Tag: desire

This Durga Puja let us fulfil the desire of Goddess Durga, sister of Lord Krishna

When Lord Krishna was to appear in this world, he also asked Goddess Durga to appear. So, as per the desire of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Krishna, Goddess Durga took birth as the daughter of Yashoda and Nanda Maharaja in Vrindavan.

And later she was exchanged with Krishna by Vasudeva and brought to Mathura in the prison house of Kamsa. When Kamsa tried to kill her thinking that she could be the eighth child of Devaki and Vasudeva then she slipped from his hand and said to Kamsa that the personality who is to kill him has already appeared.

After saying this she disappeared and appeared in different places in India where she is worshipped by different names.  

Srimad Bhagavatam says, “After speaking to Kaṁsa in this way, the goddess Durgā, Yoga-māyā, appeared in different places, such as Vārāṇasī, and became celebrated by different names, such as Annapūrṇā, Durgā, Kālī and Bhadrā.” Srimad Bhagavatam 10.4.13

At different places Goddess Durga is today worshipped. Nine-day Durga Puja festival is especially dedicated to her.

Right now, whole India is celebrating Durga Puja.

Why ask Goddess Durga things of this world?

But when we are worshipping Goddess Durga especially during Durga Puja then it is important that we worship her with proper consciousness. We should observe the festival in such a way that it makes her happy.  We should pray to her for blessings and benedictions which will give great joy to her heart and will bring great benefit to us too.

Most of the time, worshippers of Goddess Durga, known as saktas, ask her for material benefit.  They generally ask – secure and high paying job, a beautiful house, a loyal spouse, healthy body, something for children, car, bike, scooty, laptop, iPhone and so on.

Now let us ask ourselves that even if Goddess Durga fulfil these desires, then are these things going to make us happy or keep us happy forever?

How long anything of this material world remains with us? Maybe for 10 years, 20 years, 30 years, maybe for entire life. What after that? At the time of death everything will be taken away from us and we will be given another body.

The body can be of a human being, or it can be of an animal, bird, reptile, insect too. The type of body which we will get will depend upon our karma.  If we have done good karma, then next life will be good and if we have done something bad then next life will be terrible.

Best thing to ask Goddess Durga this Durga Puja

So, why ask something from Durga Devi, which is temporary, which will keep us bound in different material bodies and in this material world only.

So, will it not be better to ask from her something which will be with us not only for this lifetime but forever. 

Considering all these, this Durga Puja, let us do something which will please Durga Devi.

As Goddess Durga appeared to fulfil the desire of Krishna, so let us pray to her so that we too can fulfil the wish of Krishna. Krishna’s desire is that we become his devotee, chant his holy names like the Hare Krishna Mahamantra, and return back to his spiritual kingdom.

When we will dedicate our life to Lord Krishna, then Goddess Durga, sister of Krishna, will be happy, and we will be happy forever too. In this life too we will live happily with our family members and in next life we will be with Krishna’s family in the spiritual world.

Three Reflections

• Goddess Durga appears in this world as per the desire of Krishna.
• Even if Goddess Durga fulfil material desires then still, we won’t be happy forever because material things are temporary.
• As she appeared to fulfil the desire of Krishna, so let us pray to her so that we too can fulfil the wish of Krishna.

Ask Yourself

Do I always ask Goddess Durga to fulfil my material desires?

Action Item

Pray to Goddess Durga so that we become sincere devotee of Krishna

If we have desire then we can practice devotion to Krishna in any circumstances

We always have excuses for not being serious in our devotion to Krishna. Now if we look at the life of great devotees, we will see that they also had excuses to be lackadaisical in devotional life but they choose to practice devotion to Krishna in any circumstances.

So, it is entirely upon us whether we want to be serious in practicing devotion to Krishna or we just want to make so many excuses for being engaged in non-Krishna conscious activities.

Let us see the example of 4 devotee friends who were always practicing Krishna Consciousness although everyone had different sets of problems and different lifestyles.

The four devotee friends

These 4 friends would meet regularly to chant the names of Krishna together and to discuss various pastimes of the Lord. One day they all decided to know the secret of their attraction & attachment to Krishna. Among the 4, one was a celibate monk, another a widower and the other 2 were householders. Each of them spoke about their motivation.

The 1^stfriend who was a celibate monk (brahmachari) said, “Since I am unmarried and do not have to bother about any material responsibilities, so I try to utilize each moment of my life in practicing devotional life”.

The 2^nd friend who was a widower said, “Due to the will of providence, I lost my wife and am all alone now. I came to understand that all relationships of this world are temporary. We can only have permanent relationships with Krishna and his devotees. So, I try to best utilize my time in reviving that relationship with Krishna.”

