Meditating on Krsna's passtimes.

My dear reader!

One qote from Sivarama Swami book "The Awakening of Spontaneous Devotional Service" got me thinking:

Finally we should recall thar rāgānuga-bhakti is dependent on remembering Krsna and His associates, krsnam smaram janam cāsya. But constant rememberance is possible only when the heart has been sufficiently purified through regulated devotional service. Where such purification is absent, meditation on krsna-līla will be fragmented and unproductive. In such circumstances the sādhaka will make better use of his time and efforts to intensly concentrate on vaidhi-bhakti in order to achieve the prerequisite purity of heart.

Что делать с вожделением

Вопрос: Что делать с вожделением, если много лет практикуешь, занимаешь свою природу, а оно все равно остается, и хоть бы что. Уже многое связывает с Кришной, но этот вкус материальных наслаждений все еще остается. Дайте, пожалуйста, совет или какую-то практику, как устранить эту тенденцию наслаждаться материей?

Ответ: Можно давать ответ на разных уровнях. Если давать ответ на самом высоком уровне, то, конечно же, эта тенденция остается, потому что по-прежнему остается отождествление себя со своим телом. Отношения с Кришной могут быть, стремление к Кришне может быть, одновременно с этим у нас по-прежнему остается очень крепкая самбандха с телом. Когда эта связь с телом ослабнет за счет того, что отношения с Кришной станут сильнее, то пропорционально этому будет ослабевать и проблема, вызванная материальным телом и умом. Поэтому на самом высоком уровне есть только одна-единственная вещь ─ это постоянно пытаться укреплять эту духовную связь, духовную природу. Когда мы читаем книги, когда мы думаем, когда мы проповедуем, все это укрепляет нашу духовную природу. Когда мы оскорбляем вайшнавов, духовного учителя, Божества, это все ослабляет нашу связь или, наоборот, усиливает материальную природу, отождествление себя с материей.

Практики можно давать, есть йоговские практики, которые помогают в этом, но это, в конце концов, всего лишь навсего костыли, не нужно придавать им слишком большого значения. Единственное, что можно сказать, если говорить о практике, то это посоветовать найти очень близкое общение с другими людьми.

Вожделение это или сила вожделения, влияние вожделения на нас определяется тем, насколько мы не получаем определенного вкуса. Когда человек получает духовную расу, или духовный вкус, вожделение уходит. Но даже тонкоматериальный вкус, эмоциональный вкус, вкус близкого общения с другим человеком, ощущение близости в значительной степени устраняет эту потребность в уме получать дополнительное наслаждение, потому что именно близкое общение приносит нам очень большое удовлетворение. Говорится (это физиологический факт), что женщина, когда она рождает первого ребенка, ее вожделение сразу же во много-много раз становится меньше. Почему? Ну, во-первых, потому что она постоянно занята, во-вторых, у нее есть близкое эмоциональное общение с живым существом, которое полностью зависит от нее, в-третьих, потому что все силы ее уходят на служение, она реально служит.

До какой-то степени эти три вещи также являются лекарством от вожделения. Первое ─ постоянная занятость, когда у нас нет свободной минуты, когда мы знаем четко, что нам нужно делать, и все, что мы делаем, связано с какой-то нашей целью, мы напоминаем себе об этой цели. Второе ─ это если в процессе взаимодействия с другими людьми мы вступаем в близкие эмоциональные отношения, это, безусловно, поможет. И, наконец, третья вещь: если мы служим кому-то как женщина служит своему сыну, это, можно сказать, часть отношений, потому что все отношения всегда строятся на служении, на разных формах служения, так или иначе, если мы служим кому-то, причем не просто абстрактно, а очень конкретно, то вожделение будет становиться меньше. Вот что могу сказать по этому поводу. Могу сказать гораздо больше, но это, наверное, самое важное.

Бхакти Вигьяна Госвами, веб-даршан, 02.12.2015

КАК ДОСТИЧЬ СМИРЕНИЯ

КАК ДОСТИЧЬ СМИРЕНИЯ?

1. Стараться как можно меньше говорить. Заниматься своим делом. Не вмешиваться в чужие дела.

2. С благодарностью и радостью принимать замечания и критику. Не замечать чужие ошибки.

3. Безропотно принимать обиды и несправедливости.

