hare krishna

That is so beautiful. I love Mira...her story is amazing.

 

"That is so beautiful. I love Mira...her story is amazing."
...............From SGB.
Hare Krishna!

Dear Nicole,

Truly Mirabai's life story is beautiful and amazing. Her love for Krishna knew no bounds. How such love grows or comes to one is a very big question. Probably this is what we call 'Prarabdha Samskar'(Culture developed or acquired over the past births) and we believe in rebirth. We can also say that she was born in the last millenium just as an avatar to show and tell us about true love or prem for Krishna or God.

We, ordinary folks, always tend to justify Lord Jesus, Krishna , Buddha and all other saints by their talks and deeds and we always love to raise questions.... why did He do this?, why did He do that?, why did He say like this?, why did He say like that.....why, why and why...endless questions! After that if we are satisfied with one of them then we say we like Him and we love Him. But we forget that our love in this case start with vichar and questions, so our love remains unstable at all times, sometimes it is less and sometimes it is more. This is called "Falling in love". I say, you fall in this type of love.

Mira's love was inborn, she had no doubts, no questions and no vichar. She looked up at the Lord with all her being inundated with love. Here she could never fall, only Krishna could fall in that inundation and He fell into it.

I only pray crying that we get at least some splash of that God-obliging love. That is the only invisible rope by which He can be pulled and be made visible.

Love ,

Kumar.

 

Me too, my dear friend, me too.

 

I am reminded of a beautiful song from the movie Narsi Bhagat...

Darashan Do Ghanashyam Nath Mori, A.Nkhiya.N Pyasi Re

Oh Dark Skinned Lord, come before me, my eyes thirst for you


Ma.Ndir Ma.Ndir Murat Teri
Phir Bhi Naa Dikhe Surat Teri
Yug Bite Na Ai Milan Ki
Puranamasi Re ...

Every temple has idols of you
but I still havent seen your face
yugas have passed yet
the hour of union hasn't come.

Dvar Daya Ka Jab Tu Khole
Pa.Ncham Sur Me.N Gu.Nga Bole
A.Ndha Dekhe La.Nga.Da Bhaage
Pahu.Nche Kasi Re ...

When you open the gates of your Grace
Even a mute's voice rings out in the fifth note
the blind sees, the cripple runs
and reaches Kasi...

Pani Pi Kar Pyas Bujhau.N
Naino.N Ko Kaise Samajhau.N
A.Nkh Michauli Chho.Do Ab
Man Ke Basi Re ...


I drink water to douse my thirst
but how can I pacify my eyes?
Do stop this game of hide-and-seek
O Mind-Dweller...

Niba.Rl Ke Bal Dhan Nidha.Rn Ke
Tum Rakh Vale Bhakt Jano.N Ke
Tere Bhajan Me.N Sab Sukh Pau.N
Mite Udasi Re ...

You are the strength of the weak and the wealth of the poor
you look after all devotees
in singing your glories I will gain all joy
sorrows will be wiped out.

Nam Jape Par Tujhe Na Jane
Unako Bhi Tu Apana Mane
Terii Daya Ka A.Nt Nahi.N Hai
He Dukh Nashi Re ...

Even those who repeat your name without knowing you
you take as one of your own.
There is no limit to your Grace
O Destroyer of Sorrow...

Aj Phaisala Tere Dvar Par
Meri Jit Hai Teri Har Par
Har Jit Hai Teri Mai.N To
Charan Upasi Re ...

Today there is a showdown at your gates
My victory is on your loss (the word har could mean both loss and garland)
In victory and loss I am but
a worshipper of your feet.

Dvar Kha.Da Kab Se Matavala
Ma.Nge Tum Se Har Tumhari
Narasi Ki Ye Binati Sunalo
Bhakt Vilasi Re ...

For so long I have stood at your gates
I ask you for your garland
Listen to this plea from Narsi (the poet's name)
O home of all devotees...

Laj Na Lut Jaye Prabhu Teri
Nath Karo Na Daya Me.N Deri
Tin Lok Chho.D Kar Ao
Ga.Nga Nivasi Re ...

Lord, may you not be shamed
Don't delay in showing your Grace
Leave the 3 worlds and come
O Ganga Dweller...

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

This song always moves me so much. You can hear an mp3 of it at http://www.musicindiaonline.com/l/17/s/movie_name.1457/

 

Since it's poetry time still, I couldn't let it pass without including something from the master bard himself.


Sonnet CXLIV(146).

Poor soul, the centre of my sinful earth,
Fooled by these rebel powers that thee array;
Why dost thou pine within and suffer dearth,
Painting thy outward walls so costly gay?
Why so large cost, having so short a lease,
Dost thou upon thy fading mansion spend?
Shall worms, inheritors of this excess,
Eat up thy charge? is this thy body's end?
Then soul, live thou upon thy servant's loss,
And let that pine to aggravate thy store;
Buy terms divine in selling hours of dross;
Within be fed, without be rich no more:
So shalt thou feed on Death, that feeds on men,
And Death once dead, there's no more dying then.

William Shakespeare.

