Tag: conviction

Supreme Conviction and Supreme Reciprocation – a Poem by Saritha Devi

A poem written by a devotee for Bhakta Prahlada & Lord Narasimha

Poetic Service

Saritha Devi, 06/06/2019 

Dear Devotees,

Hare Krishna to all.

Just a small poetic service to Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva and Prahlada Maharaja :-

Supreme Conviction and Reciprocation:

When great pure soul Prahlada Maharaj

Was tormented by demonic nature

offered to bodily agony and hellish setting

and subjected to fatality with sharp arms,

dumped under giant beings, the elephants and thrown from mountains

strived to kill the great soul in thousands other ways,

still the great soul proved his purity and stable in his conviction for Lord

demonic efforts were in vain due to Lord’s compassion to his servant.

One grand evening, Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva incarnated from a pillar

in His violent form with fire eyes, sharp tongue, fearful face, with terrible teeth,

His body expanded till sky like a moon with His opulence

to dawn the demonic aura in this world

And to bring sunshine of peace and assurance in devotees’ lives

to answer His servants’ prayers with His great mercy by laying His kind hands

—

your servant,

Saritha

Vishwajit Bhadrashetty, 06 June 2019

Wonderful poem Sarita mataji

May God bless you

Sincerely,

Vishwajit 

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Does God exist or is God an imagination?

Does God exist or is God a figment of someone’s imagination, or a literary construct? How can we find out for sure? Can we experience God?

Shahvir, 27th November 2013

Hare Krishna!

Kindly pardon my audacity as i write this, but i need to find a solution to this peculiar problem as it is acting as an impediment to my spiritual emancipation.
Although i have a strong belief in the Bhagwad Gita, on very rare occasions i get negative thoughts such as; what if God is an imaginary entity or that Krishna might be an imaginary personality arising out of the Shastras which might have been created by the ancient wise men/sages in order to satisfy a basic need of humanity to be eternal/immortal, etc.

Kindly suggest me a solution to this problem as such thoughts occasionally tend to disturb my spiritual peace & progress. I ask this as i feel that my spiritual brethren might have faced this problem at some point of time in their life and would have found some solution to eliminate it.

regards,
most ignorant soul, Shahvir

Geetha, 27th November 2013

Hare krishna,

I am also having the same problem. Waiting to read the answer for this question eagerly.

Shahvir, 27th November 2013

Hare Krishna!

That was relieving. i thought i was all alone!

regards,
most ignorant soul, Shahvir

Rathin Mandal, 27th November 2013

Hare Krishna Shahvir,

Please accept my humble obeisances,
All glories to Srila Gurudeva and Srimati Gurumataji,
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Thank you for your nice question.
I too used to have these questions. Due to seeing all the stupid documentaries in science channels and actions of so called gurus.
To answer this Sri Krishna says: “BG 4.34: Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized souls can impart knowledge unto you because they have seen the truth.”

I started learning only after meeting Mahabhagavat Prabhu and so many other wonderful devotees. My experience is that without being in the association of devotees it is impossible to understand God and his creation. And that is why Sri Krishna says that one has to approach a Bonafide Spiritual Master to learn about the truth.

The modern science teaches that only that can be perceived by senses is truth. But if we closely look around there are so many things that are beyond sense perception. Not everything around us is tangible. The law of karma is so wide and vivid that it will keep on causing confusions and anxiety in some or other form all the time.
In simple words, I can say that if I do not study then it is not possible to clear the exam. I cannot think about securing a rank. In the same way realization of ultimate truth depends upon my sincerity.
Just like i was never first in my class, but that didn’t stop me from studying. So even if i am far from a perfect devotee, nothing stops me to learn about God from his perfect devotees.

your Servant
Rathin

Nashvin, 27th November 2013

Hare Krsna!

I think that I also used to have thoughts like this sometimes, but not anymore.  I think they automatically go away with more and more blissful Krsna conscious experiences.

Of course, one can theoretically understand that God exists, and is a person, because we are people, and the source of us must also have personality.

