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GAUDIYA
Spiritual Monthly

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Vol. LIII FEBRUARY 2010 No. 6

MANGALÂCHARANAM

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How can that incomparable Face of Yours be taken to be of
the same standard as lotus? And on every new-moon day the state
of the moon is not worth description by words. Then what other
thing can I cite which may be equal to Your Face adorned, as it is,
with the Flute which is the only charming one in the world?

-Sri Leelãshuka Bilvamangala

FEBRUARY 2010 THE GAUDIYA 1

˛
 Pithy Precepts of Srila Prabhupâd
Some aphorisms
speaking for the
Vedanta system may
be considered as
reconciliative roots of
the conflicting hymns
of the vedas which
deal with the esoteric
questions of Pure
Knowledge apart
from the material structures and their
association in accomodable space,
signifying a subtlety.
The Vedas are the emblematic
representations in the shape of hymns
dealing with higher knowledge in
connection with the present predicament
of our intellectual speculation. So Vedanta
would inculcate the higest esoteric
advancement of the rationalistic view for
furnishing the means of tracing a cosmic
Fountain-head Who can satisfy all our
Quests for the Being, non-Being and
beings. The Vedas, in other words, are
the first information reports of human
knowledge which go by the name of
Scriptures being unveiling agents of hidden
knowledge; and Vedanta is concerned
with furnishing the true materials where the
exoteric phases of different conceptions
find a termination.
A certain writer of the so-called
monistic school in tracing its fundamental
merits went on to establish Vedanta
Philosophy as applicable to a subject
based on the Scriptures known as
Upanishads. The Upanishads are
considered as esoteric instructions of the
Vedas which form the subject-matter of
the treatise dealing with the cosmology of
the phenomena, their sustenance and
dissolution as well as an attempt at having
a peep into the transcendence. A keen
2
2 THE GAUDIYA
observation will tell us that the Aphorisms
of Vedanta are meant to meet the apparently
conflicting inculcations of the hymns
together with a cogent rationalistic view to
dispel all erroneous determinations of
different scholastic explorations.
Every endeavour in this matter should
be successfully carried out by experts and
whenever they are found lacking in capacity,
the result will be harmful; so we should learn
how to grapple with the theme properly. If
we are hasty on-lookers of Vedanta, it may
lead us to some incorrect determination.
We may utilise that very finding for earthly
purpose. We may turn ourselves hunters
of curiosity and leave it just after our search
is completed; but we may receive the true
benefit only if we patiently approach it to
have the true conception of what is truly
desirable for us. The first two readers will
surely miss their aim to utilise properly their
time and effort in order to become
successful. The aim of studying Vedanta is
to scale up the tallowy smooth gnomon of
phenomena; but if the slippery position does
not allow us to reach the summit of the post,
then such an attempt will tend to remind us
of the observation of the king of the
Highlanders towards the unsuceessful
spider. Before we are admitted as students
of Vedanta, our attention should not be
directed to view perishable limited objects,
all of which are usually meant to be lorded
over by our senses.
If we are inclined to accept the
delineations of Vedanta in the same line with
Nature’s limited productions, we are liable
to be too confused to make any progress.
If the Transcendence is brought in the same
category with the sensible world, no
positive knowledge could possibly be
imparted to us through the Sounds, which
have got transcendental values.
FEBRUARY 2010
 Thus Spake Srila Âchâryadeva
It is a business like
visiting by the said
Guru the house of the
disciple for uttering
the mantra to the ear
of the disciple, who in
return, is to offer the
Guru some clothes,
cash money and some
utensils. etc.
The real Diksha
has thus become a perverted practice which
is, therefore misleading the society. People
cannot understand what is what. The
religion appears to be rather, a puzzle, mere
uttering a Mantra is not the disksha.
Diksha is that which imarts the divine
knowledge on the person initiated who will,
no more, be attracted towards the worldly
matters. Attraction for Krishna is the
detachment from worldly things. The
attraction and repulsion are two different
things. The attraction for Krishna is Bhakti.
So the attraction for Krishna brings
repulsion from the world.
The function of the Guru is that he is
kind, all merciful and he feels the sorrows
of others. These qualities are inherent in
Shri Gurudeva, and as such, he makes
us awaken to our consciousness about
the real self which is our natural love
for God Krishna envigorated by the
sentiment of detachment towards the
matters of sense-gratification.
Attraction towards matters of sense-
gratification is our malady. The remedy of
which is to take the medicine, the
Bhaktirasa. But we do not want to take it.
The Gurudeva will rather forcibly compel
us to swallow it. This is the function of the
Gurudeva. Our attaction to the matters of
sense-gratification is so deeprooted that we
p
FEBRUARY 2010 THE GAUDIYA
do not like to put attention to anything else.
When Love rules the life, becomes an
act of continuous giving without any desire
for return. It is the outcome of pure service
of Godhead which is done from the
transcendental plane. It never comes out
of a mere service of creation. To serve a
poor man is not religion, but a moral
obligation of one man towards another
fellow-being. A drunkard who gives
money for establishment of hospitals, or
eduational institutions, cannot be a
religious-minded man. It is an act of his
charitable disposition. What is the cause
of sufferings? People think too much of
their immediate problems and are attached
to externals losing all balance between the
exoteric and esoeric aspects of life. They
should always be aware of the supreme
duty of human birth. Mere moral obligation
is no religion. A religious man by thought,
word and deed is free from all crimes, all
misdeeds and sins. First thing is that we
should go to the fountain-head of Divine "
knowledge. There are sadhus who are
professional and practice mendicancy from m.
their boyhood without knowing anything.
Once in a meeting of such sadhus I was
requested by our men and other sadhus to
join
, b such a meeting. But I refused to go
there for the reason that I did not like to
identify myself with such sadhus who take
to intoxicants, who fight with swords, ride
on elephants and horses. These so-called
sadhus are not the real sadhus. They can
do little benefit to the society. Some people
think that feeding such sadhus is a virtuous
deed. This is not true Seva. Seva is, to n
listen to him and to get holy lessons from
him so that the listener is benefited thereby T
to make progress in his life, knowing its
best object. People should take lessons
3
 from them. Many sadhus are now seen
hankering after money. Money should be
spent for the spiritual benefit of the people,
for the self exaltation. Bankruptcy of soul,
we now find in the society. My Gurudeva
advised me before his demise not to give.
up Haribhajan (worship and service of
God) even if I were alone.
If only everyone of us realise and
understand that is only God’s purpose
that we are here and it is His Mission
that we are discharging in this world,
then most of the rivalry, jealousy and
consequent hatred may disappear. Such
a deep and abiding understanding of the true
nature of ourselves shall lead us to the
perfect Bhakti that we should have towards
our Lord Krishna. It is true to a certain
extent that on the name of Bhakti many
undesirable commissions had taken place
in the long passage of time. One such
commission which is avoidable is the caste-
prejudie. The prejudice itself is rooted in
the imperfect understanding of the nature
and aspect of Bhakti and that of the
institution of caste. For a Vaishnava, I mean,
a true Vaishnava there is not one superior
or inferior among the human beings. All of
us are co-partners in the service of Lord
and our superior is Lord Krishna alone.
Bhakti leads us for the surrender unto the
Lord. When one surrenders, he only falls at
the Feet of the Lord.
The rancour about the caste system is
only due to the imperfect understanding of
superficial mention of physical frame of
Kalapurusha from whose limbs the four
castes have emanated. The Brahmana from
the face, the Kshatriyas from the shoulders,
the tradesmen from the thighs and the
Shudras from the feet of the cosmic Purusha.
Remember it is only at the feet of the cosmic
Purusha
civre the entire humanity surrenders and
not to any other limb above that level. The
lower the region the greatest the importance.
The feet are sacred, the sandles are more
sacred and the dust of the sandals are much
more sacred. You may remember one Alwar
called himself as “Bhaktanghri Renu” i.e.
Thondardippodi Alwar. So much so this
analysis can only suggest that to a Vaishnava
there is nothing like inferior or superior
among His compatriots and he should rejoice
in doing his duty as the duty enjoined upon
him by the Lord Himself. This will remove
his egoticism and make him a perfect man
useful to the society.
302.9

