Govindaram

SB: 4.24.15 TRANSLATION When all the sons of Pracinabarhi left home to execute austerities, they met Lord Siva, who, out of great mercy, instructed them about the Absolute Truth. All the sons of Pracinabarhi meditated upon the instructions, chanting and worshiping them with great care and attention. PURPORT It is clear that to perform austerities or penances, or, for that matter, any form of devotional service, one has to be guided by a spiritual master. Here it is clearly stated that the ten sons of Maharaja Pracinabarhi were favored by the appearance of Lord Siva, who, out of great kindness, gave them instructions regarding the execution of austerities. Lord Siva actually became the spiritual master of the ten sons, and in turn his disciples took his words so seriously that simply by meditating upon his instructions (dhyayantah) they became perfect. This is the secret of success. After being initiated and receiving the orders of the spiritual master, the disciple should unhesitatingly think about the instructions or orders of the spiritual master and should not allow himself to be disturbed by anything else. This is also the verdict of Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura, who, while explaining a verse of Bhagavad-gita (vyavasayatmika buddhir ekeha kuru-nandana, Bg. 2.41), points out that the order of the spiritual master is the life substance of the disciple. The disciple should not consider whether he is going back home, back to Godhead; his first business should be to execute the order of his spiritual master. Thus a disciple should always meditate on the order of the spiritual master, and that is perfectional meditation. Not only should he meditate upon that order, but he should find out the means by which he can perfectly worship and execute it.

Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead After rising from bed, Lord Krsna would wash His mouth, hands and feet and would immediately sit down and meditate on Himself. This does not mean, however, that we should also sit down and meditate on ourselves. We have to meditate upon Krsna, Radha-Krsna. That is real meditation, Krsna is Krsna Himself; therefore He was teaching us that brahma-muhurta should be utilized for meditation on Radha-Krsna. By doing so, Krsna would feel very much satisfied, and similarly we will also feel transcendentally pleased and satisfied if we utilize the brahma-muhurta period to meditate on Radha and Krsna... The Perfection of Yoga In this Krsna consciousness movement we are meditating directly on Sri Krsna. This is a process of practical meditation. The members of this movement are concentrating their minds on Krsna, regardless of their particular occupation. One may be working in the garden and digging in the earth, but he is thinking, "I am cultivating beautiful roses to offer to Krsna." One may be cooking in the kitchen, but he is always thinking, "I am preparing palatable food to be offered to Krsna." Similarly, chanting and dancing in the temple are forms of meditating on Krsna. Srimad Bhagavatam 1.19.7 Maharaja Paraksit freed himself from all sorts of material association and meditated upon the lotus feet of Lord Krsna, and that is the way of liberation.

Hare Krishna Ok, we are all spirit souls, there is no argument about that! But when we are tranferred to Goloka (!), I read we take on a spiritual body, so our soul (entangled in material nature for krsna knows how long), enters a spiritual body, what kind of body is this exactly? what i mean is, does our soul MERGE with this spiritual body in Goloka? I am sure devotees must have thought about this a lot, and this q' keeps coming up in my mind. Thankyou. Also, then what would the difference be, between our (spiritual body) and Krishna? I read that Uddhava had a simliar bodily features to krishna, and I know that we are ONE entity and Krishna is everywhere, anyway please help me! AND NO GUESTS! PLEASE!

