Sayings of Vaishnava Saints

[Arvindaksh das]

Shri Shri Guru Gaurangau Jayatah !!!

 

A PURE DEVOTEES PRAYER

 

O Lord! it is my humble request,

unto Your Lotus Feet.

I don’t want bodily comfort, Knowledge,

glory, wealth and followers.

 

I don’t want a place in the heaven,

nor spiritual liberation.

I don’t pray to you for,

personal benefit or social position.

 

Due to merits and demerits of my acts,

I may take any birth.

Birth after birth tirelessly,

I should sing Your glories.

 

My request unto Your Lotus Feet is that,

causless devotion rise in my heart.

The attachment that I have for the material world,

similar attachment I have for You.

 

Comfort or discomfort I should remain same,

and improve by the mercy of Your Holy Name.

May I be beast or bird in heaven or hell,

Your devotion may prosper in Bhaktivinode’s heart.

 

Shrila Bhaktivinode Thakur

 

[Arvindaksh das]

Shri Shri Guru Gaurangau Jayatah !!!

 

"I am the eternal servant of Shri Hari Gurudeva and Vaishnavas, and Their Holy Names are my most dear companion and master. By nature I am not a brahman (priest), kshatriya (administrator and soldier), vaishya (merchant, farmer or professional) or a shudra (servant of all the earlier class of men) or even a bhramcharin (celibate student), grihastha (householder), vanprastha (one who has completed his family duties) or a sanyasin (renunciant). I am the eternal servant of the servant of the servant of Shri Shri Radha Gopinath and Shri Krishna Chaitanya Prabhu Nityananda Shri Advaita Gadadhara Shrivasadi Gaura Bhakta Vrinda and my only desire is Their Eternal Loving Devotional Service"

Shri Chaitanya Charitamrita

 

[Arvindaksh das]

Shri Shri Guru Gaurangau Jayatah !!!

 

"The Holy Names are purely transcendental, eternal, unchanging, full of infinite transcendental Rasa (mellow), bestower of all good blessings and identical with the forms, qualities, pastimes and associates of Them who are addressed i.e. Shri Shri Radha Gopinath. The Transcendental Names cannot be served by material senses. By their own mercy they awaken in the heart of a humble faithful devotee performing loving devotional service of Shri Hari Gurudeva and Vaishnavas and Their Holy Names".

Shrila Rupa Goswami in Shri Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu

 

 

[Gauracandra]

Very nice. Thumbs up.

[Arvindaksh das]

Shri Shri Guru Gaurangau Jayatah !!!

 

"O sons of Asuras - he who is intelligent and wise must practice devotional service as enjoined by the Supreme Lord Shri Hari and the holy Scriptures, even from His boyhood. Though uncertain, yet the human life is the rarest of all lives and is worth achieving the highest joy and eternal bliss, which is the divine love for Shri Hari."

Shrimad Bhagvatam: 7/6/1

 

[Arvindaksh das]

Shri Shri Guru Gaurangau Jayatah !!!

 

Shrimad Bhagvatam verse 11/11/20

 

And as narrated in Bengali couplets by Srila Bhagvatacharya in Shri Shri Krishna-Prem-Tarangani

 

"O Uddhava ! the wise pay no heed to those mundane fruitless words which do not bring forth eternal bliss to the world, which do not narrate My names, descents, glories, qualities and pass-times with My associates. Topics of My names, descents, glories, qualities and pass-times with My associates enkindle devotional love, destroy evil and result in eternal good of the world."

 

"Aamara nirmala yash, naam, guna, bani;

Jahate na thake, se vachana vyartha maani.

Se bani pandita kabhu naahi laya mukhe;

Tatva jigyasiya pare rahe nija sukhe."

 

[Arvindaksh das]

Shri Shri Guru Gaurangau Jayatah !!!

 

"Mind uncontrolled, is like a boat tossed up and down in midst of the tremendous waves of the ocean (material world’s ocean) without a helmsman."

Shrimad Bhagvatam 10/87/33

 

 

arvindm@mantraonline.com

[dasanudas]

Keep 'em coming Arvind Prabhu,

we hear you.

 

[This message has been edited by dasanudas (edited 09-22-2001).]

[Arvindaksh das]

Shri Shri Guru Gaurangau Jayatah !!!

