12.31.09
Posted in Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, Darshan, Esoteric Teaching, Nectar of Devotion at 11:00 am by anandavardhana
37 – atha naivedyāsvādo, yathā pādme — naivedyam annaṁ tulasī-vimiśraṁ vīśeṣataḥ pāda-jalena siktam | yośnāti nityaṁ purato murāreḥ prāpṇoti yajñāyuta-koṭi-puṇyam ||1.2.160||
Tasting the food remnants of the Deity, from Padma Purāṇa: “He who always eats outside the inner sanctum, the remnants of of the Lords food sprinkled with water from the Lords feet and mixed with tulasī, achieves the result of one hundred billion sacrifices.”
We also read many ślokas from Hari-bhakti-vilas on the potency of prasādam.
Please join us for Evening Darshan live webcast daily except Sunday at 6:30 PM GMT+05:30 at our main site.
The video can be watched here on Youtube.
You can also download the original .mov file here.
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12.30.09
Posted in Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, Darshan, Esoteric Teaching, Nectar of Devotion at 12:40 am by anandavardhana
36 – atha stava-pāṭhaḥ —
proktā manīṣibhir gītā-stava-rājādayaḥ stavāḥ ||1.2.157||
Reciting compositions of praise: the wise consider that the Bhagavad-gītā and the stava-rāja contained in the Gautamanīya-tantra are examples of stavas.
yathā skānde —
śrī-kṛṣṇa-stava-ratnaughair yeṣāṁ jihvā tv alaṅkṛtā |
namasyā muni-siddhānāṁ vandanīyā divaukasām ||1.2.158||
The Skanda Purāṇa says: The perfected sages and devatās respect those whose tongues are ornamented with an abundance of jewel-like verses in praise of Kṛṣṇa.
nārasiṁhe ca —
stotraiḥ stavaś ca devāgre yaḥ stauti madhusūdanam |
sarva-pāpa-vinirmukto viṣṇu-lokam avāpnuyāt ||1.2.159 ||
In the Nārasiṁha Purāṇa it is said: He who praises Madhusūdana with stotras and stavas in front of His Deity is freed from all sins and attains the planet of Viṣṇu.
We also read an extended passage from Hari-bhakti-vilāsa on the extraordinary powers of the Holy name of the Lord.
Please join us for Evening Darshan live webcast daily except Sunday at 6:30 PM GMT+05:30 at our main site.
The video can be watched here on Youtube.
You can also download the original .mov file here.
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12.29.09
Posted in Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, Darshan, Esoteric Teaching, Nectar of Devotion at 12:38 am by anandavardhana
34 – atha japaḥ—
mantrasya sulaghūccāro japa ity abhidhīyate ||1.2.149 ||
Next, japa is defined: japa is defined as very soft chanting of a mantra.
yathā pādme —
kṛṣṇāya nama ity eṣa mantraḥ sarvārtha-sādhakaḥ |
bhaktānāṁ japatāṁ bhūpa svarga-mokṣa-phala-pradaḥ ||1.2.150||
Padma Purāṇa illustrates this: Chanting very softly the mantra kṛṣṇāya namaḥ produced all benefits. O King, svarga and liberation are bestowed upon devotees who perform japa of this mantra.
35 – atha vijñaptiḥ, yathā skānde—
harim uddiśya yat kiñcit kṛtaṁ vijñāpanaṁ girā |
mokṣa-dvārārgalān mokṣas tenaiva vihitas tava ||1.2.151 ||
Entreaty is illustrated in the Skanda Purāṇa: By making entreaties to the Lord with words, the bolt on the door of liberation is released.
samprārthanātmikā dainya-bodhikā lālasāmayī |
ity ādir vividhā dhīraiḥ kṛṣṇe vijñaptir īritā ||1.2.152 ||
The wise have explained that there are varieties of entreaty to Kṛṣṇa, such as prayers, admission of incompetence and expressions of longing.
tatra samprārthanātmikā, yathā pādme —
yuvatīnāṁ yathā yūni yūnāṁ ca yuvatau yathā |
manobhiramate tadvan manobhiramatāṁ tvayi ||1.2.153 ||
Prayer is illustrated in the Padma Purāṇa: Just as the minds of young women are attracted to a young man, and the minds of young men are attracted to young women, may my mind be attracted to You!
