SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 6 Text 19
yatha dioo nivata-stho
nengate sopama smrta
yogino yata-cittasya
yunjato yogam atmanah

yatha--as; dipah--a lamp; nivata-sthah--in a place without wind; na--does not; ingate--waver; sa--this; upama--comparison; smrta--is considered; yoginah--of the yogi; yata-cittasya--whose mind is controlled; yunjatah--constantly engaged; yogam--in meditation; atmanah--on transcendence.

TRANSLATION

As a lamp in a windless place does not waver, so the transcendentalist, whose mind is controlled, remains always steady in his meditation on the transcendent self.

JOURNAL:

Oh, how I wish this were true for me. But my mind seems to only be under control when I am chanting; HARE KRISHNA HARE KRISHNA, KRISHNA KRISHNA HARE HARE, HARE RAMA HARE RAMA, RAMA RAMA HARE HARE. When I stop, my mind seems to immediately revert back to this world, this life, this body and its worries.

Please Lord, help me to stay focused on You!

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 6 Text 47
yoginam api sarvesam
mad-gatenantar- atmana
sraddhavan bhajate yo mam
sa me yuktatamo matah

yoginam--of yogis; api--also; sarvesam--all types of; mat-gatena-- abiding in Me, always thinking of Me; antah-atmana- -within himself; sraddha-van- -in full faith; bhajate--renders transcendental loving service; yah--one who; mam--to Me (the Supreme Lord); sah--he; me--by Me; yukta-tamah- -the greatest yogi; matah--is considered.

TRANSLATION

And of all yogis, the one with great faith who always abides in Me, thinks of Me within himself, and renders transcendental loving service to Me--he is the most intimately united with Me in yoga and is the highest of all. That is My opinion.

JOURNAL:

Srila Prabhupada writes in his purport; Yoga actually means bhakti-yoga; all other yogas are progressions toward the destination of bhakti-yoga.

Without praticing jnana-yogi I would have no idea of bhakti, which I learned about from Srila Prabhupada's books. My volunteer work in the past was done to make me feel good. Now I do such work because I know that the Lord wants me to, that it is a way of serving Him. With these changes in attitude has come a closeness with my Lord that is easily felt when I do my japa.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 6 Text 46
tapasvibhyo 'dhiko yogi
jnanibhyo 'pi mato 'dhikah
karmibhyas cadhiko yogi
tasmad yogi bhavarjuna

tapasvibhyah- -than the ascetics; adhikah--greater; yogi--the yogi; jnanibhyah-- than the wise; api--also; matah--considered; adhikah--greater; karmibhyah-- than the fruitive workers; ca--also; adhikah--greater; yogi--the yogi; tasmat--therefore; yogi--a transcendentalist; bhava--just become; arjuna--O Arjuna.

TRANSLATION

A yogi is greater than the ascetic, greater than the empiricist and greater than the fruitive worker. Therefore, O Arjuna, in all circumstances, be a yogi.

JOURNAL:

Srila Prabhupada writes in his purport; When we speak of yoga we refer to linking our consciousness with the Supreme Absolute Truth. Such a process is named differently by various practitioners in terms of the particular method adopted. When the linking process is predominantly in fruitive activities it is called karma-yoga, when it is predominantly empirical it is called jnana-yoga, and when it is predominantly in a devotional relationship with the Supreme Lord it is called bhakti-yoga.

The nice thing about bhakti-yoga is that it can be practiced in all circumstances. I cannot always study. I am not always working. But I find that I can always chant. I just have to remember to do it.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 6 Text 45
prayatnad yatamanas tu
yogi samsuddha-kilbisah
aneka-janma- samsiddhas
tato yati param gatim

prayatnat--by rigid practice; yatamanah--endeavor ing; tu--and; yogi--such a transcendentalist; samsuddha--washed off; kilbisah--all of whose sins; aneka--after many, many; janma--births; samsiddhah-- having achieved perfection; tatah--thereafter; yati--attains; param--the highest; gatim--destination.

TRANSLATION

And when the yogi engages himself with sincere endeavor in making further progress, being washed of all contaminations, then ultimately, achieving perfection after many, many births of practice, he attains the supreme goal.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 6 Text 44
purvabhyasena tenaiva
hriyate hy avaso 'pi sah
jijnasur api yogasya
sabda-brahmativarta te

purva--previous; abhyasena--by practice; tena--by that; eva--certainly; hriyate--is attracted; hi--surely; avasah--automatical ly; api--also; sah--he; jijnasuh--inquisiti ve; api--even; yogasya--about yoga; sabda-brahma- -ritualistic principles of scriptures; ativartate-- transcends.

