Dharma and Happiness

Radhe Radhe
Jai Gurunath
Would like to share with you a beautiful piece from a Bhagavtam Saptaah spoken by our senior GOD-Brother, His Grace Shri Ramanujam Ji
Often hear people say: I follow all the rules and regulations religiously, but i am not rewarded.
Dont we have this problem now? Is this not a ground-level issue we all face or come across with? Once we read Bhagavatam, we wont have that question. Because Bhagavatam says following Dharma is not for promotion or artha or worldly things. The moment we understand why we should follow Dharma, then we wont have all these questions. We will follow Dharma because it is grand.
Once the Pandavas were all camping on the foot hills Himalayas. Dropadi, who is Dharma Personified once lost patience with all the adversities in life, and asked Yudhisthara, Can you tell me, What did we gain by following Dharma. Every second it is Dharma Dharma Dharma. See where we have ended up because of your Dharma.
Yudhisthara: Dropadi! YOu are asking me why I am following Dharma. Just look at this wonderful mountain - the Himalayas. I love it. Not because Himalaya gives me something in return. I love it because it is GRAND! BEAUTIFUL! Look at the beautiful rives flowing at the foothills. I cannot help but love it.
Likewise DHarma is GRAND, DHARMA is Beautiful. That is why I follow/love Dharma. The moment we expect something from Dharma, then it has become a little bit of a business. And Bhagavatam talks about Pure Dharma. Dharma only for one purpose since it is a bhakti Shastra. Only to make sure our Thakurji is happy and he smiles at us. Thats why i follow Dharma. The objective of my Dharma is HAri Toshanam. Happiness of my GURU. If I follow Dharma then Krishna will be happy. If I follow Dharma my Guru will be happy.
Do we want a greater reward than this?
Yogi Rram Surat Kumar Maharaj gives a beautiful explanation. Everybody wants to be happy? Correct! We do everything in our lives to be happy.
And Srimad Bhagavatam explains it so simply in the 2nd chapter of 1st canto -just 2 lines.
EVERYBODY WANTS TO BE HAPPY. TO WANT TO BE HAPPY IS TO MAKE THE LORD HAPPY.
WHY? HOW?Because, for instance, we have a mirror and we know we can see the reflection in the mirror.
Now imagine the LORD to be the Original person and we are all his images.[MAMAIVAMSHO JIVALOKE JIVABHUTAH SANATANAH - The living entities in this conditioned world are My eternal, fragmental parts. BG- 15]So if you want to put the smile in the image, where should the smile originate from? It should originate from the original object, which is HIM (BHAGAVAN).

If Bhagavan is happy with us, we will also be happy.
To want to be happy is to make the LORD happy. So simple. I tell you this.Bhagavat Dharma is simple - which is why it is so difficult and rare! We always expect complications. Mind expects complications and struggle.Bhagavat Dharma is straight and simple - Direct path.
So to want to be happy is to make the LORD happy. So how do I make the LORD happy?
To make the LORD happy is to chant HIS Names. THis is Bhagavat Dharma. 7 days of lectures if it gives this little conviction in our hearts, then Bhagavan has done his job on all of us. So Bhagavat Dharma says, whether it is DHARMA ARTHA KAMA OR MOKSHA - if it is directed at HARI TOSHANAM - then we have led our lives in full.
If the LORD is happy with what we are doing, then we have led a proper life. Dharma means making the LORD happy.
============================
Shloka referenced in above passage can be found in Srimad Bhagavatam 1:2:13atah pumbhir dvija-sreshtha / varnasrama-vibhagasah
svanushthitasya dharmasya / samsiddhir hari-toshanam
O best among the twice-born, it is therefore concluded that the highest perfection one can achieve by discharging the duties prescribed for one's own occupation according to caste divisions and orders of life is to please the Personality of Godhead.

Krishna - Hriday : A bundle of JOY

Radhe Radhe
Jai Gurunath

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

Wow....

Friday Feb 13 11:am, we were graced with the birth of our first child, a baby Boy.
He was a tough delivery for Kajal Mataji....C-Section...

It was an amazing Moment - being there at the moment of birth.

Indeed blessed we were again that hours after the birth, he had the bhagya to hear G's Voice.
Later G gave a name that we are still astounded about and couldn't have thought of such a wonderful name in our wildest Imagination.

KRISHNA-HRIDAY. Yes Guruji has named him Krishna-HRIDAY. Wrapped in these two words only was a totally invaluable blessing from Swamiji for a Baby which was HIS Gift to start off with. Hence, I feel totally satisfied and at peace in heart knowing that the MASTER is controlling the destiny for this child.

