Will you make Krsna smile today?

My new mantra is "Love and Devotion." I chant it as I cook, begin my japa, dress the deities or offer an arati. "Love and devotion Syamesvari, love and devotion," I chant in my head as I heat the oil or ghee, as I pick out turban pieces or set the arati tray. There are so many things I try to do for Krsna everyday, big and little, quick or time-consuming, but how many of them do I do in the right mood? How many things do I do with a loving 'This is for Your pleasure Krsna, not for my benefit' attitude? Hardly anything, I'm ashamed to admit. I do things out of habit, out of obligation, or for the selfish reason of getting rid of bad karma and hopefully ending my time in the material world. But without those two all-important ingredients - love and devotion - really, what benefit am I gaining anyway? Inattentive chanting is not nearly as potent or beneficial as attentive chanting is, so similarly, devotional service without the devotion is not nearly as sweet or as meaningful to me, or to Krsna.

If it weren't for seeing first-hand what real devotional service is, I wouldn't be aspiring after it myself. There are some amazing vaisnavas who are eagerly and purely serving the Lord, their hearts full of surrender and genuine affection for Krsna. These devotees are my role-models and their association makes me want to be a better devotee.

Of course simply chanting 'love and devotion' does not bring about those feelings. Like Srila Prabhupada once said, 'Chanting water, water, water does not quench your thirst.' But just as chanting 'water, water, water' reminds you of water, makes you meditate on it and possibly hanker after it, my 'love and devotion' mantra reminds me of what the real point of rendering any service to the Lord is.

Sivarama Swami gave a class some time ago entitled "Will you make Krsna smile today?" The introduction to that class reads : Srila Prabhupada explains that making the Lord smile by our pure devotion is the conclusion of all spiritual practices and the essence of Vrndavana life.

So now I realise that the aim is not merely to do something devotionally related to get it done - it is to make Krsna happy and make Him smile. And with no other motivation than bringing a sweet smile to Krsna's lips, performing even the simplest of tasks, like peeling potatoes or washing puja items can become our most devotion-filled tasks and we will gain the greatest benefit and satisfaction.

Will you make Krsna smile today?

A rite of passage

(Srila Prabhupada giving initiation)

For many, the word initiation conjures thoughts of performing something painful or humiliating in order to be one of the select few of a particular group or society.

In the Hare Krishna movement, initiation is neither painful nor humiliating. It is a sweet and intimate rite of passage that forever connects you to your spiritual master and the guru parampara, all the way up to Krsna Himself.

I was fortunate enough to be a part of an initiation ceremony yesterday, where my husband and I received our second initiation, and where three enthusiastic and very deserving devotees received their first.

I was reminded of the nerves and anxiousness of the moments running up to the actual initiation - will I remember all 4 principles? What if I don't? What if I make a mistake? What is my new name going to be? All these thoughts run through your mind and make your head spin, but then you sit before your guru and he looks you straight in the eyes, and asks what the four principles are that you are vowing to follow for the rest of your life. And in that moment, its just you and him, taking such sacred vows - you vowing to follow those four principles, your guru vowing to take you back to Krsna. There is no moment like it.

I was happy to have been a part of that initiation and be reminded of the vows I took 5 years ago. Bhaktimarga Swami gave first initiation to three devotees, and three couples, including myself, received second initiation. Initially I felt so disconnected. My Guru Maharaja was not there, so I would never share that moment of him giving me the mantras and teaching me how to chant them. And from what Maharaja had told me (after he and Bhakti Caitanya spoke in South Africa), I was under the impression that he would simply e-mail me the mantras. But it worked out very well - my Guru Maharaja sent me a sound file of him saying the mantras, and Bhaktimarga Swami, who is my siksa-guru in every way, taught me, along with his other disciples, how to chant them. So rather than lacking in any way, I felt like I had been given a double-dose of mercy:) I was also glad to take this important step with my husband. We weren`t around for each others first initiations, and rather than just watch the other take their second initiation, we got to do it together.

All in all it was a good day and a very good experience. I pray that I am able to do more and more for Srila Prabhupada`s movement and be better able to serve Krsna and His devotees.

