The Importance of Sense Control in Spiritual Life
We are continuing on our discussion of the Second Chapter of Srila Prabhupada’s Bhagavad-gita As It Is:
http://krishnastore.com/bhagavad-gita-as-it-is-with-bonus-dvd-h-krishna-407.html
Krishna says (Bg. 2.57): “He who is without attachment, who does not rejoice when he obtains good, nor lament when he obtains evil, is firmly fixed in perfect knowledge.”
One of the symptoms of a person in Krishna consciousness is that he is transcendental to the continuous changing situation of happiness and distress he faces in the material world.
We all know in our own lives that sometimes we are in a “happy” situation and sometimes we are in a “distressful” situation.
Our natural tendency is to work to try and maximize the happy situations in our life and minimize the distressful situations. However a devotee understands that the nature of the material world is full of duality and there will always be distressful and so-called happy situations coming and going, and we have no control over this. No matter how hard we work to maximize our happiness and minimize our distress we will still suffer as much as we are destined to suffer due to our bad karma and we will “enjoy” to the extent our good karma allows us to.
“One who is able to withdraw his senses from sense objects, as the tortoise draws his limbs within the shell is understood to be truly situated in knowledge.” (Bg. 2.58)
Almost everyone we see in the material world is a servant of his senses. Instead of controlling their senses their actions are dictated by their senses. They are controlled by their senses. The eyes see some beautiful thing and they run to that place to get a better look, the noise smells some beautiful flavor cooking and they run to that spot to enjoy the smell. The tongue is hankering for some particular food or drink so they run to the place where they can get that food or drink.
The senses are compared to poisonous snakes. They want to act very freely and without any restrictions. However, if we want to make advancement in spiritual life, we have to control these poisonous snakes, like a snake charmer. The snake charmer never lets his snakes act independently. Similarly we should never allow our senses to act independently. We need to control our senses by the mind an the intelligence.
There are many instructions in the revealed scriptures, some of them are do-not’s and some of them are do’s. Unless we are able to follow the do’s and the do-non’s, restricting ourselves from sense enjoyment, it is not possible to be firmly fixed in Krishna consciousness.
The example that Krishna gives here is that of the tortoise. The tortoise can at any time wind up his senses and then exhibit them again for particular purposes.
Similarly the senses of Krishna conscious persons are used only for some particular purpose in the service of the Lord. And are withdrawn otherwise. Keeping the senses always engaged in the service of Krishna is the example set by the analogy of the tortoise, who keeps his senses within.
“The embodied soul may be restricted from sense enjoyment, though the taste for sense objects remains. But, ceasing such engagements by experiencing a higher taste, he is fixed in consciousness.” (Bg. 2.59)
Unless one is on the spiritual platform it is not possible to refrain from sense enjoyment. Some make an artificial attempt to control the senses, by following the rules and regulations of the Vedas without developing any love for Krishna, but this is like a doctor restricting a sick patient from certain types of food. The patient, however, still desires to eat these types of food the doctor has prohibited him from eating. He does not like these restrictions placed on him by the doctor, nor does he loose his taste for the food that he is not supposed to be eating.
Trying to control the senses by some spiritual process like astanga yoga or impersonal mental speculation is like this. Although the person practising this process is trying to control his senses and may even control his senses for some time, he does not loose the taste for the sense gratification which he is forcibly trying to restrict himself from. And where there is the smallest flaw in his spiritual process he will again fall back to the material platform and again engage in sense gratification.
The only way one can actually control the senses permanently is if one can experience a “higher taste.” To give up a lower pleasure one has to experience a higher pleasure.
Otherwise, no matter how much austerity and sense denial he practices, the desire for sense gratification will remain in his heart and at some time he will again try to satisfy that desire, thus falling from the spiritual platform and again descending to material consciousness.
One who has tasted the beauty of the Supreme Lord Krishna in the course of his advancement in Krishna consciousness has experienced a higher, spiritual, taste. Because of experiencing this higher taste he no longer has any attraction to the “lower taste.” He no longer has a taste for dead material things.
In the beginning of spiritual life there are restrictions which we need to force ourselves to follow. In Krishna consciousness Srila Prabhuapda has summarized these restrictions into four:
- No illicit sex life.
- No meat eating.
- No gambling.
- No intoxication.
To advance in Krishna consciousness we must follow these principles, but we need to understand also that the restrictions will only be successful if we have a taste for Krishna consciousness. Dry renunciation will not last for very long. We must come to the platform of experiencing transcendental pleasure from the spiritual platform and when we are relishing that ever new transcendental pleasure we will no longer have any attraction at all to the so-called pleasures of the material world.
And the way to relish that higher, spiritual, taste is through the offensless chanting of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra:
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
Please look for my next mail in a couple of days and we will go into more detail on the process of sense control and how we can develop the higher, spiritual, taste.
This is adapted from Srila Prabhuapda’s Bhagavad-gita As It Is. If you do not have the book please get it and read it from:
http://krishnastore.com/bhagavad-gita-as-it-is-with-bonus-dvd-h-krishna-407.html
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
www.KrishnaStore.com
About the Author
Madhudvisa dasa My first contact with a Hare Krishna was a most merciful Mataji in Oxford Street, London who sold me a "Higher Taste" cook book in 1984 while I was on holidays there. I started seriously reading Srila Prabhupada's books in Australia 1985 and by 1986 Srila Prabhupada had convinced me "Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead" and "we should surrender to Krishna." I joined the Hare Krishnas in Perth, Western Australia in 1986. Since then I have been chanting Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare, reading and distributing Srila Prabhupada's books and preaching as much as I can. That's my life and full-time occupation now really. I like it more than anything I've ever experienced before. Srila Prabhupada's books are so amazing... Even after reading them all many times they're still fresh and new. They are truly transcendental! That's it really. Now I'm just hankering to once again see the world chant Hare Krishna, dance and feast and float away in the ecstasy of Lord Caitanya's Sankirtana movement as it did in Srila Prabhupada's physical presence. Let the whole world drown in the ecstatic flood of love of Krishna!
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Shree Krishna said, “We must control our senses and desires.”
I’m 17 year old, I have desire to Listen to moden Music, and watch Movies, etc. So should we also control these desires? Is it wrong or should be in limit?
Yes. If we want to become Krishna conscious then we have to become totally absorbed in Krishna. So it means giving up material things and replacing them with spiritual things, Krishna conscious things. We can not continue being absorbed in material things and fool ourselves that we are somehow advancing spiritually. If we are advancing spiritually we will have no interest in material things.
how is control my mind and how is control in my soul, which krishna mantra i will chant then after i will control mind and soul please give a suggesstion
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
Madhudvisa Prabhu, just wanted to know if all the books available for sale on krishnastore.com.au are unedited or not?
Every book is edited by an editor… Prabhupada appointed editors to edit his books. But the books on KrishnaStore.com are the original editions. They are all good. Please read them and chant Hare Krishna…
Jai Shri Krishna madhudvisa dasa Ji,
I’m very glad to have your article on Bhagwat gita as it is by sirla prabhu paad Ji…
Sir , I have a question could I get the endless grace of supreme lord Sri Krishna…. I usually during worship do hare Krishna mantra kirtan , read Bhagwat gita and do chanting of hare Krishna mantra 108 times once in a day… Bat I’m unable to feel him and to see him …. So please tell the way through which I can also connect with lord Sri Krishna directly…..
Hare Krishna Dharmender
Krishna reveals Himself to His pure devotees. And we can not get the mercy of Krishna without getting the mercy of Krishna’s pure devotees. So you can not feel and see Krishna on your own strength. You have to please a pure devotee of Krishna like Srila Prabhupada. So if Prabhupada is pleased by your surrender to him and service to him, then Krishna will be pleased with you. That is the only way to see and feel Krishna.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Dear Madhudvisa dasa, thank you for communicating God’s message to me regularly as you do. I really look forward to receiving the emails you send, with the explanations you give about the Bhagavad-gita. I appreciate your sharing, & am forwarding your messages to friends who are also showing much interest in Krsna consciousness, as well as, reading them to my 14 yr old son, as preliminary introduction to reading and understanding the whole story of Bhagavad-gita, as it is, elucidated so kindly for us, by our dear friend and spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada. Thank you for these supplementary explanations that do indeed, assist with deeper understanding and inspiration for experiencing the higher taste of Transcendental consciousness. I am aware of significant positive changes in my perspective which are, as a consequence, creating an experience of being that I recognise, from my readings, to be spiritual growth. The person I thought I was is no longer, and the person I am becoming wants only to be immersed in the serenity that consumes me when I am indulging in Vedic wisdom.
Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.
Peace be with us all.
God is Good. So good.
♡ Mandi
I am an 18 year old girl and I wish to be a rocket scientist. Does that also count as a material desire? In other words, other than the four restrictions placed above, are there any more restrictions that I must keep in mind in order to become a Krshna conscious person?
Hare Krishna Amirthavarshini
Yes. Wanting to become a rocket scientist is a material desire. A devotee only wants to become a servant of Krishna. He is always thinking how to serve Krishna and how to serve Krishna’s pure devotee. Of course we have to do some work to make money for supporting the family, etc. But devotee is not attached to any material work. He will take some job and perform his duty to make the money to support his family, etc. But his consciousness is always that he is working for Krishna and his attachment is to pleasing Krishna. His pleasure and sense of accomplishment is satisfied by pleasing his spiritual master and Krishna, not by becoming a rocket scientist.
Anyhow this rocket scientist business is a scam. The whole NASA thing is almost 100% bogus fraud. Rockets can not work in space. They can only work in the atmosphere. So once they get into space they have no propulsion at all. So what the scientists tell is if they point the rocket in exactly the right direction when they shoot it up into the sky it will enter into outer space very fast and will keep on going at that speed and will reach the planet they are sending it to… But remember they have no way of steering the thing in the vacuum of space… The whole thing is a joke and a scam actually. They shoot the rockets up and they fall back down into the ocean out of the view of the TV cameras. Then they tell us they have sent a rocket to mars or pluto or venus… And give us nice CGI graphics…
It is a very big scam. Better to chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
I agree whole Heartedly. I enjoyed reading Prabhupada’s book, “life comes from life” .. again, I want to read it again. I especially liked the letters between the scientist and the Krsna Conscious respondent. It is all nectarian to my ears. I live like a hermit 🙂 contemplating the Vedas every day and night. I chant Hare Krsna every day and now have introduced many other people to chanting 🙂 it is an awesome gift .. to give a receptive soul the Hare Mantra ♡ it is the best gift. I wish the whole world was Krsna Conscious. ♡
Hare Krsna!!!
Dandvata Pranam Prabhu jee.Thanks for explaining how to fix ourselves in perfect knowledge. I have been chanting Hare Krsna Maha mantra from last 4-5 years. I complete 16 rounds daily in two to three go. I also observe 4 X regulative principles, however, I could not develop higher taste so that I could control our senses. May I request you to elaborate further.
Your servants’ servant: Rajendra Yadav
Hare Krishna Rajendra
Actually we can not become Krishna conscious on our own strength. We need the mercy and blessings of a pure devotee of Krishna. That is the only way to experience a higher taste. If we please Krishna’s pure devotee then Krishna is pleased with us and we get that higher taste. Otherwise there is no taste actually.
So in addition to chanting Hare Krishna and following the regulative principles you need to make a serious study of Srila Prabhupada’s books. Not as a scholarly effort but as a practical guide to your day to day life. We have to actually follow the instructions we find Srila Prabhupada giving us as we read his books.
