Just What is the Bhagavad Gita?
The Purpose of Bhagavad Gita
The purpose of Bhagavad Gita is to deliver mankind from the darkness of material existence. Every one of us is in difficulty in so many ways. Just as Arjuna was in difficulty because of having to fight the battle of Kuruksetra. Arjuna surrendered to Krishna and consequently the Bhagavad Gita was spoken.
Not only Arjuna, but every one of us is full of anxieties because of this material existence.
We are trying to exist here in the material world but the atmosphere of the material world is nonexistence. Actually we are not meant to be threatened by nonexistence.
Our existence is eternal. But somehow or other we have been put into this temporary material world and because of this we are threatened with nonexistence.
Out of so many human beings who are suffering, there are only a few who are actually enquiring about their position, questioning what they are, why they are put into this difficult position, and so on. Unless one comes to this point of questioning his suffering, unless he realizes that he does not want to suffer, but rather he wants to find a solution to the suffering, then he can not be considered a perfect human being. Human life begins when this sort of enquiry is awakened in one’s mind.
Those who have come to this awakened position of questioning why they are suffering and who have realized they do not want to suffer, they want a solution to the suffering, are the proper students for understanding Bhagavad Gita. To be successful the sincere student should also have a firm respect for the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Arjuna is the perfect example of such a qualified student of the Bhagavad Gita.
The reason Krishna comes to the material world is specifically to re-establish the real purpose of life when mankind in general has forgotten this purpose. Krishna is very merciful to us, it is out of His mercy that He spoke the Bhagavad-gita, making His friend Arjuna the first student.
As Arjuna was an associate of Krishna he was above all ignorance. But just so Krishna could speak the Bhagavad Gita to him Krishna put Arjuna into ignorance on the battlefield of Kurukshetra so that he would question the Lord about the problems of life so Krishna could answer these questions and explain everything for the benefit of future generations of human beings. With this knowledge given by Krishna to Arjuna on the battlefield men can act accordingly and perfect their mission of human life.
The Subject of Bhagavad Gita
The subject matter of Bhagavad Gita explains the science of God by covering five basic truths:
- The controller [isvara]
- The living entities [jivas]
- Material Nature [prakrti]
- Time [kala, the duration of existence of the whole universe]
- Activity, work [karma]
In this world every living entity is controlled. If a living entity says that he is not controlled but that he is free, then he is insane. We are controlled in every aspect of our lives, at least in the conditioned [non-liberated] state.
So in the Bhagavad Gita the subject matter deals with the isvara, the supreme controller and the jivas, the controlled living entities, prakrti (material nature) and time (the duration of existence of the whole universe or manifestation of material nature) and karma (activity).
From Bhagavad Gita we can learn what God is, what the living entities are, what prakrti is, what the cosmic manifestation is and how it is controlled by time and what the activities of the living entities are.
In the Bhagavad Gita it is established that Krishna, the Supreme Godhead, Brahman or supreme controller or Paramatma–you may use whatever name you like–is the greatest of all. We living entities are in quality like the supreme controller. For example Krishna is the supreme controller. He has control over the universal affairs, over material nature as will be explained in later chapters of Bhagavad Gita. Material nature is not independent, she is working under the direction of the Supreme Lord. So we, the jivas, or living entities are accepted as being part and parcel of the supreme controller, isvara, Bhagavan, Lord Krishna, and as such the living entities have all the qualities of the Supreme Lord in minute quantities. A particle of gold is also gold. A drop of water from the ocean is also salty, similarly we the living entities, being part and parcel of the supreme controller, have all the qualities of the Supreme Lord in minute quantity, because we are minute isvaras, subordinate isvaras. We are trying to control nature, and this tendency to control is in us because it is in Krishna. But although we have the tendency to lord it over the material nature, we should know that we are not the supreme controller. This is explained in Bhagavad Gita.
The world revolves because every living being thinks that he is the lord and creator of the material world. Material consciousness has two psychic divisions. One is that “I am the creator,” and the other is that “I am the enjoyer.” But actually the Supreme Lord is both the creator and the enjoyer, and the living entity, being part and parcel of the Supreme Lord is neither the creator nor the enjoyer , but a cooperator. He is the created and the enjoyed. For instance a part of the machine cooperates with the whole machine; a part of the body cooperates with the whole body. The hands, feet, eyes, legs and so on are all parts of the body, but they are not actually the enjoyers. The stomach is the enjoyer. The legs move, the hands supply food, the teeth chew and all parts of the body are engaged in satisfying the stomach because the stomach is the principle factor that nourishes the body’s organization. Therefore everything is given to the stomach. One nourishes the tree by pouring water on the root and one nourishes the body by feeding the stomach.
Similarly, the Supreme Lord is the enjoyer and creator and we, as subordinate living beings, are meant to cooperate to satisfy Him. This cooperation will actually help us, just as food taken by the stomach will help all other parts of the body.
If the fingers of the hand think that they should enjoy the food themselves, they will be frustrated. The central figure of cooperation and enjoyment is the Supreme Lord, and the living entities are cooperators. By cooperation they enjoy. The relation is also like that of the master and the servant. If the master is fully satisfied then the servant is satisfied. Similarly the Supreme Lord should be satisfied although the tendency to become the creator and the tendency to enjoy the material world also are there in the living entities because these tendencies are also in the Supreme Lord who has created the manifested cosmic world we see before us.
We shall find, therefore, in the Bhagavad Gita, that the complete whole is comprised of the Supreme Controller, the controlled living entities, the cosmic manifestation, eternal time and karma, activities and all of these are explained in the Bhagavad Gita. All of these items taken together completely form the complete whole, and the complete whole is called the Supreme Absolute Truth. The complete whole and the complete Absolute Truth are the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krishna. All manifestations are due to His different energies. He is the complete whole.
The Essence of Vedic Knowledge
Bhagavad Gita is the essence of all Vedic knowledge. Vedic knowledge is not a question of research. Our research work is imperfect because we are researching things with our imperfect senses. Bhagavad Gita states that we have to accept perfect knowledge which comes down by parampara, disciplic succession, beginning with the supreme spiritual master, the Lord Himself, and handed down to a succession of spiritual masters.
Arjuna, the student who took lessons from Lord Sri Krishna, accepts everything that He says without contradicting Him. One is not allowed to accept one portion of Bhagavad Gita and not another. No. We must accept Bhagavad Gita without interpretation, without deletion and without our own whimsical participation in the matter.
The Gita should be taken as the most perfect presentation of Vedic knowledge. Vedic knowledge is received from transcendental sources and the first words were spoken by the Lord Himself. The words spoken by the Lord are different from the words spoken by a person of the mundane world who is infected with four defects. A person of the mundane world is sure to:
- Commit mistakes
- Is invariably illusioned
- Has the tendency to cheat others
- Is limited by imperfect senses.
With these four imperfections one can not deliver perfect information of all-pervading knowledge.
Vedic knowledge is not imparted by such defective living entities. It was imparted unto the heart of Brahma, the first created living being in this universe and Brahma in turn taught this knowledge to his sons and disciples as he originally received it from the Lord.
All of this, and much more, is clearly described in Bhagavad Gita and if we properly utilize the instructions of Bhagavad Gita then our whole life will become purified, and ultimately we will be able to reach the destination which is beyond this material sky.
The ultimate destination is called the sanatana sky, the eternal spiritual sky. In this material world we find that everything is temporary. It comes into being, stays for some time, produces some by-products, dwindles and then vanishes. This is the law of the material world, whether we use as an example this body, or a piece of fruit or anything. But beyond this temporary world there is another world of which we have information. This world consists of another nature which is sanatana, eternal, and the Lord is also described as sanatana in the Eleventh Chapter. We have an intimate relationship with the Lord and because we are all one–the sanatana-dharma or sky, the sanatana Supreme Personality and the sanatana living entities–the whole purpose of Bhagavad Gita is to revive our sanatana occupation, or sanatana-dharma, which is the eternal occupation of the living entity. We are temporally engaged in different activities, but all of these activities can be purified when we give up all these temporary activities and take up the activities which are prescribed by the Supreme Lord. This is called our pure life.
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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Jai Shree Krishna
If we all know this world is all about suffering then why do we bring new lives into this world. Why make new lives suffer. I feel bad that I have brought my children into this world of suffering. Had I known what I know now I would not have done so.
You should train up your children to become devotees of Krishna, then there will be no suffering for them.
i want to join in iskon and what are the rules and regulations
Read Srila Prabhupada’s books. You will find all you are looking for there and more.
Hare Krishna Madhudvisa Prabhu !
prabhuji,while discussing about the Hare Krsna perspective on life with other people
over a period of time,which is definitely addressing the real problems of life :birth ,
diseases,old age and death and other sufferings,these people have posed me the
following questions :
1.why did GOD create old age and death ?
2.wasn’t diseases enough suffering to teach lessons to the conditioned souls ?
what i gauged from their attitude is that the conditioned souls have a very strong desire
to live independently from GOD.they have a strong desire to enjoy things of the material
world and not be enjoyed by GOD or anyone else.
I replied from the hare krishna perspective but they were adamant and probably they
dont want to surrender to anyone be it GOD or anyone else.
so prabhuji ,what would you say to this ?
probably you have answered these questions on many occasions but if you can
find something different to respond to this then please do so.
I look forward to your response.
Hare Krishna !
Brijesh Dani
Hare Krishna Prabhu
It is very difficult, practically impossible really, for materialists to appreciate Krishna consciousness philosophy.
That is why we do not generally try to explain the philosophy of Krishna consciousness to the non-devotees very much. It can only be understood by devotees. This is the system back to Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu even. He did not speak philosophy to the general people. For the general people he had sankirtan [the congregational chanting of the Hare Krishna maha mantra] and prasadam distribution.
So this is really what is important for the non-devotees. We need to engage them in sankirtan, hearing and chanting the holy names of Krishna, and we have to feed them with sumptuous Krishna prasadam. And by hearing and chanting Hare Krishna and by associating with Krishna in the form of Krishna prasadam the non-devotees become purified and their consciousness becomes purified and they can then begin to understand the philosophy of Krishna consciousness.
We can also convince them to read Srila Prabhupada’s books because there is some mystical power in Srila Prabhupada’s books that even when the non-devotees read them they can somehow understand and they become devotees.
So for non-devotees there is very little point in trying to explain the philosophy of Krishna consciousness in very great detail. We have to keep it very simple and get them to hear and chant the Hare Krisha mantra and feed them lots of Krishna prasadam and get them to purchase and read Srila Prabhupada’s books. This is the tested and proven way to convert non-devotees into devotees.
This material world is a prison. And you can ask the people why the government creates a prison? And of course the answer is the government creates a prison because they know that in the society there will be some criminals and the criminals will disobey the laws established by the government and they will need to be rectified. So the purpose of the prison is to give the prisoners a place to live where they will not disturb the law-abiding members of the public and at the same to to rectify the prisoners so ultimately they will also become law abiding and be able to be released from the prison back into the main society.
So people have to understand that Krishna created this material world to house the criminals who have rejected Him. It is an elaborate thing to understand. Actually we are all eternally servants of Krishna. Our only business is to serve Krishna. We can only be happy by serving Krishna. That is our purpose. But we have all the qualities of Krishna, however we have them in a very tiny quantity. We are like Krishna in quality but Krishna is infinite and we are infinitesimal. Krishna is unlimited and we are tiny. But we are brahman and Krishna is parabrahman. We are made of the same substance that Krishna is made of. But Krishna is like the ocean and we are like a tiny drop of that ocean water.
So we have no purpose except to serve Krishna, however at the same time we have all the qualities of Krishna in minute quantity. So as Krishna is unlimited independent we also have a limited amount of independence. So we can choose between serving Krishna and not serving Krishna. But there is really no possibility of not serving Krishna. That is not possible. We are all, knowingly or unknowingly, eternal servants of Krishna. However Krishna is very merciful and He knows that some of the living entities will misuse their independence and instead of serving Him they will want to become the lord and master themselves. They want to imitate the position of Krishna. But it is not possible of course for the drop of ocean water to imitate the entire ocean.
So it is Krishna’s great mercy that He creates this material world and he creates maya also. Maha-Maya is the illusory potency that covers the intelligence of the living entities in the material world and allows them to forget they are eternally servants of Krishna and allows them to play the game of trying to become the lord and master in the material world.
So this material world, on one hand, gives us, the rebellious living entities who have misused our limited independence, the chance to ‘play god’, or at least maya gives us the illusion that one day we may be able to play god… So we come here to the material world and struggle with everyone else who is also trying to be god… That is the material world.
