Srila Prabhupada speaks on: Literature vs. Litter-ature

                            Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.9.18
                           Mayapur, February 25, 1976 

Dayananda Translation: "O my Lord Nrsimha, in this way, just being engaged in Your transcendental loving service, I shall be able to associate with devotees who are liberated souls, hamsas, and thus being completely uncontaminated by the association of three modes of material nature, it will be possible for me to chant the glories of Your Lordship, who is so dear to me. I shall chant Your glories, fully following the footprints of Lord Brahma and his disciplic succession. In this way it will be possible without any doubt that I shall cross over the ocean of nescience." Prabhupada: so 'ham priyasya suhrdah paradevataya lila-kathas tava nrsimha virinca-gitah anjas titarmy anugrnan guna-vipramukto durgani te pada-yugalaya-hamsa-sangah  [SB 7.9.18]

So in this verse two words are very important. One is virinca-gita. Virinca means Lord Brahma and the followers. Just like we, Gaudiya-sampradaya, means we belong to the Brahma-sampradaya. Our sampradaya begins from Lord Brahma. There are similarly other sampradayas, just like Rudra-sampradaya, then Kumara-sampradaya, and there is Laksmi-sampradaya, Ramanuja-sampradaya. So there are four sampradayas. Brahma-sampradaya, Rudra-sampradaya, Kumara-sampradaya and Laksmi-sampradaya. And if we do not take either of these sampradayas in disciplic succession, then our attempt to advance in spiritual life will be failure. Sampradaya-vihina ye mantras te viphala matah. You cannot manufacture your own prayers unless you follow the footprints of mahajanas. They are mahajanas. This Brahma, mahajana; Lord Siva, mahajana; Kumara, mahajana. Laksmidevi is the potency, spiritual potency of Lord Visnu, Laksmi-Narayana, Narayana's potency, and she's always engaged in massaging the lotus feet of Narayana. You have seen the picture. Sri-sampradaya. Sri. She is known as Sri. Sri means opulence, fortune, beauty. So she is the reservoir of all these things. So she has got... It is called Sri-sampradaya. The Ramanuja-sampradaya, they are called Sri-sampradaya. They worship Laksmi-Narayana. Everyone worships the Lord and His potency, spiritual potency. Just like we worship Radha-Krsna, similarly, the Ramanuja-sampradaya, they worship Laksmi-Narayana or Sita-Rama. So we should follow the sampradaya. Sampradaya-vihina ye mantras te viphala matah.

So here Prahlada Maharaja said that... Prahlada Maharaja is also mahajana because he follows mahajana. He says, virinca-gitah: "I'll enjoy. I shall relish tava lila-kathah, Your pastime, the narration of Your pastime." But it is not that narration, as it is written by some mundane dramatic drama writer or novel writer. No, not that. That is useless. You should not touch. If some ordinary person has written something about Krsna's lila, you should not touch even. It must be in the sampradaya, must be authorized person. Otherwise it is useless. You should not touch even. Therefore he especially mentioned, lila-kathas tava nrsimha virinca-gitah: "which is given by mahajanas like Brahma." Just like we offer prayers from Brahma-samhita. We cannot offer prayer from any other persons, written by any other nonsense. No, that is not possible. Virinca-gitah. There is power. If you recite the prayers composed by mahajana, it has got spiritual power. Just like in your country, Mr. Max Mueller, he's very famous as translator of Vedas. But... Many scholars, they have read the translation of Max Mueller, but nobody could understand what is the purpose of Vedas because he's not in the line. He's useless. Similarly, that French professor, he has mentioned specially... In comparison to my writing -- he has rejected even Aurobindo and Dr. Radhakrishnan. Yes, that is right. What Dr. Radhakrishnan, Aurobindo, knows about Krsna consciousness? Because they are not in the line. They simply tried to exhibit their erudite scholarship. So that is useless. Nayam atma pravacanena labhyo na medhaya na bahuna srutena. This is the injunction given in the Vedas. Ayam atma, self-realization, God realization... Nayam atma bala-hinena labhyah: "One who has no spiritual strength, he cannot understand." It is not possible. Nayam atma bala hinena... Na medhaya. If you have got very good fertile brain for manufacturing concocted ideas, that doesn't mean you'll be able to understand Krsna. That is not possible. Nayam atma pravacanena labhyo na medhaya na bahuna srutena. Only one who is favored by Krsna and His, I mean to say, confidential devotee... (aside:) What is this nonsense? One cannot understand.

Therefore Prahlada Maharaja is giving warning that "I shall recite the narration of Your pastime which is composed by Brahma." Virinci. Virinci means... Siva-virinci-nutam [SB 11.5.33]. That is the secret of success. You cannot compose by whimsical way. No. That is not. That will not be possible. Therefore the next word is very important, when he says, pada-yugalaya-hamsa-sangah. Pada-yugalaya-hamsa-sangah. This is possible when we associate, sangah... Sangah means association. Whose association? Pada-yugalaya-hamsa. One who is... Because Krsna's feet is compared as lotus -- "lotus feet," we say -- so where there is lotus, there is hamsa, swan. Swan, you'll find. That is the difference between the crows and the swan. Crows gather in a place, filthy place, where all rotten things are kept. The crows come there. Where all rotten things are there, all the crows will come. But when there is lotus, the crows will not go there; the hamsa, swan, they'll go there. Even in the bird society there are classes: crow society, swan society, pigeon society, sparrow society. Everyone has got society. But one society is different from another society. Similarly, where there is krsna-katha, the crowslike men will not come. Where there is cinema, where there is prostitute dance, where there is drinking, the crowslike men will gather. Tad vayasa-tirtham. Tad vayasa... Vayasa means crows. So, na tad vacas citra-padam harer yaso pragrnita karhicit, tad vayasam tirtham. Any literature, very nicely written, just like Shakespeare writing or some other, big, big mundane writers, their writing, it is very nicely written, grammatically very correct, and metaphorically very nicely meant... Na tad vacas citra-padam. Citra-padam means very artistically written. There are literatures very artistical. Na tad vacas citra-padam harer yaso pragrnita karhicit. But there is no glorification of the Lord; simply literary presentation. Such kind of literature is described, tad vayasa-tirtham: "This kind of literature is preferred by the class of men who are like crows." Crows. But the Vedic literature, which is sung by Lord Brahma or Lord Siva or a devotee, even that is broken language presented, tad grnanti srnvanti sadhavah: "They'll be accepted by saintly person. They'll sing it and they'll accept it." That is the secret of success. If your literature is exactly following the mahajano yena sa gatah, then it will be liked by highly advanced saintly person. And if it is a presentation of mundane literary career... Therefore that gentleman has rejected even Aurobindo and Dr... Others he has rejected: "They are useless." Other commentation on Bhagavata, he has... But he has rejected even Aurobindo and Dr. Radhakrishnan. Dr. Radhakrishnan is well known as a big philosopher, and Aurobindo, he's also known as great speculator, but he rejected. Yes, they should be rejected because it is vayasa-tirtha. What is the use, jugglery of words? It has no fact, all imaginary. All imaginary.

So they are going on like that. Therefore one must be warned, as Prahlada Maharaja said. This is mahajana yena... Prahlada Maharaja means... He... As he is saying, we must accept. We should not indulge in speculation in..., or literature, literary career, which is never touched by the mahajana. So it is that one must be... The literature must be virinca-gitah. Why you are giving so much stress on Bhagavad-gita as it is? Because it is spoken by Krsna. Similarly, anything written by Krsna's pure devotee, that is important. Otherwise it's not important. It is not important. So 'ham priyasya suhrdah. We should be engaged always. Reading book is very good, but it must be written by authorities. Then it is good. Now, otherwise, if you read twenty-four hours the newspaper or ordinary book, that kind of reading is simply waste of time. But if we read authorized literature, then that... What will happen then? Then ajas titarmy anugrnan guna-vipramukto. Very easily, simply by reading such book, we shall be free from material entanglement, simply. Because... Just like Bhagavad-gita. Bhagavad-gita and Bhagavan Krsna, they are identical. There is no difference. Don't think, "When I am reading Bhagavad-gita not with purpose, then I am bereft." But to associate, to..., with a desire that "I shall be able to associate with devotee and Krsna," then Bhagavad-gita is nondifferent from Krsna. There is no difference. Advaya-jnana. Advaya-jnana means without any difference. Vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvam yaj jnanam advayam [SB 1.2.11], Advayam. If you are a devotee, bona fide devotee, when you read Bhagavad-gita, you must know Krsna is there. If you are a pure devotee, when you chant Hare Krsna, Krsna is there on your tongue, dancing. Don't think otherwise. Krsna is there. Nama-cintamani-krsnah. Nama. Anyone who is chanting Hare Krsna without any offense... Ten kinds of offenses, you know that. By avoiding offense, if you chant Hare Krsna, then you must know Krsna is there. Nama-cintamani-krsnah caitanya-rasa-vigrahah purnah suddho nitya-mukto abhinnatvan nama-naminoh [Cc. Madhya 17.133]. Similarly, when we read literature, lila-katha... Lila-katha. Just like we are reading now Srimad-Bhagavatam. This is lila-katha of Krsna and His devotee, Prahlada Maharaja. This is lila, exchange of dealings between devotee and the Lord. The whole Bhagavata, it is called Bhagavata, why? The only subject matter is Bhagavan and bhakta. That's all. Bhagavan is the Lord, and bhakta is devotee. It has no other. You won't find any newspaper item, that "There was earthquake in London," and this and that. You don't find all these things. It is not like that, tad vayasa-tirtham, not for the enjoyment of the crowslike men. It must be swan, hamsa. Hamsa.

Why hamsa is taken, paramahamsa? Hamsa has the capacity... Hamsa means swan. He has got capacity. If you give to the hamsa milk mixed with water, the hamsa has got the capacity, so it will drink the milk and reject the water. Therefore hamsa. And paramahamsa, paramahamsa means although they are in the material world, they have kicked out the material things, but he has taken Krsna. That's all. Krsna is there. Everywhere is Krsna. Isavasyam idam sarvam [Iso mantra 1]. Even in this material world there is Krsna, but the hamsa can take it, not the crows. The crows cannot take it. Therefore difference between the crows and hamsas. So those who are in Krsna consciousness, they are being trained up to become hamsas, or they are hamsas. They don't care for anything, material thing. They are concerned with Krsna. Therefore paramahamsa. Krsna is everywhere. Goloka eva nivasaty akhilatma-bhutah [Bs. 5.37]. But the devotees can take Krsna from anywhere. Iha... How it can be taken? What is the process? The process is this devotional service. If you are engaged in devotional service in anywhere, you are with Krsna.

iha yasya harer dasye
karmana manasa vaca
nikhilasv apy avasthasu
jivan muktah sa ucyate

If one has got sincere desire to serve Krsna in any position, in any body, in any circumstance, he is jivan-mukta. That is paramahamsa. Jivan-mukta means although he's living in this body, he's paramahamsa. He has nothing to do with this body. He has everything to do with Krsna.

So we have to take shelter of such person. Therefore it is said, pada-yugalaya-hamsa-sangah. A devotee who is always living under the protection, shelter, of Krsna's lotus feet, like hamsa... Hamsa, you'll find, they enjoy. When there is a lotus they go down within the water and entangle with the stems of the lotus flower. There is a prayer by Mukunda, Mukunda-mala-stotra. Adyaiva me manasa-hamsah, like that. Just now I forget. So our mind should be trained up like hamsa who entangles himself with the stem of lotus flower. So we have to take shelter of this hamsa. Pada-yugalaya-hamsa-sangah. Unless we associate with such hamsa who has nothing to do with this material world, who has taken the cream of the material, Krsna, such hamsa, if we become his servant... Gopi-bhartur pada-kamalayo dasa-dasa-dasanudasa. Then it will be successful. Pada-yugalaya-hamsa-sangah. Then it will be possible. If we associate with hamsa, pure devotees, then our life will be successful. Anjas titarmi. Very easily we shall cross over this ocean of nescience. There is another verse like that. Bhavambudhir vatsa-padam param padam padam padam yad vipadam na tesam [SB 10.14.58]. Samasrita ye pada-pallava-plavam. The same thing, differently expressed.

samasrita ye pada-pallava-plavam
mahat-padam punya-yaso murareh
bhavambudhir vatsa-padam param padam...

Bhavambudhih, this great ocean of nescience in which we are now fallen and very much struggling for existence, exactly just like if you are thrown in the ocean, you may be a very good swimmer, but the condition is very dangerous... You'll have to struggle. You cannot say, "I am a good swimmer. I shall be very easily able to cross over the ocean." No. That's not possible. But if you take the shelter of the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord, samasrita ye pada-pallava-plavam... Anyone who has taken shelter of the lotus feet of Krsna... What is that lotus feet? Mahat-padam. It is... It is the shelter of the whole material creation, Mahat-tattva. Mahat-tattva. From mahat-tattva, the total material energy... That is called mahat-tattva. From mahat-tattva the whole cosmic manifestation has come. Therefore the lotus feet of Krsna means there is also mahat-tattva, many, many mahat-tattva. Samasrita ye pada-pallava-plavam mahat-padam punya-yaso murareh. Murari. Krsna's another name is Murari. Punya-yasah, always... Pavitram paramam bhavan. Then this... Bhavambudhir vatsa-padam. This great ocean of nescience becomes a small spot of water as it is made by the footprint of the calves, vatsa-padam.

So Prahlada Maharaja, in the previous verse he describes what is the position of this material world, yasmat priyapriya-yoga-viyoga: simply lamentation. Sometimes we are so-called happy by getting the desirable things, and mostly we are unhappy, associating with undesirable things. So in order to save ourself from these opposing elements, the best thing is suggested. So 'ham priyasya suhrdah paradevataya lila-kathas. Let us be engaged always chanting the, or reading the pastimes of the Lord, lila-katha. If you read Srimad-Bhagavatam, then it is full of lila-katha, the pastimes of Lord Krsna. So that is the only way to get out of the miserable condition of this material world. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu says that,

trnad api sunicena
taror api sahisnuna
amanina manadena
kirtaniyah sada harih
 [Cc. Adi 17.31]

Kirtaniya, this is lila-katha, lila-katha, kirtaniya. The... When you read or hear or chant about the pastimes of the Lord, that is also kirtana. And if you chant Hare Krsna mantra with instrument, that is also kirtana. There is no difference. So we must engage kirtaniyah sada harih. Either we should chant Hare Krsna mantra or we should read our books. This is wanted. Then we'll be safe from maya. Otherwise, at any time, we'll be victimized.

Thank you very much. (end).

CHANT HARE KRISHNA MAHA MANTRA

AND BE HAPPY..........ALWAYS

Srila Prabhupada speaks on: Crushed by the Wheel of Time

                            Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.9.17
                           Mayapur, February 24, 1976 

Dayananda:"O the great Supreme, in every type of body, either in the heavenly planet or in the hellish planet, there are pleasing and not pleasing circumstances on account of combination and separation. But both of them are very, very regrettable position, as if burning in the fire. Although there are many remedial measures to get out of the miserable condition of life, but in the material world any such counteraction is more miserable than the miserable condition itself. The only remedial measure, I think, therefore, is to be engaged in Your service. Kindly instruct me in that way." Prabhupada: yasmat priya apriya-viyoga-samyoga-janma- sokagnina sakala-yonisu dahyamanah duhkhausadham tad api duhkham atad-dhiyaham bhuman bhramami vada me tava dasya-yogam  [SB 7.9.16]

Prahlada Maharaja, previous verse, he said, "I am very much afraid of this material existential condition, duhkhalayam asasvatam [Bg. 8.15]. Now he's describing what is the different phases of such suffering yasmat, on account of this material existence. When we come to this material world there are connection with so many persons. Bhutapta-pitrnam, nrnam. As soon as we come down from the womb of the mother, there are so many relatives, friends, bhuta-apta, pitr, bhutapta bhutapta, rsi, pitrnam nrnam. We become connected. But some of them are dear and some of them are not very friendly -- enemies. This is the condition in the material world. Nobody can say that "I am situated in a very nice condition. Everyone is my friend. No enemy." It is not possible. That is the nature of this material world, that you come in contact with so many persons, animals, and suppose your forefathers... It is described, bhutapta-nrnam pitrnam. So we get connections. This is the way of nature. But not all of them are friendly. Even one is friendly today, tomorrow he can become enemy. This is the condition.

So yasmat priyapriya-viyoga-samyoga-janma. Viyoga-samyoga-janma. As soon as one child is born, he is separated from the former life, and he is connected with another new life, new body, viyoga-samyoga. Maybe the former body was very pleasing, and this body is not very pleasing, degraded. That is possible. Dehantara-praptih [Bg. 2.13]. It is not that you'll always get a body very pleasing. But the illusory energy is so strong, even one gets the body of a pig, he thinks, "It is very nice." This is called praksepatmika-sakti. Maya has got especially two energies: avaranatmika and praksepatmika. Generally maya keeps us covered with illusion, and if one is little enlightened, wants to get out of the clutches of maya, there is another potency of maya, who is that praksepatmika. Suppose one thinks, "Now I shall become Krsna conscious. This ordinary material consciousness is so disturbing. Let me become Krsna conscious." So maya will say, "What you will do with this? Better remain in material consciousness." This is called praksepatmika-sakti. Therefore sometimes some man comes in our society; after staying for days, he goes away. This is praksepata, thrown away. Unless he's very sincere, he cannot stay with us; he'll be thrown away. So Prahlada Maharaja said that these two positions -- somebody is pleasing, and somebody is not pleasing -- it is going on perpetually. Not that "If I change my this body, this process will also stop." No. So long you have got this body in the material world, you'll have these two processes. Somebody will be your friend, and somebody will be your enemy. Yoga-samyoga-janma.

So as soon as there are enemies, there is lamentation, anxiety. Sokagnina. Such lamentation is just like fire of lamentation. Sokagnina sakala-yonisu. If you think that only the human society such things are there -- somebody's enemy, somebody's friend -- no. In any society, any yoni... You have seen in the even in the sparrows, the bird society, they are also fighting. You have seen it. They are also mixing very intimately, again fighting, So either you take birds... Or dogs. They are famous for fighting. So this is going on: somebody very dear, somebody inimical and fighting between them. Sakala-yonisu dahyamanah. You cannot get escape by avoiding one society and go to the other society. That is not possible. Thus fire of disagreement, enmity and friendship, it will go on, not only here, even in the heavenly planet. In the heavenly planet there is fight between the devas and asuras. The asuras are envious of the devas, and devas are also envious of the asuras. Everywhere. Even King Indra, he has got enemies although he's very opulent. We want to go to the heavenly planet for enjoying the opulence of that atmosphere, but there is also the same thing. (aside, coughing:) Water. So you cannot avoid it, Prahlada Maharaja says.

So we can try to counteract. Just like in this material world there are so many attempts to mitigate. Just like the United Nation. They have formed the United Nation formula to mitigate -- no more fighting, no more war, no more enmity. This is an attempt. Enmity is there; otherwise why there is proposal of United Nations? Because we are disunited, therefore the counterproposal is "Let us become united." So he says, "To organize such thing is also very difficult and troublesome." "Although it is remedial measure, let us settle our misunderstanding" -- it is very good proposal. But to settle up this misunderstanding is more troublesome. You have got experience. When you make some agreement with other party, he proposes something, you propose something. So although the agreement is a remedial measure, but come to the agreement is very, very difficult. Therefore Prahlada Maharaja says this remedial measure, ausadha, is still more troublesome. When there was enmity, that is troublesome. Just like when there is some disease, something -- you have got a boil in your body -- it is painful, but when you take the remedial measure, surgical operation, it is still more painful, still more. You have to take anesthetic, chloroform, because it is more painful. So anywhere there is fight, there is enmity, and if you want to settle up, it is more troublesome. So duhkhausadham tad api duhkham. The remedial measure is more troublesome than the disease, than the painful condition.

Duhkhausadham tad api duhkham atad-dhiyaham. Atat. Atat means untruth, flickering, not... Atad-dhiyaham. We do not know what is our identification. Misunderstanding. Dehatma-buddhi. Asad-grahat. Atat, asat, the same thing. We have accepted this body, identifying this body, on account of this. If you are on the spiritual platform, then there is no trouble, there is no misunderstanding. If we understand properly by education or knowledge that "You are also part and parcel of Krsna. I am also part and parcel of Krsna. Our real position is to serve the Lord," so if we serve that, then there is no misunderstanding. If we be engaged in Krsna's service, there cannot be any misunderstanding. Otherwise, if we work on the platform of this body, material body, there must be misunderstanding. Atad-dhiyaham. Bhuman: "My Lord, the great," bhramami, "in this way I am wandering life after life, changing the body, changing the situation, and in different situation, different mentality, but there is no peace. There is no happiness, simply changing the body." Bhuman bhramami vada me tava dasya-yogam: "In this way I am wandering throughout the whole universe. Now please engage me in Your service."

So this is the right prayer, that unless you engage yourself in the service of Krsna, you'll never get peace. This is a fact. We can discover so many plans and remedial measures, and that will not help us. Only solution is to surrender to Krsna. Krsna gives this nice advice: sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam [Bg. 18.66]. That will cure your all disease. And this mentality comes by practical experience after many, many births, bahunam janmanam ante jnanavan mam prapadyante [Bg. 7.19], when one understands properly that without becoming Krsna conscious, without being servant of Krsna, there cannot be peace or happiness. Jnatva mam santim rcchati. Krsna says. Everything is directly said. Bhoktaram. Why we fight one another? I am thinking that "I shall enjoy this. I shall become the leader." And another party says, "No, no, I shall become the leader. I shall enjoy this." So there is fight. But if we understand that "Either you or me, we are not enjoyer; we are servant. The enjoyer is Krsna," then there will be something. Bhoktaram yajna-tapasam sarva-loka-mahesvaram, suhrdam sarva-bhutanam [Bg. 5.29]. We are trying to become friend of another friend. "My dear friend, I shall help you in this way. You are in trouble." So he can help, but there will be misunderstanding. Again the friend will be enemy. So there cannot be any peace. But if we all agree that Krsna is the friend, real friend... Suhrdam sarva-bhutanam. Krsna, if He's not our friend, why He's coming down on this platform where we are living in rotten condition? He's great friend, Dina-bandhu. His name in Dina-bandhu. Who is very, very poor in heart, He becomes very great friend, dina-bandhu, and advises him. Buddhi-yogam dadami tam. He's always friendly. Krsna is never enemy. But still, we create enmity. We become demon with Krsna. That is the trouble.

So it requires to become fortunate. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu said,

ei rupe brahmanda bhramite kono bhagyavan jiva
guru-krsna-krpaya paya bhakti-lata-bija
 [Cc. Madhya 19.151]

In this way we are wandering throughout the universe, because unless we become Krsna conscious, unless we have taken fully shelter at the lotus feet of Krsna, there is no stoppage of this repetition of birth and death, neither there is any peace or happiness. We must know this from all angles of vision and stick to Krsna consciousness very rigidly. Then we shall be happy. Therefore Prahlada Maharaja requests Lord Nrsimhadeva that "I have tried life after life to get peace and become happy and friendly, but I have failed. Now, Krsna..." Prahlada Maharaja says, vada me tava dasya-yogam: "Because I am now convinced that without Your becoming servant, there is no more chance for peace and prosperity of this troublesome world."

Thank you very much. Hare Krsna. (end)

CHANT HARE KRISHNA MAHA MANTRA

AND BE HAPPY..........ALWAYS

A Close Call By Radhanath Swami

Anointment At Pashupatinath Temple

At the Pashupatinath Temple that does not allow non-Hindus to enter, RADHANATH SWAMI manages to get anointed by the chief priest.

An Intense Longing

As I crawled out from the icy Himalayan waters of the Bagmati river, I gazed at two heaps of ashes, one from a cremation pit and the other from a sacrificial fire. I was dressed in only a loincloth, and a cold wind chilled me to the bone. An intense longing gripped me. What was I doing here - shivering, alone,nearly starving, and so far from home? Was all my searching to be in vain? I stared up at stars that were shimmering through the branches of an ancient banyan tree.

An Outsider

Birds of the night warbled a melancholy song. Sacred fires burned brightly along the riverbank, where holy men, their hair matted like ropes hanging down below their knees, threw offerings of pungent herbs into the flames. From the smouldering remains, they scooped out handfuls of ashes and smeared them over their flesh. Completing the ritual, they marched toward the sacred shrine that I yearned to enter.

‘Get Out Of Here’

It was the spring of 1971 in Pashupatinath, Nepal, where a flood of pilgrims had converged that night. Just out of my teens, I felt half a planet away from my home in suburban Chicago, and I ached for the solace of a holy place, a place where I might pray for direction. An hour earlier, I had approached an ancient temple, its towering gateway carved with mythical lions, serpents, gods, and goddesses. As I climbed the stone steps, thrilled with anticipation, a gatekeeper whipped his club into my chest. I sunk to my knees, gasping for breath. Flanked on both sides by police, the gatekeeper blocked my path and shouted, "You are foreigner! Get out!" Their chief, dressed in a turban and military attire, burst forward with burning eyes and smacked his rod across a sign that read: No Foreigners allowed.

No Turning Back

"Out from here!" he roared. "If you try again, you’ll be severely beaten and thrown in prison. And I cannot say what the angry mobs will do." He ordered his charges to be vigilant. I had wandered to the bank of the river, crestfallen. My arduous quest for spiritual meaning had led me this far. I couldn't turn back.

Smeared By Holy Ash

Now, watching the holy men, an idea sprang into my mind. I kneeled down at one smouldering pit, where a sacrificial fire had burned and sunk both my hands deep into the warm, powdery ash, sifting out the lumps of glowing coals. Shuddering, I plastered the ash across my skinny body from my matted hair to my calloused bare feet. The musty powder burned into my nostrils, choking my throat and parching my mouth.

A Disguise That Helped

I wrapped two river-stained cotton sheets over my upper and lower body for robes and crept again toward the gate, my heart beating heavily in my chest. The same sentinels stood guard with clubs in hand, but they did not recognise me and let me pass.

Inching Forward

As I entered a vast open courtyard surrounding the ancient altar, I thought, if I’m caught in here, I could be killed. Several thousand people gathered in an unruly line and were waiting to see the altar. Only one person was allowed at a time. Patiently taking my place in the rear of the line, I inched forward.

Silence Was The Best Option

Suddenly, the same police chief who had stopped me earlier passed by. I gasped and turned my face away, my adrenaline surging. He stepped right in front of me, stared into my ash-covered face, then barked a question in the local Hindi language. I didn’t understand a word. If I spoke a single word of English here, I knew I would be finished. Receiving no reply, he stared at me and launched into a barrage of questions, this time much louder. My mind reeled with thoughts of years wasted in a filthy Nepali

prison or worse. With a blank expression, I stood motionless, knowing he was trained to detect anything suspicious. Did he recognise me? I could only guess. 

Mauni Baba

Another idea rose in my mind. Placing one palm over my mouth, I waved my other hand side to side. Those who vow never to speak, Mauni Babas often expressed their vow in this way.

Gripped By Terror

The chief gripped my arm and dragged me away. Where was he taking me? Was I under arrest? He yelled. Instantly, two police guards came running. Surrounded, I was yanked through the line of pilgrims until we reached the place of maximum congestion. Raising their clubs, my captors roared like thunder. Was this to be a public lashing? Would the mob tear me apart for defiling their sacred shrine? They shouted louder and louder as people scattered. I waited, terrified.

At The Altar

The men dragged me through the bustling crowd until I found myself standing directly in front of the altar, a colourful pagoda with swirls of sandalwood incense pouring out. In front, stood a massive stone bull. On the altar stood a stone figure of the deity Shiva, adorned with embroidered silks and glittering with gold and precious jewels.

Magical Mantra

The chief lifted his stick and squeezed my arm. Would he pummel me right before the holy image? Surrounded by his lieutenants, rod raised above his head, he shouted orders at a priest, who rushed

back into the altar. I waited, trembling. From the inner sanctuary, the high priest appeared, dressed in robes of red silk. A striking red circle of powder marked his forehead and he wore a gold necklace and strand of dried rudraksha seeds around his neck. In a deep, hypnotic tone, he recited the mantra, "Om

Namah Shivaya."

Baptism By Fire

My captor, his stout body sweating profusely despite the chilly wind, yelled something to the priest that I again could not understand. The high priest listened intently. He nodded his head, closed his eyes and paused. Moments passed as the mass of pilgrims clamoured impatiently. Then, straightening his posture, the high priest took a deep breath and began to recite incantations from ancient Sanskrit texts. He stunned me by wrapping a silk turban around my head. Then he draped a shawl over my shoulders, placed several jasmine and night-queen garlands around my neck, anointed my forehead with sandalwood paste and offered me saffron-flavoured water to drink.

God Is Merciful

Standing in a daze, I realised that the police were holding the massive crowd back in order to grant me an exclusive opportunity to worship the Lord and be honoured by the temple. Bowing low with humility, the police chief then begged with joined palms for my blessings and departed. Did he not recognise me

in my disguise or was he aware of who I was and simply honouring my determination? This, I will never know. Whatever the reason, I was deeply humbled. I had defied human law and deserved to be beaten, but God is merciful.

Tears In My Eyes

Standing before the altar, my limbs covered with ashes, my drab ascetic robes, and tangled, matted hair awkwardly covered with silks and flowers, I squeezed my tearing eyes shut, joined my palms and prayed that I would be shown my true path as I continued my journey.

Solitary Contemplation

I returned to the riverbank and sat on the cold earth. It was a moonless night. Stars glittered in the dark sky, a breeze filled the forest with the scent of blooming jasmine, and the cooing of an owl emerged out of the silence.

River Of Destiny

Gazing downstream, I wondered where the river of destiny would lead me next. How did I land into a life so foreign to my upbringing, but so familiar to my soul?

Excerpts from "The Journey Home, By Radhanath Swami". Jaico Publishing House.

Biography Of Radhanath Swami

In 1970, at age nineteen, Radhanath Swami left his family’s home in America and traveled to India to live the life of a sadhu or wandering monk. After trekking across Europe for months, often barely escaping with his life, he reached the land of the Gods. Years later, he returned back to America in order to share what he had learned in India. It was an extraordinary choice, given what he had survived to get there: a journey filled with bizarre characters, mystical experiences, and dangerous adventures. The story is recounted in his recently published memoir The Journey Home (Reviewers have called Radhanath swami’s saga “at once an engaging yarn, a love story, and the evocation of a transcendent paradise in all its savagery, solitude, and splendor.”

Radhanath Swami emerged from his years of travel wanting to explain for others the beauty and rewards of a life devoted to God, and therein lay a dilemma. His many followers and friends describe him as completely selfless and consequently unwilling to take credit for his work and restless when a spotlight is focused on him. By choosing Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada , a spiritual activist, as his guru (after declining offers of initiation from several tyagis or renunciants in the Himalayas), Radhanath Swami cast his fate to the wind and entered back into the society. More than a symbolic gesture of moving away from the mindset of physically renouncing the world, these were first steps toward an engaged form of devotion. This contemporary strain of the Bhakti or devotional yoga tradition maintains that people who are aware of their spiritual identity share an imperative to reduce suffering in the world—a view no doubt implanted in the years prior to Radhanath Swami’s meeting with other teachers he had met including Ananda Mayi Ma, Swami Satcidananda, the Dalai Lama, and Mother Teresa.

Although he travels constantly, Radhanath Swami established headquarters at Radha Gopinath Temple in Chowpatty, Mumbai. For the past twenty years he has guided the community development and has initiated a number of acclaimed social action programs including Midday Meals, which feeds more than 175,000 plates of nutritious vegetarian food daily to indigent children; missionary hospitals and eye camps; eco-friendly farms, schools and ashrams; and a number of emergency relief programs, value education, orphanage, cow protection, etc., throughout India.

“He sees life as a continuous blessing of God’s grace,” one follower says, “and yet he never loses his humanness. His accessibility leaves people feeling that, with a little sincere effort, they too will find the path to inner peace and God realization.”

April 30,2013.Day 145. Srimad Valmiki Ramayan - The First Epic Poem Of India. (Continued)

Book I : Bala Kanda - The Youthful Majesties

Rishyasringa enticed and brought from woods

Chapter [Sarga] 10

गतासु तासु सर्वासु काश्यपस्य आत्मजो द्विजः |
अस्वस्थ हृदयः च आसीत् दुःखात् च परिवर्तते || १-१०-२३

23. taasu sarvaasu gataasu satiiSu = their, all, going away, while becoming true; kaashyapasya aatmajaH dvijaH = of Sage Kashyapa's, descendent [grandson,] Brahman; anvastha hR^idayaH cha aasiit = disturbed, at heart, also, became; duHkhaat cha parivartate sma = in sadness, even, he behaved, he is.

"After the departure of all them the courtesans, that Brahman Rishyasringa, the grandson of Sage Kaashyapa, is disturbed at heart and even behaved sadly... [1-10-23]

ततोऽपरे द्युः तम् देशम् आजगाम स वीर्यवान् |
विभाण्डक सुतः श्रीमान् मनसा विचिन्तयन् मुहुः || १-१०-२४
मनोज्ञा यत्र ता दृष्टा वारमुख्याः स्वलंकृताः |

24, 25a. tataH = then; viiryavaan = sage with ascetic power; saH apare dyuH = he, on next, day; vibhaaNDaka sutaH = Vibhaandaka's son;shriimaan = prosperous one; manasaa vichintayan muhuH = in mind, recollecting, repetitively manoj~naa = delightful ones [women]; vaaramukhyaaH = courtesans; svalaMkR^itaaH = well decorated ones; yatra taaH dR^ishhTaa = where, they, were seen; tam desham aajagaama = that, place, arrived at.

"Then on the next day Rishyasringa, son of Vibhandaka and the prosperous sage with ascetic power has arrived at that place where he saw well-decorated and delightful courtesans recollecting in mind repetitively about them alone. [1-10-24, 25a]

दृष्ट्वा एव च ततो विप्रम् आयान्तम् हृष्ट मानसाः || १-१०-२५

उपसृत्य ततः सर्वाः ताः तम् ऊचुर् इदम् वचः |
एहि आश्रम पदम् सौंय अस्माकम् इति च अब्रुवन् || १-१०-२६

25b, 26. tataH vipram dR^istva eva aayaantam = then, that Brahman, on seeing, thus, to have come; hR^ishhTa maanasaa = with happiness, at heart; taaH sarvaH tataH upasR^itya = they, all, then, on surrounding him; tam uuchuH idam vachaH = to him, said, these, words; soumya = oh, gentle one; asmaakam aashrama padam = towards our, hermitage's threshold; ehi = please come; iti cha = thus, also; abruvan = they have said.

" Then on seeing the arrival of that Brahman, the courtesans felt happy at heart, and all of those courtesans on surrounding him said, "oh, gentle one, welcome to the threshold of our hermitage... [1-10-25b, 26]

चित्राणि अत्र बहूनि स्युः मूलानि च फलनि च |
तत्र अपि एष विशेषेण विधिः हि भविता ध्रुवम् || १-१०-२७

27. atra chitraaNi bahuuni muulaani ca phalani syuH = there, excellent, tubers, fruits, also, are there; tatra eSa visheSeNa api = there, this way, very distinctive; vidhiH bhuutvaa = manner [hospitality,] will be there; dhruvam hi = definitely, indeed.

"There are excellent tuber fruits and fruits and there will be a very distinctive hospitality... definitely indeed..." So said the courtesans.[1-10-27]

श्रुत्वा तु वचनम् तासाम् सर्वासाम् हृदयम् गमम् |
गमनाय मतिम् चक्रे तम् च निन्युः तथा स्त्रियः || १-१०-२८

28. taasaam sarvaasaam = of them, all of their; hR^idaya.ngamam = heart pleasing; vachanam shrutvaa = words, on hearing; gamanaaya matim chakre = to go there, his mind, made up; tadaa striyaH tam ninyuH = then, those women him, took away.

"On hearing the heart-pleasing words of all those courtesans, Rishyasringa made up his mind to go over there, and then those women took him away [to their place in Anga Kingdom.] [1-10-28]

The content of this page has been taken from www.valmikiramayan.net.

Great Spiritual Places In India

Spiritual India, rich in holy places, traditions and rituals, offers much for those seeking knowledge and awareness. Visit these popular sacred destinations to maximize your spiritual experience in India.

1. Tirumala Venkateswara Temple

Tirumala Venkateswara Temple is a Hindu temple in the hill town of Tirumala, near Tirupati in the Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh. The temple is the richest pilgrimage centre, after the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, of any faith (at more than 50,000 crore and the most-visited place of worship in the world. The temple is visited by about 50,000 to 100,000 pilgrims daily (30 to 40 million people annually on average), while on special occasions and festivals, like the annual Brahmotsavam, the number of pilgrims shoots up to 500,000, making it the most-visited holy place in the world.

2. The Jagannath Temple

The Jagannath Temple in Puri is a famous Hindu temple dedicated to Jagannath and located in the coastal town of Puri in the state of Odisha, India. The temple is sacred to the Vaishnava traditions and saint Ramananda who was closely associated with the temple. It is also of particular significance to the followers of the Gaudiya Vaishnavism whose founder, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, was attracted to the deity, Jagannath, and lived in Puri for many years.

3. The Golden Temple 

 The Harmandir Sahib also Darbar Sahib and informally referred to as the Golden Temple is a prominent Sikh Gurdwara located in the city of Amritsar, Punjab, India. It was built by the fifth Sikh guru, Guru Arjan Dev, in the 16th Century. In 1604, Guru Arjan Dev completed the Adi Granth, the holy scripture of Sikhism, and installed it in the Gurdwara.

4. The Amarnath Temple

Amarnath cave is a famous shrine in Hinduism located in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. It is dedicated to Shiva. The cave is situated at an altitude of 3,888 m (12,756 ft), about 141 km (88 mi) from Srinagar, the capital of Jammu and Kashmir and reached through Pahalgam town. The shrine forms an important part of Hinduism, and is considered to be one of the holiest shrines in Hinduism. The cave is surrounded by snowy mountains. The cave itself is covered with snow most time of the year except for a short period of time in summer when it is open for pilgrims.

5. Meenakshi Temple - Madurai

Meenakshi Amman Temple ( Other names : Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple or Tiru-aalavaai or Meenakshi Amman Kovil) is a historic Hindu temple located in the southern bank of river Vaigai in the temple city of Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India. It is dedicated to Parvati who is known as Meenakshi and her consort, Shiva, named her as Sundareswarar. The temple forms the heart and lifeline of the 2500 year old city of Madurai.

6. The Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti’s Dargah

The dargah (shrine) of Chisti, known as Dargah Sharif or Ajmer Sharif is an international wakf (endowment), managed under the 'Dargah Khwaja Saheb Act, 1955' of Government of India. The Dargah Committee, appointed by the Government, manages donations, takes care of the maintenance of the shrine, and runs charitable institutions like dispensaries, and guest houses for the devotees. The dargah, which is visited by Muslim pilgrims as well as Hindus and Sikhs as a symbol of intercommunal harmony.

7. Bodh Gaya 

Bodh Gaya is a religious site and place of pilgrimage associated with the Mahabodhi Temple Complex in Gaya district in the Indian state of Bihar. It is famous for being the place where Gautama Buddha is said to have obtained Enlightenment (Bodhimandala). The place-name, Bodh Gaya, did not come into use until the 18th century CE. Historically, it was known as Uruvela, Sambodhi, Vajrasana or Mahabodhi. The main monastery of Bodh Gaya used to be called the Bodhimanda-Vihara (Pali). Now it is called the Mahabodhi Temple.

8. Haridwar

Haridwar is an important pilgrimage city and municipality in the Haridwar district of Uttarakhand, India. The River Ganges, after flowing for 253 kilometres (157 mi) from its source at Gaumukh at the edge of the Gangotri Glacier, enters the Indo-Gangetic Plains of North India for the first time at Haridwar, which gave the city its ancient name, Gangadwára. Haridwar is regarded as one of the seven holiest places to Hindus. According to the Samudra manthan, Haridwar along with Ujjain, Nasik and Allahabad is one of four sites where drops of Amrit, the elixir of immortality, accidentally spilled over from the pitcher while being carried by the celestial bird Garuda.

9. Varanasi

Varanasi also known as Benares or Banaras ,is a city on the banks of the Ganges in Uttar Pradesh, 320 kilometres (200 mi) southeast of the state capital, Lucknow. It is holiest of the seven sacred cities (Sapta Puri) in Hinduism and Jainism. Hindus believe that death at Varanasi brings salvation. It is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world and the oldest in India. Many of its temples were plundered and destroyed by Mohammad Ghauri in the 12th century. The temples and religious institutions in the city now are of 18th century vintage.

10. Kedarnath 

Kedarnath Mandir is one of the holiest Hindu temples dedicated to Lord Shiva and is located atop the Garhwal Himalayan range near the Mandakini river in Kedarnath, Uttarakhand in India. Due to extreme weather conditions, the temple is open only between the end of April to Kartik Purnima (the autumn full moon). During the winters, the murtis (idols) from Kedarnath temple are brought to Ukhimath and worshipped there for six months. In this region Lord Shiva is worshipped as Kedarnath, the 'Lord of Kedar Khand', the historical name of the region. This temple is a Paadal Petra Sthalam (the 275 Holy Abodes of Shiva on the continent), praised by the Tamil Nayanars saints in the 6th-9th century CE.

11. Gangotri 

Gangotri, the origin of the River Ganges and seat of the goddess Ganga, is one of the four sites in the Char Dham pilgrimage circuit. The original Gangotri Temple was built by the Gurkha general Amar Singh Thapa. The river is called Bhagirathi at the source and acquires the name Ganga (the Ganges) from Devprayag onwards where it meets the Alaknanda. The origin of the holy river is at Gaumukh, set in the Gangotri Glacier, and is a 19 km trek from Gangotri. 

12. Girnar

Girnar (also known as Girnar Hill or Girinagar) is a collection of mountains in the Junagadh District of Gujarat, India, situated near Junagadh at a distance of 327 km from Ahmedabad. It is a holy place and an important pilgrimage site for both Hindus and Jains, who gather here during the Girnar Parikrama festival. There are a number of temples located here. Amidst the lush green Gir Forest, the mountain range serves as the hub of religious activity.

13. Udupi Temple

Udupi is a town in the south-west Indian State of Karnataka. It is the headquarters of Udupi District. Udupi is notable for the Krishna Temple, and lends its name to the popular Udupi cuisine. Udupi, also known as Rajata Peetha and Shivalli (Shivabelli), a centre of pilgrimage, is situated about 58 km north of Mangalore and about 422 km north-west of Bangalore.


14. Vaishno Devi

Vaishno Devi Mandir is one of the holy Hindu temples dedicated to Shakti, located in the hills of Vaishno Devi, Jammu and Kashmir, India. In Hinduism, Vaishno Devi, also known as Mata Rani and Vaishnavi, is a manifestation of the Mother Goddess. Vaishno Devi Temple is near the town of Katra, Jammu and Kashmir|Katra, in the Reasi district in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. It is one of the most revered places of worship in India. The shrine is at an altitude of 5300 feet and a distance of approximately 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) from Katra. Approximately 8 million pilgrims (yatris) visit the temple every year and it is the second most visited religious shrine in India, after Tirumala Venkateswara Temple.

15. Devi Kanya Kumari

Devi Kanya Kumari, known as Kumari Amman (the virgin goddess) is one of the forms of Devi. She is popularly known as "Bhagavathy Amman". Bhagavathy Amman Temple is located in Kanya Kumari (formerly Cape Comorin) on the confluence of the Bay of Bengal, the Arabian Sea, and the Indian Ocean. She is also known by several other names, including Kanya Devi and Devi Kumari.


16. Shirdi Sai Darbar

Shirdi Sai temple is a beautiful shrine that was built over the Samadhi of Shri Sai Baba

Shirdi is located approximately 296 Kilometers from Mumbai (Bombay) City in India.

Shirdi is famous temple of Shri Sai Baba. It was established in 1922 to carry out the services of Shri Sai Baba.

At age of 16 yrs Shri Saibaba arrived at the village of Shirdi in Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra and remained their till his death. Saibaba found shelter in Khandoba temple, where a villager Mahalsapathi in the temple addressed him as Sai or Saint Sai baba.

Shri Saibaba of Shirdi lived between 1838 and 1918, whose real name, birthplace and date of birth are not known. An Indian spiritual guru and a fakir, Shri Saibaba in Shirdi was regarded with great reverence by both Hindu and Muslim followers. Lord Sai lived in a mosque and after death his body was cremated in a temple.

Sri Shirdi Sai philosophy ingrained 'Shraddha' meaning faith and 'Saburi' meaning compassion. According to god Sai, Shraddha and Saburi were the supreme attributes to reach the state of godliness.

A collective effort to bring all elements of Indian Spirituality to one common platform