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.