Bhagavad-gītā for Everyone

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Сообщение Jayanti » 19 ноя 2020, 18:40

Chapter 5. Karma-yoga - Action in Kṛṣṇa Consciousness

TEXT 1

Arjuna said: O Kṛṣṇa, first of all You ask me to renounce work, and then again You recommend work with devotion. Now will You kindly tell me definitely which of the two is more beneficial?

PURPORT

Arjuna did not understand that activities based on true knowledge has no consequences and are considered inaction.

The material world is full of activities; souls who want impressions and happiness are constantly performing certain actions.They drive around in the cars and produce a huge amount of things that go to the landfill after a couple of years. Moreover, they do not really need that things, but rather simply create the impression of life's diversity. This is due to the lack of real purpose in life. Also, hundreds and thousands of fictional stories are written to entertain the mind with impressions. Basically, such activities are meaningless, and a person who is trying to develop spiritually often wants to get out of this cacophony of Babylon. However, the better solution for him is not to go out, but rather to enter this environment, carrying the message of the Personality of Godhead. One can carry the message physically by meeting people in person or one can preach online. In past eras, people could communicate at a distance without mechanical devices, in some ways it is not so difficult, and some people have retained such abilities even in our time. Nevertheless, since people have lost and continue to lose good qualities, nowadays communication at a distance is carried out using radio waves, and further a global system of universal control will be created.

If someone is not capable of a preaching feat (to bring people knowledge about God), this means that he is bound by thick ropes of fate, which tied the idea of ​​"more goods" to his head. In this case, the method of karma-yoga, or dedication of one's activity to God, is applied. In fact, all one need to be happy is knowledge and sufficient communication on spiritual topics. When a person has a lot of such communication, he becomes satisfied. We do not have to wait for someone to come and appreciate us, it is easier to go out oneself into this kingdom of manufacturers of tablets and machines. A person does not even need to travel somewhere, even in a small town he can become a living attraction that kindly reminds everyone of God.

In the material world, everyone is fruitlessly languishing, all their activities do not bring happiness to anyone, therefore the shining ray of spiritual knowledge brings life to this dull kingdom.

TEXT 2

The Blessed Lord said: The renunciation of work and work in devotion are both good for liberation. But, of the two, work in devotional service is better than renunciation of works.

PURPORT

It is good to cut down the tree of material conditioning by any methods. This can be done either by giving up activity or by directing activity towards God, nevertheless, an active position is better than a passive one. All kinds of sensual life are a desire for events and impressions, a desire to experience qualities; and the best qualities are spiritual because they are eternal. When a devotee offers a spiritual message to people over and over again, the ice of material life gradually begins to melt, and since the devotee is unattached, he has thousands of ideas in what form this offer can be made. Just as dozens of versions of the same object are invented in the material world, in response we create even more versions of the representation of one idea about God. Since a devotee is not anxious to get something from his neighbor or push him into religion, he is happy and fresh; and sometimes he hears the indignation that arises in his address as the sounds of a beautiful hymn.

Those who are "tied to the head with ropes" that they always lack something, continue their dull life, sometimes even being in religion. Lord Caitanya will gradually bring thousands of preachers to the streets of this world.

TEXT 3

One who neither hates nor desires the fruits of his activities is known to be always renounced. Such a person, liberated from all dualities, easily overcomes material bondage and is completely liberated, O mighty-armed Arjuna.

PURPORT

Having neither attachment nor aversion, a person is not bound either by the activity itself or its consequences. When a person acts in the position of a servant, he moves out of the influences and throws off reactions from himself. This rule works even in material activities. Those who lead take the reactions and those who serve leave them. Although sometimes you have to accept responsibility and lead, in reality no intelligent person wants to lead or rise above others. So, leadership is a difficult job, but by the will of God, devotees have to do this as well. However, there are no consequences when the work of leadership is performed for the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is the interest of everyone: to do everything for God – either out of practical interest, so as not to suffer the consequences, or because of attachment to Him.

TEXT 4

Only the ignorant speak of karma-yoga and devotional service as being different from the analytical study of the material world [sāṅkhya]. Those who are actually learned say that he who applies himself well to one of these paths achieves the results of both.

PURPORT

By serving God with devotion, one attains full knowledge because such service (preaching) removes one from the influence of material nature. When a person becomes more free, he sees all the laws and connections of this world. In fact, it is enough to understand only the temporality of everything, but when a person has “ropes” on his head, he thinks that he will live here forever and that material property will make him happy.

Jñānīs (thinkers) are superior to materialists or lovers of things, houses and cars, but they often cannot understand that the activities of devotees have nothing common with the material world. Thinkers consider religious activity to be inferior and preliminary, and they see themselves at the top of the world - in the development of a new theory like "altered DNA - the beginning of the eternal human race." Indeed, few people can understand that devotional service gives knowledge, it seems to the thinkers that knowledge can only be obtained by reasoning. They see their reasoning as supervaluable, but devotees sometimes find it difficult to listen to such theories which they tired of "twenty years ago." Thinkers do not understand that they live in a limited sphere of the mind, "flying" there in a vicious circle. While a person is in the realm of the mind, he is technically unable to understand many things, including the subtleties of spiritual life. However, the study of scripture belongs to another, spiritual sphere, since it is a sound that comes to us from the spiritual sky and it is not associated with material elements. Only those who are wise can see that both analytical study and devotional service lead to the same goal.
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Сообщение Jayanti » 21 ноя 2020, 02:56

TEXT 5

One who knows that the position reached by means of renunciation can also be attained by works in devotional service and who therefore sees that the path of works and the path of renunciation are one, sees things as they are.

PURPORT of A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda:

The real purpose of philosophical research is to find the ultimate goal of life. Since the ultimate goal of life is self-realization, there is no difference between the conclusions reached by the two processes. By sāṅkhya philosophical research one comes to the conclusion that a living entity is not a part and parcel of the material world, but of the supreme spirit whole. Consequently, the spirit soul has nothing to do with the material world; his actions must be in some relation with the Supreme. When he acts in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he is actually in his constitutional position. In the first process of sāṅkhya, one has to become detached from matter, and in the devotional yoga process one has to attach himself to the work of Kṛṣṇa. Factually, both processes are the same, although superficially one process appears to involve detachment and the other process appears to involve attachment. However, detachment from matter and attachment to Kṛṣṇa are one and the same. One who can see this sees things as they are.

TEXT 6

Unless one is engaged in the devotional service of the Lord, mere renunciation of activities cannot make one happy. The sages, purified by works of devotion, achieve the Supreme without delay.

PURPORT

Kṛṣṇa says that it is better to try to understand devotional service ("The sages, purified by works of devotion..."). This is an important element because when we do something only mechanically, in fact, it is just an external activity. The main thing always concerns the consciousness, the body is always secondary; if we occupy the body then the purpose of this is to clear the consciousness. The connection with God or Kṛṣṇa consciousness exists outside of the material body, however, perfect devotees are engaged everything in the service of God. Spiritual science is always outside the formal rules, so we can see an example of perfection when everything is used for God, including the body; but there is also an example of perfect devotees who neglect their bodies. The answer is that all the components are used to increase devotion to God, in some cases this is due to the neglect of the material components.

The soul cannot be happy beyond qualities and activities. Sometimes the soul takes a break, having risen to the level of Brahman, but then he is forced to descend again to the material level; this happens until the personality understands the quality of spiritual activity. Avoiding matter, a person enters Brahman, but after understanding the spiritual principles, he acts in the material world without falling under its influence. Brahmavādis see Brahman (the Holy Spirit) everywhere; devotees see the Personality of Godhead everywhere, and in personal relationships God is always with them personally.

TEXT 7

One who works in devotion, who is a pure soul, and who controls his mind and senses, is dear to everyone, and everyone is dear to him. Though always working, such a man is never entangled.

PURPORT

A devotee does not seek to lead or control anything, however, he accepts such duties as necessary and performs them responsibly. Real leadership is not and never will be a privilege, and anyone who thinks leadership is a privilege is seriously mistaken. Leadership is a hard work, workloads, but we sometimes take this position as the direction from above. We are participate in preaching too.

