Srimad Bhagavad Gita AS IT IS

Bhagavad Gita:   Chapter 6 - Dhyana-yoga

TEXT 26

                           yato yato niscalati
                         manas cancalam asthiram
                         tatas tato niyamyaitad
                         atmany eva vasam nayet

WORD FOR WORD

   yatah yatah--wherever; niscalati--becomes verily agitated; manah--the mind; cancalam--flickering; asthiram--unsteady; tatah tatah--from there; niyamya--regulating; etat--this; atmani--in the self; eva--certainly; vasam--control; nayet--must bring under.

TRANSLATION

   From wherever the mind wanders due to its flickering and unsteady nature, one must certainly withdraw it and bring it back under the control of the self.
 
PURPORT by HDG Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupad:

   The nature of the mind is flickering and unsteady. But a self-realized yogi has to control the mind; the mind should not control him. One who controls the mind (and therefore the senses as well) is called gosvami, or svami, and one who is controlled by the mind is called go-dasa, or the servant of the senses. A gosvami knows the standard of sense happiness. In transcendental sense happiness, the senses are engaged in the service of Hrsikesa, or the supreme owner of the senses--Krsna. Serving Krsna with purified senses is called Krsna consciousness. That is the way of bringing the senses under full control. What is more, that is the highest perfection of yoga practice.

His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Copyright 1983 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International. Used with permission.

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Prabhupada Uvacha:
(here's some nectar, sometimes it comes in the form of Srutakirti prabhu's diary, other times from Govinda dasi's diary, Hari Sauri prabhu's Transcendental Diary, Bhurijan prabhu's book, or sometimes from a letter, or other related source, but still nectar...)

Krsna saved him. Because he is devotee.

Rupanuga prabhu came by in the afternoon and chatted with Srila Prabhupada for a while in his sitting room.

Prabhupada was talking about how crazy things are becoming. The organization run by Mrs. Kochar in Delhi condemns our Movement and yet at the same time is spending one hundred sixty-nine lakhs of rupees per year inviting people from around the world to speak on culture. Srila Prabhupada sarcastically questioned what kind of culture it could be. "They can speak, 'Milk is dangerous and meat is very nutritious. Kill all the cows. Oh, yes, it's very scientific.' This is their culture. 'Milk is dangerous.' Is it not?"

We agreed. Pusta Krsna Maharaja told him that he had read a newspaper article this morning which said that if women did not breast feed their babies they would have to increase the size of the herds of cows, with connotation that this would be a bad thing.

Srila Prabhupada responded that their solution would be to kill the children. He gave Rupanuga two examples he heard from his disciples of the callous nature of today's motherhood. "Kartikeya told me. After many years he went to see his mother, and mother was going to ball dance. And mother said, 'Wait, I am coming back.' And he was surprised. He told me. Son has come home after many years, and she could not talk with him; she was going to ball dance. This is the mother."

Rupanuga reflected that there is not even mother-love any more.

"Mother killing," Srila Prabhupada told him. Looking in my direction he told him, "He was about to be killed. He admits. His grandmother advised the mother. Yes. Krsna saved him. Because he is devotee, some way or other, he was saved." He asked me if my grandmother was still living.

"Just."

Prabhupada gave a little laugh. "Why don't you say, 'You wanted to kill me, just see, I'm chanting Hare Krsna.'"

I told him, "I don't think it would be received very well."

Pusta Krsna quipped, "She might say, 'See, I was right.'"

Prabhupada shook his head in sadness and disgust. "Mother advising young daughter to kill her child."

- From the "A Transcendental Diary Vol 3" by HG Hari Sauri dasa

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Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

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"Remember Krishna Without Deviation"

66/11/16 New York, Bhagavad-gita 8.14-15
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 8.14-15 -- New York, November 16, 1966
 

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Prabhupada:

ananya-cetah satatam
yo mam smarati nityasah
tasyaham sulabhah partha
nitya-yuktasya yoginah
 [Bg. 8.14]

Last day we have been discussing the, how the impersonalists, they transfer themselves in the spiritual kingdom. The yogis and the jnanis, they are generally impersonalists. So for them, the process -- at the time of death, they vibrate the transcendental sound om, omkara, and by that way they transfer to the spiritual world, but they do not enter into the spiritual planet. This point we have discussed. And the risk is that if we do not have any rest in the spiritual planet, if we remain in the outer space only, then there is risk of coming down again in this material world.

The Bhagavata confirms it:

ye 'nye 'ravindaksa vimukta-maninas
tvayy asta-bhavad avisuddha-buddhayah
aruhya krcchrena param padam tatah
patanty adho 'nadrta-yusmad-anghrayah
 [SB 10.2.32]

It is said that "Persons who are interested of becoming liberated," ye 'nye 'ravindaksa vimukta-maninah, "simply by the concept of impersonal merging into the spiritual existence," so ye 'nye 'ravindaksa, "they consider themselves that they are liberated." That is also point of liberation, but the Bhagavata says that "Although they consider themself as liberated, the avisuddha-buddhayah..." Avisuddha means their knowledge is not very pure, not yet pure. Avisuddha-buddhayah. The result is aruhya krcchrena param padam tatah: [SB 10.2.32] "They can rise up to the Supreme Absolute platform by their penances and austerities, meditation." That is right. They can reach to that platform. Aruhya krcchrena. Aruhya krcchrena means "raising themselves, elevating themselves by severe penances to that platform," aruhya krcchrena param padam [SB 10.2.32], the Supreme Absolute platform. But patanty adhah: "They again fall down in this material world." Why? Anadrta: "Because they have not taken seriously about Your personal feature." Anadrta-yusmad-anghrayah: "Without worshiping Your lotus feet, the result is that they come down again in this material world."

Just like however you may rise in this material space, five thousand feet or any, if you have no rest in any planet, then naturally you'll come down again, naturally, because you have no rest. So in the spiritual effulgence, if we do not have any rest, then we are sure to come back again down. The reason is -- that I have already explained -- that our life... We, as living entities, we are part and parcel of the Supreme, sac-cid-ananda. We want pleasure. So impersonal feature does not give us that pleasure which we want, which is our demand. That pleasure is available in the spiritual planets. If you enter in any of the spiritual planets, then that spiritual happiness and exchange of pleasure you can attain. Therefore the Lord says, Krsna, ananya-cetah satatam yo mam smarati nityasah: "A person without any deviation..." Ananya-cetah. Without any consideration of jnana, yoga, or any other process... Simply devotional process, simply surrendered process... "My Lord, I am Your eternal servant. Please give me Your service. Let me engage. Let me be engaged in Your service." This is called ananya-cetah. Ananya-cetah satatam. Satatam means always, twenty-four hours, cent percent, without any deviation. This is Krsna consciousness. If anyone is engaged in such Krsna consciousness, twenty-four hours and cent percent, then yo mam smarati nityasah, always remembering... Suppose if you are engaged in some work, naturally you'll be thinking of that particular work. When you go to your office and work, oh, you have to think always of the office business. That is quite natural. Similarly, if you engage yourself in the business of Krsna consciousness, naturally you'll be always thinking of Krsna. Therefore it is said, yo mam smarati nityasah: "Always remembering Me." Tasyaham sulabhah partha: [Bg. 8.14] "My dear Partha, Arjuna, for him I am very cheap." Sulabhah means very easily available.

continued.......................

