Notes on Cupid

Notes on "Cupid" in The Nectar of Devotion.

There is a statement in this connection that Krsna, on arriving at this age, manifested such beautiful bodily features that His restless eyes became the playthings of Cupid, and His mild smile resembled the newly grown lotus flower. The enchanting vibration of His songs became a great impediment to the young girls, who were supposed to remain chaste and faithful to their husbands.
(p.170)


As far as His flute is concerned, it is said that the vibration of this wonderful instrument was able to break the meditation of the greatest sages. Krsna was thus challenging Cupid by advertising His transcendental glories all over the world.
(p.173)


When Cupid came on one occasion to visit Lord Krsna, some devotee addressed him thus: "My dear Cupid, because you have been so fortunate as to have placed your eyesight on the lotus feet of Krsna, the drops of perspiration on your body have become frozen, and they resemble kaëöaké fruits [a kind of small fruit found in thorny bushes]."
(p.245)

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 18 Text 64
sarva-guhyatamam bhuyah
srnu me paramam vacah
isto 'si medrdham iti
tato vaksyami te hitam

sarva-guhya-tamam--the most confidential of all; bhuyah--again; srnu--just hear; me--from Me; paramam--the supreme; vacah--instruction; istah asi--you are dear; me--to Me; drdham--very; iti--thus; tatah--therefore; vaksyami--I am speaking; te--for your; hitam--benefit.

TRANSLATION

Because you are My very dear friend, I am speaking to you My supreme instruction, the most confidential knowledge of all. Hear this from Me, for it is for your benefit.

JOURNAL:

Srila Prabhupada says it all when he writes; The Lord has given Arjuna knowledge that is confidential (knowledge of Brahman) and still more confidential (knowledge of the Supersoul within everyone's heart), and now He is giving the most confidential part of knowledge: just surrender unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 10 Text 28
ayudhanam aham vajram
dhenunam asmi kamadhuk
prajanas casmi kandarpah
sarpanam asmi vasukih

ayudhanam--of all weapons; aham--I am; vajram--the thunderbolt; dhenunam--of cows; asmi--I am; kama-dhuk--the surabhi cow; prajanah--the cause for begetting children; ca--and; asmi--I am; kandarpah--Cupid; sarpanam--of serpents; asmi--I am; vasukih--Vasuki.

TRANSLATION

Of weapons I am the thunderbolt; among cows I am the surabhi. Of causes for procreation I am Kandarpa, the god of love, and of serpents I am Vasuki.

JOURNAL:

Notes on "Cupid" in Bhagavad Gita;

In the above synonyms the word "kandarpah" is translated "Cupid". Srila Prabhupada states in his purport; Kandarpa is the sex desire for presenting good sons; therefore Kandarpa is the representative of Krsna.

In another purport (BG 8.21) he describes Krishna's beauty; He is so attractive that His beauty excels that of thousands of Cupids.

PICTURE OF THE WEEK:

Chaitanya Print #31 - Artist Unknown

TEACHINGS OF QUEEN KUNTI
Chapter Fourteen:

Srimad Bhagavatam 1:8:31
gopy adade tvayi krtagasi dama tavad
ya te dasasru-kalilanjana-sambhramaksam
vaktram niniya bhaya-bhavanaya sthitasya
sa mam vimohayati bhir api yad bibheti

gopī — the cowherd lady (Yaśodā); ādade — took up; tvayi — on Your; kṛtāgasi — creating disturbances (by breaking the butter pot); dāma — rope; tāvat — at that time; yā — that which; te — Your; daśā — situation; aśru-kalila — overflooded with tears; añjana — ointment; sambhrama — perturbed; akṣam — eyes; vaktram — face; ninīya — downwards; bhaya-bhāvanayā — by thoughts of fear; sthitasya — of the situation; sā — that; mām — me; vimohayati — bewilders; bhīḥ api — even fear personified; yat — whom; bibheti — is afraid.

TRANSLATION:

My dear Krsna, Yasoda took up a rope to bind You when You committed an offense, and Your perturbed eyes overflooded with tears, which washed the mascara from Your eyes. And You were afraid, though fear personified is afraid of You. This sight is bewildering to me.

JOURNAL:

Srila Prabhupada writes;

This pastime presents another opulence of Krsna--His opulence of beauty. Krsna has six opulences: all wealth, all strength, all influence, all knowledge, all renunciation, and all beauty.