ALMANAC for the month of FEBRUARY 2010

12.02.2010 Fri Sri Shivarâtri Vrata

15.02.2010 Mon Disappearance of Srila Rasikânanda Goswâmi and Vaishnava
Sârvabhauma Srila Jagannâtha
e
Dâs Bâbaji Maharâj
17.02.2010 Wed Appearance of Srila Purushottam Thâkur
23.02.2010 Tue Commencing of the circumambulation of Navadwip Dhâm
25.02.2010 Thu Trisprisha Mahâdwâdashi Fasting. Next day Pârana between 6.06
and 9.55 a.m. Disappearance of Srila Mâdhavendra Puri Goswâmi.
27.02.2010 Sat Demise of Srimad Bhakti Kamala Avadhuta Maharâj
28.02.2010 Sun SRI GAURA JAYANTI, ADVENT OF LORD SRI CHAITANYA
MAHÂPRABHU - FASTING. Next day Pârana between 6.04
and 9.54 a.m. 28.9
01.03.2010 Mon Feasting Festival of Sri Jagannâtha Mishra

4 THE GAUDIYA FEBRUARY 2010

m
 UNIQUE, UNIVERSAL AND SUPER EXCELLENT
SRI KRISHNA BHAKTI
THE SEED OF SRIMAD BHAGAVATAM
Sripad B.S.Narayan Maharaj
(Contd. from January issue)
The gist of Lord’s advice is as follows.
As aspirant of devotion serious of knowing
about the Supreme Lord, about the
ultimate well being and about the perfect
means to be adopted, should submissively
approach a competent spiritual guide and
enquire about the path of pure devotion
in both its synthetic and analytic
processes, which is universal, eternal and
transcendental. The four verses of this
original Bhagavatam explain the fourfold
basic topics such as Jnâna (divine
knowledge), Vijnâna (applied
knowledge), Rahasya (Divine Love, the
secret of the scriptures) and Tadanga
(Bhakti or the means to realise God).
Sâdhana Bhakti or the devotional
performances when methodically
conducted with full faith and serving
mood in holy company, eventually
unfolds the blessed gifts of Divine
Love. While instructing Sri Uddhava also
(Bh.XI.14.3) the Lord has said that, “O
Uddhava! The vedic literature in which the
auspicious path of My devotion is
explained, became extinct during the
course of cosmic destruction. During the
next cycle of cosmic creation at the
occasion of Brahma Kalpa etc., I have
revealed the same to Brahma for the
benefit of the posterity.” As per the
instruction of the Lord, the process of
Bhakti narrated in the fourth verse of the
Chatuh Shloki is purported to be this
unique means for the highest well being of
the humanity. As per the words of the
FEBRUARY 2010 THE GAUDIYA
Lord, the devotee should follow this
devotional path by faithfully observing the
rules and prohibitions.
RULES AND PROHIBITIONS:
For leading a life of righteousness and
spiritual perfection, the scriptures have
framed innumerable kinds of rules to be
followed and prohibitions that are to be
avoided. The rules help in the upliftment
whereas the prohibitions safeguard against
downfall. The basic root of all these
innumerable rules and prohitions is
that, Lord Vishnu should be ever
remembered and He should never be
forgotten. Rule of devotion can be
observed in the following instruction of Sri
Prahlâda to the children of Asuras, - “In
this world, the single minded devotion
towards Lord Govinda and feeling of
His presence everywhere is said to be
the rearest achievement for all the
human beings.(Bh.VII.7.55)” Lord
Krishna instructs Arjuna - “Offer your mind
u to Me, be devoted to Me” etc. (Gita
IX.34). Regarding the prohibitory aspect,
- (Bh.XI.5.23) “The four fold social orders
such as Brahmana (teaching class),
Kshatriya (martial class), Vaishya (trading
class) and Shudra (serving class) are
originated from the face, arms, things and
feet of the cosmic form of the Supreme Lord o
respectively. Whoever among them refrain
from serving the Lord Who is the root
cause of their existence, shall fall down due
to their aversion to God and thus get
destroyed.” “Those who are sinful, foolish,
deluded, averse to the scriptures, audacious
5
 and demonical, -- such people can never
realise Me.” (Gita VII.15). Even in Padma
Purana, -- “Among all the agreeable
experiences, the joyful nectar of Hari Bhakti
alone is the real essence in human life.
Those who fail to drink this divine ambrosia
continue to undergo the distress of
repeated birth, death, ageing, disease,
wants, etc., by being attached to this mortal
world of endless suffering”.
UNIVERSALITY OF BHAKTI :
As this devotion is universal, it can be
found everywhere (as follows) without any
kind of barrier. For example, 1. in all
worthy scriptures, 2. with various
individuals, 3. at various locations, 4. with
sense organs, 5. through various objects,
6. through various acts, 7. by various
performances, and 8. in all the desired
results. In this way Bhakti is universal and
omnipresent.
1. AMONG ALL THE SCRIPTURES:
In this terrible mortal world of
repeated births and deaths, all the
propounders of scriptures have
unanimously concluded that, worshipping
of Lord Vasudeva is the only path of
absolute redemption in this mortal world.
This is mentioned in the conversation
between Brahma and Narada in Skanda
Purana. Srimad Bhagavatam (Bh.II.2.34)
says that, the creator Brahma desirous to
know about the secret of the scriptures
dispassionately and profoundly studied the
entire Vedic literature three times and finally
found that, the process which generates
pure love for the Supreme Lord is the
true purport of the Vedas. Sâdhana
Bhakti alone is the process that uncovers
t
Divine Love. The other books like Skanda
Purana, Padma Purana, Linga Purana etc.
also declare that, -- “Repeatedly study of
6 THE GAUDIYA
all the scriptures clearly reveals that, Lord
Narayana should always be meditated.”
Negatively Garuda Purana says that, --
“Inspite of being a scholar in the Vedas and
knower of all the scriptures, if a person lacks
devotion to Lord Vishnu, then such a person
is known as the worst among human
P
beings.” This is the unanimous opinion of all
the revealed scriptures.
2. AMONG VARIOUS INDIVIDUALS:
“Not to speak of the greatness of pure o
devotees who offer their minds for
remembering the Name, Form, Qualities
and Sports of the Lord, even the others like
women, low caste people, ignorant ones,
hunters, other sinful people, birds and
animals of nether species etc. if just follow
the traits of worthy devotees, shall become
enable to cross over the delusion of
worldliness and shall get upliftment”
(Bh.II.7.46). Gauda Purana says that, --
“Not to speak of the enlightened devotees,
beings like birds, insects, beasts and animals
too
o be can get redeemed by constantly offering
their minds to God.”
Among all these entities, devotion can
invariably exist among various people like
(a) moral and immoral, (b) scholar and
ignorant, (c) abnegated and attached, (d)
liberating and liberated, (e) Neophyte and a
devotee, (f) God-realised and eternal divine
associates.
a) Among Moral and Immoral:
rof The Lord says in Gita (IX.30) -- “Even
if My devotee is apparently immoral, yet his
single-minded devotion towards Me entitles
him to be known as a saint, as he is fully
engaged in My service.” When apparent
immorality can never impede devotion, what
to speak about a righteous devotee! He is
definitely dear to the Lord.
(to be continued )
FEBRUARY 2010
 MAHÂBHÂRATA
Sri M.C.Mahesh
(Contd. from January issue)
Virata was free, and Bheema bound
Susharma and brought the captive to the
presence of the generous Yudhishthira.
Yudhishthira magnanimously freed the
erring king and Susharma and his vastly
decimated army walked back in shame.
The stolen cows and calves were rescued
and they ambled back to their pens, relieved
at their rescue. Virata thanked the
Pandavas heartily and the Matsyas rested
in their makeshift camps to pass the night.
It was the ninth day after the new-
moon, and the Kaurava battalions pillaged
the cattle ranches of Matsya towards the
north. It was early morning, and Virata had
not returned from the south after his battle
with Susharma. Sixty-thousand head of
milch-cattle were looted by the Kurus and
were being driven away towards
Hasthinapura. The cowherds barged into
Virata's palace and frantically sought the
help of Uttara Kumara. Uttara was playing
symphonies on the lute, surrounded by the
ladies of the household. He set aside his
lute and reassured the cowherds:
ng
"I lack a good charioteer who can
steer me to victory. Otherwise, I am
capable of facing the Kurus and am as
valorous as Arjuna himself."
Arjuna heard the boast and whispered
to Draupadi who was nearby.
Draupadi now spoke to Uttara
"Brihannala has learnt the art of chariot-
driving when she was in Indraprastha. She
even drove Arjuna's chariot when the forest
of Khandava was burnt down, and
assisted Arjuna in his war with the powers
of heaven."
FEBRUARY 2010 THE GAUDIYA
Uttara turned his surprised eyes on
Draupadi.
"But she is an eunuch and does not
know the nuances of war! Will she accede
to my request and assist me in battle?"
"Perhaps you could request Uttaraa to
talk to her and persuade her."
Uttaraa brought an apparently
unwilling
rp Arjuna to her brother's presence.
Arjuna mounted Uttara's chariot and
flicked the horses lightly with his whip. As
the horses began to trot carrying the master
and charioteer, Uttaraa turned her
mischievous eyes on Arjuna:
"Brihannala, after the Kurus are
worsted in combat, collect their expensive
silks and bring them to me."
uq
"Sure -- you can tie them round your
dolls!"
Arjuna brought Uttara's chariot in front
of the embattled Kuru hosts and the
inexperienced prince was seized by a "
sudden fright. His bravado was all gone,
and he stood paralysed in fear. Facing him
were three veteran stalwarts -- Bheeshma,
Drona and Kripa -- with their white fleecy
beards flowing in the wind. Ashwatthama
glared mysteriously at his foe, with a jewel
glittering in his forehead. He had been born
with this gem, and it had endowed on him
the power to resist disease and fatigue. His
beard was black and trim, and his
demeanour confident and assertive. It was
known the world over that Ashwathama and
Kripacharya were immortals, and had
acquired everlasting lives by the
performance of intense askesis and the
practice of celibacy. Besides, Bheeshma
himself was quasi-immortal: he could die uoy
only when he wished to. And there was "
7
 "
.
Karna, who was the disciple of no less a
person than Parashurama himself. Ranged
B against Uttara were other warriors of lesser
repute, but formidable still---Duryodhana,
Duhshasana, Vikarna and Shakuni. All these
heroes were impossible to conquer, and
Uttara was nervous and flustered.
