Conversation With An Adversary

Following is a mail exchange I had with a person recently. Lets say his name was XYZ.

XYZ wrote:

Hi ,

Just few days back I saw a documentary type movie which speaks about the phenomenon of Life and universe.

Here attached is a pdf of 100 quotes from the movie.

It explains about the kind of experiences we get in our day to day life and why we get them.

It also suggest how we can transform it by understanding fundamental law behind the Creation, it is the "Law of Attraction" .

The movie is worth watching and the Quotes are worth reading.

I replied:

Thanks :-) It will be nice if we can get some scritural backing to this "Law of Attraction". Otherwise, I can also come up with my theory about the Creation.

But whats the value of all such theories if they are not backed by scriptures and not preached by Acharyas coming in parampara?

Too many quotes are based on "feelings". Feelings can change. Our thoughts can change. Our perceptions can change. But the reality never changes. What is that unchangeable reality? What is that Absolute Truth? I am interested in that. I might feel something today and something else tomorrow. I have recognised that my thoughts and beliefs are not necessarily mathcing the truth. Lord Krishna never told Arjuna to just imagine that he is happy! That is bogus philosophy and any sane man will reject it outright! Arjuna did not just imagine that he is happy. He fought after He understood the Truth. And even Sripad Shankaracharys never tells something bogus like "Imagine that you are happy". Vedic literature is not about imagination, but about truth.

According to Shankaracharya, everything is one. But that theory has been totally smashed by the Vaishnav Acharyas. Not only that, Lord Siva himself tells Parvati in the Padma Puran : "I am going to come and preach this bogus Mayavada philosohpy to bewilder the Buddhists into accepting the Vedas. But saintly people should avoid Mayavada philosophy which claims that everyone is GOD."

Sripad Shankaracharya's philosophy is very technical. No one can understand it easily. To follow it requires taking Sanyas. One cannot follow it staying in city life. It requires a lot of austerity.

Saying that everyone is GOD is saying that there is NO GOD. This is atheistic philosophy and is therefore not supported by the Vedas. Vedas say that everyone is part of God and qualitatively one with Him. Not that everyone is equally powerful as GOD.

Lord Chaitanya who is Krishna himself (if you accept Bhagavad Gita, you have to accept Lord Chaitanya's teachings because Lord Chaitanya and Krishna are the same person), has unambiguously warned everyone that whoever will fall into the trap of Shankaracharya's Mayavada philosophy will cause "sarvanash" unto himself.

The choice is ours.

Regards,
Abhijit.

XYZ replied:

Hi Abhijit,

Yes , to prove any theory we must find out backing from old scriptures and acharyas.

But just want to know , have you read it..if time permits in office { which is very difficult }

Just want to acknowledge validity of your argument but want to say that just try to understand ..whether, can you connect your life experiences with this.

I replied :

I can have various theories that can explain my life experiences. But I am interested in the truth. What is the real explanation? That only Vedic literatures can give when studied under an authentic Spirirual Master (Guru) who comes in parampara. No one who is not in parampara can give spiritual truths.

We have been taught by our spiritual master to not read literature not coming from an Acharya. Just like milk touched by a snake becomes poisonous even though it looks like milk, similarly, knowledge taken from someone not authentic (in parampara) is like poison even if it looks like Vedic knowledge.

Ofcourse, the original Guru is GOD himself.

XYZ replied :

Abhijit,

One thing ..your experience { which we call "ANUBHUTI" } is the one and final thing which keeps you on the path ..Not just and thought.

Simply thoughts without experience brings frustration.

Its experience of god, not so may thoughts which you wrote about different philosophies, that is which we want.

When I asked you can you connect your experiences with this, then I mean that experience is a authentic thing, not simply making a theory from something.


I replied :


This debate can go on for ever :-)

All I am saying is this : Truth or Reality is independent of my thoughts, feelings, experiences, etc. Truth is something that does not depend on anything else for its existence. Whether I experince it or not, Truth will remain what it is.

I want to know what is that Reality or Absolute Truth?

