Saturday, August 28, 2010

Don't give me worldly opulence or salvation, even vaikuntha, but please teach me how to Love You!

भुक्ति ना दे मुक्ति ना दे, वैकुण्ठ ना दे, मोको तो तू मनगढ वास दिला दे । (1)
भुक्ति ना दे मुक्ति ना दे, वैकुण्ठ ना दे, अविरल प्रीति की रीति सिखा दे । (2)
भुक्ति ना दे मुक्ति ना दे, वैकुण्ठ ना दे, तेरे विनु इक पल कलप बना दे । (3)
भुक्ति ना दे मुक्ति ना दे, वैकुण्ठ ना दे मेरा नाम ले के इक बार बुला दे । (4)
भुक्ति ना दे मुक्ति ना दे, वैकुण्ठ ना दे, आते जाते मोही लखि टुक मुस्कुरा दे । (5)
भुक्ति ना दे मुक्ति ना दे, वैकुण्ठ ना दे, तोसो नहि बोलूँ यह बोल सुना दे । (6)
भुक्ति ना दे मुक्ति ना दे, वैकुण्ठ ना दे, मुख ना दिखाए जो तो चरण दिखा दे । (7)
भुक्ति ना दे मुक्ति ना दे, वैकुण्ठ ना दे, सपने मे हि इक बार झलक दिखा दे ॥ (8)


Don't give me worldly opulence or salvation, even vaikuntha (the Divine abode of Lord Vishnu) but please:
give me place in Mangarh (Shree Maharajji's birth place) (1)
teach me how to love You (2)
make even a second without You as ages (3)
call me once by taking my name (4)
give me a glance and smile while passing by (5)
speak to me once (6)
give darshan of you Lotus Feet if You don't want to give darshan of Your lovely face (7)
if not in real please give me darshan in my dreams at least (8)

Fresh lines by Shree Maharajji (August 14th, 2010-Mangarh)



Thursday, August 26, 2010

Radha Krishna fights for each other's pleasure!

 आजु दोउ, झूलन महँ झगरे ।
जब ह्वै गयो श्रृंगार सबै विधि, झूलन कदम परे ।
तब प्यारी प्रीतम सोँ इमि कह, वचन गुमान भरे ।
'तुम झूलो या हम झूलेँ, निहं, दोउ इक संग सरे' ।
पिवु कह 'दोउ इक सँग झूलेँ या, रह दोउ सँग खरे'।
कह 'कृपालु' दोउ एकिहं तब का, आपुिहं आपु लरे ॥
(Prem Ras Madir)