Being a novice in the field of parentage, I believe that "FEAR" of child's Future, Safety, Health, well-being etc etc are are forever the main emotion or mental state of a parent.

However, should there be room for any of the above when a sadguru has taken control.

Anyway...the arrival of the Krishna-Hriday has really created a wonderful atmosphere around home and between friends and families. I must say... I have never felt like this before.

Jay G..Jay G...JAY G

Some pics of the little one
http://picasaweb.google.com.au/deepak.vinod/DivineGIFT13209#

http://picasaweb.google.com.au/deepak.vinod/KrishnaHridayaSChatti#


Additionally, I must say we have been overwhelmed by the amazing support and well-wishes for KH and Kajal Mataji. Our Satsangh Members, Friends, Family, Brahmanas, Sadhus, Sanyasis from Chitrakoot, ShriDhaam Vrindaban, Chennai, Ahmedabad...and the like

- In the end...repeating the words of Shri Swami....What is it that Rama Nama cannot give...??? It can give Absolutely everything.


Radhe Radhe

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

Waiting and Waiting and waiting......

Radhe Radhe
Jai Shri Gurunath

Waiting for the little one. Was due to be born on the 6th. At this stage we are still waiting....So much anticipation....He certainly is taking his time....

Today was my beloved Guruji's (Jagadguru Shri Ramanandacharya Shri Rameshvaranandacharya Ji Maharaj) Shri disappearence day..(one year after he left his body).

Photo

I have a feeling and believe that I will meet HIM sometime again...

Spoke to G abt this..
I was speechless by G's response. He said that Guruji is in HIS form now...wow.
How can it not be..G took me in HIS shelter immediately after Guruji left his body...

There were 2 boys who were great friends. One was a son of a King and one an ordinary person. When they grew up, the son of the KING became KING himself and the other boy somehow turned out to be a dacoit. One day, his actions caught up with him and he found himself in the prison. In the prison he remembered that the KING was his childhood friend. He asked to see the King, in order to seek favour to be pardoned and released from the prsion.

The message was relayed to the King. The King sent a reply..if you can come to me, definitely you might get a chance to be pardoned, knowing well the it was impossible for his childhood friend to come to him.

This is the case with Jiva and Paramatma... If the jiva is able to reach the Lord's feet then he can become the subject of Bhagavan's grace. However how does a Jiva, who is imprisoned in Maya's cage, actually get to the feet of Bhagavan? He so shackled by Moha of his bodily relationships and is guarded by prison officers in the form of the Indriyas- Senses. It is next to impossible for him to get to the LORD in this state.

That is where the GURU comes in. Due to the Guru's grace, who is freely roaming as a Jivan Mukta in the same realm as imprisoned soul, the Jiva is freed from the clutches of Maya. The association of the GURU, the updesha of the Guru, the sparsha of the GURU breaks the shackles (bondage) of the soul into pieces and puts the Jiva at the feet of Bhagavan.

All glories to the UNIVERSAL PERCEPTOR.
ALL glories to Guru Tattva
Shri GuruMaharaj Ki Jaya

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

Navadha Bhakti

Radhe Radhe

Jai Gurunath

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

It was a week of Shabari Katha

In the weekdays, attended 4 days of Shabri / Navadha Bhakti (from Ram Charit Manas) Katha at Lyn Parade.
Shabari Katha is always amazing to hear. The speaker was DR (Pandit) K D Sharma from Melbourne...who has a amazing, knowledge of ramayana

Saturday was a Satsangh at Srimati Sarita Ram and Shri Sanjeev Bali's house. The topic we chose, coincidentally (not), was again Shabari Katha and Navadha Bhakti...

Katha was followed by Maha Mantra and bhajans by the children....

Sunday afternoon was a memorable day, as we had a really amazing, totally transcedental session of NSK (Nama Sankirtan) at Shri Muthuji's house. The atmosphere was amazing.
More than an hour of chanting, followed by Bhajans and a short talk and prasadam.

read more abt the satsangh at Muthu's with Pictures

Sunday Night and the following 2 nights saw us reciting Gita at the place of a grieving family which had lost their young daughter that week.
The three nights was really spent on having as much NSK as possible for the departed SOUL. Very very Happy that G had given us the opportunity to do NAMA for the departed soul.
As always MaheshJi and the Girls were a key part of it - also accompanied by Shri Jagdish RamJi -

There is a question lurking on my mind.
What happens to a person who has taken up devotional life and does slip. As we know, Maya Devi focusses greater energy trying to bring down those in path of the LORD. The tests are greater.
Can a devotee succumb to the enemies of within....Kama Krodha Lobha and the Like...?

