HOW DO WE KNOW THE SOUL EXISTS?

I am sharing the article from krishna.com site. The original title: How do we know the soul exists, if modern science doesn't acknowledge it? http://www.krishna.com/how-do-we-know-soul-exists-if-modern-science-doesnt-acknowledge-it

"We can admittedly find nothing in physics or chemistry that has even a remote bearing on consciousness. Yet all of us know that there is such a thing as consciousness, simply because we have it ourselves. Hence consciousness must be part of nature, or, more generally, of reality, which means that, quite apart from the laws of physics and chemistry, as laid down in quantum theory, we must also consider laws of quite a different kind." --Niels Bohr, 1922 Nobel Laureate, Physics.

All living beings--plants, animals, or humans--possess consciousness and exhibit it in varying degrees. Consciousness does not arise from matter but is a symptom of the soul, which is an irreducible element of reality. Try as they may, scientists cannot create life in a laboratory by mixing lifeless chemicals.

We are the conscious spiritual soul within the body, and our departure from the body is called death. The phrase "passed on" is, therefore, an accurate description of what takes place when someone dies.

Consciousness means self-awareness, or the sense of "I am." It also means awareness of our own thoughts and sensations. No computer--no matter how sophisticated--is conscious.

Ordinary, material science can't detect spirit or its symptom--consciousness. They're beyond the scope of matter. Spirit can be studied, though, by spiritual science, such as that given in the Vedas.

In our original pure state, we are conscious of our eternal identity in relationship to God. Now our consciousness is absorbed in matter, and we think we are whatever body we inhabit at the moment.

Besides consciousness, other evidence suggests that our identity is separate from our bodies--for example, past-life memories and out-of-body experiences.

Here God says in Gita:

TEXT 17: Bg 2.17: That which pervades the entire body you should know to be indestructible. No one is able to destroy that imperishable soul.

TEXT 22: Bg 2.22: As a person puts on new garments, giving up old ones, the soul similarly accepts new material bodies, giving up the old and useless ones. (From Vedabase.io).

With respect to everyone’s  values & beliefs, whichever GUIDELINES ( Bible, Quran, Torah, Tripitaka-Buddhism, Agama-Jainism, Guru Granth Sahib-Sikhism, Gita or any other...) METHODS or WAYS work for us are all good.  

THANK YOU. 

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MY SPIRITUAL INSPIRATION , SOURCE & THE GURUS:

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

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

FYI: A good source of Vedic literature: Vedabase.com Srimad Bhagavad Gita is the essence & Srimad Bhagavatam (SB) is the nectar of all Vedic scriptures. Repeatedly hearing/reading & meditating the Scriptures, Eating Sanctified Pure Food and Chanting or Hearing the Vedic Mantras are nourishing to our heart (Soul), transcendental to our consciousness, purifying to our senses and thus helps us to overcome our weaknesses or deficiencies. Yes, we do have good qualities within us but there is always a room for improvement.

It is always a good idea to share our good thoughts & knowledge with others. Thanks to the Facebook & Social media for providing me the platform. Of course I use Smartphone & Google search to collect some data. 

Besides my parents, wife, teachers, family & friends GREATFUL to EVERYONE WHO HAVE CONTRIBUTED in MY LIFE. Hopefully my enthusiasm will continue by Grace of the Guru & God (Krishna , Absolute Truth).

NOTE:

Many times a word Hearing is used instead of Listening when it comes to the Scriptures. Because Scriptures are so potent that simply by Hearing them even if you don’t try to interpret or analyze or understand them still there will be passive positive effects on our mind & senses.

We can follow either the Quran, Bible,Torah, Tripitaka-Buddhism, Agama-Jainism, Guru Granth Sahib-Sikhism, Gita or any other Philosophy which makes sense to us, purifies us, elevates our consciousness and qualifies us to understand God and instill the love of God & his creation. (whichever way we can understand God -- either Personal with many names or Impersonal as an universal consciousness & energy).

Don’t try to understand God by Name, Religion or Depiction (means image, picture...etc) but try to understand him by the Definition through Scriptures. The Transcendental subject of God & his creation cannot be understood by mental speculation. Some times people ask why God is Supreme? It is just like asking why is the circle circular? Just by definition, the circle is circular. Similarly by definition, God is unborn, complete, unlimited, infinite, eternal, the Absolute Truth the source of everything, cause of all causes. 

