Devotion with determination opens the gate for perfection

When sun rises in the morning then the sun rays is not so prominent but gradually as the day progresses the brightness becomes stronger and finally the rays illumines everything eating the darkness. Similarly, while endeavouring for anything we may not be able to see much tangible results immediately but if we persist then slowly the result will start becoming visible.  Any progress is gradual and so it is always recommended that we should have patience while treading a path. 

The spiritual seekers who have voluntarily chosen the path of devotional life are required to practice the process of devotional life with steady determination. Many a times we wonder why we are not experiencing the inner calmness and bliss which is associated with devotion even though we have been practicing devotional life for many years.  The mind still dwells on sensory objects and the senses continue demanding attention. It looks like the process is not working for us. But this is not true.

In childhood when we were learning to ride a bicycle then we fell from it several times. But after regular practice a day came when we were able to ride without falling. It was fun. We eventually even started racing with our friends.

Similarly if we continue with determined devotion braving all difficulties then Krishna’s grace will eventually dawn upon us. Also our regular chanting and shadana is not going in vain, it is perfecting our lives although we may not be able to experience the effect now. Our heart is getting cleansed of unwanted qualities and the love of God is slowly blossoming in our heart. And if we practice devotional life with grit for a long time then ultimately it will start creating an impact. In fact if we are resolute in our purpose and our aim is Krishna (Gita 2.41) then it is guaranteed that we would succeed in attaining love of God one day.

Samsara Davanala Lidha(Mangala Arati)

Official Name: Śrī Śrī Gurv-aṣṭaka (Eight Prayers to the Guru) (Mangala Arati)
Author: Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura
Book Name: Stavamrta Lahari
Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura, who appeared in the middle of the seventeenth century, is a great spiritual master in the Krsna conscious chain of gurus and disciples. He says, “One who, with great care and alteration, loudly recites this beautiful prayer to the spiritual master during the Brahma-muhurta obtains direct service to Krsna, the Lord of Vrndavana, at the time of his death.”
(1)
saṁsāra-dāvānala-līḍha-loka
trāṇāya kāruṇya-ghanāghanatvam
prāptasya kalyāṇa-guṇārṇavasya
vande guroḥ śrī-caraṇāravindam
(2)
mahāprabhoḥ kīrtana-nṛtya-gīta
vāditra-mādyan-manaso rasena
romāñca -kampāśru-taraṅga-bhājo
vande guroḥ śrī-caraṇāravindam
(3)
śrī-vigrahārādhana-nitya-nānā
śṛṅgāra-tan-mandira-mārjanādau
yuktasya bhaktāṁś ca niyuñjato ‘pi
vande guroḥ śrī-caraṇāravindam
(4)
catur-vidha-śrī-bhagavat-prasāda
svādvanna-tṛptān hari-bhakta-saṅghān
kṛtvaiva tṛptiṁ bhajataḥ sadaiva
vande guroḥ śrī-caraṇāravindam
(5)
śrī-rādhikā-mādhavayor apāra
mādhurya-līlā guṇa-rūpa-nāmnām
prati-kṣaṇāsvādana-lolupasya
vande guroḥ śrī-caraṇāravindam
(6)
nikuñja-yūno rati-keli-siddhyai
yā yālibhir yuktir apekṣaṇīyā
tatrāti-dākṣyād ati-vallabhasya
vande guroḥ śrī-caraṇāravindam
(7)
sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstrair
uktas tathā bhāvyata eva sadbhiḥ
kintu prabhor yaḥ priya eva tasya
vande guroḥ śrī-caraṇāravindam
(8)
yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādo
yasyāprasādān na gatiḥ kuto ‘pi
dhyāyan stuvaṁs tasya yaśas tri-sandhyaṁ
vande guroḥ śrī-caraṇāravindam

