Japa Workshop:
Process, Techniques, and Methodology
Chanting, while mostly devotional, is also a technical process of meditation. This section will help you to understand more of what is involved and how to improve your japa meditation.
The proper use of beads
Start from bead no.1; turning at bead no.108
Turn each bead in the fingers.
Don’t chant on or cross the larger bead where you start
Pronunciation
One should note in this connection that chanting involves the activities of the upper and lower lips as well as the tongue. All three must be engaged in chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra. The words “Hare Krishna” should be very distinctly pronounced and heard. Sometimes one mechanically produces a hissing sound instead of chanting with the proper pronunciation with the help of the lips and tongue. Chanting is very simple, but one must practice it seriously.
(Srila Prabhupada, Cc Adi 7.32 purport)
On one hand, there are different pronunciations throughout India and the sastra does state that the holy name is still effective even if improperly pronounced, but it is beneficial to concentrate and practice clear pronunciation.
Typical faults
‘H’ in Hare: sometimes dropped
‘A’ in Hare: mispron. ‘O’ as in Lorry; should be ‘uh’ as in Hurry.
‘R’ in Hare: sometimes sounds more like ‘D’
‘E’ in Hare: mispron. ‘I’ as in Bit; should be ‘ay’ as in Ray.
‘K’ in Krishna: sometimes sounds more like ‘G’ in Grip.
‘R’ in Krishna: sometimes dropped: ‘Kishna’
‘SH’ in Krishna: ‘G’ as in Genre (French pronunc.) or ‘S’ as in Snug.
‘N’ in Krishna: sometimes dropped: ‘Krisha’
‘A’ in Krishna: run together with the next Hare: ‘Krishna-ray’
Rama: be careful not to call out for Rum.
Sometimes with ‘Rama Rama Rama,’ you get the ‘revving-up-the-motorbike’ effect: ‘manar-manar-manar-manarrrr!’ (trying to chant too fast)
Note: Both Ram and Rama are OK.
Chanting speed
In the beginning you may be slow (around 10 minutes per round)
It is important to practice proper pronunciation
But in time you should naturally speed up (no more than 7 – 7½ minutes per round)
Ultimately it is individual, but most devotees find that speeding up increases the intensity of their chanting and their concentration level
If your rounds are taking too long, it could mean that you are distracted
Try to maintain good, clear pronunciation with a good speed
Some devotees can chant a round in 5 – 5½ min, but be careful not to lose the clarity of the syllables!
Posture
One’s mental and physical state is affected by one’s bodily posture and can be altered by changing the posture. That is why practicing asanas is integral to the yogic process, which is a highly developed science.
Importantly, you can affect the mind’s ability to concentrate.
Remain peaceful, and accept the proper attitude by adopting certain postures
Perhaps you have already experienced the difference between chanting sitting in a conventional chair (legs down) and sitting cross-legged
Basically, sit cross-legged with a little extra support under your bottom. The back and neck should be erect in a straight line, the head up. Breathing should be deep and rhythmic.
Discuss further with your tutor.
Common pitfalls
“Prajalpa-japa”: Unnecessarily talking while chanting
“Dive-bomb japa”: Falling asleep while chanting (head nodding off)
“Radar japa”: constantly looking all around the room
“Machine-gun japa”: much too fast while shaking the finger
“Jibber-japa”: it is just gibberish, no one can understand it
“Day-dreamjapa”: not concentrating, following the wandering mind
Attentiveness
This is the most essential part of chanting: how attentive are you?
Imagine you are driving a car and you have a passenger sitting next to you. The passenger is continually pointing things out and trying to draw your attention to them: “Oh, look there’s a shoe sale on! Look at those nice shoes! … Ah, look at that guy with the funny hat! … Are those your gloves on the back seat? … Look out, no, no, turn left! Oh, I thought we had to go left. … Look at the TV shop – is that your favorite football team playing? … Uh-oh, check this out: there’s a guy getting arrested over there….” If you keep getting distracted by what your passenger is saying, you’re going to crash the car.
The passenger is like your mind, and driving the car is like chanting your rounds. If you keep talking to someone and they are continuously ignoring you, eventually you are just going to shut up. That is the best way to deal with the mind: just ignore it and keep your attention on “the road”, it will eventually shut up.
Tip
Keep a paper and pencil to note anything down that should not be forgotten. Then you can tell your mind that you will think about it later.
An interesting exercise
Keep a list of all the subjects brought up by the mind during your japa and then review it at the end. Usually you can just throw away the whole list because you didn’t need to think about any of these things at all. It is a very graphic way of proving to yourself that you don’t need to take the mind so seriously (the mind won’t like that and will try to convince you that you should take it very seriously).
The big picture
Now, chanting is not just about getting the technique right. It is important to not lose sight of the big picture. We are ultimately not independent of Krishna, and we must always humbly pray to Him and seek His shelter and guidance. In the larger picture, we must always see that we have to get to the platform of taste in our chanting and ultimately attain love for Krishna.
Attitude
Your mood, attitude, or mentality is also very important while chanting. Chanting is not just a mechanical process. It must be accompanied with the appropriate feelings, performed for the right purpose, and with proper consciousness.
Enthusiasm/Great Eagerness: One should realize that love for Krishna is the ultimate goal. He should have total eagerness to attain it, even to the point of crying for it, like a baby. That is the price one must pay.
Prayerful: Remember that the maha-mantra is a prayer. Remember the meaning of the prayer, and offer it in a prayerful mood: a communication between you and God – a very personal experience.
Helpless/Dependent: A devotee feels helpless without the Lord’s mercy and dependent on the holy names. Example: small child and grown teenagers.
Humility/ Reverence: When we take darsan of the Deity, we must first take our shoes off, ring a bell, bow down, conch shells blow, the curtains are drawn – we are seeing the form of the Lord. The same respect and reverence should be given to the holy name.
Service: Chanting is a kind of service. It should be performed in a serving mood, serving the holy name by uttering it. Not that we are the master of Krishna, causing Him to manifest.
Grateful: Be thankful to the Lord for the mercy that He is bestowing upon you and all the fallen souls in the form of His holy name
Tolerant: All difficulties and obstacles of the mind must be tolerated. One may not have any taste for chanting or find the process hard to follow. All discomforts must be tolerated for Krishna’s satisfaction.
Patient: It may take a lot of practice before one gets better at chanting. One must patiently continue to endeavor. We are eternal, so there is no need to panic.
Determined: Never become discouraged. Always continue with determination knowing that success is ultimately guaranteed.
Important/Essential: Be conscious of the importance of this chanting process. Remember that it is essential to spiritual advancement.
Faithfully: We must cultivate our faith in the holy name, put our trust in it.
Please let me in: Ask Krishna to allow us to enter into the inner realizations of chanting the holy names.
Tuesday, June 27, 2006
Sunday, June 25, 2006
"Such Mercy"
---------- Forwarded Message ----------
From: Indradyumna Swami
Date: 14-Jun-06
To: IDS Diary (of a Traveling Preacher)
Subject: Volume 7, Chapter 5
------------------------------------------------------------
Diary of a Traveling Preacher
Volume 7, Chapter 5
March 17 - April 31, 2006
By Indradyumna Swami
"Such Mercy"
After my visit to Mexico in mid-March, I went on a whirlwind preaching tour
of the temples in the United States until the end of April. I kept a record
of the programs I did in those six weeks, and I was surprised to see they
totaled over 100.
I must have done thousands of such programs throughout my career as a
traveling preacher, and as I thought about my 57th birthday, just weeks
away, I smiled. "Physically, the tour been exhausting," I thought, "but
spiritually, I'm more enlivened than ever."
ayur harati vai pumsam
udyann astam ca yann asau
tasyarte yat-ksano nita
uttama-loka-vartaya
"Both by rising and by setting, the sun decreases the duration of life of
everyone, except one who utilizes the time by discussing topics of the
all-good Personality of Godhead."
[Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.3.17]
In San Diego, on one of the last days of the tour, I visited the home of
Guru Gauranga dasa, the sponsor of my festival program on the island of
Mauritius. We made plans for the program and decided that we would hold it
in April next year.
When I looked at his altar, I was taken by the beauty of the only Deity
present, a salagrama-sila. Having worshiped salagrama-silas for years, I
immediately saw that this Deity was special. He was small, perfectly round,
smooth, and shiny. I remembered a verse from the Padma-purana, where Lord
Visnu tells Brahma that smaller salagramas give the most auspicious results:
"O Brahma, in that sila, small like an amalaki fruit, I remain eternally
with My divine consort, Srimati Laksmidevi."
I looked closer. The salagrama had a beautifully formed mouth exactly in
front. "A most auspicious cakra," I said aloud.
"He has a small flat surface on the bottom too," said Guru Gauranga.
I shook my head in amazement. "He's the perfect salagrama," I said, "the
kind sought by every pious brahmana in ancient India. Many temples in India
would give lacs of rupees for such a sila. Where in the world did you get
Him?"
"It's a long story," Guru Gauranga replied. "If you have the time, I'll tell
you."
I smiled and sat down. "What better way to spend our time?" I said.
"In 1992," he said, "I was serving in Mayapura as a young brahmacari, when
word came that the devotees in Bangladesh needed brahmacaris for a traveling
festival program. At first I hesitated because Bangladesh is a Muslim
country, but local devotees told me that there are hundreds of thousands of
Vaisnavas in Bangladesh, many of whom regularly attend our programs, so I
stepped forward.
"For several months we traveled throughout the country holding outdoor
festivals in the villages, and sometimes as many as twenty thousand people
would attend. In many places the locals had never seen white-skinned
Westerners. The Muslims left us alone, and the Vaisnavas thronged to our
programs.
"One night in a remote jungle village in the north, we had a late finish to
our program. Along with the other bhramacaris, I lay down exhausted on the
floor of the large pandal, but I had trouble sleeping because of the heat,
the humidity, and the mosquitoes. I stood up and leaned against the wall of
the tent. A young man dressed in a saffron-colored dhoti came up to me and
asked why I wasn't sleeping. I told him of my difficulties, and he offered
to take me to an asrama where he lived, further into the jungle. 'You'll
sleep peacefully there,' he said.
"After an hour and a half of walking, I began to feel concerned, as we had
still not reached our destination. Suddenly we came to a clearing where I
saw fifteen large mud-brick huts, and nearby, a large stone temple. Judging
from its appearance, the temple was very old.
"The young man took me to one of the huts. 'Please sleep here,' he said.
'The mosquitoes won't bite you. We burn a special wood inside to keep them
away.'
"Within minutes I was sound asleep.
"I awoke in the morning, just as the sun was rising. I looked out the window
and saw a beautiful scene of antiquity.
Young brahmacari monks sitting on the banks of a nearby river were softly
chanting on their japa beads. Beautiful Vaisnava tilaka adorned their
bodies, and their saffron clothes rivaled the beauty of the sunrise. From
the temple I could hear people singing a familiar bhajan,
Lalasamayi-Prarthana by Narottam das Thakur.
"Several brahmacaris came and took me to the river to bathe. As we walked,
we passed the kitchen, and I could smell the cow-dung fires cooking
breakfast. While I bathed, the brahmacaris sat nearby and chanted japa.
"I looked around. 'This is what life must have been in devotional asramas
hundreds of years ago,' I thought, 'when young male students lived and
studied with their Vaisnava gurus.'
"I wondered why no guru was present.
" 'How long will you stay with us?' one of the boys asked as we walked
towards the temple.
" 'Just a few more hours,' I replied, 'but I'd like to stay forever.'
"When we reached the temple, we entered and paid obeisances, but when I
stood up, I was surprised to see there was no altar, only four decorated
walls.
"Where are the Deities?" I asked.
"The boys smiled. 'Be patient,' said one of them, 'and you'll soon see the
most beautiful Deities.'
" 'And famous,' said another.
" 'Famous?' I said. 'Here in the middle of the jungle?'
"Suddenly a conch shell blew, and one of the giant walls slid open to reveal
a beautiful marble altar. An intricately carved silver srngasana towered
over graceful Radha-Krsna Deities. I couldn't believe my eyes. I simply
stood there.
" 'The altar is hidden to protect the Deities from Muslim attacks,' said one
of the young men. 'They've remained safe like this for five hundred years.'
" 'Five hundred years!' I said. I moved in closer to get a better look.
"Krsna was made of black stone, and Radharani of brass. I could see they
were indeed very old Deities. Near Krsna's feet I noticed a silver
srngasana, with three beautiful salagrama-silas. Then - I don't know what
made me do it, perhaps the excitement of the moment - I blurted out, 'Can I
have one of those salagrama-silas?'
"The brahmacaris turned to me with looks of astonishment.
"I mumbled something about a long-cherished desire to worship a
salagrama-sila, but they remained silent, taken aback by my outburst.
" 'Well,' said one, 'you can ask our guru. He wants see you after
breakfast.'
" 'Where is he now?' I said.
" 'He's finishing his one lac of japa,' said another boy.
" 'One lac of japa before breakfast!' I exclaimed.
"After breakfast, one of the older brahmacaris took me to a small hut not
far from the temple.
" 'Does the guru have many disciples?' I asked as we walked.
" 'More than 5,000,' he replied.
" 'How old is he?' I said.
" 'Ninety-two,' he said.
" 'He must have traveled a lot,' I said.
" 'Actually,' said the brahmacari, 'he's never left this village. It's one
reason he's eager to meet you. He often quotes the prediction of Sri
Caitanya Mahaprabhu mentioned in Caitanya-Bhagavata.'
"prthivite ache yata nagaradi grama
sarvatra pracara haibe mora nama
"In as many towns and villages as there are on the surface of the earth, My
holy name will be preached."
[Chaitanya-Bhagavat, Antya 4, text 126]
" 'You know,' said the brahmacari, 'several times I've seen him shed tears
as he talked about how the mercy of Lord Caitanya will one day leave India
and flood the world with love of God. This morning, when we told him a
Westerner dressed as a Vaisnava had arrived, he became very excited. I will
translate for you when you meet him.'
As we entered the hut, I saw the guru, dressed only in a loincloth, sitting
absorbed in chanting his japa. He opened his eyes and looked at me. 'So, it
is true,' he said slowly.
"I paid my obeisances, and when I got up he called me to go near him. His
disciples had told him of the program in the nearby village, and he asked a
few questions about it. He paused for a moment.
" 'Who has done this service for Mahaprabhu?' he said. 'Who has introduced
you Western boys and girls to the chanting of the holy names?'
" 'His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada,' I said proudly.
'He went to the West from India and gave us the chanting of Hare Krishna.'
" 'Please tell me more,' he said.
"For over an hour he listened intently as I told him about Srila
Prabhupada's life: his childhood and youth, his meetings with Srila
Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, his attempts to preach in India, and his eventual
journey to the West. Several times the guru's eyes welled up with tears.
"At the end he shook his head. 'It was my great misfortune not to have met
him, the person who fulfilled the prediction of Mahaprabhu. I can only offer
him my dandavats.'
"He placed his folded hands above his head, and recited prayers for a long
time. Then he turned to me. 'You have asked for one of our salagrama-silas?'
he said.
"I was surprised. 'Yes,' I said, 'I did.' From the corner of my eye, I saw
several brahmacaris looking intently at their guru.
" 'I will think about it,' he said. The brahamacaris' eyes opened wide.
" 'You must know the history of those Deities,' he said. 'It is written in
our temple records. Five hundred years ago, my forefathers were sevaites
[priests] in the temple of Gopal Bhatta Goswami in Vrindavan. Goswami
engaged several families in the service of his beloved Deity, Radha-Raman.
Do you know the history of Radha-Raman?'
" 'Yes, I do,' I replied. 'He is self-manifested from one of the
salagrama-silas that Gopal Bhatta Goswami found in the Kali Gandaki River in
Nepal.'
"The guru nodded his head. He seemed pleased that I knew the pastime. 'In my
family line,' he said, 'there were three brothers helping with that puja.
One day in 1498 [1576 on the Western calendar], Gopal Bhatta Goswami asked
them to come here, to what was formerly East Bengal but is now Bangladesh,
to spread the teachings of Mahaprabhu.
" 'It was a great challenge, as the journey was long and dangerous and they
would be on their own preaching Gauranga's message. What's more, he knew
they would experience intense separation from Radha-Raman and from him
himself, and also from Raghunatha Bhatta Goswami and Jiva Goswami, who were
still living. So on the day of their departure, Gopal Bhatta Goswami called
all of the brothers, and in the presence of Radha-Raman gave each of them a
salagrama-sila. These are the three salagrama-silas you see on our altar.'
"He stopped talking and with closed eyes returned to chanting on his beads.
I paid my obeisances and with the other brahmacaris left his quarters.
"I went and sat alone on the bank of the river, thinking about everything
that was happening. I felt fortunate to have come to that peaceful asrama
and met the guru and his disciples, but I felt embarrassed to have asked for
such a special Deity.
"After a while I began wondering if it was all really true. I had never read
that Gopal Bhatta Goswami had sent preachers out to spread Lord Caitanya's
message. 'But then again,' I thought, 'it's certainly possible. Little is
actually recorded about those historic times.'
"I thought about a verse from the Bible I'd learned as a boy: 'And there are
also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written
every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books
that should be written.'
[John 21:25]
"Then I thought about that gentle sadhu. He seemed the repository of all
good qualities, and I felt ashamed that I might doubt his truthfulness.
"I finally concluded that I did believe him, but thought there was no chance
he'd give me one of those historic salagrama-silas.
"Suddenly I looked at my watch. 'Oh no!' I thought. 'I'm late. It's almost
noon. I have to get back. The devotees must be wondering where I am.'
"At that moment one of the brahmacaris came running.
" 'Guru Maharaja wants to see you!' he said breathlessly.
"We walked to the temple, entered, and paid our obeisances. The guru was
sitting in front of the altar chanting softly on his beads, eyes closed.
"Although he must have known we'd come in, he didn't immediately acknowledge
our presence. He remained absorbed in chanting Hare Krsna. After some time
he opened his eyes and looked at me.
" 'I have decided to give you one of the salagramas,' he said.
"My heart was pounding.
" 'I feel that Mahaprabhu will be pleased that such a Deity is being
worshiped by a Vaisnava from the West,' he said. 'It was His desire that His
names be chanted in every town and village of the world. I have one request,
however. Pray to that great acarya who delivered your people to kindly put
the dust of his feet upon my head.'
