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Karitka Journal

November 11th, 2004

Kartik Journal

November 3 – November 12, 2004
Govardhana

Japa thought: Sri Krishna is attracted to His Name, but also to the person who is chanting it. Have no doubt. Sri Krishna is listening when we chant. (November 3rd)

Japa thought: The mind becomes attentive to that which it loves. We should thus chant with devotion. What if we have no devotion? Then chant for devotion, which is also our devotion. (November 4th)

Japa Thought: We must always search for the meaning of what we chant. Without purpose how will any endeavor enliven us? The holy name is my heartfelt prayer for devotional service, but mystically also Sri Krishna Himself, the object of my devotion. It is thus Sri Sri Radha Krishna in union, Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, and also Sri Sri Radha Krishna in separation, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare. It is the song we sing for Sri Krishna?s pleasure, Who not only sits on our tongue to listen to His Name, but also to hear our love. (November 5th)

Japa thought: Sri Krishna is non-different from His Name. Just absorb oneself in the sound of the Name. What more can I pray for than His direct association in the form of His Holy Name? (November 6th)

Japa thought: Again I ponder, ?Sri Krishna is here, I am His devotee, but is where my love? And if there is no love, then what pleasure will I get from His name?? I am humbled that the All-attractive is not attracting me. I thus chant: No love. I am fallen. No love. I am fallen. (November 7th)

Mysteries of Vrindavana: I sit peacefully chanting at Govinda Kund. Surprisingly an auto riksaw rumbles by in the sand. The passenger looks at me and frantically waves the driver to a halt. A tall well built figure with long dark black hair like Lord Sri Caitanya bolts out. He hugs me. I see a sadly aging figure, a western man my age, but much more worn by the years. ?Do I know you?? he humbly asks. I recognize a god-brother?somehow we always seem to recognize each other, even if we haven?t intimately met. He strangely pleads with me, ?Srila Prabhupada is still my guru, but Lalita Prasad (Srila Bhaktisiddhanta?s Sarasvati Thakur?s younger brother), is my diksa guru. ISKCON doesn?t understand me.? I?m not impressed, but remain polite. I don?t say much wanting to chant. He hugs me again, looks wildly into my eyes, and shares a secret. ?I am translating a book on Visnupriya. Not much is known about her. ?She is prema bhakti coming to teach prema bhakti.? Tears come to his eyes. Can?t say they are real. He then suddenly scoots away. I continue my morning chant. (November 8th)

Japa thought: Nothing can stop spiritual potency from influencing us except aparadha. If we are not tasting the Holy Name, then it is aparadha only, most likely to the devotees. As only humility can protect us from offense, then only in a humble frame of mind can we taste the holy name and chant incessantly. (November 9th)

Bhagavatam thought: There are different types of sukrti (piety), thus different auspicious results for our good deeds. Jnana sukri, the act of proper study, gifts one with advancement in knowledge. Karma sukrti, the act of good works, bestows material enjoyment. But how do we get devotion and what exactly is bhakti sukrti? The naga- patnis, the wives of Kaliya, seeing Sri Krishna dance on their husband?s head, ask Sri Krishna the same question: How did our sinful husband get such contact with the Lord to the extent that the Lord?s lotus feet were touching his hoods? What type of good deeds (sukrti) did he perform to reap such an auspicious result? In their next inquiry they thus describe the essence of such devotional sukrti:

?Did he in some previous existence carefully execute religious duties with compassion for all living beings, and that is why You, the life of all living beings, are so satisfied with Him??

As we are separated from the Absolute Reality, Sri Krishna, by envy, or hate, the method of realizing that Absolute Reality is naturally just the opposite?devotion, or love. The process of devotional service thus begins with humility and respect. As Lord Caitanya advised in His Siksastaka, one has to execute devotional service by humbly chanting the Hare Krishna mantra, thinking oneself lower than the straw in the street, never expecting honor for oneself, but offering all kinds of honor to others. The naga-patnis thus also question:

?Did our husband carefully perform austerities in a previous life, with his mind free of pride and full respect for others? Is that why you are pleased with him?

To acquire Krishna?s mercy we are thus encouraged to accrue bhakti-sukrti by giving Krishna-consciousness to others in a mood of compassion and by becoming the humble servant of all devotees. (November 10th)

Bhagavtam thought: In the second verse of Srimad Bhagvatam it is described that by hearing about the Absolute Reality, Sri Krishna, immediately, at once (sadya), real devotion manifests in our heart to the extent that Sri Krishna is captured there.

Why, however, does this not happen to us? Sri Vyasadeva answers: krtibhih, one has to be pious. What type of piety? He explains, nirmatsaranam satam, the piety of being without envy. This means to give up competitive (fruitive) activity, to relinquish the endeavor to be better than others for the purpose of false ego, and ultimately renouncing the desire to be the controller and enjoyer. The piety to bestow devotion is thus giving up envy by becoming the humble servant of servant of guru and the vaisnavas. (November 11th)

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