Posts
My trip to Chicago is now winding down; tomorrow is my last day here. This morning i visited the Sri Sri Kishore Kishori ISKCON Temple which is located on the North Side of Chicago. I first joined Iskcon 37 years ago in the Chicago winter, when the devotees there were renting a tiny unheated, frozen storefront. I stayed for only one weekend; the conditions were so austere, i was invited to move to the temple in Detroit were things were more organized and there was some heating. I returned to the Chicago temple in 1973 (which by then had moved to a former YMCA in Evanston). At that time the beautiful white marble deities, Kishore and Kishori, had just been shipped from the murti walla in Jaipur to Chicago, but had not yet been installed.
Every time i visit Chicago, i try to go at least once to the temple for darshan. By the grace of the Lord, this morning i had the chance. Krishna (Kishore) looked especially beautiful to me, with an enchanting smile and graceful figure. How mystical he is: the transcendental Lord appears before us in a material form so that we whose senses are now material, can see him, be seen by him, and benefit from that exchange. It is reality, not idolotry, and anyone whose heart is open can appreciate this.
The Deities also remind us of another dimension beyond the three dimensional mental/intellectual/emotional world we live in. It is the
fourth dimension of service, acceptance and love, devoid of dualities.
Although they don't seem to move, they possess the ability to move us thru their presence. This is another remarkable feature of the supreme truth
who resolves all contradictions and solves all problems without any
apparent effort. Sri Sr Kishore Kishori ki jaya!!!
Monday, July 16, 2007
Monday, July 9, 2007
Denial & Maya
When we were young, in our 20's, we heard and read the reality of this material world from the writings and classes of our beloved spiritual master, om visnupada paramahamsa A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. He kept reminding us that although we were then young, one day, "you will be an old man, like me." Of course, Prabhupada was never an "old man." He was a transcendental personality playing the role of an ordinary or extraordinary human being. But he was never in the bodily concept of life. Just to teach us the truth of this material world, as temporary and miserable, he repeated his message again and again, and often he humbly referred to himself as an "old man."
Now that i'm visiting with my father i'm seeing first hand how old age punishes the conditioned jiva soul. Now i can more deeply appreciate the trouble Prabhupada took to educate us when we were young and feeling almost invincible. I'm already deep into middle age, and i no longer feel invincible or immortal, but still in some ways the harsh realities remain theoretical. But visiting with my father, there is no denial of the misery and futility of material life when it reaches a certain age. Fruit is first unripe, then it becomes sweet for a short time and then it starts to rot. That's life here.
It appears that we go thru life in various stages of denial. We deny our mortality. We deny our helplessness. We deny our dependency on others, on nature herself and on God. In all stages of life: unripe, sweet and rotten, we are in denial.
"Denial" is one of the main themes of material life. We can change our consciousness and we can change our reality but only if we stop our denial. Denial is maya's weapon. As His potency, she is controlled by Krishna, and we are controlled by her. She keeps us in illusion by engaging us, partly with the tactic of denial.
The only sure way to cross over maya's control is to accept the shelter of the pure vaisnavas and Krishna. We can use fancy language and speculate
all day, but maya has weapons that we are helpless against. She uses her weapons to control us. No escape from her prison without the vaisnava's and Krishna's blessings.
Krishna is ready to use the weapon of his divine attractiveness to neutralize the weapons of maya that keep us under her control. But only when we become akincina, free from material attachments, including our attachment to denial.
Now that i'm visiting with my father i'm seeing first hand how old age punishes the conditioned jiva soul. Now i can more deeply appreciate the trouble Prabhupada took to educate us when we were young and feeling almost invincible. I'm already deep into middle age, and i no longer feel invincible or immortal, but still in some ways the harsh realities remain theoretical. But visiting with my father, there is no denial of the misery and futility of material life when it reaches a certain age. Fruit is first unripe, then it becomes sweet for a short time and then it starts to rot. That's life here.
It appears that we go thru life in various stages of denial. We deny our mortality. We deny our helplessness. We deny our dependency on others, on nature herself and on God. In all stages of life: unripe, sweet and rotten, we are in denial.
"Denial" is one of the main themes of material life. We can change our consciousness and we can change our reality but only if we stop our denial. Denial is maya's weapon. As His potency, she is controlled by Krishna, and we are controlled by her. She keeps us in illusion by engaging us, partly with the tactic of denial.
The only sure way to cross over maya's control is to accept the shelter of the pure vaisnavas and Krishna. We can use fancy language and speculate
all day, but maya has weapons that we are helpless against. She uses her weapons to control us. No escape from her prison without the vaisnava's and Krishna's blessings.
Krishna is ready to use the weapon of his divine attractiveness to neutralize the weapons of maya that keep us under her control. But only when we become akincina, free from material attachments, including our attachment to denial.
