This is the essence

[theist 1]

SB 3.29.21: I am present in every living entity as the Supersoul. If someone neglects or disregards that Supersoul everywhere and engages himself in the worship of the Deity in the temple, that is simply imitation.

 

 

SB 3.29.22: One who worships the Deity of Godhead in the temples but does not know that the Supreme Lord, as Paramatma, is situated in every living entity's heart, must be in ignorance and is compared to one who offers oblations into ashes.

 

 

SB 3.29.23: One who offers Me respect but is envious of the bodies of others and is therefore a separatist never attains peace of mind, because of his inimical behavior towards other living entities.

 

 

SB 3.29.24: My dear Mother, even if he worships with proper rituals and paraphernalia, a person who is ignorant of My presence in all living entities never pleases Me by the worship of My Deities in the temple.

 

 

SB 3.29.25: Performing his prescribed duties, one should worship the Deity of the Supreme Personality of Godhead until one realizes My presence in his own heart and in the hearts of other living entities as well.

 

 

SB 3.29.26: As the blazing fire of death, I cause great fear to whoever makes the least discrimination between himself and other living entities because of a differential outlook.

 

 

SB 3.29.27: Therefore, through charitable gifts and attention, as well as through friendly behavior and by viewing all to be alike, one should propitiate Me, who abide in all creatures as their very Self.

[theist 1]

TRANSLATION 3.29.21

 

I am present in every living entity as the Supersoul. If someone neglects or disregards that Supersoul everywhere and engages himself in the worship of the Deity in the temple, that is simply imitation.

 

 

PURPORT

In purified consciousness, or Krishna consciousness, one sees the presence of Krishna everywhere. If, therefore, one only engages in Deity worship in the temple and does not consider other living entities, then he is in the lowest grade of devotional service. One who worships the Deity in the temple and does not show respect to others is a devotee on the material platform, in the lowest stage of devotional service. A devotee should try to understand everything in relationship with Krishna and try to serve everything in that spirit. To serve everything means to engage everything in the service of Krishna. If a person is innocent and does not know his relationship with Krishna, an advanced devotee should try to engage him in the service of Krishna. One who is advanced in Krishna consciousness can engage not only the living being but everything in the service of Krishna.

---

 

 

 

From this I take it that we are expected to graduate to the level of seeing the Paramatma everywhere and within everyone and not just be satisified with the routine temple worship.

 

Eventually we will develop the understanding that every living being is actually a living temple of the Lord and the Lord is standing there on the altar of everyone's heart.

[theist 1]

TRANSLATION SB 3.29.22

 

One who worships the Deity of Godhead in the temples but does not know that the Supreme Lord, as Paramatma, is situated in every living entity's heart, must be in ignorance and is compared to one who offers oblations into ashes.

 

 

PURPORT

It is stated clearly herein that the Supreme Personality of Godhead, in His plenary expansion of Supersoul, is present in all living entities. The living entities have 8,400,000 different kinds of bodies, and the Supreme Personality of Godhead is living in every body both as the individual soul and as the Supersoul. Since the individual soul is part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, in that sense the Lord is living in every body, and, as Supersoul, the Lord is also present as a witness. In both cases the presence of God in every living entity is essential. Therefore persons who profess to belong to some religious sect but who do not feel the presence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in every living entity, and everywhere else, are in the mode of ignorance.

 

If, without this preliminary knowledge of the Lord's omnipresence, one simply attaches himself to the rituals in a temple, church or mosque, it is as if he were offering butter into ashes rather than into the fire. One offers sacrifices by pouring clarified butter into a fire and chanting Vedic mantras, but even if there are Vedic mantras and all conditions are favorable, if the clarified butter is poured on ashes, then such a sacrifice will be useless. In other words, a devotee should not ignore any living entity. The devotee must know that in every living entity, however insignificant he may be, even in an ant, God is present, and therefore every living entity should be kindly treated and should not be subjected to any violence. In modern civilized society, slaughterhouses are regularly maintained and supported by a certain type of religious principle. But without knowledge of the presence of God in every living entity, any so-called advancement of human civilization, either spiritual or material, is to be understood as being in the mode of ignorance.

---

"Therefore persons who profess to belong to some religious sect but who do not feel the presence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in every living entity, and everywhere else, are in the mode of ignorance."

