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Imported quote 13911 The word labdhvapavargyam is significant in this verse because according to Jiva Gosvami, apavargyam, or the path of liberation, does not refer to merging into the impersonal Brahman but to salokyadi-siddhi which means attaining the very planet where the Supreme Personality of Godhead resides. There are five kinds of liberation, and one is called sayujya-mukti, or merging into the existence of the Supreme or the impersonal Brahman effulgence. However, since there is a chance of one's falling down again into the material sky from the Brahman effulgence, Srila Jiva Gosvami advises that in this human form of life one's only aim should be to go back home, back to Godhead. The words sa vancitaḥ indicate that once a person has obtained the human form of life, he is actually cheated if he does not make preparations to go back home, back to Godhead. The position of all nondevotees who are not interested in going back to Godhead is very much lamentable, for the human form of life is meant for executing devotional service and nothing else.
(More...) Imported quote 14139 King Pracinabarhisat found the best spiritual master, Narada Muni, and he therefore asked him about that knowledge by which one can get out of the entanglement of karma-bandha-phahsa, fruitive activities. This is the actual business of human life. Jivasya tattva jijnasa nartho yas ceha karmabhiḥ (Bhag. 1.2.10). As stated in the Second Chapter of the First Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam, a human being's only business is inquiring from a bona fide spiritual master about extrication from the entanglement of karma-bandha-phahsa.
(More...) Imported quote 17313 Therefore in the Vedanta-sūtra it is said, athato brahma-jijnasa: "Now inquire about... Sit down about... Sit down quietly and inquire about the necessity, or the aim, of life." That is explained in the Srimad-Bhagavatam: jivasya tattva-jijnasa nartho yas ceha karmabhiḥ, kamasya nendriya-pritiḥ [SB 1.2.10]. Kamasya nendriya, kama. Here it is called kama. Kama means lust. So because we have got this body, therefore we must have some kama. That is a fact. You cannot avoid it. Lusty desire there is, and for the upkeep of the body the lusty desires may be fulfilled. But don't become lusty which is duspūram, which is never to be fulfilled. So kamasya na indriya-pritiḥ. Just like lusty desires, generally it is with reference to sex life. So sex life is required for the physiological condition of the body. That is nature's way. Or by giving birth to some nice children, that sex life is required. Otherwise, why God has made the arrangement of sex? There is need, but not duspūram. Kamasya na indriya-pritiḥ: "Don't use it for sense gratification." You use it to fulfill the real purpose. So these lusty desires, unless you live a very regulated life, then it will be duspūram, it will be never be fulfilled-always desire, always desire, always desire. So these demons, they accept the shelter of lusty desire which will never be fulfilled, will never be satiated.
(More...) Imported quote 18673 So the mission of human life should be how to clarify this consciousness again into that pure consciousness of Krsna, Krsna consciousness. That is the mission of human life. The consciousness is impure; therefore there are so many varieties, material varieties, and we are captivated by these material varieties. But that is not giving us any happiness. We are especially very much unhappy on account of janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi [Bg 13.9]. So if we want to get relief from the miserable condition of this material life... This place is described in the Bhagavad-gita, duḥkhalayam asasvatam [Bg 8.15]:
(More...) Imported quote 18907 So human life is meant for that purpose, not to practice how to imitate barking like the dog. No. That is not human life. Human life is meant for acquiring this bhava. Budha bhava-samanvitaḥ. In another place in the Bhagavad-gita it is said, budhaḥ...
(More...) Bhava-samanvitaḥ. Budhaḥ. Those who are actually learned, actually advanced, such persons-budha bhava-samanvitaḥ, bhajante mam. That is perfection of life. So take this opportunity, human life. Don't miss. You may be very proud of your intelligence, but this intelligence is not very good intelligence if you are devoid of Krsna consciousness. Then you are a mūḍha. If, by your intelligence, you learn how to surrender to Krsna and worship Him with bhava, that is real intelligence. Bahūnam janmanam ante jnanavan mam prapadyate [Bg 7.19]. And if you try to become intelligent, some tricks, material tricks, to get some money or cheat others, that is not very good intelligence. These cats and dogs that... They have also such intelligence. How to steal food from the room, the cat knows very well. So that is not intelligence. That intelligence can be found even birds, beasts, everywhere. Real intelligence is how to regain your Krsna consciousness and be promoted to the stage of bhava, and at the time of death maintain that bhava, and then your life is successful. Tyaktva deham punar janma naiti [Bg 4.9].
(More...) Imported quote 19019 Therefore this consciousness can be awakened in this human form of life. We can take education. We can understand from Vedic knowledge what is our position, what is our relationship with God, how we shall act in that relationship. These are the opportunities in this human form of life-not in the form of cats and dogs. So in spite of getting this opportunity, if we do not understand God, if we do not understand what is our relationship with God, then according to sastra it is called atma-ha. Atma-ha means suicide. If you cut your throat yourself, who can save you? So we should not become atma-ha and spoil this life. Durlabham manusam janma tad apy adhruvam arthadam [SB 7.6.1] This human form life, durlabham. After many, many millions of evolution, we have got it. So it is very durlabha. Jalaja nava-laksani sthavara laksa-vimsati [Padma Purana]. So we have got this opportunity by the grace of God, or the material nature has given us this opportunity. Now we should utilize it properly. This is Krsna consciousness movement. Don't spoil it.