I see God, besides the above mentioned qualities, as an eternal living person (not a abstract or some kind of light) known by the name KRISHNA meaning one who attracts everyone has also MANY other NAMES, forms, abodes, incarnations, activities, qualities, associates, is full of wisdom, bliss, and the cause of all causes.

Here Lord says in Gita

Bg 9.17 -- I am the father of this universe, the mother, the support and the grandsire. I am the object of knowledge, the purifier and the syllable oṁ. I am also the Ṛg, the Sāma and the Yajur Vedas.

TEXT 18: Gita 9.18: I am the goal, the sustainer, the master, the witness, the abode, the refuge and the most dear friend. I am the creation and the annihilation, the basis of everything, the resting place and the eternal seed.

Bg:13-12:-- Accepting the importance of self-realization; and philosophical search for the Absolute Truth ( God ) – all these I declare to be knowledge, and besides this whatever there may be is ignorance. ( Vedabase.com ).

FULFILLMENTS IN OUR LIVES:

There are five kinds of fulfillments or stages in our lives. Audio: https://www.dropbox.com/s/76pk7q8l9967wed/FULFILLMENTS%20IN%20OUR%20LIVES.m4a?dl=0

1. Physical Fulfillment- A stage of survival: Annamaya Kosha: Anna means food: The hierarchy of fulfillment starts with the basic necessities. We require food, clothing and shelter for our survival; without basic necessities it is difficult to focus anywhere else in our lives. In this primitive stage of life, survival is the only purpose of life. In the fast running modern world, cars, smartphones, laptops....are also basic necessities for survival....and Facebook & WhatsApp too..... LOL 😂. 

2. Safety Fullfillment: Pranamaya Kosha: Prana means life: Once we have enough items for survival, we look for safety & security. Besides food & fun, the next important thing is to protect or defend ourselves and increase our longevity. In short, Stage 1 & 2 are all about āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithunam—Eating-Sleeping-Mating-Defending. Bird, beast, insect or fish; everyone is busy behind survival. "Where is food? Where is shelter? Where is a mate? How do I defend myself?" Man is also doing the same business, but in more sophisticated ways...LOL. 😂 

3. Emotional Fulfillment: Manomaya Kosha: Mana means mind: After stage 1 & 2, the individual pursues emotional fulfilment through a meaningful bond with family, friends, community, society, other creatures & nature.

4. Intellectual & Ego Fulfillment: Vigyanmaya Kosha: Vigyan means knowledge: Throughout our lives we try to fulfill intellectual & ego by acquiring more knowledge, wealth, power, achievements and fame in the society. By our own life experiences and observations of the world around us, we realize that there is a lot of struggle to acquire material pleasure in this world. Even when acquired, it is unsatisfying because of the body’s limited capacity to enjoy these pleasures and it is also affected by diseases & age and finished with death. Material pleasures taste like nectar in the beginning but like poison in the end...LOL 😂.

5. Spiritual fulfillment: Anandmaya Kosha: Anand means bliss: It is a stage of inner transformation & Bliss. A spiritual Journey begins with “Athato Brahma Jijnasa" is the 1st aphorism of Vedanta Sutra or Brahmā Sutra. It means that I have inquired & enjoyed enough of the worldly mundane subjects & object matters, but now it is time to inquire about Myself & the Absolute truth (God) - the cause of all the causes. This is only possible in the human form of life. With further evolution of our consciousness by spiritual knowledge & associations of like minded people we can experience inner satisfaction, peace & everlasting joy or Bliss. Spiritual development brings the four C’s: commitment, compassion, carefreeness & cheerfulness in our actions & activities. 

Here In the Bhagavad-gita, Lord Krishna says that

TEXT 3: Bg 7.3: Out of many thousands among men, one may endeavor for perfection, and of those who have achieved perfection, hardly one knows Me in truth.

Bg:13-12:— Accepting the importance of self-realization; and philosophical search for the Absolute Truth (God) – all these I declare to be knowledge, and besides this whatever there may be is ignorance. ( Vedabase.io).

It is easy to say, but difficult to follow. I am in the same boat with everyone else, or I may even be behind, but thinking in the right direction will help us to go in the right direction.    

The article is based on https://iskconnews.org/mr-motivator-2,7479/

THANK YOU. 

