Swami Mukundananda's Video

The Curious Case of Krishna's Missing Ring:

rgdkoshish@gmail.com (Koshish) — Fri, 29 Mar 2024 21:40:00 -0700

A Playful Leela In the vibrant tapestry of Vrindavan, where love bloomed like wildflowers and the Yamuna flowed with the music of devotion, resides a charming tale of Lord Krishna and his beloved Radha. This isn't a story of grand battles or cosmic pronouncements, but a playful leela (divine act) that reveals the depths of their connection. One idyllic afternoon, as Krishna frolicked with Radha and the Gopis (milkmaids) by the Yamuna's glistening banks, a glint of mischief sparkled in his eyes. Adorned with a magnificent jeweled ring, a gift from Radha perhaps, Krishna playfully teased the Gopis, his laughter echoing through the meadows. Suddenly, with a flick of his wrist, the ring slipped off his finger and tumbled down a grassy knoll.

The Gopis gasped, but Krishna simply grinned. "Fear not, my friends," he declared, his voice brimming with amusement. "This ring holds no power for me compared to the joy of your company." Despite his nonchalance, a playful search ensued. The Gopis, their love for Krishna boundless, eagerly sifted through the vibrant green, their laughter mingling with the chirping birds. Radha, her eyes filled with concern and a hint of playful worry, joined the search. But the ring remained elusive. Had it rolled into a hidden crevice? Or perhaps, carried away by a playful breeze?

Krishna, observing their endearing efforts, decided to extend the leela. With a mischievous twinkle, he revealed a blade of grass, its tip curled into a perfect ring shape. "Behold!" he exclaimed, his voice laced with amusement. "Nature itself has crafted a ring worthy of your love." Radha, her lips curving into a smile, accepted the grass ring. In that moment, it wasn't the jewel-encrusted ornament they sought, but the depth of their connection that truly mattered. The charade of the lost ring served as a reminder that true love finds joy in the simplest of things, in shared moments and playful exchanges. This leela of Krishna's missing ring exemplifies the essence of JKP (Jnana, Karma, Bhakti) and JKYog. It highlights the importance of: Jnana (Knowledge):

If you want to hear the leela you can click the link

https://youtube.com/shorts/ZYoBeZcfrlY?si=ocJIoGVgpafgxv1f

Recognizing the impermanence of material possessions and the true value of love and connection. Karma (Action): The Gopis' selfless act of searching for the ring reflects the importance of service and devotion. Bhakti (Devotion): The playful exchange between Krishna and Radha underscores the joy and lightness found in pure devotion. Through this enchanting tale, we learn that love transcends material objects. It's in the playful moments, the shared laughter, and the unwavering devotion that true connection flourishes.

Why should you offer food to God before eating?

rgdkoshish@gmail.com (Koshish) — Fri, 29 Mar 2024 21:23:00 -0700

The food is cooked with the consciousness that it is for the pleasure of God and not for the sole purpose of gratifying our taste buds.

In the Vedic tradition, many people make prayers and offer food to God before eating. The food is cooked with the consciousness that it is for the pleasure of God and not for the sole purpose of gratifying our taste buds. A portion of the food items is then put in a plate and a verbal or mental prayer is made for the Lord to come and eat it. After the offering, the food on the plate is considered prasād and is accepted as God’s grace.

Shree Krishna stated in the 13th Verse of Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 3:

यज्ञशिष्टाशिन: सन्तो मुच्यन्ते सर्वकिल्बिषै: |

भुञ्जते ते त्वघं पापा ये पचन्त्यात्मकारणात् ||

yajña-śhiṣhṭāśhinaḥ santo muchyante sarva-kilbiṣhaiḥ

bhuñjate te tvaghaṁ pāpā ye pachantyātma-kāraṇāt

The spiritually-minded, who eat food that is first offered in sacrifice, are released from all kinds of sin. Others, who cook food for their own enjoyment, verily eat only sin.

Other religious traditions follow similar customs. Christianity has the sacrament of the Eucharist, where bread and wine are consecrated and then partaken. It is simple, whatever we eat has to be first offered to God. Eating food offered to God changes our consciousness. It not only nourishes the body it also nourishes our soul.

The question may arise whether we can offer non-vegetarian items to God and then accept the remnants as his prasād. The answer to this question is that the Vedas prescribe a vegetarian diet for humans, which includes grains, pulses and beans, vegetables, fruits, dairy products, etc.

Apart from the Vedic culture, many spiritually evolved souls in the history of all cultures around the world also rejected a non-vegetarian diet that makes the stomach a graveyard for animals. Even though many of them were born in meat-eating families, they gravitated to a vegetarian lifestyle as they advanced on the path of spirituality.

According to Leonardo da Vinci:

Truly man is the king of beasts, for his brutality exceeds them. We live by the death of others. We are burial places! I have since an early age abjured the use of meat…

In fact, in the Bhagavad Gita Shree Krishna goes a step further and states that even vegetation contains life, and if we eat it for our own sense enjoyment, we get bound in the karmic reactions of destroying life. However, if we eat food as remnants of sacrifice offered to God, then the consciousness changes. We then look at our body as the property of God, which has been put under our care for his service. And we partake of permitted food, as his grace, with the intention that it will nourish the body.

We understand how food affects our body but we often overlook its impact on the mind. Vedas say, what we eat is what our body and mind are made of.

Who Am I ?

rgdkoshish@gmail.com (Koshish) — Fri, 29 Mar 2024 21:14:00 -0700

Continuing our short series on ‘Who Am I’, let us now understand the characteristics of the soul. Scriptures talk about two types of characteristics; Svaroop and tatastha (marginal) characteristics. Svaroop means the natural characteristic of the soul. The soul is conscious; it is a power of God. At the same time, the Darshan Shastra as well as the Kenopanishad point out that the entity called ‘I’ is beyond the intellect, and as such, it cannot be understood by the intellect. The ‘I’ is beyond the grasp of the senses, the mind and the intellect since these are material and non-conscious.

Ved-Vyas says in Vishnu Puran that God has three main powers. The first is para shakti, the second is kshetrajna shakti (tatastha or marginal) and the third is called maya. Para shakti is God’s own personal power. It is also called as Svaroop shakti or Yogmaya shakti. God’s marginal power (tatashta) refers to the individual soul. God’s external power is called avidya, i.e. maya. What function does avidya perform? It creates the world. Maya includes God’s power ‘maya’ as well as the world. So, there are three powers – Yogmaya, Maya and the individual soul.

The individual soul is a fraction of God. It is the marginal power of God (tatastha shakti). What is the marginal characteristic of the soul? It is an eternal servant of God.

Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu says,

The soul’s true nature is God’s servitude

The Puranas, Shastras and God-realized saints say the same thing. The Vedas, the Shastras and the saints, say that there is a difference as well as a ‘non-difference’ between God and the individual soul. It is a very unique relationship indeed.

God is conscious, and so are we. From this point of view, we are equal to God. But there are differences between God and the individual soul. God is unlimited consciousness and we possess limited consciousness. In other words, God’s consciousness pervades everything, and our consciousness pervades only our own body. The soul pervades a small body; that of an ant, and it pervades a big body, that of an elephant. There is no body bigger than that. God is omnipresent; He is unlimited consciousness, and the individual soul is very small, very subtle.

How small is the soul? The very definition of the soul is that it is the smallest. Every Veda and Shastra says that the soul is so small that there is nothing smaller. Thus, God is unlimited consciousness and the soul is minute consciousness. This is a very big difference indeed. Let us look at the second difference. God is the controller; the individual soul is controlled.

