the
Absolute. This dualistic note is highly
pronounced in the Katha Upanishad,
Mundaka, Chandogya and Svetasvatara
among the oldest Upanishads.
The first exhaustive treatment of Bhakti
and its further development in the form of
Prema or pure devotionalism proper, is to
be found in that most beloved book of the
Vaishnavas, the Bhagavatam. The book is
held in great esteem by all Vaishnava sects
in general, particularly by the followers of
Sri Chaitanya or Gaudiya Vaishnavas with
whom it is itself a subject of special study.
It is decidedly the supreme authority on the
development of Prema or passionate love
of God as practised by the Gaudiya
Vaishnavas.
Although the Alwars in their hymns and
Lokacharyas of the devotional sub-sect of
the Ramanuja community in their
‘‘Navavidha Sambandha’’ demonstrated the
different kinds of Rasa by which God is to "
be loved, and in the Madhwa community
the Dasa Kuta sub-sect favoured the cult of
devotionalism which was subsequently m.
developed by Sri Madhavendra Puri, and
Sri Jayadeva, through a few poems,
Chandidasa and Bilvamangala served to
enhacnce
,b the fervent love of God, the all-
round development and perfection of the
philosophy of Bhakti was superbly blended
with pure devotionalism to the fullest extent
only in the life of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
Sri Rupa Goswami distinguishes three
kinds of Bhakti in his Bhakti Rasamrita
Sindhu, viz. Sadhana-bhakti, Bhava-bhakti
and Prema-bhakti. The Sadhana-bhakti n
enables the mental emotion to emerge in a
natural way as Bhava-bhakti which is also T
called Sadhya-bhakti. He further adds that
the natural devotional emotion cannot be
3
 produced by any course of conduct or any
effort. Bhakti is eternal and is innate in a
man’s heart. The function of Sadhana-
bhakti is merely to manifest it in the heart.
In the state of Bhava-bhakti is merely to
manifest it in the heart. In the state of Bhava-.
bhakti the devotee manifests in himself the
following mental states – (1) Kshanti a
nature which remains absolutely
unperturbed even though there may be
causes of perturbation; (2)
Avyarthakalatvam he always spends his
time in reciting the Name of God with strong
emotion; (3) Virakti indiference to sense
objects; (4) he is always extremely humble
though great; (5) Ashabandha strong
conviction of attaining God’s favour; (6)
Samuthkantha – intense anxiety to attain
God’s favour; (7) Nama gane sada ruchi
– he finds pleasure in chanting the Name of
God. This is Bhava or Rati or Priti (joy). It
is extreme smoothness and liquidity of heart.
When Bhava deepens, it is claimed Prema
associated with a sense of possession in
God and absolute detachment from all other
things.
Rasa has been defined to be that
ecstatic principle which comprehends Sthayi-
Bhava, Vibhava, Anubhava, Sattwika and
Sanchari. Vibhava is divided into Alambana
and Uddeepana. Alambana is subdivided
into Vishaya and Ashraya. Vishaya is
Krishna Himself for Whom Love is felt and
Ashraya is the devotee in whom Love is
excited. Uddeepana awakens Love for
Krishna. By a connection of Ashraya and
Vishaya the Sthayi-Bhava arrives at its stage
of action. When it obtains its active stage,
certain
civre signs are manifested in the person,
which are called the Anubhava. They are
thirteen in number, such as, dancing, singing,
smiling etc. Sattwika is the expression of
eight other Bhavas, such as: tears, shivering,
etc. Sanchari Bhavas are the outer
expression of thirty-three other Bhavas, such
as: self-disparagement, despondency,
humility, etc. The affection of Radha for Sri
Krishna is said to illustrate the highest and
the intensest forms of this Love.

ALMANAC for the months of APRIL & MAY 2011

18.04.2011 Mon Râsotsava of Sri Balarâma. Sri Krishna’s Vasanta Râsotsava.
302.9
Appearanceof Srila Vamsivadanânanda Thâkur and Srila
Shyâmânanda Prabhu. Poornima
22.04.2011 Fri Demise of Srila Krishna Dâs Bâbâji Maharâj and Srila Nitai Dâs
Bâbâji Maharâj
24.04.2011 Sun Disappearance of Srila Abhirâm Thâkur
27.04.2011 Wed Disappearance of Srila Brindâvan Dâs Thâkur
29.04.2011 Fri Vanjuli Mahâdwâdashi Fasting. Next day Pârana between
5.09 and 6.13 a.m. e
03.05.2011 Tue Appearance of Srila Gadâdhar Pandit Goswâmi
06.05.2011 Fri Akshaya Tritiya, Chandana Yâtra - Annointing Sandal wood paste
on the Divine Body of the Lord for 21 days
08.05.2011 Sun Appearance of Srimat Shankarâchârya. Demise of Srimad Bhakti
Vilâs Gabhastinemi Maharâj
10.05.2011 Tue Jahnu Saptami. Demise of Srimad Bhakti Vijaya Sâgara Maharâj
12.05.2011 Thu Advent of Sri Jâhnavâ Devi, the Consort of Lord Sri Nityananda
Prabhu and Sri Sita Devi, the Consort of Lord Sri Râmachandra.
Disappearance of Srila Madhu Pandit
14.05.2011 Sat Mohini Ekadashi Fasting. Next day Parana between
5.00 and 9.22 a.m.

4 THE GAUDIYA APRIL 2011

m
 SRI GURU PRESHTHA
THE BELOVED OF SRI GURU
Sripad B.S.Narayan Maharaj

(Contd. from March issue) would have become repeatedly misguided,

He has brought Gurudeva in front of if deprived of the shelter at the cool shade
the masses from his seclusion, for the of his holy lotus feet.
immense spiritual welfare of the world. The following is a quotation from
Whatever divine chanting audible in this ‘Gaudiya’ 8th year, 32nd Number, Page 494.
world of today, whatever message of Lord Sri Dhama Pracharini Sabha session
Chaitanya that is reverberating in this entire held on the 1st of Chaitra month of 1336
world has ‘Acharyatrika Prabhu at its Bengal era, presided by Srila Prabhupad.
root’. Without his grace, no one in this During this session Srila Prabhupad
world can avail the mercy of the instructed Sri Sundarananda Vidyavinode
foremost world-teacher Srila Prabhu to speak about Sripad Kunjabehari
Prabhupad. As Vidyabhushan
Prabhupad is the Prabhu. The
most favourite of Note
following is his
Lord Gauranga, Wherever ‘Srila Prabhupad’ is speech.
without his mercy, mentioned it refers Srila Bhakti
Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Lord Sri
one can never Chaitanya’s all
secure the grace of Thakur only, Who is the illustrious auspicious wish is
the Lord. Sri Founder Acharya of Parent
being carried on
Kunjada’s ideal of Organisation Sri Chaitanya Math,of by our Guruji Sri
abnegation is the present Gaudiya Vaishnava
Movement throughout the world. Srila Prabhupad,
unparalleled. He is and his foremost
the very embodi- helper in fulfilling
ment of balanced this mission is Sri Acharyatrika Prabhu, who
detachment. As he is an ocean of causeless is the helmsman for all of us. He is the
mercy, as the redeemer of the fallen souls, forerunner in teaching Guru-Seva, the very
every moment innumerable persons like me origin, life breath and vitality of our spiritual
are delivered by him, from the grips of un- existence. Not to speak of enumerating his
surmountable materialistic potency and virtues within this short span, it is impossible
made to engage in the service of Sri Sri on my part, even in the duration of crores
Guru and Gauranga! Even grave offenders of lives. Those who have visited the
at his feet have become purified by his grace unprecedented spiritual exhibition held this
to avail the chance of divine service. His year, can somewhat get a glimpse of the o
sweet and gentle nature, his ability to tireless effort and enormous endeavour of
manage everyone, his wonderful expertise this noble soul. All that seem to be
of controlling everyone, his commitment and impossible in this world becomes possible
devotion towards Sri Gurudeva, – all these by the grace and true resolve of Srila
are quite unparalleled in this world. We Prabhupad, whose desires get materialized