Hare Krishna. A while a ago a devotee asked for a quote wherein His Divine Grace says you can attain Krishna by following 4 regualtive priniciple and chanting 16 rounds.. Letter to: Radhavallabha -- Bombay 6 January, 1972 72-01-06 My Dear Radhaballabah das, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your first and second copies of your letter dated December 18th, 1971 which were sent to Bombay and Madras respectively. I am very glad to know that you are seriously taking to Srimati Tulasi Devi worship. Tulasi Devi is a pure devotee of Krishna and she should be treated with the same respect given to all Krishna's pure devotees. Simply by worshipping her faithfully, a devotee can get himself free of from all material miseries. In the Nectar of Devotion I have given two verses from the Skanda Purana, one of which is: ``Tulasi is auspicious in all respects. Simply by seeing, simply by touching, simply by remembering, simply by praying to, simply by bowing before, simply by hearing about, or simply by sowing the tree, there is always auspiciousness. Anyone who comes in touch with the Tulasi tree in the above mentioned ways lives eternally in the Vaikuntha world.'' So from this verse we can understand how pure is the service which Tulasi offers to Sri Krishna. So we should always endeavor after becoming servant of Tulasi Devi. I do not know who has taught you that part of a Tulasi plant may be cut off and then replanted? From the Tulasi plant you can cut off only leaves for offering them to Krishna, never for cutting and planting. That is an offense. The manjaris (seeds) can be offered in water and it makes the water fragrant and tasteful. And the manjaris can be planted for growing new Tulasi plants. Yes, the prayer you have enclosed is bona fide. Tulasi Devi never goes back to Godhead, she is always with Godhead. She is a pure devotee and thus she has appeared on this planet to render service to Krishna by being offered in all temples throughout the world by being offered up to the lotus feet of Krishna. Chanting japa should be done early in the morning with full concentration preferably during the Brahma Muhurta time. Concentrate fully on the sound vibration of the mantra, pronouncing each name distinctly and gradually your speed in chanting will increase naturally. Do not worry so much about chanting fast, most important is the hearing. A devotee should always be grave and silent which means that he only discusses topics relating to Krishna Consciousness. Yes, spend your time chanting and reading and taking Krishna Prasadam and automatically your tongue will come under control. If you sincerely engage 24 hours daily in devotional service according to the instructions of the Spiritual Master, chant daily 16 rounds, attend the arati ceremony of Lord Krishna, associate with the devotees and adhere strictly to the regulative principles then Krishna will reveal Himself personally to you. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Bg:4.24 http://www.asitis.com/4/24.html TRANSLATION A person who is fully absorbed in Krsna consciousness is sure to attain the spiritual kingdom because of his full contribution to spiritual activities, in which the consummation is absolute and that which is offered is of the same spiritual nature. PURPORT How activities in Krsna consciousness can lead one ultimately to the spiritual goal is described here. There are various activities in Krsna consciousness, and all of them will be described in the following verses. But, for the present, just the principle of Krsna consciousness is described. A conditioned soul, entangled in material contamination, is sure to act in the material atmosphere, and yet he has to get out of such an environment. The process by which the conditioned soul can get out of the material atmosphere is Krsna consciousness. For example, a patient who is suffering from a disorder of the bowels due to overindulgence in milk products is cured by another milk product, namely curds. The materially absorbed conditioned soul can be cured by Krsna consciousness as set forth here in the Gita. This process is generally known as yajna, or activities (sacrifices) simply meant for the satisfaction of Visnu or Krsna. The more the activities of the material world are performed in Krsna consciousness, or for Visnu only, the more the atmosphere becomes spiritualized by complete absorption. Brahman means spiritual. The Lord is spiritual, and the rays of His transcendental body are called brahmajyoti, His spiritual effulgence. Everything that exists is situated in that brahmajyoti, but when the jyoti is covered by illusion (maya) or sense gratification, it is called material. This material veil can be removed at once by Krsna consciousness; thus the offering for the sake of Krsna consciousness, the consuming agent of such an offering or contribution, the process of consumption, the contributor, and the result are--all combined together--Brahman, or the Absolute Truth. The Absolute Truth covered by maya is called matter. Matter dovetailed for the cause of the Absolute Truth regains its spiritual quality. Krsna consciousness is the process of converting the illusory consciousness into Brahman, or the Supreme. When the mind is fully absorbed in Krsna consciousness, it is said to be in samadhi, or trance. Anything done in such transcendental consciousness is called yajna, or sacrifice for the Absolute. In that condition of spiritual consciousness, the contributor, the contribution, the consumption, the performer or leader of the performance, and the result or ultimate gain--everything--becomes one in the Absolute, the Supreme Brahman. That is the method of Krsna consciousness. ===== <font color="red">Ever fresh </font color> wonderful verse & purport /images/graemlins/laugh.gif

Ps. I can't believe for a 2nd your iq is above even 100, (or less), hey! just kidding! LOL Sorry, i must be a nice person, ignore the above ok?

Thx, for your support, maybe if we all devotees got together we could declare all-out-war on Maya!

Am I scared? You'd better believe it.

http://www.eprarthana.com/virtual/vkrishna.asp RING THAT BELL!!!

Hk Do pure devotees know past/present/futures just like Krsna? If so it would be interesting, to refute ppls who might say Prabhupada purports were 'for not this time blah blah'/

maybe Theist Prabhuji, is in renunciation mode/

KNOWLEDGE: TRANSLATION Humility, pridelessness, nonviolence, tolerance, simplicity, approaching a bona fide spiritual master, cleanliness, steadiness and self-control; renunciation of the objects of sense gratification, absence of false ego, the perception of the evil of birth, death, old age and disease; nonattachment to children, wife, home and the rest, and evenmindedness amid pleasant and unpleasant events; constant and unalloyed devotion to Me, resorting to solitary places, detachment from the general mass of people; accepting the importance of self-realization, and philosophical search for the Absolute Truth-all these I thus declare to be knowledge, and what is contrary to these is ignorance. http://www.asitis.com/13/8-12.html

http://www.iskcon.com/basics/japa.html

Hi, which books are you reading? that your iq had decreased. I would like to know.

