Easy way to attain your desires without attending financial or other seminars.

[AncientMariner]

Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 5, Ch.14 text 46

 

"Devotees interested in hearing and chanting (sravanam kirtanam) regularly discuss the pure characteristics of Bharata Maharaja and praise his activities. If one submissively hears and chants about the all-auspicious Maharaja Bharata, one's life span and material opulences certainly increase. One can become very famous and easily attain promotion to the heavenly planets, or attain liberation by merging into the existence of the Lord. Whatever one desires can be attained simply by hearing, chanting and glorifying the activities of Maharaja Bharata. In this way, one can fulfill all his material and spiritual desires. One does not have to ask anyone else for these things, for simply studying the life of Maharaja Bharata, one can attain all desirable things."

[krsna]

Srila Vrindavan Das Thakur’s

 

Sri Chaitanya Bhagavata

Antya 5.38-64

 

One day, in private, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu asked Srivas about his livelihood.

 

“I see that you never go anywhere. How do you maintain your family? How will you maintain them in the future?”

 

Srivas replied,

“Lord, in my heart there is no desire to go anywhere.”

 

Mahaprabhu said,

“You have a big family.If you don’t do anything, what will happen to them?”

 

Srivas said, “Whatever is destined will happen. That will come.”

 

The Lord said, “You should accept sannyasa.”

 

“I have no power to do that.”

 

“If you won’t accept sannyasa, why do you not go out to beg alms? How will you feed your family? I don’t understand your words. If you never go anywhere, you will not get anything. If nothing comes to your door, what will you do then? Please tell Me.”

 

Srivas then clapped his hands three times and said,

“One. Two. Three. That is my explanation.”

 

“What does, ‘One. Two. Three.’ mean? Why did you clap your hands? Please explain.”

 

“This is my solemn vow: If three times food does not come to me, and I must fast, then I will tie a waterpot around my neck and drown myself in the Ganga.”

 

Hearing Srivas’ words, Mahaprabhu at once stood up and roared.

 

“Srivas Pandit!What are you saying? Why should you fast three times? Even if some day Goddess Lakshmi becomes poverty-stricken and has to beg alms, poverty still will not enter your house. Srivas, have you forgotten what I said in Bhagavad-gita (9.22):

 

 

To those who always worship me with exclusive devotion, meditating on my transcendental form, to them I carry what they lack and preserve what they have.

 

To further explain, Mahaprabhu spoke as follows:

 

 

To anyone who always meditates on me with exclusive devotion, I carry alms for them on my head. (57)

 

 

Anyone who meditates on me need never leave his door. All perfections will come to him automatically. (58)

dharma-artha-kama-moksa —

 

Piety, wealth, happiness, and liberation will come to him. My servant need not ask for them. They will never leave my servant. (59)

 

 

 

My Sudarsana-chakra will always protect My servant. Even when all the universes are destroyed, he will not perish. (60)

 

 

Whoever remembers my devotee, I will feed and protect. (61)

 

 

 

The servant of my servant is very dear to me. Without even trying, he easily attains me. (62)

 

 

 

Why should he worry about food. I personally feed my servant. (63)

 

Srivas, you happily stay where you are. I will bring everything to your door. (64)

 

/images/graemlins/cool.gif /images/graemlins/cool.gif /images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

Who needs to get a job, eh? /images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

 

 

[krsna]

 

 

One day the Lord called Srivasa Pandita aside and asked him confidentially about some family matters. The Lord said, "I see you never go anywhere. How will you manage to make ends meet in the family and how are you doing it presently?" Srivasa Pandita replied, "My Lord, I have not the heart to go anywhere." The Lord gently prodded the subject further, "You have a large family to maintain, how then will you look after them?" Srivasa Pandita said, "Whatever comes because of my fate will certainly come as a provision." The Lord then said, "Then Srivasa, take sannyasa!" Srivasa replied, "That is not possible for me."

