CONTENTS:
- LILA AVATARS (PART - 4)
- QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
- SRILA PRABHUPADA'S APPRECIATION
- GURU MAHARAJA’S INSTRUCTIONS
1. LILA AVATARS (PART - 4)
BG 2.23
nainam chindanti sastrani
nainam dahati pavakah
na caiman kledayanty apo
na sosayati marutah
TRANSLATION
The soul can never be cut to pieces by any weapons, nor burdened by fire, nor moistened by water, nor withered by the wind.
So that is the identity of the spirit soul. In this way Krishna explains very nicely the difference between matter and spirit. The very basic spiritual information is not available to the people of this world. How many people know that? Hardly anyone. This knowledge is not given in the Universities, schools or colleges.
When Prabhupada went to the MIT in Boston, Prabhupada’s first question was, “Where the department that studies what happens to a person when he dies was?” In this way the first thing that Prabhupada pointed out to the great educators of this world is that they are just fools, they don’t have any information whatsoever. The most important thing is not at all being considered in our education system and that is why the world is becoming more and more degraded with the passing of time. Therefore, Prabhupada established this International Society for Krishna Consciousness to give this proper education to people in general. This is open to all; anyone can come and enroll his or herself in this educational institution and make his life really successful. At least we are benefitting because Prabhupada came, we at least found some information about our true identity otherwise prior to reading Srila Prabhupada’s books and joining this institution we all were thinking that we are this bodies and the ultimate goal of our existence is to enjoy through this body. Due To Srila Prabhupada’s teachings we have realized that this body is just a covering of our real self.
BG 2.22
vasamsi jirnani yatha vihaya
navani grhnati naro ‘parani
tatha sarirani vihaya jirnany
anyani samyati navani dehi
TRANSLATION
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.
In plain and simple words this body is just a dress for the spirit soul. Now if a person is only concerned about his dress will he be very intelligent? If somebody just takes care of his dress but doesn’t take care of his self, he won’t be considered intelligent. He makes the dress look very nice but doesn’t give any food to this body will he be considered intelligent or will he enjoy? No. Similarly, if we are only concerned with the body and not the soul then this is not at all intelligent. So, the real intelligent person is he who takes care of the soul. The soul’s welfare and this is the know the difference between matter and spirit and recognize the soul’s real spiritual identity and recognize the Supreme soul of whose part and parcel we, individual souls are and as part and parcels what is our relationship with that Supreme Personality of Godhead and finally how we can become re-established in our lost relationship with the Lord. In this way Srila Prabhupada actually showed us how to make our life successful and when one follows the instructions of Srila Prabhupada and lives his life accordingly then he naturally becomes very joyful and his life becomes very successful. Does anyone have any question?
2. QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Question unclear
A: Ultimately it is coming from the Vedic culture, sitar is a modification of an instrument called vina. Tubla is a modification of mrdanga. The mrdanga was broken into two. Shehnai is kind of a flute and flute is played by Krishna. The voice was the main part and the others was just a support to the vocal presentation. I didn’t hear it from Prabhupada as such that you can play shehnai because it creates a very nice mood in the morning. Also, it is played by the Muslims, they were not like ordinary Muslims they were vegetarians and completely absorbed in this music that they were cultivating. In many cases they were converted, so much exploitation was going on in the name of religion that lower class of people converted voluntarily or forcibly because they found Muslim religion more broad and accommodating. Most of the artisans were considered Sudras, low class and they converted into Muslims but they maintained their deep attachment to the Vedic culture especially those musicians and artisans.
That is what Vedic culture is, it’s so deep that nothing can shake it. For example, in Kerala there is a very strong Christian influence as most of the inhabitants became Christians but there are Brahman Christians, Vaishya Christians, Sudra Christians and the Brahman Christian won’t give his daughter in marriage to a Sudra Christian. Islam is different because they are very intolerant, once one becomes a Muslim that they have to sever all their links with Vedic culture. At the same time one of the greatest musicians of India was Allauddin Khan, he was a sitar player and was the guru of Ravi Shankar. He used to worship Kali although he was a Muslim. Ravi Shankar’s wife is actually Allauddin Khan’s daughter and her name is Annapurna. She was a very good sitar player.
Shehnai is played during weddings in India but the name is a Muslim name, it’s not typical Vedic instrument but a modification as such and the ragas are all from the Vedas. The Muslims just took it and modified it. They used it for their sense gratification. Music and dance were performed in the temples but the Muslims took it to their courts and used it for their sense gratification. Music and dance were meant for glorifying Krishna and giving pleasure to Krishna.
3. SRILA PRABHUPADA'S APPRECIATION
Therefore, Prabhupada established this International Society for Krishna Consciousness to give this proper education to people in general. This is open to all; anyone can come and enrol his or herself in this educational institution and make his life really successful. At least we are benefitting because Prabhupada came, we at least found some information about our true identity otherwise prior to reading Srila Prabhupada’s books and joining this institution we all were thinking that we are this bodies and the ultimate goal of our existence is to enjoy through this body. Due To Srila Prabhupada’s teachings we have realized that this body is just a covering of our real self.
4. GURU MAHARAJA’S INSTRUCTIONS
In this way Srila Prabhupada actually showed us how to make our life successful and when one follows the instructions of Srila Prabhupada and lives his life accordingly then he naturally becomes very joyful and his life becomes very successful.
(The content of this E-magazine is based on a lecture given by His Holiness Bhakti Charu Swami entitled Lila Avatars given on 2 August 1993)
(Compiled and Edited by Hemavati Radhika Devi Dasi)