धरो मन ! गौर - चरन को ध्यान |

rgdkoshish@gmail.com (Koshish) — Sat, 24 Feb 2018 21:56:00 -0800

धरो मन ! गौर - चरन को ध्यान |
जिन चरनन को राखत निज उर, सुंदर श्याम सुजान |
भटकत कोटि कल्प तोहिँ बीते, खायो सिर पदत्रान |
चार प्रकार लक्ष चौरासी, द्वार फिर् यो जनु स्वान |
चरण - शरण कबहूँ नहिं आयो, अबहूँ करत न कान |
येहि दरबार दीन को आदर, पतितन को सनमान |
पुनि ‘कृपालु’ तुम कत चूकत मन, पंडित बनत महान ||

भावार्थ - अरे मन ! कीर्ति - कुँवरी राधिका जी के चरणों का निरन्तर ध्यान किया कर, जिन चरणों का ध्यान सच्चिदानंद श्रीकृष्ण भी करते हैं | अरे मन ! तुझे भटकते हुए अनन्त जन्म बीत चुके, एवं तूने उन विषयों के अनन्त बार जूते खाये | स्वेदज, अंडज, उद् भिज, जरायुज इन चार प्रकार की उत्पत्ति के द्वारा कुत्ते की तरह तूने चौरासी लाख योनियों में चक्कर लगाया है, किन्तु किशोरी जी के चरण - कमलों की शरण कभी नहीं ली | आज भी मेरी बात नहीं मान रहा है | अरे मन ! किशोरी जी के दरबार में पतितों एवं दीनों को ही सम्मान मिलता है | ‘श्री कृपालु जी’ कहते हैं कि अरे मन ! तुम बहुत बड़े पंडित बनते हो फिर ऐसा अवसर क्यों खो रहे हो, अर्थात् किशोरी जी के चरणों की शरण क्यों नहीं लेते ?

( प्रेम रस मदिरा सिद्धान्त - माधुरी )
जगद्गुरु श्री कृपालु जी महाराज द्वारा रचित

सुखमय, मंगलमय व् भक्तिमय रविवार की शुभकामनाओं के साथ

🙏🙏 राधे राधे 🙏🙏

Look at the grandeur of the month of Shrawan, O Sakhi !

rgdkoshish@gmail.com (Koshish) — Mon, 23 Jul 2012 23:34:00 -0700

देखु सखि! सावन मास बहार।

नवल निकुंज-मंजु बिच झूलत, नवल युगल सरकार।

पकरे दोउ, इक-इक कर डोरिन, इक-इक कर गर डार।

दोउ देँ झोँटे झूमि-झूमि झुक‌ि, एकहिं एक निहार।

फहरत नील पीत पट अंचल, चंचल लट घुँघरार।

गावत राग मलार दुहुँन मिलि, अलि कर स्वर-विस्तार।

सखिन बजावति बीन वेनु कोउ, सब प्रवीन इक-सार।

लखि ‘कृपालु’ कह ‘दोउ मम ठाकुर, जय हो जय बलिहार’॥

Look at the grandeur of the month of Shrawan, O Sakhi !

Radha and Krishna are enjyoing the swing in a Kunj

They both are embracing each other with one hand and holding the swing with other

Radha and Krishna are overjoyously swinging and smiling and looking at each other

Yellow dress of Shree Krishna and Blue dress of Radharani are swaying so are their shiny black curly hair

Taking melodious taan in high pitch tone, they are singing a loving song in a very sweet voice

To exhilarate the Bliss of the leela, Sakhis are playing different musical instruments in perfect taal

Looking at this beautiful pastime, Shree Kripaluji Mahraj says- All Glories to my Divine Couple of Radha-Krishna!!

My Beloved is Shree Krishna of Vrindavan

rgdkoshish@gmail.com (Koshish) — Mon, 25 Jun 2012 02:25:00 -0700

Our Ishta dev (the chosen form of God we worship) is Shree Krishna, who performs sweet pastimes in the groves of Vrindavan. It is natural to be curious as to why one should accept Kunj Bihari Shree Krishna as one's Ishta dev?

Let us consider whom all we can be devoted to and make as our Ishta dev. It can be human beings, the celestial gods, demons or the Supreme Lord. Amongst them, it is better to worship humans than to worship demons, who are in the mode of ignorance. Better than just any human, is one's own mother, father, son, daughter, etc. Better than them are the celestial gods like Indra, Varun, Kuber etc. But, all these three kinds of personalities are under the influence of Maya. If we worship any of these as our Ishta dev, the result will be endless wandering in the cycle of 8.4 million species of life. We will neither get rid of sorrows and pain, nor attain eternal happiness. These divine goals will only be attained if we make some Divine personality as the object of our worship.

Now, in the spiritual realm, whom can we consider as our Ishta dev? First is the impersonal, formless aspect of God, which possesses no qualities. This impersonal aspect of God is chosen by the gyanis, who worship the attributeless Brahm. However, in Kaliyug very rarely does anyone possess the qualification for worshipping the formless Brahm. It requires hard spiritual practice and immense control over the mind. Arjun, who was a master archer and had rejected even Urvashi, the celestial beauty, admitted in the Bhagavad Geeta:

chaṁchalaṁ hi manaḥ kṛiṣhṇa pramāthi balavaddṛiṛham |

tasyāhaṁ nigrahaṁ manye vāyoriv suduṣhkaram ||

"O Shree Krishna! This mind is very unsteady and wavering. I have been defeated by its flickering nature. Its speed is faster than air." God replied, "Yes Arjun, You are right. However, with the selection of the correct path and surrender to the right form of God, we can attain our goal." Arjun replied, "There are two aspects of God - Impersonal or Formless and Personal. Whom should we make our Ishta dev, or chosen form of God for worship?" Shree Krishna answered, "Arjun! For humans to follow the path of gyan and meditate on the formless Brahm is impossible." Tulsidas ji clearly stated:

kahat kaṭhin samujhat kaṭhin sādhan kaṭhin vivek |

hoy ghuṇākṣhar nyāy jo puni prayooha anek ||

"The path of gyan is difficult both to explain and to understand. To practice it is even more difficult. It is next to impossible to attach the mind the formless God, Brahm as our ishta dev. And if by chance we make Brahm as our ishta dev, then the final result of this practice, Brahmanand (the Bliss of the formless Brahm) is inferior compared to the Bliss of the personal form of God.

The scriptures say that even if we add seventeen zeros next to one, and multiply that with Brahmanand, it will not be equal to a tiny fraction of Premanand (the Divine Love Bliss of the personal form of God). Such is the pleasure in the Divine Love Bliss of the personal form of God, Shree Krishna.

It is extremely difficult to worship the formless Brahm, as firstly one has to meet the strict criteria for entrance to the path of gyan. Secondly, the actual practice on the path is even more difficult. And if someone starts following this path, it will stop at atmagyan, or the knowledge of the self.

Hence, we do not have to consider Brahm as our chosen form of God for worship. Now let us go higher than this. Let us consider which Personal form of God we should choose as our Ishta Dev. We have Maha Vishnu, who has four arms, and is also a Form of God. He is known as the Lord of the Vaikunth abode. He sits in a very serious mood. The Mahapurushas, or Saints, of shant bhav worship Him. The demons killed by Shree Krishna go to this abode. Maha Vishnu neither performs any pastimes, nor has any associates. The devotees only have His Divine vision. They do not relish the Bliss of any leela. Maha Vishnu is a form of Shree Krishna, but the Bliss in that form is less. Sweeter than that is the Bliss of Shree Krishna in Dwarka. There, the almightiness and opulence of God is slightly hidden. But even there, the highest Bliss is not present.

In one pastime, Shree Krishna showed his Universal form to mother Yashoda. She thought, "He is God. I am committing a sin by considering Him to be my son. I scold Him, tie Him with a rope." God noted her feelings. God thought, "Now, mother really knows My identity. What will happen? She will start worshipping me like others. She will not consider my as her son."

vaiṣhṇavīṁ vyatanonmāyāṁ putrasnehamayiṁ vibhuḥ |

Shree Krishna called yogmaya, His personal power, and made mother Yashoda forget everything. She then said, "What was I thinking? I have become mad in my old age. My memory has become weak. He is my son, and nothing more than that." She forgot that Shree Krishna is God. Therefore, the Bliss of Vrindavan is the greatest of all.

In the abode of Braj, everybody including Shree Krishna's friends would forget that He is God. They would play with Him, fight with Him and tease Him. Everyday, the gopis abused Shree Krishna by calling Him a flirt and a loafer! This is how they used to address the Supreme Brahm! Shree Krishna would forget His Godliness and become their eternal servant.

In the material world, a woman always seeks a husband who will provide her the best comforts and keep her happy. She wants an IAS officer or a millionaire. If she doesn't find such a groom, that is a different issue. And after getting married to that person, she gets sorrows and pain, that is again a different thing, but every girl has this dream and thinks that her husband should be the best and everybody should respect him.