 

 

Why do I refuse to enter into this realization of purified goodness?

 

 

 

Why am I seemingly satisified to attach myself to this religious sect or that and remain a separtist, estranged from the Lord and all others?

 

Why have I built this box of petty hatred and envy to live in as if to protect myself, cutting myself off from Krsna and all His parts and parcels, my very eternal Friend & brothers and sisters?

[gHari 0]

Yes, existence. Really, only Sri Krsna has it. We all, everything that is, we all just borrow a little piece of his existence to survive. In God, of God, yet somehow unique and separate, such is our position.

 

http://vedabase.net/bg/7/7/en

[theist 1]

Tamas

 

Kaplia to Devahuti:

 

TRANSLATION SB 3.29.8

Devotional service executed by a person who is envious, proud, violent and angry, and who is a separatist, is considered to be in the mode of darkness.

 

PURPORT

It has already been stated in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, First Canto, Second Chapter, that the highest, most glorious religion is the attainment of causeless, unmotivated devotional service. In pure devotional service, the only motive should be to please the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is not actually a motive; that is the pure condition of the living entity. In the conditioned stage, when one engages in devotional service, he should follow the instruction of the bona fide spiritual master in full surrender. The spiritual master is the manifested representation of the Supreme Lord because he receives and presents the instructions of the Lord, as they are, by disciplic succession. It is described in Bhagavad-gita that the teachings therein should be received by disciplic succession, otherwise there is adulteration. To act under the direction of a bona fide spiritual master with a motive to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead is pure devotional service. But if one has a motive for personal sense gratification, his devotional service is manifested differently. Such a man may be violent, proud, envious and angry, and his interests are separate from the Lord's.

One who approaches the Supreme Lord to render devotional service, but who is proud of his personality, envious of others or vengeful, is in the mode of anger. He thinks that he is the best devotee. Devotional service executed in this way is not pure; it is mixed and is of the lowest grade, tamasah. Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura advises that a Vaishnava who is not of good character should be avoided. A Vaishnava is one who has taken the Supreme Personality of Godhead as the ultimate goal of life, but if one is not pure and still has motives, then he is not a Vaishnava of the first order of good character. One may offer his respects to such a Vaishnava because he has accepted the Supreme Lord as the ultimate goal of life, but one should not keep company with a Vaishnava who is in the mode of ignorance.

[theist 1]

TRANSLATION 3,29,9

The worship of Deities in the temple by a separatist, with a motive for material enjoyment, fame and opulence, is devotion in the mode of passion.

 

PURPORT

The word "separatist" must be understood carefully. The Sanskrit words in this connection are bhinna-drik and prithag-bhavah. A separatist is one who sees his interest as separate from that of the Supreme Lord. Mixed devotees, or devotees in the modes of passion and ignorance, think that the interest of the Supreme Lord is supplying the orders of the devotee; the interest of such devotees is to draw from the Lord as much as possible for their sense gratification. This is the separatist mentality. Actually, pure devotion is explained in the previous chapter: the mind of the Supreme Lord and the mind of the devotee should be dovetailed. A devotee should not wish anything but to execute the desire of the Supreme. That is oneness. When the devotee has an interest or will different from the interest of the Supreme Lord, his mentality is that of a separatist. When the so-called devotee desires material enjoyment, without reference to the interest of the Supreme Lord, or he wants to become famous or opulent by utilizing the mercy or grace of the Supreme Lord, he is in the mode of passion.

Mayavadis, however, interpret this word "separatist" in a different way. They say that while worshiping the Lord, one should think himself one with the Supreme Lord. This is another adulterated form of devotion within the modes of material nature. The conception that the living entity is one with the Supreme is in the mode of ignorance. Oneness is actually based on oneness of interest. A pure devotee has no interest but to act on behalf of the Supreme Lord. When one has even a tinge of personal interest, his devotion is mixed with the three modes of material nature.

[theist 1]

TRANSLATION SB 3.29.10

When a devotee worships the Supreme Personality of Godhead and offers the results of his activities in order to free himself from the inebrieties of fruitive activities, his devotion is in the mode of goodness.