I dont care for opinions of people who are not in an authentic parampara. That is the Vedic way of knowledge - to get it from parampara. Any other way of knowledge is faulty.

Just like if a blind man cannot experience light, does it mean there is no light? Or just because I can experience the sight of water in the desert does it mean that there is actually water there? Similarly, Truth does not depend on my experince. It is independent of my experinces. What we experince as truth might not be the actual truth.

I hope these examples are pretty straightforward..

Abhijit.

XYZ replied :

So what do you think ..what is keeping you on this path.

Is it only scriptures ? But don't have any experience of Joy and Peace in chanting !

What if you feel all chanting and Kirtana boring..no juice at all. Does the simply these examples of snake, light and desert will inspire you to be on path?


I replied :

From the very first day I met you, I had liked you. I like thinking people :-)

As I said, this debate can go on for ever.

Atleast you have to accept that experiences do not _necessarily_ represent the truth.

About chanting and devotional activities.. Most people do not feel any juice in it in the beginning. They think its a waste of time. Otherwise why does everybody not chant and do Kirtan? Why only a little percentage of the population is doing devotional activities? Why most of the people spend their spare time in watching TV, reading novels, reading newspaper, and so on? Does this mean that all these activities are better than chanting and kirtan?

No. This does not mean that chanting and kirtan are useless. Both of us will agree on this point, right?

Spiritual activities seem distasteful to almost everyone in this age. But if one is fortunate to associate with the devotees of Lord Krishna, the natural attraction for the Lord arises in the heart. Just like when a boy associates with a girl, his natural attraction for her is awakened. And gradually when the person serves and chants in the association of devotees, he also become purified. Then he can realise the truths about Krishna and scriptures.

Thus we see that whether one likes to do Kirtan or not, that is the most beneficial activity. Just like a patient suferring from Jaundice doesnt like to take sweets but generally doctors will advice to take sugarcane juice. So, even if the diseased patient experiences bitterness when he/she drinks the sugarcane juice, as his disease starts subsiding, he can experience the sweetness in the sugarcane juice. The taste of the sugarcane juice has not changed, just the perception of the person has changed from the diseased condition to the healthy one.

Thus, we should not rely totally on our experiences. Even if sometimes chanting doesnt feel very ecstatic, one must continue doing it and even if smoking might make one feel good (I have never smoked..) we must avoid doing it.

Thus, our sense perceptions and mental states should not form the basis of our activities. Activities should be based on the scriptures and the instructions of the Guru even if the activities do not seem palatable in the beginning. That is only because we are in the diseased condition.

Ofcourse, with this philosophical and scriptural understanding, and sincerely following the instructions of the spiritual master, one will gradually realise the truth and also attain everlasting bliss. Gradually he will experince real happiness that is not based on mental adjustments or sense pleasures or intellectual achievements, but based on pure love for God which is the natural state of every soul.

What is keeping me on this path is definitely the joy I experience in serving Krishna. But you will notice that this joy is on the spiritual platform and not on the bodily, mental, or intellectual one. It is because I am trying to get situated in my natural state of loving God. Its because lot of my activities are now connected to the Supreme Lord Krishna. Not because I am trying to artificially feel that I am happy or something vague like that.

In fact, only those activities that are based according to the Truth can give everlasting happiness. Any other activity can give at best temporary happiness.

So, it is a must to first know the Truth and then act accordingly. So, our quest should be to first of all find out the Truth.

Therefore I keep posing this question : What is the Absolute Truth?

And the Answer according to Narada, Vyasa, Devala, Asita, Arjuna, Sukadev Goswami, Lord Siva, Lord Brahma, Bali Maharaj, Lord Chaitanya, Srila Prabhupada, Santa Tukaram, even Shankaracharya (in his Gita Mahatmya) is Krishna!

Therefore whoever acts according to Krishna's instructions (same as Lord Chaitanya's instructions) will surely find true eternal happiness. All others will only suffer in this material world trying to imagine some kind of temporary happiness.

Cheers!
Abhi.