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MY SPIRITUAL INSPIRATION , SOURCE & THE GURUS:

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

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

FYI: A good source of Vedic literature: Vedabase.com Srimad Bhagavad Gita is the essence & Srimad Bhagavatam (SB) is the nectar of all Vedic scriptures. Repeatedly hearing/reading & meditating the Scriptures, Eating Sanctified Pure Food and Chanting or Hearing the Vedic Mantras are nourishing to our heart (Soul), transcendental to our consciousness, purifying to our senses and thus helps us to overcome our weaknesses or deficiencies. Yes, we do have good qualities within us but there is always a room for improvement. 

It is always a good idea to share our good thoughts & knowledge with others. Thanks to the Facebook & Social media for providing me the platform. Of course I use Smartphone & Google search to collect some data. 

Besides my parents, wife, teachers, family & friends GREATFUL to EVERYONE WHO HAVE CONTRIBUTED in MY LIFE. Hopefully my enthusiasm will continue by Grace of the Guru & God (Krishna , Absolute Truth).

NOTE:

Many times a word Hearing is used instead of Listening when it comes to the Scriptures. Because Scriptures are so potent that simply by Hearing them even if you don’t try to interpret or analyze or understand them still there will be passive positive effects on our mind & senses.

We can follow either the Quran, Bible,Torah, Tripitaka-Buddhism, Agama-Jainism, Guru Granth Sahib-Sikhism, Gita or any other Philosophy which makes sense to us, purifies us, elevates our consciousness and qualifies us to understand God and instill the love of God & his creation. (whichever way we can understand God — either Personal with many names or Impersonal as an universal consciousness & energy).

Don’t try to understand God by Name, Religion or Depiction (means image, picture...etc) but try to understand him by the Definition through Scriptures. The Transcendental subject of God & his creation cannot be understood by mental speculation. Some times people ask why God is Supreme? It is just like asking why is the circle circular? Just by definition, the circle is circular. Similarly by definition, God is unborn, complete, unlimited, infinite, eternal, the Absolute Truth the source of everything, cause of all causes. 

I see God, besides the above mentioned qualities, as an eternal living person (not a abstract or some kind of light) known by the name KRISHNA meaning one who attracts everyone has also MANY other NAMES, forms, abodes, incarnations, activities, qualities, associates, is full of wisdom, bliss, and the cause of all causes.

Here Lord says in Gita

Bg 9.17 — I am the father of this universe, the mother, the support and the grandsire. I am the object of knowledge, the purifier and the syllable oṁ. I am also the Ṛg, the Sāma and the Yajur Vedas.

TEXT 18: Gita 9.18: I am the goal, the sustainer, the master, the witness, the abode, the refuge and the most dear friend. I am the creation and the annihilation, the basis of everything, the resting place and the eternal seed.

Bg:13-12:— Accepting the importance of self-realization; and philosophical search for the Absolute Truth ( God ) – all these I declare to be knowledge, and besides this whatever there may be is ignorance. ( Vedabase.com ).

HAPPY DIWALI:

Diwali is one of the most popular festivals celebrated in the Indian calendar. The five days festivities comprise of firecrackers, feasting, prayers, family & friends get-togethers & lighting of earthen lamps. Audio: https://www.dropbox.com/s/rkpax8thr9tiu0t/HAPPY%20DIWALI.m4a?dl=0

Historically, the import of Diwali is not about lighting of lamps, but the return of Lord Rama to Ayodhya after His exile for 14 years. The Ramayana describes, how the town of Ayodhya went into a great sorrow when Lord Rama was exiled due to the misdirected or twisted plot of Queen Kaikayi. Citizens of Ayodhya were feeling a loneliness, emptiness & agonies due to separation from Lord Rama. Similarly in age of darkness we are suffering from anxiety, agitation, anger ness, quarrel, hatred, envy, greed & possessiveness due to exile of Lord from our hearts. 

So celebration of Diwali will remain incomplete if we focus ourselves only for light­ing lamps, feasting & fun but not thinking about Lord Rama. How can we welcome the supremely pleasant, divine & loving personality Lord Rama back into our hearts & home and experience the essence of Diwali?... By cultivating the knowledge from the sacred scriptures about the Lord and His love for us and reviving our dormant love for Him & His creation by practicing Spiritual Yoga ( Bhakti Yoga ). So while lighting the earthen lamps during Diwali Days, let us also enlighten our heart with divine wisdoms and love.

