LORD RAMA APPEARANCE - RAMA NAVAMI

This  is  very sweet  and  necterian    LORD  RAMA  KATHA  ....



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Srī Caitanya Caritamṛta Madhya 19.160

seka-jala pāñā upaśākhā bāḍi' yāya

stabdha  hañā  mūla-śākhā bāḍite nā pāya

SYNONYMS

seka-jala — sprinkling water; pāñā — getting; upaśākhā — the unwanted creepers; bāḍi' yāya — grow luxuriantly; stabdha hañā — becoming stopped; mūla-śākhā — the chief creeper; bāḍite — to increase; nā pāya — is not able.

                                                        TRANSLATION

"If one does not distinguish between the bhakti creeper and the other creepers, the sprinkling of water is misused because the other creepers are nourished while the bhakticreeper is curtailed.

PURPORT

If one chants the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra while committing offenses, these unwanted creepers will grow. One should not take advantage of chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra for some material profit. As mentioned in verse 159:

'niṣiddhācāra', 'kuṭīnāṭī', 'jīva-hiḿsana'

'lābha', 'pūjā', 'pratiṣṭhādi' yata upaśākhā-gaṇa

The unwanted creepers have been described by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura. He states that if one hears and chants without trying to give up offenses, one becomes materially attached to sense gratification. One may also desire freedom from material bondage like the Māyāvādīs, or one may become attached to the yoga-siddhis and desire wonderful yogic powers. If one is attached to wonderful material activities, one is called siddhi-lobhī, greedy for material perfection. One may also be victimized by diplomatic or crooked behavior, or one may associate with women for illicit sex. One may make a show of devotional service like the prākṛta-sahajiyās, or one may try to support his philosophy by joining some caste or identifying himself with a certain dynasty, claiming a monopoly on spiritual advancement. Thus with the support of family tradition, one may become a pseudo guru, or so-called spiritual master. One may become attached to the four sinful activities — illicit sex, intoxication, gambling and meat-eating — or one may consider aVaiṣṇava to belong to a mundane caste or creed. One may think, "This is a Hindu Vaiṣṇava, and this is a European Vaiṣṇava. European Vaiṣṇavas are not allowed to enter the temples." In other words, one may consider Vaiṣṇavas in terms of birth, thinking one a brāhmaṇa Vaiṣṇava, another a śūdra Vaiṣṇava, another a mleccha Vaiṣṇava and so on. One may also try to carry out a professional business by means of chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra or reading Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, or one may try to increase his monetary strength by illegal means. Also, one may become a cheap Vaiṣṇava by trying to chant in a secluded place for material adoration, or one may desire mundane reputation by making compromises with nondevotees concerning one's philosophy or spiritual life, or one may become a supporter of a hereditary caste system. All these are pitfalls of personal sense gratification. Just to cheat some innocent people, one makes a show of advanced spiritual life and becomes known as a sādhu, mahātmā or religious person. All this means that the so-called devotee has become victimized by all these unwanted creepers and that the real creeper, the bhakti-latā, has been stunted.

The Indestructible Fame and Glory of the Vaisnava

Vaisnava-data, the full life history, pastimes and glorification of a dear devotee of Krsna, Vaisnava Thakura, our revered spiritual master Sri Srimad A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupadji Maharaja. One should understand a Vaisnava never dies; a Vaisnava has no birth or death like an ordinary jiva. He is not an ordinary jiva. He has no birth, no death; he is beyond birth and death. He appears and disappears as the Supreme Lord appears and disappears, similarly his dear devotee, Vaisnava Thakura, he appears and disappears.

na karma-bandhanah janma
vaisnavanah ca vidyate
visnur anucaratvam hi
moksam ahur manisinah
(Hari-Bhakti-Vilasa, 10.113)

“A Vaisnava does not take birth under the jurisdiction of karmic law. His birth and disappearance are transcendental. The wise have declared that the servants of Visnu are eternally engaged in the liberated service of the Lord and hence are free from the laws of material nature.”