(Translated from Padma Purana)

Once upon a time, thousands of sages came together in the holy place called Naimisaranya to perform sacrifice. To their very good fortune the great sage Suta Goswami, who had been traveling to different pilgrimage sites, arrived there along with his disciples. The sages present were very enlivened to see him. They all stood up immediately to pay their respects to the great sage, offered him a very nice Vyasasana, and requested him with folded hands to sit down on it.

The sages of Naimisaranya said to Suta Goswami with folded hands, “O Sutaji! We humbly request you to tell us something about the wonderful activities and pastimes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. There are many thousands of such narrations, but we want to hear the most perfect one, by following which we can all be delivered from this Material Ocean and return back to Godhead.

Hearing the request made by these sages, headed by Saunaka Rsi, Suta Goswami began to speak, “O sages, please listen to me. I first went to Puskara Tirtha, then after visiting thousands of other holy places, I reached Hastinapura. There on the bank of Ganges, I saw thousands of sages sitting together with Pariksit Maharaja. Just then the great sage Sukadeva Goswami appeared, and all the sages present paid him proper respect by rising from their seats with folded hands. All the sages unanimously offered the Vyasasana to Sukadeva Goswami, who would speak Krishna katha to Pariksit Maharaja.

Suta Goswami said, “O sages, I have just come from Hastinapura where I heard Srimad Bhagavatam from the lotus mouth of Sukadeva Goswami. Now I will tell you about the all-attractive activities and pastimes of the Lord.

Once, long ago, Sri Narada Muni reached Badrika Ashram, the residence of Sri Narayana Rishi. The river Alakananda was flowing down from His lotus feet. Narada paid his obeisances to Narayana and prayed, “Oh Lord of the demigods, Oh ocean of mercy! Oh master of creation, You are all truthful, the essence of all truths. I offer my obeisances unto You. “Oh Lord! In this material world all living entities are busily engaged in sense gratification. They have all forgotten the ultimate goal of life. Therefore please explain something which will be helpful both for householders and sages in the renounced order like me, something that will help us attain self realization and return back to Godhead.”

Hearing the sweet words of Narada, Lord Narayana smiled. He said, “O Narada, please listen to the narrations about the supremely pious pastimes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krishna, for they will diminish all sinful reaction. You already know of all the activities of the Supreme Lord, but for the benefit of others, you are asking Me again. So now I will tell you about the glories of the sacred Purushottama month, which is fully potent to grant not only all material happiness but also qualify one to return back to Godhead at the end of life.

Naradji enquired, “O Lord, I have heard the glories of all months including Kartika, Chaitra, etc., but which month is this Purushottama month? O ocean of mercy, please tell me all about this sacred month.

What is the way to glorify this month? What should I do in this month? How should I take bath, give in charity, etc. What should I chant? Who should I worship? Should I observe fasting in this month?” Please tell me everything in detail.

Suta Goswavmi said, “O sages, after hearing all these questions form Narada, Lord Narayana began to speak from His moon-like lotus mouth, “O Narada, I will tell you something which was previously explained by Lord Sri Krishna to Maharaja Yudhisthira. Once Dharmaraja Yudhisthira lost everything—his empire, his palace and even his chaste wife Draupadi—to Duryodhana in a gambling match. At that time Draupadi was insulted by Dusasana in front of the whole royal assembly. But when Dusasana had tried to strip Draupadi naked, she was saved from such a dangerous situation by Lord Sri Krishna. After this incident, Yudhisthira Maharaja along with his brothers and wife left his kingdom and lived in Kamyavan, Vrindavan.

Once Sri Krishna, son of Devaki, visited the Pandavas in that forest. All the Pandavas, including Draupadi, were very happy to see their Lord, and they forgot their painful forest life immediately. They felt enriched with a new life just by taking Sri Krishna’s darshan. They paid their obeisances at their Lord’s lotus feet. Seeing the miserable condition of the Pandavas, Sri Krishna became very upset, and at the same time He became very angry towards Duryodhana. It appeared as if the Lord was going to destroy the whole universe, and so the Pandavas became fearful and all began to pray to the Lord in a humble mood. Listening to the humble prayers of Arjuna, the Lord composed Himself and said, “Oh Arjuna, being very pleased with all of you Pandavas, and being controlled by your devotion and friendship towards Me, I will now tell you about the wonderful history of Purushottama month.

Once upon a time, by the arrangement of providence, an extra month came to this world. Every one took this month to be most inauspicious, and even saw it as a stool-like month. Just as one should not touch stool, this month was also seen as untouchable. It was constantly unprotected and blasphemed, and rejected by everyone as an improper time for any religious and auspicious activities.

Being so rejected by all human beings, and constantly hearing only bad words and blasphemy, the personality of this extra month became very sad. She came to Vaikuntha to explain her sorrowful situation to the Lord. Seeing Lord Vishnu on His simhasana, she fell down at His lotus feet in a mood of sorrow and grief. Tears were falling profusely from her eyes. She prayed to the Lord, “Oh ocean of mercy! I have come to You because I am helpless. I have been rejected and blasphemed by all people of the world. Please protect me; please show me Your mercy. Please don’t be indifferent towards me.” Saying these words, the extra month [adhik maas] continued crying in front of Lord Vishnu and sat down before Him in a dejected mood. Seeing the humble and pitiable position of the extra month, Lord Vishnu became very merciful towards her. He told her, “Do not lament, I shall give you protection form all of your miseries. Please stop crying. It is not proper to lament after taking shelter of My lotus feet.”

Being so consoled by the Lord, the extra month said, “Oh Lord, You know my painful condition. No one is in more miserable situation in these three worlds than I. First of all, all other months, years, days, nights, directions etc. are being protected by You, and so they are always moving fearlessly in their unique charming moods. But I [an extra month] don’t have any name, nor any protector, nor a husband to give me shelter. All the demigods and human beings have rejected me for any auspicious activities. For this reason, oh Lord, I want to die immediately.” Oh Narada, this extra month then repeatedly said, “I want to die! I want to die! I want to die!” Then she fainted at the feet of the Lord.

Being requested by Lord Vishnu, Garuda started fanning the extra month. And after sometime she got up and began to speak again, “Oh Lord of the universe, I am in need of Your shelter, please protect me.”

Lord Vishnu told the extra month, “Oh child, please don’t lament, your misery will be finished very soon. Get up and come with Me to Goloka Vrindavana, which is even unattainable to great yogis. Goloka is the abode of Lord Sri Krishna. Here Lord Sri Krishna is in His two handed form, surrounded by gopis and is enjoying His eternal pastimes. The Supreme Sri Krishna of Goloka will deliver you from all your miseries, please come with Me.” Then Lord Vishnu took Malamasa (the extra month) to Goloka by catching her by the hand.

