Pearls of Wisdom - 172

Sometimes, to mitigate distresses in this forest of the material world, the conditioned soul receives cheap blessings from atheists. He then loses all intelligence in their association. This is exactly like jumping in a shallow river. As a result one simply breaks his head. He is not able to mitigate his sufferings from the heat, and in both ways he suffers. The misguided conditioned soul also approaches so-called sâdhus and svâmîs who preach against the principles of the Vedas. He does not receive benefit from them, either in the present or in the future.

Srimad Bhagavatam - Canto 5 Chapter 14 Verse 13

Pearls of Wisdom - 171

The conditioned soul sometimes personally appreciates the futility of sense enjoyment in the material world, and he sometimes considers material enjoyment to be full of miseries. However, due to his strong bodily conception, his memory is destroyed, and again and again he runs after material enjoyment, just as an animal runs after a mirage in the desert.

Srimad Bhagavatam - Canto 5 Chapter 14 Verse 10

A poem from a young devotee

Krishna

By: Amrita Geddam

Nilachala Bhakti Vriksha - Milwaukee

As His peacock feather

was proudly fluttering behind Him,

and as His hair, which looked luscious

as a divine river was flowing past.

Then as strings of pearls and emeralds

formed a crown for Him

as though lotuses in the river,

we see Krishna, the divine Lord and the Supreme.

At His left stood our beloved Gopi, Radharani.

Her eyes were locked unto Her lord,

Govinda and Her maple brown eyes

were always flashing one message-

I am your servant.

You are My heart and soul.

Your wish is My work.

Then the Lord picked up His flute

and drew it to His lips.

At once Vrindavana became as though hypnotized.

Gopis danced around Him.

Their impeccable minds fixed unto Krishna.

Cows gave milk without complain.

Calves danced circling their mothers.

Everyone was in a joyous mood

and meanwhile, the sun shown down radiantly.

Krishna - The Majestic

Hare Krishna,

Watch the video and spread the glories of Krishna

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vt-aLrHfduc

Pearls of Wisdom - 170

Every year the plowman plows over his grain field, completely uprooting all weeds. Nonetheless, the seeds lie there and, not being completely burned, again come up with the plants sown in the field. Even after being plowed under, the weeds come up densely. Similarly, the grihastha-âs'rama [family life] is a field of fruitive activity. Unless the desire to enjoy family life is completely burned out, it grows up again and again. Even though camphor may be removed from a pot, the pot nonetheless retains the aroma of camphor. As long as the seeds of desire are not destroyed, fruitive activities are not destroyed.

Srimad Bhagavatam - Canto 5 Chapter 14 Verse 4

Krishna The Majestic - Video

Hare Krishna,

Watch the Video - Krishna The Majestic.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vt-aLrHfduc

Pearls of Wisdom - 169

In the forest of material existence, the uncontrolled senses are like plunderers. The conditioned soul may earn some money for the advancement of Krishna consciousness, but unfortunately the uncontrolled senses plunder his money through sense gratification. The senses are plunderers because they make one spend his money unnecessarily for seeing, smelling, tasting, touching, hearing, desiring and willing. In this way the conditioned soul is obliged to gratify his senses, and thus all his money is spent. This money is actually acquired for the execution of religious principles, but it is taken away by the plundering senses.

