What does purification of the heart mean?

I am the king, you are the subject, do you not understand the king is the representative of God? You must die! The King was about to order his death. He was so angry. Jada Bharath just stood there. He was not disturbed or elated by the king's actions. He was simply seeing it as the divine arrangement of Krishna. Finally, King Rahugana said "say something". Then Jada Bharath thought here is an opportunity to preach. He began to speak. My dear King you are thinking that you are the king and I am the servant. But this is all an illusion because in the next birth I may be the king and you may be the servant. Who are you? This is all a great illusion that you are thinking you are the body and you are thinking I am my body. We are not these bodies. This is all a mental concoction. The greatest enemy is our own mind. In fact our mind is our only enemy. Because our mind is constantly accepting (sankalpa) one thing and rejecting (vikapla) another thing on the basis of bodily concept of life for sense gratification. Therefore the purpose of human life is to become purified of the mind's tendency for enjoyment.

In every stage of life, we should be striving and struggling for purification. We should not be concerned with the external appearance of how things work out for us in this world. We should only be concerned with how we are being purified by whatever circumstance comes into our life. Whether there is failure or success, happiness or distress, honor or dishonor, pleasure or pain, a devotee simply sees every situation as an opportunity to become purified. He is not so concerned with how things work out from the sensual perspective. He is only concerned with the purification that takes place from that circumstance and the purification takes place to the extent we accept every opportunity as an opportunity to serve Krishna and serve His devotees.

sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaḿ
tat-paratvena nirmalam
hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-
sevanaḿ bhaktir ucyate

CC Madhya 19.170; BRS 1.1.12; Narada Pancharatra

That the same mind and senses that are now causing us due to mental concoction and attachment so much entanglement the same mind and senses when engaged in Krishna’s service, Hrishikesh's service, becomes the very basis of our purification. Therefore the devotee’s only purpose in life is to engage in the service of the Lord for his purification. A devotee is not concerned what my occupation is and what my occupation is not. What this person thinks about me or what this person does not think about me. A devotee does not think how much money I have and how much money I do not have. A devotee is simply thinking in terms of how I can best purify my life. Without purification even if you are very materially successful in this world, your whole life is wasted. All of your endeavors are simply creating a deeper more miserable condition of bondage. Therefore every stage in every circumstance of life from the time of conception to the time one’s body is put on the fire of cremation the human being should always be striving and struggling to purify his mind and purify his senses and he should have really no other objective in life other than that. And the most sublime and powerful means of purification is always think of Krishna; to always think of Krishna and always do the will of Krishna.

The will of Krishna is coming down through disciplic succession, through the spiritual masters, through the great acharyas. When they speak to us we can understand they are speaking the will of Krishna and we learn to always think of Krishna by acting according to their instructions. Sometimes the great souls tell us so many duties we must perform or they tell us through their representatives they are telling us so many duties we must perform. Understand that by performing these duties properly by both internally and externally we are being trained to always think of Krishna and in this life and in the time of death if we can learn in this proper service attitude to always think of Krishna then we return back home back to godhead. You see unless you have a humble service attitude you cannot always think of Krishna. Thinking of Krishna is simply not based on your ability to control your mind. No!

Krishna says in the Gita

sarvasya cāhaḿ hṛdi sanniviṣṭo
mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaḿ ca
vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyo
vedānta-kṛd veda-vid eva cāham

BG 15.15

He within the heart is the source of remembrance, knowledge and forgetfulness. We can only remember Krishna when it is Krishna’s desire to manifest Himself within your mind. It is not by your endeavor and Krishna manifests Himself to the humble devotee who is in the proper service attitude. One may be very scholarly and always be talking about Krishna but if he is proud and does not have a proper service attitude at that time of the greatest need Krishna will not be there. At the time of death when your whole body is full of pain and full of bewilderment and endless distractions all around you and within you it is not possible to think of Krishna unless Krishna reveal to you at that time and Krishna reveals Himself according to the humility of our attitude to serve.

H.H.Radhanath Swami

I am amazed!

I am amazed!!

Ever since I got introduced to Krishna Consciousness sometime back, I have been constantly reading and listening to the pastimes of Srila Prabhupada on this planet. It simply has been wonderful. What is more wonderful, I think, is how much his disciples loved him. The more I read and listen about Prabhupada through his disciples; I am amazed how they could cultivate such immense attachment to the point of unmotivated love towards their spiritual master. Of course, there has been issues during Prabhupada's earthly lila and soon after he left. Still, however, majority if not all loved him so much that they left everything for him. This attachment was not selfish or based on philosophy but purely from one’s heart no matter how contaminated it was. This transformation of heart is an indication of the greatness of Srila Prabhupada. He simply controlled his disciples like a puppet master especially when I read many stories from the books by H.G.Hari Sauri prabhu and others. One thing I clearly understood, his disciples regardless of motivations really had a sincere yearning to please their spiritual master.