 

 

Human frame consists of body, mind and soul of which soul is the fundamental thing and is part and parcel of Paramatma - Shri Krishna. When the soul is dormant, mind with its servant body, dominates over the soul usurping the function of soul. They try to lord it over the phenomenal world by means of the ten senses and become slave of Maya, the deluding potency of the Lord. But when the soul is awakened by the Grace of Sat-Guru and Shri Krishna, mind and body become subservient and assist the soul in the service of her Lord Shri Krishna.

 

arvindm@mantraonline.com

 

[Arvindaksh das]

Shri Shri Guru Gaurangau Jayatah !!!

 

Since we were talking about the uncontrollable mind.....

 

 

How does one get entangled in the material world?

 

Verse 62 / Chapter 2

While contemplating the objects of the senses, a person develops attachment for them, and from such attachment lust develops, and from lust anger arises.

 

Verse 63 / Chapter 2

From anger, delusion arises, and from delusion bewilderment of memory. When memory is bewildered, intelligence is lost, and when intelligence is lost, one falls down again into the material world

 

Verse 37 / Chapter 3

The Blessed Lord said: it is lust only, Arjun, which is born of contact with the material modes of passion and later transformed into wrath, and which is the all-devouring, sinful enemy of this world.

 

Verse 38 / Chapter 3

As fire is covered with smoke, as a mirror is covered by dust, or as the embryo is covered by the womb, similarly, the living entity is covered by different degrees of this lust.

 

Verse 39 / Chapter 3

Thus, a man’s pure consciousness is covered by his eternal enemy in the form of lust, which is never satisfied and which burns like fire.

 

Verse 40 / Chapter 3

The senses, the mind and the intelligence are the sitting places of this lust, which veils the real knowledge of the living entity and bewilders him.

 

arvindm@mantraonline.com

 

 

[dasanudas]

Just a few revelations from the heart of Srila Sridhara Maharaj, a pure vaisnava to add to your mala Prabhu

 

“Every atom of our body should cry to embrace the corresponding atoms of

Lord Krishna’s body.”

 

“The witches of liberation and sense pleasure want to entice us away from our

real wealth.”

 

“When He arrives in your heart, all other businessmen will be driven away.”

 

“Enemies will become my friends when my misunderstanding is vanquished.”

 

“All are suffering from heart disease in this world.”

 

“Man is the architect of his own fate, no one else is to be blamed.”

 

“By helping others through kirttan, we can help ourselves.

 

“Before doing good to others, you must know what is good.”

 

“The real sadhus are our friends on the way to the Infinite.”

 

“Your guardian loves you more than you can love yourself.”

 

“We must try to keep strict company with the divine agents.”

 

“Whoever can quench my inner thirst, they are my real master.”

 

“The Vaisnava wants to live as a serving element of the whole, to love all, a friend to the whole environment.”

 

“The special agents of that plane must come with help to reveal the Truth.”

 

“Not only do they attract the divine service, but pure servitors feel

they cannot live without that service, that is their food.”

 

“Man is the architect of his own fate, no one else is to be blamed.”

 

“Krishna the Lord of Love and Beauty can fully satisfy our heart’s

internal hankering.”

 

“The false ego is the enemy of the soul, it must be totally dissolved

to ashes.”

 

“Go to that land where speech is a song and all movement is a dance.”

 

“The dust of the feet of the Vaishnava that is your wealth.”

 

“Dedication to Krishna is nectar and exploitation of this material

energy is poison.”

 

“If you can achieve a glint of the benevolent ray of the glance of that magnanimous Lord Gauranga in this world, then the waves of problems will never touch you.”

 

“Love is above intellectual calculation.”

 

“Nitya-lila is a place where the grave is unknown and there is a particle of that world within us.”

 

“I want to jump into the infinite ocean and find my position there.

I don’t want anything mortal, my heart hankers for something more.”

 

“All are Master, and I am the only servant in His world. This should be our attitude.”

 

“The poison you chew in others will come to you”

 

“On this side its all risk and no gain, but on His side its no risk and all gain.”

 

“Hypocrisy is suicidal.”

 

“Everything may be defective, but still we are to continue with our spiritual practice.”

 

“How beautiful to find our pleasure as part of His pleasure, our freedom a part in His freedom. In this connection we find true harmony.”

 

“Die to live, don’t just live to die.”

 

“We have to dance to the same tune as that original plane of devotional love.”

 

“If the heart is surcharged with love of God, we cannot be influenced by anything less.”