But we have to remember this material world above everything else is, like the prison created by the government, a place where the rebellious living entities are sent to become reformed. So as the government does not make the prison a very comfortable place, as a prison is not meant for the comfortable living of the prisoners, this material world is also created by Krishna as a place where the living entities will never be comfortable. The whole nature of the material world is uncomfortable for the living entities. It is a place of misery suffering and death. There is no actual pleasure or happiness in the material world. All we can experience in the material world is a perverted reflection of the real original happiness and pleasure that is present in the spiritual world.
We have a very practical experience of this if you see a mango tree with many ripe mangos reflected in a lake the reflection of the mango tree looks like a mango tree. You can get the idea of the mangos. But if you jump into the water and try to grab the mangos you can not actually get the taste of the mango. Because there is no taste in a reflection.
So that is the nature of this material world. It is an illusion only. A reflection. There is no substance in a reflection. So the satisfaction, the pleasure, the happiness we are looking for, it is not available in the material world. There is just the illusion created by maya here that convinces us that if we just work harder we will get that happiness in the future…
So this material world, like the prison, is not a place for happiness. It is a place for suffering. And this suffering is helpful to reform us. To bring us to the point of realizing that we can not be happy without surrendering to and serving Krishna.
So this material world is a prison and we are prisoners. Prisoners can not expect to be happy in the prison…
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Hare Krsna,
Prabhu I could not und
erstand this line,
“The world revolves because every living being thinks that he is the lord and creator of the material world.”
Is this line reffering to the physical world or the mentality of people for which the material world continue to exist?
It is not talking about the actual revolution of the planet. It is an English saying. When you say in English “The world revolves because…” It really means what is the cause of the activities of the people on the world. So the revolution of the world here is an analogy to what is the force that is moving the people in the world. So it is referring to what motivates the people in the world actually, not the actual physical revolution of the planet.
Very well explained
hi fine thanks if people know that krishna is friend of all people
and his knowledge is all wealth and happiness.
i like this
Dear Sir/Madam
Briefly, I am East Indian from the republic of Trinidad&Tobago, presently
68 yrs of age existing in England.
I have no dislike to Class, Caste, Race, or any religious denomination.
However I dislike the caste system practiced anywhere in the world.
Most of the East Indians living in Trinidad came as indentured labourer and at that time no one was Brahmin, as far as I am aware, but we tried to practice a caste system.
Coming to England I tried to understand Hinduism, one way by reading the Gita, this became to complicated and gave up about 25 yrs ago.
I presently have a certain amount of dislike to the caste system and this has always been my main interest.
The levels of inequality in India and the savage exploitation by some Indians towards the majority I find distasteful in 2011.
Although it’s a person of African decent who gave us political freedom, the majority of Indians living on the island played a game called no losers amongst the money class.
When the colonial masters left the Indian did not care if the Indians learn their mother tongue or not,”why, because they played the money game, and were the new masters.
They influenced a misguided view of Hinduism primarily based on fear, by keeping the correct aspects of this teaching to a limited few to retain the fear face factor and the superficial caste system in full working order.
Today were saying prayers or pooja in a language we dont understand, Sanskrit, and still playing the money game.
In my opinion the African person will share a piece of bread with anyone, the Indian will not give a piece of roti if he cannot get a bag of flour from you.
I hope you will try and translate the Gita so interested parties all over the world will have a true understanding.
My Indian Origin is Sikh, however we were told we are Hindus, because it is profitable for the ruling class to retain their superior position.
This is my view subject to right information about the hidden secrets practiced in Hindism.In my opinion their should be no secrets in anyone’s search for salvation.
Thank you
Hare Krishna,
1)It is said that Krishna comes to the material world to re-establish the purpose of our life. What is the real purpose of our lives?
2)How is the jivas a part of the the Supreme Controller?
Hare Krishna Joyee
We are servants eternally. We can not avoid that. Even in this world you will find everyone is serving someone else. Even the great so-called controllers. Say the President of the United States. Very big man. But he has to serve the country, he has to serve his supporters. He is not actually a controller. The actual controller is Krishna and the purpose of this human form of life is to realize that and surrender to Krishna and serve Him instead of serving so many illusory masters in the material world.
Krishna is everything. There is nothing that is not part of Krishna. So obviously the jivas are also part of Krishna. Krishna has two energies. Inferior and superior. The material and the spiritual. He is complete spirit and we, the jivas are also complete spirit. The difference is Krishna is unlimited and we are very, very tiny. But the substance is the same. Just like if you take a drop of water out of the ocean and analyze it you will find it is salty. It has the same qualities. But only has a tiny grain of salt in it whereas the ocean has such a huge quantity of salt in it.
So we have the same qualities as Krishna, but in a very small quantity.
Many examples are there… You will find them in Srila Prabhuapda’s books.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Hare Krishna
Thank you
hare krishna prabhu ji
please accept my humble obicience,i feel very great full by reciving your mail.prabhu ji i want to control my anger but it is quite impossible for me due to my anger my complete family life and my spritual progress is totally stoped.becouse of my anger some time i do vaisnav appradh toward my prabhu ji and that i regret alot but i know that i do wrong what at that time i am not able to control my self.if i donot say any thing at that time then all thing in my mind i go in to tension which result is affect my helth in the form of low BP,& ASTHM,and this affect my sadhna also.i seriously want to control my anger practically.please guide me prabhu ji.this is my main drowback of my life.
your obidient servent
madhu tomar
Hare Krishna Madhu
I am not sure why you are angry. Anger generally comes when our desires are not satisfied. We want something and we don’t get it so we get angry. But that is the nature of the material world always. There are so many things we want that we can’t get. The solution to this is to want Krishna, to want to please Krishna, to want to serve Krishna. The solution is Krishna consciousness.
The whole thing is described in Bhagavad-gita 3.27 very nicely:
kama esa krodha esa rajo-guna-samudbhavah
mahasano maha-papma viddhy enam iha vairinam
You can read this at:
http://www.asitis.com/3/37.html
The process of Krishna consciousness is the way to conquer anger. We need to actually follow the saddhana even if we are angry. Follow the regulative principles chant at least 16 rounds a day the Hare Krishna mantra, read Srila Prabhupada’s books, cook for Krishna and offer the bhoga to Him and distribute prasadam…
We have to look beyond the material world and actually accept that this material world is not our home and we can not actually be happy here. We have to see this human form of life as a great opportunity to escape the cycle of birth and death and to go back home, back to Godhead at the completion of this life…
Krishna consciousness is very powerful if we follow the process as Srila Prabhuapda explains it in his books. And if we follow we will control our anger for sure…
I don’t know exactly your situation but you can read the Bhagavad-gita, your answers are there.
Madhudvisa dasa
Hare Krishna Prabhuji,
this was probably the first time I have seen anybody explain the purpose of the Bhagavad Gita so beautifully. I thank you for spurring us on to read till the end, with patience.
I see the Lord’s grace dawning on my life to resort to Bhagavad Gita, to see through pressing materialistic situations.
I am grateful to you for your email and shall look forward to all your future communications.
Hare Krishna
Sai Krishna
The Perfect Renunciation Chapter 18:64-78 & The Teachings of Lord Caitanya Chapter 32 when matted together make sense!
BG 18.64: Because you are My very dear friend, I am speaking to you My supreme instruction, the most confidential knowledge of all. Hear this from Me, for it is for your benefit.
“You have the highest conception of the pastimes of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa,” Lord Caitanya continued. “Therefore you are seeing Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa everywhere.”
BG 18.66: Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear.
Rāmānanda Rāya replied: “I request that You not try to hide Yourself. I understand that You have accepted the complexion and mode of thinking of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī and that You are trying to understand Yourself from the viewpoint of Rādhārāṇī. You have actually advented Yourself to take this point of view. Although You incarnate mainly to understand Your own self, You are at the same time distributing love of Kṛṣṇa to the world. Now You have personally come here to deliver me. Please don’t try to deceive me, I beg You. It is not good for You.”
BG 18.67: This confidential knowledge may never be explained to those who are not austere, or devoted, or engaged in devotional service, nor to one who is envious of Me.
Being very satisfied, Lord Caitanya smiled and showed Rāmānanda His real form as the combination of Śrī Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa. Thus Lord Caitanya was Śrī Kṛṣṇa Himself with the external features of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. His transcendental ability to become two and then to become one again was revealed to Rāmānanda Rāya. Those who are fortunate enough to understand Lord Caitanya as well as the Vṛndāvana pastimes of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa can be able, by the mercy of Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī, to know about the real identity of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
BG 18.68: For one who explains this supreme secret to the devotees, pure devotional service is guaranteed, and at the end he will come back to Me.
Upon seeing this unique feature of Lord Caitanya, Rāmānanda Rāya fainted and fell on the floor. Lord Caitanya then touched him, and he came to his senses. Rāmānanda Rāya was then surprised to see Lord Caitanya again in His mendicant dress. Lord Caitanya embraced and pacified him and informed him that he was the only one to have seen this form. “Because you have understood the purpose of My incarnation, you are privileged to have seen this particular feature of My personality,” the Lord said. “My dear Rāmānanda, I am not a different person with a fair complexion known as Gaurapuruṣa. I am the selfsame Kṛṣṇa the son of Mahārāja Nanda, and due to contact with the body of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī I have now assumed this form. Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī does not touch anyone but Kṛṣṇa; therefore She has influenced Me with Her complexion, mind and words. In this way I am just trying to understand the transcendental flavor of Her relationship with Kṛṣṇa.”
BG 18.72: O son of Pṛthā, O conqueror of wealth, have you heard this with an attentive mind? And are your ignorance and illusions now dispelled?
The fact is that both Kṛṣṇa and Lord Caitanya are the original Personality of Godhead. No one should try to eliminate Lord Caitanya from Śrī Kṛṣṇa. In His form of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, He is the supreme enjoyer, and in His form of Lord Caitanya, He is the supreme enjoyed. No one can be more superexcellently attractive than Śrī Kṛṣṇa, and but for Śrī Kṛṣṇa, no one can enjoy the supreme form of devotion, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. But for Śrī Kṛṣṇa, all Viṣṇu forms are lacking this ability. This is explained in the description of Govinda in Caitanya-caritāmṛta. There it is said that Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī is the only personality who can infuse Śrī Kṛṣṇa with transcendental pleasure. Thus Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī is the chief damsel of Vraja in love with Govinda, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa.
BG 18.73: Arjuna said: My dear Kṛṣṇa, O infallible one, my illusion is now gone. I have regained my memory by Your mercy. I am now firm and free from doubt and am prepared to act according to Your instructions.
“Please rest assured that I have nothing to hide from you,” Lord Caitanya told Rāmānanda. “Even if I do try to hide from you, you are such an advanced devotee that you can understand all My secrets. I request that you please keep this a secret and do not disclose it to anyone. If it were revealed, everyone would consider Me a madman. The facts which I have disclosed to you cannot be understood by materialistic people. When they hear of this, they will simply laugh at Me. You can understand this yourself and keep it to yourself. From a materialistic point of view, a devotee becomes mad in his ecstasy of love for Kṛṣṇa. Both you and I are just like madmen. So please don’t disclose these facts to ordinary men. If you do, they will surely laugh at Me.”
BG 18.75: By the mercy of Vyāsa, I have heard these most confidential talks directly from the master of all mysticism, Kṛṣṇa, who was speaking personally to Arjuna.
Lord Caitanya then passed ten nights with Rāmānanda Rāya, enjoyed his company and discussed the pastimes of Kṛṣṇa and Rādhā. The discussions between them were on the highest level of love for Kṛṣṇa. Some of these talks are described, but most of them could not be described. In Caitanya-caritāmṛta this has been compared to metallurgic examination. The metals compared are discussed in the following sequence: first copper, then bronze, then silver, gold and at last touchstone. The preliminary discussions between Lord Caitanya and Rāmānanda Rāya are considered to be like copper, and the higher discussions are considered to be like gold. The fifth dimension of their discussions, however, is considered to be like touchstone. If one is eager to attain the highest understanding, he must begin with an inquiry into the differences between copper and bronze, then silver and gold and so on.
BG 18.76: O King, as I repeatedly recall this wondrous and holy dialogue between Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna, I take pleasure, being thrilled at every moment.
The next day Lord Caitanya asked Rāmānanda Rāya to allow Him to return to Jagannātha Purī. “We can remain together the rest of our lives at Jagannātha Purī and pass our time in discussing Kṛṣṇa.” Lord Caitanya then embraced Rāmānanda Rāya and sent him to his own place. In the morning the Lord started on His journey. He met Rāmānanda Rāya at a temple of Hanumān on the river bank. After visiting the temple of Hanumān, He left. As long as Caitanya Mahāprabhu remained at Karpūra, all kinds of people met Him, and by His grace everyone became a devotee of the Supreme Lord.
