Bhava

There is a verse (SB 4.29.67):

"Sometimes in a dream we see something never experienced or heard of in this life, but all these incidents have been experienced at different times, in different places and in different conditions."

Srila Prabhupada says in this connection, that the mind is always active, and what it records during the day it plays back at night. He gave the example of seeing a mountain at some point and a gold ring at another. The mind may merge the two together and we dream of a mountain of gold. He went on to say that the experiences may not have even occured in this day, or even in this life, but rather in a previous life. According to the time and circumstance, the imprints are activated and combined. If we examine our dreams, we see more and more how this is case.

Having a spiritualized dream is of course the best; it is Krsna conscious. If our days are absorbed in Krsna consciousness, then it is most likely true that our nights will be as well.

This is the goal--to always remember Krsna, and never forget Him.

Hare Krsna

I did not mean to make a great offense as to judge any Vaisnava, much less one of the Greatest Vaisnavas in Srila Prabhupada. I just was curious in how many rounds Srila Prabhupada chanted daily to give him such strength in spreading Krsna Consciousness.

 

Hare Krsna

Dear Shivam,

I didn't get the feeling that you were being offensive; your question sounded sincere and humble. It's a good question. Thank you for asking it. It is giving us all an opportunity to discuss the activities of a pure devotee.

As far as Srila Prabhupada, I personally don't accept that he became a pure devotee through saddhana. The conclusion that I and other older devotees have come to from reading his books and following his instructions is that he is a nitya-siddha. Therefore, my tone may sound a bit strong, but it isn't intended to be.

Respectfully,

Bhava dasa (ACBSP)

Are you typing it in Word first then pasting it here? Or are ou typing directly in the post box?

Word

There seems to be a bug. After posting my reply and submitting it, I noticed it wasn't displaying the way I had written it. I had to go back and edit 3 times. The words were being cropped off at the end of the line, giving a totally different meaning than what I had intended.

This is a nice question for curiosity sake; however we should be careful when considering the transcendental standard of the Mahabhagavatas, who are raganuga-bhaktas—beyond the rules and regulations of sadhana-bhakti.

The eyes of the pure devotees are tinged with the salve of the deepest love, and their hearts are overwhelmed in sthayi-bhava, or continuous ecstatic emotions, which are just like the endless waves of an ocean.

When discussing the chanting of the Holy Name, there are different points to consider. One is the level of the chanting: nama-aparadha, nama-abhasa, and suddha-nama. Another is the level of the bhakta: sadhana, bhava, and prema. There are other points to consider as well, but these are the basic ones.

For a premi-bhakta, there is no consideration of “offence” or “clearing”, his chanting is on the purest level, suddha. He is beyond the level of “practice to make perfect”. He is already on the perfectional platform.

It is just like sugar candy and jaundice. Consuming sugar candy is recommended for one who is infected with jaundice. For him, it is very bitter (the stage of nama-aparadha). However, by eating the sugar candy anyway, the disease gradually disappears (the stage of nama-abhasa). When the disease disappears, and he is in his original healthy condition (suddha-nama), the taste of the sugar candy is sweet once again.

Most will never experience the disease of jaundice. Such persons are compared to the Nitya-siddhas. Srila Prabhupada is in this category and his chanting is always sweet. There is no need for the nitya-siddhas to chant a prescribed

number of rounds. Their service is their chanting and the Holy Name is always dancing on their tongues. We cannot factually count the number of square miles in Vrndavana, nor can we

count the number of “rounds” of such paramahamsas. There is no beginning or end to their chanting.

Not just 16 or 64, but unlimited!

Hare Krsna

Who writes our fate? Why it is written in our fate to do bad Karma?

The Supreme Lord is vibhu, or omniscient, whereas His parts and parcels are anu, or limited. Being part of the Lord, they also possess His qualities, but in minute quantity and thus depend on His omniscience and omnipotence to fulfill their desires. The fulfillments of their desires come in six-fold form, namely to posses: knowledge, strength, beauty, fame, wealth, and renunciation. These are the qualities of the omniscient Lord.