To give another example of such opulence, Krsna is known as Madanamohana. Madana means Cupid. Cupid enchants everyone, but Krsna is known as Madana-mohana because He is so beautiful that He enchants even Cupid. Nonetheless, Krsna Himself is enchanted by Srimati Radharani, and therefore Srimati Radharani is known as Madana-mohana-mohini, "the enchanter of the enchanter of Cupid." Krsna is the enchanter of Cupid, and Radharani is the enchanter of that enchanter.

Krishna is the best at bewilderment and this is part of His overall beauty. This is a strange idea for to me. I know that anything I can do He can do better, and I have certainly been accused of being bewildering by those who love me. If I can be minutely bewildering then of course God can be the same. Still, I like to think of God as being "straight forward". Yet, how many times have I found myself on my knees asking, "Why Lord? Why me?".

Srila Prabhupada reminds us in the next paragraph that we too can take part in Krishna's bewildering pastimes; These are very exalted spiritual understandings in Krsna consciousness. They are not fictional, imaginary, or concocted. They are facts, and every devotee can have the privilege to understand and indeed take part in Krsna's pastimes if he is actually advanced.

He then closes the chapter with this instruction; The more we love Krsna, the more we shall become perfect. It is not necessary to understand Krsna and how He creates. Krsna explains Himself in Bhagavad-gita, and we should not try to understand much more.

There is a wonderful lecture available on this sloka by His Divine Grace A. C. Baktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, given on April 23, 1973 in Los Angeles, California.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 18 Text 63
iti te jnanam akhyatam
guhyad guhyataram maya
vimnrsyaitad asesena
yathecchasi tatha kuru

iti--thus; te--unto you; jnanam--knowledge; akhyatam--described;guhyat--than confidential; guhya-taram--stillmoreconfidential; maya--by Me; vimrsya--deliberating; etat--on this; asesena--fully; yatha--as; icchasi--you like; tatha--that; kuru--perform.

TRANSLATION

Thus I have explained to you knowledge still more confidential. Deliberate on this fully, and then do what you wish to do.

JOURNAL:

And so it comes down to our choice. Do we follow Krishna's instructions and surrender to His will or, after hearing all His instructions, do we go on acting under the modes of nature?

Srila Prabhupada reminds us in his purport; Surrender to the Supreme Personality of Godhead is in the best interest of the living entities. It is not for the interest of the Supreme. Before surrendering, one is free to deliberate on this subject as far as the intelligence goes; that is the best way to accept the instruction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

SLOKA OF THE DAY

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 18 Text 62
tam eva saranam gaccha
sarva-bhavena bharata
tat-prasadat param santim
sthanam prapsyasi sasvatam

tam--unto Him; eva--certainly; saranam gaccha--surrender; sarva-bhavena--in all respects; bharata--O son of Bharata; tat-prasadat--by His grace; param--transcendental; santim--peace; sthanam--the abode; prapsyasi--you will get; sasvatam--eternal.

TRANSLATION

O scion of Bharata, surrender unto Him utterly. By His grace you will attain transcendental peace and the supreme and eternal abode.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 18 Text 61
isvarahsarva-bhutanam
hrd-dese 'rjuna tisthati
bhramayan sarva-bhutani
yantrarudhani mayaya

isvarah--the Supreme Lord; sarva-bhutanam--of all living entities; hrt-dese--in the location of the heart; arjuna--O Arjuna; tisthati--resides; bhramayan--causing to travel; sarva-bhutani--all living entities; yantra--on a machine; arudhani--being placed; mayaya--under the spell of material energy.

TRANSLATION

The Supreme Lord is situated in everyone's heart, O Arjuna, and is directing the wanderings of all living entities, who are seated as on a machine, made of the material energy.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 18 Text 60
svabhava-jena kaunteya
nibaddhah svena karmana
kartum necchasi yan mohat
karisyasy avaso 'pi tat

svabhava-jena--born of your own nature; kaunteya--O son of Kunti; nibaddhah--conditioned; svena--by your own; karmana--activities; kartum--to do; na--not; icchasi--you like; yat--that which; mohat--by illusion; karisyasi--you will do; avasah--involuntarily; api--even;tat--that.

