The Pursuit of Bliss

In Bhagavad Gita, the primary message is "Do your duty in the world, but keep your mind attached to Me!". Thus, what we have to do is to have 'Tana kara men mana yara men'. The mind should be constantly thinking about God while performing worldly duties. The next question is this. How do we go about working without attachment to this work? Well, you may be surprised to know that all of us are already in the habit of working in this way. In fact, 90% of our works are performed without the attachment of the mind. The series of detached actions starts right from the time we get up in the morning. You get up at six o'clock in the morning everyday. You don't really want to leave your nice and cozy bed, but you do it anyways, because your intellect reasons that if you don't do so, you will certainly be late for work. Therefore, you get out of bed reluctantly and start the morning rituals like brushing your teeth, taking a shower and so on. But note that a...

(Synopsis of a lecture given by Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj on October 20, 2009, Bhakti Dham, Mangarh) All souls have certain questions: Who am I? What is mine? Someone might be surprised to hear these as it seems obvious we should know who we are and what is ours, but do you truly understand them? No, you don’t. In fact, only one out of millions understands the answer to these questions, but it is essential we know them. The Kena Upanishad (2/5) states, “Oh human beings! You must find the answer to these questions in this lifetime, otherwise great harm will befall you.” What is that harm? The Katha Upanishad (2/3/4) says for millions for ages you will suffer as you are suffering now. We all experience various kinds of sufferings and binding effects of Maya. There are the 3 tap, the 5 klesh, the 5 sheaths, the 3 kinds of bodies, the 3 material qualities, the 3 kinds of karma – these produce unlimited mental and physical suffering. You will have to undergo all of these for million...

(Synopsis of a talk given by Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj at Bhakti Dham, Mangarh, on October 10, 2009) Hare Ram Hare Ram, Ram Ram Hare Hare, Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Many of you don’t know about the origin of this namsankirtan, but it is essential you understand its importance. This is the only kirtan on this earth that is a mantra from the Vedas, and as such, it is eternal. All other kirtans were made by Saints after those Saints came into this world. The essence of the four Vedas are the Upanishads. There are many Upanishads like Mundaka Upanishad, Katha Upanishad, Mandukya Upanishad, Shvetashvatara Upanishad, and others. This Hare Ram sankirtan is from the Kalisantarana Upanishad. Because it is a Vedic mantra and also a sankirtan, it is referred to as a mahamantra. If anyone ever asks you why you are not using a Guru mantra in your devotional practice, you can say that the Guru mantras that originated from the sampradayas or lineages of Saints s...

Developing Desire for God They who have a natural desire for God have worked on it in previous lifetimes. If you were not born with a longing for God, you will have to develop it in this life. Ask yourself, “Why do I have such a strong desire for worldly people and material goods?” Your answer will be, “Because they will give me satisfaction and happiness.” So, it is happiness that you really want; it is satisfaction that you desire. Well, you should know that Lord Krishna is the source of unlimited happiness, and He is the one who can give you the ultimate satisfaction. First understand from the innermost core of your mind that Lord Krishna is the only one who is yours. He says in the Gita, “The individual soul is an eternal fraction of Myself.” Because you are the soul, the material world cannot be yours, nor can you be of the world. Moreover, the material world cannot satisfy the hunger of your soul, which is divine by nature. Realise that God alone can fulfill your selfish...