dainya-bodhikā, yathā tatraiva —
mat-tulyo nāsti pāpātmā nāparādhī ca kaścana |
parihārepi lajjā me kiṁ brūve puruṣottama ||1.2.154 ||
Admission of worthlessness is shown in the Padma Purāṇa: O Supreme Lord! There is no one as sinful as me, no one who has committed as many offenses. What can I say? I am very ashamed to ask You to remove these sins.
lālasāmayī, yathā śrī-nārada-pañcarātre —
kadā gambhīrayā vācā śriyā yukto jagat-pate |
cāmara-vyagra-hastaṁ mām evaṁ kurv iti vakṣyasi ||1.2.155||
Longing is illustrated in the Nārada-pañcarātra: O Master of the Universe, when will You, accompanied by Lakṣmī, say with a deep voice to me, eager to serve you with cāmara, Please come here.
yathā vā —
kadāhaṁ yamunā-tīre nāmāni tava kīrtayan |
udbāṣpaḥ puṇḍarīkākṣa racayiṣyāmi tāṇḍavam ||1.2.156||
Another example is presented: O lotus-eyed Lord, when will I dance on the bank of the Yamunā with tears in my eyes while singing Your Holy Names?
Please join us for Evening Darshan live webcast daily except Sunday at 6:30 PM GMT+05:30 at our main site.
The video can be watched here on Youtube.
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12.27.09
Posted in Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, Darshan, Esoteric Teaching, Nectar of Devotion at 12:52 am by anandavardhana
32 – atha gītaṁ, yathā laiṅge —
brāhmaṇo vāsudevākhyaṁ gāyamānoniśaṁ param |
hareḥ sālokyam āpnoti rudra-gānādhikaṁ bhavet ||1.2.144 ||
Next singing, illustrated in the Liṅga Purāṇa: Even the brāhmaṇa who sings continuously in front of Vāsudeva attains the planet of Viṣṇu. This singing is greater than Śiva himself singing.
33 – atha saṅkīrtanam —
nāma-līlā-guṇadīnām uccair-bhāṣā tu kīrtanam ||1.2.145||
Next chanting: kīrtan is defined as the loud chanting of the Holy Names, pastimes and qualities of the Lord.
tatra nāma-kīrtanam, yathā viṣṇu-dharme —
kṛṣṇeti maṅgalaṁ nāma yasya vāci pravartate |
bhasmībhavanti rājendra mahā-pātaka-koṭayaḥ ||1.2.146||
Chanting of the Holy Name of the Lord is illustrated in the Viṣṇu-dharma: O King, he who chants the auspicious Holy Name of Kṛṣṇa turns to ashes ten million of the worst sins.
līlā-kīrtanam, yathā saptame (7.9.18) —
sohaṁ priyasya suhṛdaḥ paradevatāyā
līlā-kathās tava nṛsiṁha viriñca-gītāḥ |
añjas titarmy anugṛṇan guṇa-vipramukto
durgāṇi te pada-yugālaya-haṁsa-saṅgaḥ ||1.2.147||
Līlā-kīrtan is illustrated in the Seventh Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam [7.9.18]: O my Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva, by engaging in Your transcendental loving service in the association of devotees who are liberated souls [haṁsas], I shall become completely uncontaminated by the association of the three modes of material nature and be able to chant the glories of Your Lordship, who are so dear to me. I shall chant Your glories, following exactly in the footsteps of Lord Brahmā and his disciplic succession. In this way I shall undoubtedly be able to cross the ocean of nescience.
guṇa-kīrtanam, yathā prathame (1.5.22) —
idaṁ hi puṁsas tapasaḥ śrutasya vā
sviṣṭasya sūktasya ca buddhi-dattayoḥ |
avicyutorthaḥ kavibhir nirūpito yad
uttamaḥśloka-guṇānuvarṇanam ||1.2.148||
Guṇa-kīrtan is illustrated in the First Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam [1.5.22]: Learned circles have positively concluded that the infallible purpose of the advancement of knowledge, namely austerities, study of the Vedas, sacrifice, chanting of hymns and charity, culminates in the transcendental descriptions of the Lord, who is defined in choice poetry.
