https://www.facebook.com/101468138927165/

Bhakti - The Art of Eternal Love, Radha Gokullananda Mandir, Vrindavan (2026)

25/03/2023

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗿𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗡𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗵 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗕𝗵𝗮𝗸𝘁𝗶 𝗬𝗼𝗴𝗮

The third stage is - bhajana-kriya: performance of devotional service - this is to become initiated by an authorized spiritual master and to perform devotional service under his guidance.

Then through the ex*****on of devotional service under the guidance of the spiritual master, one will become free from all material attachments, this is the fourth stage - anartha nivrtti: decreasing of unwanted attachments.

One then develops the fifth stage - nistha: steadiness – you become steady in self-realisation in your devotional service.

You the find the sixth stage - ruci: taste – taste in hearing about Krishna, and his pastimes.

This taste then leads one to - asakti: attachment – the seventh stage, attachment in Krishna consciousness.

From attachment the eighth stage - bhava: love – genuine ecstatic emotions – one develops the preliminary stage of love for Krishna.

And the final ninth stage - prema: pure love for Krishna – this is the supreme perfectional stage of life.

10/12/2022

𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲
I was talking to someone the other day about mindfulness, it is something I have studied and help people with, they were saying that they do some heart mindfulness in the morning. I said that is nice, but it doesn’t have to be so structured like that, I said you can even do mindfulness on the bus. Actually, you can do mindfulness anywhere at any time.

Later I was thinking about how to incorporate this into a class. I came up with asking the class a question, what is the single thing that will have the greatest impact and influence on your life. The answer is the choices we make, whatever circumstances we may find ourselves in we always have a choice. It is those choices that will determine how our life pans out, even from the time we are in school. We are constantly making choices, sometimes sub-consciously, they will all influence our future.

What do choices have to do with mindfulness? Everything, the more mindful we are the better able we will be to make the right choices. We also need to be mindful of the consequences of the choice we make, there will be consequences regardless of whatever choice we make.

I went to bed with these things going round in my head, sleep came quite easily last night. In a dream I was giving advice to another younger devotee about how he could use mindfulness in his devotion, he should really be mindful about the service he was doing and why he was doing it. This can also apply to when we are chanting our japa, we should obviously be mindful of the Holy Names of the Lord we are chanting, being mindful of Krishna, mindful of His pastimes. Even if your service is cleaning the public toilets at the temple, be mindful of why you are doing it. Ultimately all our service, whatever it may be, including our chanting is done simply to please Krishna, to make Him happy, to make Radharani happy.

As I was in that half awake and still half-asleep state my dream was continuing and it was early morning after Mangala Arati while myself and the other devotees were chanting our japa, I was sitting across from the devotee I had been speaking with and he had this great big smile beaming from ear to ear, his eyes were wide open and bright. It had been about a week since I had spoken with him about being more mindful while doing his service, I beckoned him to come over, at first he hesitated but then got up and came towards me, I got up as well and we both opened our arms and embraced, it was a long intimate hug, he put his head on my shoulder, I wanted to kiss him on the forehead but thought that might be going a bit too far, being as we were in the temple room during japa period, for some the embrace was probably too much, but it cemented the intimate loving relationship we now had, the type of which we should have with Krishna. If we as devotees can’t love each other, then we have no hope of loving Krishna.

The devotee I helped in my dream was not anyone in particular, but when I became more awake the whole thing was still going on in my head and I identified the devotee as being one of the younger devotees from when I was in the temple near Watford, just north of London.

Mindfulness and Krishna Consciousness fit perfectly together, as a devotee should always be thinking of Krishna. Of course, that is easier said than done. It can, however, be made easier by using some mindfulness techniques, such as being mindful of the consequences of the choices we make and the effects of those choices on other living entities, and most importantly will it please Krishna.

21/11/2021

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗕𝗵𝗮𝗸𝘁𝗶 𝗬𝗼𝗴𝗮

In my last post here, I mentioned the Nine Stages of Bhakti Yoga, and I talked about the sixth stage being Taste (𝘳𝘶𝘤𝘪). So, I thought I ought to tell you about the others starting at the beginning, so here is the first.