Sunday, July 8, 2007
Faith & Emotions
I'm still in Chicago, visiting my father who turned 94 today. Physically and mentally he is in excellent shape for someone who has been thru 94 years of kali yuga. But emotionally, he is a poor wreck because he is not a devotee and he is hopeless and helpless at this stage of his life.
We who aspire to be devotees put a lot of emphasis on knowledge, and rightly so. Without knowledge and discrimination we cannot make progress on the journey back to Godhead. This confidential knowledge is one of the matchless gifts of the mahajan great souls, including our own worshipable spiritual master, om visnupada paramahamsa A.C. Bhaktivedenta Swami Prabhupada.
But more than knowledge, more than logic, the greatest gift our spiritual preceptors have given us is the faith they showed us and the emotional strength that was the byproduct of their faith. At the end of the day, it's emotions that rule. And emotions are guided by faith. It is this unseen and unspoken power of faith that gives us the emotional strength to have hope and to feel inspiration, to aspire for a closer and more intimate connection with the saints, and for the determination to become a genuine devotee, not just an imitation or materialistic follower of the 3rd class.
We who aspire to be devotees put a lot of emphasis on knowledge, and rightly so. Without knowledge and discrimination we cannot make progress on the journey back to Godhead. This confidential knowledge is one of the matchless gifts of the mahajan great souls, including our own worshipable spiritual master, om visnupada paramahamsa A.C. Bhaktivedenta Swami Prabhupada.
But more than knowledge, more than logic, the greatest gift our spiritual preceptors have given us is the faith they showed us and the emotional strength that was the byproduct of their faith. At the end of the day, it's emotions that rule. And emotions are guided by faith. It is this unseen and unspoken power of faith that gives us the emotional strength to have hope and to feel inspiration, to aspire for a closer and more intimate connection with the saints, and for the determination to become a genuine devotee, not just an imitation or materialistic follower of the 3rd class.
Wednesday, July 4, 2007
"Independence Day"
I'm writing today from a hotel just outside of Chicago where i'm visiting relatives. Yesterday was a day of travel from UK to the States. If anyone thinks this material world is nice, they should have seen all the police with machine guns standing around Heathrow Airport yesterday. I was lucky to fly out. All flights from Terminal 4 were cancelled for 6-24 hours due to a scare. While i was waiting for my flight on Air India in Terminal 3, all the unlucky passengers in Terminal 4 (BA, KLM) had to evacuate the terminal in a rainstorm and lose their flight connections. Many had to spend overnite in London because of a "suspicious" package that turned out to be harmless. Nice place, indeed, this material world.
Today is the 4th of July, celebrated as Independence Day in the USA. This so-called misconception of "independence" is not freedom, but is ironically, the cause of our bondage. How's that? Because we are never independent of nature's laws, which are God's laws. Everyone is under their rule. But due to our desire to compete with God, we imitate our "independence" in various ways. This is another good example of how imitation has no real value.
As defined, our independence is only an imitation of reality. Real independence means to take shelter and surrender to God, Lord Sri Krishna. That will free us from all our existential fears and karmic reactions. aham tvam sarva papebhyo moksayisyami ma sucah
(Bhagavad gita 18.66)
How can we be "independent" when we are tied to the certainty of death which comes with the material body? No science, no ideology, no political system and no so-called progress can free us. Only Krishna, the giver of liberation to his devotees, can. But we don't want to pay the price for his mercy, which is to accept Him as the Master and Enjoyer, and accept ourselves as humble servant of his servant. Better to rein in hell, than serve in heaven. That's our independence.
Today is the 4th of July, celebrated as Independence Day in the USA. This so-called misconception of "independence" is not freedom, but is ironically, the cause of our bondage. How's that? Because we are never independent of nature's laws, which are God's laws. Everyone is under their rule. But due to our desire to compete with God, we imitate our "independence" in various ways. This is another good example of how imitation has no real value.
As defined, our independence is only an imitation of reality. Real independence means to take shelter and surrender to God, Lord Sri Krishna. That will free us from all our existential fears and karmic reactions. aham tvam sarva papebhyo moksayisyami ma sucah
(Bhagavad gita 18.66)
How can we be "independent" when we are tied to the certainty of death which comes with the material body? No science, no ideology, no political system and no so-called progress can free us. Only Krishna, the giver of liberation to his devotees, can. But we don't want to pay the price for his mercy, which is to accept Him as the Master and Enjoyer, and accept ourselves as humble servant of his servant. Better to rein in hell, than serve in heaven. That's our independence.
Sunday, July 1, 2007
Questions by a Young Devotee
Srila Prabhupada answers some questions in a letter to his disciple, Aniruddha prabhu. Aniruddha was a nice devotee who first joined Prabhupada on the West Coast of the US in 1967. I first met him in L.A. in 1972, then 25 years later in Honolulu. Recently Aniruddha passed away in Hawaii. This letter was written by Prabhupada when Aniruddha was still a new devotee. Although email had not been invented and Prabhupada needed to dictate or write and send each letter personally, he never failed to respond to his disciples, and to enlighten them with his pure vision. This is just one symptom of a great devotee.