TRANSLATION

By virtue of the divine consciousness of his previous life, he automatically becomes attracted to the yogic principles-- even without seeking them. Such an inquisitive transcendentalist stands always above the ritualistic principles of the scriptures.

JOURNAL:

The prakrta-sahajiyas generally chant the Hare Krsna maha-mantra, yet they are attached to women, money and intoxication. Although such persons may chant the holy names of the Lord, they are not yet properly purified.
Nectar of Instruction - Page 46

This is the passage that reminds me how most of my life has gone. The only thing that has ever worked for me while trying to break old addictions is japa. Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare. Nothing else seems to calm me.

At the end of his purport to the above sloka Srila Prabhupada writes; Unless, therefore, one is purified, one cannot take to the principles of Krsna consciousness or become engaged in chanting the holy name of the Lord, Hare Krsna.

There is a lot of food for thought here. I chant in hopes that someday I will be pure enough to chant.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 6 Text 43
tatra tam buddhi-samyogam
labhate paurva-dehikam
yatate ca tato bhuyah
samsiddhau kuru-nandana

tatra--thereupon; tam--that; buddhi-samyogam- -revival of consciousness; labhate--gains; paurva-dehikam- -from the previous body; yatate--he endeavors; ca--also; tatah--thereafter; bhuyah--again; samsiddhau-- for perfection; kuru-nandana- -O son of Kuru.

TRANSLATION

On taking such a birth, he revives the divine consciousness of his previous life, and he again tries to make further progress in order to achieve complete success, O son of Kuru.

JOURNAL:

Outside of writing this blog and talking to a few people I do not have much service. When I heard about a group of devotees who were trying to place the Bhagavad Gita in one million hotel rooms I got excited and started promoting it here in the sidebar. Here is a link to a news story about this project.

http://cbs5.com/video/?id=67219@kpix.dayport.com

I hope you will check it out and join us in this endeavor to bring Krishna's message to the public.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 6 Text 42
atha va yoginam eva
kule bhavati dhimatam
etad dhi durlabhataram-
loke janma yad idrsam

atha va--or; yoginam--of learned transcendentalists; eva--certainly; kule--in the family; bhavati--takes birth; dhi-matam--of those who are endowed with great wisdom; etat--this; hi--certainly; durlabha-taram- -very rare; loke--in this world; janma--birth; yat--that which; idrsam--like this.

TRANSLATION

Or [if unsuccessful after long practice of yoga] he takes his birth in a family of transcendentalists who are surely great in wisdom. Certainly, such a birth is rare in this world.

JOURNAL:

I have always felt fortunate to have been born in my family. My parents were Christians who followed three of the four rules without even knowing them. They taught my brothers and I about God and made sure we had the opportunity to develop a love for Him. My father would expose me to different religions and tell me that it was never our job to judge another man's faith. He liked to say, "God is bigger than any one religion."

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 6 Text 41
prapya punya-krtam lokan
usitva sasvatih samah
sucinam srimatam gehe
yoga-bhrasto 'bhijayate

prapya--after achieving; punya-krtam- -of those who performed pious activities; lokan--planets; usitva--after dwelling; sasvatih--many; samah--years; sucinam--of the pious; sri-matam--of the prosperous; gehe--in the house; yoga-bhrastah- -one who has fallen from the path of self-realization; abhijayate-- takes his birth.

TRANSLATION

The unsuccessful yogi, after many, many years of enjoyment on the planets of the pious living entities, is born into a family of righteous people, or into a family of rich aristocracy.

JOURNAL:

I spent my morning watching old films from the sixties of the beginnings of the movement. Every now and then I saw some of the original disciples of Srila Prabhupada and I am reminded that many of them fell down. Will "Black Keith" (Kirtanada) go to the higher planets when he dies? After all the harm he has done it is hard for me to believe that he will. And yet who am I to judge? My karma is not so good either.

Oh Lord, please except this fallen soul and let me not stand in judgement of others.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 6 Text 40
sri-bhagavan uvaca
partha naiveha namutra
vinasas tasya vidyate
na hi kalyana-krt kascid
durgatim tata gacchati

sri-bhagavan uvaca--the Supreme Personality of Godhead said; partha--O son of Prtha; na eva--never is it so; iha--in this material world; na--never; amutra--in the next life; vinasah--destructio n; tasya--his; vidyate--exists; na--never; hi--certainly; kaiyana-krt- -one who is engaged in auspicious activities; kascit--anyone; durgatim--to degradation; tata--My friend; gacchati--goes.

