English
18 May 2024
Become a Yogi instead of Bhogi
Speaker: HH Lokanath Swami Maharaj
Hare Krsna. This holy name is also a medicine. We are providing you this medicine. This is the greatest cure of all. Thank you for inviting me and I welcome you all Yogis, you all are trying to become Yogis.
Krsna emphasizes to become yogi.
tapasvibhyo ’dhiko yogī
jñānibhyo ’pi mato ’dhikaḥ
karmibhyaśh chādhiko yogī
tasmād yogī bhavārjuna (BG 6.46)
Translation: A yogī is greater than the ascetic, greater than the empiricist and greater than the fruitive worker. Therefore, O Arjuna, in all circumstances, be a yogī.
This world is teaching us to become Bhogi’s(sense gratifiers). But the scriptures teach us to become yogis.
dhyayato visayan pumsah
sangas tesupajayate
sangat sanjayate kamah
kamat krodho 'bhijayate (BG 2.62)
Translation: While contemplating the objects of the senses, a person develops attachment for them, and from such attachment lust develops, and from lust anger arises.
Yesterday when I met Ramadev Baba Ji, I told him that he is benefiting humanity at large by providing this facility of Karma Yoga. I told him that, I came here to express my gratitude towards him for this contribution.
yadā yadā hi dharmasya
glānir bhavati bhārata
abhyutthānam adharmasya
tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham (BG 4.7)
Translation: Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practice, O descendant of Bharata, and a predominant rise of irreligion – at that time I descend Myself.
evaṁ paramparā-prāptam
imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ
sa kāleneha mahatā
yogo naṣṭaḥ paran-tapa (Bg. 4.2)
Translation: This supreme science was thus received through the chain of disciplic succession, and the saintly kings understood it in that way. But in course of time the succession was broken, and therefore the science as it is appears to be lost.
When yoga is destroyed then Krsna descends.
paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ
vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām
dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya
sambhavāmi yuge yuge (Bg. 4.8)
Translation: To deliver the pious and to annihilate the miscreants, as well as to reestablish the principles of religion, I Myself appear, millennium after millennium.
Krsna appears in this material world from time to time to deliver the fallen souls of this material world. Also he sends his empowered representative for this cause. Ramdev Babaji Maharaj is also one such empowered personalities.
Ayurveda is also Veda (Upaveda). It’s the vani of the Lord. Keeping our body fit is a medium to attain our ultimate goal of keeping our souls fit by connecting ourselves to the Lord. Our body is an instrument to reach our goal which is Krsna consciousness. Once in history when people used to ask, Are you okay?
Then by default it used to mean that are you situated well in connection with the Lord. When we talk about our well-being then all these three aspects must be considered - Our body, mind and soul. We should not use our healthy body to enjoy this material world. If we do that, then once again we will develop disease.
Any disease originates from our mind. dhyayato visayan pumsah(BG 2.62). When the mind contemplates on the material desires too much then we develop such disease in our body as a result.
There are 2 types of diseases - Physical Sickness and Mental Sickness.
Once I read a research paper, it said, America is on top in terms of the most diseased people in the world. I was not amazed with this report. It's natural, a place where we have the largest number of people with enjoying propensities then definitely we will have the most diseased people there.
Krsna has innumerable names and Chaitanya Mahaprabhu who is the Lord himself and he has given us this means to connect with him through the chanting of this Mahamantra. Please chant this Mahamantra with me.
śrī-prahrāda uvāca
śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ
smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam
arcanaṁ vandanaṁ dāsyaṁ
sakhyam ātma-nivedanam (SB 7.5.23)
Translation: Prahlāda Mahārāja said: Hearing and chanting about the transcendental holy name, form, qualities, paraphernalia and pastimes of Lord Viṣṇu, remembering them, serving the lotus feet of the Lord, offering the Lord respectful worship with sixteen types of paraphernalia, offering prayers to the Lord, becoming His servant, considering the Lord one’s best friend, and surrendering everything unto Him (in other words, serving Him with the body, mind and words)
These 9 processes of devotional service start with hearing and then with the chanting and this will result in complete wellness.
cheto-darpana-marjanam bhava-maha-davagni-nirvapanam
shreyah-kairava-chandrika-vitaranam vidya-vadhu-jivanam
anandambhdhi-vardhanam prati-padam purnamritasvadanam
sarvatma-snapanam param vijayate shri-krishna-sankirtanam (Shikshashtakam 1)
Translation: Glory to the Shri Krishna sankirtana (congregational chanting of the Lord's holy names), which cleanses the heart of all the dust accumulated for years and extinguishes the fire of conditional life, of repeated birth and death. That sankirtana movement is the prime benediction for humanity at large because it spreads the rays of the benediction moon. It is the life of all transcendental knowledge. It increases the ocean of transcendental bliss, and it enables us to fully taste the nectar for which we are always anxious.
Also it's my humble request to all of you. The lifestyle you are learning here, you should carry these practices with you.
oṃ sarve bhavantu sukhinaḥ
sarve santu nirāmayāḥ
sarve bhadrāṇi paśyantu mā kaścidduḥ khabhāgbhaveta
(Sarve Bhavantu Prayer)
Translation: May all sentient beings be at peace, may no one suffer from illness, May all see what is auspicious, may no one suffer. Om peace, peace, peace.
You should not be acting like an elephant who bathes nicely in the river, and as soon as he comes out he throws all the dirt on himself and becomes dirty again.
kvacin nivartate ’bhadrāt
kvacic carati tat punaḥ
prāyaścittam atho ’pārthaṁ
manye kuñjara-śaucavat (SB 6.1.10)
Translation: Sometimes one who is very alert so as not to commit sinful acts is victimized by sinful life again. I therefore consider this process of repeated sinning and atoning to be useless. It is like the bathing of an elephant, for an elephant cleanses itself by taking a full bath, but then throws dust over its head and body as soon as it returns to the land.
You should adapt these practices in your life and practice them on a regular basis.
