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teṣhām evānukampārtham aham ajñāna-jaṁ tamaḥ
nāśhayāmyātma-bhāva-stho jñāna-dīpena bhāsvatā
Lord Krishna tells Arjun, "Out of compassion for them, I, who dwell within their hearts, destroy the darkness born of ignorance, with the luminous lamp of knowledge.
The Bhagavad Gita (10.11)
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Jagadguru Shree Kripalu ji Maharaj has reiterated in His teachings that one must put in the effort to nurture divine qualities to receive the grace of God. The human form is the only opportunity to exercise our independent will to make the effort and do the karma or actions to love God for His happiness. Only then will God become enslaved by the love of devotees. So how do we develop the qualities that allow us to recognize divinity?
Swami Mukundananda ji says that those who feel compassion for the physical pain of others when they themselves are in a pitiable condition, is a form of material compassion (as experienced by Arjun on the battlefield). To experience divine compassion and love, one must work to purify the soul, engage in constant, exclusive and selfless bhakti or devotion as the only option to earn God's grace.
This issue of Samarpan presents various features to illustrate how we human beings get caught in the grip of maya and the types of qualities make us closer to divinity.
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Bhakti Ras
Attachment with Whom and at What Terms?
A 65-year-old man was lying on the bed of an Emergency Room in a hospital. A team of doctors was trying to revive him but the situation appeared grim. The man was unconscious but his soul was in conversation with Yamaraj, the God of death. "My grand-daughter is getting married in a week. If you take me away now, the wedding will be delayed or cancelled," he pleaded in desperation. Yamaraj said, "It has to be someone from this family. Which soul can I take with me today if not yours?" The man said, "I have an old aunt living in my house who is 89 years old. It's time for her to go with you." Yamaraj agreed and left. Suddenly the man regained consciousness and knew he was in the hospital. He was happy to be alive.
When the man was 72 years old, Yamaraj came back one day to take him when the man was playing with his 5-year-old grandson in the front yard. "If you take me away today, my grandson will be scared and alone because there is no one else at home," said the man. Yamaraj again asked him to trade a soul to spare his own. The man said that his daughter-in-law  always had conflicts with others so he could take her away. Yamaraj said, "Won't your grandson become motherless if I take away your daughter-in-law?" The man said, "I will take care of my grandson."
Many years later, one day Yamaraj heard the same man crying loudly, "Yamraj, please take me away, I beg you." The man was 90 years old and mourning the loss of his two sons and their children who were killed in an automobile accident. He cried and wailed, "God, how can you be so heartless? How can you take away all my family members and leave me all alone at 90 years of age?" Yamaraj said, "I came for your soul many times before to prevent you from the misery of seeing your children die before you. Each time you pleaded with me to take away someone else. Now you are calling me because you do not want to deal with misery? Sorry, today is not your day."
Our intense attachment to life and relatives can adversely affect our state of equilibrium. Only our faith in the Lord's plan will enable detachment from material aspects of life.
