PrahladaMaharaja

[Guest guest]

Material existence means full of anxieties and desires. This is the sum and

substance of material existence. Everyone is full of anxieties. Not only humans.

There are so many bad news than good news when we read paper or see TV. So

spiritual life means anxiety-less. This is the difference between material life

and spiritual life. Brahma-bhutah prasannatma [bg. 18.54], in the Bhagavad-gita

it is described what is spiritual life. As soon as you are identified with the

Absolute Truth, Brahman, then symptoms will be prasannatma, jubilation: "Oh, I

do not belong to this material world. I belong to the spiritual world. I am part

and parcel of Krsna. Why should I suffer so many things?" That is jubilation.

Brahma-bhutah prasannatma [bg. 18.54]. The prasannatma means na socati na

kanksati. He has no lamentation, no hankering. Here people are always full of

anxieties because they have got hankering, "I want this. I want that." And there

is lamentation. What they possess, if it is lost, they cry, "Oh, my things are

lost." And what they do not possess, they hanker. So their anxiety is there,

either he possesses or not possesses. This is material anxiety. If you have no

money, then you will hanker after money, "How to get money, how to get money,

how to get money?" And when you get money, then how to utilize it, how to, where

to keep it, in the bank, or in the house, or who will take away? Somebody will

take away. So where is anxiety-less? You possess or not possess, the real

disease is anxiety. So when one becomes brahma-bhuta, self-realized, identified

with the Absolute Truth, then he has no more anxiety. This is the best

education, when you become anxiety-less. That is perfection of education.

 

So when Prahlada Maharaja, in Srimad Bhagavatham, was enquired by his father

that "What nice thing you have studied, my dear boy, in your school?" so he

replied, "My dear father, the best education I have received, how to become

anxiety-less." That's all. Tat sadhu manye 'sura-varya dehinam. "Not only for

me, but for everyone. But you will not understand, my dear father, because you

are demon number one." He is addressing his father, asura-varya, asura-varya.

Asura means demon, and varya, varya means the first-class. He is not addressing

his father as "My dear father,My dear best of the atheists." Therefore his

father was very angry, "This child, he talks with me on equal level and does not

fear me. Kill him!" Asura. He is prepared to kill his son even, if he does not

agree with him. You see. We are also prepared. If one is not devotee, if he is

son, we can kill him. The same. But our is for Krsna, and the asuras is for

himself. That is the difference. He wants to do everything for his personal

satisfaction, and we want to do everything for Krsna's satisfaction. That is the

difference. The same propensities are there, but when it is applied for Krsna,

then it is purified, and when it is applied for personal self, it is impure.

This is the difference.

 

So Prahlada Maharaja said, "The best education is that which makes one

anxiety-free." That is best education. Now where is that education? Is there any

education throughout the whole world, in so many universities, especially in

your country there are nice, very, very... Rather, they have created so much

anxieties that the boys, they are frustrated. They are giving up everything,

Where is anxiety-less? They increase anxiety. Increase anxiety. Tat sadhu manye

'sura-varya dehinam sada samudvigna-dhiyam. "My dear father, the best of the

asuras, I think that anyone who has accepted this material body is full of

anxieties." Asad-grahat. Asad-grahat means..., asat means temporary. Because he

has accepted a body which is temporary, he is full of anxieties. That is the

real problem. We, if we want to be anxiety-less, no anxiety, then we have to

refuse to accept this material body. Otherwise there is no possibility. All

anxieties are due to this material body. Therefore Prahlada Maharaja said, tat

sadhu manye 'sura-varya dehinam sada samudvigna-dhiyam asad-grahat.

 

This is the problem. Now somehow or other, we have come in contact with this

material body. We, "I am not this material body, you are not this material... We

are soul." That realization required, that "I am not this material body.

Therefore I am not Indian, I am not white, I am not black. I am pure soul."