4. Спокойно относиться к тому, что вами пренебрегают, вас забывают, вас не любят.

5. Не стремиться понравиться, вызвать восхищение других людей. Всегда быть добрым и кротким, даже если кто-то попытается вывести вас из себя. Не стремиться к званиям и титулам. Всегда уступать в споре, даже если вы правы.

6. Всегда выбирать самое плохое место, самую тяжелую работу, самый трудный путь.

7. Гордый полагается только на себя, смиренный управляется Богом.
Гордость - источник всех пороков, смирение - мать всех добродетелей.

8. Гордый всегда обижен. Смиренный никогда не сердится, потому что ничто его не оскорбляет.

9.Гордый ищет особой любви к себе, смиренный любит сам, ничего не ожидая взамен.

10. Гордый хочет быть уникальным. Смиренный находит удовольствие в том, чтобы заниматься самыми простыми и обыкновенными делами.

11. Только в смирении правда. Все хорошее, что есть в нас (таланты, способности, красоту и т.п.) мы получили от Бога. Как можно гордиться тем, что сделано не нами, а Им?

12. Если Вы смиренны, ничто не вскружит вам голову, и никто не обидит вас, потому что вы знаете, что вы представляете собой на самом деле. Если вас обвинят во всех грехах, вы не впадете в отчаяние. Если вас назовут святым, вы не возведете себя на пьедестал. Не стоит волноваться о том, что думают о вас люди.

13. Кто ищет и любит только самого себя, тот всегда исполнен беспокойства и горести; кто, забывая самого себя, ищет во всем только Бога, тот сохраняет душу свою в мире.

Ability to see

My dear reader!

For last few weeks I have been translating a manual for device I have in my shop. Not like other ones on same shelf, this unit has quite different user interface. I remember myself few month ago, figure out, how it works and how to set it up. My long years of selling mobile phones gave be confidence, that I can figure it out myself, but after 30 minutes I had to come to conclusion, that people, who made it, have completely different approach to button pressing. Only after translation was done and I was familiar to every line not only on user level, but also on level of understanding good enough for explaining in my native language, I was able to set it up with ease.

Few days ago I had a good fortune to listen to evening talk given by one elderly man, known by the name Prithu prabhu. He is visiting Riga temple for few days. Let me tell you one story from His class, which is simple but with deep and useful meaning.

Prithu prabhu told his own story of life, particularly his first weeks after he received first Vedic book, Sri Isopanishad. Reading it made him very interested and on the third day he decided to visit local center. There his experience of devotional lifestyle and kind attitude towards everyone, including animals, made him change his eating habits as well. Short time after that, he visited his mother and explained to her, how unconsidered is to be cruel to anyone, because everyone is creation of God, every living being – be it human, animal or bird – everyone is dear to their heavenly father as His child. If anyone at all wants to be in good books with God, why would he make anyone to suffer, just to feed oneself? After some time, his mother also became vegetarian – it just felt right thing to do! Week later, she walked up to the priest in their local church and with deep sense of discovery and joy, she told about her new lifestyle! You will be surprised to hear the priests answer! He told: “Great! You also have fallen in to Satan’s trap! This is demonic! Only demons are vegetarians!”. Unfortunately, she believed the priest and went back to her nonvegetarian habits.

As one of great and wise person, by the name Chanakya Pandit used to say:

“King see through the eyes of his spies,

Cow see through her nose,

Man see through his eyes and mind,

Saint see through the scriptures”.

King cannot be in all parts of his kingdom, so he relays on his man to bring him information. Cow cannot tell the difference between good and bad grass, so she uses her nose to understand, what to eat. Man rely on seeing and confides in his mind to tell what it is. Person, who takes advise of Good given scripture, is known to be wise and saintly.

Knowledge of the world, its purpose and his laws are well known to one, who has created it. It is like a manual for our benefit. Let us not be like Adam and Eve, who thought that they know better than their Creator, what is good for us and what not!

Why we fall for some concocted ideas, created by uneducated priests, who God is? Hear, what he is telling himself – about world, us and Himself! Dear brothers, use your intelligence, find pure person, pure scripture and you will see. God is not what most of current churches preach. Look with discrimination and find best source you can!

So, try to look at this world through the eyes of pure scriptures and pure saints. Do not be a child, in a sense, that you have to taste everything to find poison.