𝘚𝘳𝘢𝘥𝘥𝘩𝘢 means Faith. When one somehow or other encounters a devotee, or reads something about Krishna, and finds it interesting enough to find out more, then that is the beginning of 𝘴𝘳𝘢𝘥𝘥𝘩𝘢, faith.

The next stage, second, is 𝘴𝘢𝘥𝘩𝘶-𝘴𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘢, 𝘴𝘢𝘥𝘩𝘶 means devotee or saintly person and 𝘴𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘢 means a group or gathering, so it means meeting with devotees of Krishna. Then through the association of devotees you will learn more and your faith will increase.

This is George Harrison with a group of devotees (𝘴𝘢𝘥𝘩𝘶-𝘴𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘢) increasing his 𝘴𝘳𝘢𝘥𝘥𝘩𝘢, faith.

30/10/2021

𝗡𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗕𝗵𝗮𝗸𝘁𝗶 𝗬𝗼𝗴𝗮

On the path to pure Bhakti Yoga there are nine stages, one of them is listed as number six but I think that stage develops right from the beginning. It is Taste - 𝘳𝘶𝘤𝘪, without getting some taste or satisfaction, I nearly used the word pleasure but that would be wrong, why would we continue. Why would we put up with the possible austerities and lack of material pleasures of life if we weren't getting something of greater value.

So it is taste that keeps us going, maintains our enthusiasm. Krishna Consciousness is so varied that there are endless ways to get that taste as there are endless ways to please Krishna and make him happy. We can cook for Him and his devotees, we can give Him nice clothes to wear, dress Him nicely, give Him a nice flower garland. We can tell others about Him in various ways, books, festivals, opening a temple. Looking after His cows, milking the cows and making nice sweets with it, taking care of the temple and land, growing produce to feed Him and the devotees. The oportunities to make Krishna happy are endless. Making Krishna happy will make us happy and give us even greater taste.

30/10/2021

𝗕𝗵𝗮𝗴𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗱 𝗚𝗶𝘁𝗮 𝟮.𝟮𝟬

𝘯𝘢 𝘫𝘢𝘺𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘮𝘳𝘪𝘺𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘷𝘢 𝘬𝘢𝘥𝘢𝘤𝘪𝘯
𝘯𝘢𝘺𝘢𝘮 𝘣𝘩𝘶𝘵𝘷𝘢 𝘣𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘵𝘢 𝘷𝘢 𝘯𝘢 𝘣𝘩𝘶𝘺𝘢𝘩
𝘢𝘫𝘰 𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺𝘢𝘩 𝘴𝘢𝘴𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘰 '𝘺𝘢𝘮 𝘱𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘰
𝘯𝘢 𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘢𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘳𝘦

TRANSLATION
For the soul there is neither birth nor death at any time. He has not come into being, does not come into being, and will not come into being. He is unborn, eternal, ever-existing and primeval. He is not slain when the body is slain.

PURPORT
Qualitatively, the small atomic fragmental part of the Supreme Spirit is one with the Supreme. He undergoes no changes like the body. Sometimes the soul is called the steady, or kuta-stha. The body is subject to six kinds of transformations. It takes its birth from the womb of the mother's body, remains for some time, grows, produces some effects, gradually dwindles, and at last vanishes into oblivion. The soul, however, does not go through such changes. The soul is not born, but, because he takes on a material body, the body takes its birth. The soul does not take birth there, and the soul does not die. Anything which has birth also has death. And because the soul has no birth, he therefore has no past, present or future. He is eternal, ever-existing, and primeval -- that is, there is no trace in history of his coming into being. Under the impression of the body, we seek the history of birth, etc., of the soul. The soul does not at any time become old, as the body does. The so-called old man, therefore, feels himself to be in the same spirit as in his childhood or youth. The changes of the body do not affect the soul. The soul does not deteriorate like a tree, nor anything material. The soul has no by-product either. The by-products of the body, namely children, are also different individual souls; and, owing to the body, they appear as children of a particular man. The body develops because of the soul's presence, but the soul has neither offshoots nor change. Therefore, the soul is free from the six changes of the body.
In the Katha Upanisad (1.2.18) we also find a similar passage, which reads:
𝘯𝘢 𝘫𝘢𝘺𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘮𝘳𝘪𝘺𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘷𝘢 𝘷𝘪𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘤𝘪𝘯
𝘯𝘢𝘺𝘢𝘮 𝘬𝘶𝘵𝘢𝘴𝘤𝘪𝘯 𝘯𝘢 𝘣𝘢𝘣𝘩𝘶𝘷𝘢 𝘬𝘢𝘴𝘤𝘪𝘵
𝘢𝘫𝘰 𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺𝘢𝘩 𝘴𝘢𝘴𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘰 '𝘺𝘢𝘮 𝘱𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘰
𝘯𝘢 𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘢𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘳𝘦

The meaning and purport of this verse is the same as in the Bhagavad-gita, but here in this verse there is one special word, vipascit, which means learned or with knowledge.
The soul is full of knowledge, or full always with consciousness. Therefore, consciousness is the symptom of the soul. Even if one does not find the soul within the heart, where he is situated, one can still understand the presence of the soul simply by the presence of consciousness. Sometimes we do not find the sun in the sky owing to clouds, or for some other reason, but the light of the sun is always there, and we are convinced that it is therefore daytime. As soon as there is a little light in the sky early in the morning, we can understand that the sun is in the sky. Similarly, since there is some consciousness in all bodies -- whether man or animal -- we can understand the presence of the soul. This consciousness of the soul is, however, different from the consciousness of the Supreme because the supreme consciousness is all-knowledge -- past, present and future. The consciousness of the individual soul is prone to be forgetful. When he is forgetful of his real nature, he obtains education and enlightenment from the superior lessons of Krsna. But Krsna is not like the forgetful soul. If so, Krsna's teachings of Bhagavad-gita would be useless.
There are two kinds of souls -- namely the minute particle soul (anu-atma) and the Supersoul (vibhu-atma). This is also confirmed in the Katha Upanisad (1.2.20) in this way:
𝘢𝘯𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘺𝘢𝘯 𝘮𝘢𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘩𝘪𝘺𝘢𝘯
𝘢𝘵𝘮𝘢𝘴𝘺𝘢 𝘫𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘰𝘳 𝘯𝘪𝘩𝘪𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘶𝘩𝘢𝘺𝘢𝘮
𝘵𝘢𝘮 𝘢𝘬𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘩 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘺𝘢𝘵𝘪 𝘷𝘪𝘵𝘢-𝘴𝘰𝘬𝘰
𝘥𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘩 𝘱𝘳𝘢𝘴𝘢𝘥𝘢𝘯 𝘮𝘢𝘩𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘮 𝘢𝘵𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘩

"Both the Supersoul [Paramatma] and the atomic soul [jivatma] are situated on the same tree of the body within the same heart of the living being, and only one who has become free from all material desires as well as lamentations can, by the grace of the Supreme, understand the glories of the soul." Krsna is the fountainhead of the Supersoul also, as it will be disclosed in the following chapters, and Arjuna is the atomic soul, forgetful of his real nature; therefore he requires to be enlightened by Krsna, or by His bona fide representative (the spiritual master).

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bg 2.20

My Comments
Here Srila Prabhupada gives what must be the ultimate confirmation that the soul is eternal and indestructible. He then goes on to start to explain the difference between the soul, such as you and I have and the Supersoul, Krishna.

24/09/2021

𝗕𝗵𝗮𝗴𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗱 𝗚𝗶𝘁𝗮 𝟮.𝟭𝟵

𝘺𝘢 𝘦𝘯𝘢𝘮 𝘷𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘪 𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘮
𝘺𝘢𝘴 𝘤𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘮 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘢𝘮
𝘶𝘣𝘩𝘢𝘶 𝘵𝘢𝘶 𝘯𝘢 𝘷𝘪𝘫𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘰
𝘯𝘢𝘺𝘢𝘮 𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘪 𝘯𝘢 𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘢𝘵𝘦

TRANSLATION
Neither he who thinks the living entity the slayer nor he who thinks it slain is in knowledge, for the self slays not nor is slain.

PURPORT
When an embodied living entity is hurt by fatal weapons, it is to be known that the living entity within the body is not killed. The spirit soul is so small that it is impossible to kill him by any material weapon, as will be evident from subsequent verses. Nor is the living entity killable, because of his spiritual constitution. What is killed, or is supposed to be killed, is the body only. This, however, does not at all encourage killing of the body. The Vedic injunction is ma himsyat sarva bhutani: never commit violence to anyone. Nor does understanding that the living entity is not killed encourage animal slaughter. Killing the body of anyone without authority is abominable and is punishable by the law of the state as well as by the law of the Lord. Arjuna, however, is being engaged in killing for the principle of religion, and not whimsically.

