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Post by Ramdas on Feb 16, 2020 12:39:49 GMT -6
The recent accelerated melting of ice sheets is nothing short of extremely alarming. We have 2 unlimited energy resources to replace all others: The energy from the sun and the magma layer in the earth's crust. So far techonology is only harnessing the sun's energy to a very limited degree. It is not exactly high tech to drill down to harness that source under the earth's surface. All that nuclear power plants do is heat water to get steam to spin turbines to generate electricity. The earth's magma (which is visible as lava in active volcanoes) does not generate spent fuel rods that have to be carefully buried underground to contain the radiation still in them. Wind power is a resource, but is dependent on the wind. Nuclear fusion is ideal, but at this point too expensive. If we don't do something and quick, then if the ice sheets all melt, desertification on a mass scale and people shrinking in size over time is a very real prospect. Is it in our hands now, or does BP just describe our fate irrespective of what we try to do to avoid it?
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Post by Ldd on Feb 16, 2020 14:10:21 GMT -6
There are one hundred sixty children living with a disease called old age. Yesterday one child of three died from it. BP predictions are true: The time will come when humans will be the size of a thumb and live for one year. (exaggeration but something like that)
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Post by Nitaidas on Feb 18, 2020 19:35:38 GMT -6
Kanupriya Goswami simply says sakti-tattva. That passage is a bit ahead of where I am in the book ( Nama-cintamani) at present. He may clarify it more later. I was a bit surprised, though, and it does make sense in terms of describing just bahiranga-sakti. I thought it would be an interesting meditation on the ontological status of Radha's names. Siddha Manohar das Babaji makes the point that Krsna loves to hear the names of his bhaktas more than his own names. That is in the first few verses of Baba's Vaisnava-vandana. He also cites support for that view from our acaryas. He doesn't anywhere, as far as I can tell, say the gopis are their names in his Gopinamaratnamala, but it may be implied. That needs more study. There are many subtle considerations here. Certainly Radhika is part of many of Krsna's names, Radharamana, for instance. And when Mahaprabhu says that Krsna has injected all of his powers in his holy names, doesn't that imply that Radha is there in Krsna's names? An interesting question, possibly most useful as a way to keep both Radha and Krsna in our minds.  Yes, I agree, that was just the impresión I got from reading his statements in the ‘Awakening’ section (p.xxxix), I'm looking forward to see what else he says. Actually, this reminded me of something in the Foreword by P. Tarkabhusan (p. xiv), about the distinctive traits of the eternal names of the lord: “All objects have names. Objects can be roughly divided into three categories: 1) dull matter, 2) living beings, and 3) the supreme lord. Among them the supreme lord’s name in not different from the supreme lord. The other names are different from the objects named [this is what I think Kanupriya Goswami is referring to]. There is something more to be said on this matter. The supreme lord has so many modern names that are not mentioned in the scriptures. All those names are different from the eternal or scripture-evidenced names in that a modern name brings about the goal of human life by causing the one named to be remembered. But, when repeating an eternal name there is no need for remembering. Whether one remembers the one named or not, uttering the name alone brings about the highest human objective. There is such power in the eternal names of the lord.
