A DIVINE MESSAGE
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2016 Holi
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Philosophy
The Right Way To Offer BhogWhat should be the intention while offering bhog?
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Kripalu Leelamritam
A Glimpse of Shri Krishna LeelasShri Maharaj Ji's leelas have a striking similarity with Shri Krishna's leelas.
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Kids Story
A Donation Made With a Pure Heart ProspersTo get the best outcome while donating the intention should also be right.
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Philosophy
In every temple across the globe, the devotees offer food and other delicacies to the Lord. Ever noticed "how they offer bhog"?
As per the specific tradition followed at each temple, the pujari might place the bhog thali in front of the deity, draw the curtain, close his eyes and ring the bell. In other places, the pujari may also sing a bhajan while offering food (bhog) to the Lord. Once this ritual is completed, the pujari mechanically removes the bhog thali from in front of the Lord.
Pause for a moment to ponder - How do you feel when you cook food for your loved ones and serve it to them but they do not even touch the food? Don’t you insist upon them to perhaps eat something or maybe just taste it? And if they do not eat, do you feel liking eating? Even today in many a households mother (or a wife) do not feel like eating food when her family has not eaten anything.
But, before removing the bhog thali from in front of your Lord, do you care enough to check if He has eaten the food or not? Seeing no finger (or spoon) marks, in other words of no signs of Him having touched the food, do you feel any disappointment or sadness? There is no feeling of remorse in our mind, no tears of repentance thinking, that I am such a fallen soul that the Lord did not even touch the food offered by me. This clearly indicates that our love for God does not stand anywhere as compared to our love for our family members! We offer bhog mechanically, as a ritual, without any devotional sentiment.
The reason of this heartlessness is our lack of faith in the idol of the deity. In our mind, we are certain that the moorti is made of stone and God does not exist in the moorti and hence will not eat. This is the reason, why we fail to derive any benefit despite going to the temple and having prasad etc. The word prasad means grace. God does not relish the food that is offered to Him. He enjoys the love with which the food was offered. Whoever eats the leftover food offered to God, attains His grace. If the offering is devoid of love, He does not even glance towards the food. Then how would it become prasad and how would we benefit from the spiritual grace. Hence, you would achieve spiritual benefit only if you have faith in the presence of God within the idol. Without faith, you will receive the result of a stone - idol only or in other words receive no grace.
As per the specific tradition followed at each temple, the pujari might place the bhog thali in front of the deity, draw the curtain, close his eyes and ring the bell. In other places, the pujari may also sing a bhajan while offering food (bhog) to the Lord. Once this ritual is completed, the pujari mechanically removes the bhog thali from in front of the Lord.
Pause for a moment to ponder - How do you feel when you cook food for your loved ones and serve it to them but they do not even touch the food? Don’t you insist upon them to perhaps eat something or maybe just taste it? And if they do not eat, do you feel liking eating? Even today in many a households mother (or a wife) do not feel like eating food when her family has not eaten anything.
But, before removing the bhog thali from in front of your Lord, do you care enough to check if He has eaten the food or not? Seeing no finger (or spoon) marks, in other words of no signs of Him having touched the food, do you feel any disappointment or sadness? There is no feeling of remorse in our mind, no tears of repentance thinking, that I am such a fallen soul that the Lord did not even touch the food offered by me. This clearly indicates that our love for God does not stand anywhere as compared to our love for our family members! We offer bhog mechanically, as a ritual, without any devotional sentiment.
The reason of this heartlessness is our lack of faith in the idol of the deity. In our mind, we are certain that the moorti is made of stone and God does not exist in the moorti and hence will not eat. This is the reason, why we fail to derive any benefit despite going to the temple and having prasad etc. The word prasad means grace. God does not relish the food that is offered to Him. He enjoys the love with which the food was offered. Whoever eats the leftover food offered to God, attains His grace. If the offering is devoid of love, He does not even glance towards the food. Then how would it become prasad and how would we benefit from the spiritual grace. Hence, you would achieve spiritual benefit only if you have faith in the presence of God within the idol. Without faith, you will receive the result of a stone - idol only or in other words receive no grace.