Please join us for Evening Darshan live webcast daily except Sunday at 6:30 PM GMT+05:30 at our main site.
The video can be watched here on Youtube.
You can also download the original .mov file here.
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12.26.09
Posted in Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, Darshan, Esoteric Teaching, Nectar of Devotion at 11:34 pm by anandavardhana
30 – atha arcanam —
śuddhi-nyāsādi-pūrvāṅga-karma-nirv āha-pūrvakam |
arcanam tūpacārāṇāṁ syān mantreṇopapādanam ||1.2.137||
Deity worship: ārcana means offering items with mantras after introductory activities such as bhūta-śuddhi and nyāsa.
tad, yathā daśame (10.81.19) —
svargāpavargayoḥ puṁsāṁ rasāyāṁ bhuvi sampadām |
sarvāsām api siddhīnāṁ mūlaṁ tāc-caraṇārcanaṁ ||1.2.138||
This is illustrated in the Tenth Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam [10.81.19]: Devotional service to His lotus feet is the root cause of all the perfections a person can find in heaven, in liberation, in the subterranean regions and on earth.
viṣṇurahasye ca —
śrī-viṣṇor arcanaṁ ye tu prakurvanti narā bhuvi |
te yānti śāśvataṁ viṣṇor ānandaṁ paramaṁ padam ||1.2.139 ||
Also in the Viṣṇu-rahasya it is said: Those men who perform arcana of Viṣṇu on this earth go to the eternal, supreme abode of Viṣṇu, which is full of bliss.
31 – paricaryā —
paricaryā tu sevopakaraṇādi-pariṣkriyā |
tathā prakīrṇaka-cchatra-vāditrādyair upāsanā ||1.2.140||
Service to the Deity: paricārya consists of decorating the Lord with different items and worshiping the Lord with cāmara, umbrella, music and other items.
yathā nāradīye —
muhūrtaṁ vā muhūrtārdhaṁ yas tiṣṭhed dhari-mandire |
sa yāti paramaṁ sthānaṁ kim u śuśrūṣaṇe ratāḥ ||1.2.141 ||
It is said in the Nāradīya Purāṇa: If one remains in the temple of the Lord for one muhūrta, or even half a muhūrta, he goes to the supreme abode. What then to speak of the person engaged in the paricārya of the Lord?
yathā caturthe (4.21.31) —
yat-pāda-sevābhirucis tapasvinām
aśeṣa-janmopacitaṁ malaṁ dhiyaḥ |
sadyaḥ kṣiṇoty anvaham edhatī satī
yathā padāṅguṣṭha-viniḥsṛtā sarit ||1.2.142 ||
It is stated in the Fourth Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam [4.21.31]: By the inclination to serve the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, suffering humanity can immediately cleanse the dirt which has accumulated in their minds during innumerable births. Like the Ganges water, which emanates from the toes of the lotus feet of the Lord, such a process immediately cleanses the mind, and thus spiritual or Kṛṣṇa consciousness gradually increases.
aṅgāni vividhāny eva syuḥ pūjā-paricaryayoḥ |
na tāni likhitāny atra grantha-bāhulya-bhītitaḥ ||1.2.143 ||
There are various aṅgas of Deity worship and paricārya. These have not been described here for fear of making the book too long.
Please join us for Evening Darshan live webcast daily except Sunday at 6:30 PM GMT+05:30 at our main site.
The video can be watched here on Youtube.
You can also download the original .mov file here.
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12.25.09
Posted in Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, Darshan, Esoteric Teaching, Nectar of Devotion at 11:28 pm by anandavardhana
26 – abhyūtthānaṁ, yathā brahmāṇḍe —
yān ārūḍhaṁ puraḥ prekṣya samāyāntaṁ janārdanam |
abhyutthānaṁ naraḥ kurvan pātayet sarva-kilbiṣam ||1.2.130||
Rising when the Deity approaches, from the Brahmāṇḍa Purāṇa: The person who stands up when seeing the Lord approaching on a palanquin will have all sins destroyed.
27 – anuvrajyā, yathā bhaviṣyottare —
rathena saha gacchanti pārśvataḥ pṛṣṭhatogrataḥ |
viṣṇunaiva samāḥ sarve bhavanti śvapadādayaḥ ||1.2.131 ||
Following after the Lords procession, from the Bhaviṣyottara Purāṇa: All the outcastes who go along with the [Lords] chariot—beside, behind or in front of it—become similar to Viṣṇu.
