Dear all devotee's,
Namaskar. I have born into a spiritual family. My late grandfather used to do lot of Pooja and chanting on beads. Even my father does lot of chanting. He remembers lot of mantra's. And, I also used to chant mantra's in my childhood but without understanding the subtle meaning. I was doing as I was told to do so. Eventually, I lost interest later and stopped as I could not get connected to it.
There was a lot of religious literature I have read during my early age. It fascinated me but seemed far from reality. And, later due to survival pressure, got more into other professional studies and started finding happiness in material things. Recently, I was undergoing lot of mental problems due to some disturbance at my work place. I was trying hard but things were not happening my way. It forced me look other way. There was something which was controlling everything. Fortunately, I started thinking on spiritual terms. On mind power, mental strength etc. My colleague introduced me to ISKCON. There I saw a very educated devotee, conducting a workshop on "Self discovery". It was a 7 days seminar and it totally changed my outlook. It forced to me think that this devotee who could have all material comforts in life ( He was serving in USA) but he abondoned all and returned to India and now living in Vrindavan with his family. There must be something which I am not able to see. My childhood memories revived. I understood the messages of all the teachings I had undergone. The meaning of beads, power of mantral's. The bigger picture of myself, soul, universe etc.
Now, I have adopted this way of living, atleast I am trying to be. I chant "Hare Krishna" mantra. I just don't count, I try to connect with GOD, with myself, I try that every word I mutter is heard in my ears. I get the internal happiness. A sort of sweet shivering inside. It is actually helping me in the mind control. A tool I was longing for a while.
But I have a different outlook on GOD now. We all are similar to a frog who is living in the well. My vision is limited to my intelligence and perspective only. I am an Indian so I think GOD must be looking like INDIAN. Similary a Chinese, an American, a Japanese would be thinking on the same terms. But GOD is one. One to all. He may have many forms. Like there are numerous rivers in this world, in different countries, but all fall in one place, OCEAN. GOD is like Ocean and we all must gear to merge with OCEAN. Our existence is dependent on water so all these scientists searching water in the universe. They think where there is water there is life. They can't think beyond that Sounds similar to that frog, right? An intelligent species but not more than frog in the well.
Name of Krishna is a river for me, with whom I get connected, associated, will take me to this vast OCEAN where I will be able to enjoy everlasting happiness, devoid of this material world.
Please don't misunderstand me. Spirituality is a very personal subject but I have shared my feellings.
Regards
Lokesh Sharma
Replies
hare krsna prabhu
all glories to srila prabhupada
the way you have discovered yourself is fabulous ,i must appreciate your intelligence ...awesome.now ,this process of chanting the hare krsna maha mantra you have started is the only way to reach or elevate your self to god realization after self discovery. this process is a gradual one and will take time.its not a conclusive process.., which says hey look i have found him(god)!!..not at all. because if you are able to see the unlimited god here with your limited senses believe me its not him . this mantra is for developing those limited senses gradually to REALIZE him with your available sense perception.hence its called krishna conciousness and not krsna vision.because you dont have the vision to see him for that matter neither of us have it hence he appears to us in the form of archa vigraha in the temple and in the kaliyuga he incarnates himself in the form of his names hara,krsna and rama.but if you already conclude him to be a river flowing to the ocean and say thats the end of it then he makes sure that you dont get any further realization of him and remain stagnant with the happiness or probably a sweet shivering inside. but KRSNA is not just that. he is much more .this is just the beginning of your realization and don't come to conclusions please. keep chanting without any conclusions and expectations you will have soon many things to note about him. devotees who are chanting since 35yrs are still finding new qualities in him because he is ananta,means unending.
sri chaitanya mahaprabhu says:
trnaäd api sunicena taror api sahishnuna amäninä mänadena kirtanéyah sadä harih
One should chant the holy name of the Lord in a humble state of mind, thinking oneself lower than the straw in the street; one should be more tolerant than a tree, devoid of all sense of false prestige, and should be ready to offer all respect to others. In such a state of mind one can chant the holy name of the Lord constantly.
srila prabhupada will be happy that you have taken to this process and krsna will certainly guide you but please do not rush.that happiness that you are thinking to be a river is the cause of all causes and there is no ocean that can hold its potencies.
thank you
hare krsna.
Hare Krishna,
Thanks your sir. I agree that it is a ver slow process and I have just started to touching the water. There is a long way to go. Lot of discipline is required. The battle is inside but outside also. I feel inside can be won but would be difficult to be won with outside senses. But I have realized and working on it, while discharging my other wordly obligations as well.
I cannot dare to compare GOD with a river. I am comparing GOD with ocean with my limited senses and Krishna is the name or a form I get connected. So, for me Krishna is GOD. Thats what i meant.
Thanks you Sir.
Hare Krishna.
hare krsna prabhu
plz accept my humble obeisances
sorry for misunderstanding you completely. this shows that how imperfect my senses are. plz accept my apologies.
thank you
haribol