Jagat

Went to Radha Kund today with Vidya and his family. Saw Madan Gopal Dasji. He was having difficulty speaking, but I went just to offer my love and moral support for a few moments. Every living being has awareness. This awareness can be focused on matter or on spirit, but not on both simultaneously. It is like a torch-light. When one is walking in dark with a torch in his hand, he can see things in front of him but he himself remains in darkness. If he turns the torch on himself then he cannot see the things in front of him. When one is materially conditioned then he is tormented by material desires, hunger, thirst and so on. But by the grace of a devotee, when his awareness turns towards Bhagavān, then material needs do not disturb his mind. It is seen that when a boy or girl is in intense love with someone, then he or she can tolerate immense obstacles. The mind becomes so focused that nothing else really matters. The absorption in Bhagavān is even deeper than that. Thus great d...

Anuccheda 254 Two Types Of Līlā किं बहुना, एतदर्थमेवास्य महापुराणाविर्भाव इति "भवतानुदितप्रायं यशो भगवतोऽमलम्" (भा. १.५.८) इत्यादौ, "समाधिनानुस्मर तद्विचेष्टितम्" (भा. १.५.१६) इत्यादौ च वर्णितम्। What more can be said about the greatness of hearing Bhagavān's pastimes? The Mahāpurāṇa , known as Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam , was manifested solely for this purpose, as explained earlier in verses such as these: O Vyāsa, for the most part you have not described the pure fame of Bhagavān. I consider that knowledge to be incomplete which does not satisfy Bhagavān. (SB 1.5.8) And: O greatly blessed sage, your vision is flawless, your fame is pure; you are dedicated to truth and established in vows. Therefore, in order to liberate all living beings from bondage, you should meditate on the pastimes of Bhagavān in trance, and then describe those pastimes. (SB 1.5.13) सा च लीला द्विविधा—सृष्ट्यादिरूपा लीलावतारविनोदरूपा च। तयोरुत्तरा तु प्रशस्ततरेत्याशयेना...

We are in the discussion about hearing, which continues up to 257. Anuccheda 251 Hearing About Virtues of Bhagavān Purifies Even The Desire For Liberation किं च (भा. ५.१२.१३)— यत्रोत्तमश्लोकगुणानुवादः प्रस्तूयते ग्राम्यकथाविघातः। निषेव्यमाणोऽनुदिनं मुमुक्षो- र्मतिं सतीं यच्छति वासुदेवे॥ Moreover, Jaḍa Bharata told King Rahūgaṇa: In the assembly of devotees, there are always talks about the virtues of Bhagavān, who is praised in choice poetry. Such talks put an end to mundane topics. If a person desiring liberation hears these descriptions of Bhagavān's qualities every day, they bestow pure insight into Bhagavān Vāsudeva. (SB 5.12.13) मुमुक्षोरपि, किं पुनर्भक्तिमात्रेच्छोः  ।  सतीं मुमुक्षाद्यन्यकामनारहिताम्, तदन्या तु व्यभिचारिणीति भावः॥ The implication of this statement is that if talks of Bhagavān’s qualities awaken such pure insight in even a person desiring liberation, then of course it will do so for the one who desires only bhakti . The word sat...

At the beginning of Anuccheda 236 , it was said that there are various divisions of vaidhī bhakti , including surrender, service to the wise, hearing, singing and other similar acts of devotion. Surrender was discussed in Anucchedas 236 - 237 and service to the wise in Anucchedas 238-247 (See below for links). Hearing is the next limb of bhakti in order to be treated and discussion of it goes on to Anuccheda 257. Anuccheda 248 Hearing - A Limb Of Bhakti अथ क्रमप्राप्तं श्रवणम्। तच्च नामरूपगुणलीलामयशब्दानां श्रोत्रस्पर्शः। Now we will describe hearing, which is next in the sequence of devotional practices. When the ears contact words describing the name, form, qualities and divine play of Bhagavān, it is known as hearing, śravaṇam . तत्र नामश्रवणं, यथा (भा. ६.१६.४४)— न हि भगवन्नघटितमिदं त्वद्दर्शनान् नृणामखिलपापक्षयः। यन्नाम सकृच्छ्रवणात् पुक्कशोऽपि विमुच्यते संसारात्॥ We will first cite an example of the power of hearing Bhagavān’s name, as Citraket...