(Extract from explanation of above padh by Shree Maharajji)
Radha-Krishna's love for each other is very interesting.  Both want to give pleasure to the other.  So that is why the fight arises.  Just like when two people are standing in front of a car and one says ‘first you’ and the other says ‘no, first you’. So a fight arises.  So that is the kind of fight of Radha-Krishna.  So what is the fight in this Jhulan leela. 
The gopis, they made all kinds of arrangements, they decorated the Jhula on the bank of the Yamuna by a tree and they decorated it very nicely and once the arrangements were completed they invited Radha and Krishna to come there.  So Radha Krishna reached there but then Radha Ji thought that Shri Krishna gets pleasure in serving me so She said that today I will sit on the Jhula (swing) and Shyamsundar will push me.  At the same moment Shri Krishna thought that Radha Ji gets pleasure in my service so let me give Her my service today.  So He said, today I will sit on the swing and Radha Ji will push.  So now the fight started.   
Radha and Krishna, both, were not willing to concede.  So all the arrangements that had been made, the whole leela stopped there.  The gopis were trying to convince them to agree to the other person but neither of them is agreeing.  Shri |Krishna is saying that I will sit on the swing and Radha will swing me and Shri Radha is saying, no I will sit on the swing and Krishna will swing me.  So this fight has arisen for the sake of the others happiness.   
Now if one sees this fight – they are fighting all day long from morning to evening – it appears very strange.  That these kinds of fights take place in the world between, worldly father, mother, brother, sister, wife, husband – they fight like this ‘I will do this’ – “no I will do this!” – and in Golok, Shri Krishna’s Divine Abode also such fights are taking place.  How is that, is that Golok also like our material world.  So Maharaj Ji says ‘no there is an internal secret to it – the fights in the world are the cause of sorrow and misery and those fights in Golok have got Divine Ras, Divine Bliss in them, which is experienced in that fight – fighting for seva so the things that we see in this world, anger, greed, envy – these defects which we see in worldly personalities; these defects exist even in Golok, in the God realised saints in the gopis – they also have anger, they also have greed but the difference is that the defects in them are Divine.  They are not for their own happiness.  They are for the sake of Shri Krishna’s seva.   
So those defects have got divine ras in them – Divine bliss.  Externally if you see, the activity will be the same – someone is getting angry and fighting in the world – someone is getting angry and fighting there (in Golok), someone is showing greed in the world and someone is showing greed out there (Golok).  But the difference is internal.  In the world these defects are due to maya and in Golok these defects and due to yogmaya.  So in the world these defects result in unlimited sorrow and misery.  And in Golok these same actions result in unlimited divine bliss. So the area of the two are different although the activity is the same.   
Just like we cry for worldly relations – if your father passes away you cry.  In the same way the gopis also cry for Shri Krishna.  Now the activity of crying is the same but the experience is completely different.  In India there is a very famous love, worldly love its called ‘Laila Mujnu’ – there was a couple called Laila Mujnu – it is folk lore about how tremendous their love was for each other and finally they committed suicide for each other. So it is famous, people say ‘oh you love each other like Laila Mujnu.  So Maharaj Ji says that if you see Meera bai’s love for Shri Krishna, you will say she is also like Laila Mujnu.  But Maharaj Ji says, no, externally it may appear to be like that.  The saints also have a body like us, they also talk, hear, taste, touch etc., they also love like us, but the area is different.  In worldly love the object is material and in divine love the object is divine.  So because the object of our love is divine, that is why we get a divine result.  Our mind becomes purified by loving a divine object.  Just like if you have a dirty cloth and you wash it in dirty water, it gets dirtier, and if you wash the cloth in clean water it starts getting cleansed. 
So here this fight was going on for the sake of each other’s happiness and the gopis were trying to convince both yugala sarkara, but neither Shri Radha nor Shri Krishna were listening.  Then finally when there was no solution in sight then Kripalu Ji Maharaj came there.  So Maharaj Ji came in between and He said, what is this fight going on in your Golok.  So Radha Krishna said, ‘where have you come from, what is it to you’.  So Maharaj Ji said – no, I’ve come from the material world – from Mrityalok – but I want to know what is this fight.  So the gopis told Maharaj Ji what the fight was about, this is why Radha Krishna are fighting.  So Maharaj Ji said “Ok, Ok, if that is the fight then I will tell you the solution.  What we’ll do is that both of you, Radha Krishna, you both sit on the swing and I’ll push both of you – there is no need to fight”.  So Radha Krishna they both laughed and they both sat on the swing and Maharaj Ji started swinging them. 

Saturday, August 21, 2010

Little Kanaiya awakes with sleepy eyes!!



उठे हरि, नैनन नींद भरे ।
अति रस भरे नैन रतनारे डोरन अरुन परे ।
खँजन मीन चकोर ठगे से देखत नैन खरे ।
खुलत न नैन मैन मदमाते जनु असि म्यान धरे ।
श्यामगात जँभुवात मूँदि दृग मातृ स्वकर पकरे ।
डगमगात पग धरत धरणि पर बिच-बिच दृग उघरे ।
लखतिहं बनत ुकृपालु लाल छवि बरबस स्वबस करे ॥
(Prem Ras Madira)

Little Kanhaiya is getting up in the morning, and  His eyes are looking very sleepy.
Filled with nectar, the eyes of the sweet Lord have reddish hue in them.
The partridge bird and the fish, both known for the beauty of their eyes, are standing in awe of the Lord’s infinitely beautiful eyes.
Known for wounding the heart, these dangerous eyes can do no harm as long as they are closed, just as a sword can do harm as long as it is within the shield.
Shyamsunder’s eyes are closed and He is yawning, while Mother Yashoda holds  on to Him firmly, making sure He does not fall back.
Taking faltering steps He places His lotus feet on the ground, opening His eyes now and then.
Says Shree ‘Kripalu,’ “This heart-captivating beautiful scene  must be seen to be believed.”

