material - Blog - ISKCON Desire Tree | IDT2024-03-28T10:43:16Zhttps://iskcondesiretree.com/profiles/blogs/feed/tag/materialTime and Again by Mathuresha Dasahttps://iskcondesiretree.com/profiles/blogs/time-and-again-12024-02-07T07:30:00.000Z2024-02-07T07:30:00.000ZISKCON Desire Treehttps://iskcondesiretree.com/members/iskcon_desire_tree<div><center>
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<p style="text-align:justify;"><em><strong>From Back to Godhead</strong></em></p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">Being God, Krishna has no work to do and simply enjoys in His original abode, while His expansions and energies, such as time, take care of the material creation.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">As working men and women we typically leave home in the early morning and spend eight or nine hours on the job. Life at work sustains life at home. Official dealings at work contrast with family intimacies at home. However diffuse and overlapping the boundaries between the two, our work persons differ from our home persons.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">Krishna, the supreme person, has no work to do. He is always home in His own abode, an expansive, eternal, and endlessly varied estate beyond the material world known as Goloka Vrindavana. Krishna fills His home life as we fill ours, with His loving friends and favorite belongings. Our own proclivity for home life derives from His original personality, because as minute individual souls we come from Him and from His transcendental abode. Since Krishna is partial to cows and to the Tulasi tree, His pristine abode has a wealth of both. Goloka means “abode of cows,” and Vrindavana means “forest of Tulasi” (Vrinda being another name for Tulasi). The forests, rivers, streams, hills, mountains, fields, and village dwellings of Goloka Vrindavana are an eternal setting for the blissful recreations of Lord Krishna and His confidential devotees.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">With no work to do, Krishna is under no obligation to create our temporary material world. He does so out of kindness to provide material estates for those of us who prefer to live independent of Him, or to have the illusion of doing so. Krishna entrusts the work of creation to His expansion Lord Maha-Vishnu, who is Krishna’s original “work person.” Unlike our own work persons, Maha-Vishnu, while an expansion of Krishna’s personality, is also an individual with distinct initiative and identity. He works on His own, leaving Krishna, the original home person, unbothered. This ability of Krishna’s to expand without leaving home, entrusting work to His individual expansions without so much as a thought to the stereotypical functions of God-as-puppeteer, is a unique and essential feature of the Supreme Being.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">While Lord Krishna enjoys the informality of intimate dealings at home with devotees who are in the mood of family and friends, in the office of creator Lord Maha-Vishnu attracts worshipers who prefer a God primarily endowed with grand, omnipotent, awe-inspiring features. Maha-Vishnu’s caliber is inconceivable. To illustrate, the Bhagavad-gita and other texts say that not only are we not alone in the universe, but the universe itself is not alone. Past the enormously distant shell of our own universe are an uncountable number of others. These innumerable universes, in a form described variously as seeds and golden eggs, float from the pores of the skin of Maha-Vishnu as He lies sleeping on the Causal Ocean, a body of transcendental water that separates the spiritual and material realms. Maha-Vishnu breathes out, and the universes come into being for trillions of years. He breathes in and absorbs all the universes and their inhabitants back into His body until His next exhalation in the cycling of creation.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">Work for Lord Krishna, or for Maha-Vishnu, is therefore not a matter of great effort. He does it in His sleep. And like all His other activities, His work is a voluntary, sportive pastime to please and accommodate His devotees. Maha-Vishnu’s transcendental creative slumber is said to parody our own unconsciousness under the spell of matter. Here we are forgetful of Krishna, Maha-Vishnu, the spiritual world, and of our own eternal individual natures. The technical term for Lord Maha-Vishnu’s sleeping is yoga-nidra, a term Vaishnavas also employ to denote the coating of intellectual, scientific, and quasi-spiritual knowledge that, in perpetuation of our forgetfulness, directs our waking activities.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">Lying on the Causal Ocean, Lord Maha-Vishnu wakes to cast a radiant glance at material nature, which is the shadow of the spiritual nature, represented by His own consort the goddess Rama Devi. While Lord Vishnu is always in the direct company of Rama Devi, He contacts material nature only by His glance. Since Rama Devi consorts with Maha-Vishnu both as His beloved partner and as His power of knowledge, the implication is that both knowledge in the material nature and the material nature itself have a shadowy quality. The material nature is not false, however. It is real. But its fleeting, cyclic reality should, like the shadows in Plato’s cave, leave us to wonder at the substance, vitality, freedom and variety of the original, spiritual nature.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">The Glance of Time</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">The words used for Maha-Vishnu’s glancing are tyakta kalam, indicating that His effulgent glance and time (kala) are one and the same. The radiant time glance carries us minute eternal individual souls into the womb of the shadow material nature, where we acquire temporary bodies according to our activities in the previous creation, the previous breath of Maha-Vishnu. The universes, too, having risen from the pores of Maha-Vishnu’s skin in seed form, enter (in Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati words) the “unlimited accommodating chamber” of material nature, where they enlarge to house the embodied souls.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">Being ever-present, without beginning or end, time monitors and records everything. Time brings with it to the current creation the results of our activities and desires in previous creations, so that we are daily awakened and impelled by time and time-borne circumstances to deal with our past desires and activities. Like a tape-recorded voice, time represents the will of Krishna and Maha-Vishnu while appearing to be separate from Them.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">According to the Brahma-samhita, even Maha-Vishnu’s glance does not directly touch material nature. There are intermediaries. The first is Rama Devi herself, who “carries the function of His glance” to her shadow nature. (Brahma-samhita 5.7) And at the point where this transported, effulgent time-glance touches the material nature, a reflected halo appears that is known as Sambhu, or Lord Siva. It is Sambhu who impregnates material nature by direct contact. Lord Siva is thus identified with time, its destructive aspect in particular, and is sometimes known as Kala. His consort, the material nature, is often portrayed as the dark destructive goddess Kali. As Maha-Vishnu’s glance and Lord Siva are both identified with time, all three are practically identical. Srila Prabhupada therefore states at various points, without contradiction, that Maha-Vishnu touches material nature only with His glance, only with His time energy, and only in the form of Lord Siva. Lord Siva is, in short, Lord Maha-Vishnu in contact with material nature.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">“Lord Vishnu acts through Lord Siva in the creation of the material world,” Srila Prabhupada writes. “When Krishna says in the Bhagavad-gita that he is the seed-giving father of all living entities (aham bija-pradah pita), this refers to actions performed by Lord Vishnu through Lord Siva.… When material activities are to be performed, Lord Vishnu performs them through Lord Siva. When Lord Vishnu is untouched by the external energy He is Lord Vishnu, but when He is in touch with the external energy, He appears in His feature as Lord Siva.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 8.7.22)</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">Lord Brahma’s Creations</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">Having set the creation in motion by impregnating material nature with the time-bound souls, Lord Maha-Vishnu and Lord Siva expand to individually reside in each universe. Lord Brahma, who is born from a golden lotus flower growing from Lord Vishnu’s navel, joins them. Lord Brahma is first-born of the time-bound souls in every universe. Like the rest of us and unlike Lord Vishnu and Lord Siva, Lord Brahma, though very powerful, is here in the universe, as a result of his past activities, or karma, in pursuit of enjoyment apart from Krishna. Elaborating on the imagery of the lotus, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati states that not only Lord Brahma but every living being has a place on the “superior plane” of this lotus and has a connection to God through its golden form, which represents pure knowledge.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">Sitting in meditation atop the lotus, Lord Brahma, impelled by impressions from his previous life, as are all of us, turns his mind to creating the planetary systems, the species of life, and other features of the universal layout. In this way the rest of us individual souls are provided bodies in species that match the mentality we developed in our past lives. During one lifetime of Brahma we rotate in the cycle of birth and death, acquiring and giving up bodies according to the consciousness produced from our chosen activities. Figures given in the Bhagavad-gita show that Lord Brahma’s day, or his twenty-four hours, is equal to approximately eight and one half billion solar years. One hundred years of such days is Brahma’s lifetime, which in turn is equal to one breath, one exhalation and inhalation, of Lord Maha-Vishnu.