Priya Kunj Ras

Anartha means obstacles in the path of Bhakti. There are four kinds of Anarthas :  Dushkriti jaata Anartha  Sukriti jaata Anartha Aparadha jaata Anartha Bhaktyuttha Anartha 1.   Dushkriti Jata Anartha: These are the obstacles that result from our bad deeds of this life and previous lives. They come in the form of diseases, disappointments, quarrels, loss and tragedies. As soon as you start engaging in bhajan, someone comes and starts quarrelling with you for insignificant issues. Or, a new neighbour arrives in your neighbourhood and constantly argues with you. If that is somehow taken care of, then your family members start quarrelling in your home. If that is somehow subdued, you develop a new disease. Now, you need to run to the doctor every now and then. Lack of time for chanting. One after the other, small and big issues crop up so that the sadhak is not able to engage in bhajan with determination and progress forward.   But there is one good thi...

Videos:  https://youtu.be/DC0mizLPtic & https://youtu.be/6TWRVVhnCJ0 One must consider Guru as personification of the supreme Godhead Krishna himself. How is this possible? Suppose someone gave you a lemon to chew but warned that you must think this is a sweet Rasgulla. Now while you chew on it, your mouth sense sourness but you have to convince yourself and everyone that it tastes so sweet. (This is the problem many devotees face since they do not see the qualifications of a Guru described in the scriptures in their Guru but the same scriptures say that doubting one's Guru is a serious offense to Guru tatva). But how then the disciple is supposed to accept this verdict of the scriptures? Guru is not a person but a tatva. The personal qualities and faults of the person being regarded as Guru have nothing to do with that tatva. (Though the qualities of a pure devotee affects those who come for his association, the faith of the disciple most importantly decides wha...

Krishna, the beloved son of Yashoda and Nand Baba, desired to play and pick flowers in his gardens, early in the morning. Sweetly, he asked mother Yashoda if he could go to the gardens to play. Mother Yashoda lovingly gave permission. Krishna did not call brother Balaram to play, since the divine pastimes of Goloka are designed and directed by Sri Yogamaya Devi herself. Roaming around the gardens of Nand bhavan, Krishna was enjoying and marvelling at the beauty of various flowers and the expertly designed gardens, but his joyous heart was not satisfied and he continued exploring the gardens. Suddenly, he saw another Krishna roaming in the garden! He looked exactly the same and carried a basket of flowers in his arms. Krishna was bewildered. The other Krishna also noticed him and looked annoyed and defensive. Krishna cautiously approached the other Krishna and demanded, "Who are you? What are you doing here?" The other Krishna was surprised and said, "What do you ...

The attraction to worldly pleasures is not a fault, but has become a habit of the jivatma due to the Samskaras of innumerable previous births. Through the association of highly enlightened sadhus, when the sadhak starts realizing that there is a higher reason to take birth as humans rather than living for food and mating like animals, they worship God. Slowly, they rise the ladder of Bhakti: Shraddha (faith), Sadhusanga (association of elevated sadhus), Bhajan kriya (practicing the forms of Bhakti), Anartha nivritti (the emergence and winning over the obstacles of Bhakti), Nishtha (diligence in bhajan), Ruchi (the first signs of love of Krishna), Asakti (the stage when sadhak starts forgetting his identification with body due to continuous contemplation of Krishna), Bhava (the stage when the sadhak realizes his Bhava deha in spiritual world) and Prem (the full maturity of Bhava and realizing darshan of Radha Krishna in person). The sadhak must not feel disheartened at his...