TRANSLATION

Under illusion you are now declining to act according to My direction. But, compelled by the work born of your own nature, you will act all the same, O son of Kunti.

PURPORT

If one refuses to act under the direction of the Supreme Lord, then he is compelled to act by the modes in which he is situated. Everyone is under the spell of a particular combination of the modes of nature and is acting in that way. But anyone who voluntarily engages himself under the direction of the Supreme Lord becomes glorious.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 18 Text 59
yad ahankaram asritya
na yotsya iti manyase
mithyaisa vyavasayas te
prakrtis tvam niyoksyati

yat--if; ahankaram--of false ego; asritya--taking shelter; na yotsye--I shall not fight; iti--thus; manyase--you think; mithya esah--this is all false; vyavasayah--determination; te--your; prakrtih--material nature; tvam--you; niyoksyati--will engage.

TRANSLATION

If you do not act according to My direction and do not fight, then you will be falsely directed. By your nature, you will have to be engaged in warfare.

PICTURE OF THE WEEK (from Krishna.com):

Birth of Pradyumna by Pariksit Dasa

The demigod Cupid took another birth as the son of Krishna and Rukmini, and was named Pradyumna. Because he was begotten by Lord Krishna directly, his qualities were very similar to those of Krishna. There was a demon named Sambara who was destined to be killed by this Pradyumna. Sambara was aware of this, so when Pradyumna was born, Sambara kidnapped the baby less than ten days after his birth. The demon Sambara took him and threw him into the sea. When the baby Pradyumna was thrown into the sea, he was immediately eaten by a big fish. This very fish was caught by the net of a fisherman and sold to Sambara. In the kitchen of Sambara there was a maidservant named Mayavati. Mayavati had formerly been the wife of Cupid. When the cook cut open the fish, he found the baby inside and he gave the baby to Mayavati.

Nara-Narayana Rishi Humbles Cupid by Dirgha Dasi

SLOKA OF THE WEEK:

Mukunda-mālā-stotra 22
O Cupid, abandon your residence in my mind, which is now the home of Lord Mukunda's lotus feet. You have already been incinerated by Lord Śiva's fiery glance, so why have you forgotten the power of Lord Murāri's disc?

JOURNAL:

How do you fall out of love?

I have been separated from my wife, who I married in 1994, for over a year now. Yet, I'm still in love with her. I know she is no good for me; she drinks, she teases me about my faith while having none of her own, and she thinks that steak is the best form of food given to man. Yet still, I seem to be in love with her.

I have been visiting the family once a week. In the future I think I need to ask my son to come to my place instead. At least then I won't be reminded each week of what I use to be or how easy it was for her to write me off.

Later

That last bit was mean on my part. I must strive more for the retired life and the attitude that is cultivated with it.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 18 Text 58
mac-cittah sarva-durgani
mat-prasadat tarisyasi
atha cet tvam ahankaran
na srosyasi vinanksyasi hi

mat--of Me; cittah--being in consciousness; sarva--all; durgani--impediments; mat-prasadat--by My mercy; tarisyasi--you will overcome; atha--but; cet--if; tvam--you; ahankarat--by false ego; na srosyasi--do not hear; vinanksyasi--you will be lost.

TRANSLATION

If you become conscious of Me, you will pass over all the obstacles of conditioned life by My grace. If, however, you do not work in such consciousness but act through false ego, not hearing Me, you will be lost.

JOURNAL:

". . . by My grace.": These are the words that jump out at me in this sloka. All my life I was told that grace was necessary for salvation.

The other day I heard a saying that I believe applies to "grace"; Do not act so that you can see God, act so that God wants to see you

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 18 Text 57
cetasa sarva-karmani
mayi sannyasya mat-parah
buddhi-yogam upasritya
mac-cittah satatam bhava

cetasa--by intelligence; sarva-karmani--all kinds of activities; mayi--unto Me; sannyasya--giving up; mat-parah--under My protection; buddhi-yogam--devotional activities; upasritya--taking shelter of; mat-cittah--in consciousness of Me; satatam--twenty-four hours a day; bhava- just become.

TRANSLATION

In all activities just depend upon Me and work always under My protection. In such devotional service, be fully conscious of Me.

