Arvindaksh das

Shri Shri Guru Gaurangau Jayatah !!! Shri Shri Radha Gopinath Jayatah !!! Devotion in the Braja mood, as highlighted in Shri Chaitanya Charitaamrita, 1.4.19-22….. The different different ways in which the devotees worship Me, In the same way I reciprocate their love and this is My quality. My dear son, my dear friend, the lordship of my heart, In this way one who with pure love to Me is devoted. Who thinks of himself to be big in love and Me as smaller, In the same way and gratitude I to his love surrender.

Shri Shri Radha Gopinath Jayatah !!! In Shrimad Bhagvatam 3.15.49, Shri Sanak-aadi munis say: O Supreme Lord ! If like the honey bee my heart and mind remains engrossed in Your Lotus Feet, and like the tulasi leaves my voice is glorified by praising Your Lotus Feet, and my ears are always full of listening your glorious deeds and lilaas, then we are not at all worried even if because of the demerits of our actions or karma we have to take birth in hell.

"I don’t desire wealth, followers, association of beautiful women, knowledge or lordship of the world, O Supreme Lord! give me your causless devotional service birth after birth". Verse 4 Shikshashtaka Wealth, followers I don’t ask for, knowledge and women, Give me pure devotion Krishna by Your supreme mercy. Very very humble Mahaprabhu begged for servitorship pure devotion, In this state He thought of Himself as a simple soul.

Shri Shri Sita Rama Jayatah !!! Shri Shri Shiva Parvati Jayatah !!! Shri Shri Radha Gopinath Jayatah !!! Shri Shri Guru Gauranga Jayatah !!! Wishing all devotees a very happy and prosperous Deepawali and New Year

In Shrimad Bhagvatam 3.4.15, Shri Udhava says: "For the pure devotees who render devotional service unto Your lotus feet, nothing is unattainable from dharma, artha, kaam and moksha i.e. these are easily attained. Then also O All-powerful, I am always desirous of the service of Your lotus feet and not the above worldly achievements."

Shri Krishna tells Udhava (Udhava Gita) in Shrimad Bhagvatam 11.20.31 "tasmaan mad-bhakti-yuktasya, yogino vai mad-aatmanah na jnaanam na cha vairaagyam, praayah shreyo bhaved iha" Therefore, for a devotee engaged in My loving devotional service, with mind and heart fixed in Me, knowledge (Jnaana) and renunciation (vairaagya) are not the means which are most beneficial or joy giving for him.

Shri Shri Guru Gaurangau Jayatah !!! Continued .... Shaucham (cleanliness): Detachment from ones karma or fruitive activities. Tyaagah (renunciation): Sannyaas or to give up the thought that things belong to self except the selfless service of the Lord. Dhanam (wealth): Devotional life (dharma) is the truly desirable and dearest wealth. Yajya (sacrifice): The Supreme Lord (bhagvaan) Shri Krishna is yajya. Dakshinaa (offerings in charity): Giving some one knowledge of truth or pure devotion.

Shri Shri Guru Gaurangau Jayatah !!! continued .... Daanam (charity): To give up chastising or punishing others. Tapah / Tapasya (austerity): Renunciation of lust. Shaurya (heroism): To conquer ones own nature. Satya (truth): To see the Lord everywhere and in everything. The sages declare that the truth is also to be spoken in a pleasing way. Shaucham (cleanliness): Detachment from ones karma or fruitive activities.

Shri Shri Guru Gaurangau Jayatah !!! "gun govinda gayo nahi, janamu akarath kinu kahu nanak hari bhaju manaa, jiha bidhi jala kau meena" This translates: You have not sung the glories of Govinda, you have wasted your life. Naanak says, O mind! Worship Hari, just like a fish loves water (just as a fish can not live without water and desperately wants to be with water when kept out of it, so should be our mind when it thinks of anything else but service of Shri Hari). All the Sikh Gurus were vaishnavas and this couplet is by Guru Tega Bhahadur ji (the ninth guru). Guru Naanak deva ji, the first guru was a contemporary of Shri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and there are records about their meeting, of which I have not personally come across. Request that devotees may please help if they know about these records. It is said that in Guru Naanak deva jis teachings the Brahma Jyaana reflects, as may be considered in the following couplet: "guru kirpaa jaehin narpe keeneeh, tinha yaha jugati pichanee. Naanak leena bhayo govinda, jyon paanee sangha paanee" This translates: One who has the blessings of guru, knows the real truth. Naanak has become so absorbed in the thoughts of Govinda, like water when put in water.

