Demons and what they represent

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura in his Sri Caitanya Siksamrita describes the demons killed during Sri Krishna's Vrindavana pastimes and the anarthas (unwanted things) that they represent.

• Putana - the pseudo guru
  
• Sakatasura (the cart demon) - carrying the burden of a cart-load of old and new bad habits, lethargy and vanity.
• Trinavarta (the whirlwind demon) - false pride which comes from material scholarship, which leads to bogus philosophies.
• Deliverance of Nalakuvara and Manigriva (breaking the twin arjuna trees) - Arrogant pride which comes from puffed-up prestige, which is rooted in a madness for wealth.
• Vatsasura (the calf demon) - a childish type of mentality which gives rise to a type of greediness which results in a wicked type of mischievousness.
• Bakasura (stork demon) - Cunning duplicity, deceptiveness and false types of behavior.
• Aghasura (the snake demon) - Cruelty and violence. Brahma-vimohana Pastime (Lord Brahma steals the cowherd boys and calves) - mundane activities and speculative scholasticism.
• Dhenukasura (the ass demon) - gross materialistic intelligence, ignorance of spiritual knowledge.
• Kaliya (chastising the Kaliya serpent) - brutality and treachery. Extinguishing the Forest Fire - Quarreling amongst Vaishnavas.
• Pralambasura (killing the Pralamba demon) - lusty inclinations; desire for personal gain and honor.
• Second Forest Fire - disturbance of religious principles and interference with religious people who are atheist. Brahmanas Performing Sacrifice - indifference toward Krishna caused by pride because of one's status (position) in varnasrama.
• Overcoming the Pride of Indra - demigod worship, and the tendency to think "I am Supreme."
• Nanda Maharaja Captured by Varuna - thinking that spiritual life can be enhanced by intoxication.
• Nanda Maharaja Swallowed by Vidyadhara (the snake) - rescuing the truth of Krishna consciousness from being swallowed by the impersonalists.
• Sankhacuda (killing the conch-shell demon and getting the jewel that was stolen by him) - proneness toward acquiring name and fame, and desire for sensuous enjoyment, under the plea of devotion.
• Aristasura (the bull demon) - pride arising from indulging in false religions invented by cheaters which causes neglect of devotional service (bhakti).
• Kesi (the horse demon) - The feeling that "I am a great devotee and spiritual master." Vyomasura (the demon in the sky) - associating with thieves and other rascals, and with people who put themselves forward as avataras.

Bhaktivinoda Thakura says: "The devotee who worships the holy name should first petition the Lord for the strength to cast out all these unfavorable tendencies and should pray thus before Lord Hari ( Balaram - Nityananda ) on a daily basis.

By doing this regularly, the devotee's heart will eventually become purified. Sri Krishna has killed a number of demons which may arise in the kingdom of the heart, so in order to destroy these problems, a devotee must cry very humbly before the Lord and the Lord will then nullify all contaminations."

Durga arrives

Dear Devotees,

After speaking to the residents of Goloka about his pastimes to take place on the earth, Sri Krishna then assumes the form of Sri Vishnu and with great affection greeted the demigods at svetadvipa. Sri Vishnu welcomed them one bye one.

What follows is a brief description of Durga Devi as she arrives on the scene.This is all mentioned in the Sri Brahma Vaivarta Purana, 4th Canto.

At Svetadvipa the devas (demigods) saw a celestial chariot four hundred miles high and eight hundred miles wide, designed in a most amazing way. It had one hundred palaces decorated magnificently with very opulent sofas and beds.

Then a goddess appeared decorated with ornaments, her effulgence so bright it stole the splendor of molten gold. Her presence being unequaled and vibrant and the root of the mundane manifestation, stood there with a thousand arms holding many weapons.

She displayed a compassionate smile toward her devotees, her cheeks very splendid with earrings made of valuable jewels, her tinkling anklets were made from the king of jewels.

She wore a jeweled belt around her lovely waist and sparkling armlets and bracelets embedded with valuable jewels.

Fragrant and very beautiful flowers from Mandara Mountain were strung together as garlands which she wore gracefully around her neck. Her thighs were firm and her raised breasts full.

Her beautiful face and lotus eyes decorated with mascara, seemed to rob the autumn moon of its charm.

Her lovely lips and pearl like teeth that resembled jasmine flowers. She also wore an elephant pearl on the tip of her graceful nose.

A goddess with dazzling garments pure as fire and accompanied by her two sons cheerfully rode on a lions back.

Dismounted, the goddess with her sons at once bowed down ( dandavat pranams ) before Sri Krishna the cause of all causes.

The goddess then sat on a great throne.

Sanatana Dharma

"Temporary duties are short lived. The soul's temporary duties are not performed in all situations and all times. For example: a brahmana's brahmana nature, a ksatriya's ksatriya nature, and other like natures also, are manifested because of a particular cause. When the cause ceases to be, these natures vanish. A person may in one birth be a brahmana and in the next birth an outcaste. Therefore the duties of the brahmana caste are temporary. They are not the original duties of the soul. Therefore in reference to temporary duties the phrase 'own duty' is only a figure of speech. That is why in every birth a soul's 'own duty'changes. However, in none of these births does the soul's eternal duty ( Sanatana Dharma ) ever change. This eternal duty is the soul's true 'own duty'. Temporary duties are all short lived.