Uttara dropped his bow and lept down
to the ground, screaming at Arjuna.
"Brihannala, let the Kurus take our
cows. I cannot face this terrifying ensemble
all alone! Let the ladies of the harem laugh
mockingly at me -- I do not care."
Uttara fled in hopeless despair and
Arjuna ran after him, with his long wavy hair
flowing in the breeze and the red sash draped
over his shoulders going all awry. Catching
up with the fleeing prince, Arjuna managed
to assuage his fear.
"You need not do any fighting, just be
my charioteer --- and I will trounce the Kuru
holders. But first, we need better weapons
than what you have....
Can you see the huge shami tree
growing over there? The weapons of the
Pandavas are wrapped up and hung from
its branches. Please fetch that bundle for
me."
"But that is a corpse hung from a tree!
We are in a cemetery now."
Arjuna reassured the young prince, and
Uttara fetched the bundle from the branches
of the shami tree.
Unwrapping the cloth and ropes that
bound the weapons, Uttara saw a mass of
dazzling light blinding his immature eyes.
Turning on to Arjuna who was basking
in the glory of his dear possessions, Uttara
asked:
"Where are the Pandavas now? I
heard that they are spending an year in
disguise."
"Prince, I am Arjuna whose fame and
8 THE GAUDIYA
prowess you have heard of quite often."
Arjuna disclosed the identity of his brothers
and Draupadi to a perplexed Uttara. Arjuna
could read the movement of the stars, and
knew that the exile was over.
Uttara wanted to hear the origin of the
ten legendary names of Arjuna.
Arjuna ansered "I got my well-known
name since my physique is proportioned after
the constitution of the tree by name Arjuna.
As the son of Kunti or Pritha, as she was
called when she was a chld, I am better
known as Partha. I return victorious from
every battle and am hence known as Vijaya.
People call me as Jishnu as I can be terrible
when my wrath is aroused. I am also known
"Y
as Bhibhatsu. I am ambidexterous and can
shoot with equal ease using both my hands,
and this has earned me the appellative
Savyasachi. I was born on the slopes of the
hundred-peaked hill Shatashringa when the
star Uttara Phalguni was in the ascent.
Therefore I have earned the epithet Phalguna.
I conquered many belligerent nobles and
princes during the Rajasuya and extracted
much wealth from them, and therefore I am
"
o known as Dhananjaya or 'winner of wealth'.
The horses that pull my chariot are white like eS
the moon, and hence I earned the appellative
Shwetavahana. And I wear the glittering
celestial coronet bestowed on me by Indra,
which has got me the title Kiriti."
Uttara was transformed by Arjuna's
valour and magnetism and agreed to become
his charioteer.
The period of Urvashi's curse was over,
and Arjuna thought of her and meditated on
Indra. He was no longer an enunch, and he
regained his manhood. He set down his
conchshell bangles and necklaces and
removed the pearls and corals that he had
strung round his arms and wrists. He undid
the strands of hair that had been woven into tn
FEBRUARY 2010
 a plait, and let his tresses fall free on his
neck. Bending low to the bundle of
weapons, he fetched his heavenly crown
"
and wore it on his forehead. He wrapped
his celestial armour over his chest and fixed
the joints at the shoulders. Strapping two
inexhaustible quivers to his back, Arjuna
strung the unbreakable Gandeeva. Blowing
loud blasts on the Devadatta he sent shivers
of fright rattling his enemies. He meditated
on the gods of the celestial empyrean who
had hidden his chariot for an year, and the
chariot given by Agni materialised before
him. The subtle energy of Hanuman infused
new life to the ape-banner.
Uttara took the reins of the horses and
Arjuna climbed on to the terrace of his
celestial wagon with haughty pride. The
chariot rattled past towards the marauding
Kuru hosts.
Drona's hoary eyes lit up with
admiration when he saw his favourite pupil
at a distance, "That is the unmistakable
twang of the Gandeeva! The clatter of the
hooves of his horses is heard, and that shrill
blare is that of his conchshell! I can see his
ape-banner over there, rising proudly
above the dust raised by his chariot....
We are indeed in peril now, for we
are facing an unconquerable foe! We mustno
all team up together and give him as good
a fight as possible, but we may still lose...
Duryodhana, will you at least now
make peace with invincible Pandavas?"
An infuriated Karna answered his tutor
bitterly "I can singlehanded face Arjuna and
even the legendary Krishna in battle. I am
not afraid even if my master Parasurama n
comes armed for battle. Let our priests
Drona and Kripa sit idle, garrulously
praising the valour of their favourite disiple.
I will lead the Kurus to victory -- everybody
else can stay aside."
FEBRUARY 2010 THE GAUDIYA
Kripacharya's eyes flashed fire and he
retorted with vehemence "When the
gandharvas took Duryodhana prisoner,
you were not even present in the field of
battle. It was Arjuna who could conquer
Chitrasena and you are not one-sixteenth
as powerful as him! Arjuna scattered the
heavenly hosts when he decimated the forest
of Khandava and they ran pell-mell in fright.
Have you not heard of the annihilation of
the Nivatakavachas and the invincible
Kalakeyas at his hands?"
Ashwatthama turned his angry eyes on
Duryodhana "We are mere priests, but we
know the nuances of righteousness and the
canons of justice. You are squarely to blame
for the impertinence of your friend. You are
worse than a trader, for you win wealth by
cheating
e at dice. The Gandeeva will shoot
arrows in an incessant fusillade and not in
hopeless numbers as in a game of dice....
I disgusted with your irresponsible y
venture. Perhaps, I should not even help
you in this battle...."
Bheeshma was that an internal
dissension was breaking out in the Kuru
camp on the eve of a climactic battle, and
this would jeoparadise the morale of the
already frightened soldiers. He spoke
persuasively and brought about a
rapprochement between the two preceptors !
and Karna, and even Ashwatthama forgave
Karna's haughty words and braced
themselves
." for action.
W A shrewd and calculating Duryodhana
now questioned his grandsire "Quarrels
apart, our goals are likely to be served. The
exile has not reached its consummation, and
Arjuna has showed himself up. The
Pandavas should go into exile for another
twelve years."
The erudite Bheeshma answered with
a sardonic smile “According to the
9
 controversial lunar calendar, the exile ended
five months and twelve days earlier!
However, the righteous Yudhishthira
preferred to follow a more conventional
reckoning, and even according to this solar
calendar the thirteenth year come to an end
six days ago!"
Duryodhana grimaced in disappoint-
ment and replied in a rough voice that he
e would never make peace with the
Pandavas, and that he wanted war.
The elder Bheeshma and Drona
u
requested Duryodhana to leave with his ill-
gotten quarry. Even as he took a part of
the army and drove away the cows, the
others covered his retreat by forming an
intricate phalanx and shielding him.
Arjuna reached the presence of the
awesome Kuru hosts that had gathered
together like a swarm of dark clouds. From
a distance, he shot two arrows that pierced
the ground at the feet of the grandsire
Bheeshma, the pater-familias of the Kuru
race. Drona and Kripa were greeted
likewise by two such arrows falling near
their feet. Arjuna has saluted his elders
whom he had met after thirteen long years.
Arjuna pulled his bowstring and shot more
arrows with uncanny precision. Two of
them flitted past the ears of Bheeshma.
Likewise, more arrows brushed past the
ears of Drona and Kipa and silently
whispered to them the permission that
Arjuna sought to engage them in combat.
Arjuna bent low and ordered Uttara
who was steering the chariot "Duryodhana's
flag has an emblem of a serpent embroidered
on its cloth. That pennant is seen retreating
in the dust that obscures the horizon.
Perhaps he is retreating, taking your cows
with him. We will skirt round the others who
are arrayed in battle order and meet him."
Uttara drove with caution and
10 THE GAUDIYA
circumspection, and Arjuna outmanoeuvred
the Kurus and caught up with Duryodhana.
The guards escorting the cows ran pell-mell
in fright and the stolen cows were rescued.
Lifting their tails up and mooing in relief they
ran back to their ranches on the frontiers of
Matsya.
The Kuru heroes rushed to
Duryodhana's defence and a great tussle
ensued. Karna broke through the !
entanglement of battle and accosted Arjuna.
However, he had given away his
impenetrable armour to Indra and was
hence vulnerable to Arjuna's onslaught.
Pierced all over and bleeding he retreated
in shame. Duryodhana shot an arrow that
resembled a serpent spewing virulent poison
and it struck Arjuna's forehead and blood
trickled down from Arjuna's temples.
retaliated with vigour and the Kuru prince
D
had to acknowledge defeat and fall back in
shame. (to be continued)
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 THE SECRET OF LONG LIFE
Sri Jatindra Mohan Ghose
(Contd. from Janyary issue)
It will then really be no human life, but
a suicide. A man may live even the longest
period in material enjoyment, but that is no
proper kind of life, and no better than that
of a beast. Such a person does not really
live. Then what to speak of his longevity ?
A man who has not outlived his animal life,
and lived a true human i.e., rational life, can
not be said to live at all as a man.
We may argue. -- ‘let us first enjoy
the pleasures of the senses for some time,
and then we shall seek to live the proper
life. Such an argument does not lie in the
mouth of a rational being. As has been
already pointed out, life is most uncertain
and very short too. What is even the fullest.
period of a hundred years as compared
with eternity? It is not even like a drop in
the ocean and relatively speaking, no more
than the shortest moment. Yet this moment
is full of infinite possibility, and we can make
it full of worth -- if it is properly and timely
utilised. For in this life of ‘moment’ only
we have the singular opportunity of realising
the eternal life of a Jiva-soul. Here in this
human life only we can realsie the supreme
good, and so we can certainly ill afford to
waste a single moment of this short but
