To show them speacial mercy,....

[theist]

TRANSLATION 10.11 Gita

 

To show them special mercy, I, dwelling in their hearts, destroy with the shining lamp of knowledge the darkness born of ignorance.

 

 

PURPORT

When Lord Caitanya was in Benares promulgating the chanting of Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare, thousands of people were following Him. Prakasananda Sarasvati, a very influential and learned scholar in Benares at that time, derided Lord Caitanya for being a sentimentalist. Sometimes philosophers criticize the devotees because they think that most of the devotees are in the darkness of ignorance and are philosophically naive sentimentalists. Actually that is not the fact. There are very, very learned scholars who have put forward the philosophy of devotion. But even if a devotee does not take advantage of their literatures or of his spiritual master, if he is sincere in his devotional service he is helped by Krishna Himself within his heart. So the sincere devotee engaged in consciousness cannot be without knowledge. The only qualification is that one carry out devotional service in full

The modern philosophers think that without discriminating one cannot have pure knowledge. For them this answer is given by the Supreme Lord: those who are engaged in pure devotional service, even though they be without sufficient education and even without sufficient knowledge of the Vedic principles, are still helped by the Supreme God, as stated in this verse.

The Lord tells Arjuna that basically there is no possibility of understanding the Supreme Truth, the Absolute Truth, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, simply by speculating, for the Supreme Truth is so great that it is not possible to understand Him or to achieve Him simply by making a mental effort. Man can go on speculating for several millions of years, and if he is not devoted, if he is not a lover of the Supreme Truth, he will never understand Krishna, or the Supreme Truth. Only by devotional service is the Supreme Truth, Krishna, pleased, and by His inconceivable energy He can reveal Himself to the heart of the pure devotee. The pure devotee always has Krishna within his heart; and with the presence of Krishna, who is just like the sun, the darkness of ignorance is at once dissipated. This is the special mercy rendered to the pure devotee by Krishna.

Due to the contamination of material association, through many, many millions of births, one's heart is always covered with the dust of materialism, but when one engages in devotional service and constantly chants Hare Krishna, the dust quickly clears, and one is elevated to the platform of pure knowledge. The ultimate goal, Vishnu, can be attained only by this chant and by devotional service, and not by mental speculation or argument. The pure devotee does not have to worry about the material necessities of life; he need not be anxious, because when he removes the darkness from his heart, everything is provided automatically by the Supreme Lord, who is pleased by the loving devotional service of the devotee. This is the essence of the teachings of Bhagavad-gita. By studying Bhagavad-gita, one can become a soul completely surrendered to the Supreme Lord and engage himself in pure devotional service. As the Lord takes charge, one becomes completely free from all kinds of materialistic endeavors.

[krsna]

 

TRANSLATION 10.11 Gita

 

To show them special mercy, I, dwelling in their hearts, destroy with the shining lamp of knowledge the darkness born of ignorance.

 

 

PURPORT

But even if a devotee does not take advantage of their literatures or of his spiritual master, if he is sincere in his devotional service he is helped by Krishna Himself within his heart. .

 

Sincerity. How would you define it as it applies to a devotee's purpose, motivation and integrity?

[theist]

 

 

Sincerity. How would you define it as it applies to a devotee's purpose, motivation and integrity?

Well sincerity means being non-duplicitous. One can be sincere in seeking God to get some money from Him or anything else. To be sincere in bhakti though means one's ultimate purpose and motivation for action is to awaken selfless love for God.

 

Most say this is their desire. Myself I know that liberation from continual suffering is at the heart of my motivation. I sincerely want to stop suffering. But this is not Bhakti even though I am sincere. So the sincerity of purpose is not really there in a truly Krishna conscious sense.

 

Now I can say that after I become liberated from suffering then I plan on desiring love for Krishna but that idea is mostly mental and the sincerity is still on liberation.

