Understanding Pain & Suffering In Life

In our life we all suffer Pain at some point of time in our life. Pain, whether physical or mental is the most unwanted thing & is always avoided by all of us. But still it is a fact that pain is as much a part of our life as joy is in our life. In joy we feel so happy that we always forget the reason why we are having this joy but when we are in pain, we certainly try to analyze why we are having this pain. When you suffer from some physical illness then you try to think why it is there. You consult your doctor & ask him to get rid of you of this pain.

But have you ever wondered, why this pain first of all occurs in our body? Pain in your body is just the "Effect" in "Cause & Effect" cycle of this nature. As Pain is the "Effect" then what is the "Cause" of this pain.

As per Bhagwat Gita, "Cause and Effect" of this material world are due to 3 qualities of Nature only & those are "Sattva, Rajas & Tamas". Due to these three qualities of Nature only our body is born. Due to individual being doing Karmas (Good & Bad), one enjoys Joy & also suffer Pain in this life. In effect Nature is of dual characteristics & "Good & Bad", "Joy & Pain" etc. are both due to dual characteristics of this nature. The living entity in material nature enjoys the three modes of nature & it is due to his association with that material nature only that he meets with good and evil consequences in his/her lifetime. Now here below are the Bhagwat Gita verses which details about the three modes of nature and how an individual gets involved with these three modes of nature & enjoys happiness & suffers pain. Basically it explains Cause and Effect in Nature.

In Bhagwat Gita Lord Sri Krishna says to Arjuna :

"Material nature consists of three modes—Goodness, Passion and Ignorance (Sattva, Rajas & Tamas). When an individual living entity comes in contact with nature, he becomes conditioned by these three modes." - (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Fourteen verse 5)

"The mode of Goodness, being purer than the other two, is illuminating, and it frees one from all sinful reactions. Those situated in that mode become conditioned by a sense of happiness and knowledge." - (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Fourteen verse 6)

"The mode of Passion is born of unlimited desires and longings, and because of this, the embodied living entity is bound to material fruit producing actions." - (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Fourteen verse 7)

"Know that the mode of Darkness, born of ignorance, is the delusion of all embodied living entities. The results of this mode are madness, indolence and sleep, which bind the conditioned soul." - (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Fourteen verse 8)

"The mode of Goodness conditions one to happiness; Passion conditions one to fruit producing action & pain; and Ignorance, covering one’s knowledge, binds one to madness." - (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Fourteen verse 9)
Now you have to see that in which of the above said modes of nature you are established. If you are doing good Karmas, helping others, living a pure life, having devotion to God, doing acts of sacrifice, charity etc. then you are living a Sattvic life & it frees one from all sinful reactions & gives a life of happiness.

If you live a passionate (Rajasic) life, addicted to sensuous pleasures of life then it shall give pain in life (physical & mental later on). Though sensuous pleasures look good at the time of it's enjoyment but ultimately it's consequence is pain only & it leads one to all painful reactions .

That happiness which is derived from contact of the senses with their objects and which appears like nectar at first but gives pain at the end is said to be of the nature of passion. - (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Eighteen verse 38)

If you lead a lazy life, enjoys happiness in sleep, indolence etc. & are egoistic, avoid doing your duty; then you are living in delusion. All this arises of the nature of ignorance & in this case you are leading a Tamasic life. Such a life gives pain only always & lead one to utter delusion before & after.

So its all, what type of life you live & what type of Karmas you do. Sattvic life shall lead you to happiness only while Rajasic life shall lead you to Pain & Suffering while Tamasic life shall lead you to utter delusion & shall ruin your life. Choice is yours, which type of life you want to live.

Jai Sri Krishna

Love Of Radha Krishna

Today is “Radha Ashtmi”, the Birthday of Goddess Sri Radha ji. Here we shall know about Sri Radha Ji & her divine. immortal Love with Lord Sri Krishna. Sri Radharani was a Gopi who was most near to Lord Krishna’s heart. Sri Radha's devotion and dedication towards Lord Sri Krishna was complete, that is the reason that she was most dear to Lord Sri Krishna. Goddess Shri Radha Rani took birth at a place called Barsana in Uttar Pradesh state in India. Goddess Sri Radha was the daughter of Vrishbhanu & her mother was Kirti.

Goddess Sri Radha was not married to Lord Sri Krishna but still she was most dear to Him even more than His wives. It was because, Sri Radha was always full of devotion towards the Lord & never thought of anyone else besides Lord Sri Krishna. In pictures Sri Radha is almost always depicted alongside Sri Krishna.

Sri Radha Rani is considered as the greatest devotee of Lord Sri Krishna. It is said that Sri Radha, herself is the "Devotional energy" of Lord Sri Krishna who is the Lord of the universe. Her name always comes before the name of Lord Sri Krishna that is why God's one name is "Radha Krishna" also. Just take out only one "R" from "Radha Krishna" & it becomes just "aadha Krishna" i.e. "half Krishna" & that is the power of the name "Radha". As Sri Radha Rani is always in the thought of Lord Sri Krishna the Supreme God, so her state of "Spiritual Emotion" is called "Maha Bhaav or महाभाव" i.e. the highest state of Spiritual Emotion or Spiritual Ecstasy.

