Jagat

In the previous post, Vishwanath Chakravarti stated that the word yoga in Gītā 2.40 refers to svarūpa-siddhā bhakti because only such devotion is transcendental to the guṇas . Jñāna and karma are within the guṇas and therefore do not fulfill the conditions of yoga that the verse itself promises: through yoga one will transcend the guṇas . He looks at the totality of yoga with bhakti as its culmination. Thus there is a sequence or progression in the process leading to that bhakti. Śrīdhara and other commentaries have defined yoga here as bhagavad-arpita-karma , and it is precisely this that Vishwanath finds to be inadequate. This is also the definition given by commentaries on the īśvara-praṇidhāna of the Yoga-sūtras . But bhakti is not subordinate to yoga, it is the fruition of yoga; it is the complete manifestation of yoga. Now we look at Vishwanath's commentary to 2.41 where he continues his argument:

So I was thinking about Vishwanath Chakravarti's commentary to 2.40-41. He makes a bold statement that the word yoga (in buddhir yoge tv imāṁ śr̥ṇu ) means bhakti-yoga , and he continues this argument in the following verse when explaining vyavasāyātmikā buddhi . Now everybody else takes yoga to mean karma-yoga , so is Vishwanath's interpretation strained ( kaṣṭa-kalpanā )? Let's look at it...

If your mind is not fixed on the Supreme Lord Achyuta, then shamelessly chant His names day and night, solitary, fearless, and conquering sleep, indifferent to desire, fixed on the goal, controlled in eating and peaceful in spirit. His names will bring you loving attraction for Him.

There are countless millions of universes and whatever glories they possess, whatever consciousness they possess, are all manifestations of a mere portion of the effulgence of the holy name of Krishna. This Holy Name is my spiritual practice; it is the goal of my spiritual practice. It is my life.  Continued from Part I.   Part III

Sometimes I hear devotees despair about what has happened to the Krishna movement in the West since the departure of Srila Prabhupada. Where are the flourishing temples and thriving communities? But when I see that the seeds Prabhupada sowed are fructifying in the mature cultivation of bhakti in individuals like Madanmohan Dasji and so many others, each in their own way, one cannot help but feel encouraged. I sincerely hope his work will appeal to the English speakers and that he inspires many more to follow his footsteps. Listen to him recite the Sanskrit verses of Gita chapter two along with his English translation into "heroic couplets."

On January 25, 2017 I visited Hit Kinkar Sewak Sharanji at his ashram. Unfortunately the accounts of my many visits to Sewak Sharan have been pretty much lost since the Vrindavan Today archive was lost. Though I could probably find them on the wayback machine archive. Maybe later.

The bhakta literally wants to live in a world of poetry. Goloka… where every step is a dance and every word is a song, a poem. Where every drama is a musical comedy. And where the meeting point at every point is spiritual union in love.

January 24, 2017 Went to the annual jagaran at Tatia Sthan in commemoration of Lalita Mohini Das. All night samaj gayan. Amazing tradition. Unique atmosphere. January 24, 2016 Full moon. Doing the pariṇāma sūtras in YS, thought it was time for a pariṇāma . January 24, 2016 We were talking about śraddhā on another thread and I thought I would post this from Swami Veda's Volume I of the Yoga-sūtra . श्रद्धावीर्यस्मृतिसमाधिप्रज्ञापूर्वक इतरेषाम्॥२०॥ śraddhā-vīrya-smṛti-samādhi-prajñā-pūrvaka itareṣām ||20|| The samādhi of (some) others has as its preconditions faith, strength, intentness, meditation and the awakening of wisdom in samprajñāta . (Vyāsa) upāya-pratyayo yogināṁ bhavati | śraddhā cetasaḥ samprasādaḥ | sā hi jananīva kalyāṇī yoginaṁ pāti | tasya hi śraddadhānasya vivekārthino vīryam upajāyate | samupajāta-vīryasya smṛtir upatiṣṭhate | smṛty-upasthāne cittam anākulaṁ samādhīyate | samāhita-cittasya prajñā-viveka upāvartate | yena yathāvad vastu jānanti | tad-a...

January 19, 2009 The SRSG  kids (5-7 years old) have been playing outside my room making a Shiva shrine. There seem to be more lingas there every day. Now there are 14 of them. They begged me for some oil for a lamp and I also offered them some incense. But they seemed confused when I asked them for prasad . I asked them whether they were chanting any mantras. They looked at me quizzically. I said om namah shivaya , and they immediately started chanting. Sumi paid panchanga pranam in the grass.  At least now you need to get past Shiva to get into my cottage. Bholanath must be here to protect me, a real bholā . Well, since they made this shrine, my cough and cold have gotten a lot better. I am still staying in bed too much, but I am able to take classes.   January 19, 2017, Vrindavan Sri Sri Radha Sarvesvara Sharan "Shriji" Maharaj's mortal remains were brought after crematiion to Vrindavan. After a procession through the streets of the town, several thousand of the h...