 

There seems to be no way to become sincere in bhakti though mental adjustments. So how do we gain sincerity for service in Krishna consciousness? By associating with someone who is themselves sincere in their love for Krishna and desire to serve Him. Such people do not even desire liberation, only service birth after birth.

 

This is the reason we are advised to take the association of a transcendentally situated devotee and not just a devotee who is still on the mental plane. This is also the reason one can get the supreme benefit of association with a devotee who may be illiterate but sincere in his motivation to please Krishna and not from a great scholar of the Vedas whose heart does not yet burn with the fire of Love of God.

 

There is a huge mistake people make when they turn away from Srila Prabhupada because of the moon thing or they meet some devotee who is better at quoting scriptures or who seeming talks of more elevate devotional topics. No one I have heard of has shown a stronger desire to please and serve Krishna.

 

The real test is who wants to please Krishna the most and who has no other desire or motivation. Can anyone question Srila Prabhupada's sincerity of motivation and purpose? No.

 

As to integrity no one can have greater integrity than Krishna's devotee because Bhakti is not an artifical imposition upon the mind. It flows from the soul itself. Bhakti is integral to the soul.

 

This is also the reason Bhakti is not a religion like Hindu Christian Islam Hebrew etc.

[mahak]

dependent. No one other than Krsna.

 

It is really quite simple, and the first instruction by Srila Prabhupada to his disciples, followers, favorable well-wishers, etc, is to chant hare krsna and ones life will be sublime.

 

No other instructions are as important, or even applicable minus following the first instruction.

 

So we cry, like helpless children, calling for mother, and krsna picks us up, he hears his name.

 

nice one, as usual, theist, hare krsna, ys, mahaksadasa

[bija]

From Sri Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu-bindu by Srila Vishvanatha Cakravarti Thakura. Purport by Srila BV Narayana Maharaja.

 

Chapter Sixty Four Angas of Bhajana.

(44th anga) Tat krpapeksanam - (anticipating the mercy of the Lord)

Without the mercy of Bhagavan, one cannot obtain bhakti, nor is the performance of sadhana and bhajan possible. The sadhaka of bhakti is always dependant on the mercy of the Lord. He should perceive the mercy of Krsna everywhere. This is expressed in the following verse from Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.14.8):

 

tat te nukampam susamiksamano

bhunjana avatma krtam vipakam

hrd vag vapurbhir vidadhan namaste

jiveta yo muktipade sa dayabhak

 

Those who clearly perceive Your mercy at every moment with great enthusiasm are able to endure with unperturbed minds the happiness and distress which comes to them in accordance with their prarabhda karma, considering it to be the mercy of the Lord. With hearts filled with love, voices choked with emotion, and the hairs of their body standing on end, they offer themselves at Your lotus feet. Just as a son is eligible for the wealth of the father, they become eligible for the supreme spiritual status, param-pada, or in other words, bhagavat-prema:pray:.

 

Thanks for this beautiful thread Theist and your heartfelt thoughts.

[Bishadi]

 

TRANSLATION 10.11 Gita

To show them special mercy, I, dwelling in their hearts, destroy with the shining lamp of knowledge the darkness born of ignorance.

Great wisdom!

Understanding of ‘the light’ removes all requisite of beliefs and ignorance to set you free of faith and hope.

 

But even if a devotee does not take advantage of their literatures or of his spiritual master, if he is sincere in his devotional service he is helped by Krishna Himself within his heart.

Perhaps because each is of consciousness, then compassion is inert even to the unlettered.

So even them without a clue as to who Srila Prabhupada ever was, Peace can be known in knowledge not chanting a set of words.

 

Well sincerity means being non-duplicitous. One can be sincere in seeking God to get some money from Him or anything else. To be sincere in bhakti though means one's ultimate purpose and motivation for action is to awaken selfless love for God.

Seems this is an example of contradictions. TO be learned in many areas of wisdoms offer far more knowledge to comprehend than staying the course of any single faith.

