Friday, March 23, 2012
Optimistic...but where is God?
Technological advancement, Prabhupada pointed out, was not real civilisation. "They do not know what is advancement. They had no knowledge that: 'I have to die, and I have to accept another body after death.' They do not know it. So long as this body is there, they are trying to have a very comfortable position. But they do not know that after this body, they have to accept another body. So how will this technology help them? If, in this life, by technological advancement they live very comfortably, and next life they become a dog, then where is the advancement? That they do not know."Prabhupada gave the example of the three-week visa they had obtained to come to Australia. "Suppose in Perth I begin one skyscraper knowing that I shall remain here for only three weeks. Is this intelligence? Similarly, at any moment I can be kicked out."
Later, Prabhupada summed up. "Caitanya Mahaprabhu said: sunyayitam jagat sarvam govinda-virahena me. Sunyayitam means zero. The advancement of modern civilisation is zero, but if you add many thousands of zeros, does the value increase? No, it simply remains zero. But if you add a "one" it will increase the value. That "one" is Krsna consciousness. That will make this material civilisation important -- a hundred, a thousand times more important."
- Srila Prabhupada
- "The Great Transcendental Adventure" by HG Kurma Prabhu
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Nothing wrong in believing but...
In today’s world every individual living being has his or her belief system. I believe this; I believe that etc etc. In accordance to their belief system, people seek friendship, relationships, career, politics, religion etc. In other words the personal belief is about “me” and not necessarily about the issue at hand. For example, I believe in God not because God is great and Supreme but because it makes sense to me that there has to be a supreme force above our normal life or ask God for our daily needs. I do not believe in sexual abstinence because it does not make sense to me as I have to curb that which is natural to my instincts. I believe in Sai Baba because he helped me from my diseased state or performed a miracle by manifesting a Shiva linga. Like this everyone has their belief system that is pertinent to them (primarily).
What is wrong in that one may ask? Well…there is nothing wrong in believing as it is the mark of individuality. The problem is the belief system solely is driven to fulfill one’s own desires or the extension of one’s own desires. For example I do not believe in abstinence of sex because then I have to refrain from illicit sex. I believe in a Supreme force but not necessarily a Personal God because then I have to listen and submit to that God. It is very convenient to have our own beliefs as long it ties smoothly with my life. I believe in patriotism and hence am willing to sacrifice my pleasure for my country. Still however patriotism is about “my” country.
So as long as our belief system is tainted by a selfish motive tied to our body and mind that belief system no matter how noble is considered contaminated. Such a belief system will simply cause distress than good. Therefore an intelligent individual will believe in the best good that one can gain for oneself and for the community at large. Such a belief system has to start with pure knowledge. Pure knowledge that is universal and applicable to the benefit of all living beings including plants and animals. One has to seek such knowledge which transcends sectarian concepts such as “I” and “mine”.
The Bhagavad Gita is such knowledge. It is pure and infallible and was spoken for the benefit of all human beings. It begins by saying that “I am not this body but pure consciousness”. So like this we have to cultivate our belief through knowledge that is universal and infallible.
Hare Krishna
What is wrong in that one may ask? Well…there is nothing wrong in believing as it is the mark of individuality. The problem is the belief system solely is driven to fulfill one’s own desires or the extension of one’s own desires. For example I do not believe in abstinence of sex because then I have to refrain from illicit sex. I believe in a Supreme force but not necessarily a Personal God because then I have to listen and submit to that God. It is very convenient to have our own beliefs as long it ties smoothly with my life. I believe in patriotism and hence am willing to sacrifice my pleasure for my country. Still however patriotism is about “my” country.
So as long as our belief system is tainted by a selfish motive tied to our body and mind that belief system no matter how noble is considered contaminated. Such a belief system will simply cause distress than good. Therefore an intelligent individual will believe in the best good that one can gain for oneself and for the community at large. Such a belief system has to start with pure knowledge. Pure knowledge that is universal and applicable to the benefit of all living beings including plants and animals. One has to seek such knowledge which transcends sectarian concepts such as “I” and “mine”.
The Bhagavad Gita is such knowledge. It is pure and infallible and was spoken for the benefit of all human beings. It begins by saying that “I am not this body but pure consciousness”. So like this we have to cultivate our belief through knowledge that is universal and infallible.
