There are 4 kinds of people who set an alarm clock

The first kind are those who set an alarm but the never wake up. they are so deep into sleep that they just don't hear the alarm ringing. The whole world wakes up but they keep sleeping.

The second are those who hear the alarm clock and keep snoozing, they postpone their wake up time.

The third ones are those people who hear the alarm clock wake up and think for sometime and again go back to sleep switching off the alarm clock.

The Fourth Kind are those people who hear the alarm clock and wake up and engage themselves in productive activities , in the purpose of their life.

This message of Srimad Bhagavatam and Srimad Bhagwat Gita, the words of Srila Prabhupada are like an alarm clock .

The first person keeps hearing about Krishna consciousness and and he still keeps sleeping i.e., he is still engaged into material sinful activities

The second person keeps postponing ,he keeps saying " from tomorrow I will be Krishna conscious, from tomorrow I will chant my rounds, from tomorrow I will reduce Vaishnav aparadh, from tomorrow I will become serious, from tomorrow I will offer prasadam." He keeps snoozing .

The third person is the one who follows Krishna consciousness very nicely and conveniently gives it up after sometime and gets back to his material sinful life .

The fourth person is the one who wakes up to these messages and engages himself in Krishna consciousness .

Hare Krishna

Special reasoning power of the human being

The Bhagavad-gita says that out of many thousands of human beings, one may try to make perfection of his life. Man is an animal, but he has one special prerogative, rational thought. What is that rational thought? Reasoning power, argument. Now, reasoning power is there in dogs and cats as well. Suppose a dog comes up to you; if you say, "Hut!" he'll understand. The dog will understand that you don't want him. So, he has some reasoning power. But what is the special reasoning power of the human being?

As far as the bodily necessities are concerned, the reasoning power is there even in the animal. If a cat wants to steal some milk from your kitchen, she has very nice reasoning power: she is always looking to see when the master is out and she can take. So, for the four propensities of animal life -- eating, sleeping, mating and defending -- there is reasoning power even in beasts. Then, what is the special reasoning power of the human being, by which he is called the rational animal?

The special reasoning power is to inquire, "Why am I suffering?" This is special reasoning. The animals are suffering, but they do not know how to remedy the suffering. But human beings are making scientific advancement and philosophical advancement, cultural advancement, religious advancement -- progress in so many lines -- because they want to be happy. "Where is the point of happiness?" This reasoning power is especially given to the human being. Therefore, in the Gita, Krishna says, "Out of so many men, one may know Me."

Generally, the people are just like animals. They simply do not know anything beyond the necessities of the body: how to eat, how to sleep, how to mate and how to defend. And the Bhagavad-gita says, out of many thousands, someone may develop this reasoning power: "Why am I suffering?" He asks this question: "Why am I suffering?" We do not want to suffer, but suffering is forced upon us. We do not want too much cold, but too much cold and too much heat are forced upon us.

When there is some impetus to awaken this reasoning power, it is called brahma jijnasa. This is found in the Vedanta-sutra. The first verse says that now, this human form of life is meant for asking the question of how to solve the problem of suffering.

So Krishna says that this special prerogative of the human being is not awakened very easily, except by some good association. Just as we have this Krishna conscious association. If we attain such association, where nice things are discussed, then that awakening of reason, that special prerogative of the human being, will come. As long as this question does not arise in one's mind, he should understand that whatever activities he is doing will lead to his defeat. He is simply leading an animal life. But, not when these questions arise: Why am I suffering? What am I? Am I meant for suffering? Am I meant for troubles?

I am undergoing troubles by nature's laws, and by the state's laws. So the question of freedom is how to become free from all these troubles. The Vedanta-sutra also says that the soul, my actual self, is by nature joyful. Yet, I am suffering. Lord Krishna further says that when these questions arise, gradually one comes to God. Those who have awakened to these questions are said to lie on the path of perfection. And, when the question of God and our relationship with God comes, that is our final perfection of life.

Ref. Krishna Consciousness - The Topmost Yoga System authored by Srila Prabhupada (Founder - Acharya, ISKCON)

KARMA -Ever wondered why bad things happen to good people?

KARMA

Ever wondered why bad things happen to good people? Why we suffer? Why some days are awesome and others morose? If God exists, why does He keep quiet about it? The answer to all the above questions is karma.

Karma is one of those topics that many people know about, but few understand the intricacies of it. In literal terms, “karma” means “activity” and the law of karma regulates the reactions to our activities. If we act in good, or pious ways, we reap good reactions. If we act in impious, sinful, or destructive ways, we reap bad reactions in the future. Christian theology explains, “As ye sow so ye shall ye reap” while in physics karma is expressed by Newton’s Law, “For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.”

