deathlessness

If you chant 16 rounds daily, your deathlessness is guaranteed.

- Srila Prabhupada

Overindulgence mitigates sensual desires

Overindulgence in lusty desires mitigates sensual desires…sounds contradictory but this is what Saint Narada is saying. I was reading this sloka from Srimad Bhagavatam and really surprised me. It says if we indulge in excessive sense gratification, being fed up we will turn to spiritual life. I find it difficult to accept because Maya is so strong that she will keep us within her shackles. However, this sloka is spoken by the saintly Narada rishi…so this is something we have to take into consideration. Below is the translation and purport.

Translation
My dear King, if an agricultural field is cultivated again and again, the power of its production decreases, and whatever seeds are sown there are lost. Just as drops of ghee on a fire never extinguish the fire but a flood of ghee will, similarly, overindulgence in lusty desires mitigates such desires entirely.

Purport
If one continuously sprinkles drops of ghee on a fire, the fire will not be extinguished, but if one suddenly puts a lump of ghee on a fire, the fire may possibly be extinguished entirely. Similarly, those who are too sinful and have thus been born in the lower classes are allowed to enjoy sinful activities fully, for thus there is a chance that these activities will become detestful to them, and they will get the opportunity to be purified.

- SB 7.11.33-34

Hare Krishna

8.4 million species versus 8.7 million species

The Padma Purana from the Vedic literatures (which by the way are millions of years old) say that there are 8.4 million species on this planet and that the soul can take birth in any species according to one's karma. The definition of species is different from the modern classification of species.

Modern scientists define species purely based on the morphology of a creature whereas the Vedic science delineates species based on the combination of three modes of material nature with the living being. Depending on the combination of material nature and consciousness of the living being, a body is allotted by material nature to the living being.

Modern science purely designates a species based on external features.

Interesting enough modern scientists estimate that there are totally 8.7 million different species on earth, a number very close to the Vedic counterpart (which is 8.4). Anyways, I take the Vedic science as truth as the number will not change, modern estimates change with time which therefore diminishes its value.

The full report can be read here.

Hare Krishna

Dear Srila Prabhupada...an offering

Dear Srila Prabhupada

Please accept my most humble obeisance.
All glories unto your lotus feet.
All glories to Sri Sri Radha and Krishna

Today is the most auspicious day for individuals who seek a spiritual way of life. This not only includes sincere followers of Srimad Bhagavatam or Bhagavad Gita but also individuals who think beyond this material creation. Indeed, today is your holy appearance day where you advented in the year 1896 for dispelling darkness and initiating the Sankirtan movement at a worldwide level.

The glories of your Divine Grace cannot be summed up in a letter or few paragraphs; in fact, I think it is beyond the confines of words and modern day communication. It is beyond this material creation. Your glories span the entire cosmos just as the million headed Anantha Sesa glorifies the Lord everyday differently. Personally, I have no material or spiritual qualification to glorify you as I am yet to realize your greatness in truth. I am not sure I will ever have the qualification to glorify you in any form or substance. However, it is my pleasure and privilege that I have been given the rarest opportunity to come in contact with your books via Bhagavad Gita (primarily) and that you give me the intelligence to understand its importance. Honestly, I am still bedazzled by your rendition of the Bhagavad Gita so much so that I am still practicing Krishna Consciousness even after years of struggle. How you have captured the depth and at the same time the clarity in a simplistic tone has attracted my heart and want to surrender to the Supreme Absolute Truth. It is clear from the pages of the Gita, as I remember reading it in 1998 that here is a special someone who is writing about a special someone and I happen to open a treasure house of spiritual knowledge. I sincerely thank you for opening up the doors to eternity. It is now, up to me, to tread its path sincerely, and diligently. I pray at your lotus feet that you catch me by my fingers and lead me the way for I have too my material desires that surely will distract me from the path.

I hold your appearance day as the best day of the year because I feel that you are the most compassionate and loving person and remembering such a loving person brings joy to my heart. Even in your chastisement of devotees, I only see your love for the fallen souls. I am attracted towards your compassion and love. In fact, I am one of the beneficiaries of your compassion and love. It is a normal practice that we offer something to the people we adore or love on special days such as “appearance” days. Unfortunately, I am a miser in that regard for I do not have much to offer. In the past year, I have had many ups and downs in life and in all of it somehow I have been managing to stay above water level spiritually speaking. I personally take it that it is your causeless mercy that I am able to stay afloat. I also take it that Krishna is the Supreme Controller who is the Master Orchestrator of all that was, to be and will become.

Srila Prabhupada, you are many things for many people. For me, you will always be the person who showed your love to me without expecting anything in return. You simply wanted my welfare. Indeed you were my true “ever well wisher”. Thank you for making those words true in my life by taking care of me by giving the appropriate guidance and spiritual solace through your books. Thank you for taking the tireless task of spending sleepless nights writing the Srimad Bhagavatam and other books simply for the welfare of modern man. Your sacrifice has helped me re-model my life and help me become a better person. I wish, hope and pray to the Supreme Absolute Truth that I be a small instrument (as you see fit) in your mission.

Otherwise, I have no other desire. Please engage me as your servant of your servant. Please help me to cultivate the appropriate qualities necessary to be your befitting student and instrument of will.

Thank you for your undeserving love.

Always desiring to be your menial servant now and forever.

Hare Krishna

The only way

1. The only purpose of human form of life is purification
2. The only way to get purified is when Krishna is pleased with us
3. The only way to please Krishna is to please Guru (Yasya prasadad Bhagavat ........)
4. The only way to please Guru is to follow his instruction.
5. The only way by which we get determination to follow Guru's instructions is to follow his first and foremost instruction " Wake up early in the morning and chant 16 rounds of Hare Krishna Mahamantra".

This is the only process recommended in the 14 planetary system to perfect our lives.

-H.H.Radhanath Swami

Hare Krishna

Soul generated by Love

Everybody can be great because anybody can serve. You only need a heart full of grace, a soul generated by love

— Dr. Martin Luther King Jr

Although as aspiring Vaishnava, we do not aspire for greatness but to remain meek and humble in service! But I thought the quote struck a chord for me!

Hare Krishna

Bhaktivedanta Hospice

I sincerely pray to Krishna that the these souls go back home back to Godhead. Dying can be a painful process and care is necessary so these souls leave their bodies in a comfortable way. My respects to all the doctors, nurses and volunteers who are doing a grave job of taking care of dying patients. Only faith in Krishna can give us strength and support during those difficult moments. I pray to Krishna to give me the strength when my time comes or when I see my friends and relatives pass away!

Hare Krishna

2 minutes of wisdom with Radhanath Swami