"He motioned to one of the brahmacaris to take one of the salagramas from
the altar. The boy sipped acamana from a small cup, went on the altar, and
picked up the salagrama in the center. The brahmacari came back down, and
the guru took the salagrama in the palm of his hand, looking at the sila
affectionately for a long time. Then he touched the salagrama to his head,
put some tulasi leaves and flowers around Him, and slowly placed Him in my
trembling hands.
"Still trying to fathom my good fortune, I paid obeisances and tried to
express my appreciation. But that saintly person had already closed his eyes
and again returned to his chanting. I paid my obeisances one last time and
left the temple.
"As I stepped outside I heard my name being called. 'Guru Gauranga! Guru
Gauranga! Where are you?'
"It was a devotee from the festival who had come looking for me.
"I'm here," I called out.
" 'You're in big trouble,' he said. 'Everyone's been looking for you.'
"We walked quickly back to the village where we'd held the festival and left
shortly thereafter.
"That was 14 years ago," Guru Gauranga said.
I sat spellbound. I had not moved an inch the entire time.
"Such mercy!" I said, gazing at the salagrama, which somehow seemed
infinitely more beautiful than before.
"Yes," Guru Gauranga said, "and mercy is something that should always be
shared."
It was more the way he said it than what he said that made me look up.
"Actually" he said, "I've been discussing with my wife how I've become so
involved in my business nowadays that I hardly have time for puja. You know
I've promised to help finance your festival program in Mauritius. On top of
that, I've recently helped my own spiritual master, Bhakti Charu Maharaja,
with the construction of his new temple in Ujjain. As a result, I've been
working day and night.
He paused. "So we decided to ask you if you would take the Deity and worship
Him."
I looked at the salagrama. My mind was racing. "He was offered in service by
the lotus hand of one of the Six Goswamis," I thought. "What an honor it
would be!"
Absorbed in my thoughts, I heard Guru Gauranga say in the background. "So
will you accept Him?"
My meditation broke. "Yes," I said, "of course. Thank you. What can I say?
I'll worship Him with all the love and devotion I can."
He handed me the Deity, and we talked about the details of his worship. Then
I left for another appointment. As I drove through the suburbs of San Diego,
I was now the one trying to fathom my good fortune.
"I can hardly believe it," I thought. "What a wonderful conclusion to my
preaching tour in America!"
I prayed to become a worthy recipient of the mercy I'd just received. I had
a most wonderful incentive now: a Deity given twice over for the purpose of
inspiring a preacher in his service to Lord Caitanya and the Six Goswamis of
Vrindavan.
krsnokirtana gana nartana parau premamrtambho nidhhi
dhiradhira jana priyau priya karau nirmatsarau pujitau
sri caitanya krpa bharau bhuvi bhuvo bharavahantarakau
vande rupa sanatanau raghu yugau sri jiva gopalakau
"I offer my respectful obeisance to the six Goswamis, namely Sri Rupa
Goswami, Sri Sanatana Goswami, Sri Raghunatha Bhatta Goswami, Sri Raghunatha
das Goswami, Sri Jiva Goswami, and Sri Gopala Bhatta Goswami, who are always
engaged in chanting the holy names and dancing. They are just like the ocean
of love of God, and they are popular both with the gentle and the ruffians,
because they are never envious of anyone. Whatever they do, they are
all-pleasing to everyone, and they are fully blessed by Lord Caitanya. Thus
they are engaged in missionary activities meant to deliver all the
conditioned souls in the material universe."
[Sri Sad Goswami-astaka, Srinivasa Acarya, Verse 1]
Indradyumna.swami@pamho.net
www.traveling-preacher.com
Official website for Diary of a Traveling Preacher
From: Indradyumna Swami
Date: 14-Jun-06
To: IDS Diary (of a Traveling Preacher)
Subject: Volume 7, Chapter 5
------------------------------------------------------------
Diary of a Traveling Preacher
Volume 7, Chapter 5
March 17 - April 31, 2006
By Indradyumna Swami
"Such Mercy"
After my visit to Mexico in mid-March, I went on a whirlwind preaching tour
of the temples in the United States until the end of April. I kept a record
of the programs I did in those six weeks, and I was surprised to see they
totaled over 100.
I must have done thousands of such programs throughout my career as a
traveling preacher, and as I thought about my 57th birthday, just weeks
away, I smiled. "Physically, the tour been exhausting," I thought, "but
spiritually, I'm more enlivened than ever."
ayur harati vai pumsam
udyann astam ca yann asau
tasyarte yat-ksano nita
uttama-loka-vartaya
"Both by rising and by setting, the sun decreases the duration of life of
everyone, except one who utilizes the time by discussing topics of the
all-good Personality of Godhead."
[Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.3.17]
In San Diego, on one of the last days of the tour, I visited the home of
Guru Gauranga dasa, the sponsor of my festival program on the island of
Mauritius. We made plans for the program and decided that we would hold it
in April next year.
When I looked at his altar, I was taken by the beauty of the only Deity
present, a salagrama-sila. Having worshiped salagrama-silas for years, I
immediately saw that this Deity was special. He was small, perfectly round,
smooth, and shiny. I remembered a verse from the Padma-purana, where Lord
Visnu tells Brahma that smaller salagramas give the most auspicious results:
"O Brahma, in that sila, small like an amalaki fruit, I remain eternally
with My divine consort, Srimati Laksmidevi."
I looked closer. The salagrama had a beautifully formed mouth exactly in
front. "A most auspicious cakra," I said aloud.
"He has a small flat surface on the bottom too," said Guru Gauranga.
I shook my head in amazement. "He's the perfect salagrama," I said, "the
kind sought by every pious brahmana in ancient India. Many temples in India
would give lacs of rupees for such a sila. Where in the world did you get
Him?"
"It's a long story," Guru Gauranga replied. "If you have the time, I'll tell
you."
I smiled and sat down. "What better way to spend our time?" I said.
"In 1992," he said, "I was serving in Mayapura as a young brahmacari, when
word came that the devotees in Bangladesh needed brahmacaris for a traveling
festival program. At first I hesitated because Bangladesh is a Muslim
country, but local devotees told me that there are hundreds of thousands of
Vaisnavas in Bangladesh, many of whom regularly attend our programs, so I
stepped forward.
"For several months we traveled throughout the country holding outdoor
festivals in the villages, and sometimes as many as twenty thousand people
would attend. In many places the locals had never seen white-skinned
Westerners. The Muslims left us alone, and the Vaisnavas thronged to our
programs.
"One night in a remote jungle village in the north, we had a late finish to
our program. Along with the other bhramacaris, I lay down exhausted on the
floor of the large pandal, but I had trouble sleeping because of the heat,
the humidity, and the mosquitoes. I stood up and leaned against the wall of
the tent. A young man dressed in a saffron-colored dhoti came up to me and
asked why I wasn't sleeping. I told him of my difficulties, and he offered
to take me to an asrama where he lived, further into the jungle. 'You'll
sleep peacefully there,' he said.
"After an hour and a half of walking, I began to feel concerned, as we had
still not reached our destination. Suddenly we came to a clearing where I
saw fifteen large mud-brick huts, and nearby, a large stone temple. Judging
from its appearance, the temple was very old.
"The young man took me to one of the huts. 'Please sleep here,' he said.
'The mosquitoes won't bite you. We burn a special wood inside to keep them
away.'
"Within minutes I was sound asleep.
"I awoke in the morning, just as the sun was rising. I looked out the window
and saw a beautiful scene of antiquity.
Young brahmacari monks sitting on the banks of a nearby river were softly
chanting on their japa beads. Beautiful Vaisnava tilaka adorned their
bodies, and their saffron clothes rivaled the beauty of the sunrise. From
the temple I could hear people singing a familiar bhajan,
Lalasamayi-Prarthana by Narottam das Thakur.
"Several brahmacaris came and took me to the river to bathe. As we walked,
we passed the kitchen, and I could smell the cow-dung fires cooking
breakfast. While I bathed, the brahmacaris sat nearby and chanted japa.
"I looked around. 'This is what life must have been in devotional asramas
hundreds of years ago,' I thought, 'when young male students lived and
studied with their Vaisnava gurus.'
"I wondered why no guru was present.
" 'How long will you stay with us?' one of the boys asked as we walked
towards the temple.
" 'Just a few more hours,' I replied, 'but I'd like to stay forever.'
"When we reached the temple, we entered and paid obeisances, but when I
stood up, I was surprised to see there was no altar, only four decorated
walls.
"Where are the Deities?" I asked.
"The boys smiled. 'Be patient,' said one of them, 'and you'll soon see the
most beautiful Deities.'
" 'And famous,' said another.
" 'Famous?' I said. 'Here in the middle of the jungle?'
"Suddenly a conch shell blew, and one of the giant walls slid open to reveal
a beautiful marble altar. An intricately carved silver srngasana towered
over graceful Radha-Krsna Deities. I couldn't believe my eyes. I simply
stood there.
" 'The altar is hidden to protect the Deities from Muslim attacks,' said one
of the young men. 'They've remained safe like this for five hundred years.'
" 'Five hundred years!' I said. I moved in closer to get a better look.
"Krsna was made of black stone, and Radharani of brass. I could see they
were indeed very old Deities. Near Krsna's feet I noticed a silver
srngasana, with three beautiful salagrama-silas. Then - I don't know what
made me do it, perhaps the excitement of the moment - I blurted out, 'Can I
have one of those salagrama-silas?'
"The brahmacaris turned to me with looks of astonishment.
"I mumbled something about a long-cherished desire to worship a
salagrama-sila, but they remained silent, taken aback by my outburst.
" 'Well,' said one, 'you can ask our guru. He wants see you after
breakfast.'
" 'Where is he now?' I said.
" 'He's finishing his one lac of japa,' said another boy.
" 'One lac of japa before breakfast!' I exclaimed.
"After breakfast, one of the older brahmacaris took me to a small hut not
far from the temple.
" 'Does the guru have many disciples?' I asked as we walked.
" 'More than 5,000,' he replied.
" 'How old is he?' I said.
" 'Ninety-two,' he said.
" 'He must have traveled a lot,' I said.
" 'Actually,' said the brahmacari, 'he's never left this village. It's one
reason he's eager to meet you. He often quotes the prediction of Sri
Caitanya Mahaprabhu mentioned in Caitanya-Bhagavata.'
"prthivite ache yata nagaradi grama
sarvatra pracara haibe mora nama
"In as many towns and villages as there are on the surface of the earth, My
holy name will be preached."
[Chaitanya-Bhagavat, Antya 4, text 126]
" 'You know,' said the brahmacari, 'several times I've seen him shed tears
as he talked about how the mercy of Lord Caitanya will one day leave India
and flood the world with love of God. This morning, when we told him a
Westerner dressed as a Vaisnava had arrived, he became very excited. I will
translate for you when you meet him.'
As we entered the hut, I saw the guru, dressed only in a loincloth, sitting
absorbed in chanting his japa. He opened his eyes and looked at me. 'So, it
is true,' he said slowly.
"I paid my obeisances, and when I got up he called me to go near him. His
disciples had told him of the program in the nearby village, and he asked a
few questions about it. He paused for a moment.
" 'Who has done this service for Mahaprabhu?' he said. 'Who has introduced
you Western boys and girls to the chanting of the holy names?'
" 'His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada,' I said proudly.
'He went to the West from India and gave us the chanting of Hare Krishna.'
" 'Please tell me more,' he said.
"For over an hour he listened intently as I told him about Srila
Prabhupada's life: his childhood and youth, his meetings with Srila
Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, his attempts to preach in India, and his eventual
journey to the West. Several times the guru's eyes welled up with tears.
"At the end he shook his head. 'It was my great misfortune not to have met
him, the person who fulfilled the prediction of Mahaprabhu. I can only offer
him my dandavats.'
"He placed his folded hands above his head, and recited prayers for a long
time. Then he turned to me. 'You have asked for one of our salagrama-silas?'
he said.
"I was surprised. 'Yes,' I said, 'I did.' From the corner of my eye, I saw
several brahmacaris looking intently at their guru.
" 'I will think about it,' he said. The brahamacaris' eyes opened wide.
" 'You must know the history of those Deities,' he said. 'It is written in
our temple records. Five hundred years ago, my forefathers were sevaites
[priests] in the temple of Gopal Bhatta Goswami in Vrindavan. Goswami
engaged several families in the service of his beloved Deity, Radha-Raman.
Do you know the history of Radha-Raman?'
" 'Yes, I do,' I replied. 'He is self-manifested from one of the
salagrama-silas that Gopal Bhatta Goswami found in the Kali Gandaki River in
Nepal.'
"The guru nodded his head. He seemed pleased that I knew the pastime. 'In my
family line,' he said, 'there were three brothers helping with that puja.
One day in 1498 [1576 on the Western calendar], Gopal Bhatta Goswami asked
them to come here, to what was formerly East Bengal but is now Bangladesh,
to spread the teachings of Mahaprabhu.
" 'It was a great challenge, as the journey was long and dangerous and they
would be on their own preaching Gauranga's message. What's more, he knew
they would experience intense separation from Radha-Raman and from him
himself, and also from Raghunatha Bhatta Goswami and Jiva Goswami, who were
still living. So on the day of their departure, Gopal Bhatta Goswami called
all of the brothers, and in the presence of Radha-Raman gave each of them a
salagrama-sila. These are the three salagrama-silas you see on our altar.'
"He stopped talking and with closed eyes returned to chanting on his beads.
I paid my obeisances and with the other brahmacaris left his quarters.
"I went and sat alone on the bank of the river, thinking about everything
that was happening. I felt fortunate to have come to that peaceful asrama
and met the guru and his disciples, but I felt embarrassed to have asked for
such a special Deity.
"After a while I began wondering if it was all really true. I had never read
that Gopal Bhatta Goswami had sent preachers out to spread Lord Caitanya's
message. 'But then again,' I thought, 'it's certainly possible. Little is
actually recorded about those historic times.'
"I thought about a verse from the Bible I'd learned as a boy: 'And there are
also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written
every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books
that should be written.'
[John 21:25]
"Then I thought about that gentle sadhu. He seemed the repository of all
good qualities, and I felt ashamed that I might doubt his truthfulness.
"I finally concluded that I did believe him, but thought there was no chance
he'd give me one of those historic salagrama-silas.
"Suddenly I looked at my watch. 'Oh no!' I thought. 'I'm late. It's almost
noon. I have to get back. The devotees must be wondering where I am.'
"At that moment one of the brahmacaris came running.
" 'Guru Maharaja wants to see you!' he said breathlessly.
"We walked to the temple, entered, and paid our obeisances. The guru was
sitting in front of the altar chanting softly on his beads, eyes closed.
"Although he must have known we'd come in, he didn't immediately acknowledge
our presence. He remained absorbed in chanting Hare Krsna. After some time
he opened his eyes and looked at me.
" 'I have decided to give you one of the salagramas,' he said.
"My heart was pounding.
" 'I feel that Mahaprabhu will be pleased that such a Deity is being
worshiped by a Vaisnava from the West,' he said. 'It was His desire that His
names be chanted in every town and village of the world. I have one request,
however. Pray to that great acarya who delivered your people to kindly put
the dust of his feet upon my head.'
"He motioned to one of the brahmacaris to take one of the salagramas from
the altar. The boy sipped acamana from a small cup, went on the altar, and
picked up the salagrama in the center. The brahmacari came back down, and
the guru took the salagrama in the palm of his hand, looking at the sila
affectionately for a long time. Then he touched the salagrama to his head,
put some tulasi leaves and flowers around Him, and slowly placed Him in my
trembling hands.
"Still trying to fathom my good fortune, I paid obeisances and tried to
express my appreciation. But that saintly person had already closed his eyes
and again returned to his chanting. I paid my obeisances one last time and
left the temple.
"As I stepped outside I heard my name being called. 'Guru Gauranga! Guru
Gauranga! Where are you?'
"It was a devotee from the festival who had come looking for me.
"I'm here," I called out.
" 'You're in big trouble,' he said. 'Everyone's been looking for you.'
"We walked quickly back to the village where we'd held the festival and left
shortly thereafter.
"That was 14 years ago," Guru Gauranga said.
I sat spellbound. I had not moved an inch the entire time.
"Such mercy!" I said, gazing at the salagrama, which somehow seemed
infinitely more beautiful than before.
"Yes," Guru Gauranga said, "and mercy is something that should always be
shared."
It was more the way he said it than what he said that made me look up.
"Actually" he said, "I've been discussing with my wife how I've become so
involved in my business nowadays that I hardly have time for puja. You know
I've promised to help finance your festival program in Mauritius. On top of
that, I've recently helped my own spiritual master, Bhakti Charu Maharaja,
with the construction of his new temple in Ujjain. As a result, I've been
working day and night.
He paused. "So we decided to ask you if you would take the Deity and worship
Him."
I looked at the salagrama. My mind was racing. "He was offered in service by
the lotus hand of one of the Six Goswamis," I thought. "What an honor it
would be!"
Absorbed in my thoughts, I heard Guru Gauranga say in the background. "So
will you accept Him?"
My meditation broke. "Yes," I said, "of course. Thank you. What can I say?
I'll worship Him with all the love and devotion I can."
He handed me the Deity, and we talked about the details of his worship. Then
I left for another appointment. As I drove through the suburbs of San Diego,
I was now the one trying to fathom my good fortune.
"I can hardly believe it," I thought. "What a wonderful conclusion to my
preaching tour in America!"
I prayed to become a worthy recipient of the mercy I'd just received. I had
a most wonderful incentive now: a Deity given twice over for the purpose of
inspiring a preacher in his service to Lord Caitanya and the Six Goswamis of
Vrindavan.
krsnokirtana gana nartana parau premamrtambho nidhhi
dhiradhira jana priyau priya karau nirmatsarau pujitau
sri caitanya krpa bharau bhuvi bhuvo bharavahantarakau
vande rupa sanatanau raghu yugau sri jiva gopalakau
"I offer my respectful obeisance to the six Goswamis, namely Sri Rupa
Goswami, Sri Sanatana Goswami, Sri Raghunatha Bhatta Goswami, Sri Raghunatha
das Goswami, Sri Jiva Goswami, and Sri Gopala Bhatta Goswami, who are always
engaged in chanting the holy names and dancing. They are just like the ocean
of love of God, and they are popular both with the gentle and the ruffians,
because they are never envious of anyone. Whatever they do, they are
all-pleasing to everyone, and they are fully blessed by Lord Caitanya. Thus
they are engaged in missionary activities meant to deliver all the
conditioned souls in the material universe."
