How to study scriptures

Haribol,

Pamho, AgtSp

As a new aspiring devotee I wandered how best to study scriptures so one can a) memorise verses and purports and b) practically execute?

Its very well reading the scriptures i.e. BG and SB and all other Srila Prabhupada books but how can one remember and apply to daily live? slowly and surely of course, patience i appreciate is key

I have such a bad memory but hopefully with time and effort Krishna will provide his mercy for me to remember.

Your thoughts and recommendations would be most appreciated.

Ys

Dee

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Replies

  • u hv asked many q'ns , be specific dear prabhu.

    answer can be in pages for all above. in general memorizing is not imp. service attitude is imp then Krishna will give us intelligence to remember whenever required. (dadati buddhi yogam ...)

    materially : read, understand , retain and revise is formula to memorize.

    • Hare Krishna

      PAMHO,

      Thank you for your responses

      My main question is, when I read BG, as there 700 verses, its difficult to remember all, so when you read BG how do you go about remembering what you are reading? Sure maybe only intellectual ppl may remember all verses but how to get into good practice to memorise at least some?

      The usual way as nilesh prabhu has mentioned? to read, understand, retain and then to revise?

      I was hoping to find a variety of different ways people remember slokas and purports and also their essence?

      thank you

      ys

      dee

      • Volunteer

        the main thing is here Dipak Prabhu not just to memorize shlokas but to understand the meaning of them and apply them in our daily life.

        when we apply we will easily remember all Bhagavatam.

        And also in order to get something we have to be really hungry for that other wise we will get indigestion. When stomach is really empty that time only we will get all the benefits of food but if not so then even the most nutritious food will be like a poison.

        As Prabhujis here told already in order to gain knowledge we have to have humble state of consciousness. Or as was said - attitude of servitude.

        There will be no USE OF YOUR KNOWLEDGE AND SHLOKAS IF THERE IS NOT HUMILITY. Lord can not tolerate one thing and that is pride.

        Romaharshan Rshi was a very learned disciple of Vyasadev but because of his pride he was killed by Lord Balaram.

        Your servant, 

        • Hare Krishna Maral Mataji,

          Please accept my humble obesiances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

          Thank you for your explanation.

          I understand our sadhana, sincerety and humilty are of utmost importance and its not just a simple matter of memorising slokas and the purports but practical execution is very important indeed.

          What I am trying to say is as follows, when you pickup and read BG, you read the verse, translation and purport right? then you carry on reading the next verse, translation and purport and you continue like that.

          So after you have done this for 200 - 300 verses do you not find you are forgetting what you are reading? if you feel you are forgetting what you have read, how do you study the BG so that you can remember maximum amount of slokas, purports and translations?

          I understand practical application is very very very very important and in my own experience their are some verses that I can easily relate due to certain experiences in my life. However it is very easy to get lost and become forgetful whilst reading the BG or SB so how do you avoid forgetting what was in the previous verses you read when you next pick up the BG or SB, even if you read each one daily?

          I hope this makes sense. My question is purely about studying the scriptures to gain the essence rather then just remembering for the sake of remembering without any practical application.

          ys

          dee


           

          • Volunteer

            my humble obeisances Dipak Prabhuji,

            now it is clear that You really want to learn Srila Prabhupada's books and not for only remembering but for applying it in Your life.

            Which is very honorable!

            Firstly i read enough loudly so that i am able to hear myself. Slokas i read with particular rythm but do not try to memorize them.

            Then i read translation. But reading translations most times i do not understand the message correctly. Because of that there are purports of Srila Prabhupada.

            But in the begging of reading i just pray to Krishna to get the message which i need on my this stage.

            Bhagavatam is not some ordinary Book He is a Person and He is Krishna.

            When i complete reading whole book i start to read it again. In this way whole life for hundreds of times and in each time we will get that message which we require. Krishna won't open to us high secrets before we get ready for that. But for sure He will give us those messages which we need in our present stage.