And what happens if they do?

Shri Guru Arpanamastu
Radhe Radhe

HARE RAMA HARE RAMA RAMA RAMA HARE HARE
HARE KRISHN HARE KISHNA KRISHNA KRISHNA HARE HARE

G's Jayanti

Radhe Radhe

It was great pleasure to have taken part in G's Jayanti Celebration. (my first one).
Felt really blessed to be in the shelter of G.

http://www.namadwaar.org/ozgod/newsevents/news/?action=news&id=1225683693

Little Namadeva (son of Shri Raviji)gave the most touching speech in which he narrated the importance of following the Guru's word without questioning - He narrated it through a story about Sandhanana, the disciple of Sri Adi Shankara. One day Sri Adi Shankara asked Sanandhana to cross the river. Sanandhana didn't question his Guru, but simply obeyed his Guru and started walking. As soon as he did that, lotus flowers appeared whereever his feet stepped and he in this manner crossed to the other bank. Namadev concluded his speech by saying 'obey Guru's words without questioning'
-

Really blessed are those who follow the words of the GURU with complete faith and devotion.

Not sure if Adiyen will ever truly follow that path. To be fully surrendered to the Master.

Is Guru-bhakti Saadhya (objective) or Saadhan (means)?
My small intelligence is now understanding that Guru-bhakti is Saadhya. Please correct me if i am incorrect.

Should I ask Guru for devotion to Krishna or
Should I pray to Krishna for devotion to Guru...?

which is the point that Muthuji made about Ekanathji Maharaj. Very very nice story. In serving the GURU, Maha-Bhagavat Shri Ekanath JI, had no desire for the LORD. Single-pointed Guru Bhakti, nicely illustrated by Sri Muthu Ji.

Which reminds me of the story of these 2 marvellous Mataji's I met last week. Part of Iskcon FIJI, they had come to Australia to preach HariNama and to generate interest in the BIG temple they were building.

These Mataji's from Fiji were given a task by their Gurudev to build a temple in a town called Sigatoka in Fiji. This was their Guruji's last instruction to them before HE attained param-samadhi. The Mataji's after a few years of preaching HariNaam and serving Shri Radha-Damodar in a Garage, decided that it was HIGH time the dreams and instructions of their Gurudev was realised. So they started the temple project which is estimated to cost close to $3million for the complete construction. In order to show people they were serious,...they started the project off with the construction of the first two floors with their own effort and money.

So these Mataji's started to travel outside their city and preach and generate Laxmi for the temple and also spread Mahamantra. In their venture they came to Australia, where they hardly knew anyone and did programs in 3 major cities in one week and generated a lot of interest and with Krishna's and Guru's Grace raised a lot of money...more than $60,000.

What really touched me is the passion, the fervour, the dedication with which they went about their work in order to fulfill the instructions of the Spiritual Master. Showed me that without coming out of ones comfort zone, it is hard to get results.

Guru's Grace is endless and boundless like the OCEAN. Truly depends on the sadhak and discipile as to how GRACED they want to be.

Jaynesh, Kaushik and Amish (nehpews) all sang kirtans and bhajans...it was really nice to see them taking part

Kaushik and Amish


Jaynesh Singing Gopala Gopala




Radhe Radhe
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

Wow...its been a while

Radhe Radhe

It has been a while...almost 3 weeks have past...havent blogged recently.

The first week of October (a long weekend in Australia) saw us have 2 house warming satsanghs and one birthday satsangh. The first one on Friday was a Sunderkand session at Beecroft (was the sister of a mataji who hosted a program in Adelaide) - she was most touched to have Nama sankirtana and Sunderkand Parayana for her House warming.

Next day we were at the house of Smt Vandana and Shri Asis Kumar for their house-warming satsangh. It was celebrated with a Recital from Shri Ram Charit Manas -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_lx2MAvbcY

Next day we had a satsangh at the house of Shri AnandJi...who requested the Katha of Kevata (the Boatman) who was most most fortunate be receive the grace of the LORD.

..