 

The Lord said, "On one hand you refuse to accept sannyasa, and on the other hand you do not go to beg alms. How do you plan to maintain your family? I am unable to understand you. Nowadays if one does not make the effort of going hither and thither then nothing comes of its own. Under the circumstances please tell Me what do you propose to do?" Srivasa Pandita said clapping his hands thrice, "Here is my explanation - one, two, three." The Lord insisted, "Please explain properly why you clapped thrice and what does `One, two, three' imply?" Srivasa Pandita replied calmly, "I have taken a solemn vow that if after fasting for three meals I do not get any food then I will surely tie a stone around my neck and drown myself in the Ganga."

 

As soon as the Lord heard these words He roared like thunder and said, "What did you say, Srivasa Pandita? You will be fasting because of lack of food? Even if Laksmidevi by some rare chance has to go begging, your family will never experience poverty. Srivasa Pandita, you have already forgotten what I have said in the Bhagavad-gita (9.22) `Those who worship Me with devotion meditating on My transcendental form, to them I carry what they lack and preserve what they have.' One who is fixed in undeviating meditation on Me has never to beg at anyone's steps. All the mystic potencies automatically manifest in him. My devotees are fully protected by My Sudarsana disc at all times, and even at the time of total annihilation of this material universe, they remain transcendental and unaffected."

 

The Lord continued, "One who simply remembers My devotee, I take responsibility of maintaining him. The servitor of My servitor is dear to Me, and he certainly attains My shelter. My servitors need not have any concern about their maintenance since I am taking their responsibility on My shoulders. So Srivasa Pandita you just remain happily in your house and every requirement will automatically come to you. I am blessing you and Sri Advaita with the boon that none of you will ever be affected by old age, debility, or senility."

 

The Lord then called for Ramai Pandita and told him, "Listen, Ramai Pandita, I instruct you to always serve your elder brother, as if he were the Supreme Lord. Know also that you are as dear to Me as My very life, so I want that you never deviate from this service to Srivasa Pandita." Both Srivasa Pandita and Ramai Pandita were overwhelmed with divine bliss. The blessed Lord had filled their hearts with indescribable joy. By Lord Caitanya's causeless mercy, even now, in some pastime, all requirements are coming on their own to Srivasa Pandita's doorsteps.

 

 

[Guest guest]

If only we had the devotional faith and potency of Srivas Panditji.

Count me into the Lords welfare system, that's security. What a carefree life!

 

What are the options in this material world under these worldly governments.....ANXIETY and more endless anxiety as stress builds up in these material bodies and minds exploding into mental and physical diseases to just create more .....ANXIETY!

[AncientMariner]

PAMHO, AGTSP

 

Thanks for sharing that nectar.

[gHari]

Matthew 6.24-34:<blockquote>No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon (money, the world, maya).

 

Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than food, and the body more than raiment?

 

Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?

 

Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?

 

And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:

 

And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

 

Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall He not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

 

Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

 

(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

<h3><font color="blue">But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.</h3></font>Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.</blockquote>

 

Jesus further notes that it is easier to pass a camel through the eye of a needle than it is for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God. Sanctify your poverty by entering that eternal Kingdom now. And you will have your reward.

 

gHari

[krsna]

SRI BHAGAWATA DHARMA VICHAR

On the ‘Gray Areas’ of Krsna Consciousness

 

(ON THE PURE RELIGION OF BHAGAVATAM)

 

Saccidananda Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur

 

A Humble Suggestion: Read this esoteric message thoroughly several times; memorize it, work by it, embrace it, breath I, and live it.

 

Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur clearly declares here that every Jiva is at her own level of development and must progress at her own pace with her ultimate goal of becoming a saragrahi vaisnava, impartial to ALL without exception.:

 

 

nehabhikrama-nasho 'sti | pratyavayo na vidyate

sv-alpam apy asya dharmasya | trayate mahato bhayat

 

“In this endeavor there is no loss or diminution, and a little advancement on this path can protect one from the most dangerous type of fear.” BG 2:40

 

