The Wisdom Park

    Today a simple incident thought me an important lesson. Few days back, the nada string of the pyjama that I wear during my Yoga practice had come out. I stopped doing my Yoga practice due to this reason. Probably an excuse to take a break. I tried to find a safety pin to try to insert the thread back into it's socket. I searched a few places in the ashram where the safety pin could likely be found but, to no avail. I resigned from the endeavour to search and convinced myself that I will search for it some other day.  Today, I made up my mind to somehow resume my Yoga session. Which means, I had to find the safety pin - some how or the other. I searched one drawer but to no avail. Then, I searched the most obvious drawer. With a little searching, I found one safety pin lying in the corner of the drawer, as if waiting to be found. I was amazed and shocked to find it. It was as if someone magically put it there from the heavens. I had s...

  Before the lockdown, I never wanted to stay in the ashram throughout the day. I always wanted to go out and do programs or meet people. I always felt that I am "on the move guy" and always wanted action. Now after the lockdown period and being at ashram for quite sometime, I must confess that I have begun to love staying here. I guess once the lockdown opens, it will be difficult for me to move out. I was reflecting on how our mind functions. The situation that was not all to my liking has now become most likable. The mind after all gets adjusted to whatever the situation is. It keeps constantly fluctuating between likes and dislikes without any rationale. Probably, that's the reason sages and scriptures warn us not to trust our minds. We can't take it's thinking, feeling and willing too seriously.   Even though the mind has no rationale, there is another rationale which we need to understand. That is the rationale of "our needs"...

Lust is something that is so much eulogized by the world and it is something that occupies all of one's mind space and heart space. It is a powerful energy that can potentially consume anyone and everyone in it's magical grip. Even though it is so much the goal of everyone in this world, the wise and the experienced see it as a peace sucking, hellish emotion. We may consider lust to be our best friend but the reality is that, lust is our worst enemy which will destroy our peace, our happiness, our sanity and our very life. Lord Krishna declares lust to be our greatest enemy in Bhagvat-gita 3.37 - "śrī-bhagavān uvāca kāma eṣa krodha eṣa rajo-guṇa-samudbhavaḥ mahāśano mahā-pāpmā viddhy enam iha vairiṇam" "The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: It is lust only, Arjuna, which is born of contact with the material mode of passion and later transformed into wrath, and which is the all-devouring sinful enemy of this world." I...

    Prime Minister, Narendra Modi said in his recent address to BJP party workers to not give up and to not get tired ( NA HARNA HAI - NA THAKNA HAI ) in this long haul fight against the Corona virus, for the simple reason that, there is no other option. I was thinking that as devotees, this should also be our motto in our long haul fight against the viruses of lust, anger, greed, envy and pride in our hearts, for the simple reason that there is no other option.  Either in the war with COVID19 or with our anarthas, we can't allow ourselves to get discouraged and give up. We have to keep the fighting spirit on - we have to keep marching ahead, come what may. We need to remember that in the face of crises and challenges - some defeats, disappointments and casualties are unavoidable. We need to have a brave heart, be ready to get up, pick others up, encourage each other and keep moving ahead. We need to remind ourselves that, "what is most import...

There is a wonderful, simple and instructive anecdote from the life of Namacharya Haridas Thakur. Haridas Thakur was staying in a small  village called Phuliya  in Bengal and chanting the Holy Names of Krishna, throughout the day and night.  Chanting the Holy Names was his food, his sustenance, his everything.  The local magistrate of that place (Kazi) knowing that Haridas had been born in a Muslim household, and now was showing such a taste for chanting the Holy Names of Krishna, began to fear that he might convert others to Vaishnavism. He took his complaint to the governor (Nawab), suggesting that Haridas be punished as soon as possible. The governor ordered his officers to place Harid as under arrest. The other prisoners already knew Haridas’s glories and thought that the sight and blessings of such a great spiritual personality would surely bring them merit to insure their early r...

  Today is the Vyas Puja (Appearance Day) of one of the greatest heroes the world has ever seen and definitely one of the biggest heroes in my life. Today is the Appearance Day of His Holiness Jayapataka Maharaj. "Jayapataka" means "Victory Flag" . As his name suggests, Maharaj has achieved victory over insurmountable and seemingly impossible obstacles. His life is an emblem of one-pointed dedication to Guru, selfless service to the Vaishnavas and unparalleled compassion to the common people. Even after going through a life-threatening brain hemorrhage, a liver and a kidney transplant, he still continues to preach the message of His Dear Lord Chaitanya with great vigour and zeal. For him the word "Impossible" means "I am possible". His life is a glaring example to the entire world that, if one is possessed by a burning desire to serve Guru and Gauranga, then anything, literally anything is possible.  Srila Prabhupada, in...

"Oh Lord, please transfer the attraction I have towards the objects of this world to You." We all know the story of King Bharat from Srimad-bhagvatam who became attached to a baby deer, so much so that, he forgot to perform devotional service to The Supremely Dear Lord. Thus, his attachment and attraction to The Dear Lord was replaced by his newfound attachment and attraction to this deer. This deer became his dear deer. The result - in his next life, he was born as a baby deer. Lord Krishna explains in Bhagvat-gita 8.6 yaṁ yaṁ vāpi smaran bhāvaṁ tyajaty ante kalevaram taṁ tam evaiti kaunteya sadā tad-bhāva-bhāvitaḥ "Whatever state of being one remembers when he quits his body, O son of Kuntī, that state he will attain without fail." Krishna in this verse explains that our next life depends on the object that is dear to us in this life. Or, in the context of the example of King Bharat, our next life depends on who is our deer in t...

Sharing a few afterthoughts of the recently concluded Vrindavan Yatra. Feeling extremely grateful for all the places of the pastimes of the Lord that I got to see this time in Vrindavan. There were a lot more places to be seen but Vrindavan is unlimited like the Lord so, the places of Lord's pastimes are also unlimited. Therefore to expect to see all the holy places in a few days is unrealistic. But, one can try to relish the few places one gets to see and genuinely feel grateful that at least one got the opportunity to have darshan of these supremely holy places.  What is our qualification to be given entry into these intimate places of Lord's pastimes? Our only qualification is that we have received the association of sincere devotees of the Lord who have prayed for us and are praying for us.   I was blessed to come to this Yatra with a group of wonderful and simple hearted devotees from Goa. I have learnt so much from them. Apparen...

I recently saw a loving father who was selflessly taking care of his mischievous child. I was observing the exhibition of his tolerance. I was left wondering about all the troubles I must have given my parents and the extent of tolerance and patience they must have exhibited in raising me up.   Whatever we are and where ever we are in life is because of the selfless sacrifice of so many people. We should always remember the sacrifices others have made for us and are making for us and feel grateful to them. And, if we can in some way reciprocate with their sacrifices then our life will be worthwhile.  - Achyut Gopal Das

While doing parikrama around Govardhan Hill, I was reflecting back on all the times I have performed Govardhan parikrama in the last so many years. I reflected that each time I have performed it, it was always with different devotees at different phases in my life. My companions during the parikrama and my situation during the parikrama were all different. The only similar factor in all these parikramas was Govardhan Himself. Being an eternal form of the Lord, He is always the same. The more we realize Krishna and His various forms to be the only constant factor in this changing world, we can seek our refuge in the Lord and experience shelter and stability in a changing world.   Srila Prabhupada, one time was sharing with the devotees life lessons connected to his visits to Jagannath Puri. He explained that, he came to Jagannath Puri for the first time as a small child along with his father. He then came as a young college student. Then as a yo...