Just What is the Bhagavad Gita?
January 7, 2009 by admin
Filed under Krishna Connect
The Purpose of Bhagavad Gita
The purpose of Bhagavad Gita is to deliver mankind from the darkness of material existence. Every one of us is in difficulty in so many ways. Just as Arjuna was in difficulty because of having to fight the battle of Kuruksetra. Arjuna surrendered to Krishna and consequently the Bhagavad Gita was spoken.
Not only Arjuna, but every one of us is full of anxieties because of this material existence. We are trying to exist here in the material world but the atmosphere of the material world is nonexistence. Actually we are not meant to be threatened by nonexistence. Our existence is eternal. But somehow or other we have been put into this temporary material world and because of this we are threatened with nonexistence.
Out of so many human beings who are suffering, there are only a few who are actually enquiring about their position, questioning what they are, why they are put into this difficult position, and so on. Unless one comes to this point of questioning his suffering, unless he realizes that he does not want to suffer, but rather he wants to find a solution to the suffering, then he can not be considered a perfect human being. Human life begins when this sort of enquiry is awakened in one’s mind.
Those who have come to this awakened position of questioning why they are suffering and who have realized they do not want to suffer, they want a solution to the suffering, are the proper students for understanding Bhagavad Gita. To be successful the sincere student should also have a firm respect for the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Arjuna is the perfect example of such a qualified student of the Bhagavad Gita.
The reason Krishna comes to the material world is specifically to re-establish the real purpose of life when mankind in general has forgotten this purpose. Krishna is very merciful to us, it is out of His mercy that He spoke the Bhagavad-gita, making His friend Arjuna the first student.
As Arjuna was an associate of Krishna he was above all ignorance. But just so Krishna could speak the Bhagavad Gita to him Krishna put Arjuna into ignorance on the battlefield of Kurukshetra so that he would question the Lord about the problems of life so Krishna could answer these questions and explain everything for the benefit of future generations of human beings. With this knowledge given by Krishna to Arjuna on the battlefield men can act accordingly and perfect their mission of human life.
The Subject of Bhagavad Gita
The subject matter of Bhagavad Gita explains the science of God by covering five basic truths:
- The controller [isvara]
- The living entities [jivas]
- Material Nature [prakrti]
- Time [kala, the duration of existence of the whole universe]
- Activity, work [karma]
In this world every living entity is controlled. If a living entity says that he is not controlled but that he is free, then he is insane. We are controlled in every aspect of our lives, at least in the conditioned [non-liberated] state.
So in the Bhagavad Gita the subject matter deals with the isvara, the supreme controller and the jivas, the controlled living entities, prakrti (material nature) and time (the duration of existence of the whole universe or manifestation of material nature) and karma (activity).
From Bhagavad Gita we can learn what God is, what the living entities are, what prakrti is, what the cosmic manifestation is and how it is controlled by time and what the activities of the living entities are.
In the Bhagavad Gita it is established that Krishna, the Supreme Godhead, Brahman or supreme controller or Paramatma–you may use whatever name you like–is the greatest of all. We living entities are in quality like the supreme controller. For example Krishna is the supreme controller. He has control over the universal affairs, over material nature as will be explained in later chapters of Bhagavad Gita. Material nature is not independent, she is working under the direction of the Supreme Lord. So we, the jivas, or living entities are accepted as being part and parcel of the supreme controller, isvara, Bhagavan, Lord Krishna, and as such the living entities have all the qualities of the Supreme Lord in minute quantities. A particle of gold is also gold. A drop of water from the ocean is also salty, similarly we the living entities, being part and parcel of the supreme controller, have all the qualities of the Supreme Lord in minute quantity, because we are minute isvaras, subordinate isvaras. We are trying to control nature, and this tendency to control is in us because it is in Krishna. But although we have the tendency to lord it over the material nature, we should know that we are not the supreme controller. This is explained in Bhagavad Gita.
The world revolves because every living being thinks that he is the lord and creator of the material world. Material consciousness has two psychic divisions. One is that “I am the creator,” and the other is that “I am the enjoyer.” But actually the Supreme Lord is both the creator and the enjoyer, and the living entity, being part and parcel of the Supreme Lord is neither the creator nor the enjoyer , but a cooperator. He is the created and the enjoyed. For instance a part of the machine cooperates with the whole machine; a part of the body cooperates with the whole body. The hands, feet, eyes, legs and so on are all parts of the body, but they are not actually the enjoyers. The stomach is the enjoyer. The legs move, the hands supply food, the teeth chew and all parts of the body are engaged in satisfying the stomach because the stomach is the principle factor that nourishes the body’s organization. Therefore everything is given to the stomach. One nourishes the tree by pouring water on the root and one nourishes the body by feeding the stomach.
Similarly, the Supreme Lord is the enjoyer and creator and we, as subordinate living beings, are meant to cooperate to satisfy Him. This cooperation will actually help us, just as food taken by the stomach will help all other parts of the body. If the fingers of the hand think that they should enjoy the food themselves, they will be frustrated. The central figure of cooperation and enjoyment is the Supreme Lord, and the living entities are cooperators. By cooperation they enjoy. The relation is also like that of the master and the servant. If the master is fully satisfied then the servant is satisfied. Similarly the Supreme Lord should be satisfied although the tendency to become the creator and the tendency to enjoy the material world also are there in the living entities because these tendencies are also in the Supreme Lord who has created the manifested cosmic world we see before us.
We shall find, therefore, in the Bhagavad Gita, that the complete whole is comprised of the Supreme Controller, the controlled living entities, the cosmic manifestation, eternal time and karma, activities and all of these are explained in the Bhagavad Gita. All of these items taken together completely form the complete whole, and the complete whole is called the Supreme Absolute Truth. The complete whole and the complete Absolute Truth are the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krishna. All manifestations are due to His different energies. He is the complete whole.
The Essence of Vedic Knowledge
Bhagavad Gita is the essence of all Vedic knowledge. Vedic knowledge is not a question of research. Our research work is imperfect because we are researching things with our imperfect senses. Bhagavad Gita states that we have to accept perfect knowledge which comes down by parampara, disciplic succession, beginning with the supreme spiritual master, the Lord Himself, and handed down to a succession of spiritual masters.
Arjuna, the student who took lessons from Lord Sri Krishna, accepts everything that He says without contradicting Him. One is not allowed to accept one portion of Bhagavad Gita and not another. No. We must accept Bhagavad Gita without interpretation, without deletion and without our own whimsical participation in the matter.
The Gita should be taken as the most perfect presentation of Vedic knowledge. Vedic knowledge is received from transcendental sources and the first words were spoken by the Lord Himself. The words spoken by the Lord are different from the words spoken by a person of the mundane world who is infected with four defects. A person of the mundane world is sure to:
- Commit mistakes
- Is invariably illusioned
- Has the tendency to cheat others
- Is limited by imperfect senses.
With these four imperfections one can not deliver perfect information of all-pervading knowledge.
Vedic knowledge is not imparted by such defective living entities. It was imparted unto the heart of Brahma, the first created living being in this universe and Brahma in turn taught this knowledge to his sons and disciples as he originally received it from the Lord.
All of this, and much more, is clearly described in Bhagavad Gita and if we properly utilize the instructions of Bhagavad Gita then our whole life will become purified, and ultimately we will be able to reach the destination which is beyond this material sky.