Love for God is higher than the relationship between living beings. There can be no relationship at all between souls outside of God. Love for others is mainly a preaching because they will be happy with God. Two souls or thirty-two souls by themselves cannot have love among each other; they are all completely identical and they are part of Brahman. Souls merge in Brahman in eternal radiance - this is all that happens between souls; and in the spiritual world, relationships between souls are built in connection with God. "Mac-cittā mad-gata-prāṇā" - devotees discussing God and preaching, this is true love between devotees.

Everyone here is envious of each other to varying degrees, moreover envy can persist until the soul reaches the spiritual world. Almost everyone living in matter wants to dominate to varying degrees - this is a disease, conditionality. In this sense, any artificial attempts at love are generally meaningless. Sometimes a person becomes a leader and then says: "Let's all love each other" (read: "since I have already headed you all"). Of course, he can say this out of compassion because there is no point in quarreling, nevertheless, as long as there is no consciousness of God, such "love" will not give much effect. Of course, culture never interferes, but we need to look at things more soberly. We need kindness to others and respect, but all this will not last long without an active spiritual life. We do not really need a society of love, we need a society of preachers; Śrīla Prabhupāda created just such a society, He always did not formally communicate with disciples and He did not shut everyone off with a position or something else. Simplicity is a spiritual quality; Śrīla Prabhupāda wrote the Bhagavad-gītā as it is, and if we act according as it is and say everything as it is, it is much better than acting in the style of "how we would like to present it."

TEXT 8-9

A person in the divine consciousness, although engaged in seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, eating, moving about, sleeping, and breathing, always knows within himself that he actually does nothing at all. Because while speaking, evacuating, receiving, opening or closing his eyes, he always knows that only the material senses are engaged with their objects and that he is aloof from them.

PURPORT

A person who develops love for God tries to connect all his activities with Him. Therefore, while living in the material world, he participates in events, but he is less and less in touch with them. He has no particular interest in achieving some goals, on the other hand, there is no reason to avoid something. He understands that any activity is temporary and therefore meaningless, so he devotes himself to preaching the message of the Personality of Godhead. A devotee has nothing else to do in this material world, and that is the only value he sees in staying here. In order not to disturb people, he sometimes feign some material interests, but he is not interested in it in reality.

Although a devotee has no material interests, nevertheless, he sometimes fall lower for the purpose of preaching and investigates some of the nuances of materialism in order to understand how best to present the spiritual message.
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Сообщение Jayanti » 21 ноя 2020, 12:42

TEXT 10

One who performs his duty without attachment, surrendering the results unto the Supreme God, is not affected by sinful action, as the lotus leaf is untouched by water.

PURPORT

Those who sacrifice the fruits of their activities to God are get rid of the consequences, but those who act in devotional service are spiritualize the matter. Matter is a hidden spirit and when it is connected with God, it acquires a spiritual quality. There is decision into matter and spirit for us, but for God there is no such decision. Sometimes people think that there is some kind of opposition between God and the devil, material nature, but there is no such opposition. Illusion affects people, there is such a struggle for us, but matter does not affect God in any way and it does not oppose Him.

Then if God is the head of everything and the devil is subordinate to Him, why doesn't God destroy the devil? Because the devil, or ignorance, exists to make people think of themselves as independent. Ignorance is created at the beginning of creation to make people consider themselves free and able to independently dominate over matter. Since there is ignorance, the world is full of "secrets" that one can discover and consider oneself a discoverer. We can play different roles through ignorance: become parents, and so on. If ignorance was removed, it would become obvious that God is behind everything and the soul cannot dominate. Thus, people are immersed in ignorance by desiring to dominate.

TEXT 11

The yogīs, abandoning attachment, act with body, mind, intelligence, and even with the senses, only for the purpose of purification.

PURPORT

Yoga is somewhat technically more difficult than devotional service. Why do people do ordinary yoga? Because they don't understand God. The steps of yoga, in fact, are the steps of the ladder from materialism and higher. First, freedom from the consequences of action (karma), then the realization of Brahman, the Supersoul, and finally, the realization of God. Bhakti-yoga in its development is what the soul does in the spiritual world. Mystical yoga sometimes looks more interesting because it has more materialism. Devotional service depends on God and people are not accustomed to such a question, we are used to achieving everything ourselves.

This is also the reason why at the beginning of spiritual practice people pay so much attention to external things: because everything else is poorly understood. It is much easier to perform some external things than to understand something deeper. Such following is also devotion, only it is bad when it is constantly remains on the external level. What is the reason why a person does not deepen his spiritual life? We discussed this in the previous chapter: attachment to the fruits of labor means attachment to everything - to work, family, prestige, and so on; the second and most often the main reason is the lack of real preaching.

TEXT 12

The steadily devoted soul attains unadulterated peace because he offers the result of all activities to Me; whereas a person who is not in union with the Divine, who is greedy for the fruits of his labor, becomes entangled.

PURPORT

Whatever position a person takes in the material world, if he does not move towards God, he will fall. What difference does it make who is who here if all this is temporary? A person who gives the fruits of his labor to God becomes peaceful and eventually gets a hundred times more. Material property has no value - even if person does not possess anything special, he will still be happy with the spiritual life. Sometimes people rejoice when welfare comes in response to their religiosity, but in reality it is a minimal gift. As long as we are materialistic, God can inspire us in this way, but when a person becomes more mature, God gives him riches of a different kind. If money is needed for preaching, there is no problem; most often the problem is not the lack of money, but the poor understanding, poor qualification of the preacher. God can give us any wealth in the blink of an eye, but in most cases, such things are not relevant.

TEXT 13

When the embodied living being controls his nature and mentally renounces all actions, he resides happily in the city of nine gates [the material body], neither working nor causing work to be done.

PURPORT

When a person realizes that he is not connected with the actions of the body, peace comes to him, but those who are more developed understand that God is behind everything and their happiness is many times higher. Being spiritually happy, they preach the message of God and over time they become more experienced, steadfast, and wise - this is exactly what our spiritual master wants from us. Such experienced madhyama-adhikārīs (preachers) form an informal spiritual society by preaching, communicating with each other and solving all issues. There is little envy between the madhyamas, so generally none of them try to dominate each other. Leaders who are kaniṣṭha-adhikārīs, due to their inferiority, often envy each other and like to dominate, but madhyama sees the essence and does not attach importance to external things. A real spiritual society is a union of such madhyamas who are far from the ideas of personal enrichment and glory. In this case the society will be strong and have no barriers. The kaniṣṭha-adhikārīs understand this theoretically, but because their hearts are still full of envy, the desire for fame and profit, some of their external imitation of "good relationships" has no special value.
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Сообщение Jayanti » 21 ноя 2020, 19:10

TEXT 14

The embodied spirit, master of the city of his body, does not create activities, nor does he induce people to act, nor does he create the fruits of action. All this is enacted by the modes of material nature.

PURPORT of A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda:

The living entity, as will be explained in the Seventh Chapter, is one in nature with the Supreme Lord, distinguished from matter, which is another nature—called inferior—of the Lord. Somehow, the superior nature, the living entity, has been in contact with material nature since time immemorial. The temporary body or material dwelling place which he obtains is the cause of varieties of activities and their resultant reactions. Living in such a conditional atmosphere, one suffers the results of the activities of the body by identifying himself (in ignorance) with the body. It is ignorance acquired from time immemorial that is the cause of bodily suffering and distress. As soon as the living entity becomes aloof from the activities of the body, he becomes free from the reactions as well. As long as he is in the city of body, he appears to be the master of it, but actually he is neither its proprietor nor controller of its actions and reactions. He is simply in the midst of the material ocean, struggling for existence. The waves of the ocean are tossing him, and he has no control over them. His best solution is to get out of the water by transcendental Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That alone will save him from all turmoil.

TEXT 15

Nor does the Supreme Spirit assume anyone's sinful or pious activities. Embodied beings, however, are bewildered because of the ignorance which covers their real knowledge.

PURPORT

God creates the material world as a whole, but the position of the conditioned soul within the world is determined by himself, by his actions. The soul himself makes a choice between matter and spirit, so God is not responsible for this. People persistently seek personal freedom and God does not interfere in their activities. Sometimes people think the world is unfair, but the world looks like that to them because they do not see the past - their own or other people's past actions. On the other hand, a sense of the injustice of the world can push the soul towards the search for a higher goal.