Shree Krishna has many forms, but the one who performs loving pastimes in the groves of Vrindavan is the sweetest of all. Hence, Shree Krishna from Vrindavan is the form of God we should worship. Our Ishta dev should be that form of God which gives the highest Bliss.

Translation of lecture delivered by Shree Maharajji

If someone is doing wrong with me, should I practice forgiveness?

rgdkoshish@gmail.com (Koshish) — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 03:03:00 -0700

Question: You teach us that we should increase our tolerance, but if someone is doing wrong with me, should I practice forgiveness, or should I oppose him and stop the atrocity?

Answer: On the spiritual path, we naturally learn to practice tolerance, forgiveness and humility. However, this does not mean that we should knowingly allow others to exploit us. The scriptures instruct us to take whatever action is necessary, for protecting ourselves in self-defense, when attacked.

There is a charming story in this regard. In a neighborhood, there lived a venomous and foul-tempered snake. The children of that locality were scared of it to death. The moment they would spy it in the distance, they would run for their lives

One day, Sage Narad Muni happened to come to that neighborhood. As was the snake's habit, he approached Narad ji, with his hood raised menacingly and eyes fiercely red. Narad ji stood his ground peacefully, with a benevolent and serene smile on his face. The snake was astonished. "Everyone runs from me in fear. How come you are not scared of me and what is the secret of your peacefulness?"

Narad ji taught the snake the process of devotion, whereupon the snake became his disciple and began practicing Bhakti. He shunned violence, giving up his old ways of scaring the neighborhood children.

Soon the children came to know that the snake was harmless and did not bite anyone. Now their fear vanished. They would not leave it alone. On sighting it, they would bombard it with a battery of stones and sticks. They would even come close and kick it with their heeled shoes. The poor snake was badly bruised.

One year later, Narad ji was visiting that area again. He thought, "Let me see how my disciple is doing." He was dismayed to see the snake badly bruised, with a plaster cast on a portion of his body. "What happened to you, my dear disciple?" he asked.

The snake replied, "O Gurudev, this is the result of the Bhakti that you taught me. The people of the world, knowing I will not retaliate, do not let me live peacefully."

Narad ji said, "I asked you to stop biting people, but I did not ask you to stop spreading your hood. Whenever the children attack, you should simply raise your head and hiss loudly; then no one will come near you."

Henceforth, whenever the children came close to the snake, it would hiss loudly and frighten them all away. Soon, it was living peacefully again. Similarly, on the path of devotion, we should shun actions and thoughts directed at harming others, but we definitely have the right to perform legitimate actions in our self-defense.

Happy Deepawali

rgdkoshish@gmail.com (Koshish) — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 05:19:00 -0700

Hari surya maya tama Govinda Radhey

Ya tey santon ki Diwali nitya bata dey.

“God is like the Sun, and maya is like darkness. Hence, every day is Diwali for the Saints.”

(Lecture given by Shree maharajji on the occasion of Deepawali)

Deepawali (Diwali) is the festival of light. And what is the opposite of light? Darkness! Light is a manifestation of God, and darkness is a manifestation of maya. These two things have existed since eternity, and they are opposite of each other. Where there is light, darkness cannot remain.

Krishna surya sama maya hoye andhakar

jahan surya tahan maya nahi adhikar

Darkness in front of light? Impossible. Maya or darkness cannot stand in front of the Form of Effulgence, Shree Krishna. So, these two things are contradictory - God and maya. The biggest contradiction is - God is Supremely Sentient and maya is always totally insentient.

However, both God and maya are alike in one thing. God is eternal, and maya is also eternal. God did not create maya, and neither can He destroy it. Don't be surprised by this statement. God cannot destroy the existence of the entity, maya shakti. All He can do is to remove the maya upon you. Remove means just as someone was tied up and he is released. The ropes of bondage still exist, but he has got released from them. His darkness has gone, but darkness still exists, and others are in the grip of it.

Let me tell you a joke. Amongst the followers of Shankaracharya, some say that there is only one entity called Brahm. That Brahm is sitting inside all. What about the soul? They say that there is no soul. The soul and Brahm are one; one is there and only one will remain; the rest is all illusion. Is that right? If this philosophy is correct, then tell me one thing - this is Kripalu's logic - if there is only one Brahm in all and you do not consider the soul, when that one soul's darkness is removed, everybody's ignorance should be removed. If one soul’s darkness has gone and he becomes a brahmagyani, he may be any of the God-realised personalities, Brahma, Sanakadik, Janakadik, Sukadik, Sankaracharya, then every soul should become God-realized. When they claim that there is only one Brahm, and ignorance of one Brahm has gone by doing sadhana, then everybody else's ignorance should also go. But this is not the case. One's is gone, and the rest's is still remaining. All souls need to do their individual sadhana. And you say there is only one Brahm!

So maya, which is the nature of darkness, exists only in the absence of God, who is the nature of light. Once a soul realizes God, his darkness is dispelled, and he becomes illumined with light. Now God resides in him, which means God manifests His splendor in that soul. From that point onwards, God remains forever with that soul. Now when God is light and He is there always with the God-realized Saints, such Saints will have Deepawali every day. Then the statement, “Tomorrow is Deepawali,” becomes redundant. They now experience Deepawali for the rest of eternity. Thank you.

Goal of Human Life

rgdkoshish@gmail.com (Koshish) — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 07:41:00 -0700

Goal of Human Life

Extract from a lecture by Shree Maharajji on aim of human life:

Every destination has two ways. One is the right way and the other is the wrong way. If one knows the right way, then no matter how far the goal is, the destination will be reached one day. On the other hand, if the wrong path is chosen, then no matter how far or near the goal is, disappointment is certain.

We already know that every soul makes constant effort to attain happiness. Even though the tasks are different, the aim of performing all actions is one - HAPPINESS. So in this world, there are different paths and religions to attain happiness.

There are 11 religions active in the modern world - Sanatan vedic (Hinduism), Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism, Zoroastrianism, Islam, Christianity, Judiasm, Taoism, Confucianism and Shinto. We can classify all these religions in two -

The religion of the mortal body - Materialism

The religion of the soul - Spirituality

According to materialists, the creation, development and destruction of the world are according to the rules of nature and not by the rules of God. They say that everybody wants happiness and by the fulfillment of every material desire, one can be happy. They believe that we are not eternal souls but mortal bodies, and by the fulfillment of the material senses one can be happy. The sense of seeing, hear, smell, touch, taste are five senses of our body. With the help of these senses we make use of this world. So, according to the materialists the means of happiness in this material world is this corporeal body.

On the other hand, according to spirituality, we are eternal souls and not this physical body. This body is destroyable and is made up of five structural elements (water, air, fire, ether and earth) whereas, the soul ('I') is spiritual, eternal, and is an eternal part of God. Bliss is the other name of God and being a part of "Him", we naturally desire for happiness-

raso vai saḥ

Now which way to choose?

This is a very difficult question for an individual to answer. Every religion claims to be perfect in its own ways.

The answer to this can be explained in the following way:

We have two entities - the soul and the physical body. It is true that we will achieve our goal of attaining supreme bliss only by surrendering to God, and that the soul needs God. Similarly, we have to realize that this body requires the material world because this body is made up of five elements and this world is also comprised of these five elements.

No spiritualist can oppose a materialist, and no materialist can oppose a spiritualist. It is only with the help of this material body that devotional practice (Sadhana) is made possible and without God realization, mental afflictions, i.e. material desires, anger, jealousy, ego, etc. will never go away and we cannot have peace and happiness. Therefore, with the point of view of keeping our body healthy we have to do devotion. We have to keep our body healthy with the idea of serving and worshipping God. Shri Krishna says in Bhagwad Geeta: "O Arjun, keep remembering me in your mind and go to war." If we don't provide the necessary proteins, minerals, vitamins and all the required nutrients to our body, we will surely fall sick and instead of remembering God we will only remember pain and misery.

To summarize, we could say that we have to follow spirituality along with materialism. This can be explained with the help of example:

A nurse takes care of thousands of children in a hospital over her lifetime. She feeds and cleans them, gives them medicine, etc. She performs these tasks as part of her duty and not because she is attached to them. Her love and attachment are mostly for her children and family. She does not love the babies in the hospital as much as she does her own. The sickness of her own child brings her anxiety and pain. She will do everything possible to bring her own child back to normal health at the earliest.

