W E E K  3     SADHANA BHAKTI (to learn: Bg 9.26)

* "sadhana -- the means by which one can achieve something" (tape Lon-
don 73-74)
* to perform sadhana bhakti necessities a radical change in one's va-
lues (Bg 2.69 +p)
* sadhana bhakti explained (Bg 12.9 +p)
* one should never give up one's initial spirit of carefully following
all the rules and regulations of bhakti yoga (Bg 18.5 and 6 +p) other-
wise one is to be understood to be influenced by the modes of passion
or ignorance (Bg 18.7 and 8 +p's) and liable to fall down (SB 5.8.8
+p)
* the steps of bhakti leading to pure love (Bg 4.10p last para):

   1) Preliminary faith or desire for self-realization which leads one
      to
   2) The association of spiritually advanced persons
   3) and so one becomes initiated by a bonafide spiritual master and
      begins the process of devotional service under his direction
   4) then one diminishes all unwanted habits and material attachments
   5) becomes steady in self-realization due to firm faith
   6) and acquires a taste for hearing about Krsna
   7) which leads one further forward to attachment for Krsna Con-
      sciousness
   8) and this is further matured into genuine affection for Krsna,
      the preliminary stage of
   9) real love of God, the highest perfectional stage of life.

* Cleanliness, is essential for making advancement in spiritual life
(Bg 13.8-12p, 6th para)
* the following is a quotation from Srila Prabhupada (Hyderabad 24/8/-
76):
"... If one doesn't practice brahminical life he is not to be called a
'brahmana'. You may be the son of a high court judge but if you do not
have the qualifications you cannot be called a high court judge...
There must be an educational institution for training brahmanas espe-
cially. One is judged by education, quality and training. One of the
brahmana's two main qualities is 'saucam', cleanliness and truthful-
ness... In Bombay even the poorest man is clean. I have been to a
'Parsee' kitchen. So nasty, all the pots are black, nothing is clean.
For eating they use china -- clean or unclean cannot be understood.
Even our pots, handled by our European devotees, underneath it is
black. You should not even be able to see a black spot. It is not cle-
an. A single black spot and it is not clean. Before taking water, if
the water pot is clean, you like taking water. In our school days the
seats were so clean, you liked to sit down. This is Hindu culture.
Cleanliness is essential. In English also cleanliness is next to God-
liness. Sri-vigraharadhana-nitya-nana-srngara-tan-mandira-marjanadau
(Guruvastaka verse 3). 'Marjana' means 'cleansing'. The spiritual ma-
ster is always engaged along with his disciples in cleaning the temple
of Sri Sri Radha and Krsna. Want of cleanliness means laziness. If you
are lazy you can't keep clean. Let me sleep for the time being. This
is the mode of ignorance, tamo-guna. We have to conquer over rajo-guna
and tamo-guna!"

* General rules of cleanliness (Bg 16.7p 2nd half of the 1st para)

Cleanliness and Other Standards
1) Never enter the kitchen or the temple in an unclean state.
2) The mouth is a dirty place (being positioned at one end of the in-
testines, it is a place where many germs are found) and therefore one
should not suck one's fingers or pen, or bite one's nails, etc. If one
does touch one's mouth then the hands should be washed. Don't lick
things like stamps and don't blow out candles, incense sticks, etc.
Also it is a good practice to learn to pour water/juice into your
mouth when you drink, then the cup remains clean, not having touched
one's lips.
3) If you make a mess clean it up, especially in the toilet or washba-
sin etc. A place should always be as clean, if not cleaner, after it
has been visited by a devotee.
4) Your locker should always be neat and clean (Don't leave prasada in
it or even bring prasada to your room).
5) When you clean anywhere in the temple building try to make the pla-
ce as clean as glass (see TQK p.143)
6) Do not leave clothing lying around.
7) If someone else leaves a mess then you can clean it up, seeing that
in actuality everything is the personal property of the representative
of Krsna, the spiritual master. Once Srila Prabhupada inspected one of
our many toilets in our Mayapura property and upon finding a cigarret-
te he exclaimed "Who has been smoking in my bathroom?"
8) Nails should always be clipped short. This should not be done in
one's bedroom but in the bathroom and the clippings should be flushed
away down the toilet or sink, or thrown in the rubbish bin provided.
Evacuating, nail cutting, teeth brushing, shaving, etc., should be
done before showering.
9) Take at least two showers a day (or more if you have to pass stool
at another time) -- the early morning shower can be cool to help ivi-
gorate the system and should be efficient but quick (a warm shower
should be taken if one is sick). It is also important to take a "men-
tal bath" by chanting Hare Krsna as one takes one's physical bath.
10) Srub and file feet whenever necessary (which avoids painful cracks
in the heel developing)
11) Use the right hand only for eating, chanting rounds, offering and
accepting things to and from others, turning on communal switches,
opening doors and using the toilet flush etc. (the left hand is reser-
ved for cleansing oneself upon passing stool).
12) Do not touch your foot to anything sacred or use your foot to do
something which can be done with one's hand.
13) Do not walk over books, devotees, prasada or any sacred articles.
To touch someone with one's foot is considered offensive. For instan-
ce, if you have to walk past seated devotees in the temple room at
class time, extend your right hand to indicate you wish to go by and
they will move their knees to let you pass. If you happen to touch a
devotee with your foot you can touch his body gently with your hand
and then touch your hand to your head.
14) Books, beads, karatalas, etc. should not go on the ground or on
one's seat or bed, nor should things be put on books (like alarm
clocks, karatalas, etc.).
15) If a sacred object falls to the floor pick it up and touch it to
your head.
16) If your Japa beads are out of your bag, keep them in a clean place
but do not hang them on a hook.
17) Do not take sacred items into the stoolroom, e.g. beads, books,
Harinam chuddar.
18) Do not take other's possessions thinking that everything is Krsn-
a's and therefore everything is one. This is not our philosophy!
19) Do not sleep on your stomach. When sleeping try to face South-
East.
20) Do not talk informally, read or write personal letters in front of
the Deities -- only devotional activities such as hearing, chanting,
reading and praying, or some important matter related to the service
of the Deity should be carried on in the temple room.
21) While sitting do not expose your feet to the Deities or point them
at the spiritual master, or Tulasi devi, etc. Always try to keep them
covered.
22) Tilak should be applied in all 12 places after showering.
23) Single men and women should only converse together when it's ne-
cessary for particular devotional service.
24) Do not stand in one's underwear in front of Vaisnavas, or pictures
of Krsna or the Guru. The Lord and His devotee are priesent in Their
pictures and so should be respected accordingly.
25) Don't pass air in the temple room.
26) Try to avoid turning your back on, or sitting with your back to
the Deities or Vyasasana.
27) Do not waste Krsna's energies such as toothpaste, electricity,
water, etc. In fact, if you see a light or fire left on somewhere turn
it off. Once on a morning walk, Srila Prabhupada turned off a running
tap in someone's garden. Another time when he was ill in Mayapur he
rose especially from his bed to chastise a disciple for leaving a fan
on when she left a room for only 5 minutes.