A person may think that troubles happen to him because God punishes him, but we are punish ourselves by doing or having done unseemly things in the past; God treats everyone equally, and in this sense He is completely detached from the material world. When a person tries to find a way out of the situation of material conditioning, God begins to help by sending him the holy scripture and, in best case, the guidance. The person should have a strong desire to go forward by developing knowledge and purifying the senses. Just some general recognition of the existence of God is good, but it is not enough. We ourselves fell here, and therefore we ourselves need to make efforts to restore our consciousness. Although a spiritual master can raise a disciple to a spiritual level, but sometimes he does not do iimmediately, so that the disciple works, gains experience and becomes mature, sees many nuances, since our goal is preaching. Similarly, mature devotees can welcome difficulties because they understand the supreme providence of God.

TEXT 16

When, however, one is enlightened with the knowledge by which nescience is destroyed, then his knowledge reveals everything, as the sun lights up everything in the daytime.

PURPORT

True knowledge brings a devotee to God and the feeling of love illuminates his whole life. However, preaching is always first and foremost knowledge and not just stories about love, because love without knowledge is only sentiment, and until a person is purified, he will not benefit from such stories for himself. Sometimes we write about the spiritual world to try to inspire everyone with its reality.

TEXT 17

When one's intelligence, mind, faith and refuge are all fixed in the Supreme, then one becomes fully cleansed of misgivings through complete knowledge and thus proceeds straight on the path of liberation.

PURPORT

This is analogous to the biblical "with all thy heart, and with all thy mind." Spiritual science is the same at all times and leads a person to the knowledge of God. Over time, a devotee realizes God in many ways and many kinds of relationships, but this takes time and efforts. Sometimes it seems to a devotee that he stands still and does not move despite his efforts, or that he is falling instead of development, such thoughts should not be too suppressive and one should continue on his spiritual path. It is difficult to describe the various variants of spiritual life because this is a large and multifaceted process, however, when a spiritual master gives comments, he describes, step by step, the various subtleties of this process which together makes up the holy scripture. Those who follow it gradually begin to see that the commentaries are practical guides or descriptions of various aspects of spiritual life. In addition to being inspired by the reality of the spiritual process, they also begin to taste it.

Ācārya Śrīla Prabhupāda in His texts covers a huge layer of components of spiritual life, He describes everything in general and then helps us in details. But those who do not apply this knowledge in their lives do not see all these subtleties, the scripture seems to them monotonous. Without following the instructions of the spiritual master, they start looking for something “more interesting,” but such "jñāna" is of little use in devotional service. Some sit and study the "structure" of some higher races, but this approach is just like licking the outside of a jar of honey. If they do not follow the instructions of the bhāgavata-ācārya, they will not be able to touch the supreme reality. Such researchers are at the level of jñāna or theoretical study. They often say that jñāna is an obstacle in devotional service, but they themselves are engaged in this process. Or another variant, when the faithful read some supreme pastimes of God, believing that Śrīla Prabhupāda taught something preliminary. This is happens due to their frivolity and materialistic view of a spiritual subject. The guru gives the most important instructions, he is much smarter and more experienced than us, but when people do not want to follow the straight path because of materialism, they start to invent and deviate, only lose their time.

Śrīla Prabhupāda's comments are a solid monolith of spiritual knowledge and this monolith can only be understood through informal adherence. Caitanya Mahāprabhu's emotions are both expressed in these comments and hidden in them, and only a serious, diligent, and sincere disciple can achieve them.
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Сообщение Jayanti » 22 ноя 2020, 14:23

TEXT 18

The humble sage, by virtue of true knowledge, sees with equal vision a learned and gentle brāhmaṇa, a cow, an elephant, a dog and a dog-eater [outcaste].

PURPORT

Devotees of God see everyone as a soul, but their attention is more focused on people, since people have every opportunity to comprehend spiritual science. Therefore the devotees of Lord Caitanya go door-to-door preaching the spiritual message. One can preach on the street, one can preach on the Internet, or one can use painting, music, politics or other areas. The main purpose of such a preaching is for the disciple to gain experience; a madhyama preacher who does not act according to a formal scheme has the value. A person must learn to distinguish between people's motives and situations and learn to prompt them the next step in their spiritual development. When people are too hostile, you can not waste time on them, on the other hand, in the case of a philosophical dispute, it is quite possible to break down false concepts with examples and logic.

Understanding the inner world of a particular person, a devotee sometimes refutes his theories and sometimes supports him in some way by introducing a spiritual element into it; it all depends on the motives and desires of the interlocutor. Thus, a madhyama devotee learns to understand people and act in hundreds of situations. This is the kind of qualification that is required in the first place, and not talk about "rasas" or formal guruism. If someone has already sat on a dais and sits firmly there, then his disciples should go outside to preach; if they do not preach then all this "sitting" preaching is ineffective. But disciples need to be taught. If they are not qualified, they will not be able to preach properly. And if the guru himself does not have the relevant experience, how can he teach?

After the departure of Śrīla Prabhupāda, His followers mostly began to imitate Him. This was somewhat natural because, in fact, they were still children, and Śrīla Prabhupāda did not have enough time to mature them. They thought that it was enough to call themselves "guru", sit on the throne, start giving initiations, and everything will continue as it was under Śrīla Prabhupāda. But when the ācārya says, "Dance," and when the neophyte says, "Dance," these are two different things. When the ācārya speaks, He puts His strength, experience, and guidance into it. He can guide and support thousands of people. When a neophyte tries to imitate this, everything falls apart, which exactly happens in most cases. Sometimes Śrīla Prabhupāda is criticized that he gave a lot of Sannyas (monasticism) and then these sannyāsīis began to fall; but His goal was distribution books and He did everything that helped to go forward in this direction; He was also in a hurry because He understood the fate of the spiritual society after His departure. And second: later He told such sannyāsīis to give up Sannyas and get married, but somehow they did not listen.

As far as society is concerned, let's say that the future was not as bad as it could have been, although Śrīla Prabhupāda's sadness was immeasurable before departure. Śrīla Prabhupāda on the neophytes of that time schematically showed how everything should be. While He was present, He supported them with His strength and guidance and literally created this movement out of nothing. He gave an example that has yet to be implemented in the future. He established all these as institutions – the institution of Sannyas or Brahmacarya. He understood that people do not correspond to the level of Sannyas then or now, but the institution is established, and later there will come those who will follow seriously.

Many of Śrīla Prabhupāda's disciples were not distinguished by any ability or even culture, but Śrīla Prabhupāda showed everyone how people from the lower strata of society can develop spiritually. It is a common situation in religion that the start of the movement begins from the very bottom - "there are last which shall be first", since the entire establishment in the material world, as a rule, is too conditioned to accept any spiritual ideas.

TEXT 19

Those whose minds are established in sameness and equanimity have already conquered the conditions of birth and death. They are flawless like Brahman, and thus they are already situated in Brahman.

PURPORT

When a person is happy, he wants to preserve and maintain his happiness. Therefore, spiritual people automatically minimize their needs in order to increase spiritual happiness. The materialists consider themselves very cunning and skillful in acquiring material possessions and take pride in this, while the transcendentalists strive to get rid of everything superfluous. Some of the transcendentalists completely renounce the world by going to a monastery or to the forest, but as we have already discussed, it is much better to accept the principles of devotional service and thus always staying out of duality and maintaining a balanced mind even in the streets of cities. Brahman is only the beginning of spiritual life and behind its effulgence is the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

TEXT 20

A person who neither rejoices upon achieving something pleasant nor laments upon obtaining something unpleasant, who is self-intelligent, unbewildered, and who knows the science of God, is to be understood as already situated in Transcendence.

PURPORT

Or to paraphrase: those who are on the spiritual platform stop paying attention to material duality. When a person is constantly practicing spiritual life, he inevitably comes to a certain balance of mind. Because on the one hand, his spiritual stimulus is growing, on the other hand, material nature is always impermanent and brings sufferings. Hence, those who accept the spiritual process are on the path of eternal fortune.

Sometimes transcendentalists begin to identify themselves with God. This is certainly a false concept, but in some situations it can inspire them to further spiritual advancement. The head of all Māyāvādīs, Lord Śiva, allows them to do this, gradually directing them towards devotional service. Śiva is the greatest devotee who giving shelter to many categories of living entities, but devotees usually do not emphasize the worship of Lord Śiva.

