hare krishna

I have a question. How would you explain to a person that illicit sex makes you suffer?

 

Hare Krishna!

Dear Jiva,

It would depend on the person you were trying to explain it to. But generally, there are two main lines of argument.
First, there is the idea that if one wants to practice yoga, then the senses have to be controlled. Quite simply, if we say the goal is to remember Krishna, then it is best to avoid that which deviates our concentration on Him..So if we just indulge in all these external pleasures then our consciousness will become fixed in them, not in God. We become addicted to sense pleasure, and many think this is all there is in life. We think this or that person will make us happy - and so they may, but only for a time! It is as Krishnaprem says in the short quote I posted here recently, none of these people can help us ultimately. There is only One who can help.
All this applies in the case of someone seeking to do yoga, to develop Love of Krishna.
There is also another line based more on social considerations. The only true basis for human society is the family. And this has to be ideally a stable unit, because that is essential for bringing up children in the right way. So it is good to have these values, even if they are not very fashionable here in the west. God's blessing is there on married sexual relationships.
If one goes too far down the path of sensual indulgence, it can have a very degrading effect on the whole being. That is my experience anyway.
Having said that, it is important to remember that people brought up in modern society are presented with sex as the 'greatest thing', 'the most wonderful possible experience' and so on. It is really the main focus of many people's lives. So one has to be careful. To try to move beyond sex before one is ready to do so is not wise, it can lead to imbalance, and also to self-deception, because if the desire is there, and the thought, then one is not really above or beyond sex. Only if there is a real inner impulse to give it up can it be done.
There is always going to be some difficulty in even speaking of this to people, because most take it for granted these days that the more sex the better!
At the risk of appearing the most unpopular person on these forums, I have to say I disagree fundamentally with this. I think the thing is so powerful and potentially destructive that it has to be kept within bounds.
And there are of course the dangers posed increasingly by STD's.
I hope this helps Jiva - its always worth remembering that where this yoga is concerned, one has to take it a step at a time. If one can't practice all the rules and regulations, just practice what you can, keep going, and gradually as Krishna sees what you're doing, progress is sure to come!

Blessings.

 

OH prabhu Bill,

such a pleasure to read you every time. Yes, I agree very much with you. If you supress, it can lead to a disaster. Yet, sexual indulgence is like any other addiction. It leaves you empty. It doesn't take you anywhere. Thanks for help.

 

If anybody wants to read a conversation between Allen Ginsberg and Srila Prabhupada go here:

http://prabhupadavani.org/Conversations/Text/002.html

It's really funny in some passages. They also mention the Jesus-Krishna link, which was discussed here a few months ago here on the thread.

 

Diwali.

There are so many celebrations in the Hindu year that Hinduism has been described as a religion of fasts, feasts and festivals. Diwali is a festival of lights, and clay oil lamps, or diyas, are lit in and around the house, giving the festival its name: Dipawali or Diwali, which means a row of lamps.

Everyone decorates their houses and friends and family are invited for a feast in which Indian sweets are particularly important. Rangolis – a traditional Indian art form, whose motifs are often linked with symbols of good luck – are drawn with different coloured powders on the courtyards and walls of houses to welcome guests.

The festival lasts four days, but the day of Diwali itself is considered an auspicious day for starting anything new, and marks the beginning of the financial year.

The first day of the festival commemorates the defeat the of the demon Naraka by Lord Krishna and his wife Satyabhama. On the second day, Hindus believe that Goddess Lakshmi will fulfil the wishes of her followers. On the third day the demon king Bali is believed to emerge from his exile and on the fourth day, sisters invite their brothers to their homes.

In Northern India, Diwali is seen as marking the return of Ram along with Sita and Lakshman from 14 years of exile after killing Ravana. To commemorate his return to Ayodhya, Ram's subjects lit up the kingdom and set off firecrackers. Gujaratis and Marwaris worship Goddess Lakshmi, and Bengalis worship Goddess Kali or Durga.

Happy Diwali!