Regarding your questions: Your first question, "Are great sages put under yogamaya or maya? Also are all the eternally liberated souls under yogamaya?"
Yogamaya means the mercy of the Supreme Lord which connects a devotee in the transcendental loving service of the Lord, and mahamaya means the external potency of the Lord which puts a conditioned soul into illusion that he will be happy by material adjustment. So great sages who are impersonalists are also under the spell of mahamaya, because a conditioned soul in the material world wants to improve his material position as exalted as possible, and the concept of becoming one with the Supreme Lord is the greatest illusion for them. Because it is a fact that nobody can be equal or greater than the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and as such, anyone desiring to become one with the Supreme means that he is still in the trap of maya.
On the other hand, a humble devotee who may not be a great sage, but simply by his implicit acceptance of the Lotus Feet of the Lord as the goal of his life means that he is under the protection of yogamaya. I think this will clear the idea.
Your next question, "Is there a difference between Arjuna's body and his soul, and how does this apply to all Krishna's eternally liberated souls described in the scriptures. Is Arjuna always the same in his appearances with Krishna or is a new soul taking his body each time?"
Yes, there is difference. Therefore he forgets his past activities. Just like we forget ourselves while dreaming because our subtle body acts at that time differently from the gross body. Similarly, by changing this body or transmigrating from one body to another, we forget all the activities of our previous body. The associates of the Lord, even though they have a different body, or even though they forget the activities of their past body, still they are associates of the Lord. These explanations are given in the Bhagavad-gita as it is.
Your next question, "Is a pure devotee eternally liberated and if so is he at any time a conditioned soul? We are eternally conditioned, but as soon as we surrender to Krishna do we then become eternally liberated? When Lord Christ appeared he seemed to be conditioned in his growth. Was he a specific incarnation or a conditioned soul who became liberated?"
You are not eternally conditioned. You are eternally liberated but since we have become conditioned on account of our desire to enjoy materialistic way of life, from time immemorial, therefore it appears that we are eternally conditioned. Because we cannot trace out the history or the date when we became conditioned, therefore it is technically called eternally conditioned. Otherwise the living entity is not actually conditioned.
A living entity is always pure. But he is prone to be attracted by material enjoyment and as soon as he agrees to place himself in material enjoyment, he becomes conditioned, but that is not permanent. Therefore a living entity is called on the marginal state, sometimes this side, sometimes that side.
These are very intelligent questions. And I am very glad that you are putting such intelligent questions and trying to understand it. It is very good. But best thing is that one should know he is in conditioned life and try to cure it. When a man is in diseased condition he should try to get out of diseased condition without harassing his brain when the disease has begun. But it is to be understood that the disease is not our constant companion, it is temporary.
So the best thing is to cure the disease, and not waste our time to find out the date when it began. Forgetfulness of Krishna is the disease, so let us keep ourselves always in Krishna Consciousness, and get out of the disease, that is healthy life. Yes, Lord Jesus was jivatattva. He is not Visnu tattva. When a jiva tattva becomes specifically empowered by the Lord, he is called saktyavesa avatara. Lord Buddha and Lord Jesus Christ were in this group of saktyavesa avatara.. But they were not in conditioned state when they appeared; they came to teach here.
Regarding your questions: Your first question, "Are great sages put under yogamaya or maya? Also are all the eternally liberated souls under yogamaya?"
Yogamaya means the mercy of the Supreme Lord which connects a devotee in the transcendental loving service of the Lord, and mahamaya means the external potency of the Lord which puts a conditioned soul into illusion that he will be happy by material adjustment. So great sages who are impersonalists are also under the spell of mahamaya, because a conditioned soul in the material world wants to improve his material position as exalted as possible, and the concept of becoming one with the Supreme Lord is the greatest illusion for them. Because it is a fact that nobody can be equal or greater than the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and as such, anyone desiring to become one with the Supreme means that he is still in the trap of maya.
On the other hand, a humble devotee who may not be a great sage, but simply by his implicit acceptance of the Lotus Feet of the Lord as the goal of his life means that he is under the protection of yogamaya. I think this will clear the idea.
Your next question, "Is there a difference between Arjuna's body and his soul, and how does this apply to all Krishna's eternally liberated souls described in the scriptures. Is Arjuna always the same in his appearances with Krishna or is a new soul taking his body each time?"
Yes, there is difference. Therefore he forgets his past activities. Just like we forget ourselves while dreaming because our subtle body acts at that time differently from the gross body. Similarly, by changing this body or transmigrating from one body to another, we forget all the activities of our previous body. The associates of the Lord, even though they have a different body, or even though they forget the activities of their past body, still they are associates of the Lord. These explanations are given in the Bhagavad-gita as it is.
