Gems of wisdom
by Shree Maharajji
Constantly realize the presence
of God and Guru with you. Never feel that you are alone. This is
very important for devotion. When this decision becomes firm, then.
your mind will easily become focused in meditation and you will never
commit any sin.
***********
Never. have any ill feelings towards anyone, even towards the one who hates and criticizes you. Learn to become neutral.
***********
The
moment an individual comes to fully believe that God and His name are
one, possessing the same powers and qualities, he will attain
God-realization that very moment.
***********
Be
a lover of God, not of the world. Do not beg your God and Master
for health, wealth and material goods. When you bow to God but
desire the world, you prove that you love not the Creator, but His
creation. If you insist on asking God for something, ask the same
thing as Prahlad: "God! Kindly destroy the very seed of
desire that exists in my heart."
***********
Do not waste your time in chatting with others. Your speech should be short and sweet, to the point.
***********
Finding faults in others is a definite proof that those faults exist in you.
***********
The
most foolish action is procrastination of devotion inspite of full
knowledge of the frailty and transitory status of the human body.
|
|
Upcoming Events
Forthcoming
Dallas Retreat
5th - 7th Sept YMCA Campsite
Devotees have another opportunity to get up close and personal with Swamiji at the Dallas retreat in the early September.
Do not miss this golden opportunity! Register now and be a part of this Divine Satsang.
You can find more information about other programs in the events section of our website.
Swamiji would be celebrating
Janamashtami in the Hindu Temple of Ventura County on 14 August. |
|
Guru
Poornima was celebrated on the 7th July, 2009 in Barsana. More than
five thousand people came to Rangeeli Mahal to have a darshan of Shree
Maharajji. Shree Maharajji gave a live speech in the evening on
the topic "The necessity and importance of a Guru."
A
Blood donation camp was held in Barsana during the Guru Poornima
festival. The hospital, Jagadguru Kripalu Chikitsalay in Barsana,
caters to the medical needs of thousands of villagers in an area that
is deprived of medical facilities for many miles around. The treatment
is provided absolutely free of cost. A new building is under
construction that will house the Naturopathy wing of the hospital.
Swamiji successfully completed his 5th program in USA this summer.
Regional JKY centers have been established in New Jersey, Virginia, Maryland, Boston, Connecticut and Chicago. For more information about these centers you can visit here:
Pocono Retreat
The Retreat at Pocono Mountains was once in a lifetime
experience for everyone. It was an enlightening and highly motivating
program. Swamiji's grace and affection was visible on everyone's face
to see!
This is what they had to say!
"The
Retreat was something totally different than any other experience i
have had, especially the Subtle Body Relaxation experience. Swamiji has
a very 'Guru' like and pleasant personality."
-Subhash Arora, NY
Boston online newspaper 'Lokvani' interviewed Swamiji on July 22.
This is what the editor had to say:
Ranjani
Saigal, Editor of Lokvani: "The article is a huge hit (very unusual for
religion based articles) . This is a testimony to your Divine
message. I realized what a divine honor the Lord had given me for I had
the opportunity to revisit the interview and take a step closer to
understanding your message."
Latest website updates
Watch
on youtube Divine kirtans and spiritual lectures by Jagadguru Kripaluji
Maharaj and Swami Mukundananda. Hundreds of videos have been uploaded.
JKY on youtube
| |
|
|
Welcome to e-Magazine of Jagadguru Kripalu Yog |
|
Dear Devotees,
Welcome to the inaugural edition of Jagadguru Kripalu Yog e-Magazine.
This is a great platform where you can get to hear the latest news
about Shree Maharajji and Swamiji. You will also find inspiring
quotations, thoughts and kirtans, written by Shree Maharajji. Treat
yourself to lectures, enlightening gems of wisdom and knowledge given
by Swamiji on Divine philosophy.
Jagadguru
Shree Kripaluji Maharaj, who is lovingly called "Maharajji" by his
devotees, was awarded the title of "Bhaktiyog Rasavatar", or the
Personification of the Bliss of Divine Love, by the Kashi Vidvat
Parishat. This e-Magazine is an effort to bring you fraction
of his Divine words. We will also reveal the secrets of devotion
and Sadhana, as taught by one of his most senior disciples, Swami
Mukundananda. It is our earnest hope that their words reach your inner
most self, and bring about a positive change in your life, encouraging
you on the path of God-realization.
