The Sammata Meditation

By Sacinandana Swami

Today I would like to share with you a personal, three-step meditation that helps me to make direct contact with the Lord even in the midst of a hectic life, and feel peace and energy.

First step: Grounding

A meditation by Srila Prabhupada

One should understand that no one is independent, for everything (and everyone) is part and parcel of Krishna and is acting and moving by the supreme desire of Krishna.

This understanding, this consciousness, is Krishna consciousness.

(purport to Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.13.53)

Second step: Acceptance Meditation

The source of fear and disturbance is lack of experiencing harmony. When I am disturbed it is because I can’t relate a particular situation, place, or thing to Krishna. Rather, that situation, place, or thing seems independent of or separate from the Lord. It appears to be out of the natural, divine harmony and does not make sense. Therefore I cannot accept it.

When I am unable to accept something, I lose my sense of equilibrium and security. Misery reigns.

Review step 1 and allow its spiritual light to flood the darkened mind.

Watch how things begin to change – slowly, at first, then quickly:

Gradually I come to understand that the situation, person, place, or thing is exactly as it should be at this given moment. Nothing – absolutely nothing at all –happens in Krishna’s world by mistake.

Everything and everyone moves around one center only. And every moment I am at the right place, in the classroom of God, learning my lessons. Unless I learn to accept life completely on Krishna’s terms, I cannot be happy.

Let me therefore concentrate not so much on what I think needs to be changed in the outside world but what needs to be changed in me – in my consciousness, my attitude.

Third step: The serenity prayer

O Lord, let me accept peacefully everything this day brings.

Let me surrender completely to Your sacred desire.

Direct and help me during every moment of this day.

If there is anything You wish me to change, please grant me the vision to recognize it and the inner strength to change it.

No matter what kind of news I receive, teach me to see it as Your message, even if its import seems hidden.

And if the great wave of my life should overwhelm me and my emotions and thoughts scatter, please guide and direct me back to acceptance and faith in Your all-pervading presence and good will.

Today, let me remember love, service, tolerance, and forgiveness, and let me remain sammata – one with You – by remaining agreeable to Your arrangements and desires.

Afterword: This sammata meditation is inspired by a verse and purport in the Srimad-Bhagavatam (4.12.22) that discusses the prince, Dhruva, who was always absorbed in thinking of the lotus feet of Lord Krishna. Srila Prabhupada comments: “In the Vaikuntha world all the living entities are in oneness with the Supreme Godhead because they never defy His orders. Here in the material world however, they are not sammata, agreeable…. This human form of life is a chance to be trained to be agreeable to the orders of the Supreme Lord.”

Article taken from Saranagati: http://www.saranagati.net/

Url to Article: http://www.saranagati.net/index.php?S=3&Article=574

The Social Role of Cows

By Hare Krishna Devi Dasi

“In my last birth I was born in the family of cowherd men, and I gave protection to the calves and cows. Because of such pious activities, I have now become the son of a brahmana.” – Lord Chaitanya (Chaitanya-charitamrta, Adi Lila 7.111)

Throughout history many traditional societies have centered on a particular animal, and the relations the people develop with that animal influence the values of the whole society. We think of the role of buffalo in shaping the lives and values of the Native Americans of the Plains. Similarly, we think of the Laplanders and their reindeer, or even the New England whaling villagers and the whales.

In each case, without a particular animal the culture of the people would be entirely different. Because of relations to that animal, whether by shooting, herding, or sailing after it, the society encourages attributes such as toughness, bravery, gentleness, or respect for nature.

Vedic culture centers on the cow. In fact, without cows there can be no true Vedic culture. Veda means “knowledge” – in the highest sense, spiritual knowledge. And as Srila Prabhupada explains, cow protection and brahminical culture are “the two pillars of spiritual advancement.” (Srimad Bhagavatam 1.17.20)

Now, it is easy for even an outsider to understand why brahminical culture is considered indispensable for spiritual advancement. After all, brahmanas are the disseminators of spiritual knowledge and the exemplary maintainers of spiritual standards, just like the priestly class in any society.

But what about cows? What do cows have to do with spiritual advancement? And why cows? Why not sheep or goats or horses?

In his purport to Lord Chaitanya’s statement above, Srila Prabhupada gives us the clue. “The words of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the greatest authority, herein clearly indicate that one becomes pious simply by keeping cows and protecting them.” How can that be? One reason is that cows are emblems of the mode of goodness.

In Vedic teachings different animals are associated with different material qualities. For example, monkeys, because of their extraordinary sex drive, belong to the mode of ignorance. Lions are said to be in the mode of passion, and cows in the mode of goodness. When humans ally themselves with an animal in the mode of goodness, they themselves gradually rise to goodness, which is favourable to spiritual advancement.

In the opening quote of this article, Lord Chaitanya was teasing an astrologer who had determined that the Lord, in His past life, had appeared as an incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. To have some fun with the astrologer, Lord Chaitanya ostensibly denied that He was the Supreme Lord, saying that in His past life He had been merely a cowherd boy, and that only by His pious activities had He now become a brahmana.

Of course, we know that God is never bound by any pious or apparently impious acts. Being the ultimate cause of all karmic reactions, He Himself is transcendental to such cause and effect. Nevertheless, even in His joking words we find important truthful instructions. Human beings can become elevated by taking care of cows (or degraded by slaughtering them.)

If we examine the specific qualities of the brahmanas, persons in the mode of goodness, we can begin to see how those qualities are automatically cultured in a society that relies for its economic base on farming and cow protection. In the Bhagavad-gita (18.42), Krishna lists the qualities of the brahmanas: “Peacefulness, self-control, austerity, purity, tolerance, honesty, knowledge, wisdom, and religiousness.” Let’s look at how a person might develop these qualities by protecting cows.

Brahminical qualities and cow protection

PEACEFULNESS

Almost universally, cows are seen as an emblem of peace. Even the word “bucolic,” referring to a peaceful pastoral scene, comes from the Greek word boukolos, which means “cowherd.” Unlike dogs and cats, cows are generally not inclined to fight one another, even for food. They are sociable and fond of one another and affectionate to their caretakers. Because cows are naturally peaceful, cowherds tend to take on this quality.

Furthermore, one must have a peaceful demeanor for milking cows and training oxen. Cows and bulls are sensitive to human moods. Cows will not give milk if the milker acts upset. Oxen will not learn commands if the trainer is angry. The cowherd has to cultivate peacefulness to get the job done.

SELF-CONTROL

The most important aspect of self-control for one desiring spiritual advancement is control of the tongue. Prabhupada writes, “Only the animal killer [or eater] cannot relish the transcendental message of the Supreme Lord.” (Srimad-Bhagvatam 1.3.24) When by caring for cows a person sees how friendly and loving they are, his compassionate nature is aroused. He can easily give up eating meat, not wanting to kill the animals he loves and depends on.

Eating only food offered to Krishna also promotes control of the tongue. When the cowherd offers Krishna milk products from Krishna’s own cows, and grains and vegetables from His own land, and then takes the remnants in the form of prasadam, the cowherd’s brain becomes spiritually purified, and the words he speaks become sober and happy in glorification of Krishna.

Training oxen is another important aid to sense control. There’s a New England saying that you train the boy by having him train a team of oxen. There’s truth in that. In Sanskrit go means “cow,” and it also means “senses.” A trainer can see that when the oxen (go) do whatever they feel like, they’re useless. Once they’re trained and controlled, they’re useful and happier. The trainer can see that the oxen are proud and happy to work with him when they can control their senses. The comparison with his own senses (go) is automatic. The trainer sees that when he trains and controls his own senses to serve Krishna, he too will be happier and more productive.

AUSTERITY

In a society that truly practices cow protection, the bull is fully used for growing food and transporting it. As a valuable member of society, the ox is carefully maintained and protected from slaughter. Economically, using the ox as the means of transport rules out the pileups of wealth that go with trucking things around with coal, gasoline, and nuclear power. Each farmer can farm only so much land with oxen, much less even than with horses. So the use of oxen regulates the scale of production, which helps guarantee that land and wealth are fairly distributed. There are no 1000-acre agribusinesses. And no heaps of wealth to make it easy for people to become entangled in sense gratification.