Wishing you nice weekend

Atmarama dasa.

Gem

My dear reader!

Following advice of my dear friend Guruttama, since yesterday this blog has new name. 

Previous name was inspired by verse in Chaitanya Charitamrita, Madhya 19.151:

"According to their karma, all living entities are wandering throughout the entire universe. Some of them are being elevated to the upper planetary systems, and some are going down into the lower planetary systems. Out of many millions of wandering living entities, one who is very fortunate gets an opportunity to associate with a bona fide spiritual master by the grace of Kṛṣṇa. By the mercy of both Kṛṣṇa and the spiritual master, such a person receives the seed of the creeper of devotional service."

As a person with gardening experience, growing the creeper of devotional service from the seed is very close to me. Still, any of us had a time in our life’s, when we felt like we had lost it. Some did not value it, some did take more serious, but did not look after it well enough. Ultimately it comes to our original deviation – we all at some stage decided do things on our own, and turned our face away from our dearest and kindest friend. He is waiting us to come back to our home, when we are done with our private business and provincial interests. Those of us, who have been very fortunate, have received this gem – pure faith in the possibility to return to our native land of holy forest groves, where will fall at the feet of our eternal owner of our hearts.

Readers, desiring to delve deeper into grave topic of receiving pure faith, please read unmatched book by Sivarama Swami Maharaj. His book Suddha-bhakti-cintāmaṇi: The Touchstone of Pure Devotional Service is the gem amongst books. This blog is my humble attempt to understand His writings and to follow it. Just to honor this masterpiece, I changed the title of this blog.

As this page is dedicated to everyone, who is following path of self discovery, I will remind myself and you all:

B.G.9.2. This knowledge is the king of education, the most secret of all secrets. It is the purest knowledge, and because it gives direct perception of the self by realization, it is the perfection of religion. It is everlasting, and it is joyfully performed.

Sincere souls take this knowledge and find joy on every step. I wish you all - take it seriously and with faith. Whatever doubts you encounter - clear them out. 

No joy or happiness, you had so far, can be compared to that inner satisfaction, which you feel, when you have discovered your real nature- always blissful spiritual spark. When cleansed of all unwanted dirt, pure soul shines with worm invisible light from your heart, almost bursting out! 

I pray to all great souls - please bless me with attentiveness and wisdom, so I go on polishing and do not lose this rarest of gems given to me -t he wish fulfilling gem of devotional  service.

May all your impediments be swept away by merciful glance of Lord Chaitanya.

Sincerely yours

Atmarama dasa.

Layers

My dear reader!

Yesterday evening I was dusting off my old memories and spend time reading about the name I was given by my spiritual advisor. For that purpose I was reading from book, called "Teachings of Lord Chaitanya":

"The Lord then began to explain each and every one of these words. As far as the word ātmārāma is concerned, the Lord explained that the word ātmā means (1) the Supreme Absolute Truth, (2) the body, (3) the mind, (4) endeavor, (5) intelligence, (6) conviction and (7) nature. The word ārāma means enjoyer; therefore, anyone who takes pleasure in the cultivation of the knowledge of these seven items is known as an ātmārāma."

This clearly indicates the multilayer of personality. I recall Shrek, explaining to his friend Donkey layers of his personality. He gave example of an onion.

Donkey at the first meeting, unknown to himself, was seeing the inner layers:

Shrek: "Listen, little donkey! What am I?!"
Donkey: "Hmm.. aaa.. Really tall?"
Shrek: "Noo!!! I am an ogre!... Does that not bother you?"
Donkey: "Nope!"

Later on, in another conversation Donkey says:

- "You are so wrapped in your layers, you are afraid of your own feelings!"

I hope these videos are still available on YouTube, when you read this.

In my search for truth in my advisor I have found real friend, who see all my layers and always come back for me, because - "that is what friends do!"

In whatever layer of my multilayer being I am currently wrapped in, he is willing to help me and - he is able to do so, because he understands ALL my layers.

I wish you all to find such a friend, who is not your friend just for one of your layers, he will be next to you in your search deeper self, when you discover new layer of yours.

Some may find also example of Russian dolls very relevant. 

Hmm, there is seven dolls as well! may be accident, may be not.

Another part of my name, related to be enjoyer, asks for another post. In it I will talk about another layer, but tis time about layers of joy, pleasure, satisfaction, happiness and bliss.