Shri Shri Guru Gaurangau Jayatah !!! Shri Guru Granth Sahib is concluded by a very devotional prayer (bhajan) whose main couplet (which is repeated after each stanza) is: "gun govinda gayo nahi, janamu akarath kinu kahu nanak hari bhaju manaa, jiha bidhi jala kau meena" This translates: You have not sung the glories of Govinda, you have wasted your life. Nanak says, O mind! Worship Hari, just like a fish loves water (just as a fish can not live without water and desperately wants to be with water when kept out of it, so should be our mind when it thinks of anything else but service of Shri Hari)

Shri Shri Guru Gaurangau Jayatah !!! Shri Guru Granth Sahib is concluded by a very devotional prayer (bhajan) whose main couplet (which is repeated after each stanza) is: "gun govinda gayo nahi, janamu akarath kinu kahu nanak hari bhaju manaa, jiha bidhi jala kau meena" This translates: You have not sung the glories of Govinda, you have wasted your life. Nanak says, O mind! Worship Hari, just like a fish loves water. (just as a fish can not live without water and desperately wants to be with water when kept out of it, so should be our mind when it thinks of anything else but service of Shri Hari)

Shri Shri Guru Gaurangau Jayatah !!! Shri Krishna replies to Uddhava’s question as to what is the true nature and meaning of yamah, niyamah, shamah, damah, titikshaa, dhritih, daanam, tapah, shaurya, satyam, shaucham, tyaagah, dhnam, ishtam, yajya, dakshinaa, balam, bhagah, laabhah, vidyaa, hrih, shrih, sukham, dhukam, panditah, murkha, panthaah, utpatha, svargha, narkah, bandhuh, griham, aadhyah, daridra, kripanah, ishvara Shrimad Bhagvatam 11.19.33-44: Yamah (principles of discipline): Non-violence, truthfulness, not coveting or stealing the property of others, detachment, humility, freedom from possessiveness, trust in the principles of religion, celibacy, silence, steadiness, forgiveness and fearlessness are the twelve primary disciplinary principles. Niyamah (prescribed duties): Internal cleanliness, external cleanliness, chanting the holy names of the Lord, austerity, sacrifice, faith, hospitality, worship of Me, visiting holy places, acting and desiring only for the supreme interest, satisfaction, and service to the spiritual teacher are the twelve elements of regular prescribed duties. Shamah (mental equilibrium): Intelligence which brings steady faith in Me Damah (self-control): Complete discipline of the senses Titikshaa (tolerance): Patiently enduring unhappiness Dhritih (steadiness): Conquering the tongue and genitals Daanam (charity): To give up chastising or punishing others

Shri Shri Guru Gaurangau Jayatah !!! Shri NAmashtakam by Srila Rupa Goswami 8. O Holy Name of Shri Krishna ! You are the very life of Narada’s vina and the ocean of spiritual nectar surcharged with the sweetest divine mellow of love. I surrender unto You, O Holy Name! May You ever reside on my tongue with the fullest fervour of divine love.

After the 10 Sikh Gurus, the 10th Guru compiled the SHRI GURU GRANTHA SAHIB (the Holy Scripture) and thereafter the Holy Book is the Guru for Sikhs. Usually there is one Holy Book in one Temple (Gurudwara) or in religious Sikh family homes. However devotees have to take great care of the book once they keep it in their home. The book is always kept in a sacred cloth on an elivated altar, it is to be greeted in the morning by reading a few pages from it and in the evening the book has to be formally wrapped in the sacred cloth and closed for the night. It is very interesting to note that Shri Guru Grantha Sahib is mostly written in Gurmukhi script, however talks mostly from Shrimad Bhagvata and Ramayan. Glories of the Holy Names of the Lord "Rama, Krishna and Govinda" come most frequently in this book.