But if a child falls sick in the hospital, the nurse will tend to it immediately and perform her duties well. Her reaction to the sickness will be quite normal and not emotional. She is not emotionally attached to the sick child. In the same way, we have to perform our material duties without any attachment for sake of duty and not being bothered of the loss or profit. This is called as Karm-yog.

man hari meṁ tan jagat meṁ, karmyog tehi jān |

tan hari meṁ man jagat meṁ, yah mahān ajñān ||

Attaching our mind to this material world and worshipping God with our body and material senses is a sign of great foolishness.

Hence, both materialism and spirituality are necessary for us because we are spiritual by nature - soul and we have this material body. We need this material world for existence. Now we have to understand that who is God? How can we realize and attain Him? Because the supreme bliss that we are searching for can be achieved only by attaining Him. If we do not realize God in this human form, then this will be our greatest mistake and we will have to suffer the endless pain of life and death of 8.4 million forms of life. However, we do not need to worry about attaining God. He is easily attainable. We will understand this science in the coming topics.

An interview of Swamiji published in The Economic Times

rgdkoshish@gmail.com (Koshish) — Wed, 5 Oct 2011 05:07:00 -0700

How can I insulate my mood from fluctuations based on the behavior of others?

rgdkoshish@gmail.com (Koshish) — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 09:41:00 -0700

Question: When anyone criticizes me or gets annoyed with me, it disturbs me to no end; so much so, that sometimes the whole day is spent in brooding. How can I insulate my mood from fluctuations based on the behavior of others?

Answer: The solution is to develop a better understanding of the world, based on scriptural knowledge. The Vedas say that this material energy, Maya, consists of three guṇas: sattva guṇa, or the mode of goodness, rajo guṇa, or the mode of passion, and tamo guṇa, or the mode of ignorance.

Everyone's mind too is made from Maya, and so the three modes of Maya exist in the mind as well. Depending upon the environment and where we focus our thoughts, one of the guṇas becomes prominent and our mind takes on that quality. If sattva guṇa dominates, one becomes peaceful, contented, generous, kind, helpful and serene. When rajo guṇa gains prominence, one becomes passionate, agitated, ambitious, envious of others success, and desirous for sense pleasures. When tamo guṇa becomes prominent, one is overcome by sleep, laziness, hatred, anger, resentment, violence, and doubt.

For example, let us suppose you are sitting in your library, engaged in study. There is no worldly disturbance, and your mind has become sāttvic. After finishing your study, you sit in your drawing room and switch on the television. Seeing all the imagery makes your mind rājasic, and increases your hankering for sense pleasures. While you are watching your favorite channel, your family member comes and changes the channel to her liking. This disturbance causes tamo guṇa to develop in your mind, and you are filled with anger. In this way, the mind sways between the three guṇas, and takes on the corresponding qualities.

This fluctuation takes place constantly in everyone's minds, altering their thoughts amongst the three modes. When two people's guṇas are divergent, their ideas, interests, desires and tastes also become divergent, and that causes strife. This strife exists everywhere, between husband-wife, father-son, brother-sister, friend-companion, and so on. Congruence can happen only when two people have the same guṇas. However, since everyone's guṇas are fluctuating, it is unreasonable to expect that the other person's guṇas will constantly match ours.

The reason for our anxiety is that we have unreasonable expectations. We want others to always think in the same manner as we do. And when this does not happen, we get disturbed. Instead if we could realize that invariably people will have views differing from ours, and this is very natural due to the three modes of material nature, we will not be disturbed when they oppose us or criticize us.
So by increasing our understanding of the world, we can insulate ourselves from the fluctuating moods of others.

!! Tune in to Radio-JKYog !!

rgdkoshish@gmail.com (Koshish) — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 00:43:00 -0700

Listen to the melodious kirtans and divine lectures of Jagadguru Shree Kripaluji Maharaj and Swami Mukundananda.
Start your day with devotional chantings, enlightening discourses and soul-stirring kirtans.

DRINK the nectar of the Bliss of Divine Love
CLEANSE the mirror of the heart
EXTINGUISH the fire of material existence

|| Click Here to START ||

rgdkoshish@gmail.com (Koshish) — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 10:15:00 -0700

Swami Mukundananda Leads the “The Path to God Realization”

             HOUSTON: Swami Mukundananda, a well renowned saint from Vrindavan, U.P, India makes a much awaited return to Texas as part of his enlightening tour across USA. He has pioneered the ground breaking, “Jagadguru Kripaluji Yog” – a holistic system of Yoga that incorporates physical, mental, intellectual and spiritual health of humankind. The highly educated spiritual leader’s teaching is scientifically explained as “the spiritual art of managing the mind”. He brings a powerful combination of yoga, meditation and spiritual wellness to the fore through a series of discourses and practical training sessions.

          Swamiji teaches the true philosophy of God realization by practice of sincere devotion as per the Vedas, Upanishads and other sacred texts. In order to achieve this goal, a healthy body and mind is absolutely essential. His programs imbibe the age old traditions of Yoga, Meditation & Pranayam to purify the body, and Divine knowledge to cleanse the mind, leading to the true upliftment of the soul.

Jagadguru Kripaluji Yog has organized a series of Yoga, Meditation, and spiritual discourses in more than 27 cities across USA this summer. Led by Swami Mukundananda, these programs kicked off in April 2011 at Irving, TX and have enthralled audiences all over the country. After a whirlwind tour of 13 states, Swamiji will be in Sugar Land and Houston in late August for his hugely popular series of Yoga, Meditation and lecture programs.

                Speaking at the hugely successful program in California this summer, Laura Fine remarks, “Swami Mukundananda is continually inspiring. I love the yoga as it takes me deep inward and prepares my body to be able to relax into a devotional stillness where I can focus deeply inward and absorb the chanting and philosophy that follows. I can’t wait to return for more.”

               Swami Mukundananda’s sessions have drawn ever increasing crowds year after year. The list of cities he has visited has steadily increased from 10 in 2009 to over 25 in 2011. Swamiji has also pioneered a special educational program for children, Bal-Mukund, aimed at developing moral and spiritual values in youngsters. The program helps nurture a child’s personality by strengthening their basic character and providing a stronger platform to face the challenges of the modern world.

              His awe inspiring talk on “Wellness for Life” at Oracle HQ in Redwood Shores in late April 2011 was an instant hit with the audience, who learnt about new ways of understanding the quest for happiness in an increasingly stress filled environment. Not to be left out, it was Google’s turn to invite Swamiji at their Headquarters in CA in May 2011 to hear his masterly lecture.

            During his tour of USA in 2010, Swamiji was the guest speaker at the prestigious Princeton University, New Jersey, Kellogg’s School of Management, IL, University of Illinois, Chicago and Northeastern Illinois University.

            What has inspired and impressed people across the table is his simple but highly effective logical explanation about human values and their inner quest for happiness. People have been touched by his very presence and his scholarly wisdom. His humble and approachable nature has appealed to people from all walks of life.

            Kelly Carrasquillo, (CT) says, “Brought to tears when witnessing the devotion and harmony Swamiji brought out in everyone. Regardless of religious background Swamiji’s lectures got to the core principle of each faith.”

              Uplifting! Excellent! is what people who have been touched by the words of wisdom and the personality of Swami Mukundananda have been saying. In every city of his visit, a week-long program with Yoga sessions in the mornings and/or evenings is organized. The first part of the session focuses on Yoga & Meditation. The second session focuses on devotional chantings and spiritual discourses to purify the mind.

                 Swamiji was recently invited to the Hindsdale Community Center, IL for a workshop on “Stress Management in the 21st Century”. A huge hit with the audience for the highly practical techniques to counter mental stress, the participants were highly appreciative of the values and the learning they were exposed to in such a short timeframe.

                      Swami Mukundananda’s programs in Sugar Land and Houston, TX start on the 21st of Aug and will run till the 1st of Sep, 2011. The program will include yoga, meditation, spiritual discourses and chantings. Program admission is free. Program details can be viewed at: http://jkyog.org/event_tx.html

                   His East Coast, West Coast and Central Tour was a huge success followed by a spiritual retreat in Fresno, CA on Memorial Day weekend, and in Danbury, CT during the 1st week of July. The testimonials of attendees showed how the 2 day retreat changed their lives and they will continue to attend it every year. Many are now planning to attend the final retreat at Trinity, TX on Labor Day weekend.