Than k you for your time

Wish you all happy discovery of your layers!

Atmarama dasa.

Dust

Good morning, my dear!

If you ask me, who I am addressing today, it is you - my reader! 

My dear mind, I have not forgotten about you too. You are also my dear friend! Every time I talk about memory, desire, want and do not want, like and do not like, please understand that I mean you, my der mind. These are your affairs and I can not do anything without you.

Common sense is reminding me, that it is not very good to spend time in writing like this during my working yours, but because you keep reading this, I want to keep your attention going.

Some 5 centuries ago there was one pure soul born in Muslim community. Due to his good learning and sharp intelligence he was chosen by Muslim king to be his minister of internal affairs. King himself was spending most of the time in conquering other countries and all the duties to look after welfare of his kingdom was left to Dabir Khas, that was his name at the time. As pure soul, he was attracted to devotional lifestyle and decided to spend extra time studying scriptures and associating with holy people. he wrote to king Husain Shah that he can not continue his work and take sick leave. I do not want to write anything to my boss yet, since I am doing my main duties more less, but following good example of this honest and pure soul I also spend some time in studies and associating with people, who also are on the same path od cleansing their hearts.

You may ask again, what is the title all about? Please listen with undivided attention. i will give two examples to make my point.

Few days ago, I was in our country house and there is roads crossing each other just next to the house. Those who are not been there, you are welcome to visit, others - please come again. So, one of these roads are not covered with tar and every time some car or tractor passes, there is more dust every day, since weather is dry. That dust covering everything around and it is hardly possible to see more than 5-6 meters, what to say about nice scenery and blooming flowers in fields close by. There was one old newspaper left outside, which after month was covered with layer of dust so thick, that no one can recognize a letter, unless the dust is removed.

The same day we talked with my mother about her experiences while cleaning a house. There are matter not as bad as with newspaper, but she likes to keep her room and kitchen clean and she is doing that just before she is leaving house for city. When she comes back, she feels happy and satisfied, because on arrival, everything is clean and it feels like a home. Still, the cleaning itself takes a lot of her time and energy. Doing cleaning at the age of 78 is not an easy task. Also, she realized: "When I look at my room after 2 hours of intense work, it looks almost same. Any person (add I just can guess, she meant also me) will not see the difference, but for me it is so different. I feel better." 

To round up my dusty topic I will quote first verse from Shri Shikshashtakam - eight step instruction poem, which from Sanskrit also can mean eight step pats for one , who wants to follow.

Glory to the Sri Krishna Sankirtana, which cleanses the heart of all the dust accumulated for years and extinguishes the fire of conditional life, of repeated birth and death. This sankirtana movement is the prime benediction for humanity at large because it spreads the rays of the benediction moon. It is the life of all transcendental knowledge. It increases the ocean of transcendental bliss, and it enables us to fully taste the nectar for which we are always anxious.

As old proverb goes - Cleanliness is next to godliness. This was quoted even by rat in great animation movie Ratatouille, while he was sniffing garbage to check it for poison.

I humbly ask all my readers to consider for yourself. If the newspaper is unreadable in so short while, how we can see things clear, using our mind, which we did not care to dust off for such along time. you say it is not dusty? I will answer by words of Voldemort: "He is not dead, because I did not kill him!" If you did not make endeavor to clean your mind, it IS dusty. Everything in this world gets stale and degrades. Let’s start form cleanliness of our environment - places we go, places we live. When we are in habit have clean environment - look at your friends! man is known by company he keeps. Go on be friends, just observe - how clean habits they have. Next will be cleaning of your own habits, 

Inner life starts, when you start to feel need to clean up your mind - want and not want, like and not like, clean your memories, dust them off, put in new order. Gradually you will star to feel a need to clean your intention, good and bad and why. That means you have come to clean your intelligence.

When some day you ask your self - who am I, why am I here, what is my purpose, this will indicate, that you reached the doorstep of your soul.

Happy journey on this path to all of you, my dear readers.

Your servant on this path

Atmarama dasa.

P.S. Please do not tell anyone about your reading or your inner cleaning process – you are doing it for their good anyway. They will feel de difference even without telling them. They will not blame you for being self-centered. They will know the inner gravity of yours. They will want to become your mind readers and it will keep them gessing, so your life will not be boring ever again.