Manasvi

Śrī Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura sings:

ei chaya gosāñi yāra, mui tāra dāsa

tāń' sabāra pada-reṇu mora pañca-grāsa

"I am the servant of the six Gosvāmīs, and the dust of their lotus feet provides my five kinds of food." A Vaiṣṇava always desires the dust of the lotus feet of previous ācāryas and Vaiṣṇavas. Vṛtrāsura was certain that he would be killed in the battle with Indra, because this was the desire of Lord Viṣṇu. He was prepared for death because he knew that after his death he was destined to return home, back to Godhead. This is a great destination, and it is achieved by the grace of a Vaiṣṇava. Chāḍiyā vaiṣṇava-sevā nistāra pāyeche kebā: no one has ever gone back to Godhead without being favored by a Vaiṣṇava. In this verse, therefore, we find the words manasvināḿ pāda-rajaḥ prapatsye: "I shall receive the dust of the lotus feet of great devotees." The word manasvinām refers to great devotees who always think of Kṛṣṇa. They are always peaceful, thinking of Kṛṣṇa, and therefore they are called dhīra. The best example of such a devotee is Nārada Muni. If one receives the dust of the lotus feet of a manasvī, a great devotee, he certainly returns home, back to Godhead.

Srila Prabhupada, purport to Srimad Bhagavatam, 6.11.18

Srila Prabhupada is my manasvi, great devotee, pure devotee. I keep myself very close to him. This is my only safety, my only shelter, my only refuge, my only hope.

Photo courtesy of The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, Inc.
www.krishna.com. Used with permission.

Karma Gods?

I don't know when Karma took over.

It seems to me that it's Krishna who's running my life. I don't have any karma.

I hear a lot about it though, even from devotees.

What? I thought you surrendered to Krishna? If you put your life in His hands, then what's all this about karma?

When did Karma become God? Last time I checked, Krishna was in charge.........

Good karma, bad karma, mixed karma, seed karma, left over karma, un-accrued karma, whatever......
What difference does it make?
Whatever happens in the life of a devotee is Krishna, guiding that devotee closer to Him.

Krishna takes special charge of the lives of His devotees. If you have or had karma, He's using it as a way to get you closer to Him, so it's all good.
There is no such thing as bad karma. There is no good karma either.

There is only Krishna, and our relationship with Krishna.

Hiranyakasipu was torn to shreds by Nrisimhadeva. Was that because he had a lot of bad karma? No, that was the best fortune possible, to be touched by the hands of Lord Nrisimhadeva....... and he was a demon. Well, actually, he was a devotee who wanted to have that relationship with Krishna.

So, well........ here, you want to think about something dramatic? Okay, so you get torn to shreds. It's Krishna doing it.........

Where is there karma in that? It's Krishna.

Maybe karma is your God, but it's not mine. I don't have any karma. If something happens that brings me closer to Krishna, then it's good. If it brings me further away from Krishna, then it's bad. It makes no difference whether that thing "looks" good materially, or "looks" bad materially.

Whatever it takes, to bring me closer to Krishna. It's only that. Krishna is in charge of my life, not karma.

Karma is not my God.

Conversational Exchange Rates

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My words pass
like ships in the night
with yours, with everyone else's

We say things, type them
then
assign meaning

The essence, undisturbed,
a cocoon within
never unraveled

There is no hearing
only translators
who sit behind desks
blind, deaf, dumb

This letter, with that, spells:
a word.

Word: \werd\ n: a concept derived from old thought patterns, generally known to create some mental image.

These things are not real
We are all dreaming,
lost in thought worlds of our own creation

The reality that is true understanding eludes -
is gone - untouched

Like ships in the night.


Navasi devi dasi 5/18/2009
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Reaching Beyond Reason

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Like a slave to my body
this depression sinks
into my mind -
I am weeping.

The mysteries I want
that I try so hard
that I'm seeking.......

Seem so simple, yet complex
like a random puzzle
veiled by a cloak
no one can conjure

This perplexes and surrounds
what I would have done
and so remains only
shreds of a shroud
still uncovered

Of course the veil of the worlds
would not come undone
just by my wanting

Still there must be
some secret key
that I am longing
to be yet discovered

Why must it be so closely
guarded
to those who would wish
to transcend this
bottomless well of grounded
existence?

I suppose it obviously
right
that it be earned
purchased, again and again
by the fire of determined
effort, perseverance, sacrifice

Like fire on the altar
forbearing even life after life

It is easy to pray
and grace, by the Lord is
surely given

Still, it is desire,
stronger than will -
more potent than wish, hope, want
desire beyond meaning
beyond scope, beyond reason

One - pointed - narrow - focus
broad enough in spectrum
to find a realm beyond -
and to live - to live inside it.

Navasi devi dasi
5/9/2009

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