Respect - The Fabric of every Relationship

SB 5.5.26: TRANSLATION My dear sons, you should not envy any living entity - be he moving or nonmoving. Knowing that I am situated in them, you should offer respect to all of them at every moment. In this way, you offer respect to Me.

PURPORT In this verse the word vivikta-drgbhih, meaning without envy, is used. All living entities are the abode of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in His Paramatma feature. As confirmed in Brahma-samhita: andantara-stham paramanu-cayantara-stham. The Lord is situated in this universe as Garbhodakasayi Visnu and Ksirodakasayi Visnu. He is also situated within every atom. According to the Vedic statement: isavasyam idam sarvam. The Supreme Lord is situated everywhere, and wherever He is situated is His temple. We even offer respects to a temple from a distant place, and all living entities should similarly be offered respect. This is different from the theory of pantheism, which holds that everything is God. Everything has a relationship with God because God is situated everywhere. We should not make any particular distinction between the poor and the rich like the foolish worshipers of daridra-narayana. Narayana is present in the rich as well as the poor. One should not simply think Narayana is situated among the poor. He is everywhere. An advanced devotee will offer respects to everyone” even to cats and dogs. (Also see Caitanya Caritamrta Mad 15.106-111 )

Six Essential Qualifications of Good Disciple

Srimad Rahasyatrayasara by Sri Vedanta Deshika

Six Essential Qualifications for a Good Disciple
1. The disciple should have the highest devotion for his guru.
2. The wise disciple spreads the good name and fame of his guru to others.
3. The good disciple takes care of the guru's property and his possessions.
4. The good disciple protects his guru's teachings with a view to transferring them to a worthy disciple of his own.
5. The good disciple is always grateful to his guru.
6. The good disciple leads a pure life untainted by wrong habits and practices. Indeed, he should have the eight virtues of the soul spoken of by the sage Gautama: Compassion, Patience, Contentment, Purity, Earnest Endeavor, Noble Thoughts, Absence of Greed, and Absence of Envy.

Remembering Hladini Mataji

“For Hladini, taking care of others was always a pleasure. That’s what she gave her life for – taking care of others.”

Now some time after Mother Hladini left this planet, Vahna, her husband, found this 2 page, hand written letter among other things that he’d kept, like photos , etc.

(reflecting what a great personality she is…)

Dearest Srila Prabhupada,

I beg You, please accept my most humble obeisances at Your Divine Lotus Feet.

I have; after receiving so much mercy, after being rescued from the empty cold platform of material existence, fallen prey to the overpowering illusion that I can enjoy. It’s as if I’ve forgotten everything, a cloud of insanity-”My turn, Krsna.” It breeds from a platform of comfort. Sudama Brahmin could be comfortable and not wish to dethrone the king.

I can’t stand this consciousness. Srila Prabhupada, I want to be a servant-a good one- unconscious of me. Srila Prabhupada I’ve neglected my medicine haphazardly (obviously) thinking- I needed it no more-”How healthy I am-I can relax”. Now I am raging with fever-Embarassed to come back to the doctor due to my disregard for his selfless help.

Please Srila Prabhupada, help me become a serious disciple. Help me go back to a life of austerity, a life of remembering my service I’ve forgotten due to this impure desire. Please let it be gone.

Every second there is a choice: “Which energy do you want????” Maya is so quick to satisfy, but so quick to burn You are not cheap-but how much it is so worth it? Why am I so foolish-stubborn, stupid. Let me hear what You’re saying. Let me follow cent-per-cent. You’ve given me everything- You are my true father. My true deliverer-my greatest friend.

Dear Srila Prabhupada I am the greatest rascal, I only want to become a pure servant. Please don’t kick me away, but give me another chance. I’ll try so hard to be good.

Oct. 13th is Kartika. The gopis worshiped Durga for Krsna as their husband. They ate rice and moong bearns and prayed everyday for a month. Everything I do is motivated, but Prabhupada let me try to offer this austerity to try and gain control of these raging senses. Dear Prabhupada-all I want is Krsna-Please guide me on the right path-I have no desire on my own. You are my strength, my desire.

The road is there straight & clearly marked-though the detours seem easier and more pleasurable- keep my intelligence firm-Thank You. I have this immense loving propensity; let me repose it at Your divine feet.

Finding the satisfaction of the Heart!

"The whole world is full of questions and answers. The birds, beasts and men are all busy in the matter of perpetual questions and answers...Although they go on making such questions and answers for their whole lives, they are not at all satisfied. Satisfaction of the soul can only be obtained by questions and answers on the subject of Krishna."