Unfortunately, being the miser that I am, I do not have such for my spiritual master who is also able to transform thousands of hearts. How his disciples across the world go to any length to please him. Recently, he made a trip to Sri Rangam with 5000 disciples ready to endeavor difficulty just to be with him. This shows their unalloyed attachment.

I pray to the Almighty Lord to give me some attachment for my spiritual master and Srila Prabhupada.

Hare Krishna

Classical answers to Classical questions from Classical science

How did the Big Bang happen?
Unknown

What, if anything, existed before the Big Bang?
Unknown

What is the nature of dark energy, the dominant entity of the cosmos?
Unknown

What is the nature of dark matter, the second most prevalent entity?
Unknown

How did life arise?
Unknown

How did consciousness arise?
Unknown

What is the fate of the universe, for example, will it keep expanding?
Seemingly yes

Why are the physical constants the way they are?
Unknown

Why are there exactly four forces?
Unknown

Is life further experienced after one’s body dies?
Unknown

Which book provides the best answers?
There is no single book

-Dr Robert Lanza from the book Biocentrism
Chief Scientist at Advanced Cell Technology; and
Adjunct Professor at Wake Forest University School of Medicine

Here are my questions

Why is Big Bang and Evolution taught in school as factual incidents when there are still so many unknowns?
Unknown

How are scientists so confident they will find answers in the near future?
Unknown

Why is scientific knowledge not presented truly and holistically with all of its fullness and limitations at all times?
Unknown

Hare Krishna

Suvarnabhumi International Airport Thailand

This is the sculpture in the Suvarnabhumi Thailand International Airport depicting the scene of "churning the ocean" where the demigods and demons are using the snake Vasuki to churn the milk ocean for nectar. Detailed description of the pastime can be found here

Although majority of the people in Thailand are not Vaishnavas, still the people and the Government decided to erect the pastime as an indication of the once thriving Vaishnava culture of the region.

It is sad in India we are doing quite the opposite. I cannot remember seeing any such grand erection of spiritual pastimes in public buildings. In fact, the Government is making sure to remove any religious edifice in public buildings as to appear as secular and impersonal as possible as not to offend any group or political party. This is a clear sign of degradation of the Indian people - losing their spiritual roots, culture and heritage.

Hare Krishna

Dual Mind-Consciousness Paradigm

Traditional approach

The dividing line between the self and nonself is generally taken to be the skin, strongly implying that I am this body and nothing else. Of course, when a chunk of the body has vanished, as some unfortunate double amputees have experienced, one still feels one-self to be just as “present” and “here” as before, and not subjectively in the least. This logic could be carried forth easily enough until one arrives at solely the brain itself perceiving itself as “me” – because if a human head could be maintained with artificial head and the rest, it would reply “Here!”

- Robert Lanza MD Chief Scientist at Advanced Cell Technology; and Adjunct Professor at Wake Forest University School of Medicine

Alternate approach

This has led some prominent researchers, such as the late Nobel-winning neuroscientist Sir John Eccles, to propose a dualist view of the problem, arguing that the human mind and consciousness may in fact constitute a separate, undiscovered entity apart from the brain

- Sir John Eccles – Neuroscientist and Nobel Prize winner

As you can see, these are two opposing views on the concept of mind/brain and consciousness. The traditional view holds the theory that the mind/brain and consciousness are inherently one (monist approach) thus tying the “self” to the brain where as the alternate view given by a Nobel Laureate and also supported by Karl Popper (Philosopher) say that mind/brain is separate from consciousness (dualist approach).

Both scientists use scientifically accepted methods to arrive at opposing conclusions. This is one example to elucidate the fact that modern scientific conclusions are relative to time, place, and person. It does not teach an “absolute” truth and is not intended to either. Therefore, if we want to understand the real purpose of life, then, we have to approach an absolute yet bonafide source.

The concept of the “self” is steeped in mystery yet Krishna proclaims with boldness that the spirit transcends death and obtains a new physical reality. It seems the Absolute and relative truths co-exist. The Vedic literatures claim that the individual person sees through the eyes, hears through the ears and feels through the skin. In other words, the “real” individual is not physical but spiritual. The external physical covering is a temporary reality. Majority of modern science and its laws are permutation and combination of this external physical covering.