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bg 2.19

My comments
This verse may seem a little confusing at first but Srila Prabhupada clears it up in his purport. He is confirming the living entity, the soul, cannot be killed by any material weapons. The living entities are always individual and eternal parts and parcels of the Supreme Soul, and as such cannot be killed.

16/09/2021

𝗕𝗵𝗮𝗴𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗱 𝗚𝗶𝘁𝗮 𝟮.𝟭𝟴

𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘢 𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘩𝘢
𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺𝘢𝘴𝘺𝘰𝘬𝘵𝘢𝘩 𝘴𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘩
𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘰 '𝘱𝘳𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘺𝘢𝘴𝘺𝘢
𝘵𝘢𝘴𝘮𝘢𝘥 𝘺𝘶𝘥𝘩𝘺𝘢𝘴𝘷𝘢 𝘣𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘢

TRANSLATION
The material body of the indestructible, immeasurable and eternal living entity is sure to come to an end; therefore, fight, O descendant of Bharata.

PURPORT
The material body is perishable by nature. It may perish immediately, or it may do so after a hundred years. It is a question of time only. There is no chance of maintaining it indefinitely. But the spirit soul is so minute that it cannot even be seen by an enemy, to say nothing of being killed. As mentioned in the previous verse, it is so small that no one can have any idea how to measure its dimension. So from both viewpoints there is no cause of lamentation, because the living entity as he is cannot be killed nor can the material body be saved for any length of time or permanently protected. The minute particle of the whole spirit acquires this material body according to his work, and therefore observance of religious principles should be utilized. In the Vedanta-sutras the living entity is qualified as light because he is part and parcel of the supreme light. As sunlight maintains the entire universe, so the light of the soul maintains this material body. As soon as the spirit soul is out of this material body, the body begins to decompose; therefore it is the spirit soul which maintains this body. The body itself is unimportant. Arjuna was advised to fight and not sacrifice the cause of religion for material, bodily considerations.

Ref. VedaBase Bg 2.18

14/09/2021

𝗕𝗵𝗮𝗴𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗱 𝗚𝗶𝘁𝗮 𝟮.𝟭𝟳

𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘴𝘪 𝘵𝘶 𝘵𝘢𝘥 𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘥𝘩𝘪
𝘺𝘦𝘯𝘢 𝘴𝘢𝘳𝘷𝘢𝘮 𝘪𝘥𝘢𝘮 𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘢𝘮
𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘴𝘢𝘮 𝘢𝘷𝘺𝘢𝘺𝘢𝘴𝘺𝘢𝘴𝘺𝘢
𝘯𝘢 𝘬𝘢𝘴𝘤𝘪𝘵 𝘬𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘶𝘮 𝘢𝘳𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘪

TRANSLATION
That which pervades the entire body you should know to be indestructible. No one is able to destroy that imperishable soul.

PURPORT
This verse more clearly explains the real nature of the soul, which is spread all over the body. Anyone can understand what is spread all over the body: it is consciousness. Everyone is conscious of the pains and pleasures of the body in part or as a whole. This spreading of consciousness is limited within one's own body. The pains and pleasures of one body are unknown to another. Therefore, each and every body is the embodiment of an individual soul, and the symptom of the soul's presence is perceived as individual consciousness. This soul is described as one ten-thousandth part of the upper portion of the hair point in size. The Svetasvatara Upanisad (5.9) confirms this:

𝘣𝘢𝘭𝘢𝘨𝘳𝘢-𝘴𝘢𝘵𝘢-𝘣𝘩𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘴𝘺𝘢
𝘴𝘢𝘵𝘢𝘥𝘩𝘢 𝘬𝘢𝘭𝘱𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘴𝘺𝘢 𝘤𝘢
𝘣𝘩𝘢𝘨𝘰 𝘫𝘪𝘷𝘢𝘩 𝘴𝘢 𝘷𝘪𝘫𝘯𝘦𝘺𝘢𝘩
𝘴𝘢 𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘺𝘢𝘺𝘢 𝘬𝘢𝘭𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘦

"When the upper point of a hair is divided into one hundred parts and again each of such parts is further divided into one hundred parts, each such part is the measurement of the dimension of the spirit soul." Similarly the same version is stated:

𝘬𝘦𝘴𝘢𝘨𝘳𝘢-𝘴𝘢𝘵𝘢-𝘣𝘩𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘴𝘺𝘢
𝘴𝘢𝘵𝘢𝘮𝘴𝘢𝘩 𝘴𝘢𝘥𝘳𝘴𝘢𝘵𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘢𝘩
𝘫𝘪𝘷𝘢𝘩 𝘴𝘶𝘬𝘴𝘮𝘢-𝘴𝘷𝘢𝘳𝘶𝘱𝘰 '𝘺𝘢𝘮
𝘴𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘩𝘺𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘪 𝘤𝘪𝘵-𝘬𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘩
[𝘊𝘤. 𝘔𝘢𝘥𝘩𝘺𝘢 19.140]

"There are innumerable particles of spiritual atoms, which are measured as one ten-thousandth of the upper portion of the hair."

Therefore, the individual particle of spirit soul is a spiritual atom smaller than the material atoms, and such atoms are innumerable. This very small spiritual spark is the basic principle of the material body, and the influence of such a spiritual spark is spread all over the body as the influence of the active principle of some medicine spreads throughout the body. This current of the spirit soul is felt all over the body as consciousness, and that is the proof of the presence of the soul. Any layman can understand that the material body minus consciousness is a dead body, and this consciousness cannot be revived in the body by any means of material administration. Therefore, consciousness is not due to any amount of material combination, but to the spirit soul. In the Mundaka Upanisad (3.1.9) the measurement of the atomic spirit soul is further explained:

𝘦𝘴𝘰 '𝘯𝘶𝘳 𝘢𝘵𝘮𝘢 𝘤𝘦𝘵𝘢𝘴𝘢 𝘷𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘷𝘺𝘰
𝘺𝘢𝘴𝘮𝘪𝘯 𝘱𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘩 𝘱𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘢𝘥𝘩𝘢 𝘴𝘢𝘮𝘷𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴𝘢
𝘱𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘪𝘴 𝘤𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘢𝘮 𝘴𝘢𝘳𝘷𝘢𝘮 𝘰𝘵𝘢𝘮 𝘱𝘳𝘢𝘫𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘮
𝘺𝘢𝘴𝘮𝘪𝘯 𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘶𝘥𝘥𝘩𝘦 𝘷𝘪𝘣𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘺 𝘦𝘴𝘢 𝘢𝘵𝘮𝘢

"The soul is atomic in size and can be perceived by perfect intelligence. This atomic soul is floating in the five kinds of air (prana, apana, vyana, samana and udana), is situated within the heart, and spreads its influence all over the body of the embodied living entities. When the soul is purified from the contamination of the five kinds of material air, its spiritual influence is exhibited."

The hatha-yoga system is meant for controlling the five kinds of air encircling the pure soul by different kinds of sitting postures -- not for any material profit, but for liberation of the minute soul from the entanglement of the material atmosphere.

So the constitution of the atomic soul is admitted in all Vedic literatures, and it is also actually felt in the practical experience of any sane man. Only the insane man can think of this atomic soul as all-pervading visnu-tattva.

The influence of the atomic soul can be spread all over a particular body. According to the Mundaka Upanisad, this atomic soul is situated in the heart of every living entity, and because the measurement of the atomic soul is beyond the power of appreciation of the material scientists, some of them assert foolishly that there is no soul. The individual atomic soul is definitely there in the heart along with the Supersoul, and thus all the energies of bodily movement are emanating from this part of the body. The corpuscles which carry the oxygen from the lungs gather energy from the soul. When the soul passes away from this position, the activity of the blood, generating fusion, ceases. Medical science accepts the importance of the red corpuscles, but it cannot ascertain that the source of the energy is the soul. Medical science, however, does admit that the heart is the seat of all energies of the body.

Such atomic particles of the spirit whole are compared to the sunshine molecules. In the sunshine there are innumerable radiant molecules. Similarly, the fragmental parts of the Supreme Lord are atomic sparks of the rays of the Supreme Lord, called by the name prabha, or superior energy. So whether one follows Vedic knowledge or modern science, one cannot deny the existence of the spirit soul in the body, and the science of the soul is explicitly described in the Bhagavad-gita by the Personality of Godhead Himself.