-- Purport to Srimad Bhagavatam 1.2.5

Eagerness to Hear

 

Even if we start with enthusiasm, sincerity, and a burst of eagerness to go for the real thing, the tendency is that somewhere down the line the standard somehow starts to sag. Then, “Whoa!….I need a vacation. I surrendered a lot prabhu. I need alittle sense gratification.” The spirit of ever striving to reach Krishna is eagerness. Niviṣṭah: it is through the ear, receiving Krishna. And if we are receiving that signal, that transcendental vibration enlivens the heart. It transforms the heart. But one can hear the same message and be like stone, very hard.

 

 - Adapted from a lecture given by His Holiness Romapada Swami on SB 1.3.44, given on January 6, 2008 in Brooklyn

Deepening our Relationship with the Holy Name!

What is important, of course, is the effort one makes in chanting, but receiving the holy name is also very important. It is a relationship, and we should want to deepen that relationship with Krsna and the holy name. When we make a commitment to a person, then there is both what we extend and what we receive -- the give and take. In our case, we are with Krsna and we are offering some service. So in our relationship with the holy name, the mood of service is very important. Simply chant as a service to the holy name. When we do that, what does the holy name do in turn? We should be ready to receive that which Krsna in the form of the holy name is extending to us. And we should be very open to whatever that is, because it is a relationship. We should especially bear in mind that the relationship with God is always on His terms. He is always the master and we are His servants.

Establish the relationship, or uncover and deepen that relationship we already have in this receptive mood, because many mysteries happen when we chant like that. The journey with the holy name itself is very mysterious. The theme of all of these is that our relationship with the holy name is deepening, even when the reciprocation is not necessarily according to our expectation. Sometimes it seems very painful to see devotees struggle, being in a valley while chanting, but that is also a relationship if we regard the situation properly.

We all can pray like this: "I am ready, on Your terms Krsna, please show me the way through this chanting of Your holy name that I can find myself more close to You in a deeper sense of relationship and connectiveness with You in the form of Your holy name". So be in the mode of receiving and be committed to the relationship with the holy name.

-- From a lecture by HH Romapada Swami titled 'Entering the Mood of the Retreat' during a Japa Retreat, delivered on September 2008 in Gita Nagari, Pennsylvania, US.

Chant from the Heart!

It is going to be pretty difficult when one is about to die, because everything breaks down and there’s so much pain and heat. The mind does not function. It cannot be like completing your rounds; it has to be from the heart. So we can practice chanting from the heart, because when the body is not working, and the mind is not working, and everything is too much overwhelming, it has to come from the soul itself. Govinda!

Adapted from a lecture given by His Holiness Romapada Swami on SB 1.3.41-42, given on March 1, 2008 in Hoffman Estates

Eagerness to Receive

We have two main categories of service to Srila Prabhupada and Krishna: receiving and giving. Receive that gift of Krishna in the form of the holy name, in the form of these literary incarnations of Krishna. Prabhupada writes that eagerness to receive sustains our enthusiasm to reach Krishna and places us on the spiritual platform. We therefore must accept Srimad-Bhagavatam as the direct representation of Lord Krishna. One who can see Srimad-Bhagavatam can also see Lord Krishna in person. They are identical. We have our Deity form of Radha-Govinda. We have our literary form of Srimad-Bhagavatam. We have the name, the sound form of Krishna. What fortune! We have the association of devotees. We are so fortunate to be in such association. Try it for a while without such association of devotees! We don’t recommend it, but if that happens, one will start to appreciate the association of devotees a whole lot more! And we have the holy dhama, the places where Krishna performs His pastimes. The most sacred powerful things!

Adapted from a lecture given by His Holiness Romapada Swami on Srimad Bhagavatam 1.3.44, given on January 6, 2008 in Brooklyn

Satisfaction of the Lord

Srimad Bhagavatam 4.15.20: The Supreme Personality of Godhead is worshiped by the great demigods, controllers of universal affairs. When He is satisfied, nothing is impossible to achieve. For this reason all the demigods, presiding deities of different planets, as well as the inhabitants of their planets, take great pleasure in offering all kinds of paraphernalia for His worship.

PURPORT

All Vedic civilization is summarized in this verse: all living entities, either on this planet or on other planets, have to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead by their respective duties. When He is satisfied, all necessities of life are automatically supplied. In the Vedas it is also stated: eko bahūnāḿ yo vidadhāti kāmān (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). From the Vedas we understand that He is supplying everyone's necessities, and we can actually see that the lower animals, the birds and the bees, have no business or profession, yet they are not dying for want of food. They are all living in nature's way, and they all have the necessities of life provided — namely eating, sleeping, mating and defending.