Being in contact with matter, especially the mode of passion, or raja-guna, the jivas are driven by unlimited desires all beyond their ability to posses. Therefore, the omnipotency of the omniscient Lord is essential. However, the underlying rule is, “First deserve, then desire.” Nevertheless, being overwhelmed by a constant flow of desires, and undeserving of their fulfillment, the passionate living beings will go to any length, and by any means for satisfaction. What is the outcome? They may end up possessing the object of their desire, but with a price…bad karma. When deserved by good action, by following the injunctions of the Vedas—good karma.

Pay now or pay later, but pay nonetheless. Thus, by there own free will—thinking, feeling and willing, they write their own fate.

Hare Krsna.

His Divine Grace himself said that we must find a Bonifide Spiritual Master, but I do not know what are nessicary traits for a Bonifide Spiritual Master.

Srila Prabhupada once gave the example of finding the right college. He said that if you want to become a doctor, you should at least have enough intelligence to inquire as to where medicine is being taught. You cannot just go to any college (law, etc.) and expect to become a doctor. That much intelligence must be there.

Hear from the professor. What is he teaching? Is it medicine? What kind of medicine, etc.? That is the foundation. Then we practice what he has taught. Then…what is the result? Is the disease being eradicated, or is the patient getting worse? …Ultimately, that is the proof.

The same is true in finding a bona fide spiritual master. Inquire from him about spiritual matters. Apply what he has given. Analyze the result. Is it what was predicted? Is the disease disappearing? Is our spiritual vision becoming clearer? Are we able to assist others in eradicating their disease, and helping them to come to healthy condition?

A bona fide guru can reveal the Truth, because he has seen it (Bg 4.34):

tad viddhi pranipatena

pariprasnena sevaya

upadeksyanti te jnanam

jnaninas tattva-darsinah

“Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized souls can impart knowledge unto you because they have seen the truth.”

Furthermore (Upadesamrta-1):

vaco vegam manasah krodha-vegam

jihva-vegam udaropastha-vegam

etan vegan yo visaheta dhirah

sarvam apimam prthivim sa sisyat

"A sober person who can tolerate the urge to speak, the mind's demands, the actions of anger and the urges of the tongue, belly and genitals is qualified to make disciples all over the world."

This is just a quick answer to your question. There is more…

Is Krishna and Vishnu same?

Vishnu is an expansion of Krsna. Krsna is the origin. He says, “Mattah parataram nanyat” (I am not an expansion of anyone. (Bg. 7.7)) We can say that Vishnu is Krsna, working; creating the universes, etc.

I'm a brand new member here to the board! My name is Jenna, I'm 24 (25 in may), and I live in California, USA.

Hare Krishna!

 

Dear Jenna,

Congratulations...you have once again stepped onto the path of your eternal relationship with your sweet Lord, Krsna. Whatever talents you process by nature, you can use them to reciprocate in loving exchange with Him. Simply do that, chant, dance, and take Prasad with the other devotees, and this life will bring you the greatest satisfaction and success!

Furthermore, don’t be shy about asking questions, take advantage of this board and discover the Absolute Truth—Krsna.

Wishing you well,

It is stated in CC. Madhya 24.30:

bhakti'-sabdera artha haya dasa-vidhakara

eka -- -- ‘sadhana', ‘prema-bhakti' -- -- nava prakara

"There are ten meanings for the word ‘bhakti' [‘devotional service']. One is sadhana-bhakti, execution of devotional service according to the regulative principles, and the other nine are varieties of prema-bhakti, ecstatic love of Godhead."

We should understand where we are situated in relation to the definitions stated in the above verse. There is no question of jumping immediately to the spontaneous platform, or “raga-bhakti”, the position of the “premi-bhaktas”. First there is “santa”, or neutrality—attraction to the Personality of Godhead on the platform between the impersonal and personal conceptions. Once we have developed an attraction to Godhead in the personal conception, we will naturally be impelled to render some service, “dasya-bhakti”. Rendering such service for those not yet on the spontaneous platform necessitates practicing under certain rules and regulations, “vaidhi-bhakti”. Such practice fits under the heading of “sadhana-bhakti”.

Sadhana-bhakti is defined in CC. Madhya, 22.108 in the following way:

ei ta sadhana-bhakti -- -- dui ta' prakara

eka ‘vaidhi bhakti', ‘raganuga-bhakti' ara

"There are two processes of practical devotional service. One is regulative devotional service, and the other is spontaneous devotional service.”