Your next question, "Is a pure devotee eternally liberated and if so is he at any time a conditioned soul? We are eternally conditioned, but as soon as we surrender to Krishna do we then become eternally liberated? When Lord Christ appeared he seemed to be conditioned in his growth. Was he a specific incarnation or a conditioned soul who became liberated?"
You are not eternally conditioned. You are eternally liberated but since we have become conditioned on account of our desire to enjoy materialistic way of life, from time immemorial, therefore it appears that we are eternally conditioned. Because we cannot trace out the history or the date when we became conditioned, therefore it is technically called eternally conditioned. Otherwise the living entity is not actually conditioned.
A living entity is always pure. But he is prone to be attracted by material enjoyment and as soon as he agrees to place himself in material enjoyment, he becomes conditioned, but that is not permanent. Therefore a living entity is called on the marginal state, sometimes this side, sometimes that side.
These are very intelligent questions. And I am very glad that you are putting such intelligent questions and trying to understand it. It is very good. But best thing is that one should know he is in conditioned life and try to cure it. When a man is in diseased condition he should try to get out of diseased condition without harassing his brain when the disease has begun. But it is to be understood that the disease is not our constant companion, it is temporary.
So the best thing is to cure the disease, and not waste our time to find out the date when it began. Forgetfulness of Krishna is the disease, so let us keep ourselves always in Krishna Consciousness, and get out of the disease, that is healthy life. Yes, Lord Jesus was jivatattva. He is not Visnu tattva. When a jiva tattva becomes specifically empowered by the Lord, he is called saktyavesa avatara. Lord Buddha and Lord Jesus Christ were in this group of saktyavesa avatara.. But they were not in conditioned state when they appeared; they came to teach here.
Saturday, June 30, 2007
On the Road
Dear Reader,
I am travelling in the USA in July and August, and my blog entries may be less frequent. If you are a regular reader, i apologize for this. If you wish to comment on anything from the blog or share your own observations,
feel free to write me. Although i wrote in yesterday’s commentary that we should not complain, i have one complaint: hardly anyone makes comments on my entries.
There is a place at the bottom of each entry for you to comment. Please use it; this blog is meant for dialogue. Alternatively, if you wish to write me privately, send it to jauvana@gmail.com
I will respond to all comments/emails.
Looking forward to hearing from you and wishing you much inspiration on your inner journey.
Nitai Gaura Haribol,
jauvana
I am travelling in the USA in July and August, and my blog entries may be less frequent. If you are a regular reader, i apologize for this. If you wish to comment on anything from the blog or share your own observations,
feel free to write me. Although i wrote in yesterday’s commentary that we should not complain, i have one complaint: hardly anyone makes comments on my entries.
There is a place at the bottom of each entry for you to comment. Please use it; this blog is meant for dialogue. Alternatively, if you wish to write me privately, send it to jauvana@gmail.com
I will respond to all comments/emails.
Looking forward to hearing from you and wishing you much inspiration on your inner journey.
Nitai Gaura Haribol,
jauvana
Friday, June 29, 2007
No One Else!!!
Verse 8 of Sri Siksastakam
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the golden avatar of Lord Sri Krishna, appeared on this earth just 520 years ago, and displayed his pastimes as a devotee, one madly searching after Himself.
He instructed his disciples and followers to write hundreds of volumes of books on philosophy. But He Himself left only Eight Beautiful
Verses of Instruction.
In the blog, i’ve been exploring these 8 Divine Instructions, one by one. These verses contain the complete theory and practice of pure love for God, from the lips of Sri Krishna Caitanya, God in the role of His own devotee. Today, the final verse:
Sanskrit, Verse 8:
aslisya va pada ratam pinastu mam
adarsanan marma hatam karotu va
yatha tatha va vidadhatu lampato
mat prana nathas tu sa eva naparah
Translation & Commentary:
Krishna, You can embrace me with Your strong arms
or trample me under Your feet.
You may break my heart by disappearing from my sight.
You do whatever you like. All women belong to You.
But in agony or in ecstasy, i remain Yours.
You only are the lord of my life. No one else!!!
Sri Krishna is the divine autocrat. He is love, and love does not obey any law other than itself. Love is tied to mercy, to luck, to favor, not to justice. Krishna is independent of our efforts. He can appear, disappear, reward, punish or be indifferent to us. He can do anything at his whim. But he always acts from the position of love, because he is infinite love. He will never hurt us or destroy us with his love.
Pure love is above law and above rights. All rights reserved. Krishna’s love for us far exceeds our capacity to love him. Therefore he has all rights. We have only one right: the right to serve him. We cannot negotiate with him like a businessman. We are always looking for the fruit, the payoff, what’s in it for me? But true love offers us only sacrifice, self-forgetfulness, service. Why should we be attracted to such a proposition? We hesitate before such an extreme proposal.
