jayaisvara

Thank you

theistji, I think we need good intelligence to introspect. But if our intelligence is contaminated, where do we get the good intelligence from?

theistji, I think I can understand. Its true that praying to be humble is just to gain something material sometimes. For example sometimes I pray to be humble so that I won't have to suffer from any future aparadhas. So I am just being selfish in just trying to take care of myself. But if I really want to love the vaishnavas and God, should my attitude be: "I don't care what happens to me, as long as I glorify the sadhus, Guru and God"? If my motive is to gain the wealth of humility, then it will not definitely come by me doing just praying. What is the price that we have to pay for this great wealth of humility?

theistji, when someones mind is constantly running here and there, how is it possible to develop humility? Is it not the Lord and Guru who can give humility? If so, how can we in the beginning by ourselves become humble?

That article says that before we look into others for faults, we have to look within ourselves.

For me, I sometimes think of the mercy of Lord Krsna and Srila Prabhupada and other vaishnava saints. If it weren't for Srila Prabhupada, I would definitely be 100% materialist without having any regard for spirituality, God etc. I always try to remind myself of this, that Swami Prabhupada helped me to set my destination to life of purity rather than a life of impure, miserable, material life. You definitely cannot doubt that Swami Prabhupada has not helped you because if you look at your life and those who haven't yet been introduced to Krsna Consciousness, you will see that their lives, although maybe materially prosperous, emotionally its devastating. This there is no doubt about because materialism is not our field of existence. I also sometimes used to say to myself that just because I doubt something, it doesn't mean its not real. I think if you develop a surrendered mood towards the vaishnavas in general and the Lord, while chanting the holy name, everything else will come. I hope some senior posters at this board can help you out more.

That is nearly impossible for me and I guess most definitely due to anarthas and offenses. But like theistji, someday, somelifetime...

I've had that feeling for breath before. But doesn't one have to become serious about spirituality? Sometimes people become spiritual after a serious incident that affects their lives. Should we pray for such incidents which actually reveals the gruesome nature of this material world? I am sure people who are very intelligent need not experience these things themselves. They can clearly see what's going on in places like Middle East. But, for some others, shouldn't there be an incident which triggers the surrendering mood to the vaishnavas?

Thanks theistji for pointing that out. Isn't there like a catalyst to make one go to that state? Is it the sincere chanting of the holy name?

Its so nice to have read this pastime of Sri Haridasa Thakura. I think if enough people feel the mercy and love of vaishnavas, all of them will be transformed forever.

After seeing this definition for aspire, I don't know why I try to practice krsna consciousness, at least, I don't know yet. But I guess I do it so one day I will have the feeling to aspire towards Krsna Consciousness.

Thanks for the replies prabhu's. A couple more questions I have that I hope you all can answer. Will Krsna make sure that one is ready before an external guru comes? And also it is said the guru comes in many forms. What exactly does this mean? Can guru come in the form of my mother? Because sometimes what she says really makes sense to me.

krsna prabhu, what if one doesn't have a external guru?

If your 16 rounds go with glorifying the devotees you will surely come out of this depression. You will truly gain auspiciousness if you glorify the devotees. I myself am trying to follow this and although I am not at all even close to performing it properly in the least, still, I believe that vaishnavas are our friends and are so much compassionate so they ought to be glorified. After all, they are only trying to save us, to show us who we are, what our true treasure is. We are not this mind, this body, everything to do with this world. So sometimes I think myself as the greatest madman and snake for not properly glorifying those great souls. A snake, because even if you give a snake milk so that it will not go starving, it still bites you. Such is my most disgusting existence. But as soon as you really tell your mind that vaishnavas are most glorious and are simply our saviours, and glorify them, you will undoubtedly attain all auspiciousness. This is in Chaitanya Bhagavata where Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu explains how to get free from offenses: Following Mahaprabhu's advice Prabhu Pankaja, you will surely become a great devotee, because Mahaprabhu has said it. Even if one doesn't committ offenses, what is lost in praising the Lord and His beloved devotees? None watsoever. Hare Krsna Prabhu