Bg 9.22 -- But those who always worship Me with exclusive devotion, meditating on My transcendental form – to them I carry what they lack, and I preserve what they have.

Bg 9.29 -- I envy no one, nor am I partial to anyone. I am equal to all. But whoever renders service unto Me in devotion is a friend, is in Me, and I am also a friend to him.  

What is Historical Significance of Diwali? 

The First Day of Diwali:

The first day of Diwali is called Dhanvantari Trayodasi or Dhan Theras. On this day, Lord Dhanvantari appeared, delivering Ayurvedic medicine for mankind. On this day people also offer prayer to Yamaraja (the Lord of Death) for protection from untimely death.

The Second Day of Diwali:

The second day of Diwali is called Naraka Chaturdasi. On this day, Lord Krishna destroyed the demon Narakasura and liberated the 16,000 princesses which the demon held captive.

The Third Day of Diwali:

This is the actual day of Diwali on which Lord Rama returned to Ayodhya, after successfully rescued Sita and defeated the demon, Ravana. On this day people also worship the divine Goddess Lakshmi, the consort of Lord Vishnu, to achieve the blessings of wealth and prosperity, and triumph of good over evil and light over darkness.

The Fourth Day of Diwali:

On this day, Govardhana Puja is performed. Many thousands of years ago, Lord Krishna convinced the people of Vraja Dham to worship this sacred hill which provides the basic necessities for survival. Furthermore, Bali Maharaja was defeated on this day by Lord Krishna’s dwarf brahmana incarnation, Vamanadeva.

The Fifth Day of Diwali:

The fifth day of the Diwali is called Bhratri or Bhai Dooj. It is a day dedicated to sisters. We have heard about brothers’s day (Raksha Bandhan), well this is sisters’ day.

Happy Diwali & Happy New-Year to You & Your Family.

Pankaj & Dipika and Family.

See the link below for detailed.

http://www.bhaktivedantamanor.co.uk/home/?page_id=625

Thank You.

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MY SPIRITUAL INSPIRATION , SOURCE & THE GURUS:

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

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

FYI: A good source of Vedic literature: Vedabase.com . Srimad Bhagavad Gita is the essence & Srimad Bhagavatam (SB) is the nectar of all Vedic scriptures. Repeatedly hearing/reading & meditating the Scriptures, Eating Sanctified Pure Food and Chanting Vedic Mantras are nourishing to our heart (Soul), transcendental to our consciousness, purifying to our senses and thus helps us to overcome our weaknesses or deficiencies. Yes, we do have good qualities within us but there is always a room for improvement. 

It is always a good idea to share our good thoughts & knowledge with others. Thanks to the Facebook & Social media for providing me the platform. Of course I use Smartphone & Google search to collect some data. 

Besides my parents, wife, teachers, family & friends GREATFUL to EVERYONE WHO HAVE CONTRIBUTED in MY LIFE. Hopefully my enthusiasm will continue by Grace of the Guru & God (Krishna , Absolute Truth).

NOTE:

Many times a word Hearing is used instead of Listening when it comes to the Scriptures. Because Scriptures are so potent that simply by Hearing them even if you don’t try to interpret or analyze or understand them still there will be passive positive effects on our mind & senses.

We can follow either the Quran, Bible,Torah, Tripitaka-Buddhism, Agama-Jainism, Guru Granth Sahib-Sikhism, Gita or any other Philosophy which makes sense to us, purifies us, elevates our consciousness and qualifies us to understand God and instill the love of God & his creation. (whichever way we can understand God -- either Personal with many names or Impersonal as an universal consciousness & energy).

Don’t try to understand God by Name, Religion or Depiction (means image, picture...etc) but try to understand him by the Definition through Scriptures. The Transcendental subject of God & his creation cannot be understood by mental speculation. Some times people ask why God is Supreme? It is just like asking why is the circle circular? Just by definition, the circle is circular. Similarly by definition, God is unborn, complete, unlimited, infinite, eternal, the Absolute Truth the source of everything, cause of all causes. 

I see God, besides the above mentioned qualities, as an eternal living person (not a abstract or some kind of light) known by the name KRISHNA meaning one who attracts everyone has also MANY other NAMES, forms, abodes, incarnations, activities, qualities, associates, is full of wisdom, bliss, and the cause of all causes.

Bg 9.17 -- I am the father of this universe, the mother, the support and the grandsire. I am the object of knowledge, the purifier and the syllable oṁ. I am also the Ṛg, the Sāma and the Yajur Vedas.

