03.10.10
Posted in Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, Darshan, Esoteric Teaching, Nectar of Devotion at 1:10 am by anandavardhana
tathā dvitīye (2.1.9) ca —
pariniṣṭhitopi nairguṇye uttamaḥśloka-līlayā |
gṛhita-cetā rājarṣe ākhyānaṁ yad adhītavān ||1.2.227||
Similarly, it is said in the Second Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam [2.1.9]:
O saintly King, I was certainly situated perfectly in transcendence, yet I was still attracted by the delineation of the pastimes of the Lord, who is described by enlightened verses.
62 – atha sa-jātīyāśaya-snigdha-śrī-bhagavad -bhakta-saṅgo, yathā prathame (1.18.13) —
tulayāma lavenāpi na svargaṁ nāpunar-bhavam |
bhagavat-saṅgi-saṅgasya martyānāṁ kimutāśiṣaḥ ||1.2.228||
Association with like-minded, affectionate devotees, from the First Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam [1.18.13]:
The value of a moment’s association with the devotee of the Lord cannot even be compared to the attainment of heavenly planets or liberation from matter, and what to speak of worldly benedictions in the form of material prosperity, which are for those who are meant for death.
hari-bhakti-sudhodaye ca —
yasya yat-saṅgatiḥ puṁso maṇivat syāt sa tad-guṇaḥ |
sva-kūlarddhyai tato dhīmān sva-yūthyān eva saṁśrayet ||1.2.229 ||
It is also said in the Hari-bhakti-sudhodaya:
A man will attain the qualities of the person with whom he associates, just as a crystal takes up the color of the object next to it. Therefore, the wise man will take shelter of those who have qualities similar to his own for the prosperity of his family.
Questions:
* Are you saying about association with devotees in this material world, like you and Prabhupada?
* What is said of the devotee who has no association at all, who, regardless of the previously mentioned circumstance, is able to maintain both his sangfroid and sadhana.
* I heard that some metals are used in Ayurvedic medicine. Isn’t this detrimental to one’s health?
* Isn’t Gayatri mantra for some Godess (Devi) or Sun God or something like that?
* So can we see my Sthai-bhava by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa constantly for 6 months or more?
* What do you think about acupuncture?
* You were talking about the path to the sun and the path to the moon, etc. This knowledge is found in the Vedānta-sūtra, correct?
* Did you keep chanting after Kṛṣṇa-darśan?
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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03.09.10
Posted in Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, Darshan, Esoteric Teaching, Nectar of Devotion at 1:08 am by anandavardhana
Tonight we only cover one verse, but it is very profound, and Jīva Gosvāmī’s commentary was extremely high: 61 — atha śrī-bhāgavatārthāsvādo, yathā prathame (1.1.3) — nigama-kalpa-taror-galitaṁ phalaṁ śuka-mukhād amṛta-drava-saṁyutam | pibata bhāgavataṁ rasam ālayaṁ muhur aho rasikā bhuvi bhāvukāḥ ||1.2.226|| Relishing Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, from the First Canto [1.1.3]: O expert and thoughtful men, relish Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the mature fruit of the desire tree of Vedic literatures. It emanated from the lips of Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī. Therefore this fruit has become even more tasteful, although its nectarean juice was already relishable for all, including liberated souls.
Questions: * Sometimes in kīrtan, devotees are able to go to a mood that is very sweet, but because they don’t recognize it, they change that mood. Is this some block? * When we talk about sādhana-siddha, or even nitya-siddha, that they know the pastimes because they are part of them. Does that mean that they are part of all the pastimes? * Hare Krsna, please accept my humble obeisances, I have a little bit inferior question: are musicians usually in śūdra category?
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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03.08.10
Posted in Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, Darshan, Esoteric Teaching, Nectar of Devotion at 1:05 am by anandavardhana
57 – atha yathā-vaibhava-mahotsavo, yathā pādme —
yaḥ karoti mahīpāla harer gehe mahotsavam |
tasyāpi bhavati nityaṁ hari-loke mahotsava ||1.2.220||
Observing festivals according to ones wealth, illustrated from the Padma Purāṇa:
O King, he who performs a festival for the temple of the Lord experiences for eternity a festival in the planet of the Lord.
