One Purpose with Brajsundar Das: Recent Episodes
Brajsundar Das
Brajsundar Das is on a mission to spread the ancient wisdom of Bhagavata purana and Bhagavad Gita to a wider audience. His One Purpose podcast offers revealed knowledge from the Vedas, the oldest and most widely recognized source of transcendental science in the world. Listeners can tune in to the latest episodes on alternate days from anywhere they get their podcasts.
The podcast offers practical learning from our rich history, drawing real-life lessons from the examples set by great personalities throughout time. Whether you're looking to deepen your spiritual understanding or simply seeking inspiration to live a more fulfilling life, One Purpose has something for everyone.
With Brajsundar as your guide, you can explore the profound wisdom of the Vedas and discover how it can help you navigate the challenges of modern life with greater ease and grace. Tune in to One Purpose today and start your journey towards greater spiritual growth and understanding!
Complete Srimad Bhagavatam | ISKCON Simhachalam | Germany | Europe | Part 10 - Brajsundar Das
Complete Srimad Bhagavatam | ISKCON Simhachalam | Germany | Europe | Part 9 - Brajsundar Das
Complete Srimad Bhagavatam | ISKCON Simhachalam | Germany | Europe | Part 8 - Brajsundar Das
Complete Srimad Bhagavatam | ISKCON Simhachalam | Germany | Europe | Part 7 - Brajsundar Das
Complete Srimad Bhagavatam | ISKCON Simhachalam | Germany | Europe | Part 4 - Brajsundar Das
Complete Srimad Bhagavatam | ISKCON Simhachalam | Germany | Europe | Part 4 - Brajsundar Das
How was the great emperor Parīkṣit, who was a highly intelligent and great devotee, born in that womb? How did his death take place, and what did he achieve after his death?
The Bhāgavatam states that the pure devotee is always within the core of the heart of the Lord, and the Lord is always within the heart of the devotee. (SB 9.4.68: "The pure devotee is always within the core of My heart, and I am always in the heart of the pure devotee. My devotees do not know anything else but Me, and I do not know anyone else but them.")
There is a need for the science of Kṛṣṇa in human society for the good of all suffering humanity of the world, and we simply request the leaders of all nations to pick up this science of Kṛṣṇa for their own good, for the good of society and for the good of all the world’s people.
The Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the science of Kṛṣṇa, the Absolute Personality of Godhead of whom we have preliminary information from the text of the Bhagavad-gītā. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has said that anyone, regardless of what he is, who is well versed in the science of Kṛṣṇa (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and Bhagavad-gītā) can become an authorized preacher or preceptor in the science of Kṛṣṇa.
The Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the science of Kṛṣṇa, the Absolute Personality of Godhead of whom we have preliminary information from the text of the Bhagavad-gītā. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has said that anyone, regardless of what he is, who is well versed in the science of Kṛṣṇa (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and Bhagavad-gītā) can become an authorized preacher or preceptor in the science of Kṛṣṇa.
The original source of all energies is the living force, and He is logically accepted as the Supreme Person. He is therefore conscious of everything past, present and future, and also of each and every corner of His manifestations, both material and spiritual. An imperfect living being does not even know what is happening within his own personal body. He eats his food but does not know how this food is transformed into energy or how it sustains his body. When a living being is perfect, he is aware of everything that happens, and since the Supreme Person is all-perfect, it is quite natural that He knows everything in all detail. Consequently the perfect personality is addressed in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam as Vāsudeva, or one who lives everywhere in full consciousness and in full possession of His complete energy. All of this is clearly explained in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and the reader has ample opportunity to study this critically.
The words janmādy asya suggest that the source of all production, maintenance or destruction is the same supreme conscious person. Even in our present experience we can know that nothing is generated from inert matter, but inert matter can be generated from the living entity.
The Supreme Person, or parameśvara, is the supreme conscious personality, and because He does not derive any power from any other source, He is supremely independent. In the Vedic literatures Brahmā is described as the supreme god or the head of all other gods like Indra, Candra and Varuṇa, but the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam confirms that even Brahmā is not independent as far as his power and knowledge are concerned. He received knowledge in the form of the Vedas from the Supreme Person who resides within the heart of every living being. That Supreme Personality knows everything directly and indirectly. Individual infinitesimal persons, who are parts and parcels of the Supreme Personality, may know directly and indirectly everything about their bodies or external features, but the Supreme Personality knows everything about both His external and internal features.
The basic principle of Krishna consciousness is unacceptable to most people, still many are attached to the idea of presenting themselves as pious persons and great devotees even though they reject the basic principle. They can not understand Krishna consciousness because they do not surrender to a pure devotee of Krishna.