APRIL 2011 THE GAUDIYA 5

 into reality by the committed efforts of Sri
Kunjada. A few months back, when Srila
Prabhupad was departing towards the
North-western part of the country for
devotional preaching, then at Howrah
railway station Sri Kunjada put forth the
proposal of opening this theistic exhibition.
Then he called me and said that, soon after
returning to Calcutta from the North-west,
we have to work hard for finishing the
exhibition. Although our hearts became filled
with delight at the news of arranging the
exhibition, which was a long-pending wish
of Srila Prabhupad, the next moment I
started thinking that, within such a short
span of time, how a huge project of such a
great magnitude could be accomplished by
us, who solely remain dependant upon the
begging bowl! Cherishing this kind of doubt
in mind, then I took the words of Sri
P Kunjada like a mere fiction. Later on, when
the works of exhibition got progressed to
much extent, as well as when the various
items and ingredients were collected from
different places, even then we were feeling
quite desperate by thinking that, how that
exhibition could be accomplished by us,
because such a stupendous affair requires
enormous amount of labour and needs huge
amount of wealth. Seeing our apathy and
disbelief in the words of Sri Guru and
Vaishnavas, Acharytrika Prabhu by dint of
his enthusiastic, idealistic and tireless service,
rooted out our lethargic moods. The
manner in which he was fully dedicated by
accepting the entire responsibility of such a
vast endeavour upon his own shoulders
proclaims his commitment to the service of
Sri Gurudeva, his unswerving faith in the
words of Sri Guruji, his degree of
enthusiasm, and perseverance, - all of which
combined together made the Sri Mayapur
Spiritual Exhibition a grand success.
Whatever we had held to be a mere dream,
6 THE GAUDIYA
that which was thought to be impossible and
impracticable affair thus became materialized
into a stark reality. After visualizing this
miracles, all of us realized the super-natural
capability of Acharaytrika Prabhu, who is the
chief assistant in the fulfillment of the hearty
desires of Srila Prabhupad. Skill in solving
and
P amicably settling all kinds of problems;
capability of converting complex
complications through his mould of simplicity;
winning everyone’s heart through love,
affection, friendliness and alliance; by
patiently listening to everyone’s every kind
of complaints, arranging for their agreeable
settlement, - all these constitute the chief
virtues in the process of Acharyatrika
Prabhu’s spiritual service.
The following is the extract from
‘Gaudiya’ 9th year, 30th Number, page 502.
As per the instruction of Srila
Prabhupad who presided, Sripad
Sundarananda Vidya Vinode made a general
reference of Sripad Kunjabehari Prabhu’s
servile activities and said,–Last year’s event
of Sri Gaudiya Math temple-construction
and its inauguration along with grand
Sankirtan procession, unprecedented theistic
exhibition of Sri Gaudiya Math and religious
conference of Vishwa Vaishnava devotees,-
all these great events are entirely centered
around the whole-hearted serving spirit of
Acharyatrika Sripad Kunjabehari
Vidyabhushan Prabhu. His commitment to
Guru Seva has accomplished all these
miracles. His own extraordinary endeavour
for divine service, his unparalleled faith in
rof
serving the lotus feet of the holy Master, and
whole-hearted effort for preaching as per the
wish of Sri Guruji, – all these resulted in the
last year’s successful propagation of the
Sankirtana festival of Sri Gaudiya Math. This
has favourably attracted the attention of
world’s seekers of truth, so also it has
negatively awakened the prejudice of his
antagonists.
(to be contd .....)
APRIL 2011
 MAHÂBHÂRATA
Sri M.C.Mahesh
(Contd. from March issue)
The rest of the Pandava chieftains and
soldiers slept in the Pandava camp. All their
horses and elephants and servitors were with
them.
The three bowmen–Ashwatthama,
Kripacharya and Kritavarma – ranged all
over the woods and lakes in search of
Duryodhana. On the fringes of the lakes of
Samantapanchaka they saw him rolling in
the dust, his form writhing in agony. His
whole body was racking in pain.
Ashwatthama knelt beside the fallen
prince.
“Have they hit you on your thighs! My
father was also slain by deceit. I will
slaughter all the Pandavas this very night!”
Duryodhana was gasping for breath.
He cried faintly to Kripa in a pained
whimper.
“Bring me a vessel of water. I want to
consecrate Ashwatthama as our general.”
The Acharya brought a pitcher of
water.
“Please consecrate Ashwatthama as
our general.”
Kripacharya was bamboozled. Only
three warriors constituted the Kuru army
now!
“But we have no army left! All our
soldiers have fallen in battle.”
“Why, the three of you are alive!”
Kripa bathed his nephew in ritual water
and consecrated him as their commander-
in-chief.
The three warriors were resting under
a banyan tree. Two of them slept, but
Ashwatthama could not.
APRIL 2011 THE GAUDIYA
Ashwatthama woke up his uncle.
“We will attack them now. In this
gloomy darkness, we will slaughter them all.”
“That will besmirch your spotless name!
It is unfair to kill sleeping warriors. We will
give them a straight fight tomorrow.”
“Then we do not stand any chance of
victory. I am leaving now–”
Ashwatthama harnessed two war-
horses to his chariot. He could hear his uncle
and Kritavarma scream behind him.
“Wait! We will also come with you.
Let us live or perish together!”
They reached the precincts of the
Pandava camp. There was a wide moat uq
dug around the encampment. Another layer
of defence was put up in the form of a metallic
fence.
Ashwatthama piled up stacks of
buttered wood and kindled a fire. He
worshipped Shiva with etheric and occult "
hymns.
Shiva emerged out of the fire and gave
a scimitar to Ashwatthama: “I bless you that
all the Panchalas will fall in battle.”
Placing Kripacharya and Kritavarma
outside the encampment, Ashwatthama
slunk in deceitfully. Dhrishtadyumna was
sleeping in a spacious cloth tent that was
woven in elegant fabric. Ashwatthama woke
him up with a merciless kick.
“Ashwatthama! Please kill me with a
weapon. Do not kill me in this
unceremonious way!”
“You will attain the heavens if I do so!
You have lawlessly murdered your own
teacher. You must not get the death that a
uoy
prince deserves.” "
7
 Even as Dhrishtadyumna struggled in
vain, Ashwatthama pummelled him with his
kicks. The Panchala prince was grotesquely
deformed and lay sprawling in his tent,
mangled ruthlessly to death. Entering
Shikhandi’s tent, Drona’s son hacked his
head to pieces with Shiva’s sword. The five
sons of Draupadi–Prathivindhya, Sutasoma,
Shruthakarma, Shathaneeka and Srutasena–
were his next victims. They lay squirming in
pools of blood with their limbs gashed and
torn.
The Pandava soldiers woke up and
hemmed in on Ashwatthama. He whirled
Shiva’s sword and hacked them down. With
their heads and limbs chopped off, they lay
wriggling in pools of blood. Even the horses
and elephants and charioteers and drummers
were cut down by Ashwatthama. All the
seven Akshauhinis of the Pandva army
were wiped out that night. It was thus that a
great massacre of sleeping soldiers occurred.
The stars were glinting on the mangled bodies
of the ruthlessly slain soldiers.
Ashwatthama ran out and spoke to
Kripa: “Not a single creature is alive in their
camp! However, I could not find the
Pandavas and the wily cowherd Krishna.”
“Right then! I will cremate them. Let
them get a befitting funeral.”
Kripa shot three hissing arrows on the
tents of cloth. They caught fire and soon the
encampment was one smouldering
conflagration.
The three bowmen hurried to meet the
fallen Duryodhana. It was now dawn and
the horizon was pellucid with a mellow glow
of yellow. Duryodhana was still sprawling
on the ground and breathing heavily.
Ashwatthama shouted in his ear.
“I have destroyed all the Panchalas
during the night! All the soldiers of their army
8 THE GAUDIYA
have been exterminated. Only seven
warriors are alive now–The five Pandavas,
Satyaki and your half-brother Yuyutsu. The
crafty Krishna is also alive. I could not find
any of them in the camp!”
Duryodhana’s rattling voice was now
chocking with pleasure.
“Neither the grandsire Bheeshma nor
the gallant Karna could do this for me! Why,
even your father did not achieve this feat. I
will die in peace.”
Gasping in pain and racked from head
to foot, Duryodhana gave up his ghost.
Sanjaya spoke to Dhritarashtra: “The
psychic powers of clairvoyance and
telepathy have now left me!”
The shameless Kritavarma mounted his
horse and rode to Dwaraka. Having
perpetrated an ignominious deed and
nonetheless not feeling bad, Kripa who had