precious life. Then again, once this
opportunity is let off, there is no knowing if
it will come at the next turn. There is no
guarantee whether our next life will be the
life of a human being or of any other
creature. We may sink down deeper and ni
deeper, and it may be millions of births
before we may come up to the present level
again.’
A mere intellectual life also is not the
true human life in the sense of the Srimad
Bhagavat. It is no doubt in a certain sense
more rational life than that of beasts. And
FEBRUARY 2010 THE GAUDIYA
the popular notion is that an intellectual life
is really a truly rational human life. But it is
nevertheless a material life opposed to and
quite different from spiritual life. It can never
be anything but a sensuous life. It builds
itself and rests upon sense-experiences.
Such a life at its best is a life of mental
material recreation or enjoyment. Because
the stuff of the mind is nothing but matter,
although of a finer quality, which is evolved
out of and is under the sway of prakriti or
Physical Nature. Our Scriptures say that
this also is not the true life of a jiva: it is
also a life within and under prakriti
Phenomenal Nature or maya (the limiting
or delusive power).
We should, therefore, live a truly
rational life which is located beyond this
world of limitations and therein lies our
superiority over all other creatures. True
rationality consists in trying to realise, and
actually realising, the deathless eternal life
in supremely blissful communion with, and
constant, selfless, loving service of, the
transcendental, personal God-head, the
Supreme Lord Krishna. Then and then
only we would have turned this shortest life
into the longest one. Our life is lived and
prolonged in proportion to our effort to
realise the eternal life. This is the true
meaning and secret of longevity.
Our Scriptures further declare that a
truly devotional life is the only key to such
longevity which is an eternal life of supreme
bliss. To speak to live such a long life is the
science of all sciences and the art of all arts.
It is the most perfect, transcendental,
science and art. So it can not be acquired
by acting according to individual pleasure
and choice.
It has to be systematically, properly
and thoroughly learnt from a perfect Master,
11
(
 The Hindu Religion
The word “Hindu Religion” is very
differently understood by different
people. In fact, the real term used in the
authentic Scriptures of the Hindus is
“Sanatana dharma”, which means
“Eternal Religion”, i.e., the eternal and
normal relation between the unalloyed
self or soul and the Infinite Self or the
Supreme Godhead. Physical and mental
associations of individual beings in
bondage and in the state of forgetfulness
are only relative. “Sanatana” means
“eternal”, i.e., beyond all relative time and
limited space. “Sanatana Dharma”
does not, therefore, concern itself with
any particular group of people, clime or
country, nor is it a subject-matter of
(Contd. from page 11)
-- a true Teacher, -- an Acharya. Otherwise
there is the surest chance of going astray
and succumbing to grim death, fortunately
for us such a transcendental master or
Acharya comes into this world and moves
amongst us.
He is never far away from the sincere
seeker. One who has sought after such an
Acharya, and has completely submitted to
him when found, for initiation into the art of
proper living is really fortunate. To him the
gateway to unmixed bliss is opened up for
eternity, and all mystery is revealed, -- so
says the Srutis.
Y e. mail: shebro@rediffmail.com
12 THE GAUDIYA
r
human History which must be partly
erroneous and hence barred by limitations
of time and space. Unlike Islam,
Christianity, Buddhism and Jainism,
“Sanatana Dharma” was not founded
by any Prophet or teacher. Sanatana
Dharma, i.e., Hindu Religion was not
created by man at any particular time of
limited space -- it is God-given. As God,
i.e., the Infinite Absolute is not a created
being but Eternal Reality, so is Hinduism,
commonly known as such, which is
Sanatana Dharma, i.e. a non-created
eternal relation between the Finite Self
completely freed from the physical body
and the subtle mind, and the Infinite Self
Who is God.
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FEBRUARY 2010
 The Special Characteristics of the Acharya
Prof. Sri Nishi Kanta Sanyal
(Contd. from January issue)
“ There is a class of rascals who giving
up the congregational chanting of the holy
Name of Krishna make the people sing
them as Narayana. It requires no ordinary
shamelessness for an insignificant wretch
whose condition changes with every change
of the day in the view of us all, to have
himself sung as God-head. But far worse
is the plight of that wretched sinner who
submits to address as supreme Lord any
one else than Sri Chaitanya Chandra.” At
a time when in lieu of the pious attachment
for the Kirtan of Krishna formulated by Sri
Gaurasundar doggerels transgressing
against all rational principles of pure
devotion and throwing to the winds all
canons of spiritual taste began to be
manufactured when spiritual seers of the
high standing of Srila Jagannath Das Babaji
Maharaj and Thakur Bhakti Vinode and
other great devotees were content to ignore
those offenders, due to the hopelessly grave
nature of their offence against the holy
Name, it was this great Acharya overflowing
with causeless mercy for all fallen souls, who
accepted the task of bringing down the
stream of the unalloyed Kirtan of Krishna
in an overwhelming flood like the
descending current of the celestial
Mandakini after laying bare as a preliminary
to the comprehension of all the real nature
of the offences against the principles of Truth
and spiritual taste of those apostates and
deserters of the unalloyed Kirtan of Krishna
laid down by Supreme Lord Gauranga. '.
In this Age so averse to Krishna all
persons are busy in diverting those objects
intended for ministering to the senses of
Krishna the offerings for the worship of
FEBRUARY 2010 THE GAUDIYA
Krishna to the gratification of their own
senses. This fell epidemic spreading in
every direction had been plunging weak
jivas into the vast ocean of self-inflicted
misery. This great Acharya opportunely
making his appearance at that critical
juncture made it known that all objects are
intended to please the senses of Krishna
and by their nature, are incapable of
yielding any enjoyment to us, that if sinful
and ineligible persons following the method
of securing the bunch before beginning to
climb, try to imitate artificially, for the
gratification of their own senses, those
Kirtana songs resembling the beautiful lotus
flowers that hang down from the ears of
Krishna which are chanted for gratifying
the senses of the Divine Couple indulging
in the bliss of transcendental amours or
other modes of service natural only in the
perfectly pure state of the soul and
practised by those who lead the unfettered
lie of emancipated souls that is absolutely
free from all taint of sinfulness, such rank
psilanthropists will be swept from the deep
sea of evil in which they are already
immersed into the deeper abyss of
uttermost misfortune. In the societies of
the pseudo-Vaishnavas of today, among
the hirelings in the assemblies of people
averse to thier own well-being in the fairs
and market places, in literary gatherings,
on festive occasions on the stage, in yatra
performances the orgy of the rite of
sensuous gratification is not concluded
except by singing the song of Rai-Kanu.
But this Acharya with the voice of the lion
startled those revellers in the midst of their
profane dissipations by dinning into their
ears the words spoken by Sri Sukadeva
13
 Goswami. One who is not endowed with
the Divine power must not imitate such
conduct even in his thoughts; because one
who is not Rudra is sure to be killed if he
swallows through fatuity the poison churned
from the Ocean.
Another of his striking characteristics
is noticeable in this that he makes a Garuda
of a crow, an orator of a dumb person and
a mountain climber of the imbecile by
bestowing upon every jiva the eligibility of
chanting the kirtan of Krishna. This is not
mere idle talk. Many who are installed on
the high pedestals of this world do, indeed,
invent a counteracting device of rendering
their own high places safe against the atacks
of their inferiors by holding out the tempting
bait of conceding to the latter a slight
amelioration of status. There are some who
pass in this world as persons of great
magnanimity if they but successfully
caricature to any slight extent the ideal of
the words of the Geeta that the wise see
Narayana in all things. But it is only the
power of mercy of Sri Chaitanya Chandra
that is competent to make a Garuda of a
crow and view every jiva as the
manifestation of the greatness of the Divine
Teacher Himself. We behold in this great
Acharya the full manifestation of this
extraodrdinary peculiarity.
Not being a deceiver he is the greatest
of deceivers to him who wants to be
deceived. Ceaselessly showering on all the
stream of mercy without reservation he is a
deluder to those who wish to be deluded.
Mahatma Bansidas Babaji Maharaj, the
great Bhagavat undeluded by any taint of
worldliness dropped a hint of this in
conversation with a certain gentleman. It is
for this reason that although a great seer and
Paramahamsa he has chosen to display
sundry delusie activities by the assumptin
of the staff and by indulging in opulence and
14 THE GAUDIYA
luxury for deceiving the enemies of Krishna
Chaitanaya Deva. He is deluding the
psilanthropists opposed to Krishna
Chaitanya by a display of self-inflicted
penance the assumption of the triple staff,
saffron robe etc., appropriate for Sannyasis
in the fourth Ashrama stage by conducting
himself as a servant of the Vaishnavas. By
showing himself perfectly continent and
possessed of the purest moral charcter he is
deceiving the upholders of empiric morality
bynru preventing them from understanding his
real nature as the best-beloved of Gaur-
Mukunda. He seres those who want to
deceive him, after their own fashion. Those
who choose to misunderstand the corrective
punishment inflicted by him due to malice
and not as his mercy, or those who noticing
any manifestation of his affection for
themselves try to deceive by exploiting the
same, are alike doomed to be utterly
