30/07/15 3:39 PM

WHAT IS MANAN AND WHY IT IS REQUIRED

WHAT
CHINTAN – remembering the same thing again – chinta and chintan is almost
same - e.g. chanting is good
MANANAM – Reflective Thinking – e.g. why and how chanting is good –
SP – try to understand the same subject from all angles of vision
ATMA-PARIKSHAN – INTROSPECTION - Self-reflection - e.g. how is my
chanting and how it can be improved – how I got benefited – why am not
benefitted
WHY

INDIVIDUAL OPINION
LOGICAL
DEFEAT IN ARMY - e.g. withdrawing one’s army in difficult situation – and
then reflecting on one’s strength and weakness

MANANAM – comes after shravan

manan is very important in all fields

many successful businessman also do manan – strength and weakness – why

profit and loss in business – why not progressing

Manan for everything - swastha, sambandha and in all aspects, spiritual

progress, my relation with krishna

LOSS IN BUSINESS – FOR RAPID PROGRESS – NEED TO CHECK

ALWAYS
LION - SIMHAVALAKON
Driver – always alert and awake – to get misguided – always see the symptoms
whether he is on the right track or not

ASK THE QUESTION

What is the goal – what u want to achieve – where u want to go
Do u really want to see and serve k
Where am I?
Where I want to go – i.e. goal?
How much I have gone till now?
E.g. Kanistha to uttam, Abhasa to prema bhakti

PARIVARTAN
Then how I can expedite the process? – CHANGE OF HEART
U have to change - The way you talk, the way you see, the way you smell, eat,
behave with others, sadhana, holy name, bhagavat, guru, dham, giriraja
U have to change the thinking wherever it needs to be corrected – if u want to
progress

AS LONG AS A PERSON DOESN’T KNOW, WHAT HE DOESN’T KNOW

– HE CANNOT GROW
WHY FAILURE IN MANANAM
A. SELF-IMPOSED BARRIER
Self-imposed Barrier created by your own negative & ignorant thinking
Get conditioned
e.g.1. Scientist did the experiment – putting fly inside the bottle – tried to come
out – but failed – then developed the conception – I cannot become free now –
even if the lead gets opened – will remain inside
JUSTIFY THRU SP BOOKS – I AM FALLEN, KALIYUGA, MAMA MAYA
DURATYAYA, MANUSHYANAM SAHSTRESHU
e.g.2. pralhad and American – long steel pillar – hook – banana – iced water
falling – 4 monkeys at a time in the room
similarly – shuddha prema bhakti is not for us – nitya siddha Krishna prem – SP
in NOD – every child has the potential to walk – from very beginning has a
nature of loving affectionate pure devotional service
e.g.3. child elephant
JINA YAHAN MARANA YAHA ISKE SIVA JANA KAHA

B. NOI – first 3 verses – waters down the manan

C. Life of mode of goodness – need to thoroughly understand 3 modes –

brahman ke guna – qualities of goodness
Symptoms of Right path by Sridhar swami
Brahmana ke guna
Guru Maharaja – someone might be for 40 years in bhakti – but learnt everthing
in first 4 years – after that no learning – that means he is only 4 years old
devotee

Real KC realization – is possible only in shuddha sattva – and only through

sattva – one goes to shuddha sattva – so need to elevate oneself from rajas and
tamas

SB.11.13.13
TEXT 3
dharmo rajas tamo hanyät
sattva-våddhir anuttamaù
äçu naçyati tan-mülo
hy adharma ubhaye hate
WORD-FOR-WORD MEANINGS
dharmaù—religious principles based on devotional service; rajaù—the mode of
passion; tamaù—the mode of ignorance; hanyät—destroy; sattva—of goodness;
våddhiù—by the increase; anuttamaù—the greatest; äçu—quickly; naçyati—is
destroyed; tat—of passion and ignorance; mülaù—the root; hi—certainly;
adharmaù—irreligion; ubhaye hate—when both are destroyed.
TRANSLATION
Religious principles, strengthened by the mode of goodness, destroy the
influence of passion and ignorance. When passion and ignorance are overcome,
their original cause, irreligion, is quickly vanquished.
One who is situated in pure goodness, will be enthusiastic to follow all the rules
and regulations of religious principles