stooped to sin sought quarter in
Dhritarashtra’s palace. Ashwatthama went
to Vyasa’s hermitage and wore a cloth of
Kusha grass. He smeared himself with
clarified butter.
All was desolate and poignant in the
tents where Krishna and the Pandavas and
their womenfolk were staying.
Draupadi was sobbing and her face was
racked in pain. The drops of tears on her
sapphire face looked like dew that had settled
on a blue-lily.
“I will not eat or sleep till that sinner
Ashwatthama is dead! I will perish in my
harrowing grief.”
Krishna comforted her soothingly: “But
he has the boon of everlasting life!”
An angry Draupadi tossed her head:
“Then bring me the jewel that is a part of his
brow.”
Draupadi was rolling over the charred
bodies of her sons and brothers.
APRIL 2011
 Krishna asked Arjuna to get into his
chariot. Daruka drew the chariot that had
four moon-white horses harnessed to it. The
pennant above the canopy fluttered an image
of Garuda. The other Pandavas followed in
their chariots drawn by hardy ponies.
They saw Ashwatthama worshipping
the fire in the presence of Veda Vyasa.
Sensing danger, Ashwatthama took up
a blade of Kusha grass. He charged it with
the incantations of the weapon known as
Brahmashiras. The blade of grass shrivelled
in the heat and soon a ball of energy
exploded on the Pandavas.
“Quick! Neutralise that fire with the
same weapon” screamed Krishna.
Arjuna spoke the mystic chant for
summoning the missile Brahmashiras and
his weapon whizzed at Ashwatthama’s fire.
As the two weapons crackled and sputtered,
there was a great danger threatening the
cosmos. The trees caught fire and came
crashing down. The oceans were steaming
and restless. Even the sun looked pale in
comparison!
Narada came up on the welkin and
beckoned to Vyasa. The two sages stood
between the whizzing weapons and spoke
their chants of peace. The fires cooled and
died down with a hiss. The fallen and burnt
trees came to life and leaves were seen
sprouting on them! The ocean was calm
and pellucid.
Vyasa turned angrily on Ashwatthama:
“If Arjuna had used the Brahmastra to baffle
this missile a greater calamity would have
occurred. But he is too chivalrous to do
that!”
Vyasa spoke to the two contenders:
“Now speak the spells for withdrawing your
weapons!”
APRIL 2011 THE GAUDIYA
Arjuna spoke a chant and the arrow
came whizzing back to his quiver.
Ashwatthama whispered his prayer but the
ball of fire did not move.
Vyasa glowered at Ashwatthama:
“Your weapon does not obey you any more!
You have murdered Draupadhi’s children in
cold blood.”
He added with a sigh: “Send the
weapon elsewhere.”
Ashwatthama had still not conquered
his hate! He wanted the Pandavas to remain
issueless. He sent the crackling ball of fire
on Uttaraa’s womb! Krishna sensed this
danger and assumed a diminutive form and
entered the womb.(This incident is not
narrated in the Mahabharata, but figures in
the Bhagavatha Purana. As this tale is central
toe the plot of the epic, I have incorporated
this description. Though the Bhagavatha
Purana of Veda Vyasa has undergone
transformations over the centuries and
y
though several accretions have crept into its
texture, it still retains its devotional and
aesthetic flavour. It is perhaps the most well-
known biography of Krishna. There are
other biographies of Krishna in the other
Puranas like Brahma Vaivarta. The
Harivamsha and Garga Samhitha also deal
with His exuberant pastimes. However, this
Purana is the most well-known among all of
!
them.)3 The foetus saw two etheric forms
envelop it. One was a cloud of dust that
threatened
." to scorch it to death. The other
was W of blue sheen and had four arms. His
raven locks of hair were cascading down
his neck. On his chest was entwined a
clusters of wild flowers strung together.
They were emitting a bewitching fragrance
that thrilled the foetus! The celestial form
struck at the ball of fire with his club. The
fire crackled and exploded and was blown
to pieces. The foetus was safe and the azure
9
 God vanished as inexplicably as he had come.
“Have you saved the foetus?” asked an
apprehensive Arjuna.
“Yes, but the baby will be still-born. It
has been paralysed by this shock.”
“Then Uttaraa will not have her child!
Our only heir to the throne is Uttaraa’s child.”
“That is no matter. I can revive the baby
when it is born.”
Krishna turned angrily on
Ashwatthama: “You are no better than an
outcaste! Will any priest murder an unbornu
child? For three thousand years your skin
will decay and go putrid. Every disease on
earth will afflict you. Bereft of human
company, you will wander in desolation.
However, you will regain your complexion
and health at the end of the curse.”
Ashwatthama was still defiant: “The
gem that is a part of my brow will protect
me from all diseases!”
The commanding voice of Vyasa was
heard: “Krishna cannot utter an untruth!
Surrender that jewel to him.”
Ashwatthama sliced off the gem from
his forehead and gave it to Krishna. The
wound healed miraculously and his skin was
whole again. Ashwatthama was happy, but
not for long. He found his skin sag and decay
and go putrid. He was afflicted by every
disease on earth! He ran into a nearby
thicket and hid himself in shame.
Arjuna came to the presence of
Draupadi with the blue gem: “The
preceptor’s son has been vanquished!”
Dhritharashtra was dumbstruck with
grief when he heard about the death of his
dear Duryodhana. He had sinned all his life
just for his sake! All the hundred sons of
Gandhari had been slain by Bheema in the
war. Dhritharashtra whimpered out his grief
to Vidura.
10 THE GAUDIYA
Vidura narrated an ancient allegory to
soothe the king: “I prostrate to the self-born
God who fabricated this illusory cosmos.
Listen ––
A weary traveller lost himself in a jungle.
He was hemmed in on all sides by shrieking
and yelling animals. One of them was a weird
elephant having six heads and twelve feet.
The trumpeting of this tusker resembled the
boom of death! The traveller ran helter-
skelter and tripped on the mouth of a well.
He almost fell down, and saw a fierce serpent
hissing at him from the bottom of the well.
Fortunately for him there were creepers and
vines that grew on the mouth of the well. He
caught hold of a creeper and dangled in
midair! Looking above, he saw a fierce
female stalking him to death. The elephant
was near her, waiting to trample on him if he
jumped out. The snake was flicking out its
D
tongue and hissing at him from below! A
tree grew near the mouth of the well and on
its branches were many honeycombs. The
With Best Compliments from
SAI RAMANA CANCER TRUST
CHENNAI
CANCER PATIENTS' CARE
Our Trust does Free Healing,
Counselling
&
Anti-Cancer Initiation
Any stage of treatment
Any place of Stay
Mail to : srcancertrust@yahoo.co.in
or
Cell: 9884017256
9840496548
APRIL 2011
 traveller could hear the buzz of bees as they
flitted past him. Drops of honey dribbled
from the honeycomb and spattered on the
traveller’s mouth. He licked the honey and
looked out for more. As more drops of
honey dribbled down, the traveller forgot
about the dangers threatening him. He
forgot that his own life was hanging
precariously and cried: ‘I want more!’ Just
then the traveller looks at the creeper he is
hanging on to and sees that black and white
rats at nibbling away at it!
The traveller is the individual soul caught
up in a cosmic forest. The female stalking
him to death unobserved is decay. The soul
realises that decay has set in only well past
youth! The elephant waiting to trample upon
him is Time. It has six heads symbolising
the six seasons. The twelve feet are motifs
that represent the twelve months. The march.
of Time year after year nibbles away at the
individual’s lifespan! The well represents
the fleeting duration of time during which the
individual lives. At the bottom of this well is
the snake that personifies death. The creeper
to which the traveller is hooked-on
symbolises the instinct for self-preservation.
The black and white rats are the nights and
days that nibble away a person’s allotted
span of life. The buzzing bees are motifs
that represent desires. These desires are
constantly humming in the traveller’s psyche.
The drops of honey that spatter from the
honeycomb are representations of the
pleasures got on fulfilling one’s desires. The
traveller has a fill of these, and is yet not
satisfied!
Can you save this traveller? You could
ni
not save your sons either!”
Dhritharashtra was now really puzzled!
It was time to leave for the battlefield
of Kurukshethra to cremate the dead. From
every home of Hasthinapura came shrieking
APRIL 2011 THE GAUDIYA
and sobbing widows. They were all attired
in white and had their hair falling dishevelled.
They looked like does that had lost their