"If one asks, 'What are the duties of the Vaisnavas?' then I answer: The Vaisnavas' duties are the eternal duties of the soul. When he is liberated from the world of matter, the Vaisnava soul attains his pure spiritual body, and with that body he engages in devotional activities that express his spiritual love for Lord Krsna. When he resides in thematerial world, a person who is intelligent respectfully accepts all that advances his spiritual life and rejects all that hinders it. He does not blindly follow the orders and prohibitions of the scriptures. When the scriptures encourage devotion to Lord Hari, then such a person happily accepts those teachings. When the scriptures' teachings do not encourage devotion, he does not dishonour those teachings. In the same way a Vaisnava also honours or rejects the prohibitions taught in the scriptures.

A Vaisnava is the best person in the world. A Vaisnava is the friend of everyone in the world. A Vaisnava is the auspiciousness of the world.

In this way I have humbly said all I wish to say to this assembly of Vaisnavas.
May the Vaisnavas wash away all my faults and mistakes-Vaisnava Das "

( This is an excerpt from a discourse, delivered by Vaisnava das to an assembly of scholars and devotees, read in it's entirety in a book, titled Jaiva-dharma presented, by Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur . )

Servants of a rascal

"We are not poets. We are not logicians.

We are not philosophers who have crossed to the farthest shore of Vedanta.

We are not eloquent debaters.

We are the servants of a rascal cowherd boy."

- Sri Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya

Inherent Spiritual Rasa

“Although conditioned by material nature, the living entity is not cut off from his spiritual identity. Due to his association with the contaminated material atmosphere, the conditioned living entity's spiritual identity is transformed as the mind. Still, one is not separated from his constitutional nature. Now the soul has faith, hope, and happiness in the material condition. In this state, however, the rasa of one's constitutional nature is perverted into sense gratification in the form of happiness and distress.

What is vikara, or perversion?

When pure characteristics are deformed that is vikara.

Even in the state of vikara, pure characteristics remain perceivable. The rasa experienced in activities of sense enjoyment is deformed spiritual rasa. That inherent spiritual rasa can be minutely perceived by self-confidence. Although perverted rasa can be easily differentiated from that rasa by simple intelligence, still, while chanting the holy name the inherent spiritual rasa is referred to as bhakti-rasa in order to differentiate it. The nature of bhakti and the nature of material love are not independent from one another. The latter is only the reflected state of the former.

The rationalists experience the spiritual rasa to some extent, and by mistake they think the nature of bhakti and the nature of material love are different subjects. Those who are a little familiar with bhakti-rasa and have discussed the nature of both don't have such beliefs.”

( from the book Prema Pradipa - By Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura )

Observing the Armies on the Battlefield of Kurukshetra

Bhagavad-Gita

(as-it-is)

Chapter 1

Dhrtarastra said: O Sanjaya, after assembling in the place of pilgrimage at Kuruksetra, what did my sons and the sons of Pandu do, being desirous to fight?

Sanjaya said: O King, after looking over the army gathered by the sons of Pandu, King Duryodhana went to his teacher and began to speak the following words:
O my teacher, behold the great army of the sons of Pandu, so expertly arranged by your intelligent disciple, the son of Drupada. Here in this army there are many heroic bowmen equal in fighting to Bhima and Arjuna; there are also great fighters like Yuyudhana, Virata and Drupada. There are also great, heroic, powerful fighters like Dhrstaketu, Cekitana, Kasiraja, Purujit, Kuntibhoja and Saibya. There are the mighty Yudhamanyu, the very powerful Uttamauja, the son of Subhadra and the sons of Draupadi. All these warriors are great chariot fighters.

O best of the brahmanas, for your information, let me tell you about the captains who are especially qualified to lead my military force. There are personalities like yourself, Bhisma, Karna, Krpa, Asvatthama, Vikarna and the son of Somadatta called Bhurisrava, who are always victorious in battle. There are many other heroes who are prepared to lay down their lives for my sake. All of them are well equipped with different kinds of weapons, and all are experienced in military science.

Our strength is immeasurable, and we are perfectly protected by Grandfather Bhisma, whereas the strength of the Pandavas, carefully protected by Bhima, is limited. Now all of you must give full support to Grandfather Bhisma, standing at your respective strategic points in the phalanx of the army.

Then Bhisma, the great valiant grandsire of the Kuru dynasty, the grandfather of the fighters, blew his conchshell very loudly like the sound of a lion, giving Duryodhana joy. After that, the conchshells, bugles, trumpets, drums and horns were all suddenly sounded, and the combined sound was tumultuous.

On the other side, both Lord Krsna and Arjuna, stationed on a great chariot drawn by white horses, sounded their transcendental conchshells.

