Srila Prabhupada Nectar

Guru is not for fashion

Go to guru, to surrender. Surrender means that one will accept whatever the guru says. It is not that one thinks, "I do not care for my guru's order. Still I am a disciple." That is not actually accepting a guru. Just like Arjuna surrendered to Krishna. You must find out guru where you can surrender. Not that you keep guru your order supplier, "Give me some ashirvad and I may be benefited." He is not guru; he is your order supplier, your servant. Guru means he must order, "You must do this." If we agree, then he is a guru. Not that "I shall order my guru, and he will execute my order." that the dog will do, not the guru. You ask your dog, "Sit down here," a dog will sit. That kind of guru keeping has no value. We shouldn't go to a guru simply because a guru may be fashionable at the moment. Just as you sometimes keep a dog as a fashion, if you want to keep a guru as a fashion—"I have a guru"—that will not help. You must accept a guru who can extinguish the blazing fire of anxiety within your heart. Everyone in the material life, in all species and varieties of life, is full of anxieties. So if you want to be anxiety-less, then you must take shelter of the guru, the spiritual master. And the test of the guru is that by following his instructions you'll be free from anxiety. However, a guru is not a person who simply manufactures gold or juggles words just to attract foolish people and make money. An actual guru is one who is fully trained in the ocean of spiritual knowledge.

Srila Prabhupada Nectar

Make someone else feel good

If you want to feel good about yourself, make someone else feel good! It really is that simple. Perhaps it is because this idea is so simple that we sometimes forget to do it.

It seems that anytime I go out of my way to make someone else feel good, it ends up brightening my day and making myself feel better as well. It reminds me that so often the nicest things in life aren't "things." Instead, they are the feelings that accompany acts of kindness and nice gestures. It's clear to me that "what goes around does indeed come around."

Whether it's taking the time to write a note of congratulations for a job well done, a written or verbal compliment, a friendly phone call, an unasked – for favor, a note of encouragement, or any number of other possibilities, making someone else feel good – however you do it –is almost always a good idea. 

Acts of kindness and good will are inherently wonderful. 

There's an old saying: "Giving is its own reward." This is certainly true. Your reward for being kind and making someone else feel good are the warm, positive feelings that invariably accompany your efforts.  

Srila Prabhupada Nectar

Be Responsive

"Responsive" means acting appropriately to the issue at hand. Rather than being driven and controlled by habitual, knee-jerk reactions, being responsive means having the ability to maintain perspective and to choose the best possible alternative or course of action, given your unique situation. 

Because responsive people are able to see the entire picture so well, they are able to factor into every equation all the variables, instead of being limited to their usual way of doing things. 

Responsive individuals are willing to change direction, if necessary, and admit their mistakes when appropriate.

For example, it's common for a builder to run into unexpected changes in the original plans – unknown soil conditions, a shortage of money, or unforeseen design problems. A reactive builder will panic, overreact and become difficult to work with. A good builder will take the changes in stride, be responsive to the changes, rise to the occasion and get the job done.

Be responsive!

Srila Prabhupada Nectar

Krishna or Christ - The Name Is the Same

Srila Prabhupada Nectar

No one is “all right”

Whatever one may desire, the ultimate end is happiness. Nobody can deny this. But if a diseased fellow thinks, "I am happy," that is false happiness. A diseased man cannot be happy unless the disease is cured. Sometimes we go to a diseased person and ask, "How are you?" "Yes, I am all right." If he is all right, why is he lying down? He is not all right. He is artificially saying that "I am all right." What is this "all right"? Similarly, people are thinking, "I am happy." What is their happiness? A learned man always sees, "What is the value of this happiness? I will have to die, I will have to accept old age, I will have to suffer from disease. And as soon as I die, again I will have to enter into the womb of a particular mother to take birth again." So where is the happiness? Ignorantly if we accept something as happiness, that is not happiness. Full of anxieties always: "What will happen next?'' They're suffering, but they are accepting, "I am all right.'' So this is called maya. Real happiness is when you are free from birth, death, old age, disease. Otherwise, where is your happiness? But if you think that "Although I am dying, I am happy," that is another thing, a fool's paradise. Bhagavata says, "Purify your existence, and you'll get perpetual, eternal happiness." So everyone is working hard for happiness, but how happiness can be attained in diseased condition? So cure the disease. If you go when there is ailment, if you go to a physician, "Sir, cure me." "Why?" because it is impediment to happiness. Similarly, the real disease is birth, death, old age, disease. You cure this, then you get real happiness.