TRANSLATION

The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: Son of Prtha, a transcendentalist engaged in auspicious activities does not meet with destruction either in this world or in the spiritual world; one who does good, My friend, is never overcome by evil.

JOURNAL:

Srila Prabhupada writes in his purport to this verse; The Bhagavatam assures the unsuccessful transcendentalist that there need be no worries. Even though he may be subjected to the reaction for not perfectly executing prescribed duties, he is still not a loser, because auspicious Krsna consciousness is never forgotten, and one so engaged will continue to be so even if he is lowborn in the next life.

Krishna is so merciful! I read these lines and I feel hope. My love for Sri Sri Radha Krishna is far greater than my ability to practice devotional service, and yet my dependence on the Lord has grown. I am at an age now (fifty) that every time I chant my japa I know I am practicing for the time of death. I pray that the Lord will be as merciful to me then as He has been all my life.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 6 Text 39
etan me samsayam krsna
chettum arhasy asesatah
tvad-anyah samsayasyasya
chetta na hy upapadyate

etat--this is; me--my; samsayam--doubt; krsna--O Krsna; chettum--to dispel; arhasi--You are requested; asesatah--completel y; tvat--than You; anyah--other; samsayasya-- of the doubt; asya--this; chetta--remover; na--never; hi--certainly; upapadyate-- is to be found.

TRANSLATION

This is my doubt, O Krsna, and I ask You to dispel it completely. But for You, no one is to be found who can destroy this doubt.

JOURNAL

Being unsure of myself is one of the stories of my life! Should I get a new job? Should I leave my wife after eighteen years just because she doesn't worship God the same way I do? How much of myself should I expose in this blog? Answers don't come easy! And how about the big one. Should I abandon everything and become a real Hare Krishna?

Srila Prabhupada writes in his purport; Therefore the verdict of Krsna is the final and complete answer to all doubts, because He knows past, present and future perfectly--but no one knows Him. Krsna and Krsna conscious devotees alone can know what is what.

I wish I had a spiritual master to answer these questions.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 6 Text 38
kaccin nobhaya-vibhrastas
chinnabhram iva nasyati
apratistho maha-baho
vimudho brahmanah pathi

kaccit--whether; na--not; ubhaya--both; vibhrastah-- deviated from; chinna--torn; abhram--cloud; iva--like; nasyati--perishes; apratisthah- -without any position; maha-baho--O mighty-armed Krsna; vimudhah--bewildere d; brahmanah--of transcendence; pathi--on the path.

TRANSLATION

O mighty-armed Krsna, does not such a man, who is bewildered from the path of transcendence, fall away from both spiritual and material success and perish like a riven cloud, with no position in any sphere?

JOURNAL:

Lately I have been looking for steadier work. There is a balancing point between wanting material success, so I can support my family, and transcendence, so I can go back home to Godhead, that I am having a hard time with. My job right now is not a very good one for living a regulated life and I am becoming frustrated with it. I never know when or what time of day I might have to work. I am ready to take a job that pays less just to have a more ordered life.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 6 Text 37
arjuna uvaca
ayatih sraddhayopeto
yogac calita-manasah
aprapya yoga-samsiddhim
kam gatim krsna gacchati

arjunah uvaca--Arjuna said; ayatih--the unsuccessful transcendentalist; sraddhaya--with faith; upetah--engaged; yogat--from the mystic link; calita--deviated; manasah--who has such a mind; aprapya--failing to attain; yoga-samsiddhim- -the highest perfection in mysticism; kam--which; gatim--destination; krsna--O Krsna; gacchati--achieves.

TRANSLATION

Arjuna said: O Krsna, what is the destination of the unsuccessful transcendentalist, who in the beginning takes to the process of self-realization with faith but who later desists due to worldly-mindedness and thus does not attain perfection in mysticism?

JOURNAL:

Here is the question that has haunted me. It is comforting to hear Arjuna ask the same one of the Lord. Earlier he has told Lord Krishna that he does not think he can practice the eight-fold yoga system and now he wonders what happens to one who tries but later falls away. For me, this is a very important question and helps me to put myself in Arjuna's shoes.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 6 Text 36
asamyatatmana yogo
dusprapa iti me matih
vasyatmana tu yatata
sakyo 'vaptum upayatah

asamyata--unbridled ; atmana--by the mind; yogah--self- realization; dusprapah--difficul t to obtain; iti--thus; me--My; matih--opinion; vasya--controlled; atmana--by the mind; tu--but; yatata--while endeavoring; sakyah--practical; avaptum--to achieve; upayatah--by appropriate means.