As per the Bhagwat Gita, devotion is the easiest method to develop "Bhaav" & get close to the God. God himself declares about the glory of devotion in Bhagwat Gita:

"man-mana bhava mad-bhakto
mad-yaji mam namaskuru
mam evaishyasi satyam te
pratijane priyo ’si me" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Eighteen verse 65)

"Sri Krishna says to Arjuna: Always think of Me, become My devotee, worship Me and offer your homage unto Me. Thus you will come to Me without fail. I promise you this because you are My very dear friend."

"sarva-dharman parityajya
mam ekam saranam vraja
aham tvam sarva-papebhyo
mokshayisyami ma suchah" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Eighteen verse 66)

"Sri Krishna says to Arjuna: Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear."

"ye tu dharmamritam idam
yathoktam paryupasate
sraddadhana mat-parama
bhaktas te ’tiva me priyah" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Twelve verse 20)

"Sri Krishna said to Arjuna: O Arjuna, Those who follow this imperishable path of devotional service and who completely engage themselves with faith, making Me the supreme goal, are very, very dear to Me."

"mayy eva mana adhatsva
mayi buddhim nivesaya
nivasisyasi mayy eva
ata urdhvam na samsayah" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Twelve verse 8)

"Sri Krishna said: O Arjuna, Just fix your mind upon Me and engage all your intelligence in Me. Thus you will live in Me always, without a doubt."

So let's have devotion in God. Let's remember God for some time in our daily life so that we too can generate some "Bhaav" or "Spiritual Emotion" towards the God. Once that is developed, we shall always find God near us & our life shall be filled with joy, love & ecstasy.

Jai Shri Krishna

Shape & Color Of Water

Water is the most essential element to complete the creation on earth. Without water we cannot imagine our life & rather there cannot be any life without water. Can you describe the shape & color of water? There is unlimited amount of water in the ocean or a river but what's the color & shape of this water?

In reality there is no color or shape of water. In fact, whatever, color is put into the water, it appears of that color only. Similarly, water takes the shape of the Pot, whatever type & size of the pot is. If the pot is spherical, then water takes the shape of sphere, if the pot is rectangular, water appears to be taking the shape of rectangular pot. So the shape of the water is spoken in relation to the shape of the Pot, in which water is put.

Same is the case with "Soul". The Omnipresent Soul which is invisible, indivisible & all pervasive in this universe, appears to be taking the shape of a body, when seen in relation to a body. In fact all pervasive, omnipresent soul is beyond the concept of shape, color etc. but similar to water, it appears to be taking the shape of the body, with which we are relating it. If we see a human being, we relate the omnipresent soul behind that body to be limited to the body of that particular human being. Same is the case with other bodies of animals etc. too, while in fact it is still beyond the body & is omnipresent.

Most of us identify ourselves with this body of ours. We see this body of ours in the mirror & feel that this is our real self. We start feeling ourselves as one point body in space & forget to feel the greatness of Soul which is sustaining this body of ours & which is all pervading in this universe.

As per Bhagwat Gita, we should think ourselves to be that Soul which is beyond this body, which is unthinkable, imperishable, ineffable, eternal, all pervading, immobile, un-manifest & immutable. Our nature is also that only which is also called Brahmn.

In fact we are the Omnipresent Soul inside our body & this Soul can never die though body may die. Bhagwat Gita explains this:

“acchedyo-ayam adahyo-ayam
akledyo-asoshya ev ch
nity sarv-gatah sthanur
achalo-ayam sanatanah” (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter II verse 24)

"Sri Krishna said: For this individual soul is incapable of being cut; and insoluble, and can be neither burned nor dried. This soul is eternal, constant, omnipresent, unchangeable, immovable and everlasting."

“dehi nityam avadhyo-ayam
dehe sarvasy bharat
tasmat sarvani bhutani
na tvam shochitum-arhasi” (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter II verse 30)

"Sri Krishna said: O descendant of Bharata, this soul residing in the bodies of all can never be slain. Therefore you should not grieve for any living being."

"athakasa-sthito nityam
vayuh sarvatra-go mahan
tatha sarvani bhutani
mat-sthanity upadharaya" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Nine verse 6)

"Sri Krishna said: Understand that just as the mighty wind, blowing everywhere, rests always in the sky, so do all created beings rest in Me (Universal Soul)."

The above verses explain the omnipresent & everlasting nature of God or the Universal Soul (one who is present everywhere).

So we should not think our self limited to this body only. We are that omnipresent soul which is appearing to be this perishable body, due to our self relating it with the body; just like we think water is of the shape of the Pot, while in reality, water is having no shape & appears to be taking the shape of the Pot.

Jai Sri Krishna