Because the work of caring for the cows and the land is satisfying, artificial sources of pleasure are not required. As spiritual life develops, austerity and simple living become a pleasure, not a burden. The tendency will be to use any surplus or any natural opulence for worshipping Krishna, not for sense gratification.

PURITY

Cows can tolerate a wide range of physical conditions. They thrive in the cold Scandinavian countries, in the hot, dry African plains, in the wet tropical jungles of Latin America. But they cannot tolerate filth. They quickly become diseased if not kept clean. As the cowherd works to keep the cows clean, he or she practices living a clean way of life.

TOLERANCE

Probably no other animal is as tolerant as a cow. If by your daily care and affection you convince the cow or ox that you are its well-wisher, it won’t hold a grudge against you for reprimanding it. It won’t attack you. For example, once, by my foolish negligence, one of our milk cows got loose from her stall, and when I walked into the barn I found her eating from a grain cart. I knew she could die from overeating if she didn’t stop. So I yelled at her, but she didn’t stop. I hit her on the back with a stick, but she still kept eating. Finally, I had to hit her in the face, which I hated to do, especially since it was my fault she got loose. But she stopped eating grain and returned to her stall. In five minutes she was mooing softly for me to come and pet her. She wasn’t at all afraid of me, and she wasn’t angry at me. I knew a dog or cat or even a child would never have such tolerance.

If a person can develop tolerance for being corrected, it is a wonderful asset for advancing in spiritual life. Of course, a spiritual master doesn’t beat his disciple with a stick, but sometimes a disciple’s ego gets hurt when his actions or beliefs are shown mistaken. The cowherd can learn tolerance from the cows and oxen.

HONESTY

Cows are straightforward, and their service demands straightforwardness. It’s hard to cheat with them. Either you give them good food, water, and affection or you don’t. Either you are punctual for milkings or you’re not. Either you keep them clean or you don’t. When you make a mistake or get lazy, you’ll probably get a quick reaction. You’re too lazy to clean out the water tank? Milk production will drop because cows don’t want to drink that nasty-tasting water. You forgot about the six o’clock milking? You’ll be kicking yourself tomorrow when you have to take care of a cow suffering from mastitis. You’ll probably never forget again. Cow protection is a practical way of learning to be honest and conscientious.

KNOWLEDGE AND WISDOM

Cultivation of spiritual knowledge starts with a healthy brain. For this, milk is essential. Prabhupada explains, “The body can be maintained by any kind of foodstuff, but cow’s milk is particularly essential for developing the finer tissues of the human brain so that one can understand the intricacies of transcendtal knowledge.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.5.7)

Scientists support this view. They say that Vitamin B12 is essential to maintain healthy nerve cells. (The brain is made up of nerve cells.) A Vitamin-B12 deficiency can take years to manifest, but it is a deadly serious matter, as explained by nutrition expert Laurel Roberts. “The first signs of damage are a characteristic sore back, numbness and tingling in the feet, and diminshed vibration and position sense. Then follow unsteadiness, poor memory, confusion, moodiness, delusions, overt psychosis, and eventually death.”

The only natural source of vitamin B12 in a vegetarian diet is milk. (Obtaining B12 from meat products creates new problems because of the adrenalin and toxins one ingests with the meat.) In a peaceful society, therefore, milk is essential to properly maintain brain cells needed for spiritual intelligence. Prabhupada emphasizes this point:

For such important brain tissues we require a sufficient quantity of milk and milk preparations. Ultimately, we need to protect the cow to derive the highest benefit from this important animal. The protection of cows, therefore, is not merely a religious sentiment but a means to secure the highest benefit for human society. – Light of the Bhagavata

Thus when the cowherd comes home and takes a cup of hot milk at the end of a day of hard work in the fields, he or she is making the brain fit to contemplate spiritual topics. And the peaceful fields and pastures provide the perfect environment to cultivate knowledge and wisdom.

RELIGIOUSNESS

“Milk is liquid religiosity,” says Srila Prabhupada. So what could be more religious than to produce milk and grains to offer to Krishna? Lord Krishna says that a person can understand Him only by devotional service.(Bg. 18.55) And one can perform devotional service by doing one’s daily work as an offering to Krishna. (Bg. 18. 45,46) No need to be a great scholar. No need to be a powerful warrior, or even a highly talented craftsman. If the cowherd faithfully carries out the duties of caring for the cows and bulls and producing food to offer to Krishna, he or she will become spiritually satisfied.

Besides that, just by seeing the cows every day one can easily remember Krishna and His cows in Goloka Vrindavan, in the spiritual sky. That remembrance is the highest religiousness.

Through philosophy and scripture alone a few intelligent people can be motivated to undertake spiritual life. For them to get started on the path back to Godhead may be easy. But most of us are not like that. For us Krishna has very kindly sent the cow and the bull to coach us in developing qualities that will help us in Krishna consciousness.

Article taken from Iskcon News: http://www.iskcon.com/

Url to Article:http://news.iskcon.com/node/2028

A Day at the kitchen in Iskcon Mayapur

By Madhava Smullen

In our latest photo-journalism piece blogger Manoj, an Indian living in Australia, shares a highlight of his recent trip to ISKCON’s headquarters in holy Mayapur, India. There, he caught a behind-the-scenes glimpse of how the hard-working temple cooks prepare food for thousands of devotees.

Here devotee women chop vegetables, their bright saris blending with blood-red tomatoes, yellow melons, and green leaves to create a vividly colorful scene. “As they worked, they chattered away in Bengali, immersed in their service and completely oblvious to my presence,” Manoj says. “Obviously, they had no time to waste. In fact, for the half-day I spent in the kitchen, I didn’t once see them pause, look tired or complain.”

The result of the chopping team’s hard work. “I feel I’ve put in so much work after chopping a few veggies and soaking frozen peas for a one-person dinner,” says Manoj. “But they did all this; and believe it or not, what you see here is only the first run!”

As the ladies chopped the vegetables, this devotee prepared the rice, mixing some spices into it and stirring it with all his might. “Stirring rice is my favourite kitchen activity,” Manoj says. “There’s nothing like that fresh steam hitting your face – it’s almost therapeutic.”

Meanwhile, one of the head cooks was stirring tomatoes in quite possibly the largest pot ever made. “This gentleman was fun,” Manoj comments. “Although I told him I couldn’t speak Bengali, he insisted on lecturing me about cooking in the language. He also seemed to have a strong opinon on photography – every time I took a photo, he would come running, his chef cap wobbling atop his head, to inspect it. He was a hard man to please, and I kept snapping away until I took this one, which he finally approved.”

Another devotee added melons and zucchini to the mix. “He was obviously a seasoned cook, moving quickly around his stove many times to ensure that the spices were well mixed,” Manoj says.

Here, fragrant spices are mixed in a typical woven basket.

“You won’t believe the number of chapatis these ladies had to roll out,” Manoj says of this hard-working group, who were quiet and focused. They rolled out the dough with efficient speed, handing the flat breads to their friends nearby for cooking.

These women didn’t seem remotely phased by the intense heat radiating from their chapati-making stove, and were amused by Manoj’s inability to bear it. “Like everyone else in the kitchen, they worked quickly,” Manoj says. “The chapatis they tossed up into the air resembled flying saucers for a few seconds, before making a smooth landing on the hot plate.”

This devotee spent the entire day singlehandedly preparing thousands of gulab jamuns, or dough balls in rosewater syrup, for the temple guests. “He didn’t speak much, but looked up and smiled at me every now and then,” says Manoj.

This student from ISKCON Mayapur’s gurukula school made many trips to the kitchen to fill his bucket of rice. “He would appear in a flash, as if he were on a skateboard, fill the bucket with a few large scoops, and scooter back skillfully through the other kitchen workers,” Manoj recalls.

Here many stainless steel vessels, filled with various preparations, are ready to be served to hungry devotees from across India and the world.

“You know the food is good when the serving hall is silent,” Manoj says. Here hundreds of people quietly relish the sacred food offered to God.

“I will never again complain about dishwashing,” Manoj vows. “This lady cleaned every single utensil until it sparkled, a huge smile and a gentle song on her lips.”

