Spiritual maths, 1+1=1, 1-1=1, just solve this!

 

This material world is complete. It may apparently appear that inequality exist in this world. As the invocation mantra of isho-upanishad says, the personality of godhead is perfect, all emanations from him , such as this phenomenal world, are perfectly equipped as complete wholes. Whatever is produced of the complete whole is also complete in itself. Because he is the complete whole, even though so many complete units emanates from him, he remains the complete balance.

All form of incompleteness is experienced due to incomplete knowledge of complete whole. If in this human form of life of full consciousness the living entity doesn't realize his completeness in relation to complete whole , he loses his chance to realize his completeness and is again put into evolutionary cycle of law of material nature.

The argument is that there is so much wrong happening in this world than how is it is complete.

Well, two thing s have to be consider here is that:

1. We have to see the design with it's purpose. We need to understand that the purpose of this material world. The human form of life is a complete manifestation of consciousness of the living being and it is obtained after evolving through 84 lakhs species of life in the cycle of birth and death. And therefore all facilities are given to small complete units that is human beings to enable them to realize the complete whole and if human being doesn't realize the completeness in relation to complete whole, he loses the chance and is put in evolutionary cycle by the laws of material nature. For example we can't type book on cell phone and become frustrated when the purpose of mobile phone is for communication and just as added advantage is sending short messages, not typing an entire book.

2. Looking at how this world function automatically, evidence of design is absolutely undeniable in this world. Automatically doesn't mean that there is no designer or creator, it means that there is no direct intervention of creator. The complete whole , the personality of godhead, has immense potencies, all of which are complete as he is. Thus this phenomenal world is also complete in itself. The 24 elements of which material universe is a temporary manifestation are arranged to produce everything necessary for maintenance and subsistence of this universe. No other unit in the universe need make an extraneous effort to try to maintain the universe. The universe functions on its own time scale which is fixed by the energy of the complete whole and when that scheduled is completed this temporary manifestation will annihilated. Example human body produces CO2, which is utilized by plants as raw material and as waste product plants produce O2, which is utilized by humans. So this is perfect and complete design.

When we see this perfect design in accordance with its purpose we see it's completeness. Because we don't know that there is complete arrangement in nature for our maintenance, we make effort to utilize the resources of nature to create so called complete life of self enjoyment which is illusion. And since we can't enjoy the life of senses without being dovetailed with complete whole , this misleading life of self enjoyment make us frustrated and we keep pointing out faults in the design. For example the hand of the body is a complete unit as long as it is attached to complete body. When the hand is severed from the body, it may appear like a hand but it actually has none of the potencies of hand. Similarly in BG 15.7 says that living being is part and parcel of complete whole and if they are severed from complete whole, the illusory representation of completeness can't fully satisfy them.

Analogies- we can have better understanding of this point by considering the analogies of jail and hospital. That both have facilities for sustenance but at same time arrangement for sufferings. But that doesn't mean there is fault in design. As jail is there for the purpose for punishing and reforming prisoners at the same time it provides for their needs too. Similarly hospitals are places where patients are suffering from diseases and at same time there are doctors and nurses to take care of them and cure them of their diseases.

Scriptures explain that this material world is jail for those souls who have rebelled against god and want to enjoy separately from complete whole. And it is hospital for those souls who have realized their mistake and want to rectify and heal their wrong mentality. So when we see design in accordance with the purpose than we will understand , how this material world is perfectly complete. And if we see design separate from the purpose than we will never understand how design is perfect. So when we seek for the complete realization of the absolute truth that is sat, cit and ananda than we realize the most completeness in ourselves and the material world.

Scriptures are the real charming prince on the horse back, come to recue us!

 

10 important points from NOI which can solve the current social issues the country is facing for Prime Minister of India.