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">While empowering Lord Brahma to create and Lord Siva to destroy, Lord Vishnu Himself takes charge of maintaining each universe. All activities in the material nature fall into these three broad categories of creation, maintenance, and annihilation under the administration of these three deities. We create our dwellings, families, institutions, nations, and civilizations, maintain them and destroy them, and watch as they are destroyed. Outside of human influence as well, all material bodies, plants and animals, as well as natural bodies like mountains and planets and universes, have their creation, their duration or maintenance, and their ultimate demise under the supervision of the triumvirate headed by Lord Vishnu.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">As the contact point with material nature, Lord Siva is initially an instrument of creation. Sambhu means parent or progenitor. The accounts of universal history contained in the Puranas also have him assisting Lord Vishnu in maintenance by diverting or battling villainous elements in the universal population. But Lord Siva is best known as the destroyer. He is said to perform the tandava nritya, a wild, gesticulating dance, crushing not only the universes themselves, but everything within them, great and small. Everything material disappears in due course, trampled by the unrelenting dance of time. Within each universe Lord Siva is known as Rudra, and his wife as Rudrani, names indicating that these two cry loudly, and that, with their violent, destructive natures they cause all of us to cry as well. Rudra also denotes reddish blue, said to be the color of anger. In the form of Lord Maha-Vishnu’s glance, time envelops and directs the entirety of the material manifestation, including creation, maintenance, and annihilation. Time’s overall material effect, however, is destruction, implemented by Lord Siva and his Rudra expansions.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">Time in the Spiritual Nature</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">Creation, maintenance, and destruction in the course of time are not features of the spiritual nature. The Upanishads say that before the creation there was no Brahma and no Siva, no sun, stars, or sky. There was only Vishnu, His expansions, and the pure souls who have no desire for a life separate from Him. With only Vishnu, and no Siva or Brahma, there is only maintenance, with no creation or destruction. Time exists in the spiritual nature without its destructive side, and without the type of creative side that is merely destruction’s necessary counterpart. And yet the spiritual nature is said to be full of activity, more so than its material reflection. Lord Vishnu and His devotee servants expand spiritually there to enrich, vary, and perpetually increase the pastimes of blissful loving devotion.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">While all this still takes place under the watchful eye of time, in the spiritual nature time only maintains, by the sole influence of Lord Vishnu, or in other words everything there exists eternally. Our experience of the three-fold and ultimately destructive nature of time is only the material experience. The Brahma-samhita refers to spiritual time as a “concentrated all-time presence” and as “transcendental ever-existing time.” It also describes Krishna’s abode Goloka as a place “where there is eternal existence of transcendental time, who is ever present and without past or future and hence is not subject to the quality of passing away even for the space of half a moment.”</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">As working men and women the process of breaking away from the tearful conditions of material nature and material time begins with using both our work life and our home life as a means to meditate upon and worship the Supreme Person. The Upanishads state that spiritually inclined persons, from Lord Brahma on down to human society, always look to the supreme abode of Vishnu with all their hearts and minds: om tad vishno paramam padam sada pasyanti yat suryayah. From this perspective there is no question of inactivity because we act ceaselessly, whether in the material or spiritual natures. In pursuance of our ideals, whatever they may be, we are constantly busy. Our entrance into the material nature came about by a desire for the illusion of independence from the Supreme, and the entire nearly immeasurable material creation appeared to satisfy that desire. Redirecting both desire and activity towards Vishnu and Krishna can bring about changes at least equally immeasurable. The practices of bhakti-yoga detailed in the Bhagavad-gita, Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu, and other books center on hearing about and describing the attributes and glories of the Supreme Person and of the spiritual nature. These methods, even approached with theoretical caution, can turn both our work persons and our home persons back into pure, transcendental, spiritual individuals by awakening us from our slumbering condition in material nature.</p>
<div style="text-align:justify;"><strong>Source: </strong><a href="http://www.dandavats.com/?p=85857">http://www.dandavats.com/?p=85857</a></div></div>The Dance of Material and Spiritual Energies by Vaisesika Dasahttps://iskcondesiretree.com/profiles/blogs/the-dance-of-material-and-spiritual-energies-by-vaisesika-dasa2023-10-03T13:04:20.000Z2023-10-03T13:04:20.000ZISKCON Desire Treehttps://iskcondesiretree.com/members/iskcon_desire_tree<div><p><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}12238940696,RESIZE_584x{{/staticFileLink}}" width="500" alt="12238940696?profile=RESIZE_584x" /></p>
<p>In the intricate dance between the <a href="https://vaisesikadasa.com/en/what-is-the-difference-between-matter-and-spirit/">material and spiritual realms</a>, our consciousness plays a pivotal role, and much like a scientist exploring the mysteries of existence, this article will dive into the realms of interaction, awareness, and the bonds that tie them together. </p>
<p>The teachings of the Bhagavad Gita shed light on the fascinating interplay between our consciousness and the ever-changing material world, offering insights into our role as observers and navigators of this cosmic dance.</p>
<h2>Spontaneous Combustion of Awareness</h2>
<p>Imagine a theory where our consciousness arises through the spontaneous combustion of various material elements (i.e. the big bang). This theory suggests our consciousness is a result of the interactions between these elements. In this theory, there exists no separate observer, no witness to the experience, which is an integral part of our existence. </p>
<p>Frustration arises when we fail to see that we’re not merely physical bodies, but the eternal spirit soul that animates the body. Feelings of disconnection to the world around us stems from the incongruence of being an eternal being in an impermanent world.</p>
<h2>How are material and spiritual energies entwined?</h2>
<p>Krishna, in the Bhagavad Gita, beautifully articulates the coexistence of two distinct energies in the world: a material energy and a permanent spiritual energy.</p>
<p>This spiritual energy is linked to its spiritual source like particles of light of the same quality as the radiant sun and sunbeam. Our spiritual energy is one in quality with the Supreme spirit, yet separate in quantity from that original source. </p>
<p>In contrast, the material nature is of a lower energy characterized by physical elements like earth, water, fire, air, ether, and more subtle elements like mind, intelligence, and ego. </p>
<h2>Why do we feel out of place in the world?</h2>
<p>Material nature, or bhava, denotes constant change. Just as a mirage shimmers in the desert but offers no real water, the material world is an illusion of stability. </p>
<p>Our frustration with the material realm stems from the fact that our permanent nature clashes with its fleeting and evolving attributes. This <a href="https://vaisesikadasa.com/en/where-do-desires-come-from/">desire for permanence</a> amidst the transitory nature of the material world often leads to disillusionment and disappointment.</p>
<h2>How can we see beyond the material world?</h2>
<p>One of the remarkable facets of consciousness is our unique ability to observe the world around us. Unlike pure matter, we have eyes that give us a lens through which we can perceive the changes within the material world. </p>
<p>When we can use our higher perspective as humans and our spiritual vision, we can see that the changes in the material world do not affect the real us – the eternal spiritual being – but only our passing material situation.</p>
<h2>Embracing Spiritual Objectives</h2>
<p>The Bhagavad Gita provides insight to our experience as eternal conscious beings within a world that is constantly changing. When we focus our attention on connecting our eternal spiritual soul with its eternal, spiritual source instead of focusing on transient issues in the material world, our frustration lessons. </p>
<p>By embracing our innate qualities of sat (eternity), chit (knowledge), and ananda (bliss), we can successfully navigate the dance of material and spiritual life with purpose, contentment, and harmony. </p>
<p>The teachings of Krishna guide us toward this realization: our consciousness, when connected to our eternal source, we become instruments in the service of that Supreme.</p>
<p><strong>Source: </strong><a href="https://vaisesikadasa.com/en/the-dance-of-material-and-spiritual-energies/?utm_">https://vaisesikadasa.com/en/the-dance-of-material-and-spiritual-energies/?utm_</a></p></div>Differentiating material and spiritual attachments By Radhanath Swamihttps://iskcondesiretree.com/profiles/blogs/differentiating-material-and-spiritual-attachments-by-radhanath-s2023-08-01T12:30:00.000Z2023-08-01T12:30:00.000ZISKCON Desire Treehttps://iskcondesiretree.com/members/iskcon_desire_tree<div><p><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}2515261818,RESIZE_584x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="2515261818?profile=RESIZE_584x" width="450" /></p>
<p>“When we love those who love the Lord, the Lord reveals his love to us. Krishna sends his loving devotees to this world, so that we can transfer our attachment.”- Radhanath Swami</p>