Srila Sanatana Goswami has quoted this verse in his book the Hari-Bhakti-Vilasa. The Vaisnavas have no birth and no death and no bondage of karma. They are the dear servants of Lord Visnu, therefore they are not ordinary human beings. They never take birth and they never die as ordinary human beings. One should not think like that. If one thinks in that way he will commit a great aparadha, a great offense. They appear and disappear in the same way the Supreme Lord and His innumerable incarnations appears and disappear. The appearance and disappearance day of a Vaisnava is as auspicious as the appearance day of the Supreme Lord. These holy appearance days give us an opportunity to glorify them. A Vaisnava is always to be glorified. He has left indestructible fame and glory here. His fame is not only chanted in the material world, it is also chanted in the spiritual world. His glories are chanted everywhere. One who glorifies such a Vaisnava gets the mercy of that Vaisnava, and then his good fortune arises.

SRI GOPAL AND THE POT OF MILK

A Story About Simplicity and Faith

In a small village far on the other side of the jungle, one boy and his mother were there. She only had one son, a five year, six year old son. They were very poor. The son had attained his sixth year crossing the fifth year. Chanaka Pandit says, "Up until five years you maintain and take care of your child, son, but when he attains the sixth year, then you will have to send him to the school for education. The rod is required, spare the rod and spoil the child."

That period had come, so mother thought, "Oh, I must send my son to the school now, he is six years old." The school is far, far away and some jungle is on the way. So she went and admitted her son to the school and then said, "Oh my boy, every day you go to school and get an education."

Following the path to school the boy went into the jungle. Tigers were there, lions were there, ferocious animals were there, all were roaring! This very young boy, six year old boy became afraid, terrified! He became terrified and afraid. Then coming back he said, "Mother in the jungle I was very much afraid, terrified! The lions were roaring, tigers were roaring, ferocious animals were there. Oh, how can I go to school?"

His Mother was completely Krishna conscious. She said, "Hey don't you know your friend Gopal is there?" Mother said, "Don't you know your friend Gopal. Why don't you call your friend Gopal? He will come and help you. Yes, He will come and help you. When you become afraid, you loudly call out, “Gopal! Gopal! Gopal! Please come! I am afraid!” Just call your friend and He will come."

So he immediately put faith in what mother had said, "Oh where is my friend Gopal?" His mother said, "You just call out to Him." He did just like that.

The next day when he went to school in the midst of the jungle he called out, "Oh Gopal! Gopal! Gopal! I am afraid, where are you? Please come to my side." Immediately Gopal appeared. "Yes my friend, what are you saying?" "Oh I am afraid!" Gopal said, "Why? Why? Why... the tigers? I am here, don't be afraid." So He went with the boy and helped him cross the jungle so he could go to school.

One day there was a festival planned at the school. They offer worship to Sri Ganesh and Sri Saraswati, Ganesh-puja, Saraswati-puja. In Indian schools they have special worship to the demigods, Ganesh-puja, Saraswati-puja because they will give you vidya, education and mudane knowledge. So that occassion was now coming for the children to worship Sri Ganeshji and Mother Saraswati.

The teachers there were levying some taxes on the students because a festival would be performed. The students were asked to bring from their parents some contribution but he was a poor boy. The teacher said, "Alright, you must give five rupees for the festival."

So he came back from school and asked his mother, "Mother, there is puja for Ganeshji and Sarasvati. The teacher said, I have to give five rupees. Please give me." They are poor, they have no money. She said, "There is no money, you ask your friend Gopal instead. Whatever you need, you ask your friend Gopal, He is ready to help you. You understand? You just ask Gopal. " So in the jungle he called out to his friend Gopal, "Oh Gopal! Gopal! Gopal!" Gopal came immediately.