There are some points to think about. Krishna consciousness is the Sankirtana movement. And Sankirtana means the congregational chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra and the distribution of Srila Prabhupada’s transcendental books. But we don’t go out on Sankirtan and we don’t distribute Srila Prabhupada’s books to the fallen conditioned souls. We are supposed to distribute Krishna consciousness. The more we distribute Krishna consciousness to others the more our own Krishna consciousness increases. But we don’t preach… Chanting Hare Krishna means “Krishna please engage me in Your service,” but we hardly do any service for Krishna at all….
We have to actually surrender to a pure devotee of Krishna and make his mission our mission in life. This is the way to become Krishna conscious. By the blessings and mercy of a pure devotee of Krishna. There is no other way.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Hare Krishna!
Yes, that is exactly right(what Madhudvisa Dasa Prabhu) said. Even I am the same… I first pray to Krishna to engage me in His service. …And when Krishna gives me the opportunity to serve Him, I try to avoid it by giving various excuses…And then I blame Krishna for not engaging me in His service.
That is the worst thing. If we actually follow Srila Prabhupada’s instructions , there is no doubt at all that we’ll advance in Krsna Consciousness and finally go back home , back to Godhead…
Srila Prabhupada said: asat sanga tyaga ei vaishnava achara, yare dekha tare kaha krsna upadesha, sa vai manah krsna padaravindayo. Do you follow them ? Then how can you expect to advance in Krsna Consciousness? Each and every instruction of Srila Prabhupada is important.
So kindly read Srila Prabhupada’s books . Although you may think that these instructions are difficult to follow, they are actually simple, and when you actually follow these instructions , then you can feel Srila Prabhupada’s mercy pouring on you.
You have just no idea how merciful Srila Prabhupada is! You have to whole-heartedly surrender unto him…Although I am a lame devotee(in the true sense of the term) ,I can always feel contact with Prabhupada and a big change in myself. Even to the worst of worst devotees, Prabhupada shows unimited mercy. There is no doubt of it!
So just surrender to Srila Prabhupada..That’s it!
I have been participating in Bhagvad Gita study group since January at our local ISKCON Temple. I love the group and the lessons. However, I have learned quite a bit about the organization, the GBC, and many unsavory occurrences that have sullied the Krsna Consciousness movement throughout the 50 year history of ISKCON. I am new to this, so it has been weighing heavily upon me for several weeks now. Since subscribing to your newsletter, I have felt more hopeful for a practice outside of ISKCON.
Tonight, I happened to read your response to “Hello! I told the ISKCON Temple President about Prabhupada!!”
In it, you answered everything that has been weighing on my heart! I would so like to evolve in Krishna Consciousness and honor Srila Prabhupada’s teachings without embroiling myself with the past and present wrongs of ISKCON. I am ready do everything asked of me to become a pure devotee, but I cannot in good conscience be a part of a greater organization that i don’t respect.
Prabhupada deserves an untarnished legacy and devotees unburdened by the heaviness of political and administrative cross-purposes. I would like to be a part of such a renewal!
I feel very hopeful that something pure, in the pursuit of Krsna Consciousness, is becoming a reality. it’s my hope I can help make it so.
Deepest appreciation and Hare Krsna,
Bija
Hare Krishna Prabhu
Yes. You are correct. ISKCON is fast evolving in a very different direction to the direction set out for it by Srila Prabhupada. It is no longer Prabhupada’s organization and it is no longer purely transmitting the teachings of Srila Prabhupada. ISKCON is now so contaminated and watered-down that for many it may be more of a stumbling block on the path of spiritual progress rather than a help.
I share your hope that a pure group of devotee emerge who are actually dedicated to following the teachings of Srila Prabhupada. I am sure it will happen. As Srila Prabhupada and his ISKCON emerged from the ashes of the Gaudiya Math, let us hope something emerges from the ashes of ISKCON.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Hare krishna Guruji
I have some Question please answer to it.
1. i am married men want to know that physical relation with wife is allow or not?.
2. i want to wear tulsi neckbad doest is allow for married men
3. i want to buy japa breads is these also allowed for married men or not
please answer this Question Guruji
Hare krishna
Hare Krishna
Yes. Krishna consciousness is for everyone. Certainly for married men. So of the greatest devotees have been married men. Being married is no disadvantage or block from making advancement in spritual life. Yes. Certainly if you are chanting Hare Krishna and following the principles you can wear tulsi neck beads and chant on tulsi japa beads. But you should be actually following and seriously chanting Hare Krishna.
As far as associating with your wife as a married man you naturally associate with your wife but sex life has to be restricted. The sex life is for having children and it has to be restricted to once a month when you want your wife to conceive a child.
This sounds very difficult and maybe even impossible in the beginning. But the more you [and your wife] advance in Krishna consciousness the more you will get transcendental pleasure by serving Krishna and chanting Hare Krishna and when you are experiencing this higher pleasure you will no longer be very much attracted to sex life.
So it is like this. The sex life is a lower taste and the spiritual life is the higher taste. So once we actually experience the higher taste we will no longer be attracted to the lower taste.
So please start chanting Hare Krishna mantra at least 16 rounds a day and try to follow the four regulative principles: no illicit sex, no meat eating, no gambling and no intoxication and read Srila Prabhupada’s books at least 1 to 2 hours a day and very soon you will find your consciousness becomes more spiritual and you start to see the world through different eyes.
And try to encourage your wife also to chant Hare Krishna and serve Krishna. You can make a small alter in your house and in the begining you can have pictures of Srila Prabhupada and Panca-Tattva and Krishna and your wife can cook for Krishna and you can offer to Krishna and then you can have Aroti and Kirtan in your house with your wife and other family members. In this way you can engage the whole family in serving Krishna… It will be very nice. So try it.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Hare krsna prabhu!
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
Is it true that Jayapataka swami is eternal associate of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu?
NO!
Hare Krishna to u devotee. I would like thank you, your service is amazing. Every e-mail I read n I am thinking that how merciful Krishna that through you we gaining this knowledge … Heartily appriciate your effort .. Hare Krishna
Sairam and Hare Krishna
Even after following the four restrictions mentioned in the article people like to me find it very difficult to control our senses. Kindly advise me whether taking regular vegetarian food or liking it would amount to sensual pleasures
With prayers
Prof.T.S.Balarksihnan
Hare Krishna
Yes. Of course it is very difficult to control the senses. But there is a way. It is a scientific method. And if we want to do it actually we have to learn the method from a qualified teacher. It means our teacher has to be one who has controlled his senses himself and who knows the art and can teach it to us.
You are a professor so it means to become a professor you had to study the subject matter and pass the exams and get the qualification. So it is similar if we want to control our senses. We have to learn the science and understand the process to control our senses. It is not that I can write a few paragraphs here and let you know how to control your senses. Srila Prabhupada has perfectly explained all these things in more than sixty books so if we want to learn it we have to study the books. That is the way.
Very briefly it is not actually possible to control the senses by just forcing ourselves to follow the regulative principles. Although that force is required in the beginning. We have to develop a taste for Krishna consciousness, for devotional service. We need to experience some transcendental pleasure from chanting Hare Krishna, and when we are experiencing that higher spiritual taste then the material sense gratification is no longer attractive to us.
So the only real way to control our senses is to advance in Krishna consciousness so we are experiencing transcendental pleasure from Krishna consciousness that is far greater than any so-called pleasure we could experience from sense gratification.
But you have to read Prabhupada’s books. Otherwise how will you learn it?
One thing is the tongue is very powerful. One secret to controlling the senses is to control the tongue. The tongue has two businesses. One is to taste and the other is to vibrate. So we have to control the tongue by only ever letting it taste Krishna prasadam, the remnants of the food offered to Krishna, and we have to control the tongue by only letting it vibrate the Hare Krishna mantra and talks about Krishna [Krishna katha]. That is the main way. If we do not control the tongue in these two ways it will not be possible for us to control our other senses.
As far as ‘ordinary vegetarian food’, any food that is not cooked for and offered to Krishna is sin as Krishna declares in the Bhagavad-gita. So if we are eating sin we can not expect to control the senses. That will not be possible.
So if we want to control our senses we have to control these two aspects of the tongue by only tasting Krishna prasadam and by only vibrating the Hare Krishna mantra an the transcendental topics of Krishna.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Hare Krishna Prabhu. This email is actually meant for reawakening us back to the state we were when we joined the movement. We begun with full attention and dropped back to the previous state, then trying to climb up again became very difficult. This mail is a booster, Hare Krishna. Thank you so much.
Bhakta-Stephen
26 Sept. 2015
Hare Krishna Prabhu
Dear Sirs: Namaskarams.
The central idea of senses control is by mind and intelligence exercise devoting one’s mind in the promotion of Krishna consciousness. It is a difficult task indeed and one has to develop an all-round restrictions on one’s own the worldly pleasures to a large extent thus achieve Krishna consciousness by prayer and devotion to Lord Krishna daily.
Hare Krishna, Jai Prabhupada,
Sir, Can you please help me.
Though I chant the mahamantra all day while doing my work but when I chant on beads, its become difficult, cause it is only at that time I want to complete the round, otherwise only mahamantra is the only song that I always hear, and it is the only sound that gives me peace.
Thanks.
Hare Krishna Seema
You have to make the time in your life to chant at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra every day on beads. It just means you get up early in the morning and spend a few hours chanting Hare Krishna on beads when you are not distracted by anything else. It is a very good time, the early morning. You are not disturbed by anything else then and can just concentrate on chanting Hare Krishna. So we have to do this. We have to make the time to chant at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra every day on beads. Then you can go on chanting Hare Krishna all day while you are doing your work.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Thank you Sir,
I will try my best to complete the 16 rounds of Mahamantra in the early morning, and I shall let you know also, when this becomes possible with me.
Hare Krishna.
Jaya Prabhupada.
Hare Krishna! Please accept my humble obeisance. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
Sir, you told about developing a higher taste. I am asking this question because I sincerely want to excel in Krishna consciousness but I fail every time I try.
As you told in the beginning one has to restrict his senses and develop a taste for Krishna consciousness. I am chanting 4 rounds everyday but I find controlling my senses very difficult and that’s why I am unable to continue it offense essay. For shunning a particular thing there should be a higher substitute, but I am not able to find a higher substitute for my eyes and sexual desires at this stage. I try very hard to control my mind not to engage in bad activities but I fall everytime. I know I am a mundaner but it will be great if you can advice me.
Hare Krishna! Please accept my humble obeisance. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
How can you expect Krishna consciousness to work if you do not even surrender to the basic things.
Krishna consciousness only begins when you surrender to chanting at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra every day and strictly follow the four regulative principles [no illicit sex, no meat eating, no gambling and no intoxication] and read Srila Prabhupada’s books at least 1-2 hours a day. You have to actually surrender to and follow these points. Otherwise Krishna consciousness is not going to work.
It is like you go to the doctor and ask him to cure your disease and the doctor prescribes the correct medicine but you do not take the medicine and you go back to the doctor and ask “Why am I not getting well…” It is obvious. You can not expect to get well if you do not take the medicine…
So these are minimum things. This is the beginning only. It is not that if we are following the regulative principles and chanting at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra every day we have made much advancement. No. We have just begun. As we advance our devotional service will increase.
So you have to follow the basic things. Otherwise you can not expect that your mind and senses will become controlled…
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
13 Sept.2015
Hare Krishna Prabhu
Dear Sirs:
Namaskarams.