Manoj told these cooks that he would be sharing his photos of their work with devotees across the world, and asked if they had anything to share. They responded loudly and in unison, “Hari Bol!” (“Chant the name of God!”)

“That’s what brings all these devotees together,” Manoj says. “Whether they are cooking, worshiping deities, singing kirtan or visiting the temple, its their desire to please the Lord and his devotees that keeps all of them going, no matter how tough the exercise might be. Any hardships or long hours are nothing compared to their desire to serve unconditionally.”

Article taken from Iskcon News: http://www.iskcon.com/

Url to Article:http://news.iskcon.com/node/2014

Desire, Eagerness and Anxiety for Krishna

By Sacinandana Swami

Srila Thakura Bhaktivinoda gives a rapid path in the Bhajan-rahasya, where he actually says that for a few days you practice according to the first level—that is, with faith—and after a few days you progress to chanting in maturity, which means giving up the offences and the anarthas. And then in a few more days you go verse by verse and it seems you obtain love of Godhead. And now the justifiable question is: “Do you think it can go that fast? Can a new devotee attain a high level of Krishna consciousness that quickly?”

I think it is possible, if you learn three words: desire, eagerness, and anxiety. Let me make this mysterious answer clear.

Once, Srila Prabhupada had finished his morning walk and was already in the car. The car door was closed. One of his disciples who had been on this morning walk but had not had a chance to ask a burning question, stepped forward. It was an awkward moment. The car engine was already started and the car was moving, but this devotee really had a question and he had to ask it then. “Prabhupada, may I ask a question?” Prabhupada looked at him, and he must have seen the urgency in the devotee’s eyes and nodded. “Prabhupada, what is necessary to become Krishna conscious?” Prabhupada looked at him and gave his one-word answer: “Desire.”

Then the car engine started. Prabhupada must have looked to see if it was alright. The devotee was fully satisfied and the car went off for the morning greeting.

At another time, in a famous lecture, Prabhupada spoke about eagerness as the only price to develop Krishna consciousness. He said: “If you want to become Krishna conscious you have to become eager, laulyam. I have coined this phrase Krsna consciousness after this verse: krsna-bhakti-rasa-bhavita matih. It is the sloka that says, ’The only price for Krishna consciousness is eagerness.’”

The third occasion was during a morning walk in Hawaii. The waves were very nicely coming on the beach and Srila Prabhupada was walking in the fresh morning air, surrounded by his sannyasi disciples, when one of them asked, “Prabhupada, how do we become Krishna conscious?” And he answered, “By your anxiety.” And then he said, “Just like Mother Yasoda. Mother Yasoda was always so anxious for Krishna’s well-being.”

And we all know what Mother Yasoda’s anxiety means. Mother Yasoda comes with Krishna when Krishna leaves the village of Vrindavan and makes any last improvements to his dress while Krishna is already walking with His cowherd boys.

Krishna then says to her: “It is alright, you can go back into the village.”

Mother Yasoda stops, but then she sees Krishna and thinks: Has he eaten enough? His stomach is so slim. So, again she comes forward and gives a sweet.

Krishna says, “It is alright Mother, I have eaten.” Then she falls back again, sees Krishna, and again another anxiety comes: What if a demon is there? And she runs forward and says to the cowherd boys such as Bhadrasena and Amsu: “Protect my little boy. He doesn’t know where His boundaries are. Protect Him. You go ahead of Him, you go to each side, you go in back—with sticks. Protect Him.”

Again Mother Yasoda falls back. Another anxiety overcomes her. She runs forward: “But Kanai, how can you go outside? The sun is rising. It will be too hot for You.”

“No, no there are trees that give shade. No problem for Me.”

“But the pebbles and the stones and the thorns that will hurt Your soft lotus feet?”

“No, no, Mother. There are the Krishna-sara deer that will sweep the path with their tails. It is very, very nice, it is very comfortable.”

And this time Mother Yasoda finally stays back. She is so anxious. Srila Prabhupada didn’t explain these stories during the morning walk; they are simply meant to illustrate Mother Yasoda’s anxieties.

Srila Prabhupada then continued: “The problem is you are always anxious for yourself.” Will I get enough prasadam? Will I get enough attention and recognition? Will things work so that I have peace of mind? This is a problem of the conditioned soul. So, to become Krishna conscious, three things are required that are actually only one thing: desire, eagerness, and this type of anxiety for Krishna that is an anxiety to serve Krishna.

These three are really only desires in different temperatures. Take this thermos, for instance. There is boiling hot water inside. In this cup there is cool water, and here, in this cup, because it has stood a long time in the cold morning air, is ice-cold water, unfit for any person over fifty to drink. So it is all water at different temperatures. Similarly, desire, eagerness, and anxiety for Krishna’s service are all the same. And if you can enter this school of desire and then bring it to the level of eagerness, make it warm, then finally bring it to the boiling point, being in anxiety: “Oh Krishna must be satisfied, Krishna must be served,” then you are in Vrindavan consciousness. Then you are there. Then you have attained it. Some of you might have boiled their water in a previous life. You have tried to boil your water or make it warmer at least. So, you have come with a certain temperature into this life. Now, boil it further until it becomes anxiety to serve Krishna. Then you are Krishna conscious. You know, Vrindavan consciousness means everyone just wants to serve Krishna. In all the four rasas, which you find in Vrindavan, everyone is just thinking for the pleasure of Krishna, not for their own pleasure. This is the difference to material consciousness.

Reading Bhaktivinoda Thakura, it seems to happen very quickly. I think he is just wishing us well and telling us: If you have a strong fire, your water will soon be hot and boiling. Well, bhakti is not always causal. It is not a matter of your fire, which often is, when it is misunderstood, something in the mode of passion, which is not the thing. But if Krishna becomes convinced that your desire for Him is really at a very hot point, if you can convince Krishna like this, He will give you bhakti. And then you have it. But He will look very carefully.

I heard something from Mahanidhi Maharaja on the Giriraja parikramaparikrama: Do you know why so many people go around Giriraja? Because it is known that he is the best of all the devotees and can fulfill desires. So, many devotees go on Giriraja parikrama for a child, for some biological problem that needs to be repaired by Giriraja—many pray for other things. And when someone does Giriraja parikrama—this is how the Vrajavasis say it, it is an anology, a picture—Giriraja goes behind the devotee. And when the devotee has a material desire, Giriraja fulfills it. But when someone prays, “I want love for Krishna,” Giriraja asks: “Really?” Let me see if he still wants it next year.” Then the following year the devotee goes on a Govardhan parikrama and still wishes for it. Then Giriraja becomes inclined and walks behind the devotee: Oh, this is such a good devotee, let me give him a test and see if his desire is already deep enough.” “Why?” asks the devotee. “I have done so many Giriraja parikramas. On this one I just cut myself on this sharp piece of metal and now look, I am bleeding, I am bleeding, I am bleeding. I knew it—India is just too much. I came with my best intentions… this is too much.” And Giriraja stands there and cries. He sees if it is just a momentary, vivacious expression of frustration or if it is really what is deep inside. If it is deep inside and the devotee wants to turn his face away from Krishna, he is free to do so. But if the devotee says, “O Krishna, let me take care of this now. Thank you, Krishna, thank you. I must acknowledge that I am a very fallen soul, I have been in Bhurijan Prabhu’s class and he has said, gold needs to be burned by the fire or ordeal a hundred times. This is now one more time. Fantastic.” and I told it to the devotees who were on that wonderful midnight

And in this way it continues: Giriraja will send a test, Krishna will send a test. Finally, when the devotee has passed the tests of the Lord and has been purified, then he gets it.

It can be fast. Prabhupada was once asked in Hamburg: How long does it take to reach Krishna consciousness, and he said: “It can happen in one second or it may not happen in many lifetimes.” It is dependent on this desire, which, when it reaches its full potential, becomes eagerness, and when that reaches its full potential, it becomes anxiety for Krishna: “Krishna, your pleasure, not my pleasure.”

(Govardhana Retreat 2007)

Kanchipuram – vaikuntha on earth

By Uttama Caitanya Dasa

Hare Krsna
Pamho AGTSP AGTSGG

Our recent visit to Kanchipuram allowed us to re-visit some of the regular temples visited before as well as have darshan of never-before-visited temples. It was truly a splendid experience.