The traditional approach defines “consciousness” based on the temporary nature of the physical body & mind. This definition cannot explain ghostly spirits or life-after death incidences or other paranormal behaviors frequently documented. The second definition, however, lends credence to the existence of a reality beyond the physical realm and hence can explain paranormal behavior.

There is growing body of research trying to prove the dual theory of mind and consciousness. Dr. Sam Parnia heads the inter-continental AWARE study conducted by leading doctors and neuro-scientists. More information can be found here. The AWARE research uses modern clinical and scientific methods to prove that consciousness surpasses physical death. There has been positive progress made in this regard.

In another place, the Late Dr.Ian Stevenson from the University of Virginia, School of Medicine pioneered research on the concept of “reincarnation”. Dr Stevenson used scientific methods to ascertain that reincarnation is indeed a fact and not myth. His work can be found here.

These studies and research only reinforce the words of Krishna spoken 5000 years ago thus giving credibility to Bhagavad Gita as a book of knowledge. What the scientists are trying to uncover in terms of the dual mind-consciousness paradigm has been dealt in detail 5000 years ago in the Bhagavad Gita. Studying it will help us understand the nature of consciousness and its concomitant factors.

Hare Krishna

Happy St Valentine's Day

When Lord Jesus left this world, His word spread across the lands and people took notice. His glories were spread through story telling. The speculation is that this story telling manifested itself as the “Gospels” of Jesus. The New Testament, today, has four Gospels (although it is reported there were more). The four Gospels are Mathew, Mark, Luke and John and all of them tell a story of Jesus in its unique ways.

Immediately after Jesus’s departure, perhaps in a span of 50-100 years, people took up to Jesus’s teachings devoutly and dedicated their lives to him in a sincere and ardent way. This uprising in consciousness resulted in a movement of sorts where the “early followers of Jesus” started to preach the mission of Jesus, helping the poor (especially the Gentiles) and enriching their faith upon the Father in Heaven. This movement brought about hope and inner strength among the common man. This uprising, of course, was despised by the Roman kings and they wanted to quash the movement. Now, keep in mind, there was no such thing as “Christianity” at that time…it was simply faithful followers of Jesus who transformed their lives and wanted to help others. This selfless service to mankind was seen in a negative light by the Roman kings. The Romans started to harass and murder Jesus followers, especially the serious ones. These killings, in fact, helped spread the message even more as the news of the martyrs spread long and wide and made the common man to take notice.

These martyrs were the true heroes and followers of Jesus Christ. Without their dedication and selfless love for Jesus, Christianity (although it is my opinion that the Christian practice today is not what the early followers propagated) would not exist. Although Lord Jesus initiated this movement, it was carried and sustained by these unsung soldiers of faith who then turned to martyrs.

One such martyr, it is believed, is St Valentine. Although there is no one commonly accepted theory of St Valentine, still the one thing that is commonly accepted is that he sacrificed his life for his love for Jesus Christ by helping the poor and spreading Jesus’s message. St Valentine, like others, was a selfless hero who preached the true “Gospel” of the science of “love of God” through service and giving.

Today is Valentine’s Day and we should spare a thought for St Valentine and his message as taught by Jesus Christ. The greatest commandment Jesus Christ taught and apparently propagated by His early followers were

“Love Thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul and with all thy mind” and

“Love thy neighbor as thyself”

– Gospel of Mathew ch 22 text 37 & 39

These two commandments laid the foundation for what was supposed to be a “pure” religion of God. Unfortunately, like many others, the influence of Kali has distorted Jesus’s teachings. However, on this day, while many are rejoicing partaking in sensual desires in the name of St Valentine, let us pray to follow in his footsteps by desiring to Love God unconditionally and desiring to help our neighbors (including our four-legged friends, plants and aquatics) invoke their own relationship with God.

Happy St Valentine’s Day!

Hare Krishna

Just surrender to Krishna - fighting is useless!

Whatever Krishna does to His devotee is perfect. It is easy to say that, when everything is going the way you like it. But when everything is going against you by all material standards, to be very peaceful and undisturbed and say everything is perfect according to Krishna’s plan, that takes realization. If God is perfect, everything that comes from God must be perfect. The only imperfection is if we do not see the connection to God. Then our vision is imperfect. Everything is perfect except our vision. This consciousness is the only consciousness that brings peace. As long as you are battling against the material nature, let me tell you right now, you are a loser. No one can conquer material nature! As long as you are going to fight the problems of material life you are fighting a losing battle. Maya is so powerful (material energy). She is so powerful that the most you can accomplish is that you work so hard that Maya just plays with you to make you think you are winning.

- H.H.Radhanath Swami