Hare Krishna
Monday, March 19, 2012
When devotees glorify me
Glorification is very intoxicating. When someone glorifies me especially devotees I feel adrenaline rushing and levels of serotonin and dopamine levels increasing. This increase gives a rush to the brain thus giving a pleasing effect of the body and senses. To simply put – sense gratification.
This is the gross experience.
At a more subtle platform I become proud that people especially devotees listen to me and that I am “someone” in this world especially among the devotee community. I am someone in this world to the point where I enjoy being around devotees and at some level this boost of ego is the fuel to perform devotional service. Unfortunately if this is my condition, I am practicing bhakti yoga for all the wrong reasons.
The foundation of practicing yoga is to dismantle this hard knot of “I” and “mine”. However if devotee glorification actually enhances this “I” and “mine”…then I would as an extreme step not associate. I take this step because maya works in such a way that this ego boost will eventually lead to fault finding of devotees and thus aparadh. This is dangerous. So when we are around devotees we should be grave internally practicing detachment of body and mind. Speak the truth for the pleasure of Guru and Gauranga, and serve to our best capacity. If the mind is hankering for acknowledgement just “ignore” the mind. This strategy actually was given by Prabhupada that is - to ignore the wandering mind. The more we practice the art of ignoring the egoistic mind, the more we will be detached from it. This detachment will bring us peace and ultimately happiness. This happiness is in the mode of goodness and conducive for our spiritual growth.
If we feel happy and elated internally when devotees glorify us then perhaps we need to check our motives. However when devotees glorify us and spontaneously transfer the glory without any ownership to Guru, Prabhupada and Krishna, and in that mood feel happy, then we are on the right track. We have to be determined and convinced that glorifying Guru and Krishna is in our best interest and anything else is not. It is very subtle and hence we have to be on watch constantly especially when we are showered with glorious words by devotees.
One who is truly Krishna consciousness will treat words of glory and disgrace equally and not be mentally disturbed. This is the true test of a devotee of Krishna.
Hare Krishna
At a more subtle platform I become proud that people especially devotees listen to me and that I am “someone” in this world especially among the devotee community. I am someone in this world to the point where I enjoy being around devotees and at some level this boost of ego is the fuel to perform devotional service. Unfortunately if this is my condition, I am practicing bhakti yoga for all the wrong reasons.
The foundation of practicing yoga is to dismantle this hard knot of “I” and “mine”. However if devotee glorification actually enhances this “I” and “mine”…then I would as an extreme step not associate. I take this step because maya works in such a way that this ego boost will eventually lead to fault finding of devotees and thus aparadh. This is dangerous. So when we are around devotees we should be grave internally practicing detachment of body and mind. Speak the truth for the pleasure of Guru and Gauranga, and serve to our best capacity. If the mind is hankering for acknowledgement just “ignore” the mind. This strategy actually was given by Prabhupada that is - to ignore the wandering mind. The more we practice the art of ignoring the egoistic mind, the more we will be detached from it. This detachment will bring us peace and ultimately happiness. This happiness is in the mode of goodness and conducive for our spiritual growth.
If we feel happy and elated internally when devotees glorify us then perhaps we need to check our motives. However when devotees glorify us and spontaneously transfer the glory without any ownership to Guru, Prabhupada and Krishna, and in that mood feel happy, then we are on the right track. We have to be determined and convinced that glorifying Guru and Krishna is in our best interest and anything else is not. It is very subtle and hence we have to be on watch constantly especially when we are showered with glorious words by devotees.
One who is truly Krishna consciousness will treat words of glory and disgrace equally and not be mentally disturbed. This is the true test of a devotee of Krishna.
Hare Krishna
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Conclusion of the Vedas
In India and also in the west there are so many so called Vedic scholars who have studied the Vedas systematically and use it for their own ulterior motives. In the age of Kali, it is not possible to study the Vedas because of the lack of spiritual teacher. Not only is there lack of proper teacher but also the full body of Vedas is missing.
Originally the One Veda was divided into four by Srila Vyasadev. Then the follower's of Vyasadev sub-divided the Vedas into 1130 branches.