TRANSLATION
1) The spiritual master is receiving benediction from the ocean of mercy. Just as a cloud pours water on a forest fire to extinguish it, so the spiritual master delivers the materially afflicted world by extinguishing the blazing fire of material existence. I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of such a spiritual master, who is an ocean of auspicious qualities.
2) Chanting the holy name, dancing in ecstasy, singing, and playing musical instruments, the spiritual master is always gladdened by the sańkīrtana movement of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Because he is relishing the mellows of pure devotion within his mind, sometimes his hair stands on end, he feels quivering in his body, and tears flow from his eyes like waves. I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of such a spiritual master.
3) The spiritual master is always engaged in the temple worship of Srī Srī Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa. He also engages his disciples in such worship. They dress the Deities in beautiful clothes and ornaments, clean Their temple, and perform other similar worship of the Lord. I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of such a spiritual master.
4) The spiritual master is always offering Kṛṣṇa four kinds of delicious food [analyzed as that which is licked, chewed, drunk, and sucked]. When the spiritual master sees that the devotees are satisfied by eating bhagavat-prasāda, he is satisfied. I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of such a spiritual master.
5) The spiritual master is always eager to hear and chant about the unlimited conjugal pastimes of Rādhikā and Mādhava, and Their qualities, names, and forms. The spiritual master aspires to relish these at every moment. I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of such a spiritual master.
6) The spiritual master is very dear, because he is expert in assisting the gopīs, who at different times make different tasteful arrangements for the perfection of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa's conjugal loving affairs within the groves of Vṛndāvana. I offer my most humble obeisances unto the lotus feet of such a spiritual master.
7) The spiritual master is to be honored as much as the Supreme Lord, because he is the most confidential servitor of the Lord. This is acknowledged in all revealed scriptures and followed by all authorities. Therefore I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of such a spiritual master, who is a bona fide representative of Srī Hari [Kṛṣṇa].
8) By the mercy of the spiritual master one receives the benediction of Kṛṣṇa. Without the grace of the spiritual master, one cannot make any advancement. Therefore, I should always remember and praise the spiritual master. At least three times a day I should offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of my spirit

Can God make a square circle?

Question:  If God can do anything, can he make a square circle?

Answer: Questions like these arise from not understanding the definition of God as the Supreme Being. Let’s consider the two kinds of impossibilities: practical and logical.

1. Practical impossibility: When the sacred scriptures describe that, say, Lord Krishna lifted the huge Govardhana hill in Vrindavana during his descent to this world five thousand years ago, skeptics may dismiss this as impossible, because they deem possession of such strength practically impossible. However, notice their self-centric mentality implicitly operating here; they presume that what is impossible for them is impossible for anyone. By such a mentality, an ant crawling on a table may consider the glass that blocks its way impossible to lift, but we humans do it all the time – nonchalantly. Just as we, humans, being much stronger than ants, can do what they think practically impossible, similarly, God, being Supreme, being infinitely stronger than us, can do what we think practically impossible.
2.  Logical impossibility: Activities like making a square circle seem not just practically impossible, but even logically impossible. Our mind tends to think that a geometrical object can either be a circle or a square, but never both. However, this is a limitation of our mind, not a limitation of God. Our mind functions by discerning in the world around us features like logicality, causality and repeatability. Our mind needs the intellectual framework formed by such attributes to make sense of the world. But that very framework limits our mind from “thinking outside the box”, and so we mistakenly infer that those activities that are impossible for us to think logically must also be impossible for God to do practically. However, our framework of thought does not limit God. For his cognition, God does not need any such framework, and so he is completely free to think and act independent of it.

Let’s now apply this background analysis to our specific question. God can surely make a square circle, but our minds can never understand how. Is this an evasive answer? Not at all. The sixteenth-century devotee-scholar Jiva Goswami insightfully reminds us that if God’s actions were limited to the conceiving abilities of our mind, then our mind would be supreme, not God, thus violating the very definition of God. Therefore, by his very definition, God has inconceivability (achintyatva in Sanskrit) as his integral attribute.

Once Srila Prabhupada, the founder of ISKCON, was asked a similar question, “Can God create a stone that he cannot lift?” He replied, “Yes. God can surely create a stone that he cannot lift. And then he will lift it.”