deceived. Those who in lieu of trying for
the exclusive fulfilment of the wish of the mind
of the Acharya will seek to stow away in an
obscure corner of their own plan of self
aggrandisement any improper desire on their
own separate account are also sure to be
deceived. Those who marking his activities
for the establishment of the University of
spiritual learning and similar institutions
instead of endeavouring for the realisation
of spiritual enlightenment or the spread of
devotion will cherish any desire for the
gratification of any selfish desire of their own
private account, will be surely deceived.
Those who will go through the show of
assuming the sacrifical thread, triple staff etc.
without being roused to the natural function
of the soul in the form of the service of the
Vaishnavas, the only proper vocation of true
Brahman and out of a desire for worldly
prosperity in some form in lieu of the sincere
wish to constantly penalise body, mind and
speech at the transcendental lotus feet of
Krishna, will also be deluded.
(to be contd.)
FEBRUARY 2010 tuo
 STUDENT-LIFE
Prabhupad Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Thakur
The universally accepted object of
education all over the world at the present
day is to make the student a useful denizen
of this world. His body and mind are so
trained as to make them capable of
performing in the most efficient manner
possible the increasingly arduous duties
of a worthy member of the swiftly
progressing civilized society of today. The
student is carefully trained to observe and
understand the processes of physical
Nature that he may take his due share in
bringing about a better adjustment
between the bodies and minds of himself
and others and their mundane
surroundings. That person is considered
to be properly adjusted to his
surroundings who is in the position to
extract from them the maximum quanitiy
and quality of worldly facilities in the gross
as well as subtle forms. A person who
can walk faster than another, can build a
better house than another, can draw a
better picture than another, can sing or
dance better than another, can cook, fight
or do more of these things or do them
better than others is regarded as the more
successful student. The most successful
student is one who attains the capacity of
enjoying the world in every possible way.
The child, the adolescent, the young, the
old have different capacities for such
enjoyment. The object of modern
education is to increase the range and
capacity of the senses and of the mind at
each stage for effectively enjoying the Sri.
world. No empiric educationist has any
objection on principle to sensuousness.
The object of the ordinary teacher in the
school-room, on the pulpit, at the bench,
FEBRUARY 2010 THE GAUDIYA
bar, the journalist’s or other’s desk, is to
gild the pill of worldliness in order to
impart to it a seductie appearance. The
kernal of naked sensuousness, is
however, liable to be exposed if only one
cares to take the trouble of scratching off m.
the thin coating of sugar provided by the
cunning labour of the apologists or
educationists.
2. But as a matter of fact on
one is seriously inclined to do this as the
deceiver and the deceived have a mutual
understanding of the trade. The increased
gratification of the senses in diverse and
effective ways made practicable by the
discoveries of the physical and mental
sciences is regarded as the promised
attainment of the summum bonum of
human existene, health, wealth, long life,
intelligence, honesty, in fact every good
quality by this test is valued just in the
proportion in which it tends to yield this
result. The student is sedulously trained
to make him succeed in this noble
undertaking. The only sinner in this ideal
arrangement is one who fails to procure
by honest or dishonest methods an
abundance or superfluity of these so-
called ‘amenities’ of civilized life -- for
himself and others. Everyone is expected
to work skilfully in order to be enabled
thereby to live or help others to live a
comfortable, refined and expanded life of
worldly enjoyment. One who is lacking
in industry or skill is condemned as he is
likely to fail in the competitive struggle
for obtaining the lion’s share of the good
things of this world. The supreme
desirability of worldly success is taken
for granted as an axiomatic truth, society
grudgingly acknowledging its duty of
15
 helping those unfortunate members from
the consequences of their folly who fail
to provide for their own livelihood, by a
purposely niggardly arrangement of
‘poor relief’ that is compulsorily forced
upon them but by being left to themselves
they become a greater obstacle in the
way of its own enjoyments. Begging or
stealing had been the uncivilized methods
by which these paupers had managed to
live on the products of the labours of the
well-to-do. But as begging and stealing
have been found to be on the whole a
far more uneconomical provision for
paupers than the work-house the latter
has been imposed upon them and begging
for livelihood is now a crime punishable
by law in all highly civilised countries.
In India, however, the profession of
begging as a means of earning a liveli-
hood has not only been not suppressed
but the giving of alms to beggars is
cherished as a pious obligation of every
n
house-holder, -- so much so that in
Bengal poor-feeding has come to be
regarded as equivalent to feeding
Narayana Himself! This last undoubtedly
is a thoughtless and sacrilegious opinion
from the point of view of science as well
as of religion but is nevertheless current
and popular. The existence of a
particularly numerous body of so-called
Sadhus who live by begging affords
further ample scope in this country for ro
the free exercise of the much prized virtue
of indiscriminate charity.
In India the duty of offering alms to
the Sadhus is universally recognised as
obligatory on every house-holder.
Sanyasis, Brahmacharis, peripatetic
religious teachers, every one who passes
himself as a Sadhu, claim that it is the
bounden duty of the house-holders to
place themselves and their property
16 THE GAUDIYA
freely at their disposal. In the present
article we are concerned with one of these
classes of religious mendicants, viz., the
students or Brahmacharis who live with their
preceptors for spiritual training.
The traditional ideal of student-life in
this country is that of the Brahmachari who
is required to live as an inmate of the
household of his preceptor and beg and
perform menial and other kinds of service
for his teacher. The Brahmachari in all
cases is a celebate and practises spiritual
living, as enjoined by the Shastras, under
the direction of his preceptor. The
Brahmachari may or may not marry and
take up the life of a house-holder on the
termination of his student-life. It is,
however, his duty to be guided in this matter
also by the advice of his teacher. The
teacher himself may or may not be a
celebate. In the monastic system the
teacher as well as the students are
celebates, the object of both being
exclusively spiritual. It is strictly forbidden
by the scriptures to earn a living by rp
religion. The Brahmacharis belonging to a
monastery beg for their alm but the alms
thus obtained may not be applied to the
purposes of worldly living including the
maintenance of the family of the teacher
so that the case of the house-holder
teacher who is maintained by the earnings
of his students is quite different from that
of the spiritual education of a monastery.
Thus the monastery is the real
academy of spiritual education in complete
accord with the principles laid down by
the Shastras. The ideal monastery is free
from all worldliness. The inmates of a
monastery, teachers and students alike
dedicate their lives to the exclusive service
of the Supreme Lord. There is no service
more acceptable to the Lord than that of
rendering spritual aid to the sinners.
(to be continued)
FEBRUARY 2010
 Questions and Answers for a Value base living
Sri Gopal Das
(Contd. from January issue)
Question: In Simad Bhagavatam it is
mentioned that man has evolved himself after
being in the lower species for millions of
births. How was it possible for this to
happen, when a germ can give birth only to
a germ, and not a fly, a fly can give birth
only to a fly and not a reptile, a reptile can!
gie birth only to a reptile and not a bird and
so on through many species after which he
got the human birth ?
Answer: It is as follows: The soul
having been separated from the super Soul,
is lamenting and is longing to go back to the
Super Soul. Hence the soul in the germ after
many births as a germ, discarded the body
of the germ and entered the body of a fly
then after many births as a fly, discarded
the body of a fly and evolved itself and
entered the body of a reptile, and then after
many births as a reptile it discarded the body
of a reptile and evolved itself and entered
the body of a bird and so on until it got the
human birth. So it is crystal clear that you
are the soul residing in the human body and
not the perishable body and so identify
yourself with the soul and not the body.
Q: Then why is man not identifying
himself with the soul in the body ?
A: Suppose in a village there are about
hundred people and if five of them are taking
alchohol and misbehaving, all the remaining
ninety five persons can scold them and
correct them. Suppose on a festival day all
the people in the village take alchohol, then
all the people in the village will be
misbehaving for a few hours. During that
time there is no body to find fault with them.
FEBRUARY 2010 THE GAUDIYA
Similarly everybody is born intoxicated by
Lord’s powerful Maya and so all the people
in the world are following the wrong path,
the path of ignorance. Only 0.01% of the
world’s population due to Lord’s grace have
identified themselves with the soul residing
in the body.
Q : What is the condition of the soul
in a person who gets the human birth for the
first time ?
A : The condition of such a soul cannot
be expressed in words. People who are
deprived of food for a few days will be
eagerly waiting to get food to appease their
hunger. The soul has been deprived of
Spiritual food for millions of births, as the
lower species are not aware of the soul
residing in the body. So the soul was eagerly
waiting to get Spiritual food when the soul
