Appointment with Krishna 12/12

(Compiled from notes on lectures of H. H. Mahavishnu Goswami)

During his recent visit to Abu Dhabi, our beloved Guru Maharaja gave a very enlightening and practical explanation on the following verse from Srimad Bhagavatam 8.3.1:

sri-baadaraayanir uvaaca
evam vyavasito buddhyaa
samaadhaaya mano hrdi
jajaapa paramam jaapyam
praag-janmany anusiksitam

"Thereafter, the King of the elephants, Gajendra, fixed his mind in his heart with perfect intelligence and chanted a mantra which he had learned in his previous birth as Indradyumna and which he remembered by the grace of Krishna."

Maharaja started explaining just the words, 'vyavasito buddhya' -'being situated in perfect intelligence'. This is the first step before we start all our devotional practices. All of us are situated in some circumstance, but the thing is we are not intelligently situated. Being situated in perfect intelligence begins with the material aspect of our life. For this, cleanliness is the first requirement. Cleanliness includes banishing the idea of grabbing another's property. As soon as we cheat somebody, our blood circulation goes wrong. What can an operation do? Cutting the body will not help you. If the bad tendency is not gone, again we have to cut. It is not that the body can be cured by outside treatment. Behavior according to Bhagavad gita gives a healthy body. Anti-Bhagavad gita behavior affects our health.

We discard the religious principles and follow the hedonistic philosophy. We have to come to Srila Prabhupada and save ourselves. It is easy to go out of this and be in the rut. But for those of us who have intelligently fixed ourselves in the 'hamsa' situation, it is impossible to go back and be in the rut.

In human species we have special intelligence and we have to organize our lives using this intelligence. Unless we are materially well organized, we can never enter into the spiritual realm. A haphazard material life, does not allow us to progress spiritually. Arrangement of material life in a nice manner, gives us a pleasing attitude. Being parts and parcels of Krishna, bliss is our birth right and monopoly. Spiritually we are far away, unless the material end is properly organized. If we are disorganized, we are diseased. As it is, this material lump (our body) will drag you to ignorance and disease means more ignorance thus placing us in the darkest region of existence. To have a blissful life, we should disconnect ourselves from this lump. Everybody has an innate disposition but by intelligence it can be changed. Innate disposition depends upon the modes and we can get out of the modes, as soon as Krishna is there. This requires that we are immaculately well organized. We cannot discard material life. It is beyond our capacity to avoid material situations. We cannot ignore material situations and be happy. We have to arrange and be happy.

The more organized we are, the more pleased we are. By intelligence we learn to organize. Even then death is lurking to attack us anytime. We should be ready to go away at anytime. Don't procrastinate things. That which is to be done tomorrow, should be done today. Depending fully on Krishna, we have to fully exert ourselves. We have to always impel our intelligence and find out how to behave properly. This alertness is the monopoly of Srimad Bhagavatam.

Perfectly organize your material lives and be happy. There is no need of morose attitude. As it is, the world is miserable. Don't add to the miseries. Very soon, this life is going to be previous life. Steal your time and invest every second of your existence in the study of Srila Prabhupada's literature. Srimad Bhagavatam is the best gift from Srila Prabhupada. He has opened up the floodgates of knowledge. Srimad Bhagavatam is a highly commonsense literature and that is why it is beneficial to everyone. Tie Srimad Bhagavatam to your neck and don't neglect it at any point of time. It saves us from all unnecessary allurements. Srimad Bhagavatam is more than lifelong business and hence we cannot be fed up with Srimad Bhagavatam."

What more can our beloved Maharaja say to emphasize the importance of Bhagavatam and make us realize the importance of not missing this very special appointment with Krishna?

Chant,

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna

Krishna Krishna

Hare Hare

Hare Rama Hare Rama

Rama Rama

Hare Hare

and be happy.