The gap between pink slip and red lips By HG Vrindavanlila Devi Dasi

Dear Devotees,

Please accept our humble obeisance's.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada,

All glories to Sri Guru & Gauranga

The gap between pink slip and red lips By HG Vrindavanlila Devi Dasi -article from Dandavats.com

The words were still resounding in my ears. "In view of the recession we have introduced drastic strategic changes and as a part of that your position of

Manager - Content Initiatives stands terminated with immediate effect. In order to ease your exit you need to sign on the resignation papers. This will get you other regular benefits that a normal employee gets and two months' salary, lest you will be denied of everything." Suddenly there was a bump on the road and my cab landed with a thud on the road. The sound brought me back to the harsh reality of city life. I tried to feel the identity card; it was no longer there with me... oh yes, I had surrendered it before leaving the office. I felt blackmailed. The packet bearing the cheque of two months' salary was still in my hand. So, it was a reality. The company for which I had turned down other more lucrative offers, for which I had spent many sleepless nights trying to fix the problems, for which I had torn myself away from the loving arms of my little daughter, no longer needed me. Earlier it was my presence

which was in the company's interest, now it was my absence!

Et tu Brutus...! Between emotional trauma of getting cheated and blackmailed I was traumatized by the fear of uncertainty. Like other materialists, I did not

have a fat bank balance despite a reasonably good pay package. I was the only earning member. I and my daughter were like bogies attached to the engine- my

husband, who was trying to totally utilize his life towards our future spiritual regeneration. He was busy procuring land for our proposed goshala, vidyashala, and other projects in the village. He worked very hard popularizing panchgavya products and awaken awareness in the masses about the significance of cows in spiritual, social, and economical life of man. He had taken a very stupendous task in the perverted world of kaliyuga. Now this pink slip had marked a HALT on all his moves and aspirations. Now he will have to leave all those lofty projects and concentrate once again on all the material concerns, which once again was replete with uncertainty, especially when global recession engulfed the world. Materially, I was not much worried about two of us, we had lived a very difficult life before also- a life where two square meals were also not sure even during pregnancy. But what about my young daughter, who was just five? She was too tender to bear it Krishna. Tears rolled by as I could not imagine her in that situation. My maternal instincts were clouding my eyes despite the best of my effort. Krishna had helped us all through our travails in the past in mysterious ways, how come He did not come to my rescue now? As I tried to question, I could feel the lump in my throat. I felt guilty. He had always been very compassionate and immensely loving. What have I done to earn His love? - Nothing.

tatha paramahamsanam muninam amalatmanam bhakti-yoga -vidhanartham katham pasyema hi striyah

Earlier, people used to engage in severe penances to realize Him, our Srila

Prabhupada himself had to undergo such tribulations trying to spread His holy name, our Guru Maharaj was a living example of penance, simplicity, and total surrender to His supreme will. The higher reality made me red faced.

How could I have the cheek to question what He desires? Every moment was a part

of His supreme will. The situation that we are in, I was in, is what my Guru

Maharaj had forecasted years ago and was toiling hard at his advanced age amid adversities to propagate the Varnasrama mission. Only a society founded on

Varnasrama ideals will take us away from such anxieties towards the Promised Land. His Varnasrama mission was a call to realize our rich spiritual heritage that clearly defined our social, political, and economical life. It was a call to return to our roots. It was a call to return to village life which promised simplicity and was more conducive towards one's spiritual evolution. It was a call to return to where we belonged. It was a call to return to Back to Godhead - our original place. His concept of varnasrama which had appeared little utopian and difficult to understand, all of a sudden became very simple to understand.

The problems that existed at the beginning, stood as they were with no change in their gravity, but I was calm. I could feel His assuring presence around me. I had been mother to my daughter only from these five years or so, only in this birth and was I still feeling the pang for her. Will not God, will not Krishna feel the pang for us who have been His children in all the births from time immemorial? - sarva-yonisu ...aham bija-pradah pita He knows what is best for us. Though for a while, but I did lose my faith in Him and in His boundless mercy?

nasa deho, geho, jo kichu mor arpilun tuw pade, nanda-kis'or

The tradition of surrender propagated by Bhakti Vinoda Thakur was too lofty

for me. I was nowhere near to it. Oh Krishna! I am so worthless, foolish and

completely undeserving of your love and mercy and still you shower it in torrents. I was drifting away from You; and You like a loving parent brought me

back to Your lotus feet! Your red lips, mercifully shower your love even on the bamboo stick, making it an object of envy even to the gopis. The earlier

gap between pink slip and red lips was vanishing. I was closer to His red feet and red lips more than ever before.

padam padam yad vipadam

The material world is fraught with myriad dangers at every step. But they are welcome if they bring us closer to Him:

vipadah santu tah sasvat tatra tatra jagad-guro bhavato darsanam yat syad

punar bhava-darsanam

I wish that all those calamities would happen again and again so that we could see You again and again, for seeing You means that we will no longer see repeated births and deaths.

Thanks Srila Prabhupada, thanks Guru Maharaj for giving us the anesthesia to undergo the painful surgery of material life.

Let us chant and feel with liberation from anxieties:

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare!

