*You are under CCTV surveillance*

Now a days we find everywhere boards written saying, this area is under CCTV surveillance, means you are under observation, someone is watching you and if you found doing wrong activities on CCTV you will be punished. As we all know CCTV stands for Closed-circuit television (CCTV), also known as video surveillance. They are use for crime prevention, traffic monitoring, supervision of industrial processes but mostly they are use to reduce and prevent the crimes.

When I was a kid I heard a nice story of a Guru, who wanted to test his disciples at the end of their Vedic studies. He gave everyone a fruit and asked them to eat but kept a condition, condition was that they have to eat the fruit where no one will watch them. Everyone went off for earthing a place where no one will see them, some went to the caves, some hide themselves in home, someone went inside the water of river and so and so forth. Everyone returned back after eating the fruit excluding one extra ordinary student who couldn't eat the fruit and came back to his guru saying, "I didn't find the single place where no one is observing me". Guru asked why didn't you find any place. He told wherever I went I realized that the Parmatma(supersoul) is observing me. Guru was really very pleased with his answer and rewarded him for passing the test. There is no place in the world where God's eyes are no there, His one of the name is 'Jagatchakshu', one whose eyes are everywhere.

Lord calls Himself in Bhagavad Gita 13th chapter as 'Updrista' an overseer of everything. It's also said in Gita verse 13.14 that, "Everywhere are His hands and legs, His eyes and faces, and He hears everything". He is observing everything and everyone. As a Parmatma He is witnessing all our activities just like one bird observes another bird's activities(svetasvatar upanisad). Bible says, "Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account." One may escape from ordinary CCTV of this world but there is no possibility of escaping from Supreme Lord's CCTV(Cause of all Causes' tv), not only He sees our acts but also our thoughts.

Person does the crime when he is ensured enough that no one is watching him, When CCTV is there person automatically controls his bad tendencies, similarly When one realizes this cosmic CCTV of God which is infallible one will never commit crime, but the problem is that very few knows about this CCTV of God, so it's our job to convince and make people aware of God's CCTV so they will reform their thoughts and deeds, that will naturally reduce the crime.


Article by Rupesh Gauranga Dasa

*Don't become Workaholic or Idle but make your work Holy and Ideal*

There are two kinds of extremist generally seen in society, one is workaholic( who works compulsively, enjoying his work more than anything) and other is idle( who doesn't want to work at all), off course hard working people are different from workaholics, there is wide gap between both hardworking and workaholics. Workaholics doesn't bother anything other than work including personal priorities and family issues, when work is not there they feel lonely and stressed, their mind is constantly at work even they are not.

 Whereas idle is lazy and don't want to work at all. Both cases are non exemplary for us because they don't fulfill the mission of human life that is to develop love for God, we are not only meant to work day and night or not doing any work but we are meant to do something substantial in life.

How to make our work holy and ideal? By not performing our duties for our own sense enjoyment but as an offering of love to Krishna, it should be an act of sacrifice. Lord Krishna in 3rd chapter of Bhagavad Gita says, "one who works only for his satisfaction his life is vain but who performs activities being unattached he attains the supreme. Work for our own sense pleasure will create bondage but work done for satisfaction of Lord will make work holy and one will get liberation from reactions." Many people think by reading Bhagavad Gita or following the God given process our inclination for our work will reduce and we will become idle but this is not a reality, after hearing Gita from Lord, Arjun didn't give up his bow and arrow and went to forest for austerities but he fought more diligently and tactfully because he realized this work is going to give pleasure to Lord. Lord also speaks no one can remain idle, everyone has to work at lest  for his body maintenance. After all Bhagavad Gita is not against our work but it teaches us in what attitude we should perform our work.

Lord Krishna speaks in 8th chapter, “Arjuna, you should always think of Me in the form of Kṛṣṇa and at the same time carry out your prescribed duty of fighting. With your activities dedicated to Me and your mind and intelligence fixed on Me, you will attain Me without doubt.” Prabhupad explains in the purport that, "this instruction is for all humans, Lord doesn't recommend to give up the duties. One can continue them but at the same time remember Krishna, this will free one from material contamination."

So let's not become workaholic or idle but make our work holy and ideal by adding Krishna to our work and following the path of Bhakti.