Karmic reactions include not only things that happen to us, but determine our health, wealth, intelligence, physical appearance, and social status, as well as our personalities and inclinations. While we have some degree of freedom to choose our current actions, our choices are influenced by our natures, or personalities, which have developed from our previous actions.

Karma thus locks us up in a cycle of action and subsequent reaction. As long as we are in this cycle, we will experience both happiness and distress. Even if we act in a pious way, we destine ourselves to accept another material body at death to enjoy the reactions to our materially good actions. As long as we accept a material body we can not avoid the miseries of disease, old age, and death.

Fortunately karma is temporary. We can break free from its bonds by performing spiritual acts in service to Krishna. Such acts of devotion, or bhakti-yoga, purify the soul and gradually awaken our spiritual knowledge and innate love for Krishna. Thus, both our karma and our long-standing desire to enjoy life within the illusory material world—the root cause of our bondage—are destroyed.

NAIVEDYAM: WILL GOD EAT OUR OFFERINGS?

Here is a very good explanation about Neivedyam to God. Will God come and eat our offerings?Many of us could not get proper explanation from our elders.An attempt is made here.

A Guru-Shishya conversation:

The sishya who doesn't believe in God, asked his Guru thus:
"Does God accept our 'neivedhyam'(offerings)? If God eats away the 'prasadham' then from where can we distribute it to others? Does God really consume the 'prasadham', Guruji?"

The Guru did not say anything. Instead, asked the student to prepare for classes.

That day, the Guru was teaching his class about the 'upanishads'. He taught them the 'mantra': "poornamadham, poornamidham, ......poornasya poornaadaaya...." and explained that: 'every thing came out from "Poorna or Totality." (of ishavasya upanishad).

Later, everyone was instructed to practice the mantra by-heart. So all the boys started praciting. After a while, the Guru came back and asked that very student who had raised his doubt about Neivedyam to recite the mantra without seeing the book,  which he did.

Now the Guru gave a smile and asked this particular shishya who didn't believe in God: 'Did you really memorize everything as it is in the book? The shishya said: "yes Guruji, I've recited whatever is written as in the book.

The Guru asked: "If you have taken every word into your mind then how come the words are still there in the book? He then explained:

"The words in your mind are in the SOOKSHMA STHITI (unseen form). The words in the book are there in the STOOLASTHITI (seen).

God too is in the 'sooksma sthiti'. The offering made to Him is done in 'stoola sthiti'. Thus, God takes the food in 'sookshmam', in sookshma stithi. Hence the food doesn't become any less in quantity.

While GOD takes it in the "sookshma sthiti",  we take it as 'prasadam' in 'sthoola sthiti'.

Hearing this the sishya felt guilty for his disbelief in God and surrendered himself to his GURU.

Srimad Bhagavatam: The spotless Purana

Once there lived an ardent devotee of Lord Krishna by name Poonthaanam. He worshipped Guruvayoorappan (Lord Krishna) with all his heart and soul. People loved him for his beautiful Bhagavatam discourses.

There is a temple in North Kerala called Kottiyoor. The significant deity in the temple is Lord Siva. The temple was kept open only for a few days during a year. There were no human activities in that place for the rest of the year.

Once Poonthaanam reached the Kottiyoor temple and had a bath in the holy river. He worshiped the compassionate Lord Siva, felt happy, and stayed there for a few days.

He recited Bhagavatam everyday in front of the deity and several hundreds of people listened to his sweet discourse on the wonderful pastime in the 10th Canto 60th of Srimad Bhagavatam named “Lord Krishna Teases Queen Rukmini.”

The Lord decides to play with His beloved wife Queen Rukmini and wanted to listen to Her. He playfully asks Her why She wanted to marry the Lord when She had better choices like King Sisupala, Salva, Jarasandha, etc. Hearing this Queen Rukmini faints and Lord consoles Her. This is the gist of the chapter.

Poonthaanam finished reading this part of the chapter and kept the bookmark at the end of the chapter so that he can continue reciting from the next chapter.

Next day, to his surprise, he found the bookmark at beginning of the same chapter. So Poonthaanam read the same part for the second time. This was repeated for the rest of the days.

It was the last day to close the temple for the year. Poonthanam finished the discourse and was returning from the temple with the other devotees, but somehow left the Bhagavatam in the temple itself.

Having walked some distance suddenly he remembered that he forgot to bring the Bhagavatam with him. He hurried back; crossed the river and reached the entrance to the temple, which was closed. He was all alone.

He could hear somebody reciting the same part of the chapter from Bhagavatam inside the temple. As he looked through the keyhole he saw Lord Siva himself reading from Poonthanam’s Bhagavatam. Mother Parvati and his other Bhoothaganas were listening. Their eyes were filled with tears out of devotion.

Poonthaanam stood there motionless and heard the whole recitation. At the end Lord Siva asked Parvati devi, “Did you like the Bhagavatam recitation”? Parvathi replied, ”Yes, it was nice, but was not as good as Poonthaanam’s"!