1. Increasing Depression and Suicide cases- We see that that people have developed zero immunity towards stress. They break easily and the mind get agitated to such an extent that the only solution they find is ending their life. The reason behind the suicide is unbridled senses that agitates the mind every second, and if things don't go according to their way, the frustration builds up and so the stress. Eventually it turns into depression and the easiest way out of it seem as taking away once life. From text 1 from NOI, we know that , mansah vegam, how important it is to control urges of the mind. We can't stop thinking as the nature of mind is to remain active. But we can give it safe avenue of activity by absorbing mind in Krsna Consciousness like studying scriptures, singing and dancing in sankirtans and serving Krsna. These activities will increase our resilience towards stress, depression and suicide and instead breaking due to stress, we will break through the stress.

2. Rape cases and assaults- Sexual offences are the biggest evil being faced by the country today. There numbers are increasing. According to Text 1 Of NOI, jivah vegam udro prasthan vegam. If one is taught to control the urges of their genitals by strictly training them in varna- ashrama system , that sex be allowed only in grastha ashrama, than such kind of training can help eradicating such an evil from the society. Moreover we see that these three tongue, belly and genitals are situated in the straight line as far as body is concerned and bodily demands begin with tongue. If we are able to restrain the demands of tongue to sattvik food and Krsna's prasadam than the urges of belly and genitals will automatically be controlled.

3. Increased number Obesity and life style disorders- I am a doctor and come across these case day in and day out. The fact is that now these cases have started to increase at alarming levels that soon India will become the Diabetic capital of the world. Now these are due to a very unhealthy life style being followed by people today, these night out parties, odd timings of their jobs {night shift in MNC} and binge eating, etc. So from Text 2 of NOI we understand atyahara prayasa ca, when we develop tendency to accumulate more and more of material things like clothes, accessories, so called luxurious life style we have to over endeavour for it. This makes us workaholic, and we skip over the right time to sleep and eat paving our way to these life style disorder. The only way out is simple living and high thinking. We need a dynamic balance for it. And the only way we can set our priorities right is by finding relaxation in something higher than so called insatiable material desires. Krsna Consciousness provides that higher taste. Krsna Consciousness inculcates in us the benefits of simple living and vegetarian diet {Srila Prabhupada used to say some land for cultivation and cows milk is enough for a civilization. Even Mahtma Gandhi used to also say that nature provides everything for one's need but not for one's greed}, attitude of selfless service, hence countering the excessive accumulation and over endeavour principle , moreover it relaxes our mind from all the anxieties which come with this over endeavour. Hence it is the high time to get back to the basics.

4. Wrong Information circulated on Social network- Social networks have become an easy tool in today's world to verbalize our mental chatter. The indiscriminate opinion we have about anything or everything, spreading rumours and participating in gossips everything is being served easily on the platter by social networking. This not only leads to frictions between the people and misrepresentation of data too take place sometimes turning out to be harmful. Like in these corona times, the information without checking it's validity, is so much shared on the whatsapp and other such networks inculcating fear and terror in mind of general populace. Moreover it side lines what ever steps government is taking to fight Corona. From text 2 NOI, we understand that prajalpa, to gossip indiscriminately is injurious. Bhismdaev guides us about good speech, it should be about the glorification of the lord, should be pleasing and truthful. Hence the only way we can curb the tendency of Prajalpa is by replacing it with the standards of Bhismdev, talking Krsna katha. It give us the safe avenue to use our power of speech.

5. Lack of Time Management in Students- We see that students today are always short of time to complete their work and studies and are super busy. This is because they get distracted by various things that modern civilization offer like Television, mobiles, e-games like PUBG, etc. Due to this the scores in their examinations get effected. From NOI text 3, we learn about living a regulative life style, tat tat karma pravartate. In earlier times Indian education was based on gurukul system, where from an early age the student life was very regulated. Seeing the need of time, the system should be re-invested on. And institution like ISKCON provides such regulative life style for students, where they are taught to wake up early in morning followed by a well planned day of learning and spirituality. These institutes even conduct seminars and training programmes to guide in how to inculcate good habits of time management. Hence collaborating with them can really improve the Indian education system as well as improve students over all progress.

