Priya Kunj Ras

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...