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bg 2.17

13/09/2021

𝗕𝗵𝗮𝗴𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗱 𝗚𝗶𝘁𝗮 𝟮.𝟭𝟲

𝘯𝘢𝘴𝘢𝘵𝘰 𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘺𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘣𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘰
𝘯𝘢𝘣𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘰 𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘺𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘵𝘢𝘩
𝘶𝘣𝘩𝘢𝘺𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘱𝘪 𝘥𝘳𝘴𝘵𝘰 '𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘴
𝘵𝘷 𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘺𝘰𝘴 𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘷𝘢-𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘩𝘪𝘩

TRANSLATION
Those who are seers of the truth have concluded that of the nonexistent [the material body] there is no endurance and of the eternal [the soul] there is no change. This they have concluded by studying the nature of both.

PURPORT
There is no endurance of the changing body. That the body is changing every moment by the actions and reactions of the different cells is admitted by modern medical science; and thus growth and old age are taking place in the body. But the spirit soul exists permanently, remaining the same despite all changes of the body and the mind. That is the difference between matter and spirit. By nature, the body is ever changing, and the soul is eternal. This conclusion is established by all classes of seers of the truth, both impersonalist and personalist. In the Visnu Purana (2.12.38) it is stated that Visnu and His abodes all have self-illuminated spiritual existence (jyotimsi visnur bhuvanani visnuh). The words existent and nonexistent refer only to spirit and matter. That is the version of all seers of truth.

This is the beginning of the instruction by the Lord to the living entities who are bewildered by the influence of ignorance. Removal of ignorance involves the reestablishment of the eternal relationship between the worshiper and the worshipable and the consequent understanding of the difference between the part-and-parcel living entities and the Supreme Personality of Godhead. One can understand the nature of the Supreme by thorough study of oneself, the difference between oneself and the Supreme being understood as the relationship between the part and the whole. In the Vedanta-sutras, as well as in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, the Supreme has been accepted as the origin of all emanations. Such emanations are experienced by superior and inferior natural sequences. The living entities belong to the superior nature, as it will be revealed in the Seventh Chapter. Although there is no difference between the energy and the energetic, the energetic is accepted as the Supreme, and energy or nature is accepted as the subordinate. The living entities, therefore, are always subordinate to the Supreme Lord, as in the case of the master and the servant, or the teacher and the taught. Such clear knowledge is impossible to understand under the spell of ignorance, and to drive away such ignorance the Lord teaches the Bhagavad-gita for the enlightenment of all living entities for all time.

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bg 2.16

My Comments
What little I know can't add much more to Srila Prabhupada's purport. However, as an engineer by profession I know that nothing in this world is permanent, even the ships I worked on rust and corrode back to nothing, trees rot, and bricks return to sand after time. Yet the soul lives on, when someone dies, we often say ‘Oh he has gone’ yet the body is still lying on the bed just as it did before he died, so what has gone? The soul obviously, we acknowledge that there is something else other than the body, the soul, or spirit, whatever you may call it. I did not come to this philosophy through sentimentality but through analytical study, logic, and science.

07/09/2021

𝗕𝗵𝗮𝗴𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗱 𝗚𝗶𝘁𝗮 𝟮.𝟭𝟱

𝘺𝘢𝘮 𝘩𝘪 𝘯𝘢 𝘷𝘺𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘺𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘺 𝘦𝘵𝘦
𝘱𝘶𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘢𝘮 𝘱𝘶𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘢𝘳𝘴𝘢𝘣𝘩𝘢
𝘴𝘢𝘮𝘢-𝘥𝘶𝘩𝘬𝘩𝘢-𝘴𝘶𝘬𝘩𝘢𝘮 𝘥𝘩𝘪𝘳𝘢𝘮
𝘴𝘰 '𝘮𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘷𝘢𝘺𝘢 𝘬𝘢𝘭𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘦

TRANSLATION
O best among men [Arjuna], the person who is not disturbed by happiness and distress and is steady in both is certainly eligible for liberation.