Article by Rupesh Gauranga Dasa

*Dare to choose Rare*

Most of the students choose a careers like Doctor, engineer, lawyer which are ever famous because so many students in past have already chosen this career option, it also gives guaranteed job after finishing the course( At least people still hope so), students don't want to go to the newer fields because not knowing the future involved in that field, they don't want to take a risk. Similarly with businessmen, they will invest their money where they have an experience of huge returns, they will invest where risk is minimal and where maximum people are putting their money. So we find this tendency in human society that a person follows the crowd, he feels if so many people are following this way then it must be right and I don't need to think separately. But following the crowd and general mass is not always right they may be going a wrong path.

Sometimes there is need of daring to do right activities which hardly anyone is performing, by seeing us performing these rare most activities people may think we are mad they will laugh at us. Smoking, gambling, indulging in illicit activities are so common and if you get involved in that it's considered as normal, on the other hand  sane and pure activities involving worshipping, going to temple, chanting holy mantras are considered to be abnormal and old fashioned in today's social norms, so one who is practicing good, noble, moral things he also starts feeling I am doing wrong because very few are following these things, and those who are doing immoral activities doing right because so many of them involved in that activity.

The number of pandavas as compared to kauravas was very less but they never thought let us join the irreligious party of kauravas. At last pandavas won the battle because they were always virtuous and always followed Krishna. Number of devotees will always be less but they will always be the victorious. Lord Krishna talks in Bhagavad Gita 7th chapter, "After many births and deaths, he who is actually in knowledge surrenders unto Me, knowing Me to be the cause of all causes and all that is. Such a great soul is very rare." He also says hardly anyone(very rare soul) can understand Him in truth. So there won't be many who will be following the process of surrendering to God because as the age of Kali progresses people will become more and more irreligious, atheistic in nature and their interest for following the God will diminish. So we should not feel discouraged and doubt ourself for following the God given path but we must have faith in the words of God that after this material life eternal life is awaiting for us. And on this path there is no risk of failure also as told by lord in 2nd chapter, "even a small endeavor on this path will have a permanent effect", means guaranteed bright future with zero risk.

So let's not waste this rare human form of life in only doing common activities like eating, sleeping, mating, defending but also dare to choose path of Bhakti followed by rare most intelligent people of the world who knew the real purpose of the life. There were many who chose this rare path and became successful, Srimad Bhagavatam talks about their activities.

Article by Rupesh Gauranga Dasa

*Suicide is not Justified*

I just heard the news about a young doctor committed suicide in front of Delhi metro because he failed in UPSC exams also one police officer shot himself dead with his revolver in Mumbai local yesterday. Its horrifying that there are about 800000 people commit suicide every year, there are several reasons why people commit suicide, some of them are financial problems, emotional problems, health problems, over expectations from parents etc., one will shock to know that 80% of the suicide victims were literate, higher than the national average literacy rate of 74% and they are committed in cities like chennai, Bangalore and Mumbai, there several organizations like WHO working to stop and reduce the people's inclination to commit suicide they have made some laws and governance but haven't yet got the required results, still people are attempting and committing suicide. 

One more reason why people attempt suicide is that they are unaware of their own real self. They feel I am this body and if this body is finished by some how or other I will be relieved from stress and tensions. But it's not the fact we are not this body we are eternal soul, body is just temporary covering, if we give up one body we will have to take another body, Bhagavad Gita gives the clear understanding of this fact in text 2.20 ,"For the soul there is neither birth nor death at any time. He has not come into being, does not come into being, and will not come into being. He is unborn, eternal, ever-existing and primeval. He is not slain when the body is slain.", so even if body is dead soul continues to exists. Soul is having 2 coverings of body over him, one body is subtle which is made up of mind, intelligence and ego, and another covering is gross body made up of earth, water, fire, air, eather, So when one commits suicide he destroys the gross body in which soul was residing, now soul don't have any gross body but has subtle body, Those who live in such subtle bodies are called ghosts. This ghostly position is very painful because a ghost has intelligence, mind and ego and wants to enjoy material life, but because he doesn’t have a gross material body he can't enjoy, and people are unaware of this simple facts although they are highly learned. We don't have any right to destroy God given facility in the form of body.

