Kamsa in Vrndavana-Dhama, The liberation of Indra, Upadesamrta

This class was recorded and filmed at Sri Gopalji Mandir Temple in France, August 2015

Srila Bhakti Swarupa Damodar Maharaja

This morning, I had a strong desire in me to one day reach the perfection of existence that is to be engaged in a group of associates of the divine couple Sri Sri Radha and Krsna. And I remembered a wonderful place in Yavat, there is a wonderful Kunda called Kisori-Kunda and this Kunda is special because at this place, Radha and Krsna dance, perform Rasa-Dance, and that's why this water is very special because it infuses all the feelings, this water has the power to fill all the spiritual desires. That's why this morning, when I sang, I went to the edge of this wonderful pond and I felt my soul crying and I felt my soul beg for this perfection.

There is a wonderful story that is told ...... In the Bhagavad-Gita, the Lord says that He comes into this world to restore religious principles and to destroy the demonic mind, because in us there is always some bad mentality, that's why we can not meet love and we can not meet God, when the Lord comes, everything is in Him, everything comes from Him, the Lord is all-powerful, the creation is nothing compared to Him, it's very small.

When He comes, there are extraordinary characters like Kamsa. Kamsa had the power of ten thousand elephants, with a complexion of gold, he had earthly weapons but also divine weapons and was born with this desire, since he heard a prophecy that he would be killed by the eighth child of Devaki, who is Krsna,Kamsa was born with a demon nature, a very powerful demon, he had only one idea was to kill Krsna, it was his goal. It is explained that so much he was absorbed for this purpose, he did not sleep, even all night he was absorbed in Krsna but not in a good way, not with love but with the desire to kill the Supreme Lord, but it is not possible to kill Him.

When the Lord appeared, Kamsa wanted to know where He was, in a certain area, in Gokula, there were some wonderful things going on. After the Lord was at Vrndavana, after at Nandagram, when Kamsa sent his spies, he heard about wonderful beauty, wonderful girls, one of whom was called Sri Radha. Kamsa thought, "If I could capture that beauty, I'll make it my queen." He left with an entire army, saying that he simply wanted to go around all his conquests, he arrived at Yavat, told his army: '' stay in this grove, I will see this place myself.''

He arrived with his very opulent tank, jewels everywhere, four horses, he arrived at the edge of Kisori-Kunda, a Kunda so wonderful, but so Kamsa was powerful and demonic that Kisori-Kunda fell back, the lotuses have closed, you realize the power of Kamsa ...! He tied up his horses and was thirsty, he approached the Kisori-Kunda and began to dip his hands in the water and drink.

There, he heard his horses neigh, as he is a warrior, he turned to see enemies but he did not see anything, he did not understand, he said to himself: ''but he there is no danger here! "he returned to drink, when he looked at the water; he saw a girl's gaze, very beautiful gopi, very fine with eyes like lotus, he said to himself: ''it must be a nymph of the waters!''.

He heard the horses neigh again as if they were amused by this situation, he turned around, he looked at his hands, he had girls' hands, beautiful hands of gopis, gopis bracelets, he looked at his feet, he had a dress, he saw necklaces, he said to himself '' but how is it possible! '', he no longer had a man's voice but a woman's voice. He says to himself: '' but what's going on? It's a curse! Who am I king, how am I going to control my kingdom now? What are my soldiers going to say? "He was completely desperate, he did not know what to do.

Kamsa saw two beautiful girls coming to Kunda, they were almost flying, they were not touching the ground, they were divine, it was Lalita-Sakhi with one of her servant, they came to collect water for the bath of Radharani, when Lalita-Sakhi saw this chariot, she said:

Lalita: "What is this so opulent chariot?" When she saw this girl she said, "She must know since she is here." '' Oh girl! Whose is this chariot? "

Kamsa-gopi: ''It's mine'' replied the girl

Lalita-Sakhi: '' But we've never seen a gopi with such opulence! ''

Kamsa-gopi: '' I am Kamsa, the king of Mathura! I am the Emperor of the world! "

The girls started laughing, making fun of Kamsa-gopi. Lalita understood and said, "How is it that you who are a king, you have a woman's body?"