gets the human birth. Unfortuantely man also
under the influence of maya deprives the
soul of getting Spiritual food, the soul was
eagerly waiting for millions of births to chant
the Names of the Lord, sing His glories, hear
His Lilas and miditate on His extrordinary
Human Form, when the soul gets the human
birth. So man should take the earliest
opportunity to nourish the soul.
Q: What blunder is the human being
committing by identifying himself with the
body ?
A: In all activities in life the human being
wants only the essence and not the cover.
If he gets a letter, he preserves the letter and c
throws away the cover. If he gets a birthday
present, he throws away the cover and
preserves the present. If a thief gets a purse
he keeps the money safely and throws the
purse. Unfortunately when the all important
17
 ej
life itself is concerned he does a blunder by
identifying himself with the cover, the human
body and not the dynamic soul residing in
the body. Throughout life he wants to enjoy
only the peal of the fruit and not the fruit
itself. What a pity ?
Q : The purpose of the human body
or any container is threefold. What are
they?
A : The human body is like a container.
The first purpose of any container is that a
container is made to suit the nature of the
contents it is going to hold. There are
separate types of containers for transporing
different conmmodites like vegetables
,medicine, eggs, crockery, T.V.sets, heavy
machinery etc., So God has created the
human body as a container for the soul, the
essence in the body to evolve itself.
The second purpose of the container
is to display the nature of the contents it is
holding. In a bottle of medicine, all the
chemicals used in preparing that medicine
would be displayed on the bottle similarly
in a bottle of jam, all the ingredients used to
prepare the jam would be displayed in the
bottle. So the human body is also a
container and it shoud display the nature of
the soul residing in the body. Unfortunately
it is not displaying the nature of the soul,
instead it is displaying the nature of the body
itself. The body displays it as a slave to the
mind, senses, greed, lust, ego, passion and
is full of desires and attachment.
The third purpose of the body or a
container is to convey the contents to its
destination. From the shop to the house or
from one part of the country to the other
part of the country, or from one country to
another country as the case may be.
Similarly the body as a container is supposed
to convey the soul from the cycle of births
and deaths to God’s kingdom. The first
18 THE GAUDIYA
purpose of the body is served, as God has
created the body. Unfortunately the second
and third purposes of the body are not fulfilled
by man. So it is the duty of the human being
to fulfill that. Earlier the better.
Q : Does the human being possess the
body ?
A : The human being identifies himself
with the body, but he does not possess the
body. Instead of possessing the body, he is
being possessed by the body itself. A human
being can make the best use of whatever he
possesses, whether it be landed property,
movable property or heavy bank balance
etc., Similarly if he is possessing the body he
could make the best use of the body.
Unfortunately he does not possess the body.
He has become a slave to the body itself.
So first of all he should devise ways and
means to possess the body, before making
the best use of the body, which is to go back
to his real home.
(to be continued)
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 AESTHETIC CULTURE
Prabhupad Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Thakur
(Contd. from January issue)
The spiritual body is unlimited by space
and time, and ever corresponds to the
eternal serving mood of the immaculate
individual soul. There is no trace of
mundane grossness in the transcendental
realm of Vraja.
It is not altogether inconceivable that
real beauty of form cannot be any material
entity which latter is essentially and palpably
ugly. The corpse can be regarded as
beautiful only by deliberate perversity. The
soul in the conditioned state justifies his
acceptance of the perverted reflection, in
lieu of the uncontaminated, living,
substantive principle of beauty, by the
pretence of the necessity of functioning
through the medium of the gross physical
body and a benighted, perverse and joyless
mentality. He is also so habituated to
identify himself with the promptings of the
body and mind, that he always clings to
them for the valuation of whatever
proposition is placed before him. He puts
himself under the uncalled-for necessity of
abdicating his function of perfectly free
choice by supposing that he is under the
necessity of serving the pleasures of the
ephemeral body and mind that are foreign
to his nature. It is this unnecessary piece
of deliberate, obstuctive, perverse mis-
choice of the evil course by the abuse of
one's free will that stands in the way of the
automatic redemption of the conditioned
soul. The Boundless Mercy of the All-
merciful rarely forces the unwilling soul to
forego even his deliberate perversity.
Unreserved association with pure
souls is the only method by which the
FEBRUARY 2010 THE GAUDIYA
conditioned soul may be endowed with a
natural inclination towards the Truth. The
activities of the servants of Godhead make
their appeal to the hardened hearts of even
the greatest of confirmed sinners by the
quality of their perfect love for the All-love,
All-beautiful and All-Good. The real beauty
of the servitors of Godhead has power to
overcome the infatuation by the tempting
ugliness of the deluding potency. The Word
of God on the lips of the pure serving
soul is the only medicine for the disease
of the conditioned state. The Word of
God has power to resuscitate the
dormant faculties of the soul, and to
enable him to function in his natural
way. He is enabled to do so without
depending on the physical body and erring
mind and their rooted aversion to the true
principle of Beauty Whose service alone can
endow His willing servitors with the faculty
for realising the All-beautiful by their willing
service.
The mundane aesthetic experience
distortedly points to the necessity for the
realisation of the Beauty of the Absolute,
but is neither the means nor the goal of
Divine realisation. This negative character
of the science of mundane beauty is due to
its being misdirected to the entities of this
world. Such mis-application of the principle
is necessitated by the suicidal attitude which
prefers the perversion and denial of the
principle to the principle itself. The
mundane aesthetic sense is condemnable as
regards its motive, mode of operation, as
well as for its unworthy objective. There is
analogy between the mundane and the
corresponding transcendental position. This
19
y
r Y K * q w s v x ge
h a fgszxaAvfkc f a*.tewq
analogy explains the genesis of the evil.
But it does not provide any justification
for one's persistence in the wrong course.
Such persistence is objectionable. It does
not lead to the realisation of beauty, but to
a deluded and unnatural preference for
ugliness. It is prompted by malicious
aversion to Beauty. The diseased state
can be got rid of only by the cultivation of
the substantive healthy function, which
should be wholly incompatible with the
retention of any trace of preference for the
analogous perverse mundane
performances.
The view that the conception of the
Pastimes of Vraja is the glorification of the
experience of mundane amour, or that it is
a form of the same, amounts to denial of
the Absolute position. Persons, who are
grossly addicted to the sensuous pleasures
of this ephemeral life, imagine that it can
be compatible with the conception of real
beauty to postulate the entities of this world
as the source of the principle. The truth is
to be sought by the opposite method viz.
by the natural admission of the unaesthetic
character of mundane amour, and by
endeavouring to find the transcendental
source of the perversity projected into this
deluding realm of physical Nature. The
Science of Aesthetics, as ever other,
'natural' science, if properly understood,
always points to the necessity of the search
for transcendental source who should be
free from the possibility of any
imperfections of this mundane existence.
The Beauty of the Absolute is located
beyond the realm of the deluding energy.
The All-beautiful is to be sought by resolve
not to continue to identify Him with the
perverted shadow of His Power that alone
is accessible in this world to the deluded
faculties of our enveloping lower nature.
It is possible to succeed in this task by the
20 THE GAUDIYA
causeless help of God's Spiritual Power. The
soul in the unconditioned state is the eternal
inhabitant of the transcendental realm of the
All-beautiful. The deluding energy loses her
hold on him the moment he chooses to
resolve to serve the Source of all real beauty.
When we are solicitous of finding the Truth,
we naturally seek the help of pure souls
whose directions enable us to embark on this
spiritual endeavour. If we rely on our own
unaided judgment, we are thwarted by our
unnatural delight in mistaking ugliness for
beauty, and vice versa. The Pastimes of
Vraja appear to be objectionable to us as
we have no objection to the corresponding
ugly mundane activities that are available for
the gratification of our senses in this world.
The abnegating attitude is the complementary
state of unrepentant temporary reaction due
to failure to secure the coveted gratification
of one's senses on account of defective
equipments, ideas, and environment. This
misery is part and parcel of the disillusioning
process causelessly provided by the Mercy
of the Source of all real goodness, knowledge
and beauty.
Y
Time and again I say with top
of my voice, and it is the spiritual
fact, let one be void of all other
religious practices (sadhana), if
chancily he surrenders himself
solely at the most magnanimous
Beatific God of Love Transcendent
Sri Gauranga then he positively is
endowed with the Krishna Prema,
the highest pursuit (summum
bonum) of human life and there
remains no other gain beyond it.
--Srila Prabhodananda
FEBRUARY 2010
n
mun
 »y »y TϪ TÁ{∫ÁWÁ{
T
\Æo:
SRIMAD BHAGAVADGITA
»y™ÙTƒËyoÁ
u˚oyÆÁzDÜÆÁÆ: CHAPTER-II
ÃÁÊPÆÆÁzT: SÂMKHYA YOGA
(Contd. from January issue)

