| So, the person who is desiring to get a | | | | a negative and this is what we will |
| new sports car, beautiful wife, etc. is | | | | get-a negative. In other words if we are |
| simply exhausting the fruits of his | | | | contemplating giving up this or not |
| previous pious activities. If he knew | | | | thinking about that we will develop a |
| this he would be more careful about his | | | | stronger attachment to this or that by |
| desires! This is the same concept | | | | that negative contemplation. |
| Krishna describes in the Gita when he | | | | After contemplation of Krishna in a |
| describes the plight of the souls who go | | | | positive way we enter the stage of |
| to the heavenly planets because their | | | | feelings. What does that mean? We |
| good karma has bought them a vacation | | | | picture ourselves the way we want to be. |
| there. | | | | Just like the person who really wants a |
| When their good Karma runs out they get | | | | new sports car will envision himself |
| kicked out of heaven and have to come | | | | seated at the driver's seat zooming down |
| back here. But, what about the devotee's | | | | the highway with the top down. |
| desires? A devotee has no bad or good | | | | So, we picture (visualize) ourselves |
| karma. All karma bad and good is | | | | performing the nine processes of bhakti |
| eradicated even by namabhasa chanting. | | | | with great attention and devotion. We |
| Krishna reciprocates with devotees' | | | | visualize ourselves as enthusiastic |
| desires, but He will only fulfill those | | | | preachers. We visualize ourselves as |
| desires that are helpful to the | | | | humble servants of our spiritual master. |
| devotee's spiritual progress. So, it is | | | | Of course when we come to the stage of |
| important for devotees to have proper | | | | Raganuga Bhakti the visualizations and |
| desires and the stronger the devotional | | | | meditations change. But, the principle |
| desire is the quicker that desire will | | | | is the same. When you picture yourself |
| be fulfilled. | | | | in this way, the intensity of your |
| What is a desire? Oftentimes we confuse | | | | desire will increase. Not only can you |
| thoughts with desires, or we confuse | | | | picture yourself in this way, you can |
| wishes with desires. A desire is | | | | also picture others as advanced |
| something you really want with your | | | | Vaisnavas. |
| heart and soul. Of course there are | | | | Your expectation for them will shape |
| degrees of intensity of desires. When | | | | them too. Not only because the |
| someone wants something with great | | | | expectation will be communicated by you, |
| intensity that is called in Sanskrit | | | | but also because if you are a real |
| laulyam (or intense greed). | | | | Vaisnava and you desire some good |
| Tatra laulyam ekalam mulam; Prabhupada | | | | fortune for someone else, Krishna will |
| describes this intense greed for pure | | | | reciprocate with your intense desire. |
| devotional service as the "best path | | | | One example of this can be found in |
| available." How do we develop this | | | | Srila Prabhupada's pastimes is that when |
| intense greed? In the material world | | | | he arrived in the United States he had a |
| greed is developed by the process of | | | | vision of 108 temples. His meditation |
| thinking, feeling and willing. In other | | | | was so intense that he understood that |
| words we think of something (take some | | | | these temples already existed. He |
| food like pizza for example). | | | | expressed this very clearly when he |
| The more we think about(contemplate) | | | | stated: "We have 108 temples. Only time |
| that sense object the more we get | | | | separates us." |
| attached to it. Then we begin to feel | | | | He also envisioned devotees, books, |
| that object of our senses. In the case | | | | sankirtan parties, and the rest. His |
| of pizza we begin to salivate and almost | | | | vision became a physical reality. |
| taste it as we are visualizing our | | | | Krishna fulfills the desires of His pure |
| interacting with that object. | | | | devotees. We need to develop an intense |
| Then the stage of willing comes where | | | | internal vision and an intense external |
| the desire is so intense, we act. In | | | | (the entire world taking up Krishna |
| Krishna consciousness, we contemplate | | | | consciousness) vision of Krishna |
| Krishna, His Pastimes, His devotees, and | | | | consciousness. These wishes will come |
| His service, etc all in a very positive | | | | true. Krishna will fulfill them. When |
| joyous way. This is very important. | | | | our meditation/vision is harmonious with |
| If we are negative we are meditating on | | | | Krishna's desires, success is sure. |