Aham brahmasmi. This is the real business of human society. Athato brahma

jijnasa. The swine is enquiring, "Where is stool? Where is stool? Where is

stool?" But a human being is also engaged for that purpose, "Where is stool?" or

"Where is food?" Stool is his food, and we are also, whole day and night with

motorcar going this or, "Where is food? Where is food?" Diva carthehaya rajan

kutumba-bharanena va [sB 2.1.3]. The whole day is spent, so many motorcars going

this way and that way. What is the business? "Where is money? Where is food?

Where is shelter?" And as soon as you get shelter, money, and food,

kutumba-bharanena va. Then "How to feed my children, how to feed my wife, how to

feed my country, how to..., society?" That's all. This is anxiety. This is

anxiety. They... Nidraya hriyate naktam. At night they want to become

anxiety-less by sleeping or by sex life. They want to forget anxiety. This is

their business. Nidraya hriyate naktam. They think that "If I sleep, then I

shall be... Let me drink so at night there will be very deep sleep." That is not

possible. You dream very ferocious dream, you are dreaming.

So these are not the methods. Method is, here it is recommended by Arjuna,

vasudeva-anudhyanam. Anudhyanam. Anu means constantly, and dhyanam means

meditation. They have manufactured so many meditation -- without Vasudeva. That

so-called transcendental meditation club and yogasana, but go there, what you

meditate upon? Zero. That is there. They cannot say, "What is that meditation?

And where is that transcendental meditation?" No rascal will be able to explain.

But they'll call big, big words, "Transcendental meditation." And what is that

transcendental meditation? Please explain. "Oh, that cannot be explained." You

see. Is it not? But we have got (indistinct), vasudeva-anudhyanam. You just say.

Vasudevanghry-anudhyana-paribrmhita-ramhasa. Here is Vasudeva, Krsna. You come

here and see, very minutely, how Vasudeva is dressed nicely, how He is playing

on His flute, how He is situated with His eternal consort, Srimati Radharani,

how He is enjoying her company. So nice thing for meditation. But why you are

after zero? Just see the rascaldom. Here is such nice object for meditation,

and they are trying to meditate upon zero. Therefore Bhagavad-gita says, klesah

adhikataras tesam avyaktasakta-cetasam. Klesa, that "Trouble is more." We can

meditate upon Krsna, immediately. We are constantly seeing Krsna here. So as

soon as I close my eyes, I see Krsna. That is not very difficult. Anything you

see, you'll be able to immediately have the form within your heart, immediately.

So there is no difficulty, but they will create some difficult task. Therefore

Bhagavad-gita (says), klesah adhikataras tesam. To fix up the mind on Vasudeva,

or Visnu, that is also difficult. But those who are trying to fix up their mind

on zero, their position is more difficult, adhikataram. Adhikataram means more.

 

So people are voluntarily accepting some nonsense method, and they are not

happy. That is their misfortune. Misfortune. Naradhama. The, everything is

there, but because they do not know... Duskrtina, naradhama. Duskrtina,

duskrtina means misfortunate, or always engaged in sinful activities. They'll

not meditate upon Vasudeva; they'll meditate on something, some color, some

zero, or something like that. We do not know what kind of meditation there is.

But real meditation, recommended in the Vedas, dhyanavasthita-tad-gatena manasa

pasyanti yam yoginah [sB 12.13.1]. Yogi. Yogis see the Supreme Personality of

Godhead by meditation. Meditation, dhyanavasthita-tad-gatena manasa, mind is

absorbed in the Supreme Personality. That is the real process of yoga system and

meditation -- to see the form of Visnu. Dhyanavasthita-tad-gatena manasa, this

is the recommended process, standard recommended process.

 

So here, if you simply think of Krsna -- Krsna recommends also that, man-mana

bhava mad-bhaktah. This Krsna consciousness movement is nothing, just to train

people how to think of Krsna and how to become devotee of Krsna. That's all. So

you may become devotee... But you will become devotee. If you think of Krsna,

naturally you will become devotee. So... But think of Krsna, is it very

difficult task? Very simple, very easy, even a child can do it. Here is Krsna.