The ultimate destination is called the sanatana sky, the eternal spiritual sky. In this material world we find that everything is temporary. It comes into being, stays for some time, produces some by-products, dwindles and then vanishes. This is the law of the material world, whether we use as an example this body, or a piece of fruit or anything. But beyond this temporary world there is another world of which we have information. This world consists of another nature which is sanatana, eternal, and the Lord is also described as sanatana in the Eleventh Chapter. We have an intimate relationship with the Lord and because we are all one–the sanatana-dharma or sky, the sanatana Supreme Personality and the sanatana living entities–the whole purpose of Bhagavad Gita is to revive our sanatana occupation, or sanatana-dharma, which is the eternal occupation of the living entity. We are temporally engaged in different activities, but all of these activities can be purified when we give up all these temporary activities and take up the activities which are prescribed by the Supreme Lord. This is called our pure life.
Hare Krishna:
Greeting! Have a good day!!
The article was fabulous and feel like drinking the spiritual nectar of the wholesome truth the one and only KRSNA…..Please keep sending such wonderful articles regarding ISKCON consciousness and a fallen soul like me atleast at the time of death will get relieved from this CYCLE OF BIRTH AND DEATH which is enormously painful to one’s body and false enjoyment thru our IMPERFECT SENSES…………
Radhe Krishna
Your humble servant
Hare Krsna Prabhuji,
Please accept my hubmle obesiances.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
Thankyou so much for sending me such valuable nectar which is priceless because its about Lord Krishna who is all opulent and still so humble and merciful to the entire creation. It is very true that even if we read Bhagavad gita again and again and again, still each time we read it, there is something new to gain and practice in our life. As Srila Prabupadaji explains very nicely in His books that Lord Krishna’s kind mercy and grace is open to His entire creation as we all are His part and parcel, but beacuse only His devotees ask for His mercy they get it..so it is said that He is espcially inclined to them. But He is equal to all, but the devotees faithfully surrender to Him so they attain Him. All is required is surrendering unto the will of the Lord, doing everything for HIS satisfaction. Arjuna did that and attained the highest perfection. We should similarly trust our Lord who loves us without any doubts as doubts are only a product of material nature. This will only mislead and nothing else.
As far as seeing Lord Krishna is concerned, I can remember Prabhupadaji explaining in one of His divine sessions, that first we need to prepare our eyes to see Krishna. Right now, our senses are imperfect and the Lord is perfect. We need to develop the vision of Love for Him. This is the qualification. Once we are perfectly situated in pure love and devotion for Him, then by His grace, He will reveal Himself to the pure devotee. Love can be developed by hearing about Krishna. The best way is reading the Bhagavad Gita (but one thing should be kept in mind, the Gita should not be read with doubts or a speculative nature). One should read it in a submissive manner and trust Lord Krishna’s words just as Sri Arjuna did. If we read the Bhagavad Gita thinking that Lord Krishna is also one of us, then His grace will never be attained as is explained very nicely by Prabhupadaji in His purports. Reading in a surrendering mood, automatically by HIS grace, the qualification of love and faith will develop and one day He will be revealed.
Thankyou Prabhuji once again for these enlightening newsletters.
As it is revealed by the Lord in the eighteenth chapter, that the one who sincerely tries to spread the secret message of the Bhagavad Gita is the most dearest to the Lord.
Please excuse if I may have done any offenses.
Hare Krishna.
Oh holy sir,
I have enjoyed your article. I have, over the last several months been tormented and mentally pained in finding the truth. I have talked to my pandit, I have read books amongst the bhagvad gita and vishnu puranas; I have meditated upon the maha mantra and Krishnas name every day just one problem remains.
No one has ever seen God, or their God. I would, above all, love to see Krishna. I want to reach moksha. How can I go about doing this? I am scared that after this life, there may be nothing more. I am an avid Physics student, and science have many many theories of the creation of the universe. I have a scientific mind, in that nothing comes out of nothing it is impossible. When one states a point, it must be backed by facts or proof.
Can you help me? Is there anything you can say to ease me? Have you ever seen Krishna; can I see Him, does He know I want to see him so much?
Thank you for your time I hope to hear from you.
Awaiting you reply,
Sunil
Nice article and great thank.
I have read the letter from Mr. Sunil. a science student, and also logical minded. NOw I like to advise Mr. sunil how he will see or meet ” lord Sree KRISHNA ”
1. Try to be a devotee of Sree Krishna and beleive in GOD
2.Clear-up your mind, Kamana- Basana avoid, be simple, Be trustree
3. Chant Maha mantra all the times. pray to Krishna with full devotation. Fell KRISHNA every where and always feel krishna is with you
4, Cry , Cry , and cry for krishna then you see or meet or talked krishna the suprem power
Hare Krishna!
Went through the article. It is very informative and for beginners like us it is a very useful information to glide on the steps of spirtituality.
I would be very happy and in fact would be watiing to get your news letters every day.
I have travelled a long way to reach this route. Every thing has its own time I suppose.
Hare Krishna
Kalpana prasaad
Hare Krishna Chandrasekhar
What is devotional service I am trying to explain gradually. But it will take some time and you need to be a little patient with it. Right now we are just discussing the introduction to Bhagavad-gita. So now we are just introducing the basic idea. I will discuss everything in much more detail as we go on over time. You will see in my next posting that I am speaking of sanatana dharma. There is some hint in there what is devotional service and what it means. Please read that when you get it. I think that will answer your question. There I describe that sanatana dharma means the eternal occupation of the living entity, and that eternal occupation is service and we are all engaged in service. Mostly we are engaged in serving in the material world we serve the family members, we serve at our job we serve the country, in so many ways we are all performing service. These are all material activities that generate karma and keep us entangled in the material world. So what devotional service means is to transfer that service to Krishna, instead of serving in the material world we serve Krishna. The service is still there, but the service is transformed. All these points as well as describing the other processes like jnana [philosophical speculation], karma [working and offering the fruits of the work to Krishna] and yoga [meditational yoga like hatha yoga or astanga yoga] as well as bhakti yoga as we progress through the Gita.
I agree with all the comments above. I recently watched a move called This is Life, which illustrates the article perfectly. If we do not understand our constitutional position as servants of the Lord, we are bound to be unhappy as the main character from the movie.
Your article is good but i wud lik to have a reply. In the 3rd Chapter that is the Karma Yoga Krishna explains that Man can realise the self in 2 different manners: By Philosophical Speculation & by devotional service. What does devotional service mean here.
Chandrasekhar
Hare Krishna Prabhu,
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
Very well presented article - AS IT IS (just what Krishna says in the Baghavad Gita).
Please continue to send more of such posts.
Ys,
Anjan
Thank you so much for the articles. They nourish me and are exactly what I need to learn. The articles are thoughtful and well written. I have just recently “discovered” Bhagavad Gita and Srila Prabhupada’s writings, so all of this is new for me. Blessings on everyone involved in this project.
Hare Krishna Prabhuji …
All Glories to Srila Prabhupada !!!!
It has been wonderfull reading your articles , i really appreciate it …many thanks to your service in progating this message of Bhagavad Gita and fulfilling Srila Prabhupada’s desire …Preaching is the essence ….
I also forwarding this articles to my colleagues as well so that they also can relish this matchless gift for Bhagavan Sri Krishna ….Keep up this good work ….Once again many thanks …..