"Yes my friend? What do you say?" The boy said, "Oh our teacher has said that on Ganesh-puja day we are levied five rupees. My mother said we are poor, we have no money, so please help." Gopal said, "On the festival day they are preparing and making a great feast, isn't it? Rice, dhal, sabji, khir - a grand feast! So ask your teacher, whatever milk is required for khir, I will give. If the teacher says, 'yes' then I will give to you, I will send it."

Back at school, the teacher said, "Have you brought money?" The boy replied, "No, my mother said we are very poor. We have no money, but I have my friend Gopal. He has told me to give the milk required for khir."

"Oh, you'll give such amount of milk? A very grand festival is being arranged, big, big handa (pots), at least five big pots of khir will be prepared. So much milk will be required, at least seventy five litres of milk will be required." The boy said, "Yes, my friend Gopal has said He will bring all the milk." The teacher said, "Alright, very good. Bring the milk on the puja.

So the puja day came and while he was going through the forest he called out, "Gopal! Gopal! Today is puja day, You are to give milk today. My teacher said, 'Bring all the milk for khir." So Gopal gave one small pot of milk. "Take this milk and give it to the teacher."

He was a simple boy, so he just took it and gave it to his teacher. His teacher said, "Hey, this is a small pot of milk you have brought. We require seventy five litres of milk, what is this? It is such a small pot!" The boy replied, "My friend Gopal has given the milk required, it will meet your requirement."

"O, achha! It will meet our requirement!?"
"Yes, this will meet your requirement."
"Seventy five litres is required, there is not even one litre in this pot, it is very small pot! Alright you pour it." The boy poured the milk from the pot. It is pouring, pouring and the pot is never becoming empty! It is pouring, pouring, pouring, and never becoming empty!

The teacher was amazed, "Oh amazing! This is so wonderful! Oh, you have such a friend! Hey, can I see your friend? Can I see your friend? Such a friend you have! And such a small pot of milk! Never becoming empty! Oh I want to see your friend." The boy said, "Alright teacher, I will ask my friend, 'My teacher wants to see You.' If He says, 'yes,' then I will take you to my friend."

So on returning home he called his friend Gopal. "Gopal, my teacher became amazed and she wants to see You." Gopal replied, "No, no, no, no! Your teacher cannot see me, she has no faith in Me."

Do you understand? This is a question of faith. This small boy immediately put faith, immediately put faith and he got, he got Gopal. Do you follow?

BHAGVAD-GITA 8.14

sri bhagvan uvaca
ananya-cetāḥ satataṁ
yo māṁ smarati nityaśaḥ
tasyāhaṁ sulabhaḥ pārtha
nitya-yuktasya yoginaḥ    

SYNONYMS

ananya-cetāḥ—without deviation of the mind; satatam—always; yaḥ—anyone who; mām—Me (Kṛṣṇa); smarati—remembers; nityaśaḥ—regularly; tasya—to him; aham—I am; su-labhaḥ—very easy to achieve; pārtha—O son of Pṛthā; nitya—regularly; yuktasya—engaged; yoginaḥ—for the devotee.

TRANSLATION

sri bhagvan  said    "For one who always remembers Me without deviation, I am easy to obtain, O son of Pṛthā, because of his constant engagement in devotional service".