Bhagawat says, typically idols are made from one of the 8 things
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शैली दारुमयी लौही लेप्या लेख्या च सैकती ।
मनोमयी मणिमयी प्रतिमाष्टविधा स्मृता ॥11.27.12॥ |
śailī dārumayī lauhī lepyā lekhyā ca saikatī ।
manomayī maṇimayī pratimāṣṭavidhā smṛtā ॥ |
"There are eight kinds of idols made of various inert things viz. iron, gold, wood, stone, sand and drawing etc. If someone establishes firm faith that there is God in the idol, then they will surely realize God".
Sometimes we get impressed by the crowds that a temple draws. But a big crowd is just the outcome of publicity, the outward beauty of the temple structure or the well decorated idols. Sometimes, suddenly some miraculous thing happens on one’s visit to the temple and they start propagating that “this devi or devata has miraculous powers”. And some naïve people start flocking there. Seeing them others also follow. Don’t be fooled by such malarkey. No idol has miraculous powers.
Sometimes we get impressed by the crowds that a temple draws. But a big crowd is just the outcome of publicity, the outward beauty of the temple structure or the well decorated idols. Sometimes, suddenly some miraculous thing happens on one’s visit to the temple and they start propagating that “this devi or devata has miraculous powers”. And some naïve people start flocking there. Seeing them others also follow. Don’t be fooled by such malarkey. No idol has miraculous powers.
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प्रभु व्यापक सर्वत्र समाना
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prabhu vyāpaka sarvatra samānā
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“God is omnipresent with all His powers”. The same God resides in a temple of Vrinaban, Ayodhya, Rameshwaram, Badrinath and your city etc. However, one can derive full benefit only by complete faith and exclusive love for Him.
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तुलसी-दल-मात्रेण जलस्य चुलुकेन च।। विकनिते स्वमात्मानं भक्तेभ्यो भक्तवत्सलः।
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tulasī-dala-mātreṇa jalasya culukena ca।। vikanite svamātmānaṃ bhaktebhyo bhaktavatsalaḥ। 9.26
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“He does not need material treasures to please Him.”
Never go to Him with any material desire. Be assured that you will get whatever material opulence is destined for you in this life, with or without asking God for it. Love Him innocently like a child and you will get everything which bestows eternal bliss. In a nutshell, no idol or temple is as important as your love-sentiment and faith in God. The benefit of visiting a temple is to spend some time in a spiritual atmosphere, listen to the lectures of saints, and increase your devotional sentiments. If you are already doing all of this at home, you do not need to go anywhere else. Just continue to practice devotion and feel the presence of God and Guru all the time. Once your surrender is complete, God will come to you in person and grace you forever.
Never go to Him with any material desire. Be assured that you will get whatever material opulence is destined for you in this life, with or without asking God for it. Love Him innocently like a child and you will get everything which bestows eternal bliss. In a nutshell, no idol or temple is as important as your love-sentiment and faith in God. The benefit of visiting a temple is to spend some time in a spiritual atmosphere, listen to the lectures of saints, and increase your devotional sentiments. If you are already doing all of this at home, you do not need to go anywhere else. Just continue to practice devotion and feel the presence of God and Guru all the time. Once your surrender is complete, God will come to you in person and grace you forever.
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यदि आपको यह लेख लाभप्रद लगा तो संभवतः निम्नलिखित लेख भी लाभप्रद लगेगें
यदि आपको यह लेख लाभप्रद लगा तो संभवतः निम्नलिखित लेख भी लाभप्रद लगेगें
Kripalu Leelamritam
Shri Maharaj Ji once did a lecture series in Nagpur. During this time, the devotees organized a chariot procession (Rath Yatra) where Shri Maharaj Ji sat on a chariot and the procession went through several neighborhoods in the city. After that, Shri Maharaj Ji went to the town of Bharatpur in India.
