Janmastami, the Most Auspicious ​​​​​​​Appearance Day of Lord Sri Krishna

Today we are unlimitedly blessed because today is the most auspicious Janmastami day, the day that Lord Sri Krishna appeared in this world to save us from our suffering condition, to rescue us by taking us back to our original home in the spiritual world. Of course, he does not force us to come back. He is not going to drag us back to home, back to Godhead as prisoners. It is up to us to realize for our own benefit and happiness the necessity of returning to our original home, not to remain perpetually suffering birth, death, old age, and disease lifetime fter lifetime after lifetime. Such realization be can solidified if one accepts a bona fide spiritual master and dedicates his life to be fully obedient to his spiritual master. This is what Krishna instructs us to do in the Bhagavad-gita 4.34.

Lord Sri Krishna's Appearance

Lord Sri Krishna's Appearance

Video for the Day

Answers According to Vedic Wisdom

Question: Who Are the Surrendered Souls?

My dear Srila Gurudeva,

Please accept my humble obeisances at your lotus feet.
All glories to you and Srimati Gurumatji.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Srila Gurudeva, while reading the Srimad Bhagavatam purport I came across this verse from the Bhagavd-gita, "After many births and deaths, he who is actually in knowledge surrenders unto Me, knowing Me to be the cause of all causes and all that is. Such a great soul is very rare." (Bg. 7.19)

What surrendered and rare souls is Krishna talking about here? Is it that those in our movement who ever taken up Krishna consciousness and gotten initiated are these surrendered and rare souls.

As ISKCON is like a hospital, not every devotee is of same level. As we see there are kanistha, madhyama, and uttama adhikari devotees. Is it that all of them are surrendered and rare souls?

Please help understand its essence, Srila Gurudeva.

Thank you so much for your kind mercy and blessings.

Your unworthy servant,
Nandapriya Devi Dasi

Answer: Most Wonderful Super Nectarean Verse

From: ISKCON Austin, Texas USA

My Dear Nandapriya,

Please accept my blessings.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Initiation means that someone has begun the process of surrender. It does not mean that they have completed it. Those who are perfectly dovetailing all of their thoughts, words, and deeds in the service of guru and Krishna 24 hours daily are the surrendered souls.

Of course, even those who have begun the process of surrender are very rare and dear souls. But rarer and dearer still are those who have perfected the process of surrender.

I hope this meets you in the best of health and in an ecstatic mood.
Your ever well-wisher,
Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Little Sparrow Who Conquered the Ocean

Image
In his purport to Bhagavad-gita, Chapter 6, Text 24 Srila Prabhupada wonderfully teaches us the power of determinations by telling us the story of the little sparrow who conquered the ocean: "As for determination, one should follow the example of the sparrow who lost her eggs in the waves of the ocean. A sparrow laid her eggs on the shore of the ocean, but the big ocean carried away the eggs on its waves. The sparrow became very upset and asked the ocean to return her eggs. The ocean did not even consider her appeal. So the sparrow decided to dry up the ocean. She began to pick out the water in her small beak, and everyone laughed at her for her impossible determination. The news of her activity spread, and at last Garuda, the gigantic bird carrier of Lord Visnu, heard it. He became compassionate toward his small sister bird, and so he came to see the sparrow. Garuda was very pleased by the determination of the small sparrow, and he promised to help. Thus Garuda at once asked t
Read more

Heart Melting Reunion with Amarendra and Gayatri

Image
On Friday 26 June 2015 I was blessed with the greatest good fortune of meeting with two of the dearest devotees of my entire life, His Grace Amarendra Prabhu and his good wife, Srimati Gayatri devi dasi. I am eternally indebted to these great souls for how much they helped me in my spiritual life when I was a young devotee. When I was young brahmacari monk in 1973 I joined with the two of them in Gainesville, Florida. We were a three person preaching center, and they were just like a mother and father to me. I had so many wonderful Krishna conscious experiences in their association that I can hardly begin to describe them here. But at least may it suffice for me to say for now that Gayatri taught me what it means to be a soft-hearted devotee of the Lord and she gave me my first cooking lesson, teaching me how to make cauliflower pakoras, and Amarendra taught me the art of how to preach strongly, intelligently, and coolly to defeat opposing arguments. Recently Gayatri almost died. But
Read more

Misguided Fools Say that Masturbation is Healthy

Image
Foolish modern day materialists recommend masturbation as follows: "Masturbation is a common activity. It’s a natural and safe way to explore your body, feel pleasure, and release built-up sexual tension. It occurs among people of all backgrounds, genders, and races. Despite the myths, there are actually no physically harmful side effects of masturbation." They are wrong. To get a proper understanding on this this topic read the question and answer section below. Answers According to the Vedic Wisdom Question: What are the Ill Effects of Masturbation? Since you answered questions related to understanding the real need of sex in a human being's life, so I also request you to please enlighten us with the knowledge about semen conservation, it's importance, and the consequences of frequently releasing it thorough sex or masturbation. Since today most of the youth are indulged in mansturbation and they think it to be good in comparison to doing sex with some female for
Read more