TRANSLATION

For one whose mind is unbridled, self-realization is difficult work. But he whose mind is controlled and who strives by appropriate means is assured of success. That is My opinion.

JOURNAL:

Srila Prabhupada in his purport writes; A Krsna conscious person easily achieves the result of yoga practice without separate endeavor, but a yoga practitioner cannot achieve success without becoming Krsna conscious.

It is certainly easier to control the mind by giving each sense an object that reminds one of Krishna than by this eight-fold yoga system. So, beads to touch, incense to smell, mantra to chant with the tongue and hear with the ears and a picture of Krishna or the maha-mantra written on a card for the eyes. This way works well for me.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 6 Text 35
sri-bhagavan uvaca
asamsayam maha-baho
mano durnigraham calam
abhyasena tu kaunteya
vairagyena ca grhyate

sri-bhagavan uvaca--the Personality of Godhead said; asamsayam--undoubte dly; maha-baho--O mighty-armed one; manah--the mind; durnigraham- -difficult to curb; calam--flickering; abhyasena--by practice; tu--but; kaunteya--O son of Kunti; vairagyena-- by detachment; ca--also; grhyate--can be so controlled.

TRANSLATION

Lord Sri Krsna said: O mighty-armed son of Kunti, it is undoubtedly very difficult to curb the restless mind, but it is possible by suitable practice and by detachment.

JOURNAL:

A Christian friend of mine sends me quotes occasionally. Here is one from Emmet Fox, a New Thought Christian philosopher who lived from 1886 to 1951. His writings are still popular among members of Alcoholics Anonymous.

Why is reincarnation necessary? Why do we come back for short excursions of perhaps seventy or eighty years instead of, let us say, living one very long lifetime of perhaps a thousand or even several thousand years?

The explanation lies in man's reluctance to adopt new ideas and adapt himself to changing conditions. In each new experience, however, he wants to do things in new ways; then as the years of his maturity go by, the strong race suggestions all around him gradually get their way. He begins to acquire vested interests (mentally) in the status quo. The only remedy, when crystallization sets in, is to remove him from the earth plane altogether; send him to the etheric planes for rest, reflection, assimilation, and general readjustment; and then bring him back once more as a baby, to experience a new youth and a new period of true spiritual production.

He goes on to give a few more reasons. I found his take on reincarnation interesting but it is not quite what Srila Prabhupada teaches us. Still, it is rare to find any Christian who believes in the doctrine. My understanding is that most of Christianity took reincarnation as a spiritual fact until a pope, around 400 AD, decided that people would try harder if they thought they had only one life to get it right.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 6 Text 34
cancalam hi manah krsna
pramathi balavad drdham
tasyaham nigraham manye
vayor iva su-duskaram

cancalam--flickering; hi--certainly; manah--mind; krsna--O Krsna; pramathi--agitating ; bala-vat--strong; drdham--obstinate; tasya--its; aham--I; nigraham--subduing; manye--think; vayoh--of the wind; iva--like; su-duskaram- -difficult.

TRANSLATION

For the mind is restless, turbulent, obstinate and very strong, O Krsna, and to subdue it, I think, is more difficult than controlling the wind.

JOURNAL:

Srila Prabhupada writes in his purport; The simile used here is appropriate: one cannot capture the blowing wind. And it is even more difficult to capture the turbulent mind. The easiest way to control the mind, as suggested by Lord Caitanya, is chanting "Hare Krsna," the great mantra for deliverance, in all humility.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 6 Text 33
arjuna uvaca
yo 'yam yogas tvaya proktah
samyena madhusudana
etasyaham na pasyami
cancalatvat sthitim sthiram

arjunah uvaca--Arjuna said; yah ayam--this system; yogah--mysticism; tvaya--by You; proktah--described; samyena--generally; madhu-sudana- -O killer of the demon Madhu; etasya--of this; aham--I; na--do not; pasyami--see; cancalatvat- -due to being restless; sthitim--situation; sthiram--stable.

TRANSLATION

Arjuna said: O Madhusudana, the system of yoga which You have summarized appears impractical and unendurable to me, for the mind is restless and unsteady.