From a distant place Lord Vishnu and Malamasa observed the effulgence of Goloka. This dazzling effulgence automatically forced Malamasa to close her eyes. Therefore, keeping the extra month behind Him, Lord Vishnu proceeded further until they reached the main gate. There the doorkeeper paid his respects to Him.

Having reached the Supreme Abode, Lord Vishnu met Lord Sri Krishna who was surrounded by many devoted gopis. Lord Vishnu husband of Ramadevi, paid His obeisances to Lord Sri Krishna. Then He made the extra month also offer her obeisances at the lotus feet of Lord Sri Krishna, even though she was crying loudly. Immediately Sri Krishna asked, “Why is she crying? She is in Goloka Vrindavana, why is she crying?” Hearing these words form Lord Sri Krishna, Lord Vishnu got up from His seat and started explaining the miserable condition of the extra month. He begged Him to please protect his unprotected month. “There is no one except You Lord Krishna, who can save this extra month from her hellish condition and give her full protection.” Having said these words, Lord Vishnu remained standing in front of Lord Krishna with folded hands.

Then Suta Goswami continued to speak, “Oh sages! Lord Vishnu took his seat, and Lord Krishna spoke very confidential words to Him. Listen carefully, for I am now going to share those words with all of you.

Purushottama Sri Krishna said, “Oh Vishnu, you have done a very great deed by bringing this extra month to Me. You will become even more famous for performing this act. Because You have accepted this Malamasa, I will also accept her. I shall make this poor extra month just like Me in quality, fame opulence, realization, success, and in giving benediction to the devotees. This month will become equally potent to Me. I am bestowing all of My divine qualities in this abused month. Named after Me, this month will be famous as Purushottama month in this world.

“Oh Janardana, now that she has imbued My qualities, I Myself will become the husband and protector of this Purushottama month. And being equal to Me, this month will be the master of all other months. Now this month will become worshipable by one and all. Everyone should pay their obeisances to her, everyone should worship her. This month is equally as powerful as Me to give any type of benediction to its observer. The worshiper of this month will be able to burn all this past sinful reactions to ashes, and after enjoying a blissful life in the material realm, he will return back to Godhead.

“Oh Garudadhwaja,” Lord Sri Krishna continued, “My Goloka is unattainable to the performers of austerities, mahatmas engaged in pious activities, to people who maintain celibacy, or to those who fast their whole life’s duration. But just by observing Purushottama month and becoming a devotee one can easily cross over this material ocean and return back to Godhead. Observance of this Purushottama month is the best of all austerities. Just as a farmer produces a rich harvest by planting seeds in nicely cultivated land, so an intelligent man who practices devotional service towards the Supreme Lord in this Purushottama month will enjoy a blissful life while in this world and after leaving his body he will return back to Godhead.

“An unfortunate ignorant man, who does not perform any japa, does not give any charity, does not pay respect to Lord Sri Krishna and His devotees, does not behave properly to brahmanas, makes enmity with others and who blasphemes the Purushottama month will go to hell for an unlimited period.” Lord Sri Krishna continued, “How can a person make his life successful unless he performs devotional service in this Purushottama month? A person who is fully engaged in sense gratification and does not give any special importance to this sacred month becomes the best candidate for hell. All human beings should perform some devotional service in this Purushottama month by:

1. Worshipping Me, Sri Krishna, by chanting My holy name
2. Study of Srimad Bhagavatam and Bhagavad-gita, particularly Chapter Fifteen, Purushottama Yoga
3. Giving in charity
4. Offering ghee diya (lamp) daily

A fortunate person who follows My instructions and observes this Purushottama month properly, and in a faithful way worships Me will attain fame, opulence and a good son in this very life. After enjoying a happy life, he will return back to Goloka Dhama. By following My instructions, everyone should worship this sacred month. I have made it the best among all other months. Oh husband of Rama devi (Vishnu), give up all kinds of mental speculation about this extra month. Just take this Purushottama month with You to Your Vaikuntha abode.

After narrating this brief history of the Purushottama month, Lord Sri Krishna glanced very mercifully upon Yudhisthira and Draupadi, and then began speaking to Arjuna:

“Oh lion amongst men, can you now understand the reason why you Pandavas are suffering? You did not acknowledge or honor the presence of Purushottama month, which has just recently finished. That month which is most dear to Vrindavan Chandra has passed, but you Pandavas were in the forest and did not worship Purushottama month. So now you are suffering. You have been following the ritualistic principles given to you by Vyasadeva, but unless you worship Purushottama month you cannot perform pure devotional service to Me.”

Lord Sri Krishna continued, “Now I am going to narrate a famous historical event concerning the previous birth of Draupadi. In her previous birth, Draupadi was the daughter of a great Brahmana Sage called Medhavi. Her mother died when she was a small child, and so she was under the care of her father. Day by day, she grew to full bloom youth. She was very beautiful, but her father was not interested in arranging her marriage. Seeing her other girlfriends with their husbands and young children she passed her days in a very miserable way. In the meantime, her father passed away from this material world while uttering the sacred name of Hari.

“This made his daughter even more miserable. Fortunately, the great sage, Durvasa Muni, appeared in her ashram shortly after her father’s death. Seeing the great sage, the girl paid her obeisances to him and respectfully worshiped him. She offered flowers and fruits to the great sage. When he expressed his pleasure with her reception, she began lamenting and crying before him. Concerned, the sage inquired about her lamentation. The brahmana girl began to speak, “Oh great saint Durvasa, you know everything ­ past, present and future. I have no shelter in this world. I have lost all of my relatives. My parents have passed away, and I have no elder brother. I am also unmarried, and therefore there is no husband to protect me. Oh great sage, please do something, please help me! Please give me some advice to relieve me from this miserable condition.” After listening to her prayer, Durvasa began to consider the unfortunate condition of the girl, and he decided to show mercy towards her.

Sage Durvasa began to speak, “Oh beautiful one, three months from now the most auspicious Purushottama month will begin. This sacred month is most dear to Lord Sri Krishna. Just by taking a holy bath in this month a man or woman can become completely sinless. This Purushottama month is more glorious than all other months, including Kartik month. The glories of all other months is not even equal to one sixteenth of the glories of Purushottama month. The merit of a person who takes a holy bath even once in this month is equal to the merit of taking bath in the Ganges for twelve thousand years, or the merit achieved by a person who takes a bath in the Ganges or Godavari when Brihaspati enters Leo. If you will take a holy bath, give in charity and chant the holy name of Krishna during this month, all your miseries will go away. You will attain all kinds of perfection, and all of your desires will be fulfilled. Please follow my advice. Please do not forget to worship the forthcoming Purushottama month very sincerely.”

After speaking these words, Sage Durvasa remained silent. Unfortunately, the young brahmani did not believe in his words; rather she became angry and started blaspheming, “Oh great sage, you are lying. How could this extra month, which is also called Mala-masa [stool month], be superior to other great months like Magha, Kartika and Vaisakha? I cannot believe your words. You are trying to cheat me. This extra month is known to be most abominable for any kind of pious activity.”