[Sri Sad Goswami-astaka, Srinivasa Acarya, Verse 1]
Indradyumna.swami@pamho.net
www.traveling-preacher.com
Official website for Diary of a Traveling Preacher
A True Cow Protection Story
An excerpt from the May issue of the Care For Cows newsletter.
The following is based on a true story from Gauseva Chamatkar, an historical
collection of cow miracles.
The riot of 1857 was spread all over India - Delhi was the centre of it. Each
and every street had become a mortuary. There was blood shed everywhere. The
rioters had lost discrimination between good and bad. I was the chief of the
Muslim rioters.
At the end of a long day of looting and killing I was exhausted and hungry.
Our pockets and bags were full of money but the markets were desserted out of
fear of the riots, and all the houses were locked. We gathered in an empty
courtyard and my men went out to search for food. Soon four of my men returned
pulling a chubby cow behind them. I didn't know how that poor one fell in the
claws of those hungry wolves. One of them had tied his turban around her neck
and before I could say anything they tied the legs of that crying cow and threw
her down on the ground. Who would save a dumb cow from the hands of the Muslims
in the middle of that riot?
At that time all those so-called leaders of Hindu religion, those who give
long lectures on cow protection, were all safely hidden in holes. The cow was
tired. Tears were falling from her eyes and I was agitated out of hunger. My
body was weak. It is against my religion to consider the cow holy and to serve
her. But seeing that innocent cow surrounded by those cruel wolves who were
sharpening their knives and about to kill her, I felt pity on her. The cow was
frightened and pregnant, and seeing her I remembered my pregnant wife, and I
began to shiver.
I stood up with courage and said to my friends, "Can't you see that out of
hunger I'm about to die, and you fools are not yet able to provide me food. All
of you immediately go and collect wood and salt and I will take care of this."
As soon as my friends left I took the knife which was meant for killing the
poor cow, cut her loose, and patted her back. At first she couldn't stand up,
unable to believe this behavior from me. I stroked her again and she stood up,
stretched herself and swished her tail. At that moment she glanced at me in
such a way as if telling me "You will be rewarded for your kindness". She then
left, quickly disappearing out of sight. When my friends returned I was lying
on the ground, as if unconscious from hunger. They shook me and asked about the
cow. I pretended that I had no idea what had happened. Having no energy to
pursue her, they made some chapatis and ate them instead.
When the riots came to an end I was caught by the authorities and sentenced
to death by hanging. Hundreds of people gathered outside the jail to watch the
event as I was brought up to the gallows. A red hood was pulled over my eyes,
and everything went dark. A noose was then secured around my neck. My throat
was dry. Within moments the floor opened beneath me and I fell to what I
thought would be my death. Suspended mid-air, almost unconscious from fear, I
struggled to regain my senses as I realized I was not in fact dead, nor dying,
but somehow my feet were being supported upon what seemed to be two sharp
horns. The noose around my neck miraculously remained slack. Thinking me dead I
was brought out from under the platform. Seeing me in fact alive, the doctor
was shocked and moved back in astonishment.
According to the law at that time, I was hung thrice, and every time two
horns caught my fall. As the noose of the gallows was unable to take my life
even after three attempts, the court set me free. I came out of the jail with
my relatives and there I saw a cow. She looked at me with her cooling eyes,
then turned and walked away, followed by her calf. Immediately I remembered the
pregnant cow I had saved during the riot in Delhi. That cow had looked at me in
the same way when I had released her.
In my religion serving forms is considered a sin - but I bowed down to that
cow who I believe had saved my life. Since that time I consider serving cows my
duty, and I will continue to serve cows till the end of my life. I put the dust
of the cow's feet on my head, then I go to do namaj .
The following is based on a true story from Gauseva Chamatkar, an historical
collection of cow miracles.
The riot of 1857 was spread all over India - Delhi was the centre of it. Each
and every street had become a mortuary. There was blood shed everywhere. The
rioters had lost discrimination between good and bad. I was the chief of the
Muslim rioters.
At the end of a long day of looting and killing I was exhausted and hungry.
Our pockets and bags were full of money but the markets were desserted out of
fear of the riots, and all the houses were locked. We gathered in an empty
courtyard and my men went out to search for food. Soon four of my men returned
pulling a chubby cow behind them. I didn't know how that poor one fell in the
claws of those hungry wolves. One of them had tied his turban around her neck
and before I could say anything they tied the legs of that crying cow and threw
her down on the ground. Who would save a dumb cow from the hands of the Muslims
in the middle of that riot?
At that time all those so-called leaders of Hindu religion, those who give
long lectures on cow protection, were all safely hidden in holes. The cow was
tired. Tears were falling from her eyes and I was agitated out of hunger. My
body was weak. It is against my religion to consider the cow holy and to serve
her. But seeing that innocent cow surrounded by those cruel wolves who were
sharpening their knives and about to kill her, I felt pity on her. The cow was
frightened and pregnant, and seeing her I remembered my pregnant wife, and I
began to shiver.
I stood up with courage and said to my friends, "Can't you see that out of
hunger I'm about to die, and you fools are not yet able to provide me food. All
of you immediately go and collect wood and salt and I will take care of this."
As soon as my friends left I took the knife which was meant for killing the
poor cow, cut her loose, and patted her back. At first she couldn't stand up,
unable to believe this behavior from me. I stroked her again and she stood up,
stretched herself and swished her tail. At that moment she glanced at me in
such a way as if telling me "You will be rewarded for your kindness". She then
left, quickly disappearing out of sight. When my friends returned I was lying
on the ground, as if unconscious from hunger. They shook me and asked about the
cow. I pretended that I had no idea what had happened. Having no energy to
pursue her, they made some chapatis and ate them instead.
When the riots came to an end I was caught by the authorities and sentenced
to death by hanging. Hundreds of people gathered outside the jail to watch the
event as I was brought up to the gallows. A red hood was pulled over my eyes,
and everything went dark. A noose was then secured around my neck. My throat
was dry. Within moments the floor opened beneath me and I fell to what I
thought would be my death. Suspended mid-air, almost unconscious from fear, I
struggled to regain my senses as I realized I was not in fact dead, nor dying,
but somehow my feet were being supported upon what seemed to be two sharp
horns. The noose around my neck miraculously remained slack. Thinking me dead I
was brought out from under the platform. Seeing me in fact alive, the doctor
was shocked and moved back in astonishment.
According to the law at that time, I was hung thrice, and every time two
horns caught my fall. As the noose of the gallows was unable to take my life
even after three attempts, the court set me free. I came out of the jail with
my relatives and there I saw a cow. She looked at me with her cooling eyes,
then turned and walked away, followed by her calf. Immediately I remembered the
pregnant cow I had saved during the riot in Delhi. That cow had looked at me in
the same way when I had released her.
In my religion serving forms is considered a sin - but I bowed down to that
cow who I believe had saved my life. Since that time I consider serving cows my
duty, and I will continue to serve cows till the end of my life. I put the dust
of the cow's feet on my head, then I go to do namaj .
WHY WE SHOULD GO HOME ON TIME...
WHY WE SHOULD GO HOME ON TIME...
Mr. Narayana Murthy is undoubtedly one of the most famous persons from Karnataka. He is known not just for building the biggest INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY Empire in India but also for his simplicity. Almost every important dignitary visits InfoSys campus. He delivered an interesting speech during an employee session with another IT company in India. He is incidentally, one of the top 50 influential people of Asia according to an Asiaweek publication and also the new IT Advisor to the Thailand Prime Minister.
Extract of Mr. Narayana Murthy's Speech during Mentor Session :
I know people who work 12 hours a day, six days a week, or more. Some people do so because of a work emergency where the long hours are only temporary. Other people I know have put in these hours for years.
I do not know if they are working all these hours, but I do know they are in the office this long. Others put in long office hours
because they are addicted to the workplace.
Whatever the reason for putting in overtime, working long hours over the long term is harmful to the person and to the organization. There
are things managers can do to change this for everyone's benefit. Being in the office long hours, over long periods of time, makes
way for potential errors.
My colleagues who are in the office long hours frequently make mistakes caused by fatigue. Correcting these mistakes requires their time as well as the time and energy of others. I have seen people work Tuesday through Friday to correct mistakes made
after 5 PM on Monday.
Another problem is that people who are in the office long hours are not pleasant company. They often complain about other people ( who are not working as hard ); they are irritable, or cranky, or even angry. Other people avoid them. Such behaviour poses problems,
where work goes much better when people work together instead of avoiding one another.
As Managers, there are things we can do to help people leave the office. First and foremost is to set the example and go home
ourselves. I work with a manager who chides people for working long hours. His words quickly lose their meaning when he sends these
chiding group e-mails with a time-stamp of 2 AM , Sunday.
Second is to encourage people to put some balance in their lives.
For instance, here is a guideline I find helpful :
1) Wake up, eat a good breakfast, and go to work.
2) Work hard and smart for eight or nine hours.
3) Go home.
4) Read the books/comics, watch a funny movie, dig in the dirt,
play with your kids, etc.
5) Eat well and sleep well.
This is called recreating. Doing steps 1, 3, 4, and 5 enable step 2.
Working regular hours and recreating daily are simple concepts. They are hard for some of us because that requires 'personal change'. They are possible since we all have the power to choose to do them.
In considering the issue of overtime, I am reminded of my oldest son. When he was a toddler, if people were visiting the apartment,
he would not fall asleep no matter how long the visit was and no matter what time of day it was. He would fight off sleep until the
visitors left. It was as if he was afraid that he would miss some thing. Once our visitors' left, he would go to sleep. By this
time, however, he was over tired and would scream through half the night with nightmares. He, my wife and I all paid the price for
his fear of missing out.
Perhaps some people put in such long hours because they do not want to miss anything when they leave the office. The trouble with this is that events will never stop happening. That is life ! Things happen 24 hours a day.
Allowing for little rest is not ultimately practical. So, take a nap. Things will happen while you are asleep, but you will have the
energy to catch up when you wake.
Hence,
"LOVE YOUR JOB,*BUT NEVER FALL IN LOVE WITH YOUR COMPANY
** *BECAUSE YOUNEVER KNOW WHEN THE COMPANY STOPS LOVING YOU"
- Narayana Murthy - INFOSYS
Mr. Narayana Murthy is undoubtedly one of the most famous persons from Karnataka. He is known not just for building the biggest INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY Empire in India but also for his simplicity. Almost every important dignitary visits InfoSys campus. He delivered an interesting speech during an employee session with another IT company in India. He is incidentally, one of the top 50 influential people of Asia according to an Asiaweek publication and also the new IT Advisor to the Thailand Prime Minister.
Extract of Mr. Narayana Murthy's Speech during Mentor Session :
I know people who work 12 hours a day, six days a week, or more. Some people do so because of a work emergency where the long hours are only temporary. Other people I know have put in these hours for years.
I do not know if they are working all these hours, but I do know they are in the office this long. Others put in long office hours
because they are addicted to the workplace.
Whatever the reason for putting in overtime, working long hours over the long term is harmful to the person and to the organization. There
are things managers can do to change this for everyone's benefit. Being in the office long hours, over long periods of time, makes
way for potential errors.
My colleagues who are in the office long hours frequently make mistakes caused by fatigue. Correcting these mistakes requires their time as well as the time and energy of others. I have seen people work Tuesday through Friday to correct mistakes made
after 5 PM on Monday.
Another problem is that people who are in the office long hours are not pleasant company. They often complain about other people ( who are not working as hard ); they are irritable, or cranky, or even angry. Other people avoid them. Such behaviour poses problems,
where work goes much better when people work together instead of avoiding one another.
As Managers, there are things we can do to help people leave the office. First and foremost is to set the example and go home
ourselves. I work with a manager who chides people for working long hours. His words quickly lose their meaning when he sends these
chiding group e-mails with a time-stamp of 2 AM , Sunday.
Second is to encourage people to put some balance in their lives.
For instance, here is a guideline I find helpful :
1) Wake up, eat a good breakfast, and go to work.
2) Work hard and smart for eight or nine hours.
3) Go home.
4) Read the books/comics, watch a funny movie, dig in the dirt,
play with your kids, etc.
5) Eat well and sleep well.
This is called recreating. Doing steps 1, 3, 4, and 5 enable step 2.
Working regular hours and recreating daily are simple concepts. They are hard for some of us because that requires 'personal change'. They are possible since we all have the power to choose to do them.
In considering the issue of overtime, I am reminded of my oldest son. When he was a toddler, if people were visiting the apartment,
he would not fall asleep no matter how long the visit was and no matter what time of day it was. He would fight off sleep until the
visitors left. It was as if he was afraid that he would miss some thing. Once our visitors' left, he would go to sleep. By this
time, however, he was over tired and would scream through half the night with nightmares. He, my wife and I all paid the price for
his fear of missing out.
Perhaps some people put in such long hours because they do not want to miss anything when they leave the office. The trouble with this is that events will never stop happening. That is life ! Things happen 24 hours a day.
Allowing for little rest is not ultimately practical. So, take a nap. Things will happen while you are asleep, but you will have the
energy to catch up when you wake.
Hence,
"LOVE YOUR JOB,*BUT NEVER FALL IN LOVE WITH YOUR COMPANY
** *BECAUSE YOUNEVER KNOW WHEN THE COMPANY STOPS LOVING YOU"
- Narayana Murthy - INFOSYS
The Philosophy of the Stock Market...
One day I decided to quit...I quit my job, my relationship, my Spirituality... I wanted to quit my life.
I went to the woods to have one last talk with God. God, I said. Can you give me one good reason not to quit His answer surprised me...
Look around, He said. Do you see the fern and the bamboo
Yes, I replied.
When I planted the fern and the bamboo seeds, I took very good care of them.
I gave them light. I gave them water. The fern quickly grew from the earth.
Its brilliant green covered the floor. Yet nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo. In the second year the Fern grew more vibrant and plentiful. And again, nothing came from the bamboo seed.
But I did not quit on the bamboo. He said.
In year three there was still nothing from the bamboo seed. But I would not quit. In year four, again, there was nothing from the bamboo seed. I would not quit. He said.
Then in the fifth year a tiny sprout emerged from the earth. Compared to the fern it was seemingly small and insignificant...But just 6 months later the bamboo rose to over 100 feet tall. It had spent the five years growing
roots. Those roots made it strong and gave it what it needed to survive. I would not give any of my creations a challenge it could not handle. He said to me.
Did you know, my child, that all this time you have been struggling, you have actually been growing roots
I would not quit on the bamboo. I will never quit on you.
Don't compare yourself to others. He said. The bamboo had a different purpose than the fern. Yet they both make the forest beautiful.
Your time will come, God said to me. You will rise high
How high should I rise I asked.
How high will the bamboo rise He asked in return.
As high as it can I questioned
Yes. He said, Give me glory by rising as high as you can.
I left the forest and bring back this story. I hope these words can help you see that God will never give up on you.
He will never give up on you!
"R.Anantha Subramaniam" wrote: Once upon a time in a village a man appeared who announced to the
villagers that he would buy monkeys for Rs. 10. The villagers seeing
that there were many monkeys went out in the forest and started catching
them.
The man bought thousands at 10 and as supply started to diminish and
villagers started to stop their effort he announced that now he would
buy at 20 rupees.
This renewed the efforts of the villagers and they started catching
monkeys again. Soon the supply diminished even further and people
started going back to their farms. The offer rate increased to Rs. 30
and the supply of monkeys became so less that it was an effort to even
see a monkey let alone catch it.
The man now announced that he would buy monkeys at Rs. 50!!!!!!
However, since he had to go to the city on some business his assistant
would now buy on behalf of the man.
In the absence of the man, the assistant told the villagers. Look at all
these monkeys in the big cage that the man has collected. I will sell
them to you at 35 and when the man comes back you can sell it to him for
50.
The villagers queued up with all their saving to buy the monkeys.
After that no body found that man and that assistant, only monkies and
monkies and monkies and mon..................................
I went to the woods to have one last talk with God. God, I said. Can you give me one good reason not to quit His answer surprised me...
Look around, He said. Do you see the fern and the bamboo
Yes, I replied.
When I planted the fern and the bamboo seeds, I took very good care of them.
I gave them light. I gave them water. The fern quickly grew from the earth.
Its brilliant green covered the floor. Yet nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo. In the second year the Fern grew more vibrant and plentiful. And again, nothing came from the bamboo seed.
But I did not quit on the bamboo. He said.
In year three there was still nothing from the bamboo seed. But I would not quit. In year four, again, there was nothing from the bamboo seed. I would not quit. He said.
Then in the fifth year a tiny sprout emerged from the earth. Compared to the fern it was seemingly small and insignificant...But just 6 months later the bamboo rose to over 100 feet tall. It had spent the five years growing
roots. Those roots made it strong and gave it what it needed to survive. I would not give any of my creations a challenge it could not handle. He said to me.
Did you know, my child, that all this time you have been struggling, you have actually been growing roots
I would not quit on the bamboo. I will never quit on you.
Don't compare yourself to others. He said. The bamboo had a different purpose than the fern. Yet they both make the forest beautiful.
Your time will come, God said to me. You will rise high
How high should I rise I asked.
How high will the bamboo rise He asked in return.
As high as it can I questioned
Yes. He said, Give me glory by rising as high as you can.
I left the forest and bring back this story. I hope these words can help you see that God will never give up on you.
He will never give up on you!
"R.Anantha Subramaniam"
villagers that he would buy monkeys for Rs. 10. The villagers seeing
that there were many monkeys went out in the forest and started catching
them.
The man bought thousands at 10 and as supply started to diminish and
villagers started to stop their effort he announced that now he would
buy at 20 rupees.
This renewed the efforts of the villagers and they started catching
monkeys again. Soon the supply diminished even further and people
started going back to their farms. The offer rate increased to Rs. 30
and the supply of monkeys became so less that it was an effort to even
see a monkey let alone catch it.
The man now announced that he would buy monkeys at Rs. 50!!!!!!
However, since he had to go to the city on some business his assistant
would now buy on behalf of the man.
In the absence of the man, the assistant told the villagers. Look at all
these monkeys in the big cage that the man has collected. I will sell
them to you at 35 and when the man comes back you can sell it to him for
50.
The villagers queued up with all their saving to buy the monkeys.
After that no body found that man and that assistant, only monkies and
monkies and monkies and mon..................................
Guided Missiles & Misguided Men
Sometimes we get what we need and not what we want..........
Once there were three trees on a hill in the woods.
They were discussing their hopes and dreams when the first tree
said, "Someday, I hope to be a treasure chest. I could be filled
with gold, silver and precious gems and be decorated with intricate
carvings. Everyone would see my beauty."
