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Always remember Krishna and never forget Him !
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Sree Sree Guru Gaurangau Jayatah!
Acts or works which are executed with the desire to obtain results for oneself are known as karma. Acts which are directed toward God without desire for results for oneself are known as bhakti. Good works, in and of themselves, will not be sufficient to bring about realization of God. However, when performed with the intent to serve God, then He can be realized. Likewise, jnana (cultivation of knowledge), in and of itself, will not reveal God. The cultivation of knowledge aligned with the desire to serve God will bring about realization of Him. If one proclaims himself to be a Hindu, a Muslim, a Jew or a Christian, these things can be changed. By altering one's mode of dress, language or rituals, a Muslim can become a Christian, etc. However, the essential element which lies at the root of these different faiths is devotion to God. Whether one is a Hindu, a Jew, or whatever, to claim to be religious must surely mean that one is a servant of God. This fact cannot be changed. In Sanskr it this is known as sanatana-dharma. Sanatana means "eternal" and dharma, in this context, means "that activity which is intrinsic to one's very existence," just as heat is an intrinsic quality of fire. What is the nature of that activity? That one is eternally serving. Service is not something we can choose to do or not do. Where is the living being who is not serving? One serves one's employer, one's parents, one's children, husband, wife, pets, and even inanimate things such as cars, etc. From birth to death, service is there. The choice which we can make, however, is who or what is to be the object of our service. Krishna is the only true object of service. Krishna is eternally existing and the jivatmas are also eternally existing. The relationship between them is also eternally existing. Bhakti, or sanatana-dharma, is the link between God and His devotees. Love of God is independent of caste, color, or creed.
Sincerity of heart is the only requirement. Bhagavad-gita (18.66) states:
sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja aham tvam sarva-papebhyo moksayisyami ma sucah
"Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear."
Certain souls obtain freedom from the grip of Prakrti. Krsnaika-sarana, or surrender to Lord Krishna, is the only means of crossing over the ocean of birth and death (samsara). Performance of one's duty, simple morality, development of bodily or mental powers, acquisition of material knowledge, detachment from material things, or even the knowledge that one is a spiritual being cannot bring about realization of God. Vision of God is proportionate to the degree of bhakti or love for Him in one's heart. Lord Krishna says in the Bhagavad-gita (18.55):
bhaktya mam abhijanati yavan yas casmi tattvatah tato mam tattvato jnatva visate tad-anantaram
"One can understand Me as I am, as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, only by devotional service. And when one is in full consciousness of Me by such devotion, he can enter into the kingdom of God."
To possess bhakti or love for God means to have come in contact with a vaisnava-- a lover of God. This comes about due to sukrti or past tendencies towards spiritual culture. If one holds ice near one's body, he becomes cold. If one holds a flame near one's body, he becomes hot. If one associates with a devotee-- a vaisnava-- he becomes devoted to God. Prahlada Maharaja was a great devotee who, when he was only a young boy, spoke of nine processes which, if executed with sincerity, are sure to reinstate one's original position as an eternal servitor of the Lord. He says in the Srimad-Bhagavatam (7.5.23-24):
sravanam kirtanam visnoh smaranam pada-sevanam arcanam vandanam dasyam sakhyam atma-nivedanam
iti pumsarpita visnau bhaktis cen nava-laksana kriyeta bhagavaty addha tan manye 'dhitam uttamam
"Hearing and chanting about the transcendental holy name, form, qualities, paraphernalia, and pastimes of Lord Visnu, remembering them, serving the lotus feet of the Lord, offering the Lord respectful worship with sixteen types of paraphernalia, offering prayers to the Lord, becoming His servant, considering the Lord one's best friend, and surrendering everything unto Him (in other words, serving Him with the body, mind, and words) these nine processes are accepted as pure devotional service. One who has dedicated his life to the service of Krishna through these nine methods should be understood to be the most learned person, for he has acquired complete knowledge."
--His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Goswami Maharaj
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