Today's reality - an illustration

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Hare Krishna

Bhagavatam describes the universe in more detail

Bernard Haisch is an astrophysicist and author of over 130 scientific publications. Based on his life long study of the universe, below are his inferences;

• Special properties of our universe point to an underlying intelligence.
• God is defined as consciousness and that parts of that consciousness are embedded in us.
• Our reality and the laws of physics is like a vast simulation within God consciousness.
• The universe is like a virtual reality developed and advanced over millions of years.
• Fine tuning of the laws of nature strongly meant to the idea that our universe was meant to be lived in and that near-death experiences allude to a spiritual reality. All of this he says points to God's existence.

Interestingly, all of the above points can be found and agreed upon with much more detail in the Srimad Bhagavatam. We do not have to spend our adult life studying mundane books like Bernard and come to the rudimentary conclusions of the Bhagavatam. Instead, under the guidance of a pure soul, if we simply take to the study of Bhagavatam, we can come to the same conclusions as Bernard and better yet get a more deeper insight into the workings of our universe. Unfortunately, Bhagavatam is dubbed as a religious text and hence not given the due respect the book deserves. 

Hare Krishna

Successful. meaningful and happy life

Tim Ferriss is a tech investor and advisor in Uber, Facebook, Twitter and other leading companies. Based on his interactions with more than 100 leading investors and life experts, he shared their collective inputs (about 80% to 90% of them)  regarding success, happiness and meaning. Few of the points below;

• Everyone successful does some type of mindfulness or meditation for 10 to 20 minutes daily in the morning before they turn their phones on in the morning helping them set their mental and emotional states for the day.
• Another point is journaling - to write down a question or answer that arouse within you (the subconscious you) during the day (a type of deep introspection)
• Another point is to try something new (new behavior) but only for a finite amount of time like two-to-four weeks. Brief changes in behavior reduces the pressure of fear of change.
• Successful people choose projects to cultivate skills and relationships even if a project fails and not for the attachment of the outcome or result. 

Let me rephrase the above points from a Bhagavad Gita perspective

• Shravanam and Kirtanam/Japa - hearing and chanting spiritual topics is a type mindfulness and meditation at its best as it is about Krishna. Srila Prabhupada gave us this method right from mangala arati (early morning).
• Introspection is a standard process for spiritual seekers. It is a type of learning of the self (swadhyaya). With the aid of scriptures, when we introspect our own motives, we transform. 
• In Bhagavad Gita, the core value presented is to change our behavior from material to spiritual. In other words living a life of false ego to less of an ego to no false ego. Therefore, seeking change in behavior is the central principle and not just time based value.
• The fourth point by Time Ferris referenced above is simply karma yoga. Krishna stresses this point many times over in the Bhagavad Gita that we should work not for the results of our action but for a higher cause - dedicating our work/results to Krishna.

Based on his interactions with leading life experts and investors who deal with high-stakes game, Time Ferris invariably points us towards spiritual values to have a successful, meaningful and happy life. Bhagavad Gita teaches us the highest values in spiritual topics. 

Therefore, if we simply follow the program given by Srila Prabhupada as given in the Bhagavad Gita, we can also live a successful, meaningful and happy life.

Hare Krishna

ten years...

Ten years can seem a long time. Certainly many things have changed in the past ten years. I know the first iPhone was released ten years ago and how that has revolutionized the lives of people. Another big change was the housing market crash which I remember was also changing people's lives. America elected the first black president and he heralded something new into the political and social system. In the past ten years, my own personal life has changed a lot. Certainly ten years can seem long and when we look back we can appreciate our losses and thank our successes.

From the perspective of time itself, ten years is negligible. One of the five things that is talked about in the Gita is Time. Time, Krishna says "I am". Krishna manifests as time factor, how He does it is mysterious. Physicists are trying hard to quantify time but are unsuccessful. Time is elusive and difficult to understand. One thing physicists agree is that time is like an arrow that has already left the bow. It is speeding only in one direction. However, according to physicists',through time-warp we can travel back in time. Of course this is only in theory so far. My point is time is the grandest and mysterious thing of all and is executing our lives as we speak.

Last ten years has been a pleasure for me writing this blog. It was ten years ago to this day I began this blog. Writing my mental ramblings in some ways has been therapeutic for me and also a way to express my thoughts and views related to Krishna and life in general. I hope this can continue by the blessings of devotees and Krishna. Regardless, I thank Krishna for giving me the inspiration to write and the readers whoever you are for taking time to read and sharing your comments.

