Problem to find this spiritual master?! No.The problem is whether you are sincere.

[krsna]

During May 1974, the noted Irish poet Desmond James Bernard O 'Grady visited Srila Prabhupada at his quarters in Rome:

 

Mr. O'Grady: The problem is to find this spiritual master.

 

Srila Prabhupada: That is not the problem. The problem is whether you are sincere. You have problems, but God is within your heart. Isvarah sarva-bhutanam. God is not far away. If you are sincere, God sends you a spiritual master. Therefore God is also called caitya-guru, the spiritual master within the heart. God helps from within and from without. Everything is thus described in the Bhagavad-gita. This material body is like a machine, but within the heart is the soul, and with the soul is the Supersoul, Krsna, who gives directions. The Lord says, "You wanted to do this; now here is the chance. Go and do it." If you are sincere, you say, "Now, God, I want You." Then He will give you directions. "Yes, now you come and get Me like this." This is His kindness. However, if we want something else, that is all right. We can have it. God is very kind. When I want something, He is in my heart directing me and telling me how to have it. So why should He not give directions on how to have a spiritual master? First of all we must again be eager to revive our God consciousness. Then God will give us a spiritual master.

 

Mr. O'Grady: Thank you very much.

[jayaisvara]

During our introspection of ourselves, we find out that our actual motive is not to go to God, but for some other selfish desire. Then how can we give our motive if its very hard to give up? /images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[krsna]

 

 

Why have you come here to the Hare Krsna temple?

 

Have you come to serve Krsna or rather have you come to disturb Him with all your mundane desires for name,fame and adoration?

 

Have you really prayed from the core or bottom of your heart for Krsna's mercy or are you play-acting(pantomine perhaps or merely moving the lips but in the heart is stony cold)?

 

Yep, take a sledge hammer and crack your self (mind.intelligence and false ego) open once and for all to actually see your REAL motive. Your Ulterior motive !?

 

What's making you tick?

 

WHAT IS DRIVING YOU ONWARDS IN YOUR PURSUIT FOR THE ABSOLUTE TRUTH ,my dear Prabhu ?

 

Only you can really answer these questions.

 

[krsna]

Hare Krishna,

 

I think the following excerpt by Srila Prabhupada is very nice as it explains maya's business :

 

If one takes to Krsna consciousness, in the beginning there will be many disturbances caused by Maya;, the material energy of illusion. Maya will test us to see how firmly we are fixed in Krsna consciousness. Because she is also an agent of Krsna, she does not allow anyone the freedom to disturb Krsna. Therefore she tests very rigidly to see whether we have taken to Krsna consciousness to disturb Krsna or are actually serious. That is Maya's business. So in the beginning there will be tests by Maya and we shall feel so many disturbances while making progress in Krsna consciousness. But if we follow the rules and regulations and chant regularly as prescribed, then we shall remain steady. If we neglect these principles, Maya will capture us immediately. Maya is always ready. We are in the ocean, and at any moment we may be disturbed. Therefore one who is not disturbed at all is called paramahamasa.

 

---- Teachings of Queen Kunti, Ch.3 page 8

 

[theist]

 

During our introspection of ourselves, we find out that our actual motive is not to go to God, but for some other selfish desire. Then how can we give our motive if its very hard to give up?

 

 

"Actual motive" this is true introspection. Yes what perfect motive can we possibly? We want money, freedom from suffering, heavenly planets etc. Or we are a little curious an any combination of these sorts of things at any one time.

 

I have noticed that as people study and continue to build the intellectual foundation of the true nature of material world as a dreamland filled with various suffering but not geneuine pleasure along with the reasoning behind what and eternal loving relationship with Krsna means are desires are start to purify.

 

This along with the power inherient in the maha-mantra to cleanse the heart and to deliver a higher taste will be very effective.

 

Ultimately it is Krsna Himself picking up the jiva by His Grace from within and without.

 

All we can do is our best which is not enough, and become beggars before the Lord to give us such an undeserved taste of the real thing, if even for a moment, that we can do nothing but remember it perpetually and strive towards it again and again.

 

"Blessed are those that hunger and thirst for righteousness for they shall be filled"

 

How you every gone without food for some time until you have no more appetite. And then you take a bit of something and your appetite all comes flooding back and you can't stop eating until you are full? perhaps saying "I didn't realize how hungry I was until I started eating".

 

I see it like that. We are presently in such an insane condition from starvation and malnutrition that we don't even know we are starving. Just wandering about like zombies searching for exactly what we don't even know.

 

Then His Divine Grace may come and offer us some prasadam and doctor us back to health.

 

At some point this stage will be behind us and we will be fully immersed in pure love of Krsna and never look back.

[Pankaja_Dasa]

 

 

Because she is also an agent of Krsna, she does not allow anyone the freedom to disturb Krsna.

Teachings of Queen Kunti, Ch.3 page 8

 

Thats a good one. Simply put by Prabhupada.

 

 

 

[theist]

I like that image. It reminds me of when the Berlin wall came down. For years people just accepted the existence of the wall and went about life as best they could.

 

Then as the Soviet Union weakened and people sensed it calls for the wall to come down became louder and louder. Until finally people stated taking sledgehammers to it, swinging with all their might. But the wall was so strong each blow would only mahe a small chip in the wall. But their determination was consistent and they hammered away. When the Soviets saw the will of the people was that string and getting stronger they gave in and brought massive machines to bring the wall down.

[krsna]

Here's a good article that I found by google-ing :

 

 

ARE YOU SINCERE?