Srila Prabhupada Nectar

Do not live in imagined future

If you want to be a happier, less-stressed person, there is no better place to start than with becoming aware of "anticipatory thinking," or an imagined future.

Essentially, this type of thinking involves imagining how much better your life will be when certain conditions are met – or how stressful, or difficult something is going to be at some point down the road. 

Typical anticipatory thinking sounds something like this: "I can't wait to get that promotion, and then my life will be great." "Life will be so much simpler when I can afford an assistant." "These next few years will be really tough, but after that I'll be having a smooth ride." 

You get so carried away by your own thoughts that you remove yourself from the actual present moments of your life, thereby forgetting the act of living effectively and joyfully.

There are other, more short-term forms of this type of thinking as well: "The next few days are going to be unbearable," "I am going to be tired tomorrow," "I just know my speech is going to be a disaster." 

There are endless variations of this stressful tendency. The details are usually different, but the result is the same –stress! Do not let your thoughts get caught up in the negative expectations and imagined horrors of the future. 

Srila Prabhupada Nectar

Seven wonders of the world

 A group of students were asked to list what they thought were the present "Seven Wonders of the world." Though there were some disagreements, the following received the most votes:

1.Egypt's Great Pyramids

2.Taj Mahal

3.Grand Canyon

4.Panama Canal

5.Empire State Building

6.St. Peter's Basilica

7.China's Great Wall        

While gathering the votes, the teacher noticed that one quiet student hadn't returned her paper yet. So she asked the girl if she was having trouble with her list. The girl replied, "Yes, a little. I couldn't quite make up my mind because there were so many." The teacher said, "Well, tell us what you have, and maybe we can help." The girl hesitated, then read, "I think the Seven Wonders of the World are: To see, to hear, to touch, to feel, to laugh and to love." The room became so quiet that one could have heard a pin drop.

The things we overlook as simple and ordinary and which we take for granted are truly wondrous!

Next time when we complain about things which we don't have, let's remember these seven wonders of our lives.

Srila Prabhupada Nectar

Srila Prabhupada Nectar

Srila Prabhupada Nectar

Why do you need a guru?

People generally go to guru, "Sir, I have got some pain. Give me some ashirvad so that my pain may be cured." "But why you have come here for curing your pain? You can go to some doctor, or you can take some tablet. Is it the purpose of coming to guru?" But generally they come to guru and ask for blessing for some material benefit. It is not the guru's task to supply gold and medicine. Not that "I have got some pain here, I have some trouble or some..." These are not problems. This problem one should tolerate. They do not know what is the problem of life and why go to guru. And the so-called gurus also take advantage of this ignorance of the public. The guru does not know what is his responsibility, and the public do not know what for one should go to guru. This is the difficulty. You should be intelligent. Why do you accept so many cheaters as guru? First of all you know what is the subject matter of knowledge. Just like if you want to become a carpenter, you should go to an expert carpenter. If you want to be a medical man, you must approach the medical college. So first of all, you do not know what you want. Therefore you get so many cheaters. You do not know what is the aim of human life. To be happy? You do not know what is happiness. Your happiness is that you do not like to die: but you die. You do not like to become old man: you become old. This is unhappiness. Intelligence is that "I do not want death. Why death comes upon me?" This knowledge will lead you to understand what is happiness.

Srila Prabhupada Nectar

Trying to please every one

The fact that someone is virtually always going to be mad or at least disappointed with you is inevitable because while you're busy trying to please one person, you're often disappointing someone else. Even if your intentions are entirely pure and positive, you simply can't be in two places at one time. So, if two or more people want, need or expect something from you – and you can't do it all – someone is going to be left disappointed. 

When you have dozens, even hundreds of demands on your time, and requests being fired at you from all different directions, a certain number of balls are going to be dropped. Mistakes are going to be made.