Hare Krsna Madhudvisa Prabhu,
Pse accept my humble obseciances,all glories to Srila Prabhupada.
Thank you very much for sending me this knowledge which is
inspiring and full of nectar,I am thoroughly enjoying reading each
session that you send to me and I look forward of receiving
many more such mails.
Thank you
Jagannath Priya Dasa
HARI AUM
Here is a superb deal in ‘gita’ verse 3/31 (ye me… karmabhiH). Getting freed from the tyranny of ACTIONS is in fact every one is yearning for or rather working for the whole life. Here is an offer to get out of the helpless, hapless situations that drive one from action to action to action to.. making one tired of life itself. At least for now read the verse and heave a sigh of relief.
Regards
Balagopal
NARAYANA NARAYANA NARAYANA
AUM NAMO BHAGAVATHE VASUDEVAYA
DEAR MADHUDVISA PRABHUJI,
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE ARTICLE. I WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT BHAGAVATH GITHA. SO KNIDLY SEND ME AGAIN.
THANK YOU AGAIN,
WITH PRANAMAM
CHANDAN
HARI AUM
“Out of so many human beings who are suffering, there are only a few who are actually enquiring about their position, questioning what they are, why they are put into this difficult position, and so on.”
I can see some reflections of ‘Gita’ verse 7/3 (manuShyANAm….tattvataH)in the above.
Regards
Balagopal
NARAYANA NARAYANA NARAYANA
AUM NAMO BHAGAVATHE VASUDEVAYA
DEAR MADHUDVISA PRABHUJI,
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE ARTICLE. I WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT BHAGAVATH GITHA. SO KNIDLY SEND ME AGAIN.
THANK YOU AGAIN,
WITH PRANAMAM
JAYASANKAR
Namasti Madhudvisa Prabhuji,
Thank you for a gloriously informative article. I have read the Bhagavad Gita once, and is now reading again up to the Eleventh Discourse. If I may ask a question? In the Bhagavad Gita, The Blessed Lord said that we should concentrate on Him, meditate upon Him alone with absolute devotion, and when we depart this world, we will come directly to Him. The Hare Krishna Network however, says that chanting the Maha-Mantra, Hare Krishna Hare Krishna alone is sufficient. Is this not a contradiction? Please clarify this for me.
Thanks,
All Blessings to You Prabhuji.
Hare Krishna Yvonne
Krishna and Krishna’s name and Krishna’s book Bhagavad Gita are all nondifferent. So concentrating on the Hare Krishna mantra is concentrating on Krishna. Chanting the Hare Krishna mantra is meditating on Krishna. And we should do this chanting with absolute devotion. Without chanting Hare Krishna it is very difficult to concentrate on Krishna. The mind is so restless, it is always trying to pull our concentration away from Krishna. But if we keep chanting the Hare Krishna mantra that will drag our restless mind back to Krishna. So actually chanting the Hare Krishna mantra is sufficient but to chant the Hare Krishna mantra purely that requires some great determination to do it, even though in the beginning of chanting Hare Krishna we may have no taste for the chanting at all, so to get that determination to chant Hare Krishna, even though we may have no taste for chanting Hare Krishna, it is very important to understand the philosophy. Why we are chanting Hare Krishna and what will be the results from this chanting of Hare Krishna. So if we read Srila Prabhuapda’s books including the Bhagavad Gita that will help us to develop the determination for chanting Hare Krishna in any condition of life.
However, it is true, that if one can chant Hare Krishna purely, that is sufficient.
Hare Krishna Prabhuji …
All Glories to Srila Prabhupada THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE ARTICLE
hare krishna Madhudvisa dasaji,there is no doubt that being in krishna consciousness is eternally blissful,but at the same time is not waging a war against the entire world by not following the so called established principles of material manifestation?I humbly request you to guide me through this. thank you once again swamiji for the second news letter.HARE KRISHNA HARE KRISHNA KRISHNA KRISHNA HARE HARE/HARE RAMA HARE RAMA RAMA RAMA HARE HARE.
Hare Krishna Prabhu. Yes, you are right for sure. Becoming determined to be Krishna Conscious does put yourself at odds with the rest of the world. The whole world is working on the principle that happiness comes from sense gratification but as devotees we know that is not at all correct. Happiness can only experienced through serving Krishna. So as devotees we have a completely different outlook on the world and we do not think the things the materialists work very hard for: fame, profit, adoration and distinction to be at all important. Rather devotees want to glorify Krishna and glorify Krishna’s pure devotee. They are not interested in any glory for themselves. Taking to Krishna consciousness is really declaring war against maya. And in the material world practically everyone is a servant of maya. So, yes, for a serious devotee there will be so much opposition. But it does not matter, Krishna is more powerful than maya. Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
thankyou for sending me all this l am enjoying learning and am excited look forward to next newsletter thankyou
Hare Krishna Prabhuji
Thanks you very much for sending the articles
I really enjoyed and hope for next letter
Thank you again and angain
HARE KRISHNA HARE KRISHNA
KRISHNA KRISHNA HARE HARE
HARE RAMA HARE RAMA
RAMA RAMA HARE HARE ………..
Pamho ,Madhudvisa dasa .
It’s with great pleasure I recieve your lessons-letters. It’s a real inspiration. When I chant on my japabeads the mind many times wanders off into the mundane. Your electronic preacing helps me more to greet every bead like one of the Gopies of Vrindavan. The meditation gets a lot easier. In the chapter 18 text 66 of the Bhagavad-gita As It Is, Krishna says :”Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinfull reactions. Do not fear.” This verse is of uttermost importance today as there is so much turmoil and fighting in the name of religion as it’s never been since the great battle on Kuruksetra. I can hardly wait untill everybody on the earth in every town and village has gotten this message and understands it in their hearts. Meanwhile I will eagerly consume the nectar of your letters and pray for your health so as to keep up this great work.
Gauranga Haribol !
Jarle
Hare Krishna Madhudvisa Prabhuji,
I am the reader of Bhagwat githa as it it and also trying to practice concentration by regularly chanting the hare krishna maha mantra.
i have just started and am trying to understand the materialistic world and digest the existence which is a very difficult thing.I get many doubts while i am reading bhagwat gita. Like We are temporally engaged in different activities, but all of these activities can be purified when we give up all these temporary activities and take up the activities which are prescribed by the Supreme Lord. This is called our pure life.The then question that comes to my mind on reading your article is, how do we really achieve at the attainment of the pure life, wherein, it is an existing fact that, we are fully covered with impurities within and do act for the same cause to get some material satisfaction!!!!
Please let us know how exactly the attachment to this materialistic world can be detached through krishna consciousness..
Expecting from you shortly.
Veda
Hare Krishna Veda. Very good question. We have to purify ourselves of the impurities and stop acting with the cause of getting some material satisfaction. The purification happens as a result of performing the nine kinds of devotional service: hearing, chanting, remembering, worshipping the lotus feet of Krishna, worshipping the Lord in the temple, offering prayers to the Lord, and surrendering everything: mind, body and words, in the service of the Lord. These are the nine parts of bhakti. Any one of these processes, if perfectly performed, can give us liberation, and there are examples of great devotees who have become perfect by following just one of these processes. And there are also examples of great devotees who have followed all the processes. For us at the present time Lord Caitanya has recommended one process above all the others for this age. He quotes the verse hari nam hare nam hari nam eva kevalam kalu…. “In this age of Kali, the only way [repeats 3 time for emphasis] to make advancement in spiritual life is to chant the name of Hari.