 

Dear BBB and Bhaskar,

Thanks for the wonderful two pieces.


Love,
kumar

 

A very good quote:

"Men may partition their lands by measuring rods and boundary lines, but no one can so partition the all-embracing sky overhead. The sky surrounds all and includes all. So the unenlightened man in his ignorance says that his religion is the only true one and that it is the best. But when his heart is illumined by the light of true knowledge, he comes to know that above all these wars of secand creeds is the one Existance-Knowledge-Bliss"- Sayings of Ramakrishna No. 474
---
Or two:

"A man wanted to cross a river. A sage gave him an amulet and said, "This will carry you across." The man, taking it in his hand, began to walk over the water. Before he had gone half the way, he seized with curiosity, and opened the amulet to see what what was in it. Therein he found, written on a piece of paper, the sacred name of Rama, the Lord. At this the man said depreciatingly, "Is this the whole secret?" No sooner did this scepticism enter his mind than he sand down. It is faith in the name of the Lord that works wonders; for faith is life and want of faith is death."- Sayings of Sri Ramakrishna, no. 506

 

Hare Krishna!

Dear Nicole,

Thank you for those two gems from Thakur Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa.
Please read such unique teachings more and give them to all of us through the pages of the Hipforums, Philosophy and Religion threads. This is one of the best services that you can offer to your beloved God. No doubt about that.

Love,

Kumar.

 

Hare Krishna!

Dear ChiefCowPie,

Where are you ? Please come back soon. You are being missed by all of us here.

Pray for your well-being.

Love,

Kumar.

 

More quotes:

"We are responsible for what we are, and whatever we wish ourselves to be, we have" the power to make ourselves. If what we are now has been the result of our own past actions, it certainly follows that whatever we wish to be in the future can be produced by our present actions; so we have to know how to act."~Swami Vivekananda

"Removing the incurable cancer called hatred
Reveals one's undying, undiminishing radiance.

The destruction of hatred, that sorrow of sorrows,
Yields to man the joy of joys. " -Tirukkural 86: 853-54

 

Hare Krishna!

Dear Nicole,

Those are wonderful. Thank you for the beautiful quotes.

Love,

Kumar.

 

No problem...they are from this cute little book I found in the library one day when I was browsing called The Wisdom of Hinduism

"The soul is without beginning and without end. Immersed in one's Soul one should move and act without giving way to wrath, without giving in to joy, and always free from envy. Cutting the knots in one's heart one should live happily without giving way to grief and with one's doubts dispelled."- Mahabharata XII 149

 

Hare Krishna!

Dear SGB,

That's beautiful, thank you.

Love,
Kumar.

 

Hare Krishna!

Dear all ,

Here are a few conversations(Questions and answers) between the devotees and the great saint,sage and Brahma-jnani Mahayogi Swami Sivananda. Hope, you you will find them interesting and very helpful. Many questions in many minds will be answered by them. Here it is.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Q. What are the signs that indicate that the Mantra(Japa) is really benefiting the Sadhaka ?
A. The Sadhaka who practises Mantra-yoga will feel the presence of the Lord at all times. He will feel the Divine Ecstasy and holy thrill in the heart. He will possess all Divine qualities. He will have a pure mind and a pure heart. He will feel horripilation. He will shed tears of Prema. He will have holy communion with the Lord.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Q. Do I have enough capacity to be enlightened by a Mantra?
A. Yes. Have perfect unshakable faith in the effiociency of a Mantra. A Mantra is filled with countless divine potencies. Repeat it constantly. You will be endowed with capacity, inner spiritual strength and will power. The Mantra-cgaitanya will be awakened by constant repetition. You will get illumination.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Q. May I know if mental Japa is more powerful than the practice of chanting of a Mantra loudly?
A. Mental Japa is indeed more powerful. When mental Japa is successfully practised all worldly extraneous thoughts drop off quickly. In Vaikhari and Upamsu-Japa, there is scope for the mind to have its own ways. The tongue may be repeating the Mantra but the mind may be busy with other thoughts. Mental Japa closes the avenues, though worldly thoughts may try to enter the mind. In other words, the trap-door through which thoughts enter the mental factory is closed when the mantra is being repeated. The mind is filled with the power of the Mantra. But you should be vigilant and prevent sleep from overpowering the mind. Desires, sleep and various sensual thoughts obstruct the successful performance of mental Japa. Regular practice, sincere attempt, sleepless vigilance and earnestness can bring complete success in mental Japa.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Q. What is the meaning of feeling(Bhava) when one does Japa of a Mantra?
A. He who repeats a Mantra should entertain either the Dasya-Bhava (Attitude of a servant) or Sishya-Bhava(Attitude of a disciple) or Putra-Bhava (Attitude of a son) while doing Japa. He can also have the feeling of a friend, an offspring or of a husband in regard to the Lord.
He should have also the feeling or mental attitude that the Lord is seated in his heart , that sattva or purity is flowing to him from the Lord, that the Mantra purifies his heart, destroys desires, cravings and evil thoughts, when he does Japa.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Q. If we do Japa of a Mantra without understanding its meaning or in a hurry, will it have any bad reaction on the person who does?
A. It cannot have any bad reaction but the spiritual progress will be slow when the Mantra is repeated in a hurry-burry without Bhava or faith. Even when any Mantra is repeated unconsciously or hurriedly without Bhava, without understanding its meaning, it undoubtedly produces beneficial results, just as fire burns inflammable objects when they are brought near.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

..........All from JAPA YOGA by Swami Sivananda.
(A Divine Life Society Publication)

Love,

Kumar.