Hearing these words of the brahmana girl, Durvasa became very angry, his whole body started burning, and his eyes became red. But remembering the helpless condition of the girl, he consciously controlled himself.

Sage Durvasa told the girl, “Oh unintelligent one, I am not going to curse you because your father was a good friend of mine. You are in such a helpless condition. Being and ignorant child, you cannot understand the shastrik conclusion. I am not going to take your offenses towards me seriously. But at the same time, I cannot and should not tolerate your offences towards Purushottama month. In your next life you will certainly reap the results of your offensive words.” The great sage Durvasa then hurriedly left that place to perform his service for Lord Narayana.

Lord Sri Krishna told Arjuna, “Oh sinless one, when Durvasa Muni left that place the brahmana girl [Druapadi in her previous birth] lost all of her opulences in a moment. Being an offender to Purushottama month, her body began to look very ugly, and she lost all of her bodily effulgence. She then decided to worship Lord Shiva who is known as Ashutosh, one who is very easily pleased.

This young brahmani then began to perform great austerities to please Lord Shiva, the husband of Parvati. She continued her austerities for nine thousand years. In the summer season, she would sit for meditation surrounded by fire and under the hot sun. In the winter season, she meditated under freezing cold water. Observing her great austerities, even the demigods became fearful. Lord Shankara then appeared before the brahmana girl because he was pleased by her worship and austerities. When Lord Shiva appeared before the girl in his spiritual form, she immediately stood up rejuvenated. In the presence of Lord Shiva all of her bodily weakness disappeared and she again started to look beautiful. Seeing Lord Shiva in front of her, she started to worship him in her mind, and then began to recite nice prayers to please Him.

Being very pleased with the girl, Lord Shiva said, “Oh performer of austerity, all good fortune to you. Now please ask some boon from me. I am pleased with you. I shall grant whatever you want.”

Hearing these words from the mouth of Lord Shiva, the girl said, “Oh friend of the poor, if you are pleased with me then please give me a husband.” Repeatedly speaking the same words, “Give me a husband,” five times, the girl then fell silent. Then Lord Shiva replied, “Let it be. You have asked for a husband five times, and so you will get five husbands.”

Hearing Lord Shiva’s words, the girl became very ashamed. She said, “Oh Lord, it is most abominable for a girl to have five husbands. Please retract your words.” Lord Shiva then spoke to her very gravely, “That is impossible for me. What you have asked from me will be granted. You will get five husbands in your next life. Previously you offended Purushottama month by not following the kind advice of sage Durvasa. Oh brahmana girl, there is no difference between the body of Durvasa and mine. All we demigods, including Lord Brahma and all the great saints like Narada, worship this Purushottama month in accord with the order of Lord Sri Krishna. A devotee of Purushottama month achieves all good fortune in this life and at the end of his life he goes back to Goloka Dham, the abode of Lord Sri Krishna. Being an offender to this sacred Purushottama month, you will get five husbands in your next life.”

The girl become very remorseful, but Lord Shiva immediately disappeared from the place. After Lord Shiva’s departure the young brahmani became very morose and fearful about her future life. In this way, after few days, the girl left her body by the arrangement of providence.

Lord Sri Krishna then said, “Oh Arjuna, in the meantime the great king Draupada had been performing an elaborate sacrifice. From this sacrificial fire, the young brahmani took her birth. She appeared as the daughter of Maharaja Draupada. Oh Arjuna, the same daughter of Medhavi Rishi has now become famous in the world as Draupadi. She is none other than your present wife. Because she blasphemed the Purushottama month in her previous life, she was insulted by Dushasana in front of the whole Kuru assembly in the presence of all her Pandava husbands. Fortunately she remembered Me [Sri Krishna] and took My shelter. Forgiving her offenses, I protected her from that most abominable condition and saved her from the hand of Dushasana. Oh dear Pandava brothers, please don’t forget to worship the forthcoming Purushottama month. A person who blasphemes Purushottama month will never attain good fortune. This Purushottama month is fully potent to fulfill all your desires and remove all miseries. Now your fourteen years of forest life is coming to an end. Please worship this Purushottama month sincerely, for it will bestow all good fortune upon you.” Giving full consolation to the Pandavas in this way, Lord Sri Krishna then left that place for Dwaraka.

After some time, when Purushottama month appeared, Maharaja Yudhisthira reminded his younger brothers and wife Draupadi of the words of Lord Sri Krishna. All of them followed the instructions He had given them. They worshipped Purushottama Sri Krishna in various ways during this sacred month. From the merit they achieved by performing Purushottama vrata, they regained their lost kingdom, and after enjoying a happy life they all returned back to Godhead by the grace of Lord Sri Krishna.

An intelligent person should engage himself in hearing Krishna katha from a pure soul. In this way, one should always meditate on Krishna and discuss His pastimes with other devotees. He should take rest thinking of Lord Sri Krishna within his heart. If one is a grihastha, he should perform his household duties in a truthful and peaceful way. He should not commit violence to others and should be merciful towards saintly people as well as to the poor. Protection of animals, truthful speech, mercifulness, and nonviolence are some of the important principles a grihastha should follow.

Suta Goswami then continued to relate this discussion between Lord Narayana and Naradji to the sages of Naimisaranya. He said, “O brahmanas, the great sage Narada Muni became very pleased by hearing all about Purushottama month from Lord Narayana. He paid his obeisances again and again to Him and began to speak, “Oh this Purushottama month is the best of all months, it is the best of all kinds of vratas and austerities. Even if one just hears the glories of Purushottama month faithfully, he will achieve devotional service to the Supreme Lord Purusottama, and all of his sinful reactions will be immediately nullified. One who performs Purushottama vrata and worships Purushottama month properly will achieve unlimited merit and thus attain Goloka.

Narada Muni then told Lord Narayana, “O Lord, now I am fully satisfied and my heart and mind are completely satisfied. All glories to You!”

After so explaining these glories of Purushottama month, Srila Suta Gosvami asked permission from the assembled sages to take their leave, bathe in the Ganges, and perform his other regular duties. They gratefully agreed, and he then paid them his humble obesiances and went to the Ganges. The sages of Naimisaranya then spoke among themselves, “Oh, this sacred Purushottama month is the most glorious, and its history is ancient. It is so merciful that it fulfills all of a devotee’s desires just like a desire tree. How glorious is Purushottama month!”

---

Simplified Recommended Worship for the Purushottama month:

1. Establish the Deity of Sri Sri Radha Krishna in your home and worship Them with love and devotion.
2. Offer daily puja by chanting the mahamantra:

hare krishna hare krishna
krishna krishna hare hare
hare rAma hare rAma
rAma rAma hare hare

3. Study Srimad Bhagavatam and Bhagavad gita, especially Chapter Fifteen, Purushottama Yoga.
4. Daily offer a ghee lamp to Sri Sri Radha Krishna.
5. Give charity to qualified Brahmanas. Engage in Go Seva and distribute prasadam.
6. Bathe in the holy rivers and associate with saintly devotees.