So although there are different processed of purification the most powerful at the current time is the chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra. This will gradually purify your heart of all material contaminations. And your other point is how can we stop acting for the purpose of getting some material satisfaction. This is possible if we change our activities into activities that we do for the satisfaction of Krishna. It is not possible to stop activities as some will suggest. We have to do something. If you falsly try to stop everything it will only last for a short time and you will have to start performing activities again. So we have to learn how to act in such a way that the purpose is for the pleasure of Krishna. Learning how to do this is the process of Krishna consciousness.
Nityananda! Gauranga! Krishna! Rama!
Haribol Prabhuji!
All glories to your “The Purpose of Bhagavad Gita” mailing service. It is always beautiful to see how much time the devotees are willing to give for the service of Supreme Personality of Godhead Lord Sri Krsna.
In this “modern” (Kali) world where the internet has become another a place for perverted human minds where they seek everything that could corrupt their mind body & soul it always draws a smile on my face when I see that then again some people use it for the right purpose by spreading the Gita & the teachings of The Lord & His avatars.
All glories to the devotees, All glories to their purpose whatever it is.
Bhakti yoga ki jai!
All Glories to Sri Sri Guru & Gauranga
All Glories to Srila Prabhupada
PAMHO/AGTSP
I’m just wondering what are the possibilities of starting a correspondence course on the Bhagavad Gita verse by verse, just like what you’re doing here, for those of us who don’t really have a nearby temple, or even another devotee to rely upon? I’ve had 2 letters from you so far, and I’m eager to learn more. thankyou so much.
Jai Sri Krsna
Hare Krishna Madhudvisa Prabhuji,
I love ISKON, I am the servant of Lord krishna, Prabhupadha Prabhuji is my spiritual Master, Iskon Prabhujis are my Role models.
I have one question.
“Can we chant daily without the Japa beats”
Tnx prabhuji.
Hare Krishna Shivaprakashraj. Yes. you can chant Hare Krishna without beads, but there has to be some system of counting the number of rounds. Srila Prabhuapda has made it clear that his disciples must chant at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna maha mantra daily on beads. So really we should chant on beads. Because that is what Prabhuapda has asked us to do. And why can’t you chant on beads? What is the problem with beads? Anyhow if you must chant some other way there has to be a way of counting the rounds. Some devotees use tally-counters, Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu used to count on his fingers. But Prabhuapda chanted on Tulsi beads and requested that we also chant on Tulsi beads. It is very nice to follow this instruction. But the main thing is to chant the Hare Krishna mantra at least 16 rounds a day, how you count the rounds is secondary.
Hare krishna prabhu
Dandavat pranam.
Thank you very much for sending newsletter for me,its giving new energy for day to day life.I am attending here friday program regularly,at the same time i hope this kind of mails keep me fully krishna Consciousness.
Hare krishna prabhuji
Dantavat pranam
Thank you very much for sending newsletter.Its giving new energy for me day to day life.I hope its keep me fully krishna consciousness at every moment.
Sri Radhe Krishna
The letter is full of nector. I really enjoyed.
I have still in my mind that why we have been put to this nonexisting world to suffer. If we have to achieve the moksha ultimately. then there would other ways also by not coming to this perishing world.
Pl. reply
Waiting for your solutions
HARE KRISHNA
I READ EVERYTHING TWICE THRICE BUT I THINK I AM MINUTE PARTICLE IN FRONT OF YOU WHAT I THINK WITH YOUR HELP I WILL BE ABLE LIVE REST OF LIFE FOR THAT MOTIVE FOR WHICH ALMIGHTY HAS GIVEN THIS BEAUTIFULL WORLD TO SEE TO SERVE TO PRAY
RADHEY RADHEY
YOUR DAS
RAKESH ARORA
Hare Krishna.
It’s nice to read wonderful articles sent by you and I like to inform please keep sending such articles since Bhagavad gita is really confusing and it will be nice to hear from devotees.
Hare Krishna Prabhuji,
Thank you very much for briefing about the Purpose of Bhagvad Gita. In this Holy Book Lord Krishna has described the “Self (ATMAA)” as never born, never dead, nor it is destroyed by the fire, nor by water, nor it is divided by the weapon, etc. But I’m in confusion where this “Self” really is situated. If we think about us, we are made of bones, flesh and the blood. In reality we are not this bone, flesh and blood which are in medical terms are tissues. There is also “Mind” by which we are in consciousness. The Mind is the wave. And the Mind is also not “me” and “mine”. This body and the mind are impermanent and subjects of the senses are also impermanent and are not “me” and “mine”. Then to what I really can describe as my “Self” ? Kindly explain on it.
very blessed to have the gita. “remember when you had no religion, when all you had was him” - rumi to me i feel like having the gita is having him again during the flight duration. I would also like to thank this website for having me on the mailing list.
hare krishna
reading this article ws jus like i want to jus wind up my life from this life and be a devotee of krishna but as are bound wid life,i m jus hold back to caryy on wid this life…why is it so k even a person is so good to evryone still he/she suffer from sorrows and all other problems..is it all realated to previous janam or so…why cant v leave all upto god for our sorrows ..
Dear Prabu,
Please accept my humble pranams.
Gifted are you for being able to enjoy the Gyan of Sri Sri Sri Krsna’s Song ‘Sri Bhagavad Gita’. Gifted we are being able to receive the nectar of the ‘Sri Bhagavad Gita’ from a devotee like you.
Been going through tougher times off late and was pondering over how to break the ice and see the light. Knew Sri Bhagavad Gita will have the solution. But been procrastinating by dwelling into the realms my own dark world of problems. Just a thought of ‘Sri Bhagavad Gita’ has sent messages miles across to you to send me a simplified version in the form of your newsletters. Now I am in the right path … an enlightened path, understanding life through the ‘Small’ mails that you are sending.
Thank you for your service to mankind.
Hare Krsna!
Thanks so much for your emails. They are helping me a great deal.
hare Krishna Prabhu Ji,
PAMHO
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
All glories to Sri Guru and Gouranga.
Thank you very much for writing this heart-touching article.
Krishna is so merciful that He is so much eager to give the eternal knowledge and bliss through His devotees like you. My heart is hard that it is not identifying the real truth. I beg the mercy of His devotees.
!!Hare Krishna!!
Dear Madhudvisa Deva,
I am eternally grateful for your daily lessons on the Baghavad Gita. It has been very inspiring and informative. You have given me a connection with the Krsna community. I do not live near a temple and have no contact with devotees, as I know of none in my area. I do the best that I can on my own, reading Srila Prabhupada’s books, and trying to learn. Thank you for this connection. I fail miserably many days, but through your instruction and this website, I am inspired and hopeful. May the blessing of Lord Krsna surround you always!
Glenn
hare krishna hare ram,
dear friends,
shri madbhagwadgita is realy a turning point in my life. i am reading it from last 5 years. now i read the twelth lesson every day and i am thorough.
it gives me inner strength and confidence, whenever i face problem i just remember any line of it and immediately i overcome it.
i have 5 different type of Gita, but always look for new one.
thanks for accepting me.
hare ram hare krishna
hari bol,
Thankyou prabhuji for this news letter, it really helps us creating krishnamay environment around us. And with this materialistic world around mails like these help us to come back on the bhakti path.