PURPORT

This verse especially describes the final destination attained by the unalloyed devotees who serve the Supreme Personality of Godhead in bhakti-yoga. Previous verses have mentioned four different kinds of devotees—the distressed, the inquisitive, those who seek material gain, and the speculative philosophers. Different processes of liberation have also been described: karma-yoga, jñāna-yoga and haṭha-yoga. The principles of these yoga systems have some bhakti added, but this verse particularly mentions pure bhakti-yoga, without any mixture of jñāna, karma or haṭha. As indicated by the word ananya-cetāḥ, in pure bhakti-yoga the devotee desires nothing but Kṛṣṇa. A pure devotee does not desire promotion to heavenly planets, nor does he seek oneness with the brahmajyoti or salvation or liberation from material entanglement. A pure devotee does not desire anything. In the Caitanya-caritāmṛta the pure devotee is called niṣkāma, which means he has no desire for self-interest. Perfect peace belongs to him alone, not to them who strive for personal gain. Whereas a jñāna-yogī, karma-yogī or haṭha-yogī has his own selfish interests, a perfect devotee has no desire other than to please the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore the Lord says that for anyone who is unflinchingly devoted to Him, He is easy to attain.
A pure devotee always engages in devotional service to Kṛṣṇa in one of His various personal features. Kṛṣṇa has various plenary expansions and incarnations, such as Rāma and Nṛsiṁha, and a devotee can choose to fix his mind in loving service to any of these transcendental forms of the Supreme Lord. Such a devotee meets with none of the problems that plague the practitioners of other yogas. Bhakti-yoga is very simple and pure and easy to perform. One can begin simply by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. The Lord is merciful to all, but as we have already explained, He is especially inclined toward those who always serve Him without deviation. The Lord helps such devotees in various ways. As stated in the Vedas (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 1.2.23), yam evaiṣa vṛṇute tena labhyas/ tasyaiṣa ātmā vivṛṇute tanuṁ svām: one who is fully surrendered and engaged in the devotional service of the Supreme Lord can understand the Supreme Lord as He is. And as stated in Bhagavad-gītā (10.10), dadāmi buddhi-yogaṁ tam: the Lord gives such a devotee sufficient intelligence so that ultimately the devotee can attain Him in His spiritual kingdom.
The special qualification of the pure devotee is that he is always thinking of Kṛṣṇa without deviation and without considering the time or place. There should be no impediments. He should be able to carry out his service anywhere and at any time. Some say that the devotee should remain in holy places like Vṛndāvana or some holy town where the Lord lived, but a pure devotee can live anywhere and create the atmosphere of Vṛndāvana by his devotional service. It was Śrī Advaita who told Lord Caitanya, "Wherever You are, O Lord-there is Vṛndāvana."
As indicated by the words satatam and nityaśaḥ, which mean "always," "regularly," or "every day," a pure devotee constantly remembers Kṛṣṇa and meditates upon Him. These are qualifications of the pure devotee for whom the Lord is most easily attainable. Bhakti-yoga is the system that the Gītā recommends above all others. Generally, the bhakti-yogīs are engaged in five different ways: (1) śānta-bhakta, engaged in devotional service in neutrality; (2) dāsya-bhakta, engaged in devotional service as servant; (3) sakhya-bhakta, engaged as friend; (4) vātsalya-bhakta, engaged as parent; and (5) mādhurya-bhakta, engaged as conjugal lover of the Supreme Lord. In any of these ways, the pure devotee is always constantly engaged in the transcendental loving service of the Supreme Lord and cannot forget the Supreme Lord, and so for him the Lord is easily attained. A pure devotee cannot forget the Supreme Lord for a moment, and similarly the Supreme Lord cannot forget His pure devotee for a moment. This is the great blessing of the Kṛṣṇa conscious process of chanting the mahā-mantra—Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare.

SUNANDA GANDHARBA DIED TODAY

A story about accepting proper guru and guidance
and the requirements of a qualified disciple.
 
Flock of SheepThere is a logic, nyaya called gaddalika-srota-nyaya, the logic of the flock of sheep. Gaddalika means flock of sheep. You see, a flock of sheep is moving with one sheep at the head, the front, the leader. If leader jumps into a ditch, the whole flock of sheep will jump into ditch. They never go by the other way. So this has been going on. Nobody has been serious. "Oh yes, all accept him as Guru." All say, "He’s a first class devotee, paramahamsa," like that. "So they have all accepted him as Guru, so let me accept him as Guru." But you’re not seriously thinking, is it a true fact or not?