Originally the One Veda was divided into four by Srila Vyasadev. Then the follower's of Vyasadev sub-divided the Vedas into 1130 branches.
eka-vimsati-bhedena rg-veda krtavan pura
sakhana tu satenaiva yajur-vedam athakarot
sama-veda sahasrena sakhana prabibheda sah
atharvanam atho veda bibheda navakena tu
Formerly the Rg Veda was divided into 21 branches, the
Yajur Veda into 100 branches, the Sama Veda into 1,000 branches, and the
Atharva Veda into 9 branches. - Kurma purana 52. 19-20
Each of these branches has 4 subdivisions called Samhita,
Brahmana, Aranyaka, and Upanisad. So all together the Vedas consist of 1,130
Samhitas, 1,130 Brahmanas, 1,130 Aranyakas, and 1,130 Upanisads, a total of
4,520 titles. By the influence of time, however, many texts have been lost. At
present only about 11 Samhitas, 18 Brahmanas, 7 Aranyakas, and 220 Upanisads
are available. This constitutes less than 6% of the original Vedas (source:
Veda - Vedic Knowledge online)
Therefore it is in our own self interest to seek out the
essence of the Vedas. After all the idea behind studying the Vedas is to find
the truth. The truth has been succinctly explained by Lord Krishna in the
Bhagavad Gita. He says;
vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyo
vedānta-kṛd veda-vid eva cāham
By all the Vedas, I am to be known. Indeed, I am the
compiler of Vedānta, and I am the knower of the Vedas- BG 15.15
Anyone serious to understand the conclusions of the Vedas
should not waste time searching for it but simply accept the words of Krishna
as truth. Indeed there is no other scripture or being in this world that declares
such a bold statement - krsnas tu bhagavan svayam, Lord Sri Krishna is the original Personality of Godhead.
Hare Krishna
Monday, February 27, 2012
Scientific evidence for reincarnation - Dr Ian Stevenson
The video is a lecture with scientific evidences on reincarnation. It is given by Dr Ian Stevenson the renowned scientist on this subject matter. If you are interested in hearing to lectures with photographic slide shows, please see this video. It is 29 mins long. Ian Stevenson who is making this presentation is 84 years old at that time and has been conducting such research for nearly 40 years. He died in 2007.
Any objective person has to conclude that reincarnation exists as there is no other plausible explanation for such natural coincidences. The methods used are rigorously tested by scientific methods and hence acceptable by modern day scientific standards.
Bhagavad Gita talks about reincarnation as a fact for more than 5000 years. One thing that is not covered in the presentation is that a human being in one life can devolve into lower species in the next life such as plants, animals or aquatics and continue an endless life of misery. To stop this endless cycle one has to take to spiritual way of life. Bhagavad Gita teaches how.
Hare Krishna
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Making propoganda
Our purpose in Krishna Consciousness is to make propaganda. People can call it proselytizing, evangelizing, brain washing, converting etc etc. It does not matter. People who are interested in the propaganda can benefit and people who are not can go their way. How are we so different from modern day marketing folks? The marketing department is also a propaganda industry and in today’s corporate environment occupies a significant position. No matter how good a product one has, if it is not marketed properly or if it does not have good propaganda material, then the product fails. The whole idea of branding, and design is based on this concept.
Advertisements we see on TV or news papers proclaim their products to be the best and say they are always one up better than their competitor. In fact, advertisements criticize the competitor’s product and glorify their own. This is also true for presidential campaign ads. We will find lot of critical remarks about the opponents. Similarly, in Krishna consciousness, to advertise spiritual life we criticize the competitor – material life. What is wrong? Besides, the mere aspect of public display of God is considered a social taboo today, why? Many times I have heard people say that Religion & God is a private thing, do not interfere. But advertisement for a viagra pill is not private? In fact people shop for sex enhancing drugs and look forward to the advertisements.
So it does not matter, propaganda is essential for the spiritual well being of the society. However, at this juncture I would like to make a point. The difference between corporate propaganda and spiritual is that in spiritual propaganda there is no selfish motive. It is purely to help others. Therefore it is very important that whoever is doing God propaganda should be free of material vices such as intoxication, meat eating, illicit sex and gambling plus they should be engaged in positive service towards God such as chanting and meditation. Otherwise propaganda of God will become selfish and will not have the desired impact. Purity is the force.