Pls do send me mails.
Hare krishna hare krishna krishna krishna hare hare , hare rama hare rama rama rama hare hare
Haribol, All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
Yes this website is very nicely done, good presentation and readable for those used to articles. Of course one should have the books as well, but I have always looked to krishna.org to supplement my readings. It is an excellent site and Madhudvisa dasa is doing a great service by introducing many to Prabhupada’s teachings, including myself. Hare Krsna
thanku very much prabhuji for ur insightful emails on bg.
these r really enlightning
CHRISTOS
Poojniy Guruji;
being too small to comment on the great subject like Gitaji and learned teacher like you i would like to commiunicate feelings about the article and gitaji. Guruji i am reading two to three shlokas of gitaji along with its meaning from book by Master A C Bhaktivedantji. however the message given in this article has enlightenned me very much. it will certainly be a pleasure to read the evry time i receive it. and i will certainly be inspired by it. the article gives a deepening soothong to our minds and soul. please keep it up and enlighten our lives and make us free from worldly pains ans sufferings.
hare krishna prabhuji
dandvat pranam
prabhuji i m very pleased to receive such nice krishna counsious message from you through mail.really you are doing a great service by teaching us about lord krishna and our relationship with him. keep sending message on my e mail
thankyou from the bottom of my heart
your humble servant
pranam
hare krishna
Hare Krishna Madhudvisa,
Thank you for all these insightful scriptures, it really helps me a lot thru my daily life. I would love to read more about Krishna.
Thank you,
Nel
dear sir
i am pray daily lord krishna,
but maya is delete my mind lord krishna…
for lord krishna SERVANT Good soul.
N.MARIAPPAN
Hare Krishna Madhudvisa Prabhu,
Thank you for all these insightful scriptures, it really helps me a lot thru my daily life. I would love to read more about Krishna,In future .
Thank you,
Hare Krishna, sir, i read your article it is full of knowledge thanks for such type of divine knowledge. But some times i feel so much frustrated that i forget every thing that i know no knowledge can able to free me from those situation i don’t know how to survive. can u please help me. Hare Krishna
Namaskar ji,
Although i speak english i am more comfortable with hindi, i want your permission to write in hindi using english language.
For a very very long time i have been seeking for someone who will guide me to lead my life in krishna consiousness. I am so very confused in life that i really dont know how to lead a good life exactly the way krishna wants me to. About kridhna I only know one thing that he is very very kind and bhola i have experienced this always.
please guide me
varsha
Hare Krishna Varsha
I can not read Hindi so please write in English.
The guidance is simple and you know what it is. Chant at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra daily and follow the four regulative principles.
Although other things are nice without chanting your rounds and following the principles they will not be very effective.
I understand your situation is difficult because of the things you need to take because of the kidney transplant. Still if you are serious about spiritual life, and there is no point to anything else in this world, then you need to force yourself to chant at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra daily and only eat prasadam, food cooked by devotees and offered to Krishna with love. These are the main two things.
If you strictly chant at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra daily and only eat Krishna Prasadam then soon you will also be able to follow the regulative principles easily.
Also you need to read the books of Srila Prabhupada to convince your mind of the importance of doing these things.
It may be quite difficult to chant 16 rounds and follow the four regulative principles in the beginning but unless we “rise to the challange” and try our best to do this, there is really not much hope.
Of course in the beginning we may not always succeed. We may fall short of the standard. But if we keep trying then ultimately we will be successful.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
It is really a masterpiece book evermade. I already bought this Book in 1999 but in Indonesian and India version. For me the Book really influance to my life, eventhough that I am Catholic. Thanks a lot to Mr. Prabupadha. It is a great honour that I can read with all my heart His remarkable Book. Forgive me if my English not good or I made a big mistake related my comment.
Jai shree Krishna,
My humble obeisance to guruji.
This is the second newsletter that I have received and both have been inspiring to read. Receiving newsletter is a good means for me to take a break from my engagement in the material world and devote some time to spiritual growth through reading valuable message of life. I fully agree with the teachings of Bhagvad Gita and if I could understand correctly from whatever I have read and heard from preachings of Gurus that there are always some god realized personalities on this earth to help deliver the fallen souls from material world. My only question is “How many god realized persons might be present on this earth at the present time?” My humble request to respected Guruji if I could receive an answer.
With due respect to Guruji.
Jai Shree Radhey.
Dear Raju
Hare Krishna!
The preachings from the Gurus you have heard saying there are always some god realized persons on this earth to help deliver the fallen souls from the material world may not be correct. There are many, many times in the material world where no such liberated God realized persons are visible. There may or may not be some present on the earth at any point of time, but even if there are some present if they are not visible, not preaching, then even if they are here you can not get the advantage of their association and instructions.
Actually a pure devotee, a qualified spiritual master, is very, very rare. Krishna points this out in the Bhagavad Gita. Out of many thousands of men only one is interested in spiritual life, out of all those interested in spiritual life only a very few become liberated and out of all these liberated souls most are impersonalists and have no idea or understanding of Krishna. It is only one out of many thousands of liberated souls who understands Krishna in truth. It is only this man who understands Krishna in truth who is a qualified spiritual master. All others do not know Krishna and can not instruct you in such a way that you can come to know Krishna. They can only cheat you.
So when we have the opportunity of associating with such a pure devotee as His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhuapda we must take advantage of this and by Srila Prabhuapda’s mercy we can come to know Krishna. Because Prabhuapda knows Krishna, he can introduce us to Krishna.
The thing is as soon as someone makes a little spiritual advancement he becomes puffed-up and thinks “now I am a qualified guru” and starts to look for disciples. We have seen this time and time and time again in ISKCON. They appoint “gurus” who basically can not even chant 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra daily and follow the regulative principles and generally have very little understanding of the science of Krishna as it is revealed to us by Srila Prabhuapda. It has become like a circus. A false show of bogus gurus with their bogus disciples and they have almost completely destroyed Srila Prabhupada’s ISKCON movement..
So the real truth is a qualified spiritual master is very, very rare, and at any point of time such a qualified spiritual master may not be physically present and available on this planet. So we have to take advantage of the “prominent link.” And that prominent link for us is His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhuapda.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Sir,
I have a doubt.It is clear in Bhagavad Gita that krishna is supreme himself and he is the incarnation of himself or the Universal Soul or Brahman.Then why most of the people still believe that krishna as the incarnation of vishnu?
I even tried to correct my parents on this.But they thought that I am a non believer of God.Noone is trying to understand me except my Uncle who was an old member of ‘Hare Krishna’ in Bahrain.Why people believe and even the books had written like this.
I had been thinking like this at the time of my Higher secondary education.I don’t know how it came to my mind.It came naturally to my mind.And while reading some quotes of Gita ,it is clear that Krishna is Para Brahma himself.
what we need is common sense which most of the people are lacking.what is happening to the people?please clear my doubts!
Hare Krishna Niroop
You have the correct understanding. Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and as you point out that is very clear from the teachings of Krishna Himself in the Bhagavad Gita and also in Srimad Bhagavatam and many other Vedic literatures. Krishna is described as the original Bhagavan.
