Everyone in this material world, they are after peace, but they don’t want to control the senses. It is not possible. Just like we are diseased, and doctor says that "You take this medicine, you take this diet," but we cannot control. We are taking anything we like, against the instruction of the physician. Then how we can be cured? Similarly, we want cure of the chaotic condition of this material world, we want peace and prosperity, but we are not ready to control the senses. We do not know how to control the senses. We do not know the real yogic principle of controlling the senses. So there is no possibility of peace. Artificially, we may try for it. It is not possible.

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This is a humble effort to transcribe the remaining part of the message from lecture of our beloved Guru Maharaj during Initiation of devotees in Singapore.
In B.G. 4.34:

tad viddhi pranipaatena / pariprashnena sevayaa
upadeksyanti te jnaanam / jnaaninas tattva darshinah

"Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self realised souls can impart knowledge unto you because they have seen the truth."

[granthraj] The Real Meaning of Initiation – Part 1

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When we went to Panvel  on Jan 3rd 2009,  our beloved spiritual master, gave an amazing class on how we should lead our lives in bhakti. After taking darshan of Maharaj on Jan 1st, I could not even imagine that Maharaj would be giving a class in Panvel. So I didn’t even carry a notebook or pen to note down the pearls of wisdom coming from Gurudev’s lotus mouth. Later when Gurudev started speaking in Panvel, I regretted for being so careless and unprepared.  After seeing Maharaj’s transcendental visit to Panvel dham, I realised that actions of pure Vaishnavas are inconceivable to our limited, puny mind and pray that I stop under-estimating their powers. Somehow by Gurudev’s mercy, i had taken some notes and would  make a humble effort to share the same in this mail.

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Sri Daalbhya Rishi said to Palastya Muni, "When the spirit soul comes in contact with the material energy, he immediately begins to perform sinful activities, such as stealing, killing, and illicit sex. He may even perform many other terrible deeds, such as killing a brahmin. Oh purest of personalities, please tell me how these unfortunate souls may escape the punishment of being sent to hellish regions of creation. Kindly inform me how, by giving even a little in charity, one may be easily released from the reactions of his sins."

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This is the concluding mail o the series on ‘Sharanam Sharanyam’ which is a transcription of the class given by our beloved Guru Maharaj in Rajkot on Srimad Bhagavatam verse 3.25.11.

tam tvaa gataaham sharanam sharanyam / sva-bhrtya-samsaara-taroh kuthaaram
jijnaasayaaham prakrteh purushasya / namaami sad-dharma-vidaam varishtham

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We drive across Golden Gate Bridge to Muir Woods, home of 3,000-year-old redwoods. Walking down the path under the tall, blue-green canopy, Swamiji reads the little signs before the largest trees, then looks up reflectively at the boughs.

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I apologise for not sending any emails since the last update. I have been mostly in Nasik and then in Bhaktivedanta Hospital trying to serve Gurudev.

Gurudev’s purity and transcendence is truly bewildering for me to understand. His lila of showing us the way to tolerate apparent sickness and disease continues everyday. As his disciples, we must truly be blessed to be present and be a part of Gurudev’s lila.

Transcendence in Action – Part 2 [granthraj]

Transcendence in Action [granthraj]

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"Material enjoyments are full of poison, but you consider them pleasing. Do not think of them as a source of happiness, but understand them as distress. Be absorbed in full thought of Govinda, associate with His devotees, and conclude that devotional service is the goal of life."

Srila Narottama Dasa Thakura – Sri Prema Bhakti Candrika

Disclaimer: The daily ‘Vedic thought’ are posted by Deepak Prabhu in the Yahoo Groups – Govindadwipa. All credits goes to him and the groups. Hare Krishna.

The world becoming more and more competitive these days, we find  people are not willing to teach others or share the knowledge gained by them. But this is completely opposite in case of spiritual world. There devotees are always eager to tell what they know about the Lord to others and whenever they are questioned by others on topics concerning the Lord, they are surcharged with enthusiasm and they energetically speak about the Lord. In Srimad Bhagvatam Cano 2 Chapter 5 verse 9,  Lord Brahma thanks Narada Muni when he inquires to him about the glories of the Lord.

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ā-brahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ
punar āvartino ‘rjuna
mām upetya tu kaunteya
punar janma na vidyate

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During the recent visit of our beloved Guru Maharaj to Abu Dhabi in June 2009, His instructions stuck to us like a carving in the stone:

"If you do not have time to read Srimad Bhagavatam (18000 verses), if you do not have time to read Bhagavad Gita (18 chapters, 700 verses), then atleast read follow BG Chapter 2, 2.55 to 2.72. Atleast atleast please read, meditate, churn sincerely follow this verse 2.55 from Bhagavad Gita".

shri bhagavan uvaaca
prajahaati yadaa kaamaan / sarvaan paartha mano gataan
aatmany evaatmanaa tushtah / sthita prajnas tadocyate

"The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: O Paartha, when a man gives up all varieties of desire for sense gratification, which arise from mental concoction, and when his mind, thus purified, finds satisfaction in the self alone, then he is said to be in pure transcendental consciousness."

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"All the bodies of the Supreme Lord are eternal and everlasting. They are never subject to material destruction or born of matter. They are the embodiment of supreme bliss and are completely transcendental."

Maha-Varaha Purana

Disclaimer: The daily ‘Vedic thought’ are posted by Deepak Prabhu in the Yahoo Groups – Govindadwipa. All credits goes to him and the groups. Hare Krishna.

We recently had the Vyasa puja celebrations on 2nd December 2009 wherein everyone was chanting the Lord’s names all round the day with sincere feeling. Especially considering Gurudev’s health, almost everyone was emotional in feeling for our Gurudev. Whoever comes in touch with our Gurudev has to love him. It is inevitable. Because our Gurudev’s nature is to give genuine love for all of us without any expectation. Till date he has not expected anything from us and the only request he has made to us is to chant the 16 rounds of mahamantra with sincerity. In fact he is pleading to us all the time rather than giving instructions. The 16 rounds also after accomplishing our official duties and duty towards the family. Who can be more practical than this? He never sees us as his disciples but he sees us as his sons and daughters. Love in the material world is perverted as lust. The definition of love means unconditional service to another living entity without any expectation – just like mother does service to her children without any expectation. This mood of Gurudev is this unique spiritual quality which is very much loved by Lord Sri Krishna in the pages of Srimad Bhagavatam, that He says, "I purify Myself with the dust of the lotus feet of such pure devotees".

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kaviḿ purāṇam anuśāsitāram
aṇor aṇīyāḿsam anusmared yaḥ
sarvasya dhātāram acintya-rūpam
āditya-varṇaḿ tamasaḥ parastāt

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arjuna uvāca
kiḿ tad brahma kim adhyātmaḿ
kiḿ karma puruṣottama
adhibhūtaḿ ca kiḿ proktam
adhidaivaḿ kim ucyate

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icchā-dveṣa-samutthena
dvandva-mohena bhārata
sarva-bhūtāni sammohaḿ
sarge yānti parantapa

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