TEXT 21

Such a liberated person is not attracted to material sense pleasure or external objects but is always in trance, enjoying the pleasure within. In this way the self-realized person enjoys unlimited happiness, for he concentrates on the Supreme.

PURPORT

All scriptures guide people towards happiness by leading them away from the misery of material life. Scripture and a spiritual master give us real wealth and real knowledge. Kṛṣṇa says here that the happiness of the mystic is infinite, but even higher is the happiness of realizing God in devotional service. The mystic is outwardly static for only one reason: he has not yet fully realized God.

As for the regulation of sexual life, when a person really has a priority on God, he can be forgiven for something, or sometimes repentance for sinfulness can also help a person in spiritual life. Everything always depends on the desires of the individual. Sometimes people are willing to do asceticism for the sake of power, but such asceticism is of little use that we see practically.
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Сообщение Jayanti » 22 ноя 2020, 14:35

TEXT 22

An intelligent person does not take part in the sources of misery, which are due to contact with the material senses. O son of Kuntī, such pleasures have a beginning and an end, and so the wise man does not delight in them.

PURPORT of A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda:

Material sense pleasures are due to the contact of the material senses, which are all temporary because the body itself is temporary. A liberated soul is not interested in anything which is temporary. Knowing well the joys of transcendental pleasures, how can a liberated soul agree to enjoy false pleasure? In the Padma Purāṇa it is said:

ramante yogino 'nante satyānanda-cid-ātmani
iti rāma-padenāsau paraṁ brahmābhidhīyate

"The mystics derive unlimited transcendental pleasures from the Absolute Truth, and therefore the Supreme Absolute Truth, the Personality of Godhead, is also known as Rāma."

In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam also it is said:

nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛ-loke
kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhajāṁ ye
tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena sattvaṁ
śuddhyed yasmād brahma-saukhyaṁ tv anantam.

"My dear sons, there is no reason to labor very hard for sense pleasure while in this human form of life; such pleasures are available to the stool-eaters [hogs]. Rather, you should undergo penances in this life by which your existence will be purified, and, as a result, you will be able to enjoy unlimited transcendental bliss." (Bhāg. 5.5.1)

Therefore, those who are true yogīs or learned transcendentalists are not attracted by sense pleasures, which are the causes of continuous material existence. The more one is addicted to material pleasures, the more he is entrapped by material miseries.

TEXT 23

Before giving up this present body, if one is able to tolerate the urges of the material senses and check the force of desire and anger, he is a yogī and is happy in this world.

PURPORT

Anger is a dangerous thing. Under the influence of anger, a person loses his mind and can do many stupid things which he will regret later. The more desires and the more ego a person has, the more anger he can have. Generally, it is better for devotees to avoid conflict situations because this is a waste of time. The Supersoul is behind everything in the world, and everyone who commits iniquity will be punished. A person can use his inclinations in more principled directions. For example, the most destructive thing in the world today is materialistic science and only spiritual knowledge can change this situation.

TEXT 24

One whose happiness is within, who is active within, who rejoices within and is illumined within, is actually the perfect mystic. He is liberated in the Supreme, and ultimately he attains the Supreme.

PURPORT of A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda:

Unless one is able to relish happiness from within, how can one retire from the external engagements meant for deriving superficial happiness? A liberated person enjoys happiness by factual experience. He can, therefore, sit silently at any place and enjoy the activities of life from within. Such a liberated person no longer desires external material happiness. This state is called brahma-bhūta, attaining which one is assured of going back to Godhead, back to home.

TEXT 25

One who is beyond duality and doubt, whose mind is engaged within, who is always busy working for the welfare of all sentient beings, and who is free from all sins, achieves liberation in the Supreme.

PURPORT

Those who see the truth understand that the solution to all problems is the development of God consciousness. Any person wants love, he wants to love and be loved - this is the nature of the soul. Until we find a true love object, we will suffer. Feeling disappointment after disappointment, the person will still continue to search for love because this impulse is eternal. And in the same way, everyone needs eternal life, so no reforms of the material world will make life happy in it.

The real benefit of all beings is to understand these things, and a real transcendentalist helps living beings in this. The scripture says that in order to advance in the spiritual life one has to accept a spiritual master; so why are there many people who have accepted a spiritual master, practice, but do not achieve results? Because, firstly, some of them do not have sufficient desire, and secondly, they may not have received sufficient guidance. A guru of the highest qualification can both bless and support without even communicating personally or just giving general teachings, he has the power to do so. Śrīla Prabhupāda could say, "Chant and be happy," and people chanted and felt happy: they ran to the morning program at four in the morning or distributed books in the streets all day long. Śrīla Prabhupāda just lectured and people began to understand, they began to follow. This is uttama. But those who are lower level gurus will not be able to do this and they should not imitate it.

When Śrīla Prabhupāda has departed, the society continued to move by inertia for some time; the disciples were under the impression that all they had to do was just "say the right thing" and everything would be done. But it is not so. Another point to note is that Śrīla Prabhupāda always explained everything carefully to his disciples. He explained, corrected them and not just gave general lectures; this is part of the initiation when the disciple is personally taught and guided.
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Сообщение Jayanti » 22 ноя 2020, 16:43

TEXT 26

Those who are free from anger and all material desires, who are self-realized, self-disciplined and constantly endeavoring for perfection, are assured of liberation in the Supreme in the very near future.

PURPORT

There are many religions and spiritual practices. When we help people in any of them, both people and we ourselves receive benefit. There is no particular need for a Christian to become a Hare Kṛṣṇa or a Muslim to become a Christian - each of the religions speaks of God. And we preach about God without advertising ourselves as the only possessors of the truth.

TEXTS 27-28

Shutting out all external sense objects, keeping the eyes and vision concentrated between the two eyebrows, suspending the inward and outward breaths within the nostrils—thus controlling the mind, senses and intelligence, the tranecendentalist becomes free from desire, fear and anger. One who is always in this state is certainly liberated.

PURPORT

At first, the yogī slows down the activity of the mind and senses, but then he focuses on the transcendental. This is all a scrupulous practice and most people are unable to do it nowadays.

Devotees, or the faithful, first realize God in greatness and then can rise higher to a more personal relationship with God. Similarly, the meditating yogī first realizes the greatness of God and later a specific relationship with God (rasa) may manifest. However, the scripture gives the examples of many relationships and the faithful may be attracted by some of them when reading, but let's say he was wrong and this is not his eternal relationship; what happens in this case? Since God is absolute, nothing bad will happen, but then the devotee will restore his real rasa.

Now we have been "hit" on the head with a dusty bag of materialism, so we are very worried about losing something. However, a person can rise into any relationship with God and then, later, he will rise even higher. Relationship are eternal, however, this does not mean that the soul is "chained" to it, or that he makes some mistake by choosing the "wrong" relationship. Generally, the topic of relationships (rasas) is not particularly relevant for us because we do not know yet even much simpler things; but since people still think about it, we write on this topic. There is a mighty warrior in front of us, which makes it possible sometimes to talk about such things for general enthusiasm.

Therefore, a devotee can think of any relationships because God is absolute. On the other hand, when we dedicate the senses without proper purification, it will be somewhat a sahajiyā, light attitude, materialistic ideas on spiritual basis. Is it bad? There is nothing particularly bad, but if a person is a materialist and continues to think about relationship with God without making efforts to purify himself and do not trying to rise, then there is nothing good in this either. To think of God in greatness or to think of God in a close relationship is equally favorable, but the awareness of greatness is much more pure in our case, and we benefit more from it.

Thus, the devotee realizing the greatness of God, gets the power (bala) to rise even higher. Therefore, when a devotee thinks of God in greatness, it is much more necessary and much more effective than trying to invent a personal relationship. The faithful need to purify himself, his rasa will not go anywhere, it will not "escape". Therefore, it makes no sense to invent anything, but one should not be afraid of this topic either. However, this is half the problem.

