· Visnu and Krsna bhakti

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> > We are not interested in vishnu-bhakti

>

> Does anyone seriously believe this about themselves? Most of us are still

> attached to our material desires. To say something like, "I'm not

> interested in Vishnu-bhakti, only Krishna bhakti" sounds ludicrous to me.

> If that were true we would have no interest in anything material first. Is

> that the case for anyone here? Just curious.

This is a very good point. I think we are lucky to not have association of

apsaras, how many would then remember Vishnu or Krishna?

I saw that a Narayana bhakta will see Krishna, Rama, Nrisimha, etc. all as

his beloved Narayana. This is the view of many exalted Srivaisnavas. A Rama

bhakta will see all forms as Rama- Murari Gupta, Hanuman. A Nrisimha bhakta

will see everywhere his beloved Nrisimhadeva. And a Krishna bhakta will see

Krishna everywhere. When he will utter the name of Vishnu, Krishna will be

present in his mind. So if Srila Prabhupada said Krishna bhakti or Vishnu

bhakti His mind was absorbed in Krishna. I think if we just argue about the

external and not have the inner absorbtion in Krishna, what is the big

value? This doesn't come artificaly, but in the purified mind. We can not

experience Krishna with impure mind and senses. So we have to purify the

mind to experience rasa etc.

 

Srila Prabhupada:

BG 12.9purport:

Bhakti-yoga is the purification of the senses. At the present moment in

material existence the senses are always impure, being engaged in sense

gratification. But by the practice of bhakti-yoga these senses can become

purified, and in the purified state they come directly in contact with the

Supreme Lord. In this material existence, I may be engaged in some service

to some master, but I don’t really lovingly serve my master. I simply serve

to get some money. And the master also is not in love; he takes service from

me and pays me. So there is no question of love. But for spiritual life, one

must be elevated to the pure stage of love. That stage of love can be

achieved by practice of devotional service, performed with the present

senses.

This love of God is now in a dormant state in everyone’s heart. And, there,

love of God is manifested in different ways, but it is contaminated by

material association. Now the heart has to be purified of the material

association, and that dormant, natural love for KŠa has to be revived.

That is the whole process.

 

 

POP 3 Learning how to see God

 

Then how is it possible to understand Him? Sevonmukhe hi jihv€dau. By

training and purifying our senses, we may come to understand and see God.

Presently we are attempting to understand God with impure, imperfect senses.

It is like someone with cataracts trying to see. Just because one has

cataracts, he should not conclude that there is nothing to be seen.

Similarly, we cannot presently conceive of God’s form, but once our

cataracts are removed, we can see. According to Brahma-saˆhit€,

prem€ñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaƒ sadaiva hdayeu vilokayanti:

[bs. 5.38] “The devotees whose eyes are anointed with the ointment of love

of God can see God within their hearts twenty-four hours a day.”

Purification of the senses is what is required; then we can understand the

name, form, qualities, and pastimes of God. Then we’ll be able to see God

everywhere and in everything.

 

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu discussed the intimate topics with intimate

associates, he didn't go just to anyone talking about madhurya rasa, what

value would be if one is still sexually agitated:

 

SB Canto 1 Introduction:

 

Some time later, ®r… R€m€nanda R€ya retired from the government service and

took a pension from the King. He returned to his residence in Pur…, where he

was one of the most confidential devotees of the Lord. There was another

gentleman at Pur… of the name ®ikhi M€hiti, who was also a confidant like

R€m€nanda R€ya. The Lord used to hold confidential talks on spiritual values

with three or four companions at Pur…, and He passed eighteen years in that

way in spiritual trance. His talks were recorded by His private secretary

®r… D€modara Gosv€m…, one of the four most intimate devotees.

 

Madhya 19.154

 

Caitanya-carit€mta (Madhya 8.274):

sth€vara-ja‰gama dekhe, n€ dekhe t€ra m™rti

sarvatra haya nija i˜a-deva-sph™rti

“The mah€-bh€gavata, the advanced devotee, certainly sees everything mobile

and immobile, but he does not exactly see their forms. Rather, everywhere he

immediately sees manifest the form of the Supreme Lord.”

 

So, this has to be archieved.

 

If I look at the lives of Vishnu bhaktas such as Srivaisnava acarya's I can

just hide in shame. My hope is to attain Krishna but if this happens it will

be only His mercy, since there is no qualification from my side since hardly

I am a human.

 

YHS

Damana Krishna dasa Brahmacari