Then, Lord Krsna blew His conchshell, called Pancajanya; Arjuna blew his, the Devadatta; and Bhima, the voracious eater and performer of Herculean tasks, blew his terrific conchshell called Paundram. King Yudhisthira, the son of Kunti, blew his conchshell, the Ananta-vijaya, and Nakula and Sahadeva blew the Sughosa and Manipuspaka. That great archer the King of Kasi, the great fighter Sikhandi, Dhrstadyumna, Virata and the unconquerable Satyaki, Drupada, the sons of Draupadi, and the others, O King, such as the son of Subhadra, greatly armed, all blew their respective conchshells.

The blowing of these different conchshells became uproarious, and thus, vibrating both in the sky and on the earth, it shattered the hearts of the sons of Dhrtarastra.

O King, at that time Arjuna, the son of Pandu, who was seated in his chariot, his flag marked with Hanuman, took up his bow and prepared to shoot his arrows, looking at the sons of Dhrtarastra. O King, Arjuna then spoke to Hrsikesa [Krsna] these words: Arjuna said: O infallible one, please draw my chariot between the two armies so that I may see who is present here, who is desirous of fighting, and with whom I must contend in this great battle attempt. Let me see those who have come here to fight, wishing to please the evil-minded son of Dhrtarastra.
Sanjaya said: O descendant of Bharata, being thus addressed by Arjuna, Lord Krsna drew up the fine chariot in the midst of the armies of both parties.

In the presence of Bhisma, Drona and all other chieftains of the world, Hrsikesa, the Lord, said, Just behold, Partha, all the Kurus who are assembled here. There Arjuna could see, within the midst of the armies of both parties, his fathers, grandfathers, teachers, maternal uncles, brothers, sons, grandsons, friends, and also his father-in-law and well-wishers--all present there.

When the son of Kunti, Arjuna, saw all these different grades of friends and relatives, he became overwhelmed with compassion and spoke thus: Arjuna said: My dear Krsna, seeing my friends and relatives present before me in such a fighting spirit, I feel the limbs of my body quivering and my mouth drying up. My whole body is trembling, and my hair is standing on end. My bow Gandiva is slipping from my hand, and my skin is burning. I am now unable to stand here any longer. I am forgetting myself, and my mind is reeling. I foresee only evil, O killer of the Kesi demon. I do not see how any good can come from killing my own kinsmen in this battle, nor can I, my dear Krsna, desire any subsequent victory, kingdom, or happiness.

O Govinda, of what avail to us are kingdoms, happiness or even life itself when all those for whom we may desire them are now arrayed in this battlefield? O Madhusudana, when teachers, fathers, sons, grandfathers, maternal uncles, fathers-in-law, grandsons, brothers-in-law and all relatives are ready to give up their lives and properties and are standing before me, then why should I wish to kill them, though I may survive? O maintainer of all creatures, I am not prepared to fight with them even in exchange for the three worlds, let alone this earth. Sin will overcome us if we slay such aggressors. Therefore it is not proper for us to kill the sons of Dhrtarastra and our friends. What should we gain, O Krsna, husband of the goddess of fortune, and how could we be happy by killing our own kinsmen? O Janardana, although these men, overtaken by greed, see no fault in killing one's family or quarreling with friends, why should we, with knowledge of the sin, engage in these acts? With the destruction of dynasty, the eternal family tradition is vanquished, and thus the rest of the family becomes involved in irreligious practice.

When irreligion is prominent in the family, O Krsna, the women of the family become corrupt, and from the degradation of womanhood, O descendant of Vrsni, comes unwanted progeny. When there is increase of unwanted population, a hellish situation is created both for the family and for those who destroy the family tradition. In such corrupt families, there is no offering of oblations of food and water to the ancestors. Due to the evil deeds of the destroyers of family tradition, all kinds of community projects and family welfare activities are devastated.

O Krsna, maintainer of the people, I have heard by disciplic succession that those who destroy family traditions dwell always in hell. Alas, how strange it is that we are preparing to commit greatly sinful acts, driven by the desire to enjoy royal happiness.I would consider it better for the sons of Dhrtarastra to kill me unarmed and unresisting, rather than to fight with them. Sanjaya said: Arjuna, having thus spoken on the battlefield, cast aside his bow and arrows and sat down on the chariot, his mind overwhelmed with grief.

End of Chapter 1
Translated from original sanskrit by AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaj

It's not just a job

SB 1. 2 . 6-10

The supreme occupation [dharma] for all humanity is that by which we can attain to loving devotional service unto the transcendent Lord. Such devotional service must be unmotivated and uninterrupted to completely satisfy the self.

By rendering devotional service unto the Personality of Godhead, Sri Krishna, one immediately acquires causeless knowledge and detachment from the world.

The occupational activities a person performs according to his own position are only so much useless labor if they do not provoke attraction to hearing the message of Godhead.

All occupational engagements are certainly meant for ultimate liberation. They should never be performed for material gain. Furthermore, according to the sages, one who is engaged in the ultimate occupational service should never use material gain to cultivate sense gratification.

Life's desires should never be directed toward sense gratification. One should desire a healthy life, or self-preservation, since a human life is meant for inquiry about the Absolute Truth. Nothing else should be the goal of one's works.