Friday, January 24, 2014

RESPONSE TO: NECTAR OF LEARNING COMMENT

His Holiness Shri Dattaswami
2 hrs ago
Platinum: 42.5K
Knowledge is the basic foundation, above which the walls of devotion have to raise.
The reaction of God is hundred times more intensive but it will be in the same direction of action. If you come forward by one step, He will come forward by hundred steps. The necessity is on the side of the souls and therefore the first step should be from the side of the souls only. If your devotion is conditioned by the limits, His grace is also conditioned by the limits of the justice of the wheel of deeds (Karma Chakra). If your devotion is theoretical, His grace is also theoretical. If your devotion is practical, His grace is also practical. Knowledge is the basic foundation, above which the walls of devotion have to raise. The final roof is service to God. Service is sacrifice of work and fruit of work. Only service which is the form of work can have the practical fruit.

The fruit of work is another form of work and is considered as work itself. You worked for one hour and earned hundred rupees. When you sacrifice these hundred rupees to the work of God, it means you have worked for God for one hour. Knowledge is like your qualifying degree. Devotion (theoretical) is like the interview attended by you and the subsequent appointment order. If you sit in your house with the degree and with the appointment order, salary is not paid. Advaitins claim salary for getting the degree itself. Even that degree is not a proper one. Devotees are like the proper degree holders with the proper appointment order and they cannot also claim the salary by sitting in the house. You have to join the job and do work for the entire month. You will get salary at the end of the month for the work you have done during the month.

Devotees recognize the separate Lord and love Him really but are not concentrating on the service to be done to the present incarnation of their generation. They simply dance and sing about the past human incarnations or energetic forms. For their theoretical devotion, God increases their devotion only without any practical fruit. Of course, they are better than people who simply discuss about God always without expression of love in theory and practice. Therefore, service only can get the fruit.

www.universal-spirituality.org
Universal Spirituality for World Peace
Meena Devi Dasi
2 hrs ago
Silver: 2258
Srimad Bhagavatam 7.5.23-24
"Prahlada Maharaja said: Hearing and chanting about the transcendental holy name, form, qualities, paraphernalia and pastimes of Lord Vishnu, remembering them, serving the lotus feet of the Lord, offering the Lord respectful worship with sixteen types of paraphernalia, offering prayers to the Lord, becoming His servant, considering the Lord one's best friend, and surrendering everything unto Him (in other words, serving Him with the body, mind and words) -- these nine processes are accepted as pure devotional service. One who has dedicated his life to the service of Krishna through these nine methods should be understood to be the most learned person, for he has acquired complete knowledge."
http://prabhupadabooks.com/sb/7/5/23-24?d=1

It should be noted here, that chanting and hearing about the Lord are recognized by all the saintly acaryas as pure devotional service. The fruit of such devotional service is love of God free from the desire for any other result.  

EVERY MINUTE



Every minute I have with You
I'm so fortunate.

Between the pushing and the pulling
there is a space.
I only want to live there with You.
More and more I only want
to be with You.

Like a passing parade
the noise and commotion
passes us by
and I am with You.


The parades are coming and going
with bands and marching,
shouts and causes...
I only want to be with You...

We can watch the parades together
No marching, shouting or causes for us.
I love You that is enough.

They will come and go
encircling, enlisting,
but not for us.
We are done.

Leave me if You want
but I will not march.
I will only cry for You.

No more parades.
No more marching bands.
Only the sweet singing in my heart.
Love song for two.

Radha Krishna, my teachers...

NECTAR OF LEARNING


Over and Over again
How many times
the same lesson
Over and over again.
Ad nauseam

Until finally
I get it.
When this…. then that
Oh! I've been here before.
I don’t have to go here again.
Lesson learned!
Next lesson.

Musical scales, weight lifting, sketching, technical trading…
All discipline.
Practice makes perfect.

Spiritual life is like that.
This... not that,
internal... not external…
practice, practice, practice.
‘Failure is the pillar of success.’
I get it...

Thank you, Lord
I am not afraid
to fail… again and again
I know
Eventually…
I get it...
Oh Lord, bring it on
the lessons...

You are my teacher....
Let me taste
The nectar of learning... 

Sunday, January 19, 2014

In response to: THAT'S TOO MUCH


In response to:
THAT'S TOO MUCH


Manju Sharma
Meenaji, Hare Krishna...i just couldn't comprehend why you want your dear Lord to stay away from you...the seeker is always yearning to meet His beloved Lord n in fact we just need to feel Him inside our heart n He is there....i don't know why you are sounding a little sad...may the kind Lord bring cheer in your life n make you optimistic about His presence. 

Meena Devi Dasi Replies to Manju Sharma
I had no idea that I had this fear until yesterday morning while I was chanting Hare Krishna mantra. I have read and heard that the Lord can and does appear to His devotees. He appeared to Dhruva maharaja in His Vishnu form, to Gajendra, to Bali Maharaja as Vamana deva. There are many accounts of Him appearing personally to His devotee. Talking with the devotee. As I was chanting I became afraid. Here I was chanting and praying for pure devotional service. Did I think He wasn't listening? What if He appeared? Not that I am a pure devotee, but the Lord can do anything. I became afraid. So I could understand that I still have attachments to the material conception of self which means material desires. He could have appeared but I said no, not yet. I'm not ready. He could have taken me home back to Godhead in an instant. He can and does do that. So I could see I have more fear than love. But it is a gradual process for most of us. Developing the love and attachment to Krishna. I am excited and blissful knowing I am on the path. One day... I will be ready. Hare Krishna...

This a good article discussing God and hiding: 

Hiding from God and God’s Hiddenness

Saturday, January 18, 2014

THAT'S TOO MUCH


Oh yes, I believe in God…
But really He’s imaginary.
Real? Actually a person?
Oh no. That's too much.
I can’t deal with that.
Fear.

Oh yes, I love God.
He's beautiful. He's wonderful.
But He's not actually real.
He's a good idea
He's somewhere far away
And let Him stay there,
Far away.
To actually meet Him
face to face?
Oh no. That's too much.
I can’t deal with that.
Fear.

What would happen to me if I met God?
I'd be obliterated. I'd be disintegrated. 
I'd be destroyed.
Oh no. That's too much.
I can’t deal with that.
Fear.

No. He's not real. He can't be.
He's not a person. He can't be.
If He is, I don’t want to know about it.
Let Him stay far away.
I'll believe in Him.
But let him stay far away.
Let Him supply everything
and I'll say thank you.
But let Him stay far away.