... ways to purify the human soul

[Guest guest]

Jaya Sri Radhey! Namaste.

 

The Prophet of Divine Name, Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu wrote in

Shikshashtaka:

 

"Chant the Name of the Lord and His glory

unceasingly,

That the mirror of the heart may be wiped clean

And quenched that mighty forest fire,

Worldly lust, raging furiously within.

 

Oh NAME, stream down in moonlight on the

lotus-heart,

Opening its cup to knowledge of Thyself.

Oh self, drown deep in the waves of His Bliss,

Chanting His Name continually,

Tasting nectar at every step,

Bathing in His Name, that bath for weary souls.

 

 

Various are Thy Names, Oh Lord,

In each and every Name Thy Power resides.

No times are set, no rites are needful, for chanting of Thy Name.

So vast is Thy Mercy.

How huge, then,is my wrechedness

Who find, in this empty life and heart,

No devotion to Thy Name!!"

 

(English translation of Sikshastaka - verses 1 and 2:

from the book "The Semon on the Mount - According to Vedanta"

by Swami Prabhavananada of Sri Ramakrishna Mission.)

 

 

Jaya Sri Radhey

 

 

, "SRI RADHA KUTIR" <radhakutir@v...>

wrote:

> 1.. Concentrate one's mind through meditation so that one

realizes the origin of all speech.

> 2.. Be always truthful.

> 3.. Follow the path of learning.

> 4.. Keep chanting the name of Parmatman.

> ATHARVA VEDA

> Hari Om

> radhakutir

[Guest guest]

Jaya Sri Radhey! Namaste.

 

Only one who possesses the REQUIRED DETACHMENT (sadhana catushtaya

sampatti) specified in the scriptures, attains DESERVEDNESS for the

path of 'Jnana Yoga'.

Such a deserving person is RARE, one among millions.

Sri Shankaracarya specified the following condition for attaining

deservedness.

 

"zuddhayati hi nAntarAtmA

kRSNa padAmbhoja bhaktimRte"

 

- 'Prabodha Sudhakar', Adi Jagadguru Sankaracarya

 

Complete purification of 'antahkarana' (consisting of mind, heart,

intellect and ego) can only be done through Prema Bhakti, Divine Love.

 

The 'antaraatma' (heart, mind, intellect and ego) cannot be purified

without Sri Krishna Bhakti, loving devotion to Lord Krishna.

All other methods of purfication are simply inadequate.

 

It is impossible to attain purification of the heart and mind without

DEVOTION to Lord Krishna, and no one can attain deservedness without

this purification. Further, of those who DO manage to attain

deservedness, very few manage to attain Liberation from Maya.

 

Therefore, being causelessly merciful, God descended on earth to HELP

suffering souls in their DEVOTION. It was through these descensions

that the innumerable NAMES, ATTRIBUTES, QUALITIES and PASTIMES of the

Personal Form were revealed to us, taking the SUPPORT of which,

innumerable souls have crossed the ocean of material bondage and

attained eternal Divine Bliss.

 

We have the striking example of a great sinner like Valmiki, who was

UNABLE even to UTTER the word 'Rama'! He too became a great SAINT

through the POWER of Divine Name.

 

In this context that Veda Vyasa wrote (in Queen Kuntidevi's Prayers)-

 

"bhave 'smin klizyamAnAnAM avidyAkAma karmabhiH

zravaNa smaraNArhANi kariSyanniti kecana"

 

"zRNvanti gAyanti gRNanty abhIkSNazaH

smaranti nandanti tave hitaM janAH

ta eva pazyanty acireNa tAvakaM

bhava pravAho paramaM padAmbujam"

 

(Bhagavatam 1.8.35,36)

 

Queen Kuntidevi prayed to the Lord:

 

"Some others maintain that You have descended on earth with the

intention of PERFORMONG deeds fit to be HEARD OF and DWELT UPON by

those who are tormented in this world by ignorance, selfish desires

and sinful acts.

 

That is why Your devotees constantly LISTEN to, SING, REPEAT to

others and CONTEMPLATE on Your stories and rejoice;

and it is they ALONE who behold before long Your Lotus feet that put

an END to the stream of births and deaths."

 

(Excerpts from - "Prema Rasa Siddhant", Chapter. 14, Sri Kripaluji

Maharaj))

 

 

Jaya Sri Radhey!