antlered stags! The prophecy that Krishna
once made to Draupadi in the woods had
now come true. Leading the wailing
womenfolk were the aged queens Gandhari
and Kunti. Dhritharashtra led the
procession and Sanjaya and Vidura
followed in trail. The congregation rode on
chariots to the battlefield. Reaching the
scene of the carnage the womenfolk lept
down from their carriages and ran hither and
thither all over the field, searching for the
corpses of their husbands and sons and
brothers.
They saw vultures gashing the bodies
of the dead with their talons and shredding
their flesh. Jackals were howling in the field
and were trying to drag away the corpses.
Gandhari could witness this spectacle
in her mind’s eye. She was wont to use this
psychic power sparingly and this was one
such occasion.
Gandhari was harrowed by a poignant
grief: “These kings and princes used to listen
to the praises of sycophants. Now all that
they hear is the howling of jackals! Young
women used to fan them with yak-tails.
Now the vultures are flapping their wings
on them! These monarchs used to snooze
on moon-white and fluffy beds. Now they
lie on the hard and rocky ground!”
The Pandavas and Krishna came to
meet the blind couple, and Draupadi stood
at a distance. Yudhishthira genuflected and
sought Dhritharashtra’s blessings. Lifting up
a kneeling Yudhishthira, the blind king
embraced him. There was no love or
empathy in that embrace!
Signalling Bheema to step aside,
Krishna placed a life-size iron statue in front
of Dhritharashtra. Duryodhana had
11
 practised hitting on this iron statue for
thirteen long years!
(Perhaps Duryodhana had brought that
statue to Kurukshethra and installed it in his
camp, to practise the art of delivering blows
on it everyday before he set out for battle.
It may be presumed that Krishna brought
that life-like image from Duryodhana’s camp.
This is another moot point that the epic does
not touch upon.)
Dhritharashtra pinioned the statue with
his muscular arms and squeezed it. The iron
cracked apart and fell in smithereens. The
statue was now a cloud of dusty iron pieces!
Dhritharashtra’s anger against Bheema was
spen – Bheema had killed a hundred of his
sons!
The poet says that Dhritharashtra had
the strength of ten thousand elephants.
Bheema had the strength of eight thousand
elephants as he had drunk eight bowls of
elixir in the land of the snakes. In addition
to that was Bheema’s own congenital
toughness. Still, Dhritharashtra was more
powerful and Krishna knew that Bheema
was in danger.
Blood oozed out from Dhritharashtra’s
gashed and bruised chest. The pieces of
iron had torn through his skin. Sanjaya
wiped the blood with a cloth and sprinkled
perfumed water on a swooning
Dhritharashtra.
“Alas!” wept Dhritharashtra in
remorseful agony, “In my senseless anger I
have crushed Bheema to death!”
Krishna spoke with his usual charm:
“King, the son of Pandu is alive. What you
crushed to powder was the iron-image of
Bheema that Duryodhana used to practise
upon!”
The gnawing misery that enveloped the
king lifted. He hugged Bheema and the other
sons of Pandu.
12 THE GAUDIYA
Kunti met her sons and her daughter-
in-law after years of separation. The meeting
was harrowingly painful as Draupadi was
weeping over the death of her five gallant
sons. The passing away of Abhimanyu also
troubled them greatly.
The clairvoyant sage Vyasa had a
premonition that Gandhari was angry beyond
control. Using his power of psychokinesis
he materialised before her.
“Are you going to curse the Pandavas?
They are fatherless orphans.”
“Yes! All my hundred sons are dead.Not
even one of my countless progeny were
spared!”
“You had predicted this end yourself!
Did you not curse Duryodhana with death?
When Duryodhana sought your blessings
before proceeding to battle, did you not
prophesy that the righteous would win?”
(to be continued)
With Best Compliments from
ROHIT S. SHELAT
SHELAT BROTHERS
20, Kesava Iyer Street
Park Town, CHENNAI - 600 003
d
dn Phone:
Off. 2535 2081, 2535 0032
Fact. 2494 0764
e. mail: shebro@rediffmail.com
APRIL 2011
 Sridham Mayapur
The Holy Birth-Place of
The Supreme Lord Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu
Prof. Sri Nishi Kanta Sanyal
(Contd. from March issue)
This disreputable movement has
secured as its fitting mouthpiece a designing
person calling himself a Babaji who passes
himself off as the representative of the
degraded sections of the professed
followers of Sri Chaitanya. Nothing can
beat the shame of this standing scandal
which counts even a few socalled educated
persons among its believers and
supporters.
Thakur Bhakti Vinode’s labours have
made possible a revival of the Vaishnava
religion as embodying the universal function
of all pure souls not merely in the domain
of speculation but in the positive form of
conduct. The antiquarian aspect of the
birth-site of Sri Chaitanya was piously
utilised by him for the spiritual purpose of
establishing the universal religion. The
sincere piety and deep erudition of the
author of the ‘Manual of the function of all
souls’ (Jaiva Dharma) mark him out from
pseudo-followers of Lord Sri Chaitanya
who have acquired an unenviable reputation
for their ignorance and profligacy. These
people are specially interested in undoing
the work of reform that he initated by
attacking it under the guise of local
patriotism and communal interest. This has
necessitated a scientific examination of the
whole issue.
The word ‘Gauda’ and ‘Navadwip’
are found to be closely associated and their
connection can be traced in literature to a
remote antiquity. The followers of Sri
APRIL 2011 THE GAUDIYA
Chaitanya are known as the Madhva-
Gaudiya Vaishnava community. The word
‘Gauda’ etymologically means ‘silver’ and
is identifiable with the ‘silver-white island’
of the scriptures which is described as one
of the two inner-most regions of the highest
sphere of the spiritual realm and as the
specific dwelling-place of the Divinity in the
Form that is most benign to fallen souls.
Navadwip is similarly connected with
the scriptural abode of God forming the
innermost part of the ‘White Island’ and
resembling a lotus with eight petals in the
centre of which is situated the House of
God. These particulars are held to agree
with the eight islands disposed in the form
of the petals of a lotus round its core which
last corresponds to Antardwip or the middle
island in the central part of which, namely,
Mayapur, is situated the dwelling of Sri
Jaganath Mishra, the House of Godhead
‘Bhagavad Griham’ in which Lord
Chaitanya was born.
The coincidences which must appear
to be wholly fanciful to an antiquarian who
is content to keep his subject outside the
range of the Absolute supply a really
concrete basis for the contention that the
appearance of the Lord was foretold by
the scriptures and remained unsuspected till
after His actual advent. It is not our purpose
to follow this discussion further at this place.
The country of Gauda was much more
extensive than Bengal and at one time
included the greater part of North-eastern
and North-Central India. There must have
13
 been very good reasons for the selection of
Navadwip as a site for their Capital by the
independent Hindu kings of Bengal.
Navadwip begins to be described in
detail in literature by the followers of Sri
Chaitanya Deva for an obvious reason. The
fullest topographical description ooccurs in
Bhakti Ratnakar which is in agreement with
other works the authenticity of which has
passed unchallenged up till now. As the
topograpy applies to a period which is only
526 years old one might expect that armed
with such detailed information there should
be no insurmountable difficulty in identifying
the places to the satisfaction of the most
fastidious critic. But it is not really at all
easy to settle the old topography due to the
vagaries of the river Bhagirathi which has
frequently shifted its course during the
period over a width of about 10 miles at this
point causing the repeated destruction of the
inhabited sites and the shifting of their
population. There is thus great difficulty in
ascertraining the original sites of even those
villages which still retain their old names.
Thakur Bhakti Vinode went into this
knoty subject with patience and industry. It
would fill a volume if we are to reproduce
everything that he has written on this subject,
only a small part of which was actually
nru
published by himself. A summary of a part
of the materials collected by him was
published in the Sajjanatoshani in 1917-18
to demolish the malicious representations of
a plagiarist who tried to throw doubts on
the identification of Thakur Bhakti Vinode
by dishonestly manipulating the information
published by the latter.

