Higher or Lower in spiritual life

Was feeling good about the weekend damodar program we had until I spoke with my god brother. Felt tooooooo small when I heard about their mega programs. 300+ people turned up in program in an apartment.  Sunday program 175 people turn up, temple program 700+ people are lighting diyas.  Everyday  day minimum 60 people turn up in house programs. Many doing 2 pgms a day. Devotees are taking big big austerities. huh ..Where am I in the race of pleasing Gurudev ? It is not gonna be a winning game.. Slept off in the morning and dint wake up nor want to wake up for mangal arti also.

But one good thing is.. I dint feel envious. GM mail is sooo soothing that anytime I read it, I get a big smile on my face. All glories to my sweetest father. As I was thinking on this, I got a mail from Hare Krsna Quotes and it said - "In spiritual life, higher or lower is not about how much you can accomplish; higher or lower is about the purity of your motivation, the spirit of your compassion and love -RNS"

Ok ! now, Someone mercifully wants to support me by giving helping hands to do a big program and 

ouch ! I’m refusing saying I have no time to do wicks or prasad. 

Sri Madhavendra puri's DS

Reading Caitanya Caritamrita - Sri Madhavendra puri's devotional service. One particular translation which was so striking was this.

"Mādhavendra Purī smeared the sandalwood pulp over the body of Gopīnātha, and in this way he was overpowered with love of Godhead." (CC madhya 4.175)

I loved the way Srila Prabhupada used the term OVERPOWERED :)

Story Of Teddy

As she stood in front of her 5th grade class on the very first day of school, she told the children an untruth. Like most teachers, she looked at her students and said that she loved them all the same. However, that was impossible, because there in the front row, slumped in his seat, was a little boy named Teddy Stoddard.
Mrs. Thompson had watched Teddy the year before and noticed that he did not play well with the other children, that his clothes were messy and that he constantly needed a bath. In addition, Teddy could be unpleasant.

It got to the point where Mrs. Thompson would actually take delight in marking his papers with a broad red pen, making bold X's and then putting a big "F" at the top of his papers.

At the school where Mrs. Thompson taught, she was required to review each child's past records and she put Teddy's off until last. However, when she reviewed his file, she was in for a surprise.

Teddy's first grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is a bright child with a ready laugh. He does his work neatly and has good manners... he is a joy to be around.."

His second grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is an excellent student, well liked by his classmates, but he is troubled because his mother has a terminal illness and life at home must be a struggle."

His third grade teacher wrote, "His mother's death has been hard on him. He tries to do his best, but his father doesn't show much interest and his home life will soon affect him if some steps aren't taken."

Teddy's fourth grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is withdrawn and doesn't show much interest in school. He doesn't have many friends and he sometimes sleeps in class."

By now, Mrs. Thompson realized the problem and she was ashamed of herself. She felt even worse when her students brought her Christmas presents, wrapped in beautiful ribbons and bright paper, except for Teddy's. His present was clumsily wrapped in the heavy, brown paper That he got from a grocery bag Mrs. Thompson took pains to open it in the middle of the other presents. Some of the children started to laugh when she found a rhinestone bracelet with some of the stones missing, and a bottle that was one-quarter full of perfume.. But she stifled the children's laughter when she exclaimed how pretty the bracelet was, putting it on, and dabbing some of the perfume on her wrist. Teddy Stoddard stayed after school that day just long enough to say, "Mrs. Thompson, today you smelled just like my Mom used to." After the children left, she cried for at least an hour.

On that very day, she quit teaching reading, writing and arithmetic. Instead, she began to teach children. Mrs. Thompson paid particular attention to Teddy. As she worked with him, his mind seemed to come alive. The more she encouraged him, the faster he responded. By the end of the year, Teddy had become one of the smartest children in the class and, despite her lie that she would love all the children the same, Teddy became one of her "teacher's pets.."

A year later, she found a note under her door, from Teddy, telling* her that she was still the best teacher he ever had in his whole life.

Six years went by before she got another note from Teddy. He then wrote that he had finished high school, third in his class, and she was still the best teacher he ever had in life.

Four years after that, she got another letter, saying that while things had been tough at times, he'd stayed in school, had stuck with it, and would soon graduate from college with the highest of honors. He assured Mrs. Thompson that she was still the best and favorite teacher he had ever had in his whole life.