Rumor has it

sulapani sama yadi vaishnavere ninde

tathapiha nasa paya - kahe shastra vrinde

"Even if some one of the level of the supremely powerful devotee and gunavatara Lord Shiva blasphemes a devotee, he will soon be destroyed. This is the verdict of all the scriptures." (CB Madhya 22.56)

iha na maniya ye sujana-ninda kare

janme janme se papistha daive dose mare

"Sinful people who ignore the above fact and critcize devotees suffer the heaviest of all punishment of providence birth and birth."(57)

anyera ki daya gaura-simhera janani

tanhare o vaisnavaparadha kari gani

"What to speak of others, even the supreme mother of the Supreme Lord Himself , Gaura Simha, was not exempt from being considered an offender of a Vaisnava." (58)

prabhu bale - upadesa kahite se pari

vaisnavaparadha ami khandaite nari

Lord Gauranga Himself replied," I can give instructions on how to eliminate the aparadha (like in the case of Durvasa and Ambarish), but I Myself, even though being the Supreme Lord, am unable to destroy an offense against a Vaisnava." (32)


People have an unnatural enthusiasm for gossip. It seems to make the material world go round.
So it's always unfortunate when gossip, and that material mentality, trickles into our spiritual lives.

There are three sides to the rumor/gossip/criticism issue : the person spreading it or doing the criticising, the person listening to it, and the person who is the target. Usually the recipient of juicy gossip becomes the giver of juicy gossip (it's the way of the gossip parampara :)

If we are the ones responsible for spreading rumors or sharing gossip, we should keep a few things in mind :
- everytime we spread rumors or gossip about other devotees, we actively take away from our time with Krsna and the potency of our Krsna consciousness. There's a reason that the offense 'To blaspheme devotees who have dedicated their lives to propogating Krsna Consciousness' is top of the list and known as the 'mad elephant offense' - It destoys the creeper of bhakti within our hearts.
- everytime we spread rumors or gossip about, or criticise, other devotees, we make a conscious decision to hurt someone else, someone who is a vaisnava and, despite our own feelings about them, very dear to Krsna.
- everytime we spread rumors or gossip, our own reputations are ruined. Our intention may be to malign someone else, and chip away at their reputation, but being known as a gossip does nothing for our own.
- everytime we spread rumors or gossip, we should know that we could be potentially responsible for someone turning away from ISKCON and Krsna consciousness.

Our need to gossip stems from envy, dislike and our own shortcomings as devotees. But sometimes we feel that our criticisms are justifiable, after all "He did this, this and that 3 years ago." But it is stated that:

One should never criticize a devotee for his:

1) Social background;
2) Past sins or faults;
3) Unintentional sin or accidental falldown.

Srila Gaura Govinda Swami gave a brilliant description of the first offense:
"Bhakti-devi completely disappears by committing Vaisnava aparddha. Vaisnava aparddha means to blaspheme, find fault, criticize or speak ill of devotees. Generally, this is done out of fear and enviousness. Vaisnava aparddha takes place where there are fear and enviousness." When Vaisnava aparddha is committed the offender will become very angry with that Vaisnava. He's afraid of that Vaisnava because he is a very powerful Vaisnava. Therefore, he thinks, 'He's making rapid advancement and I'm not making such advancement.' He becomes afraid and envious of that Vaisnava." Fear comes and therefore he criticizes, finds fault, and speaks ill of that Vaisnava. He commits Vaisnava aparddha and becomes angry with that Vaisnava. It is only because of enviousness of that Vaisnava that this hatred and criticism arises. And therefore, he speaks ill of that Vaisnava and concocts stories. The sieve is full of a thousand holes and he's criticizing the needle, 'Hey needle, there is a hole in your back.'"Are you perfect yourself? If you have some defects yourself, then why do you find fault with others? Sages say don't see bad in others, but see the bad in yourself. If you have that nature or tendency to see bad, then see what bad is there in yourself. But see the good in others. "If you find something good in some person, then just accept that. Think, 'Yes, that is good in him. Let me accept that.' Close your eyes on the bad things, and open your eyes to the good things. Paramahamsas never see anything bad. In their vision everything is related to Krsna. Speaking ill of others is a great anartha for the sadhaka who has come to the path of bhajana.

There is a wonderful quote by Srila Prabhupada that applies to this and so many other situations:
"We must know that Krsna is present, and as such we must be careful in our dealings, talking and behaviouir, as we are present before Krsna directly." May 6, 1968
So we should practice - whatever I am about to say, I should be able to say if Krsna were standing right beside me, listening.

***

And if we're listening to, or entertaining any gossip or criticism, then we're pretty much in the same boat as the person we're listening to. As devotees we have to:
- try our utmost not to listen to any gossip - for the sake of our own spiritual lives.
- even if we hear something about some other devotee, we have to be intelligent enough to know that there are always three sides to a story: what A said, what B said and what REALLY happened! And even still;
-we have to be even more intelligent and remain impartial and uninvolved. It is not our job to judge others, especially based on something that we have no actual knowledge or experience of.
-and again, when we listen to or engage in gossip, we can potentially play a part in giving someone a bad experience of the temple or ISKCON. It is our duty to be representatives of Srila Prabhupada and ISKCON, and to always act as such.

So what do we do?

