Is taking sannyas the ONLY option, since worldly people give me pain???

[Guest guest]

It doesn't matter whether you speak of qualitative oneness or qualitative similarity or qualitative equality. None of these things is possible. There is absolute Bheda, because Iswara is the owner and the jiva the user. If the jiva too is the possessor, albeit at a lower level, one can then accept qualitative oneness. But how can there be oneness when the jiva is 'using' what Iswara owns? There is no similarity between user and owner. Period.

 

Also, this Bheda doesn't at all affect Iswara's omnipresence. The problem is, you assume that if we accept Bheda between the jada/jiva and Iswara, we are imposing 'restrictions' on Iswara, in the sense Iswara cannot pervade jada and jiva, because he is eternally and absolutely different from them. That is not the case. Despite Bheda, the all-pervasive nature of Iswara remains the same.

 

Consider a white sheet of paper where you have a million black dots. the black dots can only exist because of the white paper-dependent reality. The paper can exist even without the black dots-independent reality. There is no place where the paper is not, it is 'all-pervasive.' Yet, the black dots are not white paper, they will forever remain distint from the paper, despite owing their very existence to the paper.

 

In short, despite its 'all-pervasive' nature, paper remains paper even as it supports the dots, and the dots remain dots even as it depends on the paper. The two are UTTERLY and ETERNALLY distinct, and even when they are in contact, they suffer no change. Subsitute jiva/jada for dots and Iswara for paper and you will see there is no similarity, whether qualitatively or quantitatively. There is absolute bheda, even as the concept of omnipresence suffers no change on this account.

[Guest guest]

>>> Consider a white sheet of paper where you have a million black dots. the black dots can only exist because of the white paper-dependent reality. The paper can exist even without the black dots

 

--- But where did the dots come from, and If not made of the stuff of the paper, what are they made of?

[Kulapavana]

why the need to take sannyas if you just want to humbly serve the Lord?

 

you can find solace and shelter in many tamples, where you can serve as a pujari for example. in this way you can be somewhat isolated from the common people, yet not making such a drastic (and permanent) step as taking sannyas.

 

sannyas is really only for brahmanas, once they have matured in their sadhana and are ready to completely renounce the world.

 

some people take sannyas for all the wrong reasons, but they usually fall down after a few years. if they manage to stay in that ashram, that can be even worse...

[krsna]

 

Being a temple pujari is like living in Vaikuntha!

 

/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"If one regularly sees the Supreme Personality of Godhead in the temple, one will gradually be disinfected of all material desires simply by visiting the temple and seeing the Deity. When one is freed from all the results of sinful activities, one will be purified, and with a healthy mind, completely cleansed, he will increasingly make progress in Krsna consciousness."

 

Srimad-Bhagavatam 6:16 Purport

 

 

 

 

"In the Naradiya Purana there is a statement about bowing down and offering respect to the Deity. It is said there, "A person who has performed a great ritualistic sacrifice and a person who has simply offered his respectful obeisances by bowing down before the Lord cannot be held as equals." The person who has executed many great sacrifices will attain the result of his pious activities, but when such results are finished, he has to take birth again on the earthly planet; however, the person who has once offered respects, bowing down before the Deity, will not come back to this world, because he will go directly to the abode of Krsna."

 

Nectar of Devotion, Chapter 9

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From the time the Deity's curtains are closed at the end of Mangala-arati until the conch is blown and the curtains open for Sringara-arati (or Darsana-arati), the pujari is engaged in offering elaborate worship to the Deities in private. During the sringara (dressing and decoration) period, Their Lordships are bathed and dressed in new outfits and jewelry for the day. They are offered fresh garlands and a mirror so they may view themselves.

 

 

Depending on the number of Deity personalities in residence at the temple, there may be two or more pujaris engaged in Deity worship. Before opening the curtains, the pujari clears away paraphernalia, sweeps the floor around the altar, and lights ghee lamps.

 

 

When the curtain opens, the Deities very kindly give darsana (audience) to the assembled devotees. Sringara-arati is an incomprehensible opportunity given by the Deities to the congregation, who may offer worship, prayers, and gifts that are presented by the pujari.

 

 

"Any devotee coming into the temple should always offer something to the Deity--fruit, flowers, incense, etc. If one cannot offer anything in cash, something else must be offered. In India the system is that all the ladies and gentlemen who come in the morning to visit the temple bring so many things. Even one morsel of rice or one morsel of flour can be offered. It is a regulative principle that one should not go to see a saintly person or the Deity in the temple without any offering. The offering may be very humble, or it may be priceless. Even a flower, a little fruit, a little water--whatever is possible--must be offered. So when a devotee comes to offer something to the Deity in the morning, he is sure to smell the good flavor of the incense, and then at once he will become cleansed of the poisonous effect of material existence."