I am very much inspired the awareness you highlighted and cautioned with the senses control in spiritual life but its practical implementation is difficult. But one can prepare to some extent to practise senses control with one’s intense devotion to Lord Krishna to guide him the evil snakes. One must have a strong determination to control senses and achieve freedom from senses enemies. Ofcourse the exception is the legal way of leading the family life right in all respects as laiddown in Bhagawadgita and various hindu scriptures.
Hare Krishna Prabhu.
Namaskarams.
Hare krishna how to control our senses ?? It is biggest problem but according to me if we sacrifies ourself to krishna its not at all difficult task to control our senses because the lord himself take the care of a person who surrender to him..so first we need to serve the god with full love and sacrification..thank you for sending me the letter about controlling our senses..
Thank you Prabhuji for all great information. Hare Krishna!
Hare Krishna Guru brother,
I want you to explain me the shlok no 35 of third chapter of Bhagwan Gita. Because it is explained according to varna ashram Dharma, I don’t understand how to implement in day to day life.
Thank-you.
Hare Krishna Seema
You can read Srila Prabhupada’s purport. He has explained it very nicely. The idea is the spiritual duties are the ones the spiritual master orders you to do. You have to do them without fail. For example we must chant at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra every day, we must strictly follow the four regulative principles, we must read Srila Prabhupada’s books.
Material duties depend on our situation in the Varnasrama system. The duties of a brahmana are different from the duties of a ksatriya, for example.
Everything is very clearly explained by Srila Prabhupada in the Bhagavad-gita and you will come to understand everything simply be reading and rereading Srila Prabhupada’s Bhagavad-gita As It Is. It is a big subject and I can not explain in a few paragraphs. And why should I anyhow when Prabhupada has himself explained it so nicely in the Bhagavad-gita. You just have to read it and if you still do not understand it you just read it again. That is the way to understanding Krishna consciousness.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Hare Krishna Prabhu
All the Glories to Srila Prabhu Pada
I want to know the prior and post rules and regulation to Initiation process
am interested to take initiation. please let me know clearly
The rules are the same for everyone. Chant at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna maha mantra every day on beads, strictly follow the four regulative principles: No illicit sex, no meat eating, no gambling and no intoxication and read Srila Prabhupada’s books at least 1-2 hours a day. If you actually surrender to and really follow these rules and regulations then you will make rapid spiritual advancement and your path will be clear.
hari bol
beautiful
Jaya Srila Prabhupada
please tell me how do i live my life i have habits which i should not have please guide me
Read Srila Prabhupada’s books and follow his instructions and automatically your bad habits will go away.
Hare Krishna Madhudvisa Dasa,
Thank you for the very interesting read.
I look forward to reading the article that will be coming after this.
I had a question about chaning your Karma but I read some of the comments and found a question you answered.
Love
Yoshan Nico Oree
THANKS FOR THE THE VERY VALUABLE UNDERSTANDABLE INFORMATION…aNGIE-rAY
Hare Krishna Prabhu,
What does it mean by offenseless chanting? Does it mean in pure love without any expectations from the lord?
Offenseless chanting means chanting Hare Krishna without committing any of the 10 offenses. So you can look up the 10 offenses and learn to avoid them. That is offensless chanting. Pure love of Godhead is a different thing and that comes later on, after one has come to the point of offensless chanting, that is really when his advancement in Krishna consciousness begins. It is a science and it is all very elaborately explained in Srila Prabhupada’s Nectar of Devotion. You need to read this book….
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
pranaam maharaja
hare krishna maharaja, where you live, in america???please are you a initiation giving guru? iam chanting the 16 rounds hare krishna mantra, sometimes more, the five rules following. can youplease, bless me?
Hare Krishna, Madhuvisa dasa!
Reading your newsletter makes me so happy, I like it very much. Thank You.
Anna
Hare Krishna Madhudvisa Prabhuji !
In the above comment you state that the soul is “trapped” within the material body.
Can you explain how the soul is trapped inside the material body ?
Because I see people enjoying materially and they seem to give the impression that they
are really free and having a good time.
Of course there is lot of suffering also but the people around me seem to care very less about genuine spiritual life and everyone is intoxicating meat eating and sex-life and gambling and only interest is in earning as much money as possible and enjoying materially.
Nobody seems to have any regrets about living materially except when there is suffering people tend to question “why me” .
And how much freedom is there in spiritual life as opposed to material life that it becomes attractive to people to take it up seriously ?
Thankyou.
Brijesh Dani
Hare Krishna Brijesh
Actually Prabhu none of the people around you are actually happy. They may get moments of so-called happiness but these moments are followed by distress. That is the nature of the material world. But you are seeing maya working very expertly. In the material world everyone is suffering from birth, old age, disease and death and also suffering from the three types of miseries: adiatmika, adibhoutika, adidevaic: that is miseries from the mind, miseries caused by other living entities and miseries caused by natural causes like floods, drought, too hot, too cold, etc. Actually as Krishna confirms in the Bhagavad-gita this world is simply dukalayam asasvatam, it is a place of miseries where there is repeated birth and death. It is not a nice place at all, and we can never be happy here.
What you are seeing in your friends is that they are bewildered by maya. Maya means illusion. Maya has the power to cover our intelligence and the power to get us to actually believe that we can be happy in the material world. No one is free. Not everyone can have a “good time.” Having a “good time” in today’s world means you need money, so not everyone has money, so no one is free to have a “good time”. They have to have money to have a “good time.” So everything is like that. You can not “enjoy” something unless you have got the required pious credits to deserve to “enjoy” it.
So you will see that, relatively speaking, some people appear to be happier and better situated in the material world than others. That is because in the past, in this life and / or in previous lives, they have performed pious activities that means they have generated the good karma to enjoy these things. So their having a “good time” is not because of any conscious decision they have made. They have to have a “good time” because they have performed some pious acts in the past and they have to ‘enjoy’ the good reactions for that.
So no one is free. Everyone is a puppet in the hands of the three modes of material nature. The only freedom we have is to choose who we serve and there are only two masters to choose from, that is Krishna and maya. Either way we are servants, either way we are not ‘free’ or independent. We are nitya krishna dasa, eternally servants of Krishna. A servant is not free or independent. He does not want to be. He is surrendered to his master and his pleasure is seeing his master pleased. He has no other conception of pleasure.
Most people will never find Krishna consciousness attractive to take up. Krishna consciousness is for transcendentalists and the material world is full of materialists. So we can not expect Krishna consciousness to be very popular with the masses but it does not matter. We are not looking for quantity we are looking for quality. One pure and sincere devotee can take the whole universe back home back to Godhead. So we want one or a few sincere devotees, not millions of sentimental third-class devotees.
‘Devotees’ who are not prepared to even surrender to the basic things like getting out of bed before 4:00 am in the morning, chanting at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra daily, strictly following the four regulative principles and reading all of Srila Prabhupada’s books are useless. They will never ‘get it’. They will never actually understand what Krishna consciousness is.
Krishna consciousness is like a very valuable diamond. It is very, very beautiful and very, very attractive to everyone. But actually no one can get such a very beautiful diamond without having the qualification of a lot of money to purchase it. So everyone would like to have that beautiful diamond but only the person with the money can purchase it. It is like that with Krishna consciousness. Krishna consciousness is very attractive. Everyone wants it actually. But only the person who actually surrenders to a pure devotee of Krishna and serves him is able to get Krishna consciousness. And the disease in the material world is no one wants to surrender. And even if one does want to surrender maya will provide so many bogus gurus to choose from that 99.999% of the spiritual seekers will end up with a bogus guru and will not be able to become Krishna conscious.
Actually Krishna consciousness is very rare and even though we all have access to Srila Prabhupada very few are prepared to actually surrender to Srila Prabhupada and without surrender there is no Krishna consciousness.
So do now worry about the karmis around you so much at this point. They are not happy, take my word for it if you can not see it yourself at this point in time. Worry about becoming Krishna conscious yourself. First we have to save ourselves. It is not possible for us to help anyone else unless we are ourselves firmly situated in Krishna consciousness.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
hare krishna
i dont know y bt nw a days i feel m gtng more angry n i truly belive tht ths anger wl surely made me face many problems ahead..n i xpect tht by chanting hare krishna i’l b able to control my anger, wht’s ur opinion on the same..
Hare Krishna Archi
Yes. By chanting Hare Krishna and becoming Krishna consciousness you can easily control your anger. Anger is generally not very good for making advancement in Krishna consciousness. Anger is generally caused by frustration and envy. Frustration and envy are caused by the bodily concept of life, identifying with our material bodies, thinking that we are our material bodies when in actuality we are the spirit soul who is the occupier and driver of the material body.
So in short, yes, as you chant Hare Krishna and become Krishna conscious you will come to actually realize that you are not your material body but that you are the spirit soul trapped within that material body, and you will automatically not get angry any more, at least not for the reasons you get angry now.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
In the material world what can i gain from continuous KRISHNA Nam japa?
Hare Krishna Bahni
The name of Krishna is not a material sound vibration. It is descending from the spiritual world. So when you are chanting the name of Krishna you can transfer your consciousness to the spiritual world. The name of Krishna and Krishna are identical. In the name of Krishna all the strength, beauty, fame, riches, opulence, etc, of Krishna is fully manifest. The name of Krishna has all the potencies of Krishna in full. The name of Krishna is Krishna. So by chanting the Hare Krishna mantra you are directly and personally associating with Krishna.
Krishna is so merciful that He has appeared in the form of His holy names like Krishna and Govinda but we are so unfortunate that we have no attraction to chanting these holy names of Krishna.
That is because of our diseased condition. We are materially contaminated. So because of that material contamination we can not perceive the glories of the holy name of Krishna. But if we chant the holy name of Krishna constantly then gradually all the dirty things will be cleared away from our hearts and we will come to perceive Krishna directly. And that will be the perfection of our lives.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Hare Krishna!
Your articles are so informative on Krishna Consciousness that I look forward to it everyday. Thank you very much for sending it once in two days or three days. It is great work you are doing encapsulating what the acharyas have said.
Now I have a question: What are the four Sampradayas and how did they origin?
Looking forward to your reply
Sukumaran.
hare krishna prabhu thanku very much for this article
JAI SRI KRISHNA
the news letters are really encouraging and to achieve what is contained in the letters, it has to be practiced in ones life.
However, the newsletters are knowledgeable and eye-opener.
Many thanks for the mails
Sanjay Kr Shukla
Hare krishna Madhudvisa dasa ji,
very nice article…. such articles helps me a lot.. be i know i am a kind of person who get distracted very fast…. and daily dosage of krishna consciousness..like reading Gita, your articles motivates me…..
I am very new to all this things thus pls help me wid my silly ques., i would like to ask what do you mean by this “the offensless chanting of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra:
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare”.
what is this offensless chating?
and i have always noticed that every one recommends 16 rounds of the maha-mantra. what is this 16 rounds? does it mean chanting 108 times the mantra in a 16 round per day? m confused
Hare Krishna Sonika
If you read Srila Prabhupada’s books at least 1-2 hours a day every day then gradually you will understand everything and no be confused any more. That is the solution for you so please do this.
Offensless chanting is not possible in the beginning. So in the beginning just strictly follow the four regulative principles: No illicit sex, no meat eating, no gambling and no intoxication and chant at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra daily.
