THE FIRE OF MATERIAL EXISTENCE .... KLESHA

With the absence of Krishna from our lives, we seem to be in an endless cycle of the three fold miseries known as kleshas. We are searching here and there for relief and searching for happiness. The cowherd damsels of Vraja, the gopis, although eternal associates of the Lord experienced great separation from Krishna during the Rasa dance and ran hither thither in the forests of Vrindavan, which seemed endless, like madwomen looking for Krishna. Klesha is there when Krishna is not there. The gopis took shelter of remembrance of Krishna through loudly singing and in that mood they started enacting Krishna’s pastimes. As Caitanya Mahaprabhu said “Kirtaniyah sada Hari” always chant the names of Hari, to get relief from this suffering in separation from Krishna, Nirantara (continuous) Kirtan is necessary. For us, we are not in the position of the Gopis but the suffering we experience is similar.

The meaning of kleshas given by Patanjali in his Yogasutras is impediments to spiritual growth. The three fold miseries of the material world, are namely adhyātmika, adhibhautika, and adhidaivika. From the teachings of Lord Caitanya Chapter 3:

“It is the duty of a disciple approaching a spiritual master to inquire about his constitutional position. In conformity to that spiritual process, Sanātana has already asked, "What am I, and why am I suffering from the threefold miseries?" The word adhyātmika refers to those miseries caused by the mind and body. Sometimes the living entity suffers due to the body, and sometimes he is distressed mentally. Both are adhyātmika miseries. We experience these miseries even in the womb of our mother. As we well know, there are many types of miseries that take advantage of the delicate human body and give us pain. Miseries inflicted by other living entities are called adhibhautika. These living entities need not even be large, for there are many—such as bugs—that can make us miserable even while we are sleeping in bed. There are many insignificant living entities, like cockroaches, that sometimes give us pain, and there are also other living entities who are born on different kinds of planets and who give us miseries. As far as the adhidaivika miseries are concerned, these are natural disasters that originate with the demigods of the higher planets. For instance, we sometimes suffer from severe cold or hot weather, from a lightning bolt, or from earthquakes, tornadoes, droughts and many natural disasters. In any case, we are always suffering from either one or a combination of these three kinds of miseries.“

https://vaniquotes.org/wiki/Threefold_miseries_are...

We are eternal parts and parcels of Krishna, but we are separated right now. Just like if a finger is severed it’s of no use by itself, but is of value if we attach it to the whole body. Being separated from Krishna we are in this conditioned state and do not desire to talk about God or desire to know Him at all. Yoga means union and this yoga process is described by Lord Sri Krishna in Bhagavad Gita. But Krishna never described the details of how to achieve this devotional path and to get to the goal of loving service of Radha and Krishna. Caitanya Mahaprabhu showed us the simple process of chanting the holy names. He mentions in His famous prayer of

Sri Siksastakam Text 1

”ceto-darpana-marjanam bhava-maha--davagni-nirvapanam
shreyah-kairava-chandrika-vitaranam vidya-vadhu-jivanam
anandambudhi-vardhanam prati-padam purnamritaswadanam
sarvatma-snapanam param vijayate sri-krishna-sankirtanam

Glory to the Sri Krishna Sankirtana, which cleanses the heart of all the dust accumulated for years and extinguishes the fire of conditional life, of repeated birth and death. This 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.”

http://www.harekrsna.de/Siksastaka/Siksastakam-E.htm

This blazing fire of material miseries of this conditioned life are extinguished by the continuous chanting of the holy names. Without this, our position in the raging forest fire of material existence of birth, death, old age and diseases is hopeless. Even death does not provide relief, as, if we die with material thoughts the material miseries are passed on life after life.