You can think of. So you go on thinking, thinking, thinking, thinking, you will

be attached. You will be attached. You will be attached. Adau sraddha tatah

sadhu-sangah. And thinking of Krsna in association of the devotees. Not alone,

then you will go to hell. Alone will not do. Association is so strong that

anyone who is coming to our association, we..., not that we are everyone

teaching, but by association, he wants to become devotee. By association,

automatically. So the association is so powerful. Therefore Narottama dasa

Thakura says,

 

tandera carana-sevi-bhakta-sane vasa

janame janame haya ei abhilasa

 

He is praying, "My dear Lord, this is my ambition, birth after birth." What is

that? "That to be engaged in the service of the acarya guru, and in the

association of devotees. This is perfection." Janame janame haya ei: "This is my

desire. I don't want to stop my birth, but simply I want that I may take birth

-- it doesn't matter -- but bhakta-sane vasa, let me live with the devotees and

chant your Names always. My only prayer is that this should be the ultimate aim

of my life.

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Dear mpmahesh

Interesting article in lucid style. This is a never ending issue. Many

scriptures on the same subject have been written by great Acharyas after

Gitacharya and then the views of eminent people from various forums like

this one; libraries are filled with books on the subject ; lectures are

going on in every nook and corner ; yet we are still not able to come out

of this whirlpool of desires and anxieties; we are getting drawn more and

more into materialism justifying to ourselves that this is all part of

scientific advancement which again is the gift of God. Today we want things

to happen by click of the button. We are becoming impatient ! this

impatience leads to anxieties even for petty issues. We are able to find

ways and means to quickly satisfy our desires so that we can go for the

next one even before the one on hand is satisfied. We are not able to give

up even an inch of anything!. leave alone our dear body! I asked my wife to

throw

certain unwanted things when we shifted the house. She did so ; but not

outside ; but into the balcony of the new house ! only temporarily! anytime

it can be brought back. The quest for krsna the Ultimate Brahman and our

quest for material things cannot co exist in our heart; we have to leave the

lower and seek the Higher.

 

In fact the rush in temples is increasing day by day. Serpentine queues

waiting either to thank the Perumal for desires fulfilled along with a new

wish list. The Lord is ever ready smiling inside the sanctum sanctorum to

grant the wishes of the bhaktas. We normally find a notice outside the

temples " please leave slippers here". It would be more appropriate if they

add " slippers and desires ". Our desires are worth no more than our

slippers.

 

Sorry' moderator saab ; my knowledge of scriptures is almost "nil" hence

not able to draw references of relevant verses like the various eminent

writers in this forum.

 

Thanks for the wonderful article!

 

On this auspicious Nrusimha Jayanthi day let us pray to Lord. May the

Ferrocious Lord burn our mundane desires the way He tore open

Hiranyakassipu.

 

asatoma satgamaya

tamasoma jyothirgamaya

mirutyoma amrutamgamaya

om santhi!santhi!santhi

 

 

Pranams

vijayaraghavan v k

 

 

 

 

-

"mpmahesh" <mpmahesh

<>

Tuesday, May 13, 2003 5:37 PM

PrahladaMaharaja

 

 

> Material existence means full of anxieties and desires. This is the sum

and substance of material existence. Everyone is full of anxieties. Not only

humans. There are so many bad news than good news when we read paper or see

TV. So spiritual life means anxiety-less. This is the difference between

material life and spiritual life. Brahma-bhutah prasannatma [bg. 18.54], in

the Bhagavad-gita it is described what is spiritual life. As soon as you are

identified with the Absolute Truth, Brahman, then symptoms will be

prasannatma, jubilation: "Oh, I do not belong to this material world. I

belong to the spiritual world. I am part and parcel of Krsna. Why should I

suffer so many things?" That is jubilation. Brahma-bhutah prasannatma [bg.

18.54]. The prasannatma means na socati na kanksati. He has no lamentation,

no hankering. Here people are always full of anxieties because they have got

hankering, "I want this. I want that." And there is lamentation. What they

possess, if it is lost, they cry, "Oh, my things are lost." And what they do

not possess, they hanker. So their anxiety is there, either he possesses or

not possesses. This is material anxiety. If you have no money, then you will

hanker after money, "How to get money, how to get money, how to get money?"