The story of Vishvamitra muni

We find in the story of Vishvamitra muni. What kind of tapasya he had performed? Who could do what he has done going into the deserts in the middle of summer with eight fires around you without eating or sleeping or drinking for years at a time, going to the peaks of the Himalayas up to his neck in the waters of the Gangotri with ice around him for years at a time. We have hard enough time if a mosquito lands on us, our mind gets disturbed, “May be I get malaria or something like this.” Vishvamitra muni, what kind of tapasya, undisturbed, he did not move a limb of his body, but Indra was also afraid of that, he must be wanting my abode. So through Kamdev, he sent Menaka. And Menaka, her bangles made sweet sounds. What craziness? after giving up all the pleasures. Vishvamitra muni was a great and powerful king, he gave up everything. And some little pieces of metals clinging together ! But maya has so ridiculously put us to shame. What really she offers us? what is sex? Srila Prabhupada said, you just cut open the container; what is inside; mucous, blood and stool, urine and pus. You go to the polyclinic at Mira Road and you see what is inside peoples body; it’s disgusting. As soon as the body opens, all it is terrible substances, they smell horrible, it feels horrible, they look horrible. Little thin layer of coating and we are mad for it and infatuated by it, and it is in the process of being wrinkled and by time whatever looks pretty now, it is going to be just baggy in a few years, you know it. Yet maya in such an embarrassing situation, for the pure eternal soul which is a part of God which is full of bliss, to become infatuated and attached to a lump of flesh. It is ridiculous, there is some spell, and some metal clinging each other, bangles, what is so great about that. But Vishvamitra muni could not meditate anymore because if those metal pieces of bangles bumping against each other terribly, he could not tolerate. So such a mental game that maya plays on everyone. Maya means that which is not, it is not enjoyable, but it appears enjoyable, but it is not beautiful but it appears beautiful. So he ended up getting married to Menaka and after living with her for some time, he realized that I have fallen down, I made a big mistake and he regretted everything. So he went back and began to perform more tapasya greater that ever before. So Indra sent another heavenly damsel, Rambha. She was also very beautiful and she also very beautiful and she also had nice bangles and anyway when she was singing beautiful songs and everything. And when Vishvamitra muni saw her, he understood that she has come to induce my lust, but I will not allow it to happen and he remembered what had happened last time and he became intolerably angry and by his glance, he cursed her to become a block of salt or stone. And again he lost the merits of his tapasya because he fell down to anger.

H H Radhanath Swami Maharaj

Radha Shyamsundar "Darshan"

Inspiring Book distribution Story

Indradyumna Swami: Then I visited the public restroom near the festival grounds, and I complimented the old cleaning woman. "This is the cleanest public toilet I have ever seen in Poland," I said. "Thank you very much."

She was struck. "I've been working here 10 years," she said, "and you're the first person to ever thank me. But I'm not surprised. You're good people. I've watched your festival from a distance for years now. Everyone leaves your program smiling."

"Can you come also?" I said.

She looked surprised. "You're inviting me?" she asked. "Yes," I said, "to dinner. I'll come get you at 6 p.m. and we'll have dinner together in our vegetarian restaurant."

She looked down. "I'm an old woman," she said. "No one has ever asked me. You know, I ..."

She stopped. Her eyes had welled up with tears.

I took her hand. "I'll be back at six," I said.

But at 5:30 p.m., just an hour into the festival program, our big seven-ton generator broke down. The maintenance crew told me that it appeared to have been sabotaged. "It seems someone poured water into the fuel tank," Niti-laksa das said.

Not everyone appreciates our programs. We have to be always on guard against the envious. So I was 20 minutes late for picking up the old woman. I went with Gaura Hari das and Nandini dasi.

She wasn't there. An old man was sitting in her chair, bent over preparing a bucket of water to clean the toilets. "She went home," he told us. "She wasn't feeling well."

"I'm sorry to hear that," I said. I looked at the thin, gray-haired,poorly dressed old man, and I felt sorry for him.

"Do you know the old woman?" I asked.

"Oh yes," he replied, "she's my wife. We've worked together here for years. Can you imagine that?"

"No," I said, "I can't."

I immediately regretted my answer. I was afraid I had insulted the old man, so I tried to smooth things over. "I don't think there's anything wrong with working here," I said. "I meant to say I ..."

"Don't worry," said the old man. "I know it's not the best work, and it doesn't pay well, but we get by."

He paused. "And do you know how?" he asked.

I was afraid I would put my foot in my mouth again, so I didn't answer.

"By reading the Gita," he said slowly.

Gaura Hari, Nandini, and I looked at each other in amazement.

"Yes," he continued, "your Gita makes sense of everything. You can clearly understand the soul by reading the Gita. No other religion has such a concise explanation of the soul, reincarnation, and karma. If a man kills someone and then himself dies soon after, how will he be punished unless he's born again? Reincarnation explains why some people are born into misery and others into good fortune."

For a moment I thought I was dreaming. Was the old cleaning man really speaking Vedic philosophy?

"Take the material body," he continued. "It is only dead matter. How can it be activated unless there is the presence of the soul? That's why it's wrong to kill animals. They also have souls. God created beings so they could live, not so they could be killed."

I was struck by his clear logic.

"A man works all his life," he continued, "and he gets a pension to live out his remaining days, but the cow gives milk all her life, and then people kill her. It's wrong. And the whole world is suffering the reaction in the form of wars. Therefore God sends messengers at different times to enlighten us to these truths, but people just don't listen. What can be done?"

Gaura Hari turned to me. "Sometimes I think you exaggerate in your diaries," he said, "but I'll never think that again."

"You know," I whispered to him, "that's the same thing Dharmatma prabhu said after we survived a serious car accident near Jagannath Puri."

I turned to the old man. "But there is an answer," I said. "We can have festivals like these to help people understand."

"Yes," he said, "you're right. Go on with your festivals. Let people hear the truth."

I had to return to the festival to give my stage lecture. "One more thing," I said. "Can you and your wife be my guests for dinner tomorrow evening at the last night of the festival?"

