Ego

Lies, Damn Lies and Egoistic Psychobabble, er, Statistics

If your ego is more important to you than the comfort of others, then you are counterproductive.

tarunkrsnadas

Servant to ALL the Devotees

Complicitly Complex

Giving Love is Simple

Complexity Hides Within Itself the Seeds of it's Own Demise

There is an inverse relationship between the level of complexity of our "civilization" and the ecosystem that supports it.

Simplicity in lifestyle is required to achieve an harmonious balance; this simplicity, most importantly, also assists one on the path of spiritual life.

A simple heart is an easy place to be.

tarunkrsnadas
Servant to ALL the devotees

Empty Soul

The Tide Rushes In

Srila Gour Govinda Swami referred to it as deficity (a feeling of deficiency); if we are not filled with prema, or at least bhava, we must feel that we are lacking satisfaction.

This emptyness within me must be filled by something but since I am a wretched, horrid, evil, self-indulgent excuse for a person Sri Sri Radha Krsna will not be comfortable within my heart of thorns, rubble and creatures of the darkest nights, so instead, the emptiness must be fulled with material madness.

If only I could make myself attractive to Sri Sri Radha Krsna.

My dear Srila Gurudeva please help me to subdue the six urges and purify my six faults, please bestow upon me the six qualities of a devotee and offer me the six kinds of devotional association.

I know that you are always with me, you are my every breath, every moment of my life, but still I hanker to be able to experience you with my eyes and ears, with every atom of my being, with every heartbeat and every pulse of existence as I rush headlong through the seconds of life, life after life after life. Oh, when will I again find myself sitting in your association?

tarunkrsnadas
Servant of ALL the devotees

Fragility

How Fragile We Are

I asked a friend a few days ago I she had heard Sting's song "Fragile." She replied that she might have heard it; I think that once having heard this song and realising some of its ramifications, that anyone but a totally insensitive pre-Jurassic unicellular would remember it.

Indeed it raises one's level of respect for Sting, giving an amazingly clear insight into the sensitive soul of this "ordinary person."

It's somewhat pertinent to those of us who engaged our anger and critism (verbal violence) in the recent Murwillumbah Vaisnava war.

For those who haven't yet heard it:

If blood will flow when flesh and steel are one

Drying in the color of the evening sun

Tomorrow's rain will wash the stains away

But something in our minds will always stay

Perhaps this final act was meant

To clinch a lifetime's argument

That nothing comes from violence and nothing ever could

For all those born beneath an angry star

Lest we forget how fragile we are

On and on the rain will fall

Like tears from a star

Like tears from a star

On and on the rain will say

How fragile we are

How fragile we are

On and on the rain will fall

Like tears from a star

Like tears from a star

On and on the rain will say

How fragile we are

How fragile we are

How fragile we are

How fragile we are

tarunkrsnadas
Servant to ALL the devotees

Same Mood

Opposites Don't Attract

Now, it may be true in the scientific world that opposites attract, such as hot tends to run to cold, wet tends to flow into dry, and gradients of all sorts exist; but in spiritual terms ... it's like minds that attract.

Birds of a Feather

I, myself am worthless and insignificant. My Srila Gurudeva's mercy is not insignificant; it is magnificient.

How to share that mercy with others?

I think that Syamarani did's advice to me to look for those with a similar mood to my own is the essence of good directions in this instance, since those of a like mind can understand the thoughts of others with similar thoughts. And, as Syamarani didi pointed out, there's no need to make others believe, just preach by one's own example and like minded persons will find it attractive.

Sweet Sugar Candy

I firmly believe that a sweet mood, that seeks in no way to control others (leaving all controlling to Guru and Krsna) but actively seeks to encourage the beauty of other devotees where it already exists or is inclined to exist, and humbly accepts all that Krsna sends to us without seeking to enjoy or complain, is a MUST for devotees who would rather join Sri Sri Radha Krsna's pastimes than be recognised by the material world.

tarunkrsnadas
servant to ALL the devotees

Cultural Dilemma

Indulgence in Renunciation

The recent 2012 spiritual recession in Murwillumbah prrompts me to examine what it is that the devotees around us actually believe to be true, or more precisely, what do they understand from sadhu, guru and sastra?