But, practical experience is also nice.  A hungry man does not need to theoretically understand his eating.  He will automatically feel satiated after eating.  🙂

your servant,
Nashvin

Preitie, 27th November 2013

Hare Krishna

Please accept my humble obeisances
All glories to Srila Prabhupada
All glories to Vaishnavas

I asked a similar question not so long ago although it was worded a bit differently. It is not common to have such questions / inhibitions however, I have realized that with being part of such groups, reading Srila Prabhupada’s Books, Listening to lectures, Eating prasadam, Engaging in devotee association (that’s a biggie) and chanting and chanting and some more chanting this can be slowly overcome. Basically, if this doubt is big, then you have to combat is by doing bigger and better things that the doubt itself to be able to combat it. I say this because not so long ago I was on the other side where I used to have a cloud of doubt hovering over my head and not to say I don’t feel that way at times…but it is precisely why we need to try harder to stay focussed and steer away from the clutches of illusion.

I have below some comments regarding the question I asked not so long ago and the wonderful answer that Sudeep Prabhu and Mahabhagavad Das Prabhu shared in this forum. I also meant to share my recent experiences that have strengthened my ground and helped me immensely. I even saw some post where some vaishnavas have shared their experiences and life altering events. I started to write mine down but Maya happened 😦 That email in the works though. I hope I am able to do justice to sharing my experience and putting it into words so as to motivate others to know that you are not alone. Krsna will always give us an opportunity for our sadhana to be improved and dovetailed 🙂

I hope this helps. Although I am positive some of the other answers that we are bracing ourselves for will far exceed my expectations 🙂

Please forgive me if I have said something incorrect on here, my intention is far from it. Hari Hari.

quote

Question: Preitie

Hare Krishna

Please accept my humble obeisances
All glories to Srila Prabhupada
All glories to Srila Gurudev & Gurumata
All glories to Vaishnavas

I have a question and it is only born out of something where I have attempted to understand but have not been so successful. I have also tried and tested and repeatedly failed to convince a handful of people who pose this question to me or where I put myself in their situation and I can’t seem to convince / make them understand some points.

When we quote / make references to Krsna we quote the Bhagavad Gita which is the song of God as the source of all information and truth. What if people don’t want to believe that it has been stated by God?

There are so many important messages, learning and knowledge that the Gita is a source of, but despite all that, the fact that it was written by someone – requires a certain set of beliefs that this someone is / was very important and the faith. So what do we do when someone does not have faith in the Gita? Is it even worth spending time with / around such people and trying to convince them?

My contribution to such conversations is: Belief comes from experience and experience from doing something repeatedly. But how we explain what makes something a habit and something a belief?

I have seen that some Asians grow up knowing / hearing about the Gita so they’re aware of its importance but in the Western World, no one has heard of Gita. Or Krsna so how then are they even inclined to believing that this book is the source of everything we need in this material world? So when they don’t believe in the concept of a God, how will they believe that a book that has been spoken by God holds the key to life’s questions?

When they ask me, what makes the Gita so important or how do you know it was not written by some human being – I am at a loss for words. The last thing it does it dissuade me, but nonetheless I would like to know if there is a better approach to making someone understand this better.

My apologies in advance if my question is rude or has offended anyone. That is sincerely not my intention.

Hari Bol.

ys,
Preethi

Answer One: Sep 3 Sudeep Manchanda

Hare Krishna,

Please accept my humble obeisances,
This is a fantastic discussion and interestingly I had a similar question and had been thinking over it. I would like to share my thoughts so that senior devotees can correct me.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna is perfect and hence the words as said by him should also be perfect. So the teachings of The Bhagawat Gita should also be perfect in all sense like it should be an Absolute Truth.
We know what truth is, but what is Absolute Truth?
If I say it is evening right now, when I am typing this mail. Is that a truth? Yes, but is it an Absolute Truth? No. Why? Because it may not be a truth when you are reading this mail. So for a truth to be Absolute it should be beyond any relative reference like time, place etc…
Now does Bhagawat Gita qualify to be an Absolute truth? Yes, because it perfect in all respect. And can such and Absolute Science be said or written by a human? By all means no. So it has to be said by someone who is Absolute, which is Krishna.
The knowledge of Bhagawat Gita is also called The Science Of Self Realization. So it is a science!
What do we do in a scientific experiment? We follow the procedure exactly as it is described and then we get the results. It is basis these result that we validate that yes, the facts were correct.
So if one does not have fate and wants to validate the knowledge in Bhagawat Gita, one must follow the teachings exactly as stated in Bhagawat Gita under the guidance of a bonafide Guru and see the results for self J
Please correct me wherever needed.
your Servant,
Sudeep Manchanda

Answer TWO: Mahabhagavat Das

Hare Krishna!

