sailu Posted January 2, 2007 Report Share Posted January 2, 2007 hare krishna dear souls......what happens to the soul when a person commits suicide? one of my friends committed suicide as she believed she could reach god. many of u might have attended many devotional lectures,many might have well learned masters.....does any one happen to recall any such talks from ur masters regarding suicide? please throw some light.... hare krishna! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbrahma Posted January 2, 2007 Report Share Posted January 2, 2007 I've heard both formally and informally that suicides become ghosts wandering around with lusts and no senses to gratify them. A horrible situation. hare krishnadear souls......what happens to the soul when a person commits suicide? one of my friends committed suicide as she believed she could reach god. many of u might have attended many devotional lectures,many might have well learned masters.....does any one happen to recall any such talks from ur masters regarding suicide? please throw some light.... hare krishna! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krishnadasa Posted January 2, 2007 Report Share Posted January 2, 2007 hare krishnadear souls......what happens to the soul when a person commits suicide? one of my friends committed suicide as she believed she could reach god. many of u might have attended many devotional lectures,many might have well learned masters.....does any one happen to recall any such talks from ur masters regarding suicide? please throw some light.... hare krishna! They can get rid of the material body, but the subtle body still remains which remains coz of unfullfileld desires .. so Suicide is a dangerous task and such a person will be punished ... Hari bol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 3, 2007 Report Share Posted January 3, 2007 From what I have read in different scriptures, there are things that we the living can do to help our friends and loved ones who have passed on. The main thing is focus on the present moment, what is done is done, and what can be done now? What was the manner in which she committed suicide? Like some people throw themselves under Ratha Yatra cart to achieve liberation in the past. Also one person in the leelas of Sri Chaitanya, one sannyasi, committed suicide and he appeared to Chaitanya on the astral plane as the ghost of a brahmana who sweetly sang devotional songs for the Lord and looking like a gandharva. Sri Chaitanya used to listen to this singing and meditate on it. So how did they commit suicide? Was it devotional in any way like drown themselves in Yamuna? There is urban legend that one contemporary sannyasi commited suicide by he went to a section of Ganges that is confluence with other rivers and if you commit suicide there you achieve liberation. Also many people are committing slow suicide by their behaviors such a unprotected sex, smoking cigarettes, eating wrong diet, etc. Either is a fast suicide or a slow suicide. Still others committing spiritual suicide by unnecessarily speaking ill of sadhus, criticising devotees, etc. I don't mean people who deserve criticism but like some people are doing sinful activities and torturing pious people. Also another type of slow suicide is the very rich people who are selfish and do not help the poor, even worse the ones who care creating horrible policies, programs, Frankenfoods, slaughtering animals, torturing animals, creating nuclear waste that has half life of hundreds of thousands of years, ripping off the indigenous peoples and the poor, etc. So you need to put into perspective how bad of a person was she and how sinful was her life, how much did she hurt and torture and create a horror show for the entire human race? Probably she was just one more poor sad sack overburdened with misery in this the material world and had more suffering than she could handle. Remember even some sages fasted to death to basically commit suicide like Maharaja Pariksit or Satguru Sivaya Subramuniya when he found out he had cancer he fasted to death and it took one month. That is a form of suicide one might say also, but following certain rules and regulations from the Vedas that allow fasting to death. So what can you do now that you put it into perspective? Do as many pious activities as you can in her memory and dedicate the merit to her. You can go on pilgrimmage parikrama and dedicate the merit to her. You can fast on ekadashi and dedicate the merit. You can feed the poor, give clothes and money to the needy, give education and spiritual knowledge to others and dedicate the merit. Where she used to live if there is a room still there you can play sacred music so she can hear it and be purified. Well I hope that helps you to put it into perspective and also some ideas of what you can do to help her. Then if by helping her you do more good things than normally you would have done, her suicide will not be in vain and actually will be the source of something good: increased piety and sukritya for you. Then in that way she helped you and you help her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 3, 2007 Report Share Posted January 3, 2007 CC. antya 2.117 The Lord replied, "I cannot tolerate seeing the face of a person who has accepted the renounced order of life but who still talks intimately with a woman. PURPORT Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura comments that saralata, or simplicity, is the first qualification of a Vaishnava, whereas duplicity or cunning behavior is a great offense against the principles of devotional service. As one advances in Krishna consciousness, one must gradually become disgusted with material attachment and thus become more and more attached to the service of the Lord. If one is not factually detached from material activities but still proclaims himself advanced in devotional service, he is cheating. No one will be happy to see such behavior. cc antya 2.120 The Lord replied, "I cannot tolerate seeing the face of a person who has accepted the renounced order of life but who still talks intimately with a woman. PURPORT Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura comments that saralata, or simplicity, is the first qualification of a Vaishnava, whereas duplicity or cunning behavior is a great offense against the principles of devotional service. As one advances in Krishna consciousness, one must gradually become disgusted with material attachment and thus become more and more attached to the service of the Lord. If one is not factually detached from material activities but still proclaims himself advanced in devotional service, he is cheating. No one will be happy to see such behavior. cc, antya 2.143 TRANSLATION Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is the ocean of mercy. Who can understand Him? When He chastises His dear devotees, He certainly does so to reestablish the principles of religion or duty. PURPORT Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura says in this connection that Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the ocean of mercy, chastised Junior Haridasa, although Junior Haridasa was His dear devotee, to establish that one in the devotional line, engaged in pure devotional service, should not be a hypocrite. For a person engaged in devotional service in the renounced order, having intimate relationships with women is certainly hypocrisy. This chastisement was given to Junior Haridasa as an example to future sahajiyas who might adopt the dress of the renounced order to imitate Rupa Gosvami and other bona fide sannyasis but secretly have illicit connections with women. To teach such men, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu chastised His dear devotee Haridasa for a slight deviation from the regulative principles. Srimati Madhavi-devi was a highly elevated devotee; therefore approaching her to ask for some rice to serve Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was certainly not very offensive. Nevertheless, just to preserve the regulative principles for the future, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu enforced the hard-and-fast rule that no one in the renounced order should intimately mix with women. Had Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu not chastised Junior Haridasa for this slight deviation, so-called devotees of the Lord would have exploited the example of Junior Haridasa to continue their habit of illicit connections with women unrestrictedly. Indeed, they still preach that such behavior is allowed for a Vaishnava. But it is strictly not allowed. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is the teacher of the entire world, and therefore He enforced this exemplary punishment to establish that illicit sexual connections are never allowed by Vaishnava philosophy. This was His purpose in chastising Junior Haridasa. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is in fact the most magnanimous incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but He strictly prohibited illicit sex. cc. antya 2.148 TRANSLATION Immediately after committing suicide in this way, he went in his spiritual body to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and received the mercy of the Lord. However, he still remained invisible. cc, antya 2.157 TRANSLATION "We cannot see his material form," they said, "but still we hear his sweet singing. Therefore he must have become a ghost." Svarupa Damodara, however, protested, "This is a false guess. cc, antya 2.159 TRANSLATION "Haridasa cannot have been degraded; he must have attained liberation. This is a pastime of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's. You will all understand it later." cc, antya 2.163 TRANSLATION When Srivasa Thakura inquired from Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, "Where is Junior Haridasa?" the Lord replied, "A person is sure to achieve the results of his fruitive activities." cc, antya 2.165 TRANSLATION When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu heard these details, He smiled in a pleased mood and said, "If with sensual intentions one looks at women, this is the only process of atonement." cc, antya 2.166 TRANSLATION Then all the devotees, headed by Svarupa Damodara Gosvami, concluded that because Haridasa had committed suicide at the confluence of the rivers Ganges and Yamuna, he must have ultimately attained shelter at the lotus feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. PURPORT Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura remarks that after one adopts the renounced order and accepts the dress of either a sannyasi or a babaji, if he entertains the idea of sense gratification, especially in relationship with a woman, the only atonement is to commit suicide at the confluence of the Ganges and Yamuna. Only by such atonement can his sinful life be purified. If such a person is thus punished, it is possible for him to attain the shelter of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Without such punishment, however, the shelter of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is very difficult to regain. cc, antya 2.169 TRANSLATION It also demonstrates the glories of holy places and shows how the Lord accepts His faithful devotee. Thus the Lord fulfilled five or seven purposes by performing one pastime. cc, antya 2.171 TRANSLATION Please hear the pastimes of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu with faith and confidence. Do not argue, for arguments will produce a contrary result. cc, antya 2.172 TRANSLATION Praying at the lotus feet of Sri Rupa and Sri Raghunatha, always desiring their mercy, I, Krishnadasa, narrate Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, following in their footsteps. Instructions from this Chapter Summarizing this chapter, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura says that one should derive from it the following lessons. (1) Although Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is an incarnation of mercy, He nevertheless gave up the company of one of His personal associates, namely Junior Haridasa, for if He had not done so, pseudo devotees would have taken advantage of Junior Haridasa's fault by using it as an excuse to live as devotees and at the same time have illicit sexual connections. Such activities would have demoralized the cult of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and as a result, devotees would surely have gone to a hellish life in the name of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. (2) By chastising Junior Haridasa, the Lord set the standard for acaryas, or the heads of institutions propagating the Caitanya cult, and for all actual devotees. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu wanted to maintain the highest standard. (3) Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu instructed that a pure devotee should be simple and free from sinful activities, for thus one can be His bona fide servant. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu taught His followers how to observe the renounced order strictly. (4) Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu wanted to prove that His devotees are exalted and that their character is ideal. He kindly accepts His faithful devotees and teaches them how much tribulation and disturbance can be produced by even a slight deviation from the strict principles of devotional life. (5) By chastising Junior Haridasa, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu exhibited His mercy toward him, thus showing how elevated was Junior Haridasa's devotion for Him. Because of this transcendental relationship, the Lord corrected even a slight offense committed by His pure devotee. Therefore one who wants to be a pure devotee of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu should give up all material sense gratification; otherwise, the lotus feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu are very difficult to attain. (6) If one dies in such a celebrated holy place as Prayaga, Mathura or Vrindavana, one can be relieved of the reactions to sinful life and then attain the shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. (7) Although a pure or faithful devotee may fall down, he nevertheless ultimately gets the chance to go back home, back to Godhead, by the mercy of the Lord. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sailu Posted January 3, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 3, 2007 many thanks to u all..... hare krishna! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 6, 2007 Report Share Posted January 6, 2007 A fallen sannyasi can also atone by taking up the vow of chanting 300,000 holy names of the Lord. Jaya Gauranga Mahaprabhu! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 7, 2007 Report Share Posted January 7, 2007 can you please cite chapter and verse authorizing the 300,000 Name method for one of Lord Caitanya's sanyassis rectification? thank you so much. ALL GLORIES TO SRILA PRABHUPADA !!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 7, 2007 Report Share Posted January 7, 2007 Unfortunately I cannot. It is true though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kanaka Posted January 8, 2007 Report Share Posted January 8, 2007 Just chant the Holy name and all ghosts go away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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