28 – sthāne gatiḥ —
sthānaṁ tīrthaṁ gṛhaṁ cāsya tatra tīrthe gatir yathā ||1.2.132 ||
Going to the places of the Lord: Sthānam means tīrtha or temple. First going to the tīrtha is illustrated.
purāṇāntare —
saṁsāra-maru-kāntāra-nistāra-karaṇ a-kṣamau |
slāghyau tāv eva caraṇau yau hares tīrtha-gāminau ||1.2.133 ||
In another Purāṇa it is stated: The two feet that go to the tīrtha of the Lord are praiseworthy, since they enable one to cross over the dangerous desert of saṁsāra.
ālaye ca, yathā hari-bhakti-sudhodaye —
pravīśann ālayaṁ viṣṇor darśanārthaṁ subhaktimān |
na bhūyaḥ praviśen mātuḥ kukṣi-kārāgṛhaṁ sudhīḥ ||1.2.134 ||
Going to the temple is illustrated in the Hari-bhakti-sudhodaya: The intelligent person who enters the temple of Viṣṇu to see the Lord in a mood of devotion does not again enter the prison of a mothers womb.
29 – parikramo, yathā tatraiva —
viṣṇuṁ pradakṣinī-kurvan yas tatrāvartate punaḥ |
tad evāvartanaṁ tasya punar nāvartate bhave ||1.2.135||
Circumambulation, from the Hari-bhakti-sudhodaya: If a person circumambulates [the Deity of] Viṣṇu and returns to the same spot, that returning guarantees that he does not return to another birth.
skānde ca caturmāsya-māhātmye —
catur-vāraṁ bhramībhis tu jagat sarvaṁ carācaram |
krāntaṁ bhavati viprāgrya tat-tīrtha-gamanādikam ||1.2.136||
In the Skanda Purāṇa, Caturmāsya-māhātmya it is said: O best of the brāhmaṇas, those who circumambulate the Lord four times surpass the world of moving and non-moving creatures. This surpasses going to tīrthas.
Please join us for Evening Darshan live webcast daily except Sunday at 6:30 PM GMT+05:30 at our main site.
The video can be watched here on Youtube.
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12.24.09
Posted in Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, Darshan, Esoteric Teaching, Nectar of Devotion at 10:01 pm by anandavardhana
25 – daṇḍavan-natiḥ, yathā nāradīye —
ekopi kṛṣṇāya kṛtaḥ praṇāmo daśāśvamedhāvabhṛthair na tulyaḥ |
daśāśvamedhī punar eti janma kṛṣṇa-praṇāmī na punar-bhavāya ||1.2.129||
Offering obeisances, from the Nāradīya Purāṇa: The purificatory rites performed during ten horse sacrifices cannot equal even one praṇāma offered to Kṛṣṇa. A person who performs ten horse sacrifices takes birth again; but the person offering praṇāmas to Kṛṣṇa does not take birth again.
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12.23.09
Posted in Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, Darshan, Esoteric Teaching, Nectar of Devotion at 9:57 pm by anandavardhana
23 – nirmālya-dhṛtiḥ, yathā ekādaśe (11.6.46)—
tvayopayukta-srag-gandha-vāso’laṅkāra -carcitāḥ |
ucchiṣṭa-bhojino dāsās tava māyāṁ jayemahi ||1.2.125||
Wearing the garlands used by the Lord, shown in the Eleventh Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam [11.6.46]: Simply by decorating ourselves with the garlands, fragrant oils, clothes and ornaments that You have already enjoyed, and by eating the remnants of Your meals, we, Your servants, will indeed conquer Your illusory energy.
skānde ca —
kṛṣṇottīrṇaṁ tu nirmālyaṁ yasyāṅgaṁ spṛśate mune |
sarva-rogais tathā pāpair mukto bhavati nārada ||1.2.126||
Also in the Skanda Purāṇa: O sage Nārada, whoever touches the garlands offered to Kṛṣṇa with his body becomes freed from all diseases and all sins.