The following week we were at the house of Smt and Sri Sailesh Kumar at Prestons. For the first time, had to speak on the topic of Vali Vadham...notably a topic of much discussion, controversy and sentiment for many generations. ...as to why Shri Ram killed Vali in such a way

http://www.namadwaar.org/answers/valianswer.html

Reading from Swami Shri Ram Kinkarji Maharaj's books, he states that

Vali, when laying on the ground after being hit by the arrow, says
"dharam hetu avatarahu gosai"
"maarahi mohi vyadh ki naai"

"You have taken avataar for the protection of Dharma, why then have you killed my like a hunter"

Swami Ramkinkar ji states: Bali acknowledges that Shri Ram was the supreme LORD himself not an ordinary man. And he also states that he has desccended for the protection of Dharma.

Hence what Shri Ram did was danda nyaya as opposed to yuddha. When fighting someone, it is wrong to kill someone in an improper way. It is not the same for a upholder and provider of justice and punishment. When a judge condemns someone to death, he does not pick up a sword to kill him himself...that is danda nyaaya as opposed to yudha maryaadaa. Shri Ram is not expected to uphold yuddha maryada here as while killing Vali, he is handing out punishment.

And looking at our lives, we are also punished for our prarabdhas. The supreme lord does not appear before us to hand that punishment. Rather it is handled "unseen" by our eyes. Also, the LORD who is also responsible for the creation, maintenance and dissolution (annihilation) of the creation....How does he go about doing that? Unseen, isnt it. So can one claim that bhagavan has not followed maryada to do pralaya in the manner in which he does. No.

Secondly...The LORD is a warrior...and Vali is an animal or rather his act was befitting an animal...And warriors do not challenge animals to a fair fight. Tbey are hunted.

In the end...what agrees most with my heart is...that the most compassionate LORD is called bhakta-vatsala. For his devotees, HE is even willing to forego his reputation and can welcomes with open hands any infamy that may come HIS way (viz BHISHMA's sankalpa in Mahabharat). He is "kartum akartum anyatha kartum samarthaH" ...there is nothing beyond HIM. And also as Tulasidas Ji says. " samartha ko nahi dosha gosai" - no act can tarnish ALL powerful "

Photos of the above events

Watch my nephews and niece chant mahamantra

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H52vr9o8P8g

Radhe Radhe

Shri Guru Arpanamastu

HARE RAMA HARE RAMA RAMA RAMA HARE HARE

HARE KRISHNA HARE KISHNA KRISHNA KRISHNA HARE HARE

Last Weekend in September 2008

Radhe Radhe

What a week.

G graced us again with a weekend of Satsanghs and Nama propogation.
Friday night we went to our monthly program at Shri Temple in Auburn. There we had a very good session of Nama sankirtan. A good Half hour..followed by Glories of Nama sankirtan by our senior brother Mutthu, qouting from various shastras, the mahima of Nama. The night concluded with Maha Mantra again.

Saturday was an eventful day. Spent most of the day packing books for Yaadein Vision for our annual shipment to Fiji... - www.yaadeinvision.org
Our shipment goes out on Tuesday.

Surprises, unpredictability, uncertainty are to be expected in life. Only predicatable aspect of life is its unpredictability. Came home Saturday afternoon to discover Mum had accidentally driven a knife through her hand, in between the thumb and first finger. A freakish Kitchen Accident. Even though the incident was in the scheme of things a minor event, it still highlights and hint how a moment in life is enough to take away our comfort. If our comfort is controlled by such events then comfort is something that will be short -lived and always disturbed.

Saturday night was a sastsangh at brother Dinesh's house. It was a smaller than expected turnout, ( about 50 0r so) however it was still a nice as GOD had a chance to propogate NAMA to a newish crowd. The night consisted of Nama Sankirtan by Kids to start off with, followed by a narration of Bhakta Dhruv's Katha from SB and finally concluding with NSK for 20 mins followed by Arati. On the way back while driving I suffered from various microsleeps...however seemed to awake at the right times...(felt that someone else was actually in control of taking me home safely) - rakhe ram to mare kaun ...

Sunday again was a busy day....We had 1/2 hour NSK at Ram Mandir Minto. In the afternoon, was requested by sister Arati to give a short discourse on bhagvatam on Samudra Manthan. It was a nice night...with Kirtan, Bhagvatam and a very inspiring talk by Bobby bhai on Various topics including amrit and surrendering to the lord and "LOVE" - as to how anything we see as beautiful in this world will sooner or later diminish in its beauty. The only one who is truly beautiful in essence is the LORD. We concluded with NSK and Mahaprasad.

About to hit the bed now. Hopefullly the weekdays can also be utilised for guru Kainkaryam like the weekends.

Shri Guru Arpanamastu
Radhe Radhe

HARE RAMA HARE RAMA RAMA RAMA HARE HARE
HARE KRISHN HARE KISHNA KRISHNA KRISHNA HARE HARE