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योगिनामपि सर्वेषां मद्गतेनान्तरात्मना | श्रद्धावान्भजते यो मां स मे युक्ततमो मत: ||
yoginām api sarveṣhāṁ mad-gatenāntar-ātmanā śhraddhāvān bhajate yo māṁ sa me yuktatamo mataḥ (Bhagavad Gita 6.47)
"Of
all yogis, those whose minds are always absorbed in Me, and who engage
in devotion to Me with great faith, them I consider to be the highest of
all."
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From the Editor's Desk
Dear Devotees,
Devotion to the Supreme
Lord is so potent that it can reform even the vilest sinner. Valmiki,
who couldn't even enunciate "Ra..ma," was reformed and transformed into a
legendary saint due to his bhakti. Such is the greatness of the path of devotion! So, let's understand what true devotion means.
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Bhakti Ras
The Infinite Potency of Bhakti (Devotion)
Shree Krishna declares that the bhakti yogi is the highest, superior to even the best aṣhṭāṅg yogi and haṭha yogi. That is because bhakti, or divine love, is the highest power of God. It is such a power that binds God and makes him a slave of his devotee.
Hence, he reveals in the Bhagavatam:
अहं भक्त पराधीनो ह्यस्वतन्त्र इव द्विज
साधुभिर्ग्रस्तहृदयो भक्तैर्भक्तजनप्रिय: || ahaṁ bhakta-parādhīno hyasvatantra iva dvijasādhubhir grasta-hṛidayo bhaktair bhakta-jana-priyaḥ (Śreemad Bhāgavatam 9.4.63) "Although
I am supremely independent, yet I become enslaved by my devotees. They
conquer my heart. What to speak of my devotees, even the devotees of my
devotees are very dear to me." The bhakti yogi possesses the power of divine love and is dearest to God. Thus, he is considered to be the highest of all yogis. Such
an instance of a devotee was Mother Yashoda. Not only did she have the
power to address the Supreme Lord as 'lala,' but she bound him to a
wooden mortar with a rope. Who can tie the almighty Lord who is capable
of running faster than the wind and is stronger than Indra's
thunderbolt? And yet, the Lord allowed himself to be enslaved by
Yashoda's love.
The Sanskrit word bhakti is derived from the verb root bhaj,
which means 'to serve.' It is a far more significant word for devotion
than 'worship,' which means 'to adore.' Those who not merely adore him,
but also serve him with loving devotion are true devotees. They are thus
established in the natural position of the soul, as the servant of God.
Hence, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu stated:
jīver svaroop hay kṛiṣhṇer nitya dās
"We are the eternal servants of Shree Krishna." A true devotee is the one who has learned to sacrifice his happiness for the Lord's happiness. In doing so, one has mastered the three tenets of bhakti: ananyata (no other), nishkamta (selflessness), and nirantarta (constant remembrance). And it is only when one has perfected these three tenets that God gets bound by the selfless, unconditional love of such a devotee.
Thus, bhakti is śhreekṛiṣhnākarṣhiṇī, which means it enslaves Shree Krishna.
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Wellness for Life
Swami
Mukundananda ji always asks us to embed devotion in all activities of
life including yoga and meditation. He teaches us to making the physical
actions of yoga into a spiritual activity by adding the name of God
when we breathe in and out during yoga and pranayama. Here are the steps
for Dhanurasana. This asana helps to keep a steady mind by relieving
stress and anxiety.
- Lie down flat on your stomach. Bend both your knees and lift them upwards.
- Then hold your left ankle with the left hand and the right ankle with the right hand.
- If this is difficult, then spread out your knees a little bit to make this easier.
- Take
a deep inhaling breath by saying "Radhey" and gently pull the ankles up
by lifting the knees above the floor. At the same time, raise the chest
and head upward and draw it backwards.
- Slowly release your breath saying "Shyam" or "Krishna" as we make the pose stable.
- Make
sure that the abdomen bears the whole body weight on the floor. You can
raise the body higher by separating the knees and arching the back as far as possible.
- Stay
in this pose for 15-20 seconds with normal breathing, then slowly bring
the knees down to the floor, release your ankles, and bring your arms
back to the side.
Dhanurasana
has many other benefits including curing respiratory problems like
asthma, improving digestion, curing constipation, strengthening the back
and abdominal muscles, improving functioning of the pancreas, and
supporting overall health by facilitating weight loss.
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Upcoming Events
Highlights:
- Garba & Dandiya - Step to the exuberant music brought to you by talented musicians and singers from India on ALL days!
- Kirtans & Bhajans - Experience the spiritual vibrations while singing along or dancing to the soul-stirring kirtans.
- Exhibitors/Vendors - Shop or stroll through mela filled with unique arts, handicrafts, apparel, hand-made accessories vendors.
- Durga
Pooja - Perform Durga pooja, while the priest guides you and your
family members through each step of the pooja, to receive the divine
blessings of Mother Durga and to enrich your soul with joy and peace!
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Join us for a grand celebration - the BEST Diwali Dinner in town! Bring your family and friends over and have total fun!
Date/Time: Saturday, OCT 12th - 6 pm to 11 pm
Venue: Allen High School: 300 Rivercrest Blvd, Allen, TX 75002
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Weekly Temple Events
For free weekly community offerings, please click here
Hanuman Chalisa - Tuesdays 7:15 pm
Lalita Sahasranamam - Fridays 6:45 pm
BG Study Circle
- Saturdays 11:30 am to 12:30 pm
Vishnu Sahasranamam - Sundays 9:30 am
Weekly Satsang - Sundays 10:30 am
Radha Krishna Abhishek - 2nd Thursday 6:30 pm
Akhand Kirtan
- 2nd Friday 7 pm to midnight
Yoga Classes
- Mondays 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm and Saturdays 8 am to 9:15 am
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'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).
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Copyright © Jagadguru Kripaluji Yog 2019. All rights reserved.
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