Thursday, 11 June 2015

Ten Basic Principles

1.The Vedas are self revealed truths.
2.They declare that Hari is the Absolute Person of the Godhead and is one without a second;
3.He is endowed with all the potencies in the fullest degree;
4.He is the ocean of all rasas (the principle that is palatable to the pure soul) ;
5.The jévas are His discrete parts ;
6.Some of them are enthralled by His deluding potency or Maya ;
7.Some are free beings or liberated souls eternally rendering loving service to Him under the guidance of His internal exhilarating energy ;
8.Both the jévas and the phenomenal are His manifestations simultaneously distinct and non-distinct from Him;
9.Pure devotion is the means of attaining the highest end of spiritual existence.
10.Krishna-Prema or Divine Love for Krishna is the summum bonum of human existence.  

Sunday, 15 February 2015

Demons Killed by Krishna

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura in his Sri Caitanya Siksamrita describes the demons Krishna killed in His Vrndavana pastimes and the anarthas (unwanted things) with which they may be associated.
  1. Putana (the witch) - the pseudo guru.
  2. Sakatasura (the cart demon) - carrying the burden of a cart-load of old and new bad habits, lethargy and vanity. 
  3. Trinavarta (the whirlwind demon) - false pride which comes from material scholarship, which leads to bogus philosophies. 
  4. Deliverance of Nalakuvara and Manigriva (breaking the twin arjuna trees) - Arrogant pride which comes from puffed-up prestige, which is rooted in a madness for wealth. 
  5. Vatsasura (the calf demon) - a childish type of mentality which gives rise to a type of greediness which results in a wicked type of mischievousness. 
  6. Bakasura (stork demon) - Cunning duplicity, deceptiveness and false types of behavior.
  7. Aghasura (the snake demon) - Cruelty and violence. 
  8. Brahma-vimohana Pastime (Lord Brahma steals the cowherd boys and calves) - mundane activities and speculative scholasticism. 
  9. Dhenukasura (the ass demon) - gross materialistic intelligence, ignorance of spiritual knowledge. 
  10. Kaliya (chastising the Kaliya serpent) - brutality and treachery. 
  11. Extinguishing the Forest Fire - inter-communal discord among Vaishnavas. 
  12. Pralambasura (killing the Pralamba demon) - lusty inclinations; desire for personal gain and honor. 
  13. Second Forest Fire - disturbance of religious principles and interference with religious people by those who are atheist. 
  14. Brahmanas Performing Sacrifice - indifference toward Krishna caused by pride because of one's status (position) in varnasrama. 
  15. Overcoming the Pride of Indra - demigod worship, and the tendency to think "I am Supreme." 
  16. Nanda Maharaja Captured by Varuna - thinking that spiritual life can be enhanced by intoxication. 
  17. Nanda Maharaja Swallowed by Vidyadhara (the snake) - rescuing the truth of Krishna consciousness from being swallowed by the impersonalists. 
  18. Sankhacuda (killing the conch-shell demon and getting the jewel that was stolen by him) - proneness toward acquiring name and fame, and desire for sensuous enjoyment, under the plea of devotion. 
  19. Aristasura (the bull demon) - pride arising from indulging in false religions invented by cheaters which causes neglect of devotional service (bhakti). 
  20. Kesi (the horse demon) - The feeling that "I am a great devotee and spiritual master." 
  21. Vyomasura (the demon in the sky) - associating with thieves and other rascals, and with people who put themselves forward as avataras.

Bhaktivinoda Thakura says: "The devotee who worships the holy name should first petition the Lord for the strength to cast out all these unfavorable tendencies and should pray thus before Lord Hari on a daily basis. By doing this regularly, the devotee's heart will eventually become purified. Sri Krishna has killed a number of demons which may arise in the kingdom of the heart, so in order to destroy these problems, a devotee must cry very humbly before the Lord and admit defeat then the Lord will nullify all contaminations."

Siksamrta

Friday, 30 January 2015

Four types of illusion

1) Illusion about one's own identity 
2) Illusion about the Supreme Lord 
3) Illusion about the processes of sadhana and prema-bhakti
4) Illusion regarding subjects unfavorable to Krishna consciousness 

Four types of material desires

1) Desire for material objects 
2) Desire for heavenly comforts 
3) Desire for mystic powers 
4) Desire for liberation 

Four types of offenses

1) Offenses to the holy name 
2) Offenses to the Deity 
3) Offenses to the devotees 
4) Offenses to other living entities 

Four types of weakness

1) Attachment to objects not related to Krishna 
2) Deceitfulness or fault-finding
3) Enviousness 
4) Desire for fame

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