Google
Web         Gaudiya Discussions
Gaudiya Discussions Archive » RAGANUGA REMNANTS
Whatever is left over from the archives of the old Raganuga.Com forums after most of the substantial threads were moved to the relevant areas of the main forums.

On Kripaluji -



Madhava - Wed, 18 Sep 2002 21:09:26 +0530

Posted by Kamala in another thread



QUOTE
Seekers of Divne Love, who are familiar with Hindi language can understand and derive great benefit through listening to these valuable discourses on 'Raganuga Bhakti' (Divine Love) given by Sri Kripaluji Maharaj at this link:

Dear Anurag prabhuji,
Yes, I can understand Hind. I heard his lectures and even I brought some video casette of his from the ashram.
I am an Iskcon devotee. so don't feel offended if I ask you this question. When I went to Kripalu maharaj's sadhana mandir for few times I asked this question. What is the disciplic succession you are following they are not able to answer that. Even lord krishna when he came he accepted Guru and also Lord Sri chaitanya maha prabhu. Could you please enlighten on this matter to this fool person.
Jai sri Radhe syam
Madhava - Thu, 19 Sep 2002 00:42:25 +0530

Posted by Kamala:



What I heard from Kripalu maharaj is that you can even think Amita Bhachan as Krishna. In fact he is like villain cum actor in Hindi movies. More street fighting and stuff. How can I remember him to be like Krishna. When I think of that image I feel that villain/actor type mood. So can you please clarify this point. I can understand that we should see god everywhere. But for a neophyte like me it is very hard. Why I am asking these things is my close friends is started following Kripalu maharaj and I asked these questions. Like what parampare etc. he is not able give an answer but says he is an avatar of Chitanya mahaprabhu.  Any comments,
anuraag - Thu, 19 Sep 2002 10:00:18 +0530
Dear Kamalaji,

I do not waste my time convincing people, especially those who are not able to recognize a Nitya Siddha Mahapurusha who has appeared among us to distribute the most precious Vraja Prema Bhakti.
It is the loss of unfortunate souls and not the Saint's.

As a bhajananandi, I do share His rasik realizations expressed in soul-stirring, powerful songs, and teachings of Raganuga bhakti with the devotees who are able to relish Vraja Madhurya Prema Rasa of Sri Radhaji and Her Gopis.

Hope you'll be successful in your devotional search for following true Raganuga bhakti, and not misled by mere rubber stamping.

I have posted some clarification on the other thread explaing 'smaran' and 'roopa dhyan'.

Jaya Sri Radhey!
anuraag - Thu, 19 Sep 2002 10:51:50 +0530
QUOTE(raga @ May 28 2002,09:37)

posted by karunamayidas

out of curiosity what is Kripalu's siddha-deha in the world of Vraja?

Vrindavana Mahima-amrita,
composed by the Rasik Saint
Sri Prabodhananda Saraswati

Shataka Sixteen

20 In nectar Radha's pastime forest, where the moonlight of Her glory delights the kumuda lotus flowers of the poets' voices, I yearn to become a flowering vine.

Source: http://www.indiadivine.com/vrindavana-mahi...a-shataka16.htm

Jaya Sri Radhey!
It is interesting to note here that Radhaji's Maha Sakhi, Devi Tungavidya is yearning to become a flowering vine of the Nikunja in Divine Vrindavan!

The same desire is also expressed by Lord Krishna's friend, Dwaraka vasi, Uddhava in this verse :

"AsAmaho caraNa reNu juSamahaM zyAM
vRndAvane kimapi gulma latauSadhI nAM
yA dustyajaM svajana mArya pathaMca hitvA
bhejur mukunda padavIM zRti bhirvi mRgyAM"

(Bhagavatam 10.47.61)

Meaning-

The great Jnani devotee Uddhava, dedicated friend of Sri Krishna prayed-

"O Sri Krishna!
How fortunate I would be, to become a grove, a creeper, or a plant in the forest of VrindAvana, in order to be blessed with the "foot-dust" of the Gopis, who have cut off all bonds of worldly attachments and attained the highest state of transcendental Bliss of Divine love, which is being searched in Vedas, from time immemorial (but invain)!

So shall we 'speculate' the realizations of both these Siddha Mahapurusha saints being on the same level?

Jaya Sri Radhey!
anuraag - Thu, 19 Sep 2002 18:54:04 +0530
Kamalaji posted on Smaran:

QUOTE
Once I heard from a video from Jagat guru Kripalu Maharaja that you can even imagine a film star to be Krishna and meditate on it. So I got confused that is why I put this question?


