Hare Krishna,

Please accept my humble obeisances
All Glories to Srila Prabhupada

This is to start discussion on the word - Faith. What is it and how it is so important in bhakti

Faith: Definition: 1. "confidence or trust in a person or thing" and

                           2. "belief that is not based on proof"

Above these two definitions have been taken from dictionary.com : you can refer to http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/faith?s=t

now lets go with definition first:

1. Confidence and Trust in a person or thing:: This definition has two words confidence and trust which means: confidence means full surety on anything/ person,etc. and trust means reliance on the integrity, strength, ability, surety, etc., of a person or thing. So, if want to serve krishna, we must have faith on him. In 9.3 Bg, "Those who are not faithful in this devotional service cannot attain Me, O conqueror of enemies. Therefore they return to the path of birth and death in this material world". That means those who dont have two things in mind while serving him: Trust and confidence, he dont have faith on him. So, when the two things confidence and trust on krishna comes in mind while serving him, then that person can attain him in his service. Faith which comprises of two words Confidence and Trust : is utmost important while serving krishna if person want to attain krishna. Srila Prabhupada writes in his purport of 9.3.bg that "The faithless cannot accomplish this process of devotional service; that is the purport of this verse". and also srila prabhupada explains the divisions of faith in serving krishna as follows:

  a. In the third class are those who have no faith:Even if they are officially engaged in devotional service, they cannot achieve the highest perfectional stage. Most probably they will slip, after some time. They may become engaged, but because they haven’t complete conviction and faith, it is very difficult for them to continue in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

  b. second class are those who are not very advanced in understanding the devotional scriptures but who automatically have firm faith that kṛṣṇa-bhakti, or service to Kṛṣṇa, is the best course and so in good faith have taken it up: Thus they are superior to the third class, who have neither perfect knowledge of the scriptures nor good faith but by association and simplicity are trying to follow. The third-class person in Kṛṣṇa consciousness may fall down, but when one is in the second class he does not fall down

  c. first class who are advanced in understanding the devotional scriptures and have full faith on krishna: One in the first class will surely make progress and achieve the result at the end. regarding this first class yogi, krishna says in 6.47bg "And of all yogīs, the one with great faith who always abides in Me, thinks of Me within himself and renders transcendental loving service to Me – he is the most intimately united with Me in yoga and is the highest of all. That is My opinion" . In this verse also krishna says not only faith but great faith that means the faith which cannot be changed/ modified by any means. It is atal faith at last srila prabhupada says in his purport that "Thus faith is very important in the discharge of devotional service.". 

2. Belief that is not based on proof:: Very important definition, even important than what we discussed above, the belief (which means confidence in the truth or existence of something not immediately susceptible to rigorous proof). belief means believing in something without any practicle proof. Another definition of faith is believing on somebody/something without any proof. In 17.3 bg krishna says "O son of Bharata, according to one’s existence under the various modes of nature, one evolves a particular kind of faith. The living being is said to be of a particular faith according to the modes he has acquired.". Now lets connect the two things together, the definition says that belief means trust without proof which means the modes of nature applies to different people based on one's existence. In this verse 17.3, srila prabhupada explains "faith" as " The word śraddhā, or “faith,” is very significant in this verse. Śraddhā, or faith, originally comes out of the mode of goodness. One’s faith may be in a demigod or some created God or some mental concoction. One’s strong faith is supposed to be productive of works of material goodness. But in material conditional life, no works are completely purified. They are mixed. They are not in pure goodness. Pure goodness is transcendental; in purified goodness one can understand the real nature of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As long as one’s faith is not completely in purified goodness, the faith is subject to contamination by any of the modes of material nature. The contaminated modes of material nature expand to the heart. Therefore according to the position of the heart in contact with a particular mode of material nature, one’s faith is established" further srila prabhupada says " Thus we find different types of faith in this world, and there are different types of religions due to different types of faith. The real principle of religious faith is situated in the mode of pure goodness, but because the heart is tainted we find different types of religious principles. Thus according to different types of faith, there are different kinds of worship.".

This is very important to understand, we comes in to contact of different types of people, take up different types of faith but our faith is contaminates and not pure if it is not towards the supreme personality of godhead. Because this faith is developed because of once's existence and material conditions in which he gets his birth, he would have to work hard and execute duties as per Scriptures to develop faith on the same and gradually when that person follows what krishna and guru say, he develop the faith. as soon as as he develop faith he gets free from all material bondage and bondage of its results. krishna says in 3.31bg "Those persons who execute their duties according to My injunctions and who follow this teaching faithfully, without envy, become free from the bondage of fruitive actions"

Conclusion: That faith can be dependent on any practical observation or without any proof. But as per krishna and srila prabhupada, the faith is utmost important while executing devotional service towards krishna. that faith is a process in krishna consciousness which evolves as much as you follow krishna and guru's instructions, and get the association of devotees from the inspiration you get out of their dedication and faith.