I know one gentleman who was going to railway track to jump in front of the running train but he overheard the song saying ," let's go to that place which is free from all problems of life, no sadness and miseries exist there, but only exist a love and satisfaction". He was amazed by this song and started searching for such a place and eventually he came to Krishna temple where he started reading Gita and realized, yes, there exists a place which is free from all enxieties and miseries of this world( Vaikunth) and he also learned this human life is meant to attain that eternal place of love and happiness.

So let's not take problems and traumas, so serious, there will be so many opportunities to become successful, understand that this life is not all and all but we have an eternal life with our eternal father( Lord Krishna) and this current life is meant to attain the qualification to reach that place where eternal happiness is waiting for us.

Article by Rupesh Gauranga dasa  

*Seek a friend'SHIP' which will never sink*

Many people including me like to be alone but not permanently, everyone seek for someone who will talk with him, care for him and share love and affection with him, this is the nature of God(Krishna) originally and that's why we always find Him with His associates, His cows, gopas, gopis etc. but we find perverted reflection of spiritual relationships in this world, in spiritual world everyone wants to please God but here everyone seeks his own pleasure everywhere including in relationships. I remember when I was in primary school I had few intimate friends, but when I departed for secondary school they left me and I had different kind of friends, then in college life different friends, and I realized that actually I don't have real friend even a single, their friendship with me was only circumstantial  and that was only till there was a need of assignments and books.

The definition of a friend has changed in today’s technologically connected world. Today we may think we have many “friends.” It is true, we do enjoy the ability to be informed and to stay current with what is happening in the lives of many of our acquaintances as well as current and former friends and even people we have not met personally whom we call our friends. In the context of social media, the term “friend” is often used to describe contacts rather than relationships. You have the ability to send your “friends” a message, but this is not the same thing as having a relationship with a person one on one.

A true friendship doesn't last till the end of this life but remains till eternity. We find essence of true friendship in our scriptures and most famous example is of Lord Krishna and Sudama. When both were studying at Sandipani Muni's hermitage, they were sent to bring the firewood, when both went to the forest suddenly there was a storm, heavy rains and forest was covered with darkness but both didn't leave each other as well as their service to their guru Sandipani. So goal of real friendship is to co-operate with each other for higher responsibilities keeping aside our individual ego, pains and pleasures. Real friend turns up to us when whole world turns away from us, when Draupadi was being disrobed in the assembly of Kurus, when everyone turned away from her including her 5 husbands, Lord Krishna came to rescue her.

All other bodily and material relationships will surely embarrass us one day, but there is spiritual relationship with God which won't disappoint us because He is the one who knows our heart and it's needs truly and fully being most closest to us, He himself says in Gita, "suhridam sarva bhutanam, I am the best friend of all living entities".  So there is only need to accept Krishna as our friend and follow His words to experience His unlimited love and utmost care.

Article by Rupesh Gauranga Das

The best SIP plan which can give you maximum returns for long time

A Systematic Investment Plan or SIP is a smart and hassle free mode for investing money in mutual funds. SIP allows you to invest a certain pre-determined amount at a regular interval (weekly, monthly, quarterly, etc.). A SIP is a planned approach towards investments and helps you inculcate the habit of saving and building wealth for the future. You can get maximum benefits when the investments are for long term also diversifying investments in different schemes can increase the returns.

But after all these plans ends up when one dies or leaves this world, these plans can't help person in their next life offering them money and other benefits which was accumulated in the past life. So nature of these plans are temporary. Hiranyakashipu and Ravana had much more beneficial plans than provided by today's investment companies because they got benedictions directly from powerful demigods like Lord Shiva and Lord Brāhma to become immortal but they also had to accept the defeat and all their all plans failed. So what's the best SIP? Best SIP is "Spiritually Inclined Practices", start investing in this SIP to get maximum returns for eternity.