Apart from this, there are other distinguishing traits of the immortal names of the lord. Take for instance this: 1) when one repeats other names, that is, when one repeats any name apart from the eternal names of the lord, since the name is different from the one named, remembering the one named only brings about some desired worldly objective. Or, if, even though one repeats the names of others, one agrees with the philosophy that “all names are the names of the lord,” then it is possible to achieve the highest goal. Nevertheless, in that case, it is still by means of remembering the lord that one achieves the highest goal of human life. In contrast, by repeating the names of the lord himself, without depending on remembering the one named (i.e., the lord), one will be cultivating the highest goal of human life in the form of bhakti.”Radha and Krsna would be both eternal names in this sense, sharing the same nature rādhā kṛṣṇa-praṇaya-vikṛtir hlādinī śaktir asmād
ekātmānāv api bhuvi purā deha-bhedaṁ gatau tau
caitanyākhyaṁ prakaṭam adhunā tad-dvayaṁ caikyam āptaṁ
rādhā-bhāva-dyuti-suvalitaṁ naumi kṛṣṇa-svarūpam
rādhā-kṛṣṇa eka ātmā, dui deha dhari’
anyonye vilase rasa āsvādana kari’(CC. Adi lila 4.55-56) I think this is why Prabhodananda Saraswati says: यज्जप्तं सकृदेव गोकुलपतेराकर्षकं तत्क्षणाद् यत्र प्रेमवतां समस्तपूरुषार्थेषु स्फुरेत् तुच्छता। यन्नामाङ्कितमन्त्रजापनपरः प्रीत्या स्वयं माधवः श्रीकृष्णोऽपि तदद्भुतं स्फुरतु मे राधेति वर्णद्वयम्॥ yaj japtaṁ sakṛd eva gokula-pater ākarṣakaṁ tat-kṣaṇād yatra premavatāṁ samasta-pūruṣārtheṣu sphuret tucchatā | yan-nāmāṅkita-mantra-jāpana-paraḥ prītyā svayaṁ mādhavaḥ śrī-kṛṣṇo’pi tad adbhutaṁ sphuratu me rādheti varṇa-dvayam || May these two letters of Radha's wondrous name
become manifest for me:
This name, which on being muttered
immediately attracts the Lord of Gokula,
which would make all the goals of human life
seem as nothing to the loving premika,
and the mantra composed of which name
Krishna Madhava himself
is dedicated to chanting with love.कालिन्दीतटकुञ्जमन्दिरगतो योगीन्द्रवद्यत्पद ज्योतिर्ध्यानपरः सदा जपति यां प्रेमाश्रुपूर्णो हरिः। केनाप्यद्भुतमुल्लसद्रतिरसानन्देन सम्मोहितः सा राधेति सदा हृदि स्फुरतु मे विद्या परा द्व्यक्षरा॥ kālindī-taṭa-kuñja-mandira-gato yogīndravad yat-pada- jyotir-dhyāna-paraḥ sadā japati yāṁ premāśru-pūrṇo hariḥ | kenāpy adbhutam ullasad-rati-rasānandena sammohitaḥ sā rādheti sadā hṛdi sphuratu me vidyā parā dvy-akṣarā || Hari goes to the forest bower abode by the Yamuna's banks,
and there, like a great yogi with eyes full of tears,
devotedly meditating on the light from her lotus feet,
enchanted by some amazing excited joy of erotic flavors,
he constantly chants that two-syllable mantra rā-dhā.
May those two syllables manifest always in my heart.देवानाम् अथ भक्तमुक्तसुहृदाम् अत्यन्तदूरं च यत् प्रेमानन्दरसं महासुखकरं चोच्चारितं प्रेमतः। प्रेम्णाकर्णयते जपत्यथ मुदा गायत्यथालिष्व् अयं जल्पत्यश्रुमुखो हरिस्तदमृतं राधेति मे जीवनम्॥ devānām atha bhakta-mukta-suhṛdām atyanta-dūraṁ ca yat premānanda-rasaṁ mahā-sukha-karaṁ coccāritaṁ premataḥ | premṇākarṇayate japaty atha mudā gāyaty athāliṣv ayaṁ jalpaty aśru-mukho haris tad amṛtaṁ rādheti me jīvanam || This name that is so far from the experience of the gods,
[Vaikuntha] devotees, liberated souls and Krishna's friends.
This name, which upon being chanted with love,
confers the ultimate joy of tasting the bliss of prema.
It is this name that Hari listens to lovingly,
sometimes murmurs, sometimes joyfully sings aloud,
and chatters incessantly among Radha's sakhis,
his face covered with tears.The nectar of Radha's name is my life.(RRSN 95-97, trans. by Jagadananda Das) Aside from this, another thing I thought about was what Jiva Goswami says: “Yet, even a person who is so resolved needs to chant specific names of Bhagavān that nourish his or her particular devotional mood. By singing the names of Bhagavān that are dear to him [that are in accordance with his or her specific devotional mood], he or she acquires deep love for Bhagavān (anurāga).
