»y »y TϪ TÁ{∫ÁWÁ{T \Æo:

THE

GAUDIYA
Spiritual Monthly

ú¿Áúu`YN˛oÆÁ §ÏÜÆÁ EåÁÃMoÀÆ uƒ ÆÁåΩ

“u∫é§uãá ƒÀoÏå: @ ÆsÁ“|™ÏúÆÏ`\o: @
™Ï™ÏqÏuß úu∫nÆÁTÁz uå§|ãá: Nw˛…mé§ãáz
ƒ{∫ÁSÆÊ ¢˛¡TÏN˛·Æoz @@˛ ÆÏMoÊ ƒ{∫ÁSÆ™ÏXÆoz @@

Vol. LIII APRIL 2010 No. 8

MANGALÂCHARANAM

EQlguåƒÁ|m∫Ãú¿ƒÁ“{:
uƒQulgoÁ∆z  ∫ÃÁão∫Áum @
EÆuãfioÁz˚ÁãoÃÏáÁm|ƒÁuå
\Æuão ∆yoÁuå oƒ uÀ™oÁuå @@

Your cooling Smiles are glorified, (i) Which overthrow all other
rasas with the continuous flow of their rasa (tasty sentimental
ecstasy) of the full undivided Bliss, and (ii) Which issue forth the
ocean of ambrosia in an unrestricted flow.

-Sri Leelãshuka Bilvamangala

APRIL 2010 THE GAUDIYA 1

˛
 Pithy Precepts of Srila Prabhupâd
The savage
conception of
philosophy as well has
also been discounted
by means of critical
and ethical arguments.
For a long time
Indian Philosophy had
been mentioned in six
different phases
bearing dissimilar
methods of exposition but in the course of
the unrolling evolutionary process we have
had a few dozen philosophic views coming
to us for our speculative considerations.
Mind has been noticed as the functional
agent of agreeing or disagreeing with a
standard position within the scope of its
finitudinal range. It is termed conscience
or Buddhi when it is fixed. The egotistic
function of mind in respect of mundane
objects is called ahamkâra or the
subjective tendency of lording it over a
partial phenomenal aspect. The jiva or
soul is different from phenomenal
denomination, but the fettered
condition of an individual soul has
association with the material world.
The five old schools of philosophy
of India do not vouchsafe to bear identical
attitudes with the Vedanta philosophy.
Some supersensuous methods are
revealed in comparative studies, though in
the beginning such warnings need not be
offered to the students of the Vedanta. The
science of the Vedanta philosophy had also
dealt with the aspects of the constant
changes of form resulting from inevitable
development and also elucidated the
position of permanent unalterable elements
in ever-altering forms.
The Vedanta deals with a theme
beyond the finite views of phenomena. The
2
2 THE GAUDIYA
subject dealt with in that particular
philosophy is not confined to any part of
the material space, any definite span of time
or any object of sensuous perception made
up of any substance of this universe. The
activities of a being are measured in time,
the playground of a being either linear,
superficial or cubical is accommodated in
space and the limited subjectivity or fleshly
entity is confined to phenomena. The
Vedantic scheme is quite different from such
limited structural monuments though some
people attempted to bring Vedanta within
the prison bars of their senses.
The Vedanta expresses itself in
ordinary language quite dove-tailed into the
views of our ordinary intelligence, it gradually
heaves us up to the supersensuous regions
where the senses cannot work by their
present implements or cannot help us with
the words of our ordinary commerce with
friends. The transcendental topics are
imparted slowly through the linguisic and
rationalistic attainments by differentiating the
plane of transcendence from the undesirable
transformable plane of enjoyments. As it
helps us on this progressive journey of
understanding we should not stick to a
stagnant view in order to gratify our senses
just because the rationality and harmonious
language of the Vedanta seem to fit our
whims. So the method of studying this
particular philosophy involves a process of
eliminating all chances of confusing the
transcendence with our present plane of
thought.
Apprehending Community:- The
special feature of Vedanta has a marked
distinction from other views of different
schools of thought. The epistemology, the
cosmology and the ontology of Vedantic
views do not necessarily follow the
hackneyed path of worldly argumentations
based on phenomenal conceptions.
APRIL 2010
 Thus Spake Srila Âchâryadeva
Manu Samhita also
says: we can depend
on common sense and
reason for
Vyavaharika-satya
but transcendental
truth can be attained
only through the Vedas
which means
knowledge of God.
The Vedas are
divided into four as Ric, Yajur, Sama and
Atharva. Each one again has got two parts
of which one is called Mantra and the other
is called Brahmana. The Mantras are
required for the performance of the Yajnas.
The Brahmana explains the meaning of the
Mantras.
On the whole, the Vedas have three
sections like (a) work section, (b) Devata
section and (c) knowledge section. The
work section speaks of the various yajnas.
The Devata section speaks about the
worship of the various Devatas, the
knowledge section deals with the subject
of God (Brahma - Vidya).
Actions of the work-section are of two
kinds as ‘Sakama’ that is action with the
desire for the result, and ‘Nishkama’, that
is action to be performed correctly but
without any desire for the result. The
intention of the sakama-karma is to enjoy
comfort in this world and also to attain the
heaven after death for enjoying the heavenly
comforts. But such karmas cannot help the
person to avoid revolving in the cycle of
deaths and births. The performance of the
nishkama-karma gradually banishes the
desire for enjoyment of the things of sense-
gratifications and thereby makes the heart
pure. The highest advice of the work-
section, the karmakanda, of the Vedas is
p
APRIL 2010 THE GAUDIYA
the Nishkama-karma. Paroksha-jnana and
Aparoksha-jnana. The common
knowledge of the matters staated in the
Shastras is called the Paroksha-jnana. The
transcendental knowledge or, in other words
the experience gained by the attainment to
the Parabrahma, God, the Supreme, is called
Aparoksha-jnana or Vijnan.
The Upanishads are under the
knowledge-section of the Vedas. All the
four Vedas have got Upanishads. The
derivative meaning of the word is ‘upa’-‘ni’-
‘shad’--- That which dispels nescience, the
attachment to worldliness; and at the same
time that which imports the knowledge for
proceeding towards God, the Supreme is
Upanishad. So, Upanishad is that which
deals with the transcendental knowledge.
The Upanishad is, also called ‘Shruti’. It is
the culmination of all the Vedas, the final say
of the Vedas, the end of the Vedas. The
Upanishad is, therefore, that shastra which
helps the aspirant to reach God.
The Vedas, also, deal with other six "
subjects like (1) Shiksha, (2) Kalpa, (3)
Vyakarana, (4) Nirukta, (5) Chhandah and m.
(6) Jyotish.
Shiksha : deals with the
,b
pronunciation including
phonetics of the Suktas etc.
Kalpa : deals with the work-
procedure of the yajnas.
Vyakarana : i.e. grammar
Nirukta : deals with the explanatory
notes of the words and
phrases used in the Vedas.
Chhandah : deals with the prosody or n
the science of versification.
Jyotish : deals with the calendar of T
dates, time, occasion, etc.
of the various functions
3
 celebrating on such
occasions. It is also deals
with the movements of the
heavenly bodies
The authoritative Shâstras which are the
sources in the matter of establishing the.
Absolute Truth are three in number as
Shruti-Prasthân, Smriti-Prasthân and
Nyaya-Prasthân.
The Purânas and histories are called the
Smriti-Prasthân came under the history
though they are the national epics. As these
books are rather narrations of the subtle
meanings of the Vedas and help the reader
to recapitulate the Vedic dictums, they are
called the Smriti Prasthân. As the Gita
which is found in the Mahâbhârata, is a
Smriti-Sâshtra.
The Brahma-Sutra is called the Nyâya-
Prashtân. It is so named as the Sutras have
established a harmony or uniformity or
synthesis of the Upanishads by following
strong logic. There are six philosophical
treatises in India. They are (1) Sânkhya of
the sage Kapila, (2) Yoga of the sage
Patanjali, (3) Nyâya of the sage Gautama,
(4) Vaisheshik of the sage Kanad, (5)
Purva-mimâsha of the sage Jaimini and (6)
Annotation of the Brahma Sutras by Sri
Shankarâchârya.
These six treatises have not been able
to pinpoint the ‘Paratattva’ or the Ultimate
Truth. Sriman Chaitantya Mahâprabhu has
declared (Vide.C.C.M.25.55) that the
‘Tattva’ has not been stated in the six
philosophical treatises but what has been told an
by the ‘Mahâjanas’ is the Truth or Tattva.
The intellect of man, greatman, Rishi, great
rishi and devata have got defects of four
types of limitations as Bhrama (mis-
identification), Pramâda (constant shifting of
mental forces), Karanâpâtava (inefficiency
of the indriyas) and Vipralipsâ (self-flattery).
So there is every possibility of committing
errors in their decision or conclusions.
civre Sripâd Vallabhâchârya had accepted,
besides these three Prasthânas, a fourth
prasthâna viz. the Shrimad Bhâgavatam. He
said ‘‘If any doubt arises about the meaning
contained in any part of the Shrutis, the
solution can be had from the Gita. The
confusion about any part of the Gita can be
cleared by the Nyâya Prasthân. Any doubt
or confusion arising from the Brahma Sutra
can be dispelled by the Srimad Bhâgavatam,
the self-reveled Truth. The eternal truth that
got its revelation in the trasparent soul of Sri
Vy â sadeva while he was in a trance
ultimately took its shape Srimad
Bhâgavatam in the form of Shabda-Brahma.
Shrimad Bhâgavatam comes under the 302.9
Smriti Prasthân to those who accept only
three Prasthânas.

