Teachings of Bhagavad Gita

Krishna, the Supreme

2011-09-18T01:37:00.000-04:00

Krishna, the Supreme, is the original cause of all causes. This is confirmed in the Katha Upanishad(2.2.13), Nityo nityanam cetanas cetananam.

Chanting Hare Krishna

2011-09-06T12:04:00.000-04:00

Whenever you are feeling anxious or depressed, chant the Hare Krishna maha mantra. It will calm your racing mind and make it steady. Just visualize Radha-Krishna in front of you, and chant Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

The Maha Mantra

2010-09-08T23:06:00.000-04:00

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

This sixteen worded mantra is the most powerful mantra in the universe. Why is it so powerful? Because it releases one from material bondage. This mantra has all the power and potency of all the vedic mantras of all the different vedic dieties combined. Whether one is after material desires, or wanting moksha(liberation), or is curious about God, or simply wants Shri Krishna's(God) mercy and bhakti, this mantra with suffice for all of those purposes and more. It is the best mantra for this degraded age of Kali Yuga. I will be posting more about this wonderful mantra in the coming days. Stay tuned!

Lord Chaitanya

2010-02-28T23:35:00.002-05:00

The Chaitanya Charitamrita is one of the three main biographies detailing the pastimes of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the incarnation of Krishna as a devotee, and revivor of the Gaudiya Vaishnava culture. It was composed by Srila Krishna Das Kaviraja Goswami (1496), in Bengali language, but also includes some Sanskrit verses within the composition. Twining together with the pastimes of Mahaprabhu's life are deep philosophical teachings detailing the process of Bhakti Yoga, with focus given to the chanting of Krishna's names, mainly the Hare Krishna mahamantra. It is accepted as a holy scripture by practitioners of Gaudiya Vaishnavism.

In composing this great peotry-form literature, Srila Krishna Dasa Kaviraj Goswami also got many details from the diaries of Murari Gupta and Swarupa Damodara, both of whom were personal associates of Lord Chaitanya. The words chaitanya-charitamrta may be translated as "the character of the living force in immortality."

Sri Caitanya inaugurated a great social and spiritual movement in Bengal, Puri and in other places while He traveled South India after taking to the renounced order of life over five hundred years ago, which today the Hare Krishnas continue to spread throughout the world. While man in the West was sending shuttles outward in the physical universe, in India Sri Krishna Caitanya was diving inward, exhibiting unparalleled spiritual potency, and teaching the truths of about consciousness and transcendental reality. As a young boy he defeated renowned scholars and establishing his own school at the age of sixteen. Within his lifetime, Sri Caitanya transformed India in four respects: philosophically, by defeating the greatest philosophers of his day who were against vaishnava philosophy; socially, by opposing the blindly rigid caste system devoid of devotion; politically, by organizing India's first civil disobedience movement against repression by the Muslim government; and spiritually, by distributing to oeveryone nonsectarian pure love of God. Sri Caitanya-caritamrta presents Sri Caitanya as the Golden Avatar, the incarnation of Krishna in this age as a devotee.

Lord Caitanya instructed the mass of people in the philosophy of acintya-bhedabheda-tattva, which explains that everything is simultaneously one and different. Lord Caitanya taught this philosophy through the chanting of the holy name of the Lord. He taught that the holy name of the Lord is the sound incarnation of Krishna in this age and that since the Lord is the absolute truth, there is no difference between His name, form, qualities and pastimes. Thus by chanting the holy name of the Lord one can directly associate with the Supreme Lord through the Hare Krishna Mahamantra. As one practices this sound vibration, one progresses through three stages of spiritual development: the offensive stage, the clearing stage and the transcendental stage. In the offensive stage one may still want different types of material happiness and in the second stage one becomes purified of all material contamination. But when one is situated on the transcendental platform, one attains the most exalted position--the stage of pure love of God. Lord Caitanya taught that this is the highest perfection of life.