Please accept my humble obeisances.
All glories to Srila Gurudeva.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

It is not correct that one needs to believe something in order for the teachings of Bhagavad Gita to make sense. In fact, belief is very cheap, one can believe or not believe, it is simply a decision of the mind, like flipping a switch. Today someone can believe something, tomorrow something else, belief is not worth much.

Also, importantly, belief is commonly thought to be a religious/faith thing, but so-called scientific persons believe and trust and have faith in so many things… how many people have gone to the sun to make sure for themselves that what the so-called scientists say is true? Do you know that each person takes a leap of faith when we walk on the road, drive a car, get onto an elevator/escalator, pay our taxes, buy a packaged product, go to a doctor, etc.? How did this faith come about? When we were children, we were taught to do things in a certain way, and doing it that way worked… so we all tried something out based on “let me see what happens”.

So that is why, we need to go gradually to the platform of conviction. Faith is not simply belief. Faith is confidence that this is the Supreme Absolute Truth, not blind, but tested and proven. That is why Krishna, in BG 9.2 says “pratyakshaavagamam” – by direct experience. It is realized knowledge, not just mental. So that is why in the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, we don’t sit around discussing philosophy all day but we engage in a full program of Krishna conscious engagements. We rise early, we chant, we follow some regulations, we take only Krishna Prasada, we go out on Harinam, we clean, we go shopping for Krishna, we do so many practical services for Guru and Krishna.

The way to understand Bhagavad Gita is to listen submissively (but not blindly accept), and engage one’s intelligence with the content of the Bhagavad Gita and to apply what is in the Bhagavad Gita and see personally, does it work or does it not work.

For example, Krishna describes the different natures, divine and demoniac. Do we see that borne out in our experience or not? Does it need any belief to understand that a demoniac person wants his enemies dead and is constantly plotting how to secure more for himself?

However, Krishna describes many advanced things also… can a child say that advanced calculus is a “belief” because she does not understand past basic arithmetic yet? No, once a person goes through proper training over a period of time, anyone can learn to appreciate advanced calculus and learn to apply it to physical problems. Same thing with medicine.

Similarly, to understand Bhagavad Gita, it is not a theoretical exercise, an armchair philosopher who is actually unwilling to do the work it takes to understand will never understand. Bhagavad Gita cannot be understood simply by agitating the mind. In other words, Bhagavad Gita is not for lazies and crazies 🙂

Finally, our process is yes, we give philosophy, but we are not attached to whether someone is accepting or not… we present philosophy, we present the activities and process byy following which anyone can understand, and then we leave it up to that person. Even Krishna does not force, what to speak of a little aspiring devotee like me.

And even if we fight hard and we convince someone by force of strong argument, still, as Benjamin Franklin said “A man convinced against his will, is of the same opinion still”. So we need to win hearts as much as we need to have convincing arguments. And in some cases, some purification is needed – copious quantities of Krishna Prasadam should be regularly supplied to the persons we are trying to share Krishna’s mercy with 🙂 And then some service, maybe a donation, some help in promoting a festival, whatever, some service to Krishna, knowingly or unknowingly.

It is said that “svalpa punyavataam raajan, vishvaaso naiva jaayate” – those who do not have sufficient pious credits, they cannot trust in sublime information. So it is up to us to BUILD that base of pious credits.

The best force is purity, our own purity, in other words, the better we follow the process, the stronger our conviction becomes, and the force of our own conviction, that is what moves someone’s heart.

If someone wants to find out, they have to read the Bhagavad Gita for themselves and try it out, Bhakti is an experential process, it is not a theory.

In the western world, collectively, we are daily convincing hundreds and thousands of people to read Bhagavad Gita, to spare their valuable time, speak with us, to see the Bhagavad Gita on its own merit in its own light, and to allow them to be convinced enough to give us a donation and take the book home.

Where are you based? We can help you to share this knowledge more effectively.