JOURNAL:

Srila Prabhupada reminds us of how to hear the Lord in this day and age; Now, one may argue that Arjuna was acting under the personal direction of Krsna but when Krsna is not present how should one act? If one acts according to the direction of Krsna in this book, as well as under the guidance of the representative of Krsna, then the result will be the same.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 18 Text 56
sarva-karmany api sada
kurvano mad-vyapasrayah
mat-prasadad avapnoti
sasvatam padam avyayam

sarva--all; karmani--activities; api--although; sada--always; kurvanah--performing; mat-vyapasrayah--under My protection; mat-prasadat--by My mercy; avapnoti--one achieves; sasvatam--the eternal; padam--abode; avyayam--imperishable.

TRANSLATION

Though engaged in all kinds of activities, My pure devotee, under My protection, reaches the eternal and imperishable abode by My grace.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 18 Text 55
bhaktya mam abhijanati
yavan yas casmi tattvatao
tato mam tattvat jnatva
visate tad-anantaram

bhaktya--by pure devotional service; mam--Me; abhijanati--one can know; yavan--as much as; yah ca asmi--as I am; tattvatah--in truth; tatah--thereafter; mam--Me; tattvatah--in truth; jnatva--knowing; visate--he enters; tat-anantaram--thereafter.

TRANSLATION

One can understand Me as I am, as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, only by devotional service. And when one is in full consciousness of Me by such devotion, he can enter into the kingdom of God.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 18 Text 54
brahma-bhutah prasannatma na socatinakanksati samah sarvesu bhutesu mad-bhaktim labhate param

brahma-bhutah--being one with the Absolute; prasanna-atma--fully joyful; na--never; socati--laments; na--never; kanksati--desires; samah--equally disposed; sarvesu--to all; bhutesu--living entities; mat-bhaktim--My devotional service; labhate--gains; param--transcendental.

TRANSLATION

One who is thus transcendentally situated at once realizes the Supreme Brahman and becomes fully joyful. He never laments or desires to have anything. He is equally disposed toward every living entity. In that state he attains pure devotional service unto Me.

PICTURE OF THE WEEK (from Krishna.com):

Rupa Goswami Writing by Jadurani Dasi

SLOKA OF THE WEEK:

Śrī Caitanya Caritāmṛta
Madhya 19.242
tāńre ālińgiyā prabhu naukāte caḍilā
mūrcchita hañā teńho tāhāñi paḍilā

tāńre — him; ālińgiyā — embracing; prabhu — Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; naukāte — in a boat; caḍilā — got aboard; mūrcchita hañā — fainting; teńho — he (Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī); tāhāñi — on the spot; paḍilā — fell.

TRANSLATION

After embracing Rūpa Gosvāmī, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu got into a boat. Rūpa Gosvāmī fainted and fell down on the spot.

JOURNAL:

On the "Krishna Vrindavan Lila" page of this blog I have added an audio of Srila Rupa Goswami's pastimes by His Grace Charu Prabhu.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 18 Text 51-53
buddhya visuddhaya yukto dhrtyatmanam niyamya ca sabdadin visayams tyaktva raga-dvesau vyudasya ca

vivikta-sevi laghv-asi yata-vak-kaya-manasah dhyana-yoga-paro nityam vairagyam samupasritah

ahankaram balam darpam kamam krodham parigraham vimucya nirmamah santo brahma-bhuyaya kalpate

buddhya--with the intelligence; visuddhaya--fully purified; yuktah--engaged; dhrtya--by determination; atmanam--the self; niyamya--regulating; ca--also;sabda-adin--such as sound; visayan--the sense objects; tyaktva--giving up; raga--attachment; dvesau--and hatred; vyudasya--laying aside; ca--also;vivikta-sevi--living in a secluded place; laghu-asi--eating a small quantity; yata--having controlled; vak--speech; kaya--body; manasah--and mind; dhyana-yoga-parah--absorbed in trance; nityam--twenty-four hours a day; vairagyam--detachment; samupasritah--having taken shelter of; ahankaram--falseego; balam--falsestrength; darpam--false pride; kamam--lust; krodham--anger; parigraham--and acceptance of materialthings; vimucya--being delivered from; nirmamah--without a sense of proprietorship; santah--peaceful; brahma-bhuyaya--for self-realization; kalpate--is qualified.

