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  • Volunteer

    Hare Krishna Prabhuji, it is the 16 vices of Kali Yuga that covers the living entities and prevents them from making progress.

  •  JAI VAISHNAVJAN

    JAI ACHARYAS

    HARI BOL

    PRABHU JI!

    sixteen transformations (the eleven senses and the five gross material elements like earth and water)

    SB 7.7.22, Translation:

    The Lord's eight separated material energies, the three modes of material nature and the sixteen transformations (the eleven senses and the five gross material elements like earth and water)—within all these, the one spiritual soul exists as the observer. Therefore all the great ācāryas have concluded that the individual soul is conditioned by these material elements.

                            Lecture on SB 7.9.22 -- Mayapur, February 2...:

    The same thing is repeatedly reminded. Māyā... We are niṣpīḍyamānam. We are being crushed by the wheel of time with sixteen spokes. We are being crushed. At the same time, we are thinking that we are very happy. This is called māyā. This is māyā's grace, that in any condition of life, the suffering is very, very acute, but the living entity who is suffering, he thinks, "I am enjoying." This is called māyā. You have seen that the pig eats stool. And when we see, we say, "Ah! What is that? Oh! He is eating stool." But he's thinking that he's enjoying. He is thinking he's enjoying. This is the covering influence of māyā, prakṣepātmika-śakti. Otherwise how one can suffer? The worm in the stool is enjoying. If you take one worm from the stool and keep it aside, he'll again go to the stool. This is māyā, prakṣepātmika-śak..., āvaraṇātmika-śakti, covering. Māyā-sukhāya bharam udvahato vimūḍhān (SB 7.9.43).

  • HARI BOL

    JAI ACHARAYS

    JAI VAISHNAVAS

    HARE KRISHNA NITYANANDA GAURANGA!

    PRABHU JI!

    PLEASE read

    SB Canto 6

    Above the five senses of perception, the five working senses and the five objects of the senses is the mind, which is the sixteenth element. Above the mind is the seventeenth element, the soul, the living being himself, who, in cooperation with the other sixteen, enjoys the material world alone. The living being enjoys three kinds of situations, namely happy, distressful and mixed.
    SB 6.1.50, Translation and Purport:

    Above the five senses of perception, the five working senses and the five objects of the senses is the mind, which is the sixteenth element. Above the mind is the seventeenth element, the soul, the living being himself, who, in cooperation with the other sixteen, enjoys the material world alone. The living being enjoys three kinds of situations, namely happy, distressful and mixed.

    Everyone engages in work with his hands, legs and other senses just to achieve a certain goal according to his concocted ideas. One tries to enjoy the five sense objects, namely form, sound, taste, aroma and touch, not knowing the actual goal of life, which is to satisfy the Supreme Lord. Because of disobeying the Supreme Lord, one is put into material conditions, and he then tries to improve his situation in a concocted way, not desiring to follow the instructions of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Nevertheless, the Supreme Lord is so kind that He comes Himself to instruct the bewildered living entity how to act obediently and then gradually return home, back to Godhead, where he can attain an eternal, peaceful life of bliss and knowledge. The living entity has a body, which is a very complicated combination of the material elements, and with this body he struggles alone, as indicated in this verse by the words ekas tu. For example, if one is struggling in the ocean, he must swim through it alone. Although many other men and aquatics are swimming in the ocean, he must take care of himself because no one else will help him. Therefore this verse indicates that the seventeenth item, the soul, must work alone. Although he tries to create society, friendship and love, no one will be able to help him but Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Lord. Therefore his only concern should be how to satisfy Kṛṣṇa. That is also what Kṛṣṇa wants (sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66)). People bewildered by material conditions try to be united, but although they strive for unity among men and nations, all their attempts are futile. Everyone must struggle alone for existence with the many elements of nature. Therefore one's only hope, as Kṛṣṇa advises, is to surrender to Him, for He can help one become free from the ocean of nescience. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu therefore prayed:

    ayi nanda-tanuja kiṅkaraṁ
    patitaṁ māṁ viṣame bhavāmbudhau
    kṛpayā tava pāda-paṅkaja-
    sthita-dhūlī-sadṛśaṁ vicintaya

    (Cc. Antya 20.32, Śikṣāṣṭaka 5)

    "O Kṛṣṇa, beloved son of Nanda Mahārāja, I am Your eternal servant, but somehow or other I have fallen into this ocean of nescience, and although I am struggling very hard, there is no way I can save myself. If You kindly pick me up and fix me as one of the particles of dust at Your lotus feet, that will save me."

    In a similar way, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura sang:

    anādi karama-phale, paḍi' bhavārṇava-jale,
    taribāre nā dekhi upāya

    "My dear Lord, I cannot remember when I somehow or other fell into this ocean of nescience, and now I can find no way to rescue myself." We should remember that everyone is responsible for his own life. If an individual becomes a pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa, he is then delivered from the ocean of nescience.

