dogma

[Kripamoya]

 

Yes, with personally I meant physically. Written and recorded media are nowhere as fit carriers of spiritual impact as personal meeting. To be in the proximity of a devotee filled with svarupa-sakti on virtue of his practice is powerful indeed, it is hard to escape the halo.

 

that's all a myth.

Professional gurus have been preaching that same trick since time immemorial.

 

It's a hoax.

 

Usually, being in the physical proximity is a deterent to faith.

Better take the siksha from the inspired side of the sadhu and if you don't get near his body, then that is quite alright.

 

The magic is in chanting Hare Krishna.

 

These guys fall asleep in front of the guru during lectures.

There is no magic in the physical proximity of the guru.

[Guest guest]

 

Yes, with personally I meant physically. Written and recorded media are nowhere as fit carriers of spiritual impact as personal meeting. To be in the proximity of a devotee filled with svarupa-sakti on virtue of his practice is powerful indeed, it is hard to escape the halo.

 

Indeed, their living presence is their very kripa. Siksha is for the living.

[Kripamoya]

 

Indeed, their living presence is their very kripa. Siksha is for the living.

 

that makes cute poetry, but you can't support that with shastra.

[Guest guest]

 

and how is the vaisnava faith? doesnt the most vaisnavas see that the only way to God is through vaisnavaism? and other faiths are man-made!? the thing other think about other faiths, they usally do them self.. many think that: "they are so ignorant that they think one is lost if one dont convert to there religion" AND they do the same later.. prabhupada didnt have anything agaisnt different faiths, on the contrarary he accepted other faiths, so why do not the nowadays hare krsna people do the same!?

 

One important distinction is, that Vaishnavas do not say people of other belief systems are eternally damned. Religions that do not believe in reincarnation, and that believe that one's eternity is fixed by what they believe when they die, by default must be intolerant.

 

Vaishnavism preaches no such intolerance, it recognizes that each soul is on a journey of many lifetimes, and for some liberation is not going to be obtained in this lifetime. But this does not mean they are eternally lost. No Vaishnava would say this.

[raga]

 

that's all a myth.

Professional gurus have been preaching that same trick since time immemorial.

 

It's a hoax.

 

Usually, being in the physical proximity is a deterent to faith.

Better take the siksha from the inspired side of the sadhu and if you don't get near his body, then that is quite alright.

 

The magic is in chanting Hare Krishna.

 

These guys fall asleep in front of the guru during lectures.

There is no magic in the physical proximity of the guru.

A devotee well engaged in bhajan is surcharged with svarupa-sakti. His mere presence transforms others. Look at Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's pilgrimage in South India. Read about his devotees, the mere scent of whom, when caught by the wind, would transform people's hearts. The transforming power of such devotional presence is not, however, a matter of mere arguments - it is a matter of being experienced.

 

You can claim that tasting an apple is a hoax, and that the real nectar is in reading books about apple trees and in campaigning for apple prosperity, and that the alleged taste of apples is just the propaganda of apple merchants. The man who has tasted an apple will only laugh at you.

 

 

 

These guys fall asleep in front of the guru during lectures.

There is no magic in the physical proximity of the guru.

There are, of course, unfortunate people who miss out the experience of transformation via personal presence. Even in Krishna's presence, some just wanted to kill him. The fresh-hearted and the sincere, the fortunate souls with fit devotional samskaras, will however be quickly uplifted in the saint's divine halo.

[Guest guest]

 

One important distinction is, that Vaishnavas do not say people of other belief systems are eternally damned. Religions that do not believe in reincarnation, and that believe that one's eternity is fixed by what they believe when they die, by default must be intolerant.

 

Vaishnavism preaches no such intolerance, it recognizes that each soul is on a journey of many lifetimes, and for some liberation is not going to be obtained in this lifetime. But this does not mean they are eternally lost. No Vaishnava would say this.