The second tree said, "Someday, I will be a mighty ship. I will
take kings and queens across the waters and sail to the corners of
the world. Everyone will feel safe in me because of the strength of
my hull."
Finally, the third tree said, "I want to grow to be the tallest and
straightest tree in the forest. People will see me on top of the
hill and look up to my branches, and think of the heavens and God
and how close to them I am reaching. I will be the greatest tree of
all time, and people will always remember me."
After a few years of praying that their dreams would come true, a
group of woodsmen came upon the trees. One came to the first tree
and said, "This looks like a strong tree, I think I should be able
to sell the wood to a carpenter," and he began cutting it down. The
tree was happy, because he knew that the carpenter would make him into a treasure chest. At the second tree, one of the other
woodsman said, "This looks like a strong tree. I should be able to
sell it to the shipyard." The a second tree was happy, because he
knew he was on his way to becoming a mighty ship.
When the woodsmen came upon the third tree, the tree was
frightened, because it knew that, if it was cut down, its dreams
would not come true. One of the woodsmen said, "I don't need
anything special from my tree, so I'll take this one," and he cut
it down.
When the first tree arrived at the carpenter's, he was made into a
feed box for animals, placed in a barn and filled with hay. This
was not at all what he had prayed for.
The second tree was cut and made into a small fishing boat. His
dreams of being a mighty ship and carrying kings had come to an
end. The third tree was cut into large pieces and left alone in the
dark.
The years went by, and the trees forgot about their dreams. Then a
man and woman came to the barn. She gave birth, and they placed the baby in the hay in the feed box that was made from the first tree.
The man wished that he could have made a crib for the baby, but
this manger would have to do. The tree could feel the importance of
this event and knew that it had held the greatest treasure of all
time.
Years later, a group of men got in the fishing boat made from the
second tree. One of them was tired and went to sleep. While they
were out on the water, a great storm arose, and the tree didn't
think it was strong enough to keep the men safe.
The men woke the sleeping man, and he stood and said "Peace," and the storm stopped. At this time, the tree knew that it had carried
the King of Kings in its boat.
Finally, someone came and got the third tree. It was carried
through the streets, and the crowd mocked the man who was carrying it.
Finally, the man was nailed to the tree and raised in the air to
die at the top of a hill. When Sunday came, the tree came to
realize that it was strong enough to stand at the top of the hill
and be as close to God as was possible, because Jesus had been
crucified on it.
The moral of this story is that, when things don't seem to be going
your way, always know that God has a plan for you. If you place
your trust in Him, He will give you great gifts. Each of the trees
got what they wanted, just not in the way they had imagined. We
don't always know what God's plans are for us.
We just know that His ways are not our ways, but His ways are
always best.
Keep it moving...pass it on, so it could inspire more people.
Sometimes the heart sees what the eyes can't.
"R.Anantha Subramaniam" wrote: Guided Missiles & Misguided Men
________________________________
September 11, 2001. One of the darkest days in the history of the modern
world. A group of misguided men guided a missile in the form of an
airplane into one of the world's tallest buildings and brought it
crashing down, causing the death of thousands of innocent people.
Martin Luther King, Jr, stated in his From Strength to Love, "The means
by which we live have outdistanced the ends for which we live. Our
scientific power has outrun our spiritual power. We have guided missiles
and misguided men." Little did he know how prophetic his words would be
in a literal sense several decades later.
A COMFORTABLE STATE OF MISERY
In the modern times, we have achieved considerable ability to manipulate
our external environment with the help of science and technology.
Technological gadgets have helped make life comfortable and easy to a
large extent, relieving us of many of the discomforts and inconveniences
associated with a traditional way of life. The ads go so far as to claim
that the world is now at your fingertips.
Yet have all these comforts made us more peaceful or happy?
* People of the past hardly ever complained of stress or
depression, but these have become almost synonymous with a modern way of
life. The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared that mental
disease will be the greatest health challenge of this century.
* With the rapid rise in promiscuity in modern times, the family,
the basis of a steady and sustainable society, is breaking apart. A
survey showed that two out of three marriages in the US end in divorce
within three years of marriage. Marital rupture is traumatic for the
spouses and devastating for their children. Statistics show that
divorced people as well as children of divorced parents are more likely
to succumb to addictions than their married counterparts. Even if they
don't succumb to addictions, the emotional trauma and the resulting
mental stress that comes from ruptured relationships and broken hearts
leave lifelong scars.
* Worldwide addictions are on the rise. WHO statistics indicate
that tobacco alone kills nearly 10,000 people worldwide every day. There
are around 1.1 billion smokers in the world (about one-third of the
global population aged 15 and over). By 2020 it is predicted that
tobacco use will cause over 12% of all deaths globally. This is more
deaths worldwide than HIV, tuberculosis, maternal mortality, motor
vehicle accidents, suicide and homicide combined. And smoking is a
relatively mild form of addiction as compared to alcoholism and drug
abuse.
* And with the children of today's disturbed, ruptured and
addicted generation being the leaders of tomorrow, the future of the
world is quite frightening to even contemplate upon. The school
massacres in Littleton and other places in US give us a glimpse of
things to come.
So despite the bluff and the bravado of the comfortable life, most
modern people find themselves in mental distress. They thus live in a
comfortable state of misery. And the tragic irony is that most of this
misery is self-inflicted. For example, no one needs to smoke to survive
but still people smoke and bring disease and suffering upon themselves.
Thus modern society may have succeeded in guiding missiles but has
failed utterly in guiding human beings. What is the cause of this
unfortunate, indeed tragic, state of affairs - guided missiles and
misguided men?
THE ENEMIES WITHIN
An analysis of the current world scenario from the Vedic perspective
provides thought-provoking insights. The Vedic texts explain that within
the human psyche are six formidable forces which misguide a person
constantly and impel him to self-destructive behavioural patterns. These
are lust, anger, greed, pride, envy and illusion. Among these, lust,
greed and anger are the most dangerous and are declared in the
Bhagavad-gita to be "the three gates to hell". Let us see how these
relate to the problems plaguing the present-day world.
Lust:
It is the source of all kinds of sexual drives. While regulated sex is
necessary for procreation, lust tends to create uncontrollable sexual
urges within a person. While modern media - and practically the entire
modern society - portrays passionate lust as a gateway to unlimited
bodily pleasures, such a conception is in reality short-lived and
treacherous; it is individually frustrating and socially disastrous.
Enamoured by erotic fantasies, a person tries to enjoy in newer ways and
with newer partners. But each successive experience leaves him
increasingly disappointed - and craving for more. For the highest
pleasure the body can offer is heartbreakingly brief. Frustrated in his
quest for erotic enjoyment, such a person turns in despair to perverted
sources of pleasure like smoking, drinking and drug abuse.
As far as the family is concerned, uncontrolled lust in either or both
of the spouses wreaks havoc in the lives of both of them as well as of
their children, as discussed earlier.
Deadly sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) like AIDS, which result from
uncontrolled lust, have devastating individual and social consequences,
which need no elaboration.
Greed:
Greed makes one crave for far more than what one needs. A person
victimized by greed does not find satisfaction no matter how much he
accumulates. At the same time, his greed forces him to exploit others
and strip them of even their basic needs in order to achieve his selfish
ends.
During a morning walk through a slum area, Srila Prabhupada noticed some
stout people jogging along the road. He poignantly commented that in the
huts people did not get enough to eat, while the wealthy tended to
overeat and were therefore forced to jog to decrease their weight.
Consider the following UNICEF statistics about the world hunger problem:
* Hunger kills a person every 3.6 seconds and over 15 million
children every year . To satisfy the world's sanitation and food
requirements would cost only US$13 billion- what the people of the
United States and the European Union spend on perfume each year.
* Nearly one in four people, 1.3 billion - a majority of humanity
- live on less than $1 per day, while the world's 358 billionaires have
assets exceeding the combined annual incomes of countries with 45
percent of the world's people.
The irony with greed is that the greedy person forces others to die of
starvation and himself ends up dying of anxiety.
Anger:
Anger arises when one's lusty desires are frustrated. Anger leads to all
forms of violence ranging from petty quarrels to world wars. The modern
media with its vivid depiction of violence portrays anger as a heroic
quality. This is a major cause of the spiralling rates of violent
criminality in modern societies. While most people recognize that in
real life anger is not a desirable emotion, they savour the violent
scenes in the movies. And then strangely enough they wonder why they
themselves, in fits of anger, speak such words and do such deeds which
break the hearts of their loved ones and which they themselves bitterly
regret later. Anger thus destroys relationships and ruins lives.
Anger is also a known cause of a large variety of ailments ranging from
high blood pressure to heart attacks.
This brief analysis gives us an idea of how the three internal enemies
lust, greed and anger are the actual cause of a large variety of
problems. The Vedic texts explain that practically every problem,
individual or social, local or global, has its origin in the six
misguiding forces - lust, greed, anger, pride, envy and illusion.
SPIRITUAL TECHNOLOGY
Just as material technology enables us to control the world around us,
spiritual technology helps us to control the world within us. The Vedic
society was oriented to make people expert in spiritual technology so
that they could protect themselves from lust, greed and anger. This was
done through a harmonious combination of education, culture and
devotion.
Education: In Vedic society, education did not mean just learning how to
earn a living. It focused on acquiring spiritual knowledge, which gave
the student a clear vision to see the deadly nature of the internal
enemies. Vedic education also provided the student with the know-how and
the training to fight and conquer these enemies when they attacked.
Overcoming lust, anger and greed did not however mean being condemned to
live a dry life without any desires or ambitions. Vedic education
enabled the student to utilize his desires and talents positively in
pursuance of his enlightened self-interest so as to achieve lasting
happiness.
Culture: Vedic culture was based on the implicit understanding that
human happiness came not by external aggrandizement meant to satisfy
one's lust, anger and greed, but by inner realization that gradually
freed one from these internal enemies. Life in Vedic times was therefore
not a rat race for wealth, but was arranged to enable one to utilize
one's inherent material abilities in satisfying and productive service
to society. Simultaneously the social environment provided abundant
facilities and encouragement for one to develop oneself spiritually and
thus find happiness within oneself.
Devotion: In Vedic society devotion to God was inculcated right from
birth. Due to their firm devotion the people experienced sublime
non-material satisfaction and that gave them inner spiritual strength.
Being content within, they could resist the otherwise irresistible
pushings of lust, greed and anger. (Modern studies in psychology have
also started discovering the power of faith as the best insurance from
self-destructive behavioural patterns) In the Vedic times, genuine
devotion to God did much more than protect people from addictions; it
made them honest, kind, considerate, loving and selfless and thus
facilitated a peaceful and harmonious society.
Let us compare Vedic society with modern society.
Education: Modern education focuses mainly on the development of
intellect (the ability to recollect and manipulate information) rather
than the development of intelligence (the ability to discriminate
between the right and the wrong, the beneficial and the harmful). It
does not emphasize inculcating ethical, moral or spiritual values. Those
educated in this way are able to control the world around them with
material technology but fail miserably in controlling the world within
them as they have no knowledge of spiritual technology. The result is
tragic - a world with guided missiles and misguided men.
Culture: The heroes of modern society are the icons of lust - film stars
with sex appeal, anger - action heroes and greed - successful
businessmen. The modern media with its undisguised promotion of a
consumer culture and the entire society with its emphasis on material
success fuels almost unlimitedly greed within people. Thus modern
culture far from discouraging lust, greed and anger encourages them as
the trappings of success.
Devotion: In the modern times, even those who profess to be believers do
so mostly out of social custom or fear of the unknown. They have very
little scientific understanding of God and are therefore not serious
about their devotion. So when lust, greed and anger attack them, they
can muster very little inner strength to fight with them and
consequently they become easily victimized. This is all the more true
for those who are openly atheistic and materialistic.
Modern society thus gives a free play to its worst enemies - lust, greed
and anger. Is it then a surprise that the modern world is in a state of
chaos?
HEALING A WOUNDED WORLD
An important principle in medicine is to treat the cause of the disease
rather than its symptoms. The world is today plagued by a large variety
of problems - poverty, starvation, violence, disease and pollution, to
name a few. Social welfare workers are trying to deal with these
problems - on a material level. These efforts are only a part of the
solution; they fail to address the underlying cause. The problems
confronting the world are symptoms of the real disease afflicting the
social body - victimization by lust, greed and anger. Intelligent
attempts to heal the world need to therefore tackle this root cause of
the disease. As long as an individual is not freed from slavery to the
internal enemies, he cannot be peaceful or happy. And as long as the
individual is not peaceful and happy, there is no question of a peaceful
or happy world.
ISKCON is among the very few organizations in the world arming people
with spiritual technology to enable them to fight with and conquer the
internal enemies. ISKCON provides education, culture and devotion, which
is based on the Vedic texts and is suitably adapted to the modern times.
This empowers ISKCON devotees to protect themselves from the insidious
influences of lust, greed and anger and live a pure life filled with
peace and joy.
Consider for example the four principal activities of an individual
misguided by lust, anger and greed - intoxication, gambling, illicit sex
and meat eating. Intelligent people can easily recognize the harmful
nature of these activities and can also understand that a world free
from these activities would be a much better place. Most people
unfortunately indulge in these activities either voluntarily with a
bestial relish or involuntarily, being forced by lust, greed and anger.
Serious ISKCON devotees however refrain from these activities as a basic
regulative principle for spiritual advancement. That they are able to do
so in a world that is slave to these activities is itself eloquent
testimony of the protection through wisdom that ISKCON is offering.
ISKCON is of course working at a humanitarian level to mitigate
suffering and distress; it runs the world's largest vegetarian food
relief program - Food for Life. But the highest service that ISKCON
offers to the people of the world is its tireless attempts to provide
them protection from their internal enemies and to enable them to find
peace and happiness within themselves.
The Spiritual Scientist is always at your service in your journey beyond
the realms of material science into the unexplored reaches of the
spiritual dimension of the cosmos.
________________________________
__,_._,___
Once there were three trees on a hill in the woods.
They were discussing their hopes and dreams when the first tree
said, "Someday, I hope to be a treasure chest. I could be filled
with gold, silver and precious gems and be decorated with intricate
carvings. Everyone would see my beauty."
The second tree said, "Someday, I will be a mighty ship. I will
take kings and queens across the waters and sail to the corners of
the world. Everyone will feel safe in me because of the strength of
my hull."
Finally, the third tree said, "I want to grow to be the tallest and
straightest tree in the forest. People will see me on top of the
hill and look up to my branches, and think of the heavens and God
and how close to them I am reaching. I will be the greatest tree of
all time, and people will always remember me."
After a few years of praying that their dreams would come true, a
group of woodsmen came upon the trees. One came to the first tree
and said, "This looks like a strong tree, I think I should be able
to sell the wood to a carpenter," and he began cutting it down. The
tree was happy, because he knew that the carpenter would make him into a treasure chest. At the second tree, one of the other
woodsman said, "This looks like a strong tree. I should be able to
sell it to the shipyard." The a second tree was happy, because he
knew he was on his way to becoming a mighty ship.
When the woodsmen came upon the third tree, the tree was
frightened, because it knew that, if it was cut down, its dreams
would not come true. One of the woodsmen said, "I don't need
anything special from my tree, so I'll take this one," and he cut
it down.
When the first tree arrived at the carpenter's, he was made into a
feed box for animals, placed in a barn and filled with hay. This
was not at all what he had prayed for.
The second tree was cut and made into a small fishing boat. His
dreams of being a mighty ship and carrying kings had come to an
end. The third tree was cut into large pieces and left alone in the
dark.
The years went by, and the trees forgot about their dreams. Then a
man and woman came to the barn. She gave birth, and they placed the baby in the hay in the feed box that was made from the first tree.
The man wished that he could have made a crib for the baby, but
this manger would have to do. The tree could feel the importance of
this event and knew that it had held the greatest treasure of all
time.
Years later, a group of men got in the fishing boat made from the
second tree. One of them was tired and went to sleep. While they
were out on the water, a great storm arose, and the tree didn't
think it was strong enough to keep the men safe.
The men woke the sleeping man, and he stood and said "Peace," and the storm stopped. At this time, the tree knew that it had carried
the King of Kings in its boat.
Finally, someone came and got the third tree. It was carried
through the streets, and the crowd mocked the man who was carrying it.
Finally, the man was nailed to the tree and raised in the air to
die at the top of a hill. When Sunday came, the tree came to
realize that it was strong enough to stand at the top of the hill
and be as close to God as was possible, because Jesus had been
crucified on it.
The moral of this story is that, when things don't seem to be going
your way, always know that God has a plan for you. If you place
your trust in Him, He will give you great gifts. Each of the trees
got what they wanted, just not in the way they had imagined. We
don't always know what God's plans are for us.
We just know that His ways are not our ways, but His ways are
always best.
Keep it moving...pass it on, so it could inspire more people.
Sometimes the heart sees what the eyes can't.
"R.Anantha Subramaniam"
________________________________
September 11, 2001. One of the darkest days in the history of the modern
world. A group of misguided men guided a missile in the form of an
airplane into one of the world's tallest buildings and brought it
crashing down, causing the death of thousands of innocent people.
Martin Luther King, Jr, stated in his From Strength to Love, "The means
by which we live have outdistanced the ends for which we live. Our
scientific power has outrun our spiritual power. We have guided missiles
and misguided men." Little did he know how prophetic his words would be
in a literal sense several decades later.
A COMFORTABLE STATE OF MISERY
In the modern times, we have achieved considerable ability to manipulate
our external environment with the help of science and technology.
Technological gadgets have helped make life comfortable and easy to a
large extent, relieving us of many of the discomforts and inconveniences
associated with a traditional way of life. The ads go so far as to claim
that the world is now at your fingertips.
Yet have all these comforts made us more peaceful or happy?
* People of the past hardly ever complained of stress or
depression, but these have become almost synonymous with a modern way of
life. The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared that mental
disease will be the greatest health challenge of this century.
* With the rapid rise in promiscuity in modern times, the family,
the basis of a steady and sustainable society, is breaking apart. A
survey showed that two out of three marriages in the US end in divorce
within three years of marriage. Marital rupture is traumatic for the
spouses and devastating for their children. Statistics show that
divorced people as well as children of divorced parents are more likely
to succumb to addictions than their married counterparts. Even if they
don't succumb to addictions, the emotional trauma and the resulting
mental stress that comes from ruptured relationships and broken hearts
leave lifelong scars.