 

“Whatever you are engaged in, my last appeal to you is, “Take the Name of Krishna to your heart.”

 

Madhusudan goes into ecstasy at the breeze touching the body of Radharani.”

 

“Suspicion leads to suspension.”

 

“If you just once chanted the name Gauranga purely, you will melt,you won’t be able to maintain your form.”

 

“All possible tendencies to satisfy our heart will be found in Akhila Rasamrita Murtih.”

 

“On the basis of the burial ground of this mundane civilization, the Vrindavan

civilization will grow, by the grace of Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu.”

 

“Vrindavan is the place of charm and beauty, where all are madly engaged in the

satisfaction of Krishna.”

 

“The criteria of devotion is how much tendency one has to satisfy Krishna.

Internal hankering, not external show.”

 

“We should be careful to avoid those things which are anti-bhakti.”

 

“We are living with the enemy inside, we must be careful so we are not our own worst enemy.”

 

“The Vaishnava wants to live as a serving element of the whole - to love all, a friend to the whole environment.”

 

“Negligence and idleness can push us from down to down.”

 

“Everywhere you will find the grace of God.”

 

“The key to spiritual life is in acquiring the tendency to serve.”

 

“The real Ananya-Bhakta will think he isn’t one.”

 

“Allow the Vaishnava to work in the workshop of your heart.”

 

“You must try to attain the news given by the agents of divinity.”

 

“Spiritual life means endless sacrifice.”

 

“Break the seal of the pot of the ego, then the natural flow will come.”

 

“The Truth is all in all.”

 

“Let whatever is against this Sweet Name vanish eternally from the world.”

 

 

[Arvindaksh das]

Shri Shri Guru Gaurangau Jayatah !!!

 

 

Soul’s function is unalloyed devotion to the Supreme Lord Shri Krishna. When the soul forgets this function due to purushabhiman or egotism, then the bound soul becomes either a jnani (bereft of real knowledge of soul, Godhead and of Maya and their inter-relationship) or a karmi devoting his life-time to the physical and mental amelioration of the world, e.g. the scientists, socialists and other workers of the empiric school.

[Arvindaksh das]

Shri Shri Guru Gaurangau Jayatah !!!

 

No amount of wealth, lineage or erudition or severe austerities or even social, political or economic upheaval is competent enough to attain to the Lotus Feet of Shri Krishna. In other words nothing but prema-bhakti enables one to captivate Shri Krishna. (Bhagvatam XI,14,20)

[shvu]

 

...then the bound soul becomes either a jnani (bereft of real knowledge of soul, Godhead and of Maya and their inter-relationship)...

This is a brand new definition of Jnani, which I have never heard before. May I know who said this? ( If it is iskcon/Gaudiya, I am not interested, but otherwise I am very curious to know who this Vaishnava is)

 

Thanx

 

[Maitreya]

Originally posted by shvu:

This is a brand new definition of Jnani, which I have never heard before. May I know who said this? ( If it is iskcon/Gaudiya, I am not interested, but otherwise I am very curious to know who this Vaishnava is)

 

Thanx

What I am happy about is Arvind has used his own words to speak to us after all this time.Haribol Arvind prabhu.

 

 

[Arvindaksh das]

Originally posted by shvu:

This is a brand new definition of Jnani, which I have never heard before. May I know who said this? ( If it is iskcon/Gaudiya, I am not interested, but otherwise I am very curious to know who this Vaishnava is)

 

Thanx

Shri Shri Guru Gaurangau Jayatah !!!

 

This has been said by Srila Bhakti Pradip Tirtha Goswami Maharaj (He was Acharya of Gaudiya Math in 1950's and the first sanyasi disciple of Srila Bhakti Sidhanta Prabhupada)

 

I feel This saying is O.K. as per the Gaudiya Vaishnava Sidhanta, however we should realise the mood of the devotee in which this statement is made.

 

Jnani over here, I feel has been adressed over here by the saint to be one who is complete in "Brahma Jnana" (Knowledge or Brahma). However for Gaudiya vaishnavas "True knowledge" is as below:

 

Conversation between Shri Gaurasundara and Srila Ray Ramananda. Sri Gaurasundara asked questions and Srila Ray Ramananda gave answers:

Q. 1. Which is the highest of all knowledge?

Ans. Loving devotion to Shri Krishna is the highest knowledge.

 

 

I apologize if the context of the saying was misunderstood.