Human society, however, has artificially created a type of civilization which makes one forgetful of his relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Modern society even enables one to forget the Supreme Personality of Godhead's grace and mercy. Consequently modern civilized man is always unhappy and in need of things. People do not know that the ultimate goal of life is to approach Lord Viṣṇu and satisfy Him. They have taken this materialistic way of life as everything and have become captivated by materialistic activities. Indeed, their leaders are always encouraging them to follow this path, and the general populace, being ignorant of the laws of God, are following their blind leaders down the path of unhappiness. In order to rectify this world situation, all people should be trained in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and act in accordance with the varṇāśrama system. The state should also see that the people are engaged in satisfying the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is the primary duty of the state. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement was started to convince the general populace to adopt the best process by which to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead and thus solve all problems.

The Treasure of Bhakti

Class on BG 4.22: He who is satisfied with gain which comes of its own accord, who is free from duality and does not envy, who is steady in both success and failure, is never entangled, although performing actions. 

Purport by Srila Prabhupada: A Krsna conscious person does not make much endeavor even to maintain his body. He is satisfied with gains which are obtained of their own accord. He neither begs nor borrows, but he labors honestly as far as is in his power, and is satisfied with whatever is obtained by his own honest labor. He is therefore independent in his livelihood. He does not allow anyone's service to hamper his own service in Krsna consciousness. However, for the service of the Lord he can participate in any kind of action without being disturbed by the duality of the material world. The duality of the material world is felt in terms of heat and cold, or misery and happiness. A Krsna conscious person is above duality because he does not hesitate to act in any way for the satisfaction of Krsna. Therefore he is steady both in success and in failure. These signs are visible when one is fully in transcendental knowledge.

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Here Krishna is explaining to Arjuna the symptoms of a person who is experiencing His eternal relationship with Godhead. Because, he is satisfied within that relationship with Krishna, he is not attached to the results of actions in this material world. When a aperson is devoid of Krishna Consciousness, then the ony substance of enjoyment comes through the mind and senses.

This world is a place of uncertainty and such a material state of consciousness leads to unlimited suffering. At any moment, anywhere, if things are just right according to our expectations then we can find some temporary happiness, otherwise, the Bhagavad Gita explains that the conditioned soul is hankering over what the conditioned soul has not achieved and lamenting over what one has lost. In the interim period, we might achieve something; even in that there is always a fear of losing it. As soon as we have anything that is valuable, people will be envious of us and will make all efforts to take it away from us. If we have good reputation, then people will try to slaughter your reputation by blasphemy and nasty rumors. If we have wealth, competitors and thieves will be there to steal the wealth.

A few years ago, I was in Paris, there was a beautiful museum. At one time, it was the palace of one king and queen and they built it so nicely. It takes hours and hours just to walk through and every part of the building is a masterpiece of art. So he would invite so many other kings and princes and entertain them by food, beverages and actually his purpose was just to show-off how great he was. Everyone would come and just talk about how wonderful his property was. In actuality, no-one appreciated him but only burnt with envy. What a miserable condition. You are tying to impress people, but people don't like you for it; in fact they hate you for it. Like in Bombay, we have nice cars to impress people. Externally, others will show appreciation and impressed but in their heart of hearts they are thinking, why do you have this; why not me? This is human nature. So sure enough, the same people he was entertaining, they created a revolution and killed him and cut off the head of his wife. What is the use of a beautiful palace, if you don't have a head to see it with? That is material nature. We make so many material arrangements to impress people but the people we impress only envy us. 

What are devotees impressed with? They are impressed with the humility, service and devotion and these qualities impress Krishna. So Krishna is explaining that we should not strive to work like asses simply to create a condition to enjoy in the material world; because we cannot enjoy in that position. The wealthiest people in the world are no happier than the poor people.

