Tag: Srila Prabhupada

Don’t live but -> Leave

Purushottam Nitai Das October 5, 2012
He seemed to be perplexed and in anxiety. He was looking out of the window confusedand was very carefully reading all the station names. When I enquired about the reason for his restlessness he said – “I am new to Kolkata. I have to reach this particular address at around 10 a.m. And I am not aware as how to reach there.” Other passengers in the metro -train were bit relaxed, not in much anxiety.

Like the passenger in the metro we are also uncertain about our destination. So, we too keep on searching different means to live peacefully and blissfully.

We are in constant predicament because we are alien to this world.  Once we come to this world we struggle even for our basic necessities like food, clothing and shelter. We are here in constant anxiety and are always fearful because we are unaware about our future.   We do not belong to this world. This is not our original home. We are not meant to “live” in this world but we should immediately “leave” this world. 

“Leaving” does not mean committing suicide. It means changing our consciousness.  When our consciousness is fixed in Krishna then fear, anxiety, grief, lamentation, hankering and restlessness withers away. Srila Prabahupada says, “The world is miserable for the materially infected person, but for a devotee the entire world is as good as Vaikuntha, or the spiritual sky.” Abhayam, fearlessness, is possible only when we take the shelter of Krishna.

 We enjoy unlimitedly in the spiritual world, our original home, but struggle for survival when we come to this world. So let us “leave” this world by “living” in harmony with Krishna’s wishes because he is our best well – wisher.

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Dare to dry the ocean

Purushottam Nitai Das October 4, 2012

The sparrow challenged the ocean, “Return my eggs else I will dry you”. Hearing this ocean started laughing. The ocean had stolen the eggs of the sparrow and the little bird wanted her eggs badly. She was determined to get it back. And so with her tiny little peek she took a few drops of water from the ocean and threw it on the surface. She did it again and again. Everyone was amused; the ocean could not control his laughter. But nothing deterred the sparrow. She continued with her endeavour without thinking about success or failure. News spread everywhere about the resolve of an insignificant creature to dry the gigantic ocean. Finally her efforts attracted the attention of Garuda, the king of the birds and the carrier of Lord Vishnu. Garuda threatened the ocean and said, “Return her eggs immediately or else I will completely dry you now.” Seeing the huge size of Garuda, ocean became frightened and within no time retuned back the eggs of the bird.

Most of the time we get discouraged thinking that this is an impossible task for me to accomplish. We accept defeat even before giving a try. This material world is like a big ocean and we are like tiny little sparrows. We do not have the capacity to cross this ocean on our own. But if we decide to cross over this ocean of material existence and if we show our sincerity by regularly chanting the Hare Krishna Mahamantra, “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare/Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare” then success is guaranteed.  Our determination and sincerity will please the Lord as the efforts of the sparrow pleased Garuda.

 Srila Prabhupada explains, “If anyone follows the principles with great determination, the Lord will surely help, for God helps those who help themselves.”

So, let us take a vow to dry the ocean of material existence and show our efforts by practicing devotional life with utmost sincerity keeping complete faith in our endeavour.

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Give spiritual sense to Senses

Purushottam Nitai Das September 25, 2012

We are completely subjugated by of our senses. Our senses drag us in different directions and like a faithful servant we follow them.  Srila Prabhupada compares the material senses to a serpent. One cannot keep friendship with a venomous snake because it can kill us any time.  Similarly we should never keep friendship with our senses because it can cheat us and degrade us at any time. It is very difficult to control senses. Although we may succeed in controlling it for sometime but soon we get victimized by it. Senses always seek pleasure. Eyes wants to see beautiful objects, tongue want to taste something delicious, ear wants to hear something sweet, nose wants to smell something nice and skin wants to feel pleasure. We are under the control of our senses at each and every moment.

Subjugating senses is very difficult but not impossible.  Sri Caitanaya Mahaprabhu has given us a very practical but powerful solution. He asks us to subjugate our senses by spiritualizing it. Seeing the deities purify our eyes, taking prasadam offered to Krishna purifies our tongue, hearing the glories of the Lord purify our ears, smelling the flowers offered to Lord purifies our nose and offering obeisances to Lord purifies our skin.

This is the only way to control our senses. Once our senses get spiritualized we will get attached and attracted to the spiritual way of life. Once we start spiritualizing our senses by adopting the above means and utilize our mind in remembering Krishna by chanting the Hare Krishna Mahamantra then our whole life will get purified. And we will experience great bliss.

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