ALMANAC for the months of APRIL & MAY 2010

e
14.04.2010 Wed Appearance of Srila Gadâdhar Pandit Goswâmi. Commencing of
‘Pouring water to Sri Sâlagrâm and Tulasi’ -- ‘‘Keshava Vrata’’
15.04.2010 Thus Commencing of the month of ‘Purushottama’
25.04.2010 Sun Padmini Ekâdashi Fasting. Next day pârana between 5.12 and
9.27 a.m.
10.05.2010 Mon Vyanjuli Mahâ Dwâdashi Fasting. Next day pârana between 5.02
and 5.28 a.m.
15.05.2010 Sat Concluding of the month of Purushottama. Concluding of ‘pouring 28.9
water to Sri Sâlagram and Tulasi’ - Keshava Vrata.

4 THE GAUDIYA APRIL 2010

m
 UNIQUE, UNIVERSAL AND SUPER EXCELLENT
SRI KRISHNA BHAKTI
THE SEED OF SRIMAD BHAGAVATAM
Sripad B.S.Narayan Maharaj
(Contd. from March issue)
In this manner the universality of the
self-evident Bhakti in all the locations and
all the individuals is established. The next
word ‘sarvada’ or ‘always’ of the chatuh
shloki establishes the eternity of this
accomplished devotion.
1. BHAKTI DURING COSMIC
CREATION:
Lord Sri Krishna instructs to Sri
Uddhava, -- ‘O Uddhava, the eternal
righteousness known as the Bhagavata
Dharma of devotional love is present in the
divine utterance known as the Vedas. As it
became extinct due to the passage of time,
during the beginning of the cosmic creation
I revealed the same to the creator
Brahma’(Bh.11.14.3). Latter on too this
divine propagation can be found during
different occasions.
2. BHAKTI DURING CATACLYSM:
Sri Vidura enquires with sage
Maitreya, - ‘‘During the total cosmic
cataclysm when Lord Hari dwells in the
causal ocean Ekarnava on the bed of
Adisesha, who are the divine servitors who
serve the Lord, and thereafter which
associates of the Lord enter into divine
trance?’’ (Bh.3.7.37). This shows that,
Bhakti is eternal even during the forfold
cosmic dissolution, as it transcends the limits
of cosmic time and space.
3. BHAKTI DURING ALL THE
AGES:
Sage Shukadeva tells to king Parikshit,
-- ‘‘whatever result that is attained by
meditation during Satyayuga, by sacrifice
APRIL 2010 THE GAUDIYA
during Teretayuga, by worship during
Dvaparayuga, -- can be fully and easily
achieved in the age of Kaliyuga by the
devotional chanting of Lord Hari’s Divine
Names.’’ (Bh.12.3.52). Sri Vishnu Purana
says, -- ‘‘Whichever hour or moment that
passes idle without the remembrance of
Lord Vasudeva happens to be most
disastrous, evilsome, illusive and misleading
on the part of human beings.’’ This shows
that, human beings should incessantly chant
the Divine Names.
4. BHAKTI IN ALL SITUATIONS:
Devotion can be cultivated by the
human beings in all situations of their
existence, as shown below:
(a) Sri Prahlada listened to Hari Katha
from Sri Narada, while in the womb of his
mother and acquired devotion. (b) Dhruva
cultivated devotion during tender age of
child-hood. (c) Kings like Ambarisha
practised devotion during tender youth. (d)
Dhritarashtra etc., performed devotion
during old age. (e) Ajamila performed
u devotional act during the time of death. (f)
King Chitraketu cultivated devotion while
existing in heaven. (g) Even after reaching
hell Bhakti can be conducted, as narrated
.
in Sri Narasimha Purana, -- ‘‘Even those
who reached hell, by performing the
chanting of divine Names of Lord Hari got
deliverance and attained to heavens.’’ In o
the words of sage Durvasa to the Lord, --
‘‘even hellish beings attain liberation by
uttering Your Divine Names, which are
omnipotent and all-gracious like
Yourself.’’(Bh.IX.4.62). Sri Shukadeva
tells to Sri Parikshit, -- ‘‘O king, the yogis
5
 who are detached from this world if desirous
of achieving fearlesness, they should adopt
the devotional chanting of the divine Names
of Lord Hari. This Hari Nama Samkirtana
is decided to be the befitting performance
for such yogis.’’ (Bh.II.1.11) Likewise,
Bhakti is the unique and universal
prescription for all the aspirants starting from
the neophytes up to the highest accomplished
devotees.
Analytic or prohibitive examples from
Brihan Naradiya and Padma Purana, --
‘‘What is the use of the acts like Vedic study,
pilgrimage, penance or sacrifice for those
who lack devotion to Lord Hari?’’ ‘‘For
those who possess devotional love for Lord
Hari, what is the need of studying various
scriptures, conducting penances and
sacrifices or performing thousands of
Vajapeya Yajnas?’’
Sri Shukadeva instructs king Parikshit.
-- ‘‘I offer my repeated obeisances to Lord
Hari of eternal glory and boundless
auspiciousness, without serving Whom the
aspirants like Tapaswi (doers of penance),
Yashaswi (successful in the world), donars,
knowers of Mantras, moralists etc. can
never become successful in their respective
endeavours.’’ (Bh.II.4.17). Without
devotion to Lord Hari, no one can
achieve success or auspiciousness.
PURE DEVOTION IS GOD-CENTRIC:
Holy life of devotional culture always
remains absolutely God-centric , whereas
non-devoted lives of fallen souls are of self-
centric nature. Saintly persons can never
appreciate anything that is devoid of
devotion. Sri Shukadeva tells to Sri
Parikshit, -- ‘‘whenever the nectarine river
of divine narrations does not flow,
whichever place that is not occupied by holy
t devotees who fondly drink deep that nectar,
wherever the divine sacrifice of Hari Nama
Samkirtana is not performed, joyful
devotional festivals with dancing, singing,
6 THE GAUDIYA
playing the musical instruments and honouring
of saintly devotees does not take place, --
such places should be known as most unfit
for dwelling, even though it may verily be
Brahma Loka itself.’’ (Bh.V.19.23).
SELFISHNESS POLLUTES DEVOTION:
‘‘Devendra, the king of demigods who
repeatedly prostrated at the Lotus Feet of
P
Lord Krishna, by touching the same through
his gem-studded golden diadem by desiring
for the killing of demon Narakasura etc., when
got his desire fulfilled, now being intolerant in o
giving the Parijata flower-tree to the Lord,
thoughtlessly engaged in battle with Lord
Krishna Himself. Alas! how drastic is this
act and how ugly is this selfishness! Even
these demigods endowed with Sattva guna
too are imbibed with polluted hearts of
passionate ignorance due to their selfish
attitude. Fie to their worthless heavenly
opulance.’’(Bh.X.59.41)
BHAKTI IS THE MEANS AND THE
END IN ITSELF:
The acts of devotion performed through
sense-organs are termed as ‘Sadhana
o be
Bhakti’, devotional sentiments nurtured by the
pure mind are known as the ‘Bhava Bhakti’,
whereas the eternal spiritual function of the
fully enlightened individual soul towards the
supreme Lord is known as the divine love or
‘Prema Bhakti’. When the devotional path
is honestly followed under the guidance of
pure devotees, the Sadhana Bhakti gets
matured into Bhava Bhakti and the Bhava
Bhakti gets matured into Prema Bhakti. The
seed of Bhakti received by the grace of Guru
rof and Krishna should be sown in the pure heart
and should be regularly watered through the
hearing and chanting in holy association. The
seed gets germinated and starts to grow as a
creeper to reach the desire tree of Lord
Krishna’s Lotus Feet. During this period it
should be protected from various perils that
arise due to offences like Nama-aparadha,
Vaishnava-aparadha etc. (to be continued )
APRIL 2010
 MAHÂBHÂRATA
Sri M.C.Mahesh
(Contd. from March issue)
Duryodhana got wind of Shalya’s
move from his spies, and decided to
forestall him and obtain his assistance. He
had cozy camps of woven fabric set up all
through Shalya’s way, and Shalya was
invited by his henchmen and entertained
with food and drink. Shalya thought that
this warm hospitality was Yudhishthira’s
gesture and accepted the attentions of the
servitors. But very soon he came to know
that the lavish welcome he received was
Duryodhana’s, and he summoned the host
to his presence.
‘‘Duryodhana, I am pleased with your
hospitality and attentions. But why on earth
do you do this to a potential enemy?
However I am pleased with you and
will cetainly grant any boon you ask for.’’
‘‘Then please do join us with all your
followers and help me in battle.’’
‘‘I will not go back on my pledged
word -- I will certainly join you and fight
my nephews. However, I will go to
Upaplavya and take leave of Yudhishthira,
and also seek his pardon.’’
Shalya reached Upaplavya, broken
and dispirited, and gently broke news to ng
Yudhishthira as to how he was cheated by
the crafty Kuru prince.
Yudhishthira apparently maintained a
composed demeanour, but was overcome
by fear and stooped to sin. He asked
Shalya a boon that was so uncharacteristic
of his chivalrous nature ‘‘The whole world
knows that you are as skilled as Krishna is
in the science of ashwahridaya -- the art
of harnessing horses to battle-chariots and
driving them to victory. The Kauravas will
certainly make you drive Karna’s chariot
in his final contest with Arjuna. Then, you
APRIL 2010 THE GAUDIYA
must belittle Karna’s prowess and
destabilise his psyche thus making him weak
and susceptible. Arjuna has a chance of
win only then--you must do this cowardly
deed for my sake.’’
Shalya agreed, and took unwilling leave
of his nephews after prophesying their
victory. The very gods had suffered such a
chequered
rp life before and had ultimately
conquered themselves and later, their
enemies. Many such morally uplifting
didactic tales were narrated by Shalya to a
sorrowing Yudhishthira to hearten his falling
spirits.
The Mahabharata delineates the mixed