58 – atha ūrjādaro, yathā pādme —
yathā dāmodaro bhakta-vatsalo vidito janaiḥ |
tasyāyaṁ tādṛśo māsaḥ svalpam apy uru-kārakaḥ ||1.2.221 ||
Observing Ūrja-vrata, from the Padma Purāṇa:
Just as men know that Dāmodara is affectionate to His devotee, the Dāmodara month is also affectionate to the devotee. Even a little service performed during that month yields great results.
tatrāpi mathurāyāṁ viśeṣo, yathā tatraiva —
bhuktiṁ muktiṁ harir dadyād arcitonyatra sevinām |
bhaktiṁ tu na dadāty eva yato vaśyakarī hareḥ ||1.2.222 ||
sā tv añjasā harer bhaktir labhyate kārttike naraiḥ |
mathurāyāṁ sakṛd api śrī-dāmodara-sevanāt ||1.2.223 ||
Respecting the Dāmodara-vrata in Mathurā is glorified in the Padma Purāṇa:
The Lord, being worshiped elsewhere, awards material enjoyment and liberation to those worshipers. He does not give bhakti, because bhakti controls the Lord. However, men can achieve bhakti very easily by serving Dāmodara during Kārtika month in Mathurā just once.
59 — atha śrī-janma-dina-yātrā, yathā bhaviṣyottare —
yasmin dine prasūteyaṁ devakī tvāṁ janārdana |
tad-dinaṁ brūhi vaikuṇṭha kurmas te tatra cotsavam |
tena samyak-prapannānāṁ prasādaṁ kuru keśavaḥ ||1.2.224 ||
Observing the appearance day of the Lord, from Bhaviṣyottara Purāṇa:
O Janārdana, tell us the day that Devakī gave birth to You. O Vaikuṇṭha, we will perform a festival on that day. O Keśava, may You be pleased with that festival performed by those who are completely surrendered to You.
60 — atha śrī-mūrter-anghri-sevane prītiḥ, yathā ādi-purāṇe —
mama nāma-sadāgrāhī mama sevā-priyaḥ sadā |
bhaktis tasmai pradātavyā na tu muktiḥ kadācana ||1.2.225||
Attachment to serving the lotus feet of the Deity, from Ādi Purāṇa:
I give bhakti, and never liberation, to the person who is always engaged in chanting My Holy Name and serving Me as the goal in his life.
Questions:
“You were talking about long and short syllables in Sanskrit. Another feature is the pitch accent, found in Vedic Sanskrit. Why is this pitch accent no longer pronounced in Classical Sanskrit and why is there a difference between Vedic Sanskrit and Classical Sanskrit in general? Lastly, do you believe that Sanskrit is the Proto-Indo-European language?”
“Now for my more personal questions. Both the Bhagavad Gita and the Secret of the Golden Flower prescribe the method of staring at the tip of ones nose during meditation. Does this mean that one has to cross ones eyes, that one has to have ones eyelids half-closed, or that both are necessary? I tried crossing my eyes for an extensive amount of time and felt a sensation on my forehead.”
“Lastly, I cannot chant audibly because of physical limitations. Should I chant in the mind while performing deep diaphragmatic breathing as an alternative? Please clear my doubts so I can focus more on Krishna.”
“Hare Krsna Babaji ! what is bhakti? what is pure love for Krsna?”
“Is M.S.Subhalakshmi’s style of chanting the actual style of chanting Sanskrit..I am chanting in a similar way and Prabhupada is chanting a slightly different way…and of course you are chanting a different way…Do this phonetic differences really a problem..is it necessary.”
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The video can be watched here on Youtube.
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03.07.10
Posted in Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, Darshan, Esoteric Teaching, Nectar of Devotion at 1:01 am by anandavardhana
55 – atha mathurāyāḥ, yathā ādi-vārāhe —
mathurāṁ ca parityajya yonyatra kurute ratim |
mūḍho bhramati saṁsāre mohitā mama māyayā ||1.2.211 ||
Serving Mathurā and other holy places, illustrated in the Varāha Purāṇa:
The fool who gives up Mathurā and develops attraction for some other place wanders in the material world birth after birth, bewildered by My Māyā.
brahmāṇḍe ca —
trailokya-varti-tīrthānāṁ sevanād durlabhā hi yā |
parānanda-mayī siddhir mathurā-sparṣa-mātrataḥ ||1.2.212 ||
This is also illustrated in the Brahmāṇḍa Purāṇa:
The bliss at the stage of prema, which is rarely obtained even by serving all the holy places in the three worlds, is available just by touching Mathurā.
