Srila Bhaktivedanta Trivikrama Maharaja’s Harikatha:
1. Humans are equal to animals in the matters of eating, sleeping, fearing and mating. The quality of religion is unique to humans, without which they are equal to animals. - Hitopadesa
2. Only the dharma of the soul is real, and that of the body is unreal.
3. The dharma of the soul is prema or love of God.
4. Collective efforts by nations for happiness and peace and individual efforts for sex pleasure give instead unhappiness and misery. This is because they are related to the body, which is unreal.
5. To have mamata or mineness for perishable objects leads to distress.
6. Of all temptations for enjoyment, the allure of becoming rich bewilders a man’s intelligence even more than his physical beauty, high birth or erudition. When an ignorant person is privileged with wealth, he squanders it indulging in illicit activities. - Srimad Bhagavatam 10.10.8
7. We are influenced by our association. The result of associating with a thief is that one becomes a thief, and similarly, by associating with a sadhu one can become a sadhu.
8. In the association of pure devotees, discussion of the pastimes and activities of Sri Krishna is very pleasing and satisfying to the ear and the heart. By cultivating such knowledge, one gradually becomes advanced on the path of liberation. Thereafter he is freed, and his attraction becomes fixed. At that time, real devotion and devotional service begin. - Srimad Bhagavatam 3.25.25
9. Knowingly or unknowingly, if one performs any act of auspiciousness for the soul, that becomes his sukriti. For example, if one fasts on the day of Ekadasi because food is unavailable, it becomes ‘unknowing’ sukriti. By donating anything to a sadhu, one attains the result of sukriti performed in knowledge.
10. Only those who have accumulated sukriti develop faith in sadhus and this faith is the root of prema-bhakti.
- Adapted from Sri Bhagavat Patrika Year 46, Issue 1
1. Humans are equal to animals in the matters of eating, sleeping, fearing and mating. The quality of religion is unique to humans, without which they are equal to animals. - Hitopadesa
2. Only the dharma of the soul is real, and that of the body is unreal.
3. The dharma of the soul is prema or love of God.
4. Collective efforts by nations for happiness and peace and individual efforts for sex pleasure give instead unhappiness and misery. This is because they are related to the body, which is unreal.
5. To have mamata or mineness for perishable objects leads to distress.
6. Of all temptations for enjoyment, the allure of becoming rich bewilders a man’s intelligence even more than his physical beauty, high birth or erudition. When an ignorant person is privileged with wealth, he squanders it indulging in illicit activities. - Srimad Bhagavatam 10.10.8
7. We are influenced by our association. The result of associating with a thief is that one becomes a thief, and similarly, by associating with a sadhu one can become a sadhu.
8. In the association of pure devotees, discussion of the pastimes and activities of Sri Krishna is very pleasing and satisfying to the ear and the heart. By cultivating such knowledge, one gradually becomes advanced on the path of liberation. Thereafter he is freed, and his attraction becomes fixed. At that time, real devotion and devotional service begin. - Srimad Bhagavatam 3.25.25
9. Knowingly or unknowingly, if one performs any act of auspiciousness for the soul, that becomes his sukriti. For example, if one fasts on the day of Ekadasi because food is unavailable, it becomes ‘unknowing’ sukriti. By donating anything to a sadhu, one attains the result of sukriti performed in knowledge.
10. Only those who have accumulated sukriti develop faith in sadhus and this faith is the root of prema-bhakti.
- Adapted from Sri Bhagavat Patrika Year 46, Issue 1