<p>Shivananda Sen, he was taking all the 200-300 devotees from Bengal to Puri. They were walking so many days. And a little dog just started following. And that dog… he wasn’t a kind of pedigree, beautiful kind of dog. He was just the kind of dogs that you find in the streets of India. He followed. He followed. And Shivananda Sen just saw with such compassion – “If this spirit soul in this dog, if he sees Lord Chaitanya, how much he will benefit! I must serve him nicely.”<br /> So, the dog became dear to Shivananda Sen. The dog didn’t do any seva. All he did is just follow, and whatever else dogs do. And when Shivananda Sen was delayed and he had to give dog a special meal. So, he made some special rice, only for the dog. But while he was gone, they forgot to give him that special rice.<br /> So, he came back, “Where is dog?”<br /> “We don’t know”<br /> “Did you feed him his special rice?”<br /> They said, “We forgot”.<br /> Shivananda Sen was looking everywhere, couldn’t find him. When he finally came with all the party to Puri, he went to see Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Shivananda Sen was alone. He went to the Gambira and he saw two people all alone, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and the dog. How did he get there? It’s a mystery! It was just the two of them. Lord Chaitanya had some green coconut pulp.<br /> And he said to the dog, “Chant Krishna! Krishna!”<br /> And the dog chanted, “Krishna! Krishna!”<br /> Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu took a bite of the green coconut pulp, and took it out of his mouth, and threw it at the dog. And the dog jumped up and had it.<br /> Then Mahaprabhu said, “Chant Krishna! Krishna!”<br /> The dog went, “Krishna! Krishna! ”<br /> It kept doing like that. They were having a pastime together.<br /> Shivananda Sen, it describes, he bowed down to the lotus-like paws of the dog. That was how he honored that dog. And we read in the Sri Chaitanya Charitamrita, the next day dog was nowhere to be found. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu sent him to Goloka Vrindavan, the spiritual world. What was his qualification? This dog, he wasn’t doing any intense sadhana. He wasn’t doing any puja. He was attached to a devotee.</p>
<p>“And the devotee was not materially attached to the dog. This is the fine line we have to be very careful. He was attached to the atma of that dog.” – Radhanath Swami</p>
<p>So, one may say, “If he was attached to the atma, then why was he feeding the body of the dog? Why was he so concerned with proper meals, proper transportation? He had to pay for him to go on boats.” Because the body is the medium by which we could serve the atma. But what is the intent? A mother and father have to care for their children, have to care for the physical [health] of their children. But is the motivation to liberate their souls? “By serving this person’s body I can actually somehow or other give Krishna to their soul.” And if that’s what will really do, then the body is the medium. Yes, Shivananda Sen was very concerned with the body of the dog. But his purpose was to bring him to Lord Chaitanya, so he could get that mercy. And somehow or other, because of that kindness, the dog became attached to him.</p>
<p><strong>Source: </strong><a href="http://www.dandavats.com/?p=85017">http://www.dandavats.com/?p=85017</a><u></u></p></div>Two Energies Choices By Satsvarupa Dasa Goswamihttps://iskcondesiretree.com/profiles/blogs/two-energies-choices-by-satsvarupa-dasa-goswami2023-06-21T09:30:00.000Z2023-06-21T09:30:00.000ZISKCON Desire Treehttps://iskcondesiretree.com/members/iskcon_desire_tree<div><p><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}2515113699,RESIZE_584x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="2515113699?profile=RESIZE_584x" width="450" /></p>
<p><em><strong>From Back to Godhead</strong></em><br /> <br /> Which way does one go in moments of despair?</p>
<p>LORD KRSNA HAS TWO ENERGIES, material and spiritual, but they can be used interchangeably if one knows how. Just as the same electricity can be used to heat or cool a building, so Krsna’s energies can be used for different purposes according to the living entity’s desire.</p>
<p>That doesn’t mean that the living entity can control Krsna’s energies, only that he can use them. When a conditioned soul wishes to exploit the material nature, he contacts the material energy. When he no longer wishes to dominate or enjoy the material energy and instead uses it in Krsna’s service, he contacts the spiritual energy. The living entity is called the “marginal potency” of God-he can go either way. The Bhagavad-gita (9.13) states: “Being marginal potency, as soon as the living entity is freed from the control of material nature he is put under the guidance of the spiritual nature.” There are only two choices.</p>
<p>In the Bhagavatam, Srila Prabhupada speaks of penance and repentance as our means to begin the switch from material to spiritual. If we regret our association with the material energy, we will no longer feel dependent upon its dualities and we will turn to Krsna. Repentance burns away our sins and pushes us toward surrender.</p>
<p>Lord Krsna states, “The material energy is difficult to overcome. But those who have surrendered unto Me can easily cross beyond it.” (Bg. 7.14) Srila Prabhupada adds, “Krsna, being the Lord of the illusory energy, can order His insurmountable energy to release the conditioned soul.”</p>
<p>Repentance is followed by penance or austerity. We begin our austerity by trying to stop exploiting material resources as if we own them. That means we have to learn tolerance, because the material energy rarely acts for our comfort. Numberless little things in life irritate us. The more attached we are to physical ease, the more troublesome these things become. Therefore, we have to tolerate.</p>
<p>Those who tolerate are neither culprits who cause pain to other living entities to ensure their own comfort nor helpless victims living only for relief nor fools trying to enjoy. Our senses become subdued and our hearts purified.</p>
<p>Repentance and penance are nothing more than attitude. An episode in t he Bhagavatam shows how our attitude determines whether we live in the spiritual or the material energy. When Vidura tried to convince Dhrtarastra to return the throne to the Pandavas, its rightful heirs, Dhrtarastra threw Vidura out of the palace, which had been his home. So Vidura decided to go on pilgrimage. Because of his love for Krsna, he accepted his new situation as the Lord’s will. Srila Prabhupada states that in this instance the Lord’s material energy acted as the internal , spiritual energy. Although Vidura could see that he had been mistreated, he also saw Krsna’s blessing. Suddenly he was free of political entanglement and could seek out pure Krsna consciousness in a life of renunciation and devotion.</p>
<p>When we stop blaming others for the pain they seem to cause us, and understand our role in causing our own karma, and when we see our powerlessness against the material energy, we will become more dependent on Krsna. Then the material energy will become spiritual in our hands. Instead of dragging us further into material life, our happiness and distress will elevate us in Krsna consciousness. Rather than causing us pain, our predicaments and perplexities will provide us another chance to meditate on Krsna. And that will make us happy.</p>
<p>Of course, the atheists consider this mad, irresponsible. You should not tolerate your suffering but strive to overcome it. But is it possible? No matter how hard we work to get ahead in life, we never seem to become happy. That’s because everything we do must be done at the expense of others, who are seeking gratification at our expense. If we manage to climb to the top of the pile, then Providence slaps us-a family member dies, the fortune dwindles, the spouse is unfaithful, we contract a debilitating disease, and in the end we die. To pursue such a blind path is the ultimate in irresponsibility.</p>
<p>The Bhagavatam (1.3.34) states: “If the illusory energy subsides and the living entity becomes fully enriched with knowledge by the grace of the Lord, then he becomes at once enlightened with selfrealization and thus becomes situated in his own glory.” We are the marginal potency of God. We can go either way. We can go either way. We can respond to whatever life deals us by glorifying God, or we can make that other choice.</p>
<p><strong>Source: </strong><a href="http://www.dandavats.com/?p=28875">http://www.dandavats.com/?p=28875</a></p></div>Material and Spiritual – What’s the balance? By Yamuna Sundari devi dasihttps://iskcondesiretree.com/profiles/blogs/material-and-spiritual-what-s-the-balance-by-yamuna-sundari-devi-2023-05-19T08:30:00.000Z2023-05-19T08:30:00.000ZISKCON Desire Treehttps://iskcondesiretree.com/members/iskcon_desire_tree<div><p><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}2515262158,RESIZE_400x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="2515262158?profile=RESIZE_400x" width="400" /></p>
<p>It’s a general concern of devotees which we hear in many of the classes, forums and seminars on what can be the real key to balance one’s material and spiritual lives.</p>
<p>There is a very interesting statement made by famous French priest and philosopher Pierre Teilhard de Chardin: “We are not human beings having a spiritual experience but we are spiritual beings having a human (material) experience.” It’s true that because of our past conditionings, desires and lifetimes of karma, we are having a particular body. It’s not easy being in the material world where there are challenges faced at all levels. We feel now life is perfect but then again another challenge by Maya is brought to our doorsteps. It’s like a cricket match where-in we feel we have hit a four, but the opponent at the final moment takes our wicket – and we are OUT!</p>
<p><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9975506486,RESIZE_400x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9975506486?profile=RESIZE_400x" width="320" /></p>
<p>Let’s briefly discuss a few of the prominent challenges we face:</p>
<ol>
<li>
