Krishna katha

[Saravit Devi Dasi]

In Bhagavad Gita (4.9), Sri Krishna says “One who knows the transcendental nature of My appearance and activities does not, upon leaving the body, take his birth again in this material world, but attains My eternal abode, O Arjuna”. So Krishna is not without activity, in fact He is sac-cit-andanda-vigraha - full of eternal truth, knowledge and bliss in a personal form. But His activities are mysterious for mundane people. In fact Sri Krishna Himself says ( BG 9.11) that “Fools deride Me when I descend in the human form. They do not know My transcendental nature and My supreme dominion over all that be”.
So if we are serious about our spiritual lives, then we must hear and read about the pastimes of Krishna from a self-realized, bona fide source. Krishna katha is words spoken by Krishna (as in the Bhagavad Gita), and words spoken about Krishna (as in Srimad Bhagavatam). Both are transcendental and can liberate one from the cycle of birth and death. However, just as milk that has been tasted by a serpent is poison, Krishna katha delivered by materialistic people and professional reciters is devastating to spiritual progress. We must therefore seek out a self-realized spiritual master in a bona fide disciplic succession, render service to him, inquire submissively from him, and try and understand the glories of Sri Krishna from him.

[Narayanididi.fr]

Thank you for this illumination. Yes, we do need a bonafide, bonafide is very important, spiritual master in order to understand anything about any transcendantal subject. We must hear from him, submissive oral reception. Tava kathamrita tapta jivanam and Satam prasangam mama... don't remember all, but a bit. Jaya Gurudéva, Jaya Radhé.

[baladev das b.]

Bhakti ballabha tirtha Goswami maharaj say that we can not realize krishna form, passtimes etc.. by our material inteligence or mind. Its only possible trought ears by hearing this passtimes of janma etc.. from the lotus lips of a pure devotee, some thing will enter in our hearts and very soon we will realize some of these things. thank you. hari bol. Radhe!!!

[anadi krishna das]

bhaktau pravRttir atra syAt taccikIrSa sunizcayA |
zAstrAl lobhAt tac cikIrSu syAtAM tad adhikAriNau ||
(rvc 1.4)

“According to devotional scriptures, an exclusive desire to engage in the practices of bhakti is the cause of engaging in bhakti.
Bhakti of two different natures is born from fear of scriptural injunctions and from greed for a particular divine loving exchange respectively; accordingly, there are two kinds of candidates for bhakti-sadhana.”

Hearing about the sweet pastimes - madhurya lila - of the Lord is the begining of awakening of one's loving attachement, or the begining of raga-anung bhakti, as implied by Bhaktivinod Thakur. This stage, called Shravan dasha (the stage of hearing), is recorded in Harinam Cintamani:

nijapekha srestha suddha bhavuk je jana
bhavamarge gurudeva sei mahajan
tahar sri mukhe bhava tattver sravan
hoile sravan dasa hoy prakatan
bhava tattva dviprakar koraba bicar
nija ekadasbhava Krishna lila ara

"One needs the best, pure person, taster of bhava.
That guru, which is on the bhava path is a great personality.
From such a mouth one should hear
the truth about the two kinds of bhava
one's own coming out of eleven types of bhava -nija ekadas-bhava - (heard from guru) and that which comes out of the pastimes of Krishna."

yaH kenApyati bhAgyena jAta zraddho’sya sevane |
nAtisakto na vairAgya bhAgasyAm adhikAryasau || (brs 1.2.14)

“When, out of fortune, faith awakens in someone for the service of the Lord,
and he has no firm attachment for the Lord
and is only slightly averse to bodily attachments,
such a person is eligible for (vaidhi) sadhana-bhakti.”

This desire for devotion is characterized by obedience of and faith in the scriptural commandments, which invoke a sense of duty for the service of the Lord. On the other hand, eligibility for the practice of raganuga-bhakti is born out of greed for attaining loving feelings akin to the Lord's dear ones.

rAgAtmikAika-niSThA ye vrajavAsi-janAdayaH |
teSAM bhAvAptaye lubdho bhaved atrAdhikAravAn || (brs 1.2.291)

“The firm faith of those who reside in Vraja is steeped in loving attachment - AgAtmikAika.
One who becomes greedy to attain loving feelings similar to theirs possesses eligibility (for raga-anuga sadhana bhakti).