śrutā smṛtā kīrtitā ca vāñchitā prekṣitā gatā |
spṛṣṭā śritā sevitā ca mathurābhīṣṭadā nṛṇām |
iti khyātaṁ purāṇeṣu na vistāra-bhiyocyate ||1.2.213 ||
Hearing about, remembering, glorifying, desiring, seeing, visiting, touching, taking shelter and serving Mathurā fulfills all the desires of human beings. This has been described in all the Purāṇas. I have not elaborated this here for fear of increasing the volume of this book.
56 – atha vaiṣṇavānāṁ sevanaṁ, yathā pādme (6.253.176) —
ārādhanānāṁ sarveṣāṁ viṣṇor ārādhanaṁ param |
tasmāt parataraṁ devi tadīyānāṁ samarcanam ||1.2.214 ||
Service to Vaiṣṇavas, from Padma Purāṇa:
Of all types of worship, worship of Viṣṇu is supreme. O Devī, worship of His devotees, however, is even superior to that.
tṛtīye (3.7.19) ca—
yat-sevayā bhagavataḥ kūṭa-sthasya madhu-dviṣaḥ |
rati-rāso bhavet tīvraḥ pādayor vyasanārdanaḥ ||1.2.215||
In the Third Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam [3.7.19], it is said:
By serving the feet of the spiritual master, one is enabled to develop transcendental ecstasy in the service of the Personality of Godhead, who is the unchangeable enemy of the Madhu demon and whose service vanquishes one’s material distresses.
skānde ca —
śaṅkha-cakrāṅkita-tanuḥ śirasā mañjarī-dharaḥ |
gopī-candana-liptāṅgo dṛṣtaś cet tad-aghaṁ kutaḥ ||1.2.216||
Also, the Skanda Purāṇa says:
Where is sin for the person who has seen a Vaiṣṇava whose body is marked with conch and disc, who has tulasī mañjarīs on his head and whose limbs are smeared with gopī-candana?
prathame (1.19.33) ca—
yeṣāṁ saṁsmaraṇāt puṁsāṁ sadyaḥ śuddhyanti vai gṛhāḥ |
kiṁ punar darśana-sparśa-pāda-śaucāsanādibhi ḥ ||1.2.217||
The First Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam [1.19.33] says:
Simply by our remembering you, our houses become instantly sanctified. And what to speak of seeing you, touching you, washing your holy feet and offering you a seat in our home?
ādī-purāṇe —
ye me bhakta-janāḥ pārtha na me bhaktāś ca te janāḥ |
mad-bhaktānāṁ ca ye bhaktās te me bhaktatamā matāḥ ||1.2.218||
Ādi-purāṇa says:
Those who claim to be My devotees are not My devotees; Those who are the devotees of My devotees, I consider them to be the best of My devotees.
yāvanti bhagavad-bhakter aṅgāni kathitānīha |
prāyas tāvanti tad-bhakta-bhakter api budhā viduḥ ||1.2.219 ||
All the aṅgas of bhakti in relation to the Lord are also aṅgas of bhakti in relation to the devotees of the Lord. This is the conclusion of the wise.
Please join us for Evening Darshan live webcast daily at 6:30 PM India time, on our main site.