6. Drug abuse- The teenagers are most susceptible to drug abuse and is very important matter for the Government to dealt with since it destroys the future of the country. As it is said, 'you are define by your company', hence we can understand that young generation fall prey to wrong company of drug peddlers and ruin their life. From NOI text 4, we can understand that sangat tyagat, satto vritti, how important is to keep a good company and give away the bad company. Hence it is advised for teenagers to have good association like association of devotees who lives a regulated life. They can learn self control and how to fight away the distractions and sense and mind control as it is also said in Bhagvad gita, sangat sanjayate kamah, one's desires and ambitions develop according to company one keeps.

7. Grief Management - Years 2020 and 2021 have brought in it the pandemic which have effected all countries and many have lost their near and dear ones, some have lost their jobs and due to lock-down the businesses have gone down. The clouds of grief have forecasted the sky and it have become unmanageable for people to counter it. The only way one can set free by accepting knowledge about this material world by open mind. From NOI text 4 we are given guhyam akyati pracchati principle. Hence when we approach a spiritual councillor or Guru they enlighten us about the nature of this material world that is dukhalya ashashvatam, never ending place of misery. They guide us right ways of living in this world, that is under shelter of the lotus feet of lord. Like sukdev goswami guided Parakshit maharaj who was destine to die in seven days, like we see in prayers of Kunti devi, that how pandavs suffered their entire life and how they were protected by Krsna every time. We can learn how to develop such relationship with Krsna to combat our grief. More and more we hear about it, more and more one will be able to manage his grief. Hence it becomes mediatory to have spiritual councillors for such Grief management programme.

8. Food Crisis During Covid Lock-down- During lock-down, apart from the disease, people also got effected economically. Poor people, daily wagers and low socio-economic strata didn't have adequate funds to feed themselves. The anxieties about survival and of hunger were alarmingly high. From text 4 of NOI, Bhunkte bhojyate principle, we learn to feed Krsna's prasadam to everyone, that not only is nutritious for the body but also for the mind. ISKCON, not only feeded Krsna's prasadam to many to counter food crisis but with that also helped them to overcome their anxieties. Hence such feeding programmes to be promoted for the overall mental and Physical health of people.

9. Racial Discrimination and Riots- India is country of diverse culture and different religion. And sometimes we find that there is no acceptance of other people culture and practices leading to friction between them and tense situations like riots which lead to lot of destruction and deaths. The only way to counter is creating a society God centric, when we develop vertical relationship with God and understand that everyone too have a vertical relationship with god than our horizontal relationship with them will be stable. Like NOI text 5, krsneti yasta giri tam.... tell us anyone related to Krsna should be respected, even if he just chants the name of krsna once. When we build such God-centric society we will have tolerance and patience for all religious diversities and practice. In real sense we will achieve unity in diversity and it's living example can be seen in ISKCON society how people of different religion and countries dances and prays under one roof. They have a common thread that connects them that is Krsna consciousness.

10. Road Rage- If we talk about statistics many people become victim to road rage and lose their life. People have no patience and they have strong sense of belongingness of material things that even a minor scratch on the car can inflame them into torrents of anger and lead to abusive behaviour and most of the times violence. NOI text 7, syat krsna nama caritadi sitapy avidya, states that the reason for this is that we are in avidya/ ignorance, hence unaware of our true identity hence we stay in ahankar/ false ego, understanding this material body and things belonging to as our whole and sole identity. Therefore lose our cool at every drop of hat, as we consider all this things permanent and forever belonging to us only. It is said we are in state of jaundice and the only way it can be cured is by chanting the holy name and gradually this disease will be destroyed at the root. We see that how spiritual inclined people who are chanting regularly hari naam on the beads develop patience, tolerance, forbearance. They easily forgive and have their anger under control. So if we train everyone as a rule to chant the name of god than such road rage cases will definitely decrease and end up being negligible.

