Jai Guru Dev to everyone as we move into the wonderful month of August. June and July were two extremely busy months as they saw the culmination of months of planning. We officially opened our new Temple in Johannesburg, had Sri Swami Vishwananda visit us here in South Africa doing various prayers and giving Darshan and we experienced a almost unbelievably amazing Guru Purnima dedicated to Mahavatar Kriya Babaji. Moving forward into the rest of the year as spring slowly creeps its way into our lives we continue with the uplifting and enlightening movement of love and God Realisation.
This month sees some wonderful events taking place at the Temple: we have Krishna Janmastami (a celebration of the appearance of Lord Krishna) on the 14th August, Atma Kriya Course on the 15th and 16th August, Om Healing every Sunday of the month, Satsang on Thursday evenings and Abishek to Lord Narasimha every Saturday morning.
As this is the month to celebrate Lord Krishna we decided to change the format a bit. Below are two extracts that are most beautiful and enlightening in their words and power. The first narration was spoken by Sri Krishna to His close friend Uddhava. They are some of the most beautiful words every recorded and are a guide and marker for attaining liberation in this life time…
- Hear me, O Uddhava, as I tell you the secret of spiritual enlightenment....
- In each and every age Satsanga is the supreme means of salvation....
- The gopis who tended the cows and kept me company in childhood, the wives of the brahmins of Vrindavana, and countless others.
- None of these studied the scriptures, and they never served the great saints, or observed any vows or austerities. Yet through their association with me or with saints, sages and my devotees, they attained liberation.
- The gopis who tended the cows, even the cows, antelopes, serpents and trees, all reached ecstatic union with the One through satsanga....
- When I was taken away from Vrindavana with my brother Balarama, the gopis, because of their love for me were bereft of joy.
- The days and nights with me in Vrindavana passed like moments, but the days and nights of my absence seemed like years.
- With their minds fixed on me, with all their thoughts revolving around me, they were no longer conscious of relatives and friends, they were not even aware of their own bodies, much less of this world or the next.
- Like Yogies in a deeply meditative state, they merged their consciousness with mine, just as the waters of many rivers merge with the ocean.
- These were women uneducated in scriptural law, they did not know my true nature or their own.They simply desired my presence, they longed for me as their beloved.
- Yet through the power of satsanga with me they attained that state of consciousness in which they merged with the supreme Brahman.
- You should do likewise, beloved Uddhava. Give up all injunctions and prohibitions,All that you have heard or may hear related to scriptural do's and don'ts.
- Take shelter in your heart, there seek the Self. Do this with complete devotion and freed from all fear you too will surely merge with me.
From the Uddhava Gita 7.1,5-15
(Bhagavata Purana XI.7.1,5-15)
The Last piece for this month is a beautiful Sanskrit poem that talks about the glories of Lord Hari’s name
Shri Kevalastakam
An Anonymous sanskrit Poem
(1)
madhuram madhurebhyo ‘pi
mangalebhyo ‘pi mangalam
pavanam pavanebhyo ‘pi
harer namaiva kevalam
1) More sweet than all other sweet things; more auspicious than all other auspicious things; the greatest purifier of all purifying things—The holy name of Sri Hari alone is everything.
(2)
abrahma-stamba-paryantam
sarvam maya-mayam jagat
satyam satyam puna satyam
harer namaiva kevalam
2) The entire universe, from exalted Brahma down to the lowly clump of grass, is a product of the illusory energy of the supreme Lord. The only thing that is reality, reality, again I say reality—The holy name of Sri Hari alone is everything
(3)
sa guru sa pita capi
sa mata bandhavo ‘pi sa
siksayec cet sada smartum
harer namaiva kevalam
3) That person is a true preceptor, or a true father, a true mother, and a true friend also only if they teach one to always remember—The holy name of Sri Hari alone is everything.
(4)
nihsvase nahi visvasa
kada ruddho bhavisyati
kirtaniya mato balyad
harer namaiva kevalam
4) There is no certainty when the last breath will come and put an abrupt halt to all one’s material plans; therefore it is wise to always practice chanting from very childhood—The holy name of Sri Hari alone is everything.
(5)
hari sada vaset tatra
yatra bhagavata jana
gayanti bhakti-bhavena
harer namaiva kevalam
5) Lord Hari eternally dwells in that place where truly exalted, spiritually advanced souls sing in the mood of pure devotion—The holy name of Sri Hari alone is everything.
(6)aho duhkham maha-duhkham
duhkhad duhkhataram yata
kacartham vismrtam ratna-
harer namaiva kevalam
6) Aho! What a sorrow, what a great sorrow! More painful than any other misery in the world! Mistaking it as a mere piece of glass, the people have forgotten this jewel—The holy name of Sri Hari alone is everything.
(7)diyatam diyatam karno
niyatam niyatam vaca
giyatam giyatam nityam
harer namaiva kevalam
7) It should be heard again and again with one’s ears; It should be uttered over and over with one’s voice; It should be perpetually sung and sung anew—The holy name of Sri Hari alone is everything.
(8)
trni-krtya jagat sarvam
rajate sakalopari
cid-ananda-mayam suddham
harer-namaiva kevalam
8) It makes the entire universe seem insignificant as a blade of grass; it splendrously reigns supreme over all; it is full of eternally conscious divine ecstasy; it is supremely pure—The holy name of Sri Hari alone is everything.
Lots of Love
Dhanam Jay
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