The Krsna Consciousness culture, a subset of the population that comprises mainstream world cultural indulgence could almost (at its worst) be considered to be a manic indulgence of the ignorant, by the ignorant, for the ignorant. It differs from the common, social world culture in as much as it seeks to evolve to a lesser form of the gluttony of popular world culture, but is it, despite its parings, as greedily embraced by some of its adherents with as much myopic abandon as its predecessor the consumer society?

Perhaps we should see that the Krsna Consciousness culture evolves and devolves around its tenets, relatively changing form or shape according to time, place and circumstance. Perhaps the culture itself is merely the container, a vehicle if you like, for carrying the sacred truths of Krsna, the Gopis, and all associated spiritual hopes and aspirations to those who are greedy for the truth; the culture itself being, not the substance, but merely evocative of spiritual reality.

If so, perhaps it's time to reinvent the cultural wheel and locate the reality that makes the wheel turn, for, if its adherents cling to the culture rather than to Sri Sri Guru and Gauranga, all they shall acheive is culture.

tarunkrsnadas
servant to ALL the devotees

Snippets

 Tasty Tidbits

Material Living

The material world is a place populated by people who deeply resent each other but pretend to be friendly so as to be able to remain within their comfort zone; the pretense breaks down at times such as when individuals think they will not get what they want, and then, being already outside their comfort zone, they go to war.

Unity in Diffusion (confusion with a difference)

Divided we stand
United we fall ...
over each others' feet.

Disturbance Dance Club

Disturbed minds initiate disturbed activities.

Stuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuupid idiot

Everybody has the right to their own stupidity but some people really abuse that priveledge.

Spititual Pain

Spirit souls cannot be cut in pieces, burned by fire, drowned in water, etc, but they can be confused and disturbed if they are not fixed in the self, and even if they are fixed they are still aware, perhaps even more acutely, of offensive behaviour such as criticism, cheating, anger and the like, therefore it is extremely important not to be offensive, ever, to anyone, anywhere, at any time ... period!

Three Legged Stool

I see bhakti like a three legged stool. One leg represents the things that we don't do (no meat eating, etc). One leg reprersents the things that we must do (chant the Holy Names with love and affection, etc). The third leg represents the sweet mood that is necessary for bhakti-devi to enter our heart (respect for others, a serious attempt to maintain a humble mood regardless of occasional failures, etc).

The stool needs all three legs to be able to stand up, if one is missing, falldown is inevitable.

Sastra is Not a Weapon of Coersion

 We are NOT great souls. Nobody is mentioning our name in hushed, reverential tones. Do not compare yourself to Arjuna, Srila Gour Govinda Swami, Srila Gurudeva, Lord Shiva, etc. Just hear Krsna and Guru's message of love and do your best to understand and follow. Never, ever, use quotes from sadhu, guru and sastra to justify your own indulgence, regardless of how pure other things are that you may be doing as guru-seva.

It is necessary to separate the gold from the nasty, smelly stool and recognise each for what it is.

Being Yourself

Being yourself is easiest; if you try to be someone else, you're bound to stuff it up.

Being Right Now

Speculators predict the future, historians "predict" the past; almost nobody is interested in NOW!

Jewels

The Jewels of Sri Raya Ramananda Samvada

Since today is Sri Ramananda Raya's disappearance day, and also the day that Sriman Tirtha Maharaja left us to go to Brisbane [sob] :( I thought that I might share with you a lovely piece of sastra which is one of my favourites.