 

PURPORT

The brahmanas, kshatriyas, vaisyas and sudras, along with the brahmacaris, grihasthas, vanaprasthas and sannyasis, are the members of the eight divisions of varnas and asramas, and they have their respective duties to perform for the satisfaction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. When such activities are performed and the results are offered to the Supreme Lord, they are called karmarpanam, duties performed for the satisfaction of the Lord. If there is any inebriety or fault, it is atoned for by this offering process. But if this offering process is in the mode of goodness rather than in pure devotion, then the interest is different. The four asramas and the four varnas act for some benefit in accordance with their personal interests. Therefore such activities are in the mode of goodness; they cannot be counted in the category of pure devotion. Pure devotional service as described by Rupa Gosvami is free from all material desires. Anyabhilashita-sunyam [Cc. Madhya 19.167]. There can be no excuse for personal or material interest. Devotional activities should be transcendental to fruitive activities and empiric philosophical speculation. Pure devotional service is transcendental to all material qualities.

Devotional service in the modes of ignorance, passion and goodness can be divided into eighty-one categories. There are different devotional activities, such as hearing, chanting, remembering, worshiping, offering prayer, rendering service and surrendering everything, and each of them can be divided into three qualitative categories. There is hearing in the mode of passion, in the mode of ignorance and in the mode of goodness. Similarly, there is chanting in the mode of ignorance, passion and goodness, etc. Three multiplied by nine equals twenty-seven, and when again multiplied by three it becomes eighty-one. One has to transcend all such mixed materialistic devotional service in order to reach the standard of pure devotional service, as explained in the next verses.

[theist 1]

What I take as essential knowledge is that knowledge that is imperishable, libetarting and establishes us on the transcendental plane with the full and perfect understanding of our relationship to Krsna as His loving servants.

 

In the Bhagavatam we find many things that are not really essential in the above terms. It is my belief that there is no need to obsess over them at all. No need to believe or disbelieve in them because they are non-essential. If I concentarte my limited mind and focus onto them then they become a block, a distraction to the essential knowedge that is sitting right next to them in the same chapter or purport.

 

The Srimad Bhagavatam is not deficent in essential knowledge of this kind. It is overflowing with it and I have yet to encounter any other book that is so filled it.

 

It is like going out to dig for gold hoping to find a couple of nuggets and coming upon a field where Someone has placed all the gold abundantly on the top of the ground and not only that but it is already purified of any dross and has been fashioned into the finest of jewelry and art, just there for our accepting it.

 

Let us not come upon such a field and then instead of harvesting the gold spend our time on the other stones that may be lying around there.

[theist 1]

SB 1.16.11: Maharaja Parikshit sat on a chariot drawn by black horses. His flag was marked with the sign of a lion. Being so decorated and surrounded by charioteers, cavalry, elephants and infantry soldiers, he left the capital to conquer in all directions.

 

SB 1.16.12: Maharaja Parikshit then conquered all parts of the earthly planet -- Bhadrasva, Ketumala, Bharata, the northern Kuru, Kimpurusha, etc. -- and exacted tributes from their respective rulers.

 

 

SB 1.16.13-15: Wherever the King visited, he continuously heard the glories of his great forefathers, who were all devotees of the Lord, and also of the glorious acts of Lord Krishna. He also heard how he himself had been protected by the Lord from the powerful heat of the weapon of Asvatthama. People also mentioned the great affection between the descendants of Vrishni and Pritha due to the latter's great devotion to Lord Kesava. The King, being very pleased with the singers of such glories, opened his eyes in great satisfaction. Out of magnanimity he was pleased to award them very valuable necklaces and clothing.

 

 

SB 1.16.16: Maharaja Parikshit heard that out of His causeless mercy Lord Krishna [Vishnu], who is universally obeyed, rendered all kinds of service to the malleable sons of Pandu by accepting posts ranging from chariot driver to president to messenger, friend, night watchman, etc., according to the will of the Pandavas, obeying them like a servant and offering obeisances like one younger in years. When he heard this, Maharaja Parikshit became overwhelmed with devotion to the lotus feet of the Lord.

 

 

SB 1.16.17: Now you may hear from me of what happened while Maharaja Parikshit was passing his days hearing of the good occupations of his forefathers and being absorbed in thought of them.