Numerous religious works have been written in the world. Indian rshis, after long and careful deliberation on the ultimate goal of life, have composed numerous books on this subject. Of all these books, Srimad-Bhagavatam is the most important. This monumental work consists of eighteen thousand verses. All the basic truths of the world, namely sarga (original creation), visarga (subcreation), sthan (planetary systems) posan (protection by the Lord), uti (the impetus for fruitive activity), manvantar-kathä (changes of Manus), isha-katha (science of the Supreme Lord), natrodha (winding up of the material creation and going back to the original abode), mukti (liberation) and asraya (the ultimate shelter), are analyzed there, sometimes in the form of a direct instruction, sometimes in the form of historical anecdotes, etc. Amongst all these truths, asraya is paramartha is the ultimate and absolute goal of life. The position of asraya is extremely esoteric and cannot be confined in any bounds. Although asraya-tattva is a self-evident truth for the pure jiva-soul, it is very difficult to clearly explain this supermundane knowledge to man who is enslaved by matter. That is why, to make mankind properly understand the tenth subject, the compiler of Bhagavatam made it compulsory for the reader to carefully go through other nine subjects first. In Bhagavatam the eternal function of a soul has been defined as sattvata dharmma, or pure unadulterated religion. The other name of such kind of dharma is Vaisnavism. Bharavahi-Vaisnavas [those devotees of the Supreme Lord, who only carry the burden of external rituals] form one of the five principle sects, namely, Saktas [worshipers of Sakti-nature, personified as Mother], Sauras [surya-, or Sun-worshipers], Ganapatyas [worshipers of Ganesh-god with a half-elephant, half-man body], Saivas [devotees of Siva] and Vaisnavas [devotees of the Supreme Lord Visnu]. However, Saragrahi-Vaisnavas [devotees, drinking the nectarean essence of Love of God] are rare, and consequently above all sectarian designations. The above-mentioned five sects, cultivating transcendental aspirations, are spread in the land of India under different names, which are given after their characteristic features. A human being has two kinds of propensities: one aiming at mundane gain, and the other aiming at a supermundane ideal. The mundane, gain-seeking propensity gives rise to such activities as body-preservation, building of houses, marriage, giving birth to children, study, earning money, materialistic science, fine arts, state affairs, pious acts, etc. The activities of humans and animals are similar in many respects, but the progress of human civilization is much more refined than the instinctive movements of animals. However, those who are absorbed in mundane development, but make no effort to take shelter in the natural function of a human being, deserve to be called an animal, standing on two legs. By natural function, the function (dharma) of a pure soul is meant. In the pure state of a soul, the realization of a soul's natural duty is clear and requires no argument.

 

In the conditioned state of the soul, the natural religion takes the shape of transcendental aspirations. If all the above-mentioned mundane aspirations become subservient to the transcendental ones, and promote the cause of nonmaterial progress, only then is their existence justified; otherwise, by their own strength they are unable to elevate one to the loftiest state of existence. When slight symptoms of spiritual aspiration become traceable in the life of a mundane gain-seeker, it is called "the awakening of God consciousness." There are innumerable stages between this awakening state and uttamadhikar— the perfection of Love of God. The quest for Brahma, or fundamental cause of all causes, in the material world is defined as Sakta-dharma. The characteristic feature of this religion is attributing the creation of the material world to Prakrti (female Nature). The practices of Saktaism are fit to give rise to the first transcendental aspirations in a man. People engrossed in sensual development and apathetic towards seeking the Absolute Truth may be enticed by the practices and way of life of a Sakta, and in this way may be drawn closer to the highest object of life. Sakta-dharma is the soul's first step towards transcendental realization, and it is highly beneficial for that category of men. When God consciousness grows stronger, the realization that Heat is the pre-eminent power affecting all activities in the material world, then comes the worship of the source of all heat—the Sun (and one rises to the second stage). Thus Saura-dharma begins. Then one comes to realize that heat is a dull mundane force, and seeing the super-excellence of animal consciousness, takes to Ganapatya-dharma-the third gross stage of soul's development. The fourth gross stage is the worship of purely human consciousness in the form of Siva-Saiva-dharma. Coming to the fifth stage, an individual particle of consciousness (the jiva) serves the Personality of Supreme Consciousness. This stage is called Vaisnava-dharma, or Vaisnavism. This is a natural five-fold division of religion. That is why all the different religions which are introduced in India and all over the world in different ages under different names, necessarily fall into one of these five categories. Christianity and Islam are similar to the Vaisnavism as the fifth stage in the religious progression. Buddhism and Jainism are nearly the same as Saiva-dharma - that is, a scientific analysis of religion. Those, who claim their religion to be the only true one, and claim that other religions are heresies or superstitions, are possessed by prejudice and are unable to find out the truth. In fact, different religions pertain to different stages of the soul's development. But the religion of a perfect soul is one without a second. To deny relative religions, followed by people in their respective conditioned situations, is not an attitude of a Saragrahi-Vaisnava. So, with due regard to all the relative religions, we will now try to give a picture of a natural religion of the soul.