Actually it is not possible to understand Krishna consciousness by practicing austerities, by following regulative principles, by chanting a certain number of rounds; even by reading books one can not understand Krishna consciousness. The secrets of Krishna consciousness are hidden within the hearts of Krishna’s pure devotees and there is absolutely no way we can ever understand and realize this ‘confidential knowledge’ unless we find a pure devotee of Krishna and surrender to him completely and make his instructions our life and soul. Then, if we are successful in getting the blessings and mercy of Krishna’s pure devotee it will be possible for us to understand Krishna consciousness. Otherwise Krishna consciousness will remain for us forever something theoretical and we will never experience the transcendental bliss, the happiness, the ecstasy and the real spiritual realizations that a real devotee experiences when practicing Krishna consciousness under the directions of his bona fide, pure devotee spiritual master.
“The Supreme Personality of Godhead is the cause of all causes, the original person from whom everything has emanated. He is the root cause of this cosmic manifestation, and the entire cosmos rests in Him, yet He is transcendental, for He does everything in relation to the material world through His external energy. He is eternally situated in the spiritual world — in Vaikuṇṭha or Goloka Vṛndāvana — where He engages in His eternal pastimes. The material world is a product of His external energy, or material nature, which works under His direction. It is thus that creation, maintenance and annihilation take place. The Lord exists at all times. This is extremely difficult for a nondevotee to understand. Although the transcendental Supreme Personality of Godhead is perceivable by everyone, only the pure devotees perceive His presence and activities. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is completely free from material birth, death, old age and disease. Indeed, if anyone in this material world takes shelter of Him, he also becomes situated in that transcendental position. For the satisfaction of the devotee (paritrāṇāya sādhūnām), the Lord appears and exhibits His activities. His appearance, disappearance and other pastimes are not at all material. One who knows this secret can enter the kingdom of God. In the Lord, all opposing elements are adjusted. The Lord is situated in everyone’s heart. He is the controller of everything, He is the witness of all activities, and He is the original source of all living entities. Indeed, all living entities are parts of Him, for He is the origin of Mahā-Viṣṇu, who is the source of the living entities within this material world.
Every householder should be very careful because even though a householder may try to conquer the senses, he becomes a victim to the association of relatives and falls down. Thus a gṛhastha must become a vānaprastha or sannyāsī, live in a secluded place, and be satisfied with food gotten by begging from door to door. He must chant the oṁkāra mantra or Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, and in this way he will perceive transcendental bliss within himself. After taking sannyāsa, however, if one returns to gṛhastha life, he is called a vāntāśī, which means “one who eats his own vomit.” Such a person is shameless. A householder should not give up the ritualistic ceremonies, and a sannyāsī should not live in society. If a sannyāsī is agitated by the senses, he is a cheater influenced by the modes of passion and ignorance. When one assumes a role in goodness by starting philanthropic and altruistic activities, such activities become impediments on the path of devotional service.
The occupational duties of the householder according to the time, the country and the performer. When Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja became very much inquisitive about the occupational duties for the householder, Nārada Muni advised him that a gṛhastha’s first duty is to be fully dependent on Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa, and to try to satisfy Him in all respects by executing one’s prescribed devotional service. This devotional service will depend on the instructions of authorities and the association of devotees who are actually engaged in devotional service. The beginning of devotional service is śravaṇam, or hearing. One must hear from the mouths of realized souls. In this way the gṛhastha’s attraction to his wife and children will gradually be reduced.
Prahlada Maharaja’s instructions to his class friends.
In speaking to his friends, who were all sons of demons, Prahlada Maharaja stressed that every living entity, especially in human society, must be interested in spiritual realization from the very beginning of life.
When human beings are children, they should be taught that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the worshipable Deity for everyone.
One should not be very much interested in material enjoyment; instead, one should be satisfied with whatever material profits are easily obtainable, and because the duration of one’s life is very short, one should utilize every moment for spiritual advancement.
This is an indication of the relationship between husband and wife. A great personality like Cyavana Muni has the temperament of always wanting to be in a superior position. Such a person cannot submit to anyone. Therefore, Cyavana Muni had an irritable temperament. His wife, Sukanyā, could understand his attitude, and under the circumstances she treated him accordingly. If any wife wants to be happy with her husband, she must try to understand her husband's temperament and please him. This is victory for a woman.
Yamarāja said, “The essence of sanātana-dharma, or eternal religion, is extremely confidential. No one but the Lord Himself can deliver that confidential religious system to human society. It is by the mercy of the Lord that the transcendental system of religion can be understood by His pure devotees, and specifically by the twelve mahājanas Lord Brahmā, Nārada Muni, Lord Śiva, the Kumāras, Kapila, Manu, Prahlāda, Janaka, Bhīṣma, Bali, Śukadeva Gosvāmī and me. Other learned scholars, headed by Jaimini, are almost always covered by the illusory energy, and therefore they are more or less attracted by the flowery language of the three Vedas, namely Ṛg, Yajur and Sāma, which are called trayī. Instead of becoming pure devotees, people captivated by the flowery words of these three Vedas are interested in the Vedic ritualistic ceremonies. They cannot understand the glories of chanting the holy name of the Lord. Intelligent persons, however, take to the devotional service of the Lord. When they chant the holy name of the Lord without offenses, they are no longer subject to my rulings. If by chance they commit some sinful act, they are protected by the holy name of the Lord because that is where their interest lies. The four weapons of the Lord, especially the club and the Sudarśana cakra, always protect the devotees. One who chants, hears or remembers the holy name of the Lord without duplicity, or who prays or offers obeisances to the Lord, becomes perfect, whereas even a learned person may be called to hell if he is bereft of devotional service.”