Kanchi is one of the 7 important holy cities of India. It is said there are
1000 over temples in this sacred and ancient city.

There are quite a number of divya desha temples (108 key Vaishnava sthalas) here as well as Deities glorified in the hymns of the Alvars (mangalasasanam).

There are also many Saiva temples here, some are very, very old.

One can visit almost all the key Vishnu temples and few Saiva temples in one day. I took about 6hrs with the help of an auto. For 600rps you can have have the service the whole day. But there are no darsan between noon till abt 5pm in most temples.

The nice thing abt Kanchi is that the temples are normally not very crowded like other places, expect during festivals. One doesn’t not get harassed by pujaris as well.

Here are temples visited:-

1. Ekambaranatha – first temple visited. Lord Siva temple. The names means lord of single mango tree. Here Lord Siva wed Parvati. Marriage was presided by Lord Visnu.  Parvati was cursed to come down to earth by Lord Siva coz she disturbed his tapasya.  She did penance under a mango tree to obtain her husband back. Lord Visnu awarded her the boon and she was wed here. The mango tree is still here and it bears mango of different type of flavours. Huge and beautiful temple. There is a divya desha Lord Visnu murti here as well.

2. Vijaya Raghava Perumal – This temple is located some 5kms from Kanchi. Place called Tiruputkuli. The temple is dedicated to Lord Rama. It is said Jatayu was cremated here by the Lord. So this place is famous for performing last rites. Outside the main temple is a smal snrine for Jayatu.

3. Alagiya Singar Perumal – Temple of Lord Narasimhadeva – Yoga Narasimha.

4. Pavala Perumal -

5. Pachai Perumal – mean green Lord

6. Vaikuntha Perumal – The temple has three storey vimana tower. There sanctums one above the other – Lord Visnu is standing, sitting and reclining position.

7. Deepaprakash Perumal – birthplace of Vedanta Desika. Lord Visnu appeared here to dispel darkness created by Sarasvati.

8. Astabuja Perumal – the Lord assumed 8 hands to kill a demon here.

9. Varadaraja Perumal – The most imporant temple here and key shrine of Sri Vaishavas of the vadakalai sect. The Lord is named bestower of benedictions. All lot of stories abt this temple. Ramanujacarya spent many years here. He is said to have met Yamunacarya here as well.

10. Pandava Tootha Perumal – Huge deity of Lord Krishna in visvarupa form. 25ft high. It is said the Lord bestowed this special darsan to Janamejaya here.

11. Yathoktakari Perumal – The Lord is bhujangasayana form. The name mean He who did as requested. Tirumalisai alwar requested to Lord to follow him out of Kanci. The Lord did that and came back here and lied down once again.

12. Ulagalandar Perumal – Lord Vamana diety. 35ft in height. This temple also houses 3 other divya desa murtis – Neeragham, Karagham and Karvannam.

13. Kamakshi Amman Temple – Huge, ancient temple dedicated to Durga. One out of three famous Durga temples (Madurai Meenakshi, Kasi Visalachi) in India. There is a deity of Lord Varaha within the temple. Divya desa shrine as well. Important temple for the Sankaracarya followers.

14. Kailasanatha – Said to be the oldest temple in Kanchi. Dedicated to Lord Siva. Many wonderful sculptors surround the temple but are gradually eroding due to test of time.

Besides this there are many other temples that have their own tales to tell.

Kanchi is truly a remarkable visit.

dasanudasa
Uttama Caitanya dasa

Understand Lord Krishna

By Sri Nandanandana dasa (Stephen Knapp)

Sometimes people say that they want to see God, or that God is not perceivable. And this is confirmed in the Vedic scripture, but with additional points of instruction on how we can perceive the Supreme Being. The Svetasvatara Upanishad (4.20) explains “His form of beauty is imperceptible to mundane senses. No one can see Him with material eyes. Only those who realize, through deep pure-hearted meditation, this Supreme Personality, who resides in everyone’s heart, can attain liberation.”

Krishna lila or His pastimes are eternally going on in the spiritual world, whereas they appear to be happening only at certain points in time within the material energy. However, one who has purified his or her consciousness can still witness these activities even while in the material body. This can especially happen at the holy places (dhamas) where the spiritual and material energies overlap, and where the spiritual world appears with this material domain. Such places include Vrindavana, Mathura, Jagannatha Puri, Dwaraka, etc. And when the Lord is pleased with your service, He can reveal Himself to you. In this way, many greatly elevated and pure devotees of Krishna have been able to have personal darshan of the Lord and witness His pastimes even while in the material body. Then they may leave instructions for the rest of us to follow so that we can do the same. This is verification that the process of devotion, bhakti-yoga, works.

The Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.14.29) continues with this point. “My Lord, if one is favored by even a slight trace of the mercy of Your lotus feet, one can understand the greatness of Your Personality. But those who speculate to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead are unable to know You, even though they continue to study the Vedas for many years.”

The Katha Upanishad (1.2.23) also relates “The Supreme Soul can neither be attained by studying the Veda, nor by sharp intelligence, nor by hearing many discourses on the scriptures. However, the Lord reveals His original transcendental form to the soul who embraces Him within the heart as the only Lord and Master. That soul alone can attain Him–the Supreme Soul, the Personality of Godhead, the Lord of the heart.”

Since Krishna is the Supreme Being and source of all enjoyment, it is in our best interest to engage in His service, for that will also connect us to Him and give us that great pleasure and bliss that we are always trying to find. That is the point of devotional service, called bhakti-yoga, which is the process of connecting (yog) with the Supreme through devotion (bhakti). In this way, our inherent loving propensity is directed toward the supreme lover and natural object of love, God. There is no better way of finding God than this. In other words, through devotion we do not try to see God, but we act in such a way that God reveals Himself to us. Then everything is accomplished. There can be no greater achievement in the human form of life than that. Everything else is temporary; it comes and goes. Only our spiritual achievements last eternally because they are connected with the immortal soul. Therefore, reawakening our relationship with the Supreme is the highest goal in human existence.

Since it is established in the Vedic texts that the Absolute is a person, then meditating on the personal form of God rather than the impersonal feature is the highest form of meditation. This is verified in Bhagavad-gita (12.2): “The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: ‘He whose mind is fixed on My personal form, always engaged in worshipping Me with great and transcendental faith, is considered by Me to be the most perfect.’”

Herein, we can understand that realizing the Absolute Truth in the form of the Supreme Person is much easier and much more attractive than struggling to realize, meditate on, or merge into the great white light of the impersonal brahmajyoti, or some other non-personal aspect of God. By understanding the Supreme Personality, all other facets of the Absolute, such as the Brahman effulgence and Paramatma or Supersoul, are also understood. In fact, those who are absorbed in Brahman realization can easily become attracted to understanding the Supreme Personality as did such sages as Sukadeva Gosvami and the Kumaras, as noted in Srimad-Bhagavatam:

“Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto my spiritual master, the son of Vyasadeva, Sukadeva Gosvami. It is he who defeats all inauspicious things within this universe. Although in the beginning he was absorbed in the happiness of Brahman realization and was living in a secluded place, giving up all other types of consciousness, he became attracted by the most melodious pastimes of Lord Sri Krishna. He therefore mercifully spoke the supreme Purana, known as Srimad-Bhagavatam, which is the bright light of the Absolute Truth and which describes the activities of Lord Krishna.” (Bhag.12.12.68)

Since Lord Krishna is the Supreme Personality, then naturally there are certain ways in which to understand Him. This is a science, which we can more deeply explain later. But for now we can offer a summary of the instructions that point the way. The main point of consideration is that if we are trying to understand Lord Krishna, then we need to know what pleases Him, which is something that we can find from His direct instructions.