XYZ replied :

Hi Abhijit,

Just to end up but not to stop..

On the first day of our discussion I had spoken to you that this discussion is going on from Yugas..

Neither you or me can end up the things.

Sometimes we will again continue with the things.

Any way I like discussing on it on e-mail because everything is getting documented otherwise it would have been lost.


I replied :

:-) Yes, we will stop for now.

Actually debates do not lead one to the Absolute Truth. Only by the mercy of the Spiritual Master can one understand God. Even if the debate is an old one, there still exists the Truth that is independent of what the debators think :-)

I will end with saying : One must carry on ones quest for the Truth by sincere enquiries, honest hearts, and service to our Guru.

Frankly, I am very very eager to know the truth. You would have felt that in my mails. I hope you are too.

Warm regards and Best wishes,
Abhijit.

XYZ replied :

Yes abhijit .

I could feel your longing for TRUTH.

And the truth is above debaters and beyond the power of comprehension of debaters.

When one transcends different Levels of existence the TRUTH opens up in front of him as a reality-pure experience, not simply thoughts we do now.

What is most important is following spiritual practice, keeping faith in master and his Grace helps one to do that also.

So getting a master and following his instructions is what we need to do.

All the Best,

I replied :


Yes. Agreed totally! :-)

Thats why its so important to get a Spiritual Master and then follow him sincerely so that ultimately we realise the TRUTH.

As far as I am concenred, I am trying to follow the instructions of Lord Chaitanya (who is Krishna Himself) which have been passed down from Him in parampara through the literature written by His intimate disciples (like the 6 Goswamis) and His pure devotees who have no other motive but serving Him.

Here is a list of some of the evidences from the Vedic Literature to establish the Lord Chaitanya is God Himself :

http://www.acbspn.com/godhead/gaura_1predictions.htm

Therefore I know that my future is very safe as long as I keep following Lord Chaitanya's teachings:-)

All the Best to you too!

Warm Regards,
Abhijit.

XYZ replied :


Yes ,

All the Best for your future :-) .

As per as I am concerned I am happy, convinced following the Path and I am getting the results also.

The results, your experiences gives you confidence in Path, not just something you read from somewhere.

Regards,

I replied :

Ofcourse, I am getting the results too. I am not following purely on theoretical knowledge. The end result of following Lord Chaitanya is an eternal blissful life in the spiritual world where one is always serving Him with a lot of love and devotion. We are interested in that rather than merging into the Supreme and lose out on all the bliss that comes with serving the Lord. That kind of result the devotees consider worse than hell. For a devotee the only concern is loving service to the Lord. Therefore, depending on what end result one desires, one can follow a particular path.


XYZ replied :

Hi Abhijit,

what is this ?

** We are interested in that rather than merging into the Supreme and lose out on all the bliss that comes with serving the Lord. That kind of result the devotees consider worse than hell**

If you don't have complete experience how can you say something is hell and something is heaven.


I replied :

You asked, therefore I am answering:

Thats the verdict of the Vaishnav Acharyas, not mine. They know the truth. Otherwise whats the need of approaching a Spiritual Master if he cannot tell me the truth. We have no choice but to accept the verdict of the Spiritual Master.

Anyways, as I said, if you think merging into the Supreme is better than serving the Lord, its your wish. However, the fact remains that many impersonalists have become devotees of the Lord (like Sukadev Goswami who later spoke the Bhagvatam to Parikshit Maharaj, The four Kumaras who were the sons of Lord Brahma, and more recently Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya, Prakashanand Saraswati etc.). But there is no instance in the scriptures where a pure devotee of the Lord became an impersonalist wanting to merge into the Supreme.

Even people envious of Krishna like Shishupal merged into Krishna.. then why would a devotee aspire for the same result that even demons get? Devotees aspire for something higher which demons cannot get, and that is serving the Lord with love and devotion.

But as I said, the choice is yours. No one can force you to become a devotee of Krishna. That only happens when we get mercy of a pure devotee.

Warm Regards,
Abhijit.