We chant on a string of 108 beads, you can get japa beads at http://www.krishnastore.com. There are actually 109 beads, 108 + one big bead called the ‘Krishna’ bead. We do not chant on the Krishna bead, it is a marker so you know when you have finished chanting 108 mantras because then you come to this big bead. Then you turn around and chant back in the opposite direction on the beads, you do not cross the ‘Krishna’ bead. And on each bead you chant the whole mantra:
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
So first you have to become fixed-up in regularaly chanting at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra daily and following the four regulative principles and reading Prabhupada’s books at least 1-2 hours daily. Then gradually you will get to the point of offensless chanting.
Hare krishna.
Srila prabhupad has described GAMBLING as one of the four restricted activities.
Is trading in stock market also considered as GAMBLING?
Will be very grateful if I am shown the right path.
hare krishna
Hare Krishna Parin
Yes. Trading in the stock market is gambling, it is breaking the regulative principles and devotees should not do it.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
dear brother
thanks you for give such a inspiring insight .please tell me that i am not initiated and even then chanting 10 round of mala daily of hare Krishna mantra along with gita reading .is this practice of mine is benificial tome?
You have to chant at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra daily and strictly follow the four regulative principles [no illicit sex, no meat eating, no gambling and no intoxication] and read Prabhupada’s books at least 1-2 hours daily. This will be very beneficial for you. PLEASE DO IT!
it was excellent that you was given on sense controlling and i have an question that what are the do’s and dont’s in vedas tell me
Dear Madhudvisa Prabhu, thank you for sending me these wonderful newsletters. They’re full of knowledge & spiritual wisdom. They are so simple to understand, effective and they wonderfully sums up the divine knowledge found in Srila Prabhupada’s books. I wish you to continue writing these newsletters and serving Srila Prabhupada forever.
I have no words to describe the spiritual power that lies in Srila Prabhupada books and lectures. I request every devotee here to read sincerely Srila Prabhupada books and lectures everyday with enthusiasm. Srila Prabhupada’s books and lectures are no ordinary thing. They are the greatest source of all inspiration coming directly from the Supreme Lord Himself. Please read them with enthusiasm daily. Also, nothing is easy without hard work and determination. Working hard for Lord Krishna keeps our mind & senses engaged. As the saying goes “An empty brain is a devils workshop”. This is so true. So, please be engaged in Lord Krishna’s service every moment. Don’t be lazy. Work hard for Lord Krishna’s pleasure and not for yourself. Let Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Krishna be your Boss, your Friend, your Mother, your Father, your Master, the only Enjoyer of all your activities daily. And please avoid non-devotees association strictly (idiot box-Tv, Newspapers,Internet sap our spiritual strength and desire to cultivate spiritual Knowledge). Above all chant Hare Krishna mahamantra. These things will really help to control the senses from my experience. Once again thanks to Madhudvisa Prabhu to write these amazing newsletters and sending them to my mailbox. I simply love them. Hare Krishna!
JAI SRI KRISHNA,thank you for sending me mails about BHAGVAD GITA.It’s very easy to understand.I make sure that I read your mail everyday and I am seriously awaiting your mails.It’s a real eye opener.Actually there is one thing over which I have been pondering for long.I find that true KRISHNA devotees,not only give up meat,alcohol,etc. but also mushrooms.Why is it so?Hoping for a reply soon.Thanks in advance.HARE KRISHNA.
If illicit sex is not good then why it has been given to the human being
It is given to the dogs as well… Sex is the thing that keeps us locked in this prison of the material world. Sex is the chains that tie us to the cycle of birth and death. So if one wants to become free from the miseries of birth, old age, disease and death then there is no alternative but to give up this illicit sex life…
Hare Krishna Prabhu ji,
I want you to ask you a Question? Actually, Yesterday i have a conversation or i can say that the debate was there with a few group of People in which a Question was arose.
When will the soul entered in the mother womb? What is the time or any circumstances or anything special about it?
I was talking about the GOD and the Soul but i am unable to satisfied when this Question was arose?
The soul is there from the beginning. It enters when the male and female have sex.
Hare Krishna and dandawats to all,
Our senses are like ten wives says pralad maharaj,Further he says that it pulls us in various direction , and the soul as their helpless husband is torn in between them ,actually the crux of this leela is to make us understand that as much as we dabble with our body and material bodily activities the concept and experience of soul will get dimmder and dimmer,it is like a balance whichever side you go the that side will become heavier and the other side lighter.The more you dabble with devotees, krishna katha, prasadam, and spiritual activities more the concept of the soul will fructify , the experience of the soul and the body are inversely proportionate with one another , a practicing devotee will definitely experience such swings but we know which side to go , the wives are called as “vishay”
In Srimad Bhagwatam Pralad maharaj pacifies lord narshimha with prayers
TEXT 40
jihvaikato ‘cyuta vikarsati mâvitrptâ
sisno ‘nyatas tvag-udaram sravanam kutascit
ghrâno ‘nyatas capala-drk kva ca karma-saktir
bahvyah sapatnya iva geha-patim lunanti
My dear Lord, O infallible one, my position is like that of a person who has many wives, all trying to attract him in their own way. For example, the tongue is attracted to palatable dishes, the genitals to sex with an attractive woman, and the sense of touch to contact with soft things. The belly, although filled, still wants to eat more, and the ear, not attempting to hear about You, is generally attracted to cinema songs. The sense of smell is attracted to yet another side, the restless eyes are attracted to scenes of sense gratification, and the active senses are attracted elsewhere. In this way I am certainly embarrassed.
in katho Upanishads it is said
Atmanam rathinam vidhi
Shareeram rathameva tu
Budhim tu sarathim vidhi
Manah pragrahamevacha
A model for the working of the principle through the intellect, mind and body is described here. Know the spirit within as the sole passenger sitting in a chariot. The chariot is the body associated with that spirit. The intellect sits in the driving seat and controls the horses harnessed to the chariot. Mind is the reins by which the charioteer gets hold of the horses, to make them perform in accordance with its will.
Indriyani hayanyahur
Vishayansteshu gocharan
Atmendriya manoyuktam
Bhoktetyahur maneeshinah
The sense organs are the horses. The objects in this universe keep pulling the sense organs towards them. The intelligent persons understand that the inner spirit is the true consummator of all objects. The spirit acts through the mind to reach the objects through the sense organs.
Yastuavijnanavan bhavatyuktena manasa sada
Tasyendriyanyavashyani dushtashva iva saratheh
When one ignores this model it disturbs the union of mind and inner spirit. Then the sense organs work without respecting any control. They run in all directions dissipating energy like a group of foul horses in the hands of an incompetent charioteer. The charioteer has no control over the horses and eventually they topple the chariot. No meaningful progress is possible in such a scenario.
Yastu vijnanavan bhavati yuktena manasa sada
Tasyendriyani vashyani sadashva iva sarathe
For one who acknowledges this model the mind is united with the inner spirit. His sense organs remain perfectly under control like good horses in the hands of a competent charioteer.
Yastuavijnanavan bhavatyanyamanaskah sada/shuchih
Na sa tatpadamapnoti samsaram chadhigachchati
By ignoring this model the mind gets scattered and turbulent. It becomes incapable of conceiving higher realities. He is trapped in the ocean of worldly transactions. He can not attain that state where one is free from the cycles of birth and death.
Yastu vijnanavan bhavati samanaska sada shuchh
Sa tu tatpadamapnoti yasmat bhooyo na jayate
When this model is acknowledged his mind remains organized and clear. He acquires the power to reach that state where one is free from the cycle of birth and death.
The best method to control your senses is to apply it in the service of Rishikesa the owner of the senses
Toung -by krishna prasadam and bhagwat discussions
Ears-by hearing bhagwat katha
Nose- by smelling the flowers offered to the lord
Belly-by filling prasadam
Eyes- by having darshan of the lord
Hands-by doing krishna seva in the temple
Feet-by going to vrindavan and such places
Genitals- by producing krishna conscious children and so on
control over senses cannot be artificially done this is the only and only method , as the senses are different forms of Maya , and Maya can be only controlled by the Mayadish the owner of maya,and Rishikesha the owner of the senses
sanjay ghosh(dasanu das)
Hare Krishna
Madhudvisa dasa
The Maha Mantra came from Lord Krishna Himself. We have to accept it as it is. The present time is the period of Kali Yuga and humanity are controlled by maya. Our life span is very short and we don’t have time to engage in meditation or penance. Being merciful, Lord Krishna gave us The Maha Mantra – the greatest gift from God to humanity. By chanting God’s name we can easily eradicate our sins and able to go back home to Godhead. The name Rama means salvation, according to the episode of Ramayana. When Lord Rama leaving the earth, He told to Hanuman/God’s greatest devotee “those who call my name will receive salvation.” At present time, Lord Krishna is coming to us through His best devotee Srila Prabhupada.
Srila Prabhupada is God’s vehicle and helping us to know God and love God.
Hare Krishna,
Sara
Dear Madhudvisa dasa,
I am very happy to read all your newsletters which provide lot of honey to my mind and refresh me to think Krishna always.
As I returned from USA last week only I could not concentrate much to go through the newsletters.
In the second chapter Gita Arjuna asks Krishna about the qualities of Sthita Prgna and Krishna gave elaborate details . To achieve to that state this life may not be sufficient.
I am really enjoining your newsletters with loads od information and like to continue to recive them Let me chant Hare krishna mahamantra
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama
Rama Rama Hare Hare
I have one question to ask why we chant Rama also when we chant Krishna?
Thank you once again
Regards,
Yours sincerely,
Hare Krishna K.V.Rangaswamy.
Hare Krishna Prabhu
We surrender to and follow the disciplic succession. In particular we surrender to and follow Srila Prabhupada. He orders us to chant:
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
So we chant this. That is why, because Srila Prabhupada orders us to and we are surrendered souls at his lotus feet and will naturally do anything he orders us to do.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Hare Krishna,
Why don’t we spend some time in reading articles in the web site of krishna.org. It will help us to let go our lower self/maya and come up to higher self – consciousness. No one will be free from illusion of matter, without reading The Gita; Chanting Hare Krishna; Communing with Krishna; Accepting Krishna wholeheartedly as the Lord of the universe. People who are posing questions without chanting, reading the Gita are worshipers of themselves. They are full of pride. Pride is sin because Lord Krishna is not honored as God. The price of pride is reincarnation – another suffering.
Surrendering to Lord Krishna is the ultimate goal of humanity. With Lord Krishna, we can have peace, harmony, love, understanding, wisdom, etc. Everyone should Dance with Krishna;
Eat with Krishna; Talk with Krishna to have a meaningful and blissful life.
Hare Krishna and Be Happy,
Sara
Hare Krishna Prabhu,
My Humble obeisances to Srila Prabhupad.
How can we do the offenseless chanting? What are the offenses to be avoided while chanting? Is it necessary to chant at a calm and quiet place?
Please advice.
Hari Bol
your humble servant,
Venkatraman
Hare Krishna Prabhu
It is a very good question and I plan to answer it in more detail in a posting on http://www.Krishna.org tomorrow [Sri Krishna Janmastami]. But briefly…
It is impossible to do offensless chanting in the beginning. In the beginning the offenses will be there for sure. The way to come to the platform of offensless chanting is chanting:
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
At least 16 rounds a day, every day without fail and strictly following the four regulative principles: no illicit sex life, no meat eating, no gambling and no intoxication. And reading Srila Prabhupada’s books and being engaged in devotional service and only eating Krishna prasadam and following all the other do’s and do-not’s that Srila Prabhupada mentions in his books.