The key is explained directly by Lord Sri Krishna Himself when he says: “Knowledge about Me as described in the scriptures is very confidential, and it has to be realized in conjunction with devotional service. The necessary paraphernalia for that process is being explained by Me. You may take it up carefully. All of Me, namely My actual eternal form and My transcendental existence, color, qualities and activities–let all be awakened within you by factual realization, out of My causeless mercy.” (Bhag.2.9.31-32)

To start on this process, one needs to hear from one who knows and is acquainted with the qualities of Lord Krishna and can explain them to others. This is established in this famous verse:

yasya deve para bhaktir

yatha deve tatha gurau

tasyaite kathita hy arthaha

prakashante mahatmanaha

“Unto those great souls who have implicit faith in both the Lord and the spiritual master, all the imports of Vedic knowledge are automatically revealed.” (Svetasvatara Upanishad 6.23)

Lord Krishna also says, however, that “I am never manifest to the foolish and unintelligent. For them I am covered by My internal potency, and therefore they do not know that I am unborn and infallible.” (Bg.9.25)

Lord Brahma concurs with this point and verifies the need for the performance of devotional service, in which he says to Lord Krishna, “My dear Lord, devotional service unto You is the best path for self-realization. If someone gives up that path and engages in the cultivation of speculative knowledge, he will simply undergo a troublesome process and will not achieve his desired result. As a person who beats an empty husk of wheat cannot get grain, one who simply speculates cannot achieve self-realization. His only gain is trouble.” (Bhag. 10.14.4)

As Lord Krishna establishes the foundation for attaining the means to understand Him, He also explains how to begin the process. “Only by practicing unalloyed devotional service with full faith in Me can one obtain Me, the Supreme Person. I am naturally dear to My devotees, who take Me as the only goal of their loving service. By engaging in such pure devotional service, even the dog-eaters can purify themselves from the contamination of their low birth.” (Bhag.11.14.21)

In his summary of the Srimad-Bhagavatam, Sri Suta Gosvami also explains the above point: “Remembrance of Lord Krishna’s lotus feet destroys everything inauspicious and awards the greatest good fortune. It purifies the heart and bestows devotion for the Supreme Soul, along with knowledge enriched with realization and renunciation.” (Bhag.12.12.55)

Lord Krishna continues His instructions to Arjuna: “My dear Arjuna, only by undivided devotional service can I be understood as I am, standing before you, and can thus be seen directly. Only in this way can you enter into the mysteries of My understanding.” (Bg.11.54)

“The person who is searching after the Supreme Absolute Truth, the Personality of Godhead, must certainly search for it up to this, in all circumstances, in all space and time, and both directly and indirectly. O Brahma, just follow this conclusion by fixed concentration of mind, and no pride will disturb you, neither in the partial nor in the final devastation.” (Bhag.2.9.36-37)

Herein it is as if Lord Krishna is speaking directly to us, that if we follow through with this process, we will be successful even at the time of death, which is certainly the final test of life in whatever we may have done.

“For one who worships Me, giving up all his activities unto Me and being devoted to Me without deviation, engaged in devotional service and always meditating upon Me, who has fixed his mind upon Me, O son of Pritha, for him I am the swift deliverer from the ocean of birth and death.” (Bg.12.6-7)

“All that you do, all that you eat, all that you offer and give away, as well as all austerities that you may perform, should be done as an offering unto Me. In this way you will be freed from all reactions to good and evil deeds, and by this principle of renunciation you will be liberated and come to Me.” (Bg.9.27-28)

“By regularly hearing, chanting and meditating on the beautiful topics of Lord Mukunda with ever-increasing sincerity, a mortal being will attain the divine kingdom of the Lord, where the inviolable power of death holds no sway. For this purpose, many persons, including great kings, abandoned their mundane homes and took to the forest [for performing spiritual pursuits].” (Bhag.10.90.50)

Here it becomes clear that, as it is further described, for those who hear and chant the holy name and topics of Krishna, millions of grievous sinful reactions become immediately burned to ashes. Of course, the most important time for remembering the Lord and chanting His name is at the time of death. That is why it is said that those who chant “Krishna, Krishna” at the time the body expires become eligible for liberation.

The GopalaTapani Upanishad (1.6) states, “One who meditates on this Supreme Person, glorifies Him, and worships Him, becomes liberated. He becomes liberated.”

In conclusion, Lord Krishna simply explains that, “Thus I have explained to you the most confidential of all knowledge. Deliberate on this fully, and then do what you wish to do. Because you are My very dear friend, I am speaking to you the most confidential part of knowledge. Hear this from Me, for it is for your benefit. Always think of Me and become My devotee. Worship Me and offer your homage unto Me. Thus you will come to Me without fail. I promise you this because you are My very dear friend. Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear.” (Bg.18.63-66)
Thus, the way to understand Lord Krishna is not so difficult to comprehend. There is nothing else to do but take Lord Krishna’s instructions seriously and take to heart as best we can the process as provided and summarized in these instructions. Or as the Lord Himself says, once again: “Thus, not by engaging in the service of the modes of material nature but by developing Krishna consciousness, knowledge in renunciation, and by practicing yoga, in which the mind is always fixed in devotional service unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one achieves My association in this very life, for I am the Supreme Personality, the Absolute Truth.” (Bhag.3.25.27)

Article taken from Dandavats: http://www.dandavats.com/

Url to Article: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=7249

H.G. Jayananda prabhu: a pure devotee

Hare Krishna

Dandavat Pranam

The test of a theory is in its implementation. While one can spend a lot of time analyzing the process of bhakti, faith readily comes when one sees the theory in action. Jayananda Prabhu is such a devotee who exemplified in an almost classical manner the process of bhakti from inception to completion. When he left his body on May 1, 1977, Srila Prabhupada instructed that his disappearance day should be celebrated as that of a great Vaisnava. Observing the pastimes of such devotees greatly reaffirms one’s faith in the process of bhakti.

The background
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Jim Kohr was the all-American boy. Handsome, strong, intelligent born in an upper middle-class family. A good student, he took a degree in mechanical engineering from Ohio State University. However despite his outward trappings of success, he was often unhappy, empty and dissatisfied with the material conception of life. Jim did not fit into the upper class crowd, so it was not very surprising that he ended up driving cabs in San Francisco. Though an introspective person, he was not really religious. His depression was almost suicidal when in 1967 he happened to read a small article in the San Francisco paper about an Indian Swami who had come to the Bay area to propagate the chanting of the names of God. For some reason the article ignited a ray of hope within him. He resolved to attend the lecture of the Indian Swami.

In the Bhagavad Gita (7.16), Krishna says, ‘four kinds of pious men begin to render devotional service unto Me — the distressed, the desirer of wealth, the inquisitive, and he who is searching for knowledge of the Absolute.’ Jim was searching for answers from the material miseries, and in such a mood took his first step towards his destiny.

The beginnings
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Jim was instantly attracted to the Indian Swami, who was none other than Srila Prabhupada, the founder acarya of ISKCON. He had been in the U.S.A for only a year and was in the process of establishing his mission of bringing Krishna consciousness to the Western world. Jim began to regularly attend the morning Bhagvatam lectures of Srila Prabhupada. On some occasions Jim would be the only guest listening to the morning lecture. Soon he became very attached to Srila Prabhupada and his teachings. Prabhupada lovingly reciprocated and would sometimes personally cook prasadam for Jim and serve him. Soon thereafter Srila Prabhupada accepted Jim as his disciple and initiated him with the spiritual name Jayananda.

In Cc Madhya 19.151 Caitnaya Mahaprabhu says that ‘. out of many millions of wandering living entities, one who is very fortunate gets an opportunity to associate with a bona fide spiritual master by the grace of Krishna. By the mercy of both Krishna and the spiritual master, such a person receives the seed of the creeper of devotional service.’ In this way Jayananda received the seed of devotion, out of the causeless mercy of Srila Prabhupada. From the instructions and teaching presented by Srila Prabhupada, he understood his special relationship with Krishna, with Guru, and that there is an authorized process to establish this relationship.

Attraction to Krishna consciousness
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Jayananda was completely enamored by Krishna consciousness. He would rise every day morning before four, do a little arati, chant his rounds of japa, read and cook prasad. Then he would go for his ‘incense run’ (selling incense sticks). He never deviated from this, he was completely happy as long as he was practicing Krishna consciousness.

Jayananda worshipped prasadam. When a little prasadam spilled on the floor he would lick it up. He loved to cook, eat, offer and distribute prasadam in a big way. He even said ‘prasadam’ with so much love and devotion that it made one immediately want to take some.