 

Nectar of Devotion, Chapter 9

 

 

 

 

The pujari will offer dhupa (incense) arati to the Deities with incense, flowers camara and fan (in warm weather). A camphor lamp may also be offered. While the Deities give their audience, it is traditional in ISKCON temples to play a recording of the Govindam prayers from Brahma-samhita in place of the Sri Gurv-astam. One notable version is that sung by Yamuna devi. Srila Prabhupada enjoyed her singing very much, and asked to have this version played in the temples. (See link below)

 

 

During the Govindam prayers, the devotees pay their full prostrated obeisances before the Deities. In the larger temples, the devotees move as a group from one altar to another to pay obeisances, typically moving from left to right around the temple. A senior devotee leads, moving from altar to altar. In front of each alter, he takes darsana of the Deities then pays obeisances. The other devotees follow, forming a straight line and one by one, pay their obeisances. In the case of a main altar in the front of the temple, the person leading stands closest to the altar, with the devotees behind. He pays his obeisaances, and in a 'wave', all the devotees follow with their obeisances.

 

 

"In the Hari-bhakti-sudhodaya there is a statement about the incense which is offered in the temple: "When the devotees smell the good flavor of the incense which is offered to the Deity, they thus become cured of the poisonous effects of material contamination, as much as one becomes cured of a snakebite by smelling the prescribed medicinal herbs." The explanation of this verse is that there is an herb found in the jungles which expert persons know how to use to revive the consciousness of one who is bitten by a snake. Simply by smelling that herb one becomes immediately relieved of the poisonous effects of the snakebite. The same example is applicable: when a person comes to visit the temple and smells the incense offered to the Deity, he is cured at that time from all his material contamination."

 

Nectar of Devotion, Chapter 9

 

 

 

 

When the Govindam song is over, kirtana begins. The same kirtana songs are sung as for Mangala-arati, but Sri Gurv-astakam is replaced with Sri Nama-kirtana (yasomati-nandana). If possible, the devotees should circumambulate the Deities three times along with the kirtana. Otherwise, kirtana is performed enthusiastically before the Deities. Traditionally, during kirtana the devotees would leave a path open so as not to block Srila Prabhupada's view of the Deities. Generally the women were to one side and the men on the other side. This very nice arrangement allows the devotees to move sideways, glancing back and forth between the Deities and Srila Prabhupada. Unfortunately, this practice has been changed in many temples, who now have the men in front and the women in back while Srila Prabhupada's view of the Deities is obstructed.

 

 

"In the Dvaraka-mahatmya the importance of dancing before the Deity is stated by Lord Krsna as follows: "A person who is in a jubilant spirit, who feels profound devotional ecstasy while dancing before Me, and who manifests different features of bodily expression can burn away all the accumulated sinful reactions he has stocked up for many, many thousands of years." In the same book there is a statement by Narada wherein he asserts, "From the body of any person who claps and dances before the Deity, showing manifestations of ecstasy, all the birds of sinful activities fly away upward." Just as by clapping the hands one can cause many birds to fly away, similarly the birds of all sinful activities which are sitting on the body can be made to fly away simply by dancing and clapping before the Deity of Krsna."

 

Nectar of Devotion, Chapter 9

 

 

 

 

After the arati, the pujari or an assistant should distribute caranamrta to the devotees. The following verse may be chanted while drinking and placing the caranamrta on one's head:

 

 

sri-radha-krsna-padodakam prema-bhakti-dam muda

bhakti-bharena vai pitva sirasa dharayamy aham

 

"The water from the lotus feet of Sri Sri Radha and Krsna bestows pure loving devotion to Them. Having drunk that water with great joy and devotion, I hold that water upon my head."

 

 

 

 

 

"Caranamrta is obtained in the morning while the Lord is being washed before dressing. Scented with perfumes and flowers, the water comes gliding down through His lotus feet and is collected and mixed with yogurt. In this way this caranamrta not only becomes very tastefully flavored, but also has tremendous spiritual value. As described in the Padma Purana, even a person who has never been able to give in charity, who has never been able to perform a great sacrifice, who has never been able to study the Vedas, who has never been able to worship the Lord--or, in other words, even one who has never done any pious activities--will become eligible to enter into the kingdom of God if he simply drinks the caranamrta which is kept in the temple. In the temple it is the custom that the caranamrta be kept in a big pot. The devotees who come to visit and offer respects to the Deity take three drops of caranamrta very submissively and feel themselves happy in transcendental bliss."