Importance of Radha Kunda for Gaudiya Vaishnavas

Importance of Radha Kunda for Gaudiya Vaishnavas

Anyone who wants to progress seriously in his Krsna consciousness, it become quintessential for him to take shelter of Radha Kunda. The spiritual world is three fourth of the creation of the supreme personality of godhead, but still there is a hierarchy in the spiritual world too. It is same in tattva but in Rasa there is a hierarchy and in it Radha Kunda holds the top most position leaving behind Govardhana Hill which krsna lifted with his lotus hand, the exalted twelve forests of vrindavaan, mathura puri and vaikuntha respectively. The super excellent Radha Kunda stands supreme for it is over flooded with ambrosial nectarine prema of the lord.

Radha Kunda situated at the foot hills of Govardhana is a place where the advance devotees prefer to reside as this place is the site of many memories of the eternal loving affairs between radha rani and Krsna, the rati vilasas.

Radha Kunda is so exalted because it belongs to srimati Radha Rani who is the most beloved gopi of Sri Krsna. It so happened, after the killing of demon Aristasur, which came in the form a bull, the gopis started to tease Krsna that since he had killed a bull, he has inculcate lot of sins. And now, he need to get purified by bathing in all holy rivers. Krsna evoke the deities of all holy river and with them syama kunda was made. Krsna took the bath there and counter tease gopis that since they have sided with a demon, now all sins have accumulated in their accounts. The gopis also tried to make their kunda by digging with their bangles and started to fill it with yamuna water. It was on persuasion of deities of all holy river that Radha rani allowed them to fill her Kunda. And since than Radha kunda is represented as the liquefied love of Radha Rani for Krsna. Radha Kunda is so pure that it is very rarely attained by even the great personalities like Narada and Sanaka, what to speak of ordinary devotees who are engaged in Vaidhi bhakti.

Even it is stated in Caitanya Caritamrita, madhya lila, when Caitanya Mahaprabhu visited the holy dham of Vrindavaan he searched for Radha kunda. But he couldn't find. Finally he found paddy fields which he could recognise as exact spot of Radha Kunda and took bath in the water there. Later that pond was excavated by the devotees of Caitanya Mahaprabu, headed first by six Goswamis of Vrindavaan such as Rupa Goswami and Raghunath Das Goswami. So when the Caitany Mahaprabhu himself stressed upon the importance of Radha Kunda, who came to freely distrubute freely the love of Godhead than how can any Gaudiya Vaishnav ignore his instructions. Hence the spiritual importance and divine nature of Radha Kunda can't be realised by any other Vaishnava sampradayas who are not the followers of Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

Because it was so much stressed upon by Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Rupa Goswami recommended that if one can't permanently stay on the banks of Radha Kunda, he must take bath in it as many times as possible as Radha Kund is so potent that it can bestow pure love of Krsna in wake of gopis with just one bath. Hence those Gaudiya Vaishnavas who are eager to return home to transcendental realm of Krsna, Goloka Vrindavaan by attaining their spiritual bodies {siddha- dhea} in wake of the lady friends {sakhis} and confidential serving maids {manjaris} of srimati Radha Rani should take shelter of Radha Kunda. Hence, the conclusion for all Gaudiya Vaishnavas is that one should give up all material conceptions and bath regularly at Radha Kunda under the guidance of Radha Rani and her assistant gopis.

Srila Prabhupada attitude towards bathing and residing at Radha Kunda.

According to to Srila Prabhupada, one should give up all material conceptions and bath regularly in Radha Kunda under the shelter Sri Radha and her assistant gopis, as mentioned in the purport of text 11 of Upadeshamrita. Prabhupada not only highlighted the potency of radha kunda but also the exclusivity of it's availability, which is not easily attained by great personalities like Narda and Sanata.

But when Prabhupäda was present, he heard that some devotees were behaving frivolously in Radha Kunda. He became angry and forbade them to bathe there. Since Radha Kunda is so exalted for gaudiya vaisnavas that even Caitanya Mahaprabhu stressed upon it. If such an exalted place is taken cheaply than this is an offens. And instead of spiritually uplifting, it can lead to a fall down of devotee.