Follow that alone does the devotee's heart melt, and this then gives rise to a variety of different corresponding emotions, exhibited externally in the form of laughter, tears and so on”(Bhakti Sandarbha, Anu. 263, trans. by Jagadananda Das) Mani Babu expands on this last point, quoting Visvanatha, who recommends the kirtana of the names that fit one's own type of bhakti, including those of Gaura and Radha for those following in the madhurya path ( Nectar of the Holy Name, Blazing Saphire Press 2005, chapter 1, p.8) Thanks, Ed, for all these lovely quotations. Even if the question is not quite resolved, reading through the citations you have presented is uplifting and bhakti-engendering. I have looked ahead in Kanupriya's Nama-cintamani and yet have not located where he discusses the status of Radha's name. Hopefully, it is there somewhere. I am mostly focusing on the first chapter of the book where Goswamiji sets the ground rules for the rest of the volume. I will be posting my translation of that chapter soon. Sadly, none of the texts you have cited say clearly that Radha is her name in the same way that Krsna is his. Krsna's tears at repeating Radha's name could be the result of remembering her, smarana, and/or the strong longing for someone who is not personally present, i.e., vipralambha or viraha. That is the most powerful emotion, the deepest feeling of love. I have often wondered if the belief that we will one day be with Krsna is a far too facile understanding of what lies ahead for us. The idea of serving him and Radha in a kunja for eternity as manjaris is a story made up by kind-hearted Vaisnavas to ease us into a deeper truth that involves an eternal condition of love-in-separation for Krsna. We are guided to a condition of deep love for Krsna in which his presence or absence becomes irrelevant. We reach a state of true selflessness that goes beyond even wanting only to give him pleasure, for in wanting to give him pleasure one still thinks of oneself as an agent, a doer, an ego, and in giving pleasure to someone it is impossible not to burden that person with an obligation to you. The roots of selfishness run deep. Vipralambha may be the only cure. |
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Post by Ramdas on Feb 19, 2020 17:42:55 GMT -6
Is that a made up story, or truly a revelation that was not previously disclosed in any texts like BP?
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Post by Nitaidas on Feb 19, 2020 18:45:31 GMT -6
Is that a made up story, or truly a revelation that was not previously disclosed in any texts like BP? What do you think, baba? |
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Post by Ramdas on Feb 19, 2020 22:10:01 GMT -6
Perhaps what I think does not matter to other people. If one can enter into the nitya-lilas in their siddha deha, then I would have to say that is proof of concept.
Getting back to the topic of this thread: I think maybe we should want RK to be where they are most needed, and maybe that is India right now, considering that India as a country is the biggest culprit in generating carbon emissions contributing to global warming. It brings to mind the sloka in the Gita about those 'engaged in horrible works meant to destroy the world'.
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Post by Nitaidas on Feb 20, 2020 0:10:24 GMT -6
Perhaps what I think does not matter to other people. If one can enter into the nitya-lilas in their siddha deha, then I would have to say that is proof of concept. Getting back to the topic of this thread: I think maybe we should want RK to be where they are most needed, and maybe that is India right now, considering that India as a country is the biggest culprit in generating carbon emissions contributing to global warming. It brings to mind the sloka in the Gita about those 'engaged in horrible works meant to destroy the world'. Well it matters to me. Otherwise, why would I ask you? Even if someone claims to have entered nitya-lila how do we know they really have? Of course, those who really enter it would never brag about it. I think that the astakaliya texts are beautiful poetic constructions meant for us to inhabit while our bhakti-seeds are fructifying and growing. They are a kind of literary architecture made of mind for us bhakti-children to live in while we grow. They are made with love by advanced bhaktas to nourish the young and help them cultivate and eventually experience bhakti-rasa, which is just prema being tasted or enjoyed. Once we excel at that we become purna, complete, lacking in nothing. That is why Sanatana Goswami names his last chapter in the first part of the Brhad-bhagavatamrta "Purna." See what happens there. I don't think Indians care about Radha and Krsna anymore. They are are so busy ape-ing the West who among them cares anymore about the real jewels of their tradition? If we succeed in stealing them away, they won't even notice they are gone. I am counting on you to put a rush on developing your Krsna-prema. Can't do it alone bro. We don't need to go out and chat people up or preach or do any of that baloney. That was all IGM misdirection. Our only business is to cultivate Krsna-prema in our hearts and Radha and Krsna won't be able to restrain themselves. Let's step it up. You know you and I don't have much longer on this planet. We've got to bring our A game. And no to mantra jap- |
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Post by Nityānanda dāsa on Feb 20, 2020 7:55:55 GMT -6