Y
BHAGAVAN
Bhagavan is a Person, in Whom the six Divine Qualities of
Aisvarya –majesty, or special power to attract, and
bring under control all sentient and insentient like;
Virya –prowess or an unusual and miraculous influence, resmbiling
precious gems, magic spells, etc., that could win over
any pwoer on the face of earth;
Yasas –name and fame or an incomparable reputation, arising from
various excellent qualities of body, mind and speech;
Shri –prosperity, all kinds of wealth;
Jnana –knowledge, such as omniscience and
Vairagya –dispassion or non-attachment to the objects, of the material
world, in short, absolute freedom from
Bahiranga Maya Shakti are developed in the fullest degree.
Bhagavan is entirely free from any influence of the material attributes,
such as Sattva, Rajas and Tamas. These Gunas or atributes are due to the
influence of His Bahiranga Maya Shakti. Since she, being subservient to
Him, is unable to exercise any influence on her Lord.
As such, Bhagavan is above all these material attributes.

14 THE GAUDIYA APRIL 2011

 Vaishnavas are Credulous
Prabhupad Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Thakur
(Contd. from March issue)
This benignant aspect of the Divine
grace is exploited by the empiricists to justify
their reckless preference for the suicidal
course.
The ascending process has also a
function to perform in the scheme of
redemption. It should be reserved for the
affairs of this world but in strict
subordination to the Absolute Who
manifests Himself out of causeless mercy
to the mind and senses of the fallen soul.
The human intellect is not required to
commit suicide in order to receive the Divine
grace. It really stifles itself when it supposes
itself to be dissociated from Divine
guidance. It is required to find itself by
recognising its necessary and wholesome
dependence on the Divine grace for its
perfect existence. This is the receptive
attitude. It is required to adopt this receptive
attitude. The truth must be sought to guide
the operations of the mind. The mind’s
activity is not to be stopped but is to be
restored to its normal and healthy condition
of subservience to the Absolute. The
absolute cannot be served by the ascending
process because He is the Absolute. The
ascending process of the empiricists serves
the limited.
If when the Truth makes His
appearance the mind choose to sit still with
folded hands such conduct is tantamount
to refusal to receive the Truth. To receive
theTruth the mind has to actively put itself
with all its resources loyally and unditionally Sri.
at His service. If the fallen soul adopts this
course he will receive specific direction
from theTruth Himself as to how he is to
function towards Him. When the mind is
APRIL 2011 THE GAUDIYA
made to function under the direction of the
Absolute by such activity the soul is enabled
to realise the true nature of the latter in and
through such activity. The mind is not
required to cease its activity but on the
contrary it is required to be more active than
m.
ever before but now under the direction of
the Absolute in the form of His devotee.
2. As soon as the mind is fully established
in its subordinate function it will be freed
from all sorts of hallucinative speculations
drawn from the manifested world through
its defective senses. The Vaishnavas
discredit all such hallucinations. The
ignorance arising out of the poverty of the
senses does not guide them, though the
empiricists may fail to catch their statement
of Absolute Truth to Whom they are
debarred from having any acess.
The empiricists are betrayed into the
pursuit of their hallucinative activities by
hopes of satisfying their senses by their
means. Their vision is so over-clouded by
their hankerings for the transitory
enjoyments of this world that they have no
patience for those who are not prepared to
agree with them in accepting the attainment
of such enjoyment as the goal of human life.
They would be convinced of the hallucinative
nature of the sensuous ideal if they realise
the defective nature of the senses which
supply the materials for building the ideal.
It is like building castles in the air. The
Absolute alone really exists. Anything else
that seems to exist by a disruptive right has
only a tentative and temporary existence.
The Absolute has no necessity of striving
to be anything else. Empiric striving can
never lead to the realisation of the Absolute
Who is locaed beyond the sphere of defects
15
 that necessitate striving for perfection. The
striving for the realisation of the Absolute
also partakes of the nature of the Absolute
and is categorically different from empiric
striving. The striving for the realisation of
the Absolute is a striving for the attianment
of the state of complete subordination to
the Absolute which involves negatively the
discarding of all hallucinative speculations
or empiric striving. Striving for the Absolute
implies faith in the Personality of the
Absolute, faith in the possibility of His
descent into this world, faith in His servants
and their activities as part and parcel of Him-
self and faith in His causeless mercy which
makes Him appear of his own free will to
the fallen soul who is averse to receive Him.
It is perfectly open to the Lord to send
His servants into this world for the purpose
of impressing on fallen souls the actual
existence of the personal Godhead, His
servants and the transcendental realm. The
n activities of the servants of the Lord when
they choose to manifest themselves in this
world by the will of the Lord, although to
the vision of the mundane observer they
seem to be indistinguishable from the
activities of ordinary people, have really
nothing in common with the phenomena of
this world. Their resemblance to the
activities of mortal man, forms their exoteric
or external aspect. The exoteric aspect is,
indeed, capable of being imitated, as it
actually is, by different types of deluded
people to serve different worldly purposes.
It is this use of the misapprehended exoteric
aspect of the transcendental activities of the
devotees that provokes the denunciations
of fellow empiricists and leads them to the
other extreme of supposing that the activities
of pure devotees are also of the same
nature. Such judgment is hasty and
superficial. To one who is really anxious to
find the pure devotee of God the hypocrites
16 THE GAUDIYA
and pseudo-devotees need present no
insurmountable obstacle.
The real difficulty in the way of the
empiricists is the obsession which is cherished
by all of them viz. that the Absolute is
impersonal, formless and devoid of all
activity. This is the theory of empiric truth.
This is assumed to hold good in the case of
the Absolute. The empiricists for this reason
distrust any form of activity except that of
the intellect as capable of leading to the
discovery of the Truth. By the empiric theory
intellectualists are supposed to be the only
pure devotees of God. It is almost impossible
for them to get rid of this fetish. That a peson
who by external considerations appears to
be wanting in intellectual attainment can be a
devotee of God and by implication the
teacher who is to be unconditionally obeyed
by the greatest of the intellectual giants of
this world for obtaining the knowledge of the
Truth, is a proposition that is not likely to be
entertained with serious attenton by the
learned pedants of this world.
As a matter of fact the devotee himself
is identical with Truth. Everything of him is
part and parcel of the Truth. He is the real
manifestation of the indivisible Truth to our
erring mind and senses. Because the Truth
is a person sserved by an infinity of persons.
When any of the servants of Truth appears
in this world he is endowed by God with a
body that is visible to our senses but which
is nevertheless spiritual and therefore literally
the embodiment of transcendental service of
the Lord, appearing on the mundane plane.
It is in this way that the causeless mercy
of the All-merciful provides the opportunity
at our very door of finding the devotee of
God with our mundane senses and mind and
obtaining the knowledge of the Truth by
serving Him by the method of unconditional
but perfectly rational submission.
(to be continued)
APRIL 2011
 The Erotic Principle and Unalloyed Devotion
Sri Narayan Das Bhakti Sudhakar
(Contd from March issue)
By the process of abstraction we are
bound to obtain only a negative result. In
our present sinful state the sex suggests the
idea of sensuous impurity because our
present outlook itself is sensuous. The
senses of impurity is really nothing but that
of incongruity of any material, limited,