Let me tell you a funny story in this matter. Many acaryas tell this story. This is not my concoction, acaryas say. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura has told this story.

Sunanda GandharbaThere was a washerman and he washes clothes. He was the King's washerman. He washes the Kings' clothes and he also had an ass [donkey]. Generally washerman have asses. Asses are beasts of burden as they carry heavy loads. The washerman used to employ that ass to carry the dirty clothes for washing, you see. The washerman had this ass for a long period, many, many years. At last that ass grew old and died. That washerman had given the name Sunanda Gandharba to that ass, so the ass was known as Sunanda Gandharba you see.

So he thought, “Oh Sunanda Gandharba has died today so let me shave my head and have a dip in the holy water." So he shaved his head and had a dip. The priest of king saw the washerman had shaved his head. He asked, "Why have you shaved your head?" Then that washerman said, “Don’t you know, Sunanda Gandharba died today.”
“Oh, Sunanda Gandarbha died?”Washerman
“Oh yes.”
“So it is a very auspicious... an auspicious day?”
“Yes.”
“So let me shave.”
“Alright, you shave your head.”
So the priest of the King shaved his head. Then the minister of the King saw the priest had shaved his head. So he asked the priest, “Why have you shaved your head?”
Then the priest said, “Don’t you know? Sunanda Gandharba died today, it is very auspicious day, so I shaved my head.”
“Oh, is it? Auspicious day. . . .”
“Oh yes!”
“So let me shave my head,” the minister said.
“Alright, you shave your head.”
So the minister shaved his head. The King saw the minister had shaved his head. So King asked, “Why have you shaved your head?”
“Don’t you know? Sunanda Gandharba died today. Very auspicious day.”
So the King said, “Oh, shall I shave my head?”
“Alright, you shave.” So King shaved his head.

Maharani QueenThe Queen saw the King had shaved his head, so the Queen asked, “Why have you shaved your head? What happened to you? Why have you shaved?”
Then the King said, “Don’t you know? Sunanda Gandharba died today. It is an auspicious day, today.”
The Queen replied, “Who told you?”
The King said, “The minister told me.”
“Ask that minister to come to me.” So the minister came, then the Queen asked, “Why have you shaved your head?”
The minister replied, “Sunanda Gandharba died today.”
“Who told you?”
“The priest told me.”
“Ask that priest to come here."
So when the priest came, the Queen asked, "Oh, priest you have shaved your head, alright. Why have you shaved your head?”
The preist replied, “Sunanda Gandharba died today.”
“Who told you?”
The priest said, “The washerman told me.”
“Call that washerman.”
The washerman was called for, then Queen asked, “Washerman, who is that Sunanda Gandharba who died today? You have shaved your head and all are shaving their heads for Sunanda Gandharba? Who is he?”
He said, “Oh Queen, I had an ass... his name was Sunanda Gandharba, he died today.”

Therefore you see, an ass had died and all were shaving their heads. Nobody is inquiring who is Sunanda Gandharba? Why shall we shave our head? Do you understand the story? So this is going on, this is known as gaddalika-srota-nyaya, the head sheep in the front is jumping into the ditch and all are following without thinking. So this is like that.

In the spiritual field this [type of blind following] is not applicable at all. You should know it very clearly. This is never applicable. One should be very serious, one should be very inquisitive to understand it clearly. Do you understand? And Krsna will give you intelligence, yad yami buddhi yogam tam. In the Gita Krsna has said this, I’ll give him buddhi, intelligence. Pure intelligence comes from Krsna. Who is very serious about Krsna, to know Krsna, to understand Krsna. But nobody was serious, so this thing took place. Do you understand? So now you become serious. Pray to Krsna, Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Srila Prabhupada from the core of your heart and I have full belief, firm faith They must help you. Understand? Yes. They must help you. They will give you intelligence to know the person who is a bona fide Guru, you understand, Krsna will help you, definitely, Mahaprabhu will help you, Prabhupada must help you, he is so kind, you understand?