* Worldwide addictions are on the rise. WHO statistics indicate
that tobacco alone kills nearly 10,000 people worldwide every day. There
are around 1.1 billion smokers in the world (about one-third of the
global population aged 15 and over). By 2020 it is predicted that
tobacco use will cause over 12% of all deaths globally. This is more
deaths worldwide than HIV, tuberculosis, maternal mortality, motor
vehicle accidents, suicide and homicide combined. And smoking is a
relatively mild form of addiction as compared to alcoholism and drug
abuse.
* And with the children of today's disturbed, ruptured and
addicted generation being the leaders of tomorrow, the future of the
world is quite frightening to even contemplate upon. The school
massacres in Littleton and other places in US give us a glimpse of
things to come.
So despite the bluff and the bravado of the comfortable life, most
modern people find themselves in mental distress. They thus live in a
comfortable state of misery. And the tragic irony is that most of this
misery is self-inflicted. For example, no one needs to smoke to survive
but still people smoke and bring disease and suffering upon themselves.
Thus modern society may have succeeded in guiding missiles but has
failed utterly in guiding human beings. What is the cause of this
unfortunate, indeed tragic, state of affairs - guided missiles and
misguided men?
THE ENEMIES WITHIN
An analysis of the current world scenario from the Vedic perspective
provides thought-provoking insights. The Vedic texts explain that within
the human psyche are six formidable forces which misguide a person
constantly and impel him to self-destructive behavioural patterns. These
are lust, anger, greed, pride, envy and illusion. Among these, lust,
greed and anger are the most dangerous and are declared in the
Bhagavad-gita to be "the three gates to hell". Let us see how these
relate to the problems plaguing the present-day world.
Lust:
It is the source of all kinds of sexual drives. While regulated sex is
necessary for procreation, lust tends to create uncontrollable sexual
urges within a person. While modern media - and practically the entire
modern society - portrays passionate lust as a gateway to unlimited
bodily pleasures, such a conception is in reality short-lived and
treacherous; it is individually frustrating and socially disastrous.
Enamoured by erotic fantasies, a person tries to enjoy in newer ways and
with newer partners. But each successive experience leaves him
increasingly disappointed - and craving for more. For the highest
pleasure the body can offer is heartbreakingly brief. Frustrated in his
quest for erotic enjoyment, such a person turns in despair to perverted
sources of pleasure like smoking, drinking and drug abuse.
As far as the family is concerned, uncontrolled lust in either or both
of the spouses wreaks havoc in the lives of both of them as well as of
their children, as discussed earlier.
Deadly sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) like AIDS, which result from
uncontrolled lust, have devastating individual and social consequences,
which need no elaboration.
Greed:
Greed makes one crave for far more than what one needs. A person
victimized by greed does not find satisfaction no matter how much he
accumulates. At the same time, his greed forces him to exploit others
and strip them of even their basic needs in order to achieve his selfish
ends.
During a morning walk through a slum area, Srila Prabhupada noticed some
stout people jogging along the road. He poignantly commented that in the
huts people did not get enough to eat, while the wealthy tended to
overeat and were therefore forced to jog to decrease their weight.
Consider the following UNICEF statistics about the world hunger problem:
* Hunger kills a person every 3.6 seconds and over 15 million
children every year . To satisfy the world's sanitation and food
requirements would cost only US$13 billion- what the people of the
United States and the European Union spend on perfume each year.
* Nearly one in four people, 1.3 billion - a majority of humanity
- live on less than $1 per day, while the world's 358 billionaires have
assets exceeding the combined annual incomes of countries with 45
percent of the world's people.
The irony with greed is that the greedy person forces others to die of
starvation and himself ends up dying of anxiety.
Anger:
Anger arises when one's lusty desires are frustrated. Anger leads to all
forms of violence ranging from petty quarrels to world wars. The modern
media with its vivid depiction of violence portrays anger as a heroic
quality. This is a major cause of the spiralling rates of violent
criminality in modern societies. While most people recognize that in
real life anger is not a desirable emotion, they savour the violent
scenes in the movies. And then strangely enough they wonder why they
themselves, in fits of anger, speak such words and do such deeds which
break the hearts of their loved ones and which they themselves bitterly
regret later. Anger thus destroys relationships and ruins lives.
Anger is also a known cause of a large variety of ailments ranging from
high blood pressure to heart attacks.
This brief analysis gives us an idea of how the three internal enemies
lust, greed and anger are the actual cause of a large variety of
problems. The Vedic texts explain that practically every problem,
individual or social, local or global, has its origin in the six
misguiding forces - lust, greed, anger, pride, envy and illusion.
SPIRITUAL TECHNOLOGY
Just as material technology enables us to control the world around us,
spiritual technology helps us to control the world within us. The Vedic
society was oriented to make people expert in spiritual technology so
that they could protect themselves from lust, greed and anger. This was
done through a harmonious combination of education, culture and
devotion.
Education: In Vedic society, education did not mean just learning how to
earn a living. It focused on acquiring spiritual knowledge, which gave
the student a clear vision to see the deadly nature of the internal
enemies. Vedic education also provided the student with the know-how and
the training to fight and conquer these enemies when they attacked.
Overcoming lust, anger and greed did not however mean being condemned to
live a dry life without any desires or ambitions. Vedic education
enabled the student to utilize his desires and talents positively in
pursuance of his enlightened self-interest so as to achieve lasting
happiness.
Culture: Vedic culture was based on the implicit understanding that
human happiness came not by external aggrandizement meant to satisfy
one's lust, anger and greed, but by inner realization that gradually
freed one from these internal enemies. Life in Vedic times was therefore
not a rat race for wealth, but was arranged to enable one to utilize
one's inherent material abilities in satisfying and productive service
to society. Simultaneously the social environment provided abundant
facilities and encouragement for one to develop oneself spiritually and
thus find happiness within oneself.
Devotion: In Vedic society devotion to God was inculcated right from
birth. Due to their firm devotion the people experienced sublime
non-material satisfaction and that gave them inner spiritual strength.
Being content within, they could resist the otherwise irresistible
pushings of lust, greed and anger. (Modern studies in psychology have
also started discovering the power of faith as the best insurance from
self-destructive behavioural patterns) In the Vedic times, genuine
devotion to God did much more than protect people from addictions; it
made them honest, kind, considerate, loving and selfless and thus
facilitated a peaceful and harmonious society.
Let us compare Vedic society with modern society.
Education: Modern education focuses mainly on the development of
intellect (the ability to recollect and manipulate information) rather
than the development of intelligence (the ability to discriminate
between the right and the wrong, the beneficial and the harmful). It
does not emphasize inculcating ethical, moral or spiritual values. Those
educated in this way are able to control the world around them with
material technology but fail miserably in controlling the world within
them as they have no knowledge of spiritual technology. The result is
tragic - a world with guided missiles and misguided men.
Culture: The heroes of modern society are the icons of lust - film stars
with sex appeal, anger - action heroes and greed - successful
businessmen. The modern media with its undisguised promotion of a
consumer culture and the entire society with its emphasis on material
success fuels almost unlimitedly greed within people. Thus modern
culture far from discouraging lust, greed and anger encourages them as
the trappings of success.
Devotion: In the modern times, even those who profess to be believers do
so mostly out of social custom or fear of the unknown. They have very
little scientific understanding of God and are therefore not serious
about their devotion. So when lust, greed and anger attack them, they
can muster very little inner strength to fight with them and
consequently they become easily victimized. This is all the more true
for those who are openly atheistic and materialistic.
Modern society thus gives a free play to its worst enemies - lust, greed
and anger. Is it then a surprise that the modern world is in a state of
chaos?
HEALING A WOUNDED WORLD
An important principle in medicine is to treat the cause of the disease
rather than its symptoms. The world is today plagued by a large variety
of problems - poverty, starvation, violence, disease and pollution, to
name a few. Social welfare workers are trying to deal with these
problems - on a material level. These efforts are only a part of the
solution; they fail to address the underlying cause. The problems
confronting the world are symptoms of the real disease afflicting the
social body - victimization by lust, greed and anger. Intelligent
attempts to heal the world need to therefore tackle this root cause of
the disease. As long as an individual is not freed from slavery to the
internal enemies, he cannot be peaceful or happy. And as long as the
individual is not peaceful and happy, there is no question of a peaceful
or happy world.
ISKCON is among the very few organizations in the world arming people
with spiritual technology to enable them to fight with and conquer the
internal enemies. ISKCON provides education, culture and devotion, which
is based on the Vedic texts and is suitably adapted to the modern times.
This empowers ISKCON devotees to protect themselves from the insidious
influences of lust, greed and anger and live a pure life filled with
peace and joy.
Consider for example the four principal activities of an individual
misguided by lust, anger and greed - intoxication, gambling, illicit sex
and meat eating. Intelligent people can easily recognize the harmful
nature of these activities and can also understand that a world free
from these activities would be a much better place. Most people
unfortunately indulge in these activities either voluntarily with a
bestial relish or involuntarily, being forced by lust, greed and anger.
Serious ISKCON devotees however refrain from these activities as a basic
regulative principle for spiritual advancement. That they are able to do
so in a world that is slave to these activities is itself eloquent
testimony of the protection through wisdom that ISKCON is offering.
ISKCON is of course working at a humanitarian level to mitigate
suffering and distress; it runs the world's largest vegetarian food
relief program - Food for Life. But the highest service that ISKCON
offers to the people of the world is its tireless attempts to provide
them protection from their internal enemies and to enable them to find
peace and happiness within themselves.
The Spiritual Scientist is always at your service in your journey beyond
the realms of material science into the unexplored reaches of the
spiritual dimension of the cosmos.
________________________________
__,_._,___
Wednesday, June 21, 2006
Seven Purposes of ISKCON
Seven Purposes of ISKCON
In the New York's Lower Eastside Tompkins Square Park Srila Prabhupada started the first public sankirtan outside India
On July 11, 1966, Srila Prabhupada incorporated a new religious movement called ISKCON, the International Society for Krishna Consciousness.
1. To systematically propagate spiritual knowledge to society at large and to educate all peoples in the techniques of spiritual life in order to check the imbalance of values in life and to achieve real unity and peace in the world.
2. To propagate a consciousness of Krishna, as it is revealed in the Bhagavad-gita and the Srimad-Bhagavatam.
3. To bring the members of the Society together with each other and nearer to Krishna, the prime entity, thus to develop the idea within the members, and humanity at large, that each soul is part and parcel of the quality of Godhead (Krishna).
4. To teach and encourage the sankirtana movement, congregational chanting of the holy names of God as revealed in the teachings of Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
5. To erect for the members, and for society at large, a holy place of transcendental pastimes, dedicated to the personality of Krishna.
6. To bring the members closer together for the purpose of teaching a simpler and more natural way of life.
7. With a view towards achieving the aforementioned purposes, to publish and distribute periodicals, magazines, books and other writings.
In the New York's Lower Eastside Tompkins Square Park Srila Prabhupada started the first public sankirtan outside India
On July 11, 1966, Srila Prabhupada incorporated a new religious movement called ISKCON, the International Society for Krishna Consciousness.
1. To systematically propagate spiritual knowledge to society at large and to educate all peoples in the techniques of spiritual life in order to check the imbalance of values in life and to achieve real unity and peace in the world.
2. To propagate a consciousness of Krishna, as it is revealed in the Bhagavad-gita and the Srimad-Bhagavatam.
3. To bring the members of the Society together with each other and nearer to Krishna, the prime entity, thus to develop the idea within the members, and humanity at large, that each soul is part and parcel of the quality of Godhead (Krishna).
4. To teach and encourage the sankirtana movement, congregational chanting of the holy names of God as revealed in the teachings of Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
5. To erect for the members, and for society at large, a holy place of transcendental pastimes, dedicated to the personality of Krishna.
6. To bring the members closer together for the purpose of teaching a simpler and more natural way of life.
7. With a view towards achieving the aforementioned purposes, to publish and distribute periodicals, magazines, books and other writings.
japa blog
New Virtual Japa Group Launched
by Rasa dasa
Posted June 10, 2006
Dear Devotees,
Please accept my obeisances. All glories to Sri Guru, Gauranga and Srila Prabhupada.
This is an open invitation for all devotees from around the world to join a unique virtual Japa Group just launched on the internet.
I have been given very positive encouragement from senior Sannyasi disciples of Srila Prabhupada as well as other senior devotees - so I humbly offer this service to you all. We are eager to hear your realisations on the subject of Japa - your struggles and success, advice and inspirational stories. The site is strictly only dealing with the subject of chanting.
Please email a message introducing yourself to: rasa108@gmail.com
We would also like to hear from devotees involved in realtime Japa groups from around the world (English only please)...please send in stories and photos of your activities.
Please take part in sharing your thoughts on this most important of spiritual activites.
japagroup.blogspot.com
ys
Rasa dasa
by Rasa dasa
Posted June 10, 2006
Dear Devotees,
Please accept my obeisances. All glories to Sri Guru, Gauranga and Srila Prabhupada.
This is an open invitation for all devotees from around the world to join a unique virtual Japa Group just launched on the internet.
I have been given very positive encouragement from senior Sannyasi disciples of Srila Prabhupada as well as other senior devotees - so I humbly offer this service to you all. We are eager to hear your realisations on the subject of Japa - your struggles and success, advice and inspirational stories. The site is strictly only dealing with the subject of chanting.
Please email a message introducing yourself to: rasa108@gmail.com
We would also like to hear from devotees involved in realtime Japa groups from around the world (English only please)...please send in stories and photos of your activities.
Please take part in sharing your thoughts on this most important of spiritual activites.
japagroup.blogspot.com
ys
Rasa dasa
Stanford
A lady in a faded gingham dress and her husband, dressed in a homespun threadbare suit, stepped off the train in Boston, and walked timidly without an appointment into the Harvard University President's outer office.
The secretary could tell in a moment that such backwoods, country hicks had no business at Harvard and probably didn't even deserve to be in Cambridge.
"We want to see the president," the man said softly. "He'll be busy all day," the secretary snapped.
"We'll wait," the lady replied.
For hours the secretary ignored them, hoping that the couple would finally become discouraged and go away. They didn't and the secretary grew frustrated and finally decided to disturb the president, even though it was a chore she always regretted. "Maybe if you see them for a few minutes, they'll leave," she said to him.
He sighed in exasperation and nodded. Someone of his importance obviously didn't have the time to spend with them, but he detested gingham dresses and homespun suits cluttering up his outer office. The president, stern faced and with dignity, strutted toward the couple.
The lady told him, "We had a son who attended Harvard for one year. He loved Harvard. He was happy here. But about a year ago, he was accidentally killed. My husband and I would like to erect a memorial to him, somewhere on campus."
The president wasn't touched.... He was shocked. "Madam," he said, gruffly, "we can't put up a statue for every person who attended Harvard and died. If we did, this place would look like a cemetery."
"Oh, no," the lady explained quickly. "We don't want to erect a statue. We thought we would like to give a building to Harvard."
The president rolled his eyes. He glanced at the gingham dress and homespun suit, then exclaimed, "A building! Do you have any earthly idea how much a building costs? We have over seven and a half million dollars in the physical buildings here at Harvard."
For a moment the lady was silent. The president was pleased. Maybe he could get rid of them now.
The lady turned to her husband and said quietly, "Is that all it costs to start a university? Why don't we just start our own?"
Her husband nodded.
The president's face wilted in confusion and bewilderment.
Mr. and Mrs. Leland Stanford got up and walked away, traveling to Palo Alto, California where they established the university that bears their name, Stanford University, a memorial to a son that Harvard no longer cared about.
One can easily judge the character of others by how they treat those who they think can do nothing for them.
(A TRUE STORY)
--
AJ AY KUMAR DHIMAN
The secretary could tell in a moment that such backwoods, country hicks had no business at Harvard and probably didn't even deserve to be in Cambridge.
"We want to see the president," the man said softly. "He'll be busy all day," the secretary snapped.
"We'll wait," the lady replied.
For hours the secretary ignored them, hoping that the couple would finally become discouraged and go away. They didn't and the secretary grew frustrated and finally decided to disturb the president, even though it was a chore she always regretted. "Maybe if you see them for a few minutes, they'll leave," she said to him.
He sighed in exasperation and nodded. Someone of his importance obviously didn't have the time to spend with them, but he detested gingham dresses and homespun suits cluttering up his outer office. The president, stern faced and with dignity, strutted toward the couple.
The lady told him, "We had a son who attended Harvard for one year. He loved Harvard. He was happy here. But about a year ago, he was accidentally killed. My husband and I would like to erect a memorial to him, somewhere on campus."
The president wasn't touched.... He was shocked. "Madam," he said, gruffly, "we can't put up a statue for every person who attended Harvard and died. If we did, this place would look like a cemetery."
"Oh, no," the lady explained quickly. "We don't want to erect a statue. We thought we would like to give a building to Harvard."
The president rolled his eyes. He glanced at the gingham dress and homespun suit, then exclaimed, "A building! Do you have any earthly idea how much a building costs? We have over seven and a half million dollars in the physical buildings here at Harvard."
For a moment the lady was silent. The president was pleased. Maybe he could get rid of them now.
The lady turned to her husband and said quietly, "Is that all it costs to start a university? Why don't we just start our own?"
Her husband nodded.
The president's face wilted in confusion and bewilderment.
Mr. and Mrs. Leland Stanford got up and walked away, traveling to Palo Alto, California where they established the university that bears their name, Stanford University, a memorial to a son that Harvard no longer cared about.
One can easily judge the character of others by how they treat those who they think can do nothing for them.
(A TRUE STORY)
--
AJ AY KUMAR DHIMAN
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
Smash him completely
Once there was a man who liked to eat mangoes. One day he decided to get
the sweetest mango available, from the very top of the tree. Mangoes which are exposed to the sun the most are the sweetest.
So he climbed up to the top, where the branches were thin. He managed to pick up a few sweet reddish fruits, but, in an attempt to climb down, he slipped and started falling towards the ground. Fortunately, he caught the branch as he was falling and remained helplessly hanging on the tree. Then he started to call nearby villagers for help. They immediately came with a ladder and sticks, but could do little to help him.
Then after some time one calm and thoughtful person arrived - a well-known
sage who lived in a simple hut nearby. People were very curious to see what he would do, as he was famous in solving many people’s problems in the area and sometimes very complicated ones.
He was silent for a minute and then picked up a stone and threw it at the
hanging man. Everybody was surprised. The hanging mango lover started to shout: “What are you doing?! Are you crazy? Do you want me to break my neck?” The sage was silent. Then he took another stone and threw it at the man. The man was furious: “If I could just come down, I would show you. !”
