01.28.10
Posted in Bhagavad-gita, Darshan, Esoteric Teaching at 11:00 am by anandavardhana
A conversation with Mr. Patel, a nice Gujarati Vaiṣṇava gentleman who lives nearby to Devesh. He is engaged in raising his granddaughters, teaching them the Vaiṣṇava ways and helping them with their daily sādhana. This is ideal householder life, and it is very rare, especially in the West. I encourage him to preach in the mood of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, sharing his spiritual wealth and family tradition, but we can see he does not have much enthusiasm for that.
Please join us for Evening Darshan live webcast daily at 6:30 PM India time, on our main site.
The video can be watched here on Youtube.
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Posted in Bhagavad-gita, Darshan, Esoteric Teaching at 6:27 am by anandavardhana
mayi sarvāṇi karmāṇi
sannyasyādhyātma-cetasā
nirāśīr nirmamo bhūtvā
yudhyasva vigata-jvaraḥ
“Therefore, O Arjuna, surrendering all your works unto Me, with mind intent on Me, and without desire for gain and free from egoism and lethargy, fight.” [Bhagavad-gītā 3.30]
Please join us for Evening Darshan live webcast daily at 6:30 PM India time, on our main site.
The video can be watched here on Youtube.
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01.27.10
Posted in Bhagavad-gita, Darshan, Esoteric Teaching, Podcasts at 6:23 am by anandavardhana
Uddhava Prabhu gives a nice class on Bhagavad-gītā 10:31:
pavanaḥ pavatām asmi
rāmaḥ śastra-bhṛtām aham
jhaṣāṇāṁ makaraś cāsmi
srotasām asmi jāhnavī
“Of purifiers I am the wind; of the wielders of weapons I am Rāma; of fishes I am the shark, and of flowing rivers I am the Ganges.” [Bhagavad-gītā 10.31]
PURPORT
Of all the aquatics the shark is one of the biggest and is certainly the most dangerous to man. Thus the shark represents Kṛṣṇa. And of rivers, the greatest in India is the Mother Ganges. Lord Rāmacandra, of the Rāmāyaṇa, an incarnation of Kṛṣṇa, is the mightiest of warriors.
Please join us for Evening Darshan live webcast daily at 6:30 PM India time, on our main site.
The video can be watched here on Youtube.
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01.26.10
Posted in Bhagavad-gita, Darshan, Esoteric Teaching, Podcasts at 6:18 am by anandavardhana
mayy eva mana ādhatsva
mayi buddhiṁ niveśaya
nivasiṣyasi mayy eva
ata ūrdhvaṁ na saṁśayaḥ
“Just fix your mind upon Me, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and engage all your intelligence in Me. Thus you will live in Me always, without a doubt.”
atha cittaṁ samādhātuṁ
na śaknoṣi mayi sthiram
abhyāsa-yogena tato
mām icchāptuṁ dhanañjaya
“My dear Arjuna, O winner of wealth, if you cannot fix your mind upon Me without deviation, then follow the regulated principles of bhakti-yoga In this way you will develop a desire to attain to Me.”
abhyāse ‘py asamartho ’si
mat-karma-paramo bhava
mad-artham api karmāṇi
kurvan siddhim avāpsyasi
“If you cannot practice the regulations of bhakti-yoga, then just try to work for Me, because by working for Me you will come to the perfect stage.”
athaitad apy aśakto ’si
kartuṁ mad-yogam āśritaḥ
sarva-karma-phala-tyāgaṁ
tataḥ kuru yatātmavān
“If, however, you are unable to work in this consciousness, then try to act giving up all results of your work and try to be self-situated.”
śreyo hi jñānam abhyāsāj
jñānād dhyānaṁ viśiṣyate
dhyānāt karma-phala-tyāgas
tyāgāc chāntir anantaram
“If you cannot take to this practice, then engage yourself in the cultivation of knowledge. Better than knowledge, however, is meditation, and better than meditation is renunciation of the fruits of action, for by such renunciation one can attain peace of mind.” [Bhagavad-gītā 12.8-12]
Please join us for Evening Darshan live webcast daily at 6:30 PM India time, on our main site.
The video can be watched here on Youtube.
You can also download the original .mov file here.
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01.23.10
Posted in Community News, Darshan, Esoteric Teaching, Podcasts at 6:06 am by anandavardhana
We want to hear from our University students and community members about their questions, experiences and problems.
Please join us for Evening Darshan live webcast daily at 6:30 PM India time, on our main site.
The video can be watched here on Youtube.
You can also download the original .mov file here.
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01.22.10
Posted in Bhagavad-gita, Darshan, Esoteric Teaching, Karma-yoga, Transontology at 5:51 am by anandavardhana
viṣayā vinivartante
nirāhārasya dehinaḥ
rasa-varjaṁ raso py asya
paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate
“The embodied soul may be restricted from sense enjoyment, though the taste for sense objects remains. But, ceasing such engagements by experiencing a higher taste, he is fixed in consciousness.”