The 3^rdfriend said, “I am married but my life is miserable. My wife is very quarrelsome and arrogant. She has made my life hell. The only solace I get is when I chant the names of Krishna and associate with the devotees. So, I try my best to remain engaged in devotional life.”

The 4^thfriend said, “I am also married but my wife is too good and a devotee of the Lord. She takes care of everything very nicely and at my home there is always a devotional atmosphere. Because of the cooperation of my wife, I am able to spend most of my time in practicing devotional life.”

All the 4 friends were in different situations and circumstances but every one of them practiced devotional life with great zeal and determination.

Our choice to be serious or not serious

The above story illustrates one thing – we can have hundreds of excuses for not practicing devotional life & we can also have hundreds of reasons for practicing it.

Everything depends on us. If we have desire to practice devotion to Krishna in any circumstances then Krishna will give us intelligence to do so, “To those who are constantly devoted to serving Me with love, I give the understanding by which they can come to Me.” Bhagavad Gita 10.10

Or else we can always give justification for not practicing devotional life. The choice is always ours!

Three Reflections

• Great devotees had excuses to be lackadaisical in devotional life, but they choose to be serious in devotional life.
• All the 4 friends were in different situations and circumstances but every one of them practiced devotional life with great zeal and determination.
• We can have hundreds of excuses for not practicing devotional life & we can also have hundreds of reasons for practicing it.

Ask Yourself

• Do I give excuse for not completing 16 rounds of chanting Hare Krishna Mahamantra?

Action Item

• Take a vow to always chant at least 16 rounds of Hare Krishna Mahamantra irrespective of situations and circumstances.

Krishna’s ray of love will blossom our consciousness

When Krishna’s ray of love will inundate our heart, our consciousness which is right now not Krishna conscious will become Krishna Conscious.

As a spiritual seeker we often find ourselves at loggerheads with our own thoughts. Although deep within our heart we try to come closer to God, but our past conditioning pulls us down. We find ourselves constantly being defeated by our own old bad habits which we had nurtured earlier knowingly or unknowingly.

Often finding ourselves torn apart between two divergent thoughts we start questioning our pursuit for spiritual upliftment. However instead of getting cowed down by the frequent setbacks which appears to be so defeating initially, if we keep endeavouring hard with determination then slowly the path of enlightenment will start opening.  

When a lotus flower is just a bud then it does not attract the attention and appreciation of others. But when the same lotus bud gets exposed to the moonlight then slowly it starts blossoming.

The petals start opening up and soon the bud becomes an attractive lotus flower. Its beauty and fragrance attracts even the saddest soul. Similarly, if we expose our heart to the chanting of the ‘Hare Krishna’ mahamantra regularly then our consciousness will too start blossoming like the lotus flower.

As the lotus blossoms in the glaring light of the moon similarly our consciousness will blossom when Krishna’s mercy will inundate our heart. Krishna’s all purifying holy names will cleanse our hearts of all unwanted thoughts and will fill it with lots of love and joy.

Take to Krishna consciousness for a joyful life

Right now, we are unwilling to say goodbye to our material mindset because we think that if we flush out our material desires then our life will lose its charm. In fact, without material desires, we think, we will become like a rudderless boat.

But truth is that when we bring Krishna in our life then we understand the eternal purpose of life. Bringing Krishna in life means inviting happiness and joy to remain with us forever.

A devotee absorbed in Krishna is always dependent on Krishna and Krishna makes sure that his devotee gets everything in his life.

Srila Prabhupada left everything and dedicated his life to Krishna and Krishna made sure that his pure devotee is never deprived of anything.

Srrivas Thakura would be constantly engaged in chanting the names of Krishna with Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Krishna gave his everything what he needed in his life.

So, if we too take to Krishna Consciousness then we should have complete faith that Krishna will nicely take care of us.

He promises this in Bhagavad – Gita (9.22), ‘But those who always worship Me with exclusive devotion, meditating on My transcendental form—to them I carry what they lack, and I preserve what they have.’

The path to devotion to Krishna is path to perfection. The path to devotion is the only way to attain Krishna’s love. And when Krishna’s ray of love floods our heart then our consciousness will blossom and will become absorbed in Krishna.

Once our consciousness is blossomed then our heart will become an emblem of love constantly radiating love and joy in all the directions.

Quote: Bringing Krishna in life means inviting happiness and joy to remain with us forever.

Three Reflections

• Right now, we are unwilling to say goodbye to our material mindset because we think that if we flush out our material desires then our life will lose its charm.
• A devotee absorbed in Krishna is always dependent on Krishna and Krishna makes sure that his devotee gets everything in his life.
• When Krishna’s ray of love floods our heart then our consciousness will blossom and will become absorbed in Krishna.

