Transcending the World of Calamities
Nobody likes calamities, but yet calamities are being repeatedly forced upon us by the stringent laws of material nature. We don't like to hear or admit this, but the fact is that these calamities are coming to us one after another as reactions from our previous sinful activities.
This principle is known in the Vedic literatures as the law of karma. It is described in the Bible also: As you sow, so shall you reap. Even Sir Isaac Newton has presented it in his third law of motion: For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.
So what can we do about these calamities? Can we stop them? Or do we just have to somehow or other tolerantly suffer through them?
The answer is, "Both." There is no doubt that we have to patiently endure the reactions to our previous sinful activities. But at the same time while we are doing that we can live our lives in such as to gradually become completely liberated from all kinds of karmic reactions. This is done by completely surrendering to Krishna. The Lord confirms this in the Bhagavad-gita as follows:
sarva-dharman parityajya
mam ekam saranam vraja
aham tvam sarva-papebhyo
moksayisyami ma sucah
"Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear." Bhagavad-gita 18.66
So there is no need to be a fatalist thinking that there is nothing than can be done to alter your fate. You can now take your destiny completely into your own hands by full surrender at the lotus feet of that inconceivably attractive Lord Sri Krishna. Such a life is a life of full freedom completely transcendental to this world of calamities.
Dear teacher,
Please accept my humble obeisances.
More or less I have attained the peace of mind through bhakti-yoga, even though I live in such a terrible atmosphere. But I still don't love God. When can I rise to the stage of pure love for God as introduced in Sri Caitanya's Siksastakam?
Why can't neophyte devotees love God immediately when they are engaged in devotional service?
Your eternal servant,
Zhang Lei
The perfectional stage of pure love of God is the ninth step and the culmination of the Krishna consciousness pathway. It takes time to reach that stage. We have been in the cycle of birth and death for millions of lifetimes and are thus very, very covered by the contaminating influence of the three modes of material nature. Therefore we cannot expect to become 100% pure devotees immediately.
The nine steps of bhakti are described as follows in the Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu (1.4.15-16):
adau sraddha tatah sadhu-
sango 'tha bhajana-kriya
tato 'nartha-nivrttih syat
tato nistha rucis tatah
athasaktis tato bhavas
tatah premabhyudancati
sadhakanam ayam premnah
pradurbhave bhavet kramah
"In the beginning one must have a preliminary desire for self-realization. This will bring one to the stage of trying to associate with persons who are spiritually elevated. In the next stage one becomes initiated by an elevated spiritual master, and under his instruction the neophyte devotee begins the process of devotional service. By execution of devotional service under the guidance of the spiritual master, one becomes free from all material attachment, attains steadiness in self-realization, and acquires a taste for hearing about the Absolute Personality of Godhead, Sri Krishna. This taste leads one further forward to attachment for Krishna consciousness, which is matured in bhava, or the preliminary stage of transcendental love of God. Real love for God is called prema, the highest perfectional stage of life."
Here are the above steps given in a list form:
1. Sraddha--faith, the preliminary desire for self realization
2. Sadhu-sanga--associating with devotees
3. Bhajana-kriya--initiation by the bona fide spiritual master and adopting the practices of bhakti yoga under his direction
4. Anarta-nivriti--freedom from material attachment
5. Nistha--steadiness in self-realization
6. Ruci--taste for hearing about Krishna
7. Asakti--attachment for Krishna consciousness
8. Bhava--preliminary state of love of God
9. Prema--pure love of God.
In the prema stage there is constant engagement in the transcendental loving service of the Lord. So, by the slow process of devotional service, under the guidance of the bona fide spiritual master, one can attain the highest stage, being freed from all material attachment, from the fearfulness of one's individual spiritual personality, and from the frustrations that result in void philosophy. Then one can ultimately attain to the abode of the Supreme Lord.
You are wondering when you will attain prema. You should set your sight on attaining the third step as soon as possible, bhajana-kriya. Once you do that you will become very jolly and will make steady progress on the path to perfection.
You are also wondering why as a beginner on the pathway you cannot love God immediately. But you must be feeling some degree of love of God. Otherwise why are you spending so much time and energy practicing Krishna consciousness. You are certainly not getting paid to do so. Therefore you must be acting out of love. Higher stages of almost pure and completely pure love await you, but even at the present you must have some sense of loving Krishna.
For example, when you see a painting of Krishna, don't you find Him to be beautiful? This is love? Now you simply have to strengthen your feelings of love more and more to the perfectional stage by going through the nine steps under the guidance of the spiritual master and the Vaisnavas.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
This principle is known in the Vedic literatures as the law of karma. It is described in the Bible also: As you sow, so shall you reap. Even Sir Isaac Newton has presented it in his third law of motion: For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.
