Mode of Goodness

Wednesday, August 9, 2017

FAITH is EVERYTHING:

“To one who has faith, no explanation is necessary. To one without faith, no explanation is possible.” — Thomas Aquinas

Faith is an essential element in life, just like an oxygen is needed for the body similarly faith needed for our survival & progress. Faith isn’t just a notion that some people hold onto in tough times but we need it in every day of our lives. We couldn’t drive our cars without faith, how could we fly in an airplane? Without faith, how can we marry and decide to stay together for a lifetime? How can we can go to car mechanics or physician's office without faith? Outcome of treatment of any disease also depends on physicians-patients faith on Divine. A leap of faith is the act of believing in or accepting something outside of the boundaries of reason.

Similarly without faith we can not progress on path of spiritual journey. Faith is the root of Devotion ( Bhakti ) as Lord Krishna says in Bhagavad Gita

Bg 9.3 — Those who are not faithful in this devotional service cannot attain Me, O conqueror of enemies. Therefore they return to the path of birth and death in this material world. ( Vedabase.com ).

Faith goes beyond the logic, reasoning, and explanations. One who is always suspicious can't lead a happy life either materially or spiritually, “For the doubting soul there is happiness neither in this world nor in the next (BG 4.40)." On path of spiritual journey our faith will be tasted in difficult times of life. When we experience life’s monumental failures, it’s easy to lose hope and faith in Divine (Absolute Truth) and start doubting his abilities, this is a time when our faith starts leaking out unless we have staunch faith in Scriptures & teaching of Spiritual master.

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I am inspire to hear & read Vedic Scriptures & other philosophy by regularly listening Sri Pandurang Shashtri Athvale known as Dadaji ( speak on Srimad Bhagavad Gita, Veda based discourses & western philosophy ) and association of Swadhyay Parivar every Sunday in Swadhya Kendra.

FYI: Good source of Vedic literature: Vedabase.com (Srimad Bhagavad Gita is the essence & Srimad Bhagavatam (SB) is the nectar of all Vedic scriptures). Hearing & reading SB daily is purifying to our senses, nourishing & satisfying to our heart ( Soul ) and transcendental to our consciousness.

I also hear and read discourses & articles on Vedic thoughts & other philosophy from Srila Prabhupada, his disciples & grand disciples ( HH Bhakti Rasamitra Swami, Chaitanya Charandas Prabhu, HH Sivarama Swami, Sutapa Das, Amarnath Dasa, HH Bhakticharu Swami, Urmila Devi Dasi, Radhanath Swami, Lal Govind Prabhu ( Gujarati & Hindi) Prahalad Maharaj in Surat (Gujarati) .......and many more from ISKCON......).

I am posting some article based on Vedic scriptures and literature. Of course I use Google search to collect some data. Thanks to Facebook for providing platform.

It is always good idea to share our good thoughts & knowledge with others. Besides my parents, wife, teachers, family & friends GREATFUL to EVERYONE WHO HAVE CONTRIBUTED in MY LIFE.

Hopefully my enthusiasm will continue by grace of Guru & God (Absolute Truth).

Tuesday, August 1, 2017

IS SUFFERING INEVITABLE?

Recently in Gujarat, India due to heavy rain & flooding many people & cattle died, many areas drowned & drenched , so much destruction...people have lost their loved one & their properties ...many tragic scenes. This kind of unthinkable tragic events continue in people's life throughout the Globe since time immemorial. IS SUFFERING INEVITABLE?

Every life on Planet Earth wants to be happy & peaceful all the time. Unfortunately happy moments can not last for long time due to duality nature of the material world means everything rotates in cycle like.....Illness-Recovery, Obstacles-No obstacles, Birth-Death, Success-Failure, Victory-Defeat, Praise-Criticism, Winter-Summer, Monsoon-Drought, Happiness- Sorrowness....etc. People in general struggling or suffering from minor to major issue throughout the life. Everyone of us feels that happy moments are short lived and struggling or suffering moments last little longer ( in our mind ). All of us have some ability to resolve the matter but unfortunately many issues keep bothering us one after another....it is endless. Why we can not able to resolve all the issue permanently and live eternally happy & peaceful on Planet Earth ? Let's look into this matter.