Bg:13-12:-- Accepting the importance of self-realization; and philosophical search for the Absolute Truth ( God ) – all these I declare to be knowledge, and besides this whatever there may be is ignorance. ( Vedabase.com ).

IS IT POSSIBLE TO BE FRIENDS WITH EVERYONE?

A beautiful blog is written by Sutapa Das, and I added one sloka from the Gita. The original title: Friendly Fire—Why Can’t We Be Friends With Everyone? See the link: https://iskconnews.org/friendly-fire-why-cant-we-be-friends-with-everyone,7514/ 

Sutapa Das writes very thoughtful, meaningful, inspirational & friendly articles. 

With genuine spiritual advancement comes the capacity and capability to have friendly relationships with one and all.

Bg 18.20 — That knowledge by which one undivided spiritual nature is seen in all living entities, though they are divided into innumerable forms, you should understand to be in the mode of goodness. Vedabase.io

Equipped with spiritual vision that penetrates beyond externals, one remains undisturbed by annoying idiosyncrasies, ideological differences, unpredictable personalities, and sticky character traits. We’re able to see something deeper, see the spirit, the underlying sincerity. We can see the heart. At this stage, we have no enemies, even if others view us as such. Indeed, the Bhagavad-gita explains that such friendly persons are spontaneously engaged in beneficial acts towards all living beings (sarva bhuta hite ratha). We could do with a few more people like that in the world.

Lofty, utopian and unattainable? Admittedly, although we desire these friendly connections with everyone around us, it just doesn’t seem to work out in real life. Fighting and friction seem an integral part of social intercourse. Why can’t everyone be friends with everyone else? Is the fact that we don’t get on with everyone a sign of our spiritual deficiencies? What could be the reason for people not liking us?

• Our Problem – often, breakdown of friendships are due to underlying selfishness within us. When people smell agendas, duplicity and exploitation, to a greater or lesser degree, they run a mile. Lesson: examine yourself and avoid blaming others.
• Their Problem – other times, people project their own struggles onto us and thus prevent a meaningful connection. Deep rooted issues of insecurity, envy and pride, naturally distance them from others. Lesson: be patient and don’t take it personally.
• No Problem – sometimes, two people fall out simply because of misunderstanding and miscommunication. Random unsavory incidents can block what would otherwise be a healthy friendship. Lesson: don’t take things too seriously and learn to forget.
• Natural Problem – since we are all unique individual characters, it is impersonalistic and utopian to expect that everyone will perfectly gel. Even pure souls have their differences, though it doesn’t block their appreciation of each other. Lesson: celebrate diversity and find atleast something to appreciate.

So, at the risk of sounding cheesy and cliched, lets make more friendly connections. It,s a short life after all. As Abraham Lincoln said, “the best way to destroy an enemy is to make him a friend.”

It is easy to say, but difficult to follow. I am in the same boat with everyone else, or I may even be behind, but thinking in the right direction will help us to go in the right direction.   

With respect to everyone’s  values & beliefs, whichever GUIDELINES ( Bible, Quran, Torah, Tripitaka-Buddhism, Agama-Jainism, Guru Granth Sahib-Sikhism, Gita or any other...) METHODS or WAYS work for us are all good.  

THANK YOU. 

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***************************

MY SPIRITUAL INSPIRATION , SOURCE & THE GURUS:

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

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

FYI: A good source of Vedic literature: Vedabase.com Srimad Bhagavad Gita is the essence & Srimad Bhagavatam (SB) is the nectar of all Vedic scriptures. Repeatedly hearing/reading & meditating the Scriptures, Eating Sanctified Pure Food and Chanting or Hearing the Vedic Mantras are nourishing to our heart (Soul), transcendental to our consciousness, purifying to our senses and thus helps us to overcome our weaknesses or deficiencies. Yes, we do have good qualities within us but there is always a room for improvement. The beautiful Bhāgavatam, compiled by the great sage Vyāsadeva [in his maturity], is sufficient in itself for God realization. What is the need of any other scripture? As soon as one attentively and submissively hears the message of Bhāgavatam, by this culture of knowledge the Supreme Lord is established within his heart.

It is always a good idea to share our good thoughts & knowledge with others. Thanks to the Facebook & Social media for providing me the platform. Of course I use Smartphone & Google search to collect some data. 