Shri Guru charana padma, kevala bhakati sadma, Bando mui savdhan mate. Jahaar prasade bhai, ei bhava torita jayi, Krishna prapti hoy jaha haite . Meaning : I bow down respectfully to the lotus feet of Sri Gurudev which are abode of spiritual devotion. O brother, as a result of this, I will transcend this cycle of birth and death, and I will attain Krishna. The Guru tatva is very deep and mystical. Krishna tatva, Bhagvat tatva, Prem tatva, Lila tatva, Ras tatva, Maya tatva - among all the tatvas included in Para tatva, the Guru tatva is the most secretive and mystical. Krishna showers his mercy on the sadhak through the medium Gurudev, and not directly. That is why, if a sadhak begins to doubt the necessity of initiation from a Guru or the eligibility of Guru after having accepting initiation, it is very unfortunate and harbinger of misfortune in the path of Bhakti. Many scholars have written articles and books on Guru tatva. All have their own perspective on t...

Yes, we all have bad samskaras, the materialistic inclinations that we have acquired through several lives. But do you think those bhaktas you read about in Bhaktamaal and even Shrimad Bhagvatam didn't have such samskaras? From those who were proud of their knowledge, caste, wealth, power, etc. to drunkards, from savage dacoits to prostitutes, what samskaras did you see? Bhajan means to remember your Ishta all the time. One has to persevere in remembering him and chanting his name day and night. It's natural to fail. But you have to try again. When a small child learns to write for the first time, he is not able to draw even a single straight line. His hand shakes and makes ridiculous shapes. The parent holds his hand and makes an 'A', but as soon as he leaves his hand, 'A' becomes a ball of weirdly drawn lines. If you say, since he is not able to write it's useless to teach him, that would be wrong. His every line, every try is part of his learning p...

A deep commitment to spiritualism is a result of spiritual practice of several lives. Similarly, one is attracted to a Guru he has relation with through several lives. Through several lives, one forms a samskara (a subconscious impression) of what kind of Guru he wants and thus, is attracted to him. One cannot TRY to get mercy of Guru, except engaging in some feeble sadhana. Bhagvat Geeta says: "Mahatmanas tu mam partha daivim prakitim asritah, bhajantya ananya-manaso gyatva bhutadim avyayam". O Parth, those who are not deluded, the great souls, are under the protection of the divine nature. They are undeviatingly engaged in devotional service because they know Me as the origin of all creations and eternal. Everyone cannot do bhajan. They will not even be inclined to do bhajan. They might be content to engage in bhakti on a very superficial level, but a deep commitment to spiritual progress comes from a samskara of several lives. And for them, their Gu...

Piteous state. Slackened mind, intellect and thought processes. Consistently surrounded by problems. Adhi (natural disasters), Vyadhi (illness) and Upadhi (social propreity that come with name and fame) eating away one's mental peace. Sunk in bad association. Easily influenced by Maya. Constantly harrassed by material desires. All these describe the state of the jeevatma in this Kaliyuga. If someone is still able to persevere in the bhakti sadhana of Radha Krishna then it is only due to mercy of Guru and rise of samskaras of previous lives. Harinaam is the best and the primary way of bhakti sadhana, all other forms of bhakti are secondary to Harinaam. "Harer naam harer naam harer naamaiva kevalam,  kalau nasteyiva nasteyiva nasteyiva gatiranyatha." Meaning: Harinam is the only, only and only way to acquire bhakti. In kaliyuga, there is no, no, just no other way. (The purpose of saying thrice is to emphasize on its importance). Even without any sacri...

Manjaris and Radharani share the same soul. They are so dear to Srimati Radharani that even if they become little happy, the happiness multiplies in Radharani. Automatically, Radharani becomes extremely happy and starts celebrating, as they are the same entity, same soul. Radharani is always striving and looking for ways - how can they get happiness and the Manjaris are always desiring, how can Radharani become happy. Here, happiness (sukha) means the enjoyment pastime (ananda-lila). Service is not just a mere formality. What is the necessity for such service? She is fully self-satisfied (Atmaram, Atmakam , Purnokam). There is no lack of happiness. Services like massaging the lotus feet, offering food and drinks, hairdressing, bathing her, etc … What is the requirement of all this? The manjaris and Radharani make each other happy. The happiness gets multiplied a hundred times and they get immersed in infinite ocean of joy and happiness. The Nature (Prakriti) in Goloka is fully c...