texture of every person with striking
sublimity. The poet says that their ethical uq
hues were neither stark black nor pure white
but grey--and this depiction is seen in
Yudhishthira’s crafty request that exposed
open his innate weaknesses. That such a
person as righteous as Yudhishthira, who
was known as Dharmaraja (the suzerain of "
rectitude) and Dharmaputra (the son of the
god of morality), could stoop to such sin is
indeed a wonder, and the episode is one of
a portrayal or inherent human fraility.
Several embattled legions came to
Upaplavya and Hasthinapura on request
and invitation to take part in the climactic
battle that would usher in a new order of
things. The earth shook under the heavy
tread of thumping war-elephants. The
clatter hooves and the rattle of chariot-
wheels fissured the very earth. Rank after
rank of serried soldiers marched to the beat
of drum and the boom of trumpets. The
dust raised by the gathering armies rose
above the horizon and settled hazily in an
overarching canopy. uoy
To Upaplavya came the Yadava "
7
 "
.
warrior Satyaki with his war-horses and
footmen. Virata’s army was marshalled into
B battle order and the old king was joined by
his son Uttara, who had now outgrown fear
and had blossomed into a warrior.
Druapada’s preferred help was
materlialising, and his men were drawn into
battle-order by the warlike Dhrishtadyumna
and Shikhandi. The sons of Draupadi were
present by the side of their uncles.
Abhimanyu was there with his half-brothers,
twanging his bowstring and sharpening his
arrows. Ghatotkacha had come with his
army of swarthy demons on the summons
of his father. Among the other kings and
princes who came to the assistance of the
Pandavas was Kuntibhoja, now old and
feeble but ready for action. The composite
might of the Pandava army added up to a
total of seven akshauhinis or warlike
cohorts.
For all his sin and disrepute, the army
of Duryodhana was numerically superior
and eleven akshauhinis came to his
assistance. His own loyal brothers and
Shakuni and friend Karna were by his side,
as also the four elders at court -- Bheeshma,
Drona, Kripa and Ashwatthama. The saintly
Vidura refrained from taking sides, and
would not assist his sinful nephews in battle.
Susharma and all his brothers and followers
came with the vast Trigarta army on their
trail. Then came Narakasura’s son
Bhagadatta with a mighty army of swarthy
elephants. Jayadratha brought the immense
army of Sindhu to help his brother-in-law.
There was Bhurishravas, who was related
to Dhritarashtra as a cousin, and he was an
unrivlled swordsman. He could thrust a
rapier through any shield, and fence
unconquerably with any foe. One of his
ancestors ruled a petty principality on the
frontiers of north-western India, and had
blood-ties with the Kurus. The Bhurishravas
had a grudge against Satyaki’s family, and
8 THE GAUDIYA
this lifelong vendetta fired his valour and thirst
for revenge. Shalya came to redeem his
promise, and steeled his will to face his
nephews in battle. And there was
Kritavarma, the Yadava prince who had
chosen to side with the Kurus. Krishna kept
his word and sent his hardy Narayanas to
join ranks with Duryodhana. Barring a
handful of peaceloving kings, almost all the
warlike kingdoms of ancient India
participated in this cataclysmic tussle.
Drupada’s family priest reached the
portals of Hasthinapura and was welcomed
by the Kuru elders. Addressing Dhritarashtra
in the council-hall he said ‘‘The kingdom of
Kuru is the patrimony of both Yudhishthira
and
"Y Duryodhana, as Pandu was the son of
the then ruling monarch Vichitraveerya as
much as you are. The years of banishment
have been spent, and honouring your
agreement you must now return the fertile
province of Indraprastha to the Pandavas.’’
Karna glowered at the ambassador and
interrupted rudely ‘‘Arjuna was discovered
by us before the stipulated period of
incognito was spent. The Pandavas and
Draupadi must return to the woods for
o another span of twelve years, as per the "
wager of the dice-game.’’ eS
Bheeshma retorted with righteous
vehemence ‘‘Our astronomers postulate that
the period of concealment ended before
Arjuna exposed himself, according to both
the solar and lunar calendars. My calculations
have been corroborated by their
reckonings....
I saw how well you managed to fight in
Virata’s country. Did you defeat Chitrasena
in combat and rescue our prince? Years
back, you were vanquished by Arjuna in the
melee that followed Draupadi’s bride’s-
choice festival. Your skill is not even an
infinitesimal speck of Arjuna’s prowess!’’
Dhritarashtra made peace among his courtiers
and turned to Drupada’s emissary ‘‘I will tn
APRIL 2010
 deliberate upon this issue and soon send
Sanjaya to negotiate with the Pandavas.’’
It was not long before Dhritarashtra’s
charioteer and counsellor Sanjaya reached"
Upaplavya as a messenger of peace.
Virata and Drupada were seated to hear
the message and some of the other principal
allies of the Pandavas were also present.
Surrounding their statesman Krishna the
Pandavas sat, and the illustrious princess
Draupadi had also ventured to hear the
envoy speak.
Sanjaya spoke to Yudhishthira first ‘‘I
come as a harbinger of peace.
Dhritarashtra wants you to eschew all
thoughts of war and think of establishing
peace.’’
Yudhishthira was startled on hearing
the introductory message and perceptively
guessed what would follow ‘‘My crooked
uncle accuses me of provoking a combat!
It is he who has kept alive the embers of
jealousy glowing in Duryodhana’s psyche.
Who does not know of his avarice that was
expressed go leefully at every throw of the
fatal dice? He so happy when we lost all
our possessions....
Only an accursed fool will plunge into
combat when he can get his due by peaceful
measures. If our share of the ancestral
kingdom is given to us there will be no war.’’no
Sanjaya continued to deliver the
doting king’s message that was warped by
avarice ‘‘But the stubborn Duryodhana will
never return your patrimony that he has
seized so greedily. Why not go back to
the woods or live as a dependant of your
marital-relations like the Yadavas? Will a
conquest built upon the corpses of your
kinsmen and elders give you any pleasure
--- even more so as you are so peace-
loving and righteous? Life is evanescent
and as fickle as a bursting bubble. How
long will you enjoy a kingdom gained by a
devastating debacle? ’’
APRIL 2010 THE GAUDIYA
Yudhishthira was stunned by the
callousness of his blind uncle who was
twisting morality so pervertedly to suit his
materialistic ends. He turned dumbfounded
on Krishna, who replied to Sanjaya, ‘‘I will
Myself come as an ambassador to
Hasthinapura and try for an honourable
conciliation. Any war is mutually destructive
and we want to avert the destruction of an
ancient clan. I even wish that these evil
desperadoes be spared the punishment of
death.’’
Arjuna did not like this conciliatory
message and asked Sanjaya to warn his
opponents that they would fall like swarms
of moths before a searing conflagration.
Yudhishthira was seized by
consternation at Arjuna’s threat and made
one last effort to crack a settlement ‘‘Tell
Duryodhana
e to give me five cities -- one
for each of us -- and a war can still be
averted. I want the townships of
Varanavata, Jayanta, Indraprastha, y
Vrikaprastha and Makandi. If these five
setlements are bestowed on us, we will call
of the war.’’
Yudhishthira asked Sanjaya to inspect
the might of the army he had collected and
edescribe the same to the headstrong
Duryodhana when he went back.
The righteous Sanjaya returned to the
presence of his blind master and censured !
him severely for making him carry a callous
message. He said that he would deliver
Yudhisthira’s reply in the open court on the
morrow,
." and retired for the night.
W The night was dark and gloomy and
old king was shifting uneasily in his bed.
n Growing more pensive with the advance of
night he desperately called for Vidura.
‘‘Vidura, my mind is one harrowing
bundle of despair. Can I ever get some
sleep?’’
‘‘You are stricken by avarice and
greed, and hence this fear has
9
 overwhelmed you. Even now, if you repent
for your past misdeeds and resolve to
restore his land to the guileless Yudhishthira,
you will certainly get sleep.’’
‘‘But my sleeplessness dates further
back! Is my son’s avarice the real cause
for it?’’
‘‘Yes, your restlessness dates to an era
further back in time -- when Yudhishthira
e came with his brothers and Kunti from the
hundred-peaked hill Shatashringa. The very
thought of sharing your land with the sons
of your dead brother made you pensiveu
and restless. Why, even years before this
incident occurred you had lost your sleep
--- when Duryodhana was born and several
ill-omens were seen you called me and
questioned me whether Pandu’s eldest son
would take precedence in claiming the
throne!’’
Vidura gave a long discourse on the
duties and responsibilities of a good ruler
and on the established norms of good
conduct. He gave didactic sermons and
described several interesting allegories,
hoping to instil some sense in the warped
and clouded intellect of the misguided king.
He spoke about the four measures to be
adopted by kings in chronological
succession while dealing with foes--peace,
the giving of gifts to appease the contender
and for preventing ruin, sowing discord in
the enemuy ranks to destabilise them, and
