Maybe its not my devotion?

[Redsox]

When you go to the church or the temple, do you ever feel that someone else's devotion is being rubbed off on you?

 

I didn't go to a church or a temple for a while but I read ghari's, theist's , mahak's posts here, and i feel very strong feelings toward krishna, but after a while it leaves me though.

 

I wanted you three to know that and thanks for that.

[Shakti-Fan]

Part of an Article from “Rays of The Harmonist”

by Srila Bhaktivedanta Trivikrama Maharaja

 

When the jiva gives up endeavors to satisfy his body, and instead endeavors to satisfy his atma, he identifies with the atma. By being absorbed in the eternal entity he can attain real happiness. When the jiva gives up attachment to his body and stops making efforts to please his senses, he develops mamatva buddhi for paramatma-vastu, the Supreme Reality. Then, because he has accepted the shelter of Truth, he is able to attain para santi, transcendental peace.

It is not possible to become attached to atma-vastu, however, by remaining in bad association (dusanga), or by those who are fortunate enough to attain sat-sanga, saintly association, become eligible to develop attachment to the Transcendental Reality.

bhaktis tu bhagavad-bhakta-sangena parijayate

sat-sangah prapyate pumbhih sukrtaih purva-sancitaih

“The inclination for bhakti is awakened by association with Bhagavan’s bhaktas. The jiva obtains the association of suddha-bhaktas by the accumulated effect of spiritually pious activities performed over many years.” (Brhan-Naradiya-Purana 4.33)

mahat-sevam dvaram ahur vimuktes

tamo-dvaram yositam sangi-sangam

mahantas te sama-cittah prasanta

vimanyavah suhrdah sadhavo ye

“One can attain the path of liberation from material bondage only by rendering service to highly advanced spiritual personalities, the bhaktas. For those who are not interested in such activities, who associate with people fond of women and sex, the path to hell is wide open. The mahatmas are equipoised. They do not see any difference between one living entity and another. They are very peaceful and are fully engaged in devotional service. They are devoid of anger, and they work for the benefit of everyone. They do not behave in any abominable way. Such people are known as mahatmas.” (SB 5. 5.2)

The jivas’ disposition is influenced by his association. Through asatsanga he becomes attached to unreal objects and through sat-sanga alone he develops an inclination for the Real Entity. If from his birth a lion cub lives with a shepherd and his sheep, he learns to eat grass and ‘baa’ like a sheep. Similarly, The result of associating with a thief is that one becomes a thief, and, similarly, by associating with a sadhu one can become a sadhu. If a person lives with the misconception that the body is the soul, then, because of living in the association or shelter of non-reality, he deviates from the path of truth. Bewildered by maya, the jiva forgets that he is an eternal entity and puts his faith in the perishable body as his svarupa. He cannot break the spell of this illusion on his own. As an accumulated result of serving Hari, Guru and Vaisnavas over many births, knowingly and unknowingly, he attains sadhu-sanga. And, it is only by sadhu sanga that he develops mamatva buddhi for the Transcendental Reality.

satam prasangan mama virya-samvido

bhavanti hrt-karna-rasayanah kathah

taj-josanad asv apavarga-vartmani

sraddha ratir bhaktir anukramisyati

“In the association of pure devotees, discussion of the pastimes and activities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead isvery pleasing and satisfying to the ear and the heart. By cultivating such knowledge,one gradually becomes advanced on the path of liberation. Thereafter he isfreed, and his attraction becomes fixed. At that time, real devotion and devotional service begin.” (SB 3. 25.25)

By living in sat-sanga, one develops faith (sraddha), and he gradually attains the stage of prema-bhakti. Baddha jivas (conditioned souls) inclined towards asat-sanga and endeavoring for bodily pleasure, remain uninterested in sadhu-sanga. Only those who have accumulated sukrti become attracted to sadhus. For example, in a religious assembly, everyone hears the message of the sadhu. Even after hearing, however, those who are devoid of sukrti continue to remain absorbed in their wife, children, etc. No change is seen in them. Only one or two persons, those who have accumulated sukrti, develop an eagerness to become closer to the sadhu and hear more hari-katha—the katha of atma-dharma. Therefore, sukrti alone is the basis of sadhu-sanga.

How can one accumulate this sukrti? Knowingly or unknowingly, willingly or unwillingly, if a jiva performs any act of auspiciousness for the atma, that becomes his sukrti. For example, if one fasts on the day of Ekadasi because food is unavailable, it becomes ‘unknowing’ sukrti—and will cause bhakti to appear in him. By donating anything to a sadhu, one attains the result of sukrti performed in knowledge.

Sukrti is also accumulated in living entities other than humans. A cow gives milk and her protector drinks the milk. One day a sadhu comes to his house and he offers that cow’s milk to this sadhu. By this, both the cow and her owner earn sukrti. Only those jivas who have earned a lot of sukrti develop sraddha in sadhus, and this sraddha is the root of premabhakti. When sraddha appears in the heart, one develops firm faith in the words of sastra and sadhu. At that time, a person gives up performing illusory activities and eagerly accepts the shelter of the Absolute Truth. A faith that “I am Krsna dasa” begins to develop, and a desire to serve Krsna under the guidance of sadhus appears in him. At that time he becomes intent upon giving up the service of nonreality or illusion, in the form of wife, son, and so on.

One who is devoid of sukrti cannot give up such attachments. However, one who is endowed with sukrti attains firm faith in statements such as ‘jivera svarupa haya, krsnera nitya-dasa’, the constitutional position of the jiva is that he is an eternal servant of Krsna. “Krsna bhakti karile sarva karma krto haya—by rendering service to Krsna, service to everyone else is performed.”

Impelled by this faith, one attains the strength to give up his obligations to his mother, father, wife, son, daughter and other bodily relations. Thus, by sadhu-sanga alone, the jiva becomes established in reality or truth.

Thus, man develops priti for Bhagavan, the Absolute Reality, by sincerely hearing His topics in the association of sadhus. Only bhagavat-priti or prema is parama-dharma, the supreme occupation of the jiva, and it is his only para santi, supreme peace.

[theist]

 

When you go to the church or the temple, do you ever feel that someone else's devotion is being rubbed off on you?

 

I didn't go to a church or a temple for a while but I read ghari's, theist's , mahak's posts here, and i feel very strong feelings toward krishna, but after a while it leaves me though.

 

I wanted you three to know that and thanks for that.

 

I don't know what to say. That is the nicest thing anyone could say to another. Thank you. But you should know this is why I come here also. Our strength is association with like minded people. Personally I have no other association beyond the internet and mostly here. We need to remind each other of Krsna constantly. This is true friendship we are learning here.

 

That rememberance of Krsna gets covered over quickly for all of us Redsox. No one soul is an island. The need for spiritual unity is inherent in the every soul It is integral to the self.

 

Thank you for your association. =:-)

[Redsox]

ditto