That’s what everybody wanted. That he came down. But how? Now everybody was
tense, as to what would happen next! Some wanted to chastise the sage, but they didn’t. The sage picked another stone and threw it again at the man, even more forcefully. Now the man on the tree was enraged and developed a great determination to come down and take revenge.
He then used all his skill and strength and somehow reached the branches
which were safe to start going down. And he made it! Everybody was amazed.
“Where is the sage?!” - exclaimed the rescued man. “Oh, he is a wise man. So he didn’t wait for you to beat him,”- said the villagers. “I will really smash him completely!” “Hey, wait a minute. He is the only one who helped you. He is the one who provoked you, who induced you to help yourself.”
The mango freak stopped for a second, thought for a moment and admitted:
“Yes, all your good intentions and compassion didn’t help me. But he expertly induced me to give my best and save myself. I should be thankful and not angry.” So this is an instructive leadership story. A real leader makes us,although sometimes in strange ways, take initiative in our life and give our best. We have to give our best shot, if we want extraordinary results. The best leader makes you a leader by making you responsible for your life.
CHANT HARE KRISHNA HARE KRISHNA KRISHNA KRISHNA HARE HARE
HARE RAMA HARE RAMA RAMA RAMA HARE HARE AND BE HAPPY
Your humble servant
radhabhava gaur das
the sweetest mango available, from the very top of the tree. Mangoes which are exposed to the sun the most are the sweetest.
So he climbed up to the top, where the branches were thin. He managed to pick up a few sweet reddish fruits, but, in an attempt to climb down, he slipped and started falling towards the ground. Fortunately, he caught the branch as he was falling and remained helplessly hanging on the tree. Then he started to call nearby villagers for help. They immediately came with a ladder and sticks, but could do little to help him.
Then after some time one calm and thoughtful person arrived - a well-known
sage who lived in a simple hut nearby. People were very curious to see what he would do, as he was famous in solving many people’s problems in the area and sometimes very complicated ones.
He was silent for a minute and then picked up a stone and threw it at the
hanging man. Everybody was surprised. The hanging mango lover started to shout: “What are you doing?! Are you crazy? Do you want me to break my neck?” The sage was silent. Then he took another stone and threw it at the man. The man was furious: “If I could just come down, I would show you. !”
That’s what everybody wanted. That he came down. But how? Now everybody was
tense, as to what would happen next! Some wanted to chastise the sage, but they didn’t. The sage picked another stone and threw it again at the man, even more forcefully. Now the man on the tree was enraged and developed a great determination to come down and take revenge.
He then used all his skill and strength and somehow reached the branches
which were safe to start going down. And he made it! Everybody was amazed.
“Where is the sage?!” - exclaimed the rescued man. “Oh, he is a wise man. So he didn’t wait for you to beat him,”- said the villagers. “I will really smash him completely!” “Hey, wait a minute. He is the only one who helped you. He is the one who provoked you, who induced you to help yourself.”
The mango freak stopped for a second, thought for a moment and admitted:
“Yes, all your good intentions and compassion didn’t help me. But he expertly induced me to give my best and save myself. I should be thankful and not angry.” So this is an instructive leadership story. A real leader makes us,although sometimes in strange ways, take initiative in our life and give our best. We have to give our best shot, if we want extraordinary results. The best leader makes you a leader by making you responsible for your life.
CHANT HARE KRISHNA HARE KRISHNA KRISHNA KRISHNA HARE HARE
HARE RAMA HARE RAMA RAMA RAMA HARE HARE AND BE HAPPY
Your humble servant
radhabhava gaur das
Don’t expect to be appreciated
If you want to be a preacher don’t expect to be appreciated…
- H.H. Devamrita Swami
For the past two years I’ve been in a customer-facing role in the organization where I work. Being in a customer-facing role is a unique and tricky position in any organization.
On one side you advocate for the organization to the customers. When the company screws up, you take the straw in your mouth and apologize to the customer for your mistake. You bear the brunt of customers’ disappointment, frustration and anger, often in relation to decisions that you don’t necessarily agree with or even understand, and you do it with a smile.
On the other side you advocate on behalf of the customer to the organization. Within the organization resources are allocated and decisions are made informed by the input of the different voices within the organization. Engineering wants this, sales wants that, marketing wants this, the boffins advising management say that… your job is to be the voice of the customer, and to hear the inevitable: “What an idiot! Who cares about that!”
Your job is to advocate for the customers’ interest and their viewpoint, to be their voice in the internal conversation that informs the corporate decision-making process. And yes, you have to take the hits for them. You don’t necessarily agree with their position - hey maybe the customer is an idiot, but they’re your customer and they have to be taken into consideration.
So you walk a tightrope doing a balancing act, trying to represent the company to the customer, and the customer to the company. And yes, you often don’t get a lot of appreciation on either side. If you’re in it for that you’d better move to a different position. Sometimes you do get appreciation, and those times can help to keep going through difficult patches, but you need to have a deeper understanding of what you are doing, and why.
Here’s the full quote:
If you want to be a preacher don’t expect to be appreciated… but you will feel the warm smile of Krishna.
- H.H. Devamrita Swami
In a Loft preaching situation that’s your role - on the interface between ISKCON and the public. On one side you advocate for ISKCON to the public. You own the ISKCON organization. If there is something that you don’t agree within the organization - too bad - you own it, at least as far as the public is concerned. Internal divisions and distinctions are meaningless to them, they just see a homogenous organization that you represent. Anything that ISKCON or anyone in ISKCON does comes straight back to you. You have to explain the missteps, mistakes, and misbehaviour of others, and you apologize for it, with the straw in the teeth and a smile. The corollary of this is that you can bask in the successes of the organization, benefit from the momentum and goodwill created by other organizational units in your local area, and proudly show videos of activities in other parts of the world.
On the other side you must advocate for the public within ISKCON. You have to speak with management representing the perspective of the public. Managers within ISKCON allocate resources and make decisions in service of a wide and diverse constituency. There are many voices and many interests that must be taken into account.
Higher level managers rely on the input of key people within their organizational structure to empower them to make well-informed decisions. They need to hear carefully thought out presentations of the factors that their people are in contact with and aware of. They then balance all these factors to allocate resources and establish policies. Their responsibility is to make sure that the water floats all the boats in the fleet.
You have to take the role of representing the public, and at the same time represent the organization, understanding that there are a wide array of needs and interests, one among which is your particular responsibility - the public.
To be effective in securing the resources that you need, you need to have an understanding of the pressures that the management are under. If you are not getting something that you feel you need to serve your constituency you have to ask yourself: “Why am I not getting this?” When you ask this question honestly, with a sincere desire to understand the perspectives of others, and can then answer that question correctly, you can do something about it. Simply asking this question as a veiled means of criticizing out of frustration will not be so productive.
To be a preacher takes compassion. The dictionary defines compassion as “deep awareness of the suffering of another coupled with the wish to relieve it.” You need to have that to be effective in your role of ministering to the public on the outer edge of the organization, and to be effective in advocating internally for the guests. You have to be compassionate toward both the public, who are burning out there in a desert, and also to your internal managers, who have accepted the burden of responsibility for the mission!
If you think there is little appreciation as a preacher - wait until you try management…
- H.H. Devamrita Swami
For the past two years I’ve been in a customer-facing role in the organization where I work. Being in a customer-facing role is a unique and tricky position in any organization.
On one side you advocate for the organization to the customers. When the company screws up, you take the straw in your mouth and apologize to the customer for your mistake. You bear the brunt of customers’ disappointment, frustration and anger, often in relation to decisions that you don’t necessarily agree with or even understand, and you do it with a smile.
On the other side you advocate on behalf of the customer to the organization. Within the organization resources are allocated and decisions are made informed by the input of the different voices within the organization. Engineering wants this, sales wants that, marketing wants this, the boffins advising management say that… your job is to be the voice of the customer, and to hear the inevitable: “What an idiot! Who cares about that!”
Your job is to advocate for the customers’ interest and their viewpoint, to be their voice in the internal conversation that informs the corporate decision-making process. And yes, you have to take the hits for them. You don’t necessarily agree with their position - hey maybe the customer is an idiot, but they’re your customer and they have to be taken into consideration.
So you walk a tightrope doing a balancing act, trying to represent the company to the customer, and the customer to the company. And yes, you often don’t get a lot of appreciation on either side. If you’re in it for that you’d better move to a different position. Sometimes you do get appreciation, and those times can help to keep going through difficult patches, but you need to have a deeper understanding of what you are doing, and why.
Here’s the full quote:
If you want to be a preacher don’t expect to be appreciated… but you will feel the warm smile of Krishna.
- H.H. Devamrita Swami
In a Loft preaching situation that’s your role - on the interface between ISKCON and the public. On one side you advocate for ISKCON to the public. You own the ISKCON organization. If there is something that you don’t agree within the organization - too bad - you own it, at least as far as the public is concerned. Internal divisions and distinctions are meaningless to them, they just see a homogenous organization that you represent. Anything that ISKCON or anyone in ISKCON does comes straight back to you. You have to explain the missteps, mistakes, and misbehaviour of others, and you apologize for it, with the straw in the teeth and a smile. The corollary of this is that you can bask in the successes of the organization, benefit from the momentum and goodwill created by other organizational units in your local area, and proudly show videos of activities in other parts of the world.
On the other side you must advocate for the public within ISKCON. You have to speak with management representing the perspective of the public. Managers within ISKCON allocate resources and make decisions in service of a wide and diverse constituency. There are many voices and many interests that must be taken into account.
Higher level managers rely on the input of key people within their organizational structure to empower them to make well-informed decisions. They need to hear carefully thought out presentations of the factors that their people are in contact with and aware of. They then balance all these factors to allocate resources and establish policies. Their responsibility is to make sure that the water floats all the boats in the fleet.
You have to take the role of representing the public, and at the same time represent the organization, understanding that there are a wide array of needs and interests, one among which is your particular responsibility - the public.
To be effective in securing the resources that you need, you need to have an understanding of the pressures that the management are under. If you are not getting something that you feel you need to serve your constituency you have to ask yourself: “Why am I not getting this?” When you ask this question honestly, with a sincere desire to understand the perspectives of others, and can then answer that question correctly, you can do something about it. Simply asking this question as a veiled means of criticizing out of frustration will not be so productive.
To be a preacher takes compassion. The dictionary defines compassion as “deep awareness of the suffering of another coupled with the wish to relieve it.” You need to have that to be effective in your role of ministering to the public on the outer edge of the organization, and to be effective in advocating internally for the guests. You have to be compassionate toward both the public, who are burning out there in a desert, and also to your internal managers, who have accepted the burden of responsibility for the mission!
If you think there is little appreciation as a preacher - wait until you try management…
Monday, June 19, 2006
Brahmachari Ashram seminar
Hare Krishna to all Vaisnavas ,please accept my humble obeisances all
Glories to Srila Prabhupada.
Here are some interesting and useful points from a recent Brahmacari
conference at Bhaktivedanta manor.Sorry if is a bit disorganized, it is only
copied from hints written in the note book, it is not audio recorded.
Taruna das (Bhaktivedanta manor - UK)
....................................................................
Brahmacari conference highlights /Apr.10-11, 06.
Studying;
****Philosophical deviation - the effects of not studying books
A) Mayavada - thinking that there is no differences between master and
servant
***Even if we do chant Maha Mantra , if we deviate than Krsna reserves the
right to manifest in His holy name.
--Scrutinizingly study Srila Prabhupada’s books and you will never be
fanatical follower or dry speculator and you will always understand the
mission of Srila Prabhupada.
--Submissive prayefully crying to understand books will bring fruit of
understanding
B) Search for higher recourse
C) Dabbling in New Age mundane theories
- mind does not accept simplicity of Prabhupadas books and want
something complicated,speculative
Examples;
**Sometimes there is argument about where we have fallen from; is it
Vaikunta, or Visnuloka,or so.
-There is no point of arguing where we are coming from.This will not bring
us anywhere , even if we are in right.
Vaisnava concern is of how to go back there, and to apply to the process
which will bring us there.
3 levels of studying Vedic literature;
1.Sravanam-Hearing
2.Manam-Thinking,understanding
3.Nirdhyasana-Realizing
Brahmacari progression ;
Hearing > Understanding >>Practice>Realization
Grihasta progression;
Hearing >Understanding >Practice >Experience >Realization
In the life of genuine Brahmacari there is ,perhaps, hundred lifetimes of
experiences in Grihasta life.And now finally he has deep impressions of this
stacked in his mind and He want to avoid to enter grihasta life
again.Therefore he is renounced easily.
While grihasta maybe does not have enough of such impressions from past
lives, and He wants to experience , regardless of sastric knowledge about
grihasta life he has, still the fruit of renouncement is still not yet
ripenned.
End is the same for both asramas, plus grihastas need experience ,but
regardless of this if both asramas properly follow their rules and
regulations , they both can go back home back to Godhead.
If need is to intense for grihasta life than one have to fulfill it.Than the
mind becomes detached. If you can tolerate and overcome it, that's good, if
not than enter into it.
Like for example; Food is available on Ekadasi days. So , how much is your
need.
If you cannot fulfill the need or to overcome it ,than you will be
miserable.You cannot be artificial
Brahmacari should make arrangements to behave properly within his asrama
- perhaps change behavior and not the asrama.
-Eliminate bad environment, not conductive for practicing brahmacarya.
-Lust is just like storm ,it comes and will go away .So, tolerate it.
**Brahmacaris need protective environment to maintain the vow
Unless you fully experience practice of Brahmacarya, you will not know what
brahmacari asrama is.Or you will be bitter internally and externally.
............................................................................
***Aspects of Sadhana;
1) Morning program ;
We have to condition our self for morning program.
2) Service;
Dovetailing our propensities in Devotional service.
3) Studying;
-studying means worship through intelligence
- developing conviction about Krishna conciousness
-overcoming the passionate nature
-establishing our self in the mood of goodness
***Relationships;
Discussing Krsna Katha with other brahmacaris
Developing deep friendship with other brahmacaris;
-- tolerate each other
--forgive - if we don’t ,than Krsna will not forgive to us
--respect - lack of it creates conflict
--encourage - to see potentials of other
--appreciate - to appreciate anyone’s attempt to practice Devotional life
**If you want to show your strength you have to be united
-Sometimes our greatest strength is actually our greatest weakness, but only
others can tell you this.And they can tell you only if there is
relationship.
-Subordinates (like for example congregation we cultivate , etc )can lift
you high up and can easily drag you down.Therefore you should hear about
your qualities from equals.
-If nobody is telling you what to do or what is wrong about you, this is the
most dangerous situation.
Allow others, near you,to express their opinion about you.
- Sometimes just by revealing your problem to other ,Krsna cuts off the
problem it self.
HINTS ;
*** Maintain the balance between service, mission to Srila Prabhupada and
studying books
**It is important that brahmacari becomes subordinate fully to at least one
person, possibly to more persons.
***If we are humble than Krsna is keeping our senses under control.
If we are proud ,than Krsna is withdrawing His control, and we are feeling
weak.
**Sincere Devotee enjoys fight with Maya
**Only protection for brahmacari is showing respect to others, just as for
the ladies is their shyness and chastity.
**To hear from advanced devotees and act upon this.
**People really don’t know why they are getting married .That they really
know, than nobody would do.
Brahmacari should make arrangements to behave properly within his asrama
- perhaps change behavior and not the asrama.
-Eliminate bad environment, not conductive for practicing brahmacarya.
-Lust is just like storm ,it comes and will go away .So, tolerate it.
**Brahmacaris need protective environment to maintain the vow
...........................................................
**Reasons for leaving brahmacari asrama;
a) inattentiveness
- not understanding the dangers
b) past conditionings
c) foolish mistakes;
- misplaced compassion towards women
Relationships problems;
a) impersonalism
b) conflict
-emotional needs must be fulfilled within Holly name , Sanga ,Holly
Dhama,Deity Worship and service.
-- Any relationship not centered around Krishna is simply exploitation
*** If they say there is no security within brahmacari life, than we can ask
where is the security within grihasta life? It is insecure also.But still
both sides must do it, because there is need for both
*** Not any asrama is permanent, it is just progression
***Do not look back, fear no future, experience the present.
**Do not hold (or create) security arrangements in pocket beside of Krsna
,like a;
-just in case ,I have this or that if I move out, or if I don’t make as a
brahmacari, or if I fall down ,etc .Do not worry about past or future .Just
experience full Krsna conscioucness now.
*** We need all 4 asramas in Iskcon to survive.
'One whole village is raising one child'
............................................................................
Brahmacari symptoms:(observation of H.G Mahadyuti Prabhu)
1) Flexible not rigid or fanatical, it does not get frustrated over change
of circumstances, able to adjust.
2) Constantly, humbly, submissively, enthusiastically and faithfully work
under authority
**Immunization in brahmacari asrama
* Sadhana strong
* Proper behavior
* Strong association with other brahmacaris
* No joking, over appreciation, or friendship with woman
-it confuses the ladies when we act inappropriately and they do not like
this feeling.
Glories to Srila Prabhupada.
Here are some interesting and useful points from a recent Brahmacari
conference at Bhaktivedanta manor.Sorry if is a bit disorganized, it is only
copied from hints written in the note book, it is not audio recorded.
Taruna das (Bhaktivedanta manor - UK)
....................................................................
Brahmacari conference highlights /Apr.10-11, 06.
Studying;
****Philosophical deviation - the effects of not studying books
A) Mayavada - thinking that there is no differences between master and
servant
***Even if we do chant Maha Mantra , if we deviate than Krsna reserves the
right to manifest in His holy name.
--Scrutinizingly study Srila Prabhupada’s books and you will never be
fanatical follower or dry speculator and you will always understand the
mission of Srila Prabhupada.
--Submissive prayefully crying to understand books will bring fruit of
understanding
B) Search for higher recourse
C) Dabbling in New Age mundane theories
- mind does not accept simplicity of Prabhupadas books and want
something complicated,speculative
Examples;
**Sometimes there is argument about where we have fallen from; is it
Vaikunta, or Visnuloka,or so.
-There is no point of arguing where we are coming from.This will not bring
us anywhere , even if we are in right.
Vaisnava concern is of how to go back there, and to apply to the process
which will bring us there.