unconscious substance with the nature of
the human soul. We are not on the same
plane with the object of our thoughts but
are yoked to it in a most unnatural way.
This is the feeling of impurity or repugnance.
So long as we continue to look upon sex
with an eye of longing we can never think
of it in any other way. But this longing is
also part of our present acquired nature and
cannot leave us till we are enabled to lay
aside this secondary nature itself. With this
reform of nature our relation to the principle
of sex also undergoes a complete
transformation which is, however, otherwise
incomprehensible to our present
understanding. The female form of the
human soul is not a material form. The
relation between the human soul and
Sri Krishna is not the relation between
the material female form and its
corresponding male form. The amorous
pastimes of Sri Krishna with the
spiritual milk-maids of Vraja are not the
amorous pastimes between male and
female of this world. The amoros of Sri
Krishna are not a concoction of the
diseased brain of a sensualist. The amours
of this world could have no existence unless
the substantive principle exists in Sri
Krishna. But no one denies the existence
and importance of the principle of amour in
APRIL 2011 THE GAUDIYA
this world. Why do they imagine that it does
not exist in the realm of the Absolute in the
perfectly wholesome form ?
It is because we choose to regard as
material the female form of the soul that we
are shocked at what we suppose to be the
shameless sensuous proclivities of the
transcendentalists. This is inevitable so long
as we deliberately choose to nurse the error
that the sex of our experience is the real
entity and not its perverted reflection and
imagine that we have been able to solve the
problem of sex by transferring our sensuous
activity from the body to the mind and by
condemning as impure the excesses of the
external sexual act on no consistent
principle. Such bungling philosophy has not
convinced and will never convince anybody
of the real nature and purpose of the sexual
act. This is so because the sexual act is the
eternal concomitant in this sinful world of
the highest function of the spirit which can,
therefore, be never minimised or abolished
by all our empiric endeavours but the right
understanding of which can alone save us
from the terrible consequences of our
present suicidal sexual follies.
All the misunderstanding on the subject
is due to our deliberately confounding the
medicine with the disease, the Truth with
His superversion, the substance with the
shadow. The Srimad Bhagavata has offered
us in an unambiguous form the medicine
knowing full well that it will be wilfully
misunderstood and misrepresented by its
so-called friends and foes alike. But the
medicine is, nevertheless, indispensible for
our well-being. No religion which has
overlooked this necessity of the human race
17
 can afford us the relief of which we stand
most in need. It is for this reason that the
Srimad Bhagavata which is so much
maligned by all diseased persons, that is to
say by practically every body of this world,
has been declared by the greatest teachers
of the religion in this country as being the
only book in the whole world that offers
the most unambiguous exposition of the
whole Indivisible Truth a right understanding
of which alone can really save us from sin
and consequent misery. Sri Chaitanya and
His associates and followers have explained
the religion of the Srimad Bhagavata by their
teachings as well as conduct. They tell us
that the Truth must be lived in order to be
realised. If He be not lived but merely
professed He ceases to be the Reality and
degenerates into the worst form of His
materialistic caricature, doing infinite mischief
to His professor and His followers. The
right application of the medicine is absolutely
necessary for curing the disease of
ignorance. One who fails to take the
medicine administered by a competent
physician will never be cured of ignorance.
If the blind man pretends to be able to see
he may be believed by the blind but cannot
escape detection by those who really see.
Neither can he guide others aright on the
narrow path of righteousness. Unless and
until we choose to actually give it our most
serious attention being urged to such a
course by real necessity and find our way
to its acceptance our irrational perversity
will continue to bar most effectively its
ingress to our benighted understanding. We
must know that the realm of the Absolute is
self-protected against the intrusion of all guile
and imperfection which are the parents of
self-deception.
Y.
18 THE GAUDIYA
As a matter of fact we are required by
the Srimad Bhagavata, if we want to realise
the true nature of amorous love by which
alone Krishna can be properly served, to be
ready to make the supreme sacrifice of
discarding once for all and unconditionally
all sexual hankerings and prospects. We are
perfectly free to choose this course. But no
choice is a real choice unless it is of the nature
of conviction based on actual experience.
The discourses regarding the truth help us to
such conviction. After the conviction is
produced we feel naturally disposed to accept
the guidance of the scriptures as expounded
by real devotees. There are carefully graded
stages on the path of spiritual effort which
have to be traversed before we can reach
the goal. It is only when the goal is reached
that we can actually realise the truth
underlying the principle of sex. It is realised
last of all although the sexual hankering is
cured on the threshold of spiritual endeavour.
There are people who mistake this elimination
of the sexual desire for the goal. Those who
choose to be content with the relief which
such elimination seems to afford for the time
being and allow themselves to be dissuaded
from the search of the truth by the attainment
of a means of self-gratification unconsciously
begins the retrograde journey by a side path.
One should not stop till he gets the final
answer to the question. ‘What are we to do
with our senses?’ It is the positive attitude.
We cannot desist from making some use of
our senses. It is therefore, necessary to know
their right use. It is by preserving in this
selfless search for the Absolute truth that we
are enabled by and in the Search Himself to
realise the object of our Search who is
identical with the means itself that is really
adopted for His Search.
APRIL 2011
 How Ridiculous is the Human Being
Sri Gopal Das
Inspite of beloved Lord Krishna
bestowing on the human beings, intelligence
and the power of discrimination the human
beings under the powerful subtle
intoxication called maya continues to
commit glaring blunders during their life time.
1. Is it not ridiculous of the human
being to be concerned with things not
concerning him, when he is quite ignorant
of things concerning his own self ?
2. Is it not ridiculous of the human
being not knowing his real identity, who he
is, where does he come from, where does
he go from here, what is the purpose of this
human birth etc..
3. Is it not ridiculous of the human
being to live his life, only enjoying the peal
of the fruit and not the fruit itself. All the
human beings’ activities are concerned only
with the cover (the body) and not the
contents, the essence in the body (the soul).
4. Is it not ridiculous of the human
being to feed and nourish his enemies within
him, during his lifetime, who cheat him at
the end, not allowing him to get out of the
vicious whirlpool of the cycle of births and
deaths. One’s own mind and senses are
his enemies, not allowing one to take to the
spiritual path which is the purpose of this
human birth.
5. Is it not ridiculous of the human
being to spend half his age in sleeping, when
he is equipped with a dynamic soul which is
always awake and which is the driving force
behind all the faculties in the body. Bhakta
Prahlada Maharaj says that the human being
spends half his age in sleeping. Life means
activity and every moment of life is precious
APRIL 2011 THE GAUDIYA
as our Rishis and Mahatmas did.
6. Is it not ridiculous of the human
being who is ebbing with life, expecting to
get happiness from things which have no life
in them. The worldly person is mad after
wealth, property, dress, ornaments,
eatables, drinks etc. none of those things
have life in them. They can give you only
fleeting happiness which leads you to sorrow.
The human body is also inert. Life is instilled
in the human body by the presence of the
soul residing in the body.
7. Is it not ridiculous of the human being
ebbing with life not only expecting to get