For more information on the specific offenses you can look at http://www.PrabhupadaBooks.com
http://prabhupadabooks.com/?qg=843
There is so much information available from Prabhupada but my personal experience is often devotees who ask this sort of question are usually not chanting at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra daily and strictly following the four regulative principles and reading Prabhupada’s books on a regular basis and without doing at least these things there is no way we will be ever able to come to the platorm of offensless chanting. I have seen devotees in the ISKCON temples asking this type of question to every visiting sannyasi but they are not chanting at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra daily themselves and are not strictly following all the regulative principles.
So we have to somehow get it into our minds that these things–chanting at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra daily without fail and strictly following the four regulative principles–are not optional. They are essential and without strictly following these points there is no spiritual life at all–only sentiment. And sentiment is useless.
Ultimately the offenses to chanting the Hare Krishna mantra can only be overcome by chanting the Hare Krishna mantra;
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
BUT IT IS STILL TOUGH TO UNDERSTAND GEETA AND IMPLEMENT THE SAME
thank you for the e-mail letters, it is good to be reminded…
i forget sense gratification i forget to eat sometimes.
i shoveled snow, and reinjured a prevoiusly operated hernia.
that hurts,,, how does one overcome a nagging pain?
I have been breathing, and meditating, and chanting, i am
happy, but my muscle still hurts.
Jai shri Krishna,
guruji what is the simplest way of surrender to lord krishna without quiting our daily work & how can I live in krishna consciousness throughout the day(actually in every second) even while doing a stressful job?
please reply
Hare Krishna Subha
Lord Caitanya does not encourage artificially or suddenly changing one’s position or giving up one’s family, etc. Rather He instructs “Stay in your position and hear about Krishna.” So this chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra and hearing about Krishna by reading Srila Prabhuapda’s books are essential. And you can worship Krishna in your house with your family and offer bhoga to Krishna and honour the prasadam with your family.
It may not be always possible to remember Krishna directly every second while doing a stressful job, but what you can do is work for Krishna. Really you do not care about the job. If they did not give you money to do it you would not do the job. So you don’t care about the job actually, you care about the money they give you for working at the job. And when the job is difficult what keeps you going is you know if you keep working nicely they will give you money at the end of the week…
During the Battle of Kuruksettra Arjuna was very much involved in thinking about the fighting and all the military tactics and politics. So while he is busy thinking of all these details of the battle he is not really constantly thinking of Krishna. He is thinking of how to kill the enemy. But he is fighting for Krishna. It is Krishna who has ordered him to fight and he is fighting to please Krishna.
So if you use the money you earn from that job to serve Krishna then the fruits of your job are being offered to Krishna and that will purify the activity you have performed to earn the money.
So you have to arrange your life in such a way that you are spending the money you earn for Krishna. And that does not mean donating it to soem temple or swami. No. You can use the money yourself with your family for serving Krishna in your own house. You can make your house Krishna’s house and worship Krishna in His house and instead of purchasing foodstuffs for yourself and your family members you can purchase them for Krishna and offer to Krishna and you and your family can take the Krishna prasadam. In this way you will be using the money that you earn at work for Krishna, so you will at least be able to think while you are working, “I am working hard like this to get money so I can serve Krishna nicely. I am working for Krishna.”
This is the secret of transforming seemingly mundane materialasitc activities into spiritual devotional service. It is a question of the motivation, if you are doing something to please Krishna, to serve Krishna then that is spiritual but if you are doing the same thing for your self or your family that is material.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Hare krishna Prabhuji
Dandavat pranam
Getting e-mails from you are love letters from Krishna. Please prabhuji do send me your e-mails as I am far away from Iskcon temple and devotees. Being from Indian origin all I hear from other people about my duty is to look after my family and run a business. Next time I hear these types of comments I am going to show them your email. Thank you for clarifying this point that our first duty is to surrender to krisna and follow his instructions.
Your servant
Mahesh
Dear MadhudvisaDasa,
I used to be a great Lord Vishnu Devotee but now Ive become a Krishna devotee is I don’t see any difference between the two But somehow lord Krishna seems more oppulent and from Krishna Maha Vishnu emerges Lord Krishna has said in Bhagwad Gita that”whoever person worships any Demigod I steady his faith but the fruits are granted alone by me” and then again he says “Abandon all forms of religion and just surrender to me” so it feels that Lord Krishna is very generous he doesn’t mind other demigod’s worship since he is the supreme being himself so is it okay to worship other demigods such as Shiva,Ganesha,Durga,?
Please reply
best regards
Anubhav
Hare Krishna Anubhav
Krishna and Visnu are the same, except with Visnu there is only one way you can worship Him and that is with awe and reverence like you would worship and serve a King. Visnu appears to be more opulent than Krsihna, at least the Krishna of Vrindavan. He is a cowherd boy. Simple life, simple clothing, playing with His friends on the bank of the river Yamuna. When He went to Dwarka as the King He was appearing much more opulent, but that is more the Visnu mood than the Krishan mood.
You can be friends with Krishna, you can be the parents of Krishna, you can even be the lover or the wife of Krishna. Many very deep relationships are possible with Krishna. So as Krishna-bhaktas we love Krishna and we are not so interested in Visnu. Although Visnu is Krishna, simply another manifestation of Krishna, still we are interested in Krishna more.
As far as the demigods Prabhu we have no interest in worshipping them. There is no need. We respect them of course. But we love Krshna and know He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and we know worshipping Him is enough. And we know Krishna does not recommend the worship of the demigods. You know that also. When Krishna was only five years old he asked His father Nanda Maharaja to stop the sacrifice he had planned for the demigod Indra and instead offer the sacrifice to the Govardhana Hill, which is but another form of Krishna. So He is saying, even as a five year old boy, “Don’t bother worshipping the demigods, worship Me.” So why will we bother to worship the demigods?
And in Bhagavad-gita Krishna says those who worship the demigods are alpha-medasam, they have very little brain substance. In many places Krishna is discouraging the worship of the demigods.
Devotees of Krishna do not worship the demigods, they worship Krishna alone, knowing that if Krishna is pleased all the demigods will be pleased. So the best way to please the demigods is to worship Krishna. The analogy is supplying water to the rood the tree. If you pour water on the root of the tree the energy will be spread all over the tree to all the branches, leaves, fruits and flowers. The whole thing will be nourished. So Krishna is like the root of everything–all spiritual and material things emanate from Him–So if Krishna is pleased everyone including the demigods is pleased.
The real truth is only fools worship the demigods and Krishna says in the Gita. They have small desires, on they want material things. Not knowing that they can not be happy with material things. And the demigods, being in the material world, can only give material things. So there is no intereste for a devotee in worshipping the demigods.
Devotees of course respect the demigods and may offer prayers to the demigods in relationship to their service to Krishna. You will find many nice prayers like this in the Brahma samhita.
So it is not that we don’t like the demigods or don’t respect them. But we don’t worship them–we worship Krishna.
Haribol Madhudvisa Prabhu!!! All Glories to Srila Prabhupada!!!
Thank you so much for reminding me such a very important point in our life through this issue. I my mind I think I understand this point about surrendering to a bona fide Spiritual Master, but I was not lucky or deserving to find mine, despite my search in early life. I left my search years ago when I found someone who might give a guidance to me, but refused it due to the distance. This issue is a reminding for our real purpose of life.
Though I feel lack of something, I am happy with Krsna in my way.
Again thank you very much for all.
Hare Krsna
Hare Krishna Elizeu
Real spiritual master is a very rare thing. It is better to have no spiritual master than to have an unqualified spiritual master for he will lead you in the completely wrong direction. And practically all the spiritual masters you will find even in India, even in ISKCON, they are mostly all rascals cheating the disciples to get some money, fame, profit, adoration and distinction. This is the “guru business” and it is a big business. But none of these professional gurus can help anyone on his path back home, back to Godhead. For that real guru is required.
We have the perfect real guru available to us in Srila Prabhupada. He is living in his books and his other recorded teachings so we should take advantage of Srila Prabhupada’s association and his instructions and realize that we do have our guru…
why we have to eat prasadam as only food?
Hare Krishna Nayan
Because all food, even vegetarian food, which is not first offered in sacrifice to Krishna / Visnu, is simply sin. Krishna states this clearly in Bhagavad-gita. If you eat something that is not prasadam, something that was not cooked by a devotee and offered to Krishna with love, then you are eating only sin.
So we can only eat Krishna prasadam.
Madhudvisa dasa
Happy Hare KRSNA!
Thank you for the recent e-mail on the surrender to KRSNA. I appreciate you showing it’s not the duty it’s surrendering to our duty to IT & ALL with Love, Peace, Joy, Abundance, Beauty & Prosperous Smiles 2 Share 😉 😉 😉
Hare Krishna. Guruji i am waiting for your second mail
guruji i have read all discoures which is send by u
Pl.keep sending email on Krishna counscinious
The information that I am reading here is powerful and enhacing my Krishna consciousness. I am following Lord Krishna’s diet. However, many foods do have eggs in them I should avoid them.
I received my last Newsletter on Dec 8. Please send me more because I feel I am close to Lord Krishna whenever, I read these newsletters. I am reading the Gita and First canto part two of Srimad Bhagavatam. I have read part one . Lord Krishna’s pastimes was in Vrndavana. Do they have a web site for travel to visit the area. Thanks.
Hare Krishna Sara
I will send some more newsletters soon. Thank you for reading them and please keep reading Srila Prabhuapda’s books.
The best thing is to cook for Krishna yourself and offer what you cook to Krishna and then you will be always eating prasadam. Of course if this is sometimes not possible then you have to make some arrangement. But try to arrange like this, that you can cook for Krishna, then there will be no eggs.
Vrindavan in India is really changing from the material point of view and I am beginning to wonder how much benefit there is in visiting there these days. Vrindavan is a state of mind, a consciousness, that Vrindavan can be created anywhere by the power of pure devotional service. So at this time my feeling is it is better to make the place you are staying in Vrindavan rather than trying to travel to the Vrindavan in India.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
To meat the kirtan in loneleness is more personly with fellings with krisna, than kirtan that is more a meating with the kollektiv and gud. To get to the forest and meat him and his freinds can learn us to meat his wisdom. Gandi sade to me, you do whath you learn, that is some time the will and it open you mind.
Hare Krishna Prabhuji,
I just want to mention that I have not been receiving any newsletter from your website after 6 November 2010. The last I received was Importance of sense control in Spiritual life…..I have studied the previous newsletter thoroughly and acquired knowledge in the spiritual method and practice. Please continue sending . BASU DEV KAPHLE , FROM NEPAL
Hare Krishna Kaphle
Thank you very much for reading the newsletters and I apologize for the delay in sending out the new ones. They will resume in January.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
I am ur student in higher consciousness, I received many letters message in your continuing sending me a spiritual knowledge. So I very happy to thanks you lot. Like this latest newsletter, I read it all, I understand the material cannot stand permanently. The spiritual is eternal, this is a combination of a new language to me, for furthermore information, I very thirst in Krishna consciousness, thanks. Rogelio. Ruhini Suta Dasa.
Hare Krishna,
The world is highly materialistic which is in turn very addictive. what one has the other needs as well, also the human mind is full of negative ideas and emotions which should never be engaged for by doing so these negative ideas get energy and keep troubling you. In this situation one should remain constant but it does not happen why so?