The second half of the problem is that direct relationships are not our goal. And then there is the question of understanding Lord Caitanya. The pastimes of Kṛṣṇa-līlā are certainly pastimes of happiness, but everything pales in comparison with the eternal love of Lord Caitanya. He came out of Kṛṣṇa-līlā, united again to accept this mood. The endless sky of His feelings. A gloomy ocean that poured with rain. Black ocean with a silver moonlight. The ocean reminds Him of Kṛṣṇa, and the rolling giant waves are feelings for Him. Lord Caitanya throws Himself into this ocean because he wants to be with Him always.

Therefore, we should not rush, we should not try to go where we were not directed; the spiritual master is much smarter than us, and He knows what He is doing. Direct relationships are not required in a certain sense. But if someone really manifested his Kṛṣṇa-līlā rasa, then that is great, and the guru will think how to raise him even higher. A direct spontaneous relationship is easier to understand than the mood of separation, which is why people are attracted to this topic; but Śrīla Prabhupāda came to teach mainly about separation from God, so the topic of direct relationships was always not in the foreground.

Whether the person is in the organization or outside the organization, one must continue to practice. One does not have to change anything, neither the place, nor the mentor, one does not have to look for miracles, but one needs practice and preach. Temple worship and physical chanting alone are often not enough; a preaching is needed if someone is truly interested in relationships. Those who preach will definitely rise, and those who have risen will definitely preach, therefore preaching is always the essence of spiritual life.

TEXT 29

The sages, knowing Me as the ultimate purpose of all sacrifices and austerities, the Supreme Lord of all planets and demigods and the benefactor and well-wisher of all living entities, attain peace from the pangs of material miseries.

PURPORT

First, a person realizes the greatness of God, and then he can rise higher into a closer relationship with God. Although relationships are divided into five rasas, they actually have an endless spectrum. Kṛṣṇa expands Himself into infinite incarnations for His devotees. All these incarnations can have individual specifics, although they are one person. For example, Yaśodā's Kṛṣṇa is not "the same" as another girl-mother's Kṛṣṇa - He has a different character, and all their relationships and actions are individual. Kṛṣṇa's relationship with another mother will usually not repeat the pastimes of Kṛṣṇa-līlā. Every mother considers Him to be her one and only son, and in fact He is. Kṛṣṇa shows character and qualities that are more pleasing to His parents, but He is an individual, so it is not quite true that God completely adapts to souls in any of the rasas. Knowing everyone's heart, He behaves in such a way that He gets to the very core of the desires and love of His close devotees. Vātsalya is superior to previous rasas, and He likes to depend on parents; the behavior of children in the material world is only a pale imitation.

In any of the rasas of spontaneous relationships, mature devotees do not remind Kṛṣṇa that he is God. Even if they know His position, their love is stronger than such knowledge. It was the same in Gaura-līlā: Lord Caitanya did not need to be reminded that He is God. When He was here, it was necessary to hide it because it interfered with His mission. He was playing the role of a devotee, not the role of Lord of the world, and such knowledge would negate His actions. Everyone would worship Him as God and this would not give Him the opportunity to fulfill His plan. Therefore Lord Caitanya directed everyone to Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In fact, few people understood Him. Few people understood that He is God, but even fewer people understood His mood of separation.

Lord Caitanya's pastimes can be divided into two periods: the period of His preaching and the period of His seclusion. Lord Caitanya came for the final period of His pastimes because there He expressed His emotions in full force, unfolded the supreme rasa completely. Due to the specifics of such emotions, He was actually alone, do not counting the four assistants. They just helped Him deepen those feelings. In the last period of His life, Lord Caitanya revealed the mahā-bhāva or most exalted emotions of spiritual love. Normally, the soul cannot directly touch such feelings, but because of the boundless love of Lord Caitanya, exalted devotees can also emphasize with these feelings directly with Him.

Thus, the realization of God begins with the realization of His greatness, followed by the rasas of spontaneous relationships, and the top of the gradation of all types of love is the vipralambha of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, which he revealed during the last period of His stay on Earth.
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Сообщение Jayanti » 25 ноя 2020, 20:38

Chapter 6. Sāṅkhya-yoga

TEXT 1

The Blessed Lord said: One who is unattached to the fruits of his work and who works as he is obligated is in the renounced order of life, and he is the true mystic: not he who lights no fire and performs no work.

PURPORT

Thus, all previous teachings are summarized at the beginning of the chapter. The true faithful or yogī does not renounce activity, but always acts. Attempts to renounce the world mechanically are a sign of misunderstanding or weakness of a devotee. Material suffering pushes a person to distance himself from the world, but such things can be avoided only by starting to act in spiritual consciousness or by dedicating one's activities to God.

Although the sāṅkhya (or dhyāna) method in some way implies an exit from the world, but it is an activity in itself too. Dhyāna-yoga, or haṭha-yoga, is an eight-step path. Its stages are: (1) yama, (2) niyama, (3) āsana, (4) prāṇāyāma, (5) pratyāhāra, (6) dharaṇā, (7) dhyāna, and (8) samādhi. Yama means accepting positive principles of life such as focusing on the spiritual. Niyama means the fulfillment of prohibitions, the rejection of undesirable things. Asana means taking a stable, comfortable pose. There are many such poses and successively changing them, the yogī equalizes the air flows in the body. All diseases in the body are the result of a disruption in the functioning of air flows in it; while taking various poses, the yogī equalizes these flows and thus strengthens the mind and body. His body becomes strong, do not susceptible to diseases. A yogī can practice asanas at his own discretion, guided by the inner sensations or instructions of the Supersoul.

Next comes prāṇāyāma or breath control. Breathing according to a certain formula, the yogī gradually increases the holding of breath during inhalation and exhalation thus increasing the pauses in breathing, and ideally he should completely stop breathing. He gains even more power in this process. Sometimes yogīs demonstrate such breath-holding tricks or show their superpower, but these are all side effects of yoga and not the goal of yoga.

After that, the yogī takes the senses away from the objects - pratyāhāra - starting to focus on the transcendental. Dharaṇā is an intensification of meditation or the transition from distraction of the senses (pratyāhāra) to greater concentration. Dhyāna is already a meditation on God or on the impersonal aspect. Modern yogīs can interpret dhyāna in different ways, describing it like focusing on the cakras or something else, but this is a preliminary understanding or deviation because the goal is always God. Dhyāna means seeing the truth, and when dhyāna attains full disclosure, it passes into samādhi of seeing God or absorption in Brahman.

In fact, a yogī climbs the tree of this world passing through paradise, through the coverings of the universe, and reaching one of the expansions of God. Along the way, he develops eight mystical powers, such as the ability to become bigger than the biggest or smaller than the smallest, the ability to be hidden from vision, to control other people, to know the past or future. These are all side effects and ideally it is better not to use them, since their use is distract and accordingly desecrate. Therefore, ordinary people can never attain or see such yogīs. Such yogīs do not their practice at risk for the sake of public attention or worldly fruits. Earthly possessions have no value to them, but they can be agitated by the temptations of paradise life and the demigods. The demigods see the yogīs gaining strength and can offer them some benefits from various motives. The task of the yogī is not to fall under the influence of such kind.

With the help of prāṇāyāma, yogīs can extend their life in order to complete the entire process in one lifetime. Such yogīs can live for thousands of years, and perhaps there are still some left from the past era, but it is unlikely to find them or approach them. They can sit in the clefts of hard-to-reach mountains, since they no longer need food, sleep, or even breathing. They protect their bodies with their mystic power, but with their consciousness they are in the transcendental. As we have said, a devotee achieves the goal of yoga by superficially simpler means, but real devotional service is much more difficult because it requires much more intelligence than mechanical control of the senses.

Mystical yoga sometimes inspires people, yet in most cases no one practices it seriously. These are yoga methods from past ages, when there was a high life expectancy and people's abilities were higher, but we are very fortunate because devotional service is much more spiritual and more powerful. By chant or sing the holy name, a devotee can achieve the full effect of sāṅkhya or dhyāna yoga.

TEXT 2

What is called renunciation is the same as yoga, or linking oneself with the Supreme, for no one can become a yogī unless he renounces the desire for sense gratification.