 
The padh itself is nectarous enough, but when Swamiji explains it, it becomes unforgettable.  
Click Here to watch the video of explanation of above padh in ENGLISH by Swamiji.

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

O mind! Take shelter of Shyamsunder's soft Lotus Feet

गहो रे मन ! श्याम चरण शरणाई ।
अंत समय कोउ काम न अइहैं मात पिता सुत भाई ।
काम क्रोध अरु लोभ मोह मद इन सों कछु न बसाई ।
यह जग मृग तृष्णा सम दिखत सुख लवलेश न पाई ।
धन यौवन तन छन भंगुर सब ज्यों कपूर उडि जाई ।
बहुरि 'कृपालु' न नर तनु पाइय बिगरी लेहु बनाई ॥
(Prem Ras Madira)

O mind!  Take shelter of Shyamsunder's soft Lotus Feet.
Ones you call your own:  mother, father, brother and son, will not accompany you after death.
Moreover, there is no other way of escaping from the clutches of demons like Lust, Anger, Greed, Attachment and Pride.
This world is like a mirage, containing not even a trace of happiness..
Wealth, youth and life are temporary, disappearing like camphor.
Says Shree ‘Kripalu’, “O mind!  You will not be blessed with a human body again and again.  Therefore, do not delay in improving your pitiable condition.”

Listen to this keertan in Swamiji's voice here:

Sunday, August 15, 2010

Ram and Krishna are same!

 Today is a special festival dedicated to Tulsidasji Maharaj, a sacred occasion, and some tribute should be offered to him. But how can we ordinary souls offer a tribute to such a great saint? It is beyond our capability. Our tribute to him is to speak on Shree Ram Who is the Beloved of his soul. This will give him great happiness, whether he be in Saket lok or Golok.
So we have to reflect on this Truth known as Ram.
Who was Ram? Let us look into the Vedas. The Vedas themselves give us a meaning “ramate yoginoute nityanand cidetamani iti rama padena paraBrahmabhidhiyate" (Ramtapani Upanishad).
That supreme Being in whom, yogis and self-satisfied, utterly desireless liberated soul revel (find enjoyment) is called Ram.
Then the Vedas say
bhadis bhadiya, sacman agat. Svasaram guru abhiyet pascat supeketaidyurbhiyagrim avarci subhage bhavsete, vandamahe sufatasasi"
This is said by the Rig Veda. Then the Veda again says.
Yo ha vai sri ram candrah sa Bhagvan"
(Ramtapani Upanishad)
This Ramchandra of Ayodhya is God-Bhagawan. What is this “Bhagwan”? Bhagvan is He in whom the six opulences reside to an infinite degree * (* The opulence’s are beauty, strength wealth, fame intelligence and renunciation according to Parashar Muni). That God manifests in three ways. We do not have three Gods’. There are three undifferentiated manifestations of one God.
“Vadani tattvaridastattvam yajjnamam advayam. Brahmeti paratmeti Bhagvan itit sabhyati”
(Bhagvatam)
Veda Vyas says that God's one form is known as Bhagwan, one is known as Paramatma and one is known as Brahm. These are three forms of which Brahm occupied the lowest position. This is the feature which is formless, without qualities or attributes. And its worshipers are the gyanis. This Brahm has all the powers, but they remain unmanifest. It simply exists. Shankaracharya and his followers have described It in detail:
udasinah stabdah statam gunah sanga rahitah”.
This Brahm is indifferent and does not do anything.
“adrastam vyarhayam aggrahyam alakihanam, achirtyam arypds tam ekatma pratya saram”
Put a “cannot” in front of everything to describe Him. He cannot be seen, cannot be heard, cannot be smelt, cannot be tasted, cannot be felt, cannot come into your thoughts, cannot be determined. Such a Brahm is useless as far was we are concerned. What could we do with Him?

