Time

Dear Friends, 

I was watching a Sunday Feast Class on 10 February 2013 on-line at ISKCON London  (http://www.iskcon-london.org/temple-broadcast.html).

Candramauli Maharaj gave the class and said something which has stuck in my mind like a transcendental superglue:

"A devotee only has one fear - am I going to waste time?"

When it comes to time, there are so many 

.....things to do

.....people to see

.....places to go

.....books to read

.....goals I want to achieve

I can have days where I feel like this :

I ask myself: "How do I make the best use of my time?"

One word is the key to successfully using time: PRIORITY.

Krishna explains the principle of priority in Bhagavad Gita 2.41 to His friend Arjuna:

vyavasāyātmikā buddhir

ekeha kuru-nandana

bahu-śākhā hy anantāś ca

buddhayo 'vyavasāyinām

TRANSLATION

Those who are on this path are resolute in purpose, and their aim is one. O beloved child of the Kurus, the intelligence of those who are irresolute is many-branched.

I am realising more and more, that in order to let Krishna in, I need to chant His name as a top priority. 

Getting up early for 4am is my Everest!! And instead of waking up to spend time with everyone's best friend: the Holy Names of the Maha Mantra...I opt for another best friend - 

But one thing is for sure without doubt: that when I wake up early and spend quality time with Radha and Krishna's Holy names, I know - that was TIME well spent.

I see the PRACTICAL DIFFERENCE in my day, in my attentiveness and effectiveness in my duties at work, in my interactions with family, friends, colleagues and new people I meet. I learn and grow spiritually through these experiences and they become meaningful exchanges with Krishna's loving hand and presence underlying it all.

It takes CONSISTENT FAITH in the holy names, not one day of enthusiasm and then I slump. The Holy Name is not cheap.

Because it is chant FIRST and THEN Krishna's mercy will come, the tendency is to: use my time to do something else, something that may appear "better" and "more effective" - only to end up a fruitless pursuit.

So....."How do I make the best use of my time?"

Srila Prabhupada says, trees lives hundred and hundreds of years, but what is the quality of their lives? 

Time in and of itself IS NOT valuable. 

How we USE time, makes it valuable OR not.

If I want to make my days ahead COUNT, if I want my breath to be taken away by Krishna's kindness, I will be "resolute in purpose", to improve my relationship with the Holy Names. 

How to succeed in this endeavour?

It will take: 

1. PRACTICE (makes perfect :0) ) - make early chanting a HABIT

2. DETERMINATION

3. FAITH

4. THE TWO SECRET KEYS (coming up at the end !! Keeping you in suspense so don't peak ahead :0))

What is faith?

Faith is: the domino effect.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta Madhya 22.62

'śraddhā'-śabde — viśvāsa kahe sudṛḍha niścaya

kṛṣṇe bhakti kaile sarva-karma kṛta haya

"Śraddhā is confident, firm faith that by rendering transcendental loving service to Kṛṣṇa one automatically performs all subsidiary activities. Such faith is favorable to the discharge of devotional service.

In essence, calling out the Holy Names is like pushing that first domino. That initial contact is so powerful.....that if one chants the Maha Mantra from the heart, without offense, EVERYTHING else (EVERY other domino, every subsidiary activity !! ) falls into place - EFFORTLESSLY and we make the best decisions in all times, places and circumstances.

How? Because we made quality time for the Holy Names first. Not mechanically, but with faith, love and devotion. "I need your help in the day that lies ahead and at every moment Krishna, therefore I always depend on and take shelter of You. Please guide me in all I do."

And the TWO SECRET KEYS I have kept you in suspense for, to successfully chanting the Holy Name are:

1. ASSOCIATION

This is will mean more if you know the Beatles song...."Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends !" :D 

When I associate with devotees who get up early and chant, their good habit is contagious and I catch their fever for the Holy Names....their enthusiasm inspires my heart too. 

Our connection with Krishna's Holy Name is through association with, service to and dependence on the mercy of guru and the devotees. And this is explained by HH Bhakti Rasamrita Maharaj: 

"Serving the devotees is really a shortcut to Goloka Vrindavan even more than serving the Holy name. Because when we serve devotees we get a taste for chanting the Holy Name."

2. Reading Srila Prabhupada's books regularly, every day. 

So as my family and friends will know, I am half a dentist :D Studied Dentistry at King's College London, and though the tables turned and I moved in a different direction, I can certainly draw from the experience in a spiritual way. How so? 

Well, I would see some pretty horrific cases of bad oral hygiene....plaque attack!! 

Why? Because those people lacked 

1. EDUCATION 
and/ or 
2. MOTIVATION

...to clean their teeth. They suffered from ignorance or lack of enthusiasm to BRUSH THEIR TEETH PROPERLY EVERY DAY.

We can all imagine the effects of skipping a day in brushing our teeth right? Wouldn't be a pretty sight or smell :S Therefore we would not think twice to neglect doing it EVERY DAY. 

So if I think to myself, if look after my oral health so well, how more important it is to look after my spiritual health, since I am a soul and not the every-changing body and mind.

Oral hygiene (a.k.a learning how to use a toothbrush and then actually doing it !) keeps our teeth clean. 

Now this looks a lot better than the above! 

Similarly, Srila Prabhupada's books EDUCATE and MOTIVATE us on how to keep our hearts "fresh, sparkling white and clean" by brushing away all:

envy
selfishness
pride
lust
anger
greed
and ignorance/illusion

...and uncovering the real sparkling white nature of the soul which is:

without envy
selfless
humble
servant by nature
compassionate
generous
full of spiritual knowledge and wisdom

.....and then the Holy Names of Radha and Krishna, can be happily seated on the throne of our hearts. 

So here is how Srila Prabhupada's books lead to the success of our spiritual lives by opening our hearts up to Radha Londonisvara :0)....

I would recommend reading this section of Chaitanya Caritamrita below.....because by the mercy of Srila Prabhupada, it will give deeper meaning to this blog and change your experience of RATHA YATRA forever! 

Click on the link below  and verse 135 is the culmination of Gundica Marjana pictured below :0)

Chaitanya Charitamrita Madhya Lila 12.71