The Yamadūtas approached Yamarāja, who very exhaustively explained bhāgavata-dharma, the religious principle of devotional service. Yamarāja thus satisfied the Yamadūtas, who had been very disappointed. Yamarāja said, “Although Ajāmila was calling for his son, he chanted the holy name of the Lord, Nārāyaṇa, and simply by a glimpse of the chanting of the holy name, he immediately achieved the association of Lord Viṣṇu’s order carriers, who saved him from your attempt to arrest him. This is quite all right. It is a fact that even a chronically sinful person who chants the holy name of the Lord, although not completely without offenses, does not take another material birth.”
Ajāmila’s glorifying the holy name of the Supreme Lord that he was not punishable. The Viṣṇudūtas explained this as follows: “Simply by once chanting the holy name of Nārāyaṇa, this brāhmaṇa has become free from the reactions of sinful life. Indeed, he has been freed not only from the sins of this life, but from the sins of many, many thousands of other lives. He has already undergone true atonement for all his sinful actions. If one atones according to the directions of the śāstras, one does not actually become free from sinful reactions, but if one chants the holy name of the Lord, even a glimpse of such chanting can immediately free one from all sins. Chanting the glories of the Lord’s holy name awakens all good fortune. Therefore there is no doubt that Ajāmila, being completely free from all sinful reactions, should not be punished by Yamarāja.”
the messengers from Vaikuṇṭha explain to the Yamadūtas the glories of chanting the holy name of the Lord. The Viṣṇudūtas said, “Now impious acts are being performed even in an assembly of devotees, for a person who is not punishable is going to be punished in the assembly of Yamarāja. The mass of people are helpless and must depend upon the government for their safety and security, but if the government takes advantage of this to harm the citizens, where will they go? We see perfectly that Ajāmila should not be punished, although you are attempting to take him to Yamarāja for punishment.”
It was due to Ajāmila’s glorifying the holy name of the Supreme Lord that he was not punishable. The Viṣṇudūtas explained this as follows: “Simply by once chanting the holy name of Nārāyaṇa, this brāhmaṇa has become free from the reactions of sinful life. Indeed, he has been freed not only from the sins of this life, but from the sins of many, many thousands of other lives. He has already undergone true atonement for all his sinful actions. If one atones according to the directions of the śāstras, one does not actually become free from sinful reactions, but if one chants the holy name of the Lord, even a glimpse of such chanting can immediately free one from all sins. Chanting the glories of the Lord’s holy name awakens all good fortune. Therefore there is no doubt that Ajāmila, being completely free from all sinful reactions, should not be punished by Yamarāja.”
History of Ajāmila, who was considered a greatly sinful man, but was liberated when four order carriers of Viṣṇu came to rescue him from the hands of the order carriers of Yamarāja. A full description of how he was liberated, having been relieved of the reactions of his sinful life, is given in this chapter. Sinful activities are painful both in this life and in the next. We should know for certain that the cause of all painful life is sinful action. On the path of fruitive work one certainly commits sinful activities, and therefore according to the considerations of karma-kāṇḍa, different types of atonement are recommended. Such methods of atonement, however, do not free one from ignorance, which is the root of sinful life.
Practicing Krishna consciousness—chanting Hare Krishna, and reading the Bhagavad-gita, for example—frees us from fear of death, because we learn that the self never dies. We become more aware of our relationship with the Supreme Person, Krishna, and feel His loving, caring presence in our life.
Practicing Krishna consciousness helps you become helpless, yet we don’t feel hopeless. A devotee may face repeated disappointments, but he’s never discouraged. That’s because he loves Krishna .
There are three types of devotees. The kanishta – they are sometimes quarreling. The madhyamas – they are friendly to each other and merciful to kanishtas and other people. And the uttamas – the completely pure souls with love of God. This essay is for the benefit of all who like to attain the uttama platform.
Krishna is responding to everyone, devotee or non-devotee. He is revealing Himself or not revealing Himself according to the desire of the individual person. In another place in the Gita Krishna says: “I am within everyone’s heart and I am giving remembrance, knowledge and forgetfulness.” So one may ask why would Krishna give anyone the ability to forget Him? He states here clearly that He gives remembrance and knowledge — but He also gives forgetfulness.