Lord Krishna in Bhagavad Gita text 2.40 speaks about nature of these spiritually inclined practices(endeavor), "In this endeavor there is no loss or diminution, and a little advancement on this path can protect one from the most dangerous type of fear." Prabhupad's brilliant purport explains that material activities can give results in this life time only, but even 1% of activity done in Krishna consciousness remains eternally, and even in next life person can start Bhakti from wherever he had left in past life, there are so many evidences of this, King Bharat, Ajamil, Gajendra who could not achieve the benefits of plans in their one life but they could achieve 100% benefits in their next lifetimes, they didn't started the scheme from initial stage again but they started from wherever they had left in past lives.

This SIP includes nine special schemes, starting with Hearing, chanting, then remembering, serving Lord's lotus feet, deity worship, praying, executing orders of Lord, serving Lord as a friend and surrendering completely, but hearing and chanting the glories of holy name giving maximum returns in this age of Kali according to Bhagavatam and investment procedure is also vey very simple.

So let's invest in this SIP, Dhruva and Prahlad started SIP when they were very young and what benefit they got whole world knows, as early you start you get more benefits, so start your SIP soon.

Article by Rupesh Gauranga Dasa

*Do you take 'Vitamin P' daily?*

Vitamins are substances that your body needs to grow and develop normally. There are 13 vitamins your body needs. Each vitamin has specific jobs. If you have low levels of certain vitamins, you may get health problems. For example, if you don't get enough vitamin C, you could become anemic. Some vitamins may help prevent medical problems. Vitamin A prevents night blindness. The best way to get enough vitamins is to eat a balanced diet with a variety of foods. In some cases, you may need to take vitamin supplements. It's a good idea to ask your health care provider first.

Now you must be thinking what is this vitamin 'P', but I can tell you all other vitamins, proteins and fats nourishes your body but vitamin 'P' nourishes our real self, the soul, any guess what's this vitamin P?, no, P stands for Prayers, which is the most important thing required for nourishment of soul, by praying to Lord one keeps oneself in contact with Lord. We shouldn't doubt the power of prayers ever. There was a poor lady in one village, once she approached a grocer and requested him to give some grocery on credit but grocer refused to give grocery, at last to make fun of her he said, "I am ready to give you grocery but on one condition, put your grocery list on the scales and whatever your grocery list weighs, I will give you that amount in groceries." She, hesitated a moment with a bowed head, then she reached into her purse and took out a piece of paper and scribbled something on it. She then laid the piece of paper on the scale, The eyes of the grocer and the other customers showed amazement when the scales went down and stayed down. He was putting grocery one after the other but still simple paper was weighing high. The grocer stood there in utter disgust. Finally, he grabbed the piece of paper from the scales and looked at it with greater amazement. It was not a grocery list. It was a prayer which said:"Dear Lord, you know my needs and I am leaving this in your hands".  Only God Knows how much a prayer weighs. We can't judge a prayerful heart.

Some people asks why we need to pray if God knows our heart? A doctor can also understand our bodily conditions just by looking at it but if patient explains he can treat better also talking helps in establishing relationship, similarly when we pray God can heal us and help us more nicely. The power of prayers can not be explained but it can be experienced. Lord Krishna also explains in 9th chapter of B.G. that, "Those who worship me with exclusive devotion I protect why they have and provide what they lack." When we work we work but when we pray God helps us to work.

So let's start taking dose of Vitamin P daily and at every moment because it's a most fastest thing on earth, it's said, "when prayer becomes your habit miracles becomes your lifestyle".

Article by Rupesh Gauranga Dasa

*Appreciation goes on Depreciation*

We are living in a world where good qualities are slowly diminishing, and one of that quality which is reducing in all humans is to appreciate someone. Once Mother Teresa quoted, "There is a more hunger in the world for love and appreciation than for a bread". Appreciating the other person for whatever he has done for us has become so rare now a days, once one young boy went for an interview and passed all the rounds at final round he was asked," did you get any scholarship for your education", he said, " no, my single mother managed to pay all my fees till graduation", they asked, "what job your mother does?", he said,"My mother works as clothes cleaner". The director requested the youth to show his hands. The youth showed a pair of hands that were smooth and perfect, director realized that this young boy has never helped mother, he asked him to go to home and massage mother's hand and come tomorrow. He was surprised why director is asking me to do such thing, but he followed and came home to massage mother's hands, he could not believe his eyes that  his mother’s hands were so wrinkled, and there were so many bruises in her hands, Some bruises were so painful that his mother shivered when they were cleaned with water, there were tears in his eyes, he realized mother's sacrifice for him and appreciated her.