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03.06.10
Posted in Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, Darshan, Esoteric Teaching, Nectar of Devotion, Preaching at 1:33 am by anandavardhana
53 – atha tadīyānāṁ sevanam | tulāsyaḥ, yathā skānde— yā dṛṣṭā nikhilāgha-saṅga-śamanī spṛṣṭā vapuḥ-pāvanī rogāṇām abhivanditā nirasanī siktāntaka-trāsinī | pratyāsatti-vidhāyinī bhagavataḥ kṛṣṇasya saṁropitā nyastā tac-caraṇe vimukti-phaladā tasyai tulasyai namaḥ ||1.2.203 || Service of things related to the Lord and service to tulasī, from Skanda Purāṇa: Seeing tulasī destroys all sins. Touching her purifies the body. Bowing to her destroys all sufferings. Sprinkling her with water delivers one from death. Planting her bestows attachment of the mind to Kṛṣṇa. Offering her to Kṛṣṇas lotus feet bestows special liberation in the form of prema. I offer my respects to tulasī. tathā ca tatraiva — dṛṣtā spṛṣṭā tathā dhyātā kīrtitā namitā stutā | ropitā sevitā nityaṁ pūjitā tulasī śubhā ||1.2.204 || navadhā tulasīṁ devīṁ ye bhajanti dine dine | yuga-koṭi-sahasrāṇi te vasanti harer gṛhe ||1.2.205|| Also from Skanda Purāṇa: Those who worship auspicious tulasī daily by nine processes—seeing, touching, meditating, glorifying, offering obeisances, praising, planting, serving and worshiping—live in the Lords house for ten billion yugas. 54 – atha śāstrasya, śāstram atra samākhyātaṁ yad bhakti-pratipādakam || 1.2.206|| Service to the scriptures: Scripture here refers to those scriptures that present bhakti. yathā skānde — vaiṣṇavāni tu śāstrāṇī ye śṛṇvanti paṭhanti ca | dhanyās te mānavā loke tesāṁ kṛṣṇaḥ prasīdati ||1.2.207|| vaiṣṇavāni tu śāstrāṇī yercayanti gṛhe narāḥ | sarva-pāpa-vinirmuktā bhavanti sura-vanditāḥ ||1.2.208|| tiṣṭhate vaiṣṇavaṁ śāstraṁ likhitaṁ yasya mandire | tatra nārāyaṇo devaḥ svayaṁ vasati nārada ||1.2.209 || From the Skanda Purāṇa: O Nārada, fortunate are the people in this world who hear and read the Vaiṣṇava scriptures. Kṛṣṇa is pleased with them. Those who worship the Vaiṣṇava scriptures in their homes become free from all sins and are praised by the devatās. The Supreme Lord Nārāyaṇa Himself lives in the house where the Vaiṣṇava scriptures have appeared in writing.
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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01.17.10
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.
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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.
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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.
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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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01.12.10
Posted in Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, Darshan, Esoteric Teaching, Nectar of Devotion at 9:39 am by Nava-yauvana dāsa
atha dhyānam —
dhyānam rupa-guṇa-krīḍā-sevādeḥ suṣṭhu cintanam ||1.2.178||
Meditation: Meditation means to contemplate with absorption upon the Lords form, qualities, pastimes and service.
tatra rūpa-dhyānaṁ, yathā nārasiṁhe —
bhagavac-caraṇa-dvandva-dhyānaṁ nirdvandvam īritam |
pāpinopi prasaṅgena vihitaṁ suhitaṁ param ||1.2.179 ||
Meditation on the form, from the Nārasiṁha Purāṇa: Meditation on the two feet of the Lord is considered the means of attaining freedom from the dualities of this world. Even a sinner who meditates casually obtains the highest benefit.
guṇa-dhyānaṁ, yathā viṣṇudharme —
ye kurvanti sadā bhaktyā guṇānusmaraṇaṁ hareḥ |
prakṣīṇa-kaluṣaughās te praviśanti hareḥ padam ||1.2.180||
Meditation on the qualities of the Lord, from Viṣṇu-dharma: Those who constantly meditate on the qualities of the Lord with devotion, having destroyed all contamination, enter the abode of the Lord.
krīdā-dhyānaṁ, yathā padme —
sarva-mādhurya-sārāṇi sarvādbhutamayāni ca |
dhyāyan hareś caritrāṇi lalitāni vimucyate ||1.2.181 ||
Meditating on the pastimes of the Lord, from the Padma Purāṇa: He who meditates on the most sweet, most astonishing, most charming pastimes of the Lord obtains liberation.
sevā-dhyānaṁ, yathā purāṇāntare —
mānasenopacārena paricarya hariṁ sadā |
pare vāṅ-manasāgamyaṁ taṁ sākṣāt pratipedire ||1.2.182 ||
Meditation on ones service, from another Purāṇa: Constantly serving the Lord with items produced in the mind, some devotees have directly attained the Lord, who is not approachable for others by words or mind.
Today’s questions:
* In one of the verses it mentions that even a sinful person who casually meditates on the form of the Lord can get liberated. What does it mean to “casually meditate”?
* Practically speaking, what does it mean to meditate on the lotus feet of the Lord? Does it mean that we just visualize the feet of the Lord and meditate on that?
* Regarding meditating on our service to the Lord, if we do not yet know our constitutional position and service in the spiritual world then how do we perform this meditation? Isn’t there a danger of speculation?
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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