| | पिताहमस्य जगतो माता धाता पितामह: pitāham asya jagato mātā dhātā pitāmahaḥ Of this universe, I am the Father; I am also the Mother, the Sustainer, and the Grandsire.
(Bhagavad Gita 9:17) |
| |  | From the Editor's Desk |  Do
you remember how you dropped everything and sprinted to the front door
excitedly when your father returned home every evening, or how you
latched on to his legs and begged him to play with you, or how you faked
being asleep so that he would carry you to bed? These gestures
indicate the affection and caring of a father. If an earthly
father takes care of his children and provides what is good for them,
imagine how much more our Eternal Father has given us and will continue
to do so in the future.
Look
at the world around you with seeing eyes; you will behold the graces -
the significant human form, the splendorous universe, the orderly
creation, and a myriad of other sweet blessings - that our Eternal
Father has bestowed upon us. We turned our back on Him, but He
lovingly paved a path that takes us back to Him. What a
benevolent, caring, and forgiving Father we have! Unless we become
his child at his knees, we will not be able to experience His
love. He is waiting; we just have to run into His arms, rest our
head in His lap, and drown in His eternal love.
This
month, we honor, cherish, and celebrate the love of our earthly and
Divine Father as we celebrate Father's Day on June 21, 2015.
Finally, we share with you some very exciting and upcoming events
organized by JKYog for the summer and remaining months of 2015.
|
| Bhakti Ras
Our Father Became Our Child to Illuminate Our Hearts 
From time immemorial, our Supreme Father has sent saints to earth to
guide us and instill wisdom. At times when we failed to recognize
and understand His saints, He descended upon the earth. Like a
true father, He came to the rescue of His helpless children and showed
us the path that leads to Him.
When Yashoda woke up from her
sleep after giving birth, Neela Megha Shyam was by her side, sparkling
like a resplendent sapphire (नीलमणि) radiating sublime beauty!
Gently caressing His tender feet, she took one glance, and was
captivated by His enchanting face. She was overwhelmed with love
as were many others.
Lord Shiv in disguise, stood outside the
Nand baba's home for a long time, pleading with mother Yashoda to let
him have a glimpse of the alluring Kanhaiya. It is no wonder that
the gopis, the gwalaks and all the residents of Gokul
were enamored of Him. Even Kamsa stood spellbound by Shree
Krishna's dazzling, divine form when he first met Him. No matter
who they were, they forgot themselves and went into a trance gazing at
Shree Krishna's awe-inspiring face. That is why every time mother
Yashoda tried to hold Kanhaiya's face and look intently, He turned his
face away, wiggled out of her grasp, and ran off. Jayadeva, the
poet, depicts this mesmerizing aspect of Shree Krishna in his Geet
Govind:
कापि विलास विलोल विलोचन खेलन जनित मनोजम्।
ध्यायति मुग्धवधूरधिकं मधुसूदन वदन सरोजम् ॥
kāpi vilāsa vilola vilochana khelana janita manojam |
dhyāyati mugdhavadhooradhikaṃ madhusoodana vadana sarojam ||
"A
gopi was so enthralled at the sight of the lotus face of Shree Krishna
that she went into a deep rapture." Such is the enigmatic charm of
our eternal Father. Out of His causeless mercy, the Purshottam
(Supreme Divine Personality) came to us as Yadu Nandan, to bestow Para Bhakti (Divine Love) on us. Although born in a Kshatriya family, He became the beloved child of Gokul. Neither Yashoda and Nand baba nor the gopis and gwalaks knew He was our Father. They looked upon Him as a child and gave Him chores. When asked to, He fetched Yashoda's pitak (wooden sitting plank) and Nand baba's paduka (wooden sandals). When gopis said, "Hey, Kanhaiya, dance; we will give you chaach
(buttermilk)," He danced or helped them gather cow-dung just for a ball
of butter. He became a horse for His cowherd friends - His
friends sat on His back, the same way a child would sit on his father's
back, jabbing their feet into His ribs, shouted, " Chal ghode!" (Go, horse!). The chitchor stole their hearts with His leelas and they loved Him unconditionally. When
our Divine Father chose to descend and be a child among the simple,
naïve cowherd boys, He revealed to us how easy it is to access
Him. Shree Sukhdev Paramhans in Shrimad Bhagavatam says: अनुग्रहाय भक्तानां मानुषं देहमास्थितः
भजते तादृशीः क्रीड याः श्रुत्वा तत्परो भवेत्
anugrahāya bhaktānāḿ mānuṣaḿ deham āsthitaḥ
bhajate tādṛśīḥ krīḍa yāḥ śrutvā tat-paro bhavet (10.33.36)
"Our Supreme Father, out of compassion, manifests in a human body and performs such leelas for the benefit of the souls." He descends for the welfare of His children and performs divine leelas.