Happy Reading! Note:
In case your mail browsing software has not downloaded the pictures,
you may right click one of the picture locations, and select "Download
pictures". This will greatly enhance your reading experience.
|
|
The Goal of Human Life
It
is a fact that every individual performs actions with a specific aim.
No one can remain inactive even for a moment and no action is performed
without a purpose.
The Darśhan Śhāstra declares-
prayojanamanuddiśhya mando̓pi na pravartate
However,
we can say that every individual performs various actions every moment
with a single purpose. It may appear strange but it is true. Some do
good deeds and some perform bad ones. In reality, everyone performs
actions that give them happiness.
Like an evil person finds
happiness in harming others, a Saint performs actions for the welfare
of others which give Him happiness. The motive behind achieving wealth,
health, wife, son, fame, beauty is one - HAPPINESS. This proves that
without any teaching or training every individual wants happiness and
nobody wants sorrow, grief or pain because -
ānando brahmeti vyajānāt (ved)
Happiness,
Bliss, peace are other names or synonyms for God. Now arises a
question. What is the relationship between our desire for happiness and
God being Bliss personified? Yes, there is a relation.
īśhvar ańśh jīv avināśhī (rāmāyaṇ)
The relation is that every individual
soul is an eternal part of God, and God is Bliss Personified. Therefore
being an eternal part of Him, every individual soul naturally seeks
happiness. No soul can ever wish for sorrow.
Since
infinite lifetimes, all of us are searching happiness in this material
world but according to our scriptures (Vedas) and our personal
experiences, there is no doubt that worldly happiness is short lived.
It is finite and illusive. When we eat a rasgulla (an Indian sweet) for
the first time, we experience great pleasure. But if someone asks us to
keep eating the same sweet, we feel like vomiting. So if there is
pleasure in rasgulla or any such object, then we should experience this
pleasure for ever. But this is not the case. Why don't we derive
constant happiness from that object? In the same manner, the pleasure
from wealth, spouse, children, food etc. keeps on fluctuating and
finally comes to an end.
So why haven't we attained true
happiness till now? Because we have not understood, realized and
decided the true nature of happiness. Where is that kind of happiness?
How can we attain it? Surprisingly, despite our continuous efforts to
achieve happiness, we have not understood what and where we will get
this happiness. Happiness is that which is unlimited, ever increasing
and ever lasting. Sorrow cannot overccome it, like darkness cannot
overcome light. So where is this kind of happiness? The answer to
this question can be categorized into two areas (which are intensely
debated) - materialism and spirituality. According to materialism,
there is no entity or authority called God and one will get happiness
through material objects. Whereas, according to spirituality, only God
is Bliss and by attaining God we can be happy for eternity. There is no
other way to the attainment of happiness and removal of pain and
suffering.
The Vedas
declares that even the most intellectual cannot comprehend God because
He is beyond our material senses and by the grace of God even a fool
can know God. Thus, every individual seeks happiness and since God is
Bliss, everyone is a seeker of God. Every person will work continuously
till he attains true happiness and peace.
The materialists deny the
existence of God, but they can only claim that there is no entity
called God if according to the scriptures, we do not attain God even
after surrendering to a Guru and performing devotion.
The
conclusion is that we must believe in the existence of God. But a
question arises: what is our purpose of worshipping Him? Yes, there is
a purpose. We are all selfish in nature, and whoever satisfies our
self-interests, we get attached to that person. We all long for
unlimited, everlasting happiness and that happiness is only in God. All
our self interests will be fulfilled by worshipping God, and without
understanding Him we cannot attain true happiness Therefore, having a
human body, if we do not understand God, that will be our greatest
mistake. We would have to suffer in the cycle of 8.4 millions species
of life, because only in the human form, we can attain God and acquire
the knowledge of God, to attain our ultimate goal of Divine Bliss. |
|
Secrets of Spiritual Sadhana
Sadhana Karu Pyare is
a unique philosophical compilation set in 54 lines and arranged in the
form of couplets (dohas). In these lines, Shree Maharajji has
summarized the entire philosophy of the knowledge of God and Guru
(Philosophy of Divine Love).
Swamiji explained the complete set of 54 lines at the Puri Sadhana Shivir in 2008, which we will reproduce in this series.
sādhanā karu sādhanā
karu sādhanā karu pyāre
sādhanā karu sādhanā
karu sādhanā karu pyāre
O Dear Soul ! Please do Sadhana (devotional practice)
O Dear Soul ! Please do Sadhana (devotional practice)
In this verse, Shree Maharajji says
'"Pyare" or "Dear One"! Now who is the dear one? Is it the animals or
the birds or is it the celestial Gods? Here, "Dear" means, "Dear
humans", "Dear devotees". He is advising us strongly to do spiritual
practice. We have got this human life only to do devotion (Sadhana).