            No need to remember word to word better if we read one column and think about it on our mind. And after 1-2 hour reading again remember of those things. Then talk about those things.

            In this way we will remember.

            ---

            if i want to memorize just some famous shlokas i just write them into separate shit and repeat them everyday for several times (3-4) and by the time i will be able to pronounce them by heart.

            Your servant, 

            • Haribol Maral Mataji,

              Please accept my humble obesiances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

              Sorry for my delayed response. Thank you so much for your guidance.

              Firstly i read enough loudly so that i am able to hear myself. Slokas i read with particular rythm but do not try to memorize them.

              Then i read translation. But reading translations most times i do not understand the message correctly. Because of that there are purports of Srila Prabhupada.

              But in the begging of reading i just pray to Krishna to get the message which i need on my this stage.

              Bhagavatam is not some ordinary Book He is a Person and He is Krishna.

              When i complete reading whole book i start to read it again. In this way whole life for hundreds of times and in each time we will get that message which we require. Krishna won't open to us high secrets before we get ready for that. But for sure He will give us those messages which we need in our present stage.

              No need to remember word to word better if we read one column and think about it on our mind. And after 1-2 hour reading again remember of those things. Then talk about those things.

              In this way we will remember.

              I will try these recommendations above, thank you so much for taking the time to explain further.


              I really want to avoid reading and then failing to apply to my life then it justs jnana (knowledge), i believe reading and applying to ones life becomes vijnana (self realized knowledge)

              Ultimately I appreciate and understand I need a guide, a teacher , a spiritual master who can educate me BG and SB. For that though I forever beg all vaishnavs for their blessings.
              I pray Krishna will provide in the future.

              Thank you

              Your servant,

              Dee

      • Hare Krsna!

        PAMHO,

        We read the Bg, for have a integral comprehension of the themes than Lord Krsna explain to his disciple Arjuna. I think the best way to study is by follow a methodological process.

        First, Follow regulative principles don't to be irresponsible with our vows, to be serious and consciousness of our duty.

        Second, Try to study from different angles, if we have some situation in our live we pray to Lord with the Bhagavad Gita verses, in this way our study go to the heart and don't only intellectual.

        Third, Remember aham sarvasya hrdi-sannivisto (BG.15.15), Krsna give we revelation. Dont are a intellectual game.

        Fourth, Before study we need to chant Hare Krsna without offenses in this way krsna give we more clear understanding of the scriptures.

        Fifth, We study for preaching and the compassion for others don't for thing I Know all(pride) Mahaprabhu said (trnad api sunicena), more humble than the grass.

        Sixth,  Every day we need to read (hearing) tad-chrnu Krsna said simple hear!

        Seventh, We need hear classes of senior Vaisnavas than had more realization of the scriptures and try to take the essence of his teachings. 

        Hari-Bolo, Gauranga!

         

  • Volunteer

    my humble obeisances Dipak Prabhuji,

    If You control Your tongue by eating only Prasadam Your will be able to control Your other senses. In this way by the time Your intelligence will become very strong. And the ability to memorize is the function of intelligence in this way You will have very nice memory.

    And also when You read and understand You have to share it with others. Preaching. When we read books we have to read it as if we are getting ready to give classes on what we read. 

    Again 4 regulative principles are very important even on our mind. We have to control our mind from low desires which make us weak. Low desires like lust mostly make us weak.

    And pray to Krishna to have good memory because only by His sanction we memorize something and put into forgetfulness.

    So again:

    1. 4 regulative principles 

    2. Preaching

    3. Praying to Krishna

    Your servant,

    • hari bol mataji

      wonderful , you have given the solution in such a simple form. I would like to add our daily chanting to the list above.

      hari bol

      your servant

      • please accept my humble obesiances.

        Thank you mataji's for taking time to explain further :)

        ys

        dee

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