Another example of his attachment to Krishna consciousness was his love for the holy name. He was always seen chanting and dancing enthusiastically during kirtans. One day after working hard for ten hours straight, when all the other devotees were looking forward to some rest, Jayananda enthusiastically bounced into the temple room for kirtan. His japa was very intense, very focussed, as he strove to personally associate with each and every syllable of the mahamantra.

In Bhakti-rasamrta sindhu, Srila Rupa Goswami mentions that the process of sadhna bhakti begins with a little faith (sraddha). This faith then blossoms into a desire for devotee association (sadhu-sanga) and then into bhajan-kriya (devotional service).

Similarly, Jayananda, after receiving the association of Srila Prabhupada and other devotees at the temple began to execute devotional service as per the instructions he received from his spiritual master. As he executed his sadhna sincerely, he became purified of the material impediments to devotional service(anartha-nivrttih) and began to manifest the all-attractive qualities of a pure devotee.

Humility
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Humility was certainly Jayananda’s most prominent quality. He treated everyone as his superior, even new devotees. Although his service was glorious, he never wanted any glory. He avoided praise like the plague. Devotees got to know that if they wanted to keep Jayananda’s association they would better not praise him. His humility was very natural and he always found something other than himself that was praiseworthy. Even though he was a senior devotee, older than most of the people around him and eminently qualified, he was happy to simply serve.

Once a new boy at the temple wanted to do some service and was asked to help with the trash. The weekly trash run was done by Jayananda, who cheerfully took the little help the boy gave. Later when the boy became a devotee, he remembered thinking, ‘If the garbage men at this temple can be so blissful, just imagine what the rest of the devotees are like!’

Caitanya Mahaprabhu, in the third verse of Siksastakam lays down the qualification for offenseless chanting. ‘One can chant the holy name of the Lord in a humble state of mind, thinking himself lower than the straw in the street. One should be more tolerant than the tree, devoid of all sense of false prestige and ready to offer all respects to others. In such a state of mind one can chant the holy name of the Lord constantly.’ Jayananda exemplified this verse. He was so humble that just being in his association would make one feel ashamed of one’s pride. He was very special, yet no one paid any special attention to him. That was just the way he liked things.

Service attitude
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Jayananda was an expert at everything: cooking, preaching, Deity worship, public relations, sankirtan, selling incense, construction, and anything that it took to spread Krishna consciousness. He was a tireless worker, first to rise in the morning and last to sleep at night. He was always running out to get flowers, washing dishes, cleaning the kitchen or taking out the trash. Whatever service he was given, he would make sure that it was done, no matter how busy he was or how much personal hardships he had to endure for it. No matter how hard he was working, he would never stop for a nap during the day. He seemed inexhaustible.

Many times when Jayananda went to Berkley to distribute leftover prasadam, he would first organize a crew to clean the kitchen, working twice as hard as anybody else, then he would transfer the prasadam, load it into the van, drive it to Berkley, organize the distribution there and have kirtan while all this was going on. Many years later he readily accepted the position of the driver for the Radha Damodar travelling sankirtan party, working side by side with brahmacharis scarcely half his age. In spite of his advanced position and seniority he never asked for anything special and readily accepted menial position under new devotees.

In the Vishnu purana, Sri Krishna informs Arjuna that ‘one who claims to be My devotee is actually not My devotee. One who claims to be the devotee of my devotees is in actuality My devotee’. Jayananda completely manifested this quality. He was always striving to be the ‘dasanudasa’, the servant-of-the-servant. But there was no artificial humility in him. Material humility is relative, it is predicated on the qualifications of the recipients. Jayananda had spiritual humility, it was absolute, without any consideration of the status or qualities of the recipient. He served every one and expected no one to serve him.

The process of remembering, discussing or enumerating the qualities and pastimes of the Lord and His devotees is very purifying. This week we continue the discussion of the qualities of Jayananda Prabhu, who in the relatively short time he was associated with Krishna consciousness, perfected his devotional service and left us many instructions by example.

Freedom from fault finding
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Perhaps the most defining characteristic of Jayananda was that he never criticized anyone. Even if a devotee did something that warranted criticism, he would usually not say anything, or else make the mistake appear as something perfectly natural. He never spoke harsh words or chastised anybody. Sometimes devotees would come to him with expansive ideas of how to spread Krishna consciousness. Jayananda would encourage these ideas, however extraordinary. At the same time he was not a fool. He could always pick up the right man for the job.

In the Nectar of Instruction (Verse 5), Srila Rupa Goswami says, ‘one should associate with and faithfully serve that pure devotee who is advanced in undeviated devotional service and whose heart is completely devoid of the propensity to criticize others.’ Jayananda could not even bear to hear the criticism of another devotee. If such a thing were happening he would simply leave the room. These are the characteristics of an uttama-adhikari, one who has reached the highest level of perfection in his sadhana bhakti.

Dear to everyone
****************
Like the six Goswamis, Jayananda was dear to both the gentle and the ruffians. He was as much at home with the Italians at the produce market as he was with the Brahmacharis at the temple. Once a devotee was approached by a staggering drunk in San Francisco, who looked at his robes and asked, ‘Hey, where is my old friend Jayananda?’

Many devotees who took over Jayananda’s old territory would meet people who would say things like, ‘Where is Johnny Ananda?’ or ‘That man – he’s the nicest and most pure man I’ve met’ or ‘I don’t know much about your philosophy, but if Jayananda is into it, it must be all right.’

One woman public official on the San Francisco board was famous for giving the devotees a hard time during Ratha-yatra. One year when the devotees approached her, she asked, ‘where is Jayananda?’ On hearing that he had passed away she broke down and began to cry. The purity in Jayananda’s heart would touch the even most cynical.

In BG 5.7, Sri Krishna says that ‘One who works in devotion, who is a pure soul, and who controls his mind and senses is dear to everyone, and everyone is dear to him. Though always working, such a man is never entangled.’ Every one loved Jayananda, since he had completely transcended the bodily conception. He would approach a drunk, a hippie or a devotee with the same compassion and enthusiasm. He spoke to the Supersoul in everyone, and everyone responded accordingly. Like Maharaja Yudhisthira, Jayananda’s enemy was never born.

Expert at engaging everyone
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It is said that though Krishna has nothing to do with non-devotees, His devotees are even more compassionate than Him and will try and engage them in the Lord’s service. Jayananda was eager to see everyone engaged in Krishna’s service. Whenever a new bhakta would come. Jayananda made him feel he was engaged in important work. He was older, bigger and stronger than just about anyone in the temple, and everyone was glad to be working under him.

His preaching style was very simple and direct. He would speak from the heart to the heart. Once he was preaching to a couple of hippies, while crawled under an automobile. All that was visible of him was a pair of legs, yet the two hippies stood there, transfixed by his message. During Ratha-yatra time he would organize a crew of cynics, hippies, bloopers, uncooperative personalities and non-devotees off the street to help build the carts. He would get them to work for ten to fourteen hours a day, always glorifying them.

The Cc Antya 7.11 it is stated, ‘The fundamental religious system in the Age of Kali is the chanting of the holy name of Krishna. Unless empowered by Krishna, one cannot propagate the sankirtana movement.’ Because of the genuine compassion in Jayananda, Krishna gave Him the unique ability to make people want to render devotional service, directly or indirectly.

Materially renounced
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Jayananda had almost no possessions, even during his years as a householder. What ever he had, he used for the service of the temple and Srila Prabhupada. When he was gifted five thousand dollars, he promptly donated that to Srila Prabhupada. In the introduction of the Nectar of Devotion, Srila Prabhupada acknowledges this contribution. For many years he was almost single handedly supporting the temple by driving his cab for 12-14 hours a day. When he was in his last days of his life, he used the money given to him for his treatment to support the Ratha-yatra in Los Angeles.

He was extremely careful with what he considered to be Srila Prabhupada’s money. When selling incense, he would sleep on park benches in bitter cold rather than spend money on a motel. He used his considerable charm to get people to donate almost every thing that was needed. What he could no get for free, he made sure that he received a good value for the money spent.

His final lesson in material detachment came when it was discovered that he was suffering from cancer of the lymph and blood. Jayananda continued as if nothing had changed. When his body became frail and weak, he continued preaching, inspiring and organizing from his bed in the hospital. For him the body was simply a means to render devotional service to the Lord.