In this lecture we talk about the importance of associating with devotees and how changing place of residence helps in spiritual progress.
Please join us for Evening Darshan live webcast daily at 6:30 PM India time, on our main site.
The video can be watched here on Youtube.
You can also download the original .mov file here.
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01.17.10
Posted in Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, Darshan, Esoteric Teaching, Nectar of Devotion at 3:26 am by anandavardhana
atha nija-priyopaharaṇaṁ, yathā ekādaśe (11.11.41) —
yad yad iṣṭatamaṁ loke yac cāti-priyam ātmanaḥ |
tat tan nivedayen mahyaṁ tad ānantyāya kalpate ||1.2.199 ||
Offering articles dear to oneself, illustrated in the Eleventh Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam [11.11.41]: Whatever is most desired by one within this material world, and whatever is most dear to oneself—one should offer that very thing to Me. Such an offering qualifies one for eternal life.
atha tad-arthekhila-ceṣṭitaṁ, yathā pañcarātre —
laukikī vaidikī vāpi yā kriyā kriyate mune |
hari-sevānukūlaiva sā kāryā bhaktim icchatā ||1.2.200||
Making full efforts for the Lord, illustrated in the Pañcarātra: O sage! Among all the Vedic and routine actions that are performed, the person desiring bhakti should perform those which are favorable for service to the Lord.
atha śaraṇāpattiḥ, yathā hari-bhakti-vilāse (11.677) —
tavāsmīti vadan vācā tathaiva manasā vidan |
tat-sthānam āśritas tanvā modate śaraṇāgataḥ ||1.2.201 ||
Accepting the Lords protection is illustrated in the Hari-bhakti-vilāsa [11.677]: He who, while saying I am Yours, accepts the protection of the Lord, feels bliss.
śrī-nārasiṁhe ca —
tvāṁ prapannosmi śaraṇaṁ deva-deva janārdana |
iti yaḥ śaraṇaṁ prāptas taṁ kleśād uddharāmy aham ||1.2.202 ||
Also it is stated in the Narasiṁha Purāṇa: I deliver from suffering that person who takes shelter of Me, saying Lord of lords, exciter of all beings, I have taken You as my protector.
Please join us for Evening Darshan live webcast daily at 6:30 PM India time, on our main site.
The video can be watched here on Youtube.
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01.16.10
Posted in Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, Darshan, Esoteric Teaching, Nectar of Devotion at 3:23 am by anandavardhana
atha ātma-nivedanaṁ, yathā ekādaśe (11.29.34) —
martyo yadā tyakta-samasta-karmā
niveditātmā vicikīrṣito me |
tadāmṛtatvaṁ pratipadyamāno
mayātma-bhūyāyā ca kalpate vai ||1.2.194 ||
Offering the self, as illustrated in the Eleventh Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam [11.29.34]:
A person who gives up all fruitive activities and offers himself entirely unto Me, eagerly desiring to render service unto Me, achieves liberation from birth and death and is promoted to the status of sharing My own opulences.
artho dvidhātma-śabdasya paṇḍitair upapāyate |
dehy-ahantāspadaṁ kaiścid dehaḥ kaiścin mamatva-bhāk ||1.2.195||
The learned say that ātmā has two meanings: some say that ātmā refers to the soul having the identity of I, while others say that ātmā refers to the body, since it belongs to the soul.
tatra dehī, yathā yāmunācārya-stotre (49) —
vapurādiṣu yopi ko’pi vā
guṇatosāni yathā tathā-vidhaḥ |
tad ayaṁ tava pāda-padmayor
aham adyaiva mayā samarpitaḥ ||1.2.196||
Offering the soul is considered in a stotra of Yamunācārya: Whoever I may be, either a soul inhabiting the body and other material elements, or a deva or a human body made of guṇas, today I offer that I to Your lotus feet.
deho, yathā bhakti-viveke —
cintāṁ kuryān na rakṣāyai vikrītasya yathā paśoḥ |
tathārpayan harau dehaṁ viramed asya rakṣanāt ||1.2.197||
Offering the body as ātmā is illustrated in Bhakti-viveka: Just as one does not worry about an animal that has been sold, one should offer this body to the Lord and be disinterested in its maintenance.
duṣkaratvena virale dve sakhyātma-nivedane |
keṣāṁcid eva dhīrāṇāṁ labhate sādhanārhatām ||1.2.198||
Friendship and offering the self and body are rare because of the difficulty of execution during the process of sādhana. However some wise men have considered that these two qualify as part of sādhana.
Please join us for Evening Darshan live webcast daily at 6:30 PM India time, on our main site.
The video can be watched here on Youtube.