Our greatest problem is that we have turned away from Krishna. This one action has turned into our existential dilemma. We are lost servants. But strangely we think, at least unconsciously, that it is Krishna who has abandoned us. Only when we become eager to meet Krishna again, and serve Him with body, mind and heart – as eager as a drowning man is eager to breathe again – can we attain our spiritual success. Real love, however, will only flow when we move out of the center and put Krishna there.
When he understood that the water of the Yamunā was being polluted by the black serpent Kāliya, Lord Kṛṣṇa took action against him and made him leave the Yamunā and go elsewhere, and thus the water became purified.
Liberation fro the cycle of birth and death does not mean that you will not be born here again. It means that now there is neither coming nor going- nowhere, not any plane. then you remain rooted where you are. The day this happens, the springs of Joy burst forth on all sides. We cannot experience Joy being in an imaginary place, we can only find Joy being where we really are. We can only be happy being what we are, we can never be happy being what we are not. So moving through the cycle of birth and death means we are wondering through illusory places – we are lost somewhere we have never been. We are wondering through some place where we are never ever supposed to be, While the place where we actually are we have lost site off. So freedom from birth and death means coming back to where we are, coming back home.
The four orders of human society, combined with family welfare activities as they are set forth by the institution of the sanatana-dharma or varnasrama-dharma, are designed to enable the human being to attain his ultimate salvation. Therefore, the breaking of the sanatana-dharma tradition by irresponsible leaders of society brings about chaos in that society, and consequently people forget the aim of life—Visnu. Such leaders are called blind, and persons who follow such leaders are sure to be led into chaos.
presently it is time actually called Pitru paksha in the month of Bhadrapada masa ..Is perfect timing to do this Shaardha Karma. If one cannot do yearly shaardha karma for all the ancestors it could be done once for all in this auspicious month. Esp. Mahalaya amavasaya. pitru loka's one day equals one month on earth. that's why they do tarpan every amavasya. If possible. Daily doing pooja for Lord offering Krishna bhog and then offering to guru Maharaj and then taking the same to ancestors and then partaking it is a nitya karma. It is nice but Shaardha karma should not be stopped.
After consulting with his demoniac ministers, Kaṁsa instructed a witch named Pūtanā, who knew the black art of killing small children by ghastly sinful methods, to kill all kinds of children in the cities, villages and pasturing grounds. Such witches can play their black art only where there is no chanting or hearing of the holy name of Kṛṣṇa. It is said that wherever the chanting of the holy name of Kṛṣṇa is done, even negligently, all bad elements – witches, ghosts and dangerous calamities – immediately disappear. And this is certainly true of the place where the chanting of the holy name of Kṛṣṇa is done seriously – especially in Vṛndāvana when the Supreme Lord was personally present. Therefore, the doubts of Nanda Mahārāja were certainly based on affection for Kṛṣṇa. Actually there was no danger from the activities of Pūtanā, despite her powers. Such witches are called khecarī, which means they can fly in the sky. This black art of witchcraft is still practiced by some women in the remote northwestern side of India. They can transfer themselves from one place to another on the branch of an uprooted tree. Pūtanā knew this witchcraft, and therefore she is described in the Bhāgavatam as khecarī.
After consulting with his demoniac ministers, Kaṁsa instructed a witch named Pūtanā, who knew the black art of killing small children by ghastly sinful methods, to kill all kinds of children in the cities, villages and pasturing grounds. Such witches can play their black art only where there is no chanting or hearing of the holy name of Kṛṣṇa. It is said that wherever the chanting of the holy name of Kṛṣṇa is done, even negligently, all bad elements – witches, ghosts and dangerous calamities – immediately disappear. And this is certainly true of the place where the chanting of the holy name of Kṛṣṇa is done seriously – especially in Vṛndāvana when the Supreme Lord was personally present. Therefore, the doubts of Nanda Mahārāja were certainly based on affection for Kṛṣṇa. Actually there was no danger from the activities of Pūtanā, despite her powers. Such witches are called khecarī, which means they can fly in the sky. This black art of witchcraft is still practiced by some women in the remote northwestern side of India. They can transfer themselves from one place to another on the branch of an uprooted tree. Pūtanā knew this witchcraft, and therefore she is described in the Bhāgavatam as khecarī.
After consulting with his demoniac ministers, Kaṁsa instructed a witch named Pūtanā, who knew the black art of killing small children by ghastly sinful methods, to kill all kinds of children in the cities, villages and pasturing grounds. Such witches can play their black art only where there is no chanting or hearing of the holy name of Kṛṣṇa. It is said that wherever the chanting of the holy name of Kṛṣṇa is done, even negligently, all bad elements – witches, ghosts and dangerous calamities – immediately disappear. And this is certainly true of the place where the chanting of the holy name of Kṛṣṇa is done seriously – especially in Vṛndāvana when the Supreme Lord was personally present. Therefore, the doubts of Nanda Mahārāja were certainly based on affection for Kṛṣṇa. Actually there was no danger from the activities of Pūtanā, despite her powers. Such witches are called khecarī, which means they can fly in the sky. This black art of witchcraft is still practiced by some women in the remote northwestern side of India. They can transfer themselves from one place to another on the branch of an uprooted tree. Pūtanā knew this witchcraft, and therefore she is described in the Bhāgavatam as khecarī.