Shri Shri Guru Gaurangau Jayatah !!! Shri NAmashtakam by Srila Rupa Goswami 7. O Holy Name ! O Krishna ! You destroy the offences of Your devotees who have taken absolute shelter in Your Lotus Feet. You are the very Self of the most delightful and pleasure giving, self-luminous infinite bliss. You are, O Holy name ! the very life of and reason for great joy of Gokula. O Krishna! I offer my humble obeisance time and again to You, the divine form of all charm and beauty in the fullest degree.

Shrimad Bhagvatam 11.11.48 "O Uddhava ! pure single-minded devotion to Me is attainable only by the association with sadhus (pure devotees). I am the only object of refuge to the sadhus who love me more dearly than their own self. Without such holy association of the sadhus, it is impossible to attain pure single-minded devotion to Me. And without loving devotion to Me (obtained as a result of sadhu-sanga and sadhu-seva) it is impossible to cross over the material ocean of this world." [This message has been edited by Arvindaksh das (edited 10-22-2001).]

Shri Shri Guru Gaurangau Jayatah !!! Shri NAmashtakam by Srila Rupa Goswami 6. O Holy Name ! you have two forms, viz. Vachya (addressed, i.e. the transcendental personality Shri Krishna) and Vachaka (the addressing word, i.e. the transcendental word/sound or name, such as Krishna, Govinda, Gopala, Gopinath, Madan-Mohan and others). The Vachaka is one and the same with the Vachya. However to us, the Vachaka or the Holy Name of Shri Krishna is more compassionate than the Vachya. We, the fallen souls have offended against the Vachya or Shri Krishna because of our selfish desires, however as soon as we chant the Vachaka, keeping clear of the offences against the Holy Name, we are at once immersed in the blissful ocean of divine love.

Shri Shri Guru Gaurangau Jayatah !!! We have the constant and uninterrupted association of two great "Siksha Gurus / Vaishnavas". All the living beings on the planet earth including the practising and perfected devotees are in the constant and uninterrupted association of two great Vaishnavas / Siksha Gurus, the God of Air and Wind (Vayu deva) and the Sun God (Surya or VivasvAn deva). These two Vaishnavas or Mahabhagvats (exalted devotees) always remind us of a very important teaching or instruction (siksha). Both of them provide all living beings equally with air and sun light without discriminating between the good, not so good and evil living beings. Therefore their benediction is for everyone without any discrimination. No wonder they are exalted devotees of Shri Krishna. Shri Krishna Says: Shrimad Bhagvad Gita 9.29 "I envy no one", nor am I partial to anyone. I am equal to all. But whoever renders service unto Me in devotion is my friend, and I am also a friend to him.

Shri Shri Guru Gaurangau Jayatah !!! Shri NAmashtakam by Srila Rupa Goswami 5. O killer of demon Agha ! O son of Yashoda ! O son of Nanda ! O Loyus - Eyed ! O moon of the Gopies ! O Lord of VrindAvana ! O merciful to the submissive ! O Krishna ! You have manifested Your Self in so many various forms out of Your infinite mercy ! Let my desire of love for You go on increasing uninterruptedly.

Shri Shri Guru Gaurangau Jayatah !!! Shri NAmashtakam by Srila Rupa Goswami 4. O Holy Name ! the seeds of deeds which necessitate rebirth for their fruits to be reaped are not totally destroyed despite a persons realisation of oneness with Brahman by dint of constant meditation. However, O Hari NAm ! no sooner do you gain a free scope on the tongue of Your chanter than all the seeds of deeds of his previous as well as present births are destroyed. Such the Vedas loudly declare.

Shri Shri Guru Gaurangau Jayatah !!! Shri NAmashtakam by Srila Rupa Goswami 3. O the sun of blessed Name! Even the slightest reflection of Your radiant self is sufficient to dispel the gloom of ignorance from the minds of those who are steeped in the foul sink of worldliness and to confer spiritual vision of pure devotion on those who are blind of inner sight. Who is there in the world so expert as to be able to sing Your glories to the finish?