Ask Yourself

• Am I struggling to become Krishna Conscious?

Action Item

• Identify one material desire which you do not want to give up.
• After identifying that desire write in 300 words that how your life will change if you give up that particular material desire.

Dear Lord Jagannath, please bind my heart to your lotus feet

Dear Lord Jagannath, on this auspicious day of Rath Yatra festival, please inundate the world by your mercy. O Lord of the Universe, please come and see how we are suffering here without you.

Our heart which is now flooded with nasty desires weeps again and again. Lust, anger and greed has captured my heart, and I feel incapable of freeing myself from its captivity. So, please come and free my heart of these impurities and permanently reside here.

Never leave me, never allow me to leave you.

Today to show unlimited mercy you will be riding on a mammoth chariot along with your elder brother Lord Baladeva and younger sister Subhadra to see the condition of your eternal part and parcel who left you. We thought that without you, we will be happy. But now we know that life without you is like body without a soul.

But in spite of our obstinance to not be with you, you never leave us. You are always there for us in the temple as a deity. And once in every year you come out of your sanctum sanctorum to sanctify the world and purify the heart of the impure. Your Rath Yatra festival is a great gift to the world.

Scriptures say that just by seeing you on the chariot and welcoming you with joy makes us qualified to attain your spiritual abode.

You always reside in Jagannath Puri Dham, and the residents of Puri Dham are fortunate because they always have the opportunity to see you.

54^th Kolkata Rath Yatra festival by Iskcon

But by the grace of your great devotee, Srila Prabhupada, today people all over the world are able to take your darshan and are also able to celebrate Rath Yatra festival. As a child living in Kolkata, Prabhupada would always be eager to go to Puri to seek your blessings.

He was so fond of you that as a child he would celebrate Rath Yatra at his home. And when he established Iskcon, he installed your deity and started Rath Yatra festival in Kolkata. Today in Kolkata, Iskcon is celebrating 54^th Rath Yatra festival.  And devotees not only from Kolkata but from many parts of India are here to participate in this great festival of chariot.

Flood my heart with the desire to always serve you

Unfortunate souls like me will also try to be part of this great festival. My dear Lord Jagannath, today give me an opportunity to see your wonderful face and take your darshan to my hearts content.

Give me an opportunity to pull the transcendental ropes which is fortunate than me because it is always tied to the chariot on which you sit like an emperor of the entire universe.

Dear Lord Jagannath, please bind my heart to your lotus feet with the ropes so hard that I never leave you even when I try to leave you.

You are the Lord of the Universe, there are millions of devotees not only on earth but in the entire universe including great demigods like Shiva, Brahma, Indra, Chandra who worship you. In front of them I am insignificant both materially and spiritually.  

But I know you are a gracious Lord, you are a merciful God, so you won’t deny your mercy to me. My only prayer at your lotus feet is to purify my heart of all material desires and flood my heart with only one desire – the desire to always see you, serve you, worship you, glorify you and always participate in your Rath Yatra festival life after life.

Three Reflections

• Once in every year Lord Jagannath along with his elder brother Lord Baladeva and younger sister Subhadra Devi come out of their sanctum sanctorum during the Rath Yatra festival.
• If we welcome Lord Jagannath riding on the chariot during the Rath Yatra festival, then next life we will go back to the spiritual world.
• Let us pray to our very Dear Lord Jagannath to free our heart of all material desires and bind our heart to his lotus feet.

Ask Yourself

• Today did I pray to Lord Jagannath to fill my heart with spiritual desires so that I always serve him?

Action Item

• Pray to Lord Jagannath and participate in Rath Yatra festival. If not possible to participate then celebrate the festival at home.

Have we ever tried to fulfil the desire of Krishna, the Supreme Lord

We try daily to satisfy our desires, but have we ever tried to fulfil the desire of Krishna?

Now, what we do when we go in front of Krishna? Do we ask him his desire, or do we tell him our desire? Most of us have a long list of desires and we expect the Lord to fulfil our desires. If he fulfils it, we think that it was his duty to do so and if our desires are not fulfilled then we become upset with the Lord. 

Most of us have this daily ritual. Now let us ask ourselves that how many times have we ever asked the Lord about his desire? Or do we even care about his desire?  For us God is just our caretaker.  We want him to take care of each and every aspect of our life.

But pure devotees of Lord have no personal desire. Their only desire is to fulfil all the desires of the Lord in all situations and in all circumstances. Krishna also shares his feelings only with those who have unflinching and unmotivated love for him.

Madhavendra Puri is one such great devotee with whom Krishna shared his personal desire.