Kamsa-gopi: ''But I do not know, I touched that water and now I've got a woman's body!''

Lalita: In truth, Kisori-Kunda fills all desires so you had to have a concupiscent desire in you, and why not remove the most beautiful gopis. What you have is a good thing.

Kamsa fell to their knees at their feet.

Kamsa-gopi says to himself: ''Certainly they will be able to help me, I am in a terrible situation ''.

Radharani entered the mind of Lalita and said to Her, "Bring Me this raskal, we will be able to engage him in the service of Krsna."

Lalita was not happy after Kamsa because she guessed right away why he was there and thought it was a good punishment. As Radharani is Supreme, we never disobey Her orders, everyone in the spiritual world is completely abandoned to Srimati Radharani since it is the origin of the devotional service, all the female expansions, ....

For example, Srila Narayan Maharaj said, when Krsna has the desire to taste vatsalya-rasa, parental love, She manifests Herself as Yasoda, when Krsna desires a sakha, some sakha, She takes the form of Subala, the Goswamis of Vrndavana explains this.

Lalita tells Kamsa: "I know one person who can change your situation, I'll take you to Her."

Kamsa was so submissive that they carried Radharani's bath water on his head, and on the way, Kamsa had to pay obeisances to all the Vrajavasis. With Lalita-Sakhi, Her servant and Kamsa-gopi, when they arrived at Abhimanyu's house, there was Radharani's mother-in-law.

Jatila thought: "Here is a new girl who comes as a friend to Radharani."

When Kamsa-gopi entered this opulent house with gold and jewels everywhere, he was completely amazed and said: '' but what opulence! '' They made him wait in a big hall and when Lalita-Sakhi met Radharani, although she knew why Lalita-Sakhi had brought Kamsa, Said to her:

Lalita-Sakhi: ''I brought you someone special.

Radharani asked: What's special about her?

Lalita-Sakhi replied: It was Kamsa who took the form of a gopi.

When Radharani was ready, went out and went to this room and sat Kamsa next to Her and Lalita-Sakhi as well.

Radharani: ''What can I do for you ?

With great humility, Kamsa says: "I am Kamsa" he recognized his wrongs, "I would like to become a king again, I do not want this female form anymore."

Radharani: It's still amazing! The yogis, the greatest devotees of the Lord aspire to have a form of gopis, but you do not want, you want to become a demonic king again.

In fact, since you were born you persecuted Krsna! With all your demons, you disturb the pastimes of My Lord! I can deliver you but on one condition.

Kamsa: Yes, yes! I accept all the conditions!

Radharani: Do not send demons to Vrndavana anymore!

Kamsa: Yes, I will do it.

Radharani: ''Pay attention! If you do not follow this instruction, then you will have a woman's body all your life. Repeat me that you will never send demons again and that you will not bother Krsna anymore.

Kamsa: I promise!"

It's history. A question which for me is important, we see that although Kamsa came into contact with the highest goal, Radharani, Her associates, although he could hear directly from the divine mouth of Radharani and yet, he has not changed his nature, he wants to remain a man, he wants to remain a woman, so we can understand that it is extremely difficult to reach a divine nature, because even if one goes to a holy place that is so powerful, one goes to a temple so powerful, yet where is the divine form? Where is our relationship with the Supreme Lord? Although we could swim in the waters of the Sadhus, where is this divine form? Where is this relationship with Krsna? We always cry to have a man's body or a woman's body and become entangled in material life, it's a reality. So what is the real process for changing this mentality?

Srila Bhakti Nandan Swami Maharaja

In order to answer this question, first of all I will address some aspects of this answer. When answering a question, '' How to do it? How is it going to happen? What must be done to make it happen? '' We can show some ways, some systems, ''that's how it can happen ''. Then the question comes, '' Okay !! But how do you make this system?" There, again, we can answer "Yes, so that this process can begin, you have to do that and that, that way". Again, the question can be asked: '' How can we do that it will be able to bring us to do that?''