 

 

SB 1.16.18: The personality of religious principles, Dharma, was wandering about in the form of a bull. And he met the personality of earth in the form of a cow who appeared to grieve like a mother who had lost her child. She had tears in her eyes, and the beauty of her body was lost. Thus Dharma questioned the earth as follows.

 

 

SB 1.16.19: Dharma [in the form of a bull] asked: Madam, are you not hale and hearty? Why are you covered with the shadow of grief? It appears by your face that you have become black. Are you suffering from some internal disease, or are you thinking of some relative who is away in a distant place?

 

 

SB 1.16.20: I have lost my three legs and am now standing on one only. Are you lamenting for my state of existence? Or are you in great anxiety because henceforward the unlawful meat-eaters will exploit you? Or are you in a sorry plight because the demigods are now bereft of their share of sacrificial offerings because no sacrifices are being performed at present? Or are you grieving for living beings because of their sufferings due to famine and drought?

 

 

SB 1.16.21: Are you feeling compunction for the unhappy women and children who are left forlorn by unscrupulous persons? Or are you unhappy because the goddess of learning is being handled by brahmanas addicted to acts against the principles of religion? Or are you sorry to see that the brahmanas have taken shelter of administrative families that do not respect brahminical culture?

 

 

SB 1.16.22: The so-called administrators are now bewildered by the influence of this age of Kali, and thus they have put all state affairs into disorder. Are you now lamenting this disorder? Now the general populace does not follow the rules and regulations for eating, sleeping, drinking, mating, etc., and they are inclined to perform such anywhere and everywhere. Are you unhappy because of this?

 

 

SB 1.16.23: O mother earth, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, incarnated Himself as Lord Sri Krishna just to unload your heavy burden. All His activities here are transcendental, and they cement the path of liberation. You are now bereft of His presence. You are probably now thinking of those activities and feeling sorry in their absence.

 

 

SB 1.16.24: Mother, you are the reservoir of all riches. Please inform me of the root cause of your tribulations by which you have been reduced to such a weak state. I think that the powerful influence of time, which conquers the most powerful, might have forcibly taken away all your fortune, which was adored even by the demigods.

 

---------

Does it matter if we accept as literal truth that Dharma was in the form of a bull and wandering about on one leg ( quite a trick in itself) and happened to meet Bhumi in the form of a sad and lamenting cow?

 

Not to me. I take it as a beautiful device the author used to convey certain critical sociological lessons essential for maintaining the progressive design of human society for moving towards a spiritual goal. The value of this story lies not in the storyline itself but in the conveyed message.

[theist 1]

SB 1.17.4: Maharaja Parikshit, well equipped with arrows and bow and seated on a gold-embossed chariot, spoke to him [the sudra] with a deep voice sounding like thunder.

 

 

SB 1.17.5: Oh, who are you? You appear to be strong and yet you dare kill, within my protection, those who are helpless! By your dress you pose yourself to be a godly man [king], but by your deeds you are opposing the principles of the twice-born kshatriyas.

 

 

SB 1.17.6: You rogue, do you dare beat an innocent cow because Lord Krishna and Arjuna, the carrier of the Gandiva bow, are out of sight? Since you are beating the innocent in a secluded place, you are considered a culprit and therefore deserve to be killed.

------

 

 

 

Maharaja Parksit is the Archetypal world leader. Bhumi and Dharma suffer terribly in the absence of such rulers and leaders as Maharaja Pariksit. Today all we have is despots, assorted strongman pyschopaths and narcissists along with frontmen goons who are employed by their capitalist masters to exploit the world and it's citizens down to the last seed, farthing and drop of blood.

[complexity 0]

 

I am present in every living entity as the Supersoul. If someone neglects or disregards that Supersoul everywhere and engages himself in the worship of the Deity in the temple, that is simply imitation.

How do you actually change yourself to be able to truly feel or perceive the Supersoul in every living being ?

[Beggar 0]

 

How do you actually change yourself to be able to truly feel or perceive the Supersoul in every living being ?

Practice the eight fold yoga system which is not recommended for this age.

[theist 1]

 

How do you actually change yourself to be able to truly feel or perceive the Supersoul in every living being ?

Chant Hare Krsna, read in the Bhagavad-gita and other books given to us by Srila Prabhupada about the presence of the Lord in the heart.