Japa workshop The process, techniques, and methodology Chanting, while mostly devotional, is also a technical process of meditation. This section will help you to understand more of what is involved and how to improve your japa meditation. The proper use of beads Chanting a mantra or hymn softly and slowly is called japa and chanting the same mantra loudly is called kirtana.When japa is practiced it is for the personal benefit of the chanter, but when kirtana is performed it is for the benefit of all who may hear. Japa chanting is best done on a set of beads. The more attentively and sincerely you chant the names of God, the more spiritual progress, you will make. Japa beads consist of 108 beads strung together, plus one much larger bead known as the Krishna bead. Before chanting, we must first take shelter of Lord Caitanya by chanting the panca-tattva-mantra: jaya sri krishna caitanya, prabhu nityananda, sri advaita, gadadhara, srivasadi gaura bhakta vrinda Start at the first bead and chant one mantra; repeat until you reach the last bead. This is one round. Before each round, chant the panca-tattva-mantra again. Don't chant on or cross the larger bead (Krishna bead). Reverse the direction of your chanting at the end of ecah round. Pronunciation: One should note in this connection that chanting involves the activities of the upper and lower lips as well as the tongue. All three must be engaged in chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra. The words &#8220;Hare Krishna&#8221; should be very distinctly pronounced and heard. Sometimes one mechanically produces a hissing sound instead of chanting with the proper pronunciation with the help of the lips and tongue. Chanting is very simple, but one must practice it seriously. (Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi 7.32, purport) While different tongues pronounce the mantra a little differently and the sastra does state that the holy name is still effective even if improperly pronounced, it is still beneficial to concentrate and practice clear pronunciation. Typical problems "H" in Hare: sometimes dropped "A" in Hare: sometimes sounds like "O" as in Lorry; should be "uh" as in Hurry. "R" in Hare: sometimes sounds more like "D" "E" in Hare: sometimes sounds like "I" as in Bit; should be "ay" as in Ray. "K" in Krishna: sometimes sounds more like "G" in Grip. "R" in Krishna: sometimes dropped: "Kishna" "N" in Krishna: sometimes dropped: "Krisha" "A" in Krishna: is sometimes run together with the next Hare: "Krishna-ray" Rama: be careful not to call out for Rum! Sometimes with "Rama Rama Rama," you get the "revving-up-the-motorbike" effect: "manar-manar-manar-manarrrr!" (trying to chant too fast) Note: Both Ram and Rama are OK Result of poor pronunciation Odi gish-odi gisha gisha gish-odiyodi Odi rumma odi rummanar-manar-manar odiyodi ! (hint: try to chant the above quickly and you might recognise it!) Chanting speed In the beginning you may be slow (around 10 minutes per round) It is important to practice proper pronunciation, but in time you should naturally speed up (about 7&#8211;7½ min/round) Ultimately it is individual, but many devotees find that speeding up increases the intensity of their chanting and their concentration level. If your rounds are taking too long, it could mean that you are distracted. Try to maintain good, clear pronunciation with a good speed. Some devotees can chant a round in 5 &#8211; 5½ min, but be careful not to lose the clarity of the syllables! Posture One's mental and physical state is affected by one's bodily posture and can be altered by changing the posture. You can affect the mind's ability to concentrate by remaining peaceful and adopting a good posture. Perhaps you have already experienced the difference between chanting sitting in a conventional chair (legs down) and sitting cross-legged. Try sitting cross-legged with a little extra support under your bottom. The back and neck should be erect in a straight line, the head up. Breathing should be deep and rhythmic. Common pitfalls &#8220;Prajalpa-japa&#8221;: Unnecessarily talking while chanting. &#8220;Dive-bomb japa&#8221;: Falling asleep while chanting (head nodding off). &#8220;Radar japa&#8221;: constantly looking around. &#8220;Machine-gun japa&#8221;: much too fast while shaking the finger. &#8220;Jibber-japa&#8221;: it is just gibberish, no one can understand it. &#8220;Day-dreamy japa&#8221;: not concentrating, following the wandering mind. Attentiveness This is the most essential part of chanting: how attentive are you? Imagine you are driving a car and you have a passenger sitting next to you. The passenger is continually pointing things out and trying to draw your attention to them: &#8220;Oh, look there's a shoe sale on! Look at those nice shoes! Ah, look at that guy with the funny hat! Are those your gloves on the back seat? Look out, no, no, turn left! Oh, I thought we had to go left. Look at the TV shop &#8212; is that your favorite football team playing? Uh-oh, check this out: there's a guy getting arrested over there&#8230;.&#8221; If you keep getting distracted by what your passenger is saying, you're going to crash the car. The passenger is like your mind, and driving the car is like chanting your rounds. However, if someone keeps talking to you and you continuously ignore them, eventually they are just going to shut up. That is the best way to deal with the mind: just ignore it and keep your attention on &#8220;the road&#8221;, the distractions will eventually shut up. An interesting exercise: Keep a list of all the subjects brought up by the mind during your japa and then review it at the end. Usually you can just throw away the whole list because you didn't need to think about any of these things at all. It is a very graphic way of proving to yourself that you don't always need to take the mind so seriously. Concentration exercises: There are some exercises you can try in order to strengthen your ability to concentrate. The mind is like a muscle that needs exercise. These exercises may give you a more constructive way to engage the mind. The big picture: Chanting is just not about getting the technique right. It is just as important to not lose sight of the big picture. We are ultimately not independent of Krishna, and we must always humbly pray to Him and seek His shelter and guidance. We must always see that we have to get to the platform of taste in our chanting and ultimately attain love for Krishna. Attitude Your mood, attitude, or mentality is also very important while chanting. Chanting is not just a mechanical process. It must be accompanied with the appropriate feelings, performed for the right purpose, and with proper consciousness. Enthusiasm: One should realize that love for Krishna is the ultimate goal. He should have total eagerness to attain it, even to the point of crying for it, like a baby. That is the price one must pay. Prayer: Remember that the maha-mantra is a prayer. Remember the meaning of the prayer, and offer it in a prayerful mood: a communication between you and God &#8212; a very personal experience. Dependence: A devotee feels helpless without the Lord's mercy and dependent on the holy names. Humility and reverence: When we take darsana of the Deity, we must first take our shoes off, ring a bell, bow down, conch shells blow, the curtains are drawn &#8212; we are seeing the form of the Lord. The same respect and reverence should be given to the holy name. Service: Chanting is a kind of service. It should be performed in a serving mood, serving the holy name by uttering it. Not that we are the master of Krishna, causing Him to manifest. Gratitude: Be thankful to the Lord for the mercy that He is bestowing upon you and all the fallen souls in the form of His holy name Tolerance: All difficulties and obstacles of the mind must be tolerated. One may not have any taste for chanting or find the process hard to follow. All discomforts must be tolerated for Krishna's satisfaction. Patience: It may take a lot of practice before one gets better at chanting. One must patiently continue to endeavor. We are eternal, so there is no need to panic. Determination: Never become discouraged. Always continue with determination knowing that success is ultimately guaranteed. Remember the importance of chanting: Be conscious of the importance of this chanting process. Remember that it is essential to our spiritual advancement. Faithfulness: We must cultivate our faith in the holy name, put our trust in it. Please let me in: Ask Krishna to allow us to enter into the inner realisations of chanting the holy names. Further Reading: Japa Reform Notebook by Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami.