This is sastric injunction and it is practical, it’s quite practical. It is never concocted or theoretical speaking. I am not speaking theoretically, it’s practical. This is my practical experience. This is my practical experience how I could get my spiritual master. This is my practical experience, you see. So be serious and do not follow like the flock of sheep.

ATTAINING THE SUPREME ......

anta-kāle ca mām eva
smaran muktvā kalevaram
yaḥ prayāti sa mad-bhāvaṁ
yāti nāsty atra saṁśayaḥ   -  BG 8.5

TRANSLATION AND PURPORT

And whoever, at the end of his life, quits his body remembering Me alone at once attains My nature. Of this there is no doubt.

In this verse the importance of Kṛṣṇa consciousness is stressed. Anyone who quits his body in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is at once transferred to the transcendental nature of the Supreme Lord. The Supreme Lord is the purest of the pure. Therefore anyone who is constantly Kṛṣṇa conscious is also the purest of the pure. The word smaran ("remembering") is important. Remembrance of Kṛṣṇa is not possible for the impure soul who has not practiced Kṛṣṇa consciousness in devotional service. Therefore one should practice Kṛṣṇa consciousness from the very beginning of life. If one wants to achieve success at the end of his life, the process of remembering Kṛṣṇa is essential. Therefore one should constantly, incessantly chant the mahā-mantra—Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. Lord Caitanya has advised that one be as tolerant as a tree (taror iva sahiṣṇunā). There may be so many impediments for a person who is chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. Nonetheless, tolerating all these impediments, one should continue to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare, so that at the end of one's life one can have the full benefit of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.


yaṁ yaṁ vāpi smaran bhāvaṁ
tyajaty ante kalevaram
taṁ tam evaiti kaunteya
sadā tad-bhāva-bhāvitaḥ  - BG 8.6

TRANSLATION AND PURPORT

Whatever state of being one remembers when he quits his body, O son of Kuntī, that state he will attain without fail.

The process of changing one's nature at the critical moment of death is here explained. A person who at the end of his life quits his body thinking of Kṛṣṇa attains the transcendental nature of the Supreme Lord, but it is not true that a person who thinks of something other than Kṛṣṇa attains the same transcendental state. This is a point we should note very carefully. How can one die in the proper state of mind? Mahārāja Bharata, although a great personality, thought of a deer at the end of his life, and so in his next life he was transferred into the body of a deer. Although as a deer he remembered his past activities, he had to accept that animal body. Of course, one's thoughts during the course of one's life accumulate to influence one's thoughts at the moment of death, so this life creates one's next life. If in one's present life one lives in the mode of goodness and always thinks of Kṛṣṇa, it is possible for one to remember Kṛṣṇa at the end of one's life. That will help one be transferred to the transcendental nature of Kṛṣṇa. If one is transcendentally absorbed in Kṛṣṇa's service, then his next body will be transcendental (spiritual), not material. Therefore the chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare is the best process for successfully changing one's state of being at the end of one's life

tasmāt sarveṣu kāleṣu
mām anusmara yudhya ca
mayy arpita-mano-buddhir
mām evaiṣyasy asaṁśayaḥ   - BG 8.7

TRANSLATION AND PURPORT

Therefore, Arjuna, you should always think of Me in the form of Kṛṣṇa and at the same time carry out your prescribed duty of fighting. With your activities dedicated to Me and your mind and intelligence fixed on Me, you will attain Me without doubt.

This instruction to Arjuna is very important for all men engaged in material activities. The Lord does not say that one should give up his prescribed duties or engagements. One can continue them and at the same time think of Kṛṣṇa by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. This will free one from material contamination and engage the mind and intelligence in Kṛṣṇa. By chanting Kṛṣṇa's names, one will be transferred to the supreme planet, Kṛṣṇaloka, without a doubt.