For more details see HERE

This argument reveals several fallacies:

The first fallacy is that Vimsottari Mahadasa is "lunar based." Simply because the apparatus used for ascertaining what the mahadasa should be is based upon the Moon and Naksatras doesn't mean we should reject the standard year simply because it is based on the movement of the Sun. There are other systems of mahadasa which are not based on the Naksatras does that mean we should shift definitions for the length of the year to suit them? There is also the fact that Satyacarya has suggested that the Janma-naksaträ be chosen from the stronger of the Moon or Lagna. If the Lagna were stronger then this would not be  based on the Moon. In such cases would the length of the year be a different amount?

Of course I want to quickly point out that Satycarya's suggestion of using the Lagna is not followed by any astrologers and the  Moon's position is universally accepted as the standard for the janma-naksaträ.

The second fallacy, is the assumption that since 365.25 is a solar year, we should reject it because mahadasa is a lunar based phenomena and rather accept a 360 day year. The unspoken assumption is that a 360 day year is somehow "Lunar." As we have pointed out before the Lunar year is not 360 days long but rather 360 tithis (lunar days) long, which is about 354.36 solar days long. Thus, since the 360 day year in not "lunar" then it should not be favored and the 365.25 day year should not be rejected for being "solar."

There is a third fallacy in this argument which leads us to the next question.

What is the relationship between the Solar and Lunar year?

The third fallacy is a bit more complex. The implicit assumption is that time measured by the lunar and solar calendar somehow yield different results. If we were to use a 360 day-year rather than a 365.25 day-year, for mahadasa calculations then there would be a difference. After some time they would become more and more divergent. After one year they would only be different by five days, but in six years it would be a gap of 31.5 days (counting leap years). After 35 years it would be about six months out of phase and after 70 years a whole year out of phase. Thus the older the person got the farther out of phase the mahadasas would be. Thus using the 360 d/y Jupiter mahadasa may start at age 35 but at age 35 y 6m using the solar year. This would introduce serious difficulties in timing events especially in regards to the Bhuktis. This difficulty would only increase with age. However, contrary to the implicit assumption of the advocates of the 360 d/y, there is no such discrepancy between the Vedic Lunar calendar and the Solar calendar. Actually the Vedic Lunar calendar is Solar as will be seen from the following quotation from Dikshit's BJS (emphasis mine):

"They purchased 'Soma' juice from the thirteenth month, and hence the thirteenth month is censurable". Aitareya Brahmana

"Should the reins in the horse-sacrifice be twelve cubits in length or thirteen? The year consisting of (six) seasons is a kind of bullock whose hump is the thirteenth month. The horse-sacrifice is the best of all sacrifices. The year in the form of a bullock has got a hump (in the form of the thirteenth month)." Aitareya Brahmana

"It is clear from the above quotations that the year was solar in the Vedic age. The natural means of measuring a year used to be one complete cycle of the seasons, just as the natural means of measuring a day was the period between two consecutive  sunrises or that for measuring a month used to be the period between two full moons. The year as a unit of time could not come into being if seasons didn't exist. It is, therefore, obvious then that the year must have been solar.

". . . the seasons were naturally supposed to recur after 12 lunar months. Although, one complete cycle of seasons required 11 days more than 12 lunar months . . .[and the result of this difference of 11 days]. . . . . the lunar month which used to fall in the  summer must shift to occur in the winter and later on in the rainy season and thus have gradually receded through all the seasons.
 Every month of such a calendar, like the Muharram of the Muslims, was bound to pass through all the seasons, thus completing a revolution in 33 years. [To avoid such a 33 year cycle] . . .to insert an intercalary month; and the fact that such an intercalary month used to be reckoned in the Vedic times goes to prove that the year was solar [even] in those days. This may appear trivial today, but it certainly was no ordinary matter that our people conceived the idea of inserting an intercalary month in those  days of hoary antiquity. As a matter of fact it is extremely significant. The ancient Romans were at one time a very powerful nation, they used to regard the year as consisting of 10 months for quite a long time. . ." (BJS vol. 1, pp. 20-21)

The Vedic Lunar calendar is actually a luni-solar calendar, that is, it is not independent from the Sun. A lunar month starts with the new Moon after the Sun enters into a sign and is named in accordance to the Solar sign or sometimes to the Naksatra in which the full Moon will take place in that Lunar month, the naming conventions differ in various geographical areas of India. In any case the lunar month is tied to the solar month. How the Solar year and Lunar year are linked shall now be explained.

The Lunar year consists of 12 lunar months each consisting of 30 tithis but this does not add up to 30 solar days since in the course of a lunar month a tithi will vary from about 19 hours to 26 hours with an average length of 23h 37m 28s. The lunar month would be 29.530589 days. Because the Lunar year is 360 tithis long, that is only 354.36 solar days long after only three years it would be about one month out of phase with the solar year. However to keep it in phase with the solar year, and thus with the seasons and religious observances, a leap month (adhika-masa) is introduced. The introduction of the adhika-masa is not artificial, but a natural occurrence (Metonic cycle) because about every third year there will be experienced the phenomena of two new Moons while the Sun transits through one Rasi. And since the lunar month is defined as the length of time between successive new Moons and that there can only be one Lunar month corresponding to a solar month, the extra lunar month becomes a leap month. Thus the solar and lunar years would continue to stay in phase perpetually, their difference never being more than about 22 days. In the first year they would be out of phase by 11 days, the second year out of phase by 22 days, the third year the leap month brings them back in phase, the fourth year out of phase by 11 days, etc.

If the Vedic Lunar year were not linked to the solar year then within only a few years there would be very noticeable differences in a change of seasons in relation to the calendar. By an accumulation of about 11 days per year it would not take long before a festival associated with the summer such as Krsna Janmastami would be observed in the spring when Gaura Purnima should be observed. That would be absurd. However, there is a Lunar calendar which is independent of the Sun, the Islamic. In this calendar, based on a cycle of 30 years, 19 of which are 354 days long and 11 of which are leap years, having 355 days each. In 30 years each lunar month will have cycled through all the solar months. Thus the first month of the Muslim calendar Muharram will retrogress through the whole solar Gregorian calendar, and also through the Vedic luni-solar calendar. Returning to our argument; the Vedic lunar calendar is tied to the Sun thus the Vedic Lunar calendar is actually a Solar calendar. It will always be very close to the Solar calendar and never go out of phase as would a 360 day year which would only become more divergent with time.

May 15, CALCUTTA, INDIA (TUE) — Starting from May 17th, 2007.