In the 1970's His Divine Grace Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada translated and published a deluxe 17-volume English edition of the work through the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust with his own commentary which is in line with those of the previous spiritual masters of the Gaudiya parampara. This edition has been distributed in mass worldwide by ISKCON and is arguably the best-known and most influential English-language edition of Chaitanya Charitamrita today.

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Coming Back

2010-02-27T23:01:00.000-05:00

Sorry for the long absence from this blog. This was due to personal reasons. I will make a more concerted effort in the new year to keep up with this blog. This website is dedicated to the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita, the goal of which is to realize the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Shri Krishna. Tomorrow is the appearance day of Lord Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, and I will post a discussion on this tomorrow.
Hari Bol!

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hara Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

Who is Krishna?

2009-10-13T22:49:00.002-04:00

Commonly, when people discuss the Bhagavad Gita, they often wonder, who is Krishna? Depending on who you ask, you may get various answers. To some, he is a historical figure. To others, he is a mythological figure. Still, to others he is one of many Hindu "gods". So, who is Krishna? The answer is found in Vedic scriptures. In the Bhagavad Gita, the Absolute Truth is described as the original supreme person, the source and leader of all the demigods, "twam adi devah purusah puranah". Purusah puranah means the original personality, and "adi devah" means the original God, the cause of all demigods like Brahma, Shiva and even Vishnu. "Twam" indicates" Krishna. So Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. There is nothing superior to Krishna. Krishna is the cause of all causes. I will elaborate more on the position of Lord Krishna in my next post tomorrow.

Excerpt from The Teachings of Bhagavad Gita. Visit us online at http://www.teachingsofbhagavadgita.com

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare,
Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare

The Essence of Sanatana Dharma Part 3

2009-05-28T22:17:00.002-04:00

What is the perfect religion? There are so many religions prevailing in the world today, therefore one may question as to which is the right, perfect and best of religions. In this regards the Bhag 6-3-19 states,

“The real religious principles are enacted by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, even the great rishis, the demigods of Heavens, the residents of Sidhhaloka, Vidyadhar Charanaas or ordinay human beings can not ascertain the real religious principles.” Neither has anyone the right to distort its principles for his benefits, so to avoid such confusion and give right direction Bhagavatam says further,

“The best of all religions is one which induces in the individual the desire for the loving devotional services of the Supreme Lord, however, that should be performed without interruption and be devoid of any material selfish motive.” And further, “if by following a religious activity one does not develop such attraction for the Supreme Personality of Godhead than engaging in such religious process is only a fruitless labor.” Subsequently, in Bhagvatam, 6-3-20, Lord Yamaraj has also advised that for the proper directives or disputes about religion one should consult the teachings of 12 great personalities, like, Lord Brahma, Narada, Lord Shiva, Sanat Kumaras, Lord Kapil (son of Devahuti), Maharaj Manu, Prahlad, King Janak, Bhisma Pitamah, Maharaj Bali, Shukadeva Goswami and himself (Yamaraj). It is so summarized by mahatma Tulsidas as,