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Inspirations for Living
The Compassion and Righteousness of King Shibi Rana
 The story of King Shibi Rana, the descendent of King Bharata, is very popular in the Hindu mythology. He was known for his compassion and righteousness. One day, Indra Dev and Agni Dev (the celestial gods) decided to test the extent of King Shibi's benevolence. So Indra Dev transformed himself into a hawk and Agni Dev into a dove. They both flew toward King Shibi's palace. Upon seeing the king in the garden, the hawk started to fiercely pursue the dove which appeared terrified. The dove sought the king's shelter by perching at his feet and requested him to save his life from the hawk. King Shibi gently picked up the dove in his hands, tried to pacify it and said, "Do not be afraid, O gentle emissary of peace because I will protect you from any harm." Just that moment, the hawk attempted to grab the dove from the king's hands but King Shibi successfully protected the dove. The hawk was furious and said, "This dove is my meal, O king! I have not eaten anything since yesterday. Is it your dharma (or moral obligation) to deprive one living being from food while protecting the other? Are you willing to accept responsibility if I die from hunger?" King Shibi replied calmly and thoughtfully, "You are correct that I should not deprive you of your meal but I am also bound to protect a soul who has sought shelter from me. Will you accept it if I substituted your meal with any other flesh?" The hawk replied, "I will accept another form of flesh as long as it is the same quantity as that of the dove otherwise my hunger will not be satisfied." Then the hawk mockingly asked, "Will you kill another living creature to save this dove?" King Shibi calmly replied, "No, I will give you my own flesh to eat." The king asked his attendant to bring the weighing scale and then placed the dove on one side. He pulled out his sword and cut a portion of his flesh placed it on the other side of the scale. However, the scale was tipped on the side where the dove was placed so the king cut some more flesh from his body. All those who were watching were horrified but King Shibi was unruffled. He continued to chop parts of his body and yet the weight of the dove seemed to be increasing. Then finally, King Shibi Sat on the other side of the scale and noticed that the scale was balanced. He said to the hawk, "Now you can eat me and leave the dove alone." Upon hearing these words, Indra Dev and Agni Dev emerged in their original forms and blessed King Shibi for his compassion and righteousness. Suddenly the wounds from his body disappeared and King Shibi bowed to the Celestial Gods with great devotion.
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Wellness for Life
Yoga for Insomnia
Insomnia is a sleep disorder. People with insomnia have difficulty falling asleep, waking up often during the night and having trouble going back to sleep, or waking up too early in the morning. As a result, they may get too little sleep or have poor-quality sleep. Sleep deprivation is a major source of stress among US adults. This is where yoga can make a difference.
Yoga lowers the stress levels, calms the mind and relieves tension in both body and mind. It is an effective natural sleep remedy if practiced regularly. Certain asans (i.e., yoga postures) and pranayam (i.e., breathing exercises) are particularly helpful for combating sleep disorders. These are:
- Asans: Shashankasan, Shirshasan, Sarvangasan, Pashchimottanasan, and Shalabhasan.
- Pranayam: Anulom Vilom, Bhastrika, Ujjayi, and Shyam Uchcharan.
Every Saturday, Radha Krishna Temple of Dallas offers free community yoga classes. Join these sessions to learn more about how to practice these yoga postures and breathing exercises. Please visit JKYog website for detailed information on yoga.
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The Radha Krishna Temple Construction Update
The Radha Krishna Temple construction is progressing to the point where we can visualize a dream coming true! From the sturdy steel walls to the majestic shikhars, the temple appears to take the shape of a divine structure evoking devotion and love. It is anticipated that by the end of summer, the temple will stand magnificently tall, inviting the devotees to experience the bliss of the grace of God and Guru that seems to pour through the every atom of the holy shrine.
This is the critical time for the temple's community to come together to support the construction through generous donations and earn divine blessings by helping this noble cause! You can donate just $1:00 per day or $10.00 per brick and be grateful for the opportunity and good fortunate to build a house for God. Set up monthly contributions through credit card/debit card by calling: 860-605-3685 or by visiting temple website at www.radhakrishnatemple.net.
 
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Community Events of the Radha Krishna Temple of Dallas
During the first couple months of 2017, The Radha Krishna Temple of Dallas celebrated numerous events to evoke the devotional sentiments of the community members. We started with the New Year's Eve, Jagadguruttam Diwas, and Shivratri celebrations in January. Each event was marked by a soulful satsang where devotees sang the praises of God and Guru especially on Jagadguruttam Diwas. It was on this day, 60 years ago that His Holiness, Jagadguruttam Shree Kripaluji Maharaj, the very embodiment of the grace of Shree Radha Krishna, was conferred the title of Jagadguru at Varanasi, India. It was on this day that Maharajji - as he is lovingly addressed by devotees, amazed scholars and pundits at a very young age of 35 years. Based on his mastery over the scriptures and the depth of his experience of the divine love of Shree Radha Krishna, he was conferred with the title of Jagadguruttam, which means that he was not only Jagadguru, but also superior among all the Jagadgurus. Shree Maharajji has graced us with heart-wrenching bhajans and kirtans that are full of devotion and philosophy, which we sing regularly at our satsangs.