 

Pray to the Lord in your heart to guide you in your spiritual life and petition Him to please reveal His presence unto you. Would God ignore such a prayer? Of course not.

 

The Lord in the heart is known as Caitya guru. It is the Lord in the heart that dispels the darkness of our minds with the shining lamp of transcendental knowledge.

 

It is that Lord in the heart that will reveal Himself to us in His most attractive form of Sri Krsna as we become more and more intimate with Him.

 

We need to avoid the mentality of the sahajiya's who think they can just ignore Krsna in their heart as the Supersoul and jump on into the most intimate pastimes of Krsna lila.

 

Actually we need to progress through a series of realizations of the Lord that build one upon another and climaxing in Krsna-lila. It is not so cheap as to learn a few lines from the highest and most intimate teachings of the rasacaryas and then parrot them out to others. We need realizations and not just memorization.

 

I prefer to keep things simple. It is the only way I can handle things. Simple in this case is, the Lord is in our hearts, He is the Soul of everyone and thus no one can ever be closer to our self then the source of our self Himself. So since He is right here as I write this and right there as you read this you can simply turn your attention inward this moment, pray for His revelation of Himself to come to you and continue chanting Hare Krsna. He will answer our prayer according to the level of our sincerity that is His quaruntee.

 

As we learn to perceive his presence within us we will also be able to perceive His presence in others. This realization goes hand in hand with understanding ourselves and others as eternal spiritual beings. Self realization in it's proper sense simultaneously includes Superself realization and our relationship to Him.

 

Remember we never walk alone. It is a comforting thought to me as otherwise I am just a scared & lonely little soul lost in a gigantic cosmos.

[Shakti-Fan 0]

 

We need to avoid the mentality of the sahajiya's who think they can just ignore Krsna in their heart as the Supersoul and jump on into the most intimate pastimes of Krsna lila.

 

Actually we need to progress through a series of realizations of the Lord that build one upon another and climaxing in Krsna-lila. It is not so cheap as to learn a few lines from the highest and most intimate teachings of the rasacaryas and then parrot them out to others. We need realizations and not just memorization.

 

 

Vienna, Austria: September 19, 2002

Tridandisvami Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja

While Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura was at Radha Kunda, the disciples of Jagannatha das Babaji Maharaja complained to him about the instructions they were receiving from their Gurudeva. They told him, "We have given up our houses, our children, fathers, mothers, wives, and our positions. We have left everything to do bhajana and to remember asta-kaliya-lila. We have left everything, but our Gurudeva is telling us to grow brinjals (eggplant) and other vegetables and flowers for Thakurji. We did not come here to grow vegetables, flowers and fruits. Sir, should we return to our homes? We don't know what to do."

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura told them, "You should try to serve your Gurudeva and follow his orders. You are chanting Hare Krsna, but you are full of anarthas (impurities) and cannot chant suddha-nama (the pure name). You may chant for thousands and thousands of births and not accomplish anything. It is good and proper that you follow your Gurudeva's instructions. You cannot remember the pastimes of Krsna while you are contaminated by these anarthas. If you try to remember the asta-kaliya-lila before you are purified, the desire for young women and other material things will rise in your heart. You will soon give up your bhajana to become involved with women and you will return to worldly life. Most Radha Kunda babajis are doing just that, mixing illicitly with widows and having children with them; they are not doing any real bhajana.

"Do not fall down like them. You should follow your Gurudeva's orders; engage your energy in growing fruits and vegetables to offer to Thakurji or to a pure Vaisnava. You should also chant the holy name, Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna. Real paramarthika (transcendental) impressions and sukrti will come into your heart, and you will be able to truly follow your Guru. Then, as chanting, remembering, and performing kirtana cleanse these anarthas, all the pastimes of Krsna will automatically enter your hearts. Don't follow the example of the Radha Kunda babajis. They don't know Vaisnava etiquette. They don't even know how to clean themselves after using the latrine. They certainly don't know any krsna-tattva, maya-tattva, or jiva- tattva. Ignorant persons who have left their homes arrive here knowing nothing about siddhanta. These babajis will cheat them, and for only two rupees, give them a false siddha name and a false siddha-deha. They will say, 'Now you are a gopi; your name is Lalita or Visakha.' This is abominable."