In Vedic Scriptures synonym for an University is called Vidyalayam means educational institute to get a abundance of knowledge. Library is known as Grandhalayam means place where you find unlimited numbers of books of Knowledge. Similarly an Earth Planet is described as a Dukhalayam means place where you get endless miseries and Mrityuloka means place where people born to die. In short an Earth Planet is place where people are born for innumerable struggle or suffer and die.

Vedic Scriptures SB 10.14.58 says padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadāṁ na teṣām: There is struggle & danger at every steps in our life. How to live & face challenges in this world? Philosophy & Spiritual practices will give us new perspective, understanding, strength, brighter outlook, purpose to live, a new look toward human life as a precious gift, reward, an honour......etc rather then sorrow, misery, punishment or chaotic life....etc.

If we observe this world carefully then realize that every problems of life surrounded by Birth-Death cycle. Once we realize that we are eternal Soul not a Body, WE & OUR LOVED ONE ALWAYS LIVE somewhere in some form with someone, we should don't be fearful and disturbed by changes surrounding us.

Bg 2.13 — As the embodied soul continuously passes, in this body, from boyhood to youth to old age, the soul similarly passes into another body at death. A sober person is not bewildered by such a change.

Bg 2.14 — O son of Kuntī, the nonpermanent appearance of happiness and distress, and their disappearance in due course, are like the appearance and disappearance of winter and summer seasons. They arise from sense perception, O scion of Bharata, and one must learn to tolerate them without being disturbed.

Bg 15.7 — The living entities in this conditioned world are My eternal fragmental parts. Due to conditioned life, they are struggling very hard with the six senses, which include the mind.

Bg 18.58 — If you become conscious of Me, you will pass over all the obstacles of conditioned life by My grace. If, however, you do not work in such consciousness but act through false ego, not hearing Me, you will be lost.

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I also hear and read discourses & articles on Vedic thoughts & other philosophy from Srila Prabhupada, his disciples & grand disciples (Rasamitra Swami, Chaitanya Charandas Prabhu, Sutapa Das, Amarnath Dasa, Bhakticharu Swami, Urmila Devi Dasi, Radhanath Swami, Lal Govind Prabhu ( Gujarati & Hindi) Prahalad Maharaj in Surat (Gujarati) .......and many more from ISKCON......).

I am posting some article based on Vedic scriptures and literature. Of course I use Google search to collect some data. Thanks to Facebook for providing platform.

It is always good idea to share our good thoughts & knowledge with others. Besides my parents, wife, teachers, family & friends GREATFUL to EVERYONE WHO HAVE CONTRIBUTED in MY LIFE.

Hopefully my enthusiasm will continue by grace of Guru & God (Absolute Truth).

Saturday, July 22, 2017

EMBRYOLOGY and LIFE IN WOMB:

As mention in Vedic Scriptures.

In last 25 years many intervention & research done to study the development & psychology of fetus in womb with advanced medical technology. This subject matter is described in Vedic scripture Srimad Bhagavatam written in Sanskrit about 5000 years ago pretty accurate.

In 3rd canto of SB from 3.26 to 3.33 there is very long & deep conversation between Lord Kapila & his mother....reading this conversation is very enlightening. SB 3.31: Lord Kapila's instruction on Movement of Living Entities, total 48 slokas ( vedabase.com ) ...below is summary of few slokas..

On the first night, the semina and ovum mix, and on the fifth night the mixture ferments into a bubble. On the tenth night it develops into a form like a plum, and after that it gradually turns into a lump of flesh. In the course of a month, a head is formed, and at the end of two months, hands, feet and other limbs take shape. By the end of three months, the nails, fingers, toes, body hair, bones and skin appear, as do the organ of generation and the other apertures in the body, namely, the eyes, nostrils, ears, mouth and anus. Within four months from the date of conception, the seven essential ingredients of the body (lymph, blood, flesh, fat, bone, marrow and semina) come into existence. At the end of five months, hunger and thirst make themselves felt, and at the end of six months the fetus begins to move in the abdomen on the right side if the child is a male and on the left side if female."