A Uttama-adkikari devotee can make anybody a PURE devotee, says so right there in the Purport by His Divine Grace, I have a question, A Guru Maharaja (Uttama-adhikari) Initiates a disicple, the disciple does not become a good example, so where does the fault lie..? Also if these occurances are repeated what happens to the disciple and Guru relationship? Just some easy questions:)

Not a good sign is it.

I got to say that I first came into contact with Krishna and Prabhupada through the 2nd edition of Gita, so it can't be all that bad, in another thread Stonehearted (Babhru Prabhuji) said whatever you prefer, I think very wise words indeed. Ps. Thankyou Ghari Prabhuji for handling this in a Vaishnava way, lots more to say, but lifes to short. HARIBOL! /images/graemlins/smile.gif

I hope jayadvaita prabhuji is doing all the translating work then? or?

ok, but I think the quote used, was long before His Divine Grace was present in body, and to use it Now, to makes changes is not good. I am seeing ppls making quotes not in context, and when you look again, you can see whats being said, I think Gaura Purnima made me see stuff which I didn't notice before heh.

I have no idea about all this stuff, but the above doesn't sound like something His Divine Grace would say. HK

Hare! krishna! I have a question (no guests) Get a nick) What is worse, getting silent treatment by a devotee? or Material Nature?

Easy Journey to Other Planet Chp.1 (excerpt) Srila Prabupada: One should therefore engage himself in devotional service with absolute faith, and to make his faith steadfast one should seek the association of the standard devotees of the Lord by personal association (if possible) or by thinking of them. This association will help one develop factual devotional service to the Lord, which will cause all material misgivings to disappear like a flash of lightning. All these different stages of spiritual realization will be personally felt by the candidate, and this will create in him a firm belief that he is making positive progress on the way to the spiritual sky. Then he will become sincerely attached to the Lord and His abode. Such is the gradual process of evolving love of God, which is the prime necessity for the human form of life. Off-line Reading

And nobody can change the Maha-Mantra. Great isn't it!

I was being Ironic. If you don't know what ironic means (if y r american haha) Then it is a prelude to all the book changes, you can't change the MAHA-MANTRA!