(More...) Imported quote 19040 So this Hare Krsna movement is very authentic movement from the sastra, and Caitanya Mahaprabhu practice it, Narada Muni practice it. All the great sages, they practice it. The sastra says, kirtanad eva krsnasya mukta-sahgaḥ param vrajet [SB 12.3.51]. In this age, Kali-yuga, we are surrounded by so many faulty things checking our spiritual advancement of life. That is the only necessity of human being: the spiritual advancement of life. So far eating, sleeping, sex life and defense, everyone is doing in his own capacity. That is not the business. That is there. Even the birds, beasts, they are doing that. The only business of human life: athato brahma-jijnasa, to inquire about the Supreme, the same Brahman. Brahmanaḥ sthanam, bhavanam brahmanaḥ sthanam. Always think of brahmanaḥ. Sarvam khalv idam brahma.
(More...) Imported quote 22210 Please accept my greetings and sincere thanks for your kindly helping our movement in so many ways. The whole world is being misled by the blind leaders; they are keeping the people in darkness. Our present position is that we have got this human form of life after a great evolutionary process and this is the opportunity to understand God Krishna, and revive our original consciousness without which we are sure to go back to the cycle of birth and death.
(More...) Unless one is awakened to this position of questioning his suffering, unless he realizes that he doesn't want suffering but rather wants to make a solution to all sufferings, then one is not to be considered a perfect human being. Out of so many human beings who are suffering, there are a few who are actually inquiring about their position, as to what they are, why they are put into this awkward position and so on. Unless one is awakened to this position of questioning his suffering, unless he realizes that he doesn't want suffering but rather wants to make a solution to all sufferings, then one is not to be considered a perfect human being. Humanity begins when this sort of inquiry is awakened in one's mind. In the Brahma-sūtra this inquiry is called "brahma-jijnasa." Every activity of the human being is to be considered a failure unless he inquires about the nature of the Absolute. Therefore those who begin to question why they are suffering or where they came from and where they shall go after death are proper students for understanding Bhagavad-gita. The sincere student should also have a firm respect for the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Such a student was Arjuna.
(More...) We should know in perfect consciousness that human life is bestowed upon the conditioned soul to achieve spiritual success, and the easiest possible procedure to attain this end is to chant the holy name of the Lord. What is the value of a prolonged life which is wasted, inexperienced by years in this world? Better a moment of full consciousness, because that gives one a start in searching after his supreme interest.
(More...) Srila Sukadeva Gosvami instructed Maharaja Pariksit about the importance of chanting the holy name of the Lord by every progressive gentleman. In order to encourage the King, who had only seven remaining days of life, Srila Sukadeva Gosvami asserted that there is no use in living hundreds of years without any knowledge of the problems of life-better to live for a moment with full consciousness of the supreme interest to be fulfilled. The supreme interest of life is eternal, with full knowledge and bliss. Those who are bewildered by the external features of the material world and are engaged in the matter of the animal propensities of the eat-drink-and-be-merry type of life are simply wasting their lives by the unseen passing away of valuable years. We should know in perfect consciousness that human life is bestowed upon the conditioned soul to achieve spiritual success, and the easiest possible procedure to attain this end is to chant the holy name of the Lord. In the previous verse, we have discussed this point to a certain extent, and we may further be enlightened on the different types of offenses committed unto the feet of the holy name. Srila Jiva Gosvami Prabhu has quoted many passages from authentic scriptures and has ably supported the statements in the matter of offenses at the feet of the holy name. From Visnu-jamala Tantra, Srila Jiva Gosvami has proven that one can be liberated from the effects of all sins simply by chanting the holy name of the Lord. Quoting from the Markanḍeya Purana, Sri Gosvamiji says that one should neither blaspheme the devotee of the Lord nor indulge in hearing others who are engaged in belittling a devotee of the Lord. A devotee should try to restrict the vilifier by cutting out his tongue, and being unable to do so, one should commit suicide rather than hear the blaspheming of the devotee of the Lord. The conclusion is that one should neither hear nor allow vilification of a devotee of the Lord. As far as distinguishing the Lord's holy name from the names of the demigods, the revealed scriptures disclose (Bg. 10.41) that all extraordinarily powerful beings are but parts and parcels of the supreme energetic, Lord Krsna. Except the Lord Himself, everyone is subordinate; no one is independent of the Lord. Since no one is more powerful than or equal to the energy of the Supreme Lord, no one's name can be as powerful as that of the Lord. By chanting the Lord's holy name, one can derive all the stipulated energy synchronized from all sources. Therefore, one should not equalize the supreme holy name of the Lord with any other name. Brahma, Siva or any other powerful god can never be equal to the Supreme Lord Visnu. The powerful holy name of the Lord can certainly deliver one from sinful effects, but one who desires to utilize this transcendental potency of the holy name of the Lord in one's sinister activities is the most degraded person in the world. Such persons are never excused by the Lord or by any agent of the Lord. One should, therefore, utilize one's life in glorifying the Lord by all means, without any offense. Such activity of life, even for a moment, is never to be compared with a prolonged life of ignorance, like the lives of the tree and other living entities who may live for thousands of years without prosecuting spiritual advancement.
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