The actual experience of the fetus, however, cannot be known by mere medical observation. For this information we must go to the Vedic scriptures, which give us direct knowledge of events beyond our normal experience. The Bhagavatam continues, "Deriving its nutrition from the food and drink taken by the mother, the fetus grows and remains in that abominable residence of stool and urine, which is a breeding place for all kinds of worms. Bitten again and again all over his body by these hungry worms in the abdomen itself, the child suffers terrible agony because of his tenderness. He thus becomes unconscious moment after moment. When the mother eats bitter, pungent foods or food that is too salty or too sour, the body of the child incessantly suffers pains that are almost intolerable. Placed within the amnion and covered outside by the intestines, the child remains lying on the side of the abdomen, his head turned toward his belly and his back and neck arched like a bow." An adult would be unable to endure such a difficult confinement. The child's pain is beyond our conception, but because his consciousness is yet undeveloped, he is able to tolerate it.
As adults, we have forgotten all this suffering and absorbed ourselves in trying to become happy in material life. Life in the womb may seem remote; no one has ever told us before about its actual nature, and it has not concerned us. If upon reaching the human form of life, we do not utilize the opportunity for self-realization, we will again be forced to enter a womb and undergo repeated tortures there. We should therefore thoughtfully reflect, "What can we do to avoid such miseries?"

This article published in September 1975 in Back to Godhead Journal. http://www.backtogodhead.in/life-in-the-womb-by-satsvarupa-dasa-goswami/

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I am inspired to read the Vedic Scriptures by regularly listening to Sri Pandurang Shashtri Athvale and the association of Swadhyay Parivar every Sunday in Swadhya Kendra.

I also hear and read the discourses & literatures on Vedic thoughts from Srila Prabhupada & his disciples… ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness).

ART of ENDURING FRIENDSHIPS:

Consciously or unconsciously all of us have this art and have experienced during our lifetime.....just refreshing. Basic principles & understanding about friendship and relationships based on Sastra or Scriptures.

1. Any relationship can breakup anytime in our life: bandhu-jñāty-ari-madhyastha-mitrodāsīna-vidviṣaḥ

Translation: In this material world, which advances like a river that carries away the living entity, all people become friends, relatives and enemies in due course of time. (Śrīmad-bhāgavatam 6.16.5, vedabase.com ). It is wise therefore, to stay a bit detached in general.

2. We can't be friends with everyone: We can have many fans, followers or admirers through social media & social gathering but not real friends.....Have Five Good Real Friends.

Who’s a friend in the truest sense? Someone who makes our heart experience sneha means affection. What is sneha?......When the inner self melts on seeing, touching, hearing or conversing with an individual, one is said to be experiencing sneha, affection. (Subhāṣita-ratna-bhāṇḍāgāram)

Śāstra says that success in the domain of friendship is attained when we have five such intimate friends.......One should travel with five friends, stay with five friends and converse with five friends, thereby avoiding all distress.

3. We can have long lasting friendship & relationships with like minded people. ( there is always exception ).

Deers roam around with deers; cows with cows; horses with horses; fools with fools and intelligent with intelligent. Friendship is between individuals of similar disposition and habits (Pañcatantra 1.305). We should have respect for saints or person superior in knowledge, sympathy for foolish and friendship who is in equality.

4. Warning in friendship.

Translation: If you desire abundant, long-lasting friendship then do not perform the following three acts — (1) trying to win an argument against the friend, especially in public, (2) entering into any sort of financial contracts/business deals with the friend and (3) flirting with their spouse. (Subhāṣita-ratna-bhāṇḍāgāram)

5. Keeping secrets in friendship.

Birth-defects, oversleeping, laziness, and other faults, if present in a friend should never be spoken to others. One should especially never disclose such things publicly (Prapannāmṛta, 65.50).....we should publicly protect them, but privately we should reveal our honest thoughts to them without worrying. It is the duty of an individual to rescue a friend who may have gone astray:

6. Test of real Friendship during distress.

Translation: A friend is like blissful nectar for the eyes. He gives great joy to the heart. He takes our happiness and distress as his own. Such friends are indeed rare to find. Other so called “well-wishers” who gather around us in friendly weather only out of some selfish expectations are finally put through the litmus test when we face situations of distress. (Hitopadeśa, 1.214).