<p><strong>Physical challenges: </strong>The material body is vulnerable at every stage. As Prahalad Maharaja quotes Padam padam yad vipadam na tesam. There can be accidents, diseases, physical disorders, harm by other living entities or unforeseen natural calamities. All this practically damages our routine functioning and also hampers our regular devotional services.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><strong>Mental and Emotional challenges: </strong>With advancement of Kali-yuga, there is also advancement in the mentality of desiring instant sense gratification. We need quick fulfillment of our desires and nourishment of the needs of the false ego like greed, pride, fame and lust. Failure of such an outcome leads to criticizing, fault-finding, enmity, anger, frustration, delusion, depression at different degrees and suicides. When we bring such deep rooted weeds of anarthas with us into our Krishna consciousness, it creates blunders in our sadhana and relationships with devotees and family members. We make offenses and become complacent in our dealings with them.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><strong>Social and financial challenges:</strong> We want to follow what the whole world is doing so that we are considered a worthy part of the society. As HH Devamrita Swami quotes brilliantly, “the motto of the world today is work, buy, consume and die.” So due to pressure from peers, family, friends and society, we are being pulled relentlessly into these oceanic waves of Maya. Even though, as practicing devotees we internally deride such desires, but the pressures of the society keep us bound. Sometimes due to that, our sadhana and services are neglected.</p>
</li>
</ol>
<p>So, what’s the way out? What’s the medicine for all of us here in dukhalayam ashasvatam – the temporary place of miseries?</p>
<p>Well, the answer to that is simple – to take the medicine of chanting the Holy Name, to hear about the Lord’s activities in association of devotees and to render service to the spiritual master and devotees in a most humble mood of a servant of a servant. <strong>Yes, it’s that simple.</strong></p>
<p>Srila Prabhupada, however, states that Krishna consciousness is simple for the simple and complicated for the complicated. Now what does being simple mean? Simple means to have complete faith that Lord Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Simple means to have faith in the words of the Acharyas and follow their instructions as a servant in a humble state of mind. This faith on the teachings and words of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Srila Prabhupada will then become our shield against all of Maya’s weapons to shaken our devotional service.</p>
<p>We read in the childhood pastimes of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, that once Nimai delivered a small baby puppy dog who had accepted His shelter and grace. By mere touch of the lotus-like hands of Nimai, the puppy dog experienced great ecstasies and began to chant the Hare Krishna maha-mantra swaying his arms in the air and in this way, the little puppy was delivered and went back to Godhead. Now we can wonder what that little puppy had in him to attract the Lord of Lords? Well, the puppy dog only had a submissive attitude and a simple heart to accept the shelter of Nimai. That is the qualification required to have access to Lord’s inconceivable mercy.</p>
<p>All our spiritual practices like chanting, hearing, association of devotees, preaching etc. is to internally bring our consciousness to a level where all our activities become spiritualized. We might be just taking care of our home, taking care of children, going for a job or doing school/university studies – it is all done by keeping Krishna in the center. For instance, if somebody is doing a job, he/she can see it as a service to Krishna – that with all the money I earn, I will maintain my home which is a temple of the Lord, I will maintain my family who are all parts and parcels of Krishna. By serving them, I am pleasing Krishna and that mood actually spiritualizes our activities. With that money, we can buy foodstuffs used for preparing offerings to the home deities, buy paraphernalia for worship of deities. The rest of the money can be used or given for the propagation of Krishna conscious activities. In this way, even doing a material job for Krishna’s pleasure can give us deep fulfillment and happiness.</p>
<p>Therefore, we need to try and try until we succeed in finding the right balance. Meanwhile, we need to water our bhakti-lata bija with the right amounts of hearing, chanting, avoiding offenses to Vaishnavas and Holy Name and rendering devotional services in a humble and tolerant mood. That is the guaranteed way for perfection.</p>
<p>Below is an excerpt from a very inspiring talk given by HH Bhaktividya Purna Swami titled ‘Progressing in spiritual life’ at Brisbane in 2011, which perfectly concludes this topic:</p>
<p>“The idea of progressing in Krishna Consciousness means you’re going to progress by the quality of your sadhana, your chanting, and your association with devotee – that’s going to be your major principle. But aside from that, another element is what it is that we’re doing because of our conditioned nature. For instance, it’s due to our conditioned nature that we wear the particular clothes that we do, live where we do, eat what we do, spend our money how we spend our money, or even use the toilet how we think you should use the toilet. And why is it called material? Because you don’t see the Krishna connection to it – that’s all. It’s that simple. So the point is something is material because you don’t see Krishna, and then it becomes spiritual because you do. So you live in two worlds at once, which must be a great distress. You have to tear yourself between what you think is real life and your spiritual application. But that’s only because you’re in the illusion that whatever you’re doing is real because you feel you need to do it, not because it’s connected to Krishna. And this is an illusion because that’s not true – it’s that simple. So if you want to progress, it means that whatever you’re doing now – it doesn’t matter what it is – you have to see Krishna in it. That’s the only definition of Maya: that which you think that functions without Krishna. “My car runs because I put petrol in it and I started the engine and I paid my road tax, that’s why it works”. No, it works because of Krishna’s potency. If you can see that – then you’re in Krishna Consciousness. “</p>
<div><strong>Source:</strong> <span style="color:#1155cc;"><u><a href="http://www.dandavats.com/?p=17154">http://www.dandavats.com/?p=17154</a></u></span></div></div>How to balance material and spiritual life ? by Hridaya Caitanya Prabhuhttps://iskcondesiretree.com/profiles/blogs/how-to-balance-material-and-spiritual-life-by-hridaya-caitanya-pr2023-03-27T13:44:08.000Z2023-03-27T13:44:08.000ZISKCON Desire Treehttps://iskcondesiretree.com/members/iskcon_desire_tree<div><p style="text-align:center;"><iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/83J9Q0urQOQ" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p>
<p>We’re spirits inside material bodies. If we do something about our own spiritual life—like find out who we really are and what we’re meant to do—life can only improve. We generally prefer consciousness to unconsciousness, except during surgery. Putting zero effort into finding our true identity and purpose while keeping our bodies and minds pleasantly occupied is like always stopping for gas but never eating. What good is keeping our car’s fuel tank full if we’re starving? How can we have a balanced spiritual diet, though, with all the stuff we have to do?<br /> <br /> <strong>Source: </strong><a href="http://www.dandavats.com/?p=69044">http://www.dandavats.com/?p=69044</a></p></div>Management: Material or Spiritual? by Bhurijana dasahttps://iskcondesiretree.com/profiles/blogs/management-material-or-spiritual2023-02-28T06:30:00.000Z2023-02-28T06:30:00.000ZISKCON Desire Treehttps://iskcondesiretree.com/members/iskcon_desire_tree<div><p style="text-align:center;"> </p>
<p><strong><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}2515198933,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="450" alt="2515198933?profile=original" /></strong></p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">Management to facilitate preaching is spiritual, not material.<br /> Srila Prabhupada: Everywhere, in the office, there is some immediate boss. So you have to please him. That is service. Suppose in office, in a department there is office superintendent. And if you do in your own way, “Yes, I’m doing my business,” and the office superintendent is not pleased, do you think that kind of service is nice? No. Similarly, everywhere we have got immediate boss. So we must work. That is systematic. If everyone manufactures, invents his own way of life, then there must be chaos.<br /> SUDAMA: Yeah, that’s true.<br /> Srila Prabhupada: Yes. Now we are world organization. There is spiritual side, and there is material side also. That is not material side. That is also spiritual side, systematic management. Otherwise how it will be done? <br /> Conversations, Vol. 6, Los Angeles, December 5, 1973</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">* * *</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">Management is a sign of intelligence. Srila Prabhupada even proved the existence of God through arguments based upon the intelligent management of the universe.<br /> Srila Prabhupada: Demigod means almost God. They have got all godly qualities, and they are controllers of the atmospheric affairs. Some of them are controlling rainy season, some of them are controlling heat. As you have got controller here, some departmental director of this department, director of that department, similarly why don’t you think that this cosmic manifestation, there is a great brain behind it and there are different directors and there is management? People do not accept it. Nature. What do you mean by nature? Such nice things, such wonderful things are going on automatically, without any control? You see?<br /> Journalist: Well, I know that’s a question that, of course, one asks oneself all the time, I guess. It’s part of man’s quest to find himself and . . .<br /> Srila Prabhupada: But they should have common sense that you are trying to float one sputnik, so many scientific brains are working. And millions of wonderful sputniks which are called planets, they are floating in the air, there isn’t brain behind it? What is this? Is that very good reasoning?<br /> Journalist: I don’t know. I must ponder that.<br /> Srila Prabhupada: You should know it. How can it be? There must be a very big brain behind this. They are working. <br /> Conversations, Vol. 1, Los Angeles, December 30, 1968</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">* * *</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">To manage anything smoothly requires intelligence. Effective teachers apply their intelligence to maximize the actual time they spend teaching. Here are six basic managerial principles that should help.