If we want love that transcends life, love that takes us beyond this commercial world of win-lose, win-win, and lose-lose, then there is no alternative except to follow the path shown by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. We will be happy when we realize our finite-ness in connection with the infinite. We will be joyful when we forget our self-importance and give all attention to Krishna. We will find ecstasy when we can feel exclusive devotion.
In our own journey there should be no complaint from our side. So many injustices will be seen by us, from the past and the present. We can observe them, comment on them and learn from them, but we should never take them too seriously. They are disturbances: some funny, some tragic, but merely distractions. Nothing is a catastrophe. The only disaster is our lack of love for Krishna.
How can we find our proper place in this world? It may not be possible, in a social sense. But if somehow or other, we can pass the exam and qualify for entering into that circle where everyone has real love for Krishna, then we shall be completely relieved of our restlessness.
mac-citta mad-gata-prana
bodhayantah parasparam
“The thoughts of My pure devotees dwell in Me, their lives are devoted to Me, they preach amongst themselves and enjoy transcendental bliss talking about Me.” (Bhagavad gita 10.9)
And Krishna gives us another hint at the end of the Gita:
aham tvam sarva-papebhyo
moksayisyami ma sucah
“I shall deliver you from all disturbances, all reactions. Do not fear.” (Bhagavad gita 18.66)
We are suffering from sinful reactions, from mixing with the modes of nature for an immeasurably long time. But Krishna says: don’t worry, I can deliver you. It’s not difficult for Me.
So we should not be afraid of what appears on the surface to be a frightening and terribly painful process of surrender. Externally it looks like that, but internally it is different. In Vrindavan, nothing is what it appears to be! We must be prepared to suspend our judgement and dive into the experience. It contains the greatest sweetness, beauty and pleasure.
This great experiment is being offered to us by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. With his words and with his life, he showed us the possibility. Of course, he is not a jiva soul; he is the original Personality of Godhead, in the role of a devotee. But he came to teach us, to demonstrate for us, the path to prema. It is our eternal benefit if we can learn to follow this path, not to imitate, but to very carefully and respectfully walk in the footprints of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and his followers. Sri Sri Guru & Gauranga jayate!!
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the golden avatar of Lord Sri Krishna, appeared on this earth just 520 years ago, and displayed his pastimes as a devotee, one madly searching after Himself.
He instructed his disciples and followers to write hundreds of volumes of books on philosophy. But He Himself left only Eight Beautiful
Verses of Instruction.
In the blog, i’ve been exploring these 8 Divine Instructions, one by one. These verses contain the complete theory and practice of pure love for God, from the lips of Sri Krishna Caitanya, God in the role of His own devotee. Today, the final verse:
Sanskrit, Verse 8:
aslisya va pada ratam pinastu mam
adarsanan marma hatam karotu va
yatha tatha va vidadhatu lampato
mat prana nathas tu sa eva naparah
Translation & Commentary:
Krishna, You can embrace me with Your strong arms
or trample me under Your feet.
You may break my heart by disappearing from my sight.
You do whatever you like. All women belong to You.
But in agony or in ecstasy, i remain Yours.
You only are the lord of my life. No one else!!!
Sri Krishna is the divine autocrat. He is love, and love does not obey any law other than itself. Love is tied to mercy, to luck, to favor, not to justice. Krishna is independent of our efforts. He can appear, disappear, reward, punish or be indifferent to us. He can do anything at his whim. But he always acts from the position of love, because he is infinite love. He will never hurt us or destroy us with his love.
Pure love is above law and above rights. All rights reserved. Krishna’s love for us far exceeds our capacity to love him. Therefore he has all rights. We have only one right: the right to serve him. We cannot negotiate with him like a businessman. We are always looking for the fruit, the payoff, what’s in it for me? But true love offers us only sacrifice, self-forgetfulness, service. Why should we be attracted to such a proposition? We hesitate before such an extreme proposal.
If we want love that transcends life, love that takes us beyond this commercial world of win-lose, win-win, and lose-lose, then there is no alternative except to follow the path shown by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. We will be happy when we realize our finite-ness in connection with the infinite. We will be joyful when we forget our self-importance and give all attention to Krishna. We will find ecstasy when we can feel exclusive devotion.
In our own journey there should be no complaint from our side. So many injustices will be seen by us, from the past and the present. We can observe them, comment on them and learn from them, but we should never take them too seriously. They are disturbances: some funny, some tragic, but merely distractions. Nothing is a catastrophe. The only disaster is our lack of love for Krishna.