TRANSLATION

Being purified by his intelligence and controlling the mind with determination, giving up the objects of sense gratification, being freed from attachment and hatred, one who lives in a secluded place, who eats little, who controls his body, mind and power of speech, who is always in trance and who is detached, free from false ego, false strength, false pride, lust, anger, and acceptnce of material things, free from false proprietorship, and peaceful--such a person is certainly elevated to the position of self-realization.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 18 Text 50
siddhim prapto yatha brahma tathapnoti nibodha me samasenaiva kaunteya nistha jnanasya ya para

siddhim--perfection;praptah--achieving; yatha--as; brahma--the Supreme; tatha--so; apnoti--one achieves; nibodha--try to understand; me--from Me; samasena--summarily;eva--certainly; kaunteya--O son of Kunti; nistha--the stage; jnanasya--of knowledge; ya--which; para--transcendental.

TRANSLATION

O son of Kunti, learn from Me how one who has achieved this perfection can attain to the supreme perfectional stage, Brahman, the stage of highest knowledge, by acting in the way I shall now summarize.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 18 Text 49
asakta-buddhih sarvatra jitatma vigata-sprhah naiskarmya-siddhim paramam sannyasenadhigacchati

asakta-buddhih--having unattached intelligence; sarvatra--everywhere; jita-atma--having control of the mind; vigata-sprhah--without material desires; naiskarmya-siddhim--the perfection of nonreaction; paramam--supreme; sannyasena--by the renounced order of life; adhigacchati--one attains.

TRANSLATION

One who is self-controlled and unattached and who disregards all material enjoyments can obtain, by practice of renunciation, the highest perfect stage of freedom from reaction.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 18 Text 48
saha-jam karma kaunteya sa-dosam api na tyajet sarvarambha hi dosena dhumenagnir ivavrtah

saha-jam--born simultaneously; karma--work; kaunteya--O son of Kunti; sa-dosam--with fault; api--although; na--never; tyajet--one should give up; sarva-arambhah--all ventures; hi--certainly; dosena--with fault; dhumena--with smoke; agnih--fire; iva--as; avrtah--covered.

TRANSLATION

Every endeavor is covered by some fault, just as fire is covered by smoke. Therefore one should not give up the work born of his nature, O son of Kunti, even if such work is full of fault.

JOURNAL:

Srila Prabhupada writes in his purport; This example of fire and smoke is very appropriate in this connection. When in wintertime one takes a stone from the fire, sometimes smoke disturbs the eyes and other parts of the body, but still one must make use of the fire despite disturbing conditions. Similarly, one should not give up his natural occupation because there are some disturbing elements. Rather, one should be determined to serve the Supreme Lord by his occupational duty in Krsna consciousness. That is the perfectional point.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 18 Text 47
sreyan sva-dharmo vigunah para-dharmat sv-anusthitat svabhava-niyatam karma kurvan napnoti kilbisam

sreyan--better; sva-dharmah--one's own occupation; vigun. ah--imperfectly performed; para-dharmat--than another's occupation; su-anusthitat--perfectly done;svabhava-niyatam--prescribed according to one's nature; karma--work; kurvan--performing; na--never; apnoti--achieves; kilbisam--sinfulreactions.

TRANSLATION

It is better to engage in one's own occupation, even though one may perform it imperfectly, than to accept another's occupation and perform it perfectly. Duties prescribed according to one's nature are never affected by sinful reactions.

JOURNAL:

Srila Prabhupada ends his purport with this reminder; In the Third Chapter these matters have been clearly and elaborately explained; every man should work for the purpose of Yajna, or for Visnu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Anything done for personal sense gratification is a cause of bondage. The conclusion is that everyone should be engaged according to the particular mode of nature he has acquired, and he should decide to work only to serve the supreme cause of the Supreme Lord.

PICTURE OF THE WEEK (from Krishna.com):

Krishna Sees His Reflection by Prasanta Dasa

In Rupa Goswami's Lalita-madhava, it is said, "One day Krishna happened to see the shadow of His beautiful form reflected on the jeweled foreground. Upon seeing this bodily reflection, He expressed His feelings: 'How wonderful it is that I have never seen such a beautiful form! Although it is My own form, still, like Radharani, I am trying to embrace this form and enjoy celestial bliss.' " This statement shows how Krishna and His shadow reflection are one and the same. There is no difference between Krishna and His shadow reflection, nor between Krishna and His picture. That is the transcendental position of Krishna.