In Cc. Madhya 6.254 Caitanya Mahaprabhu summarizes in the phrase ‘vairagya-vidya-nija-bhakti-yoga’, which means ‘renunciation through the wisdom that comes from practicing devotional service.’ Jayananda was a true sannyasi, as one who did not just renounce material objects but actually renounced the desire for these material objects. He was always eager to use everything for the service of Krishna, however he had no personal desire for anything material.

Jayananda: king of the Ratha-yatra
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Jayananda was the backbone of the Bay area Ratha-yatra for several years. Behind the scene he would do everything for the preparation of the festival. He would beg food, flowers, funds – buy materials and build the carts. He would arrange for the permits, organize the cooking and serving of prasad. Although things always went right down the wire, he would consistently succeed in fulfilling all this plans every year. After the festival he would cook a cake or a pie for each and every person who had some how helped in the festival. Because of his efforts the Bay area devotees to this day enjoy an amazingly harmonious relationship with the city officials.

In his last days Jayananda was busy organizing the Ratha-yatra from the hospital bed. He would talk to people on the phone, send his associates to meet various persons and things began to miraculously materialize. Every moment of his life was preciously used in the service of Krishna.

Mystic opulence
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It is said that pure devotional service brings about much opulence. Thought the devotees never seek them out, once they are there, they are used for the service of Krishna.

Jayananda apparently could function with very little or even no sleep. Towards the last few days of the Ratha-yatra he would sleep less than three hours a day, yet he was the most energetic and enlivened member of the crew. His propensity to consume prasad was astounding. He could consume buckets of halva, plates of samosas and potatoes without any side effect. When he was in his last days, he was put on an intravenous diet, yet he would often ask devotees to sneak in huge quantities of samosas and cheese-potatoes for him, which he would happily consume without any apparent distress. He would some times sleep in the Bhagavatam classes, since he was very tired, yet later on he could perfectly quote from the class or have a deep discussion about its contents.

In BG 4.26, Sri Krishna declares that, ‘One who is engaged in full devotional service, unfailing in all circumstances, at once transcends the modes of material nature and thus comes to the level of Brahman.’ In the Närada-pancaratra, devotional service to the Lord is likened unto a queen attended by her maidservants in the form of material opulences, liberation and mysticism. Jayananda never had any hankering for these, but when they came, he simply used them in the service of Krishna.

Special relationship with Srila Prabhupada
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Jayananda has complete faith in Srila Prabhupada. He perfected his devotion by making the instructions of Srila Prabhupada the very core of his life. He was advanced enough to realize that real association was through following the instructions of the spiritual master. Unlike most of the other devotees, who would go out of their way to get some personal association of Srila Prabhupada, Jayananda was contend to work in the background, carrying out his instructions. He exemplified the superiority of association by vani (instructions) over vapu (personal association). Srila Prabhupada would invariably call of Jayananda when he was in the temple. Jayananda would resist saying, ‘No, I cannot go. I am too dirty. I am too fallen,’ such were the transcendental exchanges between the spiritual master and his dear disciple.

In Cc. Madhya 19.151, Caitanya Mahaprabhu says that, ‘Among all the living entities wandering throughout the universe, one who is most fortunate comes in contact with a representative of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and thus gets the opportunity to execute devotional service.’ Jayananda was one of these fortunate souls who came in contact with a pure devotee of the Lord and under his guidance was able to perfect his devotional life.

Conclusion
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Jayananda passed away on May 1, 1977. He joined the Krishna consciousness movement in 1967, just when it is in its beginning, and left the planet a few months before Srila Prabhupada. In the scriptures it is said that when the pure devotees of the Lord appear to execute His will, their associates invariably accompany them. One cannot help but speculate that Jayananda had only come to serve his eternal spiritual master. The fact that Srila Prabhupada was on this planet at the time of his passing away is also significant. It let Srila Prabhupada affirm that ‘every one should follow the example of Jayananda.’

We offer our most humble obeisances to Sri Srimad Jayananda Prabhu, the exemplary teacher of devotional service in Krishna consciousness

Url to Article: http://www.vaisnavacalendar.info/i/sri-jayananda-prabhu-disappearance.html

The Nrsimhadeva Chaitanya Connection

By Madhava Smullen

What does Lord Nrsimhadeva, whose appearance day Vaishnavas around the world will be celebrating this week, have in common with Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the fourteenth century founder of Gaudiya Vaishnavism?

In Vaishnava theology, Nrsimhadeva is one of the ten main incarnations of Lord Krishna, who, as is explained in the Bhagavad-gita, descends to this world to annihilate the miscreants and please his devotees. However Lord Chaitanya does not fit into this categorization, although he is Krishna himself, because he comes disguised as a devotee.

What’s more, Nrsimhadeva is without a doubt the most ferocious incarnation of Krishna, appearing as a half-man half-lion and ripping apart the demon Hiranyakashipu for torturing his devotee son Prahlada. Lord Chaitanya, on the other hand, is the most munificent incarnation, killing no demons and giving love of God freely to all.

It’s hard to see any similarity. Yet a study of the Chaitanya-Charitamrita, the most comprehensive account of Chaitanya’s life, reveals that the form of God Chaitanya identified most with, after Jagannatha and Krishna himself, was Lord Nrsimhadeva.

Since he appeared as a devotee of God, Chaitanya often worshiped Lord Nrsimhadeva with much devotion and absorption. During his extensive South Indian tour, he visited nine famous Nrsimha temples there, although the Chaitanya-Charitamrita pays special attention to three. One is of course the famous Ahovala-Nrsimha, while another is Pana-Nrsimha in the Mangalagiri hills, about seven miles from the city of Vijayawada (Andhra Pradesh). Chaitanya reportedly climbed the six hundred steps to reach the temple, and with great love, offered obeisances and prayers unto Lord Nrsimha.

The third and perhaps most detailed account in the Chaitanya-Charitamrita is Mahaprabhu’s visit to the Jiyada-Nrsimha temple, situated atop a hill five miles from Visakhapatnam. “Upon seeing the Deity of Lord Nrsimha in the temple, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu offered his respectful obeisances by falling flat,” author Krishna Dasa Kaviraj writes. “Then, in ecstatic love, he performed various dances, chanted, and offered prayers.”

Lord Chaitanya’s beautiful prayers offer an enchanting insight into the personality of Nrsimha: “Although very ferocious, the lioness is very kind to her cubs. Similarly, although very ferocious to non-devotees like Hiranyakashipu, Lord Nrsimhadeva is very, very soft and kind to devotees like Prahlada Maharaja.”

There is also a Nrsimha deity on the southern side of the Jagannath temple in Puri, Orissa, where Lord Chaitanya spent much of his life on this earth. Mahaprabhu would often visit this deity as he ascended the twenty-two steps to the temple, and recite these verses from the Nrsimha Purana while offering obeisances again and again:

“I offer my respectful obeisances unto You, Lord Nrsimhadeva. You are the giver of pleasure to Maharaja Prahlada, and Your nails cut the chest of Hiranyakashipu like a chisel cutting stone.

“Lord Nrsimhadeva is here, and He is also there on the opposite side. Wherever I go, there I see Lord Nrsimhadeva. He is outside and within my heart. Therefore I take shelter of Lord Nrsimhadeva, the original Supreme Personality of Godhead.”

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Lord Nrsimhadeva are One and the Same

Although Chaitanya, in the guise of a devotee, worshiped Nrsimhadeva, the two are in fact one, being both forms of God. The ancient text Nrsimha Purana acknowledges this fact, while prophesizing Lord Chaitanya’s arrival: “The Supreme Personality of Godhead who in the Satya-yuga appeared as a half-man, half-lion to cure a terrible disease that had ravaged the demigods, and who in the Treta-yuga appeared as Lord Ramachandra, who defeated the ten-headed demon Ravana, and who in the Dvapara-yuga removed the earth’s burden, and protected the cowherd people of Vraja-pura, will appear again in the Kali-yuga. His form will be golden, He will delight in chanting the Lord’s holy names, and His name will be Chaitanya.”

While on this earth in the 1500s, Chaitanya himself confirmed several times that he was none other than Lord Nrsimhadeva.