 

Sri Lakshmi

 

Sri Durga

 

HARE KRISHNA i

Dear all,

Wish you all a very HAPPY DEEPAVALI. It is a great pleasure to be back here on this auspicious day.

It is a wonderful feeling to read so many posts peacefully after a break of two months, it is good to see so many new names in. I am not sure who should welcome who.Anyway, I sincerely welcome all who joined after I had left in September.

We very often talk about DIVYA LILA(divine game) of our Lord, now I can clearly see it here, happening in this wonderful thread started by SJ. This thread is at a time serving so many purposes to all of us, for each one of us in a different way. This thread itself has become a path to realization to the true seekers. It is all in one.

Thanks to all the contributors, particularly CCPIE,BBB,SGB and ,of course, SJ.

With lots of love and best wishes,

Kumar.

HARE KRISHNA HARE KRISHNA KRISHNA KRISHNA HARE HARE
HARE RAMA HARE RAMA RAMA RAMA HARE HARE.

 

Hare Krishna!


Dear GDKumar - How nice to see you back here again
Thanks for your kind words. May Ma and Sri Krishna continue to shower their blessings on you, and keep you safe on all life's journeys.

Love,

BBB.

 

Divali at Radhakund

Attached thumbnail(s)

 

welcome back gdkumar!!!


hope u doin fine. your presence is welcome with pure joy

 

ANNAKUTA (GOVARDHANA PUJA)

From Siddha Sri Krishna Das Baba's Gutika
The day after Dipavali Nanda baba arranges for the Govardhana-brahmanas to perform the ceremonial bathing (abhiseka) of Giriraja Govardhana with five kinds of nectar - ghi (clarified butter), sugar-water, yoghurt, milk and honey - and makes them cook many kinds of sweets, rice, rotis, and vegetables. They place these preparations on big leaves in front of Govardhana Hill. In one form Krishna sits next to Nanda baba and in another, huge, form He sits on Giriraja and grabs all the offered foodstuffs at once with one very long arm, eating everything! On the other side small Krishna says: "Just see how Giriraja is eating everything!" Nanda and the cowherders look on in joyful amazement how Giriraja finishes his meal with a pan (betel-leaves) and accepts all the flower garlands and sandalwood paste which was offered by the Vrajavasis in huge amounts. Then the local brahmanas offer Giriraja a lamp in arati on a long spear.

Krishna and all the other cowherders offer their prostrated obeisances to Giriraja, who disappears after blessing everyone. When asked what will please him the most, Giriraja says: "I am most pleased when you circumambulate me!", so that's what they do. First the cows go, then the brahmanas (they are also worshiped on that day), then the older gopis, the older cowherds, the young gopis, Krishna and His chums and finally Nanda and Yasoda. After this parikrama of Govardhana Hill Nanda feeds all the brahmanas and gives them cows, gold, silver and garments in charity. Then he eats himself with his family and everyone takes rest in their tents. Radha and Krishna meet as usual in the Giri Nikunja, the mountain grove, returning to Their camps afterwards, and at midday They have Their usual fun at Radhakunda. Then Nanda baba has all the tents broken up and moved to Kaliyadaha in Vrindavana. There They have Their supper and Radha and Krishna have Their usual nocturnal fun at Vamsivata, Vrindavana on the bank of the Yamuna-river.

 

SRI SRI GOVARDHANASRAYA DASAKAM, VERSE 1

saptAhaM murajit karAmbuja pari-bhrAjat kaniSThAGguli
prodyad valgu varATakopari milan mughda dvirepho’pi yaH
pAthaH kSepaka zakra nakra mukhataH kroDe vrajaM drAg apAt
kas taM gokula bandhavam giri-varaM govardhanaM nAzrayet
Who will not take shelter of Govardhana hill. the best of mountains and the friend of Gokula, who protected the people of Vraja from the rains, that came from the mouth of the crocodile-like king Indra, like an innocent blackbee sitting on the seedhusk-like little finger of Sri Krishna’s lotus-like hand for seven days?​

Excerpts from Stavamrita Kana Vyakhya: In sadhakavesa Sripada Raghunatha reveals the glories of Sri Giriraja Govardhana in this Govardhanasraya Dasakam. In his Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu Srila Rupa Gosvami has mentioned that five of the sixty-four items of bhajana are extraordinarily powerful, and one of them is living in Vraja or taking shelter of Vraja-dhama.