Hare Krishna Sidharth
Yes. The world is very negative and very much demoniac and against the spiritual ways.
The only way to get out of this mess is actually by good association. It is very difficult, practically impossible, to remain on the transcendental platform if you are daily surrounded by and associating with people who are completely materialistic in their consciousness.
This good association is very hard to find nowadays so we need to take the association of Krishna who is personally present in the form of His holy names and chant constantly:
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
and take full advantage of the association of Srila Prabhupada, a pure devotee of Krishna. Srila Prabhupada has very mercifully left us such a wealth of spiritual knowledge in his books. We should spend as much time as possible reading Srila Prabhupada’s books and hearing his lectures. So if we can organize our lives so we are constantly associating with Srila Prabhupada and Krishna like this and only associate with others to preach to them about Krishna then we can remain constantly on the spiritual platform and not be effected by the strong material contamination of this world.
It is not very easy actually to become Krishna conscious. We have to completely transform our life so that we are constantly remembering Krishna and so that every action we perform is being done directly for the pleasure of Krishna. How to do this we have to find out the process from Krishna’s pure devotee, Srila Prabhupada.
If we want guidance on any subject matter first we must find a qualified guide. If we want to learn something we have to learn it from someone who is expert in that particular subject matter. If you want to become a very good carpenter for example then you will never be successful if you approach a teacher who is not himself a very good carpenter. It is a very basic thing. So if we want to become free from our addictions to sense gratification in the material world it is pointless to approach a teacher who is not himself completely free from such addictions to sex life, intoxication, meat eating, gambling and on a more subtle plane the desires for fame, profit, adoration and distinction.
You have to find a pure devotee of Krishna. Only a pure devotee of Krishna can guide you and instruct you as to the process to free you from the entanglement of the addictions of the material world. Because he himself is completely free from these addictions… He knows how you can also become free and he can teach you how to become free.
The only person we know who is completely free from these addictions is Srila Prabhupada. So please take advantage of his association by reading all of his books and listening to all his classes and following his instructions.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Hare Krishna and Om Shanti,
Gratitude for Krishna appearing in this stream of conscious. I have been a “practitioner” of Bhakti for many years. Everyday I immerse into a beautiful thoughtless mind, performing all my daily duties, swimming in bliss. Always watchful of the ego, laughing at times, and even being “pulled” out into the material world of ego-conflict with others from time to time, but thankfully rare.
My life is a meditation, and wonderfully so a few immeasurable weeks ago I was consumed by the Hare Krishna mantra. I have to report a very, very steady bliss that greets me every morning once the mantra is picked up. How wonderful to be greeted this way!
What is wonderful to also report is that this steady state of bliss is truly effortless. At times the mind comes to rest, and I allow for long periods of stillness, and then as if from a distance the mantra can be heard. At times I mentally adjust the volume of the mantra, as I am a massage therapist, I don’t think my clients would appreciate me singing the mantra throughout their session, anyway what it wonderful is that when the mantra is mentated my crown chakra vibrates to such a degree that I feel as if my head will explode, of course this is painless, at these points I am no longer the body, and oh what a feeling.
So I am reaching out to say thank you, whoever, however Krishna decided to allow me to hear his song finally in my heart!!
Much Love to All
Daniel
Hare krishna, Thank you for your mails and keep sending the messages of Lord Krishna.It gives immense pleasure to read your mails. please tell me who is a true Guru and who can become Chela.can a married person become a true chela of a Guru. what Bhagwadgita says about guru chela relationship.Hare krishna
Hare Krishna,
I came across a question to which even I’m also looking for an answer. It is said that we should not eat meat or in another sense we should not kill animals. But somebody referred to an event which we happen to see or read on television and books.
The question is, if killing animals is a sin then why did lord Shiva ordered to bring the head of any living being that comes across to have it implanted on Ganesha which subsequently turned out to be the head of a baby elephant.
kindly let me know the answer to this.
Thanks
Hare Krishna
Sanjai Singh
We have to follow, not imitate the activities of the great controllers.
Of course in the Vedas there is some mention of animal sacrifice. There is some mention there that a goat can be killed on the dark-moon night and offered in sacrifice to the Goddess Kali. So this is allowed for the meat eaters.
But meat eaters are very much in the mode of ignorance and they can not understand spiritual subject matter. So if you want to advance in spiritual life then you have to follow the instructions that are given in the Vedas for those in the mode of goodness.
There are 18 Puranas. 6 for the people in the mode of passion, six for the peIt is a whole process Prabhu. Chanting is a very important part of it. But you have to follow the process of saddhana-bhakti as it is given to us by Srila Prabhuapda. Please read his books, and follow the instructions you find there and there you will find the secret how you can reestablish your loving relationship with Krishna. Krishna loves we us all. But ople in the mode of ignorance and six for the people in the mode of goodness.
So there is some sanction of animal killing in the Vedas for the people in the mode of ignorance. There is no cow killing. But offering a goat to Goddess Kali in sacrifice is sometimes mentioned. But the person who kills the goat has to say into the ear of the goat, “I understand that I am killing you now but because of this I will be forced to take birth as a goat and you will take birth as a man and you will kill me.”
So it is not a good idea. Even if you kill a goat in a sacrifice and offer it to Kali you will still be forced to take birth as a goat in your next life and the goat will take birth as a man and kill you.
So it is not very nice…
Better to only eat Krsna prasadam…
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Hare Krishna Prabhu ji, all respectful obeisances unto ur lotus feet. I am not receiving ur e-mails since 11th Sept. What might be the reason?
I will send more emails soon Prabhu. Sorry for the delay.
HARE KRISHNA HARE KRISHNA KRISHNA KRISHNA HARE HARE/HARE RAMA HARE RAMA RAMA RAMA HARE HARE
Hare Krishna prabhu ji, all respectful obeisances unto ur lotus feet. It is very true that our mind & senses r very powerful & they drive us to hell by engaging us in sensual activities. Prabhu ji ur e-mails & Srila Prabhupada books r like life saving boat for a sinful soul like me drowning in this vast ocean of material existence. Hoping for continual receival of ur mercy. Hare Krishna
there is some verse in bhagavatam which says- beauty, richness and fame are disqualifications for spiritual advancement. can you please explain it to me madhudvisa das?
I WAS WAITING FOR UR RESPONSE
thanks for the daily mail. i finished reading prabupadas biography yday, it was third reading in last 5 years. i just cant control tears on reading few moments, the service of disciples for the spiritual master was highly exemplary during iskcons initial days. those disciples were handpicked by krshna for prabupada…………jai shri krshna jai ho srila prabupada jai ho iskcon…………..thx for the daily mail swami….its a good distraction fromm this material world for few moments, trying to surrender completely to krishna, its easy during pains, but difficult to contain during happiness, and all the more difficult to kill ego…krishna is helping me thru u
Dear Madhudvisa dasa,
Even this automatic email, but the words are so alive, its gives happiness to my soul and realize the thing should to do.
I relize loving this world or something in this worlds it give distessful, only divine energy gives real hppiness in life. and loving christna is the ultimate purpose of life.
Long live
Thanks
Erick
Dear Madhudvisa dasa ,
You are doing a very good devotional service to new devotees from all over the world. Hope you will continue your service by the mercy of Krishna and His Divine Srila Prabubadha.
Hare Krishna prabhuji,
just wanted to mention that I have not been recieving any newsletter from your website after 20 May 2010. The last I recieved was Importance of sense control in Spiritual life….
is that the latest one or something has been circulated after that??
Thankyou
Hare Krishna
Jai Srila Prabhupada!
Hare Krishna Nisha
Thank you for reading the newsletters. There was a break but I will again start writing and sending them soon.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Hare Krishna,
Can you please elaborate on the four regulative principles? what all constitutes each one of them?
Hare Krishna Prabhuji,
Im a recently married young man.. i came in touch with Krishna consciousness recently and slowly started understanding the truth of life.. Im reading Srila Prabhupad’s books.. I have a strong desire that me and my wife should go back to Godhead in this life itself and get out of the endless cycle of birth and death.. Please tell me what practically we both can do from now on to make this achievement?
Hare Krishna,
Srila Prabhupada said Krishna consciousness is simple for the simple. So, the process of sadhana, devotional service in practice is also simple and easy to adopt. The only requirement is sincerity of purpose. May I recommend the following:
1) Establish some sacred space wherever you live. And let that be the Lord’s Temple. Just as you would accommodate a guest that comes to your home to whom you show all respect, and to whom you offer the best of whatever you have, in the similar way think of Lord Krishna as not just as your honored guest but as the proprietor of your dwelling place. In that special room or space establish an altar with some nicely framed photos of Sri Sri Radha Krishna, Lord Chaitanya and Srila Prabhupada.
2) Visit the Lord’s temple room every day. Present yourself as His servant and chant and sing His Holy Names. Learn some Vaishnava bhajans. Offer Him a lamp and some incense.
3) Regularly prepare and offer sattvik vegetarian foodstuff for His satisfaction, strictly avoiding all kinds of meat, fish, eggs, their by products, onions and garlic.
4) Read Srila Prabhupada’s books everyday and think about what you read during the day. Memorize some key verses from Bhagavad-Gita and Srimad Bhagavatam, learn their meaning and explain them to your friends.
5) Invite devotees to your home and inquire from them how to make further progress in devotional service.
6) Purchase some of Srila Prabhupada’s CD lectures and bhajan tapes and hear about Lord Krishna from him.
7) Remove your TV if you have one. Watching it will hamper your spiritual progress.
8) Observe Ekadasi vrata on the eleventh day of the waning and waxing moon (ekadasi tithi both sukla paksha and krishna paksha) by voluntarily eating only fruits, simple vegetables and strictly avoiding grains, beans, rice, dahl etc..
As you become accustomed to these practices you will find over the course of time that your life becomes fulfilled, you will become more and more peaceful, and realization of Lord Krishna’s unbounded kindness and mercy will flood your heart with love and gratitude. By this simple, easily performed practice of sadhana we become eligible to return to the spiritual world and thus solve all problems born of material contact once and for all
Thank you very much Prabhuji.. Hare Krishna..
what is there to tell? its fantastic.Naturally I hate snakes,now you combined snakes with senses.I hate snakes so i also hate senses now.Hereafter iam going to control myself for krishna.thankyou mr.madhudvisa dasa.
I have a different question, not sure where to ask on the site.
In the battle of Kuruksetra, Arjuna was guided by Kishna as he was devote disciple and without Lord Krishnas help Arjuna would have retreated to a simple life and society would have suffered bad kingdom.
Arjuna had a big very heavy question and I have simple questions which I cannot find answers to in the Gita. But there is some information like not to lament over things, which was said to Arguna by Krishna as Arjuna found it hard to fight his family as he was pious and compassionate.
But what is the fate of a bird that falls out of the nest and no good samaritans to help, all say that the mother will be looking for the bird and leave it to fend for itself, only to then die alone?
What does Krishna have to say to that? Does anyone know?
your servant
Sanvi
Every living being, birds, beasts, human beings and even demi-gods in heaven have a alloted duration of life. Evntually all created being must die. These are not religious ideas. It’s how the world we live in works. So, sooner or later we all die. Lord Krishna corrected His disciple Arjuna, “asochyan anvasochas twam pragavadams ca bhasase” (Bg. 2.11) That Arjuna was lamenting for that which was “not wothy of grief”, namely the material body. We are all embodied souls, not the temporary body, and are suffering or enjoying the results of our past acts in the field of matter. God, Lord Krishna, is not playing favorites, we all get what is due to us, we have created our life’s struggles or blessings. So if that small bird dies “prematurely” is sad from one point of view. From another it is simply the play of the material nature that we are all emeshed in.