                     Many participants and devotees feel enlivened by Swamiji’s life transforming techniques. Swamiji has made a tremendous impact on thousands of people who came to see and hear him speak at the various venues across the country.

                       Swami Mukundananda received his degrees in Engineering and Management from two world famous institutes in India- Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) and Indian Institute of Management (IIM) respectively. However, the call of God was so strong that a short while after landing a top corporate job, he renounced his professional career to take sanyas, in the quest for God-realization. Since the last two decades, Swamiji has been travelling far and wide in various states of India and also in Nepal, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, USA, and Europe, awakening hundreds of thousands of seekers.

                                             About Jagadguru Kripaluji Yog (JKY)

JKY is a non-profit organization dedicated to the spiritual, mental and physical wellness of Humankind, through true Yoga and Spirituality. For more information, visit http://www.jkyog.org/2011or email secretary@jkyog.org or call 323-286-0452

Swami To Teach in Chantilly

rgdkoshish@gmail.com (Koshish) — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 01:17:00 -0700

Sessions to be held at Rajhdani Temple

Thursday, August 11, 2011

Swami Mukundananda Ji will be arriving to Chantilly’s Rajhdani Temple for a week-long educational series with sessions on yoga, meditations and breathing exercises.

From Uttar Pardesh, India, Swami Mukundananda is on a 24-city tour around the U.S. spreading his teachings. The tour is being arranged by the non-profit organization Jagadguru Kripalu Yog (JK Yog) and the sessions will be free to the public.

JK Yog is a growing organization comprised of people who have been inspired by the Swami since he began touring the United States in 2008.

"A lot of people have benefited," said JK Yog local volunteer Gurpreet Singh. "So if you benefit from the technique then you tell 10 other people because it’s a personal experience."

The son of a traveling government officer, Swarmi Mukundananda didn’t become religious until after he had finished college with a degree from the top engineering institute in India and earned an additional MBA. He was three months into his first full-time job at 23 when he decided he was unsatisfied.

"Although I was interested in spirituality from my childhood and I remember practicing meditations from eighth grade, that path was not clear," said Swami Mukundananda. "I went to college because that’s what society demanded of me."

Tour organizer Shreya Bhat, who resides in Plano, Texas, says that a lot of the Swami’s popularity comes from the fact that he was so accomplished in the secular world before he turned to a more spiritual life.

"He’s able to relate to and talk to people of all backgrounds," said Bhat. "He’s able to connect to working class people and the way he lectures is so systematic and logical."

Now 50 years old, the Swami presides over 50 congressional centers and seven permanent centers in India. He has been touring the United States annually for the last four years because his spiritual advisor, Jagadguru Shree Kripaluji, instructed him to spread his philosophy to the West.

The Swami is a scholar of the Hindu texts known as the Vedas and believes that the relevance of his teachings can "harmoniously coexist with other beliefs."

"As a society is becoming multi-cultural and people are learning to respect the viewpoints of other people, the Hindu viewpoint becomes far more relevant with this broad-minded approach where we do not attempt to convert people," said Swami Mukundananda. "Rather we attempt to elevate their minds and souls by imparting knowledge and teaching internal spiritual principles."

Swami Mukundananda also attributes his ease with connecting to Westerners to the fact that yoga was already growing in the United States. He and his followers believe that he can offer more than traditional yoga studios in the West.

"In the West, yoga is just about physical well-being. The science of yoga has got more to offer. The physical aspect is just one part of it and we can benefit from it in so many other ways," said Swami Mukundananda.

The course will be held Aug. 14-20 at Rajdani Temple at 4525 Pleasant Valley Road in Chantilly. For more information, contact Singh at 703-927-4098 or visit http://rajdhanimandir.org/.

Spiritual leader visits Rolling Meadows

rgdkoshish@gmail.com (Koshish) — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 05:15:00 -0700

August 7, 2011 (ROLLING MEADOWS, Ill.) (WLS) -- One of the world's spiritual leaders is bringing his message to the northwest suburbs.

Swami Mukundananda spoke Sunday at the Meadows Club in Rolling Meadows. He is known for offering new ways of understanding both Eastern and Western scriptures.

Mukundananda received degrees in engineering and business management at India's most prestigious schools. Then, he gave up a corporate career to follow his spiritual path.
(Copyright ©2011 WLS-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)

Jagadguru Kripalu Ji Maharaj Lecture on Aastha & Aastha Internatinal

rgdkoshish@gmail.com (Koshish) — Mon, 8 Aug 2011 09:49:00 -0700

MIND IS GOOGLE

rgdkoshish@gmail.com (Koshish) — Mon, 1 Aug 2011 02:09:00 -0700

Interestingly, our mind can be compared with any search engine on internet. You ask one query to Google & it will display so many possible answers. You select the answer which suits you the best. Likewise, you show one image to your mind and it will display many more similar images; you desire anything once & it will desire many more times. You fulfill one desire and your mind will produce many more desires before you. And the vicious circle starts in the mind, pressing us hard to keep on satisfying one desire after the other, with no end in sight. It is very similar to the anxiety that we face when we have many possible answers available on Google and we keep clicking one after the other & land up on different pages, drifting away from the main point of search. We keep on satisfying one desire after the other and in the process we forget the main purpose for which we had come in this human form.

Our mind has to work like a search engine by its nature. It has both type of thoughts (worldly & divine) flowing through it. A true seeker has to select between the two and mend his mind accordingly in such a way that the mind continues to work but in a way that is helpful to him in his journey within. The grace of almighty is present always to help selecting right type of thoughts when we surrender unto Him completely.

Stress Management in 21st Century

rgdkoshish@gmail.com (Koshish) — Mon, 1 Aug 2011 01:20:00 -0700

Stress Management in 21st Century
A relaxation workshop by Swami Mukundananda

DATE : Sunday, August 11, 2011,

TIME : 4 PM - 8 PM (Details below)

LOCATION : Hinsdale Community Center
415 W 8th St, Hinsdale, IL 60521

Limited Seats. Please Register to secure your place

OVERVIEW::

While modern technology like cell phones, emails and social networking are designed to make life easier and more fun, most of us are getting increasingly stressed out. The impact of stress is cumulative and leads to a gamut of negative emotions like tension, fear, distress, apprehension, and anxiety. On the
physical level, it causes health problems such as headaches, acidity, ulcers, high blood pressure, and heart disease.

In his talk, Swami Mukundananda will delve into the causes for the development of stress, and reveal practical techniques of stress management by applying ancient Indian philosophies to daily life, and explaining the healing art of subtle body relaxation.

4:00 - 4:30 (Registration and Welcome)
4:30 - 7:00 (Discourse and relaxation workshop)
7:00 - 8:00 (Networking and refreshments)

Contacts:

Ray Mehra : 630-258-4000

Gopal Gehi : 630-740-1757

Ankur Gupta : 224-645-2621

Tarun Kumar: 637-877-7980

Limited Seats. Please Register to secure your place

Why did God create souls and bring us into the world, where there is so much of suffering and misery?

rgdkoshish@gmail.com (Koshish) — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 22:32:00 -0700

Answer by Swamiji: To answer your question, let me tell you a story. There was once a very rich man, who had a fifteen-year old son. One day, the son was alone in his father's office, when he saw a fifteen-year old newspaper. It had an article titled, "Billionaire adopts orphan child." The boy was stunned to see his father's name mentioned there. When his father returned, the son accosted him, "Father is this article true?"

The father replied, "My son! It is true."

"Does that mean I am not your child?"

"That is right, you are not my child."

The son was shocked. "Then why did you adopt me?"

The father explained, "Son, I am a billionaire. I had no shortage of money, and everything that money could buy. However, I did not have anyone with whom I could share my wealth. I adopted you so that I could give you everything I possess."

Similarly, God is perfect and complete in Himself, and the possessor of unlimited opulence. He creates us so that He may be able to share all that He possesses with us. However, He can only do so when we truly love Him.

Those souls, who have learnt to love God, are with Him in His eternal abode. We conditioned souls are here in the material realm because we have turned our backs towards Him. God hopes and waits for the day when we too will perfect our love for Him and attain Him for the rest of eternity.