See the full article in link below.

http://www.dandavats.com/?p=48151

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I am posting some article based on Vedic scriptures and literature. Of course I use Google search to collect some data. Thanks to Facebook for providing platform.

It is always good idea to share our good thoughts & knowledge with others. Besides my parents, wife, teachers, family & friends GREATFUL to EVERYONE WHO HAVE CONTRIBUTED in MY LIFE.

Hopefully my enthusiasm will continue by grace of Guru & God (Absolute Truth).

Thursday, July 13, 2017

WHY I WANT to BE SUCCESSFUL?

If we introspect our life since childhood everyone of us searching something to become successful. Objects & Subjects to become successful keeps changing with our age. Example in childhood our objects to become successful was our favorite toy, food, play with our friends, watch movies...In teenagers to have company with boyfriend or girlfriend....in adult life to have nice job, house, family......to have more money, power, position......so on & so forth. Ideas in our mind to become successful keeps changing according to age, time, place and circumstances.

Our target ( to become successful ) is influenced by family, society, nation....... by surrounding people & environment to do or follow some things. Important question is why I want to be successful? If we have clarity in our mind life become less stressful. Only one common answer for all of us why I want be successful is to be happy & satisfied.

We keeps trying different things to gratify our senses & mind to become happy & satisfied. Nothing wrong in acquiring all material things in our life like having few businesses , many positions, many titles , few cars, few houses, many vacations, many gadgets...etc. At the end of day we need to ask one question to ourselves how much I need to become happy....answer is to have one nice business or job, one house, one vehicle to take us around, one gadget, one plate of food and most important one nice family & friend. OUR HAPPINESS GET DOUBLE IF WE HAVE LOVED ONE WHO CAN LISTEN TO US AT WORK & HOME, we can share our stories with someone who care for us.

In this whole drama, notion or process of become successful we loose our identity as who am I? Once we realize that at a core level I am Spirit Soul part & parcel of Supreme Soul, my Soul can be ignited, nourished, satisfied & happy by Spiritual objects like spiritual knowledge, spiritual food, spiritual sound vibrations, spiritual association, spiritual entertainment and sharing spiritual thoughts. With all these spiritual practices we can reciprocate to Supreme with love, affection , enthusiasm, satisfaction, Everlasting Happiness or Bliss and all these divine qualities will reflect in our daily action.....and in our attitude while dealing with others including nature in unlimited amounts. With Spirituality in life our happiness and satisfaction get much deeper behind every material success we acquired.

Bg 7.17 — Of these, the one who is in full knowledge and who is always engaged in pure devotional service ( spiritual practices ) is the best. For I am very dear to him, and he is dear to Me. ( vedabase.com ).

Nice 7 minute video.

https://youtu.be/YTDn5WO3D1c

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I am posting some article based on Vedic scriptures and literature. Of course I use Google search to collect some data. Thanks to Facebook for providing platform.

It is always good idea to share our good thoughts & knowledge with others. Besides my parents, wife, teachers, family & friends GREATFUL to EVERYONE WHO HAVE CONTRIBUTED in MY LIFE.

Hopefully my enthusiasm will continue by grace of Guru & God (Absolute Truth).

Saturday, July 8, 2017

The GENES, CLONING and the SOUL:

While visiting my wife's cousin Maulik Patel few days ago in Tennessee this topic came in my mind. Maulik Patel is PhD in Neuroscience from Stanford university, currently he is Research Assistant Professor 👨🏫 in department of Biology & Material science at Vanderbilt university, TN. We visited his research lab, he explained in detailed on how cloning works to create another living organism including Human.....very informative session. Thanks to Maulik Patel.

While having this discussion many question came in my mind.

1. if we as a Human start creating life by cloning then what & where is role of Creator or God or Absolute Truth the source of everything?

2. Do we need Soul to keep material body alive?

3. Scientists believe or claiming that while tracing living entities's ancestors, 1st life originated in Africa about 1.5 billion year ago. If life is just collection of molecules & chemicals then question is how 1st life originated without any precise research lab, fine tools and very fine human brain. Life is created just randomly by chance? Can we create anything in things in this world randomly by chance? Yes we can destroy many things randomly by chance.