Just observe that all other living forms have a horizontal or inclined
spinal columns. Only human beings have vertical spinal columns. This is
symbolic of the fact that we humans have the opportunity to elevate
ourselves upwards, through the power of knowledge. Hence, Shree
Maharajji says, an individual has got this rare opportunity to uplift
oneself spiritually by practicing devotion.
The scriptures say -
durlabham mānuṣham janm prārthyate tridaśhairapi
There are 8.4 million
species on earth and the human form of life is the rarest amongst them.
It is so rare that even celestial Gods long to attain the human form.
So do not waste this life in fulfilling the desires of these material
senses. We have been doing this since eternity as we transmigrated in
the 8.4 million forms.
āhār nidrā bhay maithunańch sāmānyametatpaśhubhirnarāṇām
Even animals pursue the
pleasures of eating, sleeping, defending and procreation. We have got
this rarest of opportunities of having acquired a human body, and we
must attempt to rise above the level of these four basic activities,
by using our intellect. If we know the importance of this form of
life then we will not waste even a single moment of it.
kṣhaṇārdhamapi vyarthe naneyam
Chanakya Pandit said: The
biggest mistake and act of ignorance in our lives is that moment
when we forgot to remember Shree Krishna. We lose that moment and
it never comes back. So, we have to speedily progress towards attaining
the goal of human life. This is our golden opportunity and we can make
full use of it by utilizing every moment in remembering God. One day,
we will have to leave this human body and go, whether we like it or
not. This body will never remain with us.
Shree Maharajji says: avasar bītyo jāt are man
We are asleep in an illusionary
trance created by our own mind. We are approaching death everyday and
yet we cheerfully celebrate our birthday. We do not realize that each
day which is passing by, is not a joyful moment, but a matter of
regret, that so much time has passed away and very little remains. So,
without further delay and realizing that this body is temporary, we
should start doing Sadhana from this moment.
Some people
say "Swamiji! You are right, we should surrender ourselves to God but
we will do it tomorrow." Those who says like this can never
surrender to God. Their tomorrow never comes. We have only today,
not even today but "now". The present is in our hands. jo kal karanā hai so āj kar, jo āj karanā hai so ab
pal mein paralay
hoyagī, pherī karegā kab
This present moment is the only gateway to reach God. The past has
gone; future has not yet arrived, So we have to do devotion in this
present time. We all have got such a beautiful and convenient
atmosphere here in Jaganath Puri to do Sadhana. In the olden days,
people use to go for pilgrimage on foot. About 500 years ago, Shree
Chaitainaya Mahaprabhu did padayatra (walked on foot) through the whole
of south India and proceeded to Dwarika (Gujarat) before coming back to
Puri. It took him two years to complete his journey. But these days, we
get everything so easily. The austere practices people do today is
nothing compared to the olden days. Yet, we do not attempt to do
Sadhana because of inconveniences it brings to us. Sadhana is the
pursuit of beating the mind and its fancies. We have to overcome the
difficulties and discomfort faced during Sadhana by fighting the mind.
We have spent countless lifetimes thinking about ways to attain
happiness. Our mind does not like any discomfort.
Shree Krishna said in Bhagavad Geeta:
mātrāsparśhā tu kauntey śhītoṣhṇ sukh dukhadāḥ āgamāpāyino
nityāstānstitikṣhasv bhārataḥ
A true sadhak is one who continues spiritual practice even in adverse situations.
Shree
Krishna says, "O Arjun!" Cold, heat, happiness and sorrow - we
experience these sensations because our material senses come in contact
with the external world. But the one who remains undisturbed and calm
in his mind always realizes the fact that he is not a mortal body but a
Soul. He always keeps increasing his tolerance. In our daily
life, we use many luxurious and convenient objects to make our lives
comfortable. We have been enjoying these material comforts and will
continue to enjoy. Real Sadhana is when you stop complaining
about external interferences, pain and discomforts and continue to
remember God under all conditions.
| |
JKY Editor
Jagadguru Kripalu Yog
XVII/3305, 1st Floor,
Ranjit Nagar, Near PUSA,
New Delhi - 110008
India
|
|
|