He leaves behind His glorious names, splendid forms, sublime virtues,
and delightful pastimes, which become a firm foundation for bhakti. When we engage our mind and senses in these, they illuminate our heart. |
| | Inspirations for Living
A Giving and Forgiving Father
A long time ago there was a tribal kingdom in one of the dense forests
of India. A river flowed on the outskirts of the tribal
kingdom. While the river was like a small stream in summer, its
level rose and flooded the forest during the rainy season. The
tribal king was a wise and kind person. With great vision and
planning, he established his kingdom on high ground. He had a son,
whom he lovingly trained to be the future king. However, the
tribal prince was disinterested in any of the skills that his father
tried to teach; instead, he lazily roamed around with his friends.
Moreover, he was proud and arrogant.
One
day, it was raining really hard and the river started rising
slowly. The king asked all the residents to be careful and not to
leave the high ground. The prince, ignoring his father's advice,
went out into the woods alone. While he was walking along the
river bank, he slipped and fell into the swift-moving water and the tide
began to carry him away. He could not swim against the strong
current so he began to repent for not paying heed to his father's
words. Suddenly, he heard a voice calling his name. When he
turned and looked, he saw his father running along the bank dragging a
huge log. When the king came as close to the prince as he could,
he dropped the log in the water, asking the prince to hold on to
it. With great difficulty, the prince reached the log and held on
to it tightly as his father pulled him to safety.
Just
like the prince, we too have turned our back on our Divine Father and
disregarded His love. Yet, our compassionate and forgiving Father
gave us more than we can imagine - this human form, which gives us a
chance to experience the miracle of His love. He has blessed us
with this priceless human life. Of all the species on the earth,
we are the only ones endowed with the unique ability to go back to
Him. According to Garuda Puran:
न मानुषं विनान्यत्र तत्त्वज्ञानन्तु लभ्यते
na maanusham vinaanyatra tatva gnananthu labhyate "Acquire the tatva-gyan (ultimate wisdom) in this human form." (2, 49, 13)
Therefore,
we need to realize the value of this human form, and take steps towards
Him, our ultimate relative. The human form is very special; our
Father gave it to us so that we would be able to rise. Sage Ved
Vyas wrote eighteen puranas and in every one of them he mentioned the importance of this human form. In Srimad Bhagavatam, he says: दुर्लभो मानुषो देहो देहिनां क्षणभंगुरः ।
तत्रापि दुर्लभं मन्ये वैकुंठप्रियदर्शनम् ॥
durlabho manuShah deho dehinam kshnabhangurah |
tatrapi durlabham manye vaikuntha priyadarshana || "Rare
is the human birth, which is transient and can be lost any
moment. Rarer is the chance to gain the association of a devotee
who is dear to God." After many lives, occasionally, our causelessly merciful Father bestows this human form upon us which even the devatas desire, as it is a vehicle to reach Him and inherit His love.