Hence Srila Prabhupada forbade devotees to take bath in Radha kunda. Sirla Prabhupäda gave permission according to time, place and circumstance and withdrew it likewise. The injunction, however, to bathe in Radha Kunda is set down in scripture in a permanent form, including Prabhupäda's purport. We can understand Prabhupäda's anger had to do with the neophyte attitude of enjoying spirit, offensive to Srimati Radha rani and not to the spiritual principle of bathing in Radha Kunda. The conclusion is that we should adopt the serious, mature, reverential mood desired by the äcäryas and take bath there for our eternal, spiritual benefit.

In room conversation on August 16, 1976, Prabhupada again stressed upon the point that how one should behave at Radha Kunda;

1. One should have thoroughly controlled all his vegas according to upadeshamrita text 1, vaco vegam, mansa krodha vegam.... and when he becomes dhira, Like in Bhagvad gita 2.13 dhiras tatra na muhyati..., a sober person remain unchanged, that's one'e qualification to live at Radha Kunda. Not like that he live there with three dozens of seva dasis. Prabhupada explained it with an example that how his Guru Maharaj wanted to print Govinda-lilamrita and he seek permission from Bhaktivinoda Thakur, who said that if he was so eager to publish than he should publish only one copy of it. He strictly forbid him to print for distribution. So first one have understand Krsna properly and than Krsna Lilas not jump in rasa lila immediately. Similarly Prabhupada stressed upon that first one should be Dhira rather than jumping like monkeys in Radha Kunda.

2. Another thing pointed out By srila Prabhupada is that one should inculcate the right behaviour by following the footsteps of the acharyas who have resided at Radha Kunda and learn how to deal with Radha Kunda. Like Raghunätha däsa Gosvämé showed how to live in Radha Kunda. Saìkhyä-pürvaka-näma-gäna-natibhiù kälävasäné-kåtau. He was circumambulating Radha Kunda, falling down. Not only he counted holy names, but offered obeisances so many hundred times. So much vairägya he showed. He can take bath in the Radha Kunda. One have to follow like Raghunätha däsa Gosvämé than he can bathe in Radha Kunda.

3. One should not act independently when he have a guru. Therefore one need to take permission from his Guru to bathe in Radha Kunda. As we sing everyday Guru-mukha-padma-väkya cittete kariyä aikya ära nä kariha mane äçä , hence it becomes mandatory to taken order from Guru Mahäräja.

Hence the conclusion is that Prabhupada wanted everyone to stay at Radha Kunda and bathe there daily because it constituted the highest perfection of devotional service but at same time he didn't want Radha Kund to be taken cheaply. Instead of bathing there he stressed more on to inculcate the service attitude towards Radha Kunda and by service one will eventually realise the divinity and glories of Radha Kunda.

 

Whom to make boss of your company?

 

Chant, Chant and Chant!

 

Lalita is very much intrested in worshipping deities and not so much intrested in chanting. So here are few points that I prepared to pursue her to regulate her sadhana.

1. From durashrey to Eternal shelter and finally Higher Taste - For life times after life times we were under the leadership of false shelter wealth, power, body, athiestic influence na mam duskrtino mudha... {BG7.15} and because of this our soul has become forgetful of Krsna. We try experiencing happiness in all these material things but have failed to do so. But still after recieving this universal defeat, it doesn't dampen our intermediate hope that we will win and will one day have our happily ever after. We underutilize our intelligence and misuse our energies for the lost cause. To break this pattren we need to focus our energy on spiritual advancement to find our eternal shelter. And to do so, there is the process of Krsna Consciousness which can make us permenently happy. Hence we need to use our intelligence to get the higher taste and give up the lower taste. The only way possible to break out of old habits of multiple lifetimes is by following the process of Krsna Consciousness which is sincere chanting of the holy names.