 

Nectar of Devotion, Chapter 9

 

Prasadam should be distributed to everyone who comes to see the Deities. The pujari may also distribute prasada garlands, flowers, candana and scents. In many temples, maha-prasadam (often breakfast sweets) is placed on a tray to the right of the altar (as you're facing it). Before taking carnamrta and prasada, purify your hand three times with water spooned from the pancha-patra.

 

 

The Deities will remain open for the morning, closing just before Raj-bhoga-arati.

 

 

Bhaktivedanta Book Trust. HDG A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada.

 

[Guest guest]

--- But where did the dots come from, and If not made of the stuff of the paper, what are they made of?***

 

I know what you're implying, it is an old trick. The usual argument that because there is nothing outside of Iswara, everything made from Him is substantially similar to Him, even if different otherwise! That's flawed reasoning even if it looks convicning at the outset.

 

The stone or the clod is unconscious even though it exists within the field of consciousness. there isn't any qualitative or quantitative similarity between consciousness (which pervades all and is the substratum even for the unconscious jada) and the unconscious jada whatsoever. There is only bheda. Consciousness is the stuff of which the jada is made, yet the jada is unconscious, it is the exact opposite of its source which is the supreme conscious entity, Iswara.

 

Likewise, everything may have its source in Iswara, and yet remain absolutely and eternally distinct from it. Don't conclude hastily that because everything is made of the 'stuff of god', everything has to be qualitatively (or in any way) similar to God.

[Guest guest]

I am not trying anything, I asked a sincere question. It is difficult for me to understand philosophy. /images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

>>> Likewise, everything may have its source in Iswara, and yet remain absolutely and eternally distinct from it. Don't conclude hastily that because everything is made of the 'stuff of god', everything has to be qualitatively (or in any way) similar to God.

 

--- That makes sense to me (I think), thanks kindly for the answer.

 

BTW I am not ISKCON-wallah. /images/graemlins/tongue.gif

[Guest guest]

why the need to take sannyas if you just want to humbly serve the Lord?***

 

because as long as you live in this world working for someone, raising children, buying things and so on, you will be *humbly* serving the world and NOT Krishna.

 

[Guest guest]

???

[Kulapavana]

"why the need to take sannyas if you just want to humbly serve the Lord?***

------------

because as long as you live in this world working for someone, raising children, buying things and so on, you will be *humbly* serving the world and NOT Krishna."

 

 

your ideas are completely bogus.

 

"The Nine Processes of Devotional Service

They are described by Prahlada Maharaja in the 7th Canto of the Srimad Bhagavatam as follows:

 

To hear about Sri Visnu's transcendental name, His form, His characteristics, His possessions and His pastimes and to hear and chant about His pastimes, to remember them, to serve the lotus feet of the Lord, to respectfully offer service to the Lord, to offer prayers to the Lord, to become His servant, to consider the Lord one's best friend and to offer Him everything-these nine processes are recognized as pure devotional service.

 

1. HEARING (sravanam)

Maharaja Pariksit(the last seven days of his life, he constantly heard the Srimad Bhagavatam).

 

2. CHANTING (kirtanam)

Sukadeva Goswami(spoke the Bhagavatam to Maharaja Pariksit)

 

3. REMEMBERING( visnu smaranam)

Prahlada Maharaja(never forgot Krsna despite constant tortures from his father- Hiranyakashipu)

 

4. SERVING THE LORD'S LOTUS FEET (pada sevanam)

Laxmi, the Goddess of Fortune, is always engaged in serving the lotus feet of the Lord.

 

5. DEITY-WORSHIP (arcanam)

Maharaja Prthu used all of his royal possessions in order to offer them in pure devotion to the Lord.

 

6.PRAYING (vandanam)

Akura offered prayers to Krsna when he was traveling to Vrndavana in order to see Krsna.

 

7. EXECUTING ORDERS (dasyam)

Hanuman, the intimate servant of Ramacandra executed all of Sri Ramacandra's orders despite all kinds of difficulties.

 

8. SERVING AS A FRIEND (sakhyam)

Arjuna was so close to Krsna, that the Lord offered Himself to become his chariot driver and serve Arjuna and his brothers in various ways.