Krishna steals sweet rice for Madhavendra Puri

First, he asked Madhavendra Puri to install his deity on top of Govardhan hill. And later he asked him to bring sandalwood pulp from Jagannath Puri and apply on him to give him soothing experience. Madhavendra Puri immediately left to full the order of the Lord.

On the way when he came to Remuna he saw pots of sweet rice being offered to Gopinath.

Seeing the delicious preparation, a thought came to his mind – If I could taste it then I can prepare it for my Gopal in Govardhan. But soon he felt terrible. How can I even think about tasting sweet rice which is being offered to Gopinath?

After the arati, he left the temple and began to chant the names of Krishna. Meanwhile in the same night the temple priest had a unique dream. In his dream Gopinath appeared and told him that he has stolen a pot of sweet rice for his devotee Madhavendra Puri, and he should take it and give it to him.

Pujari did what he was ordered and from that day onwards the deity came to be known as ksira `chor Gopinath – Gopniath who stole ksira (sweet rice) for his devotee.

By fulfilling Krishna’s desires, we become happy

When a pure devotee of Krishna works tirelessly to serve the Lord then Lord also reciprocates with that love.   Later Madhavendra Puri got sandalwood in Jagannath Puri and by the order of Gopal he applied sandalwood pulp to Gopinath because Gopal and Gopinath are non-different. 

Pure devotees like Madhavendra Puri appear in this world to teach us the conditioned souls that real satisfaction and happiness is in always serving the Lord and not our own senses.

Krishna tells the characteristics of his pure devotees in Gita, “Always chanting My glories, endeavoring with great determination, bowing down before Me, these great souls perpetually worship Me with devotion.” Bhagavad Gita 9.14

So, instead of focussing on our desires, if we try to always fulfil the desire of Krishna then we will always be in bliss.  Now let us ask ourselves – are we endeavouring to satisfy Krishna’s desires or are still obsessed with our personal desires?

Three Reflections

• Most of us have a long list of desires and we expect the Lord to fulfil our desires.
• Krishna shares his feelings only with those who have selfless love for him.
• Real satisfaction & happiness is in always serving Krishna’s desires and not our own desires.

Ask Yourself

• What I pray when I am in front of Krishna?

Action Item

• In Bhagavad Gita, Krishna says that his devotees should offer at least something to him with love – fruits, flowers, water.
• So, try to offer something daily to Krishna.
• But do not offer tea, coffee, food with onion garlic and of course non-veg to the Lord.

Do we have faith like Prahlada in the mercy of the Lord?

Prahlada was put into so many difficulties by his father, but he had faith in the mercy of the Lord. The five-year-old boy was convinced that Lord is always going to protect him if he remains under the shelter of the Lord.

When Hiranyakashipu, the demon king, got the boon of almost being immortal in the world then little did he realize that his authority will be challenged by a five-year-old boy who will be his own son.

Prahlada gave good advice to his father but Hiranyakashipu whose heart was filled with hatred for Lord Vishnu did not like the advice. Prahlada did not dislike his father, but he wanted to show him the reality. Sometimes when a doctor administers a bitter pill to the patient then it is not that the doctor dislikes the patient. He just wants to cure the patient.

Everyone wants to become God

Hiranyakashipu thought he is God. His madness did not end here, he believed that he can kill Lord Vishnu. Any sane man i.e. any devotee of the Lord will laugh at this proposition. Its like a rat dreaming of killing a lion.

Prahlada had compassion for his father. He begged him to give up his stubbornness and accept that he is not God, he cannot be God, and he will always remain subordinate to God.

One of the biggest diseases in this world is the desire to become God and act like God.

The materialists try to enjoy like God, the yogis meditate to get the power like God and the Mayavadis want to merge into God so that they can become God.

And everyone for sure always fail in their endeavour. Hiranyakashipu too failed.

But one question we may have is that how a five-year-old boy can challenge the mighty king whom he even demigods feared? It was because Prahlada was completely convinced about his true identity that he is a soul, part and parcel of the Supreme Lord. And his understanding wasn’t theoretical.

He realized the Lord within his heart too. This is why when children of his age were busy playing, he was experiencing joy in chanting and singing the names of the Lord. 

Hearing about the Lord deepens the faith in the mercy of the Lord

The soul being pleasure seeking always looks for pleasure. And the topmost pleasure comes in chanting the names of the Lord.

Prahlada gained this understanding by the grace of sage Narada who recited Bhagavatam when he was in the womb of his mother, Kayadu. The soul is always active whether inside the womb or outside the womb.

The name, form and glory of the Lord which fortunate Prahlada heard from Narada penetrated his heart, and he understood his eternal relationship with the Supreme Lord.

Sravanam i.e. hearing from the devotees of the Lord is of great importance. Hearing enlightens us by removing our ignorance and connect us to the Supreme Lord.

