Nice website, I am personally aware of NDE, read some of my other articles on curezone... NDE is very helpful for spiritual life, but not required. For those that are curious,... in the Navy Seals (old school)there is one training excercise where you are literally drowned to death and your Sealmate has to give your body CPR untill the body can become suitable for the soul to return.
Every time someone sleeps, their soul (which is encased in the astral or subtle body) travels to many places, along with Vishnu.
The Guru concept is difficult to understand for the western mind.
Jesus Christ accepted John the Baptist as his spiritual master. the spiritual master baptises the new initiate ... and that is called second birth... all sins are washed away by the Guru and God washes the Guru. Christ initiated many persons and said go and sin no more.
Every avatar of God, including Rama accepted a spiritual master. Rama exibited His pastimes appoximately 2,200,000 years ago
Even today if you want to be a doctor you must go to school and take instruction from other doctors, no instruction or guidance is plain foolishness.
Someone tells you that you need to drive on the left side of the road while your in India and you insist on driving on the right just doing the good old American thing... your breaking the law and when you get into an accident, whos fault is it??? Yours for not paying attention or just doing the wrong thing.
Guru Parampara or lineage is a spiritual tree of ancestry... this lineage ensures accuracy, authenticity, and ensures a constant loving relationship that is based on personalism ... this eliminates self-proclaimed bogus congurus.
Krishna is the Supreme person, He is personal. So many people (unaware of the Vedas)think He is just energy or at best an old man on a throne who is about to kill over from a heart attack and all the greedy demons are thinking it is time to take over.
When a person is born, their parents are the first Gurus, it is their duty to raise God Conscious children who will have respect and Love for all life. When the spiritsoul becomes more awake and wants to have a personal relationship one needs to have 3 things to make it happen ... a bonafide Guru, bonafide scriptures, and your heart ... afterall Vishnu, (one of the forms of GOD) resides in the the Heart of all living beings... he sees and knows everything you ever experience and he knows when your ready to recieve a bonafide spirtual master. Every generation has a spiritual master on the planet and if you really want that realtionship, Krishna will arrange... of this, there is no doubt.
Dhruva had a feeling of obligation to his mother, Sunéti. It was Sunéti who had given him the clue which had now enabled him to be personally carried to the Vaikuëöha planet by the associates of Lord Vishnu. He now remembered her and wanted to take her with him. Actually, Dhruva Mahäräja’s mother, Sunéti, was his patha-pradarçaka-guru. Patha-pradarçaka-guru means “the guru, or the spiritual master, who shows the way.” Such a guru is sometimes called siksha-guru. Although Närada Muni was his diksha-guru (initiating spiritual master), Sunéti, his mother, was the first who gave him instruction on how to achieve the favor of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is the duty of the siksha-guru or diksha-guru to instruct the disciple in the right way, and it depends on the disciple to execute the process. According to sästric injunctions, there is no difference between siksha-guru and diksha-guru, and generally the siksha-guru later on becomes the diksha-guru. Sunéti, however, being a woman, and specifically his mother, could not become Dhruva Mahäräja’s diksha-guru. Still, he was not less obliged to Sunéti. There was no question of carrying Närada Muni to Vaikunthaloka, but Dhruva Mahäräja thought of his mother.
Even though we may not have the fortune to contact the Supreme Lord personally, the Lord’s representative is as good as the Lord Himself because such a representative does not say anything unless it is spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Sri Caitanya Mahäprabhu therefore gives a definition of guru. Yäre dekha, täre kaha ‘Krsna'-upadesa: [Cc. Madhya 7.128] the bona fide guru is he who advises his disciples exactly in accordance with the principles spoken by Krsna. The bona fide guru is he who has accepted Krsna as guru. This is the guru-paramparä system. The original guru is Vyäsadeva because he is the speaker of Bhagavad-gitä and Srimad-Bhägavatam, wherein everything spoken relates to Krsna. Therefore guru-püjä is known as Vyäsa-püjä. In the final analysis, the original guru is Krsna, His disciple is Närada, whose disciple is Vyäsa, and in this way we gradually come in touch with the guru-paramparä. One cannot become a guru if he does not know what the Personality of Godhead Krsna or His incarnation wants. The mission of the guru is the mission of the Supreme Personality of Godhead: to spread Krsna consciousness all over the world.
“Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized soul can impart knowledge unto you because he has seen the truth.” The first process is that of surrender. We have to find an exalted person and willingly surrender before him. The sästras enjoin that before we take a guru we study him carefully to find out whether we can surrender to him. We should not accept a guru suddenly, out of fanaticism. That is very dangerous. The guru should also study the person who wants to become a disciple to see if he is fit. That is the way a relationship is established between the guru and disciple. Everything is provided, but we must take up the process seriously. Then we can be trained to become a bona fide disciple. First we must find a bona fide guru, establish our relationship with him, and act accordingly. Then our life will be successful, for the guru can enlighten the sincere disciple who is in darkness.
Everyone is born a rascal and a fool. If we are born learned, why do we need to go to school? If we do not cultivate knowledge, we are no better than animals. An animal may say that there is no need of books and that he has become a guru, but how can anyone obtain knowledge without the study of authoritative books on
Science and philosophy? Rascal gurus try to avoid these things. We must understand that we are all born rascals and fools and that we have to be enlightened. We have to receive knowledge to make our lives perfect. If we do not perfect our lives, we are defeated. What is this defeat? The struggle for existence. We are trying to obtain a better life, to attain a superior position, and for this we are struggling very hard. But we do not know what a superior position actually is.
Whatever position we have in this material world must be given up. We may have a good position or a bad position; in any case, we cannot remain here. We may earn millions of dollars and think, “Now I am in a good position,” but a little dysentery or cholera will finish our position. If the bank fails, our position is gone. So actually there is no good position in this material world. It is a farce. Those who try to attain a better position in the material world are ultimately defeated, because there is no better position. The Bhagavad-gétä (14.26) says what the better position is:
mäà ca yo ’vyabhicäreëa
bhakti-yogena sevate
sa guëän samatétyaitän
brahma-bhüyäya kalpate
“One who engages in the spiritual activities of unalloyed devotional service at once transcends the modes of material nature and is elevated to the spiritual platform.”
Is there any
Science that gives us the knowledge by which we may become immortal? Yes, we may become immortal, but not in the material sense. We cannot receive this knowledge in so-called universities. However, there is knowledge contained in the Vedic scriptures by which we may become immortal. That immortality is our better position. No more birth, no more death, no more old age, no more disease. Thus the guru takes on a very great responsibility. He must guide his disciple and enable him to become an eligible candidate for the perfect position—immortality. The guru must be competent to lead his disciple back home, back to Godhead.
Saints and Swindlers
Every day the number of people interested in practicing yoga and meditation increases by the thousands. Unfortunately, a person looking for a suitable guide is likely to encounter a bewildering array of magicians, self-styled gurus, and self-proclaimed gods. In an interview with the London Times, Srila Prabhupäda explains how a sincere seeker can tell the difference between a counterfeit and genuine spiritual guide.
Reporter: What frankly worries me is that since the arrival in Britain some time ago of an Indian yogé, who was the first “guru” that most people had ever heard of, a lot of “gurus” have suddenly appeared out of nowhere. Sometimes I get the feeling that not all of them are as genuine as they ought to be. Would it be right to warn people who are thinking of taking up spiritual life that they should make sure that they have a genuine guru to teach them?
Srila Prabhupäda: Yes. Of course, to search out a guru is very nice, but if you want a cheap guru, or if you want to be cheated, then you will find many cheating gurus. But if you are sincere, you will find a sincere guru. Because people want everything very cheaply, they are cheated. We ask our students to refrain from illicit sex, meat-eating, gambling, and intoxication. People think that this is all very difficult—a botheration. But if someone else says, “You may do whatever nonsense you like, simply take my mantra,” then people will like him. The point is that people want to be cheated, and therefore cheaters come. No one wants to undergo any austerity. Human life is meant for austerity, but no one is prepared to undergo austerity. Consequently, cheaters come and say, “No austerity. Whatever you like, you do. Simply pay me, and I’ll give you some mantra, and you’ll become God in six months.” All this is going on. If you want to be cheated like this, the cheaters will come.
