What actions should we perform?

Due to ego, we want to be great! In material world, we want to be better than others. Same tendency is applied to spiritual process.

1. We want to follow best process. We claim our path to be best.
   
2. We want to attain best state. In bhakti, it means pure devotee.
3. We want to attain it in this life.
   

1. We want to follow best process. We claim our path to be best.
It is important to understand that the best process can be followed by the best people. Due to false ego, we think that we are qualified to follow best process. Our goal should be to come closer to Krishna. If we are not qualified to follow best process, then what is the use of it! We should accept a process which brings us closer to Krishna. As long as it brings us closer, it works and it is best for us. It is useless to compare various processes.

2. We want to attain best state. In bhakti, it means pure devotee.
We are dependent to Krishna's mercy to become devotee. We receive that mercy when we completely surrender to Krishna. We should be happy in whatever state Krishna keeps us in. Just aspire to remember Him, love Him and be His devotee. There is no need for external suppression. Be natural. When we want to become pure devotee, then we try to imitate pure devotees. But when we surrender to Krishna, then there is no need for imitation.

Let us take for example: sex desire. Sex desire is generated by our material mind in this body. Man's body may feel attracted to a particular women. But animals and gay men don't get attracted to same women. So, it is biological characteristic. Instead of going against our bodies biological functions, we should accept them as they are given to us by Krishna. We should try to advance from our current state considering the limitation of our body.

3. We want to attain pure bhakti in this life.

We need to understand the rarity of pure devotion. It is not cheap. It is important that we come closer to Krishna. It does not matter how much closer we come. We should not judge how long is our step. Leave that to Krishna. I don't know when I will become pure bhakti. Even if I become in millions of years, I consider it as great mercy of Krishna. When we want to attain bhakti in this life, we don't understand the value and rarity of bhakti.

Our future

SB 12.2.37: Devāpi, the brother of Mahārāja Śāntanu, and Maru, the descendant of Ikṣvāku, both possess great mystic strength and are living even now in the village of Kalāpa.


SB 12.2.38: At the end of the age of Kali, these two kings, having received instruction directly from Vāsudeva, will return to human society and reestablish the eternal religion of man, characterized by the divisions of varṇa and āśrama, just as it was before.

Prayers - Ram is everything for me

Prayers to develop feeling that Ram is mine. He is everything for me.

mata ramo mat pitah ramchandrah
swami ramo mat sakhah ramachadrah
sarvasvam me ramachandroh dayalu
na anyam jane naiva jane na jane

tvameva mata ca pitah tvameva
tvameva bandhuh ca sakhah tvameva
tvameva vidya dravidam tvameva
tvameva sarvam mam deva deva

Internal bhav of Bhakti

I belong to Ram and Ram is mine. Ram is my mother, father, brother, sister, friend, teacher, maintainer, protector and dear Bhagavan. He is everything for me. I am completely dependent upon Him.

This world, my body, house, wealth, family etc belongs to Ram. He is real owner of them. This world does not belong to me and this world is not mine. I offer Ram's material objects to Ram. They are Ram's and they are not mine.

This world is form of my beloved Ram. Ram is everywhere and everyone is part of Ram. So, I serve everyone as they are part of my beloved Ram. I should not be jealous of anyone or try of hurt anyone in any way.

How can I achieve these?

Keep reminding yourself that Ram is yours, this world belongs to Him and everyone is my beloved's form. Good way is to recite prayers.

Wake up early and do following:

1. Yog
2. Anulom vilom pranayam with jap
   
3. Kapal Bhatti with jap
   
4. Read Ram Charit Manas to develop feeling of love towards Ram.

Before sleeping:

1. Jap
2. Anulom vilom pranayam
   

The 3 Yogas

This world does not belong to me and this world is not mine.

I am this world == ahankar (false ego)
This world is mine == mamta (sense of proprietorship)

When Krishna asks us to become nirmam and nir-ahankar, it means accepting that this world does not belong to me and I do not belong to this world.


When one sees this world as different from one's self and is not attached to it, then it is jnana yoga.

When one sees this world as part of Krishna and takes shelter of Krishna, then it is bhakti yoga.

When one sees this world as not belonging to Himself and uses the objects of this world in service of others then it is karma yoga.

Manah Siksha

I belong to Ram and Ram is mine. This world does not belong to me and this world is not mine. Ram is my mother, father, brother, sister, friend, teacher, maintainer, protector and dear Bhagavan. He is everything for me. I am completely dependent upon Him.