Things To Ruminate On

Things to ruminate on:

1. My beliefs do not necessarily match the actual reality.

2. Unless I work according to the actual reality I can not expect lasting happiness and satisfaction.

3. Therefore its important that I atleast try to find out the reality.

4. If such a quest requires some difficult steps, then I should take them even if they seem "extreme" because my whole future depends on whether I am ready to take up some pains for lasting gains.

5. What is the use of a "balanced life" if it doesnt give me lasting happiness and joy? In fact, a balanced life can be a means to achieve the end of lasting happiness, but not the goal in itself.

6. I have to accept that I am not happy and satisfied and have never really been so all my life. Therefore, if I carry on with life as I have been all these years, there is not much hope that I will suddenly find happiness and satisfaction. This is not pessimism, but realism and logical reasoning.

7. But that does not mean that I can never be satisfied and happy. Just saying this means I dont really want to take the pains to be really happy. There is a saying "Everyone has the will to win, but not many have the will to prepare to win".

8. Because I know people who are satisfied and happy. So, if I consult them and follow their instructions, I can also find real lasting happiness and satisfaction.

9. But I need to follow their instructions strictly with proper understanding of why I am doing what. I should not whimsically follow some instructions and reject others based on my convenience. Its like taking a medicine does whimsically and still expecting a recovery.

10. Krishna Consciousness is a science and not just a set of beliefs.

11. Its followers are serious about the goal they want to achieve and therefore are ready to take the trouble for it. The followers are very focussed in life and have a definite aim in life. They are happy and satisfied. Therefore whatever they follow definitely works!

12. Some famous critic has remarked something like : "If truth is what works, then definitely there is truth in the message of 'Bhagavad Gita - As It Is' because its followers are so happy and joyful.."

The choice is mine. Do I want to scientifically understand the truth by enquiry, contermplation, regulative principles in habits, service to God, etc. or do I want to reject everything that even slightly goes against my comfort zone and therefore deprive myself of the truth?

Established in Non-Truth!

Dear All,

Suppose I have an exam to give tomorrow. Then accordingly, I will study, not do any dangerous stunts on my bike lest I get hurt, wont stay awake late at night lest I dont get up tomorrow, wont eat out lest I get sick, and so on.. Given the facts, one acts accordingly. Similarly, today I have to leave for Pune from Nanded at night. So, I'll plan my day accordingly. Or suppose I have a deadline to meet at work, then I will work keeping in mind that deadline. However, if I dream that I have to go to the moon today, I will still not plan my day accordingly :-) because I know that it was just a dream. In short, one naturally acts keeping in mind the truth and not keeping in mind the non-truth.

So then why dont we inquire about the Absolute Truth? Who am I? Who is God? Does God exist? What is this cosmic manifestation? What is my role it it? Why is there misery in this world? Without knowing answers to these questions where is the question of happiness? If I am a cricketer, but try to be like a footballer, how can I be happy? If I am a soul and a part and parcel of God, how can I be happy without taking His shelter? How can I be happy if I do not act according to my natural inclinations? How can I expect happiness if I base my actions on non-truth and not on truth?

The truth is that we are all part and parcels of Krishna and therefore its our natural propensity to serve Him. We have forgotten that and are instead trying to serve so many others but not Krishna. Not only that, we keep watching movies and reading novels and therefore keeping ourselves in a dream (fictitious) world and do not open up to reality. Thats why the great Acharyas condemn sense gratification so much. Indulging in personal sense gratification keeps us more and more engrossed in the temporary sense titilations and therefore we are unable to understand or enquire anything about that which is beyond the senses.

So many great saints have given their lives to propogating this message. And still we are so unfortunate that we will continue suferring the miseries of this material world and still not turn our attention to what the saints have said. We come up with our own justifications about why we cannot take to the instructions of the great saints. We think that we know better than the great saints about our welfare. We think that there is no God despite the fact that nothing else has been able to relieve us of our misery. This is our stubborn and foolish arrogance. We are suferring but we will not accept that. We can see that the devotees of God are the most satisfied people, and yet we will not take up the process!