The answer one could say is, unless the free will that each person possesses, ultimately finds his true interest connected with the highest level of reality, at the level of transcendence with the service he has to play towards Krsna and unless he realizes that his main interest is that, and that all the rest does not have much interest and unless there is a grace also descending from the divine plan, it is very difficult for something to happen.

Despite receiving an incredible opportunity to be included among Vraja's gopis, Kamsa could not understand the value of what he received, so eventually he missed his chance. His way of approaching Radharani was really bad, a bad attitude. Instead of approaching Radharani with a humble and submissive attitude, he approached Her with an attitude of exploiting Radharani, this is the worst use of free will. Although Kamsa has received a very great opportunity to be included among the gopis of Vraja, Kamsa did not have the qualification to be able to deserve that. His state of mind, his approach was not devotional.

Before answering Maharaj's question, I wanted to create a little bit of that background so that understanding is possible. Although he received this great fortune to be included among the Vrajagopis, in the Radharani association, he lost that opportunity.

Some Mahajanas give examples: there is another story that is also known that happened once, there were two fishermen coming back to their house after selling their fish on the market. When they were on the way back, there was a huge thunderstorm with thunder and lightning that burst, it's a very simple story but very educational, not only it's a story but it really happened.

At one point, when this storm broke out, they sought shelter to be able to shelter, they saw that there was a flower garden not far away with a house so they ran into the garden, they came back in the house they took shelter. The whole garden was filled with flowers and the scent of these flowers, one of them began to feel sick of the smell of flowers, he was not used to dealing with their smells, because he was always selling fish, he used to smell fish, it smelled too much of flowers and that was made sick.

he began to vomit because of the scent of flowers: '' How to stop your vomiting, there is still this storm, we can not go out because of the thunder! How to do? "Said one of them. There was an idea that came into his mind, he saw that there was the fabric they used to cover the fish.

He tells him: '' Take this cloth and put it on your nose so that you will not smell the flowers anymore and your vomiting will stop ''. He did that, his vomiting stopped and he felt better. Then the storm stopped and they left.

You're going to ask me '' Why are you telling us a story like that? '' Because it was Kamsa's case. He could not grasp the great fortune that was in his whole life of being included among the Vrajagopis, the family of Radharani, because inside himself, he was not in the right feeling, in the right state of mind. Because of his bad attitude, all his material conditioning, he did not have the appropriate state of mind. Although he knew he was going to be killed, he was not going to live very long, yet he could not detach himself from being the king of demons. All his so-called royal power, he knew it was going to end soon.

Another story: Indra appeared in the form of a pig, Indra did a bad activity, and he was cursed to be born in pig, he trained his little pig family and lived very happily with plenty of food around them. One day, the time he had to spend in this pig body came to an end, Brahma came to free him.

Brahma: ''You're not a pig, you're Indra, the king of the Edenic planets, you've been cursed at some point and you're born like a pig, the time of this curse is over, I have come to free you.

Indra in the form of a pig looked at him: What are you saying? I do not understand what you say! You mean that I leave this pig body and this pig family and that I am the king of the Edenic planets, I do not need it, I'm fine here, I feel good, why are you telling me that? You think that the Edenic planets are better and happier than in my situation where I am, do you think it's better?

Brahmaji was confused and said to himself: Anyway, he will never be able to understand what I'm trying to tell him because he's in a body and a pig mentality, he is not going to be able to understand what I am explaining to him, what is the difference between the life he has and the life of the Edenic planets, as long as he has this body, he can never understand that.

The pig Indra: It does not stand up to your story, if you can not explain to me how the Edenic planets are better than the beautiful environment where I am with my little family, I do not see why I should follow you, why did you come to see me if you can not argue, '' go to the Edenic planets, my time has come ....''

Brahma: O you who is the head of the pig family, listen to me, I am your well-wisher, you are not a pig, you are Indra the king of the Edenic planets, you have been cursed to be reborn in this body, now if you want, I have come to bring you back to the Edenic planets, it is a place much better than here and more beneficial for you, you can believe me.