The mangalarcana of Sri Raya Ramananda Samvada states:

sancarya ramabhidha-bhakta-meghe
sva-bhakti-siddhanta-cayamrtani
gaurabdhir etair amuna vitirnais
taj-jnatva-ratnalayatam prayati

Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu is a boundless, nectarean ocean of

the established conclusions of devotion (bhakti-siddhantas), and

His devotee Sri Ramananda Raya is the cloud whom He filled

with these conclusions about devotion to Him. When Mahaprabhu

experienced the rain of bhakti-tattvas that the Ramananda-cloud

showered upon Him, He was transformed into an ocean of jewels.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Source: Sri Raya Ramananda Raya Samvada page 1

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The most splendid jewel of all these jewels, in my humble opinion, is:

8.92    

 (Sri Caitanya Caritamrta Madhya Lila 8.92)
na paraye ’ham niravadya-samyujam
sva-sadhu-krtyam vibudhayusapi vah
ya mabhajan durjara-geha-srnkhalah
samvrscya tad vah pratiyatu sadhuna

“ ‘My darling gopis, your meeting Me is innocent and immaculate

in every respect because it is devoid of even a single iota of desire

for your own happiness. It is overflowing with supremely pure love.

Although the bonds of affection for the members of one’s own

home are impossible to overcome, you have completely demolished

them. Thus, for loving service to Me, you have transgressed the

moral laws of this world. Even if I lived as long as the gods I would

be unable to requite even one drop of your love, sacrifice, and

service. All of you may free Me from debt simply by your own

gentle nature, but I am forever the debtor of your prema, and will

always continue to be.’

The quality that makes this kanta-prema the most excellent is that

only in this rasa has Sri Krsna allowed Himself to fall into debt. This

prema-madhurya of the gopis is the axle and Sri Krsna is the wheel

upon that axle, resting and rotating upon that central object. If one

removes the axle, or the gopis, from the wheel, Sri Krsna, then He

becomes nirvisesa, or featureless (impersonal), in the sense that He can

do nothing. The sentiments of the gopis are the cause of the increase in

Sri Krsna’s beauty.

When and why did Sri Krsna become indebted to the gopis? The

reply is that when rasa-lila was going on, the other gopis developed pride

in their own good fortune, and the daughter of Sri Vrsabhanu Maharaja,

Sri Radha, became sulky. To establish in this world the super-excellence

of Srimati Radhika’s mood of separation and also in order for Sri Krsna

to directly taste and hear the nectar of Sri Radha and the other gopis’

talks in separation from Him, He disappeared from rasa-lila.

The gopis, absorbed in their moods of separation from Krsna, began

inquiring about Him from the trees, creepers, tulasi, and the Yamuna,

but they received no reply from them. Suddenly they saw Sri Krsna’s

footprints, and with them the footprints of a young girl. The other

gopis began to extol the good fortune of that particular gopi, who

was alone with Sri Krsna. They began to follow the footprints until

they encountered Sri Radha lying upon the ground, unconscious in

separation from Sri Krsna, looking like a golden doll. The other gopis

pacified Her. After this all the gopis gathered together on the banks

of the river Yamuna in like-minded groups, and while weeping they

began kirtana. This singing of the gopés is known as the Gopi-gita.

Upon hearing this song, Sri Krsna could not check Himself and came

into their presence.

All the gopis took their veils, which were covered with kumkuma from

their breasts, and laying them upon the ground they prepared a seat for

Him, on which He was seated. The gopis, being situated in madhurya-rasa,

proceeded to ask Sri Syamasundara a variety of questions, and He

cleverly answered all of them. But those questions that were completely

overflowing with prema, Sri Krsna could not answer, and He became

eternally indebted to the gopis.

Our most worshipful Gosvamis mention that not even the eulogies

composed by Lord Brahma can give Him the joy He experienced in

becoming indebted to the gopis. At certain opportune instances, Sri

Krsna has released Himself from His indebtedness to the devotees of all

the other rasas, but when He attempted to free Himself from His debt to

the gopés in madhurya-rasa, He became even more indebted.

yadyapi saundarya krsna-madhuryera dhurya
vraja-devira sange tanra badaye madhurya

“Although Sri Krsna represents the ultimate limit of unparalleled

beauty and sweetness, still in the association of the Vraja gopis His

beauty and sweetness increases ad infinitum.