After consulting with his demoniac ministers, Kaṁsa instructed a witch named Pūtanā, who knew the black art of killing small children by ghastly sinful methods, to kill all kinds of children in the cities, villages and pasturing grounds. Such witches can play their black art only where there is no chanting or hearing of the holy name of Kṛṣṇa. It is said that wherever the chanting of the holy name of Kṛṣṇa is done, even negligently, all bad elements – witches, ghosts and dangerous calamities – immediately disappear. And this is certainly true of the place where the chanting of the holy name of Kṛṣṇa is done seriously – especially in Vṛndāvana when the Supreme Lord was personally present. Therefore, the doubts of Nanda Mahārāja were certainly based on affection for Kṛṣṇa. Actually there was no danger from the activities of Pūtanā, despite her powers. Such witches are called khecarī, which means they can fly in the sky. This black art of witchcraft is still practiced by some women in the remote northwestern side of India. They can transfer themselves from one place to another on the branch of an uprooted tree. Pūtanā knew this witchcraft, and therefore she is described in the Bhāgavatam as khecarī.
After consulting with his demoniac ministers, Kaṁsa instructed a witch named Pūtanā, who knew the black art of killing small children by ghastly sinful methods, to kill all kinds of children in the cities, villages and pasturing grounds. Such witches can play their black art only where there is no chanting or hearing of the holy name of Kṛṣṇa. It is said that wherever the chanting of the holy name of Kṛṣṇa is done, even negligently, all bad elements – witches, ghosts and dangerous calamities – immediately disappear. And this is certainly true of the place where the chanting of the holy name of Kṛṣṇa is done seriously – especially in Vṛndāvana when the Supreme Lord was personally present. Therefore, the doubts of Nanda Mahārāja were certainly based on affection for Kṛṣṇa. Actually there was no danger from the activities of Pūtanā, despite her powers. Such witches are called khecarī, which means they can fly in the sky. This black art of witchcraft is still practiced by some women in the remote northwestern side of India. They can transfer themselves from one place to another on the branch of an uprooted tree. Pūtanā knew this witchcraft, and therefore she is described in the Bhāgavatam as khecarī.
After consulting with his demoniac ministers, Kaṁsa instructed a witch named Pūtanā, who knew the black art of killing small children by ghastly sinful methods, to kill all kinds of children in the cities, villages and pasturing grounds. Such witches can play their black art only where there is no chanting or hearing of the holy name of Kṛṣṇa. It is said that wherever the chanting of the holy name of Kṛṣṇa is done, even negligently, all bad elements – witches, ghosts and dangerous calamities – immediately disappear. And this is certainly true of the place where the chanting of the holy name of Kṛṣṇa is done seriously – especially in Vṛndāvana when the Supreme Lord was personally present. Therefore, the doubts of Nanda Mahārāja were certainly based on affection for Kṛṣṇa. Actually there was no danger from the activities of Pūtanā, despite her powers. Such witches are called khecarī, which means they can fly in the sky. This black art of witchcraft is still practiced by some women in the remote northwestern side of India. They can transfer themselves from one place to another on the branch of an uprooted tree. Pūtanā knew this witchcraft, and therefore she is described in the Bhāgavatam as khecarī.
After consulting with his demoniac ministers, Kaṁsa instructed a witch named Pūtanā, who knew the black art of killing small children by ghastly sinful methods, to kill all kinds of children in the cities, villages and pasturing grounds. Such witches can play their black art only where there is no chanting or hearing of the holy name of Kṛṣṇa. It is said that wherever the chanting of the holy name of Kṛṣṇa is done, even negligently, all bad elements – witches, ghosts and dangerous calamities – immediately disappear. And this is certainly true of the place where the chanting of the holy name of Kṛṣṇa is done seriously – especially in Vṛndāvana when the Supreme Lord was personally present. Therefore, the doubts of Nanda Mahārāja were certainly based on affection for Kṛṣṇa. Actually there was no danger from the activities of Pūtanā, despite her powers. Such witches are called khecarī, which means they can fly in the sky. This black art of witchcraft is still practiced by some women in the remote northwestern side of India. They can transfer themselves from one place to another on the branch of an uprooted tree. Pūtanā knew this witchcraft, and therefore she is described in the Bhāgavatam as khecarī.
I regularly hear parents complaining that their children don’t listen to them or they do not have basic etiquette while talking to parents or siblings, everything is about their own self.
The problem is that we, as parents, are ourselves so busy in so-called `enjoying my life’ that we are also guilty in neglecting our duty of raising our kids properly. In many cases the material life has become so busy, with both parents working hard, children are bound to get neglected. Of course, today the whole atmosphere is polluted with exposure from TV, mobile and now the final nail has been stuck by internet. Most of the digital games to promote hatred and violence in our young children. But all this should mean more care and protection and not less.