And when you get money, then how to utilize it, how to, where to keep it, in

the bank, or in the house, or who will take away? Somebody will take away.

So where is anxiety-less? You possess or not possess, the real disease is

anxiety. So when one becomes brahma-bhuta, self-realized, identified with

the Absolute Truth, then he has no more anxiety. This is the best education,

when you become anxiety-less. That is perfection of education.

>

> So when Prahlada Maharaja, in Srimad Bhagavatham, was enquired by his

father that "What nice thing you have studied, my dear boy, in your school?"

so he replied, "My dear father, the best education I have received, how to

become anxiety-less." That's all. Tat sadhu manye 'sura-varya dehinam. "Not

only for me, but for everyone. But you will not understand, my dear father,

because you are demon number one." He is addressing his father,

asura-varya, asura-varya. Asura means demon, and varya, varya means the

first-class. He is not addressing his father as "My dear father,My dear

best of the atheists." Therefore his father was very angry, "This child, he

talks with me on equal level and does not fear me. Kill him!" Asura. He is

prepared to kill his son even, if he does not agree with him. You see. We

are also prepared. If one is not devotee, if he is son, we can kill him. The

same. But our is for Krsna, and the asuras is for himself. That is the

difference. He wants to do everything for his personal satisfaction, and we

want to do everything for Krsna's satisfaction. That is the difference. The

same propensities are there, but when it is applied for Krsna, then it is

purified, and when it is applied for personal self, it is impure. This is

the difference.

>

> So Prahlada Maharaja said, "The best education is that which makes one

anxiety-free." That is best education. Now where is that education? Is there

any education throughout the whole world, in so many universities,

especially in your country there are nice, very, very... Rather, they have

created so much anxieties that the boys, they are frustrated. They are

giving up everything, Where is anxiety-less? They increase anxiety.

Increase anxiety. Tat sadhu manye 'sura-varya dehinam sada

samudvigna-dhiyam. "My dear father, the best of the asuras, I think that

anyone who has accepted this material body is full of anxieties."

Asad-grahat. Asad-grahat means..., asat means temporary. Because he has

accepted a body which is temporary, he is full of anxieties. That is the

real problem. We, if we want to be anxiety-less, no anxiety, then we have to

refuse to accept this material body. Otherwise there is no possibility. All

anxieties are due to this material body. Therefore Prahlada Maharaja said,

tat sadhu manye 'sura-varya dehinam sada samudvigna-dhiyam asad-grahat.

>

> This is the problem. Now somehow or other, we have come in contact with

this material body. We, "I am not this material body, you are not this

material... We are soul." That realization required, that "I am not this

material body. Therefore I am not Indian, I am not white, I am not black. I

am pure soul." Aham brahmasmi. This is the real business of human society.

Athato brahma jijnasa. The swine is enquiring, "Where is stool? Where is

stool? Where is stool?" But a human being is also engaged for that purpose,

"Where is stool?" or "Where is food?" Stool is his food, and we are also,

whole day and night with motorcar going this or, "Where is food? Where is

food?" Diva carthehaya rajan kutumba-bharanena va [sB 2.1.3]. The whole day

is spent, so many motorcars going this way and that way. What is the

business? "Where is money? Where is food? Where is shelter?" And as soon as

you get shelter, money, and food, kutumba-bharanena va. Then "How to feed my

children, how to feed my wife, how to feed my country, how to..., society?"

That's all. This is anxiety. This is anxiety. They... Nidraya hriyate

naktam. At night they want to become anxiety-less by sleeping or by sex

life. They want to forget anxiety. This is their business. Nidraya hriyate

naktam. They think that "If I sleep, then I shall be... Let me drink so at

night there will be very deep sleep." That is not possible. You dream very

ferocious dream, you are dreaming.

> So these are not the methods. Method is, here it is recommended by Arjuna,

vasudeva-anudhyanam. Anudhyanam. Anu means constantly, and dhyanam means

meditation. They have manufactured so many meditation -- without Vasudeva.