Besides my parents, wife, teachers, family & friends GREATFUL to EVERYONE WHO HAVE CONTRIBUTED in MY LIFE. Hopefully my enthusiasm will continue by Grace of the Guru & God (Krishna , Absolute Truth).

NOTE:

Many times a word Hearing is used instead of Listening when it comes to the Scriptures. Because Scriptures are so potent that simply by Hearing them even if you don’t try to interpret or analyze or understand them still there will be passive positive effects on our mind & senses.

We can follow either the Quran, Bible,Torah, Tripitaka-Buddhism, Agama-Jainism, Guru Granth Sahib-Sikhism, Gita or any other Philosophy which makes sense to us, purifies us, elevates our consciousness and qualifies us to understand God and instill the love of God & his creation. (whichever way we can understand God — either Personal with many names or Impersonal as an universal consciousness & energy).

Don’t try to understand God by Name, Religion or Depiction (means image, picture...etc) but try to understand him by the Definition through Scriptures. The Transcendental subject of God & his creation cannot be understood by mental speculation. Some times people ask why God is Supreme? It is just like asking why is the circle circular? Just by definition, the circle is circular. Similarly by definition, God is unborn, complete, unlimited, infinite, eternal, the Absolute Truth the source of everything, cause of all causes. 

I see God, besides the above mentioned qualities, as an eternal living person (not a abstract or some kind of light) known by the name KRISHNA meaning one who attracts everyone has also MANY other NAMES, forms, abodes, incarnations, activities, qualities, associates, is full of wisdom, bliss, and the cause of all causes.

Here Lord says in Gita

Bg 9.17 — I am the father of this universe, the mother, the support and the grandsire. I am the object of knowledge, the purifier and the syllable oṁ. I am also the Ṛg, the Sāma and the Yajur Vedas.

TEXT 18: Gita 9.18: I am the goal, the sustainer, the master, the witness, the abode, the refuge and the most dear friend. I am the creation and the annihilation, the basis of everything, the resting place and the eternal seed.

Bg:13-12:— Accepting the importance of self-realization; and philosophical search for the Absolute Truth ( God ) – all these I declare to be knowledge, and besides this whatever there may be is ignorance. ( Vedabase.com ).

PHASES of THE MOON & OUR LIVES:

 SB 11.7.48 -- The various phases of one’s material life, beginning with birth and culminating in death, are all properties of the body and do not affect the soul, just as the apparent waxing and waning of the moon does not affect the moon itself. Such changes are enforced by the imperceptible movements of time. Vedabase.io

Purport: 

The body undergoes six changes: birth, growth, maintenance, production of by-products, dwindling and death. Similarly, the moon appears to grow, diminish and finally disappear. Since moonlight is a lunar reflection of sunlight, it is understood that the moon itself does not grow or diminish; rather, we perceive the reflection of the moon in various phases. Similarly, the eternal soul is not born, nor does it die, as confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (2.20): na jāyate mriyate vā kadācit. We perceive the reflection of the soul in the form of the gross material body and the subtle mind, which undergo various material changes. Vedabase.io SB 11.7.48 

In every birth-death cycle, there are lots of studies, struggles, work, excitement, sadness ☹️, fun, LOL 😂.....many up & down moments like a six flags ride....in our lives. The upward evolution (not a downward... LOL 😂) of our consciousness towards the Mode of Goodness meaning our spiritual development is a sign of a successful journey irrespective of the happiness, sadness, power, wealth, degree, position & fame we acquire in every cycle.The evolution of man is the evolution of his consciousness.  

Here God says in Gita:

TEXT 22: Bg 2.22: As a person puts on new garments, giving up old ones, the soul similarly accepts new material bodies, giving up the old and useless ones. Vedabase.io

Bg 3.38:  As fire is covered by smoke, a mirror is covered by dust and the embryo is covered by the womb similarly the living entity is covered by different degrees of consciousness. 

TEXT 6: Bg 14.6: O sinless one, the mode of goodness, being purer than the others, is illuminating, and it frees one from all sinful reactions. Those situated in that mode become conditioned by a sense of happiness and knowledge.

TEXT 10: Bg 15.10: The foolish cannot understand how a living entity can quit his body, nor can they understand what sort of body he enjoys under the spell of the modes of nature. But one whose eyes are trained in knowledge can see all this.

