Like A Child, A Yogi Enjoys Eternal Happiness

Yunjannevam sadaatmaanam
yogee niyatamaanasaha
shaantim nirvaanaparamaam
matsamsthaam adhigacchati
Thus spoke Lord Sri Krishna in Bhagvadgeetha. Such a Yogi is always immersed in the pure state of self, being continuously engulfed in Brahman. Yoga means to be one with Parabrahman.  To be ever indulged in Him and being focused on is to be full of Satu Chitu Anand. For such a Yogi whose mind and heart are always dwelving in Satu, the experience is, everything is Brahman and nothing other than Brahman. The great Bhagavata & Jnani Saint Nammalwar exclaims:
“Unnum Shorum Paruhu Neerum Thinnum Vethilai Ellam Kannan”
- the food I eat, the water that flows and even the betel leaf I eat, are all nothing but Sri Krishna”. Sri Nammalwar sings and dances in ecstasy and tries to describe the Lord thus in his Tiruvaymoli - Dear father, how at all can I describe you in my poor words. Shall I say you are this very earth, this vast sky, the great oceans, the flying birds, the great sun, moon & fire or as one who has surpassed all these and grown beyond”.
What is the mental state of such a Jnani? How does he behave?  How to identify him? - are of some of the frequently asked questions, which can be answered thus.  A Jnani will be like a child.  He will be like the child which is innocently sleeping on the Banian leaf, on the waters of the Mahapralaya, suckling & enjoying the toe of his own feet.  The vedic utterance precisely explains the same status.  He will be like a child in its mother’s womb, in the 8th month of pregnancy, when he is blessed with the vision of Narayana, and thus totally immersed in Brahmananda.
The jnani will be like the great Sanaka, Sananda, Prahlada and Shuka.  Such a Yogi may also be like a mad man - infatuated person - infatuated in the Parandhama, Parabrahman.  In the eyes of this world, a jnani is nothing but a “totally mad” man. But actually the jnani will be in his - a condition beyond the comprehension of our mind.  His words are sometimes unintelligible, his actions non-decipherable; he drinks whatever he likes, eats whatever is unpalatable to a worldly person.  But in the eyes of other Jnanis, he is a well established in the higher divinity. Such a great celestial condition has been described by Purandaradasa in his devaranama - Huchhu Hidiyitu Enage”.
An established Yogi enjoys the eternal happiness just like a child or mad man and some times appearing to be both. This is the very condition, described by Sri Shankaracharya as “enjoys”. Such a jnani is a living witness for the vedic definition - Brahman is nothing but the highest truth, knowledge, boundless and happiness.  Such a Jnani is ever immersed in the divine light form of Sri Krishna, enjoying the divine sound of Pranava from his flute and being an embodiment of eternal happiness.
This article has been taken from the book A Torchlight in the Path of Salvation, Bhaja Govindam- Pray to Govinda by K V Varadaraja Iyengar

Parliament Denies Seat For Hindus

Saturday, 14 December 2013 17:22 Last Updated on Saturday, 14 December 2013 20:36 Written by Saleha Sadat

The Lower House on Saturday rejected President Hamid Karzai's legislative order that created a seat for Hindus in Parliament. 
During Saturday's session, the order of President Karzai was taken for up discussion and a majority of the members considered it to be against the Constitution.
"President Karzai legislative order in regards to an assigned seat for Hindus was rejected with majority of votes" said Abdul Rauf Ibrahimi, Chairman of House of Representatives.
This marks the second time Karzai has had an order to create a hindu Parliament seat rejected.
House members argued seats are based on election, so alotting a chair for Hindus was aken to an appointment.
"House of Representatives seats are based on elections; it is the right of the people to choose their representatives," Herat MP Khalil Ahmad Shaheed said. "These seats can't be just given away."
Others were concerned witht he precedent such a move would set.
"We don't want to give this privilege to Hindus because there are many other minorities in Afghanistan, and if give it to Hindus, then we must give to all other minorities as well," Herat MP Munawar Shah Bahaduri said.
But there were other MPs who agreed with the legislative order and wanted a Hindu seaet.
"If Kochis are provided with 10 seats in election law, then Hindus should be assigned one seat as well," MP Ahmad Behzad said.
"We demand a seat for our Hindu countrymen, I think that minorities must not be excluded from political rights," Balkh MP Gulalai Noor Safi said.
At the moment, there are 249 seats in the House of Representatives. If President Karzai's legislative order was approved, there would be 250.

Courtesy:tolonews.com

The untold story of Nelson Mandela and the Bhagavad Gita:

Hare Krishna. I thought you might like to know a little bit of the untold side of Nelson Mandela. He came several times to ISKCON's Ratha Yatra in South Africa while he was president of the nation.
The first time Bhakti Tirtha Swami met him, in the course of their conversation, Maharaja quoted a Gita verse. Half-way thru the verse, Mandela quoted the rest of it.

BT Swami was surprised. He asked "You know the Gita?"
Mandela said "Try me."
Every Gita verse Bhakti Tirtha Maharaja knew, Nelson knew as well.

Naturally, BT Swami asked "How is this?"
Nelson Mandela explained that he was imprisoned on Robbins Island along with some of his fellow leaders of their political party, the ANC.

One of them was an Indian-bodied lawyer. The South African government tried to break them by giving them mindless labor and routine.Realizing that they needed to keep their minds actively engaged, the Indian lawyer taught Nelson Mandela Gita verses which they quoted and discussed back and forth to transcend their daily drudgery.

Nelson Mandela told Bhakti Tirtha Maharaja that learning the Gita helped keep him sane and did much to infuse his view of the world and his strategies for bringing independence and a better future for the South African people.

Bhakti Chaitanya Maharaja, the GBC for South Africa adds: "When Mr. Mandela visited our temple the first time (he came several times thereafter as well) he, with dignity and humility bowed before Srila Prabhupada, and then asked (me) "How did he do it?", meaning how did Srila Prabhupada spread Krishna consciousness all overthe world.

We then had a brief discussion about how Srila Prabhupada gave Krishna consciousness to all nationalities and types of people, without discrimination, and Mr Mandela was deeply struck by this, and was very appreciative of Srila Prabhupada.


Courtesy-->Paramshreya Phillip T Rabe