The only abode where Krishna can stay enjoying purely sweet, intimate pastimes, that are devoid of even a whiff of reverence is this Vraja-dhama. But even within this Vraja there is again distinction between the different confidential pastime-places. Giriraja Govardhana is said to be at the summit by Srila Rupa Gosvami:

vaikuNThAj janito varA madhu-purI tatrApi rAsotsavAd
vRndAraNyam udAra pANi ramaNAt tatrApi govardhanaH
rAdhAkuNDam ihApi gokula pateH premAmRta plAvanAt
kuryAd asya virAjato giri-taTe sevAM vivekI na kaH
“Greater than Vaikuntha is Mathura, better than Mathura is Vrindavana, because the Rasa-dance took place there, better even than Vrindavana is Govardhana because it was touched by Krishna’s beautiful hand, and best of all is Radhakunda (the abode of Sri-Sri Radha-Madhava’s most passionate pastimes), which is inundated by the stream of nectarean love of the Lord of Gokula (Sri Krishna). Who will not serve this sacred pond at the base of Govardhana Hill?”

By calling Sri Giriraja Gokula Bandhava Sri Raghunatha reminds us of how Giriraja protected Gokula. The king of the demigods Indra had committed a great offense by accepting offerings from Sri Nanda, Upananda and other cowherds, that are worshippable even for the Supreme Personality of Godhead. To protect him from the grip of this offense and to establish the service and the glories of Sri Giriraja the merciful Lord stopped the sacrifice to Indra and had the sacrifice to Sri Govardhana commenced. The king of the demigods Indra, intoxicated as he was with pride of his opulences, was unable to understand this merciful pastime of the Lord and began to engage clouds like the Samvartaka, that are used to destroy the universe, to vanquish Gokula with showers of rain and thunderbolts. When these destructive storms and showers of rain, hail and thunderbolts began, the distressed Vrajavasis took shelter of their only resort, Sri Krishna.

kRSNa kRSNa mahAbhAga tvan nAthaM gokulaM prabho
trAtum arhasi devAn naH kupitAd bhakta vatsala

(Bhagavata 10.25.43)
“O Krishna! Krishna! O highly fortunate One! O protector of the devotees! O most powerful One! Please protect Gokula from the hand of Indra, who has become angry with us!”

Seeing that the Vrajavasis were suffering from Indra’s atrocious behaviour and hearing their distress-calls, Sri Krishna said: “With My own power I will protect the Vrajavasis, who are surrendered to Me, who are My proteges and who are My beloved relatives. My only vow is to protect the souls that surrender unto Me.” Saying this, Sri Krishna suddenly lifted the Govardhana Hill and playfully held it on His left hand, just as a child is holding a mushroom.

tasmAn mac charaNaM goSThaM man nAthaM mat parigraham
gopAya svAtma-yogena so’yaM me vrata AhitaH
ityuktvaikena hastena kRtvA govardhanAcalam
dadhAra lIlayA kRSNaz chatrAkam iva bAlakaH

(Bhagavata 10.25.18-19)
Sri Krishna easily held Giriraja with the little finger of His left hand, gave shelter to all the people and cows of Vraja beneath it and remained standing motionlessly like this for seven days.

Sripada Raghunatha says: “Sri Giriaja remained on the lotusseed-like little finger of Sri Krishna’s lotuslike hand like an innocent bumblebee”. This means that just as a kingbee, who is engaged in drinking the honey from a lotusflower, remains on the lotusseed in an intoxicated state, similarly Govardhana, who is the greatest of Lord Hari’s servants, got a place on Sri Krishna’s lotuslike hand for seven consecutive days and nights and remained absorbed there in relishing the mellows of the beauty of the lotuslike hand of his most dearly beloved. In this way he easily saved the Vrajamandala from the grip of the crocodile-like Indra, who was showering it vehemently.