 

and still most vaisnavas say that this is the only way, havent u heard and read about this any time!? strange tehn.. many muslims, christians and sikhs, kabbalist and mystics from other faiths DONT say u are eternaly damned.. so dont drag all people from other faiths in the mudd.. bad apples grow on all trees..

[Kripamoya]

 

 

You can claim that tasting an apple is a hoax, and that the real nectar is in reading books about apple trees and in campaigning for apple prosperity, and that the alleged taste of apples is just the propaganda of apple merchants.

I tasted nectar and smelled the lotus fragrance coming from the books of Srila Prabhupada from the first second I touched one.

 

to this very day I taste that nectar and smell the lotus flower aroma of those books.

 

If a person doesn't have that same experience as I do, then I guess they just have a way to go to get to where they need to be.

 

These books are dripping with nectar.

the fragrance can be smelled all the way back to Goloka.

[gHari]

<H3>D O G M A -----> AM GOD</H3>

 

Maybe that's not the root of our word; but it is a funny coincidence. Srila Rupa Gosvami broke it down for everyone: "Just somehow turn to Krsna". So whatever state we find ourselves sliding in - just turn to Krsna. No one is expecting anyone to achieve perfection this minute or even the next, eons of conditioning must be evaporated, but it is good to know where the path is and just how far we are away from it.

 

Srila Sridhara said that a man is known by his ideals. I say we keep our ideals high like sastra and master dictate, even if we can't measure up yet. For now, we'll just turn to Krsna whenever we can. He will take us to the ideal life in His own sweet time. We have His word.

[Guest guest]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dogma

[gHari]

Bhagavad-gita 10.10:

 

 

<CENTER>teSAM

satata

-yuktAnAM

bhajatAM prIti-pUrvakam

dadAmi buddhi-yogaM taM

yena mAm upayAnti te

</CENTER>

teSAm--unto them;

satata

-yuktAnAm--

always

engaged; bhajatAm--in rendering devotional service; prIti-pUrvakam--in loving ecstasy; dadAmi--I give; buddhi-yogam--real intelligence; tam--that; yena--by which; mAm--unto Me; upayAnti--come; te--they.

To those who are constantly devoted to serving Me with love, I give the understanding by which they can come to Me.

 

 

 

 

satata — <B>always</b>; BG 12.1

satata — <B>always</b>; SB 11.9.25

satata-yuktānām — <B>always</b> engaged; CC Adi 1.49

satata — <B>always</b>; CC Adi 1.61

satata — <B>always</b>; CC Madhya 2.76

satata nācāya — <B>always</b> causes to dance; CC Madhya 21.129

satata-yuktānām — <B>always</b> engaged; CC Madhya 24.173

satata-yuktānām — <B>always</b> engaged; CC Madhya 24.192

satata — <B>always</b>; CC Antya 2.79

satata-snigdhaḥ — <B>always</b> pleasing; CC Antya 6.263

satata — <B>always</b>; CC Antya 15.6

satata — perpetual; MM 48

 

 

 

 

Bhagavad-gita 18.58:

If you become conscious of Me, you will pass over all the obstacles of conditioned life by My grace. If, however, you do not work in such consciousness but act through false ego, not hearing Me, you will be lost.

We are not to think that within these parameters which Lord Krishna describes that there is no fun to be had, no love or happiness, no romance or laughter. It is all perfected in Bhaktiloka. But it is this bhakti, this devotion, it is God who is the cornerstone of all activity. It is all for His pleasure. Without Him it is not real, not meaningful, simply inconsequential. And that is the point Krsna drives home, for He is our best friend.

 

It is either "mat-cittah" or "ahankara", conscious of Me or through false-ego; and while that sounds dogmatic it is all still His mercy. He helps either directly or through maya to groom us for perfection. As our friend He favours we choose the more expedient path. That's all; but either way He will arrange what is best, what is required.

[Guest guest]

yes this is true.. and Krsna is God, Allah.. so u can follow any path and serve God and approch Him

[Guest guest]

 

yes this is true.. and Krsna is God, Allah.. so u can follow any path and serve God and approch Him

 

If you miss one path, you will find another. All path leads to me only.