The pig Indra: Are you serious? On the Edenic planets of which you speak, could I have the same delicious food I find here? I could find the same environment where I live with all the dust and sewage where I usually go? If there is, maybe I could consider going there. Look at my family! I have a big family, I'm so attached to them, we're all happy, and you come to try to break our happiness and destroy my family. Why are you bothering me? I understand, you are trying to come and destroy our beautiful family! I see you are pretty, radiant and with a lot of opulence on you, I think you have an idea behind your head to come and destroy my peaceful family life.

Brahma thought: It is not worth while to discuss with him, if I explain to him logically and philosophically why, he will not have the faculty to understand

Brahma: Do not worry! You are Indra, your term in this pig's body is coming to an end, now you have to go back to the Edenic planets, you have to leave this pig's body, and I'll take care of your family, do not worry, we'll make an arrangement, now you have to get out of this situation. "

Brahmaji appealed to his mystical powers and made Indra leave his body in a natural way, not by killing him, and found his form of demi-gods of the Edenic planets, his celestial body, and resumed his celestial form of Indra. So immediately, he could immediately understand what Brahma had told him. He started crying with a deep feeling of gratitude, and Indra offered him his obeisances all along his body.

Indra in his heavenly body said to Brahmaji: You saved me, you saved my Lord!!! As long as I was in that body covered with this gross ignorance, I could not understand what you were saying to me, and you came, you saved me from my condition, you are my best friend, I accept you as my well-wisher and as my master." Filled by this divine grace of Brahmaji, Indra was able to return to the Edenic planets to resume his post of Indra.

This story is not a simple story, it is a true fact that is told in the Holy Scriptures. The reason I tell these stories is to make you understand that when our bodies are completely covered by the mode of ignorance, we can not understand the higher subjects.

Srila Bhakti Swarup Damodar Maharaj

The principle is, when Indra was cursed and had a pig body, Brahma came to Indra because he had pity on him, it's another version a little different, it completes a little bit, when maharaj will come back he will resume his word.

Brahma said to Indra in the form of the pig: "Do not you remember that you are the king of heaven?

When Indra in the form of a pig saw Brahma sitting on his divine mount, he could not understand his words, Brahma realized that it was due to his attachments, he made his little piglets disappear, and there Brahma thought he was going regain consciousness.

Brahma says: "So now can you understand that you were Indra?

Indra: Anyway, it does not matter, I do it again small piglets.

Brahma subtilised the female.

Brahma: And there?

Pig Indra: On the celestial planets, are there feces? "

You understand? As long as one has a material consciousness, as long as one has not experienced a divine plan, for Indra in the form of pork, he no longer remembered his condition. We are the same. The Bhagavad-Gita explains to us that we are a spiritual soul, we have nothing to do with this body. Simply, we are placed in this environment due to our unclean desires and in the same way, if we come into contact with a higher source.

We always talk about the principle of Saints because we say that the association will allow us to understand our nature as a soul. By dint of associating, naturally we will begin to think as a spiritual soul, we will think as servant of the Supreme Lord. Of course, it's a way of seeing things, I do not know how maharaj will develop, we will see our environment in a real way, that is why even though we come into contact with some things of superiors, sometimes we are like Indra in the form of a pig, it's all the time, it means that we refuse to accept wonderful facts because we are attached to objects that are, finally some things temporary, illusory, everything will disappear it's just a matter of time.

Our family will disappear with death, our wealth, all our relationships and yet we are eternal, we will have to start again, and in a new birth we start again life after life. It's not just that in this life it's explained ''bahunam janmanam ante'' it makes millions of lives that we do that. Krsna is merciful Srila Sridhar Maharaj explains, because God loves us, He comes weeping looking for us, He comes with tears begging us to come back to Him. You know this story with Narada Muni ... we'll tell it.

Once Narada Muni was in Vaikuntha, and was saddened because he saw all the people who did not want to come back to Krsna, he had preached well, it did not work, he asked the Lord for a blessing. '' O Lord, give me this blessing to instantly release all those who want, like that, without qualifications ''. The Lord smiled and accepted. Narada Muni descended with his mystical powers into the material world, and saw a Brahmana.