BG 18.77: O King, as I remember the wonderful form of Lord Kṛṣṇa, I am struck with wonder more and more, and I rejoice again and again.
After Lord Caitanya’s departure, Rāmānanda Rāya became overwhelmed due to his separation from the Lord, and he immediately decided to retire from service and meet the Lord again at Jagannātha Purī. The discussions between Rāmānanda Rāya and Lord Caitanya deal with the most concentrated form of devotional service. By hearing these discussions one can understand the pastimes of Śrī Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa as well as the confidential role played by Lord Caitanya. If one is actually fortunate enough to have faith in these discussions, he can enter into the transcendental association of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa.
BG 18.78: Wherever there is Kṛṣṇa, the master of all mystics, and wherever there is Arjuna, the supreme archer, there will also certainly be opulence, victory, extraordinary power, and morality. That is my opinion.
http://vedabase.net/bg/18/en
http://vedabase.net/tlc/32/en
Hare Krishna,
Sir i am very happy to see and join a community which still follows the teachings of krishna.Your letters are a very powerful medium to provide knowledge on spiritual and moral values. But sir we only discuss about Gita and its teachings. Can’t we have some articles related to sanatan dharma(Hindu dharma). I mean to say that there is so much to be discussed about god.
Also sir I can’t be sure about one thing that ” how we, who are from kalyuga can follow all these teachings. Its almost impossible to apply all the krishna teachings to our life?”
Please pardon me if this comment is some what out of focus.
Hare krishna
Hare Krishna Abhimanu
It is not impossible to follow the process of Krishna consciousness at all. It is very easy to chant Hare Krishna, you can do it anywhere, any time… There is no alternative. We have to do it or suffer forever the cycle of birth and death in this miserable material world.
We have no choice. Chant Hare Krishna or rot in Hell forever…
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
YOU ARE DOING A GREAT SERVICE TO THE GOD SRI KRISHNA AND THE HUMANITY. PLEASE CONTINUE THE SAME.
Thank you for the valuable information. I’ve enjoyed reading the articles. The reason why I came here is to find out more the deep spiritual understanding of the wisdom that connects Krishna Absolute Reality/Love with the Abrahamic Faith that promotes the Ultimate Truth or shall I say Absolute Reality. In the Arabic term it is called Tawheed/Onness of God. I hope this blessed platform will enlighten me with some of that wisdom. According to wikipedia Tawheed is translated as “single and absolute truth that transcends the world; a unique, independent and indivisible being, who is independent of the entire creation”.
From what I’ve learnt or understood so far on reading Bhagavad Gita which is not a lot since my background is different I must admit that the Holy knowledge of this great wisdom has helped me understood that all faiths are Universal and the Truth is One just like a pie. Divide it and you do not get the full picture.
Abraham peace and blessings be on him who is our Father and the Father of Monotheism have a closer or shall I say connection with all faiths because of the wisdom that he thought which is to Know the One/Absolute Reality through the Intellect and understanding. Sadly this aspect has been lost and the only way to attain this is through the Universal teachings of the Absolute Truth/Reality. In other words the brotherhood of Mankind depends on the teachings of the Absolute Reality thought by our father Abraham(as).
I hope to learn more about this Universal Wisdom from how other faiths teach it which I personally believe is the way forward in this century. Coming from Abrahamic background with the wisdom of Mohmammed(as) brotherhood of humanity and Universal Ethics is more important to me. That is why I believe that Krishna Love is Universal as we are all part of one Universal Family with Universal Ethics.
Thank you with Universal Love.
Hello sir , My name is Shrinaath Paravasthu , i have read your article with vivid interest . While going through the article the following doubt arouse . If krishna is both the creator and the enjoyer , humans are just co-operating then if i cut a tree then i’m not doing it , i’m just cooperating with the god . Then where will the question of sin ever come and the resulting Karma for future births . Pl pardon my ignorance if anything wrong was asked .
Maananeeya Madhudvisa Dasa mahaneeya,
Manahpoorvaka Namaskruthi sweekuru.
It is always gives me immense pleasure to know about Gita. It is unlimted and anantha vignana Bhandagara for the mankind of all times.
I am to request you one thing. There are many Indian Languages in various parts of India. English is some what difficult to read and understand things to many Indians especially when it pertains to Philosophy or aadhyaathmika paribhasha.
I am from Andhra Pradesh State in India. MY mother tongue is Telugu. Like wise, there are other major Indian Languages. If the script or letters from your Organisation are translated in the native languages and forwarded, the purpose will be fulfilled to the maximum extent. Ofcourse, I can be able to understand but the meanings are bit conplex in English. I trust in the present day of modern technology the translation is not a very difficult one.
My intention is only to suggest that the native language will reach very easily to the heart than the others.
Try to send me in Telugu and if it is not possible continue the usual system.
May the divine spirit of Parama Bhagavatothama Krishna bhagawan will give you more powers to reach the un-heard millions of Gita Sasramsa.
Pranam
Yours in Krishna charana seva.
Bhavadiya
LAKSHMI NRUSIMHA PRASAD
+ 91 9963792544 (Mobile)
Respected guruji
Thank you very much for sending krsna connect mails. I have a copy of BG AS IT IS, shall I start reading it or we will include it in successive e-classes.
Thank you once again.
HARE KRSNA
Hare Krishna,
Madhudvisa Prabhu,In the 6th para of The Subject of Bhagavad Gita —
“The world revolves because every living being thinks that he is the lord and creator of the material world.” could u please explain what this sentence means,am not clear on this..
Hari Bol
Thank you for your newsletter ‘Just What Is The Bhagavad Gita?’
Your explanation is very good.
Hare Krishna.
Hari bol
Hare krishna prabhu
Thankyou for sending such a piece of knowledge
I have query
Is it that all the enjoyment that we get in this material world is directed towards krishna because we are a part of him so he creates and enjoys. Now wat about the sufferings that we face, is he whio suffers for us as well. It is said that he is hari he will take away all your problems. So does he suffers for us.
Looking forward for some elaboration to understand the topic a bit more.
Regards
Saurabh
Hare krishna
Hare krishna
Hare Krishna Madhudvisa dasaji,
My heartiest thanks for sending me this beautiful article!! I loved reading it over and over again. Your newsletters are like pearls of wisdom and brings us closer to Lord Krishna.
Thanks again!
Thanks for the article. I really enjoyed reading the article. I am reading Bhagvad gita from a while.The whole purpose of lord Vishnu is to engage our self. He (Vishnu) is there in everybody then how he can instruct MAYA to control on us & involve us in unethical things.…I am confused now..Please help me in understanding this..
Thanks ,
Suraj.
Hare Krishna prabhu….it was a great experience reading this article…i have loved rama and krishna since a long time now,and particularly enjoying listening to devotional songs of srirama…i want to become a devotee of srirama and shrikrishna…i hope i could achieve lord rama ….jai shri rama..
Hi! I’m struggling to grasp the truth! I really enjoy these articles but I also have some questions that hopefully could be cleared up!
So we are in a material existence, but the atmosphere of the material world does not exist. What does “atmosphere” mean? I don’t understand what this is saying.
And how does this threaten our existence? Because if we are present in a temporary world, and this world vanishes then we vanish too?
Is the main reason we suffer because we are in darkness?
What is the purpose of life that Krishna presents?
and one last question! (sorry)
If we are controlled, then why are we not already perfect?
Thank you! Hope that isn’t too much!
Hare Krishna
Hare Krishna Sara
They are nice questions. Thank you.
The material world is temporary. It does exist but nothing can stay here. You know from your body that it was born, you had a child’s body, then a young person’s body, a teenager body, an youth’s body, an adult body, and you will get an old body and then when the old body is worn out you will be forced to change into another body at the time of death. So the thing that does not exist is the thing we are looking for. Here in the material world we are all struggling to put ourselves in a position where we can exist comfortably. A position where we will be secure and “happy for ever and ever…” So it is this that does not exist. You can not have any stability in the material world because everything is always changing. You can not have any lasting happiness because something that is making you happy today is sure to change tomorrow and you will no longer be happy.
We are “threatened by non-existence” in the material world because we are falsely identifying our material body as ourselves. I am thinking I am an Australian man, but that is my body. It was born in Australia so I identify with that, not knowing that I am actually not this body but the eternal spirit soul residing within the body, so when I see my body is getting old, when I see my body is getting sick, then I am threatened with nonexistence. Because I am thinking I am this Australian man’s body and I see that body is getting old and it is going to die. So I feel I am going to die. I think I am going to cease to exist.
So that is the fear that one experiences by being threatened by non-existence in the material world.
We suffer because we are in darkness. And being in darkness means forgetfulness of Krishna. So if we can re-establish our relationship with Krishna then we will be in the light and wherever there is light there can not be darkness.
As far as the purpose of life we are all servants eternally. We have no other option except to serve. And there are only two masters we can serve. We can serve Krishna or we can serve Maya. Practically, in the material world, we are all servants of maya. People think they are independent and think they are in control of what is happening to them. But that is maya, illusion. Everything is going on under the direction of the modes of material nature and people are being forced to act in a particular way according to their karma, according to what they have done in the past in this and previous lifetimes. So the purpose of life is to change our master from maya to Krishna. Krishna consciousness means to give up serving maya and to serve Krishna instead. In that position we will be truly happy and our relationship with Krishna is eternal, it is not a temporary relationship based on the temporary body. So if we again reestablish our original relationship with Krishna we will be happy eternally.
We are all controlled, as I said, either by Krishna or by Maya. If we are being controlled by Krishna that is perfection, if we are being controlled by maya, that is bondage…
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Hare Krishna, Thanks so much, I am really feeling very happy to subscribe this newsletter. I have received the newsletter on Just what is the Bhagavad Gita? But I want to understand all the things, but slowly. As you said next news letter will explain about Sanatana Dharma, after some of these type of newsletter, will you send the complete BG as a newsletter? with full of explanations examples?
Thanks again..hare krishna
Hare Krishna Dinesh
You can purchase the complete Bhagavad-gita at:
http://krishnastore.com.au/bhagavad-gita-as-it-is-with-bonus-dvd-h-krishna-407.html
Or you can read it online at:
http://asitis.com
After Arjuna surrendered to Krsna, what was the message the Lord gave thereafter? That can be found in the Teachings of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the message Nimai Pandit gave to Sanatana Goswami. & what was that?
This is a nice article of BG. I would suggest that if you mention the glories of Srila Prabhupada,the only Saviour of the entire universe. This would automatically inspire everyone to take up the path of eternity. May this site go on for time eternity.
Ys,
Satya
Namaste! Madhudvisa Prabhuji!
Hare Krishna Hare Rama1
Shree Krishna Sharanam Namaha!
Hardik Dhanyavad Prabhuji for sending this valuable article ( message of Gita).Thanks for considering my interest in Bhagvad Gita. Pl keep sending such articles. It will keep me in touch with God. When I see ur mail I feel god knows me, he cares me & will help me out from this material world.
Prabhuji,I & some of my relatives are working for Hindu revolution,The Sanatana Organisation & HJS to save our religion, temples, epics, tradition, festivals etc. which seems to be on the path of destruction or disappearance by todays situation and Govt. activities. What do you think about it are we on Right or Wrong path?
Shubhangini
Hi Madhudvisa,
Thank you so much for the newsletters to date.
I’m really enjoying them.
I’m 51 years old, and and after some years with Buddhism, I found that it was a little too austere for me, and I wanted to return to Krishna.
I’m glad to be back and am feeling the immediate benefits.
I live in Austrlalia but have never been to a temple, although have attended quite a lot of Kirtan.
The letters are helping greatly with reassurance of Krishna.
Blessings
from
Matthew
hare krishna,
dandapath prabhu thanks for all these helps.bcos of study i am not able to associate with devotees.so only ur mail keeps me in touch with spirituality .once i started receiving this mails i ve not yet broken my chanting also . so thanks once again prabhu
Hare Krishna Prabhu. What great nectar to read. Like Arjuna, I myself have to surrender to Lord Krishna, as the Supreme Personality of Godhead,and except Instruction. My only desire is devotional service.
hare krishna
I am thankfull to god who put me on this planet as a human being.He given me a chance to purify myself.I think for every action there is a reaction. No body can escape from the reactions.that is called karma-fal.But if u are devotee of shri krishna then u are free from this karma-fal.
In Bhagavad-gita, Krsna instructed Arjuna to simply surrender to him & achieve Mukti. In the Teachings of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu who is Krsna himself instructed Sanatana Goswami to be situated in his original constitutional position as an eternal servant of God & achieve Bhakti.
I’m not use to read that much now, but love concise &/or summary version. I
used to love to read alot when I’ve plenty of time. I love to vview the darshan live online while I chant. Haribol! bk. Mark
Hare Krishna Prabhu
I offer my obeissances to His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada.