This was my reply according to my understanding of Sri Kripaluji's teachings:

Jaya Sri Radhey! Namaste. If  'kamala' can understand Hindi language, here is some valuable information for Raganuga sadhak.

1. Bhakti ka Swaroop - The True Form of Devotion
2. Bhakti ki Mahima - The Greatness of Devotion
3. Bhakti kya hai? - What is Divine Love?

Seekers of Divne Love, who are familiar with Hindi language can understand and derive great benefit through listening to these valuable discourses on 'Raganuga Bhakti' (Divine Love) given by Sri Kripaluji Maharaj at this link:

http://www.jagadgurukripaluparishat.org/speeches/

Whether the 'Smarana' , 'Roopa Dhyan' is done on familiar personalities or paintings, pictures or deities, the 'smarana' is all still material and it is not considered as Divine contemplation.
So whatever helps the sadhaka to fondly remember  his/her Divine Beloved should be practiced, naturally and spontaneously.

"yena tena prakAreNa
manaH kRSNe nivezayat.."

Divine contemplation is only possible with Divinized  (liberated) mind and senses, when the heart of the devotee is completely purified and blessed with 'Divya Prema', the Svaroopa shakti of the Lord.
In other words only Siddha Prema Bhaktas, Rasik Saints are ever engaged in the Divine contemplation of Nitya lila.
All the rest are still have to engage their 'material' minds in 'sadhana' until they attain Siddha Prema Bhakti.

One can choose the most beautiful form of the Divine Couple according to one's taste, mellow (rasa) and affection for contemplation, so that one's divinelove is constantly increased, totally purifying one's heart, destroying all anarthas, impurities of the material mind.

This is the declaration of the Scriptures:

"bhidyate hRdaya graMthiz
chidyante sarva saMzayAh
kSIyante cAsya karmANi
mayi dRSTe 'khilAtmani."

(Bhagavatam 11. 24. 30)

The Blessed Lord said:

"When the devotee SEES ME,
the SELF OF ALL, the material knot
(body, mind, intellect, ego etc.,)
of his heart BREAKS TO PIECES,
all his doubts of avidya,
ignorance are dispelled and
all the accumulated karmas of the past
as well as karmas of the future are destroyed."

At the blessed moment of God-realization the pure devotee, Siddha Premi, only perceives Lord's original Divine Form, no matter on what form he or she has been contemplating during sadhana all along.  

"premAGjanacchurita bhakti vilocanena
santaH sa daiva hRdayeSu vilokayanti,
yaM zyAma sundaram acintya guNa svarUpaM
govindam Adi puruSaM tamahaM bhajAmi"

(Sri Brahma Samhita. 38)

"I worship my Lord Beloved Govinda, the Primeval Supreme Personality, Syama Sundara Whom the PURE DEVOTEES ever SEE in the CORE of their HEARTS with EYES ANOINTED with DIVINE LOVE, as His transcendental form is beyond  the contemplation of the material mind and His Blissful attributes as well as lilas are INCONCEIVABLE to ordinary MINDS (acintya guNa svarUpam)"

"aMgAni yasya sakalendriya vRttimanti
pazyanti pAnti kalayanti ciraM jaganti,
Ananda cinmaya sadujjvala vigrahasya
govindam Adi puruSaM tamahaM bhajAmi"

(Sri Brahma Samhitam. 32)

"I worship my Divine Beloved Govinda,
the primeval Supreme Personality,
Whose transcendental form is full of
Amorous Love, absolute Knowledge,
Truth and eternal Bliss.

EACH of the limbs of His transcendental figure
POSSESSES the FULL FLEDGED functions of ALL ORGANS,
and eternally perceives, pervades and maintains
countless souls and universes,
both spiritual as well as material."

Saint Tulasidas says in Sri Rama Carita Manas,

'prabhu vyApaka sarvatra samAnA,
prEma sE prakata hOm mai jAnA"

Lord is present equally every where and is known to be OMNIPRESENT.

But He MANIFESTS His Divine form by ONLY THROUGH Siddha PREMA Bhakti, DIVINE LOVE, to His pure devotees!

That is why Gauranga Mahaprabhu also said:

"athaH zrI kRSNa nAmAdi
na bhaved grAhyam indriyaiH,
sevonmukhe jihvAdau
svayam eva sphuraty adaH"

"ataeva kRSNera 'nAma','deha','vilAsa'
prAkRtendriya grAhya nahe, haya sva prakAza"

C.C.2.17.134, BRS

With these "MATERIAL MIND, SENSES DEVOID OF PURE LOVE", ONE CAN NOT UNDERSTAND NOR PERCIEVE the TRANSCENDENTAL FORM, HOLY NAME AND HIS BLISSFUL EXPLOITS.