 

Are you covering up your true self with wax?

 

 

By Louise R. Hunnisett

 

Picking out a good-quality clay pot wasn't an easy task for a housewife in ancient times. Dishonest tradesmen would disguise their inferior pots by covering the cracks and blemishes with wax before selling them.

 

 

On the outside, a pot would look perfect, and the housewife often wouldn't find out just how flawed it was until she tried using it. As soon as she poured in hot water, the wax would melt and the pot would begin leaking.

 

 

Honest tradesmen began labeling their good-quality pottery with the words sin cere, literally meaning "without wax." Any housewife who bought a pot sin cere knew that the clay would be solid the whole way through.

 

 

Sin cere-without wax -is the root of our English words sincere and sincerity. We no longer connect this word to wax, but the reasons behind the root of the word can shed a lot of light onto its true meaning.

 

 

Sincerity vs. insincerity

 

 

According to our modern definition, "sincere" implies an absence of deceit, pretense or hypocrisy, and an adherence to the simple, unembellished truth.

 

 

Sincerity is usually thought of in the context of our words. For example, we might evaluate a compliment as being sincere or insincere, depending on the motive behind the mere words.

 

 

Insincerity often involves telling people what you think they want to hear in an attempt to make them think better of you, rather than giving genuine encouragement and praise.

 

 

Flattery given to boost someone's confidence is viewed as an acceptable form of dishonesty. However, although the motive seems good, such insincerity will do little to benefit anyone.

 

 

The highest compliment you can pay a person is sincerity, which simply means telling the truth. This doesn't mean being rude. We can still give our honest opinions tactfully. Although the truth may be harder for others to accept, it will be of far greater benefit in the long run.

 

 

Sincerity and character

 

 

Sincerity produces growth both in ourselves and in others. It is the foundation of strong interpersonal relationships.

 

 

To build strong bonds with someone, we must express our true feelings and show our real selves. If we wax over our faults to appear to be what we think others would like to see, we will only promote further mistrust when the wax eventually melts

and our insincerity is shown. On the other hand, if we are sincere ourselves, we will encourage honesty and sincerity in others.

 

 

Sincerity involves being the same in actual character as in outward appearance. It means being solid the whole way through, just as genuine clay pots were solid through to the inside.

 

 

Insincerity to others is unfair. Insincerity to self is even more dangerous. If we wax over our faults to hide them from others, we could become blind to them ourselves.

 

 

We can compare our character to one of those ancient clay pots. How much of it is hidden from view by wax? And what kind of character is it?

 

 

There is little point in waxing ourselves for the benefit of others. If we are sincere, we will reveal ourselves for what we really are. That can be hard at times. It's certainly humbling when another person sees our weaknesses but we cannot work on these weaknesses unless they are visible.

 

 

It has been said, "Sincerity is impossible unless it pervades the whole being, and the pretense of it saps the very foundation of our character."

 

 

We must be sincere through and through. If a pot is perfect except for one little hole that has been filled with wax, then the whole pot is useless. As soon as hot water is poured in, the hole will immediately show.

 

 

God's Holy Spirit is like this hot water. We can ask God to pour his Spirit into us to melt the wax that we have built up. Then we will be able to see ourselves for what we really are. The cracks will be fully visible.

 

 

Once we see these cracks in our character, we can start working on repairing them. Only when all the wax has been completely removed can we say that we truly are sin cere.

 

 

[krsna]

 

Go for it ,bro "Tear It Down,for God's Sake !"

 

/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[theist]

What a picture of determination.

[Guest guest]

"The Lord is seated in the heart of all living beings, and thus, He knows very well the movements of all individual persons. As soon as the Lord finds that a particular soul is very eager to go back to Godhead, the Lord at once sends His bona fide representative. The sincere devotee is thus assured by the Lord of going back to Godhead. The conclusion is that to get the assistance and help of a bona fide spiritual master means to receive the direct help of the Lord Himself."

.

(Srimad-Bhagavatam, 1.19.36, Purport)

 

[jayaisvara]

Thanks for so much knowledge that you've posted. krsna, your questions are so true that I think consciously or unconciously, I don't think people like myself have the courage to answer. I think one needs so much courage to humble oneself, its just so very very hard I think.

 

I think the real weightlifters and strong men of this world are the transcendentalists and the true yogis. I can't even imagine how much determination and courage you need to humble yourself, its so out of my conscious ability to even think of such thing.

 

 

Why have you come here to the Hare Krsna temple?

 

 

 

As far I can be honest, I think I was in search of something else, out of this world. Thus this movement attracted me. Also, when I heard about the hells and punishment, I thought maybe the Hare Krsna mantra can save me. Basically, out of fear I came I think.

 

 

Have you come to serve Krsna or rather have you come to disturb Him with all your mundane desires for name,fame and adoration?

 

 

 

No, I can honestly say I haven't come to serve. I can't even conceive what it means to actually serve with a serving mood. So mundane desires are definitely what I am after, eventhough knowing that they don't last. Such is my fallen condition. It's almost as if Maya wants me to go to hell.

 

 

WHAT IS DRIVING YOU ONWARDS IN YOUR PURSUIT FOR THE ABSOLUTE TRUTH ,my dear Prabhu ?

 

 

 

I think its only fear. Fear of hell. Anxiety and fear are there for the materialists. Being one myself, I think this is my only fuel for this long long ride.

 

If its like this now, I can't even imagine how life will be as Kali Yuga goes on.

[theist]

Thank you for your cyber association. Please accept my respectful obeisances.

 

pranam

 

Hare Krsna