Do You Know What is the Best Benediction?
In the following story told by Srila Prabhupada in his purport to Srimad Bhagavatam, 4th Canto, Chapter 7, Text 6 we learn what is the greatest benediction:
It is said that once a poor brāhmaṇa worshiped Lord Śiva for a benediction, and Lord Śiva advised the devotee to go to see Sanātana Gosvāmī. The devotee went to Sanātana Gosvāmī and informed him that Lord Śiva had advised him to seek out the best benediction from him (Sanātana). Sanātana had a touchstone with him, which he kept with the garbage. On the request of the poor brāhmaṇa, Sanātana Gosvāmī gave him the touchstone, and the brāhmaṇa was very happy to have it. He now could get as much gold as he desired simply by touching the touchstone to iron. But after he left Sanātana, he thought, "If a touchstone is the best benediction, why has Sanātana Gosvāmī kept it with the garbage?" He therefore returned and asked Sanātana Gosvāmī, "Sir, if this is the best benediction, why did you keep it with the garbage?" Sanātana Gosvāmī then informed him, "Actually, this is not the best benediction. But are you prepared to take the best benediction from me?" The brāhmaṇa said, "Yes, sir. Lord Śiva has sent me to you for the best benediction." Then Sanātana Gosvāmī asked him to throw the touchstone in the water nearby and then come back. The poor brāhmaṇa did so, and when he returned, Sanātana Gosvāmī initiated him with the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. Thus by the benediction of Lord Śiva the brāhmaṇa got the association of the best devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa and was thus initiated in the mahā-mantra, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare / Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare.
-------
Let us now learn from this instructive pastime and make our lives unlimitedly sublime by taking full advantage of the best of all benedictions, the Hare Krishna mahamantra.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
Dandavat pranama
Guru Maharaj,
Could I know what is the Absolute Truth and the Relative truth?
What is the most confidential and authentic means to know the Absolute Truth, Param Tattva or Param Brahma? Kindly explain in details.
Debojit Pegu, PhD Scholar
Department of Philosophy
Assam, India.
My Dear Debojit,
Please accept my blessings.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
The Vedānta-sūtra says, janmādy asya yataḥ: "The Absolute Truth, Param Tattva, Param Brahma is that from which everything emanates." This is also stated in the first verse of the Srimad Bhagavatam.
The Absolute Truth is substance, and the relative truth depends upon its relationship with the Absolute for its existence. The relative truth is the energy of the Absolute Truth. In other words the Absolute Truth, Param Tattva, Param Brahma is Lord Sri Krishna, the Source of all existence. And that which emanates from Him is relative truth.
The Absolute Truth, Lord Sri Krishna, reveals Himself to us to whatever extent we surrender to Him. To fully realize the Absolute Truth, we must therefore fully surrender to Krishna. For this purpose Krishna orders us to approach a bona fide spiritual master:
tad viddhi praṇipātena
paripraśnena sevayā
upadekṣyanti te jñānaṁ
jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ
"Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized soul can impart knowledge unto you because he has seen the truth." (Bhagavad-gita 4.34)
It is not that such a person has simply one time seen the truth. He is seeing the truth at every minute.
I hope this meets you in the best of health.
It is said that once a poor brāhmaṇa worshiped Lord Śiva for a benediction, and Lord Śiva advised the devotee to go to see Sanātana Gosvāmī. The devotee went to Sanātana Gosvāmī and informed him that Lord Śiva had advised him to seek out the best benediction from him (Sanātana). Sanātana had a touchstone with him, which he kept with the garbage. On the request of the poor brāhmaṇa, Sanātana Gosvāmī gave him the touchstone, and the brāhmaṇa was very happy to have it. He now could get as much gold as he desired simply by touching the touchstone to iron. But after he left Sanātana, he thought, "If a touchstone is the best benediction, why has Sanātana Gosvāmī kept it with the garbage?" He therefore returned and asked Sanātana Gosvāmī, "Sir, if this is the best benediction, why did you keep it with the garbage?" Sanātana Gosvāmī then informed him, "Actually, this is not the best benediction. But are you prepared to take the best benediction from me?" The brāhmaṇa said, "Yes, sir. Lord Śiva has sent me to you for the best benediction." Then Sanātana Gosvāmī asked him to throw the touchstone in the water nearby and then come back. The poor brāhmaṇa did so, and when he returned, Sanātana Gosvāmī initiated him with the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. Thus by the benediction of Lord Śiva the brāhmaṇa got the association of the best devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa and was thus initiated in the mahā-mantra, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare / Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare.
-------
Let us now learn from this instructive pastime and make our lives unlimitedly sublime by taking full advantage of the best of all benedictions, the Hare Krishna mahamantra.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
Srila Sanatana Goswami
Answers According to the Vedic Wisdom
Question: What is Absolute and Relative Truth?
Hare Krishna, Guru MaharajaDandavat pranama
Guru Maharaj,
Could I know what is the Absolute Truth and the Relative truth?
What is the most confidential and authentic means to know the Absolute Truth, Param Tattva or Param Brahma? Kindly explain in details.
Debojit Pegu, PhD Scholar
Department of Philosophy
Assam, India.
Answer: The Source and the Emanations
From: VrindavanMy Dear Debojit,
Please accept my blessings.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
The Vedānta-sūtra says, janmādy asya yataḥ: "The Absolute Truth, Param Tattva, Param Brahma is that from which everything emanates." This is also stated in the first verse of the Srimad Bhagavatam.
The Absolute Truth is substance, and the relative truth depends upon its relationship with the Absolute for its existence. The relative truth is the energy of the Absolute Truth. In other words the Absolute Truth, Param Tattva, Param Brahma is Lord Sri Krishna, the Source of all existence. And that which emanates from Him is relative truth.
The Absolute Truth, Lord Sri Krishna, reveals Himself to us to whatever extent we surrender to Him. To fully realize the Absolute Truth, we must therefore fully surrender to Krishna. For this purpose Krishna orders us to approach a bona fide spiritual master:
tad viddhi praṇipātena
paripraśnena sevayā
upadekṣyanti te jñānaṁ
jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ
"Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized soul can impart knowledge unto you because he has seen the truth." (Bhagavad-gita 4.34)
It is not that such a person has simply one time seen the truth. He is seeing the truth at every minute.
I hope this meets you in the best of health.
Your ever well-wisher,
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
ISKCON Founder-Acharya, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, ordered his disciples to become gurus and deliver the world. Sankarshan Das Adhikari has taken this order very seriously and is thus accepting disciples all over the world and has dedicated himself fully to the mission of making the entire world Krishna conscious as soon as possible. He requests your help in this most urgent world deliverance mission to save the suffering humanity from gliding down to the animal kingdom in their next births.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari email: sd@worldleader.com
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
The Most Urgent World Deliverance Mission
ISKCON Founder-Acharya, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, ordered his disciples to become gurus and deliver the world. Sankarshan Das Adhikari has taken this order very seriously and is thus accepting disciples all over the world and has dedicated himself fully to the mission of making the entire world Krishna conscious as soon as possible. He requests your help in this most urgent world deliverance mission to save the suffering humanity from gliding down to the animal kingdom in their next births.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari email: sd@worldleader.com
Comments
Post a Comment