24 – agre tāṇḍavaṁ, yathā dvārakā-māhātmye—
yo nṛtyati prahṛṣṭātmā bhāvair bahuṣu bhaktitaḥ |
sa nirdahati pāpāni manvantara-śateṣv api ||1.2.127||
Dancing before the Deity is shown in the Dvārakā-mahātmya: He who joyfully dances with many emotions before the Lord burns up sins which have been produced during many hundreds of manvantaras.
tathā śrī-nāradoktau ca —
nṛtyatāṁ śrī-pater agre tālikā-vādanair bhṛśam |
uḍḍīyante śarīra-sthāḥ sarve pātaka-pakṣiṇaḥ ||1.2.128||
It is also said by Nārada: All the birds of sin situated in the body fly away for those who dance before the Lord with vigorous clapping of hands.
Please join us for Evening Darshan live webcast daily except Sunday at 6:30 PM GMT+05:30 at our main site.
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12.22.09
Posted in Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, Darshan, Esoteric Teaching, Nectar of Devotion at 1:00 am by anandavardhana
20- tan-nindādy asahiṣṇutā, yathā śrī-daśame (10.74.40) —
nindāṁ bhagavataḥ śrṇvaṁs tat-parasya janasya vā |
tato nāpaiti yaḥ sopi yāty adhaḥ sukṛtāc cyutaḥ ||1.2.121||
Not tolerating criticism of the Lord or His devotee, shown in the Tenth Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam [10.74.40]: Anyone who fails to immediately leave the place where he hears criticism of the Supreme Lord or His faithful devotee will certainly fall down, bereft of his pious credit.
21 – atha vaiṣṇava-cihṇa-dhṛtiḥ, yathā pādme —
ye kaṇṭha-lagna-tulasī-nalinākṣā-māl ā
ye bāhu-mūla-paricihṇita-śaṅkha-cakrā ḥ |
ye vā lalāṭa-phalake lasad-ūrdhva-puṇḍrās
te vaiṣṇavā bhuvanam āśu pavitrayanti ||1.2.122||
Wearing the marks of a Vaiṣṇava, shown in the Padma Purāṇa: Those Vaiṣṇavas who have tulasī beads, lotus-seed beads and japa beads around their necks, who have their shoulders marked with the signs of conch and cakra, and who have tilaka on their foreheads quickly purify the earth.
22 – nāmākṣara-dhṛtiḥ, yathā skānde —
hari-nāmākṣara-yutaṁ bhāle gopī-mṛḍaṅkitam |
tulasī-mālikoraskaṁ spṛśeyur na yamodbhaṭāḥ ||1.2.123||
Wearing the syllables of the Holy Name, from the Skanda Purāṇa: The servants of Yama will not touch those who have the names of Hari on their bodies, who have gopī-candan tilaka on their foreheads and who have tulasī beads on their chests.
pādme ca —
kṛṣṇa-nāmākṣarair gātram aṅkayec candanādinā |
sa loka-pāvano bhutvā tasya lokam avāpnuyāt ||1.2.124||
It is also said in the Padma Purāṇa: He who has the syllables of Kṛṣṇas name marked on his body with candana, after purifying this world, attains the planet of the Lord.
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12.21.09
Posted in Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, Darshan, Esoteric Teaching, Nectar of Devotion at 12:52 am by anandavardhana
“The offenses against the chanting of the Holy Name are as follows: 1) To blaspheme the devotees who have dedicated their lives for propagating the Holy Name of the Lord. 2) To consider the names of demigods like Lord Śiva or Lord Brahmā to be equal to, or independent of, the Holy Name of Lord Viṣṇu. 3) To disobey the orders of the spiritual master. 4) To blaspheme the Vedic literature or literature in pursuance of the Vedic version. 5) To consider the glories of chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa to be imagination. 6) To give some interpretation on the Holy Name of the Lord. 7) To commit sinful activities on the strength of the Holy Name of the Lord. 8 ) To consider the chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa as one of the auspicious ritualistic activities which are offered in the Vedas as fruitive activities (karma-kāṇḍa). 9) To instruct a faithless person about the glories of the Holy Name. 10) To not have complete faith in the chanting of the Holy Name and to maintain material attachments, even after understanding so many instructions on this matter.” [Nectar of Devotion, Chapter 8]
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