D. MENTAL GAPS
GAPS – mental misconceptions
1. Understanding gap – wrong conception – progress will happen automatically
2. Knowledge gap
3. Timing gap – postponing – time nahi hai, mood nahi hai
4. Mistake gap – fear that mistake may happen
5. Perfection gap – when I will get everything perfect – then only I will start
6. Comparison gap – others are too advanced – that’s not my level
7. Expectation gap – I thought very easy in the beginning – but now seems to be
very difficult
What happens when we do mananam?
1. Questions will be arisen – attitude – internal thinking when comes in one’s
achar i.e. behavior that is called as attitude
e.g. fight with a devotee – internally negative thinking – then whenever we see
him – try to neglect – back towards him
Questions will come regarding – whether my attitude is right or wrong – how it
can be improved
2. We get idea – where we do need to make change and how to apply
Although we know – but cannot work out due to conditionings and habits
English proverb - If you quit – it becomes a habit
3. Respond effectively to new challenges
4. whatever you have learned – you will be able to apply one lesson in another
subject – e.g. – u have learned – what is retreat – then how to do retreat – then u
can do retreat of other subjects also
5. deep and grave understanding and not shallow knowledge – of the same
subject happens by mananam
6. baladeva vidhyabhushan – 4 kinds of people coming to Krishna – 1st two
(aarta and artharthi) doesn’t make much progress – but if he becomes inquisitive
– he starts progressing – and when he becomes gyani – more progress – and
after becoming vigyani – much more progress – then comes to Shuddha Bhakti

CONSEQUENCES OF NOT DOING

Will never progress – leads to apa-sampradaya
Dharma-dhvaji – gap between what one speaks, what one shows externally and
what one practices - hypocrisy
Bhakti will become Mishra – inferior motivations
May lead to offenses
Will lead to heavenly planets – kama gayatri – fulfills material desires also
SCRIPTURAL
PARIKSHIT
AJAMILA
BHARAT
YAYATI

DHUNDHUKARI
From Bhagavat Mahatmaya – Dhundhukari and Gokarna section –
shravansya vibhedena phala-bhedo’ tra samsthita
shravanam tu krutam sarvair na tatha mananam krutam
phalabhedastato jato bhajanadapi maanada

GAYATRI TANTRA
mananat papatas trati mananat svargam asnute
mananat mok;sham apnoti chatur vargo mayo bhavet

EDUCATION LEVELS
1. Shravan – Guru se sunana
2. Manan – Buddhi se janana
3. Nidhidhyasan – deep meditation – us vishaya me Samadhi lagna, manan ke
baad
PREACHING
SANKALPA TO APPLY
APPLICATION
PREACHING
REALISATION

Education – comes from latin word ‘educary’ – bahar lana aura age badhana
Bhakti shastri is level one education
Should not go back to maya – baharo phul barsao… - forward and backward

Mananam praman

Brhad aranyak Upanisad - 3 levels – 2.4.5

Patanjali yoga sutra.1.17 – 4 levels

Vitarka – abhyasa, vishleshan, bahas
Vichara – manan - antarmukh
Ananda – pachan ke baad lagu karne
Asmita rupa -

Naisat caritam – Sanskrit kavita

Aditi – acchi tarah se sikh lena
Bodh – antarmukh se drsti pana
Acharan – shiksha ka sakshastkar va aacharan
Prachran - Preaching

SP QUOTES
1st level – BS etc.
SP also desired – 2nd level – e.g. debate by SP with his disciples
If keep asking questions – not only accepted blindly – try to understand from all
angles

Letter to Tribhuvanath – 16 June 1972

"I am very much stressing nowadays that my students shall increase their
reading of my books and try to understand them from different angles of vision.
Each sloka can be seen from many, many angles of vision, so become practiced
in seeing things like this. If we are selling the books but we do not know what is
inside the book, that will be a farce, especially if you are preaching and selling
books to the students of Edinburgh." (SPL to Tribhuvanatha, 16th June, 1972)

"You mention you like to speak now very often but the first business should be
to preach to the devotees. It is better to maintain a devotee than try to convince
others to become devotees. It is the duty of the GBC to maintain the devotees,
keep them in the highest standard of Krsna consciousness, and give them all
good instruction, and let them go out and preach for making more devotees.
Your first job should be to make sure that every one of the devotees in your
zone of management is reading regularly our literature and discussing the
subject matter seriously from different angles of seeing, and if they are
somehow or other absorbing the knowledge of Krsna consciousness philosophy.
If they are fully educated in our philosophy and if they can get all of the
knowledge and study it from every viewpoint, then very easily they will
perform tapasya (renunciation), and that will be their advancement in Krsna
consciousness." (SPL to Satsvarupa dasa, 16th June, 1972)