In my little experience I have found that where both the parents are devotees, children usually come up nicely as both role models are similar. Issues crop up where only one of them, mother or father, is practicing Krishna consciousness. At times children become confused but generally stay grounded and pick up some or many good habits depending upon many factors. Since kids spend most time with Matajis, it becomes more challenging if mothers are not devotees. Any devotee must spend a lot of time with his kids. Sometimes the devotees get so busy in their own sadhana that they forget about sharing love and preach to their own kids, may be because of resistance from the other half. For example: a father must listen and play with kids and in some plays introduce Krishna consciousness. We have to make an effort to change their thinking, their thought process and make them ready to face both material world and progress in spiritual world. But the big problem is where both parents have no idea about spirituality, it is a big gamble for them in today’s environment.
Lord Indra was overcome by anger when the residents of Vraja canceled his sacrifice, how he tried to punish them by sending forth a devastating rainfall to Vṛndāvana, and how Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa protected Gokula by lifting Govardhana Hill and for seven days using it as an umbrella to ward off the rain.
Indra, angered at the disruption of the sacrifice meant for him and falsely presuming himself the supreme controller, said, “People often give up the pursuit of transcendental knowledge — the means for self-realization — and imagine that they can cross over the ocean of material existence by mundane fruitive sacrifices. Similarly, these cowherd men have become intoxicated by pride and have offended me by taking shelter of an ignorant, ordinary child — Kṛṣṇa.”
“The wife of a brāhmaṇa suffering from leprosy manifested herself as the topmost of all chaste women by serving a prostitute to satisfy her husband. She thus stopped the movement of the sun, brought her dead husband back to life and satisfied the three principal demigods [Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Maheśvara].
Vishnu informed Gajendra that he, in one of his previous births, had been the celebrated King Indradyumna, a devotee of Vishnu, but due to his disrespect to the great sage Agastya, he had been cursed to be reborn as an elephant.
Uddhava was a cousin brother of Lord Krishna and also a student of lord Brihaspati. His guru, Lord Brihaspati said to him that, “the supreme lord Vishnu will incarnate on the earth in your family as your cousin brother".
So after knowing it, Uddhava started worshipping him and he was a great devotee of Lord Krishna. He had all knowledge about GOD. He was a gyaani. He knew Bhramgyaan. He thought everything is illusion in this world. Even Love is illusion. He became very much arrogant about his knowledge he had.
Dhruva Maharaja was born as a son of a great king. The king had two wives, and he begot children by each of them. One day, while Dhruva’s stepbrother was playing on the lap of the king, Dhruva also wanted to play on his father’s lap. We can picture the king, whose name was Uttanapada, seated on the throne in a leisurely moment, in an affectionate mood, with one of the boys on his lap. His boy Dhruva, who was five years old, climbed up on his father’s knee, but his father did not receive him with any particular attention or affection. Moreover, Dhruva’s stepmother came forward and chastised Dhruva. “My dear boy,” she said, speaking loudly so that everyone could hear, “you cannot sit on the lap of your father. Although you are his son, you are disqualified because you have not taken birth in my womb.” Dhruva’s stepmother was the favorite wife of the king, and since the king was more or less henpecked by her, he allowed her to speak out although she was inflicting pain on his little son. ”If you want to sit on your father’s lap,” she went on, humiliating the boy and exploiting her own position as the king’s favorite, “you must first worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead by penances and austerities, and then in your next life you can take birth from my womb. Then it may be possible.” Dhruva burst into tears and ran home, taking shelter of his mother, to whom he blurted out the whole story.
Seeing how very weary Kāliya had become, his wives, the Nāgapatnīs, bowed down at Lord Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet. Then they offered Him various prayers in hopes of gaining their husband’s freedom: “It is quite fitting that You have brought our cruel husband to this condition. Indeed, by Your anger he has gained great benefit. What piety Kāliya must have amassed in his previous lives! Today he has borne upon his head the dust of the lotus feet of the Personality of Godhead, the attainment of which is difficult for even the mother of the universe, the goddess Lakṣmī. Please kindly forgive the offense Kāliya has committed out of ignorance, and allow him to live.”
Śukadeva Gosvāmī narrated the story as follows. Within the river Yamunā there was a great lake, and in that lake the black serpent Kāliya used to live. Because of his poison, the whole area was so contaminated that it emanated a poisonous vapor twenty-four hours a day. If a bird happened to even pass over the spot, it would immediately die and fall down into the water. Due to the poisonous effect of the Yamunā’s vapors, the trees and grass near the bank of the Yamunā had all dried up. Lord Kṛṣṇa saw the effect of the great serpent’s poison: the whole river that ran before Vṛndāvana was now deadly.