How can we find our proper place in this world? It may not be possible, in a social sense. But if somehow or other, we can pass the exam and qualify for entering into that circle where everyone has real love for Krishna, then we shall be completely relieved of our restlessness.
mac-citta mad-gata-prana
bodhayantah parasparam
“The thoughts of My pure devotees dwell in Me, their lives are devoted to Me, they preach amongst themselves and enjoy transcendental bliss talking about Me.” (Bhagavad gita 10.9)
And Krishna gives us another hint at the end of the Gita:
aham tvam sarva-papebhyo
moksayisyami ma sucah
“I shall deliver you from all disturbances, all reactions. Do not fear.” (Bhagavad gita 18.66)
We are suffering from sinful reactions, from mixing with the modes of nature for an immeasurably long time. But Krishna says: don’t worry, I can deliver you. It’s not difficult for Me.
So we should not be afraid of what appears on the surface to be a frightening and terribly painful process of surrender. Externally it looks like that, but internally it is different. In Vrindavan, nothing is what it appears to be! We must be prepared to suspend our judgement and dive into the experience. It contains the greatest sweetness, beauty and pleasure.
This great experiment is being offered to us by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. With his words and with his life, he showed us the possibility. Of course, he is not a jiva soul; he is the original Personality of Godhead, in the role of a devotee. But he came to teach us, to demonstrate for us, the path to prema. It is our eternal benefit if we can learn to follow this path, not to imitate, but to very carefully and respectfully walk in the footprints of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and his followers. Sri Sri Guru & Gauranga jayate!!
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Burning in Separation
Verse 7 of Sri Siksastakam
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the golden avatar of Lord Sri Krishna, appeared on this earth just 520 years ago, and displayed his pastimes as a devotee, one madly searching after Himself.
He instructed his disciples and followers to write hundreds of volumes of books on philosophy. But He Himself left only Eight Beautiful
Verses of Instruction.
Here in the blog, i’m exploring these 8 Divine Instructions, one by one. These verses contain the complete theory and practice of pure love for God, from the lips of Sri Krishna Caitanya, God in the role of His own devotee.
Sanskrit, Verse 7:
yugayitam nimesena
caksusa pravrsayitam
sunyayitam jagat sarvam
govinda virahena me
Translation & Commentary:
Now one moment has become a thousand years.
My eyes have become the monsoon.
The whole world has become zero.
I'm burning in separation from my Govinda.
In this verse, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is describing perhaps the most esoteric of emotional states in divine love: separation from the Beloved.
We all have mundane experiences of separation in our own existence, but they are never nice. They bring us pain, anxiety, sometimes terror that is repressed, feelings of abandonment, loss, shame and many other
negative emotions.
But the separation being described here is transcendental, not within the parameters of a temporary and vitiated nature. This separation is not based on the subjective reality of “I, me and mine.” The false identity of over-lordship is not in play here. Rather, super-subjective feelings and spiritual emotions generate a strong sense of possessing and being possessed by the Ista-Deva, the Lord of one's heart.
The soul's longing for meeting the all attractive reservoir of beauty, the Soul of his soul, is a most sublime and unique emotional state. In this condition, the elevated yet humble soul strongly feels the presence of his Beloved, but cannot see Him. The closer he comes, the more the devotee finds that his Beloved is just out of reach.
The competition between the devotee’s desire to see Krishna and Krishna’s desire to remain hidden becomes intense. It produces in the devotee an exclusive concentration on Krishna that feels like a hopelessly burning fever, or like time standing still.
While this mood of separation seems like an unbearable poison on the surface, it is actually the container of immortal nectar-like bliss. Simultaneously, the saddest tone produces the sweetest overtones.
Just as when you strike a string on the guitar, the main tone may be an “A,” but there are many overtones within that "A" note that the ear hears at the same time. The overtones of vipralambha, love in deep separation, produce the most dazzling visions and ecstatic experiences of spiritual revelation. It is in this mystical condition of the soul in its extreme need, reaching out for the Beloved, that prema, divine love, makes her grand entrance.
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the golden avatar of Lord Sri Krishna, appeared on this earth just 520 years ago, and displayed his pastimes as a devotee, one madly searching after Himself.
He instructed his disciples and followers to write hundreds of volumes of books on philosophy. But He Himself left only Eight Beautiful
Verses of Instruction.
Here in the blog, i’m exploring these 8 Divine Instructions, one by one. These verses contain the complete theory and practice of pure love for God, from the lips of Sri Krishna Caitanya, God in the role of His own devotee.
Sanskrit, Verse 7:
yugayitam nimesena
caksusa pravrsayitam
sunyayitam jagat sarvam
govinda virahena me
Translation & Commentary:
Now one moment has become a thousand years.
My eyes have become the monsoon.
The whole world has become zero.
I'm burning in separation from my Govinda.
In this verse, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is describing perhaps the most esoteric of emotional states in divine love: separation from the Beloved.
We all have mundane experiences of separation in our own existence, but they are never nice. They bring us pain, anxiety, sometimes terror that is repressed, feelings of abandonment, loss, shame and many other
negative emotions.