He looked surprised.

"Please," I continued. "We'd be honored."

"All right," he said, "thank you."

He stood up and picked up the bucket. "I didn't know what real religion was until I read the Gita," he said softly, half to himself, as he disappeared into the toilets.

Srila Prabhupada's words came to my mind: "Therefore we stress so much in the book distribution. Somehow or other, if the book goes in one hand, he will be benefited ... If he reads one sloka, his life will be successful...Therefore we are stressing so much, 'Please distribute books, distribute books, distribute books.' "

Prabhupada defeating impersonalists

Srila Prabhupad gives a simple, vivid example to illustrate the absurdity of the Impersonalist desire to merge with the Supreme. This example could also be used while preaching to them as atleast a few of them may consider rethinking their goals after hearing this example….

“Now, I can give you another crude example that a, that a, from the mother... Suppose a few children, half a dozen children, has come. Now, what is the intention of the mother? The mother or the father... Mother or father, same thing—who has taken the responsibility of the children. They, they want to be happy. Otherwise, why people are taking so much trouble, whole day, for, I mean, maintaining their children? There is some happiness. Nobody wants to take so much trouble, but at home, because there is some happiness by seeing the children, by maintaining the children, by..., therefore he takes so much trouble. Now, at the same time, the children has also some troubles of life. Now, if one of the children requests the mother, "Mother, you have given birth to me, and... But I find my life very troublesome. Better you again put me in your belly." (laughs) Is it a good proposal? It is not at all a good proposal. This is a disappointment. "Oh," the mother says, "où, my dear son, you are in trouble. Therefore you want to come again into my belly? You want to merge into my existence again?" Well, the mother is unable. He cannot, she cannot do that. But if, if such kind of request is made to the Supreme Lord, He can accept that. For Him it is not possible, impossible. "All right, you want to merge into My existence? Come on. Come on. I, I, I take you." But the thing is whether the son who requests the mother or the father like that, he is sane person. The sane son, the intelligent son, will think, "Well, my father and my mother, they have brought up me. They have begotten me. They have given us our life. All right, let us serve our parents. Let them be happy. Our activities so that..." That is the natural way. That is the natural………

säyujya-mukti... That is not very difficult. But the thing is whether we should think like that, whether it is good for us. ……..

So that merging into the existence of God. There is a liberation like that. But that is not the ultimate.

On the contrary the devotee knows that, …."God has created me as an individual being, so He has got some purpose. And because He has created me for some purpose, I must fulfill that purpose. I must fulfill that purpose."

( Lec, BG 2.12, New York, March 9, 1966 )

Exposing and defeating the Impersonalists was one of Prabhupad’s pet preaching activities. Elsewhere he has commented on how this philosophy had already spread and done a lot of damage in India by spreading negativism. He said they have no proper information so they keep on negating and nullifying…

Enthusiasm in KC by Radhanath Maharaj (Nectarean Mellow)

It is our duty to be enthusiastic in our devotional service to God. If you go to a restaurant waitress of the restaurant is very polite, she may not feel polite, she may hate you, but still she says “Oh thank you very much for coming sir”. So we don’t act according to our mind’s demands, we act according to what is best for us, according to our prescribed duty. It is our duty to be enthusiastic whether you feel enthusiastic or notbecause that will please Krishna. And if you do so; Krishna will see your desire and then He will fill your heart with real enthusiasm. He will pay you; he will pay you well by giving you true enthusiasm and deep realisation. So the time we don’t have enthusiasm is the best time to make spiritual advancement if you act enthusiastic any way. That shows we are sincere. Any one can do things, which they like to do all the time, but the real bliss of Krishna Consciousness is when your mind and senses say NO but your intelligence says I will do anyway for the pleasure of the Lord for the service of the Lord. So you are acting in enthusiasm and enthusiasm will come, not just the mental emotional state of enthusiasm, the real spiritual inspiration of enthusiasm will gradually come.

The Five Most Powerful Bhakti Practices

The Five Most Powerful Bhakti Practices

Discussing Srimad-Bhagavatam is an essential Bhakti practice

· To chant the Hare Krishna mantra.

· To read and speak about Srimad-Bhagavatam.

· To offer services to the Deity at home or in the temple.

· To associate with the Lord’s devotees.

· To live in a holy place connected to Lord Krishna.

Reading Srimad-Bhagavatam

This beautiful Bhagavatam, compiled by the great sage Vyasadeva [in his maturity], is sufficient in itself for God realization. As soon as one attentively and submissively hears the message of the Bhagavatam, by this culture of knowledge the Supreme Lord is established within his heart.—Srimad-
Bhagavatam
1.1.2

Srimad-Bhagavatam, spoken shortly after Lord Krishna’s time on earth, is a treatise that explains the science of God in detail, including His creation, His eternal activities, the path to attain Him, and the lives of some of His great devotees.

While the Vedas cover many subjects necessary for human civilization, Srimad-Bhagavatam is a purely transcendental literature whose purpose is to awaken our love for Krishna.

God is the substance or root of all categories, and since Srimad-Bhagavatam deals exclusively and exhaustively with God, one can know the substance of everything as well as the categories by reading this great book.

Srila Prabhupada writes, “By sufficient hearing of Srimad-Bhagavatam, the polluted aim of life, trying to enjoy matter, will subside, and the people will be able to live a peaceful life of knowledge and happiness.”

Patient, respectful, and submissive hearing of Srimad-Bhagavatam is a powerful force in awakening Bhakti.

haribol

Without LORD SRI KRISHNA, our week would be: Sinday, Mournday,Tearsday,
Wasteday,Thirstday, Fightday & Shatterday

haribol!!!