3 levels of studying Vedic literature;
1.Sravanam-Hearing
2.Manam-Thinking,understanding
3.Nirdhyasana-Realizing
Brahmacari progression ;
Hearing > Understanding >>Practice>Realization
Grihasta progression;
Hearing >Understanding >Practice >Experience >Realization
In the life of genuine Brahmacari there is ,perhaps, hundred lifetimes of
experiences in Grihasta life.And now finally he has deep impressions of this
stacked in his mind and He want to avoid to enter grihasta life
again.Therefore he is renounced easily.
While grihasta maybe does not have enough of such impressions from past
lives, and He wants to experience , regardless of sastric knowledge about
grihasta life he has, still the fruit of renouncement is still not yet
ripenned.
End is the same for both asramas, plus grihastas need experience ,but
regardless of this if both asramas properly follow their rules and
regulations , they both can go back home back to Godhead.
If need is to intense for grihasta life than one have to fulfill it.Than the
mind becomes detached. If you can tolerate and overcome it, that's good, if
not than enter into it.
Like for example; Food is available on Ekadasi days. So , how much is your
need.
If you cannot fulfill the need or to overcome it ,than you will be
miserable.You cannot be artificial
Brahmacari should make arrangements to behave properly within his asrama
- perhaps change behavior and not the asrama.
-Eliminate bad environment, not conductive for practicing brahmacarya.
-Lust is just like storm ,it comes and will go away .So, tolerate it.
**Brahmacaris need protective environment to maintain the vow
Unless you fully experience practice of Brahmacarya, you will not know what
brahmacari asrama is.Or you will be bitter internally and externally.
............................................................................
***Aspects of Sadhana;
1) Morning program ;
We have to condition our self for morning program.
2) Service;
Dovetailing our propensities in Devotional service.
3) Studying;
-studying means worship through intelligence
- developing conviction about Krishna conciousness
-overcoming the passionate nature
-establishing our self in the mood of goodness
***Relationships;
Discussing Krsna Katha with other brahmacaris
Developing deep friendship with other brahmacaris;
-- tolerate each other
--forgive - if we don’t ,than Krsna will not forgive to us
--respect - lack of it creates conflict
--encourage - to see potentials of other
--appreciate - to appreciate anyone’s attempt to practice Devotional life
**If you want to show your strength you have to be united
-Sometimes our greatest strength is actually our greatest weakness, but only
others can tell you this.And they can tell you only if there is
relationship.
-Subordinates (like for example congregation we cultivate , etc )can lift
you high up and can easily drag you down.Therefore you should hear about
your qualities from equals.
-If nobody is telling you what to do or what is wrong about you, this is the
most dangerous situation.
Allow others, near you,to express their opinion about you.
- Sometimes just by revealing your problem to other ,Krsna cuts off the
problem it self.
HINTS ;
*** Maintain the balance between service, mission to Srila Prabhupada and
studying books
**It is important that brahmacari becomes subordinate fully to at least one
person, possibly to more persons.
***If we are humble than Krsna is keeping our senses under control.
If we are proud ,than Krsna is withdrawing His control, and we are feeling
weak.
**Sincere Devotee enjoys fight with Maya
**Only protection for brahmacari is showing respect to others, just as for
the ladies is their shyness and chastity.
**To hear from advanced devotees and act upon this.
**People really don’t know why they are getting married .That they really
know, than nobody would do.
Brahmacari should make arrangements to behave properly within his asrama
- perhaps change behavior and not the asrama.
-Eliminate bad environment, not conductive for practicing brahmacarya.
-Lust is just like storm ,it comes and will go away .So, tolerate it.
**Brahmacaris need protective environment to maintain the vow
...........................................................
**Reasons for leaving brahmacari asrama;
a) inattentiveness
- not understanding the dangers
b) past conditionings
c) foolish mistakes;
- misplaced compassion towards women
Relationships problems;
a) impersonalism
b) conflict
-emotional needs must be fulfilled within Holly name , Sanga ,Holly
Dhama,Deity Worship and service.
-- Any relationship not centered around Krishna is simply exploitation
*** If they say there is no security within brahmacari life, than we can ask
where is the security within grihasta life? It is insecure also.But still
both sides must do it, because there is need for both
*** Not any asrama is permanent, it is just progression
***Do not look back, fear no future, experience the present.
**Do not hold (or create) security arrangements in pocket beside of Krsna
,like a;
-just in case ,I have this or that if I move out, or if I don’t make as a
brahmacari, or if I fall down ,etc .Do not worry about past or future .Just
experience full Krsna conscioucness now.
*** We need all 4 asramas in Iskcon to survive.
'One whole village is raising one child'
............................................................................
Brahmacari symptoms:(observation of H.G Mahadyuti Prabhu)
1) Flexible not rigid or fanatical, it does not get frustrated over change
of circumstances, able to adjust.
2) Constantly, humbly, submissively, enthusiastically and faithfully work
under authority
**Immunization in brahmacari asrama
* Sadhana strong
* Proper behavior
* Strong association with other brahmacaris
* No joking, over appreciation, or friendship with woman
-it confuses the ladies when we act inappropriately and they do not like
this feeling.
Thursday, June 15, 2006
Sleep According to Ayurveda
Sleep According to Ayurveda
Sleep
The time to sleep is night. Sleep promotes proper growth. Sleep is bodily
inertia with mental relaxation.
Ten-minute naps are good for Vata types. Long naps are permitted in the hot
part of the summer, when days are long and nights are short. Sleeping during
the day increases Kapha. Only the very weak, very young, very old, those
exhausted by sex, diseased, overwork, one under the influence of intoxicants
and other emotional or physical trauma should sleep longer than 15 minutes
in the afternoon. Sometimes a nap before eating can help with acute
indigestion.
Sleeping during the day produces Ama, unless a person has been awake all
night.
Sleeping on the left side helps digestion. It promotes the functioning of
the right nostril and is good for a person. The right nostril heats and
activates the body and when it is working a person becomes more interested
in food and sleep.
Sleeping sitting up provides the most alert sleep and is the best. Yogis
often sleep sitting up.
Sleeping on the right side is relaxing, and it activates the left nostril,
which cools and relaxes the body making it easier to control (which is good
for Yoga).
Sleeping on the back disturbs Vata. It activates both nostrils at the same
time, which produces disease by (encouraging energy to leave the body).
Sleeping on the back harms the brain.
Sleeping on the stomach disturbs everything. It causes disease by
obstructing deep, healthy breathing.
It is best to sleep with the top of the head facing east and the feet facing
west (promotes meditative sleep). Facing south while sleeping draws energy
into body.
Sleeping facing north draws energy from the body, and disturbs the body,
mind and spirit. Sleeping with the head facing west causes disturbing
dreams.
Before going to sleep it is best to wash the hands, feet and face. Then it
is good to massage the feet with a little oil and meditate for a while to
allow the negative impacts of the day to dissipate. Then do some Pranayama
before sleeping.
To stop wet dreams a person can wash the feet and legs with cold water
before going to sleep, as this draws energy from the genitals which reduces
the chance of nocturnal emission.
It is best to go to bed only to sleep and not to read, write or think. It is
best to rise immediately after awakening.
Don’t sleep in the kitchen or where food is prepared as the subtle
vibrations will get your digestive tract working and disturb your sleep.
It is best to wear the least amount of cloths possible and one should
especially avoid socks.
Don’t cover the face while sleeping so you can not breathe properly,
otherwise a person breathes their own deoxidized air.
The bed should be at least 12 inches above the ground. Sleeping on a damp or
wet surface is very bad. The level of the head should be above that of the
feet.
Sleeping under the moon is very good and sleeping under the sun is very bad.
Sleeping while hungry is not good for health. Sleeping after lunch will
increase Kapha and body weights.
It is especially bad to sleep during the sunset hours, as it is said to
cause poverty, disturb the bodily systems and impairs digestion. Sex at this
time is also bad. Reading at this time hurts the eyes. During the sunset
hours there is an increased chance of having an accident during walking and
driving.
How to Get Good Sleep
1. People who do more physical labor need more sleep than people who sit
behind a desk all day.
2. People who are working need more sleep than a person who is retired,
3. A person over 21 should not sleep more than 8 hours. If a person does
they will have an excess of Tamas (Ignorance) in the system, which will
cause a person to feel tire and listless.
4. The amount of sleep needed varies according to age. The list below is for
extraordinary persons and is not for the average persons, but it gives an
idea of the amount of sleep one needs according to age.
a. First seven years one needs 10 to 12 hours sleep.
b. 8 to 10 years old needs 8 to 10 hours
c. In the third seven years of life a person needs 6 to 8 hours sleep.
d. In fourth seven years a person needs 5 to 6 hours.
e. In fifth seven years a person needs 4 to 5 years
f. In sixth seven years a person needs 3 to 4 hours
g. In seventh seven years a person needs little sleep
5. Persons in a service position need more sleep than a person in an
administrative position.
6. If a person feels refreshed and inspired after they wake up, than they
have slept a correct amount of time. If after waking up one feels tire and
drained they are not sleeping the correct amount of time (usually too much).
You can change sleeping time by 15 minute a day increments to see what is
the proper amount of sleep one needs.
7. Sleeping during the day disturbs gases, bile, lymph and blood flow. It
causes disturbances of breathing, heaviness in the head, chest regions
disorders and other problems.
8. It is alright to sleep during the day for a person who has done hard
physical labor, persons in pain, and for persons with nausea. Also for a
person with gastric disorders, alcoholic intoxication, and persons who are
fasting. In extremely hot weather it is alright to take a nap at the hottest
time of the day.
9. Best time to sleep is from three hours after sunset to 90 minutes before
dawn. Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.
10. Going to sleep with a full stomach diverts the body’s energy from
recharging the system and also causes bad dreams.
Bedtime
Vata persons should go to bed by 10 pm and sleep on their left side. Pitta
persons should go to sleep between 10 pm to 11 pm and sleep on their right
side. Kapha people should go to bed between 11 pm and 12 midnight and sleep
on their left side.
Kapha persons like to sleep 9 hours. Sleeping this long slows down their
metabolism and causes them to put on weight. Kapha persons should go to bed
between 11 pm and midnight and it is best for them to wake up between 4:30
am to 5 am and then take a walk. This amount of sleep will make the body
feel better and help them lose weight.
Sleep
The time to sleep is night. Sleep promotes proper growth. Sleep is bodily
inertia with mental relaxation.
Ten-minute naps are good for Vata types. Long naps are permitted in the hot
part of the summer, when days are long and nights are short. Sleeping during
the day increases Kapha. Only the very weak, very young, very old, those
exhausted by sex, diseased, overwork, one under the influence of intoxicants
and other emotional or physical trauma should sleep longer than 15 minutes
in the afternoon. Sometimes a nap before eating can help with acute
indigestion.
Sleeping during the day produces Ama, unless a person has been awake all
night.
Sleeping on the left side helps digestion. It promotes the functioning of
the right nostril and is good for a person. The right nostril heats and
activates the body and when it is working a person becomes more interested
in food and sleep.
Sleeping sitting up provides the most alert sleep and is the best. Yogis
often sleep sitting up.
Sleeping on the right side is relaxing, and it activates the left nostril,
which cools and relaxes the body making it easier to control (which is good
for Yoga).
Sleeping on the back disturbs Vata. It activates both nostrils at the same
time, which produces disease by (encouraging energy to leave the body).
Sleeping on the back harms the brain.
Sleeping on the stomach disturbs everything. It causes disease by
obstructing deep, healthy breathing.
It is best to sleep with the top of the head facing east and the feet facing
west (promotes meditative sleep). Facing south while sleeping draws energy
into body.
Sleeping facing north draws energy from the body, and disturbs the body,
mind and spirit. Sleeping with the head facing west causes disturbing
dreams.
Before going to sleep it is best to wash the hands, feet and face. Then it
is good to massage the feet with a little oil and meditate for a while to
allow the negative impacts of the day to dissipate. Then do some Pranayama
before sleeping.
To stop wet dreams a person can wash the feet and legs with cold water
before going to sleep, as this draws energy from the genitals which reduces
the chance of nocturnal emission.
It is best to go to bed only to sleep and not to read, write or think. It is
best to rise immediately after awakening.
Don’t sleep in the kitchen or where food is prepared as the subtle
vibrations will get your digestive tract working and disturb your sleep.
It is best to wear the least amount of cloths possible and one should
especially avoid socks.
Don’t cover the face while sleeping so you can not breathe properly,
otherwise a person breathes their own deoxidized air.
The bed should be at least 12 inches above the ground. Sleeping on a damp or
wet surface is very bad. The level of the head should be above that of the
feet.
Sleeping under the moon is very good and sleeping under the sun is very bad.
Sleeping while hungry is not good for health. Sleeping after lunch will
increase Kapha and body weights.
It is especially bad to sleep during the sunset hours, as it is said to
cause poverty, disturb the bodily systems and impairs digestion. Sex at this
time is also bad. Reading at this time hurts the eyes. During the sunset
hours there is an increased chance of having an accident during walking and
driving.
How to Get Good Sleep
1. People who do more physical labor need more sleep than people who sit
behind a desk all day.
2. People who are working need more sleep than a person who is retired,
3. A person over 21 should not sleep more than 8 hours. If a person does
they will have an excess of Tamas (Ignorance) in the system, which will
cause a person to feel tire and listless.
4. The amount of sleep needed varies according to age. The list below is for
extraordinary persons and is not for the average persons, but it gives an
idea of the amount of sleep one needs according to age.
a. First seven years one needs 10 to 12 hours sleep.
b. 8 to 10 years old needs 8 to 10 hours
c. In the third seven years of life a person needs 6 to 8 hours sleep.
d. In fourth seven years a person needs 5 to 6 hours.
e. In fifth seven years a person needs 4 to 5 years
f. In sixth seven years a person needs 3 to 4 hours
g. In seventh seven years a person needs little sleep
5. Persons in a service position need more sleep than a person in an
administrative position.
6. If a person feels refreshed and inspired after they wake up, than they
have slept a correct amount of time. If after waking up one feels tire and
drained they are not sleeping the correct amount of time (usually too much).
You can change sleeping time by 15 minute a day increments to see what is
the proper amount of sleep one needs.
7. Sleeping during the day disturbs gases, bile, lymph and blood flow. It
causes disturbances of breathing, heaviness in the head, chest regions
disorders and other problems.
8. It is alright to sleep during the day for a person who has done hard
physical labor, persons in pain, and for persons with nausea. Also for a
person with gastric disorders, alcoholic intoxication, and persons who are
fasting. In extremely hot weather it is alright to take a nap at the hottest
time of the day.
9. Best time to sleep is from three hours after sunset to 90 minutes before
dawn. Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.
10. Going to sleep with a full stomach diverts the body’s energy from
recharging the system and also causes bad dreams.
Bedtime
Vata persons should go to bed by 10 pm and sleep on their left side. Pitta
persons should go to sleep between 10 pm to 11 pm and sleep on their right
side. Kapha people should go to bed between 11 pm and 12 midnight and sleep
on their left side.
Kapha persons like to sleep 9 hours. Sleeping this long slows down their
metabolism and causes them to put on weight. Kapha persons should go to bed
between 11 pm and midnight and it is best for them to wake up between 4:30
am to 5 am and then take a walk. This amount of sleep will make the body
feel better and help them lose weight.
Unending happiness:possible?
Unending happiness:possible?
Happiness that is unending, increasing, interesting, and pure: Is it possible?
By HG Urmila devi dasi
Can one find happiness in this world? For most of us what we call “happiness” is the temporary mitigation of distress, or sadness. Without sadness, there is practically no meaning to happiness in a material conception of life.
First, all that we term “happiness” depends on some sort of prior suffering. We enjoy eating because we feel the pain of hunger; without any hunger or appetite, eating will bring us no pleasure, no matter how tasty and well prepared the food. We find pleasure in sleep due to the distress of fatigue; a child who isn’t tired will be told to “go to bed” as a punishment–not a reward. Sex is pleasurable because of the urgency of lust. Those who wish to increase their sexual pleasure therefore also desire to increase their lust. On the emotional level as well, company is meaningful when we have experienced loneliness. If we examine any type of material pleasure, we will find that the experience is enjoyable only in proportion to the amount of pain it alleviates. If there is no prior pain, the so-called pleasure will be meaningless or even perceived as distress also. On a full stomach, more food is painful, and to a well-rested person time in bed is an irritation. “Happiness” can therefore be defined as the temporary absence or mitigation of pain.
We need to have the lack of pleasure to experience pleasure for yet another reason than definition. Pleasure in this world diminishes with experience. If we eat our favorite food–say pizza–for breakfast, lunch, and dinner–in a few days, or certainly weeks, we will not only cease to gain happiness from it but will, in fact, abhor it. One who is constantly surrounded by even good friends will gradually cease to enjoy their company and will desire some time alone. All material pleasures, therefore, demand a “break” from them in order to experience their absence. This cycle is termed in Sanskrit as “bhoga-tyaga” or enjoyment and then renunciation of that enjoyment.
The cycle of enjoyment and renunciation of that enjoyment is seen in our patterns of work and vacation, eating and not eating, and so forth. There is simply not one type of pleasurable activity that will continue to give the same kind and degree of happiness continuously–there must be times of abstention in order to revive the original thrill. Even with breaks, the pleasure tends to diminish unless there is some time of prolonged or intense depravation of the happiness.
However, the type of happiness described above is not the only type in existence. Evidence for the fact that another type of happiness exists is there in the fact that we humans desire happiness that doesn’t require distance from it and is not based on suffering. We write and sing and dream of a happiness that will go on forever, increasing in intensity and pleasure with no concomitant suffering at all. Our love songs are full of promises of eternal bliss that grows by the hour, and we imagine that as we progress through life, gathering education, family, money, and various items and accomplishments, that our sense of satisfaction and happiness will grow.
Why do we desire a never-ending, ever-increasing happiness, a happiness not dependent on any experience of sadness, in a world that doesn’t seem to afford such a phenomenon? In other words, if such happiness doesn’t exist, why would anyone look for it?
The answer is that we are not of this world, but rather, are eternal spiritual beings unnaturally encased in a body of matter in a world of matter. We have as our spiritual heritage varieties of loving exchange with the Lord, exchanges that are, indeed, full of ever-expanding ecstasy which continues forever without a tinge of suffering. We search for and glorify such a state because it is our nature, although not visible here. Just as a forest dwelling animal in a desert will crave shade and water, though some desert animals can do without either (some animals get all their water from the plants they eat) so we spiritual beings crave the happiness that is our birthright in this land that conspicuously lacks it.
Of course, with our experience of happiness that is fleeting and dependent on sadness, some have concluded that all types of happiness will be boring and dull without periods of either lack or distress. They cannot imagine, however much they may want it on some level, that a world which is perpetually happy would be able to exist or be interesting. They consider the talk of spiritual happiness either a myth or to imply something insipid.
