Guest guest Posted February 4, 2000 Report Share Posted February 4, 2000 What I understand from SP's teachings is that a pure devotee, by virtue of constantly seeing Krishna everywhere, does not distinguish between going BTG and remaining in the material world. It is a distinction we make under the perception of duality. So why would Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura be either for or against the idea of going BTG, since he is already experiencing Godhead continuously? Something to contemplate on: There is the famous pastime where Jiva Gosvami is chastised by Rupa Gosvami for correcting the scholar guest (somepeople say this is Vallabhacarya) who proposed a correction in Bhaktirasamrita Sindhu. Rupa Goswami uses the word pisaca (ghost) in relation to mukti (liberation). The guest misunderstands that Rupa Goswami is saying that liberation is a degraded idea and can be likened to a ghost. Srila Jiva Goswami explains to him that Rupa Goswami was likening the desire for liberation and not liberation itself to a ghost, and the scholar acknowledges his mistake. Here we learn that a pure devotee condemns the desire for liberation and not liberation itself. (Pl correct me if I have quoted this story wrongly) ys AND At 12:07 PM 2/2/00 +0000, you wrote: >[Text 2980490 from COM] > >Sri Sikshastaka > >(4) na dhanam na janam na sundarim >kavitam va jagad-isa kamaye >mama janmani janmanisvare >bhavatad bhaktir ahaituki tvayi > >O almighty Lord! I have no desire to accumulate wealth, nor have I any >desire to enjoy beautiful women, nor do I want any number of followers. What >I want only is that I may have Your causeless devotional service in my >life-birth after birth. > >-------------------------- > >The meaning of this verse is explained by Bhaktivinoda Thakura in Gitavali >in Song 4 [Jhanphi-Lopha] > >(3) >nija-karma-guna-dose je je janma pai >janme janme jeno tava nama-guna gai > >Whatever birth I may obtain due to the faults of my previous worldly >activities, I pray that I may sing the glories of Your holy name birth after >birth. > >(4) >ei matra asa mama tomar carane >ahoituki bhakti hrde jage anuksane > >This is my only desire, O Lord, and I submit it at Your lotus feet: That >unmotivated devotion to You may constantly awaken in my heart. > >------------------------- > >[Note: Bhaktivinoda Thakura doesn't say that he doesn't want to go back to >Godhead but that whatever birth he obtains due to his past karma he may sing >the glories of the holy name. He is so humble that he feels he is not >qualified to go BTG. But he is not against the idea of going BTG.] > >Comments? > >Your servant, >Nayana-raJjana dAsa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 4, 2000 Report Share Posted February 4, 2000 Anuttama Prabhu writes: > What I understand from SP's teachings is that a pure devotee, by virtue of > constantly seeing Krishna everywhere, does not distinguish between going > BTG and remaining in the material world. It is a distinction we make under > the perception of duality. So why would Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura be > either for or against the idea of going BTG, since he is already > experiencing Godhead continuously? But only in the spiritual world (not with this material body) can a pure devotee experience the seven higher levels of prema and only on that platform can one really enter into an intimate relationship of the Lord. So Bhaktivinoda Thakura and Srila Prabhupada as well are actually in favour for going BTG because it is only in the spiritual world that we can serve Krsna perfectly. Cc Madhya 19.178 prema vrddhi-krame nama--sneha, mana, pranaya raga, anuraga, bhava, mahabhava haya "The basic aspects of prema, when gradually increasing to different states, are affection, abhorrence, love, attachment, further attachment, ecstasy and great ecstasy. > Something to contemplate on: > > There is the famous pastime where Jiva Gosvami is chastised by Rupa > Gosvami for correcting the scholar guest (somepeople say this is > Vallabhacarya) who proposed a correction in Bhaktirasamrita Sindhu. Rupa > Goswami uses the word pisaca (ghost) in relation to mukti (liberation). > The guest misunderstands that Rupa Goswami is saying that liberation is a > degraded idea and can be likened to a ghost. Srila Jiva Goswami explains > to him that Rupa Goswami was likening the desire for liberation and not > liberation itself to a ghost, and the scholar acknowledges his mistake. > Here we learn that a pure devotee condemns the desire for liberation and > not liberation itself. (Pl correct me if I have quoted this story wrongly) This quote is about liberation but we are talking about BTG. A devotee never rejects the opportunity to go BTG. Because actually the Lord wants him there more than he wants to go there. BVT's statement that if because of his past karma the Lord wants him to go on revolving in the lower species of life, he is ready for that provided he is given ahaituki bhakti in all the births he is subjected to. This is to bring out the dainya or humility in our prayer. Srila Prabhupada makes a point that a pure devotee will not even want to go BTG in return for his devotional service if the Lord does not want it. This was to illustrate a particular point that the pure devotee does not want anything in exchange for his devotional service. But we all know that Srila Prabhupada said that Lord wants so much that devotee returns back to Him. So why should the devotee be against the idea. Infact he should ask for that because he knows that this is what the Lord actually wants. And LC does that in the very next verse in His Sikshashtakam: ayi nanda-tanuja kinkaram patitam mam visame bhavambudhau krpaya tava pada-pankaja- sthita-dhuli-sadrsam vicintaya "`O My Lord, O Krsna, son of Maharaja Nanda, I am Your eternal servant, but because of My own fruitive acts I have fallen into this horrible ocean of nescience. Now please be causelessly merciful to Me. Consider Me a particle of dust at Your lotus feet.' (Cc Antya 20.32) I hope this makes things clear. Your servant, Nayana-rañjana d€sa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 4, 2000 Report Share Posted February 4, 2000 In the Isopanishad we have a verse (17) in which a devotee prays intensly to give up this material body. Let this temporary body be burnt to ashes and may the elements of this body again merge in the totality. (This is not an easy thing. I tried it out. I know that each and every thought I formulate before the Deyties have an enormous effect on the life. For so many lifetimes I was praying for health and the good of my body-and now the pray that it may die as soon as possible-and not just because I am sick, suffering or very old. No, I am still in my twenties and in full health. For money, children, good partner and material success I could always pray, cry out to god honestly, but now to quit this body? As a lip-prayer it is easy, because this tongue is used to say everything, but to really mean it, to make it my hearts-prayer, to say it with real feeling!) Was this prayed out of frustration? He must have had enough of material life and wants to commit suicide? No!! Than it would never be in the shastras (isopanishad), but in our daily newspapers! It is a prayer for more service. He is so attached to that seva that he wants it uninterrupted. (ahaituky apratihata, yenatma suprasidati). But this material body needs sleep, sometimes food, one has to brush its teeth etc.. so many boring things we have to do, maintaining work. This is because this body is a creation, a vehicle to forget god. But a body suitable for nitya seva is only a spiritual body. Only there can I serve much more intensly. A material body is ideal for suffering. But it is not made to experience intense devotional sentiments. (This is the reason why sometimes great devotees leave their bodys. Not because the heart stops beating or the karmic clock is on zero. But because the material body can no more carry the bhava, it just cracks. It is to much for him. Like a young hen cracks his egg.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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