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Pride Vs Humility

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The mind is our enemy. The biggest fault of the mind is pride. Due to pride we are not able to become humble. And God is friend of humble souls. He cannot become our friend as long as we are not humble. We may bang our head against the ground uncountable lifetimes, but it will be useless. The very first verse of the Ashtpadi (eight verses) of Gaurang Mahaprabhu says – Be more humble than a blade of grass. If you step on grass – on ‘doob’ etc. – you will notice that the blade of grass bends down. When you remove your foot, it becomes normal once again. A tree bears fruit. When you throw stones at the tree, the fruit drops to the ground. The tree does not get angry. In fact, it gives you fruits to eat. The tree responds to your stones with fruits. It is so tolerant. The tree does not eat its own fruits. It feeds you instead. What do we have in our possession that we are proud of? If Sarasvati becomes proud of her knowledge; if Ravan becomes proud; if Indra becomes proud; if Kuber ...
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Is it possible to minimize (the effect) of destiny?

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Q. Maharajji! Is it possible to minimize (the effect) of destiny? A. God and Saints are all-knowing and all-powerful. They can do whatever They want, They can do whatever They don’t want, and They can do the opposite. However, They also observe the rules and regulations (of this world). God does not alter destiny, and Saints also do not alter destiny. They don’t even alter Their own destiny, what to say of others’? (As an exception,) there have been a few such great, great Saints who had to ascend to Golok sooner than expected, so in order to reduce their longer destiny of fifty years, each multiplied their body by fifty times so as to remain in this world for only one year, but they still lived that (fifty years) destiny. Although Saints live their destiny, the fact is that they remain unaffected by the pains of their destiny. Son died – “Fine, cremate his body.” (In other words,) whatever people commonly practice in the world does not affect Saints. If anything gets destroyed,...
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Why does Discouragement In Devotion Occur?

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Answer by Jagadguru Shree Kriapalu Ji Maharaj, in response to the question “Why does Discouragement In Devotion Occur?” Discouragement occurs as a result of prior practice. It has to be eliminated through knowledge, through practice. The feeling of discouragement comes when not just one, but all of our weaknesses culminate. They reside in our subtle body and therefore, from time to time, they become strong and manifest. Just like a strong wind that suddenly comes and passes, in the same way, they also come and go. They are not permanent. During that time (a devotee) should hasten his devotion. Everything will be possible with practice only. For example, when someone is riding a bike or when someone is driving a car up a hill or a slope, he puts the car in first gear, puts it in second gear and the car easily drives up the hill. One who is riding a bike puts out more effort trying to get up a hill. When the slopy part ends, then the bike runs smoothly. Similarly, due to the old p...
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God is omnipresent, yet why have we not found Him so far?

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The following question was asked by a devotee and answered by Jagadaguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj Himself. God is omnipresent, yet why have we not found Him so far? You did not desire for Him. There are several levels of desiring. You may desire something so much that you are unable to survive without it; without it a moment may feel like a yug. This stage will come when you are totally and perfectly surrendered to God. Our mind is full of worldly attachments – “this is mine, that is mine.” In place of these worldly attachments, one should fully dedicate himself to the lotus feet of God. Look at God’s Grace! Out of His compassion He gave you this human form, He gave you inquisitiveness to know about God, He arranged for you to meet a Divine Saint. Our heart should melt if we sincerely feel how much God has Graced us. Mind alone is the reason for mayic bondage and liberation. Mind is attached in the world; it has to be attached to God. This is true devotion. By your own effo...
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Lord Shiva comes to Gokul for baby Krishna's glimpse!

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Wherever Lord Krishna is there Lord Shiva also dwells and wherever Mahadev Shambhu is there Shree Hari also dwells. In this self composed kirtan Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj explains a beautiful Leela of Lord Shiva coming to Gokul to get a glimpse of baby Krishna. Mother Yashoda is petrified by His looks and thus, refuses to grant Him the audience. Disappointed, Lord Shiva returns, but Shree Krishna is not happy with it. What does He do to fulfill His devotee's wish?!? When Lord Krishna appeared in Gokula, Lord Shiva could not content himself. Dressed as a jogi , He went to Gokula and stood at the door of Nanda Baba's house asking to see the new-born. जोगी शिव अरु मातु यशोमति, रहे दोउ बतराय l Mother Yasoda eyed the wild looking jogi suspiciously and felt that his appearance would frighten the little baby. She refused to let Him see the boy. Meanwhile Shiva sings outside ..“ O Mother! I want to see the face of your little child. In your cradle lies the supreme ...
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Naag Panchami

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Naag Panchami Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj (Shri Maharaj Ji) explains the significance of Naag Panchami. Once, King Pareekshit was hunting in a forest. Tired and thirsty, he entered the ashram of a sage Semeeka with the hope to get some water to quench his thirst. The sage however was engrossed in deep meditation and could not hear the king repeatedly asking for water. Pareekshit, was the emperor of the entire Earth. Never in his life had he been so disrespectfully ignored. He misunderstood the sage’s silence to be a great insult to him. In a fit of fury, he picked up a dead snake and put it around the meditating sage’s neck (to insult him) and left the Ashram. As soon as he left, the sage’s sons came back after a bath in the river and were infuriated seeing a dead snake hanging around their father’s neck. One of his son, Shringi, went into meditation, to find the offender who had committed this unpardonable offense. Realizing that King Pareekshit was the offender, he p...
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Meditating on Krishna’s Form by Jagadguru Shree Kripaluji Maharaj

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Meditating on Krishna’s Form by Jagadguru Shree Kripaluji Maharaj (Translated from a speech at Brahmand Ghat, 1965) Leave your physical body here and think of yourself in a Divine body, like Krishna’s body. In your Divine body go towards Golok, Krishna’s eternal abode. In Golok the sun, moon, air, land and hills are Divine because Krishna Himself has become all these. Every object there glows with a Divine effulgence. Now imagine that you are walking there along the gently flowing Yamuna river. On either side there are Divine meadows. The plants and trees on its banks are blossoming with flowers. They are attracting honey bees, which are droning around them. On the banks of such an enchanting Yamuna, which are studded with sentient, Divine jewels and precious stones, is Brahmand Ghat. Having reached there, you can’t find Shyam Sundar. It is possible He has gone somewhere else to play. Look for Him; He may be coming soon. Look for Him in all directions. He will come only wh...
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