Lord Siva replied, “Yes. That is true. I also like to hear Bhagavatam from Poonthaanam. That is why I placed the bookmark again and again at the beginning of the same topic every day!!”

Hearing this Poonthaanam who stood outside was shaken up and uttered the holy name of Krishna loudly. When he watched again, Lord Siva and Mother Parvati had disappeared from his sight.

This pastime clearly explains how all the living entities including the demigods love this great literature. Srimad Bhagavatam (verse 12.13.18) says:

_srimad bhagavatam puranam amalam yad vaishnavaanaam priyam_
_yasmin paaramahamsyam ekam amalam jnaanam param geeyate_

_tatra jnaana viraaga bhakti sahitam naishkarmyam aavishkrtam_
_tac chrnvan supathan vicaarana paro bhaktyaa vimucyen narah_

“Srimad Bhagavatam is the spotless purana. It is most dear to the Vaishnavas because it describes the pure and supreme knowledge of the paramahamsas. This Bhagavatam reveals the means for becoming free from all material work, together with the processes of transcendental knowledge, renunciation and devotion. Anyone who seriously tries to understand Srimad Bhagavatam, who properly hears and chants it with devotion, becomes completely liberated.”

The word paaramahamsyam indicates that even completely liberated souls are eager to hear and narrate Srimad Bhagavatam.

Srimad-Bhagavatam – The Transcendental literature

Religion includes four primary subjects, namely pious activities, economic development, satisfaction of the senses, and finally liberation from material bondage. Irreligious life is a barbarous condition. Indeed, human life begins when religion begins. Eating, sleeping, fearing, and mating are the four principles of animal life. These are common both to animals and to human beings. But religion is the extra function of the human being. Without religion, human life is no better than animal life. Therefore, in human societies there is some form of religion which aims at self-realization and which makes reference to man's eternal relationship with God.

In the lower stages of human civilization, there is always competition to lord it over the material nature or, in other words, there is a continuous rivalry to satisfy the senses. Driven by such consciousness, man turns to religion. He thus performs pious activities or religious functions in order to gain something material. But if such material gains are obtainable in other ways, then so-called religion is neglected. This is the situation in modern civilization. Man is thriving economically, so at present he is not very interested in religion. Churches, mosques or temples are now practically vacant. Men are more interested in factories, shops, and cinemas than in religious places which were erected by their forefathers. This practically proves that religion is performed for some economic gains. Economic gains are needed for sense gratification. Often when one is baffled in the pursuit of sense gratification, he takes to salvation and tries to become one with the Supreme Lord. Consequently, all these states are simply different types of sense gratification.

In the Vedas, the above-mentioned four activities are prescribed in the regulative way so that there will not be any undue competition for sense gratification. But Srimad-Bhagavatam is transcendental to all these sense gratificatory activities. It is purely transcendental literature which can be understood only by the pure devotees of the Lord who are transcendental to competitive sense gratification. In the material world there is keen competition between animal and animal, man and man, community and community, nation and nation. But the devotees of the Lord rise above such competitions. They do not compete with the materialist because they are on the path back to Godhead where life is eternal and blissful. Such transcendentalists are nonenvious and pure in heart. In the material world, everyone is envious of everyone else, and therefore there is competition. But the transcendental devotees of the Lord are not only free from material envy, but are well-wishers to everyone, and they strive to establish a competitionless society with God in the center.

Ref : Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.1.2 authored by Srila Prabhupada (Founder - Acharya, ISKCON)

Does This Vedic Verse Predicts Creation of Pakistan?

SB 12.1.37

sindhos taṭaṁ candrabhāgāṁ
 kauntīṁ kāśmīra-maṇḍalam
bhokṣyanti śūdrā vrātyādyā
 mlecchāś cābrahma-varcasaḥ

Word for word: 

sindhoḥ — of the river Sindhu; taṭam — the land on the shore; candrabhāgām — Candrabhāgā; kauntīm — Kauntī; kāśmīra-maṇḍalam — the region of Kāśmīra; bhokṣyanti — will rule; śūdrāḥ — śūdras; vrātya-ādyāḥ — brāhmaṇas who have fallen from the brahminical standard, and other disqualified men; mlecchāḥ — meat-eaters; ca — and; abrahma-varcasaḥ — lacking spiritual potency.

Translation: 

The land along the Sindhu River, as well as the districts of Candrabhāgā, Kauntī and Kāśmīra, will be ruled by śūdras, fallen brāhmaṇas and meat-eaters. Having given up the path of Vedic civilization, they will have lost all spiritual strength.

The areas mentioned in the above verse are all in Pakistan
 Sindhu River - Indus
Candrabhāgā - Chenab river
Kashmir- Known as it is

 ref: Srimad Bhagavatam 12.1.37