I have told the story that when I was hitch-hiking in Thailand without a penny and one of the biggest television starts of America, picked me up in a Mercedes limousine; the whole way he was telling me what a miserable life he was leading! He said, I was living with the biggest movie starts, politicians and I will tell you something, I was making 20,000 USD per day (Rs. 9,00,000 a day) and so much other money and he was on the number one show for many years. The most beautiful women were co-starring on that show and they became his girlfriends. He had beautiful houses in Hollywood, in Beverley Hills etc. And he says, I am miserable. He said that all these people who come on television and flash big smiles are miserable, lonely and it's all a show. They are lonely, insecure and they know that nobody loves them and everyone is tying to exploit them and use them. I also came to the realization that nobody loves 'me.' So he started crying and said, Swamiji, I want to become like you because you have some peace in your life; I have no peace. Then he saw some peasants on their knees picking rice so he said, I rather be with them than be with these big politicians as these are real people. Then he looked at me in desperation and asked, 'Is there any hope for me?' I said, 'You have understood the futility of material life and you are seeking something higher so you are a special soul.' In the end he took Prabhupada's Bhagavad-gita and he was desperate.

So whatever arrangements we make for material happiness, if we develop a little bit of realization of reality, we will be able to see through the facade of maya. In association of devotees we can understand what is real happiness. Real happiness is to love Krishna. Even in our immediate glimpse of life, we can understand that happiness through association, through chanting, through chanting of His message, through Krishna Consciousness.Therefore, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has declared that the greatest treasure, is theTreasure of Bhakti. No money can buy Bhakti. It is free for one who simply has a sincere heart and one who is willing to re-pose his/her faith in the truth. Lord Nityananda Prabhu is freely distributing Krishna Prema and the only price he was asking fo this great treasure, was our faith. There is nothing more precious the faith.

In wrong association, maya will steal that faith our heart. We should protect that faith with more attention than on our bank-balance, family and our own body and lives; these will perish in anytime. But faith in Vaisnavas, Guru and Krishna will lead us to eternal love, satisfaction - therefore that is real wealth. 

Bhagavad-gita explains how we can remain disentangled from the unlimited illusions and intricacies of material bondage if we keep our mind fixed on this goal. Bhaktivinoda Thakura says the senses are a network leading to death. The work of a net is to trap you and nets are designed in such a way that the victim does not see it until the victim is trapped. Just like the fishermen throw these nets in the ocean and just sit there. The innocent fish they just swim right into the net and then the net does it's work; net-work and then they are trapped. It's no accident that all these television stations are called networks; they trap us.

Bhagavad-gita teaches us how to never be entangled in the network of Maya. When a person dedicates his human birth in the service of God, it is glorious. When a husband and wife come together for the purpose of helping one-another to purify their heart and when they come together to serve Krishna, the Vaisnavas; this is a very rare and glorious offering to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. If people are living following the regulative principles according to their varna and asrama and are performing devotional service - that is glorious.

Tomorrow is the appearance day of Advaita Acarya. So I would tell a little story about Advaita Acraya. Although Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was the greatest of all sannyasis, he would take great pleasure in stealing the dust from the lotus feet of Advaita Acarya. One time in Puri, Advaita Acarya invited Chaitanya Mahaprabhu at his home and he and his wife were cooking together. Advaita Aacarya was thinking that when Chaitanya Mahaprabhu comes, atleast 10-12 sannyasis would also come; but we want to serve Him very personally and taste the great remnants of His Prasad. Just when it was time to serve Prasad, there was a massive storm in Jagannath Puri. Then Chaitanya Mahaprabhu came to Advaita's house and they served Him nice prasad. Then he offered Him prayers that Indra offered to Krishna after Govardhana Pastime. The Lord asked why you are offering these prayers? Advaita said, it is by your desire that these rains have come. Then Chaitanya Mahaprabhu accepted these prayers. 

Sita Thakurani and Advaita together had no other mission in life than glorifying the Lord and devotees in perfect harmony. This is the perfect example of how glorious a Krishna conscious marriage can be. Srila Haridas Thakur was one of the most intimate fiends of Advaita Acarya. Years before this pastime, they were living together and every single day they would sing and dance together in Sankirtan and pray that Lord Krishna would descend to propagate the chanting the Holy Name. When Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu appeared, Haridasa Thakur and Advaita saw everyone chanting the Holy Name because it was an eclipse. In their hearts, they could understand that the Lord has appeared and they were dancing in ecstasy. This is a very nice example of how the most austere renunciant and a householder were intimately united in serving the Lord and the Vaisnavas; in performing Sankirtan of the Holy Name together. 

So, Srila Prabhupada has given this great gift of Bhakti and we have this opportunity to share it with one another. We must learn to protect each-other from the temptations of illusion because they are everywhere; Maya is waiting for you. But the association of devotees will protect us; as in that association Krishna's service and name will always be prominent. Srila Prabhupada says the only safest place in the fourteen worlds is where devotees come together to chant the Holy Names. 

- HH Radhanath Swami