Four people asked you to call them before five o'clock. The second call took much longer than anticipated. The two who didn't receive calls are probably going to be upset. If you hurried the call you were on, you risked upsetting that person. Either way, someone's left upset. Or you go the extra mile to do an excellent job on one project – but only have time to do an adequate job on another project. Again, you let someone down.

When you make peace with this fact of life, a huge weight is lifted off your shoulders. Obviously you would never intentionally hurt or disappoint someone. In fact, most of us will do everything within our power not to, yet it's still going to happen. And when you know it's inevitable, your gut reaction to the disappointment is going to be much more peaceful.

Srila Prabhupada Nectar

But there are still going to be errors

You can try and try – you can make allowances for contingencies and mix-ups, but there are still going to be errors. And when errors happen, forget a promise, meeting, or commitment; then someone is going to be hurt, upset, mad, or disappointed. 

Rather than becoming upset, defensive, or guilty, maintain your bearings and remain compassionate. You should understand that there's simply nothing you can do – other than your best. You didn't intend for it to happen, you did everything you knew how to prevent it, yet it happened. 

In fact, most of us will do everything within our power not to, yet it's still going to happen. And it will happen again. It's time to let it go and focus on doing the best you can.

Srila Prabhupada Nectar

Srila Prabhupada Nectar

Srila Prabhupada Nectar

The King Of Knowledge

The knowledge given in the Bhagavad-gita is raja-vidya, "the king of knowledge." 

The following lecture given by Srila Prabhupada on Bhagavad-gita chapter 9 verse 2 explains why: "This knowledge is the king of education, the most secret of all secrets. It is the purest knowledge, and because it gives direct perception of the self by realization, it is the perfection of religion. It is everlasting, and it is joyfully performed."

Click below to listen to the lecture. 

Everybody follows somebody

Everywhere there must be, one chief man. Either you are a political party or social party or religious party or Communist party... Just like Communist party, they have got their chief men. Lenin, Stalin. I asked this question from Professor Kotovsky, "Where is the difference of philosophy between your Communist philosophy and our Krishna consciousness philosophy? You have to accept one chief man, that Lenin or Stalin, and we have also selected one chief man, or God, Krishna. So you are following the dictates of Lenin or Stalin or Molotov or this or that. We are following the philosophy or the instruction of Krishna. So on principle, where is the difference? There is no difference." You cannot conduct your daily affairs without being dictated by somebody else. So that is the law of nature. Then why don't you accept the supreme authority? It is not possible that we can live without leadership. Is there any party, is there any school, or is there any institution that they're conducting without any chief leader or director? No. The principle is there, that you have to accept one chief. We have to accept the servitorship or to become underhand of some person. So the intelligence is that "Whom we have to accept?" There lies intelligence: "What kind of leader we shall accept?" So our principle is that Krishna should be accepted as the leader because Krishna says in the Bhagavad-gita, "There is no more superior person or superior position than Me."; and "God" means that. In the dictionary "God" means the Supreme Being. Supreme Being means nobody is greater than Him; nobody is equal to Him. 

Srila Prabhupada Nectar

Today before you complain about

Today before you think of saying an unkind word - Think of someone who can't speak.

Today before you complain about the taste of your food - Think of someone who has nothing to eat.

Today before you complain about life - Think of someone who went too early to heaven.

Today before you argue about your dirty house, someone didn't clean or sweep - Think of the people who are living in the streets.

Today before whining about the distance you drive - Think of someone who walks the same distance with their feet.

Today before you are tired and complain about your job - Think of the unemployed, the disabled and those who wished they had your job.

Today before you think of pointing the finger or condemning another - Remember that not one of us are without sin.

Srila Prabhupada Nectar

Mistakes are unavoidable part of life

Some mistakes are big. An air-traffic controller's mistake or one wrong move by a surgeon can be deadly. 

A vast majority of the mistakes we make, however, are not life or death. It's true that even small mistakes can cause inconvenience, conflict, or extra work – and, can be expensive.