 

Unadulterated or non-sectarian Vaisnavism is the natural religion. In other words, it is the eternal function of a soul. However, devotion which may be observed in Mayavadis, who consider devotion to the Supreme Lord to be nothing more than a temporary means to achieve the state of being one with the impersonal Absolute, and who consider the Name, Form, Qualities and Pastimes of the Supreme Lord to be the products of illusion, is nothing but an external imitation of a natural religion. Only then, this sectarian Vaisnavisrn turns into unadulterated devotion, purified of externals and free of the ideas of Mayavada. Different lines of unadulterated Vaisnava thought, such as Dvaita [dualism], Dvaitadvaita [dualistic monism], Suddhadvaita [purified monism], and Visistadvaita [qualitative monism], just show the variegatedness of Vaisnavas' moods and approaches. Between these lines there is no clash of principles, and consequently no sectarian opposition. Mayavada is the perversion of true devotion. Vaisnavas, who have accepted the principles of Mayavada, are not pure Vaisnavas.

 

The crown jewel of all the Holy Scriptures, Srimad Bhagavatam, is as eternal and ancient as the Vedas themselves. By the words tarankurah sajjanih, the eternity of Bhagavatam was established by Srila Sridhara Svamipad. Bhagavatam is accepted as a mature fruit of a desire-tree of the whole Veda. From Pranava [om-kara] Gayatri arose, from Gayatri-all the Vedas, from the Vedas-Brahmasütra, from which Srimad Bhagavatam manifested itself. All the inconceivable truths of the Supreme Cause of all Causes having shiningly made themselves visible in the jiva's spiritual trance (samadhi) and this Scripture of Paramahamsas, ascended like a brilliant eternal conscious Sun of concentrated bliss. Those having eyes may see; those having ears may listen; those having mind may ceaselessly meditate on truths, expounded by Srimad Bhagavatam. Only those who are blind with partiality are deprived of tasting the sweetness of Bhagavata. May the Supreme Personality of Godhead dispel their blindness with His merciful glance. Saragrahi-Vaisnavas have delineated the following principles of eternal religion. Some minor changes may have appeared in these definitions in the course of time.

 

1) The Supreme Soul is the Plenary Consciousness, the All-mighty Lord, compared with an eternal conscious Sun of concentrated bliss. Jivatma-an individual soul-is an infinitesimal particle of consciousness and is compared with a ray of this Sun.

 

2) By the eternal manifestation of an indescribable conscious power of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, infinitesimal, individual, conscious beings (jivas) are eternally distinct from the Supreme Consciousness and from each other and are placed in a position, which corresponds to their individual situation; by the manifestation of the same power the material world is distinct from conscious entities.

 

3) The Material world is a perverted reflection of a conscious spiritual abode, and is a place of happiness and distress, which are just a perverted faint resemblance of pure bliss.

 

4) Jivatma has no permanent connection with the material world. This world is but a temporary residence for enslaved jivas. Jivas, conditioned by the inconceivable power of the Supreme Lord, are traveling all over the universe, some addicted to material enjoyment, some in search of spiritual fulfillment.

 

5) The spontaneous flow of affection towards the Absolute Truth is a natural function of a soul. A tendency to enjoy sense pleasure is a regrettable perversion of this natural dharma in the conditioned state of a soul.

 

6) To be established in the natural position is called liberation. It is achieved by introspective cultivation, that is, by devotion (bhakti).

 

7) The ways of cultivating the natural religion are multifarious, relating to different stages of a jiva's development.

