Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Key Ingridients in Offering are Loveand Devotion!





Shree Krishna is self-satisfied and does not need anything, but out of His grace, He accepts our offerings of love and devotion.

पत्रं पुष्पं फलं तोयं यो मे भक्त्या प्रयच्छति I
तदहं भक्त्युपहृतमश्नामि प्रयतात्मनः II 

In Bhagwad Gita Shree Krishna tells Arjuna, “If one offers to Me with devotion a leaf, a flower, a fruit, or even water, I delightfully partake of that article offered with love by my devotee in pure consciousness.” (Bhagavad-gita 9.26) (Shreemad Bhagvatam 10.81.4)

How wonderful it is that the Supreme master of unlimited universes, whose glorious qualities and virtues are amazing beyond description, and by whose mere thought, multitudes of universes come into existence, accepts even the most humble offering of His devotee that is given with genuine love.Out of His causeless mercy, Krishna accepts even the smallest  token of our faith—even a little water or a Tulasi leaf—if it is offered with love and devotion. When Krishna asks us to make such an offering, He is really inviting us to reawaken our eternal, blissful relationship with Him. The only thing to keep in mind is that the key ingredients in the offering process are devotion and love.

Krishna exhibits His divine pastime regarding His statement :

Krishna does not always accept what is offered to Him. Before the Mahabharat  war,  Shree Krishna went to Hastinapura as a peace messenger on behalf of the Pandavas before the Battle of Kurukshetra. When Krishna arrived, Duryodhana invited Him to a grand feast with an intention of to bribe Him. Duryodhana’s feast featured many delicious dishes and that also served  in the golden and silver vessels, but Krishna refused to accept an offering motivated by self-interest and arrogance, rather than love. He clearly told Duryodhan that one should accept the food only in two conditions: if one is in need (hungry), or if it is offered with love.Neither I am hungry nor you are offering it to me with love.” 

Duryodhan worked hard to conceal his fury. "You must eat somewhere, Krishna. Come. I have prepared many delicacies and sweets for you."

"Oh no," Krishna said. "I will go to my friend Vidur's house instead," and he walked away.

On coming to know that Shree Krishna would be coming to his house, Vidur rushed to the market to purchase food stuffs for Him. However, Krishna reached before Vidur could return, and began to knocking on the door. 

 "Who is there?" Vidurani (wife of Vidur) asked.

 It's me!"Krishna replied.

There was the Supreme Lord, leaning against a pillar, grinning at her.

Vidurani  was overwhelmed with happiness. She'd never imagined that the Lord himself would deign to come to her  humble hut. She'd never thought that her home would have such a divine presence inside it, that it would become a holy place.

"Aren't you going to let me in?" Krishna asked with smile. He knew that Vidurani had been longing deeply for the opportunity to serve her beloved Lord.

"Of course!" Vidurani moved aside and welcomed Krishna into house. Despite his high post in Hastinapur's court, Vidur had simple needs and tastes. His home was very small and simple. Vidurani offered a seat to Krishna. Desiring to feed Shree Krishna with her own hands, she went to the kitchen and brought a bunch of bananas. However, she was so deeply absorbed in devotional thoughts and loving sentiments that she began dropping the fruit and putting the banana peel in Shree Krishna’s mouth.Neverthless, seeing her devotion, Krishna calmly and blissfully ate the peels without uttering a word, as if they were the most delicious food in the world.This blunder was discovered only when Vidur reached home and saw this. 


Through this pastime, Shree Krishna revealed that the Lord would accept anything offered with devotion, not just the fruits, but the peels too!


Monday, July 14, 2014

Guru Poornima - Vandeham Sadguru Charanam





What is the meaning of Guru?

In Sanskrit, the syllable ‘Gu’ means “ignorance” and ‘ru’ means “ to destroy”. Hence, the word “ Guru” means “ One who destroys the ignorance of his disciples and brings them into the light of knowledge”.The true Guru, or Spirtual Master, is a perfected Saint who has attained God, and who descends in this world to help other souls attain Divine love for God.

The relationship between the Guru and the disciple is very sacred. The Guru molds and sculpts the disciple into a fine human being with heroic and virtuous qualities.He bestows Divine knowledge to the disciple, for which the disciple always remains indebted to him.The Guru occupies a very important position in one’s life and worshipped as the representative of God Himself!
Difference between Guru and teacher:

It is very much necessary to understand the basic difference between Guru and teacher.
There is a fundamental difference between a teacher and a Guru. Teacher is the one who teaches us about the objects and processes of the external world, while Guru teaches us the techniques of exploring the reality of our inner being – inner self, by which our life transforms.  Progress in life is possible by learning from a good teacher, but real and ultimate peace and happiness comes only by learning from an enlightened Guru. Somebody has put it very well that:

When the teacher finishes with you, you graduate.
When a Guru finishes with you, youcelebrate.

When the course is over, you are thankful to the teacher.
When the discourse is over, you are grateful to the Guru.
What is Guru Poornima?

Krishna Dwaipayan Vyas was the son of Sage parashar. He did tremendous service to humankind by compiling all the edic mantras that were being passed on by word of mouth until then, and putting them in writtenform. He also divided them into four parts, and taught them to his four chief disciples. Hence, he became Ved Vyas.He also revealed many important sciptures, such as the Mahabharat, the eighteen Purans and Brahma Sutra.He is one of the twenty-four descensions of God mentioned in the Shreemad Bhagavatam. He is said to be the first Guru in the present kaliyug, and thus, the day he was born is celebrated as Gugu Poornima, the day of the Guru.

Our beloved Guru Shree Kripaluji Maharaj:




Fifth original Jagadguru, Shree Kriapluji Maharaj has shown us the quickest path to attain God, which is Bhakti. From the unfathomable ocean of scriptures, he has picked the Divine pearls and given to us its very essence; this is the greatest gift to the humankind. For that the whole humankind will be indebted to him. 
Through enlightening discourses and chanting of the holy name, Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj (lovingly called Shri Maharaj Ji by His devotees) has made unceasing efforts to reveal the true philosophy from the Vedic scriptures to mankind,so that they can attain their true goal of God Realisation.

Celebration of Guru Poornima:

India is a country full of spiritual aspirants and preceptors , and this day holds special importance for all of them. Spiritual seekers wake up early in the morning, before the sunrise, and after a bath the dya by paying obeisance to their Gur. They wash his feet with water and place flowers at his Lotus-feet. This special ritual is done with the intention of surrendering and offering one’s mind to the Guru and to seek his seva, or service. The whole day is spent in special prayes sung in glory of the Guru.


Guru charanam, sadguru charanam,
vandeham sadguru charanam.
My Sadguru (Spiritual Master) is my only refuge.
I bow again and again to his lotus feet.

Radha Krishna prem bharanam,
vandeham sadguru charanam.
I bow to the lotus feet of the Sadguru,
through whose grace one’s heart is filled
with the divine love of Shree Radha Krishna.

Let’s offer our devotion to Shree Maharaj ji by doing His aarati.