Shukasari

I had an interesting conversation with a devotee. He told me that if a person becomes quiet and goes deep within himself or herself, they will find solace. Not only that, miseries surrounding us can be cut into half. Most of our miseries come from us talking too much nonsense. This will not only put us in trouble but put a dent in another person's heart as well. This place is dukhalayam --- a place of misery. Why make it any worse for oneself by talking unnecessarily. He went on to say that even people who are not on the spiritual platform or for those seeking higher truths, become quiet to think about the mysteries of the world. As for Krsna devotees, who have so much more knowledge handed down by their spiritual masters, should use this material body and progress even further. So less talk. More thinking. More Meditation. More Service.

Srila Bhakti Rakshaka Sridhara Maharaja and Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja Prabhupada. This picture was taken in 1973 at the opening of the Mayapur Candrodaya Mandir "We are quarrelling in a foreign land for fictitious gain. But Krsna is engaged in a loving search for His long lost servants" --- Srila Bhakti Rakshaka Sridhara Maharaja. Srila Bhakti Rakshaka Sridhar Maharaja: (the speech given at the opening): This ashram is being opened today. What is its position? In Srimad Bhagavatam we find: vanam tu sattviko vaso gramo rajasa ucyate tamasam dyuta-sadanam man-niketam tu nirgunam (S.B. 11.25.25) “Residence in the forest is in the mode of goodness, residence in a town is in the mode of passion, residence in a gambling house displays the quality of ignorance, and residence in a place where I (the Supreme Lord) reside is transcendental.” Vana-vasa means plain living with the minimum of material things to help our life, that is vana-vasa. It is a simple life, plain ...

Mahamsa das : (regarding some young Indian ladies about to take initiation from Srila Prabhupada) I don't know what is the position of the ladies being initiated. They are young girls. They may get married to someone outside the society. ( Srila Prabhupada ): Still they can chant and observe the rules and regulations. ( Mahamsa das ): Even if her husband does not follow? ( Srila Prabhupada ): That does not matter. It is individual. My sister, when she married, everyone at her father-in-law's house were all eating fish. She was a young girl, ten, eleven years old. She was given this foodstuff with fish and everything and she started to cry. Her mother-in-law asked, "Why are you crying?" "No, we do not touch all these things." Her mother-in-law immediately arranged special cooking for her. So her husband and other family members were taking fish, but she never touched it. She does not know what fish is. If one wants to keep oneself pure, he or she can keep pur...

Thousands of pilgrims would have and will be gathering at Vrindavan at the month of Karthik. It's the best place to be. Yet parikrama can test one's patience and tolerance level. Firstly, many devotees are bound to fall sick. Then there are those who are really nice people, suddenly turning into temperamental creatures. Tempers flare and patience tested to the brink. I suppose at the end of the day, Vraja parikrama teaches us something. To tolerate, to accept, to forgive. Srila Bhakti Vaibhava Puri Maharaja once said during Karthik, " Take the nectar and throw the bitter ." That sums up parikrama. Only take the nectar, the Hari-katha, and wonderful association with sadhus.