Please write back with your suggestions and comments on this

hare krishna
your servant
manish

Krishna Consciousness is about rebuilding your relationship with Krishna so you may return back to the Spiritual Sky

Hare Krishna

Manish Chauhan

It’s our tradition, or it’s an essential part of the program to chant the maha-mantra. … The whole idea is to chant the maha-mantra for some time before we attempt to make a serious or meaningful presentation in terms of knowledge. The example is just like at the beginning of the class – at least when I was a little boy – the teacher wiped the whole slate clean, and then we were ready for a new day. So it’s like that. It’s meant to kind of clear your mind and make it more receptive and attentive and available to the subject matter

Whats Your Views...........??

Hare Krishna

Manish Chauhan

Hare Krishna

Chapter-1 Bhagavad Gita

An Overview

1. In verse 1.1,The importance of Kurukṣetra has been described.

a. Kurukṣetra has been described as -Sacred place of pilgrimage -Also referred as dharma-kṣetra because on the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra, the Supreme Personality of Godhead was present on the side of Arjuna

b. The doubt of Dhṛtarāṣṭra has been described about the possibility of his sons' ultimate victory. So, he asked his secretary about the situation of battlefield. He was fearful about the effect of the holy place on the battle.

2. In verse 1.2 to 1.3, Duryodhana’s Fear and diplomatic attitude has been described. He went to commander in chief, Droṇācārya to inform him of the real position i.e. military arrangement of Pāṇḍavas. In 1.3, he pointed out the mistakes of Droṇācārya as follows:

· Droṇācārya had some political quarrel with King Drupada. As a result of this quarrel, Drupada performed a great sacrifice, by which he received the benediction of having a son (Dhṛṣṭadyumna) who would be able to kill Droṇācārya. Droṇācārya knew this perfectly well and yet he did not hesitate to impart all his military secrets to Dhṛṣṭadyumna when he came to him for military education.

· Now, on the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra, Dhṛṣṭadyumna took the side of the Pāṇḍavas, and it was he who arranged for their military phalanx, after having learned the art from Droṇācārya

3. In verse 1.4 to 1.6, Duryodhana spoke to Droṇācārya about the powerful warriors/ fighters of Pāṇḍavas.

4. In verse 1.7 to 1.11, Duyodhana spoke about the powerful warriors of his side. In verse 1.10 and 1.11, he specifically pointed out the prowess of Grandfather Bhīṣma (general of his force i.e. one who protects). He compared the Bhīṣma with the general of Pāṇḍavas i.e. Bhīma. At last he told to all military to support the general from all sides. Duryodhana clearly felt that the victory of the Kurus depended on the presence of Bhīṣmadeva

5. In verse 1.12, Bhīṣma blew his counchshell and in verse 1.14, Lord Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna blew their respective counchshells. From verse 1.15 to 1.18, It has been described that all powerful warriors of Pāṇḍavas blew their respective counchshells. In verse 1.19, the fear of Duryodhana generated from the sounds of counchshells of Pāṇḍavas has been described. The sound shattered the hearts of the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra.

6. From 1.20 onwards, the confusions of Arjuna has bene shown. Arjuna spoke to Lord Kṛṣṇa about his confusions and at last in verse 1.46, the last verse, he cast aside his bow and arrows and sat down on the chariot, his mind overwhelmed with grief. From 1.20 to 1.23, he told Lord to take him between the two armies so that I may see those present here and intended to fight. He wanted to see all those who have come to fight, wishing to please the evil-minded Duryodhana. In 1.24 to 1.25, Lord Krsna bring him between the two armies and let him see all kurus who assembled to fight.

7. From 1.26 to 1.46, after seeing armies of both sides he became overwhelmed with compassion.

8. In verse 1.28 to 1.30, he described the his compassion in following words:

a. In 1.28 he said that his limbs of his body quivering and his mouth drying up after seeing the fighting spirits of relatives and well wishers standing on the other side.

b. In 1.29, he said that his whole body is trembling, his hair is standing on end, his bow Gāṇḍīva is slipping from his hand, and his skin is burning

c. In 1.30, he said that he is now unable to stand here any longer. He was forgetting himself, and his mind is reeling.