Kṛṣṇa, who advented Himself just to kill all undesirable elements in the world, immediately climbed up into a big kadamba tree on the bank of the Yamunā. The kadamba is a tree bearing round yellow flowers that is generally seen only in the Vṛndāvana area. After climbing to the top of the tree, He tightened His belt cloth and, slapping His arms just like a wrestler, jumped into the midst of the poisonous lake.
𝘒𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘯𝘢 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘚𝘶𝘥𝘢𝘮𝘢 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴. 𝘉𝘰𝘵𝘩 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘭𝘦𝘥𝘨𝘦 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘨𝘶𝘳𝘶 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘦𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘥𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘥. 𝘈𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘴𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘤𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘯 𝘦𝘯𝘥, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘣𝘰𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳. 𝘠𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳, 𝘒𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘯𝘢 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘧 𝘋𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘬𝘢 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘰𝘥𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘺, 𝘙𝘶𝘬𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘪, 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘴 𝘚𝘶𝘥𝘢𝘮𝘢 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘢 𝘱𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘥 𝘢 𝘨𝘪𝘳𝘭 𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴. 𝘈𝘴 𝘢 𝘱𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘵, 𝘚𝘶𝘥𝘢𝘮𝘢 𝘥𝘪𝘥𝘯’𝘵 𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩. 𝘖𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦, 𝘪𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘦𝘹𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘥𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘬𝘪𝘥𝘴’ 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘨𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘨𝘦. 𝘚𝘶𝘥𝘢𝘮𝘢’𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘨𝘨𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘮𝘦𝘦𝘵 𝘒𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘯𝘢 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘮𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘯. 𝘚𝘶𝘥𝘢𝘮𝘢 𝘧𝘦𝘭𝘵 𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘢 𝘧𝘢𝘷𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘩𝘪𝘮. 𝘚𝘰, 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘦 𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘦𝘦𝘵 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘴𝘰𝘮 𝘣𝘶𝘥𝘥𝘺, 𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘪𝘵 𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘶𝘱 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘶𝘦𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘳 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘴𝘬 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢 𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘰𝘶𝘵. 𝘚𝘶𝘥𝘢𝘮𝘢’𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘴 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘶𝘴𝘣𝘢𝘯𝘥. 𝘖𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘫𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘺, 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘦𝘥 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘧𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘰𝘩𝘢 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘒𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘯𝘢 𝘢𝘴 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘢𝘷𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘰𝘥.
Krishna and Sudama were childhood friends. Both of them gained knowledge from the same guru and were inseparable during their childhood. After their schooling came to an end, they promised to cherish their bond forever. Years later, Krishna became the king of Dwaraka and married the goddess of prosperity, Rukmini, whereas Sudama became a pandit and married a girl arranged by his parents. As a pandit, Sudama didn’t earn much. Overtime, it became extremely difficult for him to manage his wife and kids’ needs with a meagre wage. Sudama’s wife suggested that he should meet Krishna who might help him financially for the sake of their children. Sudama felt embarrassed to reach out to his childhood friend only to get a favour from him. So, while he agreed to meet his bosom buddy, he also made it clear to his wife he would not bring up their issues nor would he ask for a handout. Sudama’s wife supports his decision seeing the sincerity of her husband. On the day of his journey, his wife packed some flattened rice or poha for Krishna as she knew it was his favourite food.
Krishna and Sudama were childhood friends. Both of them gained knowledge from the same guru and were inseparable during their childhood. After their schooling came to an end, they promised to cherish their bond forever. Years later, Krishna became the king of Dwaraka and married the goddess of prosperity, Rukmini, whereas Sudama became a pandit and married a girl arranged by his parents. As a pandit, Sudama didn’t earn much. Overtime, it became extremely difficult for him to manage his wife and kids’ needs with a meagre wage. Sudama’s wife suggested that he should meet Krishna who might help him financially for the sake of their children. Sudama felt embarrassed to reach out to his childhood friend only to get a favour from him. So, while he agreed to meet his bosom buddy, he also made it clear to his wife he would not bring up their issues nor would he ask for a handout. Sudama’s wife supports his decision seeing the sincerity of her husband. On the day of his journey, his wife packed some flattened rice or poha for Krishna as she knew it was his favourite food.
Generally when we find someone more qualified than ourselves, we become envious of him; when we find someone less qualified, we deride him; and when we find someone equal we become very proud of our activities. These are the causes of all material tribulations. The great sage Narada therefore advised that a devotee should act perfectly. Instead of being envious of a more qualified man, one should be jolly to receive him. Instead of being oppressive to a less qualified man, one should be compassionate toward him just to raise him to the proper standard. And when one meets an equal, instead of being proud of one's own activities before him, one should treat him as a friend. One should also have compassion for the people in general, who are suffering due to forgetfulness of Krishna. These important functions will make one happy within this material world.