In the beginning of the relationship the mood of service may not yet be spontaneous; therefore it must be performed on the platform of regulation under the guidance of a superior authority. [Madhya 22.109]:

raga-hina jana bhaje sastrera ajnaya

‘vaidhi bhakti' bali' tare sarva-sastre gaya

"Those who have not attained the platform of spontaneous attachment in devotional service render devotional service under the guidance of a bona fide spiritual master according to the regulative principles mentioned in the revealed scriptures. According to the revealed scriptures, this kind of devotional service is called vaidhi bhakti.”

Therefore, these are the two types of devotional service under the heading of “sadhana-bhakti”.

In this regard, one may ask if it is possible to enter into Vaikuntha even if one has not yet attained the platform of spontaneous devotion, or “raganuga-bhakti”. The answer is yes. However, because it is on the path of “awe and reverence”, or the “vaidhi-marga”, it may allow entrance into Vaikuntha, but not to Krsna-loka. [Madhya 24.87]:

vidhi-bhaktye parsada-dehe vaikunthete yaya

"By executing regulative devotional service, one becomes an associate of Narayana and attains the Vaikunthalokas, the spiritual planets in the spiritual sky.”

[Madhya 19.193]:

gokule ‘kevala' rati -- -- aisvarya-jnana-hina

"Pure attachment without reverence is found in Gokula Vrndavana.”

I hope this helps…

Hare Krsna,

We have a new board for discussing bhakti. It is run by a disciple of His Divine Grace, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, but is open to all Vaisnavas and guests.

The address is: www BhaktiDiscussions com

I would like to know where can i found the literature that explains the cosmic cycles of time,

This information is found in the "Srimad Bhagavatam". Go to krishna_dot_com.

I'm not sure Prabhu. Prior to my purchase of the Abhay Charan video set I thought Srila Prabhupada was Hindu before Sanyasi Vaisnava.

Hare Krsna

Re-reading my first reply, it sounds a little harsh. I really didn't mean for it to sound that way. I apologize if it appeared that way to you. This is the problem with this medium of communication.

I'm glad that you have this attraction to the life of Srila Prabhupada...

Yours in his service,

Bhava dasa

I'm not sure Prabhu. Prior to my purchase of the Abhay Charan video set I thought Srila Prabhupada was Hindu before Sanyasi Vaisnava.

Hare Krsna

Actually, Srila Prabhupada is not from the ordinary category of a Hindu who became a sannyasa and then became liberated. He is a nitya-siddha premi-bhakta. In other words, he didn’t become situated on the highest platform, he already was.

We never do anything by us. we are controlled by God. He controls us and we do what he wants us to do. As what we want, we cannot do if God do not want. Although what we are thinking is also controlled by God. Then if this happen , then why do we do bad karma? Why we don't obey Sri Krishna.

 

When we cannot do what we want, we give our cause to fate. then why we are not taking the name of Krishna. Does he not want some people to obey him.

Is it really our fate or it is our Karma?

 

 

The government enacts certain laws that it expects its citizens to follow. However, it knows there will always be a section of society that will not. Therefore it creates prison houses. The citizens have “free will” to follow or not…they have that choice, it is not forced upon them. However, the reactions to their choices are. It is not the “will” of the government that the citizens disobey the law, nor do they sanction it.

In other words, God has given the laws in the Vedas how to behave. It is our choice to follow or not. That’s where karma fits in. It is not His fault that we cause disturbance, etc. it is ours. As far as the ability to carry out an action…if it is our desire, and we have the facility, then it will happen or not depending on our karma. Furthermore, the future outcome of that action will be forced upon us regardless of our future circumstances or desire. The fire does not discriminate between those who are ignorant or not—it burns regardless. Our fate and karma are the same.

We are in the prison house of material energy, and there is no escape. Whether we are on the top floor with relative freedom, scenery, etc, or in the dungeon, shackled, we are still in the prison. If we have some intelligence and sincerity, we will work to free ourselves through a change of heart.

Technically, that change of heart is called “anartha-nivrtti”. The process of this anartha-nivrtti is sadhana-bhakti, or loving devotional acts to God. The primary action to God in this age is the chanting of His Holy Names:

hare krsna hare krsna

krsna krsna hare hare

hare rama hare rama

rama rama hare hare

Did Prabhupada pray to Demigods (Siva, Ganesha, etc.)?