Then four more years passed and yet another letter came. This time he explained that after he got his bachelor's degree, he decided to go a little further. The letter explained that she was still the best and favorite teacher he ever had. But now his name was a little longer.... The letter was signed, Theodore F. Stoddard, MD.

The story does not end there. You see, there was yet another letter that spring. Teddy said he had met this girl and was going to be married. He explained that his father had died a couple of years ago and he was wondering if Mrs. Thompson might agree to sit at the wedding in the place that was usually reserved for the mother of the groom.

Of course, Mrs. Thompson did. And guess what? She wore that bracelet, the one with several rhinestones missing. Moreover, she made sure she was wearing the perfume that Teddy remembered his mother wearing on their last Christmas together.

They hugged each other, and Dr. Stoddard whispered in Mrs. Thompson's ear, "Thank you Mrs. Thompson for* believing in me. Thank you so much for making me feel important and showing me that I could make a difference."

Mrs. Thompson, with tears in her eyes, whispered back. She said, "Teddy, you have it all wrong. You were the one who taught me that I could make a difference. I didn't know how to teach until I met you."
Just try to make a difference in someone's life today? tomorrow? Just "do it". 

Liked reading the above story. Felt Krsna consciousness - Changing people's hearts for ever and giving people hope of a better life for ever.

Austerity

Karthik month started and everyone is busy taking austerities. I enquired few of my god brothers and sisters on their austerity for this month, I heard many of them telling like waking up for Mangala arti, chanting the rounds in the morning, reading bhagavatam, completing a canto within this month, hearing GM lecture every day, one meal a day, no sweets…etc. It striked me in the morning while doing MA, why are these called austerities , when devotional service is suppose to be done blissfully. I explored the meaning of austere and to how Prabhupada  explains devotional service as austerity.

First the dictionary meaning

aus·tere

adjective \ȯ-ˈstir also -ˈster\

: simple or plain : not fancy

of a person : having a serious and unfriendly quality: having few pleasures : simple and harsh

Full Definition of AUSTERE

1

a :  stern and cold in appearance or manner

b :  somber, grave <an austere critic>

2

:  morally strict :  ascetic

3

:  markedly simple or unadorned <an austere office> <an austere style of writing>

4

:  giving little or no scope for pleasure <austere diets>

Srila Prabhupada says

Divyam is explained in the Bhagavad-gita: janma karma ca me divyam [Bg. 4.9]. If you simply take little trouble to understand Krsna... That tapasya required: to read Krsna's instruction, Bhagavad-gita, Srimad-Bhagavatam, and try to understand Krsna. Because that tapasya, if you take little painful... It is not painful. It is very pleasing. But we avoid it. We think it is painful. "Ah! Who is going to read books? We are meant for selling books, not for reading books." This is not good. We should read also. That is tapasya. Saddhaya. That is tapasya. Don't think that simply our books are meant for selling. No. It is meant for reading also. If we read regularly, at least two hours, three hours, that is tapasya. Tapo divyam [SB 5.5.1]. To understand spiritual position, my spiritual position, Krsna's spiritual... (aside:) So that is tapasya. These are the tapasyas. To rise early in the morning, that is also tapasya. Not that every day we have to ring bell -- dung, dung, dung, dung -- "Get up! Get up!" "No, I am sleeping." No, you have to accept. These are the tapasyas. We cannot avoid. If we actually want to avoid this body, working like cats and dogs, like animals, then we have to undergo tapasya, a very simple tapasya.

-       Reference http://www.prabhupadavani.org/main/Bhagavatam/423.html

So Krsna consciousness is not a sacrifice it’s the tapasya for our eternal happiness , REAL HAPPINESS . Wish I do some tapasya this month and get multi folded benefits. J  

Feeling loved...

karuṇā nā hoile, kāndiyā kāndiyā,
prāṇa nā rākhibo āra

Have been relishing GM's mercy on me.O Krsna ! How can he love me so unconditionally though Im a big sack of anarthas...By Jagannath's mercy I wish I carry this mood with me always.I am glad that my gurumaharaj is always there for me..loving me and caring for me..feeling so indebted.