Bow down Mister!

Ekendra Dasa

Bow down Mister! 

I wasn't satisfied being a humble servant of the Vaishnava community. Instead, I became a person of distinction and defined myself externally, by dress and social status, as a person who has achieved a higher state of consciousness than others around me. 

Rather than let relationships develop naturally from respect to affection to love, I superimposed a cultural paradigm upon my dealings with others and expected them to reciprocate by unquestionably showing me the respect due God Himself. If someone didn't participate, by receiving my mercy, I labeled them as proud, envious and unsuitable for carrying the siddhanta.

Gradually, I forgot my original innocent and genuine attraction to Krishna and his beautiful devotees. Now I live my life through a projection of what I actually want to be and how I want to be seen. Instead of being governed by love, I chose to be governed by fear. You see, I've gone so far down this path of deception that I can't bear the pain that an honest self-appraisal would reveal. I'm trapped in a situation where my heart is far from the actual life I live.

Can you help me?

Sincerely,
Guru Shonky-pad

Do not try to hide anything from the Vaisnavas

If we do not express our inner feelings and inner lusty desires to our guru and Vaisnavas, if we try to hide these things, they will become more and more powerful and one day they will engulf us.


Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Goswami Maharaja

So do not try to hide anything from the Vaiṣṇavas. I know that some of you are hiding things. Some among you are hearing hari-katha and also writing prema-katha, love letters, to others in your group.

I know, because if I did not know, how can I be a Vaisnava?

So you should believe me when I tell you that I know everything you have in your hearts. Do not try to hide anything.

Guru knows everything if he is bona fide, so do not try to conceal and hide all these things. You should have faith in me and I will try to give medicines for these diseases and certainly you will recover!



Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Goswami Maharaja, Lecture about Sri Upadesamrita Sloka 1, given in Mathura on November 3, 1996

My Siksha Guru and Priya Bandhu

Hare Krsna !


Remembrances and reflections about His His Divine Grace Śrīla A. C. Bhaktivedānta Svāmī Prabhupāda from one of his earliest associates, Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja.                                          

                                          My Siksha Guru and Priya Bandhu

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trnad api sunicena

"I will tell them to take the whole responsibility for my karma, not to accuse any other... trnad api sunicena... must be excited with gentle humility we shall try to go on the way... trnad api sahisnuna taror api sahisnuna... according to standard of a standard man, that is Vaiṣṇava and so many mad men that is found in the lower.

The standard of humility, that must come from normal thinking man, that is Vaiṣṇava... trnad api sunicena taror api sahisnuna... and when past actions, they will come to clear, to get back all that to me in the previous life and I must not refuse them. Oh, I was in loan to you, take it, take it, as much as was exacted from me, you are in loan, all these things y
ou are to clear take, take like a tree when he is cutting me still I shall lose no temper, I shall try to keep up my optimistic nature.

The Lord is there and He is everything. Whatever is going here, that is all transient useless thing so I should not lose my temper... taror api sahisnuna amanina amanadena, I won't desire any name any glorification of anything else. At the same time I shall be ready to give due respect to the whole environment. With this attitude if we go on with the devotional activities then in the shortest time I will be able to get the grace of the Lord, no complaints.

All complaints we are to meet my previous due alone and silently. And maintain the ballance of my mind. And I shall try my best and approach towards highest entity. That attitude helps us best and approach towards highest entity. That attitude helps us best for easy and for quick attainment."

~ Srila Sridhar Maharaj