N˛Á{ãozÆ = O Arjuna (son of Kunti)!, Euú ÃÊÆ©Æ = Having cotrolled , ÃÁ|um = all,
u“ = even in spite of, uƒúu≈Yo: = the wise, oÁuå˛ = those senses, ™nú∫: = fully devoted
to Me only, the Supreme Lord, EÁÃyo =
úϪ ÀÆ = person, who is, Æoo: = trying to
(one) should remain, ÆÏMo: = engaged in
control the senses by following the path of
devotional service. ÆÀÆ = He, whose,
abstract concentration and knowledge,
ú¿™Ásyuå˛ = the turbulant, Fuãt¿ÆÁum˛ ˛= senses, Fuãt¿ÆÁum˛ = senses, ƒ∆z= are thus indeed
“∫uão = carry away, ú¿ÃßÊ˛ = forcibly, ™å: under control as they are fully transcended
with the service of the Supreme Lord, u“
= his mind (But there is no danger in the
path of unalloyed devotion to Me, the nk = for, his, ú¿rÁ = wisdom, ú¿uou…eoÁ˛=
oÀÆ
is unshaken.˛
Supreme Lord).
Having controlled all those senses fully
O Arjuna (the son of Kunti)! Even in
devoted to Me only, the Supreme Lord, one
spite of , the wise person, who is trying to f
should remain engaged in devotional service.
control the senses by following the path of .
He, whose senses are thus indeed under
abstract concentration and knowledge, the
control as they are fully transcendend with
turbulent senses carry away forcibly his
the service of the Supreme Lord, for, his
mind (But there is no danger in the path ofb
wisdom is unshaken. (Ref: Srimad Bhagavat
unalloyed devotion to Me, the Supreme
XI.29.2,3) 61
Lord). 60
' ˛
The condition of an aspirant who
The Lord says how to conrol the
does not devote himself unalloyedly to the
turbulent senses.
Supreme Lord Krishna
yb
oÁuå ÃÁ|um ÃÊÆ©Æ ÆÏMo EÁÃyo ™nú∫: @ betr thÜÆÁÆoÁz uƒ ÆÁãúÏÊÃ: ÃWΩÀoz Óú\ÁÆoz @
ƒ∆z u“ ÆÀÆzuãt¿ÆÁum oÀÆ ú¿rÁ ú¿uou…eoÁ @@61 ÃWΩÁnÃ`\ÁÆoz N˛Á™: N˛Á™ÁnN¿˛ÁzáÁrgizDuß\ÁÆoz@@ 62
Tâni sarvâni samyamya Dhyâyato vishayânpumsah
yukta âseeta matparah | sangasteshupajâyate |
vashe hi yasyendriyâni sangâtsamjâyate kâmah
tasya prajnâ pratishthitâ || 61 kâmâtkrodho-abhijâyate || 62
nu