I ve read this discourse which u have sent. Please continue sending me your emails. Take me under your wings and guide me way back my home. Am still a conditioned soul who has gone astray. Still a materialistic person even after coming to temple every weekends.
I request you to give me some guidance on this matter. Suggest me a good way for me stop drinking tea. Every day I take tea twice, and am not able to stop it inspite of taking great efforts. Why is that am so weak in my determination. Give me some great vision that will inspire me to quit drinking tea.
Regards
Aiming to be a Humble Servant of Lord Krisna
Bharath Patel
Hare Krishna Bharath,
May I suggest that you purchase some de-caffeinated tea. It is the caffeine in tea that is objectionable since it is an artificial stimulant, a mild drug actually. Herbal teas are also available and are some promote bodily health. In this way you may have the satisfaction of enjoying a hot beverage, but not be outside of Srila Prabhupada’s request that devotees avoid all varieties of intoxication.
Hare Krishna Sarva Prabhu
Thank u for your valuable suggestion. Shall look for Herbal tea in the market. I will carry it to my workplace also. I will reply to you, if i feel the difference.
All glories to the Lord
BHARATH PATEl
Hare krishna Prabhuji ,
nice news letter on Bhagavd Gita As it Is..
we can really a lot to learn from that ..
hoping for next news letter to get enlighten by that more and more…
Iam Grateful to You for providing Us such a nectars about bhagavad gita..
hari hari bol !!
Hare Krsna!!
Thank you so much for sendind me the invitation to know this website. Your words are very clear for me. It leads me back to some years ago when I used to listen some speechs on Bhagavad Gita on Sunday mornings.
Indeed I have no words to reply at same level. I am only a good listener or at here, a good reader.
Thanks again.
Haribol
I have purchased a copy of the Bhagavad Gita and enjoying reading it’s beautiful message. I only wish there was a Hare Krishna group where I live
hare krishna
dandvat pranam
your mails are really helpful to me
please kindly keep sending mails
may lord krishna bless you
if possible please mail me what are the duties of a lady ,a houselady if she is married to a krishna conciousness male or nonkrishna conciousness male
please reply fast plzzz
Hare Krishna Neha
Everyone’s duty is to become Krishna conscious. So above everything you need to chant at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra daily and follow the four regulative principles.
The duty of a lady is to serve her husband nicely and hopefully she has a devotee husband and because she is serving him nicely the whole family will be peaceful and everyone will advance in Krishna consciousness.
In Kali-yuga everything is mixed up and things are not working as they should. So I am stressing the absolute importance of becoming Krishna conscious, because if you are Krishna conscious you are in connection with Krishna and Krishna is in your heart and He will guide you what is the best thing to do.
The answer to everything is to become Krishna conscious. And if you become Krishna conscious and if you cook for Krishna and offer the bhoga to Krisna and then to your husband and family even if your husband is not a devotee of Krishna by your association and by taking the Krshna prasadam he will become a devotee.
So that is the idea. We should become ideal devotees of Krishna ourselves and by our influence the people around us will also gradually become Krishna consciousness.
I would not recommend you leave your husband, even if you consider he is not a devotee of Krishna. In this material world for a devotee there will always be so many challenges and so much opposition. You can not just leave when you find some difficult situation. Because you will just go somewhere else and find another difficult situation. Better to stay where you are and become a pure devotee of Krishna yourself there and that will change the whole situation.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Thanks for you straightforward, easy to understand explanations. I like these emails
Hare Krishna Madhudvisa dasa. Thank you so much for your introduction about what is Bhagavad Gita. I have enjoyed reading every bit of it, being brought up from a Hindu Bengali family, I have never been inspired so much about our Vedic connection which is so eternal and yet so near to all of us.
One thing I sometimes wonders about, what people think when disaster strikes and masses of people die in earthquake, hunger,killing in the war. It saddens and we think why our almighty God did not protect us and people think where is our God? I guess we all are suffering in this world, which is vile,meaningless, unjust, and so cruel sometimes. It seems we can’t control all these problems by our own effort but we can change our direction and turn to God for forgiveness and salvation. World is full of darkness and we don’t know, what might happen next.
Please explain me a bit more about, why we are suffering like this. Is it due to our past karma or any other higher purpose beyond it. With my humble obedience to God and all Hare Krishna followers.
Shibkumar
Hare Krishna Prabhu
It is a great question, thanks.
People have such a misconception about this material world. Everyone is trying to make it a comfortable place and as soon as there is a disaster and suffering the people are crying “Why has God done this to us?”
They do not understand what this material world is for.
On one hand Krishna has created this material world as a place for the rebellious souls [us], who want to inmate Krishna by becoming the lord and master ourselves, to “play God.” And if you look around you you will find practically everyone is trying to become the master. Trying to become powerful, trying to become wealthy, trying to become famous, trying to become intelligent, etc. They are all trying to become the master, trying to become God.
This idea of challenging Krishna and trying to become Krishna is absent in the spiritual world. There all the living entities are very happy serving Krishna. And that is our natural, eternal constitutional position, to be a servant of Krishna. But, here in the material world, we have rebelled against this idea of serving Krishna and we want to get people to serve us instead…
This is not natural. We can not become God, we can not become the master. So Krishna has constructed the material world as a place where we can “Play God” but it is designed in such a way that everything we do here will end in frustration and defeat. Krishna describes the material world in the Bhagavad-gita as dukalayam asasvatam. It means this world is temporary and full of miseries. He also calls it mrytu-loka, “the planet of death.” This world is a miserable place full of suffering. That is the way it is designed. That is the way it is meant to be. That is the way it will always be.
We can not make this world into a happy place where we can live forever. It will never be like that. That is the spiritual world. If we want happiness and if we want eternal life then we have to go to the spiritual world for that. We can not expect to find this in the material world.
It is actually Krishna’s mercy that this world is full of so much suffering and so many miseries. Because all this suffering and misery is an imputes to get out of here and go back home, back to Godhead.
So many great devotees have suffered so much from the material point of view. In the Vedas you see the Pandavas were forced into so many suffering conditions by the Kurus. And they were such great devotees. And Prahlada Maharaja the best devotee, the son of Hiranyakasipu, from the material perspective suffered so much at the hands of his father. More recently Thakur Haridas was beaten by the muslims in 21 market places. He should have suffered so much that he should have died. Even in the other countries. Lord Jesus Christ suffered crucifixion at the hands of his followers.
So this idea that why Krishna lets the disasters come, why does Krishna let the people suffer is not a very good question. This material world is a place of suffering. It is meant for suffering and disasters. And the suffering and disasters will get worse and worse as the Kali-yuga progresses.
This suffering is caused by our past karma. Look in the Western world, even in India now, so many cows are being killed every day. And cow killing is described as such a great sin in the Vedas and the reactions to the cow killing are very bad. So we have to suffer so much for this cow killing. Now also child-killing is very popular. So many women have their children murdered while they are still within the womb. Abortion. So we have to suffer the terrible reaction for killing all these children. And yes there is a higher purpose for this suffering. As I said if we realize this world is a miserable place full of suffering then we may give up the idea of trying to make it a comfortable place and trying to live here forever. Instead we should take to Krishna consciousness seriously and at the end of this life go back home, back to Godhead.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Hare Krishna Prabhuji,
I have recently come in association with ISKCON.
There words and newsletters come to me exactly when I needed and as I needed -as a word directly from Lord Krishna!
In krishna I have the deepest love and faith.
Please continue to share these newsletters – they are a source of my knowledge and happiness.
Hare Krishna
hare krishna prabhuji,
please keep on sending such mails
i would like to bring to your notice that the mails posted are received in my spam instead of inbox.so please re-register me or do whatever is needful.
thanking you,
dandavat.
waiting for your reply
Bhagvad Gita is the Ultimate and the original source of knowing self and the universe in it’s complete micro component details.Without Knowing the History One Cannot Locate it’s Geography, The Teachings of Bhagavad Gita takes the Living Entities (Human Civilization) beyond the contemporary and sentiments of the modern world religion..Giving the complete idea an in-depth understanding How Spirit, Mind and Body Works..Finding these kind of True Substances Mostly end up in dry speculation on the other contemporary religion theory..Bhagavad Gita Learned under the Bonafide Spiritual master gives the real vision of spiritual realization..Once a Individual Learned Bhagavad Gita gets in to the real Transcendental Realm Understanding His Constitutional Position with God and Self, Purpose of Living and Whom to Serve and a clear declaration by the Lord The Supreme Personality of Godhead
Lord Krishna.Not a single spiritual scripture apart from Bhagvad Gita is directly oriented by God and that has been the question to many sincere religious and spiritual practitioners.How to know about God and the relation with him taking things far more further then Heaven & Hell..I Suggest People
should take advantage of understanding Bhagavad Gita from a Bonafied Spiritual Master at ISKCON – Founded by His Divine Grace A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada.Individuals should not miss these opportunity of neglecting the original spiritual knowledge from there current religious approach..Every Region talks about purifying Spirit Soul and the Rituals are Practices to Purify the Soul.The Knowledge given in Bhagvad Gita is of Pure Spiritual Knowledge with its Application of it in the today practical Life.One can Enhance its Spiritual Practice by Knowing the Ultimate Truth of the Nature of the Soul and the Super Soul that is Satya-Chit-Anand-Vigraha that’s
Eternal(Ultimate Truth)-Bliss-Full of Knowledge and the relation of Mind and Body with Soul.
Hare Krishna !
Hare Rama
Chataniya Mahaprabhu Ki Jai Ho!
Srila Prabhupada Ki Jai Ho !
Very nice letter. Thanks
Hare Krisna Prabhuji!
Could you please elaborate the following sentence : “We are trying to exist here in the material world but the atmosphere of the material world is nonexistence” ?
Thank you!
Perhaps this sloka from Bahagvad-Gita will be helpful:
“Those who are seers of the truth have concluded that of the nonexistent [the material body] there is no endurance and of the existent [the soul] there is no cessation. This seers have concluded by studying the nature of both.” (Bg. 2.16)
In other words, we as spiritual entities exist eternally, yet where do we “exist”? In the realm of non-existence, this material world. The material world, although real, is described as “non-existant” on account of it’s temporary, mutable nature. The soul, or atma, is, on the other hand, immutable and changeless. Thus the nature of the soul, our true self, and the world we live in are fundamentaly different. The objective of human life is to return to the purely spiritual kingdom of God where life is eternal, as we are.
Hare Krishna Madhudvisa dasa!
Please accept my hubmle obesiances,
all glories to Srila Prabhupada!
I’ve read all the email you’ve sent me, and I’m really enjoying it!
It’s my favorite thing to do these days, and I’m learning so much.
I have read much on my own as well, and I’m starting to understand
at some level.
Dear Madhudvisa dasa, I’m wondering how I can get a spiritual master?
Or when is a person ready to get a spiritiual master?
Thank you so much for the emails!!
Haribol,
Julianne Grovehagen.
It is realy fantastic!
First of all accept my PRANAM at your lotus feet. I am the most grateful man in this Universe that by some means or the other I am connected with a very pure devotee.
All Glories to Guru and Gauranga!!
All Glories to Srila Prabhupada!!
Thanks for a wonderful article.Really, the thing which is related to krishna is PERFACT as HE is.
Please send regularly so that atleast I would connect with a pure DEVOTEE.
Hare Krishna….
Greetings.
Wow to ask what the Bhagavad Gita is is a large question.I have for myself found two things that I find to be true.
1 I searche many years for truth and god and only found misery.
2 Since I have started to read the Bhagavad Gita I have found at least some peace,and I have realized to me the most importent aspect that is helping change my life is that after I stoped struggling and relized god is everywhere thing have improved.
I dont claim to have many answers but I do know if sought with a clean and open mind he will come. Any who wish to contact me can at outlaw_bkr@live.com
Your Humble Servent
Joe Sims
hare krsna, dear madhudvisa dasa , thank you so dearly for sending me this light in my darkest part of my spiritual journey.krsna has a wonderfull way. i,m looking forward to see more of these e-mails, please send me more i would be very greatfull. thank you. blessed be.. carmen.
Jai Shri Krishna.
Hare Krisna Pabhu.pamho.
thank you so much for such a nice letter.now i will try to to learn the Bhagavad Gita keeping this purpose in mind.
Hare Krishna!
Went through the article. Is very informative and an eye opening thought for everyone. plz keep sending me such aricles reguarly….. Thank u everymuch
Hare krishna!!
Thank you for sending me this article. Please sir keep on sending me these articles.