Hare Krishna
Advertisements we see on TV or news papers proclaim their products to be the best and say they are always one up better than their competitor. In fact, advertisements criticize the competitor’s product and glorify their own. This is also true for presidential campaign ads. We will find lot of critical remarks about the opponents. Similarly, in Krishna consciousness, to advertise spiritual life we criticize the competitor – material life. What is wrong? Besides, the mere aspect of public display of God is considered a social taboo today, why? Many times I have heard people say that Religion & God is a private thing, do not interfere. But advertisement for a viagra pill is not private? In fact people shop for sex enhancing drugs and look forward to the advertisements.
So it does not matter, propaganda is essential for the spiritual well being of the society. However, at this juncture I would like to make a point. The difference between corporate propaganda and spiritual is that in spiritual propaganda there is no selfish motive. It is purely to help others. Therefore it is very important that whoever is doing God propaganda should be free of material vices such as intoxication, meat eating, illicit sex and gambling plus they should be engaged in positive service towards God such as chanting and meditation. Otherwise propaganda of God will become selfish and will not have the desired impact. Purity is the force.
Hare Krishna
Monday, February 20, 2012
Servitorship v lordship
There is a fundamental difference in the way Christians and Krishna Conscious adherents see this world. This difference is attributed, I think partly to the way the religion is taught in churches and temples although I am not exactly sure to the reference in the Christian Bible.
The modern day Christians practice their faith with the belief that the earth and its resources (including plants and animals etc) are meant for the enjoyment of man. That man should be a steward over the planet’s resources. This dominion or right of stewardship gives the rights to man to enjoy this world. In one sense, this is actually true. God created the planet in response to the desires of the living entity. Krishna consciousness defines living being as the spirit soul (not the outer gross body). This mood of stewardship increases the anthropocentric way of life thus eventually leading to lordship and not servitorship (or mood of service). Meat eating is supported by the church based on this logic, that animals are meant for man's use (even as food).
On the contrary, in Krishna consciousness, the planet and resources are created for man’s welfare but the rights to enjoy those resources are first dedicated to God and then man can enjoy those resources as the mercy of God. In other words, man recognizes that all resources are created by God and hence God is the rightful owner. The individual is not. In that sense, the individual is simply a care-taker and not owner. In the role of care-taker of God’s property, he is entitled to enjoy but as an offering from God. This mentality therefore is based on servitorship of God’s property versus Lordship.
Cultivating servitorship or mood of service towards God and all of His creation including the plants, animals and inanimate things will invoke love and respect towards all beings and ultimately result in love for the creator – the Almighty God. Anything other than servitorship will lead to exploitation and abuse which we are witnessing today.
Hare Krishna
The modern day Christians practice their faith with the belief that the earth and its resources (including plants and animals etc) are meant for the enjoyment of man. That man should be a steward over the planet’s resources. This dominion or right of stewardship gives the rights to man to enjoy this world. In one sense, this is actually true. God created the planet in response to the desires of the living entity. Krishna consciousness defines living being as the spirit soul (not the outer gross body). This mood of stewardship increases the anthropocentric way of life thus eventually leading to lordship and not servitorship (or mood of service). Meat eating is supported by the church based on this logic, that animals are meant for man's use (even as food).
On the contrary, in Krishna consciousness, the planet and resources are created for man’s welfare but the rights to enjoy those resources are first dedicated to God and then man can enjoy those resources as the mercy of God. In other words, man recognizes that all resources are created by God and hence God is the rightful owner. The individual is not. In that sense, the individual is simply a care-taker and not owner. In the role of care-taker of God’s property, he is entitled to enjoy but as an offering from God. This mentality therefore is based on servitorship of God’s property versus Lordship.
Cultivating servitorship or mood of service towards God and all of His creation including the plants, animals and inanimate things will invoke love and respect towards all beings and ultimately result in love for the creator – the Almighty God. Anything other than servitorship will lead to exploitation and abuse which we are witnessing today.
Hare Krishna
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