Krishna Image and Mantra

[tegramon]

Hello,

 

I have a question, would it be bad, if my mind is attracted to a certain mantra of Lord Rama however my mind would also be attracted to another image of Lord Krishna ... so would it be bad one would do Japa with the mantra of a Lord and Bhakti (at the same time) with the mantra of another Lord like Krishna?

 

Tegramon.

[Beggar]

 

Hello,

 

I have a question, would it be bad, if my mind is attracted to a certain mantra of Lord Rama however my mind would also be attracted to another image of Lord Krishna ... so would it be bad one would do Japa with the mantra of a Lord and Bhakti (at the same time) with the mantra of another Lord like Krishna?

Tegramon.

Well, it might be bad for your Rama bhakti and good for your Krishna bhakti. Maybe you are becoming attracted to Krishna as your ista-deva? It sure sounds like it.

[Pretender]

From Srila Sridhar Maharaj I learned to "...become your highest ideal". Each soul must simply decide what the particular, unique, subjective interpretation of this statement is personally. Whom do I feel more strongly in Favor of Rama? Or Krishna? Can it be Both simultaneously? Thesis. Anti-thesis, Synthesis. Does this mean I should worship Sri Sadbhuja to acheive devotional harmony? What do you think? And Whom is the Source of Whom? And Why? Also, if I really possess the genuinely superior ontological conception shall I presume to abuse it to look down upon others? If so, what real benefit is derived for anyone? Hypothetically speaking. Regards to all.

[Beggar]

 

Whom do I feel more strongly in Favor of Rama? Or Krishna? Can it be Both simultaneously? Thesis. Anti-thesis, Synthesis. Does this mean I should worship Sri Sadbhuja to acheive devotional harmony?

 

But still O Great Akbar, one must have a sadhya or goal in my while practicing sadhana, otherwise no goal will be achieved. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu in his acarya lila was aiming for Radha Govinda bhakti, not Sita Rama bhakti. If one is in Mahaprabhu's line then he will desire transcendental attachment or rati to the service of Radha Govinda or Mahaprabhu Himself Who is none other than Radha Govinda combined. Sri krsna caitanya radha krsna nahe anya.

[tegramon]

Well, I need my Bhakti. Although I live very passionatly and my heart is wild, I also poses a strong intellect. This is the reason why I cannot decide on a mantra and asociate it with a god. I have problem choosing and I do not have a Guru, that's why I asked you, probably you are more advanced in Bhakti. I would like to combine somehow the heart and mind aspect into one single deity. I need Bhakti beacause it is hard for me to concentrate my mind on the absolute all in dhyana. So I need a prop as Sri Sivananda said, and this prop should be an idol. It helps me center my turbulent thoughts in one place.

I should mention that I follow the Path of Yoga of Synthethis as Sri Sivananda layed it out, but I think it matters little. Yoga is yoga, God is God, in the end All is All.

[Pretender]

I was merely referring to sincerely asking myself what is my real heart's desire. Each soul knows this. For himself. Instinctively.

[Beggar]

Jaiva Dharma

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura

 

Chapt. Five

Vaidhi Bhakti is Nitya Not Naimitikka Dharma

 

...Becoming somewhat grave Lahiri Mahasaya said, “My dear son, those days are no more. Now that I have lived for a few months in the association of sadhus and have heard Sri Gurudeva’s instructions, my understanding has changed dramatically. I understand now that what you refer to as nitya-dharma is really naimittika- dharma. The only nitya-dharma is hari-bhakti. Sandhya-vandana and other such practices are in reality naimittika-dharma.” Devidasa said, “Father, I have never seen or heard of such an explanation in any sastra. Is sandhya-vandana not hari-bhajana? If it is hari-bhajana, then it is also nitya-dharma. Is there any difference between sandhya-vandana and the practices that constitute vaidhi-bhakti, such as sravana and kirtana?”

Lahiri Mahasaya said, “The sandhya-vandana that is included in karma-kanda is significantly different from vaidhi-bhakti. Sandhya-vandana and other such activities are performed in the karma-kanda system in order to obtain liberation. However, activities of hari-bhajana, such as sravana and kirtana, have no ulterior motive. The sastras describe the results of hearing, chanting, and the other limbs of vaidhi-bhakti, but this is just to interest people who would otherwise not be inclined to perform those activities. The worship of Sri Hari has no fruit other than the service of Sri Hari. The principal fruit of the practice of vaidhi-bhakti is to bring about the awakening of prema in hari-bhajana.”

Devidasa: Then you do admit that the divisions or angas of haribhajana have some secondary results.

Lahiri: Yes, but the results depend on the different types of practitioner (sadhaka). The Vaisnavas perform sadhana-bhakti for the sole purpose of coming to the perfectional stage of devotion known as siddha-bhakti. When non-Vaisnavas perform the very same divisions or angas of bhakti, they have two principal motives: the desire for material enjoyment (bhoga) and the desire for liberation (moksa). Externally, there is no apparent difference between the

sadhana practices of the Vaisnavas and those of non-Vaisnavas, but there is a fundamental difference in nistha.