A Nice Lesson..! - Preaching useful

Food for thought !!!!!!

Once a boy went to a shop with his mother.

The shop keeper looked at the small cute child and showed him a
bottle
with sweets and said,

'Dear Child, u can take the sweets.'

But the child didnt take.

The shop keeper was surprised.. he is such a small child he and why is
he
not taking the sweets from the bottle.

Again he said to take the sweets....

Now the mother also heard that and said, 'Take the sweets dear.'

Yet he didnt take...

The shopkeeper seeing the child not taking the sweets, he himself took
the
sweets and gave it to the child.

The child was happy to get two hands full of sweets



While returning home the Mother asked the child,

'Why didnt you take the sweets when the shop keeper told you to
take?'


Can you guess the response:

The child replies, 'Mom, my hands are very small, and if I take the

sweets, I can only take few. But, now you see - when uncle gave with
his
big hands.... how many more sweets I got ???'



Moral:

When we take we may get little;

but, when God - The Almighty gives,

He gives us more beyond our expectations....

more than what we can hold..!!

Why can’t I see mythological personalities?

Why can’t I see mythological personalities?

This is a interesting topic perhaps has an potential to connect to the roots of the Sanatana Dharma. It has always been used as a traditional bait by critics of Sanatana Dharma who would like to advocate Sanatana Dharma to be a faith based on mythological fables and nothing more than that.

However they generally tend to neglect any arguement that would give any crediblity to Sanatana Dharma. That has always been the stand of majority of the western Indologist who would always like maintain their European racial superiority over Indians. However traditional scholars from the sub-continent never had any problem because they always had the scriptural perspective on “mythological” stories. Srila Prabhupada one such scholar here states in his commentary on Srimad Bhagavatam the reason why the earthly beings are unable to see the celestial beings. They are beings of higher dimension and are superior to humans in all respects, in fact they have ascended to heavenly dwelling on account of thier piety they have accumulated in the Earth. So they are normally dis-interested in the affairs of the people in this dimension. But they do visit this dimension when there are acts of piety performed by certain great souls like Maharaja Parikshit. More in the Purport from Srila Prabhupada.

http://vedabase.net/sb/en“>Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 1.16.3

TRANSLATION: Mahārāja Parīkṣit, after having selected Kṛpācārya for guidance as his spiritual master, performed three horse sacrifices on the banks of the Ganges. These were executed with sufficient rewards for the attendants. And at these sacrifices, even the common man could see demigods.

PURPORT: It appears from this verse that interplanetary travel by the denizens of higher planets is easy. In many statements in Bhāgavatam, we have observed that the demigods from heaven used to visit this earth to attend sacrifices performed by influential kings and emperors. Herein also we find that during the time of the horse sacrifice ceremony of Mahārāja Parīkṣit, the demigods from other planets were visible even to the common man, due to the sacrificial ceremony. The demigods are not generally visible to common men, as the Lord is not visible. But as the Lord, by His causeless mercy, descends to be visible to the common man, similarly the demigods also become visible to the common man by their own grace. Although celestial beings are not visible to the naked eyes of the inhabitants of this earth, it was due to the influence of Mahārāja Parīkṣit that the demigods also agreed to be visible.

Also Srila prabhupad would also offer a counter arguement that we can’t see the Prime Minister of India when we think of meeting him. It requires lot of efforts and influence to get any closer to Prime Minister. So what to talk of the Supreme person he is not our servant to be present before us when we demand. It required 5 year old Dhruva to perform unbroken austerities to extent of abstaining from even water for six whole months in madhuvana to get the audience of the Supreme Person. Hiranyakasipu performed severe austerities for thousands of years to see Lord Brahma. That is the way to have audience of the Supreme Lord.

Prabhupada Vani.....

"One who has cultured himself that these different activities of the material world have nothing to do with him, his only business is to become Krsna conscious. Then it is to be understood that he has conquered death even in this present life. This sort of equilibrium in the transcendental stage of Krsna consciousness is called faultless. It is faultless life."

Lecture on Bhagavad-gita, 5.14-22

ave genuinely humble service attitude……….... Nectarean Mellows

Have genuinely humble service attitude……...….... Nectarean Mellows

Only by chanting the holy names we can purify our hearts. Lord Krishna is not different from his names. Unless we have genuinely humble service attitude or we are striving for that state of consciousness, Lord Krishna does not care anything for your chanting of His names, it is simply imitation. Chanting His names offencelessly means we have to please Krishna, that comes by having consciousness by which we can worship the Name in the spirit of being servant of the servant of the servant. Without vaisnava seva, your japa and your kirtan are practically meaning less. But if you are doing vaisnava seva you will be very enthusiastic and attentive to do your japa and kirtan, because that is one of the most important of principle services.

H H Radhanath Swami Maharaj

We must be very careful

We must be very careful not to spoil our spiritual lives. We should understand that, it could take many years to cultivate our Krishna
consciousness, but if we make foolish offences it is all covered. You cannot destroy devotional service. But it is completely covered by the cloud of illusion and it may cover all your spiritual progress for many births. Years and years of cultivating the tree of bhakti and then if we misbehave towards other Vaisnavas, it is all covered, lost. You may not be able to find it for many lifetimes. So we have to be very careful. Not only about offending Vaisnavas, but also performing sinful activities that are completely against the principles of Krishna consciousness.

H H Radhanath Swami Maharaj

How we deal with the Vaishnavas

How we deal with the Vaishnavas: they are sacred: ………...….... Nectarean Mellows

It is the love and trust that Srila Prabhupada explains, amongst the Vaishavas that keeps the devotees' hearts intact to retain the water of his mercy. If we crack each other's hearts, the water cannot remain, nor we can bring it anywhere. And this is a great difficulty. There has been so much, over the years, cracking of minds, cracking of hearts in so many ways that devotees lose their inspiration, lose their enthusiasm to be Krishna conscious, to preach Krishna conscious. We must be very cautious, very careful and very serious in how we deal with the Vaishnavas. Because the Vaishnavas are so dear to Lord Sri Krishna, we must know that they are sacred. They are worshipable. Srila Krishnadas Kaviraj Goswami, in Sri Chaitanya Caritamrita, he described it in this way. He says that he wants to take the dust of the feet and worship every Vaishnava, not only the great paramhansas, but even the new devotee who is coming to understand the philosophy. This is the symptom of a great devotee: To honor, to respect the sacred Vaishnava devotees of the Lord. And disrespect to any devotee is disrespect to guru & God Himself.

H H Radhanath Swami Maharaj

What is Bhagwad Gita..???

Bhagwad geeta

An old Farmer lived on a farm in the mountains with his young grandson.

Each morning Grandpa was up early sitting at the kitchen table reading his Bhagavat Geeta. His grandson wanted to be just like him and tried to imitate him in every way he could.

One day the grandson asked, "Grandpa! I try to read the Bhagavat Geeta just like you but I don't understand it, and what I do understand I forget as soon as I close the book. What good does reading the Bhagavat Geeta do?"

The Grandfather quietly turned from putting coal in the stove and replied, "Take this coal basket down to the river and bring me back a basket of water."

The boy did as he was told, but all the water leaked out before he got back to the house. The grandfather laughed and said, "You'll have to move a little faster next time," and sent him back to the river with the basket to try again.

This time the boy ran faster, but again the basket was empty before he returned home. Out of breath, he told his grandfather that it was impossible to carry water in a basket, and he went to get a bucket instead. The old man said, "I don't want a bucket of water; I want a basket of water. You're just not trying hard enough," and he went out the door to watch the boy try again.

At this point, the boy knew it was impossible, but he wanted to show his grandfather that even if he ran as fast as he could, the water would leak out before he got back to the house.

The boy again dipped the basket into river and ran hard, but when he reached his grandfather the basket was again empty. Out of breath, he said, "See Grandpa, it's useless!" >

"So you think it is useless?" The old man said, "Look at the basket."

The boy looked at the basket and for the first time realized that the basket was different. It had been transformed from a dirty old coal basket and was now clean, inside and out.

"Son, that's what happens when you read the Bhagavat Geeta. You might not understand or remember everything, but when you read it, you will be changed, inside and out. That is the work of Krishna in our lives."

Shoo Away the Dog of Lust within the heart

Krishna says in Bhagavad Gita that controlling the lust is a lifelong struggle. Even for devotees, it is not that the lust goes away; what happens is
when we keep saying NO to the lust, it’s attacks decrease; but it is always there. E.g. Srila Prabhupada explains it with an example of having a pet dog; you have always caressed him, loved him, played with him and acted for his pleasure; but one day the doctor comes and tells you that the dog has rabies and if it bites you, you’ll die; now you want to get rid of it, and you try to kick it out. But the dog comes back with a wagging tail. Seeing his tongue and submissive wagging tail, we say “After all he is not that bad; such a nice puppy, my puppy!” and then again he comes and sits next to us. Suddenly we remember, or are reminded, ‘Rabies’ and again we shoo him away; again he comes back. So the dog will not go away easily because we have showered a lot of love on him previously; therefore Srila Prabhupada says that we should beat him with a stick everytime he comes back. Here beating with the stick means saying NO to the temptations. That means when the temptations come, we should thoroughly reject them, then that is like beating the dog. But when we consider it partially then that is not real beating. Every time the dog comes, if we keep beating it, then one day the dog will stop troubling us.

The Washer man and the Foolish Donkey Story

Have you heard the story of “The Washer-man and the Foolish Donkey”?

PART – I
To refresh your memory and for the benefit of those who have not grown up listening to this moral story, it goes like this…
There once was a washer man who had a donkey and a dog. One night when the whole world was sleeping, a thief broke into his house, the washer man was fast asleep but the donkey and the dog were awake. The dog decided not to bark since the master did not take good care of him and wanted to teach him a lesson. The donkey got worried and said to the dog that if he doesn’t bark, the donkey will have to do something himself. The dog did not change his mind and the donkey started braying loudly. Hearing the donkey bray, the thief ran away, the master woke up and started beating the donkey for braying in the middle of the night for no reason.

Moral of the story ” One must not engage in duties other than his own” PART – I (Returns)
Newer Version :
Now take a new look at the same story…

There was a washer man who had an intelligent dog and a clever donkey. The donkey was well educated from a premier management institute. He had the concepts of looking at the bigger picture and believed in thinking out of the box. One night the donkey figured out from the ground realities that there was a thief who had broken in. Establishing that the dog did not react to the situation deliberately the donkey realized that this was a great opportunity for him to alert the washerman about it. Now timing it correctly the donkey started to bray in the night. Appreciating at the donkey’s extra initiative which was way beyond the call of the duty, washerman rewarded the donkey with lot of hay, other perks and made him his favorite pet. The dog’s life didn’t change much, except that now the donkey was more motivated in doing the dogs duties in day time as well. However in the annual appraisal the dog managed a “meets requirement” where as the donkey got ” exceeds expectations”.
Soon the dog realized that the donkey is taking care of his duties and he could enjoy his life sleeping and lazingaround. The donkey was soon rated as “star performer”. The donkey had to live up to his high performance standards at all times. Very soon he was over burdened with work and was always performing under pressure. The stress and fatigue got the better of him soon as he stated having insomnia and high BP.
Last heard he was looking for a transition to a new washerman…..

