Shukasari

 The other day, I was having a conversation about children with this very sweet Mataji. Mataji lamented  how she keeps worrying about her children, even though all are grown up. She keeps advising them, although her advice is really not that appreciated or even taken seriously by her children. Then, when they get a hard knock, only then, they realise that their mother was right after all.  It is a very natural thing for a mother to keep worrying about her kids. Even in the spiritual world, Mother Yasoda keeps worrying about her Lala, Sweet Krsna. Of course, everything that happens here is a perverted reflection. Over there, it is only pure love of the Lord.  The conversation then went on to Srila Gurudeva. Mataji said, she found it hard to keep up with all of Srila Gurudeva's instructions. Sometimes she feels she needs time to evolve. I told her everything will happen in due time.  And just like how she worries about her children, Srila Gurudeva is also worried ...

Way back in 1997, Srila Gurudeva talked about how He is willing to help anyone who comes to him. What His Divine Grace said made a huge impact in my heart. ( see quote below ) "I will continue to help whoever that comes to me. If a child was to urinate and pass stool on the mother, the mother will simply wash herself and the child included. She is not going to stop loving her child. She will continue to nourish and help her child. In the same way, I will continue to do so even if they are criticising me." ( When will I be able to imbibe such a mood in myself? I can only cry and pray for this .)

Sometimes it is so hard to see the good in others. We almost always contemplate how others have wronged us in many ways. The truth is we may have wronged them too. Perhaps not in this life but many, many life times ago. It's just that we don't seem to recall about such things. What goes around, comes around. It's karma. Whether we like it or not. How is it different for those who have come under the guidance of a bona-fide spiritual master? He protects and guides us from within. Whatever karma we may have to suffer, the pain is somewhat eased due to His mercy. So instead of calling it karma, we must look at it as mercy. For without such pain and suffering, we will not be able to go deep within our self and seek solace. What do we do when we, the spiritual aspirants are faced with such situations? Constant prayer at the lotus feet of Srila Gurudeva will help alleviate whatever pain we may be going through. He will show us the path to enlightenment. We must really tr...

GURU-SEVA IS NOT EASY by Srila Gour Govinda Mahäräja (as told in Oriya, translated by Bhakta Pradosh) Once there was a guru living in an ashram on the bank of the Gangä with a few brahmacari, celibate students, disciples. He was engaging them in varieties of devotional service, like cooking, serving prasädam, gardening, cleaning pots, taking care of the cows, etc. One disciple, named Govardhan, whose nickname was Govara, had a daily service to go to the river with a big water pot and collect Ganga water for the ashram. He did the service very sincerely for the pleasure of his guru. But after some time, he thought, “Why is it that although I have been doing this service for so long I am not feeling any happiness? Maybe I should leave this ashram, go to the city, get married, and enjoy the rest of my life.” From his childhood he had lived in the ashram and performed sevä, service. He had no idea of anything else, no experience of any big cities—he didn’t even know where they were. Day by...

Sripad BV Madhava Maharaja speaking on the importance of sadhu- sanga . On 21st February 2009, Srila Maharaja gave a wonderful lecture on the importance of sadhu- sanga and why sadhus (sages) are travelling all around the world. Srila Maharaja called upon some of his disciples to talk about the subject matter--- 'the glories of sadhu- sanga ' (associating with holy sages). One of them even mentioned that although many countries are inviting Srila Maharaja , His Divine Grace very mercifully has come to Malaysia many times. When Sripad BV Madhava Maharaja spoke, he somewhat 'corrected' the earlier speaker. This is a small excerpt of His Holiness's speech. ( Sripad BV Madhava Maharaja ): " Srila Gurudeva is not dependent on our invitation. He is travelling and going everywhere on his own sweet will. His heart feels for us because we are in misery and there is weakness of heart." [His Holiness also mentioned how men are attracted to the 3 W...

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur used to say-" The only problem in this world is the lack of Krsna Consciousness ." There is definitely an urgent need for all to come into contact with Krsna. As long as we are in contact with the world of attachments, the further we are from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Krsna being the Most Merciful has sent His beloved agents in the form of Gurus. It is the duty of every man to seek a higher truth to get out of their miseries. Therefore, the bona-fide gurus are the best reformers in society. One may build orphanages or hospitals but the real issue---the core of the problem, that is of the soul is not resolved. The great acaryas are not for political or social reforms. Their method is simply giving pure harikatha. Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja sat under a tree in Thompson Square Park in New York. His pure chanting and harikatha turned hippies into happies. How is it possible? The power of Krsna-nama and Harikatha is so powe...

Nowadays there's so many bogus gurus. These self-professed 'saints' are only interested in making followers and collecting money. But a true sad-guru is indeed very rare. He honours all, be it a dog or an ant. Such a bona-fide guru is never afraid to carry out the instructions of his gurudeva and the entire guru-parampara as it is. Bogus gurus may try to stop their charge from hearing harikatha from a bona-fide personality, but a true bona-fide guru is never shaken and will rise high despite the so-called tidal wave or obstacles thrown in front of him. For he is truly a saint and has fully controlled Krsna with divine love. He is an uttama-bhagavata, a topmost devotee of the Lord. tad viddhi pranipatena pariprasnena sevaya upadeksyanti te jnanam jnanimas tattva-darsinah (Bhagavad-gita, 4.34) "Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-r...