“The final opinion of these great personalities, like Brahma, Narada, Lord Shiva, Sanat kumar, Shukadeva goswami and alike is to develop attraction and love for the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord” (Ramcharitmanas). Indeed this is the essence of all religious processes. Throughout the Bhagavata gita and Bhagvatam Lord Krishna has repeatedly emphasized the importance of bhakti yoga or the loving devotional services, as the way by which one can easily attain the Lord’s mercy. However, along with describing the detailed knowledge of the Supreme Lord, and the methods to achieve Him, the religion must also provide information about material and transcendental manifestations as do the Bhagavtam and Bhagavat-gita.
In the final 18th Chapter of Bhagavat Gita verse 66, Lord Krishna says, "Give up all religions and simply surrender unto Me alone and I will deliver you from the world of miseries and sinful reactions”. Here end all of the queries one may ever have about the mercy of the Lord and the religious processes. However, in this reference, it must be noted that in the Bhagavat-gita at the end of Chapter 7 in verse 28, Lord Krishna said, “that only those whose sins of the past and present life have been eradicated by performing the pious activities they alone engage in My (Krishna’s) loving devotional services with determination.” Undoubtedly, this is a very difficult proposition and physically impossible for the people desirous of liberation in this age of Kaliyuga. But never mind, the above verse shows how merciful the Lord is! That only by one’s surrendering to the Lord, He will forgive all the sins one has ever committed in the present or past millions of lives and will liberate him, so says His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedant Swami Prabhupada. However, there is no end to the Lord’s mercy. There is another extreme example of Lord’s mercy described else where in the Bhagavatam, where Lord Krishna granted His abode, Vaikunth loka, to Putna ( a she demon) who desired to kill baby boy, Krishna by let Him suck her breast anointed with poison, Bhagavatam 3-2-23. Indeed, this was a reward to her who acted as His false mother.
However, there are several concessions granted to the devotees of the Lord. To name a few (1) Lord Krishna says, Bhag 11-11-32
“ I have instructed that people should follow the religious principles strictly but under certain circumstances, if a saintly person renounces the ordinary religious duties but still fully engaged in My devotional service, then he is to be considered as the best of the human beings” (2) Bhagavatam 11-5-42, says, “If a fully surrendered devotee of the Lord accidentally commits some sinful activity then the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is seated in the heart of all the living entities takes away the reaction to such a sin. He has not to suffer the consequences of that.” (3) According to Manu-smriti, every house holder has some obligatory religious duties towards his forefathers, demigods, great sadhus, without which one can not be liberated . But according to Bhagavatm even that is excused. Bhagvatam 11-5-41

“ One who has taken shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord ( by engaging in His devotional service) is not even obligated towards its material duties listed above and he is no longer indebted to these , since all of these are the part and parcel of the Supreme Lord. One, who has surrendered to the Lord’s service has no need to serve such individuals separately and yet he will be liberated.”

Further more, one who follows the religion not only becomes a devotee of the Lord but he is also a home of divine qualities Bhagvatam 5-18-12.

”All the exalted divine noble qualities, mercy, non violence, truthfulness, transcendental knowledge and renunciation (non attachment) etc, become manifest in the devotee of Lord Krishna. Where as, a person devoid of devotional service and engaged in material activities has no such qualities, even though he may be engaged by the honest means in maintaining his family and relatives. To satisfy his endless material desires he has to be constantly on the run.”
Transcendental Knowledge: It is the privilege of Sanatana Dharma only which heralds very clearly and loudly to all the 8,400,000 living species of life.
”Hear Me! O’ living entities of the entire universe that you belong to the transcendental divine abode of Supreme Lord, your great loving father. The transcendental abode is full of transcendental pleasure and devoid of any anxiety. But alas! The living entities including man have forgotten this, and are struggling hard in the material world which is a place full of material miseries, anxieties, temporary and devoid of any real happiness Bh.G.9-33.& 15-7.
With the help of material mind, senses and intelligence one can not perceive the Lord and His abode because that is transcendental. Therefore we have to change our material consciousness to transcendental. Our past and present sinful nature is preventing us, Bh.G.7-28. The process for this transformation is very simple and easy for this age of Kaliyuga. Bhagavatam 12-13-23 says, “by chanting the holy name of Lord Krishna, one cleanses away the mind from the dust of accumulated material sinful reactions.” Similarly, Bhagavatam 12-3-51 also emphasizes this chanting process as, “by chanting the Hare Krishna mahamantra one is released from material bondage and goes back to the Lord’s transcendental abode without any efforts” Therefore one should chant , "Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare."This is a mantra from the Kali Santaran Upnishad. It does not matter as to what demoralizing sinful activities one has been engaged in the past, if one sincerely recites the Lord’s name and associates with saintly people, and refrains from further sinful activities, he will surely be liberated like maharshi Valmiki. Surprisingly enough by Bhakti yoga i.e .engaging in the loving devotional service of the Lord, one develops without any extra efforts the transcendental knowledge and detachment ( vairagya) from material entanglement as well,
The association with devotees and saintly people and the spiritual master is very necessary so that one gathers the proper knowledge about the Lord.
“Knowledge generates faith, and from faith comes attachment and from attachment develops love for the lotus feet of the Lord, the deeper the knowledge, the stronger the bond of attachment.” In conclusion, Sanatana Dharma advices that in addition to other religious paraphernalia, one should utilize human life for understanding the Supreme Lord and engaging in His loving devotional service, so as to get out of this material world of miseries by the process of chanting the name of the Lord Krishna for this age of Kaliyuga. This is the heart and soul, the very essence of a religion called Sanatana dharma.
[Chant Hare Krishna & be happy].