Many people in India think that Krishna is an incarnation of Vishnu because that has been incorrectly preached in India, and is still incorrectly preached by many bogus “acharayas.”
People simply believe in what the authority they accept says. So many in India have heard from bogus gurus who preach incorrect and distorted interpretations of the Vedic knowledge. So if one has heard from such a bogus guru and accepted him then he will also have a bogus and distorted understanding of the Vedic philosophy.
The main thing is that you have the correct knowledge and if you practice the process of Krishna consciousness seriously, chanting at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra daily, strictly following the four regulative principles (no illicit sex, no meat eating, no gambling and no intoxication) and seriously study the books of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and engage in practical devotional service then you will see your life become completely transformed. And others will see this also. When they see you becoming Krishna consciousness and see you being transformed like this they will also gain faith in Krishna consciousness and in Srila Prabhuapda and will start to take what you say and what Prabhupada says more seriously.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Respected shri Madhudvisa Dasa;
I am reading Bhagwadgita as it is for last 8-9 months (Both Hindi and English version) and have very high respects for such a great Book.Thank you for your spiritual teachings.
My Query : as I extract from Bhagawadgita as it is,I understand that In our body, two souls dwell. one is individual soul and second is part and particle of Lord shri Krishna. am I correct ?
If it is correct,then how can individual soul show characteristics / qualities of Lord krishna (though very minutely) because Lord krishna is only Spectator (seer of our activities)in our body.if individual soul is also part and particle of Lord Krishna, then are these two souls representing Lord krishna ?. it is confusing.
I continue to come across so many confusions which I would write later.
Rajesh.Mumbai,India
Hare Krishna Rajesh
Please keep reading Srila Prabhuapda’s Bhagavad-Gita As It Is and your confusion will be reduced as you read more and more.
Also if you take to the chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra seriously Krishna will help you understand from within. You have noted that Krishna is within our hearts as the Supersoul. We have been ignoring Krishna for many, many lifetimes and He says in the Bhagavad gita that “I give remembrance, knowledge and forgetfulness.” The idea here is that if we want to remember Krishna He will help us to remember Him, but if we want to forget Krishna and instead try to “enjoy” in the material world then Krishna will help us to forget Him…
So the point is Krishna is sitting in everyone’s heart as the observer while the individual living entity is also present in the tree of the heart. The individual living entity is trying to enjoy the fruits of his work. Because Krishna is there the individual soul can always turn to His eternal friend, Krishna, and the process of Krishna consciousness is what makes this possible.
Because the individual soul is qualitatively the same as Krishna, although he is very, very minute. He has the same qualities as Krishna. Just like if you take a drop of water out of the ocean and analyze it you will find salt is there in the drop and salt is also there in the ocean. So the drop of sea water contains the same qualities as the ocean.
So the individual soul has the same qualities as Krishna but currently they are covered by the conditioning of our many, many births in the material world and by our forgetfulness of Krishna.
As I have been saying in a few postings recently, these things can not be understood by theoretical knowledge only. These things are only really understood by devotees who surrender to Krishna and who use their energy to serve Krishna.
Really when you think of it what have we got to offer Krishna? We have our life, we have our words, we have our energy, we have our money. So if we do not surrender all these things to Krishna then what is the meaning of Krishna consciousness for us?
Becoming Krishna consciousness is quite a dramatic change in our lives. It means living in a completely different way. So the secrets of the Bhagavad Gita will be open to those who are prepared to actually surrender to Krishna, as Arjuna surrendered to Krishna. Otherwise, if we are not prepared to surrender to Krishna, Krishna will remain a mystery to us, eternally…
Madhudvisa dasa
hi madhudvisa. i am really enjoying the study.please can you expand where you say the atmosphere of the material world is non-existence. also can you recommend a krishna concious group i can contact.thanks.with respect.gary
Hare Krishna Gary
I am very happy you are enjoying our study of Bhagavad Gita As It Is.
You are asking me for some more information as to why we say the atmosphere of this material world is non-existence.
It is a very subtle point. This material world is not false. So we can not say it is unreal. At the same time because this material world is temporary it is considered to be non-existence.
You can not exist in any particular body in the material world for any appreciable amount of time. Even the body you have today, you will go to bed tonight and tomorrow the body you wake up in will be subtly different. So if you do somehow find some comfortable position in the material world, you may get a good job, find a nice girl, and get a good place to live, still you can not exist in that situation. Because very soon something will change. That is the nature of the material world, change. Nothing is constant here.
In comparison our situation in the spiritual world is a state of real existence. There we can live eternally in a spiritual body full of knowledge, bliss and our spiritual body will remain eternally youthful. That is the real state of existence. Here in the material world we can not exist. Everything is constantly changing. We are suffering birth, old age, disease and death, and there is nothing we can do about this. We are forced to suffer. And also we have to suffer the three kinds of miseries. Miseries from the mind, miseries created by other living entities and miseries created by nature [the demigods who are in charge of nature]. My mind is always giving me something to worry about, even if there is no problem in reality, other living entities like our friends and the insects are causing us pain, and there are many calamities of nature like earthquakes, fires and bad weather that cause us unlimited suffering…
So in this situation we can not exist… Real existance is only possible in the spiritual world.
As far as a Krishna conscious group you can contact the only thing I can recommend is here at http://www.Krishna.org
The problem with religious groups is that after the empowered spiritual leader leaves the scene generally demons take charge of the group and use it for their own purposes. This happens everywhere. It is a very subtle thing. A demon is someone who is using something for his own benefit. So basically everyone is a demon. A devotee is someone who is only working for the pleasure of Krishna. He has no personal interest.
So when you have a religious group with many followers then there is always a group of men who try to become gurus or priests and in so many cases their motivations are not completely pure. Basically we have all come to this material world because we rebelled against God. We have come here to the material world because we want to become the controller, we want to become god. Basically everyone here in the material world has this disease. So when someone who wants to become the controller sees the opportunity of becoming a religious leader or a guru then that is a very good opportunity for him to become the controller of a group of disciples or followers.
If you study the history of all religious movements you will see that this has happened in all religions. When the empowered spiritual leader leaves his “church” is taken over by demons who want to use it to future their own ends of becoming masters and controllers. At this stage the “church” becomes practically useless because such demons can not transmit real spiritual knowledge to their followers.
Unfortunately this has happened in ISKCON, the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, the preaching mission of Srila Prabhupada. So the whole thing has been transformed. Now anyone who accepts Srila Prabhupada as his spiritual master is considered to be a “heretic” by ISKCON. If they were able to they would love to burn all the followers of Srila Prabhupada at the stake as was the Christian tradition for anyone who did not accept the new demonic leaders of the Church. But fortunately in the current political climate the ISKCON leaders can not get away with burning people like me who accept Srila Prabhuapda as their guru at the stake…
So my advice to you is that you simply do what I am doing. That is take shelter of Srila Prabhupada by reading his books, listening to his classes and watching the video recordings we have available. You can get all these things at http://www.KrishnaStore.com
I do not recommend that you follow me, I recommend that you follow Srila Prabhuapda. I am a fallen conditioned soul. I am not qualified to be anyone’s guru. But I can point you in the direction of Srila Prabhuapda and request that you please take shelter of Srila Prabhupada and please surrender to Srila Prabhuapda and please serve Srila Prabhupada.