 

While no one enjoys making mistakes, there is something very freeing about learning to accept them – really accept them – as an unavoidable part of life. When we do, we can forgive ourselves, thus erasing all the stress that usually results from cursing ourselves. 

So the suggestion is simple. Forgive yourself; you're human.

Srila Prabhupada Nectar

Srila Prabhupada Nectar

Transcendental Teachings of Prahlada Maharaja - - Ebook

Hare Krishna

Hope you are doing great! This month we have got this very special E-Book – "Transcendental Teachings of Prahlada Maharaja" for you which you can download right away.

The chapters in this book are based on a series of talks  given by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada in 1968 on the Srimad-Bhagavatam, Canto 7, Chapter 6. It explicitly covers Prahlada Maharaja's instructions to his class friends. In speaking to his friends, who were all sons of demons, Prahlada Maharaja stressed that every living entity, especially in human society, must be interested in spiritual realization from the very beginning of life. 

Please find the E-book as an attachment with this mail.

Again become mouse

A mouse came to a saintly person: "Sir, I am very much troubled. This cat troubles me very much." "So what you want?" "Let me become a cat." "All right, you become a cat." So he became a cat. Then after few days, he came back. "Sir, still I am in trouble." "What is that?" "The dogs trouble me very much." "So what you want?" "All right, you become." Then after few days he came again... "The tiger troubles me." "What do you want?" "Now I want to become a tiger."  "All right, you become a tiger." Then, when he became tiger, he began to stare at the saintly person. The saintly person, "What do you mean by this?" "I shall eat you." "Oh, you shall eat me? I have made you tiger, and you want to eat me. All right: Again you become a mouse." So our civilization is like that, that in the gradual process of evolution we have come to the platform of human being. This human being is meant for understanding God, but we are forgetting God. Just like the tiger; instead of becoming obliged, if you want to eat, then again become a mouse. If the saintly person has got the power to make you from mouse to tiger, then he can convert you again from tiger to mouse. You must always remember this. So by the grace of God, Krishna, you have become so powerful, rich, beautiful, educated. But if you misuse it, if you forget Krishna, then you are again going to be mouse. Therefore we should be very, very careful. This Krishna consciousness movement is simply a very scientific movement that will help the human society not to be degraded again, to be elevated.

Srila Prabhupada Nectar

Desktop Wallpaper

Some Hindu Proverbs

SELF PRAISE is no praise.

The young crow is wiser than its mother.

What is play to one is death to another.

In a treeless country, the castor-oil plant is a big tree

A scalded cat dreads cold water.

The washerman never tears his father's clothes.

A fool went to fish, but lost his fishing-basket.

A thief is a thief, whether he steals a diamond or a cucumber.

God takes care of a blind cow.

One who cannot dance blames the floor.

The Lord Krishna and the Lapwing's Nest

IT was the battle of Kurukshetra. The white conch shells were about to sound, the elephants to march forward, and the attack of the archers to commence. The moment was brief and terrible. Banners were flying, and the charioteers preparing for the advance. Suddenly a little lapwing, who had built her nest in the turf of a hillock in the midst of the battlefield, drew the attention of the Lord Krishna by her cries of anxiety and distress for her young. "Poor little mother!" he said tenderly, "let this be thy protection!" And, lifting a great elephant-bell that had fallen near, he placed it over the lapwing's nest. And so, through the eighteen days of raging battle that followed, a lapwing and her nestlings were kept in safety in their nest, by the mercy of the lord, even in the midst of the raging field of Kurukshetra.

Be Reasonable

"Reasonable" suggests the ability to see things fairly, without the self-serving justification that so often clouds our vision. 

It's the ability to see your own contribution to a problem and the willingness to listen to and learn from other's point of view. Being reasonable includes the ability to put yourself in the shoes of others, being able to see the bigger picture, and to maintain perspective. 

People who are reasonable are well liked and highly respected. Because they are willing to listen, others pay close attention to what they have to say, as well. 

Reasonable people rarely have enemies, and their conflicts are kept to an absolute minimum. They are able to see beyond their own desires and needs, which makes them compassionate and helpful to others.

Be a reasonable person.