Sincerely,
Mahabhagavat Das
unquote

ys,
Preethi

Sudeep Manchanda, 27th November 2013

Hare Krishna Shahvir and Geetha,

I hope you both are chanting the minimum number of rounds and following the regulative principles. Chanting properly gives us that connection to the Supreme Personality of Godhead which gives us the strong belief.

Srila Prabhupada has strongly recommended the following for our daily sadana:
1. Chanting
2. Reading
3. Devotee association

(I hope I am not missing anything)

This process is very scientific and if we follow the procedures given to us by our acharyas then we would surely see results which would increase our faith. 🙂

The marathon for book distribution has started at a lot of places, are you participating in it? That is one service where you get special mercy and your understanding of the philosophy become real strong. You can also participant in the Krishna Book challenge to motivate yourself to read.

Hope this helps.
At your service,
Sudeep Manchanda

B.shahvir balaporia, 27th November 2013

Hare Krishna!

I am very glad i put forth this question. i am forever indebted to your good selves. Thank you all for this great effort & God bless! 🙂

In passing just to share, i am training my mind to visualize the all pervading nature of the Supreme Personality of Godhead & chant the Mahamantra as much as possible. It feels ecstatic!

regards,
most ignorant soul, Shahvir

Geetha, 28th November 2013

Hare krishna

Thank you all for the wonderful and convincing reply.

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Dealing with Doubt

Jessica M, 05th November 2012

What should one do when they begin to experience doubts while on the path to Krishna consciousness?
I have been chanting for five months now and reading the Gita As It Is as well. I don’t know any devotees in my area though and have a lot of curiosity and begin to find myself reading material that endorses a more impersonalistic viewpoint from which I first came from before learning about and accepting Krishna consciousness. I feel a bit torn…At first I felt so convicted, while chanting, and now I’m doubting things.
I would love to feel that sense of conviction, faith, again. Any advice?

Thank you. Hare Krishna!

Mahabhagavat Das SDA, 05th November 2012

Jessica,

Hare Krishna!

Thank you so much for writing in!

We welcome encouragement and support for Jessica from the global community here! Please don’t let her think that she is all alone on this path of Bhakti. This community is especially for those who live far from association of devotees, but of course, anyone who is genuinely desirous of spiritual advancement can benefit from this.

What you are going through is natural. I also came from a phase in life where impersonalistic philosophy dominated. As long as we are not fixed up in devotional service, this comes back again and again. It is a very seductive philosophy, because it encourages the material mind to remain as it is today, the undisputed master of the soul.

Whenever we think about something, one pragmatic thing to do is to assess who is to gain from a course of action. For example politicians push projects where they or their close circle will gain… actors promote goods which increase their own wealth, and so on, the world is full of such examples.

Impersonalistic philosophy does not have any genuine element of surrender to God… so that means the mind remains the master – the mind chooses what to do and what not to do, the mind disguises actions and thoughts and words as “realizations from the impersonal oneness”, but if we see carefully it is just rantings of the mind.

You should ask your doubts, specific individual doubts, the questions should be asked submissively so that those who have the knowledge are inclined and encouraged and pleased to share with you. When you get the answers, do your best to act on them. If you don’t act on the answers received, then they will remain mere theories.

Bhakti Yoga is very very personal, and it is experiential… what is involved for an experience to occur? Some effort! 🙂

So, why don’t you wholeheartedly participate in the activities of this group – this question is surely a start!

Sincerely,
Mahabhagavat Das

Virendra Trivedi, 06th November 2012

Dear Jessica,

Hare Krsna.

I asked similar question many years back to a senior devotee in a public forum and he gravely replied: “If you have doubt then come out challenging; willing to be defeated by authoritative reference and ready to be convinced by logical reasoning. This doubting phase is a dangerous situation. Don’t you know what Krishna says in Bhagavad Gita? Samsayatma vinashyati: The doubting soul is ruined. So don’t delay it. Act fast.”

So that is all I can advice you.

But here is something more I can tell you from my personal experience: I acted on his advice and I was saved from being ruined. To be defeated or corrected by devotees is also a very very good fortune which most people in this world do not have.

