Published by Jaico Publishing House
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Tulsi Books (A Division of Sri Tulsi Trust).
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Tulsi Books
(A Division of Sri Tulsi Trust)
7, K. M. Munshi Marg
Girgaon Chowpatty, Mumbai - 400 007
Email:
www.tulsibooks.com
NECTAR STREAM
ISBN 978-81-8495-485-2
First Jaico Impression: 2013
No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.
For more information on the author and other books connected to him, visit www.radhanathswami.com
Publisher note: A compilation by devotees from the lectures of His Holiness Radhanath Swami Maharaj.
Index
Siksha
Faith
- To lose money, prestige, health or even life itself is not such a loss. To lose faith is the greatest loss.
- Its not so difficult to understand things intellectually, but it takes the grace of God to really have faith.
- Faith in the mind and faith in Krsna cannot go hand in hand. Either we have faith in our mind or in Krsna.
- It is only through faith and mercy that we can understand the unlimited. When theunlimited wants to reveal Himself only then we can understand the unlimited. And if the unlimited cannot reveal Himself to the limited then He is not unlimited.
- When we have a question or a doubt about faith in Krsna, it is because we are putting too much faith in our minds.
- Faith in Krsna goes beyond intellectual presentation and logic.
- No one can live a moment without faith, even unconsciously.
- There is no restriction for what is possible and what is impossible for the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
The Spell of Maya
- Yoga-maya means that which covers us to bring us closer to the loving service of the Lord. Maha-maya is that which covers us to tear us away from the Lord.
- Maya can sound just like Krsna; we cannot differentiate unless we are free from all motivations for material enjoyment.
- If we can best serve in a palace then it is maya to live under a tree and if we can best serve under a tree then, it's maya to live in a palace. The difference between maya and Krsna consciousness is simply how I can serve best?
- These are the two ways that maya tries to take our mind away from Krsna, tries to make us untrue to Krsna. One is by attracting us through objects of the senses and if thatdoesn't work, then through fear!
- Maya is when we equate compassion of the body and mind to the compassion of the soul.
- Maya convinces a non devotee not to surrender unto Krsna. To a devotee, she convinces to postpone the surrender.
- The person who survives the clutches of maya is the person who prays each and every moment for Krsna to save him.
- When we are eager to read, learn and hear (about Krsna), then mayas tricks get exposed.
- The world will appreciate us if we give time to maya and devotees will appreciate us if we give time to Krsna. We have to decide whom we should serve.
Material Attachments
- We must have fear of material entanglements because that fear will actually give us the impetus to avoid material sense gratification.
- When we put God in the center of our lives, then the problems of material existence are no longer relevant.
- Attachment which is favorable for devotional service is spiritual, that which isunfavorable, is material.
- Material sense gratification is the greatest obstacle to purification of consciousness.
- As long as we are attached to worldly perceptions, we can never understand Krsna.
- Material desires are like rashes, they itch. The more we try to satisfy them through material means, the more they itch, filling us up with more agitation and anxiety.
- This whole material existence is just a series of special effects to ultimately wake us up.
- Material nature provides with facilities to struggle for meaningless enjoyment.
- When we have a lot of material opulence, we think we deserve everything that we want.
- In this world, material things can be an incredible spiritual medium between the devotees and Krsna.
- The bottom line in the material world is envy and it is envy alone that is the cause of lust, exploitation, violence and suffering.
Karma
- According to how we behave and how we respond to obstacles, we determine our karmic reactions.
- It's too late to avoid the reactions, but not too late to come to the right conclusions.
- Not a moment in human life passes when actions are not accounted for.
- Every action in Krsna's service is considered "inaction" and is not bound to karma.
Sadhana
Sincerity
- By hearing Krsna-katha in association of sincere devotees, we should pray for real sincerity. We should long for real sincerity.
- We must live our life moment by moment with integrity, simplicity and honesty.
- Maya's job is to separate the sincere from the insincere.
- Anyone who has rendered sincere devotional service is loved by Krsna, even if he is in maya.
- Impediments that come in life serve to strengthen the sincere and eliminate the ones who are not sincere.
Spiritual Advancement
- The goal of Krsna consciousness is not to be spiritually advanced; it is to be a servant of Krsna.
- As devotees, we should know that ultimately our spiritual advancement is not dependent on what other people see what we do. It only depends on what is seen, heard and felt by Krsna, who is within our heart.
- Our spiritual advancement is not determined by what people think from the outside, it is determined by what Krsna thinks from inside.
- Our spiritual progress depends on how we are perceived in the eyes of God.
- If one is serious about making spiritual advancement, one must discipline his time.
- It is most difficult to preach to those who think they are spiritually advanced.
- The more we become spiritually advanced, the more responsible we become for even the little, unimportant things in life.
- The more we advance in Krsna consciousness, the more we have to strengthen our service attitude, in order to bear the weight of responsibility.
- Without hearing and chanting, nothing will have spiritual substance, not even worshiping the deities.
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