If one doesn’t understand and experience the difficulty it takes to earn the comfort provided by their loved ones, then they will never value it. Similarly there are so many in this world who are helping us in so many ways and we forget to be grateful to them because we don't understand what struggles they go through to make us comfortable, we must learn to appreciate what we have else time will force us to appreciate what we had. Not appreciating is symptom of ungrateful heart. Appreciation also encourages person to continue on his service with enthusiasm, someone has said well, " Appreciation is person's greatest emotional need". We must be grateful to Supreme Lord also and appreciate His mercy on us, Srila Prabhupad says, "Ungrateful persons are those who do not understand how much benefit they are deriving by the arrangement of the Lord. They enjoy the sunshine and moonshine, and they get water free of charge, yet they do not feel grateful, but simply go on enjoying these gifts of the Lord. Therefore, they must be called thieves and rogues."

So let's be grateful to all and appreciate their love for us, and if you really appreciate someone don't just say it but show it.

Article by Rupesh Gauranga Dasa

*Remember the Gita with acronyms - 1st chapter : Observing the Armies*

Acronym - *DAMODAR*

D - Dhritrastra's questions to Sanjaya, and Diplomacy of Duryodhana(1-3)

A - allied kings' description of both the parties(4-13)

M - Madhava - 1st time krsna is addressed in Bhagavad gita as Madhava (14)

O- orchestrated battle - victory signs like blowing of conch shells, specific names of conch shells, kapidhvaja, Chariot of Arjuna shows  everything was already orchestrated by Krsna's will (15-20)

D- drawing of chariot of Arjuna in between the battlefield and thus Arjuna observes everything and gets bewildered(21-22)

A - armies of both parties bewilders Arjuna (23-27)
acceptance of inability to fight of Arjuna by showing symptoms like limbs of body quivering and mouth drying up, body trembling ,gandiva is slipping from hand and skin is burning. (28-35)

R - reasons for not to fight - such as crime in destroying family tradition due to that family will get involved in sins , women will become polluted - varnasankara and at last people will go to hell because of no oblations.(36-46)

Acronyms by Rupesh Gauranga dasa

*7 HABITS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE BACE RESIDENT*

I have just compiled the thoughts to remain enthusiastic and happy for whatever period we will be staying in BACE

*1)A—they have attentive morning program* ,includes japa, mangal aarti and s.b. class-key of spiritual life

*They know Attachment to k.c.process* will reduce attachment to maya

*They have attitude of service*

*2)B-- best time to read books* –they know its a best time to read books and sharpen our intelligence,they don’t give any reasons for not studying s.p. books

*They try to make good Bonding* with other bace residents

*3)C-- caring for others* not only thinking of oneself eg u can get prasadam for your bacemate,  if he is sick taking nice care,many devotees leave bace because they feel they r not care for.

*They don’t have any Controlling mentality*

*They always clarify doubt* about philosophy, process or devotees with someone superior

*They avoid correcting others unnecessarily*

*They r always ready for cooperation*

*They don’t come to conclusion* immediately

*4)D-- they try to develop taste for atleast one service* or one thing in k.c. it may be hearing chanting or attachment to Prasad, taste in deity worship saves from sense enjoyment because spirit of I am not the enjoyer is developed when one engages in deity worship

*They Don’t judge* on external basis u don’t know from what that  particular devotee is going through

*They have determination* to practice

*5)E-- they are always eager for service*(like cooking is best ways to earn blessings) and due to that they earn blessing.

They r always *enthusiastic and by that they enthuse others too...*

*6)F-- focused on material as well as spiritual studies*,they wont say because of bace my career is spoiled

*Friendship*-they have deepfriendship atleast with one or two devotees in bace , not having good friendship is one main reason to leave bace , they are having fun with these friends so they won’t have any desires to have fun with any materialistic friend

*7)G--goal* is clear and that is satisfaction of krsna no alternative or individual, personal agenda ,opinions can be different  to serve  but goal is one, their goal is never personal enjoyments


Article by Rupesh Gauranga Das