lastly force. He expatiated on the nature of
treaties and wars and several other
concerns of real-politik. Some of these
sermons have machiavellian undertones, but
these are present pandemically in the entire
royal-lore of the Mahabharata! More
important than these schemes are Vidura’s
expositions on morality, and these are more
conventional and universal in their
application. The real core of Vidura’s
preachings lie in these treatises on ethics.
Changing over from real-politik to
10 THE GAUDIYA
ethics and from ethics to metaphysics, Vidura
said ‘‘the human body has nine doors or
openings and three pillars that support its
structure. There are five witnesses watching
over the fate of this structure. The nine doors
are the sense-organs like the eyes, ears,
nostrils and mouth through which the objects
of the phenomenal world are perceived. The
three supporting pillars of the body are the
mind, intellect and ego. The sense-
!
impressions gathered from the nine doors are
processed by the mind. The intellect acts as
the faculty of discrimination, analysing the
workings of the mind and rationalising on its
choices.’’ The ego is the substratum upon
which al these activities are superimposed.
The five witnesses that sustain these activities "
are the five vital-airs and when these depart
from the body the person is said to be dead.
This death is, however, only one transitory
phase in the eternal flux of life, for the death
ofD the physical body is survived by the mind,
intellect and ego....
The human body can be allegorically
likened
ov
to a chariot, and the soul is the
phenomenal cosmos. The horses are similar
With Best Compliments from
SAI RAMANA CANCER TRUST
CHENNAI
CANCER PATIENTS' CARE
Our Trust does Free Healing,
Counselling
&
Anti-Cancer Initiation
Any stage of treatment
Any place of Stay
Mail to : srcancertrust@yahoo.co.in
or
Cell: 9884017256
9840496548
APRIL 2010
 to the senses that are forever attracted by
these objecs and in eternal pursuit of them.
The intellect is the charioteer and the reins
he uses to control the bolting horses is the
mind. When the intellect properly directs
the functioning of the mind the horses
harnessed to the chariot are bridled and tread
one continuous, straight path. The traveller
or the self then reaches his final destination,
beatitude....
A dead person is cast away into the
funeral pyre with piteous mourns and
harrowing lamentions. With hair dishevelled
and clothes all awry, his kith and kin weep
for him for a while. Very soon they return
back and his very presence is forgotten. The
body which he nourished and identified with
is reduced to cinders. However, he still
lives on -- and he is kept company by his
own ambivalent deeds, sinful and righteous.
Therefore should a person constantly.
endeavour to practise the nuances of virtue
-- this keeps company to the subtle-body
that survives physical death, and transports
him to better celestial realms....’’
‘‘Speak on, O wise Vidura!’’ muttered
Dhritarashtra in his mental agony ‘‘Your
words are like ambrosia showered on a
dying man to revive him. Now, I wish to
know about brahman.’’
‘‘This is the horizon of my
understanding of eschatology and
metempsychosis. However, the ancient and
immortal sage Sanatsujata, who is forever a
young youth as a result of his askesis, will
speak more on transmigration and death. I
will try to call him telepathically -- I have
hope he will respond to my unspoken
request.’’
Vidura meditated on the prsence of
Sanatsujata and the clairvoyant ascetic heard
the call of the incarnation of death, the very
same death that he had overpowered years
ago. Sanatsujata materialised in the inner
chambers of the king and greeted the
APRIL 2010 THE GAUDIYA
personification of death and morality who had
summoned him. Vidura spoke about the
desire of the king to gain knowledge of the
unsolved mysteries of life and death, and
Sanatsujata’s long discourse is a classic text
on the problem of existence. The medieval
commentator and philosopher
Shankaracharya systematised these
teachings in his glosses and purports and has
hailed this passage, traditionally known as
the Sanatsujatiya, as being on par with the
Bhagavad Geeta.
Sanatsujata begins with an account of
how he made his physical body immortal and
ever-youthful. However, even this state can
exist only for one cycle of creation. During
the cosmic deluge the five elements that
constitute the physical body are withdrawn
back to their source, and the body has to
fall. This relative immortality is acquired by
practising brahmacharya and eschewing the
satiation of all desires -- however petty they
might be. This science is the crux of the path
of psychic-control and mystic-meditation
that Patanjali systematised in his Yoga Sutras
years later. Celibacy and the lack of desires
are the substructure upon which the entire
architectonic of psychic-control is
constructed. Just as death overpowers the
body is not caused by the demigod Yama
who presides over the pithris or departed
ancestors, but by the presence of desire that
spawns a whole array of negative psychic-
currents -- greed, anger, envy and untruth.
Yama merely metes out justice in the form of
death when these negative psychic-currents
manifest themselves.
However, such physical immortality
ni cannot last forever and the aspirant after truth
passes on to celestial worlds after the cosmic
deluge. Interestingly, these celestial worlds
are themselves impermanent and are
dissolved during the celestial deluge! Even
the subtle-body composed of the mind,
intellect and ego falls and disintegrates then.
11
(
 Starting from the creator Brahma down to a
blade of grass on mundane earth, all
creatures and worlds are transient and
fleeting. Brahma lives only for a hundred
aeons or celestial years and loses his
individual personality or the ego after the final
armageddon.
‘‘But where does this transmigration
end?’’ asked Dhritarashtra querulously ‘‘Is
there any imperishable noumenon beyond
all these fleeting phenomena?’’
‘‘The search for Truth ends in an
absorption in brahman.’’ replied Sanatsujata
‘‘And this brahman can be cognised by
practising true silence or mental quietude.
When the meditational practise progresses
internally, the locus of individual
consciousness is shifted from the gross body
or visible cosmos to the subtle body or
celestial cosmos. Proceeding further, one
identifies oneself with the causal body or the
abode of the ego. When even the notion of
this individual personality is sublimated, the
presence of brahman is realised.....
Brahman is the invisible substratum
behind the fleeting projections that take on
the form of visible galaxies. He is
incomprehensible and too great to delineated
anthropomorphically. The four Vedas and
even their appendages--the Upanishads that
speculate on the ultimate reality -- cannot
portray his real nature in gross language. He
is a presence that can only be realised!’’
Sanatsujata disappeared as
mysteriously as he came, and the old king
was transformed neither by the ethics of
Vidura nor by the metaphysics of
Sanatsujata.
When the morning horizon was suffused
with the ruddy splendour of the rising sun,
the Kuru nobles and courtiers entered the
council-hall to hear Sanjaya speak.
At the old king’s command Sanjaya
narrated the message of Yudhishthira and his
request for obtaining five cities in order to
12 THE GAUDIYA
avert a war. He blamed the king more than
his adamant son as the cause of all impending
ruin, even as Yudhishthira had done so to him.
Duryodhana, for all his sins, was a stout fighter
and hoped to meet his foes in battle. But the
crooked king hoped to avert a catastrophe
even without parting with a penny of his
fraudulent gain. Thus admonished severely
in the presence of all his courtiers by a mere
charioteer, remorse overtook Dhritarashtra
and he pleaded with his son to part with his
ill-gotten gain. Duryodhana mocked
hilariously at Yudhishthira’s message and
added that he was begging for five townships
in fear of his numerically superior army.
‘‘Yudhishthira is no fool to mention the
names of the cities he wants!’’ interposed
Vidura ‘‘He is highly sarcastic and his request
is almost ironical. No seasoned statesman
will expect an enemy to bestow on him five
towns scattered all over the kingdom. Will
an enemy brook the presence of his rival in
isolated pockets all over his place?
(to be continued.)
With Best Compliments from
ROHIT S.
SHELAT
SHELAT BROTHERS
20, Kesava Iyer Street
Park Town, CHENNAI - 600 003
dn
d
Phone:
Off. 2535 2081, 2535 0032
Fact. 2494 0764
e. mail: shebro@rediffmail.com
APRIL 2010
 The real Acharya and our Duty
Sri Kirtanananda Brahmachari
As truly said in the Bhagavata, one
must, in order to know and realise the
Absolute Truth, first of all serve and worship
the Holy Feet of the real and True Master
(Sat Guru).
To truly worship His Lotus Feet, one
must be nearest of Them, and to be nearest
is to transcend Maya, or all mundane
existence. This is a condition which is
absoultely indispensable, but most difficult
of fulfilment for fallen beings. For the Real
Master ever lives by the inscrutable Will and
Power of Personal Godhead in the
Transcendental Region of Eternal Existence,
knowledge and Bliss, although
simultaneously He seems or appears, in our
materialised perception, to live and move
in this phenomenal world of ours as a