Why? Because we are too attached to sleeping, smoking, meat-eating, watching TV, reading fiction novels, reading newspaper and so on. We can go on for hours speaking useless socio-political talks but wont use that time for chanting the Holy Name. This is our pitiously unfortunate situation.

Who can save us if we cannot identify the truth in the message of the saints and especially of Srila Prabhupada?

Abhijit.

Attracted By A Book!

Dear All,

While I was going from Parbhani to Nanded by a state transport (s.t.) bus, I was reading the book "Science of Self Realisation" by His Divine Grace A. C. BhaktiVedanta Swami Prabhupada. I was travelling alone and therefore was immersed in the reading. I was oblivious to the sights and sounds around me and even to the heavy shower that hit us along the way. Generally, I would have sat back and tried to enjoy the thrill that one gets while seeing the sheets of rain drenching the landscape, the intoxication caused by the smell of the earth as it quenches its thirst, and the quite inexplicably sweet melodious sound that emanates when the heavy shower interacts with things all around. And Ofcourse, if one tries to enjoy these sense pleasures then one is also inescapably aware of the various inconveniences that are caused by the water dripping from the window sill and wetting ones clothes and making one uncomfortable. This is the nature of the material world.. there is no complete bliss.. only partial bliss at best. However, I was immersed in my reading of the transcendental words of Srila Prabhupada and therefore was not looking for enjoyment of the senses. And therefore, I was not greedily sitting near the window to enjoy my senses and therefore not getting irritatingly wet :-) In short, because I was more interested in reading Prabhupada's book than in enjoying my senses, I was happy!

One person sitting beside me was time and again peeping into the book. After a while I handed the book over to him and prayed to Srila Prabhupada to make that person into a great devotee. Prabhupada has said that even touching his book will bring immense benefit to a person. Therefore, I am sure that that person had the great good fortune of touching Prabhupada's book that day :-)

Later, when I was sitting in hospital in Nanded, I was still reading that book :-) (I was in a hospital because my grandmother was not quite well.. She is still in the hospital. Nothing critical though..) In the hospital too, the person sitting beside me was peeping into the book. Perhaps he was atracted by the book cover.. the soul passing through the body as the body grows from the infancy to oldage and finally out of the body at death. So, I handed the book over to him too :-) Seeing the interest of others, the watchman of the hospital guarding the entrance to the ICU also couldnt resist and came to me to have a look at the book :-)

The best part hapenned sometime in the hospital itself. The person beside me explicitly asked me the book and passed it on to a person sitting next to him who passed it on to the person next to him. And that person hapenned to be a Muslim! That boy was the most interested in the book amongst the three and he browsed through it briefly and returned the book to me. Something inspired me from within and I just started explaining to them what the cover of the book depicts. The explanaiton of how I remain the same despite my change in body from infancy to oldage and how my mom would never say that I am not the same person really impressed them. Similarly the example of how at death the body remains in front of our eyes but still something passes away which distinguishes the live body from the dead. And ofcourse, once I was given this openeing, I was bound to take advantage of this opportunity to speak about the sublime truth and philosophy of Krishna Consciouness so expertly preached by His Divine Grace!

In a hospital no one has to be convinced that there is suferring in this world. And so when I spoke about the necessity of serving God irrespective of our situation in life it really impressed them. The three of them really were listening very very respectfully! And they were really impressed. And I was thinking just how inconceivably great is Srila Prabhupada! Well, this was not the end of it all..

That Muslim boy then came and sat beside me and started talking to me. I told him about Krishna Consciousness and the supreme position of Love of God and Service to God! And he was totally agreeing. He told me that Islam is also based on "Mohobbat" (love) and "Ibadat" (worship) and it also teaches one to serve Allah. And I told him about how actually there is only one religion -- Love of God. And then I told him that I dont represent Hinduism but that I represent Sanatan Dharma. The eternal relgion of Love of God. I told him that actually Hinduism, Islam, Christiaity are man-made religions whereas the only true religion is one -- Love of God! And I told him how just as sweetness was the "dharma" of sugar, Love of God is the "dharma" of he soul. And boy, was the boy impressed with all this.... He was very sweet and respectful.