HARE KRISHNA Maha Mantra

2009-05-06T22:57:00.001-04:00

Chant Hare Krishna Maha mantra and be happy!

HARE KRISHNA HARE KRISHNA KRISHNA KRISHNA HARE HARE HARE RAMA HARE RAMA RAMA RAMA HARE HARE

THE ESSENCE OF SANATANA DHARMA Part 2

2009-05-04T21:08:00.000-04:00

What is the goal of human life? This is addressed in Bhagavatam 1-2-10

“The purpose of human life is to inquire about the Absolute Truth (ParamTattva) and the self (Atman) without which the value of human life is completely lost simply because the human life is meant only for attaining liberation। A human life is not for the purpose of sense gratification (which is available to other species of life easily).”

In the Bhagavatam, Lord Brahma while addressing an assembly of demigods (devataas) said,
“My dear demigods the importance of human life is such that we also desire to have such life, for in the human form only one can acquire (1) prefect religious truth, i।e. the Param Tattva and the (2) transcendental knowledge about the Supreme Lord” Bhagvatam. 3-15-24.

By understanding these one can attain liberation from the material world and the cycle of repeated birth and death. Mahabharat also echoes “After thousands of births one gets a chance for the human body, and though one is sure to die any moment yet it is very meaningful ( because it provides the opportunity for performing the devotional services of the Supreme Lord Krishna so that one can be liberated)।”

In this reference Bh.G.2-40 says “even a little advancement on this path ( of bhakti yoga) can liberate one from the most dangerous and fearful situation (of death and falling back into the life less than human).” It is therefore advised that while carrying out one’s duties as a house- holder one should not forget the real objective which is so stated by Lord Brahma in the above verse.”

The Essence of Sanatana Dharma Part 1

2009-04-18T22:59:00.000-04:00

THE ESSENCE OF SANATANA DHARMA
India is a land of spirituality. About 5000 years ago when the Planet was ruled by the Emperor Maharaj Parikshit, mankind followed only one religion known as Sanatana Dharma. The following is recorded as history in the Bhagavatam. When Kaliyuga personified surrendered to Maharaj Parikshit, he was allowed to stay only in four places where sinful activities like drinking, smoking and intoxicants (paanam), gambling (dyutam), prostitution or illicit sex (striyoh) and meat eating (suunah) prevailed Bhagavatam 1-17-33. Cows were regarded as a mother to whom no insult in any form was ever tolerated.. Bhagavatam 1-17-9. Sanatana Dharma was firmly rooted in the life of the people in the form of austrites (tapah), charity (daan), mercy (dayaa), physical and mental cleanliness (shoucham) and truthfulness (satyam) Bhagvatam.1-17-24. However, these religious principles were only a guide for society to live happily and peacefully. A human life can be described as a bundle of cumulative events (actions) from birth to the death, so if the actions are auspicious and devoid of sins then the reactions are happiness in life in the form of fame, wealth and prosperity etc. However, this does not lead to liberation from material life, but rather perpetuates prosperous material life, which is not the goal of the human form of life according to the Sanatana Dharma

The Teachings of Bhagavad Gita

2009-02-12T21:36:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the Teachings of Bhagavad Gita blog! This blog is to spread awareness of the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita, or the "Song of God". Please go to our website http://www.teachingsofbhagavadgita.com for more information and link to purchase the book.