The Shrimad Bhagwat Puran, opens with a story of a mother called, Bhakti and her two sons Gyaan and Vairagya.When Narad Muni came down on Earth thinking it was the first and foremost place in the cosmos. But, after visiting such pilgrim places like Pushkar, Prayag, Kashi, Godavari (Nashik), Haridwar, Kurkshetra, Shrirang, Setubandh and several other pilgrim places he still did not feel peace and contentment anywhere. He realised it was the bane of Kaliyug, the rein of that period in Time, when Truth, Auserity, Purity ( both inward & outward). compassion, giving, etc are nothing and even those who claim to be pious, religious are engaged in the worst of crimes so what to talk of ordinary beings.
King Yayāti, however, renounced worldly life and divided his property among his sons. He personally adopted the life of a mendicant, or sannyāsī, giving up all attraction to material enjoyment, and engaged himself fully in devotional service to the Lord. Thus he attained perfection. Later, when his beloved wife, Devayānī, was freed from her mistaken way of life, she also engaged herself in the devotional service of the Lord.
Śukrācārya became angry and cursed Mahārāja Yayāti to become old, but when Yayāti begged Śukrācārya to be merciful to him, Śukrācārya gave him the benediction that he could transfer his old age and invalidity to some young man. Yayāti exchanged his old age for the youth of his youngest son, Pūru.
When Nahuṣa, who had six sons, was cursed to become a python, his eldest son, Yati, took sannyāsa, and therefore the next son, Yayāti, was enthroned as king. By providence, Yayāti married the daughter of Śukrācārya. Śukrācārya was a brāhmaṇa and Yayāti a kṣatriya, but Yayāti married her nonetheless. Śukrācārya’s daughter, named Devayānī, had a girlfriend named Śarmiṣṭhā, who was the daughter of Vṛṣaparvā. King Yayāti married Śarmiṣṭhā also. The history of this marriage is as follows. Once Śarmiṣṭhā was sporting in the water with thousands of her girlfriends, and Devayānī was also there. When the young girls saw Lord Śiva, seated on his bull with Umā, they immediately dressed themselves, but Śarmiṣṭhā mistakenly put on Devayānī’s clothes. Devayānī, being very angry, rebuked Śarmiṣṭhā, who also became very angry and responded by rebuking Devayānī and throwing her into a well.
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is one of the eighteen Purāṇas, but Srila Vyasdeva wrote it after compiling the essence of the Vedas in the Vedānta-sūtra and also composing the Mahābhārata and Purāṇas. But, one might ask, if the eighteen Purāṇas had already been compiled, does this make Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam the nineteenth Purāṇa?
Srila Jiva Goswami explains in Tattva Sandharbha that this is not the case. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam appeared first to Srila Vyasa in a concise and subtle form, as one of the eighteen Purāṇas. Srila Vyasa composed the Vedāntasūtra on the basis of this first edition of the Bhāgavatam. Later, when He sat in trance in pursuance of Nārada Muni’s order, the expanded form of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam was revealed to Him as the natural commentary on the Vedānta-sūtra. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and the Vedāntasūtra share the same subject, the Absolute Truth, and they describe the same principles of sambandha (the relationship between the soul and God), abhidheya (the process of attaining the supreme goal), and prayojana (the supreme goal, perfect devotion to the Lord). Many ācāryas and scholars wrote later commentaries on the Vedānta-sūtra, but only those that agree with ŚrīmadBhāgavatam—such as those given by Ramanujacarya, Madhvacarya, and Baladeva Vidyabhusana—are bona fide. Suta Goswami alludes to Veda-vyasa’s composing two editions of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: sa saṁhitāṁ bhāgavatīṁ kṛtvān ukram ya cātma-jam śukam adhyāpayām āsa nivṛtti-nirataṁ muniḥ “The great sage Vyasadeva, after compiling ŚrīmadBhāgavatam and revising it, taught it to His own son, Sri Sukadeva Goswami, who was already absorbed in self-realization” —Srimad Bhāgavatam1.7.8.
Commenting on this verse, Srila Visvanatha Cakravatī Thakura writes, atastadaivapūrva-nirmitasyaivaśrībhāgavatasy ānukramaṇam: “The word anukramya in this verse means that Veda-vyasa compiled a new edition of the already existing Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.”
THE ONENESS OF LORD KRISHNA AND BHAGAVATAM
pādau yadīyau prathama-dvitīyau
tṛtīya-turyau kathitau yad-ūrū
nābhis tathā paṣcama eva ṣaṣṭho
bhujāntaraṁ dor-yugalaṁ tathānyau
kaṇṭhas tu rājan navamo yadīyo
mukhāravindaṁ daśamaṁ praphullam
ekādaśo yaś ca lalāṭa-paṭṭaṁ
śiro ’pi yad dvādaśa eva bhāti
“The Bhāgavatam’s First and Second Cantos are Lord Krishna’s feet, and the Third and Fourth Cantos are His thighs. The Fifth Canto is His navel, the Sixth Canto is His chest, and the Seventh and Eighth Cantos are His arms. The Ninth Canto is His throat, the Tenth His blooming lotus face, the Eleventh His forehead, and the Twelfth His head.