 

SRI SRI GOVARDHANASRAYA DASAKAM, VERSE 2

indratve nibhRtaM gavAM sura-nadI toyena dInAtmanA
zakreNAnugatA cakAra surabhir yenAbhiSekaM hareH
yat kacche’jani tena nandita janaM govindakuNDaM kRtI
kas taM go nikarendra paTTa zikharaM govardhanaM nAzrayet
What pious soul will not take shelter of the king of mountains, Govardhana Hill, who delights everyone and close to whom is Govinda Kunda, where Lord Hari was secretly bathed to crown Him as the king of cows with celestial Ganga-water by the Surabhi-cow of the humbled king Indra?
​

Exerpts from the Stavamrita Kana Vyakhya: For seven days and nights Sri Krishna stood and held up Sri Giriraja with steady hand. Like thirsty Cataka-birds the people of Vraja relished the sweet nectar of this black monsooncloud (Krishna) for seven days and nights.

Even the cows and buffaloes of Vraja were constantly engaged for seven days and nights in relishing the streams of nectar emanating from Giridhari Sri Krishna’s lustrous moon-like face, and so they did not feel any hunger or thirst. Who can then describe the ecstasy felt by Sri Krishna’s dearmost Vrajavasi gopis and gopas when they saw Sri Krishna’s face for seven days? Seeing that the gopas and gopis, who were standing in a circle under the mountain, were constantly drinking the nectar of the vision of Sri Krishna’s lotus-like face, mother Yasoda was filling Sri Krishna’s lotuslike mouth with butter and sweet rice every half hour.

Seeing Krishna’s glorious power, the heaven-king Indra became afraid like an elephant that is attacked by a lion, so he called his clouds back and fled back to his celestial abode. But alas! Could he find any peace there after offending the source of all peace, Sri Krishna? At every moment he expected Krishna’s faithful Sudarsana-disc to come and burn the heavenly planets and their inhabitants. “Or who knows what kind of harsh punishment may be my fate?” In the scripture Sri Gopala Campu it is described: ito gatva dainyam matva skhalad oja vidaujah ksayam gacchan apyasau ksayam rcchann iva sthitavannatu sacim acikamata. na ca nirjara sadasi nirjagama.

Humiliated, Devaraja Indra miserably returned to his heavenly abode, but when he came there he could find no peace. It was as if he whithered away each day in great fear. He found no more joy in the loving conversations with his wife Sacidevi or in the meetings of the assembly of demigods. He constantly spent his time in a solitary section of his abode Amaravati. When the guru of the demigods, Brhaspati, heard this he went to see him and chastised him, saying:

“O King of the demigods! Although you are victorious over all the demons, you can not make any spiritual advancement unless you worship the lotusfeet of Sri Krishna! Can any tree or herb stay alive without the aid of the moon? Although you have a thousand eyes, you are still blind! That is because you are suresa, (king of demigods, or one who is drunk of wine) and this intoxication, the intoxicating opulence of heaven, has blinded you!”

Hearing these chastising words of Brhaspati, Devaraja Indra replied: “O master! I’ve done a great mischief by trying to destroy Vrajabhumi! It was a great injustice! Now please tell me how to become free from the reactions to such an offense!”

Brhaspati said: “O Indra! Only Lord Brahma can advise you in these days of woe, so quickly go to him!”, so Indra went to see Lord Brahma and elaborately told him of the offense he had committed. Hearing the words of Devaraja, Brahma told him:

“Alas! Alas! Although you are the king of the demigods, you committed such a foolish offense! The wise men carefully block their ears when they hear about your misbehaviour even once! Nevertheless I shall advise you what to do, in order to protect my creation! Some time ago I became so impudent as to try to know the greatness of Sri Krishna, and even now I can not find the means by which I can be forgiven for that offense! But Gautama and other sages advised me to daily carress the cows, feed them grass and circumambulate them. By serving the cows, the Lord of cows, Govinda, will swiftly be pleased. Therefore if you want to satisfy the Lord, who is naturally a great lover of the cows, then go to the mother of cows Surabhi, otherwise the demons will surely cause fear and havoc in heaven!”