[Guest guest]

 

I tasted nectar and smelled the lotus fragrance coming from the books of Srila Prabhupada from the first second I touched one.

 

to this very day I taste that nectar and smell the lotus flower aroma of those books.

 

If a person doesn't have that same experience as I do, then I guess they just have a way to go to get to where they need to be.

 

These books are dripping with nectar.

the fragrance can be smelled all the way back to Goloka.

Appreciating Srila Prabhupada's books is nice, just try to keep your false pride and ego out of it.

[Kripamoya]

 

Appreciating Srila Prabhupada's books is nice, just try to keep your false pride and ego out of it.

I'm just relating my own experience.

I doubt that anyone on this forum is completely devoid of some ego.

I don't consider myself to be an exception.

 

I was practicing and studying hatha-yoga in 1974.

I was teaching yoga to some friends in my home town after I got out of the Navy.

One of these friends brought a book to one of our get-togethers.

We were doing pranayama and chanting Om etc.

 

then this friend brought out a book some person had walked up to him and sold him at the mall.

 

That book was Nectar of Devotion.

 

The moment I saw the book I could experience nectar.

 

My friend opened it up and showed me the Hare Krishna mantra and told me how to chant it as the devotee at the mall had told him.

 

I was totally taken in by that book. It was just radiating nectar and I could sense it.

My friends asked me if I knew anything about Bhakti-yoga.

I told them that I did not.

 

But, I told them right there immediatly that with this book I had finally found to the topmost yoga system and that I would spend the rest of my life trying to understand that book.

 

The books have always been nectar to me from the first moment I touched one.

To this very day, there is NOTHING that is a nectarine to me as the books of Srila Prabhuapda.

[Guest guest]

 

I'm just relating my own experience.

I doubt that anyone on this forum is completely devoid of some ego.

I don't consider myself to be an exception.

 

I was practicing and studying hatha-yoga in 1974.

I was teaching yoga to some friends in my home town after I got out of the Navy.

One of these friends brought a book to one of our get-togethers.

We were doing pranayama and chanting Om etc.

 

then this friend brought out a book some person had walked up to him and sold him at the mall.

 

That book was Nectar of Devotion.

 

The moment I saw the book I could experience nectar.

 

My friend opened it up and showed me the Hare Krishna mantra and told me how to chant it as the devotee at the mall had told him.

 

I was totally taken in by that book. It was just radiating nectar and I could sense it.

My friends asked me if I knew anything about Bhakti-yoga.

I told them that I did not.

 

But, I told them right there immediatly that with this book I had finally found to the topmost yoga system and that I would spend the rest of my life trying to understand that book.

 

The books have always been nectar to me from the first moment I touched one.

To this very day, there is NOTHING that is a nectarine to me as the books of Srila Prabhuapada.

 

all of us have ego hence we are in this world.. but also have a strong memory of my first book from prabhupada..

 

i was out driving with a friend on time and i felt a strong urge to stop and go in to a store that sold second hand stuff, i was a shaivite at the time this happend, anyway.. i told my friend to stop the car in the middle of the traffic so i could jump out and so i did.. i whent into the store, and felt a so strong pull to the shelfs of books.. i whent to them and took out 3 books, the first books of srimad bhagavatam and bhagavad gita as it is!! and all at a really low prise!! 2 dollars in my swedish currency!! i still remember the strong force pulling myself to the books! so i of one can understand what u meen

 

with love

[Guest guest]

 

I'm just relating my own experience.

I doubt that anyone on this forum is completely devoid of some ego.

I don't consider myself to be an exception.

...The books have always been nectar to me from the first moment I touched one.

To this very day, there is NOTHING that is a nectarine to me as the books of Srila Prabhuapada.

Good response. Still in Vaisnava circles we must try to tone down our egotism which is what you are doing in your response. Now try to soften up a little.