Parikshit Maharaja attained perfection by hearing Srimad Bhagavatam from Sukhadeva Goswami.  Srila Prabhupada was also eager to hear. When in Vrindavan he had an option to go and see the deity of Śeṣaśāyī Viṣṇu or listen from his guru, His Divine Grace Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, then Prabhupada chose to hear Krishna katha.

Little Prahlada developed deep faith in the mercy and protection of the Lord by hearing about the Lord. And the Lord did not disappoint him. Lord Vishnu always protected him and appeared as Lord Narasimhadev to eliminate Hiranyakashipu who was trying to torture and kill him.

Three Reflections

1. One of the biggest diseases in this world is the desire to become God and act like God.
2. The topmost pleasure comes in chanting and hearing the names of the Lord.
3. Prahlada developed deep faith in the mercy and protection of the Lord by continuously hearing about the Lord.

Ask Yourself

• Do I have faith in the mercy of the Lord?

Action Items

• List down three instances when you found yourself helpless but when you prayed to Lord then you were miraculously protected by the Lord.

This year let us invite Krishna to reside in our heart

If we develop a desire to invite Krishna to reside in our heart then Krishna will surely come because he is our best well wishing friend – suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ, Bhagavad Gita 5.29.

None of us are without any desires. In fact, we always make different plans to satisfy our material desires. But most of the time, we see that our desires do not get fulfilled. And these unfulfilled desires cause lots of pain and frustration.

For example, last year at the beginning of the year, we had jotted down list of goals which we wanted to achieve in 2024. Now if we introspect, we will find that many of our goals were not realized.

But some may protest saying that some were indeed achieved. Unfulfilled desires make us sad but what about fulfilled desires? Let us pause for a moment and introspect and ask ourselves that are these fulfilled desires giving us great satisfaction?

Few examples

Duryodhana was successful in driving away Pandavas to forest for 13 years and enjoy the kingdom. But during these periods was he happy and satisfied? Ravana was able to marry so many beautiful queens. But did it satisfy him? The answer is well known. Similarly, our material desires, whether unfulfilled or fulfilled, fail to satisfy our heart.

Why? It is because we are not material beings, we are not robots, but we are spiritual beings. So, the things of this world do not have the capability to satisfy us.  In fact, the more the material desires we have, the more miserable we become.  So, Bhagavad Gita says that if we desire to attain peace then we should shun all material desires. Bhagavad Gita 2.71

Soul cannot be desireless

Now as souls we cannot be desireless. So, the holy books say that along with giving up material desires we should also simultaneously cultivate spiritual desires. In fact, as we begin nurturing spiritual desires in our heart the material desires gradually starts disappearing.  So, what kind of spiritual desire we should have?

The desire which helps us go closer to Krishna should be developed. In fact, Krishna is also eager that we quickly give up all worldly desires and go back to him. And to help us attain him, he appears as his own devotee as Lord Gauranga to teach us how to become his devotee.

Medicine for the sleeping souls

Great vaisnava saint, Srila Bhakitvinod Thakura says that Lord Gauranga has appeared in this world to wake us, the sleeping souls – jiv jago, jiv jago, gauracanda bole.  Further he says that Lord Gauranga has brought for us the perfect medicine which can deliver us from all sufferings. And that medicine is the chanting of the Hare Krishna Mahamantra – enechi aushadhi maya nasibaro lagi’ / hari-nama maha-mantra lao tumi magi’

The holy name of Krishna is the perfect medicine for all the suffering souls. By regularly and attentively chanting Hare Krishna Mahamantra, our heart gets cleansed of all material desires. It also gets rid of vices like lust, anger and greed. Once our heart gets purified, we will experience peace. And since we are under the shelter of the holy name, so the love of Krishna also begins gradually manifesting in our heart bringing great bliss. 

So, why to nurture material desires and suffer. Instead let us make plans to cultivate spiritual desires, so that we attain freedom from all sufferings. This year let us invite Krishna to reside in our heart.  This is the best way to begin this year.

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.47.21|Śrī Advaita Ācārya teaches “Our only desire should be to serve Krishna”

In the kingdom of Krishna everyone always carry the desire to serve Krishna. And we also see that Krishna too loves to serve his devotees. 

If we read scriptures and the life of great devotees, we find that they carry only one desire in their heart and their desire is to become servant of Krishna. What to talk about the pure devotees, even the first expansion of the Supreme Lord, Lord Balarama, wants to become a humble servant of Krishna.

Śrī Advaita Ācārya considers himself a servant

In Chaitanya lila, we see that Śrī Advaita Ācārya always considered himself a servant of Lord Chaitanya.