One who is KC is a perfect yogi; he is aware of everyone’s happiness and distress by dint of his own personal experience. The cause of the distress of a LIVING entity is forgetfulness of his relationship with God. And the cause of happiness is knowing Krsna to be the supreme enjoyer of all activities of human being, the proprietor of all lands and planets, and the sincerest friend of all living entities. The perfect yogi knows that the living being who is conditioned by the modes of material nature is subjected to the threefold material miseries due to forgetfulness of his relationship with Krsna. And because one in KC is happy, he tries to distribute the knowledge of Krsna everywhere. Since the perfect yogi tries to broadcast the importance of becoming KC, he is the best philanthropist in the world, and he is the dearest servitor of the Lord. Na ca tasman manusyesu kascin me priya-krttamah (Bg. 18.69). In other words, a devotee of the Lord always looks to the welfare of all living entities, and in this way he does not desire perfection in yoga for his own personal benefit, but tries for others also. He does not envy his fellow living entities. Here is a contrast between a pure devotee of the Lord and a yogi interested only in his own personal elevation. The yogi who has withdrawn to secluded place in order to meditate perfectly may not be as perfect as a devotee who is trying his best to turn every man toward Krsna Consciousness.
Hare Krishna
Ys Sanvi
Hare Krishna!!!
very interesting article, but I have a question that’s bothering me since long time…when we start being Krishna consciousness and dedicate our time to Krishna and leave apart our material desires such as partying…why do we start feeling that we are not worthy?? all our friends are partying and for sudden people start talking bad about us, saying that we are outdated, we don’t know how to enjoy…and that makes me feel very odd…why??…please rely
Hare Krishna Bhumika
There is an English saying: “Folly to be wise where ignorance is bliss.” For the vast majority of the people in Kali-yuga “Ignorance is bliss.” They think they are happy when they are “partying” which means indulging in intoxication and illicit sex and probably eating meat and gambling also. So if one takes to spiritual life these ignorant party goers will not understand… What can be done? We need to take the association of devotees, not the association of the party-goers. It does not matter what they think. Their thinking has no value.
If we can encourage them in spiritual life that is good. But if they are not interested it is better to just ignore them…
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Hare Krishna!!!
Thanks…your answer was of lots of help
Haribol! What is the position if one is trying to follow the 4 regs… principals and chants 16 rounds but keeps falling down time after time. How can he improve so he does not keep falling down? Please reply?
Hare Krishna Chetu
If we can not follow and we are always falling down there must be a reason. Somehow we are not properly following the process of Saddhana Bhakti that Srila Prabhupada gave us. Krishna consciousness is, in one sense, very simple, but to practically follow the process, particularly if we are not living in the association of nice devotees, can be quite difficult.
Actually to be successful in Krishna consciousness requires great determination. And it requires understanding the process and following it. And it requires the mercy of Krishna, and the only way we can get the mercy of Krishna is by pleasing His pure devotee. And the only person we know and who we are in contact with who we are sure is a pure devotee of Krishna is His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhuapda.
So the bottom line is if you want to successfully practice Krishna consciousness you have to please Srila Prabhupada. And how to please Srila Prabhuapda? We know distributing Srila Prabhupada’s books is the easiest way to please him. So why not become a book distributor?
So many people are promoting so many watered-down concepts of Krishna consciousness. Many will advise you to just chant one round of the Hare Krishna mantra a day and basically leave your life as it is and give some money to the temple… But this is not Krishna consciousness as Srila Prabhupada taught it. And these watered down systems will not help you very much when it comes to following the regultive principles.
The absolute minimum requirements for beginning Krishna consciousness are chanting at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra daily and strictly following the four regulative principles. We can not expect to make any advancement in Krishna consciousness until we are solidly chanting at least 16 rounds a day and following the four regultive principles. Srila Prabhupada is very strong on this point. He says that without the chanting of at least 16 rounds and strictly following the four regulative principles there is no spiritual life, it is simply imagination…
So you HAVE to follow the four regulative principles.
Of course in the beginning we may fall down, and we may fall down even many times. But that is to be expected because we have spent many lifetimes in the material world and our habbits have become very bad. So due to some past bad habbit we may fall down. But we can not keep on falling down. We have to change our habbits.
Nowadays most “devotees” have no idea what Krishna consciousness is nor are they trying to achieve Krishna consciousness so it is not surprising if they fall down over and over again.
Krishna consciousness means “Always remember Krishna. Never Forget Krishna.” So a Krishna conscious person is totally absorbed in Krishna. He knows nothing except Krishna, and every single activity he performs he does it for Krishna. An actual devotee never does anything for himself. He does everything for Krishna. He has no conception of pleasure or enjoyment in relation to his own senses. He is happy when Krishna is happy. He is unhappy when he can not serve Krishna.
To get to this stage of Krishna consciousness one has to very seriously practice the process of Saddhana Bhakti. And the simple, basic things we have to do otherwise we will not become Krishna consciousness:
Rise before 4:00 am in the morning and perform mangal-aroti
Chant at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra daily
ONLY EAT KRISHNA PRASADAM. If we eat anything at all, even if it is vegetarian, that has not been cooked by a devotee for Krishna with love and devotion that will contaminate our consciousness and we will not be able to follow the regulative principles. The senses are in a straight line. The tongue, the belly and the genitals. The key to controlling the genitals is to control the tongue. The tongue has two activities, to taste and to vibrate. So the tongue should ONLY taste Krishna Prasadam and ONLY vibrate the holy name of Krishna and topics related to Krishna. IE: Krishna Katha. Nothing else. We really have to do this. We have to change our life so we only eat Krishna prasadam and we only have to talk about Krishna… You have to do this…
Read Srila Prabhuapda’s books daily at least 1-2 hours
Avoid the association of non-devotees
Live in the association of serious devotees who are more advanced than yourself [if you can find any…]
So you get the idea. If you want to control your senses you have to strictly follow the process Srila Prabhuapda gave us. It is not so easy and requires strict following. But the result is you will feel very blissful and it is a great relief to become free from the dictations of the senses…
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Thank you very much prabhuji for your reply to my question. This is perfect what you say. you mention association of devotees, I associate with devotee at our local Hare Krishna temple but this is once a week (Sunday) How can I search a pure devotee who is advanced and can give me his association so I can advance in my spiritual life and follow strictly the process as mentioned by you? Can this association be over internet? Please reply. Thanking you for your association and your time for replying to my question. Haribol!
Hare Krishna Chetu
Associate with Srila Prabhupada…
Read his books. He is living in his books. He is just waiting for you to open the pages so he can speak with you.
Listen to his classes on the MP3s, watch the DVDs…
Associate with Srila Prabhupada…
Associate with Srila Prabhuapda…
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
I am daily reading your mails.its very useful.what iam expected,that thing you fulfilled.
I like what you said about when we serve Krsna we are happy, when we don’t we cannot be happy. I find it very profound, and indeed, it require Krsnas mercy and grace. May the Supreme be my only purpose.
HARE KRISHNA PRABHUJI
MY RESPECTFUL OBESIANCES TO SRILA PRABHUPADA AND MY OBESIANCES TO OUR GURUMAHARAJ.
MY OBESIANCES TO YOU PRABHUJI
THANK U VERY MUCH FOR THE PREVIOUS MAILS AND EXPLANATIONS N GUIDANCE.
NOWADAYS IM NT RECIEVING SUCH MAILS. PLS KINDLY FORWARD ME THE GUIDANCE TO FOLLOW.
IM READING ALL THE MAILS AND DNT THINK THAT IF I DIDNT REPLY SO IM NT FOLLOWING.
PLS IM EXPECTING MORE MAILS FROM U AND TO ACQUIRE KNOWLEDGE IN THIS SPIRITUAL METHOD OR PRACTICE.
HARIBOL!!!!!!!!!!!
WITH RESPECTFUL REGARDS
SARASWATHI
I want to ask another question again..lol
While preparing food for Lord Krishnaji and Radhama we cannot use garlic and onion right..??
NO, Krishna will not accept food prepared with garlic and onions.
Tkanks a lot for the reply didn’t know that…actually I just read that in one of the conversation of Prabhupadaji
why krishna will not accept food prepared with garlic and onions?.I have read many books,saying if we give anything with full devotion to god he will accept it.
If we are truly devoted to Lord Krishna we will not offer something He doesn’t enjoy. Are you offering onions and garlic to Krishna because He enjoys the taste, or because you enjoy the taste?? Devotion means to act for His satisfaction, not our own. If I invite you to my home and offer you some food that you don’t enjoy, what kind of host am I? Have I pleased you, and will you come back? Lord Krishna is a person, the supreme person and when we invite Him into our homes, as we should, to worship Him, please Him and make His satisfaction the goal of life, don’t offer food He doesn’t care to eat.
If we are truly devoted we will not offer something he does not enjoy!! Indeed, he should enjoy all that I offer. He is the supreme is He going to receive what we offer? The choice is His. Offerings in His Love, are accepted by Him. His love is the only grace I can know. May he accept my offerings, for His desire in My heart. Amen
Hare krishna prabhuji,
I read your mail on importance of sense control in spiritual life.
You had written that the way to relish that higher, spiritual, taste is through the offensless chanting of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra.So how can one offenslessly chant hare krishna mahamantra?
please do reply
Hare Krishna prabhu ji,
Thanks for your enlightening letter on “The Importance of Sense Control in Spiritual Life”, but I’ve one question. My father has expired one month back and my mother who is a very religious person has lost all her faith in God. She used to be busy regularly in her pooja for hours and visit temples regularly, but now the situation of house is very disturbed. Even if i chant Bhagwat Gita As Is, to calm her down she doesn’t take interest. My father was a doctor and a very gentle and loving person and even we are not able to come out of it.These questions constantly arise where he’ll be now? Could we be able to see him ever.
Please help , waiting for your reply
Hare Krishna,
Sonika
Hare Krishna Sonika
This is the nature of the material world. We are together with family members at one moment and separated from them the next. There is nothing permanent in the material world. The only permanent thing is our relationship with Krishna. So we need to develop this dormant loving relationship with Krishna.
We have to come to the realization that all these relationships based on the body are temporary. Even if you could see your father now you would not recognize him because he will be in a completely different body. And really it was only the body of your father you were attached to and that body of your father is gone now.
So we have to realize that this is the nature of all relationships in the material world. Anyone we become attached to in the material world will be be separated from in due cause and that will be painful for us. So we have to avoid these material attachments and instead become attached to Krishna.
There is no point in lamenting over a dead body. Of course your father has passed only one month ago so naturally the family is disturbed but you need to simply take shelter of Bhagavad-gita and Srila Prabhupada and Krishna and soon you will be able to realize that this is just a practical example for you as to how temporary and ultimately unreal these relationships we have in the material world are.
So please keep chanting Hare Krishna and reading Prabhupada’s books and continue encouraging your mother to continue with her puja and speak to her the philosophy you read in Prabhupada’s books and everything will be OK. It may take a little time, that is understandable…
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Hare Krishna Prabhu!
I am not a member of Iskon and dont have a guru but is still searching for the right one. But ive been striving 2 worship the sweet Lord. I do only 6 rounds everyday, read the Geeta regularly and i strictly follow the 4 regulative principles. But indeed i still feel like my faith is not complete.