Srimad Bhagavatam - Canto 5 Chapter 14 Verse 2

Pearls of Wisdom - 168

When King Parîkshit asked S'ukadeva Gosvâmî about the direct meaning of the material forest, S'ukadeva Gosvâmî replied as follows: My dear King, a man belonging to the mercantile community [vanik] is always interested in earning money. Sometimes he enters the forest to acquire some cheap commodities like wood and earth and sell them in the city at good prices. Similarly, the conditioned soul, being greedy, enters this material world for some material profit. Gradually he enters the deepest part of the forest, not really knowing how to get out. Having entered the material world, the pure soul becomes conditioned by the material atmosphere, which is created by the external energy under the control of Lord Vishnu. Thus the living entity comes under the control of the external energy, daivî mâyâ. Living independently and bewildered in the forest, he does not attain the association of devotees who are always engaged in the service of the Lord. Once in the bodily conception, he gets different types of bodies one after the other under the influence of material energy and impelled by the modes of material nature [sattva-guna, rajo-guna and tamo-guna]. In this way the conditioned soul goes sometimes to the heavenly planets, sometimes to the earthly planets and sometimes to the lower planets and lower species. Thus he suffers continuously due to different types of bodies. These sufferings and pains are sometimes mixed. Sometimes they are very severe, and sometimes they are not. These bodily conditions are acquired due to the conditioned soul's mental speculation. He uses his mind and five senses to acquire knowledge, and these bring about the different bodies and different conditions. Using the senses under the control of the external energy, mâyâ, the living entity suffers the miserable conditions of material existence. He is actually searching for relief, but he is generally baffled, although sometimes he is relieved after great difficulty. Struggling for existence in this way, he cannot get the shelter of pure devotees, who are like bumblebees engaged in loving service at the lotus feet of Lord Vishnu.

Srimad Bhagavatam - Canto 5 Chapter 14 Verse 1

Pearls of Wisdom - 167

King Rahûgana said: This birth as a human being is the best of all. Even birth among the devatas in the heavenly planets is not as glorious as birth as a human being on this earth. What is the use of the exalted position of a devata? In the heavenly planets, due to profuse material comforts, there is no possibility of associating with devotees.

Srimad Bhagavatam - Canto 5 Chapter 13 Verse 21

Pearls of Wisdom - 166

When the living entity becomes exactly like a monkey jumping from one branch to another, he remains in the tree of household life without any profit but sex. Thus he is kicked by his wife just like the he-ass. Unable to gain release, he remains helplessly in that position. Sometimes he falls victim to am incurable disease, which is like falling into a mountain cave. He becomes afraid of death, which is like the elephant in the back of that cave, and he remains stranded, grasping at the twigs and branches of a creeper.

Srimad Bhagavatam - Canto 5 Chapter 13 Verse 18

Pearls of Wisdom - 165

Jada Bharata, who had fully realized Brahman, continued: My dear King Rahûgana, the living entity wanders on the path of the material world, which is very difficult for him to traverse, and he accepts repeated birth and death. Being captivated by the material world under the influence of the three modes of material nature. (sattva-guna, rajo-guna and tamo-guna), the living entity can see only the three fruits of activities under the spell of material nature. These fruits are auspicious, inauspicious and mixed. He thus becomes attached to religion, economic development, sense gratification and the monistic theory of liberation. (merging with the Supreme) He works very hard day and night exactly like a merchant who enters a forest to acquire some articles to sell later for profit. However, he cannot really achieve happiness within this material world.

Srimad Bhagavatam - Canto 5 Chapter 13 Verse 1

Pearls of Wisdom - 164

Simply by associating with exalted devotees, anyone can attain perfection of knowledge and with the sword of knowledge can cut to pieces the illusory associations within this material world. Through the association of devotees, one can engage in the service of the Lord by hearing and chanting [s'ravanam kîrtanam]. Thus one can revive his dormant Krishna consciousness and, sticking to the cultivation of Krishna consciousness, return home, back to Godhead, even in this life.

Srimad Bhagavatam - Canto 5 Chapter 12 Verse 16

Pearls of Wisdom - 163

In an assembly of pure devotees, there is no question of discussing material subjects like politics and sociology. In an assembly of pure devotees, there is discussion only of the qualities, forms and pastimes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is praised and worshiped with full attention. In the association of pure devotees, by constantly hearing such topics respectfully, even a person who wants to merge into the existence of the Absolute Truth abandons this idea and gradually becomes attached to the service of Vâsudeva.