He then asked me about the book! :-) I took this opportunity to glorify His Divine Grace. How he went to the US at the age of 70 and so on. And the boy was really impressed. It must have been quite a site. When my parents came to the hospital, they would have got the shock of their life! Seeing me in a very animated and amiable conversation with a person with a beard, and a Muslim hat and so on... basically with an unmistakably Muslim boy :-)

So many people held the book these last couple of days. They have all been blessed no doubt. But most of all the nice young (doing B.A. first year) Muslim boy who appreciated so much Krishna Consciousness and Srila Prabhupada. May Srila Prabhupada be merciful upon him and take him to the lotus feet of Gauranga!

Yours in the service of Krishna,
Abhijit.

Their Lordships Sri Sri Laxmi Narsimha Dev at Pokharni!

Hare Krishna!

Amol Katkar Prabhu, Rahul Prabhu, and I reached Parbhani (in the Marathwada area of Maharashtra) by bus on the 20th of June, 2007 for the wedding ceremony of Purushottam Prabhu. It was nice to be travelling with Amol Prabhu. That way I did not have to spend time with childish non-devotees. Purushottam Prabhu was very very happy to see Amol Prabhu :-)

After the ceremony, the three of us went by auto to Pokharni where there is a very nice temple of the Supreme Personality of Godhead -- Lord Sri Sri Laxmi Narsimha Dev! Almost everytime I go home to Nanded, I go with my parents to Pokharni. All along the way (its around 17Kms from Parbhani) we were loudly singing kirtan. It was quite a nice experience going in an auto on the highway looking at the vast tracts of farmland on either side. The weather was also pleasant.





There was a rush in the temple. Someone was getting married and they had come to Pokharni with all the others to take blessings from Lord Narsimha. The Deity Darshan Room is about 4ft by 3ft I guess! Ya, its very small. Also, the entrance to it is about 3 feet high I think. One has to squat to get in. The Darshan of Lord Narsimha is typically a bit difficult :-) After taking Darshan we recited the Narsimha Prayers loudly (though our voices were overridden by the general noise all around of the marriage parties). The few people who were close to us were looking at us with what I would term as mixed surprise and admiration. "Who are these well-dressed guys who look to be from some city far away from Pokharni? And what brings them here? And how is it that they love Lord Narsimha so much?" Perhaps these were the thoughts running through their minds :-) And ya, two more nice things. One -- there was a frame of our (ISKCON) famous Lord Narsimha painting, the one that is on every alter of an ISKCON devotee. And two -- there was a partially remover sticker of the MahaMantra with the pictures of Sri Sri Radha Kunjabihari! How They reached there (around 500 kms from Pune) that They only know!





The way back from the temple at Pokharni was a bit quiet. Partially because now we did not have the Darshan of the Supreme Lord to look forward to and partially because I had gone into that mood of contemplating on the immeasurable good fortune that Srila Prabhupada had bestowed upon us all. This short trip was proof that it doesnt matter where on earth you are.. if you are immersed in Krishna Consciousness, you will be ecstatic.

Looking at the wide open fields with cows and bulls and birds and small ponds and farmers and plantaions of papaya and so on... I was in a blissful mood not saying too much but just yearning for the time when I would actually realise:

"... ito Narsimha, parato Narsimha,
yato yato yami tato Narsimha,
bahir Narsimha, hridaye Narsimha..."

And then I started thinking about Gauranga! I wanted the call out His name loudly. Just as one calls out a name at an echo point expecting it to be answered back. Just like one would call out for ones lost friend in the wide open spaces crying out from the bottom of ones heart full of expectation and desperation hoping that the friend will respond....

Gaurangaaaa!!!!!

Gaurangaaaaaa!!!!!

Gaurangaaaaaaaa!!!!!

Gaurangaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!

Devotees Should Become Childlike, Not Childish

Hare Krishna!

I am writing this article on the request of dear Aman Prabhu :-) He is one of the sweetest devotees I know!