Actually, however, there are many saintly persons who describe spiritual happiness as dynamic and variegated. This happiness is based on an individual loving relationship with a personal yet unlimited Lord, Sri Krishna, who reciprocates with each devotee in an inexhaustible array of ways, in an endless variety of transcendent activities. In fact, there are many types of spiritual bliss, some of which appear externally to be what we would consider suffering–fear, grief, anxiety, and so on. Because of the similarity in superficial appearance between these advanced stages of ecstasy and material suffering, many of the most elevated activities of the Lord and His devotees are subject to misunderstanding because of our projection of material experience.
But don’t we have experience of different varieties of the same material happiness? For example, one can eat many flavors of ice cream. Pistachio ice cream is quite different from butter pecan, which is radically different from strawberry. And when one combines the various flavors with toppings, there are so many ways to enjoy ice cream. The variety of spiritual pleasure is something like those ice cream flavors and toppings.
Types of pleasure in love of God can also be somewhat understood if we examine ways that people try to be happy within material life. It is not at all unusual for people to pay for movies and books which they know will make them frightened or sad or even horrified. Somehow, in those emotions we generally associate with a lack of happiness, they find some sense of pleasure. Truly, their pleasure is not in those “negative” emotions themselves but simply in a forgetting of their own life’s difficulties or in the sense of a great rush of feeling, no matter what the type.
Yet, however misguided and unfortunate the search for happiness that drives one to see, for example, a gristly horror movie, the point is that there are a great diversity of ways in which even materialistic people seek happiness. Why should spiritual happiness be devoid of such variation? In fact, because the material is a reflection or shadow of the spiritual, spiritual happiness has far more permutations and nuances, all of which dynamically increase the thrill of those who love the Lord. Indeed, love of Krishna, even in this world, can bring us to a life that is a thrill at every moment, and where sadness has no definition or trace.
Happiness that is unending, increasing, interesting, and pure: Is it possible?
By HG Urmila devi dasi
Can one find happiness in this world? For most of us what we call “happiness” is the temporary mitigation of distress, or sadness. Without sadness, there is practically no meaning to happiness in a material conception of life.
First, all that we term “happiness” depends on some sort of prior suffering. We enjoy eating because we feel the pain of hunger; without any hunger or appetite, eating will bring us no pleasure, no matter how tasty and well prepared the food. We find pleasure in sleep due to the distress of fatigue; a child who isn’t tired will be told to “go to bed” as a punishment–not a reward. Sex is pleasurable because of the urgency of lust. Those who wish to increase their sexual pleasure therefore also desire to increase their lust. On the emotional level as well, company is meaningful when we have experienced loneliness. If we examine any type of material pleasure, we will find that the experience is enjoyable only in proportion to the amount of pain it alleviates. If there is no prior pain, the so-called pleasure will be meaningless or even perceived as distress also. On a full stomach, more food is painful, and to a well-rested person time in bed is an irritation. “Happiness” can therefore be defined as the temporary absence or mitigation of pain.
We need to have the lack of pleasure to experience pleasure for yet another reason than definition. Pleasure in this world diminishes with experience. If we eat our favorite food–say pizza–for breakfast, lunch, and dinner–in a few days, or certainly weeks, we will not only cease to gain happiness from it but will, in fact, abhor it. One who is constantly surrounded by even good friends will gradually cease to enjoy their company and will desire some time alone. All material pleasures, therefore, demand a “break” from them in order to experience their absence. This cycle is termed in Sanskrit as “bhoga-tyaga” or enjoyment and then renunciation of that enjoyment.
The cycle of enjoyment and renunciation of that enjoyment is seen in our patterns of work and vacation, eating and not eating, and so forth. There is simply not one type of pleasurable activity that will continue to give the same kind and degree of happiness continuously–there must be times of abstention in order to revive the original thrill. Even with breaks, the pleasure tends to diminish unless there is some time of prolonged or intense depravation of the happiness.
However, the type of happiness described above is not the only type in existence. Evidence for the fact that another type of happiness exists is there in the fact that we humans desire happiness that doesn’t require distance from it and is not based on suffering. We write and sing and dream of a happiness that will go on forever, increasing in intensity and pleasure with no concomitant suffering at all. Our love songs are full of promises of eternal bliss that grows by the hour, and we imagine that as we progress through life, gathering education, family, money, and various items and accomplishments, that our sense of satisfaction and happiness will grow.
Why do we desire a never-ending, ever-increasing happiness, a happiness not dependent on any experience of sadness, in a world that doesn’t seem to afford such a phenomenon? In other words, if such happiness doesn’t exist, why would anyone look for it?
The answer is that we are not of this world, but rather, are eternal spiritual beings unnaturally encased in a body of matter in a world of matter. We have as our spiritual heritage varieties of loving exchange with the Lord, exchanges that are, indeed, full of ever-expanding ecstasy which continues forever without a tinge of suffering. We search for and glorify such a state because it is our nature, although not visible here. Just as a forest dwelling animal in a desert will crave shade and water, though some desert animals can do without either (some animals get all their water from the plants they eat) so we spiritual beings crave the happiness that is our birthright in this land that conspicuously lacks it.
Of course, with our experience of happiness that is fleeting and dependent on sadness, some have concluded that all types of happiness will be boring and dull without periods of either lack or distress. They cannot imagine, however much they may want it on some level, that a world which is perpetually happy would be able to exist or be interesting. They consider the talk of spiritual happiness either a myth or to imply something insipid.
Actually, however, there are many saintly persons who describe spiritual happiness as dynamic and variegated. This happiness is based on an individual loving relationship with a personal yet unlimited Lord, Sri Krishna, who reciprocates with each devotee in an inexhaustible array of ways, in an endless variety of transcendent activities. In fact, there are many types of spiritual bliss, some of which appear externally to be what we would consider suffering–fear, grief, anxiety, and so on. Because of the similarity in superficial appearance between these advanced stages of ecstasy and material suffering, many of the most elevated activities of the Lord and His devotees are subject to misunderstanding because of our projection of material experience.
But don’t we have experience of different varieties of the same material happiness? For example, one can eat many flavors of ice cream. Pistachio ice cream is quite different from butter pecan, which is radically different from strawberry. And when one combines the various flavors with toppings, there are so many ways to enjoy ice cream. The variety of spiritual pleasure is something like those ice cream flavors and toppings.
Types of pleasure in love of God can also be somewhat understood if we examine ways that people try to be happy within material life. It is not at all unusual for people to pay for movies and books which they know will make them frightened or sad or even horrified. Somehow, in those emotions we generally associate with a lack of happiness, they find some sense of pleasure. Truly, their pleasure is not in those “negative” emotions themselves but simply in a forgetting of their own life’s difficulties or in the sense of a great rush of feeling, no matter what the type.
Yet, however misguided and unfortunate the search for happiness that drives one to see, for example, a gristly horror movie, the point is that there are a great diversity of ways in which even materialistic people seek happiness. Why should spiritual happiness be devoid of such variation? In fact, because the material is a reflection or shadow of the spiritual, spiritual happiness has far more permutations and nuances, all of which dynamically increase the thrill of those who love the Lord. Indeed, love of Krishna, even in this world, can bring us to a life that is a thrill at every moment, and where sadness has no definition or trace.
How To Be An Ideal Husband
By H.H. Radhanath Swami
Narada Muni the great acharya has previously explained to Maharaja Yudhisthira, the story of Prahlada Maharaja who is the perfect example of devotional service. Prahlada Maharaja remained faithful to the words of his spiritual master even in the face of the most impossible difficulties.
Depending on a power beyond his own, the mercy of Krsna, he crossed all obstacles. The Lord himself incarnated with a form that will attract all people’s hearts for all time just to show his love. At the conclusion of this pastime - it is said, “wherever devotees are gathered to discuss the subject matter of life, the matter of Prahalad Maharaja is discussed”. How can people apply these teachings practically in their lives? Narada Muni explains the varnasrama system - the four varnas and four ashramas and duties to be performed by devotees, “mahajano yena gatah sa pantha” so that we can follow in the footsteps of the Mahajanas.
So at the beginning we get a view of a pure devotee, what he speaks, how he walks etc. and then a practical explanation of how we can do it, irrespective of ashram, varna or sex etc. Daivi varnashrama means to follow in the footsteps of great souls. In this particular verse the essence of varnashrama is described: we live for the purpose to only please Krishna. Our success is to be categorized according to how we please Krsna and His devotees. If Krsna is pleased then our life is perfect. If Krsna is not pleased, irrespective of how popular we are, our lives are spoiled.
Catur varna - Krsna has personally created this varnashrama dharma, He has given everyone a chance based on quality, activities or nature, to become perfect and to follow in the footsteps of Prahlad Maharaja and become great souls. In this verse the grhastha ashram is described.
In the 5th canto Rsabhadeva says human life is meant for tapasya. Sense gratification is the purpose of animal life or the dharma of animals. To enjoy the temporary impulses of the senses is animal life, actually human life is meant for tapasya to be willing to have the determination to say no to the mind and senses for the purpose of doing the will of god.. The mind and senses are to be interacted but should say no to certain things. Srila Rupa Goswami said - accept what is favourable for devotional service and reject what is not, that is tapasya. Each ashram has a particular way of explaining this tapasya or duties. For a brahmachari or sannyasi it is to give up attachment for property, money etc., to tolerate sex life. Similary for grhasthas, a husband or wife must tolerate in the same way as a sannyasi has to tolerate sex desire. They have to tolerate each other, you cannot break that vow. We follow the vow according to principle of Krsna Consciousness and we only stop when we take a more difficult vow. How practically is this to be done?
The wife follows the vows of the husband but not the whims or restless nature or abusive nature of the husband. Instead it means the vow of Krsna Consciousness. We take vows to serve the spiritual master and the vaishnavas, these are the vows of the devotees and whatever way the husband is performing his vows, to follow that, is the duty of the wife. The duty of the husband is to be Krsna Conscious, to be a dedicated follower of the spiritual master. Not to go to the cinema house, rather it means the vow of Krsna Consciousness. Husbands in Krsna Consciousness are supposed to be first class men. There are many examples in the scriptures which illustrate that love is not about romance but about austerity. In the purest sense it is dancing with Krsna, but in material life it is about dedication, austerity and being willing to adjust in grhastha life with your partner, even if it is difficult.
Here is an example of a couple that went completely against their nature. Svayambhuva Manu’s daughter was Devahuti she was the princess of the world. Svayambhuva Manu describes the opulence of his palace. He didn’t wake up to an alarm clock he woke up to pure hearted vaishnavas chanting in person for him. Devahuti was his daughter, physically she never endured anything difficult. Then Svayambhuva Manu married her to Kardama Muni who is living in the jungle and wearing tree barks, eating fruits and roots of trees. How many of you would like to marry Kardama Muni and give all that you have and be ready to live in the jungle?
What to speak of the princess of the planet doing so. Kardama Muni’s vow to Krsna’s service was very severe. There were no bazaars shops, Devahuti was wearing bark, living in the forest, no phones to chat with friends, nobody else to talk to and the husband would go into meditation for months at a time. When he came out of meditation her shapely form was going away, she was emaciated, pale almost blackish, just from living in that condition. Her hair was matted but she never complained because this was her husband’s service to Krsna. She endured all those difficulties for him and that was her unbelievable example of chastity for a higher purpose. Kardama Muni’s nature was that he hated sense gratification so his wife was willing to adjust her life for him, that is real love, service and it equals Krsna Consciuosness.
But how was Kardama Muni fulfilling the desires of his wife? He knew she wanted to have a child but he was an ascetic so he had to change his life around in order to properly protect and satisfy Devahuti. In the grhastha ashram to have children is a service, Krsna mentions in Gita - for men and women to perform sacrifice for the service of Krsna is devotional service. So Kardama Muni created a magnificent aerial mansion. He didn’t want it but he did it for his wife. He made major adjustments though it was difficult for him. He performed major austerities in order to accommodate the needs of his wife. Kardama Muni changed his own life around for his wife and Devahuti changed her life around for her husband. What was the result? Nine amazing daughters and they were far from ordinary daughters. They then had a son, not an ordinary son but the supreme personality of Godhead, Kapiladeva.
If husband and wife keep their vows the result is Krsna. Krsna is born of that relation. Prabhupada says Chanakya Pandit gives “valuable” instruction something that is “valuable” should be protected and what is that instruction? “When there are no fights between husband and wife the goddess of fortune automatically enters their house. Prabhupada gave many wedding lectures he said there is no question of divorce, you have to adjust, you can’t give up you have to keep Krsna in the centre.
You have to forgive each other and tolerate each other. Husband and wife are not meant for sense gratification that is for the hogs, husband and wife in Krsna Consciousness is meant for tapasya. Prabhupada said marriage is to facilitate happiness - sarva bhavante sukhino - so how do we understand marriage is for happiness and also for austerity?
Narada Muni the great acharya has previously explained to Maharaja Yudhisthira, the story of Prahlada Maharaja who is the perfect example of devotional service. Prahlada Maharaja remained faithful to the words of his spiritual master even in the face of the most impossible difficulties.
Depending on a power beyond his own, the mercy of Krsna, he crossed all obstacles. The Lord himself incarnated with a form that will attract all people’s hearts for all time just to show his love. At the conclusion of this pastime - it is said, “wherever devotees are gathered to discuss the subject matter of life, the matter of Prahalad Maharaja is discussed”. How can people apply these teachings practically in their lives? Narada Muni explains the varnasrama system - the four varnas and four ashramas and duties to be performed by devotees, “mahajano yena gatah sa pantha” so that we can follow in the footsteps of the Mahajanas.
So at the beginning we get a view of a pure devotee, what he speaks, how he walks etc. and then a practical explanation of how we can do it, irrespective of ashram, varna or sex etc. Daivi varnashrama means to follow in the footsteps of great souls. In this particular verse the essence of varnashrama is described: we live for the purpose to only please Krishna. Our success is to be categorized according to how we please Krsna and His devotees. If Krsna is pleased then our life is perfect. If Krsna is not pleased, irrespective of how popular we are, our lives are spoiled.
Catur varna - Krsna has personally created this varnashrama dharma, He has given everyone a chance based on quality, activities or nature, to become perfect and to follow in the footsteps of Prahlad Maharaja and become great souls. In this verse the grhastha ashram is described.
In the 5th canto Rsabhadeva says human life is meant for tapasya. Sense gratification is the purpose of animal life or the dharma of animals. To enjoy the temporary impulses of the senses is animal life, actually human life is meant for tapasya to be willing to have the determination to say no to the mind and senses for the purpose of doing the will of god.. The mind and senses are to be interacted but should say no to certain things. Srila Rupa Goswami said - accept what is favourable for devotional service and reject what is not, that is tapasya. Each ashram has a particular way of explaining this tapasya or duties. For a brahmachari or sannyasi it is to give up attachment for property, money etc., to tolerate sex life. Similary for grhasthas, a husband or wife must tolerate in the same way as a sannyasi has to tolerate sex desire. They have to tolerate each other, you cannot break that vow. We follow the vow according to principle of Krsna Consciousness and we only stop when we take a more difficult vow. How practically is this to be done?
The wife follows the vows of the husband but not the whims or restless nature or abusive nature of the husband. Instead it means the vow of Krsna Consciousness. We take vows to serve the spiritual master and the vaishnavas, these are the vows of the devotees and whatever way the husband is performing his vows, to follow that, is the duty of the wife. The duty of the husband is to be Krsna Conscious, to be a dedicated follower of the spiritual master. Not to go to the cinema house, rather it means the vow of Krsna Consciousness. Husbands in Krsna Consciousness are supposed to be first class men. There are many examples in the scriptures which illustrate that love is not about romance but about austerity. In the purest sense it is dancing with Krsna, but in material life it is about dedication, austerity and being willing to adjust in grhastha life with your partner, even if it is difficult.
Here is an example of a couple that went completely against their nature. Svayambhuva Manu’s daughter was Devahuti she was the princess of the world. Svayambhuva Manu describes the opulence of his palace. He didn’t wake up to an alarm clock he woke up to pure hearted vaishnavas chanting in person for him. Devahuti was his daughter, physically she never endured anything difficult. Then Svayambhuva Manu married her to Kardama Muni who is living in the jungle and wearing tree barks, eating fruits and roots of trees. How many of you would like to marry Kardama Muni and give all that you have and be ready to live in the jungle?
What to speak of the princess of the planet doing so. Kardama Muni’s vow to Krsna’s service was very severe. There were no bazaars shops, Devahuti was wearing bark, living in the forest, no phones to chat with friends, nobody else to talk to and the husband would go into meditation for months at a time. When he came out of meditation her shapely form was going away, she was emaciated, pale almost blackish, just from living in that condition. Her hair was matted but she never complained because this was her husband’s service to Krsna. She endured all those difficulties for him and that was her unbelievable example of chastity for a higher purpose. Kardama Muni’s nature was that he hated sense gratification so his wife was willing to adjust her life for him, that is real love, service and it equals Krsna Consciuosness.
But how was Kardama Muni fulfilling the desires of his wife? He knew she wanted to have a child but he was an ascetic so he had to change his life around in order to properly protect and satisfy Devahuti. In the grhastha ashram to have children is a service, Krsna mentions in Gita - for men and women to perform sacrifice for the service of Krsna is devotional service. So Kardama Muni created a magnificent aerial mansion. He didn’t want it but he did it for his wife. He made major adjustments though it was difficult for him. He performed major austerities in order to accommodate the needs of his wife. Kardama Muni changed his own life around for his wife and Devahuti changed her life around for her husband. What was the result? Nine amazing daughters and they were far from ordinary daughters. They then had a son, not an ordinary son but the supreme personality of Godhead, Kapiladeva.
If husband and wife keep their vows the result is Krsna. Krsna is born of that relation. Prabhupada says Chanakya Pandit gives “valuable” instruction something that is “valuable” should be protected and what is that instruction? “When there are no fights between husband and wife the goddess of fortune automatically enters their house. Prabhupada gave many wedding lectures he said there is no question of divorce, you have to adjust, you can’t give up you have to keep Krsna in the centre.
You have to forgive each other and tolerate each other. Husband and wife are not meant for sense gratification that is for the hogs, husband and wife in Krsna Consciousness is meant for tapasya. Prabhupada said marriage is to facilitate happiness - sarva bhavante sukhino - so how do we understand marriage is for happiness and also for austerity?
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