I can try to answer your questions and give some guidance but ultimately my suggestion is that you please surrender to Srila Prabhuapda and accept him as your master and guide…
There are many sincere devotees in ISKCON who are genuinely serving Srila Prabhuapda and following Srila Prabhupada so if there is some ISKCON temple in your area you can try visiting perhaps for the Sunday feast and see if you meet some inspiring devotees. But you need to keep in mind that the guru system in ISKCON is completely bogus and it is likely that as soon as you enter the door they will try to get you to accept someone other than Srila Prabhuapda as your guru.
It would be OK if they had someone who was a pure devotee, but unfortunately they are advertising a bunch of devotees who even admit that they are conditioned souls. And there is no way a conditioned soul can help us get out of this material world. The bound can not rescue the bound. The rescuer must be liberated.
So the current ISKCON philosophy that the guru does not need to be a pure devotee, that the guru does not have to be a liberated soul, he simply needs to be approved by the GBC, is complete and utter nonsense. And that is the great danger of associating with ISKCON. If you are not careful they will completely distract you from Srila Prabhuapda and instead focus your attention and worship on someone who is not at all capable of taking you back home, back to Godhead, and in this way ISKCON is quite competent to destroy your spiritual life.
It is a difficult thing. ISKCON is a mixture of poison and nectar. If you can take the nectar without taking the poison then all good fortune to you. But for me personally I have tried to do this many times and invariably I end up being completely poisoned by ISKCON.
My heart is very attracted to the concept of ISKCON, but my intelligence is warning me to stay far away from ISKCON. They can not actually help us advance in Krishna consciousness and they are very competent to distract us from the part of serving Srila Prabhupada who we know for sure is a pure devotee of Krishna and who we know for sure is capable of delivering us all back home, back to Godhead.
Of course we need to surrender to him, inquire from him submissively, render service to him. In this way, if Srila Prabhupada is pleased with us, he can give us the real knowledge because he has seen the truth.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Respected Prabhuji,
Thank you very much for writing to me. I am enjoying the study. One thing is not clear to me. In this study you have explained that we are trying to exist here in the material world but the atmosphere of the material world is nonexistence. I shall be glad to know if material world is actual how atmosphere of the material world is non-existence? Please forgive me because it is not clear to me.
Hare Krishna
With regards
Subir Das
Hare Krishna Subir
Krsihna consciousness is not something we can simply understand theoretically. It needs to be realized. And to realize it we need to engage in devotional service. That is the idea. We are all servants of Krishna, but we have come to this material world and forgotten that we are servants of Krishna and we are serving so many others instead. So if we want to understand Krishna consciousness we have to revive this spirit that “I am a servant of Krishna” and practically use our senses to serve Krishna.
As far us trying to exist in an atmosphere of non-existence. The atmosphere of the material world is called “non-existence” because it is not possible to exist here for very long. Everything in the material atmosphere is only manifest for a temporary period of time. Everything comes into existence, grows, produces by-products, dwindles and vanishes. But people live in this world and work for success in this world as if they will be able to stay here forever. So in this sense the materialists are trying to exist [permanently] in an atmosphere where they can not exist for any significant time.
That one can not exist for very long in the material world does not make it non-existent. The material world exists, at sometimes it is manifest, and sometimes it is non-manifest. But one can not exist [for very long] in the material world as it’s atmosphere is of non-existence…
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Respected Swamiji,
Thank you very much.
with regards
Hare Krishna
Subir Das
Adiyen Ramanuja Dasan
Adiyen Desika Dasan
Adiyen praphupada dasan
HARI BOL
JAYA JAYA SRI PANDURANGA….
JAYA JAYA SRI KRSNA
IT’S REALLY A WONDERFUL LEELA OF THE PARAMATMA SRIKRSNA THAT WE PEOPLE CONSTANTANLY DISCUSS ALL THE WONDERFUL TEACHINGS OF HIS MASER-PIECE “BHAGAVAD-GITA, THROUGH THE MOST HUMBLE AND LEARNED SRI MADHUDVISA DASA.IN THIS MODERN AGE ITS REALLY THE HARD WORK OF HONORABLE VOLUNTEERS WHO MADE THIS POSSIBLE
THAT NORMAL PEOPLE ALSO READ AND COME TO KNOW ABOUT THE RIGHT SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE THROUGH A RIGHT SPIRITUAL MASTER LIKE MADHUDVISA DASA.SWAMI(MADHUDVISA DASA) HAS ALS0 TOLD THE IMPORTANCE OF BHAGAVAT NAMA SANKEERTANA TOO ALONG WITH HIS GREAT EXPLANATION OF GITA.INDEED WE ARE GREATFUL TO YOU SWAMI.
THOUSAND HUMBLE PRANAMS TO YOUR LOTUS FEET…
THANKING YOU….
HARE KRSNA HARE KRSNA
RAMAKRISHNA VIDHATHA
really eye-opener knowledge.
thank you for your so much illuminating description.
swami ji can i ask anything related to god . if i can then from where
Thank you for sending me mails regarding the discussions on Bhagavad Gita. I’ve read Bhagavad Gita. It feels so blissful while reading it. And the other times, it feels as if I’m always missing something. I forget everything and become so happy while reading it but while going outside to the “materialistic” world, it feels like suffocation. I humbly appreciate the explanations given to verses of Bhagavad Gita by Swami Prabhupada but I didn’t felt good while I read
“In practically all the other editions the commentator expresses his own opinions without touching on the spririt of Bhagavad Gita.”
It may be true that many translators give their own views instead of the real spirit of Bhagavad Gita - but it may not be always true. Some translations may give just the word-to-word translations just like Swami Prabhupada did. They also love Lord Sri Krishna, isn’t it bad to say so?
I’ve complete respect towards this institution - ISKON but I didn’t felt good while I found the ISKON members dealing as if they are only the closest to Lord Sri Krishna.
I’m sorry Prabhu, if I said anything wrong and I beg sorry if I’ve made anyone feel bad.
It would be my pleasure if I continue getting mails related to Bhagavad Gita
Thank You
Hare Krishna
Hare Krishna!
The reality is it is very, very difficult to find a translation of the Bhagavad Gita which was published simply to present the message that Krishna gave to Arjuna on the Battlefield of Kuruksettra. And Srila Prabhupada’s Bhagavad-gita As It Is does this. It is doubtful if you can find any other translation of Bhagavad Gita that does this.
The reality is almost everyone who writes a commentary on the Bhagavad Gita has an opinion of his own and he inserts that opinion into his commentary. Srila Prabhupada has not done this. He has simply let Krishna speak. And that is the magic of Bhagavad-gita As It Is.
I know it may sound unreasonable to you to say that Prabhuapda’s Gita is the only Gita that you will find the pure message from Krishna in, but it is most likely true.
The real pure knowledge of Krishna consciousness is very, very rare. We are very fortunate to have the oportunity of getting this knowledge from Srila Prabhuapda a pure devotee of Krishna.
It is nothing to do with ISKCON members. We are talking about Prabhuapda here, and it would be very difficult to find anyone closer to Krishna than Srila Prabhupada. And that is the qualification to explain Krishna. You can not explain anything about Krishna if Krishna is not your very intimate friend. That is why Srila Prabhupada’s Gita is so much better than anything else out there, because Srila Prabhuapda, like Arjuna, is an intimate friend of Krishna. He knows Krishna and can explain everything about Krishna to us.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Hare Krsna
Please accept my humble obeisances
All glories to Sri Sri Guru & Gauranga !!!!
