Vastu Solutions

What is Yoga? part one

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WHAT IS YOGA?

Namaste. This is a lecture by my spiritual master Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayan Goswami Maharaj. It has been transcribed for your pleasure and knowledge. He explains Yoga in a unique way in relation to your soul. It comes in several parts due to its length, here’s the first part. Enjoy!

Part One:

What is yoga? Yoga is a Sanskrit word which means “to add two things together.” There must be two things. For example if you want to add two bricks together, then cement, water and other substances are needed.

Similarly, yoga means to connect two persons: one is the Supreme Lord and the other is the unlimited souls. Because we have forgotten that Supreme Lord, we are greatly suffering. Sometimes we suffer as donkeys, asses, dogs, pigs and so on, and sometimes as demigods; we have passed through all the various species of life.

Sri Krsna is so merciful that, by His causeless mercy, He has now given us this human form. This human form is very temporary however; we do not know when we will die. We are all suffering because we think that we are this body. Actually, this body is a bag of urine, stool, blood and other unwanted things. Still we think we are this body, and we endeavour only to please this body – not the mind and soul.

The easiest way to meet with Krsna is through yoga. You should know that the soul is part and parcel of God – the eternal servant of God – but don’t think in terms of worldly servants. The service of Krsna is very loving and beautiful. It is like the service of a friend, mother, father and son, or like the service of a lover towards his most beloved. Sri Krsna’s servants are all very loving. Yoga is that process by which a soul can be with Krsna – this is actually the meaning of yoga.

What is taught as yoga in this world today is the exercise of the body. If you will do these exercises for your whole life, or thousands of lives, still you will not be happy. You will have to get old, and one day you will have to give up this body.

We are discussing real yoga. Sri Krsna is the Supreme Lord and we are part and parcels of that Supreme Lord. By what process can we meet Him and join with Him? By cement? By mud? No. It is through love and affection.

By giving our love to Krsna, we can attain that perfect stage in which we will be happy forever. But what is that process? How can we have prema (pure love of God)?

anyabhilasita-sunyam
jnana-karmady-anavrtam
anukulyena krsnanu-
silanam bhaktir uttama

[“Uttama-bhakti, or pure devotional service, is the cultivation of activities that are meant exclusively for the pleasure of Sri Krsna, or in other words the uninterrupted flow of service to Sri Krsna, performed through all endeavours of the body, mind and speech, and through the expression of various spiritual sentiments (bhavas), which is not covered by jnana (knowledge aimed at impersonal liberation) and karma (reward-seeking activity), and which is devoid of all desires other than the aspiration to bring happiness to Sri Krsna.” (Sri Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 1.1.11)]

This is the definition of uttama-bhakti (pure devotion). By this love and affection for the Supreme Lord, you can meet with Him and serve Him. In another scripture it written: “Paranuraktir isvare.” Such deep and strong affection to Isvara (the Supreme Controller) Sri Krsna is the only transcendental religion of the soul.

sa vai pumsam paro dharmo
yato bhaktir adhoksaje
ahaituky apratihata
yayatma suprasidati

[“The supreme occupation for all humanity is that by which men can attain to loving devotional service unto the transcendent Lord. Such devotional service must be unmotivated and uninterrupted to completely satisfy the self “. (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 1.2.6)]

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayan Goswami Maharaj

Sri Laxmi Devi

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Bronze Sri Yantra 250px

Shri is the sacred sound of cosmic auspiciousness and abundance and when written or spoken it carries a spiritual potency (shakti). Written as Sri or Shree or Sree or Shri, it stands for affluence, grace, wealth, light, lustre, splendour, beauty, loveliness and authority.

There are various levels and manifestations of Sri

  • She is seen in many forms, such as Bhudevi and Sridevi. Most people think that they are separate beings although they are one. Bhudevi is the representation
    lord-vishnu-with-shridevi-and-bhudevi-zm91

    Lord Visnu with Sridevi and Bhudevi

    and totality of the material world or energy, in which she is called Mother Earth. The analogy of milk that transforms into yoghurt is used to demonstrate how Sri who is transcendental, transforms into Durga in this material world. Durga is approached by her devotees for fulfillment of material desires. She is also called “the beauty of three worlds” and in this context she is called Sri Tripura Sundari whose magical diagram is called the “Sri Yantra”.

  • Sri embodies the spiritual world, also known as Vaikuntha, the abode of Laxmi-Narayan or Vishnu. She possess the divine qualities of God, as she is the embodiment of God’s superior spiritual feminine energy, which purifies, empowers and uplifts the individual. Hence, she is called the Goddess of Fortune. She is believed to be the Mother of the Universe
  • Goddess Laxmi is a soothing, kind, warm and approachable mother figure who willingly intervenes in the lives of devotees. When asking Visnu for grace or forgiveness, the devotees always approach Him through the intermediary presence of Laxmi Devi.
  • Sridevi or Laxmi as the power and consort of Lord Vishnu, is present on His chest on the heart, as She is the embodiment of love, from which devotion to God or Bhakti flows. It is through Love/Bhakti or Laxmi that the atma or soul is able to reach God or Vishnu.
  • She is also the personification of the spiritual fulfilment and is described as an ocean of compassion and mercy. Maha laxmi is liberal and can infuse our hearts with spiritual knowledge without considering our qualifications. She resides within the hearts of Her devotees.
Yin yang with rice and chili, symbolising 'metal'

Yin yang with rice and chili, symbolising ‘metal’

  • The name Sri always precedes the Lord’s name for example: Sri Narayan, Sri Krsna. Why ? The significance of this is that Narayan is never without Her, He is the energetic and She is His energy, and in this way they are simultaneously one and different. The yin yang concept symbolises this oneness and difference.
  • She also presides over 16 forms of worldly wealth which she easily grants: Fame, Knowledge, Courage and Strength, Victory, Good Children, Valor, Gold, Gems and Other Valuables, Grains in abundance, Happiness, Bliss, Intelligence, Beauty, Higher goals, High Thinking and Higher Meditation, Morality and Ethics; Good Health, Long Life.
  
The Eight Laxmi Forms in this world
    The First manifestation of Lakshmi
    Granary wealth
    Wealth of courage
    Elephants, symbols of wealth
    Wealth of continuity, progeny
    Wealth of victory
    Wealth of knowledge and education
    Monetary wealth
 
 
Although Mother Laxmi is worshiped as the goddess of fortune, when she is worshiped with Narayana, the worshiper is blessed with not only wealth but also peace, prosperity and spiritual protection. They can be worshiped in forms, such as Laxmi Narayan, Laxmi Narasingha, Sita Rama and the original source Sri Sri Radha Krsna.
Sri Laxmi Devi

Sri Laxmi Devi

The ancient scriptures of India ultimately advise us all to pay extreme regards to Laxmi, and any person who disregards her is sure to fall on evil days. This means that wealth should be well protected and properly used. The misuse of wealth is sure to generate negative karma, and the resultant suffering and unhappiness that is accompanied with it.

Laxmi devi’s quality of being chanchal, denotes her fickle nature. She tends to not stay in one place too long and can just as easily leave as she arrives ! However honouring Sri Yantra and Meru Chakra with Her mantra, offers you an opportunity to petition her to remain here.