But the separation being described here is transcendental, not within the parameters of a temporary and vitiated nature. This separation is not based on the subjective reality of “I, me and mine.” The false identity of over-lordship is not in play here. Rather, super-subjective feelings and spiritual emotions generate a strong sense of possessing and being possessed by the Ista-Deva, the Lord of one's heart.
The soul's longing for meeting the all attractive reservoir of beauty, the Soul of his soul, is a most sublime and unique emotional state. In this condition, the elevated yet humble soul strongly feels the presence of his Beloved, but cannot see Him. The closer he comes, the more the devotee finds that his Beloved is just out of reach.
The competition between the devotee’s desire to see Krishna and Krishna’s desire to remain hidden becomes intense. It produces in the devotee an exclusive concentration on Krishna that feels like a hopelessly burning fever, or like time standing still.
While this mood of separation seems like an unbearable poison on the surface, it is actually the container of immortal nectar-like bliss. Simultaneously, the saddest tone produces the sweetest overtones.
Just as when you strike a string on the guitar, the main tone may be an “A,” but there are many overtones within that "A" note that the ear hears at the same time. The overtones of vipralambha, love in deep separation, produce the most dazzling visions and ecstatic experiences of spiritual revelation. It is in this mystical condition of the soul in its extreme need, reaching out for the Beloved, that prema, divine love, makes her grand entrance.
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Tears of Love
Verse 6 of Sri Siksastakam
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the golden avatar of Lord Sri Krishna, appeared on this earth just 520 years ago, and displayed his pastimes as a devotee, one madly searching after Himself.
He instructed his disciples and followers to write hundreds of volumes of books on philosophy. But He Himself left only Eight Beautiful
Verses of Instruction.
Here in the blog, i’m exploring these 8 Divine Instructions, one by one. These verses contain the complete theory and practice of pure love for God, from the lips of Sri Krishna Caitanya, God in the role of His own devotee.
Sanskrit, Verse 6:
nayanam galad asru dharaya
vadanam gadgada ruddhaya gira
pulakair nicitam vapuh kada
tava nama grahane bhavisyati
Translation & Commentary:
When will tears of love
run madly down my cheeks like waves of ecstasy?
When will my voice tremble,
my words getting chocked up in my throat?
When will the hairs on my body stand up in rapture
as i chant Your Names?
After a devotee prays (in verses 4 and 5) to let go of all material attachments and be accepted as a servitor of the Lord, he/she gets more association—directly or indirectly— with saintly persons. Not with ordinary devotees, but with sadhus of the highest order. Those who have no concern with any material ambition: uttamas, situated in transcendence, far beyond the charm of this world. Protected and encouraged by this association, new feelings arise in the devotee's heart. He/she is inspired to experience intense spiritual emotions.
Spiritual emotions are pure and uncommon. They come only from intimacy and spontaneous attraction for Krishna. Only toward Krishna can the heart feel such deep, natural, spontaneous attraction. This is when sadhana bhakti (the routine practice of devotional service) transforms itself into raghanuga bhakti (spontaneous loving service).
As the reservoir of pleasure, Krishna captures the heart of the devotee. As Hari, he can steal anyone’s mind. And as Krishna, he takes over the heart with love and affection. The beauty Krishna shows his devotee is unequalled.
As a devotee begins to experience these feelings of affection in his/her heart, their hope increases. They think: “I want to be in an intimate relationship with You, Krishna. Before i could only think of being somehow connected to You as a servant, in a distant way, but now, i want to feel intimacy with You at every moment. I want to sing and dance ecstatically. I want to cry, lose control, feel rapture when remembering You. Routine chanting is not enough. My aspiration has changed. Now i want to become mad when i chant your Names!”
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the golden avatar of Lord Sri Krishna, appeared on this earth just 520 years ago, and displayed his pastimes as a devotee, one madly searching after Himself.
He instructed his disciples and followers to write hundreds of volumes of books on philosophy. But He Himself left only Eight Beautiful
Verses of Instruction.
Here in the blog, i’m exploring these 8 Divine Instructions, one by one. These verses contain the complete theory and practice of pure love for God, from the lips of Sri Krishna Caitanya, God in the role of His own devotee.
Sanskrit, Verse 6:
nayanam galad asru dharaya
vadanam gadgada ruddhaya gira
pulakair nicitam vapuh kada
tava nama grahane bhavisyati
Translation & Commentary:
When will tears of love
run madly down my cheeks like waves of ecstasy?
When will my voice tremble,
my words getting chocked up in my throat?
When will the hairs on my body stand up in rapture
as i chant Your Names?
After a devotee prays (in verses 4 and 5) to let go of all material attachments and be accepted as a servitor of the Lord, he/she gets more association—directly or indirectly— with saintly persons. Not with ordinary devotees, but with sadhus of the highest order. Those who have no concern with any material ambition: uttamas, situated in transcendence, far beyond the charm of this world. Protected and encouraged by this association, new feelings arise in the devotee's heart. He/she is inspired to experience intense spiritual emotions.