This world belongs to Ram. This world is part of Ram. Whatever I do in this world, it also belongs to Ram. (tvadiya vastu govindam tubhya-meva samarpaye)

Happiness in Bhakti

Narada Bhakti Sutra defines bhakti is that which gives happiness from within. Whatever gives inner happiness is bhakti. Similarly, SB 1.2.6 states that bhakti completely satisfies the self (yayatma suprasidata). Bhagavad Gita states in many slokas that yogi is internally satisfied. When one is happy from within then external environment cannot affect such person and in that state, one can be equanimous (smatvam yogam ucyate). Equanimity and inner happiness go together. Inner happiness comes from realizing self as part (ansh) of Krishna and as different from body, senses and this world. Due to maya, self identifies with body, mind, senses and their extensions like money, wealth, family etc. But when self sees that it does not belongs to this world but is eternally part of Krishna, it becomes happy. Such person is beyond the material world and he can choose to act or choose not to act. He can externally engage in sense gratification. His actions don't matter as his soul or self always connected with Krishna.

Most of us are not at the level of deriving happiness from within. As we don't get inner happiness, we seek happiness outside. So, what should we do? Is seeking happiness outside bad?

Many people who try to follow the process of bhakti come due to depression. Depressed person does not find meaning in life and runs away from simple enjoyments. Depressed people have lesser sex drive and may even want to kill themselves. Such people embrace the idea of giving up everything. They like it and make their depression worse. It is important for such person to make their life happy. They should surely seek inner happiness but also, they should seek pleasures in this world so that they can be happy. Otherwise, they may think they are advancing but they might be making their depression worse. Depressed people are neophyte devotees. True devotee can never be depressed.

Another kind of people are too much attached to sense gratification. Their mind is always agitated. Extreme example may be a person who rapes a women for his own gratification.

Most of us are not such extremes. We should seek balanced path. We should enjoy pleasures of life so that our life does not become dull and unhappy. But we should also act such that we develop mineness or surrender to Krishna, we develop love unto Him and we remember His names.

Everything belong to Krishna. This world is not ours. The self is beyond this world. Our body, mind, sense and sense objects are not ours. They are Krishna's. We should truly accept this fact. Keep telling our mind that this world is not ours and it belongs to Krishna. When we act in pleasures understanding that this body belongs to Krishna then such pleasure don't bind us. Our body needs food. It needs sleep. Similarly, our body needs recreation. So, Krishna has given this body and the owner of our body Krishna has ordered us to provide recreation. So, we are just fulfilling the order of Krishna. Everyone has to decide what are needs of their body as we are all different. Important thing to understand is that we cannot deny needs of body and mind. Mind and body may need sex, fun movies, sattvik pleasures like enjoying nature, sports etc. Do them understanding that this world belong to Krishna and therefore, such activities are also service to Krishna. This is real bhakti.

Note: A person who sees world as part of Krishna cannot hurt anyone as Krishna resides in everyone's heart.

Guru Tattva

Vedic traditions accepts God (Krishna, Ram, Vishnu etc.) as source of everything. He is seated in everyone's heart and from Him comes remembrance, knowledge and forgetfulness (BG 15.15). He as Parmatma guides everyone from within.

Padma Purana explains (1.17.20): Vishnu who resides in everyone's heart is guru of whole world. He is the only teacher and no one else can teach anyone.

krsnam vande jagad-guru - Krishna is the guru of whole world.

Guru means teacher. Krishna is the universal teacher and He gives us knowledge from within. It is Krishna, the universal teacher, who sends us teachers to teach about external world and spiritual concepts. Even to understand simple mathematical concepts teacher is needed. Similarly, understanding spiritual concepts and intricacies of mind and self requires external teacher. The external teachers are arranged by Krishna Himself. Krishna uses many teachers starting with birth giving mother and father. But ultimate teacher is Krishna Himself.

As a blind man, being unable to see, accepts another blind man as his leader, people who do not know the goal of life accept someone as a guru who is a rascal and a fool. But we are interested in self-realization. Therefore we accept You, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as our spiritual master, for You are able to see in all directions and are omniscient like the sun. (SB 8.25.50)

The God gives protection to everyone who surrenders to Him in fear of death. He is actual shelter of everyone. I therefore surrender unto Him. (SB 8.2.33)

Krishna without discrimination gives shelter and guides everyone who comes to Him for protection and guidance. Gajendra did not know who is God. He worshiped Krishna within and Krishna came to save him. So, real surrender is to surrender to Krishna Himself. When we surrender to Krishna, He sends us teachers. They can come in any form. The spiritual teacher teaches everyone to surrender to Krishna. False guru asks disciples to surrender to Himself. Even Srila Prabhupada is clear about it. He says in purport of SB 8.2.33 :: "It is the guru's business to instruct his disciple to surrender to the Supreme Personality of Godhead if he wants relief from the material clutches. This is the symptom of the guru." If Prabhupada teaches his followers to surrender to him instead of the universal guru Krishna, then even he is not true guru. What I can conclude is that Prabhupada did not instruct his followers to surrender to Him but instructed them to surrender to Krishna within. But he is misrepresented by his followers who do not understand the true teachings.