HOWEVER, WHEN ONE IS ACTUALLY DEVOTED TO HIM IN SPONTANEOUS LOVING SERVICE, Seva, LORD IS REVEALED BY HIS DIVINE GRACE."

I hope this information is helpful to the devotees.

Jaya, Jaya Sri Radhey!
anuraag - Fri, 20 Sep 2002 20:27:41 +0530
Posted by Kamala:

QUOTE
I am an Iskcon devotee. so don't feel offended if I ask you this question. When I went to Kripalu maharaj's sadhana mandir for few times I asked this question.


Two years ago this question was refered to Sri Kripaluji Maharaj's Pracarak-preacher in New York City, Swami Sridharananda, a (Western) Canadian citizen, who in the beginning was also attracted to Lord RadhaKrishna through ISKCON.
But only after he met Sri Kripaluji, he was able to do his Raganuga bhakti sadhana and consequently he took full shelter at his Sri Guru's lotusfeet.

Here is the message from another board:

Dear Seekers,

I have two messages forwarded from Swami Sridhara Anandaji answering the questions raised by other Seekers of God.

Please derive spiritual benefit from them.

Message-1

Regarding Parampara-Disciplic Successsion

Radhe Radhe !

Shree Maharaj ji has explained that paramparaa is not the key. As the letter you forwarded attests, someone may later find the paramparaa false. If one link in the multi-linked chain is weak, the paramparaa is 100% useless in terms of God realization.
Why? Because the so-called guru in front of you is not God realized, and therefore cannot deliver you to the lotus feet of our Lord.

The real question then is not, "Is the paramparaa real?". For we can hardly say for sure what has transpired in the last three days, never mind what happened a thousand years ago !

The real question is, "Is the person in front of me a real guru?".

How the person became God-realized is hardly concern for the aspirant, for a God-realized soul is pure, beyond Maya, has all the good powers of God (except the power of creation), and is a true and worthy Guru, chosen by God to be blessed above all worldly measure.

Shree Maharaj ji has suggested that we stay in the association of someone we suspect to be a real guru. follow his suggestions, and serve him.

If he is real guru, one will find their material attachments
disappearing and the true spiritual path opening before them.

Shree Maharaj ji is the only real guru I have ever seen, although I tested many many so-called gurus before I met Him. To be in His presence is to experience the bliss of Divine grace and the very real presence of God.

He is showering the Divine Love at each moment upon
the deserving souls. Who would ask such a Supreme charioteer to see his driver's license.

Good roopadhyaan and speedy success,

Swamiji

Divine Love is the goal of our life. Premaa Bhakti !

Message- 2

God Realization

Dear Devotees,

Lord Krishna is the Supreme God. There is no other personality equal to the Supreme Lord. He has many uncountable divine qualities..No one could ever enumerate all of the wonderful qualities of the Supreme Lord. Lord Krishna is beautifying the whole universe with his presence. When Lord Krishna wears a Garland, it is a Garland’s beauty that is increased.

No one can ever imagine the grandeur of God-realization, for God-realization is a matter of understanding for the divine mind, not for the material mind. One is bound to have a material mind until God-realization.

Only upon God-realization does one attain a divine mind.

Therefore it may be conclusively understood that the topic of God-realization is one that must be understood through the medium of a preceptor. This is an ancient truth that has been accepted by all of the Saints of all time. The Sanskrit word for preceptor is “Guru”.

There is no more important topic to be understood than that of guru. Let us in our meditations focus on the logical necessity of a guru in our lives.

Without a guru nothing can be attained that is eternal.
With a guru nothing is beyond our capacity.
With a guru nothing divine lies beyond our grasp.
With a guru nothing is impossible.
With a guru everything may be understood.
With the grace of a guru our dreams of tomorrow become our reality of today.
With the grace of a guru our hopes are fulfilled.
With the grace of a guru our worldly mind becomes divine.
With the grace of a guru power to accomplish is ours.
With the grace of a guru our eyes are opened.
With the grace of a guru our opened eyes become divine.

Just as Arjuna receive divine vision from his guru, Lord Shree Krishna, so may we received the gift of divine vision from a true guru.
There is no question here of percentages. The guru must be real. The student must be real. Then the success will be real.