happiness from things which have no life in
them but still worse, becoming a slave to all
the things which have no life in them. How
could a human being degrade himself to such
a low level. Every human being should give
serious thought to it. This only proves that
the human being is not at all worthy of the
human birth bestowed to him by God.
8. Is it not ridiculous of the human
being to identify himself with the body which
is only the vehicle or means to an end and
not an end in itself. The human body must
have a driver to drive the boat to the other
shore. The human body resembles a boat,
which is driven by the soul to cross samsara
and reach the other shore where the Super
Soul is eagerly waiting to receive the soul.
The boat or body is useless without a driver
who can take you to God’s kingdom.
9. Is it not ridiculous of the human
being to be engaged throughout life by
thought, word and deed on things of the
world get destroyed and lead a negative life
style. The world and all the things of the
19
y
r Y K * q w s v x ge
h a fgszxaAvfkc f a*.tewq
world get destroyed. This the human being
does inspite of having something immortal
in him. What a pity. The spiritual person
leads a positive life style.
10. Is it not ridiculous of the human
being to live his life in fear of death, when
there is absolutely no death for him. He is
only leaving an old worn out body to enter
into a new body with full of energy.
11. Is it not ridiculous of the human
being to live in this world in darkness, like a
fused but even though his eyes are wide
open. It is because he has lost contact with
the soul.
12. Is it not ridiculous of the human
being to identify himself with the body when
actually he is not possessing the body.
Instead of possessing the body, he is being
possessed by the body itself. He is a
HAPHAPPINESS FOREVER
V. P. Satish Kumar 9884003811
VENUS ASTROLOGY
Old #3/2, New #11, 2nd Street
Gopalapuram,
CHENNAI - 600 086
1 Sewing it with the
www : venusastrology.in
mail : venussatish@gmail.com
20 THE GAUDIYA
prisoner in his own body. What a pity.
The creamy layer of mankind are those
who have made contact with the soul, by
the grace of one’s Gurudev and God. By
contacting the soul, the spark of Divinity in
them glows brighter and brighter and they
are able to remove the darkness from those
who come in contact with them. The vast
majority of the world’s population are
worldly minded having lost contact with the
soul and are living in darkness due to sheer
ignorance. Devotees of God transform the
lives of the worldly minded, taking them
from the path of darkness to the path of
light, from mortality to immortality and
distinguishes the real from the unreal.
Due to my beloved Gurudev’s
inspiration I quote above some of them.
Y
We Create / Design
New style of clothing,
Giving the Right Cut,
to the Right Fabric,
&
Right Accessories
Call : 9884387503
APRIL 2011
 »y »y TϪ TÁ{∫ÁWÁ{ \Æo:
SRIMAD BHAGAVADGITA
»y™ÙTƒËyoÁ
YoÏsÁ|zDÜÆÁÆ: CHAPTER-IV
rÁåuƒßÁTÆÁzT: JNÂNA VIBHÂGA YOGA
(Contd. from March issue)
The wise men of the past have done
action with that knowledge
LƒÊ rÁnƒÁ Nw˛oÊ N˛™| úÓƒ{|∫uú ™Ï™ÏqÏuß: @
NÏ˛ª N˛™{|ƒ oÀ™Á‹ƒÊ úÓƒ{|: úÓƒ|o∫Ê Nw˛o™Ω @@15@@˛
Evam jnâtvâ kritam karma
purvairapi mumukshubhih |
kuru karmaiva tasmâtvam
purvaih purvataram kritam || 15
rÁnƒÁ = Knowing, LƒÊ = thus, N˛™| =
actions dedicated to Me, the Supreme
Lord, úÓƒ:|{ Euú = by ancient people, ™Ï™q Ï uÏ ß:
= desiring salvation. oÀ™ÁoΩ = Therefore, nƒÊ
= you also, NÏ˛ª = do, N˛™| Lƒ = only actions
(i.e., dedicating to the Supreme Lord), Nw˛oÊ
= done, úÓƒ:|{ = by ancient sages like Janaka,
Vivasvan and others, úÓƒo| ∫Ê = in olden times.
Knowing thus, actions dedicated to
Me, the Supreme Lord by ancient people
desiring salvation. Therefore, you also do
only actions (i.e., dedicating to the Supreme
Lord) done by ancient sages like Janaka,
Vivasvan and others in olden times. 15
The characteristics of actions
uNÊ˛ N˛™| uN˛™N˛™z|uo N˛ƒÆÁzDõÆfi ™Ázu“oÁ:˛˛ @
oz N˛™| üƒflÆÁu™ Æ[rÁnƒÁ˛˛™ÁzflÆÃzD∆ÏßÁoΩ @@16@@˛
Kim karma kimakarmeti
kavayoapyatra mohitâh |
tatte karma pravakshyâmi yaj-
jnâtvâ mokshyaseashubhât || 16
N˛ƒÆ: Euú = Even wise people, ™Ázu“oÁ:
= are perplexed , Efi = here, Fuo = to
APRIL 2011 THE GAUDIYA
determine, uNÊ˛ N˛™| = what is action, uNÊ˛ EN˛™|
= and what is inaction, üƒflÆÁu™ = I will tell,
oz = you, ooΩ = about, N˛™| = the different
actions, rÁnƒÁ = By knowing, ÆoΩ = the secret
of which, ™ÁzflÆÃz = you will be liberated,
E∆ÏßÁoΩ = from the bondage of actions i.e.
Samsara.
Even wise people are perplexed here
to determine what is action and what is
inaction. I will tell you about the different
actions,
nk by knowing the secret of which, you
will be liberated from the bondage of actions
i.e. Samsara. 16
N˛™|mÁz ÿuú §ÁzÚ√ÆÊ §ÁzÚ√ÆÊ Y uƒN˛™|m: @ f
EN˛™|m≥Á §ÁzÚ√ÆÊ T“åÁ N˛™|mÁz Tuo :˛˛@@17@@˛
Karmano hyapi boddhavyam
boddhavyam cha vikarmanah |
akarmanashcha boddhavyam
gahanâ karmano gatih || 17
N˛™|m: Euú = About karma (prescribed
by scriptures) also, §ÁzÚ√ÆÊ = it is necessary
to understand, uƒN˛™|m Y = actions prohibited
by scriptures, §Áz Ú √ÆÊ = are also to be
understood, EN˛™|m Y = dereliction or
omission of ordained actions, §ÁzÚ√ÆÊ = are
to be known, Tuo: = the Truth, N˛™|m:= of
actions (all the three), T“åÁ = are mysterious.
About karma (prescribed by scriptures)
also it is necessary to understand. Actions
prohibited by scriptures are also to be
understood. Dereliction or omission of
ordained actions are to be known. The Truth
of actions (all the three) are mysterious.
21
 One should understand the truth that
by performance of Vikarma leads one to
misery and sorrow. One should understand
the truth about Akarma, avoidance of
Karma, particularly by the Sanyasi, the evil
consequences that befall. Therefore one
should do the actions congenial to the
unalloyed Loving devotion and they should
be dedicated at the Lotus Feet of the
Supreme Lord Sri Krishna.
Refer to Srimad Bhagavatam XI.3.43.
17
N˛™|lÆN˛™| Æ: ú≈ÆztN˛™|um Y N˛™| Æ:˛˛ @
à §ÏuÚ™Áã™åÓ…Æz Ï à ÆÏO˛: Nw˛nŒÁN˛™|N˛w oΩ˛˛@@18@@˛
Karmanyakarma yah pashyed-
akarmani cha karma yah |
sa buddhimânmanushyeshu
sa yuktah kritsnakarmakrit || 18
Æ: = He who, ú≈ÆzoΩ = realises, N˛™|Áum
= actions done with pure heart dedicated
to the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna for the
pleasure of the Lord only, EN˛™| = as inaction
as it does not bind him, Æ: = and he who
realises, EN˛™|um = non performance of
action by a impure hearted, N˛™| Y = Karma
Sanyasi as action (which binds), Ã: = he,
§ÏuÚ™ÁåΩ = is wise, ™åÏ…Æz Ï = among men, Ã:
= and he, ÆÏO˛:= is fit for salvation, Nw˛nŒÁ
N˛™|Nw˛oΩ = and a seer of perfect harmony in
all actions.
He who realises actions done with pure
heart dedicated to the Supreme Lord Sri
Krishna for the pleasure of the Lord only
as inaction as it does not bind him and he
who realises non performance of action by
a impure hearted Karma Sanyasi as action
which binds. And he is wise among men
and is fit for salvation and a seer of perfect
harmony in all actions.
Refer to Srimad Bhagavat XI.18.
40,41; Srimad Bhagavad Gita V.4 18
22 THE GAUDIYA
ÆÀÆ Ãƒz| ÙÁ∫©ßÁ: N˛Á™ÃWî¡ú ƒu\|oÁ: @
rÁåÁuTítSáN˛™Á|mÊ o™Á“Ï: úulgoÊ ƒÏáÁ : ˛@@19@@˛
Yasya sarve samârambhâh
kâmasamkalpa varjitâh |
jnânâgnidagdhakarmânam
tamâhuh panditam budhâh || 19
ÆÀÆ = He, whose, Ãz| = all, ÙÁ∫©ßÁ: =
actions, ƒu\|oÁ: = are free from, N˛Á™ÃWî¡ú =
any hankering for enjoyment or desire for
fruits thereof, §ÏáÁ: = the wise people, EÁ“Ï:
= call, oÊ = him, úulgoÊ = a learned, N˛™Á|mÊ =
(and) whatever his actions i.e., Karma,
Akarma or Vikarma, tSá = are burnt, EuSå
= in the fire, rÁå = of spiritual knowledge.
He, whose all actions are free from any
hankering for enjoyment or desire for fruits
thereof, the wise people call him a learned
and whatever his actions i.e., Karma,
Akarma or Vikarma are burnt in the fire of
spiritual knowledge.
Refer also Srimad Bhagavat Gita
IV.36,37. 19
nÆMnƒÁ N˛™|¢˛¬ÁÃWïÊ uånÆowõoÁz uå∫Á»Æ: @
N˛™|lÆußüƒwÁzzDuú å{ƒ uN˛uØÁnN˛∫Ázuo Ã: @@20@@˛
Tyaktvâ karmaphalâsangam
nityatripto nirâshrayah |
karmanyabhipravrittoapi
naiva kinchitkaroti sah || 20
nÆMnƒÁ = Giving up, ÃWïÊ= attachment,
¢˛¬Ê = to fruits, N˛™| = of action, uånÆowõo: = is
always engaged in his own Divine Bliss,
uå∫Á»Æ: = free from worldly cares and
anxieties, Ã: = he, Eußüƒw: Euú = although
actually engaged, N˛™|um = in performing
actions, å{ƒN˛∫Ázuo = does not do at all, uN˛uØÁoΩ
= anything.
Giving up attachment to fruits of action
is always engaged in his own Divine Bliss
free from worldly cares and anxieties, he
(contd. on page 24)
APRIL 2011
 With Best Compliments from