Danbury Retreat-Picture & Feedback !!

rgdkoshish@gmail.com (Koshish) — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 04:19:00 -0700

Danbury Retreat

Danbury Plaza Hotel and Conference Center, CT

July 2nd-4th, 2011

I am happy to have found a Divine Love Family this past retreat, though Path is walked alone with assistance of a true guru as Swamiji said in class. After two days of the program I have become aware of all the inner healing I've been going through this past weekend. Radhey Radhey

Oscar Martinez

............................................

It was truly beautiful and I was so grateful for the opportunity. What an amazing spiritual community and the most amazing Guru Swamiji.

Jessica Grant

............................................

Thank you Swamiji for sharing and welcoming us Westerners with open heart and mind. It was a truly moving, hopeful and promising experience to see the different faiths come together as one cohesive Bhakti rhythm. I want to also personally thank you and the rest of the family for your concern and healing thoughts! It was your care that pulled me through the remainder of the retreat. I am forever in gratitude. Immensely grateful to have been blessed with the opportunity to attended this retreat. The wisdom and compassion you shared with us are beyond measure.

Kelly Carrasquillo

............................................

I am humbled in your presence, Swamiji. It was three days filled with Divine Knowledge, devotion and love. Your desire to share this knowledge, and your tireless efforts are such a gift to us. I hope that many other Westerners are also able to hear these teachings and experience your joy.

Noreen Bluemling

Aim of Human Life !

rgdkoshish@gmail.com (Koshish) — Sat, 2 Jul 2011 23:42:00 -0700

Aim of Human Life !

What is the aim of human life?
How to reach that aim?

Shree Maharajji answers to these questions in the following lecture.

Part I Part II Part III Part IV

When God is the actual Doer, why are the souls subjected to the results of their karmas?

rgdkoshish@gmail.com (Koshish) — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 09:33:00 -0700

Question: When God is the actual Doer, why are the souls subjected to the results of their karmas?

Answer: Many people diminish the need for self-effort in their minds by saying, "Nothing is in our hands. God is seated within us. He is the doer of all our actions, and we act as He inspires us." However, this philosophy is not really true, as the following points will illustrate:

If God were the doer of all our actions, we would never have committed any mistakes. All of our works would have been perfect, since God can never make a blunder. The fact that we make innumerable mistakes implies that we are performing actions with our own free will.
If God were the doer of our actions, we would not have to bear the karmic reactions. Why would we suffer for works that God did through us? He would either bear the karmic reactions on His own, or forgive Himself. But there is the Law of Karma, "As you do, so you shall reap." This implies that we ourselves are responsible for what we do.
God is impartial towards all souls and perfectly just. If He was the doer of our actions, He would either have made everyone do good works and become Saints; or He would have made everyone do bad works and become demons. But there is so much of variety in the world. One is a Saint, like Prahlad, while the other is a demon, like Hiranyakashipu. This variety implies that we have the freedom to choose our own actions, and we are responsible for them, not God.
If God were the inspirer of our actions, there would have be no need for Him to reveal the Vedas or any other scriptures. There would be no need for Him to explain to us the path to perfection. He would simply have to say two sentences: "O souls, I am the doer of everything. So you do not have to understand what proper and improper action is."

It is true that God is seated within us, and He gives us the power to act. However, what we do with that power is decided by our own free will. This is just as the powerhouse supplies electricity to your house. If it did not give the power, you would not have been able to use any electric appliances in your home. However, once you do have that power, what you do with it, is your own choice. You could operate the fan, light the lamp, or heat/cool the house, as you wish.

Similarly, God gives our eyes the power to see. If He did not give us this power, we would not have been able to see anything. But once we do have this power, what we see is in our own hands. You could go to the temple and see the Deities, or you could see dirty pictures on theinternet. God is merely giving you the power to see. What you decide to see is your own choice decided by your free will.

Hence, we must not blame God for our mistakes.If we do something wrong, we should take responsibility for the error and strive to correct it.

Swami advocates easing stress through spirituality

rgdkoshish@gmail.com (Koshish) — Sat, 18 Jun 2011 00:22:00 -0700

By William Loeffler, PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Thursday, June 16, 2011

Photos

Swami Mukundananda
Submitted

'Devotion & Grace'

'The Science of Devotion & Grace'
What: A spiritual program of yoga and meditation by Swami Mukundananda
When: 11:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday and 6-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday
Cost: Free, but registration is required
Where: Sri Venkateswara Temple, 1230 McCully Drive, Penn Hills
Details: 412-373-3380, www.svtemple.org

More local news

About the writer

William Loeffler is a Pittsburgh Tribune-Review staff writer and can be reached at 412-320-7986 or via e-mail.

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The quest for spiritual health is a practical necessity, not a lofty ideal, says a Hindu yogi who begins a six-day residence Saturday at the Sri Venkateswara Temple in Penn Hills.
Swami Mukundananda is a spiritual leader whose lectures apply the ancient Vedas, or Hindu scriptures, to the challenges of 21st-century existence. He teaches audiences how to manage stress through yoga and meditation.
"Spirituality is not removed from our mundane practical life," he says. "If practiced for some time on a daily basis, it helps us in doing all the other activities throughout the day as well. "
His program "The Science of Devotion & Grace" runs from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday and 6 to 9 p.m. June 20 through 23. The series is free and open to the public, but registration is required.
Dr. Nagu B. Krishnappa, chairman of the board of trustees for the Sri Venkateswara Temple, says he met the swami last year during a Pittsburgh appearance.
"I was so impressed with this person, the way he communicated, the way he taught Vedic knowledge in practical life," Krishnappa says.
Krishnappa, a pediatrician with a practice in Greensburg, says the swami's program is about wellness, not proselytizing.
"It is not a speech about the Hindu gods, that's not the issue at all," he says. "They'll talk about your own body, how you control your own body, how you control your own mind and how you control your own soul, and how you balance them."
Mukundananda looks as one might expect a holy man to look -- serene countenance, flowing saffron garments, a high forehead marked with a line and a dot that resembles a red exclamation point. The marks symbolize his devotion to the Hindu deities Radha and Krishna, he says.
But he also has an MBA from the Indian Institute of Management, India's preeminent business school. He was a mechanical engineer before he renounced his position, at age 23, to pursue a life of spiritual devotion. In addition to lecturing at Hindu temples around the country, he's spoken to staff at Google headquarters in California and the Kellogg School of Management in Illinois.
"A lot of Indians who have come to the U.S.A. from India share the same education as I do," says Mukundananda, 50. "They are engineers and MBAs. They do have this desire for spiritual knowledge. They would like to hear it in terms that make sense to them. When they come across a swamiji who has the same educational background, that gives them confidence that they can relate to the message and the manner in which it is presented."
The ancient Hindu gods might not have foreseen that their wisdom could be applied to such matters as corporate management, but Mukundananda says the teachings transcend millennia.
"When you do realize that your effectiveness in management depends on your state of mind, it makes sense to cultivate our own mind," he says. "In other words, 'Manager, manage thyself.'"
Non-Hindus are welcome, Mukundananda says.
He will discuss breathing techniques, body relaxation and proper diet. His particular form of yoga will include spiritual exercises, a component he says is neglected by most yoga studios in the United States.
He drew laughs during one appearance when he explained why we couldn't remember our past lives: If we did, he said, we'd be arguing with those who had bought or inherited land and other possessions we left behind when we died. There would be chaos.

Holiday Inn Fresno Airport, CA

rgdkoshish@gmail.com (Koshish) — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 02:39:00 -0700

Radhey Radhey,

I can't describe the wonderful spiritual experience of the Fresno retreat any better then Hariji has done! He said it ALL !

The anticipation and excitement to partake in the retreat,the spiritual and enlightening experience during the three days,and the pangs of sadness when it ends are very aptly put.

I am also eagerly looking forward to attend both the remaining retreats, one in CT and one in Texas!

If Swamiji can spend over 18 hours EVERY SINGLE DAY for SEVEN months in the US to enhance our spiritual journey,we can at least spare THREE weekends and attend ALL three retreats!

Regards,

Dilip Patel-Chicago

............................................

