• You are but a dust in this enormous creation.
  Nonetheless, you are the best, for,
  you can turn your vision inward and rest!
   
• The Vedas say perform karma all through your lifetime. So, the 'karma' supporters would quote these words of the Vedas and say that if one fails to perform the karmas he would end up in hell. But how does Ãdi Sankara elucidate this? "'Lifetime' here does not mean 'till death' - it means till you desire to enjoy life! If you nourish desires for worldly matters, well, then perform karmas as prescribed by the Scriptures. However, if you are in the quest of the Lord give up everything - all karmas - and work towards the end purpose of Life." Hence, Chant the Divine Name. Chant the Mahãmantra
  "Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare!
  Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare!" all the time.
   
• In Bhakti it is said, 'the mind is like a dense forest containing all sorts of bushes, plants and trees. Remove all the unwanted bushes, plants, trees and the weeds and make it a forest of the Holy Tulasi or the Holy Bilwa.' Well! How do you go about it? Verily through the chanting of the Divine Name - the Mahãmantra "Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare!
  Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare!"
   
• People seek the astrologer to know about their future. Why go to an astrologer? If your behaviour now were good your future would be good. If your behavior were righteous now then your future would surely reflect it. It is as simple as this. Why seek the astrologer for this!
   
• We may donate huge funds to Temples, Ashrams, do 'Archana', lecture on relgion/spiritual matters, organize lectures, etc. but have we ever shed two drops of tears for attaining the Lord? We weep for so many things - men and matter lost or destroyed. But have we ever done so for attaining the Lord?
   
• Even God cannot show you Jnãna. Only a Guru can. Bhakta Nãmdev's story illustrates this.
   
• Listening to the life history ('charitra') of a Jnãni bestows the same fruit as listening to Vedanta. The Advaita Text, Devi Kãlotram, says finally, 'spot a Jnãni who is verily the Lord and serve him with deep love. Offer him the sweet-smelling sandal paste, tasty fruits, fragrant flowers, odorous smoke incense, sweet smelling water to bathe, clothing and tasty food with the heart melting with love. One's mind, word and deed should all be in it together. If one could do this he would attain Liberation.' One may be with and serve a Jnãni, go to His presence without knowing him to be a Jnãni. It would still bestow good on him. Nonetheless, reverence, love and sincerity of service are born in you when you are with him, go to his presence or serve him with the knowledge that he is a Jnãni.
  Before reading the life history (charitra) of a Jnãni we should first of all know what a great being he is. It makes a lot of difference when the Jnãni's life history is read with such awareness. The Bhãgavatam means only this. Suka desires only to narrate the life of Krishna to Parikshit. However, Suka does not begin the Bhãgavatam right away with the life of Krishna. The life of Krishna is spoken only in the tenth Canto that is called 'Ãsrayam' - asylum. There are nine Cantos before it and in them Suka narrates the life histories of Dhruva, Prahlãd, Rishaba, Jada Bharata, Ajãmila, Gajendra and innumerable Maharishis. Why does he do so? Suka is preparing Parikshit to listen to the life history of the Jnãni, Lord Krishna -'Oh, Parikshit! I am going to narrate to you the life of that Supreme Being whom Dhruva, as a child, sought to attain through his dhyana; who Jada Bharata sought to attain sacrificing his kingdom and all, carrying the palanquin of a king, etc.; who Prahlãd sought in spite of the harassment by his father; who the worst sinner Ajãmila attained by the grace of that Divine Name; who the great Rishaba yogi, wandering in the forests of Karnataka, desired. Well! I am going to narrate to you the life of that great one. Jivan Mukta of all Jivan Muktãs! The charitra of such a one are you going to hear now.'
   
• Maya! What is Maya? Though everything in our life is predetermined we still wonder about and plan it! That is verily Maya.
   
• It was Jaya-Vijaya the doorkeepers at Sri Vaikunta who were born on earth as the brothers Hiranyãksha and Hiranyakasippu. They are verily the ignorant ('ajnanis'). It is verily Maya that are the Lord's guards blocking our view of the Lord!
  Hiranyakasippu seeks a boon from Lord Brahma for everlasting life. Brahma blesses this Maya -ego 'I' - represented by Hirayakasippu that it cannot be destroyed - neither in daytime nor at night; neither 'in' nor 'out'; nor by any of his creations. What does Hiranyakasippu demand? Worship me! The ego says, 'satisfy me'! One needs great power to destroy this ego. The Lion's nature is very powerful. So, the Lord takes the form of a man-lion (Nrisimha) to destroy Hiranyakasippu, the ego! The 'I' jumps about trying to destroy divinity. However, finally it is destroyed.
   
• People pity or sympathize with one who takes to (true) ascetic life. They fear when someone in the family desires to take up the life of a renunciate. Oh, Fool! Why do you feel so? He is going to enjoy greater happiness, real happiness. Why sympathize with him? Anything of the world cannot give everlasting happiness. I can tell you that. Whatever you achieve here will change. Destroying the ego and being in the Self, as Self is the highest joy. So, why should you fear or feel sad for him who moves towards attaining it?
   
• How do you measure your progress in the spiritual path? Not through the divine visions but through the level of your detachment to worldly matters.
   

Home • e-MM • Contact

Radhe Krishna