 
The Bal-Mukunds of Frisco celebrated Makar Sankranti where they chanted the surya mantra in perfect unison and learned rituals of the festival and the need to show our gratitude towards the Sun. They also enthusiastically celebrated the Republic Day to commemorate almost 70 years of post-independence era. The Bal-Mukunds learned about various contributions of our nation to the world in the fields including medicine, science, mathematics, astronomy and the Vedas.
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Upcoming Community Events of the Radha-Krishna Temple of Dallas
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Holi Hangama
A fun-filled program brought to you by Radha Krishna Temple of Dallas
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26 MAR
12:00 PM to 5:00 PM
3700 Hogge Dr, Parker, TX- 75002
Contact: 408-674-6602
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Rich Cultural Program
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DJ, Dance and Color Play
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Lentil Rangoli Competition
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Games, Food and Desi Bazaar
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Cooking Without Fire Competition
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Keynote Speech by Swami Mukundananda
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Be a part of International Yoga Day at the Dallas YogaFest, a world-wide celebration of yoga, where the ancient science meets modern day challenges of the body and mind. Dallas YogaFest will be one stop place to fulfill your need for knowledge and practice on healthy living! Be it yoga, meditation and pranayama workshops, informational sessions on holistic living, or meeting vendors of healthy products - we have it all in one place!
Catch some glimpses of last year's events at https://www.facebook.com/Dallas-Yoga-Fest-1124590477603501/.
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Other Ongoing Community Events
For the benefit of the community, the Radha Krishna Temple provides abundant opportunities to volunteer and participate in various events. Read the benefits of each of these activities and related sewas for your body, mind and soul.
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Weekly Satsangs
These satsangs engulf a person in the ocean of bhakti through a combination of prayer, chanting soulful bhajans and kirtans, viewing a video lecture by Swamiji or Maharajji, followed by aarti and prasad dinner. Once a month we also recite Vishnu Sahasranama. God's names are no different from Himself. Every name in Vishnu Sahasranama (thousand names of Vishnu) is a drop of nectar. Whether we chant it or hear it, it gives an immense sense of peace and indescribable solace.
For local satsang information visit: www.radhakrishnatemple.net or [email protected]. Toastmasters Gavel Club for Youth
Robert Moment said "Public speaking skills are an essential key to achieving career advancement and success." Effective communication builds confidence and leadership skills. This is even more important especially for today's youth who aspire to be the leaders of tomorrow.
The Radha Krishna Temple of Dallas has launched the Toastmaster Gavel Club for aspiring youths who are looking to become the cream of the crop in their future endeavors! Participating in this club will help to take the panic out of public speaking as well as help become a fluent speaker. We invite youth between the ages 10-18 years to join the club.
- Toastmasters Gavel Senior Club for high school students
- Toastmasters Gavel Junior Club for middle school students
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Bhagavad Gita
Study Group
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Free Community
Yoga Classes
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Vishnu Sahashra
Naam Chanting
At: 4020 Sendero Trail
Plano, TX 75024
On: 1st Sat, 3 to 4 PM
Details & Registration
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'Dollar A Day' - Pledge Continuous Support!
Donate a Dollar a Day towards the building and upkeep of the Radha Krishna temple! By donating just $1 everyday,
you'll help this noble cause!
How many of us have the opportunity and are fortunate enough to build a house for God?
Set up monthly contributions through credit card/debit card by calling: 860-605-3685 or by visiting temple website at Radha Krishna Temple of Dallas (click).
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Please provide us with your feedback and requests for the type of features you would like to read at [email protected]
We really want to hear from you.
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Copyright © Jagadguru Kripaluji Yog 2016. All rights reserved. |
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