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">Principle One: Cultivate the Mode of Goodness <br /> Cultivate the mode of goodness within yourself, your classroom atmosphere, and your students. Teaching thrives on maintaining steadiness and regularity. These qualities are born of an atmosphere of goodness.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">sattvat sanjayate jnanam<br /> rajaso lobha eva ca<br /> pramada-mohau tamaso<br /> bhavato ’jnanam eva ca</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">From the mode of goodness, real knowledge develops; from the mode of passion, greed develops; and from the mode of ignorance develop foolishness, madness, and illusion.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">Purport: Since the present civilization is not very congenial to the living entity, Krsna consciousness is recommended. Through Krsna consciousness, society will develop the mode of goodness. When the mode of goodness is developed, people will see things as they are. Because people have no education in actual knowledge, they become irresponsible. To stop this irresponsibility, education for developing the mode of goodness of the people in general must be there. When they are actually educated in the mode of goodness, they will become sober, in full knowledge of things as they are. Then people will become happy.<br /> Bg. 14.17<br /> A key element of goodness is cleanliness. It is no wonder that Srila Prabhupada wrote, “Your country, America, will become very degraded. They will appreciate our revolutionary cleanliness. Our revolutionary medicine will be experimented on these children, and it will be seen to be the cure.” (Letter to Satsvarupa dasa, February 28, 1972)<br /> Because cleanliness and goodness are the cure, teachers should be vigilant about protecting their students from slovenliness, passion, and ignorance.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">jaya-kale tu sattvasya<br /> devarsin rajaso ’suran<br /> tamaso yaksa-raksamsi<br /> tat-kalanuguno ’bhajat</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">When the quality of goodness is prominent, the sages and demigods flourish with the help of that quality, with which they are infused and surcharged by the Supreme Lord. Similarly, when the mode of passion is prominent the demons flourish, and when ignorance is prominent the Yaksas and Raksasas flourish. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is present in everyone’s heart, fostering the reactions of sattva-guna, rajo-guna and tamo-guna. <br /> Bh€g. 7.1.8</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">* * *</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">Basically, goodness is required because it makes us receptive to Krsna consciousness. <br /> YOGESVARA: Is there some, any qualities, in the sense that some people have more receptivity towards the divine than other people?<br /> Srila Prabhupada: That I explained, sattva-guna, rajo-guna, tamo-guna. Those who are in sattva-guna, they can understand easily. Those who are in rajo-guna, they have got difficulty. And those who are in tamo-guna, they cannot.<br /> Madame Devi: (French)<br /> YOGESVARA: Is this degree of covering, whether they are in goodness, in passion or in ignorance, is that a question of their physical body? Is it a question of their hormones or chemical state? Is it a chemical state that some people are more covered than others by the modes of nature?<br /> Srila Prabhupada: Covered means with some dirty things. That’s all. <br /> Conversations, Vol. 10, Paris, June 15, 1974</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">* * *</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">For a further explanation of the relationship between Krsna consciousness and the mode of goodness, please refer to chapter 5, “Teaching and Disciplining in the Modes of Material Nature,” and the essay “Elevation to Goodness” in the appendix.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">Principle Two: Preach Strongly, Yet Be Sensitive<br /> Srila Prabhupada once said that preaching brought management to one’s fingertips. When teachers effectively preach, students cooperate and cause few problems. And the students should preach as well. “It is especially nice to hear,” Srila Prabhupada wrote, “that the boys are becoming first-class preachers. That is essential. Without preaching, our institution becomes all rubbish.” (Letter to Dayananda dasa, April 11, 1974)<br /> The preaching, to be effective, should be realized and strong. Prabhupada’s preaching example was to the point.<br /> MAKHANALAL: There was that one notable, so-called incarnation. He supposedly lost all his potency. <br /> Srila Prabhupada: : Eh?<br /> MAKHANALAL: He said he gave away all his potency. <br /> Srila Prabhupada: He’s a rascal. What potency he has got?<br /> Dr. Patel: Who?<br /> Srila Prabhupada: Any rascal who has called himself incarnation of God. There are so many rascals.<br /> MAKHANALAL: Wasn’t that Ramakrishna who said he gave away everything; he had nothing more except . . . <br /> Srila Prabhupada: What Ramakrishna? Don’t talk of these nonsense. Simply they have misled. That’s all.<br /> Dr. Patel: Simply you bhaja Krsna and don’t think anything else. And you get all your intelligence there.<br /> Srila Prabhupada: Therefore Krsna has said, mam ekam. “Don’t go to these foolish rascals.” Mam ekam. You’ll be misled. Because they are misleaders, rascals.<br /> Dr. Patel: You are so very hard.<br /> Srila Prabhupada: I must be hard.<br /> Dr. Patel: Hard, harsh, and hard and harsh. <br /> Srila Prabhupada: The whole world is spoiled by these Mayavadis. Therefore I am very much hard. <br /> Dr. Patel: I don’t say hard. Hard and harsh. <br /> Srila Prabhupada: No, we must be harder and harder.<br /> Dr. Patel: Hard and harsh! Doesn’t matter . . . <br /> Srila Prabhupada: I don’t make any compromise with these rascals. No words. No, no. I never made that. Even if I don’t get any disciples, I’ll be satisfied. But I can’t make any compromise like these rascals. I cannot make. Ekah candras tamo hanti na ca tara sahasrasah. If I can create one moon, that is sufficient. I don’t want many stars. That was my Guru Maharaja’s principle and that is my principle. What is the use of having a number of fools and rascals? If one man understands rightly, he can deliver the whole world. <br /> Conversations, Vol. 7, Bombay, March 23, 1974</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">* * *</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">Although at times as hard as iron, Srila Prabhupada was also discriminating. Our preaching, especially to our students, should be individually prescribed and not fanatical.<br /> YOGESVARA: You didn’t find it necessary to enter into any kind of discussion with this French professor just now. There was no real discussion of philosophy. I was wondering why that didn’t happen.<br /> Srila Prabhupada: He did not raise any question. And he is simply translator. He has no philosophy. I asked him, “Which philosophy you are . . . ?” “So I make comparative study.” I think he did not like to enter into philosophical . . . Is it not? <br /> Devotee: Most of these gentlemen who come here, when they see you and begin talking with you, like you said, they show their ignorance when they begin to speak. So they prefer not to speak. They always make some excuse that they have an appointment because they know that if they speak, they will be in real trouble.<br /> Srila Prabhupada: Yes. Tavac ca sobhate murkho yavat kincin na bhasate: “A foolish man is very nice as long as he does not speak. As soon as he will speak, his foolishness will be captured.” So therefore, sometimes they do not like to talk. Remain as a nice man, (Laughs.) without being discovered. <br /> Conversations, Vol. 10, Paris, June 14, 1974</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">* * *</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">Principle Three: Keep Strong Krsna Conscious Relationships<br /> Make management easier by keeping strong Krsna conscious relationships with your students.<br /> Brahmacari means living under direction of guru. Guror hitam. How can he be simply thinking of benefitting the spiritual master? Unless that position comes, nobody can serve guru. It is not an artificial thing. The brahmacari, the disciple, must have genuine love for the guru, then he can be under control. Otherwise why one should be under the control of another person? Therefore it is said, €caran d€savat. Servant, not only servant, but menial servant. Less than domestic servant. So a disciple is expected to live in gurukula, at the shelter of the guru, as menial servant gurau sudrdha-sauhrdah. This can be possible when one is really thickly related to the guru. Otherwise, ordinary relationship will not do. One who has actually the convictionyasya prasadad bhagavat-prasadoone who is convinced that if I please my guru then Krsna will be pleased. This is called suhrdah, full faithyasyaprasadan na gatih kuto ‘pi. And if I displease my guru, then I have no place. In this way. Guru cannot be false guru. False guru has no such thing. If guru is genuine and disciple is genuine, both of them are benefited and they go back to home, back to Godhead. <br /> Lectures, Bombay, April 12 and 14, 1976</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">* * *</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">Know your students. Call the students by their names. Write down the names of the students in your class and see which ones you can’t remember or which ones you think of last. Note what qualities those students have. Deal with each student personally, either with a question, a comment, or a few words connected with the day’s occurrences, each day or during each lesson or section of the day. Be personally interested in each student. Informally speaking with students at different times of the day develops relationships. <br /> However, etiquette should always be observed in the dealings between a teacher and his students. Otherwise, a teacher’s “friendly” relationships will turn to familiarity, which breeds contempt. <br /> Guest: The Hare Krsna movement has started in the United States. Why did it start in the United States rather than India?