Quoted in Nectar of Devotion, Ch. 22 by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

SLOKA OF THE WEEK:

Nārada Bhakti Sūtra 78
ahiḿsā-satya-śauca-dayāstikyādi-cāritryāṇi paripālanīyāni

ahiḿsā — of nonviolence; satya — truthfulness; śauca — cleanliness; dayā — compassion; āstikya — faith; ādi — and so on; cāritryāṇi — the characteristics; paripālanīyāni — should be cultivated.

TRANSLATION

One should cultivate such good qualities as nonviolence, truthfulness, cleanliness, compassion, and faith.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 18 Text 46
yatah pravrttir bhutanam yena sarvam idam tatam sva-karmanatam abhyarcya siddhim vindati manavah

yatah--from whom; pravrttih--the emanation; bhutanam--of all living entities; yena--by whom; sarvam--all; idam--this; tatam--is pervaded; sva-karmana--by his own duties; tam--Him; abhyarcya--by worshiping; siddhim--perfection; vindati--achieves; manavah--a man.

TRANSLATION

By worship of the Lord, who is the source of all beings and who is all-pervading, a man can attain perfection through performing his own work.

JOURNAL:

Srila Prabhupada writes in his purport; Generally the Vaisnava devotees worship the Supreme Lord with His internal energy. His external energy is a perverted reflectionof the internal energy. The external energy is a background, but the Supreme Lord by the expansion of His plenary portion as Paramatma is situated everywhere. He is the Supersoul of all demigods, all human beings, all animals, everywhere.

Remembering Srila Prabhupada's teaching here is the key for me. As I see the world around me in this way, so I see Krishna.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 18 Text 45
sve sve karmany abhiratah samsiddhim labhate narah sva-karma-niratah siddhim yatha vindati tac chrnu

sve sve--each his own; karmani--work; abhiratah--following; samsiddhim--perfection;labhate--achieves; narah--a man; sva-karma--in his own duty; niratah--engaged; siddhim--perfection; yatha--as; vindati--attains; tat--that; srnu--listen.

TRANSLATION

By following his qualities of work, every man can become perfect. Now please hear from Me how this can be done.

JOURNAL:

A wonderful promise. We all work at something, even when unemployed.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 18 Text 44
krsi-go-raksya-vanijyam vaisya-karma svabhava-jam paricaryatmakam karma sudrasyapi svabhava-jam

krsi--plowing; go--of cows; raksya--protection; vanijyam--trade; vaisya--of a vaisya; karma--duty; svabhava jam--born of his own nature; paricarya--service; atmakam--consisting of; karma--duty; sudrasya--of the sudra; api--also; svabhava-jam--born of his own nature.

TRANSLATION

Farming, cow protection and business are the natural work for the vaisyas, and for the sudras there is labor and service to others.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 18 Text 43
sauryam tejo dhrtir daksyam yuddhe capy apalayanam danam isvara-bhavas ca ksatram karma svabhava-jam

sauryam--heroism; tejah--power; dhrtih--determination; daksyam--resourcefulness; yuddhe--in battle; ca--and; api--also; apalayanam--not fleeing; danam--generosity; isvara--of leadership;bhavah--thenature; ca--and; ksatram--of a ksatriya; karma--duty; svabhava-jam--born of his own nature.

TRANSLATION

Heroism, power, determination, resourcefulness, courage in battle, generosity and leadership are the natural qualities of work for the ksatriyas.

JOURNAL:

Today the Roman Catholics celebrate the "Feast of the Most Holy Name of Jesus".

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 18 Text 42
samo damas tapah saucam
ksantir arjavam eva ca
jnanam vijnanam astikyam
brahma-karma svabhava-jam

samah--peacefulness; damah--self-control; tapah--austerity; saucam--purity; ksantih--tolerance; arjavam--honesty; eva--certainly; ca--and; jnanam--knowledge; vijnanam--wisdom; astikyam--religiousness; brahma--of a brahmana; karma--duty; svabhavajam--born of his own nature.

TRANSLATION

Peacefulness, self-control, austerity, purity, tolerance, honesty, knowledge, wisdom and religiousness--these are the natural qualities by which the brahmanas work.

JOURNAL:

While at work I try to remember that this is how I am to act; peacefulness and tolerance being the most important for myself.

PICTURE OF THE WEEK (from Krishna.com):

by Ramanath Dasa

HAPPY NEW YEAR!