When Lord Chaitanya appeared then Śrī Advaita Ācārya was 60 years old, old enough to be grandfather of Lord Chaitanya. And so, Lord Caitanya would give him respect. But Śrī Advaita Ācārya did not like this.  So, once he enacted a pastime and he started preaching Mayavada philosophy.

When Lord Caitanya heard about this, he became extremely angry, and he started beating Śrī Advaita Ācārya. Śrī Advaita Ācārya wife, Srimati Sita Thakurani started begging Lord Caitanya to stop beating an elderly person else he will die.

But Śrī Advaita Ācārya was enjoying it. He wanted to convey to the whole world that see although Lord Caitanya considers me an acharya and gives me respect but actually Lord Caitanya is the real acharya and we all should serve him.

Śrī Advaita Ācārya thinks, “Lord Caitanya considers Me His spiritual master, yet I feel Myself to be only His servant.” Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta,Ai-līlā, 6.52

Śrī Advaita Ācārya is an incarnation of Mahā-Viṣṇu and Sadasiva. He came here to propagate pure devotion to Krishna and to teach us that our only goal of life should be to always serve Krishna.

Cultivating desire to serve Krishna

Even in Vrindavan we see that mood is of servitorship. Everyone wants to serve Krishna – Nanda Maharaja, Mother Yashoda, gopis, gopas, cows, peacocks, river Yamuna, in fact everyone serves Krishna.  

The gopis would always consider themselves as Krishna’s maidservants.

“O Uddhava! It is indeed regrettable that Kṛṣṇa resides in Mathurā. Does He remember His father’s household affairs and His friends, the cowherd boys? O great soul! Does He ever talk about us, His maidservants? When will He lay on our heads His aguru-scented hand?” Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (Bhāgavata Purāṇa) 10.47.21

In this this world we see that everyone wants to become masters but in the kingdom of Krishnan everyone wants to serve Krishna. There no one wants to enjoy with Krishna but everyone wants to give joy to Krishna. And while doing so they experiences unlimited bliss.

Today is the appearance day of Śrī Advaita Ācārya. Let us pray at his lotus feet to purify our heart and give us benediction so that we also cultivate the desire to always serve Krishna’s lotus feet.

Note: This article is based on the Srimad Bhagavatam class given by HG Acharya Ratna Prabhu @Iskcon Newtown, Kolkata on 16th Feb 2024 on the auspicious occassion of Śrī Advaita Ācārya appearance day.

Desires Determine Destiny: Be Careful of Your Desires

Our desires determine our destiny. Right desires bring glory and wrong desires bring infamy.

Can we think of any moment when our heart had no desire? If we introspect, we will find that we always carry some desire in our heart. Some desires are too strong, and some are milder. It does not depend on whether we are young or old, rich or poor, we always look for something in our life.

If we have no desire, then we are like stones.

So, it is important that we cultivate right desires. And it is equally important that we weed out wrong desires from our heart. Our suffering is directly proportional to the kind of desires we choose to have in our heart.

So, we should carefully analyse our life and see if our desires and the activities we are doing to fulfil those desires is bringing happiness or is making us miserable. Many times, we continue with our old wrong desire because we do not pause for a moment and reflect on our life.

Prostitute Piṅgalā becomes Peaceful Pingala

Srimad Bhagavatam tells the story of a lady, Pingala, who by giving up wrong desires attained peace. She was a prostitute. One evening she dressed herself gorgeously and decorated herself with beautiful ornaments. She thought that if she will look attractive then she will be able to attract wealthy men who will satisfy her physically and pay her good amount of money.

With this desire she went outside her house trying to entice men.

But unfortunately, no one came to her. She tried hard but still no one even looked at her. She felt disgusted, became morose. But she also became thoughtful. She began contemplating on the desires she carried in her heart.

Piṅgalā understood that because of lusty desire, she is suffering and torturing herself.

She thought, “I am living in illusion that lust will gratify me, but it has never made me happy. It has always made me miserable but foolishly I try again and again to fulfil my lusty desires. Instead of desiring to enjoy with others, if I just desire to serve the lotus feet of the Lord then all my miseries will go away.”  

As soon as her heart enlightened with this thought she became peaceful and felt relief from the miseries she was experiencing within.

“Material desire is undoubtedly the cause of the greatest unhappiness, and freedom from such desire is the cause of the greatest happiness. Therefore, completely cutting off her desire to enjoy so-called lovers, Piṅgalā very happily went to sleep.” Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 11.8.44

We fear giving up material desires

We are also suffering because we have chosen to nurture wrong desires in our heart. So, like Pingala, we should carefully identify the desires which are causing us great pain and with determination we should give it up.

Giving up lower desires become easy when we cultivate higher desires which gives us higher taste, paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate, Bhagavad Gita 2.59. Initially we many find it difficult to say goodbye to bad desires.