Just expose your doubts in this transcendental e-association of devotees as HG Mahabhagavat prabhu has suggested and see them replaced with your previous sense of conviction and faith once again. Participate in the association of devotees more often and their love will not let you feel torn anymore. You will certainly keep going higher and higher in spiritual life 🙂

Sincerely,
Virendra

Rahul Mangla, 06th November 2012

Hare Krishna,

Welcome to this wonderful group of devotees Jessica mataji. Please share your doubts in this group and I am sure your lost conviction and faith will return.

your servant,
Rahul

Rupa Manjari devi dasi, 06th November 2012

Hare Krishna

Dear Jessica

Please accept my humble obeisances,
All glories to Sri Guru and Gauranga!
All glories to Srila Prahbupada!

Doubts are natural on this process of devotional service and are nothing to be ashamed of.  When we first come to Krsna consciousness there is some faith called Sraddha, due to the association of some devotees or the holy named that incites are to take up the process, then there is a long process before we get to
nistha (firm unflinching faith).  We first have to go through the stage of sadhu sanga (associating with the devotees) bajana kriya, (we start taking up the process, taking shelter of a bona fide spiritual master), and the long desert of anartha avritti, the clearing of the unwanted things within the heart).  So during this stage doubts are natural, and clearing these doubts by making humble inquiries are all about  the process.

This Krishna conciousness process does not require blind – faith, in fact blind fact is actually discouraged, that is why the faith you see in advanced devotees are strong, it is based on realization through pratical experience. But I assure you they also had to go through the stage which we all are going through, the doubting stage. Even my beloved Spiritual master his Grace Srimad Sankarshana das Adhikari often speaks of the time he first came to Krsna consciousness – he was also influenced by the impersonal Mayavadi philosophy, and was reluctant at first to surrender to his now beloved Spirtual master  His divine grace A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.

But through association, he especially mentions the association Visnujana Swami his faith increased to the stage he had firm faith in Srila Prahbupada and now look at him now!  Complete faith, no doubts to the point his only desire is to serve Srila Praahbupada, by bringing and guiding everyone to Krsna consciousness.  Every minute, every second, he is engaged in answering e-mails,  because his only desire is to clear up the doubts of all those who inquire from him so they can too progess and experience the sublime existence of being pure Krsna conscious.

Thus my spiritual master is constantly encouraging me to bring all my doubts to him.  Sometimes I brings my doubts up with other devotees  other devotees, and other times to my spiritual master. My spiritual master has a wondeful way of eradicating my doubts immediately but  some times it takes time, and it comes down to “lets just continue this process and then wait for Krsna to revealed the answers because this process is so potent and real, and tangible, and though sometimes the mind may decieve you to think otherwise, once someone begins they develop a higher taste, and so once they begin they can never fully go back to there original mindset, in other words, they  can not actually fully enter material existence again.  Many times I felt like running back to my christian ways going back to church, because of some aspects I could not yet understand, but it would take me only one hour in the church to realize they were missing the missing link which Krsna Consciousness has.  I see proof of this all the time when I am distributing books or prasadam on the street.  I meet many people who
have taken up the process before me, and for some reason or other, they stop, but the faith doesn’t go. They are so convinced of the authenticisty of Krsna consciousness, they still read Bhagavad-gita, or at least revere it, and tell others about Krsna consciousness, in contrast to those who leave other systems of religious practice which is based on blind faith,  often become athiests.

Personally I dabled a little bit in the impersonal philosphy, and my first doubt was, “This world is real but  temporary “I was convinced it was unreal, but inquires eradicated that doubt.  But the strongest doubts I had to deal with was my christian conditioning.  And with Krsna consciousness there is a lot of doubts that can come if you are from Christian background  the first of course being the deity form of the Lord which to a condition Christian is “idol worship”, and of course Krsna lets Maya test you a bit, to see where you go for shelter, whether you take shelter of your mind, or his devotees.  On this point though I inquired and I could therotically understand the post box anology, (as you send a letter through the post box, the Lord allows us to worship him through his  authorised diety form, it  is the Lord’s mercy because he appears to us in material form, because our eyes to not have the spiritual vision to see him),  but still some doubt was lingering but then one day nine months after I started taking up the process Krsna did something wonderful.  One of the devotees in my community was going to India and wanted me to take care of her Radha Krsna dieties.  She asked me to do arti everyday for them, offer, flower, ghee lamp and insense and of course offering of food.  They at first appeared just like statues but I stared doing arti for them and offerings, and by the end of the month I could actually realize the mercy of Krsna through his diety.  Through this intimate service I could experience a attraction for Radha and Krsna devoloping and so felt reciporaction from them.