<br /> Srila Prabhupada: Because the United States, they are our best customer. A businessman goes to a place . . . Just like you come here. Why you have come here? Wherever there is best possibility of doing your business, there you must go. I went to the United States because these people are not poverty-stricken. And our Indian people, they have been trained to think that they are poverty-stricken. Actually, they are not poverty-stricken, but the leaders have educated them that, “You are all poverty-stricken.” This is India’s position. So far I knew that it would not be successful in India. The government would not help. The public is educated in a different way. They are after technology. So, “familiarity breeds contempt.” They say, “What is this Hare Krsna movement: It is known to us since a long time. What effect it will have?” <br /> Conversations, Vol. 3, Hong Kong, April 18, 1972</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">* * *</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">Just as Srila Prabhupada circled the world many times to add enthusiasm, instruction, and strength to his temples, circulate amongst your students. Know what and how they are doing. Know their strengths. Commend them for work well done. Know their difficulties. Offer help and advice to inattentive students. Document their troubles and achievements. <br /> Maintain a positive atmosphere. Avoid nagging, sarcasm, and frequent negative comments — tension between the teacher and his students cannot fail to exist within an atmosphere where these constantly go on. Sincerely praise whenever possible. Think of plenty of exact words that can be used instead of “good” and “nice” (delightful, imaginative, superb, great, remarkable, original, fascinating). Remember that chastisements are most effective within a basically positive atmosphere. Keep your word. Fulfill your promises. Don’t bluff. Remember: problem students need more positive reinforcement. <br /> Interact with the students. When lecturing, look at specific students in succession, each for a few seconds, in different parts of the room. This gives the teacher a feel for how the entire group is doing. Speak loud enough for students to easily hear. Use questions, not to catch the inattentive, but to check whether the material is being understood. If wrong answers are returned, the teacher should understand that he may have to re-explain in a simpler way or use examples. Using questions in this way will tend to keep the atmosphere positive.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">Principle Four: Start and End All Activities Carefully <br /> A careful start . . . <br /> Be there first, before the students arrive. Make sure the surroundings are neat and tidy. Make sure student seating or student order is pre-organized. At first, this can be done in an arbitrary way, and later, after you have established yourself in control, student placement and order can be rearranged.<br /> Be prepared. Know in advance what you will do. Have all materials and their distribution already organized. <br /> Start on time. This immediately establishes the teacher’s authority. The students naturally feel respectful, knowing the teacher is on top of his service.<br /> . . . An effective ending<br /> Plan in advance how the activity will end, how the dismissal will take place, and how a smooth transfer to the next activity will occur. <br /> First, go over it mentally in detail and write it out. Then, practice and master it. <br /> Plan ahead. Leave sufficient time for the orderly and efficient collection of materials and for the dismissal, thus allowing an effective summary to occur. <br /> Plan the end of the activity. Consider first what was the goal of the activity. Then sum it up. Don’t let one activity merge into the next. If possible, at least mentally prepare the students for their next activity.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">Principle Five: Make Sure Your Procedures are Efficient <br /> Know your objectives. Frequently check your results against your goals. Change or adjust procedures if necessary.<br /> Use variety. Consider student interest, curiosity, and motivation. Keep in mind your students’ attention span: two short activities may be better than one long activity. Alternate preferred activities with boring ones, familiar activities with new ones, quiet individual work with group work. But don’t let variety become confusion.<br /> Vary pace. Although the general tendency towards briskness in activities appears desirable — the ability to vary pace, and to know when to teach less and allow more time for practice — is also important. Short periods of practice followed by rest or by a different activity seem most effective.<br /> When engaging your students, make sure each student knows what he should be doing and when he should be doing it. Just knowing without a doubt what one should be doing by having heard precise instructions removes, for most students, the temptation to misbehave. <br /> Make sure you have your students’ attention before you give instructions. Also make sure that your students are actually capable of carrying out your instructions. <br /> King Pariksit said: O great sage, never before has it been heard anywhere that an order from Yamaraja has been baffled. Therefore I think that people will have doubts about this that no one but you can eradicate. Since this is my firm conviction, kindly explain the reasons for these events.<br /> Srila Sukadeva Goswami replied: “My dear King, when the order carriers of Yamaraja were baffled and defeated by the order carriers of Visnu, they approached their master, the controller of Saˆyaman-pur and master of sinful persons, to tell him of this incident.” <br /> The Yamadutas said: “Our dear Lord, how many controllers or rulers are there in this material world? How many causes are responsible for manifesting the various results of activities performed under the three modes of material nature?”<br /> Purport: Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura says that the Yamadutas, the order carriers of Yamaraja, were so disappointed that they asked their master, almost in great anger, whether there were many masters other than him. Furthermore, because the Yamadutas had been defeated and their master could not protect them, they were inclined to say that there was no need to serve such a master. If the servant cannot carry out the orders of his master without being defeated, what is the use of serving such a master? <br /> Bh€g. 6.3.2-4</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">* * *</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">Consider your instructions before expecting students to follow them. As the Yamadutas became confused because they were incapable of carrying out the orders of their master, students who find themselves unable to carry out the orders of their teacher may similarly become confused or even angry. <br /> Also take care to make sure your instructions do not contradict those of another teacher or authority.<br /> If in this universe there are many rulers and justices who disagree about punishment and reward, their contradictory actions will neutralize each other, and no one will be punished or rewarded. Otherwise, if their contradictory acts fail to neutralize each other, everyone will have to be both punished and rewarded.<br /> Purport: Because the Yamadutas had been unsuccessful in carrying out the order of Yamar€ja, they doubted whether Yamaraja actually had the power to punish the sinful. Although they had gone to arrest Ajamila, following Yamaraja’s order, they found themselves unsuccessful because of the order of some higher authority. Therefore they were unsure of whether there were many authorities or only one. If there were many authorities who gave different judgments, which could be contradictory, a person might be wrongly punished or wrongly rewarded. According to our experience in the material world, a person punished in one court may appeal to another. Thus the same man may be either punished or rewarded according to different judgments. However, in the law of nature or the court of the Supreme Personality of Godhead there cannot be such contradictory judgments. The judges and their judgments must be perfect and free from contradictions. <br /> Bh€g. 6.3.5</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">* * *</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">Principle Six: Handle Basic Disruptions Without Losing Momentum<br /> Following effective management procedures, like the above principles, will help eliminate most disruptions to teaching. But as happiness comes of its own accord, so does trouble. Minor disruptions are irritating. Even giving attention to them causes interruptions. <br /> Minor misbehavior is difficult to deal with because the offender can easily hide behind innocence: “I didn’t do it on purpose.” And because it is often difficult to recognize the culprit, suitable responses are difficult to find. Be tolerant and careful. Don’t overreact, treating minor disturbances as a threat or challenge to your authority. If wrongly handled, these disruptions can develop from minor irritations to major confrontations. <br /> Even when a teacher is quite certain that misbehavior is intentional or provocative, he should be wary of too strong an immediate response. Dramatic punishments are especially counterproductive as nothing is kept in reserve for more serious cases. Even simulated anger is troublesome. Rather, a teacher should look for a series of responses which are cool, calm, and carefully calculated.<br /> Here are some technical-sounding names for simple techniques that help teachers effectively handle these “surface” problems:</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">Planned ignoring<br /> Ignore simple affronts meant to cause disruption. Students often stop misbehaving when they do not get the attention they seek.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">Interference<br /> Inhibit behavior with eye contact or disapproving facial expressions to inform the student that the source of disturbance has been spotted and that the disturbance is not pleasing.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">Quick conference<br /> Peacefully call the student up to your desk and quietly whisper in his ear that he please stop the activity.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">Proximity control<br /> Stop restlessness by moving to the troubled area. An on the spot “quick conference” can also help.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">Interest boosting<br /> Display interest in the student’s activity with a specific comment, such as during japa, “How’s your listening been the past few beads?” instead of, “How’s your chanting today?” You can also correct the student’s work, bring him closer to you, or praise his work. The idea is to refocus the student’s attention and remotivate him. Sometimes distractions result from the student’s inability to cope with required work.