Just like a drug addict fear giving up drug thinking that he cannot live without it. Similarly, many times we fear giving up bad desires fearing that without it we cannot live it.

I remember seeing a video of the people in drug rehabilitation centre. One of the inmates was sharing his experience that he could not think of a day living without drugs. He thought that if he will not take drugs then he won’t survive. He could not believe that he can live without it.

But there are millions of people who live without even touching drugs. But this person was thinking that he will die without drugs.

Similarly, we are also addicted to material desires. And we think that we will die without those desires. So, when we are asked to give it up then we are fearful.

How it becomes possible to fearlessly give up material desires?

Now, for a drug addict it becomes easy to give up addiction in a rehabilitation centre because the expert doctors treat them and in the association of those who are trying to give up addiction, they also feel encouraged to give up his habit.

Similarly, giving up wrong desires become easy when we associate with those who do not have any material desires in their heart. The saintly people who are always absorbed in chanting and serving the Lord does not carry an iota of worldly desires in their heart.

If we associate with such souls, then it becomes easy for us to understand that we can live safely without material desires. And when we see them happily serving the Lord then we become convinced that we can be happy without worldly desires.

Also, because of their purity and expertise in scriptural knowledge they can expertly guide us in transcending those desires which gives us great suffering.

Examples of those who changed their destiny by giving up material desires

There are so many examples of people who were able to give up all abominable activities which they had developed because of cultivating wrong desires by associating with great souls.

In recent times, we have examples of hippies who were indulging in so many sinful activities. They were drug addicts, had illicit relationships with members of opposite gender, ate non vegetarian food and so on.

But when they began associating with Srila Prabhupada then they were able to quickly give up all wrong habits. Earlier they had the desire to enjoy materially as much as possible. But by being with Srila Prabhupada they could clearly understand that material desires are not taking them anywhere.

Change destiny by flooding heart with spiritual desires.

In fact, such longings are the cause of great pain and lamentation. Instead, if heart is flooded with spiritual desires and longs always to serve the Lord and his devotees then one experiences great pleasure.

Because of Srila Prabhupada’s association and guidance these hippies became great devotees of Krishna. Their future was bleak, destiny was to suffer, but by nurturing right desires they changed their destinty. Many of them have become sannyasis and are travelling all over the world spreading the glories of Krishna, making people devotees of Krishna.

Srila Prabhupada established Iskcon, so that like-minded people can come together and get purified by chanting the names of Krishna and by serving Krishna. In Iskcon temples, we get an opportunity to associate with spiritually minded people who are sincerely trying to serve the Lord.

Iskcon is a great gift of Srila Prabhupada to entire humanity.

At Iskcon, in the association of spiritually surcharged devotees it becomes easy to cultivate spiritual desires and also it is easy to give up material desires. Also, if we regularly read the books of Srila Prabhupada and hear his lectures then it also helps us to purge our heart of sinful desires.

Srila Prabhupada’s teachings help us to understand that how material desires bind us in this world and gives us great trouble. And we also understand how to develop spiritual desires.

So, like the fortunate hippies who got association of Srila Prabhupada, we too will be able to change our destiny by having spiritual desires in our heart.

Once our heart will get flooded with spiritual desires and we start experiencing happiness in serving the Lord then all our miseries will vanish just like darkness disappears as soon as the sun rises.

We will then attain perfection and will be always joyful.

12 names of Lord Chaitanya which gives complete perfection

In Sri Krsna-Chaitanya-Dvadasa-Nama-Stotram,  Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya writes about 12 important names of Lord Chaitanya. He further says that these glorious names of Chaitanya if chanted daily brings auspiciousness in life.

Twelve principal names of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu are:

(1) caitanyah krsna-caitanyo gaurango dvija-nayakah
yatinam dandinam caiva nyasinam ca siromanih

(2) raktambara-dharah sriman navadvipa-sudhakarah
prema-bhakti-pradas caiva sri-saci-nandanas tatha.

Sri Krsna-Chaitanya-Dvadasa-Nama-Stotram by Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya:

Meaning of each of the 12 names of Lord Chaitanya are as follows:

• Chaitanya — The living force
• Krsna-Chaitanya — The all-attractive Supreme living force
• Gauranga — He of fair bodily complexion
• Dvija-Nayaka — The hero amongst the twice-born brahmanas
• Yatinam Siromani — The crest jewel of sannyasis (who wander freely)
• Dandinam Siromani – The crest jewel of sannyasis (who carry staffs)
• Nyasinam Siromani — The crest jewel of sannyasis (who renounce everything).
• Raktambara-Dhara — He who wears red cloth
• Sriman — The supreme opulent one
• Navadvipa-Sudhakara — The source of nectar in Navadvipa
• Prema-Bhakti-Prada — The bestower of ecstatic loving devotion
• Sri-Sachi-Nandana — The delightful son of mother Sachi.
  