This is a summary of a discourse on the significance of Purushottama-month, by HIs Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Goswami Maharaj, President-Acharya of Sree Chaitanya Gaudiya Math.

vande navaghana-syam dvibhujam murlidharam
pitambardharam devam saradham purusottamam

“I offer my obeisances to Navaganasyam (Krsna, who has the color of a fresh rain cloud), who is holding the flute with His two hands. I worship Purusottama who is so beautiful in His yellow dress (pitambhara).” “I pray for the causeless mercy of my Gurudeva, His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Dayita Madhava Gosvami, to give me strength, to sing the glories of the Supreme Lord Sri Krsna and His personal associates, to purify my mind and to get exclusive one-pointed devotion to the Supreme Lord Sri Krsna. I pay my innumerable prostrated obeisances to my most revered siksa gurus and I pay my due respects to all who are present here.

By the will of the Supreme Lord we have come back to India during this month of Purusottama, which is actually the holiest month.

According to our almanac every three years, one month is added. This is done to harmonize the lunar month (Chandra-maas) with the solar month (Soar Maas). The inserted month is known as ‘Purusottama’, and is technically called an ‘intercalary month’. According to some smarta Brahmins, this month is unholy. They call it ‘tarnished’.

Prescribing various holy functions for all months of the year, they left out this additional month taking it to be unholy (’tarnished’) for no holy activity can be performed therein.

Yet Vaishnava devotees object to this, arguing that not a single moment is to be spent without the worship of the Supreme Lord. If you spent it to the contrary, your life will be spoiled. If we shall not do any holy work in this month, then if we will die in this month we shall go to hell? This is not the purpose. But these karma-kandis, who prescribed these rituals and regulations were inclined to observe them merely for achieving material benefits in this world and being uplifted after death to heaven. Taking this to be the aim and not being able to understand the purpose behind it, they encourage the observance of rules and rituals. So, they neglected this month.

As everything has got consciousness in the background — the example is given of the sun, which is presided over by the Sun god, the moon which is presided over by the Moon god and Srimati Ganga Devi, who is the presiding Deity of the river Ganges — so similarly this month has a presiding deity.

Being depressed due to her seemingly useless existence, the personified deity of this month approached Lord Narayana. This incident is described in the scriptures. She went to Narayana, asking, ‘What offense did I commit? No one is performing any pious activities during my time. Why?’ Lord Narayana directed her towards Lord Krsna: ‘You come with Me, I shall take you to Lord Krsna.’ Upon being approached by her, Lord Krsna responded: ‘I am Purusottama and I can not be comprehended by finite beings of this world. They can not comprehend Me by their mental comprehension and sense organs as I am beyond these means.’ Those Brahmins also are under the control of the illusory energy. They give some prescriptions for getting mundane benefits without understanding that these various prescriptions simply have been given to facilitate different classes of persons to finally submit to the Supreme Lord. Yet the purpose is not the achievement of material benefits, but it is to recover from the disease of birth and death and to finally develop loving devotion to the Supreme Lord, and thus experience supreme bliss. They do not understand this.

Krsna explained: ‘This additional month is like Me. I can not be comprehended by the conditioned souls of this world and I am supremely superior to Brahman and Paramatma so I am designated as “Purushottama.” You are identical with Me. You are the holiest month. If anybody observes vrata (vow of austerity) during your time, he can get everything. If as by scriptural injunctions he observes it, it is even more auspicious than Kartik-vrata, the holiest month. So you will be known by the name “Purusottama”.’

Vaisnavas do observe this Purusottama-vrata.

This year Purushottama month is being observed from 17th May to 15th June. (Things to do:) We shall read the glories of Purushottama-Vrata, from the writings of Sri Bhakti Vinode Thakur, in the morning; daily recite ‘Sri Jagannathastakam’ and ‘Chauragraganya Purusashtakamas’ in the afternoon and perform Japam instructed by Kaundinya Muni:-

Goverdhana-Dharam Vande Gopalam Goparupinam,
Gokulotsavameeshaanam Govindam Gopikapriyam.

Then in the evening - Deep-dan (to offer a lamp of pure ghee) before Vishnu-Mandir (a temple of Lord Vishnu, Krishna or Rama), Lastly, at night to read ‘Brahmastava’ 40 slokas, from Srimad Bhagavatam, Chapter 14th, Canto 10th.

But as by the eligibility of those who perform it Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura has given three categories, known as: ‘Svanistha’ ‘Parinistitha’ and ‘Nirapeksa.’ Svanistha:

Svanistha: refers to those persons who have inclinations with Varnasrama-dharma and are still striving for material temporary benefits.

Being covered by the illusory potency — sattva, raja and tama guna they nevertheless follow some rituals. Prescriptions on how to perform this vrata are given by Valmiki Muni. Yet, hearing them may make you faint. They are very strict, like lying down only on a bed of nails rather than on a normal bed.

Parinistitha:
Another section, superior in quality yet less in number is called Parinistitha. Parinistitha refers to those who are not striving for any material benefits and are correctly following the prescriptions as given by the respective acaryas of one of the four Vaisnava schools on how to observe this Purusottama-vrata (in a similar way as Kartika-vrata).

Nirapeksa:
The highest form of observance is called Nirapeksa. Nirapeksa refers to those possessing one-pointed devotion to Sri Krsna. They concentrate on worshipping the Supreme Lord by hearing, chanting and remembering the name, form, pastimes and qualities of Sri Krsna day and night for spiritual benefit only. Reasoning correctly that any tendency for material benefit will certainly divert their minds, they observe this vrata by hearing about Krsna, chanting the Maha Mantra and taking prasadam. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura recommends we follow this path.”

Submitted by

Rashbeharidas,
Secretary, GOKUL (India)

The Flowering Vine of Devotion to Lord Hari

Table of Contents

First Cluster of Flowers     2
Second Cluster of Flowers     7
Third Cluster of Flowers     13
Fourth Cluster of Flowers     15
Fifth Cluster of Flowers     17
Sixth Cluster of Flowers     19
Seventh Cluster of Flowers     23
Eighth Cluster of Flowers     26
Ninth Cluster of Flowers     29
Tenth Cluster of Flowers     30
Eleventh Cluster of Flowers     32
Twelfth Cluster of Flowers     33
Thirteenth Cluster of Flowers    34
Fourteenth Cluster of Flowers    36