Narada Muni: ''O brahmana! I have just seen the Lord Visnu, He has given me this blessing to release who I want, I can free you.

Brahmana: Yes, but there is a problem, I have to get married after marriage.

Once married, Narada Muni returned, knocking on the door, the husband opened.

Narada Muni: So, are you ready? Now you are married, I can free you.

Brahmana: Oh yes, but the problem is that my wife is expecting a child after birth."

Narada Muni returned a few months later, the baby was born, he knocks on the door. The Brahmana had been hiding on the first floor so as not to see Narada Muni because he was attached to his wife and child. He fell and killed himself, and took birth in the body of a dog. Narada Muni came to see him.

Narada Muni: Look! Before you were a brahmana now you are a dog, look at your condition, I can free you, you come back to Vaikuntha right now.

The brahmana in the form of the dog: But Narada look at all my puppies and my females... "

It's endless ..., you understand? And this is our situation. Our situation is that we can not understand the higher plane, we do not want it, for conditions that are so inferior. Although the Lord lives after life, comes to seek us, He sends devotees into the material world, begs us to return, He is crying! The Vaisnavas cry to bring us back! Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura said that it is necessary to give liters and liters of blood, but nobody wants because everyone on this reason to stay in this world. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati said, "If I bring back a person, I consider my mission to be successful". And it's not easy! That's why we have to wake up. For example, my brother told me a story that is really interesting.

There was a king who was sick, he was a cruel king, he hired doctors and when they could not heal him, the king killed them. There were not many people who wanted to heal him, imagine! He was close to death, he had no choice, he had to find a doctor to treat the king. He was kindly told about a doctor who was super-bad, really bad, rude. It was a king who was very proud, who could not stand being disrespected or criticized, you understand the extreme situation …

The king says: "I will accept everything, bring it to me, I have no choice."

Doctor: I want to treat you with three conditions!

King: Okay, I accept!

The doctor: First, we have to tie you on a bed! Secondly for an hour, although you give any order, your guardians must not intervene, and thirdly, at the door of the kingdom, you put two sacks of gold and a horse.

King: All right! No problem!

The doctor attaches him, and there, he begins to spit in his face.

The king shouts: '' It's a hustler !! It's a hustler !! Deliver me !!

But the guards had been ordered not to intervene, during that time the doctor tortured him a little and he cried out !! he screams !! By his strength, he manages to free himself, and runs after the doctor. When the doctor arrives at the door of the kingdom, takes the horse and the sacks of gold and leaves, behind him runs the king with a sword. Finally, at one point the king realizes that he is healed.

In the same way, we have a torpor, we do not want to be treated, we want to remain in this condition, we want to remain conditioned, to remain attached to men, to women, to temporary objects. Lamentation is not a good thing, the material feeling is not a good thing when it is badly directed, this feeling must be directed to the Absolute Truth. The mind, the intelligence must be engaged in some higher activities, in the action for the Supreme Lord, and there we will naturally wake up and understand the higher teachings, we are like the king understand you? We do not want to heal, we do not want. But if we receive a shock, then it wakes us up, in the same way, Maharaj says that the Sadhus are as sweet as the rose but hard as lightning, why? Because it's to wake us up.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada said: someone who sleeps, you have to make noise to wake him up, if you do movements, it does not work. The best way out of this torpor is listening.

Srila Bhakti Nandan Swami Maharaja

Tonight, it was a session to tell stories, we went to two to tell you stories, I see that you like it. Let's go back to the question how to change such a mentality? Let's go back to the first story of Kamsa. Despite being given such an opportunity, he lost it because he did not have the right frame of mind. The practical way to change this bad mentality, that bad temperament that is doing so much harm and damage in our life; it is to approach a holy person, a pure devotee freed from the Lord and to remain in his association, that this realized soul gives us the light of wisdom, to become serious and subject to the advice that it gives us, to accept with faith the advice and guidance that this person gives us, understanding that it will be very beneficial for us in our life.