If not reached to 2nd level – then how 3rd

ICU – painful – mananam

This is one of many factor causing members to leave the society

They have not understood that ISKCON is giving the jewel of Krishna prema in
abundance – because they don’t reach to 2nd level
Their understanding of ISKCON is very superficial – someone did great service
– books distribution – gave powerful seminar – got appreciation, garland, post –
if I will give seminar, I will also get garland – if I don’t get, … then kora kagaj,
kati patang – then they leave ISKCON
No charge – only pure shraddha is required

SB.1.1.6
To hear and explain them is more important than reading them. One can
assimilate the knowledge of the revealed scriptures only by hearing and
explaining. Hearing is called çravaëa, and explaining is called kértana. The two
processes of çravaëa and kértana are of primary importance to progressive
spiritual life. Only one who has properly grasped the transcendental knowledge
from the right source by submissive hearing can properly explain the subject.

ye lélä-amåta vine, khäya yadi anna-päne,

tabe bhaktera durbala jévana
yära eka-bindu-päne, utphullita tanu-mane,
häse, gäya, karaye nartana
WORD-FOR-WORD MEANINGS
ye—he who; lélä—of the pastimes of Lord Kåñëa and Caitanya Mahäprabhu;
amåta vine—without nectar; khäya yadi anna-päne—if one eats only ordinary
food grains; tabe—then; bhaktera—of the devotees; durbala jévana—life
becomes weakened; yära—of which; eka-bindu-päne—if one drinks one drop;
utphullita tanu-mane—the body and mind become jubilant; häse—laughs; gäya
—chants; karaye nartana—dances.
TRANSLATION
Men become strong and stout by eating sufficient grains, but the devotee who
simply eats ordinary grains but does not taste the transcendental pastimes of
Lord Caitanya Mahäprabhu and Kåñëa gradually becomes weak and falls down
from the transcendental position. However, if one drinks but a drop of the nectar
of Kåñëa’s pastimes, his body and mind begin to bloom, and he begins to laugh,
sing and dance.
PURPORT
All the devotees connected with the Kåñëa consciousness movement must read
all the books that have been translated (the Caitanya-caritämåta, Çrémad-
Bhägavatam, Bhagavad-gétä and others); otherwise, after some time, they will
simply eat, sleep and fall down from their position. Thus they will miss the
opportunity to attain an eternal, blissful life of transcendental pleasure. –
CC.Madhya.25.278

LIGHT OF BHAGAVAT – Verse 7

7. The small rivulets that almost dried up during the months of May and June
now begin to overflow their banks, like upstarts that suddenly overflow the
limits of expenditure.
One should learn gravity from the sea and the rivulet. The sea is always within
its limits, in spite of the many rivers pouring water into it. (Also in Bhagavad
Gita) Similarly, one should properly use the assets of life and not squander them
for purposes that have no permanent value. Uncontrolled, sensuous persons play
with the assets of the body and accumulate wealth. But the strength of the body
should be used for self-realization, not for sense gratification.
Human beings have two kinds of temperament. Some are introspective, and the
others are extravagant. Those who are extravagant are enamored of the external
features of phenomenal beauty and have no insight into the whole
manifestation. They are practically asleep to introspection, and thus they are
unable to derive any permanent value from the assets of the human form of
body. But one who has developed introspection is as grave as the sea. While
those who are extravagant are calm and quiet in sleep, such grave persons use
the full advantage of the human form of life.
Although the animal propensities of the body should be minimized, those who
are extravagant temporarily overflow in material enjoyment. Nonetheless, as
soon as the rainy season of life is over, they become as dry as dry river beds.
Life is meant for the right cause, or sat—that which exists for all time. In the
material world, nothing is sat, or eternal, but the bad bargain of the material
world can be used for the best purpose. The mind dedicated to extravagance is a
bad bargain, but one can make the best use of the mind by introspection.

PQPA, 8
Therefore I advise you to read our books daily as far as possible and try to
understand the subject matter from different angles of vision by discussing it
frequently with the devotees at the New York temple. In this way you will
gradually become convinced, and by your sincere attitude and devotional
service you will make progress.