Seventh Cluster of flowers

1 Now the author describes pada-sevanam (service of the lotus feet): Service to Lord Krsna, performed in a way suitable for a king, by devotees whose hearts are attached to the Lord's service, is called pada-sevanam (service to the lotus feet).
2 He who meditates on Lord Krsna and always attentively services His lotus feet, crosses the ocean of ignorance that blinds the entire world.  He attains the supreme auspiciousness the sages cannot attain.
3 They who meditate on Lord Krsna and serve His lotus feet conquer the three-fold and five-fold material miseries.  Their minds never again drown in the ocean of materialism.  The truth of the Supreme Lord becomes manifest to them.
4 He who is patient, determined, grave, tolerant to everyone and everything, and does not misidentify himself as the material body, is qualified to constantly serve Lord Krsna's lotus feet.
5 Seeing the Lord's deity form, which an artist has fashioned from stone, wood, metal, or some other element, the devotees bow down to offer respects and take shelter of the Lord.  Free from the illusion of thinking the deity different from the Lord, they think: "This is certainly the Supreme Personality of Godhead".  In this way they serve the Lord's lotus feet, which are the object of the meditation of Siva and Brahma.
6 These devotees establish the deity of the Lord on a splendid and beautiful throne in a wonderful and colourful temple.  Day and night performing newer and newer services, in a style befitting a king they happily worship the unrivalled Supreme Lord.  In this way they serve the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, which are the object of the meditation of Siva and Brahma.
7 These devotees awaken the comfortably sleeping deity early in the morning by slowly singing melodious songs and playing musical instruments.  They perform various early-morning services for the Lord, offering to Him all the grand opulence appropriate for a king.  In this way, they serve the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of godhead, which are the object of the meditation of Siva and Brahma.
8 These devotees offer various jewel ornaments, exquisite garments, sublimely aromatic ointments, various decorations, delightful incense and lamps, and other excellent things, at the prescribed times, and according to the rules of worship.  In this way with pure minds, they serve Lord Murari's lotus feet.
9 Cleansing the temple and other places, performing the abhiseka bathing ceremony, washing the deity's lotus feet, offering to Him a throne, garlands, exquisite garments, ornaments, palatable foodstuffs and beverages, various ceremonies of worship, and a couch to take rest, fanning Him, dancing, singing, playing musical instruments, and performing many other activities to please Him, these devotees worship the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, which are the object of the meditation of Siva and Brahma.
10 Thinking only of the Lord, the devotees continually serve Him by offering nice gardens, palaces, cottages, lakes, thrones, palanquins, awnings, white umbrellas, and various other things, as far as they are able.
11 For Lord Hari's pleasure, the devotees stage various festive processions,, and celebrate jubilant festivals on certain auspicious days, as well as every day.  They continuously perform sankirtana, glorifying the Lord.
12 In the summer, the devotees take the deity on water-excursions, and to places where there are cooling breezes.  They anoint Him with sandalwood paste, again and again fan Him, decorate Him with jewel necklaces, feed Him very palatable foods, and bring Him into the pleasantly cooling moonlight.  In this way they serve the Lord, as far as their abilities and finances enable.
13 During the rainy season, they take the deity to a well-protected place in the temple, bathe Him with clear, slightly warm water, and offer Him puris, condiments, and various confections.  In this way they serve the Lord, as far as their abilities and finances enable.
14 In the autumn, the devotees serve the deity as in the summer.  In the winter, however, they build fires to warm Him, arrange for the newly risen sun to shine on Him, and dress Him in winter clothes with cotton insulation.  They bathe Him with heated water, and offer Him incense and various elegant garments.  In this way they serve the Lord, as far as their abilities and finance enable.
15 In the spring, the devotees take the deity on excursions to forest groves full of blossoming flowers.  They offer Him honey and other palatable substances, and garland Him with many beautiful springtime flowers.  In this way they serve the Lord, as far as their finances and abilities enable.
16 Without the slightest neglect or disrespect, his mind full of love, devotion, great reverence and attentiveness, the devotee humbly, ardently, and continually serves Lord Hari's lotus feet, just as a young wife serves her husband.
17 The pure-minded devotees continually serve the supremely opulent Personality of Godhead with great jubilation, attentiveness, love, reverence, and devotion, just as if He were their own self, or their son, friend, wife, husband, or spiritual master.
18 If Lord Hari perceives that a devotee thinks: "Let my mind never become intoxicated by the objects of sense gratification, and thus stray from the pure devotional service of the Lord's lotus feet", then the Lord removes material opulence from that devotee, because He is always the devotee's friend.
19 If this were to happen to me, and all my possession were taken away, I would not lament or feel any pain.  I would simply associate with the devotees, and worship the Lord even with fruits, blossoming twigs, flowers, water, and other things gathered by me in the forest.
20 I am a bumblebee who has gone to the forest to drink the honey of Lord Krsna's lotus feet.  I am not burned by the fire of criticism ignited by my relatives, and, although poor and hungry, I do not serve or flatter the wealthy mammonites.
21 Abandoned by my wife, sons, friends and relatives, and no longer possessing a house and wealth, I shall give up the material desires in relation to my home and remain in the association of the saintly devotees.  I shall live in the forest eating only the vegetables, fruits and roots growing there, without having to beg for food.  There I shall continually serve the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
22 Lord Madhusudana cannot be conquered by offering Him precious gold, jewels, aromatic incense, excellent flower garlands, palatable food and drink, beautiful clothing, or by fanning Him with a camara whisk.  He is only conquered by pure, loving devotion.
23 For this reason, either in the forest, or in a great mansion, either with easily available fruits, flowers and water, or with the previously described opulent arrangements, I shall serve Lord Murari's lotus feet, which are my only shelter.
24 The great devotees of Lord Krsna are never intoxicated by material opulence.  They do not distinguish between their benefit and that of others.  They are extensions of the form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.  For these reasons, I serve their lotus feet.
25 Unintelligent fools worship with sacrifices the demigods in the higher planets.  They who are intelligent serve the merciful devotees, who are directly empowered incarnations of Lord Krsna, the master of all the demigods.
26 Whether one is full of devotion for Lord Hari, or not, he should serve the devotees.  That service grants the result of serving the Supreme Lord.
27 The service of the lotus feet of the great devotees purifies the mind and heart, completely uproots the touch of the illusory  material nature, and enables one to taste the mellows of pure devotional service to Lord Hari.
28 All glories to the particles of dust on the lotus feet of the great devotees.  Those dust particles are the causes of pure devotion for Lord Hari.  They are like fires that consume all sins, and like bridges that lead to the far shore of the ocean of birth and death.
29  In this way the great souls, whose hearts have become peaceful and pure by serving Lord Hari's lotus feet, teach us by their words and deeds to worship His lotus feet, which the devotees serve with love.
 
 
 