PURPORT

The Bhagavad-gītā elevate us step by step the yoga ladder. If a person performed karma-yoga and purified himself of the consequences of the past, if he further developed knowledge, then he becomes capable of meditation - dhyāna. It is not necessary to practice mystic yoga for that - just act in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, a person can always be in a state of dhyāna or samādhi; God is absolute, therefore perfection does not require stop activities or renounce the world. The whole world is His property and His creation; first one must obtain knowledge, and then a person can gradually come to the level of samādhi or the realization of God. The main components of the process of developing devotion are described by the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam (commentary on Vedānta). The most illustrative examples of great ascetics on the path of mystical yoga are also given there. The very mystical yoga is described in the Yoga-sūtras of Patañjali Muni - this is a small work where all stages of yoga are explained. Most of the explanations relate to spiritual understanding rather than any techniques, such techniques are selected by the meditating yogī himself. Western people tend to practice various types of asanas without understanding their principle and purpose.

Properly performed devotional service has the same quality as mystic yoga. Devotees can also develop mystical powers, just as in the case of classical yogīs, and it is better to try not to use them. But even without any mystical powers, a pure devotee is much more powerful than a mystical yogī, because the Personality of Godhead is behind him. Mystical powers are generally not required for a devotee because our goal is preaching, and in preaching they are virtually useless. However, sometimes devotees manifest them, for example, Haridasa Thakura when they could not kill him, although they tried for a long time.

TEXT 3

For one who is a neophyte in the eightfold yoga system, work is said to be the means; and for one who has already attained to yoga, cessation of all material activities is said to be the means.

PURPORT

So, elevation the ladder of mystical yoga is an activity, but the final point - samādhi - is the cessation of activity (in this method of yoga).

As souls, we are eternally engaged in a relationship with God in the spirit world, but since God is absolute, the same activities of the spiritual world can be performed here as well. This point is difficult to understand. Generally, people cannot understand that material activities directed towards God are spiritualized or that devotional service in the highest development is completely spiritual.

Also, sometimes people criticize icons or Deities as material things that cannot reflect the spiritual, but what is the difficulty for God to manifest Himself through such forms? An icon or Deity are created to make it easier for a person to focus on God. God is everywhere. One may, of course, do without any image, but an image dedicated to God is also functional. Maybe a person doesn't like a particular image, then he can take another one (corresponding to the scripture) or not use the images at all.

The principle behind the creation of these images is that the devotee should simply sincerely devote himself, sincerely try to create the image according to how the scripture describes it. The "power" of such an image or icon does not depend on its age, but it is important that it be "canonical" - corresponds with the description of God - and be made by the faithful - a sincere person. God can reveal Himself through such an image and the devotee will see or feel Him. The altar has the same purpose. Of course, any image made in matter is imperfect and far from ideal, but when God answers us, He spiritualizes this image and the vision of God occurs in an incomprehensible way. The same applies to the Deities; the Deities give the ability to offer one or another parphernalia to God and direct one's mind and intellect to God. However, one should not overestimate images, icons or Deities, such worship is not the center of spiritual life, the study of scripture and preaching is much more important. Neophytes often make a big cult out of temple worship, but the holy name and preaching are more important. The vision of God or meditation on God are also possible without icons and Deities; when a person develops spiritually, he can be enlightened in this matter over time.

Some denominations prohibit any images of God. One can not argue too much on this topic - the perception of God is available without any images too. Central to religions are scripture, the holy name, and preaching. Perhaps someone misused the icons, which is why they are prohibited in some denominations. Everything that concerns icons, Deities, and temples is secondary in any case; knowledge always comes first. Of course, sometimes believers are inspired by various kinds of shrines, but when knowledge is not enough, it all begins to slide into a kind of cult. Therefore, our first instruction to those who enter the path of spiritual life: it is necessary to study the scripture regularly. This is even higher in some ways than chanting the holy name, because if a person knows little, it will be difficult for him to chant, he will not be stable.

Of course, the holy name is self-sufficient and person can rise only through chanting, but without knowledge there is always the risk of making mistakes. Therefore, scripture is important and in some cases personal guidance is important. For dhyānī, it is necessary to fixate on God while simultaneously learning how to maintain consciousness staying in the material world, but our goal is to preach, therefore we need to learn to preach. People can have many revelations in religion; this is great, but nevertheless we must go further.

Sometimes people are stable in meditation on God, and sometimes they fall, fall for a while. Such a break in meditation, however, increases feelings and attachment to God or teaches the devotee to be careful. On the other hand, such a spiritual position, when a devotee reaches God, is not very common. The main process is that a devotee should develop aspiration for God, but following the ācārya Śrīla Prabhupāda, he may not reach God directly due to the special specificity of this following (the influence of yoga-māyā), so the higher mood of separation gradually manifests itself. However, in some cases, the devotee also gains positive realization. However, direct relationships are not the main aspect in Śrīla Prabhupāda's mission.

As for the study the works of Goswami, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, and others, as a rule, such study (usually it is just theorizing) is not approved and therefore is unlikely to have any effect. If someone reaches Kṛṣṇa-līlā, he should preach according to the basic principles of Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings, basically hiding his rasa.

TEXT 4

A person is said to have attained to yoga when, having renounced all material desires, he neither acts for sense gratification nor engages in fruitive activities.

PURPORT of A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda:

When a person is fully engaged in the transcendental loving service of the Lord, he is pleased in himself, and thus he is no longer engaged in sense gratification or in fruitive activities. Otherwise, one must be engaged in sense gratification, since one cannot live without engagement. Without Kṛṣṇa consciousness, one must be always seeking self-centered or extended selfish activities. But a Kṛṣṇa conscious person can do everything for the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa and thereby be perfectly detached from sense gratification. One who has no such realization must mechanically try to escape material desires before being elevated to the top rung of the yoga ladder.
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Сообщение Jayanti » 29 ноя 2020, 11:19

TEXT 5

A man must elevate himself by his own mind, not degrade himself. The mind is the friend of the conditioned soul, and his enemy as well.

PURPORT

The mind itself is neutral and created under the influence of goodness. Mind is pure, it simply reflects the information coming from the senses; but the activity of the senses can influence it, so often a person forms beliefs under the influence of senses and not on the basis of knowledge. A person who is not agitated by the senses too much can look at things more objectively than one who is absorbed in sensual activities. When a person's goal is sensual life, therefore he will oppose scripture and God. Therefore, a person must rise higher and learn to subdue the senses and mind by developing knowledge. So the senses and the mind from enemies will become friends.

The mind, intelligence, and senses sometimes are called the "subtle body." The mind is colored with such quality where we direct our attention. When the senses and the mind are directed towards God, they are spiritualized. When a person moves along this path and rises, sometimes he can perceive the past or the future. The fact is everything that has already happened in the world in the past or will happen in the future has already happened in the highest sense, and a person can perceive it rising above the energy of time.

Whatever we think about, we immediately connect with the object of thought - this is some reflection of the all-pervading ability of God expressed in the mind. When a person develops his subtle body, then with the help of its abilities he can perceive the characteristics of any distant object or read the thoughts of other people, etc. Devotees do not engage in this practice because it would distract them from God. In general, all the vicissitudes of the material world are already known, and the main one is birth and death. Those who are materialistic are interested in details, fate, but preachers, acting in the interests of God, are gradually getting out of the influence of fate and the usual course of affairs in the world. God or the Supersoul can change everything in any direction, therefore such laws do not apply to devotees.

TEXT 6

For him who has conquered the mind, the mind is the best of friends; but for one who has failed to do so, his very mind will be the greatest enemy.

PURPORT

A mind that is out of control can ruin many years of mystic yoga practice. Śrīla Prabhupāda writes that the fall of a yogī is like a thunderbolt hitting a mountain. After such a fall, a yogī will certainly gain many material benefits which is the result of the fall. Since the process of mystical yoga is predominantly mechanical and based on the body then, in addition to the spiritual component, yogī basically loses all the experience gained when he falls.

In addition to being dangerous for yogīs, the mind can be an enemy for ordinary people too. An uncontrolled mind can lead a person into an unfavorable situation, therefore the state must have spiritual knowledge and culture. As far as the practice of devotees is concerned, one should gradually introduce spiritual principles into one's life mainly focusing on positive principles: studying the scripture, chanting the holy name, and preaching. Neophyte devotees are usually somewhat fanatical and sometimes try to quickly convert their own relatives "to their faith." Feeling uplifted, they are under the impression that now everyone will be inspired in the same way as they are, but it is better not to rush with such things and just practice oneself, then an experience will appear that will tell one what is worth doing and what is not.