Cloning in short is manipulating with living entities to create another life. I remembered one of chapter in very Transcendental ancient scriptures SB 6.18 (vedabase.com): has described how 49 siblings created from 1 embryo a kind of cloning process.

Science keeps changing...some of theories scientists use to believe 25 years ago are debunked now..what they believe now...will be invalidated after 25 years.

Informative article in link below.

https://krishna.org/the-genes-and-the-soul/

Few important points from article.

1. Clone is the successor organism that is identical with the mother organism from a genetical point of view.

2. Each the bodily cell has all of the information that is needed for the construction of the body.

3. According to the Vedic point of view there is a soul in each cell of the body, but these are on a quite low level of consciousness. Above these bodily cells (“living bricks”) one soul exercises power who is on a higher lever in the process of reincarnation.

4. According to the Vedic literature the body dies when this controlling soul (with his subtle covering) leaves this gross body and moves to another body. After the exit of the controlling soul the co-ordination stops amongst the bodily cells, the body ‘dies’, or it remains without control.

5. A clone successor is not the continuation of his predecessor but an independent personality who for some time received a body similar to somebody else’s. Science will never be able to conquer death, perishableness because this is one of the created, built-in qualities of our world.

6. It is important to point out that science didn’t create life from matter with cloning since it has been manipulating only with living things.

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FYI: Good source of Vedic literature: Vedabase.com (Srimad Bhagavad Gita is the essence & Srimad Bhagavatam (SB) is the nectar of all Vedic scriptures). SB is transcendental literature, hearing & reading is very satisfying & nourishing to our Soul.

I am posting some article based on Vedic scriptures and literature. Of course I use Google search to collect some data. Thanks to Facebook for providing platform.

It is always good idea to share our good thoughts & knowledge with others. Besides my parents, wife, teachers, family & friends GREATFUL to EVERYONE WHO HAVE CONTRIBUTED in MY LIFE.

Hopefully my enthusiasm will continue by grace of Guru & God (Absolute Truth).

Tuesday, June 27, 2017

MIND is SLOW LEARNER.

Learn to help it learn......

In our lifetime some of us might have came across with child who is born with learnings disorder like dyslexia ( difficulty to read & interpret ). In this kind of situation if parents do not understand the child then they will be very disappointed. Normally parents like to teach to kids but in this case parents have to learn to make them learn. This dyslexia child likes to learn but have limitations, they can be taught with some parameters. Parents has to identify those parameters like giving them lots of examples, queueing , showing pictures...etc. Some parents will give up on their child, some will scold, condemned, beat up the child when they see other child of similar age doing very well in school. These dyslexic children have potential to learn, parents must keep patience and educate them first to educate child and child will come out as a shining star.

Like dyslexic child our mind also is a slow learner when it comes to learning some higher truth, good principles, morality, good values, good habits..etc When we try to teach or make it learn good things our mind wanders off and goes in all directions can't focus. We need to find out how our mind can be educated or taught, try different method or approach but don't get disappointed, don't loose enthusiasm. Don't scold or beaten up your mind.

In Bhagavad-Gita in Chapter of YOGA says that our mind is very restless, turbulent obstinate, wander around, very flickering much more difficult then controlling raging wind. We must learn how to control our own mind by providing good learning environment, good company to our mind, good spiritual thoughts ...nothing is impossible. Once mind is under our control and listen to us like our good spouse (LOL) or friends then it will be much more productive to self & society.

Bg 6.6 — For him who has conquered the mind, the mind is the best of friends; but for one who has failed to do so, his mind will remain the greatest enemy.

Bg 6.26 — From wherever the mind wanders due to its ﬂickering and unsteady nature, one must certainly withdraw it and bring it back under the control of the Self. (vedabase.com)

https://youtu.be/ZCrT2nHYb6M

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I am posting some article based on Vedic scriptures and literature. Of course I use Google search to collect some data. Thanks to Facebook for providing platform.

It is always good idea to share our good thoughts & knowledge with others. Besides my parents, wife, teachers, family & friends GREATFUL to EVERYONE WHO HAVE CONTRIBUTED in MY LIFE.

Hopefully my enthusiasm will continue by grace of Guru & God (Absolute Truth).