Is it essential that i recite 16 rounds?if yes..when and how is it best done?Is a guru essential for my spiritual progression?where would you recommend that i look 4 a ‘pure’ one as u’ve said?
Jay shri Krishna!
Nice article, easy to understand , may not be that easy to strictly follow.
Thank you for your e.mail.
K.M.
Yes, but we should not neglect to try. If something is valuable it is worth striving for. And what is more valuable than solving our main problems of life, namely birth, death, old age and disease, conquering over rebirth, and returning to the kingdom of God?
hare krishna prabhu ji,
i just wanted to know what is the 16 rounds mahamantra that everyone talks about. Can you please enlighten me on that. and what does illicit sex life….exactly mean…???
HARE KRISHNA PARABHU JI,
I HAVE A QUESTION THAT FOR A BEGINER IS’NT following rules and regulations THE ONLY WAY TO REFRAIN FROM SENSE ENJOYMENT AND DEVELOPING LOVE FOR SHREE KRISHNA
Hare Krishna Deepak
By chanting the Hare Krishna maha mantra, at least 16 rounds a day, we will get the strength to follow the regulative principles. We have to work at this. It many not be easy. In the beginning it may not be easy to chant Hare Krishna and because we have bad habits for many lifetimes it may be difficult to follow the regulative principles.
But we have to know that we MUST follow the four regulative principles (no illicit sex, no meat eating, no gambling and no intoxication) and we must chant at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna maha mantra daily. At some point we just have to surrender to chanting Hare Krishna and following the principles, even though it may be difficult in the beginning, otherwise we can not make any tangable advancement in spiritual life.
Krishna will help us if we do our bit. If we chant Hare Krishna mantra at least 16 rounds a day Krishna will give us the strength to follow the four regulative principles.
Krishna doesn’t care if I smoke, have illicite sex or whatever “you can only and please do chant 16 rounds for me this makes me happy. What else could you do. Everything belongs to me you can’t give me anything the only thing you can make me smile and getting tears in my eyes is chanting 16 rounds at least!” So he doesn’t care. Smoke, drink, use drugs whatever he says I just look at your rounds. But Prabhupada cares “no cigarettes, no cigarettes, no cigarettes…” so wouldn’t I follow Swami Prabhupada Krishna would also be pissed but actually Krishna doesn’t care if I smoke or whatever. He doesn’t give rules or forbid anything only take my rounds and love!
Guess those lines could be important for beginners plz don’t delete!
Chris
No, you have seriously misunderstood it Chris.
You can not please Krishna without pleasing Krishna’s pure devotee. If Krishna’s pure devotee is not please by you then you know Krishna is not pleased with you.
These activities, smoking, drinking alcohol, taking drugs, having illicit sex, all reinforce the bodily concept of life and drag your consciousness down to the modes of passion and ignorance. In the mode of passion and ignorance you can not see things as they are and spiritual life is not possible.
You can not love Krishna and love sex and drugs at the same time. If you still love sex and drugs you can know it for sure that you have no love for Krishna. A small hint of love for Krishna will open you up to an experience and pleasure that will make all so-called pleasures in the material world seem completely insignificant and unimportant to you. And if you were truly in a loving relationship with Krishna these things would never enter your mind. You would be disgusted by the thought of them.
These sinful activities, illicit sex, drugs, intoxication, etc, lead you down a very dark path that ends in you not remembering Krishna at the time of death and means your next birth will be in a very hellish and degraded position. And you will have lost the great opportunity that the human form of life gives us to escape from the “samsara,” the endless cycle of birth and death in the material world.
You can not get free from this cycle of birth and death by yourself. And you can not get out also by trying to approach Krishna directly. If you want to get out of this hellish eternal cycle of repetition of birth, old age, disease and death, then you need the mercy of a pure devotee of Krishna. And finding a pure devotee of Krishna is generally very difficult. Mostly 99.99% [or more!] of the so-called gurus you will meet, even the ISKCON gurus, are not pure devotees of Krishna, and have no real potency to help you get out of the cycle of birth and death in the material world. This requires a very special person, a liberated soul, a pure devotee of Krishna. And you can find such a qualified spiritual master in His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhu.
So Chris, I suggest you take the orders of Srila Prabhupada more seriously and just try practising the process of saddhana-bhakti as he teaches it. It will be a little hard in the beginning. None of us want to give up the sense gratification that we have become accustomed to and attached to. There is a saying around weight-lifters, “No Gain without Pain.” It is a bit like that in Krishna consciousness in the beginning.
We need to become intellectually convinced of the necessity of strictly following the regulative principles and chanting at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra daily and do it, even if it is a bit painful… And your point is correct, it is not just chanting 16 rounds and following the regulative principles. If we just do this then also we will not be successful. There are many things we have to do if we want to be successful in this path and if you make a serious study of all the books of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada he will teach you everything you need to know to successfully reestablish your eternal loving relationship with Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
And when you are really in a loving relationship with Krishna, there will be no question whatsoever of illicit sex or drugs for you. These things really will seem revolting to you then… Once you experience a higher taste the “lower taste” becomes unattractive to you.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
can’t we actually say that in fact we are perfectly controlled in our senses. We are Krsna Conscious and what we do is transcendental, not actually as it appears to the senses under the influence of illusion. But we are only under the control of our senses when we are under the illusion of ignorance. That by our mind we engage in remembering this, and remembering that infact we do nothing at all. Krsna is the controller of the senses, what is controlled by Him is perfectly controlled, how am I to think otherwise? I am convinced of His Personality, to me there is nothing more. And in fact I have my senses perfectly controlled, or I am perfectly controlled by them, sometimes I am and sometimes I am not. In reality nothing changes only the Lords Perplexing Yoga Maya, Humbly I offer worship to the Supreme Person, who’s will I desire to do, and to perfect realization, may I give thanks may what I do always be pleasing in the sight of the Supreme. Grace and Mercy and Honor to you all, for His Pleasure may we constantly be conscious of His Personality. Hare Krsna
hi
this subject is very important,thank you you remind me to pay attention to it.sense control is the primary step but if one doesn’t realize it correctly she will be fall down in further steps without knowing the reason.specially in relation with people and close people around.distinguish which sense is Maya’s and which sense is God’s is the second step,and very important too.
indeed it’s so difficult to control the senses..even though we dedicate each day to the lovely lord, still we are enslaved by the senses and keep on falling for materialism. Unless Sri Krisna decides to save us, progress will be very slow i believe. I find console in the maha mantra..feels like Sri Krisna saying ‘nevermind if you’ve failed this time, pick up your sword and rise again, fight in my name.you are just an instrument.’
Jay sri Krisna!
This is indeed a good article.To get anything in life,material or spiritual, it is imperative that a person has a sense of sacrifice.Nothing can be achieved without sacrifice and controlling one’s senses.Senses when guided by the soul can give wonderful results,however uncontrolled senses will only lead us to the world of ignorance symbolized by darkness.I agree with this article when it says one has to taste something higher and sublime in order to get rid of these lower senses which are otherwise very tempting.
I can very well resonate from the gist and importance of the above article being a jigyasu who wants to abolish all past bad karmas of illicite sex and it’s allied activities till date. Even after realising that momentary sensory pleasure does not last for ever and it’s the bigger objective of life “krishna Consciousness” only that will evolve my soul to the higher level I do fall again and again. I do read Bhagwad Geeta – As It Is and have tremendous faith in it’s core teaching “Im not this body Im that soul”. I dont eat meat, don’t take any liqor or smoke.
Please continue posting such articles and do let me know if there is some process through which I can controll my mind effortlessly.
Jai Sri Krishna!
My retired husband constantly screams about little things, usually without the slightest importance, and makes it very hard for me to have the sense control you mention in the above article. It’s very difficult to not allow this verbal aggression to invade my inner calm. What would be specific suggestions to in the Krishna way to counteract this?
I understand your situation. It is indeed very difficult to control oneself when under constant disturbance of any sort.
What I can think of as a solution for this is.. If we try to control ourselves we will fail.. So the better way will be , Beg and cry out to Krishna and ask for help and then be patient until he responds. Talk to Krishna and tell him your problems just like the way you would talk to your friend (thought Krishna already knows whats in ur mind ).
Patiently wait for him to respond in his own way , and keep begging for mercy.
Sooner or later , Krishna will surely find a way out for you.
May be Krishna is trying to make you feel that you depend on him for everything ..
Hope this helps.
Hare Krishna .
hare krishna . in nowadays atmosphere its too difficult to retrain from materialistic way of life.reading prabhupad books watching his dvds,deity worship,chanting 16 rounds mahamantrhas helped a lot from gliding down to hell.what is best devotional service would give us higher taste to forget lower taste n can distribute to others
Hi,
The best service is to distribute Prabhupada’s books– Bhagavad Gita, Srimad-Bhagavatam, Caitanya-Caritmrita, and Nectar of Devotion. The best way to be happy is chanting the Hare Krishna Mantra, accepting prasadam, having discussion on one of the four aforementioned books, and worshiping the Deity. Right now there is a lack of Book discussion and prasadam distribution–both need to be increased everywhere.
Hare Krishna BD
I agree with you Prabhu, there is a serious lack of distribution of Srila Prabhupada’s books. We need to take this in our own hands and do something practical to solve this problem. Please purchase cases of Srila Prabhuapda’s original books from the wholesale section of http://www.KrishnaStore.com and distribute them yourself. We have to preach by our own personal example. Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Your servant
Madhudvisa dasa
Haribol, yes I plan on ordering wholesale in the near future. I’d like to get one of these mrdangas too eventually
hare krishna prabhuji
dandvat pranam
haribol i got an e mail”The Importance of Sense Control in Spiritual Life”.
it was really very wonderful. haribol i liked it very much and i am waiting eagerly for ur next mail on the process of sense control.
please keep sending such krshna counsciousness e mail to me
pranam
ur humble servant
chandan singh
how to acquire or develop vairagya?
eagerly waiting for the reply
It is done by following the process of Saddhan-Bhakti that Srila Prabhupada clearly explains in his books. This question can not be answered in one line or one paragraph. We have to follow the process of Krishna consciousness and by doing this gradually we will get jnana, knowledge and we will automatically become detached form the material world [vairagya]. So please read Srila Prabhuapda’s books for all the details. You can read online at:
http://www.PrabhupadaBooks.com
and purchase them at:
http://www.KrishnaStore.com
Hare Krishna. This is a good email that was sent to me. However, referring to the phrase ‘No matter how hard we work to maximize our happiness and minimize our distress we will still suffer as much as we are destined to suffer due to our bad karma and we will “enjoy” to the extent our good karma allows us to.’
Does this mean that no matter whatever good deeds that you do in this life, if you are still being pin pointed, fault or accused, is this because of the bad karma? Does this mean a good person is suffering due to the bad karma? Can chanting the Hare Krishna Mantra help to reduce the bad karma, in order to have the confidence for a peaceful life thru the spiritual teaching?
Hare Krishna!
Yes. Chanting Hare Krishna is the only way to change one’s karma. Even if you do so many good deeds in this life that does not in any way make up for the sinful things you have done in the past. The sinful reactions — bad things — that are due to you will still come, no matter how many good deeds you perform in this life. Of course the good deeds you perform in this life will generate good karma for your future, but perform good deeds does not have any power to neutralize the results of the sinful activities you have done in the past. That can be done by chanting:
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare / Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare