For anyone interested in spiritual progress, gambling is more than just a harmless amusement. How does gambling erode truthfulness? I think back to one of my first psychotherapy clients. Joe, in his late thirties, had recently married for the first time and desperately wanted the marriage to work. But every time he got his paycheck, he'd secretly go to the Atlantic City casinos. Using an elaborate web of lies, he'd explain his absence to his wife. If he lost ...
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- 25 Apr 2024 -- 3,227 views
"Titiksavah--the sadhu does not become disturbed. At the same time, karunikah. He is himself being disturbed, but he is merciful to others. "Just like Jesus Christ. He was being crucified, and still he was merciful: 'God, these people do not know what they are doing. Please excuse them.' This is sadhu. Personally, he is being disturbed by the demons, but still, he is merciful to the general people. They are suffering for want of Krsna consciousness. Even up to the poin...
- 25 Apr 2024 -- 8,681 views
One of my devotee friends shared his realization that Krishna takes the risk of being blamed: "Oh! I am trying to serve You, Krishna, and You are giving me problems. What kind of God are You?" But as a true well-wisher, Krishna is concerned not about being blamed but about ending our material existence as soon as possible. of course, during difficulties He also provides the strength we need to endure. Like a doctor intent on healing a patient, Krishna works hard...
- 25 Apr 2024 -- 4,494 views
Many of us struggling sadhakas know that overcoming laya, sleepiness, during chanting, hearing and meditating is not always an easy thing. Some devotees struggle year after year, regularly wandering in a realms of tamo-guna and sleep while Srimad Bhagavatam-class, japa and gayatri. Surrendering to Krsna and guru and having their mercy, developing service attitude are the essence for increasing our taste and first appreciation to the process of chanting, but there are ...
- 22 Apr 2024 -- 11,906 views
A path of surrender means attentive chanting of the Holy Names of the Lord. Path of surrender means attentive study of scriptures. Path of surrender means describing the glories of Krishna to other people. Path of surrender means to live in cooperation with the vaisnavas. Because all of these different activities will help to change the consciousness, change our attitude.
...- 22 Apr 2024 -- 2,203 views
The phenomenon of something changing from material to spiritual is an extraordinary one, but it is something we as devotees are involved in daily—often several times a day. It happens when prasadam (unoffered food) becoming prasadam, or food sanctified by the Lord. When I was a new devotee in Montreal, we arranged a program that was to be given on campus at McGill University. The leaflet advertising the program read, “See matter transformed into spirit before you...
- 22 Apr 2024 -- 8,431 views
Three things are unbearable: the eyes of the snake, the eyes of the Rishi, and the eyes of the afflicted. -Bhishmadeva - Shanti Parva (Mahabharata) A compilation of relishable testimonies from various devotees about what it felt when Srila Prabhupada was looking right at you.
...- 20 Apr 2024 -- 3,794 views
There is one more aspect of spirituality that matches taking a flight. There we are on the plane, looking out the window, watching the fluffy white clouds float by. The flight attendants are charming, and give us what we want with a smile. To pass the time we read or nap or chat with our neighbor. Then the attendant announces, “Kindly prepare for landing.” Then we wonder, “Oh, two hours has already passed? I didn’t even notice!” Time is ticking ...
- 20 Apr 2024 -- 3,179 views
Once during the rasa dance, when Radharani left the arena and Krishna went to seek Her out, one of the dear friends of Radharani addressed Krishna thus: "My dear Krishna, You have been very much obliging in serving the form of our Sri Radharani, and now You have left all the other gopis to search for Her. Please allow me to inquire how You want Her to treat You." This is an instance of feeling pride on account of exquisite beauty. Sometimes Radharani felt pride within...
- 20 Apr 2024 -- 5,198 views
In 1786 Sir William Jones, a Welsh philologist and judge of the supreme court of Bengal, sent shock waves throughout Europe with the following speech he gave in his address to the Asiatic society of Bengal. “The Sanskrit language, whatever be its antiquity, is of a wonderful structure; more perfect than the Greek, more copious than Latin, and more exquisitely refined than either, yet bearing to both a stronger affinity, both in the roots of verbs and the forms of...
- 18 Apr 2024 -- 8,180 views
Krishna steals the minds of everyone, yet Radha steals even His mind by Her divine expertise. Thus She is known as Haraa. When the residents of Gokula were crying due to fear of the forest fire, Krishna immediately swallowed it and gave His devotees great joy. In this way, He is known as Rama. In order to please Sri Radha, Krishna manifested the most wonderful lake (Syama-kunda) in Vrndavana. He then called all the holy rivers to fill it. He is thus known as Krish...
- 18 Apr 2024 -- 11,586 views
One of my friends in college was known for his immense general knowledge. He knew the names of all recent Hollywood and Bollywood movies, the actors, directors, and producers of each movie, and the winners of Oscar and Filmfare awards from every year. In sports, he knew the winners of each Grand Slam tennis tournament from every year as well as similar information about football and cricket. He also knew the capital city and currency of each country, and a lot more....
- 18 Apr 2024 -- 2,642 views