 

Hare Krishna!

Dear all,

Hope you will like the following, which we can read from Japa Yoga by Swami Sivananda :

Sant Kabir says: "If anyone utters 'Rama' 'Rama' even in dream, I would like to make for his daily use a pair of shoes out of my skin." Who can describe the glory of God's sacred Name? Who can really comprehend the greatness and splendour of the holy Names of God? Even Parvati, the consort of Lord Siva failed to describe in adequate terms the grandeur and true significance of God's Name. When one sings His Name or hears it sung, he is unconsciously raised to sublime spiritual heights. He loses his body- consciousness. He is immersed in joy. He drinks the divine nectar of immortality. He gets divine intoxication. Repetition of God's Name enables the devotee to feel the divine presence, the divine glory, the divine cosciousness within himself and also everywhere. How sweet is Hari's Name! How powerful is the Name of the Lord! How much joy, peace and strength His Name brings to one who repeats it! Blessed indeed are those who repeat God's Name, for they will be free from the wheel of birth and death and will attain Immortality!


Love,

Kumar

 

Dearest Kumar,

Hare Krishna!

Thank you for the two wonderful readings about japa...it is quite ironic because last night my mother and I were at the warehouse store and there was a picture book about Islam and I just skimmed through it because I was curious and one of the last pages had a list of the thousands of names of the Lord in that culture/religion alone...and then I read your two posts about the Divine Names of the Lord and it made me think about that and last night wanting to compile one giant list of all the Names of the Lord in all the cultures of the world...

So thank you for reminding me...and of course for the beauty and wisdom of these two pieces that is different from what I was just talking about.

*Peace and Love*
Nicole

 

Goswami Tulsidasji gives extensive attention to the importance of nama in his Ramacharitmanas and other works. In one place he says that Rama's name is even greater than Lord Rama, for Lord Rama may have personally enlightened some people during his lifetime, but the repetition of the name has led to the divinization of countless people.

In a beautiful story in Srimad Bhagawatam, one Ajamil, who was a good man, sees a young man sporting with a prostitute. The image sticks in his mind and he is unable to get rid of it. Eventually he also goes to the prostitute, ends up falling in love with her and marries her, continuing to live his life in the pursuit of physical pleasure alone and ends up losing all spiritual inclinations and being consumed by his desire.

One day a sage was visiting the village where he lived and some prankster told him that Ajamil's house was a good place for himt o be accomodated. So the saint went there and they let him stay with them for a while. However, he soon sensed that there was something wrong in the home.

Seeing their young child, he asked its mother what the baby was named. The mother told him that it had not yet been named and asked the rishi to suggest a name for him. So the saint named the child Narayana, thinking that at least that way the Lord's name would be said in the house.

As the child grew up, Aamil developed a strong and deep love for him and was greatly attached to his son. Finally, one night, he lay in bed, when the henchmen of Yama, the god of death, came to take Ajamil. Seeing them, he was terrified and called out to his son,"Narayana!! Narayana!!!" Hearing him uttering the Lord's name at the time of death, the servants of Vishnu came from Vaikuntha and drove away Yama's minions and saved Ajamil.

In Vaikuntha, someone asked Lord Vishnu, "hagawan, it is well known that someone who repeats your name at the time of death is saved and liberated. However, this Ajamil, who lived his whole life in sin, called out to hs son, not to you. He did not know it was your name. Yet, you saved him. Is that not unfair?"

The lotus-eyed lord smiled gently. He said, "Ajamil may not know that Narayana is my name, he may have been thinking of his son only. However, I know that it is my name. When my name is called, I respond, it is a natural tendency. When you hear someone call your name, do you stop to think of whether it is you they are calling, or if it is someone else of the same name? You just turn and respond to them!"

Thus we see, whether knowingly or unknowingly, if we call out the lord's name, it brings us nothing but good.

Om tat sat.

 

Thank you for sharing this lovely story Bhaskar!

 

Ok....a week or two ago I bought a charm for a necklace of the symbol "AUM" to where next to the cross my mother bought me...well ever since I've been wearing it it has gotten so much attention...when I am in school a few times per week for the last two weeks that I've had it people have come up to me and asked, "What is on your necklace?" and/or "Isn't that an Aum? What does it mean?"...and its almost like a blessing that I can talk about God to others because of this necklace...people have even asked me how to write Aum because I have written it on my notebooks during class....its really awesome that such a sacred symbol is drawing so much attention and spreading its meaning. Just felt like sharing.

 

Om is a symbol natually attractive to everyone, since it is the written manifestation of the innermost music in us all.