mortal man in material form. This is due to
the misfortune of fallen souls embodied in
matter when their spiritual form with
spiritual senses lies hidden by their finer and
grosser material forms. As they transcend
matter and discover their spiritual eternal
forms, their true perception and right
worship of the true master with their
spiritual senses, -- and through Him that of
Godhead, -- commences. People in their
fallen and ignorant state cannot properly
understand and realise this transcendental
character of the Vaishnava-Acharya -- the
Nearest and Dearest Constant Servant of
the Supreme Absolute Lord Sri Krishna the
Personal God-head, and His Messenger,
Preacher and Messiah in this world for the
time. Does not then the worship of people'.
fettered by Maya reach the Holy Feet of
Sat Guru? Yes, surely there is hope for
them, and that a most encouraging one. For
the Sat Guru comes down for them, and in
APRIL 2010 THE GAUDIYA
His unbounded mercy He does accept their
worship, however low and imperfect and
by His most gracious acceptance He purifies
and makes it perfect, -- only when they quite
sincerely seek after and take refuge in the
Holy Feet of the Acharya and completely
surrender themselves to His mercy.
Full resignation again is a thing most
difficult and inconceivable to people, worldly
ignorant and wiseacres alike. For, in matters
spiritual, they are both equally ignorant.
They, in their empirical wisdom, are apt to
reason that such surrender is nothing but
foolish slavery and therefore self-
strangulation! To submit to the absolute
mercy and control of a Guru, another human
being (?), is but to impede all freedom, and
hamper all onward progress of a man: it is
the lowest depth of degradation and is
nothing short and living death, At the illusion
or Maya! Ah! the darkness of ignorance!!
Here lies the crux of the whole thing. Here
is the question to live or to die. This is how
Maya or Nescience wages her eternal war
against transcendental knowledge. But the
Messiah of Harmony i.e. Sat Guru ever
comes down when the world needs Him
most, and He always comes down in the
hour of its extreme need, to save, lift and
redeem the fallen people from the clutches
of pedantic Ignorance, and to announce
most emphatically once again to the world
the Message of the Eternal Absolute Truth,
--- ‘‘That Maya or Illusive Power of
Godhead is insurmountable by men by
themselves; it is only when they take shelter
in the Eternal and Transcendental Feet of
Godhead that they can overcome her. That
the question of submitting or not to an
Acharya that confronts a man is but the
13
 acid-test put by Maya to test the sincerity
or otherwise of the man under her control
who wants to free himself from her bondage
to return back to his Eternal Home, and to
live the eternal life to unalloyed bliss. That
submission to a Guru or Acharya is no
suicide, -- it is but seeking to live a true and
eternal life free from all misery, and full of
permanent and ever-increasing
transcendental Joy-in-Service.’’
Without submission to His
transcendental light and guide, and without
His assistance, how else can one dispel the
gloom and travel the way? Even in this finite
material world within the reach of their
senses, people can hardly learn anything
without any help of some sort or other from
another, and yet how much little they know
of the vast Nature! To think and to say that
one can make his way, independently of any
extraneous help, from matter to spirit, from
this finite mortal to the infinite immortal region
beyond the range of the material senses, and
can know and perceive Godhead Who is
the Discloser and Protector of the Infinite
Universe, is certainly preposterous and
sheer arrogance.
It is only the exceptionally fortunate that
realise the necessity of approaching or
taking initiation from the Sat Guru and
believe in His spiritual character. But this
fortune is not the one of piling up riches and
of beastly enjoyment in the material world.
It is the fortune of sincere belief and reliance
in Personal God-head and His dear
Devotees, -- in the Supreme Lord Vishnu
and the Vaishnavas, -- a fortune earned by
truly selfless and devotion-inspiring deeds
in the past. In short, it is a fortune of true
theism or belief, -- a rare treasure in this
world where atheism in deluding garbs of
all descriprions boldly treads all over.
But Acharya comes down to free the
world from this all-devouring atheism which
14 THE GAUDIYA
is nothing but a trap beautifully and
temptingly spread out by Maya to catch the
unwary, and the pseudo-theistic masters and
servants. He declares and preaches most
assuredly and emphatically that theism
proper consists of the belief in the Absolute
Supremacy of Krishna, the Concrete
Personal Absolue God-head, His Eternal and
Spiritual Name, Form, Qualities and
Pastimes -- all identical One Whole, as quite
different from and opposed to material
names,
nru forms, qualities and actions and this
world, which are different from one another,
as well as of the complete submission and
unconditional selfless service to God-head
through perfect and implicit obedience to the
Guru or Acharya Who is the Trusted
Representative of the Supreme God-head
on the earth. And again lip-deep belief is no
belief: it must be a living faith inspiring and
moulding the whole life and all actions of the
believer. Anything falling short of this
standard in whatsoever degree will be a
mixed thing and no true belief.
To be a master and to enjoy the world
i.e., to be served and not to serve, in
whatever way it may be, is atheism pure and
simple. To serve and not to be served is in
the very constitution of a jiva, and it is when
he forgets his real nature that he proceeds
to usurp the function of a proprietor and
enjoyer of the world. In other words, he
then becomes a master of the world or plays
the role of Lord Krishna and tries to enjoy
the world by means of his senses in all
possible ways. But the world as well as he
is, in substance, God-head’s possessions or
properties and a possession or property of
His has certainly no right to claim and enjoy
it as his own. And yet enjoyment is not his
lot. In his fancied enjoyment he only
becomes an all-bound slave of the world of
Maya.
(to be contd..)
APRIL 2010 tuo
 Shri Krishna Tattva
Sri Rakhal Chandra Ghosh
According to all authorities Sri Krishna
Tattva is absolute cognitive Principle
unlimited by anything else. From His very
nature, therefore, He is unattainable by our
intellectual faculties as they are at present
constituted. Human knowledge is based
upon limiting relativity and cannot conceive
of the Absolute who includes both and is
unlimited by time and space; and this will
be more apparent if we take into account
the following considerations.
Human mind according to the scriptural
doctrine of transcendental psychology itself
falls into the category of material objects.
It is not luminous in itself but gets light from
the soul and appears to us as something
different in nature from material objects
which it takes cognizance of. But how does
this cognition take place? Just as the moon
getting light from the sun which, let it be
acknowledged, is self-luminous, transmits
the same to other objects, so the mind which
is a very fine material organ enlightens other
with external objects and perceive them as
separate entities.
The above explanation will tend to
remove the difficulty which at one time
appeared to be almost insurmountable, viz.,
how the mind communicates with matter.
Like only knows its like and there being
categorically no similarity between mind and
matter it seems to be paradoxical that the
one should know the other and
communication between them be at all
possible. Mind is not really different in its
nature from other physical objects but
appears to be so in consequence of Sri.
borrowed light which it gets from quite a
different source. The mind cannot know
anything by itself. Being armed with this
power from the soul it may get into touch
APRIL 2010 THE GAUDIYA
with physical objects by means of the
grosser organs which are subservient to the
mind, and being attached to those material
objects in such a way that it is impossible
for the soul to detach himself from them
afterwards. Different religious communities
of the world taking the misapplied human m.
intellectual faculties for their guide have
attempted to discuss, which they have no
2.
competence to do about Shri Krishna in the
way of uninformed polemics, review etc.
The above is intended to explain that
the inward light of the soul aberrating through
the medium of a material object, viz., the
mind becomes entangled in the objects
which are unlike him in nature and rationally
enough becomes dissatisfied with them in
whatever profusion and varieties they may
be enjoyed because an object that is of the
category of the self-conscious can alone fully
commune with his fellow. All our external
perception is conditioned by this unnatural
dualism. The mind intercepting and
distorting leads the soul to the light of the
soul consider himself as something akin to
the objects of which he takes cognizance
and in this unnatural position thinks that he
is the creator of such knowledge.
If, therefore, we persist in making use
of this imperfect instrument it will be quite
inefficient to take us to absolute knowledge.
We shall always find ourselves surrounded
by the wall of our own mental perceptions
which originate from the above mesalliance
and canot even get a glimpse of absolute
knowledge, Shri Krishna, the ultimate and
final Cause of every-thing. There are
various religious sects in India who having
attempted to ascertain absolute knowledge
with the help of their imperfect intellectual
faculties, have inevitably gone astry, arriving
15
 at altogether erroneous conclusions.
Srimad Bhagavatam which gives the
unambiguous exposition of the Vedanta, the
highest authority in transcendental
Philosophy, describes this ultimate Principle
as One to Whom even the greatest
misguided intellectual giants have no access.
The same authority teaches us that Shri
Krishna Tattva is beyond our sensuous
experience and is not an object of three
dimensions. We are capable of conceiving
with our present intellectual faculties things
up to the third dimension only. But Vishnu
h
-
Tattva is a thing that contains everything
from the fourth to infinite dimensions and Shri
Krishna Tattva appears as the crowning
point of Vishnu Tattva. It follows, therefore,
that it is utterly impossible for us to conceive
of Shri Krishna Tattva like Whom or greater
than Whom there is no other principle.
Human intellect by its own unaided exertion
cannot get even a glimpse of this ultimate
Principle unless Shri Krishna Himself makes
n Him known to fractional beings like
ourselves making the inconceivable possible.
This raises an important question. How
is it possible for finite minds to commune
with the infinite and absolute Principle? The
procedure described in Hindu philosophy
and scriptural literature may be thus stated:
The ultimate principle, as Integer, at first
reveals Himself to some fortunate fractional
animations and favours them with the power ro
of transmitting the same to other fractional
beings and it this way through the chain of
spiritual mediums or preceptors and their
disciples the knowledge has come down to
the present age. The disciple hears the
teaching from the preceptor who can make
the disciple realise the same by the grace of
Shri Krishna and in this way the knowledge
of the ultimate Principle is obtained. It is
evident, therefore, that the first act of
revelation came through the grace of the
ultimate Principle and the same grace has
16 THE GAUDIYA
ever been flowing through the spiritual
channel. If any body, however powerful he
may be in intellectual equipment, attempts
to get at the absolute knowledge
independently of this grace through his own
exertion all his efforts will end in failure,
because by the very constitution of the
material human intellect the soul will see in its
mirror nothing but a distorted reflection and
any attempt to break through the bondage
of this abortive knowledge by means of such
process will prove utterly hopeless.
It has been noticed above that the first
revelation comes to some uncommonly
fortunate person who in his turn favours those
whom he is led by this light to consider as
deserving.
This is the case when the power of
grace chooses to flow through the channel
of spiritual preceptor. But it must be
remembered that the same ultimate Principle
is not bound by any law except His own will.
He is quite independent and can act as He
pleases. He can come down directly to this
gross material world. Even then, while rp
appearing and acting like misguided beings,
He is not affected by the infirmities that are
real in their case. The apostate beings cannot
through their own exertion get themselves
emancipated from this world of ignorance
and the grace which flows through the
preceptorial channel as described above
refrains from bestowing general emancipation.
It is under these circumstatnces that the
ultimate Principle Himself descends to this
world to bestow the general grace upon all
misguided beings. The ordinary channel of
grace overflows its banks and the whole
world becomes deluged, as it were, with the
flood of grace and the consideration of
!
deserving or undeserving, rich or poor,
versed in learning or illiterate, vanishes
altogether and general emancipation follows
as a matter of course.
(to be contd..)
APRIL 2010
 The Service of the Transcendental Preceptor
Prof. J.M.Ghosh
All the Scriptures such as Shruti,
Smritis, Puranas etc. sing throught-out the
glory of the service of Acharya, the true
preceptor. It is no vain laudation with any
ulterior motive, but it is their sincere
declaration out of infinite mercy for poor
creatures of the world in bondage. For the
service of the true preceptor is really the!
only means without any alternative
whatsoever for a creature in the state of
bondage for getting rid of the evils
consequent on embracing Maya and
regaining the service of Godhead Absolute,
Krishna, which is the very essence of the
real life of an individual soul or Jiva. The
scriptures declare the Acharya as associated
counterpart of Godhead, or the Godhead
Himself in the form of the subject class
(EÁ»Æ \ÁoyÆ) and as such is no other than
the Divinity Himself. The Acharya descends
to the mudane plane in the form of the
perfect servant of Godhead with the mission
of reminding the fettered jiva souls of their
absolute freedom in the blissful
transcendental home and making the same
available to them by the eternal service of
Godhead. By surrendering to this serving
associated counterpart of the Godhead a
jiva can attain to the subjective Godhead.
By constant service of the
transcendental teacher, all ignorance of
the mind of an enthralled soul
disappears, the mirror of his heart
becomes purged of all dross and then
only in his chastened heart dawns
spontaneously the transcendental
knowledge of the Brahman, capable of
yielding the highest good.
But strangely enough a jiva would
APRIL 2010 THE GAUDIYA
never care for, nor can come within the
range of a good preceptor so long as
his desire for sensuous enjoyment
continues strong. The Scripture says, ----
‘‘A brahmin after having enjoyed the
worlds earned by his meritorious deeds and
realised their worthlessness should have a
feeling of disgust at such deeds, as the
(transcendental) world which is not a
reward of virtuous acts, is never attainable
by them.’’
Then such a disgusted brahmin
should, with the purpose of knowing the
absolute Truth, completely surrender himself
in a serving mood to the Acharya who is a
master of the scriptures and is also firmly
devoted to Brahman, the Absolute
Godhead.
It is further said in the Sruti, ---
These words (with regard to
transcendental truths) reveal themselves
(i.e. their true import) to the high-souled one
who has as much superior devotion to the
true preceptor as to the Supreme Godhead.
Accordingly Srila Kaviraj Goswami
says in Sri Chaitanya Charitamrita, --- ‘‘As
one serves Krishna and the Guru, the
bondage of Maya goes off and one gains
the Feet of Krsihna.’’
All these quotations unanimously point
to the one paramount truth that one seriously
intent upon getting the eternal unalloyed
service of the God-head must have to learn c
and practise it by submission to the guidance
of the true preceptor and by serving him as
well, and that there is no other way. The
true preceptor gradually drives off all earthly
desires of elevation (i.e., superior
17
 ej
enjoyments in higher worlds in future births)
and salvation (i.e., identification with and
ultimate merging of the individual soul in
Brahman) from the mind of the surrendering
disciple, instils in him a hankering for really
unselfish service of the Absolute Godhead
and teaches him how to serve Him. But
such a relation between the preceptor and
the disciple, and the teaching of the pure
service of Godhead are quite out of question
where the teacher and the taught
consciously or unconsciously exploit each
other for self-gratification. In such a case
there is really no submission to guru and so
no service of him, nor any teaching of the
service of Godhead. The teacher in seeking
the gratification of his own senses cannot
seek the pleasure of the senses of the
Absolute Enjoyer, Krishna, and totally
forgets this supreme duty and loses even
the capacity for understanding the true
nature of the service of God-head. Such
has been the miserable lot of the class of
professional pseudo gurus and of
unprofessionals too who pose themselves
as saviours of the people who are generally
credulous and ignorant in respect of matters
spiritual. The relation of preceptor and
disciple of this class is only a royal road to
eternal perdition, whereas the sincere
service of the true transcendental preceptor
is the high way to the transcendental realm
of eternal bliss. For the true preceptor is
perpetually and firmly established in the
constant service of Godhead, and so he
cannot but engage the disciple too in such
service. As the true preceptor has indeed,
no other task for a single moment than the
service of God, he can find out none but
such service for his disciple too. Hence the
service of the Sat-Guru is simultaneously
the service of Guru and the servie of God.
18 THE GAUDIYA
And this is the best, surest, most natural and
simplest of means. Nay, this is the only
means, and there is no other, for being
reinstated in the truly spiritual life.
Seekers of spiritual truth are certainly
acquainted with the name of the great
Vaishnava Acharya Sree Ramanuja who
saved the world from the clutches of
Mayavada of Sree Shankara and Karmavada
of the Smartas, and preached instead the
sweetness of the service of Godhead by the
devotee. Once he set out for Mount Sree in
the company of his pupils and proceeded on
his way with loud singing of the Name of
Hari. In two or three days they came to a
village where two disciples of Ramanuja had
their home. One of them, Yajnesha was very
rich, and the other Varadacharya happened
to be very poor. Sri Ramanuja sent in
advance two of his disciples to inform
Yajnesha of their coming.
(to be contd...)
We Create / Design
New style of clothing,
Giving the Right Cut,
to the Right Fabric,
&
Sewing it with the
Right Accessories
Call : 9884387503
APRIL 2010
 Questions and Answers
Sri Gopal Das
(Contd. from March s issue)
Q. When will one take to the spiritual
path ?
A. Only when one comes to know
that he is a part and parcel of God and that
he is now separated from God, will he
findout ways and means to go back to Him.
Q. Is death an unhappy event ?
A. Not at all. One is very happy when
he gets a new set of clothes to wear.
Similarly one who has identified himself with
the soul enters a new body full of energy
after death, to carry on his journey to God’s
kingdom. Unfortunately death is the most
fearful thing for the worldly person.
Q. Who can set God Realisation ?
A. Only about 0.01% of the world’s
population are wanting to know the truth
and purpose of life. About 50% of the
people who want to know the purpose of
life and live up to it, do not get a Guru to
proceed further. Out of the remaining 50%,
who get a Guru, 50% are not able to live
up their Guru’s expectation and so they are
not able to proceed further. Of the remaining
disciples who follow their Guru’s instructions
faithfuly, only those who are really mad after
God get God Realisation. This should not
discourage anyone from taking the spiritual
path. God expects everyone to come to
Him after getting the human birth. So at
least try to be one among the creamy layer
of mankind, so that God will be pleased to
know that you have made a serious attempt
to know the purpose of life and live up to it.
Please note. Those who live identifying
themselves with the perishable body and do
not live upto God’s expectations, will take
birth only in the lower species after death.
So one should take the earliest opportunity,
APRIL 2010 THE GAUDIYA
from this very moment to transform one’s
self and live up to God’s expectations.
Q. Is man working to his full potential?
A. No man who identifies himself with
the perishable body can work to his full
potential. First of all he is only engaged
with the cover and not the essence
throughout his life. That itself is a huge
drawback. He proves unworthy of the
human birth. Then as Bhakta Prahlad
Maharaj has said the average man spends
half his age in sleeping, so even the best
businessmen, top executives of any country,
best engineers and best doctors are only
using a minute portion of the potential
available with them. Why do they not
identify themselves with the dynamic soul
the essence and driving force in the body
which is always awake every moment of
their lives? Only an ardent and sincere
devotee of the Lord, who is mad after the
Supreme Being, the cause of all causes, can
claim to be working almost to the full
potential available with him.
Q. How could a lady be called a
beauty queen?
A. How could a lady be called a
beauty queen when she is practically body
deep in ugliness and only skin deep in
beatitude? The skin hides the mass of
ugliness beneath the skin and the ignorant
man falls a prey, being deceived by the
skin. What a pity?
Q. Who is fit to be called a beauty
queen?
A. Only a lady of explicit character
could be called a beauty queen.
Q. How should a human being live?
A. Simple living and high thinking is
what one should adopt in his life and not
19
y
r Y K * q w s v x ge
h a fgszxaAvfkc f a*.tewq
high living and low thinking.
Q. The worldly person is trying to get
happiness from what sort of objects?
A. The worldly person who is ebbing
with life is trying to get happiness from
objects which have no life in them. How
can one get real happiness from things which
have no life in them? The following objects
have no life in them, eatables, drinks, dress,
money, jewellery, foot wear, moveable
property, landed property, machines and
various kinds of transport etc. Even the
human body has no life in it, it is inert matter,
and the human being wants to get happiness
from it. What a pity? It is the soul which
infuses life in the human body, consisting of
lifeless flesh etc.
Q. By trying to get happiness from
lifeless objects, what does he become?
A. He is having life in the form of the
soul in the body and he having life becomes
a slave to things which have no life in them.
How foolish? The worldly person is mad
after such lifeless objects. This purpose of
life is only to enjoy those objects and
nothing more. Those lifeless objects should
be used only as a means to live. Do not
become a slave to those lifeless objects.
Q. From where can he get real
happiness?
A. The human being can get real
happiness by identifying himself with the
soul, the driving force in the body and mixing
with devotees of God, who all identify
themselves with the soul. Those who
identify themselves with the soul, the life
giving force in the body are always
concerned with the life giving force in all
sentient and insentient objects in the world.
Their energies are not wasted in enjoying
the objects of the world. Their energies
are conserved and vitalised more and more
by utilising the objects of the world in the
service of their beloved Lord.
Q. What happens to the human being
20 THE GAUDIYA
as day by day passes by?
A. As each and every day passes by,
he or she is getting nearer and nearer to
death. So he or she must make the best use
of the time, because a moment gone is gone
for ever, it will not come back to you.
Q. The worldly people go to Temples
for what purpose?
A. They go to temples to ask favours
from God. They expect God to serve them
to lead a happy worldly life.
Q. Why does a devotee go to temple?
A. A devotee goes to the temple to
serve God. He goes to chant His Names
and glorify Him, and hear about His Lilas.
He is happy to do some service in the temple
to please the Lord.
Q. What happens when wealth is lost?
A. When wealth is lost nothing is lost, n
because one day you may lose wealth and
next day you may gain wealth.
Q. What happens when health is lost?
A. When health is lost some thing is
lost, because you are not able to carry out
your daily duties in life.
Q. What happens when character is
lost?
A. When character is lost everything is
lost because only a man of character can be
successful in any job he is asked to do. He
will be a master of circumstances and not a
slave to circumstances.
Q. Has not every creation of God a
right to live?
Q
A. Every creation of God has every
right to live, because they are made to live.
No one has the right to kill another creation
of God, just for pleasure and sense
gratification. (to be contd.)
The real object of education is
to know oneself and also to
know the ultimate Reality.
APRIL 2010
n
mun
 »y »y TϪ TÁ{∫ÁWÁ{
T
\Æo:
SRIMAD BHAGAVADGITA
»y™ÙTƒËyoÁ
u˚oyÆÁzDÜÆÁÆ: CHAPTER-II
ÃÁÊPÆÆÁzT: SÂMKHYA YOGA
(Contd. from March issue) = which always remains full, ú¿uo…eÊ˛ = and
remains, EY¬ ˛= undisturbed (rivers by
He (devotee), who has engaged his entering into sea cannot create any swell of
senses in the service of Blissful water in it, or if rivers do not flow in does
transcendental Lord, active and awake in not dry also), otΩƒoΩ = similarly, Ã: = he
that spiritual knowledge of his ownself and (the self-controlled devotee), Ãz| = (even
of Godhead which is dark as night to all when) all, N˛Á™Á: = desires, ú¿uƒ∆uão˛ = enter,
worldly minded people. To a saint (or ÆÊ = him, EÁõåÁzuo = (he) gets, ∆ÁuãoÊ =
devotee) who has realised his ownself (as tranquility (cannot be disturbed by the
eternal servitor) and Godhead that desires), å = and not, N˛Á™N˛Á™y = one who
worldliness in which all beings are awake isnk a slave of passions.
(are waltering in the foul sink of worldliness Just as rivers flow into the ocean which
and hankering after their own selfish ends always remains full and remains undisturbed
are enthralled by mâyâ and are subject to (rivers by entering into sea cannot create any f
mundane relativities) is dark as night. 69 swell of water in it, or if rivers do not flow in
.
does not dry also); similarly he (the self-
Person with well-balanced wisdom controlled devotee) even when all desires
not affected when accepts the sense enter him he gets tranquility (cannot be
objects. b disturbed by the desires). And not one who
is a slave of passions. 70
EÁúÓÆ|™Ám™Y¬ú¿uo…eÊ - ' ˛
ÙÏt¿™Áú: ú¿uƒ∆uão ÆtΩƒoΩ @ uƒ“ÁÆ N˛Á™ÁãÆ: ÃÁ|ãúÏ™ÁÊ≈Y∫uo uå:Àúw“: @
otΩƒnN˛Á™Á ÆÊ ú¿uƒ∆uão Ãz| uå™|™Áz uå∫“WΩN˛Á∫: à ∆Áuão™uáTXZuo @@71@@
à ∆Áuão™ÁõåÁzuo å N˛Á™N˛Á™y @@70@@˛˛˛˛ yb Vihâya kâmânyah sarvân
betr th
pumamshcharati nihsprihah |
Âpuryamânamachalapratishtham- nirmamo nirahmkârah
samudramâpah pravishanti yadvat | sa shântimadhigacchati || 71
tadvatkâmâ yam pravishanti sarve
sa shântimâpnoti na kâmakâmee || 70
Æ: úÏ™ÁåΩ = only he who, uƒ“ÁÆ = giving
ÆtΩƒoΩ = Just as , EÁú: = rivers, ú¿uƒ∆uão˛ up, ÃÁ|åΩ˛ = all, N˛Á™ÁåΩ = desires, Y∫uo =
= flow into, ÙÏt¿:˛ = the ocean, EÁúÓÆ|™Ám™Ω moves about, uåÀúw“: = who is indifferent to
nu mundane affinities, uå™|™: = without the sense