There is a huge mistake people make when they turn away from Srila Prabhupada because of the moon thing or they meet some devotee who is better at quoting scriptures or who seeming talks of more elevate devotional topics. No one I have heard of has shown a stronger desire to please and serve

ffice:smarttags" /><?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com<st1:place>Krishna</st1:place>.

Excuse me, but it seems SP did not bring peace to mankind, so the knowledge to release the suffering is not complete for universal peace.

The real test is who wants to please

<st1:place>Krishna</st1:place> the most and who has no other desire or motivation.

<st1:place>Krishna</st1:place> as the total of existence, then even the brother of ‘no religion’ has something to share.

Can anyone question Srila Prabhupada's sincerity of motivation and purpose? No.

As who could question a 15 year boy who straps on an explosive device all for the purpose of Love. So as devotion can be attributed to a martyr, the same to a follower of the Pope; each are taught what to believe but it is in compassion for ‘others’ over the self that is the motivation, the undying Love for existence that is to measure, not the belief in a sect of teaching.

As to integrity no one can have greater integrity than

<st1:place>Krishna</st1:place>'s devotee because Bhakti is not an artifical imposition upon the mind. It flows from the soul itself. Bhakti is integral to the soul.

Motivation is not integral nor is yoga or ritual believe to reality. Motivation comes from either integrity as well from complacency. Such that an undying choice to chant and wish, is such divided from the integrity of truth.

 

This is also the reason Bhakti is not a religion like Hindu Christian Islam Hebrew etc.

But it is, such that complacent belief that knowing god can only be seen in silence, which to see nature is where the pure rendition of God represents itself.

Remember man can fib and mislead, nature cannot!

TO remove suffering only takes the truth in Understanding. Let the words share the truth

“To show them special mercy, I, dwelling in their hearts, destroy with the shining lamp of knowledge the darkness born of ignorance.”

Every moment is of learning, seek the lesson even in the accident.

[cbrahma]

 

dependent. No one other than Krsna.

 

It is really quite simple, and the first instruction by Srila Prabhupada to his disciples, followers, favorable well-wishers, etc, is to chant hare krsna and ones life will be sublime.

 

No other instructions are as important, or even applicable minus following the first instruction.

 

So we cry, like helpless children, calling for mother, and krsna picks us up, he hears his name.

 

nice one, as usual, theist, hare krsna, ys, mahaksadasa

Nevertheless an institution was built on the other requirement of book sales as the 'highest service'.

[Bishadi]

 

Nevertheless an institution was built on the other requirement of book sales as the 'highest service'.

 

still the truth has never been published....

 

ask a question, rather than post an answer

[cbrahma]

 

still the truth has never been published....

 

ask a question, rather than post an answer

What kind of answer is this?

[Bishadi]

 

What kind of answer is this?

 

suggesting nothing in print for purchase has the truth of existence within

 

 

Nevertheless an institution was built on the other requirement of book sales as the 'highest service'.

Such that the new publications of Srila only converted the teachings to western compliance, sell sell sell...

 

As the same with Mormon, JW and christianity.... each intend to continue a belief, whereas the truth combining all of them has never been put to publish.....

 

if you want the truth, then ask questions:

 

hence an old buddha suggested

 

"believe nothing no matter where you read it or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and common sense. "

 

 

so to seek the truth............... ask questions!~

[Beggar]

The Hidden Treasure of the Sweet Absolute

 

 

 

 

Srila Bhakti Raksaka

Sridhara Maharaja:

tesam evanukampartham, aham ajnana-jam tamah

nasayamy atma-bhava-stho, jnana-dipena bhasvata

eva

- Certainly;

anukampa-artham

- being subordinate to the love;

tesam

- of them;

aham

- I;

atma-bhava-sthah

- appearing within their hearts;

nasayami

- destroy;

bhasvata jnana-dipena

- by means of thew dazzling perception of meeting Me;

tamah

- the darkness of bewilderment;

ajnana-jam

- born of not seeing Me.