Reporter: What about the person who seriously wants to find spiritual life but who happens to finish up with the wrong guru?
Srila Prabhupäda: If you simply want an ordinary education, you have to devote so much time, labor, and understanding to it. Similarly, if you are going to take to spiritual life, you must become serious. How is it that simply by some wonderful mantras, someone can become God in six months? Why do people want something like that? This means that they want to be cheated.
Reporter: How can a person tell he has a genuine guru?
Srila Prabhupäda: Can any of my students answer this question?
Disciple: Once I remember John Lennon asked you, “How will I know who is the genuine guru?” And you answered, “Just find out the one who is most addicted to Krsna. He is genuine.”
Srila Prabhupäda: Yes. The genuine guru is God’s representative, and he speaks about God and nothing else. The genuine guru is he who has no interest in materialistic life. He is after God, and God only. That is one of the tests of a genuine guru: brahma-niñöham. He is absorbed in the Absolute Truth. In the Muëòaka Upaniñad it is stated, çrotriyaà brahma-niñöham: [MU 1.2.12] “The genuine guru is well versed in the scriptures and Vedic knowledge, and he is completely dependent on Brahman.” He should know what Brahman [spirit] is and how to become situated in Brahman. These signs are given in the Vedic literature. As I said before, the real guru is God’s representative. He represents the Supreme Lord, just as a viceroy represents a king. The real guru will not manufacture anything. Everything he says is in accordance with the scriptures and the previous äcäryas. He will not give you a mantra and tell you that you will become God in six months. This is not a guru’s business. A guru’s business is to canvass everyone to become a devotee of God. That is the sum and substance of a real guru’s business. Indeed, he has no other business. He tells whomever he sees, “Please become God conscious.” If he canvasses somehow or other on behalf of God and tries to get everyone to become a devotee of God, he is a genuine guru.
Reporter: What about a Christian priest?
Srila Prabhupäda: Christian, Muhammadan, Hindu—it doesn’t matter. If he is simply speaking on behalf of God, he is a guru. Lord Jesus Christ, for instance. He canvassed people, saying, “Just try to love God.” Anyone—it doesn’t matter who—be he Hindu, Muslim, or Christian, is a guru if he convinces people to love God. That is the test. The guru never says, “I am God,” or “I will make you God.” The real guru says, “I am a servant of God, and I will make you a servant of God also.” It doesn’t matter how the guru is dressed. As Caitanya Mahäprabhu said, “Whoever can impart knowledge about Krsna is a spiritual master.” A genuine spiritual master simply tries to get people to become devotees of Krsna, or God. He has no other business.
Reporter: But the bad gurus...
Srila Prabhupäda: And what is a “bad” guru?
Reporter: A bad guru just wants some money or some fame.
Srila Prabhupäda: Well, if he is bad, how can he become a guru? [Laughter.] How can iron become gold? Actually, a guru cannot be bad, for if someone is bad, he cannot be a guru. You cannot say “bad guru.” That is a contradiction. What you have to do is simply try to understand what a genuine guru is. The definition of a genuine guru is that he is simply talking about God—that’s all. If he’s talking about some other nonsense, then he is not a guru. A guru cannot be bad. There is no question of a bad guru, any more than a red guru or a white guru. Guru means “genuine guru.” All we have to know is that the genuine guru is simply talking about God and trying to get people to become God’s devotees. If he does this, he is genuine.
Reporter: If I wanted to be initiated into your society, what would I have to do?
Srila Prabhupäda: First of all, you’d have to give up illicit sex life.
Reporter: Does that include all sex life? What is illicit sex life?
Srila Prabhupäda: Illicit sex is sex outside of marriage. Animals have sex with no restrictions, but in human society there are restrictions. In every country and in every religion, there is some system of restricting sex life. You would also have to give up all intoxicants, including tea, cigarettes, alcohol, marijuana—anything that intoxicates.
Reporter: Anything else?
Srila Prabhupäda: You’d also have to give up eating meat, eggs, and fish. And you’d have to give up gambling as well. Unless you gave up these four sinful activities, you could not be initiated.