CC Madhya 6.242

“harer nāma harer nāma
harer nāmaiva kevalam
kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva
nāsty eva gatir anyathā

“In this age of quarrel and hypocrisy, the only means of deliverance is the chanting of the holy names of the Lord. There is no other way. There is no other way. There is no other way. ””

https://www.vedabase.com/en/cc/madhya/6/242

In the other instance, the cowherd girls of Vrindavan are actually teaching us the mood of separation from Krishna. The forest of Vrindavan is the eternal place where all of Radha and Krishna’s pastimes took place. This sacred land has appeared here in this material world 5000 years ago. The cowherd girls of Vrindavan are the gopis, Krishna’s girlfriends. In one of the pastimes of Krishna described in Srimad Bhagavatam 10.29 Krishna meets the gopis for the Rasa dance. Krishna plays His flute song and calls the gopis in the dead of the night intending to enjoy with them the Rasa Dance.

SB 10.29.45-46

“nadyāḥ pulinam āviśya
gopībhir hima-vālukam
juṣṭaṁ tat-taralānandi
kumudāmoda-vāyunā

bāhu-prasāra-parirambha-karālakoru
nīvī-stanālabhana-narma-nakhāgra-pātaiḥ
kṣvelyāvaloka-hasitair vraja-sundarīṇām
uttambhayan rati-patiṁ ramayāṁ cakāra

Śrī Kṛṣṇa went with the gopīs to the bank of the Yamunā, where the sand was cooling and the wind, enlivened by the river’s waves, bore the fragrance of lotuses. There Kṛṣṇa threw His arms around the gopīs and embraced them. He aroused Cupid in the beautiful young ladies of Vraja by touching their hands, hair, thighs, belts and breasts, by playfully scratching them with His fingernails, and also by joking with them, glancing at them and laughing with them. In this way the Lord enjoyed His pastimes.

SB 10.29.47

evaṁ bhagavataḥ kṛṣṇāl
labdha-mānā mahātmanaḥ
ātmānaṁ menire strīṇāṁ
māninyo hy adhikaṁ bhuvi

The gopīs became proud of themselves for having received such special attention from Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and each of them thought herself the best woman on earth.

SB 10.29.48

tāsāṁ tat-saubhaga-madaṁ
vīkṣya mānaṁ ca keśavaḥ
praśamāya prasādāya
tatraivāntaradhīyata

Lord Keśava, seeing the gopīs too proud of their good fortune, wanted to relieve them of this pride and show them further mercy. Thus He immediately disappeared.”

https://www.vedabase.com/en/sb/10/29

As Krishna disappeared the Gopis began to search for Him all through the forests of Vrindavan. When the gopis are running here and there in search of Krishna, the forest seems endless. They see no sign of Him and in distress start singing loudly of Krishna searching from forest to forest like a band of madwomen. They started acting out all of Krishna’s pastimes in the mood of separation. These songs and remembrance of Krishna acted as a balm for their suffering hearts. In the famous Gopi Geet sung by the gopis they mention as follows

SB 10.31.9

“tava kathāmṛtaṁ tapta-jīvanaṁ
kavibhir īḍitaṁ kalmaṣāpaham
śravaṇa-maṅgalaṁ śrīmad ātataṁ
bhuvi gṛṇanti ye bhūri-dā janāḥ

The nectar of Your words and the descriptions of Your activities are the life and soul of those suffering in this material world. These narrations, transmitted by learned sages, eradicate one’s sinful reactions and bestow good fortune upon whoever hears them. These narrations are broadcast all over the world and are filled with spiritual power. Certainly those who spread the message of Godhead are most munificent.”

https://www.vedabase.com/en/sb/10/31/9

We cannot compare ourselves to the Gopis of Vrindavan but we can follow in their footsteps. They are teaching here that the words and descriptions of Krishna and His pastimes are like nectar for the suffering souls of the material world. We must take that advice from the gopis who are in the highest mood, conjugal love with Krishna.

Feeling the pain of separation from Radha and Krishna is still a very advanced position for us. First we need to realize that we are suffering here in this material fire of existence. Without that realization we cannot move forward. Then we need to know what to do about this suffering. How to develop that loving service mood towards Radha and Krishna. Taking shelter of guru and learning from him is a starting place. Taking shelter of Lord Caitanya’s teachings is the best way as they are meant for us fallen souls of Kaliyuga.

So Chant the holy names incessantly!!!

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

Here are this weeks kirtan tunes…..