Hearing Brahma’s advice Indra swiftly went to mother Surabhi, told her about the offense he had committed and brought her along to Vraja-bhumi. The all-merciful Sri Krishna had already engaged His cowherdboys elsewhere and waited for Indra to come. Smilingly He sat on a jewelled boulder of Govardhana Hill when Indra slowly and shyly approached Him, offered prostrated obeisances unto Him and began to praise Him, sitting on his knees before Him and revealing all the great glories of Sri Krishna with a faltering fear-filled voice. After Indra had completed his praises of the Lord mother Surabhi also praised Sri Krishna and showered Him with her own milk. Devaraja Indra also had Krishna bathed, with a shower of celestial Ganga-water, pumped up by the trunk of his Airavata-elephant, and had Him named Govinda, or king of cows, in everyone’s presence. The water that had showered Govinda created Govinda Kunda, a lake that lies at the base of Govardhana Hill even today, delighting the eyes of everyone. Sripada said: “Which fortunate soul will not take shelter of Giriraja Govardhana, the restingplace of Govinda?”

 

SRI SRI GOVARDHANASRAYA DASAKAM, VERSE 10


kAlindIM tapanodbhavAM giri-gaNAn aty unnamac chekharAn
zrI vRndA-vipinaM janepsita dharma nandIzvaraM cAzrayam
hitvA yam prati-pUjayan vraja-kRte mAnaM mukundo dadau
kas taM zRGgI kirITinaM giri-nRpaM govardhanaM nAzrayet

Who will not take shelter of the king of mountains, Govardhana who was honoured and formally worshiped by Mukunda as the crownjewel of mountains for the sake of protecting the inhabitants of wishyielding Sri Vrindavana, making Him leave aside the (worship of) Yamuna (river, the daughter of the sun), all other high mountains and even Hiss own abode Nandisvara?
​

Exerpts from the Stavamrita Kana Vyakhya: At the end of this stava Sripada Raghunatha mentions yet another one of Sri Giriraja’s glories to show the absolute necessity of taking shelter of Govardhana Hill. Although there are many pastime-places in the 168 miles circumference of Vraja-mandala that are endowed with great glory Sri Giriraja is the greatest because it is so dear to Sri Krishna. That can easily be understood, because of all the hills Sri Krishna chose the crownjewel of hills Sri Govardhana to protect the Vrajamandala with, stopping the sacrifice to Indra and initiating the worship of Giriraja instead. Just to establish the worship of Girraja the Lord expounded karma-vada (the path of action) to Nanda and the cowherds, that were accustomed to perform their traditional sacrifice to Indra. In this way He cleverly explained them the necessity of worshipping Giriraja. Hearing the nectarine words emanating from Sri Krishna’s divine mouth Nanda and the cowherds immediately developed faith in the worship of Giriraja, without argument. Being their livelihood, Giriraja was naturally the object of the Vrajavasis’ worship and devotion. This subject is described as follows in Sri Harivamsa:

dAmodara vacaH zrutvA hRSTAs te goSu jIvinaH; tad vAg amRtamAsAdya pratyUcur avizaGkayA
tavaiSA bAla mahatI gopAnAM citta-vardhinI; prINayatyeva naH sarvAn buddhir vRddhi-karI gavAm
tvaM gatis tvaM ratizcaiva tvaM vettA tvaM parAyaNam;
bhayeSvabhayadas tvaM nas tam eva suhRdAm suhRt

“Hearing Damodara’s words, the Vrajavasis became very happy. It is as if their fear vanished simply by drinking the nectar of His words. They told Sri Krishna: “O child of ours! Your excellent intelligence is benefiting the cowherd-clan and causes an increase in our wealth of cows, and thus it greatly increases the love of all of us! You are our only goal, the Vrajavasis are lovingly attached to only You, You alone know what is good for us and what is not. You grant us fearlessness when we are afraid, and You are our greatest friend.”

