anadi 0 Report post Posted September 2, 2002 We have to try to double our chanting, remembering, reading, worshiping, and all other devotional practices and measure our progress daily by asking ourself, "At what stage was my bhakti yesterday, and what is the standard of my bhakti today. In business, in the evening, before closing shop, the owner of a shop will check his records to see if he has a profit or a loss. If there is a gain, it is good; if there is a loss, it is bad. Similarly, if our bhakti is not increasing, there must be a loophole. "Follow Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami, and never slip from the line of bhakti." gurau gosthe gostalayisu sujane bhusura-gane sva-mantre sri-namni vraja-nava-yuva-dvandva-sarane sada dambham hitva kuru ratim apurvam atitara- maye svantar bhratas catubhir abhiyace dhrta-padah "O my dear brother, my foolish mind! Taking hold of your feet, I humbly pray to you with sweet words. Please give up all pride and quickly develop sublime and incessant rati for Sri Gurudeva, Sri Vraja-dhama, the residents of Vraja, the Vaisnavas, the brahmanas, your diksa-mantras, the holy names of the Supreme Lord, and the shelter of Kisora-Kisori, Sri Sri Radha-Krsna, the eternally youthful divine couple of Vraja." (Sri Manah-siksa, verse one, by Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami) Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami is saying, "Oh my brother mind, give up all false ego and worldly desires. I pray to you very humbly; follow me. We should chant the maha-mantra daily, and we should also meditate in the morning, midday and evening on the mantras that Gurudeva has given: brahma-gayatri, guru-mantra, guru-gayatri, gaura-mantra, gopal-mantra, krsna-mantra, and kama-gayatri. "Increasing more and more, continue without fail." If we do not follow these principles and we are associating with bad elements, our bhakti will disappear." At last we should remember: tan-nama-rupa-caritadi-sukirtananu- smrtyoh kramena rasana-manasi niyojya tisthan vraje tad-anuragi jananugami kalam nayed akhilam ity upadesa-saram "The essence of all advice is that one should utilize one's full time in nicely chanting and remembering the Lord's divine name, transcendental form, qualities and eternal pastimes, thereby gradually engaging one's tongue and mind. In this way one should reside in Vraja [Goloka Vrndavana dhama] and serve Krsna under the guidance of devotees. One should follow in the footsteps of the Lord's beloved devotees, who are deeply attached to His devotional service." (Upadesamrta, verse 8) This is the essence of all the teachings of Srila Rupa Gosvami. By following this, our life will be successful. Always we should try to be in Vrndavana, where the gopas and gopis performed their pastimes, where Yamuna is flowing, where Giriraja Govardhana gloriously stands, and where Krsna never leaves. Try to go there under the guidance of any qualified rasika Vaisnava who is in the line of Rupa Gosvami. Don't go with an ordinary person. Try to remember the holy names of Radha and Krsna that qualify Them as the Istadevas of the mood for which you aspire, remember the meaning of those names, and also remember your connection with Their sweet pastimes. sri krsna gopala hare mukunda govinda he nanda kisora Krsna ha sri yasoda tanaya prasida sri ballavi jivana radhikesa "Chant Hare Krsna, but with a link to the names' relationship with the sweet pastimes of Krsna. Chant names like these: Sri Krsna, Gopala, Hari, Mukunda, and Govinda. But you will not yet be fully satisfied. Then you will chant, "Ha Sri Yasoda," and then something more, "Sri Ballavi Jivana,and finally Radhikesa." This is the Supreme name. If you are weeping with a melting heart while chanting, you will then see that Krsna is in your heart. Don't expect that your seed will become a big mango tree in one day." In this process we should chant, remember, follow our Gurudeva and Vaisnavas, and remain in the association of self-realized devotees. This is the essence of all the teachings of Sri Rupa Gosvami. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
raga 0 Report post Posted September 3, 2002 Spoken by Narayan Maharaja -- http://gaudiya.net/portal/articles/gdlectures/Vrajavasis_Never_Know.htm Why no references? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
