The Nectar of Instruction
Review by Tsvety Donova
Everyone is looking for happiness but often we find ourselves disappointed. No matter where we look for happiness, our attempts fail us. Why? Because sooner or later everything begins to bore us just as a toy which a child finds no longer interesting and cries for a new one. Nevertheless, we continue to look for it because this is our nature. But who are the happiest people on earth? The holy books of all religions are in agreement - those who have aspired for and ultimately achieved God realisation. This is what our most important aim in life because only through the association of God we can be truly happy. God consciousness has many synonyms but its most ancient name is Krishna consciousness. Reaching this supreme aim is not easy and therefore one has to approach this task very carefully and be serious and consistent in his/her endeavours.
There are many paths leading to this aim but the most direct one is bhakti-yoga. The realisation of the aim is the first step in the long way but how to achieve the ultimate goal successfully without failing?
Understanding our purpose is the first step but how to get there we do not know. Here the sincere seeker is facilitated by the instructions of Srila Rupa Goswami, a medieval saint from Bengal, who has left us in summary form the spiritual heritage of the ancient Vedic teachings. The invaluable Sri Upadesamrta or ‘The Nectar of Instruction’ is originally written in Sanskrit and translated by Srila Rupa Goswami’s successor His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.
The ‘Nectar of Instructions’ is a guidebook for beginners who are looking for the key to spiritual advancement. The instructions given in this guidebook should be followed strictly because the advancement in God realisation depends on the attitude of the follower and his/her discipline. A condition for success in spiritual activities is that a person is able to control his mind and senses, achieving this aim our spiritual progress is accelerated and one can easily take up the ultimate goa l- pure devotional service to the Lord.
What do we learn from ‘Nectar of Instruction’? In this little book there are eleven texts leading us, step by step, along the path of self-discovery. The first text gives a definition of a sober person or one who can control his senses and how we can be trained to do this. The second and third texts explain the activities which are favourable to our spiritual progress and those which spoil it. In the purport of the third instruction the nine processes of devotional service are described as well as the attitude with which one has to approach God’s service- enthusiasm supported with patience. The fourth text deals with the relationships between people with similar inclinations and how to treat them according to the level of their advancement
The symptoms by which we can recognise whether one is highly advanced are described in text six. It also instructs us what attitude we should have towards such persons. Text seven illustrates the nature of God, his name, qualities and pastimes. The essence of all instruction is that one should begin the chant the Hare Krishna mantra which is a powerful sound vibration which significantly speeds up our spiritual progress provided it is chanted properly. It is further advised that one finds a spiritual master under whose supervision he/she is trained in devotional service. In ‘The Nectar of Instructions’ we can also find a brief description of the most holy places in India where Lord Sri Krishna exhibited his divine qualities and pastimes attracting millions of followers. Finally, the book finishes with a very encouraging invitation to all to take bath in the lake Radha-kunda in Vrindavana, India because ‘If one simply bathes once within those holy waters, one’s pure love of Krishna is fully aroused’
When I read ‘The Nectar of Instruction’ my first impression was that the spiritual path is not as easy walked as I imagined but it is a serious and gradual process which requires patience and consistency. But as I started studying it under proper guidance I found what I have desperately looking for - peace of mind. This had a mobilising effect on me since it helped me find the true purpose of my life. I was also inspired because I realised that the perfection I always aspired for is Lord Sri Krishna. This pacified my anxious nature because Srila Rupa Goswami’s teachings showed me that God is always present in my life and ready to help me provided I remain open for His instructions. From that moment I ceased to perceive life as something chaotic and unfair but see situations in relation to what God has to tell me through them. It also helped me to better organise my time as I learnt that qualities such as self-discipline, consistence, enthusiasm and steadiness are equally important to both spiritual and practical life. Finally, I began to learn how to balance the impulse God gives me in the form of enthusiasm with patience which are equally necessary for success in spiritual growth.
