Wednesday 7 September 2011

Getting Inspired to stay Krishna Conscious

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, Finland, 2011)

Contaminated thoughts come up in the mind. The mind is strong, but we must perform austerities of the mind! The austerity of the mind is…… one is when sinful thoughts come up, then we cut, and we do not allow what we would call, ‘the train of thought’. One thought…next thought….next thought…..No! Cut…and if it goes in the wrong direction than stop immediately.
So in this way we do have a duty to control the mind, since we cannot just let the mind go in whatever direction it wants to go. We have to steer it back to Krishna. Soon as the mind is going in the wrong direction….back to Krishna!

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, Finland, 2011)

Srila Prabhupada said:
“For fifty books, its $250!”
A set of books in those days….a set was not big then, because they didn’t have much books. So a set of books in America was maybe fifty books and they were available for $250.
And Prabhupada said:
“For fifty books, it’s $250. Somehow or other we should take, $250 off everyone and we should put a set of Srila Prabhupada’s books in every house on the planet!”
This morning I was remembering and just imagining how a devotee would appear in front of the window here, with books in a remote house like this. This mediation – to give Krishna to others! To do good for others….that is required.
It may not necessarily be like that for everyone. But everyone goes on the street with books, and when we do it than we should know that there are very great blessings there, because there’s no doubt that that was so pleasing to Srila Prabhupada! That was the one thing that would give him enthusiasm, in life when his health was not very good.

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, Finland, 2011)

If we are not absorbed in glorifying Krishna, then we will look to be glorifying ourselves. So also in chanting we have this tendency. We are the first one up and already chanting and everyone can hear, and the mind goes:
“I’m the first one up…I’ll chant a little louder so everyone can hear!”
I saw someone who had not sixteen counting beads but sixty four. So then we can see immediately what kind of chanting that is. That is not being absorbed in just glorifying Krishna. That is being absorbed in being glorified ourselves. So how much devotional service are we actually doing to be glorified?
“I’m leading the kirtan….. I’m playing the kartals ………I’m playing the mrdanga!”
So how much is done for show? And how much are we doing it for show? Because we are addicted. Addicted to this glorification. We are always looking for this glorification. It comes out of a type of insecurity maybe. Some fear of rejection and we are just constantly looking for recognition. So one has to become very sober in chanting of the Holy Names!

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