Become sincerely devoted to following the path that leads to the higher purpose of life. In the scriptures, there are several processes that have been described for this, to destroy passion and ignorance in our lives, and bring back a positive nature into our hearts.

Tad viddhi pranipatena

pariprasnena sevaya

upadeksyanti te jnanam

jnaninas tattva-darsinah

(B.G: IV.34)

''Seek to know the truth by approaching a spiritual master; inquire of her with him in submission, and while serving him. The realized soul can reveal to you the knowledge, because she saw the truth."

As Krsna says in the Bhagavad-Gita, the principle is to approach a holy soul with submission with faith and follow that person. By asking beneficial questions and sevaya: the mood of service. And to accept all his holy instructions given by realized souls, pure devotees and follow them, to follow his instructions and reach the highest goal in life, the Supreme Lord. Lord Krsna describes this way, how to change such a temperament and mentality similar to Kamsa's mentality.

Srila Rupa Goswami also described through the Upadesamrta:

atyaharah prayasas ca

prajalpo niyamagrahah

jana-sangas ca laulyam ca

sadbhir bhaktir vinasyati

(verse 2)

To eat too much under the influence of too much greed, to be absorbed in material activities that are difficult to access, talk about useless things that do not have real interests and follow religious rules or simply to follow the rules without understanding them. To return to the explanation of these principles, I will explain them again:

1. Atyaharah means literally: overeating; this does not mean that ''overeating'', but also this tendency, this character to accept more than necessary and that depends on others, ''I want ! I want ! I want! ", To be greedy. All for me, more than necessary, it is a selfish greed that is called atyaharah.

2. Prayasas: It means doing a lot of work to get a few things. Make efforts to reach a few futile things that have no use and that will force us to reach our goal to make big sacrifices and finally will destroy all our life, let alone time to do other things, it will just take away happiness and it will just spoil the time of our life to look for things that do not really have values. It means making a huge effort to get some things that is material, material means deadly and it's a few things that will last a while and we're going to make such a huge effort to get it and as soon as we have, or it disappears right away or it lasts only a very short time. Too much effort for material and temporary benefits, futile, that's what must be rejected. Instead of using all our time and energy to gain material and diluted gain.

3. Prajalpa means useless chatter, we all know, if we calculate in our life the time and the number of hours we spent talking about things without any interest, then we will realize that we are wasting a lot of time saying useless things.

For example, being in a situation where we have no involvement, we are not really concerned, but a discussion will come : Someone will say, ''Here it is, that's it!'' And another will say ''No, that's it!'', And we'll say ''No, it's like that!'' , another ''No! It's more like that!" And even sometimes, becoming aggressive and emotional and talking like that for hours and finally it's not fundamental to us.

Speaking, ''Yes, but this person did that'', ''this political leader said that!'', ''There is such a movie that came out and it's about that'', ''You know this actress has changed her way of life now.'' To talk about these things finally, it does not bring anything in our life, but people are wasting a lot of time engaging in discussions like this that ultimately do not bring them anything, they have no implications in there, and they do not get any benefit. These kinds of completely useless, harmful discussions for one who wants to advance in his spiritual life must reject this mode of discussion.

4. Niyamagrahah: means too much attachment to the external rules, to the forms of things without really understanding what is the meaning of these rules, too attached to the form, and finally the bottom is not there. Sometimes, people organize big event evenings with many people who come with a whole process and everyone is hyper-polite, super-nice, everyone smiles ''Ah! Here is such a person, such, such, such!'' And are so kind to introduce each other, but in fact between them, there is no love, they simply follow a process of material courtesy but there is no background in all this and you see them all smiling, you look at them from the outside, if you look at them, it's the perfect world, but although they smile and they do all these procedures, it does not matter. there is no love between them.

Externally for the formalities, they look very nice, very nice but in fact they are not at all like that. It's called Niyamagrahah, focusing too much on the rules, the structure, the formalities but without really understanding the essence of all these things, like that '' Oh! Hi! How are you? Oh! I'm so happy to see you, it's been a long time, I missed you so much!'' After they kiss, the next moment, they forget, it's not a loving relationship but they become very nice at the party.