In his Jaiva Dharma, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura has written everything about the authentic process to become a paramahamsa. Jaiva Dharma is the essence of the Vedas, Upanishads, Srimad Bhagavatam, and the writings of Sri Rupa Gosvami, Sri Raghunatha das Gosvami and our guru-varga. Asta-kaliya-lila is described for those that are advanced, but how does one become qualified to understand it? One must systematically study Jaiva Dharma from beginning to end, starting with the first part where there is a description of the material world, and proceeding through a study of Dasa-mula and all the tattvas.

By following Jaiva Dharma properly, your anarthas will gradually disappear and you will be able to practice bhakti as exemplified by the two disciples, Brajanatha and Vijay Kumara. They practiced first in Navadvipa and then in Puri, and they were completely conversant with all the teachings of the important literatures by our guru-varga, including Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu and Ujjvala-nilamani. They had realized all the stages of prema: vibhava, anubhava, sattvika, vyabhicari, etc. Thus they received real diksa, and they were blessed with a vision of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, dancing with Lord Nityananda and all of their associates.

[Guest guest]

haribol. The answer to how we see supersoul in all living entities, we dont. But in our beginning stages, we are taught by Srila Prabhupada to practice offering obiesancies to one another. We do not do this to praise the unworthy each other, rather, to recognize the spiritual essence of each being. When we place our heads on the ground, we dont really offer unflinching devotion to that dude who just came into view, we offer such respect for the fact that that person is also trying to remember his essence, and the fact that Lord Nityananda Prabhupada, Supersoul, is very actively taking part in molding the character of that vaisnava. His presence is recognized, maybe not fully perceptable, but in faithfully carrying out this sadhana bhakti practice, we are grafdually seeing. Its like the fire is there, but the smoke needs to clear a bit.

 

So, I offer my humble obiesancies to the vaisnavas, and in doing so, the smoke clears and Lord Nityananda Prabhu can be seen, face to face.

 

Hare Krsna, all glories to the greatest of literature, the incarnation of both Paramatma and Bhagavan, Srimad Bhagavatam. All glories to all who hear and repeat and remember this nectarian message. ys, mahaksadasa

[theist 1]

This is an excerpt from a lecture on the Bhagavad-gita by Srila Prabhupada.

 

"Just like Sanatana Gosvami. Sanatana Goswami was Vrindavana. He was chanting Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, always. Then, one brahmana, he was very poor—perhaps you know this story—he worshiped Lord Siva, and when Lord Siva was pleased, then he wanted to take him, give him some benediction. So, "What do you want?'' So he said, "Give me the best thing, so I shall be the greatest of all.'' That he said, "Oh, I haven't got such thing, but if you want, you go to Sanatana Goswami.'' "Where is Sanatana Gosvami?'' "Vrindavana.'' So when he went there, so he had a touchstone. The touchstone was kept with the garbage, and he asked him, "All right, you take that. You are poor man. You take the stone, and if you touch this stone with iron, it will turn into gold. You take this. Find out in that garbage.'' So he took it and went away. So on the street he began to think that "Lord Siva advised me that 'He has the best thing. You go there.' But he has given me this stone—it is very nice—but why did he keep it with the garbage? He has not delivered me the best thing.'' So he returned back. So when he returned back, then Sanatana Goswami..., he said, "Sir, I, I, this is very nice, but I don't think this is the best thing, because Lord Siva said me that you have the best thing. If it is the best thing, why did you keep it with the garbage?'' So Sanatana Goswami smiled and said, "Yes, it is not the best thing, but for you it was the best thing. You want more than this, more valuable?'' "Yes, sir. For that purpose I came.'' "Then take this stone and throw in the Yamuna.'' So he threw it, and, "Sit down, chant Hare Krishna.'' You see? "

--------

A wonderful story. Is it important that the storyline of this brahmana being instructed by Lord Siva to go to Sanatana Gosvami for the most valuable thing is a literal happening or a way of illustrating the point that all material accumulation of wealth is on par with garbage and that the real wealth is the chanting of the Hare Krsna mantra? I don't think it is important at all.

What is important is the lesson itself.

[theist 1]

BG 10.36: I am also the gambling of cheats, and of the splendid I am the splendor. I am victory, I am adventure, and I am the strength of the strong.