Eighth Cluster of Flowers

1 Now the author describes arcanam (worship): Properly worshipping Lord Krsna with sixteen kinds of service is called arcanam (worship).
2 They who are actually intelligent abandon all Vedic sacrifices to the demigods and happily worship Lord Hari, the master of all living entities.  Although they do not worship the demigods, sages, forefathers, bhutas, and human beings, all these entities are pleased with them.  The entire three worlds become completely satisfied with them.
3 When Lord Madhusudana, the original cause of everything, is worshipped, the three worlds become satisfied.  Is this wonderful?  The wonders present in His face are also eternally present in His reflection.
4 Lord Govinda is a nectar ocean of bliss.  Lord Govinda is worshipped by Brahma and Siva.  He who worships Lord Govinda is himself worshipped by the three worlds.  Even the goddess of fortune, who is worshipped by the great demigods, worships him.
5 Faithful persons who worship Lord Hari's lotus feet, which are sought by the greatest of yogis, become free from the karmic bonds of millions of births.  They attain the ocean of nectar beyond the ocean of repeated birth and death.
6 They who in their hearts say, "Let us worship Lord Mukunda", are considered to be pious, fortunate, and successful.
7 When one pronounces Lord Krsna's holy name, he becomes immediately free from material bondage.  When Lord Krsna is worshipped, what remains to be done?
8 Whether free from material desires, full of material desires, or desiring liberation, intelligent persons devotedly and exclusively worship Lord Hari, who is like a desire tree that fulfils the desires of the devotees.
9 All members of the four varnas and asramas may accept a tantric initiation and worship Lord Janardana according to the tantric regulations.
10 The author here describes the worship of the Lord: Properly bathed, wearing very clean garments, his feet washed with water, decorated with splendid tilaka, performing arcamana, sitting in the kamalasana posture and respectfully folding his hands, one should offer obeisances to His guru and the exalted Vaisnavas, who are the best of living entities.
11 One should place cups of water for washing the mouth and feet on his left and offerings of flowers and food on his right.
12 Performing the bhuta-suddhi ceremony with a purified body, performing nyasa (gestures) with the hands and limbs, and controlling the breath, free from doubts, everyone should worship Lord Hari according to the prescribed regulations.
13 They whose minds are contaminated by doubts and desires cannot become purified by practicing pranayama (breath control) hundreds of times.
14 There are two kinds of worship: external worship and worship performed in the mind.  External worship is performed in the presence of the deity or in other ways.  The intelligence performs internal worship within the mind.
15 Meditating, with fixed mind and unwavering intelligence, on Lord Krsna as He is described in the scriptures, one may begin worship within his mind.
16 With purified intelligence one should withdraw the mind from external sense-objects and control the senses.  Freed from all desires, one may meditate on Lord Krsna, the Supersoul of all living entities, who is an ocean of transcendental bliss.  Meditating on that transcendental son of Nanda Maharaja within his heart, the pure soul may worship Him by offering water to wash His feet and by performing many other services.
17 One may meditate on the heart as a blossoming eight-petalled lotus flower splendid as the moon.  One may meditate on Lord Hari, who is an ocean of intense transcendental bliss and whose handsome form has previously been described, as standing on that lotus flower.
18 Mentally performing the previously described services, one may worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Krsna, within his mind, according to the prescribed regulations.
19 Then one may open his eyes and worship Lord Hari, the eternal Supreme Personality of Godhead standing before him, by personally offering various services without offense.
20 The author now describes the external type of deity worship: Full of faith that the deity is directly the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one should lovingly worship the Lord by bathing Him, offering Him a throne, and performing many other services.
21 A description of the activities of external worship follows: Following the regulations of worship, one may place water for arghya in a conchshell and other receptacles.  One may then take a handful of flowers and meditate on Lord Krsna as He has previously been described.
22 Following the regulations of worship one should worship the deity's throne, which is fashioned in the form of an eight-petal lotus flower.  One should then place the deity of Lord Krsna on the throne and offer suitable prayers.
23 Having welcomed Lord Hari, one may worship Him by jubilantly offering water for washing the feet and many other articles to Him, one after another, and by performing various gestures (nyasa) according to the regulations of worship.
24 One should offer padya to Lord Hari's lotus feet, and the previously described water for arghya should be offered to His head.  One should offer acamaniya and madhuparka to the Lord's mouth.
25 One should again offer water to rinse the Lord's mouth, and he should offer water for the Lord's bath.  One should then give the Lord perfumed, clean yellow garments.
26 As far as one is able, he should present golden necklaces, earrings, armlets, tinkling bells, crowns, and various other golden ornaments to the Lord.
27 One should offer to the Lord camphor, aguru, musk, sandalwood, kunkuma, and other pleasing aromatic substances, which are neither too liquid nor too thick.
28 Then one should offer to the deity tulasi leaves, and beautiful, aromatic malati, jati, karavira, lotus and other excellent flowers anointed with sandalwood paste.
29 One should place the tulasi leaves at the Lord's lotus feet, lotus flowers on His head, a garland of forest flowers around His neck, and handfuls of flowers on each of His limbs.
30 One should offer very aromatic guggula and aguru incense, as well as a splendid ghee lamp, to the deity seated on His throne.
31 Then one should offer to the deity the four kinds of foods prepared with fresh ghee, curds, milk, and sugar, and placed on a golden dish.
Note: the four kinds of foodstuffs are those which are chewed, sucked, licked and drunk.
32 Then one should offer to the deity pure, clear, cool, fragrant, delicious water from a golden pitcher, and then one should offer water for the Lord to rinse His mouth.
33 Then one should offer to the Lord nicely prepared pure betelnuts, made aromatic by adding camphor and other fragrant substances and placed in a golden case.
34 Then one should offer a camara fan, umbrella, bed, palanquin, throne, and various other gifts to the Lord.
35 Then one should worship the flute at the Lord's mouth, the garland of forest-flowers on His chest, goddess Laksmi-devi, the kaustubha jewel, and the mark of srivatsa, one after the next.
36 Then one should offer handfuls of flowers five times to the lotus feet of the deity, and after that one should worship the Lord's associates, headed by Sridama, who are seated on the Lord's lotus-shaped throne.
37 Then, repeating prayers as far as he is able and satisfying the deity with eight kinds of offerings, one should take the remaining flowers and other articles of worship and worship Lord Visvaksena, who resides in the Northeast.
38 Then the intelligent devotee should worship the Lord with aromatic unbroken flowers and cause the excellent conchshell and the sweet-sounding bell to resound.
39 Then one should offer eloquent prayers to Lord Krsna, perform arati and other similar ceremonies, and offer obeisances, falling on the ground like a rod.
40-41 Then one should fall at Lord Krsna's lotus feet and repeatedly beg for His mercy, saying: "O Lord of the universes, please be merciful to me.  O friend of the distressed. O ocean of mercy, I am drowning in the ocean of repeated birth and death, and the black snake of time has grasped me in its jaws.  I have now completely taken shelter of You.  Please protect me."
42 After begging for the Lord's mercy and offering respectful obeisances to Him again and again, one should perform various mudras and offer Him a flute, forest-flower garland, lotus flowers and other things.
43 When this worship of Lord Krsna is completed, one should place the Lord on a splendid, pure and comfortable bed.
44 Then one should jubilantly smell the delightful flowers offered to Lord Krsna and place those flowers on his own head.  He should drink the nectarean water that had washed the Lord's lotus feet and also place that water upon his own head.
45 Then one should distribute among the devotees the remnants of the Lord's meal, which are difficult for even the great sages to attain and which are as palatable as nectar.  Then, full of bliss because of having seen the Lord, one should also relish the remnants left by the Lord.
46 In this way the deity may be worshipped by performing various services and offering various opulent gifts to the Lord.  However, a poor person, without any means, may become perfect in spiritual life by worshipping the Lord with a tulasi leaf as his only offering.
47 One who is keenly intelligent, free from pride, lust and other faults, and worships the Lord's lotus feet, becomes at once qualified to offer respects to the perfect and complete Supreme Lord, Krsna, who is like an unlimited ocean of transcendental happiness.

ninth cluster coming next