Today H. G. RamAnand Prabhu had come to Aundh Yoga. Well, I should say Atma Nivedan Yoga! This baptism hapenned this Tuesday in a get-together of all YOGAs and VOICEs affiliated to the Sri Sri Radha Kunjabihari Temple of Pune. The get-together was in the temple.

H. G. RamAnand Prabhu continued to discuss the pastime of Dhruva Maharaj from the Srimad Bhagvatam. He is a very very wonderful and humorous preacher. I always look forward to his classes. Each and every thing he explains with a very humorous day-to-day experience with a lot of audio-visual effects :-)

We were at the part of the pastime where Dhruva enters into the forest in search of Lord Narayan. At that time, inspired by the Lord, the pure devotee Narada Muni goes to meet Dhruva to test him and then to instruct him on how to attain his desired goal - Lord Narayan.

Before going ahead in the story, we discussed the amazing preaching activities of Narada Muni. Unfortunately, in the Bollywood movies Narada Muni is portrayed as a comedian. Ya, it hurts to hear that but its a fact. However, devotees can understand the most exalted position of Narada Muni. In fact, he is so exalted that he is one of the Pancha-Tatva! We were discussing how Narada Muni uses different preaching techniques and strategies to preach to different people depending on time, place, and circumstances. We briefly discussed this in the context of Mrigari, Valmiki, Pralhad, and Sons of Prajapati Daksha. Similarly, H. G. RadheShyam Prabhu and his team are always looking for newer and newer ways to preach people and bring them to the lotus feet of Srila Prabhupada. It is a great fortune to be able to render some insignificant service in such an exalted association.

Back to the story..

Narada Muni says to Dhruva "Why are you taking things so seriously? You are just a child and you should enjoy sports and other frivolous things". Well, in any other assembly, one would have just gone ahead in the story eager to know whats coming ahead. But, in this association of devotees, Bhagvatam is not just a story book, its a desire tree that answers all the questions of life. So, today we discussed the characteristics of a child :-)

We divided the characteristics of a child in two categories. Favourable and unfavourable.

Favourable:
- Innocence
- Completely under the prtection of mother
- simple-hearted

Unfavourable:
- Moody
- Cant discriminate right or wrong (harmful or beneficial)
- mischievious


Aman Prabhu astutely pointed out that the upper group can be termed as "childlike" characteristics and the lower one as "childish". The conclusion is that devotees should become childlike in Krishna Consciousness, and avoid childish activities.

After this H. G. RamAnand Prabhu narrated a very sweet and touching incident that hapenned in his life recently. He had gone to Lonavala to conduct a 3-day seminar for a group of devotees from Surat. In some free time, while he was going thorugh his notes, a small 5-year old girl child boldly came to him and started speaking to him. He was quite surprised at the boldness of that little girl. Then H. G. RamAnand Prabhu asked her to recite some poem she had learned in school. She was in 1st standard. He was doubly surprised, when the little child started reciting a Radha-Krishna poem! Then he asked her if she chanted some rounds? And you know what she said? Yes, 16 rounds! Now this was too mcuh! He asked her to show him her beads. And she actually brought her beads which had the full 108 beads! Now H. G. RamAnand Prabhu was really amazed. He asked her to count the beads and she started doing that. After some time she came back and told him there are 90 beads. So he said "NO, no. This cant be. They should be 108. Count again carefully. If this time you can count 108, I'll give you special Prasadam!" And you know what that little 5 year old girl replied? She said "I dont want Prasadam, I want your blessings".

H. G. RamAnand Prabhu was now totally shocked :-) He was telling us that when a little child with all innocence says such a thing, it touches the heart. Therefore, we should all become innocent like a child and in that mood pray to the Lord so that He will also be touched by our innocence :-)

Thus we had another ecstatic Morning Class. Just imagine our great fortune.. almost everyday we have such ecstatic classes. The topics might be different everyday, but because all are connected to Krishna, they are all ecstatic!

Yours in the service of Krsihna,
Abhijit.