Hare Krsna Prabhu,
Thank you for sending the article, such nectar is exactly what was needed for a youth like myself in Krsna Consciousness and The next issue about Sanatana Dharma is actually what i wanted to find out about, so i greatly appreciate it and thank you for such wonderful service. Many of that which was mentioned in the article was mentioned several times by H.H. Guru Prasad Swami when he came to our country and from what i have read already but its always teaches you new things the more you read. Then if I read the next article i may be able to figure out the difference between Sanatan Dharma and Vaishnavism.
Thank you once again for such wonderful service,
Hare Krsna
Cintamani
Hare Krishna !!!
Respected Prabhuji,
Please accept my humble obeisances.
All Glories to Srila Prabhupada !!!
Thank you very much for the much inspiring Bhagavad Gita introduction notes and the subsequent articles. It really makes for intersting reading.
Hari Bol
vinay.
Hare Krishna Sir..
its Really a great pleasure to be associated with Shri Krishna Connect. I fully Agree with you that spritual life is gradual. i request you tp please enlighten my path of life with your supreme guidance. i wish to discuss my problems with you in coming days and want you to help me to solve the same. i really felt very good after reading your mails. please tell me more about shri bhagwad geeta ji and Shri Krishna’s Life.
Hare Krishna
Regards
Lata Prajapati
Thankyou very much,prabhu madhudvisa dasa you are doing a great job of spreading lord KRSNA’S HOLY NAME AND HIS TEACHINGS, we are the souls searching for lord KRSNA’S GRACE ,and your preaching of LORD KRSNA’S name is wonderfull with in depth knowledge of bhagavad gita…….
THE SUPREME PERSONALITY OF GODHEAD [KRSNA] WILL ALWAYS BLESS YOU…….
YOUR BROTHER
GOVIND.
Hare Rama Hare Rama:
Rama Rama Hare Hare
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Thanks with pleasure in receiving the lifes secret, it is true in whole world in no other religion there is extreme evaluation of life than Bagavat Gita, nothing could compete with the knowledge given from it, lifes true secret is clearly specified, it shows greater & greater interest in going on reading these spiritural vedics.
Jai Shri Krishna.
very nice article…hare krishna..hare rama…
thank you pr.ji all glories to prabhupad these articles very inspiring please continue iam looking foward for more.
Hare Krishna prabhuji,
All Glories to Guru and Gauranga!!
All Glories to Srila Prabhupada!!
Nice e-discourse. However, I have few comments:
[1] I think mail content can be small and daily, rather than large.
[2] This may help to quote more practical examples, than just theory.
[3] If possible, small and relevant images, may give good impact, than the textual content alone.
Yours humble servant!!
Hare Krsna Prabhuji,
Please accept my hubmle obesiances.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
I liked the article, I have fallen in love with Bhagwat Gita and I am getting great strength from it
As you have said spirituality does come slowly and we need to be continuously in Krishna Contentiousness and surrender to him, since I have surrendered to Lord Krishna, I am feeling relived and mistakes when my I was in place are not happening when I am letting Lord to take decisions for me am I am flowing in his flow, I can see many difficulties get resolved automatically by the Lord
I feel I have found “Kamadhenu” and I am falling short of words to explain how great it is
Thanks once again
HARE KRISHNA HARE KRISHNA, KRISHNA KRISHNA HARE HARE
HARE RAMA HARE RAMA RAMA RAMA HARE HARE
Atul
Hare Krishna,
Prabhuji last week i attended d course of Bhagvad Gita Journey of Self Discovery. It was obviously a wonderful experience for me I feel to b blessed to attend tht course. I am very thankful to ISKON & to all their devotees for arranging such an seminar which is must for every1’s life.
Prabhuji from the article which I receive everyday a doubt arose in my mind which I need to ask. The doubt is in the article its mentioned tht to find relief from d sufferings of the Human life we should opt for the teachings of Bhagvad Gita, whereas its clearly stated tht what we r suffering r d deeds of our own Karma not of this birth only but may b of d previous1. If its so then Bhagvad Gita just helps us realizes this & just guides us d way for surrendering to Krishna. Then how come the relief from suffering coz Kala is gonna take care of that
Well I dont know if at all am right or wrong please correct me….
Please forgive if at all there’s any ignorance from my side
Hare Krishna
Sanjay Nair
Hare Krishna Sanjay
Karma is there. And yes, by studying Bhagavad-gita we will understand how karma is working and will see that so many things that are happening in our lives are reactions to activities we have performed in the past in both this life and in previous lives.
And yes, Bhagavad-gita will guide us in the process how to surrender to Krishna. That is what Bhagavad-gita is about. In the beginning Arjuna did not want to fight the Battle of Kuruksettra. But Krishna wanted the fight. So Krishna spoke the Bhagavad-gita with the aim of educating Arjuna as to the purpose of life, which is to surrender to Him [Krishna].
But when one surrenders to Krishna, Krishna will take a special interest in the life of the devotee. So a devotee becomes somewhat free of the chains of karma.
So it is not that, as you seem to be hinting, that by studying Bhagavad-gita we get to understand about how karma works, but there is not much point in this because karma will go in in the same way, if we know about it or if we don’t know about it. No. If we understand the message of Bhagavad-gita, which is to surrender to Krishna, and if we do that, surrender to Krishna, then the effects of karma on us will be very much minimized. Things will change in our lives because Krishna is now taking a special interest in our life.
Hope this answers your question.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Hare Krsna
Please accept my humble obeisances
All glories to Sri Sri Guru & Gauranga !!!!
Dear PrabhuJi
I recently started reading your articles relating to Bhagavad Gita As It Is. Really these scriptures are very eye opening for everyone whether they are devotees, nondevotees or neophytes. We are so absorbed these days in Mayavad philosophy & mundane faiths & beliefs that we have entirely forgotten our purpose of life for which lord Krishna has created us. Hence in the form of Bhagavad Gita & Bhagavatam you are doing perfect service for waking sleeping souls & showing the path to go back home, back to Godhaead Krsna.
Pranam
Dasanudas
Sunil G
Thank you for sending me mails regarding the discussions on Bhagavad Gita. I’ve read Bhagavad Gita. It feels so blissful while reading it. And the other times, it feels as if I’m always missing something. I forget everything and become so happy while reading it but while going outside to the “materialistic” world, it feels like suffocation. I humbly appreciate the explanations given to verses of Bhagavad Gita by Swami Prabhupada but I didn’t felt good while I read
“In practically all the other editions the commentator expresses his own opinions without touching on the spririt of Bhagavad Gita.”
It may be true that many translators give their own views instead of the real spirit of Bhagavad Gita – but it may not be always true. Some translations may give just the word-to-word translations just like Swami Prabhupada did. They also love Lord Sri Krishna, isn’t it bad to say so?
I’ve complete respect towards this institution – ISKON but I didn’t felt good while I found the ISKON members dealing as if they are only the closest to Lord Sri Krishna.
I’m sorry Prabhu, if I said anything wrong and I beg sorry if I’ve made anyone feel bad.
It would be my pleasure if I continue getting mails related to Bhagavad Gita
Thank You
Hare Krishna
Hare Krishna!
The reality is it is very, very difficult to find a translation of the Bhagavad Gita which was published simply to present the message that Krishna gave to Arjuna on the Battlefield of Kuruksettra. And Srila Prabhupada’s Bhagavad-gita As It Is does this. It is doubtful if you can find any other translation of Bhagavad Gita that does this.
The reality is almost everyone who writes a commentary on the Bhagavad Gita has an opinion of his own and he inserts that opinion into his commentary. Srila Prabhupada has not done this. He has simply let Krishna speak. And that is the magic of Bhagavad-gita As It Is.
I know it may sound unreasonable to you to say that Prabhuapda’s Gita is the only Gita that you will find the pure message from Krishna in, but it is most likely true.
The real pure knowledge of Krishna consciousness is very, very rare. We are very fortunate to have the oportunity of getting this knowledge from Srila Prabhuapda a pure devotee of Krishna.
It is nothing to do with ISKCON members. We are talking about Prabhuapda here, and it would be very difficult to find anyone closer to Krishna than Srila Prabhupada. And that is the qualification to explain Krishna. You can not explain anything about Krishna if Krishna is not your very intimate friend. That is why Srila Prabhupada’s Gita is so much better than anything else out there, because Srila Prabhuapda, like Arjuna, is an intimate friend of Krishna. He knows Krishna and can explain everything about Krishna to us.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
really eye-opener knowledge.
thank you for your so much illuminating description.
swami ji can i ask anything related to god . if i can then from where
Adiyen Ramanuja Dasan
Adiyen Desika Dasan
Adiyen praphupada dasan
HARI BOL
JAYA JAYA SRI PANDURANGA….
JAYA JAYA SRI KRSNA
IT’S REALLY A WONDERFUL LEELA OF THE PARAMATMA SRIKRSNA THAT WE PEOPLE CONSTANTANLY DISCUSS ALL THE WONDERFUL TEACHINGS OF HIS MASER-PIECE “BHAGAVAD-GITA, THROUGH THE MOST HUMBLE AND LEARNED SRI MADHUDVISA DASA.IN THIS MODERN AGE ITS REALLY THE HARD WORK OF HONORABLE VOLUNTEERS WHO MADE THIS POSSIBLE
THAT NORMAL PEOPLE ALSO READ AND COME TO KNOW ABOUT THE RIGHT SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE THROUGH A RIGHT SPIRITUAL MASTER LIKE MADHUDVISA DASA.SWAMI(MADHUDVISA DASA) HAS ALS0 TOLD THE IMPORTANCE OF BHAGAVAT NAMA SANKEERTANA TOO ALONG WITH HIS GREAT EXPLANATION OF GITA.INDEED WE ARE GREATFUL TO YOU SWAMI.
THOUSAND HUMBLE PRANAMS TO YOUR LOTUS FEET…
THANKING YOU….
HARE KRSNA HARE KRSNA
RAMAKRISHNA VIDHATHA
Respected Prabhuji,
Thank you very much for writing to me. I am enjoying the study. One thing is not clear to me. In this study you have explained that we are trying to exist here in the material world but the atmosphere of the material world is nonexistence. I shall be glad to know if material world is actual how atmosphere of the material world is non-existence? Please forgive me because it is not clear to me.
Hare Krishna
With regards
Subir Das
Hare Krishna Subir
Krsihna consciousness is not something we can simply understand theoretically. It needs to be realized. And to realize it we need to engage in devotional service. That is the idea. We are all servants of Krishna, but we have come to this material world and forgotten that we are servants of Krishna and we are serving so many others instead. So if we want to understand Krishna consciousness we have to revive this spirit that “I am a servant of Krishna” and practically use our senses to serve Krishna.
As far us trying to exist in an atmosphere of non-existence. The atmosphere of the material world is called “non-existence” because it is not possible to exist here for very long. Everything in the material atmosphere is only manifest for a temporary period of time. Everything comes into existence, grows, produces by-products, dwindles and vanishes. But people live in this world and work for success in this world as if they will be able to stay here forever. So in this sense the materialists are trying to exist [permanently] in an atmosphere where they can not exist for any significant time.
That one can not exist for very long in the material world does not make it non-existent. The material world exists, at sometimes it is manifest, and sometimes it is non-manifest. But one can not exist [for very long] in the material world as it’s atmosphere is of non-existence…
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Respected Swamiji,
Thank you very much.
with regards
Hare Krishna
Subir Das
KRISHNAM VANDE
PARAMANANDAM VANDEHAM
__/|\__
( shree )
hi madhudvisa. i am really enjoying the study.please can you expand where you say the atmosphere of the material world is non-existence. also can you recommend a krishna concious group i can contact.thanks.with respect.gary
Hare Krishna Gary
I am very happy you are enjoying our study of Bhagavad Gita As It Is.
You are asking me for some more information as to why we say the atmosphere of this material world is non-existence.
It is a very subtle point. This material world is not false. So we can not say it is unreal. At the same time because this material world is temporary it is considered to be non-existence.
You can not exist in any particular body in the material world for any appreciable amount of time. Even the body you have today, you will go to bed tonight and tomorrow the body you wake up in will be subtly different. So if you do somehow find some comfortable position in the material world, you may get a good job, find a nice girl, and get a good place to live, still you can not exist in that situation. Because very soon something will change. That is the nature of the material world, change. Nothing is constant here.
In comparison our situation in the spiritual world is a state of real existence. There we can live eternally in a spiritual body full of knowledge, bliss and our spiritual body will remain eternally youthful. That is the real state of existence. Here in the material world we can not exist. Everything is constantly changing. We are suffering birth, old age, disease and death, and there is nothing we can do about this. We are forced to suffer. And also we have to suffer the three kinds of miseries. Miseries from the mind, miseries created by other living entities and miseries created by nature [the demigods who are in charge of nature]. My mind is always giving me something to worry about, even if there is no problem in reality, other living entities like our friends and the insects are causing us pain, and there are many calamities of nature like earthquakes, fires and bad weather that cause us unlimited suffering…
So in this situation we can not exist… Real existance is only possible in the spiritual world.