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">Hurdle help<br /> See how the student is doing. If he is having a problem with his work, help him push beyond the difficulty.<br /> If the above techniques fail, try these:</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">Humor<br /> Diffuse a tense situation with a joke, showing that you don’t take it seriously or that you can see the funny side of it.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">Affection<br /> Search for an appropriate reason and sincerely give praise or show some affection, like a wink, a pat on the back, or a friendly smile.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">Personal appeal quick conference<br /> Call the student up, take him aside, and gently request that he desist from the behavior. Tell the student that you can’t allow him to continue acting in this way. Tell him the reasonsothers cannot hear the story, you cannot concentrate, it is making it impossible for you to teach, and so on. Then ask, “Do you think this is an unfair request? If you want to run around, you’ll have time later. But you can’t run now.” Try to avoid the threat, but as a last effort, it can be used. “Look, if you continue, I’m going to have no other choice but to give you a detention.”</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">* * *</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">Simply following the above points will stop most casual offenders, although it will not stop a student “saboteur.” The teacher, however, should initially assume that basic disruptions and minor transgressions are motivated either by desire for attention, by boredom, or by inadequacy. If this is so, when the teacher gives attention to the task, not to the behavior, conflict is avoided. Concentrating on what the student is doing, rather than why he is doing it, can often defuse a potentially tense situation. <br /> Even if the transgression is caused by a student’s personal animosity, all but the most determined seekers of confrontation will be diverted by the above simple manoeuvres. If a confrontation seems to be looming, avoid itsomehow or another.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">Remember . . .<br /> Remember that a student always engaged in Krsna conscious activities will have less tendency towards mischievous activities.<br /> Srila Prabhupada: Just like, somebody, a child. A child is active, but his frivolous activities, or mischievous, have to stop when he’s active in taking education. You see. The same child, his energy for becoming active is transferred for taking education. He’s no more acting mischievously, breaking this, doing this, doing that. The activity is there. Now that is purified. Similarly, spiritual life means the spiritual activity, that is purified activities. These boys, they have given up drinking, meat-eating. That does not mean they stop eating. They’re eating better things. Therefore they have given up the nonsense eating. So that is spiritual life. Spiritual life means purified activity.<br /> SYAMASUNDARA: Rationally, I was thought to be intelligent. I went to college, got so many degrees, but I could not in the least control my senses and control my mind, even though I tried. I studied philosophy so hard. But, by simply chanting Hare Krsna and coming to the platform of service for God, all my activities became dovetailed in one direction so that the other things were automatically brought under control as a result.<br /> Srila Prabhupada: Param drstva nivartate. The exact word is there that if one gets good engagement, he can give up bad engagement. But he cannot make it inactive. That is not possible because the soul is active. It is living. How he can make it inactive? That is not possible. Nirvana means stop nonsense, but take to spiritual life. That is next: athato brahma-jijnasa. Nirvana does not mean to stop activities; to stop nonsense activities. Come to the real activity. <br /> Conversations, Vol. 3, London, September 4, 1971</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;"><strong>Source: </strong><a href="http://www.dandavats.com/?p=31261">http://www.dandavats.com/?p=31261</a></p></div>“When did we come into contact with the material nature?” by Srila Prabhupadahttps://iskcondesiretree.com/profiles/blogs/when-did-we-come-into-contact-with-the-material-nature-by-srila-p2022-10-08T11:00:00.000Z2022-10-08T11:00:00.000ZISKCON Desire Treehttps://iskcondesiretree.com/members/iskcon_desire_tree<div><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}3622837418,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}3622837418,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="3622837418?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="400" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">People are running around–“Oh, I am the manager. I am the factory owner. I am this. I am that. We know his politics, we have to defeat our competitors.” All these things are created just like a man creates a situation in a dream– svapna–drastur ivanjasa.<br /> So when someone asks, “When did we come into contact with the material nature?” The answer is that we have not come into contact. By the influence of the material energy, we THINK that we are in contact. Actually, we are NOT fallen. We cannot be fallen. We have simply created a situation. Rather, we have not created a situation; Krsna has given us a situation. Because we wanted to imitate Krsna, Krsna has given an opportunity: “All right. You want to imitate? You want to be an imitation king on the stage. So feel like this.<br /> Play like this. Do like this. People will applaud–”Oh, a very nice king!” Everyone in the material world is playing some part. “I want to be prime minister” “ I want to be very big business magnate.” “I want to be a leader.” “I want to be a philosopher.” “I want to be a scientist.” They are trying to play all these nonsense parts and Krsna is giving the opportunity–“All right.” But these things are all nonsense. Simply dreaming. When you dream, the next moment the dream is gone, and everything in the dream is finished. No more tiger. No more jungle. Similarly, as long as the body continues, I think, “I am a responsible leader. I am this, I am that.” but as soon as the body is finished, these ideas are gone.<br /> “Krsna says, mrityu sarva-haras ca-ham: ‘I am death. I take everything away.’ Just think of our past life. Suppose I was a king or something like that. From the Bhrighu-samhita it was ascertained that I was a big physician in my last life, with a spotless character, no sins. I don’t know.<br /> It may be. But I have no remembrance that I was a physician. So what do we know? I might have been a very big influential physician, with a good practice, but where is it all now? All gone! So our contact with matter is just like a dream. We are not fallen., therefore at any moment we can revive our Krsna consciousness. We become liberated as soon as we understand “I have nothing to do with matter. I am simply Krsna’s eternal servant.” Sometimes when a fearful dream becomes intolerable we break the dream. Similarly, we can break the material connection at any moment as soon as we come to the point of Krsna consciousness. “Oh, Krsna is my eternal master. I am His servant.” That’s all. That is the way.<br /> Actually, we are not fallen. We cannot be fallen. The same example: Actually there is no tiger; it is dreaming. We are not fallen. We can simply give up that illusory condition at any moment.<br /> (From a BTG article a few years back called “The soul’s Fall” containing this wonderful lecture by our beloved Srila Prabhupada)<br /> To read the whole article click here: <a href="https://is.gd/Lq45xY">https://is.gd/Lq45xY</a></p>
<p style="text-align:justify;"><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="http://www.dandavats.com/?p=78457">http://www.dandavats.com/?p=78457</a></p></div>Two Energies Choices By Satsvarupa Dasa Goswamihttps://iskcondesiretree.com/profiles/blogs/two-energies-choices-by-satsvarupa-dasa-goswami-12020-09-15T12:20:00.000Z2020-09-15T12:20:00.000ZISKCON Desire Treehttps://iskcondesiretree.com/members/iskcon_desire_tree<div><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}2515190458,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}2515190458,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="2515190458?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="300" /></a></p>
<p>From Back to Godhead</p>
<p>Which way does one go in moments of despair?</p>
<p>LORD KRSNA HAS TWO ENERGIES, material and spiritual, but they can be used interchangeably if one knows how. Just as the same electricity can be used to heat or cool a building, so Krsna’s energies can be used for different purposes according to the living entity’s desire.</p>
<p>That doesn’t mean that the living entity can control Krsna’s energies, only that he can use them. When a conditioned soul wishes to exploit the material nature, he contacts the material energy. When he no longer wishes to dominate or enjoy the material energy and instead uses it in Krsna’s service, he contacts the spiritual energy. The living entity is called the “marginal potency” of God-he can go either way. The Bhagavad-gita (9.13) states: “Being marginal potency, as soon as the living entity is freed from the control of material nature he is put under the guidance of the spiritual nature.” There are only two choices.</p>
<p>In the Bhagavatam, Srila Prabhupada speaks of penance and repentance as our means to begin the switch from material to spiritual. If we regret our association with the material energy, we will no longer feel dependent upon its dualities and we will turn to Krsna. Repentance burns away our sins and pushes us toward surrender.</p>
<p>Lord Krsna states, “The material energy is difficult to overcome. But those who have surrendered unto Me can easily cross beyond it.” (Bg. 7.14) Srila Prabhupada adds, “Krsna, being the Lord of the illusory energy, can order His insurmountable energy to release the conditioned soul.”</p>
<p>Repentance is followed by penance or austerity. We begin our austerity by trying to stop exploiting material resources as if we own them. That means we have to learn tolerance, because the material energy rarely acts for our comfort. Numberless little things in life irritate us. The more attached we are to physical ease, the more troublesome these things become. Therefore, we have to tolerate.</p>