9. From 1.30 onwards he described his confusions to Lord Krsna as follows:

a. he see only causes of misfortune (1.30)

b. He could not see any good come out from killing his own Kinsmen. (1.31)

c. He didn’t desire – Victory, Kingdom and Happiness (1.31)

d. Arjuna fears that all his relatives and friends will be killed on the battlefield and he will be unable to share his opulence after victory. (1.32-35)

e. Arjuna did not want to kill his relatives, and if there were any need to kill them, he desired that Kṛṣṇa kill them personally. (1.32-35)

f. He was not prepared to fight with them even in exchange for the three worlds- Victory, Kingdom and Happiness. (1.32-35)

g. In 1.36, he thinks that he will not be happy after killing his own kinsmen.

h. Sin will overcome if he kills such aggressors. Since Duryodhana was an aggressor as described in Vedic Injunctions but as per Dharma Sastra (in which killing of relatives and friends has been restricted), which is superior than Niti Sastra (in which killing of aggressors has been approved), Arjuna thinks that killing of such aggressors who are also his relatives would attract sin. (1.36)

i. He was thinking that though Duryodhana and others of his side have became blind in greed (Lalach), why should he engage in the act of sinful acts. He thinks that he is not blind he can think after taking in to account all sastras and scriptures. (1.37)

j. On the death of the elder members (present in the Duryodhana’s Army, family religious traditions of purification may stop, and the remaining younger family members may develop irreligious habits and thereby lose their chance for spiritual salvation. (1.39)

k. When irreligion is prominent in the family the women of the family become polluted (1.40)

l. With degradation of women comes unwanted progeny (children). (1.40)

m. An increase of unwanted population certainly causes hellish life both for the family and for those who destroy the family tradition. (1.41)

n. The performances for offering food and water to forefathers/ ancestors of such corrupt families are entirely stopped therefore those forefathers falls down from heavens. (Verse 1.41)

o. By the evil deeds of those who destroy the family tradition and thus give rise to unwanted children, all kinds of community projects and family welfare activities are stopped. (verse 1.42)

p. He was tought from his disciplic succession that those who destroy family traditions dwell always in hell. (verse 1.43)

q. He was very sad thinking that he and his army was preparing to commit sinful acts to enjoy royal happiness/ kingdom by killing their own kinsmen.(verse 1.44).

r. At last he tells that even if he is attacked by the enemy in unarmed and unwilling position, he would not fight.

The word Guḍākeśa has great significance which itself describe a devotee of Lord Krishna.

In this verse (1.24) Arjuna is referred to as Guḍākeśa.

Guḍākā means sleep, and one who conquers sleep is called guḍākeśa

Why Arjuna has been referred as Guḍākeśa : Sleep also means ignorance. So Arjuna conquered both sleep and ignorance because of his friendship with Kṛṣṇa.

Significance of word- Guḍākeśa for a devotee: It has been described by Srila Prabhupad in Purport that As a great devotee of Kṛṣṇa, Arjuna could not forget Kṛṣṇa even for a moment, because that is the nature of a devotee. Either in waking or in sleep, a devotee of the Lord can never be free from thinking of Kṛṣṇa's name, form, qualities and pastimes. Thus a devotee of Kṛṣṇa can conquer both sleep and ignorance simply by thinking of Kṛṣṇa constantly. This is called Kṛṣṇa consciousness, or samādhi.

So nature of a devotee: Not to Forget Krishna even for a moment either in walking/ Sleeping and when a person completely convert/ transform himself in this nature then he is called a devotee.

Hare Krishna

KRISHNA KI PRATIGYA

MERE MARG PE PAIR RAKH KAR TO DEKH,

TERE SAB MARG NA KHOL DOON TO KEHENA.

MERE LIYE KHARCH KAR KE TO DEKH,

KUBER KE BHANDAR NA KHOL DOON TO KEHENA.

MERI TARAF AA KE TO DEKH,

TERA DHYAN NA RAKHOON TO KEHENA.

MERI BATEN LOGON SE KARKE TO DEKH,

TUJHE MULYAVAAN NA BANA DOON TO KEHENA.

MERE CHARITRON KA MANAN KARKE TO DEKH,

GYAN KE MOTI TUJHME NA BHAR DOON TO KEHENA.

MUJHE APNA MADADGAR BANA KE TO DEKH,

TUJHE SABKI GULAMI SE NA CHHUDA DOON TO KEHENA.

MERE LIYE AANSOON BAHA KE TO DEKH,

TERE JIVAN MEIN ANAND KE SAAGAR NA BAHA DOON TO KEHENA.

MERE LIYE KUCHH BAN KE TO DEKH,

TUJHE KEEMAT NA BANA DOON TO KEHENA.

MERE MARG PAR NIKAL KE TO DEKH,

TUJHE SHANTI DOOT NA BANA DOON TO KEHENA.

SWANYA KO NICHHAVAR KAR KE TO DEKH,

TUJHE MASH-HOOR NA KARA DOON TO KEHENA.

MERA KIRTAN KAR KE TO DEKH,

JAGAT KA VISMARAN NA KAR DOON TO KEHENA.

TU MERA BAN KE TO DEKH,

HAR EK KO TERA NA BANA DOON TO KEHENA.

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