As far as a Krishna conscious group you can contact the only thing I can recommend is here at http://www.Krishna.org
The problem with religious groups is that after the empowered spiritual leader leaves the scene generally demons take charge of the group and use it for their own purposes. This happens everywhere. It is a very subtle thing. A demon is someone who is using something for his own benefit. So basically everyone is a demon. A devotee is someone who is only working for the pleasure of Krishna. He has no personal interest.
So when you have a religious group with many followers then there is always a group of men who try to become gurus or priests and in so many cases their motivations are not completely pure. Basically we have all come to this material world because we rebelled against God. We have come here to the material world because we want to become the controller, we want to become god. Basically everyone here in the material world has this disease. So when someone who wants to become the controller sees the opportunity of becoming a religious leader or a guru then that is a very good opportunity for him to become the controller of a group of disciples or followers.
If you study the history of all religious movements you will see that this has happened in all religions. When the empowered spiritual leader leaves his “church” is taken over by demons who want to use it to future their own ends of becoming masters and controllers. At this stage the “church” becomes practically useless because such demons can not transmit real spiritual knowledge to their followers.
Unfortunately this has happened in ISKCON, the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, the preaching mission of Srila Prabhupada. So the whole thing has been transformed. Now anyone who accepts Srila Prabhupada as his spiritual master is considered to be a “heretic” by ISKCON. If they were able to they would love to burn all the followers of Srila Prabhupada at the stake as was the Christian tradition for anyone who did not accept the new demonic leaders of the Church. But fortunately in the current political climate the ISKCON leaders can not get away with burning people like me who accept Srila Prabhuapda as their guru at the stake…
So my advice to you is that you simply do what I am doing. That is take shelter of Srila Prabhupada by reading his books, listening to his classes and watching the video recordings we have available. You can get all these things at http://www.KrishnaStore.com
I do not recommend that you follow me, I recommend that you follow Srila Prabhuapda. I am a fallen conditioned soul. I am not qualified to be anyone’s guru. But I can point you in the direction of Srila Prabhuapda and request that you please take shelter of Srila Prabhupada and please surrender to Srila Prabhuapda and please serve Srila Prabhupada.
I can try to answer your questions and give some guidance but ultimately my suggestion is that you please surrender to Srila Prabhuapda and accept him as your master and guide…
There are many sincere devotees in ISKCON who are genuinely serving Srila Prabhuapda and following Srila Prabhupada so if there is some ISKCON temple in your area you can try visiting perhaps for the Sunday feast and see if you meet some inspiring devotees. But you need to keep in mind that the guru system in ISKCON is completely bogus and it is likely that as soon as you enter the door they will try to get you to accept someone other than Srila Prabhuapda as your guru.
It would be OK if they had someone who was a pure devotee, but unfortunately they are advertising a bunch of devotees who even admit that they are conditioned souls. And there is no way a conditioned soul can help us get out of this material world. The bound can not rescue the bound. The rescuer must be liberated.
So the current ISKCON philosophy that the guru does not need to be a pure devotee, that the guru does not have to be a liberated soul, he simply needs to be approved by the GBC, is complete and utter nonsense. And that is the great danger of associating with ISKCON. If you are not careful they will completely distract you from Srila Prabhuapda and instead focus your attention and worship on someone who is not at all capable of taking you back home, back to Godhead, and in this way ISKCON is quite competent to destroy your spiritual life.
It is a difficult thing. ISKCON is a mixture of poison and nectar. If you can take the nectar without taking the poison then all good fortune to you. But for me personally I have tried to do this many times and invariably I end up being completely poisoned by ISKCON.
My heart is very attracted to the concept of ISKCON, but my intelligence is warning me to stay far away from ISKCON. They can not actually help us advance in Krishna consciousness and they are very competent to distract us from the part of serving Srila Prabhupada who we know for sure is a pure devotee of Krishna and who we know for sure is capable of delivering us all back home, back to Godhead.
Of course we need to surrender to him, inquire from him submissively, render service to him. In this way, if Srila Prabhupada is pleased with us, he can give us the real knowledge because he has seen the truth.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Respected shri Madhudvisa Dasa;
I am reading Bhagwadgita as it is for last 8-9 months (Both Hindi and English version) and have very high respects for such a great Book.Thank you for your spiritual teachings.
My Query : as I extract from Bhagawadgita as it is,I understand that In our body, two souls dwell. one is individual soul and second is part and particle of Lord shri Krishna. am I correct ?
If it is correct,then how can individual soul show characteristics / qualities of Lord krishna (though very minutely) because Lord krishna is only Spectator (seer of our activities)in our body.if individual soul is also part and particle of Lord Krishna, then are these two souls representing Lord krishna ?. it is confusing.
I continue to come across so many confusions which I would write later.
Rajesh.Mumbai,India
Hare Krishna Rajesh
Please keep reading Srila Prabhuapda’s Bhagavad-Gita As It Is and your confusion will be reduced as you read more and more.
Also if you take to the chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra seriously Krishna will help you understand from within. You have noted that Krishna is within our hearts as the Supersoul. We have been ignoring Krishna for many, many lifetimes and He says in the Bhagavad gita that “I give remembrance, knowledge and forgetfulness.” The idea here is that if we want to remember Krishna He will help us to remember Him, but if we want to forget Krishna and instead try to “enjoy” in the material world then Krishna will help us to forget Him…
So the point is Krishna is sitting in everyone’s heart as the observer while the individual living entity is also present in the tree of the heart. The individual living entity is trying to enjoy the fruits of his work. Because Krishna is there the individual soul can always turn to His eternal friend, Krishna, and the process of Krishna consciousness is what makes this possible.
Because the individual soul is qualitatively the same as Krishna, although he is very, very minute. He has the same qualities as Krishna. Just like if you take a drop of water out of the ocean and analyze it you will find salt is there in the drop and salt is also there in the ocean. So the drop of sea water contains the same qualities as the ocean.
So the individual soul has the same qualities as Krishna but currently they are covered by the conditioning of our many, many births in the material world and by our forgetfulness of Krishna.
As I have been saying in a few postings recently, these things can not be understood by theoretical knowledge only. These things are only really understood by devotees who surrender to Krishna and who use their energy to serve Krishna.
Really when you think of it what have we got to offer Krishna? We have our life, we have our words, we have our energy, we have our money. So if we do not surrender all these things to Krishna then what is the meaning of Krishna consciousness for us?
Becoming Krishna consciousness is quite a dramatic change in our lives. It means living in a completely different way. So the secrets of the Bhagavad Gita will be open to those who are prepared to actually surrender to Krishna, as Arjuna surrendered to Krishna. Otherwise, if we are not prepared to surrender to Krishna, Krishna will remain a mystery to us, eternally…
Madhudvisa dasa
Sir,
I have a doubt.It is clear in Bhagavad Gita that krishna is supreme himself and he is the incarnation of himself or the Universal Soul or Brahman.Then why most of the people still believe that krishna as the incarnation of vishnu?
I even tried to correct my parents on this.But they thought that I am a non believer of God.Noone is trying to understand me except my Uncle who was an old member of ‘Hare Krishna’ in Bahrain.Why people believe and even the books had written like this.
I had been thinking like this at the time of my Higher secondary education.I don’t know how it came to my mind.It came naturally to my mind.And while reading some quotes of Gita ,it is clear that Krishna is Para Brahma himself.
what we need is common sense which most of the people are lacking.what is happening to the people?please clear my doubts!
Hare Krishna Niroop
You have the correct understanding. Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and as you point out that is very clear from the teachings of Krishna Himself in the Bhagavad Gita and also in Srimad Bhagavatam and many other Vedic literatures. Krishna is described as the original Bhagavan.
Many people in India think that Krishna is an incarnation of Vishnu because that has been incorrectly preached in India, and is still incorrectly preached by many bogus “acharayas.”
People simply believe in what the authority they accept says. So many in India have heard from bogus gurus who preach incorrect and distorted interpretations of the Vedic knowledge. So if one has heard from such a bogus guru and accepted him then he will also have a bogus and distorted understanding of the Vedic philosophy.
The main thing is that you have the correct knowledge and if you practice the process of Krishna consciousness seriously, chanting at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra daily, strictly following the four regulative principles (no illicit sex, no meat eating, no gambling and no intoxication) and seriously study the books of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and engage in practical devotional service then you will see your life become completely transformed. And others will see this also. When they see you becoming Krishna consciousness and see you being transformed like this they will also gain faith in Krishna consciousness and in Srila Prabhuapda and will start to take what you say and what Prabhupada says more seriously.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Dear Prabhuji,
Are the Dashavatars of Vishnu not a reality? Is Krishna not one of Vishnu’s Avataras? I am sure there is nothing wrong in accepting Krshna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but is this a truth that Krishna is not an Avatar or incarnation of Vishnu? The Vishnusahasranama also has a reference to Krishna. Can you kindly help reconcile this. I am least qualified to contest your statements, but I am only humbly trying to know if I am missing something.
regards
Sai Krishna
Hare Krishna Sai
Yes. Dasavatars are true of course. And yes, Krishna is listed in there as one of the Avatars. However Krishna is different from the other avatars in that He is sarva karana karanam, “the cause of all causes”. All the Visnu forms of Godhead are of the same Visnu-tattva category. The example given is if you take one original candle and from that if you light many more candles then all the candles have the same light and in that sense are not different. But still there is one original candle from which all the other candles were lit. And that original candle is Krishna.
Of course in our Dasavatara stotra there is a listing of ten incarnations who have appeared within this universe in chronological order [the tenth incarnation Kalki has not yet appeared] So in this list it appears that Krishna is one of them. And Krishna does appear, but Krishna’s position is He is the original candle from Whom all the other candles are lit.
This is very clearly explained by Krishna in His own words in the Bhagavad-gita. So if you are going to accept Bhagavad-gita you have to accept that Krishna is the original cause of all causes. Krishna makes this very clear all the way through the Bhagavad-gita:
aham sarvasya prabhavo
mattah sarvam pravartate
iti matva bhajante mam
budha bhava-samanvitah [Bg. 10.8]
I am the source of all spiritual and material worlds. Everything emanates from Me. The wise who know this perfectly engage in My devotional service and worship Me with all their hearts. http://www.asitis.com/10/8.html
There is no dobut, there is no question, if you believe Krishna, then Krshna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the cause of all causes and that means Krishna is also the cause of Visnu. If you do not believe Krishna then you are demon and there are plenty of demons. They say “It is folly to be wise when ignorance is bliss.”
But what to do? Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the devotees will accept this, demons will not accept it.
But because the demons do not accept it does not make it false. Krishna is still the Supreme Personality of Godhead…
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
hare krishna madhudvisa dasa.
my respectful to you.
i thank you for the article,i well like to recive it allways is a very good
message take us out of ignorance.thank you very much.
Jai shree Krishna,
My humble obeisance to guruji.
This is the second newsletter that I have received and both have been inspiring to read. Receiving newsletter is a good means for me to take a break from my engagement in the material world and devote some time to spiritual growth through reading valuable message of life. I fully agree with the teachings of Bhagvad Gita and if I could understand correctly from whatever I have read and heard from preachings of Gurus that there are always some god realized personalities on this earth to help deliver the fallen souls from material world. My only question is “How many god realized persons might be present on this earth at the present time?” My humble request to respected Guruji if I could receive an answer.
With due respect to Guruji.
Jai Shree Radhey.
Dear Raju
Hare Krishna!
The preachings from the Gurus you have heard saying there are always some god realized persons on this earth to help deliver the fallen souls from the material world may not be correct. There are many, many times in the material world where no such liberated God realized persons are visible. There may or may not be some present on the earth at any point of time, but even if there are some present if they are not visible, not preaching, then even if they are here you can not get the advantage of their association and instructions.
Actually a pure devotee, a qualified spiritual master, is very, very rare. Krishna points this out in the Bhagavad Gita. Out of many thousands of men only one is interested in spiritual life, out of all those interested in spiritual life only a very few become liberated and out of all these liberated souls most are impersonalists and have no idea or understanding of Krishna. It is only one out of many thousands of liberated souls who understands Krishna in truth. It is only this man who understands Krishna in truth who is a qualified spiritual master. All others do not know Krishna and can not instruct you in such a way that you can come to know Krishna. They can only cheat you.
So when we have the opportunity of associating with such a pure devotee as His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhuapda we must take advantage of this and by Srila Prabhuapda’s mercy we can come to know Krishna. Because Prabhuapda knows Krishna, he can introduce us to Krishna.