Srila Prabhupada Nectar

Facing problems in life

You can be annoyed by problems in life; think about how unfair and awful they are, complaining about them with others. You can remind yourself, over and over again, how difficult life is and how this problem is yet another justification for why you "have a right" to be upset! You can tighten up. Unfortunately, this is the way many people approach their problems.

When you think of your problems as speed bumps on a road, however, they begin to look very different. You'll begin to expect a number of speed bumps to present themselves during a typical day. Like riding a bike, bumps are simply a part of the experience. You can fight and resist, or you can relax and accept. 

As a problem shows up during your day, you can begin to say to yourself, "Ah, here's another one." Then, like the bump on your bike ride, you begin to relax into it, thereby absorbing the shock, making it seem less significant. Then you can calmly decide what action or decision is likely to get you over this hurdle in the most effective, graceful manner. The calmer and more relaxed you remain, the easier it is to remember & depend on the Lord. Lord will then guide what best you can do in a given situation or circumstance.

Lord Krishna says in Bhagavad-gita 18.58

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. 

Srila Prabhupada Nectar

Srila Prabhupada Nectar

Srila Prabhupada Nectar

Srila Prabhupada Nectar

Srila Prabhupada Nectar

Srila Prabhupada Nectar

Srila Prabhupada Nectar

Srila Prabhupada Nectar

Recognizing patterns of behavior

No matter where you work or what you do, becoming an expert in recognizing patterns of behavior can help you reduce the stress in your life by eliminating many of your unnecessary interpersonal conflicts. When you learn to recognize patterns of behavior, you'll be able to detect problems before they have a chance to get out of hand, nip certain arguments in the bud, and prevent hassles that might otherwise manifest themselves.

    

If you take a careful look at the people you work with, you'll probably agree that most people (you and I too) have a tendency to repeat patterns and engage in habitual reactions. In other words, we tend to be bothered by some things, irritated by the same set of circumstances, argue over the same sets of facts, and act defensively toward certain types of behavior. Indeed, for most of us, our reactions to life, particularly stress, are fairly predictable.

    

This being the case, it's enormously helpful to take careful note of the people you work with – and recognize any negative or destructive patterns of behavior that are likely to repeat themselves. You might notice, for example, that if you take on or challenge a member of your team, he will become defensive and tend to argue. This doesn't mean it's never appropriate to challenge him – there will certainly be times when it is. What it means is that when you recognize, with relative certainty, what's going to happen if you engage in certain types of interactions, you might determine that it's not worth getting into. In this way, you can avoid unnecessary conflict and spend your time and energy in more efficient ways. 

Srila Prabhupada Nectar

Srila Prabhupada Nectar

Make allowances for incompetence

Regardless of who you are or what you do, you are going to run into (and have to deal with) at least some amount of incompetence in your work life. Why not learn to take it in stride, and not let it bother you so much?

This acceptance of the way things really are will probably allow you to say (or think) something like, "Of course it's going to be like this from time to time." Rather than focusing on the most dramatic and extreme examples to validate your belief in rampant incompetence, see if you can recognize and appreciate the fact that most people do really well, most of the time. With a little practice and patience, you'll cease being so upset over things you have very little control over.

  

By simply making allowances in your mind for something that is going to happen anyway, you'll be able to dramatically improve the quality of your life. I know that dealing with incompetence can be frustrating – especially when the stakes are high. I can virtually guarantee you, however, that losing your cool isn't going to help very much.

The next time you run into incompetence, rather than turning the incompetence into front page news in your mind, see if you can turn it into just another minor story. If you do, you'll be free from yet another of life's sources of frustration.

Srila Prabhupada Nectar

-- 

Hand writing

Keep Going

Learn the magic of nonattachment

Being attached to an outcome, holding on, takes an enormous amount of energy, not only during an effort but often after an effort is complete, after you've failed, or been let down, or were dealt a bad hand. Being non attached, however, creates emotional freedom. It suggests trying hard, really caring, but at the same time being completely willing to let go of the outcome.

Attachment creates fear that gets in your way: what if I lose? What if the deal doesn't go through? What if I'm rejected? What if, what if, what if … your belief that everything must work out exactly as you want it to with no glitches creates enormous pressure! 