With great enthusiasm Nanda and the cowherds began to worship Giriraja with different paraphernalia. Govardhana, the crownjewel of mountains, accepted that worship and the great mountains on earth - Sumeru, Himalaya and so - also came there to worship Giriraja, taking different offerings with them.

govardhano ratna-zilA-mayo’bhUt suvarNa zRGgaiH paritaH sphuradbhiH
mattAlibhir nirjhara sundarIbhiH darIbhir uccAnGga karIva rAjan
tadaiva zailAH kila mUrtimanta sopAnayA meru himAcalAdyAh
nemur giriM maGgala pANayas taM govardhanaM rUpa-dharaM girIndrAH

(Garga Samhita)

“When sages like Bhaguri and Garga, who were brahmanas learned in the Vedas, began to worship Govardhana Hill, Govardhana manifested himself with many jewelled boulders and golden peaks. Intoxicated bees buzzed around the thick, flowering vines and there were beautiful cascades and caves there. Then mount Meru, the Himalaya and other great mountains came to offer their devoted obeisances unto him, bringing him auspicious presents. In this way Govardhana bore the form of the king of mountains!”

Then the Lord played another clever trick to reveal the superiority of Giriraja’s power and worship to everyone’s minds and eyes. When Nanda and the cowherds devotedly offered handfuls of flowers and a huge food-offering to Govardhana, Sri Krishna assumed a huge and most astonishingly beautiful form on top of the mountain and said: “O cowherds, headed by Nanda! I am Govardhana, and I have appeared because I am pleased with your worship and your devotional feelings!” Saying this, He began to eat the large amount of food, that was offered to Him by the Vrajavasis, with an amazing expertise.

From this we can easily understand that Sri Krishna did not display the power and the glory of any other place of Vraja-mandala in such a way. After this the Indra-puja was stopped and Indra, who had become very upset, began to shower Vraja-bhumi with devastating rains, planning to destroy it, causing the Lord to protect Vraja by lifting Giriraja.

 

SRI VRAJA VILASA STAVA, VERSE 51

saptAhaM muramardanaH praNayato goSThaika rakSotsuko
vibhran mAnam udAra pANi ramaNair yasmai salIlaM dadau
gAndharvA murabhid vilAsa vigalat kAzmIra rajyad guhas
tat khaTTAyita ratna sundara zilo govardhanaH pAtu vaH
May Govardhana Hill, who was lovingly held upon the graceful hand of Sri Krishna, who was eager to protect Gokula for seven days, who was thus given the honour of a worshipable personality by the Lord, whose caves are coloured by the saffron that has fallen from Sri Gandharva and Giridhari’s bodies during Their loving pastimes and whose boulders are like beautiful jeweled couches for the Divine Couple to sit on, protect you.
​

Exerpts from the Stavamrita Kana Vyakhya: Sri Giriraja is Vraja’s saubhagya tilaka (the mark of glory and fortune), and because of him Sri Vrindavana is so lovely. aho vrndavanam ramyam yatra govardhano girih (Skanda Purana) By aborting the cowherders’ traditional sacrifice to Indra and by establishing the worship of Giriraja instead, the Lord has personally announced the glories of Giriraja to the world. He extended the net of logical arguments before His worshipable father Sri Nanda Maharaja to make him lose confidence in the worship of Indra and then preached the worship of Govardhana Hill. Finally Indra became angry and began to cause mischief to Vraja by pouring down rain and thunderbolts upon the area, and the Lord callously held up Giriraja with His left hand, thus protecting the people of Vraja.