The process of Krsna consciousness can sometimes be diffcult to understand intellectually but without a doubt if you give it some time you will understand it practically through experience, as Krsna says in Bhagavad-gita 9.2

raja-vidya raja-ghuyam
pavitram idam uttamam
pratyaksavagamam dharmyam
su–sukham kartum avayayam

“This knowledge is the king of education, the most secret of all secrets.  It is the purest knowledge, and because it gives direct perception of the self by realization, it is the perfection of religion.  It is everlasting, and it
is joyfully performed.”

So I wish to encourage you Jessica, we have all been there and are still there to various degrees, but if you inquire from devotees in this forum, and inquire from senior devotees.  I especially reccommend to humbly inquire from pure devotee becasue they can impart knowledge unto you because they have seen the truth.  BG 4.34, “Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master.  Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him.  The self-realized souls can  impart knowledge unto you because they have seen the truth.”  So I especially enccourage you to bring you doubts to His Grace Srimad Sankarshan das Adhikari, with which you are already his student on his e- course.

You can e-mail him at sda@backtohome.com and I can guarantee he will be delighted to answer you inquiries.  Of course we are also happy to answer your inquiries to the best of our abilities.  Many of my doubts were cleared up just through inquring from devottees in my community, and a lot of mine are getting cleared up through this forum.
Some through direct inquiry and others through the inquiries of others.  And finally just keep with the process, eventually, everything will become revealed,

BG 10.10

tesam satata-yuktanam
bhajatam priti-purvakam
dadmi buddhi-yogam tam
yena mam upayanti ti

“To all those who are constantly devoted to serving me with love I give the understanding by which they can come to me.”

your servant
Rupa Manjari devi dasi

Shobha, 07th November 2012

Hare Krishna
Please accept my humble obeisances,
All glories to Sri Guru and Gauranga!
All glories to Srila Prahbupada!

Very nice answer. Thank you for sharing your realization.

your humble servant,
Shobha

Hemanga Das, 08th November 2012

Hare Krishna Devotees,

Please kindly accept my humble obeisances
All glories to Srila Gurudeva
All glories to Srila Prabhupada

It’s so enlivening to read devotee emails who are always up to guide others in spiritual path. Thank you Rupa Manjari Devi Dasi Mataji for sharing your experience.
This present Karthik month is like a Mega Sale.Any effort to chant more rounds or read Srila Prabhupada books will definitely help in spiritual advancement.Let’s all utilize this wonderful opportunity.

your servant,
Hemanth

Rahul Mangla, 10th November 2012

Hare Krishna to all devotees,

Please accept my humble obeisances!
All glories to Srila Gurudev & Srimati Gurumata.
All glories to Srila Prabhupad.

Please find below link which focuses on the detrimental effects of doubt in the path of devotion.

http://archive.org/stream/SriKrishnaKathamritaBinduIssue288/bindu288#page/n0/mode/2up

Hare Krishna,

your servant,
Rahul

Tirtharaja Dasa, 15th November 2012

Hare Krishna Jessicca,

When one starts experiencing doubts, that is a sign of making spiritual progress for the faith we have on Krishna is not blind faith but is faith with a purpose that is backed by Shastra (Krishnas own words or descriptions of
Krishna and the like) and emulated by great saintly personalities down the ions of time.

There is a very nice book on this matter and I advise that if you can gret a copy then get a copy immediately for it deals with this matter of doubt precisely. Conclusively we have to practically read all of Srila Prabhpuadas books but for starters this is a good starting point. The book is entitled Obstacles on the Path of Devotional Service by Srila Satsvarupa dasa Gosvami.

Just to give you a test, He writes quoting from Bhagavad-gita (7.27 purport) p. 2 “…Due to desire and hte, the ignorant person wants to come one with the supreme Lord (impersonalism) and envies Krishna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead” One form this rebellion takes is doubts towards the teachings of the revealed scriptures and on the same page…Ignorant and faithless persons who doubt the revealed scriptures do not attain God consciousness; they fall down. For the doubting soul there is happiness neither in this life nor the next..”. further, “…The doubts that have arisen in your heart because of ignorance should be slashed with the weapon of knowledge. Armed with yoga, arise and fight.” and He concludes, … Meditation on these verses has been helpful in curing my doubt.