Non attachment, on the other hand, works like magic. It allows you to have fun in your efforts, to enjoy the process. It helps you succeed at whatever you are doing by giving you the confidence you need. It takes the pressures off. You win regardless of the outcome. The act of not worrying helps you focus and stay on purpose. It helps you stay out of your own way. 

You know in your heart that, even if things don't work out the way you hope they will, everything will be all right. You'll be okay. You'll learn from the experience. You'll do better next time. This attitude of acceptance helps you move on to the next step in your path. Rather than being lost or immobilized in disappointment or regret, you simply move on – with confidence and joy. 

The manual of life

Vedas means, just like this dictaphone machine is manufactured along with one literature is also compiled. So customers, they are given the delivery of the machine as well as the literature how to use it. That is the Vedas. Therefore Krishna says that vedanta-krit, "I am the compiler of the Vedas." Because if He does not give the literature, then how he will use the machine. The manufacturer of the machine, he knows how to use it, what for it is, how to manipulate it. Everything is there. The Vedic knowledge means that. We have come to this material world. So just like we have purchased this machine for some enjoyment, similarly, we are fallen down to this material world for some material pleasure. So Krishna has given, God has given a literature. If you'll be guided by the literature, that, your propensity to enjoy this material world, will be fulfilled, at the same time you'll again be able to go back home, back to Godhead. So now you discuss this point that why we have come to this material world, what is the purpose. These things are mentioned in the Vedas. Vedas gives you knowledge about your relationship with God. That is the first knowledge. And then, according to that relationship, if you act, then you are rightly directed, and ultimately the goal is to go back home, back to Godhead. 

By force you cannot

Just like a person is diseased. He is advised by the doctor that "You shall not take such and such things." So he is starving or he is fasting. Suppose in the typhoid fever the doctor has advised him not to take any solid food. So under the instruction of the doctor, he is not taking any solid food. But suppose his brother is eating some bread. Oh, he likes that "If I could eat." That means within himself he has got the tendency for eating. But out of fear that "If I eat, there will be very bad reaction of taking solid food," therefore, by force, he is not eating. Similarly, there are so many things which you are refrained from doing by force. That sort of abstinence will not make you progressive in spiritual life, because you have got little independence. So anything cannot be done by forcing you. You cannot force even a child. He'll revolt. By force, you cannot train a person that "You must be refraining from all these things. One may be refraining from enjoying materially by somehow or other, by force but one who is spiritually advanced, he is not forced. He is voluntarily giving up. That is the difference. How voluntarily giving up? That is by vishaya vinivartante, the higher taste. He has found something sublime, so sublime that he doesn't care for material enjoyment. If you simply try to make it zero, that is not possible. If you get better engagement, to try to engage yourself always in the better engagement, then these material activities will be zero. That is the criterion of spiritual life. When we get a taste of spiritual pleasure—pleasure in Krishna consciousness—we can give up all material pleasure.

Srila Prabhupada Nectar

What magic we can show to God?

An atheist may argue that, "Why you are thinking of God? God is no more expert than a watchmaker. This body is just like a clock. You wind it and it will go on." but of course God is greater because He can create machines in duplicate male and female forms. Here a clock machine is there. It can produce other clock. But your clock cannot do that. That is the difference. The male and female forms of different types of machinery go on producing innumerable similar machines without God's further attention. If a man could manufacture such a set of machines that could produce other machines without his attention, then he could approach the intelligence of God. But that is not possible, for each machine has to be handled individually. Here God-made machine is so nice and perfect that He creates one male and one female, and unlimited machine is coming out. Therefore, no one can create as well as God. 

Another name for God is asamaurdhva, which means that no one is equal to or greater than Him. And they are trying to manufacture another machine in the laboratory, in the test tube. What is the credit there? Millions of machine are coming out without your test tube. The scientist is very proud for inventing this flying machine. But just see millions and trillions of flying machines are flying in the sky created by God—without any machine. So you cannot surpass the intelligence and energy of God. People are after magical things. What magic we can show to God? They are trying to manufacture another machine in the laboratory, in the test tube. What is the credit there? Millions of machines are coming out without your test tube. Lord is the greatest mystic, Yogeshvara.