Well it matters to me. Otherwise, why would I ask you? Even if someone claims to have entered nitya-lila how do we know they really have? Of course, those who really enter it would never brag about it. I think that the astakaliya texts are beautiful poetic constructions meant for us to inhabit while our bhakti-seeds are fructifying and growing. They are a kind of literary architecture made of mind for us bhakti-children to live in while we grow. They are made with love by advanced bhaktas to nourish the young and help them cultivate and eventually experience bhakti-rasa, which is just prema being tasted or enjoyed. Once we excel at that we become purna, complete, lacking in nothing. That is why Sanatana Goswami names his last chapter in the first part of the Brhad-bhagavatamrta "Purna." See what happens there. I don't think Indians care about Radha and Krsna anymore. They are are so busy ape-ing the West who among them cares anymore about the real jewels of their tradition? If we succeed in stealing them away, they won't even notice they are gone. I am counting on you to put a rush on developing your Krsna-prema. Can't do it alone bro. We don't need to go out and chat people up or preach or do any of that baloney. That was all IGM misdirection. Our only business is to cultivate Krsna-prema in our hearts and Radha and Krsna won't be able to restrain themselves. Let's step it up. You know you and I don't have much longer on this planet. We've got to bring our A game. And no to mantra jap- I don't understand the "And no to mantra jap-" can you elaborate please? |
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Post by Nitaidas on Feb 20, 2020 11:52:42 GMT -6
Well it matters to me. Otherwise, why would I ask you? Even if someone claims to have entered nitya-lila how do we know they really have? Of course, those who really enter it would never brag about it. I think that the astakaliya texts are beautiful poetic constructions meant for us to inhabit while our bhakti-seeds are fructifying and growing. They are a kind of literary architecture made of mind for us bhakti-children to live in while we grow. They are made with love by advanced bhaktas to nourish the young and help them cultivate and eventually experience bhakti-rasa, which is just prema being tasted or enjoyed. Once we excel at that we become purna, complete, lacking in nothing. That is why Sanatana Goswami names his last chapter in the first part of the Brhad-bhagavatamrta "Purna." See what happens there. I don't think Indians care about Radha and Krsna anymore. They are are so busy ape-ing the West who among them cares anymore about the real jewels of their tradition? If we succeed in stealing them away, they won't even notice they are gone. I am counting on you to put a rush on developing your Krsna-prema. Can't do it alone bro. We don't need to go out and chat people up or preach or do any of that baloney. That was all IGM misdirection. Our only business is to cultivate Krsna-prema in our hearts and Radha and Krsna won't be able to restrain themselves. Let's step it up. You know you and I don't have much longer on this planet. We've got to bring our A game. And no to mantra jap- I don't understand the "And no to mantra jap-" can you elaborate please? It should have been "now" to mantra jap. Sorry, it was late. |
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Post by Ramdas on Feb 20, 2020 15:54:38 GMT -6
It was just a general comment, considering how rarely (practically never) anyone asks me for my opinion on anything. If someone enters the nitya-lila, how could anyone else know that unless they themselves also entered it?
Asta-kala lila as some sort of template for sadhana is an interesting idea, undoubtedly. However, in the CC, the position of the manjaris in the yoga-pitha is spelled out quite clearly, or was that some mistranslation?
Re: 'Stepping it up'
I haven't a clue as to how to accelerate progress. The sadhana has already been prescribed. If you are advocating for spending all one's waking hours in mantra-japa, then I think you have a very important point there. I personally am not in a position to do anything like that, nor am I inclined to try to live the austere lifestyle of the babajis, because I know I would just fail in short order, and I have past experience with that. Now, what our Baba recommended to me personally was increasing the number of Gopal and Kama-gayatri mantras daily on the 2nd japa mala just for that purpose (not the mala used for maha-mantra japa).
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Post by Ramdas on Feb 20, 2020 17:42:14 GMT -6
If this is to be a successful burglary, we need a plan:
1) To get past security without tripping any alarms
2) To get them out without being detected
3) Someone to drive the getwaway car
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Post by Nitaidas on Feb 21, 2020 11:59:16 GMT -6
If this is to be a successful burglary, we need a plan: 1) To get past security without tripping any alarms 2) To get them out without being detected 3) Someone to drive the getwaway car No, baba. In this case we are building a great, super powerful magnet call bhakti. Radha and Krsna sneak past their own security, perhaps make them fall asleep or something. They will drive their own getaway car and when they arrive they will knock down the door to get in. Bhakti has that kind of power over the lovelies. It will be the perfect crime. The loving couple will steal themselves to come to us. But, we need that magnet. Right now we could not attract a Salagram sila from a cup of water sitting directly in front of us. Let's go bro. Can't depend on Jagadish. He's off in lalaland. It is up to you and me and Lalita and whoever else is a bearer of the seed on this site to cultivate. We got to get those who don't have the seed yet initiated somehow so that they can help us. |
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Post by Nitaidas on Feb 21, 2020 12:16:43 GMT -6