So what can we do about these calamities? Can we stop them? Or do we just have to somehow or other tolerantly suffer through them?
The answer is, "Both." There is no doubt that we have to patiently endure the reactions to our previous sinful activities. But at the same time while we are doing that we can live our lives in such as to gradually become completely liberated from all kinds of karmic reactions. This is done by completely surrendering to Krishna. The Lord confirms this in the Bhagavad-gita as follows:
sarva-dharman parityajya
mam ekam saranam vraja
aham tvam sarva-papebhyo
moksayisyami ma sucah
"Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear." Bhagavad-gita 18.66
So there is no need to be a fatalist thinking that there is nothing than can be done to alter your fate. You can now take your destiny completely into your own hands by full surrender at the lotus feet of that inconceivably attractive Lord Sri Krishna. Such a life is a life of full freedom completely transcendental to this world of calamities.
Devastating Tsunami Wreaks Havoc on Coastal City
Answers According to the Vedic Version
Question: When Can I Taste the Nectar of Pure Love?...
From Sichuan, ChinaDear teacher,
Please accept my humble obeisances.
More or less I have attained the peace of mind through bhakti-yoga, even though I live in such a terrible atmosphere. But I still don't love God. When can I rise to the stage of pure love for God as introduced in Sri Caitanya's Siksastakam?
Why can't neophyte devotees love God immediately when they are engaged in devotional service?
Your eternal servant,
Zhang Lei
Answer: You Can Begin Right Now...
I am very, very pleased with you for your sincerity. I know that you are presently living in a situation in which it is very, very difficult to practice Krishna consciousness. May Lord Krishna bestow His special mercy upon you to help you through your present difficulties.The perfectional stage of pure love of God is the ninth step and the culmination of the Krishna consciousness pathway. It takes time to reach that stage. We have been in the cycle of birth and death for millions of lifetimes and are thus very, very covered by the contaminating influence of the three modes of material nature. Therefore we cannot expect to become 100% pure devotees immediately.
The nine steps of bhakti are described as follows in the Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu (1.4.15-16):
adau sraddha tatah sadhu-
sango 'tha bhajana-kriya
tato 'nartha-nivrttih syat
tato nistha rucis tatah
athasaktis tato bhavas
tatah premabhyudancati
sadhakanam ayam premnah
pradurbhave bhavet kramah
"In the beginning one must have a preliminary desire for self-realization. This will bring one to the stage of trying to associate with persons who are spiritually elevated. In the next stage one becomes initiated by an elevated spiritual master, and under his instruction the neophyte devotee begins the process of devotional service. By execution of devotional service under the guidance of the spiritual master, one becomes free from all material attachment, attains steadiness in self-realization, and acquires a taste for hearing about the Absolute Personality of Godhead, Sri Krishna. This taste leads one further forward to attachment for Krishna consciousness, which is matured in bhava, or the preliminary stage of transcendental love of God. Real love for God is called prema, the highest perfectional stage of life."
Here are the above steps given in a list form:
1. Sraddha--faith, the preliminary desire for self realization
2. Sadhu-sanga--associating with devotees
3. Bhajana-kriya--initiation by the bona fide spiritual master and adopting the practices of bhakti yoga under his direction
4. Anarta-nivriti--freedom from material attachment
5. Nistha--steadiness in self-realization
6. Ruci--taste for hearing about Krishna
7. Asakti--attachment for Krishna consciousness
8. Bhava--preliminary state of love of God
9. Prema--pure love of God.
In the prema stage there is constant engagement in the transcendental loving service of the Lord. So, by the slow process of devotional service, under the guidance of the bona fide spiritual master, one can attain the highest stage, being freed from all material attachment, from the fearfulness of one's individual spiritual personality, and from the frustrations that result in void philosophy. Then one can ultimately attain to the abode of the Supreme Lord.
You are wondering when you will attain prema. You should set your sight on attaining the third step as soon as possible, bhajana-kriya. Once you do that you will become very jolly and will make steady progress on the path to perfection.
You are also wondering why as a beginner on the pathway you cannot love God immediately. But you must be feeling some degree of love of God. Otherwise why are you spending so much time and energy practicing Krishna consciousness. You are certainly not getting paid to do so. Therefore you must be acting out of love. Higher stages of almost pure and completely pure love await you, but even at the present you must have some sense of loving Krishna.
For example, when you see a painting of Krishna, don't you find Him to be beautiful? This is love? Now you simply have to strengthen your feelings of love more and more to the perfectional stage by going through the nine steps under the guidance of the spiritual master and the Vaisnavas.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
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