In his own words he advises…” Until one reaches the liberated stage, doubts will continue to come. They may not be serious, or they can become so grave that they can impede our progress. We should not hide the fact and bluff as if we are perfect. We have to learn how to deal with the obstacles on the path.

I hope this helps

your lowly servant,
Tirtharaja Dasa.

Sunil, 15th November 2012

Hare Krishna

Please accept my humble obeisances
All Glories to Srila Prabhupada

Respected Jessica I have read your question. I humbly suggest to you that you try to chant as attentively and sincerely as you can. Process of Chanting is like meeting with God through transcendental sound vibrations

And when you are free please give as much time as you can , to reading Srila Prabhupada’s books. If any question or doubt comes
to your mind while reading Srila Prabhupada’s books , please post them here

Regards,
Sunil Vaswani

Sanil, 17th November 2012

Hare Krishna Mataji,

Kindly accept my humble obeisances,

All glories to Srila Gurudeva

Following understanding helped me a lot:

o  Srila Prabhupada says in the purport of Bhagavad-gita that one with the conviction that Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead will receive the maximum benefit of reading Bhagavad-gita.  So, I wanted to be convinced

o   When I searched, I found out that the acharyas in the disciplic succession, pray to Lord and also spread Krishna Consciousness not for any material achievement or sense enjoyment. In fact they have rejected all material
benefits on their path of spiritual progress.

o   Srila Gurudeva sacrificed everything material he had except a guitar, with which he had a strong attachment.  Later on Srila Gurudeva said that he even sold that guitar for paying the rent of the temple.  I just heard a seminar
of Srila Gurudeva in the net http://www.theultimateselfrealization.com in which he says the following in between the seminar:

“I have been married and my wife is sitting here now, Vishnupriya Devi Dasi. We married since 1984. That means almost 29 years married. We remain brahmachari the whole time, strict brahmachari. I am not saying that every householder should do that, because householder life is meant for producing children. But Prabhupada said if a householder does not want to have sex life, which is very good. They can remain brahmachari. They can do that. There is a very nice verse in Srimad Bhagavatam, 7th canto (SB 7.12.11). Srila Prabhupada talks about the rules and regulations for the householders and sanyasis. I recommend that all householders should study this verse very carefully.” So, I realised that they are selfless people; they are not interested in any material achievement or sense enjoyment. Hence, I did not find any reason why I should not believe them. I feel and understand the unlimited mercy and
blessings they shower when I associate with them.

o   I also noted that associating with devotees help me lot to be focused.  By this virtual network, it is very easy for me to have association all the time.

o  Also, I realized the importance to finalize what I need at the end. So, I came to following conclusion:

o   I don’t want to be a miser – since, miser is satisfied only when he satisfy himself.  The miserly satisfaction is incomplete and temporary and doesn’t provide any real satisfaction.

o   I wanted to be a selfless lover.  So, in that process, I understood and convinced that only Srila Prabhupada’s teaching can guide me to realize these goals.

o   I wanted to achieve perfection:  To achieve perfection, I am convinced about Srila Prabhupada’s teaching that:
v  I should fully surrender to a bona-fide spiritual master who is perfectly situated, so that I can get proper guidance.
v  I should offer everything to Krishna, and my only aim should be to satisfy the senses of Krishna.  So, I need to do everything very carefully and lovingly before I offer it to Krishna and I should not do anything which Krishna
doesn’t like.  And at the end, when I achieve this, I am convinced that it will help me in the following:

o   I will be in perfect love relationship with Krishna, since I am serving Him unconditionally.

o   I will love everybody and everything (and I will not hate anybody or anything) since I know that everything is Krishna’s energy and Krishna’s arrangement.

o   With Krishna’s mercy, I will be able to transcend all dualities.

o   I will achieve spiritual perfection and unlimited bliss, since I am doing everything perfectly and unconditionally and there is no sin associated with it, and lastly,

o   I am protected, since Krishna had declared it through Arjuna that my devotee will never perish.

your servant,
Sanil kumar
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