That so-called transcendental meditation club and yogasana, but go there,

what you meditate upon? Zero. That is there. They cannot say, "What is that

meditation? And where is that transcendental meditation?" No rascal will be

able to explain. But they'll call big, big words, "Transcendental

meditation." And what is that transcendental meditation? Please explain.

"Oh, that cannot be explained." You see. Is it not? But we have got

(indistinct), vasudeva-anudhyanam. You just say.

Vasudevanghry-anudhyana-paribrmhita-ramhasa. Here is Vasudeva, Krsna. You

come here and see, very minutely, how Vasudeva is dressed nicely, how He is

playing on His flute, how He is situated with His eternal consort, Srimati

Radharani, how He is enjoying her company. So nice thing for meditation. But

why you are after zero? Just see the rascaldom. Here is such nice object

for meditation, and they are trying to meditate upon zero. Therefore

Bhagavad-gita says, klesah adhikataras tesam avyaktasakta-cetasam. Klesa,

that "Trouble is more." We can meditate upon Krsna, immediately. We are

constantly seeing Krsna here. So as soon as I close my eyes, I see Krsna.

That is not very difficult. Anything you see, you'll be able to immediately

have the form within your heart, immediately. So there is no difficulty, but

they will create some difficult task. Therefore Bhagavad-gita (says), klesah

adhikataras tesam. To fix up the mind on Vasudeva, or Visnu, that is also

difficult. But those who are trying to fix up their mind on zero, their

position is more difficult, adhikataram. Adhikataram means more.

>

> So people are voluntarily accepting some nonsense method, and they are not

happy. That is their misfortune. Misfortune. Naradhama. The, everything is

there, but because they do not know... Duskrtina, naradhama. Duskrtina,

duskrtina means misfortunate, or always engaged in sinful activities.

They'll not meditate upon Vasudeva; they'll meditate on something, some

color, some zero, or something like that. We do not know what kind of

meditation there is. But real meditation, recommended in the Vedas,

dhyanavasthita-tad-gatena manasa pasyanti yam yoginah [sB 12.13.1]. Yogi.

Yogis see the Supreme Personality of Godhead by meditation. Meditation,

dhyanavasthita-tad-gatena manasa, mind is absorbed in the Supreme

Personality. That is the real process of yoga system and meditation -- to

see the form of Visnu. Dhyanavasthita-tad-gatena manasa, this is the

recommended process, standard recommended process.

>

> So here, if you simply think of Krsna -- Krsna recommends also that,

man-mana bhava mad-bhaktah. This Krsna consciousness movement is nothing,

just to train people how to think of Krsna and how to become devotee of

Krsna. That's all. So you may become devotee... But you will become devotee.

If you think of Krsna, naturally you will become devotee. So... But think of

Krsna, is it very difficult task? Very simple, very easy, even a child can

do it. Here is Krsna. You can think of. So you go on thinking, thinking,

thinking, thinking, you will be attached. You will be attached. You will be

attached. Adau sraddha tatah sadhu-sangah. And thinking of Krsna in

association of the devotees. Not alone, then you will go to hell. Alone will

not do. Association is so strong that anyone who is coming to our

association, we..., not that we are everyone teaching, but by association,

he wants to become devotee. By association, automatically. So the

association is so powerful. Therefore Narottama dasa Thakura says,

>

> tandera carana-sevi-bhakta-sane vasa

> janame janame haya ei abhilasa

>

> He is praying, "My dear Lord, this is my ambition, birth after birth."

What is that? "That to be engaged in the service of the acarya guru, and in

the association of devotees. This is perfection." Janame janame haya ei:

"This is my desire. I don't want to stop my birth, but simply I want that I

may take birth -- it doesn't matter -- but bhakta-sane vasa, let me live

with the devotees and chant your Names always. My only prayer is that this

should be the ultimate aim of my life.

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

> Srirangasri-

>

>

>

> Your use of is subject to

>

>