Lesson 3

Avoid Falldown and intensify Devotion

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1-7: Bharata brings infant deer to ashram

 1: Bharata chanting on Gandaki bank

 2: Thirsty doe comes to drink water
 3: Doe hears frightening lion roar
 4: Pregnant doe agitated, leaped across river
 5: Baby deer fell from its womb into river
 6: Distressed doe dies immediately
 7: Bharata’s compassion on motherless deer
 8-15: Bharata’s attachment to the deer

 8: Bharata’s affection for deer grows.

Bharata forgets sadhana
 9: Bharat’s misplaced compassion
 10: Negligence of personal comforts
to protect the surrendered
 11-12: Increased Affection by Association
 Lay down, walked, bathed, ate with – heart
bound; Always take deer into forest to collect
things
 13: Attraction to fondle the deer
 14: Distraction during rituals
 15: Agitation, Anxiety & Lamentation in separation
9: Philosophy of misplaced compassion

Thoughts about Deer Thoughts about Self

• helpless, • non-envious,
• forced by time, • selfless,
• alone, • raise,
• taken my shelter, • protect,
• totally dependent on • gratify,
me, • fondle it,
• has full faith in me. • how can I neglect?
• Though disturbing my
spiritual life
(a) Bharata’s affection for deer grows
(b) Bharata forgets sadhana

 Be cautious, Don’t neglect

 Neglecting Rules and Regulations &
Chanting Hare Krishna will cause fall
down.
 Rise early in morning, bathe, attend
mangala-arati, worship Deities, chant
HK, study Vedic literatures & follow all
rules prescribed by acaryas & guru.
 MORNING PROGRAM importance
CHANTING  Destroys material desires, gives Determination &
Awakens sleeping soul.
NOT CHANTING  Spiritual weakness &
Deviation into material ambitions

REGULATIVE PRINCIPLES we lose our desire for sinful habits 

Firm conviction and bhava for Krsna

STUDYING SP BOOKS  discuss subject minutely &

inspect it from all angles and savor new understandings
SP Books Study + Seva  Knowledge and Bliss  Convinced 
Easy to perform Austerities  Success in KC.
HEARING  EATING AND DRINKING  If an ordinary man does not eat, he will
grow weak and die. To hear and explain them [Vedic literatures] is more
important than reading.
HEARING AND EXPLAINING  ASSIMILATION OF PHILOSOPHY
 8th verse :
(a) Bharata’s affection for deer grows
(b) Bharata forgets sadhana

 Deviation causes fall down –

though highly advanced.
 18.5: yajna dana tapa – not to be
given up – purify even great souls
 One should not think oneself very
advanced simply because one has
accepted sannyasa order.
 Quiz Time

What are the

symptoms of
weakness of heart
that leads one
in succumbing to
temptations?
Symptoms of weakness of heart :
Ans : Doing KC mechanically, Neglecting KC duties, not
consulting wellwishing superiors, Succumbing like
Ajamila/Bharata, repeating sinful acts over etc
(eg) Monkey’s Ekadasi vrata

Who is a Strict devotee?

One who sticks to his vows taken without any compromise, like
lines drawn on stone.
+Eg. Raghunath das goswami
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 Quiz Time

What are the symptoms

of a strong devotee
who refuses
to succumb
to temptations?
Strong devotee symptoms :
Ans : Determined, Always Careful, always busy keeping no room for
maya, Enthusiastic in KC, Patient to get reciprocation in KC, Strict in
following all the Regulations given for a sadhaka, avoiding bad
association, having role-models among great vaishnavas and trying to
follow
Who isina their footsteps
Serious devotee?
Even when there are temptations, distractions, calamities, he does not turn back
from his resolve to surrender to Krishna
+Eg. Haridas thakur (tempta), Shukadev (distractions), Prahlad (calamities)

-Eg. Ajamila (tempta), Bharat maharaja (distractions), Indra while fighting with
Vrtrasura (calamities) 11
 Quiz Time

What can one do

to rise above
the Temptations,
to become
a strong devotee?
What can one do to rise above the Temptations,
and to become a strong devotee?
Practical Solutions :

i. Pray to Krishna (eg) SP prayed to RR : “Pl protect me from falling.”

ii. Absorb you mind, body and senses in Krishna’s service and forget temptations
iii. Associate with strong devotees (eg) iron rod put in fire
iv. Chant extra rounds when temptations disturb the mind
v. Do lots of Physical Services and dissolve the Passion in the body
vi. Think of the Consequences (eg) a student who fails to study gets poor results
vii.Make the right choice : Sreyas, not Preyas
viii.Danger of multiplication of material desires (eg) one beggar brings a dozen more
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