    SB Canto 2

    The Lord is situated as localized Paramātmā in every individual being; hence everything is done by Him very beautifully. The sixteen principal creative elements, namely earth, water, fire, air, sky, and the eleven sense organs, first developed from the Lord Himself and were thereby shared by the living entities.
    SB 2.4.23, Translation and Purport:

    May the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who enlivens the materially created bodies of the elements by lying down within the universe, and who in His puruṣa incarnation causes the living being to be subjected to the sixteen divisions of material modes which are his generator, be pleased to decorate my statements.

    As a fully dependent devotee, Śukadeva Gosvāmī (unlike a mundane man who is proud of his own capability) invokes the pleasure of the Personality of Godhead so that his statements may be successful and be appreciated by the hearers. The devotee always thinks of himself as instrumental for anything successfully carried out, and he declines to take credit for anything done by himself. The godless atheist wants to take all credit for activities, not knowing that even a blade of grass cannot move without the sanction of the Supreme Spirit, the Personality of Godhead. Śukadeva Gosvāmī therefore wants to move by the direction of the Supreme Lord, who inspired Brahmā to speak the Vedic wisdom. The truths described in the Vedic literatures are not theories of mundane imagination, nor are they fictitious, as the less intelligent class of men sometimes think. The Vedic truths are all perfect descriptions of the factual truth without any mistake or illusion, and Śukadeva Gosvāmī wants to present the truths of creation not as a metaphysical theory of philosophical speculation, but as the actual facts and figures of the subject, since he would be dictated to by the Lord exactly in the same manner as Brahmājī was inspired. As stated in the Bhagavad-gītā (15.15), the Lord is Himself the father of the Vedānta knowledge, and it is He only who knows the factual purport of the Vedānta philosophy. So there is no greater truth than the principles of religion mentioned in the Vedas. Such Vedic knowledge or religion is disseminated by authorities like Śukadeva Gosvāmī because he is a humble devotional servitor of the Lord who has no desire to become a self-appointed interpreter without authority. That is the way of explaining the Vedic knowledge, technically known as the paramparā system, or descending process.

    The intelligent man can see without mistake that any material creation (whether one's own body or a fruit or flower) cannot beautifully grow up without the spiritual touch. The greatest intelligent man of the world or the greatest man of science can present everything very beautifully only insofar as the spirit life is there or insomuch as the spiritual touch is there. Therefore the source of all truths is the Supreme Spirit, and not gross matter as wrongly conceived by the gross materialist. We get information from the Vedic literature that the Lord Himself first entered the vacuum of the material universe, and thus all things gradually developed one after another. Similarly, the Lord is situated as localized Paramātmā in every individual being; hence everything is done by Him very beautifully. The sixteen principal creative elements, namely earth, water, fire, air, sky, and the eleven sense organs, first developed from the Lord Himself and were thereby shared by the living entities. Thus the material elements were created for the enjoyment of the living entities. The beautiful arrangement behind all material manifestations is therefore made possible by the energy of the Lord, and the individual living entity can only pray to the Lord to understand it properly. Since the Lord is the supreme entity, different from Śukadeva Gosvāmī, the prayer can be offered to Him. The Lord helps the living entity to enjoy material creation, but He is aloof from such false enjoyment. Śukadeva prays for the mercy of the Lord, not only for being helped personally in presenting the truth, but also for helping others to whom he would like to speak.

    • iti shodasha kalasya jivasyavarana vinashanam;
      tatah prakashate para brahma medhapaye
      ravi rashmi mandali veti. [7]

      “This maha-mantra consisting of sixteen names of Krishna is the destroyer of the (16-layered) illusory covering of all the living entities. Only when the coverings are destroyed, Lord Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead will appear in the heart of the living entities, just like the sun appears with full intensity when the clouds are removed.”

      sa hovaca hiranyagarbah
      hare krishna hare krishna, krishna krishna hare hare.
      hare rama hare rama, rama rama hare hare; [5]

      iti shodashakam namnam, kali-kalmasha-nashanam;
      natah parataropayah, sarva-vedeshu drishyate. [6]

       
      Lord Brahma replied, “The sixteen words-Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna
      Krishna, Hare Hare; Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare-are especially meant for completely destroying all the contamination of Kali. To save oneself from the contamination of Kali-yuga, there is no alternative in all theVedas except the chanting of this sixteen-word mantra.

      Link To Kali Santarana Reference

  • Volunteer

    hmm the key words and principle ideas is that it's layered and an illusory covering that must be removed to see Krsna in the hearts of all, and I'm thinking along these lines:

    some possibilities:

    kāma-krodha-lobha-moha-mada-mātsaryalust, anger, greed, illusion, madness and envy  (6)

    five gross elements — earth, water, fire, air and ether — and three subtle elements — mind, intelligence and ego (8) [[NOTE; maybe intelligence isn't illusory and ego = false ego?? = 7 and a grand total of 16??]]]

    modes of material nature- goodness, passion, ignorance (3)

    total = 17...

    I'm most likely wrong, but I couldn't find it anywhere either... the first 6 seem to make sense, the second 7 don't make sense in the typical sense, but maybe in a theoretical sense where a person is supposed to be looking beyond the material elements, and the last three might make sense because Krsna says in the Gita that his devotees (those who have surrendered) are beyond the modes of material nature...

    but very interesting question. 