With respect to everyone’s  values & beliefs, whichever GUIDELINES ( Bible, Quran, Torah, Tripitaka-Buddhism, Agama-Jainism, Guru Granth Sahib-Sikhism, Gita or any other...) METHODS or WAYS work for us are all good.  

THANK YOU. 

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MY SPIRITUAL INSPIRATION , SOURCE & THE GURUS:

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

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

FYI: A good source of Vedic literature: Vedabase.com Srimad Bhagavad Gita is the essence & Srimad Bhagavatam (SB) is the nectar of all Vedic scriptures. Repeatedly hearing/reading & meditating the Scriptures, Eating Sanctified Pure Food and Chanting or Hearing the Vedic Mantras are nourishing to our heart (Soul), transcendental to our consciousness, purifying to our senses and thus helps us to overcome our weaknesses or deficiencies. Yes, we do have good qualities within us but there is always a room for improvement. 

It is always a good idea to share our good thoughts & knowledge with others. Thanks to the Facebook & Social media for providing me the platform. Of course I use Smartphone & Google search to collect some data. 

Besides my parents, wife, teachers, family & friends GREATFUL to EVERYONE WHO HAVE CONTRIBUTED in MY LIFE. Hopefully my enthusiasm will continue by Grace of the Guru & God (Krishna , Absolute Truth).

NOTE:

Many times a word Hearing is used instead of Listening when it comes to the Scriptures. Because Scriptures are so potent that simply by Hearing them even if you don’t try to interpret or analyze or understand them still there will be passive positive effects on our mind & senses.

We can follow either the Quran, Bible,Torah, Tripitaka-Buddhism, Agama-Jainism, Guru Granth Sahib-Sikhism, Gita or any other Philosophy which makes sense to us, purifies us, elevates our consciousness and qualifies us to understand God and instill the love of God & his creation. (whichever way we can understand God -- either Personal with many names or Impersonal as an universal consciousness & energy).

Don’t try to understand God by Name, Religion or Depiction (means image, picture...etc) but try to understand him by the Definition through Scriptures. The Transcendental subject of God & his creation cannot be understood by mental speculation. Some times people ask why God is Supreme? It is just like asking why is the circle circular? Just by definition, the circle is circular. Similarly by definition, God is unborn, complete, unlimited, infinite, eternal, the Absolute Truth the source of everything, cause of all causes. 

I see God, besides the above mentioned qualities, as an eternal living person (not a abstract or some kind of light) known by the name KRISHNA meaning one who attracts everyone has also MANY other NAMES, forms, abodes, incarnations, activities, qualities, associates, is full of wisdom, bliss, and the cause of all causes.

Here Lord says in Gita

Bg 9.17 -- I am the father of this universe, the mother, the support and the grandsire. I am the object of knowledge, the purifier and the syllable oṁ. I am also the Ṛg, the Sāma and the Yajur Vedas.

TEXT 18: Gita 9.18: I am the goal, the sustainer, the master, the witness, the abode, the refuge and the most dear friend. I am the creation and the annihilation, the basis of everything, the resting place and the eternal seed.

Bg:13-12:-- Accepting the importance of self-realization; and philosophical search for the Absolute Truth ( God ) – all these I declare to be knowledge, and besides this whatever there may be is ignorance. ( Vedabase.com ).

WISDOM OF TOLERANCE:

(The original article is written by Chaitanya Charandas Prabhu Title--Tolerating Phases of Bad Fortune https://iskconnews.org/tolerating-phases-of-bad-fortune,6338/ modified a little bit, by less then 3%.... LOL 😂).

Sometimes we have experienced ourselves or seen that our family, friends...our loved ones are going through worse times of their lives. Things keep going wrong one after another. To navigate such phases, or even to just survive them, we need lots of patience and tolerance. Intolerance keeps us agitated, rushing from one apparent solution to another.

Does this mean that we fatalistically do nothing to solve problems? No not at all, even during ancient time in Vedic tradition for example it didn’t say the sick person to just live with their pain; it treated them with a sophisticated branch of medical knowledge, Ayurveda. Unfortunately, our capacity to tolerate distress is eroded by modern thought. Modern society-thoughts operate on ideology of self-determination with thinking that we alone are the makers of our destiny (time, place & circumstances....situation like COVID-19 also have impact on our destiny).