Saturday, August 14, 2010

I am His Vs He is mine!

You were told yesterday (read: The Lover, the Beloved and the Divine Love) about three entities: the lover, the Beloved and love. You were also told that the Beloved is one who possesses Divine love. This “love” is God’s most intimate personal power which can be attained only by the Grace of a rasik Saint. It cannot be attained through personal effort. This is why even the greatest yogis, ascetics and liberated, pure-hearted paramahansas beg for Divine love. The treasure house of this love is Shree Krishna and His associates alone. No one else can lay claim to owning this power called “love.” No personality controlled by Maya, not even the king of heaven, can occupy the seat of the Beloved. Wherever maya exists, it is absolutely apparent that Divine love has not been attained, and one who is devoid of Divine love, cannot occupy the seat of the Beloved. Therefore, no material personality can be the Beloved.
The fact is that we cannot do without establishing a loving relationship with God. The scriptures tell us about three different ways to love Him, or surrender to Him: 
तस्यैवाहं ममैवासौ स एवाहमितित्रिधा ।

One way to love Him is to think, “I am his.”  Another way to love Him is to think, “He is mine.”  Yet another love is, “I am he.”  The first two are forms of love one can practice, but the third cannot be practiced.  It is a special state, in which the lover feels himself to be the Beloved.
स एवाहं
In this state, the servant-master relationship gets hidden. Sufi Saints also speak of this state:
हम वन्दः मौलास्तम्
 “I am the servant as well as the master.  I am the lover as well as the Beloved.  I am the worshipper as well as the worshipped.”  Sufi philosophy also says: 
हमः अजोस्त
 “The entire world has emanated from God.”  Now, this is a different view point.  On the one hand, Sufism says, “I am the servant as well as the master.”  On the other, it says, “Everything that exists has emanated from God.”  Our Vedas say the same: 
यतो वा इमानि भूतानि जायन्ते । (Ved)
“The entire world has come forth from God.”  
There is a third Sufi view point, and that is: 
हमः ओस्त
“Everything is He.”  The Vedas also say the same:
सर्व खल्विदं ब्रम्ह
“Everything is God.”
सकलमिदमहं च वासुदेवः ।
“Everything is Vasudev, everything is Krishna.”
Out of these three philosophies, स एवाहमिति त्रिधा is not a philosophy at all; it is a special stage of love that is attained.  Constantly thinking about the Beloved, the lover becomes so absorbed in him that he starts feeling himself to be the Beloved.  This is a very elevated stage.  Ramakrishna Paramhans would hold a flower garland in his hands to put on Mother Kali and saying “Mother, Mother, Mother,” he would place the garland around his own neck.  He would consider himself to be the Divine Mother.  He was not acting, mind you.  The fact was that he was not conscious of what he was doing.  He was in a state of complete unity with the Divine Mother.
प्रसादे सा दिशि दिशि च सा पृष्ठतः सा पुरः सा,
पर्यके सा पथि पथि च सा तद्वियोगातुरस्य ।
हंहो चेतः प्रकृतिरपरा नास्ति मे काऽपि सा सा,
सा सा सा सा जगति सकले कोऽयमद्वैतवादः ॥

Sunday, August 8, 2010

Maya's bashing will force us to listen to Guru!

गुरु की नमानो जो तो गोविन्द राधे ।
माया दण्ड देके जीव को मनवादे ॥
If you do not listen to your Guru,
Maya will punish you in such way that you will be forced to listen to Him.

In this lecture Shree Maharajji explains the above doha.  He says that Guru tries to teach a soul in many ways, but a soul who is under maya's influence, ignores those teachings.  He says that "due ego of various kinds like intellect, body, money etc we ignore a saint or Guru's words."  He further elaborates that like a mother who punishes her child for his wrong doings, maya also punishes us to divert our focus from world towards God and Guru.
Listen to the audio of this lecture here: