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Thread: VaishNav Basics

  1. #11

    Re: VaishNav Basics

    Quote Originally Posted by Philippe* View Post
    Thank you very much smaranam for this video. I find it spiritually deep and very powerful. It inspires me a lot.

    Regards,

    Philippe
    Namaste Philippe

    I had not seen this post. Glad to hear that. Yes, its beautiful , that video.

    Om Namo NArAyaNAya
    || Shri KRshNArpaNamastu ||

  2. #12

    Re: VaishNav Basics

    | om namo bhagavate vAsudevAya |

    In his purport to Shrimad Bhagvatam 7.5.23-24 (Navadha Bhakti - 9 ways of devotional service) , Shrila PrabhupAd writes :

    "Rūpa Gosvāmī states:
    śrī-viṣṇoḥ śravaṇe parīkṣid abhavad vaiyāsakiḥ kīrtane
    prahlādaḥ smaraṇe tad-ańghri-bhajane lakṣmīḥ pṛthuḥ pūjane
    akrūras tv abhivandane kapi-patir dāsye 'tha sakhye 'rjunaḥ
    sarvasvātma-nivedane balir abhūt kṛṣṇāptir eṣāḿ param


    "Parīkṣit Mahārāja attained salvation simply by hearing, and Śukadeva Gosvāmī attained salvation simply by chanting. Prahlāda Mahārāja attained salvation by remembering the Lord. The goddess of fortune, Lakṣmīdevī, attained perfection by worshiping the Lord's lotus feet. Pṛthu Mahārāja attained salvation by worshiping the Deity of the Lord. Akrūra attained salvation by offering prayers, Hanumān by rendering service, Arjuna by establishing friendship with the Lord, and Bali Mahārāja by offering everything to the service of the Lord." All these great devotees served the Lord according to a particular process, but every one of them attained salvation and became eligible to return home, back to Godhead. This is explained in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
    "


    He also writes in the same purport (which elaborates on each of the line limbs of bhakti) :

    (5) Arcanam. After pāda-sevanam comes the process of arcanam, worship of the Deity. If one is interested in the process of arcanam, one must positively take shelter of a bona fide spiritual master and learn the process from him. There are many books for arcana, especially Nārada-pańcarātra. In this age, the pańcarātra system is particularly recommended for arcana, Deity worship. There are two systems of arcana — the bhāgavata system and pāńcarātrikī system. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam there is no recommendation of pāńcarātrikī worship because in this Kali-yuga, even without Deity worship, everything can be perfectly performed simply through hearing, chanting, remembering and worship of the lotus feet of the Lord.

    ----
    This is refering to formal worship. However, its very nice, and recommended, to have an altar with at least a picture, where one can offer flowers, water, fruits, incense, and also food. Any of these with love, and KRshNa accepts it gladly.
    If food is offered to BhagavAn it has to be pure vegetarian and preferably cooked at home. Post #3 shows a link to "Offering Food to Krishna" , with guidelines on vegetarian food.

    The simplest prayer at this time , could be in ones own words, as well as the mantras (post#4 shows some).

    There are websites on Deity Worship too. I am not qualified to say anything, but my understanding is, any type of regular and routine archana - puja taken up by a devotee has to be done with sankalpa - determination. It has to be the least level of detail that can be continued in future in all/most circumstances unless there is a very good reason not to continue. This probably explains partly why it should be initiated by the Guru. The Guru knows the disciple.

    Jai Shri KRshNa
    || Shri KRshNArpaNamastu ||

  3. #13

    Re: VaishNav Basics

    Quote Originally Posted by smaranam View Post
    Namaste Philippe

    I had not seen this post. Glad to hear that. Yes, its beautiful , that video.

    Om Namo NArAyaNAya
    Namaste smaranam,

    Since I have seen this video, the mantra is coming to my mind day and night. It is such a blessing. I just wanted to know for details, do we have to receive it usually from a guru in the vaishnava tradition ?
    A few years back, when I knew less about Sanatana Dharma, I heard inside "NArAyaNa, NArAyaNa" for some time. It happened during a night. I was immersed in a state of bliss for days. I discovered later that nArada muni says often "nArAyaNa, nArAyaNa". Since then, this mantra has very powerful effects on me.

    Regards,

    Philippe

  4. #14

    Re: VaishNav Basics

    Quote Originally Posted by Philippe* View Post
    Namaste smaranam,

    Since I have seen this video, the mantra is coming to my mind day and night. It is such a blessing. I just wanted to know for details, do we have to receive it usually from a guru in the vaishnava tradition ?
    A few years back, when I knew less about Sanatana Dharma, I heard inside "NArAyaNa, NArAyaNa" for some time. It happened during a night. I was immersed in a state of bliss for days. I discovered later that nArada muni says often "nArAyaNa, nArAyaNa". Since then, this mantra has very powerful effects on me.

    Regards,

    Philippe
    Namaste Phillipe,

    I am so sorry , i had not seen this post, and actually had not been coming here (to HDF) for months. Just got busy with things, as KRshNa has been taking me on trips...
    I apologize, and hope you are still around to read this.

    If you hear ""nArAyaNa, nArAyaNa" inside, guess who it was ?
    1. Your antaryAmi, the Supersoul, ParamAtmA, guiding you
    2. Past life saMskArs can also do this, but its ultimately the paramAtmA.

    If the guidance was so pavitra (auspicious), what to speak of the guide, the Guru within. Please just go for this mantra, and i believe you are already doing this. My feeling is, that denying or brushing off our very own Dearest paramAtmA as "it is all in my mind" or "it is my imagination" can be a mistake and i personally look at it as not honoring Him, the closest and the Dearest to our heart.

    When i met KRshNa, it was night too, but i wasn't asleep. Ever since then KRshNa, VAsudev, DwArkAdheesh, has been with me. I was also immersed in bliss for KRshNa alone knows how many days as i had lost track of time. He is also my BABY PARAMATMA as Baal Gopaal who comes crawling into my lap.

    When Lord BrahmA wanted to know WHO exactly His source was, and also how to create the Universe, he meditated and heard a voice within "tapa tapah:" (means meditate) . That was Lord VishNu, BhagavAn instructing Lord BrahmA as his antaryAmi , paramAtmA. That is when Lord BrahmA understood there is someone superior to Him and he should follow HIS instructions for creating the Universe.

    Now, about receiving it from a living Guru, yes, usually the tradition emphasizes on a Guru. So it is your personal decision, and it is also said that "when one is ready, the Guru comes to you" or better, ShrimAn nArAyaN Hari will send you a Guru if that is what He has planned for you. Sometimes, the Lord remains the Guru from within and we must try to communicate with Him. The Lord knows what works for us in this life, so now all you have to do is just leave it to Him, i.e. truly surrender at His Lotus Feet. Finally, the kind and gracious nArAyaN has already provided you with numerous shikshA Gurus (which includes people, books and information sources), from whom you can learn. He is so kind that He also gives the guidance to discriminate between what to choose and what to leave.

    This is my personal viewpoint, and to be applied in this context, i.e. Phillipe's.

    Om Namo nArAyaNAya ~
    Jai Shri KRshNa

    smaranam
    Last edited by smaranam; 06 February 2011 at 05:47 PM. Reason: added perspective about external Guru
    || Shri KRshNArpaNamastu ||

  5. #15

    Re: VaishNav Basics

    Welcome back Smaranamji
    very good post
    thanks and pl continue .

  6. #16

    Re: VaishNav Basics

    praNAm GuptaJi

    Jai Shri KRshNa
    || Shri KRshNArpaNamastu ||

  7. #17

    Re: VaishNav Basics

    || Om Namo Bhagavate VAsudevAya ||

    What is SHUDDHA BHAKTI ?

    Although one should hear about shuddha (pure) ahaituki bhakti from an adhikAri (authority), please consider this post as a non-adhikAri's humble attempt to be a writing instrument of KRshNa and His adhikAri devotees.

    DEFINITION: Shuddha Bhakti = ahaituki bhakti : a + haituki (derived from hetu = intention, ultimate purpose) :

    Selfless Devotion (bhakti) without a desire to obtain anything in return. Bhakti for the sake of bhakti, love for the sake of love. Love without any selfish motive, including liberation as in moksha, heaven, siddhis (powers) and knowledge towards these (except for knowledge of paramAtmA, BhagavAn - the Supreme Person, God).

    The one and only target , object of Love is the Supreme Person - BhagavAn, ParamAtmA - Shri KRshNa or NArAyaN (VishNu , VAsudev who is everywhere). Only the Supreme Person can actually love. The living entities' expression of love in this material world is a perverted reflection of true selfless untainted love. While under the modes of material nature (sattva raja tamo guNa ) one is seeking something in return or keeping expectations.

    Examples of shuddha ahaituki bhakti from the stalwarts of bhakti:

    1. DAmodar Asktakam composed by Satyavrata Muni (sage):

    Text Four:
    varam deva! moksham na mokshavadhim va 
na canyam vrne 'ham varesad apiha 
idam te vapur natha! gopala-balam 
sada me manasy avirastam kim anyaih
    Translation 
" O Lord, although You are able to give all kinds of benedictions, I do not pray to You for liberation, nor eternal life in Vaikuntha, nor any other boon. My only prayer is that Your childhood pastimes may constantly appear in my mind. O Lord, I do not even want to know your feature of Paramatma. I simply wish that Your childhood pastimes may ever be enacted in my heart."