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Nice website, I am personally aware of NDE, read some of my other articles on curezone... NDE is very helpful for spiritual life, but not required. For those that are curious,... in the Navy Seals (old school)there is one training excercise where you are literally drowned to death and your Sealmate has to give your body CPR untill the body can become suitable for the soul to return.
Every time someone sleeps, their soul (which is encased in the astral or subtle body) travels to many places, along with Vishnu.
The Guru concept is difficult to understand for the western mind.
Jesus Christ accepted Paul as his spiritual master. the spiritual master baptises the new initiate ... and that is called second birth... all sins are washed away by the Guru and God washes the Guru. Christ initiated many persons and said go and sin no more.
Every avatar of God, including Rama accepted a spiritual master. Rama exibited His pastimes appoximately 2,200,000 years ago
Even today if you want to be a doctor you must go to school and take instruction from other doctors, no instruction or guidance is plain foolishness.
Someone tells you that you need to drive on the left side of the road while your in India and you insist on driving on the right just doing the good old American thing... your breaking the law and when you get into an accident, whos fault is it??? Yours for not paying attention or just doing the wrong thing.
Guru Parampara or lineage is a spiritual tree of ancestry... this lineage ensures accuracy, authenticity, and ensures a constant loving relationship that is based on personalism ... this eliminates self-proclaimed bogus congurus.
Krishna is the Supreme person, He is personal. So many people (unaware of the Vedas)think He is just energy or at best an old man on a throne who is about to kill over from a heart attack and all the greedy demons are thinking it is time to take over.
When a person is born, their parents are the first Gurus, it is their duty to raise God Conscious children who will have respect and Love for all life. When the spiritsoul becomes more awake and wants to have a personal relationship one needs to have 3 things to make it happen ... a bonafide Guru, bonafide scriptures, and your heart ... afterall Vishnu, (one of the forms of GOD) resides in the the Heart of all living beings... he sees and knows everything you ever experience and he knows when your ready to recieve a bonafide spirtual master. Every generation has a spiritual master on the planet and if you really want that realtionship, Krishna will arrange... of this, there is no doubt.
Dhruva had a feeling of obligation to his mother, Sunéti. It was Sunéti who had given him the clue which had now enabled him to be personally carried to the Vaikuëöha planet by the associates of Lord Vishnu. He now remembered her and wanted to take her with him. Actually, Dhruva Mahäräja’s mother, Sunéti, was his patha-pradarçaka-guru. Patha-pradarçaka-guru means “the guru, or the spiritual master, who shows the way.” Such a guru is sometimes called siksha-guru. Although Närada Muni was his diksha-guru (initiating spiritual master), Sunéti, his mother, was the first who gave him instruction on how to achieve the favor of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is the duty of the siksha-guru or diksha-guru to instruct the disciple in the right way, and it depends on the disciple to execute the process. According to sästric injunctions, there is no difference between siksha-guru and diksha-guru, and generally the siksha-guru later on becomes the diksha-guru. Sunéti, however, being a woman, and specifically his mother, could not become Dhruva Mahäräja’s diksha-guru. Still, he was not less obliged to Sunéti. There was no question of carrying Närada Muni to Vaikunthaloka, but Dhruva Mahäräja thought of his mother.
Even though we may not have the fortune to contact the Supreme Lord personally, the Lord’s representative is as good as the Lord Himself because such a representative does not say anything unless it is spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Sri Caitanya Mahäprabhu therefore gives a definition of guru. Yäre dekha, täre kaha ‘Krsna'-upadesa: [Cc. Madhya 7.128] the bona fide guru is he who advises his disciples exactly in accordance with the principles spoken by Krsna. The bona fide guru is he who has accepted Krsna as guru. This is the guru-paramparä system. The original guru is Vyäsadeva because he is the speaker of Bhagavad-gitä and Srimad-Bhägavatam, wherein everything spoken relates to Krsna. Therefore guru-püjä is known as Vyäsa-püjä. In the final analysis, the original guru is Krsna, His disciple is Närada, whose disciple is Vyäsa, and in this way we gradually come in touch with the guru-paramparä. One cannot become a guru if he does not know what the Personality of Godhead Krsna or His incarnation wants. The mission of the guru is the mission of the Supreme Personality of Godhead: to spread Krsna consciousness all over the world.
“Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized soul can impart knowledge unto you because he has seen the truth.” The first process is that of surrender. We have to find an exalted person and willingly surrender before him. The sästras enjoin that before we take a guru we study him carefully to find out whether we can surrender to him. We should not accept a guru suddenly, out of fanaticism. That is very dangerous. The guru should also study the person who wants to become a disciple to see if he is fit. That is the way a relationship is established between the guru and disciple. Everything is provided, but we must take up the process seriously. Then we can be trained to become a bona fide disciple. First we must find a bona fide guru, establish our relationship with him, and act accordingly. Then our life will be successful, for the guru can enlighten the sincere disciple who is in darkness.
Everyone is born a rascal and a fool. If we are born learned, why do we need to go to school? If we do not cultivate knowledge, we are no better than animals. An animal may say that there is no need of books and that he has become a guru, but how can anyone obtain knowledge without the study of authoritative books on
Science and philosophy? Rascal gurus try to avoid these things. We must understand that we are all born rascals and fools and that we have to be enlightened. We have to receive knowledge to make our lives perfect. If we do not perfect our lives, we are defeated. What is this defeat? The struggle for existence. We are trying to obtain a better life, to attain a superior position, and for this we are struggling very hard. But we do not know what a superior position actually is.
Whatever position we have in this material world must be given up. We may have a good position or a bad position; in any case, we cannot remain here. We may earn millions of dollars and think, “Now I am in a good position,” but a little dysentery or cholera will finish our position. If the bank fails, our position is gone. So actually there is no good position in this material world. It is a farce. Those who try to attain a better position in the material world are ultimately defeated, because there is no better position. The Bhagavad-gétä (14.26) says what the better position is:
mäà ca yo ’vyabhicäreëa
bhakti-yogena sevate
sa guëän samatétyaitän
brahma-bhüyäya kalpate
“One who engages in the spiritual activities of unalloyed devotional service at once transcends the modes of material nature and is elevated to the spiritual platform.”
Is there any science that gives us the knowledge by which we may become immortal? Yes, we may become immortal, but not in the material sense. We cannot receive this knowledge in so-called universities. However, there is knowledge contained in the Vedic scriptures by which we may become immortal. That immortality is our better position. No more birth, no more death, no more old age, no more disease. Thus the guru takes on a very great responsibility. He must guide his disciple and enable him to become an eligible candidate for the perfect position—immortality. The guru must be competent to lead his disciple back home, back to Godhead.
Saints and Swindlers
Every day the number of people interested in practicing yoga and meditation increases by the thousands. Unfortunately, a person looking for a suitable guide is likely to encounter a bewildering array of magicians, self-styled gurus, and self-proclaimed gods. In an interview with the London Times, Srila Prabhupäda explains how a sincere seeker can tell the difference between a counterfeit and genuine spiritual guide.
Reporter: What frankly worries me is that since the arrival in Britain some time ago of an Indian yogé, who was the first “guru” that most people had ever heard of, a lot of “gurus” have suddenly appeared out of nowhere. Sometimes I get the feeling that not all of them are as genuine as they ought to be. Would it be right to warn people who are thinking of taking up spiritual life that they should make sure that they have a genuine guru to teach them?
Srila Prabhupäda: Yes. Of course, to search out a guru is very nice, but if you want a cheap guru, or if you want to be cheated, then you will find many cheating gurus. But if you are sincere, you will find a sincere guru. Because people want everything very cheaply, they are cheated. We ask our students to refrain from illicit sex, meat-eating, gambling, and intoxication. People think that this is all very difficult—a botheration. But if someone else says, “You may do whatever nonsense you like, simply take my mantra,” then people will like him. The point is that people want to be cheated, and therefore cheaters come. No one wants to undergo any austerity. Human life is meant for austerity, but no one is prepared to undergo austerity. Consequently, cheaters come and say, “No austerity. Whatever you like, you do. Simply pay me, and I’ll give you some mantra, and you’ll become God in six months.” All this is going on. If you want to be cheated like this, the cheaters will come.