 

9. COMPLETE SURRENDER (atma nivedanam)

Bali Maharaja gave Sri Vamanadeva his entire kingdom, his possessions as well as his own body, although his own spiritual master was against it."

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Bogus ideas? Tell me, how many of us can emulate Mahajans like Prahlad and Bali? Not many, in fact, not one. Prahlad was able to think of God even in times of crisis. We can't think of Him at all, because our minds are filled with worldly things.

 

To live in the world and yet keep consciousness on Krishna is possible only for the greatest souls. We have no chance. We ought to be humble and admit that. Most people who say sanyas isn't necessary aren't mahajans like Prahlad who live in the world and yet think of Krishan all the time. they are prolly hypocrites who rationalize their affinity for worldliness and aversion for renunciation.

[Gaea]

 

Not many, in fact, not one. Prahlad was able to think of God even in times of crisis. We can't think of Him at all, because our minds are filled with worldly things.

 

 

True, to an extent. So according to logic in your words, remove worldly things and let Krishna shine in your mind and heart.

 

 

To live in the world and yet keep consciousness on Krishna is possible only for the greatest souls

 

 

True, because if you can do this BY DEFINITION you are a great soul.

 

 

We have no chance.

 

 

With an attitude and outlook like that, you're right - you have no chance.

 

 

We ought to be humble and admit that.

 

 

Be humble, yes. Be negative and defeatist, no. I admit i don't love and serve Krsna the same way as Prahlad Maharaj, etc. but that doesn't mean i shouldn't aspire towards that. Otherwise, where is your inspiration? Where is your goal? Many people i know have set their personal goal to LOVE LOVE LOVE and they are a long way on that path. They are aspiring. They ackowledge they are not as great (yet) as some of the aforementioned personalities, but that doesn't deter them because they WANT to love more - so much desire for love and service for Krsna, no defeatism at all.

 

 

Most people who say sanyas isn't necessary aren't mahajans like Prahlad who live in the world and yet think of Krishan all the time.

 

 

That's an over-generalisation. As far as I know, Prahlad never took Sanyaas. Afterall, if everyone agreed that we must all take Sanyaas, wouldn't that mean the end of the human race?? - sorry, tongue-in-cheek comment.

 

 

they are prolly hypocrites who rationalize their affinity for worldliness and aversion for renunciation.

 

 

Again, an over-generalisation - not all feel/think like this. I can think of many great devotees that i know personally that have not taken Sanyaas but love and serve Krsna to such a great extent. Does Krsna care whther they want to renunciate or not? I don't think so... in my opinion.

[Kulapavana]

"To live in the world and yet keep consciousness on Krishna is possible only for the greatest souls. We have no chance. We ought to be humble and admit that. Most people who say sanyas isn't necessary aren't mahajans like Prahlad who live in the world and yet think of Krishan all the time. they are prolly hypocrites who rationalize their affinity for worldliness and aversion for renunciation."

 

and because we are so fallen we should accept sannyas? LOL! you ARE cueless...

 

I will tell you a "great secret": most people who accepted sannyas in the last 30 years did it for fame, profit and distinction. they wanted the life of social respect, travel, and no responsibility.

[krsna]

 

"To live in the world and yet keep consciousness on Krishna is possible only for the greatest souls. We have no chance. We ought to be humble and admit that. Most people who say sanyas isn't necessary aren't mahajans like Prahlad who live in the world and yet think of Krishan all the time. they are prolly hypocrites who rationalize their affinity for worldliness and aversion for renunciation."

 

and because we are so fallen we should accept sannyas? LOL! you ARE cueless...

 

I will tell you a "great secret": most people who accepted sannyas in the last 30 years did it for fame, profit and distinction. they wanted the life of social respect, travel, and no responsibility.

 

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=629 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD colSpan=3>over 50's should all take sannyasa or at least vanaprastha.

 

Any takers to the road of serious devotional service?

 

 

 

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

[Guruvani]

 

<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="629"><tbody><tr><td colspan="3">over 50's should all take sannyasa or at least vanaprastha.

 

Any takers to the road of serious devotional service?

 

 

</td></tr></tbody></table>

sorry, I am not interested in varnashrama stuff.

 

real renunciation is a lot more important than some formality and the change of costumes.

 

I don't need any costume to give up material illusions.

 

The costume might help others, but I don't care for it.

 

Mainly, the costume is for preachers which I am NOT.

 

When I take sannyasa it will be privately, quietly and without any costume party.

 

the costume party is not real sannyasa anyway.

 

Just give your life to the Holy Name.