PURPORT
Anyone who is steady in his determination for the advanced stage of spiritual realization and can equally tolerate the onslaughts of distress and happiness is certainly a person eligible for liberation. In the varnasrama institution, the fourth stage of life, namely the renounced order (sannyasa), is a painstaking situation. But one who is serious about making his life perfect surely adopts the sannyasa order of life in spite of all difficulties. The difficulties usually arise from having to sever family relationships, to give up the connection of wife and children. But if anyone is able to tolerate such difficulties, surely his path to spiritual realization is complete. Similarly, in Arjuna's discharge of duties as a ksatriya, he is advised to persevere, even if it is difficult to fight with his family members or similarly beloved persons. Lord Caitanya took sannyasa at the age of twenty-four, and His dependents, young wife as well as old mother, had no one else to look after them. Yet for a higher cause He took sannyasa and was steady in the discharge of higher duties. That is the way of achieving liberation from material bo***ge.

Ref. VedaBase Bg 2.15

My Comments
If you can maintain this position of being able to tolerate the difficulties of happiness and distress, you can make great advances in spiritual life. However, it will also make this material life much easier, being tolerant of everything going on around you will help to reduce any stress and anxieties you may have.

These are some of the qualities of a devotee, tolerance, patience, humility, equipoised, being steady, these will all help you to make spiritual advancement. The side effects of these qualities will make you calm, much more self-aware, give you peace of mind. To do this you have to learn to control your mind, rather than allowing it to control you. We will explore this as we progress through the Bhagavad Gita

06/09/2021

𝗕𝗵𝗮𝗴𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗱 𝗚𝗶𝘁𝗮 𝟮.𝟭𝟰

𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘳𝘢-𝘴𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘴𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘶 𝘬𝘢𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘺𝘢
𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘰𝘴𝘯𝘢-𝘴𝘶𝘬𝘩𝘢-𝘥𝘶𝘩𝘬𝘩𝘢-𝘥𝘢𝘩
𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘮𝘢𝘱𝘢𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘰 '𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺𝘢𝘴
𝘵𝘢𝘮𝘴 𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘬𝘴𝘢𝘴𝘷𝘢 𝘣𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘢

TRANSLATION
O son of Kunti, the nonpermanent appearance of happiness and distress, and their disappearance in due course, are like the appearance and disappearance of winter and summer seasons. They arise from sense perception, O scion of Bharata, and one must learn to tolerate them without being disturbed.

PURPORT
In the proper discharge of duty, one has to learn to tolerate nonpermanent appearances and disappearances of happiness and distress. According to Vedic injunction, one has to take his bath early in the morning even during the month of Magha (January-February). It is very cold at that time, but in spite of that a man who abides by the religious principles does not hesitate to take his bath. Similarly, a woman does not hesitate to cook in the kitchen in the months of May and June, the hottest part of the summer season. One has to execute his duty in spite of climatic inconveniences. Similarly, to fight is the religious principle of the ksatriyas, and although one has to fight with some friend or relative, one should not deviate from his prescribed duty. One has to follow the prescribed rules and regulations of religious principles in order to rise up to the platform of knowledge, because by knowledge and devotion only can one liberate himself from the clutches of maya (illusion).

The two different names of address given to Arjuna are also significant. To address him as Kaunteya signifies his great blood relations from his mother's side; and to address him as Bharata signifies his greatness from his father's side. From both sides he is supposed to have a great heritage. A great heritage brings responsibility in the matter of proper discharge of duties; therefore, he cannot avoid fighting.

Ref. VedaBase Bg 2.14

My Comments
This verse talks of the importance of being steady, and self-controlled so that whatever circumstances you may find yourself in you can remain equipoised, whether in in happiness or distress, summer or winter, being glorified or degraded.

Srila Prabhupada uses the term “nonpermanent appearances and disappearances”. So, these conditions are not permanent, nothing in the material world is permanent, even our body is constantly changing, everything is temporary. When we are in distress, we can take comfort that it will not last forever, but also great happiness will not last forever. Therefore being steady and self-controlled is the balanced position, being equipoised in all circumstances.