Reporter: What about the person who seriously wants to find spiritual life but who happens to finish up with the wrong guru?
Srila Prabhupäda: If you simply want an ordinary education, you have to devote so much time, labor, and understanding to it. Similarly, if you are going to take to spiritual life, you must become serious. How is it that simply by some wonderful mantras, someone can become God in six months? Why do people want something like that? This means that they want to be cheated.
Reporter: How can a person tell he has a genuine guru?
Srila Prabhupäda: Can any of my students answer this question?
Disciple: Once I remember John Lennon asked you, “How will I know who is the genuine guru?” And you answered, “Just find out the one who is most addicted to Krsna. He is genuine.”
Srila Prabhupäda: Yes. The genuine guru is God’s representative, and he speaks about God and nothing else. The genuine guru is he who has no interest in materialistic life. He is after God, and God only. That is one of the tests of a genuine guru: brahma-niñöham. He is absorbed in the Absolute Truth. In the Muëòaka Upaniñad it is stated, çrotriyaà brahma-niñöham: [MU 1.2.12] “The genuine guru is well versed in the scriptures and Vedic knowledge, and he is completely dependent on Brahman.” He should know what Brahman [spirit] is and how to become situated in Brahman. These signs are given in the Vedic literature. As I said before, the real guru is God’s representative. He represents the Supreme Lord, just as a viceroy represents a king. The real guru will not manufacture anything. Everything he says is in accordance with the scriptures and the previous äcäryas. He will not give you a mantra and tell you that you will become God in six months. This is not a guru’s business. A guru’s business is to canvass everyone to become a devotee of God. That is the sum and substance of a real guru’s business. Indeed, he has no other business. He tells whomever he sees, “Please become God conscious.” If he canvasses somehow or other on behalf of God and tries to get everyone to become a devotee of God, he is a genuine guru.
Reporter: What about a Christian priest?
Srila Prabhupäda: Christian, Muhammadan, Hindu—it doesn’t matter. If he is simply speaking on behalf of God, he is a guru. Lord Jesus Christ, for instance. He canvassed people, saying, “Just try to love God.” Anyone—it doesn’t matter who—be he Hindu, Muslim, or Christian, is a guru if he convinces people to love God. That is the test. The guru never says, “I am God,” or “I will make you God.” The real guru says, “I am a servant of God, and I will make you a servant of God also.” It doesn’t matter how the guru is dressed. As Caitanya Mahäprabhu said, “Whoever can impart knowledge about Krsna is a spiritual master.” A genuine spiritual master simply tries to get people to become devotees of Krsna, or God. He has no other business.
Reporter: But the bad gurus...
Srila Prabhupäda: And what is a “bad” guru?
Reporter: A bad guru just wants some money or some fame.
Srila Prabhupäda: Well, if he is bad, how can he become a guru? [Laughter.] How can iron become gold? Actually, a guru cannot be bad, for if someone is bad, he cannot be a guru. You cannot say “bad guru.” That is a contradiction. What you have to do is simply try to understand what a genuine guru is. The definition of a genuine guru is that he is simply talking about God—that’s all. If he’s talking about some other nonsense, then he is not a guru. A guru cannot be bad. There is no question of a bad guru, any more than a red guru or a white guru. Guru means “genuine guru.” All we have to know is that the genuine guru is simply talking about God and trying to get people to become God’s devotees. If he does this, he is genuine.
Reporter: If I wanted to be initiated into your society, what would I have to do?
Srila Prabhupäda: First of all, you’d have to give up illicit sex life.
Reporter: Does that include all sex life? What is illicit sex life?
Srila Prabhupäda: Illicit sex is sex outside of marriage. Animals have sex with no restrictions, but in human society there are restrictions. In every country and in every religion, there is some system of restricting sex life. You would also have to give up all intoxicants, including tea, cigarettes, alcohol, marijuana—anything that intoxicates.
Reporter: Anything else?
Srila Prabhupäda: You’d also have to give up eating meat, eggs, and fish. And you’d have to give up gambling as well. Unless you gave up these four sinful activities, you could not be initiated.