To honor Shri Maharaj Ji and celebrate his visit to the city, the devotees of Bharatpur requested Shri Maharaj Ji’s permission to organize a Rath Yatra in their city as well. Shri Maharaj Ji agreed, but on the condition that he will chant while on the Rath, unlike the Nagpur Yatra, where he sat quietly on the chariot. The devotees readily agreed. The Rath Yatra began and Shri Maharaj Ji started chanting.
There were many devotees in the yatra including some senior government officials and distinguished citizens. There was so much divinity and bliss flowing during the rath yatra that everyone forgot about their stature in society and their physical presence and started dancing merrily. The procession passed in front of a Mosque and some namazis stopped by to watch the procession. Seeing everyone singing and dancing, completely oblivious to everything around them, they commented that, “the Hindu scriptures describe that everyone went crazy in bliss when Shri Krishna descended on the earth. Seeing this procession, we can imagine what that time would have been like”.
Some of them joined the rath yatra and started dancing. Next morning, the devotees narrated this story to Shri Maharaj Ji and everyone had a hearty laugh.
Moral
Shri Krishna said in the Bhagavata Mahapuran,
To honor Shri Maharaj Ji and celebrate his visit to the city, the devotees of Bharatpur requested Shri Maharaj Ji’s permission to organize a Rath Yatra in their city as well. Shri Maharaj Ji agreed, but on the condition that he will chant while on the Rath, unlike the Nagpur Yatra, where he sat quietly on the chariot. The devotees readily agreed. The Rath Yatra began and Shri Maharaj Ji started chanting.
There were many devotees in the yatra including some senior government officials and distinguished citizens. There was so much divinity and bliss flowing during the rath yatra that everyone forgot about their stature in society and their physical presence and started dancing merrily. The procession passed in front of a Mosque and some namazis stopped by to watch the procession. Seeing everyone singing and dancing, completely oblivious to everything around them, they commented that, “the Hindu scriptures describe that everyone went crazy in bliss when Shri Krishna descended on the earth. Seeing this procession, we can imagine what that time would have been like”.
Some of them joined the rath yatra and started dancing. Next morning, the devotees narrated this story to Shri Maharaj Ji and everyone had a hearty laugh.
Moral
Shri Krishna said in the Bhagavata Mahapuran,
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आचार्यं मां विजानीयान्नावमन्येत कर्हिचित् ।
न मर्त्यबुद्ध्यासूयेत सर्वदेवमयो गुरु: ॥ 11.17.27 ॥ |
ācāryaṃ māṃ vijānīyānnāvamanyeta karhicit ।
na martyabuddhyāsūyeta sarvadevamayo guru: ॥ 11.17.27 ॥ |
“the saint is another form of Me”.
Additionally,
Additionally,
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जानत तुमहिं तुमहिं है जाई
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jānata tumahiṃ tumahiṃ hai jāī
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“The one who gets to know God becomes one with God”, since after God-realization he immediately attains all the powers of God [1] and God Himself becomes his governor.
Sometimes, the pastimes of saints appear to replicate the pastimes of Shri Krishna himself. The saints are divine. One should not use their material intellect to pass judgments on them. Saints also give us a glimpse into the teachings of the scriptures, thereby reinforcing our faith in the scriptures
Sometimes, the pastimes of saints appear to replicate the pastimes of Shri Krishna himself. The saints are divine. One should not use their material intellect to pass judgments on them. Saints also give us a glimpse into the teachings of the scriptures, thereby reinforcing our faith in the scriptures
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Kid's Story
There once lived a little boy named Nachiketa. He was the son of Rishi Vājashravasa ( ). Once Rishi Vājashravasa organized a yagya (offering fire sacrifices) to please the Gods and gain heaven. It was a custom in those days to donate cows to Brahmins at the end of the yagna. Rishi Vājashravasa was a miser and he donated old, barren, blind and lame cows who hardly yielded any milk, to the Brahmins. Our scriptures tell us that one must donate only the very best of one’s possessions. Hence, Nachiketa was puzzled by his father's action. He thought he should be gifting the things which are dear to him since he intends to gain swarg, but he will go to Hell instead through such actions. He asked his father, “Father, to whom will you give me as charity or a gift?” His father ignored the question but Nachiketa repeated the question, Vājashravasa lost his temper and said, “Get away from here. I will give you to Yama, God of Death”. Being an obedient son Nachiketa set out to Yampuri, the abode of Yamraj. He reached Yama's kingdom but was told by Yama's guards that Yamraj had gone out for three days. Nachiketa decided to wait at his doorstep until he returned. He waited for three days without any food or water. He basically fasted for three days!