It was just a general comment, considering how rarely (practically never) anyone asks me for my opinion on anything. If someone enters the nitya-lila, how could anyone else know that unless they themselves also entered it? Asta-kala lila as some sort of template for sadhana is an interesting idea, undoubtedly. However, in the CC, the position of the manjaris in the yoga-pitha is spelled out quite clearly, or was that some mistranslation? Re: 'Stepping it up' I haven't a clue as to how to accelerate progress. The sadhana has already been prescribed. If you are advocating for spending all one's waking hours in mantra-japa, then I think you have a very important point there. I personally am not in a position to do anything like that, nor am I inclined to try to live the austere lifestyle of the babajis, because I know I would just fail in short order, and I have past experience with that. Now, what our Baba recommended to me personally was increasing the number of Gopal and Kama-gayatri mantras daily on the 2nd japa mala just for that purpose (not the mala used for maha-mantra japa). The author of the Govinda lilamrta clearly labels his text mano-seva, that means mental practice. The poetry helps us create that world in our minds, but it is not the real, transcendent world. We can't really even say that it resembles that world or that that world really exists. It is just as likely that once the process is complete and one has become purna we experience something entirely different. We become truly atmarama, not phony atmaramas like those mentioned in the Bhagavata who have no Krsna-prema. Possessing Krsna-prema is the fullest state of atmarama possible. No. One does not need to become a Baba to develop Krsna-prema. Householders are just as qualified. I think Siddha Manohar Baba, left us a gift. Just a hunch, but it is something to try. I will talk more about this later, but it involves his Vaisnava-vandana for the development of bhakti and his Gopinamaratnamala for the cultivation of bhakti/prema like that of the Gopis. |
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Post by Nityānanda dāsa on Feb 21, 2020 12:18:00 GMT -6
I like this idea!!! What are your recommendations?! My strategy thus far has been: (1) to do sadhana - mantra japa primarily, but reading also. (2) try to meet different prospective gurus. (3) Some of whom I've asked for diksa. In the first case, he (Kishore Rai Goswami) left for nitya lila without giving me diksa. In the second case the answer was no. I will likely ask again from Birchand Goswami. The worst that can happen is another no. Maybe it's a test. Maybe not. I did really like spending time with Srivatsa Goswami in Vrindavan, although it was brief. Somehow I am feeling more of a pull to receive diksa in the Nityananda Parivar, but again, who knows until it happens? I've received the impression from some that they would be quick to give me diksa, like the baba in charge of Siddha Manohar Baba's place. But he's young and I'm not feeling it. Also when I went to Siddha Tinkodi Baba's temple in Navadvip, they also asked me if I wanted diksa, which I politely declined. Seems that if someone is that quick to give diksa, it's probably not the best person to take it from. Yet I'm at a serious disadvantage living in the USA. After the next trip to India I'll be lucky if I can get back there once a year. It doesn't make for a very conducive situation to be able to develop a relationship. Even more so if there's a language barrier. So maybe it would be good to take up a spontaneous offer for diksa. But even with that, I'm sure there are some minimally important things to understand before diksa, like a valid parampara for example. Anyway... we'll see what happens. Jai Gaur! Jai Nitai! |
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Post by Nitaidas on Feb 21, 2020 13:24:59 GMT -6
Re: 'Stepping it up' I haven't a clue as to how to accelerate progress. The sadhana has already been prescribed. If you are advocating for spending all one's waking hours in mantra-japa, then I think you have a very important point there. I personally am not in a position to do anything like that, nor am I inclined to try to live the austere lifestyle of the babajis, because I know I would just fail in short order, and I have past experience with that. Now, what our Baba recommended to me personally was increasing the number of Gopal and Kama-gayatri mantras daily on the 2nd japa mala just for that purpose (not the mala used for maha-mantra japa). The major flaw in my sadhana is inattentiveness. Sometimes I will finish all my mantras and not be sure that I have really done them all. Did I skip the Gadadhara mantra? Did I really do all of the Nityananda mantra? I have caught myself doing two repetitions of the Guru mantra and suddenly switching to the Guru gayatri. So one thing is to become fully attentive to the mantra as one recites them in one's mind. If your mind wanders, pull it back. Buddhist vipassana is a good practice for this. I learned this in Boulder at a weekend session of sitting focusing only on the breath. When the mind wanders, touch the thought and let it go. Bring the mind back to the mantra. Gradually I find that I am able to focus much better on the mantra and be sure be the end that I have been aware of every syllable. Set aside time for Harinama japa, time for mantra jap, and time for kirtan. Those are the three pillars of sadhana for us and we can throw in some reading. Have you read the Tattva-sandarbha lately, or one of Rupa's plays or the Bhaktirasamrta-sindhu or Brhad-bhagavatamrta? Here I am approaching the end of my life and there are so many CV classics that I have not read. My guess would be that I have read 5% of our CV works. How can one pass into the great unknown not having read most of these delights? It is like living in a sweet shop and not eating any of the sweets. You can read Bengali and I suppose some Sanskrit. Read bro read! Read for your own edification, no need to translate, but share your insights as they arise with the rest of us. |
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