Dear PrabhuJi
I recently started reading your articles relating to Bhagavad Gita As It Is. Really these scriptures are very eye opening for everyone whether they are devotees, nondevotees or neophytes. We are so absorbed these days in Mayavad philosophy & mundane faiths & beliefs that we have entirely forgotten our purpose of life for which lord Krishna has created us. Hence in the form of Bhagavad Gita & Bhagavatam you are doing perfect service for waking sleeping souls & showing the path to go back home, back to Godhaead Krsna.
Pranam
Dasanudas
Sunil G
Hare Krishna,
Prabhuji last week i attended d course of Bhagvad Gita Journey of Self Discovery. It was obviously a wonderful experience for me I feel to b blessed to attend tht course. I am very thankful to ISKON & to all their devotees for arranging such an seminar which is must for every1’s life.
Prabhuji from the article which I receive everyday a doubt arose in my mind which I need to ask. The doubt is in the article its mentioned tht to find relief from d sufferings of the Human life we should opt for the teachings of Bhagvad Gita, whereas its clearly stated tht what we r suffering r d deeds of our own Karma not of this birth only but may b of d previous1. If its so then Bhagvad Gita just helps us realizes this & just guides us d way for surrendering to Krishna. Then how come the relief from suffering coz Kala is gonna take care of that
Well I dont know if at all am right or wrong please correct me….
Please forgive if at all there’s any ignorance from my side
Hare Krishna
Sanjay Nair
Hare Krishna Sanjay
Karma is there. And yes, by studying Bhagavad-gita we will understand how karma is working and will see that so many things that are happening in our lives are reactions to activities we have performed in the past in both this life and in previous lives.
And yes, Bhagavad-gita will guide us in the process how to surrender to Krishna. That is what Bhagavad-gita is about. In the beginning Arjuna did not want to fight the Battle of Kuruksettra. But Krishna wanted the fight. So Krishna spoke the Bhagavad-gita with the aim of educating Arjuna as to the purpose of life, which is to surrender to Him [Krishna].
But when one surrenders to Krishna, Krishna will take a special interest in the life of the devotee. So a devotee becomes somewhat free of the chains of karma.
So it is not that, as you seem to be hinting, that by studying Bhagavad-gita we get to understand about how karma works, but there is not much point in this because karma will go in in the same way, if we know about it or if we don’t know about it. No. If we understand the message of Bhagavad-gita, which is to surrender to Krishna, and if we do that, surrender to Krishna, then the effects of karma on us will be very much minimized. Things will change in our lives because Krishna is now taking a special interest in our life.
Hope this answers your question.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Hare Krsna Prabhuji,
Please accept my hubmle obesiances.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
I liked the article, I have fallen in love with Bhagwat Gita and I am getting great strength from it
As you have said spirituality does come slowly and we need to be continuously in Krishna Contentiousness and surrender to him, since I have surrendered to Lord Krishna, I am feeling relived and mistakes when my I was in place are not happening when I am letting Lord to take decisions for me am I am flowing in his flow, I can see many difficulties get resolved automatically by the Lord
I feel I have found “Kamadhenu” and I am falling short of words to explain how great it is
Thanks once again
HARE KRISHNA HARE KRISHNA, KRISHNA KRISHNA HARE HARE
HARE RAMA HARE RAMA RAMA RAMA HARE HARE
Atul
Hare Krishna prabhuji,
All Glories to Guru and Gauranga!!
All Glories to Srila Prabhupada!!
Nice e-discourse. However, I have few comments:
[1] I think mail content can be small and daily, rather than large.
[2] This may help to quote more practical examples, than just theory.
[3] If possible, small and relevant images, may give good impact, than the textual content alone.
Yours humble servant!!
thank you pr.ji all glories to prabhupad these articles very inspiring please continue iam looking foward for more.
very nice article…hare krishna..hare rama…
Hare Rama Hare Rama:
Rama Rama Hare Hare
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Thanks with pleasure in receiving the lifes secret, it is true in whole world in no other religion there is extreme evaluation of life than Bagavat Gita, nothing could compete with the knowledge given from it, lifes true secret is clearly specified, it shows greater & greater interest in going on reading these spiritural vedics.
Jai Shri Krishna.
Thankyou very much,prabhu madhudvisa dasa you are doing a great job of spreading lord KRSNA’S HOLY NAME AND HIS TEACHINGS, we are the souls searching for lord KRSNA’S GRACE ,and your preaching of LORD KRSNA’S name is wonderfull with in depth knowledge of bhagavad gita…….
THE SUPREME PERSONALITY OF GODHEAD [KRSNA] WILL ALWAYS BLESS YOU…….
YOUR BROTHER
GOVIND.
Hare Krishna Sir..
its Really a great pleasure to be associated with Shri Krishna Connect. I fully Agree with you that spritual life is gradual. i request you tp please enlighten my path of life with your supreme guidance. i wish to discuss my problems with you in coming days and want you to help me to solve the same. i really felt very good after reading your mails. please tell me more about shri bhagwad geeta ji and Shri Krishna’s Life.
Hare Krishna
Regards
Lata Prajapati
Hare Krishna !!!
Respected Prabhuji,
Please accept my humble obeisances.
All Glories to Srila Prabhupada !!!
Thank you very much for the much inspiring Bhagavad Gita introduction notes and the subsequent articles. It really makes for intersting reading.
Hari Bol
vinay.
Hare Krsna Prabhu,
Thank you for sending the article, such nectar is exactly what was needed for a youth like myself in Krsna Consciousness and The next issue about Sanatana Dharma is actually what i wanted to find out about, so i greatly appreciate it and thank you for such wonderful service. Many of that which was mentioned in the article was mentioned several times by H.H. Guru Prasad Swami when he came to our country and from what i have read already but its always teaches you new things the more you read. Then if I read the next article i may be able to figure out the difference between Sanatan Dharma and Vaishnavism.
Thank you once again for such wonderful service,
Hare Krsna
Cintamani
Hare krishna!!
Thank you for sending me this article. Please sir keep on sending me these articles.
Jai Shri Krishna.
hare krsna, dear madhudvisa dasa , thank you so dearly for sending me this light in my darkest part of my spiritual journey.krsna has a wonderfull way. i,m looking forward to see more of these e-mails, please send me more i would be very greatfull. thank you. blessed be.. carmen.
Greetings.
Wow to ask what the Bhagavad Gita is is a large question.I have for myself found two things that I find to be true.
1 I searche many years for truth and god and only found misery.
2 Since I have started to read the Bhagavad Gita I have found at least some peace,and I have realized to me the most importent aspect that is helping change my life is that after I stoped struggling and relized god is everywhere thing have improved.
I dont claim to have many answers but I do know if sought with a clean and open mind he will come. Any who wish to contact me can at outlaw_bkr@live.com
Your Humble Servent
Joe Sims
First of all accept my PRANAM at your lotus feet. I am the most grateful man in this Universe that by some means or the other I am connected with a very pure devotee.
All Glories to Guru and Gauranga!!
All Glories to Srila Prabhupada!!
Thanks for a wonderful article.Really, the thing which is related to krishna is PERFACT as HE is.
Please send regularly so that atleast I would connect with a pure DEVOTEE.
Hare Krishna….