Better a little things than nothing at all, it's better to behave like that than to behave badly with people, good artificial behavior is better than brutal behavior. There is a difference between a true relationship based on love and affection and with just formalities like that. Niyamagrahah.

5. Jana-sangas ca: means looking too much for the association who have bad tendencies in their lives (ignorance, passion), bad influences, simply to develop social relations, to have a position in society, if we do that, we will absorb the qualities of these people, so it will be detrimental to our spiritual progress.

6. Laulyam ca: means greed, greed for wanting to rejoice in everything we see around us thinking that everything is for our benefit, as soon as we see some objects ''Ah it it's for me, it'll be good, I'll be able to use it'' , that even at the expense of others as soon as we see a few things to think right now, ''it'll be beneficial for me, I have to have that!'', develop too much greed, for objects material and in a very selfish way.

These six bad temperaments of which we have spoken, must be rejected in order to be able to change our mentality, These six facts represent a mentality which are opposed to devotion and which are opposed to God because these six ways of acting destroy our devotional feelings and our spiritual life.

utsahan niscayad dhairyat

tat-tat-karma-pravartanat

sanga-tyagat sato vrtteh

sadbhir bhaktih prasidhyati

From the book Upadesamrta, the teaching of Rupa Goswami (Verse 3)

And then Srila Rupa Goswami has given six principles which, on the contrary, do not destroy spiritual advancement and devotion but will help it to develop.

Srila Rupa Goswami explained the actions that had to be rejected in order to progress, now I am going to explain what principles should be rejected. (the devotees present: '' No, it's accepting ''

Yasoda Dulal: ''I made it on purpose to know if you followed''

Yasoda Dulal speaks to Gurudeva: ''I was wrong, and the devotees took me back''

Gurudeva: Sometimes, in the kitchen, you need a little bit of spice to enhance the taste, so the fact that they have seen your mistake and correct it, adds a little bit of spice. Sometimes when you cook, at some point in the cooking you add some masala or spices, when you add them, it makes you cough, sneeze maybe even that it will make you cry but nevertheless you still like the taste of masala. They collected like masala, it's such a nice exchange.)

What are the things that must be accepted to change the mentality opposed to the Lord?

utsahan niscayad dhairyat

tat-tat-karma-pravartanat

sanga-tyagat sato vrtteh

sadbhir bhaktih prasidhyati

Six principles are peculiar to the fulfillment of pure devotional service:

1. Utsahat: The enthusiasm to fulfill the rules that stimulate devotion: to be enthusiastic to do these activities because we know that it is good for us, it will help us develop love for Krsna, we must be enthusiastic to do that, it must come from us, ''Oh! I want to do that''

2. Niscayat: Conviction, firm faith in the scriptural and spiritual master's explanations whose words are fully in the lineage of the scriptures, having faith in the scriptures and what our spiritual master tells us is good and beneficial for us, they are not there to cheat us.

3. Dhairyat: Patience during the practice of Krsna's service, as we are in this spiritual practice, even when we encounter many obstacles, we must continue to be patient, and determination, dhairyat has two meanings, both the determination in the face of obstacles, we must not stop, we must always continue. And patience, even if we do these activities and the result does not happen right away, we must continue knowing that it will come.

4. Tat-tat-karma-pravartanat: Means to follow the 9 devotional principles, such as listening to the glories of Krsna, singing the name of Krsna,... follow this practice, and give up looking in our lives the pleasure of our senses, but rather to focus our life on talking about Krsna, remembering Krsna, worshiping His deity form, following this method called bhakti.

5. Sanga-tyagat: Abandon the bad association with people who are too attached to the association of the opposite sex, who seek too many associations with the pleasure of the senses, people who are too absorbed in this conception of life there are not good associates as well as all forms of bad associations, People with bad nature, disrespectful, bad philosophical conceptions, we must avoid them because we develop their qualities when we associate with them.

6. Sato vrtteh: Adopt the good behavior and character of pure devotees, those who have a healthy and ideal character in their lives, try to follow in their footsteps and adopt their behaviors.

dadati pratigrhnati

guhyam akhyati prcchati

bhunkte bhojayate caiva

sad-vidham priti-laksanam

Then Rupa Goswami, in this verse continues to give positive principles to enable us to move forward in devotion to change this mentality in us.