When one worships Krsna through the path of karma, the mind is purified, and one may obtain material fruits, freedom from disease, or liberation. But the same worship of Krsna through the path of bhakti produces only prema for krsna-nama. When karmis, those who follow the path of karma, observe Ekadasi, it eradicates their sins; whereas when bhaktas observe Ekadasi, it enhances their haribhakti. Just see what a world of difference there is!

The subtle difference between sadhana performed as an aspect of karma, and sadhana performed as an aspect of bhakti may be known only by the mercy of Bhagavan. The bhaktas obtain the primary result, whereas the karmis are caught up in the secondary results, which may be broadly divided into two categories, namely, bhukti (material sense enjoyment) and mukti (liberation).

Devidasa: Then why do the sastras extol the virtues of the secondary results?

Lahiri: There are two kinds of people in this world: those who are spiritually awake and those who are spiritually unconscious. The sastras have praised secondary results for the benefit of those who are spiritually unconscious, and who do not perform any pious activity unless they can visualize a forthcoming result. However, the sastras do not intend such people to remain satisfied with secondary results; rather, their attraction to secondary results should induce them to perform virtuous acts, which will hasten their contact with sadhus. Then, by the mercy of the sadhus, they will come to know of the primary results of hari-bhajana, and taste for those results will awaken within them.

Devidasa: Then are we to understand that Raghunandana and the other authors of the smrti-sastras are spiritually unconscious?

Lahiri: No, but the system that they have prescribed is for the spiritually unconscious. However, they themselves seek the primary result.

Devidasa: Some sastras only describe the secondary results and do not mention the primary results at all. Why is this?

Lahiri: There are three types of sastra, corresponding to the varieties of adhikara (eligibility) among human beings: sattvika, of the nature of goodness; rajasika, of the nature of passion; and tamasika, of the nature of ignorance. The sattvika-sastras are for people who are imbued with the nature of goodness (sattva-guna); the rajasika- sastras are for those enveloped by the nature of passion (rajo-guna); and the tamasika-sastras are for those engrossed in the nature of

ignorance (tamo-guna).

Devidasa: If that is the case, how should one know which directives of the sastra to have faith in? And how may those of lower adhikara (eligibility) attain a higher destination?

Lahiri: Human beings have different natures and faiths according to their different levels of adhikara. People who are impelled primarily by the mode of ignorance have natural faith in the tamasikasastras. Those affected primarily by the mode of passion have natural faith in the rajasika-sastras, and those in the mode of goodness naturally have faith in the sattvika-sastras. One’s belief in a particular conclusion of the sastra is naturally in accordance with

one’s faith.

As one faithfully carries out the duties for which one has the adhikara, he may come into contact with sadhus and develop a higher adhikara through their association. As soon as a higher adhikara is awakened, one’s nature is elevated, and one’s faith in a more elevated sastra will follow accordingly. The authors of the sastras were infallible in their wisdom and composed the sastras in such a way that one will gradually develop higher adhikara by carrying out the duties for which one is eligible and in which one naturally has faith. It is for this reason that different directives have been given in different sastras. Faith in the sastra is the root of all auspiciousness.

Srimad Bhagavad-Gita is the mimamsa-sastra of all the sastras. This siddhanta is clearly stated there.

Devidasa: I have studied many sastras since my childhood, but today, by your grace, I have understood their purpose in an entirely new light.

Lahiri: It is written in Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.8.10):

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anubhyas ca mahadbhyas ca sastrebhyah kusalo narah

 

 

 

sarvatah saram adadyat puspebhya iva satpadah

 

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An intelligent person will take the essence of all the sastras,

whether they are great or small, just as a bumblebee gathers

honey from many different types of flowers.

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My dear son, I used to call you an atheist. Now I don’t criticize anyone, because faith depends on adhikara. There is no question of criticism in this regard. Everyone is working according to their own adhikara, and they will advance gradually when the time is appropriate. You are a scholar of the sastras dealing with logic and fruitive action, and since your statements are in accordance with your adhikara, there is no fault in them.

Devidasa: Until now, I believed that there were no scholars in the Vaisnava sampradaya. I thought that the Vaisnavas were merely fanatics who concerned themselves solely with one part of the sastra, but what you have explained today has completely dispelled my misconceptions. Now I have faith that some of the Vaisnavas have truly understood the essence of the sastra. Are you studying the sastras from any great soul these days?

Lahiri: My son, you may now call me a fanatical Vaisnava or whatever you like. My Gurudeva performs bhajana in the kutira next to mine. He has instructed me in the essential conclusion of all the sastras, and I have just expressed the same thing to you. If you would like to receive instruction at his lotus feet, you may inquire from him in a devotional mood. Come, I will introduce you to him.

Lahiri Mahasaya took Devidasa Vidyaratna to the kutira of Sri Vaisnava dasa Babaji Maharaja and introduced him to his Gurudeva. He then left Devidasa with Babaji Maharaja and returned to his kutira to chant hari-nama.

[tegramon]

 

Well, it might be bad for your Rama bhakti and good for your Krishna bhakti. Maybe you are becoming attracted to Krishna as your ista-deva? It sure sounds like it.

Well, I am attracted with the image when he hold his flute, however his mantra seems a little "foreign" to me. I would prefer Ram Ram Ram, maybe I should force myself to use the Krishna mantra's and his image. I will give it a try, I have nothing to loose whatsoever!