Sunday, June 29, 2014

Vaishnava Dealings: How to never be affected by the three fold miseries of the world

When Narada Muni sees Dhruva feeling insulted by the sharp words of his step mother, he instructs him in the aspect of tolerance and relationships in the following way:

  1. SB 4.8.28: My dear Dhruva, if you feel that your sense of honor has been insulted, you still have no cause for dissatisfaction. This kind of dissatisfaction is another feature of the illusory energy; every living entity is controlled by his previous actions, and therefore there are different varieties of life for enjoying or suffering.
    1. Purport 4.8.28: Nārada Ṛṣi first of all wanted to impress upon Dhruva Mahārāja that he was only a child; he should not have been affected by words of insult or honor. And if he were so developed as to understand honor and insult, then this understanding should have been applied in his own life. He should have known that honor and dishonor are both destined only by one’s previous actions; therefore one should not be sorry or happy under any circumstances.
    2. Purport 4.8.27: Ordinarily if a child is rebuked as a rascal or fool, he smiles and does not take such insulting words very seriously. Similarly, if words of honor are offered, he does not appreciate them. But in the case of Dhruva Mahārāja, the kṣatriyaspirit was so strong that he could not tolerate a slight insult from his stepmother which injured his kṣatriya prestige.
  2. Purport 4.8.29 Essence: 
    1.  Everyone who is intelligent should know that because of our concept of bodily existence, we are subjected to suffering and enjoyment. One who is in the transcendental position, beyond the concept of bodily life, is considered to be intelligent.
  3. SB 4.8.33: "One should try to keep himself satisfied in any condition of life — whether distress or happiness — which is offered by the supreme will. A person who endures in this way is able to cross over the darkness of nescience very easily."
    1. Purport 4.8.33: Instead of being attached to the circumstantial happiness and distress resulting from pious or impious activities, if we want to get out of the clutches of this nescience, then whatever position we are put in by the will of the Lord we should accept. Thus if we simply surrender unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, we shall get out of the clutches of this material existence.
  4. SB 4.8.34: Every man should act like this: when he meets a person more qualified than himself, he should be very pleased; when he meets someone less qualified than himself, he should be compassionate toward him; and when he meets someone equal to himself, he should make friendship with him. In this way one is never affected by the threefold miseries of this material world.
    1. PurportGenerally when we find someone more qualified than
      ourselves, we become envious of him; when we find someone less qualified, we deride him; and when we find someone equal we become very proud of our activities. These are the causes of all material tribulations. 
    2. The great sage Nārada therefore advised that a devotee should act perfectly. Instead of being envious of a more qualified man, one should be jolly to receive him.
    3.  Instead of being oppressive to a less qualified man, one should be compassionate toward him just to raise him to the proper standard.
    4.  And when one meets an equal, instead of being proud of one’s own activities before him, one should treat him as a friend. 
    5. One should also have compassion for the people in general, who are suffering due to forgetfulness of Kṛṣṇa. These important functions will make one happy within this material world.


Friday, June 27, 2014

Forgiveness: The Ornament of a Vaishnava

SB 4.6.48 :My dear lord, if in some places materialists, who are already bewildered by the insurmountable illusory energy of the Supreme Godhead, sometimes commit offenses, a saintly person, with compassion, does not take this seriously. Knowing that they commit offenses because they are overpowered by the illusory energy, he does not show his prowess to counteract them.

  1. It is said that the beauty of a tapasvī, or saintly person, is forgiveness.
  2. A Vaiṣṇava is personally tolerant for the benefit of others. When he does not show his prowess, this does not mean that he is lacking in strength; rather, it indicates that he is tolerant for the welfare of the entire human society.
SB 4.6.49 :My dear lord, you are never bewildered by the formidable influence of the illusory energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore you are omniscient and should be merciful and compassionate toward those who are bewildered by the same illusory energy and are very much attached to fruitive activities.
  1. A Vaiṣṇava is never bewildered by the influence of the external energy because he is engaged in the transcendental loving service of the Lord.
  2. A Vaiṣṇava should take care of those who are bewildered by this māyā instead of becoming angry with them, because without a Vaiṣṇava’s mercy they have no way to get out of the clutches of māyā. Those who have been condemned by māyā are rescued by the mercy of devotees:

Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Ten topics of Srimad Bhagavatam

From Hg Gauranga Prabhu's lecture:


Sthanam:
3rd topic of SB.

  • Defn: sthitir vikuntha vijaya- right situation for the jivas to obey the laws of the Lord. Original creator and maintainer is Lord Vishnu. Creation comes into being it is the duty of the jivas to acknowledge the victory of the Lord in all situations.
  • It means- soul has desires- sthanam means when the soul starts desiring to perform activities which will take him back to Godhead- the right position, the Lord is always protecting His devotees- sthitih- this protection of the Lord for His devotees is vaikuntha vijayah - that means the excellences/vijayah of the Lord of Vaikuntha. That means every jiva in the material world has to ultimately go to the spiritual world- how he will go is only based on the help which the Lord provides.
  • vaikuntha vijay :means the Lord destroys the sufferings of the jivas . So the Lord is always wanting to protect the jivas in different ways - 3,4,5 cantos this aspect is highlighted of sthanam- protection which is offered by the Lord- if we simply express a desire to the Lord the Lord can offer appropriate protection.
  • 3rd canto Kapila explains Bhakti in the modes of goodness, passion and ignorance. Based on that 4th canto first pastime- daksha prajapati second pastime is Dhruva third is Prthu . What the Lord can give no one can give(Dhruva Maharaja's pastime)

Earth --> Heavenly Planets-->Universe where the Lord's pastimes are going on--> Goloka Vrindavan

SB 10.1.23 The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, who has full potency, will personally appear as the son of Vasudeva. Therefore ...