The Srimad Bhagavatm states: "Anyone who fails to immediately leave the place where he hears criticism of the Supreme Lord or His faithful devotee will certainly fall down, bereft of his pious credit."SB 10.74.40

***

And finally there is the person who is the subject matter of criticism or gossip. A person in that position (and I think that we've all been there at some point in time or another) has several options:
- Retaliate with your own criticms and gossip, and become a part of that vicious, bhakti-destoying cycle.
- Defend yourself. My personal thoughts are that, again, you're taking time away from your own spiritual life because of another persons petty issues, and secondly, if people are so small-minded and unintelligent that they choose to engage in gossip and pass judgement, than does it REALLY matter what they think anyway? If anything, it should be lesson that you should choose your association wisely, and associate with those devotees who will further you in your spiritual life.


I remember reading an article some time ago. The devotees approached a gentleman who had been coming to the temple for many, many years and was chanting 16 rounds and following all the regulative principles. They asked him why he hasn't made more of a commitment and taken initiation. He replied, "I see how you treat guests and I see how you treat each other. I would rather remain a guest."

We are all trying to achieve the same thing, serve the same God, reach the same destination. We should try to to help each other out, not bring each other down, so that we all serve Krsna better.

Vanca kalpa tarubhyas ca krpa sindhubhya eva ca patitanam pavanebhyo vaisnavebhyo namo namah
I offer my respectful obeisances unto all the Vaisnava devotees of the Lord. They are just like desire trees whocan fulfill the desires of everyone, and they are full of compassion for the fallen conditioned souls.

It is what it is

This is my third and final year of Psychology. I am up to eyeballs in psychology textbooks, notes and assignments and, well, I've had quite enough of the stuff.
I confess to being intrigued by the workings of the human mind. Why do we do what we do when we do it? Many people are interested in having that question answered - maybe to better understand themselves and/or to better understand and help those around them.

I had a very different idea of what my psychology classes would be like when I first began working on my degree 2 years ago. I thought that it would give me a solid answer to my 'why-do-we-do-what-we-do-when-we-do-it' question. It hasn't.

Instead every topic is surrounded by theories - many, many theories - each with limitations, advantages, disadvantages, capabilities, strengths and weaknesses. For a simple topic such as motivation, I have studied at least nine different theories - Maslow, McClellands Needs Theory, Herzbergs two facto theory, the goal setting theory, etc, etc.
There is no one theory that is absolutely correct. No one theory that proves the absolute truth behind different subject matters. Instead one scholar puts forth a theory, it is accepted as the truth for some time, only to have another scholar come forward disputing his/her theory and putting forward his own. Nothing lasts very long in the psychology world.

Actually it seems like a whole lot of speculation.

But it has made me realise and appreciate one thing:
There is only one place we can look to in order to understand the workings of the mind - scripture. There are no theories, limitations or weaknesses to what Srila Prabhupada puts forward in his books. It is what is. Bas. Prabhpada has not taken something from the Bhgavatam, disqualified certain aspects of it and then built upon what was left of it. No. It is what it always has been - the absolute truth.

I know that Sita Pati Prabhu is arguing whether Krsna Consciousness should be referred to as a science, and I'm not nearly scholarly enough to get into that. But whatever it is, I am glad that it is absolute and 'as it is'. No speculation, no attempts at logic, no conflicting theories. Rather it the simple, uncomplicated, deep and meaningful truth.

Real strength is spiritual strength

For some time now, I have been feeling the need to become stronger in my spiritual life and recapture the zest I had for Krsna Consciousness when I was younger. The changes in the past three years or so have taken a toll on me - going back to university, moving away from the amazing festivals and association in Durban, particularly my Guru Maharaja and trying to adjust to a new country and lifestyle. But beyond that has been my becoming complacent in my spiritual life - a feeling that I have reached my goal - taking initiation. And so, I have not fought as hard as I should to keep myself spiritually inspired, do not read as much as I should to keep my Krsna consciousness ever-fresh and am not as dilligent in my sadhana as I should to keep maya away.

Its a bitter pill to swallow - realising that after 5 years of initiation, I am not a better devotee. Rather than take care of the tiny creeper that was planted by my Guru Maharaja's mercy, I have neglected it, doing the bare minimum to make sure that it grows, albeit not strong and healthy enough to blossom.

And I have felt the repercussions. A feeling of disconnect, a lack of reciprocation, a sense of no longer being the recipient of Krsna's mercy. And if I'm not working for it, not hankering for it, why should I get it? A piece of maha, the Lords garland, some old jewellery - receieving these things in the past felt like such a personal exchange between myself and Krsna. And for the longest time - nothing!