The title of your post says, "Before Prabhupada's Self-Realization, Did He Pray To The Demigods?".

Why do you say "Before" he was self-realized. What makes you think he wasn't always self realized?

They are all incarnations of Lord Visnu, why do we pray to his re-incarnations instead of just Maha-Visnu?

Krsna is the origin of Vishnu, not the other way around. When Krsna creates the material universes, He does so through Vishnu. Just as if you were to build your own house, you would put on carpenters clothes and go to work. Your appearance and behavior would become somewhat different. Once built, you could then enter into it and engage in various activities. In this sense, Vishnu is Krsna working.

He appears here in the house that He built, and in different yugas, plays with His energies in various roles and pastimes. According to the age in which He appears, we should interact with Him according to His desire. In Kali-yuga He has appeared in golden form as Lord Caitanya.

Therefore the process of worship in this age is Harinam Sankirtana—as He introduced. This is the means, by His mercy, to enter into His present lila, as He taught by His own example.

Speaking to Prakasananda Sarasvati, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said:

krsna-mantra haite habe samsara-mocana

krsna-nama haite pabe krsnera carana

"Simply by chanting the holy name of Krsna one can obtain freedom from material existence. Indeed, simply by chanting the Hare Krsna mantra one will be able to see the lotus feet of the Lord.” [Adi 7.73]

nama vinu kali-kale nahi ara dharma

sarva-mantra-sara nama, ei sastra-marma

"In this Age of Kali there is no religious principle other than the chanting of the holy name, which is the essence of all Vedic hymns. This is the purport of all scriptures.” [Adi 7.74]

harer nama harer nama

harer namaiva kevalam

kalau nasty eva nasty eva

nasty eva gatir anyatha

"For spiritual progress in this Age of Kali, there is no alternative, there is no alternative, there is no alternative to the holy name, the holy name, the holy name of the Lord.” [Adi 7.76]

That Hare Krsna mantra is the maha-mantra:

Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare

Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare

This is sravanam kirtanam visnoh.

Isn't Visnu and Siva one in the same?

We should be careful not to equate Vishnu with the demigods, including Lord Siva. Vishnu is non-different from the Personality of Godhead (Krsna). Lord Siva is in the marginal position between Vishnu and the jivas; he is the via media, and chief of the demigods, Mahadeva.

However, though they are not exactly the same, he (Siva) is a plenary portion of Vishnu. This can be understood by the example of milk and curd—one is simply a transformation of the other. Curd is very nice (as every devotee will agree), but milk is the origin, and fundamental constitution of the transformation.

In addition, Lord Vishnu is never under the influence of Maya; He is her master. Only He can give freedom to the conditioned souls from her clutches.

Who is that Maya? That is Durga, the external potency of Vishnu, and wife of Lord Siva. In His (Vishnu’s) transformation as Siva, he (Siva) is her controller. She is the personified material energy (mother), and Siva is the father. Lord Siva, as explained in the Brahma-samhita, is another form of Maha-Vishnu. As such, he is the father, and she (Durga) is the mother. This union is represented in the siva-linga. Siva is the form through which Lord Vishnu impregnates the living beings into material nature.

Who are Sri Gadadhara and Srivasa ???

I haven't seen any descriptions about their relationship to Lord Caitanya and their pastimes.

Sri Gadadhara is an expansion of Srimati Radharani.

Srivasa, who is in the category of jiva-tattva, is the expansion of Narada Muni. He represents the marginal potency of Krsna.

What Hell What Haven

where our beautiful Lord Krishna wants us to go; we shall go for him

Who we are?

What should we do?

Why do we do bad karma?

Hare Krishna.........

We are eternally related to the Supreme Person, Krishna, and should take this human opportunity to reacquaint ourselves with Him in transcendental loving devotion. If however, we choose to ignore that relationship, then we will be forced to experience the result of our material actions--good and bad.

I've been attending a local Hare Krishna Temple where I chanted 16 rounds of maha-mantra the other day, but is not helping, anyway I am missing this woman more and more each day.

Is it not possible for you to share Krsna Consciousness with her? She is also a spirit soul. Together, you may help each other become better devotees.