  One who recites these twelve holy names of the Lord three times a day (in the morning, at noon time and at dusk) will attain complete perfection in their life and will surely attain pure devotion unto the lotus feet of Lord Chaitanya which is the ultimate shelter of all living entities.

Re-established religious principles in true spirit

After Lord Krishna completed his pastime in this mortal world and left for his eternal world, religious principles started declining. In fact, before the advent of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, there was almost no religion because no one was following the scriptures as it is. In fact, people had forgotten the purpose of scriptures. There was no scriptural discussion and hardly anyone chanted the names of Krishna. 

If anyone chanted the names of Krishna, the general belief was that such people are either fool or because of poverty are hungry so are helplessly crying the name of God. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu re-established religious principles. His profound teachings dispelled all the misconception which people had regarding religion and the unscrupulous religious leaders who were misguiding people in the name of religion got exposed and defeated.

Living corpse to lively devotee

Chaitanya means living force. His advent brought life because people were able to forgo painful material life and joyfully started living happy Krishna Conscious life.

Material life is no life because God is not the centre of life, so it is full of suffering. If we fail to understand that we are parts and parcels of God then we are as dead and dull as stone. Just like stone has no life, similarly we are nothing but living corpse.  

But Chaitanya Mahaprabhu taught us that for our own benefit, we should rise above material consciousness and situate ourselves into Krishna Consciousness. If we do so, then we can live happily forever in the association of Krishna who is source of all happiness.

Krishna who is not black

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is Krishna who is not black. He has golden complexion. Also he is in the mood of the topmost gopi of Vrindavan. Many times experienced devotees do not put peacock feather on him because if we put peacock feather then it means that we are interfering with the mood of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

Most of the time Mahaprabhu is in the mood of Srimati Radharani, and we know that Radharani does not put peacock feather.  He is always absorbed in the thoughts of Krishna. He is not stable; he is always agitated for Krishna prema.

Why he came here?

There are many reasons why Chaitanya Mahaprabhu came. One of the reasons is that he came to pay debt to the gopis. When Krishna left Vrindavan then gopis continuously cried for Krishna in separation. So, as Chaitanya Mahaprabhu he always cried like the gopis feeling separation from Krishna.

In Bhagavad Gita 4.11, Krishna says, ye yatha mam prapadayante, “As all surrender unto Me, I reward them accordingly.”  So, Krishna is eager to give something to the devotees, but pure devotees of Krishna do not ask anything from him.  They only want to give something to Krishna. They always want to serve him.

Sanatana Goswami says that when Krishna asks devotees to ask something from him then devotees say three times “no”. He explains that three times no means – in past no, in present no and in future no. So, to pay debt to such dear devotees who have no personal desire or motive, Krishna comes as Chaitanya Mahaprabhu to give them prema.  

He is always keen to distribute prema, pure love of Godhead. But he gives prema to only those who are simple and not duplicitous and have no ulterior motives.

Advaita Acharya told to Chaitanya Mahaprabhu that do not give prema to those who are proud of wealth, power and beauty. Give prema to those who are simple and chant the names of Krishna.

He will award prema if our heart is free of prema for sense enjoyment

So, if we want to get prema of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu then we should be simple hearted and have love for the holy names.

We see Haridas Thakura had no material opulence, but he got Chaitanya Mahaprabhu prema. He did not get any higher material education neither he possessed any wealth or wielded any power.

But he was simple, humble and had no ulterior motives, was not duplicitous in his behaviour and was always eager to chant the name so Krishna, so Chaitanya Mahaprabhu awarded him love for Krishna and he came to be known as Namacharya.  

If with humility and simplicity, we accept the shelter of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu then all opulence of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu will manifest. .

We should not have any material desires. Even if the desires are there then we should ignore it and not try to think about it especially when we are chanting the names of Krishna.  It is because whatever is in the mind when we chant will manifest.  So, if we have material desires then those desires will get fulfilled but it will pull us way from Krishna.

We should always be humble. And many times, without humiliation, we don’t become humble. For eg Keshav Kashmiri was  very proud of his scholarship but when he was defeated by  Chaitanya Mahaprabhu he became humble and fell at his lotus feet. When we offer our obeisances, it shows our humility and it burns our pride.

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu appeared in this world to destroy our pride and our false attachment to this material world. So, let us all be under the shelter of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and continuously chant his holy names.

Note: This article is based on a Srimad Bhagavatam class given by His Holiness Bhakti Dhira Damodar Swami Maharaj at Iskcon Newtown Kolkata, India.