Srimad Bhagavatam - Canto 5 Chapter 12 Verse 13

Pearls of Wisdom - 162

Jada Bharata : My dear King Rahûgana, unless one has the opportunity to smear his entire body with the dust of the lotus feet of great devotees, one cannot realize the Absolute Truth. One cannot realize the Absolute Truth simply by observing celibacy [brahmacarya], strictly following the rules and regulations of householder life, leaving home as a vânaprastha, accepting sannyâsa, or undergoing severe penances in winter by keeping oneself submerged in water or surrounding oneself in summer by fire and the scorching heat of the sun. There are many other processes to understand the Absolute Truth, but the Absolute Truth is only revealed to one who has attained the mercy of a great devotee.

Srimad Bhagavatam: Canto 5 Chapter 12 Verse 12

Pearls of Wisdom - 161

Since this universe has no real ultimate existence, the things within it--shortness, differences, grossness, skinniness, smallness, bigness, result, cause, living symptoms, and materials--are all imagined. They are all pots made of the same substance, earth, but they are named differently. The differences are characterized by the substance, nature, predisposition, time and activity. You should know that all these are simply mechanical manifestations created by material nature.

Srimad Bhagavatam - Canto 5 Chapter 12 Verse 10

Pearls of Wisdom - 160

All of us on the surface of the globe are living entities in different forms. Some of us are moving and some not moving. All of us come into existence, remain for some time and are annihilated when the body is again mingled with the earth. We are all simply different transformations of the earth. Different bodies and capacities are simply transformations of the earth that exist in name only, for everything grows out of the earth and when everything is annihilated it again mingles with the earth. In other words, we are but dust, and we shall but be dust. Everyone can consider this point.

Srimad Bhagavatam - Canto 5 Chapter 12 Verse 8

Pearls of Wisdom - 159

The self-realized brâhmana Jada Bharata said: Among the various material combinations and permutations, there are various forms and earthly transformations. For some reason, these move on the surface of the earth and are called palanquin carriers. Those material transformations which do not move are gross material objects like stones. In any case, the material body is made of earth and stone in the form of feet, ankles, calves, knees, thighs, torso, throat and head. Upon the shoulders is the wooden palanquin, and within the palanquin is the so-called King of Sauvîra. The body of the King is simply another transformation of earth, but within that body Your Lordship is situated and falsely thinking that you are the King of the state of Sauvîra.

Srimad Bhagavatam - Canto 5 Chapter 12 Verses 5-6

Pearls of Wisdom - 158

Jada Bharata to King Raghuguna: This uncontrolled mind is the greatest enemy of the living entity. If one neglects it or gives it a chance, it will grow more and more powerful and will become victorious. Although it is not factual, it is very strong. It covers the constitutional position of the soul. O King, please try to conquer this mind by the weapon of service to the lotus feet of the spiritual master and of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Do this with great care.

Srimad Bhagavatam - Canto 5 Chapter 11 Verse 17

Pearls of Wisdom - 157

The soul's designation, the mind, is the cause of all tribulations in the material world. As long as this fact is unknown to the conditioned living entity, he has to accept the miserable condition of the material body and wander within this universe in different positions. Because the mind is affected by disease, lamentation, illusion, attachment, greed and enmity, it creates bondage and a false sense of intimacy within this material world.

Srimad Bhagavatam - Canto 5 Chapter 11 Verse 16

Pearls of Wisdom - 156

When the living entity's mind becomes absorbed in the sense gratification of the material world, it brings about his conditioned life and suffering within the material situation. However, when the mind becomes unattached to material enjoyment, it becomes the cause of liberation. When the flame in a lamp burns the wick improperly, the lamp is blackened, but when the lamp is filled with ghee and is burning properly, there is bright illumination. Similarly, when the mind is absorbed in material sense gratification, it causes suffering, and when detached from material sense gratification, it brings about the original brightness of Krishna consciousness.

Srimad Bhagavatam - Canto 5 Chapter 11 Verse 8

Pearls of Wisdom - 155

The materialistic mind covering the living entity's soul carries it to different species of life. This is called continued material existence. Due to the mind, the living entity suffers or enjoys material distress and happiness. Being thus illusioned, the mind further creates pious and impious activities and their karma, and thus the soul becomes conditioned.

Srimad Bhagavatam - Canto 5 Chapter 11 Verse 6