We would like to share our experience in the Fresno retreat that happened during the memorial day weekend:

Retreat - Day 1

Devotees started coming from all over US in various modes - flights, bus, cars etc and accommodation/rooms were allocated appropriately to all of them. Thanks to perfect coordination by the volunteers. Lunch was served by noon and everyone got energized to begin the retreat. The function started off with arati and blissful Bhajans, followed by wonderful discourse by Swamiji on Narad Bhakti Dharsan. It was great to listen and absorb the importance of Bhakti and how it was critical for all of us to follow it to get the happiness that every one of us is seeking for.

We had a good yogasan/pranayam session with Radhey Shyam chanting and it enhanced the devotional feeling inside us. Following this we had fun time celebrating Ramnavami function. It was a feel as though we were in India with all the devotees adorned in their traditional costume dancing with Swamiji.

Retreat - Day 2

Day started off with relaxed Radhey Shyam yogasan, pranayam, Meditation session, prayer and arati, which had given the best start for the day to both our physical body and mind. After which we had the B'fast break where everyone was completing their morning food eager to continue the day's program. After B'fast, We had Swamiji discourse on Narad Bhakti Darshan in which he expounded the principles of true love/devotion and how it differs from our perception of love in this worldly life. He gave many practical examples and explained with such logic that - we were wondering - how fortunate we were to be here, listening to such eye-opening discussions. As ever, blissful keerthans continued where we lost our material existence and got soaked in devotional songs sung by Ujwala, Rishina and her team.

The next program was - Q&A session - and it was wonderful to see the various questions that came up from all quarters and how Swamiji answered each one of them with clear explanation, providing reference to various quotes from our scriptures. We could realize that - logic and clarity had been brought forth in each of those answers. Questions from kids won appreciation from the audience as it was wonderful to see such mature thinking and curiosity from the next generation of our life. Along with sweet answers at the end of the session, everyone of us got sweet chocolates as well, as the prasad from Swamiji!!

Bhajan competition, one of the highlights of the day was conducted during noon time. Many devotees including kids exhibited their talent singing the glories of lord. The enthusiasm exhibited by all participants was matched only by the Aahs and woows by the audience. Infact, the whole room stood up when one of the kids was playing the national anthem on his violin, depicting the glory of our mother land.

After the lunch break, in the afternoon session we watched Maharajji's lecture on how to do Sadhana. It was yet another eye-opener on how his words directly got into our heart and touched our souls. Once again we thanked god and our Swamiji for providing us an opportunity to absorb such knowledge which was so important for us to achieve the goal of our life. Following this, Kids presented beautiful skits based on what they had learnt in the Bal-Mukund sessions that was going on in parallel. Audience, including parents were surprised to see how beautifully the kids presented the skit that they learnt in such a short span of time.

In the evening, with the day being bright just like how our internal mind was feeling, we started off to the nearby Park. It was one of the best time of our life - singing the name of god along with Swamiji. He became like a kid overflowing with such energy unmatched by anyone else. We were amazed at how much energy he had - singing, dancing, running, jumping! and we joined the happiness circle that formed there in the park.

After we returned back to the hotel, had fulfilling dinner and got ready for Swamiji's discourse. Once again, we were drenched in the devotional discourse on Narad Bhakti darshan where Swamiji explained in layman terms on various views of true Bhakti and how we also can follow such selfless feeling in our thoughts.

Retreat - Day 3

Just like the prior day, the day started with Radhey Shyam yogasan, Pranayam, meditation, Prayer and Arati. After breakfast, we had Swamiji's final discourse in the retreat on Narad Bhakti Darshan. Post the divine discourse, we were privileged to participate in the padacharan of Maharaj ji. After getting Maharaj ji's blessing, devotees got a chance to provide their feedback. Testimonial session was overflowing with praises for Swamiji for having led everyone take a great step forward in their spiritual journey.

In parallel, throughout the retreat kids had wonderful time participating in the Bal-Mukund session, specially designed for them. They got an introduction to Maharaji, played games, performed arati, meditation and practiced for the skits. In addition the kids built an accountability tree and designed a 'Drink the divine nectar of Krishna' mug.

All the volunteers did an amazing job organizing this great event. Everything, starting registration, accommodation, food (a good blend of western, south and north Indian menu), decoration and all facilities was excellent including the venue.

Three days of enjoyment and spiritual rendezvous had to come to an end with the afternoon lunch, after which everyone started returning to their respective homes.

We thank the almighty for having given us an opportunity to participate in this divine experience.

Thanks and Regards,

Hari, CT

Interview on Global TV Network (DC)

I never knew that this interview would have such impact on the viewers !! Lord Oh ! Lord !! We had close to 800 calls & there are some people who actually want to buy that INTERVIEW ON DVD. Honestly, I have interviewed so many Swamis & world famous religious leaders, but never had this kind of a response.

Thank god for Swami Mukundananda's blessings on me - that is why the interview turned out superb.
Next Saturday, we will air Gupta's interview with Swami Ji.
Thank you for everything & love always,
Radhey Radhey.
Nilima Mehra
Global Television Network

The Path to Happiness

Sri Mangal Mandir, Silver Spring, MD
April 10th to 16th, 2011

Hari Aum, Swamiji,

Today's discourse, a special one for Shri Ramnavami, was excellent. For me, it was a new understanding on Avatars.

I have listened and heard different views on Avatars, but this was intellectually an eye opener for me. Other listeners felt the same way and they are thankful to you. Shrimad Bhagavatam and Shrimad Bhagavad Geeta views are the same, and at the same time different, but both are the best at their level. You perfectly compared the philosophies of both and we at Sri Mangal Mandir thank you again for excellent discourses on "Path to happiness "

Dr. Kiran Parikh

Science of Devotion & Grace

D/FW Hindu Temple, Irving, TX

April 1st to 3rd, 2011

Simple but Profound. Swamiji’s lecture was simple to understand but very deep in meaning and certainly thought provoking. He addressed some of the questions and doubts I have always had about God, the meaning of life and our continuous quest for happiness. His lectures are made more interesting by the quotes of Sanskrit verses, as well as by great poets and by great men. It was an amazing mix of lecture, keertan and quotations.

Madhupriya and Vivek Sethia

This year, Swamiji started his USA tour in Dallas with 3 days lecture series. Dallas devotees had worked very hard in publicity, planning, preparing the logistics, stage arrangements, and all different aspects of program planning. It was the day that we all had been waiting for! The hall was jam packed! Before the lecture, Bal-Mukund children performed a beautiful dance on Mere Nandanandan, mere Nandnandan - a beautiful bhajan written by Shree Kripaluji Maharaj. Children did an amazing job with the limited time in preparation. After the dance, Swamiji gave pravachan and it was pin-drop-silence in the entire hall which was filled with 400+ people. All three days went by so fast. As always, Swamiji's lectures were very powerful, logical, to the point, structured, and filled with humor.

Shreya Bhat

The Essence of Spirituality

Sri Sanatan Mandir, Parsippay, NJ

April 7th to 9th, 2011

We had a great satsang by Swamiji for the first time in Sanatan temple in NJ. We had a great audience to participate in the discourses every day with great attention and punctuality. Swamiji's vachanamrit kept everybody spellbound in Brajras and looking for more. There was a very informative and doubt eliminating question and answer session on the final day. Devotees were mesmerized with Swamiji's melodious bhajans .The members and trustees of the temple

were very helpful to Swamijin and volunteers of JKYog, who worked tirelessly to make the program successful. We have been invited to put Sanatan temple in future programs.

Dr. Dhiren & Lipi Das

About Swami Mukundananda

rgdkoshish@gmail.com (Koshish) — Mon, 30 May 2011 01:42:00 -0700

“Increase your longing to meet God. Keeping His form before you, pray to Him to bestow His Grace. Let your heart melt in tears of love.”

Swami Mukundananda is a renowned spiritual teacher from India, and is the senior disciple of Jagadguru Shree Kripaluji Maharaj. He is the founder of the Yogic system called “Jagadguru Kripaluji Yog.”

Swamiji is a unique sanyasi (in the renounced order of life), who has a distinguished technical and management educational background as well.

Academic and Professional Accomplishments

Swami Mukundananda completed B.Tech. from the world-renowned Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi. He then did MBA from the equally distinguished Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Kolkata. After that, he worked for some time with one of India's topmost industrial houses.