By our intelligence and efforts, we can get rid off everything undesirable and attain everything desirable. The notion that we are the controllers of our life is so central to our worldview that we define our success and self-worth in terms of our capacity to mold the circumstances & situation always in our favor. Given such self-conceptions, uncontrollable situations don’t just frustrate us – they shatter us. No wonder mental health problems have risen with the spread of modernity. If we wish to respond to difficulties intelligently, not impulsively, we need to change our beliefs about controllership. 

Gita wisdom offers a better understanding of our position and purpose in the cosmic hierarchy of things. The Bhagavad-gita (15.07) states that we are eternal souls parts of the supreme being God. He is the supreme controller and we being his parts are partial controllers. Wisdom of Spiritual knowledge prepare us mentally to develop tolerance & patience during difficult times of our life.

Tolerating distress doesn’t mean that we become totally passive; it means that we act first for spiritual elevation not material rectification. The Gita (18.58) urges us to take shelter of the process of Spiritual Yoga ( Bhakti Yoga ) which raises our consciousness above the material level of reality to the spiritual level. Spiritual yoga will elevate wisdom of love & tolerance in us to face any intolerable situation.

Here God says in Gita:

TEXT 14: 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. Vedabase.io

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. Vedabase.io

Let’s have a lot of Wisdom, Tolerance & some LOL moments 😂.....

It is easy to say, but difficult to follow. I am in the same boat with everyone else, or I may even be behind, but thinking in the right direction will help us to go in the right direction.    

THANK YOU. 

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MY SPIRITUAL INSPIRATION , SOURCE & THE GURUS:

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

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

FYI: A good source of Vedic literature: Vedabase.com Srimad Bhagavad Gita is the essence & Srimad Bhagavatam (SB) is the nectar of all Vedic scriptures. Repeatedly hearing/reading & meditating the Scriptures, Eating Sanctified Pure Food and Chanting or Hearing the Vedic Mantras are nourishing to our heart (Soul), transcendental to our consciousness, purifying to our senses and thus helps us to overcome our weaknesses or deficiencies. Yes, we do have good qualities within us but there is always a room for improvement. 

It is always a good idea to share our good thoughts & knowledge with others. Thanks to the Facebook & Social media for providing me the platform. Of course I use Smartphone & Google search to collect some data. 

Besides my parents, wife, teachers, family & friends GREATFUL to EVERYONE WHO HAVE CONTRIBUTED in MY LIFE. Hopefully my enthusiasm will continue by Grace of the Guru & God (Krishna , Absolute Truth).

NOTE:

Many times a word Hearing is used instead of Listening when it comes to the Scriptures. Because Scriptures are so potent that simply by Hearing them even if you don’t try to interpret or analyze or understand them still there will be passive positive effects on our mind & senses.

We can follow either the Quran, Bible,Torah, Tripitaka-Buddhism, Agama-Jainism, Guru Granth Sahib-Sikhism, Gita or any other Philosophy which makes sense to us, purifies us, elevates our consciousness and qualifies us to understand God and instill the love of God & his creation. (whichever way we can understand God -- either Personal with many names or Impersonal as an universal consciousness & energy).

Don’t try to understand God by Name, Religion or Depiction (means image, picture...etc) but try to understand him by the Definition through Scriptures. The Transcendental subject of God & his creation cannot be understood by mental speculation. Some times people ask why God is Supreme? It is just like asking why is the circle circular? Just by definition, the circle is circular. Similarly by definition, God is unborn, complete, unlimited, infinite, eternal, the Absolute Truth the source of everything, cause of all causes. 

I see God, besides the above mentioned qualities, as an eternal living person (not a abstract or some kind of light) known by the name KRISHNA meaning one who attracts everyone has also MANY other NAMES, forms, abodes, incarnations, activities, qualities, associates, is full of wisdom, bliss, and the cause of all causes.

Here Lord says in Gita

Bg 9.17 -- I am the father of this universe, the mother, the support and the grandsire. I am the object of knowledge, the purifier and the syllable oṁ. I am also the Ṛg, the Sāma and the Yajur Vedas.

TEXT 18: Gita 9.18: I am the goal, the sustainer, the master, the witness, the abode, the refuge and the most dear friend. I am the creation and the annihilation, the basis of everything, the resting place and the eternal seed.

Bg:13-12:-- Accepting the importance of self-realization; and philosophical search for the Absolute Truth ( God ) – all these I declare to be knowledge, and besides this whatever there may be is ignorance. ( Vedabase.com ).