Offer to the Vaisnavas, to the Lord's devotees gifts, among devotees who practice the spiritual life, give them gifts, presents, not to anyone, but people who are engaged in spiritual practice and Accept when they give us make gifts. Accept when the devotees give us prasad and give them prasad.

To ask sincere questions about how to progress in the spiritual life and to listen to what they tell us, with sincerity what comes from their heart, is an exchange. These three activities go both ways,

1. offering and receiving gifts,

2. giving and receiving prasad,

3. revealing what is in our hearts to other Vaisnavas and calling the thoughts of the Vaisnavas.

Rupa Goswami gives us practical points of power to make these changes in our heart and to lose this bad mentality and awaken to a good positive mentality. And the scriptures explain that we have six enemies in our lives in the form of:

1. Concupiscence: Kama

2. Anger: Krodha

3. Envy: Matsarya

4. Greed: Lobha

5. Illusion: Moha

6. Madness: Mada

These six things represent enemies. We must be serious about standing aside from these six enemies, to reject them from our lives if we want to make real progress. These six enemies are present in everyone's life. We must be aware of these six enemies, and be careful to depart from them in order to be happy in Krsna consciousness.

Now we could ask, "But how do you follow all the principles you said?" If I explain how to follow these principles, I will explain some points to you to succeed, then you will be able to say to me: "Yes, but how to follow all the points that you mentioned!" it's endless. If there is one thing we can be sure of, it is that our sincere desire to do positive actions to improve ourselves will always receive help, we will always receive an answer because God will help you, God help those who help themselves. One must be very sincere in this desire to be able to change our bad nature, the bad situation in which we are, and pray sincerely to the Lord for help, and His help will come into our life.

Imagine that I'm addicted to a drug, I know that this drug is very bad for me, it destroys my life. I have the desire to take this drug, and I know it is bad and destroys my life, but at the same time, although I know it I can not live without it, I need to live with it. At some point in my life, I have to say, "No! I can not do that, I will not take this drug! I'm determined, I will not take this drug because I know it's bad for me." Despite the attraction that I have, and that I fight several days in a row. "I can die well but I will not take this drug! Automatically, if I make this inner effort that everyone can do, it will bring a change in my life.

Besides the treatment that exists to rehabilitate people who are in the drug, there must also be a sincere and deep desire of the person to get out of this situation, even just with that desire, that person can get out of this situation. Every effort we make with sincerity has power in itself. He comes from the depths of our soul, he has an energy, a goal.

Krsna says, "If you really have the desire to act in your interest, for your benefit, automatically what you do will not be negative for you. If you choose to become your own enemy, you can too, the two paths are open to you, you can choose which one you can take. I leave you two paths open for you, you can make a choice. But compared to your comparative study of what is beneficial and what is not good for you, you have to choose and make the right choice, although both are possible."

In the same way as parents, sometimes they let their children play, and sometimes children will hurt themselves, fall, hurt themselves, cry, it's part of their learning too. The goal of the parents is to protect them but they can not stop them from playing either, otherwise they take away all the freedom of the children. So they leave them their freedom and their experiences to understand the parents' words. Krsna is also like that.

Krsna says this verse in the Bhagavad-Gita: (chapter 6, verse 5)

uddhared atmanatmanam

natmanam avasadayet

atmaiva hy atmano bandhur

atmaiva ripur atmanah

Krsna: "You must always by your own strength, try to get out of your situation, to fight the difficulty in which you are, you must never let yourself be defeated, never give up, you must always try to beat you in the right direction''.

I repeat: ''Freed yourself with your own strength coming from your soul and coming from the Supreme Soul that Is in your heart. Never allow yourself to fall prey to disappointment and depression. If you want, you can become your best friend, or you can become your worst enemy. You must be sincere enough to make the effort to become your own friend and not be your enemy.''

Translated from French into English by Rasalila Devi Dasi Mataji