 

 

 

[Arvindaksh das]

Originally posted by shvu:

This is a brand new definition of Jnani, which I have never heard before. May I know who said this? ( If it is iskcon/Gaudiya, I am not interested, but otherwise I am very curious to know who this Vaishnava is)

 

Thanx

Shri Shri Guru Gaurangau Jayatah !!!

 

Soul’s function is unalloyed devotion to the Supreme Lord Shri Krishna. When the soul forgets this function due to purushabhiman or egotism, then the bound soul becomes either a jnani (bereft of real knowledge of soul, Godhead and of Maya and their inter-relationship) or a karmi devoting his life-time to the physical and mental amelioration of the world, e.g. the scientists, socialists and other workers of the empiric school.

 

This saying is in context with verse 1.11 of Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu by Srila Rupa Goswami:

 

"Anyaabhilashita-shunyam jnana-karmadi-anavritam

anukulyena krishna-anushilanam bhaktir uttama"

 

"Devoid of any desire other than unalloyed pure devotion of the Supreme Lord Shri Krishna, and free from all impurities of Jnana (knowledge) and Karma (social duty). Pure or highest devotion is one in which the devotee serves Shri Krishna’s desires and accepts what ever is favorable for His service."

 

 

[Arvindaksh das]

Shri Shri Guru Gaurangau Jayatah !!!

 

"The Supreme Lord Shri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu flooded the love of God in all directions. Women, young men, old men and children, all were blessed with the love of God. This distribution of pure love will flood the entire world and bless everyone, whether one be a gentleman, rogue, lame, disabled or blind."

Shri Chaitanya Charitamrita"

 

[Guest guest]

Arvindaksh: Conversation between Shri Gaurasundara and Srila Ray Ramananda. Sri Gaurasundara asked questions and Srila Ray Ramananda gave answers:

Q. 1. Which is the highest of all knowledge?

Ans. Loving devotion to Shri Krishna is the highest knowledge.

 

Satyaraj: You seem to be very expert in Ramananda-samvada, congratulations. So, can you answer if this assertive by Sri Caitanya is concerning to a mukta-sankalpa or to everyone else?

 

For certain you can not give this answer. This Bhakti Pradip Tirtha Goswami Maharaj is only exposing his deep ignorance and lack of any true realization while stating an absurd like, “When the soul forgets this function due to purushabhiman or egotism, then the bound soul becomes either a jnani (bereft of real knowledge of soul, Godhead and of Maya and their inter-relationship) or a karmi devoting his life-time to the physical and mental amelioration of the world, e.g. the scientists, socialists and other workers of the empiric school, “ as this kind of theology is clearly refuted by Badarayana Rsi himself in Vedanta-sutras (2.1.35). Please consult it.

 

[Arvindaksh das]

Originally posted by Satyaraja dasa:

Satyaraj: You seem to be very expert in Ramananda-samvada, congratulations. So, can you answer if this assertive by Sri Caitanya is concerning to a mukta-sankalpa or to everyone else?

 

For certain you can not give this answer. This Bhakti Pradip Tirtha Goswami Maharaj is only exposing his deep ignorance and lack of any true realization

Shri Shri Guru Gaurangau Jayatah !!!!

 

Dear Satyaraj Prabhu,

 

I apologize. I am no expert and neither do I want to be one. I know my position in this creation.

 

Also it is really great to know that all the key players of the Forums on VNN are here. However I am shocked to see your change of guard.

 

Finally it is your belief against the other persons belief.

 

I feel Maharaj ji made this statement in context to this verse which I posted earlier.

 

Verse 1.11 of Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu by Srila Rupa Goswami:

 

"Anyaabhilashita-shunyam jnana-karmadi-anavritam

anukulyena krishna-anushilanam bhaktir uttama"

 

"Devoid of any desire other than unalloyed pure devotion of the Supreme Lord Shri Krishna, and free from all impurities of Jnana (knowledge) and Karma (social duty). Pure or highest devotion is one in which the devotee serves Shri Krishna’s desires and accepts what ever is favorable for His service."

 

Please feel rest assured that by posting this verse does not mean that I am at the state of devotion as mentioned by Srila Rupa Goswami or that I am an expert in the Vaishnava scriptures.

 

Another great Vaishnava has said in this same context.