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Mukunda-mala-stotra
(The Prayers of King Kulashekar)
The saintly King Kulasekhara lived over a thousand years ago in India. Yet these heart-felt prayers to his beloved Lord, written in exquisite Sanskrit poetry, are just as fresh today. This edition contains English translations and commentaries by Srila Prabhupada, and his disciple Satsvarupa das Goswami.
Review by Kate.
The last verse of Mukunda-mala-stotra may encourage the reader to reread the prayers, as he says that one "who chants these prayers will have all his sinful reactions eradicated and proceed to the supreme abode". He assures us of great happiness if we put God at the centre of everything.
King Kulashekhara begs Krishna to help him get out of this dark well of illusion, and he explains through his prayers that taking shelter of Lord Krishna is the only way to achieve natural happiness. We do not belong in this world. Here we cannot enjoy our true nature which is actuallly joyful. In the purport Satsvarupa Goswami quotes the boy-saint Prahlada Maharaja as saying that this world is "a place where we meet up with things we don't want and are separated from what we love".
To succeed in spiritual life, there are rules we must follow. The most important is to constantly chant Krishna's names. We are strongly advised to chant the perfect mantra Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare. The sweetness of this mantra attracts us to Krishna. Gradually we can feel attachment and sample peace of mind. Only chanting can bring this because it is God himself, with all His wonderful qualities associating with us personally - this is quite a phenomenal thought. What's more, He has told us in BHagavad-Gita, that if we live as devotees, He will give personally give us the knowledge to proceed. However, this does not mean that spiritual life will always be easy. We learn from Srila Prabhupada's books that even God's pure devotees sometimes have to endure great hardship, so we cannot expect perfection immediatiely. After all we are at war with material nature, so we must expect some knocks.
As Satsvarupa says in his purport, "A sincere devotee should accept Krishna's guidance and protection, in whatever form they come".
King Kulashekhara has one desire - that he will always remember Krishna - especially at the time of death, because whatever is in our consciousness at that time, determines where we wil go to next. He declares that anything without Krishna is poison and anything with Krishna is glorious. The more one begins to understand this, the more it seems a waste of precious time not to offer more of our lives to God.
King Kulashekhara says "all the Lord's pastimes are oceans of happiness", so if we connect with the Lord surely we will become blissfully happy? On one level, this is easy to believe, yet we will not be dragged away from our petty desires. We are told that chanting will help us control our senses and the spiritual rewards will be incomparable with any material rewards.
One verse mentions that Krishna's "joyful face bears a gentle smile" and he assures us that taking shelter of a kind and gentle Krishna is "the only cure that never fails". This is comforting. The material world can embitter us, and leave us with the assumption that God is a disapproving and punishing figure, but Krishna consciousness teaches us that material nature works under Krishna's instructions for our own good and lets us know that we should try to go home to Krishna.
The prayers reflect someone who knows what love of God feels like and who has great compassion for the rest of us, because compared with him, we are living in a "pitch-dark well", which is a scary thought. The king wants to shake us up and he does this through his language. His analogies are sometimes shocking - for example his family is described as "vast schools of sharks and other sea-monsters" who tempt him from his spiritual path. He show us what devotion is by actually ordering his senses to co-operate in serving God, and by pleading with God to constantly let him recite His names. The distress of this world will disappear as we let Krishna in.
Satsvarupa Goswami says we should create circumstances in which the purpose of life can be fulfilled. He reiterates what King Kulashekhara says about the great things that can happen if we take responsibility for ourselves - trying to see the truth and acting accordingly. Kind Kulashekhara recommends glorifying the Lord at every opportunity and, as Krishna says in Bhagavad-Gita "As they approach me, I reciprocate with them". This inspires us to go to Krishna with confidence as he has made us a clear promise here. We can ask his help in achieving our only goal - that of serving Him eternally and Satsvarupa Goswami says Krishna will respond to his devotees' "sincere, helpless cries".
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