<p>Those who tolerate are neither culprits who cause pain to other living entities to ensure their own comfort nor helpless victims living only for relief nor fools trying to enjoy. Our senses become subdued and our hearts purified.</p>
<p>Repentance and penance are nothing more than attitude. An episode in t he Bhagavatam shows how our attitude determines whether we live in the spiritual or the material energy. When Vidura tried to convince Dhrtarastra to return the throne to the Pandavas, its rightful heirs, Dhrtarastra threw Vidura out of the palace, which had been his home. So Vidura decided to go on pilgrimage. Because of his love for Krsna, he accepted his new situation as the Lord’s will. Srila Prabhupada states that in this instance the Lord’s material energy acted as the internal , spiritual energy. Although Vidura could see that he had been mistreated, he also saw Krsna’s blessing. Suddenly he was free of political entanglement and could seek out pure Krsna consciousness in a life of renunciation and devotion.</p>
<p>When we stop blaming others for the pain they seem to cause us, and understand our role in causing our own karma, and when we see our powerlessness against the material energy, we will become more dependent on Krsna. Then the material energy will become spiritual in our hands. Instead of dragging us further into material life, our happiness and distress will elevate us in Krsna consciousness. Rather than causing us pain, our predicaments and perplexities will provide us another chance to meditate on Krsna. And that will make us happy.</p>
<p>Of course, the atheists consider this mad, irresponsible. You should not tolerate your suffering but strive to overcome it. But is it possible? No matter how hard we work to get ahead in life, we never seem to become happy. That’s because everything we do must be done at the expense of others, who are seeking gratification at our expense. If we manage to climb to the top of the pile, then Providence slaps us-a family member dies, the fortune dwindles, the spouse is unfaithful, we contract a debilitating disease, and in the end we die. To pursue such a blind path is the ultimate in irresponsibility.</p>
<p>The Bhagavatam (1.3.34) states: “If the illusory energy subsides and the living entity becomes fully enriched with knowledge by the grace of the Lord, then he becomes at once enlightened with selfrealization and thus becomes situated in his own glory.” We are the marginal potency of God. We can go either way. We can go either way. We can respond to whatever life deals us by glorifying God, or we can make that other choice.</p></div>Vrndavana – Land of No Returnhttps://iskcondesiretree.com/profiles/blogs/vrndavana-land-of-no-return-12019-01-21T13:20:46.000Z2019-01-21T13:20:46.000ZISKCON Desire Treehttps://iskcondesiretree.com/members/iskcon_desire_tree<div><p style="text-align:center;"><img style="height:350px;width:500px;" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-k6nsbARdg4Y/VXRbQYyEWoI/AAAAAAAAP7E/SjomJphC5uc/s0/2015-06-07_16-54-32.jpg" alt="" /></p>
<p style="text-align:justify;"><strong>By Brahmananda Dasa</strong></p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">From the beginning of time, man has yearned for the perfect home a paradise, a Shangri-la, a Walden where he could live eternally in peace and happiness. Such a place cannot be found anywhere in the material world, however, for the material world is by its very nature temporary and frustrating. To end our weary searching, we must go beyond this world of duality, beyond the boundaries of space and time, into the spiritual realm.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">Vrndavana, India, is that sought-after eternal resting place because it is at Vrndavana that Lord Sri Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, descended to this planet five thousand years ago. The Lord’s appearance and activities are not mundane; they are completely transcendental. Just as a king may travel with all his retinue, set up camp, and conduct his affairs of state in the same style as if he were in his palace, Lord Krsna brought with Him all His transcendental associates and paraphernalia and created on earth an exact replica of the spiritual world, known as Goloka Vrndavana. Because Vrndavana is the eternal and entirely spiritual abode of the Lord, it is nondifferent from Him. At Vrndavana, one will find unlimited wealth, strength, fame, wisdom, beauty and renunciation all the six opulences possessed by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Bhagavan Sri Krsna. Indeed Vrndavana is Krsna, and, to go there is to perceive God Himself.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">As you enter the boundary of Vrndavana, you can feel that this place is somehow different. First you explore the forest. The cool, sandy earth feels like lotus dust beneath your feet as you walk amidst the different kinds of trees: the black-barked tamala, the medicinal nim, the great banyan and the adorable tulasi (Vrnda is a name of the tulasi tree, and vana means forest). Here the forests are like parks, their grasses carefully manicured by thousands of white cows. The slow-moving cows, with their wide-eyed children’s stares, look like ancient sages silently meditating as they chew. Parrots and other multicolored birds decorate the trees, cascading pleasant songs into your ears, while peacocks in great abundance strut impressively and display their train of regal feathers. Vrndavana is bounded on three sides by the Yamuna River, whose waters are as pure as the primordial waters of creation. It is said that if one bathes in the Yamuna, all the sins of his millions of past lives are washed away. If you have even a little knowledge of Krsna, or even a slight attachment to Him, everything in Vrndavana reminds you of Him, and you find yourself feeling a kind of love for Him known as separation.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">As you wander within the village of Vrndavana along the narrow, twisting, medieval streets, you come upon a series of temples made of heavy russet stone, which has been carved and filigreed into decorative lotus designs. As you enter one temple courtyard, you see Him: the Deity of Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, in the form of pure black marble, standing on a silver throne within a protective cupola, His feet strewn with tulasi leaves. His body is bent attractively in three places, and He plays the flute, inviting you to take Him into your heart of hearts. Next to Him stands His inseparable consort, Srimati Radharani, immaculate and beautiful. Do not think these Deities to be mere stone. As Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita (7.24), “Unintelligent men, who know Me not, think that I have assumed this form and personality. Due to their small knowledge, they do not know My higher nature, which is changeless and supreme.” Anyone can see Krsna in the Deity, but first he must purify his vision by hearing about the Lord from the lips of a pure devotee, and by chanting His glories. Lord Caitanya, an incarnation of Krsna who appeared in Bengal, India, five hundred years ago, especially recommended chanting and hearing the holy names: Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. This chanting churns up a very special ointment unavailable in any pharmacy. It is known as bhava, devotion. If you apply this ointment of bhava to your eyes, you can see the Deity as He really is transcendental, alive, and worshipable.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">Vrndavana has not always been a city of Deities and temples, however. Five hundred years ago, Vrndavana was simply open fields. At that time, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu personally went there to ascertain the holy sites where Lord Krsna had exhibited His transcendental pastimes. Soon afterward, Lord Caitanya sent to Vrndavana six of His foremost disciples, known as the Six Gosvamis. Their mission was to continue the work of determining the exact locations of Krsna’s pastimes, to develop these sites, and to write authoritative books on the science of Krsna consciousness.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">Vrndavana is the land of Krsna, and just as Krsna is supremely beautiful, so is His abode. According to mundane vision, however, Vrndavana appears to be an ordinary village. Therefore to really see Vrndavana in its full, glorious beauty, we must purify our vision by becoming Krsna conscious. The Six Gosvamis have shown the way. They not only led perfectly saintly Krsna conscious lives themselves, but they wrote hundreds of spiritual guidebooks based on the revealed Vedic scriptures. By their mercy the sincere seeker can achieve the highest boon of life love of Krsna.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">The teachings of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada are identical with those of the Six Gosvamis, for he follows in direct disciplic succession from them. Therefore by following his teachings, we can see Vrndavana as it really is. The Brahma-samhita, a poem written by Lord Brahma, the most exalted living being in this universe, describes the Vrndavana that the pure souls perceive:</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">“The transcendental land of Vrndavana is always spiritual. That spiritual land is populated by goddesses of fortune, who are known as gopis. These are all beloved of Krsna, and Krsna is the only lover of all those gopis. The trees of that land are kalpa-vrksa, wish-fulfilling trees, and one can have anything he wants from them. The land is made of touchstone and the water of nectar. In that supreme abode, all speech is song, all walking is dancing, and one’s constant companion is the flute. Surabhi cows flood the land with milk, and everything is self-luminous, just like the sun in the material world. Since every moment there is spent in loving service to Krsna, there is no past, present or future.” The human form of life is meant for understanding this transcendental land of Vrndavana. One who is intelligent should cultivate knowledge of Vrndavana, Lord Krsna’s eternal domain, and reach that supreme abode even in this lifetime.</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"> </p>
<p style="text-align:justify;"><strong>Source: </strong><a href="http://www.dandavats.com/?p=17799">http://www.dandavats.com/?p=17799</a></p></div>