 

[gHari]

Here is a timely excerpt from the commentary on Srimad Bhagavatam verse 1.2.17:<blockquote>One cannot enter into the kingdom of God unless one is perfectly cleared of all sins. The material sins are products of our desires to lord it over material nature. It is very difficult to get rid of such desires. Women and wealth are very difficult problems for the devotee making progress on the path back to Godhead. Many stalwarts in the devotional line fell victim to these allurements and thus retreated from the path of liberation. But when one is helped by the Lord Himself, the whole process becomes as easy as anything by the divine grace of the Lord.

 

To become restless in the contact of women and wealth is not an astonishment, because every living being is associated with such things from remote time, practically immemorial, and it takes time to recover from this foreign nature. But if one is engaged in hearing the glories of the Lord, gradually he realizes his real position. By the grace of God such a devotee gets sufficient strength to defend himself from the state of disturbances, and gradually all disturbing elements are eliminated from his mind.</blockquote>

BTW, if in addition to wealth, there is a problem with women, then these will cure that little monkey:

<center>

http://www.vedabase.net/sb/5/14/30/en

http://www.vedabase.net/sb/5/14/31/en</center>

 

[krsna]

http://www.vedabase.net/sb/5/14/30/en:

^

^

Sex is very prominent among animals like monkeys, and such people who are enlivened by sex may be called descendants of monkeys.

 

/images/graemlins/blush.gif

 

Monkey Dude

 

/images/graemlins/smile.gif

[krsna]

 

 

Alas for those who spend their days

In festive mirth and joy.

The dazzling, deadly, liquid forms

Their hearts fore'er employ.

 

The shining bottles charm their eyes

And draw their heart's embrace;

The slaves of wine can never rise

From what we call disgrace.

 

Was man intended to be

A brute in work and heart?

Should man, the Lord of all around,

From common sense depart?

 

Man's glory is in common sense

Dictating us the grace,

That man is made to live and love

The beauteous Heaven's embrace.

 

The flesh is not our own alas;

The mortal frame a chain;

The soul confined for former wrongs

Should try to rise again.

 

Why then this childish play in that

Which cannot be our own;

Which falls within a hundred years

As if a rose ablown.

 

Our life is but a rosy hue

To go ere long for naught;

The soul alone would last fore'er

With good or evil fraught.

 

How deep the thought of times to be!

How grave the aspect looks!

And wrapt in awe become, O, we,

When reading Nature's books.

 

Man's life to him a problem dark -

A screen both left and right;

No soul hath come to tell us what

Exists beyond our sight.

 

But then a voice, how deep and soft;

Within ourselves is left;

Man! Man! Thou art immortal soul!

Thee Death can never melt.

 

For Thee Thy Sire on High has kept

A store of bliss above,

To end of time, thou art Oh! His -

Who wants but purest love.

 

O Love! Thy power and spell benign

Now melt my soul to God;

How can my earthly words describe

That feeling soft and broad.

 

Enjoyment, sorrow - what but lots

To which the flesh is heir?

The soul that sleeps alone concludes

In them it hath a share.

 

And then, my friends, no more enjoy

Nor weep for all below;

The women, wine, and flesh of beasts

No love on thee bestow.

 

But thine to love thy brother man

And give thyself to God,

And God doth know your wages fair -

This fact is true and broad.

 

Forget the past that sleeps and ne'er

The future dream at all

But act in times that are with thee

And progress thee shall call.

 

But tell me not in reasoning cold,

The soul is made alone

By earth's mechanic lifeless rules

And to destruction prone.

 

My God who gave us life and all

Alone the soul can kill

Or give it all the joys above

His promise to fulfill.

 

So push thy onward march, O soul,

Against an evil deed

That stands with soldiers Hate and Lust -

A hero be indeed.

 

Maintain thy post in spirit world

As firmly as you can

Let never matter push thee down -

O stand heroic man.

 

O Sharagrahi Vaishnava soul

Thou art an angel fair;

Lead, lead me on to Vrindaban

And spirit's power declare.

 

There rests my soul from matter free

Upon my Lover's arms

Eternal peace and spirits love

Are all my chanting charms.

 

 

 

(A poem originally written by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura in the early 1870's.)