Just as a magnetic force works only upon iron, so the Divine Love which is being bestowed by the Guru upon all living entities, is only received by the true, humble, and fathomlessly aspiring devotee.
This means that we must crave God. We must crave His Divine Love.
Already we are craving that the torments of material existence should end for us forever.
Already we have craving that we should never experience unhappiness. It is by the grace of God that we can go immeasurably far beyond the mere cessation of material sorrow.
It is by the grace of a God that we have knowledge of Sanatan Dharm. It is by following Sanatan Dharm that we can attain divine happiness. When one has divine happiness, perpetual happiness, uninterrupted happiness, then from where shall one experience sorrow?

Real happiness exists! Yet there is no happiness in the world.
Real happiness exists! Yet we have not attained it.
Real happiness exists, but we lack faith.

Our first step than is to look inside and find our faith.

Through Prem Bhakti, giving our love to God, Lord Krishna shall surely and quickly manifest within us “Shraddha” which is perfect faith.
When we seek a guru with perfect faith… faith not in our own minds, not in our worldly oppulences, not in our great intellects, but when we seek a guru with perfect faith in the Supreme Lord, then Lord Krishna will answer our call just as he rescued Draupadi in her hour of need.

Meditate deeply upon all these things.

Jaya Jaya Shree Radhe ! Jaya Jaya Shree Radhe ! Jaya Jaya Shree Radhe !

Swamiji
Swami.Anand@Verizon.net
anuraag - Mon, 23 Sep 2002 23:01:04 +0530
QUOTE(anuraag @ Sep. 18 2002,23:30)
I do not waste my time convincing people, especially those who are not able to recognize a Nitya Siddha Mahapurusha who has appeared among us to distribute the most precious Vraja Prema Bhakti.
It is the loss of unfortunate souls and not the Saint's.

As a bhajananandi, I do share His rasik realizations expressed in soul-stirring, powerful songs, and teachings of Raganuga bhakti with the devotees who are able to relish Vraja Madhurya Prema Rasa of Sri Radhaji and Her Gopis. 

Hope you'll be successful in your devotional search for following true Raganuga bhakti, and not misled by mere rubber stamping.

I have posted some clarification on the other thread explaing 'smaran' and 'roopa dhyan'.
Jaya Sri Radhey!


The Divine Lover declares:

parivadatu jano yathA tathA vA
nanu mukharo na vayaM vicArayAmaH

hari rasa madirA madAtimattA
bhuvi viluThAmo naTAmo nirvizAmaH
anuraag - Mon, 21 Oct 2002 09:19:08 +0530
Glorious Sharada Purnima - Sri Kripaluji's Appearance Day

Jaya Sri Radhey! Namaste all.

Bhakti Yoga Rasavatar, Jagadguru Sri Kripaluji Maharaj has appeared on the most auspicious day of 'Sharad Purnima' eighty years ago, to enrich the fortunate souls with 'KRISHNA PREMA DHANA', transcendental treasure of selfless Divine Love.

On this glorious day of 'Sharada Purnima', 'autumn fullmoon' which is the most sacred day for all the Rasika Mahapurusha, and the Raganuga devotees, Lord Radha-Krishna's 'MAHA RASA LILA' had taken place.

In this Blissful Lila countless blessed Gopis received the Supreme Divine Bliss of Beloved Lord Krishna, through the Grace of Srimati Radharani.

It is beyond description of words for ordinary souls.

This pastime was fully narrated by the liberated soul, Sri Sukadeva Paramahamsa in Srimad Bhagavatam, 10th canto.

The Rasik Saint Sri Bilva Mangala Thakurji has also glorified 'Maha Rasa Lila' through his eight sublime verses of "Rasa Lilashtakam".

aGganAm aGganAmantare mAdhavo
mAdhavaM mAdhavaM cAntareNAGganA
ittham Akalpite maNDale madhyagaH
saGjagau veNunA devakI nandanaH


- Rasa Lilashtakam, verse.1

user posted image

Lord Madhava, the Beloved of Radhika,
placed Himself between every
two beautiful Damsels of Vraja.
And between the two blissful forms of Madhava,
each blessed Gopi herself manifested.

Having made this incomprehensible arrangement on
the sacred arena for the performance of
the magnificent Divine Dance, Lord Krishna,
the transcendental joy of mother Devaki,
sported blissfully playing on His enchanting flute.


jayati jagad-guru guru-vara kI !
gAvO mili AratI rasika-vara kI !


All gories to the universal teacher of Divine Love,
the pure Rasik Saint on the earth, Sri Kripalu ji!