What interesting memories today. Seems like a significant date. Makara Sankranti.

Even Lalita, the most pragalbhā and vāmā of all of Radha's sakhis, regrets having instructed Radharani to play the game of hard-to-get too hard.

"'So what is all this lamentation, bewailing, complaint ( paridevanā ) for these?' i.e., 'What is this wailing, lamenting, bewailing ( vilāpa ) based in sorrow for the appearance and disappearance of the bodies?' The meaning is that it is not appropriate for an awakened person to grieve for the loss of objects seen in a dream."

Facebook  January 11, 2015 Visit to Barsana in 2017. Facebook.   My account of this visit on this blog . A couple of conversations of late have made me reflect on the concept of aparadha. Many people seem to want to reject the concept wholesale. No doubt, there are some who overplay the aparadha card, citing verses that talk about cutting out tongues and the such. But it is wrong to say that it is a purely ISKCON idea, when it can be found in the earliest Gaudiya Vaishnava texts. It is the naturally corollary to the understanding that the grace of advanced devotees is the secret to all spiritual progress-- mahīyasāṁ pāda-rajo-’bhiṣekam . The assassination of several cartoonists in Paris the other day for "offensive" cartoons of Mohammad has rightly disgusted people around the world. In fact, there is no need to retaliate for offenses in such a barbaric and counterproductive way. Sati said to Daksha, after he had offended her husband, the greatest of devotees according to the...

By focusing on the Supreme Happiness of the Divine Couple and the rest of the eternal Braj, we also learn how to be happy and to make others happy. Even in our silence, and even in our failures.

"I am not able to abandon even Sairindhri (Kubja), O Uddhava! So how can I abandon the residents of Vraja?" In order to reveal this truth, Krishna went to Kubja's home to enjoy with her.

   This is Binod Bihari Das Babaji Maharaj's annual event at the end of the Karttik vrata on Utthāna Ekādaśī, which last year (2021) fell on November 15. I had the good fortune to be at this event in 2019, BC (before Covid). It doesn't look like Covid was an issue this time around. It looks like Braj has just gotten bored and tired of all the Covid hysteria. That night went by like a flash. Listening to this four-hour video you can feel that special all-nighter mood. But it is still very sāttvika and very blissful. He has excellent musicians accompanying him on this video. It is so nice to see him all covered in flowers and to witness his deep bhāva.  Relax and let it flow. Jai Radhe. I am so glad that all this was recorded. Babaji Maharaj is better than ever and it is so edifying to see his deep bhava. These are songs that he himself composed. Watch and see why Babaji is so honored in Braj. When you hear kirtan like this you realize how few people have  still graspe...

FB Jan. 8, 2016 One of the other important ideas that comes up in Yoga Sūtra and has its origins in Sāṅkhya is the following: "Prakṛti exists for the sake of the other ( parārtha ), while the Puruṣa exists for itself ( svārtha )." This terminology is very significant, as it pervades "normative" Hindu philosophy, including both Advaita and Vaishnava Vedanta, though with some adjustments, especially in the latter. According to Sāṅkhya, the Consciousness Principle is called Puruṣa. In this philosophy, the Puruṣa is consciousness only. To even be aware of the world requires that consciousness be reflected in the material nature, starting with its subtlest form, which is buddhi or Mahat. The universe is, as the Gita says, the result of the combination of Puruṣa and Prakṛti, the former providing the life-giving properties to matter. But in this Prakṛti exists for the Puruṣa. Matter presents itself to the consciousness principle through the chain leading to Buddhi. Matt...

Pratiprasava is a key concept from sankhya and yoga that pervades Indian thought and is helpful for understanding numerous things, including the concept of Kali yuga.

 FB Jan 4, 2016: Seems somewhat applicable to my current situation. Only replace Yoga Sutra with Prīti Sandarbha.

I  was listening to Rajendra Dasji the other day speaking with Binode Bihari Baba. He said that the one-word definition of a Vaishnava is avyartha-kālatvam : He does not waste time, but gives every moment to service. This is what it means to "get serious." Isn't now the time?

When Krishna was learning to walk, his mother would release his hand and then cheer him on as he took a few steps. Then, when he started to fall, she would come quickly to catch him. All glories to Mother Yashoda's haste in doing so!! ( Gopāla-campū 6.59)

The comparison to "a blazing fire," (s usamiddhārcir agniḥ ) negates any possibility of bhakti being dependent on any other means, of its being incapable of delivering its result, or of there being any delay in its effectiveness.

I think I am slowly coming out of my Jordan Peterson phase, though it might take a bit longer. To me he represents an aspect of the Western critique of the East. When the critical eyes of all these great Western thinkers turned to India, they were nearly all dismissive in each their own way.

When we speak of male or female, we are generally speaking talking symbolically. No woman represents "pure" womanhood, however that archetype might be expressed culturally, and therefore no standard behavior for "woman" [or "man"] can be imposed, other than those that are a desideratum for basic civilization. And those are universal.