Morale :
All characters in the story are not imaginary. Any resemblance to person living , suffering or dying of work is purely intentional.

Kali-yuga - 10,000 years of Golden Age

Kali-yuga - 10,000 years of Golden Age

Ekanath Das:

Predicted in Brahma-vaivarta Purana 4.129.*. The fourth part of the

Brahma-vaivarta is called Krsna-janma-khanda. Chapter 129 is called

Golokarohanam, because it describes how Krsna returns to His abode. The

general dialogue is between Lord Narayana and Narada Muni. This specific

dialogue is between Lord Krsna and Mother Ganga. Verse 49 is a question by

Ganga, verses 50-60 are Krsna's answer.

Text 49:

Bhaagiirathy uvaaca

he naatha ramanasrestha

yaasi golokamuttamam

asmaakam kaa gatiscaatra

bhavisyati kalau yuge

"Ganges said: O protector, Supreme enjoyer, on your departure for the

perfect abode, Goloka, thereafter what will be my situation in the age of

Kali?"

Text 50

srii-bhagavaan uvaaca

kaleh pamcasahasraani

varsaani tistha bhu-tale

paapaani paapino yaani

tubhyam daasyamti snaanatah

"The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: On the earth 5,000 years of Kali

will be sinful and sinners will deposit their sins in you by bathing."

Text 51

man-mamtropaasakasparsaad

bhasmibhutaani tatksanaat

bhavisyamti darsanaacca

snaanaadeva hi jaahnavi

"Thereafter by the sight and touch of those who worship Me by My mantra, all

those sins will be burnt."

Text 52

Harernaamaani yatraiva

puraanaani bhavamti hi

tatra gatvaa saavadhaanam

aabhih saarddham ca srosyasi

"There will be chanting of the name of Hari and reading of the [Bhagavata]

Purana. Reaching such a place, attentively hear.

[note: In Puranic language, when "Purana" is used alone it refers to

Bhagavata Purana. Otherwise it will specify Skanda Purana, Visnu Purana,

etc.]

Text 53:

Puraana sravanaaccaiva

harernaamaanukiirtanaat

bhasmibhutaani paapaani

brahma-hatyaadikaani ca

"Sinful reactions including the killing of a brahmana can be nullified be

hearing the Purana and chanting of the names of Hari in the manner of

devotees."

Text 54:

Bhasmibhutaani taanyeva

vaisnavaalimganena ca

trnaani suskakaasthaani

dahamti paavako yathaa

"Just as dry grass is burnt by fire, by the embrace of Vaisnavas all sins

are burnt."

Text 55:

Tathaapi vaisnavaa loke

paapaani paapinaamapi

prthivyaam yaani tiirthaani

punyaanyapi ca jaahnavi

"O Ganges, the whole planet will become a pilgrimage sight by the presence

of Vaisnavas, even though it had been sinful"

Text 56:

Madbhaktaanaam sariiresu

santi putesu samtatam

madbhaktapaadarajasaa

sadyah putaa vasundharaa

"In the body of My devotees remains eternally [the purifier]. Mother Earth

becomes pure by the dust of the feet of My devotees."

Text 57:

Sadyah putaani tiirthaani

sadyah putam jagattathaa

manmamtropaasakaa vipraa

ye maducchisrbhojinah

"It will be the same in the case of pilgrimage sites and the whole world.

Those intelligent worshipers of My mantra who partake My remnants will

purify everything."

Text 58

Maameva nityam dhyaayamte

te mat praanaadhikaah priyaah

tadupasparsamaatrena

puto vaayusca paavakah

"They are more dear to Me than My life, who everyday meditate only on Me.

The air and fire become pure simply even by their indirect touch."

[Note: Sastra says that of all material elements, fire and air are always

pure. Even though the air carries some impurities it always remains itself

pure. This verse indicates that the Vaisnavas will purify even the pure

elements of fire and air, therefore the purifying potency of the Vaisnavas

referred to in this verse is not material but completely spiritual. I.e. the

air and fire are _already_ materially pure, therefore the Vaisnavas purity

is spiritual and not material.]

Text 59:

Kaler dasa-sahasraani

madbhaktaah samti bhu-tale

ekavarnaa bhavisyamti

madbhaktesu gatesu ca

"For 10,000 years of Kali such devotees of Mine will fill the whole planet.

After the departure of My devotees there will be only one varna [outcaste]."

Text 60:

Madbhaktasunyaa prthivi

kaligrastaa bhavisyati

etasminnamtare tatra

krsnadehaadvinirgatah

"Devoid of My devotees, the earth will be shackled by Kali. Saying this,

Krsna departed."

Situation in Kali-yuga

According to the Vedic scriptures, our current age, known as Kali-yuga, is

one of spiritual darkness, violence and hypocrisy. Srimad-Bhagavatam

(12.2.31) records Kali-yuga as having begun when the constellation of the

seven sages (saptarsi) passed through the lunar mansion of Magha. Hindu

astrologers have calculated this to have been 2:27 a.m. on February 20, 3102

BC. This took place some 36 years after Lord Krsna spoke Bhagavad-gita to

Arjuna.

The scriptures like SB 12.2 teach that during the 432,000 year age of Kali,

humanity deteriorates and falls into barbarism. Humans begin to kill animals

for food. They fall under the spell of intoxication. They lose all sexual

restraint. Families break up. Women and children are abused and abandoned.