    Watch and read here: http://www.slideshare.net/krishnabha...amodarashtakam

    2. JagannAth ashtakam by Chaitanya MahAprabhu:

    na vai yace rajyam na ca kanaka-manikya-vibhavam
    na yace ’ham ramyam sakala-jana-kamyam vara-vadhum
    sada kale kale pramatha-patina gita-carito
    jagannathah svami nayana-patha-gami bhavatu me (7)

     
    I do not pray to Jagannatha for a kingdom, nor for gold, jewels, wealth, or even for
    a beautiful wife as desired by all men. My only prayer is that Shri Jagannathadeva,
    whose splendid glories are always sung by Shiva, be the constant object of my vision.

    http://nitaaiveda.com/Compiled_and_I...athastakam.htm

    3. Chaitanya MahAprabhu in His shishtak (8 verses, His only written word):

    Verse 8 

aslisya va pada-ratam pinastu mam 
adarsanan marma-hatam karotu va 
yatha tatha va vidadhatu lampato 
mat-prana-nathas tu sa eva naparah 


    I know no one but Krsna as my Lord, and He shall remain so even if He handles me roughly by His embrace or makes me brokenhearted by not being present before me. He is completely free to do anything and everything, for He is always my worshipful Lord, unconditionally.

    http://www.poemhunter.com/best-poems...sikshashtakam/

    4. Lord Chaitanya on Japa - chanting the holy names of the Lord:

    Chaitanya Shikshashtak Verse 3 


    trnAd api sunicena 

    taror api sahisNuna 

    amAnina mAnadena 

    kirtaniyah sadA harih
    


    One should chant the holy name of the Lord in a humble state of mind, thinking oneself lower than the straw in the street; one should be more tolerant than a tree, devoid of all sense of false prestige, and should be ready to offer all respect to others. In such a state of mind one can chant the holy name of the Lord constantly.

    BhagavAn Shri KRshNa in Bhagavad Gita
    Chater 10, Vibhuti Yog: "Of sacrifices I am Japa-yadnya"

    For more info, see hyperlinks to bhakti websites in post 3 on this thread.

    Govindam Adi Purusham Tam aham bhajAmi ~
    || Shri KRshNArpaNamastu ||

  8. #18
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    Re: VaishNav Basics

    A big Wow....

    Very beautiful collection.. Jewels of Bhakthi Rasa. Delighted is the only expression i am left with dear smaranam.

  9. #19

    Re: VaishNav Basics

    Very good post Smaranamji
    Na tadasti prithivyaam vaa divi deveshu vaa punah;
    Sattwam prakritijairmuktam yadebhih syaat tribhirgunaih.
    There is no being on earth or again in heaven among the gods that is liberated from the
    three qualities born of Nature.
    Yatah pravrittirbhootaanaam yena sarvamidam tatam;
    Swakarmanaa tamabhyarchya siddhim vindati maanavah.
    He from whom all the beings have evolved and by whom all this is pervaded,
    worshipping Him with his own duty, man attains perfection.
    Ya imam paramam guhyam madbhakteshvabhidhaasyati;
    Bhaktim mayi paraam [duty with bhakti in mind ] kritwaa maamevaishyatyasamshayah.
    He who with supreme devotion to Me will teach this supreme secret to My devotees,
    shall doubtless come to Me.
    For people like us this type of bhakti which leads us to think the parmatma as doer and jeevatma as medium ,applies, in my opinion .

  10. #20

    Re: VaishNav Basics

    praNAm

    Quote Originally Posted by grames View Post
    Very beautiful collection.. Jewels of Bhakthi Rasa. Delighted is the only expression i am left with dear smaranam.
    Glad to be of service. I came here to post this yesterday, and to my pleasant surprise, found that you had been talking about the ShikshAshtak as well !

    Quote Originally Posted by kd gupta View Post
    Yatah pravrittirbhootaanaam yena sarvamidam tatam;
    Swakarmanaa tamabhyarchya siddhim vindati maanavah.
    He from whom all the beings have evolved and by whom all this is pervaded,
    worshipping Him with his own duty, man attains perfection.
    True, svadharma.

    Quote Originally Posted by kd gupta View Post
    For people like us this type of bhakti which leads us to think the parmatma as doer and jeevatma as medium ,applies, in my opinion .
    Oh yes. KRshNa makes it appear as if i am doing things, then He works behind the scenes, quietly.

    Technically, neither is ShyAmsundar the doer nor am i. "Dear mAyA Devi (prakruti), do what You want. We are out of here."

    JagannAth SwAmi nayana path gAmi bhuvatu me ~
    Last edited by smaranam; 21 February 2011 at 08:12 AM.
    || Shri KRshNArpaNamastu ||

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