  • Volunteer

    Hare Krsna Pr j

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

     

    The Kali-santarana Upanishad is one of the 108 principal Upanishads. In text 1 to 11, the maha-mantra is established as the only means of deliverance in Kali-yuga)

    hari om. dvaparante narada brahmanam 

    jagama katham bhagavan gam 

    paryatana kalim santareyam iti. [1] 

    "Hari Om! After travelling all over the world, Srila Narada Muni approached Lord Brahma (his own father and guru) during the time when Dvapara-yuga was about to end. He asked him, “O Lord! How will all the living entities be able to deliver themselves from the most degraded age of Kali which is about to begin.” 

    sa hovaca. brahma sadhu prishto’smi 

    sarva shruti rahasyam gopyam tac 

    chrinu yena kali samsaram tarishyasi.[2] 

    Lord Brahma replied, “You have asked the most important and relevant question for the benefit of humanity. I will tell you now the most concealed secret of the Vedic literatures, with the help of which everyone can easily cross this most dangerous age of Kali.

    bhagavata adi purushasya narayanasya 

    namoccharana matrena nirdhta kalir bhavati [3] 

    “Simply by chanting the transcendental names of the original enjoyer and the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Narayana, all the sins will be cleansed in Kali-yuga.”

    narada punah papraccha tan nama kim iti.[4] 

     

    Narada Muni again asked,“Which are those specific names of the Lord which are most effective in Kali-yuga?” 

    sa hovaca hiranyagarbah 

    hare krishna hare krishna, krishna krishna hare hare.

    hare rama hare rama, rama rama hare hare; [5]

    Lord Brahma replied, “Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare; Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

    iti shodashakam namnam, kali-kalmasha-nashanam;

    natah parataropayah, sarva-vedeshu drishyate. [6]

    This sixteen words mantra are especially meant for completely destroying all the contamination of Kali. To save oneself from the contamination of Kali-yuga, there is no alternative in all theVedas except the chanting of this sixteen-word mantra. 

    (Some editions of Kali Santarana Upanishad describe the Hare Krishna Maha Mantra with Hare Rama first and then Hare Krishna. But such a change seems to have been made in recent editions of Kali Santarana Upanishad published by Ramanandis who want to put Lord Rama's Name before Lord Krishna's. As quoted, in the Ananta Samhita, Shri Chaitanya Upanishad (Atharva Veda), Agni Purana, Sanat-kumara Samhita and Vayu Purana, the Hare Krishna maha-mantra begins with Hare Krishna first.)

    iti shodasha kalasya jivasyavarana vinashanam;

    tatah prakashate para brahma medhapaye 

    ravi rashmi mandali veti. [7] 

    “This maha-mantra consisting of sixteen names of Krishna is the destroyer of the (16-layered) illusory covering of all the living entities. Only when the coverings are destroyed, Lord Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead will appear in the heart of the living entities, just like the sun appears with full intensity when the clouds are removed.”

    punar narada prapaccha bhagavan kasya vidhi-riti [8] 

    Srila Narada again inquired from Lord Brahma-“What are the procedures and rules for chanting this maha-mantra?” 

    tam hovaca nasya vidhi-riti

    sarvada shuci-ashucira va pathan

    brahmanam salokya samipya 

    sarupatam sayujyatam eti. [9] 

    Lord Brahma replied, “There are no rules and regulations to chant this maha-mantra. It should be chanted always irrespective of whether one is in a pure or impure condition. 

    yadasya shodashikasya sardha trikotir japati.

    tada brahma hatyam tarati vira hatyam.

    svarna steyat puto bhavati. pitrideva 

    manushyanam apakarat puto bhavati. [10] 

    “When one chants the 16 names of the maha-mantra 35 million times (sardha trikotir), he absolves himself of the sins of killing a brahmana or a kshatriya, stealing of gold or engaging in harmful activities towards one’s forefathers or other living entities.

    (If one chants 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra, he will complete the chanting of 35 million maha-mantras in around 55.5 years. If he doubles his chanting i.e. 32 rounds daily, then he will take around 28 years. And if he can chant the ideal prescribed quota of chanting i.e. 64 rounds daily, he will take around 15 years to complete the great sacrifice of chanting the maha-mantra 35,000,000 times. If one chants 64 rounds of the maha-mantra for 15 years while strictly following the principles of bhakti-yoga in the association of pure devotees, then one is sure to see the Supreme Personality of Godhead face to face in this very life and ultimately achieve the highest abode of the Lord called Goloka Vrindavana. )

    sarva dharma parityaga papat sadyah sucitamapnuyat. sadyo mucyate sadyo mucyate ity upanishat. [11] 

    “By chanting the maha-mantra, one becomes quickly purified from all sins accumulated due to rejecting all of one’s duties in our past lives. Thus the Hare Krishna maha-mantra, is the only means, the only means, the only means of thoroughly and immediately purifying oneself in Kali-yuga. Thus ends the Kali-santarana Upanishad.”

     

     

    • Hare Krishna Prabhu... Please accept my humble obeisances!!! All Glories to Srila Prabhupad!!!

      That was really very much enlightening!!!

This reply was deleted.