So the devotee begins to practice while the mind and senses follow their usual path. A devotee tries to control himself, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. If this does not work, one just need to continue spiritual practice. The positive component is important in spiritual life, and even if there is only one percent of it, one should focus on this percent. Gradually, a person gets stronger and one percent becomes two, then five, and so on.

The situation is such that practice (mainly in the form of study the scripture and chant the holy name) and the corresponding preaching are in the first place. As for personal imperfection, it shouldn't be too suppressing. On the other hand, a sincere and knowledgeable devotee will not give up spiritual life, no matter how difficult it may be. Therefore Śrīla Prabhupāda calmly introduced the principles, although it was clear that many would not be able to follow them. Experiencing personal imperfections can uplift a person. Therefore, in the first case, when a person observes the principles, he elevates in a brahminical way; in the second case, when he cannot observe some of them but worries about it, prays, he also develops. If a person violates the principles and he is not bothered by this in any way, it will have no spiritual effect.

In the highest sense, a person never attains perfection, on the contrary: the further a person advances in the spiritual life, the more he can understand his own imperfection. This is the reason for eternal bhajana and this is the correct position.

TEXT 7

For one who has conquered the mind, the Supersoul is already reached, for he has attained tranquility. To such a man happiness and distress, heat and cold, honor and dishonor are all the same.

PURPORT

When the mystic controls the mind, he attains seeing or hearing the Supersoul. Such meditation is described in more details in the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam. Also, due to the mystical power, the yogī comes out of the duality of the material world; climatic conditions and so on cease to influence him, since even his body acquires a spiritual quality. Sometimes such mystics begin to identify themselves with Paramātmā, in this case it is said that they fall. Identification oneself with God can be a step up, when later the soul recognizes supreme greatness and superiority of God; and a step down, if the soul really considers himself to be completely identical with Him. Until a person has established a relationship with God, his development is always not complete, not finished. Devotees also become connected with the Supersoul according to the degree of their following.

TEXT 8

A person is said to be established in self-realization and is called a yogī [or mystic] when he is fully satisfied by virtue of acquired knowledge and realization. Such a person is situated in transcendence and is self-controlled. He sees everything—whether it be pebbles, stones or gold—as the same.

PURPORT

There is nothing of value in the material world, and the only meaningful things for the devotee or the faithful are God and preaching. Associating with devotees means associating with people with similar interests. Those devotees who are equal and superior are usually envied, and such envy can be overcome mainly through discussion of the scriptures. All artificial humility and attempts to have "good relationships" are necessary as part of the culture, but generally not effective. Without open spiritual communication between all parts of the community, including leaders, materialism and administration will persist in a spiritual society. Sometimes I write about Christianity and this is useful information, because many Vaiṣṇava societies repeat some of their mistakes.

The problem of almost any church is the domination of the administrative structure over the spiritual. The balance in this issue will appear when the leaders of the church (or in our case - ISKCON) will unable to manage the flow of money within the spiritual society. This happens under the condition of a decentralized financial policy of a spiritual organization, when each temple or preaching center is not economically connected with the collegial governing body of the church. Each temple is on its own balance sheet and has its own financial policy without making any deductions to higher administration. Thus, the leadership of the church (or GBC in ISKCON) does not receive revenue from the temple network and does not have any economic leverage, but has the privilege of traveling from temple to temple with preaching (without receiving payment for it).

The top leadership mostly manages not by administrative decrees but by preaching. So, top leaders can influence only at the expense of personal spiritual qualities and knowledge without having financial instruments in their hands and using administrative instruments only when absolutely necessary. Thus, at the head of the society there will always be spiritual leaders who are self-realized or, as stated in this verse, who do not see the difference between pebbles and gold. All this is described in the instructions of Śrīla Prabhupāda; such a system is viable, or otherwise everything will gradually fade away both spiritually and materially.

If the organization has an external source of money, particularly when the church is on the balance sheet of the state, then the central body of the church will distribute the money down to the parishes. This will create a completely administrative system and lead to the spiritual stagnation of the church. Perhaps, this option may be useful in some rare cases, for example, in the case of the restoration of the Russian Orthodox Church after the Soviet period, but such system are not viable on a permanent basis, since it exclude the natural development and growth of both the leadership and the parishioners. In fact, there are many such examples when the "center" finances the periphery "for the purpose of preaching" and when there are even huge modern temples and developed social structure and relationships (for example, among Protestants), but this does not lead to significant spiritual advancement.

Losing spiritual qualifications, society turns to ceremonies, festivals, and “caring” for devotees, thinking that such an approach will increase the number of people in the denomination, but no church can compete in efficiency with the material world in the field of entertainment for people. The materialistic leader judges by himself and thinks that the combination of recognition, material comfort, money, and connections with spiritual life is the most reasonable and effective position, but in spiritual life this do not give much benefit at all levels, neither for him personally nor for the whole spiritual society. In fact, this is a stage that has already passed, when the state has become secular, having thrown off the nominal priesthood; it is impossible to return the situation back acting on a materialistic basis. Also the temple "preaching" has almost already faded away around the world and continues to fall apart before our eyes.

Thus, the effective formula of the spiritual community is as follows: these are centers that financially independent from the leadership and linked by a common spirit concept. Factually, life always suggests this option by separating temples or certain leaders from the Church; but administrators fear to lose their power and income anathematize the "apostates" declare them displeasing to God or unauthorized - this is how the Church or spiritual society maintains its stagnation that lead them to decay. On the other hand, when there are many centers, they can preach many different variants of philosophical deviations, but without spiritual qualifications, heresy will exist even if "unity" is preserved, just in the case of "unity" it will already be formed within society, and sometimes some kind of specific heresy (apa-sidhanta) may cover the entire spiritual society completely.

The most widespread heresy in the Western world nowadays is humanism and “service” to people (the faithful, devotees). Islam in this sense is much more reasonable and its preaching, as we see, is more effective. After the fall of Christianity to humanism, many rules were simplified in Islam (as in the subsequent version of Christianity), images were forbidden and all variants of deification of prophets or priests were forbidden, which made it possible to focus on God. Further, the scripture was simplified, from which all points that could be reinterpreted were removed, and namaz was introduced as a principle that interrupts material activity at least five times a day. Strict gender separation rules and laws have also been introduced because materialism has been gaining strength. Use such unpopular methods, Islam turns out to be really effective in preaching and poses a number one threat to materialism, in contrast to the blurring Christian Church. However, Islam is gradually losing its position under the influence of the philosophy “why not live easier and better.”

On the other hand, there are already many temples, centers, churches in the world, so one can simply preach to their followers. The preaching of spiritual knowledge has no obstacles and the preacher can carry knowledge without having to deal with "rearrangement of church utensils."
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Jayanti
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Сообщение Jayanti » 06 дек 2020, 18:42

TEXT 9

A person is said to be still further advanced when he regards all - the honest well-wisher, friends and enemies, the envious, the pious, the sinner and those who are indifferent and impartial - with an equal mind.

PURPORT

Kṛṣṇa lists many different categories of people. Such a listing only emphasizes the fact that such a variety is meaningless. In the material world, most people are looking for benefits and "good relationships" in their approach imply some kind of material or sensual exchange, since the basis of most activities is the desire for fruits - for material property, a sense of personal happiness, and so on. In fact, the materialist is incapable of any selfless relationship. However, due to the suffering caused by material nature, and also the soul's eternal desire for justice, love, and knowledge of truth, people also have good qualities.

Everyone's position is temporary and accidental without a spiritual foundation, so an experienced person does not pay attention to the manifestations of such friendship or hostility. Until the personality is purified, he cannot truly appreciate the spiritual position, so the glorifications of inexperienced people are nominal or personify the ideal they desire usually far from spiritual reality. Sometimes such glorification and outward humility can help in the spiritual life, but without spiritual development, a person will inevitably manifest a dormant envy and desire for domination. All these can be overcome by preaching and communicating on spiritual topics.

There are very few people in the world who are inclined to the development of knowledge and to some kind of objectivity. Materialists are always driven by their personal preferences. Even being in religion, but not getting rid of the desire for fruits of work, they will have to live under such a pressure of their own senses. A jñānī, an academic, is a rare person in the modern world; jñānīs are capable of good relationships unlike materialists with their popular "love". However, the jñānīs are interested in the essence, not the relationships, and generally they are more inclined to the impersonal ideas, including due to materialism in the churches.

