SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 2 Text 7
karpanya-dosopahata-svabhavah
prcchami tvam dharma-sammudha-cetah
yac chreyah syan niscitam bruhi tan me
sisyas te 'ham sadhi mam tvam prapannam

karpanya--of miserliness; dosa--by the weakness; upahata--being afflicted;sva-bhavah--characteristics; prcchami--I am asking; tvam--unto You; dharma--religion; sammudha--bewildered; cetah--in heart; yat--what; sreyah--all-good; syat--may be; niscitam--confidently; bruhi--tell; tat--that; me--unto me; sisyah--disciple; te--Your; aham--I am; sadhi--just instruct; mam--me; tvam--unto You; prapannam--surrendered.

TRANSLATION

Now I am confused about my duty and have lost all composure because of miserly weakness. In this condition I am asking You to tell me for certain what is best for me. Now I am Your disciple, and a soul surrendered unto You. Please instruct me.

JOURNAL:

Srila Prabhupada writes in his purport; All Vedic literatures advise us to approach a bona fide spiritual master to get free from the perplexities of life, which happen without our desire. They are like a forest fire that somehow blazes without being set by anyone. Similarly, the world situation is such that perplexities of life automatically appear, without our wanting such confusion.

Yesterday I woke up late. I had just enough time to throw myself together before a 9:AM meeting so I didn't start my japa until it was over. At 10:30 I found myself in a small park on one of the first nice days of spring; picking up my beads and looking around at the other people who had come out to enjoy the weather.

As I chanted a group of folks played a game of "Hide and Seek", hiding behind trees and laughing. It reminded me of the stories of Krishna and His friends playing games in the forest of Vrindavan. Blossoms fell from the trees making room for the fruit they would bear later in the year, reminding me of how we lose the old body to make way for something better. It was then that I realized I could feel the Lord in the life around me.

I concentrate on my japa better when I am alone in my room. I pronounce the Names of the Lord better when I am walking. But the rasa that is obtained somedays while sitting comfortably in the Brahmajyoti effulgence, chanting Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare, is not to be missed!