The thing is as soon as someone makes a little spiritual advancement he becomes puffed-up and thinks “now I am a qualified guru” and starts to look for disciples. We have seen this time and time and time again in ISKCON. They appoint “gurus” who basically can not even chant 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra daily and follow the regulative principles and generally have very little understanding of the science of Krishna as it is revealed to us by Srila Prabhuapda. It has become like a circus. A false show of bogus gurus with their bogus disciples and they have almost completely destroyed Srila Prabhupada’s ISKCON movement..
So the real truth is a qualified spiritual master is very, very rare, and at any point of time such a qualified spiritual master may not be physically present and available on this planet. So we have to take advantage of the “prominent link.” And that prominent link for us is His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhuapda.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Dear Madhudvisa Prabhu. Thanks for your preaching yajna. Im sure some demigods take inspiration from
Taking part of your endevours
It is really a masterpiece book evermade. I already bought this Book in 1999 but in Indonesian and India version. For me the Book really influance to my life, eventhough that I am Catholic. Thanks a lot to Mr. Prabupadha. It is a great honour that I can read with all my heart His remarkable Book. Forgive me if my English not good or I made a big mistake related my comment.
Namaskar ji,
Although i speak english i am more comfortable with hindi, i want your permission to write in hindi using english language.
For a very very long time i have been seeking for someone who will guide me to lead my life in krishna consiousness. I am so very confused in life that i really dont know how to lead a good life exactly the way krishna wants me to. About kridhna I only know one thing that he is very very kind and bhola i have experienced this always.
please guide me
varsha
Hare Krishna Varsha
I can not read Hindi so please write in English.
The guidance is simple and you know what it is. Chant at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra daily and follow the four regulative principles.
Although other things are nice without chanting your rounds and following the principles they will not be very effective.
I understand your situation is difficult because of the things you need to take because of the kidney transplant. Still if you are serious about spiritual life, and there is no point to anything else in this world, then you need to force yourself to chant at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra daily and only eat prasadam, food cooked by devotees and offered to Krishna with love. These are the main two things.
If you strictly chant at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra daily and only eat Krishna Prasadam then soon you will also be able to follow the regulative principles easily.
Also you need to read the books of Srila Prabhupada to convince your mind of the importance of doing these things.
It may be quite difficult to chant 16 rounds and follow the four regulative principles in the beginning but unless we “rise to the challange” and try our best to do this, there is really not much hope.
Of course in the beginning we may not always succeed. We may fall short of the standard. But if we keep trying then ultimately we will be successful.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Hare Krishna, sir, i read your article it is full of knowledge thanks for such type of divine knowledge. But some times i feel so much frustrated that i forget every thing that i know no knowledge can able to free me from those situation i don’t know how to survive. can u please help me. Hare Krishna
Hare Krishna Madhudvisa Prabhu,
Thank you for all these insightful scriptures, it really helps me a lot thru my daily life. I would love to read more about Krishna,In future .
Thank you,
dear sir
i am pray daily lord krishna,
but maya is delete my mind lord krishna…
for lord krishna SERVANT Good soul.
N.MARIAPPAN
Hare Krishna Madhudvisa,
Thank you for all these insightful scriptures, it really helps me a lot thru my daily life. I would love to read more about Krishna.
Thank you,
Nel
hare krishna prabhuji
dandvat pranam
prabhuji i m very pleased to receive such nice krishna counsious message from you through mail.really you are doing a great service by teaching us about lord krishna and our relationship with him. keep sending message on my e mail
thankyou from the bottom of my heart
your humble servant
pranam
hare krishna
Poojniy Guruji;
being too small to comment on the great subject like Gitaji and learned teacher like you i would like to commiunicate feelings about the article and gitaji. Guruji i am reading two to three shlokas of gitaji along with its meaning from book by Master A C Bhaktivedantji. however the message given in this article has enlightenned me very much. it will certainly be a pleasure to read the evry time i receive it. and i will certainly be inspired by it. the article gives a deepening soothong to our minds and soul. please keep it up and enlighten our lives and make us free from worldly pains ans sufferings.
Haribol, All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
Yes this website is very nicely done, good presentation and readable for those used to articles. Of course one should have the books as well, but I have always looked to krishna.org to supplement my readings. It is an excellent site and Madhudvisa dasa is doing a great service by introducing many to Prabhupada’s teachings, including myself. Hare Krsna
thanku very much prabhuji for ur insightful emails on bg.
these r really enlightning
CHRISTOS
hari bol,
Thankyou prabhuji for this news letter, it really helps us creating krishnamay environment around us. And with this materialistic world around mails like these help us to come back on the bhakti path.
Pls do send me mails.
Hare krishna hare krishna krishna krishna hare hare , hare rama hare rama rama rama hare hare
hare krishna hare ram,
dear friends,
shri madbhagwadgita is realy a turning point in my life. i am reading it from last 5 years. now i read the twelth lesson every day and i am thorough.
it gives me inner strength and confidence, whenever i face problem i just remember any line of it and immediately i overcome it.
i have 5 different type of Gita, but always look for new one.
thanks for accepting me.
hare ram hare krishna
Dear Madhudvisa Deva,
I am eternally grateful for your daily lessons on the Baghavad Gita. It has been very inspiring and informative. You have given me a connection with the Krsna community. I do not live near a temple and have no contact with devotees, as I know of none in my area. I do the best that I can on my own, reading Srila Prabhupada’s books, and trying to learn. Thank you for this connection. I fail miserably many days, but through your instruction and this website, I am inspired and hopeful. May the blessing of Lord Krsna surround you always!
Glenn
hare Krishna Prabhu Ji,
PAMHO
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
All glories to Sri Guru and Gouranga.
Thank you very much for writing this heart-touching article.
Krishna is so merciful that He is so much eager to give the eternal knowledge and bliss through His devotees like you. My heart is hard that it is not identifying the real truth. I beg the mercy of His devotees.
!!Hare Krishna!!
Thanks so much for your emails. They are helping me a great deal.
Dear Prabu,
Please accept my humble pranams.
Gifted are you for being able to enjoy the Gyan of Sri Sri Sri Krsna’s Song ‘Sri Bhagavad Gita’. Gifted we are being able to receive the nectar of the ‘Sri Bhagavad Gita’ from a devotee like you.
Been going through tougher times off late and was pondering over how to break the ice and see the light. Knew Sri Bhagavad Gita will have the solution. But been procrastinating by dwelling into the realms my own dark world of problems. Just a thought of ‘Sri Bhagavad Gita’ has sent messages miles across to you to send me a simplified version in the form of your newsletters. Now I am in the right path … an enlightened path, understanding life through the ‘Small’ mails that you are sending.
Thank you for your service to mankind.
Hare Krsna!
hare krishna
reading this article ws jus like i want to jus wind up my life from this life and be a devotee of krishna but as are bound wid life,i m jus hold back to caryy on wid this life…why is it so k even a person is so good to evryone still he/she suffer from sorrows and all other problems..is it all realated to previous janam or so…why cant v leave all upto god for our sorrows ..
very blessed to have the gita. “remember when you had no religion, when all you had was him” – rumi to me i feel like having the gita is having him again during the flight duration. I would also like to thank this website for having me on the mailing list.
Hare Krishna Prabhuji,
Thank you very much for briefing about the Purpose of Bhagvad Gita. In this Holy Book Lord Krishna has described the “Self (ATMAA)” as never born, never dead, nor it is destroyed by the fire, nor by water, nor it is divided by the weapon, etc. But I’m in confusion where this “Self” really is situated. If we think about us, we are made of bones, flesh and the blood. In reality we are not this bone, flesh and blood which are in medical terms are tissues. There is also “Mind” by which we are in consciousness. The Mind is the wave. And the Mind is also not “me” and “mine”. This body and the mind are impermanent and subjects of the senses are also impermanent and are not “me” and “mine”. Then to what I really can describe as my “Self” ? Kindly explain on it.
Hare Krishna.
It’s nice to read wonderful articles sent by you and I like to inform please keep sending such articles since Bhagavad gita is really confusing and it will be nice to hear from devotees.
HARE KRISHNA
I READ EVERYTHING TWICE THRICE BUT I THINK I AM MINUTE PARTICLE IN FRONT OF YOU WHAT I THINK WITH YOUR HELP I WILL BE ABLE LIVE REST OF LIFE FOR THAT MOTIVE FOR WHICH ALMIGHTY HAS GIVEN THIS BEAUTIFULL WORLD TO SEE TO SERVE TO PRAY
RADHEY RADHEY
YOUR DAS
RAKESH ARORA
Sri Radhe Krishna
The letter is full of nector. I really enjoyed.
I have still in my mind that why we have been put to this nonexisting world to suffer. If we have to achieve the moksha ultimately. then there would other ways also by not coming to this perishing world.
Pl. reply
Waiting for your solutions
Hare krishna prabhuji
Dantavat pranam
Thank you very much for sending newsletter.Its giving new energy for me day to day life.I hope its keep me fully krishna consciousness at every moment.
Hare krishna prabhu
Dandavat pranam.
Thank you very much for sending newsletter for me,its giving new energy for day to day life.I am attending here friday program regularly,at the same time i hope this kind of mails keep me fully krishna Consciousness.
Hare Krishna Madhudvisa Prabhuji,
I love ISKON, I am the servant of Lord krishna, Prabhupadha Prabhuji is my spiritual Master, Iskon Prabhujis are my Role models.
I have one question.
“Can we chant daily without the Japa beats”
Tnx prabhuji.
Hare Krishna Shivaprakashraj. Yes. you can chant Hare Krishna without beads, but there has to be some system of counting the number of rounds. Srila Prabhuapda has made it clear that his disciples must chant at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna maha mantra daily on beads. So really we should chant on beads. Because that is what Prabhuapda has asked us to do. And why can’t you chant on beads? What is the problem with beads? Anyhow if you must chant some other way there has to be a way of counting the rounds. Some devotees use tally-counters, Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu used to count on his fingers. But Prabhuapda chanted on Tulsi beads and requested that we also chant on Tulsi beads. It is very nice to follow this instruction. But the main thing is to chant the Hare Krishna mantra at least 16 rounds a day, how you count the rounds is secondary.
PAMHO/AGTSP
I’m just wondering what are the possibilities of starting a correspondence course on the Bhagavad Gita verse by verse, just like what you’re doing here, for those of us who don’t really have a nearby temple, or even another devotee to rely upon? I’ve had 2 letters from you so far, and I’m eager to learn more. thankyou so much.
Jai Sri Krsna
Nityananda! Gauranga! Krishna! Rama!
Haribol Prabhuji!
All glories to your “The Purpose of Bhagavad Gita” mailing service. It is always beautiful to see how much time the devotees are willing to give for the service of Supreme Personality of Godhead Lord Sri Krsna.
In this “modern” (Kali) world where the internet has become another a place for perverted human minds where they seek everything that could corrupt their mind body & soul it always draws a smile on my face when I see that then again some people use it for the right purpose by spreading the Gita & the teachings of The Lord & His avatars.
All glories to the devotees, All glories to their purpose whatever it is.
Bhakti yoga ki jai!
All Glories to Sri Sri Guru & Gauranga
All Glories to Srila Prabhupada
Hare Krishna Madhudvisa Prabhuji,
I am the reader of Bhagwat githa as it it and also trying to practice concentration by regularly chanting the hare krishna maha mantra.
i have just started and am trying to understand the materialistic world and digest the existence which is a very difficult thing.I get many doubts while i am reading bhagwat gita. Like We are temporally engaged in different activities, but all of these activities can be purified when we give up all these temporary activities and take up the activities which are prescribed by the Supreme Lord. This is called our pure life.The then question that comes to my mind on reading your article is, how do we really achieve at the attainment of the pure life, wherein, it is an existing fact that, we are fully covered with impurities within and do act for the same cause to get some material satisfaction!!!!
Please let us know how exactly the attachment to this materialistic world can be detached through krishna consciousness..
Expecting from you shortly.
Veda
Hare Krishna Veda. Very good question. We have to purify ourselves of the impurities and stop acting with the cause of getting some material satisfaction. The purification happens as a result of performing the nine kinds of devotional service: hearing, chanting, remembering, worshipping the lotus feet of Krishna, worshipping the Lord in the temple, offering prayers to the Lord, and surrendering everything: mind, body and words, in the service of the Lord. These are the nine parts of bhakti. Any one of these processes, if perfectly performed, can give us liberation, and there are examples of great devotees who have become perfect by following just one of these processes. And there are also examples of great devotees who have followed all the processes. For us at the present time Lord Caitanya has recommended one process above all the others for this age. He quotes the verse hari nam hare nam hari nam eva kevalam kalu…. “In this age of Kali, the only way [repeats 3 time for emphasis] to make advancement in spiritual life is to chant the name of Hari.