Top of the Pyramid

Humans are considered to be the most advanced of all the existing species. This is evident by the impact that Humans have had on the face of earth. So what makes us different from the other species? Or what makes us humans? The first though that comes to mind in response to the above questions is "Intelligence". It is the intelligence or the wisdom that a man possesses that makes him excel in all spheres of life. In the past centuries, human civilization has come a long way, From Realty space to Cosmo Space to Cyber Space. We have highly developed defense technology, advanced medical science and modern infrastructure that was a part of the last centuries' sci-fi novels and movies. The success is not just the ability to soar high but also to have a keen sight to sense an opportunity. The opportunity to earn more money, eat good food, lead a comfortable life by inventing luxuries and searching for the opposite gender to satisfy carnal desires.

This is akin to a vulture which soars high in the sky, and with its keen sense of sight, it tries to search for something. What is that thing? Nothing! but a decomposed foul-smelling carcass (dead body). So much for the ability to fly high with a highly developed sense of sight, but the object of all this effort is to find a dead body to eat its flesh. This is called useless labor. Similarly humans with their highly developed intelligence, with high qualifications and advanced technologies try to achieve an end. What is this end? Trying to earn money for sense gratification. That sense gratification which is easily available even to animals like a stool eating hog. 

*Srimad Bhagavatam* states [SB 4.31.11]:

srutena tapasa va kim

vacobhis citta-vrrittibhih

buddhya va kim nipunaya

balenendriya-radhasa

Without devotional service, what is the meaning of severe austerities, the process of hearing, the power of speech, the power of mental speculation, elevated intelligence, strength, and the power of the senses? 

Human life is a rare gift. It is invaluable. One doesn't have to pay any price to attain a human birth. It comes on its own accord and provided by nature as an evolutionary progression to the spirit soul. At the same time it is invaluable because it gives us a chance by which the living entity can attain the highest, the supreme goal of life. 

The goal of life is to attain happiness, Permanent Happiness! However the means which we are currently employing to attain happiness will only gives us temporary happiness that too mixed with suffering. Just like sweet rice mixed with sand. Therefore we can understand that in our quest for happiness we are somewhere committing a mistake and should try retracing our steps. *Bhagavad-gita* proclaims that every living species is originally spiritual and is covered by a material body on a temporary basis. The ignorance caused due to misidentification with matter causes us to feel temporary sorrow or happiness. By directing our energies to the process of self realization we get gradually purified of our misconceptions. As much as our consciousness is developed spiritually in the same proportion we feel inner happiness. This process doesn't entail dry renunciation but a change in consciousness or perceptions. Instead of trying to enjoy varieties for satisfying selfish interests we should utilize everything in the service of God or Krishna. In any position or situation either of a householder, single, businessman etc the formula of engaging our energies and resources in the service of Krishna reaps good dividends.

No more changing apartment

We are not proprietor of this body. We are occupier. Just like a rented house: the proprietor and the tenant are different. So I am the spirit soul. I am not proprietor; I am simply occupier. The proprietor is the supreme Personality of Godhead. He is giving me a particular apartment according to my capacity of paying rent. According to our karma or work, we get a body, either as a king's son, a cobbler's son, a dog's son, a cat's son, a tree's son or a plant's son. If you are in a rented apartment, you are given the license to occupy the room. So mistake is that we do not know the owner, and we are improperly using our occupation. The direction is there, the director is sitting there. He's always helping you. But the disease is that we are claiming to be owner and want to act according to our whims, and that is material condition. Krishna said "Don't think we did not exist in the past. 

We are existing at present, and we shall continue to exist in the future." Exactly like that "I existed in one apartment, now I am existing in one apartment, and I shall exist in another apartment." I am spirit soul. I am

simply changing different apartments. Because I am eternal, there is a life, where I haven't got to change apartment. I get permanent residence. That is spiritual life. So long you are in material existence you have to change different types of body. But if you become fit for spiritual existence, you get rid or get out of this entanglement of changing bodies. This is Krishna consciousness movement. We are teaching our people that "you become Krishna conscious then you get permanent life."