Increasingly degraded generations, conceived accidentally in lust and

growing up wild, swarm all over the world. Political leadership falls into

the hands of unprincipled rogues, criminals and terrorists, who use their

power to exploit the people. Entire populations are enslaved and put to

death. The world teems with fanatics, extremists and spiritual artists, who

win huge followings among a people completely dazed by hedonism, as well as

by cultural and moral relativism. "Religion, truthfulness, cleanliness,

tolerance, mercy, physical strength and memory diminish with each passing

day." (Srimad-Bhagavatam 12.2.1)

The saints and sages of ancient India describe the people of this age as

greedy, ill-behaved, and merciless. In this age, says Srimad-Bhagavatam,

merely possessing wealth is considered a sign of good birth, proper

behavior, and fine qualities. Law and justice are determined by one's

prestige and power. Marriage ceases to exist as a holy union - men and women

simply live together on the basis of bodily attraction and verbal agreement,

and only for sexual pleasure. Women wander from one man to another. Men no

longer look after their parents in their old age, and fail to provide for

their own children. One's beauty is thought to depend on one's hairstyle.

Filling the belly is said to be the only purpose in life. Cows are killed

once their milk production drops. Atheism flourishes. Religious observances

are performed solely for the sake of reputation.

The Linga Purana (ch. 40) describes the human race in Kali-yuga as a vain

and stupid people "spurred on by the lowest instincts." They prefer false

ideas and do not hesitate to persecute sages. They are tormented by bodily

desires. Severe droughts and plagues are everywhere. Slovenliness, illness,

hunger and fear spread. Nations are continually at war with one another. The

number of princes and farmers decline. Heroes are assassinated. The working

classes want to claim regal power and enjoy royal wealth. Kings become

thieves. They take to seizing property, rather than protecting the

citizenry. The new leaders emerge from the laborer class and begin to

persecute religious people, saints, teachers, intellectuals, and

philosophers. Civilization lacks any kind of divine guidance. The sacred

books are no longer revered. False doctrines and misleading religions spread

across the globe. Children are killed in the wombs of their mothers. Women

who have relations with several men are numerous. Predatory animals are more

violent. The number of cows diminishes.

The Linga Purana says that in Kali-yuga, young women freely abandon their

virginity. Women, children, and cows - always protected in an enlightened

society - are abused and killed during the iron age. Thieves are numerous

and rapes are frequent. There are many beggars, and widespread unemployment.

Merchants operate corrupt businesses. Diseases, rates, and foul substances

plague the populace. Water is lacking, fruits are scarce. Everyone uses

vulgar language.

The men of Kali-yuga seek only money. Only the richest have power. People

without money are their slaves. The leaders of the state no longer protect

the people, but plunder the citizenry through excessive taxation. Farmers

abandon living close to nature. They become unskilled laborers in congested

cities.

Many dress in rags, or are unemployed, and sleep on the streets. Through the

fault of the government, infant mortality rates are high. False gods are

worshiped in false ashrams, in which pilgrimages, penances, charities and

austerities are all concocted.

People in this age eat their food without washing beforehand. Monks break

their vows of celibacy. Cows are kept alive only for their milk. Water is

scarce. Many people watch the skies, praying for rain. No rain comes. The

fields become barren. Suffering from famine and poverty, many attempt to

migrate to countries where food is more readily available. People are

without joy and pleasure. Many commit suicide. Men of small intelligence are

influenced by atheistic doctrines. Family, clan and caste are all

meaningless. Men are without virtues, purity or decency. (Visnu Purana 6.1).

Spiritual Process

punsam ekaha vai sadhya hari bhaktih kalau yuge

yuga antarena dharma hi sevitavya narena hi

(Padma Purana, Svarga Khanda 61.5)

In Kali-yuga, a person should accept only one process, that is devotional

service. According to what process is decided for a particular yuga, that

should be followed by everyone without fail.

Cleanliness

Cleanliness is one of the four pillars of spiritual life (the other three are mercy, austerity and truthfulness)

The best way of purifying oneself is the pure chanting of Hare Krishna.

Srila Prabhupada commented on this topic as follows:

1) (Lecture 1976). "If we don't lead a brahminical life, we are not allowed to call ourselves brahmanas. You may be the son of a respected high court judge, but if you don't have the required qualification, you cannot call yourself a judge...there has to be an institution for training and educating brahmanas. Everyone should be classified according to his education and his qualities."

2) "Sri vigraharadhana-nitya-nana-sringara-tan mandira marjanadau. Marjanadau means cleansing. The spiritual master along with his disciples is always engaged in cleansing the temple of Sri Sri Radha Krishna. If the cleanliness is neglected, it is a sure sign of laziness. If one is lazy, one doesn't keep his environment clean. "First let me sleep." This is the mode of ignorance, tama-guna. We have to overcome raja-guna and tama-guna. Satvam visuddham vasudeva sabditam.

The heart has to be pure if we want to receive Krishna and allow Him to reside there pleasantly."

3) (Letter 1971). "In India it is custom that the kitchen is not even in the same building where the living rooms are because living rooms are contaminated. After cooking all the pots are thrown away. This is not possible in your country. Therefore you have to keep the utmost cleanliness. Krsna does not require opulent offerings. He appreciates the sincere endeavor. A clean kitchen is more important than an opulent offering. If the kitchen is neat and clean, then the offering will be good. If the offering is a so called "opulent offering" but the kitchen is not clean, Krsna will not like it."

4) (1971 to Rishi Kumar): "Krsna consciousness means to have a clean bead bag."