The central idea in the material world is the idea of ​​personal domination. The dominance of administrators (including priests and gurus) in spiritual organizations is also mostly materialistic in nature. A conditioned soul, unlike a liberated one, automatically considers himself to have all the qualities for dominance and control. This is a unique phenomenon of conditioning. However, “masters” from religions will always lose to “masters” from the material world, because the latter are more experienced and do not cover themselves with ideas of spirituality.

Nevertheless, there is also a spiritual domination which is natural, since it is a reflection of the position of God. A devotee should distinguish between the motives of people: when a person follows the external form and seeks honor, power or money; when a person is engaged in a spiritual process without seeking to achieve external fruits; or when a person has both motives, then the devotee should understand the ratio of these two motives in a person. Similarly, the leaders must be reasonable and do not confuse worldly or disciple recognition with spiritual life.

TEXT 10

A transcendentalist should always try to concentrate his mind on the Supreme Self; he should live alone in a secluded place and should always carefully control his mind. He should be free from desires and feelings of possessiveness.

PURPORT

Until a person has achieved spontaneous love for God, he needs to direct his mind to Him by making efforts. On the other hand, a person naturally occupies his mind with thoughts of God and continuously improves by studying the scriptures and constantly preaching. The inner uplift that accompanies scripture study and preaching is somewhat similar spontaneous feelings, and the first quality of devotional service is enthusiasm. The second quality is to be confident in one's actions. This is possible when a person understands what he do and why, in which case he is calm and confident. Such a conviction is born on the basis of knowledge and personal experience confirmed by knowledge.

Next is patience, following the regulative principles, and the next quality is avoiding association with nondevotees. This can be done when a person has knowledge and when he preaches. Knowledge will make it possible to distinguish between spiritual and material components, and preaching will protect against all types of materialists, both outside and within the denomination. Of course, God says that anyone who chants the holy name is a devotee, but among the chanting there are many people with different material or semi-material beliefs. When such people come across, we need to preach to them or avoid idle communication with them and their ideas.

The holy name is chanted by impersonalists, sahajiyās, and people of dozens of denominations with different beliefs; they are all devoted to God in varying degrees, but this does not mean that one should share their beliefs or necessarily have some kind of relationship with them on a sentimental basis. This point in some way does not apply to preachers, since they are preach everywhere and therefore they are not contaminate anywhere. Sometimes spiritual society formalizes philosophy for the sake of "unity" between devotees; this is a bad moment which will lead to spiritual decline sooner or later. Also, within any religious society there may be various groups of devotees or even entire movements that adhere to this or that understanding of the scripture, so knowledge is necessary to avoid false theories.

The last, sixth, point is to follow in the footsteps of previous authorities. In some ways, this is even more important point than the previous ones, but the very process of devotion itself rests on enthusiasm, knowledge, and preaching. To follow in the footsteps of authorities means to get a correct understanding, otherwise no following will work or will only be an external slogan.

By acting in this way, the devotee is not contaminate anywhere, while mystic yogīs require solitude for this.

TEXTS 11-12

To practice yoga, one should go to a secluded place and should lay kuśa-grass on the ground and then cover it with a deerskin and a soft cloth. The seat should neither be too high nor too low and should be situated in a sacred place. The yogī should then sit on it very firmly and should practice yoga by controlling the mind and the senses, purifying the heart and fixing the mind on one point.

PURPORT of A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda:

"Sacred place" refers to places of pilgrimage. In India the yogīs, the transcendentalists or the devotees all leave home and reside in sacred places such as Prayāg, Mathurā, Vṛndāvana, Hṛṣīkeśa, and Hardwar and in solitude practice yoga where the sacred rivers like the Yamunā and the Ganges flow. But often this is not possible, especially for Westerners. The so-called yoga societies in big cities may be successful in earning material benefit, but they are not at all suitable for the actual practice of yoga. One who is not self-controlled and whose mind is not undisturbed cannot practice meditation. Therefore, in the Bṛhan-Nāradīya Purāṇa it is said that in the Kali-yuga (the present yuga or age) when people in general are short-lived, slow in spiritual realization and always disturbed by various anxieties, the best means of spiritual realization is chanting the holy name of the Lord.

harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam
kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā.

"In this age of quarrel and hypocrisy the only means of deliverance is chanting the holy name of the Lord. There is no other way. There is no other way. There is no other way."

TEXTS 13-14

One should hold one's body, neck and head erect in a straight line and stare steadily at the tip of the nose. Thus with an unagitated, subdued mind, devoid of fear, completely free from sex life, one should meditate upon Me within the heart and make Me the ultimate goal of life.

PURPORT

The practices of yoga and jñāna cannot be combined with sex life, so there cannot be family people among their adherents. Sexual life is the root of attachment in the material world. The sexuality of men and women is different: men are mainly aimed at physical sex, while girls are mainly looking for more subtle feelings. Girls are more sophisticated in their approach, therefore, most often they win over men - feelings are higher than the body, hence women have more influence. Any girl instinctively has a desire to please others, this is an element of fornication that they are not able to control.

Therefore, as a rule, religious tradition restricts women just mechanically, separating men and women and instructing girls to hide their bodies as much as possible. The more a society is divided along gender lines, the more peaceful it will be. Girls are mostly offended by such methods considering themselves quite pure, however, if such control over them does not exist, society will be filled with materialism and crime. Of course, such control by men may contain abuses too, but gender equality is completely destructive. All this is a big topic. On the other hand, without the development of God consciousness, such methods are temporary and will be gradually abandoned which we see practically.

In the western world, the situation of "equality of the sexes" only increases and mainly the preaching can save a devotee. Such salvation means not only being able to avoid illicit relations, but also means not being under control of a wife. As a rule, wives are stronger than their husbands. Generally, material nature is the women's element, and when the husband is under the influence of his wife, it is certainly unfavorable for both. A girl is happy only when a man is internally stronger than her and when he loves her - such a combination of strength and love makes her satisfied. In fact, there is nothing more material that would make her happy. When a girl is unhappy, she either fades or becomes more determined, actively switches to her welfare, and so on. There is basically only one method to be stronger than a woman - the preaching. In all other cases, the man will be either under the control of his wife or under the influence of other women.

Girls commit adultery by trying to look attractive, men commit adultery by wanting many women. Add to this that the desires for gain and fame are also sexual desires, and you will understand that the whole world is committing adultery in different variations. Consequently, a person is unlikely to get out of such influences without preaching, they are too global and too strong. He can develop spiritually in this situation, but his position will always be weak. Therefore, the ideal is considered to be a sannyāsī or a person who has no sexual relations. Nevertheless, sanyāsa can also turn out to be only a substitution of physical sex for subtle sex, for recognition; such a substitution may have the same consequences as a violation of the principle of abstinence. And it happens that the consequences are much worse, which is why materialistic sannyāsīs are advised to take off Sannyas and get married. In the age of Kali, chaos reigns everywhere, so the only solution is harer nāma - the preaching from the books of Śrīla Prabhupāda; everything else will not have enough power.

When a man is a preacher and devotes the main part of his consciousness and activities to this, he will not fall under the influence of women, even if he has contacts with women or has several wives. This situation is actually the only case when a man becomes stronger than women. If a person reveals the qualities of Brahman and higher, his feelings become unlimited in a sense, accordingly, he becomes more attractive. In some ways, this is a counter-move of illusion to re-tie him with the women's arsenal. But by preaching to each of them and always having a higher goal before himself, he can turn all this into his natural spiritual plus.

In the same way, any girl, when she becomes the object of the desires of men, can preach to them without physical contact. Of course, a girl needs to be careful with this moment; later we will look at the situation of women in the material world.

God is the source of this world, therefore, when we are connected with God, all vital components are saturated in all respects. At the same time, possible material love does not pollute the devotee, because even extremely strong material feelings are much weaker than spiritual life; the devotee is always in a good spiritual shape by preaching to each and every one. A person should become proficient in preaching, so he will be spiritual and happy. In fact, Śrīla Prabhupada's entire movement was in such a state when he was present here.
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