05/09/2021

𝗕𝗵𝗮𝗴𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗱 𝗚𝗶𝘁𝗮 𝟮.𝟭𝟯

𝘥𝘦𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘰 '𝘴𝘮𝘪𝘯 𝘺𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘢 𝘥𝘦𝘩𝘦
𝘬𝘢𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘮 𝘺𝘢𝘶𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘮 𝘫𝘢𝘳𝘢
𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘢 𝘥𝘦𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘢-𝘱𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘳
𝘥𝘩𝘪𝘳𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘳𝘢 𝘯𝘢 𝘮𝘶𝘩𝘺𝘢𝘵𝘪

TRANSLATION
As the embodied soul continuously passes, in this body, from boyhood to youth to old age, the soul similarly passes into another body at death. A sober person is not bewildered by such a change.

PURPORT
Since every living entity is an individual soul, each is changing his body every moment, manifesting sometimes as a child, sometimes as a youth, and sometimes as an old man. Yet the same spirit soul is there and does not undergo any change. This individual soul finally changes the body at death and transmigrates to another body; and since it is sure to have another body in the next birth -- either material or spiritual -- there was no cause for lamentation by Arjuna on account of death, neither for Bhisma nor for Drona, for whom he was so much concerned. Rather, he should rejoice for their changing bodies from old to new ones, thereby rejuvenating their energy. Such changes of body account for varieties of enjoyment or suffering, according to one's work in life. So Bhisma and Drona, being noble souls, were surely going to have spiritual bodies in the next life, or at least life in heavenly bodies for superior enjoyment of material existence. So, in either case, there was no cause of lamentation.

Any man who has perfect knowledge of the constitution of the individual soul, the Supersoul, and nature -- both material and spiritual -- is called a dhira, or a most sober man. Such a man is never deluded by the change of bodies.

The Mayavadi theory of oneness of the spirit soul cannot be entertained, on the ground that the spirit soul cannot be cut into pieces as a fragmental portion. Such cutting into different individual souls would make the Supreme cleavable or changeable, against the principle of the Supreme Soul's being unchangeable. As confirmed in the Gita, the fragmental portions of the Supreme exist eternally (sanatana) and are called ksara; that is, they have a tendency to fall down into material nature. These fragmental portions are eternally so, and even after liberation the individual soul remains the same -- fragmental. But once liberated, he lives an eternal life in bliss and knowledge with the Personality of Godhead. The theory of reflection can be applied to the Supersoul, who is present in each and every individual body and is known as the Paramatma. He is different from the individual living entity. When the sky is reflected in water, the reflections represent both the sun and the moon and the stars also. The stars can be compared to the living entities and the sun or the moon to the Supreme Lord. The individual fragmental spirit soul is represented by Arjuna, and the Supreme Soul is the Personality of Godhead Sri Krsna. They are not on the same level, as it will be apparent in the beginning of the Fourth Chapter. If Arjuna is on the same level with Krsna, and Krsna is not superior to Arjuna, then their relationship of instructor and instructed becomes meaningless. If both of them are deluded by the illusory energy (maya), then there is no need of one being the instructor and the other the instructed. Such instruction would be useless because, in the clutches of maya, no one can be an authoritative instructor. Under the circumstances, it is admitted that Lord Krsna is the Supreme Lord, superior in position to the living entity, Arjuna, who is a forgetful soul deluded by maya.

Ref. VedaBase Bg 2.13

My Comments
This verse again confirms the individuality of the soul separate from the Supersoul, but it also establishes the principle of reincarnation as it tells us the soul passes from one body to another at the time of death. Just like when we have a coat that becomes old and tattered, we throw it away and buy as new one, the soul throws away the old and tattered body and gets a new one.

In the purport Srila Prabhupada touches on the point of what life Bhishma and Drona will have in their next life, and that it would be a spiritual life or a very high material life due to the life they have lived in their present life. This then establishes the principle of karma.

These two principles answered so many questions for me that I really began to take the Bhagavad Gita seriously, and still today it continues to answer questions. Every time I read Bhagavad Gita I get something new from it, something I had not seen or realised before. One time when giving a class in India to a group of students, while one of them was reading Srila Prabhupada’s purport something new came out of the page, I was quite surprised, almost shocked to get this new insight under such circumstances.

So it was these last two verses that spurred me on to become the devotee I am today.

Bhakti - The Art of Eternal Love

25/03/2023

10/12/2022

21/11/2021

30/10/2021

30/10/2021

24/09/2021

16/09/2021

14/09/2021

13/09/2021

07/09/2021

06/09/2021

05/09/2021

Address

Website

Alerts

Shortcuts

Share

Category