Out of compassion for them, I, situated within the hearts of all living beings, dispel the darkness of ignorance with the radiance of knowledge.

or

Being conquered by the love of those devotees who, in the most elevated position of noncalculative loving devotion (jnana-sunya prema-bhakti), are afflicted by all-devouring darkness born of the pangs of separation from Me, their Lord - I, granting them the internal illumination of meeting Me personally, destroy the darkness of their agony of separation.

<center>Commentary

 

</center> The general interpretation is always given for this verse: "Out of compassion for them, I, situated within their hearts, dispel the darkness of ignorance with the radiance of knowledge."

But if we appreciate pure, noncalculative devotion (jnana-sunya bhakti), the Lord's statement here may again appear redundant and inconsistent. When those high devotees are already admitted to be performing continuous and unadulterated service, and even above that, they are situated in the plane of pure love, spontaneous and automatic (raga-marga), how can it be harmonized that the Lord will now in the last stage destroy their ignorance (tamah) which is born from misunderstanding (ajnana-jam), by giving them knowledge (jnana) Jnana is only a cover - a futile, finite conception of the Infinite Absolute (jnana-karmady anavrtam . . . bhaktir uttama). When they have achieved devotion devoid of the covering of knowledge (jnana-sunya bhakti), how will they again have to return to that knowledge (jnana)? In his commentary, Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura has mentioned that this knowledge is extraordinary (vilaksanam), but he did not enter into specific detail. To clarify this point, we have given the following explanation:

Lamentation and delusion are generally known to be symptoms of the mode of ignorance (tamo-guna). In jnana-sunya bhakti, the elevated devotees who take Krsna not as the Supreme God, but as a friend, son, husband or lover, will come to experience lamentation and delusion, but this is only an outward appearance of ignorance. In fact, it is the pain of divine separation. They lament, "Where have You gone?"

In this verse, the Lord's statement, tesam evanukampartham generally means "Fortunately for them," or, "To favor them (I dispel their darkness, etc.)." But it may also be interpreted, "I want their favor. I aspire for the favor of those devotees of the highest order."

The Lord also says in the Srimad Bhagavatam (10.82.44):

 

mayi bhaktir hi bhutanam, amrtatvaya kalpate

distya yad asin mat-sneho, bhavatinam mad-apanah

 

"Devotion to Me is the only means for the living beings to attain eternal life. O Gopis, by your fortune, your love and affection for Me is the only reason for your getting My association."

This is the general meaning. However, in Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Srila Krsnadasa Kaviraja Goswami has drawn out the inner meaning, which is just the opposite: "Through devotion, everyone wants Me to help them attain the highest position of eternal benefit, and if they have a connection with Me, they consider themselves fortunate. But I consider Myself fortunate because I have come in touch with the valuable affection that I found in your hearts. By My fortune, I got your association."

Therefore, here in Sri Gita, the Lord is saying, "Tesam evamukampartham - being conquered by the love of those devotees, when I cannot tolerate their pain of separation, I at once come running to satisfy them, and I reveal to them with special light, special consciousness, 'I have returned to you - see Me now.' With powerful brilliance (jnana-dipena) I show them My presence when they are very much in need of Me, and I relieve their pain of separation."

Atma-bhava-sthah: He reveals Himself according to His devotees divine relationship with Him (rasa): to a friend, as a friend; to a mother, as a child; to a wife, as a husband; and to the sweethearts, as a paramour.

After Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu left home and accepted the renounced order of life, sannyasa, mother Saci could not tolerate the deep separation, and she began to cry. Sacidevi was preparing excellent dishes, offering them to the Deity, and weeping, "Where is my Nimai? He's very fond of these curries. His favorite dishes and Nimai is not here." Suddenly, Lord Caitanya came and began to eat. Sacidevi exclaimed, "Oh, Nimai is eating!" and for the time being her separation was relieved. Moments later, she reconsidered, "Did I see Nimai eating? But He is now a sannyasi in Jagannatha Puri, so how could He have come here? Did I serve Him? There must be a mistake." Then she examined the pots again to see if there was food there. Finding them empty, she began to conjecture whether even a dog or some other animal had come and eaten it. But during that moment, Nimai had actually come, and mother Saci saw Him in broad daylight. That illumination is transcendental, and not the "knowledge" (jnana) that is generally known in our vocabulary.