One of Sri Krishna’s names is Muramardana, which means that He easily killed a demon named Mura, who was adverse to the demigods, headed by Indra. He could have protected Vraja through so many other means also, but just to establish the glories of Giriraja, Sri Krishna lifted His beloved mount and thus protected Vraja by providing its inhabitants, that were attacked by Indra, a place of shelter under it. Not only that, He Himself worshipped the Govardhana Hill with His lotushands for seven days and nights without interruption. Just as the means of worshipping the deity is laid down in the scriptures, that show how to make pure mudras with the hands, that indicate one’s expertise in ritual worship, similarly Sri Giridhari held Sri Giriraja on the little finger of His left hand and worshipped Giriraja as if He were a worshipper Himself, by holding it continuously for seven days and nights, showing pure mudras with His left hand. By thus personally worshipping Giriraja, who is also known as Haridasa Varya, the best of Hari’s servants, the Lord taught the people of the world how to worship a devotee.

Then Sri Raghunatha shows how Sri Giriraja Govardhana is the greatest of all of Lord Hari’s servants by saying: gandharva-murabhid vilasa vigalat kasmira rajyad guhas tat khattayita ratna sundara silo govardhanah patu vali “May Govardhana Hill, whose caves are coloured by the saffron that has fallen from Sri Gandharva and Giridhari’s bodies during Their loving pastimes, and whose boulders are like beautiful jeweled couches for the Divine Couple to sit on, protect you.”

There are many devotees known as Haridasa in this world, but no one like Giriraja Govardhana can offer a lovely playground to the Lord with his own body. The most lovely solitary caves of Sri-Sri Giriraja are decorated by the saffron that has fallen off Sri-Sri Radha-Madhava’s bodies during Their amorous pastimes, and this shows that the most intimate pastimes of the Divine Pair take place there. In this way Sri Giriraja has become blessed by carrying hundreds of charming caves and groves on his body, that are decorated with Sri-Sri Radha-Madhava’s necklaces, bangles and garlands, that were broken during Their amorous battles. Srimat Rupa Gosvami has written:



gAndharvAyAH keli kalA bAndhava! kuJje kSuNNais tasyAH kaGkaNa hAraiH prayatAGga
rAsa krIDA-maNDitayopatyakayADhya! pratyAzAM me tvaM kuru govardhana pUrNAm

(Stavamala)
“O Govardhana! You are the assistant in Gandharva Sri Radha’s artistic pastimes, your body has been decorated with Sri Radha’s broken bangles and garlands and Your valleys have been enriched by having been adorned with Sri Radha-Krishna’s Rasa-pastimes. Please fulfill all my desires!”

 

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What does "Jai Sri Krsna" mean?

 

"Victory to Sri Krishna"

 

Bhakti Yoga is a real, genuine search after the Lord, a search beginning, continuing and ending in Love. One single moment of the madness of extreme Love of God brings us eternal freedom.

Bhakti Yoga does not say “give up”, it only says “Love; love the Highest”; and everything low naturally falls of from him, the object of whose love is the Highest.

In Bhakti Yoga the first essential is to want God honestly and intensely. We want everything but God, because our ordinary desires are fulfilled by the external world. So long as our needs are confined within the limits of the physical universe, we do not feel any need for God; it is only when we have had hard blows in our lives and are disappointed with everything here that we feel the need for something higher; then we seek God.

Bhakti is not destructive; it teaches that all our faculties may become means to reach salvation. We must turn them all towards God and give to Him that love which is usually wasted on the fleeting objects of sense.

Leave inimical thoughts aside if you want to have permanent Bhakti. Hatred is a thing that greatly impedes the course of Bhakti, and a man who hates none reaches God.

Get the mercy of God and of His greatest children; these are the two chief ways to God. The company of these children of light is very hard to get; five minutes in their company will change a whole life, and if you really want it enough, one will come to you. The presence of those who love God makes a place holy, “such is the glory of the children of the Lord”. They are He; and when they speak, their words are Scriptures. The place where they have been becomes filled with their vibrations, and those going there feel them and have a tendency to become holy also.



Swami Vivekananda.