17 Jul 2025 evening – Manah-siksa and Siksastakam (English) | New Braj, California, USA

– If you don’t hear Harikatha, you hear worldly matters.
– Maya and Chaya (shadow), that which is not true but poses as truth.
– The conditioned soul is like a deer chasing a mirage in the desert, trying to achieve reputation, name, and fame.
– Sloka that talks about how we can overcome the desire for prestige and fame: pratisthasa dhrsta svapaca-ramani me hrdi natet… (Manah Siksa 7).
– Maya and Chaya, one goes first and the other comes second.
– The material world is an upside-down reflection of the spiritual-transcendental world.
– ⁠The transcendental world is pure, beautiful, and clean.
– Verse presenting the beautiful image of Krsna: cintāmaṇi-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vṛkṣa-… (Brahma Samhita 5.29).
– Verses presenting Krsna’s mercy: anugrahāya bhaktānāṁ… (SB 10.33.36), and, kṛṣṇera yateka khelā, sarvottama nara-līlā… (CC Madhya-lila 21.101).
– Beautiful words by Bilvamangala Thakura about Krsna: advaita-vīthī-pathikair upāsyāḥ… (CC Madhya-lila 24.133).
– Stages of the sadhana-bhakti process, from sraddha to asakti.
– Sadhana-bhakti has two functions: to cleanse the anarthas in the heart (as if inside a washing machine), and to receive a drop of the mood of the Vrajavasis.
– When the leaves of bhakti klesa-ghni and subhada appear, the person becomes humble.
– Srila Gurudeva explains the verse of cleansing the heart: ceto-darpana-marjanam bhava-maha-davagni-nirvapanam… (Siksastakam 1).
– When we realize our sambhanda-jnana with Krsna, we can serve Him.
– Song: Yadi Gouranga Nahito.