In the tenth chapter of the Gita Arjunas asks Krsna in what ways He is to be rememberd and contemplated. Krsna gives Arjuna a few examples, one of which is the above.

 

What is noticable is Krsna is refering to the quintessence of everything as being Himself and representing Him. Here is the on-line defintion of quintessence from Webster:

 

Main Entry: quin·tes·sence

 

1 : the fifth and highest element in ancient and medieval philosophy that permeates all nature and is the substance composing the celestial bodies

 

2 : the essence of a thing in its purest and most concentrated form

 

3 : the most typical example or representative ....e quintessence of calm>

 

So from the above definitions it is clear that the ultimate meaning of quintessence can only refer to the Supreme Person Krsna. So absolute is this, one could take Quintessence as a name of God.

 

And herein lies my view of the Srimad Bhagavatam. The 'purest and most concentrated form' of the Srimad Bhagavatam is Sri Krsna Himself and this is how I take the Srimad Bhagavatam as literally the literary incarnation of God irrespective of it's cosmology and allegories whereever they may be found.

[theist 1]

Here is a nice telling of the story of Indra becoming a pig that I found in a BTG from 1977 written by Damodhara das.

 

Everyone, from the smallest germ, known as indra-gopa, up to Lord Indra, the King of heaven, is subject to the stringent laws of material nature. We are attempting to win over these laws, but in fact we are simply becoming more and more entangled in illusion’s complexities. Even Lord Indra himself was once subject to the influence of the deluding potency. Indra once became captivated by the superior facilities for sense gratification available on his heavenly planet, and therefore when his spiritual master, Brihaspati, the guru of the demigods, scolded him, Indra acted offensively toward him. Brihaspati then decided to teach his student a lesson. He cursed him to take birth on a lower planet as a pig. Sloshing around in mud and stool, Lord Indra as a pig felt that he was enjoying life very much. He thought to himself, “I am very fortunate. Here I have my nice sow for sex life, so many nice piglets, and the farmer serves me daily with a nice big bucket of stools to eat. How lucky I am!” Meanwhile the upper planets fell into confusion in Lord Indra’s absence, and Lord Brahma flew down to Indra’s farmyard on his swan to bring the King of heaven back to his post. But Indra would not leave: “I am very happy here, thank you.” So, with controlled intelligence, Lord Brahma took his sword end killed the sow and piglets. “No! No! What are you doing?” cried Indra. “My beautiful wife and children! You have mercilessly killed them!” Brahma then reminded Lord Indra that his death was going to come next anyway; at that very moment the farmer was sharpening his knife for the kill. The king of heaven was shocked into awareness, and he gladly returned to his duty as administrative head of the demigods.

Good lesson on the dangers of increased material attachment. The deluding power of maya is so strong that we can be dragged down and attached to such a false identification with the body and life of a pig even from such a great height as that of Indra.

The story, event itself I don't take as a literal happening but it's illustrating value for our lives is very great.

 

 

[theist 1]

SB 11.8.10: Just as the honeybee takes nectar from all flowers, big and small, an intelligent human being should take the essence from all religious scriptures.

[theist 1]

SB 11.8.17: A saintly person dwelling in the forest in the renounced order of life should never listen to songs or music promoting material enjoyment. Rather, a saintly person should carefully study the example of the deer, who is bewildered by the sweet music of the hunter's horn and is thus captured and killed.

 

SB 11.8.18: Becoming attracted to the worldly singing, dancing and musical entertainment of beautiful women, even the great sage Rishyasringa, the son of Mrigi, fell totally under their control, just like a pet animal.

 

 

This advice is just as applicable and more urgently directed to the devotees living in modern society where this form of sound pollution is coming at us from all angles. Thanks to the misuse of Krsna's technology we are bombarded constantly with varying styles of music all carrying the central theme of loving the female form.

 

 

If we want to be engrossed in that sensual energy we need do nothing but go about our ordinary lives, but if we want to transcend to a higher sense of pleasure in relationship to Krsna we must be scrupulously careful about what enters our ears. This is not optional, it is essential.

 

 

Thank God for Krsna conscious tapes, cd's & headphones, which help us to be not of this world even while working within it.