|
| | Bal-Mukund: Playground for Vedic Wisdom
The Best Dad Ever The
elementary school was abuzz with excitement as children started pouring
into the hallways in their bright and colorful clothes. While one
boy held his father's hand and trotted along chatting cheerfully,
another girl was showing her father a pencil-sketch poster displayed on
the wall; yet another child tugged his father's hand and was leading him
through the crowd hurriedly towards the school garden, eager to show
him how his tomato plant was flourishing. It was a special day -
Bring Your Dad to School Day!  Sameer,
Anika, and Rohit got off the school bus and started walking towards
their classroom. All of them are in the sixth grade and are best
friends since kindergarten. "Hey,
Sameer, why are you so quiet today? You didn't say a word on the
bus" asked Anika. "My dad said he would come to school today but
this morning he had to go to the hospital to take care of one of his
patients," said Sameer with a glum face. "I
wish my dad were here too. My mum says since he is a pilot so he
cannot come for any of the special days at school. Sometimes, I
don't get to see him for one whole week," added Rohit, looking forlorn. "My
dad came with me to school today. You know, he comes with me
where ever I go?" said Anika with a broad smile on her face. "What?
You live with your grandparents, you don't even know your dad!"
exclaimed Sameer and Rohit at the same time but began to apologize
immediately for being harsh. Brushing
aside their words, Anika said, "I am not talking about my birth father,
I am talking about God, our Divine Father. He is always with us." "How do you know that?" asked Sameer. "Don't
you remember the story of Prahalad that our Hindi teacher had
narrated?" "Oh, yes, I do. God comes out of a pillar to
protect Prahalad!" said Rohit brightened by the thought.
"We
are His children too; He protects all of us. He knows everything
about us, and loves us with all His heart," said Anika, holding their
hands soothingly. Watching Sameer and Rohit listening to her
intently, she continued, "He walks with me to the bus stop every
day. I see Him sitting under the shade of the mango tree smiling
at us, while we work in our school vegetable garden. Every
evening, He is by my side helping me sort through my homework. At
night, I fall asleep chatting with Him."
"So
never feel lonely; He is our best dad who will always be there for us,"
said Anika walking into the classroom at the clang of the school
bell. Sameer and Rohit followed her with light jubilant steps,
feeling as if a heavy weight has been lifted off their
shoulders.
|
| | Up-coming Community Events 2015 | International Yoga Day  The
Radha Krishna Temple of Dallas has organized a free outdoor yoga
festival on Sunday, June 21, 2015. You will have the opportunity
to actively participate and learn various yoga postures and pranayama to
improve blood circulation, tune up the neck and shoulders, the back,
and also meditation. Check out the details at http://www.radhakrishnatemple.net/events/international-yoga-day. Yoga, Meditation and Lecture Series with Swami Mukundananda ji It
is always a treat to participate in Swamiji's Yoga, Meditation and
Lecture series to absorb the spiritual knowledge, enhance physical
health and wellness, and gain clarity of the mind and intellect.
This summer's lecture series are include very captivating topics which
address some core questions like: -
 Why be spiritual in the age of science? - Why do we experience suffering, and how can we attain true happiness?
- How can we acquire pure and divine knowledge?
- Why is the mind considered the basis for bondage and liberation from this world, and how can it be conquered?
As
Jagadguru Shree Kripaluji Maharaj has said, "The fire of longing for
Shree Krishna that develops in the heart of a devotee burns to ashes the
five sheaths covering the soul. The bondage of the three modes of Maya,
three kinds of karmas, and the three kinds of defects also finish
automatically." Experience the yearning for achieving the highest
level of spiritual bliss through Swamiji's upcoming summer events.
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| 
| 
| The Science of Devotion July 25 to 31, 2015 [Frisco, TX] | Life Transformation Series
The Art of Mind ManagementAugust 15 to 21, 2015 [Allen, TX] | Labor Day Retreat in Dallas: Hilton Garden Inn, Denison Bring
spirituality closer to you and your family. Spend
quality time nourishing the body, mind, and soul in the
inspiring company. September 5 to 7, 2015 |
|
| | Other Ongoing Community Events
The
Radha Krishna Temple of Dallas is more than just a temple under
construction. It is a thread that binds the local community, providing
inspiration and support to members through various activities for the
benefit of the body, mind, and soul.