APRIL 2010 THE GAUDIYA 21

 of possession, uå∫“ÊN˛Á∫: = and who has
shaken off egoism, Ã: = he, EuáTXZuo =
attains, ∆ÁuãoÊ = Bliss.
Only he who giving up all desires
moves about, who is indifferent to mundane
affinities, without the sense of possession
and who has shaken off egoism, (he) attains
Bliss. 71
L Á §¿Á—™y uÀsuo: úÁs|
å{åÁÊ ú¿ÁõÆ uƒ™Ï—Æuo @
uÀsnƒÁÀÆÁ™ãoN˛Á¬{Duú
§¿—™uåƒÁ|m™wXZuo @@72@@
Eshâ brâhmee sthitih pârtha
nainâm prâpya vimuhyati |
sthitvâsyâmantakâleapi
brahmanirvânamricchati ||
úÁs| = O Arjuna (son of Pritha--Kunti),
L Á = this, uÀsuo: = is the eternal state,
§¿Á—™y = of realisation of the Blissful
Supreme Lord, ú¿ÁõÆ˛ = attaining, LåÊ = this
state, å uƒ™Ï—Æuo = one does not get
deluded. uÀsnƒÁ = Having realised, EÀÆÁÊ =
this, EãoN˛Áoz Euú Ê = even at the time of death,
J XZuo = (one) attains, uåƒÁ|mÊ = the Blissful,
§¿—™˛ = Transcendental Lord.
O Arjuna (son of Pritha--Kunti), this is
the eternal state of realisation of the Blissful
Supreme
- Lord. Attaining this state one does
not get deluded. Having realsied this even
at the time of death one attains the Blissful
Transcendental Lord. 72
C onÃutuo »y™tΩßTƒtΩTyoÁÃÓúuå nÃÏ
§¿—™uƒtΩÆÁÆÁÊ ÆÁzT∆ÁÀfiz
»yNw˛…mÁ\|ÏåÃʃÁtz ÃÁWΩPÆÆÁzTÁz åÁ™˛
utΩƒoyÆÁzDÜÆÁÆ: @@2@@˛
Aum tatsaditi Srimadbhagavadgeetâsu-
upanishatsu brahmavidyâyâm
72 yogashastre Sri Krishnârjuna samvâde
and te
sâmkhya-yogonâma dviteeyoadhyâyah || ahu
Here ends the 2nd Chapter titled
‘‘S â mkhya Yoga’’ for the pleasure of
devotees, following the Acharyas’
commentaries.

ufioyÆÁzDÜÆÁÆ: CHAPTER-III
N˛™|ÆÁzT: KARMA YOGA
Arjuna’s query Own Mâyâ / one who is the object of entreaty
E\Ï|å GƒÁY for those desiring their ultimate benefit), Nz˛∆ƒ
[ÆÁÆÃy YznN˛™|mÀoz ™oÁ §ÏutΩá\|åÁt|å @ = Keshava (Controller of Brahma and Shiva),
ounNÊ˛ N˛™|um VÁz∫z ™ÁÊ uåÆÁz\Æuà Nz˛∆ƒ @@1@@ YzoΩ = if, §ÏutΩá: = unmixed pure intelligence of
Arjuna uvâcha loving devotion, ™oÁ = is considered, oz = by
Jyâyasee chetkarmanaste you, [ÆÁÆÃy = as superior, N˛™|m: = to action
matâ buddhirjanârdana | o (filled with triple gunas), ooΩ = then, uNÊ˛ = why,
tatkim karmani ghore mâm
niyojayasi Keshava || 1 uåÆÁz \Æuà = do you engage, ™ÁÊ = me, VÁz∫z = in
Á ƒ
this dreadful, N˛™Á|um = action? a
e
E\Ï|å GƒÁY = Arjuna said, \åÁt|å = Arjuna said, O Krishna, Keshava, if
Krishna (Tormentor of His Own men by His (Cont. in page 24)
∫

22 THE GAUDIYA APRIL 2010

 With Best Compliments from

Ph: 2538 8124

Fax: 2538 8184

M/s. V.T.C.FABRICS
Specialist in Uniforms & Special Supplies

Distributors of
S.Kumar's Uniform Materials
Century Fabrics etc.

d
65, (New No.78), Godown
i Street,
P.B.No: 133,
CHENNAI - 600 001

APRIL 2010 THE GAUDIYA 23

 (Cont. from page 22)
unmixed pure intellegence of loving devotion
is considered by you as superior to action
(filled with triple gunas), then why do you
engage me in this dreadful action?
Janârdana - Tormentor of His own men
by His own mâyâ / one who is the object of
Entreaty for those desiring thier ultimate
benefit./ Destryoer of Samsara.
Keshava - Controller of Brahmâ and
Shiva. Shiva says to Krishna in Harivamsa
-- ‘‘Ka iti....... nâma bhâk’’---- ‘ka’
means Brahma, and ‘isha’ means me, the
lord of all embodied beings; both of us arise
from Your Body. Therefore You are called
‘Keshava’.
You whose instructions cannot be
transgressed since you control even Brahma
and Shiva, Keshava, being requested by me,
(Arjuna), who desire the ultimate benefit,
should clearly tell me what is most beneficial
(Janârdana). 1 (in previous chapters), rÁåÆÁzTzå = the path
√ÆÁu™»zmzƒ ƒÁMÆzå §ÏutΩáÊ ™Áz“ÆÃyƒ ™z @
otzNÊ˛ ƒt uåu≈YnÆ Æzå »zÆÁzD“™ÁõåÏÆÁ™Ω @@2@@
Vyâmishreneva vâkyena
buddhim mohayaseeva me |
tadekam vada nishchitya
yena shreyoahamâpnuyâm || 2
™Áz“Æuà Fƒ = you seems to confuse
(which appear to me to be), ƒÁMÆzå = with
words, √ÆÁu™»zm ˛= ambigious (some times
praising about action and some other times
praising jnâna), ™z = my, §ÏtΩuáÊ = mind, ooΩ
= therefore, ƒt = tell, LNÊ˛ = only one of
them, Æzå = by which, E“Ê = I, uåu≈YnÆ =
being sure of what is to be done, EõåÏÆÁÊ =
can attain, »zÆ: = Bliss.
You seems to confuse (which appears
to me to be to my limited intelligence) with
words ambiguous (some times praising
24 THE GAUDIYA
about action and some other times praising
knowledge), my mind. Therefore, tell only
one of them (which is essentially good for
me) by which, I being sure of what is to be
done, can attain Bliss. 2
»yßTƒÁåσÁY
¬ÁzNz˛DuÀ™uãtΩƒuƒáÁ uå…eÁ úÏ∫Á ú¿ÁzMoÁ ™ÆÁåV @
rÁåÆÁzTzå ÃÁWΩPÆÁåÁÊ N˛™|ÆÁzTzå ÆÁzuTåÁ™Ω @@3@@˛
Sri Bhagavân uvâcha
Lokeasmindvividhâ nishthâ
purâ proktâ mayânagha | *5
jnânayogena sâmkhyânâm
karmayogena yoginâm || 3
»yßTƒÁåσÁY = The Blessed Lord said, B
EåV = O sinless one (Arjuna), EuÀ™åΩ = in
this, ¬ÁzNz˛ = world, utΩƒuƒáÁ = two kinds of,
uå…eÁ = faith or discipline, ú¿ÁMz oÁ˛ = have clearly
been mentioned, ™ÆÁ = by Me, úÏ∫Á = before
of knowledge, ÃÁWΩPÆÁåÁÊ = for the followers
of Samkhya-yoga, i.e., pure hearted who
discriminate between eternal and transient
entities, N˛™|ÆÁzTzå = and the path of action
B).
without desire, offered to Me, ÆÁzuTåÁÊ = for
the pure hearted aspirants.
O sinless one (Arjuna)! In this world, e
two kinds of faith or discipline have clearly
been mentioned by Me before (in previous
chapters) -- the path of knowledge for the
followers of Samkhya-yoga, i.e., pure
hearted who discriminate between eternal
and transient entities and the path of action
without desire, offered to Me, for the pure
hearted aspirants. 3
(to be continued)
ro
Æfi TyoÁuƒYÁ∫≈Y úeåÊ úÁeåÊ ∆Ïo™Ω @
ofiÁ“Ê uåu≈YoÊ úwu·ƒ uåƒÃÁu™ Ãt{ƒ u“ @@
-- útΩ™ úÏ∫Ám
APRIL
ar 2010