Upon his return, Yamraj was sorry to see that a Brahmin guest had been waiting so long without food and water. He told Nachiketa, "You have waited in my house for three days without hospitality, therefore ask three boons from me". Nachiketa first asked for peace for his father and himself. Yamraj agreed. Next, Nachiketa wished to learn the sacred fire sacrifice, which also Yamraj elaborated. For his third boon, Nachiketa wanted to learn the mystery of what comes after death. Yamraj was reluctant on this question. He said that this had been a mystery even to the gods. He asked Nachiketa to ask for some other boon, and offered many material gains.
But Nachiketa replied that material things will last only till death. He who has encountered death personally, how can he desire wealth? No other boon would do. Yamraj was secretly pleased with this disciple, and elaborated on the nature of the true Self, which persists beyond death. The key of the realization is that this soul is inseparable from Brahm, the supreme spirit, the vital force in the universe. Yamraj's explanation is a succinct explication of Hindu metaphysics, and focuses on the following points:
The goal of the wise is to know the real self, which is the soul. The soul is like a passenger; the horses are the senses, which he guides through the maze of desires.
At the time of death, the body dies but soul is immortal.
By mere reading of the scriptures or intellectual learning, one cannot realize the God. One must discriminate the soul from the body, which is the seat of desire.
The inability to realize God, results in one being enmeshed in the cycle of rebirths. Understanding God leads to moksha or liberation.
Thus having learned the wisdom of the Brahm from Yamraj, Nachiketa was freed from the cycle of births.
Moral
First approach a God-realized saint, with an inquisitive mind, ask him what the goal of life is, then trust his words and finally practice the same principles. Then realization of God would be possible.
Upon his return, Yamraj was sorry to see that a Brahmin guest had been waiting so long without food and water. He told Nachiketa, "You have waited in my house for three days without hospitality, therefore ask three boons from me". Nachiketa first asked for peace for his father and himself. Yamraj agreed. Next, Nachiketa wished to learn the sacred fire sacrifice, which also Yamraj elaborated. For his third boon, Nachiketa wanted to learn the mystery of what comes after death. Yamraj was reluctant on this question. He said that this had been a mystery even to the gods. He asked Nachiketa to ask for some other boon, and offered many material gains.
But Nachiketa replied that material things will last only till death. He who has encountered death personally, how can he desire wealth? No other boon would do. Yamraj was secretly pleased with this disciple, and elaborated on the nature of the true Self, which persists beyond death. The key of the realization is that this soul is inseparable from Brahm, the supreme spirit, the vital force in the universe. Yamraj's explanation is a succinct explication of Hindu metaphysics, and focuses on the following points:
The goal of the wise is to know the real self, which is the soul. The soul is like a passenger; the horses are the senses, which he guides through the maze of desires.
At the time of death, the body dies but soul is immortal.
By mere reading of the scriptures or intellectual learning, one cannot realize the God. One must discriminate the soul from the body, which is the seat of desire.
The inability to realize God, results in one being enmeshed in the cycle of rebirths. Understanding God leads to moksha or liberation.
Thus having learned the wisdom of the Brahm from Yamraj, Nachiketa was freed from the cycle of births.
Moral
First approach a God-realized saint, with an inquisitive mind, ask him what the goal of life is, then trust his words and finally practice the same principles. Then realization of God would be possible.
यह लेख पसंद आया ?
उल्लिखित कतिपय अन्य प्रकाशनों के आस्वादन के लिये चित्रों पर क्लिक करें
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