5) In the early days of the movement, Srila Prabhupada instructed the devotees to clean their plates and the cooking pots right after honoring prasadam. When one of the leaders saw that the devotees were not following his order, he asked Srila Prabhupada which method he should use to get the devotees to the point of following. "The order of the spiritual master should be sufficient,"replied Srila Prabhupada.

6) In Dallas and Edinburgh the devotees complained that there were rats in the temple. So they asked Srila Prabhupada, whether they were allowed to kill them. Srila Prabhupada's answer was: "No, you should be killed because you took the vow of cleanliness but did not keep it!"

7) Srila Prabhupada once wrote to one devotee in London: "Each room should be clean as a mirror, otherwise you invite the rats..."

8) Once, when Srila Prabhupada was on a morning walk in Hawaii, he passed by the prasadam room. Seeing him, the devotees were in so much ecstasy, that they dropped everything and ran after Prabhupada. His Divine Grace led everyone on the compound and then returned to the temple room. Soon later, Guru Kripa complained to Prabhupada about the left over prasadam and the unclean prasadam room and also mentioned how he had difficulties to bring the devotees to the point of cleaning. Srila Prabhupada: "If a devotee doesn't clean, he can go home again and live with his mother."

9) "When you are clean, you are in the spiritual world, Vaikuntha. When you are dirty, you are in the material world."

10) SB 4.2.14-15: "Those who do not regularly bathe are supposed to be in association with ghosts and crazy creatures."

Mukund Mala Strota Verse 10

VERSE

mabhir manda-mano vicintya bahudha yamis ciram´ yatana

naivami prabhavanti papa-ripavah? svami nanu sridharah?

alasyam´ vyapaniya bhakti-sulabham´ dhyayasva narayanam´

lokasya vyasanapanodana-karo dasasya kim´ na ksamah

SYNONYMS

ma bhih

— do not be afraid; manda — foolish; manah? — O mind; vicintya — thinking; bahudha — repeatedly; yamih? —caused by Yamaraja, the lord of death; ciram — long-lasting; yatanah? — about the torments; na — not; eva —indeed; ami — these; prabhavanti — are effective; papa — sinful reactions; ripavah? — the enemies; svami —master; nanu — is He not; sri-dharah? — the maintainer of the goddess of fortune; alasyam — sloth; vyapaniya —driving off; bhakti — by devotional service; su-labham — who is easily attained; dhyayasva — just meditate; narayan?am — upon the Supreme Lord Narayan?a; lokasya — of the world; vyasana — the troubles; apanodana-karah? — who dispels; dasasya — for His servant; kim — what; na — not; ks?amah? — capable.

TRANSLATION

O foolish mind, stop your fearful fretting about the extensive torments imposed by Yamaraja. How can your enemies, the sinful reactions you have accrued, even touch you? After all, is your master not the Supreme Lord, the husband of Goddess Sri? Cast aside all hesitation and concentrate your thoughts on Lord Narayan?a, whom one very easily attains through devotional service. What can that dispeller of the whole world's troubles not do for His own servant?

PURPORT

In a very positive mood, King Kulasekhara reminds us that as long as we are under the protection of the supreme, all-powerful Lord, no harm can come to us, even that which our own sinful reactions would normally bring us. Lord Kr?s?n?a also orders Arjuna in the Bhagavad-gita (9.31), "Declare it boldly: My devotee will never be vanquished."

Sinful life and its reactions are certainly serious matters, not to be easily dismissed. Yamaraja metes out hellish torments to all sinful living beings. But the process of bhakti is so potent that it drives away all sinful reactions as if they were merely enemies one might see in a bad dream. In Text 15 King Kulasekhara will recommend the chanting of the holy name of Kr?s?n?a as the best way to attain freedom from the miseries of birth and death. Namacarya Haridasa T?hakura concurs, declaring that even the shadow of pure chanting of the holy names, known as namabhasa, destroys the entire stock of sins one has accumulated for many lifetimes and thus grants liberation.

The devotees' claim to victory over birth and death is not an idle boast, but it requires full surrender to Lord Hari. The Lord offers this benediction to the unalloyed servant of His servant, and not to others. As long as one tries to protect oneself with wealth and worldly power, one will be an easy victim for powerful Maya. The jiva who is serious about freeing himself from sam´sara does not, therefore, pretend to act on his or her own prowess but always follows the authorized directions of the Supreme Lord and His representatives. Only such a dependent servitor of the Lord, under His full protection, can be confident of conquering birth and death.

In this prayer King Kulasekhara mentions Yamaraja, the lord of death, as the cause of long-lasting torments. But such suffering is not for the Lord's devotees. Yamaraja himself once instructed his servants, the Yamadutas, that those who chant the holy names of the Lord were not under Yama's jurisdiction. Yamaraja said, "Generally [the devotees] never commit sinful activities, but even if by mistake or because of bewilderment or illusion they sometimes commit sinful acts, they are protected from sinful reactions because they always chant the Hare Kr?s?n?a mantra" (Bhag. 6.3.26). Yamaraja told his followers they should not even go near the devotees. The Vais?n?avas are always protected by Lord Vis?n?u's club, and thus neither Lord Brahma nor even the time factor can chastise them.

Srila Prabhupada said that when a devotee receives initiation from his spiritual master he is freed from his karmic reactions. Pains and pleasures that may appear like continuing karmic reactions are merely the residual effects of nondevotional activities, like the last revolutions of an electric fan after it's been unplugged. But everything depends on the sincere execution of devotional service. One who again regularly transgresses the laws of God, even after taking the vows of initiation, is once more subject to the merciless dealings of the material nature.