ragababa Posted October 23, 2005 Report Share Posted October 23, 2005 I don't like this miserable material life and I know that I'm not this body, but spirit soul. I have heard the Krishna lilas with the gopis and I want to become a gopi instead of sense enjoyer like I am now. How to do this? Also, can the ISKCON people help me do this? Sometimes I think that they are mostly jnanis that always talk about how low the karmis are but don't have any realization about vraja-bhakti. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bhakta Don Muntean Posted October 23, 2005 Report Share Posted October 23, 2005 You wish to jump to the top - it ain't done like that - if you're down on learning - then how can you reach the level you seek - sounds like you are not going in the right direction already. You would only imitate at this point - not emulate - so why you're down on jnanis - that IS the starting point for everyone... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 23, 2005 Report Share Posted October 23, 2005 my advice- internet forums (specifically this one) are not the best place to find out about these things. sorry. I can't tell you a good place online. Best pray to lord Krishna to help you, study the writings of the goswamis, and try to go to braj to find someone to direct you in spiritual life. good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 23, 2005 Report Share Posted October 23, 2005 >>> You wish to jump to the top - it ain't done like that --- remembering the saying of prabhupad- you are not qualified to be a judge. But if you want a position of a judge, you have to go to law school. You cannot go to chef's school and expect to end up with a position on supreme court. take it for what it is and follow your lobh. that's all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bhakta Don Muntean Posted October 23, 2005 Report Share Posted October 23, 2005 Why are you telling me this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jahnava Nitai Das Posted October 23, 2005 Report Share Posted October 23, 2005 To develop prema we have to hear from a prema bhakta. Start by hearing the lectures of Gour Govinda Swami Maharaja and see if they inspire you. It's a long journey to get to the sun, but it's easy for us to point our finger and say "there is the sun, that direction". Getting there is the tough part. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krsna Posted October 23, 2005 Report Share Posted October 23, 2005 http://www.indiadivine.org/gaura-govinda-swami-prema-bhakti1.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 24, 2005 Report Share Posted October 24, 2005 hear hari katha. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 24, 2005 Report Share Posted October 24, 2005 try to learn the mood of the gopis if you are so inclined and think to be one. better yet follow the examples of His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada and learn to be a Vaisnava rather than sahajya or Vaisnavera praya(means almost like Vaisnava) so many unscrupulous persons become like the gopis only to cheat others; so why the big rush to become a gopi ? better as is sugessted in sastra to become servant of the servant of the servants of Krsna. that doesnt mean you gotta become a gopi in order to do so,rather learn to become a gopijana ! it is better to serve than be served Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thesupreme Posted November 30, 2007 Report Share Posted November 30, 2007 Read a book which gives you information on Krishna's life. There you'll find information on his association with Gopis that he had while his stay in Vraj. Gopi - is synonym of love for Krishna, who ran in midnight wearing nothing in their feet, just listening the flute played by Krishna. Gopi is synonym of crazyness for Krishna, not madness. And Radha stands on top. There is much more on Gopi that can be discussed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melvin Posted November 30, 2007 Report Share Posted November 30, 2007 Be like Narada Muni who wanted to become a gopi so he could be with Krsna in Govardhana. His wish was granted. Narada Muni stayed there as a gopi during that brief lifetime free from the curse of not being able to stay in one place. Source: www.vaisnava.cz/clanek_en.php3?no=186 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shakti-Fan Posted November 30, 2007 Report Share Posted November 30, 2007 Badger, California: May 14, 2003 (evening) Tridandisvami Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja Prahlada and Srila Sarasvati Thakura Prabhupada There are so many more teachings and glorifications of Sri Prahlada Maharaja, and that is why Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura Prabhupada said that everyone should read about the life of Prahlada at least 108 times. He personally also gave at least 108 lectures about Prahlada. If you really want to be happy, don't try to gallop