The acme of theism is parakiya-rasa. Parakiya means "another's." In every divine relationship (rasa), the Lord captures all. In the whole of Vrndavana, where everyone follows the path of love (raga-marga), this parakiya-rasa is infused. The friends of Krsna sometimes say, "Some people say that Krsna is a resident of Mathura. They say He's the son of Vasudeva, and He will soon go to Mathura. They say He is not our friend! Will we really lose His company? Then how will we be able to live in this jungle and drive the cows?" They experience this apprehension - "We may lose Him at any time." This intensifies their friendly service to Him.

Similarly, mother Yasoda says, "Some say that Krsna is not my son, He's Devaki's son. What is this? I won't admit this. He's my child!" This idea enhances Yasoda's affection for Krsna: "I may lose Him? Then how shall I live?" Therefore, the parakiya-rasa stresses the rarity of Krsna's relationship, because the possibility of losing His company is always in the background. But the highest intensity of service is to be found in the madhura-rasa (conjugal) camp. In the other rasas, there is the idea of suspense that He may "go away," but in the conjugal relationship in the divine abode of Vrndavana, the consorts cross the direction of the scriptures and the society, which guide everyone to remain as husband and wife (svakiya). Parakiya ("another's") has heen accepted in the science of devotion as the highest conception, above svakiya ("belonging"), because social and scriptural sanction is generally a stale conception. Parakiya or paramour relationship is necessary to deceive those who claim ownership over another, such as a husband over the wife, or a parent over a child. In the normally accepted connection (svakiya) the relationship is very cheap, but to cross the jurisdiction of the scriptures and society, as a paramour, means a greater risk as if to commit sin. Thus, this relationship is very rare, and rarity enhances its intensity and value. The idea of deceiving the "possessor" to favor the "nonpossessor" is a beautiful ornamental conception. Actually in Krsna's case there cannot be any state of paramourship, because in truth He is the owner of everything. However, the divine arrangement is fashioned in this way to enhance the devotee's internal devotion for the Lord, just as food appears more tasteful when hunger is present.

In the planets known as Vaikuntha, the nature of worship of Lord Visnu is gorgeous, majestic, reverential, and awe-inspiring. But above that, the highest conception of Godhead is just like a human form and nature. It is stated in Sri Caitanya-caritamrta in the teachings to Sanatana Goswami:

 

krsnera yateka khela sarvottama nara-lila

nara-vapu tahara svarupa

gopa-vesa venukara nava-kisora natavara

nara-lila haya anurupa

krsnera madhura-rupa suna sanatana

ye rupera eka kana dubaya saba tribhuvana

sarva-prani kare akarsana

 

"The most supreme form of Godhead is Krsna, who plays in His eternal divine pastimes just like a human being. An ever youthful cowherd boy of Vrndavana, He enacts His pastimes, always playing His flute. His beauty is so charming and sweet, that the whole universe is flooded by an atom of it, and all beings are drawn irresistibly to Him."

"He is approachable by all. We can find God nearest of all - in a human feature. It has been explained how Krsna's nature of human feature is the highest nature of the Absolute, according to the calculation of ecstasy (rasa), which is the common standard of measurement of the whole scope of the Infinite. By the development of santa-, dasya-, sakhya-, vatsalya-, and madhura-rasa, and then parakiya (peacefulness, servitude, friendship, parenthood, and consorthood, and then paramour relationship), this is scientifically proved, without whimsical or blind faith. If we follow the line of Rupanuga-bhajana (devotion following the standard of Srila Rupa Goswami) which originates from Sri Caitanyadeva, the scientific basis can be appreciated. The previous acaryas have left for us, step by step, how we can follow, conceive, and attain all things.