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01.15.10
Posted in Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, Darshan, Esoteric Teaching, Nectar of Devotion at 3:20 am by anandavardhana
atha sakhyam — viśvāso mitra-vṛttiś ca sakhyaṁ dvividham īritam ||1.2.188||
Friendship: There are two types of sakhyam: trust and being friendly.
tatra ādyaṁ, yathā mahābhārate —
pratijñā tava govinda na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati |
iti saṁsmṛtya saṁsmṛtya prāṇān saṁdhārayāmy aham ||1.2.189 ||
The first type, trust, is described in Mahābhārata:
O Govinda, remembering again and again Your promise that Your devotee will never perish, I maintain my life.
tathā ekādaśe (11.2.53) ca—
tri-bhuvana-vibhava-hetavepy akuṇṭha-
smṛtir ajitātma-surādibhir vimṛgyāt |
na calati bhagavat-padāravindāl
lava-nimiṣārdham api yaḥ sa vaiṣṇavāgryaḥ ||1.2.190||
Trust in the Lord is also illustrated in the Eleventh Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam [11.2.53]: The lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead are sought even by the greatest of demigods, such as Brahmā and Śiva, who have all accepted the Supreme Personality of Godhead as their life and soul. A pure devotee of the Lord can never forget those lotus feet in any circumstance. He will not give up his shelter at the lotus feet of the Lord for a single moment—indeed, not for half a moment—even in exchange for the benediction of ruling and enjoying the opulence of the entire universe. Such a devotee of the Lord is to be considered the best of the Vaiṣṇavas.
śraddhā-mātrasya tad-bhaktāv adhikāritva-hetutā |
aṅgatvam asya viśvāsa-viśeṣasya tu keśave ||1.2.191 ||
The cause of the qualification for bhakti is śraddhā alone. The particular element viśvāsa to Keśava may be considered an aṅga of that.
dvitīyaṁ, yathā agastya-saṁhitāyām —
paricaryā parāḥ kecit prāsādeṣu ca śerate |
manuṣyam iva taṁ draṣṭuṁ vyāvahartuṁ ca bandhuvat ||1.2.192 ||
The second type of friendship is illustrated in the Agastya-saṁhitā: A person who is dedicated to serving the Lord, and out of friendship sees and treats Him as a human, lies down in the Lords temple.
rāgānugāṅgatāsya syād vidhi-mārgānapekṣatvāt |
mārga-dvayena caitena sādhhyā sakhya-ratir matā ||1.2.193||
The last example should be classed as rāgānuga-sādhana, because of disregard for vaidhī-sādhana. However, attraction for feelings of friendship is cultivated in both rāgānuga-sādhana and vaidhī-sādhana.
Please join us for Evening Darshan live webcast daily at 6:30 PM India time, on our main site.
The video can be watched here on Youtube.
You can also download the original .mov file here.
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01.13.10
Posted in Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, Darshan, Esoteric Teaching, Nectar of Devotion at 2:54 am by anandavardhana
atha dāsyam —
dāsyaṁ karmārpaṇaṁ tasya kaiṅkaryam api sarvathā ||1.2.183 ||
Acting as a servant: dāsyam is defined as offering the result of prescribed duties and acting as a menial servant of the Lord.
tatra ādyaṁ yathā skānde —
tasmin samarpitaṁ karma svābhāvikam apīśvare |
bhaved bhāgavato dharmas tat-karma kimutārpitam ||1.2.184 ||
The first type, offering prescribed duties, is described in the Skanda Purāṇa:
Prescribed duties according to ones nature (varṇāśrama-dharma), offered to the Lord become bhāgavata-dharma. What to speak then of actions of bhakti offered to the Lord alone?
karma svābhāvikaṁ bhadraṁ japa-dhyānārcanādi ca |
itīdaṁ dvividhaṁ kṛṣṇe vaiṣṇavair dāsyam arpitam ||1.2.185||
There are two categories of this varṇāśrama-dāsyam offered to the Lord by the Vaiṣṇavas: Offering the auspicious among the prescribed actions according to ones nature, and offering only actions such as japa, meditation and Deity worship.
mṛdu-śraddhasya kathitā svalpā karmādhikāritā |
tad-arpitaṁ harau dāsyam iti kaiścid udīryate ||1.2.186||
Some persons say that this offering of duties by a person with weak faith in bhakti and a slight qualification for prescribed duties is called dāsyam.
dvitiyaṁ, yathā nāradīye —
īhā yasya harer dāsye karmaṇā manasā girā |
nikhilāsv apy avasthāsu jīvan-muktaḥ sa ucyate ||1.2.187||
The second type of dāsyam is illustrated in the Nāridīya Purāṇa: He who has the desire to serve the Lord in this world with actions, mind and words is called a liberated jīva in all circumstances.
Today’s questions:
* Just to be clear, is it OK for me to verbally offer a cold shower to Kṛṣṇa before taking one, or a similar activity to maintain the body?
* Will the Satya chakra within this Kali-yuga (maybe after 2012) bring daivi-varṇāśrama?
* Can one find ecstasy in serving (dāsyam) even in this material world, even if offered to mixed devotees or even to nondevotees by distributing the Holy Name? Did Lord Caitanya find pleasure by doing this, or was His pleasure obtained by His relishing internal moods without this consciousness directed towards the outside world ?
Please join us for Evening Darshan live webcast daily at 6:30 PM India time, on our main site.
The video can be watched here on Youtube.
You can also download the original .mov file here.
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