That is the only renunciation you need.

 

We have enough clowns wearing the costume.

 

What we need now is some real ascetics.

 

anybody wanna join me in living in a straw hut and wearing real rags?

 

That would be easy for me after all I have been through.

[Laulyam]

Srimad Bhagavatam

tat te 'nukampam susamiksamano

bhunjana evatma-krtam vipakam

hrd-vag-vapurbhir vidhadhan namas te

jiveta yo mukti-pade sa daya bhak

 

Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.14.8) gives us a most hopeful suggestion for all stages of life: blame yourself and no one else. Maintain your appreciation for the Lord, seeing everything as His grace. At present we think our circumstances undesirable because they do not suit our present taste. But medicine may not always suit the taste of the patient. Still it is conducive to health. This verse is the highest type of regulation given by the sastra. If you can follow this law, then in no time you will have a very good position. We must be careful not to blame the circumstances, but to appreciate that Krsna is behind

everything. Krsna is my best friend; He is in the background of everything. Everything is passing through His attentive eyes. So therecannot be any defect there.

 

Even Srimati Radharani says, "He is not to blame. This long separation from Krsna is only the outcome of My fate. He should not blamed for this." Although outwardly it is admitted by all that He had cruelly left the gopis, Radharani is not prepared to blame Krsna. "No wrong can be found in Him," She thinks. "There must be something wrong in Me which has brought about this unfortunate situation." The competition between the groups of gopis in the service of Krsna is also harmonized in this way by Radharani. Krsnadasa Kaviraja Goswami has explained this most important point. According to him, it is not that Radharani does not like any other party to serve Krsna in competition with Her, but She feels that they cannot satisfy Krsna as well as She can. And this should be noted very carefully. She knows that they cannot give proper satisfaction to Krsna, so She cannot appreciate their trying to take Her place. That is Her contention. She thinks, "If they could serve Krsna well and fully satisfy Him, I would have no complaint. But they can't. And still, aggressively they come to serve? I can't tolerate this."

 

The Brahmin Leper

Kaviraja Goswami has cited as an example of this sort of devotion a historical reference from the Puranas. There was once a chaste wife whose brahmana husband was a leper. She always tried her best to serve Him. One day, while she was bathing her husband at a holy river, he became infatuated with the extraordinary beauty of a prostitute by the name Laksahira. Her name indicated that she

possessed the luster and beauty of a hundred thousand diamonds. The leper brahmana was irresistibly charmed by her. Upon returning home, his chaste wife detected some dissatisfaction within her husband, and inquired, "Why are you so unhappy?" Her husband replied, "I felt some attraction for the beauty of that prostitute. And I can't take my mind off her.Oh. You want her?" "Yes. I do.Then I shall try to make the arrangement."

 

Then, because she was poor, the chaste lady, although a qualified brahmana, began to go to the house of the prostitute every day and work as a maidservant. Although she was aristocratic by birth, she accepted the work of a maidservant without any remuneration. And she did her duties so diligently that she attracted the attention of the prostitute, the mistress of the house, who began to inquire. "Who cleans everything so neatly and beautifully?" And she came to know that a brahmana lady was coming every morning and performing many menial tasks. The other attendants said, "We tried to stop her, but she would not hear of it. She wants to meet you." The mistress replied, "All right. Tomorrow, you may bring her to me." Then, the next morning, when she was taken to the prostitute, the brahmana lady expressed her inner motive. "My husband is so attracted to you that it is my desire that you may satisfy him. It is my concern as his devout wife that he be satisfied, and this is his aspiration. So I want to see him happy." Then the prostitute understood everything and said, "Yes. Bring him tomorrow. I invite both of you to dine in my house."

 

This was intimated to the brahmana and the following day they came. Many dishes were prepared fitting the occasion. Two entrees were served. One was prasadam on a plantain leaf accompanied by Ganges water in an earthen pot - all pure vegetarian food. Side by side with that in gold and silver pots were so many meats and rich dishes. They were served with a very nice table arrangement and sitting places. Of the two kinds of foodstuffs, one was sattvik, pure, and the other was rajasik, filled with passion. Then, with folded palms, the prostitute invited the brahmana and his wife and indicated, "This is bhagavataprasadam, and those are rich dishes prepared with meat. Whichever you like you may take at your sweet will."Immediately the leper brahmana chose the prasadam, and began to take his meal. After he had finished taking prasadam, the prostitute said, "Your wife is like this prasadam - sattvik - and all these rajasik things - meat, rich dishes, gold, silver - this is like me. I am so low and your wife is the purest of the pure. Your real taste is for this sattvik prasadam. Externally, the meat is very gorgeous, but internally it is very impure, filthy. And therefore you are repulsed by it. So why have you come here to me?"

