“Simply our prayer should be, My dear Krishna, please remind me to always chant Your Holy Name, please do not put me into forgetfulness. You are sitting within me as Supersoul, so you can put me into forgetfulness or into remembering You. So please do not put me into forgetfulness. Please always remind me to…
“Don’t feel yourself to be alone because Krishna is always with you. Krishna is always with every living entity as supersoul, and to His devotees especially He talks and gives instructions how to attain the perfectional stage of meeting Him. So don’t feel alone. Always chant whenever possible, read our books, and there will be…
“If one is fortunate enough to beg from the Lord this Hare Krishna Maha Mantra, his life is successful.” – Srila Prabhupada (Chaitanya Charitamrita, Adi 9.36, Purport)
He fights harder, struggles to perform more austerities, takes up more responsibilities, busies with day long services – hoping that he’d get so busy that he’d have no…
“When one is intelligent enough, one tries to find out the supreme cause of all causes—within and without.” – Srila Prabhupada (in Science of Self-Realization)
A friend of mine was surprised when I organized a high profile event and a lunch programme that featured some of the senior most leaders of our community, including the…
“He thus makes all things complicated, and he is always in trouble.” – Srila Prabhupada (Purport to Bhagavad Gita 15.5)
The first step though is to get more awareness. But we can’t stay stuck there. When Journal writing is clubbed with good association and studying wisdom literature with an open heart, self-awareness leads to a…
“Anyone who is steady in his determination for the advanced stage of spiritual realization and can equally tolerate the onslaughts of distress and happiness is certainly a person eligible for liberation.” (Srila Prabhupada, purport to Bhagavad Gita 2.15)
‘I am not comfortable writing’
As kids some of us had teachers who forced us to write…
“Without being self-controlled, without being disciplined and without being fully obedient, no one can become successful in following the instructions of the spiritual master and without doing so, no one is able to go back to godhead.”
– Srila Prabhupada (Shrimad Bhagavatam purport, 1.5.24)
Journaling improves Self-Awareness
Right now are you aware of the room…
My inspiration to write regular journals is the following quote of Srila Prabhupada:
“Realization means you should write, every one of you, what is your realization. What for this Back to Godhead is? You write your realization, what you have realized about Krishna. That is required. It is not passive. Always you should be active.…
“Real yoga practise entails meeting the Lord in the heart and then following His dictation.”
– Srila Prabhupada (Purport, Bhagavad Gita 6.6)
The logic is simple: When you stretch your body and perform herculean physical exercises, you also relax your muscles and rest your body sufficiently. This ensures you get the six pack you seek.…
“I see all people rushing full speed into Your mouths, as moths dash to destruction in a blazing fire.”
– Bhagavad Gita (11.29)
My close shave and the subsequent epiphany taught me a sacred lesson.
‘Slow’ gives spiritual insight
If I hadn’t slowed down, I’d have likely carried the fearful experience with me for the…
“By the slow process of devotional service, under the guidance of the bonafide spiritual master, one can attain the highest stage, being freed from all material attachment, from the fearfulness… from the frustrations... Then one can ultimately attain to the abode of the Supreme Lord.”
- Srila Prabhupada (Purport, Bhagavad Gita 4.10)
The sword…
“If you simply chant Hare Krishna, you will be directly associating with the Supreme Lord. You will be directly associating.”
– Srila Prabhupada (lecture on Bhagavad Gita, New York, May 25, 1966)
One day I was chanting intensely in the temple hall – shaking my head vigorously and vibrating my body. It was more of…