Spiritual emotions are pure and uncommon. They come only from intimacy and spontaneous attraction for Krishna. Only toward Krishna can the heart feel such deep, natural, spontaneous attraction. This is when sadhana bhakti (the routine practice of devotional service) transforms itself into raghanuga bhakti (spontaneous loving service).
As the reservoir of pleasure, Krishna captures the heart of the devotee. As Hari, he can steal anyone’s mind. And as Krishna, he takes over the heart with love and affection. The beauty Krishna shows his devotee is unequalled.
As a devotee begins to experience these feelings of affection in his/her heart, their hope increases. They think: “I want to be in an intimate relationship with You, Krishna. Before i could only think of being somehow connected to You as a servant, in a distant way, but now, i want to feel intimacy with You at every moment. I want to sing and dance ecstatically. I want to cry, lose control, feel rapture when remembering You. Routine chanting is not enough. My aspiration has changed. Now i want to become mad when i chant your Names!”
Sunday, June 24, 2007
"As One of Your Own"
Verse 5 of Sri Siksastakam
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the golden avatar of Lord Sri Krishna, appeared on this earth just 520 years ago, and displayed his pastimes as a devotee, one madly searching after Himself.
He instructed his disciples and followers to write hundreds of volumes of books on philosophy. But He Himself left only Eight Beautiful
Verses of Instruction.
Here in the blog, i present one verse per day over the next eight days. Feel free to comment on these verses. They contain the complete theory and practice of pure love for God, from the lips of Sri Krishna Caitanya, God in the role of His own devotee.
ayi nanda tanuja kinkaram
patitam mam visame bhavambudhau
krpaya tava pada pankaja
sthita dhuli sadrsam vicintaya
Translation:
Dear son of Nanda, i am your insignificant follower.
Somehow i fell into this ferocious ocean of illusion
known as the 'material world.'
I can’t save myself, so please show your mercy and rescue me.
Think of me as a tiny speck of dust
on the bottom of your reddish lotus feet.
Commentary:
In great humility, a devotee feels practically helpless against the forces of nature. The strongest force in nature is the attraction of the jiva to enjoy matter while remaining in ignorance. It is the force of illusion covering the natural identity and bliss of the soul. Recognizing this almost insurmountable force, and his/her own vulnerability, the devotee asks the Lord to rescue him from the ocean of illusion with the rope of His mercy.
Addressing the Lord now as the son of Maharaj Nanda, the devotee no longer prays to Krishna as the universal controller. He/she wants to go beyond arguments and philosophy and wants to surrender directly to the transcendental youthful cowherd, Braj Kishore. He/she wishes to give up independence even as a great scholar or king and be accepted as a humble servant.
“If you consider me like a piece of dust and place me on the bottom of your lotus feet, then i can take my proper position and be peaceful and secure. There i will find freedom and joyfulness to the fullest degree. This is my prayer: Accept me in any position, but accept me as one of Your own.”
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the golden avatar of Lord Sri Krishna, appeared on this earth just 520 years ago, and displayed his pastimes as a devotee, one madly searching after Himself.
He instructed his disciples and followers to write hundreds of volumes of books on philosophy. But He Himself left only Eight Beautiful
Verses of Instruction.
Here in the blog, i present one verse per day over the next eight days. Feel free to comment on these verses. They contain the complete theory and practice of pure love for God, from the lips of Sri Krishna Caitanya, God in the role of His own devotee.
ayi nanda tanuja kinkaram
patitam mam visame bhavambudhau
krpaya tava pada pankaja
sthita dhuli sadrsam vicintaya
Translation:
Dear son of Nanda, i am your insignificant follower.
Somehow i fell into this ferocious ocean of illusion
known as the 'material world.'
I can’t save myself, so please show your mercy and rescue me.
Think of me as a tiny speck of dust
on the bottom of your reddish lotus feet.
Commentary:
In great humility, a devotee feels practically helpless against the forces of nature. The strongest force in nature is the attraction of the jiva to enjoy matter while remaining in ignorance. It is the force of illusion covering the natural identity and bliss of the soul. Recognizing this almost insurmountable force, and his/her own vulnerability, the devotee asks the Lord to rescue him from the ocean of illusion with the rope of His mercy.
Addressing the Lord now as the son of Maharaj Nanda, the devotee no longer prays to Krishna as the universal controller. He/she wants to go beyond arguments and philosophy and wants to surrender directly to the transcendental youthful cowherd, Braj Kishore. He/she wishes to give up independence even as a great scholar or king and be accepted as a humble servant.
“If you consider me like a piece of dust and place me on the bottom of your lotus feet, then i can take my proper position and be peaceful and secure. There i will find freedom and joyfulness to the fullest degree. This is my prayer: Accept me in any position, but accept me as one of Your own.”
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)