 

Then the brahmana came to his senses. "Yes, I am wrong. God has sent a message to me through you. My fleeting desire has ended and now I am satisfied. You are my guru!" Kaviraja Goswami has quoted this in the Caitanya-caritamrta. The chaste lady went to serve the prostitute. Why? For the satisfaction of her husband. So Radharani says, "I am ready to serve those in the opposition camp, if they can really satisfy My Lord. I am completely ready to serve them if they can really satisfy Krsna. But they can't. Yet still they have some demand. But I differ on that point. It is not that I am concerned that My share is being lessened. That is not My attitude. Whenever any unfavorable circumstances come, I think it is always coming from within Me (durdaiva vilasa); I don't find anything corrupt to be traced outside." That should be the attitude of a true devotee of Krsna. With this attitude, we shall be able to see within ourselves that everything is ultimately part of the absolute good. Although it is not very easy, still,our energy should be devoted only to collect good will from external circumstances. In this way we should take care to see things in such away as to purify our own position.

 

Deep Vision Reality

And so, we are encouraged by Srimad-Bhagavatam to look deeper.We must try to look deeper and then we will find our friend; if we are liberal in our attitude towards the environment, we cannot but come in connection with the plane which is really liberal. That is Krsna consciousness in its ultimate reach. If we look deeply into reality with this sort of vision, we will find our real home. Prahlada boldly met all adverse circumstances and ultimately he was victorious. The calculation of Prahlada's demonic father about the environment was falsified, but Prahlada's deeper vision saw reality correctly. He saw that Krsna is everywhere. And Krsna consciousness is commanding the whole. So we must not allow ourselves to be discouraged under any circumstances, however acute they may apparently seem to us. Krsna is there. As much as the circumstances appear to oppose us, it is really not so. If only we can develop the right vision, the smiling face of the Lord will appear from behind the screen. That is Krsna consciousness. Krsna is beautiful, and He is eagerly awaiting to accept our services.

 

God And His Men

Our inner wealth can be discovered only by the help of sadhu, guru, and scripture. Our vision should be that it is all nectar, but we have drawn a screen between the nectar and ourselves and are tasting poison, thinking that it is very useful. On the whole, we must think that no blame is to be put on others, and it is actually the truth. We are responsible for our disgrace, our fallen condition. And the path to self-improvement is also similar: we must learn to critique ourselves and appreciate the environment. Our appreciation should especially be for Krsna and His devotees, and then gradually everyone else. He has not given anyone the authority to harm us. If it appears that way, it is only superficial and misleading. That anyone can do harm to anyone else is misleading. It is only true on the superficial plane. Of course, this does not condone harming others or ignoring oppression, but from the absolute standpoint there is no harm. When we reach the highest stage of devotion, we shall see that everything is friendly and that our apprehension was wrong. It was a misconception.

 

Misconception: maya means "what is not" (mriyate anaya). When everything is measured from the standpoint of selfishness and not the universal interest - that is the cause of all our troubles. We must gradually realize, "My angle of vision was guided by selfish, not absolute, consideration. So I am suffering. But now I have come to understand that my interest is included in the absolute interest."

To parody an old saying, "A bad workman quarrels with his stools." According to our karma we produce the environment. What I am blaming was produced by my own karma. When I take food, stool

comes as a natural reaction. It would be foolish to blame the stool for appearing. It is the effect of my having eaten. In the same way, I have acted in different ways, and the karmic result is my present

environment. So to quarrel with the reaction to our own misdeeds is a useless waste of energy.

 

The advice of Srimad-Bhagavatam should be our guiding principle under all circumstances. Whatever is coming to us is under His sanction, under His eye, so it cannot but be good. Everything is

perfect. The only imperfection is within us, and therefore we should try with all our energy to do our duty. In no time, we shall find ourselves released from all troubles. That is the key advice of the

Srimad-Bhagavatam.

[Guest guest]

 

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=629 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD colSpan=3>over 50's should all take sannyasa or at least vanaprastha.

 

Any takers to the road of serious devotional service?

 

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

 

You can perform serious devotional service as a householder too. You just have to be... serious

 

Why all the fuss about walking around in saffron? Fame, profit. and prestige? In most cases - that is exactly the motivation, at least initially. If you dont fall down, you may eventually be purified