FEBRUARY 2010 THE GAUDIYA 21

 úÏÊÃ: = By a man, ÜÆÁÆo: = who for spiritual practices, §ÏuÚåÁ∆ÁoΩ = from that
meditates on, uƒ ÆÁåΩ = the objects of loss of wisdom, ú¿m≈Æuo˛ = (one) falls into
senses, ÃWΩT: = attachment, oz Ï = to them, the well of samsara.
Gú\ÁÆoz = is produced, ÃWΩTÁoΩ = from From anger arises delusion (loss of
attachment, Ã`\ÁÆoz = grows, N˛Á™: = discrimination to decide what is right and
desire, N˛Á™ÁoΩ = from desire, Euß\ÁÆoz = what - is wrong, what should be done and
is born (when it receives a set-back), N¿˛Ázá: what not). From delusion loss of
= anger. remembrance of one’s own benefit derived
(If a person tries to conquer his senses, from the instructions of scriptures. From
by his own efforts, without however fixing that loss of memory comes destruction of
his mind on Me, the Blissful Supreme Lord, resolve for spiritual practices. From that loss
he gets lost. Such a person may have some of wisdom one falls into the well of samsara.
sort of control over his senses. But still (Ref. Bh. XI.21.19-21) 63
because of past karmas and sins
accumulated from times without beginning, The way to peace
complete detachment from sense objects
is not possible. There remains hidden
desire for sense-objects.) and te ∫ÁTtΩƒz uƒÆÏMo{ÀoÏ uƒ ÆÁuåuãt¿Æ{≈Y∫åΩ @
By a man, who meditates on the EÁn™ƒ≈Æ{uƒ|ázÆÁn™Á ú¿ÃÁt™uáTXZuo @@ 64
objects of senses, attachment to them is
produced. From attachment grows desire. Râgadveshaviyuktaistu
From desire is born when it receives a set- vishayânindriyaishcharan |
back, anger. 62 âtmavashyairvidheyâtmâ
prasâdamadhigacchati || 64
N¿˛ÁzáÁtΩ߃uo é™Áz“: é™Áz“ÁnÀ™wuouƒß¿™: @ uƒázÆÁn™Á = He who has offered his mind
À™wuoß¿∆Ê ÁtΩ §ÏuÚåÁ∆Áz §ÏuÚåÁ∆Ánú¿m≈Æuo @@ 63 to Me, Fuãt¿Æ{:˛ = and senses, ∫ÁT˚z uƒÆÏMo{ Ï
= that are entirely free from attachment or
Krodhâdbhavati sammohah hatred being fully saturated in the loving
sammohât smritivibhramah | devotional service to Me, EÁn™ƒ≈Æ{: = and
smritih bhramshad buddhinâsho well under control by that devotional mind,
buddhinâshât pranashyati || 63 Y∫åΩ = even while experiencing, uƒ ÆÁåΩ =
objects of senses, EuáTXZuo = (he) attains,
N¿˛ÁzáÁoΩ = From anger, ߃uo = arises, ú¿ÃÁtÊ˛˛= placidity.
é™Áz“: = delusion (lass of discrimination to He who has offered his mind to Me
decide what is right and what is wrong, and senses that are entirely free from
what should be done and what not), é™Áz“ÁoΩ attachment or hatred, being fully saturated
= from delusion, À™wuouƒß¿™:˛ = loss of
o in the loving devotional service to Me and
remembrance of one’s own benefit derived well under control by that devotional mind
even
ƒÁ while experiencing the objects of the a
e
from the instructions of scriptures,
senses (he) attains placidity. 64
À™wuoß¿Ê∆ÁoΩ˛ = from that loss of memory,
§ÏuÚåÁ∆: = comes destruction of resolve (Cont. in page 24)
∫

22 THE GAUDIYA FEBRUARY 2010

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FEBRUARY 2010 THE GAUDIYA 23

 (Cont. from page 22)
ú¿ÃÁtz Ã|tÏ:QÁåÁÊ “Áuå∫ÀÆÁzú\ÁÆoz @
ú¿ÃãåYzoÃÁz —ÆÁ∆Ï §ÏuÚ: úÆ|ƒuo…eoz @@ 65˛
Prasâde sarvaduhkhânâm
hânirasyopajâyate |
prasannachetaso hyâshu
buddhih paryavatishthate || 65
EÀÆ = To him, ú¿ÃÁtz˛ = placidity i.e.,
Loving devotion having been attained, “Áuå:
= destruction of , Ã| = all, tÏ:QÁåÁÊ = triple
afflictions (Âdhyâtmika, Âdhidaivika and
Âdhibhautika), Gú\ÁÆoz˛ = takes place,
ú¿ÃãåYzoÃ:˛ = with his mind being placid,
§ÏuÚ: = the wisdom, úÆ|ƒuo…eoz˛ = is fixd in
its desired goal (loving devotion) completely,
EÁ∆Ï u“ = very soon.
To him placidity i.e., Loving devotion
having been attained, destruction of all triple
afflictions (Âdhyâtmika, Âdhidaivika and
Âdhibhautika) takes place. With his mind
being placid, the wisdom is fixed in its
desired goal (loving devotion) competely
very soon. (Without Bhakti one can not
have a peaceful mind. Ref. Bh.I.2.20.) 65
The person who is not attached to
the Blissful Lotus Feet of the Supreme
Lord suffers
åÁuÀo §ÏuÚ∫ÆÏMoÀÆ å YÁÆÏMoÀÆ ßÁƒåÁ @
å YÁßÁƒÆo:˛∆Áuão∫∆ÁãoÀÆ NÏ˛o: ÃÏQ™Ω @@ 66
Nâsti buddhirayuktasya
na châyuktasya bhâvanâ |
na châbhâvayatah shântih
ashântasya kutah sukham || 66
24 THE GAUDIYA
EÆÏMoÀÆ = To one who is not attached
to the Blissful Lotus Feet of the Supreme
Lord by the ever progressive eternal tie of
Divine Love, §ÏuÚ: = wisdom, åÁuÀo = is not
there, EÆÏMoÀÆ Y˛ = such a non devotee, å
ßÁƒåÁ = can not meditate on the Blissful
Transcendental personality of the Absolute
Person, EßÁƒÆo: = and without such (above
said) meditation, å ∆Áuão: = cannot have
peace of mind. E∆ÁãoÀÆ = for one who is
unpeaceful person, NÏ˛o: = where is, ÃÏQ˛Ê =
transcendental bliss ? 5
To one who is not attached to the
Blissful Lotus Feet of the Supreme Lord by B
the ever-progressive eternal tie of Divine
Love, wisdom is not there. Such non-
devotee cannot meditate on the Blissful
Transcendental Personality of Absolute
Person and without such (above said)
meditation, cannot have peae of mind. For
one who is unpeaceful person where is
transcendental bliss ? 66
(to be continued)
B).
Holy acts, such as
e
presenting a crore of cows on the
occasion of the solar eclipse,
residing on the banks of the
Ganges at Prayaga (Allahabad)
for a Kalpa, performing billion
sacrifices, and offering gifts of
gold in quantities as large as
‘Sumeru’ are not even a part of a
ro
hundredth part of what you gain
through the Kirtana of Sri
Govinda.
FEBRUARY
ar 2010