 

"Please consider me devoid of any knowledge (so called Jnana), I want just pure spontaneous love and devotion Unto Your Lotus Feet ....." Srila Tulasi das

 

Please explain what Srila Shankracharya said:

 

" Bhaja Govindam Bhaja Govindam .....

 

I definitely do not have the capacity to understand the position of a pure devotee, however I am shocked and will never dare call a vaishnava devotee to be in deep ignorance

 

Arvind

 

 

 

 

[This message has been edited by Arvindaksh das (edited 09-27-2001).]

[Arvindaksh das]

Shri Shri Guru Gaurangau Jayatah !!!

 

Conversation between Shri Gaurasundara and Srila Ray Ramananda. Sri Gaurasundara asked questions and Srila Ray Ramananda gave answers:

 

Q. 1. Which is the highest of all knowledge?

Ans. Loving devotion to Shri Krishna is the highest knowledge.

 

Q. 2. Which is the highest glory of a Jiva?

Ans. To be known as a pure devotee of Shri Krishna.

 

Q. 3. What is counted as the greatest wealth among human possessions?

Ans. He is the wealthiest who has love for Shri Shri Radha Krishna.

 

Q. 4. Which is the greatest of all sorrows?

Ans. There is no greater sorrow than separation from a devotee of Shri Shri Radha Govinda.

 

Q. 5. Who should be considered as truly liberated?

Ans. He is the foremost of the liberated who loves Shri Shri Radha Gopinath with his whole heart, mind and soul.

 

Q. 6. Which is the highest good for the jivas?

Ans. There is no higher good than the association of a devotee of Shri Shri Radha Madanmohan.

 

Q. 7. What is it that all should constantly remember?

Ans. The only things to be remembered are the Names, Forms, Qualities, Pass-times, Mercy and Associates of Shri Shri Radha Krishna.

 

Q. 8. What is the highest object of meditation for a jiva?

Ans. The highest object of meditation is the Lotus Feet of Shri Shri Radha Gopinath.

 

Q. 9. Which is the sweetest for the ears to hear?

Ans. The Glorious Pass-times of Shri Shri Radha Krishna and Their Associates are the sweetest to the ears of a jiva.

 

Q. 10. What is the highest object of worship?

Ans. The highest object of worship is the Holy Names of the most adorable Divine Couple, Shri Shri Radha Govinda.

 

[Guest guest]

Arvindaksh: I definitely do not have the capacity to understand the position of a pure devotee, however I am shocked and will never dare call a vaishnava devotee to be in deep ignorance.

 

Satyaraj: That is why these sects are transformed into fanatic’s clubs. In the beginning some enlighten muktas may try to teach their wisdom to some disciples who are sincerely inquiring on the Ultimate Reality. But some time after that the following generations of the sect will be only parroting whatever these muktas had said, without any reasoning and without any other consideration. They will be prohibited to study the sruti, they will be prohibited to think by themselves, and will be transformed into robots.

 

By now you are only parroting Ramandanda-samvada, as you cannot understand what is a mukta's satya-sankalpa expression and what is not.

 

If a cult member is well dressed and if he shows good behavior according to the sect’s rules, he will be considered as a mukta, and his words will be as good as the sruti, no matter if they are denying sruti or if they are only non-sense.

 

As you has quoted Tulasidas, please see Ramacaritamanasa’s Uttara-khanda on the behavior of Kali-yuga’s saints.

 

[Arvindaksh das]

Shri Shri Guru Gaurangau Jayatah !!!

 

Merits of Kali-Yuga

"Kali is the ocean of all sins and sorrows, but it has one great merit, that those who chant the Holy Names of Shri Shri Radha Krishna attain the highest love. The people of this age get the same benefit by chanting the Holy Names, as they did by meditation in Satya-Yuga, by sacrifices in Treta-Yuga and by worship in Dvapara-Yuga."

Shrimad Bhagvatam 12/3/51-52

 

[Arvindaksh das]

Shri Shri Guru Gaurangau Jayatah !!!

 

Merits of Kali-Yuga

"In Kali-Yuga, the chanting of the Holy Names of Shri Shri Radha Krishna alone is sufficient enough to give everything worth desiring for. Hence, the superior order of humanity who are appreciative of this essence, praise the Kali-Yuga."

Shrimad Bhagvatam 11/5/36

 

 

[This message has been edited by Arvindaksh das (edited 09-28-2001).]

[Guest guest]

Please post the Sanskrit sloka, not its biased translation, thereafter we may discuss.