It also offers abundant
opportunities to volunteer and participate in various events to uplift
self and others. Do you have special talents like writing,
singing, engaging in discourse or any other? Think of the Radha
Krishna Temple of Dallas as the avenue for expressing your
talents. We do not need to wait for the construction to be
completed to increase our involvement in various activities.
From
weekly satsangs and chanting groups to yoga classes and intellectual
discourse, the Radha Krishna Temple of Dallas is already becoming known
for its voluntary activities for the benefit the community. Please
contact us at info@radhakrishnatemple.net to find out more about how to engage. |
|  | Weekly Satsangs
These
satsangs truly propel one in the ocean of bhakti through a combination
of prayer, singing bhajans/kirtans, viewing a video lecture, and
followed by arati, and Prasad.
For local satsang information visit: www.radhakrishnatemple.net or info@radhakrishnatemple.net. |
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|  | | Bhagavad Gita
Study Group | Free Community
Yoga Classes | Vishnu Sahashra
Naam Chanting At: 4020 Sendero Trail
Plano, TX 75024
On: 1st Sat, 3 to 4 PM
Details & Registration |
|
|
 |  'Dollar A Day' - Pledge Continuous Support! Donate a Dollar a Day towards the building and upkeep of the Radha Krishna temple! By donating just $1 everyday,
you'll help this noble cause!
How many of us have the opportunity and are fortunate enough to build a house for God? Set up monthly contributions through credit card/debit card by calling: 860-605-3685 or by visiting temple website at Radha Krishna Temple of Dallas (click). |
|
| | Wellness for Life
Today's Son is Tomorrow's Father 
It is said that, "पातीति पिता - a father is one who protects."
Just giving birth does not make any one a father; a true father
protects, guides and molds his children into good human beings. Every
father has to remember that his son will follow him. A father
can't expect his son to grow up to be a gentleman or a good father if he
hasn't been one himself. Also, he cannot expect his son to be
involved in satsang or community service if he has not been a part of these himself. Hence,
it is critical for a father to model good behavior and guide his son to
evolve into a considerate and devoted father. By upholding the
social values, he has to hand them down from generation to generation
for the father-son relationship to continue. Sage Veda Vyasa's
lineage is the source of such succession: व्यासं वसिष्ठनप्तारं शक्तेः पौत्रमकल्मषम् |
पराशरात्मजं वन्दे शुकतातं तपोनिधिम् ||
vyāsaṁ vasiṣṭhanaptāraṁ śakteḥ pautramakalmaṣam |
parāśarātmajaṁ vaṁde śukatātaṁ tapōnidhim ||
(Vishnu Sahasranamam)
"I bow before you Vyasa, the
treasure house of penance, the great grandson of Vasishta, the grandson
of Shakti, the son of Parasara, and the father of Shukadev." Raghu
vamsa also continued this tradition. So here are a few behaviors,
when modeled by a father, might rub off on the son: - Spend as much time as you can with your son. When you do, don't let your mind drift off.
- Honor and respect your mother, father, and guru.
- Get involved in everything and share responsibilities with your son's mother.
- It
is easy to be an authoritarian parent but teach your son to make
decisions and help him make decisions within the parameter that
you set.
- Practice patience and your son will benefit over the long run. A little patience will go a long way.
- Read
to your son to encourage him into the habit of reading and prepare him
for a lifetime of learning. Moreover, it will give you some
special time together, a tradition your son will cherish.
- Once in a while just let him play, make things up and have fun.
- Give affirmation, which instills confidence that he needs to thrive in this world.
- Inculcate good behavior and values in your son but give him freedom, allowing his personality to flourish.
The absolutely most important thing is to show him how much you love our Eternal Father! |
| We really want to hear from you. |
| | | Copyright © Jagadguru Kripaluji Yog 2014. All rights reserved. |
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