Once was to Srivasa Thakura, one of his four closest associates, who was worshiping Lord Nrsimhadeva behind closed doors. Lord Chaitanya came and knocked at the door, calling out, “Who are you worshiping? Whom are you meditating on? The person whom you are worshiping is here!”

Another time, the same Srivasa Thakura was reading the Brihat-sahasra-nama, or thousand names of Lord Visnu, to Lord Chaitanya. The Chaitanya-Mangala describes that when he reached the holy name of Lord Nrsimha, Lord Chaitanya became absorbed in thought, and then suddenly became angry just like Nrsimhadeva. His eyes became red, the hairs on his body stood on end, and he trembled, making a ferocious roaring sound. When he took up a wooden club, the other devotees in the room were terrified, thinking, “What kind of offense have we committed?” But Mahaprabhu soon adjusted his thoughts and relaxed, once again taking his seat.

Perhaps the most famous—and scary—story illustrating the connection between Chaitanya and Nrsimhadeva is of the Chand Kazi, a Muslim magistrate, who had been violently forbidding the street chanting of Lord Chaitanya’s associates. Breaking a mridanga drum, he threatened the devotees that if they continued he would confiscate all their property and force them to convert to Islam.

One day, however, he suddenly stopped his antagonistic actions. When Lord Chaitanya asked him why, he replied:

“The night after I forbade the performance of congregational chanting, in my dreams I saw a greatly fearful lion, roaring very loudly, his body like a human being’s and his face like a lion’s. While I was asleep, the lion jumped on my chest, laughing fiercely and gnashing His teeth. Placing its nails on my chest, the lion said in a grave voice, ‘I shall immediately bifurcate your chest as you broke the mridanga drum! You have forbidden the performance of my congregational chanting. Therefore I must destroy you!’

“Being very much afraid of him, I closed my eyes and trembled. Seeing me so afraid, the lion said, ‘I have defeated you just to teach you a lesson, but I must be merciful to you. On that day you did not create a very great disturbance. Therefore I have excused you and not taken your life. But if you perform such activities again, I shall not be tolerant.’ After saying this, the lion left.”

The Kazi then showed Lord Chaitanya his chest, which still had the marks of Nrsimhadeva’s nails on it, and promised: “To as many descendants as take birth in my dynasty in the future, I give this grave admonition: No one should check the sankirtana (chanting of God’s name) movement.”

The Kazi’s injuction holds even until the present day—descendants of his family have not opposed the sankirtana movement under any circumstances, even during the historical Hindu-Muslim riots of 1947 and beyond.

On yet another occasion, Lord Chaitanya revealed his identity to Pradyumna Brahmacari, who he called Nrsimhananda, because of his devotion to Lord Nrsimhadeva. One day Nrsimhananda cooked many varieties of food, including vegetables, cakes, sweet rice and more, and made three separate offerings for Jagannatha, Chaitanya, and his worshipable deity Lord Nrsimhadeva. He then began to meditate upon the Lord. In his meditation he saw Chaitanya quickly come, sit down, and eat all three offerings, leaving no remnants behind.

Although Nrsimhananda was delighted to see Chaitanya come and eat, he was also dismayed. “Alas, alas! My dear Lord, what are You doing?” he cried. “You are eating everyone’s food! My Lord, You are one with Jagannatha; therefore I have no objection to Your eating His offering. But why are You touching the offering for Lord Nrsimhadeva? I think that Nrsimhadeva could not eat anything today, and therefore He is fasting. If the master fasts, how can the servant live?”

Impressed by Nrsimhananda’s devotion to his deity, Lord Chaitanya then revealed to him by practical demonstration that he was the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and that there was no difference between him, Lord Jagannatha and Lord Nrsimhadeva.

On the auspicious occasion of Lord Nrsimhadeva’s appearance, this is a wonderful meditation for members of ISKCON, as Gaudiya Vaishnavas, to have.

Article taken from: http://www.iskcon.com/

Url to Article: http://news.iskcon.com/node/1977

Garuda Purana : Shiva’s prayer to Lord Narasimhadev

By Deena Das

Hare Krishna. Pranams. All glories to Sri Guru and Sri Gauranga.

For the pleasure of the devotees this coming Nrsimha Caturdasi, below is Chapter 231 of the Garuda purana, where Mahadeva Shiva calls on Lord Narasimhadeva.

(The Matrgana’s mentioned in this story are eight goddesses produced from the bodies of Vishnu, Shiva and six other main deities during the killing of a powerful demon called Andhaka. Their origin is recounted in the Varaha-purana.)

ys deena

1. Suta said: O Saunaka, I shall now mention the prayer to Narasimha sung by Shiva. Formerly the Mothers (matrgana) told Sankara thus:
2. “O Lord, we wish to devour the entire universe along with the deities, demons and human beings with your favour. Please permit us.”
3. Sankara said: “Certainly all these people are to be protected by you all. Therefore this ruthless mentality should be diverted.”
4. Disregarding the advice given by Sankara, the Matrgana’s began to devour the three worlds and all mobile and immobile creatures.
5. When the worlds were thus being eaten, Lord Shiva meditated on the Lord in the form of Nrsimha.
6 – 9 Lord Sankara’s meditation of Nrsimha was thus: ‘He has no beginning or death; He is the originator of all living beings; His tongue blazes like lightening; He has great curved teeth and his mane blazes like a garland; He has bracelets studded with gems; He has a brilliant crown; He is bedecked with a golden mane; with His brillaince He pervades the whole Brahmanda; the hairs on His body curl in small circles; and He is wearing a great garland consisting of many flowers of variegated colours.’
10. As soon as He was meditated upon, the Lord appeared before Sankara assuming the form as was conceived by Rudra with great devotion.
11. In the same dazzling form, unperceivable by the devas, the Lord stood there. Sankara then knelt before the Lord and prayed.
12. Sankara said: “Obeisance to You, Lord of the universe, having the body of a man-lion, shining with claws resembling an oyster shell with which the lord of demons (Hiranyakashipu) was killed.
13. You have the golden and tawny coloured body of that demon clinging to Your lotus-like nails. Obeisances to Padmanabha, obeisances to the preceptor of the world. You roar like the rumbling cloud at the end of the kalpa, O Deity, shining with the lustre of ten million suns.
14. O Deity, terrifying like a thousand Yama’s, valorous like a thousand Indras, affluent like a thousand Kuveras, O Deity with a thousand lotus-like feet.
15. O Deity resembling a thousand moons, a thousand rayed, moving like a lion, resplendent like a thousand Rudras, sung in praise by a thousand Brahmas.
16. Remembered in japa by a thousand Rudras, endowed with a thousand all protecting eyes, progenitor and destroyer of thousands, untier of thousands of bondages.
17. O fierce deity, having the velocity of a thousand winds, O compassionate One!’ Having sung the hymn to the Lord of Lords, Hari in the form of Narasimha, Shiva spoke in all humility thus:
18. “I had created the matrganas for the destruction of the demon Andhaka. Disregarding my advice they are now devouring the wonderful created beings of the universe.
19. Having created them, I am unable to kill them although I am undefeated elsewhere. Having first created them, how can I wish for their annihilation?
20-21. Thus addressed by Rudra, Hari in the form of a man-lion, created a thousand goddesses from the tip of his tongue. Hari the Vagisvara (Lord of speech) subdued the mothers and protected the devas. He accorded peace and happiness to the world and vanished.
22. He who recites this Narasimha prayer in all purity and restraint of the sense organs shall be blessed with the realisation of all his desires, as was Rudra. There is no doubt in this.
23. One shall meditate on the deity Narasimha with eyes shining like the midday sun (for evil doers) and like a white lotus (for devotees), with his face beaming like a blazing fire, having neither beginning or end, the eternal, unborn, Lord of the great and small, the receptacle of the universe.
24. If anyone recites this prayer it dispells all miseries like the sun dispelling snow. When he [Shiva] wants to perform worship of the Lord in the form of Narasimha, Lord Shiva prepares his deity along with the mothers. Then the Lord appears before him and stands near him. [final sentence of translation unclear.]

Article taken from Dandavats: http://www.dandavats.com/

Url to Article: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=7232