So although there are different processed of purification the most powerful at the current time is the chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra. This will gradually purify your heart of all material contaminations. And your other point is how can we stop acting for the purpose of getting some material satisfaction. This is possible if we change our activities into activities that we do for the satisfaction of Krishna. It is not possible to stop activities as some will suggest. We have to do something. If you falsly try to stop everything it will only last for a short time and you will have to start performing activities again. So we have to learn how to act in such a way that the purpose is for the pleasure of Krishna. Learning how to do this is the process of Krishna consciousness.
Pamho ,Madhudvisa dasa .
It’s with great pleasure I recieve your lessons-letters. It’s a real inspiration. When I chant on my japabeads the mind many times wanders off into the mundane. Your electronic preacing helps me more to greet every bead like one of the Gopies of Vrindavan. The meditation gets a lot easier. In the chapter 18 text 66 of the Bhagavad-gita As It Is, Krishna says :”Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinfull reactions. Do not fear.” This verse is of uttermost importance today as there is so much turmoil and fighting in the name of religion as it’s never been since the great battle on Kuruksetra. I can hardly wait untill everybody on the earth in every town and village has gotten this message and understands it in their hearts. Meanwhile I will eagerly consume the nectar of your letters and pray for your health so as to keep up this great work.
Gauranga Haribol !
Jarle
Hare Krishna Prabhuji
Thanks you very much for sending the articles
I really enjoyed and hope for next letter
Thank you again and angain
HARE KRISHNA HARE KRISHNA
KRISHNA KRISHNA HARE HARE
HARE RAMA HARE RAMA
RAMA RAMA HARE HARE ………..
thankyou for sending me all this l am enjoying learning and am excited look forward to next newsletter thankyou
hare krishna Madhudvisa dasaji,there is no doubt that being in krishna consciousness is eternally blissful,but at the same time is not waging a war against the entire world by not following the so called established principles of material manifestation?I humbly request you to guide me through this. thank you once again swamiji for the second news letter.HARE KRISHNA HARE KRISHNA KRISHNA KRISHNA HARE HARE/HARE RAMA HARE RAMA RAMA RAMA HARE HARE.
Hare Krishna Prabhu. Yes, you are right for sure. Becoming determined to be Krishna Conscious does put yourself at odds with the rest of the world. The whole world is working on the principle that happiness comes from sense gratification but as devotees we know that is not at all correct. Happiness can only experienced through serving Krishna. So as devotees we have a completely different outlook on the world and we do not think the things the materialists work very hard for: fame, profit, adoration and distinction to be at all important. Rather devotees want to glorify Krishna and glorify Krishna’s pure devotee. They are not interested in any glory for themselves. Taking to Krishna consciousness is really declaring war against maya. And in the material world practically everyone is a servant of maya. So, yes, for a serious devotee there will be so much opposition. But it does not matter, Krishna is more powerful than maya. Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Hare Krishna Prabhuji …
All Glories to Srila Prabhupada THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE ARTICLE
Namasti Madhudvisa Prabhuji,
Thank you for a gloriously informative article. I have read the Bhagavad Gita once, and is now reading again up to the Eleventh Discourse. If I may ask a question? In the Bhagavad Gita, The Blessed Lord said that we should concentrate on Him, meditate upon Him alone with absolute devotion, and when we depart this world, we will come directly to Him. The Hare Krishna Network however, says that chanting the Maha-Mantra, Hare Krishna Hare Krishna alone is sufficient. Is this not a contradiction? Please clarify this for me.
Thanks,
All Blessings to You Prabhuji.
Hare Krishna Yvonne
Krishna and Krishna’s name and Krishna’s book Bhagavad Gita are all nondifferent. So concentrating on the Hare Krishna mantra is concentrating on Krishna. Chanting the Hare Krishna mantra is meditating on Krishna. And we should do this chanting with absolute devotion. Without chanting Hare Krishna it is very difficult to concentrate on Krishna. The mind is so restless, it is always trying to pull our concentration away from Krishna. But if we keep chanting the Hare Krishna mantra that will drag our restless mind back to Krishna. So actually chanting the Hare Krishna mantra is sufficient but to chant the Hare Krishna mantra purely that requires some great determination to do it, even though in the beginning of chanting Hare Krishna we may have no taste for the chanting at all, so to get that determination to chant Hare Krishna, even though we may have no taste for chanting Hare Krishna, it is very important to understand the philosophy. Why we are chanting Hare Krishna and what will be the results from this chanting of Hare Krishna. So if we read Srila Prabhuapda’s books including the Bhagavad Gita that will help us to develop the determination for chanting Hare Krishna in any condition of life.
However, it is true, that if one can chant Hare Krishna purely, that is sufficient.
AUM NAMO BHAGAVATHE VASUDEVAYA
DEAR MADHUDVISA PRABHUJI,
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE ARTICLE. I WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT BHAGAVATH GITHA. SO KNIDLY SEND ME AGAIN.
THANK YOU AGAIN,
WITH PRANAMAM
JAYASANKAR
HARI AUM
“Out of so many human beings who are suffering, there are only a few who are actually enquiring about their position, questioning what they are, why they are put into this difficult position, and so on.”
I can see some reflections of ‘Gita’ verse 7/3 (manuShyANAm….tattvataH)in the above.
Regards
Balagopal
NARAYANA NARAYANA NARAYANA
HARI AUM
Here is a superb deal in ‘gita’ verse 3/31 (ye me… karmabhiH). Getting freed from the tyranny of ACTIONS is in fact every one is yearning for or rather working for the whole life. Here is an offer to get out of the helpless, hapless situations that drive one from action to action to action to.. making one tired of life itself. At least for now read the verse and heave a sigh of relief.
Regards
Balagopal
NARAYANA NARAYANA NARAYANA
AUM NAMO BHAGAVATHE VASUDEVAYA
DEAR MADHUDVISA PRABHUJI,
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE ARTICLE. I WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT BHAGAVATH GITHA. SO KNIDLY SEND ME AGAIN.
THANK YOU AGAIN,
WITH PRANAMAM
CHANDAN
Hare Krsna Madhudvisa Prabhu,
Pse accept my humble obseciances,all glories to Srila Prabhupada.
Thank you very much for sending me this knowledge which is
inspiring and full of nectar,I am thoroughly enjoying reading each
session that you send to me and I look forward of receiving
many more such mails.
Thank you
Jagannath Priya Dasa
Hare Krishna Prabhuji …
All Glories to Srila Prabhupada !!!!
It has been wonderfull reading your articles , i really appreciate it …many thanks to your service in progating this message of Bhagavad Gita and fulfilling Srila Prabhupada’s desire …Preaching is the essence ….
I also forwarding this articles to my colleagues as well so that they also can relish this matchless gift for Bhagavan Sri Krishna ….Keep up this good work ….Once again many thanks …..
Thank you so much for the articles. They nourish me and are exactly what I need to learn. The articles are thoughtful and well written. I have just recently “discovered” Bhagavad Gita and Srila Prabhupada’s writings, so all of this is new for me. Blessings on everyone involved in this project.
Hare Krishna Prabhu,
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
Very well presented article – AS IT IS (just what Krishna says in the Baghavad Gita).
Please continue to send more of such posts.
Ys,
Anjan
Your article is good but i wud lik to have a reply. In the 3rd Chapter that is the Karma Yoga Krishna explains that Man can realise the self in 2 different manners: By Philosophical Speculation & by devotional service. What does devotional service mean here.
Chandrasekhar
I agree with all the comments above. I recently watched a move called This is Life, which illustrates the article perfectly. If we do not understand our constitutional position as servants of the Lord, we are bound to be unhappy as the main character from the movie.
Hare Krishna!
Went through the article. It is very informative and for beginners like us it is a very useful information to glide on the steps of spirtituality.
I would be very happy and in fact would be watiing to get your news letters every day.
I have travelled a long way to reach this route. Every thing has its own time I suppose.
Hare Krishna
Kalpana prasaad
Hare Krishna Chandrasekhar
What is devotional service I am trying to explain gradually. But it will take some time and you need to be a little patient with it. Right now we are just discussing the introduction to Bhagavad-gita. So now we are just introducing the basic idea. I will discuss everything in much more detail as we go on over time. You will see in my next posting that I am speaking of sanatana dharma. There is some hint in there what is devotional service and what it means. Please read that when you get it. I think that will answer your question. There I describe that sanatana dharma means the eternal occupation of the living entity, and that eternal occupation is service and we are all engaged in service. Mostly we are engaged in serving in the material world we serve the family members, we serve at our job we serve the country, in so many ways we are all performing service. These are all material activities that generate karma and keep us entangled in the material world. So what devotional service means is to transfer that service to Krishna, instead of serving in the material world we serve Krishna. The service is still there, but the service is transformed. All these points as well as describing the other processes like jnana [philosophical speculation], karma [working and offering the fruits of the work to Krishna] and yoga [meditational yoga like hatha yoga or astanga yoga] as well as bhakti yoga as we progress through the Gita.
Nice article and great thank.
I have read the letter from Mr. Sunil. a science student, and also logical minded. NOw I like to advise Mr. sunil how he will see or meet ” lord Sree KRISHNA ”
1. Try to be a devotee of Sree Krishna and beleive in GOD
2.Clear-up your mind, Kamana- Basana avoid, be simple, Be trustree
3. Chant Maha mantra all the times. pray to Krishna with full devotation. Fell KRISHNA every where and always feel krishna is with you
4, Cry , Cry , and cry for krishna then you see or meet or talked krishna the suprem power
Oh holy sir,
I have enjoyed your article. I have, over the last several months been tormented and mentally pained in finding the truth. I have talked to my pandit, I have read books amongst the bhagvad gita and vishnu puranas; I have meditated upon the maha mantra and Krishnas name every day just one problem remains.
No one has ever seen God, or their God. I would, above all, love to see Krishna. I want to reach moksha. How can I go about doing this? I am scared that after this life, there may be nothing more. I am an avid Physics student, and science have many many theories of the creation of the universe. I have a scientific mind, in that nothing comes out of nothing it is impossible. When one states a point, it must be backed by facts or proof.
Can you help me? Is there anything you can say to ease me? Have you ever seen Krishna; can I see Him, does He know I want to see him so much?
Thank you for your time I hope to hear from you.
Awaiting you reply,
Sunil
Hare Krishna:
Greeting! Have a good day!!
The article was fabulous and feel like drinking the spiritual nectar of the wholesome truth the one and only KRSNA…..Please keep sending such wonderful articles regarding ISKCON consciousness and a fallen soul like me atleast at the time of death will get relieved from this CYCLE OF BIRTH AND DEATH which is enormously painful to one’s body and false enjoyment thru our IMPERFECT SENSES…………
Radhe Krishna
Your humble servant
Hare Krsna Prabhuji,
Please accept my hubmle obesiances.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
Thankyou so much for sending me such valuable nectar which is priceless because its about Lord Krishna who is all opulent and still so humble and merciful to the entire creation. It is very true that even if we read Bhagavad gita again and again and again, still each time we read it, there is something new to gain and practice in our life. As Srila Prabupadaji explains very nicely in His books that Lord Krishna’s kind mercy and grace is open to His entire creation as we all are His part and parcel, but beacuse only His devotees ask for His mercy they get it..so it is said that He is espcially inclined to them. But He is equal to all, but the devotees faithfully surrender to Him so they attain Him. All is required is surrendering unto the will of the Lord, doing everything for HIS satisfaction. Arjuna did that and attained the highest perfection. We should similarly trust our Lord who loves us without any doubts as doubts are only a product of material nature. This will only mislead and nothing else.
As far as seeing Lord Krishna is concerned, I can remember Prabhupadaji explaining in one of His divine sessions, that first we need to prepare our eyes to see Krishna. Right now, our senses are imperfect and the Lord is perfect. We need to develop the vision of Love for Him. This is the qualification. Once we are perfectly situated in pure love and devotion for Him, then by His grace, He will reveal Himself to the pure devotee. Love can be developed by hearing about Krishna. The best way is reading the Bhagavad Gita (but one thing should be kept in mind, the Gita should not be read with doubts or a speculative nature). One should read it in a submissive manner and trust Lord Krishna’s words just as Sri Arjuna did. If we read the Bhagavad Gita thinking that Lord Krishna is also one of us, then His grace will never be attained as is explained very nicely by Prabhupadaji in His purports. Reading in a surrendering mood, automatically by HIS grace, the qualification of love and faith will develop and one day He will be revealed.
Thankyou Prabhuji once again for these enlightening newsletters.
As it is revealed by the Lord in the eighteenth chapter, that the one who sincerely tries to spread the secret message of the Bhagavad Gita is the most dearest to the Lord.
Please excuse if I may have done any offenses.
Hare Krishna.