Engage your mind always in thinking of Me, become My devotee, offer obeisances to Me and worship Me. (BG 9.34, BG 18.65)

Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. (BG 18.66)

Krishna asks us to take shelter of Him and surrender unto Him. Gurus teach us how to surrender to Him. But Krishna is our center and not the guru. Krishna does not ask us to surrender to Guru. Let us all surrender to God who is source of everything and who is source of our knowledge.

Dew drops are falling .........

We all want to be happy. We want to be peaceful. The actions we do are to make us happy and peaceful. In married life, it is not difficult for husband and wife to be happy. They need to help each other and care for each other. They need to ignore others faults. But instead of that, many couples end up fighting, blaming each other and focus on negativities. So, they end up unhappy and miserable. If we look over and examine their actions, it seems that it is easy to resolve their issues and be happy. But unfortunately, this mind gets stuck with negativities and it appears that mind really does not want to resolve the problems as if it really wants to be unhappy. But from the perspective of husband and wife, they are right and they feel that their actions are for the best of everyone. So, the situation of their mind is that it gives up water of ganga (i.e. attributes of forgiveness, caring and ignore negative in life) and desires dew drops (parihari sur sarita aas kar os kan). Instead of leading a life of happiness, they lead of life of unhappiness and also, unfortunately do a great damage to their children. Instead a satisfied, contended and simple person can lead life of happiness and peacefulness and also, bring joy in others life.

What is true in relationships also applies to our whole life! If we could control our mind and do what is right for us, we can overall be more happy and peaceful. But our mind gets obsessed and we fulfill our obsessions thinking that they will make us happy but we end up more unhappy. The qualities which help us to be more happy are those which make us better person.

• Simple mind which does not keep negative things but lets them go. It does not dwell on what makes us unhappy but ignores those thoughts.

1. Forgiveness - Instead of keeping ill feeling towards those who hurt us, we should let it go and forgive. When we don't forgive, we hurt ourselves and become more unhappy.
   
2. Living in the present moment - What has happened in the past has happened! Why it should bother us and make us unhappy now. If we really want to be happy, then we should let go of past.

• Realizing the value of peacefulness and doing what will give us peacefulness.

1. Hari smaran - focus mind on Ram.
2. Meditation - Naam jap.
3. Saranagati to Ram.
   
4. Exercise and sports.
5. Keeping good friends and acting selflessly and caring for them.
6. Keeping balance in life.
   

Beggar

Bhagavan Ram! I am helpless. I am begging you to protect me. I have faith that you are listening to me. You are in my heart and it is your promise that you listen to me. So, please listen to me and give me what I ask for. Please have mercy on me. What should I ask for? Should I ask for your darshan? Once I will have your darshan, I will feel that I am great devotee. I may even tell others that I got your darshan. But what is the use of your darshan, if my mind is not attracted to you after your darshan. May be I can have some powers? That will help me develop more faith upon you. I can even use those magical powers to help others or even make others your devotees. But what is the use of those powers if my mind is agitated and disturbed. Bhagavan, my mind is agitated and it wanders here and there. It keeps on thinking about useless stuff and it even makes me unhappy by dwelling on negatives again and again. Please have mercy on me and make my mind attracted to you! May my mind take refuge of you and always dwell upon you. It is your promise that you fulfill desires of those who come to you. Please fulfill your promise. You may say that your bhakti is more precious and therefore, you don't want to give me. But Ram you are the most powerful and the most most in everything. Why will I ask you something inferior if you are giving me what I want! I will ask you the most precious thing. You may say that I really don't desire you. My mind really does not want to be attracted to you. That may be true. But Bhagvan I am helpless being who is controlled by maya. Please be merciful of my condition. My mind may wander again and go somewhere else. Therefore, I beg you to make it attracted to you. I want to think of you. I have only one qualification that sometimes I desire to think of you. Bhagavan, this is good desire and you can fulfill it. Please make my mind attracted to you! Please, please, I beg you. Don't blame me if my mind goes away from you. You did not fulfill your promise. What can I do? Ram, I am dependent upon you and you are my master and my shelter. Please make me remember you. That is best thing which can happen in my life.