Ph: 2538 8124

Fax: 2538 8184

M/S. V.T.C.FABRICS
that the hu

and
Specialist in Uniforms & Special Supplies

Distributors of
S.Kumar's Uniform Materials
Century Fabrics etc.

g
65, (New No.78),i Godown Street,
P.B.No: 133,
CHENNAI - 600 001

APRIL 2011 THE GAUDIYA 23

 although actually engaged in performing
actions, does not do at all anything. 20
uå∫Á∆yÆ|ouYÁn™Á nÆO˛Ãƒ|úu∫T¿“:@
∆Á∫y∫Ê Nz˛ƒ¬Ê N˛™| NÏ˛ƒ|ëÁÁúíÁuz o uN˛u¡§ ™Ω @@21@@˛
Nirâseeryatachittâtmâ
tyaktasarvaparigrahah |
shâreeram kevalam karma
kurvannâpnoti kilbisham || 21
uå∫Á∆y = (He) without seeking the
fruits of his action, ÆouYÁn™Á = controlling
his body, mind and senses i.e. engaging
them in the Divine service of the Supreme
Lord Sri Krishna, nÆO˛Á = giving up, Ã|úu∫T¿“:
= all possessions, NÏ˛ƒ|åΩ = doing, Nz˛ƒ¬Ê =
actions, ∆∫y∫Ê = for the maintanance of his
livelihood, å EÁúíÁuz o = is free from, uN˛u¡§ ™Ω
= all vices accruing from actions.
He without seeking the fruits of his
action controlling his body, mind and senses
i.e. engaging them in the Divine service of
the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna, giving up all
possessions doing actions for the
maintanance of his livelihood is free from all
vices accruing from actions. 21
5
(to be continued)

My Lord ! I am an unfortunate wretch,

but my demand is too high. It is like that of a dwarf
aspiring after the moon. May I be blessed with the sacred remnants
of those who serve You with their-body, heart, mind and soul. May in
every birth of mine, the same may be the objects of my devotion.
May the idea of accepting their leavings be my duty – My religion.
I have no desire for salvation or any other type of attainment of
fruits. But, let not my mind even for an insignificant fraction of a
moment, deviate from the above prayer of mine, i.e., for the sacred
remnants of all Your favourite servants. Let this sinful life of mine
bereft of Your remembrance of sanctified by the holy leavings of Your
genuine devotees. In all infinite number of worlds there is no higher e
position than that of becoming a servant of all Thy servants. I am
highly ambitious, hence I prayed for the highest position which I do
not, in fact deserve. It is such a lofty position that even great gods
are aspirants for it. Perhaps, my prayer may be an offensive one,
owing to my ineligibility for achieving such a high attainment.
O Lord ! O Saviour of fallen souls ! Please have the mercy to forgive
and forget all the offences of this ignorant and unworthy servant
committed consciously or unconsciously. O the Darling of Sachi !
O my Lord ! Grant me this favour, make me a dog and keep me ro
at the house of Your devotee.

–– Srila Haridas Thakur

24 THE GAUDIYA APRIL

ar 2011