Although Sri Krsna’s beauty and sweetness, upon reaching their

utmost limit, have no opportunity for increasing any further, whenever

the gopis and Krsna see one another, His beauty and sweetness repeatedly

increase. This sweetness contains such inconceivable and astonishing

power that when the gopis encounter His beauty and sweetness they

become filled with joy, and when Sri Krsna sees their joyful happiness,

then He becomes exceedingly pleased. Sri Krsna understands that He is

giving happiness to the gopis, and the gopis become joyful because they

know that their service is giving Him happiness. In this mutual dealing

of pleasing one another, there exists an eternal rivalry.

tatratisusubhe tibhir bhagavan devaki-sutah
madhye maninam haimanam maha-marakato yatha

                                                          Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.33.6)

“ ‘In the midst of the dancing gopis, Bhagavan Sri Krsna appears

most beautiful, like an exquisite sapphire in the midst of golden

ornaments.’ ”

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Source: Sri Raya Ramananda Raya Samvada pp 103-5

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

This verse and Srila Gurudeva's explanation explains the way that all life works. There is no mechanical, chemical explanation as scientists think; this is the real power of all creation and all existence. Prema is the very purpose and powerhouse of existence. Everything is so very, very personal. This is so sweet. Sri Sri Guru and Gauranga are filled with, composed of and overflowing with the sweetest nectar.

Understanding life, her purpose, and the process of perfecting life, as so extremely personal makes it clear to me that all dealings with other devotees must be so gentle, sweet and on a deep, personal level, otherwise we are not in line with the purpose of our existence.

Sri Sri Guru and Gauranga ki JAYA!!!!!

Servant of ALL the devotees
tkd

Modern Bards

Hybrid Bard Troubadour

In this modern day the poet and the singer are often one and the same. The classic case is, of course, Leonard Cohen, who was already a successful poet prior to taking up the guitar and releasing his first (of many) albums of songs.

However, the one I'm thinking of tonight is Billy Joel. I heard an interview with someone who knew Billy well and the guy said (if I may paraphrase) "There'll be things in your mind that you've been struggling with for weeks and Billy just says it perfectly in one line, that's his brilliance."

On that note (pun un intentional) I'll leave you with a beautiful collection of Billy's verses from the song A Matter of Trust (some verses discarded and others re-ordered to suit the local situation). He's talking about a specific relationship but the song is general enough to refer to all relationships, even devotees in a sangha.

Some love is just a lie of the soul
A constant battle for the ultimate state of control
After you've heard lie upon lie
There can hardly be a question of why

You can't go the distance
With too much resistance
I know you have doubts
But for God's sake don't shut me out

It's hard when you're always afraid
You just recover when another belief is betrayed
So break my heart if you must
It's a matter of trust

I'm sure you're aware love
We've both had our share of
Believing too long
When the whole situation was wrong

Some love is just a lie of the mind
It's make believe until its only a matter of time
And some might have learned to adjust
But then it never was a matter of trust

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Perhaps it's time for us to work together with a lot more caring and trust, Thise who can already do. The rest simply need to let go and trust Gurudeva, our Lordships and each other, collectively. We can make it work and we will make it work.

tkd

Snake

Snake Man Lyin'

Born out on the back streets of eternity.
Running like dogs
Running from fear
Lost in amazing dark,
all the lies that we hear

Did you ever try to make friends,
get close to the snake?
He just bide his time,
pretty soon he'll bring you down.
He'll be laughin' at you.
Laugh at the fool,
laugh at the fool, at the clown.

Swallowed up by desire,
all covered in greed.
In this game of lyin'
you never stop tryin'.
Never succeed!

Little children
lost in the witch's forest.
Nowhere to run,
no place you can hide.
If I call you by name,
would you run to me?
Oh, but it might be the witch
in her cloak of deceipt.

Did you ever feel?
Did you ever feel
the need to believe?

In this game of lyin'
you never stop tryin'.
Never succeed!

In this game of lyin'
you never stop tryin'.
Never succeed!

tkd

Reflection of a Shadow

All Glories to the Assembled Devotees

Dear souls

When I wrote the last post entitled The Wishing Well, I had so many things going on in my mind that it's any wonder that the post seems to wander aimlessly from positive to negative and back to positive again etc etc.