over Prahlada Maharaja to be in Vrndavana. Don't be mad for "goopi-prema." First be like Prahlada, gradually be like Hanuman, then the Pandavas, then Uddhava and then any servant of the gopas and gopis. You cannot attain gopi-prema before doing this. Try to follow all the instructions of Prahlada: sravanam kirtanam visnoh smaranam pada-sevanam arcanam vandanam dasyam sakhyam atma-nivedanam ["Hearing and chanting about the transcendental holy name, form, qualities, paraphernalia and pastimes of Lord Vishnu, remembering them, serving the lotus feet of the Lord, offering the Lord respectful worship with sixteen types of paraphernalia, offering prayers to the Lord, becoming His servant, considering the Lord one's best friend and surrendering everything unto Him (in other words, serving Him with body, mind and words) -- these nine processes are accepted as pure devotional service." (SB 7.5.23)] Try to follow Prahlada, and also follow your Guru. Don’t disobey him. Always perform visrambhena gurau-seva, intimate service to Gurudeva. Follow all the instructions of the Gosvamis and be happy forever. My benediction to you: Today I will pray to Lord Krsna and Lord Nrsimhadeva for you all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melvin Posted November 30, 2007 Report Share Posted November 30, 2007 Prahlada Maharaj`s spiritual master is Narada Muni. The boy Prahlad worshipped Krsna because of Narada Muni instead of his father, Hiranyakasipu. Prahlada Maharaj`s granson is Bali Maharaj, a demon. & yet Bali was liberated from the clutches of maya after he awarded Vamanadeva from his kingdom a land only 3 steps in size. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beggar Posted November 30, 2007 Report Share Posted November 30, 2007 Prahlada Maharaj`s spiritual master is Narada Muni. The boy Prahlad worshipped Krsna because of Narada Muni instead of his father, Hiranyakasipu.Prahlada Maharaj`s granson is Bali Maharaj, a demon. & yet Bali was liberated from the clutches of maya after he awarded Vamanadeva from his kingdom a land only 3 steps in size. Prahlada Maharaja was a devotee, then his son Vironcana was a demon, then Bali Maharaja was a devotee. Srila Sridhar Maharaja gives this as an example of how the line of truth moves in zig zag way, jumping over generations. The same thing can be true of generations in a diksa guru line. That is why the Gaudiya Saraswat line follows the siksa (or Bhagavat) guru paramapara. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redsox Posted November 30, 2007 Report Share Posted November 30, 2007 Isn't "Being a gopi" symbolic representation of complete surrender? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bhaktajan Posted November 30, 2007 Report Share Posted November 30, 2007 Mother Hara helps the devotee achieve the Lord Father’s grace If you want to become a gopi then you must first proclaim it then, keep it to yourself [once desired it may not be retractable] Best welwishes in reviving your svarupa with Sri Krishna. Remember that before calling out Krsna's name one must first call out Srimati Radharani's name. Mother Vishaka et al must allow you passage and also apprenticeship as a Gopi's Gopi (sakhi) must be pursued inorder to please Radha's own maid servants. So the Hare Krishna Maha-mantra is the vehicle that allows you to start the journey back to the eternal associates of Old Vrindavan dhama—know how, where, when, and to whom you're crying out to when you chant the maha-mantra and the gopis will plead for your position to be re-instated. ever the optimistic wellwisher, bhaktajan ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………. Srila Prabhupada explains how to become a gopi: "The transcendental vibration established by the chanting of Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare, is the sublime method for reviving our transcendental consciousness. As living spiritual souls, we are all originally Krsna conscious entities, but due to our association with matter from time immemorial, our consciousness is now adulterated by the material atmosphere. The material atmosphere, in which we are now living, is called maya, or illusion. Maya means that which is not. And what is this illusion? The illusion is that we are all trying to be lords of material nature, while actually we are under the grip of her stringent laws. When a servant artificially tries to imitate the all-powerful master, it is called illusion. We are trying to exploit the resources of material nature, but actually we are becoming more and more entangled in her complexities. Therefore, although we are engaged in a hard struggle to conquer nature, we are ever more dependent on her. This illusory struggle against material nature can be stopped at once by revival of our eternal Krsna consciousness. Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare is the transcendental process for reviving this original pure consciousness. By chanting this transcendental vibration, we can cleanse away all misgivings within our hearts. The basic principle of all such misgivings is the false consciousness that I am the lord of all I survey. Krsna consciousness is not an artificial imposition on the mind. This consciousness is the original natural energy of the living entity. When we hear the transcendental vibration, this consciousness is revived. This simplest method of meditation is recommended for this age. By practical experience also, one can perceive that by chanting this maha-mantra, or the Great Chanting for Deliverance, one can at once feel a transcendental ecstasy coming through from the spiritual stratum. In the material concept of life we are busy in the matter of sense gratification as if we were in the lower animal stage. A little elevated from this status of sense gratification, one is engaged in mental speculation for the purpose of getting out of the material clutches. A little elevated from this speculative status, when one is intelligent enough, one tries to find out the supreme cause of all causes—within and without. And when one is factually on the plane of spiritual understanding, surpassing the stages of sense, mind and intelligence, he is then on the transcendental plane. This chanting of the Hare Krsna mantra is enacted from the spiritual platform, and thus this sound vibration surpasses all lower strata of consciousness—namely sensual, mental and intellectual. There is no need, therefore, to understand the language of the mantra, nor is there any need for mental speculation nor any intellectual adjustment for chanting this maha-mantra. It is automatic, from the spiritual platform, and as such, anyone can take part in vibrating this transcendental sound without any previous qualification. In a more advanced stage, of course, one is not expected to commit offenses on grounds of spiritual understanding. In the beginning, there may not be the presence of all transcendental ecstasies, which are eight in number. These are: (1) Being stopped as though dumb, (2) perspiration, (3) standing up of hairs on the body, (4) dislocation of voice, (5) trembling, (6) fading of the body, (7) crying in ecstasy, and (8) trance. But there is no doubt that chanting for a while takes one immediately to the spiritual platform, and one shows the first symptom of this in the urge to dance along with the chanting of the mantra. We have seen this practically. Even a child can take part in the chanting and dancing. Of course, for one who is too entangled in material life, it takes a little more time to come to the standard point, but even such a materially engrossed man is raised to the spiritual platform very quickly. When it is chanted by a pure devotee of the Lord in love, it has the greatest efficacy on hearers, and as such this chanting should be heard from the lips of a pure devotee of the Lord, so that immediate effects can be achieved. As far as possible, chanting from the lips of nondevotees should be avoided. Milk touched by the lips of a serpent has poisonous effects. The word Hara is the form of addressing the energy of the Lord, and the words Krsna and Rama are forms of addressing the Lord Himself. Both Krsna and Rama mean the supreme pleasure, and Hara is the supreme pleasure energy of the Lord, changed to Hare (Hah-ray) in the vocative. The supreme pleasure energy of the Lord helps us to reach the Lord. The material energy, called maya, is also one of the multi-energies of the Lord. And we the living entities are also the energy, marginal energy, of the Lord. The living entities are described as superior to material energy. When the superior energy is in contact with the inferior energy, an incompatible situation arises; but when the superior marginal energy is in contact with the superior energy, called Hara, it is established in its happy, normal condition. These three words, namely Hara, Krsna and Rama, are the transcendental seeds of the maha-mantra. The chanting is a spiritual call for the Lord and His energy, to give protection to the conditioned soul. This chanting is exactly like the genuine cry of a child for its mother’s presence. Mother Hara helps the devotee achieve the Lord Father’s grace, and the Lord reveals Himself to the devotee who chants this mantra sincerely. No other means of spiritual realization is as effective in this age of quarrel and hypocrisy as the maha-mantra: Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mahak Posted November 30, 2007 Report Share Posted November 30, 2007 start with a silk sari and a nose ring. And ya gotta know how to milk a cow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melvin Posted November 30, 2007 Report Share Posted November 30, 2007 If you want to be a gopi. You should know how to massage the tired legs of Krsna. Hehehe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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