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Krishna consciousness -- Declaring War against Maya

• Subject: Krishna consciousness -- Declaring War against Maya
• From: Bhakta Philip
• Date: Wed Jan 17 17:00:58 1996
• Message-Id: id703

Dear Bhakta Philip

Hello. Hare Krishna!

Krishna consciousness is something like declaring war against maya. Maya literally
means illusion. She is very expert. She presents something that can never satisfy
us as being very attractive. The disease is the bodily concept of life, thinking I
am this American or Australian man and I will be happy if my senses are satisfied.
That is the basis for the material world. It is why everyone is working so hard...

There are stages in becoming Krishna consciousness. The first one is sadhu-sanga.
You have to assocate with a devotee, a sadhu, and he will tell you something about
Krishna and by assocation you gradually get some faith that there is a Supreme
Person, His name is Krishna and by following the path of Krishna consciousness,
Bhakti-Yoga, you can go back home, back to Godhead.

When we have some faith we begin the process of Bhakti-yoga. It requires faith
because in the beginning we have no attachment to Krishna.

"This treasure of love of God has descended from the spiritual world of Goloka
Vrndavana, appearing in this world as the sankirtana movement of the chanting of
Lord hari's holy names. Why am I not attracted to it? Day and night I burn from
the poison of material existence, but still I refuse to take the antidote."
(Narottama dasa Thakura)

The problem is our original consciousness, Krishna consciousness, is all covered
up with heaps and heaps of dirt accumulated in our hearts after millions of births
in the material world. So it is like a mirror covered with heaps of dirt... You
can't see yourself until you clean off the dirt. So we can't really taste the
nectar in Krishna consciusness untill we clean off the dirt in our hearts. So the
cleaning process is the chanting of:

      Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
          Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare

But while our heart is dirty we are not attracted to chanting at all... So it is a
difficult problem. In the beginning we are still attracted by sense gratifaction
and we are not soo attracted by Krishna. So the beginning stage of Krishna
consciousness is called "saddhana bhakti". Saddhana means rules and regulations.
So we have to agree to follow the rules and regulations and that way become
purified. After a little purification (anarta-nivritti) we actually get a little
taste, some spiritual bliss, from serving Krishna, chanting Hare Krishna, then our
devotional service becomes spontaneous. We automatically want to get out of bed
eairly in the morning to see Krishna in the temple, we automatically want to
prepare nice foods and offer them to Krishna, we automatically want to go out and
distribute Srila Prabhupada's books to help people reestablish their lost
relationship with Krishna...

But we can never come to this spontaneous platform unless we make a serious
decision to follow the regulative principles (no illicit sex life, no
intoxication, no meat eating and no gambling) and chant at least 16 rounds of the
Hare Krishna maha-mantra daily. We also have to have some practical service.
Krishna consciousness means doing something practical for Krishna. We also have to
reguraly read Srila Prabhupada's books (preferably aloud as the potency is more in
the sound vibration than in the mind -- it is hearing and chanting the name, form,
qualities and pastimes of Krishna that purifies our heart and that is what is in
Srila Prabhupada's books)

So if we want to solve our spiritual crisis then we have to be strong. We have to
decide to chant at least 16 rounds, even if we have absolutely no taste for it, it
may not always be easy or ecstatic, we have to decide to follow the principles
even if our senses are completely disturbing us. But it really requires the
assocation of devotees. It is difficult to do it by yourself, but still if you are
serious anything is possible. You will come to see you are not alone. Krishna is
always with you, He is in your heart and it ready to help you through any
spiritual crisis you might face.

"I am the source of all spiritual and material worlds. Everything emanates from
Me. the wise who know this perfectly engage in My devotional service and worship
Me with all their hearts.

"The thoughts of my pure devotees dwell in Me, their lives are surrendered to Me,
and they derive great satisfaction and bliss enlightening one another and
conversing about Me

"To those who are constantly devoted and worship Me with love, I give them the
understanding by which they can come to Me." (Krishna in Bhagavad-gita chapter 10)

I have to leave the place I am typing this ( they are closing 5:00 pm in
Australia) so read it and reply and I will reply again tomorow.

Chant Hare Krishna (that is the answer)

Your servant

Madhudvisa dasa

>Haribol! I want to put an end to this spiritual crisis I have been going though,
>so please help me. Below is my explanation of the problem to another devotee...I
>wanted to see what you had to say about it...
>
>I find that I go through phases. It has been going on since I got into KC. I will

>be very into KC for about a week, then I loose interest for about a week, then I
>am into it again, etc. I am confident that I will keep getting very into it, but
>I am not satisfied with this cycle. Have you had similar problems? Usually
>something happens to change the phazes. Either something bad happens or I get a
>new book or something and I get back into KC, or something "good" happens and I
>get into worldly things(a girl likes me, good band comes to town, or I just get
>bored). Please help.
>--
>Your Servant,
>Bhakta Philip
>
>
>

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