It was with many, conflicting emotions that I wrote that post. Seeing dear friends exposed as part-time fiends, and with a startling alacrity, left me struggling to understand the ramifications of what had been revealed to me. So many, so various, so hard to understand.

Maharaja

Now,with HH Tirtha Maharaja soothing the minds of the community, who chase him in his every move, from venue to venue, trying to beg a few crumbs of his mercy, we have settled somewhat, although my own mind is still somewhat ruffled, rushing from extreme to extreme, although that may have as much to do with my disappointment in my ability to attend all programs (that's a health issue, which may or may not have anything to do with anyone's emotional turmoil, that's another side issue), it's easier to see things clearly as the dust settles.

Aftermath

I can only hope that those involved aren't tempted to brush it all aside with the view that "it's all in the past now and best left alone," because there are some very important considerations left to be accounted, for if left unreconciled, next time there is a conflict of points of view, we will probably see more of the same devastation.

As startling as my own "apocolyptic" vision may have been, there is an extremely beautiful lesson to be learned within all the fury and destruction of the storm.

Going Down!

I, myself, have many faults, embarrasingly so, too many to list here so "I won't bother :)," but to see people whom I have held in high esteem brought down to my own animal level of tit for tat revenge and bitter criticism, merely to achieve control of what should have been a beautiful learning and bonding experience instead of an insult to Srila Gurudeva, again and again, over and over, nausiatingly, has put me in a position wherein I am forced to reappraise my entire interface with society and to reinvent my approach to other devotees.

"Myself, I long for love and light, but must it come so cruel and oh so bright?"

Leonard Cohen

Aware that I cannot assist anyone, I can merely hope to up the ante myself and hope that better behavior will lead to better influence, although I doubt that I can simply press Ctrl + Alt + Del and rid myself of my worst indulgences, I can change those things that people see in public.

Fault Ridden

It was when one devotee said to me "I have heard you criticise others, and although you didn't say those things in an angry tone of voice, it was just as much criticism," that I began to sit up and take notice, for even though I pride myself in not being critical, I am perceived as such. If I wish for my companions to have a higher level of Vaisnava behaviour then I, myself must, (just as everyone else must) lead by my own example.


Control (Alt + Del)

It's a big ask to control one's tongue. Nevertheless, all of my brothers and sisters are coming from the same hopeless, millions upon millions of births wherein the blind followed the blind followed the blind ... and always ending up in strife, and always blaming others for our distress.

Yet, with a little insight we can see that we are all somewhat out of control and yet all somewhat amazing personalities. (Even the families of kanisthas, struggling to get it together at all will achieve some kind of liberation, such is Krsna's appreciation for our fumbling efforts).

So we can see that it's not just you or me that did life hard as a kid (or later, whatever), even those who had idyllic families soon glean a sense of disappointment from seeing their kids grow up somewhat different from what they had hoped, from seeing the state of the world in turmoil, and especially from the conflicts that develop within their own spiritual community wherein they had sought shelter.

Both Enemies are Enemies

It goes without saying that both sides of a conflict in a spiritual community are at fault but what's not so readily apparent is that we are all the same, we are all tarred with the same brush, it's just so and so's turn to become embroiled in arguements; we all get a turn to be tested, eventually.

Another point that is not so readily apparent is that, despite Srila Gurudeva's tests that teach us all so very much, if we accept rather than just react; we are all trying hard to be friends - of each other, of Srila Gurudeva, of Sri Sri Radha Krsna, and all of us are beautiful, despite our faults. We are all lotuses, growing in the mud and muck of a mayic world and we are all growing into beautiful lotus flowers, each of us giving testament to the power of the mercy of Srila Gurudeva and of the Holy Names.

All Glories to the Assembled Devotees - ki Jaya!

Servant to ALL the devotees
tkd

PS Anyway, now that Akhileswari has commenced an online Harmony group at our GroupSpaces website, we may find that our general behaviour towards each other will improve and we'll all be a lot happier and a lot more effective as devotees.

Don't forget: Srila Gurudeva knows we are all confused by millions of lifetimes in this material world and he's (via his disciples) created this Harmony book for all to see their way clear to communal happiness, so that we know how to act in the spiritual world.

tkd