JOURNAL:

I have found hints that help my japa in these previous verses about the eight-fold yoga system but, like Arjuna, I find it on the whole to be most impractical. Srila Prabhupada agrees. He writes in his purport; In fact, we do not find any record in history of his (Arjuna) practicing it at any time. Therefore this system must be considered generally impossible in this Age of Kali. Of course it may be possible for some very few, rare men, but for the people in general it is an impossible proposal.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 6 Text 32
atmaupamyena sarvatra
samam pasyati yo 'rjuna
sukham va yadi va duhkham
sa yogi paramo matah

atma--with his self; aupamyena--by comparison; sarvatra--everywher e; samam--equally; pasyati--sees; yah--he who; arjuna--O Arjuna; sukham--happiness; va--or; yadi--if; va--or; duhkham--distress; sah--such; yogi--a transcendentalist; paramah--perfect; matah--is considered.

TRANSLATION

He is a perfect yogi who, by comparison to his own self, sees the true equality of all beings, in both their happiness and their distress, O Arjuna!

JOURNAL:

Srila Prabhupada writes in his purport; The cause of the distress of a living entity is forgetfulness of his relationship with God.

We must preach! What else can we do? We must come up with some way to spread Srila Prabhupada's message. For me it is writing this blog. It is talking on-line with other devotees. It is being nice when some one sits next to me in the park and I don't hide my beads, I just pause and say "hi".

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 6 Text 31
sarva-bhuta- sthitam yo mam
bhajaty ekatvam asthitah
sarvatha vartamano 'pi
sa yogi mayi vartate

sarva-bhuta- sthitam-- situated in everyone's heart; yah--he who; mam--Me; bhajati--serves in devotional service; ekatvam--in oneness; asthitah--situated; sarvatha--in all respects; vartamanah-- being situated; api--in spite of; sah--he; yogi--the transcendentalist; mayi--in Me; vartate--remains.

TRANSLATION

Such a yogi, who engages in the worshipful service of the Supersoul, knowing that I and the Supersoul are one, remains always in Me in all circumstances.

JOURNAL:

For the last couple of days I have been chanting on a "japa bracelet". For the last thirty years I have used the same string of beads that I originally received by mail order (neem wood with Tulasi counter beads). They are hand carved and I know them intimately. The bracelet is a quarter the size and every bead is exactly the same, so it's a little different.

What I found is that my japa has increased. The ease of reaching in my pocket and chanting a quarter round while out in public is wonderful. I will always favor my old set but I am happy with the new ones too.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 6 Text 30
yo mam pasyati sarvatra
sarvam ca mayi pasyati
tasyaham na pranasyami
sa ca me na pranasyati

yah--whoever; mam--Me; pasyati--sees; sarvatra--everywher e; sarvam--everything; ca--and; mayi--in Me; pasyati--sees; tasya--for him; aham--I; na--not; pranasyami-- am lost; sah--he; ca--also; me--to Me; na--nor; pranasyati-- is lost.

TRANSLATION

For one who sees Me everywhere and sees everything in Me, I am never lost, nor is he ever lost to Me.

JOURNAL:

Srila Prabhupada writes in his purport; A person in Krsna consciousness certainly sees Lord Krsna everywhere, and he sees everything in Krsna. Such a person may appear to see all separate manifestations of the material nature, but in each and every instance he is conscious of Krsna, knowing that everything is a manifestation of Krsna's energy. Nothing can exist without Krsna, and Krsna is the Lord of everything-- this is the basic principle of Krsna consciousness.

Some time in my teenage years a christian told me that a great way to go through life was to act as if everyone you meet is God in disguise. Shortly after hearing this I came across Bhagavad Gita and realized that he had given me advice not based on anything in the Bible but on something eastern. Now I know where the philosophy comes from and I pass it on to others despite there faith.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 6 Text 29
sarva-bhuta- stham atmanam
sarva-bhutani catmani
iksate yoga-yuktatma
sarvatra sama-darsanah

sarva-bhuta- stham--situated in all beings; atmanam--the Supersoul; sarva--all; bhutani--entities; ca--also; atmani--in the self; iksate--does see; yoga-yukta-atma- -one who is dovetailed in Krsna consciousness; sarvatra--everywher e; sama-darsanah- -seeing equally.

TRANSLATION

A true yogi observes Me in all beings and also sees every being in Me. Indeed, the self-realized person sees Me, the same Supreme Lord, everywhere.

JOURNAL:

Thereafter Pandu consulted with great sages in the forest and then asked Kunti to observe vows of austerity for one full year. At the end of this period Pandu said to Kunti, "O beautiful one, Indra, the King of heaven, is pleased with you, so invoke him and conceive a son." Kunti then invoked Indra, who came to her and begot Arjuna.
(Teachings of Queen Kunti - Introduction)

I am already learning from the EBook Club I signed up for. The five Pandu are historic figures. I knew that Arjuna was one of them but I had no idea of his origins.