However, distinguished material education and a promising corporate career did not quench his thirst for knowing the Absolute Truth. The longing for God was so strong that he renounced his career and travelled throughout India as a sanyasi.

At the Lotus Feet of his Spiritual Master

During these travels, he closely associate with many elevated Saints of India, read the writings of the great Acharyas of the past, and lived in many famous holy places.

Ultimately his search took him to the lotus feet of his Spiritual Master, Jagadguru Shree Kripaluji Maharaj (who is lovingly called “Maharajji” by his devotees). He was overawed by the unfathomable scriptural knowledge and ocean of Divine love that he saw manifest in his Spiritual Master. About this first meeting, Maharajji later remarked, “He recognized me as one would recognize his mother.”

Under the guidance of Shree Maharajji, he practiced intense sadhana while residing at the ashram. He also extensively studied the Vedic scriptures, and the Indian and Western systems of philosophy. Upon completion of his studies, his Guru entrusted him with the key task of propagating the ancient knowledge of the Eternal Truth the world over.

Worldwide Mission

For the last quarter of a century, Shree Swamiji has been traveling far and wide, awakening hundreds of thousands of seekers. Wherever Swamji goes, he attracts huge audiences. Hearing the profound secrets of the Vedas from him is a rare privilege, for he is able to explain the ancient esoteric knowledge with rigourous scientific logic, in the modern context.

Using perfect logic, and a simple-yet-scientific approach, Swamiji offers new ways of understanding and applying the knowledge of the scriptures in our daily lives. The hallmark of his lectures is the ease with which he dispels various myths and misnomers associated with the various paths of God-realization, and his ability to penetrate even the toughest minds and convince them with depth of understanding and scriptural veracity.

Inspiring Discourses

Swamiji’s lectures cover the teachings of the Vedas, Upanishads, Shreemad Bhagavatam, Puranas, Bhagavad Geeta, Ramayan, and other Eastern scriptures and Western philosophies. Like the true Disciple of a true Master, Swamiji masterfully quotes from the scriptures of all the great religions, to satisfy even the most discerning of knowledge-seekers. He also reveals the simple and straightforward path to God-realization that can be practiced by anyone.

Although Swamiji started preaching in India two decades ago, he now preaches both in India and abroad. He has inspired innumerable devotees in Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong, where his visit is always anxiously awaited. Since 2008, on the instruction of Shree Maharajji, Swamiji has increasingly begun spending more time in USA, where his educational background and command over the English language make his programs particularly charming to the intelligentsia, professionals, and academicians.

Lecture Topics

His lectures cover the teachings of the Vedas, Upanishads, Bhagavatam, Puranas, Bhagavad Geeta, Ramayan, and other Eastern and Western philosophies. Like the true disciple of a true master, Swamiji masterfully quotes from scriptures of different religions, to satisfy even the most discerning of knowledge seekers. He also reveals the simple and straightforward way of God-realization which can be practiced by anyone. Another special feature about his lectures is that he establishes every spiritual truth through scriptural quotations, irrefutable logic and humorous real-life illustrations. His wisdom filled anecdotes, humorous stories and clarity has the audience both enthralled and entertained for the entire duration of his lecture!

The discourses offered by Swamiji are specially designed for those people who have unanswered questions

about spirituality, and are looking for satisfactory answers. Some of the questions addressed in his lectures are:

What is the goal of life?

We are all searching for happiness, yet we remain discontented. Why?

What is the nature of God? Why is He beyond our intellect, mind and senses?

What is the Grace of God? How is it attained?

What is sharanagati or surrender to God?

Why do we experience lust, anger, greed, envy, illusion etc.? How can they beconquered?

The Vedas mention three paths to God-realization: karm, gyan and bhakti. What is the difference between them? Who is qualified for which path?

Do all paths of karm, gyan and bhakti lead to the same goal or different goals?

Is it possible to attain God even while staying in household life? What is the karm yog of the Bhagavad Gita?

What is the difference between the worship of the personal and the impersonal forms of God?

What is Divine love and how is it different from worldly love?

How can one establish a personal relationship with God?

What is the basis for choosing one's worshipped form of God?

What do the scriptures say about the need for a Spiritual Master? How do we recognize a genuine Guru?

What is meditation? How and when should Sadhana (devotional practice) be done ?

Scriptural Confusions Dispelled

The ancient Hindu scriptures like the Vedas, Upanishads, Shreemad Bhagavatam, Bhagavad Gita, Ramayan, etc. are all treasure houses of Divine knowledge. They were either directly spoken by God in his various descensions on earth, or were inspired by him in the hearts of the Saints. But when these great scriptures are read individually, they appear to have many contradictions. This has led to much confusion in the minds of people.

In his lectures, Swamiji answers such questions which have always puzzled people and shows the clear, simple truth. Some of the confusions and contradictions which he addresses are:

1. a) God can never be seen or understood by our material senses and intellect because He is Divine.
b) God can be seen, attained and understood, even through our material senses and intellect. The God-realized Saints in the past have done so.

2. a) God is attained through His Grace, and not through our self-effort.
b) Unless we exert effort and do sadhana, we cannot attain God.

3. a) Everything happens by the will of God. Without his inspiration, not even a leaf can move.
b) We are responsible for our own actions. God is only an impartial judge of our activities.

4. a) What we get in this life is the consequence of our actions in past lives. We are all controlled by our destiny.

b) We all have the free-will to act. We are the makers of our own destiny.

5. a) This world is mithya or unreal since it is made of maya.
b) This world is satya or real, and necessary for the maintenance of the body. Without it we cannot live.

6. a) Liberation from material bondage is the ultimate goal of spirituality.
b) The desire for liberation is a selfish desire, and only when we give it up can we attain pure Divine love.

7. a) Service to man is service to God. One who performs his worldly duties sincerely, does not need to worship God.
b) Devotion to God is not the same as the performance of worldly duties. It must be separately accomplished.

8. a) Our surrender and single-minded devotion should be towards God alone.
b) Unless we surrender to a Guru, we cannot reach God.

9. a) The aim of meditation is to think of God and establish the mind in God.
b) The aim of meditation is to stop the thinking process and quiet the mind.

Click here to watch Swamiji's lecture.

Bhajans & Kirtans

The most invaluable treasure attainable in the human form is Selfless Divine Love. This Divine love is the culmination of all spiritual knowledge. It is experienced not through the intellect, but through the heart. When our heart melts for our Beloved Lord, an intense longing for His Divine Vision develops. This cleanses the mirror of the mind and destroys its negativities. The consciousness is united with God in love, and the devotee experiences perfect Bliss.

In his programs, Swamiji chants the sweetest bhajans that inspire devotional love and transport the consciousness to subliminal heights.

Click here to listen kirtan in Swamiji's voice

Founder of the System of Jagadguru Kripaluji Yog

Shree Swamiji has founded many organizations in India with permanent centers and ashrams, such as Jagadguru Kripalu Yog Trust, India, Radha Govind Dham, Delhi, Radha Krishna Bhakti Mandir, Cuttack, Radha Govind Dham, Berhampur, Shyama Shyam Dham, Jajpur, Radha Govind Dham, Parla Khemundi, Radha Govind Dham, Karanjia, etc. In USA, Swamiji has inspired the formation of Jagadguru Kripaluji Yog, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. In the space of a few years, JKYog centers have opened throughout the length and breadth of USA.

For more information on Jagadguru Kripalu Yog, please visit http://www.jkyog.org/jkyog.html.

Swamiji cares deeply about imparting Hindu cultural and religious values to the younger generation, especially in the West. Towards this end, he has conceived a special Personality Development program for children and young adults. This program is called “The Bal-Mukund Playground for Vedic Wisdom.” It includes character building, yog, meditation, devotional singing and religious training. Many Bal-Mukund centers have been started for the benefit of children, both in USA and in India.

Glimpses

Shree Swamiji’s has a God-gifted ability to keep all kinds of audiences enthralled and entertained through wisdom filled anecdotes, humorous stories and irrefutable logic. He has inspired innumerable people, of all ages, towards the path of God Realization, the world over. Swamiji's warmth and humility touch all those who have the fortune to have his association. In fact, his very presence radiates Grace and Bliss.

Click on the image to watch more.