2. Poison in the beginning and nectar in the end- It may appear that the endevour for serious chanting is a difficult task. It may seem tedious and non intresting initially but if we sustain through it, we may eventually reach the nectar of the holy name. It is also confirmed in Bhagvad Gita 18.37, that in beginning it may be just like poison but at the end it is just nectar. Since we are used to instant pleasures of material activities, spiritual activities look so tedious but again Bhagvad Gita 18.38 confirms that even though material process seems gratifying initially but soon and surely will have poisonous effects.

3. Desire of senses to desire of Soul- Material happiness is temporary and false. You see around that how people say that they don't have pleasure because objects they have for enjoyment are not good enough. Even if they have best of the objects they can't feel satisfied. Reason being, one, capacity to enjoy is limited and second, since material energy is temporary, hence it's charms are also temporary. Hence we are always in state of hankering. Also confirmed in Bhagvad Gita 5.22. Therefore it is clear we should seek for spiritual happiness. As soul is eternal, so the happiness it gets serving the lord will also be eternal, {Bhagvad Gita 6.28}. So the process to get that supreme happiness is to get connected with Krsna which is only possible by chanting the holy name. This connection that we establish with Krsna via chanting is not a physical touch but at the level of consciousness which is only possible when we are attentive during chanting. As we contact Krsna Via chanting, he gives us more and more taste for chanting and we become constantly happy.

4. Chanting is not just a material activity- Though tongue and ears are involved, but chanting is not just a verbal or aural activity. It awakens the Soul, who is living in dreamy state of pseudo reality, the play of this material world. Chanting involves the heart, the residing place of soul. When the heart piteously calls out for Krsna, the contact with Krsna is established and soul awakens to it's true identity of being Krsna's servent. Jivera swaroop haye krsnera nitya das. Further greater the contact with Krsna, greater happiness experienced by soul.

5. From disease to health- We have to understand that our present state in this material world is of diseased. In our this diseased state we keep hankering for material enjoyment. Even if we get things which we hanker for, it doesn't live up to our expectation of enjoyment and even if does than it's temporary. So it appers to be lost cause, a reuined project. Hence we need to find an alternative for it. And that alternative is spiritual happiness which is so exclusive that it is available only to us, the human species. Moreover it's alway increasing as we contact more and more with Krsna, more happy we feel. It is not dependent on external material things of this world. All we need to do is chant the Holy name of lord with our tongue and listen to it. When we feel this nectar of Holy name has reduced the burning of material distress we share it with others too and bring auspiciousness in their life too. But when a person have Jaundice, he finds sugar candy which is naturally sweet as bitter. Similarly in our this materially diseased state {avidya- ignorance} has perverted our ability to relish the transcedental nature of holy name. Despite this disease , if one with great care and attention chant the holy name, his disease will be destroyed and he will be relieved of all misconception {ceto darpan marjanam} and his tongue enables to taste sweetness of holy name.

6. With Conviction and Comittment- Like when we are diseased, we go to Doctor for the treatment and when we are convinced that this doctor has rightly diagnoised me and now if I take his treatment I will get back to health. Similarly now we know that we have material disease {avidya and ahankara- false ego} and we go to Guru for the treatment of it and we are convinced that following Guru's instruction of chanting prescibed number of sixteen rounds of holy name on my beads will Cure me. But only conviction alone can't bring cure, we need to have steadiness in following the treatment per say. By this comittment only we can have transformation of heart and with this practice of chanting the holy name we become perfect.

7. Result- Stage of Bhava- When by chanting of the holy name one is cured of his avidya and his mind and conciousness are cleaned up, he not only relieved from the fire of material existence but he reaches the pure stage and is immediately liberated. This is called bhav-maha-davagni-nirvapanam. There is preliminary awakening of dormant love of godhead, which is called Bhava. At such time one can understand who supreme personality of godhead is and what maya is. Although maya be present but it can't disturb the devotee once he attains bhava stage because devotee can see the real position of maya. As confirmed in Caitanya caritamrita madhya 22.31, Krsna surya sama, maya haya andhakar....., krsna is compared to sunshine and maya is compared to darkness. Whenever there sunshine, there can't be darkness.

Science V/S God

Science ka big bang