Count to 10 before you speak

If you react immediately to criticism then you'll often react in a knee-jerk manner. And the words that come out may be overemotional, vicious and unnecessary. Count to at least 10 after someone has criticized you. 

Then respond.

This simple way of calming yourself down and regaining some perspective can save you a lot of trouble and help you avoid saying something you can't take back. It's a good approach to avoid creating unnecessary problems. Maybe you've heard this one before. It's a great and practical way to look at criticism. It might be extra useful when dealing with angry, destructive criticism and nasty personal attacks.

"A man interrupted one of the Buddha's lectures with a flood of abuse. Buddha waited until he had finished and then asked him, "If a man offered a gift to another but the gift was declined, to whom would the gift belong?" 

"To the one who offered it," said the man.

"Then," said the Buddha, "I decline to accept your abuse and request you to keep it for yourself."

Simply don't accept the gift of a criticism. You don't have to. Then it still belongs to the person who offered it.

Don't let your own thoughts stress you out

Think about how often we all have conversations in the privacy of our own minds. It happens, practically nonstop, all day long, every day of our lives. We're in the car thinking about something – a deadline, an argument, a potential conflict, a mistake, a worry, whatever. Or we're at the office or in the shower, doing the very same thing – and it all seems so real.

When we are thinking, however, it's easy to lose sight of the fact that we think thoughts, not reality. Let me explain. It may seem strange, but most of us have a tendency to forget that we're thinking because it's something that we're always doing – like breathing. But until I mentioned breathing, you weren't really consciously aware that you were breathing—were you? Thinking works in a similar way. Because it's such a part of us, we tend to give enormous significance and take very seriously most of the thoughts that drift through our minds. We begin to treat our thoughts as if they were the real thing, allowing them to stress us out.

If you reflect on this idea, you'll probably be able to see the practical implications. When you have a thought, that's all it is – a thought. Thoughts certainly don't have the power or authority to stress you out without your conscious or unconscious consent. Thoughts are just images and ideas in your mind.

Sri Isopanishad - Ebook

Hare Krishna

Hope you are doing great! This month we have got this very special E-Book – “Sri Isopanishad” for you which you can download right away.

The Sanskrit words Sri Isopanishad means "the knowledge that brings one nearer to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna." Essential Vedic teachings are summarized in Sri Isopanishad, the foremost of the 108 Upanishads.

As translated and explained by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the most distinguished modern-day teacher of India's spiritual culture and philosophy, the nineteen jewel like mantras of Sri Isopanishad can release us from the bleak conception of impersonalism and put us in touch with the Supreme Person, the fountainhead of all energies and all happiness.

Please find the E-book

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Srila Prabhupada Nectar

Material energy is impersonal and God is personal

The ultimate truth is a supreme and most beautiful person, and thus throughout the creation of God we will always find the personal touch. God is personal, He is person. Just like you are person, I am person, He is person, but He is the Supreme Person. And everything is expanded by His energy.

‘Material energy is impersonal and God is personal’ watch this short video conversation with Srila Prabhupada, recorded in the year 1974.

Click Here to View the Video

Srila Prabhupada Nectar

Srila Prabhupada Nectar

Make an ongoing effort to stop your mind from wandering

Many times we are doing one thing, yet preoccupied with a dozen others. We’re distracted by our own thoughts, concerns, and worries.

When you have a strong presence you are completely absorbed in the moment and the people you are with sense that you are truly “right there” with them, fully present. Your mind isn’t drifting somewhere else. Instead, you are focused on what’s going on and you are truly listening to what is being said. All of your energy is focused on the person who is talking to you.

When you have presence with others, they are drawn to you. They relax around you and become undefensive. They enjoy your company and feel your sincerity; they feel important when they are with you.

The way to strengthen your presence is to understand its value. Make an ongoing effort to stop your mind from wandering. When you are with someone, be with them. When your mind wanders, gently bring it back. When you are doing something, don’t be thinking about something else.

Try to have more presence, see it as a worthwhile goal, and it will appear in your life. Once you experience its value – and feel the effects – there will be no turning back. You’ll be hooked.