Srila Prabhupada speaks the following words on Lord Nityananda's appearance day in Orissa in 1977:
"On the spiritual strength, the body moves. Suppose you have got a very good car, Mercedes car or Rolls Royce car. But when there is no petrol, how the car will move? It is not possible. There is spirit, petrol spirit. Similarly, real strength is spiritual strength.

That spiritual strength is Balarama. Bala means strength. Therefore we have to take shelter of the lotus feet of Balarama, guru-tattva.
Balarama means guru-tattva. Balarama represents guru. Yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasadah. If we want to understand Caitanya Mahaprabhu, if we want to understand Krishna, then we must take shelter of Balarama.

Nayamatma bala-hinena labhyah. This bala- hinena labhyah, this Vedic injunction, means. Without the mercy of Balarama you cannot understand, you cannot realize your spiritual identification.

So that Balarama comes as Nityananda Prabhu. Balarama haila nitai. Therefore we must take shelter of Balarama. That is... This song has been sung by Narottama dasa Thakura. Nitai-pada-kamala, koti-candra-susitala. If we take shelter of Nityananda Prabhu, then we get peace.

Koti-candra-susitala. Just like in daytime, especially in the summer season, we become very much exasperated. But at night, in the evening, as soon as there is moonshine, we become very much satisfied. All days labor and fatigue is immediately moved. So nitai-pada-kamala, the shade of Nityananda Prabhu's lotus feet, is koti-candra-susitala, as pleasing as one crore of moonshine. One moonshine gives us so much pleasure. So if we want actually peace of mind, if we actually want to be free from this material fatiguement, then we must take the shelter of Nityananda Prabhu.

Nityananda Prabhu is the strength, spiritual strength. And without spiritual strength you cannot approach Krishna. Nayamatma pravaca... Simply by talking nonsense... Nayamatma pravacanena labhyah. If you are a good speaker, that does not mean you'll understand, yourself. Na medhaya: Neither by good brain. Because you have got very good brain you'll understand Krishna-no. Nayamatma pravacanena labhyo na medhaya na bahuna srutena. If you think that you are a very good scholar, university degree-holder, then you'll understand-no. This is not possible.

So we must have spiritual strength. That source of spiritual strength is Balarama, Krishna's next manifestation, prakasa- vigraha. Krishna is manifesting Himself through Balarama. So we have to take shelter of Nityananda Prabhu."


So I have been praying to my deities, to Lord Balarama, to give me spiritual strength. And for the first time in a long time I feel sincere. Or perhaps not sincere, but desperate. Desperate for the strength I need to be sincere. To be enthusiastic. To face the obstacles that stand in the way of being more involved here in this new country and emerge a better devotee for it.

And finally, I feel like I have cried out loudly enough that Krsna has heard me.

After attending Yamuna Jivana and Siobhan's wedding at the Toronto temple on Sunday, too tired to dance, I sat down and enjoyed Bhaktimarga Swami's kirtan.

Mother Caitanya Devi, a sweet, sweet devotee, came up to and put something in my hand. A piece of bark. I looked up at her, a little confused.

"It's from Ekacakra," she shouted over the kirtan. "Lord Nityananda's birthplace." Then she smiled and gave me a few pebbles.

I was awestruck. A small piece of bark and some stones - all I needed to feel re-inspired.

Of course I have a long way to go, but this was just the boost my spiritual life needed.

I am eternally grateful to Lord Nityananda and His dear devotee, Mother Caitanya devi for their kindness.I pray that I may become stronger and stronger in my spiritual life and be truly worthy of the Lords' mercy.

Dear Srila Prabhupada...please may I hold on to your dhoti?

At the end of one lecture Srila Prabhupada told the devotees, "If you become 90% Krishna conscious, you will go back home, back to Godhead." Looking out into his audience, he saw that the devotees looked crestfallen. So then he said, "If you become 80% Krishna conscious, you will go back home, back to Godhead." Still the devotees expressed doubt that theycould become even 80% Krishna conscious. So then Srila Prabhupada said, "Ok,70%," and then the devotees responded with a big Jaya! But as Srila Prabhupada was returning to his quarters, another devotee expressed concern that he would not be able to become even 70% Krishna conscious. So then Prabhupada said, "Ok, you just hold on to my dhoti. I have the key to the back door."

Narrated by His Holiness Giriraja Maharaja

Matchless Gift

In a city this big, in a room that small, His Divine Grace started a movement that would sweep over not just that particular city, state, country or continent, but the whole entire world.

Going to New York City over the holidays was an overwhelming experience. The number of streets, the number of people, the number of cabs and cars...its truly a lesson in insignificance. It makes you realise that Srila Prabhupada had to have been a very, very special person, with a a very valuable, valuable message if he got people to stop and take notice.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!!