Do not worry unduly about all these rules and regulations, soon they
will be your second nature. We all make mistakes in the beginning.
Most of what we do is simply common sense. If anything is not clear or
confuses you, please don't hesitate to ask.

The Maha-Mantra:

* is the easy process recommended by Lord Caitanya especially for us
(Bg 16.24 1st para)
* is the correct means of deliverance for people in this age (Bg 3.10
last half/ Bg 6.12 last half)
* is the only possible process in this age (Bg 8.11 last para)
* is the easiest and purest of all yajnas (sacrifices) (Bg 3.12p last
sentence/ Bg 10.25+p)
* is the best and most inexpensive sacrifice (Bg 16.1-3p 9th para)
* is the easiest and best way to control the mind (Bg 6.34p last part)
* is the means to control the tongue (Bg13.8-12p 7th para)
* is the sublime method for reviving our original pure consciousness
(SSR p. 146)
* cleanses and purifies one's own heart and anyone else who hears (NOI
4 41-43)
* for internal cleanliness (Bg 13.8-12p 6th para)
* cleanses the heart of all material dirt (Bg 4.39p)
* so that one can attain life's ultimate goal (Bg 10.11p 4th para)
* is transcendentally sweet but this is not appreciated by a diseased
person (NOI 7 pages 66-67)
* is enacted on the spiritual platform, above all lower strata of con-
sciousness (SSR p. 147)
* relieves one from all misconception (NOI 7 p. 69)
* is the only remedy for setting the world right (NOI 7 p. 69)
* is the best process for successfully changing one's state of con-
sciousness at the end of life (Bg 8.6p, end)
* purifies one and enables one to go back to Godhead (Bg 8.19p/Bg 8.8-
+p)
* is mystic meditation (Bg 8.8 +p)
* enables one to easily and happily approach the supreme destination
(Bg 12.6-7p 5th para)
* attracts one to Krsna (Bg 12.6-7p end of 2nd para) and is the means
of pleasing Him
* When a devotee chants Hare Krsna, the Lord, being non-different from
His name, dances with Srimati Radharani on the devotee's tongue (Bg-
12.8p)
* By chanting you can understand everything of God (PQPA p. 25)
* waters the seed of love of God, which fructifies as a spiritual
plant growing as far as Goloka Vrndavana (Bg 10.9p 2nd para)
* (when chanted inoffensively) is the highest perfectional stage of
Vedic knowledge (Bg 2.46 +p) (so the best purpose of Vedic culture is
served to even the fallen souls of this age)
* is chanted by someone who has been previously purified by passing
through the tenets of the Vedas (Bg 6.44+p/ 16.24p 1st para)
* gives direct perception of spiritual pleasure and purification (Bg
9.2p 6th para)
* situates even a fallen devotee on the transcendental platform when
chanted with determination (Bg 9.30p 2nd para)
* and protects a devotee from all accidental falldowns (Bg 9.31 p end)
* is the means of understanding Krsna (Bg 7.24p 3rd para)
* to attain actual education etc. (Iso 10, 6th para-->end)
* to make progress towards one's desired destination (Guruvastaka 8)
* to understand the real position of all living beings (Bg 4.35)
* to begin one's devotional service (Bg 12.20p)
* to distinguish between matter and spirit (Bg 13.35 1st para)
* the secret to advancement in spiritual life (Bg 4.34p)
* to understand the imports of Vedic knowledge (Bg 6.47p, near the
end)
* to properly understand the difficult passages in the Vedic litera-
ture (Bg 16.1-3p, 14th para)
* because different scriptures and different sages recommend different
things (Bg 18.3+4 +p's)
* because it is enjoined in the sastra for everyone who wants to ad-
vance in life (Bg 4.34/Iso 6+p, 5th para/ Bg 2.7p 1st para)
* to find out what Krsna practically wants us to do (Bg 18.57+p)
* to know Krsna (Bg 2.29p 2nd half)
* otherwise it is impossible ever to begin to understand Krsna (Bg
11.54p 2nd para)