Thank you very much!
Hare Krishna

Krishna is great because He is a perfect gentleman!

We all know and come to learn that this world and life is temporary. We may live at the most for hundred or so years. From a cosmic time scale, hundred years is practically negligible. Our gains and losses, pains and pleasures - all of it is practically negligible. We may glorify our accomplishments and feel sorry for our losses but great saintly people view life as a great leveler. In that sense, we are always advised to tolerate, as there will be good days as much as bad. Despite the utter insignificance of our human existence, still believe it or not, Krishna who is the all-knowing Being facilitates and sanctions our desires in this world.

A desire to see the sunset or speak to a girl or buy a toy or get a particular type of job or mow the lawn or express anger and hate or travel the world or buy a house or an ant collecting food or a bird building a nest or a plant blooming a flower or an amoeba trying to reproduce or Indra enjoying with celestial woman or myriad other desires which from the cosmic sense is utter meaninglessness. An atheist who denies the existence of God is also given all facilities to deny God. Krishna is so kind He also satisfies those who are utterly against Him. Krishna gives the atheists’ His own resources and the intelligence to voice their opinions against Him. Even though we exist amongst billions of species and our life span is practically negligible, still Krishna takes care of every single minute detail of our life of every single living being!

This shows His magnanimity and this shows to me His true greatness. He is a perfect gentleman who is truly liberal and who loves and cares for all the desires (even though insignificant) of all living beings of all times who are for or against Him!

Thank you Krishna!

Hare Krishna

Hearing Krishna katha leads to trance

When we first hear, we gradually start to accept the message. As we hear more, we not only accept but start liking the message. In other words, we become attached to the message. If we continue our hearing, our attachment will lead to chanting/recitation and eventually to remembering.

This remembrance,however, is periodical at this point. So we continue our hearing. As we hear more, our remembrance leads to recollection of the memory. As we recollect more, we become more absorbed in memory of our recollection. This absorption further intensifies our remembering. As our absorption increases, that remembrance which was periodical starts to become frequent and constant. As constant remembrance (meditation) increases, one enters into spiritual samadhi or trance (constant meditation). (paraphrased from Nectar of Instruction, Text 8 purport)

Basically it goes like this in that order

1. Hearing
2. Acceptance
3. Attachment
4. Chanting or Recitation
5. Remembrance
6. Recollection
7. Absorption
8. Meditation (constant remembrance)
9. Spiritual trance (constant meditation)

Hare Krishna

Why should we hear Krishna Katha?

Our very existence is in an atmosphere of non-existence. Why, especially when we are not supposed to be threatened by non-existence? To simply put, we should always exist, we are eternal beings.

Our spiral to non-existence begins by 'misusing' our minute free-will by using it independently of Krishna or God. This is what Bhagavad Gita says. This misuse of free-will is termed as kama or desires free of Krishna. Independent desires entangle and bind us in the three gunas (or ropes of nature). These ropes of nature create cyclical reality thus perpetually binding us.

How to get rid of this perpetual cycle of bondage?

The solution is to connect back to Krishna by always remembering Him and never forgetting Him. This is possible only through constant hearing about Krishna. By constant hearing we can successfully accomplish the following;

1. Hearing cultivates knowledge, leads to vairagya (free from passion/ignorance) and fixes one in devotional service (BG 6.35 and 7.1 purport)
2. Hearing attracts Krishna within one’s heart (Sri Isopanishad, mantra 13 purport)
3. Hearing leads to Spiritual trance. (Nectar of Instruction, text 8 purport)
4. Hearing cultivates love of God (CC Adi 7.141 purport, SB 4.12.42 purport)

The beginning of cutting the bondage begins by cultivation of knowledge through hearing. If we do enough hearing, it will eventually transpire into practice. As we practice gradually the ropes of guna associated with passion and ignorance loosens and we reach the rope of guna associated with goodness. 

Once there, Krishna shows His mercy and guides us from within. As the hearing intensifies, Krishna reveals more and as a result our remembrance and meditation becomes constant without break. This leads to a state of trance or bhava eventually invoking our love for Krishna. 

This final point of love will seal our case in the sense any remaining taste to misuse our free-will not be there and we will voluntarily use our free-will properly. In other words, our first problem of misuse is overridden by proper use. That proper use of free-will happens in an atmosphere of love and service. All of this begins with hearing!

Hare Krishna