Shri Shri Guru Gaurangau Jayatah !!! Shri NAmashtakam by Srila Rupa Goswami 2. O Holy Name! All glory to You! as You are eternally chanted by the saints. To confer eternal bliss upon the people, You have appeared before them as the transcendental word. You destroy all sorts of terrible sufferings of him who happens to chant even Your dim reflection known as "NAmabhas".

Shri Shri Guru Gaurangau Jayatah !!! Shri NAmashtakam by Srila Rupa Goswami 1. O Hari NAm! The tips of Your Lotus Feet have been eternally worshipped by the glowing radiance diffused from the jewelled chaplets of the Upanishads, the Crest-jewels of the Vedas. You are eternally adored and chanted by the liberated souls. O Hari NAm! Clearing myself of all offences, I entirely take shelter in You.

Shri Shri Guru Gaurangau Jayatah !!! Srila Murari Gupta’s Prayers Unto The Lotus Feet of Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (Srila Murari Gupta is same as Srila Hanuman of Sri Sri Sita Rama Lila) Demanded by the Lord to ask for a boon, Srila Murari Gupta prayed with all humility befitting a Vaishnava: "O Lord! please be pleased to give me this boon that I may sing Your Glories in every birth, and that I may be the servant of Your devotees, wherever and whenever You may decide to descend. Nothing but unflinching loving devotional service for You and Your devotees do I pray for. May You and Your devotees Holy Names and Lotus Feet be the object of my constant remembrance. O Lord! I have no faith in virtue or vice, nor do I have any desire for worldly enjoyment. Come what may, good or bad, let me reap the fruits of my past actions. Wherever I may be born - heaven, earth or hell, let my fervent prayer even at the last moment be unflinching loving devotional service for These Holy Names and Lotus Feet. O Lord! may my heart love and tongue chant These Holy Names. My ears hear the soul enchanting narratives, hands serve and eyes see the beautiful form of You and Your devotees. My legs gyrate Your Temple, My nose smell the Tulasi leaves offered to You and my head bow down before You and Your devotees (please note that a Pure Devotees body, senses and mind are eternal and sat, chit, ananda unlike the material bodies in the material world). O Lord! grant me strength enough to keep myself aloof from those who are averse to Your worship, that I may refrain from hearing any other words than those that deal with You and Your eternal associates Glorious Deeds and that I may not behold even in dream those who disparage You and Your servants. O Lord of all the worlds! O killer of demons Madhu and Kaitabha (embodiments of karma-kanda and jnana-kanda)! May this be the result of my pious acts and of Your grace long desired for, that You may remember me as the servant of the servants of Your Lotus Feet. O Lord! he who worships You only to serve his own motive is a trader and not Your servant. a devotee who serves You for his salvation or elevation; mundane acquisitions and amelioration’s ceases to be Your servant, and the Lord who confers blessings on His servants merely for lording it over them ceases to be the Lord or Master. But O Lord! I am Your eternal servant with no desire for elevation or salvation, and You are my Eternal Lord without any desire to Lord over me. Hence the relationship between you and me is absolutely pure and holy, unlike that of a king and his subject. O Lord! I don’t crave for the salvation which wipes out the relationship that exists between master and servant in the life of devotion. I do not yearn for piety, wealth, passion or even freedom from bondage, but vouchsafe unto me O Lord! that I may be a particle of dust at Your and Your devotees Lotus feet. O Achyuta! the Lord of my heart! let thousands of births befall me, but may my heart ever cling to You and Your devotees Lotus Feet with steadfast single minded loving devotion. The Lord on hearing this said that "Srila Murari Gupta" was aptly named "Murari Gupta" since the Supreme Lord Murari (Shri Krishna) was dwelling secretly in the innermost recess of his heart. Srila Murari Gupta ji ki jai! Srila Murari Gupta ji (Srila Hanumana ji), Srila Vaishnava Thakur ji! I have committed infinite number of SIN’s (selfish acts) in infinite life times; but still I am sure you will take care of me and give me Selfless Loving Devotional Service of Shri Hari Gurudeva and Vaishnavas.