A sincere devotee should be ready to hear all the shastras like upanisad,
Vedanta and goswamis literatures, for one’s own progress

Without hearing these scriptures, a person cannot make actual advancement

Without hearing and following those instructions, bhakti will just remain a show
and will create havoc in society

Prabhupäda: The introspective man who is after self-realization, he knows very

well, "Suppose if I do in future such and such big business, or such... I can
construct such big skyscraper house." But because he's introspective, he knows
that "What I shall do with all these things? As soon as I exit from the platform,
everything remains here, and I take another form of body, begins another life."
That is introspection. The materialistic person they cannot understand what is
the future. They are thinking this body is everything. "We have got this body,
and when it is finished, it is finished for all."

Apaçyatäm ätma-tattvam: "Those who are fools and rascals without any self-
realization knowledge. For them." Apaçyatäm. Apaçyatäm means blind, cannot
see. They have got their eyes, but they have no introspection, what is the value
of life. Therefore he says, apaçyatäm. Simply they have eyes like the peacock
feather. (laughter) They have no introspection. Eyes means introspection.
Therefore Vedic culture says, eyes... Çästra-cakñus: "You should see through
çästra. Don't try to see by these eyes." These are, what is the value of this eye?
They are conditioned in so many ways. You don't believe the eyes. See through
the çästra, through the spiritual master, through the çästra. Try to see through
this. That is perfect seeing.
A real educated man does not look over the fleshy tabernacle of a living being
but he introspects the spirit within the body. A sane man does not see the dress
of a man but the man who puts on the dress. The dress has no value if there was
not a man within and similarly, the gentle Brahmin, the cow, the elephant, the
dog or the chandala are but different dresses encaging the spirit soul within
them. Unless therefore men are educated sufficiently to see within the dress, the
duel frenzy of love and hatred will continue to work. 'Humane World' is
possible when we are really human being as distinguished from ordinary
animals. The lower animal has no introspection of the soul within because it is
incapable of being sufficiently educated. The distinction between a lower
animal beast and a higher animal man lies in the capacity of this introspection of
the soul within. A man devoid of this power of introspection is no better than a
beast.

VIDHI
HOW, WHEN, WHERE, OF WHAT

HOW MUCH
e.g. SNS – Everyday hearing SB class – like jewels, diamond points – even if
you can collect one diamond point daily – then at the end on one year you will
have 365 diamonds
Understand one point – Try to apply

U HAVE TO TAKE OUT SOME TIME – FOR MANANAM

DAILY – 5-10 MINUTES – ONE PART IS ALSO SADHANA CARD,
ASSESSMENT CHART
WEEKLY – WEEKEND – AN HOUR
MONTHLY – FEW HOURS
QUARTERLY – TAKE A WEEK VACATION

STEPS OF MANANAM
1. RECEIVE KNOWLEDGE – by hearing and reading
lots of questions – for understanding the subject
What I want to achieve by reading and hearing?
How? Why? What?
Personal manan – 2 lectures of every subject – like first subject ‘shraddha’ –
and then 1 hour manan
Without knowledge manan is not possible – e.g. how to fly aeroplane
2. COMPREHENSION - UNDERSTANDING
E.g. repeating like parrot – chanting ‘hare’
Not repeat like parrot
Meaning in own words and examples and explain
U have to take out some time - If u just go from one page to second page – then
u will never understand
3. APPLY
He has said this right thing – if I will do how I will be benefitted – if not then
how I will be the looser
E.g. japa – granthi paddhati – contemplation after 4 rounds
4. CHECK TO SOLVE PROBLEMS
What we have learned should be applied to solve our problem/weakness –
whether getting benefitted or not
5. PREACHING
If benefitted – then teach to others – preach – one’s own understanding becomes
more deep – polished
6. LEARN – COMMIT – SANKALPA
E.g. nirjala ekadasi, e.g. premananda pr – kaccha sabji
7. THEN DO WITH DETERMINATION
Nidhidhyasan – deep meditation
8. PRARTHANA

MANANAM Exercise

Mahine me ek din
Saal me ek mahina
Peaceful environment
Hearing and reading material
Pen and pad
Chant extra rounds at that place
Self-analysis – how many times committed that mistake in the last year, what
were the causes of that mistake, what steps to improve in the future,
SANKALPA MANTRA RECITATIOIN – Powerful mantras – 27 beads –
chanting
Practice booklet

How to bring the strong willingness to change

Frequency – can we finalize some specific format -
How to apply and execute practically
Sankalpa mantra – mechanical after sometime
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30/07/15 3:39 PM