I hope you are feeling better now. Pankaja Prabhu, I myself am blind so I can't give you any advice. But, if you can think back about how Swami Prabhupada Maharaja has saved us fallen souls from eternal doom, we owe him and the vaishnavas ourselves life after life, for eternity. All I am saying is, and please do try this, glorify the vaishnavas. I have a bad habit of a fickle mind. But I know that glorifying the vaishnavas is best ambrosia. I've committed offenses and still do due to my uncontrolled mind and am going through depression, somewhat mild one. It is all to make us humble I believe. Please glorify every vaishnava. They are our saviours, they are full of mercy, and what I think is that my mind is my enemy, and the vaishnavas are MY friends and not my minds. Try to see the good in others. Even at forums like this, sometimes I take it for granted to talk to others how I want. But they are still vaishnavas, and it doesn't matter if I am talking to them in real life or through the internet, they are still vaishnavas. Just pray that you can glorify the vaishnavas life after life. They are most dear to Lord Hari. Just try to think of a time in your life where someone really cared for you, maybe motherly affection your mother showed you or your father was affectionate towards you. Now know that the vaishnavas are even more affectionate and compassionate towards the fallen souls like us. There is no limit. Always try to glorify them. What I'm trying to do is forgetting about what my interest is, and trying to glorify the vaishnavas. That is the only way out of offense committed at the lotus feet of the vaishnavas. Also, I've heard from a forum called Gaudiya Discussions, that forced chanting of the mahamantra hardens the heart of one. Maybe advanced devotees here can verify this and guide you to it. Maybe you can also email Swami B.V. Tripurari Maharaja or Swami Vishnu Maharaja asking for guidance. Try to see the mercy of the vaishnavas and glorify them always, you will come out of this depression without a doubt. Hare Krsna Prabhu /images/graemlins/smile.gif

These pictures are really nice, they bring Vrindavan to the west. How much pious activities does one have to do to set foot in Vrindavan or more so, live there? Thanks Maharaja for these beautiful pictures.

I have to try this pebble analogy, it sounds very new, thanks theist for talking about it and sharing it with us

I am sorry for offending anyone, please forgive me...

Please tell me if the following makes any sense. Tongue is the hardest to control. And the tasty food is its greatest friend. But, tasty food is made of atoms. And its a unique arrangement that gives the taste of a food. So, the same atoms found in the tasty food are also in the stool, foul stench, pus, urine, etc. But yet again its only a different arrangement. So in the most crudest way, when I think I am eating tasty food, I might well be eating some atoms which were one day part of stool, pus, urine, blood etc. is it not? Am I not being cheated by material nature that although I think I am eating nice food, in atomic sense, I am eating the atoms which were once most likely part of abominable substances?

This song sung by Narottama Dasa Thakura is really beautiful and I think you guys might find it a joy to listen to it from Sachisuno Prabhu, Bhudev Prabhu, Kamal Krishna Prabhu, Satrugana Prabhu and other devotees of the Sri Chaitanya Saraswata Matha of Sri Navadvipa Dhama. The link to the whole collection of songs is http://www.vaisnava.com/learnersguide.html and the link to the song Thakura Vaisnava Gana is http://www.vaisnava.com/audiovisual/SCSMath-Daily_Program-13_ThakuraVaisnavaGanaHQ.mp3 and the lyrics are here http://www.geocities.com/vedicger108/Lyrics/thakuravaisnavagana.html For lyrics to bhajans, you can go here: http://www.geocities.com/vedicger108/songbook.html

This is a very beautiful story. These sort of stories are so pure and makes your heart feel nice. Thanks vijay for sharing this story.

This was really great, I loved the sound of the conch.

That makes sense now, without desire, there is no free will, thanks Pankaja_Dasa.

I still quite dont understand the following: If free will is the cause of one choosing either spiritual or material worlds, what causes some entities to use their free will for serving and others for serving maya? What is the reason that one entity chooses life of dedication using their free will, and others don't. It is almost as if we each have a preprogrammed desires inside. Is it?

Why is it that some living entities develop a desire to dedicate themselves to the Lord and some choose otherwise?